#I feel like most of the 'hot' villains in the game don't have a history of being sexually abusive so i'm fine with them

[gunpowdercarousel]

I'm sorry. Are you disappointed that that slaver and predator isn't hot enough for you??

NOPE.

[canonmisogynyvictimstournament]

PROPAGANDA

KATHERINA MINOLA (THE TAMING OF THE SHREW) (CW: Domestic Abuse)

1.) We had to read this for English my senior year. I got so mad at the way she's treated. She's the titular "shrew" of the play. She has to be married off before her younger sister can get married, because that makes sense.

Then the most dogshit man imaginable comes along, and everybody thinks they're perfect. He literally gaslights her and denies her food and water.

Fuck Petruchio and Katherine Minola deserved better!

2.) Literally the whole play is about how she is so awful that the main guy needs to change her entire personality, which he does as a challenge not because he likes her, and then proceeds to her abuse her for the rest of the play. Yet, he is portrayed as the hero, not a villain and she is shown to have "improved" at the end. People will say, oh it's open to interpretation, it can be played different ways, it's satire, but i don't find abuse funny and there is a distinct lack of commentary in the play to count as satire imo. Taming of the Shrew is a tragedy not a comedy, I will die on this hill. Kate deserves better!

3.) The title isn’t joking, ya’ll. She literally gets broken like a rebellious feral animal and it’s treated as a happy ending.

BARBARARA GORDON (DC COMICS) (CW: Ableism)

1.) Famously fridged in 1988, which was so popular with misogynists it became canon. After almost 2 decades of being one of the only disabled characters, was rebooted to a younger, more fun version of herself whose only history is that she was fridged but not disabled by it.

2.) The Killing Joke is one of the biggest comic examples of a female character getting hurt to motivate male characters. Also tbe way different cannons will trade off who her romantic intrest is out of Batfamily is pretty disturbing ranging from Bruce Wayne in Batman the Animated series universe (ew) to Tim Drake in the Arkham games (ew). Not to mention DC now is not letting her grow out of being Batgirl taking away her legacy of other young female heroes taking up her mantle and her getting to mentor them instead forcing her into a Batgirl cycle of purgatory when she was always better as Oracle (Its a little more complicated in the new Batgirl book but its still not solving the issues in a way that feels meaningful enough to make up the damage).

3.) Was shot as angst value for Bruce and her dad, implied to be sexually assaulted in The Killing Joke with absolutely no respect for her long career as Batgirl. When Alan Moore asked if he could, the editor said "cripple the bitch." She became paralyzed from the waist down. THankfully, an actually good writer picked her up from there and then wrote one of the best stories ever written (Oracle Year One: Born from Hope). Was one of the most iconic disabled characters in comic book history, hell, as Oracle, she was definitely up there as one of the most iconic disabled characters ever as well as a fantastic character, period. There were a few moments where people kept trying to make things out of her disability and had her be shitty to other women for no reason but for the most part, she was awesome. During her time In 2011, Dan Didio and some other misogynistic/ableist comic book writers were responsible for "curing" her disability and forcing her back into Batgirl, despite her having shown absolutely no desire to do so, as part of the New 52. They also made it an editorial mandate that she couldn't have glasses, a cool secret base, and her time as Oracle couldn't be referenced. This was because those writers were nostalgic for the 60s Batman show where Babs was played by an actress they all had the hots for and couldn't accept she'd grown up and moved on. That was bad enough, but over time, she's been increasingly deaged and reduced even further to just Dick Grayson's on and off again girlfriend and a generic girlboss. Batgirl of Burnsides burn in hell.

[wholoveseggs]

Why is Daemon your favourite? Feel free to go full rant mode if you wish I’m very interested

Awww thank you Dex! I adore you ♡♡♡

I really went full rant on this one lol~ Had to put a keep reading bar on it because its a bit long...

To start off I'm a massive fan of the books and was beyond excited when they announced they were doing a spin-off about The Dance of the Dragons. Daemon was always a stand out character to me, and I couldn't wait to see him on screen. And when they cast Matt Smith, I... like a lot of people, didn't think he really fit the character.

I. Was. So. Wrong…

The moment I saw him, cocky as fuck, in full armor, I was completely hooked.

But it was more than just his looks that got me. His personality, the way he was so ruthless and so flirty at the same time was amazing. I love the way he's such a wild card, just so chaotic and charismatic.

Daemon's character is so complex and has a lot of layers to him, and I think Matt is amazing at portraying all of them. He just had this thing, this presence, and I was drawn to him instantly.

Is he a bad dude? Absolutely. But that makes him fun to watch. George R. R. Martin describes him as 'a man made of light and darkness in equal parts' and I think that sums up the character so perfectly. George also likes to write about a character being in conflict with themselves, and that's how I see Daemon. He's a bit of a mystery. He's a bad guy, but he's also not. He's a killer but he has his soft side.

I think he perfectly embodies what a Targaryen should be, in the books he's called the last dragonlord, and that's because he is such a nerd for his families unique culture, his brother Viserys loves to read all about the histories... but Daemon lives the lifestyle... He's hot and cold, he's dangerous and loving, he's the ultimate dragon loving bad boy… 

I also love the little moments where he seems like he's a genuinely good person, or tries to be, but his true nature always comes out in the end. There's just this vulnerability in him that makes you care about him, and I just want to give him a hug, and punch him at the same time.

&& Him and Rhaenyra.... I shouldn't like it... it's fucked up, its grooming... its incest... its really wrong... But... its so hot....

I don't want to get into spoilers for fire and blood, but his story ark is fucking incredible and how it ends for him is so insane and I can't wait to see it on screen!

Also, I just adore Matt Smith in everything he does, he so so so fucking talented!! Seeing him as the Doctor on Doctor Who, then Prince Phillip on the crown, and now House of the dragon... The man has incredible range (and he's the best thing about Morbius, he's the only one who understood what kind of movie he was in and he's a hilarious villain..) 

But, to summarize, I love him because he's sexy, funny, charismatic and one of the most complex and intriguing characters in the game of thrones universe.

Also, I have a weakness for any man in medieval armor...

With the short hairrr.. likeeee...... ♡♡♡ take me to dragonstone daddy ♡♡♡

[crusherthedoctor]

Hot take: humanizing a villain =/= giving him sympathetic traits. One of my favorite ways the games have humanized Eggman is by giving him a love for amusement parks. We can headcanon all the reasons why he enjoys them so much (and I like that one page in IDW where he says "If I want my enemies' last moments to be carousel music and the smell of petroleum-based cotton candy, that's what I'll make happen", that's a nice explanation), but at the end of the day, it's just a silly cute trait that tells us Eggman is a joyous manchild who is having a blast in his quest for world domination. Doesn't erase his various war crimes :P but he feels more rounded (hehe) as a character.

Strongly agree | Agree | Neutral | Disagree | Strongly disagree

Said it time and time again: some of the most widely beloved villains throughout all forms of fiction - video games, movies, comics, anime, you name it - have little-to-no sympathetic qualities or moral standards, and a big reason for why they become favourites anyway (aside from how enjoyable they are in their blatant villainy) is because they manage to be fascinating or nuanced in other ways. You can have a villain who is openly evil, proud of being openly evil, and kicks dogs every minute for the lulz, but what's stopping you from giving them a history? What's stopping you from going full character study and delving into how they work their evil magic, and in what specific ways they affect other characters? Sorry to bring up the Paper Mario fic again, but part of the fun I've been having with crafting it is the specific layers of just how Eggman decides to make things needlessly personal with the heroes.

The persistent schoolboy error that writers and fans frequently commit - especially in Eggman's case, much to my eternal grief - is the assumption and YouTube essays claiming that making a villain overtly tragic, or giving them some moral line that they won't cross, is the only possible way you can flesh them out. As you pointed out with your example, villains who are loud and proud about their evil ways can still have other sides of them explored, even if none of it actually softens or redeems them per say. You can give a villain admirable qualities that have nothing to do with their (lack of) morals, such as making them a good planner. Indeed, Eggman already has that and a bunch of other "good" qualities, such as being creative, showing fearlessness, and never giving up, among others. None of it detracts from his certified dipshit and furry executioner status.

And not to be one of those "does fiction affect reality???" goobers, but let's face it: putting the fantastical elements aside, people who don't need a reason to do bad shit do exist in real life. I'm not saying that as a nihilistic doomposter (on the contrary, I hate that shit), but what I mean is, painting every single villain as not-so-bad or just slightly grey is not a very helpful perspective. It's better to acknowledge that people with criminal activity on their hands come in all shapes and sizes, including motive: for every example who has a tragic past, there's another example who did it for the thrill.

[runespoor7]

nmj/wwx or jgy/wwx or lxc/wwx

Oh, interesting!

I answered under the cut, all three options and a surprise.

NMJ/WWX

don't ship it

Why don't you ship it?

lack of history in canon, I think. never really thought about it, they both die early without much to do with one another, I don't feel like I see what's going on there. I'm very busy shipping them with their respective it's-complicated.

What would have made you like it?

More history between them would have been a good start.

Despite not shipping it, do you have anything to say about it?

ok see the Draw for me here is that I think the in-universe RPF game for these two was insane. Probably unwarranted! Lots of LWJ or JC stuff being given to NMJ for some reason and some Meng Yao stuff given to WWX. But there was a time it was the big YLLZ-era ship. Righteous Chifeng-zun calling out and going to to war against the fallen Yiling Laozu! Action! Drama! Lots of possible captive scenarios! Some stories have WWX be secretly a spy for the Wens during the war and NMJ being unable to prove it, and realizing only after the war that WWX is trying to set himself up as the new WRH! Some stories have WWX save NMJ during the war, only to be corrupted by his demonic cultivation later on! It's definitely the Hot ship at the time.

It falls off in popularity after NMJ's death - it's taken over by WWX/JC (which had started becoming real popular since JC killed WWX; JC gets a lot of the darker versions of RPF!Chifeng-zun's personality traits in those stories) - but it probably leaves a decent smattering of heirs in non-RPF stories. The most popular romance story in the present is from an author who wrote NMJ/WWX, they're not quite expies but iykyk.

(the YLLZ's actual most common ship is YLLZ/Ghost General, in stories where YLLZ is the villain and not part of the main pair. These stories are overwhelmingly NMJ/JYL after she's been widowed by the YLLZ.)

JGY/WWX

don't ship it!

Why don't you ship it?

I have never seen a protagonist and a "main(?) antagonist" care so little about one another and be so perpendicular to each other's stories. The Venn diagram between WWX and JGY is "WWX's sidekick/boyfriend's brother is JGY's bestie" and "the person who wants JGY destroyed threw ideas at the wall and WWX stuck."

It's very interesting. It kind of makes mdzs into the kind of case fic where the case is less important than the emotions. For me, "the emotions," "the plot," was the mystery question of: "how come wwx died? how did it end up that way?"; I suspect ardent wgxn shippers see "the plot" as "how do wwx and lwj get together". In either case, it's got nothing to do with JGY.

What would have made you like it?

so if they did have interactions/history/something I might be into it, but otoh it's such a fun thing that they're just incidental to one another that it would almost be a shame.

(at this point it may become apparent that my answer to everything is "idk, if they'd been childhood friends and had a falling out?" but what can you do.)

This would have been a cool story: WWX and JGY knew one another as kids. Maybe WWX's parents left him at an inn down the street from the brothel Meng Yao lived in when they left on the night-hunt that would kill them.

Maybe bby Wei Ying boasted about his cultivator parents and gave Meng Yao pointers. Maybe Meng Yao gave WWX food once after bby WWX lost his parents. Maybe they played together/hid together. I see something like at most a few weeks of something that someone older would have called a friendship, and then bby WWX disappearing from Meng Yao's life.

Meng Yao remembers the other boy; WWX doesn't.

Depending on how long they were friends you might need to make up a reason why Meng Yao never learned the other boy's real name; maybe part of a joke during their first meeting that WWX refused to clear up later? fits in with WWX's joke to LQY. Or if they did exchange names, you might need a reason why Meng Yao doesn't try to turn his friendship with WWX into something actionable once he learns WWX is head disciple of YMJ. The reason might be as simple as Meng Yao not knowing what became of Wei Ying until after he tried to reach his father the first time. The rejection, the humiliation, the fear of being a laughing stock and or being rejected again, pride - those might suffice to explain why Meng Yao wouldn't throw himself at the mercy of Wei Ying or the Jiangs. (Especially if their meetings were under the sign of bby WWX bragging about his parents or sth like that.)

Keeping canon otherwise the same, this makes for a starting point for "what if" contemplations I'd be interested in.

Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it?

I'm very into JGY having Opinions on WWX. there are definitely cool AUs to be made about them.

LXC/WWX

don't ship it

Why don't you ship it?

most of my ships need some... thing from canon. LXC/WWX is a complete mystery. I would be interested in making up stories about them, simply because there would be many stories to tell depending on your starting point. But I'm probably not going to want to spend effort or time on it.

LWJ and his feelings are also very much something that I'd need to consider, from LXC's PoV at least. And that's a lot.

What would have made you like it?

Hm, I dunno. A very different canon? One where they have more history, or more scenes together. Possibly one where I'm more invested in LXC as well.

Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it?

Oh yes, it sounds fascinating!

Are we talking about WWX/LXC post-canon, with wgxn either a thing or having been a thing? How do they navigate LWJ's feelings for WWX? Are they going behind his back? Is it sad, or sordid, is it an unexpected friendship that goes deeper than any of them expected?

Or did LWJ die from his punishment while WWX was dead? Is LXC/WWX the relationship in this story because LXC has been mourning for his brother ever since; how resentful of WWX is he? Did LWJ try to get him to promise not to resent WWX? Does LXC try to understand WWX (for LWJ) anyway, does he try to meet him halfway? Does he end up seeing good things in WWX as well? Or it is a destructive urge that drives them together? (There would certainly be a parallel between LXC and JC in a story where LWJ died for WWX. Is WWX projecting? What kind of relationship do LXC and JC have?)

WWX/NMJ/LXC/JGY

I don't ship it but I think if given the opportunity WWX might joke about performing a 3zun hat trick a lot.

And then possibly commit to the bit, the only sort of commitment he's at ease with. (/cheap shot)

Or panic and not do it, given that he's hugely sentimental deep down, but he would love the joke!!!!

[mrsbsmooth]

So we know you love Lewie 💗💗 Any thoughts on the other islanders, the season so far, the twin twist? And what steamy fics can we expect from you 🔥🔥My request is for a threesome with Ozzy and Marshall 🥵👯‍♂️ Wait, am I Kat?! 🤣

tbf a LOT of the islanders are fire this season, so I’ll take them all! Ok, FB has turned me into thirsty Kat.

I MEANNNNNNNNNN

Honestly, thoughts are all over the place. But thank you so much for asking!!! Here they are as of today:

The Game:

The first 3 chapters - 8/10 I was going to give it a 7.5, because of the repeating dialogue and a few spelling mistakes, but so far, I think it's better written than Seasons 4 and 5- maybe on par with S3 which is a season I really enjoyed. I'm really liking how Amelia seems to be responding to how you treat her, especially if you look at the scripts. Whether or not that will affect her actions remains to be seen.

The MC - 8/10 I gotta say... she's pretty cute. It does take some fiddling to get her the way you want her, and some of her facial expressions make it look like she's had botched lip job, but overall, she's definitely prettier than S4 and S5. (Except your S5 MC ^^ wtf she's so pretty???)

The LIs - 9/10 So far, I'm really liking what I'm seeing. Yeah, some of their dialogue is the same. But I think they're different enough in personality and where it matters that it's not as noticeable as it was in say, Season 4, where James and Bruno shared a whole heap of the same dialogue, but it was clearly written with Bruno in mind, so it just seemed OOC for James. We've got a cocky dancer with a hopeless romantic streak; a golden retriever boyfriend with a soft spot for his Nan; a funny, cheeky skateboarder with a 'why-don't-you-make-me' level of flirt; and also Ryan is there. The personalities are distinct, the character designs are great, I'm really looking forward to finding out more about them

Overall design and concept- 7/10 I gotta say, I'm optimistic. It's starting out really strong for a new season. I get that it's not everyone's cup of tea, as it's a little 'gimmicky', but that's the road Fusebox are going down with the past few seasons. They're not just doing an 'open play' like S1, 2 and 3 where you come in as an OG and play all the way through. 4,5, and 6 are all 'themed', and I think having a twin in the villa is a cool concept that'll be worth exploring. It's been easy in previous seasons to just play for yourself, and say 'fuck these hoes' and just take whatever LI you want. But when it's your own sister, I think it'll make it harder to go after what you want - a moral dilemma with a family flavour. I kinda love it. Plus, if you have an identical twin that's as hot as you are, I doubt this is the first time you've had men confused about which one of you to pick💀

The Islanders:

Bella - hot. flawlessly hot. incredible rack. Her character design is absolutely gorgeous, and she is gonna be a fan favourite for sure. She just seems so fun, similar to Cora from S4, but more mature and ready for a romantic relationship. Can't wait to watch her bloom.

Grace - FB I will never forgive you for not making her a LI. I want her, those curves just *chefs kiss*. But honestly, if anyone's gonna be my bestie, I'm feeling it ith Grace. Yeah, she seems to like Ozzy, but she doesn't seem like the type to get her claws in and latch on for dear life a la Kat or Hope. Let's just hope and pray and beg that they're not making a brown girl villain again.

Ivy - I told y'all from the moment I saw her that I didn't trust this bitch. She looks too much like my cousin and my cousin is a backstabbing skank. I'm loving the concept of her though, this super type-A girl who (I almost guarantee) is either going to a) get kicked out early for being too picky, or b) have the most beautiful redemption arc where she ends up with a guy who ticks exactly zero of her boxes but she falls for him anyway. However, given Fusebox's history, I'm gonna predict she's the villain for about 2 days, then gets booted, same as Lexi from S4.

Jamal - Boys with J names 🚩... but honestly he seems nice. He's my backup LI at the moment. I'll see how things go with my #1 and might start again with Jamal instead. I think you're gonna get some wonderfully steamy scenes with this one. He's giving Bobby x Arjun, and that is something that deeply appeals to me. Cheeky, cheeky, cheeky. He's a saucy little minx and he's gonna be trouble, I just know it. Love his design, love his character so far, really happy.

Lewie - I thought he was a little baby-faced to start with, but honestly, I look at him and my brain screams husband. I'm getting Bruno x Gary x Ciaran from this one, and oh dear me, if that's not a combo that makes me swoon IDK what is. Love him so far, he's such a sweetheart but I love a footy lad.

Ozzy - I'm suspicious. I know he's already captured a few peoples' attention, but I was a little dismissive with him and he seemed a bit... red flag-y. Just a little too arrogant, you know? A little too flirtatious for someone who's very aware of how into him Grace is. I did like that he'd never had a one night stand though, although not sure how that meshes with the celebrity he apparently hooked up with in the dance studio? Because in the challenge he said he'd never dated a celebrity, but he also said he's never had a one night stand, so did he have a celebrity FWB????? The stories just aren't adding up to me. I don't trust him. Also his jaw's too sharp. And his flirty face looks like Rocco from S2. This one:

🥴

Ryan - Literally who? I keep forgetting he exists. Take your Timothee Chalamet ass away. IDK why but I'm getting Nicolas vibes from this one. 0/10 do not trust. It's something about the face.

Fics:

You want steamy fics? The @litgwritersroom asks are open, just sayinnnn

[jtheplante]

All Hail King Julien survey! 🎉

Feel free to copy & paste, then give ur own answers! 👍 Stolen from @fairfaxandy

1. What do you think about All Hail King Julien?

Worst show ever

2. When did you first watch the show?

I knew this show existed for years. WHY DID I SLEEP ON IT FOR SO LONG??? Anyway last June I think I finally gave the 1st episode a chance, I was bored & looking for something new. The 1st episode is only okay so I didn't think much of it. A few weeks later (early July) I decided to give the show a 2nd chance. Episode 2 is meh, but it was Episode 3 w/the absolute gay furry thirst trap that is Karl Fanaloka that won me over & sealed my fate to watch the whole show 🔥

3. Favorite season?

Season 2 is probably the best season of any show ever in history. Exiled as a whole is also amazing but sadly dips in quality for a couple episodes IMO

4. Favorite episode?

Um have u even watched my episode rank video?? I put s3e6 (Jungle Games) as my #1, but as time's gone on, I think it's really s5e11 (KJ Is Watching You AKA the Orange ITN Black parody episode). Ted is peak and this episode is his peak 🔥

5. Least favorite episode?

As said in my ep rank video!! The S3 opener - O Captain Where Aren't Thou (both parts). Jokes fall flat, KJ's parents are a pain to watch, & the pirate crew is so forgettable I can't name a single one off the top of my head

6. Favorite scene?

Um the whole show but the hardest I laughed at any moment was when Ted suddenly exploded on stage while singing for no f*cking reason

7. Least favorite scene?

s3e4 the episode basically opens with a minute of nasty visualized farts & everyone vomiting on each other. I like gross-out to an extent but this was TOO. MUCH.

8. Favorite characters?

1st: Ted my beloved 💗💗💗 he's so much like me it's scary

2nd: King Julien - a VERY close 2nd. His energy & ability to stay goofy in even the worst situations inspires me to be the same 🔥

3rd: Karl - Gay thirst trap hottie social reject misunderstood sad backstory creative genius who just wants love 😭😭😭

4th: Mort - Objectively the best fictional character of all time. Sure he delivers the funniest moments in animated history but I don't really feel a connection with him like I do the top 3

5th: "Uncle" Julien - sass and ASS 🍑🥵 I love villains who are unapologetically assholes. His redemption was forced & stupid

9. Least favorite character?

Maggie - I love farts but it 100% depends on who. If it's a hot guy then 😍😍😍 but this is an old woman so 🤢 & that's like her whole character

10. Favorite ships?

Jaurice - absolutely adorable couple, heck I get teary eyed just thinking about them, gosh I'm so gay. Anyway their ship is extra special b/c KJ is usually hedonistic & horni, but with Maurice it's so wholesome & romantic 🥺

Julieddy & Karlien - These 2 ships have their own unique dynamics, but I put them together b/c they're both a gay man desperately wanting a man they can't have. This kinda situation always fascinates me & I can relate myself...

Karl x Chauncey - we all kno who Karl wants the most, but the fact that he has a happy life with Chauncey makes me happy 😌

Pandy - Be gay do crime

Ted x Horst - tbh if Ted finally divorced & married a man instead, Horst is a genuine contender

Nurse Phantom & Dr. S - the way they bicker is hilarious

KJ x Rob - Gay booty bumpin hotties enough said

11. Least favorite ships?

Clage - I've already ranted about it a million times it's just crap

"Uncle" Julien x Zora - like I said, forced & stupid

Willie x anyone - Willie's too innocent y'all

12. Have you ever cried while watching?

I'm an overly emotional gay man I cry over litcherally everything. I practically choked to death crying the first time I saw Maurice fall 😭

13. Favorite songs?

-Theme song superiority 🔥🔥🔥

-True Bromance is a gay anthem for the ages

-All Eyes On Me (Photronique) 🔥🔥

-I also like Swagnificent & Big Stacks

[cyaniiiide]

Pokemon Violet Thoughts

Pokemon Scarlet/Violet spoilers below!!

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I did not expect to like this game as much as I did omg. I saw a lot of criticism, and while valid, the game is still very very very fun. (Tbf it'd be pretty hard to mess up a Pokemon game though!!)

Honestly, this might be one of my favorite storylines out of any Pokemon game? I've played through most of the Pokemon games (except Coliseum, Snap, Legends Arceus) + only got through half of SwSh and SuMo, but I know what happens in the Gen 7 and 8 storylines. BW/BW2's storyline was more consistent in terms of quality (SV has higher highs and lower lows imo), and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon is amazing too, but it follows predictable patterns and its main strength lies in its characterization rather than its actual plot. I haven't played Legends Arceus yet so that's still up in the air (though I hear it's good!)

I really enjoyed the reveal that the Professor Turo we knew was actually an AI, and exploring the Great Crater with our friends from school was so endearing and fun. The Great Crater itself looked incredible -- the design and the music really contributed to its otherworldly ambiance. Even reading the Violet Book made me really excited -- but then again, I've always been a sucker for stories of adventure. I would kill to have a Made in Abyss style anime of Heath's expedition into the Crater...

The characters in this game feel really alive, too -- Pokemon games have definitely stepped up their game in that regard. I liked Nemona the most (and how self-aware, yet incorrigible she is lol), and most of the teachers. ❤️

Miriam is such a sweetheart, and Hassel's sobbing whenever he was proud of us was so cute haha. Salvatore didn't speak to me as much, but I enjoyed his mini-storyline of befriending a Pokemon that didn't really speak, and him being completely understanding (as a languages teacher) that sometimes you don't need to speak the same language, or even a language to communicate with others around you. His entire character is such a vibe, too?? He's so happy and upbeat, and his advice about trying to learn the languages of places you go to and complimenting other people (especially their culture, food, etc.) is so real. Miriam being motivated by our dedication in the Treasure Hunt to pursue her own certification was sweet, I've definitely felt that way before as well (being motivated by the efforts of others, that is. ;o;)

Raifort I didn't connect to as much, but I appreciate her zealousness towards history. Her overall personality was pretty fun. xD I really really did enjoy the story about the ruinous treasure Pokemon, though -- one of my favorite (if not favorite) legendary Pokemon stories now. I've always loved fairytale-esque stories, and the designs of these Pokemon (especially Chien Pao and Chi Yu) are amazing. Their battle music is one of the best things I've ever listened to, so there's that too. xD

NPC designs have also stepped up (Grusha and Rika are so hot LOL), but player customization has taken a step back which was very disappointing to find out. And much as I loved Pokemon ScarVio overall, I do understand where a lot of the grievances people had came from.

I don't consider myself a genwunner (far from it lol) but many of the new Pokemon designs just felt... lacking? Like beta designs. Flamigo, Tandemaus, Palafin, Pawmot. Some of these are probably just personal preference so I won't harp on this too much, but eh.

Arven's storyline also didn't speak to me as much but that also just kind comes down to personal preference.

Something I also didn't like as much was the Team Star storyline -- it felt kind of contrived, and like it was really trying to make us feel bad for the area leaders. I also didn't care for Penny that much, although her interactions in the Great Crater area made up for it.

I would've rather we had a proper villainous team this generation instead of getting Team Star, but I guess then it would've been weird if the school let us run around the country lol.

Because run around the country we did... from top to bottom, for those f**king ominous stakes. They couldn't have made them show up on the map either (unless there's a function I missed. Which if that is the case let me live in ignorance aaaaaaaah I'll legit start foaming at the mouth if it turns out I just needed to turn something on). The idea of the stakes sealing these ruinous Pokemon's powers is alright, it's just annoying to have to scramble down cliffs and valleys to find 32 of these things.

As much as I do like the Great Crater part of the storyline, I wish it was more ingrained with everything else. The gym challenges, Team Star, the herba mystica... I mean, it was technically ingrained in the sense that you need to help your rivals out with their issues so they can accompany you into the crater, but there should've been more story significance tying everything together.

I also would've appreciated some sidequests in the Pokemon world. Coming from Genshin, I'm kind of spoiled in that regard (the world is soooo chock-full of events and quests and areas to explore). While Paldea doesn't really need that many quests and hidden areas (it's gotten to the point where exploration is kind of exhausting in Genshin lol), more would've been nice.

Environmental storytelling almost always hits, and it could've been a nice way to talk about the issues invasive species pose (basically our reason for shutting down the time machine) and in turn, connect things to the main storyline as well. For example, Barraskewda's Violet Pokedex entry mentions that it completes with Palafin for food -- what if Barraskewda wasn't native to Paldea, and just hitched a ride from Galar? We could have had a sidequest to curb the Barraskewda population to help the native Palafin population recover. That's just one example, too. What about the giant Iron Treads in the desert, or the rolling boulders dropped by Bombirdier? That things had to have caused some collateral damage, and it would have been cool to get quests to help the Pokemon or people in the area recover.

Paldea's open world was very beautiful and fun to explore, but it was also really... empty. I hope that in a future iteration of games, these kinds of sidequests can be added. The addition of them would really help make the world feel more alive.

And while I do really like ScarVio's story, its execution could have been a lot better than it was. But despite all the game's flaws, it was still incredibly fun ,and surprisingly touching. :') I am very extremely excited for the eventual DLC that will hopefully give us a glimpse of that hexagonal Pokemon, and more story content of the main four. 🥺🥺🥺

[fireemblems24]

Fire Emblem Engage 15 - 17

Spoilers for FE Engage 15+. Though, this game is way better at gameplay than it is with story, but the characters are all likable so I'm good.

I really appreciate how different all the nations and their castles and interiors look in this game. I adore Three Houses, but one thing I really wish they did was have more variety in the weather, landscapes, etc . . . This game nailed it.

Solm, a desert country, having waterfalls in their palace is such a good touch. Not only does it show that water would be valued in a place like this, but it's also flaunting the royal family's wealth and power, like a palace should.

I'm not sure I'll ever warm up to Veyle. She's a walking moe cliche. Mind control. Innocent cute loli type otherwise. But, hey, I didn't like Hortensia at one point but her VA sold me in the last chapter.

Does anyone else find it a bit funny that we're a dragon worshipped as a god with influence over the land and this is a good thing. It's like a giant middle finger to those people who tried to rewrite the entire history of the franchise around a certain character's not-so-great view of dragons.

Also worth noting that Brodia invading Elusia is seen as a universal bad and something Diamant's supports resolve around stopping. Just putting that out there.

Ivy/Diamant feels cannon to me. It makes too much sense.

Kagetsu is so awkward. I love him.

I feel like I just took half of my units and got them with level 5 with Byleth. Mentorship is too good not to stick on a few people, and it's cheap too.

I love how literally no one takes Hortensia seriously. It makes an otherwise grating character kind of cute.

Holy shit, Merrin laid it on thick for Chloe. Honestly, don't blame her. But she is not subtle, gave Chloe flowers, called her beautiful, then asked her to dinner. Homegirl's even willing to try and stomach Chloe's . . . uh "food" choices. And Chloe thinks Merrin is like a cool knight out of a fairy tale. 100% new ship happening.

So far I like AlearxAlfred, IvyxDiamant, CelinexAlcryst, and now ChloexMerrin.

Alfred and Boucheron's support went exactly like I imagined it would. Poor dude. Alfred would lose his mind meeting Dimitri, someone who's abnormally strong despite not looking like a hulk, but is still shredded.

Alfred is probably the only person in the world who would've be offended or weirded out when someone asked to lick the flowers he's wearing and also offer to get licked later. Otherwise, Bunet is weird.

Seadall is VERY hot. He's like Sothe and Navarre had a baby. Or like Navarre put Sothe's clothes on.

F!Alear confronting Veyle again had really good voice acting. As long as we ignore that everyone just stood around instead of attacking her. Gratned, it was un-brainwashed Veyle who wasn't attacking so I'll let it go. Maybe.

Doing Ike's prologue is making me feel things. The nostalgia is real.

I love so, so much that one of Byleth's canned dialogue in Somniel is "Nothing to report!" and his paralogue is the Holy Tomb. And most of his dialogue was about Rhea, lol.

Eirika, my beloved, she's finally coming to me 😭😭😭😭😭😭 thank you, Rosado and Goldmary.

Rosado and Goldmary are both amazing. I want to use both, but I can't. There's just no room for both. But I think I'll use Goldmary because she's a bit better out of the box. She takes self-absorbed to hysterical new levels lol.

Anyone else think it's dumb that in Classic your units can die in the ring paralogues? It's like, oh bummer, Lyn/Corrin/etc just killed my healer who's the little sister of my mage, but our bonds are now stronger!

It feels extra sad seeing Firene get attacked. It's such a peaceful kingdom. It's nice to see Alfred back in the spotlight though. His lines about how these are just farmers and not soldiers reminds me a lot of Dimitri after Lonato.

I love how often the villains chit-chat with the heroes before and after battles, but like they never attack or threaten each other.

So mean that they're making Ivy and Hortensia fight their own dad :(

So I didn't start ch 17 after seeing the dialogue because it was too late and I didn't realize it, but I'm seeing the world map now and it's on fire :(

FYI, put Corrin on Alear. She/he can use all of the Dragon Vein terrain bonuses. I know most classes are locked to one type or another. I don't know if there's any other exceptions like Alear, but man I'm loving using this ring on Alear.

Alfred just did 5 criticals in a row. You think enemies would wise up and quit attacking him, but no. He is pissed off right now.

Alfred deserved that MVP. Boy put in the work.

Haha, they lost a ring. Wonder who I got back? And Veyle threw us another one? Nice! She got some points back despite being a character archtype I'm not about.

SIGURD! Fuck yes. Everyone's getting Canto. And Lief. Less exciting, but I'll take it. Jugdral boys are back.

[not-your-bro]

Asking for until dawn for the questions is obvious but I am genuinely curious

hey, nothing wrong with the obvious choice!

❤Favorite character: imagine if i got real ooc and didn't say josh LOL. nah, it's gotta be him. not just my favorite UD character but probably my Character of All Time. i love a self-loathing, self-destructive, become-the-villain type, and he ticks all those boxes. extra points for masking his vulnerabilities with charisma and humor. MWAH. what a chef's-kiss of a character.

👿Least favorite character: ashley. i love & respect that people fuck with her for her dark streak, and i think that makes her more interesting than she otherwise would be, but i don't really see why she's like that. many of the UD characters act in sort of...hate-able ways, but it's stated - or i can infer - what internal/external issues lead them to behave that way. with ash i'm like idk girl, kinda just seems like you're mean sometimes! more power to her, but not for me.

💐Comfort character: i know this is gonna come as a big surprise but........it's josh. guy's lived in my head rent-free for 7 years and i don't think he's ever moving out.

😍Character you have the biggest crush on: i'm past the age of having crushes on these characters, but in 2015-16, my ass was not immune to josh. his outdoors look, with the vest and the beanie - it's a good one.

🤝Character you relate to the most: chris. maybe i'm projecting lmao but his class clown vibe screams 'compensating for extreme social anxiety' to me, and that's something i relate to, especially in group situations.

🔥Character you think is overrated: i don't feel too strongly about this now, but if you asked me years ago, i would've said mike. some of the mike love at the height of the fandom went hand-in-hand with emily hate, and i didn't like that he seemed to skirt criticism just because he was funny.

🧨Character you love to hate: mike again. do i love to hate him? do i hate to love him? my relationship with him is complex and unknowable, even to myself. what i do know is that i derive great pleasure from shoving his fingers in that bear trap.

🙈Character you always forget exists: matt. nice guy, but his lack of screen time dooms him to being forgettable, and he honestly doesn't seem like he knows anyone that well. personally, i'd prefer if matt was Some Hot Guy emily found so she wouldn't have to show up alone, and that last-minute addition to the group is partly why josh sends them on a wild bag chase.

🐰Favorite non-human character: i don't have much choice besides handigo here, but thankfully handigo fucking rules. i love that hannah's association with the butterfly is not just an obvious nod to the butterfly effect but a symbol/foreshadowing of her later transformation. i love how brutally she destroys everyone, that her inclusion means UD is still a revenge story, but not the revenge story you thought it would be at the beginning. i don't think any piece of hannah is still in there - i think she's just a monster running on the fumes of residual emotions she doesn't even comprehend - but i don't think that makes her any less rad.

❤️‍🩹Character who deserved better: josh. while i can appreciate that the game is sympathetic towards him, it's simply not a good look to make him the only person who can't survive (in human form). i get that not being able to control his fate is The Point, but it's not worth feeding into the tired, bleak message that horror has a history of sending to those who are mentally ill.

(ask game here)

[make-it-mavis]

Hey! I've got some more questions! I'm on a roll lol! Thank you so so much for answering the last one!

This ones more of a what if. But I just got to randomly thinking, what if Litwak kept Turbotime instead of scraping it for parts, and then he went "you know what? This game was a real gem of its time, let's see if I can get it fixed and back up and running." And the game ended up working just fine and he put it BACK in the arcade years later? I read somewhere that if a game cabinet ends up getting plugged back in the characters within it respawn. But they don't remember anything about their lives before getting unplugged. So if it were to happen, Turbo wouldn't remember committing any of his grisly crimes, or even Mavis. Also I wonder how the arcade as a whole would take to the most feared criminal in their history literally coming back from the dead. I just was curious about your outlook. :)

This next question is about Mavis, you kind of alluded in Tightrope that Mavis was presumed dead like Turbo in that conversation with Felix and Ralph. So did she fake her own death to be able to go with him to take over Sugarush? If she did, how did she pull that off?

Thats all I got for today, I'm sorry for the long winded questions! I get to thinking sometimes, then I fall right down into a rabbit hole. I know that the chances of Turbotime ever getting plugged in again are absolutely zero. Litwak more than likely had it scrapped for parts, or just downright had it taken to the junkyard to rot. Which is so heartbreaking to even think about. But I just want him back man! He was such an excellent and formidable villain. Probably the very last great Disney villain, especially in recent years. Their writing has just been so lazy and lackluster recently. Disappointing. (*cough cough*, that sorry excuse of a sequel that is just downright insulting to the first wreck it Ralph movie). He was hands down one of the best parts of the first movie. And of course it doesn't help that I have it down bad for him now thanks to you!! I was terrified of him as a kid, but you somehow managed to make me have the hots for him?! Like HOW?! Thank you for tolerating my rambling lol. It's so good to hear from you again!:)

First off, I will say again, every time I can make someone hot for that little grey bean I gain a year on my life

ANYWAY

1. Huh! I never actually considered that as a possibility. I guess somehow it didn't occur to me to think about how a game being plugged back in would work, but it happens in RBTI. PERSONALLY... I feel like there would not be any reset on the characters' minds, especially if they weren't in the game when it happened. If we're assuming the cabinets have memory storage, unplugging them wouldn't erase that. But maybe having the game boot up again would physically summon Turbo back into Turbo Time, and he'd have a lot to answer for. Unless the actual game's memory unit was replaced, I don't think the characters would have any reason to forget, but even if it was, I think the game would spawn new versions of the characters. So there would be a New Turbo strutting around, but the Old Turbo would still be alive and hiding. Which would do great for his psyche I'm sure.

2. Yup, after Sugar Rush was plugged in and the plan to usurp the throne was concocted, Mavis knew that in order to live her life as Pyrite unquestioned, the arcade would have to believe she was dead. I never fully figured out how she would go about faking her death though. She definitely would not have stuck around long enough after to see Felix mourn.

Thank you for the asks and little thought exercises! Always fun to muse

[rachaellawrites]

12, 30, 34, 45 for the ask game :))

Thanks for the ask!

12. Describe your perfect writing space

At a desk by a window with a pretty view - though honestly any kind of sunny day shining through a window makes me happy lol. Add in no interruptions and a hot apple cider and I'm good to go.

30. Favourite idea you haven’t started on yet

Aaaaah, I have so many wips hanging around in my head that I haven't had the chance to do any actual writing for yet. If I had to choose, though, I'd probably go for my rare non-contemporary fantasy idea, which involves elemental magic, a magic academy, and a villain bent on reaching a banished god.

34. What was the hardest scene you ever had to write?

This was a tricky one to pick, but I think I'm gonna go with a scene from Witchy Standalone. A character deals with a lot of sexist and ignorant comments about what a "real" mother should be, and she finally pushes back against it. I specifically wrote it as a sort of catharsis for the rhetoric I encountered as a mom who had a C-section and never managed to nurse, so it's a very personal scene to me.

45. How much world building do you do?

Definitely depends on the story. Most of my stories are real world contemporary fantasies, so the world building largely focuses on figuring out how the magic system works and some details about where it fits in historically. Otherwise, characters and settings are very much able to be a reflection of the world I actually live in. However, with something like The Willing and The Chosen, which is a second world contemporary fantasy, I've had to actually figure out a map and history and politics for an entirely new world. I was surprised by how much I loved making a map (I rolled dice to get the rough shape and attributed the numbers to certain terrain/geological features), especially figuring out what things would be called, why they were called that, what kind of people lived there, etc. I will say, though, as a plantser I'm constantly adding more details as I go, so I don't know if my world will ever feel properly finished or ready (at least to me).

Thanks again for the ask! 🥰

[el-los-world]

Alrighty, here I am with more Darkiplier headcanons (bc I am a shameless Darkiplier apologist) that have been living in my mind, head, and brain rent free 24/7, 365.

Again, if I am wrong about ANY of this, please don't hesitate to correct me. These are just wee little ideas I'm spewing here.

OK, so @markiplier stated in his ADWM breakdown stream how he was the fucking WORST. He was just fucking AWFUL. He was a social manipulator because of that, right? And while I do think that is true, I also have a feeling that part of the reason why he social manipulates you is because it's a defense mechanism (Well, on Damien's part, anyway. Celine does it bc that's just how she is, me thinks. Hence the "don't trust the seer" in WKM.) He's already been fucked over once. He's not allowing that shit to happen to him ever again, if he can help it. If anyone was gonna be fucking people over, it was gonna be him. He's done being a victim. As Damien once said "I'm tired of being a pawn in everybody's game."

Whatever you want Darkiplier to be to you, he will be it (this most likely goes hand-in-hand with his manipulation, to an extent. Hence the "if dinner is what you want, then I can provide..." in ADWM.) Actor!Mark obviously wants him to be the villain, so clearly, he's going to play that part, and play it exceptionally well. But with me, he seems a lot more like an anti-hero. It fits him so well, in my eyes. No, I'll admit, he's not some prince charming in shining armor, but he's not the full antagonist here, either. He's a perfect little mixture of both, to me (again, this could be me just being a complete Darkiplier apologist here. Don't quote me on this, please. )

Here's an extra bonus HC I have for Wilford, Dark, and Eric Derekson.

Wilford and Dark adopt him and raise him as their own. Dark tries his hardest to be the responsible and stern (but not too stern/abusive) parent. Meanwhile Wilford is the "Cool Parent™️." Dark and Wilford are both so protective of him. Actually, scratch that, all of the egos (even Googleplier and Actor!Mark) are protective with this sweet baby boy. The second Derek starts being a douche towards Eric (or really just be in the same room with Eric just to make him feel uncomfortable, or starts looking at him funny), everyone grabs the nearest object to just fucking PUMMEL or SHOOT the fucking dick with.

Dark and Eric spend time together by having coffee/tea and sitting in the library together while listening to soft music. It helps With poor Eric's nerves and anxiety, lets him relax for a while, as well as his medication, which both remind him to do frequently. Wilford spoils the FUCK out of him by taking him on shopping sprees, a movie, or even grabbing him a bite to eat, and such. It is pretty much the only time you see him being truly happy.

If there's anybody that could honestly trust Dark to not manipulate them, it's Eric and Wilford. Wilford because of their history, Eric because he has honestly done nothing wrong. He's precious. He's truly and purely innocent, and it tears Dark's heart to see what he's been through. He can't go through with it.

They're happy, but dear Lord, they are such a dysfunctional hot mess. But make no mistake, as long as he is with them, he's acknowledged, he's appreciated, he's validated, he's cared for, he's loved.

Now remember, I may be wrong about all of these things. I'm not Markiplier. I don't have any anecdotal details for these characters, and if I did, it's bc Mark told me, and I would not tell Jack shit unless Mark told me it was OK to leak this info out.

[darkqueenofshadows85]

Top 5 Worst Sonic Game Stories (So Far)

Greetings, mortals! Today, I'll be doing a list of my top five worst Sonic game stories so far.

Please keep in mind, this is MY OPINION! You don't need to agree with it, but please don't complain in the comments section if you happen to like any of the Sonic game stories on this list.

Disclaimer: I will be judging the following games by the plot and writing, not the gameplay.

Anyway, let us begin! ^^

5. Sonic Forces (2017)

Where to start with Sonic Forces? It had so much potential, but it was utterly wasted with stupid jokes, a poorly written story with major plotholes, and a new villain who amounts to nothing more than a one dimensional edgelord. Also, Classic Sonic is there for no reason.

4. Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal (2014)

SEGA and Sonic Team's answer to insomnia, a boring plot that shares many of the same problems as Rise of Lyric, including cheesy dialogue, unfunny "jokes", butchered characterizations, bad visual presentation, and forgettable, unimpressive music.

3. Sonic Free Riders (2010)

It's incredibly boring, the PowerPoint style cutscenes are the textbook definition of lazy, the story has very little connection to the first two Sonic Riders games, the overall tone of the "plot" feels shallow and mean-spirited, and the characters acting like a bunch of five year olds is just painful to watch.

2. Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric (2014)

What can I say about this game's story that hasn't been said already? Easily the worst out of the three Sonic Boom games by a long shot, Rise of Lyric bored me to death and made me cringe at the same time.

Dishonorable mentions:

• Sonic Colors (2010)

The beginning of the franchise's downfall in terms of writing and atmosphere; the plot is as barebones as it gets, and the writing is too jokey and childish for its own good.

• Sonic Generations (2011)

It has no plot really, and what little plot that DOES exist in this game is generally inoffensive, inconsequential fluff at best, but at least I found it to be more tolerable than any of the other Meta Era games to a certain extent.

• Sonic Rivals (2006) and Sonic Rivals 2 (2008)

The story in both games is kind of a hot mess; the conflict between characters comes off as kind of forced at times, and Eggman Nega as a character makes no sense. However, I do consider Sonic Rivals 2 to be the best one out of the two, as I really liked Shadow and Metal Sonic's dynamic, as well as Silver's overall characterization (which, along with his portrayal in Sonic 06, is peak Silver characterization in my opinion).

• Sonic Boom: Fire and Ice (2016)

It's slightly more tolerable than its predecessors (the improved visual presentation certainly helps), but it's still bland and forgettable.

• Team Sonic Racing (2019)

It has many of the same problems as Sonic Free Riders; generic lazy plot and PowerPoint style cutscenes. Also, the big reveal that Dodon Pa, who was previously set up to be one of the game's antagonists, was actually a good guy all along, was so poorly executed, that it isn't believable in the slightest. They were trying to pull a reverse Merlina, but failed miserably.

1. Sonic Lost World (2013)

I HATE this game. I hate it, hate it, hate it. I hate this game more than Roger Ebert hates the movie North. Everything about this game's story is an agonizing experience from beginning to end. It has THE worst writing in the entire series (and that's against some stiff competition for the Meta Era), Sonic and Tails have been butchered beyond redemption, and the Deadly Six are the most pathetic excuses for villains I've ever seen. As Sonic game stories go, Sonic Lost World is the worst of the worst. The absolute bottom of the barrel. I personally consider it to be the number one worst Sonic game story and the lowest point in Sonic's long running history next to the Sonic Boom series.

Thanks for reading! I hope you guys enjoyed this top five list and I'll see you next time!! ^^