User blog comment:AK151/"Sacrifice" Analysis/@comment-24891101-20141106084404

I'll be thinking aloud here, basically. Not sure how much makes sense, because I've not given too much thought to this yet (I'm awaiting the full version.). I therefore may not endorse what I've written.

I'm leaning toward the Raven to Summer interpretation, myself. I think Cinder's right out, based on simple age, given that the only logical target is Summer. And if we accept the Maternal hypothesis, then Raven saw her friend selflessly serving the interests of the establishment. And if we further assume the White Fang hypothesis, then we have a person operating outside the bounds of society, and unable to make the sacrifice society demands of them. This could go some way to explaining her disappearence. With this on the mind, I also see some slight parallels with "From Shadows", in the crawling/rising imagery; a slight, but possible further support. And then, having disappeared, she embarks on her one-woman crusade for... something, using societally unacceptable means, including outright terrorism. Also, Raven's the big character introduced; it makes sense to tease her a bit.

There are also thematic connections to "Die", which all aver concerns Cinder in some capacity; certainly there are the cosmic parallels, but I'm not sure what to make of it, considering her age. There is also the parallel imagery with "I May Fall", but I'm inclined to think that is incidental.

There is one problem with the idea that Summer gradually lost her moral compass: it doesn't fit her motif, if we extend her daughter's to her. Summer scattered, suggesting her death, rather than, as Adam does, wilting.

Dunno how much sense I'm making; it's the wee hours of the morning. Feel free to rip this to shreds. I may clarify tomorrow or sometime, when I'm properly rested and have thought more on this.