#OUR CREATOR... and our Destroyer...

[king-dra]

everytime i see the word Behold in front of a sentence i always read it in the voice of the darkest dungeon narrator

[ooooo-mcyt]

Grian is the sun in his warmth. He's a natural leader, the creator of the game, the first to win it, someone who's good at taking charge, someone it's easy to just orbit around. He's warm, fun, active at all points. He feeds beautiful things and warms cold hands.

Grian is also the sun in the way he burns. To come too close is often to burn into nothing. To look too long is often blinding. Long told tales warn not to fly too close. Burnt wax and invisible radiation- it isn't intentional, there's no malice in the destruction. He destroys anyway. It's the nature of the sun, to silently poison and burn.

Scott is the stars in how he guides. Company in the darkest night, a steady still light used to navigate the darkness. Scott loves deeply, giving all he has to see the ones who love him succeed. He burns for them, a steady presence, hopeful and certain, you're going to make it, he knows it.

Scott is also the stars in distance. The stars in our sky are a snapshot of time, thousands of years passed and trillions of miles away. As much as he may burn with all the radioactive heat of a star while he can, choosing to die first means Scott has no power over what happens once he's gone. All he can do is hope for the ones he loves to look up, and that the light will be bright enough still to guide them home.

Pearl is the moon in the way she changes. She's adaptable, able to shift easily, changing form. A loyal friend, a curse, something wicked, something that watches- the moon can be many things, depending, and that's one of her big strengths. Pearl survives- thrives- off her willingness to be what she's believed to be, what she has to be. Adaptability and change is one of the reasons Pearl is always one of the last ones standing.

Pearl is also the moon in her loneliness. Isolated through quiet nights with nothing but the howling of the wolves for company. Overlooking a world quiet and still and shrouded in shadow. Even if she longs for company, it's not in the nature of the moon, at least, not when the moon is truly visible.

Martyn is mars in victory. It may not be pretty or palatable for everyone, but there's an empowerment in it. Martyn seized victory, made an ending that was his and his alone. Exactly the way he wanted it. The best kind of selfishness, the kind where you finally get to hold something close and say it's yours, after so long of just playing a role in someone else's story.

Martyn is also mars in brutality. A barren red desert, inhospitable to all but himself. Maybe once it could have held life, could have been something kinder, but now all that remains is harsh freezing dust, brutal and selfish. Mars has no capacity to regret, but still, the rage of dust storms can sometimes feel like grief, or something close to it.

Scar is the earth in his capacity to create. Tending to animals, helping the flowers bloom, building incredible things. Trade and commerce, speech, energy and life. Everything to do with creation, with life, with civilization. The only winner who kept living beyond their victory.

Scar is also the earth in his capacity to destroy. Violence and destruction, dishonesty, injustice. The earth may be the holder of life, but it's also the most common destroyer of it. Earth can be an unforgiving and unsympathetic force, bringing injustice on the shifting of the tides and gathering of clouds.

[arealtrashact]

Look again at that pale blue dot. On it, everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you've ever heard of, every human being who ever was. The aggregate of our joy and suffering. Every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and every peasant. Every saint and sinner in the history of your species lived there. On a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. . .

[ineedhjalp]

TAKE AWAY THE /j!

I AM SENDING MY THERAPY BILL TO YOU NEIL GAIMAN /j

[isagrimorie]

When asked about the decision to turn Death into the original Green Witch and have her serve a similar role to Shiva as both a destroyer and a creator, Schaeffer went into depth about how they wanted to reinvent her for Agatha All Along, sharing the following:

Jac Schaeffer: Yes, Andy, you’re speaking my language. You understand our show! I love that. When we came up with the idea of incorporating Lady Death into the show, we did want to make her our own, and we were already playing in this pool of witches. What does it mean to be a witch? Thinking about ritual creation, the divine feminine of the witchcraft space, and so thinking of Lady Death as not being just about death, not just being about really destruction at all, that she is about the Twin Flames of birth and death. That it’s really sort of the natural cycle of growth and decay. That felt so right for this idea of the original Green Witch. I don’t know if you just looked at her costume and intuited that, but you’re on the right track! [laughs]

[snip]

Despite her name, it’s clear from Schaeffer’s explanation that Agatha All Along wanted to give Lady Death more meaning, rather than simply only depict her in a very black-and-white way. This also allows Lady Death to be a complex figure that other MCU properties can explore down the line

----

This is a fascinating revelation from Jac Schaeffer about how Rio Vidal, this Lady Death's role will be more than just the Domain of Death within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Lady Death is also Birth. (Like Death of the Endless -- the first thing people see and know is Death of the Endless and the last thing people see is Death of the Endless).

It's why she's not just Lady Death, it's why she is also the Original Green Witch. Nature.

Jac Schaeffer didn't just want to borrow the concept of Death from the MCU, she tried to put her own distinct stamp on Lady Death.

[dancingstickman]

i know the creators of worlds beyond number have been clear that they're not exploring a world with our real-life social strata

but that does not exempt *us the audience* from the biases and blindspots of our real-life social strata

every time i see a post that implies that suvi is uniquely unkind or arrogant, or more annoying than either of the other PCs, or that it's the presence of ame and eursalon that influence her towards humanity, i have to wonder if the poster is projecting onto a confident Black woman

the same thing happened with laerryn. xerxes was *actively courting a destroyer god* out of grief for his love, but we had sympathy for him. laerryn went to dizzying extremes trying to save her love, and we get:

"but laerryn cast blight on the tree!" "but suvi was trying to fight orima!" yeah, aabria is an excellent player who makes internally consistent character choices that drive the plot and drama of the whole game forward. stories without conflict aren't going to keep your attention, y'all should be thanking her for telling a good story

in other words: she should not need to be sweet and humble for you to empathize or understand or refrain from public judgment of her character. she should not have to make herself smaller for you to accept her persona.

interrogate your instinct to be publicly critical of her characterization and choices - is it really coming from an honest place, or are you letting some well-established biases that we're all indoctrinated into warp your perception of what all of the PCs are doing? a good indicator: do you extend the same level of critique to all of the characters, or just the one making choices you personally don't vibe with?

it's important for us the audience to be aware of how we participate in the ecosystem of storytelling. we're not just here to consume content for our own gratification. we also have to be good, thoughtful, active listeners.

[twentyeightsuns]

Pale Blue Dot

"Consider again that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every superstar, every supreme leader, every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot.

Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.

The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.

It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known."

- Carl Sagan on " Pale Blue Dot", a photograph of earth taken by NASA's Voyager1 on February 14,1990.

[the-true-alphaverse-project]

Some of my hot takes for the fandom. I have no desire to insult anybody with these, these are only my opinions. But now onto the hot takes:

Dusttale is a better written than Dreamtale once we consider the novels. For more elaboration, one of the three creators of Dusttale had written a bunch of novels that are considered semi canon to the narrative. These novels detail and show the downfall of Sans from being The Judge to becoming The Genocider. Each part of the novel, which is available in AO3 though in the Korean language, is a delight to read and some parts of it even gave me chills. It made Dusttale from just a mediocre AU for me to one of the best aus, a straight 7/10. It's not the best but the side novels definitely need attention.

Error!Sans is genuinely stronger than many people make him out to be. While he's definitely not the immortal invincible destroyer that the majority of the fandom portrayed as. He's also not as harmless, remember he has canonically admitted to destroying universes before. We even see him during when he destroying a universe, the Undyne one where he first met Core. So yeah, while I still ain't buying him as a super strong entity that most of the fandom portrays him as, I also don't buy him as harmless. He's somewhere in the middle for me, a decently strong guy who's still a dork/loser, it's literally one of his best traits for me.

Execution is the most important thing when it comes to writing. Even bad ideas can be incredibly good if they are executed well. Dusttale novels are a good example since they turned a bad and boring idea, Sans kills everyone for lv to defeat the human, into a good read.

The problem with the over sansification in the fandom with most outcodes turning out to be Sans is that most of them don't have effort put into them. There are genuinely very few new Sans outcodes I have seen that have actual effort put into them or any story besides a summary. It is this factor that often paints them in a bad light and makes people lose interest. A good written character would always attract people regardless if its a Sans or any other Undertale character and vice versa for bad written.

Axetale is kinda solid as an au and should definitely be noticed more.

Again just my opinions and I don't mean to offend anyone with them. That is all.

Link for the Dusttale side novels

[talonabraxas]

Shiva’s Cosmic Dance Talon Abraxas

The 5 Faces of Lord Shiva: The Powerful Mystical Forms

Face 1: Sadyojata – The Creator

Sadyojata translates to "born at once," representing the instantaneous nature of creation. This face of Shiva is associated with the element of earth and the west direction, symbolizing the power of creation and the nurturing aspect of life. Sadyojata is also connected to the Brahma aspect of the Trimurti (the Hindu trinity of gods), embodying the creative force that brings the universe into existence.

Key Aspects:

Element: Earth Direction: West Symbolism: Creation, new beginnings, potential

Sadyojata embodies the energy that sparks creativity and innovation. It reminds us of our inherent potential to create and bring new ideas into the world. This face encourages us to embrace our creative powers and use them to shape our destiny. Whether it's starting a new project, exploring a new hobby, or inventing something novel, Sadyojata inspires us to harness our inner creative energy.

Face 2: Vamadeva – The Preserver

Vamadeva is linked to the element of water and the north direction, symbolizing preservation and sustenance. This face of Shiva represents beauty, love, and the arts, akin to the role of Vishnu as the preserver in the Holy Trinity. Vamadeva is the aspect of Shiva that maintains the balance and harmony of the universe, to ensure the continuity of creation.

Key Aspects:

Element: Water Direction: North Symbolism: Preservation, harmony, beauty

Vamadeva embodies the soothing presence that maintains balance and harmony in the universe. It teaches us the importance of nurturing relationships, fostering growth, and cherishing the beauty in life. This face encourages us to cultivate love and compassion, both towards ourselves and others. It also emphasizes the significance of preserving cultural and artistic heritage and appreciating the beauty of the world around us.

Face 3: Aghora – The Destroyer

Aghora is associated with the element of fire and the south direction, representing destruction and transformation. This fierce aspect of Shiva symbolizes the destructive power necessary for regeneration. Aghora is the aspect of Shiva that clears away the old and obsolete, making way for new growth and renewal.

Key Aspects:

Element: Fire Direction: South Symbolism: Destruction, transformation, renewal

Aghora reminds us that destruction is a vital part of the cycle of life. It encourages us to let go of the old and embrace change, seeing it as an opportunity for growth and renewal. This face teaches us to confront our fears and overcome obstacles, understanding that destruction is not always negative but a necessary process for transformation. Aghora’s energy helps us to release attachments and move forward with courage and strength.

Face 4: Tatpurusha – The Concealed One

Tatpurusha is linked to the element of air and the east direction, symbolizing the hidden, mysterious aspects of the divine. This face represents meditation and the inward journey, embodying the subtle presence that pervades everything. Tatpurusha is the aspect of Shiva that encourages introspection and self-awareness, guiding us towards inner wisdom and enlightenment.

Key Aspects:

Element: Air Direction: East Symbolism: Mystery, introspection, inner wisdom

Tatpurusha encourages us to seek inner wisdom and connect with our higher self. It reminds us to look beyond the surface and explore the deeper truths of existence. This face emphasizes the importance of meditation and contemplation, urging us to quiet the mind and listen to the inner voice. Tatpurusha’s energy helps us to uncover hidden talents and insights, fostering a deeper understanding of ourselves and the universe.

Face 5: Ishana – The Supreme Ruler

Ishana is associated with the element of space and the upward direction, representing the mystical aspect of Shiva. This face embodies the supreme consciousness that governs all creation. Ishana is the aspect of Shiva that surpasses time and space, representing the ultimate reality and the unity of all existence.

Key Aspects:

Element: Space Direction: Upward Symbolism: Supreme reality, transcendence, unity

Ishana signifies the ultimate goal of spiritual awakening and enlightenment. It encourages us to rise above the material world and seek a higher understanding of the cosmos. Ishana’s energy helps us to connect with the divine and experience the oneness of all creation.

[kaijuno]

35 years ago today: “Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every “superstar,” every “supreme leader,” every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.” -Carl Sagan

[creators-lounge]

✏️ Creators' Content ✏️

This post is for anyone who is curious about our server members' content, and to share a lot of suggestions for people to check! 💕

Since Tumblr is a website that mostly depends on reblogs, everyone is welcomed to reblog to give these amazing creators a well deserved boost!

Remember to also encourage other content creators as well, you may make someone's day with a silly reblog or comment!

Note: This post might be edited depending on the members' information, comic updates, projects updates, etc, so check the original post instead of reblogs.

Note 2: This is a private server for plenty of reasons, we do not accept requests nor petitions to join, so we would be grateful if you do not put that pressure on our mods or on our members. Sorry in advance, and hope you still enjoy all of our artworks! You may check our QnA for a better explanation if you'd like, too.

v Members' Comics Section v

ALIVE by @tatatale

> First Chapter

A L I V E is not an AU as such, but a buch of characters from different AUs and timelines who decided that they'll form an AU. So it's technically an AU, but no. Enjoy.

Bovid-20 by @hansama

> First Chapter

Bovid-20 is a (very short) suspense mystery comic that tells the story of a home invasion in the middle of a lock-down. You are the main character of the story.

Bitty Problems by @theskeletongames

> First Chapter

A comic featuring bitties with Sanses, primarily focusing on Underfell Sans and his bitty

Delivery! by @anovainspace

> Comics

Three out!codes from collapsing alternative universes came together to one void, all just wanting to obtain access to the multiverse for their end goal; therefore, they created an alibi to not create suspicion for wandering around different places. Setting up a pen paling system for others to contact each other through mail and delivering said mail. 

Don't Forget by @zirkkun

> First Chapter

“Don’t forget us. We’re with you in the dark.” After years of abandonment, the Undertale multiverse has been mysteriously shrouded in darkness. there only remains one survivor by the name of Ink… but despite a faint hope from everyone who died that everything can return to normal, he’s forgotten all the pieces to restore the multiverse back to what it once was.

Flicker of a Neon Soul by @harmonytre

> First Chapter

Since the beginning of time, monsters have had colored souls. Only the royal family's soul could change color. That is, until two young skeletons find their colors.

How to greet a new pal by @theskeletongames

> First Chapter

A crossover comic with Sans falling into Underfell.

Idoltale by @nekojaf

> First Chapter

Idol and her friends go on a big multiverse adventure after a new and strange Force threatens their universes.

Impostortale by @s3-izures

> Masterpost

Armed with an obsession for masks and semi-immortality, a shapeshifter roams the multiverse in search of roles to fill, missions to complete, and shenanigans to commit.

Non-Lethal AU by @s3-izures

> Masterlist

A certain Destroyer has been found... except this one doesn't seem to be destroying anything so far. In fact, he seems like a bit of a wimp, doesn't he?

Paper Crane by @little-noko

> First Chapter

Where timelines and lives ends, in the void are countless shattered souls struggling to remain alive and come back to the living world they came from. A being without a name gather them to form a single entity, with nowhere to go, they found themselves traveling endlessly to make sense of who they are and why they are here.

Prismtale by @harmonytre

> First Chapter

Havana, Sans, Scarf Mouse, Bob, Monster Kid, Fuku Fire, and Ficus Licker are thrust into an adventure they'll never forget. Will they find a way home? How will they deal with their new powers? Who on earth is PC?

Save!tale by @mumder

> First Chapter

Sans is stuck in a ruthless loop of genocide runs. Except after the 678th reset, he for some reason awakens with all his memories, including one that haunts him - the image of a star. This fixation slowly drives him insane, as he becomes obsessed with becoming the epitome of determination.

Spitetale by @nosebleed-inglishera

> First Chapter

After several genocidal routes, everyone in the Underground started to remember, causing monstersto fearing for the next time they get killed again. Will Frisk take the choice to finally save everyone and fix their mistakes?

Timetale by @allesiathehedge

> Prologue

Seven hundred years after they were sealed underground, monsterkind still hopes that they would one day return to the surface. Not only does Sans have to worry about finding a solution to destroy the barrier on behalf of the King, but he also has to face a ghost of a past that he sorely wanted to keep buried. Will Sans be able to make peace with himself, his duties, and his failed love? Only time will tell...

Underlust Reimagine by @zirkkun

> First Chapter

An Underlust AU that takes a spin on the original concept to present a thematically similar story, but with some slightly different aspects that have led some of the characters to take different roles.

Under/Source by @slylock-syl

> First Chapter

After a virus wielding hacker threatens to cause chaos throughout other universes, Necros takes it upon himself to track them down and protect anyone he can along the way.

Underwizard by @susartwork

> Prologue

Humans began hunting monsters to gain great magical powers from their souls. After a huge massacre, seven human wizards decide to seal the monsters underground with a magic spell. Hundreds of years later a human child appears, determined to free all the monsters and save them from a new threat.

Unitale by @toky502

> First Chapter

Unitale (An alternate tale) is a comic of an alternative and altered version of many other stories from other undertale au's together, is just an alternate tale more.

Various comics by @wr-n

> Masterpost

> Eldritch AU

> Dust comics

Dust Comic is a comic following the Bad Sanses as they look for a way to cure Dust of his lethal dose of Determination and LV.

Members Projects and WIPs

Blocking Sans by @samess-moon (Twitter)

Damaged tale by @6nimus9

Damaged tale is an Alternate Timeline of Undertale that takes place in a frozen post-genocide timeline where only o̸n̵e̷ ̵c̸h̷a̷r̷a̶c̵t̷e̸r̸ remains, basing its concept in how consequences can strike back.

Encantale by @codeyspace

The Human vs Monster war ended a millenium ago. Monsters trapped in the underground with hope and magic. What should've led to their extinction was instead replaced by something... enchanting.

Escort Mission by Yoki-Doki (DeviantArt)

Way before the events of Undertale, even before the war between humans and monsters, a little girl lost her way in the monster kingdom. This is the quest to help her return home.

Flowerfield AU / Ask Sunflower by @asksunflower / @tatatale

This is an ask blog about a silly guy who acts like a cat and a goat king, but is actually a skeleton. He likes flowers and tea, and sometimes things happen.

Herb by @omero-megane (Twitter)

LAU by @nixensibrat

Lonertale by @blvdcharms

Lonertale is an AU revolving around a medieval, single-most pacifist timeline where war between humans and monster is post-poned up until the main cast of characters are young adults. Follow Asriel and his friends as they go on to protect monsterkind.

Storyteller by @cursedmuii (Twitter)

“I exist based on the will of stories. I have no place to return, no name, or age, but I am called Storyteller... Come here with me, I can take you everywhere with the stories I tell… only you listen to them.”

Strays AU by @stoukadraws

“Give me your hopes and dreams, and I shall grant you true salvation.” An unknown human falls into Mt. Ebott, and begins their journey through the Underground...But something is off. Will they discover what’s truly going on behind the scenes?

Undereats by @sui-imi (Twitter)

A food delivery service that works with restaurants across the multiverse. It's run by a Gaster called Exec. They work together with - and are located in - Commercetale, an AU where trades and sales empower monster magic.

Underforgotten by @nezu-tan

Undergut by @theartist-june (Tw. Gore)

Undergut is an AU where hunger makes for desperate times. It’s not that there is no food… it’s that food could barely sustain, could barely satisfy. Magic is not enough. We need more… more…! Will you be able to survive the hunger?

UnderREM by @socksandbuttons (And @/ohlookanothercartoontofallinto)

Dreamtale with dreams and the cast of Undertale.

Underrewind by @wishingstarinajar

A comic and fanfiction/short stories are currently in the works to tell the story about Rewind, the main protagonist of this AU.

Undervalue by @6nimus9

Monsters, instead of getting trapped down by a magic barrier, are trapped directly by humans, who after winning the war started by greed have decided to take advantage of the monsters’ ability to create precious stones and gems of different values.

Wickedtale by @alch3mic (AO3) (Read Tw's.)

WICKEDTALE is a reader insert fairytale inspired Undertale AU set in the twisted Ebott City. As one of its many unfortunate inhabitants, do you have what it takes to survive in such a wretched town surrounded by secrets and misery? Well, luckily for you there seems to be a certain skeleton in your life who will go to any lengths to assure your happy ending together.

Great artist you should check anyway!!

@bloowe-blu - @lazzlady - @minaruzi- @normalayasstuff - @sanssupremacy - @shenzcorner

Other fandoms content!

@galaxii-star (Multifandom) - RazzyPossum (FNAF) - @jadenskyfare

[codywanweekspotlight]

Weekly Spotlight

✨Art

@autumnalfallingleaves // Art // comfy clothes vs. slut attire (a ho never gets cold!) // 2024

Link: Tumblr

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@zyphnn // Art // hands & sitting vigil/injury // 2023

Link: Tumblr

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@autumnalfallingleaves // Art // force bond // 2023

Link: Tumblr

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@cj-kenobi // Art // touch starved // 2024

Links: Tumblr and AO3

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@muffincat-the-destroyer // Art // hurt/comfort // 2020

Link: Tumblr

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@dasteebeutelchen // Art // modern au: rural type jobs (farmer/cowboy/ homesteader) // 2024

Link: Tumblr

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@ymeisli // Art // wings // 2023

Link: Tumblr

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@djk-creations // Art // beskar’gam/armor // 2021

Link: Tumblr

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@puirell // Art // domestic // 2021

Link: Tumblr

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@shukruut // Art // mandalorian // 2021

Link: Tumblr

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✨Fics

@saviinika // Fic // hurt/comfort // 2024

Links: Tumblr and AO3

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@generalkeno-bi // Fic // modern au:* teacher/university/ academia au // 2024

Links: Tumblr and AO3

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@sir-teddy-of-bear // Fic // lightsabers/lightsaber training // 2024

Links: Tumblr and AO3

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@buggstuff // Fic // arranged marriage & only one bed & dirty talk // 2023

Links: Tumblr and AO3

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@krazykupidspoems // Fic // cody with a lightsaber // 2023

Links: Tumblr and AO3

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@meantforinfinitesadness // Fic // role-swap/reversal // 2020

Link: Tumblr

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@ifoundaflamingsword // Fic // modern au:* teacher/university/ academia au // 2024

Links: Tumblr and AO3

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@krazykupidspoems // Fic // undercover // 2023

Links: Tumblr and AO3

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@silvermoongirl10swfics // Fic // order 66 // 2021

Links: Tumblr and AO3

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@cjwritesfanficnow // Fic // raising kids/ padawans/kidfic // 2024

Link: AO3

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✨Please give our creators a reblog and a comment!

[a-typical]

“Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot.

Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.

The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.

It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.” ― Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot

[tadbitsketch]

accidentally took a 4 hour nap and now i can't sleep so mcsm theory time!

ok so this is kind of something that i never really see be debated in the community, but i do see it be represented in different ways. i'm talking about ✨the parallels between the new and old orders✨

for the most part, we can all agree that

magnus: axel (griefer)

ellegaard: olivia (redstonist)

gabriel: petra (warrior)

which just leaves two characters in each order: ivor and soren, and jesse and lukas.

i keep seeing people represent jesse in soren's place, because they're both the leaders of their respective groups or something like that. but i disagree.

lukas parallels soren much better because they're both architects. they're also both writers who live(d) away from civilization. they also both have a habit of being a little* bit dramatic in their storytelling of their adventures.

so if everyone else parallels each other in their roles... how does jesse parallel ivor?

the funny thing about these parallels is how it's not just in job that they match... kinda.

and i have some fun lil theories/analyzations on this, of which i will share!

theory 1: similar arcs

something really cool about these two (and some other notable characters i'll discuss another time) is that they both have character arcs where they grow and change as people.

ivor's plans of revenge backfire horrendously, and after that problem is solved, he makes new friends. ones who aren't liars, people who genuinely help. they're brave, and they forgive. they're willing to learn and change.

and so is he does too.

meanwhile jesse is a noob who knows barely anything about minecrafting who eventually saves the world. they learn a lot from the mistakes of their predecessors.

both ivor and jesse grow as people because of mistakes from the past. they both are characters who have decided to change things from how they were, whether it be how they were themselves or how someone before them was.

theory 2: creation/destruction

so i came up with this awhile ago, but you can split the members of the order into two groups (based on their "classes," so to speak): creators and destroyers.

olivia and ellegaard make redstone contraptions, lukas and soren build. they are creators.

axel and magnus blow things up, petra and gabriel slay monsters. they are destroyers.

what is ivor, then? his role as an alchemist means that he can create potions to help AND potions to harm. he is both a creator and a destroyer.

and jesse, our main character with quite the skillset (except for alchemy), also fits both the roles of a creator and a destroyer. jesse does whatever the heck jesse wants.

boom. parallels.

and one other funky thing i've noticed

ivor's stone in the amulet is the lapis blue one. jesse's favorite color is canonically lapis blue.

[thedepressedjuggalette]

Arcane is a GOTHIC Show.

No, not Goth like Goth music, I mean GOTHIC as in Gothic Literature like Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, or literally anything written by Edgar Allen Poe.

I am dead ass serious. Or maybe I'm just insane.(Spoilers ahead!!!)

Now it is okay if you didn't pick up on this, I am just one of those extremely weird kids that grew up reading Gothic Literature so much that it was almost an unhealthy obsession so I kind of spotted this within the first 6 episodes of the first season.

Now if you don't believe me when I say that Arcane is Gothic in nature I need to ask you this:

Did Arcane ask these simple questions:

What does it mean to be human?

What defines humanity?

When is a person too far gone?

Can grief ruin a person?

Can trying to help others turn to destroying others?

And can obsession turn to madness?

These specific questions are the very questions I've noticed pop up a LOT in OLD SCHOOL Gothic literature.

For instance Viktor is a lot like Viktor Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll (more so Dr. Jekyll) in the sense that he slowly loses his humanity the further he pushes his research before finally falling to a destructive path. He quite literally loses himself to his own research and by his own research subject.

Singed (Dr. Ravick) is more Viktor Frankenstein than anything else. So obsessed with bringing the dead back to life. But whereas Frankenstein was obsessed with the idea of it that he never thought if he should. Singed found it merely to be nothing more than an illness needing to be cured because he couldn't stand the idea of losing his daughter.

Gothic Literature came out after the Romantic Literature Era, however in the Romantic Literature Era a lot of writers were protesting workplace mistreatment such as forcing children into working in coal mines and cleaning chimneys, along with the obsession of nature, Gothic Literature focused on the morality of Humanity, what it meant to be human and what defines us and how quickly a person can fall into insanity (aka mental health issues).

The first to start this was Mary Shelley over a small bet with her husband and several other authors. Her work was mortifying in comparison to the others because of what it forced the reader to think about.

Her work took place during the Enlightened Era where scientists were obsessed with Progress (Riot I fucking saw this shit coming, fuck you guys), and how if as a species can we become like god and make something from our own deaths and if we even should?

Shelley doesn't directly answer this but we actively see through her writing the death of a god -- Viktor Frankenstein -- because Adam (the monster) views his creator with contempt and disgust and thus demands his Eve despite Frankenstein's reluctance.

Can you imagine what Vander would've thought of Singed?

Can we really say that Vander would not view Singed as both his Savior and Destroyer. Can we even call Vander human? Or is he something else entirely? We can't call him a werewolf in the traditional sense, so what truly is he? He is the Adam of a species not meant to exist. Is he even Vander anymore or is he truly Warwick?

A lot of Poe's writing is very much about madness and grief. Well... To me anyways, it could just be my obsession with his poem The Raven (it reminds me of my great grandmother).

And I've personally in my own life seen how grief can destroy a person physically -- their despair destroying their physical health because that person feels their life died with that person. And I fear every day for my grandma to head down the same path that her sisters are when they pass.

But it's the mentality that the more subtle and at the same time the most extravagant thing to be destroyed through grief.

We see this repeatedly with Jinx and Vi.

They lost their stability the moment that their brothers and Vander died, and when Jinx thought Vi was dead.

They had already lost their bio parents, so this was another nail in their coffins. However Vi had no idea if Jinx was alive or dead and thus had that to hold onto despite being beaten bloody in an unstable environment that is prison.

Jinx however had her grief and trauma constantly lectured into her and had to form her personality around it. She even comments on it in episode 9 of season 1. Silco didn't know how to be a dad, but he was trying his best but he was a grown ass man when he had his personality reformation unlike Jinx who was like 10.

Her grief was haunting her and ruining her mental health.

I had recently learned that psychotic depression is a thing.

With her guilt and grief and PTSD eating her alive she was bound to go the road she went down. But what truly killed Jinx was the death of Isha.

I want to make it clear that I don't view Jinx and Isha's relationship as sisterly. I view it as maternal due to the comparisons between her and Silco and Isha to Powder.

However the point still stands.

She, like Silco, could not stand the mere idea of their child being in any sort of life threatening situation -- especially dealing with enforcers -- and thus would jump to protect them. But they both fail at the end in many ways.

Vi literally stopping Jinx from getting Isha out of there, and Silco being unable to stop Vi from triggering Jinx's PTSD.

And there's one more thing about Jinx we need to address...

If there is one thing I know about bullying and brainwashing is that if you keep telling someone they're worthless etc. one day they're going to believe you, and you cannot be surprised they do and when they act accordingly. Especially when the victim is a child. This is why suicide in children and teens is so devastating and cannot be fixed with religion or weird as hell wrestlers or stupid manosphere podcasts.

We don't know how long Powder had to put up with Mylo's bullying of her, but telling by her reaction to and how the loudest and most negative voice she hears from her hallucinations is his voice... I'd have to say that it started from the moment they met up to his death and it was sealed when Vi hit her and called her a Jinx.

"Who truly made Jinx?" is a question that has been brought up by everyone and their mother by this point. Some agree with the character herself when she said that it was Vi. Others agree with Silco when Jinx stated that Silco thinks he made Jinx.

Some reading this might say "Oh my god was it Mylo???"

I disagree on all fronts.

There is one video essay I keep coming back to because anyone with any sense of media literacy will outright point this same shit out but not as... Artfully as the essay itself.

It is called "Arcane, a Monster Factory" and it starts out with a single statement:

"Piltover breaks people."

And ends with a terrifying statement:

"Sometimes when I can't sleep at night, I start to think that maybe Piltover is more realistic than I'd like to think..."

It wasn't a single person that made Jinx. It was the entire city.

I want to point to Episode 7 to show you what I mean.

Without the death of Grayson but instead the death of Vi and without the creation of Hextech and Silco choosing to forgive Vander, Powder herself changed for the better and never needed to become Jinx. Rather she focused her energy on helping everyone around her -- and not taking time for herself in the process but we've always seen this even in Jinx. She focused on helping Silco then jumped to just trying to destroy for the sake of destroying only to end up helping the under city without meaning to, only to help Isha, and never really helping herself.

No matter what she'd have liked to think, she could've done wonders. Viktor even said so himself. She could do a lot to help his commune with her talents.

Even said it when he was looking at her bomb for the first time, calling her work "inspired".

She is talented but her talents never got the chance to truly shine.

Imagine what she and Ekko could've done if they were able to attend Piltover's academy.

But as stated before, Piltover breaks people.

Piltover made Jinx.

And in a cruel twist of fate it made the two people who cared about her the most hold the blame for the city's actions.

The ending of Arcane was fumbled when it came to Jayce's speech to Viktor and I'll stand by that because it was the fault of Piltover for Viktor having a preventable disease and thus leading to his obsession with avoiding death and avoiding needless suffering.

But in this ending these two science husbands did ask the one question that truly defines Gothic Literature.

What does it mean to be human?

And it's answer is one that I am unsure about because no one can truly define the human experience. The experience of life. The grief. The pain. The love. The joy. All of it.

In my own fanfic for a completely different fandom I had two characters talk about emotions. One couldn't truly feel emotions while another could. It took me a long while to try to figure out how to answer the question of "What is it like to feel emotions?"

It's hard to answer, isn't it?

I did figure it out though, having to take a page out of Kindred's playbook. But it was one I was very satisfied with.

It is questions like these be them asked through subtle writing cues, or blatantly asked by the characters themselves, they define Gothic Literature to me.

Arcane is the beautiful marriage of Greek Tragedy and Gothic Literature.

[mirroringdust]

A christmas carol inspired story

Prologue

When the winds are safe

we sail to distant shores.

Beyond the hollow walls

there’s a longing for celebration.

We may find peace

and a raft to guide us

with its light towards home.

~

There’s this vision in his mind, pushing him on, keeping him going, allowing him to fulfil his purpose.

It’s a field of dark clouds and a rainy substance falling down on lost, lonely ruins, remnants of all the fights and battles. He stands there and stares at it all, his face a bitter façade. But there was no other way to reach this end, no other way to ultimate peace and order.

To rebuild on something without hope, set it on fire with a new one.

He had to bend them to his rule, he had to lead them from the darkness into the light. He had known the light once, but he had suffered so much pain to reach it again. One must go through suffering, he thinks, as the vision settles and the schemes become clearer.

There is only smoke covering the land, only plain mountain peaks and a desert of destruction, but he knows that is not all. He is not a destroyer, he is a creator, and beyond this destruction there rises something: a new life. People guided by his knowledge, by his plan, people with the will to build a better future and rise to the light.

It has been the hardest path ever for him to walk, but as he stands there, surrounded only by shadows, he can still see it, that this peace is beyond the horizon for them.

When there’s this vision, the music that surrounds the world is silent.

It does not matter that he sees only darkness, it does not matter that his path is a lonely one.

It is a sacrifice he is willing to make.

A path he will always walk.

STAVE 1 - A familiar visitor

When they pray to the Valar, he is more full of hate than ever. It’s these celebrations of Mettarë that take place on the remaining days of every year. He has witnessed them a few times since he stayed on this island full of despicable life, flashing of colours and deceitful enchantments around every corner. He had to tolerate some of the remaining festivities last year, but he has more power now and by this time in his plan he is powerful enough not to hide his resentment of these celebrations. Even more so, he has the power to suppress them.

He is the admirable one, and all will admire him, not the deceitful folk who are the faithless gods. They do not deserve such worship. Tar-Mairon does.

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