#Buried Motives

[tsubomiiiii]

BURY THE LIGHT DEEP WITHIN

[emisatea]

Can you please draw Prowlbulk?

heres your prowlbulk req lovely anon! :D

[annabelle--cane]

the "motivate yourself to do things by imagining that you're your favorite character" advice that goes around sometimes doesn't really work if you're a tragedy enjoyer. pretending that I'm hamlet would NOT help me with self-care.

[anistarrose]

The possible explanations for why the fuck Barry could've felt the need to open that scene with "are you afraid?" have been analyzed by this fandom for basically ever since the Red Robe identity reveal, and a lot of people have brought up good theories that I've adopted bits and pieces of from each. But one thing that I haven't actually seen proposed as a factor is this:

Talking to Tres Horny Boys through the facade of the faceless "Red Robe" might've just been Barry's backup plan. Plan A was, quite possibly, to sneak Junior's ichor out of Lucretia's private quarters, be able to actually inoculate THB, and actually have them recognize him. (A proper reunion, with no cryptic warnings. With no dancing around static — just Barry and Tres Horny Boys, actually trusting each other innately.)

Why do I think this is plausible? Let me clarify the timeline a little: at the start of the Petals arc, before THB leave the Bureau, all is normal with their soon to be ex-roommate Pringles/Robbie (Ep. 18). Upon return, THB are informed that at some point during their (overnight, so 24 hour-ish?) absence, Pringles was thrown in the brig (Ep. 28).

It's eventually revealed by Pringles and Barry, in The Suffering Game and Reunion Tour respectively, that Barry possessed Pringles to do "reconnaissance" on the Bureau, specifically on where to find the second Voidfish (ie, Lucretia's private office, which is where Pringles "woke up" and was "arrested summarily").

I will note that Barry describes this as just recon — implying information gathering, and not necessarily a Voidfish ichor heist. However, this was an explanation he gave through a recorded message in the coin, where he was likely choosing his words carefully to confuse THB the least amount possible. And moreover... I just find it hard to believe that Barry wouldn't let himself hope, leading up to and during this infiltration, that he could make it out with the ichor he so desperately needed.

After all, Barry may be Going Through It during the podcast, but he definitely knows that as much as he needs information, it's going to be a lot harder to pull off his eventual heist if Lucretia catches him in the act, and winds up knowing that he has that information. Barry also chose to make his infiltration attempt while the Bureau was distracted, monitoring the Gaia Sash — in a lot of ways, this might've seemed like not just his first chance at the ichor, but also his best chance at it.

Barry's both an incredibly determined and opportunistic, calculating guy. I don't think Barry would've left Pringles' body unless/until he was absolutely cornered; no hope left of getting out with the ichor this time. He wouldn't pass up a chance to restore his family's memories — because of his deep, deep emotional and practical stakes in restoring those memories, first and foremost — but he even feels kinda bad about possessing Pringles (calling it "unfortunate collateral damage"), and would certainly prefer for his unsavory tactics to be, you know, worth it.

So when Barry fails? When he comes away from his mission he's no doubt been planning for weeks, waiting intently and single-mindedly for his chance with the right Relic-based distraction — and it turns out he has information, but no ichor, to show for it? When he fails, Barry's left on the back foot.

He'd dared to hope it might turn out better than this. He'd dared to hope this might be a turning point, and the world might remain in danger, but at least he'd have his family back. He'd dared to hope he might be able to speak to them, in his right mind, with his memories, and be recognized for the first time in a decade.

So when none of that comes to fruition? When he knows his boys won't recognize him yet, no matter what he does? Yet he still needs them on his side? He still needs them to be prepared for the horrors coming?

Well, he just fucking improvises.

"Are you afraid?"

[madwomansapologist]

there is a certain insanity that makes people decide to become sorcerers. having an innate technique isn't enough, they have to want to work in such a cruel field and more than that they need to not have anyone willing to do anything to stop them from doing so.

miwa and nobara are, from the younger cast, the only ones with mundane reasons. one wants to help her family, the other would rather die than staying on the same fucked up town. it's clear miwa has a great relationship with her family, and clear nobara hasn't.

which makes me think of nanami, the most normal sorcerer from the older cast. the only sorcerer of his family, putting his life and innocence in danger when he was still a student. if you have a family that will have your back (like nobara hasn't) you don't do that. if you have a good socioeconomical situation (like miwa hasn't) you don't do that. for me, it's clear nanami lacks both of them.

not only i think he used to live dangerously closer to the line of poverty during his youth, i also think someone with at least a bit of care or love for their own family would judge suguru for killing his parents. but nanami couldn't care.

[burriburi]

listening to the soft rumble of zenos voicelines as i work because its soothing.

but it made me think more about how much he represents the pursuit of meaning and purpose. he was satisfied with his death in stormblood because he reached a peak. he finally felt like he'd found the pinnacle meaningful experience in a life he otherwise felt so dull and devoid of purpose.

his revival meant he had to contend with either sinking back into the dull oblivion he'd escaped through death, or seek to recreate or surpass his singular crowning and most joyous moment of his life. of course given his tenacious personality, he chooses the latter, hence the extreme escalation he is driven to.

zenos is in a way the most extreme expression of trying to find meaning and joy in life. he's not necessarily correct in his mindset nor approach, but it's so relatable to hunger for some sort of answer, pinnacle or finality to our journey through life. to find that true "satisfaction" with all we are and what we do.

[jahelyden]

ACOWAR Cassian would have killed ACOSF Cassian.

ACOWAR Cassian would never have let ACOSF Cassian treat Nesta how he treated her.

ACOWAR Cassian would have stand up for Nesta every time in ACOSF.

[borgialucrezia]

— the borgias, neil jordan — clive barker, the hellbound heart

[tonydaddingham]

[crystallizsch]

i was looking at the official twst character references and had the not-so-random inclination to draw some expressions for yuusha

[pilkypills]

Cloudbusting is a very very very very good like perfect “Bilbo/Thorin’s legacy for lotr era Frodo” song and I’m kind of going crazy about it I have to draw something

[theharellan]

while i overall enjoyed solas's writing, removing all of solas's agents and any (currently alive) ancient elves rly did terrible things to his motivations and the perception of them in ways that i don't think i have the words to express atm. felassan haunted the narrative in ways mythal could only dream of bc no one was even allowed to say his name.

[astrabear]

A coworker watched The Old Guard on my recommendation and he really liked it and I am being so normal about it. I am not interrogating him about his favorite parts or infodumping or squeeing or anything. Absolutely killing it with my impression of a sane human being who cares about this movie a reasonable amount.

It's awful. I hate it.

[eyndr-stories]

Totally swamped from school & moving nonsense but rest assured, these silly robots still consume my every spare thought <3

[pneumaticshift]

just dropping in to tell u I love ur writing and so thankful that you showed me how awesome shipping batman and green lantern is.

Omg stop, you make me blush 🥰 I have one agenda and it's Batlantern, so I'm glad the propaganda is working.

[solasfenheral]

mfw you've only got a gut feel on this etc etc but considering comments from the devs where they've talked abt how the writing doesn't stop at the first iteration and continues through development, and how there are parts of vg's writing that FEEL like a first draft (huge chunks of the crow storyline, the beat where Taash's second outing doesn't have any set up to Taash feeling chained by their mother's expectations prior to this and thus the sheer emotion feels wildly out of left field) and how this game pivoted from an MMO to a singleplayer with three years of development time and how one of gaider's complaints in leaving bioware was that it felt like there was little consideration from management about the importance of writing TO the game. hnnnghhhhhh