The Scratched Universe | EP:06 PART 1 [SFM TF2 Series]
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- Опубликовано: 22 сен 2022
- Smoke & Mirrors, episode 6 of the SFM TF2 animation series - The Scratched Universe. This is the first half of the episode.
Two months of development went into this first part. The last action segments were a pain, as always. EP6 is quite frankly the most ambitious episode I've ever written yet: tons of things to discover and learn from this entry alone. The 1st part is the most tame, so when I return to continue with the 2nd part, be ready.
PATREON ► / blackimus
SPECIAL THANKS:
1. HoovyTube - For his downloadable particle work
[ • [SFM] Scout Enhanced P... ]
2. 15.ai - used through out the whole episode.
3. Überduck - used in the last unique sentence said by KIA at the end of the video.
CREDITS:
1. Source Filmmaker and Team Fortress 2 assets - owned by Valve
2. Any and all custom content assets (SFM and GMod's Steam Workshop; TF2Maps.net) used throughout the video belong to their rightful owners from the communities!
MUSIC:
1. Royalty Free Music from TwistedTracks
2. Will Osborne & His Orchestra - Water Under The Bridge (1934)
[ • Will Osborne & His Orc... ]
3. PAYDAY - The Game Soundtrack - 06. Stone Cold - By Simon Viklund
4. SOMA OST - Jin Yoshida by Mikko Tarmia
5. Halo 4 - Never Forget (Midnight Version) by Neil Davidge and Kazuma Jinnouchi
6. Weather Report's Theme [Orchestra Cover] by Renatto Nuñez
[ • JoJo's Stone Ocean - W... ]
7. Half-Life 2: cp_violation (Remix) by KILLA
[ • Half-Life: 2 OST cp_vi... ]
#sfm #TF2Animation #TF2 #TF2Series #ScratchedUniverse #sfmanimation 
Кино
![The Scratched Universe | EP:06 PART 2 [SFM TF2 Series]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/v_Rbi4vD35s/mqdefault.jpg)
![The Scratched Universe | EP:06 PART 2 [SFM TF2 Series]](/img/tr.png)
![The Scratched Universe | EP:04 [SFM TF2 Series]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/lWO4m3BmKoU/mqdefault.jpg)
EP6 was split in two parts, here's why: 15.ai has been offline due to an update since 8th of September, I made the decision to release the first half of the episode as I consider it what's best for me, for you and for the series.
If 15.ai returns after I'm back from my break, I'll work on EP6 Part 2 and finish the episode.
Edit: it has not.
Sure, we'll be looking forward to it
You are doing great bro!
It doesn't matter if it's Two Parts or A Full Story, you are the G.O.A.T, Blackimus
We will wait as long as possible if it means seeing more of your amazing content.
Hey Blackimus! I'm youtuber in one of your 2nd QnA video! I have a question I've been meeting to ask you. (consider this one as my 4th question, because i've sort have realized I forgot to include it.) And that question is:
When HG killed the Slammer, he didn't just simply punched it, he puched it with Hamon (Jojo Reference, I get). So if Hamon exist in TSU, then are we expecting to have more Hamon users to appear in your series or is it just Heavy Guy who is the only character who can muster it?
I hope you can read this message, and I can't wait for this video to come out! even if it is a two part episode! Keep up the good work bro!
Do you have Discord Blackimus? I wanna talk something
Man, it's nice to forget about something so good and then have it pop in your recommended out of nowhere
i was just thinking this exact thought
same
exactly
every time I watch this it terrifies me though
I don't remember which moment in the series began this feeling for me but I remember in the earlier episodes every time I watched them I'd feel my heart pounding faster
even in this episode
@@powdereyes2210 same bro. same. thats the feeling of seeing real talent.
Same
Finally, a bigger leak than GTA6
Lol right
fr
Frrr
Right
Wait how was you’re comment 2 days ago when the video was posted yesterday
I love how the "je ne sais quoi" is 1. A french store, so it's run by a spy and 2. Is an expensive French store, so it's run by a spy with an unusual, that's just amazing
This episode legit gave me goosebumps. I know people are going to continue to praise your animation, as they should, but your writing has also improved and it certainly shows here. Emotions were had, I may have jumped out of my chair at points, and overall this has been my favorite episode (part) so far!
This is unironically more entertaining than most of Netflix/tv shows, keep up the great work!
yea
i agree
Agree
Agreed, good thing too it’s not on Netflix if I’m being honest. I mean it’d be a great sight to see this on an actual animation studio, let alone a TF2 show, but at the same time considering how Cartoon Studios have been treating animation, it’s kinda disappointing especially Netflix.
Fr
I knew that the Female Pyro (Smoke) is a stand user. Her stand design looks cool. Kinda look like a Mandalorian. Also Heavy and Soldier (KIA) reaction was priceless :o
Like a josuke and koichi in jjba part 4
I want to see red scout(P-Rick) join with them 😁
@@T_F_T given that he was shown humility after getting killed by jumpsuit and getting the tar beaten out of him and turned into a human pretzel, p-rick wouldnt fall too far behind, probably shown up after all hope is lost only to send a boss distorted flying with a single time stopped punch or kick
@@cybershoutmon9741 I think if P-Rick is going to join them, he'd be disruptive, and he could basically save someone during the time stop.
Here’s how I see it, KIA would be the leader, tactician, and a great fighter both in melee and ranged combat, Smoke would be the ranged support powerhouse who specializes in giving support with the gadgets they/she/he (I’ll go with they) can provide especially with the sheer force their arrows can hit at, especially that final shot at the heavy with the double hit. Heavy Guy would be the melee powerhouse, it’s not too hard to tell considering his sheer power and durability (the man’s taken like 8 knives to the back and walked it off like it was nothing) although I suspect he doesn’t risk too much with this durability factor with how he surrendered in his duel with KIA after a moment’s hesitation. And finally P-Rick, this is now fully guessing, but I’d say something like melee support, freezing time to stop threats incoming or moving allies from harm’s way. The sheer force he can hit at can also be quite helpful since it seems to focus more on knockback rather than power. Since blocked hits from Crush caused KIA some internal bleeding and an open hit from Drop-It only caused KIA a nose bleed, I can confidently say the force P-Rick can hit with his speed is weaker than Crush’s punches. Other stand users are Spy and Medic, while Spy depends on his trickery and gadgets he doesn’t have enough power to break armor that can tank his hits while Medic seems to rely on summons and although that doesn’t seem like much he has the incredibly deadly power to convert corpses to variants of distorted and has enough power to get past two armored guards which is decently high. Sorry, this was too long, went on another ramble because I like analyzing interesting characters, don’t mind any typos in this because it’s a bit hefty to re-read and it’s getting late.
I love how Jumpsuit is always silent and yet you can immediately tell what he's thinking just by his eyes.
"What do we call him? Jacket?"
You can tell he was smirking under that mask, taking that in good humor. [Hah haah, Hotline Miami refs.]
Blacimus is becoming a master at using expression to indicate what someone's thinking.
Also, DAMN.... You made the Distorted Pyro even more terrifying.... Nice use of the Half Life Barnacle.
also might show more into the origins of veerus.
i think jumpsuit was actaully intended to be an inspiration hotline miami's characters
I mean, already the Distorted Pyro was unsettling how it’s set apart from the rest. Rather than having a strange face, it’s got actual eyes, like GAD DAYUMN that’s so unsettling. Especially since we’re used to the Pyro with a gas mask and goggles, having a Pyro with realistic eyes and a nose on their mask is uncanny as all hell. Extra details like their heavy breathing, strange mouth nozzle thing, and higher durability make them even scarier compared to the rest of the distorted since it’s something we’re not used to. Their stares are also terrifying, I mean I know the models been in the TF2 workshop for awhile, but damn this is the first kind of use I’ve seen for it that’s intended to be scary. Most of the time they’re used for off putting TF2 memes, also 1:34 had me laughing for a solid minute, just the line delivery from Fixer along with Bonk-Bot just casually saying they wanted to try it and how it was good for a first try is hilarious to me.
It seems, that is not only Barnacle, but also some organic shit from Deadspace.
@@venom_spy437 Yeah I noticed that too!
I love how all the other mercs have incredibly distorted faces, but pyro has such incredibly horrifying cosmetics already blackimus didnt need to distort anything
Aw shit idc if it’s spit into a 2 parter this already looks hella good I can’t wait for it to drop
Smoke is a pretty good lad especially with His bow and arrow, she opted to use more than their stand and using it only if it's necessary
I see what you did there.
@@thomasfoster4370 yes
I also won't lie. Your voice acting has been improving immensely. I could almost feel the emotions Smoke was experiencing when they realized... They weren't alone...
It was a voice full of surprise, awe, relief and... hope. A Realization that there were others like them. A Revelation that they were no longer alone.
Honestly, Smoke and Switch are a great addition to the duo! Also, two things: One, that blue pyro killing the Scout was horrific!
that pyro probably has reached stage two.
@@thomasfoster4370 true, I noticed in Ep. 3 that the Pyro's gas mask filter opened and wondered what it was about. Now I know-
Smoke introduction was unexpected but a very welcoming one. I love them.
Hearing their voice was unexpected, making the audience questions their gender but i really like how you handle it in the scene. And i love their stand abilities! Can't wait for part 2!!
Yeah, Smoke kinda soundin masculine, but im invested
Smoke is what we called in the business
Dr girlfriend
@@WrongNumber76 You sir, deserve a medal. I literally thought the same thing
@@chanceamirian6522 hell yeah
@@WrongNumber76 Go Team Venture
*Smoke just became the singularly most terrifying thing in this show this far.*
the eyes are scary and the voice stands out a whole lot
@@mr.weaponsmann1004 not to me tho, i know a few women that have manly voices
@@DavisPickle2004 for me is not the voice but the *eyes* that appear sometimes, it gives mr creeps
Its her visor being visible see through which makes it cool I love the details
@@BlackdragonTheShadow That's not it.
You nailed this part of the episode, Blackimus! The quality is way better, Smoke is an amazingly good character and fitting for the team and the way you revealed Smoke had a stand too, while it was pretty obvious, you still made my brain think "I did not expect this" or gave me the same level of hype when you discover something new. This didn't really have a stand fight which is OK because having one in every episode or part, it would get kinda cliché quickly. You are an amazing story writer, Blackimus! Can't wait for the next part, but don't rush yourself. Art can't be rushed!
I really like Smoke too
Nice design, has a mask that I wish was a cosmetic
"And i still hate that fact, siiiir"
On youtube, content has gone down in quality , but this series lets me know that people still exist with passion that goes above
RUclips is becoming boring now.
The only thing keft that can satisfy me is only tf2 content
Well theres more to it, people accept very drab content and place it as funny, people literally adore Ishowspeed for a great example, theb theres blackimus: an animator making his own story thats charming, fufilling and creative
And he gets nothing
@@TheAutisticVoiceActor you know what is more dissapointing?.
Most cringy youtuber and boring cartoon kid channel got more attention and popularity while the masterpiece creator like blackimus never even got good attention despite being creative and determination.
We live in society
Unfortunately this is so
I can’t wait to see the newest episode of Scratched Universe. This series is an absolute banger, and I can’t wait to see how it unfolds.
So, are the sniffers and the vile a part of the distorted species, or are they separate races and different monsters that were tamed by the aliens and the distorted?
@@liamerolduffy7738 I think they are simply just a form of mutation of the distorted. My best guess is that the distortion is evolved enough to have differing affects on its infected, depending on the individual. I believe that it does this to add variety and certain skills to its “army”.
The Smoke is the best! I never expect to see FemPyro character that is so cool and not ruined by look. Blackimus, you did a great job!
I am LIVING for this. I'm in this series for Fixer's life getting better, just as much as I am for KIA and friends kicking ass in all directions.
Also I only just got the joke with KIA's name.
Mind clarifying said joke?
I fear I'm missing it too.
@@RenGraes KIA is short for Killed in Action, i think
yea, I think its short for Killed in action too, since in the first episode, KIA got knocked out by the monoculus demo thing, and the rest of the VAC Teams forgot him. i am a little confused why MIA (or Missing In Action) wasn't used, but it makes sense at the same time, since he actually did die in the demo monoculus encounter, but then was revived by his stand. it also just feels weird saying MIA without pronouncing each letter.
Finally another stand user in the team, it makes me so happy and I finally get to know the names of different kinds of distorted monsters, especially the pyros and I see you've gotten pretty good with animations and the information of characters, I love it blackimus, you're doing a good job, keep it up.
I have to say, this episode is amazing. first I thought that Smoke will be the first member without a stand, but it is even more exciting with the new unique ability and character and the stand stats. Every episode always get me excited even tho I rewatch every episode over 5 times it still exciting every time. Thank you Blackimus for this absolute masterpiece.
This was a pleasant surprise to see in my feed. Lets get right down to it, shall we?
I'd be remiss if I didn't mirror what a lot of other people are now saying in the comments. The way your characters emote, from the voices (understandably limited in some cases) to the choice of words and the subtle expressions they use, continue to be excellent. The two scenes I particularly enjoyed were both simple moments. I liked the way the spy in the store nodded at jumpsuit, and I like how everyone acted a little differently when asked if there were any others on the train. These are both small moments, but there's so much at play here, especially with the second scenario. It's cool how:
-The pyro and scout don't turn to confirm there are others, since they're both peeved at the situation in general.
-KIA and Heavy Guy don't turn around, since they are the two with quite possibly the most information of anyone there.
-The sniper and engineer turn wordlessly and are the only ones curious about that situation, obviously more receptive to what's been happening and more cooperative with the "security."
Speaking of the Pyro, I was kind of confused by their voice at first, and wondered if it was a limitation due to the fact that you voice the non-conventional characters. I was pleased that this was pointed out and had a logical explanation easily acceptable in the world itself. I feel like that's been a general trend with content I watch, where I'm quick to be skeptical about things but also quick to accept them if they're addressed and there's a reason. As far as Smoke themselves, I'm down with them as a character. They seem like another interesting personality, though I can't help but notice we've been seeing a lot of stand users and I wonder if either:
A: Stand users are super rare but the aliens are purposefully trying to group them all up, so Heavy Guy, KIA, and Smoke meeting in this place were part of a vast plan that went beyond even the drone's knowledge.
B: Stand users are rare, but also incredibly recent and "evolve" from normal characters over time. The only reason it's an unknown phenomenon is because it hasn't been the case for long. KIA's was recent, but Heavy Guys was not, so I am not sure how much water this theory holds.
The only thing I was admittedly bothered by is how KIA has knowledge of all these other breeds of distorted. Don't get me wrong, I think it's very cool you've embraced distorted sub-classes and spooky cosmetic sets, but KIA appears to know a decent amount by both name and battle tactic. It's not exactly strange since I imagine he had his share of encounters before meeting Heavy Guy and we've seen him fight sniffers before. I just felt like a reaction from Heavy Guy or Smoke asking how he knows about this might have been more immersive, because Heavy Guy especially seems the type to be interested to know what KIA did before they met and how long he's been at this. Like usual, minor criticism. Maybe it's addressed in the next episode? Could also tie in with a moment KIA sees a variant he doesn't recognize and remarks that they've continued mutating. Also while we're on the subject of differing distorted, I noticed that these don't seem to vibrate their heads like they did in episode 3. I always thought the vibrating was ominous but compelling, like their bodies are in a constant state of subtle agony and rejecting what they've become. Have these distorted become more pacified as they've begun to settle and diverge into different stages?
The very last things I want to say are not proper critique, because I don't believe I could do better and I understand if this is out of personal choice rather than oversight or limitation. I feel like more ambient music would help certain scenes, especially ones where the characters are talking. This was executed well during the confrontation at the train stop, but I believe it could have been extended into the conversation between KIA and Heavy Guy about the state of the server and how it can be remedied. I also loved the part where the engie wipes scout's blood off his face, but it would have been even creepier if his eyes also reverted to normal as his hand went down, showing how seamlessly he can go back to his act.
Of course this goes without saying but I appreciate the human pyro has another eldritch trick up his sleeves, and it's inventive you used both an HL2 barnacle and a dead space tentacle to pull it off.
I always like adding those little details that most people don't seem to notice, it's almost like its a reward for the extra observant.
Regarding stand users, I don't know if you've seen Jojo or not, but its confirmed that stand users are quite rare and are drawn to each other through some "otherworldly" reason. Part 2 will shed some light on this. Obvious, but I do not intend to make an exact replica of this. I want to make an original version that fits the series' whole premise.
KIA has extensive battle knowledge due to his own experience between EP1 and EP4 + a major reason that will be shown in EP7, so I can't really tell you why he knows so much.
The twitching heads detail is something that I give some Distorted as a personality trait, aka ones that are more bloodlust, more animalistic. Quite the contrary, the Distortion is a disturbing virus that makes its hosts well aware of their state and quite "happy" to be a part of it. You have a first look at it with the BLU Sniper from EP4, when he talks to Heavy Guy. However, it is a fact that Distorted that are at least at Stage 1 can control and restrain themselves since they are recovering / have recovered their intelligence. Some recover faster than others.
Regarding ambient music, I know. I've been slowly improving it over time as I find fitting music for the scenery, but it's not easy finding ambience/music that fits - much less non-copyrighted ones, otherwise the videos would have plenty of music. This is a general problem, it's not just with TSU. My FNaF series has the same issue but its worse there, personally.
I understand why it would be creepier if the Engineer's eyes reverted to normal but the Walker gave the order to kill everyone on the checkpoint, so they won't exactly have to "try" to blend in anymore. The shades do the job of hiding their true intentions. If the Engineer had the order to be "in disguise" instead of helping the others kill everyone, in that case he would not have his eyes silver anymore.
I'm glad someone else has found out that the Distorted Pyro's mouth is not JUST a HL2 barnacle. They nail the barnacle, but not the actual thing that kills prey. I love Dead Space.
Cheers once again for your comment/feedback Plasm!
@@Blackimus In lieu of your responses I await the next episode even more eagerly. Frankly some part of me expected you were cooking up answers we just weren't privy too immediately. You've been a very impressive storyteller so far despite this being a one man(?) project. I'm glad I was able to see some of the artist's creative decisions at work and have a little background for why and how they've been used throughout the series.
Regarding the pyro, I knew you were a dead space fan after that first fanart video. Plus that kind of twisted biology and semi-older texture could only be from that franchise >:)
I really love this world you made, it feels so lived in. How some of tf2’s economy is used as actual currency for clothes, the mechanics of the servers is interesting (they can be corrupted and cleaned), you mentioned one of the Mann’s (so that means either the war against the bots exist or still is on going) and how every character is unique!
My theory for the multiple types of classes is that Red Mann and Blue Mann created a cloning machine for infinite soldiers to fight their unending war but a glitch in matrix l caused the machine to make clones of the original 9 mercenaries with different personalities and traits. After a few years they created their own civilization.
I hope that in this episode all the main characters finally encounter eachother and have a conversation regarding the server's maybe Bonk-Bot could recognize them from the news
I just hope that Fempyro won't make anything more complicated than it already is
Edit: Fuckall
Y'know I feel sorry for the victims(especially the pyros) that turned into the distortion and enemies. In the end, they can at least rest in peace.
The pyro ones are the scariest ones too
I want to think that they technically 'die' when they are distorted by the Walkers. Their physical form is just a living husk.
@@bluerazor7049 I'd like also to think that the host is still alive after the distortion and they didn't want to kill those people. Just like how the headcrabs zombies felt in Half-Life 2
@@FireNetherite14 its like beign Possesed by a monster
what model did they use?
It's amazing how Blackimus keeps coming back with incredible bangers.
i can't wait for the time kia and fixer groups will met for real, it's gonna be incredible
I'm a little confused about this scene at 19:47 Why Smoke doesn't see Kia stand monitoring the password? Anyway, this is fantastic. I was stunned when the engineer duped them and when Smoke saw their stands. Keep up the excellent effort and get enough rest. We were immensely entertained by your story and animations.
Smoke is seen staring at the backbone gate rather than at the back of the engineer. It might just be out of their view.
i have a feeling that this ep is gonna be better than the previous one
I get that feeling with every episode
@@ultrainstinctpetah9381 yeah
I would like to express appreciation for how you handled smoke; she is more accepting and understanding of people's abilities to associate based on their perceptions. Not concerned with correcting them if they associate the wrong pronoun like other individuals due (and sadly with toxic ferver). You can't fault people for making an incorrect assumption about you given their limited knowledge about you. Plus the fact she goes the extra mile to allow people the freedom of choice with their speech towards her speaks volumes about your character creation, sir. Well done!
I agree.
Agreed
Indubitably.
as someone with a gender identity similar i am so glad u said this i wouldn't have been able to express my gratitude better
Just imagine Blacimus couldn't get a female voice actor. Lol
YYEESSSS!!!! Finally a bow and arrow stand that isn't something to do with giving stands!
In all seriousness incredible work for the first half, same 15 went down and postponed the second half of this episode but in all honesty I think it'll work out for the better. It worked well for part 3, and honestly having some actual footage to watch is nice instead of teasers and trailers
21:13 The unmasked Pyro be like: 👁⚫️👁
All jokes aside, this is an excellent sfm video man. Cannot wait for the next one! Keep up the amazing work 👍🏻
scared
I AM SCARED YOU MAGGOTS
Alright... so there are diferents types of distortions:
-Normals:
Heavy Distorted (Brute)
Scout Distorted (Fast)
Soldier Distorted (Alpha)
Spy Distorted (Claws, Cloak)
Engineer Distorted (Normal)
Medic Distorted (Support)
Demoman Distorted (Normal)
Sniper Distorted (Normal)
Pyro Distorted (Nightmarish)
Others:
-The Slam.
-Vile.
-Sniffer.
- And the (Screamer/Scretcher) one.
Now im thinking about a Distorted with full armored, just like a miniboss.
Don’t forget about slammer
I believe the sniffers aren't technically a distorted they are made by that medic and it's stand.
What's a Slammer?
@@xx_dansonitro_xx6567 The big one thing in the EP: 04
@@frtnwhiterd8566 oh right.
Smokes line "I know... But this is who I wanted to be" I really love this line just the feeling that comes out of it.
It is my favorite line, PERIOD
I Adore your use of the black bars during the stealth scene, and it was pure brilliance how they came in subtlety, then flew away at the stand revelation. Amazing editing.
I can't wait for this next episode!
I wish the tf2 community would get your attention.
If tf1/tfc community counts for you then hello
You did it Blackimus. You made me speachless from just sheer awesomeness that came from your episode. You are awesome dude, keep that up.
I love the design for the new stand and the custom voice you used. Can't wait for part two, also still holding out to see if the other group eventually gets a stand.
I will always say this, but i really do love your style of animating, story telling and progressing of improving, you make TF2 and your FnAF AU lore feel alive and shining, it's a good trait and you have a positive fanbase building around it, it's going to continue to grow and your work is astoundingly heart-warming to both communities, keep on being awesome man.
Can’t wait m8. I positively love your work. Just pure magic at work.
holy shit, I was expecting this in december.
my sincerest gratitude and also condolences that one of your most important tools is a little uppity at the moment.
The aspect ratio changing at 26:13 is a neat detail. The screen getting narrower helps the feeling of "stay quiet or else" in the scene.
i was considering a story marathon once more
then turns out this came out too
excellent work! don't keep us waiting for long because it's doing numbers
I LOVE SMOKE SO MUCH. Awww she's one of my new favorite characters. She made me so giddy. I made sure to record my reaction this time around. :D
Absolutely love it as always Smoke is a great addition hope to see more of her alongside KIA and Heavy Guy
I honestly really like Smokes voice a bit of feminine and masculine mixed together perfectly! I envy it Bravo!
I have been thinking about this series a lot in my spare time for fun. It’s been a blast theorizing what might be happening in my head, so I may as well slap it down here for fun. For context, I know nothing about Jojo outside the memes so I’m going into the whole ‘stand’ stuff completely blind, just like the characters, in a way! Long text post ahead and possible spoilers. Idk it's mostly me rambling.
-----
I think the ‘Scratch’ in the title is significant. It’s confirmed to the characters that the distorted and artificial light is an ‘alien virus.’ The word virus is brought up a lot, including illness motifs such as Veerus being a plague doctor (and somewhat of a wordplay of virus but with the double e), the distorted mutating the moment they’re infected, and V.A.C. being most decked out in hazmat suits and the like. When someone gets a scratch in real life, if not treated properly it can lead to an infection. It is my belief that the tf2 universe we are seeing is one universe of many, and these aliens aren’t from space but from another dimension, and they quite literally *scratched* their way into this one, infecting and corrupting it as they go since, and this may be a complete shot in the dark, they are a disease in and of itself. Why they are so hellbent on conquest is because they need to keep on infecting to thrive and evolve (and it is shown that the longer a host is infected, the more powerful the virus taking over the host becomes, i.e. heightened intelligence and abilities). So they are not just world conquerors, but a Universal pandemic. This is also why I believe that the infection using light is incredibly potent because someone has to look at it to be infected, and eyes have nerves that serve as connectors to the brain, so like a parasite on steroids it had direct access to taking full control of a person and changing their sense of self to be completely loyal. (I wonder if it could be countered simply by covering the eyes. Blinking probably won’t help but maybe that’s why V.A.C has scanner glasses? It doubles as a shield against the light?) The aliens also refer to their newly infected as drones, which one of the definitions is literally “one that lives on the labors of others : parasite.”
Onto stands. Continuing with my virus hypothesis, I believe that they are literally the Universe’s antibodies. As if the Universe itself was a body, the rising of stands is the Universe’s way of fighting against the ‘illness’ it ‘contracted’. I don’t believe it’s confirmed whether the aliens can 100% see the stands, but they do know that they exist to an extent and see it as a threat. Normal people cannot see the stands at all and only comprehend the effects around them. Stands must be an incredibly new thing since it’s not common knowledge and is referred to as ghosts or hacks/cheats. How someone actually acquired said stand, I believe it must be since their birth/cloning or whatever. KIA died and realized he had a stand, Heavy Guy always seemed to have it as far as we know, and Smoke probably shares that same mentality since they say “we’re not alone anymore.” Which leaves the question, how long have all these characters been alive? Probably after V.A.C. was established, which was likely after the aliens started infecting the Universe.
I have no clue why there would be a whole society made up of tf2 classes, but they all refer to themselves as the classes, so I believe it may be a cloning thing or something. From context clues, it is inferred that all nine classes have been corraled into different tasks based on their ‘class,’ and that classes doing what they weren’t designated to do is out of the norm or possibly looked down on. Fixer wants to be in the role of an Engineer and others are surprised and impressed when he does fix machines and the like. Smoke is a literal representation of “ I am what I want to be” in every sense: looks like a pyro, wants to be a sniper, looks feminine, sounds masculine, and doesn’t care about pronouns. I know Grey Mann is in the picture, and the robot war is a key component, so maybe the Mann Co. Company also started cloning the mercs to counter the overwhelming stream of robots? Or maybe the world was always just these nine classes because of Universe mambo jumbo. I don’t know. Also, was the stand user in episode two a vampire? And if so, why are vampires also in this world? Are they another threat outside the aliens or allied? They didn’t use any light or corruption, they just had a stand.
Oh shit, wait. Maybe they’re a representation of a stand user who does it purely for malicious intent, like P-Rick but on a murderous scale. Literally just thought of this. That’s probably it, lol.
My brain hurts trying to figure this out aha.
Also, I’m calling it now that KIA went on a Doom Slayer-like massacre across the backends of servers to get revenge for the deaths of his colleagues, and maybe that’s why he was so not into fighting in Crossroads. He fought consumed by revenge until he forgot what he was fighting for so when he was finally finished, he just felt numb or something.
That’s it for now.
This is one of my personal favorite things about the people speculating or theorizing the many aspects of TSU! I really enjoyed reading this, so the best thing I can do is give you a fitting response, keeping in mind that I cannot answer everything due to spoilers!
You are right on the money regarding the origin of the title, there are two meanings behind it, and you mentioned one of them. The other one is a "metaphor" on alien invasion. To reach this universe they had to rip it open, or scratch it open.
Nice job getting the virus references on some of the folks, like drones or Veerus himself. Although his name is actually inspired by the Portuguese pronunciation of the word virus which sounds a lot like how we would say Veerus, but still pretty close.
Your explanation of the stands origins or meaning is rather interesting. They are not technically the universe's way to counter the distortion, but they are indeed an anomalous phenomena which will be explained later on. Stands are somewhat of a recent thing in the world.
The idea behind the scratched universe's world is to be as close to the game as possible, but obviously there are some exceptions like the female pyro model for Smoke. In a way, it's to transform the game itself into a world that makes sense. Somewhat.
TSU also takes inspiration from the Gmod side of things, so you will find unusual characters like the vampire Spy or Acoleyet.
Not all are related to the aliens or distortion, but these are indeed the main focus.
The wiki can help you out. Thanks for the speculation! I enjoyed reading it!
Oh! I didn't expect you to respond. Very cool. :D
This time you just surpassed yourself, as always everything is at the highest level. There were both pleasant moments and breathtaking moments like killing the distorted.
Looking forward to part 2!
Best episode so far and it's only the 1st part
Btw if you pay attention to when Smoke's eyes are visible, you can see that it's Sniper's model inside (Don't know if it's true if it is then it's brilliant since she wanted to be a sniper)
Im glad to see Smoke Apart of this team , its nice seeing a new teammate
17:14
That's a really nice usage of the Halo 4 Never Forget in something Non Halo related. You get my props my dude, I've been loving this series for a bit now, and that just got me to tear up a bit.
Respect man
man ive been keepin up with this series and this has been AMAZING. you're fucking godly, at the storytelling, the cinematography, the battle scenes. love your stuff! and smoke cool addition :)
Best. Birthday. Gift. Ever. Well worth the wait. Thank you so much. Hopefully part two comes out soon without delay.
i just found out about this series and this entire thing is so amazing. there’s so little tf2 animations out there that can compare to this. the voices, the characters, the suspense, the enemies, the amount of episodes, and the fact that it’s still going up to today is absolutely incredible. keep up the great work, blackimus.
You need to make all of these into one combined video whenever you're done, this ENTIRE series is hands down the best I've seen, imo equally as good as Emesis Blue. Both amazing work put into them, would watch for hours on end.
the damn fempyro has a voice... MUFFELS FOR THE WIN!
Even it 2parts it gonna be the great one anyway because you made the episode which is the greatest, you deserve a saxxy award from this animation, keep up the good work pal and if you need long break, you should go for it we will understand and we support you
I love the better explanation of the distorted. It clears up alot of the earlier episodes. Plus a new stand user is always cool. Love the enemies coming in as we realize there is another user.
This episode was so fucking cool,nice idea with the new stand user and the new shenanigans
Blackimus being as awesome as ever. I knew something was up with that Engie, but for them to become more intelligent for awhile as distorted sounds outright scary. Can't wait to see more of Smoke and Switcheroo in part 2, they're amazing 👍
Congratulations. I consider you one of the best animators on SFM.
Hell yeah man I love tf2 series like this! So much thought and planning and love goes into these! I have this to look forward to and hopefully down the line a new Hoovydundy! Keep up the amazing work! We all appreciate the time you put into it!
I'm totally speechless of this amazing work you've done, perhaps you could in theory create an entirely new TF2 game mode using the Distortion and it's different types of the afflicted.
God I love this series so much. I love how eveyone is nice to Jumpsuit despite him looking a bit creepy, Heavy and KIA asking Smoke for her pronouns, and her not getting offended and understanding people might assume things based on the information they have. The battle scenes and everyone's reaction when Smoke revealed she has a stand are just so good. Can't wait for part 2 :D
21:07 it's always scout who dies, isn't it? makes me cry 😭
Now... Every part of this is better than most of the stuff out there made by big companies, simple yet interesting as hell lore, great animation, great characters and ambient.
My man... You're doing great
An animation series with actual good story telling and feeds you enough information to want more. Very nicely done
it was so good! the animation is still great! the characters are very touching and you really wanna see them win and the new character is not only interesting but cool aswell! i loved it!
A masterpiece, a work of art, dedication focus and will
I can't explain to you how much I love this series! Thank you for all the hard work and effort you put into this! I hope I can see even more of these in the future!
The amount of work put into this is astounding. The amount of effort put into making each scene feel just right with sound design and subtle details is actually astonishing. I love every bit, and hope that you take your breaks, and take your time!
I can’t wait for this masterpiece
i can't express how hyped i am
31:40 you can see that heavy was a V.A.C that's either hinting heavys (with the stand) is gonna die or that other V.A.C members also entered but died or the enemy is also maybe a stand user
This is just an amazing return of a goddamn MASTERPIECE MAN! Keep it up!
21:22
Fucking hell, thats some nightmare fuel!
Still, this is good
Can we have Damjan Mravunac’s Make me Understand in part two, please?
AT LAST HE'S RETURNED
This series gets even better and better with every new episode and deserves so much more recognition and views. Keep it up, Blackimus! ❤️💙🔥
idealne, amazing work you put in this the sound efest and the animation :DDDD
I'm getting heavy Jojo/left 4 dead vibes and I love it.
This episode was amazing.
I really loved the more information we got on the new enemy types and how they grow the more they remain in an infected server.
I also really loved the action scenes, you really know how to make them entertaining and enjoyable to watch.
Last I want to comment on Smoke, I love their character. Really interesting to make the stand users a trio although I kind of expected the Red Scout from the previous episode. The idea of "enemy becoming a friend" sounds interesting to me and the way the Scout was set up got me interested to see what will happen to him. Maybe we will see that happen eventually, who knows? As for Smoke, really loving what you did with them. I love their stand and the abilities it brings to the table. It's surely quite the interesting twist. Not going to comment on the LGBT part of it. The less said, the better. In a sense that this needs to be normalised and ppl like this need to be treated with respect. The fact that Smoke is not better nor worse shows a level of attention to the character and balancing it out with KIA and Heavy. They need each other.
I am really looking forward to Part 2 mate, thank you for the lovely work. Keep it up!
I used to watch your sfm videos years ago and only recently stumbled upon this series in my recommended and literally cannot get enough of It you can literally see the progression of atmosphere along with the tone visually is astounding,
Keep up the great work man and I'm not just talking about this series
I've been enjoying this series since I first came across it and became a huge fan. You've even inspired me to start making my own series I started working on. Keep up the incredible and amazing work!
LETS FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Woooooooo
I’m guessing the pyro has a voice filter in her mask and she just likes messing with people
Or maybe she's a Smoker.
@@zharrow4833 or blackimus was compensating for the fact he couldn’t afford a female voice actor
@@Johnconagher I guess that could also be true
holy crap Smoke is freaking this version Kakyoin
I'm really glad ive found your channel , this series is amazing, I can't think how much time u spent animating seeing the quality , the size of the animations and how peculiar is SFM to use! Good job!
So if smoke goes by he, she, they does that mean we got a Genderfluid SFM character? I am here for it!
She could be nb too
pretty awesome
Fempyro with a male voice is cursed af
Very nice, Blackimus. Lovin’ more of the worldbuilding with mentions of MvM. I’ve always wondered if there were MvM servers in this universe, and I’m glad I got my answer. Didn’t expect Gray Mann to exist here too, though, but I like it.
You also know how to subvert expectations really well with that Engie seeming like a disguised Vagineer at first, then being a nice guy after KIA mentioned the server backbone and finally revealing himself with those eyes. It’s really cool.
Smoke’s got some sass. Is cool.
3:32 I just appreciate how the pause was bonk bot figuring out the implication of the defects being scrapped.
The lil details in the background characters and their interactions add so much immersion and makes me wish we had more maps for just goofin around
You got 34 minutes worth of quality animation out in 2 freekin months!? That is extremely impressive!
I have been absolutely devoted to this series I can't wait for more
Im so happy you made another one of these. its always a pleasure to see your wonderful pieces of Art!
I can see a HUGE potential in this series for becoming an awesome TF2 horror game!
This alone shows just how great this community is. You give them the right tools, and they keep the game alive by making a full show that feels more like a Netflix original more then an sfm animation on youtube. Great work, I love the scene where you reveal the Engineer to be a Distorted. Just by changing the eyes and giving him a cap you made him feel like a real threat.
THATS FREAKIN' AWESOME DUDE!
Can't wait for a next episode, and thanks for such awesome emotion from watching this.
Really love the way you've paced this narrative, and the fact we're now getting a few new users is pretty dope.
One thing, though; are all of the stands supposed to be the exact same class as the user? I'll be honest, given that Smoke's ambition was presumably wanting to be a sniper instead of a pyro, I'd assumed that her stand would have been a sniper to match. It would have been an interesting take on the idea of a stand being a manifestation of one's "self", if that's how the rules of stands work in this universe. If there's some rule that I'm missing or some reason for this choice altogether then I'd love to know it.
Otherwise, this is really dope! Can't wait for pt. 2.