From: dvandom@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Dave Van Domelen)
Subject: Other Cerebus #166 stuff and maybe spoilers
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 17:37:07 GMT

Well, I'll probably be giving away huge chunks of plot, so I'd better page 
down....






















Y'know, maybe the Fleagle bros should have woken Cerebus....  He certainly 
seems to be wielding vast power at the subconsious level now.  Now, whether it
is HIS power, or someone else's power using him as a conduit is uncertain.
     Opening pages of the dream: Chessboard coming asunder, Missy is a fallen 
piece (broken on the ground) but Cerebus holds a miniature Jaka in his arms in 
Missy's stead, Lord Julius piece is starting to crumble, Astoria chesspiece is 
wearing the papal "scarf" (yeah, I forgot the real name of that thing).  A 
black tower is crumblng as Cerebus watches, and is falling on Po.  One square 
has been impacted by a blackened sphere, presumably of Gold, and a trio of 
smaller spheres float above the next square over.  In the background, 
overwhelmingly large, is the Sun, or perhaps Terim herself.  Whew.  Lots of 
symbolism for us to unravel on racm for the next few months.
     Cerebus starts to sleepwalk, and in his dream he is the Pope again with 
the golden sphere.  It is interesting to note that while he is actually 
climbing stairs, he dreams he is descending, perhaps from the Ascension.
     Next Dream bit: Cerebus in full armor is defending a full-size Jaka, and 
his sword has been anointed with some sort of magic.  A pair of gold spheres 
float near the crater from which he pulled his sword, so perhaps it is the 
larger sphere from the first pages, but melted and glowing.  Skulls that are 
smaller versions of those in the Tower float above a restored chessboard.  In 
the background is the Moon rising over a mountain range.
     We don't get to see what Cerebus thinks he's doing as he raises his sword 
and the Tower rises with it, or when he belches and causes the tower to 
collapse.  He then goes inside and kisses Missy before falling back into 
dreamless sleep.
     Okay, analysis time.  The first part is Astoria gaining ascendance, Julius
starting to lose power, and Po's plans falling apart, if not his very world.
     However, Cerebus reacts to this disturbing idea by seizing the papacy and 
power back from Astoria, and the living, vibrant female presence of Terim as 
the Sun is replaced by the dead presence of terim as the moon as Cerebus 
reasserts his Tarimite, male-dominated viewpoint in his dreams.  He is 
protecting Jaka from some unseen (to the reader) menace, and we can guess that 
he destroys that menace in the dream, thus physically destroying a great deal 
of the Cirinists' hold in reality by dropping the Black Tower on them.
     Okay, now to integrate the chessboard on the cover into this.  Two queens 
are adjacent, and the red queen is separated from her forces.  Whoever's move 
this is can freely destroy the other, since none of the red pieces are in a 
threatening position.  However, there is no King, unless we consider Cerebus o 
be the King.  If so, he has risen far above the board, which is crumbling, and 
will survive the destruction wrought by the queens.  Yet he is oblivious to it 
all, being asleep.
     Therefore, the plots and machinations of the females are collapsing upon 
themselves while the sleeping Cerebus wreaks horrible damage to both sides and 
starts the pendulum swinging back to the side of the males.  However, since he 
is unlikely to have conscious control of his abilities, once he awakens he will
be in a verrrrry untenable position.
     Dave Van Domelen, boy will Elf be pissed at Cerebus...he dropped the Black
Tower on half of the Regency!
Organization: Senior, Math/Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA