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I love how Ai wears
a magic 8 ball hat.
He has 9 heads
total, after all (2 of them ripped off), corresponding to
the 9 bodies in the sludge-filled crates. But Ai himself (the
melted face) is the core head, so he wears a hat symbolic of the
other 8 - which surface when you shake him, like answers in a
magic 8 ball. :P |
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Another important symbol constantly
associated with Ai is snakes. They are his totem of sorts. Like
the vertebrae tentacles attached to his heads, they emerge out
of corresponding skulls. They are shown slithering out of every
pore in his body and they are emblazoned on his magical door.
Some would liken them to a hydra, who grows back two heads for
every one cut off, to represent Ai's quasi-immortality. Yet his
heads don't grow back. Once they're cut off, they're gone. |
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Snakes are symbols of medicine and
self-renewal. This is reflected in Ai's medical genius
and incredible physical resilience. But Ai's snakes are
also poisonous.
This theme of toxicity weighs heavy on Ai. The "gas" mask
he wears is a constant reminder of it. The noxious
sludge that pervades his body and warps his insides
defies humanity.
Perhaps it is significant that Haze and Haru are also
associated with snakes. Haze has snake tattoos, and is
shown holding snake specimens in jars. Haru has a
snake
bracelet. Since their knowledge allowed Ai to become
what he is today, they are his spiritual father and mother. |
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