Let's Talk About Revolver (A Thread)

For those who have been paying close attention, the characterization in VRAINS has been pretty much set.

We thought Yusaku was odd but then learned his traumatic backstory. After trying to please her brother, Aoi reconciled with both him and herself re: being Blue Angel. Gou lost to Playmaker but regained his confidence when he decided to fight Hanoi.

Akira accepted a demotion to spend more time with his sister, Ema proved herself as a skilled hacker and valuable ally (when she wants to be), and Kusanagi showed that behind his positivity and smile is a tortured man seeking justice for his brother/Yusaku/himself.

This leaves Revolver who has been rather hard to pin down, contradictory in his characterization, and his true motivations remaining a mystery.

So what's so strange about Revolver?

Well let's address the bizarre way in that he's been portrayed in his various appearances throughout the series so far:

1) When he dueled Playmaker he was very coy and confident, taunting and teasing even. But this broke down very quickly as soon as Playmaker started talking about wanting revenge on Hanoi for what had happened to him 10 years prior. Revolvers bravado very quickly became concern,

shock, outrage... His speech slowed down and he became a bit frantic when he was about to lose, tell him Playmaker not to trust SOL and Ai. He was adamant about his fear of Free Will A.I. and that Playmaker is a fool to trust them.

2) Revolver has been seen trailing after his father, shadowing him, obedient, using honorifics in their conversations. Irl he was seen holding his comatose father's hand, displaying his devotion, the 'good son'.

3) Following that duel he was overheard talking to himself about how he must find out Playmaker's true identity before it's too late. There was noticeable urgency and desperation in his voice. It is implyed at this point that Revolver has his own agenda independent of his

father's, that he's distracted with looking for Playmaker and neglecting his Hanoi duties (he confirms this to Specter when they are looking at the purged bodies of Vyra/Faust/Genome). He disappears from the main narrative as well, appearing for only 2-3 seconds here and there

without saying anything, and finally returning to plot relevance when he's seen catching Yusaku on camera in Vyra's house and commenting on commencement of this game of "Tower of Hanoi".

4) This is where it starts to get weird. It's revealed that Revolver was joint raised by Faust and Vyra after his father 'died'. They deeply care for him, and he displays compassion even as he's forced to purge them upon their defeat. He closes Vyra's eyes, a sign of respect.

5) But then he does the very strange thing of spying on her in her own home. Why would Revolver spy on the woman who raised him? It's a huge invasion of privacy, and this behavior is so odd that it would only make sense if he had also put cameras in the homes of Faust and Genome

on the slim possibility that he might catch Yusaku on film. It's paranoid and a bit too convenient.

6) Recall the creepy music that plays when Revolver realizes he's caught Yusaku on film, and the creepy smile that accompanies it. This effect is usually reserved for villains, but Revolver hasn't been portrayed as such so it doesn't work with the Revolver seen before that point.

7) Once again Revolver shows up at Cafe Nagi, but this time we are meant to hear his conversation with Kusanagi. It's clear from the dialogue that Revolver is a regular customer, and Kusanagi is sad to hear that he won't be returning. "This will be the last time," says Revolver.

"Are you moving?" says Kusanagi, and Revolver says, "Something like that." The implications of this conversation are quite dark. Revolver doesn't plan on returning any time soon, if ever. Why? Does he require no further reconnaissance on Kusanagi and Yusaku now that he has caught

them in Vyra's house and knows who they are? Is he not planning on leaving his home again for a long time? Is he planning on staying in LINK VRAINS indefinitely? Does he think he might die when the Tower of Hanoi and whatever his father has been planning reach their finale?

It's hard not to interpret Revolver's announcement that he won't be back again as anything but dark, because there has been zero risk to him visiting Cafe Nagi like this up to this point; Yusaku and Kusanagi don't know his true identity.

8) It's unclear if Revolver has been acting out of his own self interest in regards to the Tower of Hanoi. We thought he was just following his father's wishes, but before he duels Ghost Girl he appears to be excited to begin the game.

This is a return to the Revolver seen during the first half of the Revolver/Playmaker duels in episodes 9-11. He toys with Ghost Girl, but he's entirely calm about it, almost as if he doesn't derive joy from it. But does he?

9) Revolver wants Playmaker to chase him. With bars between them and Playmaker visually frantic, Revolver doesn't seem to care. He says a few smug words, shows no remorse for Ghost Girl's demise, and leaves with Playmaker shouting after him.

Is he just being coy and playful, or has his mentality changed? Has he resigned himself to playing the role of the villain, and has accepted that this game may mean his death and preparing to join his father in virtual purgatory?

10) By this point the portayal of Revolver's personality has been so contradictory that it's impossible to know how he feels or what he's hoping to gain from all this. Revolver is definitely one of the most complex characters in YGO,

displaying such a range of emotions and motives that it's difficult to understand his characterization.

In summary, it remains to be seen how and when the 'true' Revolver will be revealed. His characterization continues to remain just as mysterious as his face.

Conclusion of thread, thanks for reading.