Do the faces in the Eclipse terrain represent a soul in the Vortex?

[ApostleBob]

As I go through the animated series once more, it strikes me that perhaps the eclipse dimension we see is the Vortex of souls, but that the God Hand can manipulate the souls to form a terrain. We do see a very different Eclipse ceremony previously with the SK flashback, with the Vortex in place of the eclipsed sun. I doubt we'll ever know for sure, and as the God Hand are connected to the Vortex and the IOE it seems like a logical assumption that they control it to an extent.

I also like that Miura gave the eclipse terrain individual faces. It leads me to think that they are more than just wallpaper.

 

[Walter]

It's occurred to me before, but consider that most of the faces in the vortex would have already been stripped of their individuality. And those faces don't really resemble the distinct ones we see in the Eclipse. The vortex faces are more monstrous, barely human. Check out the final ep of Vol 11, for example.

 

[ApostleBob]

It's occurred to me before, but consider that most of the faces in the vortex would have already been stripped of their individuality. And those faces don't really resemble the distinct ones we see in the Eclipse. The vortex faces are more monstrous, barely human. Check out the final ep of Vol 11, for example.

There's definitely an aesthetic difference from the swirl of souls in the vortex to the hardened terrain of the eclipse, though one could argue that the swirling ones in the eclipse sky have that more monstrous look. That being said, if the God Hand do have some control over the chaotic swirl of souls in the Vortex, their manipulation of them may revert them a bit.

Otherwise, the Eclipse terrain is just a series of distinct faces for no apparent reason other than to be scary. Wouldn't it make sense for these faces to represent souls claimed by the vortex, especially since they are connected to the God Hand? Obviously this is speculation that will never be confirmed at this point, I'm just trying to work within the established lore here.

 

[Walter]

That being said, if the God Hand do have some control over the chaotic swirl of souls in the Vortex, their manipulation of them may revert them a bit.

This seems pretty flimsy, no offense. One thing doesn’t resemble the other, but maybe they force them to change shape when they appear in the sky (and the ground)?

 

[ApostleBob]

This seems pretty flimsy, no offense. One thing doesn’t resemble the other, but maybe they force them to change shape when they appear in the sky (and the ground)?

I hear you, and this is of course just speculation. I'm trying to link what we know about the God Hand's connection with damned souls with the peculiar setting of the Eclipse. The distinct faces are what intrigue me. It could just be creepy wallpaper. What do you think the distinct faces that make up the eclipse terrain are supposed to represent?

 

[Aazealh]

The faces in the Eclipse are unique and clearly "animated" in some capacity (can't really say "alive" given their state). Them being dead souls is a logical assumption, and is pretty much how I've been thinking of them over the years.

That being said, I think you're reaching a bit here:

as the God Hand are connected to the Vortex and the IOE it seems like a logical assumption that they control it to an extent

The God Hand's power is bestowed by the Idea of Evil and, from our understanding, is a concentrated essence derived from the evil souls that dwell in the Abyss. However that doesn't automatically mean the God Hand can control the Vortex of Souls, which is kind of like an enormous natural phenomenon, but also has its own will of sorts.

Going back to the Eclipse itself, it's a ceremony that can only happen every 216 years and that obeys pretty specific rules. We don't know anything about how that strange dimension is created, but it's clearly not trivial to do. That aside, those souls (assuming that's what they are) aren't necessarily from the Vortex either. They could be dead spirits lingering in the upper layers of the ethereal world that were scooped up for the occasion. It could also be more complex, like they'd be people who died because of Griffith's dream, part of that mountain of corpses.

 

[ApostleBob]

The God Hand's power is bestowed by the Idea of Evil and, from our understanding, is a concentrated essence derived from the evil souls that dwell in the Abyss. However that doesn't automatically mean the God Hand can control the Vortex of Souls, which is kind of like an enormous natural phenomenon, but also has its own will of sorts.

Going back to the Eclipse itself, it's a ceremony that can only happen every 216 years and that obeys pretty specific rules. We don't know anything about how that strange dimension is created, but it's clearly not trivial to do. That aside, those souls (assuming that's what they are) aren't necessarily from the Vortex either. They could be dead spirits lingering in the upper layers of the ethereal world that were scooped up for the occasion. It could also be more complex, like they'd be people who died because of Griffith's dream, part of that mountain of corpses.

Interesting theories. Obviously, we'll never know for sure now. I like the idea that they were souls specifically related to Griffith's conquest, but that's a LOT of souls in that case.

The fact that the event is on a timeline related to a cosmic event certainly makes it non-trivial. It's totally different from what the Apostles get when they make a sacrifice. And it is distinct from the other Eclipse we saw in the armor's memory from Void's ascent to the God Hand. And while the God Hand certainly tag souls for the Vortex with the Brand, and we see the Incarnated Griffith able to manipulate souls of the fallen, we do know that Skull Knight's plan was to imprison the God Hand in the Vortex, which would indicate that their control or the Vortex is limited.

 

[Aazealh]

we see the Incarnated Griffith able to manipulate souls of the fallen

He manipulates souls of people who recently died and who have not yet journeyed beyond. That is not to be equated with the Vortex of Souls.

which would indicate that their control or the Vortex is limited.

Just to reiterate, as far as the story goes, nothing indicates the God Hand has any control over the Vortex at all. It is possible that it does to some extent, but if so we haven't seen it demonstrated conclusively.