The Serendipity of Emilace
Emilace is the pairing of Grace Monroe from Infinity Train and Emily Wong from Galactaron; in addition to being fantastically written, their respective narratives share a number of parallels!
But first…
Who is Emily Wong?
As stated before, Emily Wong is the protagonist of Galactaron, a virtual band with creative ties to Infinity Train. This connection has led me to associate the universe and lore of Galactaron with that of IT as well, and therefore strengthened my love for this ship.
The Parallels:
Given the existence of the ties between Infinity Train and Galactaron via their creator, I think it’s reasonable to deduce that certain thematic, symbolic, and aesthetic parallels are a direct result of this link (such as the design/concept of Singer and One-One). In regards to Grace and Emily, there are many such parallels—enough to the point that if they were to meet, they’d quickly realize just how much they have in common. Emily vs. the government is very similar to Grace vs. Simon in that both girls feel the need to conceal a problem so as to appease the antagonist and protect their friends. In Emily’s case, she’s pressured by the government to lie to Galactaron about humanity’s flaws, hiding them in the same way Grace tells Hazel to conceal her shell, lest Simon learn her true nature. In the end, the truth gets out, and Emily and Grace have to deal with the resulting tragedy. When she discovers the government’s true motives, Emily apologizes profusely, announcing her hatred for the dreaded Landmine Operation; when Galactaron departs from Earth, they invite her to join them, and as evidenced by Replicator’s Tide, she does so. Grace is left with Simon, meanwhile, when Hazel chooses to leave with Amelia.
Another parallel comes in the form of the robotic mind-invasion and subsequent revelation both girls experience near the end of their arcs: Grace is trapped inside her mind by the tape, and upon self-reflection, fully deconstructs her Apex mentality and escapes to set things right once and for all. In Replicator’s Tide, Emily is separated from her friends by the nanobots consuming the planet; they enter her mind and interrogate her as to what the true nature of humanity is, for they can hardly comprehend the complexity and nuance comprising us as a species. Subsequently, Emily has some solo songs wherein she questions herself and the choices she’s made, and it’s through her self-reflection that the planet too discovers its identity.
Lastly, one trait I’ve observed in Grace and Emily alike is ego: it’s simultaneously endearing and detrimental in a sense. For Grace, ego manifests as a royal and elegant persona, whilst in actuality, it exists primarily as a means to fill the void of loneliness she experienced as a child. For Emily, it’s her connection to Galactaron which sparks her idea of a pre-established destiny, as well as her obsession with being the archetypal “Chosen One.” Songs like “My Own Corona” (this album was made in 2013 and the title’s a reference to crowns/a phenomenon related to the Sun) is all ABOUT Emily’s eagerness to pursue her life in space as the author of her own story, even going so far as to exclaim that without Singer and the band, she never would have realized this confidence. However, like Grace again, this also has its detriments. Whilst Grace feels the need to be perceived as perfect, Emily wants to present everything else as if it’s perfect (a mindset induced, or at the very least encouraged, by the government so as to further deceive Galactaron). This results in her only showing the good sides of humanity to her alien friends, which inevitably backfires when the government takes advantage of the band for their own selfish means.
The Ship:
This is how I see Emilace playing out in canon, though I have several no-train AU’s wherein Grace gets directly involved with the Galactaron event due to her parents’ connections and status (albeit, all the Monroes are incredibly wary of what’s really happening behind the scenes). In the universe of IT, however, I can see Grace receiving her exit, ready to enter a new chapter of her life, only to end up on Galactaron’s ship due to a glitch in space-time. It’s my belief that a place distinct from the home she hasn’t seen in 9ish years and the interdimensional nightmare Train that gave her 9ish years of trauma is what she needs in order to properly heal from her ordeal. In time, she eventually returns to Earth to reconnect with her parents, and Emily visits her father as well!
The reason I love this relationship is that Emily Wong can empathize with Grace’s experience. She listens to the horrors she’s endured and believes every word of what she says. On Earth, I don’t know if anyone who hasn’t experienced the Train would so much as be able to comprehend what Grace has been through, but Emily’s survived black holes and vengeful robots; if anyone would understand, it’s her.
Galactaron is comprised of five aliens, each originating from a different planet, each more bizarre and mysterious than the last. They speak through music. Grace is a dancer. Not to mention, Emily sings. Ergo, Grace would likely feel very at home with the group, accompanying their songs with her ballet. Plus, it would be nice for Emily to have a human friend in space! Grace wouldn’t be surprised by Galactaron’s strangeness either, as she’s accustomed to these sorts of entities from all her years on the Train.
One of my favorite Emilace headcanons is that when Grace gets scared or anxious, Emily sings her Hazel’s song. They talk extensively about their adventures, and when they know each other well enough, discuss their mistakes openly, how they feel about their pasts, and their hopes for the future. The most important aspect of this relationship is the validation of each other’s trauma; Emily lets Grace talk as much as she needs, especially because it’s been so long since Grace had a friend her age to confide in. Grace tells her everything she could never tell to the Apex kids; she lets herself cry, and she lets herself mourn, which are instrumental in her healing process. And Emily listens. And Emily tells her that she knows exactly how she feels, because in some cases, she does. And each ensures the other’s self-esteem is never low, and Grace befriends Galactaron as well. It’s a classic found-family situation, and for now it all exists solely in my head.
But I wanted to tell you about this, because I love Grace and she deserves to fall in love and be loved in return.
