#I mean my emotional ties to this game are INSANE

[beastblade69]

also my shay cormac obsession has evaporated and now I just stay blank. and try not to go full on bonkers

[sowrennie]

Okay so I’m currently in Love and Deepspace hell and now it’s everyone’s problem. I may not entirely ever understand what’s going on, but that’s okay I’m still going to give my two cents on what Caleb may bring to the table. Please correct me if I’m wrong😭

LOVE AND DEEPSPACE MAINSTORY SPOILERS AHEAD!

1. Ties to EVER

Hear me out here. I know this is a common speculation but I want to delve into it and lay out the facts where I can see them. We kind of know what EVER’s goal is, we also— according to the notes we collect— know where their investments lie. They play a dominant role in biotechnological developments, aerospace, Evol energy, and international trade. We also know that Caleb works as a fighter pilot for the Deepspace Aviation Administration. He attended the Aerospace Academy in Skyhaven: an artificial floating island above Linkon. From what I gather, Skyhaven is powered by a protocore— and EVER is known for their involvement and use of protocores in modification/advancement. With what is made known to us it’s safe to conclude that Caleb is an affiliate. It’s hard to say whether or not he knows about the aether core, assuming he does though, he knows that upon the experiments— MC is basically immortal. She would be an asset to their research, and goal of extending lives. I wonder if Caleb feeds them this information, but at the same time— I’m just… not fully sure, seeing his particular niche and all. It does feel like they have their eyes on mc, though… I don’t entirely remember, but in awaited revelry, doesn’t Sylus imply that Josephine and Caleb have malicious intentions…? That being said—

2. Caleb’s return..?

I have a speculation that, like many cases we see (albeit some failed ones), he’ll be resuscitated via protocore; EVER can’t lose a valuable asset, after all. It fits thematically, and can further establish Caleb’s character as a character foil to Zayne (who despite his regrets, feels that death is a necessary part of the human existence.) An apple a day keeps the doctor away and all! This is the first ML we know that actively has interacted with another, and I genuinely can’t wait for what this means for Zayne’s story, even if EVER isn’t behind Caleb’s heavily implied return. He’s still facing what should be a dead man, and ugh. I KNOW his emotions are going to pile up. Staring directly at the Mt. Eternal anecdote. This could be a stretch, but— Carter, Xander Sciences trying to rope Zayne into their projects over and over— MC is the perfect bait, and bringing Caleb back may establish MC’s direct involvement and have Zayne be enticed by proxy. Caleb does play the role of the forbidden (potentially), and this could be how that motif comes into play.

3. Snake Motif…

Okay so I have yet to do my research on this entirely, but like— I just think it’s so interesting that they released Sylus during the year of the Dragon, and then potentially Caleb, during the year of the Snake. That aside, though— the clear biblical connection between the snake and the apple and potentially being that lure— what snakes generally symbolize (mystery, deceit…), and I saw this floating around somewhere, but apparently in CN he calls the MC ‘little tail’? I’m so interested in what this could mean symbolically with all his apparent affiliations, buuut that’s for us to see.

I’m looking forward to that livestream and tbh idk if anything here made sense but I’m so normal about this game (even if I likeee barely understand it.) What are you going to do Caleb. What’s happening. I know this is different from what I usually post here but I NEEDED to yap or else I might go insane idk

What are you hiding.

[vigilskeep]

i am soo fascinated with your rook and viago's relationship and would love to hear more of your thoughts on their dynamic. How long do you think they have known each other? And do you have any ideas how Sol became a crow?

thank you!!

all of the below is a work-in-progress in case the game drops anything startling or i get a new idea for sol, but they’ve known each other basically forever. like, since scrappy little kid sol said very cheerfully “i’ll protect you and you’ll protect me. that’s an allegiance.” and a very skeptical friendless teenager viago said “you mean an alliance?”

house de riva never knew what hit it.

(admittedly taking over house de riva took a couple decades, but hey, viago got there eventually, and neither of them even died. win!)

i think sol had been increasingly unreliable + erratic for several years before the antaam debacle, with viago unable to do anything about it because he apparently canonically can’t express genuine emotions to them face to face or do anything harsher than write them a letter addressed “idiot”. that behaviour might have just been because when viago finally took power, sol was thus in a significantly more stable less dangerous position day to day than they had been accustomed to their whole life, and also no longer had a clear purpose to claw towards, which meant the trauma of everything prior finally landed. or maybe there was some other trigger, i haven’t decided. i’ve been throwing around some elaborate plots to set things off. because i can.

sol’s been with the crows since they were very young. i haven’t settled on an origin story entirely but my brother had a very compelling prompt about them being a fifth blight refugee from the south—they would have been four or five at the time, isn’t that crazy—that i’ve been getting a lot of mileage out of. it adds a lot of flavour to the blight plot and to sol taking up the champion spec, for sure! i came up with something about antiva not accepting refugees off the boats but the crows then coming and offering to give some children a “safe” place (and even compensate the families with a handful of gold for their loss! how altruistic), which feels very real to me as a thedas-esque thing to happen

so sol’s life before the crows doesn’t really mean anything to them—pretty dismissive about their birth family, if you really cared about something you would figure out how to keep hold of it—and they don’t have anyone except viago. these days they know deep down they want out of the crows, but they still couldn’t bear to try cutting ties to the one person they invested two decades of blood into, even if they get very little back from him, emotionally speaking. (please use your WORDS, viago, the NICE ones, everyone with eyes already knows you care.) the world outside is comparatively a big old void they has no connections to, and the crows aren’t the kind of lifestyle that lets you go halfway and visit on weekends. it’s the sort of mindset that might make someone act out in a way that would get most crows killed, then jump on an insane quest of heroism just because some dwarf expressed belief in them while calling them “kid” encouragingly. not that sol’s ever done anything like that!

[everlastinghistory]

Hating children isn’t normal:

I’ve noticed a trend in recent years of people genuinely hating children. No, I’m not talking about people who just don’t want kids. That is completely fine. What is not fine is the people who truly think children should not be allowed in public. People who think children should not be allowed to behave like children.

Personally, I think this has ties to iPad kids issue. People hate when children act like children in public. So, parents have started giving their kids cartoons and games in public. If they don’t, they get judged and harassed for simply being in the space they are in.

Children are a part of society. People seem to have completely forgotten this fact. Children are people too. They have real feelings that are deserving of respect. Yes, that baby is crying. If you were hungry and physically could not feed yourself, you would cry too. Yes, that toddler is crying, that is the age stage where children are being taught emotional regulation.

“Kids need to be banned from public spaces.” Do you hear yourself? Do you hear how insane that sounds? Replace “kids” with any other group, I dare you.

This also expands to people hating parents. People get called selfish for having kids. For doing the very thing human bodies are designed to do. (No I am not saying everyone has to have kids. I’m saying from a biological standpoint your body is made to procreate). I’ve seen people make comments about parents essentially saying they must be miserable because they “have to” watch their kids activities. Because they go to sports games, they go to school talent shows. Like okay, it’s not for you. But I would do anything to get to give a child the happiness of their mom watching them participate in the things they love. And so would so many other women. And that’s okay.

Mothers are not miserable. Fathers are not miserable. If they love their child they are happy with getting to do these things. They don’t view it as “I have to go to my kids soccer game tomorrow” they view it as “I get to go to my kids soccer game tomorrow”.

Don’t start with the “what about ism” that constantly gets thrown into these arguments either. Yes I’m aware there’s people who have kids who don’t love their kids. That does not mean nobody does. You are taking a minority and generalizing it to the whole group. Another thing I would love for you to replace with any group other than kids and see where you stand.

You are allowed to not want children of your own. Of course you are. That is a personal decision. However, you do not get to choose for the entire world whether they have kids or not. You are entitled to a child free life not a child free world. People are allowed to do things you personally would not do.

Children aren’t even old enough to have done anything to hate them for. They are perhaps the strangest group to hate. Children are the very definition of innocent. Yet you still hate them.

If you hate children, you are the problem in that equation. Children have hardly even existed yet. You don’t have a real reason to hate them. You just hate seeing people be happy with choices you wouldn’t personally make.

[mac-ann-cheese]

Who has a choice like Smarty does?

(tumblr sucks for restrictions with image sizings. the quality is fucked up)

July, 2024

Another addition to my portraits of Alfred.

Um... I don't really know. This time for real. Something hit me on the head, and I got the idea to create whatever this pink abomination is.

I have a habit of making things that make my eyes sore, though.

Confession: I love Alfred's Cold War era uniform (well, it's actually a variation of the WWII uniform). I depicted him wearing an Airborne one 'cause of the eagle patch on official artwork—the trademark of division. I've seen the other creators playing a guessing game with uniforms, so there really isn't a "canon" tradition to follow.

And also it's cunty-- I mean, the Ike jacket, the boots, the silly cap. Giving fierce.

I'm sorry... (⁠•⁠ ⁠▽⁠ ⁠•⁠;⁠)

Personally, I always try to make clothing historically accurate. Then I should explain a few details. The long shoulder thingies—fourragères, left one—Belgian (it correlates with the red ropes that most artists drew on Alfred's uniform. It's the closest I could find that would be time-appropriate, and I saw that it could also have arm loops. More strings. So, a tricky fact: it should be worn on the left, but I read that it could be worn and was usually worn by soldiers on the right if there is a French Croix de Guerre 39/45 on the left, which is... the same-looking fourragère as Belgian. No braided strings staking!), the right one—Dutch lanyard (it's orange, close call to red! But, one big but, don't take my words seriously, 'cause I read too many different opinions on some 2007 forum discussion that I became confused with placement. I don't really know what is actually right, please don't come for me, I tried my best and it's only a drawing) and the French one, I've mentioned earlier.

Other accessories: on the left pocket—the presidential unit citation award; on the right, above the ribbon bar set (um, I won't specify what ribbons I could've depicted, as this post will become twice as long)—jump wings; and also the M1916 holster (colt is included!) on the leg. Did you know that little strap was used to secure the holster on the thigh? I didn't before diving into the hunt for references. The strap also could be tied in some peculiar knots, but Alfred is a messy bitch/j, and it means messy wrapping on the muzzle.

The autism in me powers the fuel of a research engine for a Hetalia fanart. Yikes.

One thing that I didn't want to change was the neck scarf. Sadly, there isn't one for real uniform, but I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it. It's just too iconic, even for my historical accuracy quirk. And the hat should be larger, however, I wasn't bothered about the right size. It's a mini-cap.

Okay, I need to address the elephant in the room. Yes, mouths. Different emotions (or I tried to make them different). Am I insane for this? Absolutely. They're reminding me of the first colour TV or ibm computers with Warhol's style.

The second ver is just text, which I thought suited him (tbh, Alfred would make great friends with Maxine, iykyk). I had great fun with distortion filters.

Last thing, the expression is supposed to be somewhat confused laughing like someone accused of something very controversial ("me kissing men??? oh nonono, haha... ',:D") and Alfred just laughs it off, like he usually does. At the same time, looking down on us, the viewer. Though you can freely interpret the expression however you want, it's up to you! (⁠~⁠￣▽￣⁠)⁠~

[frenchkanna1808]

What do you think about her

A LOT OF STUFF ACTUALLY

i'm pretty sure this question was like a simple do i like her or not but i'm gonna do a french gremlim and analyse and theorise a lot more than needed.

(also at first i didn't recognize you lol)

So i have five thousand questions about her and they make me go insane but to make this rant seems normal i will organise my thought's in multiple parts

Who the fuck are you cake lady and what is your role ?

So let's first say what we are sure to know about her, she is a floor master since she is wearing a food themed outfit, she is inspired by strawberry shortcake, and, that's it. I mean we do know that she is just saying how is everyone doing but that is not a lot honestly to base on.

There comes the first question, what is your role, every floor master in the death game which were themed had a specific role assigned by a emotion.

Rio is anger, Safalin is sadness, Miley is joy and Gashu is neutrality. So what is cake girl ? Pink is often referenced to the color of love but also nurture, kindness,innocence, and sweetness. It could also be bliss. But i'm pretty sure she will be something like love but more of a twisted kind. Midori and meister are out of the equation since they aren't themed after anything.

Second question

2)Why do you exist berry ?(i'm gonna call her that).

Like meister is the main floormaster of the floor so why do you exist, well my first speculation is this one, this is a safalin rio and gashu situation.

Gashu is the main floor master but safalin and rio are more so coflor masters that are beneath him in power, that's the same with berry. here my very proffesional shematisation

I do actually have a second one, but i believe less in that one, maybe she was sent there to replace the fact that midori died like an idiot. I'mnot sure the murder game should have ended whith midori dying, it should have either been keiji or gin, someone close to sara. But no midshit died so maybe they sent anew floormaster to replace him.

It's also possible that just like maple she is tied to a place since we can see that she is in room that looks like her.

3) Theory time

So first off, why are you sara core berry, you have similar bangs, body type, face and a ponytail as sara. That's kinda suspicious Berry. It's possible that she is a doll of sara in a costume. Her pupils are way too unatural to be human. Either she is a doll or she wear contacts like miley. Again this might be a coincidence considering that nankidai did the same thing whith teki, giving them similar features.

Though i did remark something, either she has no collar or i'm blind. there a slim possibility that she has none since it's covered by her bows.

So in conclusion i like her she looks insane i hope she is, also she is just botsun two, maybe is girlfriend/j

[shsl-analyzer-guy]

31 days of dangan- day 7 & 8: fav deuterag & protag

Considering how interconnected these two are, and how horrible work has made my sleep schedule in these days and made it difficult to type these out(don't work at the on-campus coffee shop during finals season. Don't do it), I elected to lump these two into a single post.

Fav deuterag- Genocider Syo

Genocider Syo is, by a long while, my absolute favorite deuteragonist. Even when it comes to deuteragonists I may like more as characters, when looking at them as a deuteragonist, they fall completely flat in comparison to the SHSL Murderer by a wide fucking margin, to the point I'm honestly surprised I talk about her as little as I do, now that I think about it.

First of all, having the serial killer be a playable character, literally physically indestructible, and slaughter Monokumas with multiple special attacks? Objectively correct choice; Genocider was by far the best survivor you could possibly pull for a fighting game, and only barely tied with Peko, Sakura, and Mukuro on an overall for dr1 & 2, because not only is she an insanely capable murderer, she's a passionate murderer, and as such, makes for a much more enjoyable 3rd-person experience in combat than I think any of the others could be in a secondary role.

She also experiences fantastic character growth in her own right over the course of the game while remaining one of the most consistent and enjoyable characters. Her relationship with 'dekomaru' is genuinely heartwarming, with their heart-to-heart in chapter 4 being considered one of the most impactful moments of the series if that one funishment-time post is anything to go by, and really demonstrates all the strongest parts of her character beautifully. I adore seeing her get to have the rush of passion from her talent in combat, seeing her get attached to Komaru, and her being the one to accept Komaru's help and look back at her? Immaculate. 10/10. They should've kissed in the epilogue.

I think what really makes her stand out as a deuteragonist, though, is the fact that she fills exactly the right amount of space in the game, remaining a constant and becoming a reliable fallback for the player in a way that just isn't possible in the other games because they're all first-person. Kyoko, Chiaki, and Kaito are all good characters, but because they don't have their own mechanics and are separate characters in a large cast, you end up with them either disappearing and blending into the rest of the cast too much or being harped on and pointed out even when it's not necessary to remind you, the player, how important they are. It makes an overall balance, but can be frustrating in the moment. But with Syo, there is no such problem, because she's right there with you at any time, with the moments in which she does take unswappable control from Komaru being brief and impactful enough to feel like a joy to see and not a copout. Switching to her to break into the bus in chapter 3 is genuinely one of my favorite parts in that game, and not just because it signals the end of that godforsaken "motivation minigame". She's reliable and fun, and the deuteragonist also being playable is a really good and strong choice that they didn't have to make.

Overall, she's just a really great and fun character that was perfectly cast in her role. I really really like her, and she's awesome, and it's hard to put into words besides just "omg murder girl is doing murder!!! Love when murder girl murders"

Fav protag- Komaru Naegi

Good Lord, WHY DOES NO ONE TALK ABOUT KOMARU??? I mean, I know she was in a "side game" but she's leagues better than the other protagonists imo, having the best character arc, strongest emotional core, and best drama and interactions with the other cast members. It feels the most like she's a person in the cast with her own dynamics and struggles and not just 'the reliable one everyone looks to'. I love Komaru Naegi so, so fucking much.

Komaru is the 3rd protagonist in the series, and it's incredibly apparent how the writers learned from creating Makoto and Hajime, as the strongest parts of both characters were pretty clearly put into a blender together to make Komaru and her story and evolve the world and lore. Like Makoto, Komaru is a more simplistic character who feels relatively normal but has distinctive oddness that she's unaware of. Unlike Makoto, that simplemindedness goes into the territory of full-on airheadedness, but has a much stronger emotional intelligence and intuition as a result. Where Makoto became hope embodied to save his people, Komaru recognizes nuance and chooses to save everyone, to understand everyone. Like Hajime, Komaru has no talent, and greatly admires those around her who are 'chosen', even having that insistence that she's not like everyone else and just wants to leave that Hajime insisted on halfwa through his final trial. Unlike Hajime, Komaru has a deep passion- just not one she's 'shsl' at. She loves manga, and wants to make her own manga, and her normalcy being a literal weakness instead of a metaphorical one gives her the opportunity to actually build her skill instead of being coerced into erasing herself for one, distinctly showing what Hajime could've had if he'd had support the way Komaru had Toko and Syo.

Komaru's character arc is also the best because it's non-linear, with her struggling to understand how much more capable she's becoming and struggling to understand her connections with Syo and Toko. The more gradual progression from fighting to survive, to fighting to save, is much more visible with her than it is with the other protagonists, as she has to learn to fight for herself first, whereas every other protagonist hits the ground prioritizing the people around them- Sayaka, Nagito, Kaede. And this becomes all the more elevated when Komaru actually receives the choice to leave of her own free will. A choice no other protagonist is given, and her rejecting it and choosing to stay for Syo, so that she doesn't have to go back on her vow to no longer kill, because caring for herself means caring for her loved ones, too.

Komaru also holds a ton of symbolism as a cycle-breaker when it comes to the Hope's Peak era. Like Junko and Monaca, Komaru is a younger sister put through torment and pushed by the game she's in to turn into a new symbol- a Hope like her brother, a Despair Sister. But she rejects this ending, because she valued the people around her without condition, doing what Monaca and Junko didn't and chooses to save both. She isn't Hope or Despair. She's both, distinctly both. It's also why she's matched up with Toko and Syo, who were designed to convey how the world is full of nuance and reverse imagery, and it makes for a fantastic match-up that Komaru ends up as the character to not only accept Toko and Syo as separate, but loves and protects both of them.

I also just adore the way Komaru isn't given princess treatment by the cast. Whenever a character argued with the other protagonists, it meant they were pissy and mean and the majority of the cast Did Not Like them. It was always very clear that the protagonist's social problems weren't going to affect their standing within the group overall, and had themselves established as the hero to everyone else by the end of their first trials. Komaru, on the other hand, has to fight and struggle for people to listen to her, experiencing a ton of pushback from the adult resistance and constantly being toyed with by the Monokuma Kids. She was the hero character for the player, but whereas the other protagonists spent time between the chapter finales getting gifts out of a slot machine and braiding your favorite character's hair, Komaru is fighting for her fucking life and pissing herself at every save point. Haiji doesn't like her, and hates Toko. She has to save them from an invasion twice before they'll so much as give her the time of day. And the Kids spend most of the game actively trying to murder her! Komaru is in constant conflict, and yet, she has the most compassion in the end, as a survivor of actual genocide.

[ectonurites]

why did cissie retire? would you want her to become a hero again?

Cissie retired because after seeing something very traumatic (her high school guidance counselor being shot and killed) her strong emotional reaction led to her attempting to kill the person responsible. She didn’t trust herself to be a hero anymore after nearly crossing that line, if Kon hadn’t intervened and caught the arrow then she would have taken the guy’s life.

(Young Justice Vol. 1 #16)

That’s the primary reason but two additional factors are the weight of the responsibility—when she pulls out some moves in a public setting she sees some children who seem to want to imitate her, which she finds concerning.

(Young Justice Vol. 1 #16)

And her motivations for being Arrowette in the first place. Initially she was just doing what her mother told her to—Bonnie King being basically a superhero stage mom living vicariously through her daughter:

(Secret Origins 80-Page Giant)

And then when child services had intervened and separated Cissie from her mom for child endangerment… after talking to her guidance counselor (yes the same one who was later shot) she decided to throw herself into being Arrowette on her own specifically to spite her mom:

(Secret Origins 80-Page Giant)

Her guidance counselor’s death and her reaction to it were reality checks about how life isn’t a… a game, actions have consequences, playing Superhero to get back at her mom isn’t a responsible choice.

So it’s sort of all those factors together which lead to her decision:

(Young Justice Vol. 1 #17)

Now, I love this story arc and think it’s very well done and that’s why Cissie being back in hero work is such a complicated subject for me. While the main YJ book had been running she got to live her life as a civilian that still had ties to the team/hung out with them all the time, and really that’s the ideal. But when there isn’t an ongoing YJ book, that’s just not a feasible status quo if you want her to show up.

Cassie’s Wonder Girl mini introduced the idea that after Cissie got some distance from hero work/after YJ as a team had dissolved, that she was willing to come out of retirement on occasion to help out her friends in need:

(Wonder Girl Vol. 1 #3)

and that’s more or less what also happened during YJ 2019:

(Young Justice Vol. 3 #14)

And even DC: YJ despite my gripes with Cissie’s portrayal especially in the first few issues feels relatively consistent with that:

(Dark Crisis: Young Justice #5)

Her being in this ‘mostly retired but because the DC Universe is an insane place, there are occasions where she’ll break out her bow and arrow to help the people she loves’ is what I consider my realistic ideal for the character. Because hoping for a 100% civilian Cissie basically means she’d almost never show up again.

And, considering she’s on the main cover in Arrowette garb for the upcoming Green Arrow mini:

(Cover for Green Arrow Vol. 7 #1)

It definitely looks like she’ll be hero-ing again, and honestly I’m just so happy that we’re maybe finally gonna get a connection between her and the Arrowfam that i’m willing to roll with it—opinions on her retirement be damned

[blueskittlesart]

i think you should be allowed to complain about whatever you want forever (and as someone who has been absolutely dying a thousand deaths over the currently planned live action how to train your dragon movie i completely understand this flavor of anguish)

sure sometimes positivity can be good, but sometimes u gotta start eating the walls and yelling to the sky about your misery (it’s cathartic <3). i am so very sorry you are joining the “bad live action movie made purely for money that has no shot of capturing what i love about this media” club, and i hope that at some point in the future it will be able to hurt at least a little less

it's like. idk. like i know that im at best a niche internet microcelebrity but it does kind of feel like im at the point where im being held to a weirdly high standard for. posts on a dying blogging website. like as far as i'm concerned i've never marketed this as an overtly positive space. i complain constantly. i've built this blog around media analysis and critical reads of the things i enjoy, whether those reads are positive or negative. but it's gotten to the point where any time i post an even minimally divisive opinion i get someone who is angry that i even dared to have an opinion at all. i've been very open on this blog about what these games mean to me and how much of my life is tied up in them. I became an artist in part because of my love for them. they have driven the success of my career over the past 5 years. I don't think it's unreasonable for me to be disappointed when something like this happens even if it's "just a game" or "just a movie" especially when my entire brand of content is posting about the game in question. i feel sort of insane. like, you all understand that i'm a person, right? that when i post things they come from my real human brain with real human thoughts and emotions? That i'm not curating my thoughts and opinions for you to consume? I'm just posting. i have a big audience but i am still just posting. and no one understands more than me how insane it is that i'm saying all this in response to posts on my legend of zelda fan blog. but like. i need you all to understand that you can't just tell people to not feel something that they are feeling and expect them to react positively to that, no matter what the context is.

anyways none of this is directed at you the asker im just using you as a vessel lmao but thank you for your support. i am nothing if not a hater and i will continue to be a hater until the end of time god bless 🙏🙏🙏

[carleyplays]

They sat together at the dinner table, a palpable tension hanging in the air as Rhodes retreated into the back of his mind, grappling with the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions swirling around him. He tried to focus on the dim light casting shadows across the room but found it difficult to shake the nagging feeling gnawing at him.

Finally, he took a deep breath and asked the question that had been haunting him, “Are you with other people?”

Emerson’s eyes sparkled mischievously as she turned the question around on him, “What about you? Are you seeing anyone else?”

Rhodes hesitated for a moment, the weight of his feelings for Autumn pressing heavily on his conscience. “Well, there’s Autumn. We’ve been... casual, but we’ve shared some intimate moments. I mean, we’re not exclusive or anything, but I like her.” He paused, letting that sink in. “But I couldn’t be in a marriage that’s open, no matter if it’s for views or not. I just can’t wrap my head around it.”

Emerson leaned back, crossing her arms, her expression shifting slightly. “Why not? It’s not like we’re tied down.”

“Yeah, but could you imagine if either of us were spotted with someone else?” Rhodes countered, shaking his head. “The headlines alone would be insane. It would destroy everything we’ve built, and for what? A few extra followers?” Rhodes rubbed his temples, feeling overwhelmed. “Sure, our ratings would boost, but at what cost? It’s not just a game for me. This is my life, my relationships. I don’t want to commodify something as serious as marriage just to chase clout.”

Emerson’s expression softened for a moment, but she quickly regained her playful demeanor. “I get it, but think about the possibilities! We could be the hottest couple on the internet.”

“Or the biggest joke,” Rhodes said, his voice low. He felt the gravity of his words, understanding that deep down, this wasn’t what he wanted. “I don’t think I want to be part of some scheme that cheapens what love should be.”

[telekinetic-electronica]

let’s talk about neo metal sonic.

Metal Sonic has definitely been a fan favorite over the years. He’s one of Sonic’s first rivals, next to Knuckles. He has been in many games. And Heroes, was to be honest, his big role overall in terms of story. I want to look at what his Neo form means, canonically and how people taken his Neo form within the fandom.

First, let’s start off with something, I’m gonna call Metal Neo from here on out. Neo, at his core, is honestly an insanely tragic character. He struggles with an identity crisis, the moment he has free will. He wants to be his own person so bad, but he’s still VERY much tied to Sonic. The purpose he’s meant to destroy and overcome.

And I also wanna say, a lot of Neo’s issues come from Eggman. I also wanna say, Eggman is nothing like his portrayal, fanon wise. This man is very selfish. He berates his creations, threatens to hurt them, and sees them as something he can use. Neo isn’t exempt from this. And before any brings up Sage,

I do like Eggman having a human moment with Sage, but just because an abusive parent is nice to one kid, it doesn’t mean he didn’t abuse his other kids. I don’t know where this whole “doting father” thing came from, but it’s fanon and something heavily Ian Flynn leans into, and it isn’t canon. (Like he literally blew that conch thing and just like. Messed up with the Zeti’s heads because they “disappointed him, and listed off things he’s “done for them”, Ik he’s a villian, point still stands.) 

And because of this, it drives Neo, but at the cost... of a lot. It’s often hinted at that Neo actually really doesn’t fucking like Eggman and hates of the shit he says to him. Him failing to finally end Sonic. Him always being left to the side lines to just... die.

Sonic just leaving him, after the day ends. Or Eggman just leaving him there. Until he’s ready for the next mission, and whenever Eggman feels like it. Neo has no support system, and he’s just driven by this overall need to prove himself. To prove he’s not some unlovable failure to Sonic and to his creator.

“I WAS CREATED FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF DESTROYING YOU. BUT I COULD NEVER SEEM TO DEFEAT YOU. THAT IS WHY I TRANSFORMED MY OWN BODY WITH MY OWN HANDS. BUT THAT WAS THE PAST. NOW YOU’RE NOTHING BUT A SPEC OF DUST TO ME.” “SEE ME AS I AM, NO LONGER AFRAID OF ANYTHING.” Like, it’s quite clear that Neo DOES have feelings. If he weren’t alive, in some way, he wouldn’t be able to use chaos control during his fight with Sonic and co. And I think we all know what he’s afraid of. Afraid of, what they implying and saying about him is right. The only REAL person to try and reach out to Neo is, Shadow. And guess who was also used as a living weapon? 

(I know Sonic has done so as well, but let’s be honest, those moments are kind of rare?)

They both were. Neo, really doesn’t have, anyone. He was viewed as a heartless, monster, who is obedient to Eggman, no matter what. He had nobody, and let’s be honest, Neo definitely ran away from Eggman to develop his Neo form and Metal Overlord. He was alone and gone, for God knows how long, and I’m gonna be honest, I think this form was him having a mental break down.

This stage is literally called “Metal Madness.” And God, let’s talk about his Neo form, for a bit.

Neo broke away from Eggman’s control and is FINALLY taking action for his own life. Sure, evil purposes, but still to him, he’s freed from Eggman shackles, and can you really blame Neo for doing so? He was basically raised to be nothing but to do evil shit, and with no warm or kindness extended to him. Or it was really fucking rare. He had nothing but just bitter and anger to drive him, revenge to drive him forward, and it tore him apart. No emotional system, he was just left. Alone.

Neo is taking control of his own life and forming his own destiny. Neo means new. New Metal Sonic. Neo Metal Sonic. Which is why I think a lot of fellow trans people, (I’m a trans male myself), have been flocking to Neo’s, well, Neo form. Because he’s no longer conforming to whatever Eggman wants him to be. He created his Neo form on his own, it’s HIS identity, and Eggman can’t take that away from him. He’s Neo and he’s here to stay. Now, God, getting to this part, it’s always just... so sad to me, from Neo’s POV.

Sonic and co. finally defeat Neo, and we here him cry out. Now, they’re all happy and cheery, while Sonic taunts of him a rematch. He had put his all into these new forms of himself, he was so certain for ONCE, he was gonna win. He was gonna be able to prove he’s not some fake Sonic or a mistake. And when he did his best, he failed. Miserably so. “AUUGH! NO! WHY?! I HAD IT ALL!” when he says this line, you can just hear how... miserable he sounds. Because to him, he was finally doing something RIGHT for once.

“IT’S NO USE... BUT WHY CAN’T I DEFEAT YOU?”

I think, after everything I said, speaks for itself. And has he says this, he reverts into his base form and turns off. Omega holds him in his arms and Shadow looks somberly at him. The two people who were used as nothing but seen as living machines, also holding a fellow seen as nothing but a living machine.

It’s a very somber feeling, looking back on it all. The big question for Neo is: will he be free or just... stuck in a cyclical cycle of being defeated and just loosing?

I think his theme song: What I’m Made Of also just highlights his character perfectly, too.

[thefloatingstone]

This post has a big risk of the notes on it becoming an instant shitstorm but here goes anyway;

A reaction channel on youtube who I follow posted a reaction the Barbie movie (for clarification, the youtuber in question is just a regular ass woman). I have an add on to my youtube where I can see the likes to dislike ratio before clicking on a video because I don't like wasting my time. And of course, the Barbie movie has a 60/40 ration on it which is unheard of with this reactor.

And I already know why and I am.... so tired.

Specifically I am tired of how American entertainment, specifically, has devolved to the point where they are making Soviet Russia levels of "literally every piece of entertainment we make has a political lens". To the point where concepts like "Do not hurt others" or "Being a woman has unique difficulties to it" become statements that are "political" and not just a communication of experiences.

I once mentioned something in passing on tumblr that politics are not a personality type, and had someone, very seriously, respond with "No but it is a belief system"

to which all I could think was

This is how we reach the point where a certain kind of internet user will say "Keep politics out of show/movie/game" as a veiled message of "Don't make games with women/POC/LGBTQ". However this is not something the other side of the fence is exempt from, as an insane amount of people will describe having basic human empathy as "being leftist" rather than just "I want to support other people."

And I understand there is a very large conversation about this IN AMERICA right now where basic human rights are for some reason something which is now being wielded as a political chess piece. But it has resulted in this reality that if you make a story where people are just communicating an experience, both the people WRITING the story as well as the story's own detractors, are writing with the mindset of "this is political".

My stance has always been "I have my morals which essentially boil down to 'do not hurt others or the environment' and it's up to the political parties to try and come as close as they can to aligning with MY morals. Rather to adjust and re-calibrate my morals to fit a political mould." And that's why I am so.... tired.... of this in the writing of the entertainment industry at the moment.

Because it has stopped being a conversation about emotions, experience, concepts and ideas, and instead, regardless if you agree with the film or not, it has all been painted with "ok but what's the POLITICAL stance here?".

Maybe the Barbie movie just wanted to communicate the experience of being a woman.

But it didn't, because the landscape is such that all stories in pop culture right now have to lean one way or the other to the point where that mindset is so passive the writers don't even realise they're doing it any more because it's just accepted as inherent to writing. Even the movie about the doll.

And please... don't explain to me how "The right are fascist and advocating for genocide, so being left IS choosing to not do harm to others" because if you do, you are missing the point of this post.

That is a truth of the American political landscape right now, it's true. But I live in a country who doesn't have a "right and left" divide between the 2 strongest political parties. and SOMEHOW, I am still able to understand what it means to be a good person and not do harm to others. Without it being tied to a governing body.

Which is why it is exhausting that there is barely any storytelling coming out of America which does not have the insistence that whatever message it is saying, harm or not, is a stance on a country's governing body, rather than a tool for human communication of emotions and intellect.

"But EVERYTHING is political!" it wasn't when you were a child, and were nice to others just because it felt right.

tldr;

[lolaskmeanything]

I honestly feel like I am going insane. I have been a moody emotional mess and I don't know how to control it. Thank god none of you know me, and I can never really get consequences from telling this, but I am on my period and I was sitting on the toilet and a blood clot slipped out. Normal, it happens all the time, right? But why in Earth did I think that it was a mscarriage. I mean the probability suggests that it was probably a blood clot, but something in me kind of says you fucked up. I was thinking back to the past few montsh though and it simply doesn't make sense. Dude I don't know and I am going to assume it was a blood clot since I don't want to think I miscarried a child.

I am also wildly obsessed with Drew. I am not sure what I did ti deserve him, but he is literally amazing. He is sweet and thoughtful and kind and want to make me feel cared for and appreciated. He isn't afraid to express how he feels about me and to make everything that much better hes so fucking hot. He is so easy to be comfortable with and I love that I can fully embrace who I am when I am with him and he wants more. I just love hanging out with him and and like waiting for him to ask me to be offically his girlfriend. I really hope it happens soon. We are both on the same page about not wanting to rush anything, and I don't, but on the other hand, I know I fully want him. Why wouldn't I want ti make someone as amazing as him all my own? FUCK FUCK FUCK! This is so scary.

These are the two things that have been making my mind reel. I really like drew, but I am nervous he is going to get bored or annoyed or something. I really am nervous this is gonna get fucked up and I really don't want that. I really am invested in this and I don't remember the last time I had something so good. The blood clot thing I cxan't fathom it being a fetus in my toilet plus all signs point to it just purely being blood.

I am honestly very tired and need to go to sleep now, but I have been off my game with everything and I need to find a good routine again. Every time I feel like I have it, I lose it, but progress doesn't mean we are only going up, it is the process to get to the top which includes some fuck ups. Okay, I'm signing off. Love my readers even though there is about 0 HA! Goodnight <3

[toomuchracket]

BABYMOON/ first holiday with baby. Matty holding baby in the pool 🥹

oh my god!! yes. i'm imagining the baba being around eighteen months old (walking and kinda talking and eating solid food) when you take them abroad for the first time (although i think, like, uk city breaks with the baby when they're really little would be so cute, just weekends here and there. although god help you trying to get a pram around, say, edinburgh!). they've been teething non-stop for the past 6 months, and all three of you are a little bit stressed and emotional, and maybe you and matty are watching tv one night after the baby's gone to sleep and there's like a holiday/flight company ad (not the fucking jet2 one though i fucking HATE IT lol), and matty just turns to you and says "let's go on holiday". you don't even need convincing - even the THOUGHT of sunshine and sea air and just warmth has you feeling more relaxed already, so you book it then and there. i think you'd pick somewhere that's not too long a flight from london for you and the baby, so maybe you do two weeks in spain - malaga, perhaps? and obv baba is none the wiser, but you and matty are so excited for your first international family holiday. just like he did before they were born, matty almost goes a bit insane with the clothes shopping - he's buying cute little t-shirts and shorts and swimwear for the baby, a pair of tiny little docs sandals (cutest things on earth btw), little sunhats and baseball caps to protect their scalp in the sun (he defo cries at the tiny hats in the shops don't @ me), and even a pair of baby ray-bans that match his :')) and i think matty would totally spoil you with new clothes too! like, this is the first big thing that's happened to you all since the baby was born, and he just wants to treat and appreciate you, love of his life and mother of his child. and matty knows you so well at this point, like he's so attuned to what kind of clothes you like most and feel your best in, so everything he buys you - mostly pretty sundresses/maxi skirts and swimsuits - is something you'll absolutely love.

anyway, onto the actual holiday. the flight itself is alright - baby sleeps for part of it, then looks at a couple of picture books, and the cabin crew are BESOTTED with them - and so is the journey to your villa (i think you'd probs hire a car, just for ease with the little one). and it's incredible - very private, but in a nice area that you can walk around with the baby, which you do most days. i think you definitely go to the beach at least once - baba is NOT vibing with walking on the sand without their sandals on at first, at which you turn to matty and go "that's your genetics, definitely", but they're fine with it after you convince them to do a bit of paddling in the sea and play the game where you jump over the tiny waves. like they literally will not stop giggling and going "more, mummy!" until they're (and you're) exhausted, and then matty builds sandcastles with them while you sit and read your book, looking up sporadically and awww-ing at the sight of their curly heads bowed intently as they create their masterpiece (you take a sneaky pic, which soon becomes your lockscreen). most days, though, you just spend lazing about in the villa, playing in the garden or in the pool and just enjoying the sun - baba's a bit reluctant towards the sunscreen application process, though, and the only way they'll sit through it is if they see you putting it on matty and vice versa. naturally, matty loves this, because it means he gets to touch up his bikini-clad wife multiple times a day - and that's before the proper touching begins after baby goes to bed at night. anyway, back to daytime; truly your favourite thing about the holiday is watching matty and the baba in the pool, the two of them constantly giggling and splashing about. i think matty genuinely tries to teach the little one to swim, like has their little armbands on and some floaties, but most of the time he just holds them as he floats and walks about the pool, talking and singing and playing games. baba's favourite pool game, though, is one you're involved in too, and it came about by accident - you were standing fanning yourself at the poolside one day, and baba was like "mummy hot?", and matty just looked you up and down smirking and went "oh, mummy's hot alright", and you like rolled your eyes and matty laughed and went "come in with us and cool down" and you were like "yeah ok but don't splash me", so obviously matty held the baby and scooted over to you humming the jaws theme and splashed you and you were like "OI" and baba found the whole thing hilarious, so now you have to let the two of them splash you every time you go into the pool. but you don't mind, obvs - they're your family and you love them and you just all have the best time relaxing and having fun <3

[profane-or-pragmatic]

The Devil You Know (Snippet) Pt 20

.

Insanity is always an option. It won't save you, but you won't comprehend what's happening to you before it no longer matters.

.

I don't suppose I'll live to be old. Even if I never make The Mistake. The stress and tension of constantly maneuvering and calculating and being alert to all things is clearly not good for the body. I imagine that there is a finite supply of energy we are designed to expend. We are biological engines but no machinist exists to repair our worn out parts.

I honestly don't think much on the matter in general. You have to survive today before you can have tomorrow. Damn. I'm doing it again. My apologies. The philosopher in me is deviously persistent.

In that long, torpid summer I recalibrated my precautions and expectations. I hadn't yet been given the target I'd originally been contacted over and still all the parameters had shifted. Personally I don't recommend playing two sides in a situation such as mine, but it was threat assessmen tied to the balance of risk to reward.

Arden Rauch was worth the risk because the man had a mastery. If he could manipulate his brother so cleanly while playing the longest of games, he was God-tier. His ability to fully shift in and out of multiple personas was as spectacular as it was dangerous and terrifying. Being in his presence was educational. I saw things I would otherwise never have had a chance to witness.

If the man had been born Mattaturian he'd have nine wives and the White Feathers. And no I'm not explaining that.

.

"Wings, brother, you should be crowned." Said Quincy Meadowfather on a night punished by severe thunderstorms and power outages. Quincy was...odd. "Money fears your presence. It's safe in no pocket when you're around."

"I only take what others don't deserve." I replied and was slightly insulted by his phrasing. Which made me sound like a thief. "Money makes money but it doesn't care who for. If I give better advice to some it's not my fault when others listen to fools."

"Binford can't understand how you knew that deal would break." Quincy said and twitched as though he were bug bit. "I don't educate idiots though. Say, what are your plans now? My sister is in town. You remember her, right?"

I didn't. But still said "Sure. Of course."

"She's free. And she has a thing for Turs." He said without apparently realizing that Turs is an ethnic slur. Or maybe he didn't care. "She loves kaysco. You got some of that, she's yours for the weekend!"

"I appreciate the offer, but I've got a midnight meeting." I said and gave him a fine, almost brilliant, false smile. "Money never sleeps so I don't either."

Even without my commitments I wouldn't have taken that offer. I try not to be shallow, but my mind had already decided that Quincy's sister couldn't possibly be of any interest because a) she was HIS sister and thus blood, and b) I had apparently already met her. And if I couldn't remember her, she couldn't be much to look at.

Then again, nobody should have to explain why they aren't attracted to, or interested in, somebody else. Excuses come instinctively though. As an outsider and lowly Other I am expected to appreciate and be eager for the attention or desire of a "normal citizen". I should feel honored.

If you didn't just nod in agreement over that you are a hypocrite. The world has never bothered to pretend to care, so why should you?

.

Norris Atchinson is the type of man whose name I wouldn't mention if he were still alive. He was a Void. Yes. Those people exist. No conscience, moral, ethics, human emotion. No way to twist or use him. However, to be clear, a lack of morals and ethics doesn't mean an absence of honor. For a Void word is bond, and a Deal is sacrosanct. The Void are like a definitely more terrifying version of a Mattaturian. They have a code. The trick is in figuring out the nature and extent of each individual's code.

I knew Norris. He knew me enough to treat me under his code. I had no idea how many people he'd killed, and he didn't either. He wasn't an assassin. He was just one of these people for whom killing was something done if necessary and whilch carried no stigma or pride of achievement.

"Everything dies. How why and when, what does it matter? Dead is dead." I heard him tell a client of mine. That was something he meant. He may have been as close to a solipsist as anyone I've met. Nothing held importance if it wasn't of immediate concern to him.

"Grendelson has been using that aeroplane. You were right." He told me later that night. He was my midnight meeting that I'd mentioned to Quince. "The pilot is a convicted human trafficker. I can't determine who was paid to get him released from prison. Two lawyers and a lower ranked judge involved in the case are dead. Normal reasons though. Nothing indicating influence."

"The pilot isn't a talker." I said, and that was a statement, not a question. The pilot wasn't going to betray his employer. That would be suicide. "Can you do me a favor and get the flight logs and airfield journals?"

"Sure. That's simple." Norris said and I wasn't surprised that he hadn't already done it because why would he? I hadn't asked for it. "Whoever is trying to buy your name is being very careful. Almost overly cautious. Feels like fear."

He didn't have to tell me to keep that in the front of my mind. He knew I wasn't stupid. He didn't have to tell me to be careful myself. I'll assume that you don't perhaps understand what we both did.

Fear can make people do stupid things. Rationality can be silenced if a person is afraid enough. There is no defined balancing point. Each person differs and the less experience they have with fear, the more likely they are to make poor decisions. Because I have people I care about those decisions endanger more than just me. My actions can have consequences for others who shouldn't ever have to suffer for my deeds.

I am not a solipsist. Considering the world I see, I'm quite sure of that.

.

[oodlyenough]

Maybe it's tad early since you're still in the 5th game but whats your opinion with the new characters for the 2nd triology?

HMM. I'm going to assume you just mean the major ones and not the one-off victim/defendant types.

Honestly I think my overall impression so far (mid-AA5) is that they're varying degrees of interesting but underbaked. Some of this I expect to change as I finish 5 and 6, and some I expect... won't.

This got really long so here's a cut. Spoilers for AA4 and a bit of 5.

Trucy

I like Trucy a lot, probably my favourite of the lot, although in no small part because she's so tied to Phoenix, whom I am still more invested in than any of these other people lol. They hinted at Trucy having more complicated feelings under her very cheery, performative persona -- Phoenix comments he's the only one who knows how she "really" feels -- but it doesn't seem like we the player are ever going to get to know more about that, so :P.

It's weird that she's basically dropped into a cameo role in AA5 and been more-or-less replaced by Athena -- like -- objectively that's just a jarring transition. But for Trucy lmao I guess she's probably having a better time now, going to school and doing magic and not having to partake in case stuff anymore.

Klavier

I love Klavier, in that I am always having a good time when he's around, I find him hilarious. But as a character I think he's really underwritten. They haven't really spent any time giving him much in the way of motivation or depth or emotional response to any of the insane things that happen to him, he's just there to flirt and have a laugh. Like Trucy, he's pretty personally involved in all the events in AA4 but you'd never know it bc he very rarely reacts to them. I don't understand why the conclusion of 4 was that he quits music instead of law. He loves music. Aside from "horny", music is his entire personality. We aren't given a reason he's passionate about or interested in law nor does it seem to be tainted by Kristoph at all even though rationally it should be. So that's just... weird imo.

But I like him, he's prob my fave prosecutor after Franziska and Edgeworth. He's the kind of character I can see fandom having a lot of fun elaborating on. In AA5 he comes across like a depressed burnout, and I like that even though I think it was totally unintentional from Capcom lol. It's like when you see a celeb on tv and think "huh are they ok?" and then six months later you hear they've checked into rehab. Hang in there buddy.

Apollo

Apollo is very likable but so far has not much going on in the way of character. In AA4 I thought he felt more like Phoenix's courtroom avatar than a participant in the story, because even when he is personally implicated like with Kristoph or Thalassa, he either doesn't know or doesn't react. (Are you seeing a pattern...? lol) Unlike Trucy and Klavier, I believe Apollo will actually get more material in DD and SOJ, for better or worse, so we'll see how that changes things. I like him, but don't currently feel invested in him. If they had started DD with just Athena and Phoenix I'm not honestly sure I'd be upset about it. Sorry, Apollo.

Ema

Ema's not a "new" character although adult Ema feels pretty different to kid Ema, in a good way. Kid Ema was fun but forgettable to me -- adult Ema fucking rules lmao my favourite detective for sure, I wish we got to keep her. Cranky and competent and disillusioned. I loved her.

Kristoph

Kristoph was fun but overhyped by fandom imo. I liked him and his weird gay frienemyship with Phoenix, and in the pantheon of AA villains I see why he's pretty memorable, the 7 year gap is very rich material. But his motivations were silly and I anticipated so many better ones that didn't materialize at all lmao. I thought he was going to be some criminal mastermind building his defense empire on falsified evidence ... he just did it once and then panicked for 7 years?? Kristoph wants what Dahlia Hawthorne has.

Athena

Athena still feels like I've only just met her, so I don't have a solid opinion. I like her though. There are not enough women practicing law in this stupid franchise so I was predisoposed to like her, and I like her overzealous energy and stuff. I don't love mood matrix as a minigame, and I don't know what her tragic backstory is yet btu I know one exists, so the jury's out on that. I wish DD would just let me play her more often.

Blackquill

Blackquill is doing nothing for me lmao which, tbh, is what I expected. I find him tedious and his design is ludicrous to me I hate it lfhadhflkhfl he looks like he belongs in a different franchise. I know he's a fan fave and he's going to have some big sad backstory too, so maybe he'll win me over, but right now he's a big eye roll. I think his prison gimmick would at least be more fun if every time he cited his friends from jail they were easter eggs from previous culprits or something. Feels like a missed opportunity for gags.

Fulbright

Fulbright is... fine. Probably my least fave detective. He gets a laugh out of me once in a while. Maybe my opinion will improve as the game goes on since I fucking hated 5-2 and it's all I've really seen him in so far lol.

Misc

I think that's all the big characters I've met so far? For the one-offs, I liked Valant a lot he cracked me up. Zak was nasty and I'm not entirely sure if the game realized it or not. Thalassa continued the noble Ace Attorney tradition of hands-off motherhood. I don't have much to say about Junie as a character but I do love Athena's unfortunately-one-sided gay pining.