Tag: homestuck

mentalfamine:

This is something I have been wondering about for a long time, and something that potentially has major ramifications not just for the plot but for the tone that Homestuck is going to end on as a whole. There can only be two reasons for Hussie reminding us of Rose’s quest: either she will eventually learn to play the rain, or it’s important that she doesn’t.

If Rose does learn to play the rain, the reader is left with the message that Rose is still the same person that she was when she was thirteen, at least in spirit. Potential themes for the comic would be that “the child inside you will always live on,” or “you don’t have to ‘grow up’ if you don’t want to,” or “you are always the same person; age and experience are just refinement.” Based on my personal understanding of Homestuck, I think that these would all be consistent with the tone that Hussie has projected thus far.

However, if Rose does not fulfill the quest she was given when she was thirteen, the message is quite different. “You aren’t bound by who you used to be,” “you aren’t responsible for your past,” and “everyone eventually grows up and leaves their past behind” would all be valid interpretations, and would set Homestuck on a completely trajectory, tone-wise. I personally do not think this is what Hussie is trying to do with his story; the very idea that “you aren’t bound by what you used to be” contradicts what Homestuck itself is known for (stable time loops, visual callbacks, foreshadowing, etc.).

In addition, Rose isn’t the only character who is struggling with not being responsible for her past self and personal role in the story. Vriska wanted to try and put all the bad things that she had done behind her, relinquishing responsibility for her mistakes while failing to correct them. Dave and Terezi are both avoiding their callings, albeit in a different way than Rose is. They will all have to face the problems they have been running from in the future if they are to experience growth in their character. 

So, if Rose does get to play the rain (which I can only imagine will be a strikingly beautiful scene), it begs the question of if the other kids will finish their land’s quests as well. Jade has already bred her frog, so she is done. John has yet to rescue the fireflies from the clouds of his land, and I couldn’t find what Dave’s quest was, if he had one (if you know what it is, it would be really great if you could tell me!). I think if Rose does complete her quest, John will also (maybe these fireflies?). If they do, and Dave as well if he had a quest, it would bring closure to those early arcs and perhaps their childhood roles as a whole, allowing them to grow up in a way that balances who they were with what they have become.