Understanding the Cycle

[InfestLithium]

After the ending to Blood of the Dead, I've seen a lot of people across Twitter and Reddit with confusion about the timeline. It doesn't help that we've seen a total of three Richtofens at in one map; however, it's not as bad as it seems. There are a few loose ends (which we'll get into shortly) that give us different ideas to what's going on.

 

First, let's look over the path of the major Richtofens in play.

 

 

Red path signifies Primis Richtofen and blue path signifies Post-Revelations Richtofen. Note that these pathways include different dimensions and universes in one flow for the sake of understanding where we stand at the end of BOTD. 

 

In the BO3 finale, we came to the conclusion that the Great War - battle between the humans and the Apothicans - was initially fought by the ancestors of Primis, but after Revelations, were replaced by the Primis group themselves due to Dr. Monty having sent them there. The reason was simple; by ingesting the blood of the mobsters from MOTD (which also took place in Dimension 63 and was supposedly closed off), the risk of another paradox came into mind and thus Monty placed Primis in the Great War as their ancestors right after winning the war. Ideally, to have them live our their days in the past so they couldn't much anything else up that may cause said paradox to happen. Unfortunately, Monty may not have seen that doing so would not stop that predicament from happening. And thus, a cycle was born.

 

The red path shows this. The blue path, however, shows us that post-Revelations Richtofen somehow survived long enough to be in a cryogenic chamber in Blood of the Dead. He knew about said cycle, and that collecting the blood samples as his insurance policy to keep Primis alive wouldn't solve the problem nor stop the cycle. Now...what was that insurance policy again?

 

Quote

"I recall you mentioning need of some protection for you and your companions. You have a right to worry. The blood vials alone serve aspects of other dimensions, but if you were to ingest them, combine their Aether with your own, that would be a formidable insurance policy. "

- Maxis, Blood of the Dead

 

Oddly enough, a similar radio from Maxis talks of a backup plan that is seemingly different than the insurance policy.

 

Quote

"I also know about the backup plan you have stashed away. If I may be so bold, I would recommend using it. It eliminates a threat of Alcatraz for good."

- Maxis, Blood of the Dead

 

Using the mobster's blood only serves as protection for crossing dimensions and space itself. But this backup plan Maxis mentions claims it can eliminate "a threat of Alcatraz for good". In the ending of BOTD, we see Revelations Richtofen using what's presumably the fire gem of the Staff of Fire. But you can decide what it really is.

 

      vs.      

 

Back to the main point. Revelations Richtofen knew securing the blood vials was not longer a wise plan and instead made focus on keeping their souls. People were quick to jump at Nikolai being the savior of the group, but bear in mind one small fact: at this point, he is the only one with his soul in tact by the end of BOTD. Dempsey and Takeo had their souls still within the Summoning Key, with Richtofen's presumably still in the House as that event may not have changed. 

 

Why is this important to what Revelations Richtofen said?

 

Quote

"Learn of your true calling. You must keep your soul. It will be needed to defeat Dr. Monty."

- Revelations Richtofen, Blood of the Dead

 

If you haven't put two and two together by now, this is a suicide mission for Richtofen. Why? As previously stated, we have 3 souls on hand, 2 of which are still within the Summoning Key and 1 in BOTD Nikolai. Richtofen's soul has already been purified and resides with Monty at the House. Seeing as we're to defeat the now-bad-guy Monty, there's very little chance of reclaiming Richtofen's innocent soul. How the souls play a crucial part in the storyline are still to be determined...hopefully being revealed at the true end of the Aether story.

 

This sets us on a new course where Gorod Krovi never happens, and neither does Revelations. Whatever lies ahead, is to prepare for war against Monty. But there's still someone else within the Summoning Key we have yet to see again - the Shadowman. Oddly enough, the Warden claims that opening the gateway by using Primis' blood would allow him and the Apothicans to return...but we have his soul already in the Key? Interesting.

 

As an additional and semi-related note, I will say this: we also know that the bodies of Victis are still inside their cryogenic chambers. Primis Richtofen actually spoke to Samuel Stuhlinger in BOTD, assuring their safety with his blood sacrifice.

 

Quote

Samuel: "What about my fate, huh? All day, I've been helpin' you out, but no! You're gonna defrost that - "

Richtofen: "Samuel, if we succeed, you will be safe. Please trust me. Und keep quiet."

 

At some point, we will see Victis again. Considering that the lighthouse in BOTD is what enabled both characters to speak to one another, we know at minimum that Samuel is connected through the Aether. Total dimensional collapse of BOTD may or may not have happened given this predicament, but at least we know Samuel can also be reached out to regardless where his body is.

 

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In a nutshell, the cycle entails the events within the Zombies storyline, but after Revelations, Richtofen understands this has become a cycle now and the only way to break it is by surviving long enough to stop his Primis self from collecting and ingesting the blood vials, thus changing their fates per the Kronorium and breaking the cycle to defeat Dr. Monty.

[anonymous]

Great post, Infest! It clarifies slot up for me, and hopefully for others too.

 

While reading this I got new thoughts about the importance of the souls in the House, and the children. Remember after Origins the Primis crew was send to a fracture of the Original Timeline, 1943? Except Richthofen, he was teleported to the House I'm Argartha first, where he started his journey through space-time, eventually ending up in the Giant as well, at the rest of the Primis crew. Now keep in mind that after Origins, we saw Eddy and Samantha in the House. Edward was the only one who was teleported to the House. The rest of Primis can teleport to the House after Richthofen let their souls ascend at the end of Gorod Krovi. So it seems like the souls in child-form are needed to enter the House. A physical entity can only enter Agartha if it's soul is in the House. Makes me wonder if Maxis's soul is somewhere there

[Guest]

Reminds of the theories brought up during MOTD.