How do parasites change host?

[Magma442]

So the thought came into my head "how do parasites change host?"

What we know:
Parasites cannot survive without a living host.

Parasites live longer then their host.

Parasites cannot be removed from the body. Moblie parasites like Annie's are still attached to the body in some way.


So how did Parasites like Samson jump to Filia. Samson's last know host was Dehilia but that was a long time ago. If a Parasite jumped from its dead host to a new one wouldn't the Parasite die without a host when going to a new one? Then there's the cases with squigly who seemed to die before getting levithan. I think levithan is passed down throughout the family, so did her father die before or after she did? And how does levithan stay alive if squigly is technically still dead?

 

[sauce_fonda]

I'd assume when they switch, it's a slow death.

 

[6Phase6]

Leviathan is also undead, I think. When he died, I don't know, soon after bonding with Squigly?

 

[Rynozilla]

Well. Squigly's half dead.... The Skull Heart does something or something... Then she awakes.. So, she's kinda alive? I don't know. But I like to imagine Samson squirms around on the floor like a snail, when his host dies, and he goes in search of a new one... >.>

 

[chillbean]

Feel free to call me out on anything I've got wrong but here's some other stuff I remember Alex mentioning about parasites:

The previous host dies when a parasite changes host.

Parasites can be summoned in rituals.

Parasites can prolong their survival when not attached to a host by entering an inactive and reduced state, like some bacteria.

 

[Magma442]

Where did Alex say this again? Was it in a stream?

 

[chillbean]

Where did Alex say this again? Was it in a stream?

I don't have a source for this sorry, if it wasn't mentioned in one of the indiegogo lore skype chats, then it was probably on an old salty cupcakes stream. I'm pretty sure the first one about the previous host dying is fairly well known around the forums tho.

 

[BallotBoxer]

When in doubt look to the canon thread. The following quotes come from the Parasites, Artificial Parasites and Living Weapons section. Jeez, I feel like I'm citing from the Bible or somethin'

A parasite without a host

- Parasites cannot be unbounded from their host without killing the host. Parasites also cannot survive without a host for very long. Unlike a Living Weapon, a Parasites generally gives its host greater power but at the cost of a permanent bond with it.

- Parasites don’t necessarily need food or sleep even when detached from a host. Their abilities to survive outside a host vary. Some Parasites can go into “minimal” states like a bacteria going into a cyst form, but it won’t last them forever.

How Filia found Samson is a mystery. Maybe he was without a host, fluttering in the wind, rolling out of a garbage can, or sleeping in a dusty attic chest. Or he had a host (can parasites bond with any living being? Like Samson could be on some shaggy dog?). If the latter, then whoever separated from him died shortly after. Hosts are guaranteed death. It seems weaker parasites die on their own. Others have ways to cope without a host, but it is not optimal.

Annie and Sagan

- A remote parasite needs a part of the host body in order to be bound to the host

Sagan has Annie's right eye in his "mouth." Annie's mother became a Skullgirl wishing for eternal youth for her daughter. I'm guessing the Skull Heart granted this by getting her a remote parasite (was Sagan "born" from the Skull Heart?). As Eliza demonstrates, some bonds can last centuries.

Speaking of Immortality

- Parasites can greatly vary in age, some are ancient while others are relatively new. New ones can be created. They can stay alive forever as long as they have a host.

Squigly and Leviathan

- When a Parasite host becomes the Skullgirl, the Parasite too is likewise corrupted into the undead. They could lose their individuality as well. This process also depends on the wish of the host as well.

Perhaps the proximity to Selene Contiello's transformation affected the newly-bonded pair. If you recall, Squigly's father dies passing Leviathan to her. Erupting from his shoulder and slithering over. As 6Phase6 mentioned, I suppose Leviathan can be classified as undead, or at least partially, like Squigly.

 

[Denizen]

How Filia found Samson is a mystery. Maybe he was without a host, fluttering in the wind, rolling out of a garbage can, or sleeping in a dusty attic chest. Or he had a host (can parasites bond with any living being? Like Samson could be on some shaggy dog?)

 

[Chrono_Tata]

Regarding Annie, while we know that one of Sekhmet's powers is granting Eliza immortality as long as she regularly consume blood, I'm not sure that Sagan's powers work the same way. It is possible that he has nothing to do with her immortality and was actually bonded to her after (or before?) she became immortal.

I'm not sure is Leviathan is "undead" as such but it appears that his appearance has changed to a more skeletal form after bonding with Squigly. In the flashback you see of him right after he left Roberto, he seems to be a lot more fleshy.

 

[6Phase6]

His different looks are what gave me the impression of him being undead. So, you know, he and Squigly keep being brought back by Skullgirls. It also seems to me that he should be dead if his host is dead.

 

[Chrono_Tata]

His different looks are what gave me the impression of him being undead. So, you know, he and Squigly keep being brought back by Skullgirls. It also seems to me that he should be dead if his host is dead.

I think that he goes into the aforementioned "inactive" form when Squigly isn't being raised by Skullgirls. That lets him survive while not being attached to an active host.

However, it does seem that he is also influencing Squigly's biology somehow even during their dormant state, as her body isn't decomposing further even after being buried for 14 years. Most of the other Skullgirl minions, unless they are recently deceased, are basically skeletons.

 

[6Phase6]

Weeeeeeeell...
If that's the case, then I don't have an answer for the OP.

 

[chillbean]

Regarding Annie, while we know that one of Sekhmet's powers is granting Eliza immortality as long as she regularly consume blood, I'm not sure that Sagan's powers work the same way. It is possible that he has nothing to do with her immortality and was actually bonded to her after (or before?) she became immortal.

I'm not sure is Leviathan is "undead" as such but it appears that his appearance has changed to a more skeletal form after bonding with Squigly. In the flashback you see of him right after he left Roberto, he seems to be a lot more fleshy.

I'm of the opinion that Annie's immortality is solely due to her mothers wish on the skull heart.
With regards to Leviathan looking 'fleshy', I always just assumed that was cos he'd just burst out of Squigly's dad's body. On a side note, I'm convinced that Leviathan is Venus's 'unwilling foothold in the outside world' that is mentioned in her character bio for the DLC char's. He resembles an Abbadon head in that particular scene, and also when manipulating space during Squigly's centre stage attack.

 

[BallotBoxer]

But what are the mechanics of Annie's immortality? Do you think the Skull Heart can simply cast magic spells? I hold that the Skull Heart, a super-powered parasite, spawned Sagan to bond with Annie to grant eternal youth. I contend that all Skullgirl wishes end up being fulfilled with parasite power.

Every parasite is different and will have different interactions with hosts. In Eliza's case, she and Sekhmet are greedy. Do they really need the blood to survive? To quote the 3rd character page:

Eliza’s charity blood drives primarily serve to feed Sekhmet and preserve her own beauty

Sekhmet is an entire skeleton and needs the extra sustenance. Sagan is a tiny stuffed-animal sized creature that is probably fine with just his host. (or maybe Annie is a secret vampire!)

[Samson's grin on a dog]

You know in film there's a sudden realization shot when the camera does a dolly zoom? That's how I feel seeing that.

In Filia's story mode, the images flicker on screen:

Even while looking at it in the gallery or in my Digital Art Compendium, I didn't make that Samson connection. Like, whoa, I totally missed that puzzle piece.

 

[Denizen]

Everything is there for a reason.
Dogs are included in Filia's list of likes.

 

[dapurplesharpie]

Hey @b0nk, confirmation Filia isn't bald

Spoiler: hair OP af

 

[Muro]

She may be bald now even if she wasn't back then. Alternatively, wig. Samson saw it fall off and took pity on the poor girl.