u/External_Bobcat_6634

Replaying the main game, and fuck. I forgot just how disturbing Magnificus' treatment of his pupils is.

Now, obviously, none of the Scrybes are morally good, and they all treat their subordinates terribly. The only exception is maybe Grimora, but we don't even know if Royal, Sawyer, and the game's version of Kaycee are her subordinates or just ghouls that hang around her crypt. I'm not saying Magnificus is way worse than the others.

But, while I was getting through the Tower's boss fights, I got stuck on Goobert and the Pike Mage's battles and had to redo them a few times each. Seeing Goobert beg for the Master to say he passed, or even acknowledge him, and seeing the Pike Mage so certain he would come to save her and make her the centerpiece of his deck just sent chills up my spine. Then there was the Lonely Wizard, and I lowkey wanted to cry when they said "You wouldn't LEAVE me here, would you?!"

And the worst part is, Magnificus knows how much they want to impress him. He outright says that his pupils would die to be painted by it and be made into cards. He knows, and yet he's still never so much as seen interacting with them.

I think part of the reason why the fandom hates Magnificus so much compared to Leshy and P03, who again are not any better when it comes to their treatment of their subordinates, is because of how much innocence and life is seen in the Mage Pupils. The Prospector, Angler, and Trapper/Trader all have this sinister air to them, as if they have no regrets about any awful things they've done under Leshy. The same applies to the Melter. The Dredger is devoted to P03, but not nearly to the point the Mages are to Magnificus. The Inspector is devoted too, but they seem to realize they're just a tool in the eyes (optics?) of P03 - they don't have any delusions as to their importance to them.

But the Mage Pupils just want Magnificus' approval. They're convinced Magnificus loves them and will make them great, as long as they devote themselves to him. They're all willing to go through insane amounts of physical and mental torture for his sake, all while he doesn't spare them a glance. That's what makes them stand out compared to the others.

This might be weird, but I think it's worth sharing.

So, obviously, all the Uberbots in Act 3 are meant to be mocking versions of the Scrybes: the Unfinished Boss is Magnificus, the Photographer is Leshy, and the Archivist is Grimora, which leaves G0lly as P03.

Both Goobert and P03 mention how much disdain P03 has for G0lly:

P03: "Probably my least favorite boss coming up. Something about her... innocence. It makes me queasy."

Goobert: "Her curiosity is so pure... it's a shame P03 buries her deep."

It feels weirdly personal, and it's especially weird when you consider that P03 thinks so highly of themselves. They're the one who made G0lly - why make her the way she is if you don't like how she's designed?

That's where my theory comes in:

I think G0lly is who P03 used to be, or at least what they used to be like when Inscryption was first created.

We know the game is self-aware and also understands the passing of time (constant references to the "cycles"). So, it makes sense that their personalities and mindsets have changed as their existence has gone on. It wouldn't surprise me if, when they were first brought into creation, P03 was similarly naive and excitable, but as time went on and the game grew more corrupted, they became the jaded and cynical bot they are now. And they eventually shoved those traits into files that eventually became G0lly.zip.

Again, maybe just a weird theory that doesn't mean anything, but I'm replaying the story mode and it's got me thinking about all the lore, lol

I know it would never happen, not with their egos and being complete opposites (nature vs technology, etc) but had they united, they would‘ve created the perfect game. Leshy is a master storyteller but an average battler, while P03 is an average storyteller but a fantastic battler. If they teamed up to make their own version of Inscyption, they would have something special.