The following is a thematic piece centered on the subtitles—both the literal text and the underlying subtext—of the avant-garde sci-fi world of . The Paradox of Choice in a Closed System
Created by Peter Chung for MTV’s Liquid Television , the original series relied heavily on visual storytelling. In its earliest "shorts," there was no spoken dialogue—the visual movement was the subtitle.
: The Futility of Possession. The relationship between Aeon and Trevor is defined by a "tragic/forbidden love". Trevor has achieved ultimate power but cannot possess Aeon; Aeon is capable of any feat except settling down with Trevor. Their dialogue often reads like a philosophical debate on human nature, where the "subtitle" is their mutual inability to coexist in the same ideological space. The Visual Language of Peter Chung
The 2005 live-action film and various reboots have attempted to streamline this "abstract and surreal" tone into a more coherent plot.