So, let's go-a-questing - what myths, legends, stories and ideas can we find reflected (or reflecting) in CL.
To kick things off, here's a description of one of the cards of the Tarot, the Hermit, that made me think of Franz:
The Hermit is the arcana of silence and absolute darkness. By proxy, it is the card of introspection and solitude, of experience and years upon one's own. The Hermit walks with his cane and his lantern, illuminating the way to come (Franz is the engine of the plot). He is draped in a protective cape, so he's sealed away from the worries of the world (Lyoko, The Factory, are Franz's cape). He carries no majesty, no power (he was a humble science teacher and father) - and yet his infinite wisdom, deeper than the High Priestess' or the Hierophant's, is everything he needs (Franz's genius and the solace he took in it is unquestionable). Part of the goal of the Hermit is to find the peace and redemption he seeks (Anthea, redemption for Carthage), so he can face the world and ultimately discard the alienating cape (leave Lyoko and be reunited). He withdraws away from the world so he can search within himself the truths he seeks (2546 days reliving June 6th 1994 alone, developing his ideas). But if withdrawn too long, the cape is no longer a shield but a prison, sealing the Hermit off from the world forever (he vested so much in Lyoko/XANA that it became his prison), thus forfeiting the promise of spiritual and physical growth (Franz never became a character beyond what we saw in his diaries - his existance was fixed in the show as the 'save Aelita' plot device).
He is the mysterious man waiting at the gate of the castle to hand the Fool the weapon needed to slay the dragon (without his input, Jeremy would never have slain XANA via the Multi-Agent-Program). As the last of the first cycle of the Major Arcana, the Hermit marks the final point before the Fool is shunted away by the power of the Wheel of Fortune into another adventure (Franz's appearances in Seasons 2 and 3 almost always marked the end of the episode block, looping round to the next Season). His is the gift of perfect darkness, to dance between the barriers of alchemy, magic and science (how perfect a descriptor). While his passive nature normally is peaceful (he always seemed mild-mannered), he is, ultimately, a guardian of the gate, its destruction key to the integral closure of the circle so the Fool can truly move on to the next step (Carthage, Franz's own death, etc). Hiding in the dark recesses of his mind, he must come out, not only to face the world, but to allow the light to shine upon him, and truly reach enlightenment (Franz came out of hiding to save Aelita and end XANA, and paid for it with his life - but in so doing transcended his prison and became 'free' in death).
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Hope this gets some ideas flowing!
Who's next?
pew pew lazorz
