by ohthewhomanity

The concept of ancestors is introduced late in Act Five, as an interesting tidbit of troll society. It doesn’t take long for it to become more than that, though. That “destiny” that Vriska mentioned in the above quote shapes the trolls’ actions into a pattern that not only makes sense in hindsight but also might serve as a tool for predicting the future of the comic.

Between Mindfang’s journal entries and Doc Scratch’s narration, we get the story of the Beta Trolls’ ancestors, and it’s clear where Vriska, the troll most attached to her ancestor’s story, tried to make her life match the past: her blackrom relationship with Eridan, for instance, in direct parallel with Mindfang’s relationship with Dualscar, and her attempts to turn Tavros into a badass warrior like the Summoner. Since the relationship was short-lived and Tavros did not grow in the way she desired, one might think that the past is the past and has no bearing after all on present events.

One would be wrong.

The Beta Trolls’ lives do parallel the lives of their ancestors–but backwards. Every major event, and often a major relationship, is reversed.

The Summoner killed Mindfang. Vriska killed Tavros.



Dualscar killed the Dolorosa. Kanaya killed Eridan.



Mindfang was attracted to and raped the Dolorosa. Kanaya was attracted to Vriska but never acted on it.



The Handmaid lived for a long time and finally found freedom in death. Aradia was dead for a long time and finally found freedom in life.



The Sufferer was killed by the E%ecutor. Karkat sent Equius to his death.



The E%ecutor stood up to The Grand Highblood and spared the Disciple’s life. Equius knelt before Gamzee and Nepeta died as a result.



Mindfang outwitted an overconfident Redglare and got Redglare killed. Terezi outwitted an overconfident Vriska and killed Vriska.



Clever, huh?

The ancestor parallels complicate the issue of fate as discussed by Terezi and Vriska. Is destiny something that happens to us, or is it something that we make every day? Are the ancestor parallels written in the trolls’ blood, and unavoidable? I believe the implication is that yes, it is unavoidable, because this pattern still exists while all actions that would match history have so far backfired. In addition to Vriska’s efforts, which I mentioned before, we have Eridan trying to kill Kanaya but getting killed himself and Terezi maiming Vriska but getting blinded herself.

There is, however, a hitch in the pattern. As of A6A6I4, Vriska is no longer dead. Now, Terezi has not killed her. And who caused this deviance from the unavoidable pattern?

John Egbert, Heir of Breath, the living incarnation of independence and freedom.

Since John broke the pattern, are the parallels over? Or can we still use them to predict the future? Are Kanaya’s efforts to protect Karkat in A6A6I5 a parallel to the Dolorosa’s failure to protect the Sufferer? Also, remember how the Grand Highblood killed Dualscar? Does that mean that Eridan will rise to relevance once more and kill Gamzee?

Only time will tell.