Failed Focus

For those who come after. 75/75

I do plan to make a video follow up to this going into even more detail - But If this gets any kind of traction, I wholeheartedly encourage others to use it as a jumping off point to go into more detail and reveal things where I was unable. 74/??

I have absolutely no doubt that there are people with much wider knowledge of various other myths I’ve missed, and deeper knowledge who can go more in depth to specific references, and can explain some of the eclipses within the game that I missed. 73/??

I recognized one or two mythological references where the eclipse was appropriate and the rest fell into place as I researched. 72/??

For those who have got this far, thank you for reading my sleep-deprived ramblings on all of this and let me be perfectly honest.
Once again, Though I love mythology, I am not an expert of it. Most of this info is the result of an afternoon’s worth of Googling. 71/??

And with the devs at #Sandfall confirming Clair-Obscur to be a series, I think the eclipse will be a reoccurring visual motif for the franchise going forward. Whether it’s importance increases, it stays as a background element or I’m completely wrong… well, time will tell. 70/??

So if I had to guess, I think the imagery of the eclipse being a reoccurring theme was decided early, and was then inserted wherever it was appropriate. 69/?? (nice)

Which means the eclipse as a symbol has such a rich tapestry of inspiration to draw from, and is probably the single most influential piece of chiaroscuro imagery in human history. 68/??

Now imagine that cycle is disrupted for even a few minutes, and your world is plunged into darkness. Such a thing would be terrifying an a primordial level, it’s no wonder so many cultures created myths to explain and find comfort during the eclipse. 67/??

Now imagine that cycle is disrupted for even a few minutes, and your world is plunged into darkness. Such a thing would be terrifying an a primordial level, it’s no wonder so many cultures created myths to explain and find comfort during the eclipse. 67/??

It’s only natural so many myths and legends would be based around such a thing, as people didn’t yet understand the science behind the sun and the moon, but they lived their lives by their cycles. 66/??

The style emphasizes the difference and contrast between light and dark within the same work and…thus, a solar eclipse is arguably a naturally reoccurring phenomenon of chiaroscuro. I can’t think of a better example of “Clair-Obscur” in nature. 65/??

As many of you know by now, the title Clair-Obscur translates roughly to Light-Dark and is the French translation of the Italian term Chiaroscuro, an artistic technique utilizing strong, bold contrasts between light and dark. 64/??

Okay, to begin FINALLY wrapping this all up… why the Eclipse? There’s so much mythological and cultural inspiration Sandfall could have drawn from, why this specifically? This is definitely more into speculation territory, but I think I have a pretty compelling guess. 63/??

-- tying the damage type back to the eclipse imagery and the theme of Ragnarok / the end of the world.
Monaco’s Creation Void skill is an exception to the above, but he is arguably a direct creation of a Painter and is mimicking Renoir’s Creation during this attack. 62/??

As all attacks which Vanish party members deal Void damage, and it is the element of the Stendhal skill and Maelle’s Gommage Gradient attack, thus we can assume Renoir’s Gommage itself is Void elemental-- 62/??

It is mostly accessed by Painters and their direct creations – Painted Renoir, The Paintress, Renoir and Maelle/Alicia are some of the very few people who can deal Void damage, and Void damage is heavily associated with the power of the Painters and undoing the Canvas. 61/??

Lastly, there’s Void damage. The symbol for Void damage is similar to the Annular eclipse seen throughout the game, and Void is closest to the ultimate element in Expedition 33. 60/??

This happens in The Abyss where Renoir was sealed away for years, though perhaps the eclipse appearing here is a nod to the myths in which the sun and moon reunite as lovers during an eclipse, as Simon hears Clea’s voice for the first time in decades here. 59/??

Then there’s Simon. Simon appears to summon an eclipse behind him as he moves into his second phase, empowered by Clea. 58/??

Of course, it could be a lot simpler than this and the lion represents Painted Renoir’s pride and fierce desire to protect his family no matter the costs. 57/??

From his view, he commits his attacks on the Expedition from a place of compassion but also sorrow, as by killing the expeditions he buys the people of Lumiere more time to live, but that time is still finite and always ticking down. 56/??

The lion is NOT green and doesn’t eat any suns, but this analysis lines up with Painted Renoir perfectly in my opinion. He is a VERY violent man, but this comes from a place of sadness as he knows the world is doomed and that he can’t live his family forever as he desires. 55/??

Jungian analyst and scholar Marie-Louise Von Franz wrote that the Green Lion devouring the sun was an expression of violence, specifically violence born of frustration and of depression, of one unable to achieve their desires. 54/??

We’re tangenting away from directly eclipse related imagery again, but I think a more compelling argument is that the “Dark creature” is a reference to the green lion devouring the sun in alchemy, and its interpretation in Jungian psychology. 53/??

Mostly, I think it’s meant to be like a wolf-lion hybrid like Final Fantasy VII’s Red XIII, down to the flaming tail. 52/??

First, You could argue this is a reference to Fenrir from the norse legend. Again, this is part is a stretch as the creature resembles a lion in appearance, but it’s model isn’t viewed in a way to give a definitive answer. 51/??

There’s two ways this *COULD* be interpreted, but both relate to the idea of the creature devouring the sun – the sun being devoured by a godlike animal being the cause of an eclipse is prevalent in MANY mythologies, not just Norse mythology. 50/??

Now, about the “Dark Creature” that comes to Painted Renoir’s aid in the 2nd boss fight. This pretty much comes out of nowhere, it’s never foreshadowed before it’s appearance and it’s never mentioned again, so I’ve been curious for a while what it’s whole deal is. 49/??

What’s more, Painted Renoir summons a small eclipse with many of his attacks, notably the one where he attempts to Vanish a party member. In these attacks he actually hits the small eclipse orb to project Chroma towards his target. 48/??