I started watching this one back when it was still being broadcast, but stopped right before the last episode because I couldn't really bear to see it come to an end.  I finally got back to it this morning and I've gotta say it was a surprisingly satisfying ending to the series.  All the girls wound up with decent lives after the spring, and Aeru and Neveril's transformation into Tempus Spatium neatly fulfilled the prophecies and provided a little extra circularity to this tale.  A lot of things are left unexplained, but left more intrigued than angered.  I would love to see another season of this, possibly told from the Plumbish side of things.

Some speculations on the series...

Rii Maajons

The Rii Maajon's act as a "prayer" by tracing out contours of the folds of spacetime and tapping resources from other dimensions.  If they tap pure energy then you can get a boom.  Tapping other things gets you heat, rain, sun, happiness, etc.

Emerald Rii Maajon

Opens a portal in spacetime.  The "successful" Emerald Rii Maajon that the Sibyllae keep chasing results in the Simoun getting stuck.  If the Simoun doesn't get stuck then it goes "somewhere else".  The first ERM we see (Neveril/Amuria) fizzles, but Amuria disappears while Neveril and the Simoun fly away.  The second ERM we see (Dominura/Limone) appears to fail, but we later discover them in a primitive world that contains ruined Simoun overgrown with weeds.  It eventually becomes obvious that they are in the past, not the future.


Onashia

Onashia is Dominura.  I suspected this long before the end of the series based on how many common physical characteristics there were between the two, but the last episode makes it obvious.  In the last scene we see of her, a sick and feverish Dominura in flight costume appoaches Limone who has just turned down another priestess's offer to become her pair.  As they walk off together towards the village and the waiting Simoun we see Dominura is drizzling the same sparklies that Onashia used to give off.  I'm guessing that Limone flies her to the spring for their final flight together.


Limone

Shortly before the last scene with Dominura, Limone saw Aeru & Neverille flying in a Simoun.  Since the Simoun we see flying around in the village are the "primitive Simoun" that fought against the Simulacrum Theocracy, I'm guessing that Limone and Dominura (mostly Limone) were the founding priestesses of the Plumbum religion, or at least one branch of it.  Limone mentions that all the girls have been trained in the Emerald Rii Maajon, and we know that the Simulacrum Theocracy kept trying to perfect that Rii Maajon without success so either this knowledge was lost or it was never given to them (I'm betting the second).  Since Limone explained to her priestesses about Aeru shortly after seeing Aeru and Neveril's Simoun, this would also explain the Plumbum priestess' reaction to hearing Aeru's name.  It possibly also has some bearing on the mysterious priestess who blew herself up but was seen again later in an ancient Simoun - indicating the Plumbum priestesses had the ability to traverse spacetime that the Simulacrum priestesses didn't.  And it explains why the Plumbish priestesses were so willing to defy their own government to help the enemy priestesses, and why they were so resistant to using their simoun in combat (they had learned the lessons from Limone who had been there and done that).


Amuria

I'm guessing Amuria wound up in the past as well, and wound up founding the Simulacrum Theocracy's religion.  Since she went back before Dominura showed at the Chor Tempest they wouldn't have know each other even if they had met - and if Amuria ever went to the spring this is a distinct possibility.  Since the actual Emerald Rii Maajon was done by Neveril (as auriga) Neveril didn't know how to replicate it, which is why the Simulacrum Theocracy kept trying to figure it out.  It's quite possible that their intense interest in it (which led to the founding of Chor Dextra) was also driven by Amuria's desire to get back to Neveril.

I also suspect that Aeru is one of Amuria's descendents.  Aeru's grandfather looks a bit like an old male Amuria, though if my theory about Amuria kickstarting the Simulacrum Theocracy is true then Amuria herself isn't likely to be Aeru's grandfather.  It's vaguely possible though depending on how far back in time Dominura, Limone, and Amuria actually went - my suspicions are that it's only 150-200 years, but it could be less.  Once they figured out how to use the helical motors then all they had to do is brush them off (or dig them up) and put them to work.  You can build a pretty spiffy civilization in a hurry with that kind of kickstart, and there are a lot of hints that most of the civilization isn't far removed from those primitive days (clothing, village architecture, etc).

Posted by: mparker762 at 10:55 AM
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