For context: John the Apostle (also known as Saint John the Beloved, which strikes a certain chord in the context of tlt, though I may just be tangling my conspiracy yarn threads) enters the tomb after the resurrection, finding it empty.
So
What is the tomb? Is it Alecto’s body—now empty of her (and inhabited by Harrow, who’s our Peter stand-in? Since he’s also present in the tomb with John the Apostle?)
The note at the end: “FIVE DAYS UNTIL THE TOMB OPENS”
The Harrowing of Hell takes place between the crucifixion and the resurrection, during which Jesus brings salvation to the deserving souls of those who died throughout all time. In universe we know souls go to / pass through the River. What does this mean for our resident butch Jesus? Is Gideon still stuck in the River? If so, what is she doing? If not, did Harrow take her place?
“I still love you” feels VERY Nona/Alecto, yet John calls her Harrowhark and seems weary about it. Is Alecto like, programmed with this? Is it a remnant of her, carried by Harrow in her body? Or there is context we’re missing / Harrow’s on her nun shit.
Let’s talk about the poem in context
You told me, Sleep, I’ll wake you in the morning. I asked, What is morning? and you said, When everyone who fucked with me is dead.
When everyone we loved has gone or fled, That’s morning. Empty’s the same as clean. Let’s put this first-draft dream of mine to bed.
Everyone they loved HAS gone or fled. Mercy, Augustine, G1deon — even Pyrrha, if he even knows about her, has fled. The tomb is empty. The tomb is clean. John’s so-called “first-draft dream” is “‘as dead as I can make her’”, as Mercymorn recalls him saying in HTN.
This time will be the time we get it right: Forgiveness not so hard, nor anger long;
“This time” gives me the creeps.
You held aloft the sword I still love y
John never says it back, does he.
Best of luck to John and Harrow Alecto-Bod in this dream/river bubble situation. I hope he drowns❤️