In my little view of Elias, his house is pretty empty. It’s got generic furniture, and sure it all looks pretty expensive, but it’s so…boring. There isn’t any decoration, barely anything in the drawers, cupboards just have non-perishables and the type.
His office, however, is a different story. It’s an absolute junk shop in there. Walls lined with shelves, stuffed with so many objects, odds and ends, some new but most old. It’s all meticulously cleaned – god forbid his things get dusty! – but god, some of those things look like they might crumble to dust if anyone touches them. It’s…well, if I’m being honest, it’s a mess. Sure, Elias has a system and knows where everything is, but anyone else? Not a chance.
Because I think he’s awfully sentimental – I mean, he kept the bones of the man he loved and let die in his office. This man does not throw away anything – so after 200 years, a lot of junk has accumulated. And if you asked him, he would not call it junk. Everything has its own story and reason for being there but Elias, do you really need twelve packs of playing cards? Yes- yes I know they’re all different, and they’re from different people, but those two are identical. You don’t need to keep both of them
And he cannot keep his stuff anywhere else. He’s like a dragon with his little hoard, he needs it all with him. And I love the idea that he has a secret room behind his office with even more stuff, and a bed and little kitchenette and such. He feels safer in the Institute, you know? And he doesn’t want to leave for too long or it might be attacked in his absence. So he sleeps and eats and lives there, most of the time. And let me tell you, he was delighted when Jon started doing the same, after accepting the role of Head Archivist.
just thinking about all the trinkets in Elias’ office and how they drew Jon’s attention during his first interview. he gets flustered when Elias points it out but Elias just smiles and tells him about how he came into possession of that object.
it becomes sort of a tradition for them, that whenever Jon comes to Elias’ office, Elias will tell him a tale or two about the things he owns. more often than not, it turns into five or six because Jon is too curious and Elias enjoys his curiosity (half of the Institute is convinced they are fucking because why else would Jon visit Elias so often and stay there for so long? they aren’t)
their meetings become less frequent as Jon is made the Head Archivist and he certainly isn’t sad about it. but it makes the rare opportunity to listen to Elias talk even more precious. season 2 Jon is paranoid and tells himself he shouldn’t be as entranced by Elias and his stories but each time he can’t help himself but ask more questions
mag 92 with the statement is Elias’ subtle offer of bringing that tradition back, that’s why when everyone leaves he offers to tell Jon about Barnabas Bennett, another statement for his Archivist to feel better. he does the same in mag 102 (statement disguised as a regular story so his Archivist feeds) and then right before the Unknowing. during the latter one he openly offers Jon statements so he is strong enough during the Unknowing. there is a feeling in the air that this is their last time, Jom suspects it and Elias knows for sure that he is to stay away from Jon after his Becoming
Peter chooses a different office so Jon is free to visit Elias’ whenever he pleases. he goes there when he finds himself missing Elias too much, he gently touches all the things there, thinks back to all the stories Elias already told him. all the stuff he has no ideas about. he wishes Elias was there, so he could yell at him for turning Jon into this only to abandon him when he needed him most. and Elias watches him every time and a tiny part of him wishes he was there (unfortunately for everyone involved his evil plans are more important 😔)
Gwen as jonelias’ daughter is so funny, she really took their worst traits
everyone in OIAR realising why Gwen is Like ThatTM when they meet her parents
so in the fluff episode Gwen talks about calling her father, so what if Jon is away for some Archivist business, having left when Gwen was 8 and now she thinks they just didn’t want to tell her about their divorce (it’s both. they are divorced and Jon is traveling the world, learning more about the temples of the Beholding). Gwen was left to be raised by Elias, which neither were happy about resulting in Gwen cutting contact. Jon sends her postcards sometimes but nothing really personal, he feels too much guilt over leaving her like that so he doesn’t feel like he has the right to more personal conversations while those postcards are Gwen’s greatest treasure, she has memorized every word, traced every letter
this is also why she wants to know what’s going on in the OIAR because it reminds her of her dad. imagine Gwen growing obsessed with the Archivist because she remembers overhearing Jon and Elias talking about. maybe this way she will find out what her dad is doing. maybe if she learns more, he will come home
Gwen ends up contacting Elias after season one ending, because she is out of her depth and no matter their differences, he is still her father and she trusts his judgement (only a little bit, he did let Jon leave without a return date). Jon returns at the end of season 2 and Gwen is just. so happy. she hasn’t seen him in decades but she recognises Jon immediately. Alice is the one who says “why does Gwen’s dad sounds like Chester?” while Gwen is busy holding back tears and herself from hugging Jon. she is mad at him, after all!!
im an absolute fan of when characters have their own twisted perceptions of love. like holy shit that guy thinks inflicting pain is affection! woah this silly man believes love is a form of ownership! give me more.
It would be so much easier, he knows that. It’s so much effort to resist, to play nice. To starve, to feel himself wither away, day by day. People pass him on the street, and he knows they have statements. Just one of them could keep him satisfied for a week, two even, if he stretched it. But instead he has to survive off reading old statements; they taste stagnant and stale, leaving a dusty taste in his mouth. They don’t nourish him. He can feel himself wasting away, under the foul gaze of the people he used to call friends.
So who can blame him, really, when Elias welcomes him with open arms. When Elias invites him into his office and there is someone else there, a Statement on their lips. When Elias holds him close as he drinks in their fear, feeling more and more human with every passing second. Jon will not leave when the Statement Giver has finished, when they stare at him in absolute terror. Elias will turn him, still keeping him warm and close and safe, as the Giver screams. Their cries will echo in his head, pleasantly muffled and vaguely sleepy. He still won’t like Elias – or rather, not like how he feels around him – but it will be so much easier. He will be content. No-one will be hurt, really. It will be alright, Elias will whisper in his ear like a prayer. He will finally give in. It will be alright.
Jon & Elias - Me and the Devillength - 3 min 8 sec
made a little edit of some of jon & elias’s lines. spoilers for mag 1 to 161.
i amplified the volume of early seasons audio to maintain a consistent volume level throughout the track, which is why there’s crackling noises in some places where the audio is clipping. nothing that’s too noticeable without headphones, but this has been bothering me since i properly listened to the edit again. so, here’s a reupload -
