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sunbloomdew · 2 years ago

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Love Confessions in the Baxter DLC

The sequel! Monochrome obsession continues. Part 2/3

Part 1 "The Wedding Confession"

Welcome, or hello again! I played the Baxter DLC a couple of times and I like it a lot, so I wanted to ramble about some of my favourite parts. Specifically about love confessions in Baxter’s version of Step 4, because they are all very well written and make me feel good :3

Reading the first part of this "series" isn't necessary, the introduction is just a bit more thorough in the first post. Furthermore if you've read the first part it might seem like i'm repeating myself with certain points, since those moments share some similarities and i like to be meticulous.

It is time for the second confession and the last one that can be initiated by the player. If you don’t confess here and pick an option in which MC expresses hope of Baxter returning their feelings, you will later reach the moment where Baxter asks MC out himself. This confession is my personal favourite, so prepare for me losing my mind over every single detail.

Spoilers for Baxter DLC!

The confessions all happen after the wedding ceremony, so if you hadn't played to this point yet, i recommend skipping this post (and maybe coming back later, if you wanna chat about them with me)! I may not bring up every single line, but i think this post still covers a good part of what happens.

I call this confession, The Morning Confession, because it takes place on the morning after the wedding! Simple name but it does the job.

There is also another reason for this name, but i'll get to it later.

The wedding is over and most stuff had been cleaned up. MC returns with Baxter to his apartment, after accepting his invitation to stay with him until they have to come back to their home. The two have finally reunited and they aren’t ready to part ways yet.

During that evening, MC and Baxter share a moment by the fireplace in the lobby of the building. I wanted to dedicate some time to this moment, because I think it’s a valuable context to the confession. And aside from providing insight into the mind of Baxter Ward, I love the way it’s written. So sue me, i wanna talk about it.

Despite the fact that they have reconciled, Baxter’s reasoning behind his actions still isn’t fully clear to MC. While being in the company of other people made the lingering unease between them bearable, it still remains. They can't act casually, as if nothing had happened, as if the years hadn’t been lost. So Baxter offers to clarify his point of view. “As sorry as I am, I don’t think I’ve been as open as I could have been” he says and well, that is the truth.

If the player chose to confess to Baxter before this conversation, this moment provides a deeper understanding of the character and explains his reluctance to accept the confession.

It is here by a fireplace – a fitting spot for another personal conversation, considering the duo's shared history – that Baxter reveals his innermost thoughts and fears. At his core, he believes he doesn’t contribute anything to any relationship, because he can't see his own value. And to him, if he doesn’t add anything, then he has no right to form and be in deep, mutually supportive relationships.

Baxter convinced himself that he doesn’t matter. That his only worth is in the entertainment he can provide or the help he can give. In his own words, he doesn’t know what it means to be significant to a person, just by being yourself. Which is why he doesn’t let people get close to him. He assumes that upon finding out that there is nothing more to him, they will leave. So it’s better to not let anybody get to know him, that way no one can be disappointed by his “true” self. He is unable to see that none of that is true because deep down, he thinks he is worthless as a person.

Those feelings about himself are something that have influenced Baxter’s decisions about relationships with other people, for example with Xavier. As the baker reveals later, they always felt that if Baxter had no reason to contact them again, he wouldn't. He kept himself away from others and believed that every connection he makes isn’t meant to last.

Still, Baxter wanted to create bonds with other people. And it terrified him.

He wanted to have that with MC, but he was too afraid to take that chance five years ago. It couldn't have worked out back then. Baxter had his assumptions about himself and others, and he held onto them strongly. It’s sad, but there was no way to make him change his ways back then. He was set on leaving no matter what would have happened.

This Baxter is different from the 19 year old who put his comfort above all else. During that conversation by the fireplace he is being vulnerable in ways he never allowed himself to be before. He tells MC that he missed them over those five years. That they made him feel wanted that summer, and as incredible as it felt, he couldn’t believe it would last. He makes it clear that it wasn’t any of MC’s actions that made him feel that way - he applied this mindset to every connection he made at that time.

It’s incredibly sad to witness his thoughts out in the open like that. I think Baxter’s struggles are something most of us can relate to in some way. Low self-esteem can make people withdraw from social situations and spiral into self-hatered. It’s terrible, to be so wrapped up in disliking yourself that you assume that nobody could ever like you. That you have no good qualities as a person, so you have to make up for them somehow. It can feel like it'll stay this way forever, and so there is no point in trying to connect with others.

However that is not true. In the end, Baxter came to understand this as well. He is worthy of love and friendship. He grew and learned from his past mistakes, and so can we.

He apologises to MC once again, and expresses deep regret over not staying in contact with them. And at last, MC can say that they actually know Baxter Alexander Ward.

I think this moment is really beautiful. It’s an apology without excuses, that provides an explanation. Baxter never had malicious intentions, but even so, his actions had hurt people who cared for him (and who he cared about), so he owns up to his mistakes and does his best to correct them.

Aside from being a really good moment of taking accountablity and being vulnerable with another person this conversation also sets the mood for the morning confession. The air is finally cleared. These two characters can finally show how much they value each other because there is mutual understanding and trust between them again. It will take some time to get to know each other after so long, but they are willing to try, and they know they can be honest.

After a day full of emotional revelations, Baxter and MC finally head to bed. Not only the characters, but the players can take a breath and prepare for what’s to come. And boy are we in for a treat.

The next day arrives and the players are given an option to sleep in as much as they want. What time MC wakes up will have an effect on dialogues and is one of the many examples of how the game lets us customize the protagonist however we want, even in the silliest ways. It is something i deeply appreciate about the Our Life series. The comfort level also changes the lines, for example MC's response to Baxter greeting them in the morning.

Eventually the sleeping beauty wakes up and the pair moves to the living room. Despite sleeping in for a while Baxter is still out of it and it’s so adorable (he's just like me fr).

I think the tone set for the confession is lovely. The atmosphere in the morning is relaxing and light and to me it feels like this is exactly what those characters needed. A new day has arrived, not only literally but figuratively for their relationship. There is no negative tension in the air, just the feeling of peace. They are clearly enjoying each other's company and it's great to finally have that again.

This is only my opinion, but the way this moment feels is exactly why i like it more than the wedding confession. The previous confession is meant to feel rushed, high on emotions and full of determination to declare the feelings right away. MC feels like they have to be upfront about their feelings in that moment so they confess. I do enjoy this type of tension, but i simply prefer this kind of setting. As much as i love convincing Baxter to truly express his feelings by shooting down the reasons not to date him (it's so intense and dramatic! absolutely amazing) i find that i like this quiet admission of feelings more.

While it might not be that intense as the moment right after the wedding, there is still this nagging feeling that urges MC not to wait any longer. They love that they are included in this private corner of Baxter's life and they wish they could have been before. It's this feeling of not wanting to lose any more time, that makes them think about confessing then and there.

And so, the player is presented with a choice:

It is time to confess! Hallelujah.

Just like in the wedding confession we can pick the way we want to confess - with words or with a gesture. If we pick the third option you lose the chance to confess yourself. Instead Baxter will do this when the time comes.

Upon choosing one of the ways to confess, MC has the same internal monologue they do in the wedding confession. I've already shared my thoughts about it in the previous post, but i'll just say here that it's a very nice scene. They reminisce about their relationship with Baxter as a whole, eventually coming to the conclusion, that they can hold on to him.

After the monologue ends, the player has a chance to reaffirm their decision, as they did in the previous confession.

If you back out, MC thinks that they can be together just not in the way they'd want to. They are afraid of confessing, in case they ruin what they just got back and make Baxter run away.

But, if you reaffirm your decision, you get my personal favourite confession scene. Let's get right into it!

I mentioned in Part 1 that Baxter reacts to MC's silence, as they reminisce about their relationship. I find it a little funny when i imagine them just sitting in silence and staring intensely for a while. Kinda like when magical girls have their transformations and the bad guys don't do anything to interrupt them. MC monologuing definitely gives off the same energy. Writing inner monologues is tricky like that.

During the wedding confession Baxter is anxious and worried, waiting to receive MC's verdict. Do they welcome him back to their life? Or do they reject him (even though there is no such option in the game)?. It's stressful and the prolonged silence makes Baxter slowly come back to his usual behaviour to protect himself, in case his vulnerability was the wrong move.

This isn't the case here. His reaction is wildly different. There is no tension or stress, just curiosity and anticipation. Instead of being nervous he is very smug, clearly knowing or at least suspecting what MC is thinking about. I gotta say, when i first picked this option i was stunned. I did NOT expect him to act in this way, but it was a pleasant surprise. Mr. Ward is very perceptive and i love this confident attitude of his.

MC asks him what is on his mind, and he comes back to reality. Baxter encourages them to continue, but they insist he tells them what's going on. And that's what he does. He says that he was remembering a "funny story". Then he asks MC if they want to know something absolutely embarrassing. With that kind of an opening, how could they refuse?

Baxter tells them that Jude and Scott attempted to speak to him about his and MC's... situation. He was surprised that they noticed he was sad and wanted to help him, when he was supposed to be doing that with their relationship. I think it was his feelings of inferiority that made him feel that way.

Moving on, the reason he brought that up wasn't to draw attention to how his poor relationship management skills made others concerned for him. But rather to point out, that the men knew, that MC is important to Baxter. Baxter states that he was grateful they met and despite ending their relationship five years ago, he was never sorry he knew MC. He is kinda chaotic with his admission, one second bringing up the chat with the grooms and the other expressing his affection for MC.

Understandably, it makes MC confused. They thought they were the one leading the dance - or the conversation in this case - but clearly now it's Baxter doing that (i mean he is a professional). Even so, he isn't as good with his words as usual and doesn't quite manage to convey what he wants to MC.

He thanks MC for letting him "ramble" for so long and stands up. Shit's getting real. We're about to enter the boss fight.

He moves to sit on the edge of the coffee table, which puts him at the eye level with MC, only closer than before. And then this silly man leans closer acting all calm and confident. Dude. Please. Everytime i play this moment i lose my precious ability to formulate thoughts, not to mention actual sentences. Because. Oh my god.

And then he hits you with THAT. He absolutely knew what MC was thinking about and he is having a lot of fun with teasing them. They realize that he caught on to what was going on and figure that at least it makes it easier to confess. The dialogue varies in this place because of the comfort level - these are their thoughts on the Direct setting. They also think about how hard would it be to tell him they liked him before he opened up to them. I find it pretty funny, because it’s clearly a tiny poke, towards players who did confess right after the wedding and faced this struggle. When you’re replaying those moments it does make you chuckle.

Now we can finally confess our feelings! When doing that verbally there are a couple of options to choose from, as in the case of the wedding confession. One of the options is: "Could I consider all the time we spent together a date?" and you already know i love this one. It's playful, it's a reference to when Baxter asked MC out five years ago, it's perfect. There is no contender, i always choose it.

...Is what i would say, but i actually always choose the option to confess with a kiss during this feelings reveal.

Confessing with a kiss looks a bit different from the first confession. This time there aren't multiple options to choose where we want to kiss him, MC goes straight (or is it?) for the lips. And the way that kiss is described is everything to me. I'm an absolute sucker for kissing scenes and this one is just so, so, so good! I cannot find fitting words in english (and neither can i in polish) so i'll just drop one screenshot from it and move along before i combust.

It's so tender and sweet and adorable please-

While Baxter was acting super confident and cocky, the second MC declares their love for him/moves to kiss him he turns into a shy, blushing mess. Despite knowing or at least suspecting what MC was about to do he is still caught of guard. I think that his reaction is absolutely adorable. Baxter doesn't blush a lot, so it's always a treat when he does.

We can choose to tell Baxter, that MC wanted to be with him even five years ago and this stuns him again.

Now that MC have confessed their love they're waiting for Baxter to respond. But GOD, is he struggling. It's the first time Baxter is so flustered and it makes me so giddy. He allows himself to show how much MC means to him and holy shit, this man cannot look at them for too long because he will just blush even harder.

From the way he is acting it's already clear that he reciprocates MC's feelings. But the fact that he gets so shy? Stole my heart, sir how dare you be so cute.

Of course, Baxter Ward cannot stay flustered for long and he eventually recovers. Damn it.

His response to the confession is so sweet. He basically says "my turn" and tells MC all the things he loves about being with them, how they made him feel and how much he appreciates them. There is still a moment of self-loathing, when Baxter regrets trying to keep MC out of his life- twice. He is surprised that MC still has feelings for him, still wants to be with him despite all the pain he caused them.

He still brings up all the potential reasons why this could be a bad idea. Limited connections, his current financial situation and his past ways of managing relationships. But unlike in the Wedding Confession, here those aren't statements for MC to refute. I'd say they are less of a warning for MC and more of an expose of himself, to be sure that he revealed everything he considers a flaw before accepting their confession. "By all accounts, I shouldn't be doing this. But I am." - those are his words. Even if he still has his doubts, he isn't going to turn MC down anymore. If he let them go now, in fear of potentially not being enough in this relationship, he would regret it.

And so that is his response: "If you'll have me you will have me." Don't mind if i do- yoink.

While he calmed down a bit for this admission, he gets flustered yet again. It's so adorable to see him be so affected by MC and this situation.

Baxter says that it was easier asking MC out himself all those years ago. He is still so out of it that he voices out loud that he has no idea what to do now. His usual grace and poise are still on leave it seems. He follows it up with that it would be the best if he switched from sitting on the coffee table to somewhere with a backrest, just in case. Dude. Baxter is so strongly impacted by this confession that he is fully aware that there is a possiblity that he will just topple down. I'm melting, it's so cute!

He moves to the couch and MC joins him over there. Once Baxter calms down a bit, he says he is starting to "remember some possiblities" and the two kiss again. I can't even begin describe how much i love the way the kissing moments are written. They're amazing and i'm losing my mind.

The last question Baxter has is if his feelings were obvious to MC. He recounts when Jude asked him point-blank if he was still 'into' MC - we get a couple of dialogue answers to pick, either reacting to Jude even asking about it or answering Baxter's question.

And that is the end of this confession! Baxter overcomes his sheepishness at last, no longer blushing intensely. Quite a shame, but i think we all love his usual charming self as well.

There are no more reservations about showing his true feelings. The pair has been reunited after five years and are finally ready to start a long-term relationship. Good for them <3

Baxter shares one last thought at the end of this long conversation:

And yes, this is the other reason why i call this confession the Morning Confession specifically! It's entirely because of Baxter pointing it out. And because he is so surprised about this turn of events.

The second part is finally over! I worked on it during those two weeks (holy fuck, why) it took me to post it. I'm a bit bummed it took me this long to finish it, but i did my best <3

This part is definitely longer than the first, the brainrot got to me. I haven't started the third part yet but i already replayed the last confession scene and honestly? I forgot how good it was compared to the other two! Shame on me, truly.

See you in the third part! Peace out~

Part 1

#baxter ward #our life beginnings & always #olba baxter #baxter dlc #olba #our life beginnings and always #our life #gamer hours #sunbloom talks #gb patch games

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devilsarchives · 7 months ago

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The lies of a Rose “Part I”

Disclaimer: This headcannon series depicts themes that some readers may find disturbing, such as an inappropriate relationship between an adult and a minor. With that said, this is not a romanization of those themes so if y’all take it that way that’s on you.

The Lady in Red’s identity has always been a mystery. Who was she? Where is she now? And how come despite the fact that she’s Nero’s mother, the eldest son of Sparda has no recollection of her? Well, having put in a ridiculous amount of thought and time into this subject, I think I’ve finally come up with an answer;

Our story begins on Fortuna on April 5th, 1997. (2 years before the events of Devil May Cry 3) Vergil, who was 16 at the time, had traveled to the remote island in search of the truth to his fathers fate. As soon as he enters the city, it doesn’t take long for the demons to attack, unaware that he had noticed their presence the entire time. Like the cutscene from dmc4 se, Vergil cuts his foes down swiftly and moves forward.

As he walked through the crowded streets trying his best to blend in, a young woman watched from afar.

Her name was Beatrice, a 21 year old member of the Order who, like the majority of Fortuna’s citizens, had spent her entire life worshiping the legendary dark knight Sparda, believing that he would one day return and free humanity from demon kind once and for all.

She had passed by Vergil in the cities marketplace, catching a small glimpse of his white hair. She had never seen anyone with that color, at least, not someone as young as that boy appeared. Apart from that and his cloak, Beatrice quickly deduced that he was a visitor who clearly had something to hide, so when she saw him entering the local library, she followed.

Trying her best to remain unseen, Beatrice watched him speak briefly with the librarian before heading upstairs to where all the historic records were kept. She asked the librarian why the visitor had gone up there, to which the older woman replied “He wanted to learn about the Savior.”

Beatrice found this news interesting to say the least. An outsider coming to Fortuna seeking knowledge about Sparda wasn’t unheard of. In fact, a vast majority of the city was made up of travelers who had been converted. But if that was the case, why had he not gone straight to the Opera House? Surely if the visitor had questions about the Order, he’d want to speak with his holiness, right?

Confused by all this, Beatrice decided to visit Fortuna Castle, the current base of operations for the Order’s highest members. There she requested a meeting with his Holiness, but was denied this request by her brother Sanctus, his holiness’s 2nd in command/ lieutenant. When told he would pass the message along, Beatrice informed him of the visitor with white hair wandering around town. Sanctus had already received a similar report from the guards posted at the entrance and was aware of the strangers presence, as well as their impressive abilities in combat. He had a hunch about the visitors true identity, but if he was going to convince his holiness of anything, he needed proof.

Sanctus gave Beatrice the task of observing the boy and reporting anything else she learned about him, which she gladly accepted.

For the next few weeks, Beatrice followed Vergil wherever he went. When he wasn’t at the library reading up on the legends of Sparda, he would secretly spectate during morning worship at the Opera House. Sometimes she would catch him snickering a bit during the sermon, never figuring out why as nothing his holiness preached had ever been humorous.

For whatever reason, the stranger didn’t spend his nights in an inn or a hotel. Instead, he sought refuge inside Port Caerula warehouse. It was hardly ever in use and guard patrols rarely took place in that area, making it the perfect place to lay low. Beatrice would go to the warehouse and remain outside, but not by choice. Vergil had place a barrier around the door, obliterating demons instantly once they made contact. Fearful that she would meet the same fate, Beatrice decided to remain oblivious to whatever went on inside that building, telling Sanctus that she could never figure out where the visitor spent the night.

After a month of fruitless observation, Beatrice began to think that maybe the visitor was just that, a visitor with zero ulterior motives. She was prepared to give up on her assignment entirely, until it happened…

Scattered across the island were many Hell Gates. In the past, the demon king Mundas had built them to transport his armies into the mortal realm to aid in his conquest of the mortal realm, however, upon being defeated by Sparda, the hordes were repelled and the gates were sealed off.

Centuries later, a mining expedition would take place near one of the gates. There would be a few encounters with demons, but nothing the city guards couldn’t handle, and so the worker could do as they pleased along as they followed one simple rule; Never touch the Gate.

Of course, like all rules, they would eventually be broken. A group of workers who were drunk from a party and had wandered far away from the others. They approached the gate and began daring each other to lay one finger on it. The “bravest” of them eagerly agreed to the challenge and recklessly placed his entire hand on the stone. There was a moment of silence before the ground began to shake and dark, demonic laughter invaded the workers mind. Before he or his friends had time to react, a hellish portal opened within the gate, allowing a monster to step through.

In the underworld, he was known as Berial. As one of Mundus’ many offspring, he was a true force to be reckoned with, proclaiming himself as the conqueror of Hellfire itself. He had been hellbent on making the traitor Sparda pay for his crimes against their kind, and now that he finally had a way into the Mortal Realm, he wouldn’t stop until that goal was achieved.

Stepping into the earth, he let out a roar that unleashed a supernova, laying waste to the structures around him, as well as the foolish workers that had opened the gate. Mass panic spread throughout the city, guards rushing people to safety while Sanctus led his best men towards the threat. As Beatrice ran with the others, she spotted the visitor running in the opposite direction. Against her better judgement, she did what had been doing from the start and followed, eventually finding herself standing with Sanctus. Both watched as the visitor approached the demon lord and discarded his cloak, showing no signs of fear or hesitation. Berial instantly knew who the young man one, saying he had Sparda’s blood flowing his his veins, shocking everyone, especially Sanctus.

The visitor took hold of the hilt of his blade and drew it, revealing that his name was Vergil and proclaiming that the demon would die by his hand. Angered by the young man’s complete disregard for his might, Berial moved to strike Vergil down, but to his and everyone’s surprise, the young man countered it with ease, initiating a fierce battle between the sons of two rivals.

Though Berial’s size and strength made him a fierce opponent, he truly was no match for Vergil. The teens inhuman speed and reaction time were astonishing to witness as he had accurately predicted the demons lords every move, allowing him to break through Berial’s defenses and land every single attack effortlessly.

Meanwhile, Sanctus, his men, and Beatrice were left speechless. They had all grown up hearing about Sparda’s power, yet never imagined they would witness it for themselves. It was clear to them who Vergil really was, and for Sanctus, this revelation opened to door to many opportunities, ones he was more than willing to exploit.

Pushed to the limit, Berial conceded to Vergil, swearing to return for a rematch once his power was restored. Though displeased at his opponents cowardice, Vergil honored the beasts word and allowed him to escape through the Hell Gate.

With the threat gone, Vergil retrieved his cloak, making direct eye contact with Sanctus before using the Yamato to teleport away from the seen. Sanctus ordered his men to go looking for Vergil immediately, waiting until they left before addressing his sister;

Sanctus: I know you’ve been lying to me.

Beatrice: Lying to you? What would I have to lie about?

Sanctus: Don’t play me for a fool, I know you’ve been aware of where that boys has been staying this entire time.

Beatrice: I-I’m sorry brother! I c-can explain-

Sanctus: No need, I understand completely.

Beatrice: You do?

Sanctus: Of course, after all he is an impressive young man.

Beatrice: I suppose…

Sanctus: Quite handsome too.

Beatrice: Well yes- what’s your point?

Turning to face Beatrice, Sanctus placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

Sanctus: My point, dear sister, is that you have my blessing to pursue him.

Beatrice: As…what exactly?

Her brother grinned darkly.

Sanctus: As a lover of course!

And that concludes Part I of my multi-part Lady in Red headcannon series. Sorry for this first one being so long, there was a lot to cover and tbh I can’t promise Part II will be any different. I’ve had this headcannon for a good minute now and while I’m not quite ready to turn it into a full fledged fanfiction, I really wanted to get it out there. Ill try to post a new entry every day, so if anyone has any questions or thoughts please feel free to comment and please reblog as Likes unfortunately do little to bring attention to posts on this app 🙃. Anyway, bye for now.

#devil may cry #vergil #dmc vergil #devil may cry fanfiction #dmc lady in red #nero #dmc nero #devil may cry headcanons

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lightlycareless · 1 month ago

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did someone say, let's separate Naoya's and Y/N's twins because the dad had to be a jerk?

spoilers ahead of what's to be posted soon; a 2 part!!!.

If Naoya does this, you effectively hate him from that point forward.

It is non-negotiable, you never want to see him ever again, especially after the cruel words he used to justify the separation of his children:

“I only ever cared about Naori anyways.”

You made it your life-long purpose to keep Naomi from someone as despicable as her father—though it hurt you to do so, for it also meant you’d be away from your beloved son; just 2 years into his life… you barely got to make any memories with him before he was stripped away from your arms.

But such was the divorce agreement: the two would keep one child, and out of their lives.

Naoya remains in Kyoto with his son at the Zen’in estate, while you move back to Tokyo, close to your family but distant enough to have your own apartment. Just the two of you, the little home you always wanted.

In an unexpected turn of events, Naomi and Naori would go on completely unaware of each other until enrolling in the same elementary school.

It was almost undetectable at the beginning since Naomi now had your last name—but once teachers and students alike began to realize their physical similarities, it became impossible to ignore.

“No… we don’t look alike.” Naori would quietly complain. Out of the two, he was the least enthusiastic about this advancement, doing his best to avoid the limelight due to his reserved nature.

However, that wouldn’t mean anything to Naomi: ever the bubble one, she was nothing but to have a new best friend that looked just like her!

“We’re almost like twins!” she gasped—same hair color, eyes, height… how could they not? “I’ve always wanted a baby brother too.”

“Well, I don’t! And I could be older too, you know? Besides, why would I want a sister that’s weak and ugly…?”

Intended to hurt her, Naomi only laughed at his words, for it would take much more than that to bring her down—one could even say that the two were reflections of their respective parents in that matter: the only contrast between the two, as a matter of fact.

“That’s not true!” she happily refuted, taking hold of his hand and heading to the playground. “Now, come on! I want to go on the swings, and I need someone to push me!”

Though Naori was greatly unwilling at first, he’d soon warm up to her, mainly because she was part of the few, if not the only, kid that didn’t bother him because of his shyness; always rushing to the rescue whenever bullies began to swarm him, as well as reassure him there was nothing wrong with being the way he was.

And if that wasn’t enough, the food Naomi began to share with him (courtesy of you, after much insistence from her part) effectively validated their friendship.

“When will you ever bring him over?” you tease, it’s the happiest you’d ever seen your daughter! And for that, you couldn’t help but feel glad and obligated to repay the favor.

“I don’t know, mama. Nori-kun tells me his papa can be quite strict.”

You chuckle.

“Well, I’m sure I can convince him next time the parents have a meeting at school.”

“His papa doesn’t go to school.” Naomi frowns, her words making you sad for the poor child. “Says he’s too busy.”

“Oh, that’s awful. Well, what about the mama?”

“He doesn’t have one.”

Your heart longs to comfort him.

If they only knew…

#leaf.talks #que chingue a su madre naoya

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wavytam · 11 days ago

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Sanji’s Celestial Connections: His Race, and the Mysteries of One Piece

This post evolved from a simple attempt to connect Sanji with the imagery of the Sky to, perhaps, my current guess/theory on the nature of his powers and his role in the story of One Piece.

Throughout the manga Sanji has been given intriguing abilities and qualities, making him not only a proficient fighter but, more importantly, an empathetic and talented cook. As the story of One Piece progressed, Oda also revealed the amount of thought he put not just into Sanji's personality but also into his backstory. However, the origins of some of these abilities still remain somewhat vague—even after an entire arc dedicated to his past. Maybe this mystery might be intentional, tied to the significant role Sanji is destined to play by the end of the story.

This mystery is what I will try to analyse here and in future posts before the manga ends and they are (hopefully) unraveled — again, if all of this was intentional on Oda's part.

The topics I will cover:

Elbaf: The Underworld, the Sun, and the Heavens

Heaven and the Religion of One Piece

Sky/Sun/Sea/Hell

Sky (空) vs. Heaven (天): Science vs. Religion

Sanji’s Connection to the Heavens

The Mysterious Circular Energy and The Power of Fire

Sanji’s Race and the True Power of the Vinsmokes

Sanji, Devil Fruits and the Lineage Factor

The Will of Love

The Devil and Angels

Sanji’s Transformations

The Blue Demon of the Sea Science

Heavenly Warrior of Love

The All Blue

Disclaimers:

a) This post is purely made for fun, so don’t take it too seriously! I’m focusing on a character who isn’t the main protagonist of One Piece, so I might give him more attention than Oda himself (probably) plans to;

b) Secondly, I'm aware that this is a big tinfoil theory. It's up to you if you want to read it, and I’d be grateful if you did, even if it's a bit of a crazy reach. And even if you don't believe in any of what I proposed I hope it at least helped you with finding your own conclusions about Sanji;

c) Many points, especially regarding Sanji potentially being from a [spoiler]-related race have already been mentioned by other One Piece fans. I’ll address all the evidence (even the repeatedly discussed ones) to make this post as complete as possible — I’ll also leave links at the end to these and other interesting fan theories regarding the topics mentioned! While each theory may reach different conclusions (including my own), they all offer rich, insightful perspectives on Sanji and the world of One Piece. See which one resonates with you the most and if you come to a different conclusion!

Feel free to share your views and theories in the comments.

Now, let's get to it (I warn you, this post is long).

Almost a year ago, I wrote another post discussing the possible connections between Nami and Sanji with the imagery of the Sky, similar to how Luffy is often associated with the Sun and Zoro with Hell. That post has been on hiatus: I hadn’t finished reading the entire manga and I needed to go through the entire story to spot any missed clues or details that might discredit my theory.

However, I felt that what I’ve observed in the anime, as well as through Oda’s interviews and other fan analysis, was enough to create a new post specifically about Sanji and his significance to One Piece.

The decision to write this post came after reading chapter 1132, where we saw how Elbaf is divided. These divisions comprise a group of symbols that appeared earlier in the story, which I believe Oda may use for a future revelation.

But first, let's talk about these divisions.

Elbaf: The Underworld, the Sun and the Heavens

Acording to Brogy:

I think it’s worth noting that, depending on the translated sources, different words are used for these levels:

Heaven/Astral (天界, Tenkai)

Sun/Sunlit (陽界, Yōkai)

Dead/Underworld (冥界, Meikai)

From what I’ve seen, the official (VIZ) translation seems to use: Astral/Sun/Underworld—Levels.

However, for this post, I will use the Heaven/Sun/Underworld classification, and you’ll understand why as you read on.

Since I won’t go into much detail about the Sun and Dead levels (otherwise, this post would be twice as long), let’s focus only on the upper level—which also seems to be the most mysterious of the three: the Realm of Heaven.

By no means am I a proficient Japanese translator, so to help me, here are the translations I found on Google for the kanji used for the Realm of Heaven in the manga:

天界 = tenkai = means "heavenly realm" in the context of Buddhism. The kanji 天 means "heaven/sky" and 界 means "world." So, the world (界) in the sky or heaven (天) is the "heavenly realm."

Because 'heaven' is a word more associated with religion (and you will understand why I’m bringing up religion), I will use this term for most of the post. However, the word 'astral' will appear in future topics as well as the term ‘sky’.

On Twitter and Youtube, people are already discussing what these realms might represent, and of course, many have realized that Underworld and Sun are symbols used for both Zoro and Luffy in the Wano Arc.

Zoro as the King of Hell (also known as the Underworld) and Luffy as the Sun God Nika.

I don’t believe this necessarily means they’ll be directly connected to these specific places during the arc but I do suggest that Oda:

a) Still needs to address the religious aspect of the One Piece world.

b) Has been using the imagery of Sky, Sun, Sea, and Hell so frequently that there could be a meaningful reason behind it.

Heaven and the Religion of One Piece

Firstly, regarding topic A: Oda often draws from religious and mythological symbols to create characters, islands, and story arcs—examples include Sengoku, Neptune, Noah’s Ark in Fishman Island, and the Ark Maxim in Skypiea. This interest seems rooted not only in his curiosity as a creator but also in influences from other storytellers like Hayao Miyazaki, who incorporates global myths and religions into his works.

So I don't think it’s not far-fetched to assume Oda might use religious themes to shape the origins and powers of key characters, particularly those of the Monster Trio.

But before diving into Sanji’s connection to this theme (it’s all connected, I promise), we must first discuss religion’s role in One Piece.

To conclude the story, Oda must address the spiritual framework of the One Piece world, an element largely unexplored despite the series' rich political, military, social, and historical layers. Religion remains a mysterious yet essential piece of the puzzle, and Elbaf’s deeply religious culture makes it the perfect setting to uncover the origins of Nika and other deities.

I believe the Heaven Realm in Elbaf will serve as a pivotal turning point for the final arcs, both during the crew's time in Elbaf and their subsequent journey to Laugh Tale.

Why the Heavenly Realm? In many cultures, Heaven is where gods and souls reside. I suspect the Straw Hats will venture into this realm and uncover the truth about Nika and, perhaps more importantly, the origin of Devil Fruits.

While science partially explains Devil Fruits at Egghead, their name alone suggests a parallel with the Forbidden Fruit or the Tree of Life from Christian mythology. Why not extend this symbolism to their origin within One Piece’s spiritual framework?

Lastly, I suspect the One Piece treasure is inherently tied to these religious aspects. To reach Laugh Tale and fully understand its significance, I believe the crew must grasp the connection between Nika’s identity, Devil Fruits and religion which will also reveal the greater truths of the Void Century.

Sky/Sun/Sea/Hell

Now, regarding topic B, where have we seen the Sky/Sun/Sea/Hell group before Elbaf to make me think they are somewhat important?

I’ve mentioned this in previous posts (which I will link below), but I’ll briefly cover it here for context.

We saw Sky/Sun/Sea/Hell present in:

Big Mom’s weapons:

The Sun: Prometheus

The Sword/hat: Napoleon (This is a bit of a stretch, but Zoro has the sword Enma, the King of Hell in Japanese mythology—so swords could symbolize Hell, indirectly?)

The Clouds: Zeus/Hera (gods of the Sky)

The strongest fighters of the Pirate King (Jimbei, Sanji, Zoro):

Jimbei, the Knight of the Sea

Sanji, son of Sora (Sky)

Zoro, son of Tera (Earth) (Hell is considered to be located under the earth in many cultures, including Greek and Japanese)

For this one, I’ll take a huge guess and say that Luffy’s mother could have a name related to the Sun, or deities that represent it. Maybe Sun in another language like Sonne (German), Sól/Sunna (Nordic goddess of the Sun), Amaterasu (perhaps a variation of it), or even Inti, the Incan Sun god.

The Ancient Weapons:

Uranus (God of the Sky)

Poseidon (God of the Sea)

Pluton (Pluto/Hades, God of the Underworld/Hell)

Obviously, these groups don’t always contain the same elements (sometimes it’s Sky/Sun/Hell, other times it’s Sky/Sea/Hell), but I think they appear too frequently to be a coincidence. So, considering this, we can speculate that the presence of these four symbols could mean something Oda has been planning to address for a long time.

As they were once again used to describe the Levels of Elbaf, people are discussing whether Heaven represents Nami or Sanji, as Underworld could represent Zoro, and Sun could represent Luffy.

I’ll put on my tin foil hat and say it represents both. In fact, as I mentioned earlier, I wrote a long theory about this topic, BUT there's nothing stopping Oda from using only one of them to represent it.

For this post, I’ll say it’s Sanji. Why? Simple: It’s a shonen manga, and I believe that whatever the Sky/Sun/Hell symbols represent, they’ll likely make the Pirate King and both of his Wings even more powerful fighters for the upcoming war.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure Nami will be just as important (please, I really want that!!), but probably in a different way than Sanji, Luffy, and Zoro. Her power-up might come from a different source, and she might use it differently than Sanji/Zoro/Luffy would use theirs.

Anyway, if my hypothesis is correct, Sanji might once again have a big connection with the Heavens (using Elbaf and other elements I will mention later) and the Sky (using his mother’s name as a basis).

But before that, let’s clarify the difference between the words Sky, Heaven, and Astral.

Sky (空) vs. Heaven (天): Science vs. Religion

Based on the Oxford Dictionary and other sources:

Sky refers to the physical expanse above Earth, including the atmosphere, outer space, clouds, and stars. Derived from the Old Norse word ský, meaning "cloud," it has a more scientific connotation. The Japanese kanji for "sky" is 空 (sora).

Heaven, on the other hand, carries a celestial or religious meaning, often signifying a divine or spiritual realm considered the dwelling place of deities. However, it can also refer to the physical "heavens," meaning the sky or celestial sphere. The kanji for "heaven" is 天 (ten).

Paradise is represented by the term 天国 (tengoku), which refers to the afterlife where souls reside in peace. This kanji is used in One Piece when Zoro promises his name will reach the Heavens (tengoku). However, I will not focus on this term here, as it relates more to Zoro, the underworld, and his connection to Kuina.

Before we end this topic, we also have to talk about the ‘astral’ term, which is another word used to refer to the kanji 天.

Astral relates to the stars, celestial bodies, or the cosmos. It often has a scientific or mystical connotation, focusing on the physical or metaphysical aspects of the universe. While 天 can describe the celestial sky or cosmos, the usage of "astral" typically emphasizes the stars and planets, which might lean more toward 星 (hoshi — single star) or 宇宙 (uchuu — cosmos).

Interestingly, I believe Oda uses the words 空 (sora) and 天 (ten) closely enough in One Piece that they might represent the same concept: the astral plane. Why? In his world, as in ours, science and religion coexist in a chaotic yet complementary way, often blurring the line between them.

In fact, in the real world today there are several concepts or groups that blend religion and science, often seeking to reconcile or find common ground between the two.

For instance, in evolutionary creationism (which has Christian roots), the Sun—a star made of hydrogen and helium—is viewed as both a natural object, created and guided by God to sustain life through scientific processes, and a symbol of divine providence and order in the universe.

In One Piece, the Sun is (most probably) also a star made of hydrogen and helium, and it is also used to represent the Sun God Nika.

Similarly, the sky has long been religiously associated with the dwelling place of gods and, scientifically, UFOs or aliens. When we look up—especially at the night sky—we see not only clouds but celestial bodies such as the Moon, stars, comets, and distant planets. These elements have often been linked to divinities and otherworldly beings in many cultures.

This association likely explains why the sky gained religious (or heavenly) symbolism for many cultures, as it represents a place above us, seemingly out of reach, where deities might dwell—whether Olympus, Asgard, or Takama-ga-hara, depending on the religion in question.

To make this mixture even more complex, regarding the gods from Mesopotamian cultures (the Annunaki), there are ancient texts that describe them as coming from the skies. Today, many conspiracy theorists suggest these “gods” were actually aliens or an advanced civilization that came from another planet and taught humanity astrology and science.

If I’m not wrong, the movie Prometheus (the prequel to Alien) actually explores this exact narrative.

Whether this theory is true in our world or not, this topic does not come into discussion here lol. I'm only addressing this because I think Oda, who seems to be quite interested in researching history and religion, might be using these theories in his story.

I mean, isn’t this theory kind of what is happening to be true in the world of One Piece? Remember what Enel found out in his visit to the Moon? (Keep this part in mind; it will be important later on, and I’m sure you already know why!)

And will you look at that! As I was searching for links to post about the Anunnaki here I found a reddit page that talked exactly about them in connection with One Piece!! I still haven’t read it, but here is the link if you are interested. There is also the reference to Laputa, Hayao Miyazaki's movie that Oda used as a reference as well which brings up very similar themes.

So in One Piece, I think Oda blends science and religion much like how they coexist in our world, enriching his story. He weaves gods, devils, and divinity into his narrative while also providing scientific explanations, as seen in Punk Hazard and Egghead.

In conclusion, for this post, I will treat "sky", "astral' and "heaven" as complementary concepts, merging into a single idea which is a spiritual world. (Only for this post!)

Sanji’s Connection to the Heavens

Now, what does this have to do with Sanji?

Well, throughout the manga, many people have noticed that Sanji—through his family, moves, or even gags—seems to have a peculiar connection to elements associated with the sky or heavens, whether in religious, astronomical, or celestial contexts, especially regarding Christian themes.

Let’s list some of these elements:

Stars (Stargazing): Sanji displays a notable interest in stargazing, as shown in a few cover pages. In one example, he is inviting Nami to gaze at the stars with him, as seen in the cover page of chapter 1089.

Shooting Stars: In the anime, Sanji’s newest power-up (Ifrit Jambe) resembles a shooting star or a comet streaking across the sky.

Lucky/Miracle Star: Usopp once joked that Sanji was born under a miracle star—and as we all know, Usopp’s jokes or lies often have a way of becoming true. In Japanese folklore and astrology, celestial events (like the appearance of a bright star or comet) were often seen as omens of significant births or changes.

UFOs: Oda once drew a UFO-like object with Sanji’s face on it. Also, in the cover page of chapter 533, Sanji appears to be stargazing with a Mink, seemingly looking for UFOs. Interestingly, there’s a UFO in the background as well.

Space: Sanji lived for a long time on a ship called the Orbit. The term "orbit" is used to describe the motion of a celestial body around another. (Keep that information for later)

Sky Walk: Although this ability was originally called Moon Step (as used by Jabra), Sanji renamed it Sky Walk. When explaining how he acquired this skill, he said he ran until he “flew to the sky”—using the kanji for sora (空) in Japanese.

Son of Sora ("Sky"): This one speaks for itself.

Angel/Lunarian: In Wano, Sanji has been linked to the Lunarian race, who resemble classical depictions of angels in Christian art (not the biblically accurate ones, but more like those seen in traditional paintings). While I don’t think that Sanji is a Lunarian, he might belong to a equally rare race—possibly one connected to the heavens. I’ll explore this idea further later.

Fire/Hell: Sanji’s ability to ignite himself with flames when angry ties him to the element of fire. Anger, in many contexts, represents a response to injustice and revolt. In the Bible, fire symbolizes God’s wrath, passion, purification, and judgment. Sanji even created a move called Hell’s Memories, invoking imagery of eternal judgment and punishment associated with hellfire. There's another meaning for fire that I will talk about in later topics. Also, refer back to the Stargazing section and the titles Oda chose for the cover pages of chapters 533 and 575, which feature Sanji stargazing— Voiceless Rage and Inferno Hell. Hmmmmm.

Son of Judge and Sora / Divine Judgment: Sanji has increasingly embraced the role of enforcing "laws," acting as a kind of jury, judge, and executioner ever since the awakening of his Germa genes in Wano. This could parallel his father’s name, Judge, and his ancestry, while also aligning with the concept of divine judgment—a judgment coming from the skies(Sora). Interestingly, in the recent Elbaf arc, Nami used “Lightning Blast,” a thunderstorm coming from the skies, as Divine Retribution to punish the Giant Road. A curious observation for my other theory.

So, when I say that Sanji has a stronger connection to the heavens, religion and astronomy than previously thought, I believe these elements make the case clear.

As if that weren’t enough, Oda has made another important connection: he compared Sanji’s eyebrows to energy associated with the movement of celestial bodies such as planets, the Sun, and the Moon (Orbit). This will be our next topic of discussion.

The Mysterious Circular Energy and The Power of Fire

Taken from the SBS of Chapter 55 (Baratie Arc) D: Why does Sanji-san’s eyebrow curl up at the end? Is it for fashion? Make it clear!! O: Hey! You there, sit down! Now listen! Everyone lives in circles! The sun, the moon, and the Earth all spin in circles! And if the Earth suddenly stopped spinning, the planet would be covered in tidal waves! It would be terrible! Now remember that Sanji’s eyebrow channels that same powerful circular energy! Reflect upon this! You may go!

I believe this SBS may be one of the most important pieces of evidence that connect Sanji and the heavens (and it was answered just a few chapters after Sanji’s introduction!!). Oda explicitly said that Sanji’s eyebrows, and therefore Sanji himself, are connected to the movement of celestial bodies, and more importantly, the powerful energy they generate. (Remember, Sanji also lived on a ship called "The Orbit" before meeting Zeff.)

And since it was mentioned, let’s discuss energy in the world of One Piece.

Specifically, during the Egghead Arc, Oda revealed through Vegapunk that fire is considered a precious source of energy because it “can be converted into all types of energy”.

And wouldn’t you know it? Sanji’s powers manifest as fire—the same powerful and versatile form of energy Vegapunk is trying to unlimitedly have (the Undying Flame)

Meanwhile, Oda also linked the origin of Sanji's fire with his heart in another SBS.

Taken from the SBS of Chapter 426 (Enies Lobby Arc) D: Odacchi, nice to meet you!! I finally sent you a postcard. It’s a serious question, so give me a real answer. That trick that Sanji used to beat Jabra!! If it was that hot to Jabra, wouldn’t it burn Sanji, too?! Wouldn’t Sanji be like, "yeow"?? Tell me! O: What are you talking about… WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!! Are those eyes, or holes in your head?! What were you watching in that fight?! His leg is hot?! No, it’s not hot!! SANJI’S HEART WAS BURNING SO MUCH HOTTER!!!

Now, let’s also remember that Oda originally intended to name Sanji "Naruto." The name Naruto, in addition to being associated with the Ninja manga, refers to the Naruto Whirlpools in Japan.

Whirlpools are often symbols of natural force and spiritual energy, and this could be the same "circular energy" Oda refers to in the SBS about Sanji’s eyebrows.

Curiously, we can parallel the meaning of his name to Nami’s name, as hers means “wave”. Once again, both she and Sanji have a weird relation with similar symbols, whose intention I cannot quite grasp yet. If any of this information brought up an idea for you, let me know.

Back to whirlpools, a long time ago, I watched one of the best theories/analysis about Sanji from a YouTuber called "Parvision." In it, if I remember correctly, he discussed the importance of the whirlpool imagery for Sanji and linked his powers to Haki as well. Here is the video.

To be honest, I watched his videos a while ago, so I don’t recall everything he said (it’s a 1-hour video full of rich infos, lol), but he is amazing, and his theories are really insightful! He also covers many of the topics we’re discussing here about Sanji’s mysterious powers. I’m not sure what his conclusion about Sanji’s origins is, but give it a look, and I’m sure you won’t regret it!

Aside from the circular energy and flames association, Oda has also linked Sanji to Devil Fruits in another SBS (where Sanji wasn’t even mentioned in the question but Oda insisted on bringing him up, lol).

Taken from the SBS of Chapter 436 (Enies Lobby Arc) D: Do all Devil Fruit have that swirly pattern on them? O: That’s right. It’s what distinguishes them from other fruits. Sometimes I wonder if Sanji himself is a Devil Fruit.

So, in three different SBSs, Oda hinted at three fascinating ideas:

Sanji’s eyebrows symbolize the energy generated by celestial bodies (Earth, Moon, and Sun);

This same circular energy resides in the Devil Fruits;

Sanji's heart (emotion) is probably what ignites his fire.

But if he already has a connection to the Sky/Heavens, fire, and circular energy, why did Oda also link him to Devil Fruits? Isn’t everything else enough already?

I mean, if we also consider everything we know about him, Sanji’s character already has a mix of seemingly unrelated traits:

A prince of an extinct kingdom

A genetically altered human

The cook of the Straw Hat crew

A hopeless romantic with the motif of the Knight

Can burst into flames when experiencing intense emotions

However, I believe that these traits, though scattered, may start to correlate if we speculate that Sanji's origins—and powers—are tied to a single, as-yet-unknown source, one that only Oda (and his team) are aware of. I will venture a guess on this in the next topic.

Sanji’s Race and the True Power of the Vinsmokes: Mutation

Building upon the points I've discussed, I propose the following theory:

A previously unidentified rare race existed, possessing the ability to manipulate circular energy because their origins are related to outer space. This advanced race visited the world of One Piece, sharing their knowledge and skills to empower its inhabitants and change their status quo so anyone could evolve and become who they dreamed to be. In its purest form, this energy manifests as fire, aligning with Vegapunk's assertion of fire's versatility as an energy source. However, it can be transformed into other forms, such as Devil Fruits, suggesting its true power lies in the ability to induce mutation. I hypothesize that Sanji, and potentially the entire Vinsmoke family, descends from this extraterrestrial or celestial race.

Although there is the possibility that Sanji has these abilities because of genetic modification, I don’t believe this is the case.

Let's revisit Judge and his duel with Sanji. During their confrontation, Judge witnessed Sanji utilizing Diable Jambe, yet he displayed no discernible surprise.

It's important to remember that at this point in the narrative, Judge believed Sanji to be a "failed experiment" due to Sora's interference. Therefore, Sanji's actions during the duel did not sufficiently alarm Judge to question the possibility of genetic alterations in Sanji, similar to those undergone by Ichiji, Niji, Yonji, and Reiju.

Furthermore, upon acquiring his suit, Germa Sanji's intended ability was invisibility, not fire, as speculated by fans.

So if Sanji's fire abilities were not a product of Judge's scientific modifications, they must originate from his genetic inheritance—either from Sora or Judge.

While I personally favor the possibility of Sora as the source, I believe the origin lies within Judge himself. However, it stems from the aspect of his family that he vehemently denies and despises: the empathetic and emotional side that generates flames.

Oda has stated that Sanji's affinity for fire is rooted in his burning heart. More specifically, I believe this energy is activated by his capacity for love and passion, qualities absent in his brothers thanks to Judge. This is something I will talk about more in future topics.

Sanji, Devil Fruits and the Lineage Factor

Despite these speculations, we all know that Sanji's core essence remains his love and his passion for cooking.

Yet, even in the Baratie Arc, when the world of One Piece was still being introduced, Oda emphasized the connection between Sanji, cooking, and fire.

We observed Pearl, a henchman from Don Krieg's crew, spontaneously combusting in a fit of panic. This mirrors Sanji's current tendency to ignite when experiencing intense emotions. Interestingly, the SBS entry discussing Sanji's curly eyebrows appears in the same chapter as Pearl's fiery ability is shown.

While Pearl's abilities are likely fabricated (perhaps utilizing the pearls in his armor as flint), it's intriguing that Oda introduced this concept in Sanji's debut arc, subtly implying a chef's inherent connection to fire.

Therefore, Sanji's connection to fire is a foundational element established by Oda from the very beginning, and I believe it will play a pivotal role in his ultimate narrative arc.

Notably, during his encounter with Ivankov, Sanji's training obviously focused less on traditional combat techniques—which he had mastered by himself—and more on acquiring the enigmatic 99 Recipes of Attack Cuisine.

To understand the significance of this emphasis, let's examine the sole recipe revealed in the manga: Hormone Soup with Sea Pork. Sanji prepared this dish at the conclusion of the Punk Hazard arc, demonstrating its remarkable ability to rejuvenate the consumer's energy and strength.

In some respects, Devil Fruits can be considered a unique type of food that alters an individual's state, similar to how these recipes function.

I'm not suggesting that the 99 Recipes and Devil Fruits are the same; they clearly do not. I am sugesting that both share a key similarity: both act as "magical foods" that alter the human body.

However, while the 99 Recipes are likely designed to enhance specific pre existent aspects of an individual's physique, Devil Fruits are depicted as agents of biological transformation, affecting humans, animals, and even inanimate objects.

This transformation occurs through the consumption of the fruit itself. Oda could have chosen alternative mediums for bestowing extraordinary powers, such as a spell book or a magical fountain (as seen in Pirates of the Caribbean). However, he deliberately selected food as the conduit, suggesting a deeper significance to food in his world and, by association, Sanji's role.

Nevertheless, I believe the biological transformation induced by Devil Fruits surpass any potential outcomes achievable through the 99 Recipes.

Once again, let’s go back to Vegapunk, who is credited with replicating Devil Fruits. Do you recall his observations regarding their significance?

That's right, Vegapunk asserted that Devil Fruits represent the potential for human evolution.

If you're familiar with the X-Men franchise lol, you're likely acquainted with the concept of mutation. While not exclusive to X-Men, this concept is grounded in scientific theory, particularly the work of Hugo de Vries and other pioneering geneticists. These scientists proposed that the driving force of evolution is mutation.

Mutations are defined as alterations in DNA.

From this perspective, Devil Fruits may function by inducing mutations within the user's DNA, enabling them to become embodiments of their innermost desires. Maybe this is how Vegapunk was finally able to produce the Artificial Devil Fruits.

However, while he is credited with its creation, it's crucial to remember his long standing collaboration with Judge. Yonji even acknowledged their joint discovery of the "Lineage Factor," which corresponds to what we understand as DNA.

Therefore, even though Vegapunk may receive credit for replicating Devil Fruits along with Caesar, I believe their essence—the profound connection to human evolution and DNA modification—is inextricably linked to his research conducted in collaboration with Judge.

My theory posits that Vegapunk's insights into these concepts were significantly influenced by the Vinsmokes' centuries-old ability in manipulating DNA. Judge, with access to extensive data on the Vinsmoke lineage, likely provided it to the MADs Scientists.

However, the foundation of these abilities might predate scientific understanding, rooted in the Vinsmokes' inherent capacity to induce mutation through passionate, instinctual means.

Notably, Judge appeared more preoccupied with genetic modification and engineering than with Devil Fruits. He neither created nor utilized any Devil Fruits during the Whole Cake Island arc whilst most former MADS scientists, such as Caesar and even Vegapunk himself, continued their investigations into Devil Fruit production. This suggests that Judge may have viewed Devil Fruits as redundant, having already devised methods to achieve similar effects within his own children without direct reliance on them.

To recap, I believe Vegapunk's understanding of mutation and Devil Fruits was significantly shaped by Judge's scientific investigation into the Vinsmoke lineage's latent mutating potential. While Judge's ancestors may have activated these traits through intense emotions like passion, Judge sought to achieve greater control and predictability through scientific manipulation, "effectively" bypassing the need for emotions or instinct.

The reason I believe it is all connected steems from Thriller Bark arc, when Sanji erupted in a fiery rage at the prospect of Nami being forced into marriage. Zoro remarked, "He is about to transform into something." The kanji used for "transform" (変身 – henshin) was also used as "mutate" in some translations.

So I believe that Sanji's outburst not only produced flames but also seemed to induce some type of "mutation" within his body. However, we probably still have not seen the final form of this transformation.

Interestingly, according to crepes-suzette-373, a Tumblr user who analyzes the manga in its original language, the Japanese verb used for this transformation is also associated with the concept of "henshin" in Kamen Rider, Sailor Moon and others.

So Sanji's rage, fueled by his love for Nami, ignited these fiery transformations.

This phenomenon might explain Judge's disdain for emotions like empathy and love. He likely perceived them as unreliable and uncontrollable catalysts for these mutations, potentially hindering his ultimate goals. By employing scientific methods, Judge sought to harness the Vinsmoke family's inherent mutative abilities while minimizing the influence of these perceived "weaknesses" – emotions like love.

However, I firmly believe that Judge did not entirely suppress his children's emotions. You can find my detailed reasoning [here], and suzette has also presented their analysis based on the original Japanese translation [here]. In summary, I believe Judge's primary objective was to eradicate empathy, love, and the passion for life – the very qualities that define humanity – rendering his children more easily controlled and subservient to his brutal commands.

Sanji's flashback reveals that his "normal" human birth, with its capacity for love, led him to pursue interests deemed frivolous and detrimental to his father's ambitions and royal status, such as cooking. Judge appeared visibly frustrated by Sanji's unwavering dedication to these pursuits, despite numerous reprimands. I believe Judge concluded early on that love was a significant obstacle to his plans and actively sought to eradicate it within his children. Sanji's resistance to this conditioning further intensified Judge's animosity towards his son.

The events of the Whole Cake Island arc illustrate the devastating consequences of Judge's actions and beliefs. Deprived of love and passion, his children were nearly defeated, lacking the intrinsic motivation to fight for their survival. Ultimately, it was Sanji, driven by the fiery love ignited within his heart, who returned to save them, demonstrating the profound strength of human connection and the limitations of Judge's cold, calculated approach.

Speaking of this love, let’s go to the next topic.

The Will of Love

To recap, Vegapunk was the one who gave us the information that Devil Fruits are connected to people’s desires and human evolution.

“Every Devil Fruit is a possibility for human evolution that someone desired. If only I could be like this… If only I could be like that. All of those powers represent the many branches of the future of humanity.”

I think that desire can be strongly associated with will. While desire is the emotional or internal longing for something, will represents the determination and action taken to pursue that goal.

Willpower is a crucial element in One Piece. I mean, the Will of D, right? Just like religious elements such as gods, devils, and forbidden fruits exist in One Piece, so does the concept of willpower.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, will is defined as:

The ability to control your thoughts and actions in order to achieve what you want; a feeling of strong determination to pursue something.

Willpower signifies the unwavering determination to pursue one's goals and dreams.

I believe Haki, particularly Conqueror's Haki, embodies this concept in the One Piece universe. In this world, an individual's will can attain such immense strength that it not only influences those around them but also defies the very laws of physics, altering the course of reality.

Is not mutation, at its core, a form of change, specifically a profound alteration at the DNA level?

I believe Sanji demonstrated this principle during his brief encounter with Kizaru in Egghead. Through sheer force of will, I think he defied the laws of physics by absorbing Kizaru's laser beam – a feat seemingly impossible, even within the extraordinary realm of One Piece. Franky’s and Kizaru’s shocked expressions highlight just how incredible this moment really was (lol).

However, in typical Sanji fashion, he attributed this extraordinary ability to the power of love. And I believe he is correct.

Love, though often dismissed as cheesy, is a potent force capable of driving individuals to achieve the seemingly impossible for the sake of others. Just as freedom fuels Luffy's unwavering will, I believe love serves as the driving force behind Sanji's extraordinary feats, empowering him to transcend human limitations and become both powerful and unpredictable.

He kind of said that in Thriller Bark, remember?

“A power that can’t be judged by ordinary means… A power to make the impossible possible. It’ll blow everything away. The name of that hurricane is… love.”

This inherent drive was absent in his brothers during the Whole Cake Island arc. They lacked the will, and indeed, the passion, to truly live and fight for the lives of others, even for their own father, Judge.

In contrast, Sanji consistently demonstrated this will. His unwavering determination to become a chef persisted even after months of imprisonment at the hands of his own father. This unwavering spirit enabled him to endure seventy days of starvation and maintain his lifelong dream of finding the All Blue.

However, plagued by self-doubt, he temporarily suppressed this powerful will, feeling indebted to Zeff for saving a life Sanji deemed unworthy.

But Zeff, being the incredible father he is, made Sanji realize he shouldn’t hold himself back. Just like Luffy, Sanji possesses an unyielding will, which Zeff poetically describes as a spear of blind grit.

Through this dialogue with Zeff, I believe that Oda subtly conveys to the readers that Sanji's greatest obstacle lies within himself. Despite his unwavering kindness and encouragement towards others, Sanji struggles with self-compassion, which frequently holds himself back from reaching his full potential.

However, Sanji is gradually overcoming this internal struggle. I think that his inaugural use of Ifrit Jambe exemplifies his growing ability to channel this "spear of blind grit" in accordance with his own moral compass. In Wano, he faced a critical juncture: he could enhance his combat abilities through the Raid Suit, but at the cost of becoming a cold, emotionless killing machine. Instead, he chose a path that aligned with his values, destroying the suit while still leveraging its enhancements, particularly the increased resistance to heat.

This experience suggests that Sanji's previous limitations were also physiological. With his enhanced physical resilience, he now possesses the potential to unleash even more potent flames, limited only by the intensity of his love and passion.

The greater his love, the hotter his flames burn—remember, Oda said his heart burns hotter!!

This powerful connection between love and Sanji is further reflected in his culinary pursuits.

Just by knowing the reasons he chose to be a cook, we know that cooking, for Sanji, is an act of love, a way to express his affection for others and appreciation of life.

Food is not just used to sustain life, it’s also a way to enjoy it. Look at how Luffy and his love for meat, and the fact that most of One Piece's arcs end in a feast. I'm sure that Oda himself also sees the importance of it. Like I said, he could have chosen various outlets to become the source of Power in the world he created, but he chose food.

Furthermore, because of the importance of food and the reason why he is a cook, Sanji's profound impact extends beyond the battlefield. He possesses a remarkable ability to influence and transform those around him, even individuals perceived as cruel, cold, or adversarial. Whether through the compassionate act of cooking or by simply adhering to his unwavering moral code based on love, he inspires profound change in those he encounters.

He has positively impacted the lives of numerous individuals, including Pudding, Gin, Viola, the Marines in Punk Hazard, and even, to a certain degree, Big Mom herself.

So I believe that Willpower is the fundamental force behind the creation of Devil Fruits. Vegapunk himself stated that they are the physical manifestations of dreams, wishes, and desires – embodiments of will brought to life.

Wait, didn’t I previously say that the circular energy Oda mentioned in the SBS was what created the Devil Fruits?

That’s because I believe that Willpower and this circular energy are essentially the same phenomenon, simply described differently depending on the context. For example, the Skypieans refer to Haki as "Mantra" and the people from Wano call Armament Haki Ryuo.

For Sanji's (hypothetical) ancestral race, I think this power manifests in its purest, most versatile form: fire, which in turn can become many other things.

Interestingly, fire holds profound symbolic significance across various cultures besides just destruction.

In Christianity, it often represents God's presence, passionate will, and even the act of creation. The Holy Spirit is often symbolized as a flame as well.

Beyond religious contexts, fire-based powers in popular media frequently symbolize intense emotions, the life force (energy), and even the power of creation. Consider Avatar: The Last Airbender, when Zuko and Aang had to understand the significance of fire beyond its ability to destroy. Or look at X-Men and the Phoenix Force itself.

The Flame of Prometheus in Greek mythology offers another compelling example. It symbolizes the gift of knowledge, innovation, and enlightenment bestowed upon humanity by the Titan Prometheus, who defied the gods by stealing fire. This act represents the empowerment of humanity, enabling progress and civilization.

However, it also signifies the potential dangers of seeking forbidden knowledge, as Prometheus faced divine punishment for his actions. In a way, Devil Fruits can be seen as the "Prometheus flames" of the One Piece world, a powerful force of change that, while offering immense potential, also carries inherent risks, as if Nature itself (a parallel to the gods) deemed their existence a transgression and punishes the users of the Devil Fruits by making them unable to swim. I'm not kidding, this was Vegapunk's explanation to why Devil Fruit users can't swim.

Thus, fire transcends its association with anger and intensity. It also symbolizes transformation, energy, knowledge, and the very essence of life. This inherent versatility likely explains Vegapunk's fascination with harnessing fire as a sustainable energy source.

Let us not forget the Mother Flame, a concept of immense importance in the One Piece world and currently being exploited by the Gorosei and Imu for their own nefarious purposes.

While I don't believe Sanji is a god (lol), I do believe he possesses an extraordinary connection to a powerful, ancient force that is related to Nika somehow.

To recap, my theory suggests that Devil Fruits were created by a race capable of manipulating Willpower, a force that allows them to shape reality, defy the laws of physics, and even induce mutations. This advanced civilization, possibly originating from a realm beyond our own, maybe from outer space, exerted a profound influence on the world, impacting the lives of fish-men, buccaneers, tontattas, humans, and countless other races.

Furthermore, I believe this race sought to use their advanced technology to uplift and improve the world. This era of technological and societal advancement likely coincides with the enigmatic Void Century, a period shrouded in mystery. The youtuber Artur, from the Ohara Youtube chanel already made a theory about what the One Piece is, and to understand it, he theorized what might have happened during the Void Century and before. Give it a look if you’d like.

Anyway, an intriguing connection emerges when considering the Sun God Nika. You might recall that Luffy, in his Nika form, exhibits the same distinctive spiral pattern in his eyebrows as Sanji. This striking similarity might not be mere coincidence.

Furthermore, recent cover stories have revealed that Judge himself possesses eyebrows identical to Luffy's. This observation once again strongly suggests that the curly eyebrow trait is not a result of Judge's genetic enhancements, but rather a hereditary characteristic of the Vinsmoke lineage.

This line of reasoning is what leads me to speculate that the Vinsmokes might be descendants of this ancient, technologically advanced civilization, potentially even possessing a diluted fraction of their power.

Maybe the Vinsmokes and Nika are both from the same race (and Nika was simply the most powerful among them and revered as a god) or Nika himself created that race. But this is a theory to be explored in other posts.

So, where do I think this will lead Sanji? Before answering that, I want to address another important (religious) motif—one that has been present in Sanji’s arc since day one and which I’ve been saving for now:

The Devil and Angels

Early in their introduction, Sanji made a profound declaration to Nami, vowing to do anything for her, even if it meant becoming the Devil himself.

This declaration is further emphasized by his signature moves: Diable Jambe (Devil in French) and its more powerful iteration, Ifrit Jambe.

Moreover, his associated animal is a horned sheep, and the Mink accompanying him during his UFO-gazing expedition may be a goat – both animals carrying significant symbolism related to the Devil in Christian beliefs.

Finally, Sanji's iconic proclamation after defeating Jabra, "God created food. But the Devil created the spices," explicitly acknowledges his own association with the Devil.

So, I think Oda might also be referencing Sanji as some type of Fallen Angel—a creature who fell from the skies after defying devine authority.

While I personally find this interpretation somewhat unsettling (I'm not particularly fond of the idea of comparing Sanji to Lucifer lol), I believe Oda has been subtly hinting at this "Devilish" motif throughout Sanji's character arc. And I have a few reasons to back this up.

First, I believe Oda employs a subtle pattern throughout the series, drawing parallels between the Monster Trio and key figures or symbols from religions of Asia, Europe and America. Obviously, it’s not a strict rule, but I’m confident that many of their most significant moves and titles follow this pattern.

Luffy, embodying the spirit of the Sun God Nika, draws significant inspiration from pre-Columbian American religions, particularly those of the Incas, Mayans, and Aztecs. Keep in mind that Luffy would canonically be Brazilian (even though Brazil wasn’t part of those specific cultures, it is still an American country). Also, the Sun God Nika in One Piece was referenced by the Shandians, a culture clearly inspired by these civilizations. Zoro, with his name inspired by an Indian pirate, his connection to the Ashura (Indian ), and his possession of the sword "Enma" (named after the Japanese King of the Underworld), reflects influences from East Asian religions and cultures. In contrast, Sanji's character appears to draw inspiration from European and Middle Eastern mythology, particularly Christian imagery, hinting at a possible connection to the Fallen Angel archetype.

Furthermore, I believe the term "Devil" in the One Piece world might not always refer to inherently evil beings. Instead, it might be used to describe those who defy established authority and challenge the status quo. Consider the fate of the Ohara archaeologists – individuals who dared to question the official narrative and were subsequently branded as "devils" and brutally suppressed by the World Government.

In reality, I believe the true "devils" are those who wield immense power while masquerading as saviors or gods, engaging in unspeakable acts of cruelty. It is worth noting that the Gorosei, the enigmatic rulers of the world, utilize teleportation techniques that involve symbols strikingly similar to pentagrams.

And with this, I believe that these self-entitled gods—those who place themselves above others—would inevitably awaken the fury of someone like Sanji.

He would willingly take on the role of an antagonist to these so-called gods. Ironically, despite this rebellious stance, Sanji ultimately serves the true "God" – his captain, Luffy, the embodiment of the Sun God Nika and follows morals that in many ways follow the Christian faith. But this is something to talk about in other posts.

Therefore, while perceived as a "Devil" by those in power, Sanji's actions are ultimately driven by a profound sense of justice and loyalty, aligning him more closely with the archetype of an angel who ultimately serves a higher, noble purpose.

This interpretation gains further credence when examining a specific panel from the Skypiea arc. In this scene, Sanji declares that he will assume the role of the "Blue Demon of the Seas" if the man who considers himself a god (referencing Enel) dares to harm Nami.

It's crucial to note that many translations inaccurately render the term as "monster" instead of "demon." However, several fans, including crepes-suzette, have correctly identified the kanji used in the original Japanese text as the same one that signifies "demon," a term Sanji himself previously employed during his initial encounter with Nami.

Robin’s duality of angelic and demonic attributes is clearly exemplified in her character. Despite being labeled the "Devil Child" from a young age, likely due to her possession of a Devil Fruit, she embodies both qualities.

Even before the incident in Ohara, Robin carried this title, and while I don't rememebr her correcting anyone who called her as such it wasn’t until Wano that she fully embraced it. During her fight against Black Maria, she transformed into a fearsome, demonic entity to protect Sanji—a moment of self-realization where she gained full control over her powers.

However, Robin had previously displayed an angelic side of her abilities, such as when she created wings to help Franky in Thriller Bark.

I believe that Robin's metamorphosis during her fight against Black Maria was a moment of self-realization—a transformation she learned to control using her Devil Fruit powers.

In Wano, her demonic transformation wasn’t just a means of victory—it was a deliberate message to those who threaten her loved ones. By fully embracing the "Devil" title and its terrifying form, Robin demonstrated her resolve to protect those she cares about, mirroring Sanji’s own willingness to sacrifice everything for Nami.

Let us not forget that the very name Oda gave these fruits is "Devil's Fruits."

Perhaps they are called that because they were created by enemies of the government/Imu ("devils"), and the government simply chose a fearsome name to deter people from consuming them.

The kanji for "Devil" (魔) that Sanji uses for his moves (and when he promised he would become a devil for Nami) is the same used for the Devil Fruits (悪魔の実) and for Demon Child (悪魔の子). However, unlike Robin, Sanji's association with the devil motif has no direct connection to Devil Fruits, as he never consumed one. Therefore, I see no reason for him to use this motif other than Oda intentionally connecting him to the race that created (or, more accurately, "cooked") the Devil Fruits.

Lastly, in Egghead, we must remember the significant panel where Saturn appears to undergo a transformation, becoming even more monstrous than before. Through Sanji, we gain insight into Saturn's loss of humanity—an interesting narrative choice by Oda.

Now, it all leads to what might happen to Sanji and what he might mutate into.

Sanji’s Transformation

To understand better what Oda might be planning for Sanji, I’d like to reference other important transformations that many superheroes and characters from popular shows have gone through, especially those related to intense emotions or powers tied to flames:

Jean Grey Phoenix: holds back her power, which manifest as flames

Kamen Rider: has transformations related to his intense emotions

Asura’s Wrath: his anger, rooted in his love for his daughter, ignited his Berzerk transformation

Kevin Levin: motivated by the love to protect his friends he became a powerful, yet psychopathic monster

Since the themes mentioned above have been explored by many writers for their characters, Oda might also adopt similar concepts for Sanji’s development. Let’s talk about them in more detail below — if you are not interested, you may just skip this part lol WATCH OUT FOR SPOILERS OF THE MENTIONED STORIES.

In the Marvel Universe, the Phoenix Force is one of the oldest known cosmic entities, said to predate darkness and the universe. It is considered the spark that ignites creation and the flame that consumes it, perpetuating the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. In many media portrayals, Jean Grey, the Phoenix’s most well-known host, must hold back this power because it's deemed too dangerous. In her case, Jean must train not to become stronger, but to restrain her immense powers and control them — it depends on which X-Men adaptation though.

Next, Kamen Rider, which seems to be a significant inspiration for much of Sanji’s lore. Kamen Rider Black, the main hero who was turned into a mutant by an evil organization resembling Germa (and indirectly, the Nazis), was killed and later revived as Kamen Rider Black RX. Through intense emotions, Kamen Rider RX transforms into two distinct forms based on his feelings. When he is enraged, he becomes the Prince of Flames, and when he is filled with sorrow for humanity, he transforms into the Prince of Sadness. In these states, he gains different abilities.

In Asura’s Wrath, the protagonist undergoes a fury-driven transformation after losing someone dear to him. His rage drives him to go berserk against the self-proclaimed “gods” responsible for the attack that killed his loved one. This kind of intense emotional reaction mirrors Sanji’s potential path, where his love could trigger a similar rage-based transformation when someone he cares about deeply is in danger. In the process he could become more cruel.

Finally, in Ben 10 Alien Force, Kevin Levin possesses powers related to energy absorption due to his alien ancestry. He faces an enemy of the same race, and when his friends, particularly the girl he likes, are in danger, Kevin uses his powers (in a dangerous way) to save them. However, this power comes with a cost: as he uses it incorrectly, he risks going insane. Kevin’s eventual turn into an antagonist demonstrates how overwhelming power can lead to a loss of control, paralleling Sanji’s potential struggle with his cruel side, especially when his genetic modifications take hold.

Given these examples, I can see Oda following a similar narrative path for Sanji. My guess is that Sanji will undergo two distinct transformations, with love being the catalyst for both.

The Blue Demon of the Sea Science

The first transformation will likely be a dark, evil persona, where Sanji allows his mutant genes to take over, making his flames burn hotter. This form could mirror the Dark Phoenix (the corrupted side of the Phoenix) or Kevin Levin's monstrous state.

This transformation might resemble Saturn’s metamorphosis, where Sanji becomes more powerful but loses the very emotions—his love and passion—that initially motivated him. In this state, Sanji might temporarily become an antagonist, possibly aligning with Germa’s science and his brothers' ruthless behavior. Eventually, Zoro may be forced to fight him, fulfilling their pact. In this form, Sanji may take on a more devilish appearance.

Heavenly Warrior of Love

For the second transformation, I believe Sanji will overcome his modified genes through his love—probably for Nami. This might lead to him mutating into a more celestial form, perhaps even resembling a Garuda (a mythical bird from Hindu and Buddhist iconography and the other name Judge has). Suzette has an insightful analysis of the Germa Kingdom's imagery as well as the holy fire and more—I recommend checking it out if you're interested!

In Thriller Bark, we already know something like this happened when Sanji's shadow was placed inside the corpse of a penguin/dog.

Because Moria, who performed the transfer, did not know Sanji's true strength, he used a weak body. This led to a surprise for most of Moria's henchmen, as Penguin Sanji demonstrated immense will.

However, what shocked them the most was Sanji overcoming his programming and refusing to hurt Nami when it was implied he had to. Sanji himself said it was due to the power of love, so I’m sure Oda will revisit a moment like this again, but on a much larger scale.

Though I prefer to stick to official material from the manga, there is an intriguing moment in the One Piece Pirate Warriors game where Sanji is overpowered by an external force that drives him to act evil. However, when he is forced to hurt Robin, he stops because his moral code—especially his vow never to kick a woman—proves stronger than any external influence. This shows just how deeply rooted his values are and how much they shape his actions, regardless of the power that might control him.

We saw how in Egghead, the motif of how love overcomes science was shown through a lot of characters, I.e. Seraphim Hancock when she decided to help the Straw Hats because of original Hancock's love to Luffy and Kuma overcoming his programing to save his daughter, Bonney.

So, I imagine Oda could use this idea (of Sanji fighting against any genetic programming/science) in the manga on a much larger scale.

Visually, for his transformations, I imagine Sanji's entire body could burst into bluish flames (not just his legs), taking on an inhuman silhouette during moments of extreme emotion. I think this fits with a few moments in the manga where he bursts into flames, and his hair even seems to turn into horns.

Also, can you imagine if this state—since it pushes his hair upward—revealed both of his eyes?

Maybe in his second transformation, he gains control over both his modified and inherited genes, visually symbolized by his eyebrows.

Let's remember, the eyebrows change direction when activating his genes (I still don’t fully understand how they work, but that’s an analysis for another time, lol). In his normal human state, they point left. But what if he finds equilibrium, and his eyebrows become symmetrical?

Notice how Judge's eyebrows, like Nika's, are actually symmetrical.

It’s just speculation, but it would be fun to see, hehe.

With Sanji’s incredible speed, if you saw him moving from afar, he’d resemble a shooting star streaking across the sky. A bit like the animation for Todoroki when he uses his fire powers for the first time

To conclude, there’s something else about Sanji that might connect him to the Heavens:

The All Blue

Yes, I’m going there.

My main theory remains that the All Blue is located in Fishman Island but still needs to “transform” into the All Blue after Luffy destroys the Red Line. However, let’s set that aside for now and focus on an interesting video I found by a Japanese fan who translates the One Piece manga, Dawn&Dusk.

He made a video that talked about the All Blue and discovered something so intriguing that I’m starting to consider another possibility.

In the video, the youtuber points out a draft from Oda where Zeff talks about the All Blue. However, what he says is quite different from what we read in the final version of the manga.

Zeff states:

"I’ve already lost my traveling companions. I don’t want to continue the journey with anyone but them. They were precious fools who accompanied me for a silly legend (...) That place transcends this world. In a year of sailing, I saw the possibility of All Blue in that place."

The translator explained that the kanji used for "transcend" carries the connotation of “greatly surpassing common sense, being exceptionally outstanding, and achieving something considered ‘impossible.’” It also suggests a state far removed from mundane affairs.

The translator speculated that the All Blue and Laugh Tale might exist in another dimension—a place beyond the world of One Piece. You can watch it and see what you think!

In my opinion, this could change a lot of things, especially regarding Oda’s plans for Sanji. Many have theorized that the All Blue symbolizes a new era of unity and freedom, and I think that’s Oda’s goal. But what if the All Blue is more than that? What if it already exists, but is in another world—a sort of Heaven, accessible only to gods or spirits, that will eventually be brought to Earth?

It’s somewhat similar to The Legend of Korra, season 2, whose universe has a spirit world, accessible through a portal, until the Avatar merges it with the physical world. Or even the world that Chihiro is transported to in Spirited Away.

I know it sounds unlikely, but that’s the fun part, right? I don’t really care about being right; I just enjoy how Oda has created so many intriguing elements around one character that we can endlessly analyze.

Even if I don’t agree with how he resolves some narrative elements, it’s always curious to see where he’ll take us next. So let’s keep reading and guessing! I hope you had fun reading my theory.

Also, knowing Oda, I wouldn’t be surprised if many of these connections were just happy coincidences he came up with on the spot.

I remember an interview where Taz Skylar said he asked Oda a lot about One Piece (and Sanji), and most of the answers were simply, “Because I thought it would be cool.” lol

I'm sure I'm seeing a lot of things that Oda didn't really intend to have a deeper meaning, but since he hasn’t confirmed them, everything is possible, right? And I don't think it takes away the fact that some of the things he wrote, Oda was indeed planning for a long time.

Anyway, what would your crazy theory about Sanji be? Or maybe about Nami, or even both? Let me know!

For Sanji I still haven't brought up what his role to the story of One Piece could be, I’m still trying to gather my thoughts about this, so let me know if you are interested and I will post something in the future.

#sanji #one piece theory #sanji theory

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the-uraniumverse · 3 months ago

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this ask is lowkey formatted identically to one of my posts on rodethecyclone but here we go anyways. i’ve been holding off on introducing this character for a while because i’m paranoid that her design might seem too similar to some others on here but fuck it we ball + i designed her like 2+ years ago now. this is morgan sutherland. she is a freak. she does not actually have anything to do with ocean, she’s just creeping her out in this drawing for no real reason.

she used to be homeschooled by her hyper-religious family who sort of ran their own nondenominational fundamentalist church. the only people they could ever get to join were also family members because the church was generally seen as way too annoying and weird for anyone else to be interested. something happened internally and the church doesn’t really exist anymore— weird, but everyone appreciates that they aren’t being harassed by them anymore. unfortunately, with the remaining sutherlands popping up at st cassians, there are new problems to deal with now.

popular rumors around the school include the bug cult allegations, her younger brother trying to become a bioterrorist, her having head lice and naming each individual louse, her weird bob haircut actually being a wig, the rabies allegations, the gay allegations, the crawling through the vents allegations…

what IS confirmed is that matt’s her cousin. the national security threat younger brother thing is also true.

i've seen her before !! this is another one of the ocs that made me start uraniumverse omg :D

what a goober i love her

#★the uraniumverse★#rtc ocs #rtc oc #oc ★ morgan

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thenationaltreasuregazette · 4 months ago

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hi! i just found your account, and since i’m neck-deep in my national treasure obsession i’ve been reading all your articles!! they’re so good, and so thorough, i absolutely love them. safe to say you’re my favourite tumblr blog ever (sounds hyperbolic, but it’s true)!

my favourite character by far is Riley (but who doesn’t love him?!), and i’d totally love if you did an analysis/deepdive/something of the sort on his character:3 if you already have one planned/in the works (or if you already posted one and i somehow missed it), then disregard this, and what you should take away from this is that you’re awesome, and your work is appreciated beyond measure!!

thank you for doing what you do hehe♥️

Hey @memory-and-sky!

Aww thank you so much 🥰 I'm so glad you've found the blog and that you're enjoying it! I love collecting fellow sufferers of National Treasure brainrot. Before I started this blog I didn't know there were any others out there!

And actually, I was inspired by a blog full of needlessly/deliciously thorough articles about CSI. Stumbling on that in the peak of (re)obsession was like finding a gold mine! I was hoping this blog would be something similar.

I also love Riley! He's the heart of the movie, the everyman, a genius trapped in the wrong genre. But umm....he hasn't even made the table of contents yet? Why??

So...I've set up this series of dominoes in my brain where I'd like to write a big intro article for Riley,

but in order to do that I have to do the separate character analysis of the Riley in the 2003 script first for context,

and in order to do that I have to post the remaining pieces of the 2003 script breakdown,

and in order to do that I have to draw the missing storyboard doodles,

and in order to do that I'd have to get over the lovely trifecta of chronic neck pain, even chronic-er procrastination, and general surplus of hobbies per available free time that keep me from doing it in the first place 😅

Thank you so much for your enthusiasm, kind words, and engagement (I love when this blog gets like-bombed). And also thank you for reminding me that maybe I'm over-complicating this! Like maybe I've set up a minefield of useless expectations and doing any one of these projects in any order would be fine actually??

September is a particularly busy time for me, but I'd like to set a goal for myself to have any one (1) Riley-centric article before the fall is out.

Happy Treasure travels!

#asks #the national treasure gazette #riley poole #national treasure #memories-and-sky

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thepringlesofblood · 2 years ago

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Major ACOC Spoilers

so, there are a few posts out there pointing out two math errors in acoc ep9 - Liam’s damage to Ciabatta being miscounted as 67 instead of 77, and Jet’s riposte for 13 damage not hitting Ciabatta when it should’ve. this is true. this might lead one to wonder, “well, if those extra 23 points of damage were counted, would Ciabatta be dead? would Jet have lived?”

I wanna clear things up for all of yall who are watching ACOC for the first time after the ravening war, so i did the math (under the cut) by counting his hp in the finale as he took damage.

Ciabatta had 118 hp

it wouldn’t have made a difference. if both errors were fixed and he was dealt the full 77 + 13, he’s still walking out of there with 28 hp.

to be clear: absolutely no shade on the intrepid heroes/brennan. no one clown on this post about whether they should’ve done this or that. it was 3am in a warehouse in Hollywood on a wicked messed up shooting schedule. Jet’s death was a beautiful, emotional scene, and it’d be weird and narratively dissonant to go back and redo it bc some math was wrong.

i did this math bc my logic brain just needs to know how the numbers do for my own personal peace of mind. given the several other posts I’ve seen trying to calculate this same thing, others have the same problem. so. enjoy.

Ciabatta doesn’t physically appear in the finale until pt 2

“The last Ceresian force musters, appears at the front of the wall with Imperator Ciabatta” is at 1:33:00ish

first damage done to him is by Saccharina, when she Cone of Colds his whole force in front of the castle for 41 damage (1:37:08). it hits him and the forces he was leading, and they do not save for half.

after that we have this exchange:

Zac: Ciabatta's-

Brennan: Ciabatta is still very much alive.

Emily: Okay. He's very much alive though, he's doing really well?

Brennan: Yes.

Emily: Okay. Then just to fuck with him, I'm gonna fire breathe on him.

and she does. Cinnamon uses his breath weapon to deal 57 damage, demolishing the rest of the forces

Brennan: He does not save for half. He goes from looking wounded but okay to injured, badly injured.

then of course the final damage is done by Ruby w the water-steel dagger

Siobhan: It's 4d6.

Brennan: 4d6, he just rolled a natural 4 on his Constitution save.

Siobhan: Great, it's actually three Constitution saves. It's 12.

Brennan: 12 damage, but you also add your sneak Attack.

Ally: Oh!

Brennan: Yeah.

Siobhan: 12, 14, 16.

Brennan: More than 20?

Siobhan: Yeah.

Brennan: Standing in the burned and frozen remains of his soldiers, what happens to Imperator Ciabatta?

[as a 7th lvl rogue, Ruby has 4d6 sneak attack dice]

so, presumably, Ciabatta had 20 hp left before being stabbed.

41 + 57 + 20 = 118

now, I highlighted those exchanges for a reason. It is technically possible that Brennan was using a similar mechanic for Ciabatta leading his troops as the PCs leading theirs- being attacked as a troop by another troop does deal the commander as an individual some of the damage, but not all. so, the Cone of Cold may not have dealt all 41 points of damage to him. here’s how he’s described after the Cone of Cold

“very much alive” “doing really well”

after breath weapon “He goes from looking wounded but okay to injured, badly injured“

so it is possible that the Cone of Cold did not do full damage bc of troop mechanics. however. personally I feel like since Saccharina is not attacking as a troop but as an individual (with a dragon), it’s not troop v troop action.

fun fact: Saccharina’s breath weapon attack + Ruby’s finishing blow is 77 damage - the same amount of damage Liam (should have) done to Ciabatta in episode 9 (that didn’t take him down)

so as long as Saccharina’s Cone of Cold did more than 13 damage [Jet’s riposte] to Ciabatta (which I’d fucking think it would even w very unlikely troop mechanics), then it wouldn’t have made any difference.

and bc we know he took at the very least a non-zero amount of damage from the Cone of Cold (“wounded but okay”), nothing would’ve saved Jet. the other assassins had already hit, and even with the math fixed on Liam’s damage 77 would never have taken him down. the only difference even possible is that her 13 damage riposte might’ve downed him, but even that is extremely unlikely - Ciabatta would’ve had to take less than half damage from Cone of Cold, and he did not save.

#dnd #d20 #dimension 20 #acoc #acoc spoilers #major acoc spoilers #d20 spoilers #dimension 20 spoilers #original post #math

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crepezinhos · 6 months ago

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I was listening to a song and reading the lyrics, and then I realised that it reminded me Sooo much of your Checkmate. If you have time, can you check it out? unsure as to whether or not the english lyrics would be easy to find, so just in case;

And may I request another part of this series inspired by this song? If you want to, that's all. Really, all i wanted to do was share with you a piece that reminded me of your version of yan!scara

LOVELESS, it's a pointless night,

I want to be with you.

Love, love, love, a gap opens up,

That's all I want.

Quickly tell me the right answer,

The place where you feel good.

All I can do is something silly,

Just simple things, like rolling a cigarette.

Languid heaviness, body warmth,

There's nothing special beyond that.

Repeat after me,

"I want to see you."

Let me hear it,

"I want to see you."

Everything resembled love,

But it wasn't love.

In my foolishness,

I wanted to disappear.

LOVELESS, it's a pointless night,

I want to be with you.

Love, love, love, a gap opens up,

That's all I want, I don't want to be alone.

Even the words we piled up,

Were just a pretense of love.

Is that okay? Do you even understand that?

I want you to reveal more,

The ugly side of humans.

Even if you hide it in the rain, it'll still be exposed normally.

Can't you justify your desires?

Don't you want to see them?

Affection clouds up in a greenhouse,

I'm facing moist eyes.

Repeat after me,

"I won't go anywhere."

Let me hear it,

"I won't go anywhere."

Like eggs cracked with cracks,

As if connecting shells,

We're already too late.

Driving the final nail.

I don't want to see your true feelings,

Because I want to be with you.

Hate, hate, hate, it's all that's left,

I'll even love your dirty words.

In your parched skin color,

I'll drown,

I'll surely forget, so forget it,

Burn it into me.

If it will end someday,

Isn't it fine even now?

In our broken relationship,

Through those gaps.

Even if the spilled liquid seems like love,

It's just an illusion.

When I'm with you,

I seem hopeless.

LOVELESS, it's a pointless night,

I want to be with you.

Love, love, love, it's all there is,

Please hold me, I don't want to be alone.

I don't need things like love,

Just pretend it's love.

I probably won't say it again,

Stay here.

On a night that's not about love,

Let's step out of bounds.

Love, love, love, a gap opens up,

My red body begins to melt away.

Even the words we piled up,

Just pretend it's love.

So let me hear it, with that voice,

Hurt me.

Hello! Since this request was pretty much similar to my last one (who has been waiting for it for barely a month now…), I thought it would be more fair to respond it rather than this.

I really like the song and how disturbingly well it reminds me of Checkmate (since it was an idea that has run through my mind for a LONG time, like… before I even made my first post here) and I really did wish I could make a post about this fucked-up scenario… but I really just cannot work on Checkmate anymore. 💔

Although I had a lot of fun writing Checkmate, it unfortunately flopped and remained to flop in its prequel and sequel, and it’s not pleasant to see all my hard work on it turning out to be 40 likes in an average. I am really thankful that at least those people who manifested their appreciation were loyal to all posts related to it, but I really just don’t want to work so much on it to get just less and less recognition (although my last post about it didn’t really flop for some reason? 😭) especially when I have SO many fun ideas to work on.

Checkmate is also the kind of story that is better with an open end since I believe many people had different ideas for their future, and indeed, they’re all fun. Fluff, angst or purely smut… I’ve thought about them all in my slumbers, really.

Maybe in the future, when I feel I have a better structure in my blog, I can write an ending to it, but I’d rather let it rest for now (especially because I’m going for a 3-week trip at my home country to visit my family and friends so uh… REQUESTS CLOSED!!). If you would like to write something about it, I’d love to read it (with proper credits of course)!

But thank you so much for the music and request! I really appreciate that someone spent time thinking about my works after like 3 years of pure rejection, it truly makes me kick my feet in excitement whenever I get a request 🥹❤️‍🩹

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loveletterworm · 2 years ago

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Sonic Forces (2017) was, arguably, the only game in the Sonic series to be produced during a period where the “two worlds” canon (a retcon that claimed that the animal characters and humans in the series lived in 2 entirely separate dimensions and characters simply went between these worlds off screen between games (deeply conflicting with prior material to the point where entire plots of games no longer made sense) which itself has now also been retconned so it is no longer true) was in place and to be made with this context specifically in mind. (I personally have argued that the actual case is that the writers of Forces forgot a human population was previously shown to exist in the series and hastily made the two worlds retcon to attempt to justify the sudden lack of humans after someone pointed it out, but for the sake of this post we will act as if they originally intended two worlds in the first place)

Sonic Forces was also, as my friend recently informed me, the first game where there was an attempt to imply that the world the game took place in (at the time of the game’s creation allegedly an ambiguous “Sonic’s world”) had it’s own language distinct from any human one. (Apparently the recent Sonic Prime show is also attempting to do something similar to this, however I disagree with the idea that this concept would ever work for this specific series for reasons I’ll get into the moment)

This isn’t really unusual of a concept for a game to have, especially one that was, for a brief period of time, attempting to take place in a world entirely distinct and separate from any human world. Splatoon, for example, famously gives Inklings their own language with subtitles to “translate” spoken dialogue, as those games take place in a setting where humans are extinct and thus any human language being used would make no sense.

However, the problem with suddenly making up a new language to be commonly used in the universe of the Sonic games is that, as they only started trying to do this decades into the series, when put to scrutiny they must now constantly bump into the issue that human languages already are known to exist and be actively used within the game universe, and have been commonplace throughout the series. (Usually English, though I wouldn’t be surprised if Japanese showed up at some point as well, and I’ve been told that in the opening of Sonic and the Secret Rings that Sonic is reading the Arabian Nights in Arabic but I am not familiar enough with the Arabic alphabet to verify myself)

This clear in-universe presence of the English language essentially confirms that the Sonic characters speaking human languages is not a Splatoon-type matter of their language being translated for the viewer -- they must be actively speaking these languages in universe.

Thus, in the specific setting that only Sonic Forces (as the only two worlds canon game) tries to present, there is a harrowing implication: Contact with the human world has driven the native language of the magic talking animal world to near extinction -- even when in their own world and not in the presence of any human, the magic talking animals do not speak their magic animal language in conversation and use human language instead. Their distinct language remains only on signage, so its written form survives, but for how long can it? Will it be practical and accessible to learn the written form when the spoken form is gone? The literal Rosetta stone may exist in the Sonic universe now as of Frontiers, but it was unaccounted for in 2017 and thus we don’t know if it existed in the once-briefly-intended two worlds canon.

Of course two worlds was a terrible idea that made most of the series not make sense so they retconned it before the next mainline game could come out and the humans and animals all live on the same planet again, so that specific scenario is presumably no longer the case. But for a brief span of time, it was the only logical conclusion of the world presented by Sonic Forces. Thank you for your time

#mypost #sth #I love doing stupid as fuck analysis on the most specific nitpicky topic ever unprompted its really funny to me #long post #sorry.

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netherzon · 2 years ago

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A shameless snippet post from Apfelkuchen or Apple Pie because I got distracted this morning and have spent the whole day rereading a bunch of my favorite GerAme fics, so here’s one of my favorite parts of the only finished fic I’ve published for them cause I just love them a lot

“We’re going apple picking this afternoon, and then we’re gonna make apple pie, real apple pie.”

This did nothing to change Germany’s frown. “You want to go apple picking right now? While we’re wearing suits?”

“People go apple picking in suits all the time!” America replied cheerfully. His smile did not falter for even a moment under the weight of Germany’s incredulity.

“I’m quite sure that’s not true, America.”

“Have you gone apple picking a lot in these parts? How would you know? Maybe that’s just how we do it at my place,” America replied, his smile slightly more mischievous now.

Germany hoped his face showed as much skepticism as he felt.

“I’m telling you Germany, apple picking is a formal affair. You’re expected to wear your Sunday best,” America insisted.

A dubious Mmhmm was the only acknowledgement Germany gave him. He’s not going to back down, and time will prove one of us right anyway. Probably me.

They were the only two people wearing suits when they got to the orchard.

Germany turned to America, shaking his head a little. “Why do you bother lying when you know the truth will come out so soon after?” he asked, with a tone similar to the one he used whenever Berlitz would try to use her paws to open the refrigerator, even though he knew, and she knew that she didn’t have the necessary opposable thumbs.

“I wasn’t lyin, we just happened to come on Casual Friday ‘s all,” America replied. His smile was pure mischief now. He even winked. Germany refused to dignify this with a response.

America shucked off his suit jacket and tie, and elbowed him lightly. “Come on, you know we wouldn’t have made it in time if we had to change first, and this is too important to miss. Lookin silly for an hour is a small price to pay if ya ask me,” he said breezily while he moved to grab some bags for them.

Germany accepted this in silence. They had narrowly missed the worst of rush hour on the drive out, so he was probably right about that detail. Whether the funny looks they got from all the families here would be worth it remained to be seen, but he realized he was slightly grateful he wasn’t alone in being out of place. America had clearly been planning this outing, but he hadn’t brought a change of clothes for himself either, earning him just as many funny looks as Germany got. Was that on purpose so I wouldn’t feel so self-conscious, or did he just not think of it beforehand, Germany wondered.

Most nations wouldn’t even ask that question, having already written off America as an unprepared fool. Germany knew better than that, though. America was as capable of being thoughtful as often as he acted without thinking. The two possibilities were equally likely.

Germany removed his suit jacket and tie also, and turned to follow America into the rows of trees.

The orchard was bigger than Germany had originally realized, with neat rows of more apple varieties than he could count growing together. Each row had a sign at the beginning giving the name of the apple. Red Delicious, MacIntosh, Gala, Cripps Pink Lady, Golden Delicious. His mental list kept growing the deeper they went into the organized forest. At first he had thought they were only walking in because the first rows of trees must have been picked by other visitors already. All of the trees they passed at the first edge looked almost barren at this point in the season. Obviously they wouldn’t find anything there. Eventually though, Germany spied a large, spotless apple in a tree to his left, high enough that children had been unable to reach it, but not high enough to prevent him from plucking it.

Before he had the chance to grab it, America stepped in front of him, both arms out like he wanted to shield the tree from view.

“Not that one,” America declared firmly.

“Why? What’s wrong with it?” Germany asked.

“That’s a Fuji tree,” America replied, like this should explain absolutely everything.

“What?” was all Germany could say in response.

In a sudden role reversal, America was the one sighing with exasperation. “We don’t want Fujis for our pie, the filling will be too soft then,” he stated definitively. “We’re looking for the Cortland section for texture, and then a couple Granny Smiths to add a little tanginess, but not too many of those either cause then the whole thing will be sour,” he explained, with the seriousness of someone relaying the alchemical recipe for turning lead into gold.

It was extremely odd for Germany to be lectured on something by America, but he decided to let him have this one. Germany didn’t have as much experience baking with apples ---he was more likely to use plums--- and he could only remember seeing the Pink Lady variety at home. The others were unfamiliar to him, so America probably did know more about which ones to use in pie.

Now that the instructions were more clear, Germany suggested they split up to locate the Cortland section more quickly. When they found it they worked each from one end of a row collecting apples before they would meet in the middle and then move to the next row. It was an efficient system, or it should have been if they both agreed on the appropriate lengths to go to for the perfect apple.

“America, really, your shoes have no traction. I don’t want you to slip and break your neck. What will I tell the paramedics when you pop back up twenty minutes later?”

Instead of taking Germany’s sage warning as he had intended, and deciding not to climb the tree, America took this as a suggestion that he just climb the tree without shoes.

Germany cringed watching how dirty America’s socks got, and the bits of moss he collected on the knees of his pants and the arms of his shirt. They would probably stain.

America did not fall and break his neck though, and when he jumped down clutching the apple firmly and smiling at Germany with unabashed pride over such a small achievement, he had to admit it was a pretty nice apple, and maybe Germany had smiled back at him fondly.

#my writing #I gotta think of a better tag for that #gerame #ameger #sorry I don't have anything new to post rn #like I said this is the kind of brain rot that makes me read about them #instead of writing my own stuff like I should #hws america #hws germany #this is just a treat for me

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lonniemachin · 1 year ago

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i’ve made a few posts in a similar vein before but what you absolutely have to understand going into knightfall about azbats is that he was meant to be “unlikeable” on a surface level. the way he acts has a symbolic purpose. i’m thankful that o’neil made sure to publish such a backstory for jean-paul and azrael beforehand that established their history with conditioning, abuse, legacy, and identity, meaning that alongside all of the unlikeable things they did, there was a complex reasoning behind much of it and azbats wasn’t just “the bad batman” for the sake of filling a role, but as a narrative tool azbats was meant to highlight what was best about bruce by being what bruce wasn’t in many negative ways.

bruce works as a team with robin, who helps him in so many ways. azbats shuts robin out because working as a team both puts his teammate at risk and reminds him of his own “incompetence” if he can’t do everything himself. bruce allows others into the cave, azbats bricks it off, drives them away. bruce wears spandex. azbats wears armor, with a shooting range in the cave, a flamethrower, shuriken shooters, like a war machine. bruce treats “criminals” with a level of compassion. azbats brutalizes them and threatens to put them away even if they aren’t doing anything wrong if he runs into them again. bruce uses the fear associated with the bat symbol to inspire hope. azbats uses fear to keep people in line. what are some common gripes about batman from the crowd that doesn’t understand what he’s about? that the batcave is too crowded, that robin is too unrealistic/childish/cheesy, that he should be harder on his enemies, update his look to be more tactical and reflective of the “militarism” of vigilantism. i could go on. these things are all framed as turns of behavior that make batman’s trusted allies and associates afraid and uneasy because they’re signs somethings wrong.

and as i said, through it all, jean-paul and azrael remain complex characters. they aren’t in complete control of their mental faculties as they struggle to co-exist, grapple with recently dredged up trauma, pain, and confusion. dissociate and hallucinate and throw themselves into this role to fill the void of the “true self” — a nothingness jean-paul is repeatedly told he is by others and himself. jean-paul shows an empathy for those he relates to due to his past, he shows a desire to use his role to defend and avenge the abused, he’s an inexperienced, confused young man who needs help. he’s got his good, compassionate, heroic, and sympathetic traits in tandem with the parts of him that are angry, zealous, violent, and vindictive.

but he wasn’t meant to replace bruce forever. you can absolutely dislike azbats as he is, you weren’t meant to want him around like that. and jp’s bad relationship with tim and dick and gordon and the city bruce loved served an important purpose that was at the heart of much of knightfall and its associated arcs: to be a foil.

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mikaharuka · 2 years ago

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Winter Light Rambles + Apricity Outtakes

Clearly I haven't been good about posting the "daily last line" stuff since I'm not writing as quickly as I'd like to, and today will likely be similar since I'm writing slower right now. So... today, I decided to post something else. First are some random rambles, and second are two excerpt outtakes (from the newer Apricity, not the old one):

...I say that, but I'm definitely going to use them somewhere.

So... @udaberriwrites and I ramble about a lot in the DMs. Or rather, I ramble and she listens 80% of the time (and vice versa the remaining 20%). She's absolutely the perfect enabler - and here's proof of that:

In some distant, theoretical future centuries from now, I could see vampire!Mike walking around spritzing people with water when they get too annoying and/or horny in his presence.

For sure, I see Beau going scared/horny on main and Mike saying something petty about it. Would totally happen.

The idea of Carlisle effectively summoning Mike to point out the obvious to him and low-key chastise him over it somehow while also helping him find a solution... it feels right, somehow XD

Honestly, Carlisle occasionally gives off that same sort of FML, "best to just walk away" vibe when Edward goes full troll/unhinged. I suspect that's Mike's and Carlisle's true common ground XD

And, to end... here are two outtakes:

From (would-be current) Midnight - Mike + Carlisle:

“You should take some time for yourself. You seem rather exhausted.” “What about the earlier stuff?” “That should not be a concern anymore. I made sure of that.” Mike definitely did not want to know what he meant by that. “I see. That’s reassuring.” “I have certain things to take care of. Take care of yourself.” <Carlisle leaves, Mike stands there watching him>

From (would-be current) Indigo - Mike + Edward:

**Note, the year 1563 in this bit is outdated. I pushed Edward even further back in time in the world I have now. I do love this bit, though, so I will be writing it in a similar way when I get around to Indigo.

“Vampire.” “Vampire.” “Vampire?” “Vampire.” “Seriously?” “Seriously.” This asshole was thoroughly enjoying the situation, wasn’t he? “Okay then. Moving right along. How old are you?” “I’m eighteen,” Edward replied, beaming at Mike. “Okay, smart-ass, I’ll rephrase the question. How long have you been eighteen?” “...for a very long time.” Mike sighed. “Put a number on that, you petty bastard.” “Okay, okay, hold on…” Edward placated him before looking down and counting his fingers. If the Black twins’ account was correct, then this guy was at least… “457 years. I’ve been eighteen for 457 years now.” … Mike stared at him silently for a few moments before looking down to count his fingers. Four hundred. Fifty. Seven. Years. … No way. But the math was correct. Mike looked up to face the… centuries-old vampire. “1563.” “1563.” “1563?” “1563.” “Seriously?” “Seriously.” This again. Mike sighed. “You sure don’t behave like a 475-year-old person.” “What does a 475-year-old person even behave like, anyways?” “Not like you, that’s for sure!” “Of course not! Because I’m not 475-years old!” “Right. You’re not 475-years old. You’ve simply been eighteen for a very long time. My bad.” “Exactly.” What the hell was this conversation, anyways? Mike put his head in his hands and sighed. This whole situation was beyond surreal, but he could worry about that later. “You weren’t originally American, then. This country didn’t even exist at the time.” “Correct. I was originally from London.” “You’re English... and 1563… so what was that, Tudor England?” “Indeed. In fact, Elizabeth I ascended the throne in early 1563.”

#mizuka's rambles #winter light randomness #winter light #apricity #apricity outtakes

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jowi8597 · 4 months ago

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Not that I care either way, but If it helps, it looks like Rainbowsky mostly posts about Yibo. In fact, a recent post by rainbowsky shows bias against Xiao Zhan solos and seems to imply the escalation that happened at the Yuehua concert is their fault: https://www.tumblr.com/rainbowsky/759855938527264768/psa-regarding-weibo-comments. Can't see any previous posts disparaging MTJJs in the same way he refers to XLXs as toxic several times. May not really be relevant to ask, but how do you police bjyx if most of them are actively promoting/upvoting Yibo’s projects, too?

Dear Anon,

Thank you for your question, and I apologize for the delay in my response. I’ve been quite busy with various obligations before the school year started, and I was also unwell.

To address your inquiry about Rainbowsky's apparent bias, it seems he shares information about both artists fairly equally. However, I don’t have the time or pleasure to conduct a detailed analysis on which artist he posts about more frequently. It’s possible that he has been featuring Yibo more recently simply because Yibo has been more active this year in terms of content. As far as I know, xz hasn’t had any new drama, movie, song, concert, or fan meeting this year, though please correct me if I’m mistaken, as I don’t follow xz closely.

Regarding the criticism aimed at "solo" fans of both artists, it appears that Rainbowsky treats both groups in a similar light, perceiving them as haters and toxic, mostly due to their disapproval of bjyx fictional cp and their vocal opposition to bjyx's behaviour. In the recent incident at the concert, he may have singled out xfx because they were the ones leading the hate campaign in the days following the event.

Thanks to you, Anon, I checked out Rainbowsky's blog today. To my surprise, I found out that he made a post about me and the comment area is filled with misinformation and slander towards my person. I’ll be addressing that issue later. But as you see, he perceives mtjjs as enemies too, simply because we openly discuss bjyx's lies and their outrageous behavior.

Finally, I'd like to address your surprise regarding my criticism of bjyx despite their support for (some of ) Yibo's projects. It's true that there's a part of bjyx community which show support for Yibo's work, and I appreciate that. It is easy to notice, however, that these individuals frequently support xz in similar, if not even greater, ways.

But what bjyx really do?

Apart from the obvious allegations such as spreading rumors and lies about Yibo, speculating about his sexuality, and harassing him online and offline, there are also:

- bad-mouthing Yibo's family

- making a candy out of Yibo grieving his grandfather

- making a candy out of Yibo doing MRI scan

- attacking and even suing Yibo's brands (recently it's Master Kong Ice Tea)

- using Yibo for false marketing

- admitting to downvoting Yibo in charts

- threatening, cursing, wishing ill on Yibo

- reporting fan support prepared by Yibo's fans

- harassing people who know Yibo personally

- claiming that Yibo doesn't deserve to have an independent personality

- claiming that Yibo has "low EQ"

- interacting with Yibo haters*

Recently we can add also:

- giving low ratings to Yibo's documentary

- discouraging people from watching Yibo's works

- making up an idea to harass his brands until none will remain

The list can go on and on. Please mind that everything I wrote is supported by evidence that can be provided anytime.

To sum up, we all must understand that one positive action doesn't erase the negatives and a single good deed or even a few cannot erase a multitude of wrongs. Therefore, as long as bjyx continue their harmful actions, I will not hesitate to call them out and condemn their behavior.

*Many thanks to TracerBobo_85 on X for such a detailed list! The credit is hers! 💚

#wang yibo #wangyibo #bjyx are antis in disguise #bjyx is fake #jo answers

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stardustandash · 1 year ago

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Through Darkness Unknown - The Bad Batch

Tags: Post s2, hurt/comfort, whump, medical procedures

Chapter 3 - A Gift

“I’ve always thought that one of the greatest thing about having a mentor is that one day you can be better than them. Improve the galaxy a little more and all that. Nala Se has told me that she cannot help me fix something Now, my gift to you, Omega, is that if you can help me, you can keep it. Does that sound fair to you?”

Previous Chapter AO3

The next few cycles passed much in the same manner. Omega would be taken away for tests sometime in the first few hours of the day and returned in the afternoon. The tests had been different every day so far. Once a scientist asked her pointless questions about everything from the cloning process to the formation of stars to the engine workings of a Venator. The next rotation they tested her endurance and reflexes, then the next they took tissue samples. Sometimes it was Dr. Karr present, or Dr. Hemlock, or neither. Once they took Crosshair after leaving her back at their cell. Omega spent the hours pacing and wondering what they could be doing to him. Then she wondered if that was what Crosshair was doing when she was gone.

Crosshair had been angry about the port left in her arm. He hadn’t said anything, but the pinch of his brows and the hard look in his eyes gave it away. They hadn’t talked much since that first day. The others had told her Crosshair tended to be quiet, but somehow she was not quite expecting how committed the man could be to silence. She had no qualms about talking, and regaled Crosshair with stories of the adventures she had gone on with their brothers, though she avoided the ones that featured Tech and always made sure to emphasize that no matter what they were doing, there was a Crosshair-sized shape missing. Occasionally He would ask a question, or throw out some scathing commentary about the decision making skills of their brothers, but for the most part he remained silent and angry.

As the cycles began to form a routine Omega found herself almost bored with her predicament. It was similar enough to how she had grown up in the lab, though she had far less freedoms and AZ had been a more chatty companion than Crosshair. She hated herself for the thought but it was true.

It was in the late hours of the rotation, sometime after evening rations but before lights out, that Omega found she just couldn’t stand both the silence and the boredom. With a huff she flopped onto her back on the ground and sighed.

“What do they even want with us?”

“Nothing good I imagine,” said Crosshair drily in the way that said he didn’t want to have a conversation.

“But why bother keeping us around, keeping the other clones around. If the Empire wanted to get rid of clones they could’ve just sent everyone here to be executed.”

Crosshair gave her a funny look. “That’s a little morbid coming from a child.”

“I’m not a child” Omega shot back, indignant. “It’s just, something Doctor Karr said to me, the first time they took me away.”

“Oh, did she tell you that you’re useless? Let me guess, you took it to heart.”

Omega rolled her eyes at Crosshair’s sarcasm. After a few days locked in close quarters with him she was starting to understand his mannerisms.

“No, sort of the opposite, maybe? She said that she was some kind of failed clone experiment, but implied that I might be the successful version. But I’m just one of the two pure Jango Fett clones. And they only made two because they promised one to Jango and they gave him Alpha,” said Omega.

“I have no idea what you’re trying to get at,” said Crosshair.

“Neither do I! That’s the problem,” said Omega, letting out a huff of frustration. “I can’t make any of it make sense.”

“Then stop trying, thinking is Tech’s job,” said Crosshair snidely before they both froze.

The moment only lasted a few seconds, but the mood shifted. Guilt rushed through Omega once again. She ground her teeth together and stared determinedly at the ceiling.

“I miss him,” said Omega after a few minutes.

Crosshair sighed from across the room. “He was one of the more tolerable ones.”

Omega sat up and glared at him. “Don’t say it like that.”

“Would you rather me mope about and cry like you?”

There was a challenge in Crosshair’s eyes. Like he was itching for a fight, for something to scream and rage about just to get it out of his system. Omega flopped back down. She’d rather not bear the brunt of his rage.

“No, I guess not.”

Omega found herself poking at her broken finger just for something to do. At least the pain was a reaction. Crosshair was back to brooding in an instant, this time leaning against the back wall of the cell.

There wasn’t much else to do before lights out, and Omega was debating just going to sleep with the lights still on when heavy footsteps approached the containment wall. It was too early for the shift rotation for the guards in the hall and the footsteps too heavy. Omega picked herself up from the floor and found herself looking into the glowing visor of a clone commando. She scrambled to her feet and took a step backwards into the cell as the red glow vanished and the commando stepped into the cell. Two others stood behind him with blasters trained on Crosshair.

“Doctor Hemlock wishes to speak with you,” said the Commando in the toneless words of a clone fully under the spell of the inhibitor chip.

“It’s not the usual time,” said Crosshair from somewhere behind her. “What does he want with her.”

“I am not at liberty to discuss that, CT-9904,” replied the commando.

Crosshair stepped up behind Omega. She looked up at him and even from the odd angle she could see the truly burning glare that Crosshair had fixed on the commando. The two other commandos clicked the safety off their blasters and adjusted their grip on the weapons. Fingers from the side of the weapon to the trigger. Omega felt her heart leap to her throat at the clear threat.

“It’s okay, Crosshair. It’s okay,” she said, stepping forward with both hands raised. “I’ll come with you, Crosshair was just asking, right?”

Crosshair chewed at his lip, glare still firmly in place. “That’s right. I was just asking.”

Omega could hear the roughness of his words and see the way his hands balled into fists, the dark bruising of his broken finger standing out starkly against bloodless knuckles. Omega glanced back at him as the commandos took her from the cell. The glare had softened to something sadder and Omega recognized the face of hopelessness.

They did not go to Dr. Hemlock’s office. Neither were they heading in the direction of the labs that Omega had gone to for testing. Instead the commandos led her on a long walk deep into the bowels of the facility. Though Omega knew it was just a trick of her mind, the air down here seemed colder, the grey of the walls darker. She shivered and rubbed at her arms. Something wasn’t right, and not just the fact that the routine had been broken.

The feeling increased when she saw the small crowd outside a door. Hemlock at the front, as unreadable as ever. Behind him were Nala Se, Dr. Karr, and four more commandos. Omega wanted to turn and run more than anything in the galaxy but the sound of bone snapping echoed through her mind. If she even showed any sign of running she had no doubt they would kill Crosshair. So she forced herself to march ahead even as dread spread through her limbs and weighed her down.

“Ah, Omega. I’m glad you could join us,” said Dr. Hemlock in his smooth, gentle voice.

Omega just stared back at him, not trusting her voice. Sweat gathered in her palms and her heart was beating a tattoo against her throat. Something was going on. Her eyes flit between the other two at the door. Though Nala Se was a hard read, Omega had spent most of her life with the kaminoan as her only point of contact. The thin set of Nala Se’s mouth and the hard set to her eyes told Omega she was both nervous and angry. Dr. Karr was frowning slightly.

“I have heard that you have been behaving yourself, Omega. Is that true?” asked Dr. Hemlock.

Omega could only nod.

“Wonderful. And in my experience, good behaviour should always be rewarded. Do you think you should get a reward for how good you’ve been?”

Omega could only stare at him. This was leading somewhere. And from the tense air building in the corridor, it was leading nowhere good.

“Well, Omega, do you deserve a reward?” Dr. Hemlock asked again.

Omega nodded hesitantly.

“Then you shall have it,” said Dr. Hemlock, a soft smile tugging at his lips. “Now, Nala Se has told me that you used to be her medical assistant, is that correct?”

Omega glanced at Nala Se. The kaminoan’s eyes were glaring somewhere a foot above Omega’s head. She looked back at Dr. Hemlock. There was something about him that did not match the tense air that was gathered around the group. A victorious light played in his eyes, like he had won a prize and was now getting to bask in it.

Once again, Omega nodded.

A thousand scenarios flew into Omega’s mind. Most involving Hunter, Wrecker, or Echo. She hadn’t seen them since they had been with Dr. Hemlock in manacles. Omega wanted so badly to be somewhere else, anywhere else, with her family. She wanted to be safe, to be held by Wrecker, to have Echo soothe this away like the worst nightmares. She wanted Hunter to pat her head and give her that look she knew was reserved for her. She wanted Tech -Her heart lurched in her chest- to teach her how to hack and code and fly the Marauder.

“I said, does that sound fair to you?” said Dr. Hemlock. The softness of his voice felt far more threatening than if he had yelled at her.

Omega nodded.

Hemlock smiled at her, an expression full of smug victory. “Emerie, you may assist Omega.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Dr. Hemlock stepped aside and at a gesture the commandos backed up Nala Se as well. Without much of a choice Omega walked through the door, Dr. Karr following at her heels.

They passed through a sterilizing sonic before walking into the room. The smell made Omega’s stomach roll. It always had, despite Nala Se once telling her otherwise.

For a moment the room was dark, lit only by the dim red glow of various readout screens. When the lights went up Omega had to blink out the spots in her vision before taking in the room. They were in some kind of medbay crossed with a laboratory. There were several machines and tools ready to use, an open cabinet filled with bacta in all different forms, and a gurney-type bed.

It was the figure in the bed made Omega’s stomach drop into a black hole.

“Tech?” said Omega softly, trying her best to make her way over on legs that no longer seemed to function. “Tech!”

Somehow she made her way to the edge of the bed. Tech was still, without his blacks or goggles for the first time in Omega’s memory. Someone had already done a patch-job on him. They would have had to in order to keep him alive so long after his fall. Yet the damage was still utterly evident.

Bruising covered Tech from head to where his body vanished under the thin sheet that covered him for modesty. Cuts littered the areas around the edges of where his armour would sit. But that was not what drew Omega’s eye. She was fixed staring at the ruin of the right side of Tech’s face. Though someone had wiped the blood away they had not closed the wounds. There was a deep gash across his eye with something yellow that caught the light sticking partially out of it. The side of his head had been, for lack of a better term, cracked open. To Omega it was sort of like she was seeing Wrecker’s scars when it had been a fresh wound. The damage radiated out from Tech’s temple, spreading from just behind his ear all the way down to the curve of his jaw.

Omega tentatively pressed shaking fingers under his jaw. A pulse thrummed gently against her fingertips, not as strong and steady as it should have been, but far better than none. Omega didn’t know what to do. Her mind was trying to coincide the ideas that Tech was dead, he was here and breathing, and that he was dying. That’s what Hemlock had said. That he was broken, and only if Omega “fixed” him would he be saved.

A hand came down and gripped Omega’s shoulder. She jumped, slamming back into the present and realized she was breathing far too fast and far too shallow. She looked up to see Dr. Karr standing beside her. There was a worried twist to her lips that seemed out of place. She could hear a ghost of Echo’s voice telling her to breathe, to count the seconds between in and out.

“I-I need gloves. And a scanner,” said Omega with a shaking voice.

Dr. Karr handed her them wordlessly. Omega pulled on the gloves with trembling hands and started with the scanner. It had plenty to show her. Broken ribs flared against the screen, the leg that he’d fractured on Serenno had rebroken more significantly along the same lines, most of his right arm was shattered. The worst was his head. There was significant trauma to the eye itself, but the most upsetting was that the scanner was reading damage and bleeding in Tech’s brain underneath the damage at his temple.

Her hands were shaking as she put down the scanner. There was no AZ here to help her, the only thing that could help Tech was if she could stop the shaking and get herself under control. He was just another soldier, Omega tried to rationalize. Just another clone, and she had worked with Nala Se on plenty of clones on Kamino. She took a deep breath in as her hand closed around a scalpel and with it banished the part of herself that wanted to scream and cry and vomit. She had a job to do. And she would not accept failure.

The night cycle had long since run its course by the time Omega was returned to the shared cell. She did not register the red light of the barrier reactivating behind her. Nor did she notice Crosshair saying her name, or the bony hand that gripped her arm. She could only smell the blood still clinging to her skin, the feel of Tech’s insides beneath her hands, see the glint of light as she removed a piece of his own goggles from his unseeing brown eye.

Omega did not feel her knees hit the durasteel floor of the cell nor the arms that caught her as her eyes slipped closed and she went limp. The last thought she had was the barest relief that she had succeeded, then she thought nothing at all.

Next Chapter

#the bad batch #the bad batch fic #tbb #sw tbb #fanfic #tbb fic #fanfiction #through darkness unknown #protective crosshair #protective omega #tech lives #but at what cost

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