sparky-is-spiders:
Favorite little self-indulgent AU of mine is transmasc Jon naming himself after Jonah. Like idk maybe a few months after Mr. Spider Jon’s grandmother found some book by an obscure occultist from the 1800s. And maybe Jon was a little fascinated by the theories and ideas and the way it was written. And maybe a few years later when he needs a new name it’s only natural that his mind drifts to the intelligent, curious man whose book he read at a very vulnerable, formative time, whose research institute he dreams of working at. And maybe he’s a little too ashamed to ACTUALLY name himself after Jonah Magnus the georgian occultist, or maybe something about “Jonathan” just speaks to him more. Idk. And Elias being Very Charmed about it of course.
worldwright:
I’m sure someone’s pointed out by now but it always gets me how much Jon genuinely looked up to Elias. Even when he revealed his hand in The Coming Storm, Jon still stops to ask… Elias, am I still human? Such a vulnerable question. To someone who just told him that he was a captive. And earlier in the series, how Jon’s demeanor changed whenever Elias walked in, becoming more professional, more nervous, eager to please. His words in episode 1, the first thing he did after introducing himself was say that Elias had given him this position. How Jon remembered his schedule and habits, how they had the same coffee preferences, how Jon went to him for advice and insight. He admired Elias.
Maybe through all his little tests in season 3, a little part of Jon was still trying to impress. The frustration built up, yes, but maybe there was a part of him that was pleased by the validation from his mentor. It must have been confusing to have those emotions in such conflict – the hatred and the craving.
It’s really interesting to consider how much Jon and Elias are foils, two sides of the same coin. Their drive, their obsession. They orbit each other. It’s perfectly evident how obsessed Elias is with Jon, but it’s fun to remember that it really goes both ways.
you-call-it-obsession:
I’ve got to say, I think that one huge aspect of Jon and Elias’ relationship is that Elias sees himself in Jon. He sees a scared young man just barely learning about the Fears, but already inextricably intertwined with them. A man with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, a need to know, to understand. Someone who is deeply afraid. Someone who is hated or feared by his associates; surrounded by those he cares about who will die because of him. Someone who basks in the gaze of the Beholding, however unwillingly.
somuchbetterthanthat:
Thinking about it, the line “Oh don’t be so dramatic Jon, you know how hard it would be to replace you” is SO funny because “you know how hard it would be to replace you” IS JUST AS DRAMATIC A STATEMENT AS JON’S PREVIOUS ONE
Jon is like “if you won’t give me the key you might as well GET RID OF ME” and Elias is like “jon, please cool down, YOU ARE UNVALUABLE TO ME”
guys.
timefadesaway:
in 2025 we need more character dynamics that are HR violations
magnuspanoptes:
speaking of eating metaphors. statements are food. statements are knowledge. elias is a satanic seducer figure to jon. therefore. his offer of the position of head archivist to jon is analogous to that of satan offering the fruit of knowledge to eve—knowledge in the form of something that can be consumed, knowledge that leads to jon’s Fall. but elias is also god, he’s his maker. jon isn’t being driven out of paradise, he’s being welcomed into elias’s version of it in 160 - “don’t worry jon, you’ll get used to it here”!
magnuspanoptes:
once again there’s a spider statement immediately followed by a leitner statement (mag 16 - “arachnophobia” -> mag 17 “the boneturner’s tale”). elias probably considers this enrichment. the archivist is getting a little too comfortable in his fake skepticism, time to remind him of his childhood trauma. he was scheduling those weekly reminders the way he did his budgeting.
