[ID: DW From Arthur Standing In Front Of A Door With A Yellow Sign That Says Do Not Open In All Caps.

[ID: DW from arthur standing in front of a door with a yellow sign that says “do not open” in all caps. DW is labeled “joshua gillespie” and text at the bottom reads “that sign can stop me because i can read!” /END ID]

joshua gillespie circa mag 2

So. Obviously the Luck Runs Out references in Mutiny are heartbreaking and fantastic.

But I think the song was also setting up some parallels with Puppeteer.

Puppeteer: "There's no length I wouldn't go, if it was you I had to save. I can only hope you'd do the same." Mutiny: "Don't make me fight you, brother, you know you'd have done the same!"

And the thing is, Eurylochus would have done the same. Earlier in the story. During Puppeteer, he wanted to run. He wanted to abandon his men. And Odysseus was the one to fight for their crew. And it worked!! They got out! Odysseus gave them a shred of hope and got them out of an impossible situation! So Eurylochus learns from that. He grows and changes. He becomes someone who refuses to leave his men at the mercy of a monster. Unfortunately, this was around the same time that Odysseus decided to become the monster.

That's the tragedy of it all; they both change, and they're still at odds! Eurylochus is throwing Odysseus's own past heroic decisions back at him. Odysseus retaliates by reminding Eurylochus of his own past cowardice. They don't know each other anymore!! They're two desperate people trying to make the best decisions they can, and they just keep getting people hurt, and they're both so tired.

Puppeteer: "I've got all the power, yeah, I've got all the power-" Mutiny: "If you want all the power, you must carry all the blame!"

In a way, the Eurylochus vs Odysseus conflict parallels the Odysseus vs Circe conflict. And the Circe Saga ended with Odysseus at Circe's mercy as he begged her to let them leave. The Thunder Saga ended with Eurylochus and the crew at Odysseus's mercy, with "Captain? ... But we'll die." Circe spared Odysseus. Odysseus chose to let his men die. He's come full circle, paralleling the enemy he once faced, and then going further than she did.

Does any of that make sense? I don't know, it's almost two in the morning. Anyways, the Thunder Saga ripped out my heart and I'm obsessed with the tragic humanity of all of it!!!

“I opened the wind bag while you were asleep” This isn’t an apology for going against direct orders— This is an apology for doubting Odysseus’ authority when it came to protecting his men. This is Eurylochus admitting he was wrong for assuming Odysseus’ wouldn’t protect his men by warning them about the dangers and those consequences . This is an apology towards Odysseus for believing that he would ever lie, or not tell the complete truth, when it came to the crew’s safety.

“Eurylochus, light up six torches” Odysseus hasn’t responded to Eurylochus’ apology because he fully intends on Eurylochus not making it through Scylla, which is exactly why he instructs Eurylochus to hold a torch.. Then, of course, Eurylochus catches on quick to what Odysseus’ plan was, which was not telling his the complete truth about what they were about to face, at the expense of sacrificing 6 of them (including Eurylochus!) in the process. Eurylochus, of course, lives likely because he dropped his torch after seeing sever soldiers holding torches get eaten.

Essentially, ‘Hey captain, I’m so sorry for doubting that you ever had the safety of your crew as a second priority when it came to your own reasons. So glad you’d never be like that and I’m SO sorry I ever did think you WOULD do that. So glad to have this cleared up ❤️’

‘Ummmmm Captain what the FUCK was that. Why did you JUST go against everything my apology stood for.’

Scylla was one of my favorites as soon as I first heard it, but THEN you add Eurylochus’ apology into the mix and what he really means with it.

YOU OPENED THE FUCKING BAG?!?¿!?!?!?

Odysseus said he was gonna become the monster to "everyone but us" but neglected to inform his crew that "us" had three members and the other two are in Ithica.

Epic Translations

Nobody = Odysseus of Ithaca

Please, don't make me do this = Dang, I'm about to add to my body count

I'm just a man = No one's perfect, especially me who might be making a huge mistake soon

Unless, of course, you apologize = There is literally nothing you could do right now that won't result in me commiting mass murder

I see your wife with a man who is haunting = My man, you are going down a dark road and will be with your wife eventually, but...traumatized doesn't even begin to describe you

I have something that I must confess = I messed up. Like very badly. As in I cost us a few hundred soldiers, but we're still cool, right?

You are the worst kind of good 'cause you're not even great = I'm having fun physically assaulting you and want to also shame you for not killing my son like the little (redacted) that you are

Let me bring you all something to eat = I'm going to turn you into pigs. So, if you're eating pork, try to not think of any previous guests I've had

How much longer till your luck runs out = I'm getting the urge to disobey a direct order and want to emotionally prepare you for betrayal

I've got a secret I can no longer keep = Reading the room is for suckers. I feel bad and am going to emotionally destroy you right here at Scylla's tentacles to get this off my chest

Light six torches = It's important to keep our mouths shut sometimes. This was one of those times, Eurylochus

Someone's got to die today and you have got the final say = I'm THE Zeus, so if I want to add some trauma to a mortal, then I'll do it and make a spectacle of it

I know = I know that you'll die, but I also know that you JUST betrayed me after admitting to another time when you did. So, your death isn't on the top of my worry list. I'll make you a nice tombstone in Ithaca. It'll say "Here's where Eurylochus would lay one day further in the future if not for his foolishness with bags and sheep"