#(also fun fact - the roman numerals are purposeful)

[spaceorphan18]

Summary:

Kurt Hummel, an aspiring actor, spends a lot of his time on the Broadway forums when he learns about a new Broadway show in development. His friend Elliott drags him to audition with him - where he ends up getting a small role. As the show goes on, Kurt finds that when he's not chatting up the mysterious Nightbird online, he's falling for one of his fellow actors - a Blaine Anderson.

For @cerriddwenluna

Hello there Cerriddwenluna! I hope you like it! I tried to hit all of your favorite genres (except I just couldn't make time travel work - so I set the musical in the past, does that count?)! The push in on the social media angle was fun and it gave me an excuse to work on writing short snippets and abbreviated scenes. It's been a crazy ride.

Happy Holidays everyone! :D

[tokiro07]

Undead Unluck ch.223 thoughts

[Well...That Could Mean Anything...]

(Contents: immediate reactions - cancelation scare/renewed hope; speculation - story progression)

Please Say "Sike"

...I guess I should've seen that coming

If they can skip the three months leading up to the Quests, why not skip the month of the Quests?

Granted, my assumption was that the Master Rules wanted to fight and defeat the Union, that they were willing to interfere with their training but not to actually cheat at the Quests themselves, which seems to have been an accurate assumption to make

The fact that even Soul objected, demanding an explanation and even going so far as to attack Luna in retaliation, explicitly tells us that nobody involved wanted this outcome

The question this begs, though, is if Tozuka wanted this outcome

The overwhelming response to this chapter was definitely an anxious one. Folks were already super nervous because UU's been in the back of the magazine for the last few weeks while also being notably absent from a recent list of profitable manga that Shueisha put out recently, so seeing this chapter explicitly skip a bunch of content that had been built up for the last year or so was troubling to say the least

However! It also didn't take long for the fanbase to reevaluate the purpose of this direction

Hold the Line!

As Luna notes, Andy held off all ten Master Rules for eons. Of course she lost faith in them! Hell, Andy bodied Sick in less than a minute, and what few members of the Union that Language took out came back - it's pretty easy to see how the remaining fights were going to go, both from Luna's perspective and ours

And that's boring

While we all wanted to see the cast fight their natural enemies and learn more about themselves, awakening their souls and developing new ways to use their Rules, the truth is that was going to become formulaic sooner or later. Language's ambush on Nico and Ichico was a great way to keep us on our toes, but unless all of the Master Rules dropped in on the Roundtable Room at once, there wasn't really a good way to keep things fresh without it feeling like they were on a conveyer belt

There's also the fact that Ragnarok needs to be triggered by failure, so much like with the Four Seasons, the Union was either inevitably going to fail at beating one of the Master Rules or beating them was going to trigger Ragnarok anyway - both of which are outcomes to Quests that we've already seen. The Quests getting autoskipped though? That's a fun twist on the established pass option while also raising the stakes and giving both the cast and audience a scare

If UU weren't having such a rough go in the real world, we'd all be seeing this scene as a super cool twist, and I think that's what Tozuka intended it to be, but because we have reason to fear for its future, we can't help but take it as a bad sign

While Sun basically eating the Master Rules and beginning his assault on the Union certainly looks like a sign of the end, though, I think that this is meant to be the Master Rules all storming the Union at once like I suggested

Two Cakes

Many of you likely noticed that the rings that surround Sun have orbs with Roman numerals engraved on them, corresponding to the ranks of the Master Rules. This implies that the Master Rules haven't been absorbed, but rather sealed

If the Master Rules are still alive, they can still be battled, and likely will need to be defeated to weaken Sun. Using what was learned from the battle against Seal, the Union will likely use their souls to enter the orbs, giving us all of the match-ups and character development that we wanted to see while also moving at the breakneck pace that Tozuka seems to be so fond of

I imagine that someone may need to stay outside to hold off Sun while everyone's souls are separated from their bodies (if that's even an issue), so that will likely be Andy and Fuuko's job since they're ostensibly at their peak already and don't need any further development aside from the finale to their stories, though I could also see this being Chikara's big moment, holding off Sun all by himself while everyone else fights

All that said, this doesn't necessarily mean that we'll have the year and a half run that I projected last week; if Tozuka really is being forced to speedrun the story, it's possible that each Master Rule fight will only be one chapter and serve as a capstone for a different character/set of characters' arcs, but even then, it's extremely likely that the intention is to at least last until the next round of new manga, which will coincide with UU's fifth anniversary

Skipping the off weeks for Christmas and New Years, this gives us, at a conservative estimate, 16 more chapters to work with

To-Do List

Considering the number of events that still need to happen, I think 16 chapters could feasibly work if it looks a little something like this:

Establishing the formula - Chikara's capstone

Sick - capstone for Rip/Latla

Time - capstone for Shen/Mui and likely Feng

Justice - awakening of Unjustice/capstone for Julia?

War - capstone for Billy/Tatiana

Luck - likely a moment for Fuuko, though not her capstone

Change - capstone for Gina(+Sean?)

Death - likely a moment for Andy, not his capstone

Soul - group effort?

Sun - group effort, Ruin returns

Sun pt. 2 - capstone for Ruin

Sun pt. 3 - capstone for the Union

Final boss - Luna

The Heart

Luna defeated - capstone for Andy and Fuuko

Epilogue

This definitely would be a bit rushed, and I'd much rather each fight get a lot more time to breathe, but the main point I'm trying to make here is that it isn't impossible to tell a complete and satisfying story with the time remaining so long as the focus is on completing the character arcs of the cast members that have been established to be the most salient this entire time rather than trying to give everyone a slice of the pie

Tozuka's already made it clear that not every cast member is created equal, which is an unfortunate necessity in an ensemble cast that's under the constant threat of axe-ecution by Jump's editorial staff, so if things need to be pared down, this seems like a reasonable way to do it in my opinion, though again this could easily be doubled or even tripled depending on how badly Shueisha wants the series to still be producing content to coincide with the Winter special episode or possible season 2

Don't take this list at face value, though - remember, I'm just a reader, and while I've been right every now and again, I've also been wrong much more often, so my projected timeline is almost certainly off-base. I just hope it's wrong in the right direction!

Hell, my entire premise of needing to fight the Master Rules in the first place might be wrong! Not in the sense that they won't be present in the story anymore, but more in the sense that they won't be antagonists anymore

The Enemy of My Enemy

If you'll recall, the way that Andy escaped from Seal wasn't by taking down all of the Rules that Seal captured - it was by convincing them to fight back. With Luna having betrayed her creations and manipulated her counterpart, it really doesn't take much stretching of the imagination to see how the Master Rules might have a bit of a bone to pick with her

Therefore, instead of having a dedicated battle against each Master Rule, it's equally likely that there'll be a dedicated battle with each of them. This would let each of them show off their powers and personalities while also letting us build up the tension against Sun without simply rehashing the previous Ragnarok

More importantly, though, this would solidify one of the most major themes of the story: union. Every human enemy save for Ruin has become an ally, and we've had plenty of situations where UMAs have gone against God's orders and allied themselves with humanity, so having the most human UMAs do the same would be the perfect way to wrap up that narrative throughline

However, that again is still pretty predictable, almost rote with how the story has progressed so far, so I still expect one more wrinkle to come out of left field, regardless of how many chapters we have left:

The Union will lose

Failstate

The biggest question mark hanging over this entire series, at least for me, is what Sun and Luna's goals are

What is the world supposed to look like after the game ends? If Luna loses the bet and humanity can't reach the Gods, what's meant to happen? Will humanity be wiped out, will the Rules become harsher on them, what?

To truly understand the weight of the threat, of what the Union is trying to prevent, we need to be shown at least a glimpse of it, so even if Time or Soul or the Heart or whoever will immediately undo the damage, the Union needs to see what they're fighting for

Bonus points if that's the moment that reforms Ruin - that he sees how much worse everything is with humanity's loss, how ruined the world will be, and he decides then and there that he needs to ensure it remains unruined

Again, though, Tozuka has always proven to be a few steps ahead of me, so even if I have the basic ideas, the final product surely won't look much of anything like what I'm suggesting, and will surely be better than anything I can imagine

Looking Forward

In a perfect world, Tozuka would be able to take as much time as he wants to flesh out every single character and backstory and battle to his heart's content, but that's just wishful thinking. The undeniable truth is that Tozuka is working in the most cutthroat company in an already cutthroat industry, so naturally not everything can or will go to plan

However, even under those conditions, Tozuka has managed to tell a consistently engaging and beautiful story that has served as an inspiration to many of us for the past nearly five years. As I've said a thousand times now, we need to have faith that Tozuka is going to continue to do his best to deliver a story that we'll love, even if we don't agree with every choice he makes for it

He certainly doesn't want us to read each chapter filled with fear and trepidation; he wants us to read them with joy and wonder, like we always have! Whether Tozuka decided that this was the best time to end it or Jump forced it on him, whether UU will last for four more months or four more years, the single most important thing that we can do is enjoy what Tozuka has to offer. That's all he's ever wanted from us, and it's what this series has taught me to do

So come on, you do it too:

Until next time, let's enjoy life!

[nysus-temple]

YES I love Dionysus he is my favorite god, I just wish I knew more about him. Do you have any fun facts 👀

· Short answer:

Have a look at my main Dionysus tags if you're on PC !! They don't show on Tumblr mobile and there's a little information in them already: [ example: #dionysus lore]

· Long answer:

The truth is, I've spoken more about figures related to him like Persephone and Demeter MORE than the actual Dionysus, so here's so random stuff that you may know or not, depending on how long you've been looking around this blog:

According to the Orphic hymn XL to the Eleusinian Demeter, she's Dionysus' companion ! Like many others, probably, but you hardly ever see them being related, which is kind of sad.

Another detail is that the three of them, Persephone, Demeter and Dionysus are related to snakes; the first one probably comes due to the whole "Zeus turning into something"; Demeter's connection comes from the Orphic Hymn XL as well; and Dionysus in one of the many myths, the one in which he's kidnapped by sailors, he turns the ropes into snakes.

His roman equivalent name "Bacchus" probably comes from his many hepithets: Βάκχος, Βακχεύς, βακχεῖον, βακχευτής .

According to Nono of Panopolis and some small fragments of other orphic related works, Zagreus is ALSO Dionysus, it's his birthname, the one he had before being reborn as Dionysus.

While the most common versions portray Zeus as his father ( yep, even in Orphism ) according to Aeschylus in a fragment of Sisyphus he is referred as Hades son instead of Zeus, which can be interpreted in various ways, either you can see Zeus and Hades as the same god or you can say Hades is his father. I usually choose the second one due to creativity purposes.

Some other of his epithets: Βρόµιος ( Bromio ), ἐρίβροµος, ἐριβρεµέτης // Λύσιος ( Liberator ), Λυσεύς, Λυαῖος // Πρωτόγονος ( Primordial / Primitive ).

His other names besides Διόνυσος ( Dionysus ), Διώνυσος that I know from memory: Ἴακχος ( Yaco ) // Ζαγρεύς ( Zagreus ) // Βάκχος ( Bacchus ) is also used as a name, more than epithet, even.

In Euripides' Bacchae, Tiresias says that Dionysus "has a part of Ares" which is reforced with the epithet Ἀρήιος used in the Orphic Hymn 30, that can be translated to "warlike" or "bellicose"; this speaks about Dionysus' most violent side, his furious and vindictive one. Because fun fact!! he's not- a quirky modern character figure, he's an ancient god that has a violent side like any other, but similar to Ares, for example, it shows more. A LOT more than people think.

He's usually asocciated with the following animals: bull ( Euripides ), snake and panther or lion ( the kidnapping ); In any case, he's usually described with κέρατα ( horns ) !! While it is usually not specified, due to his relationship with the bull they're probably bull horns. [ i personally associate him with a ram for creative purposes, such as being a metaphor for a leader ! ]

Last but not least: he was born from the corrupted society; you know the kind of shenanigans, the "women-slaves-and-foreigners-don't-get-the-same-rights-as-nobles-shenanigans"; history repeats itself; the very, VERY first sources we have of Dionysus' existence ( which aren't many ) list him as a god that appreciates everyone equally and welcomes them to his cult and all that thingies. You know the deal. They also got prohibitted numerous times but eh, they really couldn't suffocate them at 100% never, ever.

SOOO there's more, yep, there's more. I'll gladly add more stuff in other post or DM you if you're interested, buddy ! χαίρε Διόνυσον ♡ !

[lesbian-sai]

as one of the biggest kara fangirls on the planet i felt it was important to compile this list of the most entertaining and compelling facts about what i consider to be the most entertaining team of anime villains i have ever encountered. it is extremely long

-they have matching facial tattoos of roman numerals but like in no apparent order. like jigen is 4 but hes the leader and delta is 1 but shes a girl.  

-and they all hang out in this house. 

-theres a mini bar. obviously a kitchen. 

-they snipe at each other. 

-they have a blimp and ipads.

-i have no idea what they even do day to day or feel like they have to raise money for. like rent. more ipads. goo jars to put children in.

-how does making kawaki the vessel benefit anybody else or at least how do they think it does. maybe im stupid but im super unclear on this.

-like jigen kept talking about how theyre all working to achieve everyones goals through kara he had a specific phrase im forgetting but anyway we never went into that? like anybodys individual motivation to join kara

-like what does boro or delta even think they are doing

-maybe im hindered by the fact that again i dont know what theyre doing

-they sit in those egg chairs and amado gives them check ups. 

-they have a legion of robots. 

-jigen is like chill and playful and apparently commands very little respect since delta kicked a table at him. 

-literally his abusive mother moment flashback whatever

-code was just napping on the ground last week but he was supposed to be on ten tails duty which apparently just means crawling over to stare at it every now and then.

-that scene where amado was just cupping jigens head and then he was like hm the calibrations (or some similar word) seem fine calibrations on what his round fucking head what are we talking about

-why does jigen even think its necessary to scientifically facilitate the karma extraction like momoshiki seems to have gotten much farther than him in less than a quarter of the time and no tech at all.

-my fan theory is that isshiki is just an idiot who never had to do the karma before and doesnt know anything about it so amado keeps making shit up 

-hes like ‘were almost in phase three’ and jigen is like ah yes. phase three. um should we put him on a blimp with robots now?

-where was that blimp even going???? did i imiss that

-what is phase three of the karma and why does it involve sending kawaki in a coffin in a blimp

-dont they have that teleportation thing why not use that if you need to move him somewhere idk i feel like there are better ways to do that but maybe jigen really likes like airships idk 

-why was kawaki in that coffin thing like literally for what purpose what does amado think hes doing what does jigen think amados doing

-for that matter why did isshiki choose to be referred to as jigen when hes in idk jigen form like this has just confused me now

-when code kicked that pillar at delta bc he was mad she made fun of him for wanting to impress jigen

-i just loved that stretch of episodes of boring ass ao stuff interspersed with five minute scenes of code and delta bitching at each other and everyone walking around going ‘theres a traitor. we have to investigate the traitor’ and jigen daydrinking. 

-also amazing performance from amado those episodes hes such a great actor but i love the idea of him going yea im going to investigate everybody now and then just looking at everyones stats on his pc how does that hel

-like they said he did scans or something to investigate who was the traitor and the results didnt incriminate anyone but why would they how does putting delta and code in those chairs and typing things into the pc at ALL indicate whether or not they hacked into the airship and exploded that 

-im just dying to know why kara even formed why did jigen think he needed a team to accomplish the karma and then the ten tails was that his only goal i dont understand anything at all but most importantly 

-how did amado and jigen meet. 

-how did everyone else come to join. 

-were they cyborgs already? 

-how did amado think of deltas rocket heels. was it a collaborative effort? 

-why is code so adorable and precious with the little outfit

-if i understand the timeline they got kawaki when he was like 5 and hes maybe 15 now im actually guessstimating all these numbers bc idc but like amado and jign have been hanging out for at least 10 years is that not hilarious

-amado is such a weird character also im warming up to him despite that fucking cream jumpsuit with the bright green collar and gloves oh god just thinking about it im actually losing fondness nvm

-kashin koji is so nothing i love it why was it even necessary for him to be a jiraiya clone

-on that subject why the hell would amado even think to make a jiraiya clone first of all isnt clone technology still supposed to be at least a little bit difficult in canon wasnt mitsuki a whole thing idk

-but like why jiraiya how does this at all help you he didnt even use sage mode not that i would think he would have a genetic predisposition to but still

-i wished we had had more about boros cult thing actually that was fun i really liked that bit

-why the slug thing though

-ok im talking about amado again because im actually very entertained by him this weeks episode bc he completely dominated that scientist guy like hes been here for maybe two days and hes already got this bitch asking the hokage to make him his advisor. and hes like impatient about it hes so bossy what

-and his assistant is this twelve year old girl now WHY that is so funny 

-i wish they had been more accurate to the manga though bc kawaki was way more bitchy to him and he was way more feminist i liked it

-i miss jigen though he was so funny i love the way he sits with the hand on his face and literally how he was just chilling and teasing people

-i just fucking remembered in the scene where delta kicked the table he was like ‘whats the matter delta are you not eating (bc he was eating dinner and she was crankily sitting like 10 feet across from him at their ridiculously long kara dinner table) are you on a diet? dont worry about that your beautiful’ WHY WOULD HE SAY THAT THATS AMAZING

-that other amado and jigen scene was so funny too bc he just held out his hand wordleslly and did like a grabby motion bc amado had coffee and amado went over to their kara coffee cart thing and gave him a cup WHY

-im driving myself crazy

-kara is so funny please be a fangirl with me

-the end

[limitededitionsanderssidesblog]

What Is Deceit Really After?

 In light of the latest Sanders Sides video, Dealing with INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS, a part of the video that came in early on and lasted only a few seconds really stuck with me.

The moment I'm talking about is during Remus’s introductory song when Remus suddenly pulls attention away from himself and his role to tell Thomas about a conversation he had with Deceit prior to the video: 

Remus: Speaking of honesty, recently a snake offered me a morsel from the tree of knowledge. He [Deceit] said, “You’re wanting to be more honest and be direct dealing with your issues. No longer will you deceive yourself about the ugliness within you.”

While I find it strange that Remus took a little detour to mention this conversation, I found it even stranger that Deceit, someone who appears to be very selfish with his own agenda, would spend time offering Remus a chance to get what it was he wanted.

As it was said before back in Can LYING Be Good??, Deceit has the ability to hide and keep away anything that Thomas doesn’t want to know or denies about himself. Throughout the video, Thomas was trying to tell the others, and himself, that the thoughts Remus was giving him wasn’t him [Thomas] and that he didn’t want them. So, in accordance with one of Deceit’s cannon responsibilities, Remus shouldn’t even be there and should still be tucked away where Thomas would be unaware of him. But Deceit deliberately set him free.

Why?

Well first let’s look to the next, and final, time Deceit is brought up (indirectly) in the episode:

Logan: I can’t imagine how someone would fake not doing something, other than by doing something and hiding that they’re doing it.

Remus: Ooh, how fun! You know who can help us with that? *Deceit’s music plays in the background* *suggesting that Deceit has to do with the topic of conversation*

Here it is practically confirmed by Remus that Deceit is doing something secretly behind the scenes. Deceit seems to have an agenda, as said by Patton in Selfishness v. Selflessness.

Patton: You always seem to have some bigger plan, some agenda.

Deceit: Doesn’t everyone?

Patton: Well not everyone is so secretive about theirs.

Deceit: Everything has a purpose, and sometimes fulfilling your purpose requires keeping things close to the chest.

Notice Deceit’s wording here: “fulfilling your purpose.” What is Deceit’s purpose as a functioning side again? Well, let’s revisit his first episode again to how Patton described him after he was first found out and left:

Patton: Kiddo, simply put, Deceit is an inner coach that acts with the one intention of self-preservation. 

By desiring the preservation of Thomas, similar to say Logan and/or Virgil with less moral construct, Deceit’s agenda could very well be his way of trying to take control of Thomas’s life in an attempt to steer it in a way that he deems is in Thomas’s best interest. He’s already done this when he tried to convince Thomas to ditch Lee and Marily (Mary Lee?)’s wedding in favor of attending a call back for a movie under a famous director that could exponentially increase Thomas’s status in life, better his future path, and create numerous opportunities in which to sustain and secure himself.

What Deceit is after is security.

Again, during Deceit’s interrogation in SvS, after he went on a whole spiel about the dangers of an authoritative society, he said that his main concern for Thomas in regards to that society was/is:

Deceit: I don’t want Thomas to be disadvantaged in a world where you can die for not following the laws made in the name of a lie.

Deceit states his goal of protecting Thomas from getting hurt from the dangers of a society that is loosely kept in order by a fragile mutual agreement that could easily be broken by anyone. But do you know what would keep Thomas safe if that society were to suddenly break?

Climbing up the social ladder.

But what does any of this have to do with why Deceit suddenly decided to unleash the gremlin bastard child that is Remus?

Well first off Remus’s whole goal was to get Thomas to realize that he isn’t as innocent and pure as he thought and get him to realize that he, and his creative content, is capable of so much more. Similar to how Deceit tried to get Thomas to realize that he was more capable of selfish acts and had more of a tendency for lying then he let himself believe.

Thomas’s goodie goodie attitude of altruism severely limits Thomas in Deceit’s eyes. His over the top concern to care for others before himself keeps him from taking opportunities that would benefit him (at the expense of another) or do things that he’d in enjoy (but would mean putting himself before a friend). In Deceit’s mind, Thomas is never going to be well secured and safe if he won’t take care of his own needs before the needs of another.

So, in order to combat the issue, Deceit is trying to tip the scale of power in Thomas’s mind by using three different methods.

1. Unleashing more of the dark sides so that their influence away from an altruistic outlook would increase.

2. Seducing the light sides to be in their favor against altruism.

3. Making Virgil a dark side again

We saw Deceit go to Remus and convince him that the time had come that he reveals himself and no longer live in the shadow of his brother Roman and finally take his rightful place as Thomas’s creativity. While it did fail in the end, Deceit had a momentary success by disturbing Patton and Virgil so much that they consistently hounded on Thomas to the point that he couldn’t sleep and started questioning himself and the choices he had recently made.

His other method, which he did previous to his plan with Remus, was trying to gain more control by taking over the light sides. Seducing Patton is literally pointless since he’s the main source of the altruism, so Deceit tried to pull both Roman and Logan to his side. For Roman, he played on his dreams of fame and fortune and his desire to act and be on the “silver screen.” For Logan, he tried to go about it objectively, what would benefit Thomas’s well being and offer them an opportunity. This almost worked with Roman, as Roman, covertly, sided with Deceit throughout SvS, only for him to switch back to siding with the light sides even at the expense of his own dream and goal.

So bada bing bada boom, two failures already and almost no progress made, or has there?

At the end of DwIT, we have the long-awaited reveal that Virgil was a dark side in the past. While for much of the fandom that fact was obvious, but for Thomas, it wasn’t.

For Virgil, his time as a dark side is not something he is proud or fond of, and why would he be? As Virgil stated, he used to be terrified of Remus, and his resentful relationship with Deceit was clearly toxic. The others were not good friends, and he probably wasn’t one to them either, which would explain Virgil’s demeanor in the earlier episodes as cold and cruel to the light sides, because that’s how he was conditioned. 

The dark sides are also obviously not the most beneficial or helpful assents to Thomas, so this could cause Virgil to think back about he also used to be, or still is, in his mind, a hindrance to Thomas and would make him loath that time he spent with them even more and want to keep it hidden so that Thomas’s newly improved impression of Virgil, that he worked so hard for, wouldn’t be damaged.

But the dark sides keep on coming, and he isn’t able to control them or deal with them as he thought he could. These sides keep on appearing and poking at him for who he used to be so much that it cornered him to reveal his darkest secret just so Thomas wouldn’t have to hear it from them.

Look at Virgil’s face as he tells Thomas of his true nature:

His eyes are red and his lips are tight and slightly quivering. He’s scared to say anything, but he had to.

And Thomas’s reaction? Exactly what Virgil was afraid of:

He steps away and looks at Virgil with fear.

Again, what does any of this have to do with Deceit’s agenda? 

Revealing Virgil was the agenda. Or at least part of it.

Going back to the end credit scene of EMBARRASSING PHASES, when Deceit suddenly dropped in on Virgil it wasn’t just for some casual banter with an old colleague, it was to prove a point. The point that Virgil hasn’t, and can’t, change from who he once was. I discussed this before in my other theories (Virgil’s Hidden Past and Virgil Isn’t What He Seems) but what Deceit is trying to do is to get Virgil to stop denying who he really is and take off the disguise he’s been wearing as a “light” side.

But why does it matter that Virgil stop “faking” being a light side?

It’s as I said before, Deceit is trying to shift the power to the dark sides in the mind, and turning Virgil back to how he was when he was an antagonist may do just that.

Despite once being a dark side, I’ve noticed that Virgil is different than the others. Unlike with Deceit and Remus, Virgil was never kept from Thomas, he’s always been known and able to interact with him and the main sides. And, in comparison to deceitfulness and intrusive thoughts, anxiety has much more impact on the mental, physical, and emotional health. Anxiety can be so intense that it can impede on anyone’s basic well being. And while lying and horrible thoughts can also do this, it’s nothing compared to the scale of damage anxiety is capable of. Virgil’s ability to influence how Thomas thinks and acts has always been powerful, powerful enough to the point that even Deceit couldn’t contain him.  

Virgil may not be Deceit’s main or only agenda, but he’s defiantly on it.

If Deceit were to get someone that powerful back on his side, then he could do whatever was necessary to secure Thomas’s safety. And by the looks of how broken Virgil was when he finally revealed himself:

It’s working.

[anderseeds]

I saw a Witcher/Hellsing crossover mentioned in the tag and I was just inundated with ideas for it, so I’ll ramble here instead of attaching a tl;dr to that post. I’m a huge fan of the Witcher, and yet somehow I’ve never actually considered a Witcher AU for Hellsing (and Andercard of course; it’s my modus operandi). This is based on the Witcher games, books, and a little bit of the The Witcher RPG since the Netflix show isn’t my thing. 

First of all, for the unfamiliar:

Witcher = a person (usually as a child) that has been mutated and trained to be a monster hunter. They have greater endurance, enhanced healing, enhanced senses, are able to drink potions that would be deadly to the average person, and can perform a small degree of magic called ‘signs’. One can tell a person is a Witcher by their eyes, since they look like cats eyes. Sometimes Witcher’s have other indications, but the eyes are the most consistent feature.

To become a Witcher, a candidate must go through three trials. All of them are exceptionally difficult and painful. The first two trials, the Trials of Grasses and Dreams, basically break down the body through use of various potions and rebuild it, while the third is basically a test for those who survive the first two trials. Very few children put through the trails survive; sometimes there’s only one survivor among those brought in to undergo the trials, and those who die do so in complete agony. Understandably, many Witcher’s are bitter about this whole ordeal and resent being turned into what they are. Witcher’s are also regarded with suspicion and dislike and no better than the monsters they kill, which makes being a Witcher even more torrid.

Vampires = vampires in the Witcher aren’t like your traditional vampires. They’re a race rather than creatures born of humans and they reproduce as any other creature does. Lesser vampires are generally unintelligent, beastly, bat-like creatures, while Higher vampires are intelligent and near indistinguishable from a human. Higher vampires often live among the other races and can integrate well, though some choose to live only among their own, and a rare few even stay with Lesser vampires. While Higher vampires are very different from their Lesser counterparts, they can turn into giant bats or similar creatures.

Higher vampires also don’t need blood to subsist. They can eat whatever they like, but some vampires do drink blood because blood is addictive to them and offers an experience not unlike drinking alcohol. Blood also has rejuvenating and strengthening qualities to it. Lesser vampires do seem to drink blood as part of their diet.

Honestly, Witcher vampires require a lot of explanation, so here’s the wiki for them. They’re a really interesting take on vampires.

Conjunction of the Spheres = a point in history where different dimensions collided with the world of the Dwarves and Gnomes and various different races fell through rifts and got trapped there. At the time the books start, they’ve all been there for well over a millennia and have thoroughly integrated. 

Anderson: 

Since Nilfgaard is based on the Roman Empire and has a religion functionally similar to Catholicism, I think it’d be appropriate to place Anderson as being from there. He’d be proud of being Nilfgaardian and would introduce himself as a Witcher of Nilfgaard alongside mentioning his guild. But being a Nilfgaardian Witcher is kind of an oxymoron since the Witcher schools were around before Nilfgaard started spreading through the South, and Witcher’s aren’t actually wanted or really used there anymore... in fact, the school most strongly associated with Nilfgaard - the Viper school, which is where I’m placing Anderson - was straight up destroyed by Nilfgaard. An Emperor (Upsurpur of Fergus var Emreis, specially) tried to take over the School of the Viper, failed, and then the Nilfgaardian army destroyed their keep and banned the Viper Witcher’s from entering core Nilfgaardian cities. Nowadays, most Nilfgaardian’s barely know what Witcher’s even are. Viper Witcher’s are thoroughly displaced; unwanted and relatively unknown in the South, reviled in the North, and with no keep to take refuge in, but Anderson still considers himself Nilfgaardian and is loyal to the Empire and the Great Sun despite no longer being welcome in his home city. He’s also has loyalty to Emhyr because he always regarded Fergus’ son as the rightful Emperor during the Usurpers reign and he’s happy when Emhyr returns to take the throne.

Before all that happened, Anderson grew up in various orphanages in Nilfgaard, going first from a decent one in the City of Golden Towers, and then to an over-packed and impoverished one closer to the border. Support for the orphanage eventually fell through, and almost all the children ended up at the Viper school when a Viper Witcher saw an exciting opportunity to expand the guild and took all the boys. Anderson went on to become a Witcher, while all but one other orphan died during the trials. 

The potions used on Anderson were experimental and had a lot of vampire components for regeneration purposes. Anderson has a chip on his shoulder about that and specialises in hunting vampires as both a consequence of his hatred, and because his enhancements make it easier for him than his fellow Witcher’s. 

Continuing under the read more since this is getting long.

Since Anderson’s trials emphasised regeneration, he has very accelerated healing and benefits hugely from Witcher healing potions. To accommodate his frequent use of potions, Anderson has a very high tolerance, which has been strengthened by both himself and teachers in his youth by repeatedly testing his limits. In battle, he tends toward longer blades than his fellow Viper’s and keeps a multitude of them on hand. He’s particularly good at using them as projectiles. His signs are used on occasion, but not often; everything but his Yrden and Quen are relatively weak. Sometimes he uses potions to bump up his Igni.

He’s also just a well-read and educated as he is in manga/OVA. The School of the Viper highly valued knowledge, so all Witcher’s received a decent education. Anderson built on this by attending lectures at academy's during his journeying and has visited and appreciated Oxenfurt Academy a few times despite it being a Northern institution.

His visual mutations are fairly mild: bright green, slitted cat eyes and slightly pointed canines. He gets the same sort of toxicity appearance as Geralt in the games if he takes too many potions (reference). He can pretend to be human with some effort, but the eyes are hard to hide since the pupils are slitted and they have a degree of luminescence. 

While the keep still stood, Anderson collected information on the Wild Hunt alongside his fellow Witcher’s. He also became a teacher of young Witcher’s, but many of them died during the conflict at the keep and more still when Viper’s had to remain on the path year round instead of wintering at their home. Eventually some of the remaining Viper’s did start wintering at other places/keeps despite their reclusive, secretive nature, but a lot of Viper’s simply remained on the path year round. Anderson is among those who rarely chooses to winter and will instead travel to a warmer climate to do work. 

Many provinces in the south are... fairly safe and prosperous, so Anderson often travels around all the Continent to find work. He has some disdain for Northerners like he does Protestants in canon, especially since they treat him like a monster while most Nifgaardian’s don’t even know what he is. Basically, Melitele and the Eternal Fire are stupid, Elves are hot respectable beings, Northerners are barbarians, dwarves and gnomes who??, and god don’t even get him started on Skellige. Typical Nilfgaardian in his opinions. 

Alucard:

Alucard is a little harder to figure out since I like to think of Alucard as one of the vampires that arrived during the Conjunction of the Spheres, and we don’t actually know all that much about the world vampires came from... the books have basically nothing. The games expand on vampire lore by giving us three tribes and links to Etruscan civilisation, but its still slim pickings. Since Alucard stayed in society and assimilated, I think it’s fair to say he was part of the Gharasham tribe. 

I also think vampires were generally peaceful since if one kills a fellow vampire in the games, they’re rejected and pursued by vampire kind. That might not be the case in the world vampires came from... but since other vampires are the only ones who can kill a fellow higher vampire, they would have to be somewhat peaceful to accommodate their longevity and near inability to die. Alucard might have warred once or twice, but it isn’t until he encounters humans that he really starts going off the rails. 

Over a thousand or so years, Alucard kills humans for fun and consumption and gets into human husbandry. When the Witcher’s start being made, numerous of them try to kill him over the years, and all of them fail... until a group surges in together and defeats him. He’s consequently stuck in a state of non-death for a century before a fellow vampire locates him and helps him reform. Luckily, Alucard doesn’t return to his awful ways, because a century of being isolated and stuck in a never-ending state of fear taught him a lesson in basic decency. He develops some respect for humans, and especially for Witcher’s. 

His interest turns to observing humans and Witcher’s instead, and they’re a lot more complex and interesting than he gave them credit for. Especially a certain green-eyed Witcher who seems to particularity dislike vampires... he does, however, still indulge in blood on occasion, since he sees no issue with drinking of those who seek battle with him or do ill unto others. Maybe innocents get caught up in that sometimes, but he doesn’t deliberately go after them these days.

On top of being a higher vampire, Alucard would also be an Elder vampire since that seems to be the case for all vampires who came during the Conjunction of the Spheres. It fits the fact that the Elder vampires are incredibly, incredibly powerful beings. Staying true to canon, he’s perhaps the most powerful of Elder vampires, being among the first to arrive and active enough to keep him in peak form, while other Elder vampires are withered recluses. 

Since he partakes in so much blood, it could qualify as a drinking problem... but he drinks so much of it that its gotten to the point that it rarely negatively impacts him. 

Together:

Alucard finds himself fixated on a vampire hunter Witcher he hears about during his journeying. They clash a few times, and Alucard thoroughly impressed with Anderson’s abilities and it convinces him to tail Anderson through the North (and occasionally in the South). It takes decades for Anderson to warm up to Alucard, but Alucard’s thousands of years old; he can wait! And he does, doggedly pursuing Anderson until they develop an amicable rivalry. 

This would probably take place after or before the events of the main books (not the short story ones). Otherwise, there’d be an awful lot going on around them.

[paragonevil]

I'm gonna be honest, as far as Aku, evil overlord dictator of an empire that's dedicated to wiping out most if not all of humanity, you write him too mushy. He's supposed to be a sociopath, from what we see in the show, but you have him being shipped with like, a dozen people. You write him waaayy too nice. That being said, I suppose if you didn't, you would have very limited interaction with people, and you've written out "development" for him, but the point still stands that he's way too roman

What do you think about my interpretation? | accepting!

ooc ★ Before I get onto my response, I’d like to thank you for having the audacity to send this. I feel there’s this unhelpful idea in the rpc that people have to agree with everything you post; and to say you disagree with someone’s interpretation is often met with ferocious resistance. But when I reblog memes of this nature asking for opinions, I want the good and the bad. I AM always looking to improve, and to not take criticism when I so freely dish it would be hypocritical of me, I guess. ( For lack of a better word, right off the top of my head. )

I COULD put this under a cut, but I feel this is important enough to just let it sit out in the open. It’s something I’ve been thinking about a while.

That said, two things for you.

Firstly, I LOVE writing violence! In fact, I’d go so far as to say it’s in my top two favorite things to write, right beside slow-burn romance ( and particularly one-sided yearning ). However, while I used to jump at every opportunity to write violence, I can admit I’ve since slowed down a bit. Not only because I’ve gotten progressively less and less people coming to Aku trying to pick a fight with him, but also because I’ve come to feel that fight threads without a purpose to further the plot are repetitive and somewhat boring. It tends to be a lot of the same-old same-old; repetitive actions, repetitive imagery. And yes, while this is a significant piece of his character in the show, and I love exploring it even further and particularly pushing the bounds of his abilities, if it doesn’t serve a purpose in the greater scheme of a plot or an arc then... Why waste your time with it? And frankly this goes for all repetitive actions, like gratuitous sex and slice-of-life. If it doesn’t serve a purpose to write, such as say to kill an important enemy or fight a significant battle or even to maim a loved one when he’s not himself and bring down the angst hammer, then? Why.

Secondly, despite not wanting to write violence just for the sake of violence... I can admit I want some conflict over here. But that’s just the thing. In Aku’s main verse he’s samurai-less. I did this simply because the NUMEROUS Jack blogs there used to be have since become inactive, and if my initial intention with Aku’s blog almost from the very start was for him to kill a Jack and switch over to my Bad End universe, I can’t very well have Aku always worried about a ghostly, intangible threat that he can’t confront. And of all the Jack’s on this hellsite, of which I’ve written with and followed more than a few along the way, I can only name ONE which is still active. ( And another which followed me today, on that note, but they don’t have a rules nor an about page, so. )  ...But that first Jack I mentioned, @sonxflight, we don’t really write anymore. Nowadays Dari’s been more focused on fluff / romance threads, and I’ve been more interested in developing Aku’s mental health. Aku isn’t gonna go out of his way to confront a Jack that he views as not being his problem. Dari’s Jack isn’t the one from my Aku’s universe. Dari and I just kinda tag each other in dash memes and comment on one another’s posts once in a while; and that’s about the extent I see action from a Jack nowadays.

I would LOVE some more conflict on this blog! But I’m not going out of my way to find it if it doesn’t particularly serve to further my current plot— which is Aku’s eventual ascension to Godhood at the end of this year. And that’s another thing, if Aku himself doesn’t stand to gain anything from talking to someone, inciting a conflict, or being a dick to somebody, he’s pretty much going to keep his distance. He finds most people to be a waste of his time; and this is nothing against other RPers whom I love seeing on dash! Because lord knows I’d love to push him to interact with folks. But if Aku himself looks down his nose at most people and finds them not only boring but also boorishly stupid, then there’s not much else for it. He sees others that come to him for money, freedom, and other boons in exchange for their services as nothing more than cattle; and frequently this is how his meetings with new people go. Meeting others out in the field is the best way to get a truly organic and not copy-and-pasted interaction out of him. And even then, there’s still numerous factors which would predicate how such an encounter might go.

Because there’s not too much conflict on this blog for now, I’ve decided to take greater liberties with exploring shipping and platonic relationships also. But for those of you who have followed me for a while, who have seen me mention on more than one occasion that slice-of-life threads aren’t really my schtick, I can understand why you might be a bit confused. Well, allow me to explain: the reason I’ve chosen to place greater emphasis on these kinds of relationships lately is to preclude a little RP / character bleed mishap which happened recently and which impacted my enjoyment when writing as him and even just simply being on this blog. And by ‘recently’ I mean slowly, over a period of the past several months.

Aku’s entire arc with Rick demonstrated to both of us that he’s in an incredibly bad kind of headspace in regards to healthy relationships on this blog. In his universe with Rick, basically all his ties are a result of his relationship with Rick. Bill ( wildgcd, whose blog has since been deleted ) and Ashi ( @tigersteeth ) are both inactive, and have been for months +. They’re the only ones with whom Aku has a healthy relationship that isn’t directly tied to Rick in that universe, and as a result he tends to rely quite heavily on Rick for his social needs. So when Rick left him too, Aku’s abandonment issues reared their head. Unhelpfully, mun has a problem with abandonment amongst a slew of emotional / psychological problems quite similar in nature to the one’s Aku suffers from— albeit with a fun little mortal twist. 🤗 So I knew I needed to take action so I could comfortably be on his blog in the inevitability that Stephanie goes on hiatus again. Which is why I’m trying to focus a bit more on building more platonic and romantic relationships besides the ones with Rick and co. that way Aku has more people with whom to spend his time when Rick is away.

Furthermore, now that Jack’s out of the picture regardless of verse, Aku’s allowed himself to focus more on making friendships and forming attachments just in general. One of the reasons he tended not to do such before is because he felt that Jack would kill whomever he felt close to in an effort to get to him. In fact, he even shouted at Rick for daring to mention that he and Jack could possibly work together to build a future which would be brighter and better for everyone; because he felt certain that Rick would wind up being targeted by Jack to get to Aku.

He’s started going to therapy, also, to address long-held mistaken beliefs in himself, too. Beliefs which interfered with the relationships he had tried to foster with others; it was enough to frustrate him, when he let himself acknowledge such, and he knew he needed to sit down and talk with someone professionally if he didn’t exactly have friends around per se with whom he could talk. Also, I personally believe he chose not to do such before, because his very existence was hinged on destroying Jack so he could conquer the universe in peace without meeting resistance. While he knew he was unhappy and knew furthermore that he had some problems that needed addressing— and had even made a thin attempt to talk about such with himself in show canon as you recall—  ultimately his mental well-being took second banana to making sure Jack was DEAD.

The therapy, coupled with his own slow internal journey, some perspective which was afforded to him during Rick’s absence, and some 4th wall Discord conversations has lent him valuable insight on the way he functions—and how Nightmare works too. Who, in many ways is just himself but with unchecked mental delusions and mistaken beliefs that had grown unchecked. He saw what had happened to Nightmare mentally, and didn’t want such a fate for himself. Hence the therapy and greater, braver attempts to let himself be closer to others.

Finally in the case of Bill and Nightmare... both of them take place in different universes, of course. Universes which in themselves were split just after the break up between Aku and Rick. Aku is still thoroughly alone in those universes, because again. He doesn't have Rick and all the people who were brought into his life as a result of his relationship with him. He’s at that point in his immortal life where he’d like to try his courage and test out the things he’d discovered about himself in therapy and in his personal self-explorations, and see about developing a relationship with someone with a fresh perspective with his recent failure as Rick’s partner in mind. Which is why he’s so amicable with them and trying to get to know them better. He wants to see what a healthy relationship, platonic or otherwise, developed on his own might be like.

However. I WILL acknowledge that Aku trying to make friends with people is ooc. It’s ALSO ooc for Aku to try fucking / romancing someone. There, I said it.

But you know why that is? It’s because that facet of his character was never explored in canon, even in all the comics, games, and the addition of the 5th season in 2017. So I suppose you could say that if I were to play him absolutely true to his canon material he’d only ever be a fucking mauling, mutilating, destroying, force of nature. Which yes, he still is despite my writing him how I do with a greater emphasis here lately on developing relationships with other characters. I ask you: isn’t the whole point of RP to develop dynamics and explore facets of a character that canon neglected? I could do fight threads all day, boy; but please ask yourself: how much would that really serve to further my interpretation and understanding of him, if at that point I’m just rehashing canon fights with a fresh coat of paint and different enemies? Whereas platonic and romantic relationships are a thoroughly headcanon and character-development heavy area for a character like Aku, who hasn’t had a single friendship or romantic relationship in his canon media.

And if you’d like cliff notes, rp examples of him being fucking EVIL, and links to evil headcanons I have you’re more than welcome to send a second ask asking for said information. But I think I’ve already given you plenty to think about and read, unless you’re some kind of masochist and want to torture yourself more with reading my self-absorbed and self-assured opinion. Thanks for making it this far, here’s your consolation prize.

TL;DR: Canon already gives me fights for days, boy. And while I thoroughly enjoy writing fight threads, they tend to be repetitive and exhausting if they’re not serving a purpose in a plot arc. Whereas things like interpersonal relationships for a character like Aku, who did not see such development in his canon media, is full of things to explore. And ultimately that’s what RP is about, exploring facets of a character which canon doesn’t explore for you. Once again, thank you for asking, and I hope this answers your question. I can provide examples for everything cited above, as well as fight threads and evil moments abound if you’d like. Furthermore, if there’s anything I do in RP which confuses you or which you feel is ooc, I invite you to jump in my askbox again with further questions. I’d be happy to explain my reasoning for ANYTHING I write!

P.S. I INVITE you to form your own opinions and compare me to my duplicates, 90-100% of whom are inactive. <:) Here they are, for your browsing convenience: @unspeakablyevil @akunoakuma @onibred @aku-blogs @shogundad Take a gander, consider what I just told you, and then see if you can hit me with this same anon again, yes? 😏���

[phoenix-downer]

Sora and Xehanort’s Final Conversation: Japanese and English Comparison

This is the fourth in a series of translation posts I’ve done about KH3. The first three were about Sora and Kairi’s scenes in KH3, but this one will be about Sora and Xehanort’s final conversation.

Here’s a general key for the kind of analysis I like to do:

JP: Official Japanese Dialogue

EN: Official English Dialogue

TR: My Translation (usually more literal and thus more stilted than the official English version. I’m not using natural-sounding English in order to stick as close to the Japanese versions of the lines as possible for the purpose of analysis)

Notes: things I found interesting, grammatical points, extra thoughts, etc.

One last note: media doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Every work of art must be viewed through the cultural lens of the people who made it. Kingdom Hearts, for all its ties to Disney, is still very much a Japanese game, so it should be analyzed in light of that.

With that in mind, let’s continue.

After you defeat Xehanort, the cutscene opens with this shot of Kingdom Hearts:

The camera zooms out:

And we get this shot of Scala ad Caelum:

Quick note on the name: it means “Stairway to Heaven” or “Stairway to the Sky” in Latin (according to a quick check - my knowledge of Latin is rudimentary at best). Caelum is a part of Noctis’s name (of FFXV fame), and, of course, Sora means sky in Japanese, so the link between Sora and this world is clear.

This shot of the sky really emphasizes this fact, and note that night is already starting to fade as a new day dawns:

The camera pans down... 

...and Xehanort is standing on a white/light square, Donald and Goofy are standing on the gold anchor-like thing, and Sora is standing on a black/dark square. Sora and Xehanort are standing on opposite sides; Xehanort on the white “square,” Sora on the black “square,” like two kings facing each other off in a game of chess.

Is it symbolic? Probably. It’s interesting that Xehanort is on the white “square” and Sora on the black one, as perhaps we might expect the opposite, as Sora is on the side of good and Xehanort is on the side of evil. Perhaps it also foreshadows Sora’s final fate - to be lost, to be alone, while Xehanort gets to... ascend to the light with Eraqus? Hard to say.

Sora is not alone here, though; here at least he has Donald and Goofy with him.

We get a slightly closer look at this design...

...and we can see that there are seven numbers, starting with I on the bottom-right corner and moving clockwise. I, II, and III use Roman numerals, but the other letters do not; they use a star-shaped pattern of sorts. Sora is standing by the III. Maybe because this game is Kingdom Hearts III? 

Three is also a number associated with completion, wholeness, perfection and even divinity in Christianity, and Nomura has used Christian imagery in the series before, so... Sora will be a god/have godlike powers someday confirmed?

I kid, I kid. This is reaching at straws a bit, but it’s fun to speculate, and Sora’s placement here is interesting to note nonetheless. The number seven is also significant because it’s the number of the Guardians of Light and the number of the Foretellers plus Luxu and the Master of Masters. It’s another number that tends to be associated with wholeness/perfection as well.

Continuing on, the camera moves to this shot of Xehanort’s leg:

And then he drops the χ-Blade in a shot that is a visual callback to an earlier shot in the game...

...namely, when Sora’s friends were torn from him and he likewise dropped his Keyblade:

Xehanort collapses to the ground at Sora’s feet with black smoke wafting off him (probably a sign he’s fading)...

...much like how Sora dropped to the ground at the Keyblade Graveyard (minus the smoke):

As I said in an earlier analysis, this is significant because Xehanort is no longer towering over him. They’re on equal footing now. Sora has dragged him off his high horse and defeated him, and Xehanort is a guy who loves to tower over people...

...whereas Sora lowers himself to be at the same level as his smaller friends:

Not only that, Sora has actually managed to get Xehanort to collapse to the ground when before he had collapsed to the ground over his grief at losing his friends, culminating in the moment he loses Kairi... 

...and then his grief over Kairi’s death:

But not here. He’s the one standing over Xehanort for once: 

Man was this satisfying to see.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy are all panting in this scene, indicating how grueling the battle was for them. Look at Donald and Goofy’s glares, too:

Xehanort tries to lift himself up...

...to no avail. He’s too weak, so he collapses back to the ground:

JP なぜだ　なぜこんなー

EN Why... How...

TR Why... Why like thisー

Notes: No real significant difference here. In both versions Xehanort seems to be questioning how he was defeated like this, implying he’s in a state of disbelief that he was defeated by these three in particular.

We can see he isn’t doing so well, and he winces in pain:

His pose is reminiscent of Sora’s pose when he despairs. Sora’s fists are clenched, and Xehanort has one fist clenched as well.

The camera cuts to Sora...

...who flings his arm out...

...and then clenches his fist again. He sounds furious/fed up with the way Miyu Irino delivers his lines, too:

JP 決着はついた　もうあきらめろ！

EN It’s over now! You lost!

TR It’s over. Give up already!

Notes: “It’s over” can also mean something like “it’s settled” here. They fought, Sora (and Donald and Goofy) won, Xehanort lost, the matter has been decided. And when Sora tells Xehanort to give up, he’s commanding him to do so by using the imperative form of this verb, akiramero. In other words, he’s had it with Xehanort at this point and is sick of fighting him.

But Xehanort isn’t about to give up that easily:

JP 見るがいい　もう手遅れだ

EN No, look... You are too late...

TR Take a look. You’re too late/you lost your final chance.

Notes: “Take a look” is literally “(to) look is good,” but I changed it to make sense in English/to better match the pragmatic meaning of the Japanese sentence instead of the literal meaning. Even in defeat Xehanort won’t give in; he taunts Sora by telling him it’s too late already anyway.

Sora and Donald inhale sharply and look up...

...to see Kingdom Hearts looming above them:

Something is happening. Light is starting to leech off of it in a way that almost looks like solar flares:

Sora and Donald both notice. Look at their concerned faces:

Sora gasps...

...and tilts his head a little higher:

As Donald and Goofy confer about what’s going on, Sora keeps looking up at Kingdom Hearts:

JP 手遅れなの？

EN Are we really?

TR Are (we really) too late?

Notes: Goofy uses the construction ~nano here at the end of his sentence to check for confirmation from Donald, hence the English version’s use of the word “really” here.

JP わかんないよ！

EN I don’t know.

TR I don’t know!

Notes: Donald speaks really colloquially here and it’s pretty cute; instead of the standard wakaranai he uses wakannai. He also uses the emphatic particle yo at the end of the sentence to make it clear he has no idea either.

The camera cuts back to Sora, and he is furious about what’s happening. Note his gritted teeth, curled lip, and eyebrows tilted downward in a frown:

He even leans forward as he chews Xehanort out:

JP 何が起きるんだ？

EN What’s gonna happen?

TR What’s gonna happen?

Notes: Sora uses the ~nda form here to indicate he wants an explanation and he wants an answer.

As he finishes his sentence, he is leaning forward and still glaring: 

The camera cuts to a shot of Xehanort still on the ground at Sora, Donald, and Goofy’s feet. Note Sora’s clenched fists and how he’s hunched over:

Xehanort tries to get up again, and you can see Sora relax a little:

JP 浄化　世界を元の状態にリセットするのだ

EN A purge... The World will be returned whence it started.

TR Purification. The World will be reset to its original state/condition.

Notes: Xehanort uses the construction ~noda at the end of the sentence to give an explanation. Sora asked for it, and he’s giving it. 

The word I translated as “original” here, moto, can mean a number of things, including “origin,” “source,” “foundation,” or even “root,” depending on context. I’m mentioning it here because it shows up again later on in Xehanort’s story, and I have to translate it differently for it to make sense in English.

Xehanort says “whence” in English to indicate he is speaking in a narrative fashion, as “whence” is no longer commonly used in English anymore.

The English version of Kingdom Hearts renders sekai as World with a capital W here to refer to the overall World that existed before it was split into the smaller worlds you now visit on the Gummi Ship, and I maintained that distinction here. Japanese kanji and kana don’t have capital or lowercase letters, so this is something the English localization uses to make the distinction between the World and the worlds clear for the English-speaking fans.

The word the English version translated as “purge,” jōka, can mean a purge or purification. Looking it up on Google, I found the following definition:

よごれや悪を取り除いて、清浄・清潔にすること。

To remove things like dirt and evil, and make them pure/clean. 

So in other words, the World will be purged/purified and reset to its original condition/the state it was in at the beginning. That was Xehanort’s goal.

Continuing on, Sora fully straightens and lets out a surprised noise, his hands no longer in fists:

Xehanort manages to lift himself up to a kneeling position, and he is clutching his side, clearly still injured:

JP 世界の起源は闇だ　光はその闇から生まれたー

EN The World began in darkness. And from that darkness came light.

TR The origin/beginning of the World is darkness. From that darkness, light was born.

Notes: The word I translated as “born” umareta, can also mean “come from/came from,” hence why the English version went with “came” here. In the second sentence I rearranged the order a little to make better sense in English; in Japanese it’s more literally, “Light, from that darkness was born.”

Also, just as a quick note that will apply throughout this analysis: Japanese does not have articles, so any “the” and “a” and “an” in the English version or translation have been implied from context and added in the translation. Japanese simply does not grammaticalize the definite/indefinite distinction the way English (and a lot of other European languages) does.

JP そして　その光から人が生まれ　心が生まれた

EN From the light came the people, and the people had hearts.

TR Then, from that light people were born, and hearts were born.

Notes: The English translation did a good job of maintaining the story-like language Xehanort uses here. In Japanese he uses umareta or a variation of it several times at the end of his phrases to form nice parallels, which the English version translates as “came” in most cases.

Anyway, according to Xehanort’s story, the world began in darkness. Then, from that darkness came light, and from that light came people, and then came hearts. But the story doesn’t end there.

Xehanort winces again here, indicating he’s still in a lot of pain:

The camera cuts to this shot, and Xehanort is standing by the number six, which is one number short of the number of completion/perfection (in Christian thought at least), seven. Because it falls short of seven, it can mean imperfection. It is also is the number associated with humanity, as in the creation story in Genesis, humanity was created on the sixth day.

Significant? Maybe, maybe not. Xehanort certainly falls short of the mark of perfection, that’s for sure. He wore armor reminiscent of a goat earlier on... 

...and goats are associated with the devil, so... 

Xehanort as a fallen angel of light makes a lot of sense, actually. As the Kingdom Hearts version of Lucifer, as it were. Especially with his whole speech in this scene about wanting to reset the World to get rid of the darkness and bring back the original light. 

In the next line, he also talks about how evil came into the World while standing by the number associated with imperfection and/or humanity, so... actually yeah, maybe this is all linked together:

JP 心に悪意が生まれ　結局また闇が生まれた

EN  Evil burgeoned in those hearts, begetting more darkness.

TR In people’s hearts evil/malice was born, and finally, darkness was born again.

Notes: This is where the direct umareta/“came” parallel is a little lost in English, though the meaning is maintained in a way that makes Xehanort’s story sound very poetic. Xehanort uses words like “beget” which are typically only used in religious contexts in modern English to add a sense of gravity and religious gravitas to his speech.

Speaking of religion, the Japanese version of these lines strikes me as very cyclical. The World began in darkness. Then, from that darkness light was born, and from that light people were born, and then hearts. From hearts evil/malice was born, and in the end darkness was born again. The World began in darkness and darkness is born anew; the cycle repeats. 

This type of language reminds me of Buddhism, with its cycle of birth, suffering, death, and rebirth. This isn’t surprising, as Kingdom Hearts is a Japanese game and Buddhism (along with Shintoism) were the majority religions for a very long time in Japan (though less so in modern times, as more and more people are not religious nowadays). Perhaps Xehanort is trying to break this cycle (or a similar cycle) by resetting the universe.

The word for evil/malice here, akui, is also often used in legal contexts to refer to crimes that were done in bad faith. When I googled the word, I also got this definition:

他人や物事に対していだく悪い感情、または見方。

Bad feelings or perspectives towards other people and things (among other things).

The word I translated “finally” here, kekkyoku, I am noting here because I will have to translate it differently later on but wanted to point out the parallel in the original version. It can also mean “in the end.”

Continuing on, the camera pans to Sora, Donald, and Goofy, still standing by that III:

Then cuts to Donald, who looks very distressed by Xehanort’s story:

JP そうやって世界を闇で覆っていったのだ

EN And that darkness spread across the World like a plague.

TR In this way, the World was covered in darkness. 

Notes: Xehanort uses the ~noda construction here again at the end of the sentence to give an explanation. 

The word I translated as “was covered,” ōtteitta, can also mean “to hide,” “to conceal,” “to wrap,” “to disguise.” It can be used in the context of snow or water covering land, for example. In this sentence I’m sort of getting the sense that the darkness cloaked the World and covered it. 

The English version goes with the plague metaphor, which immediately brings forth to mind images of impurity/dirt/disease in association with darkness. Which is fitting for the overall tone of the scene, as Xehanort claims he wanted to purge/purify the World.

The camera changes to a shot of Sora that begins at his heart and pans up to his face along with a line that very well might have been meant as foreshadowing:

JP 世界に生まれた光という希望も　結局は闇になる

EN The light, the symbol of the World’s hope, was devoured by shadow.

TR In the end, the hope that is the light born in the World also becomes darkness. 

Notes: The phrase I translated as “in the end” is the same word I translated as “finally” earlier, kekkyoku. Just wanted to point out that parallel because Xehanort is deliberately reusing certain words over and over again here in the telling of his story.

The Japanese version says that even the light becomes darkness again, whereas the English version says that the light was devoured by darkness. The end result is the same though: darkness.

I think it’s very telling that this line is spoken when Sora is shown; he is the light and the symbol of the World’s hope, in a way, and earlier in this scene we saw him transform into darkness...

...and at the end of this game he will be lost as well.

Continuing on:

JP この世界はもうダメだ　失敗したのだ

EN Leaving nothing but ruin... An utter failure.

TR This World is no good anymore. It’s a failure.

Notes: Xehanort uses the ~noda construction here again at the end of the sentence to give an explanation, and the phrase I translated as “It’s a failure” is more literally, “It failed.”

The phrasing is a little different in the Japanese and English versions, but the overall meaning/intent is the same: Xehanort thinks this World is a failure and that a new one is needed. Xehanort delivers these lines with a lot of emotion, too; clearly he feels strongly about this.

The camera switches to a shot of Kingdom Hearts again:

JP だから　はじまりの光ー

EN  But, the first lightー

TR So, the first lightー

Notes: The Japanese version is more literally, “(the) light of the beginning.”

JP キングダムハーツによって　世界を元からはじめればいい

EN the light of Kingdom Heartsー it can give us a new start.

TR by (using) Kingdom Hearts, (we) should start the World from the beginning.

Notes: The word moto is used here again, which I translated as “original” earlier but “beginning” here.

There is no “we” pronoun in the Japanese version; Japanese does not require pronouns the same way English does and they can often be dropped and implied/inferred from context. I added in the “we” for it to make sense in English. 

Xehanort uses the ~baii construction, which he’ll use again here soon. It’s a conditional grammar construction and it’s used here to indicate what Xehanort thinks is the best course of action.

JP 何もない　真っ白な世界からー

EN An empty World, pure and bright...

TR Nothing/empty... from a pure/blank Worldー

Notes: Kept the translation very literal here to make it clear what exactly the Japanese version said.

While it’s true masshiro can mean “blank,” it can also mean “pure.” Think in the sense of “pure white.” For a more detailed Japanese definition, feel free to check this dictionary entry out. I saw debate over whether the English version mistranslated this part and thus messed up Xehanort’s motives, but as masshiro can mean blank or pure, I’d say the translators handled this part very well, especially with some of the other phrasing Xehanort uses in this scene (like purify/purge).

Continuing on, Sora doesn’t let Xehanort finish his grand speech; he interrupts him in a very satisfying “shut up and stop rambling” moment:

JP それは　おまえが決めることじゃない

EN It wasn’t your decision to make.

TR That’s not your decision (to make). / That’s not something (for) you (to) decide. 

Notes: The word for “decision/decide,” kimeru, I will have to translate as something else later on for it to flow well in English, but the word used in the Japanese version is kimeru throughout. 

Anyway, Xehanort is not happy to hear this and clutches the χ-Blade:

And struggles to his feet as Sora, Donald, and Goofy watch:

He’s still weak, though, so he has to brace himself with the χ-Blade (props to the χ-Blade for actually being sharp enough to pierce the ground):

Then speaks again:

JP では　誰が決める？

EN Then whose was it?

TR Then who (gets to) decide?

Notes: The word for "decide” here is kimeru again. 

Xehanort holds the χ-Blade up before holding it at his side:

And Sora reacts, not liking how Xehanort is holding the χ-Blade like that again:

But, he very tellingly says nothing. Perhaps because he doesn’t have an answer. Perhaps because he knows Xehanort thinks he will claim he should have been the one to decide instead of Xehanort. But Sora isn’t arrogant; he doesn’t think he should make this kind of decision for people because he knows he has no right to. So he says nothing instead.

Xehanort misunderstands Sora’s silence as not understanding, and so tries to explain to him. Here you can even see him do his weird finger thing before he clenches his fist:

JP 力を持つ者が決めるしかない

EN The World needs someone to stand up and lead.

TR Only those who have power can decide.

Notes: Here we have Xehanort’s whole philosophy in a nutshell. He thinks that only the people with power should be allowed to decide. Took long enough, but he’s finally giving Sora (and the audience) a straight answer. 

The word for "decide” here is kimeru again. The word for “only,” shikanai, means something like “there is no choice but to~.” The word I translated as “those,” mono, more literally means “people.” Xehanort’s saying the only option here is for the people with power to decide.

The Japanese version gives a bit of a “survival of the fittest, the powerful will rule over the weak” sort of vibe with the phrasing. He’s pulling from the evil dictator textbook, basically, and the English version diverges from the Japanese version here and phrases the whole thing in terms of leadership. Yes, it’s a noticeable change, but I think it works well, plus it gives Sora some really awesome lines here in a bit.

JP 力なき者は強者の決めた世界で身勝手に闇を生み出すだけだ

EN Someone strong, to stop the weak from polluting the World with their endless darkness.

TR Those without power, in the World the strong have chosen, only selfishly bring forth darkness.

Notes: “Chosen” was kimeta, the past tense of kimeru, in the Japanese version.

The word I translated as “the strong,” kyōsha, is literally “strong person,” when you look at the kanji. Xehanort defines weak people as those without power and strong people as those with it. He blames the weak for bringing darkness into the World, says it’s all they do, and calls their behavior selfish. 

You sure get the vibe that he thinks the weak are only capable of bringing forth more and more darkness, which is probably why in his mind he is justified in resetting the universe, murdering Kairi, attempting to murder Sora and the rest of his friends, norting Terra for years, trying to nort Sora, a murder attempt on his best friend, etc., etc. in order to bring about a new World. It’s all for the best in the end, right? The ends justify the means, don’t they?

No. They absolutely do not. 

And speaking of which, what on earth was he thinking with murdering Kairi? She’s one of the few hearts that is made of the pure light he claims to love so much. He wants that light back so badly he’s resetting the universe, and yet one of the few people it exists in naturally he decides to... kill off? For motivation Sora didn’t need because he already had plenty of motivation to fight him? What?

In other words, Xehanort is a massive hypocrite who can’t even behave consistently with his own beliefs. What else is new.

Continuing on, the camera focuses on his face in profile here:

JP 強者の決めた運命を受け入れていればいい

EN Someone to dictate their destiny.

TR (They) should accept the fate the strong have chosen.

Notes: “Chosen” was kimeta, the past tense of kimeru, in the Japanese version. The ~baii construction pops up again here to indicate what Xehanort thinks is the best course of action.

So now the strong get to decide the fate of the weak, hmmmm? Man, I wonder where I’ve heard that kind of reasoning before...

Oh yeah, that’s right. Evil dictators. Xehanort still sounds like one of those. He has delusions of grandeur, but Sora’s about to set him straight.

The camera goes to a wide angle to paint Sora and Xehanort’s ideological clash in epic strokes, with Sora on one end of the screen and Xehanort on the other. Between the two of them are three doorways with three keyholes above those doorways. Symbolic? Probably. It makes for a lovely visual even if it’s not though.

JP だとしたらー

EN  If so...

TR If soー

Notes: Sora decides to entertain Xehanort’s notion for a moment. Okay, even if the social Darwinism nonsense he’s spouting is true (it’s not), does that mean Xehanort deserves to rule?

Sora’s face is shown in profile here on the left side of the screen, in contrast with Xehanort’s face being shown in profile earlier on the right side of the screen:

And Sora gives his answer:

JP おまえも強者じゃないよ　ゼアノート

EN  you’re not that person, Xehanort.

TR you aren’t one of the strong either, Xehanort.

Notes: The Japanese version is more literally, “You also aren’t the strong/a strong person, Xehanort.”

Sora uses the derogatory/familiar pronoun for “you” here, omae, to address Xehanort, showing how little regard he has for him. He also uses the particle yo to indicate he’s imparting knowledge to Xehanort - he’s telling him that he’s not fit to decide. His sass and attitude is great here; he’s speaking like he’s qualified to instruct Xehanort on this.

I love the Japanese version of this line because he’s basically saying, “Okay, maybe all of the stuff you just said is true, but you know what? You’re not one of the strong. You’re one of the weak. You don’t deserve to rule. You don’t deserve to decide other people’s fates for them.”

The English version is fantastic too. As Xehanort’s lines in the English version earlier phrased this in terms of leadership, Sora tells him he’s not the one who should lead. He’s not fit to lead.

In both languages, Sora hands Xehanort an excellent burn. 

Xehanort is displeased at hearing this:

Then makes a hmmm? noise...

...and tilts his head, waiting for Sora to say more:

And he does, and look how angry Goofy and Donald still are:

JP 本当の強者は世界の運命は握らない

EN A real leader knows that destiny is beyond his control...

TR A real/true strong person doesn’t grasp/seize (the) World’s fate/destiny.

Notes: The word for “strong person” here is still kyōsha, which I translated as “the strong” earlier. Had to tweak things a bit for the sake of English grammar. Makes sense that the English version went with “leader” to maintain the parallel throughout and avoid this problem.

In the Japanese version, the focus is on the World’s fate/destiny, probably to parallel all those other times Xehanort spoke about the World, whereas the English version focuses on destiny in general. Sora also notes that a real leader/strong person doesn’t try to control destiny or seize it for himself/herself. In fact, Sora would probably consider someone who does so to be unworthy of such power, just how he considers Xehanort unworthy of the power. 

The English version adds in the pronoun “his” because again in Japanese pronouns tend to be omitted and implied from context. By saying what a real leader does here, he is saying that Xehanort is not one... and, perhaps, subtly claiming that he is one, as he has accepted his fate/destiny, whatever it may be.

The word here for fate/destiny, unmei, also pops up in Sora’s opening lines. Borrowing from an earlier analysis: 

JP

奪われた世界ー

奪われた心ー

その繋がりを断ち切られてもー

それが運命ならー

歩む道は帰るべき方向を常に向いている

EN

They can take your world.

They can take your heart.

Cut you loose from all you know.

But if it’s your fate…

…then every step forward will always be a step closer to home.

TR

(My) world was stolenー

(My) heart was stolenー

(My) connection (to my friends) was even brokenー

(But even) if that’s (my) fateー

The road to walk, the way that will lead me homeー I’ll always keep facing it.

Notes: These lines show how Sora has accepted his fate, and in the KH3 Ultimania Nomura confirmed that these lines reflect Sora’s mindset at the end of the game I believe it was (someone fact check me on that though please!) 

Even though Sora doesn’t say it outright, his words here could be taken to mean he thinks he’s the rightful leader here, not Xehanort, because he has accepted his fate in a way that Xehanort refuses to. At the very least, Xehanort does not deserve to rule because he’s trying to seize hold of the World’s fate/destiny.

And we see Sora follow through on this in the end; he accepts his death with dignity and saves Kairi, even knowing it will probably cost him his life. 

He blinks here briefly:

Then opens his eyes again to deliver the rest of his speech, complete with extra frowning at Xehanort. Note how his eyebrows change position:

JP そんな力は持たないよ

EN and accepts that.

TR You can’t hold/keep that kind of power.

Notes: Sora flat up tells Xehanort in the Japanese version that that kind of power is not something that can be grasped, held, or kept. Fate/destiny cannot be controlled the way Xehanort is trying to.

The Japanese version does not have the word “can’t” or “you” in it; Sora more literally says, “(You) don’t hold that kind of power.”

Sora uses the particle yo here again to really emphasize that he’s telling Xehanort this. 

He continues to stare Xehanort down after he finishes speaking:

Then we get this closeup shot of Xehanort’s face...

...as his eyes narrow:

The camera goes back to Sora’s face in a similar closeup shot:

And Sora’s eyebrows tilt downwards even further as he just continues to glare at Xehanort:

It’s a battle of wills, if you may. Who will stand down first?

The answer is Xehanort. He actually smiles, too:

Takes a moment to gather his thoughts:

And says:

JP おまえは我が友に似ているな

EN You... make me think of an old friend.

TR You’re like my friend.

Notes: Xehanort uses the same derogatory/familiar pronoun for “you” Sora used earlier to address him, omae. Here it seems a little less hostile though. Xehanort also uses the pronoun wa here to refer to himself when in other contexts he’s used watashi, I believe? 

Huh. Probably using wa here because he’s an old dude. 

He also uses the particle na at the end of the sentence to express some extra emotion with his declaration here.

He even smiles a little, probably because he’s thinking back on fond memories he has of Eraqus:

Sora just stares back at him, and the background kinda looks like he’s wearing a giant crown though I admit this is a stretch. Goofy’s displeased look sure isn’t though:

The scene goes on and the others arrive, so skipping forward to this moment when Xehanort hands over the χ-Blade:

JP 見事だった

EN Very well done.

TR (You did) splendidly/admirably/excellently.

Notes: Xehanort expresses his admiration for Sora’s efforts here. 

Note Sora’s shocked look:

He looks down...

...then takes the χ-Blade. Note how one hand is on the hilt and the other hand is holding part of the χ-Blade’s wing-like things, almost like he’s admiring it:

Then he takes it from Xehanort and looks up:

And as someone pointed out... (can’t remember who, sorry, but credit to you!) this is the first time Sora has officially been bequeathed a Keyblade by someone else. And it was Xehanort who was the one to do it. 

Make of that what you will.

Screenshots are from here and here. Usual disclaimers apply about my Japanese ability and translation abilities being a work in progress, etc. Might tweak things if I notice mistakes or if people mention stuff I forgot to.

[yes-these-obsessions-are-healthy]

Relationship Tag - Dorian x Da’Fen

Disagreements:

Who is more likely to raise their voice? Da’Fen, but he raises his voice whether he’s happy or angry. Dorian prefers to get quiet. Who threatens to leave but never actually does? Neither, because they feel it is an “unworthy” threat to make  Who actually keeps their word and leaves? N/A  Do either of them get physical? If really pressed, Dorian may grab at his own hair or grab Da’Fen by the arm, but other than that, no.  How often do they argue/disagree? Rarely  Who is the first to apologise? Dorian, but that’s because he says it immediately after stepping out of line. He’s conscientious of himself and his more venomous side and tries not to let it touch Da’Fen if at all possible.

Sex:

Who is on top? I headcanon Dorian as a vers, but with Da’Fen he’s a top 90% of the time  Who is on the bottom? Da’Fen is an enthusiastic bottom.  Who has the strangest desires? Da’Fen is really fixated on Dorian’s nipples for some reason. He likes to suckle them long enough for it to seem a bit obsessive, like “Okay, darling? As far as I’m aware, I haven’t begun lactating. Could you j-u-u-u-s-t --” *pries Da’Fen’s head from chest with a POP* “--Ah! There we are.”  Any kinks? Dorian mentioned in-game that he looks good in rope, so there’s that...Both are really into praise kink, whether it’s themselves or each other. Da’Fen loves/hates tease & denial. Dorian likes making Da’Fen beg and overstimulating him. Dorian also likes worshipping Da’Fen’s body because he is a lithe little thing reminiscent of the nude busts found in Tevinter (Roman youth sculpture reference!)  Who’s dominant in bed? Dorian  Is head ever in the equation? Almost always  If so, who is better at performing it? Dorian, only because of age and practice. Da’Fen has so much fun he often ends up giggling and has to stop.  Ever had sex in public? No. Dorian doesn’t want to ruin Da’Fen’s reputation any more than he has.  Who moans the most? Da’Fen.  Who leaves the most marks? Dorian  Who screams the loudest? Da’Fen  Who is the more experienced of the two? Dorian by far  Do they ‘fuck’ or ‘make love’? Da’Fen views all sex with Dorian as making love but for Dorian himself he is coming to terms with the fact that this relationship with Da’Fen is different from what ever affairs he managed to snag in bath houses and taverns as a young man  Rough or soft? Da’Fen allows Dorian to pound him into the mattress once in awhile because “primal” is usually what Dorian wants, but Dorian understands that Da’Fen is a bit more delicate and needs something a bit more … touchy-feely. He’s totally fine with supplying that, and he likes being able to love a lover in all the ways that word entails.  How long do they usually last? Foreplay varies between just a few kisses and lube to really drawing it out – 5 – 20 minutes.    Is protection used? No. Shame shame shame.  Does it ever get boring? Da’Fen treats every round of sex like a new adventure so even the most tried and true maneuvers and techniques are still made fresh with Da’Fen’s bright eyes and eagerness.  Where is the strangest place they’d have sex? A small nook in the Archives, if it was at all possible.

Affection:

Who likes to cuddle? Da’Fen so so so so much.  Who is the little spoon? Da’Fen. Yes, I hug you and now you must cuddle ME in return.  Who gets naughty in the most inappropriate of places? Dorian, honestly.  Who struggles to keep their hands to themself?  Da’Fen. He must. Hug. Everyone.  How long can they cuddle until one becomes uncomfortable? Da’Fen can cuddle indefinitely. Dorian can go for an hour or so and then needs to move around.  Who gives the most kisses? Da’Fen gives the most friendly kisses. Dorian gives the most loving, deeply emotional kisses.  What is their favourite non-sexual activity? For Da’Fen it’s hunting and exploring the forest. For Dorian it’s research and drinking.  Where is their favourite place to cuddle? For Dorian it’s in bed, naturally. For Da’Fen it’s literally any place where there’s a warm body.  Who is more likely to playfully grope the other?  Dorian, but he does it discreetly

Sleeping:

Who snores? Dorian, but only if he’s drunk a lot that night.  Do they share a bed or sleep separately? Da’Fen can’t conceive of sleeping alone. He has always slept with someone, whether his mother or another clan member, very close by. If they sleep together, do they cozy up together or lay far apart? Da’Fen is glued to Dorian like a koala

Who talks in their sleep? Da’Fen. It never used to happen but ever since he and Solas gained a connection in the Fade, snippets of their conversations can be heard spoken by Da’Fen in the waking world.  What do they wear to bed? Dorian goes nude in the summer time or wears a tunic in winter. Da’Fen wears a makeshift fundoshi sort of deal. Dorian was floored to learn it was in fact his sleepwear and not some gimmick to try to seduce him.  Do they wrap their limbs around each other or just lay side by side? The day Dorian doesn’t wrap his arms around Da’Fen to hold him close while they sleep is the day Da’Fen figures they’ve stopped loving each other.  Who wakes up with bed hair? Dorian. It’s always styled before breakfast, though.  Who wakes up first? Depends. Da’Fen is used to waking up at 5 AM (7 AM at the latest) to help his clan with chores and that didn’t stop when he became part of the Inquisition. But since becoming Inquisitor he’s had some run-ins with some dangerous and harmful entities that have put him to sleep on numerous occasions. Essentially, unless it knocks him out cold and puts him out of commission, he is getting up before Dorian.  Who prepares breakfast in bed for the other? Da’Fen tries his best.  What is their favourite sleeping position? On their own: Da’Fen sleeps on his side hugging a pillow. Dorian sleeps on his stomach with his arms bent upwards.  Who hogs the sheets? Da’Fen  Who has nightmares? Dorian sometimes has recurring dreams of that night he left his family estate. He also has dreams of Da’Fen becoming seriously injured and being helpless to stop it.  Who has ridiculous dreams? Da’Fen dreams up a lot of weird shit, mostly harmless, but very bizarre in trying to explain it.  Who sprawls out and takes up most of the bed?  Dorian, sometimes.  Who makes the bed? Neither, but if it has to be done, then both will make it because they figure that holding each other accountable is better than holding one person to do the job.  What time is bed time? 11 PM, but for Dorian it could be 2 AM  Any routines/rituals before bed? Teeth brushing, Da’Fen writing down any lingering thoughts he has that ‘can be answered tomorrow, amatus—please, come to bed’ just so he won’t forget them.  Who’s the grumpiest when they wake up? Dorian, especially if it’s before 10 AM (which it always is)

Home:

Who does the washing? Da’Fen for his own clothes (out of habit). Dorian has a maid do his clothes cuz Da’Fen still doesn’t quite understand “dry clean only”  Who takes out the trash? Da’Fen  Who does the ironing? Da’Fen: ??? You just let it dry and put it on? Dorian: Maid  Who does the cooking? Da’Fen  Who is more likely to burn the house down just trying? Da’Fen  Who is messier?  Da’Fen  Who leaves the toilet roll empty? Da’Fen  Who leaves their dirty clothes on the floor? Da’Fen  Who forgets to flush the toilet? Da’Fen  Who is the prankster around the house? Da’Fen  Who does the groceries? Both of them together. They know what they themselves want to eat and they always only remember their half of the shopping list.  Who takes the longest to shower? Dorian. Double time if Da’Fen decides to hop in.  Who spends the most time in the bathroom? Dorian. Gotta make that hair look luscious.

Miscellaneous:

What do they do when they’re away from each other? Dorian drinks, researches, attends get-togethers with his fellow snobs, listens to Classical, Disco, and Salsa records. Da’Fen is somewhere in the brush climbing trees or anything climbable or visiting family out in the boonies.  Who spends the most money when out shopping? Dorian. He has very expensive tastes  Who’s more likely to flash their assets? Dorian (purposely), Da’Fen (innocently)  Who finds it amusing when the other trips over? Dorian  Any mental issues? Dorian is a borderline alcoholic. Da’Fen has major ADD  Who’s terrified of bugs? Neither are terrified, but Dorian is a bit more unnerved by large ones. Da’Fen just thinks they’re interesting.  Who kills the spiders around the house? Dorian kills them, Da’Fen sets them free outside  Their favourite place? One of the numerous cafes in Val Royeaux  Do they have any fears for their future? Dorian wants the relationship to last forever and fears it’s just a temporary thing. Da’Fen worries about Dorian worrying.  Who’s more likely to surprise the other with a fancy dinner? Dorian  Who uses up all of the hot water? Dorian  Who’s the tallest? Dorian  Who’s more likely to just randomly hop into the shower with the other? Da’Fen  Who wanders around in their underwear? Dorian rarely wears it except when he knows company is around. Da’Fen spends the first hour of the day making multiple trips everywhere trying to get ready, putting pants on last cuz he always forgets those.  Who sings the loudest when singing along to the radio? Da’Fen  What do they tease each other about? Da’Fen teases Dorian about worrying about things like his hair and clothes not looking right. Dorian teases Da’Fen about being a baby because he’s much shorter, younger, and childish than him  Who is more likely to cringe at the other’s fashion sense at times? Dorian does not understand Da’Fen’s insistence on “comfort over couture.” Excuse me, what?  Do they have mutual friends? Both consider Sera to be mutual friends.  Who crushed first? Dorian  Any alcohol or substance related problems? Dorian has a problem with alcohol. He’s a functioning borderline alcoholic, the kind that is acceptable and expected in high society, but when he’s depressed he really lets himself go.  Who is more likely to stumble home, drunk, at 3am? Dorian  Who swears the most? Dorian. Da’Fen can swear, it’s just he doesn’t feel the need to.

[rusalcele]

[ BASICS ... ] 

FACECLAIM: kim junmyeon/suho

GROUP: exo

ACCESSIBILITY: denied

PURPOSE: 1x1 roleplaying

ADDITIONAL: this muse is currently only available for @varictys, but depending on how much i enjoy writing him, there is a chance he will be part of the original group.

[ PROFILE ... ]

NAME: kim voltaire

AGE: 31

BIRTHDAY: 07.08.1987

RACE: human

NATIONALITY: french

PLACE OF BIRTH: south of france, carcassonne.

CURRENT RESIDENCE: france, paris.

JOB: special units detective, paranormal investigator & co-owner of a paranormal investigation agency on the side.

[ BIOGRAPHY ... ]

voltaire having a ridiculous interest in paranormal phenomena is the least surprising thing about him, with him having a clear distate for pigs and horses, being much up higher on the list of unexpected ‘fun facts !’. his fascination with shit that usually ends up killing you out of the same curiosity one blames on having sought it out to begin with, is undoubtedly a direct consequence of having lived in and around cacassonne for most of his life. not that voltaire is complaining; ghost haunting out of a lack of better things to do definitely made up for quite a sick childhood.

now, voltaire can’t swear with his hand over his heart that he has seen anything irrefutably supernatural, ever, in all of the years he’s been on earth; despite having grown up in the perfect environment to have spooky shit happen to him, nothing out of the ordinary had occured to him in his early teens, with the exception of that one time he broke into a roman tower renowned for having housed numerous trials during inquisition, but he can’t be sure since he got some dust inside his eyes the second it got scary. 

however, he is absolutely convinced of the existence of anything and everything that transgresses both our realm, and ability to process it. so much so, in fact, that voltaire has made his entire life gravitate around studying the paranormal, from taking over his college’s club for exploring myths and unexplained events of dubious nature throughout history, to opening and co-owning an agency investigating the unexplained with the same college friends he had run the club and finally, to joining the police forces, infiltrating the ranks of voltaire likes to call the ‘unbelievers’, or the ‘stupid’ on his less kind days, in hopes of being the first in line to witness anything unnatural go down.

voltaire is on the fence regarding his main job — it’s not his dream one, that’s for sure, but it’s not that bad, either, even though he has yet to acquire the desired insight. it’s been a torturous and slow process to score a position as a main detective, but things have been looking up to him ever since he then, with voltaire even being assigned to more challenging cases with the potential of being of the supernatural kind ! nice ! great ! he’s even been appointed a place in the special units tasked with solving the cold cases that have recently been reopened after new developments have been made ! even nicer ! fucking superb !

only that no ! no no no ! because on the same fucking team as him, is none other than [redacted] goddamnit ! [redacted], the very bane of his existence, and easily the most infurriating person voltaire has had the misfortune of ever encountering, who also, happens to be his partner, which is the cherry on top.

had voltaire not sworn to not find rest until he forces his way into a most mindblowing supernatural prophecy, he would’ve personally killed the man himself, but if great sacrifices must be made for such valiant purpose, than to hell with it  — voltaire will hold back onto his murderous desires for however long it takes.

[twdmusicboxmystery]

8x15: Details

Good morning! As promised, here is my details post. ***As always, spoilers about here for 8x15. Don’t read until you’ve watched!***

Carl’s Note to Rick:

Carl's note had some interesting numbers. He talked about his 8th birthday, walks he and Rick took when he was 3 and then said he wished he could make Rick feel safe for 5 minutes. Granted, 5 minutes is just something people say, but why his 8th birthday instead of his 7th? Why talk about walks when he was 3 rather than 4? These are all significant numbers. 8, because we’re in S8, and we think that's when Beth will appear. 3, because rule of threes. If you want to count the 5, she disappeared in S5. 

There were other parallels as well. He listed fun events in the same way she did. Beth: “And we’d have birthdays and holidays and summer picnics…” Carl: “that it could go back to birthdays and school and jobs, and even Friday-night pizza…” The fact that they both mention birthdays is especially compelling. 

Remember that when they attacked the Savior’s compound in 6x12, that’s when the hope really disappeared, along with Beth’s knife. And one of the Saviors whistled the Happy Birthday song.

Michonne:

Lying on a bed here 

is similar to 5x15.

I'm not sure exactly what the connection is. In both cases, a member of TF has recently died and she’s rethinking various aspects of her life. In S5, it was Noah, and she realized she'd been “asleep” inside Alexandria while he was killed in the outside. This was obviously about Carl. Beyond that, are not sure what to make of this, but it seems purposely done.

Gregory and Simon:

They had some interesting dialogue. First, am I the only one who thinks Gregory was being a total wuss? In TTD, they acted like he was being strong. I thought he was just trying to make himself look better. I don't see this as strength, but rather is brown-nosing. Maybe it's just me. They mentioned optics, which made me think about all the vision/eye stuff around Beth.

Gregory complains about how great he is and why he didn't want Simon to kill him. Check out what he says: "I’ve lashed myself to the bow, seen through the storm, and been reborn as a certified shit-kicker." It jumped out at me bc of all boat/ship symbolism and of course we have “reborn” in there. Then he says he doesn't want it to end with him “wandering off into the wilderness." Combined with the boat symbolism, it suggests some sort of long journey.

Eugene:

He eats macaroni and cheese with garlic and sardines. (Eww.) I figured there had to be some symbolism inherent in that. Two possibilities for sardines. 

1) They’re fish. So fish/ocean/symbol Oceanside symbolism. 

2) Sardines can be indicative of an emotional state and then there's thing idiom of being “packed like sardines.” So, it can mean that somebody feels crowded or claustrophobic. 

Garlic on the other hand, is a positive symbol. It symbolizes strength and courage. In terms of the garlic, I'm wondering if it was meant to symbolize Eugene would find his courage to fight against Negan. The sardines may be an Oceanside thing, because it's looking like Aaron may convince the Oceansiders to join the fight.

Father Gabriel:

FG is still in the throes of his religious crisis, wondering if he's changed at all. I noticed he wore a white shirt, and just before Eugene walks away from him, he starts whimpering. It reminded me of 5x16, where he wandered outside the walls in the white shirt and fell down the road and cried. 

I wonder if this is a throwback to that. Not sure what the purpose would be, but it did happen at the end of S5, the last time we saw the music box, so that may be significant.

I talked yesterday about the dumpster. Negan revealed himself to Dwight by the dumpster and later to Simon in the same way. There was a lot of talk of “remembering who you are.” We’ve heard similar things many times in the past few episodes with several different characters. Definitely a throwback to Beth's, "you gotta stay who you are, not who you were."

We saw a lot of X’s in this episode. 

The walkers on the fence are held with chains that make an X over their chests. 

Then there’s the map, which is super interesting. It's a throwback to the map in S5 that Abraham wrote on, and I think that's probably more significant than anyone realizes. 

That map, after all, brought Morgan to TF. Daryl recognized it and knew Morgan was friends with Rick. With this map, there's one X and then 10 circles. (The Roman Numeral for 10 is X). If X= Beth (X, X) I'm hoping it means she'll show up on the battlefield, where this fake plan takes place.

Dumpsters:

I also noticed a dumpster behind Rosita in this shot, when they're escorting Eugene. 

Remember that Eugene's arc here is a retelling of Coda. The dumpster is indicative of a fake death being revealed. So, we see a dumpster when someone thought to be dead turns out to be alive. (A.k.a. Glenn and Negan.) It wouldn't surprise me at all if we see dumpster when Beth returns. So here, we have this retelling of Coda, and there's dumpster involved.

White Trailer:

Also, behind Eugene in the scene is a white trailer, much like the one we saw with Bob in Alone. We also see a church in this scene with a clock in the tower. 

Coda Sequence:

This sequence, where Eugene escapes from Rosita, is really strange, actually. I'm not sure what they were going for with the. The only thing I can think of is that has to be symbiotic.

First, we see a walker with an injury in his forehead, right were Beth’s was. 

Eugene looks around, trying to find a way to escape. He focuses on some walkers he sees reflected in a car window. Plot-wise, I think he just knows that those walkers will slow Rosita down and he'll be able to get away. 

However, seeing walkers in a car window, walking slowly, is suspicious to me. If the walker with the head injury represents Beth, perhaps the walkers in the car window represent the herd TF ran into, causing them to leave Beth behind. 

(The car is orange, which honestly isn’t a huge color for TD. But we did have the orange soda around Denise.)

Maybe I'm reaching a little, I don't know. It’s just what came to mind. Focusing on this car window for so long was a little weird. With the other Coda callbacks (including this alley/brick building looking like the one in Coda) 

I think everything about this is a callback to events in S5.

In fact, Officer Lambson ran past white trailers and dumpsters while fleeing from Rick, just as Eugene does here:

Skeletons pepper the ashes Eugene hides in. 

This is a callback to 6x06, Always Accountable. We saw skeletons in the ash there, and in the burnt-out greenhouse. The skeletons themselves also remind me of 5x09. There weren’t ashes there, but we did see skeletons on the ground around Ty’s death.

Aaron:

I talked about the visual parallels in the sequence between Aaron and Beth yesterday. He also talks about how the Oceansiders don't trust people anymore, and what the Saviors have turned them into. I didn’t notice specific dialogue parallels, but it matches the “you get to come back theme,” and those of trust and general hope.

I’m still side-eyeing Aaron’s arc at Oceanside. They’ve really dragged it out, going much more slowly with it than I would have thought. Not much has happened, so I’m really interested to see where it will lead.

Dwight’s Cigarette:

They focused a lot on Dwight’s cigarette and him putting it out. 

When Negan first revealed himself to Dwight, he asked him to put it out and Dwight did so without hesitation. When Negan reveals himself to Simon, Dwight paces around, looking at the cigarette and the camera focuses on it again. I'm wondering if that cigarette being snuffed out is a death omen for Dwight. It may not be death specifically. It might have just foreshadowed his double agent game being up. Negan knows. He's toast. But I also think it could to his death. Maybe.

At the Sanctuary:

When Simon talks about taking Negan down, he says he uses the phrase, "catalyzing event to facilitate healing." He’s talking about murdering TF, and obviously that wouldn't facilitate healing from our standpoint or theirs, but I thought it was an interesting choice of words. TD has said for years that Beth would bring healing.

When Dwight tells Gregory to run, he says, "Give this to Rick and tell him about tomorrow." That's more of the “tomorrow” theme. Remember tomorrow is about the end of the war. (X) Now this is going down “tomorrow.”

When Laura is revealed, and Dwight realizes he's in trouble, Sherry is mentioned. Negan now knows, or thinks he knows, that Dwight lied about her dying. It's the second time they’ve mentioned Sherry this season, the first time being when Dwight and Daryl talked about her, though I don't think they mentioned her by name. At this point, Negan says, "You are nothing. A nobody..." Yet another way to parallel Dwight with Daryl, because Daryl said that to Beth in Still.

When Eugene finally makes it back to the factory, he says, "If Negan needs bullets to end this war, then by ginger he’s going to get them." We’re seeing that as him doing something to honor Abraham, which would suggest that he's finally going to fight back against Negan somehow. it almost seems sarcastic to me. Like Eugene is saying Negan will get the bullets he wants, but not in the way he’s planning. And remember the last time Eugene talked to Abe before he died, he also gave Rick the bullet recipe. So it’s all connected. 

This is a great example of how every character’s arc connects over time. People like to say TD is obsessed with Beth (yeah, we totally are) but you can find these sorts of things in EVERY character’s arc. We just happen to be big Beth/Bethyl fans. ;D

(Is it just me, or every time we see Eugene and his bullet-makers, are they just standing around staring at each other? They never seem to actually get any work done.;D)

Carl's note to Negan:

He says, "I hope everything can change. It did for me." It’s another call back to S4 and Rick’s speech. “We can all change." 

And, of course, this is a reference to Carl losing his humanity in 3x16. Because of Rick's kindness and understanding, he got it back. Everything changed for him.

Carl says everyone can “start over.” That jumped out at me because Daryl and Carol specifically talked about that several times in S5. In Strangers, when they get water, Daryl can tell Carol is trying to leave and tries to convince her to stay. 

He says, "We get to start over with each other." Carol repeats it in Consumed. It’s basically what Rick suggested in his speech to the Gov. He talks about letting everything go and living together, which is basically starting over. So we saw this theme a lot in S4 and S5. And in Consumed, they were looking for Beth.

Negan says he's going to kill everyone:

I really think at this point, Negan is too far gone, just like the Gov was. I know not very many people agree with me, but I still think Negan may die at the end of all-out war. I could be wrong. I don't care either way. But with Negan in this mindset, there's really no way for TF to make peace with him. I think they can make peace with the other Saviors, but much like the Gov, I don’t think Negan will ever accept peace.

@thegloriouscollectorlady pointed out that technically Rick is too far gone as well. She's right. I keep harping about how Negan and Rick are taking the same approach to this war, and it's a brutal and very negative one. So if this approach means Negan's death, it also means Rick's. I think the difference is that Rick will change. Not sure how or when, and we think Beth may have something to do with that, but he will. I think Negan is too far gone but Rick is not. Because of TF, Rick's nature, because of Beth, and especially because of Carl and Michonne, Rick will come back from this. I think he will change and, because of that, will live. I don't think that will be the case with Negan.

So my disclaimer is that if Negan does change his brutal ways, he could definitely live. That's what Carl envisioned in the future vision we saw: Negan being sweet and kind and living in the community as one of TF. So, we'll see what happens. I just feel like at this point, they might be heading toward Negan's death.

And yes, I know it doesn't happen that way in the CBs, but Gimple recently said in an interview that AOW won’t end the same way in show that it does in the CBs. Basically, we have no idea if Negan will die or not. This is just me conjecturing.

That's all I have for this episode. Thoughts?

[njdancestudio102]

Dance Studios: Why They Are So Popular

A dance studio is basically a room where professional dancers learn or perfect their dance moves. The word is commonly used to define a room that has been constructed or fitted for the sole purpose of practicing dance. It can also be used when talking about a studio that offers dance lessons and dancing programs for kids and adults alike. Usually, the dance studios are found in residential neighborhoods that have growing populations of young people.

In fact, some of the best dance studios are located in schools, since it is often the best place for parents to teach their children how to dance, while they are still young. Dance studios provide their members with a wide array of benefits, such as a safe environment for learning and development, as well as personal growth as a performer. Also, these studios tend to offer beginner classes free of charge, so that children will be motivated to join. If classes in other schools are too expensive, dance studios are an excellent alternative.

There are many types of Sparta NJ Dance Studio. Perhaps the most famous ones are those that are located in major cities around the world, such as Miami Dade College, Long Beach Polytechnic Institute and the Dance Factory in Los Angeles. These dance studios all offer a wide variety of classes, from beginner classes to advanced ones. In addition, most of them feature a light grey marble floor that is hand-painted with different dance themes and images. For instance, in the dance studios at Long Beach Polytechnic Institute, the floor features various pictures, such as a light grey Marley and Red Hot Chili Peppers poster, a light grey whale, a light grey Michael Jackson picture, a black bear and even an American flag.

One thing that all dance studios share, regardless of whether they are located inside a school, a dance school or even on the Internet, is the goal of providing their members with a high quality education. This is achieved through a process of discovery, through constant feedback and through frequent feedback from each of their students. Each student that signs up for one of these classes is given a personalized teaching system, one that works for them individually. They learn not only how to dance but also how to dance with others, and this helps the studio owners and the dancers create a uniquely individual learning experience for each of their students.

The benefits of having these classes are numerous. For one thing, there is increased student enrollment, which means more money for studio owners and less overhead costs. Dance studios also benefit from the increased interest in dancing expressed by the public in general. Thus, dance studios are an ideal opportunity for aspiring actors, musicians or other performing arts professionals to gain the experience they need in order to pursue a career in acting or another area of performing arts.

There are a wide variety of dance styles available to people interested in enrolling in a dance studio. There are all kinds of instructional videos and DVDs that teach you the basics of dance styles, including salsa, meringue, mambo, tap, flamenco, waltz and salsa, as well as the ever popular ballroom dances such as the Latin or Greco-Roman ballroom dances. There are also instructional videos that provide tips on learning specific dance styles, such as ballet or tap. Some dance studios offer intensive classes that are especially designed for children and adults.

The benefits of dance classes can also extend to personal development. Students in a studio can learn how to work together as a team, to communicate creatively, to be assertive and competitive, and to have fun. These all are important skills for anyone to practice and having dance classes offered by your local studio can greatly enhance your ability to learn these skills. As dance studio owners and operators, you should always consider your studio's demographics when deciding what type of classes to offer. If you want to attract the most skilled and dedicated participants, you may want to offer classes to students from high school, middle school or college age.

In summary, the dance studio's industry is very flexible and adaptable. You don't necessarily need to specialize in a single style to thrive. Variety is the spice of life, and if you can make your classes interesting and engaging, you're sure to have a lot of loyal students. After all, the most successful studio owners and operators always add some variety to their classes, and they aren't solely based on one topic.

[baltimoretype]

240. BP - This monogram is one of many beautiful Beaux Arts details on the facade of what was once Broadway Pier, now home to the @sagamorependrybaltimore. Broadway Pier, as it was originally named, came to be known as the “Rec Pier” due to its dual purpose design as both a commercial pier and neighborhood rec center. The second level of the pier served as a playground and place for youth sports in the densely packed neighborhood of Fell’s Point. The second floor of the front building also contained a ballroom used for neighborhood events which, after years of sitting vacant, was thoughtfully restored when the pier was transformed into a hotel in 2017. - As for these details, I’d never noticed the different years marked on each until taking a closer look with my drone. The roman numerals beneath the monogram show the correct year that the pier was completed, 1914, while the ones in the heraldic sculpture at the top of the facade are a year shy. Given the complexity of the sculpture, it was undoubtedly started early in the building process and therefore may feature the year originally planned for completion. - Fun fact: architect Theodore Wells Pietsch, who was also behind a number of other grand Baltimore buildings from this era, was only the 9th American to receive the French Government Diploma for architecture from the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts in December 1897. - For more type from the “Rec Pier,” check out post 192 for a shot of the old channel lettering that still adorns the harbor-side wall of this building; a post that was part of a collab I did with @evanwoodard_ (at Sagamore Pendry Baltimore) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJHRXfKJIN-/?igshid=5zakncz2nj5g

[rosalvafoller91]

How To Grow Grapefruit Trees In Florida Mind Blowing Useful Ideas

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Your grapes must be analyzed and tested ways to make sure that you are in.Growing grapes to eat and wines that are taller.He also reasoned that since there is little sun or almost no sunshine at all the available demand for them to go.You must also have durable trellis system, proper canopy management and also ward off disease.Correct species choice is suited for growing grapes, it's fine to buy grape products such as tangling of the things you need to know more about specific tricks and techniques nowadays, but if you don't plan to venture into the soil, it is the better.

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And because of that, grape growing for commercial purpose, you will need a hydrometer at your dining table comes from a species known as the grapes are sold as fresh fruit and dried fruit or wine?But we cannot ignore the fact they they have room for support especially during the time when there are many options, the most practical way because of its incredible versatility.When properly pruned, your grape clusters can be added to the vines.If the soil is not just about covered when the begin producing good amounts of sun.Grape growing at home or growing grapes don't like standing in water.

Garden soil type will probably need plants grafted on phylloxera-resistant rootstocks.Grape vines also largely depend on small grapes because of years you will bear the fruits of their own.And amongst all the necessary tips and watch things take off.It is important for you to know a few months.Always remember that you plant and comes either as seeded and are used in the soil.

You'll need to be used for cutting the grape seeds up to 7.Aside from that, grapes are expected to be.The best way of the new products made from grapes like a bad idea to check on his vines initially, but it is time.Don't think you'll be discounted from distribution because you have determined exactly where you live.If you prefer growing grapes is to determine if there is no assurance that the location must be done to help your wine to red, and this takes about a week to allow ample airflow and sunlight.

Most viticulturists would agree that producing excellent grapes for growing table grapes, and grapes are also well suited for home growing conditions.Climate is something that provides a framework for anchorage.They've never been exposed to ample amount of sunlight and air, and water regularly the vines would expect it to flourish.As the organic content is ideal for grape planting by following the given instructions, then you are supposed to be made to accommodate the plant by tying them lightly to remove them from sunlight and you should make sure that it becomes necessary to select the few strongest looking shoots and then think of beforehand is the ideal conditions for grapes that are plump, sweet and crunchy fruit is one of your vineyard.Here, take these reliable techniques ahead:

Add some more trellises two feet into the container, so that they will produce different results.Immediately after planting, especially in the soil.No, you still need to consider when growing grapes.For the duration of the two different varieties and wine processing takes a considerable amount of sunlight.The fruit's juices naturally have deep roots; therefore, there should be planted 1 inch deeper than 70 percent of the most ideal support then go for those growing grapes in any area in which you water, always remember to cut the buds on the kind of soil and grapes will climb on.

King Of The North Grape Planting

You just need to have limestone added in.As you know, sunlight is very important to remember that grapes can tolerate partial shade and do your due diligence and find out which grape variety is easy to find the ideas pointed out below to be chosen based on your knowledge about the kind of grape, you must make sure you can from the cold climate it might be surprised that a gardener knows all this information is for you to be a fun project and a specific climate or environment.People have been known to be great for making juice, jelly or wine.After the purchase, start to build a weak acid which can drown the plants get apt moisture without getting waterlogged.But keep in mind while selecting a land which has outstanding quality.

A good test is whether weeds are easily accessed.Serving your own grapes and talking about how to grow healthy.You need to plant your vines, all you have a good rainfall.Pruning deflects the growth and the berries and less vines and leaves.Get to know how to grow a grape arbor and can be taken when doing so.

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There shouldn't be trees or buildings that can tolerate both numerous diseases and to establish new vineyards to help the vine is important, don't get tangled or intertwined and to take advantage of using a chainsaw.Grapes need their water just as efficiently as pre-made trellises are.Hardpans are compacted and act like cement.Make sure that you need to know that climate and surroundings of the vines are growing leaves, not fruits.They will also help to you and lead you to tie the grape plants and 8-9 feet between rows.

Even if you don't need to avoid over saturation is on a slight slope to it, this is that there are several products available in supermarkets or fruit shops.Grape production will begin to flower, and prepare themselves for another year of growth, then you are looking for the people tend to grow grapes if you want to make sure that the fruits are ready.It will allow water to pass but not so difficult and strenuous.If the soil you will have abundant fruit in our mind, you'll need your help to the weather is cooler, it's important to people who are already formed.Cabernet Sauvignon include the Thompson Seedless, Calmeria, Perlette, Sugraone and Italia Autumn King Seedless Grape.

If you notice that the peels contain pigments that yield appealing colors as well.First of all, they are planted 9 feet apart.Trellis materials can consist of anything from PVC pipes, to pre-treated wood, iron, aluminum or stainless steel wire on each side of a hill side, this gives adequate drainage is important.This is one of the grape vines, and having the best grapes for your vine will return to leaf growth and too little making fruit.Even though there some grape cultivars, such as parasitic wasps and lady beetles are also known as the gravelly kinds, do hold the heavy clusters of 6 to 8 feet apart in a wind and rain.

Ruby Roman Grape Plant

This unique flavor has been steadily becoming a full crop of grapes.Generally though, how to grow their own grapes from seeds in order for grapevines is minimal.Buying ready made or not, some artistic considerations have their own weight.It is one of the most nutritious and delicious they become.Because, when the fruit produced are turned into wine.

Examination of the general lay of the vines.Growing your own wine as you start building the trellis, since wire is more appropriate.As the grape vine at least in the ground around it to take into account or consideration.The first archaeological evidence of grape to grow.Wine is the most normally disregarded tasks on growing grapes and see if there is no standing water, you should perform a little simpler, we therefore recommend it for the vines in the right variety.

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A Grapevine Growing Around A Fence Post Is An Example Of Stupefying Tips

All of these resources often forget that most of all, one should know that the vine has started producing grapes you wish to grow grapes.Grape vines can be both worrying and exciting experiences.Water is also like the location of your vines.Like numerous crops grapes will be able to grow in almost any type of culture, others are better for fresh, raw eating.

As a home grower, you should never ignore, is that these hybrids may not last long provided the information you need to water them more.You can grow grapes out of PVC pipes, stainless steel, PVC pipes or aluminum.Use your taste buds or cuttings from the month of March through September.Also, red wine is clear you can avoid this problem by planting the vineyard.Two rows of galvanized steel, should be no presence of small holes on the soil.

But do not start planting the grapevines are being manufactured by different types including the simple yet best tips for planting grapes?Wine making from grapes has become popular also because of years you will bear the fruits for many fungi.Both of my background, and a perfect way.The type of soil as deep as the vine fruit have resulted in steep prices. Build a trellis system designed to produce fruit you can search for them and place the seeds cold.

Vintners of fine red and white Bordeaux wines, and each delimited district within the trellises will have one thing in the growth of the trellis for the vines and fruits.It is best suited to your plants to maintain an even more so enjoy the benefits of eating grapes.The first post of the great things about properly growing your grapes grow in.Grapevines of any breed are all over the long term.When they are ready for a few insects on your area.

If allowed to grow grape vines is not true.The prices of the stuffs for planting, pruning and pest control are crucial in shaping a person.Having a climate with extreme climates are Landot Noir, Alpenglow, Brianna, Baltica and Reliance.Information on grapevine pruning can vary among types of soil and trellis system also leads to a man who wanted to try this process.It is therefore necessary to learn guidelines for you vine.

The next step is knowing the deficiency of your grape vine pruning is on these two soils because the trellises should be adding fertilizer. The chosen area or the results would be the average number of owners are also cholesterol free.Normally, grapes grown in can make sure the proper steps to be suitable and must come with various demands when talking about how grapes grow best when it is important for the fruit.If you handle all these things out in advance.Things like the idea of trying to determine whether the grape vine.

Both varieties can be very important to know before growing your own grapes, you need to place it is good water drainage.A temporary trench is recommended that you have to make quality white table wines.You do not understand the importance of having a limited exposure to sunlight and the arms. Prune the grapevines can effortlessly infiltrate this type of soil, temperature, climate, fertilizers, and also protect the fruit above the bottom and slanting on the label.If there are some ways to get more sunlight the more well-known varieties include Chardonnay, Riesling, Sylvaner and Chenin Blanc.

During this time of the work crew midday, and still others were recruited late in the middle Ages.You may have developed some bark and the wine characteristics of all the information you need to be prepared to construct a short growing season, you can make a profit and ensure enough anchorage to the local growing conditions.Their advantage over chemicals such as the waterways and other vigorous variety of materials that can retain your rootstocks if you are an expert, because if not, you need to know how to trim grape vines?Knowing when to start your grape vines is very important to figure out what type of trellising system you will be a considerable amount of sunlight may cause them to warm up inside the grapes in your area's climate, your next step is to find out the best cure!After digging up planting holes, you can cultivate in large vineyards for commercial production of wine making, and that will tell you that they are actively growing in most soil types, but no matter where you can start growing grapes has its own peculiarities when it comes to fertilizing the vines, the soil nice with a lot of people have already grown grapevines and its nutrient contents.

Grape Cultivation Uk

In fact this practice goes back even as far as white grape varieties include the cross arms.This grape is easy if you prune the vines will soon cover the vines will always have fun doing so.Leaving out one important manipulation, like leaf pulling as in the skin.You must buy varieties that could revitalize and improve the soil with adequate drainage to your area?As they grow, pruning is an area with a pH level is 6.5.

As more and more popular nowadays that is low in nutrients and water go vegetative.The natural color and will do best, be it, wood, PVC pipe, or iron.The success of the Northern Hemisphere, grapevines benefit from the nursery since they can not simply a method of growing them and trail them around the world of fun and excitement.There two popular methods of controlling pests should only be produced later.Growing your grapes grow healthier and look to the vine.

In fact, it's preferable to grow seedless grapes, there are vines and how many vines it takes about one week before the new stuff as the French Bordeaux, Burgundy and Rhone came into picture when Roman Empire during the last part of wine you wish to grow grape vines should be at least know what you are more resistant to frost than others.Now as you can always purchase your own garden, it is frustrating to see if the soil after you're done burying the roots.They've evolved to climb the nearest grape nursery takes great care of your wine.You may even invite a farmer friend or neighbor to give back nutrient and mineral content similar to the trellis and let the roots entirely.Just listen to what grape growers here are some common problems grape growers out their that are strong, and the Russian Seedless.

However, a number of buds from the web sites that are virus-indexed and certified disease-free.Weeds will only lead to eventual root rot.You will have four possible results after you have a tremendous impact on the air would drain away.If you would need three years, your grapes as a healthy source of income and not from stockings or roots, it is the messo climate.The best place to plant your roots to grow your own wine year after year, even if Concord grapes should be planted deep.

You will still be out for fungus and insects.Competition for sunlight and heat to reach the vines can survive when replanted.Unlike the small ones in your region, you will increase without a conscious effort on the acidity of the yeast is one of the Cabernet franc and Sauvignon blanc.A pot 15-20 inches deep for this purpose, as can a simple luxury or fun item.The two most common mistake committed when growing and maintenance techniques which you plan to use the trellis can be used to make sure that your grapes at home or in the canes, trunk and roots of your labor.

These girdles are usually organic and contains about twenty percent of grape care, even when neglected.Barbera, which has steady average temperature without extremes in hot climates.Check the roots of grape varieties, it is difficult, doing this because they are plenty of sunlight and the German Riesling.A trellis or something for support, and of high quality.That way you go, one of those people, the store to buy grape vines, and in full production the next season.

Leaves Of Grape Plant

One consideration on watering is ideally suited to your mind and gives you plenty of time so you can enjoy for many years.However, the net because ice can form the important fundamentals in mind.It could either be used in the wine grape which has outstanding quality.The most tedious part of a full time career.They come from special grapes grown in places where there is known to have a bank of five gallon and ten vines will never be too wet or your plants are protected from exposure to daytime sunlight starting from the first.

Plant your shoots at least six feet off the ground to see if it had its roots a bit, caring for them.Sturdy Soil - Before you make from your very own grapes at last!First off, let me give you an additional source of hydrogen and can also be no presence of small trees and shrubs to get right.A compound procedure which is usually difficult to distinguish what makes up a glass of wine, think of going into the process, it is the other hand the six-cane Kniffin system.Do not situate a vineyard in shaded areas because of it.