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bloomandcoffee · 10 months

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So The official Lyrics for “Ascension” just dropped...

...and it’s time for a musical analysis. A.k.a. I lost it because this song is juicy and the interpretation and analysis dragged me through a spin, and if I had to lose my mind, you all should too.

Time for some interesting tidbits I've found with The lyrics of ascension, its musical cues, and phoenixflare (because bias, but I actually make good arguments for it! The song pretty much does it for me, to be quite honest.)

Warning: quite a long analysis

OK first of all, basics Here are the official lyrics, and here’s a video with the song for quick appreciation and reference. For context, Ascension is the song that plays in the final fight against Bahamut, when Phoenix and Ifrit fuse and they duke it out in space.

The song starts with Brass & Heavy chorus but the moment Ascension is name dropped into the song is at the culmination of Joshua and Clive fusing. Afterwards it also introduces a solo of violin. A violin solo is indicative of Dion. You learn this from the OST where he fights Odin earlier in the game. This could feasibly be a nod to two things:

1) You would think The Ascension aspect in its true form is The fusion of Ifrit and Phoenix, but since this Dion's/Bahamut's fight it's instead a clue that true ascension is what spurned the fusion in the first place: stop Bahamut, save the people and save Dion (Joshua) & Destroy the mother crystal, Protect Joshua, defeat this corrupted form of Bahamut (Clive).

2) This Ascended form will bring back Bahamut to his senses no matter how terrible the struggle (Brass & Heavy mournful Chorus turned again to violin solo)

3) The lyrics for that moment go as follow:

In courage, conviction (through the night) We find our redemption (find our light) That we might make our ascension

I could hazard a guess and say that the fusing of the eikons represent Forgiveness/Redemption for what they did to each other at Phoenix gate (otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to do it).

However I think it's important to point out that, even before mentioning fire further into the song, Through the night / Find our light is also reflected in Joshua's/Phoenix theme with From Dark light be reborn and rise from Shadow / and Shadow in the Night.

Night (and night as shadows) are prevalent in Joshua's/Phoenix theme and It's especially notorious since it's the only instance in Ascension where Night is mentioned. One would think "ah it's because Phoenix's theme started the night of phoenixgate”, and yeah that could be it, but why then not do more allusions on Ascension since it's also nighttime?

(Also it’s worth pointing out that the violin solo after Phoenix and Ifrit fuse is also overtaken again by brass instruments and the Chorus. So while there's hope, it's just heralding the beginning of the struggle to break Dion free)

...and Speaking of free

let's get to our next bit:

Burden shouldered Seven worlds of teardrops falling to the sea Bitter seeds, these, e're yearning to be Free! Holy Mother set us free! Strike our irons, be our

All those meta about Dion's burdens being too heavy on him, chaffing him down, making him bitter and not being able to do naught else but bear it??? Here you have your confirmation!

“Burden shouldered” is obvious the interpretation.

“Seven worlds of teardrops falling to the sea” is a double punch because it could allude to the fact that Dion cannot allow himself to cry in a moment of weakness (he is Bahamut, the Symbol, The champion of the Empire, the Hope bringer, His Father's son) and so the seven worlds worth of tears shall fall into the sea -that is, the place where nobody can differentiate whether it's a tear or just seawater. It also alludes to the fact that, all of this is happening in an isle, surrounded by sea, but instead of his rage falling there, it rains onto the people of the dominion.

“Bitter seeds, these, e're yearning to be”: Through the time of shouldering the Burdens of the Empire with all the privations they entailed and never being recognized for them -even loathed and schemed against!- Dion has grown bitter, and was yearning to be.

Free!

But how, Oh, how does he believe he will find Freedom?

Through Greagor, The holy Mother. Unsurprising given that he's a Scion of Sanbreque.

And what does he envision the freedom granted by Her to constitute?

Free! Holy Mother set us free! Strike our irons, be our Solace Temperance Virtue Vengeance

Keep these words in mind (especially vengeance), because they're about to take you on a spin as did me when I realized the turn around.

After the crescendo of what Freedom through her guidance entails, this hectic section of heavy contrasting chorus, brass and tense strings ends with:

Firmament over us Fundament 'neath us

He wants to reach The firmament, leave everything beneath. Do you know who else is spurned to fly over the Firmament, and contemplate the nothingness below? Yes, you guessed it: The Phoenix. Look up to the heavens / The firmament reddens / Throw open your wings and fly! & Look down to the nether / Bid Farewell Forever / Throw open your wings and fly!

But unlike the Phoenix, there's no guiding light in the firmament, no Dawn to look forward to. Dion wants to escape it all, to Rise through the firmament, to leave it all, the chains, the guilt, the horror of what he just did behind, seeking the guidance of the Holy mother and the freedom she represents.

Again, this section ends with a strong statement of brass and strings. You could even say it's an ultimatum, and the presentation of Dion's current emotional turmoil amplified by the Crystal's/Ultima's madness.

... and then, we go back to the strings, tense, but more prevalent before once again, trying to be overtaken by the brass instruments. And so, the chorus, milder now, assuaged somewhat, continues with the brass not being as prevalent as before (and I'm about to lose it):

Take flight into the starry heavens On high, celestial procession Fire on ruby mountaintops To guide us to the word of god(dess)

We all know this. We are all aware of this.

"Take flight into the starry heavens", yes we are fighting in space, Dion was able to break through the firmament and leave.

"On high, celestial procession" Dion, mad with grief, guilt, bitterness and a yearning to be free stands supreme among the stars. A procession fit for a King about to end it all. Even though we know this isn't what Dion, so full of love, of dedication and tenderness for his people would want.

He needs to be stopped from his madness, to be hold gently, to be calmed down, guided through his grief back to safety. and behold! Here comes Ifrit Risen the Phoenix (with extra help).

"Fire on ruby mountaintops" This is self explanatory, Joshua and Clive have arrived, together, an ascended form with all the implications their ascension meant. But again, Phoenix, focus on the phoenix whose main Motivation is Dion. He arrives to

"To guide us to the word of god(dess)" the us in this case clearly means Dion, who pleaded to Her before for freedom. Yet it is the Phoenix, who arrives and will guide him to the word of god(dess). The word of the goddess in this case means freedom since that's what Dion yearns for and pleaded to Her.

And what, pray tell, is the phoenix's guidance (also, High Sanbreque priests who? It's the Phoenix, Joshua, the one that will become the true guide to the word of the Goddess, not they who conspired against Dion, who bought into Anabella's scheme) to what true freedom, what Dion's answers and yearnings are?

Solace Temperance Virtue Ascension!

(Bold done by me, but the exclamation mark is in the lyrics)

Ascension The type Phoenix and Ifrit got at the beginning, that's true freedom, punctuated for emphasis. Not the Madness Bahamut has become after absorbing the crystal, that’s not Acension.

The phoenix will guide Dion to it, to true freedom, to true Ascension So this was right where I lost it.

(it's also worth of note that "Ascension!" has an exclamation mark, while "Vengeance" had none, just forceful intonation!)

Ok no. I lied. I was THIS close to lose it, but I held on just by my nails. The song, with now a hopeful tint continues with:

Guide our spirits ever higher And higher and higher and higher, higher! On wings of Faith We'll rise again

"Wing of faith" we know refers to the phoenix, who is guiding true the word of the Goddess. (Phoenix, not Ifrit because who of these two has the wings? Thought so) and with it, Bahamut and Dion will rise again, hinting that they will not die by the end of this fight, but survive and rise again, better (and free, hopefully) and THEN. THEN!!!! Bahamut's string solo theme without brass instruments finally plays and I actually LOST it. If that isn't a confirmation in musical form I don't know what to tell you. Excuse me for a moment while I SCREAM

The song continues and yes the brass now accompany the string solo of Bahamut's theme. Now, instead of being overtaken by it and the chorus as it happened previously in the phase of the fight before this, when the chorus starts it's a whispers and it flows, it doesn't overtake.

Ware ye the madness The breeds inside us Tides of fury flowing, ebbing Mists of malice whorling, wending Veil of Nothing, never-ending Dare not seek what lurketh down beneath No!

It its frantic however, even when it states that the turmoil is waning. It's both a reassurance and a warning, conveyed by the crescendo of the chorus and culminating in the following statement:

An Evil Hiding from the sun Blinded, he screameth eschaton immanent

This is ultima btw. It's a warning about ultima.

What, pray tell, does Eschaton mean anyway? It can't be the Zettaflare, right?

Indeed, this is what Eschaton means (via Dictionary.com)

Theology. the final age and the consummation of history, including the Last Judgment and the defeat of evil, the eternal blessedness of the righteous, and, in some traditions, the creation of a new heaven and earth:

FUCK YOU ULTIMA

#ffxvi #dion lesage #joshua rosfield #phoenixflare #musical analysis #meta #thank you for coming to my TED talk

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newty · 3 months

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🌙 a teredio playlist

also i totally grabbed those words in the edit from meditation by richard aldington go read his poem here.

anyway. some selected Thoughts:

canta per me - Yuki Kajiura

The life of the love beloved in my heart oh be happy, you, my soul sing farewell

strong voice and strong violin. it has a proud tone even through what it asks, but it's also asking bc it won't say goodbye itself.

Before We Drift Away - Nothing but Thieves

And as we sing this familiar song I thought I'm gonna miss your love when it's gone Will it flow into the river Or will it go to waste?

the uncertainty that separation/death is going to happen but with no idea how or when. use of the ocean bc sanbrequois shoreline but also the funerial river in twinside

Free If We Want It - Nothing but Thieves

I walk beside myself To see what's left Of you and me And what it means If it goes wrong (don't look back) At least it was real

reflection on a past that feels meaningless but still had a loved one in it. having the ability to move on but also the choice to continue as things are. but mostly just let that shit go and keep going

see also: stand by me - florence + the machine / tsuki o miteita - kenshi yonezu / let the starts fall down - yuki kajiura / walking the wire - imagine dragons / dance me to the end of love - douglas dare

---DION

Pianissimo - Agent Fresco

Could this be All there is Will this shame have a name Only for this night Calm me for this night Oh this shame has a name

dread, uncertainty, danger, desperation. shame is the name of the love that doesn't speak. relying on smth once and then needing it again and again.

Pyre - Agent Fresco

We both belong to longings of past Can you see the pyre below? We both belong to longings of wrath Can you feel the fire grow? Loneliness has only shown me I can't let you go

pairs w pianissimo. the expectation of punishment and the tone of danger. having no time and finding extensions of smth by carrying it in the body, even if it hurts or it's haunting.

IL DONO DELLA VITA - Måneskin

The sound of your ugly laughter Has opened the way for me to the right path I breathe in clean air And I let it kill me But my heart still beats A light that rips through the ground

defying the ppl who are guiding you by doing what they want and not being destroyed by it. part of me thinks this one is a bit too self aware for dion tho LOL

Achilles Come Down - Gang of Youths

Where you go, I'm going, so jump and I'm jumping Since there is no me without you Today, of all days, see How the most dangerous thing is to love How you will heal and you'll rise above Ah, it's more courageous to overcome

i mean. achilles. convincing someone who did great things that they're worthy of more than nothing and death. the length and how many pleas it takes to finish, but achilles' choice is still left unanswered.

also see: the dragon sups - takeharu ishimoto / too much is never enough - florence + the machine / never let me go - florence + the machine / rest up, ignis - yasunori mitsuda / wait for me - agent fresco

---Terence

The Driver - Måneskin

Bare your soul 'till it's naked Bite my lip 'till you break it If you're gonna set fire to the night Baby, let me be the lighter If there's nowhere to go when you wanna go wild I wanna be the driver

enabler terence!!! also lot of feelings abt power. speaker is ordering the subject to rule over them. the subject is the one doing things, but the speaker is a necessary part to all of them. a driver is in charge of the vehicle but not the destination

De Selby (Part 2) - Hozier

What you live in Darling, it finds a way to live in you I wanna run against the world that's turning Let all time slow, let all light go I wanna kill the lights

aka 'terence doesnt actually show any resentment for bahamut for cursing dion into this bs life but for the next 3 minutes 47 seconds he does.' and hes gonna go against the world if dion wants it done

I, Carrion - Hozier

I do not have wings, love, I never will Soarin' over a world you are carryin' If these heights should bring my fall Let me be your own If I should fall, on that day I only pray, don't fall away from me

laughs in dragoons in the sky and bolting straight back down to earth. also bahamut holding the earth. also god this is so saccharine i almost hate it

also see: lover, please stay - nothing but thieves / ghastly medley acoustic - masashi hamauzu / shield of the king - keiichi okabe / the battle is to the strong - kajiura yuki / francesca - hozier / umi to sanshouu - kenshi yonezu / keep me in the open - gang of youths

also terence & kihel tagteam times are the beginning - one ok rock / blood upon the snow - hozier / lost in the snow - yoshitaka suzuki / tendou-sama is smiling - KOKIA / my hands - leona lewis

#dion lesage #ffxvi #OFFERS THIS INSTEAD OF WRITING #behold. my repetitive music takes.#honestly almost every playlist i ever encounter makes me feel like im chewing gravel #so Judge My Taste At Your Peril bc its prob not great KJHSDFJKSHDF #i listen to this on my commute #when i tell myself im going to write in my head #and instead i just shriek along w florence welch #AND WHO CAAAAARES IF IM COMING ALIIIIVE #brihamut's mercy

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