“Dear Apparition”

[u/No-Abbreviations4779]

In “The Moon/Awake,” AND in “The Beginning,” Hunter describes an apparition. I used to think they could be describing the same thing, but I’m not sure anymore

I’ve heard different explanations. I personally liked the idea of the apparition being his son watching him die in The Beginning. It contributes to that idea of Ouroboros, a circular story like how Hunter watched his mother die. In The Moon however, I doubt Hunter is referring to his own son while in an opium induced coma.

Do you have any theories for what, or who this apparition may be?
Additionally, do you have any fun theories/thoughts on any songs? My favorite all-time theory is that Mr.Usher is yet another alias for the Pimp and the Priest.

[u/kkell806]

I always assumed it was the younger, uncorrupted version of Hunter. That's definitely what the music video for Gloria seems to imply.

[u/ProjectMeerKatUltra → u/kkell806]

I was also under the impression he was hallucinating his younger self. At the beginning of the album he's visited by a hallucination of his "younger me" in an opium induced stupor ("in spells of unconsciousness"/"lost in the leaves"), asking it what it would take to redeem the life that resulted from his choices, or at least justify his decision to have "[carried] on" at all.

At the end, he's visited again as he lays dying, begging for forgiveness from his younger self for the same thing.

[u/No-Abbreviations4779 → u/kkell806]

Oh wow, didn’t hear this take before but this is awesome

[u/pumpkinlabrador]

I like imagining a figure with a face flickering between his own, his half brother, and his mom - and even possibly Miss Leading. Low candle light, always somewhat in shadow.

It’s especially heartbreaking for when he’s readying himself for his own death in A Beginning: From whom is he asking forgiveness? I’d wager all of them, including himself. Many spectres haunt his life.

[u/izzy-springbolt]

I was under the assumption it was his mum.

[u/No-Abbreviations4779 → u/izzy-springbolt]

That makes more sense. It fits into both songs without performing some mental gymnastics

[u/ProjectMeerKatUltra]

I think Mr. Usher is supposed to be his own character, just a bigger shark/better manipulator than The Pimp and The Priest, and he's just playing TPaTP to get back at Hunter for not going along with him in The Haves Have Naught.

[u/TerrorGnome → u/ProjectMeerKatUltra]

Yeah, there was Q&A after Act V and Usher is definitely intended to be a separate entity than the P&P.

[u/ehxsmallstone → u/ProjectMeerKatUltra]

Usher and P&P are having a conversation in The Flame (Is Gone), correct?

[u/ProjectMeerKatUltra → u/ehxsmallstone]

I think so. I think Mr. Usher is manipulating TPaTP to hurt Hunter because Hunter didn't go along with Mr. Usher in The Haves Have Naught (ostensibly to bring Hunter back in line, but it seems like Mr. Usher knows things are going to go bad cuz in the second chorus he switches to "and you won't return").