Why did the therapist have to kill Nicholas at the end of SFAM?

[FlashCE]

I understand that the therapist was Edward in his past life, and Edward killed Victoria (Nicholas' past life). Is the therapist worried that Nicholas might report this to the authorities and get him arrested? How does that even work?

[Rodni Demental]

He didn't HAVE to kill him, I presume there is still a choice, or a chance to learn from his previous life, but he'd (essentially) already killed her before, and as those events were remembered, they synced up with their present lives and history repeated itself.

As for Nicholas calling the authorities, well... I dunno if that was the reason, it's a bit of a stretch that someone could get in trouble for something they did in a past life because it'd be impossible to prove, but the therapist was probably overwhelmed with fear at that point after the memories returned and kinda freaked out.

[FlashCE]

He didn't HAVE to kill him, I presume there is still a choice, or a chance to learn from his previous life, but he'd (essentially) already killed her before, and as those events were remembered, they synced up with their present lives and history repeated itself.

As for calling the authorities, well... I dunno if that was the reason, it's a bit of a stretch that someone could get in trouble for something they did in a past life because it'd be impossible to prove.

So what was the hypnotherapist's motivation to kill Nicholas?

[Rodni Demental]

Haha, I just edited before you replied to add an extra detail. But honestly, I don't know what his motivation was other than the consideration that he was overwhelmed with fear. Basically, it's just implied that the two lives synced up and similar events repeated themselves (which is a common conception when one considers the potential within a cyclical perspective of time).

Someone might have a different perspective though or more info. on that cause I'm certainly no expert in the study of SFAM theory. 

[TheSilentHam]

His main motivation was to help Dream Theater close out a concept album.  Besides that I would guess to protect his legacy or pure hate for Victoria.

[TheGreatPretender]

So what was the hypnotherapist's motivation to kill Nicholas?

Maybe he was still in touch with those old emotions, and having these memories come back filled him with hatred, and the idea that Victoria's spirit got to live on in this Nicholas wasn't something he could allow.

Who even knows what happened to Edward after the whole ordeal, maybe the rest of his life was filled with fear and misery, and when he died, he died a miserable, corrupted soul, right down to the core.

For that matter, we don't know much about the therapist either, maybe he himself is actually a psychopath who kills people all the time, and has a basement full of bodies. And the nature of Nicholas' and his own past lives was just all the more incentive to add Nicholas to his list of victims.

[Sycsa]

I have no problem thinking of a plausible explanation (killing him to complete the circle is the best one, or being afraid that Nicholas would figure it out and prevent him from exploring it further, possibly taking vengeance, or being overwhelmed by the revelation and his strong feelings towards Victoria compelled him to do it).

What I have a hard time wrapping my head around is why would anyone who just witnessed a killing go right up to the killer and try and reason with him instead of getting the hell out of dodge? Common sense would dictate that the killer would want to get rid of any witnesses, so I'm surprised it didn't smell fishy to the cops and they didn't take him away in cuffs at that very moment. This puzzled since I was listening to Beyond This Life on Budokan, years before I had any idea that SFAM and this complete story even existed.

[Zydar]

To get to the other side.

[hefdaddy42]

He killed Nicholas for the same reason that Edward killed Victoria.  He was enraged with her for choosing his brother.

Now, both reincarnated, he finds her again, and gets a chance to either reconnect with her to atone for his previous actions, or possibly just ignore her and they can both get on with their lives.

"Live and let live" is out, because he is a fictional villain.  Reconnecting is out, because Victoria no longer has a vagina.  So he kills the bitch.  Again.

Not sure why this is a problem.

[BlobVanDam]

Not sure why this is a problem.

Because we must protect the lyrical integrity of the album.

[hefdaddy42]

Not sure why this is a problem.

Because we must protect the lyrical integrity of the album.

Does my solution violate the lyrical integrity of the album?

[BlobVanDam]

Not sure why this is a problem.

Because we must protect the lyrical integrity of the album.

Does my solution violate the lyrical integrity of the album?

Did my post need more green? Like I care about the lyrics. All of these explanations are more than good enough for me. I like the bit where they go weedly weedly.

[?]

Maybe the band thought a (completely) happy ending would be boring. I think it's a cool plot twist - just when you think Nicholas has found peace he gets killed and the last words he hears are the same as the ones Victoria heard.

[hefdaddy42]

Not sure why this is a problem.

Because we must protect the lyrical integrity of the album.

Does my solution violate the lyrical integrity of the album?

Did my post need more green? Like I care about the lyrics. All of these explanations are more than good enough for me. I like the bit where they go weedly weedly.

I was starting to wonder about you.

[King Postwhore]

Starting Hef?

[BlobVanDam]

Only starting? I'm offended!

[King Postwhore]

Only starting? I'm offended!

 

I wouldn't have you any other way.

[rumborak]

He kills Nicholas because of ... twist at the end.

[Orbert]

What I have a hard time wrapping my head around is why would anyone who just witnessed a killing go right up to the killer and try and reason with him instead of getting the hell out of dodge? Common sense would dictate that the killer would want to get rid of any witnesses, so I'm surprised it didn't smell fishy to the cops and they didn't take him away in cuffs at that very moment. This puzzled since I was listening to Beyond This Life on Budokan, years before I had any idea that SFAM and this complete story even existed.

The best explanation for this that I've read is that Edward is a Senator, a very powerful person, and was able to use that.  This also explains the seemingly strange way the story is reported.  A witness saw this, a witness says he heard that, etc.

Edward called the cops and said "I just witnessed a murder, but I can't get involved in any of this stuff, so I'll share everything I know if you keep my name out of all of it."  The cops took that at face value, listened to his whole story, and went with it.  Because he was a witness, he was never a suspect.  Most witnesses would probably have gotten the hell out of there, but this is a Senator, powerful, ballsy, pretty much full of himself.  I wouldn't be surprised if someone like that did witness a murder and go right up to the guy and ask WTF, man?

[hefdaddy42]

Only starting? I'm offended!

I'm an equal opportunity offender.

And remember, if Nicholas had a vagina, he would still be alive today.  Figuratively speaking.

[Anguyen92]

Adding on. From my interpretation, therapist killed Nicholas so that decades from now, someone is going to relive through the events that Nicholas endured and thus the cycle continues and repeats itself.

[Nearmyth]

I haven't read through all the posts on this thread yet so sorry if this is a repeat,

but my interpretation (or at least what I'm siding with) is that the therapist wanted to end the cycle so that history wouldn't repeat itself, so he kills Nicholas to finally end it once and for all.

Edit: The whole therapist killing Nicholas thing is just speculation on its own, I never thought about that until I heard it online haha.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I had no idea that the therapist killed Nicholas.

Though to be fair, I'm not totally sure who Nicholas is.

[Madman Shepherd]

Dude!  SPOILERS!!!

Shit, now this is ruined for me. 

Just don't spoil the end of Images & Words for me.  Haven't finished that one yet. 

[TheCountOfNYC]

I have no problem thinking of a plausible explanation (killing him to complete the circle is the best one, or being afraid that Nicholas would figure it out and prevent him from exploring it further, possibly taking vengeance, or being overwhelmed by the revelation and his strong feelings towards Victoria compelled him to do it).

What I have a hard time wrapping my head around is why would anyone who just witnessed a killing go right up to the killer and try and reason with him instead of getting the hell out of dodge? Common sense would dictate that the killer would want to get rid of any witnesses, so I'm surprised it didn't smell fishy to the cops and they didn't take him away in cuffs at that very moment. This puzzled since I was listening to Beyond This Life on Budokan, years before I had any idea that SFAM and this complete story even existed.

You have to remember that it wasn't just a murder. It was a "murder/suicide". Edward planted a suicide note in Julian's jacket. He made it seem like he was a hero trying to help Julian. The whole thing was set up beautifully.

[King Postwhore]

Dude!  SPOILERS!!!

Shit, now this is ruined for me. 

Just don't spoil the end of Images & Words for me.  Haven't finished that one yet.

Pull Me Under has a nice fade out.

[RoeDent]

As it links musically (inasfar as record static is music) with The Glass Prison, we need to come up with some plot twist linking SFAM to the 12-Step Suite...

[Zydar]

As it links musically (inasfar as record static is music) with The Glass Prison, we need to come up with some plot twist linking SFAM to the 12-Step Suite...

The therapist decided to quit drinking after he killed Nicholas

[Kotowboy]

To get to the other side.

 

[DarkMaster]

I've always had a very unorthodox theory regarding this, and it might be completely boneheaded, but here it goes.

I personally believe that the whole album takes place in real time, and the entire story that unfolds takes place while Nicholas is under hypnosis. What I mean is, Nicholas is hypnotized throughout the entire album, so he never physically goes to Edward's house or anything like that. He gets so deeply entranced that he believes that he has reawakened, and he sees himself driving home and going into his house. In the real world, the hypnotist shouts "Open your eyes, Nicholas!" to wake him up, and the scream is just Nicholas being woken very suddenly.

I dunno. maybe that's stupid, but the idea of this whole story ending with Nicholas getting shot is really too tragic, even with the message of reincarnation.

[Zook]

How do we know Nicolas was killed? Maybe the therapist was wearing a mask and scared the shit out of him.

[DarkMaster]

This is also assuming that the "gunshot" was just a part of his dream that managed to wake him up.

[PROGdrummer]

This is also assuming that the "gunshot" was just a part of his dream that managed to wake him up.

what gunshot?

[chaossystem]

I have a couple of crazy theories: Either the old personality TOOK OVER or "possessed" the hypnotherapist, and he "reverted to type," INSTINCTIVELY going after Nicholas because he thought it was what he was SUPPOSED to do, not realizing that there was no WAY anyone could prove that he had killed Victoria in their past lives.

ANOTHER possibility is that for some sick, perverted reason he thought that he could rid himself of the GUILT he was feeling over having killed Victoria by removing the REMINDER of what he had done by killing the person again, and possibly getting rid of him/her once and for all!

[BlobVanDam]

How do we know Nicolas was killed? Maybe the therapist was wearing a mask and scared the shit out of him.

It was a surprise birthday party for Victoria. Now that he finally found Victoria, they're all reuniting at a birthday party, where they'll eat cake and reminisce about the roaring '20s.