#I think that these ideas are interesting within the story

[protaetia]

Though i agree, it would be nice to see fantasy that explores its constructed cultures beyond "the gygaxian colonial-anthroplogical register" (I like this phrasing) I also don't think we should limit ourselves to anthropological racism done consciously either. I think the original post by tsarina-anadyomene is deserving of critique. Saying this as someone who reblogged and generally agreed/jived with that post, why jump to storytelling in an anthropological sense? I would say that type of thinking is perhaps what got us to the DnD world of hats.

To follow an anthropological, theological, even intellectual history way of thinking about story is still working within a western academic framework, it's to write in a way that is still easier to digest for those in the imperial core. And, like, as an english speaking member of the imperial core that is how I write anyways, even as someone from a racially marginalized group (with half my family being from the global south), but I would like to critique that. I think it's a good idea to critique that, to look outside of those frameworks, even if I'll still be writing for an english speaking imperial core audience.

Because even if this anthropology/theology/intellectual history way of thinking about a story produces something more interesting than Orcs evil and Elves Good, it still follows this way of thinking of an "outsider" culture as a puzzle to pick apart and analyze for the observer's pleasure. I think that's something worth wondering about.

I think this is a discussion worth having. I like this.

"fantasy writers should be more anthropology brained" love to see you guys wanting to emphasise the racism central to much of the genre

[thydungeongal]

Actually, when I think about it, in the context of most traditional challenge-based TTRPGs (your Calls of Cthulhu, Dungeonses & Dragonses, and Rolesmaster) "no consequences for failure" doesn't really track as a system criticism but more as an adventure design issue. Okay, it's also a bit of a system issue, but I digress.

In most official Call of Cthulhu and Delta Green scenarios I've read the authors seem to consider their story a bit too precious not to have it happen, so they build a bunch of fail-safes to make sure that the investigators get funneled towards some kind of satisfying outcome, which comes off as feeling very inorganic. And I don't necessarily mean fail-safes like "multiple paths of clues to follow," instead I mean "if the investigators are struggling with finding information let them make IDEA or LUCK rolls!"

This same is true of D&D adventure design starting already in the early eighties but really coming to fore in the AD&D 2e era. Some of AD&D 2e's adventure modules are the absolute dregs in this regard, with the player characters literally as spectators to a linear succession of events that have a great effect on the metaplot, and with combat encounters sprinkled in. It's not even that without the player characters the story won't happen, it's that without the player characters there will be no one to watch the actual story happen. (This is a good campaign design question by the way: are you writing a campaign where the player characters are always reacting, always running after the bad guys who have already done a bad deed, always rushing to prevent a bad thing from being done, or are the player characters actual agents causing things to happen in the world?)

But anyway, that's not great. The mystery that has to be solved or the player characters won't get to see the exciting climax or the caravan moving through a series of plot points will make failure feel bad, because within that kind of adventure design failure can only ever feel like "the player characters must take a scenic route to victory."

But it actually is possible to have an adventure which accommodates for failure even when mechanically failure itself only means "the character didn't do the thing." It's the character-driven challenge game, best exemplified by the dungeon crawl.

"How do I make sure the characters find all the clues" becomes a non-issue once you accept that they might not find all the clues and the consequences of that can be as interesting as finding all the clues. "What if this fight is too hard" well then the characters can choose not to engage, and if they do engage and find it too difficult they can retreat.

[eye-may]

A Guide to ✨Jellicle Legends ✨

🔥In my pinned post era. 🔥

Was ist das? "Jellicle Legends" is the unofficial title of my CATS "fanverse." I'm creating this post to help people navigate the barely-coherent Legends cosmos.

About Legends: I like to say it's 100% "canon compliant," which is something I'm always big on, so I don't personally call it an "AU." On the other hand, we are talking about CATS. What even is "canon" for this intellectual property?

Basically you can think of it as my interstellar network of "headcanons" or how I generally construe CATS, based on many productions/companies/statements from cast alumni/etc. There is not one official production that I strictly adhere to! My fanverse is basically a web of my favorite ways in which to interpret the characters, their backstories and relationships, the world of CATS, etc.

Legends is also a continuation, of sorts; picking up immediately after the events of the musical, there is a story within that has a clear beginning, middle, and end. The characters all have their individual arcs and journeys, and the world itself has a bevy of systems/rules/cultures/etc. Ideally I would corporealize the saga with serialized comics, but that is 🎵time consuming🎵 so I'm never going to commit to that 100%. If/when I create comics, don't count on regular updates or completion. That said, you can ask me whatever you want about the story and I'll answer it comprehensively! No worries about "spoilers" because, like I said, I'm not interested in putting the pressure on myself to actually materialize a comprehensive comic series.

Keep in mind that this is just a casual, fun project for me, so I always just post ut fit; ideas are always coming, going, and changing, so sometimes I'll establish a concept or a design and then change my mind about it later! If you notice inconsistencies...that would be why. XD

All Legends posts are tagged "#CJL." If you ever post something pertaining to Legends yourself and you want me to see it, I encourage you to use this hashtag! I'm BEYOND thrilled whenever anybody engages with me about my fanon in any capacity whatsoever. ❤️

🐈Asks About Characters:

Who owns the cats? (Jennyanydots, Jellylorum, Tugger, Mistoffelees, Victoria, Demeter)

Thoughts on Coricopat and Tantomile?

Munkustrap Personality/Relationships

Which cat is the smallest?

Etcetera and Electra Relationship/Backstories

Pouncival and Tumblebrutus Relationship/Backstories

Thoughts on the Three Words (entire cast!)

Victoria and Jemima Backstories (+Victoria's relationship with Mistoffelees)

Plato Personality/Backstory

Tuggoffelees Headcanons

Demeter Backstory

Macavity and Mistoffelees's Relationship

Mistoffelees (Part 1, OUTDATED)

Mistoffelees (Part 2)

Grizabella Backstory

"Ships" (Tuggoffelees / Munkustrap & Alonzo / Demelarina / Bustopher & Mistoffelees)

Alonzo and Cassandra

Tugger

Misc. Headcanons (Munk, Tugger, Macavity, Mistoffelees, Deuteronomy) Some of these are OUTDATED.

🎨Art (#CJLart)

Note: This list includes sketches I did not necessarily for CJL, but that constitute concepts I may reference/apply to it, or that I think fit within it. (I.e., I drew Skimble for Jellicle January not based on any particular iteration of Skimble, and I think the design more or less represents how he appears in CJL).

Valentines Tuggoffelees

Mistoffelees in a cape (+Tugger)

Cute Tuggoffelees (ft. Mistoffelees's Demon Eyes)

Mistoffelees Splash Art

Sleepy Tuggoffelees (1)

Sleepy Tuggoffelees (2)

Munkustrap & Alonzo Doodle

Tall Jemima (+Terminally Short Mistoffelees)

Etcetera & Electra

"The Big Three" (Tugger, Munk, Misto) Christmas

Pouncival Ambushing Tumblebrutus

Tiny Mistoffelees (+Tugger and Alonzo)

Victoria & Mistoffelees, and also Jemima

Plato

Tuggoffelees Hug

Pouncival Triumphs Vertically Over Mistoffelees

Angsty Lyric Comic ft. Deut Bros + Mistoffelees

Macavity Apprehends Mistoffelees

Mistoffelees Design Concepts

Tugger and Mistoffelees Visit Jellylorum

Demelarina

Caramel

Alonzo and Rumpusgeorge

Skimble

Smol Angy Cavity

NBK and Patches

Dancing Jenny

NBK

[bunnieswithknives]

what is the deal with you and taking a show and turning it into a whole new thing (affectionate)

I LIKE PLAYING DOLLS OK

[samhadjblog2]

May also make some suggestions as well. One of the main things about Mel story this season is her learning to embrace both "The Fox" and "The Wolf". And all that amounts to is Mel being trapped in a dark room for most of the season.

When I think a much more interesting idea would be a storyline where the council is rebuilding itself and so they are trying to enlist new members I.e "The members we see in end of S2" and each one either wanting to side with Ambessa who "wants Hex-tech weapons" (one of the houses could be house ferro's) and others who are on the side of "Mel who are against those kinds of weapons". With Jayce teetering between the two groups.

We can even tie this back to "The Black rose" as well, for instance the people who Mel enlisted are actually members of "The Black rose" and so she accidentally gave them more power in this conflict.

And this leads into S3 where instead being trapped in a dark room for most of the season this could for one episode. And from there the Black rose manipulate Mel into being there pawn paralleling Caitlyn's arc in that season where Ambessa is manipulating Caitlyn. Which would feed into Mel's insecurities about how her mother views her ideals.

Another thing I think would be interesting would the Black rose "wanting to utilize Viktor" in order to take control of Piltover after Ambessa was able to convince the Council to declare marshall law. Think about it in Ep 8 they said they needed Mel to stop Ambessa from helping Viktor from pursuing the glorious evolution so how about instead we have Mel trying to track down Viktor similar to how Caitlyn is trying to track down Jinx.

The reason why I suggest these ideas is that "because if Ambessa is going to play an important role in the show then she should have a lot more emotional significance to the story. And because Mel is sidelined hard this season and the fact "The Black rose" have no greater impact on the narrative. I think so much of the story would be improved if these elements were more prevalent.

I.E Ambessa and "The Black rose" are essentially doing what both America and The soviet union did during the cold-wars. Support smaller factions within a war.

The thing that bugs me most about Caitlyn's arc is how obviously she was forced into the position Jayce had been set up to fill.

Jayce was the de facto head of the council that Sheriff Marcus (keep that in mind) reported directly to for city security.

He was the Golden Boy, Man of Progress, beloved by everyone in Piltover for the invention of Hextech! Charismatic! Handsome!

They didn't NEED martial law. After Jayce emerged unscathed from the terrorist attack, most of the council dead, Piltover would have been falling over itself to give him sole authority regardless of him wanting to quit the council right before the attack.

And Jayce should have been beside himself with rage! Jinx turned his invention, his dream, into a weapon that nearly killed him and the two people he loves most! Mel and Viktor, at the same time! She ruined his peace deal! (And killed Silco, but for some reason Cait and Vi never tell anyone about that)

But nope. He's just sad, and tries to talk Caitlyn down from wanting to kill Jinx.... Like wtf!! Where did his passion go?? His recklessness? Caitlyn got it all.

Let's say he's still reeling after killing the kid in his shimmer raid and fearing the consequences of violent intervention. Fine. But then there is the attack at the memorial. Now it's bigger than Jinx, and his entire city is threatened.

Picture the end of episode 1, with the council gathering in the basement after the memorial attack and it is JAYCE marching in to announce the strike team, with Caitlyn and Vi beside him, with their shiny Hextech weapons.

They didn't need to give Caitlyn political power. She could have become Sheriff under Jayce! She would have had nearly the EXACT same scenes. She doesn't get a single moment where she acts like a political leader in Act 2 anyway!

We never see her do anything the sheriff wouldn't do, which tells me this was a late change to cram all the remaining story into one season, to every character's detriment. If Caitlyn had just been following Jayce's orders until running into Vi, her flip would not have felt so jarring.

She loves Jayce as an older brother, she's grieving her mother, she and Jayce could have BOTH been manipulated by Ambessa. Let Caitlyn be at the forefront of all the awful shit she's ORDERED to do, instead of ordering it HERSELF.

By giving her ultimate authority instead, the few clipped scenes of her redemption, her "I know" and letting Jinx go free are nowhere near enough to get the audience back on her side. As evidenced by how many people hated her arc this season.

[luck-of-the-drawings]

smth smth about 'the thing that the character did that you thought was rly rly funny in the moment is actually linked to a terrible trauma that lies within said character.' or wahtever.

[jonsnowunemploymentera]

There’s something so…gorgeous about how the story of Vermax laying dragon eggs in the crypts of Winterfell works as piece of symbolism. It doesn’t really matter if physical dragon eggs exist down there imo because this story adds so much meaning to Jon’s status as a hidden dragon and also his status as one of the last remaining scions of House Targaryen. Plus it does a lot to contextualize how Ned’s action of saving his nephew’s life is in line with centuries old magic, even though he never intended it to be such.

Because Jace and Cregan quite famously made a pact which was called the “Pact of Ice and Fire”, in which they promised to join their houses through the union of marriage. We also have the canonical representation of Starks as 🧊 and Targaryens as 🔥. Two opposing sides that could do harm to each other have decided to come together through marriage and procreation. Through this pact comes a new life that will be a balanced union of ice and fire.

Then we get the story of Vermax laying eggs in the Winterfell crypts. An act that symbolizes the continuation of life. It’s so interesting because we know how this story ends. We know that after this, the dragons will die and will be no more in Westeros….BUT there’s the exception of the eggs in Winterfell. They may be unhatched but they are like a promise of life. And it’s Winterfell’s crypts that keep them hidden from danger and Winterfell’s heated walls that cover them.

What’s even more gorgeous is that this pact is made in a period of civil war that threatened the survival of the Targaryen dynasty. And like… isn’t that Jon Snow’s life story?! He was born at the tail of of Robert’s rebellion which saw the death of the Targaryens. Aerys and Rhaegar (and Rhaegar’s children were dead). A child Viserys, Rhaella, and an unborn Dany were all that was left of the Targaryen legacy.

And then comes the unexpected Jon Snow. Born of the union of Stark and Targaryen, ice and fire. Ice and fire were on opposing sides in the war and killed each other. But then comes Jon Snow to mend that rift and heal that divide. He is born after a period of death to represent new life and new beginnings. He’s just a little baby but he symbolizes so much!

It’s why I think Jon serves better as a symbol of spring and not winter. Because everything about him represents the promise of life after death: born at the end of a civil war, him being represented by a winter rose, him being symbolized as the corn king (a mythical figure who represented the cycle of life and death), his presumed death at the end of ADWD but the promise that he will be resurrected, etc.

And then we have Ned Stark being the unwitting proxy to his ancestor Cregan. Ned took this dragon egg and hid him away within Winterfell’s walls. Then he took Jon’s mother and also placed her in the crypts. It’s no wonder that Jon has so many strange dreams regarding the crypts. Symbolically, the secret of his birth being hidden away in the crypts ties in quite nicely with Vermax’s hidden dragon eggs. In both cases, a symbol of Targaryen life is hidden within the walls of the Winterfell crypts. Then there’s Summer’s strange vision of a winged serpent as Winterfell burned. Many fans has often wondered what this vision meant. I’m not sure either, but it would be a nice touch if this is a symbolic representation of Jon Snow. As it was with Summer’s vision, Jon is the dragon that has hatched and left the confines of Winterfell’s walls, and he is ready to do some damage.

[supercantaloupe]

there was this trend in 2010s musicals (especially those popular with/aimed at teens) to have a character be haunted by the ghost of another deceased character, wherein that ghost walks around and talks and interacts with the protagonist as if they were a normal person but they are (relatively) explicitly Not Real within the larger diegesis and cannot be perceived by other characters or interact directly with the world themselves. think connor in dear evan hansen, heather chandler in (the latter two thirds of) heathers, gabe in next to normal. (by a stretch of the imagination i think you could consider the squip in be more chill as fulfilling a similar role).

anyway not to 2017 broadway fandomize a 200 year old opera, but that with the don and leporello. like obviously an abuser like the don would have a lasting impact on an abuse victim like leporello psychologically and socially for a long time (perhaps ever). but now i'm imagining the don literally following leporello around for years, possibly for the rest of his life, haunting him. both fully aware the don's dead and not real and can't control anything anymore of course but still present in leporello's life and mind, walking about and talking but audible and visible to no one else, inseparable and inescapable

[gridanian-red-mage]

A Nocturne for Heroes--Part 14/?

I love this.😂 And we have a Y'jhimei mention!✨✨ (She's super cute.)

[jonathanrook]

please do keep developing ur alien biology a/b/o stuff i live for that kind of thing. genuinely so much fun to read about the specific details of omegaverse universes and that kind of thing, id read the fic ur writing for that factor alone lmao

ASDFGHJKL THANKS but i think the funniest part of all this is i genuinely don't know how much of what i'm figuring out here is gonna end up in my final fic. i think i just need to know the mechanics of things for my own sanity.

anyway. my current idea (tho this may change) is that the galra have two sexes: alpha and omega, with beta essentially being a colloquial term for sterile alphas. as previously mentioned, omegas are a transgressive phenotype only possible through hybridogenesis. when breeding with non-galra, both alpha and omega offspring are possible, but similarly to how only female ligers/tigons are fertile, only omegas are capable of reproducing. here's a handy diagram, with 'x' representing non-galra species:

[pyrriax]

hi tumblr im a normal individual that writes extremely normal fics. [through tears.]

[bittershins]

I've been thinking about star wars and the expectations and features of certain types of storytelling - mythopoetic, war drama, politicial commentary, tragedy n all that jazz - a good bit lately, but ever since I finished screechers reach I've been caught up about folklore and fairytales as a bit of worldbuilding. I wanna know what Jedi fables look like

[kingdomoftyto]

I never did mention, but I finally beat Vesperia! It was okay--a more than solid rpg, but not one of my personal faves from the series. The plot was pretty standard for a Tales game--maybe slightly more deus ex machina-y in the final act, though I may just be forgetting the most egregious things from some of the other titles. Rita stands out as my single favorite character (to no one's surprise) and honestly probably one of my faves overall for the series. Judith was also pretty fun, and I liked Raven's story arc even if it felt a little clumsy or confusing at times. And obviously the Yuri-Flynn dynamic/relationship/tension pretty much carries the entire game.

Speaking of which, I've already devoured a week's worth of Fluri fanfiction (impeccable ship portmanteau, btw) and have a whole stack of longfics still waiting in my Marked for Laters. They're so stupid and noble and good for each other, I love them a lot. I'll have to rec some of these later if I think about it.

(I also found out yesterday that there's a heckign FEATURE-LENGTH MOVIE about the two of them as knights-in-training, which!!!!!!!! guess what I'm watching tonight)

Anyway. Glad I finally played it! Not sure it quite lived up to my expectations, but then again I think Arise simply raised my standards to an absurd level lol, so it's not entirely Vesperia's fault. It also would've helped if I'd been any good at using Yuri in combat, but alas,

[floraslibrary]

'booktok, brainrot, and why it's okay to be a hater' alisha not alhisha on youtube

(tags expand on my thoughts way more, but the a short addition/TDLR of thoughts: There is a loss to not acknowledging the impacts writing style can have on the meaning of the writing, even if it is something seen as simple, such as the romance genre. And to tie in the linked video; there is almost a loss of criticism (for the lack of better words) when it comes to criticising books in some spaces, but as much as people say 'let people enjoy things' exists, its counter part of 'let people hate/critique things' should also exist)

[holydramon]

I will say most insane thing about YAOYD au plans is that the three main fics I have planned for it are:

- one fic covering the eighth child arc

- one fic covering the ENTIRE SERIES BETWEEN THE EIGHTH CHILD ARC AND TRI

- one fic covering tri

[ambrosiagourmet]

I've been thinking about Laios' succubus lately. Mulling it over a bit.

Because I've seen these pages brought up a fair bit, but almost entirely in the context of shipping (on all sides, really). And I really want to understand what they are doing for the story beyond that.

When I went back to reread the scene and section, a few things caught my interest: the way Laios responds to both forms of his succubus, the themes of the volume the chapter is found in, and the other events of the chapter itself.

So let's dive into those three things, and what I think they say about the succubus scene's purpose.

Laios is never fully frozen by the succubus

So. If you compare Marcille and Chilchuck's reactions...

to Laios':

-

There is a difference. Sure, the basics may look the same once it turns into Scylla Marcille, but even then, it functions differently.

Chilchuck and Marcille are completely frozen once they catch sight of their succubus. Izutsumi, as well, isn't able to look away, and completely freezes up once her 'mom' starts talking to her. As Chilchuck describes, "just looking at them makes you unable to move."

And yet, Scylla Marcille has to actively convince Laios to comply. He even looks away from her at one point!

Laios accepts this succubus, but he is never actually helpless to it in the same way. Taken in? Convinced? Sure, at least enough to let things happen that he probably should question more than he does. But magically compelled? Not really. Not the same way as everyone else is. So that's interesting. But let's move on for now.

2. Volume 9 is all about drive and desire

I don't often look at chapters within the context of the volume they are included in, but I think there's some really fun things to be found with that perspective in mind.

For one, volume 9 starts with an exploration of what desire brought Laios to the dungeon:

And ends with a question of what desire brought Laios to the dungeon:

It's also very concerned in general with questions of why people do what they do. Why they are in the dungeon, why they are with the people they are with, why they stay, what they fight for.

In addition to Laios, we see it with Marcille...

Izutsumi

Kabru

and Mithrun

Hell, we even get it for the demon!

It's certainly not the only volume concerned with desires and motives, but it is particularly focused on these ideas.

The succubus scene fits quite well into the ongoing question about desires, especially Laios' desires. It is even placed at an interesting spot within the volume. The volume is six chapters long, and the scene takes place at the start of the 4th chapter. It's almost smack-dab in the middle.

With all this in mind, it is interesting that, with both versions of the succubus Marcille, it's not totally clear which parts of her Laios is rejecting.

The first version of Marcille looks human, but Laios attacks when he identifies her as a monster. The second Marcille looks like a monster, but he seems to believe that she is the real (human)(ish) person that he knows. So is he rejecting the monster at first, and then accepting the person? Or is he rejecting humanity and only interested in the monstrous?

Something to consider as we look at the next point...

3. the rest of the chapter is a seduction, too

This is one of those things that might not be apparent on a first reading, but is crystal clear on a revisit. We see the succubus try and charm Laios over 7 pages, and then see the Winged Lion do the same thing for the next 19.

Much like the succubus, it offers the mingling of monsters and humans. Much like the succubus, it offers belonging.

(and this is the point where I absolutely must also link this post by fumifooms on the succubus, which has some great ideas on how the scene is informed by Laios' trauma and desire for acceptance!!!)

But, back to the point. The Winged Lion wants to feed on Laios just as much as the succubus did, and it uses similar strategies to try and make that happen. Though this chapter isn't really the turning point for the next Lord of the Dungeon (it is Marcille who will, eventually, become the Lion's next victim), it certainly behaves like it is.

Laios is convinced. The succubus gets its meal. By the end of the volume, the reader begins to understand how concerning his desires are. Together, it is all very good at building up that sense of dread and pending disaster, as we see exactly how and why Laios might just fall into the Lion's open arms and bring about the end of the world.

-

So that's the three things I noticed. But there's still something I want to touch on by looking at the way these observations overlap, and what they reveal, together.

As I said, by the end of the volume, you can feel the tension growing. Just as Kabru and Mithrun do, you look back for an answer to the questions that have been built, chapter by chapter: why is Laios here? Where will his loyalties fall? This chapter, and scene, seem to prove the inevitable truth: he will choose the monster, of course. He will choose the seductive, easy power of the Winged Lion.

But the details of what actually happens tell different story: one in which the Lion is wrong.

First, as a reminder - even in Scylla Marcille mode, the succubus never fully entrances Laios. It convinces him, but it doesn't have him completely under its thrall.

Similarly, in the dream, the Lion does convince Laios to embrace the world he is offering. But even within that dream, Laios continues to ask questions that will be vital to him later. It is because of those questions that Laios comes to a new understanding about Thistle.

And it's this realization that he cites later as part of his reason for refusing the Lion's offer.

He is thinking through things the entire time, just like he continues to question the succubus even after it turns into Scylla Marcille.

Laios also expresses an interesting reason for why he wants to see the future of this world. He's not just invested because it would mean people liking what he likes, or him getting to spend time with monsters. The thought that comes immediately before his acceptance is about what he wants for monsters and people.

I don't think it's a coincidence that this statement - "we're living beings that share the same world, but all we can do is keep killing each other" - can apply to the various humans races just as much as it does to humans and monsters. The thing he is thinking about here isn't just a matter of his personal daydreams. It's an idea that underpins every conflict in the story.

Laios caring about how people as well as monsters in this manner is something that the Lion gets wrong every time. Even at the end, he still frames Laios' desires entirely around hating people and loving monsters.

The Lion has heard him express an opinion about the future of the world! It happened right there in the dream, right in front of him! He just didn't take it seriously, and didn't view it through any lens other than "Laios likes monsters more".

He's convinced that he understands how to get to Laios. Maybe the Lion can't truly see everything, or maybe his vision into everyone's deepest desires has made it hard for him to realize how much choice still matters. That people can, and do, choose which desires to act on, and how to act on them.

Whatever the case, he's wrong about Laios, and the story shows us this over and over again.

After all, look at how the succubus interaction plays out:

A monster uses Marcille to appeal to Laios...

He realizes that something about the situation is wrong, and rejects her.

It changes strategies, and makes new offer: to turn him into a monster.

It also assures him that his friends are, or will be, taken care of.

He accepts. Or rather, allows the monster to have its way with him.

But Laios is not as helpless as he initially appears, and what the Lion thinks is a successful seduction also contains the seed of an idea that will allow Laios to later resist him.

We even get to see Izutsumi playing a similar role in both instances, as the one person fully able to take action in the face to the illusion.

The story lays out what is going happen, and then explicitly tells us that the demon and the succubus are thematically related.

The chapter performs a great sleight of hand here - everything about it seems to indicate that Laios is doomed give in to the option to have his deepest desires realized. But if you look closer, it also contains the evidence that he won't. There's a lot more going on for him.

Yes, he still falls for obvious tricks. He is still extremely into monsters, and he still doesn't feel like he fits in with other people. He may, deep down, crave to surrender to the monstrous - to let it absorb him. But he questions more than he seems to. He considers more than people realize. He cares so much more than anyone gives him credit for.

And I think this is part of why we see the succubus called back to so many times, especially with the wolf head addition to his Monster Form, which he specifically added due to his encounter with the Scylla Marcille.

This all stays with Laios. It doesn't just foreshadow the path of the story, it is fundamental to how and why he walks that path. It's not about him choosing monsters, and it's not about him choosing people. It's about how he considers both, and cares about both.

And it's about the forces that think they already know his answer. Mithrun and Kabru. The Winged Lion. The succubus.

It's about how they are wrong.