#No its not about the cinematic it never WAS about the cinematic

[hyperions-light]

The Poison Fruit Ripens

#defendingtheending here we go

First of all mega super ultra spoilers for the ending teaser that Steam says like… 6% ? Of players have seen? So you’ve been warned. No cuts baby, it’s Miyazaki style

Okay, so it’s the Executors, and they’re probably coming across the sea in the next game (if EA doesn’t nuke BW), from what I can gather. I mean, this is fine from a lore perspective. All we knew about those people before is that 1) they are mysterious 2) they are from over there, across the ocean

And now they’re maybe connected to the revealed Qunari lore, which I am ! So excited to have! We already knew that the Qunari fled across the ocean for unspecified reasons, and that going back there was Not A Thing. But now we know that they left because of the (probably metaphorical?) Devouring Storm, which could be connected to the Executors. What are the odds that there are two separate Huge Bad Things Over There that both want to destroy Thedas? Probably is just one big thing— also the title Executor implies they are doing the bidding of someone else, so whatever the Qunari were talking about could be it. (They also talked about being agents of someone else’s will in the Inquisition War Table quest).

So the cinematic shows a bunch of our prominent villains from the previous games being influenced in some way by the Executors. Which I think people are upset about, but I think it’s fine because:

- They did not really specify the manner of influence. I would be annoyed if they retconned Loghain’s decision to leave Cailan on the battlefield because it makes him interesting, but they didn’t say that. They just said they influenced his decisions. They could have done that by stoking his paranoia about Orlais, or by planting Arl Howe to influence him after the battle. He did a lot of OOC stuff while he was King Regent, and this could be a chance to explain what didn’t make sense for his previously established character and was just put in there to make him seem Very Evil.

- They also were around some people doing a blood magic ritual… there weren’t enough of them to be the Magisters, technically, but that is usually what it looks like when we see them in DA art so I’m going to assume that’s them for now. I mean that’s wild if that’s what it is bc that was such a long time ago? Thee guys have really been playing the long game I guess

- The other person they directly influenced seems to be Bartrand, which is really easy because who the fuck gave him that damn map? We NEVER found out who pointed Bartrand to the Thaig! Someone did it, and they probably did it on purpose! It may as well be these guys

- the rest of the villains don’t get guys whispering to them, so I have to assume they mean to imply that they just set up the circumstances that would lead to these people gaining power. I mean someone sent the Carta to the Vimmark mountains, right? And there was like some weird demon there, too.

-So basically they’re just implying that these people have been manipulating events to make sure that shit in Thedas is hitting the fan all at once, which does kind of explain the frankly improbable number of world-ending events that have happened during the Dragon Age. I mean, three Blights, two Magisters, two Evanuris, Antaam invasion, major mage rebellion, Templar schism, and the death of the Southern Divine? It’s only been like 50 years!!! Before the Dragon Age there had only been four Blights since the Ancient Age! Shit does not normally happen this fast in Thedas

I think the phrase itself is pretty direct (also giving Southern Reach vibes). All this chaos they helped sew is reaching its culmination, and now they’re getting ready to cash in the chips. They’re coming to Thedas at the moment that all the great powers are at their weakest, when there’s basically no one to oppose them. Tevinter? Fucked. Qunari? No military anymore. Antiva? Haha! lol, even. Fereldan? Basically gone. Orlais? In shambles. Free Marches? Decimated. Anderfels? There’s like 100 Wardens left in a swamp. Nevarra? I actually don’t know, maybe the lichlords can do something. Maybe Rivain could field some token resistance if they didn’t get hit by the Antaam too badly, but that’s kind of it IMO. This is THE time to come in and conquer(?) the land, or whatever they’re trying to do. Kill everybody?? Turn them into Darkspawn? Who knows!

Some speculation about what could be done to repel invasion:

- shit ton of blood magic

- fix titans, wake them up??? But idk if they’d be into it

- adaari, but idk if there are that many

- people with dragon blood, like the Theirins, are maybe super special and can do things?

- pirates, baby!!! Woooooo!

- I guess Mythal could know something? She can see the future a bit

- dragon army! Dragon army!!

[moonilit]

Hironobu Sakaguchi: im going to creat a narrative driven franchise that will paint beautiful words and emotions, themes that make people wonder, what is humanity place in this universe, their loses, their fates, their moralities

Square Enix: so we put a coin in this and it give us money? *shake violently* come on! Give us millions!

[bowenoke]

in scott's pov (ep7) he refers to scar as grian's husband. no one tells him this is not the case. this is because traffic!scott decides who is and is not married like some sort of contractually binding arbiter of love. to me anyways

[holyblanchett]

Can we just talk about how when asked about Rio being death Agatha specifically says "I LIKE the bad boys" and not liked?? Implying the feelings are still there and ofc we already knew that but for her to acknowledge that to her coven no less is such a huge step.

[zonatcannibalism]

Im really enjoying the Agatha show for now, but wanda maximoff, kate bishop and billy kaplan are my favorite comic book characters of all time and if they treat billy the way they treated wanda in doctor strange 2 and kate in the hawkeye show i will go there and personally assassinate whoever did it

[mariocki]

Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)

"Miriam? He really... isn't here, is he? Just now, I thought I heard... sometimes at night, when I wake up, it seems as if he really is here. Don't turn on the light. It's not real when it's light. It's only real when it's dark - dark and still."

[blackhillverse]

tell me i’m not the one who stopped watching that damn show after they killed my maria hill LMAO

[princessdarth-vader]

forgive me for just Retelling What's In The Story but the specific scene of Taako, whos just had his life fall apart again, realising he forget the only. Only. person who matters to him more than anything and anyone. Who said he didn't care. Who will play the part of the hero, but has to stake in the game without her, seeing Angus, shaking, about a spell he didn't cast. an evocation spell. and taako realising in that moment, knowing exactly what wizard casts that spell, just like that. Exactly what wizard is precise enough with evocative magic to spell sculpt around him. Did he put all the pieces together first? The lich-eating, the name in the wall, the way she would protect him, even when trapped, with nothing else to do? Or did he just know, as a base instinct, that no matter what, he had to break the staff, just to know for sure?

[blueskittlesart]

me, thinking that i have at least a base level understanding of botw: :)

blue, about to write a 1,000+ word essay that is going to completely revamp my understanding of the game and interpretation of its events: bada bing bada boom

i dont know how you do it. i am incredibly impressed and using all of this for fic inspiration. keep writing

every time someone asks me how i do this shit i have to regrettably inform them that the real genuine answer is that i am fucking insane. my 2 passions in life are writing and video games and the place where the 2 converge fascinates me to no end and i am that special kind of crazy that is capable of latching onto something and not thinking about anything else for 10 years. so. the only thing i have cared about deeply for the last several years of my life has been the way video games are written and constructed. and zelda is one of the most interestingly constructed franchises i have found to date. these games are just like. the absolute perfect story for my brain to work with and i truly do not know who i would be without them. and i am genuinely incredibly grateful that ive been able to build a platform where people like. CARE about what i have to say and take the time to ask me to think about the games because like. i would be doing it ANYWAY but knowing that there are people who actually read my analysis and appreciate the amount of thought i put into this stuff makes me really happy lol

[dragonseeds]

You get it!! I'm not a big fan of the popular discourse around Daemon's gender issues I feel like it's just people making fun of him or it's used to diminish his relationship with Rhaenyra by saying he actually wanted to be Viserys's sisterwife and is using her as a replacement.

oh thank you! <3 also like. so glad i’ve managed to avoid most of that discourse because i simply don’t pay attention to what anyone besides my beloved mutuals say about daemon anymore. i feel like you’re 100% right about the nature of those discussions based on what little i have seen though.

the idea that daemon is using rhaenyra as a replacement for viserys just seems like the latest iteration of the “daemon’s only using her for the throne” take, which has been so thoroughly disproved at this point that people who hate daemon/their relationship and in some cases rhaenyra herself had to switch tactics to try to keep the character/relationship bashing and derision somewhat canon compliant. their relationship with each other (and with viserys) and daemon’s relationship with gender/masculinity is so much more complex and interesting.

[p4nishers]

god the LAWSUIT!!!!!!!!!!! EVERYTHING about it but ESPECIALLY that fucking HUG. oh my god. like. it literally plays on a never ending loop in my mind. the way buck is smiling SO HARD and literally CURLING into eddie, trying to basically melt into him and how eddie is PUSHING HIM AWAY. i cant get over that. how he allows himself probably 30 seconds to hug buck then he's like actually putting a physical distance between them. the SYMBOLISM of that alone. jesus. they were both so hurt back then and they couldn't even talk to each other. the fact that THAT hurt eddie the most, not being able talk to buck, to see buck. "now i can't even talk to you because of it" "do you know how much christopher misses you?" bc he's always hiding behind chris when he's trying to hold back his actual feelings. god GOD im obsessed with all of it. how it was like made completely clear that what buck did hurt eddie the most. bc of course it did. "i just want you to talk to me". "whatever it takes for you to forgive me–" "i forgive you". can i just mention again: THE HUG. its simultaneously the worst and best buddie hug. i want to vomit every time i think about it. ill never stop talking about that arc. ever.

[kwyoz]

im staying away from anything dragon age related that isnt tumblr, some of the mfers in this fandom are so annoying.

[tombware]

seeing like a mini debate about ast*rion vs daer*n ar*ndae in regards of quality and i might be specifically seeing only one sides opinion because. i do not think Mr. D is more compelling. ultimately i think theyre quite different as well so idfk

[vulturereyy]

THEY'RE DOING FUCKING WHAT FOR A CROWN OF CANDY????

[autismmydearwatson]

This has been on my mind a while but I do think Heath Ledgers Joker is the best. Not in a redditor neckbeard "I'm just like him" way, I'm speaking as someone for whom The Dark Knight is actually my FOURTH Favorite Batman Movie (after Batman Returns, The Batman, and The Lego Batman Movie of course). The genius of Heath Ledgers Joker is that he sort of reveals what I think are the bare bones of the Jokers character and reveals why the Joker movie failed. The Joker isn't SUPPOSED to have a backstory or a reason. He's not SUPPOSED to make sense.

This is summed up in what Alfred says. "Some men can't be bullied, bargained, or reasoned with. Some men want to watch the world burn." And the Jokers quote "this is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object." "Do I look like the kind of guy with a plan? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it!"

When Batman fights the Joker, he's not fighting a person whose motives you can pick apart and analyze. When Batman fights the Joker he is fighting the physical manifestation of the chaos Gotham fears most. Gotham is already gripped by crime. What if the criminals stopped having reason? What if money couldn't appease the mob? What if crime truly became cruel and indiscriminate.

With this interpretation of the Joker, it makes sense why he changes his story every time he says how he got his scars. Why no one can pinpoint where he came from or why he showed up. Why Batman can never really defeat him. The Jokers whole character concept at his core is that he's not so much a character but a mask given to an abstract concept. And the Dark Knight is the Batman movie that I believe best represents him as this unstoppable force.

[mecharose]

that last post is me writing abt Annie interacting w the 2013 Cosmic Night Eyeball™ just for fun :3