The Pink Corruption Virus

> The Pink Corruption was uh... a virus created by that monster to take control of the shapes. The virus was very contagious, just one touch from it can infect a shape in minutes.
>
> Cube explaining to Cyan about the virus to him in Season 1 Ep 1.

## Pink Corruption Virus

Pink Corruption described by Cube in Season 1, Episode 1.

## General Information

### Inhabitants

Dub and Barracuda (Creators)

**The Pink Corruption** is one of the main antagonistic threats in the Pink Corruption Series (Both Continuations). It is a titular virus that corrupts and dements its victims.

## **Symbolism**

The Pink Corruption Virus is symbolized by the distinct pink octagram shape, which replaces the triangle marking of pure shapes after getting infected.

## **Uses**

It appears that corrupted shapes have communication devices to serve as a means of communication, allowing them to contact Dub or other corrupts during missions.

## **History**

### **Past**

The origin of how the Pink Corruption virus was actually created from Dub and Barracuda is currently mostly unknown. However, all we do know is that according to what Pyrare said, it first happened when Dub and Pyrare's son, Barracuda started to form a bond and teamed up together to start making the virus and how to spread it across Paradise.

## **Symptoms**

> Oh boy, well... we saw a shape that just started to sweat a lot. Then he started to turn pink! And started to spread it to anyone around him.
>
> Lythorus starts explaining how the symptoms of the virus work in Season 1, Ep 1.

The Pink Corruption Virus is highly contagious, a single touch can infect a shape within minutes or possibly even seconds, except for Heroes, who get a piece broken off of their head instead.

### **Infection**

Although the Pink Corruption Virus shares some similarities with the common cold, its effects are drastically different. While the symptoms are delayed in caretakers, heroes do not experience any symptoms but instead sustain damage and run the risk of fracturing into multiple pieces, like shattering glass.

Those infected by The Pink Corruption will start experiencing symptoms such as:

* Sweating excessively, like a fever.
* Involuntarily jerk their head and body backward from time to time, briefly flickering the color pink as this happens.
* Difficulty of standing.
* Trouble Speaking.
* Panting heavily.

### **Personality Change**

Psychologically, Corrupts exhibit a notable change in personality compared to their pure counterparts, displaying increased levels of aggression, rudeness, cockiness, and confidence. Corrupt shapes are likely to insult individuals who are not corrupted, while insults between corrupt individuals tend to be rare and only used for those of a lower status.

### **Purification**

Shapes that have been exposed to a hero's purification blast or a caretaker's triangle for an extended duration may be restored to their original color. Upon purification, the shape may exhibit a few minor symptoms prior to regaining full consciousness, such as:

* Passing Out
* Disorientation and Dizziness

Shortly after, the shape will have fully recovered and resumed their normal activities, unless they become corrupted again.

Cube, despite only being half-corrupted at the time of purification, did not receive a full cleansing blast from the Heroes and instead only received temporary treatment from Iris's orange triangle. This suggests that the purification powers of the Heroes are more potent than those of the caretakers' triangles, leading to the possibility of Circumsphere being re-infected, as was seen in Season 1, Episode 6.

Purifying a corrupted shape can prove to be a difficult task because they will do whatever they can to avoid the eventuality of shapes trying to purify them. This is particularly true in the case of heroes, as killing and corrupting the purifying shapes becomes an even graver threat.

### **Permanent**

As previously mentioned, Dub and Barracuda are the only monster shapes confirmed to be in a permanent state of corruption, rendering them unable to be purified, regardless of whether they choose to reform. This is exemplified in the short animation "Cube's Concert," where Dub is seen remaining in his corrupted state.

### **Resurrected**

The Circubit's Past video implies that deceased shapes can be resurrected as undead corrupts, as evidenced by the appearance of a mysterious creature known as La Danse Macabre. We don't possibly know for certain if after being revived gives you reoccurring flashbacks and seeing your pure counterpart's color such as Circubit, who was dealing with.

### **Mind Controlled**

It was seen that whenever pure shapes get latched onto Circubit's musical notes weapon, they will experience these following symptoms after getting their minds controlled.

* Pink eyes.
* Perpetually smiling.
* No sense of control of their bodies and minds.

When a pure shape is subjected to Circubit's musical notes weapon, they are left with a permanent smile and pink eyes, which contributes to their unsettling appearance around others. This process strips them of their control over their bodies and minds, resulting in involuntary attacks against other non-mind controlled shapes using their abilities. Interestingly, shapes while still mind controlled, will retain their original pure coloration while remaining under Circubit's control.

## **Powers and Abilities**

Accordingly, The Pink Corruption appears to be able to give pure shapes that were turned into corrupted shapes and giving them newfound powers. Some of the abilities are Pink Corruption-related while some aren't. These are the abilities that have been seen thus far:

* **Corruption -** The most significant ability exhibited by Corrupts is their ability to infect others. They can corrupt individuals through either physical or non-physical means, utilizing their powers to achieve this. Any object or living being that comes into contact with a Corrupt turns pink, indicating infection.
* **Pink Corruption Manipulation -** It is shown that some corrupted shapes can influence and control the virus. An example of this is in Season 1 Episode 5, when Ajaceare starts influencing Cube's infection, making him lose control easily.
* **Extrasensory Perception -** Sensing is a sixth sense ability that enables them to detect shapes nearby or at far distances who don't or carry the virus within them, such as Cube. Ajaceare demonstrates this by detecting the presence of one or more shapes nearby without relying on sight or sound. Likewise, Cubic also displays this ability by using it to locate and track Cube's whereabouts.
* **Mind Manipulation -** Once a pure shape has been completely corrupted, the host loses control over their minds and bodies, preventing them from retaining full control. However, there have been instances where pure shapes attempt to resist and try to regain control. For example, when Purpex tries to gain control over her body for a brief moment in the Hexacrigon boss level, but unfortunately fails regardless.
	+ **Mind Control -** Another example of this ability is in Circubit's backstory video can be seen in one of the upcoming villain characters, Circubit in the second season of the Pink Corruption (Non-canon continuation). After he has been resurrected and corrupted, it appears that he's musical note weapon has acquired him a new skill to control minds through his music.
* **Dream Manipulation -** It appears that corrupts inhabiting partially-infected shapes seemingly may have the ability to influence their hosts’ dreams. Cubic is a possible example of this, as he is capable of interacting with Cube in his soul while he sleeps and may also be able to manipulate his dreams too into bad ones. This is demonstrated when Cube experiences a nightmare that was likely created by Cubic.
* **Purification Immunity -** Corrupts that are perma-corrupts are resistant to being cured. Dub and Barracuda, as the controllers of the virus, appear to be immune to purification.
* **Regeneration -** It is possible that corrupts possess regenerative abilities. For example, after Iris slices off a portion of Dub's hair, Dub promptly regenerates the missing hair.
* **Controllable/Holdable Weapons -** Corrupts appear to gain more weapons than their pure counterpart, mostly commonly seen for controllable weapons within the boss level sequences.

## **Clone Making**

Dub possesses a unique ability to generate clones of previous corrupts that have been purified by using the virus. However, it should be noted that Dub with the Pink Corruption Virus can only produce a clone if he gathers a sufficient amount of data from the host. In Season 1, Episode 7, Cubic revealed that resurrected corrupts, who serve as clones, are incapable of maintaining their physical form without a host. This is likely attributed to the clone's diminished power and strength, which are essential for sustaining their physical presence without merging with their pure counterpart again.

## **Physical Traits and Clothing**

Corrupts can acquire distinct physical traits such as the growth of hair. Generally, corrupts are considered separate individuals from their pure counterparts. In addition to physical changes, clothing and accessories may also differ. As seen in Season 1, Episode 9 of Hexagram, the Corrupt's counterpart donned a new outfit with a Viking hat.

## **Relationships**

Corrupted shapes can only get along with those their uncorrupted selves get along with. Examples include Cubic and Lycanthropy (Cube and Lythorus), and Commando Circumcannon and Cintagram (Commando Cirumsphere and Cintagon).

## **Types**

### **Danger Level**

**The Danger Level** describes how dangerous the type of corrupted shape is, depending on how low or high their presence is.

* **Low -** Low-level Corrupted Shapes are the least dangerous type of Corrupted Shape. While they still pose a hostile threat by infecting others with the Pink Corruption Virus, they lack certain abilities that would make them more dangerous. For example, they may not possess strong powers or weapons. Despite their lack of abilities, Low-level Corrupted Shapes can still cause harm to others and areas such as corrupting and spreading the virus. However, the extent of the harm is typically limited or maybe not.
* **Moderate -** Moderate-level Corrupted Shapes are a more serious threat than Low-level Corrupted Shapes. They have the potential to cause more harm and should be taken more seriously. may possess a controllable/holdable weapon, a special ability or tactics that make them more dangerous such as corrupted flowers being in hordes.
* **High -** High-level Corrupted Shapes are the most dangerous type, possessing powerful holdable/controllable weapons, special powers, and immense natural-born abilities that make them deadly and highly skilled in combat to defend against. They can cause bigger disasters such as destroying villages, houses, and even worse, infecting parts or areas of Paradise with ease.

## **Weaknesses**

### **The Heroes**

The heroes themselves are immune to infection and will shatter like glass after receiving three to six hits. Furthermore, they possess the ability to purify the pink corruption virus.

### **The Caretakers**

Cube's bond with his hero, Cyan, appeared to offer him some degree of protection against the pink corruption virus. It is unclear if this applies to other caretakers, but other corrupts seem to be aware that caretakers are corrupted at a slower rate. Nevertheless, Cubic, Cube's corrupted half, was still present and active in his soul. His aim was to become powerful enough to take control completely, and he believed that Cube's connection with Cyan would aid him in achieving this as his primary objective. It is uncertain, however, how this would be possible.

### **Creatures**

It appears that some creature characters, such as Ketches have been shown to be immune to The Pink Corruption for riding down corrupted streams and lakes without turning into a corrupted creature. Copter, on the other hand, was never seen being exposed to The Pink Corruption, however, it could be possible that she's immune to as Ketches. Although, it could be possible that it has something to do with the Tree of Life.

## **Cures**

### **Tree Purification**

This type of cure is used for temporary cure shapes not permanent. Iris employed this tactic to prevent Cube from losing control of his infection despite his best efforts. Similarly, he also used it on Commando Circumsphere in Episode 5, but unfortunately, he returned to a corrupted state in the next episode.

### **Heroes' Mature Form**

For example, Cyan, in his second maturity, demonstrated his increased purification powers by instantly curing Cube and destroying Cubic once and for all. However, it was also revealed that even a formerly infected shape can be re-infected again.

## **Trivia**

* So far, we don't really know how the Pink Corruption Virus was actually created.
* In Season 1, Episode 9, it is implied that corrupted shapes could in fact disguise themselves as fake pure shapes to trick others into thinking they aren't infected.
* Brittany Robinson confirmed that we will see more unusual things the Pink Corruption Virus can do in season 2.

## **References**

1. ↑ [1] How the Pink Corruption Virus creates clones.
2. ↑ [2] How relationships with corrupted shapes work.