A different perspective on the story

[brazen tangle]

disclaimer: this isn't me forcing anything on anyone. I just really like this perspective and wanted to talk about it :]

I had the inspiration to actually talk about this recently after watching Dema's breakdown of City Walls. There were some things she left out so I thought I'd fill them in. This overall is going to be about the whole story but mainly focusing on the final showdown between Clancy and Nico. For a few years now I've been captivated by the biblical themes that have inspired the story of Dema. I know Tyler and Josh were both raised in Christian homes and the faith has stuck with them throughout their lives. Tyler even said that Trench was an exploration on an existential level. It was him facing big questions no one really asks.

Ever since finding my faith again I've been able to see a lot of similarities between the Dema narrative and biblical narratives, and it puts a lot of things into perspective for me. Let's start with Dema itself. We know that the bishops aren't the bad guys here, the real villian of the story is violism which is a hijacked version of christianity, it teaches destruction is the only way to paradise. The bishops are simply personifications of these fears and struggles. Dema seems to symbolise Egypt, in the story of Exodus the Jewish people were subjected to slavery for 400 years until God gets hold of a man named Moses, not a perfect man by any means but someone who decided to stand up and do something about the oppression of his people. He murdered a man in his anger which was the wrong thing to do but he knew he couldn't stay still, he knew he had to do something this to me sounds similar to Clancy. He didn't entirely know what to do, he didn't know where to go, but what he did know is Dema whatever this is has to change. You could also say that we symbolise the citizens of Dema because every single one of us here has a deep internal struggle that has the potential to weigh us down (I'll continue in the comment)

[brazen tangle]

Which brings us nicely to Trench itself, the vast landscape of greenery. I believe that Trench outside of Dema symbolises the wilderness. When Clancy decided to leave Dema, when you or I say to ourselves we're going to be better, when we decide to put up a fight against the things that bound us, that's us leaving Dema. You don't know where to go but you know you can't stay where you are which causes a bit of an issue, you'll only survive in the wilderness for so long before going back to your old ways, you can only survive for so long in Trench before being dragged back to Dema or going back on your own accord because us human beings trade safety for familiarity. Before SAI Clancy gave us a journal entry where Keons found him and he went back on his own accord. The more you run from your problems the more power they have on you.

Allow me to give you the solution to that cycle: TB. It seems Torchbearer is symbolic of Jesus, he's the light bringer, he's head of the banditos, his "ability" is the ability to guide. He guides the banditos and he guides Clancy which is why Clancy relies on him so much, TB even has a cross on his hoodie. Recently I was watching the City Walls mv and noticed when Tyler makes the logo with his hands it's same design TB has on his hoodie which appears to be an orthodox cross, but the most important aspect of this is TB needs Clancy to break the cycle of bondage (and if you will, sin) This is also why the bishops have no power over TB, if they're the enemies and if Nico is symbolic of the devil (drag path) then TB broke the cycle, Nico is powerless against him the same way Jesus overcame sin in the cross, but without you and I that sacrifce is meaningless, without Clancy the bishops always win. It's why Clancy is needed.

It makes me believe Clancy didn't really know what he was doing hence my next point: I said you and I are symbolic of the Dema citizens but you and I can also be symbolic of Clancy? How so, well just like the bishops Clancy

is simply a name to a face. It works both ways. The expereinces Clancy went through wore him out and got the better of him. One crutial detail of the City Walls music video is that this was meant to be the big epic showdown yet Clancy doesn't even manage to get in a single hit. Nico absolutely batters him, but why?

I've noticed that this story is also heavily influenced by trauma. It seems to be the battle of faith and trauma. In my own life I've noticed that trauma has the ability to warp your identity. You only have value if you're putting up a fight which is exactly what we see here in this showdown. Clancy is too tired, to traumatised, to prideful and arrogant to win. One of the most heartbreaking moments in the Torah is when Moses is refused entry to the promise land. He was tasked with freeing God's people and leading them through the wilderness but he snaps because he was a very angry, prideful, and impatient person and the task at hand got the better of him so much so he dishonoured God and was refused entry. This is kinda what happend to Clancy. He thought he could do it himself, he thought he had the power to fight, he had an inflated ego that was masking trauma, masking fear, masking the things he hadn't yet healed from.

Closing thoughts: This band has always stressed the importance of choices, stay alive is a choice, leaving or going back to Dema, is a choice. If Clancy also symbolises us and TB Jesus well then the ending to this story taught me you have a choice. You can rely on yourself which is a bundle of weakness, defeat, fears, that gets you killed (hence why Clancy rebelled TB) or you can stick with TB and overthrow Dema. You can choose the one person who overcame for you and has the wisdom to show you the way out, and when you take all that into consideration I can understand why TB is Christ. I personally tried time and time again to overthrow my bishops but I was just like Clancy. I was never going to win until I put my trust in Jesus

I hope this was an interesting read, this kinda was me spewing my thoughts out so if you have any questions feel free to ask, God bless yall :]