Sanders Sides theory

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Welcome to my theory. I'm so sorry that you're here. I put more time and effort into this than most things in my life, so please enjoy.

So, the orange side. You've probably heard about him, either from the color theory or from the recent surge of 07734 mentions following "Putting Others First". There's so much proof to back the theory of the existence of a seventh, orange-themed side that's it's all but canon at this point. It's barely a question anymore whether or not he exists, but the question as to what he represents is still up in the air.

Now, whether or not the orange side exists is not what this theory is about, but I've been viciously scanning the internet and each episode of Sanders Sides for a couple months now, so I might as well show off. Let's go through the evidence real quick.

How Do We Know There's Another Side and Why Is He Orange?

At 39:50 in "Selfishness v. Selflessness", Virgil warns Thomas, "Do not allow him or any of his friends to stick around that long ever again," with "him" being Janus. We know after "Dealing with INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS" that Virgil was likely referring to Remus as being one of Janus's friends. However, Virgil uses the plural "friends" and not singular "friend," implying that Remus is not the only one.

The color theory, one of the most widely accepted theories in the Sanders Sides fandom, states that for each color of the rainbow, there is a corresponding side. Roman is red, Janus is yellow, Remus is green, Patton is blue, Logan is indigo, and Virgil is violet. This theory was created after Janus's debut in "Can LYING Be Good??" and held up after Remus's debut in "Dealing with INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS", leaving many to trust it as semi-canon. If this theory is correct, which it appears to be, it leaves us with only one color remaining: orange.

During the video game sequence in"Putting Others First - Selfishness v. Selflessness Redux" from 26:34 to 26:45, Thomas's health bar is shown at the top left of the screen, along with the pixelated orange message "07734". 07734 is the relatively well-known code for "hello" upside down. Many have theorized that this was the orange side not only hiding in plain sight but finally reaching out to us, telling us that he is here. 07734 is also the hex color code for a dark, brown-ish orange. Search "#a07734" to see the color.

What Could the Orange Side Represent?

There are a handful of theories as to what the orange side might represent. Off the top of my head, I've heard:
- the fusion of Roman and Remus, King/Romulus
- Procrastination
- Wrath/Anger
- Gluttony
- Dark!Roman/Pride
- Dark!Logan/Ignorance/Insanity
- Joan with a knife and an orange shirt with the words "final boss" on it

Some guesses are just jokes or common OCs, while others actually have some merit. The Roman and Remus fusion, known as King or Romulus, is probably the most common guess (as far as I've seen) and has a decent bit of evidence to back it up. Procrastination seems to be common as well and also makes some sense. While both are possible, I would argue that it's just not the right time for the Creativitwins to fuse, or that procrastination doesn't seem like something that could be a separate, whole entity, especially not one who's been eluded to as being in some way sinister and very "dark."

Here's where my theory comes in. You'll have to bear with me here for a second, because once I say it, you're gonna say I'm projecting myself onto these sides (understandable, maybe I am, but hear me out real quick). I think the orange side might not be a fusion, or a "light" side pushed to the breaking point, or Joan. I think the orange side is Depression.

Why Depression?

Let's start with the basics: color. The color orange doesn't exactly scream depression, I know, but look at the hex code. It's not a bright, fruity orange, it's a muted, dark orange. This particular shade of orange is grim and upsetting enough to warrant such a title.

Now for the color theory. Some have pointed out that the color theory can also explain the relationships between some sides. Virgil serves as a perfect example for this. Purple is opposite from yellow on the color wheel, so he and Janus wouldn't get along, whereas blue, indigo, violet, and red are all close together on the wheel, so all the "light" sides are together. Orange on the color wheel is opposite from blue. Why would Depression and Morality not get along? Well, depression can often lead to carelessness, lack of empathy, and sloth, things that Patton, who has been pushing his altruistic agenda for quite some time now, would likely not be too fond of. I know I'm shifting between the light spectrum and the color wheel rather quickly here, but the color wheel would also likely put Logan at odds with the orange side. Depression can cause memory loss, disinterest, recklessness, and—again—sloth, all of which would work against logic.

Alright, so in terms of color and color theory, depression seems to check out. But, depression is a severe mental disorder, Thomas would obviously be showing some symptoms by now, right? You're absolutely correct. Thomas shows some common but subtle symptoms of depression:
- Loss of motivation and procrastination. Motivation and procrastination have been frequent issues throughout this series. There's literally an episode called "Losing My Motivation" and another one called "Why Do We Get Out of Bed in the Morning?". If that's not some depression talking then I don't know what is.
- Lack of satisfaction. Another common conflict in the series, Thomas has expressed multiple times that he is dissatisfied with many things in his life. Just off the top of my head, I recall him being dissatisfied with his occupation, his relationships, his mental health, the quality and originality of his creations, and his general quality of life.
- Feeling like he has no control over his life. Since "Can LYING Be Good", Thomas's life and sense of self have been completely flipped upside down. When Logan asks Virgil how Thomas is doing at 29:28 in "Dealing with INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS", Virgil says, "He recently realized he's a bigger liar than he thought he was, he doesn't understand himself, he's committed to skipping a big callback, and he's sleep-deprived. So yeah, he feels like a piece of dirt who has no control over his life." Straight from the horse's mouth.
- Self-doubt. Yet another common issue, Thomas has been doubting his integrity and his overall self since Janus's appearance, constantly asking himself whether or not he is a good person. I would cite an exact source for this, but honestly the entirety of "Dealing with INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS" and "Putting Others First - Selfishness v. Selflessness Redux" covers that topic.

Lastly, we have repression. We know the orange side is a "dark" side, and therefore a part of Thomas that he considers to be bad. Depression isn't exactly what I'd call a good thing, and most people with depression would agree. And while some aren't ashamed of it and learn to embrace it as a part of themselves, depression is often hidden away and repressed due to the many stigmas that society instills in us. Repression is yet another common theme throughout the series, most prominently in "MOVING ON" parts one and two and in "Dealing with INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS". Since we've already discussed that Patton, the source of Thomas's repression, would likely be at odds with Depression, there's plenty of evidence to explain why such an entity would be so deeply hidden.

So there we have it: I hereby theorize that the seventh, orange side will be Depression. But, that's just a theory... a film theory— NO, no, no mixing fandoms. Stop.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the fruit of my insanity. Feel free to debate me or add to the theory or use it for your own theories.