A tale on progress, Orb: On the Movements of the Earth
Madhouse’s Orb: On the Movements of the Earth seems rare to me on TV. The show is a full series with 25 episodes, and its theme is cohesively woven from start to end. Orb’s narrative constantly asks viewers, “What is progress?”
The fictional series wants us to consider the multifaceted nature of progress within society. It requires passion, camaraderie, adaptability, and, yes, facing violence and death for a brighter future.
Based on the manga written by author Uoto, Orb is set in 15th-century Europe, where the Church is the most powerful institution. As such, anything “deviating” from its word, law, and control over society would be considered heresy. These “deviations” are suppressed by any means.
The protagonist, Rafal, a child and scholar, discovers the heliocentric model of study. Heliocentrism is the astronomical understanding that the Earth and the other planets revolve around the Sun. This rejects the Geocentric model, the commonly held belief established by the Church that states the Earth is at the center of the universe.
The boy stumbles across Heliocentrism and does what any inquisitive person would: He begins to think about its possibility. Via Rafal, we learn that progress means challenging well-established conventional thought and what is considered “logical.”
It’s very clear what pursuing this scientific study could lead to. The man he helps, Hubert, was caught before and punished. The “heretic” has been horribly beaten and has injuries that are visible to everyone. The heretic makes it clear, *when* he is caught again, the inquisitors, who the Church employs, will murder him. The Church must suppress any and all actions that are a threat to what it has established — the state must maintain control after all.
Still, progressing the study is what drives the boy, and it too leads to his death. Soon, he is found out, as his father hands him over to the inquisitor Nowak.
Rafal’s death is unnerving; he is again just 12 years old. Rather than be cruelly tortured and murdered, he takes his own life via poison. This action shakes his would-be murderer, because he couldn’t believe that a child could do that. The boy denies state-sanctioned violence. I could argue that this action is progressive as it’s a direct rejection of what normally happens to “heretics”.
In episode 3, we see Rafal’s death, and by the following episode, the series continues as it shifts to new protagonists. Thus, we learn that Heliocentrism is a multigenerational movement.
We first meet the duelist Oczy, a man who is entrusted to progress the study of Heliocentrism by his “heretic” colleague. He seeks out priest Badeni with the hope of continuing the same science study his friend fell in love with. Now, we see that progress shifts to the requirements of collaboration and comrades.
Badeni has one functioning eye because he was punished for the pursuit of “heretical” knowledge. It should be noted that his fellow pastoral peers inflicted this harm. He needs Oczy’s keen eyesight to make celestial observations at night for his work. The duelist loved looking at the stars in the past but eventually feared it and stopped. But through his collaboration with the priest, he learned to love stargazing again.
The duo eventually requires the help of a third party. They need another scientist who can aid their mathematical computations. Soon they are joined by the young scientist Jolenta. The child has a brilliant mind and is scientifically curious. As it is the 15th century, she is subject to the patriarchal system of the times.
Jolenta knows that her work with these men presents a danger. However, considering the field of science isn’t so progressive, she takes the opportunity to work on Heliocentrism. Here, we observe that a diverse coalition of people is key for progressive movements.
Orb also shows that we can and should grow through our collective work. In terms of personal growth, Oczy has the most progress. The swordsman is inspired by the time he spends with his comrades. He learns to be literate and writes a book on Heliocentrism. The tome speaks about the heretic science from a sociological stance and appeals to the larger populace.
He even wishes to eventually distribute his book to the public so that others may learn about Heliocentrism as he did.
But much like Rafal, the inquisitors find the two men. In this case, it’s rather ironic that Jolenta’s father, Nowak, sees her hanging out with them and becomes suspicious.
As they’ve prepared for the possibility of their deaths, they did their best not to have blame or suspicion fall on the young Jolenta. However, an enemy of the head inquisitor presents a case enough for them to apprehend and torture the girl. But one of the young inquisitors has a change of heart, as he realizes what he is doing is wrong, and he had Jolenta flee — people can change, who knew?
Twenty-five years have passed, and time marches forward to arrive at the show’s third act. The arc opens with an introduction to the Heretic Liberation Force. The group is an anti-Church organization that rejects its oppression of the people and its actions.
In response to violence and authoritarianism, the coalition fights agents of the state. It even employs the use of technology such as explosives.
Throughout history, we’ve seen the message that oppressors facing violence from the oppressed is wrong. We continue to see this take play out today. Some people have had enough and would go out swinging rather than bending the knee.
Act three also focuses on a young Romani girl, Draka. You could label her simply as a capitalist. I’d argue that she is my favorite character throughout the series. Unlike previous protagonists, she is grounded more by real material conditions — Liberation is noble, but have you seen the cost of living?
After a series of events, she happens upon a book about Heliocentrism. The book discusses the science from a sociological perspective. Shortly after, she has to negotiate for her survival with the Heretic Liberation Force. After burning the book and being the single person to know its contents, she becomes a new, unlikely ally.
Eventually, Draka meets the leader of the Heretic Liberation Force, a nearly 40-year-old Jolenta. Yes, the scientist leads the radical group against the Church’s authoritarianism, making her one of society’s biggest threats.
Jolenta explains that the book has sentimental value and isn’t just any book. It’s revealed to be Oczy’s book. It is the literal culmination of decades of studying a heretic science. We must consider that a lot of work and pain brought this key piece of the movement to them. Many pieces, events, and decades led to this moment — this continues to be the story of progression.
Printing the tome will help spread knowledge of Heliocentrism and more thinking. As a book, the Church can’t stamp out public knowledge. The Church is losing power as people grow tired of its societal rule.
Soon after, the inquisitors, with Nowak among them, locate Jolenta. Many forces are stationed before Jolenta’s home, and rather than surrender, she commits suicide. The rebel leader used a great deal of explosives to leave no survivors. No longer the ignored scientist, a hopeful leader does what needs to be done for the sake of the mission. Progress is complicated, messy, and violent.
Danger descends upon the remaining Heretic Liberation Force as they are betrayed. The choices are either to run, accept the futility and fight anyway, or they can to make sure Draka survives and completes her mission.
She escapes, but eventually death comes for her as it has for everyone else. Before her last moments, she delivers the crucial letter Jolenta entrusted to her.
The years pass on and we see that the book will finally get published as another lover of stars stumbles upon it. The work is still not quite done but it persists.
Orb: On the Movements of the Earth asks us to consider something simple about progress. It isn’t simple. Progress is an ever-evolving process; if we ever stop, we can’t challenge reality. We must have faith and hope, subjects crucial to the series that could be an essay.
While the show is about progressing forward/liberation and all the things that people seem desperate to see (for many reasons), now, watching this series and, of course, isn’t real progressive action. It feels good to watch, but we can’t miss the real point. It’s not the same as visiting your local organizations and speaking with your fellow neighbors, etc. It won’t be from our phone and PC screens.
We can’t move past any form of oppression unless we do something about it. Like Rafal, Jolenta, Draka, etc we have to choose an action dedicated to a real cause. We must recognize our conditions, give it thought, be willing to work and choose.
Additionally, you may be under the impression that I wrote this because of the political present of the USA. However, you would be wrong. Whether it is the Middle Ages, the present-day Middle East, Sudan’s crisis, etc., people will continue to demand/fight for freedom from oppressors. This is woven into the world we live in.
Much like the books, speeches, and history we have available, the steps forward demand that we aren’t passive. We must continue to grow, plan, and meet every single moment that is uncomfortable for a better future — a tomorrow that will be natural, painful, and include the greatest of struggles. A tomorrow that, like our protagonists, is beyond our lifetime. However, this will not come if we do not remember that this is our responsibility.
If there’s one last point about Orb: On the Movements of the Earth that I had to make, progress demands that we (you and I) aren’t merely NPCs in our lives. Now, to be very real, this is just an essay about a mere TV show about something very real. Writing and reading this will never be a substitute for the subject at hand. Our oppression will not stop unless we dream and work with comrades today.
