#idv soul catcher | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sirenjose · 5 months

Text

Season 5 Essence 1 Analysis

This is an essence based on Harry Potter. There is a school of magic (and a city?), a forbidden forest, and a war between good (white) and bad (dark) wizards. There are also skins based on various Harry Potter characters. White Beard is Dumbledore, Shaman is Lupin, Potion Master is Snape, Forbidden Forest Guard is Hagrid, Glory is an Auror, Siren is likely based on Bellatrix, Scylla is likely based on Narcissa Malfoy, and Light Guardian being a thing that looks like a giant spider is similar to Aragog (though personally I think it’s possible her role is maybe similar to how Nagini was for Voldemort).

Regarding Shaman Apprentice, I’m less certain who she is. The officials did make a post with 2 pictures that seemed to be them showing what/who the sides were in this story/essence.

One side was Shaman Apprentice, Siren, and Potion Master, and they were obviously being shown as the “bad” side (not to mention the colors for those skins, being dark, black, and green mostly, look like Slytherin colors). The “good” side was Glory, Forbidden Forest Guard, and Shaman, who were implied to be fighting the dark wizards (thus that means the other side we saw is implied to be bad, for proof). Due to this and on who some of the other skins seem to be, I think Shaman Apprentice (Helena) is likely based on Draco Malfoy. From how much the essence feels like the final book of the Harry Potter series, or at least near the end of the series, having someone for the role of Draco Malfoy, who plays a rather important role near the end of the series especially, makes sense. Also, Shaman Apprentice’s “noble birth” could refer to Draco being part of the Malfoy family (who definitely would see their family as great, high, and noble, due to being purebloods).

If we have a Harry Potter based essence, then wouldn’t it also make sense to have skins for the roles of the 2 most important characters of the series: Voldemort and Harry Potter? Regarding the parallel for Voldemort, Siren did hint at him, what with mentioning wanting to return to her “old master”, and if Siren represents Bellatrix, that “old master” would be referring to Voldemort. Scylla obviously serves this same person, as her description mentions her wanting to save Siren, who is imprisoned in the Forbidden Forest by the white wizards. Now, the person who represents Voldemort, based on hints in the skin’s appearance as well as hints from skin names, is likely Hastur’s Necromancer skin.

The biggest hint comes from the thing on Hastur’s back.

Its shape matches with a certain symbol we can see on Helena’s, Vera’s, and Fiona’s skins.

This symbol on all of them looks like a version of the symbol for the Deathly Hallows from Harry Potter. It’s not the exact same, but it is similar enough where anyone who’s read or seen Harry Potter should still get the idea of what it is. We can see a large triangle, with several circles and a line inside it, as well as what looks like a crescent moon on its back through the top of the triangle.

I think this symbol and the fact all these skins have it is further connection that the sides are the way I mentioned earlier (with Helena’s, Vera’s, and Fiona’s skins being the “bad side”), and Necromancer is the “old master” Siren was referring to.

Last thing about Necromancer is how the symbol on his hand is the same as the one on Soul Catcher’s green magnet. The symbol on Necromancer’s back may be meant to relate to the purple magnet.

That just leaves Harry Potter. Based on various factors, I think it’s likely that Norton in this essence/story is Harry (or at least the role of the opposing force to Necromancer). First, he’s the S tier skin for this essence, and S tiers normally play the most important roles in each essence’s story. Second, Norton shares parallels with Harry regarding their backgrounds and stories. Third, Soul Catcher’s magnets are likely this essence’s version of the resurrection stone, one of the Deathly Hallows. That’s because of how this essence’s version of the Deathly Hallows symbols looks, which has 2 circles (in the bottom half of the triangle) in the place of the 1 the original symbol had to represent the stone. Another reason is because of the job Soul Catcher does, as in guiding souls of the dead to where they should be going (afterlife), which is something similar to what the resurrection stone does and is related to (as well as having all the hollows makes the person the “master of death”, and harry potter did have all 3 at one point)

We’ll talk about him more later, but let’s discuss the others first.

White Beard is simple enough. Like Dumbledore, he is the one protecting the inhabitants of the “city” as well as the kids in the school (which he likely runs as headmaster). He probably helps keep the dark wizards and Necromancer at bay. Shaman and Potion Master/Pharmacist are teachers at his school, and Shaman Apprentice/Sorcery Apprentice is a student. Then, there’s White Beard and/or Glory (a graduate of the school) who were probably the ones that captured and imprisoned Siren in the Forbidden Forest. Siren is Bellatrix because Bellatrix in Harry Potter was imprisoned for a time in Azkaban before managing to escape, and Siren is also imprisoned somewhere before also eventually escaping. And this detail seems to be something that might draw the 2 sides into a conflict. Scylla we know is coming to rescue her, and Siren seems to be making her own plans to escape, or at least is preparing for when someone (Scylla) will come to rescue her. Scylla mentions wanting to regain her “past glory”. This is like Narcissa and the Malfoy family in general wanting to redeem themselves to Voldemort after various failures. Not to mention Narcissa is the sister to Bellatrix, and Scylla mentions wanting to rescue her sister, which refers to Siren.

It’s also possible from the wording that she may be preparing with someone’s help or is working with someone, possibly someone in the city or school. Since Potion Master and Shaman Apprentice are shown to be on her side, it could be one or both of them. We know Snape was someone who did secretly work for the dark wizards (though he ends up revealing he was also undercover for Dumbledore and had betrayed Voldemort), as did Draco Malfoy, who was ordered to kill Dumbledore and help the dark wizards (due to his parents, especially his father, being supporters of Voldemort).

Potion Master’s description, to echo Snape and his role in the story (as a person with the bad guys, but one who is also actually secretly with Dumbledore), does bring up the question of their loyalty and who it belongs to. Shaman Apprentice’s description is mentioned to essentially be faking their personality “to achieve her goals”, which hints at their not quite straight alignment with the good guys. This is like Draco Malfoy who also has to hide his true intentions of killing Dumbledore. Also, this fake friendly image mentioned in Shaman Apprentice’s skin could be referring to the image she has as Sorcery Apprentice (aka, Sorcery Apprentice is the “fake” image/personality possibly).

Before we continue, I want to quickly address the fact a number of characters in this essence have 2 different skins, such as Helena’s Shaman Apprentice and Sorcery Apprentice, Joker’s Forbidden Forest Guard and Forbidden Area Guard, Vera’s Potion Master and Pharmacist, and so on. I believe most of these skins are the same person, except for Siren and Scylla based on their names, which refer to 2 different Greek monsters, and how Scylla is mentioned to be going to save Siren. So I will be looking at the story based on this belief.

Now, Siren is imprisoned in the Forbidden Forest. This place seems to have a fair amount of significance in this essence’s story. We have Siren who’s trapped in the forest, Scylla who’s going to be going to the forest to rescue Siren, Forbidden Forest Guard aka Hagrid who’s guarding the forest (and by extension Siren), Forbidden Area Guard with the “area” likely also referring to the forest and who also hints that he’s trying to keep people from stealing from the place (which could refer to a couple things, but especially Siren), and Light Guardian with her similarities to Aragog who actually lived in the forest, not to mention the “(sacred) land” she strayed into is most likely the Forbidden Forest or at least the area where the city and school are.

To add to all this, Voldemort did spend time in the forest in the last book during the battle at Hogwarts, and most notably was there when Harry came to him to (willingly) let Voldemort kill him. So I think it’s possible Necromancer could be there at some point at least during this essence’s story. And from how I think Light Guardian might have a role similar to what Nagini was to Voldemort, I think it makes sense that, first, Voldemort would then be there too (as in he’s wherever Nagini is, who he stayed very close to especially after Harry destroyed many of his other horcruxes), but secondly, from Light Guardian’s description I think it’s also implying that she might be protecting him. Necromancer’s description does basically say that light doesn’t necessarily equate to good.

(This post (it’s in Japanese) https://twitter.com/identityvjp/status/1202512989141819392 implies the light could be either hope or death. Thus, Light Guardian might actually be “weaving death”, rather than some good kind of light.)

As Light Guardian is mentioned to “weave light”, as well as from her name, I think it’s hinting that Light Guardian is actually with the bad guys, either from the start or was recruited. The latter idea comes from her animation in the showroom with how she seems to almost die but then come back, which could connect to Necromancer, who’s name hints at him being able to raise and/or use the dead. If anything, Voldemort technically did have more than just humans on his side that fought against the good guys.

I have no idea if that means Light Guardian, like Nagini from Harry Potter, is a horcrux. There isn’t enough information to tell. There aren’t really any obvious hints in this essence that allude to the existence of horcruxes like there were in Harry Potter. So for now we can probably think whichever way we like.

With most of the others out of the way, that mainly just leaves Norton, and he also has 2 for this essence: Soul Catcher and Magic Item Keeper.

Following the pattern (from other essences) of other S-tiers and the shop B-tier that gets released soon after, Magic Item Keeper and Soul Catcher are the same person, with Magic Item Keeper either being a past version (as in is from earlier in the story’s timeline than Soul Catcher is) or at least some version of Soul Catcher. Another hint comes from how the designs on Soul Catcher’s and Magic Item Keeper’s clothes are quite similar (they both have vine and leaf designs). Soul Catcher’s is brighter, more colorful, and has much more of the design covering the shirt, but they’re still pretty similar designs either way.

There are other hints to them being similar, one of which being the symbol on Magic Item Keeper’s glove, but we’ll dive into that more deeply in a bit.

It’s been mentioned that there’s a war going on between the two sides (the white and dark wizards). Soul Catcher may essentially be using Magic Item Keeper as a disguise and turned into him near the start or at some other earlier point in the war, with the purpose being to fight against Necromancer. Magic Item Keeper is possibly a student, teacher, or some other staff member at the magic school. The Harry Potter series is a story that drives towards the central point of the battle between Harry and Voldemort. Soul Catcher, like Harry to Voldemort, is Necromancer’s opposite and/or is the only one who can defeat Necromancer, likely in part due to his power with spirits/the dead, the magnets he uses, and so on.

One way you can see the relation between Soul Catcher and Necromancer is via their names and descriptions. Soul Catcher is about guiding souls (to the afterlife), while a “necromancer” is someone who manipulates and/or raises the dead. Necromancer’s description (and several other posts by officials) obviously ties him closely to death, and his accessory “Nosferatu” is mentioned to bring disaster the day it reappears. Maybe Necromancer is trying to raise and/or use the dead, while Soul Catcher is trying to prevent him from doing that and/or return the souls back to where they belong.

If Soul Catcher is Harry (and Soul Catcher is also Magic Item Keeper) it’s possible that, like Harry, he’s going about trying to destroy horcruxes and/or collect the Deathly Hallows. Magic Item Keeper is mentioned to be managing and watching over some magical inventory. This inventory could refer to the horcruxes, as Voldemort had all his horcruxes being important magical items, or to the Deathly Hallows, with all 3 being very powerful objects, and the Elder Wand being a big part of the plot of the series (especially in the later books). Harry already had the invisibility cloak from the beginning, the resurrection stone he gets much later on, but as it was hidden in the snitch, he doesn’t learn how to open it until near the very end of the last book, and finally the elder wand, which he apparently won from Draco after he disarmed him, and as the true owner of the wand, Voldemort is unable to use it to kill Harry.

The Deathly Hallows in this essence aren’t exactly the same as they were in Harry Potter, which is obvious from the difference in the symbols. We know the magnets are likely the equivalent of the resurrection stone. The stone summons images of deceased loved ones, and the magnets we see in Soul Catcher’s animation in the costume gallery cause a spirit to appear. The question is what the other hallows are. The Elder Wand could be the wand we see White Beard holding, which has a similar shape as the one in this essence’s Deathly Hallows symbol. This would match with White Beard being Dumbledore, who owned the Elder Wand before his death (which involved Draco and Snape).

The Invisibility Cloak is the hardest of the 3 to figure out. It could be Nosferatu, which we know is an important item in this essence due to it alluding to bringing disaster. The problem with this is that there isn’t a whole lot of evidence other than a vaguely similar shape and it being one of the only other important items in this essence we are aware of to connect it with the invisibility cloak. One last idea I had has to do with Harry already having the invisibility cloak. The Invisibility Cloak, as its name hints at, hides the wearer from everyone. It’s possible Magic Item Keeper may be the equivalent of Harry when he’s wearing the cloak, as Magic Item Keeper is the disguised version of Soul Catcher. Maybe Soul Catcher “uses” the cloak, which causes him to become “hidden”, resulting in him being disguised as Magic Item Keeper. In the story of the 3 brothers, the brother with the cloak uses it to hide from Death. Soul Catcher hiding from Necromancer (as well as everyone else, including the white wizards and everyone at the school) would be just like that.

If Norton wound up getting all 3 of the Deathly Hallows, that would match what happens in the story with Harry. So it’s possible Necromancer, like Voldemort, may either be after the “Elder Wand” or whatever White Beard has, or if he doesn’t already have it he may want Nosferatu, which Magic Item Keeper is likely to be keeping (away from Necromancer). If he wants whatever wand White Beard has (it doesn’t really matter too much, it may happen either way), it’s possible White Beard might end up sharing a fate similar to Dumbledore and get himself killed. It’s possible Snape aka Potion Master and Draco aka Shaman Apprentice would be involved in his death too. Then, eventually, the wand will end up being owned by Norton, and thus events can play out similar to how they did for Harry in the battle with Voldemort in the last book. Also, if Norton had all 3 hallows, that would make him Master of Death like Harry was. This is something that would fit considering the kind of entity Soul Catcher is, or even just Soul Catcher considering the whole theme of his skin and such.

So, let’s go over the story again. You have White Beard who protects a city and runs a school of magic, with teachers like Potion Master/Pharmacist who’s secretly with the dark wizards but even more secretly actually undercover for White Beard, Shaman, and possibly Magic Item Keeper, who’s secretly Soul Catcher in disguise. Shaman Apprentice/Sorcery Apprentice is a student at the school who’s also with the dark wizards, possibly to kill White Beard and/or help Siren and maybe Scylla too. Siren is imprisoned in the Forbidden Forest, which is being guarded by Forbidden Forest Guardian/Forbidden Area Guardian, and Scylla is coming to save her. Glory is a graduate of the magic school and is on the front lines fighting against the dark wizards. Siren and Scylla work for Necromancer, who’s attempting to either get Nosferatu to cause disaster, get White Beard’s wand which is one of the Deathly Hallows and will help him be unbeatable in battle, or just generally defeat the white wizards/good guys. Light Guardian might potentially be in the Forbidden Forest as well and may also be working for Necromancer.

Necromancer may also be raising and controlling the dead, and possibly using them in his fight against the good guys. Soul Catcher, as well as Necromancer, might be non-human entities, with Soul Catcher possibly being a god of death (due to his role of guiding souls to the afterlife, his Day of the Dead skin theme, and other hints) or at least someone associated with the underworld and death. One random idea is that Soul Catcher might also be someone (or a spirit or other being) Necromancer tried to summon and use/control, or Soul Catcher just is one of the types of entities Necromancer is able to attempt to manipulate, but Soul Catcher either way refuses and/or resists.

Soul Catcher, disguised as Magic Item Keeper, may be working to destroy (Necromancer’s) horcruxes, prevent Necromancer from obtaining Nosferatu, and eventually he may end up with all 3 Deathly Hallows. It’s also likely Magic Item Keeper has other magical items in his inventory. These can include things that he wants or needs, items that can help the good guys, or items that Necromancer wants that Magic Item Keeper is protecting. At some point, Magic Item Keeper might confront Shaman Apprentice possibly, which might help him get ownership of the Elder Wand, and maybe again another time at which point he’ll save Shaman Apprentice’s life, which will put him on Scylla’s good side later. Potion Master might eventually reveal their allegiance to White Beard, at least to Magic Item Keeper, probably at the same time sharing some important information about the bad guys.

Further in the story, Magic Item Keeper may come to a point where he has to “die”, but doesn’t, either due to having all 3 hallows or simply because he’s secretly Soul Catcher. He may still fake it, with Scylla’s help who is grateful to him for saving the life of Shaman Apprentice (who may be Scylla’s child), before eventually revealing he is still alive and the fact he’s actually Soul Catcher. The story will finish with a battle between Soul Catcher and Necromancer, with Soul Catcher finally defeating Necromancer and concluding the war.

Now that I’ve discussed the story, next I’m going to analyze several other elements and details of this essence.

First, let me talk about the term “Shaman” (which is used for both Emily’s and 1 of Helena’s skins in this essence). These are people typically thought to:

Have the ability to heal the sick (which makes sense for Emily since she’s a doctor),

Deal with and communicate with the spirit world (this also makes sense with people like Necromancer, who possibly raises the dead and controls spirits/souls of the dead, and Soul Catcher, who is also likely a spirit and guides souls of the dead to the afterlife),

Shamans that communicate with benevolent deities and spirits are “white” shamans, while shamans that call on wicked deities and spirits are “black” shamans

Possess magical abilities (can explain how these people are in a version of Harry Potter and at a magic school)

Typically born to their role (like how you have to be born with magical abilities to be a wizard in Harry Potter. You can’t just acquire it some other way)

Next we have the term “Necromancer”. Necromancy is something typically associated with black magic and sorcery. “Necromancy” is communication with the dead, either by summoning spirits or raising bodies, usually to obtain knowledge of the future, accomplish an otherwise impossible task, bring someone back, or to manipulate the dead, possibly to use them as a weapon. We see this sort of thing several times in Greek mythology, such as with Odysseus who visits the underworld to gain insight about his journey by raising the spirits of the dead through spells Circe taught him, which includes offering sacrifices and various necromantic rituals. Early necromancy was related to, and likely evolved from, shamanism, as they also call upon spirits.

Speaking of shamanism again, some shamans actually had an item called a “Soul Catcher”. This was something usually made from hollowed bear leg-bones and carved at each end to resemble an open-mouthed creature. If a soul became lost while separated from the body during a dream, or it was driven out by witchcraft, shamans could be called to find and capture the soul in a soul catcher and restore it (back to its body). This prevented illness from invading the “empty” body. The smaller ones could be worn around the neck as medicinal charms, while larger ones were placed in houses to prevent souls from leaving prematurely.

Moving on to several other random details, I’ll talk about rubies now. Light Guardian has a large one on her back (as well as has them for eyes), White Beard has several on him, including one in the wand he uses, and even Soul Catcher seems to have one around his neck. Rubies are said by some to be one of the most precious of gems. They:

Are associated with power (and thus favored by those in power), the sun (which relates to them supposedly having an “inner glow”), and life (which relates to rubies being the color of blood)

Gave the wearer courage and a positive state of mind (supposedly allowing a person to walk through life without fear of evil or misfortune)

Protected the wearer and his estates/home (from harm)

Helped control evil thoughts, as well as provide a calming influence, which helped dispel anger, resolve disputes, and helped their owners live in peace with their enemies

Blessed the wearer with physical and mental health (rubies were also said to have healing benefits), wealth, wisdom, and success

Thought to be a stone of prophecy. This relates to tales of rubies inner glow which “shined like a torch”. Rubies were said to foretell danger, calamities, and disasters if their color changed or their light grew dull

The part about power fits considering the roles of and how powerful Light Guardian, White Beard, and Soul Catcher seem to be. Sun fits considering Light Guardian being about light as well as Soul Catcher and his association with the Day of the Dead (and its Aztec festival origins). White Beard could also make sense since he is essentially the leader of the school (and likely city as well) and probably one of (if not the) most powerful wizard. With how bright and “powerful” if you will the sun is compared to many other things, White Beard is like the sun compared to everyone else. Life and blood relates to the theme of this essence, what with all the death, necromancy, spirits, and war involved. The part about warning of danger and disaster fits considering Nosferatu’s description and what Necromancer is out to do. Wealth and success make sense for Norton due to that being what he wants in his background, and wisdom relates to Norton and his willingness/interest in learning (and wisdom also relates to Servais as he wants inspiration for new magic tricks). The part about physical and mental health, as well as helping control evil thoughts, relates to Norton considering his background. The physical part relates to the mine accident as well as how being a miner in general was dangerous work back then. The mental part relates to how the meteorite is affecting Norton as well as Norton’s mental state suffering/deteriorating over time the more he suffers as a mine and the more disappointments he finds while trying to escape poverty. Finally, the part about being a calming influence, dispelling anger, resolve disputes, and helped the wearer live in peace with their enemies relates to the whole war going on, not to mention the symbol on Magic Item Keeper’s glove shares a similar meaning we’ll get to later.

Now I’ll discuss 2 things about Necromancer.

First is Necromancer’s accessory Nosferatu. It’s a word that has become synonymous with vampire (and with the undead). The word derives from old Slavonic (nesufer-atu) and in part from the Greek nosophoros meaning “plague carrier”. Vampires were associated in the popular mind with the spread of disease (such as tuberculosis, whose cause was otherwise unknown back then), and by extension with the idea of spreading the infection of vampirism through their bite. It was originally a technical term in the old Slavonic that filtered into common speech. It has erroneously been reported to mean “undead,” a concept developed by Bram Stoker for Dracula (which is a major reason why today nosferatu has become connected to vampires), and elsewhere as a reference to the devil.

Second, I want to bring up the thing on Necromancer’s back.

I’ve already mentioned the symbol in the middle is the same one on people like Siren, Scylla, Potion Master, Pharmacist, Shaman Apprentice, and Sorcery Apprentice. What I want to bring up right now is the outside part, the bit that looks kind of like a clock, though it isn’t as the numbers don’t match. The numbers that we do see are: 5, 3, 6, 7, 4, 10, and 13. I’m not quite sure what this is, or what the numbers mean, but the only possibility I’ve been able to find is that the numbers could be the kind of numbers you’d find on tarot cards.

5 is “The Hierophant”. It symbolizes traditions (as in traditional values of society), conformity (group identification), and education. Upright, this card means group consciousness and a person’s religion or belief system, or be a reminder to continually seek knowledge and find your special place in the world. If this card is reversed, it means hypocrisy, rebellion against traditional, long held ideals and spiritual beliefs, as well as could mean originality, creativity, or problems with authority.

3 is “The Empress”. It symbolizes fertility, fruition, material success, abundance, harmony, and the natural world of the 5 senses (and Mother Nature). It represents a time when your ideas and desires manifest in the physical world, or when your hard work begins to yield fruit. Upright, this card means family, abundance, fertility, love for home or family, and emphasize action through attraction (as in now is the time to attract the things you want or need in your life). It also represents birth and creation (thus now is the time to start a new project, a new romance or friendship, etc…). If this card is reversed, it means limited resources, dependence on others, neglect or lack of attention on something that should be attended, creative block, or out of touch with (your) self. It also refers to nature’s power to correct humanity (volcanoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and the like symbolizes emptions triggered by ignorant or foolish humans).

6 is “The Lovers”. It symbolizes partnership and choices, as well as personal beliefs and values. It represents a crossroads, the need to make a (important) decision (between right and wrong), and it may require (for you to make) a sacrifice. Upright, this card means a balance of forces (a pair that works well together), or overcoming trials. If this card is reversed, it means breakup, discord, imbalance, and bad choices.

7 is “The Chariot”. It symbolizes success, fulfillment (of your dreams/goals), will power, and natural drive and determination. It signifies recognition, material reward, and personal validation, as well as internal harmony. Upright, this card means will power, determination and success/victory through assertiveness/willpower, as well as action and change. If this card is reversed, it means defeat, cowardice, and giving up.

4 is “The Emperor”. It symbolizes authority, power, order, structure, regulation, and discipline. It is also symbolic of (forces in your own mind, including) self-discipline, focus, organization, and practicality. It represents an organized, stable, honest, and just system. Upright, this card means a (good) ruler or leader, creating order from chaos, and self-control and discipline. If this card is reversed, it means tyranny, power or control issues, mindless obedience, immaturity, or that people aren’t respecting you or your authority.

10 is “The Wheel of Fortune”. It symbolizes transition (the beginning or end of a cycle), fate, and karma. Basically: surrender to forces outside of our control (no one is immune to sudden good or bad luck) and that nothing is permanent. It represents life’s cyclical nature. Sometimes things are good, and other times bad, but balance will be restored in the end. Upright, this card means good luck, destiny (a turning point), and movement. If this card is reversed, it means bad luck. One interpretation is that you have fallen from some height and have been sent back to the beginning, either to start over or reframe your plan, and that you shouldn’t trust in luck right now as getting the things you want right now may cause you more trouble or misfortune.

13 is “Death”. It symbolizes change, new beginnings, as well as fear of change (the unknown) and loss (death). It represents the forces of decay, disintegration, and transformation that everything is subject to, as well as how new life isn’t possible without death. It also is referring to the need to let go of the old to make room for the new. Also, it symbolizes the death of more than just people, such as a plan or a relationship. Upright, this card means transformation, endings and new beginnings, and rebirth. If this card is reversed, it means stagnation, or that something’s persisting in an undesirable manner when it should’ve come to an end. It can also refer to destroyed hope or even cheating death.

To relate them to the story:

The Hierophant’s tradition versus rebellion against it could relate to the whole war and Necromancer going up against the white wizards like White Beard.

The Empress with its abundance, family, creation, and emphasis on time to act vs. limited resources, negligence, dependence, and disharmony could maybe indicate Necromancer’s plans going wrong, and disharmony could refer to the relationship between him and Soul Catcher (both of whom seem to be similar death related entities).

The Lovers with its representation of a crossroads, as well as balance and overcoming trials vs. imbalance, breakup, and bad choices could again refer to Necromancer’s plans going wrong and Soul Catcher choosing to go against Necromancer.

The Chariot’s success vs. defeat could refer to Necromancer being defeated by Soul Catcher.

The Emperor’s good ruler, discipline, and order vs. tyranny, power or control issues, mindless obedience, or people not respecting (your) authority could refer to how Necromancer treats other people (kind of like how Voldemort treated Mudbloods, aka people without any wizard parents), the mindless obedience could refer to those following Necromancer (or maybe they only follow or people not fighting against him because of fear), and trouble with people not respecting their authority could possibly refer to Potion Master, Shaman Apprentice, and Scylla betraying him in various ways (or just not totally following him), due to possible parallels between them and the characters they’re based on (Snape, Draco, and Narcissa).

The Wheel of Fortune representing fate and karma, as well as good luck vs. bad luck could refer to Necromancer’s inevitable fate, or the luck part could refer to Soul Catcher/Magic Item Keeper, as Norton is a person with some amount of luck, with Necromancer being the one who’s unlucky.

Death’s transformations and rebirth vs. stagnation, destroyed hope, and cheating death could refer to Soul Catcher/Magic Item Keeper not “dying” when Necromancer thought he was, as a parallel to Harry seemingly dying but actually coming back after Voldemort thought Harry was finally dead. Destroyed hope could indicate how the good guys feel against Necromancer before Soul Catcher/Magic Item Keeper helps and/or could refer again to Necromancer’s plans being ruined.

With the tarot cards out of the way, before I get to Soul Catcher and Magic Item Keeper, I want to bring up Siren, Scylla, and Necromancer.

Siren and Scylla are the names of some monster from Greek mythology.

A “siren” is a creature who is half-bird, half-woman and lured sailors to their deaths by their sweet singing. Odysseus and his men had to sail past some in Homer’s Odyssey. All of his men had to plug their ears with wax so they wouldn’t be able to hear the Siren’s singing (and thus steer the ship off course), though Odysseus wanted to hear the song, so he tied himself to the ship’s mast (and instructed his crew not to untie him). The Argonauts also had to sail by some. Jason was warned by Chiron and Orpheus about them, and when they heard the sirens’ voices, Orpheus pulled out his lyre and started playing music and singing to drown out their voices, and his music was apparently much more beautiful than the sirens’ singing.

“Scylla” was a creature with 6 heads on long necks, sharp teeth, 12 feet, and had a voice like the yelping of dogs (at least according to Homer. Her appearance seems to vary a bit between people). When ships passed by Scylla’s rock to avoid Charybdis, she would seize and devour their sailors. Jason and Odysseus both had to pass by Scylla and Charybdis while they were on their journeys. The idiom “between Scylla and Charybdis” was something that meant “to choose the lesser of 2 evils”, sort of like “between a rock and a hard place”, or simply to be caught between 2 equally unpleasant alternatives.

Both sirens and Scylla are sea related creatures, which is an interesting point considering who Hastur is (and how he actually had 1 or 2 skins based on Poseidon). Based on this, Siren and Scylla having Necromancer be their “master” would make some sense.

Now, I’ve already said Necromancer is Voldemort, but it’s also possible he may also be based on a Greek sea related monster. Specifically, I’m referring to the Hydra.

The Hydra from Greek myth was a large serpentine water monster with 9 heads, 8 of which were mortal, but 1 that was immortal and couldn’t be harmed by any weapon. It guarded an entrance to the Underworld at a swamp near Lake Lerna, which resulted in it also being called the Lernean Hydra, and it frequently terrorized the place (both people and their livestock). Cutting off 1 head caused 2 more to emerge from the wound. Heracles killed it as one of his labors. The trick he used is he had his nephew Iolaus cauterize the fresh wounds (aka, burned it with fire) after Heracles severed each mortal head. When only the immortal head was left, Heracles cut it off and buried the (still living) head underneath a heavy rock. One added note is how the term “hydra” or “hydra-headed” (in English) can be defined as “a persistent or many-sided problem that presents new obstacles as soon as one aspect is solved”.

To compare Necromancer to the Hydra, Necromancer has snakes incorporated in many, various ways with his skin. He has one on his back, his hands turn into a bunch of snakes, and he has what is likely (shedded) snake skin on his costume (not to mention, with nosferatu, his carry animation changes to where the survivor is carried with snakes instead of balloons). Also, Necromancer has a number of candles on his shoulders and back. This could also relate to the Hydra and how Heracles had to cauterize/burn the wounds to keep any more heads from growing (thus only leaving the 1 immortal head, which is what we see Necromancer with). Also, the Hydra having an immortal head and if Necromancer was the Hydra, Necromancer related to immortality could parallel Voldemort, who attempted to make himself immortal by creating horcruxes, and both Voldemort and the Hydra were defeated, which could connect with Necromancer being defeated by Soul Catcher.

So, if all 3 of these characters were based on sea monster and all 3 are related to each other (Siren and Scylla working for Necromancer), that makes it an interesting connection.

The last topic I have to go over is Norton and his Soul Catcher and Magic Item Keeper skins. I’ll start with Soul Catcher (as he gave me less trouble than Magic Item Keeper did).

The most obvious point about him is his Day of the Dead theme.

The Day of the Dead is a festival that goes back to rituals honoring the dead in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Death was seen as a part of life. They believed one should not grieve the loss of a beloved ancestor who passed. Instead, they celebrated their lives and welcomed the return of their spirits to the land of the living once a year. Mourning was not allowed because it was believed the tears would make the spirit's path treacherous and slippery.

The Aztec holiday Huey Miccailhuitontli, or great feast of the dead, celebrated the recently deceased and helped them as they traveled to Mictlan (the land of the dead). This festival was dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl, known as the “Lady of the Dead” since it is believed that she was born then sacrificed as an infant. She was the wife of Mictlantecuhtli, the Aztec god of the dead and ruler (alongside his wife) of the underworld, similar to Hades from Greek mythology. He was a very important god in the Aztec pantheon. Commonly, he’s depicted as a skeletal figure/skeleton or a person with a (toothy) skull for a head. Despite being a skull, his eye sockets did contain eyeballs, and sometimes he was described as having stars for eyes. This description can relate to Soul Catcher’s magnets, which has a skull with flashing eyes on one of the magnets.

Also, Norton’s magnets are visually similar to some of Mictlantecuhtli’s images if you compare them (if you put Norton’s 2 magnets together, it definitely looks similar to the image below).

He tried to maintain order in his domain, which was a desire that sometimes clashed with the more creationary desires of the other Aztec gods (such as Quetzalcoatl and the myth where he steals bones to create mankind). The souls of those whose manner of death failed to earn them entry to various paradises (i.e., for those dead by war, sacrifice, childbirth, drowning, lightning, and certain diseases) made a four-year journey, fraught with trials, through the nine hells of Mictlan. In the last, where Mictlantecuhtli lived, they disappeared, continued to suffer, or found rest. The Aztecs did not believe in a special paradise reserved only for the righteous but, rather, that all people shared the same destiny after death, regardless of the kind of life they had led.

Following someone’s death, the Aztecs would cremate the departed person’s remains. From there, the deceased soul would embark on a four-year journey through the various levels of the underworld and have to overcome a series of trials along the way. Eventually, those who had successfully completed the journey would find themselves in the deepest level of the underworld: Mictlan. Huey Miccailhuitontli was celebrated not only to aid those embarking on this journey, but also to allow the dead an annual opportunity to return and visit the land of the living. Rituals honoring the dead included family members providing food, water, and tools to aid the deceased person’s difficult journey. This inspired the Day of the Dead’s practice of leaving food and other offerings on the altars and graves of loved ones.

On the Day of the Dead, the border between the spirit world and real world was believed to dissolve. During this brief period, souls of the dead awakened and returned to the living world to eat, drink, dance, and have fun with their loved ones.

Regarding the meaning of various items involved with the Day of the Dead:

Altars to loved ones could be decorated with candles, marigolds, food, and so on.

Candles (fire) were meant to help guide the dead to the altar and light the way to their (former) homes. The light produced by the candles represents hope and faith. Some communities have each candle representing a deceased (and thus the number of souls they want to “receive” for the Day of the Dead).

Marigolds are flowers that symbolize death (especially since they die quickly once cut). The scent and bright colors of these flowers by an altar or grave helped guide/lead souls to the family and keep the deceased from getting lost. In flower language, marigolds mean “heart”. Marigolds also have strong ties to the sun and its power to resurrect. In Victorian era (and Mexico), marigolds symbolized despair and grief, and were usually taken to graves and cemeteries. Marigolds can also be a symbol of desire for wealth/aspirations towards being rich. They were also used as medicine by Aztecs. Regarding the different colors of marigolds: yellow represented positive feelings, happiness and joy, and health; orange represented positive energy and strong emotions, as well as possibly prophecy; and red is the color of love and symbolized affection towards someone.

Skeletons and skulls are a major symbol of Day of the Dead. They come from La Calavera Catrina, which was designed by printer and cartoonist José Guadalupe Posada and his re-envisioned Mictecacíhuatl, the Aztec goddess of the underworld. Skulls represent the people who have passed on and are receiving offerings at the altar. During the festivities, people wear skull masks or paint their faces like one, as well as eat sugar candy molded into the shape of skulls (sugar skulls). The idea of painting faces to resemble skulls is a reminder to not be afraid of death and to overcome the fear of death and internalize the idea of mortality.

Marigolds are something we see Soul Catcher use in his animation in the costume gallery. Their purpose of helping guide the dead matches with Soul Catcher’s job of also guiding souls to the afterlife (possibly this is what he does or wants to do with any and all souls Necromancer summons). Marigolds, since Soul Catcher has them (including in his hat), meaning despair and grief could possibly imply that is something Norton is feeling as well as guilt over the deaths of the miners in the mine accident. Him being guilty and trying to at least ensure the souls of the dead miners reach the afterlife and to some place better could be the reason why Norton has a skin with a Day of the Dead theme. It’s a way for him to honor them and sort of make up for what happened. That could be part of the symbolism of the marigolds in his hat, which are yellow, orange, and red, and represent all the positive feelings that the Day of the Dead is supposed to be about.

(It could semi fit at least since Fool’s Gold’s last deduction is titled “Numb”.)

About the meaning of various colors during the Day of the Dead:

Purple: suffering, pain, loss, and grief

Yellow/Orange: the brilliance of the sun and a new day

White: purity, promise, and hope

Red: the blood of life which sustains not only the body but the soul and a symbol of sacrifice

Pink: celebration and joy

Even outside of the Day of the Dead, other colors like blue can symbolize mourning in Mexico, and green can symbolize death, which matches with how the color of the killing curse Avada Kadavra is also green.

Soul Catcher has a lot of purple in his outfit, which could go along with the idea he’s guilty over the deaths of the miners and suffering as a result. It could also refer to the loss of his father, who died due to black lung, and all the suffering and pain he’s had to endure due to living in poverty, working as a miner, and abuse/mistreatment by his coworkers and employers.

Regarding the color green, we see that Soul Catcher has various little green fires around him. With green relating to death, along with all of Necromancer’s text talking about light symbolizing death, it’s possible these things could be souls, which could go along with Soul Catcher’s name (catching souls) and his job of guiding souls to the afterlife.

These green fires around Soul Catcher could also specifically be Will-o’-the-Wisps. These were believed to be spirits/souls in “limbo” that were unable to enter heaven or hell, can be found in swamps, marches, and cemeteries. Some said they supposedly lured travelers off their path. They were also seen as omens of death.

Looking at the beliefs of other cultures:

Danes, Finns, Swedes, Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians and Irish people and amongst some other groups believed that a will-o'-the-wisp also marked the location of a treasure deep in ground or water, which could be taken only when the fire was there. Sometimes magical tricks, and even a dead man's hand, were required as well to uncover the treasure.

In ancient Asian texts, the “aleya” and “chir batti” were seen hovering at places where people died. Regarding “aleya”, some believed these marsh-lights are in fact Ghost-lights representing the ghosts of fisherman who died fishing. Sometimes they confuse the fishermen, and sometimes they help them avoid future dangers.

Similar phenomena are described in Japanese folklore, including Hitodama (literally "Human Soul" as a ball of energy), Hi no Tama (Ball of Flame), Aburagae, Koemonbi, Ushionibi, etc. All these phenomena are described as balls of flame or light, at times associated with graveyards, but occurring across Japan as a whole in a wide variety of situations and locations.

In Mexico, they had 2 equivalents. In one they are called brujas (witches), folklore explains will-o-the-wisp to be witches who transformed into these lights. The reason for this, however, varies according to the region. Another explanation refers to the lights as indicators to places where gold or hidden treasures are buried which can be found only with the help of children, in this one they are called luces del dinero (money lights) or luces del tesoro (treasure lights).

Whether these lights were good or bad could match with the 2 possible answers to a question posed in one of the official posts (https://twitter.com/identityvjp/status/1202512989141819392) regarding Necromancer that basically said “A green light shone in the dark. Is it a hope, or does it mean death?” Either way, this sort of thing would relate to Soul Catcher and his role, as well as Norton and his background. The part about money matches with Norton and his desire to find gold, as well as death hanging around him could relate to the deaths of the other miners caused by the mine incident.

Going back to Soul Catcher’s magnets, if you look at them closely, you can see runes on them (the official IDV site calls them as such). The rune we can see appears to be the rune “Ur”/”Uruz”, which referred to “Aurochs” (the now extinct European giant ox).

The main meaning of this rune was strength (physical and mental) as well as health.

Other characteristics of it includes: endings and new beginnings (aka, opportunities), courage, endurance (including survival/survival skills), overcoming obstacles, formation of the self, and freedom.

This rune can mean “that which one can achieve”, meaning having the strength to achieve your dreams, goals, and desire, but this strength comes with responsibility (stay on your path, don’t be put off balance by others, master the ego). It can also indicate a loss may be an opportunity in disguise. It can refer to a lifestyle you’ve outgrown. It can mean positive growth and change may involve a descent into darkness, but the perpetual cycle of renewal means you will eventually emerge into the light. It could mean events occurring are prompting you to undergo a study of who you are and to change for the better.

It is also a “roadmap of life” – we are born, we live, we die. We have the physical ability to control what happens in the material world around us as we live, but we have no control over birth or death. Uruz represents an awareness of death and of our own mortality. Within the ‘rites of passage’, the boy who has killed the auroch has entered manhood and has therefore been initiated into the first level of the mysteries - the awareness that the source of all life, is death. This relates to the “endings and new beginnings” bit I mentioned before.

A key phrase for this rune is: “To find your true strengths, you must first face your weaknesses”.

This rune can be used to strengthen one’s will, promote healing, health, and well-being, increase inner knowledge and wisdom, and protect one’s territory, property, children, or themselves.

If this rune is reversed, it can refer to: weakness (physically and mentally) or fatigue, ill-health, obsession, misdirected force, domination and/or manipulation of others, sickness, inconsistency, ignorance, greed, rashness, and callousness.

Reversed is a message that you must acknowledge and accept your weakness. Once you recognize those areas of weakness, you can work on them and turn them into strengths. It can seem like your strengths are being used against you. You may be missing opportunities or failing to take notice of positive things happening to you. This rune also tells of one who is influenced by others, leading to lost opportunities and bad decision-making. It is also a reminder of the cycle of death and rebirth, how every end is a new beginning.

The gemstone associated with Uruz is carbuncle (which were thought to give off their own light, as well as protect against disease and wounding), and the associated color is dark green (which matches with the whole green meaning death thing and how death is the theme for both Soul Catcher and Necromancer).

So, a lot of this stuff can relate to Soul Catcher and Norton. The whole bit about endings and new beginnings, or losses that are actually opportunities in disguise, can refer to several things in Norton’s background, but namely the mine incident and after. Descending into darkness but eventually emerging into the light can be a hopeful sign about Norton and his story after the mine incident, or it could refer to how he eventually did make it out of the darkness of the mine. The whole bit about death and the cycle of life can relate to Soul Catcher, his Day of the Dead theme, and his job. Having to face your weakness may be something Norton has to do if he truly wants to be successful (and happy). The reversed rune referring to physical or mental weakness or fatigue can refer to Norton’s damaged state after the mine incident (injured and scarred) as well as a result of all the mining he does (which really hurts his health). Promoting health would be something that could help him in that regard. Obsession (and greed) is what Norton has with his desire to acquire wealth to escape poverty and the influence from the meteorite on Norton could also tie in to the bit about being “dominated and/or manipulated” by others. Rashness is how he acted with the dynamite and thus caused the mine incident. Callous would also be a description fitting for Norton (even more so after the incident). The part about providing protection would be something Soul Catcher likely wants/needs in regards to Necromancer (and for when Soul Catcher eventually faces off against him). Finally, the part about overcoming obstacles, formation of self, freedom, and being able to achieve one’s goals and desires could refer to the hope that Norton will eventually either succeeding in acquiring what he wants, or eventually becoming free from his obsession.

Moving on to a different detail about Soul Catcher, the thing in his pocket looks kind of like a voodoo doll.

The word Voodoo itself means spirits, and it is a religious practice aimed at connecting spirits and mortals, an interaction only possibly through a magical process using a gris-gris, which can either be the magical act or the object used for magic, or even both. A voodoo doll is usually a small, soft doll representing a person (though the exact physical detail may vary). The concept is that the doll is the material incarnation of a person, and it has items belong to the intended target, such as hair, fingernail clippings, the name written on the doll, etc… By doing something to the doll, such as sticking it with pins, something will also happen to the target as well. The person doesn’t necessarily instantly feel pain. The pin is “charged” with an intention and then stuck into a part of the doll. The effect can take months to manifest onto the target.

I’m not quite sure if this thing is exactly a voodoo doll, but it’s the best idea I’ve been able to come up with that could have some meaning (not that I quite know exactly what very well). Him having a voodoo doll, which is something related to spirits, ties in with Soul Catcher (being non-human) and involved with leading souls or spirits to the afterlife. It again being a voodoo doll could also mean he’s trying to do something to someone else. It’s possible this could represent Necromancer, who he wants to defeat, but it’s also possible the doll could symbolize Norton himself. If we look closely at the doll, other than it being wrapped up like a mummy, it has 2 things which are likely eyes, something going through the head, and some sort of bulge on top of the head.

If this doll has button eyes, that could help imply target is a survivor rather than a hunter (as hunters don’t have button eyes). It being wrapped up like a mummy could relate to the Day of the Dead, which already has a lot of relation to skeletons and the dead in general, and mummies refer to the dead. Finally, the thing going through its head could be the pin that people stick into dolls that is intended to hurt the target and/or afflict the target with whatever the intention is. The pin being in the head could basically refer to some affliction to the target’s head and/or head pain. But it’s also possible the pin could be similar/relate to the rod in Norton’s nose, and the pin being in the head to afflict the target’s head with something or cause head pain could relate to Norton and how we see him with head pain during Hunter Norton’s backstory trailer. The fact Soul Catcher might have a voodoo doll of himself could mean Norton is trying to hurt himself, which lines up with various self-destructive behaviors of his including the fact he smiles when he’s downed in game, as well as how we see the inner conflict between survivor Norton and hunter Norton in Norton’s 2nd letter as well as in hunter Norton’s backstory trailer (and in Infernal Sin’s/Orphan of Goetia’s backstory trailer and showroom). Him trying to hurt himself, and being self-destructive, can go back to his guilt over the other miners’ deaths (we do see him holding his head in pain and the division between survivor and hunter Norton before Norton lights the fuse), and how traumatized he is over the mine incident (and just various other things in general).

If all of this is true (and it really is a voodoo doll of Norton himself), it’s possible the skull on Norton’s hat could mean something similar. The skull on his hat has 5 things that might be nails (or rods) in it. Maybe the skull is like the voodoo doll, and is implying him trying to hurt himself. Maybe the 5 nails/rods could align with the number of miners that died in the mine accident, and maybe symbolize how those deaths will also be torturing him, meaning it’s a sign of Norton’s despair and grief (if anything just over all the trauma he suffered as a result of the mine incident and how long he was trapped). It could also symbolize how, what with the nails/rods in his brain, Norton is being affected by the meteorite. Another way of looking at it, there’s how skulls represent death. Nails could refer to the ability to bind one thing to another, for good or bad. Nails in a skull could represent all the negative things that come with us until the end. The last idea is how stabbing a skull with something can represent overcoming fear of death.

Either way, this could be a way to show how Norton has survivor’s guilt from the incident.

Now that I’ve analyzed most of the details I could about Soul Catcher, I’m going to go into more detail about how Soul Catcher and Norton are similar to Harry Potter.

Norton’s magnets are this essence’s version of the resurrection stone, which was revealed to be hidden in the snitch.

The snitch was given to Harry by Dumbledore, who placed a spell on it so only Harry could open it, “I open at the close”. This meant Harry would only be able to open the snitch until he realized he had to (willingly) die, which was the only way for Voldemort to die since Harry had a piece of Voldemort’s soul in him. Once Harry accepts this fact, it opens at the “flesh memory”, which was when Harry put his lips to it. After dying, Harry goes to a world (limbo) between this world and the next. Here, Dumbledore tells Harry he already possessed all the Deathly Hallows, the keys to conquer (and become master of) death, without realizing it. This, plus the fact Voldemort still had some of Harry’s blood which still carried his mother’s protection, prevented Harry from dying. Only the piece of Voldemort’s soul in Harry died.

Harry having a piece of Voldemort’s soul could be similar to how Norton is being affected by the meteorite.

Soul Catcher’s magnet has a circle in a triangle on it. This is similar to the Deathly Hallows symbol.

The lack of a line (|) in it, which would represent the wand, relates to how Voldemort had it but was unable to fully handle it, and Harry having the true ownership of it in the final battle allowed him to survive his battle with Voldemort. It can also relate to how Harry returned the wand after defeating Voldemort (in the book). Basically, Soul Catcher will obtain ownership of the “wand” (instead of Necromancer) and/or obtain it from White Beard (and/or Necromancer), and maybe refer to him returning it after defeating Necromancer. Without the wand, Harry had only the resurrection stone and invisibility cloak, which would correspond to the circle and triangle pattern we do see Soul Catcher with.

With Soul Catcher’s animation in his costume gallery, we see 2 different colliding lights. This is similar to the scenes from Harry Potter where Voldemort’s and Harry’s wands connect (in the 4th and 7th/last book). The fact we see Soul Catcher fall down, coming from the purple side and into the green, before rolling to purple and standing in the middle could maybe signify that Soul Catcher/Magic Item Keeper possibly died but came back (like Harry did).

Also, what looks like a spirit appears in the other animation for Soul Catcher. This mirrors the first Voldemort vs. Harry scene (in the 4th book), where Harry’s mother, father, and friend appear beside Harry (after Voldemort’s and Harry’s wands connect).

Another idea is, if horcruxes are real in this essence, and horcruxes are when a wizard splits their soul and traps it in an object to gain immortality, it’s possible Soul Catcher’s animation where a spirit appears and he sends it away could be a way of showing him destroying a horcrux and getting rid of the soul trapped in it. This could be something similar to what happened with Harry when he tried to destroy the locket (horcrux), as when he and Ron tried to destroy it, apparitions came out of the locket (showing images as a way to mentally torture them), before eventually managing to destroy the locket.

Regarding other similarities between Harry and Norton and Soul Catcher:

Harry was the boy who lived and was the only who could face Voldemort. Norton is the only survivor of the mine incident. Like Harry, he was supposed to have died, but he managed to make it out alive. Soul Catcher is likely the only one with the power to defeat Necromancer.

Harry has untidy black hair and bright green eyes, with a small and thin face, is small and skinny for his age, taller than average compared to others his age, wears round eyeglasses for his near sightedness, and has a lightning-bolt shaped scar on his forehead that almost everyone always sees when they first meet him. People that knew his parents say he is a mirror image of his father, except for his green eyes which are his mother’s. Norton has dark (messy) hair, thin, fairly tall (taller than most), and has a burn scar over one eye which everyone can and does see as soon as they see/meet him. 1 of Norton’s models for Ashes of Memory even shows him with green eyes.

Harry, after his parents are killed by Voldemort, is taken in by his relatives who are cold to him and treat him terribly, and he spends all his time lonely (and unhappy) until he learns of Hogwarts existence and confronts Voldemort. Norton is also an extremely lonely person (no parents), who isn’t treated well by other people (which we see hinted at from the Famitsu article and in hunter Norton’s backstory trailer), and Benny is likely not the best (he is also obsessed with finding gold, which likely isn’t the best influence for Norton), which altogether is similar to how the Dursley’s were horrible to Harry.

Voldemort killed Harry’s parents when he was a baby after hearing someone would be born that would have the power to defeat him. Norton’s father died when he was young, and his mother likely left (or died) before then too. There’s also how Ronald and Sparrow in Atropos’ Ropes and Teahouse Tales have parents that die after being betrayed, similar to Harry’s parents being betrayed by Peter Pettigrew.

Harry and Voldemort are connected due to the piece of Voldemort’s soul in Harry. Norton is connected to the meteorite via the magnets he uses being made from the meteorite. Soul Catcher and Necromancer likely also share a connection (if anything, because they are both death related, non-human entities, or maybe if Soul Catcher was summoned by Necromancer or if Necromancer was capable of controlling Soul Catcher if Soul Catcher was technically a spirit).

Harry is vulnerable to Voldemort’s thought control, and his only weakness is that he isn’t good at occlumency. In the 2nd part of the story, Harry has difficulty maintaining his sanity. This is similar to how Norton is vulnerable to the meteorite. Norton’s personality, like Harry when he was affected by Voldemort in the 5th book, is often set to suddenly become irritable (sudden anger) and unstable (instability). Also, Norton has dual personalities (Identity V’s Japanese twitter and Norton’s responses are an example that references this), which relates back to this (as well as the connection Harry and Voldemort had, and how Harry was vulnerable to Voldemort’s control, especially in the 5th book).

Voldemort tried to kill Harry with Avada Kadavra. Soul Catcher has green fires around him, which could symbolize the killing curse, or refer to how Necromancer maybe tried to kill Magic Item Keeper and/or Soul Catcher.

Harry and Draco didn’t get along for much of the series. Harry occasionally puts his friends and his own life in danger because of his hatred for Draco, but before the final battle with Voldemort, Harry saves Draco’s life. As a result of this action, Draco’s mother Narcissa saves his life (by not telling Voldemort that Harry was actually alive after Voldemort tried to kill him). This action allows Harry to live and win the final battle in the end. With Draco being Shaman/Sorcery Apprentice, and Narcissa being Scylla, it’s possible something similar may happen between them and Magic Item Keeper (and/or Soul Catcher). Shaman Apprentice is hinted at being not as nice as they seem, and it’s likely Necromancer may try to kill Magic Item Keeper/Soul Catcher, and Scylla might help Norton when he somehow helps/spares Helena/Draco. It is also possible this could in some way relate to Norton with Orpheus in the main story. It could also relate to whatever may happen regarding Norton being asked to kill some female, such as if he chose not to go through with killing her (as we do see Norton’s other side trying to convince the good Norton to do it).

Also, if Norton is Harry in this essence, that could be a way of showing that Norton is/has been a good person from the beginning and/or is a good man at his core. Harry saving Draco despite everything that happened before that moment was a really big way of showing Harry being a good person, as this action saves Harry due to Narcissa being grateful over Draco being alive. Maybe this could be even more of a parallel if Norton does indeed decide not to go through with killing the 1 female he was ordered to kill if that someone helps him later on (or keeps him from dying).

Finally, we move on to Magic Item Keeper. It’s hard to get anything out of this skin, besides the fact Magic Item Keeper has a collection and/or collects magical items, which could relate to Norton being a Prospector and the kinds of things he finds. This skin could be a way of showing Norton’s diligence and him being a hard worker, especially from the beginning of his deductions (such as the recommendation letters), where he’s working tirelessly (before going to the 13 mines) to try to change his fate (escape poverty) and social status.

Other than that, the only 2 things I’d like to discuss that I haven’t already brought up are the symbols on his gloves and shoulders.

These were incredibly hard for me to figure out. The symbol on his glove may be based on Hermes’ caduceus staff, which has 2 snakes on it that could connect to the design on the glove, not to mention his staff has been called a wand before as well as has several connections to Norton and Soul Catcher/Magic Item Keeper

To begin discussing the caduceus staff, it comes from the Greek word meaning “herald’s wand, or staff”, and it did become a badge for heralds and ambassadors signifying their inviolability (aka, condition of being safe from violence, assault, trespass, violation, and infringement; unassailable). Messengers and officials carried it to identify and protect themselves during a journey. Originally, caduceus was a rod or olive branch ending in 2 shoots and decorated with garlands or ribbons. Later, the garlands were interpreted as 2 snakes entwined in opposite directions with their heads facing each other. A pair of wings, for Hermes’ speed, was attached to the staff above the snakes later on. Hermes, who carried the caduceus staff, was the herald (messenger) of the gods and patron of commerce, as well as transitions and boundaries, and protector of travelers, trade, herdsman, and various other things

The caduceus staff represented diligence and prudence, which are 2 characteristics very necessary in trading activities. It also came to represent Hermes, and by extension the staff came to be a symbol of commerce and negotiation (2 realms where balanced exchange and reciprocity are recognized as ideals). It also provided the basis for the astrological symbol representing the planet Mercury. Through its use in astrology, alchemy, and astronomy, it has come to denote the planet and elemental metal of the same name. The caduceus staff is also a symbol of magic, as it represented the magic wand of Hermes/Mercury. Some of its powers included waking people up or putting people to sleep, giving the dying a gentle death, or returning the dead to life.

It is often incorrectly used as a symbol for healthcare organizations and medical practices due to its similarities to the Rod of Asclepius (which has 1 snake, and is the actual item that’s related to health).

Hermes got the caduceus staff from Apollo (as a gesture of friendship) when Apollo liked the music from Hermes’ lyre. After this, one myth suggests Hermes (or Mercury) saw 2 serpents entwined in mortal combat. He separated them with his wand, causing the 2 to stop biting each other and become entangled with it. This resulted in bringing about peace between them, and as a result the wand with 2 serpents came to be seen as a sign of peace. Peace is also a necessity for trade to flourish.

So the biggest thing we learn from is this is a symbol for heralds, messengers, and ambassadors (as a way to keep them safe from harm), as well as the fact the caduceus is basically something that symbolizes peace. If Magic Item Keeper has a symbol for peace, and Magic Item Keeper is Soul Catcher, that could help show Soul Catcher is a good guy (like Harry) and is working to end the war. It also being related to commerce is similar to how Magic Item Keeper is taking care of a magical inventory, as well as how Norton wants to acquire wealth. Caduceus being a symbol for magic relates to this essence being an essence based on Harry Potter.

To expand this a little further, let’s discuss Hermes.

Hermes was the son of Zeus and Maia. As said before, he is the herald/messenger of the gods, and he delivered news, advice, and commands that maintained order and sustained their (the gods’) tumultuous relationships. Hermes is also known as the protector of heralds and orators, the god of commerce and luck, patron of travelers, thieves, and merchants, and champion of athletes and athletic competitions, as well as is the god of roads and doorways (boundaries, transitions). The part about orators relates to the myth where he gifted Pandora the gift of lies, seductive words, and a dubious character, as well as Hermes being connected to eloquent speech. He is also (other than the lyre) credited with inventing fire, the alphabet, and dice (actually knucklebones, which caused him to be worshiped by gamblers as god of luck and wealth).

One of his titles is “The Divine Trickster”. He was capable of moving quickly and freely between the mortal and divine worlds (with the help of his winged sandals). One of his roles was that of “psychopomp” or “soul guide” – a conductor of souls into the afterlife. This relates to how Hermes is associated with the underworld and is a god of boundaries (not to mention relates to him being a messenger). Another role of his was as a mediator, in part because of his caduceus, which was one of his main symbols.

In Roman mythology, he is known as Mercury, which is derived from the Latin “merx” meaning “merchandise” and origin of the words “merchant” and “commerce”. It is also derived from “medio currens” in reference to Hermes’ role as a mediator and messenger who moves between worlds.

Odin was another god identified with Mercury/Hermes: both carried a staff and wore wide-brimmed hats (based on their art), both are travelers or wanderers, both are gods connected to the dead (with Mercury/Hermes as a psychopomp, and Odin as lord of the dead in Valhalla), both are connected to eloquent speech, and both are associated with secret knowledge.

Regarding some of his exploits:

He stole Apollo’s sacred herd of 50 cattle as a baby but was eventually found out. Zeus ordered him to return the herd, though Hermes instead offered Apollo his lyre (who eagerly accepted it). This instance associated him with herds and protector of cattle and sheep (and shepherds). Hermes has also been known to steal other things, but he’s also performed plenty of heroic deeds as well, all with his wit and wile, never brute strength. For example, he rescued Zeus’ lover Io from the vengeful designs of Hera, who employed the many-eyed giant Argus to watch over/search for her. Zeus employed Hermes, who put the giant to sleep before slaying him and saving Io.

Some other famous myths about him come from Homer’s epics. In the Iliad, he technically supported the Greeks against the Trojans, but his role in the conflict was largely unremarkable, save for when he guided King Priam of Troy to the body of his son, Hector, and allowed him to retrieve it. In the Odyssey, he helps deliver Odysseus (his great grandson) back to his wife and son. One time, he helped Odysseus when he was detained by Circe, who had turned his crew into pigs. Hermes told Odysseus of this and gave him a herb to protect him from Circe’s charms, which allowed him to force Circe to restore his men to human form. Another time, he helped free Odysseus when he was detained by Calypso on her island. Hermes delivered to them the news from Zeus who ordered Calpyso to release Odysseus so he could continue his journey home. This forced Calypso to relent and release Odysseus and his crew (as she had no choice). Finally, when Odysseus returned home, he slew the suitors seeking his wife’s hand in marriage to usurp Odysseus as patriarch of the family. After this happened, Hermes conveys their unworthy souls to the underworld.

For his origins, one possible prototype for Hermes was a Mesopotamian snake-god, similar or identical to Ningishzida, a god who served as mediator between humans and the divine. Another accepted idea is that he originated as a form of the god Pan (which relates to Hermes being a protector of shepherds and such). Finally, he’s been a deity with shamanic attributes linked to divination, reconciliation, magic, sacrifices, initiation and contact with other planes of existence, and has a role of mediator between the worlds (visible and invisible). Even from the beginning, he was a god with strong associations to the underworld.

In depictions of Hermes, he has winged sandals (which is why Hermes is known to be so fast), a purse or bag in his hands, a sword of gold (which was used to kill the giant from the Io myth, as well as was lent to Perseus so he could kill Medusa), and wore a robe or cloak that gave him the power to confer invisibility.

Just so I can make a comparison, Asclepius is the god of healing and son of Apollo (the god of healing, truth, and prophecy). He was taught by the centaur Chiron, and eventually became so skilled he succeeded in bringing one of his patients back from the dead. This caused Zeus to feel like the gods’ immortality was threatened, and thus he struck Asclepius down with a thunderbolt. At Apollo’s request, he was placed among the stars as Ophiuchus, the serpent-bearer. It was believed Asclepius could cure people of their sickness in their dreams. His rod has a serpent coiled around it, and it is the only real symbol of medicine. Serpents, due to how they shed their skin, symbolize rebirth and fertility.

Regarding new connections (rather than re-stating the bits about being a herald and messenger symbolism again, or about Hermes being a mediator relates to Soul Catcher’s/Magic Item Keeper’s likely role in this essence’s story), the very first I want to mention is the fact Hermes has an Invisibility Cloak. This could be proof that Soul Catcher/Magic Item Keeper has it, and also maybe proof that Magic Item Keeper is using it (to disguise the fact that he’s Soul Catcher). Either way, I think it at least shows Soul Catcher/Magic Item Keeper has at least 2 of the Deathly Hallows.

Hermes relation to thieves connects back to Norton and him stealing the dynamite. Hermes being a god of boundaries and transitions relates to Soul Catcher and his job of leading souls to the afterlife. His association with eloquent speech and being a trickster can refer to Norton is a good actor and his skill/ability to pretend when around others, especially his employers as we see in Fool’s Gold’s deduction 3. Hermes being related to luck parallels Norton’s luck and not dying in the mine. One obvious connection between Soul Catcher and Hermes is how Hermes is a soul guide, which is exactly what Soul Catcher is/does. Hermes’ association with secret knowledge is likely something Soul Catcher/Magic Item Keeper also have (Soul Catcher/Magic Item Keeper likely know a lot of secrets that other characters in this essence don’t, not to mention Norton likely has knowledge of secrets from his encounter with the meteorite and/or Gla’aki). One interesting connection is Hermes being a god/protector of shepherds, since Hastur (who is Necromancer) is also related to shepherds. It’s possible this could be a way of showing a relation between Norton and Hastur (in the canon story/deductions). Hermes' connection to commerce and merchants ties to Norton's focus on money and escaping poverty, and finally the connection to "secret knowledge" could also connect to Norton seeming to be working for Orpheus and his knowledge of secrets like Orpheus' drugs and the basement they were hidden in as well as whatever else Orpheus' true plans are.

Lastly, there’s the symbol on Magic Item Keeper’s shoulder. This may actually be based on “scales”.

Going back to the caduceus, there are images of it with/attached to scales, so I think this helps back up the idea.

There are several people in Greek myth that use/are related to scales.

There’s Themis, the personification of justice, goddess of wisdom and good counsel, and interpreter of the gods’ will, whose symbol are the Scales of Justice. There’s also Dike, daughter of Themis and Zeus, the divine personification of justice (her name is the Greek word for Justice) and is also shown holding a set of balanced scales, and symbolized impartial justice, as in no exceptions for anyone regardless of status or importance in society (and a person’s low standing couldn’t be held against them).

Then there’s Zeus himself, as one of his symbols is a set of scales, and he can be considered a “peacemaker” (embodying the Greeks dedication to law and order), along with how he presides over the gods and the whole of nature (so is also the ruler of men). He was even said to weigh the destinies of people using his scales (at their time of death), and dispensed justice with these 2 jars he had, which were the jars of Fate: one was full of good, and the other was full of bad. He is even mentioned to use these scales twice in Homer’s Iliad (once regarding the battle between the Greeks and Trojans, he weighs their fates and finds the Greeks side of the scales heavier (Trojans were likely to win), at which point he steps into the battle and turns the tide in the Trojans’ favor. The other time was for the fight between Achilles and Hector, with the scales indicating Hector’s doom).

The last option, and the one I believe in, is that the scales relate to Hermes, who is sometimes the one holding the scales (in art). This would connect with the image of the caduceus attached to scales.

Regarding the meaning of the scales, it could still have to do with weighing the fates of 2 things, rather than weighing worth or righteousness. The worth or value of the people being weighed was irrelevant. This could relate to the whole war between the white and dark wizards, and maybe Magic Item Keeper/Soul Catcher found that fate/destiny indicated the white wizards would win. That, or maybe Magic Item Keeper/Soul Catcher are the things tipping the scales in the good guys favor (against Necromancer). Another meaning could have to deal with order and justice, regardless of status or importance in society. Necromancer might be breaking the natural order of things (especially if he’s raising the dead and messing with souls, which is Soul Catcher’s responsibility, as in to guide them to the afterlife and Necromancer is screwing with that). Then the whole point about justice could be what is needed against Necromancer, after everything he’s likely done and/or all the chaos and disaster he wants and/or will cause.

Last thing, if S-Tier skins are supposed to represent that person’s wishes, Soul Catcher likely represents Norton’s desire to atone for what he’s done and the miners he killed.

That’s everything I have on Season 5. I was missing a lot of clues and info with this essence, but I did what I could with what I could find. (Also this is a theory I originally wrote several years ago, that I tried to somewhat update before reposting, so apologies for any errors).

26 notes · View notes