#I think I will continue the legacy with the villains challenge

[dustbon]

Welcome to Gen 10 💤

Oh my god. I'm already at gen 10.

Eàrlas, our dear Aurora, moved to HOB looking for peace, plants and chickens. What he doesn't know is his life will get a 180º twist in the near future *evil laughs*

✅ Live in Henford-On-Bagley*

*Eàrlas was meant to grow up in this world, but I was being a tryhard at the previous gen and ignored that on purpose. My bad!

[hotpotatopotat]

Why I don't think Shigaraki or his legacy is over.

I don't normally do canon delves but I am compelled as a Tomura fan to dissect the final battle. This isn't a post on whether it's good or bad, but observations on what's been told.

Shigaraki's crux has always been that he feels like no one can possibly understand what he is trying to accomplish, that his message and suffering is pushed under the rug, and that society is so rotten there's nothing to be done. Deku's goal is to try and understand this.

When Deku breaks through in mha417, Tomura challenges him on this. What would even change if you saw what happened to me? What would you even DO about it? Deku declares to the one person that needs it most: To reach out and give you peace, and "that is why...I am here"

But... When given the chance to go back to a time when he was happy, Tenko chooses not to. "Nah." he says. I think this is often overlooked, but Tomura didn't WANT to leave behind everything he's done.

Tomura says, even if you got rid of my hatred, even if you succeed in "saving me", it doesn't change the fact that I still believe in the future I'm fighting for, to destroy. The villains need a hero, the suffering needs to end, and things need to change.

Hang on to that for a moment. All for One shows up. He mocks him, his dream, his goals, claiming that they weren't real, that they weren't his, that his heart doesn't matter, that none of it does. He's evil.

All for One does kill Tomura here... or at least he would have....

With Deku's final blow, he ignites any remaining embers, Shigaraki, included. They land the final blow to All for One. Without that spark, and without Nana having saved Tomura from fading away, he wouldn't have been able to do this. Tomura would have died before.

Tomura's vestige is still decaying away, and he laments the fact that maybe...he wasn't more than the crying kid Deku said he was. He couldn't do anything. He didn't even destroy Deku's hands. His dreams are over.

Izuku says that he wanted to stop the cycle of grief and suffering. Tomura gives him a soft "hah..." This is such a cathartic moment for them, because I believe that Tomura finally feels understood. He's actually quite relieved.

Strangely, Tomura is soft here. He's not decaying away anymore, he's solid, he's wearing his old shirt. He's NOT the same. He declares how he wants to be remembered, as the one who never stopped fighting to change the world. Izuku says, it's already been...but...

In mha424, Tomura instantly challenges this. With a giant smirk, he tells Deku that he better do his damn best to make sure that things change. It depends on the choices that he continues to make, not the conclusion of one battle.

424 feels like a giant wink wink nudge nudge for the reader. Deku is dissatisfied with not getting that instant gratification of "saving" Tenko, just like after a final battle, he won't get the instant gratification of changing the world. We don't get the gratification either.

But honestly, I really do believe that Deku will carry on Shigaraki's legacy and internalize it just like All Might's.

One final thing... You see his hair change textures. Left to right, It's decaying like in the final form, it's defined and stringy like in his early days, and it's airy and blocked like in his liberation days. This is such guardian angel energy, I swear.

I don't think this is the last we will see of him. And if it is, at least physically the last we see of him, I'm happy Deku will carry on what was truly in Tomura's heart.

[virtueking233]

Ya know (basic analysis time!)

There are a lot of things I find interesting about Ruby and Weiss and how they have some mirroring/are opposites of each other, Like with how:

Ruby and Weiss both wearing masks to hide their pain/sorrow

But their Masks are opposite of each other. Ruby’s mask is one of Joy and Warmth, Meant to bring people to her and make them rely on her, need her.

As a mean to make Ruby no longer feel alone and instead feel needed. Meant to keep her from feeling… isolated, alone, and no longer seen

Weiss’s mask on the other hand is one of, let’s say, anger and coldness. Meant to push people away and keep people away from her true self

Meant to protect herself from being used or hurt once again (hurt on the same way her grandfather death did). Meant to isolate and “Protect” herself

And when both characters mask break… it’s due to a opposite thing their mask is meant to protect them from

Ruby’s mask starts to crack in V7-8 when she feels like her friends/family is not relying on her. Don’t believe in her anymore. Then it breaks in Because she feels isolated and alone

Feels like she isn’t seen or is no longer needed by her friends/family, That she is… left behind.

Weiss mask breaks around… maybe around V3 or V5 Because she feels wanted… needed by her team… friends… family

She feels warmth and Feels loved and supported

Wanted for who she is… not being used because she is a heiress or doesn’t feel she will be hurt again. Has people who understand her… see her and believe in her

Which is very interesting

Now moving onto… the part where Ruby and Weiss both Mirror having a hereditary ability that is tied to a legacy that falls onto her shoulders

Because both do

Ruby has silver eyes and with it comes the burden of silver eyed warriors legacy and burden of protecting life and Weiss has her family’s summoning semblance and with it Comes the burden of the Schnee family’s legacy and burden of upholding the family name/the burden of redeeming it

Both abilities also draw upon memory… thinking about something specific But both are channeled differently and have a different outcome

Ruby’s silver eyes Have her focused on the memory of that she wishes to protect… to think of that which makes her think life is beautiful and something that must be protected

And in doing… in channeling that strength, She destroys that threatens to harm those she care about

Weiss summoning Semblance on the other hand Has her focus on the memory of a Grimm or challenge that pushed Weiss to become stronger. Focus on the memory of something that pushed her to her limits and made her break them and become stronger

Taking that memory… taking that strength And That challenge… that one thing that once pushed her

And bringing it to life with a new purpose, Turning it into her own strength

Which again… is also very interesting

Now the next thing is just the basic mirrored/opposite personality thing And I’m pretty sure we all know This by now

The only thing I will add is: it’s kind of neat that Ruby and Weiss sort of swap roles in V9. Ruby is the one being cold and distant… the one that is not being as hopeful or Happy or that much understanding. Whereas Weiss is the one being more… kind of happy

And doltish as well as being a bit more hopeful and understanding at the end of V9

There is some more stuff I would like to cover Such as Both Ruby and Weiss mirroring in the way that they both live in the shadows of a parent But Weiss lives in the shadow of a “villain”And Ruby lives in the shadow of a “hero”

Or how their arc’s mirror but are opposites of each other

Both lose a part of themselves but in a opposite way

Etc. etc.

I might cover it more in a second analysis or what not… or continue it here later

But I just decided to do This analysis because this stuff has just been bouncing around in my head and just wanted to talk about it

Might’ve just repeated some stuff I’ve already said or just reworded some things from old posts

But eh… hope you all enjoyed this analysis and hope you all have a Wonderful day/afternoon/night!

Hope to see y’all again later!

[bennettmaximoff]

I definitely think Legacies “Monster of The Week” format was one of the many reasons it ultimately tanked. There wasn’t an actual real threat throughout any of the seasons that truly challenged any of the protagonists. Malivore wasn’t a present antagonist, his design is horrible and goofy, and having him as an antagonist for three seasons straight resulted in the plot becoming boring and repetitive. None of the villains are rememberable either.

Julie & Co tried to copy the Buffy format, but flopped because her world building and storylines were god awful and lacked substance as per usual. Malivore and The Hollow are in the same category imo, both are antagonists introduced to expand the lore of the tvdu, but only created more confusion and completely destroyed the already established and somewhat decent lore. People love to talk about Cade when referring to the worst villains of the tvdu, but at least he was charismatic and gave us an interesting storyline.

Malivore just felt like a plot device used to show how amazing Hope is bc her unique and special tribrid blood is his only weakness. Inadu should have been expanded on further and been a major antagonist for Hope to defeat instead of them just killing her off in TO. A powerful 1000+ year old entity is just able to be defeated because someone killed themselves?? Continuing The Hollow storyline in Legacies would have made people receive the show better and actually connect it to TO bc the show feels disconnected from the other ones until S4.

[jugaflugg]

The Shigaraki Problem*

A [long] essay on how Shigaraki could be saved.

I've had a lot of trouble reconciling various moral and practical issues in the desirable outcome for many of the "Villains" in My Hero Academia. Even the internal debate on labelling them Villains is a point of contention for me. I think being reflective on the issues that are represented in art can be good for personal development; to be challenged is to grow.

I mean, in this essay, to put real-world practicality aside and focus on the circumstances of the text. That is to say that the outcomes are not necessarily in-line with what I expect of real-world establishments, since the situations are markedly different. For example, I would personally advocate for prison abolition in an ideal world, but the constraints of the immediate situation in the story don't particularly enable this, in my opinion.

In any case, the issue can mostly be reduced to certain criteria requiring fulfilment, and the fact that they may seem contradictory to each other:

1. The Villains wish to be free and able to do as they please. 2. [Some] members of Hero society wish to "save" the Villains. 3. The criminal justice system wishes to incarcerate and/or punish the Villains. 4. Society, at large, must be safe for all to live in.

For now, let's use Mr. Compress as an example. At present, he is imprisoned for his criminal activity. He wishes to be free and, presumably, be with his friends (or found family, if you like). Any reform that is possible for him would rely on educating him on why his acts were harmful and empowering him to live a full life. Imprisonment, of course, impinges on that. However, for someone who has committed violent acts, how can one be sure that they will not commit violent acts again?

Therein lies the problem.

Shigaraki's case is similar: he wishes to be free and, at present, to kill practically everyone. Even if he could be convinced that this is not morally right, his dangerous history and capabilities make him a continued threat - at least, that is how incarceration of him would be justified in-universe.

So, how do we save Shigaraki? I have a few theories on what may happen next.

Theory One: It's All AFO's Fault

Shigaraki, at this stage in the story, must be aware of the control AFO had over his life. The resentment that he has expressed towards his former mentor, the man he even considered a father-figure at one point, has grown in recent chapters. With AFO's demise, there is little revenge Shigaraki can seek on him, except to destroy the legacy he intended to leave.

Many have suggested that AFO's role in Shigaraki's radicalisation took place earlier than we were led to believe: AFO gave Shigaraki his Decay quirk. This would, of course, suggest that he manipulated the young Tenko into believing that his quirk was intended for destruction, to meet his wish to destroy. Should this idea be shattered, perhaps Shigaraki may re-examine how he came to be as he is. Whilst I don't advocate self-destruction, any remorse Shigaraki may feel as a result of such a revelation might lead him down that path.

Theory Two: It's All AFO's Fault, Again

Much like the previous theory, this relies on the idea that AFO's involvement in Tenko's trauma runs deeper than depicted. In this theory, the idea of AFO giving him the Decay quirk is optional. However, what happened afterwards was all AFO.

Consider, for a moment, Camie's quirk, which allows her to create illusions. If AFO has any similar ability, or multiple similar abilities, he may have been able to convince Tenko of his abandonment whilst, in reality, he may have been able to seek help. The people who ignored Tenko on the street may have been illusions, may have been brainwashed. Radicalising a young child to that extent could be the product of meticulous planning, far more insidious and, most importantly, originating from AFO.

Self-destruction is not the only response to this, of course. Shigaraki may decide to give in, entirely. Perhaps he will give up his quirk and surrender to the current authorities. Or...

Theory Three: Merge

Perhaps all of the above is true. Perhaps none of it is. But here's the thing: Shigaraki doesn't necessarily want to die, and he doesn't necessarily want to spend the rest of his days in a jail cell. So here's what I'm thinking: he needs to abandon the corporeal realm.

That sounds dramatic, I know, but think about it like this: he doesn't want to live in that world, so what if he instead chose to live within the vestige realm?

Imagine AFO and OFA merge and Shigaraki ends up inside of OFA, forever, as a vestige. If the vestiges from OFA can end up inside of his copy of AFO, surely the opposite may be possible, too? I suppose it would mean he'd would be permanently inside of Izuku's mind, but perhaps one could think of it as paralleling Red Skull on Vormir in Avengers: Infinity War. If OFA ever moved beyond Izuku, Shigaraki would be the warden of the power.

Theories aside, the finale of this entire piece will be interesting to see. Any outcome that is both morally sound and beneficial to all characters is of interest to me, since I have struggled to put the pieces together in a way that satisfy the aforementioned criteria. I am left to wonder what it is that Izuku will do, or say, to end this. I can only hope that it will satisfy the curiosity of its many readers.

*I feel I must state, explicitly, that Shigaraki himself isn't the problem; I am looking for a solution to his situation. I suppose it's comparable to describing a complex equation as a "mathematical problem".

[nucleargnocchi]

In defense of Despicable Me 3

It has taken me FOREVER to get to this and I can no longer find the ask but! @squidsandthings, to answer your question of what's up with Despicable Me 3, the plain truth of it is that it is simply the pinnacle of film. Most people think it's a classic case of a company wringing every drop of profit they can from a movie that saw commercial success, dragging it out further and further with each sequel until the plot is so attenuated you can barely see it, the concept is so inane you lose brain cells watching it, and the characters are so two-dimensional they are undoubtably relatives of Stanley. But I say it's cinema at its finest. I will try to make this short, but brevity is nigh impossible when extolling the virtues of Despicable Me 3.

To start, Gru is the morally gray anti-hero this generation needs: an ingenius villain with something to prove (he has mommy issues), yet a tender family man at heart. He yearns for his past life, for the thrill of heists and gadgets and gizmos, but recognizes that he now has joys and responsibilities (the gorls) and must struggle to tame his nostalgia.

Dru, Gru's long-lost twin brother with the most luscious blond hair you've ever seen, is the hot to Gru's cold, the high to his low, the piliferously well-endowed to his follically challenged. Dru has all the charisma and charm that Gru lacks, but he is bumbling and incompetent when it comes to heisting. Yet, despite it all, he desperately wants to follow in his (and Gru's) recently deceased father's legacy of villainy, to make him posthumously proud.

The gorls are growing up: Margo receives a proposal from a boy with limp cheese and a pig, Edith remains surly yet reveals her caring nature as she accompanies Agnes to find a unicorn, and Agnes herself remains a paragon of hope and childlike wonder despite learning that unicorns aren't real, choosing to embrace a one-horned goat in what is possibly a biblical allusion to finding the beauty in imperfection. All the while, the gorls are figuring out what a relationship with their step-mom Lucy looks like, and Lucy in turn is learning what it means to be a mother.

The minions, upset with the dangerous labor conditions (Dr. Nefario was accidentally frozen in carbonite) and unfulfilling work (not evil), decide to unionize in a powerful example of proletariat uprising. Unfortunately, they later get imprisoned for stealing pizza after enthralling fictional and real-life audience members alike by performing a spectacular impromptu rendition of the Major-general's Song on a live singing competition. They then stage a jailbreak like the radical prison abolitionists they are and find their way back to continue a life of crime with Dru.

With such a star-studded cast of characters, you'd think there would be no way to steal the spotlight, but the antagonist, Balthazar Bratt, manages to outshine them all. Bratt is nuanced and realistic with a tragic, compelling backstory (teenage acne) who clings to a delusion of fame after his TV show as a child actor was canceled. He is stylish and funky, bringing all the best parts of the '80s back to life with his superior sense of fashion (I mean, who else can pull off spiky purple shoulderpads and not look monstrous?), immense bravery (he sports a spiky, gleaming mullet despite his large bald patch), and multipurpose choice of weaponry (keytar that emits waves of sonic energy strong enough to blow not just your socks, but all of your clothes off to the tune of Van Halen's "Jump").

In all, Despicable Me 3 is undoubtably a cinematic masterpiece through and through.

Also, it's an inside joke with my cousin that I've taken waaaay too far.

[retconsatlightspeed]

The Saber & The Last Jedi

Continuing my post about Luke on the Island, I think I want to focus in on how I would have handled that weighty piece of symbolism.

It's a common talking point among the chuds that Luke tossing the saber was "disrespectful" to starwars fans, and while I think most of them are idiots, I think I'd change how that note was played.

Like a lot of fans of the 1.5 good movies in the sequel trilogy, I was really disappointed that Rey didn't get her own saber (or any actual jedi training but that's for another post) until post the resolution.

Fallen Order is by far my favourite piece of starwars media ever, so I'm infinity biased towards meaningful character growth as expressed through laser sword construction.

So here's my Pitch:

Have Luke drop the saber after Rey hands it to him. Holding it with reverence for but a moment before it slips from his hands. Play the following moment for laughs, sure, as a shocked Rey races after the priceless heirloom down all those stone steps she just spent an hour walking up before it tumbles into the sea (have her make that adorable panic/confounded scrunchy face) but then we turn the camera back to Luke and we see our lost hero is awash in utmost sorrow. For Rey the saber symbolizes hope, heroism, king arthur style YOU ARE THE CHOSEN ONE shit. Her job was to get it back to him, a nobody playing errand girl for a legend. For Luke, that sword is a representation of all his failures. His failure to live up to the legacy of the Jedi, his initial failure to defeat Vader, his later failure to stop Kylo, his failure to protect the galaxy since. That saber is HEAVY, and he cannot carry that weight.

The Saber is going to be the central motif around which this mentor student relationship is going to be formed. It's a passing of the torch, but not in the heavy handed IP servicing manner of Rey taking on the skywalker name. We're going to go back to the roots of Starwars as a Samurai story, As a martial arts story, and we're going to do it using the themes that episode 7 established god damn it.

Quick recap of my headcanons and a few things you need to know:

Forces awakens is centrally ABOUT the legacy of Starwars. There's nostalgia and fan service, yes, but it also has a lot to say ABOUT nostalgia. That's why our main villain is a Darth Vader fanboy who's at the head of an army of Neonazis, none of which are happy that all these... other people hold any power in the galaxy

In my own telling of events, Luke went to the island not to give up, but in an attempt to reconnect with the force after Kylo defeated him and severed his connection. His isolation started as an attempt to become the hero the galaxy needed him to be again, and he's all but lost hope.

Rey asks Luke to come back and join the fight, Luke says he can't, he's not ready. Delightful bickering ensues with Rey being flabbergasted that the hero she's been inspired by since childhood would sit by let things in the galaxy get worse (hey there new fans, this remind you of anything?). Luke, now a crabby old man, gets to use all of Mark Hamil's genius comedic delivery.

Eventually we're led to a scenic overlook/meditation circle and Luke Challenges Rey to reach out and feel the island. It's a holy place, suffused with the force, and here we get to see a bit of what Luke must have been like as a teacher, calmly guiding her through the opening of her force-sense the way that Obi-wan taught him.

Luke, serious: "Can you feel it... can you FEEL it? Racing through everything, Binding everything together? " Rey, awed: " Yes... I think...I Yes I.." Luke, deadpan " .....because I can't"

More Shocked Rey, more bickering, Luke's getting more resentful, it's like the galaxy threw this girl in his face to remind him of everything he failed at (it did, he just hasn't realized what that MEANS yet). Luke puts his foot down and tells her to go home, he'll come back when the force has spoken to him and told him how to fix all this.

Rey almost considers it... she takes a step down the trail while Luke moves to return to his hermitage, there's a pause.

R, hesitant, turning something over in her mind, knows Luke is carrying so many burdens and she's about to add more: "You really can't feel the force anymore?" L, irritated, barely paying her any more attention: no R, turning to face him: Then you wouldn't know.... Han Solo, he's dead.

Luke, looks at her, all his sourness melting away but it's different than when he held the sword. This isn't the old Jedi master feeling the weight of his burden, this is Luke Skywalker, the boy who risked everything to save his best friends, learning that one of those friends has died and he didn't even know. Twenty years on a rock trying to find an answer to save his friends and he's STILL failing them. He crumples, Rey rushes to pick him up she's all apologies she barely understands. She was there she saw it happen, she let it happen, she FELT it happen

L, talking over her, grabbing onto her robes and arms to PULL himself up and look at her face to face, there is a FIRE in his eyes now, This is Anakin's son. : "Come inside, Tell me Everything"

There's a few more beats I want to hit but I'm not sure about the exact order.

Luke Reunite with Chewie and R2

Evening's fallen and Luke comes to share Rey's fire as she looks out over the sea. A shared sorrow has bridged the gap between them a little. Luke insists that he can't come back, Rey protests, but he interjects that he can still do good. He's willing to teach her. She felt the island so she must have some talent. Rey is blindsided, she honoured by the prospect but she thought she was just bringing Luke back, she doesn't have time to train, she has to get back to her friends, the resistance, the fight against the first order. Can't he come back with her? Luke clues her in that the force brought them both here, to this place, it's special, it's their chance to rebuild the Jedi the right way.

Something something subspace beacon signalling back to their friends that they're alright. Gives us a chance to cut away to the B story for a while.

Rey's training is going spottily. she's got an instinctive connection with the force, bolstered by the island, but she's chafing against the Jedi temple approved curriculum that Luke salvaged from his first school/the empire's archives. She already KNOWS how to fight, but she's trained with a staff, so when they're using training swords she keeps attacking form a further reach or grabbing what would be the lightsaber's blade. Luke chides her about burning off her hand (he's got a metal one)

After a particular frustrating lesson they get into Rey's preconceived notions of what the Jedi were like ( more accurately, what LUKE was like, because that's her one touch stone) and how when she was left alone on Jakku she would imagine all these things. T, and then a pause about Rey being left alone, a comedic and decisive " I'm NOT your father" from Luke, followed up with " One thing I've learned, you don't need to be from somewhere to be special. The force doesn't care, and its better that way" . This leads them to commiserating about how AWFUL their respective desert planets were. We see that they're growing closer.

Also a chance for Luke to hint about his personal life, he was close to a few people over the years ( Wiggle room for every shipper in the galaxy), but between dismantling the empire and founding the new Jedi he never had time to start a family, there was always something else ( here we see how much being "the hero" has taken from him.)

End of the movie's coming up, it's been something like a month or two. Rey's weathered and calloused but she's in the best fighting shape she's ever been. She's got pretty good with the lightsaber but it's slow going. Luke's really gotten back into teaching, Rey help inspired hope in him, but now he's putting the weight of heroism onto her shoulders, hoping that she can correct HIS failures, the way Obi-wan did with him. R2 has been waging war against the porgs infesting the falcon, Chewie has himself a cozy little fishing hut by the shoreline and is fully on vacation by this point.

Rey fails yet another Jedi test, both she and Luke are frustrated. Our friends have recovered important information in the B plot and Rey knows that if she doesn't rejoin them soon she's effectively going to miss out on the next movie. A forboding storm thunders on the horizon, Luke catches Rey looking at it and cautions " You're not ready for that" , idly rubbing the place where he lost his hand. Rey questions whether she'll ever be ready. She's not him, she's not a Jedi, she's Rey from knowhere and however lucky she's been up to this point she was never MEANT to be here. It SHOULD be him. Luke feels shame again, and ends the lesson, tells her to get ready for supper. Rey eyes a nearby boat.

Cut ahead, Chewie's got a weird but delicious alien fish ready to eat and the rain is baring down outside. Asks where Rey is and we have a bit of fun with the puppets, before he looks outside the window and centers our view of a section of jagged rock barely cresting out of the waves, far from the island.

Rey's paddled out to this crumbling stone edifice and is doing saber katas on the stones in the middle of the storm. It's clear that she's done this before but never in such harsh weather. She slips, makes mistakes, but keeps on with it. Her form is approaching the super elaborate flourishes of the prequel era. The thunder rumbles and lighting strikes one of the rocks nearby her, causing it to crumble. She refocuses on the storm. The rumble reminds her of the earth splitting open back at starkiller base, jumping between rocks reminds her of her fight with Kylo. She goes through it again, harder, trying to make up for inexperience with effort. The wind howls worse and thunder rumbles again, Rey leaps in the air and DEFLECTS LIGHTING WITH HER SWORD, causing the bolt to streak off and cause an explosion in the water. Then another, then another, She HAS THIS, mostly.

Out of the depths comes a giant predatory eel monster, drawn by the explosions and looking for a snack. She could probably take it if they were on a level playing field, but she's on a very un-level series of rock pillars and is going to have to fight both the monster AND the weather.

The fight is tense, jumping between rocks, dodging waves and lighting bolts and razor teeth, slipping and falling into the water, barely managing to scramble out. Just when she's ready to land a killing blow the beast thrashes, getting hold of her leg in its jaw and CRUNCHES, shredding muscle and bone before throwing her aside to brutally impact a stone pillar and sending the saber out into the ocean. Ray, desperate, knowing the creature is closing in reaches out for her weapon with the force just like she did at the end of the last film.. and just like last time it comes ripping through the air, only to be struck by lightning in the middle of its arc. Shock sets in, she tries to get up and it becomes very evident that she's both badly injured and has broken atleast one of her legs. Disbelief surges through her, shame, failure. Getting the shit kicked out of her might not be worse that DESTROYING LUKE SKYWALKER'S LIGHTSABER.

The beast rises, ready to devour her. Rey's hurt it and there's more malice than hunger in its eyes at this point. The thunder rumbles again, and there's a flash... and the familiar sound of the Millennium Falcon's guns firing cuts through the sound of the storm as it lands a direct hit on the monster.

Cut to Luke Skywalker in the GUNNER SEAT . He's left the island and in a moment of desperation he's remembered that he was still a hero LONG before he became a Jedi Master. Force or no force he's still that idiot farmboy who heard the call of someone in trouble and left everything behind to save them. With Chewie at the helm The Falcon does a strafing run through the storm to scare the eel away before lowering down its platform to get Rey back up. Cut to a shot of Luke on the platform bathed in light which is shining down on Rey, his hand outstretched to her this time, the hero she heard about as a kid. The Force has delivered the answer he sought.

It's the next day, the storm has parted and the clouds are picking up the colours of sunrise. Rey's bandaged as best they can, wrapped in a blanket, Luke's changed out of his hermit robes and into something nice... ish. They look out over the water and once the niceties are out of the way, Luke Mentions that they're getting ready to leave.

Rey is shocked, she's not ready, she wasn't ready for the lighting stones so she won't ever be ready, she's never going to be a Jedi.

Luke agrees, but maybe that's not such a bad thing. Like him the Jedi lost sight of the people for the sake of an ideal, and trying to stick to that ideal is what kept him on this island while the galaxy descended into war yet again. It was the same dogmatism that let his father sip down the darkside and doomed the old republic. Doomed them. In trying to recreate their ways he was losing sight of the people again, lost sight of his nephew.

He will be the last Jedi, but she's going to be something else, something better, and he's going to Be there for her the way he wishes his mentors could have been there for him.

The sun's risen while they were talking, Chewie roars, R2 beeps, It's time to get going. Luke says he's all packed and pats the holster containing the Jedi texts he collected, but asks her if there's anything she's forgetting.

Rey's puzzled, before Luke nods to the sea.

R: " But It's... I lost it, it's gone" L: "Nothing's ever gone, It just... changes, and everything has to change sometime."

Rey holds her hand out to the ocean, tentatively, she pulls, but her force falters, her faith wavers. Luke's hand settles over hers. He still hasn't gotten his powers back, but together they pull and the broken pieces of his lightsaber come up from the water, glistening, dawn playing in the kyber crystal.

The Gang takes off in the Falcon, off into what we realize is a binary sunrise, it's a long hyperspace Journey back to the Resistance. Interspersed we see Rey tinkering on something, putting that scavenger knowhow to use. The Falcon Lands, we have a wordness reunion between our friends. Luke and Leia, Rey, Finn, Poe, and Rose (looking a little worse for wear after their adventures). Everyone is crowding around Luke, but we see Rey being helped into a high tech cast, which allows her to stand on her injured leg Without needing to use her staff, like she has been since disembarking. Standing proudly as she can, and mostly to show off to her friends, flips a newly installed switch midway down the haft, causing the upper end to ignite in a flickering blade, the Pieces of Luke's old saber incorperated into its design. It's not like any lightsaber that's come before it, but it's hers. The shot pans out as she realizes that more and more eyes are turning to her, Luke having silently directed all the attention that was on him to her, his apprentice.

The torch has been passed, and we have a new hero.

[grayzeppelin281]

Hey Gray, I have decided to review and ask about the main characters from your KFP fanfiction series...the three former villains, aka the Trinity. The second one would be...Lord Shen!

1. I love the idea of giving Shen a family. Since there aren't a lot of fanfics that has him having a family. What inspired you to do it?

2. The family of Shen, Xia, and Lao(Dongji)was beautiful. And I have some questions about them...

-When did Shen and Lady Xia meet? Before Shen's banishment or after? Did Xia know about Shen's banishment? If she did, then how did she think about it?

-How did Shen and Xia get to know about each other before marriage?

-How did Shen react to having Lao? was he proud and happy? surprised? nervous and worried? how was he to Lao before their separation? a warm and loving father? a strict one?

Alright, that would do for our peacock lord! I hope you would kindly reply this one too!

Okay! My thousand apologies for not answering your questions for weeks now! (Real-life starts being a pain.) Now, I'll start off with one known villain most of the fandom loves (remember he's evil)!

1. I don't think either fanfics I know so far have Shen giving a family of his own, so I made his challenging aspect to hinder his plotting progression and the claims of gathering the mixtures of gunpowder and metal. Despite being a single-minded maniac to concentrate on his retaliation, Shen had his secondary objective to keep his family legacy going, regarding his father and mother propose him to marry a princess during his youth age, but otherwise. . . he denied to wed because of his ambition, Shen craved to achieve for. Until then. . .

Finding a new home for himself and his army was no easy task, banished across the northern plains before the tundra. Arriving there to the village where a place accepts people without homes (little did not the community know of Shen's crime at that time) had his unexpected cross path from another, meeting the outcast, like Shen.

Rather multitasking on his ambition, simply by doing what his parents recommended him for the continuation of their bloodline, he started an acquaintance with her.

2. Shen met Xia after his banishment, months of strolling to where he and his army were sent away. Despite the issues of him not wanting to go back home, having plans to conquer, Shen kept his dark secret from her. Little did Xia know him that he "left" Gongmen City to find himself a new home; she had the related experience of bitter relationship from one of her family members. Unrelated to Shen's banishment, she was forced to leave after her father's death, regarding her uncle becoming the next heir instead of her. (Uncle, you dumbass.)

Her discovery soon to reveal Shen's crime that early would have turned tables at him. During their time at peace, as they raised Dongji, and as for Shen secretly plotting to invest and craft weapons (stealing metal including), Xia's revelation only came to her when she found a message from Shen's parents.

3. Shen's reaction having his child did slow his "plotting" progression, but did his tries to spend more time with Dongji. His own father (Lord Feng) regrets not giving Shen's attention longer than he deserves, and what Shen could do to Dongji was allowing his time to be with his son. Being a father wasn't exactly his type, but he accepted to raise Dongji how Lord Feng treated Shen well. I would say Shen doing his best to entertain Dongji was quite warm at first but stubborn.

While gradually loving his son more, Shen was going to admit his resignation for the sake of his own family; Shen would have wanted his parents to be proud of him. His parenthood went downhill when the assassination attempt occurred - the raid at Shen's home after Xia's discovery of her husband's crimes.

Lady Xia and her son Prince Dongji fled their home from Shen. Now entitled the inheritance as the new heir after his parents' demises, the Lord of Gongmen, letting his family go from himself poisoning their minds, returns to his conquest scheme. And the rest becomes history. . .

That's all I can answer for the genocidal maniac, Righteous Flames!

And now, for our final mention, who will be introduced for another review for my favorite anti-hero / villain character!

The Supreme Warlord of all China will be summoned soon.

[7xdeadlyxsims]

Paved Paths Legacy Challenge

I created my own legacy challenge which is more story driven. There is room to create your own spin and levels to the story, but I wanted something sorta realistic.

There are no gender or sexuality requirements in this. Style and create the characters preferences as you wish!

Feel free to share any ideas on how I can make it better. Hope you enjoy!

Generation 1: Bootstraps

Story: Finally in the position to put roots down and get established They are able to pick themselves up from their bootstraps. From hard work in crafting and gardening they’re able to slowly build their home, fall in love and potentially begin having a family. 

Career: Craft table and gardening

Trait(s): Family Oriented, Loner

Goals

Begins with 0 simoleons and homeless

Cottage Living – Lot must have Simple Living Trait

Complete ¾ Successful Lineage Aspiration

Max Gardening Skill

Max Handiness Skill

Build Furniture to decorate house

Never moves from original lot

Sunday Family Dinners

At least 2 Children

Generation 2: Anything is Possible

Story: After watching their parent(s) build something out of nothing, they have a whimsical open mindedness to the world of possibility. Some may believe they’re naive and head in the clouds, but this sim thinks there are no limits to what may happen. True love? Yes please! Happy family? Sounds great! The world is not always that simple and the hard truth is to come.

Career: Actress/Musician

Trait(s): Goofball, Lazy

Goals

Inherits % of family wealth when moves out (100/amount of children)

Complete Soulmate Aspiration

Max Acting/Instrument Skill

Max Comedy Skill

Have Spouse cheat on Heir

“Friend Group” must go out every Friday

At least 3 kids (1 must be from different partner)

Generation 3: Right Path

Story: Watching your parent(s) be in some way – irresponsible – has turned them into a “realist” or in other words a pessimist. This sim is obsessed with doing things the “right way” and having what others have and MORE. One might say they’re obsessed with checking the boxes of life.

Career: Business/Politician

Trait(s): Jealous, Ambitious, Materialistic

Goals

Inherits % of family wealth when moves out (100/amount of children)

Complete Fabulously Wealthy Aspiration

University – Get Business Degree

Max Charisma Skill

Max Logic Skill

Dinner Party once a week

Marry while a Young Adult

First and only child as an Adult

Generation 4: Sense of Duty

Story: Work hard and you will succeed is what they were raised on, and is what they will continue. However, it is all a facade to them. They have kids and a family out of a feeling of obligation and keep them in line the only way they know how. RULES, RULES, and more RULES. 

Career: Military/Secret Agent

Trait(s): Hates Children, Active

Goals

Inherits 100% of family wealth

Complete Body Builder Aspiration

Max Active Skill

Max Logic Skill

Go on at least 3 “Family Camping Trips”

Outdoor Adventures – actual camping vacation

Base Game – Spend the weekend at a public park

Heir is main Disciplinary in household 

Growing Together – Heir has strict dynamics with kids

Have 4 kids

Generation 5: Great Power

Story: Want to talk about generational trauma? To be in this family, the standards are high. They will achieve it though. A revolutionary of the mind cannot be ignored and praise from the world fuels their fire. Sometimes the family gets put on the back burner. What does that matter when there is eternal glory in academia and accomplishments?

Career: Astronaut/Scientist

Trait(s): Genius, Snob

Goals

Inherits % of family wealth when moves out (100/amount of children)

Complete Villainous Valentine Aspiration

University – Get Degree

Max Rocket Science Skill

Max Relations with Partner

Heir gets divorced

Growing Together – Complicated family dynamic with kids

Heir is distant parent

Have at least 1 child

 

Generation 6: Anarchy

Story: Fed up with never being good enough for the family, they break away from them as a whole. Name change and disaffiliation is key to being angry at the world. After years of stealing and taking karma into their own hands, their first born changes everything. The miracle of life awakes this warmth in them and all they want is to share their love with their kids.

Career: Criminal Career

Trait(s): Kleptomaniac

Goals

Inherits 0 simoleons and homeless

Complete Master of Mischief Aspiration

Max Charisma Skill

Use ‘Ask for Loan’ once a day

Quit Criminal Career when first born becomes Child

Can start any career from level 1

Single parent, never marries

Has 2-4 kids

Generation 7: Hear Me Out

Story: As a child they never knew much about their lineage, but knew their parent did whatever it took to keep a roof over their head and to show them love. Grateful for the sacrifices made for them, they decide to tell their parent’s story. A life of experience and story telling is more than fulfilling for this sim. 

Career: Writer/Teacher

Trait(s): Romantic, Perfectionist

Goals

Inherits % of family wealth when moves out (100/amount of children)

Complete Friend of the World Aspiration

Max Writing Skill

Reach level 6 in 4 other skills

Must have strong relationship with immediate family members

Write Biography (book about their family)

Vacation once a week

Base Game – Stay at rentals

Jungle Adventure/Outdoor Living/etc. – Take 2 day vacations

Has no Kids

[romancomicsblog]

What the new "Heroes" of Superman Legacy can tell us about the DCU

To somehow everyone's surprise, it seems DC has jumped the Gunn. (See what I did there?)

While many were convinced the antagonists of the 2025's Superman Legacy would be The Authority, The Elite, or even a mixture of the two, it appears for now it may be a prototype version of the Justice League.

James Gunn has casted three JLA members including Isabela Mercad as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, and Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern AKA Guy Gardner.

While the Authority, the Elite, or even another major Superman villain can play a part, I believe the spot of heroes who "do what they have to" may have been taken.

While this is a shocking turn of events, and one that may be regretful as over world building was the death of the DCEU, I do think these castings and choice of characters tells a good deal about Gunns priorities.

You see, unlike Black Adam, which brought together a team Justice Society members who it seemed Warner Bros said The Rock could have, this team seems purposeful.

So let's go through the characters and see their potential for the DCU:

Starting with the one I'm most excited for:

Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl

You thought I was gonna say Green Lantern, didn't you?

Isabela Merced is a fairly young actress, known for roles like Juliet in Hulu's Rosalind, The Widow Queen in Maya and the Queen, and most famously....

Dora Dora Dora the Explorer.

Merced is a bright young talent, who has been consistently working since 2014 and landed decent roles in big projects. Whether she continues on to be a great character actress or a leading actor, adding Merced in the DCU early almost guarantees having a star down the line.

But even more importantly than any of that, Hawkgirl is a great choice to begin a DCU.

Like Clark, she is an alien, a young hero, and a brawler. The two can find common footing and begin a very heartfelt friendship that can last throughout the DCU.

Unlike her counterpart Hawkman who isn't really any interesting, Hawkgirl was a founding member of the team for many peoples introduction to DC, The Justice League and Justice League Unlimited cartoons.

More than that, her betrayal for her home race of Thanagarians is one of the most iconic parts of the show.

If that is part of the larger narrative Gunn is trying to tell, that tells me Gunn is honoring what fans actually love.

Plus having a Peruvian woman play Hawkgirl just makes my Latinx/Hispanic heart happy.

Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific

I'm glad Darwin is getting another shot at this superhero thing.

Known for his roles in X-Men First Class, Twilight, The Blacklist, and The Harder They Fall, Edi Gathegi has also had a rather impressive career.

I like this trend Gunn has currently with Gathegi, Merced and Corenswet of actors you may recognize but not know.

What's more interesting than the cast is the character.

Mister Terrific is considered the third smartest person in the DC Universe. While he is known to use T-Spheres as a weapon, he also is an extremely skilled hand to hand combatant, a Renaissance man if you will.

To put him in perspective, he often has a friendly rivalry with Batman.

Terrific is a fan favorite character, and one we haven't seen before in film. He can bring a dynamic fighting style, and a perspective of advanced intellect that can challenge Clark. Gunn clearly wants to bring in the characters people love, in a way they don't expect.

Which leads me to:

Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern

Just not the one you're thinking.

I could go into Fillion's history, but you know him. Castle. Firefly. The Rookie. He's an icon.

While he was famously fan casted and even voiced Green Lantern Hal Jordan in several pieces of animated media, Nathan Fillion is now the DCU's Guy Gardner.

Which is, bizarre.

While Fillion is more than a capable enough actor, and has the comedic timing to play the role, I never would've expected a Green Lantern in the first Superman movie, let alone THIS one.

For those not in the know, Guy Gardner is the asshole Green Lantern. He was a football star who suffered a career ending injury in college, and kind of lives in his glory days. He's a more aggressive, often more obnoxious Lantern. Definitely the least heroic of the bunch.

Introducing Guy as the first Green Lantern, and likely leader of the JL that lost their way, makes a lot of sense. It could tempt Clark to be more like Guy, and even better, remind Guy what it means to be a hero.

In any case, character shows me Gunn is not following a specific playbook. There is no order to which Lantern comes first, nor Flash, nor any character.

Which is kind of exciting.

James Gunn has hit us with a huge curveball, basically telling us to expect the unexpected.

Which to me is a breath of fresh air.

Thank you for reading! If you'd like to support me you can follow me on my socials here!

[briangroth27]

Look! Up in the Spinner Rack!

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Action Comics #1!

Yesterday (April 18, 2023) was the super-impressive 85th anniversary of Superman & Lois Lane's first appearances! These two are among my absolute favorite characters in all of fiction & it's amazing to see them continue to flourish & inspire today. There's something indelibly timeless & iconic about the Superman mythos & visuals that makes me feel like a kid again, fully believing a man can fly & wishing I could too.

I vehemently disagree that Superman's outdated & needs to be "cooler." He is cool, he's just not the angry power fantasy some people wish he was. There are other characters for that, but that doesn't mean Clark's one-dimensional or stagnant. He's not an unrelatable god either: he's an immigrant, an adopted son, a husband, a father, a friend. I also prefer him choosing to be a hero in the face of corruption–and because he himself was helped when he was most vulnerable–to being sent here on a mission to save & inspire us; he’s inspirational without being issued a mandate. Whether you prefer Clark Kent or Superman as the primary guy--I've come to think neither is a mask & they're both exaggerated yet honest sides of his personality--he proves power doesn't have to corrupt, that no matter where you're from you can help make things better, and that no matter how weak we seem or powerless we feel, we can all be someone's greatest hero in the fight for truth, justice, & a better tomorrow.

A long time ago I saw someone say Lois is such a strong character that she could've existed without Superman & been just as great, & that's absolutely true. While I love the screwball comedy tenor of their romance, the fact that she's Clark's equal in the fight for justice (& his superior in journalism) makes her every bit the hero he is. Sure she gets into danger a lot, but usually it's her tenacity to stop criminals & get the story that lands her there, not a plot requirement for Superman to rescue someone. I don't buy that Superman's humanity & goodness rests entirely on Lois--he loves people & that should be why he pursues journalism, to hear & share their stories, so if he did lose her he wouldn't lose himself--but the two of them absolutely evolve each other's worldviews & arcs brilliantly. Her cynicism & jaded view of the world fading when confronted by both Clark & Superman--but never losing her wit or edge--compliments Superman's never-ending battle challenging his optimism & faith in people perfectly.

Smallville is my absolute favorite version of Superman because of the writing, directing, acting, characters, relationships, & brilliant balance of Clark's dual heritages culminating in his ability to fly. It also didn't hurt that it hit at exactly the right time for me, as I was a year older than Clark when it aired & am still finding commonalities between us (both positive & regrettable hahaha) as I rewatch it again in tandem with Tom Welling & Michael Rosenbaum's Talkville podcast. Smallville also had a tone that allowed for relationship drama, horror-tinged villains, campy fun, & heightened comic book adventures, all grounded by human relationships (& it's my favorite show ever; the one that makes me want to be a writer), but there are so many other great iterations of the Man of Steel out there for everyone! Christopher Reeve (whose acting hands-down proves the glasses & demeanor change works), Superman & Lois, Superman Smashes the Klan, Superman: Miracle Monday, Superman the Animated Series, & Superman: Secret Identity are just a few of the best ones. Take time to check some out this week!

Despite all we've gotten in film, TV, animation, radio, & comics over the decades, there's a beautiful scene in Miracle Monday I've never seen adapted anywhere & I hope we finally get in Superman & Lois, My Adventures with Superman, or the newest iteration in Superman Legacy: at an especially low point, Clark flies to the arctic & just listens. He hears something no one else can--the sounds of the entire planet harmonizing to form the "song of the Earth"--and his heartbeat completes the song, showing him this is where he belongs.

It's insane that we're just 15 years out from Action Comics' 100th anniversary. How will the Man of Tomorrow meet our actual tomorrow? I can't wait to find out & see what's next for Lois & Clark (& Kara, John Henry, Jimmy, Jon, Natasha, Kong, Connor, Krypto, Lana, Martha, Jonathan, Perry, Lex, Brainiac, Bizarro, Parasite, Mxyzptlk, Metallo, Livewire, Silver Banshee, and the rest)!

[codenamesazanka]

@jamiethebee

Thank you so much for these tags!!!! I really appreciate them and i love hearing your thoughts and feedback about this.

I admit that Masanori started out less of a character and more of a concept to distress Deku. It felt like in the epilogue he (and the story) was already starting to forget Shigaraki and the League so i decided to make a tangible legacy for him to have to confront. Along the way Masanori did become more of a character by himself, but he is still a character created specifically for a story. When I was coming up with this plot, I realize that the dynamic Masanori and Deku had sorta mimics other fics I came up with involving Shigaraki/Tenko and All Might. Broken kid and the Hero who needs to save them and rekindle hope for them to continue living in the world, because the Saving and Generational Tragedy really hasn't been resolved.

That does assume that things haven't gotten better despite the epilogue trying to tell us things have gotten better, but since we didn't see things like domestic abuse or ostracism or alienation get addressed like, at all, especially by Deku, I thought it was fair game.

As much as I say I dislike Deku - and I still do - a lot of it is because I feel like the story refused to truly challenge him, to test his mettle, to let him have to make hard decisions and cause big change. So you're right that here, Deku is a mess! He's still uneasy about all the people he cannot reach out to. He's concerned about the difficult upbringing Masanori has had (but not enough to qualify as abusive with an obvious someone to punch, so what can he do?), about Masanori's education and future prospects, about Masanori's clear apathetic despair. Deku wants to do right by this kid, just wants to help him, but everyone around him is also telling him - not unkindly - it's not really his job, he's got no obligation; kid's clearly a manipulative little cheat; it's not the same situation at all as All Might realizing there's potential in a heroic quirkless boy; there's still so many families of the League's victims out there, so shouldn't compassion and help for them be a priority over a terrorist's delinquent kid? And inevitably, once Masanori's parentage is exposed to the public, things get much more difficult.

And I do want Deku to change stuff. After all, Shigaraki entrusted that destruction to him. And Shigaraki wanted to be a Hero for the League. So how can Deku be a Hero to Shigaraki's son?

uuuugh I wonder if Masanori learns about Stain and looks into him at all. Also! What did Spinner put in that memoir?! It had to be mild enough to actually get published!

Have not thought about this at all! Sorry. I imagine he does look into Stain, but Stain is much more irrelevant to what Masanori wants to discover about the League and his parents. As for Spinner's book, I imagine that it was literally My Villain Academia + some stuff after MVA. Preserving the memories he has of the League, writing them as he knew and loved them, good and bad.

My brain: AU of an AU where Shigaraki and Spinner get to meet this grumpy 15 yr old. You know an idea's good when I think AUs of AUs would be fun to explore in addition to the original idea.

<333 I have thought about this too. I think... not unlike Shigaraki meeting Nana in vestige realm at Jaku - Masanori's a jaded teenaged brat, Shigaraki and Spinner are still 21-year-old losers, unprepared and in disbelief - though much less hostile and much more awkward.

But by the end this meeting, I think Shigaraki and Spinner would definitely have some fondness for this kid that's so clearly theirs, bittersweet that he has grown up empty like them but still trying to live a life of his own. And Masanori accepting them as his parents, though not forgiving them for leaving him behind (actually a good thing - he connected enough to feel betrayal, rather than feeling like it doesn't matter at all).

As for his quirk:

I assume that when given a quirk (along with the quirk factors?), that basically changes a person's DNA. So despite Decay not being Shigaraki's original quirk, it's still in his DNA enough that Masanori inherits part of it. Decay first manifested with a wide area of effect, so it seems that's just part of the quirk; so yeah, Masanori was born with that area of effect. He does train it secretly, so it has its power and range slowly expanding.

He did not hide his quirk. Isn't able to use it much in daily life, so most people know the (half-incorrect) basics of 'he can make things sticky'. And yeah, with his appearance, people also just assume it's lizard quirk related. Like Spinner, Masanori can also crawl on walls, but it's not that unique for a reptilian heteromorph, so no one really suspected anything. Kids have teased Masanori, have insinuated he's related to the Villain Spinner, but that's an easy insult due to just being a lizard heteromorph, and so no one ever took that seriously.

Masanori does resemble Shigaraki a lot when he crouches down to touch the ground to trap people, but that would only be clear to people who's seen Shigaraki in action post-MVA. News footage rarely captured that particular Decay move up close, and a lot of what people have seen via archived footage is Shigaraki being a hand monster.

It's a bit of a leap to connect 'Disintegrating Things' with 'Sticking Things' + Shigaraki dying at age 21 + only a very few people ever knew Spinner and Shigaraki had a kid and they're all in jail and not snitches + assumption that Spinner and Shigaraki were both cis dudes = so no, no one ever figured out who Masanori's parents were based on his appearance and quirk.

I wonder if Deku might be tempted to push him towards the Hero course based on that.

Deku totally did! But Masanori is completely uninterested in being a Hero. Deku may even try to tell Masanori that father wanted to be a Hero, but Masanori will only say something like, 'well I'm not Shigaraki, am I'?

(But I have toyed with the idea that Masanori participating in the UA Sports festival and easily wiping out like half the competition when the games begin and he just touches the ground and traps everyone. Still vulnerable to psychic/projectile quirks tho. And keeping up the range while moving himself. And his own disinterest - no point in participating if he isn't trying to win.)

Masanori's quirk would be great for Hero work, but sadly he's just not very nice about it. His main method of getting back at his bullies is luring them somewhere isolated, then trapping them. Then just waiting with them. Doesn't matter if it's hours. Usually when the person breaks down and apologizes, and/or peed their pants, he would let them go.

Should also mention that Masanori's quirk can kill. It transmit adhesion by contract, so it can work on the human body by fucking up the functioning of organs - keeping a heart valve closed, for instance. If he ever goes Villain and gets a power up, he can be just as dangerous as Shigaraki - essentially he can, say, trap a whole crowd of people and cause organ failure in everyone.

*

Random tidbits:

Likes to read

Often frowning and glaring - but it's because he needs glasses, which he refuses, because it'll make him look like a dork

Very much a thief - just has never been caught.

Saw some Spinaraki kid OCs so I decided to try my hand at it too. Though it's less happy family kidfic and more resentfully making Heroes and Deku face consequences post-canon. Sorry.

the Spinaraki lovechild:

Shirakata Masanori | 白方正憲

Age: 15

Appearance: Lizard heteromorph. Black hair, pink eyes, white scales.

Quirk: Adhesion. Decay's spreading effect + Gecko's sticking trait. Anything object Masanori touches and remain in contact with will adhere with anything the object is also touching. If he touches a sidewalk, everyone on it will be stuck and trapped, unable to move their feet.

result of Spinner and Shigaraki getting together post-Deika/pre-surgery. super unexpected.

three months after Shigaraki went in for surgery, Spinner pops out an egg (please go with it)

During Heroes' raid on the PLF Villa, Spinner entrusts egg to ReDestro. Unfortunately, when everyone got arrested, egg gets swept up in custody capture of MLA kids.

With no one to claim the egg, it is placed in orphanage; all contact is then lost.

Egg hatches after war, at end of August.

Spinner was never able to tell Shigaraki about their kid due to the possession.

He decides not to say anything to the Heroes either. Doesn't trust them after Shigaraki got killed, and better that the kid doesn't grow up stigmatized for having terrorists as parents.

But Spinner does leave a letter with his court-appointed lawyer, hoping that one day it will reach the kid, when they come of age.

Spinner dies early due to effects of having multiple quirks; dies ten years after war

The lawyer, deciding to just finish up this assignment cleanly, finds the kid 4 years later and delivers the letter despite the kid not reaching age of majority.

Despite half-assed mild societal change efforts, Masanori grows up an orphan in the system, with the additional stigma of being an PLF raid kid (and therefore very likely the child of dead/arrested Villains/criminals)

Abandoned, unnamed babies in Japan are named by the city/town's mayor. Masanori was named with the kanji "white-direction correct-law" in hopes that he would become a law-abiding citizen (unlike his unknown parents). The Mayor is an asshole.

(Though Shirakata is a real surname, and chosen because kid has white scales)

Early on, Masanori looked out into the world and realized it doesn't want him, made it clear he doesn't belong. So he accepted it.

However, he knows the path of Villainy only leads to doom.

His caretakers drilled that into the PLF raid kids. Quirk counseling emphasized it a lot. So did teachers. Everyone.

He’s (reluctantly) played the ‘Villain’ in enough playground games that ends with the ‘Heroes’ pretending to smash him to pieces or explode him to nothing, because everyone has seen the war footage.

And he’s known too many people who salivate over the satisfaction of proving his blood is irreparably criminal.

So he won't be a Villain.

He just wants to leave - leave the orphanage, leave the city, leave Japan. Maybe travel the world alone forever.

Masanori is: very solitary, utterly disinterested in people, self-reliant, pragmatic, opportunistic, clever enough but can bite off more than he can chew

Masanori doesn't really have any sentimental feelings about his parents; or rather, he feels there's no point to dwell on it

He always knew he was the son of criminals. Discovering that he's the son of the most notorious criminals is somewhat cool, but Spinner and Shigaraki are long dead and gone.

When Masanori first received the letter, there was a satisfaction to finally knowing, nearly a sense of destiny. So he read the League of Villains memoir. He read the manuscript drafts that he inherited from Spinner. He did a lot of research.

(In the letter, Spinner admits that the kid was a surprise, that Shigaraki never knew, and Spinner himself doesn't know anything about the kid and will likely go to his grave not knowing.

They dealt the kid a shit hand.

Saying something cliche like they loved the kid they never knew would be hollow; and besides, Spinner and Shigaraki were twisted and distorted people. Villains. So the truth is, the kid is likely better off without them.

But.

Spinner wishes he and Shigaraki could've known the kid, and he regrets that neither of them were able to stay alive and free.

Spinner also writes that if Shigaraki knew about the kid, he knows Shigaraki would've tried to give them the world.)

But eventually, for Masanori, the end result of all that is realizing that there's nothing to be done with this information. Spinner and Shigaraki don't know him, and he doesn't know them; never will. They were criminals, they were young and stupid, they picked a fight and lost, and they left him behind.

All he has is still just himself.

...and this new knowledge he might be able to use to his advantage.

Which is why Masanori decides to confront the Hero Deku and demand compensation for the death of his parents and other hardships

Age 15, Masanori arrives at Deku's agency, carrying Spinner's letter that is his only proof

But just looking at Masanori convinces Deku. Kid's appearance is basically Tenko in lizard heteromorph form, but even his demeanor reminds Deku of Shigaraki - aloof but intense, determined. (tho he is still younger, less hostile, a bit stiff in nervousness)

Deku is shocked, guilty, suspicious, already wants to help, appalled at the extortion attempt. Ready for a conflict.

At least until he hears Masanori's demands:

Guaranteed admission to UA's General Studies Program, a recommendation letter, as well as a stipend all three years that Masanori is in high school.

And that's it.

Masanori has only an okay school record.

He did not have an enriching school life.

He's been accused of delinquent behavior - mostly suspected small theft and 'incidents' with other students

(They could never actually prove he stole anything; and the incidents he get into are always with the more aggressive classmates. They're not so much fights as pranks, and the bullying usually ceases immediately afterwards.)

High school is not mandatory in Japan, and minors legally can start work at age 15, so Masanori has been "asked"/expected to leave the orphanage after middle school. Jin Scenario

Not a very bright future. But he was ready for it... until he received Spinner's letter.

Suddenly.

If Masanori gets into UA High School, an elite national school, with recommendation from a world-renowned and beloved Hero, it's leaving the orphanage, leaving his hometown, starting a new life.

(General Studies program because he has zero interest in being a Hero.)

Graduate and better prepared to leave everything behind and travel the world alone forever.

Opportunity of a lifetime. He will shamelessly seize it.

Masanori's not blackmailing Deku or anything - nothing to blackmail, since no one cares Deku killed Shigaraki, and admitting he's the son of terrorists is social death. He's relying entirely on Deku's heroism.

Even if his Shigaraki was a Villain that Deku had to kill for the good of the world, that was still his father. Deku will feel compassion and guilt for Masanori.

Because Deku is a hero.

Manipulative? Yes. Is he unqualified for UA? Yes. But Masanori wants a chance at having more to life.

And Deku has to face what he (and All Might, and OFA) never actually did: resolve the continued rejection and ostracization problem in quirk society, and the cycle of Shimura tragedy

Because it's quickly obvious Masanori is just like his parents: given up on the world, given up on people. He's just not dangerous about it.

But his heart is empty. He has never been saved. And he no longer wants to be.

In other words: this time, Deku has to truly save someone that's been failed and rejected by this society he upholds. even if easy mode too because Masanori is not a villain. but is less receptive than a seven-year-old. or someone already having Pro-Hero aspirations

[seyoonlgc]

WORKSHOP 001

Okay, so when Seyoon first heard about this one-on-one meeting, he was quite nervous. His first thought was oh shit, I am in trouble! Someone at the dorm finally got fed up with the fact he kept on kicking all of his dirty laundry under the bed and reported his unsanitary ass. Or maybe they noticed the five pounds he gained over the past three months because, for some reason, all the fat he gathered always went straight to his face. Perhaps it was all of the noise he was making because he was just starting some drum lessons and actually sucked...

Anyway, he still went because what else was he going to do? Flee from the window?

what do you think are your strengths right now?

"Uhhh, I think I am a...decent singer, okay performer, and not too terrible at dancing since I've been working hard on it lately...?" He should probably try to sound more confident but to be honest, he hasn't been training for that long and knew he wasn't as great as some other trainees, especially after watching a few performances at the Family Concert. "Oh, my English is fully fluent, but that's hardly anything to boast about since I am Canadian, right?" Seyoon laughed. "Does being a fast learner count as a strength? Because I learned most of my Korean after coming here post high-school graduation." The fried chicken place work experience really helped since he made tons of conversation with customers.

what are three skills that you would like to work on starting 2024?

"There are so many things I need to work on." Like his sleep schedule, but nobody needed to hear about that. "My dancing could still do with a lot more practice. I was also thinking about learning more about my best angles and how to pose for pictures...Oh, I've been wanting to learn a new instrument, maybe drums." Singing came to him naturally and his voice had always been clear and stable. What he needed to work on was technique and control, which enough time and experience should give him. Dancing, however, was a challenge. He simply wasn't gifted and should he debut, that might be something he'd have to continue working on.

if given a chance, what types of gigs would you be interested in participating?

"Project-wise, I would take anything the company gives me." Beggers can't be choosers, and as a nobody, Seyoon was well aware of the fact he was on his knees. Especially since he wasn't from a rich family and had no connections in Korea. "If I get to choose, I think participating in a musical would be fun." He would be on a stage in front of a live audience and showcase his singing and performance skills. "A drama would also be amazing. I'd be happy even with a very minor role." Like dead soldier #4, unlucky guy who first discovered the voodoo doll, the villain's brother who appeared in a random flashback or the protagonist's cousin who only get to show up once in episode 6.

during your time here in legacy, what are some of the lessons that you've learned about yourself?

This question was the only hard one of the bunch because it required more self-reflection, which Seyoon typically didn't like doing.

"I guess I learned that I am not the best and that there are always more talented people out there. In order to compete with them, I have to work hard. A lot more than I originally expected when I auditioned for Legacy." That was an honest answer. Seyoon had hoped for a smooth path but realized nobody was here to hand him anything on a plate. "Some people are way ahead with their ambition, goals and clearly organized priorities." Seyoon rested his chin over folded palms. "I think there is still a lot of growing up I have to do."

[bongaboi]

ISML 2022: In Mikoto Misaka's Words

My name is Mikoto Misaka, and I have succeeded in winning re-election as Saimoe Prime Minister. However, I decided to make a decision with my fellow champion, Houtarou Oreki, who was also re-elected as Deputy Saimoe Prime Minister. After having lunch in Academy City to discuss the next steps, we both agreed to make this announcement.

At the conclusion ofthe final match day of the 2022 International Saimoe League, Eliminations Match Day 8, Houtarou and I will symbolically resign from our positions and formally dissolve the Saimoe Diet for good. I enjoyed my first tenure in this office, many years ago, and so did Houtarou in his capacity, but we felt that it would not really be right to have a second term, or for this movement to have to continue.

We have stayed the course. We have run the race. We have kept the faith. And through your commitment and your years of believe and support and voting, we have succeeded in leaving our legacy.

From this point forward, we are our own people. With different thoughts, ideas, beliefs, passions. No man or woman in this world is better or worse than his or her ally in arms. We grow stronger together, as one, with a belief that we all are special, beautiful, powerful, inviolate, invincible in our own way.

Whether you are hero, or a villain, or both, whether your are a man, a woman, an animal, a concept, whether your are here with us or not, you matter. You always will matter, even after our story is over and your continues, and others begin. The world endures, and moves on. But the legacy and tales of our deeds, in bringing happiness and inspiration around the world remained.

Houtarou and I do not regret leaving Saimoe, as all of us will. Many years have come, with great battles, endless debates, ideas and movements shared by you, the fans, the supporters, the dreamers. We see you, we appreciate you, we love you for it.

But you know as well as I do that nothing lasts forever. There will be new contests, new challenges, by other groups around the world who want to celebrate what this movement did for many years, many editions. They celebrate your love and support of the finest people. Us. All of us.

I will not forget the memories we all had in directing the voice of the world's fans, the great moments we all took stock of. I believe it is important that we keep all of this with us and know that the years will pass, but Saimoe will never be forgotten.

I want to thank everyone who took part in this process, Touma, Kuroko, Index, Accelerator, and so many people I can't name off the top of my head. But it is a list that goes on and on and on. If I were to name them…I don't think I can finish this address I sending to you with a heavy heart…and a clear mind and direction.

I want to close my final address to the world with a simple message, paraphrased from a tragic video game villain who eventually was able to see the light. Remember. Remember us. Remember…that WE ARE SAIMOE.

Good night, may God bless you, may God bless Japan and the world, and may God bless Saimoe. Thank you.

-Mikoto Misaka 20 February 2023

[hyakujuuou]

A follow-on to this post

Let Wu and Garmadon be their own people!

All the roles Wu and Garmadon take in the show are governed by their identities as the sons of the First Spinjitzu Master: the wise master training the next generation of good, the villain seeking to tear down Ninjago, leaders of the forces of good, disobedient children to be made obey him. In fact, Wu and Garmadon have next to no significant motivation given for their actions and thus very little explanation for the consequences of their actions.

Other than the corruption of the venom and the desire to protect the ninja, Wu and Garmadon have no motivation as characters other than either continuing the First Spinjitzu Master’s legacy or tearing it down. The ninja get to experience multiple significant internal character conflicts: challenged and broken self-image, the search for identity, self-sacrifice versus self-preservation, etc. Wu and Garmadon? Not so much. Large, abstract ideas (good and evil, FSM and Overlord) reflect on them in place of actual character motive.

I think it could be poetic.

I know that the writers have offered potential interpretations for why Wu and Garmadon grew old so quickly after being young for a very long time, but I like to think that when Garmadon fell in love with Misako, he decided that he would give up his youth to grow old with her, and Wu, wanting to remain by his brother’s side, decided to grow old with them as well.

Also, I really don’t like any of the given explanations. They all seem very technical and rigid, based on big elemental fate-of-Ninjago factors that reflect on them. I personally like my headcanon because it feels softer. Nicer. More human. Let them be human, God’s sake.

[artbyblastweave]

I’ve expressed, at least twice, the idea that Steven Universe is as effective as it is because it shifts from an unironic children’s adventure show to, late in the game, an examination of the destructive psychological and interpersonal effects of being the protagonist of a children’s show, and this gives it a punch that it wouldn’t have if it was about those destructive effects from the word go. This was notable to me for being basically the only series I could think of that does this.

Recently, though, I thought of another one- it’s very possible to view Batman’s arc in the DCAU through this lens.

You have the four seasons of his own show- foundational to the animated canon- in which he’s unironically superheroing, having adventures, gradually expanding the size of the Batfamily, the Rogues gallery and the supporting cast. Crucially, one of the structural things I liked about BTAS was that it leaned in hard to the idea of a comic-book status quo; the idea that these weirdos are doing things and having adventures offscreen, Lots of adventures that springboard from other adventures, a lot of episodes predicated on the weirdness intersecting with the lives of everyday people, a lot of episodes predicated on the idea that the supervillains are sufficiently around and organized to have developed a nascent little subculture. This was a very earnest show!

Then you get the Justice League animated series, set later in the timeline; you see Batman as part of a team dynamic with equitable cape peers; you see how his mannerisms bounce off the others, you see his tendency to buck what the other capes are doing and go his own way, with good and bad effects; you see his martyrdom complex emerge at certain points, like when he attempts a suicide run on the Thanagarian force field generator; but you also see how is insane stubbornness and willingness to roll with any situation, no matter how ridiculous, is an asset, like in the episode with Dr. Destiny where he just starts chugging Coffee by the gallon to stay awake when he’s the last man standing, or his willingness to break into the pentagon and start walloping generals when everyone else stands down to keep the peace. You see his charming emotional constipation, the stoic mask that occasionally drops. This is the peak of his career.

And then you get to Batman Beyond, which is... predicated, actually, on the logical endpoint of traits he showed in Justice League that were quirky and charming in an ensemble dynamic, but in the long run kinda ruined his life.  He’s got strained-to-destroyed relationships with the rest of the Batfamily. He’s outlived huge swaths of his peers. He never got past his (genuinely entertaining to watch!) emotional hang-ups; he never resolved things with Diana, or Selina, or anyone else; He kept going, alone, as long as he possibly could, until he was too physically destroyed to keep to his own standards of conduct, and by then he didn’t have much left besides a mopey hermitage. His villains aren’t doing much better; the where-are-they-now episodes revisiting old foes find all of them in bleak, bleak circumstances. Superheroism as a whole isn’t doing too well; the BB-era justice league has like six people in it, all of whom are legacies of serious die-hard capes plus Superman; heroism sort of implictly....fizzled out, and given the state we find Batman and his rogues in it’s really not hard to guess what happened to the 100+ other superheroes. They got old. They got killed. They never struck the balance, and things just kinda wound down.

Terry comes on the scene, and he’s a great hero, but his mentor presents this great challenge- how do I not wind up like the last group of people who tried this? How can I do this and be happy? Because none of what I’ve described above is really an attack on superheroes in general; it’s not even an attack on Bruce Wayne; it’s just an extrapolation of Bruce Wayne as he’s been shown earlier in this continuity. In the same way that Steven Universe Future’s “deconstructive” elements are really just an extrapolation of his traits as shown in the first five seasons. (Remember how this started out being about Steven Universe?)

So to round this out, this does feed into this idea I have, that Batman, more than any other hero, has a fun and compelling and necessary relationship with continuity; you need to show the guy, the same iteration of the guy, at many, many different points in his life in order to wrangle the full emotional mileage out of him. You gotta see him in year one, you gotta see him when he’s picked up a couple Robins, you gotta see him when he’s down a couple Robins cause they’re sick of his shit or dead, You gotta see him with some more Robins when he’s worked on himself, you gotta see him as a father, as an older guy, as an old guy. All the most interesting things about him are informed or enhanced or highlighted by the passage of time, the growth and atrophy of his network. You gotta show and establish enough of his status quo that you notice the development. The comics try for this, and are the source for this, with all those far-future Elseworlds and limited series like Year One and The Long Halloween highlighting pivotal events in his past. They’re like. A primordial soup of status quo from which meaningful character insights and developments are hauled out and momentarily examined, to the delight of all. And I think that we all have a sort of gesalt mostly-functional Batman-career timeline in our heads as a result of this. But I think the DCAU represents the longest-term, largest-by-runtime and most-involved depiction of a single iteration of Batman, flawed in my estimation only because it leaves out a lot of Batfamily characters like Jason, Cassandra, Steph, Duke, and others who have kind of become lynchpins in that gesalt interpretation of his timeline. I haven’t seen most of Young Justice, which was produced over a similarly long real-life timeframe to the DCAU and covers a long stretch of time; did that get close?