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horsesarecreatures · 3 years ago

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Choctaw Indian Pony -

“Researching the history of the Choctaw horse (pronounced CHOCK-taw)—also known as the Choctaw Indian Pony—is like tracing the delicate lines of a once colorful thread woven throughout a time-worn and fading tapestry. I was transfixed, awed, enchanted and, at times, deeply saddened as the fabric of this endangered breed’s story unraveled before me, most of it left out of our school history curriculums…The Choctaw horse is a Colonial Spanish horse, though you will rarely hear them referred to by this name. Easily confused with the wild horses the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) oversees, they are often called “mustangs,” a term frequently and indiscriminately conferred on any feral horse of any genetic background. Today, only a very small number of feral horses (mustangs) bear the true Spanish type and breeding. Overall, Colonial Spanish horses of all bloodlines number about 3,000, while the total number of pure Choctaw horses is only about 250 animals. The surviving Colonial Spanish Choctaw horses, however, are proven to be direct descendants of horses brought to the New World in the 1500s by the Spanish Conquistadors. Dr. Phillip Sponenberg, Professor of Pathology and Genetics at Virginia Tech University has devoted much of the last thirty years to ensuring the genetic integrity of the breed’s survival. “Colonial Spanish Horses are of great historic importance and are one of only a very few genetically unique horse breeds worldwide. Choctaw horses are one of a handful of distinct Native American tribal strains of Colonial Spanish Horse that are surviving by a thin thread,” he explains. The mythology of the Choctaw horse is complex, romantic and heart-rending.

While it may seem strange to envision Native Americans without horses, it wasn’t until the 1600s that indigenous Americans living in the deep South first encountered the animals. Hernando de soto and his invading Spaniards, searching for the mythical Seven Cities of Cibola (rumored to be overflowing with gold and riches) were the first to ride horses into Mississippi. The local Choctaw people dubbed the mysterious animals “spirit dogs.” The seemingly friendly Spaniards soon proved otherwise. In the ensuing struggles, the brave and noble Choctaw managed to retain their rightful land and avoid enslavement—and they acquired a few of the Spaniards “spirit dogs,” as well.

In addition to horses, the Spanish also introduced cattle, goats, sheep and hogs to the native population. The Choctaw soon became adept at raising livestock, and the “spirit dogs” quickly became an integral part of the Choctaw culture. The characteristics and traits of the small and sturdy horses facilitated their deep integration into tribal life. They were athletic and possessed great endurance, with sound legs and tough hooves. Despite their smaller stature of 13.2-14.3 hands, the horses were able to carry a 200 plus pound man in 50 and 100 mile races. The equines quiet, people-oriented dispositions endeared them to the Choctaw and the animals soon became indispensable in hunting and farming.

Interestingly, the Choctaw women were considered “keepers of the horse,” according to screenwriter John Fusco whose movie Hidalgo was the story of Frank Hopkins and his Indian pinto pony.

‘The men did the hunting and it was their wives’ task to track and locate the kill on horseback, with little more than a broken twig here and there to mark the trail. On her sunset-and cornsilk-colored pony the Choctaw Woman would ride into a tangled maze of indigo bush and brambles, follow the trail without breaking gait, and locate the gift deer. Even five moons pregnant it didn’t matter; her Choctaw pony was born gaited, like riding a cloud. With her knife she’d dress the deer and sling the heavy meat up across the packsaddle. Laying some tobacco in gratitude, she’d remount and start for home.’

For three hundred years the Choctaw lived peaceably as accomplished agriculturalists and by the 1800s had developed a lucrative trade network with the areas that would later become Texas and Oklahoma, a feat which traveling on horseback had made possible. The high quality of their livestock, horses in particular, had become legendary, written about in travels journals of the era, including those of Lewis and Clark.

The Choctaw continued to prosper as a nation until Andrew Jackson signed the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in September of 1830, proclaimed in February 1831, designating Oklahoma ‘Indian Territory.’ Thousands of Choctaw were forced at gunpoint to leave their beloved homeland in what was termed the ‘Relocation.’

Leaving their ancestral farms and forests to make way for Anglo plantation owners, they marched on foot (often barefoot) along what would come to be known as the Trail of Tears. Their loyal horses, with small bells tinkling like wind chimes fastened to their manes, carried children, the old and infirm through extremely cold weather and blizzards.

It is thought that as many as 4,000-5,000 of the 16,000 native people forced to relocate perished along the route. The tribe would prove resilient in the new territory until the Civil War and then, finally, Oklahoma’s statehood in 1907, when their nation would cease to exist as a separate entity. Tragically, their beloved horses did not fare as well.

The US Government sanctioned the extermination of the Indian horses in an effort to more easily force the Indians onto reservations. Because the Native American’s horses were of spiritual significance in the tribal culture (as was the land), confiscating them was a strategy to break the tribe’s spirit. But the fleet-footed ponies proved hard to catch. And unbeknownst to the cavalry, a handful of families in isolated pockets on the reservations sought to preserve the ancestral bloodlines, guarding and breeding their prized horses.

By the turn of the century, the handful of Choctaw horses remaining sported long Spanish manes and came in a variety of colors: line-backed dun, varnish roan, blacks and bays and leopards among them. They were intelligent and possessed uncanny cow sense, a constitution that could survive on scrub grass, and a “butter smooth” ride. But by 1950 most of the Choctaw elders had passed on—and along with them the esoteric wisdom and zeal for preserving the rare pedigreed ponies that had accompanied them through times both good and bad.

Then another challenge arose: the US. Government imposed the Tick Eradication Program, ordering every wild pony in Oklahoma to be shot. A twist of fate in the form of a young cowboy named Gilbert H. Jones would turn the tables in the breed’s favor. G. H. Jones had a life-long passion for pure Spanish mustangs (now called Spanish Colonial Horses). He left New Mexico because his horses were being slaughtered by neighbors for their meat, and he had only one remaining stallion.

Moving into the Kiamichi Mountains in southeastern Oklahoma, he obtained grazing permits from a local timber company and with the help of a friend, Robert Brislawn, began the process of rebuilding a pure Colonial Spanish Horse herd.

Jones happened upon some Choctaw elders who respected the young white man’s dedication and helped him acquire several Choctaw mares and an additional stallion—an impressive buckskin and white pinto named “Rooster.” Rooster’s ancestry could be traced directly back to the Trail of Tears. Jones’ restoration of a small herd of Choctaw horses had begun.

Savvy and industrious, Jones had become aware of Frank T. Hopkins. Hopkins and his Indian pony Hidalgo (the inspiration for the 2004 motion picture) had demonstrated the breed’s merits through long endurance races, and Jones aimed to do the same. Between long trail rides and brutal endurance events, Rooster’s bloodlines eventually became legendary.

By the 1980’s, Jones’s herd numbered close to one hundred pure horses. Jones continued to work tirelessly to preserve the Choctaw Indian Pony well into his elderly years. He died in 2000 at the age of 93, passing down his research and conservation work to Bryant and Darlene Rickman, who still breed and preserve Jones’ horses on his original land.

Dr. Phillip Sponenberg works closely with the Rickmans, contributing his advanced genetic research, as well as serving as Technical Advisor for the ALBC (American Livestock Breeds Conservancy). Dr. Sponenberg also serves as an Advisor to Red Road Farm and the Choctaw Indian Conservation Program, founded by the writer and filmmaker who made the Disney movie Hidalgo: John Fusco.” - Cowgirl Magazine

#choctaw indian pony #choctaw horse #colonial spanish horse #endangered breed #horse #pony #equine

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blacksunscorpio · 4 years ago

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Scorp you're a genius! So relatable and I love how you don't judge others or anyone who comes to you for help. Keep it up! I just had to ask since I see that you make pop culture references to make analogies with astrology. You've mentioned GoT a few times and im a huge fan! Can you do a quick post on Game of Thrones characters and their potential zodiac signs? I'd love to hear your input! Thank you so much!!

Game of Thrones Characters & Their Zodiac Signs

Aries

Khal Drogo- Impulsive. Warlike. Bloodthirsty. Alpha. Conqueror. Hardcore athlete [did you see him on that horse?] Extremely sexual. Forceful. When he first meets Daenerys, he forces himself on her. Afterward, however, he is the first to go to war if he feels the people around him have been disrespected.

Aerys Targaryen- Impulsive, sadistic. Boastful. imperial. He would be the Emperor [reversed] in Tarot, lol. Not as good with being a tactician as he ought to have been. Cruel. Rage problems. The need to be the first and the best. Fire and blood, anyone?

Taurus

Maergery Tyrell - Classy, wealthy, sexy, laid-back, frank but with an air of elegance. Highgardeners have a love for the finer things in life. A love of fine wines and foods. Beautiful clothing and aesthetics. RICH RICH. Get on their bad side and they will take their time finding a way to subvert your authority.

Robert Baratheon- Love of luxury, bullheaded, strong, takes no shit. Fixed in his opinions of others, highkey jealous. In his youth, he enjoyed the gifts of Venus: Charm, wealth coming from the noble house of Baratheon, widely considered handsome by almost all in the 7 kingdoms.

Gemini

Tyrion Lannister- Silver-tongued. HIGHKEY intelligent. Social. Charming. Great sense of humor. A freak [in the sheets]. Chatty. Always finds his way out of a sticky situation. Finds a way to use his intel to bolster diplomacy between his family and the families who hate them.

Little Finger- Cunning, quick-witted, works behind the scenes, manipulative, a snake, jack of all trades. Top dog in the social circles of the 7 Kingdoms. There wasn’t a person who didn’t know of him and his... reputation. He singlehandedly, through his Machiavellian tactics, caused the events of Game of Thrones to unfold.

Cancer

Cersei Lannister- Protective, moody, caring [to her kids], motherly, cantankerous, jealous. A savage. People don’t give Cancer’s the credit they deserve in terms of what they’re capable of. Cersei is a prime example of the type of person who can show unrivaled levels of devotion to the one’s they love. “No one matters but us.” She can be cruel because she lets her emotions rule her actions. When her safety is threatened, she makes sure no one else feels safe either. She loves with a ferocity only rivaled by...

Catelyn Stark- Another mother who would die [quite literally] for her children. Fierce, Protective. Doting. JEALOUS. Let’s not forget how she treated Jon all because she believed Ned’s lie about him being a bastard. Followed her son into battle. Damn near lost her hands fighting off Bran’s would-be assassin.

Leo

Jaime Lannister- Proud. Handsome. Princely. Funny. We seem him go from underdeveloped Leo [arrogant, selfish, bully, prideful, snob, loyal to no one but himself] to developed [Kind, helpful, warm, honest]. Fought bears for his friends. Skilled and proud fighter even without the use of both his hands. Unfortunately, his loyalty caused him to stay loyal to his twin towards the end, but such is the nature of a Leo. They’re hard-pressed to abandon those they truly care for.

Brienne of Tarth- LOYAL. Proud. Devoted. A bit of a flare for drama especially brandishing her sword. Brienne is the definition of Leonine traits. Hard to miss. Devoted to those who show her kindness, i.e Renly, Catelyn, Jaime, Sansa, etc. Always at the front lines in war screaming “STAND YOUR GROUND”. Unrivaled levels of bravery and courage. Not to be fucked with. A true Queen.

Virgo

Samwell Tarley- Intelligent. Scholarly. Methodical. Always with his nose in a book. Unproblematic king. Caught the things everyone else missed, especially when he was an apprentice in Old Towne. Figured out how to cure Jorah Mormont’s affliction on his OWN without any formal training. Genius.

Lord Varys- Remember, Virgo is also ruled by Mercury who is the most cunning of the planetary rulers. Varys always had a spy to collect intel on everyone. A tactician. Never lost his temper. Always had the scoop but didn’t partake in gossip for gossip's sake. Not afraid to be critical or tell those “in charge” his opinion. We can see this specifically when he critiques Aerys, Daenerys, and Robert.

Libra

Davos Seaworth- a skilled diplomat. Davos is always seen seeking balance and fairness in the situations he finds himself in. The minute you see this man in a scene you know he’s going to give a moving speech and get someone out fo a sticky situation. He convinced the Iron Bank to support Stannis. Convinced Daenerys to entertain Jon Snow when they traveled to Dragonstone. Always breaking up a fight. He is in full support of law and order, especially when he called for Melisandre’s head after discovering her part in Shireen’s death [RIP.]

Rhaegar Targaryen- Had a love of music. Harmony. Balance. He brought two families together [Stark and Targaryen]. He was also blessed by Venus in my opinion because he was said to be extremely handsome. A fabulous singer. A fighter yes, but a lover first. Very good with diplomacy but not the best with defending himself against his cousin sign, Taurus [Robert Baratheon].

Scorpio

Daenerys Targaryen- Many see her as an Aries but I have to respectfully disagree. Daenerys is a Scorpio in my opinion. Remember, Scorpio is honorary fire. She was literally “reborn from the ashes”. A Phoenix, Scorpio’s final form. She went from a silent and meek girl to a skilled and commanding Empress. Unlike Arians, she did not jump headfirst into battle. It took many arrows in her dragons, many slights to her ego, copious council from her advisors, dozens of her loved ones lost for her to go nuclear. Like her father, she hungered for power, a very Scorpionic trait. However she, unlike her father, listened to reason [Jorah, Tyrion, and Barristan Selmy]. She had a long fuse until she didn’t, and then that’s when she rained fire and blood on everyone in King’s Landing. She was skilled at retribution and was unapologetic with it *cough* the Tarleys *cough*.. Unlike Arians who pop off at the drop of a hat, she gave her enemies fair warning if/when they crossed her.

Arya Stark- You already know what it is with this one. Arya is pretty much death [Pluto], personified. Stealthy. A tactician. VENGEFUL. I think we all fist-pumped when she served Filch Walder Frey his sons in that pie. Never forgets a slight. Keeps a list of people who’ve wronged her [All Scorpios can probably relate]. You never see her coming. She is “no-one”. She is the assassin that slips through the back. She may seem calm at first but trust that she has been planning your downfall for a while. LOYAL. The definition of a Scorpio.

Melisandre- Dark. Mysterious. Unafraid of the occult. So much of her life is unknown and I’m sure that’s how she preferred it. Even her Lord of light was mysterious. Strong supernatural abilities and highkey psychic. Knew immediately how many “eyes” Arya would “close.” Had ties to the underworld which is demonstrated with her ability to resurrect the dead. Came through at the clutch in the last battle wielding fire [Mars] with her witchcraft. It’s no secret that Scorpios are some of the most skilled in sorcery.

Sagittarius

Missandei- Exotic. From Naath which is an island just above the mysterious continent of Sothoryos. A world traveler. Lucky enough to escape slavery [until the end]. Jupiter's influence is here in my opinion because she is so kind and friendly. Also a polyglot and gifted with the ability to speak 19 languages. Her fire is seen at the end of the series when she tells her best friend “Dracarys”-- meaning “fire” in High Valyrian. She isn’t afraid to call wrath down on others.

Olenna Tyrell- Loud, unapologetically blunt, zero-filter, feisty. Olenna to me is the definition of Sagittarius. Always speaks her mind. Clap back queen. Will call you out. Was also quite promiscuous in her younger years. Very charismatic and extremely likable despite her penchant for saying whatever was on her mind.

Capricorn

Tywin Lannister- I can’t see the patriarch of the most notorious family in Westeros being anything other than a Capricorn. Methodical. Structured. Business-minded. Karmic [A "Lannister always repays his debts"] Cold. Cruel. Unfeeling. Like Saturn, he is the father figure. Basically ran the 7 Kingdoms for Aerys, [which was probably why the latter was so salty towards him.] Always has a plan. The man you want in charge if we’re strictly talking about law and order. Vindictive [had the mountain kill Elia because Rhaegar rejected Cersei.] He’s the ultimate son-of-a-bitch.

Jon Snow- Brooding hero that he is, Bae Jon Snow is without a doubt a Capricorn in my eyes. Duty-bound. Serious. A leader in his own right. Could also be cold and unfeeling in terms of distributing karmic justice. Lest we forget the “fetch-me-a-block” situation with Janos Slynt. In addition, the moment he was resurrected he took vengeance against the black brothers who betrayed him. Saturn, Like Pluto, is all about karmic justice. The beating he put on Ramsey after The Battle of the Bastards was one thousand percent a karmic beating. A proper lover as well, according to Ygritte, Jon also knew how to handle himself in the bedroom, a trait very akin to Capricorns.

Aquarius

Bran Stark- I thought about making Bran a Pisces, but then I changed my mind. Remember Uranus rules sudden insights and hardcore psychic receptivity. It also rules sudden and unexpected catastrophes or surprises/ sudden breaks. Bran suffered a literal “tower” moment at the beginning of the series which resulted in his psychic powers developing. Once he became the three-eyed raven, he became very detached from the world.

Grey Worm- Aquarius is also androgynous. Grey Worm is a eunuch. He is always down to fight for a cause though, specifically his queen’s. Cares about others, specifically Missandei, and was seen towards the latter season speaking up for the Unsullied against the slavers. Fierce combatant but also very detached. His job is his job.

Pisces

Jaqen H’ghar- Much like Neptune, Pisces’ ruler Jaqen has a mysterious and illusive personality. He wears “many faces”. Skilled at illusion and very very intuitive. Has a soft side though which is clearly seen with how he treats Arya. Hardly ever flies off the handle. Calm. Cool. Collected.

Hodor- Sweet and gentle giant, Hodor is a Pisces to me. Affected by psychic trauma, it’s revealed why “Hodor” is the only thing he can say. Calm. A bit of a baby. Caring. Easily adaptable [think of all the terrain he carried Bran through]

Eddard Stark- I don't care what anyone says, Ned stark to me represents the most developed form of a Pisces. Like the Hanged-Man in Tarot that represents sacrifice and which Neptune Rules, he willingly sacrificed his reputation as honorable for his sister, Lyanna. He later sacrifices himself for his children when he died at Joffrey’s [little bitch] command. He is wise. Though appears cold, he is actually a well of feeling and caring. Unfortunately, he also suffered from the naivety of Neptunian influence which is why he wasn’t very skilled at the Game of Thrones, which calls for more tactical ruthlessness. Pisceans however also have the rage of Poseidon flowing through their veins [which people like to forget]. This was displayed when he pinned Petyr Baelish to the Wall in King’s Landing for daring to dishonor Cat by inviting her into a Brothel. RIP, King Stark.

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chaoswillfallrpg · 4 years ago

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REMUS LUPIN is TWENTY-TWO YEARS OLD and a CRIME SCENE PHOTOGRAPHER in THE DEPARTMENT OF MAGICAL LAW ENFORCEMENT at THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC. He looks remarkably like JOE KEERY and considers himself aligned with THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX. He is currently OPEN.

→ OVERVIEW:

tw: bodily harm

The kindest of his friends with a gentle warmth in his heart, Remus Lupin is a difficult friend to make though he is a firm one. Raised in the Welsh city of Cardiff, Remus can’t remember much of his life before the pivotal moment which changed it forever. The only son of insurance officer HOPE HOWELL and senior advisor on magical creatures for The Ministry of Magic LYALL LUPIN, Remus’ earlier days were described by his parents as simple but loving. When he was first born his father mostly cared for him, allowing Hope to return to work a few days a week which became somewhat impossible during Remus’ later years until he attended Hogwarts. Lyall hadn’t yet taken his job at The Ministry, instead spending his time writing and researching for his latest book he had been writing during Hope’s pregnancy. Though Remus can’t remember most of it his younger years consisted of sitting with his father each day listening to the adventures of Lyall Lupin. Favourite tales included how he rescued his mother from a Boggart to his brief move into the Cardiff countryside to study troublesome Poltergeists. Lyall Lupin was afraid of nothing and it was a value he tried to instill in his son from an early age.

As a young boy Remus was happy and curious, eager to learn about the world around him and did not frighten easily, though when your bedtime stories were about ghosts, vampires and werewolves there was little left to be frightened of. His brief time at Primary School had also been a happy one, allowing his father to accept the senior advisor position in The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures to help the magical world with his knowledge. Remus didn’t miss being at home when he was at school. Popular amongst the other students due to his kindness and compassion he arrived home each day hand in hand with his mother with a new story or a friend in tow to gossip with over the kitchen table. Then Remus stopped coming to school. School like many things in his life became impossible, all due to the events of one night and one man. With members of the magical community and Muggle communities going missing Lyall was involved in the trial of a man who would become an infamous name in the wizarding world. FENRIR GREYBACK was a werewolf in disguise on trial for the murder of two Muggle children and had told the questioning committee he was a Muggle tramp which all but Lyall had fallen for.

Recognising the characteristic signs of lycanthropy in Greyback's appearance and behaviour, Lyall voiced his concerns recommending that Greyback be detained until the next full moon, which was only twenty-four hours away. Lyall was instead ridiculed, causing him to lose his temper and was consequently expelled from the room while Fenrir was released, escaping onto the streets of London and hatching a plan to further ridicule the wizard who had offended both him and his kind with his comments. Shortly before Remus's fifth birthday, Fenrir followed Lyall home to his little house in Cardiff and climbed inside Remus’ bedroom window. Claws extended and teath beard he swiped at Remus, as he screamed in pain. Lyall reached Remus in time, repelling Fenrir with a powerful curse but the damage had already been done. Remus was infected. Every full moon thereafter Remus would transform into a werewolf, afraid for the lives of those around him and scared of the animal inside him that clawed its way out of him. His parents tried everything to find a cure for their son both magical and Muggle but could find nothing to help him. Concerned his condition would prevent Remus from attending Hogwarts his parents made arrangements to homeschool Remus but were stopped in their tracks the night before Remus’ eleventh birthday.

Entering their home despite Lyall’s charms, PROFESSOR ALBUS DUMBLEDORE convinced Remus’ parents to allow him to accept his position at Hogwarts since he had already seen to it that the boy would have a safe, secure location to spend his monthly transformations. Moving to Hogwarts was a liberating experience for Remus. With a place to transform each month that didn’t result in him and his family moving every cycle he relaxed more into himself though he knew he could never fully let his guard down. He started by making friends with LILY EVANS, a gentle character and fellow Gryffindor who noticed how often he kept to himself. Lily was Remus’ first real friend and was grateful of her kindness. She never asked questions, only smiled and squeezed his hand at times she thought he needed it, which was more than she knew. The questions mostly came from the boys who lived in his dorm. JAMES POTTER was a loud and transparent boy Remus couldn’t have imagined being friends with until he was already in the throws of their friendship. James had taken a shine to him at first to get him away from Lily which Remus had noted though he said nothing till a number of years later. James’ best friends and his fellow roommates SIRIUS BLACK and PETER PETTIGREW, easily accepted him after James had given Remus his seal of approval and welcomed him with open arms into their little club of misfits.

To the untrained eye, Remus didn’t belong with the three boys. He was much quieter, less trouble. But if souls were indeed made it was clear Remus, James, Sirius and Peter’s were made the same. They brought out a more mischievous side to him Remus had allowed to wither away long ago and although PROFESSOR MINERVA MCGONAGALL scolded him for his role in the occasional prank he still would enjoy the role he played. Despite his kinship with the boys, Remus still attempted to keep them at arm’s length, though a clever ploy by Sirius would not allow that to go on past their second year. Under the watchful eye of Professor Dumbledore, Remus would transform and roam The Dark Forest, before resting for a number of days in The Shrieking Shack and finally returning to classes. He would make up stories for his absence, but Sirius and Peter soon grew suspicious and followed him out one evening. Confirming their earlier suspicions they waited patiently for Remus to return before confronting him with their brilliant plan. Remus was shocked they hadn’t been disgusted by him, finding that with them finally fully by his side he enjoyed Hogwarts much more than he did his time at home. He graduated a prefect, narrowly missing out on Head Boy thanks to James and with close friendships he knew he would keep for the rest of his life as he headed into the world.

Not wanting to burden the lives of his parents, Remus moved to Farringdon and settled into an apartment with his three best friends. He had a good support network around him, even from those who didn’t know about his condition. Remus had always thought to himself that if he was capable of loving someone he would have loved DORCAS MEADOWES. They enjoyed the company of one another in its purest form and that was simply enough. Given his status as a werewolf, Remus was refused a number of jobs before being accepted as a crime scene photographer in The Department of Magical Law Enforcement, working under FRANK LONGBOTTOM, due to a few kind words from Dorcas. The job was a gruesome one with people turning up each day murdered in one way or another. Remus and Frank were recently assigned a string of potential werewolf attacks they believed linked back to Fenrir Greyback. With the help of medical expert KEIRA GREY and Remus, Frank hopes to catch Fenrir and make him pay for his crimes though the pair have much more on their hands than simply Fenrir at present. Both members of Dumbeldore’s Order of The Phoenix, Remus spends a great deal of his free time training with Frank and helping The Order. Remus is dedicated and loyal enough to the cause to put in the extra hours and isn’t afraid to use the help of a few unconventional people to dig deeper into cases, even if he has to hide it from his friends.

→ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Blood Status → Half-Blood (Werewolf)

Pronouns → He/Him

Identification → Cis Male

Sexuality → Up to Roleplayer

Relationship Status → Single

Previous Education → Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Gryffindor)

Societies → N/A

Family → Lyall Lupin (father)

Connections → James Potter (best friend/housemate), Peter Pettigrew (best friend/housemate), Sirius Black (best friend/housemate), Dorcas Meadowes (best friend), Marlene McKinnon (close friend), Mary MacDonald (close friend), Lily Evans (close friend), Maren Linwood (close friend/potential love interest), Edward Tonks (friend), Keira Grey (friend), Emilia Grey (friend), Cassiopeia Kim (friend), Cressida Abercrombie (friend), Gilfred Abbott (friend), Caradoc Dearborn (friend), Poppy Hookum (friend), Aurora Sinistra (friend), Frank Longbottom (mentor/colleague), Fenrir Greyback (maker/adversary)

Future Information → Husband of Nymphadora Tonks, Father of Teddy Lupin

REMUS LUPIN IS A LEVEL 7 WIZARD/WEREWOLF.

#remus lupin #joe keery #stranger things #marauders #rpg #order member #wizard #magical law enforcment #aurors office #werewolf #magic #ministry #tw: bodily harm #open #open werewolf #open wizard #open order member

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cannoli-reader · 4 years ago

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Disability and rehabilitation pt. 2

So my last post about Jaime Lannister on this issue got a bit long, so I split them up. This is going to be the Wheel of Time one. And should not be long, because the Wheel of Time character I was thinking of is not nearly as significant to the series as Jaime is to his.

It’s Siuan. I know lots of people don’t see a redemption arc there, because a lot of them don’t think she needs one. All over the fandom, I see people raving about Siuan and how she’s so strong and lost so much and she keeps going. Okay. That’s true. But not all virtues are exclusive to good people. Courage does not make you a good person, for instance. Arguably, Sammael is pretty courageous. And neither does perseverance or tenacity. You have to apply those traits to something more than self-preservation or personal gain.

What I think happens with Siuan is that we get too small a sample of her actions in the beginning of the series, and find out more about her later, except the imposition of her disability rehabilitates her in the readers’ eyes, which in turn affects the hindsight view of the early books.

At the outset of the story, Siuan has been Amyrlin for about a decade, and despite the hagiography from her friends, she was not a very good one. Siuan is not a good leader, though she can be a very good advisor and would probably make a pretty competent bureaucrat. She is unquestionably intelligent with a good analytical mind, but that does not make her a leader. Off-setting these strengths is that she lacks vision. She works much better under a leader who has ideas she can work to bring to fruition. Unfortunately, she has an inordinate amount of pride as well. And when she rises far and fast, she ends up lacking any counter-balancing wisdom. She gets named Amyrlin at a very young age as a compromise candidate, but rather than walk softly, she takes it and runs, by all accounts being forceful in her manner, and controlling as well. In reaction to the discover of the Horn of Valere, she goes to Fal Dara herself, wreaking havoc on the surrounding environment to expedite her journey, only to bring the Black Ajah, including Liandrin and Alviarin, into the fortress which expedites the theft of the Horn.

The odd thing about Siuan’s carelessness in this regard is that she has known since shortly after getting the shawl about the Black Ajah, and worse, she herself surmised that they are aware of the Dragon’s rebirth and are actively taking measures to get rid of him. In spite of this, she is unable to give up her need to be in control, even when her position and her alienation of the Ajahs means she can’t control her personnel. Once the Black Ajah comes relatively into the open and she has to deal with it, she lets her paranoia take the wheel and, not being able to trust any Aes Sedai, nor to accept that there is nothing she can do, she hands over the investigation to three of the newest initiates of the Tower. She remains obsessed with the Black Ajah and ends up with a tunnel vision focus, to the exclusion of properly managing Tower politics.

Her absurd solution to the Black Ajah problem, of sending Accepted after them, helps bring her down. While in the case of sending Elayne into danger, she has provided herself with plausible deniability, at least her own satisfaction, she cannot control everyone’s interest in the Daughter-heir, including her brothers and Elaida. Siuan herself articulated the prestige Elaida has gained from bringing Elayne to the Tower, and the Red sister’s interest in Andor has cost her the Amyrlin Seat Siuan is certain Elaida wanted desperately. The flimsy excuses Siuan finds sufficient to foist off a mere queen who has historically been devoted to the Tower don’t hold up for her sons who are present all the time and are more loyal to their sister than the Aes Sedai, much less her own rival who is far more knowledgeable about Aes Sedai affairs.

It is her discontent with the situation that inspires Elaida to begin the legwork to depose Siuan. It is his hostility to Siuan for being kept at arm’s length that motivates Gawyn to help foil her allies’ counter-coup.

And this is also characteristic of Siuan, that she focuses on the top-down approach to problems. When she has a plan to unify Murandy under a strong king, and she anticipates her candidate’s habit of raiding into Andor could endanger the plan, she decides to keep Andor from fighting him. Her approach is to go to Morgase and force her to keep her troops away from the area of his depredations, to minimize the risk to him. Siuan grew up in a tyrannical nation that oppresses its people and then she moved to the hierarchy-obsessed White Tower, so to her way of thinking, all you have to do is give orders to your lessers, and that’s the end of it. She makes absolutely no accommodation to Morgase, does nothing to get her to buy in to Siuan’s program, offers her nothing that we know of in exchange for compelling her to commit an egregious dereliction of her duty to her subjects.

For all that she lays the blame for Morgase’s anger toward the Tower on Elayne leaving unexpectedly, maybe she would have accepted Elayne’s absence from Tar Valon, if she was not also dealing with the biggest headache of her reign, brought on by Siuan’s high-handed interference in her rule. The riots and demonstrations against Morgase and her relationship to Elaida and Tar Valon are blamed on the Whitecloaks stirring them up, but since when are they that competent? Eamon Valda was the one left in command in Caemlyn after Geofram Bornhald was recalled to Amador. Straight-arrow Galad runs rings around Valda in the PR game and we’re really supposed to believe he’s responsible for swaying public opinion in the capital against a beloved and long-reigning queen? But even if Bornhald got the ball rolling in the brief time he could have been in Caemlyn, there had to be some discontent for the Children to work off of, and Morgase abandoning her borders after a meeting with the Amyrlin Seat is the best reason we have to go off of. And of course, the Tower’s standard MO means she would not have bothered to walk back her command and let Morgase resume defending her borders after Siuan’s candidate is killed by an ordinary farmer who objected to being robbed, no matter how central the thief was to Aes Sedai plans.

It’s a major weakness of Siuan, that she thinks all she has to do is give orders. She really makes no allowance for differences of opinion, expecting those on her side to stay on her side and to accept her commands. She does not expect compelling Morgase to have domestic blowback. She does not expect her handling of Elayne to anger her family or to turn Elaida, who has a clearly demonstrated long-term interest in Elayne and Andor, against her. She does not expect her high-handed manner to incite sisters against her, or her secretive behavior to give credence to the arguments for deposing her, even though she knew being deposed was a possibility.

And part of that secrecy was kind of unnecessary. Siuan was the one who determined that the Black Ajah knew the Dragon was Reborn. Once she was Amyrlin, there was no further reason for secrecy, since the only people who didn’t know about it were the good guys. What’s more, it was, like the Murandy operation, not just wrong, but futile. The secrecy depended on no one being able to trace her to Rand, which in turn counted on people not remembering how close she had once been to the one sister who’d been with Rand at every turn. Even after Verin pointed out how obvious the whole setup was to anyone who had been paying attention, she still tried to maintain secrecy. And you can’t fault the Hall’s annoyance at being kept in the dark about the imminent apocalypse or the hubris of an Amyrlin a fifth the age of many of them presuming to manage Tarmon Gaidon and the Dragon Reborn all by herself.

And the problem here is that all this stuff is backstory. Some of it we don’t learn until after she is deposed, and some of it we only learn the full ramifications of once we have a better grounding in the political realities of the setting. When Siuan is brought down in The Shadow Rising, our perspective is from her and Min. In Siuan’s mind, of course, she’s the put-upon hero, and her frustrations are reasonable feelings, certainly not an exhibition of entitled expectation that things will go her way. When Elaida reveals that the Hall has voted her out of office, Siuan’s retort is basically “How dare you use politics against me!” Her indignation that Elaida chose a favorable ground for fighting, that she chose to acquire allies rather than taking on Siuan alone in a personal confrontation where Siuan has all the advantage is either so astoundingly naïve as to disqualify her from ever holding office or a breathtaking piece of hypocrisy given the extent to which Siuan stretches her authority and the rules which put her above other sisters. Not to mention the tactics she will later coach Egwene to employ against people who are her ideological allies. But without the hindsight we get from seeing a greater pattern of Siuan’s behavior as well as a deeper look at the politics of the series, she seems like a frank and well-intentioned leader who has been brought down by treachery. In Min’s chapters, we only have Siuan’s presentation of herself and her position, as Min, like the reader, lacks much personal experience of the Amyrlin to see beyond it. And Siuan frames her actions as helping Rand. Which, yeah, she thinks she is doing, but just because she thinks it does not make it true. I’m pretty sure Min’s actions in Tar Valon would have been radically different if she could have been a fly on the wall in Fal Dara when Siuan told Rand that his purpose for existing is to be her tool.

And then Siuan gets stilled, hence the disability, and redemption in the eyes of those readers who were rubbed the wrong way by her attitude. The journey to Salidar has her one of three women traveling alone and vulnerable to violence and danger, not to mention ending up facing a trial for stuff for which she and her friends were not responsible, and then she gets to Salidar and runs smack into the prejudice of Aes Sedai against those who are not. Her old friends treat her as a lesser being, her qualities that have nothing to do with her channeling, and which are thus unaffected by her disability, are suddenly dismissed and she is treated like some ignorant hick. All of this makes her the sympathetic underdog, and from the reader’s simplistic binary view of “Elaida, bad: anti-Elaida, good,” Siuan looks good and the reluctance of the Aes Sedai to go to war against the Tower is inexcusable, so her deceptions and manipulations are seen to be for a good cause.

But what casual readers miss is that Siuan is still making the same mistakes. She still thinks, despite her awful track record to date that it’s right and good that she control the Tower’s agenda, as she plans to put a puppet on the Amyrlin Seat to be controlled by a council she herself can manipulate. What I have never seen anyone question is, if she thought Egwene was ignorant enough to be manipulated and controlled by the council and second-hand by her, why on earth did Siuan give her a blanket writ of authority and send her off to hunt Black sisters with only a blocked wilder to manage her? Also, Egwene’s state of mind, courtesy of her Seanchan captivity, evident in her actions outside of Tar Valon and her intractability in the short time she was in the Tower, made that a particularly bad choice.

Furthermore, the meta argument in favor of Salidar over Elaida is that Elaida will try to control Rand, and while the sisters in Salidar have a similar mindset, the protagonists of that arc (Nynaeve, Elayne, Egwene, and incredibly, Siuan) believe otherwise and will prevent it. And yet, to get her foot in the door, and access to power in Salidar, Siuan trades knowledge Rand’s whereabouts to the ruling council. Their response was to send the incredibly arrogant Kiruna and Bera to find Rand, with their only apparent selection criterion being the number of warders the pair could bring on a trip to the Aiel Waste. Later on, she manipulates the choice of which of Rand’s friends to send with the embassy, sending Min whom she believes to be more under her thumb and willing to spy on Rand for her, instead of Elayne, which compounds Elayne’s political problems when she goes to take the throne.

Again, Siuan’s intentions get buried by the fact that she throws in with Egwene and honestly does her best to help, but it was not really her choice, or only her choice insofar as she decided to accept it as her own idea instead of fighting a futile battle. What actually happened was that she let a wilder with little regard for the Tower or Siuan personally see through her decoy tactic, because she still has not learned that when she pretends to not be collaborating with a long-time BFF, someone is going to realize the truth. As a result, Nynaeve has both insight into Siuan’s activities in Salidar, and the willingness to use that knowledge against her, as well as having incurred a debt beyond repayment by restoring her channeling ability. Siuan cannot say ‘no’ to Nynaeve, and Elayne is politically shrewd enough that she’ll spot attempts to wiggle around her which Nynaeve won’t. So Siuan’s chances of manipulating or controlling Egwene are pretty much nil with Nynaeve and Elayne at her back. Her only hope for influence is to throw herself entirely into Egwene’s cause and reap the rewards. Not unlike Asmodean with Rand or the Forsaken in general with the Dark One.

And what about her work with Egwene? While it’s true she provided indispensable political tutelage and strategy, it’s basically the inverse of her own tenure as Amyrlin, where her supposedly good agenda was derailed by her political failure. In this case, the excellent performance she coaches Egwene to in the political sphere belies the fact that they have no good agenda. For one thing, they completely ignore the outside world that both of them presume the Tower has the right to order and control. When a course of action is proposed in the Hall regarding the Black Tower, a topic of not insignificant interest to Aes Sedai (especially Aes Sedai following a woman who publicly told a group of people concerned about the presence of male channelers in their lands “We got this, mind your own business”), Egwene sits mute through the session of the Hall, because neither her own views nor Siuan’s teaching account for a policy for the Black Tower.

The sole agenda for which Siuan and Egwene are engaging in all these political machinations among the rebels is a military campaign against the White Tower, which is utterly wrong, and probably an unjust war on its own. Egwene will even later repudiate the whole campaign and denounce the very act of marching against the White Tower and besieging Tar Valon…after she has had some time away from Siuan, and Siuan’s own actions have soured Egwene on her counsel. So either Siuan primed and aimed Egwene to plan and execute a military rebellion against the Amyrlin Seat, or else Egwene had the idea on her own and Siuan blithely went along with it and actively abetted the plan instead of counseling against it or trying to moderate it.

What it very much looks like is that Siuan leaned into revenge more than fixing a problem. Starting a war within the White Tower cannot be a good way to reuniting it, as people note several times over the course of the conflict when the issue of pushing the fight to an extreme comes up, but it is a better way to make sure that Elaida goes down. After all, if they are making war on Elaida personally, the end result of the war has to be Elaida’s downfall, and a declared war against her makes it much less likely Elaida will retain power under a negotiated settlement. And that, more than anything is Siuan’s agenda. Just as Elaida is really out for her own glorification when she thinks about saving the Tower, Siuan’s first priority is taking out Elaida.

If saving the Tower was the priority that could still be done within the system. At the point when Siuan arrives in Salidar and a negotiated settlement is still on the table for the dissenters gathered there, Elaida has not been in a position to do much damage. What she has begun doing is driving apart the coalition that brought her to the Amyrlin Seat. If the rebels got some concessions in return for their coming back, there would be no external threat to the Tower to rally support to Elaida when her actions become more extreme under Alviarin’s direction. There would be an opposition party in the Hall to vote against her more outrageous actions. Once out of the Hall, Elaida can’t keep holding sittings with only her own faction present, and she has been wearing away that faction with her own Siuan-like behavior.

As it is, in the same book where Siuan reaches Salidar, Elaida has promulgated a blanket amnesty to any sisters who return, so the future issue of the punishments she decrees, such as abolishing the Blue Ajah, is not a factor. Those only become so when Siuan lies about Elaida and the Red Ajah, and begins spreading the story that they created false dragons. And knowing it’s a lie, knowing the Tower’s tradition of covering for fellow sisters and presenting a united front to the world, of not airing their dirty laundry to outsiders, can you blame Elaida? The funny thing is, Siuan herself was outraged when Rand repeated the same story to her. How did she expect Elaida to react? Just as she did. Siuan provoked Elaida into the same indignant reaction she herself felt, for exactly the aim of getting her to lash out, and force the rebels to stay the course out of fear. And as with much of Siuan’s actions in Salidar, you have to say “Smart move. But how does it help?” Is provoking the Amyrlin Seat to acts of tyranny conducive to unifying humanity on the verge of Tarmon Gaidon? Is maintaining the division between sisters to the benefit of the Tower? Clearly not. The only one to benefit is someone who cares much less about those issues than she does about toppling from power the woman who bested her at Tower politics and whose teaching style she resents from when she was a novice and Accepted.

Other lovely advice Siuan gives Egwene is to murder Nicola and Areina for not being protagonists. Because pretty much everything Nicola pulls to try to get ahead is very similar to Egwene. And you can’t even say she’s wrong. She’s almost 25 years old. She had a job and a fiancé. This is a grown woman by any standard you care to name, and if she is willing to take the risks of being forced, she has the right to make that call for herself. Especially with Tarmon Gaidon just around the corner. A considerably better option than sending away girls with enough strength to reach the shawl, just because they are too boy-crazy to make good Aes Sedai, as Siuan did with Else Grinwell. I’m pretty sure Vandene’s assessment the book before she did so was that the Tower would need every novice capable of lighting a candle, as long as they weren’t too interested in good-looking men, right?

But because of mere political inconvenience, Siuan wants to murder Nicola, removing one of the strongest living initiates in the Tower, not to mention one who’s pretty clever, and capable of outmaneuvering sisters, on top of the sheer evil of the notion. And ethically, by assuming all authority over a novice’s actions and choices, by infantilizing her as the Tower does, treating them as literal children, the Tower has a responsibility to protect them as if they were children in truth. Murdering Nicola is as profound a betrayal of the White Tower’s duties as the crime she slanders Elaida for committing.

And speaking of slander, in a world where oaths are taken seriously, where they are sufficient grounds to alter the sentence of a convicted criminal, Siuan swore an oath never to tell a lie. And promptly broke it the moment she was physically capable of doing so. She did not put conditions on the Oaths when she swore them, there was no expiration date, no proviso that she would only live up to them so long as she held a certain status. She not only broke her oath; she did so to abuse others’ trust because they thought that it still held.

As an example of her teaching Egwene how to be Amyrlin, not just what to do, there is the discussion after Moghedian escapes. Egwene, in a moment of panic, commits an egregious violation of tradecraft to meet Siuan and Leane for no real practical gain, and demands they conduct an investigation that will further endanger their covers. Ostensibly, the subject of the investigation is Egwene’s runaway servant, which just might cause people to start wondering at the attention the issue is getting. And there is nothing to be gained by it either. As Siuan points out, none of them know what the Forsaken look like and there is nothing that could be done with anything they do learn about whoever released Moghedian. Egwene slaps down Siuan, demanding to know if the mere reassurance she would get from having slightly more knowledge than she currently does is too much to ask. But it kind of is, considering how many stand to suffer if Egwene goes down. If Egwene can reprimand Nynaeve & Elayne for endangering her (and by extension, her whole faction’s) political position by a bargain with the Sea Folk that is nonetheless a positive good for the world, how much more does she deserve a reprimand for something equally dangerous to that position with nothing to be gained by the risk? Okay, but she’s still learning. Whose job is it to set her straight on that? Siuan’s. And what does Siuan tell her? That she was right to flip out on Siuan, that no one may be impertinent to the Amyrlin Seat!

Before Siuan started filling Egwene’s head with nonsense like that, Egwene understood the need for people to treat rulers and leaders like normal human beings. That is was important for her friends to treat her like their friend, instead of their office. That rulers needed to be told the truth, even if they did not like it. We see in the same book where Siuan tells Egwene not to let anyone be rude to her, Cadsuane being deliberately rude to tell Rand things he needs to hear, because he’s not going to listen to people being deferential and obsequious. Leane tried respect on coming into the tent with “Mother, this is unwise,“ and Egwne’s response is IDGaF. She needs to hear when she’s doing something stupid, but Siuan doubles down on the Amyrlin being above normal human interaction, not least because she’s defending her own track record of arrogance and entitlement.

Recall that when Anaiya brought up her behavior as Amyrlin when she first arrived in Salidar, stating that she abused her authority and forced people to do what she wanted, Siuan’s reaction is to scoff that the Amyrlin can’t treat every sister like a buddy. Except that’s not what Anaiya was saying at all. Siuan was acting like respect and basic courtesy are special favors to close friends. Her reaction is more like a child using a semantic digression rather than reflect on what they did wrong. Why does she think people listened to Elaida as they did not to all the other opponents of Amyrlins who wanted to depose one? Either all but two other Amyrlins who managed to not get deposed DID treat people like girlhood pals, or else Siuan’s behavior was considerably worse than merely failing to be besties.

Just about the only positive thing we know Siuan did as Amyrlin was create the title ‘Mistress of the Kitchens’. I suppose you could count raising the Wondergirls to Accepted, but that’s more of a Doylist good idea. From the point of view of the White Tower and forming girls into proper Aes Sedai it was a tragic blunder, and Siuan had no intention of undermining the process or protecting the girls from being conditioned into obedient sisters. She just thought that her commands took precedence over 3,000 years’ institutional experience in indoctrination.

Siuan Sanche is a rude, petulant bully, who would destroy the White Tower or the authority of the Amyrlin Seat if she cannot hold them herself. She does a poor job teaching Egwene, who reaches her greatest heights after getting away from her teaching, and blames the Siuan-led rescue in defiance of her standing orders for her inability to reunite the Tower without a fight. Upon her triumph, Egwene publicly denounces and repudiates the course of action to which Siuan counseled her. When she held power herself, Siuan presided over a world going to the dogs, and engendered resentment against the Tower and its interference in others’ affairs. Her control-freak mentality and utter lack of subtlety or diplomacy gave the Shadow opportunities to steal the Horn of Valere and break the White Tower, and they were far and away the biggest fans of her efforts to exacerbate and prolong the division.

But to all-too-many WoT fans, Siuan is an amazing person for going on and keeping up the fight in spite of all she lost. Yes. Those are great qualities. And Eamon Valda is a blademaster, with all the discipline, dedication and perseverance that achievement entails. What matters most about skills and personal qualities is the use to which you put them. You don’t get a pass for putting skills to bad use, for striving for unworthy goals, just because you’ve suddenly lost an ability you once took for granted. Siuan learns nothing from her loss, other than perhaps some lessons about practical politics that might have helped her avoid the loss in the first place. She continues barreling down her path in the assumption that she knows best and she has the right to do whatever she can get away with because she knows best. All her disability really does is rehabilitate her in the eyes of the fandom, and cover over her many, many mistakes and the reasons why the Pattern removed her from power as its own champion was rising to fix the mess that was in part her doing.

#wheel of time #siuan sanche #aes sedai

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aion-rsa · 4 years ago

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The Dark Knight Trilogy: Horrifying Scenes That Still Make Us Cringe

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Later this month, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is hitting HBO Max. Despite the anticipation and a near-guaranteed positive reception from the vocal #ReleaseTheSnyderCut fan contingent, this will likely be Snyder’s last foray in the DC Universe. Indeed, one of the studio’s chief complaints with Snyder’s vision, which they believe impacted box office receipts, was his darker tone when compared with the quippier MCU. However, Snyder’s approach only mirrored many of DC’s most popular storylines, from Frank Miller’s violent The Dark Knight Returns to the on-screen The Dark Knight Trilogy from director Christopher Nolan. Snyder can hardly be blamed for expanding on what audiences were already responding to when it came to DC characters on film.

Less than a decade ago, Warner Brothers was hot off of the success of Nolan’s trio of films that no one would describe as light-hearted or quippy. The Batman of Nolan’s films was not inspired by the kid-friendly or campy iterations of the character found in the Batman TV series from the ‘60s or Joel Schumacher’s films, but by Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s Batman: Year One, and Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s Batman: The Long Halloween. That is to say Nolan and Christian Bale’s Batman sought to be a street-level, gritty, interpretation of the character that emphasized noir and a grounded reality.

Snyder didn’t make Batman too dark for film audiences, that was already done by Nolan. Below are just a few examples of the darkest, most horrific moments from The Dark Knight Trilogy.

“Swear to me!” – Batman Begins

Audiences knew they were in for a different type of Batman from the moment they heard Bale’s gravelly voice while he was in the suit. Whether Bale goes too far with his growly tenor and into comedic territory is up for debate, but the choice is certainly memorable.

Bale really gets to rough up his vocal cords during a specific scene in Batman Begins where the Dark Knight confronts crooked cop Arnold Flass about Dr. Jonathan Crane’s mysterious drug shipments. After failing to strike fear in Flass, Batman hangs the portly man upside down from a building. When Flass swears to God that he doesn’t know anything, Batman replies, “Swear to me!” his face tremoring with rage. This is the opposite of one of George Clooney’s one-liners during his time under the cowl. Bale’s Batman establishes himself as something to be scared of and as an all-seeing force to be reckoned with.

The Demon Bat – Batman Begins

While horror has seeped its way into Batman comics many times, particularly during Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s recent run with the character, there hasn’t been a ton of nightmarish imagery present in the film adaptations of the character. However, the hands down scariest portrayal of the Caped Crusader on screen comes in Batman Begins. When Bruce Wayne said he wanted to strike fear in the hearts of criminals, this must have been what he was talking about.

In the climax of the film, when Cillian Murphy’s Scarecrow attempts to poison Gotham City’s water supply with his fear toxin, the good doctor is confronted by Batman and given a taste of his own medicine. The fear toxin takes effect and Crane begins to see Batman as a demonic, literal interpretation of the Batman, with black goo dripping from his mouth and jet-black eyes. This monster version of the Bat was certainly a step in the right direction for comic fans hoping the Batman films would get the terror element of the character right.

Bruce Attempts to Kill Joe Chill – Batman Begins

This scene from the first film in Nolan’s trilogy is the darkest because of how real it feels for the main characters. The moment happens not when Bruce Wayne is masquerading as a vigilante dressed as a bat, but when he’s a young man still trying to come to grips with the murder of his parents. Bruce learns that Joe Chill has been paroled so that he can testify against Gotham crime boss Carmine Falcone. Bruce waits outside of the courtroom with a gun, intending to kill Chill after his testimony. But when Chill arrives at the public lobby, one of Falcone’s goons beats Bruce to the punch, shooting Chill dead.

Bruce’s childhood friend Rachel Dawes discovers Bruce’s intentions and slaps him across the face. She berates Bruce and tells him that his father would be ashamed of him, something that undoubtedly must be hard to hear for the angry, grieving young Bruce. This moment serves as a sort of rock bottom for the character before he decides to leave Gotham behind and travel the globe, immersing himself in the criminal underworld, a journey that would inevitably lead to him becoming… the Batman.

Joker’s Pencil Trick – The Dark Knight

No one needs to spill more ink about how brilliant Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker, was in The Dark Knight. It’s an iconic performance that has forever shaded the public’s perception of Batman’s greatest nemesis. He’s simultaneously funny and scary, brutal and sniveling, chaotic and cunning. He can make you smile then suddenly want to shield your eyes.

It’s all right there from his first real introduction in the film when he struts into a meeting between Gotham’s crime lords and offers his services in killing the Batman. Nailing the core components of the character, his penchant for showmanship, his violent tendencies, and his twisted sense of humor, the Joker pulls off a “magic trick” by slamming a gangster’s head through a pencil that was stuck upright on a desk. Not exactly the kind of party trick that you’ll see Ant-Man performing in the MCU!

The Death of Rachel Dawes – The Dark Knight

While the Joker hatches many unsettling schemes in The Dark Knight, like televising himself murdering Batman imposters, threatening to blow up hospitals, and the game theory ferry experiment, his most despicable crime is also his most personal one. After being taken into custody, the Joker reveals that he has set up a no-win trap for Batman, forcing him to choose between Rachel, his love, and Gotham’s White Knight, district attorney Harvey Dent. The Joker has them tied up in different locations, rigged to explode on the same timer, and Batman only has time to save one of them. Joker gives the hero their addresses, but in a cruel twist, switches who is where. Bruce believes that he’s saving Rachel but saves Harvey instead. Meanwhile, the GCPD tried to rescue Harvey, but arrives just in time to watch the building holding Rachel burst into flames.

While Rachel may have been an underserved character, only really used as a victim and love interest until her ultimate fridging, her death was still a shock and a dark turn that other superhero movies, barring the otherwise forgettable The Amazing Spider-Man 2, have always refused to make. Rachel served somewhat as Bruce’s moral compass, and her death left the vigilante adrift and prone to his darkest impulses.

The Transformation of Harvey Dent – The Dark Knight

The flipside to the above is that Batman’s last-minute rescue of Harvey Dent leaves him scarred, traumatized, angry, and fundamentally changed. It’s not just that Harvey loses half of his face and becomes a grotesque victim; it’s that the minute Rachel dies, all of his idealism and motivation to be a force for good and change dies with her. With one act, the Joker takes away the hero that Gotham really needs to end corruption and injustice.

It’s not just that Dent falls; he falls hard. He murders police officers (corrupt though they may be), kidnaps children, and introduces as much anarchy into Gotham as the Joker. Ultimately, he’s stopped by Batman, but his death and fall from grace is a demoralizing moment, and the decision to lie and prop up Dent as the hero he was rather than the monster he became is a necessary but deeply troubling withholding of the truth. Don’t let the triumphant score and imagery at the end of The Dark Knight fool you; this is a supremely downbeat ending.

Bane Breaks the Bat’s Back – The Dark Knight Rises

Batman is a badass who is rarely bested on screen. Even in Zack Snyder’s interpretation of the character, he’s able to subdue a figurative god in Superman. However, in Nolan’s third and final Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises, Batman finally meets his match, and it’s not pretty. After being lured into the sewers by Selina Kyle, Batman walks right into a trap and fight with Bane, the jacked terrorist who was excommunicated from the League of Shadows, and is every bit as badass as Batman. After eight years sitting on the shelf and a career of crime fighting that has left him battered, Batman is absolutely demolished by Bane, who pummels Bruce before finally picking the hero up over his head and snapping his back over his knee. Heroes occasionally lose on screen, but not like this.

Alfred’s Arc – The Dark Knight Rises

Alfred Pennyworth is a crucial character in the Batman mythos, and he’s typically portrayed as a compliant, if slightly disapproving, enabler. However, that’s not so in The Dark Knight Rises. Portrayed by Michael Caine, Alfred breaks hearts by revealing to Bruce that Rachel intended on marrying Harvey Dent and sternly telling his surrogate son that his war with Bane will eventually lead to his death and that he “won’t bury” another member of the Wayne family.

It’s one of the most emotional moments of the film. Alfred basically abandons Bruce, a decision that heightens Bruce’s isolation and hero’s journey. Alfred only returns toward the end of the film for Bruce’s funeral where he tearfully confesses to the late Waynes’ gravestones that he “failed” them. While Alfred’s story ends on a hopeful note, with him spotting Bruce alive and well in Italy, it’s still quite the breakup between Master Bruce and his most loyal advisor.

The Story of Talia al Ghul and Bane – The Dark Knight Rises

While the best villains typically have sympathetic backstories, few have as a traumatic and scarring one as The Dark Knight Rises’ villains, Talia al Ghul and Bane. Toward the end of the film, it’s revealed that Talia grew up in the same place that Bruce found himself in after Bane broke his back. Born in a primitive prison known as the Pit, Talia watched as her mother was assaulted and killed by the other prisoners. The pair were placed in the Pit in exchange for Ra’s al Ghul, with Talia’s mother agreeing to take his place in exchange for his freedom. Talia only survived through the protection of Bane, who eventually helps Talia escape the prison, but he’s badly beaten and disfigured in the process.

Following Talia’s escape, she locates her father and he returned with the League of Shadows to exact revenge on the prisoners that killed his wife and the men who put her there. Afterward, Ra’s and the League saw to the treatment of Bane, but were unable to stop the continual pain he experienced. Eventually, Bane is recruited into the League, wherein he is given a mask which supplies him with analgesic gas to curb the constant pain from the injuries he sustained while protecting Talia. If you thought Bruce had a traumatizing backstory, you must have merely adopted the dark.

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#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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krasytoonz · 1 year ago

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**despite being the King’s ‘Loyal’ Advisor, Frank had urges to throw him out of the window many, many times.

(Mainly because King Wally never listens to him)

#welcome home royal au #wally darling #Frank frankly #welcome home #welcome home fanart #welcome home puppet show #welcome home arg #krasytoonz #welcome home animation #welcome home gif #doodle #sketch #fanart #gif #frank is a loyal advisor #wally is king

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tvandenneagram · 4 years ago

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The Politician: James Sullivan - Type 6w5

James is reliable, loyal and intelligent. James is one of Payton’s most trusted advisors, however, he sometimes does things that Payton does not approve of because he thinks that it is in Payton’s best interest.

At his best, James will do anything for the people he cares about. He is more clear headed and is able to think of logical ways to help the team in their campaigns.

At his worst, James becomes distrustful, reactive and disloyal. He is willing to go against the wishes of his friends if he thinks it will achieve results and becomes argumentative with them. He also becomes deceitful and does immoral things for the campaign, such as leaking the story about Dede to the press.

James’ relationship with McAfee is established to have been longstanding and shows how close he is to the people he loves and trusts. He works well with her and they are both very analytical and logical. This makes them be a very strong team for Payton as they are both intelligent and have his best interests at heart. James also shows he is very forward thinking and plans ahead of time to try and ensure the success of the campaign. However, they often clash because they both want to be Payton’s number one advisor.

While James is very forward thinking, he can also be very skeptical and think of the worst case scenario. He will often reply back with sarcasm and snark as a way of expressing his displeasure or cynicism. This belief will sometime lead to James trying to preempt perceived disasters while supporting Payton and his campaign.

James has a brief relationship with Alice and becomes very attached quickly despite knowing that she is committed to Payton. He shows a more vulnerable side with her and is guilty for seeing her behind Payton’s back. He sees himself as being the better option for her as Payton is only committed to success and he really cares about Alice and what she wants. He is willing to put Alice before his own feelings.

James has a 5 wing as he is more introverted and reserved than a wing 7. He is very logical in his thinking and relies more on his thoughts than his feeling to guide him in decision making.

Tri-type: 6w5 - 3w2 - 8w9

Some quotes to describe James’ motivation:

“Uh, yeah if you want to extend the franchise to shop teachers and white male janitorial staff 55 and older”

“You mean the doesn’t have cancer thing”

“Can I just say something. And I’m not saying I told you so, when in fact I did tell you so on numerous occasions”

“This is a ghost that will be haunting us for the rest of our lives. The skeleton in our closet is a little shrively one in a wheelchair named Infinity Jackson”

“How do you know that box is full of Standish votes?”

“Like it or not, we’re in it now”

“Or we could do a full Frank Capra integrity play and hold a press conference and tell the truth”

“I’ll look after it. I’d like to regain your trust. If you’ll let me”

#theo germaine #james sullivan #the politician #enneagram #6w7 #6w5 #type 6 #enneagram 6 #enneatype 7 #ennea 6 #netflix #the politician enneagram #the politican netflix #character analysis #character breakdown #character profile

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gotham-ruaidh · 5 years ago

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The Resident - a one quote one-shot

Hyderabad, April 1857

Lady Claire Grey dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief, drawing in a long, steadying breath.

It was another debilitatingly hot day. The princely city-state of Hyderabad baked in the sun of the Deccan Plateau. Temperatures soared past ninety degrees, and the heat permeated everything in the grand mansion – the plush Persian carpets, the marble floors, even the carved wooden chairs.

The Hyderabad Residency had been built some fifty years before, a grand architectural statement to signify the power and grandeur of the British Empire. Unlike most of India, Hyderabad had maintained its independence, led by the mysterious Nizams whose unimaginable wealth came directly from the diamonds and gemstones they gladly sold to greedy European buyers.

The British Resident’s job was – ostensibly – to represent the interests of the British East India Company. Ensure that commerce was smooth between Hyderabad, the British-controlled states that surrounded it, and across trade routes as far-flung as Russia, Japan, and France. The perfect Resident was the consummate diplomat – providing the Nizams reassurance of British protection in the face of threats; smoothing over disagreements with maharajahs in neighboring states; being a sympathetic ear at court.

Lord John Grey was the perfect man for the job. Raised in the aristocracy and educated at Oxford in economics and politics, he had already served stints in the diplomatic corps in Gibraltar and the Cape Colony and Singapore. He and his beautiful wife Claire – an accomplished healer and midwife who, despite lacking a formal degree, had had papers published in leading medical journals in England (no doubt due to her husband’s influence) – were the perfect high-achieving team.

Which was beneficial – for both Claire and John knew that his true mission was to report everything back to London. To be advisor to the Nizam, a de facto ambassador at his court – and above all, a spy.

Claire knew where John kept his daily journal; and copies of the reports he wrote, sweltering by candlelight, and dispatched to Whitehall; and the letters and instructions he had received in return. Every night they had talked about what was on the Nizam’s mind, his standing with the Nizam and his shifty courtiers, and what it meant for them, and what John would do with the information.

Which in retrospect was a blessing and a curse.

For Lord John Grey had died of cholera the day before. And Lady Claire Grey was alone with his secrets.

Now Claire rubbed her eyes and sat back in the rattan chair on the porch, watching the chickens scratch in the dirt.

Weighing her options.

Common wisdom held that England was home – but since the death of Uncle Lamb five years before, there was nobody to go home to. John’s brother Hal and his family would welcome her, to be sure – but she had scarcely spent any time with him. What with John’s postings abroad, she had spent perhaps two weeks total in Hal and Minnie’s company in the eight years of her marriage.

And she had built quite the name for herself in Hyderabad – not just in the small, tightly-knit circle of Westerners (mostly English businessmen, with a few French and Irish missionaries mixed in), but also in the local community. She did not care for purdah and made home visits regularly, mending wounds and examining teeth and delivering the babies she and John could not conceive.

She could eke out a life here.

But she had helped John write his reports every night. So she knew about the rebellion that had sprung up in the north. And the tension with the French army making raids in the south. Underpinned by the tenuous role women played in society – most didn’t dare venture outside without covering their bodies from top to bottom, with only her face showing, despite the sweltering heat. Not to mention the terrible stories John sometimes heard at court or from a business contact, about women who had been attacked or mutilated or worse…

“Claire?”

Something about James Fraser’s soft Scottish burr always set her at ease. Perhaps it was due to the time she and Uncle Lamb had spent traipsing around the Highlands when she was a child. Or it was Jamie’s forthright manner – surprisingly direct for a Junior Resident, whose focus should be on building a career rather than jeopardizing it with such frank and direct words.

The chair creaked as he sat down beside her; she was too drained to turn and look at him.

He cleared his throat. “I will speak plainly, because I know you’re strong enough to bear it.”

She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. “We need to bury him.”

Jamie sighed. “Yes. The disease, and the heat – ”

“Yes. I know.”

He paused. “I ken that you know. I was right there with you last spring, running the infirmary we set up here during the last epidemic.”

Memory flared. Masks over their faces; Jamie’s fiery red hair the only splash of color; the stench of vomit and shit and death. His dedication and unwavering support the only light amid so much darkness.

“We would bury them on the same day. And it’s already been a day since he died.” She swallowed. “Did you speak to the Reverend?”

“I did. He’ll come here, say a few words in the parlor – and then we’ll take him over to the cemetery. The grave is already dug.”

She heard movement. Opened her eyes to see Jamie kneeling in front of her.

“I am now the Acting Resident. You know the protocols better than I do, Claire – but I want you to hear it from my own lips.”

She blinked, limbs feeling so heavy.

“I gladly grant you my protection. I don’t want you to spend another night alone in this big house – I’ll move into the guest quarters. This place is too dangerous for you to be here all on your own.”

She pursed her lips. “But the servants – ”

“Are loyal, yes. But they canna protect you from everything.” His eyes darted from side to side – ensuring they were alone. “Some of the men in the village, Claire – they don’t want you healing their wives. No matter your good intentions, they see you as representing the British.”

“And there’s the rebellion in the north. I understand.”

“And the man who beat his wife and left her for dead on the street, just last week. And the panther that ate two children two weeks ago. I could go on.”

He stood. “So.”

The wheels in her mind raced. Suddenly she stood, too. “I’m staying here.”

Jamie’s brow arched. “Even after all the things I just told ye?”

She raised her chin. “I have nothing to go back to. John was my life – my family. And even with the death and disease and wild animals, I’d rather a life here than in boring old England.”

Somehow he looked even younger when he smiled.

“We’re a long way from Whitehall, Claire – you can stay here as long as you like. As long as you don’t mind sharing your quarters with a bachelor.”

Her heart raced.

“It doesn’t have to be that way.”

Jamie froze. “Are ye saying what I think ye’re saying?”

“I am.” Blindly she reached for his hands; effortlessly they slid into her own. “I want you to hear it from my own lips. I want to marry you, James Fraser. Today, when the Reverend comes to pray over John.”

Never had she seen a man so lost for words.

“What?” he sputtered. “We canna do that!”

“Why not?” she frowned. “I can make my own choices. So can you. Think about it – we know we work well together. We both have lives here. And I don’t hate you.”

He shook his head, incredulous. “Well, Claire, I don’t hate you either. And there’s a good many marriages have started wi’ less than that.”

A rooster crowed.

Jamie looked at her for a long moment, then nodded.

“Right. Let’s do it. Only Claire – I hope I willna give ye reason to regret this.”

She squeezed his hands – refreshingly cool and strong. “Let’s go inside.”

---

Author’s Note:

I was fortunate to spend three weeks in Hyderabad in March-April 2016. I visited the Nizam’s palace - the color photographs are my own.

The Hyderabad Residency is a real place! It’s the bottom left photo in the collage at top. Click here to read more about its amazing history!

#outlander #outlander fanfic #jamie and claire #one quote one shot #this was fun #the color photos are my own

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three-houses-text-files · 5 years ago

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ferdinand/hubert

c-a support + paired ending

Ferdinand: Hm. With this idea, I may be able to get the one-up on Edelgard. Hubert: This again. F: Hubert! I wish you would not sneak up on me like that. H: Maybe you would be more perceptive if your mind were less burdened by sedition. F: Sedition? Absurd. This is an important project. H: Yes, I heard. A new way to prove how superior you are to Lady Edelgard. H: She is not your rival, Ferdinand. She is above you. H: A noble, like you, ought to know his place. F: Anything is better than being a noble like you. F: Every time you open your mouth it's "Lady Edelgard this" or "Lady Edelgard that." Do you ever think for yourself? F: You follow her around like a pet. You spend all of your time fretting over her, and yet you never truly express an opinion of your own. F: Before you reprimand me, take a moment to consider your own failings. H: Your nonsense is tiresome, so I hope this will be the last time I have to remind you. H: Lady Edelgard is the Imperial princess. You are merely the prime minister's son. (pre-skip) H: Lady Edelgard is your emperor. You are nothing more than her retainer. (post -skip) F: Yes, I understand that. But my duty is to guide her, to give frank advice when she is on the wrong course of action. F: That is what I strive to do, always. F: Thus my devotion to surpass Edelgard, so that if she needs guidance, I will be prepared to give it. F: If you think it is tiresome to have a mind of your own, you will never be much of an advisor. H: Does the river of filth pouring out of your mouth ever stop flowing? H: Your obsession with all things superficial is disgusting. F: It's no use. You're hopeless. I'll take my leave. H: I have nothing more to say to you. Get out of here.

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H: Show them this letter. Threaten them. Do what you must. Now, go. NPC: Yes, sir! F: Hubert, that letter. Is that what I think it was? H: I suppose there's no denying it. F: But Edelgard— H: Explicitly forbade me to send it. Yes, I know. F: I cannot believe it! You disobeyed a direct order? F: I thought you were her loyal aide. H: Unwaveringly. All that I do, I do for her. H: I seem to recall you expressing a similar sentiment. H: It is our role to guide her when she is on the wrong course of action. Is that not what you said? F: You are not supposed to do it in secret! F: When you disagree with your leader, you must voice your concerns directly. Otherwise, what is the point? H: The point is the same. Lady Edelgard's best interests are served, whether she knows it or not. H: She needs not trouble herself with the mundane details of my actions. Only results matter. F: You are sorely misguided! F: When I believe that Edelgard is making a mistake, I tell her as much. F: Through discussing the matter, I sometimes find that I was mistaken. F: To skip that process, to make a decision that is not yours to make... H: Perhaps your advice is simply useless, then. F: Excuse me?! H: Listen to yourself. If I do as Lady Edelgard requires, then you tell me to be more independent. H: But if I tread my own path, I am misguided! H: I suppose the fault is mine for expecting any useful advice to come out of your mouth. Heh. F(?): Ugh, I have had enough of your grousing. F(?): To think, I started to believe you were a useful aide!

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a (i)

F: It's strange. I never thought you and I would be able to sit together and drink tea like this. H: Drink tea, you say, but that does not smell like tea. The aroma... Would that be coffee by any chance? F: Imported from Dagda, I believe. I do not care for it myself. H: Your knowledge is impressive. Although I should expect nothing less from a noble, I suppose. H: Lady Edelgard surpasses you in nearly every respect. H: But I think, when it comes to positivity, you may actually exceed her. F: Excuse me? H: In a way, it is merely a mask for your tactlessness. But even so, your relentless optimism... H: Well. Suffice it to say that it is your best quality. F: I... What? H: You are constantly striving to grow as a person. To seek new knowledge. To push new limits. H: When others might get distracted or abandon their path, you never yield. H: In that aspect, at least, I think you are unmatched. F: Hubert... Are you all right? F: Do you have a cold? Or the plague? Am I hearing a deathbed confession? H: It was only a compliment. There's no need for such dramatic exaggeration. F: Dramatic, you say? H: I do my best to analyze others without emotion. H: Even if I find you to be a contemptible degenerate, I can still evaluate your abilities in an impartial way. F: So because you assess people without emotion, you're totally confident in your appraisals. F: It seems I was wrong about you. H: Heh. You actually understand. F: Please do not compliment me again though. I find it quite unsettling. It is like hearing a snake sing an aria. F: At least put it in a letter next time. H: In the very unlikely event that there is a next time, I promise to put it in writing.

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a (ii)

H: Hello, Ferdinand. Wait—that aroma... F: Your nose is as sharp as ever, Hubert. Yes, it is a bag of fresh coffee beans. H: Why did you buy coffee? You said you don't care for it. F: My stance has not changed. Drab, bitter, with that muddy texture. If I have even a sip, my hands start to tremble. H: Rather harsh. What are you doing with it, then? F: Well, you see— Wait a moment. What is that? Is that an imported tea from the east? H: It is indeed. Keen eyes. F: Flaunting my favorite drink, right in front of me! And you do not even drink tea. Fiendish. F: It is for Edelgard, I assume? H: Before I answer that, I would like to know what you are doing with the coffee. F: Well, I... H: Is it a gift? Perhaps for someone you fancy? F: A gift, yes. For you. H: Hm. Who is the unlucky— Did you say for me?! H: This coffee is a gift for me? Have I heard you correctly? F: Yes. That is what I said. A noble does not go back on his word. Just take it. H: I should decline. F: Why? H: The thought of receiving a gift from you, unbidden and unreciprocated, fills me with revulsion. H: Therefore...accept this tea. As a gift. From me. F: For me? Are you certain? I would hate to deprive the intended recipient of such a fine tea. H: That would be difficult to do, since I bought it with you in mind. F: Oh, in that case, thank— What? F: You were planning to give this to me all along? H: That is what I said. F: Really? I... Hahaha! F(?): Hahaha. F: Only one thing to do. We must take a tea break. H: Very well. But tea is not what I will be drinking. F: Of course. I will make you some coffee. H: Then I will prepare the tea.

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paired ending

Hubert and Ferdinand became the left and right hands of Emperor Edelgard, competing constantly with each other to see who could be the more helpful. They were opposites—the Minister of the Imperial Household, melancholy and merciless, and the prime minister, bright and compassionate. Still, they brought out the best in each other. As the Empire became orderly and prosperous, the two came to be known as the nation's "Two Jewels," and were remembered fondly for generations to come. Some say their fame made even Emperor Edelgard jealous.

#fire emblem three houses spoilers #fe16 spoilers #fe3h spoilers #ferdinand x hubert #hubert x ferdinand

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