Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-46383843-20200718172115

Rachel never betrayed Bam.

SIU nickname - Slave Inutero, is interesting in itself, as it obviously has some symbolic meaning. But as far as I know, he never explained it's origin.

But when I was doing research for my interpretation of story of 25th Bam / 25th Night (Day of birth of Sol Invictus) as retelling of myth of Mithra, military god of friendship, loyalty and honour, I found interesting fact from Mithraic mysteries: for Mithraists cave was symbol of uterus, and killing the Bull by Mithra was symbolic rebirth. When Mithraists met in their caves for their secret rituals, they described it as meeting 'in utero'.

SIU has been working on Tower of God during his military service, what would explain, why he has chosen Roman military god as archetype of his main character.

Bam living in his dark cave is being basically slave in uterus, and he exits it after following the light, calling of his mother figure, and then he's in blood, just as in childbirth. Rachel's literally pushing him of the womb, which is unpleasant and shocking for him, and then he loses Rachel, just as infant is being took from his mother by obstetrician.

Then follows a period of adolescence, when a young boy somehow tries to return to his mother, confront what his mother told him with the painful reality of the world. But there is no return, the umbilical cord must be cut so that he can be an independent adult. That's why Rachel pushes him away again.

She is basically a mother to him, cares about him, and then raises him trying to make him an independent person. She's not treacherous and evil, she's only constantly trying to protect Bam and take care of their both safety, despite the fact that she seems to limit him or plot against him. Hence its strange 'dualism' of her character.

It was determined from the beginning. Initially, she wanted to separate him from herself while being still gentle and nice to him, but she saw that's not working. That's why she 'plotted' to push him away and hand over to his father - Jinsung Ha. Killing the Bull was at the same time symbol of childbirth and initiation into manhood, rite of passage. The ceremony of initiation is always scary for a boy, at least in case in most cultures, but almost never these boys die. Do you really think that they would oppose Bam to an enemy that 'even Rankers are afraid of', in world in which fairness of fight is most important value?

Bam then took new name, from father - Viole, instead of his mother's name, which was given to him by Rachel. He also stopped cutting his hair, which, in example in Germanic and Slavic cultures, was a symbol of nobility, way of a warrior.

SIU wrote in his blog that he likes Rachel and she's motherly figure for Bam.

Also, why Rachel is in panic when Bam enters the tower and begins to take test? It's easy - it's her child, she cared him all this time, she's simply terrified that he'll die. That's why she screams "don't go Bam, don't go". Bam needed to kill Eel-Snake-Dragon by being swallowed by it, and destroy black Ball - it's obvious reference to alchemical Nigredo, The Darkening. Dragon and Black Sun - facing the death of Ego. Rachel don't want her son to became completely independent and forgot about her. But she knows that he need to grow up, which will be painful. That's all the mystery of Rachel's behavior.

You should notice that there are two forces observing when Bam enters the Tower - Jahad and Urek Mazino who are symbolizing Sun and Moon. In relief with Tower image on it's door, there's Sun at it's top, Jahad is god of the Sun, and his Tower is material kingdom, immanence. Urek Mazino's orgaisation is Wolhaiksong, "The Winged Tree Under the Moon", and their symbol is tree of emanations with Moon at it's top, transcendence. Lo Po Bia Ran was emissary of Jahad, Sun, and Yuri was emissary of Urek Mazino, Moon, their role was to prevent friends of Bam from interfering with ceremony of initiation. Bam also had butcher's knife in cave when he followed Rachel. It's obvious that it symbolises his destiny to kill the Bull. It was planned from even before they entered the tower, no accidents.

For her, he's her son, but she also tries to be defined by herself and not only being "the mother of god". That's her internal conflict. She knows she need to separate herself from Bam, but at the same time she's very attached to him. That's why she's so sad when he don't trust her anymore or consider her as enemy. Also she has a habit to mothering people in general, like when she told guy in hidden floor to not play games too much, etc. When Wangnan tells her she's bad person, she answers him "yes, you're probably right, I'm a bad person, but at least I wanted to protect Bam from this".

She clearly identifies herself with Arlene Grace. There's possibility that she's Arlene reincarnation or she was chosen by Arlene to raise her child. But she constantly says that she made Bam enter the tower, that he owes her everything. Typical jealous mother.

Also notice two additional things: in 1st season she's drawn with apples, and nicknames herself Michelle Light. In 2nd season she nicknames herself Icarus and her followers are Apple and Evangelist Michael.

Two mythological stories are connected with that motives.

In Jewish tradition, Archangel Michael fought with Satan - Samael, and in this fight Samael managed to took his wings, ans then they both fell in the darkness. Icarus wanted to fly with his wings to the Sun, because he had romantic dream, but fell down tragically. She considers herself as Michael and Icarus, and Bam as reason of her being fallen, a burden imposed on her which restricts her own self-determination.

She isn't much older than Bam, but she must have been a mother to him already, which she can consider as unjust, especially when he's destined to become main actor and hero of this story.

So here comes the second story: Snake, Eve and the Apple - fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, but apple could also symbolize Eris / Discordia, goddess of chaos and discord. Rachel probably identifies with these female archetypes, especially since Headon tells her that she has chaos in her soul. 