I feel like John would take a long time to acclimate once he gets his body, and would even enjoy it for a while, but after the initial novelty wears off he has a bit of a relapse (in True John Fashion) and it's just battling his nature and desire to be better, but seems to keep losing (ALSO in True John Fashion)
I AM VERY MUCH OBSESSED with the idea of John, going on a solo trip after getting his body as well, for as much as I love him and Arthur navigating it together, I feel it's very important for him to have his self discovery moment,, only, it doesn't really go well
maybe he starts getting exasperated and feeling trapped again, and maybe nothing he does is working to justify the pain that comes with humanity maybe he would find it all futile and in a lapse of judgment, have a try at getting his godhood back, or maybe not that, maybe just his incorporeal status back
idk why as I was thinking of it my mind went to the Green Knight, and the search for easy ways to claim an honorable life, while scoffing at the work it takes to make one truly worthy of recognition and honor
and the idea of John going into the world to find the thing that'll TRULY turn his nature and make him good, and then failing so miserably
crawling back to the King at some point against his better judgment, and finding no answer but a nihilistic response expected from an Old One
sorry for the long babble, the Green Knight connection possessed me
Fun fact for all of the Malevolent fans that haven’t read the original King in Yellow book:
The section at the end of season 1 where the cultist calls Arthur up to the front says the exact dialogue from the king in yellow play that is mentioned throughout the short stories Chambers wrote. I was obsessed with the book before a listened to the podcast and when I heard those lines I paused the podcast and just kinda screamed a bit.
When John Luke was nine, Parker stopped writing back.
It took a while before John Luke was sure, before he allowed the worry to slither into his bones, and take flavor and color away, and leave only trembling cold behind. Parker had never been quiet this long. Something had happened.
John Luke Yang wants his brother back. When he learns about a wish—offered by a god, in exchange for winning some kind of game—he's willing to leave everything behind in pursuit of it.
But the Dreamlands are not safe, and the King in Yellow has gone mad. The Games are not designed to be survived.
Luke has fallen into deep and dangerous waters. Fortunately, he won't be swimming alone.