"We will accept anything you leave here...but don't take anything away from us."
The motto of Meteor City is a pitiable and lamentable one, a phrase that speaks of the
sacred and unique sort of suffering that comes from being stifled and oppressed and unable
to leave one’s marks on the world.
A trash heap of a city whose residents have been tossed to the side and forgotten within
the faded remnants, it is a place whose sheer presence speaks volumes about the types of
people who call it home.
While it is clear that it is possible to foster connections and find some sense of life in
Meteor City, this is a place for the lost and forgotten, a place where no one officially
exists.. and a place whose own existence is unknown by many of the outside world.
And this in itself fully substantiates the methods and motives of the Phantom Troupe,
the majority of whom hail from Meteor City and have been tossed aside and forgotten before.
The residents are viewed as living ghosts, nearly translucent, pale imitations of people
just drifting and wasting the days away in this purgatory.
It’s a mockery of a life; treading water, impacting nothing, being forced to find value
with far less than is humane.
The denizens do share a strong bond between them, but that bond is one founded upon the
mutual amount of suffering they’ve endured, and as such, it cannot truly be called a life
that is anything close to fulfilling.
It is no wonder at all that Chrollo believes in ghosts, because living in Meteor City turns
you into one in essence.
And as such, being saved from something like that and being given a means for true value
is so profound because to have meaning is to live.
Chrollo, through the Spider, imprints his will upon his limbs, fosters connections and
as such, provides them with the means to be reborn.
And so, their lives are in essence a raucous yet solemn tribute to the will of the Spider.
They’re all given identity, the freedom to express themselves and the ability to be
liberated, as long as the Spider survives.
And they all share that common background of being tossed aside by a society that tried
to neglect them.
The Phantom Troupe as an entity is an incorporeal aura that surrounds each member and the group
as a whole, but this common thread among them is totally tangible regardless.
Phinks alludes to this upon hearing of the council of Meteor City’s lack of agency
with regards to avenging the victims of the Chimera Ants - saying that they always lose
sight of what’s important.
Meteor City is a place that, despite being forced to be quietened, does not rise up and
allow itself to be heard through its actions.
And that is where they and the Spider diverge - the Spider have found a way to express themselves
and enforce their desire on the world, and have had their lives changed because of this
purpose.
And so, to act as this band does is the essence of life itself for them.
It is the means and the end, Every murder, every theft, every massacre - They’re leaving
imprints and echoes of a sincerely selfless nature - because while this may satisfy and
gratify the members individually, these actions are in and of themselves a demonstration of
this sacred bond, proof of their lives now being one of value, and a celebration of the
sheer fact that they are able to enact their will on the world - simply put, a symphony
of life.
For the Spider, to paint the streets red with blood is to proclaim to the world that had
forgotten them that they will not be silenced.
It’s not an easy concept to grasp even for the Troupe members, and thus it is not ideal
to try to put these motives into words.
None of them including Chrollo consciously take note of this, but it’s something of
an unspoken, unconscious sentiment.
They are products of their environment, but just as that environment initially provided
them with nothing, they have now learnt the value of being able to share something so
sacred with one another.
It’s an expression of life and love, in a beautifully ironic way.
And so of course they act.
Of course they murder, steal, maim.
They are imprinting this will as a proof of existence that the world cannot ignore.
And, psychopathic tendencies aside, what better way to proclaim this?
Simply put, these acts are a haunting melancholy of a chorus composed by those who would have
been lost and gone.. if not for the purpose provided to them by Chrollo Lucilfer and the
Spider.
And just as these souls conduct a bloody orchestra of love and life to impact the world and express
the bonds that are shared, so too do they express deep grief and agony in the same way.
The members are far from homogenous and harmonious in their philosophies and what they view as
the best things for the Troupe, and that is obvious from the minor interactions and squabbles
to Pakunoda’s act to shirk her duty and save Chrollo despite the latter’s insistence
on refraining.
But they all work in what they each view as the service of this entity that is greater
than the sum of its parts, this entity that represents a second chance at a life that
seemed to be stolen from them.
And so, when these people die, it isn’t just the loss of a loved one, it isn’t just
losing a part of one’s identity - it is a sad indicator of the finite nature of life,
and a sobering reminder that the rebirth of these people will never go on as long as they’d
like.
Both Pakunoda and Uvogin’s deaths were examples of them going out their own way, living life
on their own terms the way they were taught - all the while ensuring the best for the
Spider.
These deaths were deeply sad for the members, but there was a sense of finality and closure
to them, with the departed being entirely willing to be selfless if it meant that their
entity lived on.
With Uvo clearly not divulging any secrets, and with Pakunoda making an active choice
to help her brothers and sisters, ending her life in a way she could be proud of.
The two deaths caused grief, but with an overall impression of continued health for the Spider.
They are forever a part of the group, regardless of their lives ending.
Their will is carried on in spirit, and through their intent to preserve the Troupe, the future
acts of the Spider would be an expression and celebration of their lost lives in totality,
carrying on the torch for them.
But with the murders of Shalnark and Kortopi, things are different.
There is no final act - just a snuffing out.
The Spider is dwindling, and the possibility of an end to it all is very much real.
Yet the head of the spider cannot allow this to happen.
This is not only a threat to Chrollo’s loved ones, identity and sense of self, but the
end of the Spider would mean that the wills of Uvogin, Pakunoda, Shalnark and Kortopi
would no longer be able to live on.
The everlasting would become transient and those loud ghosts that Chrollo mentioned would
be forced to lay to rest.
Forced to be silent once more, despite resolving to never be silenced again.
He cannot allow this to happen, because any end for the soul of the phantom troupe would
be too soon, and if they are to leave this world for good, they will not submit to the
will of this world that tried to smother them, and they will go out their own way - in an
orchestra of life, love, connection, celebration.. and destruction.
Many thanks for watching.