What exactly IS Shimmer, anyways?

Tibithia Σ

Plantera
While looking it up on the wiki due to boredom and current inability to play Terraria, I found Shimmer as quite in-depth and strange.

At first, it seems like some extension of the Hallow and purity, due to enhancement of food items, buff items, and some equipment. However, with all the other things it does, I now wonder if it's actually something more...

First off, does the limit of application before killing the Moon Lord have any in-lore explanation? It doesn't necessarily mean anything in the lore, as it mainly prevents the player from getting OP items early. But maybe it does have in-lore reasoning. I'm not sure.

Second off, from what I can tell, the liquid itself is likely otherworldly, considering what it does to creatures and luminite bricks, as well as forcing you to fall through the ground when you enter it. Where would it come from? Does it have any link to the Hallow? If so, does that mean the Hallow may have otherworldly origins?

Finally, I've had a bit of a headcanon that due to Terraria's... loose interpretations of Lovecraft lore, what with the Moon Lord being Cthulu's torso and all, it may be inspired by The Colour Out Of Space. I noticed the odd colour, the strange effects, possible otherworldly origins, it all sounds like it could've taken a bit of inspiration off the Colour. This is just a headcanon though, as it likely has unrelated origins and I'm just guessing with insubstantial evidence.

Any other ideas as for what it could be, possible lore to it and its connections?
 
Shimmer is liquid magic. The only question is what kind of magic. I'm sure there's one thing we can rule out. To quote the Wizard, "Someone once told me friendship is magic. That's ridiculous. You can't turn people into frogs with friendship." Shimmer turns the Angler into a kappa, which is kind of frog like. (I couldn't resist the friendship joke when the person that made this thread has a pony pic :p)

Seriously though, just saying it's liquid magic is mostly a joke. It might just be liquid magic, but I don't think that's very interesting and doesn't mesh with the lore of the game enough. My theory is it's a "watered down" version of the Hallow. (pun not intended.) The Hallow is released when the Wall of Flesh Dies, but it can still exist in worlds where the Wall of Flesh hasn't died and it'd make some sense if the Corruption's/Crimson's opposing force had some traces lingering around. Shimmer is as bright and sparkly as the Hallow but much less chaotic than the Hallow and can even be predictable. There's also the Faelings being some kind of Fairy.

As for the space stuff, Falling Stars are used to make Mana Crystals, so liquid magic being found in a place that's like the middle of outer space does make sense from a lore stand point, especialy because the Shimmer pond biome is called the Aether and Aether isn't usually something tied into the world.


The lore in Terraria isn't entirely solid, so the real answer may be anything we think it might be. I know that's a bit of a killjoy answer, but I'm not sure if there is a right or wrong answer. You can't even say it isn't a gas because some gasses are heavier than air. (You can probably say it's not a solid though.)
 
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It’s the party girl bath water, which might I add does come from party girl which is pinky pie, so technically friendship is magic, (but that’s just my head canon)
 
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While looking it up on the wiki due to boredom and current inability to play Terraria, I found Shimmer as quite in-depth and strange.

At first, it seems like some extension of the Hallow and purity, due to enhancement of food items, buff items, and some equipment. However, with all the other things it does, I now wonder if it's actually something more...

First off, does the limit of application before killing the Moon Lord have any in-lore explanation? It doesn't necessarily mean anything in the lore, as it mainly prevents the player from getting OP items early. But maybe it does have in-lore reasoning. I'm not sure.

Second off, from what I can tell, the liquid itself is likely otherworldly, considering what it does to creatures and luminite bricks, as well as forcing you to fall through the ground when you enter it. Where would it come from? Does it have any link to the Hallow? If so, does that mean the Hallow may have otherworldly origins?

Finally, I've had a bit of a headcanon that due to Terraria's... loose interpretations of Lovecraft lore, what with the Moon Lord being Cthulu's torso and all, it may be inspired by The Colour Out Of Space. I noticed the odd colour, the strange effects, possible otherworldly origins, it all sounds like it could've taken a bit of inspiration off the Colour. This is just a headcanon though, as it likely has unrelated origins and I'm just guessing with insubstantial evidence.

Any other ideas as for what it could be, possible lore to it and its connections?
Cthulhu's blood? Or maybe essence of every Terraria world's magic spirits? (same as in the chat after killing WoF)
 
While looking it up on the wiki due to boredom and current inability to play Terraria, I found Shimmer as quite in-depth and strange.

At first, it seems like some extension of the Hallow and purity, due to enhancement of food items, buff items, and some equipment. However, with all the other things it does, I now wonder if it's actually something more...

First off, does the limit of application before killing the Moon Lord have any in-lore explanation? It doesn't necessarily mean anything in the lore, as it mainly prevents the player from getting OP items early. But maybe it does have in-lore reasoning. I'm not sure.

Second off, from what I can tell, the liquid itself is likely otherworldly, considering what it does to creatures and luminite bricks, as well as forcing you to fall through the ground when you enter it. Where would it come from? Does it have any link to the Hallow? If so, does that mean the Hallow may have otherworldly origins?

Finally, I've had a bit of a headcanon that due to Terraria's... loose interpretations of Lovecraft lore, what with the Moon Lord being Cthulu's torso and all, it may be inspired by The Colour Out Of Space. I noticed the odd colour, the strange effects, possible otherworldly origins, it all sounds like it could've taken a bit of inspiration off the Colour. This is just a headcanon though, as it likely has unrelated origins and I'm just guessing with insubstantial evidence.

Any other ideas as for what it could be, possible lore to it and its connections?
Its the *gender fluid*
 
Shimmer is liquid magic. The only question is what kind of magic. I'm sure there's one thing we can rule out. To quote the Wizard, "Someone once told me friendship is magic. That's ridiculous. You can't turn people into frogs with friendship." Shimmer turns the Angler into a kappa, which is kind of frog like. (I couldn't resist the friendship joke when the person that made this thread has a pony pic :p)

Seriously though, just saying it's liquid magic is mostly a joke. It might just be liquid magic, but I don't think that's very interesting and doesn't mesh with the lore of the game enough. My theory is it's a "watered down" version of the Hallow. (pun not intended.) The Hallow is released when the Wall of Flesh Dies, but it can still exist in worlds where the Wall of Flesh hasn't died and it'd make some sense if the Corruption's/Crimson's opposing force had some traces lingering around. Shimmer is as bright and sparkly as the Hallow but much less chaotic than the Hallow and can even be predictable. There's also the Faelings being some kind of Fairy.

As for the space stuff, Falling Stars are used to make Mana Crystals, so liquid magic being found in a place that's like the middle of outer space does make sense from a lore stand point, especialy because the Shimmer pond biome is called the Aether and Aether isn't usually something tied into the world.
(Fair point. I should expect puns like that with a PFP like this.)

I don't think it's a watered down version of the Hallow, mainly because I'm sure the Hallow would have effects of a specific manner towards other things, likely turning them to Hallowed things. It only does that with some objects.
Shimmer was the name of that gunk in the movie (and novel) Annihilation - it mutates animals, warps time, and stuff. Interestingly it came from a meteor, and the shimmer pool does look a little like where a meteor might have landed long ago.
So it has similarities to that? Interesting.
It’s the party girl bath water, which might I add does come from party girl which is pinky pie, so technically friendship is magic, (but that’s just my head canon)
I mean, when you toss it in, you get a slime pet, so I'm unsure about that.
Cthulhu's blood? Or maybe essence of every Terraria world's magic spirits? (same as in the chat after killing WoF)
I don't know, but it could explain the Moon Lord connection.
Its the *gender fluid*
I thought that was green.
 
(Fair point. I should expect puns like that with a PFP like this.)

I don't think it's a watered down version of the Hallow, mainly because I'm sure the Hallow would have effects of a specific manner towards other things, likely turning them to Hallowed things. It only does that with some objects.

So it has similarities to that? Interesting.

I mean, when you toss it in, you get a slime pet, so I'm unsure about that.

I don't know, but it could explain the Moon Lord connection.

I thought that was green.
HPLY :red: IT IS FROM THE MOVIE ANIHILATION
54BFAE2F-B603-4AE7-894D-4B582A9792E9.jpeg
 
Does Annihilation take inspiration from The Colour Out of Space? But yeah, I'm reading up on Annihilation, and the similarities are... noticeable, to say the least.
 
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I'm not sure if I'm able to sense any kind of consistency present in the Shimmer. For as much as I love the concept, the name, the material, the visuals, and the immensely wide variety of effects it has, it just seems like I'm at a loss to imagine any connections.

For one, putting -most- materials into it either downgrades it or breaks it down into its components. That's a large and unavoidable component of its functionality that can't be ignored.

But it also transmutes items into alternative or greater items. The Terraformer is made from the Clentaminator, and it's a better item. The Peddler's hat, Life Crystals, Mana Crystals, Life Fruit ... all become single-use permanent upgrade items. Why a Peddler's hat?! Wouldn't a hat break down into silk or something?

It's why I'm more inclined to argue against any kind of consistency. Any opportunities for a grand unifying theme have already been lost just with those few examples.

... not that I mind or anything. I'm just happy it's there in the game at all.
 
What if the EOL is actually from the Aether... And that is why the sun makes her stronger? She's like superman the aether has no sun...
 
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