Tearjerker moments in Epithet Erased
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General
- Molly's whole situation. Basically, her mother would sell the toys that her father would make, but after her mother's death, her father and sister basically just ignored the situation and she was forced to step up and take over running the store. Even though it's been two years since her mom's death, her father and sister still push all the work onto her. Giovanni puts it best:Giovanni: You're five years old and you run a toy store? That sounds pretty rough.
Molly: Yeah... I mean I'm 12, but... yeah. - Mera's whole life. As a child, her "Fragile" epithet led to her being basically trapped in her room, forced to watch the other children laugh and play outside, unable to join them. She spent 10 years trying to train and hone her epithet, but that just made its effect on her more powerful instead of allowing her to overcome her weakness. The best that she's managed is draining the stamina from others to heal herself, but that's a momentary solution at best. Sylvie's Nightmare Fuel power can't inconvenience her because she's basically living her worst nightmare every day, being in constant pain and worrying that she'll be hospitalized with broken bones just from a casual collision on the street. She can't even feel satisfied by the idea of using the Amulet to remove her own epithet, because that would mean all her effort training herself was for naught. All of this has driven her to villainy, just because she wants relief from a lifetime of suffering.
- Prison of Plastic's theme song Say No!
, while an absolute bop, has some dark lyrics about how Lorelai retreating into the worlds her epithet can create to cope with their mother's death has only strained her and Molly's relationship when they need each other the most and put Molly through more unnecessary pain than she deserves. And then there's the lyrics "Princess of plastic/You were the matchstick/but how could you have known?", which all but state that Lorelai accidentally started the fire that killed their mother Calliope, and Molly witnessed the whole thing (hence her severe pyrophobia). The lyrics after this are implied to be sung by Calliope herself, urging her daughters to reconcile and move past her death. - Great at Cowboy's full version has lyrics about Zora's past. They explain that when she was a child, her archaeologist parents discovered an artifact only for Banzai Blasters to show up and shoot the two to death. She grew up alone in the woods until being found and recruited by the leader of Bliss Ocean.
Episode 1: Quiet At The Museum
- Molly's father completely forgetting about his own daughter and leaving her in the museum. Sure, its Played for Laughs, but it's still really depressing that he's that bad at being a father.
- Indus' reaction when Giovanni lands an attack on Mera. Sure, the attack doesn't do anything since Molly dumbs it down and the whole thing is played for laughs, but Indus' reaction to it is genuinely heart-wrenching.Indus: I couldn't protect you! I am... I AM A FAILURE!
- Later episodes make this worse, since we not only learn about Mera's "Fragile" epithet, meaning that she would have likely been severely injured had the attack not been dumbed down, but we also learn that Indus takes his role has bodyguard very seriously.
Episode 2: Bear Trap
- Giovanni is driven to actual tears seeing his minions defeated.
- After being captured, Molly reveals she has already written her own will because "life is fleeting and you never know when you or a loved one will die."
- While Molly and Giovanni's heart-to-heart is more heartwarming then sad overall, hearing Molly talk about her issues is, as Giovanni puts it, pretty rough.
- Sylvie uses his "Nightmare Fuel" attack on Molly, revealing that she suffers from pyrophobia and surrounding her and Giovanni in fire. This causes her to have a full-on break down in which she can only cry and clutch to Giovanni's leg as she meekly begs for help. Thankfully, this crosses over into heartwarming territory when Giovanni proves himself to be a true Benevolent Boss.Molly: G... Giovanni...
Giovanni: Bear Trap?
Molly: [Molly clutches the hem of Giovanni's cape and hides against his leg. She's crying...] (through tears) Help...
Giovanni: Hmph! (turns to Sylvie) I think I've had just about enough of you, guy! You made my minion cry! NOBODY makes my minions cry except ME!- The reason for Molly's pyrophobia isn't explicitly stated, but it's heavily implied both In-Universe and by Word of God that it's related to her mother's death...
- In order to charge up his special 13-hit attack, Giovanni lightly hits Molly with some yarn, citing it as "standard minion procedure." She tells him its fine, because she's "used to being taken advantage of."Giovanni: Oooookay there! Let's maybe raise our standards a little bit!
- A bit of Fridge Tearjerker, but when Sylvie uses Nightmare Fuel again on Giovanni, the newly animated bears, having been recently (and unofficially) inducted into the Banzai Blasters, start attacking Giovanni. Now, what could it be that he is afraid of?
Episode 3: The Doctor Is In
- Giovanni asks Sylvie if he has any friends, and Sylvie responds with a proud "No." However, when Molly sheepishly says that she'll be his friend, he rejects her in a way that makes it seem like he actually does want to be friends with her, but is too proud to admit it.
- This line from Sylvie as he's thinking of a way to get pass Indus.Sylvie: He's trying to lure me into a false sense of security! Well, joke's on him! I've never been secure in my life!
Episode 4: Reflection
- A flashback to Mera as a child implies that she was a Lonely Rich Kid, trapped in her room and unable to play with the other kids due to her weak body.
- Sylvie tries to use "Nightmare Fuel" on Mera. And it does absolutely nothingnote , because Mera's already living her worst nightmare every single day. The music and the imagery of her epithet conjuring huge shards of glass as if to protect her, only to start cracking, is what cements Mera's status as a Tragic Villain; her plan to steal the amulet and take Molly's epithet isn't born from any malicious intent. Only a desperate girl's wish to make the constant pain she's in stop.Sylvie: Let's see what you're most afraid of! Nightmare Fuel! (Nothing happens) ...W-What? Why didn't it-?
Mera: "What I'm most afraid of?" You want to know what I'm most afraid of? I'm afraid of this. I'm afraid of a world where I spend the rest of my life like this. Brittle... And creaking... And constantly on the verge of breaking...! I'm afraid of a life where someone bumping up against me means a trip to the hospital! I'm afraid that THIS is all there is! But now? I finally have an exit. I finally have a way to leave! And if you think you can keep me here? Then you'd better be ready to die trying.
