Theory

First of all, credits to @winwrth, who first mentioned that there were biblical themes found in Black Mamba to me. This is not only a theory but also an analysis of the translated lyrics and the music video.

IMPORTANT: just like the Bible itself, this analysis shouldn't be taken literally. I really don't think they're praying in Black Mamba or anything but since the biblical themes are definitely there, I do think there could be parallels to this in the comeback, too. Of course, instead of Biblical terms, it's going to be aespa/SMCU terms.

[Intro: All]
Hey!
Hey!

[Verse 1: Karina]
I’m addicted, endlessly talking to me, my aespa (Oh)
This communion, your existence brings me to another dimension(Oh)

the holy communion is one of the 7 christian sacraments and it's supposed to symbolize togetherness and sharing, which makes sense as she's singing about someone she's talking and addicted to, which is also a topic discussed in the Bible. We will come back to this verse in a bit!

[Verse 2: Ningning]
I’m at the center of the world, you’re in the flat
All of my action, it grows your power

[Pre-Chorus: Winter & Giselle]
From some time ago you synk out
Looking like a noise
I can’t find it anymore
The temptation that swallows you
Black Mamba

temptation is a huge topic in the Bible but also in Black Mamba. the line says "the temptation that swallows you", meaning that the temptation is overwhelming and basically impossible to resist. the Bible, however, says that "God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability" (Corinthians, 10:13). Meaning that if the temptation is beyond one's abitiies, it's not from God but from Satan. Black Mamba?

[Chorus: All]
Ma-ma-ma Mamba
Woo oh-oh (Hey)
Ma-ma-ma Mamba
Ooh oeh-o eh-oh-oh (Hey)

[Post-Chorus: All]
You wander this KWANGYA
Aya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya
I wanna find your other self
Aya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya
Hey ma-Mamba
I hate ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-Mamba
Hate ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-Mamba

I personally believe that KWANGYA is supposed to represent the Garden of Eden aka the paradise but I will explain further later.

"I hate mamba" this proves that the Black Mamba is supposed to be their enemy because why else would they hate it? More about the snake soon:

[Verse 3: Giselle]
I’m ejected, good is not enough (Woo) to break your greatness
I’m exhausted, your existence has grown swallowing all of the greed

Most of you probably know the story in Genesis 3. It's about Eve being tempted by the serpent in the Garden of Eden with an apple. Basically, God forbade Adam and Eve to eat the fruit of one specific tree in the Garden. They were allowed to eat everything else. Just this one tree was off limits. The serpent (=snake, Black Mamba?) in the Bible is a symbol of evil power, chaos and the underworld and in some cases even as Satan or the devil himself. And it says to Eve, "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.". In other words, the snake tells Eve that God doesn't want her to eat the apple because he doesn't want her to be his equal. In doing so, it awakens Eve's greed because she suddenly wants to eat it and be just as wise as God. The greed wins and she eats the apple and so does Adam, causing both of them to basically be ejected from paradise. By not following this one rule, they were not good enough and weren't able break God's greatness, which was what they were trying to do by eating the apple with the intention to become just as wise as God. So my theory: KWANGYA = Garden of Eden, Black Mamba = serpent.

Before Giselle sang that verse, KWANGYA was blue but as soon as she sang "I'm ejected", they were dancing in a red world. Red is often associated with hell, while blue is the sky/heaven.

[Verse 4: Winter]
I’m the aespa, there can’t be two
Monochrome to colors
This is evo, evolution

The first of the 10 commandments is "I am the Lord thy God", which means that you should not have any God other than him. So Winter's verse could be understood as God's response to Adam & Eve eating the apple. They were trying to be like God -> "I'm the God, there can't be two". Now that we know that aespa = God, Karina's verse makes sense. "I’m addicted, endlessly talking to me, my aespa (Oh). This communion, your existence brings me to another dimension". She is talking to God / praying.

And the evolution part is just kind of funny to me since the Bible teaches Creationism and many Christians deny Darwin's theory of evolution to this day lol.

[Pre-Chorus: Ningning & Karina]
Oh! I make a dangerous joke
You’re charming but gotta deny
It will swallow everything
Black Mamba

I guess the serpent can be described as charming because it does convince Eve to do something she wasn't allowed to do. So let's say because Giselle sang "I'm ejected", she is the only one, who was thrown out of KWANGYA so far. So the Black Mamba is also trying to tempt Karina & Ningning but they manage to decline because they're scared KWANGYA (paradise) will be swallowed/ disappear, which is exactly what happened to Adam & Eve in Genesis 3. They blinked and everything was gone.

[Chorus: All]
Ma-ma-ma Mamba
Woo oh-oh (Hey)
Ma-ma-ma Mamba
Ooh oh-oeh-o eh-oh(Hey)

In this scene, the serpent is trying to tempt Karina by showing her, she could be equal to God (on a throne with crown) if she "eats the apple".

[Post-Chorus: All]
You wander this KWANGYA
A-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya (Hey)
I can’t lose against you
A-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya (Hey)
Hey ma-Mamba

To me, "I can't lose against you" sounds like they are fighting really hard against the Black Mamba. They have too much to lose, which is why they can't give in to the temptations.

[Bridge: Winter, Ningning, Karina]
Is the me in the mirror you? (Hey)
Is it just a distorted vision? (Hey)
If I could connect with you again (Hey)
I want to meet you (Hey) now
It will swallow everything
Black Mamba

This verse is only sung by Winter, Ningning and Karina. Perhaps because unlike Giselle, they're still in KWANGYA? Maybe they see Giselle in themselves when looking into the mirror because they are also very tempted to give in to the Black Mamba. Maybe they really want to meet Giselle again but in order to do so, they would have to "eat the apple" (or whatever the KWANGYA equivalent is), which would lead to KWANGYA being swallowed.

[Chorus: All]
Ma-ma-ma Mamba
Woo oh-oh (Hey)
Ma-ma-ma Mamba
Ooh oeh-o eh-oh-oh

[Post-Chorus: All]
You wander this KWANGYA
Aya ya ya ya ya ya (Hey)
I can’t lose against you
Aya ya ya ya ya ya (Hey)
Hey ma-Mamba

This is the quote that was shown during aespa's performance at SMA. I'm guessing this means that the Black Mamba grows and gets stronger and greedier for power but together ("communion" verse 1) they don't have to be afraid and can "synk". Remember that they're using SMCU terms and the avatars are involved so I'm sure this makes sense one way or another.

OR

The person getting greedier could be one of the girls because the serpent is "feeding them greed" (making them greedy for power), which is why they're afraid to give in. But together, they don't have to be afraid, they can connect and possibly beat the temptation/Black Mamba at the same time because they realize they don't need power, they just need each other, which satisfies the greed enough.

Also: there are trees all over KWANGYA and the Black Mamba moves through the plants, which is exactly what the serpent did in Genesis.

Just look at the difference between before and after giving in to the temptation:

There are obviously quite a few comeback theories going around but let's say the comeback is going to be the continuation of Black Mamba. If we take the biblical parallels into consideration (but accuracy aside), this could happen:

fallen angels
Giselle, or maybe even all of them, were banned from KWANGYA/paradise. Fallen angels used to be angels that were cast out of heaven for sinning. Not exactly the same but it's all about parallels.

Remember this photo? Maybe they were spoiling? Angels vs fallen angels? Heaven vs hell? Or maybe Karina, Winter & Ningning have to save Giselle and get her back to heaven (or out of hell)?

then there were these Tiktoks:

Behind Giselle and Ningning's door were clouds, symbolizing heaven and behind Karina and Winter's is the ocean. Several options:
coincidence, just 2 random TiktoksNingselle's video could have been a spoiler for Forever (the entire MV is just kind of angelic and pure)Ningselle's video could be a spoiler for the comeback? They posted these in early December and we know they already knew what their next song (we assume they meant their own song so not Forever) was going to be but did they already know about the concept? Not sure.Winrina's Tiktok could be a spoiler for a fun summer comeback or maybe they're hinting at a Siren concept because before the siren figure was transformed to a mermaid figure, sirens were said to have wings (Picture of Ningselle with wings). Also contrary to popular belief, sirens played a role in Christianity, especially christian art until around the 17th century, but the belief in sirens alone was discouraged around the 4th century. They symbolized temptation, which would make sense. But same question as above, did they already know the exact concept and storyline of their next comeback in early December?

That's all I can offer you today. The theories at the end are obviously mostly clownery so please don't get your hopes up. I'm also unsure if SM really put that much thought into the lyrics and MV. Sometimes they're really deep and other times they're not but somehow make it look like they are. I'm merely saying that there are biblical themes in Black Mamba whether it was intentional or not.

ae - soph, @ daesparation

( Made with Carrd )