In the Rose Garden / Regarding Akio's speech about being the Morningstar

Overlord Morgus · Back to Top

i.e. Venus. He identifies with that planet because it is the brightest "star" in the night sky. He then asks Utena how the Morningstar must have felt when the Sun set on him.

This reminds me of a Buckminster Fuller quote: "The most important thing to teach your children is that the sun does not rise and set. It is the Earth that revolves around the sun. Then teach them the concepts of North, South, East and West, and that they relate to where they happen to be on the planet's surface at that time. Everything else will follow." He fails to see that Venus isn't the "brightest star in the sky" because of the sun. It's the "brightest" because it's close to the insignificant moss-covered rock known as Earth. This mirrors, in my mind, his misplacing of the source of his power. He didn't get it from God or the Power to Bring the World Revolution, which would be the analogue of the Sun, he got it from The People and their inborn stupidity. In the last episodes, he seems to recognize that his power lay only in illusion, and yet he never seems to internalize any of his knowledge. He is neither great enough to create, nor wicked enough to destroy.

Last edited by Overlord Morgus (08-09-2012 07:11:37 PM)

Giovanna · Back to Top

Definitely a good point. I wonder if Akio even places his concept of where his power comes from outside himself at all? He likes the metaphor of Venus because he gets to be all HAY GUYZ I'M THE DEBIL, but he never makes any claim that the source of his power comes from a higher deity or from The People. Ultimately, I think you're right that he'd be nothing without the latter, just as Dios would have meant nothing without a horde to adore him. Did Akio ever realize this? Or is it part of his nature to be so self-centered that he cannot conceive of owing his origin to anyone? (Aside from Anthy, and that a bit grudgingly.)

Ashnod · Back to Top

My feelings on his reference can be summed up here:

EXCERPT FROM SHIN KAKUMEI EVANGELION Episode 25 wrote:
Rei and Utena stand side by side. As they step into an elevator, the soundtrack "Absolute Destiny Apocalypse" begins and will continue until they arrive in Terminal Dogma. Shots of the elevator descending into Terminal Dogma. Shots of Rei's clothes dissolving and the Rose Bride gown materializing. The elevator stops. The pair walks down a long corridor until they get to the large doors that guard Terminal Dogma. Ritsuko is there, brief shot of her sliding her card through the lock, and the doors opening. Rei and Utena enter, the doors closing behind them.

Utena looks up at the massive, crucified figure of Lilith, and gasps.

Soundtrack ends.

Utena: So that's what Juri saw...

She looks down at the pool of liquid at Lilith's feet.

Utena: LCL?

At the far end of Terminal Dogma, there is the sound of lights being turned on. Utena turns her head and she sees, lit by spotlights, a large white, stylized orb with Dios resting atop it. This is almost the size of Lilith, and unmoving, so by all appearances could be a statue.

Utena: The Prince?

Akio (off): Yes, the Prince.

We see Akio, in the white prince garb, walking towards Utena and Rei from the direction of Dios.

Akio: Dios and Lilith.

Utena looks back to the crucified figure.

Utena: Lilith?

Akio: A Demon and an Angel. Did you know that all Demons were once Angels? Filled with the light of the divine, yet subservient to the will of another. It is said that the brightest Angel, Lucifer, the Morning Star, gave up this light in order to be free. He was not the only Angel to do this. Others followed him, and in the end, found that they no longer possessed the divine light that had once allowed them to shine.

Akio is almost to Rei and Utena. They both look at him.

Akio: Their freedom came at a price greater than they could have ever imagined. But it was freedom, nonetheless. Because of this, because they gave up their light in order to be free, they were called Demons. In stories and tales that came later, they became the darkness used to terrify little children. Eventually, they became known as little more than unspeakable horrors ready to swallow whole anyone who might follow the path they had forged. Each human soul, it was said, had one lusting after it, waiting to drag it screaming into the Ends of the World.

Utena's eyes widen, then narrow.

Akio: But regardless of these stories, the truth of the matter is this: despite their freedom, every single one of the beings now called Demons longed to return to the light, and would do anything to have it again.

Last edited by Ashnod (08-09-2012 10:47:40 PM)

Overlord Morgus · Back to Top

Giovanna wrote:
Definitely a good point. I wonder if Akio even places his concept of where his power comes from outside himself at all? He likes the metaphor of Venus because he gets to be all HAY GUYZ I'M THE DEBIL, but he never makes any claim that the source of his power comes from a higher deity or from The People. Ultimately, I think you're right that he'd be nothing without the latter, just as Dios would have meant nothing without a horde to adore him. Did Akio ever realize this? Or is it part of his nature to be so self-centered that he cannot conceive of owing his origin to anyone? (Aside from Anthy, and that a bit grudgingly.)

I'd give him more credit than that, he does ask Utena, "How do you think the Morningstar must have felt when the sun fell?" or something to that effect. His error in judgment is more complex. He acknowledges the Sun for making him the "second brightest object in the night sky" and seems to bear God or whatever no resentment. But the Morninstar isn't the "brightest" because of the sun; it's "brightest" because Earth is closer to Venus than any other planet. The Morningstar is only exceptionally bright from the perspective of Earth. Objectively, it's an insignificant object in the grand scheme of things, just like our planet. Just like Dios; Dios was never truly important or powerful, he was only powerful and important to the "jealous" rabble. Compared to nature or the universe itself or even to other gods, he was nothing. Akio's current situation only makes this basic idea more obvious. This is true of all political "power," it has no inherent power to create power, either for the individual or society, or understand nature, it can only facilitate or obstruct productive behavior. Its size is a product of perspective and nothing else.

What he's fighting for isn't power, it's the respect of the rabble. With or without the Power to Bring the World Revolution, that's all he'll ever try for, and that's all he'll ever get.

Last edited by Overlord Morgus (08-10-2012 02:09:14 PM)

Overlord Morgus · Back to Top

Some Nietzsche quotes to put his errors into perspective:

"There are no moral phenomena, only moral interpretations of phenomena."

"And what of the powerful? They bargain for power - with the rabble!"

Decrescent Daytripper · Back to Top

"Is that your brother?"/"That's a projector."

In the TV version, Akio's the ultimate projector.

A projector doesn't brag up its power source or whoever printed the slide or film it runs, it just shines it's pretty light out.

(Also, how creepily apropos are those Real Estate spams?)

#1 | Back to Top08-09-2012 07:08:02 PM

Regarding Akio's speech about being the Morningstar

#2 | Back to Top08-09-2012 10:23:00 PM

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#3 | Back to Top08-09-2012 10:45:19 PM

Re: Regarding Akio's speech about being the Morningstar

EXCERPT FROM SHIN KAKUMEI EVANGELION Episode 25 wrote:

#4 | Back to Top08-10-2012 07:51:10 AM

Re: Regarding Akio's speech about being the Morningstar

Giovanna wrote:

#5 | Back to Top09-14-2012 03:06:18 PM

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#6 | Back to Top10-10-2012 06:50:07 AM

Re: Regarding Akio's speech about being the Morningstar

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