Read this and read into the phrasing very carefully.
John’s instructions are to go back to Game Over and do something that lets him gather all the human kids and take them to the masterpiece - but not the kids living on Earth C (CANDY), the kids from the Game Over timeline (MEAT) - they’re all “completely different people” from what seems like an eternity ago.
More importantly, though:
JOHN EGBERT IS GOING TO RETCON PUNCH SOMEONE, AND IT’S (PROBABLY) NOT VRISKA
Note the conversation. He grimaces as he’s reading the letter. Rose informs her that he must punch someone in the face. This is not a reminiscence on him punching Vriska, and asking Rose “did I do the right thing in punching Vriska”, this is John saying “Rose, do I really have to punch her in the face?”
That in mind, John is going to have to go back and punch someone in the face, and it’s going to be a girl, which narrows down the options significantly. I’m of the opinion that it’s either going to be Grimbark Jade, Crockertier Jane, or Aranea, and I’m pretty split between them equally.
I’ve made a strawpoll because I’m curious as to what you all think. Please vote on it, at your leisure.
Johns gonna punch aranea in a parallel of when he punched vriska
that’s what i think, too, punch the ring off of her
Stopping aranea would mean terezi, karkat, gamzee, jane and Jake survive. That means jane can resurrect jade, Dave and rose. With everyone not dead, dirk won’t fuck off into oblivion due to depression
HOLY SHIT
JOHN IS STILL AROUND FOR GAME OVER
JOHN CAN RECRUIT HIS PAST SELF FOR THE TEAM OF EIGHT
WE CAN HAVE CANDIED BACON
WE CAN HAVE CANDIED BACON
now it’s just up to hussie to actually DO that, but GOD DO I WISH.