"Choker" by Twenty One Pilots Lyrics Meaning | Songs Explained 

Me: Casually making a peanut butter sandwich Professor: casually explaining the song Professor: "And then you kinda, shy away." Both of us: ASFWEFMWQPOGIOGKQOPAFKEWPOFK

Don't be a choker, people. But if you are, that's okay. Strength and perspective come with time.

this whole song is basically my life right now and it's kind of insane that it came just when i needed it

The rap part actually reminded me of taxi cab and addict with a pen.

One thing i realized in The Music Video is that Trash was at some point real because josh had already turned him into a toy. also i think that The Josh in the music video is the fake josh hired by dema to turn people into toys and bring them into the Shy Away World

The middle man lyric reminded me of the lyric from the hype You don’t get thick skin without getting burnt

“I only smoke second hand” might be the smartest lyric I’ve ever heard...

I think you missed a lot of refferences of early songs: Chokin' on the circumstance , Only smokin' secondhand - HeavyDirtySoul Dry us in the sand - Addict with a pen I know it´s over - Leave the city I´ll sign on the line - March to the sea A lot of these lyrics seem to have the same theme of giving up. There is also a paralel from Semi automatic- My shadow grows taller, along with my fears, And my frame shrinks smaller as night grows near. Im just pointing these out, without any idea what it all could mean

In the music video, when Tyler says, "You're going to change my circumstance," he's focusing on the Trash the Dragon toy. And then he takes it and runs, saying "I know I need to move right now." I'm guessing that, in whatever narrative is being set up with this new album, the dragon may be a positive symbol.

i just said 8 minutes ago "time to wait till tomorrow for the pop song professor to analyse the song"

Do you ever wonder if Tyler watches your videos and says "He's spot on" or "No, he's way off" LOL. Love your channel

Leave the City (Last Song of Trench): "In Trench i'm not alone. These faces facing me, they know, that it's almost over" Choker: "I know it's over. I was born a choker. Nobody's coming for me" I think that summs up the overall topic of Trench vs. Scaled and Icy

If the sun is behind you at the end, it means you’re moving East. #EastIsUp

I think in regards to the 'Trench' storyline, this song is the point in which Tyler is wanted to finally build up the courage to escape from DEMA on his own. Since the end of the last album, Tyler stayed stuck in DEMA while everybody else escaped. In the last song "Leave The City", he said "They know that it's almost...they know that its almost over." and "In time I will leave the city, for now, I will stay alive." At this point, the banditos have yet to come back for Tyler, so now he's left with the idea that they have abandoned him and he's all alone. Hence the lyrics in this song "I know that it's over" "Nobody's coming for me." This song is about him finding the courage to pull himself out of this place since no one else will. He's "choking" on the idea because he's too nervous to actually go through with it. I think the color blue is kinda a sign to get out of there? I really don't know but Trash the Dragon is blue so I kinda figured he represented courage and a sign of hope. Throughout the video, we see Tyler go back and forth trying to get the Dragon and eventually he does, that's when "Josh" chases him down and captures him. I say "Josh" because I don't think that's actually him... From what I think on the video (so far) is DEMA created a whole fake reality to trap Tyler in and make him not want to leave. One of the Bishops (presumably Nico) disguises as Josh to make Tyler feel "comfortable". This is why "Josh" would be the one to hold Tyler here and drag him back to DEMA. I really liked this song and video and super excited to get more into the story!! What do you guys think??

Tons of great thoughts coming from you guys. Thanks for commenting! So many good ideas! Excited for the music video explanation!

“Pain is just a middle-man” is so good. I think it relates to what he said about being judged by what you can withstand. For some, pain seems like where you live... it’s the final destination. I think he’s saying pain is not the object or the destination. It leads us somewhere else. It’s a carrier, not a landing place.

They started with not to shy away and now they're telling what happens when you shy away😂

The awaited moment has come. Time to gain knowledge

The line "self sabotage is a sweet romance" is super interesting, because self sabotage is just a trick to protect our ego. For instance, if I expect to get a high grade, or a promotion, or a girlfriend, and I try and fail, my ego is hurt. But if I convince myself that I won't be able to get any of those things, that's comfortable, there's no disapoiment, no pain, but also no growth.

He said the dragon represents creativity. His creativity is going to change his circumstance, which it has.

I believe that the "Shy Away" and "Choker" music videos are connected, and the chronological order of which can be interchangable. Theory 1: (Shy Away comes before Choker) The large blast of light right before the world crumbles in "Shy Away" is Josh 'capturing' Trash in the toy store shelf that we see in "Choker", and at the end of that video, Josh captures Tyler. Theory 2: (Choker comes before Shy Away) Josh captures Trash before "Choker" starts, and he captures Tyler at the end of the video. The "Shy Away" music video takes place inside the display case seen in "Choker" and Josh is controlling everything (calling back to an easter egg you featured on the channel, Tyler appears to look off screen during "Shy Away", but he actually turns his head back to look at Josh, who nods at Tyler, to which Tyler responds by singing as if Josh gave Tyler permission to sing). These theories are both sub-theories of my main theory that Josh had been indoctrinated into DEMA and must severe his ties with them (similar to Tyler severing his ties before the release of Trench). This theory is somewhat supported by the abnormal and inhumane way Josh interacts with Tyler in "Choker", and the fact that Josh can be seen reading the novel "If" by Nicholas Bourbaki - 'Nico'.

The last verse is a mix of taxi cab, addict with a pen and isle of flightless birds

At the end of Jumpsuit music video we find Clancy(Tyler) lying in a stream of water in a mountain trench, suspended in a unconscious state holding sunflowers in his hands. Clancy had escaped Dema and Nico had come to take him back to Dema, and Nico would have been successful in capturing Clancy but the efforts of the Banditos lead by Josh, who showered Clancy with sunflower petals, gave Clancy the strength to resist Nico's control over him. But the conflict between Nico and The Banditos resulted in Clancy's mind to enter a dream-like state while his body remained in the trench. This is where SAI takes place,within Clancy's dream state. Nico had touched Clancy as seen in the Jumpsuit video and therefore Dema is controling Clancy's dream. Basically SAI is a dream made by Dema going on in the mind of an unconscious Clancy. But because of the Banditos and the rebellious hope they enlightened Clancy with, there are remnants of the Banditos inside Clancy's dream. So now Clancy lives in a warm dream staged by Dema. Inside this dream he sees Josh, who is actually a force of the bishops behind the facade of Josh. In the Choker video Clancy enters the toy store and finds a tiny toy dragon. A dragon is a fire breathing creature who levitates above ground. In the Shy Away video, the dragon is seen levitating in the sky. Choker is the 2nd track of SAI, and Levitate is the 2nd track of Trench. In the song Levitate, Tyler has used lyrics that can easily be drawn up and imagined as a dragon. 'You can levitate with just a little help'.-the tiny toy dragon is the little help from the Banditos who are calling out for Clancy within his dream. Back to the Choker video, Josh, who is actually a 'Josh' look-alike and a creation of Dema ignores Clancy at first when he tries to reach out for the toy dragon. As Clancy turns around and is about to leave the toy store, he witnesses a blue flash and turns back to find Jim turned into a toy too. This reveals that the golden retriever Jim, wearing a blue bandana was also a remnant of the Banditos inside Clancy's dream. This time the fake Josh cant ignore Clancy's curiosity and so he shows him the dragon. Clancy feels its vibe and grabbing it from the counter makes a run for it. Fake Josh follows him and captures him and finally turns Clancy into a figurine too. And thus, Clancy's little unity with the forces of the Banditos comes to an end and the dream is reset. Basically Clancy goes back to slumber like the end of Jumpsuit video and the cycle continues. SAI is propoganda and Clancy is being used. This is my speculation.

I think this really talks about shyness and anxiety. We are afraid to look for the things we want, because we are afraid of what the other people can think about us. These songs encourage us to change, because these thoughts are preventing ourselves from growing and doing what we have to do. It's not an easy and fast process but a complex process where we change step by step slowly. That's what I'm getting from these songs, I didn't understand everything in the videos, but I guess that's the message behind it all.

What if Tyler was scared that he would "choke" as a father and battles with this fear alone, sabotaging himself then by the end of the song he has realized that he needs to step up and be the best dad that he can?- Just a thought

Nice breakdown. I enjoyed the video. One main thought on the mv - is the Josh we see really the real Josh? Or is someone or something from Dema inhabiting him or made to look like him? If it really is Josh he did Jim dirty. We need justice for Jim

So excited for the new album!

Woke up to this song, wondered the whole day what you thought he ment

I think this is Josh's song. Tyler sees the Trash is Josh's life and cares about it, asks about it. When Josh shrinks Jim, it reveals to us that Josh is making figurines of what he sees as central to his being. When Tyler realizes this, he knows that he is going to have to take the drastic action of stealing Josh's Trash, even if it means being separated from him. I think Josh runs after Tyler, not because Josh wants his Trash back, but because he needs Tyler. Tyler is central to Josh's being and Josh wouldn't give up Tyler even if it meant freeing him of Trash. Also, note that the Jim and Tyler figurines are larger (i.e. more important) than Trash. Of course...this all breaks down when we see that there isn't a huge Debby figure in the store ;)

The imagery at the end is soooo cool with the sun. The shadow symbolizes death at one point, and then, like you said, turning around and looking back is blinding bc of where the sun is in the image, but the shadow in this picture would Literally grow taller, bolder, and stronger as the sun sets. Crazy.

I read that the dragon is a symbol to him. When he was in quarantine, he looked to the dragon as a way to get inspiration and keep moving

When Tyler says “you’re gonna change my circumstance” he directly looks at Trash, which in my theory, represents imagination and creativity. Meaning that he’s able to solve his problems by himself with the help of his art and creativity.

I don’t know how this song fits into dema lore but it could link to taxi cab from self titled. He says that the ‘sun moves behind him’ and that the ‘rear view only blinds you’ which could mean he has passed the ‘morning sun’ he was going towards in taxi cab meaning he has reached what has come next

Here’s a thought: just because someone is in pain doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with them. Pain is just the body telling the brain that there is something wrong. It’s the warning bells, the middle man, making sure your brain pays attention to something. Edit: So once you’re consciously aware that something is wrong, you can take action to change what’s happening to you. And only you know the degree of your pain, so someone else trying to get your splinter out (the thing that triggers your warning bells), they don’t quite understand the splinter like you do. That‘s why it’s easier to get your splinter out by yourself.

been waiting all morning for this

I think the tempo and overall sonic production of the rap in this song reminds me of the rap from Taxi Cab on self titled.

In the MV Tyler is wearing an orange hat, and in the shop (behind Josh) there are two signs next to each other : one orange with written "old" and one yellow with written "new". Idk if there's a link between those, but maybe it's suggesting there's something else coming...

When Josh ran out of the store with the net gun I thought it was a shotgun.

Between tøp dropping songs right now and you rushing to explain them, I feel like there's a minor conspiracy going on to keep me from finishing my seminar papers... XD

I was laughing at how they named the dragon Trash (like Jason Statham the cheetah) but I was thinking about the symbolism in that. Tyler has said that some of his demos and new material he’s trying to brainstorm he immediately trashes because he gets so critical of himself. So Trash could represent some of that creative material that he’s not exactly happy or satisfied with, but is still a positive thing. Creating as a form of therapy is still helpful even if you’re not content with the final product. So Tyler could be alluding to that struggle of his by naming his creation Trash 🗑

100% Tyler will let us sing the chorus live. I also wanna say thanks to you Man, I always understand the songs a bit more and it betters my listening experience.

I knew the king would post under 12 hours of the release

FACTS: You know that twenty one pilots has published a new song when the pop song professor uploads a new video where he analyses the lyrics of the new single🙌

I'm currently in my second year of learning music production with the goal that one day I will play with them on stage. This song in the midst of me learning is a huge motivator. I was born a choker and I'm trying to change that one day at a time.

something I noticed is that fire was used as a symbol of life and hope in trench, and trash the dragon breathes fire on the cover of the album, thus Tyler is trying to fight back against depression by stealing trash

REALIZING THAT CHOKER HAS IDENTICAL IMAGERY TO JUMPSUIT WITH TYLER BEING CHASED THEN DRAGGED AWAY BY SOMEONE WITHOUT FIGHTING

One thing I just noticed about the music video is that Josh does not seem to really be himself. It's such a stark difference between Josh the leader of the Banditos and Josh the toy store employee. I think that when Josh is seen playing the drums (with the yellow drum sticks which is the "rebel" color), it's a vision that Tyler has of the real Josh. Tyler tries to get his attention, but because that Josh is lost right now, Tyler can't get his attention. The next frame Josh is still reading the book, so I don't think that drum scene actually happened in the video's real life. It's also worth noting that Josh broke Tyler out of Dema in the Trench era. However, in this video, he is seen dragging him back reminiscent of the way the bishops captured Tyler in the past. Another thing I find interesting is that in an interview, Tyler said that the dragon represented creativity/imagination. It is being held captive by Josh who is under the control of Dema, and he's trying to get it back. Those are some preliminary thoughts/observations about the music video I've had.

It's less about "being shy" and more about anxiety. Anxiety makes people receed into themselves coming across as shy

also, i think that when tyler says “but the day goes on, the sun moves behind you You get taller, bolder, stronger and the rearview only blinds you” the sun could represent God as in other of their songs, i read somewhere about the similarity of how he pronounces sun and Son and it could make sense because God can make you stronger and bolder. Great explanation btw :)

An interesting progression in the video itself. It starts out and Tyler is almost begging for attention from Josh who is ignoring him. The tone through all of this is very self doubting. I think being a choker in this song is very synonymous with not having people caring about him and feeling alone. In the bridge, the lyrics begin to be more hopeful and then he steals the dragon. Josh is chasing him as he's singing "Nobody's coming for me." The Final rap which is the most hopeful part of the song, happens after he's caught. There is a victory here of being noticed. Tyler feels hopeful because he was noticed and they had to come for him. The victory is realizing he was worth somebody going after him. Throughout the music video he gets "Taller, Bolder, Stronger." There's a lot more but I thought this was an interesting progression worth noting.

the more i read theories about Josh's role, the more im thinking whether Josh is actually hiding from Dema in plain view and making Tyler, his dog and Trash into toys may be him taking them under his wing to protect him and because he's still hiding he can't be nice to Tyler also when he starts playing the drums he still has his yellow drumsticks so this may be his way to tell Tyler he's still on his side im curious to hear more opinions on this

Another great pop professor breakdown! Can't wait for the rest of the album

The lyrics they postet below the video are : "I'm gonna change my circumstance I know I need to move right now" So I think it means, we have to change our circumstance, we have to do it ourselves , we need to move. And this will make us stronger.

The first thing that stood out to me is how much more of a role Josh has in this video - he's typically just in the background on the drums while Tyler interacts with the camera Josh is obviously who is shrinking everything into the case (that's Josh's real dog btw if you didn't know that) Trash has already been shrank when the video starts - Does this mean Josh has control of Trash? Does Tyler know this and so he is trying to free Trash? I think once we get a really good understanding of Trash it will help a lot on both videos Also at the end of "Shy Away" there is that bright blue light when everything comes crumbling down - similar to what we see when Josh is shrinking everything here Also, this was shot in Columbus right down the street from where Ned's Bayou was set up and you can clearly see Ned and the "Have you seen him?" on the store front as the video starts

the speed you put this out-

I took a different interpretation of the rap verse, as someone who has struggled with mental health, suicidal thoughts, and self harm, it sounds to me that he is encouraging doing something different from self harm. “Pain is just the middle man” feels like recognizing causing physical pain is only a temporary distraction from your emotional pain and prevents you from moving forward. And when he says the lines “Like a little splinter buried in your skin, Someone else can carve it out but when you've got the pin, it hurts a little less and you can even push it further in” it feels like trusting others to help you get through things is more helpful than taking it on by yourself. And as someone who self harmed in the past, it is true that intentionally hurting yourself is much less painful than someone else doing it to you, and you become desensitized to a point. Saying “When your body's screamin' out, trust your mind's listening” it feels like saying even if that is the case, your mind is paying attention to what your body is going through. The verse then becomes much more optimistic, while still not becoming toxically positive (which can feel dismissive) he basically is saying, one day you will die as a natural point of life, but for now you are alive, and that should be celebrated, and the past only blinds you to that. Maybe that’s totally off, but that was my initial reaction!!!!

i don’t know if anyone already said this and it probably doesn’t even mean anything, but “choking on the circumstance, only smoking secondhand” really reminds me of “i hope they choke on smoke cause i’m smokin em out the basement” from heavydirtysoul and it’s both in the beginning of the songs...

That moment in your life when you have to go to work for 14+hours and wake up to a new twenty one pilots song and you have one of the best days ever and win a $50 gift card on top of that 🙌

Choker might be one of the more favorite songs I've heard from twenty one pilots so far.

“Like a silhouette that you can barely see As a shadow cast upon the ground where you'll eventually Lay forever, but the day goes on, the sun moves behind you You get taller, bolder, stronger and the rearview only blinds you” My first thought on this verse in Choker was the use of the sun and shadows like in semiautomatic “ The horrors of the night melt away Under the warm glow Of survival of the day Then we move on My shadow grows taller along with my fears And my frame shrinks smaller as night grows near” I totally agree with Tyler putting his own spin on old ideas from vessel or RAB. This is just evidence of that

This is actually a really unique message and I find it super relatable as a recent graduate in the midst of a pandemic. I struggle with imposter syndrome and feeling like I’m falling behind. I doubt my skills and instincts and whenever I fail at something, my brain uses it as evidence for why I’m not actually good at the things I’m good at. I’m sure others can relate.

I didn’t realize how much I relate to this song until you started explaining it! That’s why I love it so much. This song now hits me at whole new levels

I think choker is a symbol of his new album. He’s nervous about how this new album will do, afraid to “choke”. And Scaled and Icy is a dip into music he’s totally comfortable doing, that’s why he was so reserved in this music video compared to other music videos from older albums. And with shy away, that’s why he was nervous in the beginning of the music video, afraid that no one will like it, but he gains confidence throughout the video. Thank you for your time

I am living for all these awesome theories! I feel like the Dema propaganda theory could very much be true. I love hearing your thoughts on Choker. I really took it as tying to the story of Trench. When he says "I know it's over. I was born a choker. Nobody is coming for me" makes me think he saying: I lost the fight, I thought I could leave the city but I choked, and no one is coming to save me from the bishops. Josh uses neon blue to transform Tyler, making me think that it ties into the neon lights the bishops used to control people. Tyler ends up in the display = back in Dema. Also, the mug that says "Good Day Dema" makes me think that the propaganda theory is alive and well. This is why Twenty One Pilots has been my favorite band for years. So much thought and detail go into their music and story.

I've been waiting for this video all night!! It was worth the wait. Thanks for the explanation!

Self-sabotage ties directly to Shy Away. The idea of stopping yourself from being successful or moving forward runs through both songs. Many times, a person sabotaging themselves is unaware they are doing it and when they do become aware, it is scary and hard to break down those walls. What is on the other side may be desired, but the fear of failure, rejection, etc. will keep someone from trying to succeed. Lyrically, there are a number of songs they have released that have alluded to this process, but never so boldly, imho. Also, I was reminded of the bishop grabbing Tyler by the neck to drag him back to Dema. Maybe “self-sabotage”is the name and the bishop is the personification?

i think it's gonna be a succession of music videos, just like in trench with jumpsuit, levitate and nico and the niners. in choker, the dragon is really small and since the dog and tyler are shown to be big and alive, it could mean that the dragon will be alive in another music video, with josh bringing him to life maybe?? it could also mean that tyler will be into a different reality with pastel colors, similar to the shy away music video, or the latest photoshoot with jenna and rosie. and about tyler stealing the dragon and josh shooting him with the net gun, i have no idea :) waiting for the full plot

I really enjoyed your interpretations! I felt like the things you said reaffirmed the vibes I was getting when trying to analyze it.

For the music video: 1. I think Tyler is in some sort of illusion or dream machine (could be what the website is the control room for) because, we know they're in dema right now but we've seen dema before and we know its a dark/gloomy place. So, I think dema is using this illusion-type thing to confuse Tyler and get him to stay, that's why everything feels so produced and bright, why Josh wasn't actually Josh, and why the shop's address on Josh's shirt was in Columbus, Ohio. It's all there to make Tyler feel comfortable, but you can tell by their faces that something is wrong. Josh's face is always blank and Tyler always looks worried. 2. There's also the possibility that the bishop's are controlling Josh. This would explain why Tyler says no one is coming for him, since Josh usually comes and brings him out of dema, but if they're both there then no one else can come for them. It would also make sense, because that could be the scary thing that keeps making Tyler choke and shy away, maybe this time he needs to save Josh but he doesn't know how to. Or maybe he does know how to, maybe he realizes Josh is being controlled and the only way to save him is to take on the bishops, and maybe to destroy dema? That's why he needs the dragon (the word destroy is found on the dragon). Tyler talked in the interview about how the dragon represented his creativity, that he could take the little toy and give life to it until it's huge and flying around his room. I think that's exactly what he needs to do in the story, he needs trash to escape dema. Which would follow suit with what he's talked about before: when you're in a bad place you should create. 3. Also, it could be a bit of both. Maybe Tyler realizes he's trapped in some sort of room. So, he needs trash to get big and destroy the room so he can escape.

I feel like most of this song is really about the romanticizing of mental illness. This is first implied in 'Self-sabotage is a sweet romance', but also the following line: 'Feels like all I'm worth is what I'm able to withstand', which I think shows the idea that you have to have a hard life and mental health issues in order to fit in and get any form of attention. This is a real problem among teenagers, where they will (usually subconsciously) make their problems worse than they really are, sabotaging themselves, because this has become a hype (no pun intended). In the bridge, Tyler adresses this, first wih the splinter analogy, saying that it might sometimes seem easier to push the splinter in yourself, than to have someone else pull it out. But the next line, 'When your body's screaming out, trust your mind's listening', feels to me more like a piece of advice than anything, saying that, when you're in pain (body), the best thing to do is to think about it rationally (mind) to find a solution.

(Warning, Extremely Long Comment) I think you did a very thorough and awesome explanation of the song! It also appears to me that Tyler has been weaving some double meanings into his songs as well though. I think the over all theme describes a personal growth situation that people can easily understand. But I also think he is describing something a little deeper in Trench lore at the same time. And the music video seems to follow something similar. These lines... "I don't bother anyone nervous where I stand Chokin' on the circumstance Only smokin' second hand" ...remind me of the people in the weird "church services" in the Neco and the Niners music video. Could it be possible Tyler is explaining himself standing in a similar circumstance? And Smokin' second hand could be referring to the Bishops cult teachings, and how Tyler is not participating, but he's still absorbing it "secondhand" and it's causing him to choke when it comes to obstacles he needs to get past (which could be referring to his escape attempts possibly.) If we are sticking with that same frame of mind, then the lines... "I know it's over I was born a choker Nobody's comin' for me Comin' for me" ... would also be explained. Tyler is losing hope, and he is now consumed by this self doubt that he's always choked easily. And there is no one coming to rescue him from Dema this time (like, again, in the Neco video). "I don't bother anyone Never make demands Chokin' on the circumstance Self-Sabotage is a sweet romance" Those lines could be further explaining his situation. But the last line "Self-Sabotage is a sweet romance" reminds me a ton of vialism (the teaching of the Bishops) which is all about self doubt, and themes that lead to poor mental health and glorified suicide (as established in the Neon Gravestones music video). "Seems like all I'm worth is what I'm able to withstand Sooner I can realize that pain is just a middleman" I think the meaning of these lines are exactly how you described them both in and out of this "Dema perspective." And the last line I also agree is the first sign of hope in the song because after that it goes into the bridge... "I see no volunteers to cosign on my fears I'll sign on the line Alone, you're gonna change my circumstance I know I need to move right now" ...which again establishes that he's by himself, but continuing with a little hope that as signing the fears he's acknowledging them for what they are. Then it's to the mystery line about who the "you" is. And it could be God or it could be Josh (which I know sounds weird, but I have a reason to believe that Josh in the music video is either a Bishop in disguise or a brainwashed Josh, which I'll talk about later...) or he could be talking about family or a number of other things. He then repeats the chorus and then goes into the rap (which I won't put here for the sake of some brevity, lol). But I think the rap part is also the same in and out of this "Dema perspective" as well. It's what's going on in his head and I also agree that it is positive (which is interesting, because in the video he is being captured at the time he raps this positive ending to the song). I think the two explanations of the song line up really well. I really do think he is using his descriptions to paint a double-meaning picture if you will. But all of this is a total theory, and I'd love to hear what people think? (There is a pretty high chance I could just be reading into this all, lol). I'm going to try to continue with a quick explanation of the music video (or at least the parts that I am suspicious of) for anyone who is interested. To start off, Tyler does look very nervous and uncomfortable. He walks over to "Josh" who hardly acknowledges him (which is the opposite of Josh in every other music video, in which he either starts with Tyler, or searches him out.) Josh is also reading a black book (which you can't read the title of, but looks light it MIGHT be a book on vialism, but that's just a guess.) Then when Tyler asks about the dragon (which I think might possibly represent some form of freedom, or a way to escape), he gets ignored. Then "Josh" turns the dog into a plastic toy (and puts bottle caps into a jar, that is very very full). Eventually Tyler gets "Josh" to bring out the toy dragon, but "Josh" is looking down at Tyler the whole time with an almost irritated look. Then Tyler acts like he's just looking at it, but then the line... "Alone, you're gonna change my circumstance. I know I need to move right now" ...plays and he steals it (which is what makes me think the dragon has something to do with freedom). Then "Josh" tracks Tyler down and captures him in a net. The way "Josh" drags Tyler reminds me a ton of how Tyler was dragged away in the Levitate music video! (Which could be hinting that it's not Josh at all, but maybe not). I also want to point out really quick that "Josh" drags him back to the store, and turns Tyler into a toy, only after he has finished his hopeful rap (which would be very rebellious to the Bishops). So maybe "Josh's" original intention was not to turn him into a toy (?) but did so because Tyler was being so rebellious (?) And then as the camera goes to toy Tyler, it also shows Josh putting more bottle caps into the jar (which alludes to the idea that many people or things have been turned into toys.) Just something interesting to note. Anyway, to sum up my theory. Tyler and Josh are trapped in Dema still. The music video is a fake reality (either inside Tyler's head... again... inception, whoah) or it's a set that the bishops have made. Either way it appears like both Josh and Tyler are in trouble and something is not right. Maybe all of this is theory is completely wrong! But I love nonetheless how thought provoking Tyler's lyrics and creativity are! || -// (Have an awesome day! :)

I watched your video on this and a few others. I woke up this morning and the first thought in my head answered my main questions about the video: “why did he steal the dragon and run with it?” And also: “Why was he shouting and being ignored By josh’s character when all he wanted was for josh to give him the Dragon? If choker is about someone getting over being a person who cracks and flakes and fails under pressure, (and therefore is discounted from trying to do things they might fail at) The Dragon represents “the moment or Opportunity” no one can just “give you” your opportunity. You can’t yell for it, they’ll just ignore you ( and play a drum solo). It’s your chance, so the only way to “get it” is to “take it” and run with it. Thanks for your awesome videos!

The part when he says "spread us open [...] you'll begin to understand" always sounded to me as he was talking about leaves of papyrus about to become paper

It seems like the album is becoming an encouragement to create if you think about shy away and choker So different. So good tho

AWESOME Cliff!! I'm so stoked for this album. This song reminds me more of music from Self Titled album. My beagle, Charlie, says HI😁💙✌ll-//

Thanks for your quick analysis, Cliff! Always look forward to them! 👏 I agree that these lyrics from Tyler are very poetic, and multi-dimensional (DEMA storyline continued w/'fake Josh', as well as on a personal level, Tyler continuing his thoughts on his insecurities). That last part "like a silhouette that you can barely see" (i think is referring to the teeny tiny Trash), alluding to the fact that if you overcome your insecurities you will get "taller, bolder, stronger" like the Big dragon in Shy Away flying overhead. So the dragon (representing insecurities, doubt) can be both scary and negative AND liberating (creatively and emotionally) once you overcome your fears. If that makes sense!? Ahhhh, I love analyzing TØP songs...so fun!

4:12 it could mean that you don’t have to feel like all the pressure is on you, nobody is coming for you and that you can just be confident since that’s what you had made an inference about in the beginning

It looks like Josh is reading the book "If" by Nickolas Bourbaki when Tyler enters the store!

The lyrics give my a "The Run and Go" type of feeling and I think the meaning could be similar. In The Run and Go Tyler talks about he doesn't want to give others the burden of his problems, his "demons" and here he talks about how he "doesn't bother anyone" and, like you said in this video, seems really shy like he doesn't want to affect peapole with his presence. I got this feeling especially from the line "all I'm worth is what I'm able to withstand", like he thinks that he has value only if he keeps his "demons" to himself and doesn't give them to other peapole, harming them with this "burden" he feels they are.

With the line "Alone you're going to change my circumstance, I know I need to move right now", I think he may be talking about Trash(the dragon). It's all he wants in the video and It's like the thing that he's craving. It kinda lends itself to the theory that Trash is the reincarnation of Ned and that Tyler has lost his creativity, or maybe his self-expression and all he wants to do is get it back but, he can't because he's a "choker".

"He goes by Nico, he told me I'm a copy" It doesn't seem to be the real Josh in the toy store and there are several copies of each in the Shy Away video. "Begun, the clone war has."--Yoda

During one part of the music video the mug on the counter has “good day dema” on it. So maybe this is in a sense another version of dema. One that maybe isn’t quite as dark as trench in order to make people think it isn’t so bad.

I was waiting for this video!👏👏👏

i think pain being the middle man, reminds me of migrane, in the explanation video ty did, he talked about how the headache is the thing telling you something is wrong, wether you're dehydrated or whatever. so the pain is telling you something is wrong, or atleast the pain is trying to tell you something

"TREE HUGGERS MAKE BETTER LOVERS"❤️

My thoughts on the meaning of the music video: I think that the “you’re going to change my circumstance” is about Trash the dragon and the power of imagination through songwriting that Trash represents. I think that the song builds up to when Tyler (or this character) is ready to move forward which is when he steals the figurine of Trash. He knows because of the Jim toy that Trash used to be real, and he wants to, through his imagination, bring him back to life. In the beginning of the video, Josh is reading the book “If” by Nicholas Bourbaki. Maybe this signals Josh being influenced by Vialism and that is why he traps Tyler at the end. This could also fit into the simulation theory that some people had about how they think that Tyler is in a simulation run by the bishops. The bishops could have created a fake Josh so that Tyler would trust him, but in reality, they are controlling him. Overall, I think that the music video might be about trapping naivety and how the power of imagination/songwriting can bring that back to life.

I also saw someone relating the last line to taxi cab, when he says "we're driving towards the morning sun where all your blood is washed away and all you did will be undone", now the sun is behind him and the rearview blinds him, so maybe he's driving away from death and that negative mindset

Thank you for the explanation. This is an amazing song, and now I love it even more! :)

"Pain is just a middle man" reminds me of Half Alive's Arrow where it says "The hardest place to be is right where you are, in the space between, the finish and the start is the arrow in your heart"

I thought it was much more about the self sabotage aspect of it. Choking yourself possibly. But this is super cool, you always clear things up a lot

He’s talking about the dragon, about changing his circumstance. Amazing and BRILLIANT!

This whole album is about dealing with anxiety culminating to the end where your worst thoughts come to life

I’m all for these cheerier twenty one pilots songs

Semi-Automatic an Choker has same similarity abit "As a shadow cast upon the ground where you'll eventually Lay forever, but the day goes on, the sun moves behind you You get taller, bolder, stronger and the rearview only blinds you" "By the time the night wears off The dust is down And shadows burn I will rise and stand my ground Waiting for The night's return"

I really like the idea that this is song lyrics are from a perspective of a fan. The "you're gonna change my circumstance" is maybe this fan thinking about the band ? or maybe some other external force like something that's new in their life that's gonna change it (in contrast to needing to change something internally like shedding their skin of and coming out of the shell). I also thought before watching your video that it might be from the perspective of Josh (the lyrics, not mv).

6:54 "pain is just a middle man" could mean that there is something behind it that is even worse, and that if I manage to fight this pain, there will just be more. Or it could mean there's a reason for the pain, and if I find it I might be able to resolve it.

Keons anthem Edit: Ya gotta remember sai is propaganda There’s a dive into these negative, resigned feelings, but we know that it’s not actually saying to resign to them because of who it’s coming from Everything’s been sort of censored by Dema in lore here, but *we* know it’s an acknowledgment that it’s going to be bad sometimes and you’re going to end up back there. You’re going to run out of fire once in a while, and you’re going to go cold, heatless, icy. But while Dema is saying “accept it and it’s over,” we know they’ve hidden a message through the context of their other songs that actually means “accept it so you can move forward.” Reminds me of Glowing Eyes a little, that idea of ending up returning to a familiar bad place feeling preferable to actually trying to push forward. This album might just turn out to be an acknowledgement of that concept. It comes out of Dema, it’s gone and touched on these lyrics that could be dangerous if misinterpreted, these lyrics that seem to say “give in to your failings.” But if you put it in the larger context you see that hidden meaning of “okay yeah it’s GOING to be bad and this is what it feels like, you won’t always be able to push yourself but you’re overall trying.” In other words, right now you’ve got a really crazy mind to clean. So, Keons anthem.

I see "self sabotage is a sweet romance" as describing someone who purposely sabotages situations they get put in, just to escape because they know they'll end up "choking". Like you said they think they'll always fail so why not get it over with

Thanks for the great explanations, as always. I love this song. I like how it points to stepping up and taking responsibility to change your own life. Am I the only one who thinks that this song feels like it should be the theme song to Marvel’s new Loki series? :)

I think that someone Tyler is talking about when he says "alone, you're gonna change my circumstance" is the dragon. We see the dog get turned into one of those toys so maybe that process can be reversed and the dragon could become big again and be alive and I think that's what Tyler was putting together while he was in the store. He says that line right as he stares at the dragon toy on the glass case as well.