#this is still one of my favorite posts of all time
There are still some misconceptions about the exile arc that I often see thrown around, so here are a few corrections:
- Ranboo, Dream, and Ghostbur weren’t the only ones that visited Tommy multiple times. Fundy also did. The big difference there is that his latest visit was completely discredited in Tommy’s eyes by Dream who insisted that he was there to visit Logstedshire and not really Tommy
- I don’t know how this became a misconception, but no. Dream definitely openly stated that Tubbo had either abandoned or willingly destroyed his own compass more than once, and he was clearly stating that that’s what happened, Tommy never just jumped to conclusions. “I thought I saw the compass in a chest, like he threw it in a chest in the Community House, but I’m not- maybe it was a different compass, I’m not sure” (From Tommy Is Holding It Together in Exile with Dream), “I- uh I’m pretty sure that he burned it [the compass] or something… or he lost it, something like that” and “He burnt it? On purpose?” “I- I think so” (From Tommy Is Left ALONE at his Exile Party with Dream)
- There are people who still think that exile was a consequence of Tommy burning down George’s house, and I wanna just point out that that gets thrown out of the window on the very first proper exile stream: “You’ve exiled me, you stupid manipulative green bastard!” “Yeah, I know! I know! And you know why I did that” “Yes? Yes?” “No, you know why” “Why?” “Because you don’t listen to me ever. You’re the only person who doesn’t ever listen to me“ (From Tommy Is Alone in Exile with Dream…) It was always about control and Dream isn’t even subtle about it
- Tommy’s first lava scene is also from Tommy Is Alone in Exile with Dream…, and it is the first instance of him being openly suicidal in front of Dream, and the one where the iconic “It’s not your time to die yet Tommy” comes from, but not the only time it’s used, in fact, it’s used another time just two streams later in Tommy Is So Lonely in Exile with Dream“Health and safety is important Dream! *staring at lava* Is it though?” “Yes, yes it’s important Tommy. It’s not your time to die”
- There were actually multiple instances of both Physical Abuse and Gaslighting. I don’t know why either of those are in contention, but here we go. An example of physical abuse can be found as early as the very first full exile stream, Tommy Is Alone in Exile with Dream…, where Dream hits Tommy with his axe after Tommy refused to drop his armor (threats of physical violence and death start even earlier). Meanwhile, the first example of gaslighting can already be found in the very stream of Tommy getting exiled, TommyInnit Is Exiled From The Dream SMP…, and it’s Dream trying to convince Tommy that his emotions aren’t the way he thinks they are “Oh… I hate you” “*laughs*Okay Tommy, you don’t hate me” “No, no I definitely do” “Noooo, you don’t hate me”
- There are multiple examples of Tommy having visual hallucinations but none of him having auditory hallucinations. The two are actually entirely different things, so using his past experiences with visual hallucinations to claim that the recent chase scene (during which Tommy not only saw Dream, but also heard him, and physically perceived him) was one of his hallucinations is a big ass stretch and it genuinely makes no sense
- We actually do have an answer on why Tommy would wake up drowning sometimes in exile, it’s not a mystery. Tommy Is Left ALONE at his Exile Party with Dream,as a matter of fact, ends with him dissociating, entering the water, and possibly fainting as it cuts to black when he’s out of air. We have more recent instances of Tommy exhibiting the same behavior of putting himself in serious physical danger while dissociating as well (like in the Custody Battle stream when he jumps off of a tower while being in a dissociative state). So the simple explanation for the drowning thing is that it’s a manifestation of his suicidal tendencies that shows up when he’s feeling particularly anxious and/or isolated
- Also, yeah, exile was definitely a kidnapping. The exile conditions that Dream had agreed upon only consisted of Tommy not being allowed into L'Manburg. So Dream banishing him from anywhere that had been touched as well as confining him to a very restricted area is all an unlawful procedure. That’s straight-up kidnapping, there’s no way around it
These are all the ones I could think of off the top of my head, but I’ll add more if I can think of more misconceptions.
