#Marinette villain arc

[fernsnouveau]

You didn't list Félix.

However, Nathalie enabling Adrien's abuse is nothing new; it's been, like, part of her actual job for most of the show's runtime. Disappointed but not surprised.

I don't like Bunnix' authoritarianism in making sure that Gabriel's reality rewrite happens, (and I've had issues for years with the way Future Bunnix uplifted Ladybug and put down Chat Noir in "Timetagger", like, did she NEED to make his mental health worse in the past For Greater Good or what?!) but it's kinda difficult to effectively criticize time travel characters for secrecy or when they do or don't interfere... obviously, in addition to telling Maribug "it's your choice", really could have also tried to get her to realise that by making it, she's depriving Adrien of an informed choice. But hey, Bunnix' opinion on Adrien has consistently been noticeably low -_-

Plagg and Kagami's writing at this point kinda feels like they're barely treated as characters anymore? Which is weird because they used to rank pretty high on the character writing quality scale in this show. I don't know what Kagami's personality is even supposed to be anymore, post-feligami. She also betrayed Ladybug's secret identity to Félix, despite having been a rather principled person in the past. I'm not sure if the showrunners know what her personality is anymore, either.

I have mentioned several times that Plagg lying to Adrien actually hurt me more than Marinette lying to him. It's like Adrien has finally lost the one person who was fully on his side and understood him better than anyone else. It was actually the thing that devastated me the most about the way S5 ended. However, it's not like we've been getting a lot of actual characterization to react to about it.

People who are keeping secrets from Adrien:

Nathalie, bunnyx, Marinette, Plagg, and Kagami

People who are getting salted on and hated for their actions:

Marinette

[bigfatbreak]

For the Viceroy AU, how does Tom figure out Gabriel was the one responsible?

[shatygrey]

thinking about akumatized marinette—the heroine ladybug that was once loved by everyone—spiraling into villainry.

[simpforfictionalmen]

maybe kendrick lamar has possessed me i'm not sure but truly it's pissing me off the direction that the writers or producers of mlb have taken with the characters because why am i expected to give a shit about all these half-baked characters just bc they have a miraculous.

sure sublime is nice but we alr did this perfect girl controlling mom bit w/ kagami except this time they won't get us to hate the white girl bc she's not interested in Adrien or emotionally stunted.

and why am i learning more abt zoe who joined us like 3 seconds ago rather than one of our consistent characters like alix or juleka. or hey maybe even give chat noir some props/time instead as one of the ORIGINALS.

and sabrina.. oh sabrina. daddycop just proves me even more right that these ppl don't know how to write realistic friendships because at the end of the day WHY would someone as the new person in a group ask someone hosting a sleepover if they can invite an old bully. sure zoe asked and thought she had permission but if you as the stepsister to the evil KNOWS the extent why would you? because marinette is a nice girl?

i hate how goddamn selective this show is with character development; like oh you thought our protagonist was going to get that after 5 seasons? no it's for the secondary character that will contribute almost nothing to plot this season.

and how they edge us on with a really really wonderful premise or character and then leave us out to dry like waiting for rain. felix. kagami. luka. alix. master fu. ADRIEN/CHAT NOIR.

okay im done i need to be sedated.

[richardsphere]

I hate timetravelers. They rarely have consistent characterisations, because anything is in-character when you have infinite amounts of off-screen "implied" off-screen characterarcs. But even by that standard, turning "Spunky little rebel" alix into "both romanticised abuse and not doing romanticised abuse have concequences" as an excuse for "neutral-by-way-of-apathy" is... bad. And its not helped by the fact that there's three of her. Because usually when a timetraveler says something, the writer at least have the option of retconning and saying "you met them on a at an awkward time in their life". But because we know that every bunnix from Teen to Grandma holds this opinion. The writers dont have that option available. The one reason she got picked was because she could be trusted to care, but now we know that all 3 versions of her agree that "caring is for chumps". Like this special went full "South Park-level" of apathy in Bunnix character. It no longer matters to her if what Ladybug does is right or wrong, because "both options have concequences", so you might as well do this cause all paths are equal (in that they have concequences. The non-equality of the concequences are not considered relevant to our 'True Neutral'-Nihilist). and then i think back to the first time we saw Bunnix and remember the way future-Bunnix kept being Pass-Ag to catboy and i fear that somehow, not only are things gonna get worse before they get better. But the "benefit of hindsight/omniscient observer" character is gonna end up holding catboy responsible for his actions in the fallout of these actions borne from her own moral apathy to LB's actions. The current status of Bunnix' moral philosophy can be summarised as: "If Catboy breaks my watch in the future, thats the result of his actions and he should be held morally accountable for those actions and i should publicly shame him for it in front of Ladybug in the past before he can even commit the crime im punishing him for. But If Ladybug becomes a Censorship Queen and Controllingly Abusive Romatic Lead, she should not be held accountable because Not Doing That was also an option, and therefore must've been morally equivalent to choosing to Do That."

like i said, fuck timetravelers in general, but even amongst the moral myopia of timetravelers Bunnix is particularly bad.

You know what I think is funny? That for as much as I see people bending over backwards to justify Marinette's lies, I don't see these scenes as gif sets alot or even at all in the case of the "Ladybug will now decide for the world what the truth is" moment.

It's almost like her fans just wanna sweep that under the rug or something. Same as the Black Cat Lucky Charm Marinette ignored, Marinette telling KAGAMI no problem that her mother is a terrorist, or the fact that Marinette telling Chat Noir NOTHING means leaving him incorrectly to blame himself and believe his absence caused the death of an innocent man who's son is now an orphan

Funny that for as many excuses as I'm seeing this whole time, all of that and even more is just easily ignored because that wouldn't make for a good excuse and justification, now would it?

[lostuntothisworld]

Can we please talk about how Griffe Noire's iris and sclera colors sort of look like the reversed version of Mayura's and Argos' even tho it's supposed to look like Shadow Noir?

[Edit: I forgot Anticat!]

[videogamelover99]

People are genuinely underestimating the potential that Marinette's lie to Adrien has.

[theprinceandthewitch]

Adrien really does need to crash out and go full anti villain at this point.

[baenyth]

Bethany's Bizarre Miraculous Reviews Episode 5-24: The Beginning of the End: NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE

NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE Watermelon NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE

Why does Marinette's voice sound so deep in the intro, now that I think about it? Why specifically this season? Because it's season 5?

Well, at least the show's not hypocritical about calling the news forcing couples bad.

Deepfakes

Oh, right. this. Feligami is like breaking up with Mega Man only to start dating Mega Man?, who is a different character from Mega Man that appeared in Powered-Up and is essentially just Mega Man but an evil binch. He's prevalent in 8-bit deathmatch.

"Fuck it! I'm revealing my identity to Marinette!"

Oh right. This. You think they'd celebrate Chloe's Public Execution the same way? Now I'm getting into watching people suffer.

Spotlight

Oh hey. Kagami knows Ladybug's identity! Awesome! Not awesome that she's sharing it with Mr. Genocide over here, though.

Wait, she knows Ladybug's identity as well but was akumatized twice and Hawkmoth didn't notice. Damnit, there's no excuse for sending Luka to Brazil now!

Warped-ahh voice

Eh. Close enough for me. Now do the other two.

The White Rabbit

Why does she look so much more dying now?

Here it comes!

That's it? That's the nightmares? A single image? And the character who's all about the plight of being seen now has the worst nightmare of her supposed father breaking a guitar? Rose's was pretty immature, too.

Baby doll

Tired of his dad's shit

Oh boy. Gabriel-Marinette parallels. This relationship is doomed.

Cowboy-ass mf

Cool motive. Still working with a terrorist supervillain and committing genocide.

Welp, there goes Felix's integrity.

Couldn't he call Ladybug for a quick Lucky Charm and big bang?

Oh. Nevermind.

Oh. Double nevermind.

The foosball dungeon

Yep, I'm undergoing my villain arc. Anyone have any fics that simultaneously show how horrendous Adrienette would be and gives Felix plenty of consequences for his actions or am I just going to have to imagine having my own villain arc where I become something inbetween the Toymaker and Bill Cipher and be a silly whimsical creature that loves to play games while also being a sinister dealmaker that might remove your eyes if you lose my quiz show and mess with reality even without the Two Miraculouses?

[drtwit]

Miraculous Ladybug - Miraculous Menaces AU: Feelin' Good

Miraculous Menaces AU

Chapter Summary:

Volpina and Ladybug are dangerously close to being friends. This can only end well.

A collection of vignettes covering an AU where Chat becomes Hawkmoth's partner in crime. At first, Adrien thought that the day he found out that his father was the supervillain terrorizing the people of Paris was the worst day of his life, but in retrospect, it might have been the one change needed to save his family. Because it was also the day that both of them realized that, when they don't need to be Adrien and Gabriel Agreste, they're both fucking goobers. Follow the adventures of Hawkmoth, Chat Noir, and their reluctant assistant who doesn't get paid enough, Nathalie, as they try to navigate life as a supervillain family. And pray for Ladybug's sanity as she suffers their antics.

[butterfly-effected]

First Look at Shadybug and Claw Noir

Miraculous: Into the Reverse, is giving me exactly what I want. I can’t wait to bear witness to evil Ladynoir. I know I’m not the only one legitimately excited for this to release.  GIF Credit: @ouiladybug​

[cyberbatuniversitygiant]

Agree. Fucking agree.

Most of my fanmade villains are based around the idea of corrupting Marinette into a monster of resentment who sees nothing but the injustice and selfishness in the world, willing to do anything to prevent anyone from hurting her again.

Wether it be to stand at the top of the cosmos, or erasing everything permanently.

And even if she's stopped, she would never find true happiness again. Too afraid of trusting in anyone ever again.

Anyone else have other suggestions?

Marinette corruption arc

[i-like-anything-water]

As someone who enjoys a good Chloenette fic, I have to ask: How do you think an evil Chloenette situation would occur. (My computer won't make question marks...) Mostly asking because, let's face it, Chloe and Marinette DESERVE the chance to become villains and rule Paris together!

Hello!

Ooh, evil chlonette! There's numerous ways to write/execute it, but if I had to choose (I'm actually planning an anti-hero/corruption-ish arc for them for my chlonette verse) I'd make Chloe go corrupted first. She's been akumatized for what, 7 times? And I think there's more to come if the writers won't write her off yet. Anyways, it starts when she's finally had enough and sticking to canon (for a bit), she doesn't have anyone to lean on or let alone talk to. Lila, after obtaining Nooroo, offers her a fresh start as being her right hand woman (again). Chloe accepts, what else can she do at this point? Everything's hazy, confusing, blinding and all she wants is to do something - anything. She gets the peacock miraculous which Lila has already akumatized (she doesn't want Chloe to escape) and since Chloe's been akumatized (her previous ones being very powerful) she doesn't notice the sudden charge of powers that aren't the same with the bee.

The corruption is slow, the magic seeps into her the more she fights and wears the Peafowl miraculous until she finally struggles whenever she's de-transformed. It becomes a lifeline and slowly, her memories start becoming hazy. Her emotions are both all over the place but it's pushed at the back of her mind. She's slowly stopping being Chloe, and becoming what Lila wants - a weapon. But it's gonna backfire in the long run cause while Chloe is losing some of her memories, it gives her less inhibitions to anything. Like her obsession with Marinette and Ladybug.

I had two possible endings for it. Either Chloe is 'saved' or she's managed to defeat (debating if I should have it as death or keep it PG) most of the heroes and toys with Ladybug. Ladybug is frustrated and angry and just close to getting akumatized herself. But whenever the butterfly gets too close and she's struggling to fight it, Chloe snatches it off.

"Stop. Succumb to it willingly. You don't have to keep on fighting me, Ladybug. Become my other half and together we can rule Paris with no limitations."

Lila scoffs the first time Chloe explained her reason, saying she was still obsessed with the red clad hero even before she was offered the peafowl miraculous. Chloe doesn't budge, and Lila can't lose a valuable asset so she doesn't push. For now.

I want the corruption for Ladybug to be confusing until it's blinding. Why is Chloe stopping her from getting akumatized? Why is she not finishing her off and taking her miraculous? Why is she taking her time? Why is Chloe not acting like Chloe?

During their fights and interactions, they talk. They spit poisoned words and cusses and Chloe is thrilled. Thrilled that Ladybug does have darkness within her. Thrilled that her obsession wasn't misplaced and if she played her cards right, Ladybug would be obsessed with her.

Once she's fallen (maddeningly) in love with Chloe, she accepts the butterfly and together they (easily) take down Lila and rule Paris. Very slow burn-ish.

That's one of my ideas so far. There's another one but it's a Chloe Redemption after a corruption arc (kinda?). Thanks for the ask, this was interesting!

[existentialburden]

some episodes of this damn show have me angrily ranting to my poor wife about the injustices done to a character who's regressed, character-wise, with no clear reason, and make bullet point lists talking about each small inconsistency in personality

some episodes make me stim until I have to lay down

[theprinceandthewitch]

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

I just realized that, in the 5 seasons finales, LB&CN NEVER won :(

-S1: Origins, the start of everything so it doesn’t exactly count. Volpina is the last chapter before those, but now that Lila seems to be the new HM, and since it was LB’s “mistake” that made her a nemesis, their victory comes empty in the long run.

-S2: Heroes’ Day, I consider it a tie, because the status quo changed to HM’s favor. After all seemed lost, LB&CN got a second wind and they managed to corner him, pointing to their victory; there was no way to foresee Mayura’s arrival. HM didn’t win, but is no longer alone against them. From a narrative pov, in my humble opinion, it is a nice season finale to set up S3.

-S3: Battle of the Miraculous, LB makes a mistake born of jealousy, leading to the capture of Master Fu, HM claiming the Miracle Box and Chloe’s betrayal. Aftermath: Fu’s gone, temp heroes’ identities revealed to HW and Mayura, the translation of the grimoire is in enemy hands, allowing him to repair the broken Peacock miraculous, and Chloe starts hating LB. The heroes recovering the miracle box at the end is just a small win contrasted to everything else.

-S4: Shadow Moth’s Final Attack, the Miracle Box is in HM’s hands after LB makes another love-related mistake by being deceived by Felix into thinking he was Adrien; behold the rise of Monarch. Our heroes have their worst defeat so far.

-S5: The Final Day *insert TLOZ: Majora Mask’ Last Day theme*. Gabriel, the person who antagonized our heroes these five seasons, the one who was supposed to be defeated, brought to justice, manages to outsmart Bug Noire because she had faith in the man, and makes the wish. (Though I heard that Mari won because Gabriel didn't wish for Emilie at the end, so... it is supposed to be the heroes' victory, I guess?)

I'm pretty sure this came up somewhere in the comments or reblogs of my post about Marinette being written like a villain, but in the context of the finals, Gabriel is written like a classic superhero. The only exception being Origins which isn't really a final so I don't think it counts. Instead we'll do Volpina into Collector.

Season One: The heroes almost out Gabriel's identity, but he makes a last minute brilliant plan to save himself and beat his enemies, forever putting himself off their radar.

Season Two: Gabriel almost loses, but an unexpected ally swoops in to save him at the last second. She then becomes his new teammate for the rest of the show.

Season Three: Gabriel almost wins, but fails at the last moment due to a deus ex machina. Still, he ends the season with new knowledge that will make him stronger than ever as he faces his enemy in the coming fights.

Season Four: Gabriel once again loses the battle, leaving him in his darkest hour, only for another unexpected ally to swoop in and give him a major powerup, allowing him to go into the final season ready to put it all on the line.

Season Five: Gabriel once again loses the battle, but when all hope seems lost, his enemy's hubristic monologuing gives him the win, allowing him to achieve the victory he's been fighting for all along. He even gets to change his mind on what victory means for him, showing more growth than anyone else in this mess of a show. (For this, we're going to ignore the insane and deeply insensitive idea that being unable to live without your spouse is a happy ending and meaningful lesson about grief.)

To be fair, it's not totally unheard of for heroes to fail at the start or in the midgame, but I'm struggling to think of another show that did it this poorly. Usually, the heroes lose as a way to set up the plot for the next season or arc. During this follow-up plot, the heroes usually earn a new power or skill so they can come back and win. Miraculous doesn't do that. Things like Gabriel's season four win lead to nothing for the heroes even though a lot of us were expecting season five to see something like the heroes recovering a different miraculous every episode as Ladynoir came back stronger than ever now that the season four nonsense was done with.

But season five wasn't about getting the Kwamis back or about Ladynoir being stronger than ever. It was about Adrienette getting together and Gabriel being against that even though he was seemingly fine with it in both what-if episodes begging the question of what changed?

Season four wasn't about cool new guardian powers or rebuilding the team from scratch. All of the status quos were maintained. The only big difference was that Gabriel got the ability to use the peacock without dying even though it would have been infinitely more satisfying if season five had him dying from a broken miraculous instead of a cataclysm. Same plot, just without the complication of Adrien technically killing his father.

Season three wasn't about figuring out how to stop new villain Maurya. She only goes away because she gets too sick to fight. The heroes don't do anything to stop her. They just got lucky.

When you look at the various power ups that the show introduces - the potions, unification, new miraculous, etc. - there is no overarching narrative logic for why those power ups are being introduced. That's why they're often only used for something interesting in their intro episode. After that, they're just kind of there. I don't think they ever come back to save the day in a season final like you'd expect. The only one who gets lasting power ups that effect the whole season is the villain.

Heroes can also have less-than-perfect victories in satisfying stories. A lot of my personal favorites are a little bittersweet. But none of Miraculous' losses fit that bill either. The closest we get is the season five ending because the heroes did get the miraculous back, but it's hard to call that a victory. I'm not even sure why they need them back. Unless the story randomly decides that Ladynoir isn't enough for today's fight, the temp heroes aren't needed. That's why Ladynoir was perfectly fine for all of season five even though they were fighting a villain with every other power! It's actually really funny when you think about it. Heroes like Viperion should be at every fight because their powers feel essential. Yet Viperion only shows up a handful of times. Times when Ladynoir is suddenly struggling to win even though they've faced plenty of one-hit K.O. villains before. The show's internal logic is a mess.

Then again, this is also the show that consistently lets the villain's love empower him while the heroes' love leads to the end of the world, so I guess this is just kind of par for the course.