Remember the late 1990s when Super Mario 64 was all the rage? Remember what it was like to run at full speed or try a convoluted jump into the castle’s painting that would lead you to a parallel world? Well, Delicious in Dungeon episode 6 sure does, because that little tidbit is a focal point in this week’s episode.
Living Painting: A Monster or an Alternate Dimension?
The concept of traveling to another world via a painting isn’t a new one. Humanity has long wondered what it would be like to be able to jump into a photograph, painting, or drawing of a faraway land or just an inviting image. And as the Delicious in Dungeon party travels further into the dungeon and begins to battle with hunger, they find themselves contending with that possibility. As Laios stares into a living painting, he wonders if allowing himself to get sucked into the image would allow him to eat what’s depicted in it. That’s a man who fully understands the concept of ‘living like Larry.’
As he tries to test his theory, Marcille intervenes and prevents the living painting from harming him. He laments that she stopped him from trying out his plan and, after some back and forth, manages to convince the group that they should let him try entering one in the quest for food. While initially hesitant, they decide that any option is a good one. This might seem like plot armor, but the hungrier you are, the more you start to let down your cognitive defenses. His initial foray ends in failure, and a subsequent try reveals that he cannot leave the painting’s altered reality with anything in it.
He tries his luck once more. And this time, his persuasiveness yields rewards as he’s treated to a feast in one of the paintings. However, he’s discovered by one of the inhabitants and almost ends up as a piece of charcoal. As he’s pulled out of the painting just in time, he realizes he’s still hungry despite having gorged himself minutes prior. Now, this suggests an interesting paradox. Since the food he acquired and ate seems to vanish when he leaves the image, that would imply nothing in the image can exit. However, the burn marks on his collar and the flames his attacker aimed at him both make it out of the painting. So, how does that work? And what exactly is happening? It could be that the space behind the paintings isn’t there; it’s either an empty room or a space large enough to fit a human. Once inside that space, a person is subjected to mind-altering conditions that allow the painting to predate them.
On the other hand, this particular monster may be an ultraterrestrial. What’s that you ask? Let’s dive into the Fortean rabbit hole! There’s a theory in ufology and cryptozoology that aliens and cryptids aren’t from another planet but from another dimension. A rift between our dimensions allows them to walk into ours. The story of Skinwalker Ranch mentions creatures like these appearing through “portals” that were seen on the property. Likewise, cryptids like the Van Meter Visitor fall into the ultraterrestrial umbrella. If this were the case, when Laios is transported to their world, he can interact with it, be harmed by it, or be sustained by it. But the moment he exits, the effects of that world don’t go much further than the given portal, and as such, the fire attack of the being in it doesn’t engulf the room behind it.
Mimics: The Hermit Crabs of the Dungeon
As Delicious in Dungeon episode 6 continues, the group’s hunger pains continue. They decide to call it a day and rest for the night. As they set up camp, Chilchuck notices what he believes to be a mimic. After some Vietnam flashbacks, he decides that he won’t tell the group about it and that he will ignore it. But later on, as he follows a coin bug, he inadvertently traps himself in the same room as the mimic. He laments his carelessness and avoids the side of the room where he believes the mimic to be. He then rests on crates positioned opposite the suspected mimic box. But surprise, surprise, the crate was the mimic all along. He desperately tries to move away from it. In doing so, he sets off a trap that lifts him and the mimic up to the roof, allowing him to temporarily escape. However, the mimic is still right on his tail. As he battles and momentarily stuns the mimic. He realizes that the inscriptions on the coin bug hold the key to escaping his predicament. He manages to open the door that’s trapping him. As the mimic chases him out of the room, it sets off a trap, causing the door to slam on it, and sends it off to the great beyond.
Delicious in Dungeon Episode 6 Wrap-Up
As Delicious in Dungeon episode 6 wraps us, we get to the good part: monster cooking!!! By all accounts, mimics appear to be a type of shellfish. More specifically, they seem to be giant hermit crabs. And, of course, hermit crabs are a delicacy in some parts of the world. Laios and Senshi descend on the poor creature like a sorority chick descends on tequila, causing Marcille (Miss I’ll Eat Anything in episode 1) to panic. At this point, why even object. You’ve been proven wrong in every single objection so far. Further proving that mimics share a lot of similarities with shellfish. It appears that mimics can be poisonous depending on their diet. Senshi removed the organs (always a good idea if you’re cooking something unknown) and cooked it a la crab boil style. Once cooked, it looks like a crab dinner. Even taking on its characteristic ruby-red color. Ever wonder why several shellfish turn red once cooked? Well, it’s because of astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is a type of pigment found in their carapaces. And it’s highly thermochromic. When heated, the pigment breaks loose from the carapace’s membrane and heads to the surface, where it’s now noticeable. As Chilchuck and Marcille enjoy their meal, a meal they had initially said they wouldn’t enjoy. The episode comes to an end, and we’re left to wait another week for more monster-cooking goodness.
Screenshots via Netflix
© Ryoko Kui, KADOKAWA/Delicious in Dungeon PARTNERS
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