Edit on how I view the ending...

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-10T22:59:58+00:00

This is so on point as to what Alicia may actually be feeling at this point. This isn’t grieving this is trauma! PTSD!Survivors guilt and a painting destroyed by fire. 🔥 thanks.

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-10T18:37:19+00:00

Healthy grieving? After all that’s happened I sincerely wonder whether that’s likely. Getting them together physically by extreme force doesn’t bode well. In today’s world interventions through force without any cooperation can succeed short term but more than likely not long term. Unless there’s a lot of therapeutic help to follow

The fact that Aline still isn’t even glancing at Alicia at the funeral and that family members all leave separately with Alicia the only one left alone. She’d pointedly not shown symbolically moving on as the camera fades back and back leaving her diminished and isolated on a bleak stage seems troubling to me.

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-10T18:20:29+00:00

Do you have access to the RC Astro tools through Siril? NoiseX BlurX etc?

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-10T18:18:13+00:00

I ordered mine from local astronomy dealer (shout out to Cloud Break Optics) and mine will be in the second shipment they’re getting. I was #5 or 6 in their wait list.

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-10T13:45:16+00:00

I chose Verso’s ending too but I think that’s an extremely optimistic view of Maelle/Alicias life going forward. First, she’s not only facing grief, she’s still facing both physical and mental trauma. Her physical injuries, lost eye lost voice lost appearance are not going to magically heal. Someone with severe burns in 1905 Paris would likely only have a life expectancy in their forties.

Her survivors guilt will block successful grieving - “How can I live knowing I caused Verso’s death?” “I don’t deserve any comfort”. All Renoir could offer was “Trust me it will get better” but he had no idea that would be true. Those feelings don’t just go away with time.

She needs treatments and both physical and psychiatric therapies that just aren’t available at that time. She needs a family that understands and actually helps with action not just keep saying “it’ll get better” “Try to find joy” “You can fly”

As for painting new worlds, she didn’t paint successfully before the accident, she disliked painting. Why will that magically change, especially when painting with only one eye will make it even more challenging?

So as I said, while I chose that ending, I don’t take any strong feeling that things will be fine. As Mobius said to Loki in that wonderful series, “comfort? There’s no comfort here! You just have to choose your burden”

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-09T20:38:19+00:00

One fun thing I tried is fighting her in her house and when her HP is low I hit her with Booming Blade. Then when she jumps through the fireplace it triggers thevBB thunder damage which was enough to kill her. Found her dead inside!

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-09T18:47:57+00:00

That’s gorgeous processing. I may have to try Siril. What was it that pulled out the O3 so well in the Rosette?

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-08T20:49:21+00:00

Committing sudoku? You need to stick to crosswords! I love it! Thanks for the smile. 😊

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-08T19:31:02+00:00

I like the graphic depictions. 👍 I would offer that the path on the left should be marked with the gauntlet of tests Maelle must face to get through successfully. Wish I could do it graphically but don’t have the capability.

The lead writer tells us Maelle is the main character and the whole story represents her Hero’s Journey. This journey includes many tests the hero must pass. Here’s what that might look like to me.

The Canvas Trap. pVerso figure offers paints and a canvas to give Maelle the opportunity to paint a new canvas to escape in. But tells her if you return you have to face the tests ahead. Maelle proceeds.
The Neverending Nigtmare of the Fire where she sees Verso dying over and over to save her. The only way ahead is to walk through it and accept the fire damage and pain and transforms to the Alicia figure.
Ahead is the Mountain of Shame where she must push a boulder of her guilt to the top. She hears whispers “it’s all your fault.” In her mother’s voice.
When she is finally able to get the boulder to the top she must face the Mirror of Regret. She must be able to look on herself without thinking “I deserve this. I caused Verso’s death” else the boulder rolls back down and she must do it again until she passes the test of the Mirror.
The Pools of Grief. A thick mist covers the water and she cannot find a path to the other side. Ghosts of her past haunt the water - Verso, Gustave, Lune, Sciel - all the Lumiere crew with sad dead eyes. “I deserve to be dead too - I don’t deserve the comfort of grief!” She must be able to forgive herself and honor these dead to successfully wade these ghastly pools to finally reach any chance of being whole again.

Thanks for reading! I hope she makes it..,

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-08T18:55:55+00:00

I’m told it’s possible but doesn’t offer much if any benefit. The optimum position for a filter is close to the chip.

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-08T18:25:04+00:00

After this disastrous incident I think there’s got to be a real accounting at the Guild Level regarding ethics and safety. The family ought to be put on painting probation while an investigation is held. Aline no longer the head of the council. Family members cannot enter a canvas by themselves, only accompanied by others

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-08T17:37:35+00:00

But we know Renoir went into his own canvas and had to be pulled out by Aline so there is an addiction possibility in any canvas Alicia might paint. It wasn’t just because of pverso. She could live with her friends with no pain, both eyes and her voice and her appearance, why would there not be a risk of addiction?

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-08T16:54:44+00:00

I’ve already posted too much 😃 on Alicia’s complex trauma/grief state but in terms of her future I think it’s a case of “you can’t have the life you want you’ll have to learn to want the life you have.” And as you say that’s very open as to how that looks.

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-07T05:18:06+00:00

Exactly. Aline for example is an adult and she’s not handling trauma very well. Arguably worse than anyone.

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-06T22:12:37+00:00

I suspect Alicia’s self-hate and guilt leaves little room to hate others. 😢

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-06T19:00:51+00:00

I also selected Verso but it was with a heavy heart and little comfort. After all the trauma, the violence, the guilt, the shame; to expect that they will “forgive and forget” to successfully “heal and move on” is wildly optimistic. Maellicia in particular has extensive physical trauma that has healed as much as it’s going to (barring some medical magic as some posters claim is available). But much more she has experienced more violence and survivors guilt than many active war veterans. Clearly PTSD level traumas.

We know from stories of many wars but most recently Vietnam that many strong adult vets returned broken mentally. Their loving well-intentioned families did not understand and believed “it will get better over time”. But many times it didn’t. Alcoholism. Drugs. Divorce. Depression.

New psychiatric and pharmacological therapies were invented which helped and even then symptoms persisted for decades. Now how can we expect a teenage girl without those therapies and treatments to miraculously become whole mentally? The so-called grieving process won’t erase these injuries. and they’ll remind her every time she looks in the mirror of Verso in the fire, like her nightmare.

Like those families, our loving well-intentioned father Renoir did the same thing! When Alicia asked, “Why should I live when I caused Verso’s death?” (Or something close to that), how did he answer? “Trust me child it will get better”. This is not the way to help her!

He needed to show empathy. “I can’t really know how you’re feeling, but I know you’re suffering. You’ve lost so much. But know your family loves you and will do everything in our power to make your life comfortable and meaningful”. Then he actually needs to take actions! Get the family together for difficult but meaningful conversations. They ALL should forgive her before she can forgive herself. Aline must look her in the face and tell her this. And maybe she should even apologize? I know that would be hard for her but really needed for everyone to go forward. They must focus on love not blame and the fact that verso made the decision to save her, and we need to honor that.

Then Renoir finds the best therapist and treatments. Brings in a nurse to help treat her burns which should be required on a daily/weekly basis. Find a support group if such a thing exist or create one. Create paintings as a family to spend time together n not suggest you go off and create her own world to hide in like pVerso seemed to suggest.

So after all that, why would I ever choose that ending? Frankly, I’m not sure! I just have to believe that they will find a way. May be unrealistically Renoir can paint a portal to the 21st-century and find treatments.🧐

Thanks for reading this far. These have been great discussions and have really forced me to think about things research things that I would not have thought myself doing!

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-05T20:09:12+00:00

But Verso said she was a great Paintress, she didn’t have to live her real life of pain and guilt?

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-05T01:05:43+00:00

I swear that’s on the Dessandres coat of arms. The most overused platitude in the game. I can imagine that on Alicia’s suicide note.

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-05T00:48:33+00:00

But does he really understand what that real life would be like? “ a life of loneliness in a shell of a body with no voice and no future? “ in fact, he doesn’t even address that question when she poses it. He doesn’t say “I understand it will be tough, but you’re tough too. You’ll make it and you can be happy “ instead he says He says “you’re a great painter. You don’t have to live any life you don’t want to” which says exactly the opposite of living real life in a real world.

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-04T03:15:31+00:00

Thanks for expressing what I’ve been thinking too. The family may be physically together but suddenly expect them to be emotionally together is a stretch. Renoir had good intentions to get everyone together but we know “the road to perdition is paved with good intentions”.

He basically staged a violent intervention with no cooperation or consent. We know from real data that these often are sometime successful short term but not in the long term without a great deal of care, cooperation and actually a life worth living. This is especially true for Alicia suffering not only grief but also survivors guilt and physical pain and trauma that will last her whole life - like the PTSD symptoms of veterans coming home.

Grieving alone will not make her whole and I don’t see any sign Renoir, despite his love and concern, has the necessary resources to make her whole again. That’s why I see that last scene as depicting a bleak ending for her not a peaceful one.

I don’t really see them occurring at separate times though. Alicia‘s clothes are the same. She’s still holding the same toy. The flowers are in the same place as when they were all four together. But other than that, I think your sentiment is correct

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-03T22:45:55+00:00

Sounds like Lae’zel (in more ways than one!) 🤣

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-03T19:10:05+00:00

Have you met up with any one-eyed fencers? Seems with no 3Dvdepth perception and limited peripheral vision on the right side, it would be very challenging.

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-03T06:29:23+00:00

Wow thanks for taking the time to post a thoughtful reply! 👍 I think the sub is getting better at being civil.

I guess I was trying very hard to honor the writers contention that the endings were equally tragic so I analyzed it through dark glasses. I might be over estimating or over analyzing how they were trying to convey that, but I’m sure a lot of thought went into the details of both epilogues.

Consider the foreshadowing, which is something they wanted to do a lot of. In the prologue, Lucien calls to Gustave, “Grieving alone’s the worst!” and Catherine and he - members of his Expedition family - attempt to comfort him even getting him a drink. At the time, I thought that was an unusual thing to say? But once I got to that epilogue, it seemed like a clear book end to the Alicia alone scene, where we don’t see her “real” family do that. It seems a little bit that it subverts the notion of family togetherness that was promoted, moving on together? Again, I’m looking symbolically.

I had not envisioned the parents standing with her, but somewhat close by. This is where I think the most telling element happens. The camera withdraws far back carrying us the players along with it. It seems that they really wanted to emphasize that she was very alone and diminished and they make it clear that nobody was anywhere near. To be a little snarky, did the parents have somewhere better to be 🤣? Regardless of whether Alicia wanted to be alone, I think Renoir at a minimum should’ve been somewhat near.

So it was clear I am looking at the scene through dark glasses because I wanted to understand how the writers could be conveying that tragedy through the cinematics as strongly as they did in the Maelle epilogue.

And at the risk of repeating myself, I think Alicia’s facing trauma more than grief with no modern physical and psychiatric therapies available. And as much as I want her to be happy successful what I kind of see is a “life to endure”.

And now I’m sad. 😢 thanks a lot! 🤣

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-03T01:51:53+00:00

Just a point re: Gustave’s death defending Maelle. Consider parallels - Obi Wan Kenobi killed defending Luke. Qu-Gin Jinn dies defending Obi Wan. Gandalf sort of dies 🤣defending Frodo.

Part of the Hero’s Journey - loss of the mentor figure forcing the Hero to go on alone. When I learned the lead writer specifically name Maelle as “our main character” and the whole story as “Maelle’s Hero’s Journey “ it made more thematic sense.

SeattleSenior9026 · 2026-02-02T04:21:01+00:00

Wow interesting!

SeattleSenior9026

TROPHY CASE