Coigreach Theory: The Meaning of the Orbs at the End [SPOILERS]

Coigreach Theory: The Meaning of the Orbs at the End [SPOILERS]
Posted 2021-11-20 12:20:32 #565167 Right off the bat, this theory has nothing to do with the morality of the final choice. Anyway, just a quick recap of what happens in both endings in case you've only seen one. Moss Ending: You refuse to sacrifice pups from your pack to appease Bronagh. Maeve, realizing that she's already lost her mate to Bronagh, makes the sacrifice instead, inviting the spirit to take her unborn pups. Bronagh apparently accepts Maeve's pups as her own and leaves, with only the puzzle knot on the ground in front of the cave. You get a moss base applicator and a screen with two glowing green-white lights. Clover Ending: You agree to bring pups from your own pack to sacrifice to Bronagh. They can be fodder pups from the Enclave, whatever, but whichever pups you choose are ushered into the cave and disappear forever. Again, Bronagh leaves, seemingly believing that the pups really are hers, and the puzzle knot is left on the ground for you to bury. Same ending after the spirit departs, except you get a clover base applicator and the image on screen is a single golden light. Screenshots: I would suggest that these glowing orbs have symbolic meanings about what actually happens in each respective ending. Specifically, the two silver orbs in the Moss Ending suggest that Bronagh accepted Maeve's gift and is finally at peace, with the orbs representing either her and the pups or just the two pups. Either interpretation works. Meanwhile, the golden orb in the Clover Ending suggests she's still alone, solitary, and rejected the pups you offered from your pack. Specifically, the golden orb looks suspiciously a lot like the floating orbs that lure you to caves and have represented Bronagh's ongoing search for her lost pups since the beginning. Don't believe me? Consider this: Bronagh is an ancestor of the Coigreach Pack. We know this from the story that Quany shares with us about the Faeclu and the changeling pups. It only makes sense that Maeve, a wolf from Bronagh's pack, should be able to make a sacrifice that you fundamentally can't. Why should Bronagh, a wolf who is famously suspicious of changelings and her own supposed pups, be satisfied by two random puppies you got from the Enclave that have no blood relation to her? The simple answer is that she isn't and the golden orb proves it. Bronagh's already been searching for who-knows-how-long for her pups and has definitely captured many wolves. Why should yours have a different result? But wait, there's more! Consider the two major twists of the final act. First, Sirona reveals in her confrontation with Maeve that Lowen, Maeve's mate, is in fact her son. This seems important, but it doesn't have much significance until you get to the second twist, that Conall, the Coigreach's alpha, is Sirona's mate. While the story doesn't put the pieces together for you, that means that Maeve's pups are a part of the alpha's bloodline, even though Maeve herself is not. Here's my theory: Bronagh was either the alpha in her own time, or at least part of the alpha's bloodline. That's why her story is so important to the pack and why the pack is transported, apparently across the Atlantic Ocean, by her grief. Think about it. While countless wolves may be lost, the only two named wolves that are taken during the course of the story are Conall and Lowen, both of whom share the same alpha blood. Of course, they're adult wolves, so Bronagh isn't satisfied, but their disappearance certainly hints at what she's looking for. And Maeve's pups, being her bloodline, are thus the only sacrifice that actually satisfy her. Hence, silver orbs instead of gold. Think about it. The player character follows the glowing orbs to random caves countless times and, despite being disoriented, you are never kidnapped. Heck, even Maeve gets tricked into following the orbs in the forest, but she isn't kidnapped either. Maybe you just caught her before it was too late, but it seems as if Bronagh is taking a special interest in this particular wolf, but still rejects her. TL;DR - Bronagh is a part of the Coigreach alpha bloodline and can only be sated by Maeve's pups because the pups (but not Maeve!) are part of the same bloodline. The golden orb in the Clover Ending represents Bronagh's wandering spirit, still searching for her pups, while the dual silver orbs in the Moss Ending represent her and her pups, finally at peace.	Kiotha #27193

Posted 2021-11-20 12:20:32

#565167

Right off the bat, this theory has nothing to do with the morality of the final choice.

Anyway, just a quick recap of what happens in both endings in case you've only seen one.

Moss Ending: You refuse to sacrifice pups from your pack to appease Bronagh. Maeve, realizing that she's already lost her mate to Bronagh, makes the sacrifice instead, inviting the spirit to take her unborn pups. Bronagh apparently accepts Maeve's pups as her own and leaves, with only the puzzle knot on the ground in front of the cave. You get a moss base applicator and a screen with two glowing green-white lights.

Clover Ending: You agree to bring pups from your own pack to sacrifice to Bronagh. They can be fodder pups from the Enclave, whatever, but whichever pups you choose are ushered into the cave and disappear forever. Again, Bronagh leaves, seemingly believing that the pups really are hers, and the puzzle knot is left on the ground for you to bury. Same ending after the spirit departs, except you get a clover base applicator and the image on screen is a single golden light.

Screenshots:

I would suggest that these glowing orbs have symbolic meanings about what actually happens in each respective ending. Specifically, the two silver orbs in the Moss Ending suggest that Bronagh accepted Maeve's gift and is finally at peace, with the orbs representing either her and the pups or just the two pups. Either interpretation works. Meanwhile, the golden orb in the Clover Ending suggests she's still alone, solitary, and rejected the pups you offered from your pack. Specifically, the golden orb looks suspiciously a lot like the floating orbs that lure you to caves and have represented Bronagh's *ongoing* search for her lost pups since the beginning.

Don't believe me? Consider this: Bronagh is an ancestor of the Coigreach Pack. We know this from the story that Quany shares with us about the Faeclu and the changeling pups. It only makes sense that Maeve, a wolf from Bronagh's pack, should be able to make a sacrifice that you fundamentally can't. Why should Bronagh, a wolf who is famously suspicious of changelings and her own supposed pups, be satisfied by two random puppies you got from the Enclave that have no blood relation to her? The simple answer is that she isn't and the golden orb proves it. Bronagh's already been searching for who-knows-how-long for her pups and has definitely captured many wolves. Why should yours have a different result?

But wait, there's more! Consider the two major twists of the final act. First, Sirona reveals in her confrontation with Maeve that Lowen, Maeve's mate, is in fact her son. This seems important, but it doesn't have much significance until you get to the second twist, that Conall, the Coigreach's alpha, is Sirona's mate. While the story doesn't put the pieces together for you, that means that Maeve's pups are a part of the alpha's bloodline, even though Maeve herself is not.

Here's my theory: Bronagh was either the alpha in her own time, or at least part of the alpha's bloodline. That's why her story is so important to the pack and why the pack is transported, apparently across the Atlantic Ocean, by her grief. Think about it. While countless wolves may be lost, the only two named wolves that are taken during the course of the story are Conall and Lowen, both of whom share the same alpha blood. Of course, they're adult wolves, so Bronagh isn't satisfied, but their disappearance certainly hints at what she's looking for. And Maeve's pups, being her bloodline, are thus the only sacrifice that actually satisfy her. Hence, silver orbs instead of gold.

Think about it. The player character follows the glowing orbs to random caves countless times and, despite being disoriented, you are never kidnapped. Heck, even Maeve gets tricked into following the orbs in the forest, but she isn't kidnapped either. Maybe you just caught her before it was too late, but it seems as if Bronagh is taking a special interest in this particular wolf, but still rejects her.

TL;DR - Bronagh is a part of the Coigreach alpha bloodline and can only be sated by Maeve's pups because the pups (but not Maeve!) are part of the same bloodline. The golden orb in the Clover Ending represents Bronagh's wandering spirit, still searching for her pups, while the dual silver orbs in the Moss Ending represent her and her pups, finally at peace.