rrhodes25

[rrhodes25]

I hate group projects

I feel so stupid all the time

stupid if I don’t say anything

stupid if I do

just.. violently stupid

[rrhodes25]

The first 20 or so seconds of my first EVER animatic project, for Ruthlessness!

I figured it was about time I joined animatic gang 😤

[rrhodes25]

I'm glad Hephaestus was the one to discuss the betrayal thing given he's most famous for being cheated on by Aphrodite

However, I do kind of wish the gods pulled in information on Odysseus during the Trojan War a bit more. Because every single god that Zeus calls upon to participate in God Games is involved in the Trojan War somehow.

Apollo fought on the side of the Trojans, and even tried (depending on readings) to sneak one of his favorite soldiers off the battlefield. Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite lead to the war being started in the first place with the Golden Apple and then aided in the war effort on multiple fronts. Hephaestus made a special armor that the Greek army literally dueled for, wasting precious time that could have been spent ending the war (and I remember reading somewhere that he once tried to court Athena which, hehe, makes things awkward, am I right?). And then there's Zeus. Just....Zeus.

Honestly, huge missed opportunity to have all the Gods in God Games air out any grievances leftover from the war.

I'm a little conflicted on this because yes, having some of the gods air out their grievances about the war would be interesting, I feel like the way the song is constructed doesn't allow for it. The song is tightly packed and paced extremely well, and does exactly what it needs to. And while learning more about each god's interaction with the war would be cool, the show and the song are about Ody, inherently, and too much outside of that I feel would have taken away from the point. I agree that it would be interesting though!

[rrhodes25]

In defense of Ares, during the time period of Epic, a lot of Grecians of higher stations have already begun to make names for themselves by the time they are 15. Many study under other warriors and scholars or begin travelling, or even head to war. Telemachus is almost 21 and still hasn't even left home once to meet other royals for diplomatic missions. He doesn't leave the island until Ithaca Saga, the final act of the musical. And others of his age could have managed to stand toe-to-toe with Antinous without divine intervention. It took Athena intervening for him to even land a proper punch. Telemachus, by Ancient Greek Standards, is in arrested development and is very weak and immature.

And while some of Odysseus's strategies are rather clever, a lot of the time the choices he's made on the journey home, and even before the war (tried to get out of it by pretending to be senile only to be shown to be faking when baby Telemachus was put in danger) could be seen as immature, selfish, and not befitting a Greek of his station. Odysseus is meant to be a King, but in Ares mind, he's not very kingly. To a War God and (technically) Crown Prince of Olympus, Ares sees both Odysseus and Telemachus as weak, immature, and not fitting of their stations. It bothers him a lot. So why would he want to support such men?

I have pretty much nothing to add to this, that answers pretty much everything lol. I think with this context I believe even more fully that Ares in his argument was onto something, but just let himself fly off the handle, something very in character for him. Thanks!

[rrhodes25]

So, for Aphrodite, I think the reason it's sounds so mean-spirited actually can be gleaned from this line:

"More like busy spiting the cyclops."

What would that have to do with Odysseus's mother?

Hard to prove given we don't know the EXACT timeline of Epic, but given that Aphrodite felt this was important to bring up in relation to Anticlea, I think it's safe to assume that she died within the weeks after Odysseus and the crew blinded Polyphemus. And because Odysseus went and said who he was to the cyclops (in a moment that could be perceived as spiting), Polyphemus reported it to his father, Poseidon. And Poseidon caused the storm that kept Odysseus and the crew from returning home because of this slight.

Anticlea's lyrics in The Underworld also show us just how much love she had in life for her son. She died waiting for him, promising to see him again when he returned. That she'll stay in his heart, and keep waiting. Even now, in the Underworld, that's all she says. That she loves him. And is waiting for him.

And Aphrodite herself is sometimes known as a doting mother herself (like regarding Eros). As the Goddess of Love who is also a mother, I feel like she'd sympathize with Anticlea. So her segment would be more mean-spirited. She's angry on Anticlea's behalf.

I never really thought of it that way before. I never made the connection with the "spiting the cyclops" bit, in my mind Anticlea died while Ody was still at war, which is what I thought "he was busy fighting" was about. I like this interpretation a lot though, I definitely feel like it was something I was missing, thanks for sharing!

[rrhodes25]

So I've been thinking about God Games, specifically how each god presents their own argument/interest in the discussion, I think it is genuinely an excellent piece of characterization in such a short amount of time.

Zeus- Zeus is the epitome of pride in all of God Games. He doesn't take the request seriously(at first) and when he does, it is only because the other gods have formed something resembling a united front in disagreement with him. That's really all Zeus cares about- ensuring his position is not threatened, because he loves where he is and believes that anyone with half a mind would be constantly after his power and throne.

Athena- Across the entire song she is trying so so SO hard to be reasonable. She's upset and emotional and almost goes through the whole ordeal keeping those emotions in check. The two times that falters is when Ares slings insults at Ody and Telemachus (while simultaneously fucking with her mind) and she lets herself cut loose for a moment. The other is after Zeus smites the shit out of her. I've seen a bunch of people say that Athena's last lines in the song don't feel very determined, very Athena. They feel like begging, something Athena wouldn't be caught dead doing in most cases. And I think that is the entire point. She has no other option. She tried logic. She tried resisting overwhelming force. It didn't work. All she can do is display herself at her weakest, willingly, as a last-ditch attempt to make SOMETHING happen.

Apollo- Apollo is the least interested in the whole affair and is just having a good time because he has to be there. With Apollo being the patron god of so many things, I think it is clever to make him somewhat uninterested in arguments with the other gods, he has other shit to deal with that he feels is more important and is definitely more fun than this nonsense.

Hera- Hera is also having a blast, but clearly has different feelings about the affair. She doesn't point out something wrong Ody did, only asks Athena for her most compelling argument. When that happens, she gives Athena her blessing in a very direct way, in my mind side-eyeing Zeus the whole rest of the song.

Aphrodite- I have mixed feelings about Aphrodite and her argument. While the point she makes and why she would make it checks out, it seems needlessly mean-spirited. The song itself(Athena) points this out in "he was busy fighting". It seems that Aphrodite is speaking from a point of frustration and/or spite, rather than giving the affair a good long look.

Ares- Ares has one of the most compelling arguments in the song in my opinion, until he starts to sling insults. The point that yeah, Ody did not attempt to fight, fled from Scylla, allowing men to die under his command is a reasonable thing for a god of war to be upset about. But again, as soon as he got too aggressive it all fell apart.

Hephaestus- I've seen a lot of talk about how Hephaestus, like Apollo, so clearly did not want to be there, and didn't put up much resistance for that reason. I think this is somewhat true, but doesn't say all there is to say. Because Hephaestus by far has the best argument of any of the gods. Why should he support someone who sacrificed his own men? His friends? The men who looked to him for guidance? It doesn't feel like Hephaestus was dragged out of his forge for this without any context. It feels like Hephaestus has been listening, quietly on the sidelines where no one notices him. THEN he is dragged out of his forge against his will.

Honestly, I had more to say than I thought I did. Thanks for indulging me, feel free to share your own thoughts on all this, I'm curious what others think.

[rrhodes25]

-At the winter solstice -

Zeus:…….

Poseidon: Not. One. Word.

Zeus: I just - how do you get your ass beat by a mortal, with your own weapon and your own storm.

Poseidon: I don’t know??!?!? It’s like he wasn’t a mortal at the time! Like some other force was helping him!

Zeus: Oh Whatever. Are you saying he had some kinda divine intervention from one of us to beat you?

Poseidon: That’s the only explanation!!

Zeus: You can’t honestly….

Hades: Oh yeah, that was me. I gave him a little boost to help him beat you.

Zeus:…..

Poseidon: … Hades, what the fuck.

Hades: Next time, don’t drown 500 mortals on me and Persephone’s date night.

[rrhodes25]

The hungy trio (selling these as pins for comifuro 19 :D)

[rrhodes25]

Reblog for a miracle to happen tonight

[rrhodes25]

...What happens if I put a full twenty dollars into the urban fantasy vending machine?

it's been on the backburner for over a year, so nothing fresh, but for twenty dollars in the urban fantasy vending machine, here is a short vignette I haven't touched in a year and a half

The room was crisp and bright, all sharp edges and polished monochrome. The sun shone in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, refracting off the sparkling glass and steel spires that carved out the skyline and focusing with almost suspicious precision directly into my eyeballs. I slumped down further in my chair and squinted across at the empty desk. Everything was too damn bright.

“Can I get you anything, detective?”

The voice that rang out from behind me was innocent and musical. The woman it belonged to was not.

I scowled. “Absolutely not.”

“Suit yourself.” I could hear the indulgent smile. “The coffee’s very good, you know. I don’t settle for anything less than the best.”

“I’m sure.”

“And with a nose like yours, I’m sure you already knew.”

Water boiled, and a rich, bitter scent coiled through the air. It was good. Probably that Blue Mountain stuff, or - no. It had to be Turkish. Of course she’d do Turkish.

I squeezed my eyes shut and exhaled harshly. There was no way around it - I was exhausted. I’d hit the 48-hour sleep dep limit back on Saturday and had been burning through raw determination ever since. It was damn stupid of me, frankly. I probably couldn’t even handle arithmetic right now, let alone solve a mystery.

But it’d be real stupid of me to accept a drink from the most notorious poisoner in history, so I was just going to have to deal with it.

I reluctantly opened my eyes and the world blurred back into focus as a tall figure briefly eclipsed the dazzling display of sun-sparkled skyscrapers. A coffee cup settled on the desk with a soft clink. There was a rustle as she settled into the high-backed chair and leaned forward. The sun caught in her golden braided bun and played across the shoulders of her elegant black suit. Pale, slender hands clasped the coffee cup with practiced precision.

“So,” Medea said. “How can I help you today?”

Her eyes were honey-gold. Granddaughter of Helios, the myths had said, and the sun certainly seemed to be in the habit of favoring her. Her corporate empire dealt in energy. Geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, even nuclear - all those shiny, clean alternatives that were slowly outcompeting the old oil-burning models. Her power stations were already keeping the lights on for half of the eastern united states. It was a hell of a niche she’d carved out for herself, and like everything else she’d ever done, she was stunningly good at it. Then again, for a demigod princess and compulsive social climber, the world of corporate politics must’ve felt like a home away from home.

Her gaze was steady and level, like I wasn’t cutting into her busy workday. Like she had all the time in the world.

Well. She did, didn’t she?

I sighed. “There’s a new drug on the streets.”

“Is it Tuesday already?”

“This one’s different.” I rubbed my eyes. “Right now, they just think it’s a hallucinogen.”

“And?”

“It’s not. It shows what’s really there.”

The coffee cup froze halfway to her lips. “How much?”

“Can’t tell for sure. Sounds like they’re seeing fairies, sprites, goblins, standard hidden world stuff… but I’m pretty sure it cuts through glamour. Might even go deeper, start showing shifter’s true forms.” I leaned back. “The secret world won’t stay secret for long if the users and abusers start comparing notes. I was half-tempted to take some of the stuff myself just to find out how much they know, but I’m not exactly a neutral test subject.”

“Yes, between your physiology and your temperament, that would be very unwise.” The clink of her cup cut off my half-hearted retort. “Do you have any mortal friends who might be willing to take the plunge?”

I barked a bitter laugh. “All my mortal friends are wizards or cops.”

“Unfortunate. I see why you came to me.” She leaned back, lacing her fingers together. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but this is the first I’ve heard of it.”

Damn. Damn. Why was I surprised?

“That kind of potion isn’t really my style anyway,” she said. “Illusions and the breaking thereof are rather… outside my typical wheelhouse.”

“I know, I know.” I rubbed my eyes again. “I didn’t think you were making the stuff. I just hoped maybe you knew something. Nobody knows where it’s coming from.”

“The Goblin Market?”

“Obviously some people are dealing it through there, but I don’t have a supplier.”

“Tricky.” She leaned back. “What’s the delivery method?”

“That’s the weird part. It’s topical.”

She quirked an eyebrow. “Unusual. No ingestion or injection?”

“No.” I dug into my jacket pocket and pulled out the scuffed stainless steel tin, then dropped it on her desk. “Kid up in Wicker Park saw me, dropped this and ran. Broad daylight. I wasn’t even changed.”

“You do cut an intimidating figure regardless.”

I scowled. “I don’t know what he saw.”

She nodded once, then gestured at the tin. “Do you mind?”

“Be my guest.” I sank deeper into the chair.

She delicately picked up the tin and traced a nail around the lid. “The container is mundane.”

“Yep.”

She turned it in her hands, the battered metal catching the light. Then she cracked the lid.

I braced myself and squeezed my eyes shut. The smell was overwhelming and utterly unidentifiable - syrupy, sickly, wormwood and petrichor and rot. The headache I’d been nursing intensified.

I heard her sniff. Lucky woman. She had to try to smell the stuff.

“Otherworldly ingredients.” There was a click and the smell dissipated. I risked cracking an eye open. She’d replaced the lid and was staring at the container pensively.

“What do you think?”

She arched an eyebrow. “Maybe I should be asking you. If I want to identify the makeup of an unknown mixture, I need a full lab and the favor of Hekate. You just need your nose.”

I groaned. “All I know is it’s weird and I hate it.”

“Weird?”

“Weird! I can’t pin it down. It almost smells like something, but” - I waved my hands vaguely - ��it’s all wrong.”

Medea stared for a moment, then set down the tin. “Detective, have you ever been to fairyland?”

“I assume you’re not being euphemistic,” I said, rubbing my eyes.

“No. I’m referring to the realm of fairy. Built on the ruins of Tír na nÓg, ruled by the Fairy Queen, land of glamour and illusion, home of the people of the hills. You must be familiar.”

“Of course I am.”

“But you’ve never been there?”

“I don’t do otherworld travel if I can help it.” I sat up. “Why?”

Medea idly traced a finger over the tin. “The bones of the fairy realm are very real, but for the most part, the realm is a beautiful illusion starving for reality. Your senses are entranced by a perfect, glamorous experience, but your body and soul waste away. Surely you’re familiar with the harmful effects of fairy food?”

“On paper.” I glanced at the tin. “You think this is some kind of illusion?”

“Just the opposite.” She tapped the lid sharply. “Fairyland is nothing more than the eternal dream of the Fairy Queen, but Tír na nÓg is as real as you or I. A land of promise and plenty, lost to ruin when its link to this world withered away. Its denizens fading to shades, its fruits and flowers rotting and decaying where they grew.”

I frowned. “This… this isn’t your area. Why do you know so much about this?”

She sighed. “Really, detective. Did you really think, over three thousand years, I stayed entirely in the mediterranean?”

“No, of course not-“

“After my flight from Athens I broadened my horizons significantly. I have visited the realm of Fairy several times.” She wrinkled her nose. “Of course, after the Tír fell to ruin, the quality of ingredients I could acquire plummeted rather dramatically. Gossamer illusions make for poor potions.”

I tried to cut through the fog in my head. Things were coming together. “You… think this was made in fairyland?”

“I think it was, at minimum, made from fairyland.”

“The smell… is odd. Like a floral perfume gone wrong. Rot making everything sweeter.” I scowled. “Not an illusion. Illusions don’t smell that bad.”

“Good,” she said. “Then some industrious denizen appears to have scoured the far edges of Fairyland to acquire ingredients from the ruins of the Tír.”

[rrhodes25]

poseidon: you can't kill me

odysseus: you've forgotten a very important piece of information - I am completely fucking insane

[rrhodes25]

ok going to bed soon but literally just . thinking about the professional breakup . and maxim telling VR LA that he could no longer avail of his friendship *or more* (🤨🏳️‍🌈⁉️) and then immediately telling VR-LA that he didn't *want* to cut that off but he thought it was necessary to keep himself safe . Austin was so crazy for that . these are all things that he actually said only somewhat paraphrased because I don't have a perfect memory . damn .

[rrhodes25]

I draw Poseidon talking with Athena after the vengeance saga about Odysseus

[rrhodes25]

Athena in like god hospital barely alive:

Hermes: GIRLLLLL ur boi beat up poseidon LMAOOOOO wanna see i filmed it

[rrhodes25]

Something possessed me. Dani 🫵

[rrhodes25]

They're besties, your honor. I will not be accepting criticism at this time.

[rrhodes25]

♬⋆.˚ Well it's a little bit dangerous, my friend˚.⋆♬