#Legato is just something else

[chandesam]

You cannot tell me Legato doesn't give Kikuo vibes. He totally fits Kikuo's vibes, the dark themes, the chaos, all of it, sorry I don't make the rules it's just true

Maybe hole dwelling wasn't the exact pick but I listened to it a lot when drawing this (I wanted to emulate the art style of the artist who makes art for Kikuo's music here, that was the goal)

If you couldn't tell I think Legato needs more love

[orcelito]

imma b real im gonna have to be putting some trigger warnings on the Legato introduction chapter lmfao

[ayyydra]

I feel pretty silly for not putting a lot of thought into how my Trigun OC would react to her colleagues... when in reality, she doesn't even really want to entertain them and would much rather get on with whatever task she has been given.

She'll work with them and cooperate, but that's just about it. She won't even talk much about herself, she chooses not to.

Aside from Nicholas, the second person that Simela would have held a 'decent' conversation with, would be with Midvalley.

She's afraid of Elendira because that lady has STRENGTH. Elendira is someone that she will keep at isles length.

[mediocreanomaly]

NESTING? PLS 😭 like ARE WE CONNECTED SOMEHOW this is so good

i have drowsy knives purring himself to sleep stuck in my head now--THIS IS LITERAL GOLD 😭 it would take a v special s/o to pick up the slight nuances of his emotions too n he'd be head over heels 🥺

but nesting instincts 🥺 please for the love of everything knives elaborate i i i wanna know all there is to know ab this man 🥺👉👈

n maybe vashy seperately too?? 🥴

Authors Note: Turned this into a full post because I'm procrastinating my drabbles anyways lmao this is going to give away a teeny tiny bit of my uncanny Vash post I'm making but I love talking about the Twins and their less than human instincts

Savern Twins Nesting HC's

Knives

•Knives is surprisingly the less embarrassed of the twins about nesting instincts, this is solely based on the fact that he doesn't see his plant qualities to be anything to be ashamed about, it's just another thing that sets him apart from humans

•Although, no one (besides you) knows about Knives nest. You may wonder how the two points can co-exist but that because a Plant's nest is supposed to be somewhere secure and safe. So while he's not embarrassed that he has a nest, he's not going to openly talk about it and risk giving away someone trying to get a peek of it (not that he really openly talks about anything)

•Knives nest is big, he had a bed custom made that's larger than a kings but circular and with plush raised walls so it feels not secure and less in the open. He's collected various blankets and pillows that fill the empty space so that he can bundle up under them, all of it is white because he refuses to let his nest look ugly or disorganized

•He's a perfectionist too so he spends a lot of time organizing and reorganizing his nest. Every time he gets a new blanket or pillow to add he has to redo the whole thing to make sure it's in the perfect spot or else he refuses to sleep in it

•Now Knives doesn't have to sleep much like he doesn't have to eat, but sleeping is something enjoys. He stresses about his plans a lot even if he doesn't show it outwardly. What better way to destress than napping in his nest?

•Whenever he decides to officially make you his mate (yes he calls it that, what else is he supposed to call it? Everything else sounds too human) all his instincts will scream at him to burrow into his nest

•For awhile you'll actually be hard pressed to even be allowed out of the nest, because why would you want to leave? As your mate Knives needs to keep you safe, and where's the safest place in the world? His safest place in the world, so please stop trying to leave the nest- you're hungry? fine he'll bring you food that you can eat in the nest

•I honestly don't think Independents hold body heat because their sisters live in water, which is one of many reasons they nest. It's also why Nai will drag you in with him when he wants to sleep so he can bum off your body heat. That's when when you learn he can purr (yeah thats right Plants purr propaganda) naps like this are the best. It's hard to stay awake when he's got you cuddled under blankets, gentle rumbles lulling you asleep

•After awhile you'll be allowed out so long as you are by his side or being escorted by Legato, or atleast unless you get pregnant

•If Knives manages to get you pregnant...you are banished to the nest again. It's not so bad though, besides he likes you like this. All round and full of his child, surrounded by plush comforters and pillows that cradle your form. At this point he won't leave your side unless he has to, if his instincts were bad before then they are haywire now, he stays curled up with you because theres no way you'd be able to defend yourself in a state like this, it's his job as your mate to keep you and his unborn child safe and sound, tucked away from the rest of the world

•When the baby is born it's where you'll spend most your time too, I mean...c'mon think about it. Your little one all tucked against you and Nai curled protectively around both of you, gentle purrs from both him and your baby as both their plant markings glow ever so slightly? If there's such thing as heaven this is it

•Knives has purposely made his nest large enough to hold his growing family, so no matter how many children you have you'll all get to curl up in the nest to find comfort or just to sleep.

•I think unfortunately once the children hit a certain age they are kicked out of the nest lol, it's more reserved for a Plants mate and young ones, so starting at maybe teen age it's time for them to make their own nest

•This isn't to say they aren't ever allowed in at all though. If Knives children are in any sort of distress his instincts kick in telling him to make sure their safe so in times like that they are still allowed in, the purpose of the nest is to provide him and his family with safety and comfort so no matter what it's there waiting for you

Vash

•Vash is admittedly a bit more embarrassed about the fact that he nest

•He tries his best to blend in with humans and thinks that people might find it weird that his instincts are constantly telling him to grab every soft thing he can find and hunker down

•Not that it really matters because he's always on the run anyways, he doesn't have time to stop and nest in the first place which makes it an easy an excuse to not nest at all, so Vash doesn't have a nest...right?

•Wrong. Like I said it's instinct and even Vash can't help but begin to nest in whatever shitty motel room he's in, especially if he's had a really rough day and just wants to sleep.

•Vash's nest is...admittedly a bit more pitiful than Knives. Knives has the advantage of staying in one spot, Vash does not, so he doesn't have a single nest but more so a hastily made one consisting of anything soft he can find. old blankets, pillows, clothes, rags, and even his own coat all make up his haphazard resting place.

•When he meets you though oh boy does it make it harder to resist the urge to stay and make a nice big nest for the two of you to hide away in

•It takes awhile for you to learn of Vash's little habit because he tries really hard to hide it away. He doesn't want you to think he's weird so when he does show it to you and you don't react negativly he's shyly asking, "do you...want to get in it?"

•Please say yes, his heart can't take any other answer. After that Vash is more keen on nesting even though the two of you travel, you even buy him a couple blankets that you pack up and bring so that he has something more consistant to nest with. The two of you will arrive at the motel for the night and you sit on the bed watching as Vash sleepily mulls over the blankets, pillows, and clothes he's choosen and organses it in a satisfactory way before he weakily pulls you in with him, purring as he cuddles up to you

•If you run your hand through his hair you'll be rewarded with more purrs and him nuzzling into your hand, but don't comment on it or he'll get embarrassed and hide his face into the blankets while he pulls away

•Vash wouldn't try to get you pregnant unless it was after he dealt with his brother and at that point I think he'd have a more permanent nest. Whether that's on Ship 3 or your own little home he's finally got a spot that he knows is always there, perfect to keep you in while you grow your baby!

•Vash loves spending time in the nest, it's from a mixture of putting off his instincts so long when he was on the run and the fact he actually has a place of comfort for once that does it, so if you can't find your partner...he's most likely buried in the nest

•It's super cute though, you'll walk in the room and softly call "Vash?" and his head will peak out of the mountain of blankets eyes still half lidded with sleep and hair all messy as he says a soft "hmm?"

•This nest is still a bit more messy and it's one of those "it looks disorganized but Vash know exactly where everything is" situations, he doesn't really care about colors or anything, infact it's proably mostly blankets that other people have gifted him over the years, he feels like it tells a story

•Unlike Knives, you'll have to be the one to eventually kick the kids out of the nest once they get older because "what do you mean they can't stay in here with us? Their still our baby!" "Vash their 20" "and?"

•Vash's plant marks always appear when he's in the nest, he can't help it! It's so comforting, besides he has you here warming him up and your kids cuddled in the covers- oop he's crying, don't worry they're happy tears

After note: I hope you liked it!!! I wanted to add more stuff about you being able to read Knives but it didn't really fit so that might have to be saved for another list I'm a firm "the boys do weird but cute animal things" believer and it's my job to infect people with that propaganda

[deludedfantasy]

"Shoot" Scene Mirrors and the Flaws in Vash's Ideology 

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this for two weeks now so let’s see if I can put this into words. The main point being: when Vash kills Legato, it’s a mirror of the “shoot” scene with Wolfwood. 

Visually, they’re stunningly similar, the only difference is Vash willingly points his gun at Legato while Wolfwood forces it to his forehead.

But you know what really gets me? It’s the conversations surrounding these moments.

The scenes are mirrors in that Wolfwood predicted this would happen, and he was right. Wolfwood challenged him because he wanted to know that Vash would be able to make the hard choice and get his hands dirty, that he wouldn’t hesitate. Because in a situation like this, hesitation can get you or someone else killed. But what does Vash do just as he finally decides to kill Legato? He hesitates, putting Livio in danger. Legato even says that if Vash hadn’t paused, hadn’t taunted him, he wouldn’t have done that. 

What gets Vash to finally pull the trigger? It’s not fear for his own life or even Livio’s. It’s the memory of Wolfwood’s sacrifice. Wolfwood said he was willing to lay down his life if he could get Vash to pull the trigger. “I’d trade my life for it,” he says. In a way, he did. It took Wolfwood dying for Vash to finally be able to kill. 

Another thing I’d argue is that hesitating can be cruel. Legato doesn’t read Vash’s pause as a moment of moral conflict but as a taunt, because that’s what he would do. If he paused like that, it would be to toy with his opponent and make them suffer. While that certainly isn’t what Vash intends, that’s how it comes off, especially in Legato’s twisted worldview. It reminds me of something Sam Vimes says in Men at Arms. “Something Vimes had learned as a young guard drifted up from memory. If you have to look along the shaft of an arrow from the wrong end, if a man has you entirely at his mercy, then hope like hell that man is an evil man. Because the evil like power, power over people, and they want to see you in fear. They want you to know you're going to die. So they'll talk. They'll gloat.

They'll watch you squirm. They'll put off the moment of murder like another man will put off a good cigar.

So hope like hell your captor is an evil man. A good man will kill you with hardly a word.” 

Now, to be clear, I’m not saying that Vash is evil for hesitating. He’s fighting against ideals he’s been carrying for 150 years. But that’s not how it reads to the person on the business end of his revolver. Vash basically lives on that moment of hesitation, the second chance, and he paints Wolfwood’s instant reaction as the work of the devil. And as we see that isn’t necessarily true. Not only can hesitating get you killed, it’s just cruel. It can easily be read as toying with someone. And isn’t the first rule of gun safety to not point your weapon if you aren’t willing to shoot?  

So not only is the “shoot” scene a fundamental part of Vash and Wolfwood’s relationship, it’s an incredible bit of foreshadowing that also directly challenges Vash’s pacifism and ideals. 

[littlefankingdom]

In Trigun Maximum, we are told by Midvalley that Knives never smile or show happiness, and he only saw once satisfaction on the Plant's face from the revenge he is inflicted upon humankind.

However, some chapters later, we have a flashback from Nicholas' first and only one on one interaction with Knives, where he tried to kill him but is frozen by fear. Knives wakes up and FUCKING SMILE at this. Why? He killed time and time again without expressing some kind of power trip (I mean, he has a power complex, as he sees plants as superiors, but he isn't shown to get delighted in humans' pain. They are like bugs to him, crushing them under his foot without a care), so it's not just "look at this human learning his place, shivering from fear at my power". This scene is incredible, Knives is so angelic with his long hair, and even totally naked and recovering, his presence is so strong Nicholas can feel he has no chance against him. But the angel is merciful today, and that's a first. He has crushed his most loyal follower body without a care just some days ago because he dared suggest humans could kill his brother. He will kill Conrad the moment he learns he betrayed him. He doesn't fuck around, human's life has no value for him, he probably has killed a ton of his followers in the last decades for daring to betray him. But not Wolfwood. Nicholas D. Wolfwood gets a special treatment, for some reason.

And that's it. Knives is never shown expressing something negative toward Wolfwood, when he does for anyone else. He discusses Legato's life with Elendira like he's nothing but an object (nobody likes Legato, it's incredible. Elendira even tries to kind of bond with Nicholas over their mutual dislike of Legato, and he's like "bitch, you're not my friend") He shows A LOT of anger and disappointment toward Vash. But Wolfwood? No, not even once. When he talks about Nicholas, it's to PRAISE him. When do Knives praise humans??? And if he looks bored in the panel, it's because he is tired (physically, as he yawns, or tired of Legato, who seems pretty jealous that Wolfwood is getting special mission and praise).

Nicholas D. Wolfwood is the only human Knives has showed he is interested in. He likes this one. He woke up to this weird priest pointing a small gun at him, frozen by fear, and saw something he liked. And that's why Wolfwood is given the special mission to babysit Vash, because Knives likes this one. And we don't know why because we are never let into Knives' brain during those moments.

Idk, it just makes me crazy.

[buccellato]

Fucks me up to think about how Legato's legacy in-universe after his death in Trimax (and presumably Tristamp) is probably gonna be how much he sucked and nothing else....

Like, nobody will like Knives but Vash will be long-lived enough to be able to eventually talk about his good qualities from when he was a child and his quasi-redemption in his last days. But who remembers Legato? Livio and Vash are the only living people with any extended memory of him and neither of them would have anything nice to say (and rightfully so). Neither of them probably knew he was a slave, either—as far as Vash can tell this dude showed up one day and hated his guts, for all he knows he's just another survivor from July! Outside of Knives, Elendira, Legato, and maybe Conrad, I don't think any other character knows his actual life story.

And to add on to that, there's no way of looking up that past either—he had no name or personhood before he was effectively rescued, so who could investigators or reporters or archivists track down for information? The human being that was Legato only existed for as long as he knew Knives, before that he was something to be kept and abused as an object. There's presumably no surviving family they can reliably contact, nobody to really say "yes I knew him, here's what his life was like, here's how we can prevent something like this from happening again".

His entire existence will be reduced down to "a human weapon that was freakishly loyal to public enemy #1" without any reflection on the mechanisms that made him the way he was because there's just no actual knowledge of his life.

[versaphile]

I’ll never kill. Ever again.

OK, so I didn't catch the significance at first, but after having absorbed the other Trigun canons, it really stands out to me. From "Millions Knives":

In the English dub, Vash's words are similar: "I’ll never kill. Ever again."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in the manga and 1998 canons, Legato is in fact the first person that Vash ever actually kills.

Though arguably he does hurt people very badly in the manga, his pacifism is generally about doing the least possible amount of harm to resolve a situation.

So when Stampede Vash says he HAS killed in the past, what is he referring to? Is it his guilt over The Big Fall? Nai did a number on him by retroactively making Vash feel as though the blood of that is on his hands, by showing Nai the access code to the SEEDS05 computer. Or is there something else that happened that we haven't seen yet, something where Vash ended up actually killing someone himself?

I think either way there's a difference between the Vashes here. 98 Vash is the most pure in his pacifism. He even goes out of his way to avoid harming anyone at all, if he can. He seems almost paralyzed by it at times, it even makes him freeze up in situations where he is faced with the choice to kill. 98 ends with him rejecting his obsession with Rem in order to stop Knives.

Manga Vash is frankly not afraid to draw blood, though he avoids it if he can. He has a lot more anger and escalates his willingness to harm with the danger of the situation. His refusal to kill is very tied up to his refusal of his own suicide and Rem's blank ticket speech. After Tesla, he chose to live because of Rem's love. Rem's love also saved the humans of NML. There's a whole transference here with him, where he needs to save the humans as part of him continuing to save himself from that suicidal urge that hasn't really gone away in all that time. And when he does finally give in to that suicidal urge at the end of Trimax, he does it with the mental context of giving his tomorrows to humanity just like Rem did. He embraces Rem’s path even more.

Stampede Vash though-- There's still a lot we don't know about what happened after Tesla. We know Rem gave the blank ticket speech. In the more limited examples we have, Vash absolutely minimizes harm to others, largely by drawing fire and running from it, and minimizes harm to himself. He is extremely controlled and precise in his use of force, again escalating only as much as absolutely necessary. He is actively trying to defuse situations and bring people together. The only times we really see Vash threaten anyone are his confrontations with Knives, and there's no sense that his heart is in actually harming Knives at all.

So is his pacifism a mixture of guilt over the Big Fall, and a need to carry on Rem's work and keep the humans and plants of NML alive just a little longer? Is that really about pacifism at all? If he did try to kill himself after Tesla, which is likely, how much is that driving him here? He is carrying a lot of pain, guilt, and shame, given his regular self-punishment.

And then there's this, in the same scene:

Brad tells Wolfwood that Vash's desire to save everyone on NML including Knives, is actually right.

This is absolutely fascinating to me. In 98, Brad is deeply antagonistic to Vash, partly out of jealousy over Jessica, but also because Vash goes out into NML and fights while Brad and the others in the Flying City hide in fear of "outsiders." Brad is a narrative critique of Vash's violence, and in the end he switches over and defends Vash, dying to save him.

In the manga, Brad is deeply antagonistic to Vash again out of jealousy over Jessica, but also he explicitly calls Vash a monster for his part in July and the Fifth Moon. Again, Brad serves as a critique of Vash, this time about the extreme destruction he's capable of. This is similar to Wolfwood's post-Dragon's Nest moment of doubt, where he seriously considered killing Vash to prevent Knives from using Vash's power ever again.

Stampede Brad is a narrative voice again, first antagonistic as his other counterparts, suspicious of Vash's very nature. But quickly enough he comes around and ends up as one of Vash's parental figures. And when Wolfwood doubts Vash for wanting to save everyone, Brad defends Vash. He says Vash is strong enough to find a way to make his dream happen. In contrast to so many others, instead of telling Vash to take a side, Brad says everything isn't black and white. And in fact SEEDS03 is actively working on a solution that will help Vash's dream happen, by trying to terraform NML with flora.

I think more than anything, Stampede Vash is defined by hope. He has people already trying to make a better NML. He goes out into the world and helps people and stops violence in order to keep plants and humans alive long enough for Luida's terraforming plan to succeed.

Roberto is another narrative voice. In "Humans", when Conrad shows off his work, all in the name of remaking the human race for survival without plants, Roberto calls him out, saying that his dream is not worth the cost of his monstrous abuse of innocents. Knives and Conrad's "dream" is one of humans and plants living completely separately, without depending on each other.

All of which is to say, in 98 the core inner conflict was Vash's fixation with Rem, and his refusal to kill reflected that. In the manga, the core inner conflict was the transference of Vash's denial of suicide, and his refusal to kill reflected that.

Stampede's core inner conflict so far appears to be abuse and isolation vs love and connection. The struggle of finding a way to survive while minimizing harm to others. This changes Vash's refusal to kill yet again. And all the more fascinating if Vash has already broken that ideal, if it's not a psychological block or obsession like 98 and the manga, but the choice he makes from lived experience and regret. Vash as a kind person having suffered greatly to learn his kindness.

All of which has massive ramifications for story elements that are entirely focused on Vash's refusal to kill. Such as Wolfwood. Perhaps that's part of why Wolfwood's story arc from the manga has already been largely completely by "High Noon at July". Wolfwood might still have no obvious compunction against killing, but Vash has already started to open up his heart. Wolfwood killed Rollo because he had no hope for Rollo or himself. And then Vash gave him hope for Livio, which is far more important to Stampede Wolfwood than what level of violence he should use. Even Livio shooting himself didn't take that away. Despite the destruction of JuLai, Wolfwood ends Stampede S1 with hope, for Livio and maybe even himself.

And also such as Legato. Perhaps that's why Legato's 98/manga obsession with Vash has been refocused towards Wolfwood in "Once Upon A Time In Hopeland/WOLFWOOD". Though I could certainly see Legato plotting a Death Game in revenge for "High Noon at July". Wolfwood is a safe target for Legato to transfer his anger at Knives. The big brother who needs to have his little brother taken away from him for his own good, to purify him.

Fascinating that Legato actually feels anger at Knives here, vs manga Legato who seems to be willing to accept any denigration with the eternal hope that Knives will show him a tiny speck of approval one day. Manga Legato wanted to destroy Vash as a gift for Knives, as proof of Legato's faith. Stampede Legato wants to punish Wolfwood because he can't punish Knives.

[magebird]

What if a His Dark Materials AU? Details of my thoughts under the cut.

So Roberto and Meryl have a badger and a lemur and Meryl is so excited to be in the black-and-white fur club with her senpai. Something something metaphors about learning to see shades of grey lol if we want to be heavy-handed with it. Definite primate vibes from Meryl— outgoing, loud when angered, high level of connection to her social group. Very intelligent and not so good completely solo.

Roberto meanwhile is a nocturnal animal, but still a social one. Badgers have been known to share their burrows even with other species, but can be really ferocious when under pressure. Also a very vocal species— they talk a lot.

I like the idea that for WW and Livio, the EoM tries really hard to force their members to settle according to their wishes, just as an extension of that manipulation. Mostly aiming for dogs probably or other animals that they feel can be forced to obey. For WW, a wolf was as close to a dog as they could get, and I like the idea that Livio(/Razlo)’s dæmon seems to flick back and forth between just a big dog and a true wolf depending on which personality is dominating. I imagine you’d also see some of the EoM lackeys being severed, as well, since that would make them biddable even if the rest of the brainwashing didn’t.

Vash’s mourning dove dæmon is also a prosthetic lol. I imagine Brad knew he’d need one to pass among humans and the form is a version of Rem’s white dove.

I also considered a St Bernard or some sort of hunting hound for Roberto, but I ultimately decided that something outside the domestic dog category would fit better. WW I think would also fit with a lot of different wild dog options, maybe something like a melanistic coyote, jackal, or painted dog that has that hunting instinct.

Legato was maybe severed as part of the abuse he had growing up, or forced to settle as something they could easily control like a butterfly or something else very vulnerable to harm, so he’s extremely protective and hides his dæmon.

Zazie is one of the first kids who ever settled as a worm on the new planet and then became part of the worm consciousness.

As a Plant, Nai doesn’t have a dæmon either in this setup, but I thought also about him and Vash sharing a dæmon or a chimera/two-headed dæmon. Ultimately I like the idea of them just not having an external dæmon and it being just another Othering thing. Perhaps Nai’s blades often end up shaping into a dragon or something.

I’m imagining part of the Plant-reveal on the sandsteamer would be Vash’s fake dæmon getting fried or destroyed which causes them to realize it’s not real.

[goldenteaset]

(After many edits and sitting on this for months...)

I think the shortest answer I can give to the whole "Legato's abuse has defined him too much to even consider what he'd be like otherwise in an AU" is:

Fair enough, but I feel we're supposed to try. I feel to assume Legato or anyone is wholly defined by what happened in their past only dehumanizes them further, and they shouldn't be denied that opportunity to grow and move on, even if that growth is painful. As a fictional character, where he's bound only by our imaginations, why should Legato lose out on this chance?

The nature of fandom, especially "transformative" fandom, is just that: taking what canon gave us and recontextualizing it, doing new things with it, having fun. Legato as a character is ripe for this. Rather than having him be static, it's just more fun to imagine what he'd be like if saved by someone else, if he didn't need saving at all, if he had parents who loved him, while still keeping the core of his character intact.

And for the record, these are the things I personally consider core to Legato's character:

Resilient and stubborn, able to defy death itself if it means he can achieve his goals.

A strong sense of justice/vengeance.

An intense hatred for bullies, or the sadistic preying on the weak.

Relating to that, a dark sense of humor.

('98 specific?) Loyalty to his comrades.

(Also '98 specific, might become prominent in Stampede) A philosophical streak.

If these sound a lot like some traits Wolfwood has, that's because they are, and Wolfwood also has a history of child abuse and murder and changed his ways upon meeting Vash. (So did Razlo, for that matter.)

On that note, I think it's worth specifying that "the ticket to the future is always blank" isn't something the narrative forces Vash to let go of, it's the pacifism and pretending he isn't a Plant. Even that guy who kidnapped Lina during Vash's Ericks era, who seemed so unlikeable, became a member of the community going by that one panel in Maximum. The future being open means that Vash's "tickets" can also be refused, and taken up again at one's will. Change is always possible in Trigun.

And re: "why do we see Legato's legitimately terrible past on the page, then?", I feel the answer is as simple as "Nightow wanted to show that Legato is human, and that his choices come from a painfully human place". He isn't a Plant, and he's not a slavering mindless beast despite his efforts to appear so, he's Legato Bluesummers and there were a hundred coincidences and choices that led him to fighting Vash on the Ark that we can mess with.

(Or atop that canyon in '98. I chose '98!Legato for Ligature for a reason, namely because compared to Trimax!Legato he has those positive traits + a blatant sense of guilt. Thus, it makes more sense for Vash's influence to rub off on him a little when he's young.)

That there are so many ways to interpret Legato, especially ones you don't agree with, is a sign that he's an incredibly well-written character. I just feel that his blank ticket is in our hands and it'd be a shame not to cash it in for him from time to time, you know?

[dragonofeternal]

Hot take/unpopular opinion time?

While I understand the urge to give Legato something nice by having him be rescued by Vash instead of Knives and think there's some very cute art and thoughts out there...

That would not fix him and it would not make him happy.

Knives's "salvation" for Legato wasn't just an end to Legato's present suffering, it was the fact that he completed the work Legato could not, even left a sliver of life enough for Legato to take some vengeance of his own. He would NOT be content or happy just to be taken away from his suffering in a nonviolent way. Vash would saunter in, shoot to disable the people actively raping Legato, and whisk Legato away, forcing him to watch those bastards as they pick themselves up to keep living their lives. Their survival would needle at the back of his brain, bristle any time he saw something that reminded him of that time in his life.

And for all that I love Vash the Stampede, I don't think he could give Legato the kind of help he needed to survive and thrive again. Vash is kind of like a wildlife rehabilitator- he takes people out of crisis situations, helps the to soothe the hurt, but he doesn't try to get attached and he tends to quietly slip out once he feels like they've reached a space where they're stable and the danger is gone.

Vash doesn't give people answers, he asks people to look within and find them for themselves.

Except Legato had reached a point where he felt he *had* nothing left within. We see his eyes go dull, watch all hope leave them. And when he and Vash fight at the end of TriMax, we see Legato recognize that dull flatness in Vash's eyes too.

Vash cannot give Legato something he doesn't have.

Knives, on the other hand is FULL of GLORIOUS PURPOSE. Is it good purpose? Is it smart purpose? Is he doing anything other than flailing around like a muppet made of sharp objects and fear and anger most days? No! But it's a purpose and it MATTERS.

And it's a purpose he can share with Legato, who needs something to believe in, something to fill himself with again because he feels so fucking empty. With Knives, there's a ready answer for the yawning emptiness in Legato's soul.

I'm not sitting here going "becoming the number one Kool-aide drinker in the Cult of Knives was a good life choice for Legato Bluesummers" or anything like that, but I WILL say it's a choice that gave him the ability to keep going. It's a choice that makes him Legato Bluesummers and not someone else.

Because my other concern with Vash's attempts to impress morality on Legato is what I said at the very top: Legato is never going to forget or forgive the people who wronged him. He's not going to let go of wanting to kill and destroy and hurt. There is a trolley problem of one thousand three hundred and one lives versus Legato's singular personhood, and if he is monstrous to want vengeance, if he cannot be allowed to take vengeance, then the only answer is to flip the track from his persecutors to himself. It's a rather simple solution, when you don't feel like there's a reason to be alive.

(all manga caps are taken from @trigun-manga-overhaul)

[thebellearchives]

𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐑

~ Millions Knives ; Trigun Stampede

✧˚ · . S Y N O P S I S : inside of Knives reside feelings that you’re aware of, and yet he lies to you and himself about it

‧₊˚ c o n t e n t s : knives x gn!reader, angst

‧₊˚ a / n : writing angst for knives is everything to me, enjoy 🫶🏻

You can feel Knives’ blue stare wherever you go, and he knows it. He hopes you think it’s because he’s keeping an eye on you, and he hopes you feel it’s stern and scary. Somehow, you don’t seem to think so.

He knows he doesn’t have to, but he brings you your food once in a while. He wants to make sure you don’t get the wrong idea though, so he mumbles something about how it’s useless for you to eat because you’ll be dead soon one way or another. Still, he hopes you don’t notice how he started heating up your food after Legato mentioned humans don’t usually like cold food. He remains silent around you most of the time, the gears in his head turning as he tries to figure you out, so whenever he says something it’s about how he doesn’t understand why Conrad wants you around. And then, he’s not sure when did this even start, but he peeks around your bedroom door at night to make sure you’re asleep. Again, Knives hopes you think he’s distrustful of you, but considering the multiple times he’s kept you from injuring yourself with Conrad’s tools you know he’s just making sure you’re safe.

In his mind, it’s only natural for you to be scared of him, he’s done everything to make sure you get it through your head: he hates you, he hates your kind, and his idea of a perfect world includes your demise and everyone else’s. But if he hates you so much, then why can’t he stop his bewitched eyes from following you around? And the way that feeling in his chest longs for his body to follow too? He’s convinced there’s something wrong with him, the way he’s suddenly so obsessed with watching your every move. You’re driving him insane, and he detests it. Is this what humans call a sixth sense? Should he be wary of you? Are you planning on sabotaging his plans? Why is it that his head is so insistent on you, on your pretty eyes and your smooth skin?

“Nai?”

He snaps out of his thoughts, but before you notice you’ve caught him off guard he frowns.

“It’s Knives for you” since when are you so irreverent as to call him by anything other than Knives?!

“Right, Knives” you smile and reach to brush something off his hair, he immediately draws back with widened eyes “sorry, there was something in your hair.”

He stares, bewildered. Have you got any regard for your own safety? Are you not capable of sensing danger? The way you reach for him, the way you smile, so ingenue. It’s almost fascinating to him how you seem to trust him, despite everything you know about him. Is it naivety, perhaps?

“William asked me to come look for you.”

“Then why didn’t you say so since the very beginning?”

He rises up from his seat, but just as he is about to leave, he notices you don’t move an inch.

“Knives? Won’t you tell me already?”

“Tell you what?” he can’t help but blink in confusion.

“What is it that you feel about me, exactly?”

He freezes in place then. A part of him is offended, for you to think he has any feelings towards you, a mere human, it’s infuriating. But another part of him is conflicted. What does he feel about you? Even if he was certain, what makes you think he’d tell you? He considers replying the most hurtful thing he can think of. He’s disgusted by you, he loathes you, if he could he’d kill you right then and there. But for some reason he doesn’t say any of those things.

“You’re nothing to me” he lies.

And then you smile again. He knows you’re aware, he knows that you can tell he’s lying. There isn’t a single hint of hurt in your eyes despite his cold words. Instead, you seem to be rather calm. He sees something in you then that he wants to say he despises, and it’s that patient smile that Rem used to wear. Whenever he said or did something hurtful, Rem would smile just like that. Patiently, waiting until he could come to terms with his thoughts and feelings. He tells himself he hates it, but truth is he’s grateful.

“Alright, let’s just head towards the lab then, there’s something William wants to show you”

[nanomooselet]

Wraith I

It's a common fan theory that the Eye of Michael's members are hybrids of human and Plant. It's interesting to read about, and I encourage its exploration.

However, I confess that I don't subscribe to it myself. Because I've got my own, even crazier theory.

Knives, I think, does not want humans and Plants swapping body parts. Knives is violently possessive, hates humans, and cares, first and foremost, about empowering himself enough that he no longer feels afraid. If he has a second priority it's keeping his loved ones close - but personally I believe that folds into the first, because he tries to do that by making them more like himself.

He doesn't do that by giving away what belongs to him, because that's not what he does. It's what he's afraid of. The closest I've ever seen him come was grafting Vash's amputated arm onto Legato in the first anime adaptation, and that speaks more to... something. I don't know. (If you have any idea what Knives thinks he's doing with Legato, you are way ahead of me.) Regardless it was Vash's arm, not his own. If anything, Knives was reclaiming what was his and putting it to a better purpose. He didn't have it removed from himself.

Connections like this?

I suspect they're misdirection. I don't think the special abilities these individuals display have anything to do with Tesla. I don't believe Knives has any intention of letting anyone else touch her. They're more like echoes, motifs, reminders - but for us, not for Knives.

And if you like, I have proof. Click to embiggen.

1) Leftmost image, Tesla's eye is still part of Knives (at least if you trust the advertising material - and it's a subtle enough nod that I do, since it delights my black little heart). He didn't pull out an eyeball and hand it over to plug into Elendira. She's simply cloned from his cells, a bit like a dependent Plant. 2) Central image, Vash's sliced-off arm was consumed by the out-of-control Gate, and Tesla's amputated left arm looks too small and ravaged to have been grafted to Legato. 3) Rightmost image, Wolfwood was simply 'lucky' enough to be born compatible with the drugs used by the Eye of Michael. They just had to prime their syringes and get jabbing. At most the chemicals used may have been Plant-derived. Insert dirty joke about being receptive to Plant fluid exchange here, if so inclined.

I do believe Tesla has a presence and trajectory of her own through the story, though. Just not as a body, which has been fully integrated into Knives.

I think she's a spirit. Knives genuinely believes he's doing what his sister wants of him. He is the son of his father, and Tesla is his holy ghost. She grants him power. At least... as long as she's with him.

Because Tesla, in Stampede, is specifically listed as being alive when the twins stumble across her and Vash accidentally removes her from cryogenic suspension. Then Knives, controlling the memory, skips over something... but rather than focus on that, I'd like to draw attention to the colour she was giving off.

I'll point to this post about the way Plants speak and this post about significant colours and this one about Tesla and how she's represented. It's a lot of reading, but if you don't like my yammering about Trigun Stampede I genuinely have no clue why you came even this far (and please, do tell. I'm curious).

Tesla isn't giving off blood red light, like Plants who've lost use of their Gates. It's pink, like the ones reacting to an incompatible environment. I think that means only is she still alive, she can still access her Gate. So she can still communicate. And I suspect, like Vash, she can receive communication from other Plants. She's horribly wounded and sick, but she can still take action. She still has power.

In Trigun Stampede, Tesla has agency.

So. That means she can make a choice.

Part II

Part III TBA

* I'm starting to become morbidly curious about what it takes to truly kill an Independent Plant. Vash, as always, looks like he lost a wrestling match with a combine harvester, Tesla's still alive, and Knives took several seconds of planet-busting Angel Arm discharge to the face, melted off his flesh and almost certainly survived, for a given value of "survived". He's right about one thing: humans have reason to fear Independents.

I'm also starting to have some queasy suspicions about how Orange intends to get him back in the game, but that's for another day.

[needle-noggins]

My book club reading this morning started with me goofing on Legato and etc., but then I got hit with the cafe scene. Let's talk about it, because I've been ready to bring up the body autonomy/exploitation/rape stuff for a while. This is going to get heavy, so fair warning.

Spoilers for Trigun Stampede, which I'll compare this to, in case anyone here is coming into the book club completely blind to Trigun (I assume most fans at this point have seen Stampede).

So. Damn. This is where the very heavy theme of bodily autonomy and exploitation really comes into the story. Obviously we have the conflict between the slavers and Legato. These girls are going to be sold for organ harvesting, but first... yeah, those slavers are fucking awful. Legato kills them by forcing them to kill themselves/each other, and Legato frees the girls. I think this is the first time we see what Legato's powers are - he makes people's bodies to move against their will. He later muses on this scene, wondering why he felt sympathy for the girls and spared them. If you've read Trigun Maximum before, you know why.

I want to compare this to Stampede, because it's the easiest way for me to talk about this theme without spoiling more of Trimax. When I watched Stampede for the first time, I remember being floored by the tank scene with Vash and Knives. Vash floating helplessly, paralyzed by Knives, his roots extending to the plants in the tank, and the reveal of those plants being pregnant. Knives boasting about making new Independents. It was so heavy that I had to pause the show and walk around for a bit. I still can't totally watch it.

Then, when I read Trimax, I saw just how much of a recurring theme this is in the story on a whole. OK, Nightow, that's fucking painful and kind of triggering for a lot of folks - so why does the story have to include this?

Well. It highlights just how horrible Knives, Legato, and other people can be, but more importantly, it's central to the entire plot and its resolution. We have to look at the other side of the conflict and zoom out a bit. In all versions of Trigun, there is exploitation - of the plants, of innocent people, of Vash's power. And, in all versions of Trigun, there's the struggle to find freedom and autonomy against it, specifically. Knives struggles to give the plants freedom (or his version of it). Vash struggles to free humanity from Knives (who not only kills indiscriminately, but also exploits people to kill for him. Hello, Wolfwood). Vash also struggles to find freedom from Knives, who uses Vash's powers against his will. That's a really boiled-down version of the central conflict.

So, what happens in this conflict?

Vash heals plants who have been damaged by humans' exploits. Vash helps people in any way he can, no matter who they are - because he wants what's best for humanity - all of it. And, at least in Tristamp, who saves Vash when Knives is using him? Fucking Meryl. Meryl, who jumps head-first into danger to save Vash. I could write an essay on Tristamp Meryl's character development in alone, but I won't (yet).

There's exploitation and rape and terrible abuse, but there's help. There's healing facilitated by others, sometimes others who have experienced something similar. I'm sure someone else can say this much more eloquently than me, but I wanted to get the conversation started.

[linkdedruid]

HEY BABE, WHAT SIZE PUSSY YOU HAVE

(Headcanons)

The Trigun Folks and Buying Period Supplies for Their Partner for the First Time

I'd like you to know that I *cackled* when I saw this in my inbox. Sorry it took so longggggg! So, I'm basing this off a mix of TriStamp and Tri98 (only reason not TriMax is bc I haven't read it yet I'm sorryyyyy) Big thank you to @abject-indulgence for helping with Legato (go follow him; he's pretty rad) Dividers by @benkeibear

Livio

he's such a sweetheart he offers to go get more supplies because your cramps are really bad he gets to the store and is very overwhelmed by the range of options he'd just text you to ask which ones you preferred to make sure he gets the right ones he also picks up your favorite dinner while he's out because at least it'll be a nice surprise

Wolfwood

this man runs an orphanage, so he knows what's up you ask him to grab some more when he's running errands he checks with you before he leaves to make sure he gets the right brand, size, etc. he's gonna maybe give you a little funny remark but he's back later that day with the supplies and some of your favorite snacks and he'll give you a uterine massage if your cramps are particularly bad also, he's the world's best heating pad because he runs so warm

Vash

poor, sweet Vash is trying his best he's never really had a partner before and wants to make sure he does everything right so he's doing a store run and notices pads and tampons are on the list doesn't look at the list before he goes and just panics nearly has a breakdown in the aisle because he doesn't know which ones to get he's too nervous to ask you or the employees he ends up getting one of each that he can find because he can't get it wrong if he gets all of them, right

Knives

he's gonna complain like, he's gonna say some crap about how humans are such a pain and a nuisance and he'll make someone else do it he will, however, make sure there's someone keeping an eye on it in future so you never have to ask again but he won't ever admit to it

Roberto

look me in the eye and tell me this man doesn't have this on lock I dare you because you'll be dead wrong this man has been around the block no hesitation just asks which ones you want like it's no big deal to him it's just another part of life

Legato

he's just confused why you're asking him to do it he's not grossed out or upset, just confused like, anybody could go do that and he's got things to do that only he can do anyway, he makes sure it gets done though he just has one of the lower level grunts do it with the threat of an excruciating death if they mess it up

Milly

you never have to ask her to pick up supplies because she's already on top of it like, she knows when anything is running low at home what makes you think she'd be anything less growing up with a big family means making sure there's plenty of household supplies you're actually more likely to have the issue of there not being enough space she always accidentally ends up buying too much

Meryl

she's the one who's gonna forget to supplies honestly she's too busy focusing on everything else to check and so she's doing emergency runs to get something to tide y'all over until she can get to the store to actually get the ones y'all want spoiler: she forgets and the cycle repeats

[revenantghost]

hiiii! I finished trimax yesterday and I am devastated, in awe, and also confused as fuck bc some of it is really hard to parse. so I was hoping that you could maybe answer a question about the end of vol 10?

I understand from the scene with livio that vash used his powers after wolfwood died but i'm not sure I understand why?

did he just have a bit of a breakdown? was knives somehow involved? was it something else entirely??

hopefully I'm not bothering you too much with this but I don't know where else to go for answers agdjsla

OH BOY, my deepest condolences. The post-Trimax trauma is REAL. You aren't bothering me at all, I love talking Trigun! :D If you haven't been able to tell :'D

Also you're not alone in trying to understand things :') I love Nightow, and Trimax is easily one of my favorite mangas for so many reasons now... but it's so infamously hard to understand at times lmao. Not the worst I've read by far, but something.

Unsurprisingly, I've seen a few different takes on it. I've seen some people say Vash struck out in rage, but I'm fairly certain Knives tried to attack first. My first thought was that Vash struck back to preserve himself, Wolfwood's body, and that last moment they had together before Vash buries him alone. However, some folks have pointed out it seems like Vash might be protecting all of Hopeland, which makes sense!

First, because Knives was just hopping around obliterating any and all settlements of humanity, and this one would hardly be excluded. Second, *points at the later scene, with Legato* no matter what it costs Vash, he cannot let Wolfwood's sacrifice in vain. He has to preserve what little energy he has to fight Knives (I'm sure after this he grasps what the hair darkening means, but who knows if he knew it before; Knives sure as hell had no clue, and Vash doesn't have a Conrad to clue him in), but he's already lost too much in his life already. This isn't a sacrifice he's willing to make. It's not a sacrifice he can survive making.

TL;DR: Best theory I've seen is that Knives tried to destroy Hopeland, Vash said, "No the fuck you do not," and despite Knives having a legion of plants attached to him, he still couldn't overpower his brother. Get dunked on, loser.