My Interpretation

[DuckFan]

Delusional and nonsensical interpretations seem good, although you know it lacks luster having individual meanings, for understanding conquers knowledge - here is mine:

He enters nadir, each eye divining spiritual television, opens gates, enters totality, forgoes universality, crucifies knowledge, essentially devolving.

[DuckFan]

100 views and no replies. A formidable subject? Perhaps. Or just plain idiotic? Probably.

[ManicMuppets]

Heh im not sure what you said exactly duck. But well put =P

I think of this video as somewhat abstract with several conceptual themes scattered throughout.

As far as the video having relevance to the song goes, one could have the simple interpretation of the human species evolved into a single television like state feeding off the tragedy that ultimately destroys it. hmm now that i think about it theres way too much you could read into this video. you could probably even watch it assuming its about say global warming and find some relevance.

If any of you are into astronomy or astroboilogy you might have noticed some of the things in this video resemble actual events that occur in the nature of our universe.

[Toolfan#1]

I am sure sombody noticed that the creatures that came out of X's eyes had somewhat of a spine. Which led me to believe maybe Adam and his crew that helped make the video was trying to say that people's eyes have there own brain and interpretation of life. Somthing seperate from how the person perceives. Anyway, that was my main idea agree or disagree that is why this is America. (for now)

[xyno512]

Chew on this one, and them tell me how wrong i am:

The video opens with what looks like millions of the being in the cornea of the eye the red serpent. He's viewing the world through the eye of X, and he begins to wander from his host with his blue-hued companion in order to see the destruction up close.

Under a black sun, X, ever nervous and uncomfortable, watches apathetically as his world crumbles at the hands of the great destroyer. It baits him in with he promise of destruction and death, and X begins to grit his teeth in anticipation of the great show.

A screen/mirror (I think this represents a TV screen, just from what what the lyrics suggest, but i could be wrong so i'm leaving it like this) slides into the scene. Recognizing the device, X caresses it sweetly and another panel slips in. He knows this keeps him far away from the real violence, which he is sure will break him, and stands in amazement as he watches the images flick past.

The serpents have a different plan though. They want to see this first hand.

The Cicada enters (a mother holding her child?) and sprouts an eye in the hand ( i kinda lose it there, so skip>>>>)

The screens begin the break, and shards scatter. Cicada decide to use one of the shards to hatch it's offspring, much to the eye serpents' delight. Finally free from the host, the serpents run to explore the world. (from here on, the red serpent will be Rserpent and i'm sure you'll figure out who blue is)

Bserpent goes to explore the black sun, while Rserpent seeks out the new eyes in X's hands. X's stands there as if to refute any allegations of wrong-doing, seeing as the eye's are no longer attached to him. He stands, hands up and Rserpents enters the eye of his left hand ( which honestly i though was a tad bit odd, since the left hand is usually associated with evilness - side note)

Skipping a head a bit, we see X encounter others like him, and for the first time in his existance, he encounters his reflection. Cicada births a Lesser Destroyer. X screams and falls to ground and i loss alot of the meaning hear as well. (If you notice the brain-child also has the serpents as well. Anyway- zoom zoom zoom>>>)

The WurmX touches what i can only describe as pure consciousness. this consumes and over whelms him, relaying this pain and knowledge back to X. Screaming in pain/(satisfaction?), X watches as all the screens shatter, Cicada dematerializes (still not sure, but he definately defragments.), and the Giga Destroyer (I like that name better) falls, pale as daeth from the sky.

X, imbued with the consciousness of the universe converts to a being of pure light, consuming the rest of his environment in the process.

The video ends with a giant eye looking out from the planet's surface at the universe. (whose eye this is, i don't know. although at first i though this was a crater, i later noticed that it moved and peers directly into the camera.

***********************

Alright story time's over! What do you think? Anywhere even remotely close. (this is my first big post, so I hope you like it.)

[Rolo]

Chew on this one, and them tell me how wrong i am:

The video opens with what looks like millions of the being in the cornea of the eye the red serpent. He's viewing the world through the eye of X, and he begins to wander from his host with his blue-hued companion in order to see the destruction up close.

Under a black sun, X, ever nervous and uncomfortable, watches apathetically as his world crumbles at the hands of the great destroyer. It baits him in with he promise of destruction and death, and X begins to grit his teeth in anticipation of the great show.

A screen/mirror (I think this represents a TV screen, just from what what the lyrics suggest, but i could be wrong so i'm leaving it like this) slides into the scene. Recognizing the device, X caresses it sweetly and another panel slips in. He knows this keeps him far away from the real violence, which he is sure will break him, and stands in amazement as he watches the images flick past.

The serpents have a different plan though. They want to see this first hand.

The Cicada enters (a mother holding her child?) and sprouts an eye in the hand ( i kinda lose it there, so skip>>>>)

The screens begin the break, and shards scatter. Cicada decide to use one of the shards to hatch it's offspring, much to the eye serpents' delight. Finally free from the host, the serpents run to explore the world. (from here on, the red serpent will be Rserpent and i'm sure you'll figure out who blue is)

Bserpent goes to explore the black sun, while Rserpent seeks out the new eyes in X's hands. X's stands there as if to refute any allegations of wrong-doing, seeing as the eye's are no longer attached to him. He stands, hands up and Rserpents enters the eye of his left hand ( which honestly i though was a tad bit odd, since the left hand is usually associated with evilness - side note)

Skipping a head a bit, we see X encounter others like him, and for the first time in his existance, he encounters his reflection. Cicada births a Lesser Destroyer. X screams and falls to ground and i loss alot of the meaning hear as well. (If you notice the brain-child also has the serpents as well. Anyway- zoom zoom zoom>>>)

The WurmX touches what i can only describe as pure consciousness. this consumes and over whelms him, relaying this pain and knowledge back to X. Screaming in pain/(satisfaction?), X watches as all the screens shatter, Cicada dematerializes (still not sure, but he definately defragments.), and the Giga Destroyer (I like that name better) falls, pale as daeth from the sky.

X, imbued with the consciousness of the universe converts to a being of pure light, consuming the rest of his environment in the process.

The video ends with a giant eye looking out from the planet's surface at the universe. (whose eye this is, i don't know. although at first i though this was a crater, i later noticed that it moved and peers directly into the camera.

***********************

Alright story time's over! What do you think? Anywhere even remotely close. (this is my first big post, so I hope you like it.)

Wow, quite a read. But i find your interpretation is very good indeed.

As a little add to that; i think the black sun is in fact the huge eye at the end of the video, viewed at from the planet's surface. The flaming edges can be recognized when you look at the huge eye carefully, imo.

[Carny_Handles]

"blackhole sun, wont you come"

[xyno512]

Wow, quite a read. But i find your interpretation is very good indeed.

As a little add to that; i think the black sun is in fact the huge eye at the end of the video, viewed at from the planet's surface. The flaming edges can be recognized when you look at the huge eye carefully, imo.

yeah i just noticed that too. good observation!

[dancingflame]

today I stumbled across "cicadas" on wikipedia...even this seems to have a symbolic meaning...go read (I was on the german wikipedia-page) there also is written something about the mythological meaning of cicadas....VERY INTERESTING!!! I gotta read more about it before I can make any real conclusion but thought maybe someone else might be interested....
" the hopi, natives living in arizona, interpret the lifecycles of singing-cicadas as a ressurrection and award them immortality."
:)
ps: adam jones and alex grey are among the greatest artists alive! life is only a dream and we are the imagination of ourselves...now here`s tom with the weather...hehehe

[Rolo]

Funny how you idolize both Adam & Alex but quote Bill :)

[dancingflame]

O_O

[Rolo]

Hmmm, i see you altered your reaction.

I only meant that i noticed you were talking about how you love the works of both Adam and Alex (and i believe you meant that strongly refering to the vicarious video) but quoted Bill Hicks (RIP) who was only mixed in "disgustipated" and "third eye".

[dancingflame]

hmmm.... I quoted good old bill, because I think that this quote interacts quite well with my own interpretation of the video...life/dead and the things in between...maybe I should go back, think for a while and try to come up with a real interpretation...I also said they´re "among" the greatest artists alive...somehow I have a problem with the word "idolize" although if I would "idolize" any artist or person both of them are worth it...I don`t really get the point why there should be a problem saying one thing and strengthen it with a quote of someone else...the "here`s tom with the weather" part could as well be filled with a monty python quote "and now for something completely different"...blabla :)
peace!

[Rolo]

Hey, that was the part i was missing on the other post of yours :)

No big fuzz about all this. I just saw something i didn't relate directly to eachother and my impulsive reaction was to give my response to it. No offence...

[dancingflame]

thats right- no big fuzz, thats why I edited it...what I would really really like to do is watching this and the other videos while tripping...when I showed the video to friend some time ago I revealed before that the beginning scene is inside of an eye- with that in mind it is an almost horrible experience and the whole "eye on the tv"-thing is :) what should I say? brilliant!

[Rolo]

Yeah, i really enjoy the way both Adam and Alex use human anatomy in their works.

[dancingflame]

especially the "inside the eye"- motive...as if there wasn`t at least some kind of concept: look at the lateralus cd itself, then the 10,000days-cd and the vicarious-dvd.... the only difference: before watching the video I had no real idea that this shows an eye from close-up or from the inside...hmmm...bla...:)
on the other hand they just might like eyes- who knows...

[Yast3r]

especially the "inside the eye"- motive...as if there wasn`t at least some kind of concept: look at the lateralus cd itself, then the 10,000days-cd and the vicarious-dvd.... the only difference: before watching the video I had no real idea that this shows an eye from close-up or from the inside...hmmm...bla...:)
on the other hand they just might like eyes- who knows...

When I was 3-5 years old I was OBSESSED with human eyes and aliens. I have scrap books of drawings from around this time period--I'm surprised my parents never put me in therapy, they looked creepy as hell! Anyways, ever since then I have still been fond of the subjects and keep it in my artwork to this day. They have no meaning that I am aware of, yet I still use them a lot. Perhaps some of the same in this case--except to Tool it has some meaning and the rest is for a cool factor?

[setvak]

Hmmm, i see you altered your reaction.

I only meant that i noticed you were talking about how you love the works of both Adam and Alex (and i believe you meant that strongly refering to the vicarious video) but quoted Bill Hicks (RIP) who was only mixed in "disgustipated" and "third eye".

Wait...Bill Hicks was included in "Disgustipated" too? I need to check out Undertow again...

[Rolo]

Wait...Bill Hicks was included in "Disgustipated" too? I need to check out Undertow again...

"The cry of the carrots..."

[Rolo]

Just another thing i came across in the video;

When observing the protagonist, i noticed that he misses all his internal organs. Funny thing is that the bloodvessels are present but the heart is missing. I wonder if they left the protagonist "heartless" on purpose...

[false_living123]

"blackhole sun, wont you come"

wash away the rain... xD

[Yast3r]

Just another thing i came across in the video;

When observing the protagonist, i noticed that he misses all his internal organs. Funny thing is that the bloodvessels are present but the heart is missing. I wonder if they left the protagonist "heartless" on purpose...

Wow, I can't believe I didn't notice this before on a fucking transparent character. Nice find Rolo. :P

[false_living123]

hmm i just noticed the "no heart" thing aswell. great find man

[Neil]

I like these interpretations. I think the eye-worm going inside the guy represents introspection.

Also, I've noticed that Tool are very interested in the kind of symbiotic aspect of lifes/reality. Quite frequently things go from inside and outside each other. This is most notable in the music video for Shcism.

[Rolo]

I like these interpretations. I think the eye-worm going inside the guy represents introspection.

Also, I've noticed that Tool are very interested in the kind of symbiotic aspect of lifes/reality. Quite frequently things go from inside and outside each other. This is most notable in the music video for Shcism.

I think i get what you mean. But i do think it's not always symbiotic but also parasitic.

[Master_Of_Nothing]

Lots of interaction. I still think the parabol/a video is better, but i love the artwork design on the packaging.

[Rolo]

Lots of interaction. I still think the parabol/a video is better, but i love the artwork design on the packaging.

Dunno, i very much like the ending of that video. But i like Vicarious as a whole.

[Master_Of_Nothing]

I guess both are equal really. But vicarious is shorter, so more appealing for the mainstreamers

[0.618]

I was very disappointed with this video. Technically it looks amateurish and content-wise there's just too much going on.

What you mean by amateurish ? The scenes looks "empty" ?

Content-wise, well, i guess that depends on what you compare this to. Other videos, except hush, got a lot of things going on too.

[Yast3r]

Not all art has to be busy and over the top in details. Simplicity works, often more effectively. This video is perfect for the message and it does not look amateurish.

[Master_Of_Nothing]

Pretty much. I'm not sure how some of the lyrics translate onto screen, seemed a bit sparse in places

[trey5winds]

You know, I'm not sure what to think about the video. I think, symbolically, it's a little dense in some places and a little sparse in others. I find that I don't have that much of a reaction to it, which is kind of sad, because all the other TOOL videos usually draw me in very deep.

This one didn't, though, and it's hard to say why. It could be because it came out only after the album was released and the tour was finished or near finished (I forget exactly which, but I think they'd completed all their touring commitments before finishing and releasing this video) - that kind of work situation can have an effect on a project. I like the way the video looks; it's very well-done in terms of computer graphics imaging. And it's not like the song's lyrics don't have anything to contribute to this - if anything, they're more creative fuel for this fire. But this video didn't really affect me in any particular way.

In hindsight, it may be because of what the lyrics tell about - how we as a society have become so numb to shocking headlines and outrageous deeds that we sort of turn on our individual (and collective) autopilot drives when faced with such extreme negativity. Maynard has a point in that some people get positively turned on by these kinds of headlines; I don't, however - I find I don't want to know about it and would rather see, hear, or read about something else, preferably completely unrelated to the news, much less "shocking" news.

I find the bit at the end (the animation engaging the tight unison runs at the end of the song) the most engaging, and I've read with interest many of the replies on here about the black sun perhaps being the planet's eye seen at the end - it's not a bad thing to imagine, and it fits very well.

I just recently re-watched it again, something I haven't done since the release, thinking there's something I might've missed, but I have very much the same reaction to it as I did on my first few viewings - I tend not to want to watch (until the end).

The only other factor I can think of is song choice - I would love to see the band do a video for "Right In Two" or "Rosetta Stoned" (with or without the "Lost Keys" prelude). And I heard they'd shot something for "The Pot", but that's the one song off the album that I don't like as much as I like everything else. So, eh - whatever, as far as that goes.

It does occur to me that the video for "Vicarious" does have one other notable, significant factor - the main character, more or less, does nothing - he simply watches the entire world around him explode, and then explodes himself when he really does nothing about the situation he finds himself in. He's a passive participant at best. If he'd tried to do anything about it, perhaps the video (and the song) would've ended much differently in the minds of the storytellers.

But that's about all I can think of.

I note with slight interest that probably every other observation made on this post about the video is probably many times better than this little contribution by yours truly, but for some reason, I felt moved to try and respond anyway. I hope there are more (and better) explanations than what I've written here.

[Master_Of_Nothing]

Way to bump a thread genius.

But a nice interpretation, as of such.
The video is dull because the main character does fuck all.
Hmm, it has a ring to it....

[time time time]

I really disliked this video. Kind of bland, no? Any word on more 10k days videos?

[Master_Of_Nothing]

Theres a reason why you're probed idiot.

Apart from the unofficial Pot Video, no other videos are gonna be released.
Either too sparse like intension or just to fucking long