A couple questions about Images and Words and Metropolis pt. 2

[Caleb9849]

So long ago, before I really learned the story of Metropolis pt. 2 (I loved the music and got into the album before actually reading what the story was about), I always got the impression that Victoria Page was a "little girl" rather than a grown woman.  Phrases like "young child" and "so innocent, eyes open wide" from the lyrics gave me this idea.  Why are phrases like this used to describe someone old enough to be involved in a torrid love triangle?

Also before I learned the story, I thought maybe the girl on the cover of Images and Words was supposed to be Victoria, up in the bedroom of the house, since Metropolis pt. 1 is from that album.  Who is the girl actually, and/or what does she symbolize?  I have thought that maybe she is the one who "was dancing through the night above his bed" in "Surrounded," but that's kind of a shot in the dark...does anyone know if she's supposed to be someone specific (or a representation of someTHING specific)?  Or if the cover art is open to interpretation...?

[Zydar]

I always thought the little girl on the cover was the one in Wait For Sleep.

Hi and welcome to the forum!

[tri.ad]

I always thought the little girl on the cover was the one in Wait For Sleep.

Yeah, me too.

Victoria represents Metropolis imo - see the lyrics in Home "Victoria watches and thoughtfully smiles" paying reference to basically the same lyrics in Metropolis.

[Caleb9849]

I always thought the little girl on the cover was the one in Wait For Sleep.

Yeah, that makes sense.

Hi and welcome to the forum!

Thank you! 

Victoria represents Metropolis imo - see the lyrics in Home "Victoria watches and thoughtfully smiles" paying reference to basically the same lyrics in Metropolis.

Yeah, I love that reference...though I've also never been clear on "who" Metropolis is.

[Ultimetalhead]

I always thought she was some random ass girl who wandered onto the set.

[bosk1]

I always thought she was some random ass girl who wandered onto the set.

Yeah, I heard she didn't even like Dream Theater, but she had a pen and...oh, wait.  Wrong chick.

[Daso]

Hey guys I also have a question regarding Metropolis Pt.1. I've been a fan of DT for 2 years now but I never really focused onto it, but the other day a friend of mine asked me what Metropolis Pt.1 exactly was. I didn't know if it was a summary of Metropolis Pt. 2 or an introduction or a prologue... So what do you guys think (or are sure) it is?

[The Dark Master]

Hey guys I also have a question regarding Metropolis Pt.1. I've been a fan of DT for 2 years now but I never really focused onto it, but the other day a friend of mine asked me what Metropolis Pt.1 exactly was. I didn't know if it was a summary of Metropolis Pt. 2 or an introduction or a prologue... So what do you guys think (or are sure) it is?

It's kind of complicated, but according to Petrucci, the lyrics to Metropolis Pt. 1 are basically a retelling of the story of Romulus and Remus, but in a sci-fi setting.

As for the relationship of Metropolis pt 1 to SFAM.......

When DT first wrote Metropolis Pt. 1 back in 1989, it was just called "Metropolis"; they later added "Part 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper" to the title allegedly as a joke (perhaps they were poking fun at the bands that had influenced them that had done multi-song suites, like Rush).  Whatever the reason, they had no intention at that point of writing a sequel.  As it happened, however, Metropolis became one of their most popular songs (It's been played live almost a much as Pull Me Under), so when the next album (Awake) came out with no Metropolis 2, all the fans asked when such a sequel would be written.  When the band said the Pt 1 thing was a joke and there would be no Pt 2, the fans begged for it to be written anyways.  DT started writing Pt 2 as a 21 minute epic during the sessions for Falling Into Infinity, but for a number of reasons, the song was never finished and didn't make it onto the album (a rough demo of it is available on the FII demos from Ytsejam records).  When they decided to make the next album into a concept album, they returned to that 21 minute demo, re-wrote and expanded upon it.  They also looked back over the lyrics to the original Metropolis and wrote a new story loosely based off of those lyrics.  Thus was born Metropolis Pt 2: Scenes From A Memory.

[Orbert]

The lyrics to Part I are based loosely on the myth of Romulus and Remus, twins connected by that special bond that twins have, and in that sense sharing one mind.  Part II expanded on themes from Part I and introduced ideas from the movie "Dead Again" about reincarnation, and incorporated the twist with the twins as well.  There are some pretty good synopses of the story on the web, though I don't know where any would be off hand, and you could probably Google it as well as I could.

I personally think it's pretty cool how well it all turned out.  I like the story in Part II, and it's really impressive how well it did tie into Part I both lyrically and musically.

[SixDegrees]

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[hefdaddy42]

So long ago, before I really learned the story of Metropolis pt. 2 (I loved the music and got into the album before actually reading what the story was about), I always got the impression that Victoria Page was a "little girl" rather than a grown woman.  Phrases like "young child" and "so innocent, eyes open wide" from the lyrics gave me this idea.  Why are phrases like this used to describe someone old enough to be involved in a torrid love triangle?

"In loving memory of our child, so innocent, eyes open wide" are the words from Victoria's gravestone.  Which would have been provided by her parents, to whom she would always be their "child."

[jonny108]

It's about 9 minutes.

[Orbert]

I've always questioned the portrayal of Victoria as innocent. I mean, screwing around behind your husband's back? Screwing your brother-in-law behind your husband's back? Oh yes, put the woman and her thoughtful (read: shag-drunk) smile down for a halo. 

Victoria wasn't married to either of them.  They were both courting her.  Eddie had power and money and thought he had it made, but she still liked Julian better, so Eddie went psycho and killed them both.

[Silver Tears]

I always thought she was some random ass girl who wandered onto the set.

Yeah, I heard she didn't even like Dream Theater, but she had a pen and...oh, wait.  Wrong chick.

[SixDegrees]

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[MetropolisxPt1]

Explanation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_Pt._2:_Scenes_from_a_Memory

[Caleb9849]

Huh, thanks for that, I did think they were married. I also thought Julian had a drink/gambling problem that drove Victoria to his brother for comfort (and he became obsessed and turned it into a sexual relationship), then Victoria wanted to go back to Julian and help him through his problems but Eddie got pissed off and killed them out of jealous rage. Wikipedia backs me up on this, but obviously that's pinch-of-salt territory.

You're dead-on about everything except that they were actually married.  Julian was her boyfriend, though, and he ran off to appease his vices, leaving Victoria lonely.  She turned to Edward for sympathy, and it turned into a relationship.  The song "Home" is pretty much what presents all of that information.  Then Victoria and Julian reunite, "their love renewed," but Edward kills them both, then forges a note from Julian saying that he'd been the culprit.  This is revealed in the last song, "Finally Free."  Orbert's synopsis is the one that's kinda fuzzy, IMO.

"In loving memory of our child, so innocent, eyes open wide" are the words from Victoria's gravestone.  Which would have been provided by her parents, to whom she would always be their "child."

Yes, that much makes perfect sense to me.  They're not the only ones that describe her in this manner, though.  Nicholas says "Young child, won't you tell me why I'm here?" when he sees her in the mirror in the house at the beginning.  Is it possible that she appeared to him in child-form at this point?  Otherwise, I think it would be weird that he'd call her that, unless he's just that kind of guy that talks to everyone, even strangers, with unusual affectionate phrases...

[Metabog]

Metropolis Part 1 is about a time when John Petrucci went to Europe, and he met the Miracle and his brother The Sleeper, and he was very frightened because of culture shock, and because The Sleeper was a historian and a carnival curator.

[Caleb9849]

And the "Sleeper" woke up solely for the purpose of saying "A-LET ME INTRODYUUUUCE....MAH BRUTHAHHHHH!" and then went back to sleep?

[Caleb9849]

Ehhh actually that would have been the "Miracle" saying that.  Damn

[Orbert]

Orbert's synopsis is the one that's kinda fuzzy, IMO.

I wouldn't call it a synopsis.  Scenes from a Memory is a pretty complex story to reduce to three short sentences.  I was just answering the question, and being a bit tongue-in-cheek.