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Preface
There are many views on the Thargoid race and the interspecies war raging throughout the ED universe. This is a game of course and you are all entitled to
blaze your way, some of you may know that I'm particularly vocal on social media and in game about Thargoid Advocacy (Thadvocacy) and a variety of political issues within ED. This post does not come from a position of entitlement and i would like readers to understand that
my character in-game is an "Alliance mystic". Every day I rub shoulders with people on both sides of the war, sometimes with extreme roleplaying views and experiences I am friends with pirates, traders, mercenaries, ax and pro-goid alike. The ability of the ED community to provide a spectrum of gameplay is unmatched in my opinion and long may it continue. Tyranny is the enemy of progress and fun.
This forum is not for discussion of real world politics and religion.
Narrative and lore does not live in a vacuum however so some metaphors must be made.
I would ask people discussing this to be sensitive to the complexity of RL indigenous issues and current affairs.
Introduction
As a player and a character in elite dangerous I have always been uncomfortable with the idea of treating the Thargoids as a murderous agressor. My personal understanding of them has grown and changed over the years from unknowable entity, ancient animalistic intellects to organic emergent AI constructs (see forum theory on URs
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threa...a-new-thesis-on-xeno-psychotechnology.606894/ )
There are many theory's on what they are and what they are going to do, but few ask questions of
why they are. This is completely understandable as ED is a game, not everyone seeks to bring ethical depth to an imaginary conflict in a virtual universe. For me though I'm fascinated by the approach of different players and groups to the conflict, in particular the approach of Pro-goid groups and npc factions like the Fargod cult and its more radicalised offshoot "the first chapter". My character and squadron has more of a centrist pro-peace outlook on the war.
So this theory is grew out of an attempt to fathom an understanding of the players who choose to take the unpopular path and take support of the thargoid race to a rigorous and deadly level, engaging in PVP and Social activism often to their cost in reputation and recruitment and holding views that may be considered anti-human. Often such players are demonised as gankers but in the context of this conceptualisation, perhaps they have more grounds for validation than one would think otherwise?
Thargoids are an Indigenous Culture ?
For indigenous people the goal for our land is definitely about protection, but its also about use. We see ourselves as so integrated with our territory that our protection is tied to our use and our use is tied to our protection. We use the resources on our territory to live - Rebecca Adamson
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Thargoids are associated with the nebulas, it is where they seed the barnacles. These lifeforms (or pseudo-lifeforms) produce the meta alloys they require and are only found in these areas. To understand what they do with them one must make assumptions based on how they are used in known human technologies. We cant assume that they view resources in the same way as modern human culture. They may a have different perception of the value of these commodities, many indigenous cultures of earth had completely different views on materialism and this contributed to many cultures to be overwhelmed by colonial influences in human culture. Meta alloys clearly have great import to the Thargoids and are described as a key component in the construction of their ships. But do they only have significance to them as materials?
The "Sacred" Meta alloy
In human technologies these are used in meta alloy hull reinforcements and cargo racks - These items reduce or eliminate the corrosive effect that occurs when carrying certain items and reduce damage when exposed to corrosive weapons. In addition they are used to prevent stations from suffering damage from trade in Thargoid artefacts.
But what do we mean when we talk about "corrosive effect"? In my mind we are not talking about an acidic liquid; although their weapons appear to deposit caustic substances, this could only be the residue left behind from interaction with the energies involved. Instead I postulate that the effect is due to electro magnetic interference, much like the interference that dissolves guardian modules at will in Hip 22460. The corrosive cloud that remains after a Thargoids destruction is a reaction to the rapid release of exotic energy.
Hence meta alloys act as a energy containment material, if their energy is emergent consciousness from a core matrix (as outlined in my UR theory see link) this material could have a profound effect on Thargoid "consciousness".
Interesting parallels can be drawn with sacred herbs in human cultures in particular the increasingly endangered and long living peyote cacti. In native cultures around the world the substances containing psychoactive plants are used ritually to "find one's place in the world of spirits". Sometimes they are used to "traverse into the otherworld" both in traditional culture and in popular science fiction eg. Frank Herberts Dune. It is possible that meta alloys focus their consciousness in such a way as to allow them to form witchspace portals. Therefore human possession of them is pssibly a direct threat to witchspace and may also be considered a sacrilegious act.
Contact Parallels, Colonialism and the right of discovery
In human history first contact with indigenous peoples often (but not always) ended in bloody conflict. Human contact with Thargoids went much the same way, we shot first, we tried to trade with them, and eventually with the development of AX weapons both races started dying. Meta alloy technologies became essential to protect us from them and so the cycle of violence is sustained but unlike the conquest of the Americas, Thargoids are far more numerous and advanced tecnologically.
Part of the issue with the war is our assumption that any discovery that is made is ripe for human conquest, the precedence in Elite dangerous is the construction of Obsidian Orbital in Maia. Continued expansion into the California nebula and much later the Coalsack by the Alliance economic powerhouse. Witch head was settled initially by a joint Aegis taskforce - further perpetuating the meta alloy war. In history this is typified by the "doctrine of conquest" a 15th century law. This was a papal decree issued by Pope Nicholas V in 1452 that specifically sanctioned and promoted the conquest, colonization, and exploitation of non-Christian territories and peoples for hundreds of years. The right of conquest and our perception of native cultures as "primitives" has seeped into modern culture to such an extent we no longer recognise that some of our most valued social practices originate in these "uncivilised peoples".
This mistake was also made by Guardians when they moved to exploit the "sacred lands" in their war. The previously conscientious and nature loving race was moving out of sustainable ecological harmony and becoming technologically focused. Did this stage of (d)evolution mark them as no longer compatible with the galaxies spiritual protectors?
Missing the Obvious, Spirituality and Belonging
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Humans throughout history and certainly within this game have always had a tendency to miss the obvious, we take an idea and often overcomplicate it to suit our own personal agendas and ideals. When you look at what we have to see in the game - Interceptors look like flowers, Barnacles look like cacti and workers look like fish. Now you could argue that this is technology taking the shape of natural and potent biomorphic forms, but this to me demonstrates that Thargoid design philosophy looks to the world of nature for its inspiration. For me this is further suggestion of the holistic nature of Thargoid spirituality. The ability to bend space and time, communicate across vast distances and travel interdimensionally implies an advanced intelligence that is aware of the universe around it as it evolves over the course of millions of years. The thargoids represent to me the most brutal expression of nature, both in their capacity for patience and their uncompromising survival instinct.
When western colonisers found themselves living with native tribes of North America, very few wished for reintegration into puritan society, instead preferring the natural life of community and social liberty these tribes practised. It may be that thargoids abduct humanity to save them from ourselves and cultural hegemony. So the next time you encounter a pro-goider consider for a moment what reasoning underlies their practice.
We may never truly understand the Thargoid mind, as the great prophet David Brabhen explained in the 21st century. But that is no reason not to try. Our arrogance that we humans are the most illuminated lifeform continues well into the 34th century we appropriate the aspects of this ancient lifeform that suits us. People who want to be a part of something greater will always seek out meaning in concepts they can never understand without living it. We are but a blink in the epic story of life, and through it all the Thargoid race remains.
