Let’s go back to the lightning bolts. But first, I need to acknowledge how amazing this one theory is and how much it’s helped me put some things in perspective. This beautiful and insightful theory, by Fearlesslove13 & @shesdeads...
Let’s go back to the lightning bolts.
But first, I need to acknowledge how amazing this one theory is and how much it’s helped me put some things in perspective. This beautiful and insightful theory, by Fearlesslove13 & @shesdeads (brought to my attention via Buzzfeed) dove into the idea that the Taylors in the video are not good vs. evil. But instead, she is training. YES YES YES.
In their post they say:
this means that the darker taylor, the one in the hoodie, represents all of the old taylors, and the media’s perception of them. she’s the one that recognizes the world is cruel, and trains the caged taylor because she wants her to be able to survive. and by sacrificing that version of herself to protect her, she gives the now freed taylor the opportunity to start fresh, and maybe not end up the same way she did.
What I particularly love about this is their insight into the concept of “rebirth.” On how Taylor made the choice to redefine herself. In a sense, she knew she had to burn it all down in order to rise anew.
We are met with a “naked” Taylor who goes through multiple evolutions (basically, shedding one self for the next and the next). She tries to build armor, defend herself, fight back, look like “a bad guy” and when that doesn’t work she tries to be the pure white knight in armor atop of the white horse. But when that isn’t quite right either she has to return to just her bare bones/naked self.
In This is What You Came For we are introduced to Taylor and the lightning. “Lightning strikes every time she moves.” This, as pointed out in earlier posts, has to do with her inability to make even the slightest movement in 2015/early 2016 without the media attacking and striking her down/illuminating her every move.
calvin harris / this is what you came for
BUT, she discovers the power in this. In …Ready for It? We literally see her discover the potential of all this power, the power in the lightning. And how they can define her reality. And we see her look around and notice the countless orbs of power around her (all the different alternate realities). We see her reaching out towards one…literally picking her own reality.
Discovering the power, yo!
Literally reaching out for that new reality!
THEN we see her harnessing that power. This is when she (and, according to my theory, CH) decided to use the power of the media —and all of us salivating conspiracy theorists—against us. They self-imploded, put up smoke screens, crafted fake narratives, disappeared into the night and allowed themselves to be alone in their newly formed reality.
Learning how to harness that power, before breaking free.
The Taylor at the end of …Ready for It? is once again raw, naked and vulnerable JUST like the Taylor we are seeing in the clips from Call it What You Want. She’s returned to a more honest and naked form. But, it was at a price, which is why the Taylor at the end of …Ready for It sheds a tear. There are a lot of sacrifices you have to make and pain you need to go through to have privacy and to live as you wish.
Before TS & CH broke up they were leaving us clues about the lightning bolts. They were right there in front of us from the start. And when the drama queens and liars were tearing her down, she decided to at least do one thing right. She harnessed that power, held her love close and returned to her true self.
NOW GO PAINT SOME MORE PAINTINGS IN BED, GIRL. xo
cover image cc: @taylorswift instagram