Theories

Theories on Tunic's lore.

Fairies and Constructs

Theories on Fairies, spiritual awakening and communication, the ancient civilization's use of souls, adaptive roles of Fairies and constructs, and the fulcrum and The Far Shore in Tunic.

1. Fairies as Caretakers and Preservers

Core Idea: Fairies aren't just aggressive defenders; they play a crucial role in maintaining and preserving constructs like the Siege Engine.

2. Spiritual Awakening and Communication

Core Idea: The player's journey in Tunic is deeply spiritual, symbolized by actions and interactions that highlight a connection with the ancient civilization's spiritual realm.

3. Ancient Civilization's Use of Souls

Core Idea: The ancient civilization used living souls to power their constructs, adding a darker layer to the game's lore.

4. Adaptive Roles of Fairies and Constructs

Core Idea: The roles of Fairies and constructs have evolved over time, adapting from their original purposes to meet the changing needs of their environment.

5. The Fulcrum and The Far Shore

Core Idea: The fulcrum is both the central idea of the ancient civilization and The Far Shore that shatters, symbolizing their achievements and fragility.

Squirming Coil Timeline

The theory of the squirming coil timeline in Tunic.

Core Idea: The concept of time in Tunic is a squirming coil, indicating a non-linear progression that still moves forward, with no beginning and no end.

Evidence: Page 4 of the instruction manual states that there is no beginning and no end, supporting the idea of a cyclical timeline that intertwines past, present, and future, tuning into a coil rather than a simple loop.

Supporting Points:

  • Endless Coils: Time is not linear but a series of interconnected coils, with each cycle bringing new changes and evolutions.

  • Spiritual and Temporal Journey: The player's journey involves reliving past events while moving towards an ultimate goal or enlightenment.

  • Fulcrum's Role: The fulcrum maintains the balance within these coils, ensuring a forward trajectory despite the cyclical nature of events.

Lever and Its Owner

The theory of the lever and its owner in Tunic.

Lever

The world of Tunic is the "lever," and the lever has a connection to the player's world, which is why the player plays as the Ruin Seeker and can control their every move. The "lever" is metaphorical, as while there may not be a physical lever, it functions as a connection to the player's world.

The Canonical Plane, the world of Tunic, is also the bar for the "lever." In science, there are three type of levers, and this would function as a first class lever. The effort force is the player controlling the Ruin Seeker, the load is the Ruin Seeker themselves, and The Far Shore is the fulcrum (the point at which one pivots the lever bar). This is the connection on how the player is able to control the Ruin Seeker.

Potential Prequel

When the player begins to control the lever too much, The Far Shore (fulcrum) breaks. There is proof of this with the map of The Far Shore, as it looks like a broken shard, and most of the map is not there. Because of it breaking, the player was unable to control the Ruin Seeker, so a war broke out between the ancient foxes and the Disquiet Beings.

This suggest there will be a game prequel, because there needs to be someone controlling the Ruin Seeker before the events of the game so that the lever becomes overworked. The world which the player is unable to control is in ruin, and the fulcrum is restored via The Heir. The player can have control again as the future Heir, or as the Ruin Seeker they typically control.

Supporting Evidence

Page 4 of the instruction manual substantiates this theory, by stating "the" lever rather than "a" lever when describing "the lever overworked," but stating "a" lever" rather than "the" lever on page 3, describing "a lever in the Canonical Plane."

The Lost Echo description on page 39 states: "An ECHO-OF-SELF from a past Ruin Seeker whose owner gave up. Watch and listen closely and release it from its agony." Lost Echoes have owners, so the player is the owner through the lever. Both the Ruin Seeker and the original hero are referred to as the "hero" in various cases, so this can mean that the player controlled the hero before the game, giving a reason on why the lever was (or is) overworked.