Hannibal: Meta + fartsy stuff
Graphics first!
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I originally posted the (crappy) meta on my tumblr, but I'll x-post it here for posterity :D
Alana, Hannibal and “the mongoose under the house when the snake slipped by”
So this post (Alana might not being what she appears) got me thinking about Alana’s story arc in the next few episodes of Hannibal. The idea that Alana is tied to Lecter’s quote about Will being, “the mongoose under the house when the snake slipped by” is really interesting. As of the moment, however, I think Alana isn’t the snake to Will’s mongoose (as of yet), but going with the previously linked post, I think we can say that - metaphorically speaking - Alana is a snake.
I’m not particularly familiar with the use of snakes as a symbol outside of the Judeo-Christian mythology, but after a little reading on various sites (mostly on wikipedia), I’ve found that there are four symbolic values assigned to snakes/serpents: (1) Fertility or rebirth; (2) guardianship; (3) poison and medicine; and (4) vengefulness and vindictiveness. The snake also represents a dual expression of good and evil.
We can say that Alana fits the first three symbolic values assigned to snakes (rebirth doesn’t necessarily mean immortality- it could also mean healing and transformation). The fourth symbolism hasn’t been seen on the show yet (or has it already manifested via that “inadvertently” scene with Chilton during dinner with Hannibal in ‘Entree’ and her chiding of Hannibal in his kitchen in ‘Ceuf’/’Oeuf’?) which brings me to Hannibal’s ~seduction of Alana in ‘Sorbet’.
I had previously speculated that Hannibal is out to corrupt Alana in case Will turns to her for alternative advice (or as someone pointed out, it’s probably a dominance play over Will’s soul) but as mentioned in the linked meta, “If Dr. Lecter likes you enough to make you part of his social circle, there’s probably something wrong with you.” Tying it up with the duality of the snake symbol, I think Hannibal sees the ~darkness in Alana- she wasn’t above reproaching Hannibal with words that she knew would really hit close to home; she was a bit too quick to manipulate Freddie Lounds with the “friendly with the new head doctor, etc” (although to be fair, the only one not playing along was Will… and Freddie caught on pretty quick so, there’s that). And rewatching the Alana/Hannibal/Chilton scene, I can’t help but wonder who had organized that dinner, especially since it was after Alana talking to Dr. Gideon about being manipulated etc. etc.
Alana’s seen as the moral center of the show (more or less), but if she is the ~snake, then it follows that if she’s capable of great compassion, then she is capable of great malevolence (She knows herself well, but she probably hasn’t realized the extent of her malevolence), which I think Hannibal recognizes and wishes to exploit, thus the seduction.
Her footsteps has already been used as a signal of the raven stag’s approach to Will twice. I think Will recognizes that darkness in her too.
I think it will boil down to the choices she will make after Hannibal’s ~seduction~ of her, which would probably lead to Hannibal’s “mongoose under the house when the snake slipped by”
Or maybe Hannibal just wants a “good” female influence over Abigail and he’s prepping Alana to be part of his murder family. IDK.
tumblr post
tumblrrrr
tumblrrrr
I originally posted the (crappy) meta on my tumblr, but I'll x-post it here for posterity :D
Alana, Hannibal and “the mongoose under the house when the snake slipped by”
So this post (Alana might not being what she appears) got me thinking about Alana’s story arc in the next few episodes of Hannibal. The idea that Alana is tied to Lecter’s quote about Will being, “the mongoose under the house when the snake slipped by” is really interesting. As of the moment, however, I think Alana isn’t the snake to Will’s mongoose (as of yet), but going with the previously linked post, I think we can say that - metaphorically speaking - Alana is a snake.
I’m not particularly familiar with the use of snakes as a symbol outside of the Judeo-Christian mythology, but after a little reading on various sites (mostly on wikipedia), I’ve found that there are four symbolic values assigned to snakes/serpents: (1) Fertility or rebirth; (2) guardianship; (3) poison and medicine; and (4) vengefulness and vindictiveness. The snake also represents a dual expression of good and evil.
We can say that Alana fits the first three symbolic values assigned to snakes (rebirth doesn’t necessarily mean immortality- it could also mean healing and transformation). The fourth symbolism hasn’t been seen on the show yet (or has it already manifested via that “inadvertently” scene with Chilton during dinner with Hannibal in ‘Entree’ and her chiding of Hannibal in his kitchen in ‘Ceuf’/’Oeuf’?) which brings me to Hannibal’s ~seduction of Alana in ‘Sorbet’.
I had previously speculated that Hannibal is out to corrupt Alana in case Will turns to her for alternative advice (or as someone pointed out, it’s probably a dominance play over Will’s soul) but as mentioned in the linked meta, “If Dr. Lecter likes you enough to make you part of his social circle, there’s probably something wrong with you.” Tying it up with the duality of the snake symbol, I think Hannibal sees the ~darkness in Alana- she wasn’t above reproaching Hannibal with words that she knew would really hit close to home; she was a bit too quick to manipulate Freddie Lounds with the “friendly with the new head doctor, etc” (although to be fair, the only one not playing along was Will… and Freddie caught on pretty quick so, there’s that). And rewatching the Alana/Hannibal/Chilton scene, I can’t help but wonder who had organized that dinner, especially since it was after Alana talking to Dr. Gideon about being manipulated etc. etc.
Alana’s seen as the moral center of the show (more or less), but if she is the ~snake, then it follows that if she’s capable of great compassion, then she is capable of great malevolence (She knows herself well, but she probably hasn’t realized the extent of her malevolence), which I think Hannibal recognizes and wishes to exploit, thus the seduction.
Her footsteps has already been used as a signal of the raven stag’s approach to Will twice. I think Will recognizes that darkness in her too.
I think it will boil down to the choices she will make after Hannibal’s ~seduction~ of her, which would probably lead to Hannibal’s “mongoose under the house when the snake slipped by”
Or maybe Hannibal just wants a “good” female influence over Abigail and he’s prepping Alana to be part of his murder family. IDK.
tumblr post