#Andromeda was good

[flightofthefaeriedragon]

THERE

ARE

FOUR

GAMES!

We are not waiting for ME4. We are waiting for ME5.

[lithosaurus]

While we're in BioWare fan crisis 393/??? I want to plant my flag firmly in the 'Mass Effect: Andromeda is actually really good' camp.

There are places the writing doesn't hit. There's spots where mechanics or production aren't 100% but the game as it is now is still a legitimately fun game with compelling characters, slick combat, and an interesting narrative.

It's always going to have the specter of ME3 looming over it. The release will always ruin it for some. I totally understand the arguments that the colonial themes needed to be re-examined but the biggest flaw for me will always be that it didn't get it's sequel.

Some character arcs were underwhelming because they could have been finished in the sequel. Things were left unanswered because there was going to be a sequel. Even the sticky dark heart of the colonial issues could have been further explored in a sequel. Annoying amounts of sequel bait? Coulda been fixed with a sequel.

The launch and subsequent poor sales destroyed what, to my estimation, could have been a serious inheritor to the Mass Effect name and a legitimately amazing game series.

[itz-pandora]

"I AM PERFECTION"

"IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME"

"I'LL NEVER BE GOOD ENOUGH"

I like these mentally ill siblings

I tried to portray (what I think are) their biggest flaws (Ego, envy, esteem)

Also, I tried to show more about their flaws with their eye levels

Void believes he's better than everyone, looking down upon them.

Andromeda sees Stellar at eye level, seeing her as an equal, or a reflection of what her life could've been if she was saved.

Polarity is looking down at himself, feeling he's worthless when compared to his more able siblings, despite being the one who tries the hardest.

Here's transparent PNGs

Void, Andromeda, and Polarity all belong to @emthimofnight

[paimonial-rage]

“what part of ‘I want you, and only you’ do you not understand?” - aether

requested by @andromeda-nova-writing

“I’m just saying that there are better people than me,” you replied lightly. “It’s not like you need me on your team.”

And truly, you weren’t exaggerating. Aether had many friends, after all, many powerful ones. Some of them excelled in fighting, while others had the ability to heal. Some gave powerful shields, while others could make the team stronger. While you had your own utilities, you knew the truth. You paled in comparison to the rest. There was no point in keeping you around. 

Aether sighed. 

“And I’m saying I want you around anyway. You know, not everything about adventuring is having the best team.”

It was your turn to sigh. This wasn’t a topic you normally brought up. You didn’t want to be a downer on the team, after all. But after Paimon had gone off with Sucrose to check on the modified sunsiettas leaving you behind with Aether, the subject found itself coaxed to your lips. 

Did Aether realize how popular he was, you wondered. It seemed like everybody was vying to have just a moment of his time. Whenever he met up with a friend he hadn’t seen in a while, three out of four times they’d throw a party. And there you were, always awkwardly tagging along. Though nobody was ever jealous of you, you always felt bad. It felt as if you were coveting him all to yourself. 

Though you never asked, words could not describe how much you wished to know why he kept you near. Did he feel bad for you because you didn’t have a great number of friends? Or did he like your combat abilities, meager though they were? At one point, you thought it was due to how well you knew the terrain, but he took you to many different nations since then. 

“I know that,” you mumbled. “It’s just… There are many people that want to spend time with you. You don’t need to ask me to tag along all the time…”

Aether clutched his chest in mock hurt. 

“I didn’t know you hated spending time with me that much!” He exclaimed dramatically. 

You panicked.

“Hey! Don’t put words in my mouth!” You shot back. “I just– Gods, you just don’t get it!”

Turning up your nose, you pouted. Of course he had to joke about it. He didn’t understand your feelings at all. But when you peeked at him, a look of exasperation had taken hold of his face. 

“No, I don’t think you get it,” he began as he crossed his arms over his chest. “What part of ‘I want you, and only you’ do you not understand?”

Your heart stopped as you felt your face heat. 

“Wh-What– I– How can you say that so easily!?” You squeaked as you covered your face. 

He shrugged.

“It’s the truth. I’ll say it as many times as I need to. Accept it.”

You groaned. 

“I refuse.”

[emthimofnight]

We have heights, we have voices....now we need a run down on the Siblings personality! Then the trilogy will be complete...and then I can (affectionately) release Stellar from my 6 star basement of adorableness.

HAHAHA OKAY!! I will do as you ask for the safe return of my baby girl 🙏

Void

Confident, calculating, and unnerving.

Rarely without a smile on his face.

Has the energy of an apex predator. Unflinchingly comfortable in spite of any danger, having never known what it feels like to be prey.

Strongest out of his siblings and the leader of their little trio.

Manipulative and power hungry.

His creators have no real control over him. They've created a monster.

Views life as a game and himself as the main character. Doesn't recognize other people as actual people, only as pawns for him to play with. If they don't play the game they way he likes, he breaks them.

Taller than both Sonic and Shadow. Doesn't view either of them as parents, only genetic donors.

He sees Shadow in particular as his prototype.

Only acknowledges other people as important if they have great power or something that he recognizes as stand-out.

Has never known defeat nor fear. Both of these things have the power to shatter his world view.

His siblings are afraid of him for good reason.

Who is to say what his sexuality is??? Probably power-sexual. 😂 He would only ever be attracted to someone based off of strength or what they could offer him.

Andromeda

Short-tempered, snide, and bitter.

A gloomy person over all, almost always in a perpetual state of scowling.

The emotional core of the failed experiment trio. Does her best to keep Void and Polarity from killing each other.

Deeply envious of Stellar and her happy relationship with Sonic and Shadow. Wonders why she wasn't found and whisked away to a better life.

Awful self-esteem. Knows she is unhappy with her life in Cosmic Labs, but doesn't see any way out. At least she has a place she belongs if she stays inside the box that was made for her.

Cares for both Void and Polarity, but doubts if Void returns that sentiment. She and Polarity are close, getting along well when they are alone.

Pressured by their creators to get Void to behave. Since they cannot punish him, Andromeda and Polarity are often punished in his stead.

Secretly craves love, affection, and praise. Despite this, she chooses to fight Stellar whenever they encounter one another instead of accepting her offerings of sisterhood.

If she had to pick between Void or Polarity, she'd pick Polarity.

She is a lesbian!

Polarity

Hot-headed, resentful, and explosive.

The weakest of the siblings (including Stellar) and he knows it. Only outdoes them in speed.

Has an extremely tumultuous relationship with Void. He is constantly trying to prove himself to their creators, but is outshone by his elder brother.

Despite this, he trains harder than either of his siblings, and is often covered in bandages from overworking himself.

Takes the most after Sonic despite everything, and is a fun-loving, quick-witted, and gentle person at his core. If isolated and given enough time to open up, he is actually very sweet.

Only ever confides in Andromeda, and cares about her deeply. He will often step in and take punishments in her stead.

A closeted nerd. Has a stash of old comic books that were given to him by a generous lab worker that he has read cover to cover countless times. He could quote any scene from memory.

Often speaks out against Void and his methods. Void has gotten very good a tuning him out on missions.

Lowest chaos energy reading of all Project Stellar experiments, but cannot be beat in willpower and determination. Notable for his inability to ever give up.

Has constant dark circles around his eyes from lack of sleep and stress. Rarely ever rests.

He is bisexual!

Original post with Stellar's failed lab sibs if they had survived:

[iknowicanbutwhy]

Behold! Sketched ideas I've been sitting on for OFF ISAT for forever. Is that even Siffrin anymore smh

[quadrupleangst]

I get to bully him a little bit right just 🥺 just a little bit 🥺🥺🥰

Original

[youryurigoddess]

On love and sacrifices

There’s so much more to this scapegoating business and big sacrifices referenced in the Good Omens narrative than the literal goats. And they’re only getting bigger, louder, final.

But let’s take it slow and start with the beginning, quite literally — i.e., with the Good Omens 2 title sequence. As we follow Aziraphale and Crowley on their journey, the universe warps and their usual left and right side positioning switches during the magic show (not accidentally an act of trust and sacrifice required both from the angel and the demon). They stay so throughout the next scene, which is their little dance in the air, and after they seemingly get settled on the A. Z. Fell and Co.’s roof and back to normal, the flipped sky in the background suggests that something’s not quite right yet. In the central part of the shot looms a large, humanlike shadow of the Elephant Trunk Nebula.

The nebula is a part of a constellation called Cepheus, after an Ethiopian king from the Greek mythology who agreed to sacrifice his only daughter in order to appease the gods and end a local calamity started by her mother and his wife, Cassiopeia (talk about generational responsibility). With time and a delightfully ironic twist of fate, the name of said daughter, Andromeda, became more famous than that of her father. Although she was chained up to a rock and offered to the sea serpent Cetus, the girl was spotted by the warrior Perseus, casually flying over the sea — either on the back of the Pegasus or thanks to a pair of winged sandals — after his victory over Medusa. He fell in love on the spot, defeated the serpent (with the help of a magical sword or Medusa’s severed head, depending on the varying sources), and freed the princess. That’s not exactly where their story ends, but we won’t be getting into the rest here.

Not surprisingly, Neil has mentioned two parallel child sacrifice stories from the biblical context back in August. The first is one of the big ones — The Binding of Isaac. God's command to sacrifice Isaac, his only son, was a test of Abraham's faith. The angel of the Lord intervenes and provides a ram to be sacrificed in the boy’s place.

The second one isn’t nearly as popular, but you might have heard a variant of it in fairy tales or as the Law of Surprise invoked in The Witcher saga. In exchange for Israel’s victory over its enemies in battle, Jephthah had rashly promised God to repay the debt with the first thing seen on his return back home. The victorious warrior didn’t suspect to see his only child moving innocently "to meet him with timbrels and with dances" though. In horror, Jephthah covered his eyes with his cloak, but to no avail: ultimately, he was forced to honor his vow to God, and the girl was sacrificed. As grisly as it might look like in the Old Master’s paintings, it’s important to remember that human sacrifices weren’t limited to physical offerings only — Jephthah’s daughter might have been offered to God in the sense of officially shunning her family and dedicating her life to service instead, probably sequestered in a temple somewhere.

Interestingly, the main character of a big chunk of the Bible and the reason for the Second Coming happens to be THE most influential child sacrifice in the modern history. You know, a certain 33-year-old carpenter sent by his Heavenly Father to die on a cross for the sins of the mankind? Someone better call Aubrey Thyme ASAP.

Circling back to Aziraphale, he could be also seen as a representative of the concept of filial piety, since Eden willing to personally take a Fall not only for the humanity’s collective or individual transgressions, but the shortcomings of his Ineffable Parental Figure as well. Our favorite angel angel always fights for what is right and good, sure, but why would that be even a thing if God was truly omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent?

If Aziraphale’s medal is anything to go by, it looks like we might get an answer from the way it’s introducing another mythological narrative into the game, that is the story of Daedalus and Icarus. The most absorbing thing about this is the stark contrast to the recurring child sacrifice references for S3 mentioned in this post — Daedalus isn’t a father who wanted to sacrifice his son, it was his attempt to save him from imprisonment that ultimately drove Icarus to his death. The boy ignored his father’s explicit instructions, committing the grave and culturally universal sin of disobedience to one's parents that simply couldn’t go unpunished, one way or another.

But Icarus’s transgression could be seen both as high-flying ambition and striving for personal accomplishment as well as humanitarian sacrifice for knowledge and humanity’s advancement in general.

Similarly to a certain angel who left everything for what superficially seems like a work promotion, but is the ultimate act of love — both for his demon and the children they have been protecting and nurturing together for six thousand years. From the very Beginning, his white wings have been shielding everything he holds dear in this world.

[jzargo]

Liam's loyalty mission is so fucking funny. Comedy gold 10/10 no notes.

[yippee-optimistically]

gabriella and cricket attack GO [I FORGOT ONE 😭😭😭]

also. whole lot of characters i havent drawn/colored so much yet + some little teen concepts

finished s3 recently it was very good. seasons just keep getting better

Had to come back and edit a lake episode Tilly in

[hobbithoes]

glad this is a #REAL dragon age game and there’s fuck ass hats >:)

[theonekierce]

And there I shivered on that wretched plank, chained like Andromeda to the rock, with a black infinity above and below; // Raffles was laughing in my ear; he had the iron railing fast; it was between us, but his foothold was as secure as mine. -The Catch a Thief

i cant beat any of the original illustrations on this story which are all top tier but i Can add damsel-in-distress bunny <3

[zephhhhh]

have a vexx

[paintinganangel]

Weyes Blood wearing Mugler ~ Andromeda (Music Video)

[whatudottu]

My fucgking puter died (it fell over and ripped out it's own motherboard 😔) so to celebrate I finally drew more Andromeda 5, this time P'andor and Galapagus :)

[here-for-a-good-time-hopefully]

I honestly have so much respect for Andromeda it’s insane

Because I don’t think I could keep living if most of my family was dead and my daughter and husband both died fighting in a war they have no business being in

And then having to survive to raise your grandchild alone because the only other parental figure in his life is an 18 year old kid who just came back from the dead and clearly has unprocessed trauma