Background
An accompanying music video for "City Walls", directed by Jensen Noen, was released alongside its parent album. [9] It runs for nine minutes and fifty-five seconds, the longest music video in the duo's videography. [10] Before its release, frontman Tyler Joseph revealed that the video serves as the proper conclusion to the story surrounding the conceptual city of "Dema", a fictional location in the world of "Trench", and its two central characters, Clancy (portrayed by Joseph) and Torchbearer (portrayed by drummer Josh Dun). [11] With a stated production budget of US$ 1 million, "City Walls" is one of the most expensive music videos of all time, as well as the second most expensive music video of the 2020s. [12]
"Intentions", the closing track of Breach, is played during the end credits. It is a backmasked track of "Truce", the closing track of the duo's third studio album and major-label debut Vessel (2013). [8]
Synopsis
The video begins immediately after the events of "Paladin Strait" and "The Contract". Clancy resists Nico's powers and engages in battle against him, the leader of the nine Bishops governing Dema, atop the central circular tower rising above the cement city. The Torchbearer and a group of Banditos rush up the stairs to assist Clancy. Throughout the battle, Clancy is plagued by flashbacks of Nico, each one recalling a memory from his journey where he was beaten by Nico. [a] With each flashback, Clancy's fear grows.
After Nico fatally impales Clancy with his sharpened antlers, he breaks them in half, shattering the connection between Clancy and Nico that had allowed Clancy to wield Nico's powers. In a final act, Clancy uses his "final power of the seizing" [b] to merge their souls into one.
When the Torchbearer bursts into the room where Clancy and Nico fought, Clancy, now seemingly transformed, wears a Bishop hood and hands out the remaining robes to his squad. He offers one to the Torchbearer, who silently declines and departs the tower as Clancy's team assumes the roles of the new Bishops of Dema.
As the Torchbearer leaves, one of the remaining Banditos asks him what to do next. The Torchbearer packs his belongings and responds, saying that Clancy is still out there, and they will try again. With that, he and the Bandito member leave the city.
