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[–]Taoiseach 11 points12 points  (1 child)

when it comes to reading statements, especially as the series goes on, does Jon get kind of possessed? ... how did he know what to emphasize and not?

Yep, it's a form of possession. Jon doesn't simply read the statement, he experiences it. The Eye forces him into the testator's perspective. Moreover, it isn't a temporary connection. MAG 120 ("Eye Contact") reveals that Jon retains a link to every testator who survived their encounter with the Powers, and that both Jon and the testator relive the statement in their dreams.

Jon's connection to his testators/victims grows stronger over the series alongside his Archivist powers. The voice-acting doesn't change to reflect this (because continuity has to give way to presentation quality in this instance), but we see repeatedly that Jon gets more insight into each successive statement.

would that explain when he reads the statement from Jonah Magnus he can't stop?

Very possibly. The Eye mediates Jon's interaction with statements, and Jonah is adept at manipulating the Eye's powers. It's very plausible that he could force Jon to continue reading a statement.

[–]suspiria84 11 points12 points  (0 children)

After MAG 160 revealed that the Archivist IS the Archive, I think it makes the relationship between the statements andJohn a lot clearer.

An important part of John’s powers that he gains through Beholding is his increasing ability to gaze through the statement givers, as if they gave permission to become part of the Eye’s network themselves. Here it is important that Beholding isn’t necessarily craving specific insight, but feeds on the fear of being watched everywhere, anytime and not being able to have secrets at all.

In the beginning John’s powers were limited to certain inklings or ideas. Then it grew into him having insight into things that weren’t necessarily stated but crucial to the case. Next his powers to simply force people to share grew, etc.

John himself describes it as a door, but I’d say there are doorS.

When he was in a coma he saw “dreams” of the statements he heard, but later we learned that he was actually visibly there for the statement givers as well...like a nightmarish astral projection.

I believe that reading statements creates a link between John and the statement givers. Separating that link prematurely could be like shutting down the power while your computer is updating. If it’s a tiny file it might not matter much, but if it is crucial data, you might mess up everything.