Originally a secret santa i did for someone in a server. VERY LONG thought process here:

I know my recipient likes seeing Spamton happy, so that was my main focus. As well as that, I wanted to combine the real world with a flower motif, into one piece. Said motif for this piece was to allude to a certain song, namely ‘’Digital Roots’’. It’s something I never see discussed, but a parallel I find interesting nonetheless.

Both characters, Spamton and Flowey, achieve godhood, or so they think. Flowey is still very much a plant and ultimately succumbs to the control of the souls, and Spamton is still a puppet bound by his strings, having to be propped up by vines when defeated. Both characters have associations with tv, Spamton being a former tv star and making references to the Cathode Crew, while one of Flowey’s boss forms is a plant tv monster hybrid. Then there’s the fact Digital Roots utilizes the same leitmotif as “You Idiot”, both characters having stabbed the MC in the back for their own gain.

Little is known about Spamton’s beginnings, but from what we know, we can assume his life wasn’t easy to say the least. Being an ignored darkner that fought and fought despite the hand he was dealt, he started out a bit like a dandelion; a beautiful flower that grows in between pavements despite the harsh conditions. Although I feel like sunflowers would be Spamton’s favorite for obvious reasons, I feel as though daisies fit his character just as well. Flower meanings are vast, but one of the meanings of daisies is new beginnings, rebirth and hope. Meanwhile, sunflowers stand for optimism, faith and adoration. Both sunflowers and daisies grow in abundance in large fields, something I feel Spamton would love about the light world.

Starting his healing journey, he’d become inspired to paint again, he’d learn how to channel his trauma in a healthy way. I’d imagine that, even as he’s reached a state where he is okay with himself, it would go in ups and downs, as shown with the yellow sun ray-like line going up and down. Atleast painting makes it all a little easier, however. Autonomy plays a big part in it. He gets to choose the colors, to make the strokes.

One of my original ideas for this work was a physical collage, but i reworked it into a digital collage instead. I used a photo of the real sky and a dandelion to try and give off that feeling of a collage, as well as him reaching beyond the borders of the game. Positive words surround him in his bliss, akin to the purple soul’s notebook in the Photoshop Flowey fight when you call for help. Someone heard his call, and he’s free.

Aside from Flowey’s connotations, the Mettaton one is most clear, and one I incorporated in the piece as well.

In relation to Spamton’s character, I often think of the line uttered by Mettaton in the neutral run of his fight; ‘’Even if I'm not cut out to be a star... I still got to perform for a human, didn't I?‘’. Although I personally think Spamton didn’t die, their situations overlap in a way. Eventhough Spamton wasn’t meant to be a ‘’big shot’’, to break beyond the reaches of the game, he still meant something to the people around him, and people beyond the game.

He is at peace, being by himself, and BEING himself. Knowing that, despite his limitations, he made a difference in so many people’s lives. People he can’t even comprehend exist, and that alone makes him extraordinary.

Finally, this going more into headcanon theory, but I like to think that after the NEO fight (lest he was defeated peacefully), he wants to change his ways. This differs if he is defeated violently, wherein he turns into the puppet scarf, described as ‘’for those who abandoned healing’’. He called and prayed, and his saviors destroyed his chance to become big without him realizing it wasn’t meant to be.

When defeated peacefully, he turns himself into a weapon to be used for good. I believe darkners are still sentient after being turned into items, as shown with the Devil’s Knife ”smiling in your hand” when inspected. Plus, there’s also Lancer commenting on things happening around him while he’s a card in Kris’s pocket. Because of this, I believe he heard the Addisons grieving him at his storefront. I imagine he’d be furious at them, only showing up after his “death” and never bothering to show up after his downfall.
And yet, despite how resentful he may feel to his former companions for abandoning him, them showing up to his storefront reinforces what the fun gang was trying to convince him of. That he has an audience. But more than an audience, he has people looking out for him. That, no matter what he has done or how far he feels like he’s fallen, someone out there wants him to be better, because it can always get better. It always can.