The Future (Stevens)

**The Future** (also known as Steven prophecies) is a group of small challenge areas accessed by talking to **Stevens**. Each Steven asks Ash to present a certain amount of collected tumors before he can enter the respective challenge area. Levels of The Future share their visual theme and a lot of their mechanics with Nevermore.

Each section of The Future consists of two levels and contains one of the four Iron cartridges at the end.

Collecting all four Iron cartridges allows Ash to access the Tower of Ascension cartridge from his gaming console.

## Steven I

First Steven can be found in Arid Flats 5 and asks Ash to present 50 collected tumors. The gameplay of this area is based around falling platforms, turning each level into a timed challenge.

The area contains the Denial cartridge.

**Dialogue below tumor requirement:**

```
would you like to see your fate?

this ride requires 50 lifetimes of suffering to enter

please return when your tumor has grown

we will be waiting
```

**Tumor requirement met:**

```
mmmmmmm!

you reek of sadness!

please poke your head into the future!
```

* The Future I level 1
* The Future I level 2

## Steven II

Second Steven can be found in Golgotha 21 and asks Ash to present 100 collected tumors. The platform Steven is on is accessed by getting onto the hook above the center of the level and passing through the fake wall right above the hook. The gameplay of the second Future area involves water, thistlefish, and "weighted" platforms, which sink while Ash stands on them, much like the clouds in Wall of Sorrow.

The area contains the Anger cartridge.

**Dialogue below tumor requirement:**

```
the mother calls out for you

she requires 100 souls to allow entry

come back when you have harvested more

hurry, she grows impatient
```

**Tumor requirement met:**

```
the mother is pleased with your offering

you may enter her kingdom

. . .
```

* The Future II level 1
* The Future II level 2

## Steven III

Third Steven can be found in SS Exodus 7 and asks Ash to present 170 collected tumors. The gameplay of this area consists of collecting buttons on platforms moving from side to side, with musks chasing after Ash.

The area contains the Bargaining cartridge.

**Dialogue below tumor requirement:**

```
we are the future!

170 is the number required

when you can count that high

we will allow entry
```

**Tumor requirement met:**

```
my third eye is twitching

are you ready to receive our gift?

. . .
```

* The Future III level 1
* The Future III level 2

## Steven IV

Fourth Steven can be found in The End 0 and asks Ash to present 300 collected tumors. The gameplay of his area involves turrets and platforms continuously moving vertically across the screen.

The area contains the Depression cartridge.

**Dialogue below tumor requirement:**

```
guh . . . guh . . .

i hunger . . .

300 . . .

must be blood

must be fresh

. . .

feed me . . .
```

**Tumor requirement met:**

```
. . .

grumble

grumble

. . .
```

* The Future IV level 1
* The Future IV level 2

## Individual level pages

Links to individual level pages

* The Future 1
* The Future 2
* The Future 3
* The Future 4
* The Future 5
* The Future 6
* The Future 7
* The Future 8

## Enemies

The Future features a wide variety of enemies due to being separated into four distinct areas gameplay-wise:

* Ogles - round fleshy blobs that come in two sizes (big ogles and smaller oogles). They can be seen all over The Future and act as passive obstacles, similar to spikes. Touching an ogle kills Ash.
* Mother - a mass of flesh covering parts of The Future. When Ash gets close enough, Mother begins to expand in his direction, following Ash indefinitely as long as he is in range. If Ash gets far enough away, Mother will start retracting to its original position. Touching the flesh will kill Ash.
* Thistlefish - hostile fish which will chase Ash in the water. Thistlefish will approach Ash slowly if he is far away and quickly dash towards him within certain range. If the fish manages to jump out of water and onto a solid platform, it will flop around unpredictably, attempting to get back into water. Touching the thistlefish kills Ash.
* Musks - relatively large flying blobs, marked by a cross on their head. After noticing Ash for the first time, the musk will start following him. When close enough to Ash, the musk will charge towards him with a loud growl. Touching the musk kills Ash. Musks fly over solid blocks, but can't see Ash through a solid wall initially.
* Turret (static, single-shot) - a stationary turret firing relatively slow-moving bullets in one direction at even intervals. Touching a bullet or the turret itself kills Ash.

## Trivia

* The music theme of The Future is a remix of the second section of Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem (Dies Irae). The same theme is used by Nevermore.
* The Future areas are supposedly isolated sections of Nevermore, hinting at what's to come.
* The Future shares its name with the entire second part of the game, which takes place after Ash assembles his Friend. The first part of the game is referred to as The Past.
* The Future is the only area in the first part of the game in which thistlefish appear as an enemy. Outside of that one thistlefish can be found in an inaccessible part of the secret under Overflow 6.
* The dialogue of Steven IV is a reference to the film "Little Shop of Horrors".

## See also

* Nevermore - the area which shares its visual theme with The Future.
* Iron cartridges - a type of collectible exclusive to The Future.