sola - Speculation & Theories

[Pellissier]

Here you can read why this thread was created.

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Personal theories, speculation, guesses and such. No spoiler tags required.
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Any form of spoiler from sola manga.

Please remain on topic and keep the discussion civil.

[risa_chan]

This is such a stupid question, but I feel like I missed something huge here...

Spoiler for Yorito:

when did Yorito ever die??

[Skane]

Originally Posted by madoka.tsuji

This is such a stupid question, but I feel like I missed something huge here...

Spoiler for Yorito:

when did Yorito ever die??

The exact timing hasn't been revealed yet.

Cheers.

[kct]

Spoiler for Yorito:

It was implied that his past incarnation died.

[risa_chan]

Spoiler for Yorito:

Past... incarnation?? See I don't follow any of this. Explain?

[NoSanninWa]

Spoiler for Yorito:

In brief, it has been shown that Matsuri and Aono met in the distant past. (The exact time is unkown, but it looks to be several centuries ago.) Yorito, who may or may not have been Aono's brother, died as a result of some natural disaster. (We saw a collapsed house.) Consumed by grief, Aono killed herself, but then Matsuri brought her back to life as a Yaka.

The reason that Yorito is currently living as Aono's brother instead of being a centuries old corpse is unkown. He may have been reincarnated, or perhaps the reason that Aono collapsed from overuse of her powers (that's why she was in the hospital) is because she managed to re-animate him in some way. Perhaps he's just a really lifelike animated Yorito puppet. (Like the origami that she animates with her blood.) Or maybe he was just reincarnated as some people believe.

[ApathyEcstasy]

aono is definitely the true heroine..forget about matsuri

<3 aono

[risa_chan]

Spoiler for Yorito:

Ohh I think I get it. Thanks. :] That's kinda creepy, down with Aono!

[Deathkillz]

Originally Posted by ApathyEcstasy

aono is definitely the true heroine..forget about matsuri

<3 aono

*sigh* well i wont say that aono is a heroine of any sort but she is a victim...tragic tragic love story gone wrong type of heroine (and thats if she died ) ~ but to some she just some meddling fool in between true love...

i myself is in the first camp :3

[octoberasian]

Originally Posted by Deathkillz

*sigh* well i wont say that aono is a heroine of any sort but she is a victim...tragic tragic love story gone wrong type of heroine (and thats if she died ) ~ but to some she just some meddling fool in between true love...

i myself is in the first camp :3

Shakespeare would have a field day with this tragic love story.

Now, I'm going to step to the side for a moment here as I'm still siding with a Yorito x Matsuri ending, though at this point it seems unlikely now given the recent episodes.
***********************************************
What-if scenario following...

Spoiler for Length and complete, fanfic theory:

Long ago, Aono and Yorito met in a small village somewhere in Japan. Yorito has moved into Aono's life as if by fate or by chance that they would end up together. To her, she was much older by a few years over Yorito. At this time, Yorito was a mere boy with childish aspirations, looking up to Aono as his older sister. In reality, they were never related. Through unknown and unrevealed circumstances that has befallen Yorito, he has moved into Aono's household and her life.

The years past by and Yorito has grown up and taller than Aono. As he became a young man in his teens, Aono saw something else in him that she hasn't realized or felt before. Was her heart falling for someone she treated as a brother for so long?

Then, one day, Yorito, with his unusual interests as something like the wide open sky, comes running to Aono telling her that he met someone that she should meet. Curious, Aono follows Yorito to a cave just outside the village and meets Matsuri. Matsuri, in a dark bluish-purple kimono, standing still in the darkness of the caves looks upon Aono's surprised look and greets her. Aono's curiosity mimics Yorito's as she wonders who this young girl was. She looked as old as her, and was wondering why is she in the cave.

Over the next few days, the two begin to learn of Matsuri's secret. They learn that she is a Yaka, a "Woe of the Night," that never ages and can never go out into the bare sunlight or risk death. The two think she might be a vampire, but assures them that she isn't. Aono and Yorito promise to keep Matsuri's truth about herself a secret. Another few days past, then at their next meeting, Yorito tells Matsuri that he promises to bring her out under the blue sky someday. Aono looked at Yorito with a surprised look and asks herself if it was possible, given that Matsuri is not a human in essence. In time, as well, Matsuri learns that Aono and Yorito are not related.

Time passes by and the promise that Yorito gave to Matsuri that day begins to consume him as he looked and searched everywhere for any possible way to help save Matsuri. At this time, Aono begins to notice that her beloved little Yorito has started to get closer and closer to Matsuri each day, as it was all he can think and talk about. He would go on rambling about the sky and how he'll show Matsuri it for real someday. Aono started to grow jealous and envious of their relationship, but never showed it. She was always close to Yorito, and now she feels she is losing him to Matsuri.

A year or more past by, and now Yorito is taller and older. He is now the same age as Matsuri, but Aono has gotten older. For so long, Aono has kept to herself the feelings she had for Yorito, painfully watching Yorito and Matsuri get closer than before. She asked herself each day if she should confront Matsuri or Yorito about it, but retracted on the thought. Aono told herself that Yorito will probably grow out of it when he realizes that both he and Matsuri can never possibly be together given the circumstances. Then, one day, Yorito announces to Matsuri and Aono, who were in the cave awaiting for him, that he has found a way to bring Matsuri out under the sky. He looked exhausted, most likely from the summer heat or climbing the hill to the cave. Aono, curious, wondered how Yorito found out how to do something that seemed impossible.

The next day, a sudden rainstorm came into their village. Aono was out of the house and was running back home. Yorito was waiting patiently for Aono before they went to meet Matsuri. However, this day was to be different. On her way back home, Aono heard a loud crash at her house. She quickly ran towards to the house only to find that the roof has collapsed and crushed it. She stood in front of the collapsed mess of wood in shock with tears streaming from her eyes. The patio where she showed Yorito how to make origami was no longer there. Yorito was no longer there, no longer in her life. All she could do was cry and asked why did this happen to her.

She ran to Matsuri and told her the bad news. Matsuri couldn't believe it as well, but started to cry. Aono started telling Matsuri that she loved Yorito and can't live without him. Now, she was panicking, going crazy with distraught and sadness consuming her. She blamed Matsuri for this, for losing Aono's Yorito that she wanted to get close to, and blamed Matsuri for his death. Matsuri try to calm her down, but couldn't and was pushed away. At this moment, she pulled out a knife from inside her kimono. Before Matsuri had time to react, Aono slit her throat and fell to the ground. Aono's blood quickly covered the ground beneath her now lifeless body. The rain clouds soon parted and gave way to the rising sun in the distant horizon. Matsuri, unsure and still shocked at Aono's quick accusation, went to Aono's body even though the sun was burning her. She embraced Aono's body and the power within her revived Aono. Aono squinted her eyes and took a deep breath as if being born again. Matsuri quickly pulled her back into the cave since Aono is now like Matsuri, forever a Yaka only live in the darkness of the night.

Now knowing of what she has just become, Aono screamed and cried into Matsuri's chest, "Why did you bring me back to life?!" "I don't want to live in a world where there's no Yorito!" Days would become weeks then months then years. Since the day Matsuri revived Aono, they went on their separate ways. Matsuri went on with her life living and still remembering the promise Yorito gave to her. Eventually those memories faded as time had her forget that past. As for Aono, she lived out her life without her Yorito, as the years turned into decades. She saw the world the change and life change around her. Her life felt empty and without meaning. She hated Matsuri for reviving her, jealous of her relationship with Yorito, and how they were much closer to each other than Aono could ever get with Yorito.

Decades would past and Aono learned how to bring to life inanimate objects with her blood. It got her to thinking and one day, centuries after Yorito's death, she returns to the graveyard of her family's. She begins to excavate his tomb and finds the skeletal remains of Yorito. With all her power that she has as a Yaka, she shed her own blood over his remains. What was dead gained flesh and skin, and soon breathed in and out life. Aono was exhausted from this, having brought back the dead exhausted all her powers. With little strength she had in her, she brought him back to her house, a house she bought with the enormous wealth she has earned over the centuries. Through Yorito, she breathed into a new life and new memories, one that would be without Matsuri. She thought to herself that maybe, just maybe, she can start over again with Yorito and get closer to him and stay with him for as long as possible.

For centuries, Aono lived a lonely life, a young woman with a tragic life and ending, still clinging and holding onto the past. Each day she thought about Yorito and wish he was with her still. She wished that Matsuri never revived her so that Aono could be with Yorito forever after death. Now, maybe they can start anew.

But, time has a way in making memories come back, as fate's path cannot be altered...

Now, putting that "what-if" scenario into context, then maybe Aono is really the tragic heroine of this story. But, in the end, jealously and obsession with being close to Yorito has consumed her, making her jealous and vengeful over the years. Between Aono and Matsuri, Aono lost so much time, so much more than Matsuri that was so dear to her, that she would do anything to start again, to have one more chance with Yorito.

That I'm thinking is a more probable situation. But, it's a "what-if" situation, so don't take it word-for-word.

Also, has anyone noticed:

Spoiler:

Aono was skilled at making origami and was revived in a pool of blood. In Ep.6, she gives life to a lifeless origami with a drop of blood. Hence, why I wrote above that Aono gave her blood onto Yorito's dead body.

I'm thinking that how you die are what the abilities you will be given as a Yaka, and you will live your life with that.

If Aono died by spilling her own blood, then it is with her blood that she can give life to inanimate objects. Just rewatch Ep.6, and look at Aono giving life to the origami. Then, to the end of Ep.8, Aono uses paper airplanes as weapons against Matsuri in the final scene of that episode. Aono has this ability: gives life to inanimate objects by giving her own blood because she died by spilling her own blood with a knife to the neck. And, because of her love for origami, it has become her specialty.

Now, look at Matsuri and how whatever she touches decays and rots. But, when she touched or embraced Aono, she revived her. Did someone choke Matsuri to death in the past? It's the only plausible way she could have died is by someone touching her, whether by someone's hands wrapped around her neck and was asphyxiated. Or, the other way, was that Matsuri died in the embrace of someone's arms after she, too, committed suicide or was murdered herself. Matsuri gives life to those she touches or embraces, because she died that way. As for rapid decay, what in the past could have been brought upon by decay or rotting? It would have been something that Matsuri would be interested in. Maybe old artifacts that decayed and whittled over time. Something along those lines...

What about Mayuko? How did she die?

It was something that caught my attention when re-watching 6 and 8 as I wrote in this post.

Matsuri in Ep.6: "Yakas are such existences created by the pain and the anxiety people throw away at night, another side of themselves that they hate the most."

[Nemesis2124]

@Octoberasian

Spoiler:

Well, I've been thinking something similar at least. Rather than how they died though, I'm thinking it's more along the lines of how they felt when they died. Or to put it the shows way, the pain and anxiety they felt at that time. In Aono's case I think it has less to do with her dying in blood, and more to do with the fact that in her despair she sacrificed her life by spilling her own blood. Upon resurrection she was perpetually imbued with those feelings of despair from when she died, and thus her powers manifest as the throwing away of her life-force, represented as blood.

Then we've got Matsuri's case. I think what's important to remember here is all the hints we've been given so far as to what's going on in her head. From the get-go she's given the impression of vast negativity about the nature of her existence, describing herself as a hated monster that eventually harms everyone around her. To that end, it seems pretty synchronous with her decaying power, which destroys anything she touches. I wonder though, where did this mentality originate from? Is it merely the product of being repeatedly shunned by people, and more specifically people like Aono? Or, is it possible she was a human at one point, and before her death, was exposed to a situation that started this belief?

Unlikely, considering she's never seen the sky before; something that's incredibly odd if we take into account the time she would've spent as a human given her apparent age. The only other possibility is that she became a Yaka at a very young age, and simply does not remember. But then comes the problem that they don't seem to age, so why does she appear as old as she does?

Thoughts?

[amoszai]

Spoiler:

Matsuri seems to turn into someone totally different when she's almost killed by Takeshi. Still remember that scene when she hold his hand and tried to damage it? Her eyes, they just aren't the same. I guess this maybe has something to do with the death of Yorito in the past?

[felix]

Spoiler for Reply:

Same thing happened to Aono, we can presume it's when faced with certain condition. My guess mental stress, but there are probably multiple ways of entering the state.

[overthere!]

When did the show ever hint that Yorito died? He could be the same Yorito with manipulated memories?

[felix]

Since it's Japan I think you might be right.
It's dubious Aono would wait hundreds of years to revive him. So maybe the flash backs are a few months old, at most.

[Skyfall]

Originally Posted by overthere!

When did the show ever hint that Yorito died? He could be the same Yorito with manipulated memories?

Before Aono slit her throat she said: "i don't want to live in a world without Yorito". I think that clearly hints towards Yorito's death.

[felix]

I'm leaning to that as the most probable but what if its something else, wouldn't that be sweet.
Basically I'm nit-picking at the fact she never said anything about Yorito dieing.
And also how dead obvious an answer to the issue "Yorito died" is..


There's one thing in the show to support this, and that's yaka-power levels, should it end up Aono revived him, and as a day-walker at that, it would make for quite an extraordinary power level, which is unlikely. Even with the yaka's powers, Matsuri supports this in her brief-discussion with Aono. The only other option being the revelation of some artifact ~ which is conveniently for us Takeshi's knowledge department. Next episode should be intresting.

[Skyfall]

Well, i know one thing - so far Sola has managed to crash and burn my speculations like no other show as far as i can recall (minus Higurashi perhaps ), so i have decided to just sit and wait ... besides, i haven't seen ep9 yet

Biggest question of the show remains the same: Who (or what) the hell is Yorito ... we are bound to get our answers soon, and i expect my reincarnation theory to get shot down again.

[Skane]

Originally Posted by Skyfall

Well, i know one thing - so far Sola has managed to crash and burn my speculations like no other show as far as i can recall (minus Higurashi perhaps ), so i have decided to just sit and wait ... besides, i haven't seen ep9 yet

Biggest question of the show remains the same: Who (or what) the hell is Yorito ... we are bound to get our answers soon, and i expect my reincarnation theory to get shot down again.

The Higurashi-anime was flawed though. Its plot's internal consistency was virtually non-existent and they failed to provide enough clues/foreshadowing to compensate for the "alternative worlds" settings. When a person has to rely on external footnotes from the source material in order to make sense of things, I think something has gone terribly wrong with the anime.

As for the truth of Yorito's nature, I give up. My mortal mind fails to formulate a rational theory for his existence. I just hope that it is not because there were insufficient clues (or worse, non-existent clues), but because I failed to notice them. I will be impressed if it is the latter, while resigned (and a tad disappointed) if it is the former.

I prefer revelations that have been intricately built up from the beginning ("Were you able to get it?" "Oh wow! Brilliant!") instead of "instant-built information" that is dispensed without foreshadowing ("And now you know!" "F*** YOU!"). The former shows class, while the latter is... not fulfilling.

Too much of the latter may also lead to "Deus ex Machina" endings/explanations (amongst other... undesirable tropes), which will horrify me to no end should it happen in sola.

Cheers.

[Skyfall]

Boo ... but i like Higurashi

As for Yorito ... well, it is not like a bunch of theories can't be cooked up ... the problem is that there is no evidence that would support one theory over another ... wild guesses in other words ... which leads me to believe that there simply were not enough clues provided along the way.

If there were, then i must have gone blind. I am usually rather quick at picking up hints and crap, but i am left scratching my head over Sola. And since it seems that every one feels the same way, i fear it is the lack of information. I am willing to praise the authors to the high heavens if they will come up with an explanation that will leave me smacking my forehead while screaming "Thats it! How did i miss that!", but i am not sure what are the chances of that happening.

Either way - Sola remains as one of my two favorites of this season (Romeo x Juliet being the second one).

As for a deus-ex machine ending ... saa... they pulled one in Kanon, and people are mostly happy about it, so even those can be done well i suppose