Putting All Emo Feelings About Saying Goodbye To Copia Aside For A Millisecond - Tumblr Posts

When they made Papa IV's hair a lil smarter it reminded me of young Papa Nihil and it really fed into my-

✨ Papa Nihil will be Papa 5 theory ✨

- Tobias once described the 3 papa's gone by as 'redundant' which is part of the reason he got rid of them.

- They never came back as ghosts or 'phantasms' but Papa Nihil did which means there's a REASON he was kept around.

- Copia even questioned this himself in Chapter 13.

- In Chapter 15, there's a hint towards possession when we see Joe Elliott have a paranormal event during Karaoke

- This also ties into the Exorcist hint in the movie trailer (a k.a Seestor's jumps scare)

- Now all good writers will tell you that a good villain is one who you can almost relate to/empathise with. That's why we started to get more back story on Papa Nihil a-la Reverence and Resurrection at the Whisky A-Go-Go.

- Further to this, we've seen Nihil portrayed as an unsuspecting frail old man. Papa IV won't pass him the damn Beijing Beef, he called Nihil old and decrepit, Sister Imperator even explains how Papa Nihil is insecure about Copia's Papa title and that's why she has to call him C.

- Speaking of Sister Imperator, you might be asking "Well Papa Nihil is smitten with her so would he really harm her favourite 'C'?" Yes. That's why four years ago we were given this chapter where Nihil thinks he is reunited with the love of his life only to realise it's a younger version of himself. In short, this man loves himself and the idea of being Papa more than Sister Imperator.

- When Cardinal Copia first came around, Tobias said: "If we just continued with Papa to Papa to Papa to Papa, that would grow very boring." As such, I think it's super unlikely that we'd just get a random new guy.

- Introducing Cardinal Copia was Tobias' way of taking us from A to Z. Someone who wasn't ready to be Papa, to someone who became the greatest of all time. Whereas Papa Nihil would almost be telling the story Z to A. So he fits the bill when it comes to challenging and new creative projects.

- The biggest hint of all? "We don't need another hero". Everyone had Pantomime theories but I think this one got missed. Tobias knows how beloved Copia's character is so there would have to be some serious weight behind whoever takes over. Papa 5 would need purpose and motive from a story telling perspective. Naturally the fandom would probably hate them at first, so what if you lean into that and just create an actual villain? Someone who ousts Copia by possession or resurrection, reclaiming their role as head of the clergy.

And one last possibility ...

All of this may have already happened.

The LA show could have been Nihil's big moment. Which might be why we got the lil speech about 'always dreaming of coming to LA to become a performer'. My theory is that show was either Nihil or it was the catalyst that caused Nihil to become jealous and overthrow IV.