An Examination of Leitmotifs and Their Use to Shape Narrative in UNDERTALE - Part 2 of 2

April 14, 2016

Original post here: http://jasonyu.me/undertale-part-2/

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This article is the 2nd half of a 2-part article on leitmotifs in UNDERTALE and how they inform the narrative. If you haven't read Part 1 yet, it is highly recommended that you do so before reading this article.

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Leitmotif to Represent Characters, Their Development, and Their Relationships to Each Other

characters

And now, we come to perhaps the most common use of leitmotif---the representation of characters. Nearly every major character in the game has an associated leitmotif, often spanning multiple tracks in the soundtrack, with each variation of the leitmotif revealing something new about the character.

Undyne

030. Undyne

Undyne's Theme at 0:00:
Undyne Theme

Though most people think of Undyne's battle music as her theme, her leitmotif actually is established much earlier, during your first interaction with her in the high grass in Waterfall. This iteration of the theme is the most rhythmically simple, which makes it easy to pick out variations on this theme in other tracks.

032. Run!

Undyne's Theme at 0:00:

Appropriately, the theme returns during Undyne's pursuit sequence---this time in a frantic, off-balance version of the Theme, using groupings of 6+6+4 sixteenth notes in 4/4 (separated in red). There's a "compressing" effect of having of groups of 6 notes turn into a group of 4 at the end of each bar, which drives the feeling of increasing tension and urgency.*

045. NGAHHH!! / 046. Spear of Justice

Undyne's Theme at 0:00:
Undyne Theme Var 2 (Battle)

Finally, Undyne's battle theme---which, as I mentioned before, is a combination of not only her leitmotif, but of melodies and ideas from other parts of the game.

The track starts out with several strong statements of Undyne's leitmotif. Then, at 0:36, we get the return of the melody from Waterfall/Ruins:

045. NGAHHH!! / 046. Spear of Justice

Ruins Melody at 0:36:
Undyne Ruins Melody

FROM:
(Ruins)
+
Ruins Theme 2 (Waterfall) (Waterfall)

You may be thinking the material at 0:47 is new. But let's take a look specifically at the melody that's played by the horns there:

Waterfall Horns

Now listen to this passage in 031. Waterfall starting at 1:07---and listen especially to what the strings are doing at 1:12 and 1:17:

031. Waterfall

In fact, this little melodic figure actually goes all the way back to 005. Ruins:

005. Ruins

@ 0:17:

098. Battle Against a True Hero

Undyne's Theme at 0:00:
undyne geno

FROM:
Undyne Theme Var 2 (Battle)

Ruins Melody at 0:45:
ruins undyne geno

FROM:
Ruins Theme 2 (Waterfall) (Waterfall)

Waterfall Strings Melody at 1:35:
undyne waterfall geno

FROM:
Waterfall Horns

In the Genocide Route, we hear 098. Battle Against a True Hero. To me, this track (and the accompanying battle) represent an Undyne that has been maxed out, stretched to her limits. Structurally, the track is actually the same as 046. Spear of Justice in terms of the order in which we hear the Undyne, Ruins, and Waterfall motifs. But the difference lies in largely how much more decorated and expanded these melodies become, to the point where it can be difficult to trace to its source.

The opening melody, while quite different from the original Undyne motif, retains some key distinctive features---namely the initial drop in the melody of a 4th followed by another drop of a 3rd (in red). At 0:45, we hear a simplified but still very recognizable Ruins melody. Then, at 1:35, we get this beautiful piano interlude, which hides inside it a reference back to the strings melody in Waterfall.

Taken piece by piece, there is actually not a single idea in Undyne's battle themes that are new---the tracks are simply a combination of her leitmotif and a slightly altered version of Waterfall, sped up. But it's perfect: wonderfully representative of the track's meaning and situation within the context of the game, and different and altered enough to be its own outstanding track.

Alphys

048. Alphys

Alphys' Theme at 0:08:
Alphys Theme

Certainly one of the most straightforward themes in the game---but I love it because to me it represents Alphys' personality so well. The first melodic phrase is just a simple and happy "do-re-mi-fa-so", but the second phrase, almost as if in an attempt to outdo the first, jumps to a higher key halfway into the melody---which is actually an amazing musical representation of Alphys' overeager personality. That's all that there seems to be to her character, until you find the True Lab...

083. Here We Are

Alphys' Theme at 0:00:
Alphys Lab

Here, Alphys' happy melody has been transfigured and corrupted into something quite scary sounding. By simply adding Major thirds above each note of the original melody (in red), we get a haunting, unsettling version of Alphys' Theme that perfectly complements the terror that is the True Lab.

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An Examination of Leitmotifs and Their Use to Shape Narrative in UNDERTALE - Part 2 of 2

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