[Music]Deltarune is a mysterious game that
captures the imagination. From Kris and their relationship with the player to the disappearance
of Dess and Ralsei's unclear intentions, there's a lot to digest, discuss, and debate. Yet one topic
I feel gets overlooked is not Noelle herself, nor her missing sister, nor even whether Rudy
will live or die, but her mother. The mayor, whose name may or may not start with C, who otherwise
remains an enigmatic presence in both chapters. But though we may not have seen her, we've
learned quite a bit about the mayor and her worrying relationship with her daughter. So
in this video, I'd like to discuss what little scraps of information we've been granted
as well as what it might mean for Noelle, the cast, and Deltarune as a whole.
Chapter 1. Chapter 1 of Deltarune sets a foundation for what we know about the
mayor. She's established early on as busy, cold, and lacking in charisma. She works hard,
with zero opposition, and so she's remained the mayor for a long time. She's described as
icy and even keeps the AC on full blast. This chilling vibe sets up Noelle's ice-based magic
in Chapter 2 quite well, as well as her habit of standing in front of the refrigerator at the
grocery store. More interestingly are the words of the hand receptionist: If you want to see her,
try causing a terrible crisis. This suggests that when we do finally meet the mayor, it'll be when
the story takes a darker turn. This could even shed some light into Kris' intentions at the
end of Chapter 2, though we'll have to wait and see how THAT develops before drawing too many
conclusions. But there are a few other places that give us insight on the mayor. At the end of
Chapter 1, Noelle lost the key to her mansion, and when pressed on why she doesn't ask her
mother for help, Noelle gets uncomfortable, mentioning how her mom doesn't like being bothered
at work. She insists it's fine and she'll just go spend time with Catti instead, but this already
sets a worrying tone for her relationship with her mother that only grows worse in Chapter 2.There's
also an eviction notice in Asgore's flower shop berating him for giving away free flowers
instead of selling them. The tone is blunt, harsh, and uncompromising, which fits
well with the descriptions of the mayor from the other NPCs as well as Noelle's personal
intimidation. Interestingly, it's signed with C, which has led many to believe that the mayor's
name starts with C, with popular guesses being Clarice and Carol. However, this is only a popular
hunch: we don't know for sure if it IS the mayor, but given her looming presence, it's
a reasonable assumption to make. Beyond that, we didn't have much to work with,
until Chapter 2 presented some interesting new content… Which brings us to a certain character
who certainly knows how to make an entrance. [Music] Queen is the Chapter 2 antagonist, and one
many have viewed as a parallel to Noelle's mother. There's a great video called the Universal
Mother Theory by Kooki Autumn that I'll link above that goes into great depth about how Queen could
represent the mother figures for multiple party members in the chapter. But for the purpose of
this video, I'd like to zero in on the obvious choice: Noelle, and how Queen might represent
her complicated relationship with her mother. At a glance, it's easy to see the similarities.
Queen is controlling, overbearing, and tries to make Noelle do things against her will. Noelle
also has extreme difficulty saying no to her, having been roped into being Queen's peon due
to her timid nature. But one thing that's clear from the start is that Queen… is not a literal
copy. She's very goofy, bombastic, and far more emotional, for one. She has a loud, over the
top presence like a cartoon villain, and while she is very controlling with her use of wires and
her desire to make Noelle's face into a robot one and keep her as her peon, she is simultaneously
trying to impress Noelle as well as Kris through grand displays of her power and quirky things
like dropping an arcade cabinet outta the blue, blasting her mix tape, and creating rooms
tailored to each lightner's preferences. Queen is not necessarily a good person, as
she enslaves the wires and later Berdly, is willing to endanger teenagers to get what
she wants, and disregards the agency of those around her. However, she is also acting out of
a genuine desire to make Lightners happy, to make Noelle stronger, and expand the dark world to
everyone's benefit. She values Kris as a trucee, was moved by Noelle's sad searches, and while
she pressures Noelle to unleash her full power by threatening her friends, all of this paints
a more… layered picture of a mother figure than what we know of the mayor so far. Which begs
the question, is Queen really a parallel to the mayor's true personality and intentions,
or is she a rose-tinted parallel at best? Noelle's arc of standing up for herself and to
Queen does mirror a path that Noelle will need to tread eventually with her real mother
to find happiness, and yet Queen in many ways feels like the inverse of the mayor.
She's so doting that it's suffocating, while the mayor is distant. She's expressive
and fun, while the mayor is cold and stern. She is INCREDIBLY outgoing and seems to enjoy the
attention her status grants her and is very eager to impress. The mayor, on the other hand, remains
within her office, hates being interrupted, and her presence is felt solely through word of
mouth so far. The difference is night and day. That's not to say the comparison is without
merit. After all, many see King in Chapter 1 as a foil to Susie- her worst traits amplified.
Knowing that Susie is a new girl in town who seemingly has a poor relationship with her
parents, is largely friendless, and spends the initial part of Chapter 1 trying to be strong
and intimidating, then comparing her to King, who not only quotes her verbatim at one point,
but feels resentment at being 'abandoned' by the lightners and is willing to stomp all over others
to retain his fragile position of power… Well, one could certainly argue that, while Queen is not
EXACTLY like Noelle's mother, she still serves a purpose as a thematic parallel and foil, while
being an independent character. Much as King accentuates many of Susie's worst traits, we
could then take those rose-tinted glasses off and see Queen as a more symbolic analog to Noelle
and her mother's relationship. We know that Noelle gets high grades and performs well in sports. It's
also entirely possible that the mayor holds her to high standards. She very well could want Noelle
to live up to her "potential," and is simply less doting and smothering about it. However, I
advise caution in using Queen as a template for the mayor's character, just as I advise caution
in assuming everything about Noelle and Queen's relationship is identical to that of Noelle and
her real mother. No, I believe that, for now, we had best turn our attention elsewhere to
grasp the mayor's personality and character. Intimidation and Abuse. Luckily, the second town
segment of the game provides a lot more context not only to the mayor as a character, but to her
relationship with Noelle, which has further been accentuated by the Spamton Sweepstakes. First,
there's Alphys and the NPCs in the police station. Alphys sets the tone by mentioning how with the
mayor around, the police are just "eye candy", that she's got such a good track record in
stomping out crime that you could even argue that they get in her way. When you add
this to Asgore's removal from the force, it does raise some interesting questions about
his relationship with the mayor and if, perhaps, they were at odds over something, such as Dess
and her disappearance. I touched on this in my recent video, which you can find above and in the
description. But to add to the mayor's iron grip on crime, the Wet Nosed Bandits talk about
how they tried to rob the Holiday Mansion, only for a terrifying figure to descend upon
them, sending them fleeing right into the jail cell. Given every other descriptor thus far,
it's safe to assume this, too, is the mayor, and she is a force to be reckoned with. The first
truly worrying sign comes when you walk into the hospital room in the normal route, and Noelle
laments about her lack of healing magic. When she says, "it wouldn't just be me and mom," she
looks genuinely heartbroken and scared. Though Rudy tries to comfort her about her mom, he trails
off, instead reassuring her that he'll be on his feet again soon. This doesn't bode particularly
well, especially when you consider the dialogue that comes after she leaves, where Rudy says
that while Noelle seems like she has it all, her mother is tough on Noelle. He may balance it out
normally, but without him, there's this unspoken undercurrent of worry for Noelle's well being
and safety. I think I may have an idea of where Toby is going with this, though it's far from
pleasant. Rudy's inability to truly comfort Noelle about her mother coupled with Noelle's
fear of said mother has undertones of abuse. While Rudy is open, loving, and shares interests
with daughter, the ice palace glacier page of the Spamton Sweepstakes shows that this side of
the mayor existed even in Noelle's childhood. Noelle mentions being scared to cry or make too
much noise while gaming at night in fear of her mother unplugging the console. Now, you could
view this as a concerned parent wanting to turn off the thing that is distressing her child, but
Noelle was just as scared to yell with excitement later. This paints Miss Holiday's actions
in a far more controlling light- that Noelle expressing her emotions in such a loud fashion is
frowned on. There are other worrying signs, too… In the city, Noelle mentions how Dess wanted to
take her somewhere far away, like Cyber City. It's not conclusive, but it's entirely possible
that Dess, as the older sibling, saw the red flags in her mother and wanted to take Noelle away
from it all, if only for a short time. Though I must concede that it's just as possible that
Dess' disappearance caused a shift in the mayor's personality. It could have simply have caused the
mayor to become this cold, intimidating presence who crushes crime with an iron fist and refuses
to see anyone unless it's a real emergency. Add that to Rudy's illness, and she could be hurting
deep down, as she's already lost one daughter, and her husband could die, and she's coping
through burying herself in her work and taking it out on Noelle. As I mentioned in my previous Dess
video, some have even speculated that the Mayor is the Roaring Knight, acting out of a desire to a)
save her husband, and b) find Dess, and is acting out a sort of faustian deal with the devil. As a
quick addendum, the mayor being the knight would actually make Queen's motivations advanced
foreshadowing. If you look at her dialogue the Giga Queen fight of Noelle and everyone living
free of pain and suffering, one could potentially see the mayor's motives through that, but this
is still just a guess. t's a compelling idea, to be sure, and would certainly lend itself to a
future confrontation with Noelle and her mother… But right now, it's just too soon to say. We do
know the mayor is preparing for the festival, and while some have speculated that this festival
will overlap with the Roaring, that, too, is pure speculation. But while the fantastical and tragic
justifications have their place in the discussion, I don't think they excuse everything. Because
regardless of reason, Noelle is scared of her own mother. Noelle has been conditioned
to be a doormat who can't say no to anyone but her father and Kris. That eagerness to please
others is often a sign of abuse and neglect. When you are repeatedly faced with harsh expectations,
especially from loved ones, it's easy to fall into the habit of saying yes, keeping your head low,
and going out of your way to make others happy, even if it's to your own detriment.The Weird Route
shows this in how, while Noelle is apprehensive, she ultimately cracks under the pressure and
proceeds down this horrific path all in the pursuit of strength. Though she breaks from
the trance briefly to warn Berdly and does question the voice that gave her the commands
and does want to get to the bottom of things, she's still intimidated by Kris, which shows
our abuse still took its toll on her. The mayor, of course, isn't making Noelle kill anyone. We
know very little about how she treats Noelle at home other than being tough on her and distant.
Where Rudy supports Noelle's romantic endeavors and shares her interests in gaming, the mayor
would sooner turn those games off. A parent's job is to support and provide for their children,
yet the mayor would rather work, work, work rather than support her daughter at a time where they are
both hurting from Rudy's illness. It's entirely possible that the mayor copes with her grief and
fear of her husband's passing with her work, but that doesn't change the fact that Noelle and her
mother NEED to communicate. I do not think Toby needs to write the mayor as a villain. I think
there's room for the two to confront each other in a dark world setting, laying the mayor's true
feelings bare and showing there's another side to her. But if Toby does commit to the abusive parent
and unhealthy marriage angle, I would certainly not complain, for it would be a bold storytelling
decision that might make for a relatable narrative to many players. Not all parents are good.
Not all marriages are healthy and happy. And Deltarune and Undertale have both already tackled
incredibly heavy themes, so this wouldn't even be out of place. Lest we forget, Chara took their own
life. Flowey later would attempt the same thing, even if he got cold feet in the end and reloaded.
Toriel struggles with alcoholism, as confirmed by the Alarm Clock dialogue, and Asgore, Alphys,
and Sans can all be read as suffering some form of depression. Beneath the bright and wacky
exterior, Toby's games have often delved into heavier themes, even as far back as the Halloween
Hack. And Deltarune already deals in much more explicitly dark tones, with Rudy's illness, the
themes of existentialism and control with Kris, everything involving Spamton, the broken Dreemurr
family, and so much more. Undertale released in 2015, and I can absolutely see Deltarune growing
up with its audience, so to speak… But this is all conjecture, for now. You might wonder how Rudy's
love of the mayor factors in, and there I would say… it really depends on the direction Toby is
going. Marriages are not always happy and stable, and there are times where one partner in a
relationship may not even be fully aware of the red flags, or is willing to excuse them. I don't
think Rudy is a pushover, or that he's remotely on board with how Noelle is being treated. But I
also think it's much harder for him to do anything about it when he's in the hospital. And because
it's entirely possible he will die, I truly do worry for what this could mean for Noelle and her
mother, because if Rudy dies, I can only see their relationship getting worse before it gets better.
But who knows? Perhaps Toby will surprise us by giving us a Rudy recovery plot twist. Perhaps
there is hope for the Holiday family, whether he lives or dies. While, Rudy died in Undertale's
world, to be fair, Gerson is dead in Deltarune, yet lives in previous game. Asriel died in
Undertale, yet is alive and well in Deltarune. We cannot, nor should we, assume that everything will
directly parallel Undertale. One pervading element throughout Deltarune has been a state of things
feeling… off compared to what we know, from Bratty and Catty's rivalry to Undyne and Alphys being
relative strangers. As for what I HOPE will happen with the mayor… that's difficult to say when
there's so much of the story up in the air. But given what we do know, I really would like to see
Noelle put her foot down. I'd like to see Susie, Kris, and all their other friends show solidarity
toward her. Just as Noelle was able to stick up to Queen, I so desperately crave her finding the
conviction to set her own boundaries and live her own life. And I think that, in a way, Noelle's
relationship with her mom could mirror Kris' relationship with us. Perhaps in the normal route,
Noelle is able to mend that relationship and find happiness, and we are able to form a healthy
partnership with Kris… while in the weird route, things take a far darker turn.For now, I'd
like to ask what you all think of the mayor, her relationship with Noelle, and where you think
the story will go. Comment among each other, and let's get the discussion going! We've reached the
end of the year, and I'd like to thank everyone who has supported the channel in that time. It's
still hard to believe we passed 20k! This time last year, I think I was still sub-10000. It's
my hope that in 2023, as my content output grows, we can hit even bigger milestones, like 25k and
beyond! I have a lot of ideas for videos I want to make for both Undertale, Deltarune,
and other fandoms like Kingdom Hearts. People have requested an Asgore analysis,
Mettaton, and I really do wanna discuss Ralsei, do some videos on various Undertale fanworks I
adore, give a proper introduction and overview to Inverted Fate, and so much more! But naturally,
there's tons of Kingdom Hearts characters and other fandoms like Sonic SatAM that I'd love
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video! And to all of you, I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season, regardless of what
you celebrate. Thanks so much for watching! [Music]
