Taco's Umineko eps 1-4 thoughts.

So, this is how I'd sum up the story so far, as I understand it:
- Kinzo, as a young man, by happenstance or perhaps some kind of summoning, meets Beatrice - she poses him that same test we see given to George and Jessica in ep4, and he chooses the third option - the rest of the Ushiromiya family is killed in that earthquake, and he takes the reins of the family, using Beatrice's gold to build it's wealth and power.
- However, he is in love with Beatrice, and not content to see her leave, traps her somehow, and keeps her in the hidden mansion on Rokkenjima.
- Young Rosa meets her and frees her, but she dies and escapes.
- Kinzo, as he ages, starts to devise a method to revive her, culimating in a method in which he would have to sacrifice 13 people.
- During all of this, Battler is born from someone who isn't Rudolf's first wife - but he is Rudolf's child. Maria also starts to become instructued in magic, with Beatrice as her teacher. Genji, Shannon and Kanon and created by Kinzo, and the latter two go through their struggles with love.
- 6 years before the conference, Battler commits some kind of sin, and also leaves to live by himself.
- The family conference of 1986 occurs (ep1). Everyone dies, and while they are meant to be sent to the Golden Land, Battler's refusal to accept Beatrice causes her to start the game.
- It's at this point that we become aware of Bern and Lambda - I think they say they've come to wittness Beatrice's game. Bern wishes for Battler to win, Lambda for the game to go on forever and ever.
- At some point in ep3, Bern, realizing that Battler may lose, goes to 1998, and summons Ange, who goes through her journey and becomes a witch.
- Ep4 happens - and Battler, not remembering what his sin was, pisses off Beatrice, who abadons the game and erases Battler, before retreating to the Golden Land with Maria, before Ange gate crashes their little party and drags her back into it.
- In order to revive Battler, Ange tells him who she is, sacrificing herself. Battler enters 'no fucking around' mode, and seemingly kills Beatrice, before leaving the gameboard.
- However, apparently, this was all just a classic Beatrice switch up, and the game will continue until Battler wins, or it will not end at all.

now, here are my questions:
- Lambda and Bern both say that Beatrice is their doll, under their control. So to what extent is she aware of this control, and when did this start? Did they quite literally make Beatrice, like she is their furniture, or did this control start when the game did?
- Did Lambda and Bern ochestrate the game? Their later conversations and bios, where they talk about the game make it sound like it's all their little microcosm.
- Who is Beatrice? She doesn't seem to be aware.
- Was Beatrice really trying to trick Battler at the end there? I don't put much stock in her promise she made in ep4 not to do it again, but at the same time, she really did seem like she wanted to end it all. Maybe she realized that she was nothing more than Bern and Lambda's toy?
- Bern and Lambda seem to be good friends, opposed to the mortal enemies they were introduced as - but Bern mentions that she was once stuck in a game of Lambda's, and that's what caused to become a witch - what is the history of their relationship?
- What happened to metaverse Ange when she supposedly died? Magical beings, and in particular witches, seem to have problems dying. The scrolling sequence at the end of ep4 said that she died in 1998 - I guess she just dropped dead?
- Is the red truly infaliable? I ask, because Ange contradicted Beatrice's red in the Golden Land by bringing Sakutarou back.
- After supposedly killing Beatrice, Battler is said to of left the gameboard - but if that death was all just a ruse, shouldn't that be impossible? Where is he now?
- ep4 gameboard Battler seems to have survived - what happens to him? Does he continue living in that universe, perhaps going through some kind of magical experience with Ange?
- What is Battler's sin that he forgot? It wasn't against Beatrice, but it lead to the massacre of 1986. What ever it was, the fact that he forgot it seems to have really pissed off Beatrice, to the point in which she went and not only striaght up killed Kinzo, but also subjected Battler to probably the worst fate possible.
- Who is Battler's birth mother? Kyire? Some random mistress Rudolf had?
- Is Kinzo aware of the events of all the previous eps?
- So Beatrice just declared that Kinzo was always dead, and there are only 17 people on Rokkenjima - so does that mean in the following games, if there are any, Kinzo will be dead?
- If the Golden Land was just for Maria and Beatrice, what happens to the other people? Do they just die? Do they just get tortured in that game forever and ever?

and finally, my predictions:
- There are going to be three Battlers we have to follow: metaverse Battler, who couldn't escape, because Beatrice didn't die. Gameboard Battler, and finally, ep4 gameboard Battler, who returns to the regular world and probably grows up with the Ange from that world. In fact, because he is the sole survivor, and the oldest, he probably becomes the family head, no? Wizard Battler HYPE!
- There will be two Anges we will follow: the Ange who grows up in the ep4 world with Battler, and ep3 Ange, who I think will probably return in some way - not only is she the witch of resurection, but on two differeing occasions, she has done the impossible (contradicted an anti-magic field, contradicted red).
- Beatrice actually wanted to die. I don't think she was at wits end, but she wanted to end it all, as not only did she know that she could never win, but also perhaps realzing that she is just Lambda and Bern's toy. Lambda's red saved her.
- Battler and Beatrice will become increasingly aware that the ones forcing the game to continue is Lambda and Bern.
- I think Battler at some point, will probably start attacking Lambda in someway. Beatrice may or may not turn on Bern Lambda - it's a possibility.
- Maria will probably gain a similar understanding of magic to that of Ange's, and proceed to either help Battler or help Beatrice.
- I think Battler and Beatrice will have to team up to beat Bern and Lambda.

things I have no clue regarding:
- Battler's sin.
- Beatrice's identity.