FOOTNOTES (also big spoilers for the end-of-video theory): 10:42 - This is strongly supported by the examples of Smudger and Godred, whose demises are very closely tied to their own carelessness and belief that they’re immortal. This further develops the sense of horror I talk about later with characters like the Old Iron Bridge ghost, whose death was inexplicable and seemingly not the fault of the engine or its crew. It also gives way more weight to Lord Harry’s redemption in the books - him being a “risk-taker” at the outset is a lot more serious if we see it as him playing with the forces of Time that tore Godred apart before him. 13:42 - Many of the posts I mentioned earlier in the video talk about Rusty being a diesel and tie that into the Boulder-is-nature theory. I didn’t go over it here, but I actually think it serves to support my version of events more strongly than theirs. Boulder is mad at Rusty for saving Stepney, but doesn’t hunt down Douglas for saving Oliver. Why? Because Time/Boulder can understand steam engines saving other steam engines - it’s what they do. But a diesel saving a steam engine completely messes up the “natural order” of things in the eyes of time. Rusty also mocks time’s lack of influence on Sodor in Rusty to the Rescue by claiming that he’s taken Stepney “over the border” of Sodor, where time (supposedly) cannot reach. Rusty has risen above his station, and Boulder feels the need to bring him back down to earth. Thanks for watching! I know the audio quality isn’t perfect, since I haven’t used my setup in a while and things have been moved around a bit, but I don’t think it affects it too much. I’ll work on getting it sorted properly if (big if, see my previous video) I upload again.
I’m not sure if you want to compare the fandom to Boulder. I mean, that was a force that caused so much destruction and in the end never got to return home. Such a comparison would imply the fandom could become a toxic force that would use unethical means to pressure the writers and directors to bring the franchise back to its older days and in the end won’t really reap the rewards of their efforts as they’ll be seen as unpopular by others. Also, the time theme seems to be disrupted a bit by the existence of good Diesels and good road vehicles. Stuff like Steamies Vs Diesels and the engines fighting to preserve Sodor are certainly common throughout the story, but there always is change happening even in the classic series as more engines are added to help with the work load. I think some of the best fan stories are when Sodor is shown to be more than just a safe haven for Steam Engines, but a sort of utopia where all manner of vehicles can coexist despite being so different. Of course, the evil Diesels will always be popular villains, but Sodor has become more than just a window into a forgotten past. In a sense, it’s a combination of the past, present, and future. The multiculturalism even becomes more literal as foreign engines are added to the ranks, starting with some American engines and later including Japanese and African engines.
@@tristankawatsuma8962 I'm not advocating for fans to pull a Boulder and blow up Mattel's HQ or anything, just to be clear. I agree it's not a perfect analogy, and I'm certainly not supporting anything "unethical" - the way we stand up to Mattel is by sticking to what made the original franchise special, discussing it, making fan stories etc etc. I'm also not claiming that the theme of time can be reduced to a simple Steam Engines VS Diesels/Road Vehicles conflict either, that's pretty obviously not true. The whole steam-diesel thing is just one dimension of the larger time-memory conflict. I do really like your point about past, present, and future, though, and I think that explains really nicely what the CGI seasons were going for, at least post-Miller. Thanks for such a well thought out comment :D
I'd argue Time tries to get revenge on pretty much everyone who either escapes scrap or assists in such in the classic era. And I'd like to propose that in certain situations sentient rolling stock is "sacrificed to appease Time" Edward: saves Trevor then Time strikes back with the events of Edwards exploit Donald and Douglas:: Donald crashes into a signal box (almost being sent away to die in his twins place) and Douglas crushes the break van (both potentially being sent back and "sacrificing" the break van to appease Time) Toby: is saved by the fat controller and Time strikes back with the events of Toby's tightrope Oliver & Toad: Oliver and Toad fail to "sacrifice" S.C.Ruffy to appease Time (S.C.Ruffy doesn't die in the TV series). Toad experiences the events of busy going backwards (Time once again failing to kill him) and Oliver's discovery is where Time sends Oliver somewhere abandoned (somewhere Time has triumphed) Donald, Douglas and Trevor once again get put in the line of fire in twin trouble Pretty much any Thomas and Percy incident after the old slow coach could be attributed to Time getting revenge even in Rusty and the Boulder Percy is in Boulder's line of fire Stepney's appearance in series 12 where the points miraculously change to crash a wagon into him could be explained as Time just being spiteful at that point and taking a "pot shot" at Stepney (not classic era but quite funny) Any narrow gauge incident after Duke is rescued could be taken as penance to Time And finally literally all the shenanigans that happen on the North Western could be taken as Time punishing The Fat Controller for refusing to bow to progress. he is a man who both desiccates the natural beauty of the island with industry while clinging to this obsolete antiquated mode of population and restoring locations and engines claimed by Time. He insulted the very concept of Time by neither leaving the island be nor submitting to the march of progress
@@tristankawatsuma8962There's already enough people people who think that inside and outside the fandom without someone (kind of) in the fandom encouraging that perception
This was honestly one of the most eye opening videos I’ve ever watched. I’ve always noticed things in my life with distinct change (e.g. shops in big cities that have since closed, rides in theme parks that have left, and locos that have left the National Railway Museum, etc). These are small and often trivial things, but change is obvious the longer you live. I think the reason Boulder has Gordon’a face is because he is the character who’s had the most quarrels with time. His brothers were scrapped to be replaced by diesels, and by the end of the books he’s forced to retire in place of modern traction. He’s one of time’s greatest victims. I think Rusty being targeted by the boulder may be because he’s the only narrow gauge diesel, so therefore he’s the biggest threat of change to the Skarloey railway.
The themes of Time is something that I believe makes so much sense that I didn’t realize sooner. The RWS focuses on this theme a lot, the more I see these view points the more it makes sense in my head
1. Lovely to have you back and hope you have been keeping well! 2. Definitely one of the more existential video essays I've seen around the Thomas fandom mainframe. Its always been interesting to me how rare it is to see people tackle fan stories that discuss what happens when time is up for the engines, when in reality, to me its much more impactful seeing these characters continue on despite not knowing when their time will come to an end, seeing the world change around them with the knowledge that they don't fit in. The inevitable is only prolonged because we keep telling stories about them, as in that the characters only die when we die.
I personally headcanon that boulder is a Celtic nature spirit. According to Celtic mythology, all things in nature have a spirit or soul. The celts honored these spirits and worshipped them. He could be an ancient deity, I’m not sure which one exactly. Where a lot of names on the Skarloey railway have Celtic names, and the Sudric language is in the same Celtic sub-group, the goidelic group and similar to Manx, it is probably safe to assume that perhaps the island was inhabited by celts at one point. Thus making it possible for Boulder to be one of these ancient spirits. Rusty was also shown alongside lady. Lady being responsible for giving life to the engines can be considered as some form of god. So perhaps Rusty is more in tuned to these ancient spirits, or even a god himself, thus being the first to worry about the Boulder. But that’s just my crazy conspiracy theory.
There’s something very fitting about this being the topic of the first video after an extended hiatus, especially with such a noticeable mark of time’s progression with your voice having broken in the meantime. I’m glad to see you back, even if this may just be this video! This does make me wonder about the potential of the themes being reversed for a story or two, where being too much of a stickler to the past hampers one’s ability to move forward. I’d imagine that’s probably a pretty popular flaw for fandom writers to give Duke, given his circumstances. Some other examples could be seen in heritage railway with preserved engines’ liveries being more experimental upsetting the rivet-counters, the most recent that I can think of is Talyllyn’s current outing in blue. A more high concept example, perhaps too much to fit into a Railway Series story, is the issues with the current copyright system. The perpetual stranglehold companies have on intellectual properties has certainly affected the series in negative ways, such as how much trouble Christopher had with his publishers when writing his books.
@@LowkeyJouta There’s definitely some potential with other real life events too, such as Brit Alcroft’s company trying to sue the Bluebell and Talyllyn. My main concern is that it probably hinges too much upon various human characters rather than the engines to fit in with the style of the Railway Series, but that’s certainly not a restriction fan works have to be limited by!
That was a crazy theory, boulder being time is a really cool idea and it’s poetic that the episode they are in is the finale of “classic” Thomas (if you don’t count 6 and 7)
Another good reason to why Boulder is a great representation of time is because Boulder is, well, a Giant Rock, and Rocks have essentially been on our planet for as long as Earth has existed. Rocks are a timeless part of our world, and even if they are melted deep below and spewed up as Lava, it's still rock in the end, and Rocks are timeless. Boulder may have stood on that high peak for over Thousands of Years, undisturbed, but then the progress of Time showed up and Boulder, being definitely disturbed by it, lashed out.
Man what is it with these highly influential british televison shows and having the concept of time being the main driving force of it? (Thomas and Doctor Who)
never thought about it that way, but everything you said kind of clicks in to place almost perfectly. as you said, i dont think that was the intention of the writers but i love how the fandom builds off the episodes to make a deeper more mature connection to life
You know, I can already imagine how the flipside of this vengeful and manifestation thing could happen. Possibly, with the story's manifestation of memory essentially being angry at the story's manifestation of time, for basically trying to destroy what it values most for some arbitrary and twisted idea of what it calls justice or order. And in a similar vain to Captain Ahab (or possibly Venom Snake from The Phantom Pain, if we're going for a slightly more triumphant, if hollow victory sort of story), the manifestation of memory dedicates everything to make sure that time faces its own karmatic justice. To act as it's reminder that it's not the all-consuming, overpowering force that it wants itself to be, and that above all, time and fate (no pun intended) are not set in stone.
This video is absolutely beautiful, and really dives in to what makes Thomas “different” from the kids shows we see today. Your points are very well thought out, and make a lot of sense to me at least lol. Like you said, unintentional or not, this writing is there and should be recognized!
I feel like you're just off with specifically the boulder bit. I think boulder represents a deeper past and the parts of the island who have been left alone. With the railway's constant rediscovery and growth it causes it causes the past of the island to be threatened. Like how sodor feels threatened by the outside world the interior part of sodor feels threatened by the railway and it faught back. Sort of an allegory for the wider sodor time conflict.
Wow, not even able to lie, I was literally thinking about your channel like 2-3 days ago and was gonna check it then (I’ve had a busy few days) but I’m glad I waited because this was worth it I know you said you’re only gonna be here if you feel like it, but I’m still glad to see you regardless, really interesting and well crafted theory btw, I really enjoyed it
Just another reason Season 5 has always gripped me. It's one of those timeless pieces of media that you can appreciate different aspects of as you age. As a kid, I loved the thrill of the chase, but as an adult I'm gripped by the cryptic ending.
What an analysis, I'll never perceive the show in the same way ever again, bravo!!! Guess the lesson is: WE CAN'T ESCAPE TIME, BOULDER WILL FINISH US EVENTUALLY AS WELL
Dude, this video is incredible. I could not agree more. Bolder represents the central main theme of this entire franchise, time, and is for that reason the most important character in this entire franchise.
Stepney's changed background in the TV series definitely makes this a harder pill to swallow, and while this all might be a bit grand, it's a _really_ cool idea from a story perspective.
Though I've pretty much moved on from the Thomas fandom nowadays, I've had the bell turned on by the Subscribe button this entire time in the slim hope that one day, maybe just one day, you would make a new video. I knew it was worth waiting to see a completely different point of view about Boulder. You've done just as well with this video as I remember you for :)
Time, huh? Well that was a great video with some interesting ideas. Boulder as a concept being a main character is certainly thought provoking. This might be staying rent free in my head for the rest of the day
The fact the Boulder is way older than everything else in the franchise and has been around by the first season and way before Godred MacHarold (being pretty much actually what Diesel 10 in Turtle’s Ertls was in the actual franchise)
there are two other characters in the series who could possibly also represent time and memory, both of which come from the controversial film known only as thomas and the magic railroad. the representative of time being diesel 10 who is a big diesel that vows to destroy all the steam engines similar to arry and bert, and then there’s the representative memory that being lady who is an old steam engine who like stepney was left out of commission but eventually restored and rescued.
I’m gonna go against the grain cause from what I’ve seen, _AEG_ does still represent and show time, just through a different perspective. Experience is a major theme throughout the series, as the younger engines are constantly learning from those much older than them. Gordon and Topham are very much benevolent Father Times to the young engines, providing them support to better themselves for the future. Not only that but change, another part of time, is heavily focused on. Whiff’s Waste Dump becoming a Recycling Plant where things become new again, Thomas’ old boxcar becoming a shed, the reworking of a washdown, or giving new purpose to an abandoned station atop a mountain. So many of the specials deal with change too. And that’s not mentioning the sadness that comes from a friend saying goodbye, but how that doesn’t change the *memory* they leave you. _AEG_ will never be classic Thomas, but it still has that influence coursing through its veins.
An interesting take. I can't say I've been able to stomach much of AEG, and haven't really watched any since it premiered, so I am perhaps speaking without knowing my material as well as I should. That said I think my view has to do more with the way that the themes of time and memory are HANDLED. They may well be present in both, but in T&F they provide the context to the whole universe of the books and show, as I explain in the video. In AEG, however, they aren't a wider context, just a pretext for isolated episodes/specials with watered-down morals centred around them (to the best of my knowledge). That's perhaps another good way to put it - in T&F, memory and time provide a frame for the stories, allowing them to be presented metaphorically as in the case of Boulder. In AEG, however, the morals and saccharine kiddiness force any sort of theme to fit inside of them, meaning that time and memory can only be handled in a blatant, face-value kind of way. It's also worth noting that any kind of stakes present in the RWS and TVS have vanished, because "kids can't handle that" I guess. But I do see your point, and thanks for such an informed comment!
My dude you are brilliant. Thomas is way more profound than any other tv show for kids I've seen. I believe a lot of kids tv is profound. I love how much the stories are about time and fighting against the passage of time. It's a strong love of people and things that are old.
An interesting point about the story Rusty tells Duncan since we ( the audience) can not say for certain if the story is true, complete fiction or partially true. Also, no one really knows who that engine was, meaning that its name has been lost to time, and for all we know, Rusty could've heard the story from Skarloey while Duncan was busy elsewhere prior to the episode "Duncan gets spooked". It truly is one of Sodor's great unsolved mysteries.
Not gonna lie... you absolutely cooked with this one. For a one-off video... and if this is the last video you post on this channel... what a hell of a way to do it. If you do never post on this channel again, then I would just like to wish you the best in whatever you decide to pursue going forward! Also... if Boulder is a manifestation of time, and they turned Boulder into a marketable plushie... does that mean we, as humans, have successfully turned the very concept of time into a marketable plushie?
This is a great return to form from you my friend. A fantastic and thoughtful piece very well presented. Hope to see more from you whenever you get around to it ☺️🚂🚃
This theory is very interesting, and I like how poetic it gets. The way Time is described to be a sentient character kind of reminds me of how Death was a sentient character in the Deathly Hallows story in Harry Potter.
Wait a minute. So, are 'Arry and Bert just another form of Time/Boulder? I mean, it makes sense that in Season 5, we only ever see them once. Mind-blown. Also, I noticed that the UK dub says. "The quarry was filled with more machines." As an American, I had never heard that line before, since I grew up with US dub, which says, "Thumper was working harder than ever." I wonder why that was changed.
Thank you for this amazing review and eye-opener! Over 30yrs of religiously watching and enjoying this show, and topics like this continue to fascinate me 🖤🚂
Im watching this video for a second time. Why? Because this is the best thomas anaylasis on youtube. No video has had me this engrossed in the themes of a story, and you sir have definitely earned all the likes this will get I know this is nor a conventional 'return', but I hope to see more from you in any capacity.
Id like to say with the vengence theory, percy's appearence makes a tiny bit more sense, percy (and Thomas) helped Old Slow coach AVOID her fate SCRAP so percy was ANOTHER TARGET for Time, I also like to think that every other episode (until Rusty and the boulder) was in the POV of the engines, but Rusty and the boulder is in the POV of time (boulder)
And here the Thomas Cynic is, posting this video of all ones, while I am planning an analog horror series that takes place on my fictional railway company. Very interesting how time technically plays a role in my plans too. Just, this video gives me some significant ideas for how to play with it.
The discussion of Rusty's role in this, as an enemy of time, makes me think back to his appearance in Calling All Engines. If Boulder is representative of Time, then is Lady representative of Memory? Is that why Rusty is alongside her?
I'll be honest, I have no idea if this is a deep, eye-opening theory, or the most crackpot Thomas video I've ever seen. However, it was really good! Never thought I'd be considering the idea of Boulder being a vengeful god but, you've nearly sold it to me. When I was younger, and I saw this episode, I was always a bit baffled by the implication that Boulder was sentient. It was simple physics to me, they hammered a cliff until a boulder came loose and it rolled down the mountain and destroyed a shed. Simple as that. And I thought Rusty's interpretation was just a silly superstition, because the engines have those all the time and they form the backbone of episodes and story arcs. As I watched the video, I still thought about it. And while I still don't really think Boulder was a sentient god trying to kill everyone, I really love the theme of time and obsolescence in this series. It's a really good way of getting people interested in real life trains because this exact battle is still raging on. It's a beautiful metaphor.
I can interpret Boulder as time or the unknown. Steam engines are a relic of time but the unknown is why they have faces. boulder is a guardian of time but the divide between head canon of Boulder is because his backstory is unknown. Season 5 dives into many unknown places per the canon of the franchise. When Boulder crashes it is unknown why there was dynamite in the shed. it is unknown why characters like Thumper from this story or Bertram and Tiger-moth from season 5 never reappear. Boulder thinks it is time for the quarry to close but it is unknown if Boulder is alive or Rusty's personification. Time and the unknown are coupled together in a lot of books and seasons of Thomas
From what you described, wouldn't Time and even boulder be the main antagonist? Also, did the show and books ever cover how the diesels are in Time's crosshairs, too? I know the fan series play around with the idea of diesels ending up on the chopping block.
Random weird fixations in merchandising of nothing characters isnt rare for this franchise, like bulstrode for instance, but I will admit a plushie of boulder that's a little nuts lol
This is an amazing theory! The explanation of the way the whole system works and with Stepney as an example kinda reminds me of the FD movies! So cool! Edit: Omg this is ThomasCynic I didn’t even realize lmao 😂
17:03 Reading these excerpts genuinely pisses me off so much. What I'm hearing from these are: "We are intentionally disregarding everything that made Thomas and this series mature and special, because we want to make a baby show." "We don't care about realism because we want to make a baby show." "We are intentionally removing everything that made Thomas special so it can be just like every other dumb slop baby show." "We have absolutely no regard or respect for the lore behind The Island of Sodor and the backstories of the characters." I still have not seen a single episode of AEG but this just boils my blood. I hate this. I HATE THIS.
Nice idea but personally I prefer my own theory that the boulder is sentient but only because contained within it is the melevalent spirit of the engine from the old iron bridge an engine which I theorise was worn out due to lack of care and maintenance so threw himself off the bridge to escape his pain his soul then settled inside the boulder so he could watch the railway crumble as it closed in his mind that was "justice" but then the railway returns years later and threatens to disturb his peace so he takes action.
Time...TIME? *TIME IS A TOOL YOU CAN PUT ON THE WALL OR WEAR IT ON YOUR WRIST* (sorry, I couldn't resist referencing ANOTHER British TV show that has time as a character)
