#Its a tragedy the deaths are important to the themes and to the surviving characters

[ciderjacks]

Everytime someone describes AAA killing off the coven as a “mistake” an angel dies

[kseniyagreen]

Some thoughts about Li Lun's arc and the meaning of the drama.

Life is full of contradictions, and my relationship with FoF has its contradictions too. Not all moments feel right, especially on closer inspection. And this is actually a very common story with works heavily laden with the author's idea. Under this thought that the author wants to express, some plot lines inevitably bend and the character arcs are distorted.

But I want to point out one thing that - in my subjective opinion - is missed when people talk about the lack of development Li Lun's redemption arc.

The point is that Li Lun doesn't have a redemption arc because there shouldn't be one in the entire concept of the drama - not just Li Lun, no one has one. This drama is fundamentally not about redemption at all.

Li Lun's problem is not that he is wrong about people. He actually sees people quite accurately. In a sense, he sees the world more clearly than others - it's not for nothing that he has a "true eye". And that is his tragedy.

Because the message of the drama, clearly voiced in another context, is "he sees things with his eyes but does not see with his heart".

Having received the true eye, he gained the ability to see reality as it is - with the darkness of human hearts, with injustice, separation, the inevitability of death. But reality as it is is unbearable - that is why we dream, and that is why the theme of dreams occupies a central place in the drama.

The theme of the sea of suffering reminded me of a poem by Yosano Akiko:

"They told me that the road I took

would lead me to the Sea of Death;

and from halfway along I turned back.

And ever since, all the paths I have roamed

were entangled, and crooked, and forsaken."

Not only Li Lun, but all the characters from the very beginning are moving towards the sea of death, and this is the main content of the drama.

Having realized that reality has no meaning - what can you do? Stomp your feet and break toys like a child - what Li Lun did. Drown in despair and crawl towards the cemetery - what Zhao Yuanzhou did in the beginning. Adapt to this cruel reality to the point where you cannot die because you no longer really exist - what the main villain did and Li Lun tried to do.

Or you can try to create your own meaning in this meaningless world, contrary to laws and logic - which I see as the message of the entire Zhuo Yichen's arc.

So, returning to Li Lun, the point of his arc was not to atone for sins or sacrifice himself for the greater good. But to realize that there are still things that are important to him in this world, even if they are broken, and there are things that are more important than physical survival.

How organically and logically this line was drawn in the drama is a debatable issue. I must admit - I also miss something in Li Lun's line. As well as the fact that in general the drama often forcibly pulls the characters' lines under the cruel rule of this world "a demon can truly be himself and follow his heart only on the threshold of death." The authors sometimes didn't try hard enough to justify such a radical situation.

But I still love this drama - more like a poem than an adventure story. Poem about death and dreams and person's will that is trying to pull this impossible dream through the reality of death.

Sometimes, in order to wake up in reality, you need to accept the death of a dream. But if a dream becomes more valuable than reality, if you are ready to hold on to it at the cost of your physical existence - sometimes you die with it. But sometimes a dream lives on after you. And sometimes a dream shared with others changes the world a little and gives you a chance to survive in spite of fate.

[mcclainwilla]

JJK 271 spoilers under the cut!!

So, with the leaks out and the series (un)officially over, I wanted to offer an alternative (NOT optimistic, but accepting) perspective to how things ended...

...specifically with Gojo.

I am a Gojo lover. I am a tragedy enjoyer. And I believe that both the (implied) return of both Sukuna and Kenjaku and Gojo's shitty posthumous treatment by the rest of the cast boil down to the same themes that have defined Jujutsu Kaisen from the start.

Jujutsu Kaisen has a punitive narrative. When a character fails to honor their goals, retribution is swift and severe. Itadori failing, continuously, to guide people to proper deaths. Nanami failing to keep his juniors safe in Shibuya. Geto failing to follow through on his own ideology. Jujutsu Kaisen also has a circular narrative. Its characters' storylines are defined by the generational curses that haunt jujutsu society. Gojo and Geto were thrown at missions like grenades until Geto finally went off. Ten years later, kids are still being exploited for their talents. Itadori, for all rights and purposes, died in the juvenile detention facility. The Shibuya task force was like, at least 50% high schoolers. Nothing has changed, despite Gojo's dream of fostering strong and capable allies who will overturn the system.

Now, about that. Gojo stated his intentions multiple times throughout the manga. He wanted to break the cycle. But that panel showing Sukuna's finger? Not surprising at all. He failed to break the cycle. Why?

Because without concerted effort, there will be no true change.

That is the point of Jujutsu Kaisen. It always has been. We ended up right where we left off - with the looming threat of Sukuna in the form of a surviving finger - because no one made an active effort to step off the tracks; instead, everyone combined their forces to push back against the train. Sure, the train stopped - Sukuna was exorcized, mostly - but trains have engines, and when jujutsu society grows complacent, the old order will begin to creep back into place.

There's another way of saying this. We ended up right where we left off - with kids as cannon fodder - because Gojo failed to consider that he couldn't dismantle the system from within the system. And the worst part is, he figured it out, right before the end.

Too late, Gojo realized his plan of a peaceful coup would never come to fruition. He realized he would have to take tangible, violent action in order to have even a chance of guaranteeing his students' futures. But because he was too slow to realize this, the hammer dropped, he failed, and died. And now, his kids might get to live to see another day, but they live to see another mission, too. And another Sukuna finger, and another Kenjaku. No one's efforts were focused enough. Like Yuki said, they were treating symptoms, not causes.

What's interesting is that this 'concerted effort' clause can also explain Gojo's apparent insignificance to the surviving cast. After Geto left, he leaned into the role of the Strongest, because there was nothing left for him to be. He took missions. He automated Infinity. He only started teaching so that the next generation wouldn't be lonely - he mentioned nothing of how that revolution would impact himself, presumably because it was of no importance to him. He'd already given up on having the very thing he tried to build for his students.

You can, actually. You can ask a flower to understand you, but you would be insane to do it, because it won't, obviously. So why would you bother?

Gojo never bothered. He let his loss haunt him for the rest of his life and never tried to put it behind him (or if he did, he did a shitty job at it). Instead, he let it motivate him, guide his choices, hollow out his heart. And in his death, he reaped the consequences of refusing to reach out for companionship: by making himself into a weapon, rather than a person, he was used, rather than mourned.

(But even though he knew he would die in the fight against Sukuna, he still wanted Itadori to keep going, to have hopes and dreams! It would be better if the world no longer revolved around 'the Strongest,' because that way, no one would have to be alone! What a nice dream. What a shame he only fought 'til blood at the end - first the higher ups', then his own.)

It's not comfortable to look in from the outside knowing that, after all that sacrifice and loss, nearly nothing was gained. But imo, it's not the thematic reach some say it is.

Jujutsu Kaisen was never about curses. It was about consequences.

[rabbiteclair]

more Girls' Last Tour thoughts, which are admittedly mostly thoughts I had for the first time about five years ago only to resurface today upon having a long conversation about the series with a friend. this one is fully spoiler-y

as far as emotional suckerpunches go, I personally think it's like... [the entire Silence chapter] > [Chito's breakdown after she realizes the Kettenkrad's bricked] > [the end of the Art chapter] > [the end of the Life chapter] > 'the planet will finish life's long work and go to sleep as well' > [the actual end of the series]. This isn't a criticism of it, since I really like the end. I just find it kinda funny.

similarly I find it funny that this series, where every named character is strongly implied to die either during or shortly after its events, which is about 40% ruminations on death, containing the line "currently, you two are the only surviving humans of whom we are aware," is categorized as an Iyashikei. H E A L I N G. I mean I don't even necessarily disagree but goddamn.

One of the core dichotomies of the series, I think, is... it repeatedly makes it clear that people have done horrible things here, and the amount of deliberate destruction that's gone on is absolutely monstrous. They stumble onto nukes and giant war robots that can blow up a city, and there are destroyed tanks and giant craters everywhere. Basically everywhere they go is a former war zone. But it takes a really positive view of humanity. Outside of the attack on their hometown in the flashback, every single person they meet is nice and helpful. Any time it delves into human nature, the message is 'actually humans are pretty cool most of the time, and our basic drive is to take care of each other, not this survival of the fittest bullshit.'

which is one thing that I think sets it apart from a lot of fiction in this space? It never tries any kind of 'humanity is doomed in the long run because we're all violent animals beneath the facade of civilization' message or anything. Humanity rules, and it's a genuine tragedy that things have come to this.

kinda related, the series does a lot to make it clear how all of this is an unfathomably large tragedy. There are tons of background shots of entire abandoned cityscapes, there's the chapter with the mass grave, the gigantic library full of books, and so on. The actual scale of 'no, really, everyone and everything has an end sooner or later' gets driven in repeatedly. At the same time, it spends a lot of time on how something as small as destroying a single diary can be a tragedy in its own right, too. I guess I'm just kinda used to media that takes that kind of grand high-level view dismissing the small stuff as trite and unimportant when we could be putting up another number with lots of zeroes to say how many people died.

there are a lot of different ideas floating around on things like what it all means in the end, and whether it's meaningful to leave anything behind. The AI is overjoyed when she gets her chance for oblivion. The people in the graveyard have a statue to watch over them. Chito's attempt to leave something in the form of her diary is ultimately futile, and while she learns to find other meaning, destroying her diary and the books still isn't portrayed as a good thing. Other people are recorded forever in images and videos, and it's wonderful. Ultimately I don't think there's any one answer or message. Keeping with the general existentialist kinda themes, what matters is what the people involved find meaningful in that context, but that drive to create and preserve meaning for the future is both universal and noble.

while there's a lot to be said about the visuals overall... the fact that basically the only thing on the upper layer is a spiral staircase leading up into the air with no destination sure is some symbolism, huh.

similarly, while it wouldn't change the events any, symbolically I think it's very important that their long, ultimately pointless meandering journey that ends in death was upward, not downward.

on another level, though, it's kinda implied that the higher strata are newer/more recently maintained. So it's also essentially them moving through (and revisiting a lot of) human history to take their position at the very end.

Yuu's gun is never used for anything but target practice, and then she chucks it aside as soon as it's too much effort to carry. They use an old tank for a shower. They find a working military sub with nukes inside, and it's only useful because there's chocolate and a way to look at the storage on a camera. The one time they really fire a weapon, it's horrible, and the one thing they kill is portrayed as a tragedy. Even their helmets are mostly a running joke of 'oh my helmet totally would've stopped that falling building.' For a series that includes a lot of military stuff, it regards military stuff somewhere between 'disdain' and 'indifference.' Very 'the world is ending and you think a rocket launcher is going to be useful? Put that thing down and help me look for food.'

that said, the choice to give them a vehicle from WW2-era Germany is still a pretty damn unfortunate one. Considering the series's consistent stance against violence, disinterest in war, and casually disdainful treatment of weapons and military stuff, I'm comfortable saying that Tsukumizu almost certainly isn't a closet nazi, but still. At best it gives the wrong impression to anybody who hasn't gotten about a dozen chapters in and started thinking about the themes, and there's nothing the themes do with it that wouldn't work basically as well with any other military transport anyway.

the fungus things apparently being the inspiration for the god statues is clear enough, but just what their deal is remains surprisingly undefined. I've always figured they were genetically engineered or something, made specifically to clean up the environment. Which is itself a hell of a thing if so, deifying the creatures that basically symbolize 'maybe we can undo the harm we've done, and if that takes longer than we live, at least we'll leave something behind.'

I really don't know how to feel about the whole Shimeji Simulation connection. (if you aren't familiar) On one hand I feel like it undermines a lot of the series' messages to go 'oh but just kidding, everyone's fine and nobody really dies for good.' On the other hand, as somebody who's read/watched through the series about half a dozen times and really marinated in the despair, my primary immediate reaction is 'oh thank god they absolutely deserve this.' And it isn't like I haven't written multiple stories about characters embracing their imminent demise only to turn out okay against all odds in the epilogue.

Yuu's gay little run. this is still a thought

[adalineozie]

MJ is named Meera Jain in the 2004 Spider-Man: India comic, actually! While Gayatri clearly mirrors Gwen's role, she IS a model like Mary Jane, as we can see her on some billboards in Mumbattan.

While the movie does focus more on Gwen's father's death and its counterparts (Including, interestingly, Miles' father), even flashing back to Amazing Spider-Man when Captain Stacy died in front of Peter, Gwen's inevitable death in Spider-Man stories is touched on a bit, when she mentions outright and how it's mirrored by her surviving while her Peter dies. While Miles is still our main protagonist and a lot of the themes about averting fate revolve around him, we spend a LOT of time with Gwen in this movie, even starting it in her daily life instead of Miles, so I definitely think averting the classical tragedy of Spider-Man and Gwen Stacy is going to be important. Or, fuck, now that Gwen's dad isn't a police captain and Miles' dad is, Miles might just be the Gwen Stacy to Gwen's Peter Parker, as convoluted of a sentence as that is.

To anyone who hasn't watched Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse, SPOILERS!!!

You have a very good point, Gayatri is an original character for the movie and it seems confirmed she is the Gwen Stacy counterpart as Meera Jain is Earth-50101 Mary Jane counterpart in the comics. But Gayatri also seems to be playing as the role of MJ too. And as you said, since the movie is about Mile's averting the tragedies of Spider-Man, Gwen Stacy also plays a very big role is changing the tragic fate of Gwen Stacy being that her death is infamously a major Spider-Man tragedy.

And if so, Gayatri may possibly be saved from her tragic fate and I'm curious what her life will be like going forward with Pavitr.

Thinking about it Anon, it hurts my brain but you might have something going on there with Miles possibly being Gwen's Gwen Stacy (say that ten times fast). I think it's a stretch with them being from different universes but thinking about it, if the movie also hinted at Gwen suffering the same fate if she fell in love with Spider-Man (Miles) and the two times Miles saved Gwen from falling in both movies (falling at the collider fight and falling in Mumbattan), it might also be same the other way. As you said, now with Miles' dad becoming Captain and if Miles could save Inspector Singh, who's to say Gwen can't save Miles' dad now instead? Am I getting it?

[nightvyre]

Appreciation post for HoTD soundtrack

Sad my man Ramin Djawadi isn’t nominated for Emmy but i know that he will get that nom for later seasons (Gullet *ekhm* God’s Eye *ekhm*) ANYWAY still wanted to make a mini-essay to appreciate his works for HoTD S1, starting with the first piece we hear on the series : The Heirs of the Dragon.

THE HEIRS OF THE DRAGON

This is the first piece we hear on the series. This theme is definitely a nod to House Targaryen’s theme. It’s slower, but more powerful. More glory. You could feel the magnitude of House Targaryen’s power which, makes sense, because during this scene, Rhaenyra was explaining how House Targaryen stood at the height of its strength.

And then you could hear the GoT main title’s theme in 1:44, which i think is just an easter egg because the first episode has no opening title; this scene serves as one.

And then from 1:58, you could hear the beating drums, but it’s not like the usual beats that signal a triumph. No, these are chilling drumbeats that signify the decline of an empire. Because that is what HoTD is about: The Dance of the Dragons, a Targaryen civil war that resulted in the collapse of the Targaryen Dynasty.

The drums that we hear on The Heirs of the Dragon is also part of Aemond Targaryen’s theme. Which is actually a really cool detail because, in a way, it was Aemond who (accidentally) started the civil war. We hear this beating drums several time during Aemond’s scenes when:

he went to the Dragonpit to see dragons after being mocked for not having one

he claimed Vhagar (Aemond Rides Vhagar, 0:00 - 0:50)

he was ranting to Criston Cole how he should be king instead of Aegon

he chased Lucerys Velaryon and ultimately killed him (Bloodlines Will Burn, 1:17 - 1:28)

So yeah I think it’s a really nice touch because Ramin Djawadi succeeds in telling the premise of the series in 2,5 minutes, as well as setting the tone for the whole show: we’re dealing with something powerful, something huge, something that will alter history. A tragedy that could only be ended the way it started: with fire and blood.

THE GREEN DRESS

Alicent Hightower’s theme song, which captures her character perfectly. The beginning of it encapsulates Alicent’s sad, manipulated, and lonely childhood. Then it builds up towards 1:25 where the tone changes: Alicent realizes that she is Queen now, that she holds power, and that she is willing to do anything for the survival of her house and her children. Nevertheless, despite the change of tones, we could still hear the tragic melody, foreshadowing that Alicent, despite being queen now, will still have a tragic ending. That tragedy will follow her from childhood until her death.

I also love the chosen title for this piece. It refers to the famous green dress that Alicent wore during Rhaenyra Targaryen’s wedding. When she entered the room in the middle of King Viserys’ speech.

"The king will not be happy. Right in the middle of his speech." "The beacon, on the high tower, do you know what color it glows when Oldtown call its banners to war?" "Green."

With a single entrance, Alicent declared war against Rhaenyra. The color was so important that since then, everyone on the Queen’s side was later known as "the Greens". And thus, this soundtrack officially became the Greens’ theme.

Ramin recylced this theme for another piece of his work later on in the season : Interest of the Realm. The soundtrack of Aegon’s coronation. Unlike the original score, this is the epic version of The Green Dress. No tragic melody, just pure greatness that gives you goosebumps. Alicent’s theme comes at full power (2:10) when her son, Aegon, was walking down that aisle, waiting to be crowned King of the Seven Kingdoms.

BLOODLINES WILL BURN

The soundtrack during the first dragon fight in the show (not really a fight considering Vhagar is the largest dragon alive and Arrax is … well, not even 1/3 of her size). The showdown between Aemond Targaryen and Lucerys Velaryon, the event that started the Dance of the Dragons.

The first half of the soundtrack did a tremendous job in showing how terrifying Vhagar is, and how unhinged Aemond could be. That bit of Aemond’s theme in 1:18 with the repeated strings sound, as if echoing Aemond trying to search/hunt Luke in the middle of the storm. "You owe me a debt, boy!" And it keeps building up until 2:05, falsely luring the audience of Luke's safety, until Vhagar comes out of nowhere and ate Luke. The part from 2:06 - 2:30 felt like it came straight out of a horror movie, as Aemond realised the dire consequences of his actions.

And the second half ,,, now THAT is something that musicians have to take notes. The theme itself transitioned from horror-like music to Rhaenyra’s theme (The Power of Prophecy). Rhaenyra’s theme is hopeful, so we think we may have found relief when it starts playing, but then the theme became distorted and monstrous, because Rhaenyra just learnt that her son died. From 3:28 until 4:00, we could feel Rhaenyra’s devastation, grief, and anguish—all at once. And by 4:01 towards the end, Rhaenyra’s theme was fully corrosive. Rhaenyra wanted to solve the conflict with the Greens with peace. But then they took her son. There is no mercy or peace after this. Only war.

It’s literally a descent to madness. And Ramin Djawadi perfectly captured it.

i think it’s just beautiful that Ramin Djawadi really gives thoughts to all of the details and incorporates them to his works. HoTD sountracks are more than just background noises. Thanks to Ramin Djawadi and his talent, they also serve as a means of storytelling as well. It makes his works more memorable and have more depths.

[web-novel-polls]

Favorite WN Quotes - Bonus: DPA

Quote 31: Unfathomable Cherishment

“Eleris had traded the entire world and her own life for me. Because she loved me that much. I couldn't even begin to fathom how much Eleris cherished me.” - The Demon Prince Goes to the Academy, Chapter 634 

Quote 32: Remaining Child

"An action borne from simple fear, beyond good and evil…As a mother….I want to protect my remaining child."   - Luna Artorius, The Demon Prince Goes to the Academy, Chapter 423

Quote 33: Mountain of Sins

"Of course, I know that no matter what, the mountain of sins I have accumulated cannot be cleared away... But if it's possible, if I can contribute even a little to prevent that future tragedy. Maybe I can alleviate, even just a tiny bit, the weight of the slaughter and sins I've accumulated... I dared to think that way…"  - Eleris, The Demon Prince Goes to the Academy, Chapter 427

Quote 34: Meaning in Life

"If I can't find meaning in death, I will find it in life."  - The Demon Prince Goes to the Academy, Chapter 450

Quote 35: Excuse for Complacency

"It is right not to engage in reckless acts…However, standing atop the mountain built upon my recklessness, I cannot help but think that refraining from something due to its recklessness is merely an excuse for complacency."  - The Demon Prince Goes to the Academy, Chapter 466 

Quote 36: Blasphemy

"Isn't it blasphemy to believe that the gods always pursue goodness? No, to believe that the gods always make choices for the sake of humanity?" "Did the gods ever say that the good they pursue is the same as the good for humans?” - Rowan, The Demon Prince Goes to the Academy, Chapter 577

[Propaganda below] - Major Spoilers Warning!

Quote 32: Remaining Child

The context of this quote is that Luna Artorius is the mother of the hero who killed the demon king but died in the process - Ragan Artorius. The main character is the author of the story [The Demon King is Dead] who transmigrated into the body of Valier, Jr. - the son of the demon king. He chooses to attend the (human) Empire’s academy to become strong enough to survive a world-ending disaster and ends up befriending the strongest student of their year - Ellen… Artorius. In this part of the story, the main character has been revealed as the son of the demon king with great emphasis on how fear causes war and suffering. How the demon king was planning to create a new world for demons, but he couldn’t trust the Empire with his plans for fear of them taking the power for themselves and the Empire couldn’t trust the demons not to attack them (leading to the Great Demon War that killed the Demon King, the hero’s party, etc.)

And to add to this, Luna Artorius is preparing to die here! She’s not supposed to interfere with the “outside world” and will likely disappear if she does so! But she can’t help but regret losing her son and ends up feeding in the same cycle to consumed him. 

Quote 33: Mountain of Sins

Eleris was originally a tyrannical Arch-Demon (before becoming a vampire) who was deposed by her own son. Out of guilt for her own actions, she becomes a pacifist who helps whoever she can, including being the only member of the Vampire Council who chose to help the demons during the Great Demon War. She’s the first member of the Demon spies the main character meets in the (human) capital. Her past is only revealed in the late stages of the novel, but her constant desire to protect the demon realm while loving humans is integral to the story. She’s just… *clenches fist* so important to me, and the theme of doing what you can despite never being able to redeem yourself or fix what you broke is fantastic

[adamwatchesmovies]

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011)

Few series end on the same gratifying note as the Harry Potter franchise. Spanning a whopping 8 films (the last book being split into two), it remained remarkably consistent. At worst, the stories were workmanlike translations of J.K. Rowling's books, or a bit too fan-oriented. Now that we're at the end, what a journey it's been. With all of the exposition laid out in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1, Part 2 can jump right into it and deliver everything we’ve been anticipating.

Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) continue their search for the horcruxes - magical objects in which Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has hidden pieces of his soul. As the trio scrambles to find the artifacts and a way to destroy them, they realize their quest will bring them back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, now governed by Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) and the rest of Voldemort’s Death Eaters.

After the persistent dread of Part 1, our heroes can finally enjoy a glimmer of hope. It isn’t going to be easy but finally, we feel ready to tackle the big bad… for the most part. The film, the characters and the audience always remember that our main characters are teenagers. They may have faced - and survived - enormous dangers but it’s always been through a combination of their wits, ingenuity, and a lot of dumb luck. There are no teachers to fall back upon now; it’s just the three of them desperately piecing together the last clues handed to them by their late headmaster. As we reach the finale, everyone we’ve met over the years gets to play a part. Emphasis on everyone. As before, you need to have seen all of the previous chapters, understand the lore, remember who was the teacher of this class X years ago, why this character was important to Ron or Hermione, how we felt about this person when we met them versus now, etc. In a movie with Part 2 in the title, you know this going in.

The film works because we have already invested time and effort into it, because we have spent years watching and revisiting these people and these places while eagerly awaiting the ultimate showdown. All of the characters returning - even if it’s just for a tiny moment - makes you feel like you’re there too. This fight isn’t just about the boy who lived anymore, it’s about all of us.

Let's pause to think about what a monumental task this was for director David Yates. Going in, all of your feelings and expectations are amplified. The second that familiar theme by John Williams comes in, you reach for the tissues. This could be the last time we hear it - ever. Still, it wouldn’t have been worth the wait had the scale been wrong. This is the final battle between a 17-year-old and an irredeemably evil wizard with a snake face but you don’t want it to feel silly, you want it to be epic - and it is. In the action scenes, you’ll have difficulty sitting still. You'll be too busy wringing your hands in nervousness, moving from side-to-side trying to dodge the spells flying throughout the air or punching into the air to show your support for our heroes.

There are a few character’s stories which are not completely resolved - Timothy Spall’s Peter Pettygrew for example. I would've rather seen those ends tied than the epilogue. If I were to fish around for more criticisms you could also say that no, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 is not REALLY a film, it’s HALF a film. Does that take away how frightening it gets, or how joyous it make you feel when things are going well for our beloved trio? Does it make the tragedies any less devastating or the battle any less epic? No. The series has grown up since the lighthearted whimsy and innocence of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone all those years ago. It’s built upon itself, expanded its world, gotten us to fall in love with its characters and enchanted audiences. Never more than in this final chapter. (On Blu-ray, November 15, 2019)

[siderealcity]

Doomed by the song lyrics

I am going to have Footsteps in Snow stuck in my head all day. Spoilers ahead.

Ysayle is a fantastic character. And in a lot of ways, she's the precursor to Emet-Selch. The unambiguous enemy who joins us on our journey and turns out, in the end, to have been just like us. But that's getting ahead of things.

When we meet Ysayle for the first time, there's no doubt she's a villain. The Warrior of Light has no inside perspective on what the heretics are about. The only one we've actually, really met up until now was Inquisitor Guillaime, and he was a serial killer. He didn't have any redeeming values whatsoever. So, Ysayle can make whatever speeches she wants about our blind faith, we literally have no idea what she's talking about. We're not breaking into Snowcloak because she's a heretic. We're breaking into Snowcloak because we already know they're going to summon a primal. They've murdered people in order to steal crystals. It's not really open to interpretation.

We risk our lives chasing her to the primal fight, and I think it's really important to Ysayle's character to note how the fight starts.

She begins with a prayer.

We whom gods and men have forsaken shall be the instruments of our own deliverance. Partake of my flesh--fill this vessel with your light! Walk amongst your brothers and sisters once more.

Oh, Saint Shiva, still the hatred within our hearts and bless us with eternal grace.

The quest takes its title from the first line. The Instruments of Our Deliverance. And this is the fundamental problem the story keeps coming back to. Where does salvation come from? Does it come from the gods? From the stars? When your life lacks meaning, when you want change, where do you get it?

Ysayle, despite stating that the gods--at least Halone--have forsaken her, decides the answer is still to place her hopes in a higher power. Shiva is a saint and a hero to the heretics. And even though Ysayle knows on some level that Shiva was an entirely ordinary elezen woman, part of her still believes that she was divine. That ending the Dragonsong War isn't something a mortal person could do. Or even something a group of people could do. Ysayle's vision of the truth behind the war doesn't motivate her to take her followers and try to change Ishgard. That's impossible, so far as she believes. A goddess can deliver salvation and redemption from on high.

People can only create suffering and tragedy.

And it's hinted at there in the prayer, but it's even more clearly written in the lyrics of her theme song: Ysayle doesn't think she's going to survive the summoning. She's inviting Shiva to replace her. The song, Oblivion, is about facing down death, and then unexpectedly finding you're still alive and forced to carry on fighting. That's... that's the plot here. Ysayle's hero figure, her saint, was a martyr. Of course her ideals of peace hinge on sacrifice.

That's the only role an ordinary person can play.

But the battle ends, and she lives. Now what?

Ysayle and Estinien are, arguably, the two most obviously doomed characters in the game from the moment you meet them. Estinien's fate is painfully obvious if you've played the dragoon quests before starting Heavensward. We don't know a lot about Shiva before we get to Ishgard, but there's plenty here in Akh Afah to hint at it, and then we get a bigger hint as soon as Ysayle tells us who Shiva actually was. That her sainthood, her legend as a mediator between dragon and man, was entirely because of her death.

Ysayle's struggle sets up the recurring problem of the plot. Faced with an unsolvable, terrible fate, salvation, for the greater good, must be paid for with sacrifice. That's the solution that has always been chosen. By the Convocation, and Amaurot. By Venat and her followers creating Hydaelyn. By the sundering. By Moenbryda, to slay Nabriales. And Haurchefaunt catching the death blow from Zephirin. And Ardbert and his friends. And eventually, all the Scions in Ultima Thule. Only through great sacrifice can salvation be attained.

Heavensward is, in a way, a build-up to rejecting that idea.

You start by losing everyone. All that's left of the Scions is Alphinaud and Tataru. And Alphinaud is a shell of his former self for a good chunk of the expansion. Then the story promptly gives you the most obviously doomed characters in existence and sends you on an impossible mission, cheerfully asking, "What are you prepared to sacrifice for victory?"

The story up to the Singularity Reactor is full of losses you are powerless to prevent. Most notably Haurchefaunt. They're not choices you make. They're there to remind you this will cost you something. Ardbert literally says that to you in Shadowbringers on more than one occasion. I wonder what this will cost you. There has to be a price, doesn't there? Miracles don't come cheap.

Maybe the price is never being the same again.

When Ysayle arrives during the battle with the Gration, it's kind of important to note that she has no idea what's going on. She wasn't privvy to what happened with Thordan at the Vault. She doesn't know about the key, and the island full of Allagan doomsday devices floating overhead.

It's important to take note of this, because without it, her decision seems like a failure to move forward. She started out in this story intending from the first to sacrifice herself for the greater good. And then she does it at the end. No lesson learned.

Except that's not what she's doing.

All she knows, heading to that battle, is that Estinien, who is definitely an idiot, just used way too much of the Eye's power. She persuades Hraesvelgr to take her to wherever that was, not to save the world, or for the greater good, or to stop Thordan.

Much blood has been spilled in my name. And for what? For a false cause that I created for want of the warmth of companionship.

She's there for her asshole friends.

But even now, I cannot let go of my dream--my dream of a tomorrow in which no child need freeze alone in the snow.

She has come to the battle to save her stupid, idiot friends, whom she nonetheless believes are capable of changing the world. Redemption is not beyond us. Not because it will be delivered from on high by a divine power, but because we can attain it ourselves.

She recites the prayer to Shiva again, knowing she's going to her death because she sure as all seven hells can't take a Garlean battleship by herself. She couldn't even beat Ravana. But she can buy a little more time for the people she cared about.

Stupid Gaius. "Tell me, for whom do you fight? And do you believe in Eorzea?" is the central question of Heavensward, and he's not even in this expansion.

[pookys-ponderings]

Barefoot Gen

Films like this really show why media is an effective tool for empathy.

When we learn about the nukes that America dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in academic environments, its all too easy to pity momentarily, compartmentalize the tragedy and move on. But the reality of it was that even after surviving instant death by incineration, living around the area was waking hell, unlike any other bombing anyone has ever dealt with, and seeing the atrocities in film form really puts things into perspective.

When the movie opens, we're greeted by a family struggling to get by in WWII wartime as rations are low and most people are poor. Considering that I knew the movie was about the bombings, I spent the first 30 minutes of the film being charmed by the family, but also mentally preparing myself for the worst, when it came. The important part of these first 30 minutes of the movie is to show that the people affected by the bombings weren't the people instigating and taking part in war. They were civilians, even opposed to the war and the Japanese government's decisions at the time, as shown through Gen's father.

When the bombs actually drop, its a miracle at all that Gen survives, considering the girl next to her when the bomb drops is dead and partially incinerated. He goes back to his house which is now in flames, and Gen and his mother watch their family burn as they cannot lift the debris.

The living are portrayed like zombies, and soon after the streets are littered with dead bodies. The black rain that comes is said to cause cancer and deathly illnesses caused by radiation poisoning for years to come. The water that they attempt to give to people ends up killing them. Civilians and soldiers who are cleaning up the dead die horribly from radiation poisoning, losing their hair and coughing up blood. Healthcare systems and are flooded with people half alive, with wounds covering their body and maggots festering inside of those wounds. Gen loses his hair to radiation poisoning, and they take in a little boy Ryuta. There is not enough food to eat between the main characters or to keep the baby alive, and when the boys get enough money to buy powdered milk, they are too late and the baby has died from malnutrition.

Considering all that happens to them, its a little surprising that any of the main characters survived at all. I found that maybe the film might even be downplaying the effects of the radiation (the main characters being essentially fine from radiation, the wheat growing in the ground but potentially contaminated and not safe to eat) and omitting where they would get water for the sake of the theme of growth and survival, or perhaps for the sake of time. I am wondering if this is better portrayed in the original manga, where the story is loosely based off the author's real experience as a survivor of the Hiroshima nuke.

Even with that though, I think the film effectively portrayed the horrors of the event and I think the themes of resilience and regrowth have merit as Hiroshima is now a thriving city again with a population of 1.2 million.

[coeluvr]

A New Interactive Novel

Links :

✧ Play the game

Last Released: Chapter 4

Total Word Count: approx. 192.8k

Last Updated: 2nd of September 2024

✧ Bonus Content

Total word count: approx. 16.7k

✧ Ko-Fi / Patreon

✧ Discord

✧ Report a Bug

✧ Ask Guidelines / FAQ

✧ Character Descriptions / Official Character Art

✧ Pinterest References

Crown of Ashes and Flames is a fantasy interactive fiction game, free to play on pc and mobile. You play as the only remaining member of the royal family of Vesphire; living in the home of the man who took away everything from you.

It is currently in development and each chapter will be released as they are finished.

The war had taken everything from you.

King Luceris had taken everything from you.

You were just nine years old when all of this happened. One moment you were in your room sleeping and the next you were walking through smoke and ash trying to find your parents.

Love, he said, was the reason he started the war. Ironically, you lost everything you loved but you also lost yourself when he let you survive and dragged you away to his home.

In a new Kingdom with no one on your side what choices will you make to survive? Who will you become?

Inside of you, there’s something burning for revenge and there’s only one thing I want to tell you. Let it out.

Content Warning: This game is rated MA-17. Depictions of violence, injuries and blood, and death; trauma, depictions of mental health challenges, child marriage, psychological horror, animal cruelty, and optional sexual content. Player discretion is advised.

The story starts in the Kingdom of Vesphire, a fictional kingdom within a fantasy universe, but it truly begins in the Kingdom of Rosea.

The two kingdoms are situated in a world that was blessed by the gods, the lands were filled with magic and beasts of wonder. For unknown reasons the gods abandoned the realm taking everything they had brought with them while the beasts moved to forests and the sea. Anywhere that was far from civilization.

You were born and raised in Vesphire until tragedy struck and you were taken away to Rosea. Contrary to the snowy lands of Vesphire, Rosea was tropical in the north and temperate in the south with mountains surrounding the lane.

The Kingdom is a colorful land with green scenery contrasts to its large white buildings. The streets are always busy from early mornings to the late nights, and filled with calls from the shopkeepers from their wooden stalls with sun-faded striped fabric or blue tarps above it. It is truly a lively place.

The ruler of this kingdom is none other than Luceris De Rosea. He is the man who led destruction right onto your home, he is the one whom all of Rosea admire. The land is immensely beautiful but many of it's people harbor great hatred towards you due to you being the last royal of Vesphire.

✧ Play as the royal of your own making:

Name [including nicknames]

Gender [male, female and nonbinary options]

Pronouns [choose a preset or set your own]

Personality [develop personality traits that will influence event sequences and the behavior of other characters towards you]

Appearance [including scars and tattoos]

✧ Develop deeper relationships with the characters, each with their own themes and stories, and find romance if you wish for it.

✧ Build rapport with characters from all over the continent, aid them with their problems or use them as a pawn in your story.

✧ Build a codex as you explore the world that surrounds you; encounter people, places, history and magic.

✧ Encounter important timed choices with alternative results if time runs out or you choose to abstain.

The characters in this list are those with whom you can form a deeper relationship, whether it be platonic or romantic. While all characters are available to everyone, only Hunter is gender selectable.

It is important to note that these characters are not the only ones of significance.

Fadiya Akter - The Royal Mage’s daughter, and one of the only people that doesn’t have something against you. She’s cheerful, talkative and kind - like a fairy. Fiercely loyal to you, to the point that she gets into trouble just to defend you even in court. She is a powerful mage just like her mother. She is one year younger than you.

Helios De Rosea - The Crown Prince of Rosea, and the child of the man that destroyed your home. He has a radiating smile that instantly brightens up the room, like sunshine itself. He is the hero of all fairytales, the boy with a golden spirit full of light and hope. He keeps his distance from you, after all you are the last royal of Vesphire. He is one year older than you.

Hunter Oakes - Crown Prince’s shield and Sir Lancelot’s ward. Easygoing and reckless; their serene smile puts everyone at ease. They’re loyal to the hand that feeds them but understand what you went through was an injustice. They are four years older than you.

Soarine De Norazaan - Eldest daughter of the King of Norazaan, and an envoy to Rosea. Her smile is charming and practiced, she has a vixen-like personality. Soarine wishes to take the throne and better her kingdom, her desire for the throne is underlined by a thirst for revenge against the people in her kingdom who have forgotten their own history. She is one year older than you.

Vincent Annora - Son of the current General of the Imperial Army and the one who will take her position in the future. The perfect example of what a knight should be. He is very guarded and passionately protective of the people he cares about, he may seem rough around the edges but has a gentler side to him at times. He dislikes you due to his mother’s own hatred towards you and your late family. He is two years older than you.

Thank you for reading!

[bardic-tales]

REFLECTIONS (SI X IA)

Novel: Fall of Darth Jadus

Pairing: m!SI (Darth Jadus / Darth Noktis) x f!IA (Cipher Nine / Cynthia Prescost)

Fandom: Star Wars

Word count: 2981

Warning: Suggestive languages and themes, Death of Main Character, Language, disturbing imagery. Minors DNI

Premise: Cipher Nine must come to terms with her Sith lover’s death, but she finds herself overwhelm by her other Sith companion.

Author’s Note: This idea has been floating around in my head since my husband and I both restarted our original characters. Some of it is taken from an RP that we were running in chat while we were questing.

It also takes place during the Heart of Terror Act for the Imperial Agent. We have decided that Adaki is using their Force bond and occasionally Force teleport to be with her physically. He is testing everyone’s loyalty, especially Cynthia’s. After all, she will be his Empress when he democratizes fear and tries to take the Emperor’s place.

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1.

The Empire had almost completed its grieving steps and Darth Jadus had been dead for several months before Cipher Nine only begun to understand the full weight of her grief.

Right after Darth Jadus’ death, she went into survival mode, not allowing herself to grieve properly. She had the Empire and its welfare to think about. Her grieving would have to wait. And wait it did.

She sat up in the darkened room and squinted against the blackness.

Nine wondered how she could feel the gap in her life that the Sith’s death left behind. She didn’t know the man long, but he left an impression upon her life that hardly anyone else had.

He just overcame the loss of his fiancée, too, she reminded herself. She didn’t openly weep when he told her the tragic tale of how his fiancée was taken from him and how he searched the entire galaxy for her. It affected Nine in a more subtle way.

While she and Jadus didn’t share a kiss or other similar intimacy, there was a warmth to their interactions. He once told her that he would not pursue a relationship with her until she was sure she understood the dangers of becoming involved with a Dark councilor. Jadus would not lose someone he cared for again.

After enough time in the darkened silence, she was able to fall back into her usual fitful sleep. There was nothing refreshing about it. That was when the dreams would come, her mind’s endless search for her one great tragedy.

The dreams were always the same. Jadus’ death would play over and over in her mind, though from a perspective she never had. She never witnessed his death, but in her dreams, he died right in front of her. The method was always different, but the result was always the same. She failed him.

Quickly, another of these nightmares overcame her. Jadus was standing before her, speaking, but she could not make out the words. Whatever it was, it seemed important, urgent, even.

Nine tried to cross the distance between them, but she couldn’t lift her feet. She took a step forward, trying to fight the resistance, and the distance between them grew. The flagship’s floor crumbled away. A tomblike silence immediately followed, as blinding, fiery stars twinkled around the sundered starship.

I’m only dreaming, she told herself, to wake up, but it didn’t work.

“You failed me, Cyn,” Jadus lamented, reaching for her in vain. “You failed me.”

“Jadus!” Nine cried out as she reached for him. She could almost touch him, almost brush his fingers with her own. This had been the end of her nightmares from the time he was lost to her. He continued to die in many ways. Each time was more gruesome than the last, but the end result was always the same. Nine couldn’t make it to him in time.

Blood seeped from a wound upon his chest and soaked his dark leather outer robe. It pooled within his gloves until it streamed off his finger tips into a widening pool upon the sundered ground.

Jadus dropped to his knees. The bottom of the lightsaber hilt attached to the belt looped around his waist clattered against steel flooring. He looked up at her. His metallic helmet glinted in the neon emergency light. The Klaxon alarm drowned out any other thoughts or sounds, except his voice repeating those terrible words once again. “You have failed me, Cynthia.”

Nine sat up in the blackened room. She blinked against the darkness and tried to get her bearings. Everything looked unfamiliar to her. Gone was the ruined starship, the gore, and her lover. The only thing that remained was the crushing weight of her failure.

Her heart raced, and it was the only sound she could hear in the night’s perpetual stillness. She was utterly alone.

The silence was suddenly broken by the cacophony of the door being caved into the room. It turned end over end until it smashed against the metallic dresser in the far corner of the room. Wires and cords dangled from the top of the metal door frame.

Adaki stood on the other side, his hand outstretched. The Zabrak had used the Force to gain entry into her room. He stood there, his carmine-colored chest glimmering in the naked golden fluorescent hallway light. Twin onyx stripes raced diagonally across his hips, and their pointed tips disappeared beneath the waistband of his loose-fitting raven trousers.

“What are you doing, Lord Adaki?” She hastily pulled the covers over her breasts, pinned the top of the blanket under her arms, and stared at the interloper.

“I heard you cry out?” he said as he stepped into the room, unable to hide the concern on his countenance for a fleeting moment. “Are you alright? What happened? Were you attacked?”

“It was a bad dream,” she said, almost laughing at the outrageousness of the situation. “Are you going to bash down my door every time I have a nightmare, my lord?”

“That sounded like no ordinary nightmare, and they are hardly harmless. Nightmares can cause great damage. A powerful Sith could attack you in your dreams.”

As she continued to press the sheet against her body, Nine turned away from him. She known he couldn’t sense her thoughts of feel her emotions. Most Sith couldn’t. Imperial Intelligence trained her well.

Not well enough, she relentlessly reminded herself. If someone hadn’t placed a block within her mind and dampened her connection to the Force, she would have been able to sense that there were two targets for the dissidents: one on Dromund Kaas and one above the planet, her lover’s star destroyer. Jadus’ words echoed in her mind. Nine failed.

“The Sith in my dreams cannot hurt me.” The skin bunched around her eyes as she stared at the wall. Wetness clung to her thick eyelashes. She blinked the tears away. “He’s only a ghost from my past.”

Adaki set down on the bed beside her. The plush mattress sunk beneath his heavy weight, and her body shifted towards him from the disturbance. His scent drifted to her, reminding her of desert trees mixed with blossoming flowers. The Zabrak’s cologne was like himself: powerful, intoxicating, and a bit sensual. It was the fragrance of desire.

“Was it Lord Jadus again?” The words were unusual spoken by him, coming from a Sith. There was almost a gentleness to his tone, but she knew how treacherous he could be. Since she had traveled with Adaki for a brief time before she met Jadus that first time, she knew he was a brutal man who discarded things like a person threw away trash.

With those doubts in her mind, it still took only a second to lower her defenses. The dream and its aftermath left her vulnerable. The knowledge she failed not only the Darth in charge of Imperial Intelligence but also the man she had come to love left raw, like a pat of butter stretched thinly across toast.

“It always is.” Nine dared not look at him. She swallowed the lump thickening in the back of her throat, but it wouldn’t go down easily. Nothing was ever easy now in the wake of Jadus’ death.

“You will discover the truth behind his assassination, Cyn. You are the best that Imperial Intelligence has to offer. You will unmask the conspirators and bring them all to justice.”

“Fuck justice,” Nine responded coldly. “I will bring them vengeance. I will make them suffer for what they have done. I will make them pay for robbing the galaxy of Jadus’ greatness.”

Adaki stared at her, apparently dumbstruck by her confession. His countenance took on a hungry expression, like he saw her with a renewed sense of passion. It was clear that she surprised him.

“You would make a wonderful Sith, my dear,” he purred. “If only you would let me train you.”

Jadus asked to do the same thing. He had told her that looking at her felt like he was staring into a font bubbling over with raw Force energy. She was a beautiful and terrifying person. That was what had attracted him to her.

Nine had never considered herself particularly unique. She was only a citizen working for the Empire and didn’t feel as if she had any connection with the Force. If she had, she surely would have felt something. And that, itself, had worried Jadus.

Was that the nature of a relationship that an Imperial had with a Sith? One or both of them would meet death. She understood any apprentice that Jadus had would eventually try to kill him. That was the reason that she had refused Jadus’ help, his offer to train her. Any training from any Sith would make her lose her sense of identity and would eventually pit herself against the one who trained her, in this case, the man she had loved.

It doesn’t matter. Nine didn’t kill Jadus, but he was still dead. She was still responsible. She should have anticipated it, should have known that the conspirators would go for the second most powerful Sith in the galaxy. The death of such a prestigious council member would be how she would make the Empire crumble if she were a terrorist.

“I don’t understand what you mean, my Lord.” Nine folded her arms around her chest, still pressing the thin sheet to her body. She felt naked and exposed as her bare shoulder brushed his own.

Adaki leaned forward and watched her. She swore she saw that emotion in his eyes before, but how could she? They briefly traveled together when she was given her first assignment by Imperial Intelligence. That was before Hutta and before she swore fealty to Darth Jadus. There was surely no romance or interest between them, as there wasn’t enough time for it to blossom.

“As I told Lord Jadus,” she said, “I’m nothing special. Nothing that would require training from a Sith of your magnitude, my lord.”

“I have told you before to call me Adaki. Pray, I do not ask again.”

“My Lo — Adaki, are you sure that is wise? People will gossip.”

That was not the only reason she was protesting. Darth Jadus had her call him by his name, too, so much so that he insisted on it much like the Zabrak was currently doing. It made their interactions seem personal and intimate.

If she would have known then what she knew now, she would have insisted on keeping things formal with him. Her heart wouldn’t have been split in twain, otherwise. He might have survived. He might have been at her side now …

“People gossip,” Adaki said. “That is what they do. It would be simpler to stop the sun from rising than to stop the common rabble and their incessant talking. I don’t waste time worrying about what people say behind my back, only I they venture to plotting against me. That is wholly unwise, however.”

“As you say, Adaki,” she conceded.

“You are wrong, you know?” he added. She glanced at him, confused.

“What do you mean.”

“You said you are nothing special. Nothing that a Sith of my magnitude should show interest in. You are wrong. There is something there, elusive, but it is there. You have some connection to the Force, that much is clear. I can feel that much, but it is muted. It is difficult to describe, almost like a limb that has been severed, the memory remains.”

“As you say, Adaki, but I still can’t feel it.”

The truth was that she didn’t feel anything he described. Even if what he said were true, Nine was sure that if she had any connection with the Force that would require training she would have shown talent. Still, she knew there was no sense in arguing with a Sith Lord. It would be a fruitless exercise as his decision was already decided; Adaki rarely changed his mind after that.

How do I know that? Nine thought. There was something more to their relationship, the familiar sensations lighting her memories, but the more she was around him, the more her thoughts felt cloudy, as if she were peering through the memory with a thin gauze of fabric covering the past.

Adaki raised his right hand, but she didn’t shrink away. Despite the fine hair lifting up on her arms, she didn’t sense any danger. He clutched her face and covered her mouth, left nostril, and chin in a tight grasp. His fingers bite into her flesh.

Nine still wasn’t afraid. She felt as if she had finally come home after being lost, as if something from a long distant past had finally clicked into place. It was strange to her that someone like Adaki felt the way he did. She never was led by her heart, always putting the Empire before her needs, but it didn’t make sense that two Sith Lords had made her question her loyalty to her obligations. This was unlike her.

Adaki stared into her eyes, and she looked back. His hand slid down her face until he gripped her chin and jawline, exposing her neck and lips to him. His gaze dropped to her mouth. A chill traveled up her spine, overshadowing any grief she may have felt. It was replaced by an urgent need, the desire burrowing itself within her mind, eclipsing everything else.

Kiss me. If she could have thought straight, she might have considered that maybe he was clouding her mind and guiding her emotions. She may have demanded he leave and allow her to mourn her fallen lover, the other Sith Lord who died from her failure. Instead, the only thing that Nine could think about was the Sith Lord sitting next to her. Once again, she silently pleaded for him to kiss her.

“I can.” He stared into her eyes as he spoke. “You should be able to to. You reach out for the Force, grasping at nothing instead. Constantly and fruitlessly, you try to catch it. You are unaware of this? You are. It is such power. It calls to me. It is … seductive.”

His words traveled through her like the clear note of a tuning fork. The only thing she could feel was desire. Maybe, that’s what he was talking about. She had no experience to draw on nor anything to really compare it to.

All she knew was that he was the opposite of what she knew a Sith should have been. He cared — at least, when it came to her. Adaki was the first one who rushed to her after Jadus’ death, offering to travel with her and lend his aid, and who was she to refuse him.

Her mind felt dull once again, but she wouldn’t look away from him. He commanded her full attention much like her lover did. There was so many things about Adaki that reminded her of Darth Jadus, and it made it easier for her to let her guard somewhat down with him.

He was exciting to her, a breath into a dismal imperial life. She couldn’t deny the way sparks seemed to fly when he stared in her eyes nor could she deny the guilt burrowing deep within her gut. Her other lover’s death was too recent for her, to fresh in her mind.

What should I do? Nine was quickly becoming overwhelmed.

“You have power over it, even if you don’t know.” He bent his head forward and his mouth hovered before hers, the black tattoos revealing to be a dark gray with a splash of crimson flesh from his lips. “You are also reaching out to me, beckoning me, trying to overwhelm my senses. You aren’t doing that intentionally?”

“Doing what intentionally?”

“Making me want you.” The words should have served as a sobering slap to the face, but it had quite the opposite effect. She narrowed her eyes at him, sizing him up like prey. Her tongue darted across her lower lip briefly as she looked him up and down.

“You want me?”

“Absolutely.”

There was one hitch in his plan. His entrance made it so they were not alone. The door still lay against the wall. Cables still hung down from the entrance way, revealing where the door once was.

It appeared that wouldn’t deter him. Adaki leaned down and brushed her mouth with his, a soft gesture that she thought she had imagined until he deepened the caress. His fingers glided along her jawline, up to the side of her face until he lost his hands within her mass of hair. He grasped the dark strands and tilted her head back.

His lips did not leave hers throughout the entire time. He nibbled at her bottom lip, pulling the flesh between his teeth, before letting it go.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she could taste his minty toothpaste he had used previously that evening. . She closed her eyes. This wasn’t what she had planned when they had both retired to their separate rooms that evening, but if she were honest with herself, this was what she had wanted from the time they departed her ship and hailed that first taxi to the promenade.

Adaki pulled away. His mouth shimmered with her saliva before he ran the tip of his tongue over his bottom lip, still tasting her, but soon after that, he recomposed himself and she doubted that they even shared an sort of an embrace.

Nine was the first to speak. “Don’t stop.”

“There are more important matters to attend to, Cyn. Take that frustration you feel and use it to see to your revenge. Don’t let this cloud your purpose.”

[hatterstan-shameblog]

Lord, if I see another character from Alice In Borderland post from you imma binge it tonight—

if it’s not too much to ask, could you give me a nutshell?

...Very likely, seeing that this is an Alice in Borderland sideblog.

Here's my elevator pitch:

Alice in Borderland is a Japanese horror/sci-fi drama that is very (and I do mean very) loosely based on Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. It follows a young man, Arisu, as he and his friends get mysteriously transported to an alternate universe where they are forced to participate in deadly "games" in order to survive.

Even though it is a show about "death games", at its core, Alice in Borderland is an exploration of life, death, and morality. The value of life, the complexity of relationships, and the effects of mental illness are just a few themes that are covered in the narrative; there are very little black-and-white assertions about humanity and show that circumstance does have quite an important influence on a person's decisions.

It is often compared to Squid Game. I think they are somewhat similar to a point, but they differ pretty drastically when it comes to the main focus. Squid Game is more of a critique of capitalist society, while Alice in Borderland is more about the triumphs and tragedies of the human spirit. That being said, they're two completely different shows, but since they often get lumped in together for being about death games, I figured I'd give my two cents just so you know what's up.

While I can't say it's a show for everyone, I do believe that it's got a good mix of excitement, mystery, and character development while being clever and well-paced. And at 8 episodes in the first season, it's just the right of material to binge over a few days.

[mystery-salad]

A thought, on reforging Caladbolg

When you learn that the sword can be reforged, it’s an amazing joyful moment. The legendary sword forged with the power of the Dream itself, from a thorn on a bough of the Pale Tree. Through the power it holds, the weapon can bend and change to manifest the qualities of its wielded. Both positives, strengths…and negatives, weaknesses. And now, it calls to the Commander (or a player character of your choice) to wield it, the first non-firstborn, perhaps even first non-sylvari to hold this weapon and have that unique connection to a living weapon.

In the process of reforging Caladbolg, you face a handful of challenges. The simple collections which involve locations tied to strong aspects of emotions or features in the world, and locations of shards scattered throughout the jungle it shattered in. But you also face another challenge, a little more...personal. Not to you, but to the past wielders, Riannoc and Trahearne. And these moments. These are interesting.

First the sword pulls you to Lychcroft Mere. A simple little sylvari settlement is Kessex Hills, wholly unremarkable save for the fact that this is where Riannoc made his stand against his own Hunt. The very Hunt Caladbolg was crafted for, and the first known Hunt to be failed entirely through death of the valiant. From the way he spoke of it, Riannoc’s Hunt was his life. He knew it better than the world itself and the people within it. He was blind to the fact that his apprentice was terrified, because he was here with the sword and he would win. Because it was what he was born to do. But he didn’t win, he was abandoned and overwhelmed. And with his death came failure, in the only form he could truly see it. He believed himself a fearless hero who could abandon all else, but he fell and fear overtook him in that moment, and he failed. The sword brought us to his lowest moment which he himself could not accept as he succumbed to it. “Caladbolg...I thought that with it in hand, I had no need for fear.” “Caladbolg draws out what is in your heart, hopes and doubts alike...perhaps it wanted to remind you to let your good outweigh your bad.”

Once you’ve worked through this, another vision is called for. Caladbolg pulls you to Matriarch’s Perch. So you return to the jungle, to the crash site in Verdant Brink. One could argue this location failed many, it was a tragedy in action and still serves as the site of many dead and lost. And here you find Trahearne, not the site of his death but where the airships fell. And you have the chance to inquire upon this. After all, you fought and learned from Riannoc at the location in which he died and relinquished his claim on the sword, so why not the same for Trahearne? The answer sheds an interesting light on how the sword may work. After all, it chooses the locations and it is through its own memories that you experience these visions of the past wielders. “Caladbolg does not see the world as we do. It could be that this region was its last battle before being broken, or it recalls a particularly strong connection to Marshal Trahearne.” Both options presented are viable surely, but...if it was simply the moment it shattered, why would it be the moment tied to Trahearne’s own misgivings instead of its own? If it was simply a strong connection, why not the moment it cleansed Orr with him? But then you hear the words voiced sourcelessly during the fight with him. A voice from nowhere, silent yet oh so visible just as with Riannoc, one that we can only assume is from Caladbolg itself. And the words don’t speak of shattering or bonds. They speak of failure. “But all the scholar found was despair at the impossible task. Perhaps from the beginning, it was indeed simply a dream.”

We’ve got a recurring theme, the sword is taking its new potential wielder through lessons and tests tied directly to the moment the previous wielders failed. Not just moments of hardship or setbacks, but hopeless failure. The kind you don’t simply bounce back from. And neither of them had. These were the moments at which both Valiants truly lost the sword through their own hopelessness, before any ties could be physically severed at all by death.

And then the sword pulls again, this time to The Artesian Waters, the place Orr’s cleansing began. A strong magical conduit to reforge Caladbolg officially and with it, forge your own bond to the weapon. Here you don’t face an outward enemy, you face yourself. A Remnant Of A Hero. And the words the sword speaks as you strike down your double? “Drowning in doubt, the hero could not even save themselves.”

Now I get the purpose of putting this fight where it is. It’s a poignant location for Caladbolg reforging itself, and it’s a universal location of importance to most (if not all) commanders. There was nowhere else the game devs could logically put this fight that would work so universally for as many player characters as possible as a location of significance. BUT…

Consider, for a moment, the sword pulling elsewhere. Caladbolg calling for a location of which Ridhais knows no significance. But the Commander does. The commander recognizes it by name alone, and feels their stomach drop. Consider Caladbolg reaching for the same hopelessness of the Commander that mirrors the past wielders. It means to test you, to see how you fare facing your own lowest point as Trahearne and Riannoc had both ultimately failed to survive themselves.

Where would caladbolg call the Commander, I wonder, if it truly sought to test what it hoped would be an unwavering bond to a new hero?

[sou-ver-2-0]

Why calling it "logic versus emotion" makes sense

At the end of chapter 2 in Your Turn To Die, the player is forced to choose between killing Sou or Kanna. Kanna frames this as a choice between "logic" and "emotion," where saving Sou is the "logical" choice and saving Kanna is the "emotional" choice. 

Personally, I love the writing in this part. I think it's the strongest writing in the whole game. However, since joining the YTTD fandom, I've read various posts from fans who don't like calling this a simple choice between "logic" and "emotion." For them, it felt like an emotional choice to save Sou, while it was a logical choice to save Kanna. After seeing this argument so many times, I decided to unpack my feelings on it. I also wanted to write my own defense of why calling this a choice between "logic" and "emotion" makes sense, at least to me. For me, it all comes down to how it’s written as a choice between two opposing worldviews, and I don’t focus on the little technicalities. I’ll also argue that the game is using descriptive language, rather than prescriptive language.

But first, we have to deal with a strange irony about this choice:

For the genre-savvy player, yes, it IS "logical" to save Kanna and "emotional" to save Sou.

Before writing anything about this choice, I need to acknowledge that Sara and the Player are two different people. They're obviously connected, and they inform each other's feelings and choices, but they still exist in different worlds. Sara is actually trapped in a Death Game. The Player is vicariously experiencing what it would be like to be trapped in a Death Game through a fictional story.

I'm not going to argue that Sara necessarily likes Kanna more than she likes Sou, and thus it is more "emotional" for her to save Kanna. It's possible to play Sara as someone who isn't that affectionate of Kanna, and she can act generously towards Sou. That's not the main issue here.

The issue is that the Player expects the fictional story to go in certain directions based on the morality of their choices, while Sara has no such meta expectations. The Player can reasonably expect to be rewarded with a happy ending at the end of YTTD if they make the "correct" moral choices. Saving Kanna feels like the "morally correct" choice on a gut level because she's a child, while Sou is an adult. So the Player may choose to save Kanna purely for logical reasons. They're not trying to be selfless or wise; they just want a reward from a videogame. And...they're not wrong! Immediately after saving Kanna, the player is rewarded with a cathartic scene with Joe, cluing us in to the idea that choosing Kanna is the "good path." 

Meanwhile, if the Player saves Sou, they're saving him in spite of knowing that this could logically lead to a "dark path." You might save Sou because he's a fascinating character, or because you're curious what will happen, or simply because you think he's cute. These are all emotional reasons. Maybe you don't expect any "happy" rewards if you save Sou, but you still expect the story to be exciting with him around.  

Speaking for myself, I want to see both the Kanna and Sou routes for reasons that are both emotional and logical. I sympathize with both characters, and I want to analyze them as they continue their arcs. I just think they're great characters connected to fascinating themes about humanity.

In other words, the Player is going to have all sorts of feelings about this choice based on the safety of their separation from the Death Game. It's only a videogame to us. We're not actually killing a child or a young man. We still feel sad about the story, but it's a safe sadness, one we can control. You can make your choice based on which type of tragedy is more interesting to you in the moment.

So that's how the Player experiences the choice, but what about Sara? Does it still make sense to call it a decision between "logic" and "emotion" for her? I would argue, "yes." First of all...

"Logic" and "emotion" are descriptive terms for the argument styles of Kanna and Sou, respectively. 

Using "descriptive" terminology means that we attempt to classify language as it is actually being used. Using "prescriptive" terminology means that we dictate how we should be using language.

When Kanna calls this a choice between logic and emotion, you might have thought she was being prescriptive. You might have thought something like, "You can't tell me how I should feel about this." But I think Kanna was simply being descriptive of the language she and Sou were using. It's a fair assessment of their opposing argument styles.

Kanna argues that you should vote for her by appealing to your sense of logic. She eloquently makes the case that Sou has proven himself invaluable to the team with his computer hacking skills. He came extremely close to finding an escape route just before the second Main Game began. With more time, he could find another one. If he dies, there is no one else in their party with his valuable skill set. She also effectively weaponizes her own helplessness by arguing that she is a "useless" child. She states that dying for the greater good "is the only thing she can do." What I love about Kanna's argument is how she twists Sou's own words against him, since Sou has been using coldhearted logical arguments since the beginning. She shows how much she's learned from him, and she's even able to outsmart him.

Sou argues that you should vote for him by appealing to your emotions. He furiously makes the case that he is the most hated member of the team and that you should give into your hatred of him. He says that the choice ought to be obvious based on your feelings. He calls Kanna stupid. He keeps shouting "Stop!" and "No!" He waves his arms in despair. He resorts to threats and exclaims that he will never forgive anyone who votes for Kanna. Sou's argument is compelling because we have never seen him so vulnerable before. Even with his strong will to live, he has an even more desperate will to save the little girl he's grown to care for. It's devastating to watch such a man break down. After losing his previous eloquence, he is forced to bare his soul and pray that that is enough.

However, even with all that in mind, you could still argue on a technicality that some of Kanna's statements are emotional while some of Sou's statements are logical. For example, when Kanna says that she is useless, this reflects her emotional state since she has low self-esteem. And when Sou starts threatening people, it's logical to take his threats seriously. 

But there's something deeper at work here than technicalities. There's still something at the core of their arguments that makes the choice to save Sou "logical" and Kanna "emotional."

At its core, this debate is about how to measure a human life's worth. Do you measure a human life based on how "useful" they are? Or do you recognize a person's worth based on their humanity alone? 

This is a choice between two worldviews, which the story calls "logical" and "emotional." 

In the logical worldview, you prioritize a person's usefulness over their humanity for the greater good. Also, you must be willing to use people like tools for the greater good.

In the emotional worldview, you refuse to reject anyone's humanity, even if it threatens the greater good. Also, you must accept that some moral causes are more important than survival. 

If you vote to save Sou, then Sara prioritizes the greater good; theoretically, the group can use Sou to escape. But being willing to use Sou this way rejects Sou's humanity, because we would be using his talents against his will. For Sou, escape is not worth the cost of Kanna's life. Sara also rejects her own humanity by treating both Sou and Kanna as objects instead of people. Kanna is discarded as a useless object, while Sou is kept as a potentially useful one. This is why Sara guiltily calls this "the worst possible choice" when she makes it. And it's why Sou seems to care more about revenge than survival in this route; there is no meaning in a world where we must sacrifice children.

If you vote to save Kanna, Sara does so knowing it may be harder for the group to escape without Sou's skills. But she embraces Sou's humanity by allowing him to follow his heart. She also strengthens her own humanity by refusing to cross a moral line. This is why Sou actually keeps his will to live in this route and mounts a desperate escape before his death. Because there's still meaning in a world where Kanna is allowed to live. He still dies, but with peace and purpose, and having repaid Sara for freeing his true heart.

In any case, you may still disagree with the semantics of "logic" and "emotion" to describe these worldviews, though they work for me personally. I have one more point to address.

Is it really logical to save someone who threatens you?

At this point, I'd like to talk about the most logical member of the group, the character who immediately votes to kill Kanna: Keiji Shinogi.

You, the Player, may believe that Sou will get his revenge if he lives, because it would make a compelling story. And Sara, a high-school student, may be reasonably afraid of Sou's threats, because Sou has tried to hurt her before. Even though the text doesn't portray Sara as being afraid of Sou in this moment, I understand why the Player would fear for Sara's life. In other words, a logical reason to kill Sou is because you don't believe you can control him. How do you force an adult man to behave?

Enter Keiji Shinogi, who doesn't hesitate. Keiji is stronger than Sou, and he's wicked smart. He's confident in his own abilities. And he understands vengeance better than anyone. He doesn't underestimate Sou, who has outwitted him before, but he decides to accept the risk. Like Sou, Keiji has a ruthless will. I believe that one reason Keiji voted first was because he wanted to assure everyone that "your friendly policeman" would keep Sou in line. So even though Sara doesn't act afraid of Sou in this moment, Keiji is there to calm any hypothetical fears the Player has. 

And Keiji commits to this role! In the beginning of Chapter 3, in the route where Kanna dies, the first thing Sou does is disturb the group peace. He puts on his "tough" mask and pretends that he never really cared about Kanna. In response, as everyone else is fidgeting nervously, Keiji laughs and calls out Sou on his bullshit. He eviscerates Sou emotionally, effectively putting Sou in his place and forcing him to be submissive, for now. It's Keiji's way of reminding Sou that they already know how weak he is, and Sou isn't going to get away with any tricks under Keiji's watch. Even if Sou's only "trick" in this case is to pretend he has any pride left.

From a storytelling perspective, I'm sure that these two will keep playing their power games, and Sou is likely to regain the upper-hand eventually. But from an in-universe perspective, Keiji looks like he knows exactly what he's doing in this scene, and Sou looks like a fool who better do what he's told. That is, if he doesn't want Keiji to skewer his heart in front of everyone again.

So where am I going with this?

My most generous interpretation of Keiji's vote is that he decided that Sou's life had value inasmuch as he could use Sou. After all, it's not like Keiji spared Sou out of compassion. Keiji just said that he hated Sou more than anyone he's ever known--and Keiji already killed someone else he hated. The harsher interpretation of Keiji's vote is that he fully expects Sou to die later due to his zero percent survival rate, which would make Kanna's presence technically more of a "threat" to Keiji's own survival. However, I prefer to think that Keiji was swayed by Kanna's brilliant defense of Sou's usefulness. That's because Keiji isn't a simple monster; he's a complex man who still wants to "serve and protect" the group...in his own way.

To follow in Keiji's footsteps and vote with "logic" means that Sara decides to trust Keiji's judgment. We know that Keiji is one of the smartest and strongest characters, in addition to being Sara's reliable ally. This is why I think it's still "logical" for Sara to save Sou in spite of his threats. Because Keiji is still there. 

Conclusion

That's why framing the choice as one between "logic" and "emotion" works for me. I see it as a choice between two worldviews, one in which people are valued for their usefulness, and the other in which people are valued for their humanity. 

I understand that the Player is going to have their own thoughts and feelings about this choice. Believe me, I was heartbroken too! I really wanted Sou to redeem himself and live. And I think Sara even feels the same way, since she pleads "Don't kill our ally!" when Safalin threatens Sou. It's still possible that Sou could redeem himself in the route where he lives, but I imagine it will be more important that the Player faces consequences for killing Kanna. But no matter what happens in Chapter 3, it doesn't change the fact that it looked possible in Chapter 2 for Sou's skillset to save everyone, and everyone was operating under that mindset.

I think that the writing in this game is stellar so I wanted to defend the story's framing. It surprised me to see folks who had reacted to it differently, but that's all part of the fun. It got me thinking about how interesting it is that the Player and Sara view things differently. It also got me thinking that what seems like a logical choice in the moment could feel like the wrong decision in hindsight.

Thanks for reading!

[mornyavie]

Glossary of references in The Bifrost Incident

 It’s Very Long and yet also not really complete. If there are any questions / clarifications I can add, or I’ve messed anything up and need to fix it, let me know!

The tl;dr is that nearly every word in the album draws from either Norse mythology or the Lovecraft / Cthulhu mythos, directly or indirectly.

@moony221b here’s that glossary that I promised forever and a day ago.

Edit: I decided to create this document of annotations (x). Lyrics taken from Genius; I’m not totally sure how accurate they are, but hopefully they help get the point across! Again, questions and complaints both welcome.

Arcomba

I can’t find anything on this, would be interested if someone knows.

Asgard

One of the Nine Worlds, specifically the one where most of the Æsir (the subset of gods most associated with humans, including the well-known ones like Thor and Odin) live.

Thus Asgard is the planet on which the most powerful inhabitants of the Yggdrasil system, and those named after the gods, are found (though the subjugation / colonization relationship does not exist in myth).

Azathoth

This one’s from Lovecraft; Azathoth is the greatest of the Outer Gods, often served and worshiped by other gods themselves. Often described as mad, a demon, a sultan, or putting it all together as the Mad Demon Sultan. Resides at “the center of the universe,” where he appears as some sort of vast, amorphous, bubbling, roiling mass of “nuclear chaos.” (Nuclear probably refers to center, not nuclear power, which didn’t really exist when this was written). Servants about him play drums and flutes.

Mentioned briefly as the train travels through the Bifrost and into his realm, and a lot of the narration in those few verses draws directly from Lovecraft’s descriptions.

Baldur

The god of light and beloved by all, Baldr was killed by Loki in his final betrayal of the gods. After the murder Loki was tracked down and imprisoned, and will escape at the start of Ragnarok. In particular, Loki used a spear made of mistletoe... or, in the album, missile two. And tricked another god into throwing it, which I think is mimicked in the distance and impersonality of the crime. Look up more of his story if you want, it’s interesting and important, but that’s the relevant info here.

Bifrost

The rainbow bridge that the gods use to travel between worlds. 

Which is, of course, directly analogous to the wormhole-ish extradimensional-ish space of “shifting, undulating hues” through which the train travels.

Edda

The Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda are the names given to two pieces of literature that are most people’s main source for Norse mythology. The Prose Edda was written by Snorri Sturluson around 1200 to teach his (mostly Christian) contemporaries about the mythology and mythological references that made up a big chunk of Norse literature. The Poetic Edda is a set of poems that serve as a major source for Norse tales.

This is partially just a way to connect our hero Lyfrassir Edda to the Norse traditions, but also definitely a reference to their (presumed) role as the main “recorder” and source of information to get out of the Yggdrasil system.

Fate

Honestly the way the Mechanisms deal with fate in general is very interesting and arguably sometimes quite Nordic... but in particular, Bifrost Incident references fate or destiny a number of times and features a number of situations where the outcome is fixed and can’t be changed, but you have to fight anyways: “Killing me won’t save your world” “I don’t care” or how Loki and Sigyn can’t stop the train, but can only delay it. A lot of Norse tragedy revolves around people heading into battle knowing that they’re doomed and fighting anyways, or around the cycle of conflict that marked the cultural requirements for avenging insults. And the myth cycle is notable for the fact that the gods know, explicitly, exactly what Ragnarok is, what’s going to happen, and how they’re going to die, but will fight in it anyways. 

Inevitability and helplessness in the face of what you can’t possibly understand, let alone fight, which is a depiction slightly sideways of the Nordic version, are very Lovecraftian themes.

Fenrir

A wolf, child of Loki and father of Skoll and Hati, who was chained by the gods (particularly by Tyr, who placed his hand in the wolf’s mouth as “hostage” to assure him they would unchain him later, and lost the hand). He will break free at Ragnarok to join the battle against them and kill Odin.

With his association with monsters and with Loki, it’s fairly clear why he was aligned with the resistance movement. He’s serving “five life sentences” as a reference to his being chained, and the whole motif of the train’s journey being hijacked for a prison break certainly references the various characters who will be freed or break free as Ragnarok begins.

Frey

The brief reference of Frey being killed by the raging fire of the sun, with “no weapon, no defense,” is a direct translation of the god’s role in Ragnarok, when he will be killed by Surtr. Frey gave away his sword for the opportunity to woo his eventual wife, and so will be armed only with a stag’s antlers in his final combat. Also called Freyr.

Freya (“weeps tears of red-gold”)

Like her brother Frey (and yeah, these names get confusing), Freya is associated with harvest and fertility, though unlike him she also gets battle. In the song she weeps red-gold tears at the death of her husband Odr, which in myth she is said to do when her husband is absent. Also called Freyja.

Garm

Garm is another wolf, who guards Hel’s gates. He also breaks free at Ragnarok, and his howling heralds its coming. As in the album, he will fight and kill Tyr. Also called Garmr.

Hati

There’s a lot of wolves in Norse mythology. This one is a child of Fenrir. He chases the moon across the sky, and will swallow it when Ragnarok comes.

Mentioned briefly only as one of the resistance members on the train.

Heimdall

Heimdall is the watchman of the gods, with keen eyes and foresight, and guards the Bifrost as the entrance to Asgard. He will blow his horn to summon the gods to the final battle during Ragnarok, and he and Loki will kill one another. Also called Heimdallr; you’re probably noticing a pattern. It’s a grammar thing.

Mentioned as guarding the train and “doing his part.” His dying screams initiate the train’s destruction and echo throughout it, which presumably recalls the horn thing.

Hel

Another daughter of Loki, and, as the name will imply to English speakers, a guardian of the dead. She refuses to give Baldur back to the world of the living after Loki kills him. Also the name of the realm in which she resides, and to which go those who die of disease or old age. Doesn’t necessarily have the same bad-punishment connotation as modern Hell. I don’t know whether there’s any indication of what she herself is doing in Ragnarok, but many of her people and associates are certainly fighting against the gods, and I’m fairly certain the ship Naglfar, which carries Loki and his allies to Ragnarok, sets sail from Hel.

Hel as a prison colony clearly references the various characters the gods have chained or otherwise imprisoned (though, in myth, not all within Hel) as well as her alignment with “other side” during Ragnarok, and the jailbreak the resistance members are planning recalls the breaking of all these bonds as Ragnarok begins.

Hoddmimis

The woods in which Líf and Lífþrasir (see Lyfrassir) will shelter to survive Ragnarok and the various disasters accompanying it. 

So, good news! We can be marginally assured of Lyfrassir’s survival after taking shelter at the mining-colony of Hoddmimis.

Jormungandr

The world serpent, which lives in the seas and encircles the earth. Will arise during Ragnarok, causing great floods, and fight Thor; Thor will slay the serpent, but in turn the serpent’s poison will cause his death, after he staggers “nine steps back.”

Thor’s fight with Odin-turned-serpent is pretty clearly analogous to this, especially the taking nine steps to the window before destroying it with his hammer, resulting in both their deaths. I don’t think there’s any mythological basis to Odin turning into the serpent, though

Kvasir (“blood drained out”)

Kvasir was a very wise man/god and the originator of poetry. I’m leaving out a fair amount of his birth and life; the important information here is that two dwarves who were jealous of his knowledge tricked him, killed him, drained his blood, and mixed it with honey to make mead. Any who drank of the mead gained the gift of poetry / scholarship; eventually the gods stole it.

I’m not sure if there’s a reason they decided to specifically describe him as a resistance member, but there’s a clear parallel in Kvasir’s blood being drained and used to power the train, especially with the language of glyphs and sigils providing power.

Loki

Ah, Loki. Male in the general canon, though not without genderbending (he turns into a mare and gives birth to Fenrir, Hel, and Jormungandr, for instance). Inasmuch as the Norse myths we have can be organized into a “chronology,” you could do it (in my opinion) along Loki’s path from a mostly benevolent trickster god whose antics occasionally cause trouble to a genuinely malevolent figure. Associated with wit, magic, and trickery. Despite how modern lore (I suspect influenced by Marvel) often portrays Thor and Loki as brothers and children of Odin, in the myth Loki and Odin are bonded as blood-brothers. But Loki also often appears alongside Thor. As mentioned, parent of three of the main figures of Ragnarok. In the “final” myth, he jealously arranges the death of the god Baldr, who was loved by all; then he appears at a feast, where he exchanges insults with the other gods. This is the last straw; they capture him and chain him to a stone, over which they tie a serpent. Venom drips from the serpent’s fangs, causing him great agony. His wife Sigyn stays by his side, catching the venom in a bowl, but when she is forced to leave for a moment to dump it out his thrashing causes earthquakes. He will break free at the start of Ragnarok and sail to Asgard, where he and Heimdall will kill each other.

Hopefully that’s enough to give you a good background for Loki’s role in the album... it’s pretty clear why she’s framed as the opposition to the gods and the “leader” of the resistance movement, as a call to her role in Ragnarok. Her association with magic and trickery make sense for her being the “expert” in the twisted Lovecraftian “science” that produces the train. It also parallels her role in myth; her actions often get the gods into trouble, but they just as often need her wit and knowledge to get them out of it, as Odin needs her knowledge despite her taking action to destroy the train. And the setup at the end - drip, drip, drip, her face twisted in pain, her wife beside her, her “release” heralding the end of the world - precisely echoes the language of her bondage in myth; though her mind-destroying imprisonment by Odin also invokes this.

Lovecraft(ian)

A highly influential horror writer from the early 20th century. He’s largely credited with the creation of the creation of the “cosmic horror” genre, a type of horror which emphasises a vast, unknowable, uncaring universe against which we cannot hope to even begin to fight. His ideas and the gods / demons / creatures he created form the basis of the “Cthulhu mythos” or even “Lovecraft mythos,” which today is a sort of standard set of assumptions on which writers can build. Lovecraftian themes of apocalypse, inevitability, and powerlessness are highly prevalent in the album. Several of the gods in this mythos are used; in particular, Yog-Sothoth (see below). Also, a lot of the general description (madness, roiling chaos, undulating colors) draws from his distinctive vocabulary that remains staple of the genre. It’s worth noting that Lovecraft was a horrible and very racist person, but the genre today is widely used by people who are not terrible.

Lyfrassir

Líf and Lífþrasir in Norse mythology are the two humans who will survive Ragnarok and rebuild humanity; a hopeful sign for our album’s protagonist!

Midgard

In Norse mythology, the “middle” world where humans live. Earth.

Nagthrod

I don’t know this one.

@acorn-mushroom pointed out that it may be a mis-transcription of Naglfar, the name of the (ocean) ship which will carry Loki and his followers from the shores of Hel to the battlefield at Ragnarok. It’s made of dead men’s nails.

Odin

The king of the gods in Norse mythology. As the god of both wisdom and madness, Odin’s role in the album as a researcher and technological ruler whose discoveries drive her slowly mad is both very Lovecraftian and a reasonable leap. I could say a lot about the figure of Odin, but I think this character is one of the most divergent from the myth, in detail if not in role.

Odr

Óðr is Freya’s husband.

Outer gods

A Lovecraft thing referring to several of the most horrible and powerful gods, including Yog-Sothoth.

Ragnarok

The apocalypse, basically, in Norse mythology. Proceeded by various catastrophes, especially a very long winter, mentioned in the album, culminating in a great battle between the gods and their enemies, and resulting in the death of the majority of gods and other creatures of the world.

Ratatosk

A squirrel who runs up and down Yggdrasil, carrying messages between some of the tree’s other inhabitants and sowing discord. The Ratatosk Express links the worlds of the Yggdrasil System, and causes “discord” in the resistance’s opposition to it.

Sigyn

Loki’s wife. See Loki for her role in his imprisonment.

Skoll

Sköll in Norse mythology is the wolf that chases and will someday eat the sun. Association with Fenrir (another wolf) and other monsters motivates his inclusion in the list of resistance members.

Thor

A Norse god, associated with war, lightning/thunder, strength, and in general sort of... common people, as opposed to Odin’s association with kings and royalty. Prone to anger, which makes sense with his depiction as a volatile military leader in the album. He is heavily associated with his hammer mjölnir, hence jokes about “throwing a hammer in the works” and whatnot. Often associates with Loki, both as friends and as enemies as Loki progresses from a mostly-harmless trickster to actively opposing the other gods; thus how in the album he and Loki were once friends. See above for his death fighting Jormungandr.

Tyr

Another Norse god associated with war. He sacrificed a hand to bind Fenrir, and will be killed by Garmr during Ragnarok, both events referenced in the album.

Yggdrasil

The world-tree of Norse mythology, which supports the nine worlds of the cosmology. 

Yog-Sothoth

An Outer God of Lovecraftian mythos; also called the Gate and Key. It is associated as sort of the substance of time and space, binding together the cosmos. A lot of the description during the Ragnarok sequences draws directly from the “canonical” descriptions of this deity, and the invocation spoken by Lyfrassir in Red Signal draws from a story about this creature, The Case of Charles Dexter Ward.