The primary conflict of the lore of Blasphemous revolves around The Grievous Miracle. It is viewed, quite literally, as the work of The Father, the literal work of god. Most of the forces that the Penitent One faces support the continued existence of the Grievous Miracle, or are victims of its works. Custodia is a world where penitence and suffering go hand in hand with religious devotion, so a world where everyone suffers is seen by the church as a *good* thing. The whole story is kicked off because the highest authority in the church got sick of mankind's wicked ways and turned the throne of the church so that it turned its back upon mankind. This symbolic action had very real consequences. The Miracle twisted and warped the world because of that action, inflicting punishment upon the world seemingly without rhyme or reason. Whether you asked for penance or not, the Miracle arbitrarily dished it out. The church believes that this is fine and dandy, as punishment from god is supposed to be a good thing. You're supposed to want to be punished, according to their faith. But here's where I think the schism between the Brotherhood of the Silent Sorrow and the church comes from: Penitence is meant to be a voluntary act, something that you do to show your devotion and desire to be forgiven for your sins. It's intentionally self-inflicted, not forcibly bestowed upon you by god. Even the first act of the Miracle, according to what we are told, was when a guy literally prayed for suffering, and was granted it. The Brotherhood doesn't see the actions of the Miracle, however, as divine. By arbitrarily inflicting suffering without rhyme or reason, even upon those who have seemingly done nothing to deserve it, the Grievous Miracle has inflicted a false penitence. Since the Father is silent, and does not act to stop the Miracle, it falls to the Brotherhood of the Silent Sorrow to put an end to it. That is where the primary conflict stands: The church believes that the Grievous Miracle, and all its works, are holy and divine. As such, no matter how unjust, cruel, and horrific those actions are, they are the will of god. The suffering inflicted by the Miracle should go on forever. The Silent Sorrow believes that the Miracle and its works are not the will of the Father, and that as such, it should be stopped. The church that supports the Miracle, and the Brotherhood that seeks to end its actions. Each sees the other as trying to subvert the will of god. Each side sees the other as *Blasphemous.* *However, if the Miracle was not meant to be stopped, then there should not be a means by which it can be stopped. Man should not be able to subvert the plans of an all-powerful, divine entity.* Everything we see indicates that the Miracle left a clear path by which it could be appeased: When the three Humiliations are performed, the golden visages tell us that the Miracle put them there intentionally for this exact purpose. The Miracle *wanted* someone to perform the act of true penitence that would end its reign. It wanted to be shown that the church was wrong in twisting the throne and "turning its back" upon mankind. The Miracle wanted to see that there was good in mankind, and that there was someone willing to shoulder the sins and guilt of mankind and suffer upon their behalf. In the end, the Penitent One was the one who was acting according to the will of the Father and the Miracle, and it was the church that went against its wishes.
Well as the eldest brother said: "I still hear his lamment" and in the ending said that he is not "in the other side of the dream" it means the penitent one is still suffering silently, the good thing we may see him once again.
I think that another juxtaposition between the Penitent and Crisanta bears mention: their penance. Crisanta cannot see, for her eyes are gone, and she bleeds ceaselessly from her hollow sockets, while the Penitent is mute. My personal belief on this contrast is that their penances represent their respective sects' failings. Escribar's faith in The Miracle and the High Wills is blind, and The Mother of Mother's faith in Escribar is just as blind. So even while they speak on behalf of The Miracle, they have forgotten that the ways and will of The Miracle are unknowable, capricious, simultaneously fleeting and eternal. They seek to perpetuate the Age of Penance, for no act of The Miracle can be anything other than divine proclamation in their blind eyes, as they watch The Miracle at all times, but fail to see that it is challenging them to be better, rather than eternally damning them for their sins. They seek penance for all things, while forgetting that reveling in penance is no penance at all. And so Crisanta is blind, and her blindness brings only suffering without true penance. The Penitent is not only voiceless, but he is faceless and nameless. Which symbolized that the Brotherhood of the Silent Sorrow failed in that, in their reflection on the silence of The Father in the face of The Miracle, they failed to act on what they learned, and thus allowed the Mother of Mothers to take from them any means of spreading the truths that they had learned, even the tenets of their sect buried under their own corpses. What exactly these truths were is, fittingly, never fully divulged in the game. Was it that the Twisted One had lamented his own suffering? Was it that Escribar was leading Custodia astray from the will of The Miracle and take power for himself? Was it that, counter to the teachings of the Mother of Mothers, the Age of Penance was not destined to be eternal? Was it that buy one get one rosaries should be implemented every other Thursday?
I don't see one as more or less pious. Both sacrifice something great to the Miracle. The Brotherhood is inspired by the Father who never spoke through his pain. The Mothers may be inspired in another way but their way is also no different than the Charred Visage grouping who show their sacrifice via burning their faces. All are showing their faith in different ways. More likely they oppose each other because Escribar believes it his duty to continue the Age of Sin while the Penitent One is clearly tasked with ending it. Both are devoted to their goals from the Miracle.
You may have mentioned this in the previous video, but It should be noted again that you can only get the 'good ending' of this game by breaking 'The Confessor Statues' and completing 'confessor dungeons' to evolve the thorn in your hilt. You can only teleport to these mini-arenas by turning a pristine 'immaculate bead' black with sin (suicide, dying) into the 'weight of true guilt'. The symbolism of these acts & items for this ending are quite striking. Every mini-arena has the large disturbing statue of an adolescent gripping the cage bars in the background. The golden tears streaming down the face of them looks just like the yearly golden sap streaming down from the 'knot of the 3 words' tree. Comments guess the statue looks like a girl, but this is likely the pained, sorrowful face from the boy of the first miracle. Therefore the silent brotherhood was not only massacred for all wearing the silver helmet seen in the Father's dream, but also for the congregation leader (eldest brother) being able to hear the 'lamenting' of this child and break completely the founding myth that 'the boy was mute' throughout the transformation. The lore reveals everyone who turns into a tree never dies, but instead lives on in a painful existence while being worshipped. To question the (not-so-silent) suffering given by the first miracle is to question the divine nature of it, which would be a death-sentencing heresy very convenient for the Father seeking the death of the penitent one (through murdering all of the brotherhood.) So again, think about what you're doing and why these demons fight you. Confessors represent the surface, superficial, cruel, & simplistic nature of their world's religion. You originally paid these statues to remove/deny your guilt when this was the wrong path all along. You eventually figure out to destroy them and (utilizing 'true guilt') teleport to a dark dungeon revealing a tortured, resentful depiction of the first miracle contrary to the narrative of the mother church. You go beyond everyone else in personally connecting to the same figure everyone else is worshipping. What you are accomplishing is 'blasphemy' and yet serves the will & identity of the miracle most of all. Completing these secret areas and creating the 'cvstodia of sin' in your hilt, you are breaking with original church belief/ritual (detestatio sacrorum) in bringing to the throne a fully understood & properly devoted penance. You are truly 'the custodian of sin' made worthy to climb the hill of ash unlike the rest. The throne is turned back around facing towards man-kind and the demonic ashes lifted, because you have willfully made the ultimate sacrifice with "communion" and knowingly turned yourself into a tortured tree (truly mute at the beginning & prepared for it much unlike the boy of the first miracle.)
Question:why does everyone i see calls the custodia of sin the cvstodia of sin?i speak portuguese as my main language,and we spell it as custodia,not cvstodia
One mistake...people not "paying" with cash, though. They pay with tears, which are the embodiment of guilt and blood and sacrifice...its what the PO is collecting during the entire journey. This is not the "wrong path" at all as it's showing true penance for sins...which is then forgiven by the statue if the price of penance is enough. There's also nothing wrong with worshiping effigies created by the Miracle...the First Tree, the Charred Face, Socorro's torment...the entire point of them being created is to show the greatness of the Miracle. It's much easier to assume that these statues are simply loaded with guilt that was removed from various travelers over time. You are not truly Penitent until you know true guilt and absorbing the guilt of so many (via these trials) is the best way to understand it. You are definitely going above and beyond when anyone else is doing but I don't see the statues as anything but pious. There's nothing that goes in this quest that the Miracle isn't orchestrating.
@@spookshankaman1038 It’s representative of the old Latin language, where there was no distinction between “v” and “u”. The letter “u” wasn’t created until much later. If you’ve ever seen Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, they mention the same thing with the letters “J” and “I”. Instead of spelling God’s name as Jehovah, it is spelled Iehovah in ancient Latin.
I was just about to explain my personal view on the matter, but your theory basically explains it all perfectly. To me, the Confessors are the embodiment of Escribar's hipocrisy and how he handled the need of Cvstodia's inhabitants for forgiveness in his own benefit. The statues, if I recall correctly, are made of the same material as the white inmaculate bead, which natural property is to absorb the guilt of others. This was not a bad purpose by itself, as I can imagine that the pilgrimate to these statues' locations would've been a penitence of its own. However, it also probably setted a wrong mindset on the people of Cvstodia and the followers of the Church of the Mother of Mothers: the idea of paying a tithe to ensure your forgiveness. Thus, a vicious circle was created: people became dependant of Confessors to deal with the burden of their own guilt, and the Church ensured a constant flow of followers who'd remain servile and obedient to their dogma. The proof of their inefficiency in the long run is that, in the end, the Miracle stopped answering to their prayers, leading Escribar and his Church to their own downfall. According to the lore, a powerful hideous scream could be heard all over Cvstodia as Escribar was turned into a tree, which I bet served as a heavy contradiction to the myth of 'silent punishment' the young one experienced through the First Miracle. In the end, the Church of the Mother of Mothers was uncapable of avoiding the disaster that cursed the entire land, and instead chose to protect the monsters and distorted visages coming from the mountain of ashes as part of the will of the Miracle. In the end, the Penitent One's journey represents the solitude of a truly religious person who sees themselves alone in a world dominated by a twisted dogma that has perverted the very thing they workshipped, yet they chose to fight back through the understanding of personal grief and penitence.
Something important to note is that Eskribar is literally a red priest. In christianity, a red priest is a false profit. So that reinforces the theory that the miracle wants the PO to stop Eskribar
Yeah but he's not a false priest and he Miracle clearly agrees with his actions as the Mountain of Ash and the Age of Sin that happens after Escribar turns his throne was all the Miracle's doing. I believe the Miracle is playing both sides. Escribar is supported as the Miracle agrees that the world was not pious enough and he helps Escribar start this age of Sin in response to unbelievers...but then also needs a Penitent One to end the age when enough penance has been paid (who also increases faith in the Miracle through his example of sacrifice). Both are playing their roles via devotion to the Miracle.
You forgot to mention how he collects the bones of the deceased; I like to think that part of the Silent Sorrow's belief system involves grieving over the sad despair of the dead. And perhaps the Miracle blesses the congregation with the ability to pick up any body and know that person's saddest tale. Perhaps that is why they are referred to as "The Silent Sorrow" and the Penitent One still carries their creed.
The first Warden's bleeding wound seem to reference Jesus's side wound, during his crucifixion, when he was speared on his side by Longinus, who has one blind eye, only his blood, holy and pure, splashed on his face, curing Longinus' blindness and became a devout.
The oldest brother carries the heretical secret-that the father may not have accepted his suffering; that’s the source of the church’s disdain. The relationship between the father, the Miracle, and the High Wills is a subject on which the lore simply will not be tied down-it’s the origin of sectarian conflict in Custodia and we’re asked to embrace the same mystery.
@@Trakesh A warrior so furiously hellbent on ending the reign of Doom/Hell, so incorruptible and unyielding, demons fear him and tell tales of The Doom Slayer like we tell stories to scare children in a Grim Brothers Tale way. Also the protagonist of DOOM.
Slv Lima I thought it was just the entire order’s helmets all piled up and his was just the last. Must’ve been awkward taking those off the naked dudes...
Exactly I love the Soulsborne lore for the same reasons. Rich and dark lore you receive enough to keep you interested but has enough wiggle room to weave your own theories from it's foundation. It allows the story to go on way more than what was said in the content due to all the discussion leaving only imagination as the limits of the lore.
This is so much useful information. I thought he was called "The Penny Tent One" due to the tent he purchased for a penny that you see him exit and fold into his backpack in the beginning of prequel comic...
If, or rather when, the sequel comes out, I hope we get to play as "The Heretic" or "The Unbeliever". Someone who lacks belief in the miracle or resents it so utterly that their mere existence dispels its effects. Or, even better, "The Crusader" - a manifestation of the High Wills sent from on high to CVSTODIA on a right and proper one-man-crusade, perhaps after the bad end convinced the High Wills that the place was fucked and needed a reset.
Like what? The Frozen Sea in the dreams to thaw and flood the land of Custodia and lay a foundation for a new land where only the worthy rise from it? It would keep in line with the theme.
@@JG-tr8ph ah yes, sharing an idea for a video game and having passion in it is considered "cringe". I mean the fact that you insulted someone for having fun is kinda cringe but you do you buddy🙌
The name of the game really rings true with what you have summarized about the brotherhood's sect. Rather than just a general name for someone rising against the majority of the characters who you fight against. Really love your take on all the content you provide. Very appreciated.
I can listen to deep lore videos and follow along with what's being explained, but I always have to watch the actual gameplay and b-roll footage when it comes to Blasphemous because the art and the animation is just so damn beautiful, I am in actual awe every time I cant get over all the tiny little details in the animations on character models, and the combat in gameplay has so much style and immersive elements that are so good I love how you can pick up and use the weapons of enemies, such as the wheel, in a killing blow, and the animation for doing so is smooth I love the way the gold drips in the tears of the Higher Wills and everything about the mask in the Last Son of The Miracle Somehow it looks both like a complete single mask of a face, and of two faces pressed together kissing
I believe that the Warden was the Eldest Brother who was driven insane by the lament of the Father and that's why he slaughtered the rest of the Brotherhood. He tried to cover screams of the Father with the screams of the brothers... By killing him and taking a baptism in his blood Penitent one becomes the new Eldest Brother The hope of the whole congregation to right all the wrongs
Just like the First Father, the penitent one did penance in absolute silence. However, one might think, if the Eldest brother can hear the lament of the First Father, who hears the cries of pain and anguish of the Penitent one?
This game was such a gem, the fact they fleshed out this whole original aesthetic out of a holy roman theme,damn the level of creativity its so good! If only spikes didn't instant kill you the game would be perfect
Excellent video! These videos are great to view if one is like me and cannot get enough Blasphemous content. I still think there is a way to go before we all really grasp what is happening in this game, but I think you are doing a great job of making connections and explaining it. Liked and subscribed!
That's the actual Escribar. That is his corporal shape. The first phase that you fight is just an imposter preventing you from fighting the Last Son of the Miracle which is his true form and what the miracle transformed him into.
i think that indeed the penitent one was "killed" in the comic due to his sword, because is the only one that can kill Escribar thus he was branded an heretic and a menace, and promptly assasinated, but the miracle works in mysterious ways and he revived again, some kind of herodes and Jesus stuff, I love this lore videos!!
So... I brought myself Blasphemous 2 or 3 weeks ago and played it I adore it! It’s like mixing Diablo and Hollow Knight together and giving it a spring of religion to it! But not only that, after I finished it I found this beautiful fellow with Blasphemous law and penitent one back story! You got new subscriber buddy! :-D
Fuck I hope so. I am so in love with this world and it’s lore... it shows what our world might be like if Christians and Catholics were not only fanatical, but violently so. It’s so fascinating to think of how much effort they put into the lore. Oh, and the sprite art... Oh the art! ❤️
Terminal Cancer Christians *were* violently fanatic in this world... There was an entire conflict fought between Protestants and Catholics in mainland Europe, the Crusades in the Middle East, the Inquisition, the mass genocide of the New World, wars over religious issues (like the Cristeros war in Mexico)... It’s only been in recent memory that sectarian violence amongst Christians has receded, with the violence between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland the last major religious conflict I can think of.
Vik Ing preach it, the only thing that stopped those bastards was the Renascence. The minds of scientists and free thinkers tired of the dogma and bullshit of the Church.
Can anyone explain why in the end Crysanta removes the mea culpa from the penitent one even after he manifested him in the good ending? Like if he's a living embodiment of the miracle why does she still refer to him as a heretic?
Slayer0fKings Because as far as she’s concerned he is still a heretic, possibly coupled with a belief that people must suffer for their sins. The world of Blasphemous is focused on the idea of suffering for sins and martyrdom, to the point where those who suffers he most at the hands of the miracle are viewed as saints and the upmost holiness. To Cysanta what The Penitent One has done is the worst sort of heresy, because it stops the Grievous Miracle’s will.
This is a great video. I think its kind of a pity we never get to see the Penitent One's face or know his name. I'm sure he must have one as well as an interesting history.
Thanks for these videos. Really helped me clear up some things. Also kind of emphasized how it's even more similar to Souls than I realized. Like the "Age of Sin" heralded by Escribar's actions being used to punish what he saw was a society lacking in faith... similar to the "first sin" of Gwyn bringing the Age of Fire. And the Pentitent One clears it all away and brings in the new age of Penitence and faith. And, with time, this will eventually erode until people stop believing and another Age of Sin will be required by the Miracle to clean up the new batch who aren't faithful. As time goes by, people forget about the Miracles that can occur so reminders as needed...Kind of like a Biblical Flood to clear up the nonbelievers, followed by an age of great piety after a Pentitent One and the Miracle cleans it all up...with the cycle repeating forever.
2:00 Abbout the penitent thing: In Spain in "Semana Santa" (when you search the bunny chocolate eggs) they are people that repent for their sins by going in procession. Some of them hurt themselves or carry crosses or go barefoot. Yes, its crazy. When I found about this game and read the name "Penitente" then I though "ok, so he did something bad and now he is killing all this people to erase his sins" or so
Just know.. I bought this game watching majority of vids like these. No regrets, its such a awesome rabit hole to dive into from the game style ro the lore
Ok so basically the story is that this church believed the wrong things about their religion and went super friggin evil. So then this miracle happens calling on the penitent one some sort of saint to rid the evil out of Custodia?
I'm not sure if Escribar ever saw you killing him. I think that all the helmets you see in the bad ending were other brothers and sisters also trying to end the current age but they didn't have the sword and it was more of a symbolic pilgrimage. As you say, the church probably figured out what they were up to and ordered them all killed. The penitent one was probably chosen simply because he was most skillfull warrior
Kind of. This form of suffering is alleviated. The Penitent One's sacrifice has absolved all of sin, until the Miracle decides that mankind must suffer once again. But there aren't really happy endings, not where the Miracle is involved. "Pious and cruel..."
Can I add one idea SmoughTown? In the comic and game, it shows an adult penitent one approaching the chapel, getting whooped, and waking up in the brotherhood of sorrow. Crisanta says something about keeping up the lie until their clothes are turned to dust. All of the victims are naked at the brotherhood, but their bodies not decomposed. Either they were naked all the time, were stripped then killed, or the slaughter happened some time ago and their threadbare clothes have fallen away. If the massacre happened some time in the past, it is interesting to think that the protagonist held to the school solo for some long time, like a lone Obi wan, before the game starts. Also, perhaps they were all once dressed in gowns as the penitent one is. Doesn't change much, but I had to explain the nudity to myself. It is more likely that it is evocative of Renaissance and classical artwork, and developers wanted to conjure those ideas.
This game seems more and more like a 2-d version of Dark Souls. I definitely want to play it. Also keep the lore videos coming. They’re very intriguing. 👌
AH silver yeah but it reminds more of castlevania. I don’t think the problem is comparing games to dark souls, but people compare that have nothing in common to dark souls to dark souls. Salt and sanctuary is dark souls, this more castlevania.
As others have pointed out, it’s far closer to Castlevania than Dark Souls in design. It’s difficulty is in perfecting very easy to learn mechanics, to the point where prefect platforming is needed to get everything (or unlock that one prayer) and bosses aren’t as difficulty as getting to them is. It’s got that same near hopeless feeling but it’s done differently, and bosses a more focused on accurate movements rather than quick get aways (most of the time). The parrying mechanic is also much more important in Blasphemous.
So basically in the lore of blasphemous: Pain/suffering= good No pain/suffering= bad Miricale= punishment/curse Sorrow= happy What kind of a messed up world is this?
@@cloverasmrr Yes. And on the contrary, the good ending shows peace and prosperity for centeries to come - terran changes due to time. The miracle works to undo the evil karma of men.
Through watching your videos, my impression is the Brotherhood was killed because the Pope was scared of dying. He was trying to cover his own ass, and not follow the plan the Miracle has laid out for him.
I actually love this dude so much. It’s cringe af, but I genuinely believe that his character resonates with many of us, especially males. He’s just such a total badass that it’s hard to not be at least drawn to his character.
@@MrBraxtonP Funny thing is that this game kickstarted my interest in Spanish culture, specifically that of Seville, as well as motivating me into digging deeper into Catholic lore, which this game is based of.
The primary conflict of the lore of Blasphemous revolves around The Grievous Miracle. It is viewed, quite literally, as the work of The Father, the literal work of god. Most of the forces that the Penitent One faces support the continued existence of the Grievous Miracle, or are victims of its works. Custodia is a world where penitence and suffering go hand in hand with religious devotion, so a world where everyone suffers is seen by the church as a *good* thing.
The whole story is kicked off because the highest authority in the church got sick of mankind's wicked ways and turned the throne of the church so that it turned its back upon mankind. This symbolic action had very real consequences. The Miracle twisted and warped the world because of that action, inflicting punishment upon the world seemingly without rhyme or reason. Whether you asked for penance or not, the Miracle arbitrarily dished it out. The church believes that this is fine and dandy, as punishment from god is supposed to be a good thing. You're supposed to want to be punished, according to their faith.
But here's where I think the schism between the Brotherhood of the Silent Sorrow and the church comes from: Penitence is meant to be a voluntary act, something that you do to show your devotion and desire to be forgiven for your sins. It's intentionally self-inflicted, not forcibly bestowed upon you by god. Even the first act of the Miracle, according to what we are told, was when a guy literally prayed for suffering, and was granted it. The Brotherhood doesn't see the actions of the Miracle, however, as divine. By arbitrarily inflicting suffering without rhyme or reason, even upon those who have seemingly done nothing to deserve it, the Grievous Miracle has inflicted a false penitence. Since the Father is silent, and does not act to stop the Miracle, it falls to the Brotherhood of the Silent Sorrow to put an end to it.
That is where the primary conflict stands: The church believes that the Grievous Miracle, and all its works, are holy and divine. As such, no matter how unjust, cruel, and horrific those actions are, they are the will of god. The suffering inflicted by the Miracle should go on forever. The Silent Sorrow believes that the Miracle and its works are not the will of the Father, and that as such, it should be stopped.
The church that supports the Miracle, and the Brotherhood that seeks to end its actions. Each sees the other as trying to subvert the will of god. Each side sees the other as *Blasphemous.*
*However, if the Miracle was not meant to be stopped, then there should not be a means by which it can be stopped. Man should not be able to subvert the plans of an all-powerful, divine entity.* Everything we see indicates that the Miracle left a clear path by which it could be appeased: When the three Humiliations are performed, the golden visages tell us that the Miracle put them there intentionally for this exact purpose. The Miracle *wanted* someone to perform the act of true penitence that would end its reign. It wanted to be shown that the church was wrong in twisting the throne and "turning its back" upon mankind. The Miracle wanted to see that there was good in mankind, and that there was someone willing to shoulder the sins and guilt of mankind and suffer upon their behalf.
In the end, the Penitent One was the one who was acting according to the will of the Father and the Miracle, and it was the church that went against its wishes.
Best summary and breakdown of story for this richly story filled game!
mans became Jesus
Your comment should be pinned. This was the most glorious explanation I ever read.
Blessed the penitence one, for save us all🙏
Excellent analysis man! Maybe you should make your own channel eh?
penitent one: literally too pure to live
i hope the sequel is just him having a very nice day he deserves it
Well as the eldest brother said: "I still hear his lamment" and in the ending said that he is not "in the other side of the dream" it means the penitent one is still suffering silently, the good thing we may see him once again.
I just want to remind you that the developers confirmed that they're making a free dlc
Why do I have a feeling that we're gonna fight ourselves in that DLC
AndroïdPrïest people be making the most silent characters “pure” like the vessel from hollow knight.
@@absolutelyshmooie7086 At least they give a reason why the protagonist is silent, unlike most games.
Just want you to know that these are appreciated!
Thanks so much!
I think that another juxtaposition between the Penitent and Crisanta bears mention: their penance. Crisanta cannot see, for her eyes are gone, and she bleeds ceaselessly from her hollow sockets, while the Penitent is mute. My personal belief on this contrast is that their penances represent their respective sects' failings.
Escribar's faith in The Miracle and the High Wills is blind, and The Mother of Mother's faith in Escribar is just as blind. So even while they speak on behalf of The Miracle, they have forgotten that the ways and will of The Miracle are unknowable, capricious, simultaneously fleeting and eternal. They seek to perpetuate the Age of Penance, for no act of The Miracle can be anything other than divine proclamation in their blind eyes, as they watch The Miracle at all times, but fail to see that it is challenging them to be better, rather than eternally damning them for their sins. They seek penance for all things, while forgetting that reveling in penance is no penance at all. And so Crisanta is blind, and her blindness brings only suffering without true penance.
The Penitent is not only voiceless, but he is faceless and nameless. Which symbolized that the Brotherhood of the Silent Sorrow failed in that, in their reflection on the silence of The Father in the face of The Miracle, they failed to act on what they learned, and thus allowed the Mother of Mothers to take from them any means of spreading the truths that they had learned, even the tenets of their sect buried under their own corpses. What exactly these truths were is, fittingly, never fully divulged in the game. Was it that the Twisted One had lamented his own suffering? Was it that Escribar was leading Custodia astray from the will of The Miracle and take power for himself? Was it that, counter to the teachings of the Mother of Mothers, the Age of Penance was not destined to be eternal? Was it that buy one get one rosaries should be implemented every other Thursday?
I don't see one as more or less pious. Both sacrifice something great to the Miracle. The Brotherhood is inspired by the Father who never spoke through his pain. The Mothers may be inspired in another way but their way is also no different than the Charred Visage grouping who show their sacrifice via burning their faces. All are showing their faith in different ways.
More likely they oppose each other because Escribar believes it his duty to continue the Age of Sin while the Penitent One is clearly tasked with ending it. Both are devoted to their goals from the Miracle.
You may have mentioned this in the previous video, but It should be noted again that you can only get the 'good ending' of this game by breaking 'The Confessor Statues' and completing 'confessor dungeons' to evolve the thorn in your hilt. You can only teleport to these mini-arenas by turning a pristine 'immaculate bead' black with sin (suicide, dying) into the 'weight of true guilt'.
The symbolism of these acts & items for this ending are quite striking. Every mini-arena has the large disturbing statue of an adolescent gripping the cage bars in the background. The golden tears streaming down the face of them looks just like the yearly golden sap streaming down from the 'knot of the 3 words' tree. Comments guess the statue looks like a girl, but this is likely the pained, sorrowful face from the boy of the first miracle.
Therefore the silent brotherhood was not only massacred for all wearing the silver helmet seen in the Father's dream, but also for the congregation leader (eldest brother) being able to hear the 'lamenting' of this child and break completely the founding myth that 'the boy was mute' throughout the transformation. The lore reveals everyone who turns into a tree never dies, but instead lives on in a painful existence while being worshipped. To question the (not-so-silent) suffering given by the first miracle is to question the divine nature of it, which would be a death-sentencing heresy very convenient for the Father seeking the death of the penitent one (through murdering all of the brotherhood.)
So again, think about what you're doing and why these demons fight you. Confessors represent the surface, superficial, cruel, & simplistic nature of their world's religion. You originally paid these statues to remove/deny your guilt when this was the wrong path all along. You eventually figure out to destroy them and (utilizing 'true guilt') teleport to a dark dungeon revealing a tortured, resentful depiction of the first miracle contrary to the narrative of the mother church. You go beyond everyone else in personally connecting to the same figure everyone else is worshipping. What you are accomplishing is 'blasphemy' and yet serves the will & identity of the miracle most of all.
Completing these secret areas and creating the 'cvstodia of sin' in your hilt, you are breaking with original church belief/ritual (detestatio sacrorum) in bringing to the throne a fully understood & properly devoted penance. You are truly 'the custodian of sin' made worthy to climb the hill of ash unlike the rest. The throne is turned back around facing towards man-kind and the demonic ashes lifted, because you have willfully made the ultimate sacrifice with "communion" and knowingly turned yourself into a tortured tree (truly mute at the beginning & prepared for it much unlike the boy of the first miracle.)
Question:why does everyone i see calls the custodia of sin the cvstodia of sin?i speak portuguese as my main language,and we spell it as custodia,not cvstodia
One mistake...people not "paying" with cash, though. They pay with tears, which are the embodiment of guilt and blood and sacrifice...its what the PO is collecting during the entire journey. This is not the "wrong path" at all as it's showing true penance for sins...which is then forgiven by the statue if the price of penance is enough. There's also nothing wrong with worshiping effigies created by the Miracle...the First Tree, the Charred Face, Socorro's torment...the entire point of them being created is to show the greatness of the Miracle.
It's much easier to assume that these statues are simply loaded with guilt that was removed from various travelers over time. You are not truly Penitent until you know true guilt and absorbing the guilt of so many (via these trials) is the best way to understand it. You are definitely going above and beyond when anyone else is doing but I don't see the statues as anything but pious. There's nothing that goes in this quest that the Miracle isn't orchestrating.
@@spookshankaman1038 It’s representative of the old Latin language, where there was no distinction between “v” and “u”. The letter “u” wasn’t created until much later.
If you’ve ever seen Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, they mention the same thing with the letters “J” and “I”. Instead of spelling God’s name as Jehovah, it is spelled Iehovah in ancient Latin.
@@messy8424 huh,new facts for me
I was just about to explain my personal view on the matter, but your theory basically explains it all perfectly.
To me, the Confessors are the embodiment of Escribar's hipocrisy and how he handled the need of Cvstodia's inhabitants for forgiveness in his own benefit. The statues, if I recall correctly, are made of the same material as the white inmaculate bead, which natural property is to absorb the guilt of others. This was not a bad purpose by itself, as I can imagine that the pilgrimate to these statues' locations would've been a penitence of its own. However, it also probably setted a wrong mindset on the people of Cvstodia and the followers of the Church of the Mother of Mothers: the idea of paying a tithe to ensure your forgiveness.
Thus, a vicious circle was created: people became dependant of Confessors to deal with the burden of their own guilt, and the Church ensured a constant flow of followers who'd remain servile and obedient to their dogma. The proof of their inefficiency in the long run is that, in the end, the Miracle stopped answering to their prayers, leading Escribar and his Church to their own downfall. According to the lore, a powerful hideous scream could be heard all over Cvstodia as Escribar was turned into a tree, which I bet served as a heavy contradiction to the myth of 'silent punishment' the young one experienced through the First Miracle. In the end, the Church of the Mother of Mothers was uncapable of avoiding the disaster that cursed the entire land, and instead chose to protect the monsters and distorted visages coming from the mountain of ashes as part of the will of the Miracle.
In the end, the Penitent One's journey represents the solitude of a truly religious person who sees themselves alone in a world dominated by a twisted dogma that has perverted the very thing they workshipped, yet they chose to fight back through the understanding of personal grief and penitence.
Something important to note is that Eskribar is literally a red priest.
In christianity, a red priest is a false profit. So that reinforces the theory that the miracle wants the PO to stop Eskribar
Yeah but he's not a false priest and he Miracle clearly agrees with his actions as the Mountain of Ash and the Age of Sin that happens after Escribar turns his throne was all the Miracle's doing. I believe the Miracle is playing both sides. Escribar is supported as the Miracle agrees that the world was not pious enough and he helps Escribar start this age of Sin in response to unbelievers...but then also needs a Penitent One to end the age when enough penance has been paid (who also increases faith in the Miracle through his example of sacrifice). Both are playing their roles via devotion to the Miracle.
You forgot to mention how he collects the bones of the deceased; I like to think that part of the Silent Sorrow's belief system involves grieving over the sad despair of the dead. And perhaps the Miracle blesses the congregation with the ability to pick up any body and know that person's saddest tale. Perhaps that is why they are referred to as "The Silent Sorrow" and the Penitent One still carries their creed.
Ooor maybe he just wants to wear an armor made out of their bones.
Blasphemous in a nutshell.
Pope : Thou art one heretic Pinhead
Pinhead : no u. (Proceed to become "god")
This is...accurate lol
Pope: "Alright pinhead, your time is up!"
MC: "Who are you calling pinhead?!"
*Proceeds to become Tree Jesus
I'm picturing the pope as father Mozgus from Berserk! 🤣😂
Pretty accourate
The first Warden's bleeding wound seem to reference Jesus's side wound, during his crucifixion, when he was speared on his side by Longinus, who has one blind eye, only his blood, holy and pure, splashed on his face, curing Longinus' blindness and became a devout.
The oldest brother carries the heretical secret-that the father may not have accepted his suffering; that’s the source of the church’s disdain. The relationship between the father, the Miracle, and the High Wills is a subject on which the lore simply will not be tied down-it’s the origin of sectarian conflict in Custodia and we’re asked to embrace the same mystery.
Wot in tarnation damn that sucks getting turned into a tree for a senseless sacrifice but this whole game is that l
he is like a DOOM Slayer with a mind of pre-heresy Word Bearer, like Argel Tal.
lmao Blasphemous in a nutshell
wtf is a doom slayer?
@@Trakesh
ua-cam.com/video/y30WRG1nPao/v-deo.html
@@Trakesh A warrior so furiously hellbent on ending the reign of Doom/Hell, so incorruptible and unyielding, demons fear him and tell tales of The Doom Slayer like we tell stories to scare children in a Grim Brothers Tale way. Also the protagonist of DOOM.
IDKmyBFFJill Doom Slayer is the Doom 2016 one
What about the bad ending, or more specifically that mountain of penitent helmets that we see, can you do a video on it? I think it would be cool
Great idea, i'd love to do. Thanks for the suggestion
Slv Lima
I thought it was just the entire order’s helmets all piled up and his was just the last. Must’ve been awkward taking those off the naked dudes...
Penintent ones failed before him.
@@iona2225 the pile of corpses still have their helmets on in the beginning
Well thr penitent one was said to have rising once after death. Perhaps he kept on dying and dying
I still come back to watch these lore videos. They’re so well done and the lore is so cool.
Keep it up my friend. This game has such interesting and deep lore. It's worth exploring.
Thanks buddy. No plans to stop yet
Exactly I love the Soulsborne lore for the same reasons. Rich and dark lore you receive enough to keep you interested but has enough wiggle room to weave your own theories from it's foundation. It allows the story to go on way more than what was said in the content due to all the discussion leaving only imagination as the limits of the lore.
This is so much useful information. I thought he was called "The Penny Tent One" due to the tent he purchased for a penny that you see him exit and fold into his backpack in the beginning of prequel comic...
Idk if ur joking and trolling but if that is what happened, im shitting my ass off😂😂😂
penny
*Slow Golf Clap*
I always called him Penny Tantoine, so seeing this made me smile
I didn’t even know this game exists but I am in love with the art and character design. It’s so dark fantasy.
just wanted to say that i somehow ended up on this video randomly...and thanks to you, i just bought this incredible game. Thanks lol
I'm so pleased buddy, it's a great game worthy of your support
“Desamparado” means “helpless” in Spanish
If, or rather when, the sequel comes out, I hope we get to play as "The Heretic" or "The Unbeliever".
Someone who lacks belief in the miracle or resents it so utterly that their mere existence dispels its effects.
Or, even better, "The Crusader" - a manifestation of the High Wills sent from on high to CVSTODIA on a right and proper one-man-crusade, perhaps after the bad end convinced the High Wills that the place was fucked and needed a reset.
Like what? The Frozen Sea in the dreams to thaw and flood the land of Custodia and lay a foundation for a new land where only the worthy rise from it? It would keep in line with the theme.
Or the "punisher" who has come to put down all those that worship sin(which essentially means the entire church)
*tips fedora*
Holy fucking cringe.
@@JG-tr8ph ah yes, sharing an idea for a video game and having passion in it is considered "cringe". I mean the fact that you insulted someone for having fun is kinda cringe but you do you buddy🙌
I love the ultra darkatholic vibes of this game.
The name of the game really rings true with what you have summarized about the brotherhood's sect. Rather than just a general name for someone rising against the majority of the characters who you fight against. Really love your take on all the content you provide. Very appreciated.
Who you callin´ Pinhead?
EnconXV XD
I was waiting for it.
Blame Dirty Dan
Oh Boy your Take on this is truly amazing
Glad you like it :D
I can listen to deep lore videos and follow along with what's being explained, but I always have to watch the actual gameplay and b-roll footage when it comes to Blasphemous because the art and the animation is just so damn beautiful, I am in actual awe every time
I cant get over all the tiny little details in the animations on character models, and the combat in gameplay has so much style and immersive elements that are so good
I love how you can pick up and use the weapons of enemies, such as the wheel, in a killing blow, and the animation for doing so is smooth
I love the way the gold drips in the tears of the Higher Wills and everything about the mask in the Last Son of The Miracle
Somehow it looks both like a complete single mask of a face, and of two faces pressed together kissing
I believe that the Warden was the Eldest Brother who was driven insane by the lament of the Father and that's why he slaughtered the rest of the Brotherhood.
He tried to cover screams of the Father with the screams of the brothers...
By killing him and taking a baptism in his blood Penitent one becomes the new Eldest Brother
The hope of the whole congregation to right all the wrongs
There are more Wardens in the game, they are part of the anointed knights or w/e they're called.
Just like the First Father, the penitent one did penance in absolute silence. However, one might think, if the Eldest brother can hear the lament of the First Father, who hears the cries of pain and anguish of the Penitent one?
Maybe the player themselves? We are there and represent the Penitent One.
This game was such a gem, the fact they fleshed out this whole original aesthetic out of a holy roman theme,damn the level of creativity its so good! If only spikes didn't instant kill you the game would be perfect
I died more to spikes and whatnot than the actual enemies
its more based on spanish religious traditions
Yeah from the names and the design, it reminds me more of spain, trust me
Thank you so much for all these videos! This game has so much lore and its hard to keep track
So going against accepted religious canonical understanding of god. The penitent one indeed was Blasphemous
lore videos make the games two times better . Thanks for this !
Just two times better? I would say at least three times better 😅
Excellent video! These videos are great to view if one is like me and cannot get enough Blasphemous content. I still think there is a way to go before we all really grasp what is happening in this game, but I think you are doing a great job of making connections and explaining it. Liked and subscribed!
There's a dude in a bottle hanging on the final boss. No idea if its supposed to be someone or just an effect.
That's the actual Escribar. That is his corporal shape. The first phase that you fight is just an imposter preventing you from fighting the Last Son of the Miracle which is his true form and what the miracle transformed him into.
some rather much needed context that explains the who and why you do this
thank you!
Glad you liked it buddy
Deogracias voice is so good.
i think that indeed the penitent one was "killed" in the comic due to his sword, because is the only one that can kill Escribar thus he was branded an heretic and a menace, and promptly assasinated, but the miracle works in mysterious ways and he revived again, some kind of herodes and Jesus stuff, I love this lore videos!!
fantastic lore vid.
i hope the next one is on Crisenta, i would love to hear your thoughts about... that one scene (no spoilers of course)
Thanks so much, I am stuck on a couple of ideas for the next one but she is on the radar....
So... I brought myself Blasphemous 2 or 3 weeks ago and played it I adore it! It’s like mixing Diablo and Hollow Knight together and giving it a spring of religion to it! But not only that, after I finished it I found this beautiful fellow with Blasphemous law and penitent one back story!
You got new subscriber buddy! :-D
Your videos are the only ones I like ahead of time because I know they will be golden. Thanks for your time and effort, friendo!
Thank you for sharing (: , I've not played the game but I think the lore is enchanting and intriguing.
Always great to see a new Smoughtown video on my timeline :)
The true ending implies there will be a sequel and I hope that it's right.
Fuck I hope so. I am so in love with this world and it’s lore... it shows what our world might be like if Christians and Catholics were not only fanatical, but violently so. It’s so fascinating to think of how much effort they put into the lore. Oh, and the sprite art... Oh the art! ❤️
Terminal Cancer Christians *were* violently fanatic in this world...
There was an entire conflict fought between Protestants and Catholics in mainland Europe, the Crusades in the Middle East, the Inquisition, the mass genocide of the New World, wars over religious issues (like the Cristeros war in Mexico)...
It’s only been in recent memory that sectarian violence amongst Christians has receded, with the violence between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland the last major religious conflict I can think of.
@@viking8796 Preach!
Vik Ing preach it, the only thing that stopped those bastards was the Renascence. The minds of scientists and free thinkers tired of the dogma and bullshit of the Church.
@@JanoyCresvaZero at least the developer give us a free lore dlc, i hope with new areas, enemies and bosses ;D
Can anyone explain why in the end Crysanta removes the mea culpa from the penitent one even after he manifested him in the good ending? Like if he's a living embodiment of the miracle why does she still refer to him as a heretic?
Slayer0fKings
Because as far as she’s concerned he is still a heretic, possibly coupled with a belief that people must suffer for their sins. The world of Blasphemous is focused on the idea of suffering for sins and martyrdom, to the point where those who suffers he most at the hands of the miracle are viewed as saints and the upmost holiness. To Cysanta what The Penitent One has done is the worst sort of heresy, because it stops the Grievous Miracle’s will.
This is a great video. I think its kind of a pity we never get to see the Penitent One's face or know his name. I'm sure he must have one as well as an interesting history.
Thank you so much! Had a really hard time understanding this game and you really helped me man. Thanks again
I love these! Pls do everyting in this game!
Your blasphemous video is doing as good as your best ds vids, that’s just how damn good u are
more lore! glad i found this channel. keep up the good work. i dont even play the game.
Thanks for these videos. Really helped me clear up some things.
Also kind of emphasized how it's even more similar to Souls than I realized. Like the "Age of Sin" heralded by Escribar's actions being used to punish what he saw was a society lacking in faith... similar to the "first sin" of Gwyn bringing the Age of Fire. And the Pentitent One clears it all away and brings in the new age of Penitence and faith. And, with time, this will eventually erode until people stop believing and another Age of Sin will be required by the Miracle to clean up the new batch who aren't faithful. As time goes by, people forget about the Miracles that can occur so reminders as needed...Kind of like a Biblical Flood to clear up the nonbelievers, followed by an age of great piety after a Pentitent One and the Miracle cleans it all up...with the cycle repeating forever.
Amazing stuff mate!
Thanks friend :D
I can't believe I got so interested to this after I watched a video called "Young fertile man gives birth"
2:00 Abbout the penitent thing: In Spain in "Semana Santa" (when you search the bunny chocolate eggs) they are people that repent for their sins by going in procession. Some of them hurt themselves or carry crosses or go barefoot. Yes, its crazy. When I found about this game and read the name "Penitente" then I though "ok, so he did something bad and now he is killing all this people to erase his sins" or so
Those people wear this pointy hat to cover his faces so the people cant know who sinned and is repenting. And also the pointing is to shame him.
Great video thanks so much! I had a little bit of an idea of what was going on but not much! But this all makes a lot of sense. Thanks again!
Liking these long, lore rich videos
Just know.. I bought this game watching majority of vids like these. No regrets, its such a awesome rabit hole to dive into from the game style ro the lore
Thankyou I enjoyed your time with this video I've been interested in how this what seems a crazy idea for a game is all about.
Great video as always m8 👍👍
Great analysis in the video and comments as well
Keep up your good work Smough
Will do friend
Thank you for putting this video together!
basically, the miracle used the penitent one to save everyone. but not for long.
Ok so basically the story is that this church believed the wrong things about their religion and went super friggin evil. So then this miracle happens calling on the penitent one some sort of saint to rid the evil out of Custodia?
I'm not sure if Escribar ever saw you killing him. I think that all the helmets you see in the bad ending were other brothers and sisters also trying to end the current age but they didn't have the sword and it was more of a symbolic pilgrimage. As you say, the church probably figured out what they were up to and ordered them all killed. The penitent one was probably chosen simply because he was most skillfull warrior
Been waiting for this one.
So with the true ending nothing changed, its a new cycle that begins... There is no liberation, no happy ending
THe people are actually liberated from suffering but they mention nobody knows for how long.
Kind of. This form of suffering is alleviated. The Penitent One's sacrifice has absolved all of sin, until the Miracle decides that mankind must suffer once again. But there aren't really happy endings, not where the Miracle is involved. "Pious and cruel..."
God this game is so metal
but it would’ve been great if u first explained the whole narrative and the story in one video ,then cover each part separately.still amazing job .
Nice. More Brutal Legend videos, just what I wanted.
Can I add one idea SmoughTown? In the comic and game, it shows an adult penitent one approaching the chapel, getting whooped, and waking up in the brotherhood of sorrow. Crisanta says something about keeping up the lie until their clothes are turned to dust. All of the victims are naked at the brotherhood, but their bodies not decomposed. Either they were naked all the time, were stripped then killed, or the slaughter happened some time ago and their threadbare clothes have fallen away. If the massacre happened some time in the past, it is interesting to think that the protagonist held to the school solo for some long time, like a lone Obi wan, before the game starts. Also, perhaps they were all once dressed in gowns as the penitent one is. Doesn't change much, but I had to explain the nudity to myself. It is more likely that it is evocative of Renaissance and classical artwork, and developers wanted to conjure those ideas.
Was anyone else disappointed that getting pantsed wasn't one of the three humiliations?
Aye, I just wanna know, who in the hell keeps making all those thorn cone helmets 🤣😂
This game seems more and more like a 2-d version of Dark Souls. I definitely want to play it. Also keep the lore videos coming. They’re very intriguing. 👌
AH silver yeah but it reminds more of castlevania. I don’t think the problem is comparing games to dark souls, but people compare that have nothing in common to dark souls to dark souls. Salt and sanctuary is dark souls, this more castlevania.
As others have pointed out, it’s far closer to Castlevania than Dark Souls in design. It’s difficulty is in perfecting very easy to learn mechanics, to the point where prefect platforming is needed to get everything (or unlock that one prayer) and bosses aren’t as difficulty as getting to them is. It’s got that same near hopeless feeling but it’s done differently, and bosses a more focused on accurate movements rather than quick get aways (most of the time). The parrying mechanic is also much more important in Blasphemous.
You might also want to give a look at Salt and Sanctuary who embrace the Dark Souls mechanics.
there has to be an esoteric/symbolic meaning to all this lore...I wonder..
So the penitent one was us all along? I got confused, so good thing for this video. I just kept calling him, "Dingus Blasphemingus."
I almost thought i was watching a theology video
Thanks for the info, man, i really apreciate it.
It makes one wonder if there is no way of resisting this "divine" force that is The Miracle. So much suffering...
i love this game so much, the art and the religious style.
This is a wonderful channel
I listened to this whole thing and I still barely understand the story/lore 🤣.
I thank you for this masterpiece
Ayyyyyyy, the Berserk vibes are so damn strong whatcha say?
Only the penitant man will pass...
He was killed but brought back to life
So basically in the lore of blasphemous:
Pain/suffering= good
No pain/suffering= bad
Miricale= punishment/curse
Sorrow= happy
What kind of a messed up world is this?
@@cloverasmrr Yes. And on the contrary, the good ending shows peace and prosperity for centeries to come - terran changes due to time.
The miracle works to undo the evil karma of men.
This is fucking brilliant. Good job.
Through watching your videos, my impression is the Brotherhood was killed because the Pope was scared of dying. He was trying to cover his own ass, and not follow the plan the Miracle has laid out for him.
I don't even play this game, i don't understand anything and yet im entertained
I waited for this video😭👏👏👏
Can’t wait for the new release of blasphemous2
At 11:55 to 11:58 the boss makes a symbol right befor he attacks. It's almost identical too the brand on Baserk
Another good video cheers man 👍
Pinhead's bizzare adventures
Penance Crusaders
3:37 My brain interpreted this as "Penitent to the Pertinent One".
I actually love this dude so much. It’s cringe af, but I genuinely believe that his character resonates with many of us, especially males. He’s just such a total badass that it’s hard to not be at least drawn to his character.
Escobar’s voice actor is definitely Gaunter O’Dimm from Witcher 3.
I checked his IMDB. Not him. I agree on the similarity, though.
yo but how does the penitent one actually see?
does he have eye holes in the mask?
Second... and I've never even played the game.
Play it man, it's a masterpiece!
Me either, but it's gameplay and story are so intoxicating.
@@MrBraxtonP Funny thing is that this game kickstarted my interest in Spanish culture, specifically that of Seville, as well as motivating me into digging deeper into Catholic lore, which this game is based of.
I'm loving this! I've gotta play the game. Have you played Hollow Knight? It has great lore.
I want to pay the voice actor for Deogracias to make my voicemail message but I literally can't find any trace of the VA online lmao
So is suffering divine then in this world? Does enduring harsh torture allow one to reach divinity ?