#I love exploring each of the ninjas roles in the team | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

galsgeneration · 2 years ago

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Same asker as the previous query about ships here. I wanna know how you feel about Shadow/Espio. It’s one of my fave ships, but there’s so little content for it even compared to other rarepairs. I feel that it’s OOC to some extent, as most ships with Shadow are (including Sonadow imo, even though I love that ship too) but I’m curious if/how you think Shadpio could work. And what you think about their dynamic in general. I’m always researching them but I assume you’d be more knowledgeable.

That's an awesome question! There's a particular charm in Shadow and Espio's dynamic when we get to analyze the characters' individual traits being displayed in the short interactions they've had thus far.

Considering the definition of "ship" in fandom usually leans toward romance, I personally can't see Shadow involved in some form with any of the characters, judging by how he thinks, acts and what we can conclude from his dangerously pure nature in the canon material (including Sonic X, as his characterization in the japanese script is faithful to his game counterpart). Espio, on the other hand, appears to be slightly more open to a conventional approach on the matter, but that would require further development and exploration on his relationships with other characters beyond the Chaotix, like Sonic, Rouge, Silver, etc.

As for creative content taking from the canon, it's only "out of character" if the intention within how they think of the other is somewhat changed, along with the characters' core traits, main relationships and their influence (or not) in the context of the specific moments they share with one another. With that being said, I can only say my personal thoughts on them based on what SEGA has already explored/showed, without going into "shipping" and "TV tropes" territory or "non-canon" media (i.e. Archie comics and The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog).

Shadow and Espio share a few similarities here and there, when it comes to their methods and decisions upon facing the emergence of a threat and the opportunity to strike at the right moment (i.e. their stance on Mr. Tinker/Dr. Eggman before and after the Metal Virus incident in the IDW comics, except that Shadow was hellbent on taking him down straight away while Espio only verbalized the idea to Sonic after having to deal with the outcome himself). They are not opposed to killing, either.

Although Shadow is cold-natured (bearing in mind he's also a man-made weapon), Espio has a rather calm, stealthy and deadly approach in battle that's almost a parallel to Shadow's more feisty, ruthless combat style. Their fighting tactics are precise and deceptive, whether in an ambush or general warfare - each in their own specialty, since Shadow is a master in Chaos Control and Espio a nin-jutsu specialist ninja - and they're equally confident in their skills. Striking from behind and when the foe least expects it can be quite their thing, too.

I enjoy the first look we got into their dynamic during the Semi-Hero route of Shadow the Hedgehog (2005), after the events of Sonic Heroes. Understanding that Shadow was seeking for the truth about himself and his past, it's easier to picture how Espio could affect and assist Shadow in the future (if SEGA ever considers the idea) after they situationally teamed up when infiltrating Dr. Eggman's database. Espio had asked Shadow if he felt like giving him a hand in looking for some information the Chaotix needed at the time, and Shadow hoped to find something useful about himself. Therefore, the mutual aid would only be beneficial. In one of the japanese summaries of the game for the boss battle following this specific mission, Shadow acknowledges Espio's role in defeating the Doctor and escaping the electronic world with him.

Something I also find curious is the way Espio managed (or at least tried) to bring Shadow back to the present throughout the mission, upon noticing how much the doubts and misleading offers kept getting at Shadow. There's a lot of cool and high-spirited lines coming from Espio to ground and help Shadow zero in back on his main goal (i.e. "Stop thinking about it, let's just keep going"; "It's all nonsense talk to trick you at the end of the day"; "Right now, let's focus on defeating [Dr. Eggman] to get out of here."). Hence, I can see Shadow being neutral towards Espio as he never stood on his way, nor manipulated him for his own gain (Espio doesn't like dishonesty, after all!).

Despite the whole ordeal Shadow went through in his self-titled game, it's a fact that Shadow can be impulsive when dabbling with danger, meaning he can be distracted once caught up in his own thoughts/emotions or the thrill of a challenge sometimes. It's a nice detail in opposition to Espio's cautious behavior, since he isn't distracted easily; even when his team is at risk, he attempts to keep himself level-headed and not lose his focus.

Still, something they absolutely have in common is an interest for dangerous missions and (the semblance of) perfectionism. Espio enjoys the "aesthetic" of staying in the shadows, though he sometimes makes the mistake of sneezing and compromising his invisibility; Shadow is a perfectionist by his own standards and doesn't tolerate anything but the ultimate performance from himself and others (even if he miscalculates at times due to a myriad of reasons). The manner that Shadow and Espio see the topic of perfectionism and balance can be an intriguing point for conflict, too.

On another note, during the only verbal interaction between the two in Sonic X, Espio asks Shadow if he's going to rescue Dr. Eggman after the Chaotix gave him a ride, in which Shadow responds that his only target is Dark Oak. This also shows how Espio doesn't know exactly/can predict Shadow's motivations or actions, but his optimism remains present nonetheless. Regardless of the events in the anime not being canon, we can see how direct and brief their conversations are, especially after Shadow's clarification (and subtle correction). This aspect is not different in the mainline games, as they only address the other when it's extremely necessary, or if the situation calls for a change.

All in all, I believe Shadow and Espio, as a dynamic and hypotetical "pairing," can be very interesting if we put these moments into perspective instead of latching onto popular tropes we find oftenly in the fandom (it's also the case for many other fictional ones).

My thoughts and considerations on them got longer than I intended, but I hope this is what you expected to read (and understand) from how I view them! They do have the potential to work as an intriguing, fleeting duo in the absence of the Chaotix and/or Shadow's usual allies, but that's all up to SEGA. 😜

#anonymous #reply

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peachyninjago · 2 years ago

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Anyways, for the ask thing. Is show x movie done yet? I would LOVE to hear about it cuz I think it's a concept that should be explored more. Also because I like reading things like that. Also because I have a wip about it at one point. ANYWAYS please give because all of your aus are the most superior 🙏🙏🙏

SHOW × MOVIE FOR YOU TWO!!! (and some more lfdacbaak :]) i'll do a hc for each ninja and their counterpart :DD

• (this one doesnt count its just backstory aucufuafa) SxM happens bc S!Lloyd's oni/dragon powers kicked in and whoops!! wuh-oh!!! accidentally opened a portal to another realm!!!! ..oh its chill? its chill AND it has alternate versions of ourselves?? oh nvm this place sounds SICK

• S!Kai and M!Kai get along pretty well!! s!kai sometimes finds his counterpart pretty childish, but he cant judge him. he was like that once, too. and m!kai thinks s!kai is really awesome!! maybe he needs to lighten up a bit, but 100% a good role model/mentor!! co-cereators of the 'multi-versal Lloyd protection squad'. s!kai is ENAMORED by the fact that m!kai and his sister are twins. they are also. Very Competitive sugauwguaf. like i said, mentor/student dynamic with em :)

• S!Cole and M!Cole are also pretty alright with each other!!! they're both introverts so. they (affectionately) talk shit abt their teammates w one another. m!cole gets his counterpart into music, and s!cole does the viceversa with dancing!! also I like to think m!cole hasn't really processed his moms death yet so s!cole really teaches him to Stop Shoving His Grief aside and allow himself to mourn. less mentor/student and more father/son or older/younger brother for these two

• OKAY. MAYBE A CONTROVERSIAL TAKE. s!jay and m!jay do NOT get a long. or they get along the worst, at least. s!jay doesn't really like how his counterpart is all 'uwu softboy who loves nya and is too nervous to speak and also does Not know how to invent'. he even doubts that mf grew up in a junkyard. and the feeling is (kinda) reciprocated!! m!jay is pretty scared (and envious) of s!jay. 'he's with nya. he's so much more confident than me. he's amazing at building and inventing. i wish i could be more like Him'. they'd actually be pretty good friends if they just looked past one anothers flaws tho (very much reluctant mother goose being followed by a clingy gosling dynamic for them.)

• MMMM s!zane and m!zane are Complicated. on shows side, he doesn't really like how his counterpart makes his Nindroid-ness out to be... almost a joke?? idk. s!zane's kind of. Afraid of becoming like his counterpart, but at the same time he wants to help him realize that he's More than just a robot. he has a family, man. and a Soul. although, movie is actually pretty opposite!! i like to think m!zane was NOT created to protect those who cannot protect themselves, but to be an Actual son/experiment for Dr. Julien. he doesn't know why his counterpart is so stressed and serious all the time!! theyre Wild Teens!!! live a little!!!! (also very hard to name dynamic?? bit of mentor/mentee AND reluctant siblings mixed in there frfr)

• SLAMS FIST ON TABLE. S!NYA AND M!NYA ARE THE BWORSTIES (best friends/worsties.) they are seeing who has better control over water. they are comparing and helping each other through their trauma. they are fighting over who has the cooler brother. they vent to each other about how hard it is being the only Girl on the team. they're training with each other with Violent hand to hand combat. they are hugging and talking about how hard lifes been w/o ray and maya. they are insulting eachother. m!Nya is taking s!nya on a 2 am bike ride while s!nya is teaching m!nya how to ask jay out. dynamic is ABSOLUTE BESTIES WHO ALSO BITE EACH OTHER IF THEY GET TOO CLOSE <3<3

• and, of course, ops favorite(s); s!Lloyd and m!Lloyd!! getting their dynamic right out of the way by saying they aren't brothers- their Twins. absolute, familial TWINS. they are each others therapists who constantly tell one another that they work too hard. the both probably think their counterpart is cooler than them. idk when this takes place in time, but if its before tlnm, m!lloyd is AMAZED at how well s!lloyd takes the mass-bullying (shows unfortunately used to it from darkleys :[) but, if it's AFTER tlnm, the entire city goes WILD 'omg they're MULTIPLYING YESSS' also, they let themselves act like kids when around one another. they both had to grow up too fast for different reasons, but the fact that they can talk to someone who Actually Gets It helps a lot :) they also compare trauma loll

...oh, and here's a lfdacbaak hc for you!! (I did a whole post of em vv recently actually viaguagwig)

• after morro and nya, wu is the next one to figure out the new family cat is Lloyd. meow meow reacts everytime the word 'uncle' is occasionally thrown around, and lloyd always seems to somehow Find and Bring wu whatever he was looking for (smthn he did as a human, too :])

SORRY THIS TOOK A DAY HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT REGARDLESS GUSUAFUWF7WF

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freakadr0id · 2 years ago

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Casey jr must have been pretty interesting for future Leo's self. By then I'm sure Casey was one of the things that helped Leo keep going since he had both a kid to nurture and a pupil to inspire. But Casey has a pretty big impact on present Leo too. He shook up Leo's ability to read/understand people and proved his familial love for Leo was not stronger then his own convictions. Going forward I think both Leo and Casey will have this equal mentor like dynamic of nurturing and guiding each other

Man, you are so right. There are so many potential stories and character moments that can be explored in that future time and it would be so cool to revisit it. I would love to see some supplementary material (like a comic book or graphic novel) that spends a little time in that future timeline, and we could get a better look at the dynamic between them. Unfortunately, the movie doesn't give us much to work with in that regard since we only see Casey's side of things and we only see future Leo in the first four minutes.

I like to imagine that Leo viewed his relationship with Casey as a way to keep Raph's spirit alive within him by nurturing and teaching Casey the way Raph did with them. I can easily see Leo getting stumped at how to approach something with Casey and thinking "What would Raph do?" Raph was their protector and he strove to be a good role model for his brothers, but more than anything, he was their loving big brother who did everything he could to help them grow. Leo would definitely try to take after Raph and do the very same things for Casey that Raph did for them when they were kids and teens.

The way Casey affects present Leo is particularly interesting because he unintentionally drives Leo's ego to a tipping point by saying he's "the greatest ninja the world has ever seen", which leads to inevitable disaster. If it wasn't for those words, I don't think Leo would have made such rash decisions in an attempt to fulfill that image. However, as you said, Casey also forced Leo to adjust the way he saw his family as a part of the team. I don't think Leo ever doubted their abilities, but he certainly didn't respect the contributions of his family. It wasn't until Leo's own abilities as a leader were doubted by Casey that Leo went, "Wait, I get it now."

I think that if the show explores their dynamic in season 3, Casey could occasionally act as a driving force for Leo's character development by reminding him of what he could be in the future, but only if Leo doesn't forget those who helped him get there. Casey, this time, could be a bit of a mentor for Leo this time around, with the words of his former sensei guiding him in the process.

#rottmnt #rise of the tmnt #ask #kind of

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silent-silver-slip · 3 years ago

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The Sea Never Dies Masterlist

So what is The Sea Never Dies? Simply put, it's a Naruto series on AO3 that follows a half-Uchiha, Toru. Toru is a reincarnated Uzukage from the time of Uzushio's fall and had been an ANBU Commander too. The series begins with the Uchiha massacre and, obviously, becomes seriously canon divergent as time goes on and more changes are made.

You can find the series on AO3 and also fanfiction.net (though AO3 is the better of the two, I'll admit).

However, I am very aware that as time has passed the series has gained a large number of AUs and extra fics, which I thought might be helpful to explain.

This post contains a description of each fic, the link, and where it fits as an AU/in the timeline. It also has links to the gift fics and fanart that's been created for this series if it's been posted online.

Please note that this post will also contain spoilers due to the nature of describing some of the fics.

The Sea Never Dies

Sea Dreams - The first book in the series follows the Uchiha Clan massacre and Toru remember who he'd been in another life.

Current Strength - The second book in the series follows the end of the first book and explores ROOT and their role in this series.

Ocean's Own Stories - This is the third book in the series and sits between Current Strength and Tideswept, it's more or less a series of short stories than anything else that cover the time skip between the two fics mentioned just before.

Tideswept - The fourth book in the series and the beginning of proper canon. Team 7 are officially formed and the canon is definitely ruined now too.

Wayfinders - The fifth, and technically final, book in the series follows Sasuke in Konoha and Toru in Uzushio, and brings up the Akatsuki plot line.

Uncharted Waters

This series consists of both AUs and fics that fit into the world of The Sea Never Dies. I've split them up here for ease of access, with canon-world fics first and AUs afterward. Some of the AUs can be read without much knowledge (or any) of Toru, and these say so on their AO3 page.

Non-AU Fics

random scene - Gives the POV for Team 7 in chapter 17 of Current Strength when they're rescued by Jakkaru (available only on tumblr).

Desert Oasis - Temari as she grows up in Suna and becomes Kazekage. Can be read alone and has also been connected to Silver's fic the sands are merciless (and yet the wind calls us home). This fic doesn't fit into one point of the series as it explores across various years from when Temari is young to when she becomes Kazekage (which occurs in Tideswept). (tumblr | ao3)

I was the captain of a sinking ship waiting for the waves to find me - This fic follows Chapter 23 of Wayfinders and explores the jinchuriki of Uzushio meeting all together for the first time.

the sea unchanging; timeless - The ANBU Commander of Konoha never dies. This can be read as a standalone. (tumblr | ao3)

hear the sea's call (listen to its stories) - There are many people of Uzushio and not all of them got to live (but so many of them did). This explores a series of stories about the people of Uzushio and some of Kiri near the time of Uzushio's fall, both before and after.

Untold Legends: Wani - A legend of Uzushio about a ninja who created seals that shaped the world. This takes place before this series even begins.

the sea's embrace - A 4 + 1 of firsts for Toru's ANBU team beginning after Current Strength and continuing into Wayfinders. (tumblr | ao3)

The Comfort of the Sea - Stargazing with Toru's team. Technically this fic takes place anywhere, but either in Wayfinders or post-Wayfinders. (tumblr | ao3)

ships sailorless lay rotting on the sea, they slept on the abyss without a surge - Zabuza and growing up in Kiri after Uzushio's fall, one reference to an event in Tideswept.

by the sea, you find yourself - Obito finding himself, post-Wayfinders.

the nature of the sea - Post-Wayfinders, a moment of Uzushio's ANBU watching new rookies spar with their leader.

this is love: a shared glance, the waves lapping at our feet, our laughter rising with the sun - Toru and his team, years after the end of Wayfinders.

AUs

random scene - Toru if he'd had a partner and Sasuke and Naruto got to give them the shovel talk (only available on tumblr).

a new haven for those lost at sea - Toru is born earlier and fights in the third shinobi war. (tumblr | ao3)

see hope rise with the tide - A monster of a fic where Toru lives through canon and then is reborn in the Warring Clans Era as an Uchiha once again. (tumblr | ao3)

what the tide brought back - An AU where Toru is noticed as a genius and the world changes as a result. Can be read as a standalone.

the sea swallowed the sun, the moon, and the stars - In which as Toru fights in Uzushio as his village falls, his ANBU team decide to disobey orders and save him. Turns out that when properly motivated, they can do a lot of damage to a number of villages and even bring a war to a stop.

what the sea hides - This fic was inspired by Silver's fic Here Be Dragons where Toru and his ANBU team meet Tobirama who is a dragon. This fic is basically the team making fun of Toru and each other.

The Sea Never Looked Back - Naruto has lived before, as an ANBU Commander, as an Uzukage, as Toru.

Diving in While the Current's Fast - In the Warring Clans Era, Tobirama marries Toru in a political match, and the world is changed for it.

The Danger of the Wronged Sea - There are some stories when, after remembering who he is, Toru doesn't stay in Konoha, not even for Sasuke.

I was driving over the waves when you found me (and threw me a lifeline) - An AU beginning sometime after Current Strength, where the Sandaime Hokage removes Toru from ANBU in hope to avoid ruining Toru like so many geniuses have been ruined before him. It doesn't quite work out the way he planned, but somehow things still fall together.

Changes in the Tide - Technically an AU, but it could fit into the canon verse as well. Shikaku and Toru having a shogi match, even before they know who they are playing.

Have The Courage To Trust The Sea - Konoha's ambassador, rather than running to Konoha to get help, shows her tongue to Uzushio's leaders - and the seal that kept secrets under lock and key. And so, the world changes.

The Sea Brought Us Home - Soulmates exist and the world only slightly changes as a result.

the sea isn't yours but you're still the sea's - Toru is no reincarnated Uzukage, but just a kid. He does his best to survive, and does so with his family around him.

the dragon sings to the sea - Toru is reborn as a dragon.

the waves were dead; the tides were in their graves - Toru isn't reborn, but the Uchiha Clan can see ghosts and that changes things.

and then, suddenly, you hear the ocean - In one world, Toru's ANBU team dies following the fall of Uzushiogakure. In another, they live and do the impossible - call their people back home.

Art

Toru as a dragon - The incredible Nem made this piece.

Toru - The incredible Nem also made this piece!

Toru's ANBU teammates (Wayfinders) - I made these ones with a piccrew.

Toru - One of Pearl's friends made this amazing piece.

Other Links

Future Plans - My plans following the end of The Sea Never Dies series. | Updated plans in progress.

Thank You - A message to all my readers following the end of Wayfinders.

Original World Pinterest - This is where I’m slowly gathering aesthetic for the original version of this. As it stands, Bayan (Land of Water/Mizu no Kuni) is complete and I’ve written up a profile in my personal notes that’s near completion. The other one partially created is Sumar (Land of Whirlpools/Uzu no Kuni), which has a side section for Kaisho which will be Uzushiogakure.

WorldAnvil - A worldbuilding website where I am slowly building Toru’s world from nothing. A constant work in progress and also fun to explore.

Discord Server - What started of as a discord server specifically for this series, it’s since grown as a place for all my writing and an awesome community that I’m proud to be a part of. A lot of encouraging goes on here, along with sharing of art and other things that aren’t seen on tumblr or in ao3.

#the sea never dies #wip

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trappedham · 3 years ago

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My AUs/Projects (updated regularly, except I'm slacking lol)

Everything is under the cut bc it got too long :P

Ik I have it in my bio but I'm pinning this post again for easy access while I whip up master posts for each of my aus... and a masterpost for those masterposts, probably. again, for easy access

Bizarro Ninja

- Kai centric

"In the fight against the Bizarro Ninja, Kai gets dusted by his Bizarro counterpart."

Unwritten

Written in Stone AU

(Aka, the most developed one. Still subject to retcon/change)

- Morro + Lloyd centric

"After being pick-pocketed in Jamanakai Village, Morro takes pity on the brat and adopts takes him under his wing, as his master once did for him."

Some drabbles written, subject to change/retcon (need to link all drabbles and shitposts for this au here. Also playlists?)

Masterpost/doc in the works

Master of Creation! Morro AU

- Morro (+ maybe Lloyd) centric

"For better or for worse, Morro inherits his master’s legacy and raising the Green Ninja until his time comes to defeat the Overlord."

Unwritten

Need to link playlist(s)

"Dark Souls" Ninjago AU

- Morro + Lloyd or Ninja centric

"After a great calamity leaves the balance tilted, the Realm of Ninjago descends into darkness."

Unwritten

(Lmao I have so many Morro + Lloyd centric AUs, can you tell I have a lot of Green Cousins feelings?)

Smith Sibs Angst AU

- Kai + Nya centric

Instead of leaving the two kids to fend for themselves, Krux strategies to keep them apart.

Security Breach 3 star ending/"Human" Freddy AU

(Aka Thing I Don't Have A Name For then again do I have a name for anything around here?)

- Freddy, Gregory + Vanny centric

(Vanny and Vanessa are most likely the same person in this AU but that might change later)

We're ignoring that canonically, Freddy doesn't have a body in this ending- just. He keeps his body and he, Gregory, and Vanny(Vanessa?) leave the Pizzaplex together. Angst/fluff. Also slice of life and found family.

Masterpost/drabble in the works

Maria Lives(?) Or something AU (Sa2)

(Very basic name, I'll find a better one for it later. Probably.)

Maria + Shadow centric

I'd write a proper description for this one if it wasn't a very rough basic idea. Also I just love these two alot and they stole my brain. That's okay I didn't need it

Sonic 06: Original Timeline + Rewrite (unofficial title)

Uhh pretty much everyone gets a role so. Everybody(?) centric?

Rewriting sonic 06 just a bit, and also exploring more of the doomed timeline

Doomed Timeline/Original Sonic 06 Timeline

Shadow centric, and maybe some Silver too

Hey, wouldn't it be funny of Shadow the Hedgehog (2005) came after Sonic 06. Haha jkjk... unless? 😳

Shadow The Hedgehog (2005) Rewrite

Team Dark centric

Yes this is yet another au/fic project centered around found family dynamics what about it

Somehow accidentally made a Sonic X oc so now Shadow has his own scrappy kid

Shadow + Original Character centric

Ya so I started watching Sonic X, just finished s1 fantastic amazing that season finale was just *chefs kiss* literally I am. Dying for Shadow content even tho it don't come until season 2 and boy we are. Speedrunning the adventure games huh. Anyways I accidentally made an edgy teen oc so now I'm sticking them with Shadow and they have to put up with each other and also I love them. Uhh oc introduction soon? As soon as I've got some good 💪art💪 for them...

SatBK but make it gae and the plot make sense

Probably Sonic and Shadow/Lancelot centric. Possibly Sonadow.

I finally watched a playthrough of SatBK and I have Opinions but I'll be merciful and spare you the wall of text. Straight to the business, I desperately want to do SatBK some justice bc God help me it's called Sonic and the BLACK KNIGHT- istg if the "black knight" is supposed to be "king arthur" im gonna. ITS SHADOWWW ! !!! I'm nothing if not a Shadow truther and he and Sonic should've had an enemies to friends frenemy bromance arc SEGA PLEASE- also there's some fuckery going on with the plot but thats not important

Sonic Western AU

technically omniscent?

mostly an excuse to put sonic characters in silly hats and costumes.

Shadow's Mixtape AU

Team Dark centric but mostly big sis/lil bro Rouge and Shadow

something something Shadow missed out on a lot since he was asleep for 50 years. Rouge takes it upon herself to catch him up on the times... with a mixtape. Things dont go as smoothly as the bat would hope...

(yes, fic/drabble and playlist in the works)

IDW Metal Virus arc AU

Sonic and Shadow centric (obvs but this is technically omniscient)

Just a big fat excuse to have the two but heads but have to begrudgingly work together to Fix Things I just. Ough theres so much to play with I'm a kid in a candy store rn I'm just gonna go HAM >:DD

Strays AU

Shadow centric, lots of fluff

Shadow seems to have a habit of collecting strays... and they aren't just cats.

Projects & stuff

- The Idea TM

- WiS! Morro (Serpentine War Era)

- MoC! Morro

- Ronin wip?

- Finish Elemental Team Up

- Come up with a better name for Bizarro Ninja AU T-T

- TAG YOUR SHIT MARS T-T

- Written in Stone Masterpost/Infodump

- WiS: the Vengestone Situation

- should probably link all of the WiS!AU drabbles here, just to have them all in one place..

- 3 star au masterpost/general content

- baby Phos pentest doodle :P

- Valentines day shitpost

- Valentine's day shitpost (late) 😭😭 girl help

- all of my aus probably need a masterpost of their own...

#mars' w(h)ips #mars' projects #Written in Stone AU #Bizarro Ninja AU #Master of Creation! Morro AU #Dark Souls Ninjago AU #Strays AU

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lady-griffin · 4 years ago

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Characters That Might Be Introduced in Young Justice Season 4: Phantoms

This is just my own personal speculation, based on what I think might happen in Season 4 and what YJ has given us so far. I’m sure that I’ve missed plenty of characters that others 100% believe or know will be making an appearance...but, I can’t do anything about that.

While the majority of the characters on this list are ones we haven’t met before, there are a few we have met in the show - I included these characters, because I think they might be added to the ever-growing roster of heroes or have a more prominent role to play.

This is really long, but I had fun doing it and I hope you enjoy it.

Characters We've Met Already

Part I: Prominent Future Role

M’comm M’orzz/Ma'alefa'ak

M’gann’s younger brother who wants to start a white revolution on Mars. We met him in season 3 during the episode of “Away Mission,” where he was a major focal point.

There are a couple of factors for why I think he’ll play a prominent role.

He’s M’gann’s younger brother and as several people have speculated upon, this season’s tagline of “Phantoms” might be in reference to our main characters’ own personal phantoms from their pasts, rather than literal ghosts. Also given how M’gann has a new little brother in Gar, who was given more prominence last season – there could be something there.

M’Comm wants to start a White Revolution and we know M’gann, Conner, J’onn, and Gar (I believe) will be heading to Mars, either before or at the beginning of Season 4. Since J’onn/Martian Manhunter is usually the last Green Martian – some dark stuff may be awaiting our heroes on Mars or occur while they’re there.

I think he’ll play a significant role in the upcoming season.

Jason Todd/Red Hood

Jason is a prominent member of the Batfamily and we’ve already learned that he was the Robin after Dick, but died before Season 2 began.

In Season 3 – he was also an easter egg in “Nightmare Monkeys,” where he died in Beast Boy’s mind, along with other fallen comrades.

More importantly, in “Rescue Op,” we actually met him as the Red Hooded Ninja on Infinity Island. Towards the end of that episode there was attention given to the fact that he recognized Dick and therefore his memory was returning.

I can definitely see him having a more significant part in the future. He would most likely be Dick’s main phantom, if that’s the case for Season 4.

Big Barda

One of Granny’s most loyal generals and the leader of the furies before she defects against Darkseid. We were introduced to her in Season 3, in “Influence" - she fought against the Justice League, but more importantly she was saved by Superman. While it’s clear that Granny hurting her or being willing to sacrifice her is par for the course, it seemed pretty clear (to me) that Superman reshaped her outlook on life.

We never saw her again, so more than likely she defected after Superman saved her.

Given her usual importance to the plot of Darkseid as well as the fact that her main love interest is Scot Free – I think there is more than a good chance we’ll see her again in Season 4.

In the third season, each of these characters were introduced in a single episode. Given their significant relationships to either a character or a plot element that is important to Young Justice - it seems more than likely we’ll see them play a larger role in the upcoming season.

Part II: Minor Future Role

Harper Rowe/Bluebird

She was a minor character in Season 3, but she was also pretty prominent. Given that she’s a hero in the comics, I can see Harper being a new hero added to the roster. I can’t say how prominent she’ll actually be, but I can definitely see her playing a minor role.

Courtney Whitmore/Stargirl

Courtney is a pretty prominent young hero in DC and she made several appearances in Season 3 – with her show (Stargirl) where she reported and interviewed young heroes. So, maybe she’ll have decided instead of just interviewing heroes, she’ll become one herself.

Cisco Ramon/Vibe

For a character who was just being bullied they paid a decent amount of attention to him. Now maybe he was just a prominent Easter Egg for fans (CW’s The Flash), but it could also be YJ laying some slight ground work for him in the future.

Cassandra Cain/Orphan

Orphan is a member of the Batfamily and her mother is Lady Shiva - The Light’s new enforcer, who we got to know decently well in Season 3. Because of that, I think there could be something there to explore in Season 4.

I don’t really think any of these guys will be major characters, but I’m betting we’ll at least see them in the background as heroes. Similar to how Stephanie Brown and others were introduced as easter eggs and then in the following season we saw them working as heroes.

In addition, there are of course other minor hero/super-powered characters whom we’ve already met (Arrowette, Spoiler, Mist etc.) and any one of them could get more screen time, it’s honestly anyone’s guess; I just don’t have anything specific to speculate about for them.

Characters We Haven’t Met

Part I: Legion of Super-Heroes/Time Travel

Based on the idea that the Legion of Super-Heroes and time travel could play a significant role in Season 4 – which is based on how season 3 ended with an unknown woman wearing a Legion Ring.

Legion of Super-Heroes

The Legion of Super-Heroes are a superhero team from the 31st Century; they are similar to The Justice League, but they protect and defend the United Planets.

Tinya Wazzo/Phantom Girl

Phantom Girl is a member of the Legion, so based off that and her name, there’s a decent chance we’ll meet her. I can’t say how big of role she’ll actually have, but I feel confident in saying this season won’t be named after her; it’ll just be fun little tie-in, if she does make an appearance.

Querl Dox/Brainiac 5

Brainiac is a very prominent member of the Legion and knowing that they will play some role, it’s not a stretch to say he’ll also play a role.

Brainiac 5, or at least in the WB animated show, was the inventor of the Legion Ring, as well as the ability to time-travel.

Given his relation to one of Superman’s greatest enemies, Brainiac, who could definitely be a threat to both the League and The Light (if Brainiac even appears), I can definitely see Brainiac 5 playing a role.

But, just his promience within the Legion is enough reason to speculate he’ll make an apperance.

Imra Ardeen/Saturn Girl

Given Saturn Girl’s usual importance and prominence to the Legion (founding member), plus the fact that it was a waitress wearing the ring – it could very well have been her at the end of Season 3.

And even if it wasn’t her, she will still likely make an apperance.

Other Members of the Legion of Super-Heroes who we could meet: Lightning Lad, Cosmic Boy, Bouncing Boy, Triplicate Girl, Timber Wolf, Chameleon Boy, etc.

Michael Carter/Booster Gold

Booster Gold is a pretty popular character who has appeared in many other works and is intrinsically linked with time-travel. On top of that, he typically has (or had) a good friendship with the old Blue Beetle (Ted Kord), so maybe we’ll see some reverse-mentor relationship with him and Jaime, the new Beetle – Jaime teaching him what it actually means to be a hero.

In general, I think he would just be a fun and new kind of personality to be brought in.

Future Kids (Lian Nguyen-Harper, Damian Wayne, Jon Kent, Tornado Twins, etc).

Given how time-travel will possibly be an element in Season 4, I think there’s a chance we’ll have an episode set in the future, starring the next generation of heroes. Maybe not all the kids we saw in “Home Fires,” but probably some of them.

Part II: The Phantom Zone

I have the theory that Granny’s X-Pit is a type of Phantom Zone or at least based off the real thing.

Granny herself even called the pit the Ghost Dimension (which just sounds like another name for the Phantom Zone). So, it seems very likely to me that given the title of Season Four, the prominence of The Phantom Zone in DC, and how the X-Pit worked in YJ -- that The Phantom Zone will make an appearance in season 4, if not play an important part.

There could be lots of ways they could incorporate it into the show.

Maybe it works as a prison. The prison cells are like the red boxes Granny used to protect herself and thus there’s no chance of prisoners escaping the Zone, because if they try leave their cells, they’ll experience excruciating pain

Depending on how the Phantom Zone would work in in YJ, I feel like those who escape the Phantom Zone or are from there, could be called Phantoms.

While I do personally think the tagline Phantoms will refer to our main heroes’ own personal phantoms, the tagline could also be in reference to other elements of the season (like the Phantom Zone).

Kara Zor-El/Supergirl

Supergirl is an important and popular character in the DC and given the prominence of the Batfamily in YJ, it seems a bit odd that the Superfamily is rather lacking in comparison.

Supergirl has been a part of the Legion of Super-Heroes and due to her popular CW Show - she is more recently associated with the Phantom Zone. In her show, she ended up being stuck in the Phantom Zone which is why she arrived on Earth so much later than Clark. YJ could do something like that or maybe she’ll have been stuck in the Phantom Zone until the 31st Century.

The introduction of Supergirl could be an interesting storyline in association with Conner (and Clark). We know that Clark has been interested in finding other Kryptonians and Kara is certainly more than just another Kryptonian.

She’s also a likely candidate to be the waitress who was wearing the Legion Ring.

Mon-El

A Daxxamite who’s a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes and is also strongly associated with the Phantom Zone. Given how in Season 1, Superman thought that Shazam and Icon were potential Kryptonians, there could be something interesting there with Mon-El – especially since his species are so similar to Kryptonians.

In the comics, Mon-El had been inspired by Superboy into becoming a hero, but he was put in the Phantom Zone because he had an incurable disease; he was later saved by Brainiac 5 in the 31st Century. So that could be another potential storyline for Superboy in Season 4.

Mon-El has also gotten some more recognition in recent years, due to his role in CW’s Supergirl.

Also, when I was looking up a picture for him to use, I learned that there is another version of Mon-El, where he is a descendent of House El/Superman.

So maybe that version will be introduced instead of the Daxxamite one, I don’t know.

Zod Trio -- Zod, Ursa, Non

I don’t actually think these guys will be important to Season 4, if even they are introduced. But they are important Superman Villains and they’re usually connected with the Phantom Zone – given how many continuities they are prisoners of said Zone.

So, it seemed silly to not speculate about them at least making an appearance or small cameo, if not something more.

Part III: Darkseid and Meta-Trafficking

Scott Free/Mister Miracle

Scott or Scot is Darkseid’s adopted son and the biological son of Highfather, so it feels safe to say that he’ll be a part of the show at some point. Especially, given the increase prominence of Darkseid as well as how much we’ve seen of the New Gods, Motherboxes/Fatherboxes, and the two worlds of New Genesis and Apokolips.

Scot is a defector of Apokolips or more accurately was never broken by the place. He is known for being able to escape any imprisonment - particularly Granny’s Orphanage/X-Pit, so if there’s a return of the X-Pit, Scot would be a great asset to our heroes.

Given how we’ve been introduced to the X-Pit quite thoroughly in Season 3, I think that Scot’s ability to free himself would be all the more impressive, and a quick way to establish this new character and his skills.

In addition, while we didn’t meet the real Orion, we do know that he exists in this universe. Orion is the adopted son of Highfather and the biological one of Darkseid. In the comics, Scot and Orion were traded as part of a Peace Treaty between the worlds of New Genesis and Apokolips.

Basically, he’s due to make an apperance.

Princess Koriand’r of Tamaran/Starfire

The plots of Season 2 and 3 were largely focused on the kidnapping, experimenting, and trafficking of meta-human children/teenagers, so given all of that - Starfire seems very likely to be included in YJ.

Or at the very least, YJ has laid down the groundwork for her to be introduced - whether or not they’ll use that, we’ll have to see.

Starfire’s origin is that she is a Tamerean Princess who was taken and experimented on, which resulted in her gaining powers (more powers). So, in the YJ universe she would essentially be a Meta-Tamerean.

Starfire could be a great way to show that the Meta-Gene exploitation isn’t just an earth/human problem anymore, as many more beings across the universe are being experimented on and turned into living weapons.

Thus, expanding upon the trafficking story thread that was introduced in Season 3.

In general, Starfire’s origin story fits very well with the trafficking/meta-experimenting storylines that we’ve gotten so far and I think her presence would add something new.

Given the popularity of Teen Titans and the prominence of Nightwing, Beast Boy, and Cyborg in YJ, it seems more than likely that Star will be a character in the show.

Also, we know that Arsenal will be on the Covert Team and that Jason is alive, so maybe if Star is introduced, we’ll see a version of the Outlaws in YJ. Which could be fun.

Finally, she is one of Nightwing’s main love interests, so there could be some personal drama to be had, if the show goes down that route, which they may not.

Starfire obviously doesn’t have to be a love interest for Nightwing to be added into the story.

While I love RobStar (+ Dickbabs), I feel like sometimes Star is just limited to being Nightwing’s other girlfriend. So, if she is introduced in YJ, I would not be opposed to other storylines involving her without Nightwing.

In my personal opinion, not including Star would be such a wasted opportunity, given what YJ has already established so far.

Part IV: Zatanna’s Protégé(s) / Magic-Based Characters

I have a small theory, that magic might play a larger role in season 4. This is mostly based on the fact that magic has been pushed to the background in the past two seasons. Also, the title of ‘Phantoms’ makes me think of the supernatural (aka Magic).

We also know that Zatanna will have protégés, as in plural. Now she already has Thirteen, so at the very least we can say that one new magical-based character will be introduced to the team or the hero side.

The Phantom Stranger

A mysterious mystic who battles supernatural forces. It’s unlikely he’ll be a protégé for Zatanna, but I mentioned him first, because of his name. Which is the main reason for why I think he, out of all the magical characters in DC, could make an appearance.

Similar to Phantom Girl, I don’t think the season’s tagline will come from his name, but it might just be a nice little tie-in regardless.

Eddie Bloomberg/Kid Devil aka Red Devil

Blue Devil has made a few minor appearances in Seasons 1 & 2 and given how Kid Devil was once his sidekick in the comics, I think there’s a decent chance Red Devil we’ll make an appearance.

He’s a character who I think many people might not know about or at least not a lot about; and YJ does like to shine a light on those characters.

Eddie started out as human kid/teenager who became Kid Devil - sidekick to Blue Devil. He ended up making a deal with a demon and got demonic powers and looks to match - possibly related to that, he had a falling out with Blue Devil and stopped being his sidekick.

I’m pretty fuzzy on the details of his story, as I’m not super familiar with his character; but the broad strokes that I do know, I think could really work for YJ.

He starts out as the sidekick of Blue Devil (maybe he knows the team), but he has a falling out with Blue or goes off on his own – and gets his demonic powers, becoming Red Devil. Or something like that.

As he becomes Zatanna’s protégé (trying to learn to control his magical powers), he also has to work on his strained relationship with Blue Devil.

It could be a similar story to Red Arrow’s from Season 1, a nice throwback with a new character. And a character who while being new, does already have some slight groundwork laid out for his introduction - with Blue Devil already existing in YJ.

Again, I’m just throwing ideas out here and speculating.

Zachary Zatara

Several people have pointed out that Zachary is a more likely candidate to be Zatanna’s new protégé than Raven is - who was the first person I thought of - given how Zachary is Zatanna’s cousin.

And yeah, I think there’s a decent enough chance for him becoming a character in Season 4.

He’s related to a former member of the OG Team and like Eddie, he’s not really a character many people are super familiar with, so that could work in his favor.

It could also be fun to have someone back on the team who has magic like Zatanna and if Zachary was part of the team, we would probably see more of Zatanna – which would be great.

One problem I do have though, is if he does exist in this universe - why didn’t Zatanna move in with his parent(s) (her aunt or uncle) when her father became the host for Doctor Fate.

Of course, that could just be because in season one they had never intended for him to exist in the show, but now things have changed.

And in Season 2, we were given no indication that Beast Boy had been with the Doom Patrol or that they had died tragic deaths in between the time his mother died and when he joined the team. So yeah....

Zachary is a likely candidate to be added, especially in regard to Zatanna have multiple protégés (or at least 2).

Rachel Roth/Raven

Unlike Starfire, Raven’s main story arc involving Trigon doesn’t really relate to what has been going on in Young Justice so far. Nonetheless, it seems very likely she’ll be included - given the popularity of TT, plus Nightwing, Beast Boy, and Cyborg being prominent characters.

Raven shouldn’t be limited by the existence of Trigon; as you easily have Raven in a story, without Trigon being front and center, in my opinion. And, it would be nice seeing other storylines involving Raven that don’t include Trigon, or at least not having him be a major factor.

There’s nothing specific that makes me think Raven will be introduced in Season 4, but –

She could definitely be Zatanna’s new protégé or at least one of them. And, while in the comics Zatanna and Raven haven’t always gotten along – there’s no reason that has to be the case in YJ. Plus, in Bombshells, Raven is Zatanna’s pseudo/adopted daughter.

Though, I think Raven being the protégé of Doctor Fate might work a bit better.

Also, in regard to my personal theory that magic will become more prominent, Raven would be a great way to go about doing that, especially with her wide range of powers and abilities.

While, I don’t think a story needs Trigon to have Raven – her being the daughter of one of the great evils of the universe, could certainly be a bonding element for her and the other heroes who also have supervillain relatives.

Plus, Raven being the portal to Trigon (this seemingly unstoppable force) could be something interesting to explore in regards to Darkseid’s and the Light’s plans. Maybe Darkseid and the Light would perceive Raven as a major threat and want to get rid of her and perhaps even the good guys would also see her as a threat that needs to be stopped.

There’s just so much that YJ could do with Raven. And while I would love for her a main or secondary character, I think she could be an interesting neutral party or a single-episode character.

There are many other magical characters that could be introduced to YJ, but it feels silly to list a whole bunch of characters, just because they have magic.

Part V: Random Characters

Rose Wilson/Ravager and Joe Wilson/Jericho

Two of Deathstroke’s children who operate as heroes. I can see a lot being done with these two in YJ, especially with Deathstroke being a member of the Light. They could potentially bond with the other characters who also have supervillain parents and maybe even bond with Tara over the terrible parenting skills of Deathstroke. .

Natasha Irons/Steel aka Starlight aka Vaporlock

Natasha is the niece of John Henry Irons/Steel who had a very minor role in Season 3, but nonetheless was introduced to the audience. In addition, Natasha has been associated with Infinity Inc, Lex Luthor’s group of “superheroes” who were also introduced in Season 3.

And while I could be mistaken, as I don’t know much about her, when she was part of Infinity Inc., she was injected with a serum that unlocked her meta-gene, giving her powers.

Natasha could possibly be introduced in Season 4, as a lot of the elements to her story, are already part of Young Justice.

Green Lanterns

I think there’s a decent chance of us meeting a new Green Lantern, especially a younger one - as they would be a member of the Covert Team or the Outsiders.

Jessica Cruz/Green Lantern

She's recently been popularized or at least introduced to many fans through the show DC Superhero Girls (2019) and I think if there was a combination of that version and her comic book counterpart – you could have a really compelling character for YJ.

In the comics, Jess suffers from extreme anxiety, which is such an interesting and unique folly for a Green Lantern to have. And, I just think there’s a lot of story potential to be explored in that dilemma.

Keli Quintela/Teen Lantern

From what I’ve seen of Keli, I think she could be a fun addition. Just for the sheer fact that she uses the Green Lantern power completely different than every other Lantern we’ve seen – that alone is enough reason for her to be added.

Kyle Raynor

One of the major Green Lanterns of DC. Like the two ladies above, there’s nothing specific with what we’ve been given so far in YJ to indicate he’ll be included, but I just think because of his status among fans, if the show was to introduce another GL – he has a decent shot.

Vic Sage/Question

Since Season 1, I thought Question would be a great addition to the hero side – as the typical conspiracy stuff he obsesses over and discovers to be true, actually does align with what The Light has consistently been doing.

In general, he would be a fun character to add. Also, if we’re thinking of potential new protégés - Vic Sage could be the current Question and there could be a young (or at least somewhat young) Renee Montoya - under his care/tutelage. Or Renee could just be Question - either works for me.

I loved Question in JLU and would love to see him again.

Finally,

Wally West/ Kid Flash (former)

I think there’s a very good chance we’ll see the return of Wally in Season 4. Especially since Season 3 left us with many little hints that he’s not really dead.

Also, in regards to the idea that the tagline of “Phantoms” could be about the team’s personal ghosts haunting them, well Wally is a ghost for many of our characters - so that fits rather perfectly.

Or, maybe he ended up in the Phantom Zone. Or if ‘Phantoms’ is referring to more literal ghosts, even that still works in regards to Wally, as he’s presumed dead. Or maybe, he was jumped through time and somehow ended up in the 31st century (w/ the Legion of Super-Heroes).

Maybe I’m wrong, but it just seems very likely Wally will be returning.

And now we’re finally done.

As I’ve mentioned before, this is just my own speculation and I’m sure I’ve missed several characters. Also, I obviously don’t think all of these characters will be introduced in Season 4, but to me they all have somewhat of a chance.

And yeah...that’s it.

I hope you enjoyed this extremely long list of characters who I think could be introduced in Season 4 of Young Justice.

#Young Justice #YJ #Young Justice Season 4 #Young Justice Phantoms #YJ Phantoms #YJ Season 4 #YJ Season 3 #Young Justice Season 3 #Young Justice Outsiders #YJ Outsiders #DC #DC Comics

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overwatch-does-stuff · 4 years ago

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Okay, it’s time for some deep nerdery to speculate about Overwatch 2

Overwatch 2 has 30+ characters. That’s one hell of a large ensemble. If Blizzard had any brain cells, they would probably try and take a similar approach to how Marvel handled their large cast in Avengers: Infinity War.

Remember Infinity War? It functioned as a movie by keeping its groups of characters small (at most five people per group) but also by choosing ‘main characters’ that it focused most of its emotional energy on (most notably, Ironman, Dr. Strange, Vision, Thor, Thanos, and Gamora). The main characters were the ones with emotional arcs and therefore had the most screentime. The rest of the cast was quite static. Also, characters in different groups rarely, if ever got to interact with any characters outside of their group, with the rare exception of a quip or two.

My suspicion is that Overwatch 2 is going to do a VERY similar thing. This means that the roster of Overwatch heroes are going to be divided up into groups and assigned either main character or side character status.

So who’s going to be in each group? That I can’t tell you. As Marvel has shown, characters are grouped up not based on character compatibility, or even arc potential, but instead on what would best make the plot go forward. (For example, raise your hand if you predicted that Ironman, Spiderman, and Dr. Strange would team up with Starlord, Mantis, and Drax for the climax. No one? That’s what I thought.)

What I can predict, however, is whether each Overwatch hero is going to be given main character status or not. My predictions are going to be based on lore importance and current emotional arcs that have been set up the Overwatch continuity. Unfortunately, fan favoritism or previous screen time is not a good indicator (again, as shown in Infinity War.: raise your hand if you predicted that Captain F*cking America would have less than fifteen minutes screentime?) and therefore will not be counted in my evaluation.

NOTE: It is assumed that the plot of Overwatch 2 will be the plot that was introduced in the Zero Hour short, along with the gameplay trailer.

I’ll go tank/damage/support, alphabetically through each section.

D.va- Oh, poor D.va. Unfortunately, I think she’s just going to be a side character. Being so unconnected with the rest of the cast is a death sentence for plot importance. The only way I can see her being a major player is in an indirect way- if Blizzard decides to focus on the “Omnic From the Sea” they teased at in the short Shooting Star.

Orisa- Orisa is not so cleanly cut. Given that she was created to defeat Doomfist, she has potential to be the one who takes him down. They’re narrative and thematic rivals (an analysis of which could be a whole other post) which made me finally decide that she’ll be main character status. I know that seems like a cop-out, but given how Doomfist is the main face of villainy, her connection with him makes her important.

Reinhardt- I’m going to be massacred for this, but I don’t see any universe where Reinhardt is a main character. His character is static, his connection with old Overwatch is the most flimsy out of the oldies, and most of his backstory has already been explored. He’s going to be a side character, relegated to a mentor to Brigitte.

Roadhog- Nope. Side character. He and Junkrat fall into the same boat. Not being a part of Overwatch and having no connections to any characters in Overwatch makes more than passing screentime impossible.

Sigma- OUR BOY SIGMA is going to get no screentime, calling it right now. He’s going to be firmly relegated to side character status. Why? Although he might be a serious fan favorite, his lore and the conflict it introduces (the cosmic horror of the universe) doesn’t really apply to the rest of Overwatch. We know he’s affiliated with Talon, but more like a weapon than a character. He’s got serious redemption potential, but the arc would be very. . . simple. As soon as he gets to Overwatch the arc would be over.

Winston- MAIN CHARACTER. Our mans is currently the driving force behind the majority of the plot (that isn’t whatever Talon’s doing). He’s the one who recalled Overwatch. Enough said. If he doesn’t get an arc about learning how to be a leader, I am going to be shocked.

Wrecking Ball- lol side character. Given how Blizzard hasn’t made any attempt to treat him more than a walking gimmick, he’s going to be such a side character that he might blend into the background.

Zarya- This is another character that makes me hesitate. At first glance, she’s in the same boat as D.va in that she has no personal connections with the lore or the main cast. HOWVER, she’s directly involved in the conflict of Overwatch 2 because she is currently fighting Omnics in Russia AND has been trying to track down Talon on her own for a while now. Plus, she also has a very juicy potential character arc: she’s racist towards Omnics. Her comic touched on the fact that she has the potential to outgrow her prejudice. This leads me to believe that Zarya is going to be one of the main characters, if a more minor one than the rest.

---

Ashe- Side character. Her connection to McCree ensures that she’ll get some juicy interactions, but not enough to be considered a main character. More than likely she’ll be contacted to help out with the plot conflict, but she’s not going to have any sort of arc or emotional connection with other characters beyond snarky one-liners.

Bastion- . . . I hate this, but I don’t trust Blizzard to give Bastion the relevance they deserve as a character. Don’t get me wrong, I think Bastion will be important to the plot of stopping the rogue Omnics, but I think Bastion themselves will be treated as a McGuffin. They’re mute and prone to acting naively, which is not conducive to character agency. I’m going treat McGuffin as a third category to my predictions.

Doomfist- literally the Thanos of this conflict. He’s going to be a main character, but I doubt he’ll get any character development, because that’s what Reaper is for.

Echo- Main character. It’s pretty much guaranteed by the fact that McCree sought her out in his animated short and that she was once the payload of Route 66. The Overwatch narrative also treats her as the “sPeCiAl OmNiC” that’s somehow more advanced/better/more sentient than the rest of the Omnic cast. As much as I think the role that they’re going to give her would be better suited for Bastion or Zenyatta, I just know that Blizzard is going to give her the full main character treatment. She’s going to be the magical bridge between Omnics and humans. Count me mad about it.

Genji- I love our ninja boy, and he’s an honorary mascot of the game, but as far as arcs go he just finished his. He’s finally found inner peace. That’s not a good sign for main-character-ism. However, he has tons and tons of connections to the rest of the cast and the lore. . . but I don’t think it’s enough. I think he’s going to end up as the character that other characters are able to bounce off of. Everybody knows him, so they’ll be talking to him a lot, but he isn’t going to drive the plot with his own struggles. He’s a side character. His brother, however. . .

Hanzo- As one of the two people in the Overwatch roster actively undergoing a serious life crisis, I suspect that Hanzo is going to be a main character. The fact that he and his goals are not connected to Talon or Overwatch is a detractor, but his emotional turmoil as established in the short Dragons is too important too ignore. His decisions, however reckless and hot-headed they will be, will significantly impact the plot. Why? Because his potential for redemption is such juicy story bait. Also, he could bring in an entire other faction, the Shimada Clan, into the plot, and that could be a game-changer.

Junkrat- Side character. The same reasoning for Roadhog applies here. He’s not connected in any way to the cast. The only potential mystery about him is the ‘treasure’ that’s been alluded to over and over again. If he has this story bait, why am I calling him a side character? Unfortunately, it’s because his ‘treasure’, whatever it is, is going to be a McGuffin. Junkrat’s going to be lucky if he avoids the same status.

McCree- A side character, but an important one. This decision was a difficult one. He’s got the lore and the connections to the other characters but not the internal character arc. He was an active player in unleashing Echo, but it’s also hinted at that he isn’t going to join the recalled Overwatch, instead striking out to do his own thing. That’s not conducive to being a major player in the story. However, his connections and conversations with other characters might, in the same way I’ve predicted Genji’s might, motivate other characters to drive the plot forward.

Mei- Side character. Nothing much else to say. Her focus on climate science isn’t going to be super relevant to the Omnic plot. She’s got only a very loose connection with other characters in the form of her Overwatch membership.

Pharah- I hate this, I hate this, I hate this, but she’s going to be a side character, calling it right now. She’s got so much potential because of her relationship with her mom, but that’s about it. Ana is her only connection to the rest of the cast. It’s important that they reconcile, but their reconciliation has nothing to do with any other plot point. It’s isolated. That’s not a good sign for her screen time, especially considering that she’s not looking for Ana and Ana is not looking for her.

Reaper- MAIN CHARACTER. You should have seen this coming. As the primary instigator of the plot (aka the reason Winston recalled Overwatch,) it should be meta-textually obvious why he’s going to have a lot of screentime. He’s directly responsible for a significant chunk of the unresolved lore conflict within old Overwatch. In order to resolve it, we’re going to be seeing him, a lot.

Soldier 76- Main character, for exactly the reasons listed above. As Reaper’s foil and the person who’s hunting him down, Soldier is going to be pretty important in concluding that unresolved conflict. It’s destiny. Like in a murder-soulmates kinda way.

Sombra- Tricky, tricky, tricky. . . it’s difficult to say. It all depends, I think, on the amount of emphasis Blizzard places on her conspiracy. If she’s the only character who knows exactly what’s going on, that could set her up to be very plot relevant. However, her relationship with other characters and to the rest of the Overwatch lore is shaky at best. I’m going to leave this one blank. There’s just too much we don’t know.

Symmetra- Here we have the other person in the Overwatch roster that is actively undergoing a serious life crisis that I alluded to. Symmetra might at first seem unrelated to everything- the lore, the characters, etc, but Blizzard has set up a surefire redemption arc for her that needs to be resolved. She is going to realize that Vishkar and Talon are connected, and she is going to make the decision to either go full villain (unlikely) or to turn over all the information she knows to Overwatch. Either way, she’s going to get involved, and she’s going to grow as a character. Main character material.

Torbjorn- Torbjorn, oh Torbjorn. Here’s a case that makes me upset. For all intents and purposes, he should be a main character. He’s the one who helped develop the Omnics, and he’s got an active character arc where he’s trying to undo the damage Omnics have caused. This ties him pretty damn directly to what we know of the plot of Overwatch 2. However, Blizzard lately has refused to treat him with respect, reducing him to a joke character because of his height and accent. Not only that, but they diminished his importance in the lore with the invention of Mina Liao and Echo. I could write and entire post about how the Mina Liao/Echo introduction was made to replace Torbjorn and Bastion’s importance in the potential plot, but all of three people would read it.

Tracer- As the literal face of Overwatch it’s pretty damn obvious that she’s going to be a main character. If you need a reminder, look at the London Calling comics and then the cover art for your copy of Overwatch.

Widowmaker- Widowmaker has literally zero character agency and only very very very loose connections with the lore/characters. HOWEVER, she does have the potential to be redeemed by death (I could make a whole other post on this) but it’s not enough to bring her into major character territory. Side character.

---

Ana- Side character. Given that she’s avoiding her potential emotional arc by avoiding Pharah and the rest of recalled Overwatch, she’s flat out of luck for main-character-ism. She’s going to be very important to Soldier 76 and Reaper but she won’t be the one instigating any plot points. Unfortunate.

Baptiste- Another tally for the side characters. The fact that it took him a year to even get voice interactions with the rest of the cast reflects this. His arc of leaving Talon is already done, the idea of Mauga being added to the game is history by now, and he has few connections with the current cast and plot. Big F, my dude.

Brigitte- With both her dad and her mentor being important former Overwatch members, it makes sense that she should be a main character, right? Right? Unfortunately, I think she falls into the same pitfalls as Reinhardt. Her backstory is already mostly explored and her dad is better at any plot-relevant mechanics that might be needed. She’ll help her dad, no doubt, but she’s a side character.

Lucio- I really want Lucio to be a main, really, I do, but he’s a side character. He suffers the same exact problem that D.va does. He has very little to involve him with the rest of the main caste. He’ll join Overwatch, sure, but I think it’ll be more of a decorative declaration than anything. His connection with Symmetra is his only saving grace, but even that just relegates him as a side character in her emotional arc.

Mercy- I think she’s going to be a side character, because all of her current content has her separated from everyone else and unsure about going back to recalled Overwatch. I don’t see the narrative following her inner emotional turmoil about this decision very much. She also doesn’t add anything to the potential plot.

Moira- Okay, Moira is tricky, so hear me out: her lore importance is off the CHARTS, and she’s a lot like Doomfist in the aspect that she is quite clearly villainous. She brainwashed Widowmaker. She turned Reaper into what he is today (physically, mind you,) and she probably has something to do with manipulating Sigma. But is being a villain enough? She’s not the one directly orchestrating Talon’s plan, like Doomfist is. And she’s not so directly connected to the fall of Overwatch like Reaper is. I hesitate to call her a main. Narratively, she’s going to get her comeuppance, but. . . (I’m going to leave this one blank.)

Zenyatta- The only true wild card on this list. Sure, I’ve left Sombra and Moira blank, but Zenny boy? He’s literally got nothing. There’s nothing to base predictions off of. No lore to speak of. We know that he mentored Genji. We know that he knew Mondatta. We know that he defends Omnics’ rights to exist. However, I doubt Blizzard has the nuance to tackle his perspective on the impending Omnic war in Overwatch 2. He could be a seriously major player if he was treated with the respect that his character deserves, though! He could potentially have an active role in trying to figure out what’s making the Omnic uprising occur and stopping it in its tracks! There is so much potential there! It’s all in Blizzard’s hands. It’s all about how Blizzard chooses to finally flesh out his character. . . IF they flesh out his character at all.

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Total tally out of 32

Main characters: 11

Side characters: 17

Undecided: 3

McGuffin: 1 (poor Bastion)

And that’s the results! It’s important to note that I am far from infallible and that these are just my opinions/speculations on the future. Please please please argue with me in the tags/reblogs. That would make my day.

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yourdesertsunflower · 4 years ago

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Analysis/Opinion, Boruto Episode 178

Cause when they do something right that is worth watching I got to give them credit.

Okay, okay, okay. What the hell did just happen? Boruto almost made me tear up? Yes, almost. I know I’m late (way too late, and I haven’t seen this weeks episode to be honest) but I needed to speak about this episode because, causing me to almost tear up is somthing that both OG Naruto and Naruto Shippuden only did in other occasion which, uncoincidentally, involving the same two characters. But well, we get more into it later but before starting with the analysis, which will be done in chronological order, I will just warn you: SPOILERS! Now yes, let’s get into it.

At the beginning of the chapter I already knew this was going to be good. Like, really good. The first shot showing Shikadai tying up his hairs lacks of subtlety yet is a very good symbol and a clear indicator of what will come up next. Nara’s pineapple hair is quite a staple for the clan, it show us the tradition passed down from generation to generation. It’s, also, something that connects, both in a visual but also symbolical level, all three grandfather, father and son. Having Shikadai tie up his hair at the beginning of the chapter just was a sneak peak of all to come, how in some moment Shikamaru will have to do the same as his father and entrust everything of Shikadai knowing that he’ll be able to make things right. Really short and sweet.

The “breakfast scene”, that’s how I called it. Well, this is the only moment we actively was Temari which is sad because I’m craving for moments with her and actually thought this was a good opportunity to do so. Yet, I respect the decision that Studio Pierrot made to focus primarily on Shikamaru and secondarily on Ino, though I would have loved to see a little bit more of the later but I’ll talk about that later.

I think the gesture of Temari talking to Shikadai before hand about everything is very telling of Temari as a character and her relationship with Shikamaru. It does not only show a deep bond between the couple, created through a deep comprehension of and care for each other which is nice. Both Temari and Shikamaru know about loss and it’s really nice that they know what each other need during the times of grieving. She doing the dishes, talking to Shikadai or giving him the space during that day feels fitting as Shikamaru is known to be someone who needs to process things on his own. However, Temari always is there, and through little acts she shows it (even I liked the strict parenting that it was displayed here, is more of what I’ll imagine Temari doing). But, yes there is no need of flashy displays she just does it everyday which, is beautiful.

I got no particular dislike of Shikadai not remembering the date. He is almost a teenager born and raised in a period of peace and it shows. Probably he had other things in his head but, boy, you are supposedly a quick thinker! If you saw not only your father unusually late at home but both your parents are dressed all in black. I really don’t think that connecting the dots was so difficult. Still, it was passable since it gave the excuse for Temari to talk (which though sad, it’s true).

Shikamaru in this scene is anticipating what will happen through the chapter. This is an important date not only to them but the whole of the villages but, also the change between the sequences to the monument of those who died in the line of duty, the Will of Fire also sujested the grate importance that it has to him even though he doesn’t like to admit it that openly. There is something that kept ruminating in his mind since that day; something that makes that day even more than a commemoration day towards his father.

Okay now, having finished with that opening scene, let’s get into the second scene. Before entering into the more detailed thing let’s get through this first. I know people were pissed about Hinata not being part of the group while being present at the commemoration ceremony. I find this to be understandable in terms that Hinata is no longer a active jonin, and that all the once that were up in the stage were people who thought at the Fourth Great Ninja War for Konoha and still are active ninja. Does this justifies it? No, but it gives us some sort of explanation. I personally was way more focused on having Hinata bringing Neji’s portrait. I found this enduring and a really nice gesture that just makes me want to have seen more of their relationship and development in Naruto Shippuden. In the same manner though I was pissed of that Choji wasn’t that present I understand the necessity to fill a story in a 22 minute timelapse so, even though I think Choji could be easily added better within the chapter, I understand the decision to not involve him that much. In the same manner it would have been nice to see Yoshino and Choza within the people of Konoha, a real missed opportunity.

Shikamaru looking above to the sky is a lovely gesture that carries a lot through it. I often talk about how beautifully written is Shikamaru’s arc through Naruto. He is the pivotal character that I would put a focus if a coming of age story is what you are looking for. And this character arc left us with one solid idea in my opinion, sometimes what you always wanted won’t be what is given or what is needed from you. Growing up is about taking responsibilities about following the path you consider to be right and not the easiest. However in this little moment we can see a really human Shikamaru that, is not only looking up into the sky towards his lost father but his lost dreams. There is almost a melancholic tint to all this scene, because we all have times in which we wish we could be kids again and really don’t care. It’s really humanising and it is done with such a subtlety that it surprised me.

Ao coming back is still something I don’t end up getting used to, even with two rewatches of the episode. But I got to say it, even though I find it quite convenient, he fufills the role that is needed from him in this chapter being the only person that can answer the question that’ll bring peace to Ino and Shikamaru so, even though a little bit crappy in its execution I really don’t mind he survived.

Shikamaru and Ino and their talk was really fresh and something I never knew I needed. As I always said, I love Team 10 and their dynamic. There is an undying love, support and care for each team member to the others that is so wholesmome and sweet. And in this scene they were able to replicate this perfectly. The friendship between Ino and Shikamaru was always a beautiful element within the narrative because they are, in my opinion, a really good representation of a female-male friendship. And no, this doesn’t mean that you can’t ship them (I mean you do you) but it means that I think that it was a really nice scene between two friends, one a woman and the other a man, that care about each other like family and that I am sure would do anything for each other and I think that is beautiful. Friendships between men and women should be normalised on screen and I think that Ino and Shikamaru, beyond the Ino-Shika-Cho as a whole, are a really true example of what a healthy friendship can be. They joke around with each other but also don’t shy of being vulnerable and supportive.

Here enters the well known “Survivor Syndrome”, also called Survivor Guilt, something that all three main characters within the chapter have, meaning, Shikamaru, Ao and Ino. This is a mental condition that occurs when a person believes they have done something wrong by surviving a traumatic or tragic event when others did not, often feeling self-guilt. Obviously all characters show it in different degrees; for someone like Ao that guilt is turned into the inspiration to move foward with his rehabilitation in order to live for those who died but in the case of Shikamaru and Ino it is explored completely diffeng through one element, key for this chapter.

The Recurrent Question, is basically a lovely way to introduce us to syche of this two characters and better understand the weight this two characters carry beyond the leadership of their clans. Their parents died at a fairly young age and their kids were inexperienced as it regards a war of this magnitude beyond being basically teenagers. Taking all this into account, beyond Shikamaru’s characterisation which goes alonb with it, it really isn’t weird the question they have. It fairly logical, give the situation they found themselves in years ago but also nowadays as parents to the next generation. It is really a ver humanising question as it reminds us that, before being incredibly talented ninjas they are people. This is something they need to understand for personal reasons: both as son and daughter but also as parents. Compeleting that piece of the puzzle is what something will give them a much needed peace and, also the key to move foward as it’ll be gaining a better understanding of, not only their parents, but themselves

The Next Generations, is a theme that was always reinforced through all the series but specially in Team 10. This is not only given the importance the Will of Fire had for the characters that conform it but also in the genesis of the team itself. The formation of the Ino-Shika-Cho is a strategic one that is built and reinforced through tradition. Hence the strong bonds between the different he generations of these clans because, by the passing of the torch they are entrusting there lives and legacy to the following in line. They importance of trust and time become apparent as they show us the new generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho as Shikamaru says that one day they’ll entrust everything to them, unknowingly, providing him with the answer to they question he asks. But, why he doesn’t notice this? Because he had to hear it himself, showing the respect and admiration they had as shinobi. As Ino said they were heroes, real shinobi till the very end, but is that really so? I don’t think so.

Then we go to the sequence in which Ao leaves a flower to greet farewell to Inoichi and Shikaku which I think is a really nice yet simple moment. He also had the weight of never having said goodbye to them and through this gesture he is finally coming together and giving himself a much needed peace; he finally forgave himself for being the sole survivor of that division and of the destruction.

“You look just like your father” Well that hit me on a personal level. All people since I can remember always told me I look exactly like my mother. And, as many people that also where told so may know is not something you particularly like to hear when you are a child. You want to your own individual unbound of you parents and their lives but, when you grow and loss that special someone, well it hits differently. I can imagine what those words would mean for Shikamaru, probably some needed words that we all saw coming. It’s the idea that, somehow, he is able to keep with his father’s legacy which transcends the looks. It’s nice and sweet.

And here the question comes. Since Ao was introduced it was obvious he’ll fufill this role; answer the question. It was so brave for Shikamaru to ask it, knowing the answer may not be what he may wanted. The fact he says he “sometimes” thinks about this, shows us that the question tormented him for quite some while, fifteen years. It’s really sad if you think about the uncertainty that covered this vital part of his life that would go on to affect everything, his role as an advisor, as a Shinobi and as a father. But the answer was definitely something way needed for this two, and deserved. Seeing Ino and Shikamaru (well Shikamaru almost) cry made me almost tear up. And that’s what I said previously, Inoichi and Shikamaru as so many pointed out weren’t shinobi in their last breaths but fathers. And great ones, that entrusted without doubt and absolute trust everything to Ino and Shikamaru. It was a really beautiful moment that really felt gained and I couldn’t help but smile, though it always been obvious to me, I still was nice to hear it.

I would have loved to see more of Ino and her point of view through the chapter. I think we followed Shikamaru all through it, and don’t get me wrong I am a sucker for any Shikamaru-centric episode, but it would have been lovely to see the other side of the coin, the complete story and view. So yes, my main complain with this chapter as a whole would be that.

And we get to the ending. First of all we see Shikamaru watching the clouds as he used to do when he was a child, for me a clear indicator that a big weight had been taken away from him. It’s a lovely remainder that we can still dream and recall the child we once were.

Temari sending Shikadai to find Shikamaru is really fitting and a good gesture of Temari to be honest. I think she knew he’ll need Shikadai, as I said before this two know each other so much, so I doubt this was arbitrary.

Shikamaru and Shikdai are really such great father-son duo, I really like their interactions and how Shikamaru is able to reflect himself in Shikadai, hoping that one day his son can learn something from him as he did with his father and knowing he’ll be able to entrust everything when the time comes. And, who I am lying saying that the time will come? Some people say that this was a the anime anticipating Shikamaru’s death but, to be honest, that’s something I already knew since nothing of his dream come true. He never had two children and the first was a boy, he married a stunning and troublesome woman he truly loves, he is the Hokage’s advisor and one of the most important figures in the Shinobi world. Besides, Asuma’s and Shikau’s death I think showed Shikamaru that there is a way more fitting way for a shinobi, but even more importantly for a human, to die than peacefully which will be protecting what he loves. Yes, that moment will probably break my heart but, if done correctly, it’ll be a perfect end for this character.

The only thing I got left to say, because I won’t analyse the last scene cause (being honest) I was completely taken by surprise is, what happened to Temari? I got to say, that wasn’t really nice of Shikamaru and neither of Shikadai. Shikadai was looking for Shikamaru in order to go home to Temari, who was waiting for them. I just gonna set this clear - now Studio Pierrot owes us a Nara Family Moment/ShikaTema for doing dirty at last second lmao.

Well this is my opinion/analysis of this episode of Boruto. I hope I didn’t bore you that much when reading my opinion and that you enjoyed the episode as much as I did. Have a nice day! ❤️

#boruto #episode 178 #shikamaru nara #ino yamanaka #shikaku nara #inoichi yamanaka #fourth shinobi world war #naruto #naruto shippuden #shikadai nara #inojin yamanaka #boruto next generations #temari #anime

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chakrafruitwrites · 4 years ago

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14, 10, 5 for naruto + sasuke in state of us, please !! i love the story by the way and your updates make my tuesdays so happy :D

thank you!! for the questions and i'm so happy to hear you've been enjoying it. as a response to these questions, i wrote an essay heh.

5. What makes your main ship so compatible? Or, what makes them so incompatible? What do they see in each other?

the reason why i decided to explore this AU is very succinctly summed up by this comment i received: “Since Naruto and Sasuke have known each other since they were little children in canon, it’s interesting to see how their relationship unfolds, how the way they act around each other is shaped when they only know each other as (young) adults.”

in canon, naruto and sasuke’s bond is forged through yin and yang, sun and moon, destiny and all that jazz. i wanted to see how their bond and attraction to each other could develop and progress without resting on soulmate-type tropes and the idea of destiny. they are compatible because they were both strangers to the concept of ‘home’. sasuke has no past so no home and no memories, and oto is basically just a series of bases that train children into weapons. naruto worked hard to make friends and achieved his dream of being hokage, but that is not the same as finding home and returning to it day after day. together, they could finally do normal stuff that they’ve never experienced before. welcoming someone back home. coming home to someone. green tea in the living room on rainy days and playing an instrument for someone after dinner.

they both never understood home until they lived with each other, and then it all started making sense.

also wanted to add some thoughts on sai/sakura: it strikes me as a healthier, more realistic sasuke/sakura and i lowkey ship it (if anyone knows of any sai/sakura fics to rec, please give it to me!!). sai wouldn’t constantly reject sakura even though he doesn’t understand love - he'd just be hmm and take it as another puzzle to figure out, and she’d work towards breaking down his walls. i see them working well together in team 7 (sai’s emotionless self being able to handle and counter naruto’s impulsiveness and sakura’s hot-headedness until they all calm down), and this develops into a deeper connection between the two of them once sai gets in touch with his emotional side after growing up and out of root’s conditioning. i’ve always wanted to explore their dynamic and i couldn’t do it in-depth here, but it’s nice to skim the surface in this AU.

10. What’s the importance of sex to your character(s)? What’s its role in the relationship shared between your central character and their partner?

in the shinobi world, things are harsh. using the body as a weapon is just another day in the life as a ninja, especially for kunoichi. konoha is sheltered, but villages like kiri and oto aren’t so sex is just another weapon for sasuke. he’s used to the act as a means to an end, but it’s different in this mission because for the first time, he has an emotional connection attached to the physical act of it.

so sex here is extremely romantic and elevated to an ideal. sasuke could fool himself about his feelings for naruto but when they became one, it was all over. for naruto, it was his first time, which makes it extra special. for the both of them, it changes everything.

i wrote naruto a virgin to show that konoha’s shinobi are sheltered (highlighting the hypocrisy of the village -- they can manipulate a child into killing his own clan, but they stop at making their shinobi use their bodies as weapons), that his focus in life has been singular: become hokage and then, as hokage, to be the best hokage he can be. and also just because i wanted him to be a virgin lol.

14. How does your main character feel about being affectionate? How easily and readily can they say “I love you” when they’re ready?

sasuke doesn’t know what love is until he lives in konoha. this is why it was so terrifying to find out itachi’s truth -- that he had a brother who loved him enough to kill his entire clan and get rid of danzo at the cost of his own life. this is exactly why falling in love with naruto is so frightening.

for them, affection isn’t grand declarations: it’s sasuke touching naruto’s face and keeping his palm there, it’s naruto bringing home a new box of fresh fruit or vegetables and watching sachi’s face light up. but naruto would definitely be more comfortable saying ‘i love you’ to sasuke. for sasuke, love is a double-edged sword.

#fic: state of us #chakrafruitanswers

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aion-rsa · 3 years ago

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Streaming on Plex: Best Movies and TV Shows You Can Watch for FREE in September

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There’s an overwhelming amount of new movies and TV shows hitting streaming services this fall. If you’re starving for new content, it’s set to be a fantastic time, but if your wallet is starving for funds, it can be pretty stressful. With studios and content providers spreading their libraries out across so many different streaming services, keeping up with all of your favorites can get expensive. Thankfully, Plex TV is here to keep you entertained without breaking the bank.

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Plex releases brand new and beloved titles to its platform monthly and we’ll be here to help you identify the cream of the crop. View Plex TV now for the best free entertainment streaming and check back each month for Den of Geek Critics’ picks!

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DEN OF GEEK CRITICS’ PICKS

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

They’re the world’s most fearsome fightin’ team. They’re heroes in a half-shell and they’re green. I mean, what more do we need to say? 2014’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is no Citizen Kane, but comic book movie fans flock to it like the four titular turtles to pizza. The film knows exactly what it is, providing cheesy one-liners, silly action, and unpretentious fun. Throwing in Will Arnett as a sidekick for April O’Neil was an inspired choice that paid dividends in laughs and whoever tapped Tony Shaloub to voice Splinter should get a pay raise. Produced by Nickelodeon Pictures, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles wasn’t only the highest grossing film in the series, but also the highest grossing Nickelodeon film of all-time. This reboot of the classic ninja team helped spawn further films, new TV series, and a renewed interest in one of the most beloved comic book properties ever. Cowabunga, dude!

Noah

This isn’t your Sunday School’s Noah. Darren Aronofsky’s adaptation of the story of the biblical figure Noah is an awe-inspiring epic that takes the bones of the famous story and infuses themes about environmentalism, self-doubt, and yes, faith. Pulling liberally from texts like the Book of Enoch, the film has far more action than just leading animals onto a boat and a storm. Shot by Matthew Libatique, the movie looks absolutely gorgeous and at times can be genuinely breath-taking, but it’s not just about the visuals. Russell Crowe stuns in the title role, but the entire ensemble is great, including a post-Potter Emma Watson and a ferocious Ray Winstone. No one expected Noah to be more akin to a thought-provoking art house film than a straight-forward epic, but that’s the sort of genius you get from Aronofsky, one of the most exciting and inventive filmmakers working today.

Shine a Light

Even if we hadn’t just lost the immortal, suave Charlie Watts, the heartbeat of rock and roll’s longest institution, The Rolling Stones, we’d still be recommending Martin Scorsese’s Shine a Light. Capturing the legendary band during their A Bigger Bang Tour in 2006, Scorsese spends a lot of the time rightfully focusing on Watts. With the camera fixated on Watts, you witness his unflappability; the way that he can make such raucous playing look so effortless. You also catch the man’s unique, jazz-influenced technique, like how he rarely hits the center of his snare, or how he changes his grip whenever he hits a cymbal. Even in their old age, the Stones are still one of the tightest, most electrifying live acts, and Shine a Light puts you right on stage with them as they barrel through one of the deepest catalogs in recorded music. It’s simply a masterful concert film.

The Virgin Suicides

Sofia Coppola likely has to deal with accusations about nepotism to this day, but anyone who saw her directorial debut The Virgin Suicides knows that Francis’ daughter would have made it as a filmmaker even without her famous last name. This haunting adaptation of Jeffrey Eugenides’ novel of the same name taps into the melancholy of childhood, the dreamlike haze of memory, and the mystery that lurks inside suburban homes. Coppola expertly captures the pull that an ethereal group of sisters have on the imaginative group of boys that pine for them in a way that is relatable for anyone that had an unrequited crush in high school. As a coming-of-age movie, it is one of a kind. As an exploration of trauma and grief, it is crushingly effective. The original score by the band Air only adds to its hypnagogic vibe.

Rock ‘n’ Roll High School

Punk rock music and Roger Corman pictures are some of the core tenants that Den of Geek was founded on, so of course we’re going to recommend 1979’s Rock ‘n’ Roll High School, which features possibly the coolest band of all-time, The Ramones. Let our resident punk rock movie expert Jim Knipfel break it down for you:

“After producing so many dozens of teen rebellion films over the years, Corman finally hit the pinnacle, the ultimate teen rebellion picture, with the cartoon antics ratcheted up more than a few notches. There are so many bad jokes flying around, so many visual gags and film references packed into every scene, so many overwrought teen film clichés pushed way past absurd, it’s a film that demands multiple viewings. Even if “Riff Randall, rock ’n’ roller” (P.J. Soles) doesn’t look much like any punk chick I ever knew, I’m perfectly willing to accept it. And in historical terms, it really was this film more than the 4 albums they had out at the time that spread the word about The Ramones to mainstream America, and that’s worth something. Old as I am I still get a thrill every time the students and the Ramones blow up Vince Lombardi High, and anyone who doesn’t must be wrong in the head somehow.”

New on Plex in September:

1000 Times Good Night

13 Assassins

The Accidental Husband

All Good Things

Assassination of a High School President

Awake

Bent

Bordertown

Brain Dead

Cold Mountain

The Descent

The Descent Part 2

Even Money

Fear City

First Snow

Freedom Writers

Gray Matters

The Jesus Rolls

Johnny Was

Keys to Tulsa

The Legend of Bagger Vance

Mad Money

Marrowbone

Murder on the Orient Express

The Ninth Gate

Nothing but the Truth

Ordinary People

Rememory

Rock ‘n’ Roll High School

Sanctuary

Shine a Light

Soul Survivors

Taboo

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The TV Set

The Virgin Suicides

What Doesn’t Kill You

Winter Passing

World Trade Center

Catch before it leaves in September:

Absolution

Accident Man

Aeon Flux

After.Life

Angel of Death

Answer Man

The Bang Bang Club

Battle Royale

Blood and Bone

The Broken

Cashmere Mafia

Child 44

Cleaner

Cold Comes the Night

Coming Soon

The Connection

Conspiracy

The Cookout

Critical Condition

Dark Crimes

The Death and Life of Bobby Z

Death Proof

Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star

Downhill Racer

Dragged Across Concrete

The Dresser

The Duel

Dummy

Flight of Fury

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lunelantern · 5 years ago

Text

~~~Sasuke and Sakura are neither

TOXIC nor ABUSIVE~~~

✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️🌩️🌩️🌩️🌩️💞💞🌩️🌩️🌩️🌩️🌩️💞💞💞💞🌩️🌩️🌩️

[... In response to "Sasusaku is toxic

/abusive" trope]

While I do respect every individual's legitimate right and entitlement to freedom of expression - - everyone is free to like or dislike hate or love something - - I feel that there is a popular misconception that's been segregating through the millieu of the critics of the Sasusaku pair which begs to be cleared.

Touting sasusaku as "toxic or abusive" comprises one of the most cliché popular catchphrase to counter argue against this pair and it denotes superficial, unsophisticated and inconsequential understanding of the characters' inner construction and manga symbolism.

Common logic lets us ample room to explore beyond reasonable doubt the repertoire of this absurd stereotype for, in order to be dubbed as "toxic or abusive", this relationship must meet THREE sine qua non criteria:

1. Sasuke and Sakura must BE in a relationship;

2. Sasuke and sakura must have a RELATIONSHIP;

3. Sasuke and Sakura's relationship must be ABUSIVE/TOXIC.

A single aperçu of the three aforementioned criteria that have to be met simultaneously is irrefragible for any argument in favor of "abusive or toxic relationship" for it's crystal clear that the Sasusaku couple dynamics does not validate any of the three.

A Cartesian analysis of the three conditions supported by descriptive manga examples would further emphasize that Sasuke and sakura are a far cry from abusive or toxic.

1 & 2) Common logic postulates that, in order to be ascribed to a certain condition or situation, you overtly must BE in that situation or must take part in that situation or must be an ACTOR of that situation. For instance, in order to take your spouse's surname after marriage you must be married first.

Years prior his long stroll to soul and honor redemption, sasuke and sakura are in NO RELATIONSHIP whatsoever.

Sasuke himself whisks away any wasp of looming confusion in front of the Gates of the Leaf that he does not desire Sakura's companionship because this is "MY journey to redemption and MY sins have nothing to do with YOU", implying that he KNOWS what Sakura desires and expects from him and his current self cannot give her what she wants.

Sasuke's shenanigans won him the title of a disimpassioned untutored novice in the art of intimacy and romance, which isn't the case.

Sasuke is perfectly aware of what romantic love and intimacy entitled and his actions speak for themselves; he bluntly and expressively brushes off any extraneous attempt at luscious and sensuous flirt from women - - which are overflowing in the manga - - and utters words from the same semantics when he refers to Sakura, with such implacable bluntness and confidence that sends shivers rolling along our spines - - he placates Kakashi's desperate words with a forward "play at ROMANCE" and "I don't have a reason to LOVE her and she doesn't have a reason to LOVE me". His words are explicit, uncensored, forward and crystal clear.

Sasuke knows what Sakura desires from him in the cusp of romantic love; she desires his heart as devolution and communion, and she desires his body as intimate caress. He acknowledged and accepts Sakura's romantic feelings, but the he doesn't surrender himself to her as long as he considers himself UNWORTHY and completely unprepared to respond.

Conclusively, Sasuke and Sakura officialize their relationship and ARE in a relationship from the moment when both the leading parties are WORTHY, willing and prepared to give each other the love and respect that they both deserve and seek for.

So, in order to be considered as a leading party of an abusive relationship, one must BE part of that relationship first-hand.

Which means that the first criteria to be met is that Sasuke and Sakura must BE in a relationship.

Now, reviewing Sasuke's sophistic and philosophical construction as the Schopenhauer-ish stylized anti-hero and the paradigm of nihilism/pessimism - - the Yin part of the Manga and its political doctrine - - his sensuous manga dynamics wending through the lights and shadows of fulminant and conflicting psychological and philosophical turmoil and imbroglios makes Sasuke's character difficult to grasp for the large audience.

Because it's difficult to identify with an anti-hero that pulverizes all the hive mentalities and society's stereotypes. Sasuke is complex, is analytical and introspection must be used for revealing the exuberant depths of this complex character.

Sasuke's ambivalent and expressive radical actions can easily be mistake for active and passive aggressiveness but this isn't the case with Sakura.

I dare to venture as far as to contend that Sasuke and Sakura have never been friends. While Sakura's symbolism and character development denotes romantic love and intimacy in her heart-tucking passionate surrender and boundariless affection, Sasuke thinks of his bind with Team seven as the pilifered picturesque portrait of his family, with naruto in the shoes of a brother, Kakashi as the fatherly figure of mentorship and Sakura's ineffable crystal romantic love and devotion as the pillar figure of matriarch/a wife.

Neither Sakura nor Sasuke ever saw each other through the platonic prism of friendship, not even during the forced cohabitation of Team 7.

Sasuke's in instinctive laconic, terse and breviloquent attitude is erroneously mistaken for aggressiveness which only demonstrates improper understanding of his manga symbolism.

Not only Uchiha Sasuke is the paradigm of the Left wing of the manga's two political doctrines and the pioneer of nihilism or pessimism as a philosophical movement, but he also embodies the condition of the GENIUS. The self-reflective philosopher, the thinker, the introspective brilliant mind who's conniption and kinesics are often misread by normal people.

Part 1 Sasuke parts ways with Sakura in a completely idillic picturesque scenery that overflows with pure emotion and intimacy as it suggests that the two lay their farewells as lovers.

During their interactions, Sasuke's kinesics have always been dulcet, more tempered, softer and more suave with Sakura.

She managed to steal from him rare moments of sweetness and affection, culminating with two meaningful words from the elusive and introvert Sasuke which are illustrative for his overt fondness and gratitude for this girl's feelings - - he said "thank you" from the bottom of his heart.

And parted on good terms as Sasuke leaves the village (thus he turns against the current political ninja system) and starts his sojourn through the maze of life's tumult that's sprinkled with cruel and brutal faces of the ugly reality of the world (he steps out of the comfort zone and security of the village and experiences real life).

It also marks the young boy's end of childhoods blissful innocence and the bloom of puberty.

Now, from between these two milestone moments that harmoniously and symmetrically conclude the philosophy of the manga, (Sasuke's departure in Part 1; the Sign of Reconciliation after Sasuke and Naruto's battle of ideologies), Sasuke's soohistic character finds its fulminant paintbrushing with lights and shadows and his symbolic actions crayon the tragic exuberance of his anti-hero dynamics and development.

He and Sakura are absolute STRANGERS while Sasuke's character unfolds in all the splendor of his complex glory. They are in no relationship whatsoever.

The tragi-comedy of this tumultuous pair is that Sasuke HIMSELF makes it perfectly clear what he and Sakura are with illustrative and more than self-sufficient phrases: "I am a FORMER Team 7 member", "I am NOT part of this team anymore" and even going as far as to acknowledge Sai's renewed role as "my REPLACEMENT".

Moreover, after Sasuke's conjecture affiliation with Akatsuki, he and Sakura can be officially considered enemies and both act accordingly. Sasuke becomes an international criminal under the direct order to be annihilated in the spot. Sakura, as a faithful shinobi that's fully committed to the military discipline of her job launches to eliminate Sasuke as per order of her superiors while Sasuke obviously retaliates in self-defense.

Sasuke and Sakura, by the time Sasuke's character unfurles uncensored in all the full splendor of his lights and shadows, DON'T find themselves in a relationship and they share NO RELATIONSHIP whatsoever. NONE!

As a pair, Sasuke and Sakura made amends with their romantic feelings in part 1 before their departure and they KNOW it. Sasuke tries to sever his past bonds and start anew and Sakura tries to do just as so and both FAIL.

Which annuls the seemingly assertion that Sakura herself acts like she's trapped into a twisted variation of the Stockholm syndrome (then victim starts to feel fondly for her captor and even acquiesces to his mentality, as a consequence of the brain's innate copying response calls for the development of a mechanism of defense).

And even if suppressed and denied, feelings churn deep inside their hearts, even if their heated stares and honey-poison infused words barely makes their inner tempest, officially and how they ACT makes it perfectly clear that are NOTHING to each other. To ARE NOT in a relationship and they have NO RELATIONSHIP.

Which automatically invalidates that Sasusaku are overall in a toxic relationship.

3) Let's consider the semantics of Toxic and abusive relationship.

Because both the concepts borderline the crimes and felonies in the Criminal Codes, it's imperative to postulate that the two refer to psychological and physical REPEATED actions that are meant to subdue and quench the victim's freedom and Will (sexual freedom, freedom of speech, of expression, of movement...).

Abuse can be both physical and psychological with actions to sustain and reveal that the victim is subjected to regular abuse (the crime is repetitive and habitual) with the purpose of INFLICTING TERROR, fear and coercition.

The victim of abuse is terrified as she undergoes major psychological trauma, in response to the violent and COERCITIVE actions of the one who abuses her.

Abuse is defined as inflicting pain, teror, fear, to subdue, to surmount and crush the freedom of spirit, to prevent the victim to manifest and take action, to denigrate the spirit and transgress fundamental human rights, which are all grave crimes punishable by the Criminal legislations.

The victim is weakened and terrorized, she fears the one who abuses her and she finds herself in the illusory trap of the Stockholm syndrome in order to develop a copying mechanism to ensure the physical and psychological trauma and survive.

Where exactly does the Manga depict such distraught, coercitive and abusive behavioral traits in regards to Sasuke and Sakura as an official COUPLE?

Nowhere, naturally.

Whenever Sasuke and Sakura physically or psychologically clashed, they were both in their roles of shinobi/enemies. They never violently collided as lovers.

Sasuke and Sakura are both prideful full-fledged shinobi, understanding perfectly well the inner conflict and the displayed course of actions that this dichotomy entitles.

When in the shoes of the shinobi, personal feelings must be set aside. They both know it. Sakura and Sasuke, even if they love ecah other romantically, they must forgo their feelings in lieu of assuming their role as the shinobi.

Plus, Sakura is not depicted as bring feareful of Sasuke, au contraire she lunges onwards and alone with total intent to kill him. That's antithetical to how a victim of abuse acts.

She's confident in her skills, she's calm, analytical, level-headed, lucid, determined, strong, and mentally not feareful of Sasuke. She doesn't fear him even though his reputation strikes terror amidst the general audience.

She doesn't even wavers before him after she learns that he faced 5 Kage and killed the shrawdy enigmatic Shimura Danzo! What makes Sakura falter is the product of genuine love, not abuse or fear.

Sasuke doesn't repeatedly try to strike fear or coerce Sakura, he doesn't corner her, he doesn't try to abuse her mentally or physically, he doesn't enslave her. He only retails accordingly. His words or actions invalidate any form of abuse.

They are both shinobi, they acknowledge each other's skills and act accordingly. Neither abuses the other one in any way.

Now, I can imagine how this wrong assertion could work, namely, if one would claim that their relationship is GROUNDED and constructed on the shaky foundation of a FORMER/PAST of abuse and violence, pain and remorse, guilt and terror,reviwing upon Sasuke's character dynamic and Sakura's unwavering devotion that's indomitable and candid.

Once could quest how could a couple work a peaceful and healthy relationship if they have a tempestous stained HISTORY of abuse?

The philosophy of the Manga makes it work for two valid reasons:

1. Sasuke and Sakura do not have a hystory of abuse and terror because of their dual role as human beings and shinobi and their clashes and virulent encounters are presented in the light of shinobi / warriors just like two soldiers of opposing battle forces;

2. The moral of Naruto manga is centered around redemption and forgiveness; Naruto makes it clear they one cannot erase his past self or cut his own bonds and history no matter how sinfully tragic or stained because history is what gives us identity and shape our character and peace can never be achieved if we don't acknowledge each other's pain (pain that's derived from that very painful history of sin and tumult). Naruto manga suggests that, in order for a bond of peace and tranquil cohabitation to work, it is absolutely imperative to accept someone's past. In this case, a redeemed past.

We have the criminal rehabilitation in the Criminal Code which means that the effects of a conviction and the additional penalties are extincted when certain criteria are met.

And Sasuke already atoned for his crimes, both legally and metaphorically, before becoming Sakura's official lover.

Denying that Sasuke and Sakura now a happy married couple ARE abusive or toxic or they ground their marriage on a toxic HISTORY is invalidated by the fact that Sasuke redeemed himself in the eyes of the law, in the eyes of the audience and Naruto Manga promotes the acceptance of one's past as the sole way to make amends and exist in peaceful cohabitation.

How could one reach to someone's heart if he doesn't understand his soul and the source of his pain? And the kernel of both lies in his past, his history.

I can safely postulate that Sasuke gave himself willingly, happily and serenly to Sakura when he was absolutely sure that he is the best version of himself; the one who could give her what she wants and what she deserves. And surrendered to her endless love and devotion.

He asked for forgiveness for his actions (which implied asking forgiveness for not being able to properly reward her love and immense devotion) and Sakura forgave him, he made amends with his past, he reconcilliated with the shinobi world, he offered his services to the greater good of the community, he legally rehabilitated himself for the crimes, he received legal pardon for his crimes.

In the end, I'd conclude that Sasusaku's sole flaw is the embodiment of the human nature itself, with its qualities and flaws, lights and shadows. This pair is human, is strikingly realistic and not exceedingly romanticized to pander to the general audience.

Sasusaku's realistic aphorism stems from its uncensored life situations and the unveiled manner of transposing real-life situations into the fictional work of Naruto Universe, where idealism wins over realism, nihilism and totalitarianism.

Sasuke and Sakura are illustrative for any real life couple's dynamics. Every couple and marriage no matter how solid has its arguments and no human bond is inheritnetly perfect.

Perfect marriages are an utopia but it's exactly the way the parties chose to overcome their crisis and differences that makes a difference. And Sasusaku is a picture frame perfect of a realistic couple dynamics with its differences and shortcomings.

I'd cite Hegel's famous book and state that SasuSaku is the unconquearable proof that the paradox of every sentient being's actions and ambitions lies in the fact that we are all just "human, all too human".

#Sasusaku #Sasuke #Sakura #Sasusaku is not toxic #Sasusaku is not abusive #Supporting sasusaku #Sasusaku pair analysis #Defending sasusaku #Sasusaku relationship explained #Sasusaku couple

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ratspberry · 4 years ago

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many naruto thoughts head overloading

ok im only like 20 episodes into shippuden and i skipped a Lot of filler in original naruto bc i do not have the patience </3 (i will come back to the filler one day though) and while i love this anime theres so much i wish... was not written how it is

first of all sakura... i love her sm and i just wish her character was given some more care like at this point in shippuden im actually really enjoying the direction shes taken but i heard a lot of her growth is sidelined when sasuke comes back into the picture and thats my biggest issue. im sorry but if youre going to introduce a TRIO of main characters i want to see that main group equally fleshed out. first going all the way back to the beginning i wish that sakura was allowed to fight??? like we KNOW shes super smart and has powerful chakra so even when at that time she wasnt the most skilled fighter (as far as we KNOW at least. given that we barely got to see her fight who knows!) she couldve in the very least played a similar role to that of shikamaru as far as leadership and strategizing. and ok her crush on sasuke should have dissipated a lot more after the chunin exams. even though i do hate to see her spend so much time fawning over sasuke when hes not even particularly kind to her i think a crush in the beginning could still work IF the moment of her cutting her hair (“sasuke likes girls with long hair”) and her battle w ino during the chunin exams were like an eye-opening moment for her when she was like “wtf am i doing i am going to work hard as a ninja to prove that i can do this to MYSELF and MY RIVAL first” (which. ok she does get to this point later and again i love her learning chakra and getting strong as HELL during her training w tsunade but again. i want to see that REMAIN parallel to the enormous power level leaps that sasuke and naruto make. also let sakura and ino have a fun friendship rivalry that has nothing to do w sasuke) . i think it would be better if she naruto and sasuke were just friends who ALL help and motivate each other. and so when sasuke leaves sakura is STILL super fucked up over it and maybe even has a hard time trusting naruto again after he comes back? (but ofc she eventually does bc power of friendship) like IDK loss of one best friend, then almost immediately after your other best friend (who u just learned secretly is sealed w the nine tails and the akatsuki is after him just like orochimaru was after sasuke) leaves you for THREE YEARS??? kind of a salt in the wound moment! also im simply not even going to touch on all the comphet marriages in the end

next im going to talk about rock lee my friend rock lee who i adore. anyways he either should not have foregone the surgery from tsunade or died from it. HEAR ME OUT! this surgery was good in showing how powerful tsunade is as a healer but like? was it necessary? after she brought naruto back to life??? as far as lees characterization his whole thing is that he may not have special jutsu or the same prodigal abilities as his peers but he can still be as powerful or more powerful! and idk i hate when characters have serious life changing stuff done to them and not seeing it fully explored in the story. like ok so we’ve got tsunade telling lee (who cant be older than 12? 13?) theres a 50/50 chance he’ll die in the surgery to heal him. and then guy ENCOURAGES HIM, HIS FAVORITE STUDENT, to go through with the surgery so he could then go on to be a ninja and continue risking his life?????? so i thought that was pretty screwed up. which leads me to the two paths that i think would be interesting to see play out: 1. lee doesnt get the surgery, but continues to train as a ninja. his injuries still exist but lee learns to fight WITH the injuries and creates a really cool badass unique fighting style and goes on to be a great ninja like he dreamed 2. lee dies in surgery. id hate it i would and i dont WANT lee to die but it might be a fuckin wakeup call to all these adult ninjas urging kids into warfare. lee is beloved by all so it would be a good moment of pause for everyone to think like “ummm so the systems that be are kind of majorly fucked up.”

those are the two main ideas i had but heres a few misc things:

-jiraiya can be the author of as many trashy romance novels as he wants but him hitting on younger women and being like a peeping tom and UGH the way he was introduced w narutos ‘sexy jutsu’ is just. not good. take it out.

-let tsunade look her age. like the whole “she uses her chakra to make herself look young”? i dont buy it. i dont care that you just didnt feel like drawing a woman who looks over 20. you will do it anyways bc i said so.

-i dont dislike n/ruhina as much as i dislike s/susaku bc at least its clear theres a mutual respect and admiration there but hinata, like sakura, has so much more potential to be explored. idk if its looked at in filler or later in shippuden (id sure hope so) but i think her parallel to sasuke is kind of interesting? both have intimidating, extremely powerful older brothers (i know neji is technically hinatas cousin or smth but whatever older brother figures. also i know hinatas sister is also supposed to be super powerful but idk her yet) who are held in high esteem by their families and have all this pressure on their shoulders to want to surpass them? given that neji didnt um. do the things itachi did clearly its not the SAME between hinata and sasuke but i feel like examining the hyuga family dynamics would be SO interesting in comparison to sasukes arc. i didnt mind seeing hinata motivated by naruto the first few times but like. there is SO MUCH MORE THERE than JUST hinatas relationship to naruto.

-all of these kids need therapy but ESPECIALLY sasuke like the signs were there. halfway thru the bell test thing SUPER early on sasuke went into a full-fledged “i am an avenger.. i have to kill a certain someone” monologue and given the fact that everyone knows his entire clan was killed and that sasuke is likely VERY traumatized... who thought it was a good idea to let him become a ninja before addressing any of that. my god. like i love kakashi and i know he has his own devestating backstory and that hes a product of the system but why the Fuck would he let sasuke take the chunin exams. give team 7 a year more of training and getting to know each other and give sasuke some time to create bonds and maybe even open up emotionally and begin to heal and then MAYBE we can THINK ab chunin exams.

-asuma and ino apologize to choji for telling him not to eat as much challenge? did asuma not know that chojis clan uses food to replenish their chakra? it would make sense if ino didnt know but chojis teacher?? either way still p fucked, leave choji alone

-speaking of ino i want more of her character tok. why was she not included in that mission to save sasuke that shikamaru, her TEAMMATE, led?? was there an explanation for that?? i feel like her not being there was a missed opportunity for some real growth/bonding between team 10.

-speaking of the last bullet point shikamaru being like “ugh women 🙄” is tired and boring. very misogynistic “i hate my wife” facebook dad humor. cut that shit out

-orochimarus coding and his whole um. intent as a villain is just very. Hm. i dont think i like that very much but im not going to go into it bc im sure its been touched upon a million times

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