#And also bonus links wars

[asterias-corner]

the trans is transing

(I’m getting gender envious of blonde elf guys again)

[bonus-links]

I don't know if this has ever been asked so here goes:

what's your preferred link/the one you like to draw the most??

i love all my links equally but also,,,,,loft and war (who isn't in the comic yet) are my favorites :-). speaking of which I updated his outfit recently and have much more fun drawing it now :D

[wutheringmights]

Do you have any random ctb lore that you couldn’t fit into the story for any of the characters/plotlines?

I've been kicking around the idea of doing a short one-shot about Icarius and Nephus's backstory in the style of STP, just to explore their fucked-up dynamic. Neither of them are really main characters, so I can't really derail the whole story to go into more detail than I have already provided.

Here's a few scattered ideas involving them:

Icarius is probably 2-3 years older than Nephus, which meant that Icarius was Nephus's caretaker and much more the one in charge of Nephus than he should have been

Nephus's friends and family refer to him as Vas (I think this is in the story somewhere, actually)

Nephus is the youngest son in a huge family, which basically meant that he had a lot of money growing up but no responsibility to go along with it-- because all of his siblings were so much older than him, he really clung to Icarius as a peer

Nephus's fascination with Hyrule began when he read a book of myths about the various Heroes of Hyrule

Everything Icarius learned was so that Nephus would have a partner/assistant for all of his activities, which includes education (like learning Hylian) and sports (Icarius ended up being much better at boxing and wrestling than Nephus)

That being said, Icarius has always had a smart mouth that has gotten him in trouble. Nephus always had to bail him out

They both have always been a little possessive of the other. Icarius was jealous of Nephus's friends and flings while Nephus was suspicious that anyone who was nice to Icarius would try to take him away

Icarius was very isolated from the rest of the thralls; like Nephus, any other thrall of his station would have been much older than him and those who were his age saw him as narc

Icarius did have a family though: mom, dad, grandparents, and siblings

Nephus's mentor in school was his father's political enemy. That relationship ended up saving him. When a house is sentenced, it's traditional to leave a member alive so that it doesn't die out completely. This mentor advocated for Nephus to be spared both because he was perceived as harmless and because he could be controlled.

Icarius was almost executed with his family-- he was yanked out of the execution line at the last minute because he was deemed Nephus's property

After he was spared, Nephus and Icarius made a bloodpact to exact revenge and rehaul Faovaria in their image-- this of course meant Nephus got his shit together and grew the fuck up

(dialogue that should have happened:

warriors: fuck faovaira! foavaria sucks!

nephus & icarius: we know that and we want to destroy it too)

Nephus's power nowadays comes from that mentor who spared him

Because Faovaria is a military state, Nephus and Icarius joined the military in order to gain more social power

Nephus's campaign in Hyrule is literally just a stepping stone for gathering enough power in Faovaria-- conquer the unconquerable Hyrule and bring back a weapon that no one has seen yet

Oh, remember when Ganondorf said that Nephus had sent a woman to ask if he could look at the library? That was Icarius in drag

Nephus and Icarius saw a lot of places in Hyrule on their travels, including Castle Town, the Zora's Domain, and the town surrounding the Knight's Citadel. They were smart enough to not ping Lincoln's attention, but they definitely attended a sermon at the same temple Warriors went to that one time

Icarius did not tell Nephus who Link was until they were hundreds of miles away from Kakariko, and only because he knew it would piss Nephus off

(Nephus, trying to flirt: aren't you glad you didn't run away with that Hylian loser?

Icarius, who has been a little pissed off all day: oh, you mean the Hero of Hyrule?

Nephus: the

Nephus: the WHAT?????)

Nephus's worsening treatment towards Icarius was a gradual change; like boiling water, Icarius didn't really realize that things were getting dangerous for him until it was too late

The day Icarius realized that Nephus wasn't different from any other Faovarian, that Nephus's feelings for him weren't anything as dynamic or complicated as his own-- that Nephus didn't see him as anything other than an object to possess... it genuinely destroyed his whole world

Philo was literally this orphan Faovarian kid they found on the streets; Icarius was the one who insisted they take him home. It took a while for Nephus to warm up to him.

Icarius could tell his relationship with Nephus was falling apart, and taking in Philo was a way for him to fix things. Like getting pregnant to fix a broken marriage.

That was a terrible analogy. Basically, if Nephus wouldn't value him then Icarius wanted someone who will

As you can probably guess, their dynamic greatly resembled the Brothers' at first. Icarius cared and doted on Philo, and Philo relied on him for love while seeking Nephus's approval. Meanwhile, Nephus was just annoyed that there's this brat ruining his life. Things changed when he realized Philo was a dark magic prodigy. Icarius didn't want Philo to get involved in the fighting while Philo wanted to be useful, and add that Nephus's treatment towards Icarius was always worsening...

Philo witnessed Icarius getting his tongue chopped out. Philo did not take it well, and he tries to rationalize it as being something Icarius deserved

The thing is that nothing special triggered it. Icarius was being his usual smartass self when Nephus just snapped

Philo clings to Nephus as much as he does because if he doesn't make Nephus happy, then Nephus might do the same to him

Meanwhile, Philo has picked up on how Nephus and others treat Icarius; so while Philo had previously regarded Icarius like a brother, he often treats Icarius like he is below him now

And poor Icarius is more isolated than ever: he can't talk, he's all alone, he can't trust Nephus, and Philo won't listen to him

Nephus waffles between knowing he's irrevocably fucked up and believing he was 100% right-- either way, he bulldozes through Icarius's feelings to continue acting like everything is normal and it's still them against the rest of Faovaria, and they only need each other

He does not know he is exactly the thing he hates

It's all a big mess

[kxsagi]

Good morning, kxsagi. This is my second request and time for something funny. May I request: Blue Lock boys/men serenading Reader in the middle of the night in front of her apartment after a big argument. Cue Reader's neighbors throwing various household appliances at the boys/men. Characters: Chigiri, Yukimiya, Reo, Sae.

Bonus: Who has the perfect singing voice and who sings to the tune of 'off'?

P.S: Character list also applies to my previous request.

“𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐞”

a/n: may this love find me 🧘🏻‍♀️

ft. chigiri hyoma, yukimiya kenyu, mikage reo, itoshi sae, isagi yoichi, itoshi rin, nagi seishiro, kaiser michael, karasu tabito, shidou ryusei

chigiri hyoma

he shows up in a floor-length black coat, red hair slicked back, carrying a literal violin case like he’s about to perform with the tokyo philharmonic. 

stands under your apartment window like it’s romeo and juliet and dramatically tunes his violin at 2:06 AM. 

begins playing a thousand years with the solemnity of someone who’s lived through two world wars. 

whispers up at your window between phrases: “i’m sorry i called your skincare routine ‘excessive.’ i was lashing out. your serums are divine.” 

you peek through the blinds. your neighbor across the hall opens their window, yells “IT’S NOT EVEN THURSDAY,” and throws a bag of frozen dumplings. he dodges with an elegant twirl, doesn’t miss a beat. 

finishes the song by dramatically dropping to one knee, rain (from someone’s leaky AC unit) pouring down on him like it’s a movie scene. 

“please forgive me… i moisturized for you.” 

yukimiya kenyu

shows up in a turtleneck and a beret, carrying his acoustic guitar and looking like he just stepped out of a french indie film. 

stands under your window and softly croons a love song he wrote himself, called galactic destiny. 

“our energies collided in the constellation of fate...” 

his voice is breathy. emotional. you’re 90% sure he’s crying. your cat is watching with judgment. 

“i still believe in our spiritual link… even if you said my cologne makes your eyes itch.” 

some guy on the third floor screams, “TAKE THAT WEIRD SHAKESPEARE SHIT HOME!” and hurls a half-full bottle of body wash. 

yukimiya catches it, sniffs it, and smiles. “jasmine and mint... they have taste.” 

continues playing while crouching behind a parked moped for cover. ends the song with a whisper: “we were always written in the stars.” 

mikage reo

you hear commotion outside and think it’s a delivery truck. no. it’s reo... with a hired string quartet. 

four men in tuxedos are playing a sweeping instrumental while reo stands center stage, holding a bouquet and dramatically belting just the way you are, but off-key. 

“MY LOVE! i know i said you were being dramatic, but i meant it in a cute way!” 

he steps forward for the chorus and slips on someone’s garden hose. immediately recovers with a jazz hand flourish like nothing happened. 

someone yells “GO TO BED, RICHIE RICH!” and throws a keurig machine. reo ducks. it explodes behind him. 

“STILL RICH ENOUGH TO BUY ANOTHER ONE, LOSER!” 

you scream his name from the window. he looks up, eyes sparkling. “are those tears? did i win?” 

you yell, “NO, THAT’S STEAM FROM MY INSTANT NOODLES.” 

itoshi sae

shows up holding a tiny bluetooth speaker over his head, playing baby come back on repeat. 

dressed like he was pulled out of bed – hoodie, slippers, bedhead, emotionally vacant expression. 

says nothing for the first five minutes. just stands. staring. speaker held like it’s part of a sacred ritual. 

finally mutters: “you were right. i do sleep better when you’re next to me. that’s... annoying.” 

you crack your window open, about to speak. someone from 2F yells “THIS ISN’T THE NOTEBOOK, ITOSHI” and launches a broom. 

it bonks him square in the back. he grunts. doesn’t even flinch. just adjusts his hood and says, “you done?” 

still doesn’t leave. just stands there as the song loops and loops. 

your neighbor tries throwing a slipper. sae finally looks up and mutters, “you throw like my 6-year-old cousin.” 

isagi yoichi

shows up holding an ukulele, googled chords five minutes ago. his phone is literally taped to the neck so he can read lyrics. 

“uh, i know we fought. but this is me saying i’m dumb... in music form.” 

starts strumming can’t help falling in love, and it is... so bad. you’re wondering if he’s dying or if he’s just tone-deaf. 

the guy upstairs opens his window: “YOICHI, I HAVE WORK IN THREE HOURS.” 

a sponge cake hits him in the shoulder. isagi doesn’t even blink. “this is the pain i deserve. i accept it.” 

plays the rest of the song slightly offbeat, his voice cracking like a broken recorder. 

finishes with: “please text me back. i can’t sleep. i tried cuddling my pillow and it insulted me.” 

itoshi rin

shows up with a cheap karaoke mic plugged into his phone. no backup dancers. no theatrics. just deep, painful regret. 

“this is stupid,” he mutters, then starts whisper-singing drivers license like it’s a confession in a crime drama. 

he looks physically ill trying to express emotion. “i miss you. i hate that i miss you. but i do. it sucks.” 

the old man across the street throws a half-eaten melon pan and yells, “GROW A PAIR!” 

rin stares at the pastry, then at you. “do i keep singing or do i fight him.” 

“you’re doing great,” you say, sobbing and laughing at the same time. 

“... shut up,” he mutters, cheeks pink. 

nagi seishiro

shows up in mismatched slides, pajama pants, and the hoodie you left at his place. looks like he rolled out of bed, forgot why he was outside, then remembered mid-yawn. 

brought a tiny keyboard he downloaded a piano app for five minutes ago. sets it down on the curb, squats, and starts plunking the keys like a toddler discovering sound. 

“hey... you up there? i came to… music you back into my life or whatever.” 

begins playing my heart will go on, but he only knows the first five notes. loops them. over. and over. and over. 

pauses to scratch his head. “ugh, this is so tiring. can’t you just forgive me so we can go back to sharing a blanket and eating cereal?” 

your upstairs neighbor opens her window and screams, “PLAY SOMETHING REAL OR GO HOME.” 

someone throws a remote control, which hits him directly in the forehead. he blinks. “ow.” 

lays down on the sidewalk. still pressing random piano keys while flat on his back. “baby, my head hurts. also, my soul. come down?” 

you yell, “YOU’RE NOT EVEN SINGING!” 

“i know. that’s for people who want to live. i just want you.” 

kaiser michael

brings a whole speaker setup with colored LED lights. ness is standing next to him with a mic like this is eurovision. 

kaiser opens with: “i know you’re mad, but i figured you couldn’t resist a man with this much jawline and jazz.” 

begins singing perfect by ed sheeran in german. ness harmonizes. badly. 

“baby, i’m dancing in ze dark– NESS, STAY ON KEY.” 

someone from 4B chucks a rice cooker. ness screams. kaiser DODGES and CATCHES IT ONE-HANDED. “you could’ve cracked my highlight.” 

turns back to your window, still holding the rice cooker. “was that a sign you want me to make dinner?” 

you yell, “NO, IT’S A SIGN TO SHUT UP.” 

“same thing,” he shrugs, then adds, “you still love me.” 

karasu tabito

no shirt. bluetooth speaker in hand. pants look like they were pulled on during a fire drill. is clearly mid-breakdown. 

starts playing a slow jam while doing interpretive body rolls across the sidewalk. 

“babe, i know i messed up when i said your playlist was trash, but i was TALKING OUT OF FEAR.” 

tries to moonwalk. trips over a bike. recovers by body-rolling again. 

someone flings a laundry basket. it hits him and bounces off like he’s made of rubber. “GOOD AIM, BRO,” he calls. 

to you: “please. just come downstairs. i brought strawberry gummies and emotional damage.” 

shidou ryusei

shows up in a fur coat and heart-print boxers, holding a megaphone and a rose between his teeth. 

“BABY, I’M HERE TO MAKE NOISE, BAD DECISIONS, AND WIN YOUR HEART BACK.” 

starts screaming the lyrics to bleeding love at top volume. not singing. SCREAMING. 

someone chucks a blender out the window. he catches it like a football. “DAMN, YOU GOT ARM STRENGTH. WANNA JOIN MY TEAM???” 

you stick your head out the window: “WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING???” 

“PROVING THAT I’D RISK BEING BLUDGEONED FOR YOUR LOVE.” 

“YOU’RE AN IDIOT.” 

“YOUR IDIOT. NOW GET YOUR SEXY ASS DOWN HERE.” 

© 𝐤𝐱𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐢

a/n #2: @store-lover made this pic and it's perfect for kaiser's

[anghraine]

So one of the revelations from watching the entirety of TOS is that Kirk and Spock's relationship is not only every bit as homoerotic as rumored and then some—though it is—but that they are also incredibly fucking unhinged about it. So for this week's poll, I wanted to honor this discovery!

(The character limitations don't allow for much detail, and in context these are even more incredible, so I'll add the links/clips/summations beneath the cut!)

1— "The Empath" (Season 3)

Context: the girl of the week, Gem, is a member of a species of mute empaths able to absorb others' injuries through sympathy and generally drawn to positive emotion. Meanwhile, Kirk is tortured by other parties in the episode to test her willingness to take on others' suffering, and he falls into an exhausted unconscious heap on a bench.

Gem starts to head away towards McCoy, but is suddenly arrested by something she senses and turns to look at Spock, who is moving over to sit next to Kirk and watch him sleep. When Spock realizes he's being observed, he turns away and pretends to study data in his tricorder. Gem isn't fooled, however, and walks back over to him, touching Spock's shoulder and staring at him with wonder in her face over this simple feeling whatever his emotion is while delicate music plays in the background. See for yourself:

2— "Shore Leave" (Season 1)

Context: Kirk is fatigued and strained and in physical pain after ... uh, everything (this episode was aired immediately after "The Conscience of the King" and "Balance of Terror," so it's not hard to buy). He tries to stretch out his back and Spock, standing behind Kirk with his hands on the back of the captain's chair, pulls his hands back and asks him if something is wrong. Kirk explains it's just the kink in his back. A pretty female yeoman starts massaging his back (uh) and Kirk welcomes it under the mistaken belief that it's Spock doing it:

"That's it. A little higher, please. Push. Push hard. Dig it in there, Mr.—"

Spock lifts a brow and pointedly steps forward so Kirk can see it's not him, and Kirk immediately orders the yeoman to stop with a meaningful look at Spock.

(Bonus episode points: Spock's smug satisfaction at tricking Kirk into taking shore leave where McCoy failed, and them grasping at each other when they're in danger.)

3— "A Taste of Armageddon" (Season 1)

Context: After Kirk successfully uses a risky gambit to trick two neighboring peoples into making peace rather than continuing to murder millions of people via computers, he explains his thinking:

It was a calculated risk. Still, the Eminians keep a very orderly society, and actual war is a very messy business. A very, very messy business. I had a feeling that they would do anything to avoid it, even talk peace.

When Spock is dubious about acting based on "a feeling," Kirk adds:

Sometimes, Mr. Spock, a feeling is all we humans have to go on.

Spock replies:

Captain, you almost make me believe in luck.

And then Kirk dials it up to:

Why, Mr. Spock, you almost make me believe in miracles.

Then the camera just focuses on Spock visibly trying to process this and the episode ends.

4— "Requiem for Methuselah" (Season 3)

Context: this is one of relatively few episodes in which Kirk actually gets to pursue a woman because he likes her rather than desperate circumstances; as usual with people he cares about, she dies. He's so emotionally drained at this point in the show that, upon returning to the ship, he describes his immortal rival for her love and himself as "A very old and lonely man, and a young and lonely man," mutters that he wishes he could just forget it all, and falls asleep at a table.

Meanwhile, Spock (who has been visibly intense and uncomfortable throughout the whole episode) stays nearby as McCoy enters. Spock gestures at him to stay quiet and McCoy briefly exposits a plot point to Spock, then segues into an unexpectedly vicious, half-smiling monologue about what Kirk's gone through in the episode and how Spock could never understand it:

Considering his opponent's longevity, truly an eternal triangle. You wouldn't understand that, would you, Spock? You see, I feel sorrier for you than I do for him, because you'll never know the things that love can drive a man to. The ecstasies, the miseries, the broken rules, the desperate chances, the glorious failures, the glorious victories. All of these things you'll never know simply because the word love isn't written into your book. Goodnight, Spock.

Spock just endures and politely replies "Goodnight, doctor," but after McCoy leaves, he allows himself to respond. Without so much as a scene break, Spock slowly walks over to the unconscious Kirk, touches his face, and mind-melds with him while he sleeps. And then he wipes Kirk's memory (!!!) of the tragic romance with his rival this girl, murmuring:

Forget.

5— "And the Children Shall Lead" (Season 3)

Context: a simple instance from a weak episode, but also ... damn, it's a lot. A bunch of children under the malign influence of an evil imperialist alien have managed to take over the Enterprise. This isn't the first time something roughly similar has happened, but at this point, Kirk has a full on panic attack as he and Spock leave the bridge and take the turbolift. Kirk clings to Spock as he melts down and Spock unsuccessfully tries to calm him with "Captain," but it only works when he murmurs, "Jim."

Kirk freezes and then immediately calms back down to his usual rational self. Spock is still concerned and Kirk assures him he'll be fine now (and is).

6— "Miri" (Season 1)

McCoy, Janice Rand, Kirk, and Spock are all gathered around trying to figure out the disease of the week, which has infected all of them (though Spock is asymptomatic). Kirk and Spock lock eyes and Spock points out that they can't go back to the ship, including him since he'd be a carrier, and then he adds:

Whatever happens, I can't go back to the ship ... and I do want to go back to the ship, captain.

Kirk smiles slowly and they just stare at each other as if Janice and McCoy had dropped off the face of the planet.

7— "The Tholian Web" (Season 3)

Context: Kirk is trapped in a different phase of space while a local anomaly is gradually driving the crew of the Enterprise to insane rage. At the same time, the hostile Tholians are threatening the Enterprise with the obvious intent of killing them all within short order, and Kirk's disappearance places Spock in command throughout this triple crisis. Spock refuses to order an escape, instead insisting on the Enterprise remaining in place to keep trying to rescue Kirk, homicidal insanity of the crew be damned, even as the Tholians began attacking.

McCoy urges Spock to prioritize the welfare of the Enterprise and its crew above Kirk, telling him they can't afford to stick around and keep trying. Spock refuses and things predictably get worse.

McCoy confronts him about his priorities:

You should've known what could've happened and done everything in your power to safeguard your crew. That is the mark of a starship captain, like Jim.

Plot events lead everyone, including Spock, to believe that Kirk is dead, and as acting commander, Spock also has to lead the memorial service:

as a result of the battle, we must accept the fact that Captain Kirk is no longer alive. [...] I shall not attempt to voice the quality of respect and admiration which Captain Kirk commanded. Each of you must evaluate the loss in the privacy of your own thoughts.

McCoy continues to lash out at him directly afterwards:

He was a hero in every sense of the word, yet his life was sacrificed for nothing. The one thing that would have given his death meaning is the safety of the Enterprise. Now you've made that impossible, Mr. Spock. [...] I really came here to find out why you stayed and fought. [...] You could have assured yourself of a captaincy by leaving the area. But you chose to stay. Why?

Spock coldly replies:

I need not explain my rationale to you or any other member of this crew.

They snap at each other until they find the recording left for both of them by Kirk in the case of his death. It (hilariously) begins:

Bones, Spock, since you are playing this tape, we will assume that I am dead, that the tactical situation is critical, and both of you are locked in mortal combat.

The message is honestly both wise and heartwarming about how they should respect each other and both have important qualities to offer in a crisis. McCoy immediately feels ashamed of how he's been behaving at such a moment, and tells Spock:

Spock, I, er, I'm sorry. It does hurt, doesn't it?

Spock bleakly replies:

What would you have me say, doctor?

8— "Turnabout Intruder" (Season 3)

Context: in the very peculiar series finale, Kirk's autocratic and vengeful ex-girlfriend uses some kind of machine to take control of his body, leaving him trapped in her body. Spock notices almost immediately that "Kirk" is acting out of character and that "Janice" clearly knows something, so he goes to talk to "her" and Kirk tells him everything. Spock thinks it's possible but there's no certain proof, and Kirk urges him to mind-meld with him:

You are closer to the captain than anyone in the universe. You know his thoughts. What does your telepathic mind tell you now?

Spock melds with him and is promptly convinced.

Bonus: Spock tries to help Kirk escape shortly thereafter and holds his wrist/hand for a good twenty seconds.

9— "The Paradise Syndrome" (Season 3)

Context: Kirk becomes a carefree amnesiac stranded on a planet of transplanted Indigenous people (it's as bad as it sounds), but there's a much more well-done subplot around Spock commanding the Enterprise in the meanwhile. He stubbornly risks the ship (again) to try and rescue Kirk, but the attempt disastrously fails, leaving the ship with only impulse power. McCoy says in some frustration:

Well, Spock, you took your calculated risk in your calculated Vulcan way, and you lost. You lost for us, you lost for that planet, and you lost for Jim.

Despite his exasperation, McCoy still tries to get Spock to rest. Spock simply ignores him and orders the ship to head towards the planet Kirk is stranded on, still stubbornly set on rescuing him, even though they have no warp capabilities and have to travel entirely by impulse power. When McCoy protests that it'll take months, Spock replies:

Exactly 59.223 days, doctor.

And there's no clever solution around it, either. They do take nearly two months getting to the planet and Spock spends 58 days of the journey fixated on figuring out the puzzle that will allow them to save Kirk. McCoy tries to get him to eat or sleep, since he's done little of either for over 50 days, but Spock refuses to do anything except prepare for rescuing Kirk:

I'm also aware when we arrive at the planet, we'll have barely four hours to effect rescue. I believe those symbols are the key. [...] I am not hungry, doctor. [...] My physical condition is not important, doctor. That obelisk is.

McCoy eventually threatens to call security to force him away from studying the puzzle and make him lie down, so Spock finally goes to bed. As soon as McCoy is gone and out of earshot, Spock just gets back up and returns to contemplating the puzzle until he has a breakthrough.

Then upon beaming down and finding an injured, still-amnesiac Kirk, Spock mind-melds with him to try and repair his memory.

I am Spock. You are James Kirk. Our minds are moving closer. Closer, closer, closer, James Kirk. Closer. [...] Our minds are one. [...] Spock!

Spock breaks the link and falls back, gasping. When McCoy asks what's wrong, Spock just says:

His mind. He is an extremely dynamic individual.

10— "The Enemy Within" (Season 1)

Context: Kirk has been split into two people, representing each half of his personality: one half is noble, intellectual, and restrained, but cautious and indecisive, while the other is strong and bold, but vicious, selfish, and violent. At this point in the episode, Spock et al don't know about the split, so good!Kirk is oblivious and evil!Kirk's bizarre behavior is being attributed to normal Kirk. McCoy sends Spock to the captain's quarters to find out what's wrong with him.

Spock dutifully goes to Kirk's quarters, where he finds good!Kirk relaxing without a shirt on and promptly realizes he's gay loses the ability to put normal sentences together. It's difficult to overstate or even describe the homoeroticism of this scene, so judge for yourself:

Bonus: after Spock realizes he's dealing with only half of Kirk and has taken up helping him present a good front, he has to keep correcting good!Kirk's weaknesses and tells him that acting like actual Kirk means "You can't afford the luxury of being anything less than perfect."

11— "Errand of Mercy" (Season 1)

Context: Kirk and Spock are trying to pass themselves off as members of a species of ostensibly docile, peaceful people being (ostensibly) colonized by the Klingon Empire. Kirk in particular struggles to keep his head down, and when a Klingon shoves and threatens Spock, Kirk loses his shit and nearly clobbers the Klingon. Spock manages to calm him down and as they walk away, Kirk mutters:

You didn't really think I was going to beat his head in, did you?

Spock replies:

I thought you might.

Kirk says:

You're right.

12— "Amok Time" (Season 2)

We all know about this one, let's be real. It's difficult to even choose a moment—Spock confiding in Kirk about Vulcan mating practices (Kirk: O_O) and his loathing of the prospect, with Kirk protecting his confidentiality ("I haven't heard a word you've said"), Kirk defending his own choice to implode his career and defy Starfleet (without breaking Spock's confidence) to rush Spock to Vulcan ("I owe him my life a dozen times over. Isn't that worth a career? He's my friend"), Spock telling Kirk he'll undoubtedly find pon farr "distasteful" and Kirk responding "Will I?", Spock begging T'Pau not to let T'Pring choose Kirk as her champion ("I will do what I must [in combat], T'Pau, but not with him! ... In the name of my fathers, forbid. Forbid! T'Pau. I plead with thee! I beg!"), Spock's bleak response to T'Pau's "live long and prosper" after his victory ("I shall do neither. I have killed my captain and my friend"), Spock explaining that his pon farr vanished the moment he thought he'd killed Kirk ("When I thought I had killed the captain, I found I had lost all interest in T'Pring"), McCoy trying to get Spock to admit that his relief at Kirk's survival is illogical and Spock blatantly lying that he is just concerned with the loss of an effective captain, to which Kirk simply responds "Yes, Mr. Spock. I understand" while McCoy splutters ...

But honestly, my favorite is the brief moment of unrestrained emotion when Spock discovers Kirk is still alive and he cries "Jim!" as his whole face lights up and he grabs him. It's one of the only times in TOS that he's in his right mind and yet too overwhelmed to hide what he feels, and it's famous for a reason.

[cutvdo]

Shadowpeach Bio Parent AU - summary

When I read a long fanfic I like I do a little summary on what happens each chapter so I can easily reread the parts I want.

So I did one for @kyri45 Shadowpeach Bio Parent AU comic.

Link to comic Master post (from part 1 to 8) Link to Second Master post (with FAQs Q&As) (has the rest of part 8 and part 9) Link to Spin-off Master post

THIS IS SPOILERS, GO READ THE COMIC BEFORE READING THIS!!!!

The way it goes is "summary (characters that show up, by emojis the first time a character shows up it will also have a name, INDEX at the end of the post) extra".

The extra is like if someone is blushing or no-glamour, easier for compilations. and Sun = Sun Wukong.

P.1: First Arc 1) master post 2) we will co-mentor MK (🐒MK ☀️Sun 🌑Mac) 3) MK has shadow powers, Mama!Macaque (🐒☀️🌑) 4) MK has 4 ears, he is perfect (🐒☀️🌑) 5) Don't you know powers are genetic (🔥Redson 🐒) 6) Pigsy phone call (☀️🌑,🐷Pigsy-phone📞) 7) too much noise (🐒☀️🌑) 8) we are related talk (🐒☀️🌑) 9) Pigsy shovel talk (☀️🌑🐷)

P.2: Week 1 and 2 1) MK corner (🐒☀️🌑) 2) new clothes (🐒) bonus) 🪭PIF finds out (🔥🪭PIF 🌑) 🚪Door 3) afraid to apologies (☀️🌑,🐒-sleeping) 4) train Kaiju form with Mac (🐒☀️🌑) Mac-kaiju 5) Mac apologies to MK (🐒☀️🌑) Mac-MK-kaiju 6) MK planed this (🐒☀️) reddit-ing 🔗Fan made a fake MK reddit story 7) Redson and Mei find out (🐒🔥🐉Mei 🪭) 8) Redson gives MK support (🐒🔥)+(☀️🐃DBK)🚪Door 9) Bull gives advice to Sun (☀️🐃)

P.3: Training montage 1) Sun stepping down from an argument (🐒☀️🌑) 2) never gives up (🐒☀️🌑) Sun blush🔴 3) Grooming train (🐒☀️🌑Monkeys) Sun🔴 4) more for MK (☀️🌑👓Tang) bonus) Family dinner (🐒☀️🌑) 5) soft ears (🐒☀️🌑🔥🐉) Mac🔴 6) MK's room (🐒☀️🌑)

P:4: Un-divorce arc 1) APOLOGY (☀️🌑) glamour-less Sun 2) Mac nightmare (☀️🌑 Monkeys) 3) Sun nightmare (☀️🌑 Monkeys) 4) made bed bigger (☀️🌑 Monkeys) 5) 🍼MK is baby now (🐒☀️🌑) 6) Mama Mamacaque (🐒☀️🌑) 7) Mamacaque shadow play (🐒🌑,☀️-watch) 8) Want parenthood talk (☀️🌑) 9) family cuddle (🐒☀️🌑) 10) MK wakes-up to family cuddle (🐒, ☀️-🌑-sleep) bonus) Spicynoodle (🐒🔥🐉)🏳️‍🌈🔴

P.5: More than a successor 1) 2am waiting for Mac (☀️🌑) 2) MK sees past (☀️🌑,🐷-phone📞) 3) giving Pigsy and Tang advice (🐒🐷👓, ☀️-🌑-phone📞) 4) Sun freakout (☀️🌑) 5) not a nightmare (🐒☀️🌑) glamour-less Mac 6) it was the only way (🐒☀️🌑) 7) family hug (🐒☀️🌑) talk 8) Sandy therapy (🐒 🐱Sandy) 9) not a successor anymore (🐒☀️🌑🐱) 10) continue part 9 (🐒☀️🌑) 11) Xiaotian , new weapon (🐒☀️🌑)

P.6: Training Arc 2, Electric Boogaloo 1) ask ⚔️Chiyou [god of war] (🐒☀️🌑 ⚔️Chiyou) 2) making weapon (🐒☀️🌑⚔️) Mac🔴 3) weapon reveal (🐒☀️🌑⚔️) 4) human Sun and Mac (🐒☀️🌑) 5) Lilo and stitch (🐷🐒 ,☀️-phone📞) 6) Sun nightmare: cuddle prison (🐒☀️🌑) 7) Sun nightmare: family cuddle (🐒☀️🌑) 8) 3 monkies clinging (🐒☀️🌑) 9) Red and MK sparring (🐒🔥🐉) MK!🔴🔴🔴 10) puberty talk (🐒☀️🌑) Mac🔴🔴 11) puberty talk + tickle attack (🐒🌑) Mac-MK🔴 12) trans (🐒☀️🌑)

P.7: Full Moon Eclipse 1) Mac's cold, Sun takes to hot springs (☀️🌑) Sun-blush🔴 2) why Mac was cold (☀️🌑) 3) MK goes to Red to clear misunderstanding (🐒🔥 Bob) 4) MK and Red talking, demon etiquette, white hair (🐒🔥) 5) not a freak (🐒🔥🐃☀️) everyone-blush LMAO🔴🔴🔴🔴 6) Mac explaining to MK about white hair (🐒🌑🔥☀️) Sun🔴 🔗What cover text says: link *deleted sorry 7) parents reactions (☀️🐃🌑🪭) 8) 🌑eclipse (🐒🌑☀️ ,🐉-phone📞) glamour-less Mac & MK + white fur 9) fully charged, MK makes a quick call (🐒🌑☀️) glamour-less Mac & MK + white fur 10) MK calls Mei (🐒,🐉-phone📞) 11) Mac, I forgive you (🌑☀️) glamour-less Sun 12) Baba Mama (🐒☀️🌑) Sun-cry bonus) joke comic 4th wall: 🔗LINK reblog 13) Sun's and Mac's reactions, Heaven! (🌑☀️, 🐒-sleep) Mac-Sun-cry Sun🔴

P.8: A Dark, Long Night 1) Nezha you are joking? (🐒 🛞Nezha 👺li-jing) 2) Mac stops Wukong from being impulsive (🌑☀️) 3) MK gets a circlet and a contract (🐒🛞👺 🌿Guanyin) 😭HURT ANGST 4) Family meeting (☀️🌑🐷👓🐉🐱🔥) at FFM 🚪Door 5) Bonding over daddy issues (🐒🛞) Sunset Lotus Duo 6) Tied name contract (🐒🛞🌿🔥) 7) Nezha gives Red and MK space (🐒🛞🔥) 8) Red is upset (🐒🔥) 🔴 + color🎨 🚀History from when the comic was posted: We got a challenge from kyri54 to make the comic tag trending, and this is the result, reblog. Stars, the day of was wild, so many posts. 9) MK self sacrifice did damage to his loved ones part 2, electric bogaloo (🐒🔥) 🔴 🔗What cover text says: link , reblog 10) 🎉KISS!!!!!!!! (🐒🔥) 🔴 color🎨

11) Kissing for 20 panels (🐒🔥) 🔴 12) Nezha walk in on them (🐒🔥🛞) 🔴 13) MK asks for Mac's help (🔥🌑☀️🐷🐒) Red🔴 14) A distraction and a challenge (🔥🌑☀️🐉🐷👓🐒) Red🔴 15) Wukong took the news about MK's circlet very well /j (☀️🌑🐷👓🐉🐱🔥) animation! Sun-kaiju 16) Girl fight! (🌑☀️🐉) kaiju 17) See yourself the way I see you (🌑☀️) 🔗links to the flashbacks from the show: link reblog, link reblog, link reblog 18) you're beautiful (☀️🌑🐷👓🐉🐱) Mac-kaiju🔴 Sun-kaiju 19) Show Them The Real Sun Wukong! (☀️🌑🐷👓🐉🔥) Sun-kaiju🔴 Red🔴 20) Dads to the rescue (🐒🌑🐷👓) hugs 21) Dad council vote: should MK change his name? (🐒🌑🐷👓) 22) The baby is FED! (🐒🌑🐷👓)

23) 𝄞🎤 HIT IT! IT'S SHOWTIME (🐒🌑☀️🐉🛞👺) Sun-kaiju SONG 24) ♪ LET THE DESTRUCTION BEGIN!! (☀️🛞🔥🐉) ☀️-kaiju 25) 🎵 THEY ARE GOING DOWN, BABY! (🐒🌑🐉) SOYSAUCE 26) ♬ BABY CHAOS BEING CHAOTIC (🐒🌑☀️🔥👺) ☀️-kaiju 27) 🎶 NOT THE GUMDROP BUTTON (🐒🌑☀️👺🛞) ☀️-kaiju 28) ♫ END SONG (🐒🌑🌿☀️👺🔥🐉) ☀️-kaiju 🔗fan edit of the whole song in sink with the panels🎸 reblog 🔗fan edit that I can't help but include , reblog 🔗they made a longer version , reblog

29) Napping while scroll hunting (👺☀️🐒🌿) ☀️-kaiju 30) My name is what? (👺☀️🐒🐷 👓🐱🪭🌿) 31) Wake up (👺☀️🐒) 32) Sibling PIF Macaque IRON SHADOW (🌑🪭) * on stream we found out they don't have a pair name so we made one, IRON SHADOW! 33) Nezha MK sibling bonding time (🐒🛞) Sunset Lotus Duo + 🟥▶YouTube video * I realized that there isn't a ship name (platonic) for MK and NeZha, any suggestions? @sypher-moon05 gave the idea for Sunset Lotus Duo, since it's an actual orange lotus. (full name 'Amazon Sunset Lotus'). 34) Did you hear that? (🌑☀️🪭🐷👓🐱) ☀️-kaiju 35) 🐉MEI EXPRESS! (🌑☀️🪭🐷👓🐉🔥🐱) ☀️-kaiju 🤣 36) Wukong, I forgive you for everything (🌑☀️) ☀️-kaiju 37) 🎉KISS!!!! + 🟥▶YouTube video (🌑☀️) glamour-less 🍑🎨 38) What’s your answer? (🐒🌑☀️🛞👺🐷👓🐉🔥🐱) 🔴 39) MK The Monkie Kid (🐒🌑☀️🛞👺) 🔗Who is in the audience: link, link 40) How did that work? HUG (🐒🌑☀️🐷👓🛞👺🌿) 41) Why did that happen? NAP (🐒🌿🌑☀️🐉🔥🐷👓🐱)  NAME, Red🔴 🔗All the Spirited Away references in Part 8: A Dark Long Night , reblog 🔗About MK’s name

Part 9: A new Dawn (Epilogue) 1) Poor Red Son ❤️💛 (🐒🔥🐃🪭🐷👓)🔴 2) Mildly spicy, noodles❤️💛, which aren't free (🐒🔥🐷👓)🔴 🔗Oh my heaven stars 3) 🙈🙉🙊 Moderate spicy shadowpeach, did it change? (🌑☀️)🔴 4) Immortal, Hey new jacket (🐒🐉)😭😭 5) 🍜cry over a bowl of noodles (🌑☀️🐷👓)😭 🔗 Playlist music from kyri45 🎶 reblog 6) Combine power (🐒🌑☀️?) 7) 🍼baby MK  (🐒🌑☀️🌿) 8) The rest of your story (🐒🌑☀️🌿)😭 🔗 explanation on how chaos magic work by @passiveaggressivebisexualchaos  reblog ( how they reached to me adding them LMAO) 9) Mac know about chaos (🌑☀️) 🔴😘 10) You are invited (🔵Bai He 🌑🐒🔥☀️⚔️🐉🐷🌕) 11)  Coronation Time!👑 (🐒🌑☀️) outfit 🚀We got a Challenge!!!! reblog on March 8th, make #Shadowpeach Bio Parents AU and #Lego Monkie Kid trending. mention of challenge(Feb 6) 🚀 🔗 Road map to the end 12) You look good (🐒🔥🐉🐃🪭☀️🌑⚔️)🔴 Red’s dress color 🔗 Art content winner  reblog 13) MK is collecting parental figures like pokemons (🐒👓🐷🌕⚔️🌿🔥🐉🔵🛞) 🔗Kyri45 story about making this AU   reblog with my own ramblings 14) FINALE 🟥▶YouTube video 🔗 Parallels to part 1  reblog 🔗 Elemental movie    reblog

The End Credits: 15,16) party🎨 17) courtnap (🐒🔥)🎨 18) Pijama party time! (🐒🐉🌑☀️)🎨 19) Father-son bonding experience (🐒🌑☀️)🎨 20) Pride parade! (🐒🐉🔥🌑☀️)🎨 21) Photo Booth (🐒🔥)🎨 22) Shadowpeach Wedding! (🌑☀️🐒🐉🐱👓🐷🔥🪭🐃🔵) 🎨🔴🚪Door 23) Secret Post-Credit Scene (🌑☀️🐒🐉🔥)🎨

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SPIN-OFF 1 Second Star 1) master post (🌑☀️🐒🔵) kaiju hug 2) baby talk (🌑☀️) 3) We are planning a baby (🌑☀️🐒👓🐷) 4) 🥚 the 5 elements (🌑☀️👓⚔️🔵🐱🔥🐒🌿) 5) no egg for you (🌑☀️👓🐷) 😭 🔗 The end. 😎 6) Chinese Mythological shenanigans off-screen (🌑☀️) 7) baby preparation (🌑☀️👓🐷🐒🪭🔥🛞🐱) 8) 🍼baby pictures 📸 (🌑🐒☀️👓🐷🐉) 9) 😭 sleep time (☀️🐒🌑👓🐷🪭) 10) LONG HAIR!MK!! (🐒☀️🌑) 11) 🐣 (☀️🌑⭐baby) 🔗 birthmark 12) ALL THE REVEALS (🐒☀️🌑⭐) ⭐color 🚀BABY SHOWER/TAKEOVER TIME!✨ On June 5th (the finale of the Spin-Off)! 13) baby meets family (⭐☀️🌑🐷🐒🔥🪭🐉🛞🐱👓) 🔗 RedSon's new haircut 14) It's like we don't even exist anymore! (⭐☀️🌑🐒) 🔗What cover text says 15) Non-verbal (⭐☀️🌑🐷🐒) 16) 🦄MLP (⭐☀️🌑🔵🛞🐒) 17) Name party part 1 (⭐☀️and everyone else) 18) Name party part 2 💫 (⭐☀️and everyone else) NAME DROP

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INDEX: ☀️Sun = Sun Wukong = Monkey King l🌑Mac = Macaque | 🐒MK 🔥Redson | 🐉Mei | 🐷Pigsy | 👓Tang |🐱Sandy 🐃DBK = Demon Bull King | 🪭PIF = Princess Iron Fan 🛞Nezha |👺li-jing | 🌿Guanyin |🔵Bai He |⚔️Chiyou |🌕Chang'e

What are the "Reblogs"? So Kyri45 sometimes cleans their blog from posts, so I make sure to reblog and add a link to the reblog, so if they ended up deleting the og post there will be my reblog for record keeping.

THE COMIC ENDED😭😭😭, @kyri45 will continue to draw LMK but it would be much more lightly, without a precise schedule, so go follow them (if you somehow aren't yet). I might add links to those posts but who knows what the future hold.

💛🧡💜

🛒MERCH🛍️

If you liked this kind of summary then here is my AO3 bookmarks, where you can see my other summarys for other fanfics

Extra things: Door compilation, Door ask joke Kai from Ninjago

Fics born from this AU: # right after P.9 part 3 shadowpeach fluff # How does Red Son take MK being immortal # Bad ending What if fic # Sun Wukong gets pregnant instead of the egg # The Desire to Move # Ao3 gift fics for Kyri45 (in ao3 you can gift fanfic, like writing a fic for someone else. so the link goes to all the gift fics)

[cellarspider]

Rambles in Star Wars History: The extreme shenanigans that changed an Empire

Bioware games can absolutely fascinate me, in part because of their worldbuilding, and in part because of where the worldbuilding ends. I mean, I did a whole long series of posts on the grammar of Qunlat and I have at least a dozen essays worth of material of exegetical analysis of religion in Dragon Age kicking around in my brain, which I keep threatening to actually manifest.

But since I'm here with my worldbuilding hat on, I'm going to ramble about Star Wars: The Old Republic, focusing on some of the sometimes-hilarious drama that's implied by the plot, and the implications for how these shenanigans remade a major galactic society in the process. Involved will be a man who faked his death to get out of going to meetings, a wine uncle who might become emperor, a living scowl with dangerous shoulders, and other assorted animals.

Expect a lot of bonus rambles in the image alt-texts, which is where I store commentary and jokes that I can't fit into the flow of the main post.

———

Before I dig into the topic at hand, I have to set the scene for those who don't know the game, or have forgotten in the fourteen years since the game launched.

Spoilers in the post below for Act 1-3 of the Imperial Agent, Sith Warrior, and Inquisitor storylines, Act 1 of the Jedi Knight storyline, the post-Act 3 Battle of Ilum flashpoint, and for various expansions including Rise of the Emperor, Knights of the Fallen Empire, Onslaught, and Legacy of the Sith. Assume that all reference links to Wookieepedia contain major spoilers.

SWTOR is an MMO set 3600 years before the Skywalkers crashed through the ceiling tiles of the galaxy, though it's not to say anything was less chaotic back then, just different chaos.

(Pictured: Anakin Skywalker, circa 32 BBY-4 ABY)

In this time, the titular Old Republic is opposed by a Sith Empire, which is precisely as functional as one might expect. After a decades-long conflict that ended with a Sith victory but left both sides exhausted, a state of cold war began. The Jedi, their Grand Temple destroyed, left Republic space to settle on an ancestral world. The Republic, battered and reeling, tried to recover its stride through use of its superior size and resources, and producing a truly unhinged number of superweapons.

The Sith Empire, in some ways, tried to pretend everything was fine for quite a while. They had successfully forced the Republic into a favorable treaty to end the war. They'd gained territory, they had a lot of work to do there.

…But as things started to look more and more like war again, they were left with the uncomfortable realization that they had sorta kinda killed most of the Sith in the last war, and Imperial citizens in good standing weren't producing enough Force-sensitive kids fast enough to rebuild the losses. Might've had something to do with most of them being dead.

The Empire, of course, is an absolute clusterfuck of a society. Slaves toil to maintain its power. Children of a slave and a citizen will be citizens themselves—unless they're "aliens", a category that includes everyone that isn't a human or a Sith pureblood, the original Sith species.

Being a citizen isn't great either: The Force-blind face mandatory conscription into the military, and can never rise to the highest echelons of society. Above them, the Sith act as a semi-hereditary aristocracy of evil space-wizards that serve an immortal, eldritch Emperor, their living god who has also kiiiind of gone AWOL for reasons only a few of them understand. He's torn between doing his job or staring at a living paperweight, and the paperweight has been winning. He also recently got trapped by an evil hole in the ground, it's complicated.

With the Emperor incommunicado, the duties of the state fall to the Dark Council, a ruling body of up to twelve Dark Lords of the Sith. Each have their own sphere of governmental influence, which are, one can only assume, very dark as well.

Presumably, the Dark Council had something to do with the inevitable yet still surprising solution to their space wizard deficit: over a thousand years of laws were suddenly overturned. Slaves, aliens, and prisoners were not only permitted to become Sith, it was now mandatory that they report for induction into training programs if they possessed any hint of Force-sensitivity.

This is how one of the eight protagonists of the MMO gets their start: if you play the Sith Inquisitor plotline, you begin as a former slave who has survived basic training and made it to the Sith Academy, where your teacher dearly wants to kill you. Your first mission: survive school.

I'm sure this is very relatable to quite a lot of you.

Now that I've got my PhD with only a few gray hairs, I'm looking back at this premise and thinking: This would completely upend the social framework of the Empire. You'd have every established Sith Lord in the Empire scrambling to kill these threats to their power, or harness them against their enemies, or both.

This is actually canon, but canon never touches on the broader, systemic implications of what the new Sith would do, and who they were before—Sure, the overseers of the training programs seem to be doing their damnedest to kill and undermine the newbies while maintaining plausible deniability, but enough of them survive to reshape the Empire. We know that. You play as one of them.

How in the fuck did the Dark Council ever manage to get this policy implemented in the first place? Obviously they did somehow, but the specifics are never mentioned.

But the specifics have the possibility to be hilarious.

The Dark Council itself is composed of Sith who either killed their way to the top, or inherited their seat from their Sith master—who they probably murdered. Turnover on most Council seats is incredibly high. The Spheres of Ancient Knowledge, Technology, and Military Offense each have three different Councilors within a single year, for example.

This also means that whoever ends up in charge of a Sphere might be entirely unsuited for it. Who heads up the Sphere of Expansion and Diplomacy? The least diplomatic guy on the Council, naturally. He goes by Darth Ravage, which fits in well enough with the three different Darths whose names mean 'death' (Thanaton, Mortis, and Rictus). The player can even end up as Darth Nox--'Darth Night'. You get the title by killing one of the Darth Deaths.

So, which of these barely-domesticated evil goths probably voted to allow 'inferior' beings to become Sith, overturning a fundamental tenet of imperial sith philosophy? Probably not the guy in charge of Sith Philosophy! We never see him, but he seems to have been a traditionalist. On the other hand, Darth "Murder has no rules" Ravage might not be huge on tradition, so we can mark him down as a "maybe". But he doesn't seem to be an instigator for something like this.

But on the subject of instigators: Darth Jadus.

Darth Jadus is an experience. While many of the other Council members make it quite clear they're angry enough to chew on the furniture, Jadus unnerves all of them by being utterly calm and composed, as long as you don't count how intensely fervent and irrational he sounds when he starts talking about the Dark Side. He's unhinged in a distressingly hinged-seeming way.

Heading up the Sphere of Intelligence, Jadus is a noted iconoclast on the Dark Council, using his authority to open Imperial Intelligence positions to aliens. He chooses slaves and Force-blind citizens to be his advisors and agents, ignoring the traditional power structures of the Sith. He prefers his literal cult following of fanatical adherents instead, who see him as a visionary savior, a terrifying inevitability, or both.

This means he seems to have basically no interest in elevating other Sith. In fact, he hates the way the rest of them run the Empire. Making more of them might potentially be against his interests.

Or at least it would be, if he didn't have some long-running secret plans that he wants to keep the other Dark Council members from catching wind of. Advocating for slaves, aliens and convicts to become Sith would superficially fall in line with his philosophy, and just raising the idea in public could cause such social chaos that his true plans would benefit from it. Jadus is also the most genre-savvy sith in the entire game: he seems to almost be aware at points that he's neither the protagonist nor main antagonist, and thus his evil plans involve not messing with either of them. When he jostles up against the main plot and realizes he has no plausible means to derail it, he responds by leaving the plot entirely.

Given the tactical chaos and uncomfortably fourth wall-touching strategies Jadus makes use of, let's mark him down as a "yes".

But Jadus is an unpopular one on the Council. He's creepy. Sith HATE feeling creeped out. That's supposed to happen to other people, dammit, not them! And with his disinterest in politics and his deep interest in foisting his manifesto on everyone, he's not the most effective Dark Councilor.

He might be able to pull in a few—Darth Decimus, head of Military Strategy, seems to have been quite willing to exploit any advantage he might be able to squeeze out of a situation. Fun side note, his voice actor also played the First Order officer who was just so done with Hux at the beginning of The Last Jedi.

[Video Description: A compilation of Mark Lewis Jones as Captain Moden Canady from The Last Jedi, with the video quality partially encrunchified by YouTube. This includes all of his shots from the film, from arrival of the Seige Dreadnought Fulminatrix, to the extremely annoyed look he gives the fireball that kills him. Sound supervisor Matt Wood was apparently pretty sure "FIRE ON THE BASE!" was going to be used as an EDM drop, and I can confirm, I've heard it out in the wild.]

Who else have we got rattling around in this Council, who might have extremely ridiculous reasons to vote yes? Well, we have Darth Vengean, head of Military Offense, was all about the Offense. Who needs defense? That nerd Darth Marr? HA! No, Vengean wanted to restart the war with the Republic. More bodies for the war machine would probably be fine with him.

Speaking of that nerd Darth Marr, Darth Marr.

Apparently he designed this armor himself. Solid effort, my man.

Marr is in his sixties by the time the game happens. He's one of the longest-surviving Dark Councilors, and he sounds so tired of his coworkers in every scene he's in. Heading up the Defense of the Empire, Marr also is the de facto leader of the Dark Council, by dint of being the only adult in the room.

Much like Jadus, he distances himself from the backstabbery and rivalries among the Council members. Unlike Jadus, he 100% means it, and has been focused on not making the Empire explode. He eventually ends up as the unofficial leader of the Empire until he gets one-shotted so hard it makes his ghost chill out a bit. He keeps the spikes, though.

So, if there's anyone on the Council who might vote for this on purely practical grounds, and has the power to push others into agreeing with him, because so help him if they don't stop holding duels in the conference room he's going to turn this Empire around—

Nobody listens to him on that, by the way. Both the Sith main plots involve duels in the conference room.

In fact, one of those duels is egged on by our last suspect. Marr might be a contender for longest-running Dark Councilor, but there is another candidate: Darth Vowrawn, who seems to be having a much better time being on the Council than Marr. I suspect the only reason why he doesn't have a bucket of popcorn with him in the Council chambers is because somebody made a rule that he had to stop doing that.

Vowrawn is a surprisingly cheerful old bastard who seems to have turned his hobby into his job. He shows up 'fashionably late' to someone else's attempted coup, after lamenting he can't sell tickets to the clusterfuck that's about to commence. In the expansions to the game, he can outmaneuver and outlive all of the competition and end up becoming the Emperor, at the age of 87.

Vowrawn is also indifferent to against the Empire's policies--he supports the ascension of a Zabrak to the Dark Council, and takes one as an apprentice as well. Beyond that, Vowrawn would have to support this move, because he's instrumental in any large project like this, both politically and practically. While the others I've mentioned all have roles explicitly to do with the aggressive expansion or protection of the Empire, Vowrawn heads the Sphere of Production and Logistics. In essence, he's the one who can decide whether all these other bozos get to eat or not.

If Vowrawn didn't accept this change, then it would have failed. So, he's a definite "yes" by default.

Speaking of bastards who are still active well into their eighties, we have one last major figure who isn't on the Council that likely advocated for this: Darth Malgus.

[Video Description: The "Deceived" trailer, set ten years before the game. God, I love this thing. This was the first trailer I saw for the game, and it got me, it really did. The Sith are just as ridiculous as they should be, combined with choreography that feels a lot more crunchy than lightsaber combat had been before, with distinct combat styles for the two main fighters. It's quick, it's impactful, and it's got a memorable conclusion. Love it.]

Malgus is as anti-racist and anti-classist as Jadus is, but without the insane transcendental Dark Side philosophy. Instead, he has an insane philosophy of bettering the Empire through eternal war, which he believes everyone should have an equal ability to participate in. He is what would happen if a Warhammer 40k character had an inside voice.

[Video Description: The "Disorder" cinematic trailer, set before the Legacy of the Sith expansion. Malgus is 75 here. Man's held together by spite and screws and whatever nutrients you can absorb by being thrown through walls. He's fully given up on the Sith Order at this point and is trying to do his own thing, and he makes it look rad. The choreography has only gotten better, goddamn. Why did it take me three goddamn years to watch this. IT'S REALLY GOOD.]

Malgus is a big deal in the military, with a lot of support from both the Force-blind soldiers and earning the loyalty of a surprising cross-section of Sith. We know this, because he nearly hijacks the Empire at one point in the early expansions. He'd be into this idea, and he probably advocated for it. While he'd have the most direct interaction with the military-related Councilors we already have in the "yes" column, he also has a history of annoying the bejeezus out of other Sith on "his" turf, so who knows! He may have been more persuasive to the others we haven't dug into.

And we can't really dig into all of them at the depth we have with some. Despite how bogglingly huge SWTOR is and the two thousand four hundred and ninety-five named characters and "Additional Voices" credits in IMDb, we never meet some of the Dark Councilors. If you don't play all the eight main storylines, you won't see all of them in the game. I'll admit, I've never seen Darth Hadra, because I've never gotten that far in a Republic-aligned storyline! The Sith you encounter in their stories can often be more one-note, because they're purely there as antagonists rather than people you are legally required to hang out with, and thus have more opportunity to pester mercilessly.

[Video Description: A clip from my own Warrior run-through, featuring my big lad Rejalgar, his coolest friend Vette, and his boss, Darth Baras, who is presently having a screaming tantrum, which Rejalgar makes worse with the most delightfully straight-faced "Is there a problem here?". The Warrior plotline lets you play things sincerely evil, sincerely noble, or sincerely hilarious. Do you want to see Jedi bluescreen when a Sith just straight-up refuses to be violent? Do you want to sidestep a boss fight by offering a family a government pension, something your boss commends as being very devious and evil? Do you want to break up a fight between gangs by threatening to eat them? Come play the Sith Warrior storyline, and be the chaos you want to see in the galaxy!]

[Video Description, from a clip I uploaded to YT specifically for this post after I found out you can only upload one video per tumblr post wtf: A clip from my Inquisitor run-through, featuring my extremely shirtless lad, Sericus, playing coy and a little airheaded when called up by his Sith master, Darth Zash. Back in the day, Purebloods weren't supposed to be played as canon for this storyline, but there were tweaks later made to dialog that provided a canon explanation for how someone with visible Sith ancestry could end up in this situation. The storyline, however, unfortunately does not fully account for a character whose ideal job description is 'villain's beautiful and deceptively intelligent consort, the true power behind the throne'. It assumes you're playing a character who wants to go conquer and/or do mad wizard-science. Bonus points for eventually letting you marry your eight foot tall razor-faced cannibal thrall though, that's very fun.]

Why don't we see all of the Dark Council? Well, because they're ultimately not important to the story as a group. Events keep you locked tightly under the purview of just one or two of them on the Sith side of things, before the post-game and expansion plots launch you into the experience of being a major player in Imperial affairs, and Imperial affairs launch themselves at you in return.

Everyone realizes the Emperor wants to eat them. Then he dies, except he doesn't. Malgus takes over the Empire for a few weeks. Marr takes over, but half the Council is dead and the rest are still in orientation and are probably also dead, because their would-be successors assassinated them. The Emperor, only mildly inconvenienced by also being dead, eats a planet. Then things go completely off the deep end, and the Dark Council is no longer your concern at all.

It's economical storytelling to not belabor the rest of the Councilors, and playing through as an ex-slave Inquisitor, you continue to face enough challenges directly linked to your background that the resistance feels systemic, even if you don't actually see all that many others who are facing the same issues.

But I think there's a lot of potential for some really wild storytelling in there. Your character receives some level of basic training before they reach the Sith Academy, along with a whole batch of ex-slaves. What did that entail? How was it organized? What happens when folks from abolitionist movements start being trained as sith, gaining all the attendant legal authority over the life and death of others?

And what about the prisoners who were released for training? While one canon option is to play a character who was facing immediate execution for participation in violent anti-Imperial resistance, at least a fair chunk of Force-sensitive prisoners were probably serving longer sentences. What happens when prison gangs start gaining a foothold in the Sith Academy, where they're too dysfunctional to even form Mean Girl cliques? What happens when some of their members become full Sith? How many of them might have Hutt backing, or even funding from the Republic Secret Intelligence Service?

These are the sorts of things the Sith themselves are terrified of. This earns a very sarcastic thoughts and prayers to them, of course. Yet it truly is wild to think about the decision-making process that went into this massive societal shift that the game treats as simply a piece of inciting incident for two plotlines out of eight: Twelve unhinged people sat down in some extremely high-backed chairs one day and voted to give everyone equal access to lightning.

I love Star Wars, it's just the funniest shit imaginable sometimes.

[everrinsly]

a/n; inarizaki focused! this made me laugh a few times, it's very long and silly haha, this is a bonus story, a bit of crackhead energy and writing (≧▽≦)

જ⁀🏐🇯🇵⁀🏐🦊

a momager and her silly olympic team bonus

bonus story to a kitagawa daiichi reunion, table wars, and dramatic setters in the dining hall (linked here)! (follows the part where you mentioned the inarizaki boys filed a kidnapping report during the asian championship).

જ⁀🏐🇯🇵⁀🏐🦊

protective foxy instincts, poor foxy judgments. fluff. fem!reader. | not proofread.

the inarizaki boys are in disarray when a korean player asks for directions to the restroom. p.s. unhinged chaos at the international scale where authorities were this close to being called.

more olympic team shenanigans here!

more reads!

જ⁀🏐🇯🇵⁀🏐🦊

Snippet from A Kitagawa Daiichi Reunion, Table Wars, and Dramatic Setters in the Dining Hall:

“They’re obsessed,” Iwaizumi corrected, not even looking up as he picked at his food with a long-suffering sigh. “You breathe in someone else’s direction and half the team looks like they’re ready to file a kidnapping report.”

You let out a soft laugh, a fond memory replying in your head. “I think the Inarizaki boys actually filed one… in the last Asian Championship… blamed it on Osamu even though he was all the way in Osaka.”

“Didn’t they rope Ushijima in on that also?”

“Yeah. Kita was called for that scolding.”

“Fuckin’ foxy idiots.”

જ⁀🏐🇯🇵⁀🏐🦊

—Flashback to Asian Championship; Iran—

The gym was buzzing with post-match energy—half exhaustion, half adrenaline—under bright lights that made the polished court gleam. Somewhere near the back, Team Japan had scattered into their usual loosely organized chaos.

You were sitting on the bench, legs criss-crossed, clipboard resting against your thigh as you updated volleyball stats of the most recent match. 

On the floor, Atsumu was aggressively stretching like he was trying to win gold in flexibility. Aran sat just a bit behind, tying and untying his shoes out of habit more than necessity, while Suna laid flat on his back beside the bench, legs raised in the air in some passive excuse for a hamstring stretch.

Sure, they were Inarizaki’s finest, but they looked like an (absolutely terrible) unsupervised group project.

The rest of the team had fanned out across the venue—Komori and Hinata were raiding the snack trucks for post-game fruit cups, Bokuto had wandered off to show Sakusa a new handshake, Kageyama was desperately digging through your purse for his yogurt packs, and Iwaizumi had passed his iPad to Ushijima, who now stood like a quiet statue by the hallway, intently watching replays with a tiny furrow of concentration in his brows.

You just got done circling Hinata’s name—because the man decided three shots of espresso and ‘vibes’ were enough to fuel a warmup (which led to six of his spikes landing out of bounds)—when a soft, tentative voice interrupted you.

“Uh… hello?”

You glanced up to see a tall figure in a white-and-blue tracksuit awkwardly fidgeting in front of the bench. KOR. Tall. Young. Polite. Cute. Also very panicked.

“I… uh… restroom?” he asked, brows raised in apology more than question, and gestured wildly in several directions. 

You blinked, realizing the poor guy was very lost.

“Ah—yes!” you said, tucking your pen into the clipboard and standing. “I know it’s kind of confusing over here.”

Suna’s eyes lazily followed the exchange. Aran half-glanced up, mildly curious. Atsumu squinted suspiciously.

You offered the Korean player a warm smile and motioned. “Come on, it’s just down this hallway. I’ll show you.”

The guy nodded in relief, bowing in thanks. “Thank you, thank you.”

You vanished around the corner with him, disappearing into the maze of back hallways lined with event posters and mop buckets.

જ⁀🏐🇯🇵⁀🏐🦊

The emotional earthquake began—immediate, catastrophic panic from the Inarizaki boys. 

Suna slowly lowered his legs from the air, eyes narrowed.

Atsumu sat up straighter, head whipping toward the now-empty hallway. “Who was that guy and why did he just walk off with our manager?”

“He asked where the restroom was,” Aran said, trying to sound reasonable but sounding a good seventy percent worried.

“Did he?” Atsumu countered. “Or did he use that as a cover to lure her into a hidden tunnel system beneath the venue?”

“There is no tunnel system, Miya,” Aran muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“You don’t know that!”

Suna, who had been suspiciously quiet, sat up and began scrolling through his phone. “Okay but… remember that one article I bookmarked? About signs of suspicious behavior and identifying possible kidnappers?”

Atsumu leaned over eagerly. “Oh, ya! The checklist. With the grainy photos and everythin'.”

“You saved that?” Aran blinked.

Suna tilted his phone so they could see. “Look—excessively polite demeanor, avoids eye contact, fidgets while speaking, asks for directions to a non-specific location. Bro was ticking off boxes like a daily to-do list.”

Aran frowned. “He asked for the bathroom.”

“Exactly,” Suna said grimly.

“He was lost!”

“That’s what they want you to think.”

Atsumu was already pulling out his phone. “We need to mobilize. Ushijima’s in position.”

Aran groaned. “Don’t drag Ushijima into this—also he’s literally RIGHT THERE!” he added, elaborately pointing to where Ushijima stood near the hallway, not ten paces away, still stoically watching a replay on Iwaizumi’s iPad.

“Too late,” Atsumu said sweetly, thumbs flying over his phone. 

[Atsumu to Ushijima] [ATSUMU]: Hey ushi-kun can ya do a quick hallway sweep?  Manager’s been gone for longer than the average restroom detour [USHIJIMA]: OK.

Aran slapped a hand over his face. “I swear—there’s no need…”

જ⁀🏐🇯🇵⁀🏐🦊

Ushijima was already on the move, walking with grim determination like he’d just been briefed by a top-level agency. His footsteps echoed with purpose.

Atsumu turned to Suna, who was now drafting a ‘Kidnappings and Missing Person’s Report’ and had added an entire subsection titled ‘Bathroom Lures’.

“We need to formalize this,” Atsumu muttered. “I’m gonna ask ‘Samu.”

“Agreed,” Suna said, flipping his phone horizontally like he was prepping a spreadsheet.

[Atsumu to Osamu] [ATSUMU]: Bro emergency Need ya to help us fill out a kidnapper report form Pretty sure she’s been sweet-talked into a bathroom cult or somethin Suna says it’s got classic toilet trap vibes [OSAMU]: What the hell is a toilet trap No wait don’t answer that I regret asking Why are you like this [ATSUMU]: Because i care  I’m tryna protect our manager and you’re givin me sass Please help Suna formatted it in word this time [Attachment: .docx file titled “Kidnapper Incident Report - Asian Champs Edition” with subsections for: Suspect, Timeline, Emotional Damage Assessment, Witness Statements, Red Flags, and Bathroom Lures] [OSAMU]: Bro  She’s goin to the fuckin bathroom Not a hostage bunker  [ATSUMU]: You don’t fuckin know that omg

જ⁀🏐🇯🇵⁀🏐🦊

There was a five-minute beat of silence.

You still hadn’t returned.

Suna sat on the bench, knee bouncing at a metronomic pace. Atsumu was frozen in a dramatic pose on the floor, leaning on the barricades.

And Aran—Aran, the (supposedly) reasonable one—was now pacing behind the bench, rubbing the back of his neck like a man two seconds away from sprinting to the bathroom to grab you himself. 

“Okay. Okay. Maybe she just took a wrong turn.”

“She knows the layout,” Suna said flatly. “She’s mapped the whole venue. You saw her draw it in her planner.”

“She could’ve been lured. Like, with—” Aran flailed a hand. “Like… Korean snacks. She loves those! I don’t know, man! I’m spiraling!”

Suna didn’t look up. “Did you know the average kidnapping takes only seven minutes to complete?”

Atsumu gasped.

“Don’t say that!” Aran snapped. “I knew you were gonna say something like that.”

“I’m just saying. We’re at, like, minute thirteen.”

Aran’s pacing had devolved into muttering. “She’s definitely been taken. This is an actual hostage situation. Should we start making posters?”

“Calm down,” Suna said, finally looking up. “Ushijima’s got eyes on the hallway. If anyone can tank an abduction attempt, it’s him.”

“Right,” Aran said weakly. “Right. Because nothing says ‘subtle rescue op’ like Ushijima Wakatoshi walking up silently and asking ‘are you in danger?’ like a sentient slab of concrete.”

A minute passed before Aran continued, his voice pitching up an octave. “Do you think it’s too early to call someone?”

“Like who?” Suna asked, still typing suspiciously fast on his phone.

“I don’t know! The Korean Volleyball Federation? The Japanese Embassy? The Iranian police force? Interpol?”

Atsumu perked up immediately. “Interpol’s got a hotline, right? We could use Aran’s name, it sounds reliable.”

“WHAT—NO—!”

“How ‘bout ‘Samu’s then? He’s got, like, a whole fuckin’ business.”

“Yeah. He’s got the best credit score out of all of us.”

Aran stopped cold, a tiny bit of rationality still in him. “WAIT—NO. Let’s not internationalize this.”

જ⁀🏐🇯🇵⁀🏐🦊

Meanwhile… at Onigiri Miya…

[Osamu to Kita] [OSAMU]: Emergency kita  The idiots are at it again They think manager’s been kidnapped  But she literally just took a Korean player to the bathroom  Suna made a word doc of stupid shit, there's toilet trap Tsumu’s the stupid-ass ring leader  And my twin telepathy is telling me they’re gonna call fuckin Interpol under my name Pls intervene before all former inarizaki grads end up on the news   [KITA]: Got it, Osamu. Is Aran in on it also? [OSAMU]: Knowing him, he’s probably panicking  Like right about now  Cuz he always panics after like 15 mins

There was no response from Kita for a good ten minutes (the rice field has low signal). 

[OSAMU]: Pls kita  I share the same face with that fool No one’s gonna come to the restaurant  Which means Your rice gonna be out of business  Kita  Kita  Kita pls [KITA]: You’re right. I’m on it.  [OSAMU]: Also here  [Attachment: .docx file titled “Kidnapper Incident Report - Asian Champs Edition” with subsections for: Suspect, Timeline, Emotional Damage Assessment, Witness Statements, Red Flags, and Bathroom Lures]

જ⁀🏐🇯🇵⁀🏐🦊

Back at the venue, Ushijima turned the corner of the hallway and caught sight of you laughing softly with the tall Korean player outside the restrooms. You both bowed politely—twice—before parting ways. 

As you turned to head back, Ushijima stepped into your path.

“Oh, hey, Ushi—”

“Are you safe?” he asked seriously.

You blinked up at him, bewildered. “Um… yes? He just needed directions—”

“Understood,” Ushijima replied, pulling out his phone.

[Ushijima to Atsumu] [USHIJIMA]: She is fine.  No threats detected.  We are heading back now.  [ATSUMU]: Oh thank god 

જ⁀🏐🇯🇵⁀🏐🦊

Back on the bench…

Suna looked up from his phone. “Guys.”

“What?”

“…We have an incoming call. From Kita.”

They all froze.

Atsumu paled.

Aran dropped to the floor and whispered, “We’re gonna die.”

Suna’s phone continued ringing. On the screen, Kita’s contact photo—stoic, judgmental, and surrounded by very disappointed sparkles (edited by Atsumu)—glared back at them.

“Answer it,” Aran whispered.

“No, you answer it,” Atsumu hissed.

But Suna had already accepted the call and held the phone up, resigned.

Kita’s voice came through calm and deadly:

“Tell me exactly why I was just informed that Interpol and ‘toilet trap vibes’ were involved in an alleged kidnapping… at an international sporting event… over a restroom detour.”

They all spoke at once.

“It was just a precautionary checklist—” “I never actually called Interpol—” “She likes Korean snacks, Kita, Korean snacks—”

Kita didn’t respond immediately. Then:

“All of you. One hour. Video call. We’re going over appropriate team boundaries and how to identify real emergencies. And get ready for a beating from Iwaizumi. He’s been informed.”

The call ended.

There was silence. 

Suna finally muttered, “I should’ve deleted that doc.”

Atsumu flopped back on the floor, groaning into his towel. “‘Samu’s a fuckin’ snitch.”

Aran looked relieved. “Honestly, this is the best possible outcome… at least she’s okay.”

જ⁀🏐🇯🇵⁀🏐🦊

You returned a moment later with Ushijima, a bounce to your step for doing a good deed—completely unaware of the chaos.

“Hey, guys, why the sad faces? Did something happen while I was gone?”

Three boys smiled up at you with aggressively fake casualness.

“Nope!” “All good!” “Nothing illegal!”

You narrowed your eyes and looked toward Ushijima, who couldn't meet your gaze. 

“…Why does it smell like an international scandal here?”

And right on cue, your phone pinged. 

[Osamu to You] [Osamu]: Darlin Your boys are outta control  [Attachment: .docx file titled “Kidnapper Incident Report - Asian Champs Edition” with subsections for: Suspect, Timeline, Emotional Damage Assessment, Witness Statements, Red Flags, and Bathroom Lures]

[strangesmallbard]

hey so. i’ve seen many people reblogging some variation of “israel spent millions on a superbowl ad to distract everyone from the airstrikes on rafah” and decided to do some fact-checking. the ad was produced by the kraft foundation to stop jewish hate, founded by robert kraft, who owns the patriots. kraft also partnered with dr. clarence b. jones—who advised dr. martin king luther jr and helped him write the i have a dream speech—to create this ad. according to tara levine, the fcas president, this ad was made in response to rising antisemitism on social media platforms, which her team tracks.

here’s a link to the foundation’s about page on their website. their mission statement solely focuses on combatting antisemitism and does not mention i/p or the ongoing war. the ad itself does not mention i/p or the ongoing war. it’s pretty ironic, and yet not surprising, that an ad created to stop antisemitism is currently the eye of the antisemitic storm on social media. if you sincerely believe netanyahu secretly funded this ad campaign to “distract everyone” from the idf’s airstrike attack in rafa, then you have bought into two different antisemitic conspiracy theories: that jews control the media and that diasporic jews have dual loyalty to israel. while political zionists have used accusations of antisemitism to invalidate pro-palestinian efforts, that’s not what’s happening here. all this information is obtainable via google. please learn to fact check yourselves before posting. thanks!

(bonus: here’s a 20-minute video where kraft and dr. jones discuss the civil rights movement, anti-black racism, antisemitism, and the history of solidarity between black and jewish activists during the civil rights movement.)

EDIT 2/23/24:

after publishing this post, i researched robert kraft and fcas' funding source and pro-israel efforts more deeply, then analyzed my findings in a reblog, which you can read here. tl;dr version - in 2019, kraft was given the genesis prize, a $1 million dollar award. the awarding foundation has direct ties to the israeli government. kraft used part of these funds to finance fcas. this additional information does not negate my original post, however; i can't find any conclusive evidence that the israeli government directly funded kraft's superbowl ad. there is also no evidence that kraft is targeting anti-israel sentiment in the ad rather than antisemitism overall. assuming this connection is still evidence of antisemitic conspiratorial thought, as i detail above.

i'm including this information because i believe it's important to acknolwedge wider context. i don't share kraft's politics re: israel and believe his stance compromises his foundation's overall messaging. i also condemn any efforts to silence pro-palestinian efforts with accusations of antisemitism, but that is still not what's happening here. i also want to clarify that i'm only discussing responses i've seen to kraft's ad, not the ads produced by the israeli government. thanks again!

[protectionelainsquad]

Every single theory leads back to Elain and Azriel. every. damn. one.

First off—let’s get the obvious outta the way. Elain is 1000% the next main female character.

SJM literally said she did research and studied for this book. and she’s an Archeron. it’s her turn. period.

And there’s SO MUCH pointing to it:

• in the feysand bonus chapter from ACOSF, Rhys straight up says: “first one sister (Nesta), then the other.”

• Elain is heavily implied to be ready—or soon-to-be—to train and tap into her powers.

• and now with HOFAS? her powers line up perfectly. especially when you look at her next to Azriel.

Let’s talk about the Dusk Court.

Elain’s into gardening, right? and people LOVE to clown her for it, like it’s some silly little thing. But HELLO, every SJM heroine has a “thing.” and this? This will matter.

when we talk about Elain, it’s not just “seer.” it’s powers—plural.

The Cauldron literally loved her enough to give her life, just like it gave Nesta death.

Nesta = death.

Elain = life.

Now imagine Elain, full of this life-giving power, awakening the Eighth Court—the Dusk Court.

And Azriel? the shadowy, mysterious male who’s never fully fit anywhere? what if he’s the heir to that court?

plot twist: the two of them aren’t just compatible—they’re meant to restore a piece of Prythian’s forgotten history.

And the Cauldron?

in that bonus chapter (you know the one—Azriel, Elain, Gwyn), Az drops a bomb:

“The Cauldron chose three sisters. Tell me how it's possible that my two brothers are with two of those sisters, yet the third was given to another.”

like??? what if the Cauldron got it wrong??

"What if the Cauldron was wrong?"

And now HOFAS is like: “yeah btw the Cauldron is controlled by the Daglan and was trying to breed stronger offspring so...”

We're talking about this since ACOWAR.

Az feels the bond between Elain and Lucien. and not in a “cute jealousy” way. Like he literally feels sick.

and Amren was the only other one who could feel mating bonds in ACOMAF.

but Az doesn’t feel all bonds—he didn’t feel Feysand’s. just Elucien’s.

What if that’s because… there are two mating bonds?

• The Cauldron’s: Elain + Lucien.

• The Mother’s: the real deal. soul-deep. chosen. Elriel.

But what about Lucien???

yeah let’s go there.

this bond with Elain? it’s been hanging around since ACOWAR.

but like… nothing’s happening. no romantic scenes. no tension. no anything.

Elain actively avoids him. She loses her voice around him. She wants nothing to do with him.

And Lucien? He’s literally living with another woman. Also he’s linked to Vassa. And Vassa’s under a spell. and Lucien’s the son of the guy who breaks spells.

Yeah. that’s a plot. That’s its own arc. Not Elain’s.

And no. Elain can’t “just say no” and move on.

If she rejects Lucien, the political fallout would be HUGE.

Beron’s ready to go full villain. he’ll use this to start a war. Blood Duel. Chaos. Alliances crumbling. It’s not that simple.

Now let’s zoom out.

Sarah J. Maas basically invented the mating bond trend in romantasy.

Everyone’s copying it.

Feysand walked so a million other romantasy couples could run.

But what if Elain’s book breaks the trope?

What if she is the one who says:

“I don’t want this bond.”

“I don’t want the male that the Cauldron, fate picked for me.”

“I want to choose for myself.”

Imagine a story where a girl rejects the magical destined bond.

And not because it’s broken or abusive—but just because she doesn’t want it.

Iconic.

SJM’s stories are all about choice.

Feyre and Rhys? They chose each other before the bond.

Nesta and Cassian? Same.

Bryce and Hunt? Same.

Aelin and Rowan? Same.

Feyre didn't even knew about the mating bond, and Rhysand didn't want to tell her, leaving her the possibility to choose.

CHOICE. Not fate. Not obligation. Not “you’re mine because magic said so.”

Love that’s freely chosen.

So why should Elain be forced to accept a bond she doesn’t want?

Lucien doesn’t even seem to want it either. like… he’s vibing with someone else entirely.

And in today’s world?

this story would hit hard.

A female lead saying:

“I don’t owe him anything.”

“I don’t have to give him a chance.”

“I get to choose who I love.”

YES.

We Elriel fans don’t want another ACOSF.

We want something like ACOMAF. Like TOG.

Not just smut and vibes—but a story with depth. A slow-burn, emotional, soul-healing, plot-driving masterpiece.

With a heroine who grows, heals, and shines.

Elain has so much potential.

She’s not a warrior like Nesta or Aelin or Manon. But she’s powerful in her softness. Gentle.

She deserves a book that shows the strength in that.

And we’re ready for it.

[most-normal-eccles-cake-ignorer]

while I was looking for gabriels in the intro, I noticed this redheaded person w dark clothing and lighthaired person w light clothing that appear to kiss in the theatre:

i'm making this about the 1941 kiss theory

---

edit oct 7: a few kind people have mentioned that they remember a post from the official good omens account (possibly on twitter) that said the two people kissing are War & Pollution, and the shadow beside them is Famine. (If you have the link please send it this way! I have done a fair bit of searching but with no luck and it's haunting me bc it must be real but i can't find it)

@0owhatsamsays also pointed out that in the X-Ray bonus video "Title Sequence Easter Eggs" Peter Anderson says there are specific characters from season 1 in the highlighted boxes, and as you can see, the kissing booth (top level, far right) is one with a little trail of stars coming off of it.

[the-au-collector]

The Links at a Holiday Party:

Uh oh the Links got invited to an unspecified holiday party (non-ball kind. Maybe someone’s family decided to kidnap them for a day). What are they doing at said party?

Time: Socializes for the first 20 minutes, fucks off to the room with the least people afterwards

Warriors: The True Extrovert, is speaking to everyone. Only doing this because he had enough eggnog to give him a hangover into next week

Twilight: Socializes for 10 minutes, plays with the kids for the rest of the day

Wild: Usurped the kitchen. This isn’t even his kitchen. Why is he in the kitchen?

Wind: Is sneaking drinks when no one’s looking. Otherwise he’s making the kids gang up on Twilight.

Legend: Did the least amount of socialization that’s required, fucked off to the other room well before Time did (Time found him in the room like 👁️👄👁️ and then Time joined him). Has stolen the host’s books. He’s comfy, he’s cozy, he’s going to yell at the next person who tries to talk to him (unless it’s Ravio)

Sky: The Real Extrovert, is talking to everyone, socializing, and is enjoying it. Has become everyone’s favorite. The only one invited back next year.

Hyrule: is sitting in the snow outside. No he won’t come in.

Four: Got mistaken for a child. Isn’t happy about it. Helping Wind rile up the other kids… until Wind refuses to let him share the stolen alcohol. Now he’s rallying the kids against Wind. It’s war.

BONUS!

Malon: is actually socializing, manages to convince Time into talking to people for a little bit. Everyone loves her. Is also invited over next year.

[signedaiko]

A thought just came to my mind of what if the DJD came across a human that regenerated? Like they tried killing them in every way possible and the human is just. Still there. They humans over here cackling while getting shocked by Kaon because they thought of something funny. Just some silly little shenanigans with an immortal human who also happens to be petty and insufferable :)

On a side note reading ur name felt like catching the familiar scent of something nostalgic bc that’s what I named my favorite doll when I was younger

Decepticon Justice Division [MTMTE]

In which the DJD finds a human far, far away from their planet, that they just cannot seem to kill.

Reader is: Gender Neutral | Human | Unaligned.

No matter how brutal, how totally destroyed you are, even to the atom, you will slowly repair your body

It's your hellish eternity, and you feel every part of it, but it is your reality

It wasn't that bad when you first started; you knew you could handle the destruction of being without air, so you took to space where fewer harms could come your way

Or so you thought

Everything changed when you ended up thrown into the war between the Cybertronians, facing chemical agents that'd dissolve your skin, pierce your links, and disintegrate you

But worst of all was when the Decepticon Justice Division found you, specifically Vos

The one you learned to be a scientist was nothing but a sadistic organic-hater that made sure every mix of elements was tested on your stomach, sliced open for display

They all took joy in your pain and even more in your predicament

It was your worst nightmare and their wet dream

Well, it would be bad if you hadn't long since rewired your pain sensory areas into a dead-ended lump in your brain

The worst you got was splitting headaches, but those were nothing compared to what you'd faced

As Vos cuts you open for the thousandth time, as Kaon shocks you with his new highest voltage, you could only crack a smile

Oh yes, these people took such good care of you; they were always pushing you towards improvement, always testing your limits

Some don't mind it, but others, like Kaon, it infuriates him

How many times could you recall being strapped to his chair, shocked till he had no juice left as he tried to convince himself he could outdo your little tricks

And yet, nothing

They keep you because you're a fun toy, and Vos 'claims' his ownership of you, and you'll stay their experimental toy

You're just as much of a psychopath as them, if not worse, so you'll fit right in with the circus of freaks as their first-ever masochist

Author's Note - That is such a specific thing to say about my name but also so sweet and so me-core your'e amazing! Thank you for telling me!!!

Bonus: Y/N sitting on Kaon, a giant robot:

[powdermelonkeg]

(wait you can just link to the ask box? I did not know that! dope!) I felt the depths were really cool at first, but kinda got old and had a lot of missed potential as the game went on. I know what I'd add, but what would you add?

In order:

Lomei.

Ruins that MEAN something. Yeah, under every city is a mine, but the mines are samey unto themselves. They have basically zero story to them. Give me stuff like fragments of the war, or of past Zelda games, etc. (the shattered and sunken ruins of Arbiter's Grounds would be SO cool but I digress)

Zonai Survey Team settlements to counter Yiga being everywhere. Also I want their outfit, give it to me.

Cave of Ordeals/Savage Labyrinth. This is the PERFECT place to put it. Smack it right underneath the coliseum on the surface.

More benign fauna besides fireflies. You can make such weird things in the dark! Bioluminescent frogs, or bats that make echoing calls, or salamanders, or giant isopods. Maybe those Dondons that eat luminous stones live naturally down here. Bonus points: Someone's trying to start a Dondon ranch in the dark.

More biome variety. Glowing red lichens around Eldin volcano, caves made of icicle stalactites under Hebra, sand pillars falling beneath Gerudo, etc.

A single Guardian near the wall around Hyrule Castle's depths to activate every BotW player's fight or flight response when that laser turns on.

Also maybe warped, melted-together pillars of guardians in the pit beneath Hyrule Castle. That would be sick. The sins of the past still haunt the present and all that.

[bokettochild]

I cannot BELIEVE no one told me we had an update!!!!!

Anyways, here's my favorite bits as always, because I need to SCREAM about this one!

The rupee acquisition!

I love how JoJo included that traditional *item acquired* pose that all the Links do, and gave it a reason in the comic (Wind insisting he hold it up is just so fun)

Sky's comment though, "don't spend it all in one place". Isn't that a line you get in Skord when you acquire rupees? The cute little easter eggs here are so fun!

I also really love how Legend is taking an instructional role here, both with Wars and the champion!

While also letting his veteran show

and I love that the rest recognize that! Wild calling Legend "an expert" and actually listening to what he has to say, even if he doesn't agree with it.

I also super like the panels of Twilight's interaction with Legend here

Very eldest and middle sibling discussing the youngest child, and I love it. It reminds us that, even for all the cuteness we got between them in the last arc, Twilight still sees Legend as too rough around the edges, enough that it borders on bullying when it comes to some of the rest, and he's trying to curb that. And Legend is LISTENING, because (as I've said a thousand times) Legend respects Twilight and values his opinion. Twilight is his big brother too now and Legend, while still being himself, genuinely seems to care about his opinion.

Twilight's just tense in general, although why, I think is mostly because of Time's sharp scolding in the last update. Even though he's snapping back at the younger ones, he's not very happy to be snapped at right now, and he's eager to get out from under Time's watchful eye.

Time and Warriors

Because while he feels e has grounds to correct Legend for telling Wild what to do, Warriors straight up subtly scolding his protege is different. And the difference is that Legend and Wild and Twi had camaraderie (see Dawn p.3), they're brothers, but Wars is approaching this as a commander, a captain, and Twi doesn't appreciate that. Warriors isn't their leader though, but he's taking that role anyways. (Old habits die hard, I'm sure)

I mean, we all knew Wars was going to confront Wild sooner or later, but I'm glad he was so calm about it. Twilight's ruffled feathers (fur) is more from Time being overbearing, I believe, so it aggravates any slight annoyance Warriors might present.

Even despite some of our suspicions earlier, I like this bit here. Wild was a soldier once, and the captain is very much the image of what he would have worked with before. JoJo mentioned wanting to play with that dynamic, with them bothering having military background, and I think this is that training (hundred years ago though it was) kicking in and making the champion defer to the man who outranks him (as far as they know). Granted, they all call Wars "Captain" but this felt pointed.

I do love Four acting as the word of wisdom here, advising Time, just like he does Twilight, as to the best way to handle a team. it's a reminder that he's done this before, and he knows how teamwork can be, but also that sometimes you need space and working together means working in different areas.

Anyways, here's a couple bonus things that make me happy!

Bunny stance!

(shh, I know he's making a point by stepping on Wild's toes, let me have this)

Wars being so freaking pretty! Dear Hylia help me! (Is it wrong I understand Cia a bit now?)

Wind being the youngest sibling who is Done With Your Chatter

A competent boy being competent (and not as experienced as Ledge, but pretty darn close (if you've played both their games you know))

Showing off items! (I can hear the little ✨da nana na✨)

And of course, I love Time being a tired, overprotective parent (he looks like my mom here, good grief!)

[brynnterpretations]

THE BOYS’ TYPES ☻

Annie January

GIF Source: @kylos ★ (link)

Someone kind, gentle, sensitive, and a bit nerdy. She is a Certified Yapper Lover™, and loves to hear her partners talk about things they're interested in, so passion is key for her; bonus points if it's about something she hasn't really heard of before (Hughie really got her hooked with a discombobulated Star Wars rant). As we all know, Annie has an extremely firm sense of right and wrong, so a potential partner's values are a make-or-break scenario for Annie. Admittedly, she finds nervousness and rambling very cute, and it's the first thing that typically draws her to a person. She's a fan of that anxious, neurotic energy — sorry-not-sorry. Additionally, for men and women alike, if you have curly or otherwise textured hair? She wants you.

Billy Butcher

GIF Source: @amazingmaeve ★ (link)

Since Becca, Billy's type has fluctuated a lot. Before and during Becca, he deeply appreciated someone level-headed, calm, caring, and intelligent; however, after her death, it's been hard finding someone of that personality that didn't just remind him of her. For short-term relationships, Billy is very attracted to firecracker types, and for long-term, appreciates someone sensible and a little snarky, yet able to be sensitive in the right moments, even if he may push him away. A hard rule for Billy, though, is that the person is able to stand their own. He greatly values conviction, and even if that person may have differing opinions, them being able to stand up for their own beliefs is something extremely important to him in a relationship.

Frenchie

GIF Source: @vcugifs ★ (link)

Someone quiet, driven, loyal, and with a secret soft side. Got walls? Frenchie loves them and wants to break them down (lovingly, of course). Considering his past, he wants someone understanding and with a "history" of their own, too — he's naturally drawn to people who have that aura and "roughness", for lack of a better term, to them. Being bilingual, or multilingual, even if it's not French, is a big plus for him, too; as a communicative person and someone interested in linguistics in general, he becomes a lot more interested in someone if he hears them speaking or writing another language.

Hughie Campbell

GIF Source: @olympain ★ (link)

Someone strong, independent, and passionate. As a pretty nervous guy, Hughie greatly admires people who can "stand their own", and is drawn to them in relationships. That doesn't mean it's all take, though — Hughie really likes someone who, even if strong, he can comfort, care for, and support, so if you're in need of any of that? Hughie's your guy. He also is pretty attracted to anyone who stands his rambles and doesn't give him crap for them — and, better, is actively engaged — and will fall for you pretty quickly if you're that type. So, in another words: if you'll tell McDonald's they put mustard when he asked for no mustard, he'll fall for you.

Kimiko Miyashiro

GIF Source: @amazingmaeve ★ (link)

Someone understanding, empathetic, and optimistic. It's suffice to say that Kimiko has been through a lot, and, like Frenchie, wants someone who she can relate to and move forward to better futures with. People who have a positive attitude in spite of their hardships are people she's greatly attracted to. Being chatty and willing to communicate with her often is also something she loves; she has a lot on her mind and likes to share it with the people she loves and see their thoughts on it. Similarly to that, she loves expressive people —  not just because it makes them easier to read, but she finds it really, really cute. A bit random, but if you have a loud laugh, too, she'll fall in love pretty quick.

Marvin T. Milk (M.M.)

GIF Source: @vergeltvng ★ (link)

Someone loyal, resilient, hardworking, and honest — to the point of bluntness. M.M. is a no-bullshit guy and not someone to appreciate a "cheerleader" figure, so he greatly appreciates someone he can always trust to tell the truth, even when it's not pretty. Realism and practicality is also important to him too. Like Annie, morals are also a make-or-break for M.M., and having someone who cares about integrity, family, and justice like him is the most important aspect in relationships to him. Additionally, someone who's A) good with kids and B) good with his past wife. While he wouldn't hold any feelings for Monique while in or pursuing a relationship, his former family is extremely important to him. His potential partner having the maturity to recognize this situation, as well as holding a love for children (even if they don't want any themself), is very important to him.