“We lie to ourselves all the time” this line makes me think that as well.

I was thinking actually about Visages and why Renoir felt the need to highlight Versos character flaw specifically. And maybe the reason is that he too hides behind a mask. Maybe he wanted to highlight that flaw because it’s one that he wishes both him and his son can overcome.

“I would have traded my years for his” Renoirs lines as the Fading man are so vulnerable and tragic a complete contrast to the stoic persona he puts on throughout most of act 3. It feels like the only time where we get to see him properly grieving.

“You’re my friend. Other Verso was also my friend.” One of my favourite scenes in the game. Esquie letting Verso know that he loves both him and the original Verso independently.

And what I love the most is that each one of them is painted with so much love in mind. Even Sirene who is meant to represent Alines terrible mental state is drawn to be as beautiful as possible. No one yearns and loves quite like Renoir🥲

My favourite thing about the axons is how each one represents something different for Renoir. Visages is a character flaw that he wishes Verso would overcome. Sirene is Alines current state. The howler is the role Clea took in the family. And the reacher is his hope for Alicia.

They lost so much and yet both Maelle and Alicia saw and believed in hope until the very end.

“She who grasps the sky”

interestingly even though Maelle reflects Gustaves beliefs. I think that if there was no middle ground Gustave would side with Verso. Not cause he agrees with his ideology but because he loves Maelle so much he would even sacrifice his beliefs and hopes for her.

They deserve to exist and to be happy. And if the day came where Renoir entered the canvas she would fight again to preserve their happiness even if it causes suffering.

Now Maelle on the other hand reflects Gustaves belief in the future and the value of what could even be temporarily happiness. She believe that even if this world is to be doomed eventually, her, her friends and all other people in the canvas deserve to have the chance to live-

I should mention that I believe that Verso would make the same choice even if he was certain that after Maelle passed that the canvas will live on because he prioritises his family over everything. But that probably reinforced his beliefs that the canvas will always suffer.

Verso similar to Sophie in a way believes that this world is burdened by the grieving of the Dessendres. As long as they are in it people will suffer. When he realises that Maelle doesn’t intend on leaving he makes his choice to end what he believe is prolonged suffering.

In the prologue we find out that Sophie didn’t wanna have children, believing it to be selfish to bring people into a world that is doomed. And we find out that is the reason her and Gustave broke up. He on the other hand believe in the future and temporarily happiness.

I have been thinking recently about how the final choice between Verso and Maelle sort of reflects the choices and beliefs that Sophie and Gustave had prior to the events of the game.

My best guess is that both Aline and Renoir can project/clone themselves in some way without being aware of what the projection is doing, as it’s mostly a mindless copy that is just trying to follow orders given. But if anyone has another explanation please feel free to write it

Renoir also doesn’t find out that Alicia is in the canvas until the end of act 1 when pRenoir tries to push her out despite him seeing her earlier in the manor as the curator???

One thing I still can’t wrap my head around is Aline showing up in the old manor in old lumiere and in the beginning of the monolith when she is supposed to be trapped at the top of it and Renoir showing up in the manor and at camp when he is supposed to be at the bottom of it.

Some other absolute favourites

My favourite dynamics in expedition 33