SYMBOL THEORY DISCUSSION

Palomino's Explanation (with responses)
See also: Nemo answers Palomino

1. At the top of the V on the left is the whirlwind symbol. In the center of it is a downward pointing triangle, where the glowing healing stone was placed.

2. Coming down the left side of the V, the middle stone was placed on the dot that was outside the connected "cells".
3. On the right side at the top was the Saturn symbol, and the stone fit in the center of it.

4. Coming down the right side is a drawing of something like a solar system (it changed a couple times), and the stone fit where the star (or sun) was.

5. The last stone fit in the bottom of the V, which was at the peak of the symbol which is, without question(Balance), the pod chamber rock formation.

IMHO it could be depicting not only a map, but the story of what is happening. Nasedo may have left it for another alien that has been separated from him, or for reinforcements that the home planet may send because of the crash.

Here is my take on what part of it may mean:


A. I think the whirlwind(top left) is symbolic of Max's people,

and the Saturn(top right) may represent the enemy.

B. The stone at the peak of the pod chamber(bottom center) would represent the podsters themselves.

C. The dot on the outside of the "cells" may represent a guardian/adult alien (the dots in cells would be the podsters not-yet-hatched).

D. If you read down the left side from the top, you get: "Max's people > adult guardian > podsters."

E. It seems to have been more than just a geographic map; Nasedo is mapping out what has been done so far (1959) for any of the good guys that find the cave.(They have to pass RD's test to get in.)

F. The right side is a bit more tricky. The top stars with the Saturn at the top. The next one down is the "solar system" with a circled or ringed planet. This picture has changed or been vague in some shots. If the Saturn symbol means the bad guys, then it would seem the right side of the V is telling about what the evil aliens have been up to, but I don't know what this "solar system" symbol is or means.

G. If the right side of the V tells about the evil aliens, and the left side tells about the good guys, they are converging over the podsters. It is sort of like a wishbone being pulled at from two sides. Which one will be the strongest and get the bottom/center piece (podsters)?

I don't know if this makes any sense or if any of it is correct, but it is fun. Anybody able to figure out something for what the "solar system" on the middle right could represent for the bad guys?


From Representations and Interpretations Thread:

08-02-2000 04:34 AM
Palomino
Dedicated Fan
Registered: Jun 2000
Posts: 469
OK, this thread was at the end of page two so I am bumping and changing the topic if no body minds. How about trying to figure out the cave drawings? They were brought up on other threads too, but dropped. Since this is R&I, maybe we should continue?

Anybody notice that the whirlwind symbol has the thickest, boldest writing? The most important? The second seems to be the Saturn-looking one, and these two are the symbols we see being left most often. No body leaves the V, but it seems to follow Max and his "chosen" around.

About the string of cells or boxes with dots in the middle, the three cells in the middle could be Mi/I/T. The triangular one on the end is most likely Max; the open one on the opposite end could be one that was hatched prior to 1959(when the drawings were done). Had Nasedo possibly made another to help him with the mission, since some of the aliens had been killed and he might have been short handed? Could the open cell be one that "broke" and that podster died? (What if had been Tess's. Could her human part be from DNA taken from GC? Tess acually looks more like her than Liz, and Tess really sticks out as different in looks from the other podsters.) The dot outside the cells could be Nasedo himself?

The string of symbols to the right of the cells also looks partially desipherable. Anybody interested?


08-02-2000 05:40 PM
jenlev
Dedicated Fan
Registered: Jun 2000
Posts: 293
hi there,
palomino: when i see the whirlwind symbol (that is also from the necklace that isabel finds) i think of a spiral galaxy, or the blending of two differently moving elements around a central core. and i'm also faintly reminded of the ying yang symbol.


08-02-2000 11:47 PM
shapeshifter
Addicted Fan
Registered: May 2000
Posts: 794
I thought Michael said it (the cave drawing) was a map. However, I also think of the V-symbol as Venus, which I interpret as Liz--a different shaped being that leads or follows (depending upon how you look at it) the others.

And the Mountains at the bottom of the image would be the cliff thing.

08-03-2000 12:41 AM
Reggie
Dedicated Fan
Registered: Jul 2000
Posts: 150
The symbol at the upper right, also shows up on the cover of the alien book. It looks to me like two hands (tenacles, etc.) cupped around something. Something precious, perhaps. This may be a reference to the podsters, or just a notation for "Important! Do not loose this!".

Also, reviewing ITTW, some of these markings are occupied by lights. Would that alter their meanings? And do I recall correctly that one of the podsters removed the lights from the wall?

      This document last modified October 14, 2000

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