r/Eddsworld

I wanted to make a post about my ideas about how I think Tord's story might progress, because I've been posting about it on Tumblr and have had multiple people say they find it compelling or that it made them more interested in the concept of a clone Tord despite their initial distaste towards the idea. I've been thinking about this a lot because I think it's super interesting and a way to explore themes that I don't see explored very often, as well as approaching the concept in a way that doesn't just feel like a cheap retcon. I don't think this is how the story will exactly play out, and I'm definitely getting into fanfic territory, but it's just way too fun to speculate and Tord's Next Adventure has given me much for my tiny gremlin brain to speculate on.

I will be making a comparison to another character here in a way that will spoil that storyline, so I have to say before continuing: If you have not played Undertale's True Pacifist route and want to, proceed with caution, as spoilers are present here. Also, obviously, this contains spoilers for Tord's Next Adventure if you haven't watched that yet.

So ReDeux is a really interesting new addition for a number of reasons. The name is a multilayered pun that foreshadows the cloning possibility pretty strongly in its theming: "Redux" is a word referring to an improvement upon a thing, "Deux" is the french word for two, and it's pronounced with a silent 'x', making the name read like "Redo". Additionally, the specific field of research the organization focuses on is important: cloning is actually a part of the field of bioengineering in real life.

Now, this, plus the previous teasers (suspiciously-injured Tord triumphantly putting his hand against a glass containment tube, a confused explosion-injury-free Tord in his apartment getting a hole blown through his wall by a very upset Eduardo's laser), all leads me to thinking we're going to get a much more interesting implementation of clone Tord than simply "an angry Spares leftover seeks revenge".

I think that the clone Tord was created by Tord while working at ReDeux. It's easier to use yourself as a test subject than to find someone else willing to literally be cloned. And while clones are a genetic copy, personality and morality aren't genetic traits - the clone would be an imperfect copy, who might still have some of the same inclinations as the original, but being created as an experiment and kept in a tube might lead someone to develop a much more hostile, violent, control-seeking personality.

Think about Mewtwo in Pokemon: The First Movie. Mewtwo was created by optimistic, bright-eyed scientists who were curious if they could replicate the mythical Pokemon Mew. Mewtwo was created without bad intentions, but as an experiment, and in the end, he ended up despising his creators and lashing out as a result.

As for Tord himself, I think this scenario is optimal for his character development. Tord is quiet, introverted, somewhat neurotic, and reckless. I also think he's decently smart and seems to have an interest in STEM even before The End - I'd imagine he's pretty interested in the mechanics of how guns and other similar weaponry works. And based on his reaction to getting the job in TNA, I can see him fitting into that overly optimistic new scientist role perfectly.

Alright, here comes the comparison where Undertale spoilers come into play.

So about halfway through Undertale, you'll run into a character named Alphys. She's a quiet, awkward, introverted scientist who lives by herself and seems to be distant. She likes anime and building robots and is willing to help guide the player through the Hotland area, though her creation, Mettaton, will threaten the player anyways. She also has an extreme guilt complex about something that isn't explained until later on in the story, and makes a lot of self-deprecating comments about herself.

That guilt complex, you'll later learn when you enter the "True Lab", stems from a bioengineering experiment gone horrifically wrong. While experimenting with "Determination" and studying how to possibly use monster souls to break the barrier, Alphys injects several fallen monsters with Determination, which causes them to melt together and become the Amalgamates. That extreme guilt complex that causes her to self-deprecate and isolate herself, avoiding others, is the direct reaction to the horrifying crimes against humanity she accidentally created while trying to do good for her people. Above all else, Alphys fears the public's reactions, so she isolates herself in her lab, avoiding questions from those who wonder where she went, despite people sending letters.

I think a very interesting direction to take Tord would be similar to Alphys's subplot in Undertale, though obviously not exactly the same. I can see it going like this: Tord experiments with cloning using his own DNA, wanting to make some kind of name for himself with a big breakthrough. He keeps the clone in the tube and monitors its development, asking it questions, seeing how its personality evolves. The clone, however, despises Tord and views himself as a superior replacement. Clord (as I'll be referring to him here) wants power and control, seeing himself as a superior lifeform to some extent. One day, he manages to break free, injuring himself in the process, and escapes. Using the memories that were implanted of Tord's own life, he's easily able to gain access to his 'little' robotics experiment back home and use it to his advantage.

Tord, in reaction to Clord's escape, is terrified of how the higher-ups at ReDeux would react, and of the potential danger that he created that has just escaped out into the world. He isolates himself, avoiding contact from those who care about him who want to know what he's doing. He stays in his apartment most day, resentful of himself for playing God and creating something this dangerous. He grows paranoid, distant, and shuts out the world around him.

Clord, meanwhile, takes on the public (kind of) role of his creator. He fills his void. He can pass any biometric security ReDeux might have easily, being a genetic copy, which allows him access to Tord's research and tools. He reaches out to Edd and the others, wanting to gain access to the robot via social engineering, thus putting his plan in motion.

Anyways, I think Tord is probably isolating himself in his apartment by the time the Big Episode starts, and he's forced to face the reality and consequences of his actions by Eduardo literally blowing a hole through his wall.

That's all just speculation though! I can't wait to see how things actually end up progressing. I think it will be interesting no matter what direction they go in. And maybe if my ideas end up being way off, I'll end up writing a fic or something, because I can't stop rotating them in my brain lately!

I’m asking this mainly for my Au all I got is Gold, Ridgewells, and Larkson is there any others I should know?