[Analysis] Omori - The NPCs in Deeper Well

The NPCs of Deeper Well are basically perfectly executed. Much like Stranger, what they are and the context in which they give you their cryptic and philosophical dialogue, makes it incredibly palatable to anyone who would otherwise roll their eyes. Had any other characters tried to say these things, many players would probably deem this game pretentious. Due to their placement, surreal, atmospheric, and unsettling Deeper Well and Black Space, it's easier to accept the nature of their dialogue. 

It fits, is basically what I'm saying. 

But, what does it mean? While, by design, some might write off what they all say as nonsense. The Stranger in particular has a hostile and slightly antagonistic tone to what he says, easily allowing people to hand wave what he says. 

But they do mean something, I hope with this post to make some sense of it. I want to note how much of these appear as if they cryptically refer to things specifically in the dream world, but I think they secretly apply to the real world.

Apologies for the black boxes around them, I am pasting these directly from the wiki because I don't want to transcribe them all, and this is the result.

Blank says: Your memories are not free. To gain a memory, another must be shrouded. And yet... All memories will eventually fade. Perhaps you've already noticed... the curse of DEEPER WELL.

This one is a little tougher compared to the others. Sunny seems to have a near photographic memory, fitting for his deep connection to the one who takes actual photos for his memories. Even though the names in the memories in the Lost Library had faded, the memories themselves did not. Maybe this alludes to the idea that he has to give up other memories to maintain these, or hinting towards his repression of... certain ones. 

More likely, it just refers to the actual process that occurs in Deeper Well, where going through it eventually erases Basil from the minds of his friends.

Empty says: With time, what is important will change. You must choose what you will keep and what you will cast away. Not everyone has that choice.

This one is easier, it's talking about the choice between Headspace and Real Life, he can't have both. You're meant to believe this refers to choosing the 4 over Basil, but that's only what it is on the surface. Sunny has to choose between his dream friends and his real ones. Should he do what he does in the true ending, everyone there will have to cease to be.

Null(not that one) says: Humans are bounded creatures. Your limits are what define you. What makes you human?

In the dream world, Sunny has no limits. Omori has no limits. The only thing that can't control is the existence of Black Space, but even then, we learn he is it's king. "Omori" is not human, he is yet another falsehood, one that Sunny has to overcome. That falsehood being "the truth should be hidden", "your friends will never forgive you" and "you deserve to die".

Sunny is defined by his limitations, it's what makes him human. This may even allude to the perfectionist Mari, who inadvertently caused all of this trying to defy her limits, and not accepting Sunny's. Neither of them are perfect people, all of the characters are highly flawed, and this is what makes them so human, so engaging and endearing as characters. 

Sunny may sometimes believe, because of what he did, that he is not human, and these lines reflect that conflict.

Parvenu says: What if it's up to you? What if it's only up to you? Carry on, DREAMER. You are the only one who can.

This one reflects the fact that, well, he's right; It's all up to Sunny at this point. What's important. This game, at it's core, is about Sunny's struggle, his own personal one. The situations in the real world mostly resolve themselves without much involvement with him, it's the other characters that do so. His presence is vitally important, however, as none of it would have happened without him. And, none of it will work out, without him. Should he not overcome, Basil will kill himself, or he'll kill himself, and their friendship will fall apart again. What's up to him, is to overcome, to tell the truth. It's only up to him, no one else can understand or do it. Basil cannot and will not do it himself. He's had 4 years to tell the truth. Sunny just needs to remember, and make a choice. He's gotta carry on, he's the only one who can. 

Especially within the dream world.

Absent says: The universe is full of questions that you will never answer. Yet... there are also ones that only you can answer. When the truth is revealed, what will you do?

This one comes the closest to irrelevant philosophical naval gazing. I'm fine with that because I like irrelevant philosophical naval gazing, but let's try and relate it more.

Sunny doesn't know a lot of things. He's still young, and he has stayed inside for 4 years. Despite that, he seems like a very smart boy. I think he's aware that there are tons of things he'll just never understand, even if he wants to know. 

There are some he can answer, though. Things like: Why am I still alive? In the bad endings, this answer is darkly: There is no reason, so I won't be. In the good ending, he'll find his reason to keep living. What will he do when he reveals the truth? Perhaps that's one of the questions we can't answer.

Or, maybe, it's one only we can answer, and only for ourselves. Just like the question "Why am I still alive?".

Minus says: It is selfish to dream for so long when there are those who are expecting you

This one's easy: There are people out there who need him, while he's laying here dreaming these stupid dreams. Sunny knows how wrong it is for him to be doing this, but does not yet have the strength to leave.

Decay says: Time will always move forward. Eventually, the truth will become clear... You know this well... don't you, DREAMER?

Another easy one: Of course! And he does know this well, he's seen it nearly come out time and time again. Omori seeks to hide it, Sunny seeks to find it, both conflicting goals manifesting in different ways. 

Aught says: When trouble shows itself, there is always the choice to run. But one day, you may very well find yourself running alone.

This one is interesting. I think this is foreshadowing in a way. It can refer to two things: 1. Basil's death in the "neutral" endings. He's the only other person who knows the truth, if he dies there's no one to run from it with. He'll have to run all alone. 2. His friends, he'll lose them if he keeps running from it. He's scared he'll lose them if he tells them, but this refusal of the truth leads to running from it, inevitably if he does, he'll hurt them more, and with time will never see them again. Moreover, if he literally runs from them by leaving without telling them, he will most assuredly never talk to them again unless they come to him. 

Cipher just says "the sun shined brighter when she was here", which is self-explanatory. If you played the game, that is. If you didn't then I dunno what the fuck you're doing reading this?

Mute says: An unhallowed burden has been placed upon you. You have the power to change the future. What will you do, DREAMER? What will you do?

So easy! It's quite the task that's ended up on Sunny's to-do list. A great burden indeed. How do you go about making things right when you've: Killed your sister, even by accident. Let your otoko no ko friend stage it as a suicide. Repressed it yourself while leaving him to hide it. Vandalized said femboy's photo album in order to hide from the painful memories, letting him take the blame and brunt of a delinquent tomboy who used to be your friend, for it. Withdrawn from your friends, causing said pink haired girl to believe you betrayed her, for 4 years. And, finally, palled around with your friends as if you didn't do something you feel is utterly abhorrent to them, for 3 days in a row. Oh, and punched your cuteboi friend in the face. He did kinda stab your eye with a pair of shears, though.

What will he do? He does have the power to change the future; his own, at least. The futures of his friends, too. The endings show this. What do you think would come of it? I read this short fanfic where Aubrey just straight up kills herself too and honestly I'm not confident she wouldn't. If not, she'd certainly wish she were dead, probably forever. Same as if Hero hadn't saved those two from drowning...

Finally, Void(no, not that one) says "How far will you go to save a friend?"

By far the easiest one: Simple! Pretty far. For Sunny at least, that must have taken a lot out of him. Kid probably won't be able to use that eye again. Damn near went off the deep end. That's what it refers to, yeah, it's just asking if he's willing to go through Hell. He ends up doing so, sooner or later. 

And that's about it. I might do a follow up going into what Stranger says, but nobody reads this blog so I have no expectations to meet, and for now this was just something simple I wanted to do.