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A sketch of your favorite Ethari. Why does he look so sad? 😢

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Runaan and Rayla return to the Silvergrove. Ethari, delighted, tackles Runaan on sight. Refusing to stop kissing his husband long enough to get any explanations, Ethari gets both hands under Runaan's too-tight crop top before Runaan, cheeks moonberry red, finally manages to blurt, "Rayla!" Ethari yelps and cracks his horns on the ceiling.

She's been right there the whole time, Ethari just couldn't see her because he ghosted her.

he maybe deserves it

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Sad S7 Ethari based on scraps of info from people at the panel

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It's time to write a post about my Runaan x Ethari. So, how do you like the idea of them being crybabies? It's so obvious. Two strong men with a difficult fate. One of them is an assassin who sacrifices everything for work, the other is a blacksmith who works hard to create murder weapons. Both must "be strong" because they are responsible. They can't rely on their feelings. They just have to do their job. And in such a heavy atmosphere, they found moments of solitude and just silently cried to each other. It was one of the most intimate and significant moments in their relationship. (If anything, my English is very bad, correct me (ಥ⁠‿⁠ಥ))

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Mournful Ethari- my love, it won’t be long now

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I think I should write in English, because tdp fans are mostly foreigners. I have a lot of sketches about Runaan/Etari and Leine/Tiadrin. I like to think about them, try to analyze them, although they showed us very little in the series. But I write fan fiction, collecting their image bit by bit, it's difficult, but very interesting. (It is a pity that tdp is not popular in Russia)

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Finally I can post my art for The Dragon Prince zine! (russian) Making this postcard was so exciting and I really like the result. Hope you’ll enjoy this, too! (Also I will post my zine’s art-cover later) Decided to use Ethari’s concept-art’s hairstyle from original art-book, love this one much more than canon xD And look at Runaan, such an adore ~

Have some postcards with me now ~ Unfortunately, we couldn’t allow us to have foiled postcards because of non-repayment but we have felt ones

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Я нарисовала его на чеке из магазина. Просто представьте, как ему было одиноко и больно эти 2 года...Он заперт в собственном сознании, одержимый ненавистью к себе💔

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This is just my personal reading, but I think Ethari is a very interesting, and morally greyer, character than he's generally perceived as.

He's kinder than his husband, gentler, more open-minded; and he holds the exact same values that led Runaan to try and murder a child.

He knows what Runaan does is evil. He knows it takes a toll on him, on their marriage. But he believes it is necessary evil, and comforts Runaan with that when his husband shows the slightest flicker of self-awareness some doubts.

Runaan and Ethari once again manage to demonstrate they are deeply, movingly in love, while simultaneously revealing some pretty questionable cultural values. This isn't a knee-jerk “stand by your man,” either. It's not an accident they're so well-matched despite their different personalities; Ethari believes in this just as much as Runaan.

He made Runaan beautiful, deadly weapons Runaan used to kill other people. He Ghosted 3/4 of his family. He told his 15-year-old daughter her father's blood was on her hands, which f*cked her up at least as much as the Ghosting.

However, I don’t want to judge him too harshly. I’d only be so rational days after living with the knowledge that my husband was likely tortured to death, and I think this is just as much an indictment of Moonshadow society as it is of Ethari personally. I think he deeply regrets wronging his family, and I think he’ll be among the first of the Moonshadows to denounce Ghosting, publicly, to make amends for the times he did not. I think he’ll be among the first to realize the damage they have done, and urge them to make it right.

Ethari is kind and sweet and gentle. But his society is not, and does not encourage this, especially in dark times.

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A take on Ruthari's reunion

They stood steps apart, staring at each other.

Ethari's lips parted, eyes unbelieving. Is it really...? "Runaan—"

Tears threaten to spill forth, but Runaan strains to hold them back, keeping his gaze open and level. His eyes sting. A minor punishment for what he has done. "I'm so sorry I made you wait."

Ethari's heart drops further with every word, sensing the waves of grief and regret from his beloved. Poised with a small smile, the words "It's okay" readied at his lips, hands eager to reach out, but Runaan's inhale made him wait.

"I made you a promise—"

"And you kept it. You came back." Ethari gave in and swept up to his husband, palm caressing his cheek. In the cold night, Runaan runs warm, a fireplace to rest by and soothe aching joints and heavy hearts after a long hard day. The days have been long, indeed. His eyes softened, tracing over his broken horn and quivering mouth. "You're here now, aren't you?"

At his gentle tone, Runaan folds and seeks solace in Ethari's shoulder, arms around him. Feeling lighter than before, Ethari rubs his cheek against Runaan's hair, anchoring him to himself.

"In the darkness, all I thought was you, my guiding moon," Runaan muttered.

Two years of desperate, solemn dreaming rushed back up as a sob in Ethari. In their arms, solid and warm and real and here, their tears finally fell with relief.

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Я пишу работу по Рунаан/Этари. Думаю буду выкладывать ее ближе к декабрю, вы же любите студенческую любовь и драму?

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Я одержим им

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Runaan: What the...? What happened here?! Why are all the weapons on the floor?!

Ethari: Hmm? Oh, welcome home, dear. I'm just cleaning up.

Runaan: But why are ALL the weapons on the floor?

Ethari: They're on blankets.

Runaan: Ethari, love. But why ALL OF THEM? Couldn't you just take off some of them, clen up, and then put them back on the wall?

Ethari: It's easier to just dust off all the walls at once. After that, I will sharpen the swords, dangers and arrowheads. Also, I think it's time to replace the bowsrrings.

Runaan: But...there are hundreds of weapons here. It will take days to be done with everything.

Ethari: You're right. Catch!

Runaan: Huh?

Ethari: A grindstone. As the leader of the assassins you're more than capable of sharpening weapons.

Runaan: What?! But...

Ethari: Darling.

Runaan: 😑

Ethari: (gives Runaan a quick kiss on the cheek)

Runaan: 🥰

Ethari: 🤭 'Works every time.'

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While I was studying chemistry, chemistry happened between them

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Season 7 running bit where every time rayllum gets squishy the camera pans out to reveal Runaan being so so normal about it

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Ethari is so peculiar to me 'cause I typically am not invested in minor characters. Most I encounter are there mainly to populate the world for world-building. Absolutely, minor characters can be super cool, relevant, and impactful beyond world-building but, due to the confines of their roles, they're also (supposed to) not (be) as present and involved in the story in comparison to supporting and main characters. Their impact is usually limited 'cause frankly they're not that important. So, if I do like and get invested minor characters, it's most likely and commonly based on vibes.

So, when I first watched 'Ghost', I wasn't expecting to go away with a new character to love, especially a minor one that the story continued to nod to as it progressed. Granted, Rayla's one of the leads and he is an important figure in her life so it is not illogical to invest in him that would then make Rayla feel more like a real person.

Like, consider that:

He has only made one appearance (not including the 1 flashback which didn't reveal anything new)

He has been mentioned by name beyond his initial introduction, but not by much (the banther episode in season 5, The Frozen Ship, Stardust)

He is/will be impacted by the plot (Runaan got coined, Rayla got Ghosted -> lost his family + Tiadrin and Lain are now dead for good) (side note: we know he would care about T&L because, aside from what was told outside the show, the writers have shown us what he is like and what kind of person he is)

He has impacted the characters and the plot to some extent (Giving Rayla the Shadowpaw & the Moonstrider for her journeys; the pendant used for Historia Viventum; sending the spelled arrow that Nyx intercepted; the special red arrow he made had for Runaan was used to fight off the surprise Banther in a midnight fight; Rayla echoing what he told Runaan to Esmeray as she continued to calm Esmeray down).

The writers could've introduced him once and then we don't ever see him or hear about him again until 'Stardust' but no. He plays a small but critical role in Rayla's character arc and life and is thoughtfully, thematically constructed. The story teases and calls back to him on occasion, getting the audience to feel invested in him and believe in Rayla's attachment to him, thereby setting up the Moonfam reunion to be emotionally and thematically resonant. At the same time there is room for him to also grow as a character in S7 as it would develop relevant themes and the plot.

Just, ugh. Fascinating.

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Runaanの角のことはいまだにショック