#・°☆.。MESSAGES IC.

[pigeon-princess]

How many eyes does Lord Bloodraven have? A thousand eyes, and one. 

[jonsawilldanceanon]

Lack of Morals ~ Lack of Vows

[ad1thi]

Justin baldoni decided to adapt It Ends With Us because he thought that stories about domestic violence, and specifically escaping and life beyond domestic violence deserved to be platformed.

Instead of being supported, he’s been mean girl’d by the cast; that’s treating the film like its this cutesy rom com : and I think this rly encapsulates everything that’s wrong with the book, and the fanbase it’s amassed

[sidhion]

rremember to share with him!!

[irlplasticlamb]

courtesy is a lady’s armor.

prints + merch + commission info

[thegoodmorningman]

It's true what they say about Monday! It's The Worst!!! Good Morning.

[bonefall]

Hey, what makes a character a 'plot device but not a character'? And how do you not do that? I'm trying to do it on purpose but also I need to still make them interesting because it's on purpose, yknow?

A good skill to pick up is to learn to criticise criticism itself. A "plot device" is simply a thing that moves the plot along, it's a neutral literary analysis term! Usually, when people are angry that "a character has been used as a plot device," it doesn't mean they hate plot devices. It means they're gesturing at something deeper.

Runningwind and Bumble are equally plot devices in their deaths. They are both killed by the antagonist to escalate political tension. Runningwind is rarely "accused" of just being a plot device, and yet, we're talking about Bumble for the same thing.

So, why?

Well, Runningwind is just a background character, but in life, he was a part of the community. He was characterized as impatient but responsible. Yet, he wasn't SO important that he died with a bunch of unresolved plot threads.

He is mostly an extension of the entity of ThunderClan. His killing by Tigerstar, and the fear and paranoia that settles on the group after this, feel like a progression of the story insteas of something forced.

Bumble, on the other hand...

Is hated immediately by Gray Wing, when she's established as Turtle Tail's friend. Bumble's abuse at Tom the Wifebeater's hands invites even MORE investment. The rejection is shocking and upsetting. There's a story there about our main characters being imperfect; jealous, bigoted, and judgemental.

But, she is simply killed off. Everything they set up for this character is gone with little personalized fanfare. It's not a tragedy with a lesson about cruelty, or something anyone regrets.

It's just... plot. Gray Wing whinging that no one will like his shitty brother now that his body count is 2.

More than that, in the discussion of women in particular, "Fridging" was coined to give a name to the way women characters often don't get their stories told at all. There is a CULTURAL trend of female characters facing disproportionate violence, for the sake of advancing male plots.

Bumble has a lot going for her. Petal had a lot going for her. Turtle Tail had a lot going for her. Bright Stream had a lot going for her. When they died, they took their potential with them.

It's not always wrong to kill off a character of high potential, mind you. In Gurren Lagann, Kamina's death is sudden and shocking, leaving a massive hole in the hearts of the cast that never heals. Grappling with that loss, but also letting his memory fuel them, is a major theme of that story.

All that to say... there's no formula for avoiding it. You've gotta identify what the deeper issue is, in your specific narrative.

I can't say for certain what that will look like for your story, but here's some things I keep in mind;

When you make characters who exist to die, make sure they're people before you axe them.

Ask yourself; what about them does the cast miss?

If they just miss them because they were (pre-existing relationship), go back to the drawing board.

Fluttering Bird as an example. Who was she? Dead sister. Why do they miss her? Dead sister. No traits until after her death.

Runningwind was short-tempered and helpful. Kamina was a valuable leader who made people believe in a brighter future. Swiftpaw was fiesty and desperate to prove himself. The better characterized, the more profound the loss usually is.

If this is a female character who is dying just to serve the plot, be aware of cultural bias and tropes. How is the gender ratio looking in your cast? Is this happening disproportionately with your girls?

Note how Quiet Rain's litter had both a boy and a girl, but the girl was chosen to be "weaker" and wither away.

And how most of the time in DOTC, whenever a man had to be upset, a girl would get killed for it.

If you ever feel like the character on the chopping block is NOT a full character, ask yourself why it needs to be a character at all. You don't need to spend narrative time building out someone when a literal object of high value might suffice.

"My sister died when I swore to protect her and I can't face my family" = Old. Tired. Ive seen this.

"I lost my heirloom sword when I swore to protect it and I can't face my family." = Fascinating. Why was the sword so valuable? Will they really not take you back? How did you lose it?

When you do kill off "high value" characters, try to make sure you're not leaving too many plot threads hanging. Or at least make a point of how they will never get closure.

[royalarchivist]

Phil: And then we put one there... Perfect!

Missa: That's good enough.

Phil: Come to bed... uh, partner *loses it*

Missa: *cracking up* Sure thing, bro.

Phil: [deep voice] "Sure thing, bro, thanks." Right next to our son, to keep a watchful eye.

Bonus:

[pinkwhite]

Nesta... girl you are not at fault for telling Feyre that the baby inside her is going to kill her the 500 year olds are not you

[nonlethal-au]

[ masterlist ]

Non-Lethal AU (abbreviated: NOL)

If you find this via a repost, please check original post to see the latest updates!

⤫⤫⤫⤫⤫⤫ • notices • ⤬⤬⤬⤬⤬⤬

Do NOT tag any post as errink, or imply it in tags or comments.

*Doing so will result in an immediate block.

**NOL!Ink is repulsed aroace, he also is an insert/representation of me, a real person. Neither I nor N are comfortable with the ship here. - Dove

× temporary notices

Askbox is officially closed for now, please wait for the next opening to send in anything. thank you! - Dove

Interested in dubbing or translating? Check this post! - eN

⤫⤫⤫⤫⤫⤫ • tags • ⤬⤬⤬⤬⤬⤬

For tags surrounded with [ ], they're meant to be blog specific. They're tagged in this post so you can find posts with them easier :>

× original posts

[ NOL Thread ] - Main comic, story stuff

[ NOL Ask ] - Asks answered

[ NOL Art ] - Artwork related to the AU

[ NOL Reference ] - References for the AU

[ IC ] - In-character messages

[ OOC ] - Out-of-character messages like announcements

× other posts

[ NOL Submit ] - Submissions

[ Message Received ] - Art made by others

⤫⤫⤫⤫⤫⤫ • links • ⤬⤬⤬⤬⤬⤬

× au-related

Boundaries - A post stating out boundaries on dubs, translations, and fanworks (art, writing, etc).

Credits - A post crediting the characters and assets used for this series.

Comicfury - Also posting NOL there!

The Very Beginning - The start of [ NOL Thread ].

× outside

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@impostortale - eN's other AU about a shapeshifter.

⤫⤫⤫⤫⤫⤫ • admins • ⤬⤬⤬⤬⤬⤬

eN // @s3-izures: AU creator, pro complainer, and main artist.

Dove // @aoartmthebitxh: Moderator (the one who blocked you), writer, storyboard artist, and Ink consultant <3

Kia // @dreemurr-skelememer: Moral support.

[feyburner]

I’m soooo curious about Kon and Jason’s relationship from the chat fic when Jason and Tim officially get together. I want to believe that they could eventually become friends but the first six months is just

Jason [holding Tim’s purse outside a Burberry]:

Kon: you’re garbage. you know that right. you are so lucky that tim is only sane-presenting and has shit taste in men

Jason: okay

But then they all go get mall pretzels and it’s fine

“Holding Tim’s purse outside a Burberry” I’m fuckingn crying 😭

This is exactly how it should/would go, you wrote it better than I could. They DO get mall pretzels.

Kon for sure gives Jason the stink eye at every possible opportunity for ages and yeah I think what ultimately does it is 1. Jason not rising to the bait/not disagreeing with Kon that he’s garbage lol, you can only be mean to someone who agrees with you for so long. And 2. Unfortunately they’re so obviously In Luv with each other that it’s gross but also a very convincing argument in favor of Jasons continued existence as a carbon based life form.

[seasonofprophecy]

It shouldn't be that serious but I haaate people summarizing Simon and his struggles in Fionna and Cake as the symptoms of one mental illness or another. Like, his struggle with being content now that he's Simon again echo depression and he very well may have it. The way I've seen some people examine his character and conflict through a pathological lens, though, just picks out what words and actions they can diagnose as some documented and studied condition. They divorce his character and conflict from his setting, his time as the Ice King, and how he fits in the extended narrative of Adventure Time.

Simon is a pre-mushroom bomb era human in a post-mushroom bomb world. The people he knew, the surroundings he's come to understand, and the life trajectory he had going are all long gone. He's come to in a new society where things function in much more fantastical, irrational, and advanced ways. He's been a part of this society- even shaping it- as the Ice King, and now he must continue playing into the happenings of Ooo as Simon Petrikov. The new civilizations are alien, the new Earth functions by new social and natural laws, and he has the remains of new life that disgusts, horrifies, and humiliates him.

Simon spent almost a thousand years as a man stripped of his former values, dignity, and cognisance. As the Ice King, he lost his ability to control himself, and inflicted what would accumulate to be significant harm unto others. He learned how to get along with others by the end of his time as the Ice King, but those years were a blip in the span of a near millennium, and the degree of self-control he learned was basic decency. Simon spent his life before the mushroom bomb developing to be a composed and academic man, and endured having his antecedent personal growth and his own autonomy regarding his identity nullified by the ice crown.

Adventure time is a fantasy show that explores the consequences of the endless possibilities inherent to a fantastical setting. Powerful magic and magical existences destroy and ruin lives, abundances of mystical organisms amount to exhausting effort to defend oneself from danger, and the lack of predictability of what the world has to offer someone next spells out a compromised sense of security and stability.

Simon/the Ice King's story is one example of the show's exploration of the undesirable side of fantasy, and one story that's been built on for over eight years now. It's a story with circumstances unique to the show, with numerous writers informing its contents, with some parts planned and some spontaneous. It's a charged story, and it's narratively reductive to effectively whittle Simon's character and conflict as the showing of a real world mental illness

[pushing500]

Ah, Xina. I see you have chosen... DEATH (we didn't kill her this time, but I was sorely tempted to).

The Empire is still under the impression that we're working together or something, and since we don't feel like breaking the illusion yet, Mechi reluctantly agreed to look after four paralysed prisoners who are (allegedly) from ancient cryptosleep caskets. I find that a bit tricky to believe because...

Paul? I recognise that name...

It seems that XiaoLiang's granddad from a similar prisoner quest has somehow re-contracted paralytic abasia, and also convinced The Empire that he's from an ancient cryptosleep vault. I am now weirdly curious about what strange shenanigans this grandpa must get up to.

The more I play this game, the less convinced I am that Mechi and Kwahu are the main characters... 🤔

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[bijoutarot]

What Is Their Next Move? May 2024

Pick An Image

Image 1

Image 1 your person has been working very hard. I am getting “moving in silence” type of energy. This person has been saving, building, and making strategic moves to elevate their finances.This person sees you as everything, you are their soulmate and they plan to have a deeper commitment with you. I am also seeing that this person took some time to be alone away from distractions in their environment. They used to hang out a lot but now they have made a complete turn around.

Image 2

Image 2 this person is a total flirt. They have a number of people they are juggling at this time because they are afraid of being alone. This person tends to be an energy vampire pulling and exhausting everyone in their environment. Every time this person gets caught they are asked to choose but they refuse. Every person that they are dating is not fully allowing themselves to be involved with this person. It’s like they feel like this person can’t be trusted. This person intends to add you to their current roster.

Image 3

Image 3 this person wants to make peace with you. There has been people stirring the pot in their friend group. This has pulled you guys far apart. At this point this person finds it harder to stay away from you. They don’t even care about or remember the reason why you guys fell out to begin with. This person looks to you for advice and admires how you always seem to have the right answers to whatever problems that come up. You were more than a lover to them you were their friend too. They miss you.

Image 4

Image 4 your person is in deep regret because of the things they said to you in anger. This is something they are ashamed of. They worry that they pushed you too far this time. This argument had low blows and they replay the words in their head. They tend to overthink pretty often. This person is wondering if it is best to set you free from this connection. They realize that things won’t be the same if you decide to forgive them.

Which images resonates?

[bumpylines]

More dad!BBJ for you folks 😌

Kaede’s friends are probs like “wow you’re so lucky, Barnaby picks you up and you get to ride in his cool car~ Kyaa doesn’t it make your heart pound 🥰” and kaede’s just like “….hes… just a regular human being like everyone else 😫😭” the illusion is shattered for her

[unlawfulchaos]

Ice: Have you ever read something so explicit that you feel like you need to go to church and wash your eyes in holy water?

Maverick: Send it to me.

Ice: No, you're in a meeting.

Mav: So are you! And you're the one reading explicit things during Cain's rant, so don't you give me the eyebrows of judgement from across the room. I see you, Ice.