Der Eisendrache: EE Song "Dead Again" Analysis

[AlphaOmega]

Hello everyone! Welcome to another EE song analysis! 

I have been wanting to dissect this song for some time because of the sheer oddity of it. It isn't uncommon from rock songs to do away with classic ABAB or AABB patterns, but this song sounded...off. I then decided that perhaps the lyrics don't flow that much because they have a message in them

So without further ado, let's break this down!

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A wolf is at my door, I feel it

I see it in my dreams

A world of my design

A forced enlightening reveals it

I found a life that I malign and I feel it

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These first few lyrics are very descriptive. "A wolf is at my door" implies that something is hunting someone and that they are near. However, the odd part is that they "feel it". So this could entirely be their own mind AKA they are just imagining it. This person "Sees it in my dreams". The first person I think of is Takeo, who constantly talks about vivid dreams and prophecies. Again, on the 4th line "A forced enlightening reveals it" seems like something Takeo would say. However, both these lines, as well as the third and 5th, better fit Richtofen. He is the one of the 4 who seems to have the "whole picture". He can see the possibilities, especially when he knows that the Demspey test subject will "wreak havoc across the universe'. 

The last line is very interesting. 'Malign' can refer to 2 things: an evil presence or force OR speaking of someone is a really horrible manner IE "Don't malign her for her father's actions". Sure, the first definition is good, but it doesn't fit: I found a life that I "evil presence". Rather, "I found a life that I "criticize or hate". When taken in this context, it can mean a world of things; Richtofen's hatred of his future actions, Takeo's hatred of Richtofen's future actions. 

However, the ending is what makes all this uncertain. 'I feel it'. There is that phrase again. Once again, whoever is feeling this is just a hunch, nothing more. However, between Richtofen and Takeo, Takeo receives more cryptic messages.

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I feel so strange; 

Like I'm everywhere and that no one was there

We only want to live forever

Repeat serial suicide and you can't find and you can't hide

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Another "I feel" line. Here we once again see the whole "Omni-presence" theme; "Like i'm everywhere and that no one was there". Once again, Richtofen fits this, being able to tap into other realities somewhat and see small parts of the future, due to his time travel exposure. 

The next line, however, is completely contradictory what the aim of Takeo, dempsey, Nikolai, or Richtofen. "We only want to live forever" sounds almost like it may be a completely different person or thought. The origins crew is on a mission to kill themselves and get their souls; completely contradictory to wanting to live forever. The next line even flip flops more with "repeat serial suicide". We know that technically, killing one's self from another universe is still suicide, as Dempsey says "Richtofen, why did you kill youself?" He could have said "Why did you kill that Richtofen" or any number of things, but he says "Why did you kill yourself?". There is definitely a piece missing here. 

I honestly don't know what to make of the last line here. It does fit back to the beginning about "a wolf at my door". This person cannot be found and cannot hide....okay nevermind I have no idea. However, this is one of the odd phrases throughout the song. Thoughts?

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Am I dead? Is it all over?

There is no pain here; my tree of life is hollow

The tide has turned into rain.

Beneath a waning light I see it.

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An interesting question throughout this entire story is "Who is REALLY dead?" "who needs to die?" From Richtofen's note that can be pieced together in SoE (or was it giant?) it shows that all versions of the heroes must die. This is to end all possible timelines everywhere. In all honesty, this seems to be more foreshadowing of the future. Can they really kill themselves enough to finally end their journey?

"There is no pain here; my tree of life is hollow". I wonder if it has something to do with the idea of multiple universes that these versions of the 4 from origins feel no pain when they kill themselves from another universe. The part about the tree of life seems interesting because it may refer to the forest we see in the loading screen. Very much when you see your character there, as well as in the Nikolai trailer, there seems to be a very somber mood, almost as if they feel hopeless and that their life is no longer theirs. 

The tide turning into rain seems to imply that a great change has turned into nothing more than a drizzle. Maybe Richtofen's grand plan to change the future will fail? It also talks about a failing 'waning' light. By definition, this means that something is slowly fading. Could it be Richtofen's resolve to fix the future?

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A creeping shadow spire will bleed into the sky

Carotid tightening conceals this mortality

These moments freeze and fall away from duality

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The shadow spire reminds me of SoE when you look into the distance from the docks area, you can see the openings in the sky. The sky is particularly red. This part seems important foreshadowing for the future.

The carotid arteries are blood vessels that carry blood to the brain. This line seems to be a bit more poetic. It talks about the mortality of a person, bound only by blood and flesh. Then, in a moment, all of it is over and the body that holds blood and keeps mortality fall away. This sounds very much like a sacrifice or killing. In SoE, to sacrifice a person, they are literally cut by the blades of the summoning key and their life force, their soul, their 'mortality' is taken. Again, this happens with Dempsey at the end of the Der Eisendrache story EE. (Bonus points for literally 'Moments FREEZE'...cuz dempsey is frozen...)

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I hear my name

In a voice like mine, that I hear in my mind

The time has come to leave for never

I peel the fabric back and see me hide

I can't hide from I and hide from me

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Someone hear's their name. However, it sounds like schizophrenia or dementia, as characterized by voices sounding like their own. Sounds much like Richtofen. However, we do see, from time to time, that the characters talk to themselves in-game. This is typically when their voice sounds more hollow, or they are surrounded by multiple characters but have their own thoughts. It is an interesting feature that I hope will be used to relay some of the secrets of these versions of the Original 4.

'The time has come to leave for never'. A very ominous tone, seemingly an indication that this may be the final chance for something to be completed or done. The next line about "peeling the fabric back" typically refers to "exposing the truth". However, the truth of this person is that they are hiding. And in the next line, it seems it gets even more schizophrenic: "I can't hide from I and hide from me". This could mean that this person cannot hide from themself and hide from the other person in them. This sounds very much like in psychology where there is the Id, Ego, and Superego. The id is the vasic desires of a person. The Superego is the ultimate righteousness that a person knows; their extremely moral side. And the ego is the mediator; the part of the self that regulates the id and superego. In this, the "i" is struggling with the "me". The "Superego" is struggling with the "id". The right path vs the wanted path. And in the end, the self hides from the truth that it must inevitably face.

Very tricky passage.

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Am I dead? Is it all over?

Where is my pain now?

In my head it draws me closer; will it know my name?

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Once again the question of death, the absense of pain (my tree of life is hollow...). The important part here talks about a "thing" in the mind of this person. And the person wonders of this "thing" knows who they are. The person seems to fear judgement, not wanting to face their retribution for their actions. The phrase "a name is everything" seems important here. It doesn't say "will it know what i've done?" rather, will it know my name. This could mean that this person, merely by name, is one that must be infamous in one way or another. Who they are is physically attributed to this name. 

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I feel it again and again I feel it

I feel it when it's closing my eyes I feel it

I see it again and again in my mind

I see it when I look at the sky and I am 

Alive again

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A lot of sense are used here. This person seems to be feeling as if they are being watched or that a familiar feeling is happening again and again. However,  they are also seeing something in their mind over and over again. And the final culmination of this is looking into the sky and they are born again. 

Not much I can really say about this section. Thoughts?

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I'm alive; I feel the pain now

I'm really here

I'm alive now (x4)

Now I die again, Yeah

Are we dead? is it all over again? Yeah

Where is the pain now

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The person here seems to become apparent to the fact that they are in fact alive. And once again, it brings up the question of death. Throughout this song, this fact has jumped back and forth. At one point, the person believes they are dead, but instantly, they are alive. Could it be that our characters are stuck in a sort of limbo, fully able to be alive but unable to die. The supporting factor of this may be that why did Richtofen not just kill those around him instead of hunting down Dempsey from another universe? Perhaps he need's their help for something else? Of course, that's just going off the theory of a limbo. However, this song seems to strongly emphasize a confusion between death and life.

Perhaps the bigger questions throughout all of this song and story in general is "what does it mean to be alive" and "what does it mean to TRULY die?". 

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You lead and we'll follow

Our tree of life is hollow

The tide has turned into rain

Are we dead? Did we cross over?

What is our name now?

Are we dead now?

Are we dead now?

Are we dead again?

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Probably the most clue-type of phrases. Here for almost the first time, we get a collective thought. "we will follow". "Our tree of life is hollow". I feel that this is VERY important, as the entire song is focused on a single person and now, it seems that "we" have become a collective following. Could this be the other characters submitting to Richtofen's plan? Again, the "tree of life is hollow" is not preceeded by "My". It is now "our". 

Again, the idea of a tide, a change, has become rain.

Honestly, if nothing else, this final section of lyrics are important in that it goes from "I/me" to "We". However, it is interesting to talk about the "did we cross over?" part. Again, we get a feeling that this group, these people are unable to fall into the category of death or life. So much so, they feel they are losing who they are. Interestingly enough, one of the side affects of Element 115 is memory loss. Could it be that these people have even forgotten their name due to heavy exposure? Or is this more of a psychological question "who am I really"?

Or rather, "who are we really"?

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Thank you for reading! I know this was very long and has a lot of text, but I hope to see some responses and theories. I really believe that these songs contain key pieces of information that help explain the storyline, albeit it can be difficult to decipher. 

(PS this took a week to write)

[anonymous]

Good one, thought this was about the Wolf King.

Didnt even thought it could be about the O4.

[AlphaOmega]

The beginning part did make me think of that king. But i feel it doesnt match the rest of the song