Treasure Epilogue: Action to Answer

Answer and Outro: Long Journey

What we know so far: Ateez has gathered as friends to form a group of anarchist pirates who will come if called and have started on a journey towards a treasure that might be a new world/utopia. There is also another group, Halateez, who may be either an alternative dark side of Ateez or doppelgängers from a future parallel world that Ateez may have caught a glimps of and it appears to be a dystopian universe that may be risky and lack happiness. Ateez experienced a time where they were under an illusion but they have since escaped from it and know that by leaning on each other, they can get through hard times. They are now gearing up for some sort of battle where they will meet Halateez or merge with Halateez, that remains to be seen.

Maybe everything will be revealed in Answer (wishful thinking, I know). Today we are focusing not only on Answer but their outro that is meant to tie a bow on the Treasure series. Before we get into theories, I am going to share Declaration with you since it was released on Ateez's Japanese album, Map to Answer, and is performed either before or after Answer in their concerts. I feel like it is a great intro to Answer and the dancing is wonderful!! (I was going to include just Declaration but I COULDN'T so here it is as the intro to Answer.)

I mean...it's EVERYTHING, right?

Ok, now onto the theories. Bookish Theories on Answer:

My Takeaways

• Ateez is celebrating their success, reaching the treasure.

• The lyrics and images in the song reference past songs and talk about the journey that made them who they are

• Ateez plot points = treasure and inner conflict (with Halateez)

• Quest to reach the treasure is a quest to find themselves

• The answer is Ateez and Halateez raising their glasses and facing each other

• Introduction of butterflies = rebirth, transformation

• A new threat was introduced

Bookish Theories on Outro: Long Journey:

My Takeaways

• Outro: Long Journey is similar to the Intro through their color palate, flags, and location

• They have found their treasure but it came with a price

• They are now free but want to know if we have seen the changes. Ateez is already free so it might be Halateez talking here

• The epilogue may be bleak based on the destructive side of ambition

15Kim's take on things:

My Takeaways

• Halateez may not be as evil as was originally suggested

• Ateez and Halateez are not in a hostile relationship at the end of Answer and instead have struck some sort of deal or entered into an alliance

• Halateez may be ruled by some "final boss" of the dystopian world

• Could the man in white at the end of Answer be the "final boss"?

• Here 15Kim has referenced the Anarchist symbol FixOn8 talked about

• So maybe Halateez are not soldiers for the "final boss" but anarchists, who dream of equality for everyone, against him

• The reason they were trapped in the museum is because of the "final boss"

• Halateez were the ones who helped Yeosang escape instead of the ones holding him hostage

Hints From the Making of Video: Answer

• The making of film was only 5 minutes so I didn’t get much from it. Hongjoong said, “The music video of Answer is Ateez looking back on a long journey and we’re going to have a delicious meal together!” Thanks, Hongjoong. That was super helpful! But then Yunho also talked about having a delicious meal when he was in his Halateez outfit. (And they then interviewed Seonghwa about what outfit he preferred and San was singing Let It Go from Frozen in the background, living his best life. This has nothing to do with the theories, I just needed you to know this occurred.)

• So what I got from that is that Ateez had a delicious meal with Halateez = definitely not fighting; definitely working together (and enjoying a delicious meal).

They also released a VCR before their comeback stage that is interesting:

My Takeaways

• I think this is less about evil and good and more about showing us for sure what was meant to be Ateez and what was meant to be Halateez in the different music videos.

• Halateez was seen in HALA HALA and Wonderland while Ateez was seen in Wave and Say My Name. They will meet in Answer.

We now arive at the Answer:

And Outro: Long Journey:

Final Thoughts

Full transparency here, at this point I am leaning WAY more towards 15Kim's theories than Bookish Theories'. I feel like her use of information from outside just the music videos is telling a truer story, espcially knowing the members like to drop tiny clues in other ways. I like that Bookish Theories has included Ateez's personal journey towards success since I am all about the layers they put in their work, but on a purely storyline basis, I am thinking 15Kim has more credibility right now. Especially with the members talking about "enjoying a delicious meal" together. They wouldn't want to do that with people they come to a truce with, they would want to do that with people they are working with who are celebrating some met goal. Also, if you connect 15Kim's theory to Outro: Long Journey, being set free is not about Halateez being set free inside Ateez but about freedom from their "final boss" oppressor.