#Ensouled

[spiritsonic]

hormpst

[girl4music]

The way they introduced that demon that can grant souls to the vampire that comes to take The Challenge is the same way they introduced that Slayer Guardian woman towards the end of Season 7. Never explained any of it beforehand. It just happened because it was a convenience to the writers because they’re lazy and just want a quick way to do something in the narrative.

Inventing random characters and places that have never appeared in the show before and there’s no explanation for why they’re appearing now.

The only time this actually works is with Dawn because the point was for her to appear at random.

I’m not a fan of writing that just drop things into the narrative just for the sake of concluding the narrative.

I’m happy that Spike got his soul back but I’m still scratching my head as to how he was able to do it. That it was ever even possible for him to do it at all. Because if this was an option all along for him, then why the hell didn’t he bloody do it ages ago? Attempt raping Buffy is the only event that pushed him so far as to even consider the thought? Did that whole thing just jog and jaunt his memory of “Oh, I can do this.”

Nah, it doesn’t seem right. It was a convenience for the writers to create this demon that can grant souls. It was a convenience for the writers to create this Slayer Guardian woman that can “pass on” the rights of the Scythe to Buffy or whatever that whole scene was about. I can’t even remember to be honest.

It’s not good writing.

Good writing is not convenient writing.

Good writing is set up and built up properly.

What they should have done was kept to the morally grey route with him and have him be the one vampire where it was possible he could turn good without a soul as that was clearly what was already happening.

What does this mean for all the other vampires?

Who the fuck cares?

What does this mean for Buffy? It means a very compelling avenue to explore for her character since they were going to reveal that her Slayer power comes from a demon anyway. That she was part demon too.

It would have made the entire story of ‘BtVS’ better and Angel could continue to be the only vampire with a soul since he seems to be so bothered about that.

Spike didn’t even need a soul. He got one because they couldn’t justify his grey morality without one. They tried to have it both ways with him and it sucked all the actual interesting parts about his character out because it could be put down to “he has a soul now”. It was dumb because he wasn’t the one who had to change but if this was the only way he would get any respect from Buffy and the protagonists, then so be it.

[iwontusethis255]

FUCK YOU, IMA POST THREE UNDERTALE AUS IN ONE POST, BITCHES

FIRST ONE, MADE IN LIKE 2020

ENSOULED

PREMISE: after a genocide route flowey goes to asgore and tells him about the human. asgore understands that this flower knows more than him, and entrusts him to give the human souls to whoever he deems fit. thus, this au. after defeating asgore, he gives both his human and monster soul to flowey so he can go to the surface and escape, but flowey goes to the surface and takes down 6 more humans becoming his hyperdeath form. however, the human is stronger, they were able to defeat 6 Ensouled Monsters, what's one more gonna do?

NEXT ONE, MADE IN LIKE 2021/22 I THINK

FLIPTALE

PREMISE: 3 years after the Monsters were trapped underground. W. D. Gaster, the Royal Scientist, under the nose of his lab assistant, Alphys, made a breakthrough. The Power of Dog. It far exceeds the power of a human soul. The power of 6 monster dogs, is stronger than that of 7 human souls. With this information, Gaster performed experiments on the monster dogs, eventually removing their souls entirely, replacing them with determination to keep them alive. The queen, Undyne, was not aware of how Gaster had obtained these souls, but what she did know was that the barrier was near breakage. However, the canines, missing their soul and having only determination, had grown into horrid abominations. Alphys had encountered one, and in his quite literal blind rage, he blamed her for their fate. Alphys, stricken with horror and grief, fled to the Ruins. Meanwhile, one dog monster was able to escape the laboratory before they could lose their soul with the help of their lover. They both knew the dog was not going to survive if they stayed in the underground, so the lover gave their life for the dog monster to cross the barrier for a better life on the surface. Papyrus Gaster, the new royal scientist, had attempted to recreate his fathers work after he had retired, in order to find a way to reverse it and fix the dog experiments. He added determination to a soulless object, a mushroom from the barrier, to see its effects on it. One day, the mushroom disappeared. The lover was reincarnated as that mushroom and, stricken with grief for the love of their death, they had made friends with Asgore and Toriel, under the new name Ragel, while they were at Nick’s Nice Cream Parlor. In the meantime, 8 humans had fallen into the underground, and since the fact human souls could open the barrier was lost the times, they were drafted as royal guards by the captain, Sans, (who was only put in power because Papyrus begged the queen to make him) and lead by Asriel. Papyrus, eager to help someone in need, created a body for a ghost named Madra, now Madroid, who soon became a celebrity in thee underground, even having a resort, multiple tv shows, and a restaurant chain. Meanwhile, Ragel was in grief. It had been so long, Ragel had even forgot everything about their long lost love but their face. The dog monster, in disguise on the surface, falls into the underground on an annual walk to their lovers grave

THIRD ONE, MADE LIKE A WEEK AGO?

UNNAMED THING

PREMISE: so i was thinking about how many undertale aus had sans as the literal only character. so i had the idea to make an au where each member of the cast was from a different au. But i decided to make the Frisk be from an au made by me. so introducing Corpse Flower! in a neutral fight (bc pacifist and genocide are too common) frisk (with charas ghost) was fighting flowey (with the 6 souls) and losing. however, in some way (idk yet) they fused. my current ideas are that the 6 souls forced omega flowey to help and then somehow that happened, or flowey having souls caused him to regret?? iunno ill keep it vauge until i figure it out. anyway this aus pretty foggy rn but ill keep yall updated. oh also kris from deltarune is in the main cast for an unexplained reason

[thenerdsofcolor]

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: The Riveting Sci-Fi Short Film 'Ensouled'

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: The Riveting Sci-Fi Short Film 'Ensouled'

I’ve recently come across a rather intriguing sci-fi short film called Ensouled last year at FilmQuest as an awards judge and it definitely deserves your attention if you get a chance to come across it as it continues its film festival run! Deep within the enigmatic Eternia facility, Clara carries a heavy burden of concealed grief. But within these mysterious walls, her life is about to…

[nicollekidman]

it’s so. good. that buffy has to feel self loathing about what she’s doing with spike specifically because the underpinnings of the show require that vampires be Bad Monster Creatures who Cannot Feel and are just Lifeless Demons otherwise everything comes into question. about everything. except that spike is the crack in the foundation of the show itself and in that, he makes the show better! he’s the only end that makes sense for her because he sets her free!!!

[jgthirlwell]

10.17.25 The The played at the Beacon Theater in Manhattan as part of the Ensouled World Tour. Matt Johnson was in excellent form and they performed two sets - first the new album in its entirety, and then a set of older works and hits, to a rapturous crowd. Matt Johnson was joined by James Eller: Bass guitar and backing vocals DC Collard: Keyboards and harmonica Barrie Cadogan: Lead guitar and backing vocals and a new drummer called Chris (didn't catch his last name). This video is a bit dodgy as they requested no phones so I shot a bit on the down low.

[onewomancitadel]

Each progressive defense I read of the use of machine generation for text, drafting, brainstorming etc. is disguising the inherent patheticness of outsourcing your own thinking. Very embarrassing.

[catiecat1320]

Sonadowtober Prompt 7 & 8: Paranormal & Surprise!

Shadow and Rouge make a shocking discovery

This is part of my Ensouled AU! (My askbox is always open for AU asks OvO Please)

Read Below:

“Shadow?”

Rouge eased open the door, allowing light into the blacked-out room. “How are you feeling, hun?”

A grunt was all she got in response, but at least she found the hedgehog that was blending into the darkness. “You can’t stay in here forever, you know,” she sighs. “It’s been weeks. I know this is hard on you, but you can’t keep moping like this.”

No reply.

She dares to flip the lightswitch. Instantly, Rouge is met with a hostile hiss, which would be a lot more intimidating if the hedgehog curled up by the bedside didn’t look like he came out of a dumpster, unkempt quills paired with dark circles under his red-rimmed eyes. The room itself was a wreck as well, so unlike the spick-and-span space she’d come to know. “Good Gaia, Shadow… come on.”

The hedgehog ignored her, burying his head in his arms and curling further in on himself. But this was a house of stubborn people, and Rouge sat down right next to him, settling in the silence until he looked back up.

“I’m not leaving until you get out of this room,” she told him, forcing as much finality into her voice as she had. It apparently didn’t stick, because Shadow put his head back down and refused to move a muscle.

Two can play this game.

It took exactly 5 hours, 47 minutes, and 18 seconds for the hedgehog to cave. By then the sun had long since set, but Rouge hadn’t budged. A small grunt escaped Shadow, bleary eyes squinting in the light, a sign of acceptance.

“Get cleaned up, okay? I’ll make you some food.”

But before she could stand, Shadow grabbed at her arm, earning him a sigh. “Alright, I’ll walk you. Come on.”

He clung to her like a frightened cat all the way to the bathroom, where at Rouge’s insistence he crawled into the tub, filled with warm water and some bath salts. She left him absently swirling the water with a bare paw, more than ready for a warm, late night meal. 

She wasn’t sure of the last time she’d managed to get Shadow to eat, but the good thing about the Ultimate Lifeform was that chaos energy could substitute any need to.

Deciding to just make something simple, Rouge fished instant ramen from the back of her pantry— not her ideal food, but it’d do for now. The water had just started to boil when an unholy scream tore through the apartment, loud enough to wake the dead. She dropped everything, turned off the stove, and—

Ran into Shadow. Literally.

The hedgehog crumpled into her arms, still dripping wet, trembling. For a few shocked moments, Rouge didn’t realize that he was crying. Sobbing and muttering the first words to come out of him since she and Tails found him cradling a dead body.

“I can’t, I can’t do this. I-I… Rouge. Please, please—”

“Sweetheart, I need you to breathe, okay?” She led him over to the couch, grabbed the metronome from the shelf and set it going. Its ticks grabbed Shadow’s attention as she ran her hand through bristled damp quills, imploring him to breathe to its pace. 

When he’d calmed enough to follow her instructions, she went to fetch a towel to dry him off, taking a moment to scan the bathroom for whatever could’ve triggered the hedgehog. Nothing stands out to her.

When she gets back, Shadow’s spacing out. As gently as she could, Rouge towels him off, keeping track of every movement he makes. Eventually, they sit in silence, Rouge finally breaking it with a “What happened?”

There’s no response from the other for a few precious seconds. It was tricky working with the hedgehog, especially in such a vulnerable state. It's the kind of tension that makes you afraid to breathe the wrong way for fear of messing something up. Then…

“I don’t know.” His voice cracks in the middle as if he’s about to start crying again. “I… no, that’s impossible. He… no, no.”

“He?”

Shadow’s breath hitches, coming in faster. “Woah, woah. I’m sorry, hun. You don’t have to tell me if you’re not ready to,” Rouge says quickly, mentally running through all the he’s that could possibly cause this kind of reaction. None of them make any sense. Shadow’s primary emotion is anger, especially toward the usual culprits. The only two people to have ever made him cry are dead.

“The mirror…”

Rouge perks up. “The mirror?”

“I saw—” Shadow stops, hands going to his face, claws extended. Rouge catches him before he does anything.

“Hun. Calm down.” She stands, slow, methodical. “Can I see?”

There’s nothing wrong with his face as far as she can tell, so it’s a mistaken glance at best, a hallucination at worst. Shadow takes a minute to consider before nodding, letting Rouge lead him to the bathroom entrance, stopping right outside.

“I-it’s…” He gestures to his head area, giving her a desperate look. Was it on him? But she couldn’t see anything…

Rouge nods, if only to quell his nerves. Is it something with the mirror?

She almost expects something to jump onto her as she steps in. A brief inspection of the mirror doesn’t give anything. When she turns to ask Shadow what he saw, however, something catches her gaze.

Rouge steps back, giving her better view of Shadow’s reflection. Teal eyes grow wide in surprise at the same time her jaw drops.

Ethereal blue, snaking around Shadow’s upper body and enveloping him like fog. And resting atop his head is the sleeping face of the boy whose ashes she’d helped scatter just two weeks prior.

Sonic.

Sonic’s ghost.

“Shadow, hun? Get Tails.”

[letterful]

well. that was mid.

[wingwisher]

if you told me 5 years ago that Charlie the Unicorn would have a spinoff series about a dead weasel and an ensouled coat neither of which had been introduced to the series yet I'd probably go "wait you're telling me they're going to start making it again?"

[spiritsonic]

lil doodle of my merdude before bed

[girl4music]

You can interpret that the demon who gave Spike his soul back did it as a sort of punishment. It certainly wasn't a reward in his perspective. Spike didn't "win" his soul to him. He was burdened with it because, according to him, Spike is a "pathetic excuse for a demon". And it was a great insult to him that he came for his soul as a soulless vampire.

However - it is a reward to Spike because Spike specifically went there and fought in the demons trials to get his soul. So to him, it is a victory.

How this changes Spike now he has a soul depends on which perspective you're looking at the soul-having from. Good innocent people cursed Angelus with a soul. It was his punishment and Angelus never felt it as such at first because he was that evil as a demon. It took years for his guilt and regret to catch up to him. For his soul to "work" so to speak. Yes, he was miserable but he wasn't "changed".

Spike... well, no spoilers. But... baring in mind that he chose to get his soul back... he doesn't really change at all. And this can be quite odd to think about because it makes it seem like he doesn't really care about it either. But given who he was as human, it makes sense that there's barely any change at all.

I think it just depends on what perspective you go with and whether you believed soulless Spike was a demon possession. I never did. I don't believe any turned vampire in this show is a demon possession.

Not even the everyday Buffy's patrol kills. I believe it's a demon corruption but that's different. That's a whole other thing entirely to what possession is.

One thing you have to understand is though that just like when Angelus became Angel, he still wasn't Liam so it wasn't Liam's soul he got back. Spike is not William now he has a soul. He never will be William again. He didn't get William's soul back. He just got a soul. The only reason we say "back" is because we believe they're the same entity as they were when human. They are. But they're not the same identity. Their human identity is dead.

This Spike is not William.

It's Spike with a soul.

There is barely any change at all. He has a change of perspective in morality. That's about it. Don't let the noodle hair throw you off. You're not seeing anybody new. He just has to get used to his ensouled self.

[mistystarshine]

Your Love Is A Ghost 👀

It's no longer Wednesday, but let's keep this going!

“I’ll be with him every step of the way,” Lute added. “Not even the Slayer stands a chance against both of us.”

Lilith looked up at the pair. Her concern had faded somewhat, but there was still a wary edge to her. Her attempts to hide that worry beneath a rational tone were smooth enough that Lucifer doubted that anyone but him noticed them. “The four of us could hunt her together. That way, we’d be all but guaranteed success.”

Adam waved his hand dismissively. “Nah, make it too easy and you take all the fun out of it.” He wrapped his arm around Lute and squeezed her thigh. “Dangertits and I will take the cunt down, then we’ll bring the prize back to you and Luci.”

Lilith frowned. “Adam…”

“He can do it,” Lucifer interrupted.

All eyes turned to him. He, in turn, blocked out all but Adam. There was such heat in him in that moment, such passion, that Lucifer was certain. He was a formidable creature by himself. With this sort of drive and Lute and his side, his dreams would become a reality. 

Lucifer reached across the table to cup Adam’s cheek. “I believe in you.” Pulling his hand back, he added, “Both of you. Show us how to bring a Slayer to her knees.”

“We’re going to make you so fucking proud you lose your mind,” Adam vowed.

[nicollekidman]

mary oliver’s wild geese is over-referenced on tumblr but i do think if spike btvs laid his eyes upon that verse his soul would’ve spontaneously rejoined his body, no trails necessary

[ante--meridiem]

Actually yes I do roll my eyes equally at any argument that starts with "thing I aesthetically dislike is ~soulless~" and if you think people are hypocrites for accepting the argument when they share the aesthetic dislike I think you might be doing the "conflating every opinion you see on tumblr as if they were all coming from the same person" thing, because everyone I've seen protest the term dislikes all applications of it on principle. Idk maybe it's somehow possible for the argument to be a shorthand for more valid moral arguments but at some point it just pisses me off to be asked to construe every sentiment people nominally on my side express that bothers me as just a shorthand for something that I would agree with when I can tell that's not how it's generally meant and you know what, even if someone who talks about soulessness is actually very rigorous about only applying it to inanimate objects/concepts they also have valid criticisms of and not deciding that if soulfulness/~humanness~ (said in a specific tone) is a meaningful concept then actual people can have more or less of it depending on whether they feel/think/process things the right way, I cannot from an external perspective trust them to maintain that rigour and I definitely don't trust anyone listening to their rhetoric to.

[aflo]

the toaster smelled a little smoky and i instantly had a prophetic vision of a final destination style sequence where i had to put out a fire but my fire extinguishers are outside for inspection and i can't get the door open to go get them. but luckily my two-decade old toaster hasn't decided to kill me yet