Just started Umineko a few days ago, and finished Episode 2.
First off, I know this is an old game, but I wanted to share my thoughts or theories (please don't tell me if it's right or not, just wanted to share my feelings about this absolute peak). Now with that aside, I want to talk about the plot first and my opinions about it. The pacing and characterization are better than Episode 1, but due to preferences, I find the focus of Episode 2 boring in the beginning, but when certain characters died, I began to enjoy it. More specifically, I didn't find the love between furniture and humans to be interesting in the slightest. The whole episode just has a "romanticism" vibe to it that I didn't like, but that didn't mean I hated it; I wasn't just entertained by the focus of the episode. I really like it when good characters can become bad, and then switch to good, so for this episode, Rosa and Maria really shone for me. Gohda too. In the same vein, I disliked Shannon and Kanon for their seemingly pure good characterization. When everyone seems so gray and layered, characters that are too one-sided feel off-putting.
Besides the characters, I also like the new murders, they're interesting, and it was obvious that this Episode was trying so hard to convince readers that Magic is the cause of everything... but so far, I don't think these murders are impossible to do without magic... yet. If anything, there’s a lot to uncover. Actually, I was convinced that magic was definitely involved during Episode 1, but when I read Tea Party afterward, I knew that it was much more complicated than that so I wanted to challenge myself and think with Battler.
I like to base my reasoning on Truths, or facts that cannot be denied. These are the Truths that I gathered so far over the course of Episode 1 and Episode 2:
> First Truth: Magic is real, but it can only be manifested through certain conditions.
> Second Truth: Beatrice 'exists'.
> Third Truth: By extension of the Second Truth, the hidden gold 'exists'.
> Fourth Truth: All the cases are possible through 'human tricks'.
> Fifth Truth: There is at least one culprit.
With the Truths laid out, I made one claim that I'm certain. The murder of the six people is DEFINITELY not through magic, and one of the culprits is DEFINITELY Genji. This much, I am certain. The culprit should have motive, ability, and alibi, and here is why I think it is Genji, based on those factors:
o Motive: For the motive, it’s simple. As the oldest and most trusted servant of Kinzo, the latter could’ve ordered Genji to fulfill the ritual. No, perhaps orders aren’t even needed. Genji could’ve enacted the ritual simply to help Kinzo, his master, meet Beatrice again. Even if we deny this possibility, Genji could also be desiring peace like Kanon, and the ending of Episode 2 proclaims that he wishes for a peaceful sleep. Safe to say, Genji has enough motive to kill, given his inhumane devotion and obsession with servitude. It’s believable for him to murder if Kinzo so ordered!
o Abilities: As the oldest servant, Genji knows everything about the mansion. It’s layouts, keys, and even secrets. Being the most trusted, he can easily take advantage of this idea and poison the six in Episode 1. No, perhaps poisoning isn’t even necessary; he could’ve killed them with his knife skills and destroyed their faces to remove evidence that a knife went through their faces. As for the occult markings, Genji may know about them if he’s been with Kinzo the longest. No, he should know about them. To be a qualified servant, one must be familiar with their master. He acknowledges Beatrice to be at the same status as Kinzo, so he definitely made sure to know the occult.
o Alibi: Well… he has no alibi. I think this is the most suspicious. In both episodes, he didn't have a solid alibi at all. When the murders happened, everyone was asleep. Plus, with his character, I wouldn’t be surprised if he sleeps VERY late.
That's just one claim for now since my brain is exhausted.
Next are things I have no evidence on, merely assumptions. The locked rooms beginning from Episode 1 Eva and Hideyoshi's death. It can be done if someone waited for them to enter in the room, wait under their bed, and kill them one by one. They could've went under the bed again so they can leave afterwards. If we assume Genji as one of the culprits, he was the one who put the occult markings. I have a hard time reasoning Kanon and Kinzo's death, or those from made to appear as suicide. Though, I think Natsuhi's death in Episode 1 was due to the rifle's modification of shooting backwards, not in the barrel lol. The ending of Episode 2 contradicts this when Rosa kept shooting the rifle yet didn't get shot in the forehead, but I presume that some parts of Episode 2 are illusions or embellished, or there's some hidden information (Battler side of me).
For the Epitath, my interpretation is as follows:
0. Before the Twilight passage…
Interpretation: The key to the Golden Land is the mirror in the shrine. It was near a shore, if I remember correctly. Then it was talked by two people (Beatrice and Shannon). So it fits. To add, without a special constitution or anti-magic like Battler has, one needs the Mirror to survive Beatrice. We must acknowledge that Beatrice is real, and she’s a real threat.
1. On the first twilight, sacrifice the six chosen by the key.
Interpretation: I still don’t know what twilight means in this case; does it mean ‘night’? Or does it mean ‘death’? But setting that aside, the second statement can be interpreted this way: ‘the six shall give up their master keys’. It’s not really a complicated interpretation. Let me explain my interpretation word by word: Sacrifice doesn’t necessarily have to mean death, it can also mean giving up. The six refers to people: they are Kanon, Shannon, Gonda, Kumbasawa, Genji, and Kinzo (I think Kinzo has a master key as the head). What they all hold in common is that they were all given the privilege of holding a Master Key. Hence, it makes sense if it actually refers to location.
2. On the second twilight, those who remain shall tear apart the two who are close.
Interpretation: Once more, I shall ignore twilight for the time being. I’ll interpret the second phrase. Following the thought process of the first interpretation, word-by-word: Tear apart can mean break or open. The two who are close, this is tricky, and it’s intentionally worded to make it seem as if it’s referring to people. I made a quick google search, and ‘who’ does not necessarily refer to ‘people’ as English is a flexible language. It may refer to locations. Who is used to confuse people. Close does not necessarily mean relationship; it can also mean ‘shut’ or a closed door. Now… which are two locations that are closed, and CANNOT be open by the Master Key, so they must be torn apart or opened through other means? The chapel and another room that cannot be opened with the Master Key (I feel this has been mentioned but I forgor).
3. On the third twilight, those who remain shall praise my noble name.
Interpretation: Two interpretations, go to the chapel and look for Beatrice portrait there (if there are). Or go to the entrance hall, specifically Beatrice portrait.
4. On the fourth twilight, gouge the head and kill.
Interpretation: Now this one was tricky, but when I thought of a different interpretation, it didn’t refer to a person at all. Any head will do, even if they’re not from a living being. Coincidentally, when this passage was shown, Beatrice's portrait was on display. Gouge the portrait head and kill.
5. On the fifth twilight, gouge the chest and kill.
Interpretation: Following the fourth twilight’s explanation, gouge the chest and kill.
6. On the sixth twilight, gouge the stomach and kill.
Interpretation: Following the fourth twilight’s explanation, gouge the stomach and kill.
7. On the seventh twilight, gouge the knee and kill.
Interpretation: Following the fourth twilight’s explanation, gouge the knee and kill.
8. On the eighth twilight, gouge the leg and kill.
Interpretation: Following the fourth twilight’s explanation, gouge the leg and kill. (I’m thinking the gold is hidden beneath the portrait.)
9. On the ninth twilight, the witch shall revive, and none shall be left alive.
Interpretation: Perhaps, this is where the mirror becomes useful?
As for the Golden Land, it refers to the hidden gold. This is an interpretation that saves everyone, so yeah. I think there’s a lot of holes, but it’s just random interpretations by thinking outside of the box. I believe the epitath serves as the rules for Beatrice and for the Uroshimiya family. For Beatrice, it is a ritual to ressurect herself, and for the Uroshimiya family it is a riddle that shows the location of the hidden gold.