Hard Light Productions Forums
General FreeSpace => FreeSpace Discussion => Topic started by: Terra-jin on August 18, 2009, 02:54:05 pm
-
I was wondering what kind of wild ideas you guys and girls thought up as explanations for [V]'s stray comment about the Shivans being a "symptom of a bigger problem".
My take on it is that the Shivans must be interpreted in some sort of a religious manner. The Ancients' monologues and Bosch' reference to those made it seem that we have to look in that direction to catch a glimpse of [V]'s original thoughts. The Shivans are very much like the Hindu god Shiva, who was the Great Destroyer and the Great Preserver. However, Shiva is also the Great Creator. Thus we have the great cycle of civilisations in the Universe: they are created, they are preserved (because the Shivans stopped pillaging races) and finally, when they themselves "become the destroyers" (as Alpha One puts it), they are destroyed as well.
This cycle is seemingly inescapable, since all civilisations are eventually destroyed (at least to the GTVA's knowledge). This again reminds me very much of the Hindu religion. There's a great cycle of life, and it's a problem from which it's difficult to escape. Translated to the FreeSpace Universe, this cycle of civilisations is the bigger problem of which the Shivans are symptoms. The question from here is: how can the GTVA escape the cycle? Mend its destructive ways? Become preservers themselves?
What are your thoughts on the "bigger problem"?
-
Oh fudge where to begin.........
/me decides to take shelter in the conspiricy bunker with some whisky and a chocolate biscuit.
:welcome:
If not already zapped.
-
Mind posting the context in which that quote was stated?
-
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/storyline.html
It's one of those quotes that have been around in the community for a long, long time. Maybe one of the veterans can point out who said it?
-
The symptom thing? Try playing through FS1, Silent threat (retail) and FS2 again........
-
I always thought that the Shivans were engaged in a war which we never saw, and if they could be beaten by a species; then their enemy could be beated by the same species.
-
The Shivans are fighting entropy, and we're in the way.
-
Destructive nature of technological sentience.
Which, incidentally, they broke by creating a situation in which the GTVA will constantly seek allies.
-
I always thought that the Shivans were engaged in a war which we never saw, and if they could be beaten by a species; then their enemy could be beated by the same species.
You stole that from me!
-
Destructive nature of technological sentience.
Which, incidentally, they broke by creating a situation in which the GTVA will constantly seek allies.
Hence why they're also the "Great Preservers".
-
Destructive nature of technological sentience.
Which, incidentally, they broke by creating a situation in which the GTVA will constantly seek allies.
Hence why they're also the "Great Preservers".
Thank you.