#I Should Make a Character Analysis On Him

[muppetears-stuff]

I'm thinking of why I like Drysdale so much, and it stays in my mind so much because I unfortunately see myself in him. Also a bit of a character analysis?? (Another long post,,,, oh my geekness)

I knew there was something about Drysdale I felt attached to. Something I felt I connected with on some level.

Then, I realized. It's the constant need for distraction, the constant need for excitement and conversation so I don't have to sit in silence, so I don't have to think.

Drysdale also runs from his problems, finding ways to blame others, finding ways to dodge topics he doesn't want to talk about, therefore, making him sound like an asshole to others. All because he doesn't want to confront the fact that he's done bad things. It's a bad coping mechanism, but his image, the way people perceive him, is special to him. That way of thinking is all he's ever known.

It's hard to completely erase who you thought you were and then build up a new, better person. Why be better when you can be the same, moderately okay person as long as you're happy and entertaining?

Cause what else would he be if he wasn't charming? If he wasn't fun to be around?

He not only invalidates other people's feelings, but his own, to save himself from thinking.

I also don't think Drysdale is dumb, not in the way people think he is. I think it's all to feed into people's image of him. He is rather smart. He talks with the same flourish as Washford. He has a voice line where he gets genuinely excited you know a word he used,,, It's not that he couldn't understand Washford, and that's not where their problems arose. It's because, objectively, Washford was draining.

Now, this isn't a bad thing, but Washford is a pessimistic person. He sees the world for what it is and is very factual. He doesn't partake in the object whimsy like other characters do (turning real life media/celebrities into object puns). He literally mocks you for being a human talking to a personified washing machine about poetry. His solo realized ending is obviously sad, but it's sadder when you realize he's just not excited or happy as everyone else, he doesn't care for being alive

He states that he feels no different, that there really is no difference in the way he looks. He doesn't care. Because without the man that brought warmth and life to his world, he's back to believing humans and humankind aren't beautiful. This might feel like i'm getting off topic but this is a character analysis-

But with Drysdale, all he sees from the world is that it was made for him. His own personal playground full of excitement and wonder and joy. His head is constantly in the clouds and that's his own issue. He doesn't take things seriously, constantly pushing things down so he doesn't have to acknowledge them despite the issue being glaringly obvious. He's not dumb or oblivious because that implies it's unintentional. He is PURPOSELY ignoring and dismissing things.

A detail I think is heartbreaking is the way Drysdale never went to vent or talk to someone cause he was too afraid of the answer. He was afraid of them encouraging and validating him and his behavior while also being terrified of being told he was in the wrong. Which is validating to me as someone who struggles with this issue.

I think their issues could've been resolved a lot better? I think instead of the notion that Washford should learn to lower his sensitivity, it should've been clear he needs to fix his anger, his supposed superiority, his pessimism.

Instead of Drysdale never apologizing, it should've been him learning to take accountability and not being so afraid of the answer he knows. He knows but doesn't know how to implement ways to change. An apology was a good start. He knows Washford would understand and forgive him, but THAT is what's scary. Because he doesn't believe he deserves that forgiveness. LIKE I GET HIM SO BAD AND THATS THE PROBLEM😭😭😭 I don't like seeing people totally villainize him (even though it doesn't happen all the time, but dumbing him down to an idiot asshole makes me wanna explode)

Washford and Drysdale are so special and are. So interesting. They are the issues that come from the sun/moon, black cat/golden retriever dynamic. They are the angst and the problems I want to discuss when talking about these dynamics cause no one seems to get it. They hurt each other but can't seem to be rid of each other. They complete and compliment the other, they learn from one another, and I am a little over the hate train for Drysdale (even if I make those complaints too because god they screwed him over in the end😭😭😭) but like. Yeah, that's me overanalyzing characters again :]

[itsgirlcraft]

"If everything matters, then what do you do when you cannot be everything at once?"

A lil analysis of three of my aus and their themes hehehehe >:3

@justyouraverageskyperson @dracl-dragon @cavedweller1st @itisindigos @brainrotactivated @amybizarre @woahrarepairsagemare @turniptrash @chaoticcyprus @thebeingmerf @spookybugboy

I have no idea who is good with getting tagged in fics oh my goddd 💀

Anywho. Enjoy the angst!

Sooo there's: RQ Roleswap, The Weirdest Adventure, and MCRP/Storycrafter. Hol' up, I'll just- do a quick summary cuz not everyone has read all the lore for all of em- this is gona be long btw-

In the Roleswap au, Sabre finishes the og Rainbow Quest series and goes on to raise Origin. However, eventually he leaves - ending up in the Roleswap timeline. There, he succeeds in rewriting history by using his og timeline experiences. This continues on, with him saving the og timeline, the SL timeline, and the TR timeline/multiverse itself. In the roleswap timeline, the crystals replace the darkness - he willingly infected himself to help everyone.

In TWA, Sabre is in his Trapped form - stuck in Minecraft VR, which leaves his arms floating and his body weakened. He's trapped in a multi-series universe, full of the Steves, Alux Rising, and more. There's so much going on that he starts to lose himself trying to keep track of everything. He knows that he's in a game, but tries to hide that fact, and that he's the creator of all of them.

In the MCRP/Storycrafter au, it's much like TWA - mostly Steves, but also characters from other series. They're all characters I play in-game, roleplaying them exploring mods and more, interacting with one another through notebooks and signs. And, in fact, interacting with me. They have a safehouse where my RP blog takes place. Some are unaware of me/the premise of their universe. Three people watch over the worlds: Time Steve, RQ Light, and Prof. Red.

....

Now...

A N G S T  B E  U P O N  Y E  >:]

That question at the start? That's the question that all three of the main characters try to answer throughout their existence. When the world is oh so beautiful, how do you appreciate it in its entirety, when you are a mere mortal? Can you even adequately love what is in your immediate circle? Are you capable?

Roleswap Sabre is The God. TWA Sabre is The Child. And MCRP Time is The Mask. They represent the fears of forgetting, cowardice, and alienation. Though they all feel the same fears too, these just make the most sense.

All of them know more than they should. All of them live in worlds of organized nonsense and chaos, often at their own will. All of them are trying their best to care for a community larger than themselves. All of them know that their "true selves" are hidden away, and they must bring them forth, despite their fears. And all of them are bleeding hearts, caring so much about everything that they cannot bear to let go. It is in that sense that they are selfless, to where they will sacrifice so much for another's peace.

The God has succeeded in the greatest amount of change: fundamentally defying fate and rewriting what was set in stone. He is hopelessly honest, and constantly willing to lend a hand. He has gone through hell again and again, but with his trusty journals and notes, he tries to make it to the other end with his head held high and his wings shielding his loved ones. He tries to believe the best case scenario will happen, and everything is survivable. He knows he's not invincible, but he believes that love can save anyone.

He shouts his love to the heavens, and many people think he's a prophet. But he's always been painfully human, even in the face of his strongest foes and his multiversal abilities. He built an interdimensional library, full of as many people's handwritten accounts of their lives and history itself. He works endlessly to give everyone a happy ever after. But he is still mortal, in his heart, in his mind, in his bones that twist and break, in his eyes that shatter and cry for every soul.

In his attempts at being human and down-to-earth, he is only rising for everyone else. He climbs down from the pedestal only to end up on an even higher one. His heart is so big that he cannot bear to lose sight of anyone or anything. He holds onto trinkets, onto every memory, onto every moment, past, present, and future. In his hopes of saving who he couldn't, he has become everything - and he has become nothing at all.

His answer to the question is, "Fight for that which you love, and hold on until you ARE everything. Refuse to let go, and let it consume you, until it has become armor, a means to an end. Find yourself in everything around you. Keep fighting, keep speaking your truth, until they see your love. Let everything settle in your skin, until it becomes your very bones."

...

Which is to say, he is too afraid of losing everything to let go, so he will hold on tighter. He pushed himself so far that he became unrecognizable and godly. He didn't want to be seen as "better than," he just wanted to ensure the safety of everyone he meets, and everyone he will never meet. His love is so all-encompassing that he doesn't know how to accept the bad situations, he just fights harder. He cannot bear to let go of love, to forget what sunshine feels like, so he consumes it all until it's in his blood. He's almost a therapy speak kind of character - someone who's too emotionally intelligent, too aware of himself, for his own good. He will never forget anything he has experienced, down to the tiniest detail. He can barely feel the weight of what he has become.

===================================

The Child is the opposite. He has no confidence, he can barely hold onto any sense of optimism for the future. The worst case scenario is assumed to happen, because it has, and it will. He fears his fall is inevitable, and he fears the pain that will come. He has never felt strength - only weakness. He has so many aspirations, but they're all dreams, a million worlds away. To create a life that matters is an impossible feat. He cannot help but feel like a burden, the weight of all the nothing that he is. He wants to believe, he wants and wants and wants to try, but it hurts oh so much.

To be a child is to be reduced. To be small in such a big world. A place you might understand in theory, but in practice, is rough, frustrating, and overwhelming. To do a simple task a herculean amount of effort must be put into it. To be alive is to be confused, to feel helpless and useless. To feel like your hands are not your own. The rules don't make sense, you don't make sense, but you try and try and try. You can't decide if that makes you strong or stupid, hurting yourself again and again.

He struggles with things that others don't struggle with, and he can't make sense of why. So he cries, curls up and away from prying eyes. It always feels like he's being watched, judged for how strange he is, in a way that he can't help. He misses home so bad, but he fears he's not allowed to say it out loud. That'd be ungrateful. So he cries silently, weeping for what he'll never be. He doesn't know what his legacy will be, or if he'll even have one.

He wishes he had a stronger body, something that wasn't so soft, so...weak, so tired. He wants more, to live, to thrive, but he fears that won't happen. That he wasn't built for this. But...sometimes.... sometimes he feels a nice breeze. Eats some good food. Reads a good story. He leans against the soft fur and warm bodies of his friends, and it's...all okay again. He struggles to reach out to his community, fearing the worst. But sometimes, that silence is still alright. It softens the blow.

His answer to the question is, "You never will be everything. There will always be too much for you, and this world wasn't built for you. But the sunsets are nice, so enjoy them when you can. Trying to force love will drain you, because it won't save you, not completely. Feel free to cry when you can't find a way out, when you can't reach what you love the most. Your love will not be enough, but it can soften the blow. So hold onto the fact that everyone feels small, and try to not let the guilt get to you."

...

Which is to say, he is still afraid of everything, and what little he is. But he's trying, and that should still matter. He still feels like a coward. The pain is still real, he throat still hurts from screaming without being heard. But sometimes he IS heard, and sometimes he is just held softly for a moment. And it's okay that those memories slip away, even though he truthfully doesn't believe that. He knows that there's a lot of people out there that don't even want to care. It's a miracle that he cares, and he can't let that care decay into burnout. He has to care about HIMSELF, too. He, too, matters - despite how small he is. He is trying to believe there's no shame in beginning, and he will try to let his heart grow with him, at his own pace.

===================================

The Mask is aware he is in a story. He knows that technically nothing is real. But that doesn't mean it doesn't matter. He knows who I am, and he knows he is just a plaything. He knows when Dracl and I are planning out an angsty arc, when someone he loves will be hurt. But he knows he can't interfere, he can't warn anybody. He knows that his existence is not out of malice, he is not meant to experience just the horrors. There is love in everything. But he knows no one will understand, that it isn't scary, isn't malicious. Telling someone they're not real isn't polite, after all.

Still, he feels a tiny bit trapped - he knows people before they're real, when they're just a concept. He sees it all, and he knows why his life is the way it is. But that awareness doesn't mean his kindness isn't real. In the face of everything, he will always lend a warm hug and soft words for comfort. He has always been that way - unwilling to turn away from offering a little relief to someone. Sometimes, yes, even if it hurts him. Even if he knows he doesn't have to, that it will pass. He will do everything in his power to soften the impact.

But still, he can't help feeling like a cardboard cutout. He's been everywhere - he understands his story. It's one of softness, and warmth, in the face of reality. That alone is very much real, and he knows that his existence impacts reality. So he tries to keep the peace, running everything in the background, and holding it all together. But even he can only go on for so long like this, his efforts unnoticed. But he'll do it with a smile nonetheless.

His answer to the question is, "You will witness a lot, and it will feel like everything. Especially when it feels like it's all about to crash down around you. But your love matters a lot, even the tiniest effort. So when you can, love deeply. Love a lot, and love everything. But please, don't let it get to your head - you have an entire lifetime of love. Don't even think that you've run out already, because you always will be enough. You can relax, because those that love you the most don't want to see you burn yourself out. It's a labor of love, but you must remember - it is for everyone. Time will pass without you, and that's okay. Just enjoy this moment, side-by-side with me."

...

Which is to say, you cannot let your love consume you, or it will drain you. Don't risk yourself to love when you haven't any. Loving yourself matters more to your loved ones than burning yourself out trying to show you care about them. Despite his words, he has spread himself too thin anyways. But he's gonna try to help himself, for his own sake, and for everyone's sake. He hopes and hopes and hopes that his story has a happy ending, and that his loved ones have a happy ending. But ultimately, he knows he will not die, for he is a concept himself. He will continue on, despite it all. So he'll love genuinely, even if someone sees his mask slip, and accuses him of a facade.

...

Also, only slightly relevant, Time DOES know the other two are also in their own separate stories. Do with that what you will :p

...

OH! Also! I have rp blogs for the aus-

@keepers-of-storycrafter

(MCRP)

@roleswap-multiverse

(Roleswap, obvs)

@trapped-in-my-story

(TWA)

Feel free to drop by and ✨️bother them✨️

[georgiesblurredbones]

Imagine Being The One To Introduce This Stupid Guy 2 Mitski Music. (He’d Relate 2 Her Songs In Humanly Impossible Ways And He’d Probably Kill Himself Over It Bc He’s: Japanese But Got Weird Looks For Bowing To Show Respect So He Mostly Stopped Doing It Because of Other Peoples Views of His Culture, Rarely Ever Displays Any Actual Emotions That Aren’t Anger or Sadness Bc He’s So Desensitized To Everything, Very Fucking TRAUMATIZED(See TFRiD2015 S3 Ep 9 ‘Out of The Shadows’), Probably Has Mommy/Daddy Issues Bc Just Look At Him, Misunderstood Bc of His Lack of Emotion/Over Exaggeration of Emotion, Was HOMELESS And a Drug Addict At One Point, And Basically Got GROOMED, Gets Deadnamed By Said Groomer The Entire Time They Were On Screen, Had His Kids Kidnapped TWICE, Once By The Groomer And Another Time By STARSCREAM).

[ironunderstands]

Sunday’s worldview sucks, his outlook and perception of himself and others sucks… and that’s why he’s so interesting

In honor of his drip marketing releasing tonight (or maybe yesterday for you depending on when I get this out), I’d like to talk about why I think Sunday’s beliefs and perspective is very, very flawed and how his own biases rather than the actions of those who oppose him are what led to his downfall.

Sunday is entirely responsible for his own failure, and that’s exactly why he’s incredible.

This contains mentions of leaks and spoilers for the Penacony quest line… you have been warned

To start with, oh my lord do Sunday’s preconceived notions kick him in the ass. 

I think the best example of this is his conversation with Dr. Ratio in which Ratio pretends to betray Aventurine, selling out his plan to Sunday. Now, what’s incredibly interesting about this exchange is that Ratio doesn’t fully lie to Sunday once in this exchange, rather he says half truths and makes vague statements which Sunday himself interprets as being in support of him. 

Take what Ratio said the whole, “A scholar knows their position and wouldn’t forsake it for the sake of petty pride.” In retrospect, we know this line is actually referring to Aventurine- aka Ratio is saying he’s not just going to sell him out to Sunday for the sake of information about the Stellaron (which he would get anyways if the IPC attained Penacony, plus Mr. Incredibly Dedicated Knowledge Spreader probably has other means of gaining it then through The Family). 

However, since Ratio answered the invitation Sunday gave him, Sunday assumes that Ratio is on his side, believes his cause is righteous, and that he won Ratio over with offering him information about the Stellaron, therefore making that previous statement of Ratio’s null, because Sunday interpreted it as, “convince me this is worth my time + prove to me you’re correct,” when it really meant, “there is no way in hell I’m about to sacrifice my friend to you, and there is nothing you could offer me to make me do so you crazed lunatic.”

But why did Sunday not weigh the options? Why did he unquestioningly believe his perception of the situation was the correct one?

Well- partly it’s because Ratio and Aventurine were doing their damndest to make it seem like they hate each other and that their plan was going off the rails.

But the more important part is that even without Ratio saying a word or even accepting the invitation, Sunday already believes he’d be on his side. 

Let me demonstrate this through Sunday's perspective:

I am a righteous person, I am doing the correct things, my worldview is the correct one. Dr. Ratio is also a righteous person who seems to be doing the correct things. Therefore, since we are both on the side of good, and Aventurine is clearly not on that side considering his status as Stoneheart and his negative relationship to Ratio, then Ratio will naturally want to be on my side. After all, the good guys work together, do they not?- and together will vanquish this evil villain.

This perspective is a simple one, but Sunday’s unshaking belief (up until the end of 2.2) that he is 100% in correct and in the right, that any and everyone who he also perceives to be in the right (like Ratio) would believe/side with him without truly needing to be convinced. Sunday doesn’t come out the gate offering the Stellaron information- he only keeps it as a backup just in case. 

However, this is complicated because Sunday is also not an idiot, and he’s extremely paranoid, so he’s going to make sure that the way he views the world is 100% correct on the off chance he’s wrong which could foil his plans- which is why he invited Ratio in the first place. Nevertheless, this isn’t him hunting for new perspectives, but rather him desiring to prove himself right again, which is a bad thing because Sunday is very much not right. 

A perfect world is a perfect pris- *gets shot*

Reference that approximately 2 ½ people will get beside, Sunday’s ideology that he is fully confident in.. sucks. It sucks ass, it’s terrible, and let me explain.

I’m not going to try going over all the little intricacies to how the dreamscape works because I a) don’t know and b) don’t particularly care because they aren’t relevant to the argument I will be making- which is that Sunday’s ideology is inherently flawed and immediately falls apart under scrutiny.

Essentially, he desires to create the perfect fake reality, enveloping the whole galaxy in Ena’s dream and fulfilling their every desire and whim within it, with himself as the sacrifice to allow it to exist. The seven rest days, no illness, no pain, no challenge, you get the idea. 

And, this perfect world paradoxically sucks ass because of its perfectness.

Improving society is great, eliminating hardship is great, increasing quality of life is great.

But declawing reality itself- absolutely not.

I’m going to try to explain this through my favorite strangely specific anecdote- the process of obtaining diamonds in Minecraft.

Stay with me now.

You essentially have two options- go out and mine them yourselves the hard way, which takes hours, gives you less diamonds per the amount of time spent on it, and likely with you exhausting some of your resources like food, torches, and tools which you will need to replenish.

Or.

You can just.. get them from creative mode or commands, and you can get as many as your heart desires.

However, despite the fact that option one is harder, gives you less diamonds and takes significantly more time, I, as well as hopefully you, would pick it every time (at least in a survival world, although honestly idk why you would even need pure diamonds in creative).

And that’s because the first option is rewarding. 

You did not earn the diamonds you easily and magically summoned into your inventory, there is no struggle, no journey, no challenge to it, therefore it feels entirely unremarkable, as compared to the feeling you (hopefully) get from mining diamonds, which makes you happy because you earned it. Yeah, it was harder, but the process itself is fun- the anticipation of not knowing when you’re going to find them, if at all, the danger, the fighting and digging and mauvering you will have to do in the process.

And with this unconventional example, the fatal flaw with Sunday’s ideology is revealed- it’s boring. 

It’s boring as shit.

Yeah, for the first few months or even years it might be enjoyable- having everything you could ever want served on a silver platter. However, humans are a) inherently a bit greedy and b) desire challenge, and this scenario fulfilles neither of those things. Naturally having everything means your desire for more can never be fulfilled, leaving the wanter forever unsatisfied, whereas in the real world, things are truly out of your reach, meaning that even if you never end up getting them, they are still a tangible thing just out of reach… as strange at it sounds, we like being tantalilus-ed more than you think. After all, if what you want is so easy to get, you will never run out of things to want, and eventually that gets draining. 

Continually, if everything is easy, if everything is just right there whenever you want it- existence itself no longer has stakes. 

And that’s the problem, because much like how a story with no stakes is extremely hard to find compelling, a life with no stakes feels boring at best and downright pointless and meaningless at worst.

I’m just saying, there is a reason why the Nihility was such a strong presence and problem in Penacony.

Anyways, like with the diamond problem, a lack of stakes means that nothing you do feels rewarding, because you didn’t truly earn it. 

Which is where the Sunday’s idea of a “perfect” reality falls apart, because the most enjoyable reality for humans to live in is not one literally devoid of any possible flaw.

So why does he believe in it? When it’s so clearly flawed?

Well, it’s because Sunday doesn’t think a better alternative exists.

The world made you this way.. and you chose to continue what it started.

I’m sure I don’t need to repeat the story of the Charmony Dove all over again because trust me, we’ve all heard it before. Nonetheless, it reveals something important both about Sunday’s personality and his ideology- he’s fundamentally a defeatist.

He doesn’t believe that there is any alternative for the dove, that it could ever be able to fly again with its deformed nature, so instead of being “cruel” and letting it “inevitably fall to its death,” he’d rather keep it in a cage all its life where it has no freedom, but at least it would he alive and “happy”.

And this is where his defeatism reveals itself- Sunday doesn’t believe reality itself can get better because improving it when there are so many factors and things out of your control is hard at best and impossible at worst. Therefore, he resorts to creating an escapist, false version of it- a perfect golden cage, because constructing that is far, far easier than trying to help the dove fly again. 

The universe has endless possibilities, if Robin and Sunday had tried hard enough, they probably could have found a solution. Sure, they were both children, so the capabilities necessary to even attempt that were likely far out of their reach. However, it was still possible, but Sunday doesn’t believe in possibilities- he believes he’s right above all else, which is where that stubbornness and arrogance comes into play again.

Sunday doesn’t think better solutions than his exists, and he believes everyone would could possibly stand in his noble way are either villains, or horribly misguided; so it’s his job to show them the light.

This is why he lets the Express Crew + Firefly try to change his mind- Sunday wasn’t actually interesting in shifting his perspective, or really what they wanted to say. Rather, he just wanted to let them say there peace, because well, Sunday’s a good, righteous person (at least from his perspective), and good, righteous people listen to others. Good, righteous people will let these poor, ignorant souls offer their foolish words before exposing them to the harsh truth- or at least that’s how Sunday sees it. 

Moreover, this also explains his arrogance. If he believes his worldview is the sole correct one, then why listen to anyone else? He’s this world's savior, or at least he’s been raised to believe that- so why not relish in it? He enjoys punishing Aventurine, enjoys the bastard who stood in the way of Sunday’s plans, shrinks away in “defeat” and get what he “deserves.” Despite how miserable it sounds, Sunday also takes pride in having to be a martyr to bring about his beautiful dream. The belief that he is a selfless, good person is a selfish desire of his, even if a genuine one, and it’s what leads to his downfall.

Sunday could have actually listened. He could have reevaluated his loss to Aventurine and realized it was not through the others clever deception, but through his own biases. He could have actually taken the Express’s and Firefly’s advice. He could have looked for other avenues to help the people he truly does care about. 

Despite Gopher Wood’s manipulation- Sunday’s decision to go forward with the pain is entirely his own, because he truly believes- even with all the evidence for the contrary- that he is correct.

And that’s why he fails. Not because of the Express. Not because of Ratio. Not because of Aventurine. Not because of Gopher, or even the rest of The Family.

No, Sunday fails because he is flawed, and he is wrong, and he is the arrogant, selfish and biased one, and his worldview is wrong.

So what now?

This might have seemed like I think Sunday is pure evil and irredeemable, but I think it’s quite the opposite.

He has very good intentions, and he does genuinely care about it the well being of other people around him. He gives Aventurine a chance to prove his innocence, even if he never intended on changing, he does listen to what the Express + Firefly have to say. He pauses when Robin shows up, as she’s the one person (until the very end) he’s actually willing to accept the perspective of. The whole reason he ended up here in the first place is because Gopher Wood twisted Sunday’s good intentions into a fatal arrogance and utmost belief in a flawed worldview. 

However, what really sells me on Sunday’s goodness is when eyes widen at that final moment, the light draining from him as he realizes he is wrong. 

And once Sunday realizes he is wrong, those flaws that bind him can finally be examined and improved upon, as they all stem from that worldview he no longer believes in. 

His whole life, Sunday has been enacting out someone else’s plan for him, even if he’s come to internalize it over time, at the end of the day- it was never his, and without it, he’s empty.

Which is exactly why the only place he can go now is the Express, and the only thing left for him is redemption and growth.

Dan Heng is right- Sunday has a noble soul, and now that he has stopped believing in himself, he’s no longer shackled by the past either. Improvement or utter demise (in a likely nihility-flavored manner) are his only options remaining.

I understand a lot of people want to see him become a Stellaron Hunter, but imo, that just does nothing for him. He’d still be following someone else’s path/script, and Mr. I Will Sacrifice My Whole Existence To Become The Sun To Illuminate These Wandering Souls probably wouldn’t be so on board with the whole.. terrorism part of being a SH. Like yeah, they are our friends (kinda), but they absolutely kill innocent people and cause millions of dollars in property damage to people who don’t deserve it. 

Also, being on the Express Just Makes Sense. This is a game about choices, a game about accepting the mistakes of your past, but not letting them define you in order to move on and forge a better future for yourself and others- with the Astral Express + Trailblaze as a concept being the literal embodiment of it. There’s a reason when you switch to the Trailblazer’s POV in stories, it includes Kafka’s most important words to us- “When you have the chance to make a choice, make one you won’t regret.”

Therefore, I hope the choices Sunday will make in 2.7 are ones he’s proud of, and I can’t wait to see how exactly they get him on board with the crew, because there still is a LOT of development he needs to do before then. 

Anyways, thank you so much for reading, and if you have any thoughts I’d love to hear them. This was a stream of consciousness mess, but I hope it was still valuable nonetheless! Also if you are reading this on the day it was written, I hope we don’t get disappointed by his drip marketing!

[corellianhounds]

Some headcanons for Mando:

Anything he uses to shower or wash his clothes with is unscented. Those scent-neutralizer dryer sheets keep his clothes from smelling like anything that can be detected while he’s on a hunt. Very few species are exempt from being unable to detect him

He keeps a clean ship and a consistent schedule. He’s been self-sufficient and on his own for long enough he knows how to cook and take care of himself. Keeping your tools, gear, weapons, armor, and ship in clean, efficient working order means you’re less likely to have to spend time fixing one of them when it breaks from your lack of routine maintenance, and his body is just another tool in his arsenal; sleep, food, necessary medical care, staying limber and getting vitamin D at some point all go a long way towards ensuring he can last longer in the field. You can’t run something ragged every day and expect for that to be sustainable.

That also means he’s well-equipped to handle long stints without different necessities when needed from time to time; you can push yourself pretty far when you’re already in prime condition.

Wilderness survival skills were some of the first things he learned while being brought up by the Mandalorians. Being aware of your surroundings, setting up and breaking down camp, foraging and hunting for food, building impromptu shelters, purifying water, navigating and tracking, having a variety of general and specific medical knowledge— All of those skills are building blocks for self-sufficiency. You never know when you’re going to be alone or thrust into survival scenarios, so it pays to be prepared.

That also means he’s capable of stomaching a wide variety of what some might consider inedible. Beggars can’t be choosers, and it’s rude to decline someone’s offer of food or hospitality so in any scenario where food is in short supply and/or it’s been offered to him, he’s taking it. As long as it’s something he knows humans can digest, he’s open to whatever cultural or regional dishes his travels have to offer, and he’ll muscle through the less pleasant tastes or textures of food he’s had to make do with when he didn’t have other options.

He does know how to make food taste good, but that more often than not requires more spices and ingredients and hardware than he can afford or spare the room for, so he makes do without. Once the kid comes along he branches out a bit more to make sure he gets some variety.

Along the lines of self-sufficiency and independence, he has a lot of general repair skills: you may not always have somebody who can fix things for you, and he obviously isn’t going to pay somebody else to do something he’s capable of learning, except for when he’s short on time or resources. We see him working on the interior circuitry of his armor in the second episode. He knows how to bypass and pick locks. He has the electrical, mechanical, and structural know-how to fix his ship and would know how to weld and use a torch cutter and a variety of other tools, but it also means he’d know how to sew and mend his clothes. Soft goods are just as necessary as hardware.

Injuries where he genuinely needs professional medical care are few and far in between partially because he’s very good at what he does, and partially out of necessity. Though it is by choice, him tending to his own wounds may not necessarily be because he is neglectful or prideful or has a penchant for pain; medcenters cost money, and submitting to that care means he is vulnerable and at risk of somebody breaking his creed by force, or doing more damage when he can’t fight back. It’s why he likely refuses anesthesia or anything that will put him under and make him unaware of what’s happening while he’s asleep. Either he will find somebody he’s close to to help him, or he will find a way to muscle through self-administered medical care yet again, or he will die from his injuries (which means he will have gone down because of a fight)

Though he has a few physical reference materials and logs he’s written down important details in, a vast majority of his knowledge concerning trade routes, ballistics, geography, maps, various customs and cultures and languages, exchange rates for currency, Guild bylaws— anything he could possibly need to know for a hunt— is committed to memory. He travels light, and the Mandalorians have an oral history more than a written one; belongings and archives can be destroyed, but their people live on and carry the knowledge that’s been passed down through centuries. It just makes more sense to him to commit everything to memory.

That being said, he does a significant amount of research before each hunt anyway, though the bulk of it is centered around the target themselves. Having all of your prep work done means the acquisition itself will go smoother.

He’s mathematically sharp: engine repair, manual piloting, vector calculus, electrical work, ballistics, basic engineering, weapons maintenance, financial management, and navigation by maps or by stars take a lot of mental acuity to understand and apply as quickly as he usually has to use them.

He’s not going to back down from others who purposefully encroach on his personal space, but he dislikes being in close proximity to strangers for extended periods of time. So much of his life is spent evading threats and fighting off challengers it’s hard to trust anybody to be that close. It’s not an aversion so much as it is an irritation that makes him tense. When you’re always looking over your shoulder, it’s just reflex to act defensively.

He doesn’t drink alcohol or caf unless he has sufficient time and he’s secure in the Crest without worry of attack; both impede his marksmanship and reflexes, neither of which are things he can afford while he’s working, so it’s usually only when he’s traveling through space that he’ll indulge

He doesn’t sing, but once the kid comes along he’s found that it’s easier to get him to sleep when he hums as he holds him and walks around the cargo hold.

[starcurtain]

I don't have the time at the moment to write a full essay but someone should definitely remind me to write a post later on the phenomenon that is Ratio's assholery being sanded away by well-meaning fans.

In a quest to fight against the "Ratio is a condescending jerk" stereotype from Ratio haters, pro-Ratio fans have now swung too far the other way, making him into a saint who loves everyone, isn't disdainful of failure, and believes every single person can equally pull themselves up out of mediocrity.

None of those things are actually true based on the game itself, where Ratio is, in fact, a judgmental person who struggles to accept the mundanity of those around him, believes in an educational elite, and can be exceptionally condescending, whether he means it or not.

He's a flawed character. His own flaws are absolutely central to his character, in fact. And yet none of his flaws preclude him from being meaningful, nuanced, and likeable.

It's okay that he's not actually that nice.

In defending a character from one extreme ("he's a bad person"), we don't have to jump all the way to the other side ("he's an angel").

He can be a little bit of a dick and still be a great character, promise.

[listles-s]

man laios and toshiro's/shuro's dynamic is incredibly compelling to me on multiple levels

when you look at them, you can see the cultural and personal barriers that drive almost every single aspect of their relationship, both positively and negatively. laios is incredibly outspoken and driven by his passions, which he expresses freely even in the face of annoyance and/or criticism- he's allowed to be as authentically himself as he pleases, and it's this drive that allows him and the others to survive as long as they have, especially due to the fact that these passions and interests are intertwined with his skills as a dungeon diver. toshiro, in contrast, is incredibly reserved, not only due to his eastern upbringing but also his status as nobility- a combo of cultures that both demand that one save face, to avoid conflict at any cost, even at the expense of one's own feelings and individuality. this, in turn, has made toshiro the perfect samurai, as he's politely-spoken, agreeable, and an honorable, skilled man. both are also incredibly devoted to falin on different levels, having come to accomplish the same mission of her rescue despite drifting apart from the party.

on the flipside, it's these same strengths that cause them to clash- laios is outspoken but unable to truly decipher the emotions of others, leading to a lot of false assumptions and frustration from those who interact with him. toshiro is stoic but to the point of complacency, leading to a aggressively neutral disposition that's ushered by the needs and wants of others, rather than himself. neither man truly knows where they stand with the people important to them in their lives, and hold the ones that they do know how they feel with a fierce admiration expressed in ways that aren't always traditional.

in the end, they both share a growing feeling of isolation from other people that comes to a head when they meet again in the depths of the dungeon, and they both have different ways of coping with the frustrations that arise, seeing the other as only the things they have seen face to face.

it's laios' ability to express himself emotionally without consequence that sparks jealousy in toshiro, leading to a physical fight born out of miscommunication and envy. while toshiro is a driving force in the conflict, it should be noted that the actual fight is started by laios, breaking the dam of indirect communication through force. nothing is more direct than a slap to the face, and it's only after they start hitting each other that toshiro's true feelings come to light.

however, at the end of it all, toshiro is the one who stops torturing himself, listening to laios and giving him the bell, allowing laios and his party entrance into his homeland should they need it, and ultimately giving him support in his mission to defeat the dungeon mage, albeit in his own way. despite it all, they're still good friends with a conflict that boiled over, but came out the other end with a slightly better understanding of each other. the fight was painful for both of them, but it was a necessity for their dynamic to improve, and for them to be made aware of their faults and improve as individuals as well.

but also, if you think about it, their dynamic is literally just this

[emwallas176]

Head empty of everything except the fact that Lex Luthor in Smallville could have been such an interesting villain if they’d actually made the effort to give him a “journey to darkness” rather than a simple “light switch”.

Like here you have this character who’s main goal in everything is always to help people. There isn’t an innocent he wouldn’t protect, a person-in-need he wouldn’t help. It’s what, in my mind, makes it so impossible to see him as truly evil as the show is now. Bc they completely ignore this fundamental aspect of his character.

If you really want to make Lex Luthor a villain but want to keep true to his character. Make him overprotective. Make him violently, ruthlessly protective. Make him prioritize his loved ones over what’s right. Make him selfish and loving at the same time. Make him so desperate to hold on to what little love he has that he goes too far, that he does too much. Have him be loyal to the wrong people. Have him blinded by trying to save everyone that he ends up saving no one bc all he’s ever done is try. Have him be controlling and paranoid and manipulative and yes even evil but do it all knowing that the real tragedy is he only ever wanted to be safe and loved.

The key to a good villain is establishing a motive and Lex Luthor’s has always been about caring for others. It’s just a shame that he’s always been alone.

[skrunksthatwunk]

thinking about how eiji's a pole vaulter and how ash talks about eiji "flying" and how eiji's associated with bird imagery and how eiji's free (unlike ash) and how eiji comes in on a plane and leaves on a plane and how ash cannot fly, ash cannot be free, how nyc is ash's prison, and how ash is the leopard who dies climbing the mountain, unable to live at such elevation, how he was trying to reach the sky and be free but was always stuck to the earth, how he chose to die instead of climbing back down, how he chose to die where he could see the sky and hope and freedom almost like a bird with eiji's letter right in front of him rather than letting everything go wrong and ruin it once again, how eiji's a failed pole vaulter anyway, how a bad fall ruined his career and grounded him (physically and emotionally), how it took flying to america and meeting ash and needing to save him and skip for him to try flying again, how he landed hard and harsh and still the thought of that escape compelled ash to protect eiji at all costs because if he could fly that means something to him, even if he doesn't think he can fly, how eiji is the manifestation of his hope and how when he breaks and asks eiji to stay with him a while he folds himself over his legs and weighs him down and traps him and grounds him, how ash fights like hell to keep eiji alive not because he thinks he can be like him (hopeful, flying, innocent), but because he makes him forget the gravity of his situation, and so he can see eiji fly again. how he wants to see him escape. how eiji is a bird and ash is a wildcat and how ash never once saw eiji as prey. how eiji never saw ash as a predator. how it is eiji's naivete that first endears ash to him, how it is his freedom and flight and removal from darkness and his ability to leave that darkness that really roots eiji in ash's blood as something essential to him keeping on living in this hell of nyc. how it is that distance from the violence and that hope for the future that ash chooses to surround himself in as he dies. how ash dies in a dream because he feels more than anything that he can't fly like eiji, that he can never leave. how his violence is a part of him and will be forever, how it weighs him down. how he wants to enjoy the view from the mountainside rather than looking up from the ground below. as if they can both fly. as if he is with him up there and not grounded. eye-to-eye with what he can't have, seeing eiji's homeland: the sky. how he dies trying to reach the top because he couldn't take retreating and trying again. how ash, tired and tired and tired and convinced it will go on forever if he crawls back down the mountain, chooses to close his life deluged in eiji, in eiji's insistence that they can fly together, in eiji's hope for him and for them, in eiji's beautiful dream. how ash dies without trying to realize that dream. how ash, in dying, destroys it.

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

Suddenly remembered something I wanted to say re:Akechi, because I think it's really core to his character (at least the way I interpreted him?) and I feel like it explains a lot of his contradictions. Essentially, he is incapable of seeing himself as just a person - he's either the greatest hero/detective ever, or he's some violent monster, and it's like there's no in-between. It's very in keeping with his obvious superiority-inferiority complex, but it goes deeper than that too; when he's in a role, it seems like his self-perception kind of changes too depending on how he is perceived by others. He really does get a confidence boost from being the Detective Prince. He really does shut down emotionally as the Black Mask.

They're masks that he's made, and it's not that aspects of them aren't based in truth to some extent, but I think it goes to show why he's not actually that fantastic a liar (imo, I found the outright lies pretty obvious), but he is a very good actor. He's either an angel or a demon, and never a person, but there are conditions to that. He is an angel when he is perfect - to society. He is a demon when he is vengeful - again, to society. He is never a person, because he never was seen as one - to society. He was disregarded. To be anything of value or notoriety, whether that's hero or villain, he has to be wildly more or less than who he actually is, and he's been building these masks up for so long that I really think he lost sight of the actual person behind it all. And I don't think he wanted to see that person anyways, because that person "wasn't good enough" and I do think he'd rather be anything other than himself. That trickery, that deflection from the person within, in itself brings him pride and satisfaction. He wants to be loved and needed instead of being cast aside, but I also think that if he can't have that then he'd much rather be hated than never have mattered at all. He weaponizes his own loneliness - if he can't ever be accepted then he'll build his own pedestal apart from everyone else.

It's so fascinating too, because I just wonder how much of this he was consciously aware of pre, during, and post engine room. There's this recurring thing with him where he goes "I can only be myself" etc but I just want to shake him because, well, who is that, Akechi??? Or, who do you think that is? Do you actually have an answer? Is it predicated on your actual feelings or solely on your success at fooling everyone around you? Is there any part of you that you actually like that isn't based on a painstakingly constructed mask? Isn't it all mostly lies to deflect from the truth? Isn't it all founded mostly on truth, nonetheless?

It drives me insane. And I think this is a big reason why he breaks so hard in the engine room, because so much of his mask requires his "audience" to perform in a particular way. And here he is, and the Thieves have beaten him, so there goes the first mask, because he's no longer "perfect". He swings wildly into the ugliest sides of him, but this mask is broken too, amidst him vehemently and desperately denying that he has any other emotions than hatred and rage, or any other needs or desires than vengeance. And after that, it's just him. And they should reject him, right? That's what happens. He's not useful, he's not needed or perfect, his hands are stained with blood. But the Thieves, again, don't play the role he expects them to. They, despite everything, relate to him - because he is in fact very similar in a lot of ways and they acknowledge him as a person - not a hero, or idol, or villain, or tool, or unwanted child - but as a damaged teen like the rest of them. And he does not know what to do with that. His identity is intrinsically dependent on getting the right reactions from other people as a form of ingratiating himself - if he does not get that reciprocal reaction he's looking for, his act falters, and, I really do believe that so does his self-perception. That's why you see different aspects of him seep out when he's spending time with Joker, because Joker does not react the way he expects, and Akechi both does and does not like this, because it leaves him feeling both intrigued and vulnerable.

I do think this particular aspect of his character is something a lot of the Thieves don't fully grasp - certainly, I think Joker "I need the mask" Persona 5 understands to a degree, but the sheer degree of reliance and the level of pride attached to it is something that confuses him a little, I think, especially in Mementos Mission. I think the thief that comes closest is actually Morgana, who has a similar superiority-inferiority complex and a desperate need to be seen as competent and useful lest he be discarded. (This is a big part of why the rather lackluster writing with Morgana's arc frustrates me so much because I really do feel it was meant to be contrasted with Akechi's, but I digress.) Morgana is the one to make that emotional appeal to Akechi, which makes a degree of sense - Morgana struggled all along with finding a place in the world. His form leads others to underestimate him; he visually doesn't fit in. He's acting out the role of a chivalrous and cool phantom thief but is more pragmatic with how he views relationships, at least at first. He wants a place to belong where he is appreciated more than anything but his pride won't let him spit it out. Accepting that he belongs and that he is loved even if he really did have nothing of value to provide is a big part of the resolution of his arc. He tries to offer that learned lesson to Akechi in turn ("Follow your true feelings. Even if you think people hate you, or don't want you around-"), but Akechi just wasn't in the right space to listen. There's also an important distinction between the two - Morgana envies humans and looks up to them. Akechi envies humans and looks down on them. Morgana is perfectly happy once he is assured a place amongst the group, but Akechi see-saws wildly between wanting to belong and wanting to be a step above the rest and separating himself further. So while Morgana actually really did cut to the core of the issue, his appeal would never have worked at this point because a) Akechi's pride is dependent on him maintaining his solo act, and b) he just got outed as not actually hating Joker in front of seven other people including Joker himself lmao.

So, uh, sorry, Morgana. Points for trying.

[chilfucked]

I'm thinkin abt when chilchuck does that cat thing where he looks up at you, like in your header, how he bares his neck by doin that, and how awesome it is that he feels safe enough with the touden party to do that so casually- rghhrgrhhr

dude i think about this all the fucking time. he’s such an expressive character it’s awesome. you can always tell what’s going on with him just by observing his body language

beginning of the series? before everything goes down? he’s open, relaxed. he’s really started to trust the people around again after years of not letting himself

you have him closing himself off after The Incident™️, his anger and frustration, and generally not feeling safe being on full display without needing to say anything

he closes off when he’s worried, scared, or being protective of the people around him

and he opens back up again once he starts getting comfortable with everyone again

i just. i love him so much, i love how no matter how hard he tries to keep people at bay. keep things to himself. he just. can’t. he’s an open book and boy howdy am i reading it

[apple-spider-vinegar]

Something I feel often goes unrecognized in discussion of Harry Osborn is the fact that he is the Only Child of a Single Parent.

In my experience/observation (both real and fictional) the only child/single parent bond is so inexorable it's hard to fully comprehend. Few other things will bind two people together in such a way.

Like many familial relationships, it's full of a thousand little hurts that will probably never get brought up again. Sometimes you let the relationship go by the wayside in pursuit of your own life goals because you take it for granted that family will always be around. But there's a unique flavor to it.

Deep down inside you there's an awareness that it's Just The Two Of You. For the child, it may have been just the two of you from your very earliest memories. Sure, you know other people. There are extended family and friends and maybe the parent has a romantic partner or two. But at the end of the day, in your home, in your hearts (something you carry with you no matter where you go) the two of you are all you have and all you feel you can really depend on.

A world in which the two of you aren't together is almost impossible to picture and you don't want to try, even in the moments you wish you could just get away from each other. Being an only child separated from a single parent for the first time ‐ even on normal and amicable terms like when you move out on your own - makes you realize, again and again, how many ways your parent has influenced you. The things you say that you heard from them first, the habits, the opinions. You love them, but sometimes it feels like they still... OWN you, even though you are your own person. Sometimes that frightens you, but the alternative is even more frightening.

Like all love, it'll make you behave selfishly and irrationally at times.

And it'll really make you DEFENSIVE.

If you're Harry Osborn and complain a bit about your dad being a dickhead while deep down wondering if he really even cares about you, that's one thing. But if anyone says a word against him in your presence you have to backtrack. You have to argue in his defense because he's all you have and you're all he has. Loss would unbearable.

Look, guys. It has been years since Harry and Norman Osborn have gotten along or been able to really enjoy each other's company, if they ever could. But if anything happened to the other they would kill everyone in this room and then themselves, do you understand what I'm saying?

[gayofthefae]

Redemption is about remorse: Steve Harrington vs Martin Brenner

Steve Harrington is a famous example of a very successfully redeemed character. Martin Brenner is commonly misinterpreted as the writers attempting to even slightly redeem a character and failing - I categorically disagree with this idea as a nuanceless interpretation of what is actually the writers communicating "no attempt by the character to redeem himself is enough to make up for his actions".

But what is the actual difference between this attempt at redemption towards other characters and the audience vs an attempt at redemption towards other characters but not the audience?

Remorse.

Steve-

My favorite scene of Steve's redemption is when he comes to Jonathan's house to apologize, the moment, of course, but specifically one detail: He was surprised to see Nancy there.

As writers, they made sure to erase any possible doubt as to his motives. That surprise was a clarifier saying: this was not for her in any way shape or form. His story to him was as follows:

He was cheated on by his first love. He then ran into her with the guy she cheated on him with, who he insulted a bit out of anger. He also, however, insulted his mother's mental illness, his brother's death, and even brought queerness into it. But after sitting with it, he felt bad for his comments, and he went to The Byers' house with the intention to see solely Jonathan to apologize for what he said because though he was rightfully angry over being cheated on, insulting his family let alone a recent death in his family was majorly crossing a line and Jonathan was owed an apology for that. He went to Jonathan's house believing that Nancy had cheated on him with Jonathan, that she would not be there, and that she would have no reason to ever find out he even apologized in the first place.

My point is no room was left up to interpretation that he had ulterior motive to get her back. There is no version of that story because of his surprise in which he was going over there to say 'look how nice and cool I am Nancy - apologizing to Jonathan'. The same is true of him cleaning the sign. She would have no means of knowing he did that and he didn't seem to intend on telling. He didn't do it to show off, he did it so the sign would be gone faster. He didn't apologize to seek absolution from his guilt, he apologized to minimize the pain he had caused. The key is that in both cases, specifically relative to Nancy - the only person who could give him any sort of reward he valued for this effort - he was fully willing and intending to repay his actions completely anonymously.

His remorse was genuine as it was motivated by a desire to repair what he had broken, not a desire to rid himself of the burden of guilt or to seek reward for his growth.

Brenner-

Brenner does not display remorse like this. The way they balance this representation is by showing him displaying occasional objectively moral acts like sacrificing one's life, but not only having him lack remorse or apology, but immediately following by re-emphasizing his beliefs about himself.

Where Steve was redeemed via remorse, Brenner feigned redemption by defending his actions aka lacking all remorse. Steve was redeemable because he communicated 'what I did was wrong and I will stop doing it'. Brenner believed himself redeemable but we were never supposed to because they purposefully emphasized, just like they specified Steve's surprise, that as Brenner died, his final words were to defend his actions.

Steve's final act in season 1 was to alter his behavior and apologize without ulterior motive. Brenner's final act was to tell El that he had actually always been in the right and never done anything wrong. In the statement he made, he never even acknowledged responsibility for the harm he caused - whether he might have felt it or not. He only verbalized sentiments about how he tried his best and was well intentioned.

The way to redeem a character is not for them to believe they are in the right. It is for them to acknowledge that they are in the wrong. This polar opposite also proves that Brenner was not intended to be redeemed here and failed, as the writers used the opposite tactic to their known successful one.

Brenner and Steve both seemed to experience guilt, but guilt does not absolve, it is how you react to it that's important. Both also pursued some sort of apology to their victims, but the key difference here is motive. Steve's apologies had the intention of rescinding his words and minimizing damage caused. Brenner's apology had the sole intention of receiving forgiveness.

Steve apologized to heal pain he caused. Brenner apologized to find peace in death.

Brenner's apology was SELFISH. THAT is why it doesn't work and why it is SO important that she did not provide him with that forgiveness. His sole intention was to free himself of guilt, not free her of pain. A good apology like Steve's is something you provide someone. Brenner's is so overtly selfish that by the end he even repeatedly demands something from her.

"Tell me you understand. Please tell me you understand."

Steve sought to act and leave, apologize and leave. He saw apologies as a gift - something you give and receive nothing back for, and that does not need to be accepted by the person you give it to. Brenner saw them as transactions. He provided Eleven with the currency of apology with the sole intention of receiving back the service of absolution. We know this because was Steve cleaned the sign, he left immediately and anonymously without receiving reward. When Brenner did not receive his reward, he desperately requested it repeatedly.

It was not an attempt to redeem him, in fact, it was purposefully written as one of the most dislikable qualities: a combination of believing one can do no wrong and expectancy of reward for any moral actions.

Gift, Anonymity vs Excuse, Demand

"I just wanted to apologize- Nancy? What are you doing here?"

"I only ever wanted what was best for you. Please tell me you understand."

[grapecaseschoices]

it seems that i got my ass blocked by commenting how surprised i was i liked an IF given the genre [dark fantasy] and how white it was.

i suppose i should have seen that coming.

i suppose it is a bit of that 'oh i can't stand xyz but i like how YOU do it'. like that poll. i like 9% feel bad i approached it that way. i felt bad when i was writing it but i let the obnoxiousness stay. because it is very white. and i don't mean just in terms of the ro. but in terms of calling brown skin after food stuff.

though maybe the writer isn't white! which was part of the offense. but that lowkey makes it worse in my eyes.

[dykedvonte]

I keep seeing fanarts of ppl's OC's being on the ship, so do you think that if there was 6st crewmember (specifically, another woman) Anya would've been more safe? Like, someone to actually call Jimmy's begaviour out, someone Anya might wanna trust? Is there a possibility something might have changed (even if a little) or it would not have mattered at all?

-💀

I feel like the game would make it part of the commentary on where she would believe and help Anya but still be sort of dismissive? Like the whole “don’t waste time crying and being scared keep going and move on, don’t let him win”. It’s supposed to be positive and reinforcing but sometimes it does more damage in those times of mourning and grief, it feels patronizing, like you don’t understand what you’re going through but they do. Even if they did call out his behavior it’s still on Curly to act and while another voice would help, it’s still 4 against 2 on guys that don’t get it until they have to vs women who always have to.

I don’t mind mouthwashing OCs but I do get a bit bored as they tend to be borderline saviors or like Jimmy aligned. They are either more complicit than Curly or just Jimmy haters for no reason, outside of what the creators know about what he did to Anya. I am never irked by OCs but in a story like mouthwashing you really need to think about what your character adds to the commentary, especially if they are there during the crash. It’s nice to have like characters on Anya’s side more whole heartedly and interesting to see characters who placate Jimmy but sometimes it’s one note.

I can’t and don’t want to police peoples OCs it’s never my intention when I comment on trends I notice, but I do feel like the way people make their OCs interact with these two characters and especially Curly, really show a grave misunderstanding of the narrative and these characters as people vs roles in the story. Still, I know people just make up characters for fun and that’s fine. Great even, but I guys I’m focusing more on OCs that are supposed to have those serious dynamics. My favs tend to be pretty-Tulpar or post-Tulpar au OCs.

The inevitably of the crash is on Jimmy. He did that not because he wasn’t stopped but because all his means to kill Anya were taken. The gun, the axe. Even if Curly did strip him of his co-pilot privileges and try to keep him contained there’s only so many people. An extra body helps but they have jobs they have to do, he’s the only one steering the whole ship and Jimmy would likely have an out: food, bathroom, etc. He’s not new and if he couldn’t crash the ship directly, who’s to say he wouldn’t sabotage something else? A clunker like the Tulpar wouldn’t take much. An extra person helps but it’s just another thing that prolongs what a person like Jimmy is willing to do to shirk responsibility.

It’s more than just needing someone to stand up to him and think that’s what is missing when it comes to inserting a character into the mouthwashing setting.

[adelrambles]

Tips on Writing Bishop

I've been asked a couple times for advice on how to write a good (03-style) Bishop, and I'm well-aware he can be a bit tough to get a grasp on. As someone who's studied him specifically to learn how to write him as accurately as possible, I figured I'd compile some thoughts in case it'd be helpful to anyone else. I know a lot of Rise takes on him are basing off the 03 version, so maybe this could help generate ideas, too. SO!

Big Overall Points!

At the core of EVERYTHING Bishop does are two primary motivations. The first: the protection of the earth. What this means to him can get tricky, because it doesn't necessarily mean protecting the people, at least not all of them. But it will be better understood alongside the other:

The second: The protection of his sense of safety. Bishop has been deeply traumatized, and everything he does is born of a want to avoid that pain ever again. In his mind, earth is a safe area, a controllable factor, and anything outside it is a danger that must be eliminated. This is why he will still be willing to put himself and other people on the line in service of this; any sacrifice is worth the greater goal. (It's worth noting, Bishop will claim the first as his motivation freely, but is likely not consciously aware of the second.)

Bishop deals in Big Picture ONLY. Another reason Bishop will willingly throw away anything, including the lives of the people he claims to protect, is that he seems incapable of understanding things on a small, individual basis.

Bishop is a cold personality. He does not have strong displays of emotion. He does emote, but for the most part it's muted, so I recommend using emotional bursts very sparingly. (In my own writing, as an example, I try to limit my use of exclamation marks in his dialogue as much as possible.)

At his core, Bishop is afraid, and his response to fear is aggression. This also makes it particularly difficult to talk him down, if he's put in an emotional state. His response to not being in control is often violent retaliation.

With those basic tenants understood, let's move next to some major personality traits:

Bishop is a controlling personality. This is a direct result of his trauma response. Things that can be controlled are safe, therefore he must control everything. If something cannot be controlled, it's a threat that must be eliminated. If he doesn't know why something happened, he becomes angry (including even when it benefits him.)

Bishop is very low-empathy. When writing him, I try to keep in mind that he cannot put himself in the perspective of others. (Or if he can, he doesn't care to.)

Bishop is a sadist. He gets personal enjoyment from hurting others.

Bishop likes fighting, but only when he's winning. He will quickly leave if he can't see a guaranteed victory.

Bishop is paranoid. This is probably self-evident, but it's the reason he's often so well-prepared even when things don't go to plan.

Bishop genuinely seems to enjoy science. He's shown to be far more lenient with scientist characters than anyone else, and he seems to involve himself in his scientists' projects to a degree. Enough to, at the very least, understand their work. (Given he was the one set to dissect the turtles, it might also be argued he has some medical or biology background, himself.)

Bishop is an opportunist and scavenger. He can roll with failures as long as he can find something to get out of it. If he's presented with an opportunity to stab someone in the back, and he has something to gain? He'll take it without a second thought.

Bishop is deeply self-blind. For all his perceptiveness and strategic prowess, Bishop is not very self-aware in the slightest. He is completely blind to his own hypocrisies, and thoroughly confident in his own righteousness.

Bishop adapts fast. He accepts situations for what they are and acts (Though he may still be angry about them, or what have you.) This is likely a skill developed via longevity; the world around him has changed rapidly, but he doesn't feel out of place at all.

Bishop will take extreme risks and thinks wildly outside the box. Also self-evident, if you're familiar with the plans he enacts throughout the show. He'll put a lot on the line if he thinks the reward is worth enough, and he's willing to go to extreme lengths to get what he wants, even if his plans would be considered crazy by normal standards.

Bishop is persistent. If he wants something, he won't stop until he gets it. If he fails, he'll retreat, make a new plan, and try again. It is very difficult to convince him to back down (and certainly not on moral grounds.)

Habits and triggers I've noted:

Being restrained of any sort puts Bishop in a panic. He is more likely to have an emotional response in these scenarios, and seems to have (an albeit muted) desperation to escape. (See: Leatherhead restraining him in the first encounter; His reaction to being trapped on the surgical table in Head of State.)

When being duplicitous or suppressing a reaction, Bishop will go to adjust his tie. This could possibly be considered his tell.

Bishop seems to have a particular fear of aliens blending in as humans. His slayer project was built around the assumption that this is a common threat. (Worth noting: This makes The Shredder the model of the exact threat Bishop is afraid of. Technically, Bishop himself may also fit the description of a threat shaped like a human.)

Writing considerations:

In 03's narrative, Bishop is EPF and EPF is Bishop. Narratively speaking, any organization Bishop is head of acts as if it is an extension of his will and character.

Bishop is shown to strike fear and/or discomfort into most characters he interacts with. Anything beyond this is an outlier, and will draw a reader's attention.

Dialogue-wise, Bishop is generally succinct and blunt. He does dabble in gloating, though, and especially likes to upset others. If he's given a chance to be mean, he'll usually take it. It can help to consider he has a Mission Mode and a Normal Mode. When it comes to Mission Mode, he gets straight to the point and hates unnecessary talking. Otherwise, he's still not very talkative, but will take the time to make pointed jabs or talk through a plan. A lot of his sense of humor seems to be rooted in how He's Better Than You (And You're Going To Die Painfully.)

It's a common pitfall that Bishop is depicted as seeking out the turtles. In 03, once he gets their DNA, he's done with them. Any encounters after that are incidental. Bishop does not care about anything that won't effect his greater goal. If he's targeting another character, it should have to do with a greater plan.

Bishop is an extremely competent combatant, shown to be able to handle up to 7 opponents at once. For a breakdown on his fighting style check out my other post on that!

Bishop is hard to kill, and oftentimes he accidentally contributes to his own defeat. (The hook from Bishop's Gambit is an example I get a LOT of mileage out of, as a perfect symbol of his self-defeating prophecies.)

We almost only ever see Bishop in the context of his work. While it could be construed that he depersonalizes himself, it's much more clear that the narrative depersonalizes him. As far as we, the audience know, Bishop's work is all that he is.

It's unclear if Bishop was released from his abduction or escaped. Depending on which you ascribe to, this can have ramifications for his mindset on how to deal with the alien threat. (Personally, because so much of his inability to cope hinges on a feeling of helplessness, I believe he was released. If he escaped on his own power, that undercuts it, somewhat.)

Thematically-speaking, Bishop parallels both his own torturers and his own victims at the same time. He has perpetuated the cycle that traumatized him in the first place by trying to fight fire with fire. (In that vein, I don't think he's capable of understanding that, not seeing aliens as people in the first place, just dangers. Considering how deeply ingrained his trauma is in his worldview and actions, it would probably ruin him, if he were ever able to actually grasp it.)

Bishop and EPF are likely a commentary on the military of the time 03 was coming out. This can be something worth keeping in mind, when figuring out his greater themes in your story, though it can just as well be discarded if it doesn't fit.

Adding to that, Bishop has an extensive american military background. His skills and knowledge will reflect that.

Bishop also plays on and references a number of real-life alien conspiracies. It can be worth digging through conspiracy history to drum up ideas and themes, too.

The ethical and philosophical quandaries of Bishop's body-hopping and humanity tend to not hold too much weight, because Bishop, himself, doesn't seem to care.

If I think of more I'll certainly be adding on to the reblogs of this post! Or, if you have more thoughts, please feel free to add! If you're in the mood for more Bishop ramblings, that's practically most of this blog atm, but this post is a particular favorite. If you're interested in Fast Forward!Bishop, specifically, consider this post! (also read Taking Pawns. slipped in that self-promo, nice.)