Forums » Epic Week 2023 » First Symbol (SOLVED)

This topic is for discussing clues and potential answers to the First Symbol in Epic Week 2023. Please stay on topic. Remember, these riddles are designed to be challenging and require a group of people brainstorming together; don't feel intimidated if you don't know the answer right away. Every little idea can help. Research is not cheating; it is expected!

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This symbol looks like an Admiral's bars from Star Trek. Captains have 4 pips, but admirals have the rectangle around the outside. These are also TNG era pips.

Looking glass might refer to the mirror universe, the second clue might refer to a change which took place in the episode 'Mirror, Mirror', 'through the looking glass' is an DS9 episode, again with the mirror universe.

This clue might refer to the guardian on the edge of forever, or something from the Discovery series.

The Key could be the spore drive, or the super-mycelial reactor, or the device which altered the function of the transporters, the Multidimensional transporter device, mentioned in the DS9 episode above.

1. Sufficient for scorching words.
2. First forged in the looking glass, reflected to this day.
3. A key gifted to heroes, survivors, and assassins opening the door to great deeds.

The first clue is the most confusing one for me, scorching words, hot tempers leading to fighting? Enough to start a fight, or an arguement?

The second clue makes me think of the mirror universe and ongoing mirror universe episodes, in order of release:
1. Mirror Mirror (TOS)
2. The Tholian Web (TOS)
3. Crossover (DS9)
4. Through the Looking Glass (DS9)
5. Shattered Mirror (DS9)
6. Resurrection (DS9)
7. The Emperor's New Cloak (DS9)
8&9. In a Mirror, Darkly Part I & 2 (ENT)
10. Into the Forest I Go (DIS)
11. Despite Yourself
12. The Wolf Inside
13. Vaulting Ambition
14. What's Past Is Prologue
15 +. Further episodes of Discovery which include Emperor Georgiou...
(Brief synopses can be found here: https://screenrant.com/star-trek-mirror-universe-episodes-tos-tng-ds9-disco-every/)

The third clue indicates a tool or device, such as a propulsion system, or transporter dohickey, unless its a metaphorical key, such as a promotion, which opens doors, this would also reflect on the Rank Pips in the icon... Emperor of the Terran Empire?

I also thought of Star Trek, and then considered Ready Player One because of the key riddle. But Star Trek seems like a good thing to check.

It is called the First Riddle and the second clue also refers to 'First', which could definitely be a coincidence but maybe they're referencing the same thing or person.

One of my first thoughts was those energy beings from Is There In Truth No Beauty, but they mostly just burned people's eyes, not any words. Telepathy and all.

(Actually my first thought was Number One might be involved, since it's called First and there are those pips.)

Next idea was, while Mirror Mirror is an excellent thought, there are also characters and computers modeled after people. 'Forged in the looking glass', you could say. Data and Lore being so similar, that one computer that was a model of his creator's brain (I forget the episode, or if that was from one of the books, even), the amount of times there are clones made of people is significant, I think...

Data-keys might be something given to survivors, heroes, or assassins, lol, that seems pretty simplistic though.

Through the Looking Glass seems like a good place to start, so, someone who's seen DS9 might be handy! But that isn't me!

The fact that is says 'reflected to this day' seems like maybe it's something from whatever mirror episode, if it is that, that's referenced since the episode happened, OR something that remained canon while the rest remained alternate. A singular mirrored piece of the story? Relationships and treaties are forged, if it's talking about a person or something like that... But if it means a literally forged key, I don't know what that would be.

Are these pips, or asterixes, or stars?

This could be the symbol for a PIN (as in Chip and Pin), a password. 4 stars are the central symbol of the Chicago flag.
4 Star used to be a type of fuel in the UK (before unleaded).

I guess it could be computer related, maybe scorching words refers to literally burning something onto a disc, or maybe it's a hotkey?

I suppose the heroes, assassins, survivors bit could make sense in computer terms (Help, hackers, and... People being hacked, or using a very old system?) but the part about the key being gifted doesn't make much sense then. Ermm.

Maybe it is a password, or maybe it's something that's just four letters or digits?
I don't know much about gas/fuel either, but I suppose that could certainly be used to scorch things.

Lol there are many possibilities here

Maybe this is something to do with a 4 Star General?? I'm so confused.

Bonus clue delivered!

Drawing blanks on franchise or topic, let alone anything else .

Immersed? Maybe it's a submarine thing? Lol.


Seal... Hmm.... Is this some sort of universal code that keys, dials, and what have you all have? Or is this something that has all those in common?


I don't know what kind of seals would need to be broken by someone immersed. Unless it's hackers. Or a Tholian Web situation, lol!

Passage or plunder does sound like seafaring/piracy, but also, could be referring to internet piracy. Maybe I'm in a little rut here.

The clues suggest that the topic being talked about is a weapon.

The phrase "sufficient for scorching words" implies that this weapon is capable of causing significant damage or harm.

The line "first forged in the looking glass, reflected to this day" suggests that the weapon has been around for a long time and has evolved over time.

The reference to a key being gifted to heroes, survivors, and assassins suggests that this weapon is associated with power and has been used in significant historical events.

The mention of "keys or dials, passage or plunder" may refer to the different ways the weapon can be used or manipulated. The phrase "to the immersed it breaks the first seal" is less clear but may suggest that the weapon can unlock or reveal hidden or protected information or resources.

Then again, is this something super simple, like a password, or a PIN. I've not tried any of these concepts.

Advice, start taking guesses and make a lit of ones you guessed for others who are trying to guess as well, as for this I am of no help.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Looking_Glass

I’m also no help on this, but I wish you all the best of luck!

I looked up West 2 Gate and Google gave me West Gate 2, The Last Of Us- code 04,51. Maybe that's it?

The symbol is a door code. Mrrrrrgnthth

0451, or just 451 if the four digits doesn't work.

It's a common code that shows up in games from Looking Glass Studios, derived from Fahrenheit 451, the temperature that paper burns at. It was (is still?) their front door code.

Indeed! I haven't seen the last of us gameplay for a while, so I wouldn't have remembered this at all, I think Why do you assume the 0 might be irrelevant, out of curiosity?

Sometimes only the three digits show up in the games. But since it's a door code (one of those ones where you gotta hit four keys, usually), the 0 is probably in there.