#THAT WHO HE IS AND IS THE CORE OF THE CHARACTER

[shitpostingsapphic]

Violet, my beloved.

I think there's a high chance you're misinterpreting the core tenants of her character.

"Why didn't Vi play a bigger role in the fight for Zaun's independence?"

Because her goals are different from those like Ekko and Sevika, who were true leaders and caretakers of their city. Who lived and breathed for the wellbeing and betterment of Zaun.

Vi lived and breathed for the wellbeing of her FAMILY.

Any qualms she had in relation to Zaun's oppression were always tied to how they negatively affected the lives of her and her family. She may have made side comments to other characters about how their actions affect the citizens of Zaun. Like Caitlyn, when they first meet. Or Jayce, after the attack they make on Silco's manufacturing facility. But she makes the comment to Caitlyn because that's how she's seen the enforcers treat her in her own life. She makes the comment to Jayce because that's just the context of the conversation they're having. Vi gets wrapped up in the bigger politics because of her pursuit of Silco, which she would have never done if he weren't directly tied to her sister.

Selfish? If you think too hard about it, maybe. But it's an incredibly relatable motivation, and one that a lot of us would adhere to. We would do anything for our loved ones.

"Why does Vi become an enforcer? That seems contradictory to her character."

Why does Vi team up with an enforcer to begin with? Because Caitlyn becomes the conduit in which Vi can get back to her family. To the one person she loves more than anything. And Caitlyn is also the conduit in which Vi can seek out those who have harmed her family--Silco, and in relation, Sevika.

And along the way, she falls in love with Caitlyn, because of the quality of character that Cait shows to her.

So what is Vi to do when she's lost everything? Silco is dead, and Jinx is lost to her. What else would Vi do, but do anything to stay by Caitlyn's side?

"Everyone in my life has changed, promise me you won't change." She is BEGGING Caitlyn to stay, to be with her, to be the one thing she loves that doesn't fade away, and she's also afraid that she's abandoned her origins for nothing.

What else is Vi to do but crash out, lose herself to violence and drinking, when she truly has lost everyone?

When she asks Jinx in act 2 to stay in the commune and help them out, she asks because it's something they can do together. It's the way she can be with those she loves.

Vi just wants to be with those she loves. That's all she's ever wanted. It's what has stayed constant for her character throughout the entirety of the show.

Victims of oppressive systems don't always want to be the hero. Sometimes they just want to survive and be with the people they love.

I think if you gathered anything else from her character, or rather, you interpreted her motivations to be anything else, you got lost along the way with what story you were being told through Vi.

[rosiewitchescottage]

I already know I'm a weirdo. So I'll just come out and say it.

Being told that someone would think that my opinion should be of higher value than a man's, and that my life is of more value than a man's just because I'm a woman and he's a man.

That makes me feel deeply disrespected.

Being a woman is quite simply WHAT I am. It's a fluke of birth. I was born biologically female. I was a girl child and am now an adult woman.

That has bugger all to do with me as an individual human being. My character, personality, my morality have nothing to do with my biological sex.

And don't kid me ladies. I have many conservative leanings, I'm a housewife, I'm religious, I'm a Brit that's pro our Constitutional Monarchy.

Are you going to value such opinions above those of a completely left leaning, anti religious, anti monarchist man?

I'm going to hazard a guess that you only value the opinions of women who agree with you.

As for valuing my life over that of a man.

No. I don't go along with that. As I've said. I'm religious. Every life is precious.

If someone said that my life is worth less than a man's, would you appreciate me agreeing with that?

I very much doubt it.

Well no problem. I firmly disagree with it. A man is my equal, my brother, the opposite side to me of the coin that is Humanity.

For the same reason, I'm disagreeing with you.

I don't have to like or even approve of another person to see that his/her life has value.

What he/she has chosen to do with it, might not be the best or even good. But that's sad, precisely because of the intrinsic high value of his/her life.

Now. I fully respect your right to your opposing opinions. I even agree with you that it's core Feminism.

And to anyone who wonders why on earth any woman refuses to be Feminist, even though she places high value on women and womanhood.

Here's part of the reason.

yes I believe that woman’s opinions should always be valued over men’s. no I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that

[realspacejunk]

Character sheet for Osen, a character who is part of the core group together with Lito, Raél and Enneke. He is a sheltered individual, spending most of his time as a scribe, writing and reading scripture, mostly those regarding Xerneas, who he reveres the most. On the rare occasion when his teacher takes him with her outside the monastery, He is overly cautious and skittish, and he greatly longs to return home. Of course, this does not mean he does his work halfheartedly. Osen always tries his best to fulfil his duties and meet the requests of his superiors. But this strong commitment to his tasks will lead him on an adventure that gets him farther away from his monastery than he could ever imagine.

[venomous-qwille]

So, I’m autistic myself, but any pro tips for writing neurodiversity in characters? Pretty please?

I just take different parts of my own ND experience and amplify them with different characters!

So for cricket, it's creating an unreliable narrator by showing the world through the lens of someone with RSD, who is constantly trying to understand/react to the people around them in a way that doesn't 'rock the boat'. Who misinterprets the signals other people send (or don't send), because they don't quite understand how others think. Cricket also immediately accepts other peoples criticisms and negative jokes as literal truth- this is both internalised low self esteem and autism. The Sight is also a metaphor for sensory overstim that comes with autism. When I have to write exposition, I try to do it in the rambling, detailed way of someone who is explaining a special interest (all crickets repair scenes, for instance, where they are harping on about restoration minutiae).

But cricket isn't the only ND character!

Harry is very autism coded, through his collection/interests you see in the setting (a lot of show not tell there) and also in how he fundamentally clicks with cricket in some areas (ND minds think alike) yet has no real understanding of how he has hurt them or the way his actions effect them- there is a lot of bullheaded obliviousness which is the ugly side of autism.

Soleil is masking 2000% of the time. I write him straight up as I was as a deeply traumatized autistic teenager. You don't see his internal world at all, he is constantly modulating/masking his voice, hiding his stims, trying to copy human 'civility', trying to perform politeness and hide his anxiety. You see him self soothe by cleaning in a few chapters.

Sunspot is fun to write because I'm leveraging the 'low Vs hyper empathy' side of ND, exploring that stuff through the way he reacts to things and his relationship with being something non human that looks the most human of all.

I could go on about the other characters, but this is the crux of it:

Try to use show not tell as much as possible

Take the opportunity to weave it into the format/the unreliable narrator

Leverage your personal experiences

Show how characters react to stuff/events/eachother and imagine how those reactions might be effected by their neurodivergence

Thaaaat's about it! I think using personal experiences is the most important one, that's always core to good writing no matter what type of character you are working on.

[thewertsearch]

This vessel will reach your planet eventually. We can either go home the fast way, or the slow way.

Depending on the timeframe we’re currently in, the slow way might also involve a psychic shockwave of instant death.

Just who might be on their way to Alternia? If this ship has already weathered the Glub, then it’s likely full of corpses – which I guess Aradia might appreciate, on some level.

I think the Empress could conceivably have survived, though, since she should have the greatest psychic resistance of her entire species. Plus, it's been implied that she's Feferi's Ancestor, the same Empress who ruled in ancient times. That's a character with potential, and it'd be a waste to kill her off-panel before she's actually done anything.

Maybe she's the pilot of this ship, then. The lone remaining troll in the galaxy, still ruling an empire of one.

Your express ticket can only be validated with a display of good manners, miss.

Say what you like about Aradia, but she sure ain’t a quitter.

Oh, god!

No. This can't be Aradia Prime. I refuse to believe it. The girl's resolve to continue living is the core of her fucking character, and even Scratch couldn't break her badly enough to renounce it. He couldn't.

This has to be another iteration of her character, or a clone, or an ancestor, or some sort of alchemized duplicate or something. I have to be right, because this happening to her after her resurrection would be the most genuinely depressing thing that Homestuck has ever shoved in front of my eyes.

[notashadowbutawave]

I honestly think a lot of this is just in the text with Tommy's dialogue to Buck - about how he doesn't have community like Buck has at the 118, about how he wasn't always out but came out later, how working under Gerrard was oppressive, how he doesn't have a great relationship with his father, how he hasn't always been comfortable with himself. They actually are pretty directly calling attention to this in the majority of Tommy's scenes, I think! It's fascinating to see what they did with such limited screen time and dialogue. Lou Ferrigno Jr is turning in a really sensitive and nuanced performance with not a lot of material to work with, and based on how many times they raise these things, I do think that's kind of the MAIN thesis of his character. But what's really great about it is that he's not REDUCED to that - he seems to have a pretty rich lived experience, he's funny, he has hobbies and interests and obviously he's a badass firefighter helicopter pilot.

maybe I give the writers too much credit but I do think they find these nuggets of real human experience to wrap into the drama cycles and horror effects and over the top disasters and to me that's why the show works so well. like it has an honesty at its core and I think Tommy is a very very good example of that, and one that maybe rings truer for many of us than, say, Hen and Karen, whose stories are very much about them as mothers. (I think there's a different conversation that needs to be had about how 9-1-1 doesn't have a queer femme story that isn't made more palatable by making it about family domesticity, but this show is of course ALWAYS about family, especially found family and messy family and blended family, because it's Americana propaganda at its core)

but yeah - for those of us who maybe didn't explore our queerness meaningfully until we had already started establishing ourselves as adults, for those of us who don't have kids and don't know what the future looks like for us in that way, for those of us who grew up being called slurs simply because we were different before we even knew we were queer... yeah. That's a fucking amazing character to put in your primetime procedural soap. I love and need more Tommy Kinard in this show. And Lou is really knocking it out of the park. Just outstanding work by him. get him in a gay romcom NOW

You know, as clunky as Josh's Glee speech was, I really think the SPIRIT of it reveals just why Tommy is such a divisive character, and I honestly think it's because Tommy is AT LEAST an "elder millenial" and possibly late Gen X (cause fuck a timeline am I right?) and portrayed pretty accurately to that experience, and a lot of the people who are so rabidly against him are much younger. And they just cannot fathom the world that queer millennials, elder millenials, and Gen X grew up in and had to survive in. Like, the rules were different guys. So, so different.

So yeah, it makes perfect sense to me that Tommy resonated DEEPLY with a lot of older queer people and a lot of younger people just don't understand why he would.

[urdreamydoodles]

DC Comics Characters x Fem!OC

You smacks their ass as they walk past

Characters: Bruce Wayne, Kal-El (Clark Kent), Barry Allen, Diana of Themyscira, Arthur Curry, Hal Jordan, Oliver Queen, John Constantine, Roy Harper, Koriand'r (Starfire), Kara Zor-El (Supergirl) & Slade Wilson

After a short festive break, I'm back in force with my headcanons. My (hyper) brain has been obsessed with DC lately, so get ready for some DC headcanons with new characters I've never done before. I missed you all, love, Marie.

Bruce Wayne aka. Batman

- You didn’t mean to do it. Well, that’s a lie. You absolutely meant to do it. The way Bruce’s broad, suited figure strode past you in the Batcave was simply too tempting. There he was, the epitome of brooding composure, running a hand through his dark hair as he mulled over crime scene reports. Without much thought, your hand acted on instinct. Smack. The sound echoed through the cavern like a gunshot. Bruce stopped mid-step. Slowly, he turned his head, an arched eyebrow lifting to meet his ever-present scowl. "Really?" he asked, voice calm but laced with that unmistakable Wayne edge.

- His reaction wasn’t anger, though you could see the faintest twitch of amusement in the corner of his mouth. You, the only one in Gotham—or perhaps the world—who could dare to breach his stoicism with something so mundane as a playful swat. You crossed your arms, feigning innocence, though your smirk betrayed you. “What? Just testing your reflexes, Mr. Wayne.” He took a slow step toward you, his shadow sprawling like a cloak. “I thought you’d want to keep that hand intact,” he murmured, but there was warmth in his voice that belied the threat.

- Bruce never let much show, but you knew the man beneath the cowl better than anyone. As much as he loved his mission, as much as he carried Gotham on his weary shoulders, he loved you more. There was no hiding the way his stern exterior softened around you, how his dark eyes gleamed with affection when he thought you weren’t looking. And now, despite his unflinching persona, you saw a flicker of vulnerability in the way he lingered near, uncertain if he should let himself laugh.

- “Next time,” he finally said, his voice low, “make sure Alfred isn’t around to hear it.” His lips quirked into the barest smile before he turned back to the Batcomputer. Yet, as he walked away, you could swear he slowed his stride, almost as if daring you to do it again. You didn’t, of course. Not then. But the idea of Gotham’s Dark Knight flustered by a simple smack was too delicious to forget. And Bruce knew it.

Clark Kent (Kal-El) aka. Superman

- Clark didn’t see it coming. How could he, when he was too busy carrying three bags of groceries in each hand and balancing a box of pastries in the crook of his elbow? You watched him shuffle toward the kitchen counter, his broad shoulders filling the doorway, his wholesome, Midwestern charm radiating even in the simplest acts. As he passed, you couldn’t resist. Smack. The clap of your hand against his ridiculously perfect backside made him jump slightly, the pastries nearly tumbling from his grip. “Hey!” he exclaimed, spinning around, cheeks flushed pink.

- For someone faster than a speeding bullet, Clark sure could get caught off guard by you. His face was an endearing mix of surprise and bashfulness, and you swore the man looked like he’d just been scolded by Ma Kent herself. “What was that for?” he asked, his voice filled with genuine confusion but also a hint of laughter. You shrugged, batting your lashes. “Couldn’t resist. You’re carrying so much cake, after all.” He groaned at the pun but couldn’t keep from smiling.

- Clark, despite his extraordinary origins, was at his core a simple man. A man who loved sharing quiet evenings with you, cooking together, and pretending the world didn’t need him for a little while. He was also devastatingly kind, a trait that extended to how he loved you—with full-hearted sincerity and no room for doubt. So when he looked at you now, shaking his head with a chuckle, you knew he wasn’t really annoyed.

- “You’re unbelievable,” he said, placing the pastries safely on the counter. Then, faster than you could blink, his arms wrapped around you, pulling you close with that impossible strength. “But if you’re going to tease, you’d better be prepared to deal with the consequences.” His grin was all boyish mischief as he tickled your sides, your laughter ringing through the kitchen. You swore he let you win when you finally broke free. Clark Kent, the strongest man alive, completely at your mercy.

Barry Allen aka. Flash

- Barry didn’t even stop moving. You were sure he noticed, though, because as you walked past him in the hallway and your hand made contact with his backside, he nearly tripped over his own feet. For the Flash, that was saying something. “Did you just—” he started, spinning to face you. His words were drowned out by your laughter as he stood there, red-faced and wide-eyed, his usual chatter momentarily short-circuited.

- “What?” you asked innocently, though your grin betrayed you. Barry spluttered for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck. “I—I wasn’t expecting that!” he managed, his voice pitching higher than usual. You loved how easy it was to fluster him, even though he was one of the smartest, fastest people in the world. “You’ve got to work on your reaction time, hero,” you teased, winking as you sauntered away.

- Barry’s mind was racing, as it always did, but now it wasn’t just thoughts of his latest case or some quantum theory experiment. No, now it was you—how you could so effortlessly knock him off balance with a single playful act. He adored you for it, for the way you brought lightness and humor into his often chaotic, exhausting life. You were his anchor, his calm in the storm of velocity and danger.

- Later, when he zipped into the living room with snacks for your movie night, he couldn’t resist a little payback. As he placed the bowl of popcorn on the table, he leaned in close, his lips brushing your ear. “Tag,” he whispered, and before you could respond, he darted away, leaving a gentle swat on your hip in his wake. Your laughter followed him, echoing in the space he’d just vacated. Barry might be the fastest man alive, but you were the one who always left him breathless.

Diana of Themyscira aka. Wonder Woman

- You didn’t think it was possible to catch Diana off guard. The Amazon princess was grace and power personified, her every movement deliberate, her every action precise. But when you passed her in the sunlit garden and gave her a cheeky smack, she stopped mid-step. Her head turned slowly, her azure eyes narrowing as her lips curled into a knowing smirk. “Did you just strike a warrior?” she asked, her voice a blend of amusement and mock reprimand.

- “A warrior with impeccable form,” you shot back, bold as ever. Diana’s laughter rang out, melodic and warm, her posture relaxing as she faced you fully. “You’re fortunate I consider this an act of affection,” she teased, stepping closer. The sunlight caught her dark hair, casting her in an almost ethereal glow. She was intimidating and beautiful, a goddess among mortals, yet in this moment, she was utterly human—and yours.

- Diana loved how unafraid you were of her strength, her presence. So many treated her like a distant, untouchable figure, but you reminded her that she was more than her titles or her mission. You made her laugh, you challenged her, and you weren’t afraid to be playful with her—even when it came to something as bold as this. She admired your spirit, your fire, the way you met her gaze without hesitation.

- “You realize,” she said, her tone mock-serious as she closed the gap between you, “that this is an invitation for retaliation.” Before you could react, her arms wrapped around you, lifting you effortlessly off the ground. Her laughter joined yours as she spun you once before setting you back down. “Careful, my love,” she warned, pressing a kiss to your temple. “A warrior never forgets.” But the smile on her lips promised she’d never stop loving your daring nature.

Arthur Curry aka. Aquaman

- You should have known better than to smack Arthur Curry as he walked past, the salty scent of the sea clinging to him like a second skin. The man was built like a fortress, with muscles that rippled beneath his tank top and a stride that exuded the confidence of a king. As your hand connected with his backside, the smack echoed through the cozy beach house you shared. Arthur stopped mid-step, his broad shoulders tensing. Slowly, he turned his head, a grin spreading across his rugged, sun-kissed face. “You sure you want to start this game, love?”

- He set down the fishing net he’d been carrying, his piercing green eyes narrowing playfully as he took a deliberate step toward you. You couldn’t help but laugh, holding your ground even as he loomed closer, his smirk promising trouble. “I couldn’t resist,” you said, your voice light. “It’s not every day a queen gets to remind her king who’s really in charge.” Arthur barked out a laugh, the sound deep and rich like the ocean waves outside. “Oh, is that so?” he rumbled, his hands finding his hips.

- Arthur loved your boldness, the way you matched his fiery spirit without hesitation. You were one of the few people who could keep up with him—whether it was challenging his quick temper, teasing his authority, or standing beside him when the burdens of two worlds weighed heavily on his shoulders. You weren’t afraid of his strength, his power, or the scars that told the story of his battles. Instead, you met him head-on, reminding him of the joy and levity he often forgot.

- “Alright,” he said finally, leaning down until his face was inches from yours, his grin widening. “But just remember—you started it.” Before you could react, his large hand swatted your hip, the playful strike making you gasp and laugh at the same time. “That’s for round one,” he teased, straightening as he headed toward the kitchen. “Let’s see if you’ve got the guts for round two.” You watched him go, shaking your head. King of the seas? More like king of cheeky comebacks.

Hal Jordan aka. Green Lantern

- You didn’t even plan it. Hal Jordan had been walking past, cocky as ever in his flight jacket, tossing his keys onto the counter with that easy swagger that made your heart race and your patience thin in equal measure. Before you knew it, your hand moved of its own accord. Smack. The sound was sharp, and Hal froze, mid-step, his head snapping toward you. For a moment, his mouth opened, but no sound came out. Then, finally, he broke into a grin. “Well, hello to you too,” he said, his voice dripping with amusement.

- Hal was never one to back down from a challenge, and you knew that all too well. “Careful,” he warned, his green eyes sparkling as he took a slow step toward you. “You’re playing with fire here, gorgeous.” You shrugged, feigning innocence. “Oh, please. If you’re so tough, you should be able to handle a little pat on the back. Or… elsewhere.” His laughter was immediate, loud and free, filling the room like music. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, you know that?”

- That was what Hal adored about you. He’d spent so much of his life surrounded by danger and responsibility—whether it was saving the universe as Green Lantern or pulling insane aerial stunts as a test pilot. But you? You were his gravity, his reminder that life wasn’t all about proving himself. You made him laugh in a way no one else could, and even when you pushed his buttons, he couldn’t help but fall a little more in love with you each time.

- “Alright,” he said, slipping his jacket off and tossing it onto the couch. “You wanna play dirty? Let’s play dirty.” Before you could react, Hal’s ring glowed, and a green construct of a feather appeared in his hand. “Let’s see how tough you are when the tables turn.” You squealed, darting behind the couch as he followed, grinning like a kid in a candy store. Hal Jordan might be fearless, but you knew his real weakness—your laugh, your smile, your ability to keep him on his toes.

Oliver Queen aka. Green Arrow

- Oliver Queen barely flinched when your hand smacked his backside as he walked past the kitchen counter, a bow slung over his shoulder. Instead, he stopped, cocking his head to the side with a slow smirk spreading across his handsome, scruffy face. “Well, that’s one way to get my attention,” he drawled, turning to face you. His emerald-green eyes sparkled with mischief, and you could already tell he was plotting some form of retaliation. “Should I be worried, or was that just your way of saying ‘good shot’?”

- “You’ve been spending too much time in the field,” you teased, crossing your arms and leaning against the counter. “Thought I’d remind you who really has the aim around here.” Oliver laughed, the sound warm and rich as he set his bow down carefully. “Oh, really? You think you can out-shoot me and out-smart me in my own house?” His tone was playful, but you knew the archer in him couldn’t resist a challenge.

- Oliver loved that about you—your boldness, your fire, the way you never let him take himself too seriously. It was a rare gift to be able to break through the walls he built around himself, the layers of guilt and responsibility he carried as Star City’s protector. But you didn’t just break through; you tore those walls down with humor, love, and a fearlessness that matched his own. You reminded him of the man beneath the hood, the one who still knew how to laugh and love.

- “Alright,” he said, stepping closer and resting his hands on either side of the counter, trapping you in place. “But just so we’re clear—if this is your idea of flirting, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve too.” Before you could respond, he leaned in and kissed you deeply, stealing your breath and your smugness all at once. When he pulled back, his grin was pure Oliver Queen. “Your move, pretty bird.”

John Constantine aka. Hellblazer

- When your hand smacked John Constantine’s backside, his reaction was immediate—a sharp intake of breath, followed by a low, throaty chuckle that promised trouble. He turned to face you, cigarette dangling from his lips, his trench coat swirling slightly with the motion. “Well, well, love,” he drawled, his voice tinged with that unmistakable cockney accent. “Didn’t think you had it in you. Careful now—you’re playing with fire.”

- “Oh, please,” you shot back, smirking. “You deal with demons, curses, and apocalyptic prophecies daily. You can handle a little slap.” His grin widened, and he took a step closer, the scent of tobacco and leather surrounding you. “You’ve got some cheek, you know that?” he said, taking the cigarette from his mouth and flicking the ash into the tray. “But that’s why I keep you around. Keeps me on my toes.”

- John wasn’t used to this—lightness, laughter, love. His life was a whirlwind of darkness and chaos, and yet, somehow, you had wormed your way into his blackened heart. You brought him peace in a way no spell or sigil ever could. And while he’d never admit it outright, he adored the way you challenged him, kept him grounded, and gave him something to fight for beyond his own self-loathing.

- “But fair warning, darling,” he said, his voice dropping to that low, gravelly tone that sent shivers down your spine, “I don’t play fair.” Before you could react, he whispered a quick spell under his breath, and suddenly, your shoes were glued to the floor. “There,” he said with a wink, taking a drag of his cigarette. “Let’s see if you’re still so bold when you can’t run away.” Your laughter filled the room as he walked off, his shoulders shaking with amusement. Classic Constantine—always one step ahead, but always hopelessly smitten with you.

Roy Harper aka. Arsenal

- You really couldn’t resist. Roy Harper had been strutting around the apartment like he owned the place, shirtless, a bow slung across his back, humming some old rock tune under his breath. His cocky energy was palpable, and when he passed by you in the living room, it was instinctive. Smack. Your hand connected with his jean-clad backside, and the sound was sharp enough to cut through his off-key singing. Roy froze, turning slowly with a look of mock betrayal. “Did you just…? Oh, you’re really asking for it now, gorgeous.”

- You leaned back against the couch, smirking. “What? Just checking if Arsenal’s reflexes are still sharp.” Roy placed a hand on his hip, pointing at you with the other. “You’re lucky I didn’t just shoot an arrow in surprise,” he teased, though the grin tugging at his lips made it clear he was anything but annoyed. “But fine. If we’re doing this, let me warn you—I don’t fight fair.”

- Roy loved that you didn’t take him too seriously. In a life full of chaos, mistakes, and battles, you were his sanctuary, the one person who could knock him off his pedestal in the best way. Your playful antics reminded him that not everything had to be about proving himself or fighting the next big battle. You were his partner in every sense of the word—his laughter, his balance, his home.

- “Alright, beautiful,” he said, dropping the bow and cracking his knuckles. “You know what happens when you mess with me, right?” Before you could react, he pounced, pinning you to the couch in an exaggerated wrestling move that had both of you laughing uncontrollably. “This is justice!” he declared dramatically, tickling your sides until you were begging for mercy. Roy Harper was impossible, but then again, so were you, and you wouldn’t trade him for anything.

Koriand’r aka. Starfire

- The reaction was immediate. As your hand connected with Koriand’r’s backside while she passed you in the hallway, she stopped mid-step, her fiery hair glowing faintly as it caught the light. Slowly, she turned to face you, her wide green eyes blinking in confusion. “Was that… an Earth custom of affection?” she asked, her tone curious but tinged with amusement. You couldn’t help but burst out laughing, her innocent confusion melting any attempt at feigned innocence. “Sure, Kori. It’s totally a custom. Very common.”

- Kori tilted her head, a thoughtful expression crossing her beautiful features. “How interesting,” she said, stepping closer to you. “On Tamaran, we express affection with embraces, kisses, and occasionally by flying into the air with loved ones. But this… this is new. I like it!” Her radiant smile made your heart flutter, and you could see the mischief spark in her gaze. “Does this mean I can do it back?”

- You adored how open and loving Kori was. She embraced life with the same passion she brought to battle, and her joy was contagious. Loving her meant constantly learning to see the world through her eyes, where every experience—big or small—was worth celebrating. You could never get enough of the way she made even the smallest moments feel like an adventure.

- “You may want to prepare yourself!” she declared suddenly, her arms wrapping around you in a warm, powerful embrace. Before you could protest, she lifted you effortlessly off the ground, spinning you in circles as laughter bubbled out of both of you. When she finally set you down, she pressed a kiss to your forehead and gave you a playful tap on your backside. “This is a wonderful custom!” she declared with a bright giggle. You’d created a monster, and you couldn’t have been happier about it.

Kara Zor-El aka. Supergirl

- Kara Zor-El nearly dropped the bowl of popcorn she was carrying when your hand smacked her backside. Nearly. Her Kryptonian reflexes kicked in, and she saved the snack, spinning around with a look of wide-eyed disbelief. “Did you just…?!” she stammered, her cheeks flushing a deep red. You leaned casually against the counter, biting back a grin. “What? Just making sure Earth’s strongest woman doesn’t have any blind spots.”

- “Blind spots?!” Kara exclaimed, placing the bowl down with exaggerated care. “You’re lucky I don’t fly you straight into the stratosphere for that.” But the way she crossed her arms and pouted made it clear she wasn’t actually upset. If anything, she was flustered—adorably so. “You’re impossible, you know that?” she muttered, though the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her.

- Kara loved how comfortable you were around her. So many people treated her like a symbol or a savior, but you just treated her like Kara. You teased her, laughed with her, and never let her powers overshadow the fact that she was just a girl trying to navigate life on a new planet. Being with you grounded her, reminded her that even superheroes deserved to let their guard down and have fun.

- “Fine,” she said finally, her lips quirking into a mischievous grin. “But don’t think I won’t get you back.” Before you could respond, she darted forward at super-speed, giving your side a playful nudge that sent you stumbling into the couch. She was back in her original spot before you could blink, arms crossed and a victorious smirk on her face. “Kryptonians don’t lose, you know,” she teased, her laughter filling the room.

Slade Wilson aka. Deathstroke

- You weren’t entirely sure what possessed you to do it. Slade Wilson wasn’t exactly known for his sense of humor, but as he passed you in the training room, his armor catching the dim light, the temptation was too strong. Your hand smacked his backside, the sound loud in the otherwise quiet space. He stopped immediately, his head turning just enough for his single visible eye to lock onto you. The sharp, dangerous glint in his gaze made your heart race. “You’re braver than I thought,” he said, his voice a low, gravelly rumble.

- “And you’re slower than I thought,” you shot back, unable to resist. His brow arched, and you could see the corner of his mouth twitch—was that amusement? “Careful,” he warned, stepping closer, his imposing frame casting a long shadow. “You might find out just how fast I can be.” Despite his intimidating presence, you refused to back down, crossing your arms and smirking up at him. “Oh, I’m counting on it.”

- Slade had always admired your boldness. In a world where most people either feared him or tried to use him, you were a refreshing change. You didn’t treat him like a weapon or a monster—you saw the man beneath the mask, the one who carried the weight of too many sins. Your audacity, your fire, reminded him of the parts of himself he thought he’d buried long ago.

- “Alright,” he said, his tone deceptively calm as he leaned in, his face inches from yours. “But don’t forget—every action has a consequence.” Before you could respond, his hand darted out, delivering a sharp but playful swat to your hip. You gasped, more in surprise than pain, and he straightened, his smirk now fully formed. “Your move,” he said, turning and walking away with the measured confidence of a man who always had the upper hand. And yet, you could see the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips. For all his gruffness, Slade Wilson was undeniably charmed by you.

[puttersmile]

I drew this while considering another AU back in November.

The story would be a cottage core setting at first but grow out to be something crazy and anachronistic. Mostly 1930s /Cottagecore. A lot of characters would be toy people. So a toyland aesthetic as well?

Not sure. But anyway its about Hoppy being courier from village to village and her best friend Bubba who dreams of becoming a pilot. Everything is happy and normal in their little village of Home Sweet Home until Hoppy is given a mysterious package she has to deliver that could spell the difference between peace and the destruction of everything.

As the foggy autumn nights roll in, Hoppy and Bubba see the return of their orphanage brother, who went missing years ago. Dogday the Starpatch Pup. A lot has changed and he's looking for someone.

Not only that but everyone's floor is rocked when they discover that Home Sweet Home's humble baker is actually a princess!?

_______

Yeah my ideas are all over the place lol. Does anyone see potential?

[secondsistershelby3]

Pairings : Silco x Jinx's sister!reader

Summary : You were Powder's twin sister or as Silco had started calling her, Jinx. You weren't as smart as her, you could fight well enough but nothing more and yet Silco took you along with her when Vander died. After 7 years you find yourself in the following situation

Warnings : !no series spoilers!, smut, 18+, semi-public sex, blowjob, let's pretend that Jinx is not a minor and that all this is legal and therefore EVERYTHING LEGAL, fluff with Silco (HE NEEDS IT)

Notes : It seemed longer, I hope it's good anyway

"Can't you delay the meeting?" You were lying on your back with your legs crossed. You asked the question in a bored tone to Silco.

"you know I can't" Silco looked at you leaning on his chair

You snorted like a little girl when she doesn't get candy. You may not have inherited the same talents as Jinx but you certainly inherited the character.

"how boring you are" you turned on your stomach, one hand under your chin and one dangling as you looked at him with an increasingly bored face

"who cares if you postpone the meeting, they'll talk bullshit whether you postpone it or not" you dangled your other arm and let your face hit the desk

Silco sighed and approached with the chair "it won't last long"

"You always say that" your voice was almost incomprehensible given your face against the desk

Silco reached out to caress your head, he hesitated almost before touching you but finally he put it down and began to slowly caress your hair.

After almost a minute of silence with Silco caressing you, you untied and placed your hand on top of Silco's as you lifted your head and leaned to one side

"you're such a dick sometimes" Silco laughed at your statement. You reached out to put your arms around his neck and slowly got on his lap. You rested your head on his shoulder

You started kissing his neck. Silco gently pushed you back "no, we all know how this will end" he said with a hint of severity but also sweetness

You huffed louder and angrily stood up from his lap. Silco called you sighing "have your fucking meeting" you walked out of his office slamming the door. Silco put his hands on his face. Any person would have already died if they even tried to talk to Silco like that but not you.

---

"Can you believe that asshole preferred to have that fucking meeting than being with me?!" You ate a piece of apple. You were sitting on the sofa, with Mylo's mannequin next to you

You put your legs on the table in front of you "for him talking to other assholes like Finn is more important than being with me. WHAT THE FUCK" You said angry with pieces of apples in your mouth

You sighed and let your head fall back against the couch, reaching for another piece of apple.

"I'll teach that asshole a lesson...." You threw the apple core on the floor and got up from the sofa

---

It hadn't been long since you had rushed out of Silco's office and gone to your corner, but the meeting Silco was supposed to attend was about to start.

You ran to Silco's office, Sevika was in front of the door "what are you going to do?" She asked sharply as usual. "uuuhhh do you always want to know where I am?" You grinned, stopping in front of her. She huffed and turned her head and you used that moment to walk in hearing Sevika whisper "brat"

Silco who at that moment was smoking his usual cigar, raised his head and saw you enter "is the teenage anger over?" he asked sarcastically

"What do you think?" You smiled with your hands behind your back. You slowly walked behind the desk where Silco was sitting. He watched you move carefully until you turned his chair towards you.

"You were very mean to me before" you whispered lowering your hand from the top of the chair to the arm

"we already talked about it-" Silco closed his eyes in despair but you interrupted him "ok, I accept it" you smiled going between his legs. Your hands went further and further down and in the meantime your knees also went down. "Don't try it, the meeting is about to-"

"boss, they're here!"

Silco tried to pull you up but you quickly ducked under the desk and forcefully pulled the chair Silco was sitting in towards the desk, At that moment they all came in: Finn, Renni, Smeech, Chross and Margot

Silco glanced at you as everyone walked in.

You didn't really focus on what they were saying because you only had one thing on your mind: to teach Silco a lesson.

You started groping above the crotch of Silco's pants, you felt him stiffen, but he continued to speak with ease. Licking your lips, you quickly moved on to pulling down the zipper of his pants without making too much noise, as you pulled it down you felt Silco's hand grab your wrist.

You looked up at him, smiled and moved closer to his hand that was grabbing your wrist, you kissed it slowly from knuckles to fingers, after a few seconds he gently let go of your wrist.

It didn't take you long to pull his underwear down enough to let his cock out, you started licking it, you heard Silco cough to cover his grunt

"What's the matter, do you have a cold?" Finn asked sarcastically "more or less" Silco said without amusement

You continued to tease him by licking his cock until you took the tip in your mouth, his hand suddenly grabbed your hair. By now you couldn't even hear his voice anymore, you could only taste of his cock, you took it more and more in your mouth, you didn't see that Silco was putting his hand on his forehead pretending to have a headache

"Are you at least listening to us Silco?" Smeech asked arrogantly

"I'm listening" Silco replied a little too aggressively

You started sucking Silco's cock mercilessly, his hand trying to guide you without attracting too much attention

It was so good, every time it felt like the first time. Jinx didn't know about all this, you don't know how she would react and right now you don't want to know

Silco's hand seemed to be going slightly faster, a sign that he was about to come, the plan was to let go without letting him reach the peak, so you tried to pull away, but his grip was so hard that you could barely take your mouth off his cock, he pushed you deeper and you almost let out a gargle that everyone would hear.

You felt his seed in your mouth, his hand suddenly left you and you leaned back. Silco put his hands on his face and sighed, he hadn't even noticed that two tufts had fallen out of his I got off on my face

You smirked as you closed your eyes and wiped some of his seed that had fallen onto your chin.

Time passed and you didn't even notice, you didn't hear everyone leave. Silco bent down to talk to you "now we have a score to settle-" as soon as he bent down he saw your sleeping figure. He shook his his head and smiled, zipped up his pants, and reached under the desk to pick you up.

He put you on his knees , your head automatically rested on his shoulder. He turned his chair towards the huge window, looked out and then at you. He pushed your face towards him slightly and moved a lock of your hair, he stared at you for almost a minute

"You're lucky I love you brat" he gently rested your head on his shoulder

You had the Eye of Zaun in your hands you didn't even know it

"How long have you been there?" Silco asked as he continued to stare out the enormous window.

"since everyone left" Jinx replied lying on the board on the ceiling

"Do you have anything to say?" Silco asked, stroking your hair.

"I'm a little angry that you didn't tell me anything, but as long as you don't leave, because I may be your daughter but she's my sister" she rolled over onto her stomach "and I'm still willing to do something to you"

Silco smirked "you don't have to worry about that" Jinx hadn't even realized she had called herself his daughter It was strange but also comfortable.

He looked down at you "you don't have to worry at all" he kissed your head gently and relaxed back into the chair"

It had been a tough day but it had ended well.

[yuujiheart]

Still can't believe gege became our secret santa and blessed us with this official yuji sukuna art...

Such a wonderful way to end the series and the year... It still feels like a dream ....i think it's safe to say that none of us had never expected that he would do something like that.

when the manga ended I was satisfied but still had this desire to see sukuna reciprocating/acknowledging yuji's kindness but not in the subtle way like he did in the last chapter by accepting to change and not cursing others ... So I was kinda sad and disappointed when there was nothing like that in vol extras...

Then this illustration came out and OH MY GOD.. Sukuna dancing with yuji although irritated still holding yuji by waist , fingers interlocked, mind you this is the same sukuna who doesn't like physical contact but still is as involved in it as yuji.... And then there is yuji my baby happily enjoying the dance or maybe it's sukuna's grumpy face that made him laugh looks so angelic in the snow...which immediately reminded me of this ozawa's epilogue where yuji admitted how snow is still special to him.

... Pretty sure gege did that to tell us that it's because of sukuna yuji finds snow special and to make the art meaningful....

And that quote...in which sukuna is admitting yuji's soul provides him the comfort / has this warm presence .. Which in my opinion is just him calling yuji his home as after yuji's declaration to live with him sukuna has gained a place/ home to which he can always return as yuji would always accept him even if nobody else does....

Btw I saw some jp fans analyzing the quote and the result was this

Gege has used a pretty strong word to describe sukuna's feelings for yuji ... Although it does make sense considering yuji literally offered the king of curses the option to live with him which really shocked him coz all he has ever received is rejection since the day he was born I guess so it was hard for him to accept that there is someone so kind who can accept and wants to share his life with him .. And was the only one who he couldn't break as he never once threw his ideals in search of strength and turned those very ideals into his strength that rattled sukuna to its core....

And there is that acknowledgment that i was really looking for...... After reading this quote, in my mind there was no doubt that yuji and sukuna's bond has turned into something special which can't be replaced by others and shouldn't be restricted to only familial, romantic, platonic love... Their souls are intertwined . Atp they are literal soulmates..

Tbh when I see the art I can't help but think there's more.. There's no way that's it...but even if that's not the case I am fine with it.... I can't be greedy now that I have literally got what I really wanted for my two fav characters..... As a reader I do have problems with some aspects of story but I guess gege already knows that so I guess he will be working on it through anime ..

[1411411989]

coming slowly and uncomfortably to the conclusion that a lot of the problems i have with solas's writing come back to the fact that i think he's just like. a dumb person's idea of a smart person. i see a lot of people writing stuff about him that is very interesting but just doesn't jive at all for me with the dumb-as-rocks man we see in the games.

all his alleged intelligence and wisdom is just....knowing information the other person doesn't, the lowest form of "being somehow smarter about things". "he's so wise about spirits" nope, he is one. he doesn't have an understanding and empathy that surpasses other people. he is literally a spirit. what else does he even have going for him. "he knows so much about the fade wow" yeah he's literally from there. "he deceives the inquisition about who he is" if you knew a dude who was like. the absolute weirdest man possible. obviously lying and faceplanting constantly and making reference to "your...HUMAN...behaviors...". you still would not conclude "ah, that man is a bodysnatching gray alien" because in the world you live in, bodysnatching gray aliens aren't literally real, or at the very least they don't come to earth to personally muck around in your life. you would just be like, what an offbeat dude. you don't get any points for running a successful deception predicated on something that is, as far as your marks know, a literal physical impossibility. rerun that exercise with all parties having the same knowledge base and see how it turns out. even as is, almost literally everyone in the party knows he's obviously hiding something. he's not even remotely getting away with it. everyone just has much bigger problems to handle at the moment.

wisdom is traditionally connected to things like discernment, judgement, insight. the ability to make good choices from available knowledge. which is wild because he makes the wrong choice literally every time. every plan he makes fails in the end, in every single ending, in part because he is complete shit at understanding how other people operate at their very core, which is crazy on a guy who's thousands of years old and makes watching emotionally-charged memories his personal hobby. no matter which ending you get, it's predicated on him failing to accurately evaluate rook after an entire game with a direct line to their brain and the ability to pretend to be their closest confidant. he's very good at guessing how people will behave under relatively conventional circumstances and almost always misjudges how they will behave at the critical moment. the only person he ever meaningfully deceives in the course of the games is the player character, and only if you choose to be deceived.

the list of things meant to prove his wisdom and intelligence is so, so bleak. there's even the fool's last desperate resort to prove a character is smart: show him literally winning a chess game.

[saintatreidess]

(MINOR) SPOILERS FOR BOTH NOSFERATU (2024) & THE NOVEL DRACULA AHEAD!

modernity in nosferatu (2024) & dracula

it’s been almost 24 hours since i saw robert eggers’ nosferatu and i’m still in shock by how well crafted this film is. all my expectations for a dracula adaptation have been met. it’s obviously not a faithful adaptation of the novel. but we’ve seen that even adaptations that claim faithfulness end up fumbling what the story is about (cough, cough, bram stoker’s dracula (1992)). so, with that in mind, i think it’s better for a movie to do its own thing as long as it includes the themes at the core of dracula. and this is what nosferatu (2024) does really well.

what i want to talk about here is the topic of modernity in the story. it’s a central theme in the novel. there are a lot of references to late 19th century technological & scientific innovation. the count dracula is wary of modernity. he doesn’t understand it so he almost fears it. there is an opposition between modernity and old/paganism. this opposition can also be interpreted as "west v east".

this is referenced a lot in robert eggers’ nosferatu. when thomas hutter arrives at count orlok’s castle he asks his host about the local population’s superstitions. this angers the count who calls said superstitions idiotic (or something like this, i don’t remember the exact quote). obviously in the movie the main reason orlok goes to the west (germany in the movie, england in the novel) is to get to ellen. but there’s another reason, which is that in the 19th century western world (at least in the cities) pagan beliefs are practically gone. it’s a "modern" world in which people are no longer superstitious. they don’t believe in the supernatural, in vampires.

in his home country, orlok is threatened by pagan beliefs. by moving west, he can claim victims and get away with it because he’s protected by the upholding of modern science and rational thinking, which replaced superstition long ago. in the movie, the germans think that the doings of orlok are the plague. the existence of a blood-thirsty demon is ridiculous to them. this idea is represented by the character of frau harding (aaron taylor-johnson), whose rational mind ends up costing him the loss of his family and his own life.

that being said, in the novel, what ends up causing count dracula’s downfall is his weariness of modernity that i mentioned above. he uses "archaic" means of transportation to escape the hunting team made of van helsing, dr seward, mina & jonathan harker etc. he travels by sail instead of steamboat, carriage instead of steam train, the list goes on. but what allows the count’s foes to defeat him is in fact the belief that modernity/science and superstition are complementary and not opposite. van helsing uses both a scientific and pagan approach to eventually kill the vampire. so, don’t get it twisted, the novel doesn’t try to say that "modernity = good & superstition = bad" or vice versa. rather i think it offers a more nuanced take, suggesting that one doesn’t necessarily have to cancel out the other.

gif credits: junkfoodcinemas

[sneakyboymerlin]

It becomes increasingly obvious that fandom has not moved on from its “Arthur was just using Gwen for her womb” phase…

If Arthur wanted a marriage of convenience, then he would have gotten with Elena or Mithian. But Arthur was canonically in love with Gwen, and Gwen with Arthur. Therefore, we acknowledge that Gwen and Arthur are — by all authorial intent (and common sense) — in love. This means the writers wrote this in, explicitly, only for certain fans to ignore it.

Not a case of “the writers secretly wrote Arthur and Gwen as NOT in love!” but “fans dismiss the relationship because they shipped merthur first and feel threatened by Arthur having a CANON ‘hetero’ love interest, or don’t find it realistic that he could love a girl like her.”

Hence the usual tired, vague “they just don’t have chemistry” excuse. The fact that OP states that Gwen has chemistry with no one portrays this better than anything I can say. Yes, of course the only black woman character just doesn��t have romantic chemistry with anyone — not Merlin, not Lancelot, not her actual canon husband Arthur, not even Morgana. But all of the white boy characters are just so lovable, so it only makes sense that everyone else should love them, too! (The subtext being that it doesn’t make sense for Gwen to be a romantic interest because… ahem, reasons). So merthur just magically feels more realistic/makes more sense than what they wanted us to see with Gwen’s relationships! Nevermind the blatant contradiction between “the writers WANTED us to believe in Arthur/Gwen but we didn’t!” and “the writers were deliberately writing them weakly!” Pick 1 story if you wanna play victim.

The fan theory that the (often homophobic! they started filming in 2007 for god’s sake) writers were secretly trying to diminish this leading romantic plotline by creating a “romantic tension” between Arthur and [checks notes] MERLIN?!?!?, the servant he neglects, is nothing short of tinhatting. At most, the writers make a few jokes in the audio commentaries poking fun at people who interpreted it in that way, making fun of us gays plenty along the way, only to firmly restate their platonic intent.

By and by, you’re allowed to enjoy fanon material, but to simply lie about the canon circumstances in order to make as if these ideas hold more water than canon, which we can all fact check with a rewatch or a transcript… Well, it’s hard for me to wrap my head around! What is the point, exactly, when it’s not true?

Simply speaking, omegaverse fanfiction is not canon. It’s easy for people to dismiss the influence that Gwen is capable of having, on Arthur and on the story as a whole, but that does not mean that this influence does not exist. If these were genuine observations/concerns, fans would not be demanding that Gwen be erased from her own narrative, but rather that she be allowed to take up more space in it! Fans would demand that we have more scenes of her and Arthur, that we see more of their build-up and bonding. Instead, she’s met with full dismissal. The fact that Gwen does not receive as much screentime as her white boy counterparts, despite also being one of the core four, also speaks to a bias (one of many) in the writers’ room. The failure of fans as a whole to demand more respect and attention for the woman characters, especially Gwen as the solo black lead, is a failure of the same kind.

You started with a good premise but now I think you’re actually insane. Merlin and Arthur had tension from day one. I was a child and I knew they were gay for one another. Gwen didn’t have chemistry with anyone - least of all Merlin. Merlin wasn’t interested in Gwen at all. Season 1 read as when the girl falls for the gay boy cuz he’s so nice and sweet. The actors shipped Merthur. The writers shipped Merthur and they wanted the fandom to ship Merthur. The only reason they probably didn’t explicitly put it in the show was because of the time we were in. The writers and fandom have always been gay af. Because right next to Merthur is Morgwen and after that, Gwen/Lancelot. This is not at all an example of what you’re talking about. Also, TikTok? Did you just start watching the show? Watch it again please. And then watch it another time. Like we were reading/writing Merthur fanfic in 2008. I was on mf livejournal reading A/B/O dynamics Merthur fanfics. Hello??!!! Like maybe it’s because I’ve been in this fandom for over a decade - Merthur was my first fandom - but I’m literally so affronted and flabbergasted. How do you even-

[raayllum]

An interesting thread in S7 that I noticed:

You are destroyed by the things you create.

The first time we see this kind of thread (at least I think, I might've missed something) is with Kpp'Ar and Viren in season 6. Kpp'Ar takes Viren on as his "most eager student" and teaches him much in the ways of dark magic, even eventually handing over the position of High Mage. And even once acquiring said position, Viren betrays him in order to take the Staff of Ziard, citing:

Then you have Viren being destroyed and creating the exact circumstances he didn't want. In corrupting Lux Aurea, he expelled the Sunfire elves, leading to Karim's increasing fanaticism, power struggle, and usage of Sol Regem. This led indirectly to Sol Regem bringing Viren's worst nightmare down upon Katolis.

We see this more directly with Aaravos as well, as he created Sir Sparklepuff and had Avizandum specifically summoned back from the dead in S7, both of which have a hand in his demise:

This also ties into Aaravos' desire to destroy the Cosmic Order, as they created the circumstances that led to his anger in killing Leola, and therefore his violence and great machinations:

This "you are destroyed/defeated by what you create" is also one of the things that won me over when theorizing about S7, as I thought that if Callum used dark magic to defeat Aaravos fully (rip Rayla's positive character development theorized there too), while it might have felt a bit thematically muddied, would've had a great layer of irony: Aaravos, being imprisoned/defeated by the very thing he created. Close, but no cigar!

Then, for the core protagonists, to a certain degree we have this theme with Viren and Claudia. Viren realizes his horror at what Claudia has become, as well as the path that he's pushed and led her down by example. This doesn't literally destroy him, but it does emotionally devastate him, and does end up destroying their relationship in a lot of ways.

Even Claudia gets a bit of this, as she stabs her mother in the back—a daughter killing her own mother—just as Soren stabbed Viren in 3x09. Children killing their own parents, even as illusions, fits the theme, don't you think?

Ezran also gets interwoven into this idea in a few interesting ways in season 7. In creating the circumstances that led to Ezran being king, and thereby creating the child king and his rage, Runaan could've become a victim of it, and indeed nearly was (7x01, 7x02).

The second way this could come to a head for Ezran is Project Ruby Fire, though we'll have to wait for future seasons. While the project is his and Aanya's brainchild to keep Katolis (Evrkynd now?) safe and safe from the threat of dragons in the future, it's unlikely that these weapons of destruction will stay unused, and could possibly lead to devastation and loss in their kingdoms and/or of their friends (Zym).

Last but not least, we have Callum and Rayla. While not a literal destruction (but close to), they were prepared to sacrifice everything for one another. Callum's death would've made Rayla an assassin, hardening her heart further than it already is; on the other side of things, Callum became a mage and a dark mage because of her (2x07, 5x08): "If you love her, you'll be the you who can save her," even if that means demanding she'd become the her who can kill him, and save him / the world from a fate worse than death.

At the same time, Callum only begins doing the dark magic spell because he trusts Rayla to be his safety net. I can see solid arguments for whether she would've actually gone through with it on either side, but it led to Callum re-corrupting himself and opening himself up to Aaravos' possession in the future either way.

Like with Ezran and Project Ruby Fire, I expect this plot thread to be more of a beat in Arc 3 / future seasons, but am still deeply interested to see how it may all come to pass - and how there could be more consequences (the Nova Blade?) even from trying to do good.

[a-bottle-of-tyelenol]

Talking about the Poseidon/Odysseus parallels put all throughout EPIC, I think the Eurymachus scene in ‘Odysseus’ is the most interesting.

When we first meet Poseidon, he tells Odysseus that he’ll only be spared if he apologizes for hurting Polyphemus. Now, regardless of whether you believe him to be truthful here, it really doesn’t matter because Odysseus pointedly doesn’t apologize. He justifies himself and tries to get Poseidon to sympathize with him. “We meant no harm. We only hurt him to disarm him. We took no pleasure in his pain. We only wanted to escape.”

That isn’t an apology.

Likewise, in ‘Odysseus’, Eurymachus sees his old king and, instead of apologizing like he SHOULD, he deflects and demands forgiveness— to reiterate because this is insane, he doesn’t apologize but actually has the audacity to ask for forgiveness. “Old king, our leader is dead! You’ve destroyed the serpent’s head, now the rest of us are no longer a threat! Old king, forgive us instead, so that no more blood is shed.”

That is worse than Odysseus’ non-apology, honestly.

This scene mentions open arms for a reason and it’s very critical for the core moral debates within the show, but it also further cements the parallels of Odysseus and Poseidon for me.

In this moment, Odysseus is, for the very first time, openly addressed as king by the other characters. Not captain— king. He is at the highest status, the closest thing a mortal man can be to a god in terms of power and respect, and he is being approached by a man who arrogantly thinks that he doesn’t have to apologize for hurting the family of someone with far more power than him. This is only further pushed by the fact that Odysseus rejects the notion of moving on in the same way that Poseidon did with him in ‘Get in the Water’.

I find it interesting that Scylla and Odysseus claim ‘we are the same, you and I’ (which does make sense thematically but shhh I have a point) when, really, it’s Poseidon and Odysseus who are one in the same and we see that progression very clearly in their first attempt at forgiveness, their second at moving on, and finally, the third with Eurymachus that mirrors the previous two.

It’s a very cool way to finalize the conversation between the concepts of open arms, just a man, and ruthlessness imo ✨

[destinygoldenstar]

Don’t pause your story to explain characters/character chemistry.

What I mean by this is putting your story to a halt to have a paragraph or two explaining who your characters are in sentences you use on character sheets.

Now I’m not saying don’t use exposition. It’s necessary after all.

But there is a way to get your audience to understand who your characters are without pausing the story progressing. You can tell your audience who they are without it feeling like you’re shoving the info in their face.

I’m going to show an example from one of my own works:

“Charlie Sue is the world of Fate’s well known Chosen One. Every week on Saturday Morning at the strike of twelve, it’s his job to go out on the town to hunt for crimes to fight and bring justice to. However, despite his fame status, he’s rather unenthusiastic of this action, and would much rather keep quiet and curl up in a book to read about the average life of the folk without destinies. But due to his status, he will still do the job and can’t say no.”

“Sherilyn Rosuto, his housemate, is quite the opposite. She loves these crime fighting outings. She’s an action seeking girl at her core, taking interest in the brawling going around town, sports or otherwise. She is loud, carefree, and impulsive in how she approaches things, so Charlie has to keep her in check.”

“Charlie and Sheri are childhood best friends. They care about each other very deeply and want each other to be at their best. Sheri is Charlie’s Number Two. Wherever he goes, she will always be thrilled to tag along. She keeps him motivated about the next outing, whether it be training, or her own enthusiasm. Despite destiny decreeing Sheri as merely a sidekick to Charlie, Charlie truly values her as a good friend he can’t do without.”

What’s WRONG with this?

Well, one, this is a character sheet from mine before I even wrote a draft.

These paragraphs are good at directly telling you who these two characters are and what their dynamic is.

BUT that’s all they do. They put the story in a screeching halt to give the audience this exposition. As a result, it’s telling you how you should feel about them, without actually giving you a reason to care about them or their chemistry.

You can get all this important information across through action and interaction.

Make some key lines implying who they are and what they’re thinking. Making it feel like they are who you want them to come across as.

In this case, two best friends who motivate each other.

So instead of using those paragraphs, I created a whole introductory scene of these two and their dynamic, setting up the action to progress the story.

What does this say about them? A LOT, ACTUALLY.

Everything in those paragraphs from earlier is established here, but it’s natural, and not pandering who they are. You SEE how good of friends they are and what their characterization is.

Now granted it’s not perfect, on a Google doc this scene is about 2 1/2 pages so it could be trimmed if you wanted it to be.

Charlie starts the scene lazily reading, establishing not only his interest in books, but what else he takes interest in on what he’s reading. It’s said what the title of the book is. So you get a picture on his interest in the mundane life outside of his current life.

Sherilyn is the one to bring up the time, AKA, what time it is they usually start their outing. And she spends this section trying to strike up a conversation with Charlie to get him to come along.

She also talks about a sports related event, showing she takes interest in that sort of thing. She is also a brawler of the two of them.

Sherilyn also smashes her mug to get his attention, showcasing her loose cannon personality. You can tell from that simple action that she’s not only the talkative loud type, but the impulsive type.

Charlie’s clumsiness is also shown here as he accidentally breaks a lamp throwing his book. (Lamps breaking is a running gag throughout this book btw)

Sheri also has ice powers. That’s shown as she uses it to take care of the lamp mess.

You also get a description of their sides of their room to get more sense of their personality. I personally love these sorts of setting descriptions, especially if they’re telling you something about their characters. Charlie has some more of those mundane books, again, bookworm into mundane stuff. There’s some trinkets on his nightstand, implying that Charlie likes collecting these mundane non-magical things. Sheri meanwhile is an artist, a spray painter to be exact, and she’s a bike rider and a boxer, those are the kind of things she does, and the sports she’s into.

Charlie also sarcastically cheers for the day at their dog, again showing he doesn’t actually like these outings.

Sheri then, playfully, gets them warmed up for this outing to motivate him. Which starts more of their banter and interactions to understand both their characters and how good of friends they are.

Charlie comments against not showing off his body, telling us he doesn’t like that kind of exposure.

Charlie mentions Sheri dreamed of getting muscle since her twelfth birthday. Indicating that these two have been friends for quite awhile. (They’re seventeen.)

Sheri also uses the dog to describe something world building wise. Weeklings. Which are implied in this scene to be monsters by Sheri’s playful description. Charlie also comments that Bridge (location) Dark Lords (character group) don’t usually carry the kind Sherilyn is describing. Telling us where they are on the worlds map and how low the threat level is where they’re at.

These two also have playful banter regarding weaponry, in a friendly way. Telling us Sheri doesn’t use weapons, and Charlie advices she try it, showing concern for her when he asks if her face counts as a shield.

Sheri gives some encouragement to Charlie. She understands him and that he doesn’t like these outings, indicating familiarity and that she’s known him for awhile. She cheers him up a bit by suggesting going to a movie afterwards. Not a bar brawl lol.

You also see how Charlie is the cautious one by speaking against taking a motorcycle to their outing. And Sheri is the athletic one and wants her friend in top shape.

SO MUCH INFORMATION AND SO MUCH CHARACTER, AND BARELY OF IT IS NARRATED DIRECTLY. YOU SEE IT NATURALLY.

This whole scene is meant to be a character establishing scene that helps you understand the main characters and to get the action of the story started. The crime fight outing they’re going to kickstarts the entire plot.

Show Don’t Tell. Move the story along.

If a scene isn’t progressing the story, it should be telling you something about characters and why the audience should care about them.

Your audience should be shown why they should care about your characters and their dynamics. By getting to know who they are and why they either care about each other or don’t.