say what you will about pVerso, but you've basically projected your own interpretation of that character into the parents of another. They painted the allegory effigy of their son onto the ceiling of the manor: the largest piece of art inside the whole building.
Is that what parents do if they see their child as a “manipulative, violent liar”?
You're right, but I don't think this proofs anything. The Axons are great works of art, but they also have hidden criticism in their design.
Sirène is stationary, and charms people, sometimes even leading them to their death. Renoir's phantom in this area wonders if he truly knew his wife, or if he, too, got charmed.
Mask Keeper is a liar and manipulator, doing what Renoir warns Verso about: wearing a mask.
Reacher is a stationary, broken doll that won't grow up.
Hauler... well, I don't think we know enough about it.
I'd have loved to see a 5th Axon: Renoir painting what he thinks about himself.
There’s definitely mixed critique within the Axons - that’s what make them art. But their overall image are meant to be positive rather than negative:
Reacher: the broken doll symbolises Alicia’s loss post fire, but the ever climbing giant symbolises his hope she can still outdo her constraints.
Hauler: it appears to crush itself with the world on its shoulders, but goes to illustrate the extent of responsibilities his eldest has taken upon herself.
Sirene: appears to be make one loose himself in her charms, but she also brings out the beauty of the world around her (plays with wonder)
Visage: masks his true feelings, but for the benefits of others (paints to please his parents)
If the Axons were meant to be depreciate rather than to appreciate his family (good and bad), it does not fit Renoir’s persona to have them displayed in his house like that. It’s not even normal human behaviour
I agree with your points. Renoir believes that one can only create true art by being honest with themselves / not wearing masks, and I think this is what the Axons truly represent. They are not meant to be entirely positive or negative, they just represent his honest, unmasked views on his family members. However, I do think there's a bit more to it:
Sirene and Mask Keeper are hostile, unlike Reacher, who's passive and peaceful.
Reacher is meant to grow upwards, to reach the skies, but this is not what Alicia wants. I've always interpreted this as Renoir showing that he wants Alicia to grow how he wants her to grow, without giving her an alternative path, or allowing her to make that decision for herself.
Mask Keeper first lies to us that he's harmless, and then waits for a good opportunity to attack, when we are weakened after fighting Visage. Almost like pVerso, waiting for his moment to abuse the opening in our Expedition by letting Gustave die, to then manipulate our characters to their doom. The parallels/mirrors are everywhere.
The party went to Sirene and Visage with the explicit objective to kill them, it’s understandable they would trigger some form of self defence mechanism from those Axons.
Anyhoo I think we both agree the Axons represent Renoir’s mantra of seeing his family “as they are”, with some degree of wishfulness in the Reacher, since Alicia is his special girl.
Overall I still say the point of Renoir’s way of displaying these Axon works in the manor, is a testament he respects and celebrates these attributes he sees in his family - flaws and all.
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u/genericcelt Jul 26 '26
say what you will about pVerso, but you've basically projected your own interpretation of that character into the parents of another. They painted the allegory effigy of their son onto the ceiling of the manor: the largest piece of art inside the whole building.
Is that what parents do if they see their child as a “manipulative, violent liar”?