Thoughts on the Changeling Life Cycle · 4:14pm Oct 23rd, 2016
*SPOILERS FOR THE FINALE!*
The fandom has seemed to collectively dub the new form of the Changelings a metamorphosis.
This seems accurate...though here's the thing that will probably confuse people: if it's a metamorphosis, why do both forms have wings?
Well, here's my thoughts:
The familiar form we've seen for the past few seasons can be called a 'Subimago' stage.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subimago
This stage is found in mayflies and several other insect species. It is basically an intermediary stage between the nymph stage and the final form.
This form has wings and is capable of flight, but is not nearly as adapt at it as the final form. They are also physically inferior to the adult form, being far more easy pray to predators.
This fits what we see with the Changelings fairly well:
They have a larval or nymph stage.
A second, winged adult stage that is clearly inferior to the final form.
And a winged, complete adult stage that is very different to the previous two forms.
Of course unlike Mayflies, the Changelings have a chrysalis stage, though it only lasts a few minutes.
So, following this, the Changelings' life cycle seems to go as follows:
Egg
Nymph or larval stage.
Subimago
Cocoon
Imago form.
This means they combine the traits of multiple different insects in their lifecycle. This isn't surprising in all honesty, as they clearly DO take traits from beetles, locusts, and other insects. So it makes sense their life cycle is probably the same.
I imagine this also means that a changeling can skip straight from their nymph stage to their imago form. They likely have to spend SOME time in the Subimago form, likely to build up the attachments needed to ultimately share love and complete the metamorphsis into their final form.
This would also explain why the subimago form is 'always hungry': it's like a Caterpillar feeding as it prepares to evolve into its final form. The problem is, the Changelings remained STUCK in their middle form and couldn't grow any further beyond that until Thorax changed things.
Changlings can look like anything they want. Are we sure that the changlings other than Thorax have actually undergone a substantial change, or were they merely copying Thorax's color scheme to declare their loyalty to the new, most powerful changling?
On a related note: Thorax debut episode states that Chrysallis raised him (and several other changelings), but is that everything, or are they actually born form her? Because, if it's the former, Thorax will have to eventualy look into choosing a queen to perpetuate the hive...