#I blame the trickster

[lovelylittlewordsmith]

I have reluctantly come to terms with the fact that there are only 16 fics on Ao3 for Kooza, so I'm going to have to be the change that I want to see in the word.

[sandymybeloved]

I'm a Sarah-Jane Adventures fan first and a human being second, Doctor Who is the just part of the Sarah-Jane Adventures extended universe to me

[reckless-glitch]

so I'm pretty convinced okc glitches and matches me with people ive declined sometimes

which is fine like whatever

but um

I got a message from someone named fucking

Odin

today

who i KNOW i swiped left on because...I just don't need that heat in my life rn

anyway I'm just glad its not wednesday because that'd be a little heavy handed

[yeticantfeelyou]

Serious note... Take from me... Please don't think drugs are the solution, only more serious problems will arise from using..

I want to cry for the kids, the teenagers who just started using... Why ? Who gave that shit to you? I promise you. I promise with my whole heart and soul... Your life will be ruined... You're digging your own grave.... Your life will be drastically shortened...

I know it's hypocritical, I sound idiotic saying this because I'm on here joking about drugs and laughing about this issue. I already explained why.

I just never want anyone to be in the same situations Ive been in

If I could prevent that by telling people what the fuck happened and what's going to happen to me, I hope it sticks with atleast one person. I hope someone understands my message. I really hope and pray for sober lives. Never fall into this mess. I'm so fucked up. Everything is wrong in my life. I am working on a better life, I just can't do it alone like I originally thought.

[teapsoon]

girl leah's put so many wounds on me over the past week im a bit afraid like my friends or smthn are gonna start thinking im self harming lmao

[deansguns]

“the world is gonna end dean, we don’t have the luxury of a moral stand” kind of a key quote in understanding sam

[ase-trollplays]

I uh... Wouldn't refer to her an "heiress", Sayble. She really dislikes being seen as royalty :(

}}-I see. My apologies. I don't wish to offend.-{{

[preciouslittletoonette]

I think on an evolutionary perspective, Mahogany changed the least personality-wise.

Both Ophelia & Trickster shifted personalities a bit as I continued to write The Nanny. And not like character development ways, but in "I'm adding and removing new traits as I go" kind of way (you can definitely see it better with Trickster)

Mahogany didn't get that.

And alongside that, as I'm going through what I want for the story in the end, Mahogany's role becomes lesser and lesser truly involved. Trickster took over her big villain role because I attached his past not only to Ophelia's, but to the Warners and Bugs as well. I think it just fits better with Trickster in the end.

Mahogany compared to Trickster just doesn't have much personal motivation to fuck with both Ophelia and the Warners other than for money or to cause them pain.

Yeah, so Mahogany's level of importance definitely decreased. She's still important, as she's the one who pushed for the Warners to be sold to Warner Bros and that in essence allows the plot to happen. But on a personal relationship level with the main protagonists, then yeah, Mahogany definitely got usurped by Trickster.

[myrtlebranch1019]

My Thoughts on Solas in *Dragon Age: The Veilguard* (DATV)

It’s been about a month since I played Dragon Age: The Veilguard and I finally feel ready to talk about Solas. Yes, *that* Solas—the one who’s sparked endless debates in the Dragon Age fandom for over a decade, inspiring some of the most fascinating character analyses I’ve ever read. Unfortunately, the Solas we get in DATV feels like a shadow of his former self. Instead of the nuanced and controversial figure we know, he’s been reduced to a one-dimensional scapegoat with inconsistent writing that just didn’t do him justice.

Solas has always been such a compelling character—complex, flawed, and full of contradictions. But in DATV, the trickster archetype, he represented, was so poorly handled that I sometimes wondered if the characters in the game and I were even getting the same information. Take the moments when we uncover Solas’ memories: the reactions from other characters came across as weirdly more venomous toward Solas than even Elgar’nan, who was a literal tyrant. It felt like (some of?) the writers were trying to strip away any sympathy for Solas, but if anything, it had the opposite effect, if we judge from the percentage of people who chose to redeem him. (Pro tip for game writers: players don’t like being told how to feel about a character!)

Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m not here to excuse Solas’ actions. He’s done some truly awful things. But reducing his complexity to make him easier to blame? That’s not it. What made Solas fascinating wasn’t just his lies, treachery or rebellion but his wisdom and the fact that he cared too much. Even when he convinced himself the people of modern Thedas weren’t “real,” he still supported acts of kindness and mourned unnecessary loss. That sentimentality made him sympathetic, even while he was pursuing some pretty despicable goals. It’s that balance—the caring, sentimental dreamer weighed down by his own ruthlessness —that made Solas the perfect trickster figure and harbinger of change.

That’s why some of the decisions in DATV just didn’t sit right with me. Solas has always been willing to sacrifice others for his ideals, but that includes himself—*especially* himself. Din’an Shiral, anyone? The reveal about Varric should have been this devastating, mind-blowing moment, but instead, it felt cheap. Solas manipulating Rook by hiding Varric’s death? Totally in character. But actively using blood magic to control their mind? That felt like a shortcut, and a boring one at that. Especially, after those heated debates he had with the Iron Bull in Inquisition about how important freedom of thought is for him.

This was such a missed opportunity to dive into heavier themes like the manifestation of regret and grief—both of which would’ve made Rook more tragic and relatable. What I wanted to see from Solas, was a tragic hero who’d fought for so long he ended up becoming the villain. Not unlike his mortal enemy Elgar’Nan. What I got instead was a caricature of the trickster archetype, stripped of all the depth we saw in Trespasser.

Another thing that bugged me was how DATV framed Solas’ rebellion. The in-game conversations by the Veilguard team seem to suggest that he started it out of spite toward Mythal and/or Elgar’nan, which just isn’t true. Solas rebelled because he believed—to be more precise convinced himself—that the Evanuris were waging war on the Titans in the name of freedom. And realising that this wasn’t the actual motive was his first attempt to “fix” his mistakes. In other words the part he played in the war, and at the same time protect his people from tyrany the worst of fates in his eyes. That’s such a crucial part of his story, and seeing it misinterpreted by the cast, felt like such a disservice to the complexity of the character.

That’s not to say everything about Solas in DATV was bad. The dialogue was exquisite and stood out as classic Solas, especially when it came to the contrast between his wisdom and cunning or the need to offer guidance vs the manipulation (props to Trick for really nailing those moments). The animations were incredible, too, and perfectly captured his aura. And, of course, Gareth David-Lloyd absolutely killed it as Solas. His performance brought so much life to the character, even when during the moments when the writing fell short.

Still, I can’t help but feel disappointed. Solas has always been my favorite DA character, and seeing him reduced like this was frustrating. He’s a character built on contradictions—sentimental but ruthless, idealistic but pragmatic, sympathetic yet maddening. DATV had the chance to explore all of that and take him to new depths, but instead, it just… didn’t. And as a fan who’s loved his journey for years, that’s hard to swallow. Needless to say I would still devour any novel or media about him, because I’m definitely left wanting more from his story.

[bloobydabloob]

Holy shit I love your Dirk interpretations, it's so true and I could talk about this shit forever. I feel like another part of his character that people seem to forget (along with Roxy for some reason) is that he's from the future in solitude in an apocalyptic wasteland. I just see that part of his character always removed which is disappointing because I feel like that's a pretty big part, especially regarding his themes around technology, his brother's theme of Time, his own isolation, and how he plays in the vastness of the universe and spacetime.

Art I drew related to the subject because I like to respond to asks with art.

But absolutely. I certainly understand where the lack of discussion over his isolation + upbringing comes from, considering a majority of the fanbase that I have seen builds their ideas based on their own version of postcanon. I’m not entirely sure how that would be fixed, but certainly even in the somewhat recent past I would see a lot more content regarding his upbringing both literally and symbolically. I don’t have much to add regarding the things you’ve mentioned, because they just are what they are. Dirk being confined to a singular room left to him by a father figure he never met, in a future where the only other person left on the planet is someone he cannot pursue a relationship of because of himself, with purely 3 robots to keep him companion, one being an exact replica of his own brain who is *also* trapped inside a pair of glasses, is about as literal as it gets to me.

The contrast to me involving the flooded, organic world in comparison to the little speckle of Dirk’s apartment packed with the dude and his technics is not only a representation of his isolation and entrapment within himself, but also of his lack of control. I think his obsession with & themes of control are a direct product in the case of Dirk specifically *of* this kind of upbringing. His themes of technology are also related to his themes around control. So much of his character is actually revolved around this to me like so much. Dirk is so deeply disconnected from humanity in every way and so much of his character + symbolism is based around that.

It doesn’t even have to be about the symbolism or anything though. It’s just pretty *interesting* in the literal sense that he lives in the middle of the ocean in the future. There’s not only a lot to theorise on to do with his young life there, but on how it might affect him in the way he acts for the rest of his life. The latter part is probably what I see mentioned the most by people talking about Dirk regarding this, I’m surprised I don’t see more discussion on the former too though. I really ought to actually talk more about Homestuck stuff on here. I will do it myself.

Roxy & Dirk’s relationship is largely ignored though because there is a narrative a certain demographic spreads that Dirk resented and blamed Roxy for her interest in him, and thus too many people believe that their relationship was or would continue to be an abusive one. Realistically, I believe it’s important to acknowledge that the way Roxy treated Dirk regarding his homosexuality wasn’t right while still acknowledging the obvious amount of respect and admiration Dirk had for Roxy. I mean we have a huge piece of dialogue from their post trickster mode conversations on the quest beds from Dirk purely stating how he feels about Roxy that people completely ignore somehow. I think this usually happens to characters that are women though. I know everyone says it, but it is true. Jane gets the exact same treatment of boiling her down to solely her negative aspects. The things I see completely mischaracterising both of them are horrific.

I mean how much more explicit can it get that their relationship is obviously very important to Dirk? But I digress. I think the best or I should say “most interesting” interpretations of their relationship usually come from DirkRoxy shippers actually.

I would be interested to hear about Dirk’s relation to his brother’s theme of time though. I don’t have any thoughts on this and I don’t recall ever hearing anyone talk about it before. If you or anyone else would be willing to enlighten me I’d be thrilled.

[harunayuuka2060]

Ortho: Hello, Mr. Leviathan!

Levi: Hello, Ortho-kun! *chuckles* Good morning!

Ortho: Are you here to play with my brother?

Levi: Yes. And I also need to talk to him about something.

Ortho: In that case, I will wake him up.

Levi: Eh? Why? Is he not awake yet?

Ortho: Well, you played games with him until 4:07AM.

Levi: *awkwardly smiles* Sorry...

Ortho: It's fine! But please try to decrease your game time. My brother is still a human and his health is important to me and everyone else here in Ignihyde.

Levi: Yeah. I'll keep that in mind.

Idia: Huh? Leona has teamed up with Belphegor? What does that mean?

Levi: You know what it is!

Idia: Yeah, I get you. But I don't think it would be ideal for the Prefect to add another lover to their existing number of husbands.

Levi: Do you honestly think that is the case?

Idia: What?

Levi: Seven avatars of hell, the future king of Devildom, the demon butler who can manipulate time and space, the most powerful sorcerer, one archangel, and one reaper wife who likes to set up traps.

Levi: And on top of that, there are two who are crushing on them from both Devildom and Celestial Realm.

Idia: ...

Idia: Geez.

Levi: Right? And I can't blame them because MC is so amazing and you couldn't help but to love them—

Idia: Time, time!

Levi: Huh?

Idia: You're not helping your case, Levi. Every time you say MC is amazing, the listener will be interested and it would urge them to know them better, to form a relationship with them.

Idia: And with the way you rant right now, it seems to me that you are recruiting me to be their boyfriend.

Levi: If you can't beat them, join them.

Idia: Noo! MC is already tired with all of these things! They don't need another socially-awkward gamer lover and a lazy lion prince!

Idia: Give. Them. A. Break!

Levi: ...

Levi: Idia-kun... You really care about MC... *sniffles* *smiles* Are you sure you don't want to be their boyfriend?

Idia: Ask someone who's more willing and wouldn't mind sharing a relationship with a bunch.

Levi: If you're referring to that dragon guy, no way. Nuh-uh. I don't like him.

Idia: Malleus? Why?

Levi: He's got a long lifespan.

Idia: ...

Idia: Wait.

MC: *has finished the necessary steps to become a noble and has gone straight to their third year's class*

MC: *didn't notice that they're still wearing their formal demon outfit*

The third-years: ...

MC: Do you have any questions before we start this class?

Trey: *raises his hand*

MC: Yes, Trey?

Trey: Um... Are you forgetting something?

MC: Hmm... No. I think I have everything here.

Trey: O-Oh... Haha... Okay.

MC: ...

MC: What are you all staring at? *raises an eyebrow*

Rook: *raises his hand*

MC: Yes, Rook?

Rook: Beauté, Trickster! Admirably sinful even!

MC: Huh?

Lilia: *who's giving Malleus a teasing look*

Malleus: *his cute, little expression while staring at them*

MC: Cater, why didn't you tell me that I looked weird earlier?

Cater: I was busy admiring your pact marks.

MC: You were staring at my leg?

Cater: And shoulders. 😩🙏

MC: ...

MC: Did I really look that good?

Cater: Yes, bestie~ We almost kneeled in front of you.

MC: ...

MC: You're exaggerating.

Cater: But it's truue~. *chuckles*

[sorceresssundries]

'Time can prove to be a trickster on one's recollections - what would be multiple lifetimes for others now separate me from my captivity... Perhaps I have lost perspective on what happened to me.

I... have not had true confidantes for some time. The Shadow Curse robbed me of almost all my peers, and replaced them with the weight of responsibility. Perhaps that caused me to gild undeserving memories of my youth. '

Discussion of mental health below the cut.

Halsin breaks my fucking heart, man.

He spent so long shouldering the weight of the curse that he neglected dealing with his own shadows.

Right before this, he mentioned being chained to a bed for three years as a prisoner, yet he has convinced himself it may not have been as bad as it seemed, thinking perhaps he was actually a 'guest.'

As someone with CPTSD, I'm convinced Halsin has some form of it as well. Trauma and (C)PTSD affect the areas of the brain where memories are formed and kept. When traumatic memories are recalled, the perception of them can be altered leading to self-blame or minimisation of the trauma's severity.

Halsin's struggles are often downplayed, especially by him. - He doesn't have a tadpole, he isn't trying to ascend, he isn't being tempted by a dark path, and he doesn't require you to convince him to be good. He plays the part of the healer well, despite still needing healing himself.

Time can be a fixer, but it is also a trickster—and the more of it that passes, the trickier memories associated with trauma become to unpick. Centuries have passed for him.

I'm happy with the outcome of the game for Halsin, that he gets to relax, settle, and find his place alongside nature in the land he helped to free—but I almost wish there was more to explore with him. He deserves the world.

Sorry, i'm not sure what the point of this was I just have a lot of feelings about Halsin.

[anachronistic-falsehood]

wow guys it’s muse from new haven wards!!!!!

throws up blood hey guys i picked out a muse inspired costume for halloween

[sarnai4]

I headcanon that for the longest time, no one knew Hermes also was the trickster god. He just kept doing pranks on everybody and making Ares the scapegoat since everyone thought his little devious self just wanted to start fights.

Hermes (puts a whoopie cushion on Zeus's throne)

Zeus (after he discovers this): Ares!

Ares (visible confusion)

(Another time)

Hera (gets splashed with a trick flower): Ares!

Ares: What's been going on lately??

(Yet another time)

Athena (sees a torn book): Ares!!!

Ares (frustrated): Why does everyone keep blaming me??!!

(Distant snickers from Hermes)

Finally, Hermes just started to feel bad and fessed up.

Hermes (helping Ares out of the jar): Out of curiosity, how much of your strength do you have right now?

Ares: Not much.

Hermes: Oh good!

Ares: Excuse me?

Hermes (quickly): Random question #2, remember when we were kids and everyone kept blaming you for those pranks?

Ares (suspiciously): Yes?

Hermes (sheepishly chuckles): I'd like you also remember that I'm the one helping you right now.

Ares: Hermes...

Hermes: It was me.

Ares:..

Hermes: Every single time.

Ares:...(sizzling noises)

Hermes (relieved): Woo, that feels good to say. After that fifteenth lightning bolt, it really started eating away at me...not unlike that lightning on your skin.

Ares (trying to discover how to kill an immortal)

[tangyswriterstudio]

hello hellooo, good day 🫶

how are you ? hope you're doing well ! i would like to make a request, if that's alright (ˊ˘ˋ*) it can be platonic or romantic, or perceived as both ! i wouldn't mind either way

azul, kalim, rook, silver, and lilia w/ a partner that shows affection in odd ways ( i.e pinching their cheeks, nuzzling up to them like a cat, giving them random things from their collection, etc.) if i unknowingly surpassed the amount of characters i can request, i am so so sorry ˚‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚ you're totally free to remove some characters if you want !!

thank you so much !! take your time, and stay safe 🫶

Hihi! Thanks for req! Honestly idk if I even follow my own rules atp

AZUL

-You liked to give Azul random treasures that you found like seashells, broken pieces of jewellery etc.

-And he keeps it all in a special chest inside his room but you don't have to know that

"Azul what's that chest?" you ask.

"Just some contracts..' he replies with no hesitation.

"Can I se-"

-Oh gosh! So sorry! He suddenly needs to take the chest to his vault in his office!

-TELL HIM THERES NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF

-You eventually found out and gave him more items along with kisses.

LILIA

-Looks like we got a biter!

-You like to bite his cheek, who could blame you? They look so squishy and soft... Anddd now you've bit Lilia the 6th time today...

-He doesn't mind it though, probably bites back.

"Lilia-sama! Do you think... that... Uh." Sebek questions what hes seeing.

Lilia sitting on the couch and... you nomming on his cheek.

"Yes? What is it Sebek?"

-Anyways, Lilia knows this isn't normal but whats stopping him from biting back. NOTHING.

-But when he bites, it hurts so you make sure not to bite too hard for him.

KALIM

-You liked to just jump into Kalims arms and then just get some Zs

-The first time you did this he almost dropped you, and poor Kalim thought you died in his arms until Jamil said you fell asleep.

-Expect to wake up in a luxurious bed and maybe Kalim next to you..

-Kalim tries to do it to you too... except you didn't see it and you both fell to the floor.

-When you fall asleep Kalim definitely lights incense, stress relief lamps, candles you name it. He's making sure you get the sleep of your life.

SILVER

-You hide in his jacket... while he's wearing it? Don't know how but you just stand there in the warmth.

"Silver.. your back looks big with legs?..." Lilia giggles in confusion.

-You come out the side of his jacket and ask "Whats up." all nonchalant

-And when he falls asleep with you in his jacket you either fall asleep with him or just go on your phone til he wakes up.

-He's canonically buff, you're trapped. Til he wakes up.

ROOK

-You tug on his hair gently for his attention as if he doesn't give you enough

-Vil hates it but you promise to brush his hair after and he trusts you.

"Hmm? What is it monsieur trickster?"

-You point to your lips

-Rook smiles and gently pulls you in by your hair and gives you a mwah.

-It's only fair if he returns the favour right?

the last 2 r short TT

[respectthepetty]

Joke's (Sad) Face

This post is about Joke's face.

But it's not about his actual face.

It's about his Joker face.

While Joke was surrounded by Jack's blue at the hospital, I just couldn't stop thinking about how pretty War is.

Which is why it's so tragic that his character, Joke, spends so much time being sad.

He has been sad since the very beginning and has remained in this state throughout the series.

Which is probably why he created the red Joker moniker.

A joker is a trickster. A joker is similar to a jester. A joker should be happy.

But Joke is anything but happy and his sadness began when he was child who couldn't cope with academic stress, so he began to use the sad face.

Then a kid he never met fixed his frown and turned it upside down. Jack made him smile.

And years later, at a bar late at night, that kid would make Joke smile again.

By simply sitting with him.

Joke was sad about his life, and Jack told him that it was okay.

Then he told him to smile.

Because like I believe, War Joke is so beautiful when he smiles.

Jack, with his blue (spray bottle), has been wiping Joke's sadness away for years, even without knowing it.

And as Joke returned to his childhood home to all the sticky notes marked with red sad faces, he believed he would never be as happy as he was with Jack again.

The time Joke spends with Jack is the happiest of his life because Jack makes Joke happy, which is why Joke got the smiley face tattoo.

Because Jack was a truly happy kid when they first met, and gave that happiness to Joke.

But things change.

Joke's other tattoo is of a dual smiling face and sad face, and when Joke approached Jack after five years, he said he wanted to bring back the old Jack. After that encounter, Jack asked his grandmother if he had changed to which she responded that he couldn't stay a kid forever.

Jack let Joke escape in the fashion event. Jack was blamed for the necklace being stolen, yet showed up to the hotel to help Joke. Jack put himself in the way during the fight to keep Joke safe. Jack always turns the worst situations around and has sacrificed parts of himself as a result.

So Jack is darker now. He is no longer blue. He is black. He can't be Joke's source of happiness when he is struggling to find the good in life himself, so while Joke is in the hospital surrounded by Jack's blue with family and friends, Jack sits alone wearing a red shirt with one tiny lamp to give him warmth.

Jack has his grandmother, who blends both his and Joke's colors, but she's all Jack has ever had, and now she cares for Joke just as much as she loves Jack.

And this is a point Aran made in the very beginning and Hope repeated this episode — Jack, just like Save, doesn't really much. He doesn't have options. Joke does. Jack had to do what he had to do to survive and keep his grandmother safe, but Joke gets to return home to a family and a room that has been kept spotless. Jack doesn't. Well, not if he doesn't fight for it.

And that's what hurts. Jack has to fight for everything. So even though Joke has done a lot for Jack, Jack has done just as much for Joke. He gave Joke a place to stay, food to eat, friends, family, and happiness when Joke had nothing to give and nowhere to go. Jack himself has nothing, yet still gave Joke everything he has had to fight for, including his limited happiness and even the last bits of his color.

So it's important that the episode showed Joke not only giving Jack his color, but also his happiness. Joke has finally turned his sad face into a happy face, on his own.

Joke is depressed, and for so long, because of that, he believed that he couldn't be a source of happiness. Yet on this journey, he has brought happiness to his friends, grandma, and countless people along the way, so here he is, not only giving his color to Toi Ting and Jack, but also his happiness.

Jack has never wanted to see Joke's sad face, which is why he gave Joke his happiness.

And now that Joke is realizing that he is happiness, hopefully Jack never will.

But they'll have to fight for it first.