#I’m a firm believer he doesn’t want to be redeemed

[artsymeeshee]

[laviechristcentered]

God is at peace with us...

Hey Friends, I hope this message finds you well.

Today, I want to write about the security of salvation because if there’s one thing I’ve always been kind of insecure about in my christian life, it was my salvation.

It is only recently that I began to feel secure and at peace with the certainty of it. Why? Because for some reason I couldn’t reconcile the idea of me being saved with the fact that I’m still a sinner stuck in an habitual sin.

If you are in that situation, then you probably understand me and this post is for you. If not, I’m happy for you that you never felt doubt about your salvation.

The truth is, I forgot about God’s grace. I forgot that my salvation doesn’t depend on me, but on Him only. I forgot that my salvation is a unilateral action of God and that I take no part in it. Even the fact that I believe in His one and only son Jesus Christ, is a gift from Him because of His grace for me.

We know that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ : we are reconciled with God through Faith in Jesus. Our Faith in Jesus makes us redeemed children of God, and not His enemies anymore. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is perfect and has the power to free us from any and every sin.

Also, Jesus’ ministry didn’t stop after His resurrection : he sits at the right hand of God, and intercedes for us ⇒ He is the Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Finally let’s not forget the work of the Holy Spirit who convicts and encourages us to walk in obedience to God. He is our guide in our journey through sanctification.

Knowing all of that and still doubting our salvation, is doubting the Power of the cross. It is a sin.

Yes, we are not perfect, and we’ll never be perfect; I would say we are God’s work in progress. Stand firm in faith for the Lord is working on you and me for the glory of His kingdom.

God Bless you and have a great day.

[mshellimagines]

I’m curious… What would you think of Alexander Anderson x Vampire!Reader ? I think the dynamic could be interesting

Hello there!! Thanks for the ask. I’m not sure if this is an opinion or not so I’ll format it a bit differently than my others!

Writer’s Musings: I imagine the reader here (?) as a vampire who’s anything but bloodthirsty. Maybe they’re a reluctant creature of the night, someone who would rather die than harm another living soul. They’d probably view their own existence as a burden—a painful reminder of what they’ve become and the monster they feel they are. A vampire like that might even want to destroy their own kind, as if wiping out the rest of their kind could somehow redeem them. It’s a tragic, poetic goal, one that might even catch the attention of someone as devout and steadfast as Alexander Anderson, maybe To be honest I feel like that’s… The only way this would work? I’ve been thinking about it and the other option would be a devout vampire, but I don’t want to headcanon the actual READER Y’know so I’m going to go with the reluctance idea! It suits most people..right?? :’) I too hate it when writers don’t make it about the damn reader LOL, unfortunately I do have to improvise a bit for this one so I hope you understand!

Alexander Anderson x Reluctant!Vampire Story Headcanons

You didn’t think he’d hesitate upon seeing you, especially since he’s known to be merciless with vampires. His eyes are sharp, piercing through you as if searching for something beyond the surface.

Surprisingly, he doesn’t attack right away. Instead, he just watches, curious, as you barely lift a hand in defense, almost as if you’re resigned to your fate.

“Are you not going to fight?” he asks, his voice laced with a mix of contempt and something else… perhaps pity? You tell him you don’t want to hurt anyone and that you despise what you are.

He raises an eyebrow, clearly not expecting that answer. “A vampire who loathes itself… now that’s something I’ve never seen.”

Anderson doesn’t lower his weapon, but he doesn’t strike either. Instead, he seems almost intrigued, demanding to know why you continue to exist if your existence brings you so much pain.

You tell him, simply, that death doesn’t come easily to creatures like you. That, despite your wish to disappear, you are bound to this miserable form, cursed to wander a world that doesn’t need you.

His eyes soften just a bit, though his stance remains firm. It’s clear he’s struggling with the idea of sparing a vampire, even one who despises their own nature.

You didn’t think he’d understand your desire to destroy other vampires, but he listens as you explain. You want to rid the world of the monsters that haunt it—even if that means starting with yourself.

“A vampire that hunts its own kind…” he murmurs, a glimmer of respect in his gaze. “Perhaps God’s mercy extends even to cursed souls willing to atone.”

Surprisingly, he offers to let you prove yourself. If you’re truly set on destroying other vampires, he says, then he won’t stand in your way. But he warns that any sign of betrayal will mean your swift end.

From that day on, he watches you like a hawk. Each time you confront a fellow vampire, he’s there, standing in the shadows, silently judging your every move.

You didn’t expect to feel a strange sense of comfort in his presence. His unwavering faith, his strength, even his disdain—it grounds you in a way you never thought possible.

Oddly enough, he seems to develop a reluctant respect for you. Perhaps it’s because you fight with a desperation, a painful earnestness he’s rarely seen in any creature, let alone a vampire.

He starts to see you as less of a monster and more of a tragic figure, a soul trapped in a body you never wanted, fighting a battle you believe you can never truly win.

You didn’t think he’d ever offer words of comfort, but one night, after a particularly grueling hunt, he tells you, “There is strength in repentance… even for those who think themselves beyond saving.”

His words resonate with you, giving you a strange sense of hope, as if, just maybe, your fight has meaning beyond the bloodshed.

You never imagined someone like him—a paladin, sworn to eradicate vampires—would come to care for you, even in his own stern, reserved way.

But with each passing encounter, it’s clear that he does, despite his best efforts to deny it. He sees your struggle, your pain, and maybe, just maybe, a part of him wants to see you redeemed.

And though you don’t believe you deserve his compassion, you feel an odd sense of peace when he’s near, as if his presence alone is a reminder that maybe, there is still hope—even for a monster like you.

[nerdyfan1]

Sir Pentious and Egg Bois Hcs

Wanted to share these cus I always thought they were an interesting almost family like dynamic and idk not enough ppl talk about Pentious and his little egg babies.

• I’m a firm believer that Pentious did name them all and cus it’s very strongly implied Pentious was some war general I also believe he named each of them after his past war comrades and ppl from his life when he was alive. He doesn’t realize that’s where the names came from he just goes “hmmm you know what that feels right.”

• Before the hotel they must of been a messy relationship in general. Especially after Baxter left him for Voxtech (if they gonna keep that backstory which I don’t see why not) and while aggressive towards them deep down Pentious cares immensely for his egg bois. Cus they all he really had to turn to now that Baxter left him.

• Mixed with another hc I’ve had but, I hc Pentious usually patched up by the Eggbois after a turf war battle. Pentious refuses to care for his own injuries and will try to push the Eggies away. Yet the Eggbois will usually let Pentious tire himself out before bandaging the guy up as they always end up patching up the wounds.

• Kind of Minons and Gru dynamic

• While at the hotel Pentious grew more healthy and open to others now so I feel like he’s taken a more fatherly figure to the Eggbois as he’s come to be more accepting to the fact they were always family. They’ve been with him through it all.

• The Eggies love being given silly hats and Pentious tucked them all in every night.

• Pentious also gets waken up by one of them having a bad dream or something and he either sings the egg a corny lullaby or a story of war to sleep to. Sometimes Charlie will overhear it while being waken up by the noise but, it makes her smile. She’s proud of how far he’s grown.

• Pentious always feels really awkward about using eggs for his baking given you know… the Eggbois. Tho they always reassuring him they aren’t really real eggs so they aren’t bothered by it at all.

• Given what I remember I believe the Eggbois aren’t able to go to Heaven as they lack a soul to be redeemed like him. So he’s probably missing them. Especially cus it seems like at a good chunk of them died on the ship with him. This gives him some form of survivor’s guilt as he is the only one to come back from Adam’s angelic death beam.

[seraandthebees]

Okay here’s the post I promised a while back about how Solas fits into my canon state!

First off disclaimer that I know there are kinda two poles of how people tend to feel about Solas - either loving him as a romance option or hating him. I am at neither of those. I think he’s a really complex character that I really love but in no way is his relationship with my inquisitor romantic (she’s a lesbian). Just putting that out here in case anyone misunderstands the vibe of this post.

Okay that put aside, let’s begin. Like I mentioned on my Introduction to Herah post, Herah values her friends and loved ones above anything else and she will do almost anything to protect them, even if that means going to extreme lengths. Her loyalty is her downfall as it were. So obviously that means she wants to redeem Solas, if we’re going by canon.

However, I diverge pretty far from canon from mid-DAI as Solas reveals of his own free will his true identity to significant other Dorian and best friend Herah. I believe that his character is open to interpretation in a way that, if he can actually be convinced that there are things in this world that he can’t or doesn’t want to lose, he will go back on his plans. Just look at how he talks to an Inquisitor who has fostered a good relationship with him at the end of Trespasser. He wants to be convinced otherwise.

I think I’m just interested in exploring what would happen if he came to the realisation on his own that he could no longer go through with his plans and having both a best friend and a lover at stake, particularly if there are two different people who are disproving his world view. The thing with Trespasser is that he views the Inquisitor as an exception, perhaps at least partially as a result of the anchor. When two pieces of evidence lie in front of you, however, it’s a bit harder to ignore or dismiss your doubts.

To explore this idea further, I wrote this fic on how he tells Dorian his true identity. I will probably at some point write something on how he breaks this news to Herah, narrating her reaction.

Skip to later on and you might be asking how the premise of Trespasser and DA4 would even work if all of this is the case and that’s a pretty fair question. Even without everything I’ve just said, I am a firm believer that DA4 would be done best if Solas is a red herring and the real danger is the Evanuris.

So I wrote a Trespasser fic on this diversion from canon wherein Solas returns just as any other companion does. This one’s a bit longer so I’ll just provide a quick summary in case anyone’s interested but doesn’t have the time to read it:

In the years between the defeat of Corypheus and the start of Trespasser, Solas and Dorian went to Tevinter to enact change. They were invited back for the Exalted Council.

After the discovery of the gaatlok, Solas begins to hear the Eluvian and he and Dorian find it, informing Herah. An extra bit of relevant information is that Solas has still been gathering Eluvians, using them as a means of transporting freed slaves from Tevinter without risking them being caught.

Given the nature of the mission, Herah takes along Solas, Dorian, and the Iron Bull through the Eluvians. As they realise where they're being led, Solas begins to put the pieces together and work out what's going on.

Bull betrays the Inquisitor, returning his loyalty to the Qun. (Important side knowledge: Herah in this version of my canon sacrificed the Chargers in order to save lives by stopping the Red Lyrium from going any further. I'll probably talk about this more later but this isn't the post for that.)

At the end, they are confronted by Elgar'nan who was able to slip through the Breach in the Veil just as demons can. He reveals that he wants to bring back all of the Evanuris, bring back Ancient Arlathan, and get revenge on Solas.

So the threat for DA4 then becomes the Evanuris as led by Elgar'nan, which I like to think parallels the ending of Trespasser well and hopefully will be compatible with the scope of DA4 (although who knows on that front). Solas agrees to join back with Herah to fight against this threat, considering it of his own creation. The Inquisition is preserved in order to divert Elgar'nan's attention elsewhere while Solas and Dorian remain undercover in Tevinter, anticipating that that's the most likely place for Elgar'nan to make his first move.

Herah's friendship with Solas is built on their combined loyalty to one another even when they recognise their disagreements. He plays an important part in Herah's journey throughout, and that's also the reason she sends him away at the end of DAI even though she really doesn't want to because her gut is telling her she needs the space even though she remains loyal to him throughout those two years apart. Part of this is also about protecting Sera, and maintaining the tricky balance of having a girlfriend who's wary of magic, being a mage herself, and having two best friends who are mages, one of whom being one of the most powerful beings in Thedas.

Again, I will at some point make a post about the dynamic between these four (who as a result end up spending a lot of time together) and how they all learn to respect and get along better even if only for Herah's sake.

I feel like I've rambled a lot here, but I think I've said all that needs to be said on this. If you've gotten this far, I hope you enjoyed the read as much as I've enjoyed tinkering with canon over the past few years!

[crackingthetbrpile]

Devil World (Gordon Eklund, 1979)

1/5 stars (1/5 for entertainment, 0/5 for teasing me with a more interesting concept at the very end)

If you’re curious whether you should give Devil World a chance, I’ll ease your worries now: go ahead and skip this one. There’s nothing here that you can’t find done better in either another tie-in novel, or a TOS episode.

Eklund obviously wanted to try something here, but it’s just as obvious that he has no idea what he’s doing when it comes to the characters. Kirk is somehow a frightening captain, for example, despite any evidence to the contrary from The Original Series. Considering Eklund’s later comments regarding the freedom allowed to the Star Trek Adventures writers, I’m surprised this book is so unimpressive. The plot doesn’t seem to go anywhere up until the last twenty pages, but by that point Eklund had sapped all of my good will and I no longer cared.

The worst part about this novel is definitely the original characters Eklund created - namely Gilla Dupree and Albert Schang. The best I can describe Dupree is to compare her to the character of Willie Scott from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. She’s a songstress whose emotions change on a dime, and is really only in the way in any given scene. Somehow Kirk is in love with her after only a few days, as is the way with the more awful tie-in novels. All I can remember is writing the word “Barf” next to his first declaration of love for her. Schang is just a lazy and klutzy officer who annoyed me every time he was on the page, eventually “redeeming” himself in the least believable ending I could picture for his character.

Books left: 870

While I detested a lot of this book, I am a firm believer in that there is always a nugget of something worthwhile in these novels. I’ve included my favorite bits from Devil World beneath the “read more” for brevity’s sake.

- Eklund knows a lot about Jainism, and he’s determined to tell you all about it. Does he know a lot of accurate info about this belief system? Debatable, but I did enjoy the opportunity to learn more about it, even if I had to constantly fact-check what the characters said. Dupree sours this one, because she practices Jainism and is kind of terrible at it.

- Jacob Kell’s paintings are a fascinating bit of characterization, and I wish Eklund had done more than passively reference them. The focus on his need to hold onto the art he created after his traumatic experience speaks to the real Kell’s desires for solitude, even if this character bit is dropped by the end of the novel because Eklund got bored.

- The description of the underbelly of the Danon village. So cool, and the reveal that the entire planet is just one huge computer?! I wished that we could’ve spent the whole novel exploring the maze of hallways and wires beneath the planet’s surface, but Eklund didn’t think it deserved more than a passing mention in the last twenty pages.

[laooneart]

I genuinely don’t want Miguel to die

I fucking hate the “antagonist redeems themselves by dying” like, why? You make them likable just to kill them? Might as well just keep them as bad people and kill them if you’re not gonna even let them actually have a redemption arc. If Miguel dies I honestly will be super disappointed in Sony, he’s not a bad guy, not really, he’s just extremely misguided and confused. If i were him and went through what he did I would probably think that intervening with canon events is the reason why a universe collapse in on itself, moreover I would be terrified to see it happen again knowing I knew what was gonna happen and could’ve prevented it. I’m not a father but i am an older brother, if anything happened to either of my siblings and it was an accident but i felt it was my fault i would never be the same, doesn’t matter if i was super happy and friendly and sweet before, losses like these break you in ways that are terrifying. “But Miguel is an adult, he should know better”

Yes he should but no matter the age, this kind of trauma will affect anyone greatly. Am i still mad about what he did to Miles? Yes, what he did was unjustified and wrong in so many ways, but he clearly wasn’t thinking well.

I do I believe Miguel is a good guy? Yes i do, even Gwen says it herself “He’s like a ninja-vampire-Spiderman but a good guy?” I believe he’s good because all these spider people joined him and if i know anything about Spiderman its that they always do what is right and if Miguel was truly a bad guy i doubt anyone would’ve joined him.

I know this is a mess but i just wanted to share my thoughts on the whole “someone’s gonna die in BTSV” situation, im a firm believer that someone is gonna die because foreshadowing is insane

I doubt it’ll be any of the spiders but probably Rio Morales or Jeff, i wont lie the whole “history will repeat itself with Peter and Miles like with Tony and Peter” is pretty interesting and it would break my heart but I’m honestly somewhat curious to see how it would play out, like idk maybe that’s Mayday’s canon event? Fuck if i know

Im just rambling honestly don’t mind me, im a geek with too much imagination, but yeah, if Miguel dies in the next movie ill stop watching anything Spiderman related because fuck that, Miguel is such a cool character that it would be a shame to sate his character like that

Also i really like the whole Tío Miguel idea, he’s a good dad so I believe it’d be funny if he and Mikes reconciled and he decided “you know what? This is my kid now, no one hurts mi niño”

Thats really it i think its a mess but i think i got everything i wanted to say so yeah thanks for reading my opinion on this

Have a good day/night/evening!

I just realized there is a flaw if any of the Spider-Men die in Beyond the Spider-Verse. If Miguel, Peter, or anyone else essentially dies, including Miles, it would shatter their universes being killed by anything other than something within their said universes. Like, for example in a heroic sense, Miguel sacrifices himself at the end for Miles in a heel-face turn. If he does that and it's not in his universe or it's from Spot who isn't from his time, basically Earth-928 would be gone because the abnormality of the death was not supposed to be. Housing all those Spider-Men alone probably strains the universe to where if any anomaly appears, it could hurt Miguel's world. Him dying elsewhere he doesn't belong in or by something that doesn't exist in his dimension would ultimately cause a huge collapse because the world itself wouldn't be able to calculate how that result came to be from a balance-time-space retcon point of view.

Now, you could argue if that was the case, why didn't Miles' universe collapse when Peter Parker died? It's because Peter was killed by his villains in his dimension and Miles only accidentally distracted him plus Miles also belongs in that universe. Despite the spider that bit him being not from his time, he himself still belongs in that dimensional plane so even if he did interfere heavily, spider powers or not, it wouldn't have broken the timeline regardless or it would have just altered the canon within a safe parameter...as it did.

So, if Beyond the Spider-Verse ends up killing Miguel, Peter, or anyone else, it wouldn't really make sense to do that as that would kind of retcon the whole purpose of the clause of interdimensional travel. Another thing is I've seen so many movies that make anti-heroes like Miguel sacrifice themselves to redeem their actions. Like no, you don't have to destroy your own movies' rules just to have this epic redemption scene seem noble. Miguel can live and be redeemed even though he was proven wrong already by Gwen in Across the Universe. This guy doesn't need to die to prove a point lest you are willing to kill Earth-928 along with him.

[scripted-downfall]

I have mixed feelings about Deckerstar in general, but I hate, hate, hate the way it’s basically Chloe trying to “fix” Lucifer.  Especially during the bit just after she tried to kill him, where she’s talking about how he needs to “change” — that’s a word taken from her dialogue in s04e03 “O, Ye of Little Faith, Father” — and trying to get him to drink less, be nicer to suspects, volunteer at a soup kitchen, etc.  Am I saying Lucifer’s perfect?  No; I’m a firm believer that pretty much no one is.  But when her entire goal — especially, but not exclusively, at this point — is to “fix” him,” this isn’t a healthy relationship.

I’ve commented in an earlier post that this iteration of Lucifer is so far away from some great force of evil that needs to be redeemed before he can be decent.  Yes, he’s got flaws: arrogance, impulsiveness, etc.  Yes, he’s got vices: alcohol, adrenaline, sex, etc.  But is he evil?  No, absolutely not.  In no sense of the word.  Hell, the man views Proper Devilish Revenge for getting shot to be using a bunch of his own money pranking Dan.  (And, honestly, these flaws aren’t something that set him especially apart from humanity, and I’d wager that most people who might stumble across this post probably know people who have similar eccentricities.)  Even objectively speaking, Lucifer doesn’t need some big, concentrated effort to be “fixed.”

But even beyond that, it’s even worse from a relationship point of view.  Relationships should be about give-and-take, about compromise.  It shouldn’t be about one person trying to change their partner without the other being willing/able to make any criticisms, and yet this is precisely Deckerstar’s dynamic: each few episodes has Chloe refusing to accept something about Lucifer, Lucifer tailspinning and overcorrecting, and, usually, him caving, giving her what she wanted, and the whole process repeating.  And, whenever he actually needs something from her, she rarely gives it, like with the Uriel situation.

This is very much the unhealthy version of “I can fix them” and it bothers me that it’s so prevalently a part of the story.

[lasnevadaslaborunion]

Sorry i'm late with the asks ♻️👑👻

(It's okay, I was even later)

I’ve already answered similar questions about c!Wilbur and c!Schlatt.

As for c!Dream... it's complicated, and I have actually had a long post about this in the works for a while now. But my short answer is... no, probably not.

First of all, I would like to say that my answer to the question of “can c!Dream be redeemed?” has very little to do with the severity of his actions and whether I personally find them forgivable. I am a firm believer that redemption isn't something you earn, but an active choice that a person must continually make. Anyone, and I do mean anyone, can become a kinder, wiser, better person - provided they are willing to change. The real question is, would c!Dream be willing to change, and would this change be believable and satisfying to the audience?

Let's look at the typical components for a redemption arc (or growth arc, or healing arc, or whatever term you prefer): recognition of one’s flaws, actions taken to remedy those flaws, a significant positive change, and recognition of this change either by the narrative or surrounding characters (note that acceptance of positive change is not necessarily equivalent to forgiveness, or to welcoming one back into their life).

Could c!Dream feel remorse for his actions? Possibly, although I think that if any such regret exists now, it’s buried very deep; c!Dream is a reserved fellow, and a terribly prideful one, who doesn’t often admit when he’s wrong (and believes these admissions even less often). His outward reactions to the pain his actions have caused range from detached indifference to sadistic glee - and considering these actions include but are not limited to serial murder, the destruction of nations, and conditioning someone into helplessness and suicidality, this lack of negative response is significant and disturbing. I think it would take something huge to shake him, but I have no clue what that would be.

Could c!Dream change his mindset or behavior? Here it becomes even less likely. He has invested a significant amount of time and effort into his current plans, and the sunk cost fallacy is a very powerful thing. Furthermore, he has often feigned a change of mind in the past, such as when he attempted to build bridges with c!Tommy during Pogtopia, acted like c!Tubbo’s friend after c!Tommy was exiled, or tried to convince people that he was becoming a better person in prison. These instances of calculated deceit would make any future claims of improvement very difficult to take at face value, both for the characters and we viewers.

Could c!Dream ever be forgiven? That's going to vary from person to person, but I don't think the people he's hurt the most are likely to do so. c!Tommy has enough trauma from being abused, murdered, and personally terrorized by c!Dream to last a lifetime; he wants him dead and gone. c!Tubbo is in a similar boat. c!Wilbur, who once viewed him as a savior, now loathes him for what he did to his little brother figure. c!Sapnap made a promise to kill him, and is willing to stake his very existence on it. c!George is... c!George (sorry, I’m not an expert). The entire server teamed up to take c!Dream down, and was ready to watch his execution; who among them could have their minds changed? Again, forgiveness is not strictly necessary for change to occur, but an environment where one is almost universally loathed is hardly conducive to personal growth.

With all these taken together... the prospects are pretty grim.

But what about the Staged Finale? Doesn’t that prove that we’ve all misread c!Dream’s true intentions, that he’s willing to sacrifice himself for a noble cause, that all his villainy was a ruse?

Well, yes, but actually, no.

See, the only thing we know about the finale is that it was staged. We don’t actually know why yet, although many theories exist, and not all of them are a good look for him. Hell, with the short Revival Book lore video, the implications look even worse. The Staged Finale reveal might call some of his stated philosophies about attachment and control into question, but it reinforces two equally influential facets of his distorted worldview: his conviction that the ends always justify the means, and his willingness to lie to get his way. Both are established flaws, and both need to be challenged for any real growth to take place.

It’s also worth pointing out what exactly his goals are. Let’s accept that they include, at least, a completely united server with no countries, no boundaries, and no significant authority save for his own. He wants, at best, a return to the “good old days” that were never as good as he remembers, and at worst, absolute tyrannical control over other server members who now hate, fear, and resent him. These goals are impossible.

But the thing about impossible, dreamlike goals is that their proponents will often go unfathomable lengths to achieve them.

And I think it’s ironic and pretty damn tragic that the very thing that keeps c!Dream sympathetic, even respectable in a weird, twisted way - his willingness to cavalierly endure personal loss rather than exclusively inflicting it - also makes redemption much harder to envision.

Ask yourself this: what sacrifice would c!Dream be unwilling to make?

Regardless of whether he believed his proclamations at the Finale, he has still very deliberately cut off everything and everyone he believed would hold him back. Losing the few attachments he did have only seemed to spur him on further. And the only people left who stand by him appear unconditional in their allegiance, or at least are enabling him for the perceived greater good; they are unlikely to challenge his ultimate goal, and if they did, c!Dream is likely to cut them off as well. Remember what I said above about the sunk cost fallacy? Until we hear his thoughts or observe hesitation firsthand, we can’t say for sure that his stint in Pandora’s Vault going so horribly wrong has shaken his resolve to unite the server under his rules and by any means necessary. It’s just as likely to have strengthened his committment, or made him angrier, because what else does he have left if not his master plan for control? It can’t have been all for nothing.

(I could talk for another five paragraphs about how the notion that suffering automatically demonstrates or triggers moral goodness is extremely problematic and enables abuse from multiple angles, and how much I appreciate that c!Dream’s isolation and torture was shown to have entirely negative effects as it realistically would, but I digress.)

Right, then. Remorse is unlikely, change is even more unlikely, and reconciliation is almost inconceivable. What does that leave us with?

I think the only believable option for any “redemption” c!Dream might have isn’t so much a redemption as a revelation, either on the audience’s part or on his. Choice #1 is that we are given information about his true plans, and they are shown to be benevolent or at least far more sympathetic than we’ve been led to believe. This runs the risk of coming across as... ridiculously cheap, to put it gently, so my preferred option is choice #2: c!Dream is given a taste of victory, only for it to leave him hollow and unsatisfied. The server is united, the people in it are a picture-perfect happy family, and it feels... fake. Distressingly so. In a tragedy, there is no going back, and he must wallow in regret or continue his Sisyphean quest; in bittersweet ending, he manages to undo the damage either at great personal cost or is haunted by his failure for the rest of his (probably very few) days. I can’t see a truly “happy” ending for him, nor am I certain what that would look like. I believe that the only way he would give up on his current path is to have his nose shoved in the mess he’s made and realize that not only are his means horrific (he already knows that), but his very ideals are impossible to achieve. Even then, it’s possible he would double down, or the realization may simply shatter him. Cue epic final battle, a sword through his heart, etc.

So yeah. I won’t entirely rule out a c!Dream redemption arc. Miracles can happen. But I think that given his existing patterns and the way the cc seems to be setting up his lore (*Chug Jug plays mournfully*), it’s quite a pipe dream. No pun intended.

[fadedneonzzz]

I want to make something clear: Miles did not kill Cinder Redemption theories.

In the V8 commentary, he stated that he was worried people would think Watts’s speech would lead to Cinder having a change of heart. But nope she hasn’t changed. This isn’t verbatim, but close enough.

What I believe Miles meant by this is that at this point in the story, Cinder hasn’t changed her ways. And really she has no reason to, at no point does Watts tell Cinder she should become a better person. He thought he was going to die, so he decided to lay out everything wrong with Cinder before she dropped him to his death. In fact I’m beginning to think he let go of her Grimm arm as a way to goad her into dropping him, as if to say “go ahead, do it, I dare you”. He knows Cinder all too well and wasn’t fooled or scared of her in the slightest. To paraphrase a line from Dragon Ball Z Abridged, “At this point, it’s a game, if she gives in. I win. And she knows that”.

I don’t blame anyone for thinking Cinder would have a change of heart, after all villains rarely get character development that doesn’t (immediately) lead to a redemption arc. Most times villains outright reject the opportunity to develop as characters and hold firm on their beliefs. What CRWBY did was actually very unique and interesting, Cinder gets not only character development but a character arc with the volume more or less centered around her, but she doesn’t get redemption. In fact I’d argue there is no call for redemption at any point in V4-V8, and it’s not because Cinder is just evil for the hell of it, no one has tried to get through to Cinder on her beliefs and goals. So this volume wasn’t Cinder’s “last chance” at redemption because she never had one to begin with.

In my opinion, the writers are never going to tell us which characters will be redeemed and who won’t. You could argue Emerald was obvious, but there was no guarantee she could’ve easily stuck with Mercury or Cinder. There’s no guarantee that Neo and/or Mercury will be redeemed either. 

I’m still for Cinder redemption because I don’t want her story to end on such a dark and depressing note. She has had one of the most tragic backstories and character arcs in the series so far, I’d like it if she could get a chance to heal. I also understand RWBY isn’t my show and I don’t have any control over it, only time will tell if they are going down the path of some kind of redemption for Cinder. Besides it’d be a dick move to debunk/kill theories of fans, CRWBY has said before that they do read some of the stuff online by fans. 

[sokkastyles]

In your last post you talked a lot about how Zuko respects Iroh. Could you give some examples of that? Because I'm feeling like Zuko doesn't really respect anyone, he (understandably) has an ego and thinks he's above everyone, even if he's working on

It is such a shame that Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005) was cancelled after two episodes.

Lol, now that I've got that out of my system, I'm gonna assume you aren't just a troll and treat this like you actually want a serious answer, because it gives me an opportunity to meta about Zuko and Iroh's relationship.

I would say that the Zuko we are introduced to has a pretty big ego, yeah, and thinks he's above everyone else. He's incredibly disrespectful to most everyone he meets, including his long-suffering uncle. When I started the show I knew through cultural osmosis that Zuko would get redeemed, and from the first episode I was like "alright, I'm ready to see how the show is gonna make me like this asshole." I especially did have a negative reaction to the way he treats Iroh in the beginning, because Iroh is one of the first characters I loved. I also was sympathetic to Iroh because I'm an adult, and an adult who works with kids. If any of my students said to me some of the stuff that Zuko says to Iroh I'd be like, yeah, okay, detention for you young man.

It's also pretty clear from early on though that Zuko's ego comes from a deep insecurity and low self-esteem. That doesn't make the things he does any better, and yes he is incredibly disrespectful to Iroh, especially when Iroh contradicts him about his mission. That's also related to his deep insecurity and trauma surrounding his father, of course, because Zuko needs to believe that he can win back his father's acceptance to cope with what his father did to him, but that doesn't excuse it.

He says some incredibly nasty things to Iroh. In the first episode we see him respond angrily when Iroh won't teach him more advanced firebending, and Zuko responds, as he does several times, by trying to imitate his father's brand of coercion and intimidation. Iroh is like, not impressed, and he puts up with a lot of crap from Zuko but he also doesn't let it get to him because he's a responsible adult and he wants to support Zuko in the way he can. Which also means telling him off sometimes because dude.

Zuko thinks Iroh is lazy and a failure, and resents the fact that Iroh is keeping him from what he says he is "more than ready" for, and tries to bully Iroh when he doesn't get his way, but then we see in the third episode, "The Southern Air Temple," Zuko's fight with Zhao. We see that for all Zuko's complaining about Iroh's teaching, he does what Iroh taught him to do, he sticks to his basics, and he wins. Iroh says that Zuko is honorable and we see that Zuko appreciates Iroh's support. It's also implied by the way Zhao mentions humiliating Zuko in front of his uncle that Zuko wants Iroh to be proud of him, that it's obvious to Zhao how close they are.

Another example of the show letting us know that Zuko cares more about his uncle than he lets on is when he threatens to leave Iroh behind in "Winter Solstice" but then comes back for him to find him gone, and goes out of his way to search for him, even setting aside his hunt for Aang. Zuko fights the earthbenders to save Iroh and Iroh compliments his form, to which Zuko says Iroh taught him well. This episode does a lot to develop Zuko as a character and his relationship with Iroh because not only do we see that Zuko cares for his uncle, but that, contrary to his rudeness and dismissiveness in episode one, Zuko does respect Iroh as a teacher and a bender.

There's a lot of examples like this where Zuko says one thing but does another, because Zuko is a character who, at the beginning of the story, carries a lot of cognitive dissonance and guards his real feelings about things. His relationship with Iroh is an example. This isn't very surprising because it's pretty common in child psychology. Especially with kids who have been abused, they will rebel against an authority figure and push back in any way they can to see if they can find a breaking point. Iroh's endlessly patient and supportive but solid and firm presence is something Zuko is not used to and doesn't know how to deal with. But it's very clear that Zuko relies on Iroh as a father and mentor, even when Zuko doesn't realize it yet.

"The Avatar State" in another episode that shows how much Zuko relies on Iroh. At the beginning of the episode Zuko is sitting apart and it's implied that he's not happy with Iroh relaxing and getting a massage, but Zuko also opens up to Iroh about his feelings about his father. Zuko also is dismissive and rude to Iroh again in this episode, criticizing Iroh for collecting shells and also insulting Iroh when Iroh contradicts him about going with Azula, but then Zuko is happy when Iroh goes with him to Azula's ship, and we get that flash of the image of Ozai with his hand on Zuko's shoulder. This tells us that Zuko sees Iroh as the kind of mentor figure that he wishes his father were, even if, again, Zuko doesn't quite realize this yet. There are many other examples like this where Zuko is frustrated by not getting Iroh's approval on something because he wants Iroh to be proud of him. Like when he steals the teapot and gives it to Iroh and Iroh is not interested in stolen items. Zuko's clearly hurt by not having Iroh's approval, which is a big part of why he left Iroh, and Iroh knows that Zuko is struggling to find himself but also still needs his support.

Then you have "Bitter Work," the lightning bending, and Zuko's look of total admiration when Iroh is bending lightning and teaching Zuko a move that he invented himself. Like I said before, it's clear that Zuko respects Iroh as a powerful bender. This is also echoed in that scene in the book two finale when Iroh is about to breathe fire and Zuko has this look of "wow my uncle is going to beat you so bad this is going to be great!"

There's also a lot of little stuff in the Ba Sing Se arc that show that Zuko respects Iroh and values him as a mentor figure. He lets Iroh do his hair for his date with Jin! It looks terrible! Zuko has no idea how to behave on a date so he's like um, uncle said to give you this coupon! Look how smart my uncle is! Of course the culmination of that arc is Zuko's fever and his awakening which gives him a renewed respect for Iroh, and he actually makes an effort to show Iroh how much he values him. He still betrays Iroh in Ba Sing Se but it's not the "I hate you and you smell!" thing that the play portrays it as. One of the reasons Zuko was so confused there was because he felt like his uncle was telling him contradictory things, and he couldn't reconcile his uncle's wisdom with what he'd been taught to believe by Ozai.

But it's finally losing Iroh as that pillar of support that makes Zuko truly realize how much he does value his uncle. It still takes him a while to get there, and he again pushes back against Iroh when Iroh won't talk to him in prison and blames him for his own internal turmoil. But when he does finally get there, it's such a slap in the face to Ozai that Zuko on the Day of Black Sun tells him to his face that Iroh is his real father, that Zuko is going to fall to his knees and beg for Iroh's forgiveness, because Zuko has realized that Iroh is the one who really deserves his respect. Not only does Zuko tell Ozai that he, in fact, did not teach him anything about respect, but the respect Ozai tried to get from his son through cruelty and control is something Zuko will freely give to Iroh.

Then Zuko spends the next several episodes constantly talking about how great Iroh is, how much he misses him, how good he is at making tea and telling jokes, how wise he is, and what an ass he, Zuko, had been to him. He follows Iroh's advice and humbles himself because Iroh always said he didn't think things through enough, he works hard to make himself into someone his uncle would be proud of. Then when he does meet Iroh again he asks for forgiveness, but he says that even if Iroh won't forgive him he would try to make it up to him. He's completely humbled himself and it's so satisfying because it's the fulfilment of their relationship arc, and you can feel the love and respect that these two characters have for each other. And it's directly meant to contrast with what Ozai said about respect, because Ozai is full of shit.

And then Zuko just like automatically assumes that Iroh will be the Fire Lord and Iroh's like "Zuko did you forget that you are the crown prince?" And Zuko, bless his heart, is like "but I made so many mistakes."

I'm sorry, but if you're gonna keep arguing that Zuko, at this point, still "thinks he's above everyone else" then you are just being willfully obtuse.

Not to mention the fact that Zuko's crowning moment as Fire Lord is him giving a speech about how he wants to serve others, to heal the world, and even the applause and praise that he, in the beginning, wanted from others is something he doesn't accept. He tells everyone that Aang is the real hero. And Aang is a hero but like, Zuko is a hero, too, by showing heroic qualities like being selfless and humble and caring towards others. And then his last scene is not him as Fire Lord, but serving tea to everyone dressed in Earth Kingdom clothes.

And who does he serve tea to first? Uncle.

[justalotrgeek]

Let’s talk about Boromir...

So... Boromir... everyone kind of hates him at one point or another. But as you grow older, you start to realize... Boromir deserved better. And he’s pretty awesome. And pretty relatable.

Like, yeah, he comes across as this high-and-mighty-”Gondor-needs-no-King” buddy, but he’s, like, so pure?

His whole motivation for trying to take the Ring from Frodo (big mistake, one that could have cost the entire world) was not greed, but something more along the lines of why Sam DID take the Ring, or wanted to in the first place. Both of them wanted to be heros, yes, but the root of that was love for their people, for their plants, for what they know and love.

And let’s be honest, the Ring wasn’t helping one bit. Boromir felt alone the whole time he was with the Fellowship, let’s be real. He’s the one on the front lines of a war. He’s the one that’s a Captain-General (correct me if I’m wrong there). He has a little brother to worry about, a father who is giving into despair, and his mother died when he was little. He is looked up to by commoners and soldiers alike, a beacon of hope in a rapidly darkening world. He is in line for a Stewardship that he probably doesn’t want. He’s seen so much in his short 41 years.

Boromir journeys alone for 110 days, most on foot because he loses his horse, from Gondor to Rivendell. Upon arriving, he finds himself alone in the knowledge of the horrors of war. Rivendell is the last safe haven, and is filled with immortal elves who are wearying from the woes of the world. Mirkwood could not care less (except for Legolas, I guess) about the fate of the world as they are more worried about themselves. The hobbits, bless their hearts, do not know fear or pain or sorrow quite like Men do. The dwarves are stubborn and slow to trust those they do not know, let alone elves. Gandalf is mysterious and makes little sense most of the time, as he is also immortal and wise beyond the understanding of many. And Aragorn...

Well, having Aragorn introduced second-hand as the King of Gondor -- Gondor, who has not seen a King since TA 2050 (968 years is a long time, guys); Gondor, who had struggled alone; Gondor, who was losing hope, Gondor, who had only Steward-kings to look to since the line of Anárion and Isildur -- did not help in the slightest. Here is this rugged, silent man, and he is the supposed heir of Isildur, the one who will lead them to victory? All Boromir knows is that he was not there when they needed him. Boromir believes he has no knowledge of politics (which is more of his brother’s strong suit than his own, but he knows enough).

The Ring of Power is filled with malice, hate, and distrust. Every. Single. One. Of the Fellowship was struggling with the Ring weighing down on their minds. Every. One. Even the hobbits, whose connection with the power of Yavanna and nature protects them and warns them against evil, even the elves, the Eldar, the First Children of Eru, who flinch at evil, even the dwarves, who are firm and steadfast in truth as is their right because of Aüle, even Gandalf, who is Old, who is a servant of the Valar -- all of them feel it. And Men are the most susceptible.

The Ring sees their hearts, knows their situations, their love, their fear, and it does what it does best. It twists and turns and warps the truth until the Ring is the only solution. In our own lives, we grapple with good and evil, and sometimes the evil makes the good look bad. Boromir is no different than the rest of us. In his love for Gondor, his fear for Gondor, the Ring finds hold. And it grows and grows because Boromir is human. He does not see until it is too late what power the Ring has over him.

But Boromir does something few of us ever would. Even in his despair, his grief, his feelings of worthlessness and helplessness because he let the Ringbearer go, he attacked Frodo, he does not know, does not know, and it hurts; his guilt weighs him down, but he gets up and goes after the hobbits. He gets up and fights and fights and fights. And when Aragorn finds him, surrounded by dead orcs, barely breathing, Boromir apologizes once more, he tells Aragorn what happened to Merry and Pippin (saving their lives, I might add, and giving the broken Fellowship a reminder and a purpose), and apologizes again, saying he has failed.

Most of us would have given up hope because we made such an astronomical mistake. We would have believed, like Boromir, that there would be no redemption for us. Yet Boromir still keeps trying.

He knows in his heart that what he has done is unforgivable, that he if the quest fails it is his fault. But he gets up and tries to do what little he can to make it right. And in his eyes, it is not enough.

But Boromir’s actions redeem him, though he does not live to see it. Merry and Pippin live. Sam, Frodo, and Gollum destroy the Ring (and they all fail). Aragorn is crowned King, and the three remaining hunters are bonded for life. Middle Earth, Gondor, his home, his people, are all saved because of Boromir. And Pippin’s life, saved by Boromir’s actions, goes on to save Faramir, his little brother, who he loved more than the world.

Boromir should have lived. He should have been able to see the fulfillment of his redemption, a chance to see that it is okay, that he didn’t need feel guilty for so long, that he is loved worth every tear we shed for him. He, like us, fails. Really, each one of the characters in The Lord of the Rings fails. Some are redeemed at long last, some are redeemed through death, and some never find redemption or closure in their life time, or even at all.

But the lesson Boromir teaches us is to keep trying. Even when hope seems to be gone, even when you cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel, even when life does not make sense and what you have been asked to do seems impossible, you keep trying.

And in the end, though you may not live to see it, hope blossoms and blooms and light returns.

Your efforts are worth it. They are always worth it.

[sunseteyes]

THE BOSS — KAI CHISAKI

—an au where kai is not a killer, but a lover

ㅤㅤ ↪︎ starring: kai chisaki (overhaul)

ㅤㅤ ↪︎ word count: 1.5k words | themes: pre & post world war II. yakuza au. fem!reader. mentions of women discrimination (not that harsh but still). fluff with a bit of angst (if you squint)

ㅤㅤ ↪︎ request: Hi this is my first time asking so i wanted to request a jealous chisaki kai fluff if that’s okay with you...heheh...bai —Anonymous

ㅤㅤ ↪︎ rozé’s voice: this took me awhile but here it is!! since i still have no banner for kai, i decided to do this in my new banner format! what do you guys think?? does it look nice??

the moon was out and the sun was being swallowed by the horizon, saying its goodbye for the meantime as it circles its way only to rise again by tomorrow morning. his eyes glared up on the sky, the orange hues of the sun’s rays reflecting upon them as he waited, the clouds emitting a different shade other than pure white as a result of how the light resonate well with the other contents of the sky.

beneath the comforts of his home, kai found himself drifting into a river of thoughts, wondering where could you have been.

after the world war II, it became difficult to not let the fear inside of kai be eliminated, even if he was sure that you’d be able to make it through the day anyway. after all, you were not just an ordinary yakuza woman.

you were the woman of the group—the boss.

the group was originally your father’s, being the previous boss that ruled everyone and lead them into a success that gave them the ability to be confident to put their trust into him. the boss—your father, he unfortunately passed away and in turn, the responsibility was given to the sole member who carries his very own blood and genes, his only daughter—you.

kai could briefly recall the moment your father had taken him in as part of the group and he eventually met you, who was well-loved by the other members, sooner by him. he believed in your leadership skills and how you coordinated well with others thus, he supported you when you suddenly became a leader in just one day.

during those times, many believed that maybe he should be the one who should be the boss, not a woman. at least even if he was someone from outside, he was a man. however, as soon as he heard of it, he came to you and told you yourself that;

“i believe in you.” kai’s own voice echoes inside of his memory, one that contained a scene where he confronted you one day while you were greeting him like you would every day, whenever you can.

“hm? did you say anything, kai?”

“i believe in your skills in being a good leader.” he faces you then, exactly by the time your face switched into something he couldn’t read. it was one of the things that attracted kai to you—the fascination of being unpredictable. it thrills him; sending jolts in his veins to the tips of his fingers and toes, as if you were a lightning bolt that struck him and kept him impaled with your effect on him.

your smile—it was one of his weaknesses, and in that moment, kai imprinted that image in his mind, tattooing it religiously like a madman.

“thank you kai, i really appreciate you saying that.”

for the first few days of being the boss, kai was glad that you were coping, and that you weren’t letting anyone or anything hinder you from doing your responsibilities. however, that didn’t last much long for the topic of having a husband was brought out by one of the veteran members of the group—those who believed that there should still be a male leader that would keep the stability of the group, as if you weren’t doing that already.

kai only watched from afar as men approached you gradually, statuses from every part of the group coming by with the intention of getting your hand for marriage. as a large group, there was a huge reputation that you should uphold. thus, no one ever approached kai to push him to take you.

he was merely an orphan boy that the boss saved and gave a shelter to. he was nothing more.

when the world war II happened, it was the time you dated another yakuza leader. kai could remember how he felt the crunching in his chest when it happened. the hatred beneath his glares, the hisses in his tone, his temper always setting fire despite being under the rain—he could not stop them,

but since he couldn’t do anything but watch, he lets it be.

it was proved difficult when he saw your exhausted face one day and by that time, he just knew that you weren’t happy with the relationship.

day by day, it was as if your energy was being sucked off by the sun, always robbing you of your smile, the lively glow on your eyes, and the hue of life on your skin. slowly, kai could watched everything unfold.

his chest tightens of the dread of just approaching you, who was currently with your significant other. he needed to give you daily updates since he was basically the one you trusted most out of everyone else in the group, but as he was about to slide open the door to your office, the voices reached his ears.

"you look so tired, don't you think it's time to rest? let me do the paperwork for you."

"no, it's fine. these are my responsibility, you don't have to offer me such a thing." base on your voice alone, kai knew there was something hidden behind it—something only he knows.

so despite the churning on his stomach when he enters the room after being granted entrance, he looks at you on the eye and let the words slip out of his mouth without any other sign of hesitance.

“i think you should take their opinion, boss. it will be best if you rest for awhile if you don’t want to make it worse.”

there was a certain harshness in his tone and he’s quite sure you could sense it, yet despite of it all, you looked at him with the same gentleness that you do every other time, no sign of remorse or irritation that could have told him that something put you off.

it took seconds before you answered—seconds of your significant other glaring daggers at kai, most probably with how he might have ruined a moment that shouldn’t be shared to any other, the sense of their small bubble being popped by a sharp object such as him.

and even without thinking twice, it doesn’t scare kai if he were asked. it actually swells his pride more with how much insecure the other was at his mere presence. and it seems that faith has him on their side as the situation unfolds further.

“maybe you’re right.” you sighed, the noise of the chair dragging onto the wooden floor echoing in the room as you stood up. the person by your side guides you as you walk to the door yet you stopped in front of kai, offering a flustered smile that tells him countless of words that your mouth couldn’t speak of when you say, “thank you, kai. i’m leaving everything to you for now, i apologize. i’ll make it up to you.”

kai then realized that day how stronger the thumping of his heart was than the ache that it felt when he saw you with another person that was not him.

when the relationship broke, kai expected it, and he felt the need to step up when you were being pursued by the same person to get you back to them.

“thank you, kai.” you say to him with the same look that you’d always given him, an exhausted chuckle leaving your lips, “you’ve always looked after me. what can i ever do without you?”

without thinking, the words left his lips without restraint, his mind already set upon the goal no matter how much there was an unlikely others would think it could happen.

“marry me, (y/n).”

he saw how your eyes widen and look straight into his, your entire form frozen and surprised, even the pen that you had between your fingers were up on the air, its ink about to fall down onto the paper if it wasn’t moved away.

kai remained still, his expression firm and serious, his mind already decided and confirmed that he wouldn’t ever regret his question whatever your answer would be. on the outside, his arms were closed into fists, his short nails digging into his own skin from how tight he was gripping his own palm. it was even far worse with how his chest has a pounding heart that rings on his ears and affects the vein on his neck, a line of sweat by his hairline that he was having a difficult time not to raise his hand and get his handkerchief to wipe it off. he had never been this nervous before, nor does he think he will ever do in the future. this moment will remain imprinted on his mind, no chance of ever redeeming it back again.

the touch on his cheek brought him back to reality, his gaze finding yours that looked at him in a way you’ve always did.

“what have you been thinking, love?”

his own hand grasped your own and he sighs, the memories of before slowly fading away as he relishes on the feel of your presence, giving a sense of peace in his chest that surely nothing else could change. nothing should, not now that he has you.

fin

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[dracosaurusrex]

Bookworms (Part 3)

Summary: A predicament in the Slytherin common room is the perfect ingredient for confession.

Word count: 3.9k

Genre: Fluff; enemies-to-friends-to-lovers

TW: Bullying

A/N: This chapter picks up from the moment Draco leaves the common room and starts off with his friends’ perspective. PS. I don’t hate Astoria I promise! It’s only for the story. Anyways...I hope you like it! I have this tendency to overthink a lot, so I’m going to shut my trap before I regret anything LOL

Everyone occupying the common room that night watched in awe as Draco stormed out of the dungeons. His outlash didn’t settle well with his group of friends. Moreover, it shocked Astoria to hear the sound of your name roll off from his lips. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so bothered before. Have you?” Pansy asked. Daphne shook her head.

“Generally speaking, I’ve never seen him get that defensive over anybody.” 

“Did you notice the way his eyes looked?” The group recalled the frustration that dripped from his voice and the fire that blazed within his blue orbs.

“I didn’t know there was anything going on between them. It’s not the first time we spoke about her when he was around.” Pansy, Daphne, and Theo all murmured their agreements. Meanwhile, Astoria sat still boiling in jealousy as the conversation lingered on. She had everything--the blood, the looks, the money, the name. She could practically have the Malfoy family wrapped around her finger. What did Y/N have that she didn’t? Suddenly, the sound of Blaise’s voice broke her out of her thoughts.

“Do you think he likes her?” With this, Astoria balls her fists and rams it onto the table in frustration, putting everyone in shock once again. 

“Draco? Liking that filthy bookworm!? You’ve got to be joking Blaise! That poor excuse for a Slytherin probably slipped some amortentia in his drink!” Astoria projected her thoughts fearlessly before storming out of the room. 

“Daphne, I think you should go check on her.” Blaise suggested. She nodded.

“I will, but she needs time alone to calm down.” Silence lingers in the air before Blaise interjects once again.

“In all seriousness though, do you think Draco has feelings for Y/N?” He asks again.

“With that expression on his face, it’s hard to believe that he doesn’t. Y/N must’ve done something important to have him wrapped around her finger like that.” Pansy says.

“I don’t even think she realizes she has him wrapped around her finger. She hasn’t done anything out of the ordinary. You know her--always got her nose stuck in a book.” Daphne’s statement stirs a thought within Pansy’s mind. A wicked smile appears on her face, grabbing the attention of the others.

“Pansy, please. That smile is frightening.” Theo lifts his hand to block his view of her. She throws him a scowl.

“Hear me out. Why don’t find out then? Draco just walked out right? What are the chances that he’s with her?”

Blaise chimed in, “I think I saw Y/N leave a few minutes before he did. Do you think he followed her?” Pansy’s face lit up.

“Good sleuthing Blaise! They don’t call us Slytherin for nothing!” The girl raises herself from her seat.

“Plus, I’m over Snape’s assignment. It’s time to unwind for the night,” She looks at her friends at the table, “You joining?” Daphne and Theo get up without hesitation, while Blaise throws them a judgemental expression.

“Come on Blaise. I got a plan, and you play an important role.” She skips to where he is sat and pulls on his arm. The boy lets out a groan.

“Why can’t we let him be?” He lets out.

“Because, we love some good character development! Now get your arse up Zabini! We got more sleuthing to do!” Blaise packs his things begrudgingly before joining the group as they walk out of the common room. They sought out the Great Hall first, seeing that there were still a few students grabbing dinner. However, when they fail to see either you or Draco, they leave and try out the courtyard. Much to their disappointment, they had the same results. They even tried going to Snape’s room, thinking that you might’ve gone to talk to him about the assignment. Still no luck.

Blaise releases a grunt out of frustration, as the group continues to walk around aimlessly. 

“Have you thought, just possibly, that they’d be in the bloody library!?” He scolds them as he presses his fingers to his temples. The dull pain that was surging from the sides of his head puts him in a pissier mood. 

“This is why we need you, Blaise.” Theo gave a firm pat on Blaise’s back, followed by pats from both Daphne and Pansy. The boy sighs exasperatingly before trailing behind them.

By the time they arrive at the library, the group splits in order to cover more ground. Blaise, having enough of their antics, decides to aimlessly walk through the shelves for his own peace of mind. He enjoys it for a while, until he hears the voice of a particular platinum blonde. He stops for a moment, mentally celebrating his victory, and turns to find the location of the source. Peering through the shelves, he takes sight of Draco smiling with a book in hand.

“You seem to have forgotten my height in comparison to yours.” He hears him say. He glances at the beaming expression in the boy’s eyes. Suddenly, Pansy, Daphne, and Theo appear beside him.

In a hushed whisper Daphne speaks out, “What are you looking- oh!” Her exclamation draws the attention of the other two as Blaise raises a finger to his lips to shush them. The group obeys, and watches the scene unfold quietly.

“Give it here you git. I found it first.” Pansy and Daphne squeal at the sight of you jumping for the book.

“Draco, Draco, Draco--this boy knows what he’s doing.” Theo snickers under his breath. Their eyes widen at the scene that follows next.

“Draco!” They observe as you push off from his shoulders, successfully retrieving the book from him. What surprised them was the way Draco pulled you close to keep you from falling. Moreover, how the both of you stayed in that position for several minutes before stepping away.

Pansy mutters, “I feel like I just interrupted something.” She turns her head to see Daphne biting her knuckle in an attempt to refrain from squealing even more.

“I’m sorry Astoria.” Pansy nudges Daphne’s side before snickering herself. The group retreats back to the common room, leaving you and Draco alone. However, once they arrived, they were met with red-eyed Astoria, who began to question their whereabouts.

“I leave the room for five minutes only to find that you guys were gone when I come back. Where have you been?” The two girls kept silent and looked at the younger with pitiful eyes. She hated being pitied.

“Stop looking at me like that, and spill!” Her voice increased in volume as she demanded for answers. Blaise steps to the front and holds her shoulders.

“Astoria, you need to calm yourself down first. Breath.” The girl looks up at the boy, his voice calming her senses.

“Are you calm?” He asks. She responds with a silent nod, uncertain about what she was about to find out. Blaise led her to the couch, followed by the other three. He looked into her eyes with hands planted on her shoulders.

“We saw Draco with Y/N earlier. He looked really happy.” The prideful girl felt her heart drop at the sound of the news. Certainly that can’t mean anything right? Surely she had a chance...right? She kept silent as thoughts roamed in her mind for several minutes. However, her internal ramblings were interrupted by the sound of the dungeons opening. The group turned their heads towards the entrance revealing a pleased-looking Draco. He was seen carrying several rolls of parchment under one arm and his bag held in the opposing hand. Accompanying him from behind was you. There was a smile plastered on your face as you looked towards the boy. He returned the smile as well as the rolls that the group concluded to belong to you. Out of disappointment and frustration, Astoria violently shrugs Blaise’s hands off her shoulders and stands from her seat.

“Y/L/N!” She yells. The sudden outburst catches you off guard. You stop in your steps as you see her approaching you with an angry look on her face.

“May I hel-”

“You bet you can,” Astoria’s hands come into contact with your shoulders, throwing your balance off slightly. You give her a shocked expression, but before you can say anything she cuts you off.

“Keep that nose of yours buried in your books where it belongs. You think you have a chance with Draco? Make me laugh!” You feel your heart crack slightly at the sound of her words. Not knowing what to expect, you keep your feet planted and stand your ground.

“Look at you! Disheveled,” She pokes at your hair.

“Nerdy!” She gestures towards the rolls of parchment in your arms.

“Poor!” Your eyes widened at her derogatory statement. 

“Your only redeeming quality is the fact that you’re a pureblood. Albeit a lowly one at that!” Draco and his friend group look at the scene progress with shock-filled eyes. Never in their lives would they have thought that Astoria would say such harsh words. By the time she was done with her rant, the younger Greengrass was huffing, her eyebrows furrowed, and shoulders tense. 

You wanted to cry. You bit your quivering lip in response to her hurtful words. How dare she? Within those couple seconds she had jabbed at everything you worked hard for--all out of the need to feel superior. The image of your mother crossed your mind. You recalled her secret tears, her efforts to shield you away from the hardships you faced. You recalled how hard she worked to provide your every need, furthermore how hard she worked to open the book shop--not only for a means of living, but for your peace of mind as well. Suddenly, a pit of anger blossomed from your gut. With your lips still quivering you scoff, breaking the silence that lingered since her outlash. It catches the attention of the others surrounding you.

You placed your belongings on the floor, before looking her straight in the eyes.

“Does it make you feel better when you attempt to make me feel insecure?” You take a step forward.

“You ask if I think I have a chance with Draco?” You mock her words, while scanning her figure from top to bottom.

“Last time I checked, Greengrass, my life didn’t revolve around him!” Your voice began to grow in hostility.

“Every single thing that you look down upon are the very reasons why I’m in Slytherin in the first place!” Your voice seethed with venom. In fact, the very statement elicited shivers down everyone’s spine. There was a familiar fire that burned in your eyes--one that Draco had grown too fond of. He rooted himself to his spot, watching you in awe.

“Your words hurt, they do. Do you think I wanted to be born poor? Do you think I’m nerdy because I want to be fucking nerdy!?” At that moment, Astoria knew she struck a note--a strong one at that. Her confidence began to shrink as you stepped closer.

“Bash on my appearance all you want, Greengrass, but if you dare try to degrade me for things you know nothing of - all for the sake of your damn crush,” You stood right in front of her now, eyes piercing through hers. With a tone full of resolution you continue your statement, “Then I suggest you stay out of my way. Your jealousy is a waste of my time.” You bump her shoulder harshly before turning back to collect your belongings and make your way to your dorm. Before you proceed, you look back at Draco to see that he’s looking at you with much concern.

“I’ll be fine.” You mouthed, before continuing your way. 

Astoria was left standing there with shock of your retaliation. The feeling of regret pools in her stomach as she feels a hand on her shoulder. It’s Daphne’s. Her sister gives a strained smile as she pulls her away. The older sibling turns to Draco with an apologetic smile plastered on her face.

“You should check on Y/N. We’ll take care of Astoria.” The boy breaks from his daze and nods before dashing through the halls. Once he arrives in front of your door he presses his ear against it. Silent sobs can be heard from the other side. He softly knocks.

“Y/N? It’s Draco.” He hears her cease her cries. After a couple of moments, the door opens revealing your puffy-eyed self. You couldn’t bear to look up at him, so you keep your gaze stuck to the floor. The sight of you looking emotionally weak breaks Draco’s heart. You were always the one to hold a strong stance. A frown finds its way to his lips as he presses your head to his chest. He walks into your room and locks the door behind him all while keeping you within his embrace.

“That was so humiliating.” You croak out as tears stream down your cheeks. Your hands clench the fabric of his uniform as your face remains buried into his chest. The boy finds himself at a loss for words. As he thinks of ways to make you feel better, he suddenly remembers the way you had cleaned him up when you found him so helpless. 

“Let me take care of you?” He whispered softly into your ear. There was much sincerity and concern laced in his voice. In a short span of time, you had managed to make him feel safe, accepted, and welcomed to a sense of warmth that he has never received before. It felt safe for him to feel vulnerable around you. Seeing the way you handled the situation tonight, he felt the compelling need to do the same.

The sobs that you choked out ceased slightly as you nod in response. At the sight of this, he reaches for your hand, interlacing his fingers with yours as he leads you to the bathroom. You seat yourself on the stool situated in front of the sink, head faced down. Draco takes a fresh face towel and wets it. 

“Look at me.” You hesitantly lift your face meeting his concerned gaze. He reaches out and caresses your cheek to wipe the tear that strayed from your eyes.  He then proceeds to wipe your face. You close your eyes to relish the cool dampness of the cloth, letting out breathy sighs in relief. Your heart beats faster at the thought of you being on the receiving end of Draco’s care. At the end of the task, the boy caresses your face through the towel. You look up into his eyes with a frown.

Noticing that your hair was still up, Draco pulled the elastic and grabbed the brush that laid on top of the counter. 

“Turn around.” You follow as he says and meet both your reflections in the mirror. You stared at him, taking in the details of his facial features. He put on a focused expression as he began brushing your hair. His touch was soft and delicate, not wanting to run through tangles forcibly and put you at a risk for discomfort. The soft tugs at your roots felt soothing, inducing your eyes to droop. Draco notices and chuckles softly.

“Don’t you dare sleep on me again, Y/N.” Your eyes immediately fly open.

“It feels good.” You admit quietly. You meet his gaze through the reflection and let out a small smile.

The tugging feeling on his heartstrings prompts him to lean down an whisper in your ear, “Y/N, you’re beautiful I hope you know.” His words cause a surge of heat to rise throughout your body and you can’t help but smile wider. Draco turns the stool, so you’re facing him once again.

“I also like that you’re intelligent--in more ways than one might I add.” He says as he tucked a strand of your hair behind your ear. You chuckled. 

Out of impulse, Draco leans down once more, pressing a kiss to your forehead. Despite your erratic heart beats, you respond to his gesture by wrapping your arms around his torso, pulling yourself into him. He copies your actions while running his fingers through your hair. Everything feels like bliss. 

“I hope you don’t actually believe what she says.” He says as you both remain in the same position.

“About what?”

“That you don’t have a chance with me.” 

“I can see why she’d say that...especially with you and your fami-” He interrupts your sentence. 

“Y/N, I like you,” Your eyes widened.

“I like you regardless of my family or your status.” You pulled away to look at him. You can see him cleaning up, and putting things back in their original places. He kept a neutral expression, but when his gaze passes yours, he raises his eyebrows as he usually does before breaking into a small smile. Just before you catch yourself swooning, he pulls on your wrist.

“You don’t need to give me an answer right now. I just wanted to let you know. Let’s get you dressed.” The boy makes you sit on the edge of your bed while you direct his way through your closet. He pulls out a pair of black sweats and a black jumper and hands it to you.

“Go ahead. I’ll turn around.” You proceed to changing into the clothes that he gave to you. Once you finished you sat yourself on the bed once again, and called out to him. He took a seat by your side. There was an oddly comfortable atmosphere between the both of you. You turn to him to see a serious expression painted on his facial features. The boy looks straight ahead with his hands clasped on his lap. You reach out to grab one and hold it. 

“What’s on your mind?” You ask weakly. He stares at your hand in his. His lack of words causes you to speak up.

“I’m sorry. I get touchy when I’m at my lows. My mother would hold my hand like this.” He remains silent, only gripping your hand in response.

“Don’t apologize. I said I’d look out for you as you have for me.” He turned to look at you and sighed. The sight of your tired expression induces a tight feeling in his chest. The way you stood your ground, the way you defended yourself, the way you held everything in until you were alone--all these things made him contemplate on his actions before he had met you. He’d vividly recall the moments he’d pick on others to feel that sense of superiority that Astoria had tried to feel. He remembered the way he had celebrated in the eyes of his victim’s defeat. But, when he saw you in the line of fire, the feeling of foolishness and regret filled him. 

“Are you tired?” He asked.

You nodded your head in response, getting comfortable with the feel of his hand wrapped around yours. 

“I can go. You should get your rest.” Before he stood to get up, you gripped his hand harder. You craved for the peace he provided. 

“Stay. Please.” His eyes soften at your plea.

“I’ll be back then.” You nod in response while Draco momentarily leaves the room. You sit within the silence as your mind combs over the events that occurred that night. Never in your life did you have to worry about the way someone thought of you--let alone your financial status at home. You had always been one to be independent with your mother as inspiration to make it through. You didn’t mind isolating yourself in your study, because at the end of the week you’d be able to go back home and unwind--something not many students get to do. The feeling of suddenly being placed under scrutiny felt uncomfortable, unfamiliar, and uncertain. 

You break out of your thoughts at the sound of your door opening. Draco peers from the outside before entering and resumes his spot next to you. He was dressed in an outfit similar to yours, except his sweatpants were grey. 

“You got something running around that mind of yours. What is it?” He says.

“Is it that obvious?”

“I mean tonight was already chaotic as it is. You’re not typically placed in the spotlight like that, and you standing up to Astoria took a lot of energy from you. I wouldn’t blame you if you had any lingering thoughts.” He said calmly. He laid out his palm on the surface of your bed sheets.

“It’s there for you to hold if you want it.” He mutters. You look at him with eyes glossed over. You didn’t need to say much, nevertheless he somehow knew what to do. You reached out and grabbed it, allowing yourself to sit much closer to him.

Suddenly, a curious thought flew over the boy’s head, “Does your mother usually read to you in moments like this?” It caught you off guard, but in a good way.

“You’re a smart one aren’t you?” You say teasingly.  He smirks slightly.

“You know, I don’t fall far behind you in ranking.” He turned his head to look straight into your eyes. Time seemed to stop as you stared into his softened blue hues, tuning out the situation that occurred. Hearts palpitated, minds raced, but one glance towards your lips from him was all it took for you to slowly reach up and caress his cheek. The shortening of the distance made Draco’s breath hitch as he came to full realization of what’s going on. 

In response to your actions, he leans in closing the distance between you both. The sensation of fireworks erupted in your chest as you felt his lips slightly brush yours. The kiss was soft and short, but all the more reassuring. It evoked feelings of acceptance, appreciation, promises, and safety that both had felt for one another. It conveyed the unspoken love that neither one of you acknowledged, but had already felt in the little time you spent together. Needless to say, the worries that previously occupied you dissipated at the feel of his lips.

Your heart was racing as you pulled away. Your eyes, which have been closed, open to find him looking into yours once again. Without much hesitation, Draco leaned in for another kiss--this time grabbing your shoulders and pushing you down gently, so that your back was pressed against the bed. Lips moved in sync slowly as he carefully laid his body against your own. His fingers brush your hair away from your face before dancing over your waist. You wrap your arms around his neck to feel him closer. He broke away only to plant kisses all over your face--your eyelids, cheeks, temples, nose. All followed by more lingering ones pressed against your jaw, which soon trailed down your neck. You couldn’t resist him.

“Draco,” The boy melted at the sound of his name. He lifted himself from your neck to look at you. Your eyes were filled with adoration while a smile graced your lips.

“I think now is a good enough time as ever to let you know I like you too.” You both chuckled into the night.

“I didn’t think it would be obvious.” He sarcastically says, before leaning back down once again to kiss you one last time. He laid beside you with his arm draped over your waist, pulling you closer to his body, flushed against his chest. The warm sensation that you felt before was overwhelming now. 

“Thank you for being here and for staying.” You say softly. You feel his fingers brush through your hair. Sleep beginning to overtake you both.

“Anytime.”

A/N: Thank you for making it this far! I apologize for the long wait, but I hope this was suffices :D I hope you have a wonderful day!

Just a couple tags <3:

@fadesbrina @redheaded-hobbit @ccabian @rottenhexrt @beiahadid @ceeellewrites @xoxohollands @mxlfoy-recs @thatguppienamedbae @swiftlymoniquesblog @karamelssunflowers @phxntxmx @mushi98 @hahee154hq​

[midgardianweasley]

Broken Promises

Thor Odinson x Female!Asgardian reader 

Prompt: “I never meant to hurt you” 

Angst that ends with some fluff.

Word Count: 1389

Summary: When the Frost Giants break into Asgard’s Weapons Vault, Thor wants to go and protect Asgard from Jotunheim. His girlfriend, Y/N, wants him to stay, knowing King Odin had ordered he not go. However, he goes anyway. (In this imagine, Jane and Thor are just friends, Thor only gets cast out, Jotunheim don’t invade Asgard.)

“Hi Heimdall” you speak, walking up towards the Guardian gatekeeper who was facing the realms, ensuring that no one was getting into or leaving Asgard without permission. “Good evening, Lady Y/N. What brings you here at this time?” He answered, briefly turning to face you before returning to his previous position. 

“I couldn’t sleep. It appears to be a regular occurrence nowadays, I’m worried about Thor. Can you see him?” You ask. Since Thor got cast out by King Odin, you couldn’t sleep, your appetite had been disappearing more and more with every meal placed in front of you, you were worried sick. You’d told him not to go, not to start trouble with Jotunheim, knowing it wouldn’t end well for your boyfriend.

“Please Thor, you can’t! you need to let this go, you have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.” You exclaimed, standing by his brother, Loki, who was also trying to convince him to leave things be. 

“Let it go? With all due respect Lady Y/N, I simply can’t just stand by while Frost Giants are somehow managing to break into Asgard’s weapons vaults.” Thor turned to you, almost confused at your statement. How could you expect him to just sit back while his Realm could potentially be in danger?

“Thor, listen to me, please.” You slowly walk up to him, taking his face in your hands. “I admire that you want to protect Asgard, truly. And you know I support you in your battles, your desire to keep the realm safe, but this won’t end well for you or the future of Asgard. King Odin said so himself.” 

He appeared to be considering your words, trying to bring himself to be rational and listen to reason. 

“Okay. Okay Lady Y/N, I won’t go.” He spoke, somewhat irritated by the conclusion.

“Promise?” 

“Promise.” 

Upon hearing from Loki that Thor had been cast out, you initially had no idea how to respond. You went through a variety of different emotions. Shock, sadness, anxiety and anger was in the mix too. You understood that he wanted to protect his kingdom, but it ended up doing more damage than good.

“I can, Lady Y/N. He’s been spending time with some midgardians, he appears to be in safe hands.” Heimdall tells you. 

“Can you hear what they’re saying? Is Thor happy down there?” you anxiously respond, now pacing back and forth next to the gatekeeper.

“He’s spoken of his missing you. He wants to return home, I believe he’s trying to find a way.” Heimdall speaks, sparking a shimmer of hope within you. 

“Wait, he’s trying to return home? I thought he couldn’t unless-” 

“Unless I allow him to. Lady Y/N, As much as I would like to help you, King Odin has ordered that he stay in Midgard. I can’t override the King’s orders.” Heimdall now turned to face you. 

“But he belongs here, Heimdall! He’s Odin’s son, he’s soon to rule Asgard. He can’t stay down there, he needs to be home, with his family, his friends, me.” You plead, hoping he’ll understand your perspective.

“I’d like to be able to bring Thor back, but the decision does not lie with me. It lies with the King.” Heimdall concludes, beginning to turn back to face the realms. “It’s getting late, I think you should try to get some sleep while it’s still dark.” Sleep. It almost seems like a joke to you. How can you sleep knowing one command is stopping Thor from returning home. Thor may not be in your good books, but that won’t stop you from approaching King Odin the next morning.

“Good morning Lady Y/N, is there something I can do for you?” The King smiles, you feel a little more at ease when he smiles towards you, but you also know it won’t last long when you start to speak, better yet, ramble. 

“Good morning Sir, I don’t mean to bother you” you begin, not before respectfully bowing before him. “I know you cast Thor out only a few days ago, and I respect your decisions, but, i can’t help but feel he belongs here. He can’t stay among people who aren’t his home. He needs his family, he made a mistake, he believed he was helping you and proving himself to be worthy. I know he disobeyed you, he broke a promise to me and as much as I disagree with his actions, I feel he will have learned his lesson.” You ramble, only finishing partly due to running out of breathe and to seeing King Odin put his hand up to signal you be quiet. 

“I admire your determination, Lady Y/N, however, Thor no longer has a place here in Asgard. If he cannot follow leadership, he cannot be a future leader. He disrespected me and he is being punished.” Odin speaks, gently with with a firm undertone to his voice. 

“Sir, I believe he was trying to show leadership by doing what he thought was best, if you’d just let him explain-” 

“I don’t need explanations. I need order. I am King of Asgard and if I let my son disobey me, what example does that set for the kingdom? I want this realm protected just as much as Thor does.” 

You open your mouth to further try and defend your cast out boyfriend, when Queen Frigga comes in and walks towards Odin and begins to speak into his ear. You stand patiently, awaiting what could be a simple dismissal or potential punishment for daring to question the King’s orders. When the King sighs and nods towards Frigga, he turns to you. He doesn’t smile, but he doesn’t frown either. 

“Due to the Queens wishes, Heimdall can bring Thor back” You smile gently. “On the condition that he come straight to me and we will discuss things further, until then, I will inform Heimdall and Thor will return shortly.” you nod eagerly towards King Odin and give a smile towards Frigga, attempting to silently show how grateful you are to her. 

~Timeskip~

Thor has been back for a day now, he’s been with his parents since his return. You decided it best to hold back on seeing him, despite how much you missed him to let them have time to speak to one another about his future in Asgard. You walk out of the Library, holding a book in your arms, about to go back to your bedroom, when your met face first with an armoured chest. When you look up, you’re met with a smiling Odinson staring down towards you. 

“I see your anxious reading habits haven’t changed upon my dismissal then Darling.” Thor chuckles. You give a simple smile in return before he continues to speak. “I heard about your statements given to my parents, that was awfully brave of you, father was quite taken aback by it.” You nod, before deciding to speak.

“Was it worth it?” you whisper, taking a small step back.

“Your speaking to the King on my behalf?” He questions.

“All of it I believe. Disobeying the King, breaking our promise, returning home.” You say, slightly louder than before, certainly more teary eyed.

“I’m truly sorry Lady Y/N. I never meant to hurt you. I got into my own head, I wanted to prove to my father that I could be the next King of Asgard. But I believe, and you’ve proven, that every King needs to listen to their Queen.” He speaks, closing the gap between us, hesitating, but wiping a stray tear that had fallen down your cheek, despite you trying to stop it. 

“Your Queen?” you whispered, slightly stunned by the term.

“If you’ll still have me. Father let me return, but I have a lot more redeeming of myself to do. I wanted to start by making things right with you, if that’s possible.” He spoke, now matching your whispers. You smile towards him. He was right, he had a lot of making up to do, but what mattered most right now, was that he was home. Where he belonged.

“No more breaking promises.” You spoke, meeting his eyes with a little fire behind yours. He nodded towards you before pulling you into a hug.

“No more breaking promises, my love” 

[renegadewangs]

Van Zieks - the Examination, Part 1

Warnings: SPOILERS for The Great Ace Attorney: Chronicles. Additional warning for racist sentiments uttered by fictional characters (and screencaps to show these sentiments).

Disclaimer: These posts are not meant to be taken as fact. Everything I'm outlining stems from my own views and experiences. I am a 30-something European woman, and therefore may not view the matter from certain angles. That said, I'm always open to more input from others. If you believe that I've missed or misinterpreted something, please let me know so I can edit the post accordingly. If we can make this a team effort, I would love that.

The purpose of these posts is an analysis, nothing more. Please do not come into these posts expecting me to either defend Barok van Zieks from haters, nor expecting me to encourage the hatred. I am of the firm belief that characters are no more than a tool created to serve a narrative purpose, therefore the question I'm posing is whether or not Barok van Zieks serves this purpose. That's all I'm doing here.

I'm using the Western release of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles for these posts, but may refer to the original Japanese dialogue of Dai Gyakuten Saiban if needed to compare what's said. This also means I’m using the localized names and localized romanization of the names to stay consistent.

It doesn't matter one bit to me whether you like Barok van Zieks or dislike him. He's not real anyway, so he can't suffer from it. However, I will ask that everyone who comments refrains from attacking real, actual people. If you know you're morally in the right, there should be no need for insults to begin with. Let's keep this conversation civil and constructive! As the first post in a series, let’s first start by examining the expectations we would have for a character like this. The purpose he was meant to serve.

1: Expectations

As I said in a different Barok-related essay, the main prosecutor of any Ace Attorney game has been, and always will be, an antagonistic force. Not a villain, not even necessarily someone who exhibits immoral traits. (Hi Klavier!) Just someone who impedes the protag’s goal of getting a not-guilty verdict. In order to have an effective antagonist, they need to mirror the protag's weaknesses back at them. Ace Attorney does this quite well, as the prosecutors represent the obstacle/turmoil that the defense needs to overcome. Often times, the prosecutor is also tied to a pivotal moment in the attorney's past, making sure the strife is quite personal.

Considering the game's plot and settings, it would've been difficult for Barok to be tied to Ryunosuke's past. (He is tied to Asogi's past, funnily enough, but that's a matter I also addressed in that other Barok essay.) So instead, Barok represents Ryunosuke's struggle in more of a figurehead capacity. I've seen people dub him the 'CEO of Racism', and I'm not gonna lie, in a way that's correct. Barok was designed to be the mouthpiece of the harmful sentiments Japanese exchange students would have encountered in the 1900s. By extension, since Ryunosuke is an exchange student unfamiliar with the British courts (or even courts in general), the prosecutor would target the fact that Ryunosuke 'does not understand how things are done here'. Which he does- a lot. This makes it all the more satisfying when Ryunosuke proves him wrong by outsmarting him and using Britain's own laws (such as the closing argument) against him. So yes, you may hate Barok for uttering racist sentiments and dismissing Ryunosuke's abilities, but the ultimate goal here is that Barok's defeat is made sweeter as a result. The narrative end-game is Ryunosuke's triumph and validation in the courtroom.

Was there a different personal struggle Barok could have represented? Yes, but also no. Sure, his vendetta could have been strictly with the Asogi family and Ryunosuke could have admitted to carrying Asogi's resolve, not knowing what it meant. Though that would’ve implied very early that Asogi had a history of sorts in Britain and would’ve destroyed some of the surprise we experience in game 2. Alternatively, there was also the 'parallel' antagonist angle. The sort of villain who says the line “we're not so different, you and I.” The antagonist who shows what happens when someone with the same skills or motivations follows the wrong path, which emphasizes the right path for the protagonist. However, I can't see that working in the plot of this game.

A purposeful decision was made by the writers to have prejudice be a central theme of the plot. This is the matter that hits the hardest in an emotional sense. Therefore, having Barok be the centerpiece of this prejudice ensures he leaves the biggest narrative impact.

---

However, another long-running aspect of the AA prosecutor is the redemption arc, so let's turn our attention to that!

I'm not going to put too much effort into explaining this, I just want to talk about the requirements of a redemption arc. We all know these types of arcs, a lot of Ace Attorney prosecutors have them. We see them in fiction all over. Noteworthy examples of redemption arcs done well include Zuko from The Last Airbender, Michael from The Good Place... For argument's sake, let's toss Edgeworth in there too. I'm not saying Edgeworth's arc is done well, but at the very least it is accepted by most as something that served its intended purpose. I've never seen anyone question Edgeworth's transformation.

See, what we have here is a bit of a misnomer when it comes to what people expect to get out of these types of arcs. Redemption in itself is only 'deliverance from sin' or 'being saved from evil'. It's the thought that a horrible person can still see the error of their ways before it's 'too late'. However, when it comes to absorbing media, often a character gaining knowledge that they were in the wrong isn't enough to satisfy the audience. Would Edgeworth have had a satisfying redemption arc if he'd acknowledged his arrogance and dirty tactics, only to retire as a prosecutor? No way. We needed him to return in the following games to give us an update on his status. Standing in court as a defense attorney, at the risk of damaging his reputation, was the moment we knew he'd grown for the better.

What we require for the arc to come to a good conclusion is atonement. The character in question must not only apologize for their actions, but repent in a more active manner to show that they've changed their ways. Following that, the atonement must be acknowledged by others. So for example, Zuko joins the ATLA gang to help them in any way that he can until even the most skeptical of the group, Katara, acknowledges his transformation into a better person. Now add to this the notion that the character's atonement must be virtuous and sincere. The Good Place is a fascinating look into the debate of 'is it ever too late for a person to change?' and the moral complications of changing in the first place. If you're only doing good things because you want to be saved from damnation, are you being a good person or are you being selfish? There's such a thing as corrupt motivation; only doing good because it is expected. For example, does sponsoring a library make Magnus McGilded a good person? It does not, since he's only doing it to boost his own reputation and have people believe he's selfless.

As a final note, I want to ask: Does a redemption arc require a backstory to justify the character's immoral ways? Personally, I don't think that it does. It's good to have, since it allows an audience to empathize with the character and give them more of a reason to root for them. It turns the redemption arc into a tale about overcoming past trauma. However, it can backfire when done badly and lead to frustration. (I'm looking at you, live action Disney movies!) Some characters are evil just for the sake of being evil and even then, they can turn over a new leaf because they realize it is just so much more rewarding to be good. Just look at Michael from The Good Place.

What's more effective than a backstory, in my opinion, is smaller details to humanize a character. Humanization can also lead to empathy, perhaps even relatability, and helps us believe that they're capable of change. We need to be told that a character has their own fears, their own flaws, their own odd little habits which deviate from the norm... Again, I'll point to Michael from The Good Place for this. Another humanization tactic, which we see employed often in Ace Attorney, is to display a prosecutor's likes and hobbies outside the courtroom. Edgeworth's fanboying over the Steel Samurai, Blackquill's love for birds, Nahyuta's willingness to stand in line for hours to get his hands on a delicious burger... I've feel ya, Nahyuta. This tactic is more readily employed in Ace Attorney because it's difficult to place a prosecutor in a position of weakness before the final showdown. You can show them tending to hobbies during Investigation segments, but you can't show them waking up from a nightmare or wondering whether their father loves them. Well, not until case 5 of that game, anyway. By then, it's too late to serve as the sole humanization factor. Did Van Zieks need to be redeemed at all? The way I see it, the only correct answer is yes. What do we want to see in our world? Do we want people who hold racist prejudice to acknowledge their faults and become better, or do we want them to die clinging to their shitty moral compass? Do we want a world where everyone learns to get along, or do we want a world where people continue to be in the wrong and act like assholes until they inevitably get punished by law for something or another? Van Zieks needed to be redeemed in order to teach that valuable lesson that it’s never too late to be a good person and that it pays to be a good person.

So to summarize, what we needed from Barok van Zieks was the following:

1) Present an antagonistic (possibly immoral) force who personifies Ryunosuke's biggest personal obstacle/weakness, in this case racial prejudice. 2) Humanizing traits begin to show. OPTIONAL: A backstory to justify any immorality he has. 3) Over time, Barok has his realization and sees the error of his ways. 4) Barok atones for his immorality, not simply through apology but by taking decisive steps. 5) The cast around him acknowledges his efforts and forgives him.

This leaves us with the question: Does the game deliver on these points? Well, let's boot it up and find out! Stay tuned for The Adventure of the Runaway Room! (as a warning, it’s gonna be LONG)