History WMG / TribeTwelve

Other than the fact it is an old man, the fact Persolus's title is "the hermit" might be seen how Karl shoos away others (like Noah). Karl had encountered Slender man which is when Persolus took over him. His session would have been getting the journal but ended before he could give it to the Collective/Slender man. It may be that after one's session ends, memories are general wiped/ stored somewhere (and Persolous could have left him due to Karl knowing the contents about the journal and how to protect). His memories/mind might have signaled Karl when Noah's involvement in Milo's case became apparent without directly asking anyone. He was able to sense that Noah [[spoiler: will eventually become Firebrand]] which is why he shooed him away.

His abilities/trait are very similar of the collective (several eon old entity with the power to posses people and commit violent/psychopathic acts. However, he was able to break off much earlier on by himself. However, he was much weakened (as he fought for freedom by himself) and could no longer exist without a physical vessel. He hates Slender of all the trouble he has caused him but still carries tendencies as the once former collective member (note that Firebrand had escaped with assistance of HABIT so he can still maintain a physical form, abeit distorted sort of).

More specifically, he's from the alternate future where Germany wins [[WorldWarII World War II]], hence the connections to Nazi Germany. The man who would become Slender Man was appalled and disgusted by what Nazism has done to the world. He wanted to to fix this awful world and make it better. Thankfully, he's alive at the time when time travel is possible, but he can't afford a time machine. So he steals one, while fleeing from Gestapos in an epic chase scene, and travels back in time to World War II, 1945, and somehow created the future we live in now. One problem, however: he changed to future in a way that he would never be born. This causes the Grandfather Paradox to kick in, until he reaches a state where he both exists and doesn't exist. This is why the Observer defines the Administrator as "onedevidedbyzero" and claims that his [[CombatTentacles Combat Tentacles]] are cracks in space and time: he's a victim of a temporal paradox, forced to never fully exist in reality. He can show up in this universe for brief periods of time, but he can only truly exist inside his pocket dimension. Where he is God, and Firebrand is the fallen angel.

[[WMG: This universe's Slender Man is the world's first and time traveler.]]

In this alternate universe, [[spoiler: Noah becomes Firebrand and Milo doesn't die and becomes Mr. Scars. The other universe's Milo then comes over to the main universe and kills this universe's Mary Asher.]]

With the revelation that Firebrand is [[spoiler:both Noah and freed from the HiveMind]] this implies that the Collective is either split or going to be split (this series seems to be tossing around a TimeyWimeyBall) in a way that will put the Black and White pieces on opposing sides. Firebrand is known as "The Stubborn," hinting that he will not [[spoiler:go gently into that good night and will oppose reassimilation into the Hive Mind]], leading to a split that will pit the two sides against each other with Firebrand leading the Whites against the Administrator and his Blacks.

...in the same way that the Observer's vessel [[hottip:*:(I know, it's been heavily implied to be Kevin, but until it's explicitly stated, I'm running on the possibility that he actually isn't)]] could one day become the Observer himself. At one point in November 11, the Observer asks "REMEMBER OUR VISITS?" and at the end of the same video, a picture of Firebrand has "FIREBRAND REMEMBERS" as a caption.

And Noah is resisting the Collective's influence. So either Firebrand was once Noah (or a version thereof[[hottip:,:[[VideoGame/ChronoTrigger there are as many worlds as there are potentialities]]) or his title is a coincidence and Noah's reaction is to something else entirely.

If the Observer can't touch it and Slendy can't touch it, it stands to reason that HABIT's host bodies can't either. But Noah can read it. The book contains forbidden knowledge, most likely including how to kill or even control Slendy. Now, it's likely that Noah will read it cover to cover. We also know that HABIT can exist as a disembodied, invisible, spirit. Thus, it's a simple matter of reading Noah's shoulder while he looks it over. Now knowing all of the 'forbidden knowledge' HABIT can work on either tearing apart the Collective or even take it over using a host body of either Firebrand, Ethan, or both since he can posses multiple people, leading to a team up of Noah, the remaining HYBRID guys, Doctor Corenthal and an uneasy alliance with The Collective to stop the bigger threat, possibly ending with HABIT possessing SLENDY!

With the revelation that Firebrand is [[spoiler:both Noah and freed from the HiveMind]] this implies that the Collective is either split or going to be split (this series seems to be tossing around a TimeyWimeyBall) in a way that will put the Black and White pieces on opposing sides. Firebrand is known as "The Stubborn," hinting that he will not [[spoiler:go gently into that good night and will oppose reassimilation into the Hive Mind]], leading to a split that will pit the two sides against each other with Firebrand leading the Whites against the Administrator and his Blacks.

** Jossed in the 11-11-12 Livestream; Firebrand is revealed to be [[spoiler:Noah himself, albiet a future incarnation of himself.]]

** Given the current tie-in with EverymanHYBRID (and the theories surrounding the plot of that series), this sounds disturbingly plausible.

With the relevation that Firebrand is [[spoiler:both Noah and freed from the HiveMind]] this implies that the Collective is either split or going to be split (this series seems to be tossing around a TimeyWimeyBall) in a way that will put the Black and White pieces on opposing sides. Firebrand is known as "The Stubborn," hinting that he will not [[spoiler:go gently into that good night and will oppose reassimilation into the Hive Mind]], leading to a split that will pit the two sides against each other with Firebrand leading the Whites against the Administrator and his Blacks.

[[WMG: The ChessMotif is a foreshadowing of dissension in the Colelctive.]]

Rather than just being a part of [[spoiler:The Collective’s plans]] from birth, Noah’s involvement extends ''long'' before that. As in, “Noah” had past lives for the sake of being a part of their plans over the course of several generations. The title of [[spoiler:Firebrand and "The Stubborn"]] may be construed as mockery by The Collective; he resists at first, but it is pointless, as he fulfills his job for The Collective anyhow, whether Noah knows it or not. Resistance is futile for Noah, and [[DownerEnding it’s a harsh lesson he has to relearn…]] [[AndIMustScream forever.]]

[[WMG: Noah's involvement [[spoiler: with The Collective runs deeper than we think...]]

** Jossed in the 11-11-12 Livestream; Firebrand is revealed to be [[spoiler:Noah himself, albiet a future incarnation of himself.]]

... and he's on Noah's side, working from the inside to take down the Collective.

* [[spoiler: Confirmed! And even better, it's someone on the Collective's inside!]]

Take a close look at [[http://twitpic.com/b3a7bx these]] [[http://twitpic.com/b8ymiw three]] [[http://twitpic.com/bc7e7z pics]] that Observer sent to his Twitter. They have some hidden, ''unusually'' reassuring messages in different type. Clearly ''some'' third entity is against the Observer's goals, even if Noah says otherwise...

Take a close look at [[http://twitpic.com/b3a7bx these]] [[http://twitpic.com/b8ymiw three]] [[http://twitpic.com/bc7e7z pics]] from his Twitter. They have hidden messages in different type, and the third one isn't very hidden. Clearly ''some'' third entity is against the Observer's goals, even if Noah says otherwise...

Take a close look at the last [[http://twitpic.com/b3a7bx two]] [[http://twitpic.com/b8ymiw twitpics]]. They have hidden messages in different type. Clearly ''some'' third entity is against the Observer's goals, even if Noah says otherwise...

The hand that strokes Noah's face in November 11th is suspiciously feminine, especially compared to the hand we see later, writing on him. There's also the fact that s/he/it very rarely uses singular pronouns to refer to themselves. We already know that the Observer is a hivemind, so it's possible that this mind is stretched across multiple bodies (possibly related to the Slendy cult).