Chapter Text
Subspace!
8w7 567 sx/sp. (sx5.)
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I HATE BLACKROCK!!! x2.
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Subspace is such an endearing presence to me. Besides the obvious “manic scientist” act he carries, he is rich in character and ability.
Although I do wish his potential was used more in common dialogue, his lore more than makes up for it. Alongside Medkit, he has some of the most interesting backgrounds.
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Subspace’s personality is… confusing, to say the very least.
It’s self explanatory through his interactions in game Subspace is very expressive, foiled, and almost comedically evil. He has common catchphrases you might see in Team Rocket from Pokemon - and is generally considered goofy.
“Any kind of music you like, Subspace?” -Boombox.
“The screams of my victims!” -Subspace.
(I would also like to note that a possible dialogue when you play Subspace and spawn into Crossroads is “So sunny…” This has no real substance other than showing Subspace has never seen outside of Blackrock. I think it’s cute, and also crazy sad. :(
Subspace is interesting in the way he is portrayed as satirical and overly dramatic in common interactions in-game. However, when you take a look at his backstory, he is actually heavily convoluted and influenced.
He has a fixation on control. The rules are something he can depend on and double back to, even if he doesn’t agree with them. It’s because of this that Medkit was such a staple in his story; as he went against everything that was “safe” for Subspace. Subspace villainized rebellion and freedom because that was Blackrock drilled into him, not because he thinks of it himself.
Medkit’s act of defiance was terrifying to him. Even though it was as simple as having different ideals than him, it still shook his foundation and recommended the idea of free speech. Medkit directly fighting back only cemented this idea. When the incident struck, not only was Subspace hospitalized and groomed on the idea that Medkit was “evil,” but he was also fully convinced that individuality was fatal.
Subspace and Medkit are products of their environment. Their reactions and motivations clash, but they mirror. They’re both horrible, terrified people. Neither has more responsibility for the incident than the other, and the belief that they do is harmful and a bad idea of morality. Saying Medkit or Subspace did “worse” or “more” is incorrect as of now in the lore.
Blackrock saw this opportunity for obedience and took it.
Subspace is a brilliant scientist, and his mind is sharp as a whip. He is a genius when it comes to researching crystals and Energy Dead Zones.
Although, I would like to go a step further and say Subspace is deeply obsessed with his profession.
Every newspawn scientist at Blackrock was groomed, flat out. Not sexually that we know of, but for success. Fame is just a concept, dedication is what matters in Blackrock’s government. Your name will never matter unless you can provide something truly groundbreaking.
Isolation is rewarded. Defiance is punished. When you don’t know any better, your choice will be obedience and passive as possible.
Subspace understood this very well, and scaled the ranks through his first conflict. The government wanted the scientists to compete, to fight tooth and nail to try and reach the top. He fulfilled this, and got rewarded. This only enforced Blackrock’s lessons.
Dare I say, Subspace reacted in a way any other Blackrock newspawn would’ve. Ripping out someone’s eye? Probably not, but we don’t know the measures of violence that these punishments go through. All the same, Subspace isn’t to blame for how he acted, and nor is Medkit.
Subspace is selfish. I imagine he wouldn’t be pre-incident, but the way he got promoted helped him see others as obstacles, not possible comrades.
That isn’t to say Subspace is inherently evil. He simply fails to be self aware after Blackrock’s actions against him.
Subspace would have PSTD, or post traumatic stress disorder. This affects him as it does to Medkit, heavy isolation and frequent, confusing nightmares. Subspace has a lingering sense of dread and duty, but sometimes being around his ever growing armies of Biografts helps muffle it.
Subspace is stuck in a constant state of faked euphoria. He fears if he’s too serious, too much, too little, that he will be punished. His need for control and his fear of authority is what controls him more than anything else. I don’t think all of his playfulness is entirely faked - Subspace does have genuine joy in his life.
For one, he enjoys his work, his Biografts, and his intellect. He relishes in the feeling of being better than others, and I would imagine he has a bit of an ego… unless talking to someone higher ranked.
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Physically, Subspace stands at 5’11, has ribs sharply jutting out of his body, weak knees, and defined elbows. He is angular and dangerously thin thanks to his condition, and has a crystal hanging above head.
He is shown in some Sodakettle sketches to have sharp, ridged teeth. He has dark shadows underneath his eyes, and most prominently, a fatal rot that swallows a large fraction of his body.
In appearance, the rot seems to be a blistering, highly sensitive chemical burn. This is likely because of the crystal imploding, which has 1.51 × 10¹⁰ Joules (15.13 Gigajoules) and therefor is enough to actually explode him.
The reason he hasn’t is beyond me. I imagine the skin beneath is a rotting water balloon of a body, meaning a sharp puncture would essentially be the death of him. His organs would literally spill out and a massive bolt of light would kill the energy in atoms around him, resulting in a small atomic bomb. (Also apart of the idea I have for the conceptualization of crystals.)
Because of this, he’s fiercely isolated. Blackrock doesn’t want their praised robotic leader to completely dissipate, so the only inphernals that can come in contact are his carefully monitored Biografts and Hyperlaser. Even then, Subspace prefers to operate by himself and reject social situations, as they bore him.
Subspace would have mildly polished horns. I think that he would forget to tend to them a lot, especially considering his obsessive work ethic.
I imagine he would have an enteral feeding bag to directly supply him through his stomach. It’s hard for him to eat because half of his jaw is rotted away, but he still needs nourishment. The main reason he’s still skinny is because Blackrock will take away his sustenance if he fails at an assignment. He additionally simply forgets, and has Biografts to remind him and aid him in feeding.
If he had better foods to inject into the bag, he would most likely be much healthier and bulkier. However, Blackrock mainly supplies cheese, tasteless meat paste, and milk as they stay preserved in the cold wasteland easiest. Even then, Blackrock typically keeps their citizens skinny to maintain obedience.
(Notably, this is leading a lot of their population to die. This is part of the reason why they want a fully artificial army.)
Subspace commonly has a sneer/scowl on his face, but I also think this is because half of his face is drooping and blistered from chemical burns.
He wears a standard Blackrock uniform, a gas mask, and an eyepatch. He notably has a bag attached to his left hip, which I imagine is either full of explosives or medical gear on the rare occasions he does go out.
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Relationships are generally frowned upon in the Inpherno; although not to the point of discrimination.
Inphernals have two categories of relationships- primal and spiritual.
Spiritual is moreso our standard relationship - love, care, and tenderness that require a careful amount of focus and patience. That kind of attraction is incredibly hard to find in a pair of inphernals, and is often fraternized or misunderstood as codependency. Inphernals with this type of attraction are not monogamous and can change partners whenever they want.
Primal attraction is the same kind of magnetic pull two animals might have. It’s far more common in inphernals, being for whatever benefits the other can give them. Because inphernals don’t mate, it’s a possessive claim on another. Inphernals with this type of attraction are monogamous.
(Yes I’m going to say that again.)
Subspace feels no romantic connection. Not only was he influenced to be explicitly against the idea of relationships, he feels only strong platonic emotions.
He feels a strong bond with his Biografts and Hyperlaser, but that’s it. He is prone to shy away from any kind of intimate reaction, and instead fixates on his studies. Subspace’s PTSD also makes him paranoid that any love is against Blackrock policy and he would be severely punished anyways.
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Personal headcanons for Subby:
Subspace finds himself pacing often, usually in circles.
Despite being heavily talented in science, he’s completely awful at math. He will do anything to avoid math.
Subspace has quick handwork.
He enjoys presenting “femininely,” especially silk robes, dresses, and any form of makeup. It makes him feel pretty.
Subspace actually doesn’t mind the stares when he goes out. The eyes on his chemical burns just feel like praise at some point.
Subspace has made many newspawns cry.
Despite having an enteral bag, he can currently eat soft, bland foods. Rice is a particular favorite of his, and he’s tried every kind of bread.
Subspace sucks at lying.
He loves teasing other people, and not always maliciously. Sometimes it’s just a fresh breath of interaction. Hyperlaser is his favorite to ragebait.
Subspace is highly defensive of his gear, and won’t let anyone touch it no matter what. He once had a full blown meltdown when a Biograft nudged his subspace.
Subspace is trying to convert his knowledge and consciousness into a Biograft so he could keep living. (Although, as his condition grows worse he’s considering giving up.)
Subspace is rotting from the outside in. His lungs are fragile and fickle, and stuffy air feels fatal. This is why he wears a gas mask.
Subspace can drink fluids. He loves crispy water and strawberry milkshakes.
His favorite color is the glittery white of the sun on frost.
Pre-incident, Subspace used to dunk himself in the freezing cold glacier lakes, and adventure over black ice sheets. He enjoyed exploring a lot.
Subspace watches a lot of nature documentaries. They help calm him.
Subspace has awful, frequent nightmares and problems at night when he thinks of Medkit. Even though he was rewarded and taught that he did the right thing, he is still tortured by thoughts of guilt.
He has to sleep with something in between his legs. It’s not anything specific, but it’s comfortable. He opts for pillows.
Subspace finds himself very handsome, but is annoyed about his chemical sensitivity.
He is currently searching for a cure in his downtime, and he’s making good progress.
Subspace is the biggest hypocrite ever. Even with something as simple as swearing, he will swear for you to never say anything, while cursing in the same breath.
He wants a hug.
Subspace used to be pretty strong, and would carry the younger scientists on his shoulders if they were being annoying.
Subspace’s fixation on control and work slowly consumes his energy. His personal Biografts are very patient with him.
Subspace sleeps in a very lavish bed.
Subspace has a very strict, very rigid shower routine. If he is even two minutes off schedule, he gets extremely sad.
Blackrock pays for the majority of Subspace’s medical expenses and repairs. This leaves him completely dependent.
If Subspace was humanized, he would be a black person with albinism. Argue with the wall.
His favorite animals are caribous.
He loses every. single. game of uno. He gets unimaginably angry at Hyperlaser, and gets even more mad when he laughs at him.
Subspace probably doesn’t like you.
He has a slight lisp from his mouth being rotted, sometimes making it an ordeal to command his army of Biografts. (Especially when they get up to some bullshit.)
Subspace managed to avoid all of the class lessons ingraining racism, somehow. Other inphernals think his lack of discrimination is “weird.”
Subspace is angry as hell.
He learned he could get safely intoxicated and drinks red wine whenever it’s imported from Lost Temple’s reserves.
Subspace likes himself.
He actually reduced his rot by a good amount during a life threatening experiment. However, he can’t repeat it or he will literally explode.