#Exact Themes I Wish To See Explored

[simcardiac-arrested]

unskippable cutscene time?

ok. this turned into me complaining about the fandom misinterpreting one of my fav characters, and only after all that did i actually start talking about said character. also i think this might actually be several separate reblogs because i talk way too much and it doesn’t all fit into one post

everyday i go on this website and i talk about my ace attorney faves. but look. godot. he's a very interesting guy. he's a very interesting Character. but no one fucking likes godot. it's just me and my friend who has a huge crush on him BUT LOOK. i dont need you to have a crush on godot. i just need someone to Think about him the same way i do. i need someone to actually think about his character for more than 2 seconds beyond the good looks and the asshole front. but because of a few mistranslations and scenes that just Read Wrong in an american setting, everyone thinks godot is a misogynist. even though he is SOOO not. like it;s literally not a thing for him in actual canon it's an actual mistranslation that makes people think he drinks misogyny juice instead of coffee every morning. my point is that godot is in fact not a misogynist, but my BIGGER point is: what if he Was. like if half the fandom thinks he hates women anyways, then why not make it interesting, you know?? like. look. obviously misogyny is not cool. but there are ways to write about it and to actually develop the character behind it. some of the fandom literally just reduces him to woman hater. like that's it? forreal? all im saying is if you're going to mischaracterize him that badly, at least make it INTERESTING. don't just make that his One Singular Trait. don't make him a misogynist because he hates every woman that's ever existed, make him one because he has good intentions but really warped ideas and worldviews. i don't know how well i'm explaining this, godot is just a complicated character, and everyone i see always simplifies him to The Asshole or The Misogynist. like yeah he CAN be those things if you want but maybe you could actually put some effort in deconstructing his biases and whatever. This is all a really long way to say that people mischaracterize godot very often and i hate it when they do that so if they're gonna do it so much they should at least make it fucking interesting (and i have a great example of a fic that does just that!! it's not godot-centered, and i just think that it's a really amazing fic in general and if you like ace attorney you should definitely read it. But like, back to godot: this fic does make him a misogynist, sure. it also Actually Explores how his toxic masculinity, his trauma, his loss of mia and his desire to protect maya all intertwine. he has good intentions and he's coming from a good place, and yet he's hurt and represses a lot and has some really fucked up ideas about what it means to be a man. he needs to protect maya not just because he failed protecting mia, but also because he's a man and she's a woman, etc etc. both of those ideas coexist for him. and i think it's really interesting to try and figure out where his "debt" and guilt about mia ends and where his toxic masculinity starts, where his need to protect maya because she's like a little sister to him ends and where the need to Protect Women(tm) in general starts. you know?? and then by the end of it he starts unlearning his bad ideas and starts coming to terms with his trauma!! Like holy shit can every godot is a misogynist truther start doing this please!!!!! i'm soo serious if you;re going to mischaracterize him at least make it fun to think about. but i digress. read the fic not only because it explores godot's character but also because it actually explores dahlia's character and backstory and explores the von karma family dynamic as well as many other things which the games never did. it's awesome)

[olderthannetfic]

This isn't a complaint, just sort of a musing-- Yeah, if AO3 allowed monetization, it would cause the whole platform to become way shittier, not just for legal reasons. But this kind of reminds me of something I've thought about a lot.

I'm someone who's not a very strong or attentive reader, but the ease with which I can find thousands of appealing works on AO3 means I have ALSO found dozens of writers who grip me enough that I would read ANYTHING by them. I also find reviews and recs for popular book series' to be... very unreliable, but I can consistently find interesting works by looking at user bookmarks and by trawling tags. And I don't even mean in a "oh, this user doesn't want stories, they want tropes" way, because I'm with everyone else that reading the exact same enemies to lovers romance gets kind of boring after a while (no shade on people who enjoy that sort of thing). I mean that sometimes I find an idea and think 'oh, this is a VERY cool literary theme; I wonder how other writers have explored the same idea?' - and then find out that there's a canonical tag that sees very little use, and trawl through people exploring the same ideas about the nature of freedom when you have a duty to family (or whatever it is this time) until I find one that just NAILS it and sets my brain on fire.

In other words, AO3 is the only place I can get the same reading experience that I had in school where there were teachers and mentors who would not only do just about anything to help me find interesting stuff, but also knew me personally and would help me find extremely specific concepts like "I want a story that captures the feeling of being completely owned by another person and the oppressive surrendering of will that comes with it, but which isn't about slavery, religion, or marriage" or "I want a story that's just like Howl's Moving Castle but specifically in these three ways."

I don't wish AO3 was marketplace, but I wish there was marketplace that gave me the experience of AO3. The fact that there is SO MUCH free user generated content on AO3, and that it's so easy to explore with great specificity, means it's the only place I KNOW I'll find something fun. I wish it served as a platform to find professional artists doing silly stuff on their down time. (In fact, last time I fell in love with a fic, I got to talking to the author, who sent me a novel draft with all of the same themes but original characters and setting. That unpublished work is now one of my favorite books.)

I can think of a bunch of platform ideas that would scratch this itch for me, but I can't imagine any of them working out as well since the fandom experience and culture is such an integral part of why fanfic is different from original fic. (And also since monetization makes platforms get shitty fast.)

--

[dailyadventureprompts]

Drafting the Adventure: Dungeons Without Walls

I love the idea of dungeons, but there was a significant portion of my life as a DM where they didn’t feature in my games. While Pathfinder and 5e provided a great framework for character building and tactical skirmishes that I could build story on top of, neither was really great when it came time to detour into a  dungeon. My players tended to get confused when we headed out to plunder the local ruin or cave system, spending a lot more time figuring out where they were and what they should be doing than actually doing anything. 

The problem as it turned out was limited information.  I had a picture of the dungeon in my head/notes but I couldn’t telepathically infer that to the party, and the back and forth questions where they tried to orient themselves within my mental labyrinth ate up a lot of session time prevented us from attaining that snappy pace that every table needs to keep the players invested.

Recently though I had an epiphany about overhauling exploration in d&d, and wrote up a whole post detailing how you could build and run wilderness adventures the same way you could a heist or a murder mystery. Because I was already writing a series about dungeon design it didn’t take long for me to realize that this exploration overhaul was 100% applicable, and could solve a lot of the delay and confusion my players usually faced on their next trip underground.  Spoilers: it worked amazingly.

 The key to this overhaul was giving my players enough information to see the dungeon as a sort of abstract checklist, and then giving them the power to investigate and check things off that list in whatever order they wished, when they enter a new level of the dungeon they get a new checklist to fill out which still keeps that sense of exploration. Folk love checking things off lists, and I as a dungeonmaster love it when players engage with the content I’ve spent so much energy creating even if it’s only poking their head in the door to realize they want to run away as fast as possible. Likewise, designing the dungeon this way let me tackle much larger concepts without having to sweat the details of filling up every little room as I would have to in map-centric design.

To summarize my exploration mechanic as It applies to dungeons:

During Design: After you’ve got the dungeons’ major concept, you divide it into unique “zones” (essentially what might be levels in a regular dungeon) with an interconnected theme, mechanic, or threat.

Each zone has a number of points of interest, which can be anything from trails to follow, odd sights they might investigate, to full complexes of rooms that you’ve mapped out. You don’t need to map out the points of interest otherwise, they sort of float abstractly within the zone 

When players enter a zone, they become aware of its name and general descriptor, as well as how many total points of interest are in that zone. They also become aware of some points of interest immediately to serve as landmarks and give them a direction for their exploration, but most remain undiscovered until they venture off the path and start checking out their surroundings. Hidden among these points of interest are the doors that lead to zones deeper within the dungeon, encouraging the party to explore in order to progress.

During Play: When the players enter the dungeon, one player is appointed as the surveyor, who’s job it is to keep track of the zones, fill out that checklist, and check things off when the DM tells them that they’ve fully explored a point of interest.

Rather than needing to be aware of the exact room layout, the party just need to know what zone they’re in and what options are available to them, Because this information is delivered in the form of a checklist with empty spaces, the party know exactly how much of the dungeon they’ve explored, what’s left to explore, and when they’ve cleared out an area.

Lets take the image above as inspiration. Say the party is trying to make it up to the tower, you can easily see a progression of zones and maybe imagine a few to go alongside them:

Ruins & Foothills: The first area, filled with the remnants of an ancient civilization. Picked over by looters and now a home to all sorts of wildlife,

Mountainside: The obvious next goal, but locked off behind a challenging climb, Filled with hazards that threaten to knock the party back down to the foothills if they’re not careful

Caverns: Secret area accessible only if the party explore a cave on the mountainside, or make a beeline towards the old aqueduct landmark in the foothills, realizing it might be easier than the climb. 

Spire Foundations: The door connecting to the foothills is guarded by a complex puzzle and arcane ward, but the party might be able to sneak in through the caves where erosion has caused a breakthrough into the cellars.

Spire Peak: High among the clouds, the party’s prize is somewhere here.  Access to the upper sections of the tower are guarded by a territorial sphinx under arcane compulsion, though the party might just be able to skip that fight if they figure out the riddle to make the portal mirrors work in the foundations.

Trying to design all this by pencilling it in on a gridmap would take weeks, to say nothing of the headache it’d cause you trying to make things fit together and fill up empty space with content. Designing it first as a sequence of zones and then filling those out with interesting fights, puzzles, and encounters is the work of an afternoon or two. Likewise, its easy on your players: five zones with six to ten points of interest is far easier to tackle when you can make a checklist and see how much progress you’ve made, despite the fact that the area they’re exploring is quite vast. 

I hope you find this as useful as I have, and if you need a more concrete example of how it might work, don’t worry, I’ll have one of those for you in the coming days.

[heyhay13]

Lightning Round QnA!

We had over 250 questions in the form and we focused on ones that were very open to anyone in the cast. So specific detail questions got left out :(

Here's a lightning round of questions to answer for y'all and my ask box is open if you have more!

Rae/Heyhay Questions

What happened to Icarus's birds?? We know Rae said he'd take care of them, but with the birds being wacked and Icarus whole memory type thing, what would happen with that.

Sherb and I talked about this a bit and landed on the birds seeking out Rae and he builds an aviary for the strange new little friends following him around. I might even write a fic for it!

Heyhay how long did the scrapbook (shown at the end) take to be made?

I worked on it for nearly a month and a half between organizing with the artists and making it myself!

How did you come up with Vaeh's Name?

It's from Fenris' sister Nevaeh!

Will you continue to cosplay the characters after this?

Absolutely!

To Rae/Hayhay: what was your favorite memory to make in the Always Remember Book?

I think probably all of the wedding details. I loved talking with my friends to plan out the details and outfits SO MUCH and a lot of the poses are based on my own wedding photos!

Are there any plot lines that you wish you could have done or explored more in depth, but couldn't due to time?

We initially had some ideas for finding a few more Telchin temples, including Project Protetus. I really like building the temple/facilities so that would have been fun!!

How did lore planning/pre stream work?

We usually plan out rough ideas for a stream in dms and then meet 30 minutes before a stream to go over everything, dry run some things like flight paths, and do sound checks!

Out of all the characters on fable smp, which one do you think you could win in a fight against?

Ven lol

Will we see other versions of the fable characters in other smp's like Bound?

You might >:3

If your character didn’t ascend, what would they be the god of? And if they did ascend, were there any other domains they could have been the god of other than the domain they got?

Rae's took FOREVER to actually land on. I was really stuck on wanting something that felt more correct than Knowledge and we tossed around a lot of ideas until landing on Wonder.

How much of the relationship constellation was planned?

Literally only Raax and Ocie's original partners (Rust, Jerry, Shawn) were planned! The others came about naturally as the lore progressed.

Did Rae ever get better at baking/cooking?

YES! At least slightly-

How old is Rae in the time period that Rye made in Rae’s epilogue

Not an exact age for Rae, but his epilogue takes place when Vaeh is roughly 4-5 years old.

The first two seasons have “names” (endstone reset and skulk reset) but what would be season three’s?

I like to think it'd be called the "Last Reset"

What is your favourite kind of fanfictions written about your character? (Tropes/themes/etc)

I'm a massive sucker for Hurt/Comfort fics-

Clarification Questions

What was that one gold aura building near the temple of creation in S1?

It was a build from Sherb's hardcore world at that time!

Why did Rae remember Icarus? I thought everyone was supposed to forget but I might’ve misunderstood

Rae remembers Icarus as a child up until when Icarus' first death would have been! Isla would also remember Icarusa as a child as well.

Was the release me book from season one written by fable?

Yes!

What is Haley? She came back from the dead but no body ever said if Midas made her come back or if she was a god.

Midas brought her back, switching her and Fable's places so he would go back into Purgatory

Why couldn’t Haley see quixis’ changes from purgatory?(and fable)

There is no record of Quixis in the Akashic Records. This is also why Icarus is missing from the records in Rae's epilogue!

General Questions

Are you guys gonna do another smp where its everyone as the same cast?

Nope, not with this exact cast at this time, but we all are on a bunch of other smps you can check out! Mer, Bound, Siege, and more!

Is there a reason behind all of the seeds you use in Minecraft? Or is it just the first biome that pops up is the new setting for the season?

We actually look really hard for a good world seed that we like. For season 3, we really wanted a good spot that the tree could be near the ocean and this seed worked out great for that!

Will we be able to have a world file of S3?

YES - it's coming soon!

[nolongerapileofashprobably]

I remember a while back you said that TOTK ranks as one of the best narratives in the series, and replaying it again, I’m inclined to agree. Fans criticized it for being “incoherent,” but there’s literally nothing that happens in the story that isn’t set up in the opening/tutorial. The Imprisoning War, the Zonai, the statue depicting Rauru and Sonia, the Light Dragon flying near the temple, Link diving to Zelda, the Recall ability (how it serves as Link’s connection to Zelda throughout the game and will ultimately be how he saves her at the end). The recall ability is also how Link collects and examines the dragon tear memories. Even if you don’t collect the tears, Link’s last memory of her is the vision of her giving him Recall, so it makes sense that he restores her to how he remembers her (“coaxing the object’s memory” like Sonia says in one of the memories). The theme of community and togetherness is also woven into every aspect of the gameplay and story. BOTW and TOTK are both extremely narratively and thematically coherent.

THISSSSSS

Ive played the majority of Zelda games and some stories are iconic (OoT), some are DARK (MM), some are DIFFERENT (WW & TP), some are ROMANTIC (ST & SS), and all are adventurous and fun. This series has a plethora of interesting characters and captivating stories, but none truly compare to the intricacies of BoTW&ToTK. And this is achieved through the vast amount of details offered to players in each game.

BoTW has a TON of details for players who go looking for it, however none of them are actually necessary in completing the game. We know this is simply bc of the direction of botw and totk in terms of gameplay.

The stories are OPTIONAL in both of these games, but as you pointed out in ToTK, you don’t escape the Recall memory. And that ability is the one that is truly unique to the story and connects us directly to Zelda, and ultimately Zelda to her old self. Both of these games are directly related to Zelda’s journey as a character and are a testament to this Zelda and Link’s relationship. Without a romantic perspective (which actually requires you to neglect details given to us in both games), the story still stands in terms of development and emotional appeal.

I think everyone can agree that BoTW/ToTK Zelda is the most developed Zelda we have ever gotten, and if you accept that her development goes hand in hand with the story (which duh it does lol) then you realize that for all its faults, BoTW & ToTK has one of the best narratives of the series. To me, you can’t separate the games, because BoTW was the foundation of Zelda’s growth as a person and Zelda & Link’s relationship which resulted in the dedicated loyalty we see six years after the events of BoTW. Without that knowledge, we wouldn’t get the same emotional connection or understand how intimate the ending of ToTK is.

Link’s use of Recall, backed by Rauru’s light magic and Sonia’s time magic, is only achievable by HIS ability to remember Zelda, his own memories and the ones Zelda gifted him through the tears, in order to bring her back. This gives us the EXACT answer to the question BoTW ends on: “May I ask; do you really remember me?”

Like that is so impactful, it clears every other story in my opinion by a LONG SHOT. This doesn’t negate how amazing the other stories are, they are all powerful in their own way, but none compare to the fluid and consistent themes BoTW & ToTK are founded upon.

The story has its faults (as all do) and thus fans capitalize on them in order to tear down the games (which is natural for any popular franchise). But those faults do not impact what is perfectly executed in terms of Zelda and Link’s story. The things we wish to see more of are that of side characters and questions left unanswered (which provided the series a new set of lore to explore in future games). But I will forever stand by this era and it’s overarching story that still makes me stop whenever I see the light dragon or seek out those small details whenever I replay the games.

[sneakydraws]

Ok so! As per the wishes of @chernychnyi and others and also myself, here's a little analysis/rant about the boreo front bottoms lyricstuck thing I did. Because of tumblrs 30 image limit I had to fuse some of the frames and also couldn't fit in the unused frames I really wanted to mention - so those will get plonked down in a separate post I think. Ok let's roll

To begin with, the pov - I didn't exactly plan ahead on this regard, I kind of just listened to the song and experienced visions of tgf scenes to go along with the lyrics, but once I picked this project back up after half a year of letting it sit in my procreate files I definitely saw a sort of narrative form around it. Most of what I had was very much from Boris's pov and about Theo. The tone was sort of protective, sort of desperate, sort of penitent, sort of possessive? I'll elaborate on it later but I basically ended up exploring a lot of the ambiguous or unhealthy elements of the boreo dynamic, and realising that when I was maybe 70% done made me lean more purposefully into that angle in the remaining frames. So for example in this frame, even though they're both indisputably wiry and broke down, I choose to make this about Theo because Boris is the worldly, knowledgeable survivor to Theo's harrowed newcomer. There's a fragility to Theo that's less visible, and maybe less present, in Boris.

Like in this line, which has a great air of warning or instruction to it, like the singer is trying to brace their friend for what's to come. I actually struggled hardcore with this frame! Because I knew I wanted this image of Theo reaching toward the surface of the pool, but it arguably made more sense in the "jaws theme song on repeat" lyric (since it's Boris pulling Theo down)... I ended up sticking it here because I wasn't sure what else to replace it with but I think it's kind of a happy mistake because it right off the start showcases the dichotomy in Boris and Theo's relationship and its more toxic aspects - Boris pulling Theo down visually in one frame, but promising to help him swim in the lyrics in the next.

I don't think it came through so well but I wanted the previous panel to have a bright sun streaming light through Theo's fingers, and the blazing desert sun in this frame to echo that - the sun as the element of danger, Boris's opposite. The positioning of light as danger and shade as safety is a trope I sometimes drift towards in queer narratives and it definitely goes back to that heartbeat short film I didn't even like that much...

Maybe my all time favourite scene to depict with teenage boreo - Boris dragging a dead drunk Theo off the street... I love it because it's so rarely we see Boris be the responsible one, the one doing what's Supposed to be done

I really wish I'd had the time and the motivation to spruce this up really well because in some points I envisioned really clearly the kind of transition I'd want to have... I would have loved for the camera to swoosh down and do a little overshoot into this frame, so some of the dynamic of the punch is carried into the visuals. Oh well! Apparently this line (like the song itself) is actually about heroine usage, but here it's Larry and Theo - I feel like a snakebite is an apt metaphor for this punch, with its sheer unexpectedness

The nightmare comfort is a must have of course... I was kind of afraid I was repeating myself with how often I use this kind of scene with this exact framing ahahaha

Massively difficult shot to pull off because I wanted the distortion to be prominent and for Boris and Theo to be really small in the frame but for it to still be mostly readable!! Anyway this is their weird drunken hookups, which I think fit this line not because secret teenage hookups are inherently evil or anything but like. I do think the way they're never ever addressed and the shame associated with them in Theo's narration give them a definite air of unhealthiness. A red flag... A warning sign, if you will

I actually think at one point the drunken teenage sex went here, with the undertone being that Boris realises there's something wrong about it but doesn't stop anyway? But that's kind of muddled, and the much more obvious choice is the theft of the painting. And the "amount to take/reasons to take more" plays well with Boris's habit of stealing random shit from Theo already before moving on to the big fish

The reunion! I play Boris as catching on well to the inauthenticity and comphetness (as well as comp-normie-ness) of Theo's little life - and reminiscing, I suppose, on how unsurprising it is that he'd end up pulled in this direction, trying to run away from the trauma and shame of his real self. There's also a little guilt here on Boris's part, a little bit of a feeling of culpability - carried over from the theft of the painting and the never-addressed sex, and echoed in a second in the guilt or regret of letting Theo leave like he did, betrayed and deceived.

This line maybe doesn't ring one hundred percent true because neither of Theo's Vegas guardians really gave enough of a shit about him to "pray he would change", but they do judge and shame him occasionally for his weakness, his trauma and so on, so I think it works. And (although I had to push this line onto Boris's frame simply to have an excuse to show his face) they "close their eyes" to Theo's real self and the sheer horror of his experiences... Hm

Of course Theo cuts his own hair and sends himself away before anyone else can but you know. Too perfect of a fit

Definitely my favourite and cleverest moment - theo "stops by Boris's house", i.e.by their common home, the night he escapes... Boris begs him to stay (another day so he can get the painting)... And the omitting of "I love you but" from Theo's written dialogue, with the massive conspicuous gap in the word bubble, was something I thought of early on. The unsaid "I love you"? Too fucking good not to exploit. And NGL it feels good to be like ooohoho I'm not just matching visuals to existing lyrics, I'm manipulating them to fit my own narrative and engaging in a dialogue with the lyrics or whatever... Hehe

This is the scene where Boris announces he'll run away and Theo immediately says he'll come with. But the important thing to note is that I found out about different shoelacing techniques and made Boris ladder lace his jungle boots

This and the previous lyric, although the visuals show two different scenes, both relate to Theo's apprehension about how following Boris around will surely lead to no good, especially without a plan. Boris through the lyrics is saying don't worry about it, we'll figure something out!

Umm so I drew this with lighting speed as I was editing the whole thing lollll I totally forgot about the instrumental parts and just how LONG they were... I needed something to fill up the space ahahaha. But it's vaguely supposed to hark back to the scene after Mr pavlikovsky beats up Boris, what with the bottle of vodka and the bloody nose and the unconcerned laughter

The pool frolic! Very appropriate. We've got the obligatory moon cameo, and I made sure the pool and the sky were the same stark shade of black so it feels like boris and Theo are hanging between two equally real worlds, plunging into the starry night...

I just remembered that Boris's bracelets pop in and out of existence a lot ahahaha oops! But this is of course essentially the same scene as the "it's gonna look like mud" lyric, only more literal this time. Admittedly this lyric is moreso from Theo's pov, which is a bit out of place here although I do play around with the pov a little later

One of the first frames I'd envisioned I think! I mean come on. And a great example of how the singer really emphasises certain words, so I punch them up a bit by capitalising them

This was actually a struggle because Boris is such an action oriented character - the stupid shit he says doesn't actually have that many consequences! But eventually I thought it would be fitting to show one of the scenes where a semi malicious joke or a mostly innocuous remark activates Theo's internalised homophobia - i ended up going with his comment about Hobies letter.

More timeskip normieness! The spark and look of Theo's I consider artificial, like the flash of the cameras poised to capture the kiss between the engaged couple's, and the look hidden behind the anime shine of Theo's glasses... I could have spent more time showing that but I'll be honest this was one of the last lines I had to illustrate and I was getting impatient. The "I will not be brave" was a tricky one - I kind of wanted it to relate to Boris's selfishness maybe, in taking Theo away from his fiancée? Like, he will not do the noble thing by stepping away and instead Will try to drag Theo back into his life... Though that itself is motivated by a sort of penitent guilt

Again, Boris trying to find a space for Theo in his life - maybe Theo can work for him! Or with him! Anything, god, just forgive me!

I'm a little annoyed because I remember having a good idea for these lines and then I forgot it!! But with this I ended up gesturing vaguely to some reasons why Boris acts like he does - taking control of the life seemingly subject to his dad's whims and work travel, rebelling by imitating his father's worst habits - something something the paradoxical repulsion towards his father and need to imitate or one-up or outdo him...

For a while these lines were both on Boris's back as he stands in front of Hobie's shop. Then I ended up splitting them in two, but they're the same theme - Boris taking responsibility for his actions and trying to atone for his betrayal of Theo. First by tracking the painting down and coming, drenched, to inform Theo of his progress (that scene is one of my favourites between theo and Boris actually) and then by desperately running after the boy when it seems he might carry it off and destroy it forever (another favourite because it showcases Boris's desperation to earn back Theo's trust).

Also, didn't fit it here but the second instrumental section has Theo's face on it - to make a set with the earlier Boris drawing, and they're opposites because Boris's eyes aren't visible while Theo's are the only part of his face visible, and Theo's worried frown suggests that he sees through Boris's jolliness somewhat, and also! It signals a switch to Theo's pov for the final few lines!

Another line that leapt out at me from the beginning - xandra's ominous yet oddly romantic prediction that Theo will follow Boris wherever, even to a prison cell. This is actually kind of funny because initially I thought a twin sized mattress was a mattress for two - and I connected this to xandra's belief that Boris and Theo will always be a set of two, connected at the hip. It wasn't until I googled the lyrics and read the genius annotations that i realized it was the exact opposite - but luckily for me, the connection still kind of works? Maybe not so well for this panel but for the next two for sure:

Like, my initial thought was that they were both cursed to sleep on a two-person mattress alone, with an empty space next to them - but the literal half-empty double bed can also work as a metaphorical single bed, so... Win? And of course there's complicated messaging going on because, like, their sharing a bed is simultaneously something too adult for their teenaged friendship and something from their childhood to haunt them into adulthood, causing them to never "graduate" into a typical adult relationship no matter how hard Theo tries... And the "somebody's attic or basement" fits in with Theo settling in to weltys bedroom... And of course Boris sleeping in Theo's bed after xabdra takes pity on him, an idea I'd touched on before... Not to mention the "let's go home" "home?" "My place. Whatever" exchange that I loooooooooooveeeeeee

And the final frames! I had to consult @frozenladybug for some storyboarding help because while I knew what theme I wanted I couldn't think of a scene... The idea is that Theo will forever be haunted by his past - hence the nightmares - but that now Boris is there to support him, happy end. Flb came up with the "standing by the window" idea which I love because!!! First of all, dawn is breaking, which signals the end of the troubled night but also brings forth the antagonistic sun - almost as a symbol of the night of Boris and Theo's early relationship, dark and dangerous but full of an odd camaraderie and haunted by the Boriscoded moon, ending. But what comes after that night is a different relationship, with its own challenges but maybe changed for the better... And in this scene Boris comforts Theo by physical contact and a cup of tea (hehe) instead of the desperate clutch of their early years - less intense and physical but maybe healthier and less codependent? I'm kind of freestyling but there's something there. I had thoughts during this project about how Boris calming Theo after his nightmares is almost more parental than romantic and how it allows Theo to cling to boris one-sidedly and how it might change with time... Idk, some personal musings played a part as well and it's definitely a reach but that's what was on my mind. Either way, happy bittersweet boreo ending and lemme go and make that rejected drawings post real quick now

[manytoonepoet13]

Blue Bouquet — A Bittersweet Love.

A little something that I've come to notice while rewatching the two mvs we have for Blue Bouquet is the theme they surround themselves in and how it correlates with what their continent is supposed to represent; the continent of love.

Collab with: @chamalam0726.

You see, from Aozora no Memory to Key My Notes, the themes, the lyrics, they have been about change, sacrifice, hope, time, strength, and courage. All qualities that comes when loving someone or something, especially when you aim for a better future for them. In both mvs, Cielomort is reaching for a brighter future for his people and ultimately the entirety the world of Fragaria, while Kurode is reaching for a better version of himself that could contribute in bringing a brighter future.

"It is natural to want to protect what is important to you. I'm happy to have more friends. I'll show you the blue sky." — Cielomort.

Cielomort has quite the reputation. The young prodigy he is, with his skills and popularity he managed to build the largest kingdom in the span of three years, all for the betterment of the future of Cinnamoroll's kingdom. That, and as the leader of Blue Bouquet, many major responsibilities have fallen into the palm of his hands.

Responsibilities, as well as what may be considered as the greatest sacrifice within Fragaria.

If you take a look in the mv, you'd see a few things that stands out: Books, balloons, the sky, clocks (I hate clocks) and doves.

Now, books, represent knowledge and wisdom, escape and exploration, desire to learn, truth and judgement, communication and expression. And are probably a tie to Willmesh, especially with the new mv coming out later this evening.

Balloons are a symbol of happiness and lightness of sorrow –> which is what Ciel want to do; make everyone happy.

The sky symbolizes infinity, immortality, and transcendence, or an existence or experience beyond the normal or physical level. While clocks represent almost the exact opposite, it represents time, mortality, the passage of life, and sometimes death.

And dove represents peace, love, and purity. While spiritually, it represents peace, renewal, transformation, and love.

But what do all of this mean? Well, basically, the said sacrifice consists of Cielomort wanting to happiness and lightness of sorrows that were brought by the SEEDS and show the people of Cinnamoroll's kingdom and the entirety of Fragaria the blue sky where they are free of worry.

""Both beautiful and the imaginary, different emotions are swirling around." = Change.

Ciel's sacrifice was not easy, some people look at him in honor, some people look at him in sorrow. His sacrifice is free for interpretation, hence the difference emotions swirling around. Now in relation to sacrifice, the line goes:

"Look for you. I'll become the blue sky."

The reason why I said that his sacrifice is free for interpretation is that sky, according to you can mean infinity. There are an infinite amount of possibilities. So when he becomes "the blue sky" he does not only transcend (descend six feet underground) but he also provides a choice. A choice on how his sacrifice can be seen. And that interpretation is ultimately what impacts change." – @c h a m a l a m.

"I wish to share it all with you, it would be nice if I could be within that "everything". But it's alright if your sky continues to remain blue."

Basically, to everyone around him, his promise and sacrifice was basically "everything". Happiness, peace, "everything". And as much as he'd like to be able to share it with them, he can't, and these lines showed us why:

"The rippling bitterness, just drink it all up quietly."

"Even though things may change during these dizzying days... Leave only your smiles, for I will tuck away your loneliness into those clouds."

"Cut out the cotton clouds and blue sky... for they are the footprints of this waving memory, this memory of the blue sky."

"Even if those clouds that rode on the blowing wind will never return... we'll continue to believe that the future will allow us to meet you again."

It's a journey that he would have to venture through alone. I believe, if the lyrics would serve me right, those clouds are the memories of the first timeline, to cut out the cotton clouds and blue sky, to tuck away your loneliness into those clouds, it meant to shut those bad memories and emotions away to make room for better ones, even if it meant not having to remember those again, to not remember who you are or what had happened back then. Here, this is to preserve purity, to provide contentment, joy, and optimism in defense of the SEEDS' effects. But if you were following my theories, you know that this isn't what's "right" in the long run, how this is them falling victim into the illusion the SEEDS made. Because those memories, they are the truth, they are an integral part of who you are as a person.

That's why in both songs they sang "I can't reach it even if I stretch my hand out." "I'm reaching far, far away... until my hope dies."

Even if they don't actively know, even if they aren't actively aware of these memories, there are fragments of them that lingers within their person, making them remember what had actually happen.

""Inside this heart, a memory that's sincere and eternal."

Everyone has a feeling of those memories being there, despite not being fully aware of it. It doesn't matter which song or which character, the message is clear and reiterated over and over: they have memories. They can feel that they do. But the don't necessarily know about it.New insight: The reason why despite everything the seeds and timelines have done they still recall their memories, is because those memories are true. The truth will speak for itself and does not need to be proven. No matter what happens, it will find it's way to override reality for a sense of balance. After all, they do say that there's no secret that time won't tell.

My new insight (specifically the part: it will find it's way to override reality) relates with the line:

"It may be full of absurdity and even riddled with bugs however I still love this world so much."

Because no matter how flawed and fractured the current world of Fragaria may be, those memories are true, they want to get those memories back. So they have to work with what they have. Let's say fest friend J baked a cake but you don't like cake at all. But it's best friend J's thought to bake you a cake that counts. Because you love best friend J, you still accept it as is." – @c h a m a l a m.

"Before long, that imagination will soon overtake us." –> Imagination = Memories.

"Continue on drawing until you can take grasp of it."

"I'll leave everything up to these intense emotions."

You see, everything up to this point has been centered around emotions, even the SEEDS feed on negative emotions, it's their emotions what brought all of this upon them but it is also their emotions what will get them out of this predicament.

"If only we can be imperfect and not full of deceit."

"Sometimes we can let go of that hand due to weakness."

The knights have been to busy thinking of the "perfect" way to go against the SEEDS that they forgot how to feel to the point where feelings began to turn against them. Look at Hallritt and Merold, because of Merold's "lie", Hallritt became tense, distant, and almost hostile towards Merold, quite similar to how Kurode became towards Merold as well.

Merold and Cielomort are no villains, both of them are merely victims of the SEEDS' illusions for the sake of saving their respective kingdom and lords.

But all in all, I'd say to fix this, they just need to let go and feel even a little bit. Relax and reflect and reach out to one another. Because that's what it means to love, isn't it?

"Let me protect everyone from here..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The knights ask nothing in return for their love."

[mysterycitrus]

i dont know who a writer would be who could handle it (more ignorance on my part than lack of good writers though there is that too) but i’m curious what you think a real, earned redemption could look like for jtodd and if you would even want it.

i definitely think there’s a path, esp because so much of bruce’s philosophy relies on a genuine and earnest commitment to rehabilitation and restorative justice, but i also think (and maybe i’m wrong if anyone has comics recs lmk) but i don’t think i’ve seen a comic with the hard work of reaching out and healing/moving on from the past from both bruce + co and jason

i really love his character but especially now i don’t think dc knows what it wants to do with him so he’s in this perpetual limbo where he’s always on the edges of the batfam, a fringe black sheep member but a member nonetheless, still entangled with them

personally i would love either way but i wish dc would either separate him and let him do his own thing that’s not just punisher lite or really actually go through the process of making amends and fully integrating with the crew, learning to love and trust again and all that

omg this really got away from me so apologies for just word vomiting in your asks but yeah im curious dc puts you in charge of j todd’s next big character arc, what would you do with him

i don’t think that’s ignorance — dc is not known for hiring writers who can include and explore complex themes in their comics lol

personally i think the easiest way to trigger a redemption arc for jason would be take him away from the batfamily and force him to interact with other villains, specifically amanda waller and the suicide squad. task force z came kinda close to this, but didn’t push the concept far enough imo. jason’s interactions with black mask were some of the best parts of utrh — i want to see his ideology be questioned by people who do the exact same things as him, and are fully aware that they’re selfish and destructive.

the truth is that while jason is acting out and murdering people, he’s still bound to bruce. he is autonomously making decisions, but fundamentally he is choosing to stay. he’s choosing to be tethered. he’s choosing to care. seeing the indentured recruits of the suicide squad would be confronting to him.

i don’t think the happy family fanon dynamic will ever be possible without ruining every included character simultaneously, but that’s okay. that’s not what jason truly wants anyway.

specifically, i don’t think he’ll ever be able to work with bruce, which is why i find the jason + dick dynamic so interesting. you’re right — bruce’s fundamental mission is about restorative justice, and he would continue to reach out. dick, however, is a realist, and is extremely protective and territorial of the people in his care (tim, damian, the titans, etc) all of whom jason has hurt. jason has been shown on page to respect dick and his position, and simultaneously think he’s pathetic because he refuses to lose control.

for me ideally, he’d be someone on the very outskirts. i feel like dick and babs would be his point of contact — dick because he’s keeping an eye on jason, and babs because she has way less hangups about working with killers. otherwise? i think he’s lost the chance to properly bond with anyone who knew before he died. that’s the risk he took when he decided to become the red hood. that’s the tragedy.

but to be perfectly honest, the most restorative thing jason could do would be to leave the game entirely, and relearn how to live.

[delusionalwings]

― synopsis -> first kiss

― characters -> leviathan

― gender neutral reader

― scenario

― warnings -> soft yandere leviathan, some themes of jealousy

― a/n -> for @nanamisflowerfield collab!

Leviathan had been dreaming feverishly of the day when he would taste your lips. He envied everything that those soft petals touched. Whenever he was at the dining table ready to eat these days, his eyes lingered there; his heart fluttered on seeing them curve into a smile or to find a stray crumb of food there. How he wished he could be as lucky as that crumb! Hunger deserted him as he sulkily excused himself. It was becoming difficult to stay in your presence without wanting to knock the breath off your lungs like a romcom protagonist.

But the truth remained that he was Levi, an ultra gross otaku who thrived in clicking unsolicited pictures of you to worship than ask for a couple picture. Your boyfriend Levi who kissed your picture a million times a day but couldn't ask if you were ready to kiss for the life of him!

The thought made him just as excited as it made him anxious.

What did a yucky otaku like him know about kissing? Nothing!

You, on the other hand, might have experience, might even expect him to be a good kisser. He wanted you to enjoy what he could give you or he wouldn't be able to live on. He wanted the kiss to be beautiful and powerful, to be imprinted in your mind forever.

Jealousy poisoned his heart when he pictured you kissing someone else. Your alluring form leaning into another human. He wondered what kissing felt, what kissing you felt like.

No no! Normies should not intrude his mind or he might unleash his envy during his first kiss and ruin the experience for the both of you! He must channel his energy into picturing you with him and only him, your arms intertwined together, exploring the other's body, your hands possibly on his shoulders or running through his hair as you let him caress your sweet lips.

He wondered what you preferred. Slow, gentle pecks that demonstrated his shyness well or passionate, long kisses that took the breath out of your lungs and the soul out of his body.

Taking out a small doll of you that he had made by hand, he talked to it longingly, "Oh, [Name], aren't I your boyfriend? Why are you not with me right now?"

Then an idea struck him. Maybe he could practice! Clearing his throat, he took a few moments to compose himself before beginning, "S-S-So, [Name]. We have been d-d-dating for a while now, huh. Do-Don't you think it's time we move up to the n-n-next level?! G-G-Give your Leviachan a kiss~"

"Leviathan!" Your voice called out to him from outside, making him jump and hide the doll in haste.

"[Name]?! C-Come in."

He was so happy that you were there. With a smile meant for him, you made your appearance inside. An angel was blessing his room.

"Levi! I have something for you."

He blinked as he clutched his T shirt tightly, "O-Oh?"

All kinds of terrible thoughts passed through his head. What could it be?! Did you find his secret stack of your photos that he hid from you? Or did you find out that he...

He didn't have to think for long.

"Tada!" You scooped out mistletoe and put it on his head.

He blinked, not realising what just happened.

You grinned and wrapped your arms around his neck.

A blush rose in his cheeks, but he didn't move back. He was familiar to your touch now. "W-What are you trying to do?"

"Levi, do you remember you were muttering under your breath a few days back...?"

Mistletoe and his sad muttering? He nodded, afraid where this was going.

"I heard what you said~"

Oh no! He wanted to run away and die.

"You wanted to..."

NO IT COULDN'T BE. YOU DIDN'T HEAR IT!

"...kiss, right?"

You finally completed.

He gulped. Realising that he couldn't run away, he tried to confirm. This was his chance! "I m-m-might have."

"Do I take that as a yes?" Your heart skipped a beat as you asked. Preparing for that exact moment had taken you some days too.

Closing his eyes, he nodded for he didn't trust himself to talk.

You smiled, satisfied, and leaned closer to him, as he had seen in anime. A soft whisper escaped your lips just as they were about to meet his. "I love you, Levi."

He fidgeted in surprise, making his nose brush against yours.

"Aww haha, Levi, you are so cute."

"I... I," Levi spoke, feeling ridiculously shy. "I lo-lo-love you!!!!"

Your eyes met for a moment before he leaned closer and kissed you. His kiss was gentle, a little unsure. He stayed there for a while, longer than you would have expected. You feared that he had passed out in that position, but he pulled back just when you were about to check on him.

"That was..." He spoke, hiding his reddened face behind his hand. "EPIC!!!!! UWAAAAHHHH!!!"

You pulled him for a hug and he clutched onto you like a drowning demon.

[thesherrinfordfacility]

clearing out the drafts of Random Things I've Noticed if you can't tell but here, have another one - this building on the end of aziraphale's row of shops, on the other side of the record shop:

now im fairly certain about two things. first, it's called 'Alf Laylah wa-Laylah' - translated to english from arabic as One Thousand and One Nights. i can't quite tell at this quality if the writing below it is hebrew or yiddish, nor if it's a translation of the text above it (although, as best as i can tell? it isn't? but not sure)

im also not entirely sure on the relevance of the reference - if there is any to be had - to the story compilation that is One Thousand and One Nights, to tell the truth. the immediate thought that springs to mind is how scheherazade tells the king countless folk tales and stories over 1001 nights in order to keep him in suspense of hearing how the stories end - so he essentially stops killing women as revenge for the infidelity of his wife (it's a whole thing), whom he eventually pardons/spares from execution.

all the tales - as well as returns to the 'present' - include debate on philosophies and ethics, and explore various themes and topics, but regardless... my thoughts are somewhat jumping between this, the questions around the reliability of events as presented in s2, the flashbacks and the Lessons, etc. maybe that's not the link to make here, but it's all im coming up with so far.

but back to the building, and the second thing: think that the stars on the bottom half of the building, in the specific configuration they're shown, are the kaheksakand (estonian) / auseklis (latvian) - an eight-pointed star representing fertility and life, the triumph of light over darkness, as well as used as a protection symbol against evil (aptly placed outside the door).

there's a lot to go into re: the symbology behind '8', including its relationship to the concept of balance and harmony, especially in nature. the eight-pointed star in general, not just in the above exact shape, has dozens of cultural, religious, and mythological links (tbh it's probably featured in some capacity in nearly every culture), but i think particularly apt is how it links to venus aka. the morning star.

in the interest of keeping this brief (im sure cleverer people may wish to clarify/develop this more!!!), and keeping on track with where its place may sit in the show, i think it's first of all potentially of interest how this building is lit, given the above. we see the shot of the bentley arriving to whickber street in ep1 at night, and this particular shop (?) front is the most brightly lit... might mean nothing, might mean something:

but when the demons descend in ep5, a good portion of them appear out of the mist from that direction; a green mist (green shop?), reflecting the hell vibes we saw in ep1 etc. that being said, when crowley starts sensing Trouble Is Afoot earlier on, he's looking in all directions and certainly we see some demons behind him (in the direction of the dirty donkey) when he confronts this particular little gang of them, so unless some demons started arriving ahead of schedule, they may not have all come through this building:

but. we know from eric that the lift is broken, and the only other routes are the small lift, one at a time, or the stairs. shax obviously arrives in style, but the other demons? taken the stairs. what if this front is that exit onto earth? but just the back stairwell?

there's so many potentially loose threads to weave in here, and im sure i'll come back to this at some point, but felt it was an interesting design choice nonetheless, even if it ultimately means naff all✨

[whamss]

Ok I have to ask because you have such based takes on rose as a character,

1) do you read fan fic/ if you don’t what’s your general take on fics interpretation of Rose and other characters in homestuck

2) if you do, please I am begging for any rose character study / rose&kanaya pieces you like, anything will do I just would adore to hear your thoughts. Ao3 is like a drought of mischaracterization of Rose & Kanaya and it hurts my soul.

Oh man, I don't read nearly as much fic as I wish I did not gonna lie, I'm so lazy! (And I suffer from chronic daydreamer disease, where instead of reading fanfic I walk in circles in my room and put Rose Lalonde in Scenarios). I have a few that I've read over the years that I've liked a lot though, so I can try to compile a general list:

the ennui of too late and too little

Starting with this one because it was just posted (and I just read it) and I think it's fantastic! Kanaya POV but Rose-centric, with a particular focus on Rose reflecting back on her childhood with her mom as Kanaya and Rose wander through the wreckage of her childhood home. There's a lot of sweet Rosemary banter in here, and I think the characterization is fantastic. It's a good one if you're like me and want to see Rose actually go through the motions of understanding her mother, balancing her newfound sympathy with her Mom's situation and the things she actually put her through. Her feelings are complicated! And I think the author captured the nuances of how Rose might deal with that very well

And, trying to unfold for you, was brittle

Following the theme of fics about Rose and her mom is the Vampire Slayer Rose AU. This one has slightly less of a Rosemary focus (although it's still there), but explores Rose and her mom's relationship more directly in a way that I think is fantastically developed. It's a very interesting read, albeit a little hard to describe Why it's good unless you read it (read it! It's good!!!). I know you're not asking for Kanaya-centric stuff, but if you like this fic (and are okay with reading or skimming over a tiny bit of smut) I think that this author writes a lot of very solid Kanaya fic. Particularly recommending We Face Back All The Way, a Fallen London AU where Kanaya tries to save Rose's soul from a contract with Dr Scratch, and Where the River Narrows, a fic where post-game Kanaya deals with the precarious future of her race, and wanders the dreambubbles in hopes of solutions (and deals with Some Bullshit along the way. And yes, there's Rosemary. Who do you think I am!!!). From there I also think this is a pretty good author to scroll through in general, lots of bangers in there

Yarn Interpolation

This is a Rose-centric series of two fics that I think is very good. Doomed No Sburb AU where there's no game but Rose's powers develop enough for her to know what she's missing. I don't quite remember the exact specifics of this, but it's a very good beta kids fic with Rose mourning the wife she never met and platonic JadeRose marriage. It's cute and sweet, and I remember it being a fairly cathartic read

Show the Lights

Grimdark Rose comes of age and deals with some internalized homophobia along the way. Fun stuff! This was one of the first Rosemary fics I ever read so I hold it close to me, but I think it's a pretty good fic where Rose reckons with her feelings for Kanaya against the prospect of procreation and the continued survival of her species (in between the desire to feel useful to her group as her friends embark on an Egbert rescue mission). Some smatterings of a very fun pitch Vrisrose dynamic in here as well, as a bit of a bonus

love left her screaming at the screen

Speaking of Rose dealing with internalized homophobia, if you spend enough time shifting through Rosemary AO3 you've probably already read or at least heard of this one but I still think it's good enough that I should include it. Very reminiscent of what it was like to be a lesbian teenager in the 2000's, Rose deals with these preconceptions at the end of the world, through an unrequited crush on Jade and Slightly More Requited feelings for Kanaya. This fic was good for me specifically as someone who was always urked by the fact that Rose's sexuality is never really discussed in depth in Homestuck proper (compared to characters like Dave, Dirk, and Jake), and beyond that I think it's a very interesting exploration of how the bigotry and politics from Earth might stick with the kids, even when everyone who would judge them is long dead. This is another author who's fics I think are fun to sit through as well, lots of good Rose and Rosemary stuff in here (will give a particular shout out to think about staying alive, a Rose Strider AU, which is great for those of us in the Put Rose In A Situation camp who also love good gen fic with Rose and Dave)

Reviews Of Young Adult Novels, Mainly Those Prominently Featuring Vampires, And Containing At Least One Love Triangle

This one is just plain silly, but it's one of my favorites. Rose is an alcoholic who writes young adult novels, and Kanaya is her greatest online critic. Sort of an Urban Fantasy, more of an alternate No Game timeline, with a lot of canon elements sprinkled in (classpect powers are still a thing, Dave's that played the game timeline jump, things like that). This one has a very fun Rosemary dynamic, and in general I think Rose's characterization in this is wonderful. It's unfinished but I think it stands very solidly as is, so if you're looking for something goofy and fun to read this is a great fic to turn to

Vermeil Tarnishing

A shorter one shot AU where Rose is a Derse priestess captured by Prospit. This is a fun one I think, lots of fun dialogue with little glimpses into fictional politics, which ends with a bit of a bang. Not a massive Rosemary focus, but the bit of them that we do see is very fun!

> Rose: Reorient

What kind of mutual would I be if I didn't recommend @awellreadmannequin 's Rose fic? Post-game Rose, dealing with her addiction and the mounting threat of a relapse, visits Roxy and Calliope. Very good characterization, Rose's thoughts are rambly and meandering and she is very much Going Through It, but things get better, you know? Good Rose angst, great study of her character with little discussions of philosophy sprinkled in. A look at how Rose's more ironic childhood interests might grow into something more genuine, and take her down a more hopeful path, with some very sweet Rosemary moments near the end of the first chapter and little hints of vrisrosemary in thoughts and dialogue (in Rosemary's hearts). It's still a work in progress, but I think that the first chapter alone is a great read with a very hopeful conclusion, and I look forward to seeing how it pans out, and I think that other people should read it!!! (Best read on a computer or horizontally on a tablet)

[whovianwatchingstartrek]

A Whovian Watches Star Trek for the First Time: Part 095 - A fun day at the Zoo

Star Trek: The Original Series - Season 0 Episode 1 - The Cage

One final stop between Enterprise and discovery is the pilot of the Original Series which set a decade before the rest of of the original series. A few of you have already explained to me why, but I still think it's at least a little bit weird. But anyway, this is my first foray into 60's Trek, lets see how I get on.

We're not given much introduction to our new crew before this version of Enterprise encounters a distress signal from a ship that had to make a crash landing on an uninhabited planet. The signal however was sent a long time ago, so with no indication of survivors, the Captain, presumably the Captain Pike from the Spock Short Trek, decides to ignore it.

Also: Finally an explanation for what a Class M planet is! That phrase was used a few times in Enterprise, and now I'm happy that I know what it means beyond just something vaguely Earth-like.

Apparently, our Captain is considering resigning and has becoming jaded with the responsibility of captaining, which is an incredibly different outlook from Archer. Also the fact that the ship's Doctor doubles as a mixologist is hilarious to me, I hope he gets to stick around. As Captain Pike and the doctor finish having a heart to heart though, the Bridge crew find signs of survivors, so Enterprise enters Warp 7 (Seven!!!), and heads to Talos the rescue them.

A team of six is transported down to the planet for the rescue. The planet itself is a classic desert planet. bit of sand, some rocks, but this thing that stood out to me is it's done in a studio. I was expecting something equivalent to the Doctor Who Welsh Gravel Quarry method of creating an alien planet. That said, for 60's TV pilot, it looks great.

We find the survivors of the crashed ship, but appearntly the crew is being watched. Again, I'm impressed by the quality of the alien make up here. Perhaps 60's Who's shoestring budgets set my expectations of what 60's TV Sci Fi was visually capable of, but they look really good. They even look better than some Enterprise's less interesting designs. They've even got some kind of pulsing effect on heads, which looked amazing.

I really like they way Vina acts just acts really distant, like a scientist interacting with an object of study, but then starts going off about a secret, is unsettling is a really good way, although I kinda wish it was left to build a while longer. She leads Pike away, and then survivors just vanish and the Big Brained aliens kidnap the captain.

Pike then wakes up in a glass enclosure, like a Zoo, and is apprently due to be experimented on. From that concept, I thought the episode was going to be an exploration of humanity's relationship with animals, and there is some element of that, but the main focus is on Pike's character. The Aliens start projecting illusions of different scenarios into his mind, starting with the memories of his most recent mission.

It's really interesting to see Pike's thought process play out. He knows this is an illusion and until much later is under the impression that Vina is an illusion, but still fights the illusion to protect her, and I loved how he took apart what's happening as fight is happening. Probing why an illusion would be frightened.

I really like the Talosians as a concept for a species. A species that has all this power, but just uses it to sit around to get entertainment in false realities. And I love the way Pike is just quick to figure out their exact powers and limits. It's also just heartbreaking to see how broken on to the situation that Vina is. It was here that I also kind noticed a bit commentary on viewers relationship with TV through the Talosians, which is a great theme to explore, but kind of a bold choice for your TV Shows Pilot Episode.

Enterprise tries to transports down a small rescue party into the alien zoo, but the Talosians block everyone except the women, to give Pike a choice. Spock makes the decision to leave, but the Talosians seem to also shut down Enterprise's power, then start taking all information from Enterprise's database.

I absolutely loved this episode. It had a few 60's-isms, but I was expecting those. It's conclusion just being kind of "Wow Humans don't like being slaves" felt a bit rushed, it didn't seem like they really cared about that until the end, but I still enjoyed myself here. Pike was really the only cast member here who left any sort of impression on me, but I liked him for the most part.

Anyways, I start Discovery tomorrow, which different century, different crew and different ship. It'll my first delve into Star Trek's really recent stuff, minus the short treks yesterday, and I'm excited.

[thefloatingstone]

Hi C-puff. Since you know your manga/anime, do you have any suggestions for a person feeling nostalgic for Chobits but not looking to re-read it?

hmmmm~ 🤔

I think it depends what it is you liked about Chobits itself. A Magical Girlfriend anime (not to be confused with magical Girl anime) that I quite like but which is a little all over the place with its anime adaptations is "Oh My Goddess" or "Aah My Goddess" depending on how it's translated. it's a lot lighter than Chobits in tone, but it does have a weird mix of magical girlfriend romance... and a SEVERE interest in motorcycles. The laborious detail the manga has on its machinery is ridiculous. Fujishima Kousuke just completely indulging himself. It's great. Also it has one of the most interesting concepts for how its whole "Goddess" system works. I recommend the movie from the 2000s (which wasn't attached to any specific anime at the time) which if only in aesthetic is one of my favourite "easy to watch" anime movies. It also had a proper anime tv series made for it around 2005 I think?

For something a little grittier that really explores relationships and especially heartache a little more in depth, I'd recommend "Video Girl Ai" which is a 6 episode OVA which is based on the manga Denei Shoujo. It's far more mature (in themes, not in adult content) regarding loneliness and relationships as experienced by normal Japanese teenagers in a way that focuses on the emotional side of things. So if you need something a little less wish fulfillment and a little more personal I'd recommend it.

If you don't mind an ecchi, there is Mahoromatic: The Automatic Maiden which I still have to watch myself past the first 3 episodes, but I find the plot synopsis extremely juicy;

Mahoro Andou is a powerful combat android designed by Vesper, a secret organization protecting the world against alien invaders. Unfortunately, her remaining operational time is running short. If she continues to fight, she will shut down in about one month. However, if she chooses to avoid combat, she can live freely for over a year.

Suguru Misato is a high school boy who lives alone in a large house left behind by his late parents. Like any other boy his age, he has trouble taking care of the house on his own, so he decides to enlist the help of a maid. His problem is solved in the most unexpected way: when a couple of thugs hijack the bus he is riding, a young, beautiful girl wearing a maid outfit saves the day. It turns out that this girl is Mahoro, who has chosen to live her remaining days as Suguru's new maid.

Mahoro makes the best of her remaining time and develops bonds with Suguru and his friends during their peaceful yet lively everyday interactions. However, Mahoro is hiding her true intentions behind becoming Suguru's maid, that being that she is the one responsible for his father's death.

Again, just be aware it IS an Ecchi and as such has a lot of adult humour, however if you're familiar with the Chobits anime it's about on par with that (although the Chobits manga is not as sexually focused as the anime is). Mahoromatic is also a show created by Gainax around the same time as Chobits but before the studio had made FLCL. (it also has some INSANE sakuga in it). Just be aware you're in for a lot of anime tiddy.

Then there's DearS but I wouldn't recommend DearS because it's literally a Chobits ripoff. They have the exact same plot except DearS is even more of an ecchi than Chobits with none of the interesting meta-human commentary and more "look at my hot alien waifu who has the intelligence of a child" thing.

I see a lot of people on MAL also recommend an anime called "Plastic Memories" but I am not familiar with it myself. It's got a pretty decent score tho, and the premise seems interesting as another Android/human love story which also has the plot point of the robot girl's lifespan being on a short timer.

I hope one of those might be what you're looking for!

[not-a-snowman]

You ever come across a fic that is perfectly geared to you, hits an exact niche you wish was explored, isn’t abandoned by its author, and logically should be everything you could’ve wanted… but also you hate it?

There’s this fic I keep seeing popping up. I want to like it so bad but every time I open it I remember why I put it down. Other people seem to really enjoy it, it’s just that it hits a writing pet peeve of mine and I can’t move past it

The fic is written in 3rd person omniscient and there is so much explaining and head hopping to tell you exactly how every single character feels at any given moment.

A character will refer to an offscreen event in a manner that gives you enough information to know what happened, and then the narration will STILL pause the scene to tell you what happened in detail despite it saying nothing new

We can’t have a character say something without the dialogue grinding to a halt to tell you all about what is internally motivating said thing and how everyone feels about it

And why explain the internal thoughts at all when every character just SAYS their exact thoughts and motivations out loud to other people

A character backtracks on what they had said previously in a scene that has JUST happened, and the story still feels the need to exposit that the character is lying and contradicting what they said in X scene

I can’t appreciate all that I might’ve liked because it’s constantly being interrupted by things that I as a reader already know or can extrapolate based on the character’s personality and behavior.

I would never actually post this on the fic because I don’t think quality is actually that important when it comes to fic writing (the act of creating is more important than making something “good”, and critique only matters if it’s actually wanted) but also AGH. I UNDERSTAND THE STORY. I CAN SEE THE THEMES AND UNDERSTAND THE CAUSE AND EFFECT. You don’t have to TELL me! Have some faith it what you’ve written and in your audience to have basic reading comprehension and please stop writing like you’re trying to justify your choices. You really don’t have to

[findmeinthefallair]

if that hexsquad each piloted a voltron lion, who do you think would pilot each lion?

Aaah!! An opportunity to answer an ask that is about my two biggest brainrot shows! 😍

I remain here for VLD because of its premise, for what it stood for before Tim Hedrick - the Head of Story - got fucked over and had his show bible thrown out...Also coz Studio Mir~~

When you wanna compare the paladins to Hexsquad it's like, having to look at what element in nature each Lion stands for and also each witch's deepest wish. And how the characters with their traits would match with the traits that the Lions are looking for. And I'll not only be referencing the new paladins, but also their predecessors: including perhaps the only redeemable thing about S8 which were the old paladins' speeches from the astral plane scenes.

And I'm obviously going with the S1 and S2 pilot configurations, not the post-Lion Switch config.

Starting with who will "form the head":

The Black Lion wants her pilot to learn about control and calmness, which is why she could go perfectly with Shiro's main conflict with his PTSD.

It works very well for Willow for this precise reason:

She and Shiro also share the habit of not wanting to rely on others to help them with their problems, i.e. wanting to stay strong and put up a constant front of portraying strength. We've seen how both characters behave when having panic attacks. So lol, Willow in this universe wouldn't be using plant magic.

One might think that Yellow is the match for her after hearing her deepest wish:

And sure she could express the exact same wish if she were a Paladin...but the Black Lion would pick up on what her area of growth is i.e. the goal to be in control isn't a goal to be reached all on your own. The Lions have their requirements, but they are sentient and can telepathically get a read of an individual's unique challenges and darkest fears. Being the Guardian Spirit representing the cosmos and sky, Black can go nicely with Willow's nurtured leadership qualities and her desire for strength and wisdom.

Next, the arms :

Red is definitely for Amity.

Red is the Lion that wants you to follow your instincts with determination, to defy what's expected or imposed on you if needed. (ah, but I hear you thinking...doesn't this fit Hunter as well? More on this later)

Look at the similarities between her and Keith's arcs:

Both were not entrusted with the space to explore what they wanted in life (imagine...Iverson *could've* been a parental figure for Keith, but he reflects how the education and foster care systems often are IRL), and were expected to fit into a box: which was to their detriment. They were determined to not let their inner fire be put out.

Bonus that they're also rather seasoned fighters, for their respective ages:

The Green Lion might choose Gus. Being a user of illusion magic, Gus's arc has the theme of truth vs illusion, and Green wants a pilot who is curious and has a daring intellect. Who better than the little guy who is curious to know all there is about the human realm, who wants to see what is out there beyond the Isles. Green is best for stealth operations and Gus would be a natural at that, he'd be the best tech guy too!

His deepest wish nicely matches the realization that Pidge had after she met the Olkari: about being connected to the universe and to everything in it (that's what the Forest element symbolizes via the whole "network of roots and branches" concept, which also reflects the imagery of the nervous system linked to the brain. Both Pidge and Gus are prodigies/geniuses).

And having an ambassador role can't really be carried out from the safety and comfort of hiding in your comfort zone of one's insecurity:

Finally, the legs:

I vote Blue for Luz because her deepest wish:

goes so well with this exact line from Blaytz, Lance's predecessor (when we finally hear about what the Blue Lion represents):

Blue is the teamwork lion, kind of the opposite of Green. Easygoing, bold and spontaneous like water. And it's no coincidence that she's the friendliest lion. Luz can befriend anyone because of her extraordinary empathy and I have good reason to suspect this was also the intended arc for Lance...:

Yellow is the morale lion, sort of the opposite of Red.

BUT! Hunter is very interesting since, at least to me, he embodies both Red and Yellow traits which at first glance are *supposed* to be in conflict with one another (this is a sign that he is magnificently well-written. Sorry Keith and Hunk and everyone in the space show, beyond S3 :'D).

I mean c'mon, look at my two kiddos:

It's really important to note that Hunter and Amity's deepest wishes are essentially the same. Which is why it's also easy for me to visualize Hunter piloting Red.

But it's kinda unmistakable: the writers wanted us to see that Hunter's strength is his kind, loving heart (Yellow paladin traits).

His courage and determination (Red paladin traits)

are only the next priority and exist to make the case for his kind heart, in my opinion. Because he wants to live, not just survive...in order to keep learning and giving and loving, to basically remain in a relationship with the world instead of being in isolation.

It's also a bit eerie that Yellow is the Guardian Spirit of Earth/Land, and well..a certain grimwalker was literally grown out of the earth. Hmm........

And wowzah if you look here:

it's a contrast to the Golden Guard being Belos's instrument to keep the Isles as divided as possible, under the guise of promoting unity, with Belos even going as far as coining a name like "The Day of Unity"...during which he wanted to carry out a plan of causing even more major division among the people of the Boiling Isles, via literal genocide. Yeah, yikes. Hunter's future in palisman-carving certainly brings unity born out of love, opposing Belos's forces of division born out of fear. Gyrgan is right in what he says above: unity is born from love.

Anyway this sweet child can really feel like both Keith and Hunk combined into one character. Sometimes he recklessly charges ahead, sometimes he's very nervous about a ton of things. He manages to be the pathetic wet cat but also the most huggable warm teddy bear, lmao.

But if he had been brought up in a healthy and loving home - which is what Hunk had:

him as Yellow's choice would be crystal clear.

Thank goodness Hunter DOES end up in this place though, surrounded by the best found family!

PS: Moringmark had a different configuration for who would pilot who, he just based it on matching colour codes haha (link)

[anauro]

Coming back here for a hot second, because some things I can’t and I don’t want to ignore.

TW for drugs use, addiction and I guess spoilers for Drugs and surgical scrubs. 

I never hid the fact that my fic isn’t based on personal experience and I hope I made it obvious that I invite constructive feedback on the sensitive topics I write. I don’t want to hear that my chapter felt off or didn’t flow, but I always, always welcome feedback about the themes of the story. 

I want to make it obvious, in capital letters and red that I DO NOT THINK LOVE CAN CURE ADDICTION. I do not think that now James has Regulus his addiction will disappear. Either I am doing a very bad job at foreshadowing or some of you just bluntly disregard what I write, so I’m going to spell it out here. 

Drugs and surgical scrubs is not a story about love replacing addiction. Love hasn’t cured Sirius’ and Remus’ addiction and it won’t cure James’. I am fully aware the Jegulus I’m writing now is unhealthy and toxic. I know it’s not true love. You haven’t even given me the chance to explore their relationship and feelings and if you did, you would have realised I’m writing the exact opposite of what you’re accusing me of. The tags, the major warning and the reminder just a chapter ago are there for a reason. My last wish is to romanticise addiction and I really, really want to do it justice and paint a complex picture, but y’all aren’t letting me. This fic is not easy to write and maybe I am failing at it, but try be nice and tell me about it first?? Or like, let me actually write it before assuming the worst? 

If you have an issue with my writing, please come and tell me either here (my anons are on) or via comments and I will listen. But preemptively judging me and spreading pretty much slander is quite rude and frankly hurtful, when I put hours of research and even go and physically meet with people who deal with addiction to paint an accurate picture. Once again, I do not struggle with addiction nor do I know anyone who has, but I have spoken to people who do and listened and combined their stories. I don’t believe addiction is a one shoe fits all case, it’s different for everyone and whilst it’s okay to hate every single word I wrote, every single word of James’ inner monologue is carefully thought out and is there for a reason and soon it will be apparent. 

That’s all. Thank you for all for attention and see you on the next chapter soon!