Ayreon/Headscratchers

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • If the "time telepathy" technology used in the Final Experiment was originally developed by the Forevers, why didn't they just use it on themselves to warn themselves against losing their emotions in the first place?
    • Maybe they did, but the people who they contacted didn't listen or weren't able to stop it.
  • The Universal Migrator tells Ayreon that "our souls can never die." What about the billions of others who just perished in the war? Was there something special about Ayreon?
  • If the Futureman in Into the Electric Castle is really the Last Colonist (per Word of God), why does he describe a functioning interplanetary society? And why is the future shown to him one of humanity losing its emotions, when humanity is already gone?
    • This troper always assumed that the really bad stuff that killed everyone happened after the events of Into the Electric Castle. And maybe the Forever in control of the Electric Castle was just trying to psyche him out.
  • one thing that i don't understand about the end of the human equation is: were me, wife and best frind created as part of the dream sequecer program or did the program played is me's head?
    • This troper is certain that the whole story of The Human Equation album is just a dream, it never really happened. The dream is done, Dream Sequencer offline. That's how it seems to be for this troper.
    • The Dream Sequencer does not create dreams out of nowhere: rather, it allows the "dreamer" to see things through the eyes of others. Hence, Me and others certainly did exist, and the Forever used the Sequencer to observe them.
  • If the Forevers had the time telepathy technology, why didn't they use it on themselves? And if Merlin saw that Ayreon's prophecies were true, why didn't he warn everyone?
    • Also, the Forevers claim to be unable to feel emotions, yet they want to feel them again. Isn't desire an emotion in itself? "Forever" Of The Stars himself sounds VERY emotional at times (usually happy/enthusiastic, though in a sadistic way) though he might just be very good at faking it. It might also be that Into The Electric Castle takes place AFTER The Human Equation, which is when "Forever" Of The Stars regained his ability to feel emotions. Considering that "Forever" Of The Stars dies at the end of Into The Electric Castle this might actually be plausible.
      • I always assumed that it was some kind of a mask over his real voice, hence why it goes totally emotionless when the charade goes away in Forever of the Stars
      • For another example, look at 01011001. The Forevers talk about having no emotions, but look at the emotions they do express. Melancholy. Sadness. Disappointment. Hope. Maybe even a little anger. The Forevers aren't emotionless, they're just depressed.
        • Well, completely emotionless music would be pretty boring to listen to.
    • I think Merlin did, but since he's regarded as a myth by modern society, his warning ended up "Just a line in some ancient lore."
      • Actually, Merlin promises that the message will be once again heard at the end of the 20th century. The Final Experiment (the album) was released in 1995. Still not making sense? The very last line on the CD says, "The outcome of the Final Experiment has now been placed in your hands." Talk about Breaking the Fourth Wall.