How Cynthia's Theme Terrorized a Generation

[@ParanoidDrone]

There's also the psychological impact of walking into a random house on the beach in Pokemon B/W and getting smacked in the face with the approach theme the instant you're inside. No warning whatsoever. At least for the champion fight you knew to expect something epic.

[@DaxWolf777]

My first pokemon theme was black and bro when I wandered into that house and that music started I instantly feared for my life xd

[@Suirioujin]

I started Pokemon with Platinum, when I entered the house in Black and White, I was litteraly scared Cynthia traumatised me back then, I struggled enough against the Elite 4 for a long time, Cynthia was just too much lmao

[@maromania7]

I nearly dropped my DS, my fight or flight kicked in XD

[@mrhalfsaid1389]

Yea to be fair the jumpscare aspect of the bw fight is what makes it a pro gamer move on game freak's part

[@ForgottenSonata]

I never played Gen 4 so I had noooo idea who this random lady in the beach house was…

[@particleflow]

I went to Pokemon Symphony Orchestra in Japan last year, I saw so many people in the audience flinch immediately when they started playing Cynthia's theme lol

[@_AlanXD]

Lets be real, if you go to a music festival and they starts to play dark souls music you'll be scared too

[@milli3419]

arceus bless their souls :')

[@SharArt10sa]

​@@_AlanXD yes lol

[@ravenouself4181]

@@_AlanXD Cynthia's theme is the equivalent of the "Dark SOuld FINAL BOSS music", You know... the one that kicks in after the additional 5 HP bars appear.

[@hammdogporkington3058]

Piano is absent from battle themes throughout DPPt. We're conditioned to associate the piano with familiary and safety. Then Approaching Cynthia turns that on its head. Youre familiar with her, but you are not safe.

[@Guillolife]

Spear Pillar.

[@xRaalx]

Reminds me of a friend, guys super chill, but on the super rare occasions he's gotten genuinly angry the air around him just feels charged, wrong somehow. I assume its very much like this with cynthia finally ready to direct her combat abilties at you

[@proclarushtaonasat]

@@xRaalx conquerors haki?

[@halohawkxx]

Yeah, pretty much. That shit still puts the fear of god into me lol

[@sherryyu8191]

i mean with mega shes even harder i had to help my friend every time

[@lyokhamishukov3513]

The literal embodiment of, "Why do I hear boss music?"

[@kamikazechristoph9062]

You could Put a Dark Souls Boss music instead of her actual Seem it would still work

[@linkboynine9814]

You hear boss music because: you just walked into the boss' summer vacation home, she's bored, and she's *stronger* than before. Hope you saved recently~

[@edwardwilson7459]

​@kamikazechristoph9062 i now want to hear Cynthia theme darksouls music

[@lenlimbo]

@@linkboynine9814 You hear boss music because you found the boss hisuian variation in the past, and this time it has eight pokemon, two of them being greater legendaries (well, twice the same in different forms, but STILL)

[@jenji333]

Moooooood, Im in such agreement with your words kekw

[@Narlaw1199]

I think the impact of these themes are greater because of how they contrast with how Cynthia is a friendly character throughout the game, yet her themes sound so villainous, making them even more intimidating.

[@bradensmith8682]

I imagine some of the intimidation comes from the amount of responsibility, the shoes you'd have to fill if you beat her and became champion. She's everywhere in Sinnoh, doing random tasks to keep the peace in the region. Had the player character simply been a trainer not concerned with Team Galactic, and just a regular challenger, the concepts of both facing and beating Cynthia become equally stressful.

[@FirelMusic]

Really the kind of character that makes you glad she's on your side. Can you imagine an actually evil Cynthia? Good luck, because I feel like they tried to do that with Legends:Arceus, and it just doesn't hit the same.

[@ixfalia]

I like to think that it is because Cynthia is so nice, passionate about mythology and history, that it becomes all the more intimidating that she's so strong, she doesn't even need to be villainous to be that threatening. I think that's what the music is communicating, the contrast is the important part. Compare Cynthia's theme to Diantha or Iris and you can see how Cynthia's theme is trying to communicate something different from the other champions.

[@s.shepherd5653]

@@ixfalia Cynthia has enough raw, unbridled power to be kind in a world full of people who want to rewrite the rules of physics on a whim. She travels alone in Sinnoh, calm in the knowledge that she is more terrifying than anything she'll meet, and can therefore afford to be the most endearing dork around her friends.

[@a-rod48]

Beware the nice ones, indeed.

[@roadtrain_]

The cynthia jumpscare is Game Freak telling you to NOT go looking around random people's houses looking for shit. You'll enter the wrong one... and then get your ass royally whooped.

[@JackieOwl94]

I mean, it is Pokémon’s version of the US. With most US households, we would indeed clap back hard if an adventurer busted into our houses

[@Strashky]

never entered a house in pokemon since

[@JoeSmith-db4rq]

The one detail I would add regarding the “approaching” piece is that the fact that it’s a solo piece emphasizes her power. She stands alone in this room and she’s able to command that much power solely from her presence. It adds to her intensity and adds to your isolation as you have to face that force one on one.

[@johannesbrahms1655]

Nice connection. That description made me think of the Gwyn, Lord of Cinder’s theme from the first Dark Souls. I wonder if any other composers have had this dramatic solo piano boss concept too.

[@DRCEQ]

@@johannesbrahms1655 Between Cynthia and Giorno Giovanna from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, there is absolutely a trope of "If you hear solo piano music, you're about to get your #$&% kicked in" that persists through geek culture.

[@auggie9912]

Also something VERY important about the theme. In Sinnoh, while the region is know for its pianos, the type of piano Cynthia uses only ever play in the TOWNS. Places of safety. Nice, calm, low energy piano. Not much mixing, minimal stress, its just an everyday piano but compressed on a DS sound card. When you hear this piano, it often supports other instruments in the background and as you play through the game, you will associate this type of piano music with safety. Yet the moment you approach Cynthia, you are instantly hit with JUST this piano. Something familiar, but no longer in the nice, calm town themes. It's far more unnerving than it would be otherwise. Combined with the more grandiose use of it makes her approach theme truly stand out.

[@millgiass]

It's kinda the thing you'd expect when encountering a boss vampire in a castle.

[@KitsuneRogue]

I felt the same, with Cynthia's theme it really drives home that feeling that though you know this person standing in front of you, she in truth stands leagues above all others you have battled before.

[@mr.stoneface7699]

9:00 "Champion Cynthia theme but it never starts" gave me as much anxiety as the battle did. Thanks for that!

[@ThatNewDude29]

For real! I was sitting here like “for the love of god, stop edging me! Play the rest of the song, please!”

[@Snoosha]

@@ThatNewDude29stop “edging” you, huh?

[@qwormuli77]

"Oh, so that's what purgatory sounds like."

[@hwile]

Bro, hearing you talk about how menacing and daunting Cynthia is while you're showing chibi Cynthia I CAN'T😂

[@davidbeer5015]

The cuteness of the chibi just makes it more intimidating. Fear the cuteness.

[@windhelmguard5295]

@@davidbeer5015 smol cynthia has axe murder villager energy.

[@FormlessDuck]

Yeah, if you havent played the remakes, I can assure you chibi Cynthia is just as threatening lmao. still felt genuine fear

[@davidbeer5015]

@FormlessDuck especially if you know ahead of time that her team is actually legitimately trained with proper natures, hold items, and..I believe IVs, if not EV'd to maximize her strength and challenge?

[@MatthewSoares123]

@@davidbeer5015perfect 31 IVs across the board, perfectly competitively viable ev spreads, natures, moves, item, and abilities. She is truly a beast of a champion.

[@MarshallCubed]

"Cynthia terrorised a generation because of her music". Uhh, no sir, i cried because she kept beating me. The sound theme just made me remember my suffering until now.

[@serge263]

It's everything, but the music is meant to instill terror in you.

[@Genburthing]

Pavlovian conditioning You heard the piano, you run for your live ASAP

[@ThatRedHusky]

"A skeleton that will feel very familiar to any Pokemon fan." -Shows a Cubone You monster.

[@ggrarl]

Yohohohoho! Skull joke!

[@Azira_Amane]

@@ggrarl I wasn't expecting to find One Piece quotes here, but I'm all for it.

[@jajordan2106]

I thought it was supposed to represent the fact that we can only comfort ourselves when our loved ones are gone by holding their remains. I really need to watch one piece.

[@srijanchakraborty203]

This joke is bone dry.

[@bonjouritsready]

Even when I listen to Cynthia’s theme online, my brain manually adds in Spiritomb’s cry at the start - it’s seared into the beat at this point

[@lonelykangta]

this right here, it fit so perfectly into the song its basically part of it now

[@mads_in_zero]

One thing that's notable about _Battle Against Cynthia_ being a slower intro that ramps up to a faster, disco vibe is that her theme was rearranged for Black and White (the famous House Jumpscare) and again for B2W2 (the Pokemon World Championships) and both times the rearrangement was up-tempo compared to the previous version. Cynthia's theme gets faster and scarier and everyone cries.

[@slysylveon]

I'm convinced her theme speeds up for every million people she scares

[@thecursed_1lordofcats738]

​@@slysylveonIf that were the case, it'd be nearly impossible to listen to because it'd be over so quickly.

[@slysylveon]

@thecursed_1lordofcats738 why do you think she hasn't been in a game in almost a decade(excluding bdsp which reverted her theme to be faithful). Her theme was too fast that they had to replace her with volo

[@cinnamoone3553]

didn't her theme get pitched up two different times throughout her four or five appearances through gen 7? or am i misremembering?

[@Azira_Amane]

I didn't understand a word of this. 10/10 quality content.

[@CreativeGaming-14]

feel that 🗣🔥

[@Benzinilinguine]

Music theory terms and explanations are boring sounding and formulaic for something so magical. Learn'd Astronomer and all that.

[@mr.bob.garcia]

I understood one word 9/10 tbh

[@MarshmallowRadiation]

I feel Cynthia is the perfect champion for gen 4. To me gen 4 has some of the strongest storytelling in the franchise, rivalling B/W at its best. The previous generations were about kids coming in and cleaning up messes of problems made by adults, but Gen 4 is the first one that really makes you feel like you're _not ready_ to enter this scary adult world that's much bigger than you expected. Sure, Gen 3 had its adult villains losing control of forces they didn't understand too, but Max and Archie felt like petty squabblers who were too caught up in their own dreams to actually talk things out and think things through. Cyrus, on the other hand, is very understandable: he's an old man who never grew up. Fundamentally, he fully knows the world is scary and unpredictable, and he hates it. He wants to destroy and remake the world into something simpler easier to grasp, so that he doesn't have to face the difficulty of living in a world that's much bigger and more powerful than he can fathom. The irony is that he has to face uncontainable cosmic power in order to achieve this goal, and in Platinum this is especially apparent when the sublime eldritch horror that is Giratina simply ignores any attempt to control it. But after defeating Cyrus, what's next? The story's basically over, right? Well yes, the threat is done, but Cynthia is still a continuation of the player's journey. She is in many ways Cyrus' opposite. Where Cyrus wishes to control pokemon and the world, Cynthia has already mastered it by accepting the world. She is calm, elegant, and at peace with herself. Her party is full of pokemon who are fundamentally "untamable": Garchomp, Milotic, Spiritomb. She is a pokemon master not because she can control her pokemon, but because she understands them and accepts them. She's tough not just as a final challenge, but also because she's an illustration of the final message of the game: that even though you've come so far, even though you've faced cosmic horrors beyond your imagining and saved the world, you still have only had a glimpse into the true grown-up world, a world full of wonders and horrors and struggles and triumphs you can't even imagine yet. Cynthia is the kind of person Cyrus wished to be without understanding what makes that kind of person great, an open person who is able to deal with life's problems with flawless grace and deceptive ease. And her fight and the music that accompanies it are so threatening not because she herself is a threatening person, but because she represents the true final boss of pokemon: the world itself. Idk maybe I'm thinking too deeply about pokemon. But I love Cynthia and I love this music.

[@Fruitman1997]

This is a really good read, but want to know what makes Cyrus even scarier? He isn’t an old man. He’s in his late 20’s. He looks a lot older than he really is. It’s his shrivelled brow, and his stern look on his face. His distaste for human emotions and hatred for the current world aged him beyond compare. So the fact he’s actually not that old, makes him even more menacing, because he really is only just beginning.

[@BJGvideos]

​@@Fruitman1997Plus his backstory explains a lot of why he would look so old despite being only 27. He was under intense pressure from an early age due to his intelligence, and his parents ignored his emotional needs, so he came to view emotions as only causing pain.

[@bittersweetvictory8541]

no you're not thinking too deeply about pokémon. this is good. this is what we call media analysis and this is important. (seriously.) this is such a solid explanation of the duality between cynthia and cyrus, and thank you so much for sharing it.

[@robloxgrover4832]

But hey! That’s just a theory!

[@sparkypikachu7776]

Yeah just wish her togekiss had serene grace instead of hustle

[@YaraUwU]

Cynthia is the most well designed champion from her theme to her personality to her team which paints her as having an extreemly overbearing presence without even trying and a drive to never stop improving even though she is the champion and despite being that powerful doesn't see herself as someone above losing and learning from it. All of that combined makes her an extreemly likable and intriguing character.

[@osets2117]

She's also hot

[@Ba_Dashi]

13:18 I Love that you mention how these lines are "alien", because that actually connects in game with the Palkia/Dialga/Giratina themes(not only musically) of eldritch-like entities. Cynthia is probably the first spot you'll see a Spiritomb, a pokemon with no weaknesses, and having this type of "alien" structure in music combined with the overall theme of the game just makes it even more memorable.

[@brennanruiz1803]

My first thought hearing them (in the context of music theory) was "hey that kinda sounds like the little flute flourish thing at the beginning of the intro cutscene", which kinda ties it in more with the whole spacetime theming, yeah?

[@RingLight1]

@@brennanruiz1803 Not only that, but the part directly after with the voice that slides down in pitch reminds me of the reverse world, so she really has all the box legendary spaces covered

[@jmcbango]

Dude i literally came down here to comment about giratina's theme when they got to that part

[@IceeSnowbank]

This actually also ties into Cynthia's character as a historian - this little motif is highly associated with the legends of Sinnoh, which is just further confirmed by Legends: Arceus, with the Azure flute. It makes total sense to include it in her battle theme as she's supposed to be really invested in the legends and history of Sinnoh and the legendaries.

[@Professor_Wisteria_]

Approach is one of those few pieces of music that you recognize in your CORE as "oh fuck, that's boss music" there are TONS of incredible boss fights with amazing scores that i could gush over for months on end, but there are only a couple (IN MY EXPERIENCE) that stand out to me as genuinely terrifying to hear

[@Dante02d12]

Boss music is so fascinating. Technically, you could use any genre and it can work as long it emphasizes the context. Sonic Adventure 2 had a rock song, playing as soon as Super Sonic and Super Shadow appear. Undertale had.... pretty much everything else xD! I was thinking of His Theme, playing in the Asriel boss fight, a very emotional track that you wouldn't expect in a boss fight ; but of course, the Internet mainly remembers Megalovania. Devil May Cry 3 had a "gothic" theme for the brothers' battle to death. There's also a Sonic horror fangame where the final boss is you running away, and there is a very sad violin theme playing. Among all of them, Cynthia is definitely the one that hits me the hardest.

[@WhiteVampire888]

Ok but you forgot to talk about that beeping sound that permanently is played fighting cynthia that normally only occurs when your mon is low hp!😂

[@Daelightcore]

The beeping in Pokemon when your on low hp has given me anxiety, but during Cynthia's battles it had so much more impact to me, especially with the music

[@ryomahoshi4529]

​@@Daelightcoreyeah like everyone is on the brink of death but still the battle rages on,truly epic

[@theduelist92]

I can hear Garchomp's scream in my nightmares...

[@soulesskoma]

LMFAO

[@kiharihate2897]

Mine straight up perished, so yeah, I have no idea what that sounds like.

[@Theantininja]

There's two things that Jojo's fans and Pokemon fans are intimately familiar with: watching proxy fights instead of just having the characters physically fight on their own. And the absolute menacing feeling of approaching a blonde haired final boss.

[@Falkney]

ayyy JoJo mentioned in a (almost) completely unrelated video.. Good job, we gotta spread the word of JoJo

[@KeizerSosebee]

Having a religious fanatic willing to sacrifice the universe for what they perceive has the greater good

[@mr_blupper3729]

IS THAT A JOJO REFERENCE I HEARD??1?1??1one

[@Platanov]

More like "How teaching her entire team Earthquake terrorized a generation".

[@Laile_mb]

Freaking overkill

[@underware_pr]

No but seriously WHY DO THEY _ALL_ KNOW EARTHQUAKE

[@lenarianmelon4634]

@@underware_pr Bro like how does a deep sea oarfish know... actually it kinda makes sense if you think about it.

[@Gnurklesquimp2]

Every time I played my team happened to counter her well, also just kinda op in general, I feel like I was robbed of an early childhood dark souls esque experience

[@totoyuki1]

@@Gnurklesquimp2 Lucky. I still sometimes get nightmares of getting swept by Garchomp because I came in at level

[@CGammer101]

6:30 just random, but I like how it looks like cynthia is just speaking sheet music lol

[@giggityguy]

I always thought Cynthia's theme was a brilliant study in contrast. Sure, some of the melodic motion is unsettling, but the bouncing bass and drums just give you such a powerful feeling of excitement. Heroic major sections clash with dissonant minor sections, and the darkest chord at the end leaps right back into the eager intro. To me, her theme evoked a mood of something tense and serious, but also joyful. It feels like one of the hardest things you've ever done, but also one of the most exciting.

[@Arkouchie]

"This is going to be the best - and toughest - battle of your life. Fight like your life depends on it - because it does."

[@straypaper]

"Haha! Let's fight to the death! This is so fun." Yeah I think the word you're looking for is "unhinged".

[@Kirk_Jimenez]

This epic theme definitely took heavy inspiration from the fourth movement of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata Op. 2 No. 1. I was learning this sonata around the time DPPT came out and was definitely inspired to practice the final movement more because of its similarity! I remember liking this theme so much that I would wait on the last text box before initiating the battle just to let it loop as long as possible haha. Great video, thanks for the nostalgia!

[@lev_n]

Bro seeing Cynthia on the thumbnail poppin up on my notification was enough to jump me

[@sonder4997]

After almost 16 years I still remember the exact moment I heard this OST for the first time, truly one of the most memorable moments I had while playing videogames.

[@ShockRox]

The whole PCSD thing is partly the music and partly the pure shock of going into a random House in Undella Town and finding Cynthia, instantly ready to battle

[@nickwhyman4815]

That was my first Cynthia experience, since BW was my first Pokémon game. That moment lives rent free in my head.

[@faffywhosmilesatdeath5953]

​@@nickwhyman4815 did you fight her? Cause if you did I'd love to know how that went.

[@quantusmechanicus5921]

@@faffywhosmilesatdeath5953 I had a similar experience since White was my first game and I had no knowledge of the Gen IV games so I didn’t even know who I was dealing with. All I knew was as soon as the piano started I was neck deep in a fight more dangerous than the fight against Ghetsis.

[@JaronOdele]

To me, Cynthia's theme(s) does a fantastic job of conveying restrained power. She's this cool, collected and quite frankly beautiful character that clearly has a lot of love and passion. But then you go to face her and this/these song(s) play and you realize what lies beyond the curtain; an individual who has finely honed her skills and relationship with her pokémon to a razor's edge, which nis now looming before you. You simultaneously know you're in for one hell of a fight, but also that it's going to feel amazing as well (perhaps even fun). Truly, an encounter you come out the other side of all the better for it (if a bit scarred).

[@jakobr_]

12:00 This section is played in Legends Arceus when Volo reveals his intentions. It’s incredibly menacing!

[@10chazz]

I honestly think the Volvo fight was scarier

[@BaconNuke]

@@10chazz I mean Volo was a villain, Cynthia was just a champion, different roles so the fear of Cynthia is just "tough story battle" vs Volo being "tough boss battle" kinda vibes...

[@Peony246]

Your right! That’s actually really clever .

[@Hornswroggle]

13:23 To me this "alien section" is an allusion to the DPPt cover Legendaries, who are able to warp time and space or create new dimensions. Especially in Platinum it reminded me of Giratina's Theme, where you can also hear similar distortions and weird musical constructions.

[@agba95]

I never noticed the similarities between Fairy Fountain and this theme. I always used to like them both very much. That's cool to notice.

[@maxspecs]

“Child suddenly confronted with mature lady who is far more capable than they are.”

[@Sean081799]

Thanks for the video - Cynthia really packs the punch! Also it was fun jamming at VGMCON briefly on Sunday night with Route 10 - hope you're able to return next year!

[@CoolGamer4161]

9:00 got me. I GOT CHILLS THE MOMENT THAT BATTLE THEME STARTED. I knew it was coming and it still hit me like a truck. I love this music so much!

[@lllarry6047]

I’ve never played this one - I don’t know what it is but that intro just puts ice in your veins.

[@ulawan5]

and then it never fully kicked in! holy cow that had me so on edge 😬

[@DarthNoox]

8:50 "Building up your anticipation of the battle with it", it pretty much activates my fight or flight response, unfortunately I cannot flee from a trainer battle

[@Skystarry75]

It took me 15 years to finally defeat Cynthia... No, I am not exaggerating, I got the game as a child and didn't defeat her until last year. To say I have PCSD is an understatement. Unknowingly walking into her house in Undella was terrifying. It was a surprise when I did manage it though. My strongest Pokémon was a whole 5 levels below her weakest. When her Garchomp went down, and the tide of battle shifted, I felt it. I focused up, gave it everything I had left and finished her off. Once it was over, I stared at my game in shock. I had defeated Cynthia with a team below her level!

[@edgargaebolg9307]

What team were you using?

[@Laile_mb]

It took me two years to beat blue back when i was a kid😅

[@Skystarry75]

​@@edgargaebolg9307 I'm not sure as it's been over a year, but I think it was Empoleon, Lopunny, Drifblim, Garchomp, Medicham and Luxray?

[@ShineguardIke]

Damn. Good job on finally beating her. I beat her on my first go around and her memory all but faded for me personally. I even had to research what Gen she was from to refresh my memory cuz I couldn’t remember. I had no idea she was this tough for some people lol. I can only live vicariously.

[@MrOiram46]

I remember way back in the Diamond and Pearl days going to a grind just to level up my Empoleon to level 85 and my Staraptor to 62, and those two alone carried my steamroll through the elite 4 and Cynthia herself 😂

[@희연-g9u]

6:07, the music syncs with the green electric current on the balls.

[@eleanorcerar6273]

As a percussionist, the rhythms behind Cynthia's music always struck me as very understated, yet just as masterfully crafted as the rest of the music. More specifically, the rhythms seem to have been specifically chosen to emulate the heartbeat of the player at this incredibly-tense moment in the game. The triplet melody figures in the approach give the effect of singular heartbeats, these 'stabs' of anxiety as even your heart picks up on the dread before you. In that short transition, though, the tense bu-BUMP of the heartbeat rhythm slides into that pounding disco figure, with the driving eighth notes of the bass and drums giving the effect of adrenaline taking over as the heartbeat stabilizes into the still-dangerous, yet focused pattern that you'll need in order to beat Cynthia. I love it when even very underspoken areas of a piece of music contribute so integrally to the overall experience like that.

[@ItchRevenge92]

Never thought about it that way, but thinking again it may very well be the best part of the song for me

[@adhirg]

the disco beat for the beginning of the battle always gives me chills. it’s why I always use this song in smash bros ultimate on any Pokémon stage lol! IT’S ME! I’M THE CYNTHIA!

[@cyn5623]

Damn, I love how you point out that Cynthia's theme, while menacing, also has bright, hopeful tones in it. It really highlights her outlook on life in the games: that all life is meaningful no matter how "useful" one is--a stark contrast to Cyrus' nihilistic view. Not only that, but as someone who's mentored the player character and personally witnessed their growth, she also has immense respect and high hopes for them. In such a foreboding melody, those bright major chords show that she's having fun battling with you. But like you said, the tone shifts back to its dark, oppressive tones. Regardless of how she feels about the player character, she doesn't intend to lose the champion battle. And against many challengers, she doesn't. Thanks for the video!

[@Elyukon__]

Im crying after watching this, you made me feel every inch of the song that marked me since platinum was my first pokemon game, thank you

[@deletedTestimony]

Instead of making jokes I will say this: The multiple build and release sections (that often just build to more tension) are absolutely perfect for watching health bars drain. Youll notice from the footage, it's quite slow in generation 4. It can give the feeling that attacks arent having much effect, especially if the bar stops moving quickly. But even if you do a lot of damage, you're given a gambler's apprehension as the dice settle: will it be enough? And if you're the one being attacked... Can your partner endure it? Absolutely incredible gameplay for the despair-laden trailing gasp at the loop.

[@mycharredrose]

To this day; I still get chills. The impending doom and the expectation that follows, being absolute terror, from having it ingrained into my mind.

[@dudeguy1894]

This is the third video about Cynthia's theme I've seen in the past few days. Not that I'm complaining though, Pokemon music is always a banger.

[@1685Violin]

What were the other two? I'm probably not subscribed to them.

[@BJGvideos]

​@@1685ViolinJesse's Auditorium was one of them

[@dudeguy1894]

@@1685Violin The8BitDrummer and Davi Vasc

[@OGNoNameNobody]

Golden Owl had a *thurough* brakdown on Cynthia's reign of terror about 3 months ago. Highly Recommemded.

[@Latias4Ever]

3:19 It's interesting how removing the root of the chord and getting an A#o7 immediately changes the tune to something similar to Mt. Coronet's theme, in fact it sounds just like the notes at the end of its theme's loop. I guess it's not a coincidence that you used that specific background image in that moment. And it fits too, Mt. Coronet can be quite intimidating given what's going on by the time you're trekking through it's snowy areas.

[@bettyunicorn6132]

Hearing that Cynthia's theme is so similar to the Red Blue trainer theme makes me wish we get a video on that.

[@Fruitman1997]

100% this

[@nishantdayama4558]

Thank you for referencing the ‘Milotic playing the drums’ part

[@Darko807]

Diamond and Pearl was my last played generation and I will always remember this fight. 1. I did not anticipate Cynthia as the current champ 2. This masterpiece of music I'll sometimes play just to hear it again 3. Cynthia was the first champ in my whole pokemon career who made me sweat for the first time to win

[@Argiemithius]

How bout a rematch in BDSP?...she's even stronger...

[@dawnseeker176]

@@Argiemithius undercut by the friendship effects that can allow your pokemon to survive attacks that should have defeated your pokemon and curing its own status effects it gives an unfair advantage to the player

[@davidpersson7835]

@@dawnseeker176And even after all that, still challenging.

[@Darko807]

Damn so that's a thing now...oof​@@dawnseeker176

[@Motius007]

I understood SOME of the words you spoke explaining music theory. I could just listen to the approaching Cynthia theme in addition with your voice for hours.

[@hat-desu]

Really excellent to call back to Junichi Masuda's overall style with past battle themes! The way the tone jumps around the song really does resemble the other most memorable tracks of the series, classic pokemon especially, even though it gives off a completely different kind of oppressiveness.

[@Hornswroggle]

10:12 isn't that melody a variant on the Bell Tower theme from G/S/C? When you played it back that slow it just hit me like a bag of bricks...

[@laerbear6760]

Thank God I thought I was alone

[@mattr2291]

While we're on Pokemon, can we talk about how the layering of different instruments and dissonant melodies bring an unsettling/ethereal quality to Area Zero in Scarlet/Violet? Entering there for the first time was a transcendent experience, it was so different from everywhere else in the game up to that point.

[@fabrizioorpianesi6670]

Area Zero was an experience to hear. Probably my single favourite track from Scarlet and Violet's soundtrack

[@SobreDunas]

thank you toby fox

[@dabiga2315]

Showing Monsoon's introduction for your section about context got a laugh out of me

[@ARDIZsq]

You wanna experience REAL damage from Cynthia, set the piano that plays before her battle to your morning alarm. Never have I woken up faster in my life.

[@councilcarrot]

Bro, I'd hear that in the morning and just go straight to cardiac arrest-

[@Jallu555]

My both Sinnoh team and all gen combination team are near perfect counters to Cynthia so I never had any problems with her.

[@blueberryoatmeal4009]

​@@councilcarrotCause of death: "That idiot was using the approaching Cynthia theme as an alarm clock."

[@ObsidiaBlack1]

@@blueberryoatmeal4009 So... Death by PCSD?

[@aarw4907]

Why would you torture yourself like that?

[@themelancholyofgay3543]

4:00 i haven't fought Cynthia but the soundtrack fills me with dread and encroaching fear

[@-AirKat-]

The combination of Cynthia’s Theme & your elaborations make me feel like I should be having a cup of tea while watching this

[@WidyPoo]

The terror of Cynthia is insane, one of my first challenges as a kid in a video game. Not in a "most games we're easy way" but as in actually took too many attempts. When I first walked into that Undella Town door, I was not ready. The sheer PCSD from Dia, Pearl, Plat hit in an instant. It's like if u put your demons to rest for years, just for one day at random when u think ur the safest u could be, the most prepared for anything. Boom, standing there. You can't run, and all the sudden the scarring memories resurface. Truly cinema, if cinema was both of Cynthias themes. Oh great video by the way! Keep em coming!

[@ArguablyTJJ]

I think it's interesting that these two themes have become so infamous together, since they're an example of something very rare in Pokémon - a character theme & that character's battle theme being composed and arranged by different people without shared motifs. Now, I'm certain there was still some level of communication between Ichinose (Approach) and Masuda (Battle), but it’s interesting that the two tracks are still quite jarringly different in a lot of ways while still working together to create a reputation that's basically become a meme at this point because of the way they've given so many people a shared experience.

[@xMCKx24games]

I find it as a great introduction to her battle. You are hit witha fast paced, hard hitting melody. You are already overwhelmed to fight her because you just fought the 4 hardest fights in the game up to this point, then you get hit with the music, and it multiplies you doubt over your own readiness. All you can do is hope you bought enough potions and revives

[@FierceGalactaKnight]

I love how the base of the battle theme echoes a heartbeat, starting off slow as your heart sinks before the plunge Then racing as you strive to save yourself in the fight for your life

[@MariEsabel]

So epic. So perfect. What a beautiful analysis you've done of this masterpiece in VGM 😍

[@Kieiros]

You know, seeing Cynthia's battle them written out made me realise something very fun with it versus Volo's music, in that the contexts are also flipped: Volo's battle music is based of off Cynthia's approaching theme, while his theme from Masters (which might be considered sort of an approach theme) is based off of her battle theme.

[@OrificeHorus]

I actually never fought Cynthia until Black and White when I was in my teens. But good GOD that shit still scared the hell outta me. Funny enough, her Garchomp wasn't too bad: it was her Milotic that terrorized me.

[@RaFaPilgrim]

A little disappointed that there wasnt an addendum talking about volo's theme. That said, what an amazing video that perfectly explains my deepest, darkest fears!

[@madnessarcade7447]

It’s the same theme

[@Peony246]

@@madnessarcade7447 with key differences

[@maxspecs]

You’d think, with the Arcanine he uses, there’d be a bit more rock.

[@marvmarv5629]

Agreed, thought he would be shown to help emphasize some points or something

[@dely9999]

I like to think that after her house jumpscare everyone is expecting her on every corner of every game until Legend Arceus like "I mean we are in the past she hasn't ever borned we are safe here" the who you know appears and... "NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO "

[@shinigamimiroku3723]

NGL, for a split second I thought he was just gonna be a nice little shoutout in a game that is explicitly about catching Pokémon rather than battling, a traveling merchant that loves ancient lore and packing a cute little Togepi as a partner... but then I realized that something felt off about him and I immediately knew why due to another young, friendly goofball that would rather hang out and do his own thing than the job he was hired to do. A certain detective working in a small rural Japanese town despite not originally being from there, in a JRPG that has you collecting various mythological creatures to use in battle... It was then that I began to dread the endgame (and thankfully, I was not disappointed). 😂

[@gabrieldelatorre6918]

The thing about the battle theme that always gets me is that snare drum, just feels like its a random pattern between triplets and quintumplets. helps with the feeling of being insecure during the battle.

[@SplitSeoul]

Wow, this was lovely. Thank you! What a fantastic breakdown.

[@EmpereurdesBalignon]

CYNTHIA ON MY DASH YEAH Big up to the Volo fans out there btw

[@user-yw9mw9hv8o]

even the track "volo's betrayal" is a sick reference too, they really gave us gen4 fans everything to finish off legends arceus

[@broadwayboundguy]

Love that you ended a video of the greatest champion theme of all time with the best bike theme of all time

[@dydenmusic]

lol I was just on the piano practicing exactly this piece when I got the upload notification wtf 😂😂

[@Mudvayne241]

Composer and music theorist here, I LOVE the way gaming music sets some (seemingly easy) musical concepts in scene to emphazise a strong, non-musical setting. I really wish I would be more advanced in composing for gaming and/ or films! Also, great job by explaining the intricate effects of the harmonics and melody of Cynthias Theme :)

[@TheXtremeBoltGuy]

A person’s reaction to this music is the perfect descriptor of just how much they've been scarred. It is a genuine survival mechanism.

[@ColbertChristopher]

One needs something to believe in, something for which one can have whole-hearted enthusiasm. One needs to feel that ones life has meaning, that one is needed in this world.

[@SlyHikari03]

Approaching Cynthia is such a good song. Its so well composed.

[@Deicidius1]

At 10:12 you may notice that the melody resembles that of New Bark Town with a minor key shift and greatly accelerated tempo. New Bark Town being a place of adventurous beginnings makes the minor tonality create a sense of steeling yourself to confront a challenge you recognize, but do not yet understand.

[@prepcoin_nl4362]

At 5:30 when you mention that figure not having a name, it really is just a slow turn figure, which is an extremely common ornament in classical music. Granted turns tend to be quick and not carry the same metrical weight but it's still unmistakably what it is.

[@benpurcell4935]

Project Voltage’s final song before the remixes of the songs by each vocaloid producer is called Champion and uses Cynthia’s theme as the backing track. Kanaria the producer even added fainting, health loss and low health sound effects.

[@thecompareablezombie]

The theme was a motivator than a Fear, it brought me joy as well. It was an epic battle theme for the Champion of Gen 4.

[@gamerezgazzer2751]

it becomes a fear in black and white, when you wander into a very random building lol

[@TheWeirdaholic]

@@gamerezgazzer2751 Yeah, I was prepared to get an actual challenge, when I came to this point back then. I reeeEEAAALy wasn't in gen 5. And I had to decide between losing 2h of playtime or taking the L. 😭

[@kotdish]

you explain musical theory so well! i wish i was exposed to it back when i used to do music, but i was never given any and could never develop an appreciation or even interest in music until very recently. something that the video demonstrates on reflecting back is that getting into any field of art or being taught it in general requires, i think, a deep and cerebral appreciation of the art itself from the instructor in order to convey that to and inspire a new audience, especially young children. that's something that i wish was conveyed to me more as a kid. when i was younger i couldn't give a shit about most things. luckily now i've found other things i'm sorely interested in, like foreign language(s) and something i have more of a natural proclivity to, visual arts, but i still regret never being even able to enjoy listening to music as a kid

[@MattGOG666]

Never clicked faster

[@RiverFowler]

fr

[@ValianceGames]

Same. Jumped right in as soon as I saw it on my refresh

[@1685Violin]

Because of Cynthia?

[@dalcomaroni9837]

@@1685Violin ofc

[@anthonyramirez7272]

I’m so glad this video was made: some of my favorite pokémon music from Gen 4 (next to Floaroma Town at night)

[@WinningSidekick]

I'm really bad at music theory, but your explanations really help me follow some of the stuff that would normally leave me scratching my head. You make it feel approachable. Thanks!

[@kingawsume]

My interpretation was always one of someone high on adrenaline, fighting for their life. The bouncy bass and percussion like a rapid heartbeat, the off-key chaos around you, the major melody a sign of hope. Garchomp is hungry, but you have opposable thumbs and the ability to make tools.

[@JackieOwl94]

This is a great song to terrify high schoolers in 2009 in the hallway on a rolling piano….not that I’d know anything about that….

[@drac116]

Those drawn out loops of each section played in the background legit gave me anxiety

[@zmeister5535]

I frankly loved this theme. I was around 15 when I played pearl and I don't remember how many tries it took, but I loved this theme.

[@tybellsprout]

How fortuitous, I was just Google searching Cynthia's theme (thanks for failing me once again yt home page).

[@Squidward_Man]

I will always remember when my brother (who was new to Pokémon at the time) handed me his Ds and said “I can’t get it, you got this.” I heard the music and I got flashbacks to my emulator nuzlockes all dying to Cynthia and then I proceeded to destroy her

[@ginger_queen8108]

12:17 the cynthia scale - what childhood trauma sounds like

[@DerSolinski]

Never heard it before, but man even without prior knowledge and context this piece pumps adrenalin. And not in a good kind... Brilliant composing.

[@Credibilidad]

Man, that wrap up connecting to the first generation's battle theme was just amazing. I would never realize that. Thank you! PS: I miss the time when champion themes were supposed to scare the hell out of you

[@DUELISTKlNGDOM]

this is a lot of good analysis but i do also think part of it is the feeling of the beat in itself. it FEELS like anxiety in how it beats: the heartbeat is more noticeable in the second with the drum specifically sounding like a heartbeat. the snare kicks up along with that kickdrum, two sharp beats between the kickdrum. the drumming sound makes you feel like you're in anxious battle of high stakes, proving yourself against a threat. the piano and drums work together to provide oomph and feeling. cynthia's theme also feels hopeful and threatening in the sense that you could win. you could overcome her insurmountable team - led by a pokemon that at the time had no weaknesses. the closing loop gives a very "underdog going up against an overpowering opponent" - an anime moment in itself.

[@EmpereurdesBalignon]

DPPt bicycle mysic for outro ?! I literally cried

[@glenngrimmett7858]

1:26 no no, not drama but dread

[@Lazar-TS]

2:23 New Fear unlocked: MUSIC

[@supergummytaco9588]

I've always always been a huge fan of the music but getting a deep dive explanation just makes me love it that much more. Great vid 👍

[@Pudding404]

Gamefreak had to cover their mouth from laughing when they put her in some random house the next generation. When you actually had to deliberately prepare pokemon for Cynthia, no way a kid was gonna beat her first try blind. It was a learning experience when I was younger, found a guide to finding the razor claw in Cyrus's room, got a weavile and won that way.

[@E4439Qv5]

Um. I actually *did* beat her first-try, blind. ...Used a _lot_ of revival herbs to PP stall out Garchomp and my team was _embarrassingly_ underleveled, but... a 'w' is a 'w.'

[@ijustsawthat]

Legends say that the Author created the whole music after trying to battle her, such was his despair after the encounter.

[@ulawan5]

Can't believe you took a full two minutes and even cut music ENTIRELY before letting her actual battle theme kick in beyond the intro, that was horrifically unsettling and I don't even have PCSD! I used to have my empoleon solo the entire e4 and her just to make cash ingame, I'm not scared of her, and she's a super fun character! but I guess that's just a testament to how powerful her themes are

[@waywardscythe3358]

13:30 ah yes, the scream of the souls escaping the Spiritomb

[@Ampheon181]

6:25 Cynthia spitting FACTS

[@KSasciaLv]

the science behind sound, fucking awesome listening an explanation and the sound itself is the explanation and vice versa