Aside from poppies being associated with sleep because opium is a sedative, in Greek mythology they are usually portrayed with Hypnos, a god of Slumber. Hypnos has a twin brother Thanatos, who is a god of Death (and 'The Big Sleep' is obviously a synonym for eternal slumber, i.e. death). In ukrainian folklore red poppies were believed to grow at the places where a cossack found his resting place in a battle. With time it evolved to portray the spilled blood of fighters who lost their lives for freedom of Ukraine, be it past, present, or a future that is yet to happen. There is also an ancient ukrainian Legend of a Red Poppy that tells the story about Pecheneg raiders who tried to enslave women of a besieged village but failed to catch even one because all of them turned into red poppies, and caused the tired Pechenegs to fall into a sleep from which they never awakened.
@@notfinn1583Ik, its somewhat interesting in Ukrainian case, because if you mix the blue and yellow colors of national symbols of Ukraine with red (blood), they turn red and black - poppy’s colors
Yes, it is old cossacks legends - remembrance of the fallen, and may be ancient. P.S. and the "ruzky culture" - is only a putting everything nearby in a butt, the rest are stolen or falsified.
"In Flanders Fields the poppies blow, Between the crosses row on row, That mark our place; in the sky, The larks, still bravely singing, fly, Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead short days ago, We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset grow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie in Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw, The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die, We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders Fields."
Pfp check out, I love the Half-Life series, and that's one of the main reasons why I do. Though this is one of my favorite features in videogames in general, sometimes analyzing every little detail in a game just makes it more of a work of art, it becomes more personal than what it seems at first sight, so I'm really glad there's more people out there who share their own ideas and knowledge about this sort of subject, it's quite lovely.
People sometimes use art to give meaning to the feelings of PTSD. So maybe the poppy field area in Stalker 2 is the way that some Ukrainian devs are processing their grief about lost family members and lost livelihoods caused by Russia's war.
I recommend playing original stalker games to understand the lore and know important characters like Scar, Strelok etc. Feel free to mod them to make them feel more modern.
I also think that Pomor (Stalker who lives near the Poppy field) kinda reflects the essence of the location. It was a bit eerie talking to him. He has a very calm and monotonous tone of voice, and a reasonable manner of speech, which at first glance is attractive. At the same time, he has a cunning, cynical nature. He lives at the expense of others, patiently waiting for whoever comes to make a mistake and fall on the field in eternal sleep. The difference is Pomor takes the material values of victims, and the Poppy Field absorbs their memories, mental energy (as I understand it).
The Blue Poppy, it's always on my belt. Its reduction of the scent radius that mutants use to detect you is really good with the only downside being sleep is needed to recharge it. Its also a nice reminder of the area that exemplifies the Zone's deadly beauty.
I was really confused when I went through the poppy field. Thought I’d missed some sleep mechanic for a moment, and needed to find a bed Lol. Been an opioid addict for years, nothing too hard but in treatment for months now, better than ever. The symbolism didn’t take too long to kick in. Opioids give you a false sense of comfort. You’ll sleep greater than you ever have, but might be the last time you ever sleep again.
@ Thanks man, means a lot. I’m glad you posted this video. Huge opioid epidemic in the west right now, USA and Canada. While people are wasting their time playing video games, people are dying. So it’s great the developers decided to add this poppy field, and even better that you decided to make a whole video about it’s symbolism. God bless you bro
It is the shittiest kind of high (well okay I don't really have something to compare it to) - you feel shitty and pop something, for a few minutes you feel alright - maybe even good - and then just get tired and passive (as long as you are not doing something physical specific). You also feel like shit and the remedy after some time? Some more of it making you feel even shittier. Don't get hooked on that awful stuff. Even less "value" than other stuff. "At least" one can maintain functionality with that shit tho. More or less.
@@Hortifox_the_gardener Depends on the person and what you’re taking. I was a Kratom addict since 2018 up until a few months ago, now I’m on Suboxone. Was always tired to varying degrees, Suboxone is almost the same, but once you build that tolerance I felt mostly like a normal person. Just more tired than I was before I was an addict. But nobody ever noticed I was buzzing. I’ve dabbled with almost every drug with the exception of LSD and anything to do with a needle or smoking (aside from weed) and even though Amphetamines and cocaine gave me a focus that I never had in my life, I experienced a lot of demonic, dark energy and phenomena. Heard many people tell the same story. Second last time I did speed, my heart almost stopped. Could feel the oxygen leaving my body as I began to faint. Only my prayers and faith in God saved my life. Stay away from all drugs! They are all sneaky and deceptive, you feel good for a while but they take over your life. They took all my money, my will, and nearly my family. They are death.
2:27 I believe these are people running from some disaster, leaving their home and deciding what they can take with them and what they should leave behind (and hide from looters). Sadly, this is very common for Ukrainians these days.
Good insight. The part where man and woman discuss the set of dishes may smash and better hide it in the cellar from thieves - I think this is a family evacuating from their home after Chernobyl disaster.
The poppy field also appears in... (spoilers) The ending cutscene for Scar's ending, where he puts everyone in the zone into its slumber, trapping them in an ideallic shared dream.
For those who don't know how it works in gameplay: flowers on the ground decreases your stamina and it's regeneration, so if you run or carry too much stuff - you'll trigger passing out faster. The main danger there is the poppy pellets flying around as whirls. They damage your stamina, so you have to regenerate it with energy drinks (and water), and get the f**k out of the field until you recover before you trigger 3 pass outs in a row. So you should avoid them, especially in the houses. Also, there's an artifact in this field that acts pretty much as this anomaly for your enemies - it decreases their line of sight by making them sleepy, if they look in your direction. But the effect wears out too fast, so it's mostly for direct breaking in sections.
I finished Stalker trilogy and complited one walkthrough in Stalker HoC . But I never was so amazed by something like this . I sure hope to see more this kind of stuff in future DLSs . More arch anomalys .
just recently discovered your channel, it randomly popped up with the video talking about the Lymansk radio signal and I must say, damn, I'm digging these lore/secret videos that captivate the horror and haunting truths behind all that is happening in Stalker/the Zone. I really dig the game too and how a lot of things bring us back to the old games. Keep them coming. After Stalker 2 I need to replay the trilogy asap.
The kids are "playing" hide-ad-seek.... You know, sometimes you have that weird feeling that you're chasing Fata Morgana (a mirage) when you come back to the place of your childhood... Everything has changed, the place looks different, and you feel lost and lonely. There's no way to turn back time. And the loved ones you've lost... That's what I'm thinking about when I see the Poppy field in Stalker 2.
This is my first ever experience playing stalker and I am definitely in love with the game overall . There’s so much in the game that is really interesting, when I started heading to the poppy field … I thought I was going mad while listening to voices of people around it until I saw the dead stalkers around the area ; including the Lady of Sorrows. This is a very interesting interpretation but overall I’m loving my experience overall.
From personal childhood experience, poppy fields were common in Ukraine. Poppy is one of the symbols of Ukraine and it can be seen in different ornaments and embroidered shirts. This "wild" type of poppy does not have notable hallucinogen properties and does not cause any sedative/sleeping actions (unless directly consumed in large quantities). So, there is an apparent transformation due to influence of zone.
Hey buddy,awesome channel, subscribed and following you since release of STALKER 2. Keep up good videos,love your content. Poppy field is most interesting and beautiful anomaly,it brings to eyes so much human tragedy and remembrance. Better to end life in poppy field than torn to bits in anomaly or by bloodsucker Merry Xmas from Croatia
Indeed, one of most beautiful and mysterious places in the zone. Have you taken the quest of Mitya in Zalissya which is connected to the poppy field? He has a bunch of info regarding his memories, and all the voices in the filed represent his childhoods memories. Basically, his family lived in the village and had to flee because of real Chernobyl disaster in 1986, so the meaning of the field could be devoted to all Ukrainians and their broken lives who suffer from the disaster and from Soviets as the people were not well informed and have to leave their houses in panic. HBO’s Chornobyl would be a great thing to watch to recap the events and the atmosphere. Thanks for the video and greeting from a Ukrainian stalker vet.
Wow! That's a deep meaning. I like your interpretation of the poppy field as the place of broken dreams and desire. It refers to the Scar's ending of the game a lot. Thank you for sharing!❤
Very interesting explanation. I too was sitting there trying to figure out the Anomaly and looked a the Poppy peddal's fly around. Out of reach,it's fascinating to say how this Anomaly works. Now I know how the scientists feel researching these types of Anomaly.
Ever since i started seeing these lore and detail videos ive been really slowing down. I find myself walking places instead of sprinting or jogging. These details are cool. But also kinda scary. Stupid blood sucker nest
No. Do not search for hidden content. My father (who grew up near Donetsk) told me that you can't stay in a poppy field for long. Because you can fall asleep and not wake up. In his region, poppy fields were popular. And by fields, I mean hectares, not like in the game. But then the fields were banned, for obvious reasons (for which RUclips can delete my comment). Most likely, the developers were also familiar with this warning
Poppy flower stylized as blood spot on a bullet hole is a sign of loses in WW2, it means "Never again". Whole world remember loses of that horrible war. And only barbarian terro-russians use "We can repeat" expression instead, because lifes mean nothig for them.
But the Poppy Field is wrong in real Live😅 In Stalker 2 its red Poppy, not Opium Poppy which is mostly white-violet, the Strain here in Game is without Morphine Alkaloids,
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
Hope everyone is having a good christmas time and I wish for a peaceful new year, thank you ♥
Aside from poppies being associated with sleep because opium is a sedative, in Greek mythology they are usually portrayed with Hypnos, a god of Slumber. Hypnos has a twin brother Thanatos, who is a god of Death (and 'The Big Sleep' is obviously a synonym for eternal slumber, i.e. death).
In ukrainian folklore red poppies were believed to grow at the places where a cossack found his resting place in a battle. With time it evolved to portray the spilled blood of fighters who lost their lives for freedom of Ukraine, be it past, present, or a future that is yet to happen. There is also an ancient ukrainian Legend of a Red Poppy that tells the story about Pecheneg raiders who tried to enslave women of a besieged village but failed to catch even one because all of them turned into red poppies, and caused the tired Pechenegs to fall into a sleep from which they never awakened.
Amazing, thank you for this insight! It's much deeper than I imagined.
@@zoneslug Poppies are a war memorial symbol, they signify the fallen, rememberance of their sacrifice. Look up Flanders field
In Ukrainian culture red poppy signifies beauty, youth, and transience of life. Also it is a symbol of mourning for the fallen soldiers
It’s a symbol of the fallen in war for other countries too, I recommend reading Flanders feilds, a very good poem about war
Well...I prefer russian culture anyways.
@@notfinn1583Ik, its somewhat interesting in Ukrainian case, because if you mix the blue and yellow colors of national symbols of Ukraine with red (blood), they turn red and black - poppy’s colors
also back in the 90s a lot of people used to cook dope from it
Yes, it is old cossacks legends - remembrance of the fallen, and may be ancient.
P.S. and the "ruzky culture" - is only a putting everything nearby in a butt, the rest are stolen or falsified.
"In Flanders Fields the poppies blow,
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; in the sky,
The larks, still bravely singing, fly,
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset grow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie in Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw,
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die,
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields."
Im a huge sucker for random details in games that most people either miss or dont think about, so i really appreciate these videos!
@@zeubersandvitch8882 me too glad to find like minded people :)
Pfp check out, I love the Half-Life series, and that's one of the main reasons why I do. Though this is one of my favorite features in videogames in general, sometimes analyzing every little detail in a game just makes it more of a work of art, it becomes more personal than what it seems at first sight, so I'm really glad there's more people out there who share their own ideas and knowledge about this sort of subject, it's quite lovely.
People sometimes use art to give meaning to the feelings of PTSD. So maybe the poppy field area in Stalker 2 is the way that some Ukrainian devs are processing their grief about lost family members and lost livelihoods caused by Russia's war.
@@Arch497 That’s a good point some of the best art comes from pain
The poppies can symbolize the blood lost, the stalkers are their fallen brethren
It is an ancient remembrance for the fallen, and not only in Ukrainian culture.
Stalkers: Can we have zulliethewitch?
Zoneslug: Yes
Damn! That so accurate!
the best game for long time and my first stalker game
Glad youre liking it, the older games are good too!
I recommend playing original stalker games to understand the lore and know important characters like Scar, Strelok etc. Feel free to mod them to make them feel more modern.
I also think that Pomor (Stalker who lives near the Poppy field) kinda reflects the essence of the location. It was a bit eerie talking to him. He has a very calm and monotonous tone of voice, and a reasonable manner of speech, which at first glance is attractive. At the same time, he has a cunning, cynical nature. He lives at the expense of others, patiently waiting for whoever comes to make a mistake and fall on the field in eternal sleep.
The difference is Pomor takes the material values of victims, and the Poppy Field absorbs their memories, mental energy (as I understand it).
@@РулонОбоев-н9ъ Yes he reminds me of some type of dark souls character preying on the weak, very nice input thank you
weak takes guys, no offence. he's charon, and he's taking the coin(your material possesions) if/when you go
The Blue Poppy, it's always on my belt. Its reduction of the scent radius that mutants use to detect you is really good with the only downside being sleep is needed to recharge it. Its also a nice reminder of the area that exemplifies the Zone's deadly beauty.
Don’t leave the Cordon it’s dangerous out there.
I was really confused when I went through the poppy field. Thought I’d missed some sleep mechanic for a moment, and needed to find a bed Lol.
Been an opioid addict for years, nothing too hard but in treatment for months now, better than ever. The symbolism didn’t take too long to kick in.
Opioids give you a false sense of comfort. You’ll sleep greater than you ever have, but might be the last time you ever sleep again.
@@ericbooth3393 I’m very glad you’re doing better now and I hope everything goes well brother
@ Thanks man, means a lot. I’m glad you posted this video. Huge opioid epidemic in the west right now, USA and Canada. While people are wasting their time playing video games, people are dying. So it’s great the developers decided to add this poppy field, and even better that you decided to make a whole video about it’s symbolism. God bless you bro
It is the shittiest kind of high (well okay I don't really have something to compare it to) - you feel shitty and pop something, for a few minutes you feel alright - maybe even good - and then just get tired and passive (as long as you are not doing something physical specific). You also feel like shit and the remedy after some time? Some more of it making you feel even shittier.
Don't get hooked on that awful stuff. Even less "value" than other stuff. "At least" one can maintain functionality with that shit tho. More or less.
@@Hortifox_the_gardener Depends on the person and what you’re taking. I was a Kratom addict since 2018 up until a few months ago, now I’m on Suboxone. Was always tired to varying degrees, Suboxone is almost the same, but once you build that tolerance I felt mostly like a normal person. Just more tired than I was before I was an addict. But nobody ever noticed I was buzzing.
I’ve dabbled with almost every drug with the exception of LSD and anything to do with a needle or smoking (aside from weed) and even though Amphetamines and cocaine gave me a focus that I never had in my life, I experienced a lot of demonic, dark energy and phenomena. Heard many people tell the same story. Second last time I did speed, my heart almost stopped. Could feel the oxygen leaving my body as I began to faint. Only my prayers and faith in God saved my life.
Stay away from all drugs! They are all sneaky and deceptive, you feel good for a while but they take over your life. They took all my money, my will, and nearly my family. They are death.
2:27
I believe these are people running from some disaster, leaving their home and deciding what they can take with them and what they should leave behind (and hide from looters). Sadly, this is very common for Ukrainians these days.
@@ShmuHadron Yes it’s a fitting metaphor
You are doing important work with this channel! It is inspiring to see people treat games like Stalker 2 with such respect and dedication!
I really liked this location! It felt like a unique and satisfying anomaly, and the unique gameplay mechanics tied around it were a highlight for me.
Well said. I agree
Me too one of my favourite places
Good insight. The part where man and woman discuss the set of dishes may smash and better hide it in the cellar from thieves - I think this is a family evacuating from their home after Chernobyl disaster.
The poppy field also appears in... (spoilers)
The ending cutscene for Scar's ending, where he puts everyone in the zone into its slumber, trapping them in an ideallic shared dream.
For those who don't know how it works in gameplay: flowers on the ground decreases your stamina and it's regeneration, so if you run or carry too much stuff - you'll trigger passing out faster. The main danger there is the poppy pellets flying around as whirls. They damage your stamina, so you have to regenerate it with energy drinks (and water), and get the f**k out of the field until you recover before you trigger 3 pass outs in a row. So you should avoid them, especially in the houses.
Also, there's an artifact in this field that acts pretty much as this anomaly for your enemies - it decreases their line of sight by making them sleepy, if they look in your direction. But the effect wears out too fast, so it's mostly for direct breaking in sections.
I finished Stalker trilogy and complited one walkthrough in Stalker HoC . But I never was so amazed by something like this . I sure hope to see more this kind of stuff in future DLSs . More arch anomalys .
I agree, these types of deep meaningful places with a story make the world feel very immersive
Love your videos. You can obviously see the beauty of the Zone
@@nickitok7 thank you! It’s a beautiful place
just recently discovered your channel, it randomly popped up with the video talking about the Lymansk radio signal and I must say, damn, I'm digging these lore/secret videos that captivate the horror and haunting truths behind all that is happening in Stalker/the Zone. I really dig the game too and how a lot of things bring us back to the old games. Keep them coming. After Stalker 2 I need to replay the trilogy asap.
@@crown_clown Thank you I appreciate that, I’m glad you’re liking the videos
@zoneslug you're welcome, fellow stalker 🫡
Very cool I love these kind of videos
@@iTsMike010 thank you I’m glad you enjoyed it :)
The kids are "playing" hide-ad-seek.... You know, sometimes you have that weird feeling that you're chasing Fata Morgana (a mirage) when you come back to the place of your childhood... Everything has changed, the place looks different, and you feel lost and lonely. There's no way to turn back time. And the loved ones you've lost... That's what I'm thinking about when I see the Poppy field in Stalker 2.
@ very much so, I know what you mean, thank you for the comment
Very underrated channel. I dig your creative videos, please dont stop making them!
@@breadtroll6805 I really appreciate the support, thank you!
That's true! Please don't stop.
i hate that one of the most beautiful places to just chill in also kills you so fast
@@pandelik3450 it is a shame that our time there can only be so short before we are forced to leave, but maybe that’s what makes it meaningful
This is my first ever experience playing stalker and I am definitely in love with the game overall . There’s so much in the game that is really interesting, when I started heading to the poppy field … I thought I was going mad while listening to voices of people around it until I saw the dead stalkers around the area ; including the Lady of Sorrows. This is a very interesting interpretation but overall I’m loving my experience overall.
Thank you very much I'm glad youre enjoying the Zone!
From personal childhood experience, poppy fields were common in Ukraine. Poppy is one of the symbols of Ukraine and it can be seen in different ornaments and embroidered shirts. This "wild" type of poppy does not have notable hallucinogen properties and does not cause any sedative/sleeping actions (unless directly consumed in large quantities). So, there is an apparent transformation due to influence of zone.
Hey buddy,awesome channel, subscribed and following you since release of STALKER 2.
Keep up good videos,love your content.
Poppy field is most interesting and beautiful anomaly,it brings to eyes so much human tragedy and remembrance.
Better to end life in poppy field than torn to bits in anomaly or by bloodsucker
Merry Xmas from Croatia
@@matejsolid Thank you for the support it really means a lot! It makes me happy that you’re enjoying the channel ❤️
I would love to sleep in the Poppy Field.
Indeed, one of most beautiful and mysterious places in the zone. Have you taken the quest of Mitya in Zalissya which is connected to the poppy field? He has a bunch of info regarding his memories, and all the voices in the filed represent his childhoods memories.
Basically, his family lived in the village and had to flee because of real Chernobyl disaster in 1986, so the meaning of the field could be devoted to all Ukrainians and their broken lives who suffer from the disaster and from Soviets as the people were not well informed and have to leave their houses in panic.
HBO’s Chornobyl would be a great thing to watch to recap the events and the atmosphere.
Thanks for the video and greeting from a Ukrainian stalker vet.
Wow! That's a deep meaning. I like your interpretation of the poppy field as the place of broken dreams and desire. It refers to the Scar's ending of the game a lot. Thank you for sharing!❤
Very interesting explanation.
I too was sitting there trying to figure out the Anomaly and looked a the Poppy peddal's fly around.
Out of reach,it's fascinating to say how this Anomaly works.
Now I know how the scientists feel researching these types of Anomaly.
@@neromastic4512 Thank you, the zone is a brutal but beautiful place :) it’s interesting to think about these things
Very sad and nostalgia the terrible loss of what was. innocence life and happiness. and crimea
Exitstence is too short.
The Poppy Field: the most beautiful way of die. It's pacific...
🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🥀
The cloud of petals must be a poltergeist
No.
I think the poppy field means honor of the death soldiers during the current war.
All wars...
I love this channel. Great videos. Greetings from Brazil
@@jeancastellain Much appreciated :)
Wicked Witch of the West is at it again. lol
great video keep it up subscribed
@@anakinbet thanks a lot :)
Bring on the DLC, GSC!
Yes! I think it will be a good year 2025, even better beyond
I think it's just another ilusion trap, like all the oasis in the zone, like that beautiful plain in which you find strelok.
ZullieTheWitch of the zone
Need more videos like this
Ever since i started seeing these lore and detail videos ive been really slowing down. I find myself walking places instead of sprinting or jogging. These details are cool. But also kinda scary. Stupid blood sucker nest
That makes me happy that you’re slowing down like me and taking it all in :)
No. Do not search for hidden content. My father (who grew up near Donetsk) told me that you can't stay in a poppy field for long. Because you can fall asleep and not wake up. In his region, poppy fields were popular. And by fields, I mean hectares, not like in the game. But then the fields were banned, for obvious reasons (for which RUclips can delete my comment).
Most likely, the developers were also familiar with this warning
I wish I was allowed to stay longer in the flowers to enjoy them. Not just run through them with blurry vision.
I like that kind of video. It reminds me zullie the witch
@@PtiCheminot Thank you 😊
I find it funny that every thumbnail has some reload animation going on.😂
cool video editing
@@artyomokunkov8344 thank you!
Poppy flower stylized as blood spot on a bullet hole is a sign of loses in WW2, it means "Never again". Whole world remember loses of that horrible war. And only barbarian terro-russians use "We can repeat" expression instead, because lifes mean nothig for them.
I'm trying to do an Ironman run, passing out in the house is supposed to happen right that's not a death?
Wizard of Oz?
But the Poppy Field is wrong in real Live😅 In Stalker 2 its red Poppy, not Opium Poppy which is mostly white-violet, the Strain here in Game is without Morphine Alkaloids,
poppy is tied to WW2 and the holocaust
so the poppy field is a reference to the ongoing genocide perpetrated by russians against Ukraine as a whole.
Thank you Ukraine, you gave us many years of peace
i thought its a reference to a 1977 soviet red riding hood adaptation
O3,14UM
For me it represents all from the U.S.S.R. What U.S.S.R showed to the world and their inhabitants but also what it was in reality.
i think youu read too much into it 😂