#Or with some I just think they'd be stronger in another arc or conflict

[bonefall]

I just..like the Snowbird anon wrote in the lawyer Mapleshade thing: just because Moth Flight couldn't handle raising her kits and doing her duty doesn't mean the others would be the same. I agree (can't believe im agreeing with Snowbird anon) that her losing her cool and yelling at Acorn Fur definitely had repercussions. I wouldn't doubt it led to Goose and Blue thinking Blue couldn't be deputy if she kept her kits. Moth Flight just sucks. I hate how she treats Leafpool, too. She's just an awful person who really shouldn't have been put in power and make laws regarding important positions while being that young. She was only like, what 8 months when she had her kits? Like she was young and dumb.

What I hate most about Moth Flight is that it isn't even true that she wasn't able to raise her kits.

All through her SE, she refuses help because she thinks "Only I can love them properly! My children are SPECIAL!" and extends this almost venomous spite towards other women around her. Then, after showing Moth Flight being unreasonable all book long, we get the completely insulting moment where StarClan and Moth Flight condescend Acorn Fur for like 5 pages

And then we got to see her mistreat Leafpool in that absolutely bullshit StarClan trial, "I made that rule so that you'd never suffer the pain I did! AND YOU BROKE IT YOU HORRIBLE LITTLE WENCH! YOU WILL SUFFER FOR BREAKING MY RULE!! HELL FOR YOU!!!"

Sincerely! What the fuck! The RULE ITSELF causes suffering in giving up kits and going through harrowing trials, when the suffering that Moth Flight wouldn't have had to go through in the first place if she wasn't such a nasty little git!

And the scene where she gives away her children really sums up everything about Moth Flight and her SE that makes me absolutely detest her;

She's giving up her kits, and it's traumatic for these poor children being separated. They rightfully start screaming and crying in protest (if you've seen the Moonkitti video, this is what she mentions), shooting down her complete lie that this is how it 'has' to be, and then? Right after? It's suddenly fine lmao.

She even looks at Spider Paw, the kid who almost drowned, and says, "and you're going to RiverClan :) theyll teach you to swim there :)" AND HE'S FINE WITH THIS. HE'S LIKE "water scary" "No It's Fine :)" "Ok mom i guess so :)"

ZERO BRAIN CELLS. MYOTRAGUS LEVEL WRITING.

[masterqwertster]

Ok don’t publish it if you don’t have to but man this weekend is bumming me right out with this “

Yeah, there is certainly some aggression going on against people wishing for resurrection because others find it a poignant narrative that a sacrifice can't be undone, that it lasts and has consequences, that it puts weight to the stakes. And they think that coming back to life after specifically doing something you know will 100% kill you cheapens sacrifice.

Personally, I think that being brought back after you willingly and knowingly and successfully gave your life for others tells a story of how much you're loved. It's your friends saying "Fuck that. You're going to live. We're all going to live. We'll keep dragging each other back until we can't anymore, so fucking be here and fight."

It also adds another level of desperation to be stronger, smarter, to not be caught like that ever again because who knows if you can get them back next time (and however many times you fail after that). Resurrections get harder ever time a person is brought back. This is part of what bit Scanlan's ass right before Bard's Lament: the Revivify didn't take, so the rest of Vox Machina brought in his daughter to call him back during the Resurrection (which he hated) and got the chance to be dicks about bringing him back with the dumb pranks, all of which led to setting Scanlan off. And sure, Bells Hells had that desperation to keep each other alive from the Bassuras fight, but that doesn't mean that the sentiment can't be further sharpened even when you've managed to steal back all the lives of your party members that she took.

Honestly, I think that just having Chet and FCG die against the Murder Machine of Otohan after Bells Hells specifically and successfully went to efforts to get stronger still ups the stakes even if both end up revived. "All our might and we still faced that loss. It would have been all of us if FCG didn't make that play. We still cannot face the enemy leadership head-on as we are. We must get stronger still."

And I really think there's some fun character development to be had in giving FCG a flesh body. Will he actually like what they've envied about the others? How does one handle a completely new body that they're grateful for (that they should be grateful for, otherwise they'd be dead) but is just so different from what they know? Yes, FCG had that last moment clarity that he was in fact already fully alive, but there's definitely some "alive in the flesh" things to explore.

And more faith to explore too. Like, did he get to meet the Changebringer and talk with her in the afterlife? The Raven Queen? Speaking of just being in the afterlife, what about meeting Eshteross again? The other members of the Division of Public Benefit that he killed?

Also, I'm not sure how big a fan I am of the heavy breakdowns that will happen if FCG isn't resurrected. Bells Hells is suffering pretty good as is and I'd like them to have some happiness inbetween all the Moon Bullshit. Conflict drives a story, but you need soft moments to wind it down between heavy moments.

Because truthfully, most of what you get from keeping FCG dead is a bunch of breakdowns in the party without it's most optimistic member who actually advocates for communication, which they all suck at for various personal reasons. And a push towards the Villain Arc path that, honestly, a few are walking just fine without FCG staying dead and/or can still be pushed further down it just by the fact that he decided to kill himself to save their asses when no one wants to let any of the others go.

I do think that as far as martyrdom goes, what FCG did took a nice step away from "giving my life because it's worth less than any one of theirs and I think dying for a cause will give me absolution for the people I rage killed" and into "giving my life because it will save them and I don't know what else to do that will save them." There are certainly posts that get into the distinction between those choices better than I have. Which is where I think the "best ending for FCG" idea comes from, as it happened under the "best" reasoning for FCG to martyr himself. And to a certain degree, people have decided that martyrdom was unavoidable for FCG or that he was just highly prone to it and this was a good time/way to do it.

Still doesn't change that a self-sacrificing character did in fact sacrifice themself, though. Or that it didn't have to be the end that FCG met.

And I understand to some degree how Everyone Comes Back to Life if You Try can feel like it undermines the stakes. Because if no one stays dead, what do you have to fear from walking into mortal danger? Everyone will be fine right? Which is wrong. There is still trauma in dying, even when you're brought back. The realization of mortality, the struggle to steal back a life when it's not just a quick prayer in the heat of battle. And the ever looming possibility that you do it right and it's still not enough to steal them back.

Also, from the wider in-the-game-world's perspective: Resurrection is rare as shit and only people with immense wealth, connections, and/or power even have a shot at it.

Even mechanically it's not easy. You have to mind time limits, expensive costs, body conditions, spell levels and slots, not to mention that the dice can always say no.

So yes, Bells Hells probably needs to go to less effort to Reincarnate FCG than they did to resurrect Laudna because all they're missing is components while they have the likes of Keyleth who kind of owe them for Moon Scouting and killing Otohan and should be able to provide.

[pama-saga]

Overthought about MCSM choices (and the weird nonviolent ways they deal with the villains, barring PAMA) and then came up with villain redemption arc ideas so here we go.

Overview/main thoughts

-Each villain in the Portal Arc is basically a decision of whether you leave them where they are or take them and basically redeem them. There'd have to be some kind of mini arc where the villains get redeemed to transition into them existing in s2 in their current states.

-Sky City is basically a redemption arc hub. You can keep the Blaze Rods there to get their canon typical treatment or agree to come back and deal with them (take them with you once you find your way home)

-PAMA's choice becomes a matter of whether you banish them to another portal or take them and redeem them. Or maybe leave them with Otto? Instead of killing them, the PAMA fight becomes a whole deal of having to download them back into a smaller vessel. PAMA still fights like hell because of their goals! You still get the Redstone Heart! Grumpy lil puter!

-Cassie is basically either left or taken with you. Maybe you make her agree to come with and somehow manage to calm her enough so you can leave her in Sky City? (dear god Isa and Co have so many villains to care for lol)

-Mevia and Hadrian are hard for me to think of? They feel like they'd be less interesting redeemed but also... Thematic consistency. Maybe they turn into the sort of redeemed guys who still have some villainous morals? If you don't Sky City them you get the typical canon treatment of them.

-These would all be choices you could make so. Pick and choose I suppose lol. Jesse would then have a miniarc about redemption. Not sure how it'd work but eh.

SEASON TWO (THE MEAT AND POTATOES LESSGOO!!)

I'm going to separate this into characters for reasons you'll understand soon.

PAMA

-Okay. They're the one I've thought up a bunch of things for obviously. My blorbo.

-You've already seen my aus so here's a new one: Ninja PAMA (and maybe Harper too)

(seriously maybe Harper does different things depending on choices?)

-Definitely a generalist. Can do a lot of things narratively. Has a fun dynamic with Radar.

-Is (maybe) Cassie's leverage if she's brought along with PAMA. (depending on lore they and Cassie have. AKA are they built around the Old Builders and Cassie or in Crown Mesa?)

(Idk whether Cassie or PAMA should be the leverage. Cassie is easier to exploit but PAMA seems like they'd be seen as 'weaker' by Romeo. Maybe he seems himself in her?)

Blaze Rods

-The most poetic option is them joining the New Ocelots to me! It's also incredibly interesting (AKA Time to have the Conflict:tm: with Lukas!) Messy redemption my beloved.

-Leverages in SI are Gill (for Maya) and Lukas for Aiden (because DRAMA!)

-Numbers advantage, maybe helps fight scenes go faster? Provides a new sort of dynamic/conflicts. No New Ocelots if they're brought along. (Because. Y'know. Lukas)

Cassie

-Romeo probably takes favor to her and makes PAMA her leverage (if they're brought along also with her) to make her 'stronger.' Loads of abandonment issues, brings some conflict into the group if brought along. Probably has an interesting dynamic with Petra. (If PAMA isn't there, she's probably just left alone? Maybe just challenged every so often?)

-Could have an interesting dynamic with Xara!

(oooh Champion Cassie would be interesting)

-Becomes a paranoid wreck during Romeo's takeover in Beacontown if left alone. Maybe PAMA tries to reassure her if they stay as townsfolk? Maybe they can prove Jesse is the real Jesse if they come back to Beacontown with Jesse's group?

Hadrian + Mevia

-A little harder for me to think of but eh. The issue of the Sunshine Institute (who the hell would be leverage in the scenario? Does Romeo just go "Fuck it, we ball!"?)

-More chaotic when they come with Jesse's crew. Definitely quicker to make immoral decisions and protect (strangely enough)

-In Beacontown maybe they have beef with Harper. Perhaps recruited into the New Ocelots for the sake of intimidation? Dealing with the Admin's golems?