Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - General Why is the dream lover called Daisy? Tin Foil hat theory

I can't believe it took me this long to figure this out. Put on your tin foil hat and lend me your ears.


Why is the dream lover called 'Daisy'?


It came to me when I was thinking about BG2's clever references to literature and philosophy and wishing that BG3 would incorporate some other, similar references. And then I realized that there was one such reference, a reference to an event in computer history. Daisy is named after the first song ever sung by a computer: Daisy Bell aka "Bicycle Built for Two"



I think the devs are doing a bit of a flex and having a bit of fun -- look how far we have come since 1961! In '61 computers could sing a simple love song. Now we can create a dream lover with a human voice and neigh photo-realistic face.

Let's consider the Lyrics -- starting with Nat King Cole's famous adaptation:



Notice that when the first dream starts you are lying a field of clover. And you are half crazy because your consciousness now has two residents -- you have been forced onto a bicycle built for two.

Now if you've ever ridden a tandem you will know that decision of who sits in front a bicycle built for two is an important one. The person in front gets to steer, use the brakes and does most of the work -- the person in back is just support. If the person in back tries to steer or change pace it causes problems:

(Riding a Tandem Bike Will Ruin Your Relationship!)



The tandem dynamic plays out in the discussion between Tav and Daisy. Daisy wants Tav to let go -- fighting isn't getting them anywhere, they have to find out how to ride this bike together. But Tav resists because she isn't sure which partner will get to ride in front.

Now let's consider original, 1892, lyrics of Daisy Bell:


We lose the field of clover but we gain so much more insight into the relationship between Tav and Daisy. "Whether she loves me or loves me not, Sometimes it's hard to tell" Indeed, Tav, indeed. Sounds like a toxic relationship. Also notice that the love affair started involuntarily when someone " planted . . . a glancing dart".

The song ends with the relationship dynamic Daisy is seeking -- she will take lead in each trip Tav takes and Daisy, not Tav, has her hands on the brakes. Tav and Daisy need to travel the "dark road " to Moonrise towers.

Now admittedly this a real stretch but if we look at lines "You'll be the bell(e) which I'll ring" it's easy to assemble the lines "rung on the bell" which is a reference to head trauma. And having a worm in one's brain seems to qualify.

Still with me? You will need the tin foil for this next bit.

I think this song foreshadows events to come. Let's consider the most famous use of this song -- 2001: A space odyssey. In the course of the movie the relationship between Hal 9000 and Dave changes dramatically. At the start Dave assumes that he is in the driver's seat but it quickly comes clear that Hal is the partner calling on the shots in this relationship. So Dave opts for a bitter divorce, removing Hal's memory and de-evolving the world's most sophisticated computer in a machine only capable of singing a simple, silly love song:



And soon after Dave ascends. He evolves. He transforms into a new species, the Adam for the next stage of human evolution.

Remember that Daisy calls Tav her chosen. Remember that Shadowheart has a desire to become a Chosen of Shar. Some have even speculated that Shadowheart could herself be a divine avatar of a goddess. Perhaps this game -- like BG2, like DOS2 -- will end with some sort of ascension.

Tav is destined to become a god-like being. That's the message in the song.

/madness