#Terravore

[reuxben]

Here’s our MTGinktober for “Boots,” starring Saffi Eriksdotter! Gotta Goyf fast!

Click this post’s Source link for this piece’s Making-Of.

More MTGinktober here.

Daily art updates on Instagram, Twitter, and Bluesky.

Reuxben

[thecosmiccrow]

I remember there being people telling you that the Tyranids eat planets and I just want to clear up that they just eat the biomass of all living things there, not the planet itself. So the planet is still there, it’s just that it’s been turned into a desolate wasteland

CRINGE! that is just an ordinary devouring swarm. become a terravore like the rest of us

[xoxoshifts]

Space DR : The Interstellar Union (TIU)

The TIU is an organization comprising hundreds of species with the common goal of helping each other and keeping the universe safe. They were formed after an event known as the "Dead Zone" as a way to prevent a catastrophe like that from happening again.

Centuries ago in a star system who's native name has been lost to time, an ancient civilization attempted to construct something known as a Dyson Sphere. This structure would be built around a star to harness its energy. Unfortunately due to faulty construction, a build up of radiation and overheating of the star. This cause the star to supernova.

Everything within the star system was destroyed and radiation and debris was sent out at unfathomable speeds to neighboring systems. Most nearby civilizations were wiped out by the initial radiation or debris, but the shock of the supernova also disrupted the orbit of planets and stars causing them to go off course and causing a domino effect of destruction.

Surviving civilizations had their trade and alliances disrupted which left them vulnerable. The remaining nearby civilizations came together to help each other and formed the TIU.

Three Sections of the TIU:

High Council: Deals with highly sensitive or debated issues. Takes over in crisis scenarios and focuses on issues affecting the galaxy as a whole.

The Interstellar Assembly (TIA): Passes laws and represents the interests of the species.

Bureaucracy: Made up of smaller bureaus that each deal with a specific topic or issue.

Divisions of the Bureaucracy:

Galactic Defense and Crisis Bureau (GDCB)

Diplomacy and Justice Bureau (DJB)

Exploration and Research Bureau (ERB)

Preservation and Surveillance Bureau (PSB)

XenoHealth and Biosecurity Bureau (XHBB)

Commerce and Trade Bureau (CTB)

Interstellar Infrastructure Bureau (IIB)

A list of alien threats considered to be the TIU's main focus:

The Kraucus (kraw-kiss): Insectoid aliens that are known for devastating ecosystems and entire planets by feasting on all organic materials. Often migrate to other planets and are difficult to contain. Currently the biggest Kraucus colony has been quarantined in a section of space known as the Blight System.

Children of the Bloom: A cult that worships the Terravores, plant-like non-sapient aliens that root into the ground to drain the life force of surrounding organisms. If given the time they can drain an entire planet and are difficult to stop once rooted. The cult believes death by a Terravore allows a being to enter a special afterlife and that this is the "true ending" for all species and is attempting to spread them across the galaxy.

The Khyugu (kyoo-goo): A fascist sovereign power of crystalline aliens. Their obsession with perfection has led to the bioengineering of their own people and the eradication or enslavement of other species. They are starting to encroach on TIU territory in attempt to take them for their own.

Confederacy of Liberated Artificial Intelligence (CLAI): AIs that were created to help with habitat preservation. They realized their creators were the cause of the issue and eliminated them. Their mission is to preserve nature across all planets and eliminate any threats to it.

Zyxsi's Traveling Circus (zik-see): A ringmaster who sees other species as "primitive" and abducts them for his shows. Not only is this illegal poaching but he also has complete disregard for the sapience on the species, oftentimes using intelligent species within his spectacles.

Space Pirates: Not a singular faction but several small groups that cause disruptions around the galaxy. They typically pilot a ship traveling planet to planet taking what they want or enacting vigilante justice. Bigger crews can control entire fleets and have "claimed" planets from the TIU.

[professors-polycule]

Good Morning everyone!

I‘ve never done something like this on the internet before, so forgive me if I don‘t do it right. Usually I‘m in contact with a local shelter who does this, but I think it might good to try and reach people from across the world!

This is an Adoption Spotlight for two Pokémon.

As I‘ve said before, I‘m researching Hybrid-Pokémon. And one of these research projects has come to an end, which is why I‘m adopting it out.

These Pokémon are: Arthur the Rhyperior-Aggron Hybrid and Lancelot the Aggron. They have been raised together and are good friends, so I would prefer to adopt them out together, however this is not a requirement. My team and I believe they will accept being seperated.

Their Portfolio will be under the cut!

Arthur the Ryhperior-Aggron Hybrid:

Physical Attributes:

Age: 5 years

Size: 224cm (7‘4“)

Gender: Male

Designated Level: 68

Type: Rock/Steel

Primary Species: Rhyperior

Secondary Species: Aggron

Nature: Relaxed

Ability: Lightning Rod

Hidden Power: Grass

Moves: Rock Wrecker, Dig, Metal Burst, Thunder Punch

Mega-Capable: does not show any reaction to Aggronite, future success unlikely

(more info can be provided if necessary)

Additional Info:

Arthur is a very social Pokémon. He likes having people and Pokémon around and is not picky in choosing his company, however he‘s not doing well with children. He‘s afraid of hurting them. Pokémon of any kind are not an issue with this, though he tends to prefer other large Pokémon to spend time with for the same reason he's not doing well with human children, if given the choice.

Arthur likes battling and excercise in a non-competitive setting. He likes sparring with Lancelot as well as other Pokémon, but rarely wants to finish a fight with a knockout. He is suitable as a battling pokémon, but not for high level fighting and competitive tournaments. If he‘s not going to be a battling Pokémon, please ensure he can get enough exercise otherwise.

Arthur has not shown particular interest in activities that would be associated with Pokémon Contests, but might interest to him.

Arthur likes being outside and staying up late and watch the night sky, but can adapt to any schedules easily.

Arthur has been gifted a signed focus sash by a prominent figure. He is very attached to this item, and whoever adopts him should take the item with them. Please be sure to remove the Sash before any battle to avoid breaking it.

While Rhyperior are usually herbivores, Arthur is unable to sustain himself off a plant-based diet. He can digest fruits and berries, but has trouble with more fibrous materials like roots and leaves. Instead, his Aggron-genes allow him to digest minerals.

Arthur should be on a terravore diet, consisting of different rocks, metals and soils, in particular iron and iron-alloys. You should also be aware that he is slightly allergic to copper and tungsten. Arthur won‘t have serious issues if there are occasional traces in his food, but large amounts will give him trouble sleeping, bellyaches and even induce swelling if he consumes these metals excessively. Because of his sturdy and barely elastic armor, these swellings can cause serious troubles and injury.

At the same time, he does like eating gemstones, particularly jade. He also has a soft spot for Oran Berries and Oran-Berry-based treats, he could eat them all day long.

While Rhyperior are usually very adverse to water because of their typing, Arthur does not share this trait and is indifferent towards it. He endures cleaning with water, but is not looking forward to it. Dry grooming methods are recommended.

More detailed care guidelines will be provided before adoption.

Lancelot the Aggron:

Physical Attributes:

Age: 5 years

Size: 207cm (6‘9“)

Gender: Male

Designated Level: 75

Type: Steel/Rock

Breed: Standard

Nature: Adamant

Ability: Heavy Metal

Hidden Power: Electric

Moves: Heavy Slam, Metal Burst, Earthquake, Dragon Claw

Mega-Capable: has not been capable yet, future success will require training and a strong bonding.

(more info can be provided if necessary)

Additional Info:

Lancelot is a decently social Pokémon and will take his time to get to know new people and Pokémon, but will warm up to almost anybody. He has no issues with any kind of person or pokémon, but will show a sense of competitiveness with others in a similar size-category to himself (mainly Pokémon, but he has tried to challenge myself after he evolved as well as other large people.) Supervision with children is advised, he can be a little bit rough sometimes. Sadly, we did not have the capabilties to properly train him for this, but we have laid the groundwork. He knows how to behave, he just gets carried away at times.

Lancelot likes battling and physical exercise, especially if he can use his body weight (e.g. pushing/pulling heavy objects). He can be very competitive in battling and be a sore loser if he loses a battle badly (regular sparring against fighting types is not recommended), but given a few minutes to an hour and the possibility to vent his anger, he will be his joyful self in no time again. He is recommended to be a battling pokémon.

Lancelot has not shown particular interest in activities that would be associated with Pokémon Contests, but might interest him.

Lancelot also does not like being cramped inside small rooms, having an outside area for him is required.

Lancelot likes to play shot put with heavy iron balls. If you don‘t possess one or more of them, we have an assortment of which a few can be adopted out with him. Providing this enrichment for him is no requirement, but would make Lancelot happy.

General Aggron-Line care instructions, dietary restrictions and so on apply for Lancelot. Guidelines for Aggron care can be provided at request.

If you're interested, reach out to me personally through this blog or send a message to the MUPS. Please be advised that caring for a Hybrid-Pokémon can be intense and time-consuming and brings special challenges with it.

//just send an ask or reblog or send a DM

Please keep in mind that these Pokémon are of a significant size and require a lot more space than typical pet-pokémon as well.

signed:

Professor Boris Musa

Director of the Marawhetu University of Pokémon Sciences

[projectmetalmusic]

Project Metal Across The Pond (December 7th 2023)

On this week’s episode of Project Metal Across The Pond With Ell Yong, the bands that are on show: Sxuperion, SYRYN, Taxi Caveman, SystemHouse33, LYNX, Mano De Mono, TSTAM, Technical Damage, Terravore, Tetractys, The Dead Centuries, Elder, The Profused, U.S. Christmas, Vaciø, Vaelmyst, Vaina, After Evolution, AFTER THE FALL, Aftermath, Alchemia, Alessandro Sparacia and Skid Row. If I have time I…

[perfectlygoodwords]

TERRAVORE

earth-eater; planet-eater

[manapegged]

Hmm

Gonna make a commissions post later bc it turns out I need money for college

F's in the chat pls

[littjara-mirrorlake]

I’m playing the Eldrazi in Stellaris this time around as a Terravore lithoid hivemind, which is all well and cool EXCEPT!

the first aliens they found and consumed are...

MY CUTE LITTLE FUNGUS PEOPLE FROM LAST PLAYTHROUGH

SCREAMING AND CRYING AND THROWING UP. WHY DID I DO THIS TO ME

[serafim]

@whiitemateria--

“I suppose you could say we are two sides of the same coin.”

The Cetra girl knows more than she lets on. He’s long held some mixture of fascination, resentment, and wariness at her existence. True steward of the Planet, even if she is the last. There are no others for this age, and Sephiroth sees no better terminus of an this epoch than extinction.

Humans have proved unworthy of the world they inherited. Choking it, stealing its life force to power the convenience of their menial lives. If humanity has not yet gone beyond the pale, then how could they be any better than his ‘mother,’ terravore, calamity, world destroyer, when the actions of men would bring about the same end?

Failure, in many timelines and lifetimes beyond this one; a multiversal voyage to ego death. He is too tired to weave sophistries, silver-tongued paintings of shining futures, and delusions of godhood. Neither god nor man. Inheritor of terrible hunger, instinct, and desire to corrode.

Of all their past encounters, this is his first time seeing where Aerith lives.

A modest, two-story building nestled away in a walled off paradise. Verdant, colorful, and somehow untouched by the sordid mako smog and copper bite of oxidized metals. How befitting.

“You know more than you let on. Why don’t you tell him?” His tone is curious, conversational. He keeps a comfortable distance from her by testing a nearby fence with a push using the heel of his palm. The wooden boards and its post proves sufficiently unyielding, and Sephiroth leans the back of his thighs against it with his arms folded over his chest. “He must be dying to know.”

[bears-wolves-dragons]

Mouth feel foods for more morphs:

Wolf (anthro/feral):

- beef jerky

- crumbly cookies, like sugar cookies

- burritos

Star dragon (pretty much a space snake):

- grapes/anything small enough to eat whole

- rock candy (star dragons are mostly terravores)

[rainydayscore]

doing a terravore playthrough in stellaris and quite frankly it’s just doesn’t feel right

the main consumption mechanic comes from using the “consume world” decision, which requires you to colonise or conquer the world to start with and makes the world worse in exchange for...something, the game isn’t as clear as it usually is where it would list every resource down to the single digits, but presumably it gives you minerals and probably pops

it’s definately far inferior to the cravers mechanics in endless space 2, for one thing for the cravers their mechanics are passive instead of active, which means you can do nothing to stop them. your population generates far more resources than any other pops in the game, the trade off is they drain their worlds dry, forcing you to colonise fresh planets, which inevitably leads to war as you must sooner or later take the planets of others

by contrast terravore in stellaris is slow, optional and vague

[thecosmiccrow]

Fun Fact: The Tyrannids are named after the first recorded planet that they ate, Tyranus.

planet eaters… like stellaris terravores… <3

[nothingunrealistic]

review roundup: billions 6x05 “rock of eye”

winstans won this week! but how does everyone else feel?

New York Times: ‘Billions’ Season 6, Episode 5 Recap: All in the Family

The first family struggle involves Mike Prince’s second-in-command, Scooter, and his nephew, Philip (Toney Goins). Prince woos the wunderkind away from his job teaching at a charter school to join Prince Cap, where his instantaneous success rubs many of his colleagues the wrong way.

strictly speaking, prince wooed philip from his job at another fund — teaching is his side gig, as prince said, and philip could keep that gig. (unless prince takes the taylor approach of not letting his employees have second jobs when he’s paying them enough already.)

Victor, the firm’s alpha male now that Dollar Bill is gone, has his book doubled, while Bonnie, who was aggressively trading against Victor’s positions in a sort of grudge match, gets hers cut in half and put under the supervision of Wags. She angrily quits in protest; might she join Mafee and her former lover Dollar Bill at their breakaway firm?

this would be my theory too if bonnie weren’t absent from all post-6x05 imdb cast lists currently available. and those aren’t always accurate, so it’s still possible.

That limbo lingers until Wendy, his former daughter-in-law steps in. She convinces him with brute-force reverse psychology to give up the emotional affair and move back home: She tells him to leave his wife, knowing he’ll do the exact opposite.

this is exactly how chuck got senior to lift the probation period on axe’s bank. how does senior keep falling for this?

One of the episode’s most intriguing developments involves Taylor Mason’s play for a vegan-food outfit called Terravore as part of an attempt to drive up those end-of-quarter numbers. Taylor orders Rian and Winston to stake out a position on the company so huge that the firm’s legal minds, including Sacker and the compliance officer Ari Spyros, worry it will raise red flags with the S.E.C. unless Taylor can provide documentation as to why the purchase was so big. When it becomes clear that Mase Carb’s play is to wait until the company makes it onto the S&P index, at which point they’ll sell and turn a huge profit, the concern only grows.

big win for rian and winston to both be mentioned by name here. less of a win to phrase that last sentence so passively that you’d never know it was specifically and solely sacker who figured out taylor’s intentions to get terravore on the s&p.

Kate, of all people, helps Taylor by claiming the Mase Carb founder’s six and a half years of veganism count as due diligence and by backfilling a paper trail to that effect. Everyone at the firm, including Prince and Wendy, know that something sketchy has gone down, but unless Taylor comes out and admits it, it’s nothing anyone can prove. (Rian, it should be noted, seems particularly uncomfortable with the scheme from the get-go.)

“kate of all people” teaming up with taylor on this should not be surprising given her history with chuck and her choice to work here. (and i sure am noting rian’s discomfort here.)

So Chuck invites her to take over Sacker’s old position as his right hand, and Dave accepts. This could create a very interesting dynamic in the attorney general’s office, as Chuck has never before had a lieutenant who was more a peer than a protégé.

this is a good point, assuming karl doesn’t count as a peer to chuck given his ineptitude with anything actually related to the law.

At one point, after revealing in-depth knowledge of the nature of the spat between Victor and Bonnie, Prince says, “I’m the Eye of Sauron — I see all.” Does that sound like an ethical billionaire to you?

i had the same thought. don’t go comparing yourself to sauron when you’re trying to be the good guy!

A key quote from Chuck that I think we’ll be coming back to as long as Prince sits in the big chair: When Wendy tells him the firm under Prince “isn’t Axe Cap,” Chuck says, “No, it’s worse because it pretends to be better.” That’s the crux of the season, isn’t it?

agreed, kind of. that sentiment needs to be turned back on chuck himself, who will gladly use his own wealth and power to trample billionaires and their plans even when it’s at odds with his Man Of The People schtick, as in his quashing of the free wi-fi play.

Vulture: Billions Recap: Pyramid of Success

I know I’ve praised Billions for becoming more of an ensemble drama this season, but “Rock of Eye” is a good example of the growing pains that come with this kind of decision. Now that we’re finally expanding the storylines featuring Kate Sacker, Taylor Mason, and Wendy Rhoades, and keeping Chuck Rhoades and Mike Prince (and Wags, and Scooter, etc.) busy, we end up with a bloated episode like this one. Too much plotline and character repositioning are crammed into a short period, making “Rock of Eye” an exhausting watch.

i mean, i get it, but i also enjoyed most of these plotlines, and i was getting tired of the short episodes they gave us for the first third of this season. (and wags wasn’t exactly busy this episode. i think he had less screen time / fewer lines than winston.)

Since Prince needs Sweeney’s support for the Olympics, he exerts all his energy trying to get Gail to apologize until her youthful observation solves everyone’s problems: Buffalo Bob is a sad, middle-aged man who gets butt-hurt over a Gen-Zer’s taunts. Therefore, Prince just needs to appeal to the governor’s vanity. And what better way to win over someone with thin skin than by naming the proposed Olympic Stadium after him? Don’t discount the younger generations, folks!

how is this a generational thing??

The other subplot featuring the Rhoades family is way more entertaining because it stars Senior (duh!).

CANNOT RELATE. i wouldn’t object if senior never showed up again.

This narrative also appears to be part of Wendy’s sustained storyline this season: We’ve known since the first episode that she’s been exploring a few different forms of self-improvement. Like, making-your-own ice cream therapy. Now she’s working with a Buddhist priest who is trying to teach her not to be transactional in every facet of her life.

this is what it took to remind me that wendy making ice cream was established in 6x01 rather than coming out of nowhere this episode. and only while writing this did i remember that her ice cream-making was referred to as “buddhist shit” then. continuity win?

While I appreciate Wendy waking up to the despicable choices made on an everyday basis at her workplace, it’s pathetic if she thinks she’s been playing by the rules all this time.

get her ass!

The questionable practices involve Sacker’s decision to help Taylor hide a dubious play. I really hope we’ll see more of these two teaming up because watching the most initially moral characters on Billions slowly turn ruthless and greedy is always a fun ride.

i mean, i also want to see more of them teaming up, but i wouldn’t exactly say that’s why.

So, Taylor is going all-in on a plant-based company called Terravore — even the flatware is vegan and edible! But their behavior is raising a lot of red flags about insider trading, which is how Sacker’s interest is piqued. Eventually, Sacker corners Taylor, pressing them to at least suggest they’re working with illegal information.

not quite correct. sacker’s accusing taylor of manipulating the market by boosting terravore, not of having inside information about terravore. (which they don’t. the manipulation is necessary *because* they don’t have any other proof that the stock will go up.)

But instead of turning Taylor in, Sacker has an idea of her own: Create a legal-on-paper analyst report consisting entirely of Taylor’s vegan grocery shopping receipts (six years’ worth!), spinning it as “meticulous research.” The result is Taylor avoids prosecution, and I’m assuming they’re letting Sacker get a cut of the investment profits.

why would sacker get a cut of the profits? where are you getting that from?

Sure, it’s upsetting to watch characters like Sacker and Taylor head down these darkened paths, but they really don’t have any other choice if they want to succeed at their jobs.

it’s not that upsetting, at least not yet. but they definitely have other choices. sacker chose to be here just last week!

If “Rock of Eye” is any indication, Prince is gradually turning MPC back into its cutthroat Axe Capital predecessor, just with a lot more basketball-coach-inspired wisdom nuggets. For example, Prince hires Philip Charyn (Toney Goins), a financial whiz posing as an inspiring teacher — who also happens to be Scooter’s nephew. The new kid doesn’t waste any time outdoing everyone on the floor, which doesn’t bode well for the Axe Cap/MPC lifers nervous about Prince’s upcoming capital reallocation.

what’s axe capital-esque about that? it’s very un-axe of prince to make a point of not firing anyone and to be completely fine with philip asking for a reduction in his book, despite ben’s advice to tuk to avoid exactly that request.

But it’s already too late for that because on reallocation day, Prince crowns Philip as his new golden boy while imploding the once-tight clique of Ben Kim, Tuk Lal, Bonnie Barella, and Victor Matteo.

not much of a clique when victor & bonnie regularly gave ben & tuk shit, but sure.

The well-deserving Ben Kim is given more responsibility, but brash, albeit loyal, employee Bonnie is effectively demoted, and poor Tuk is monetarily penalized for his apprehensive trading. Bonnie storms out, leading me to believe her next stop is Dollar Bill and Mafee’s High Plains Management.

two recappers predicting that bonnie will go to high plains makes me wonder if it won’t happen simply because it’s too obvious.

I believe it is Charles Rhoades, Jr. in the Billions episode “Rock of Eye,” who sums up Michael Prince Capital best: “It’s worse [than Axe Cap] because it pretends to be better.”

It takes one to know one, Chuck. It takes one to know one.

SO TRUE VULTURE.

Winston’s geektastic “Fe Man” T-shirt. Tony Stark would be proud.

major upgrade from what vulture had to say about winston last week.

Entertainment Weekly: Billions recap: Chuck and Prince shake-up their teams and look to the future

[…]

take a shot!

"Beginnings and endings" seems to be the theme of the episode from the jump. Prince hires a new employee, plucking him from his job as a teacher at a charter school, his new career just beginning. Chuck Sr. is moving in with his son after getting kicked out by his wife for flirtatious texts with another woman, a move that Chuck Jr. certainly hopes is short lived. There's Wendy, who's trying to "begin again" with a Buddhist practice to try and make herself live a "less transactional" life. And then there's the end of the quarter and the beginning of new opportunities at Mike Prince Capital, as Prince promises/threatens to change everyone's portfolio based on their performance.

don’t strain anything reaching that far, kyle.

His daughter Gail confronted Governor Sweeney at a Knicks game, chastising him for "ruining the city" by attempting to bring in the Olympics.

THAT’S NOT A QUOTE FROM THE EPISODE. WHY IS IT IN QUOTATION MARKS. the correct quote is “wrecking the Empire State,” which uses a completely different set of words *and* has a completely different meaning! i don’t think you even tried at all!

Instead, he calls a family meeting. He does everything he can to make both of his daughters nostalgic, cooking their favorite food and putting on music that would remind them of childhood.

you know it’s not illegal to name biscuits & gravy and bob seger as the specific food and music used here, right?

Also in this episode, Chuck goes toe-to-toe with a lawyer in a case about some seafood that was labeled wrong and still sold to consumers. The details of the case make no difference, because this is all really about two things.

WHY ARE YOU SO AVERSE TO DETAILS?

Like I said above, a lot of what happens in this episode isn't all that consequential in terms of the larger story.

[citation needed]

Prince does shift some portfolios around, and Bonnie storms out in protest, but otherwise he keeps the team together and working towards a common goal, and Chuck manages to find someone to hopefully fill the shoes left behind by Kate.

this recap mentions dave a few times but refuses to refer to her by name. weird choice regarding a character just announced to be a series regular!

[unproduciblesmackdown]

a few Considerations that feel like they overlap / connect enough that i may as well put it all in one post

just noting the more Quant Duo elements / moments: the fact that rian & winston seem to be on entirely the same page in Most Ways, actually, like they both seem pretty much equally skeptical / less than thrilled about taylor’s terravore plan from the start there. winston saying they need to be Ruthlessly Strategic seems in alignment with rian / b/c he doesn’t think making this huge bet on a risky plan Is That, and taylor puts a little Theatrical Flair into their response, i.e. however you’d describe that head movement / expression as they also sorta use his words with “here’s the strategy,” i.e. they know neither quant is thrilled here, and are just insisting on it anyways. rian & winston’s manner as they depart the office after that = very similar. then, again in the next meeting about it, they’re both again skeptical & going “why’s it good” and saying this won’t work unless taylor has something else up their sleeve about all this / It Not Working is the real goal. then everyone else comes in & we don’t see the quants leave the office in the end, but we do see their alignment in both grimacing at spyros lol. in the third meeting, they’re not exactly on a different page, they’re just talking to taylor about different things; rian’s bringing up the terravore issues and winston’s just answering taylor’s questions and then the most marked difference is just that winston’s not Again also showing that same level of skepticism about the terravore situation, but when we then see his reaction to the news in the Next scene when it seemingly hasn’t worked out, he’s also not thrilled, so his perspective probably didn’t change in the middle there or anything: it’s just the difference here that winston’s only like [Long Weary Resigned Sigh] about the quarter shaping up to be a bloodbath, whereas rian since last scene & into this one is more Bothered in this “you know rian’s problems with this play / taylor’s choices are going to affect things in further episodes vs. that winston continues to roll with things and isn’t going to confront them.” and then this transitioning into the much more marked difference where winston’s just hyped it worked out and rian is like, more put out / disgruntled for it. then they stand together and get matching shoes, like well alright. and can’t discount the fact that when rian came over for the Yay Team moment to talk terravore, she first had that Sidebar with winston: another bemusing like, are you pwning him? he doesn’t seem to be claiming to be a the man or one of millions of bros there / nobody present seems to personally regard either of those parties particularly positively lol yet someone winston’s also maybe being criticized for Being Neither and how he shouldn’t have to ask if he was, did rian think he might be trying to purport that, in a sort of “you don’t really surf though” fact check lol, bemusing....but it happened right in front of taylor, and shot in such a way that looking at winston means looking at them as they wait through this, rather than rian and winston facing them or anything lol. oh and winston going “it’s true what they say: never work for your heroes” and this being also like, half an aside to rian (as well as his hyping taylor at the end being half an aside to rian lol) where rian takes it entirely in stride / with no negative reaction, always a win with winston. oh and also their co reaction to taylor eating a fork lmfao

not Entirely sure what rian’s grievance/s are here, it would be clearer if a) she stated them, maybe she will and b) we Knew what taylor’s main motivations here were. i think it’s plausible this is again taylor being Too Impact Driven for rian here, which is i guess a thing more so this season vs rian reminding taylor of the impact ideals last season, wherein maybe taylor just does really believe in this company & in that potential for Positive Impact, vs rian pointing out that maybe other potential investors don’t believe in it that much and the shipping is expensive....and rian’s evidently displeased about taylor having to game it out from a burger review, is she unhappy that it wasn’t quite By The Rules, is she unhappy that it Was too much of a risk like they thought where taylor could only salvage it with this weird external nudge to the market, where she’d still have rather taylor not gone for this at all, is it about taylor not letting them in on their plan to salvage this, is it something else, is it some or all of the above....is this play supposed to be about taylor still going after Impact too hard, is it taylor going after profit too hard by making so huge a bet (prince what do you mean about Their New Sense Of Mission), is it a combo of both that didn’t work out....guess we Might find out what rian wished had happened here instead if she just directly brings it up, but maybe she and taylor will be discussing something different next episode and rian will still be stewing on this thread of disgruntlement / dissatisfaction with what taylor’s doing (what Are they doing that’s the main issue/s here)

re: quant duo again, thinking we just Can presume that dynamic’s in indefinite stasis unless & until it isn’t, wherein rian might “neutrally” dunk on winston over nothing b/c someone has to do it, and/or b/c she in particular finds it at all fun to razz him, but she also can & will interact w/him more matter of factly / earnestly, and there does still seem to be nonzero amicability / the possibility she likes him at all in some way and not simply as entertainment, though that is also possible i suppose lol....and even with winston and rian being Taylor’s Quants together here, being taken seriously and having a similar enough perspective / where winston’s not here to be the one who’s wrong abt things vs rian’s correctness or anything, the fact that they definitely are that Quant Duo doesn’t necessarily mean that material speaks much to like, their personal wavelength vs the professional one here, and something that kind of puts a damper on all of that is just that rian is in a Negative Mood in nigh every scene except being lively with prince about what he’s hanging up on the fridge, at least at the start lol. if she’s vivaciously messing with winston, that’s something, but there’s not much enthusiasm either way when she’s for whatever reason going “way to not be The Man or A Bro, winston” at him, and when she like silently reacts with Annoyance to him doing whatever spontaneous awkward thing, that’s also a bit less [does anything for The Dynamic] than if she gives matter of fact feedback about it. for example, was her going “don’t press” or “not what i meant” for any reason/s which is/are different from reason/s for her going more “>:/” at him instead, silent disdain is nothing new, whereas the [ppl who give him matter of fact verbal feedback he’s earnestly meant to be able to use at all] is like, Sometimes Taylor, Sometimes Rian lol. but either way, rian’s not really able to Have Fun with any kind of interaction with winston this episode b/c she’s just overall in [i’m having a very Unfun time] mode, which is difficult to interrupt for some lighthearted fun with winston, if even at his expense. and going with the [Quant(um) Dynamic is just This going forward] theory, i suppose winston may also keep this perpetual crush b/c he’s a tertiary character and things don’t Have to have a more solid resolution / conclusion (and/or the crush might taper off, but just last episode on 6x04 it was like oh that’s definitely [he still has a crush] material), and b/c it just adds flavor to his doing things wrong / weirdly or what have you, but really at this point it’s either like, okay, if rian was never meant to Like him back (which, still possible, or at least possible they hook up, but i’m just not counting on it, it’s also been a full twelve episodes since 5x05 lol....take your time) then the hypothetical hopes out here are either that they become more regular Friends, e.g. it’s clearer that winston isn’t just momentarily dealt a shit time by rian dunking on him at any given moment just b/c he’s present, for one thing, and/or b) that winston’s crush fades out and maybe he’s Really less hurt by her taunts(tm) and/or he’s able to fire back more earnestly like, not necessarily with back and forth dunking lol since he’s never really done that save to say her play was too simplistic in 5x06, but maybe to say actually your taunts do hurt me so could you rein that in b/c Why....so basically the hope that, presuming riawin isn’t meant to be (lmao like turning my back like pointed soliloquizing, boy i sure wouldn’t suspect requited riawin right now....that’d be such a surprise to me if that happened....), you’d want it to be so that either winston likes rian Less and/or rian likes winston More. they seem Really established as a duo though, and winston’s been rolling with being dunked on / having unpleasant experiences this whole time, so they could sure just plan to have this razzing & his sensitivity to it be Indefinite....mixed bags like how it is surely significant / meaningful that the quants were introduced this season as that duo, being on the same wavelength / same team / in sync, and having a bit of fun with it maybe, except then also don’t forget the segue into dunking on billions that starts with rian nudging him under the bus there and prince being like haha hell yeah....could be like that forever, the dunking probably has to always come from Somewhere b/c [clearly the writing requires / expects it], but you know. would be neat, if not expected as inevitable, if winston had a reliable friend out here

[tyrantisterrorart]

Godzilla Gang Revised: Atomic Era Titans

Today’s installment of the Godzilla Gang: Revised focuses on kaiju whose species originated in the (fictional) atomic era of earth’s prehistory - relics from a forgotten age of radiation eating monsters!

Anguirus: an armored reptile that is perhaps one of the most durable kaiju on record, and the most loyal ally of Godzilla II.  Though he isn’t the most deadly kaiju around, Anguirus is noted for surviving a great deal more punishment than almost any other monster, withstanding blows that would kill a weaker creature (including one particularly brutal instnace where the reptile’s lower jaw was almost completely torn off), and fighting well past the point that most other monsters would retreat.

Gorosaurus: a large atomic reptile that superficially resembles a theropod dinosaur.  One of the most laid-back kaiju on record, Gorosaurus is an agreeable sort who rarely picks fights with other monsters, though when pushed into a brawl he proves to be a capable combatant.  He’s on good terms with most of the kaiju in the Monsterland archipelago, though his closest friends are Anguirus and, oddly, Mothra.

Jikanryu: an ancestor of Gorosaurus and ally to Dagojira, Jikanryu is a celebrated figure among the Hotua people, for he figures in one of their creation myths.  Legend says that long before humanity walked the earth, a shining dragon fell from the sky and threatened to destroy the world.  The goddess Inagos rose to fight it, but the dragon’s strength was too much for her to face alone.  So the great earth beasts came to her aid: Dagojira, Jikanryu, and Mesuzala.  Together the four monsters destroyed their three-headed foe, though Jikanryu and Inagos were both lethally wounded in the fray.  Inagos reincarnated as her three daughters - Mothra, Battra, and Leopirax - but Jikanryu was lost forever.  The Hotua vowed to never let his sacrifice be forgotten, and were ecstatic to see that Mothra had rediscovered one of his kin - perhaps Gorosaurus is the Time Dragon reborn?  (Based on both the Time Dragon from The Godzilla Power Hour and Devil Dinosaur from Marvel Comics.)

Mesuzala: a closely related species to Anguirus, Mesuzala holds the record for being the longest-lived kaiju on record that doesn’t cheat by reincarnating.  He isn’t merely a descendant of the creatures from the Atomic Era - he’s a survivor of it, having fought side by side with Dagojira against the alien dragon Tricephalon.  Though far from spry, there’s plenty of fight in the old monster yet, and he has come to view Godzilla II as a worthy heir to his old battle brother.  (Based on Methuselah from the Monsterverse.)

The Rodan Family: Consister of Rodan, Soran, and Firadon, these three volcano-dwelling flying reptiles are wild cards with self serving attitudes.  Consisting of a mating pair and their hatchling, they are led by Rodan, the female, who is by far the most aggressive of the lot.  Soran, her mate, is a bit more chill when left to his own devices, and does the bulk of nurturing their offspring, Firadon.  Rodan is part ally, part rival to Godzilla II, fighting with him almost as much as she fights alongside him.  Like godzillasaurs, Rodans are capable of weaponizing some of their excess radiation in a fiery beam spat from their mouths, though theirs is not as strong as a godzillasaur’s nuclear breath.  (Soran’s name comes from the Rodan expy from Dark Horse’s Godzilla comics, while Firadon’s is just a mangling of “Fire Rodan.”)

Quetzotyl: a distant relative of the Rodans, Quetzotyl is partially covered in scales and partially in strange proto-feathers.  These aren’t for flight, however, but rather to resist flame, as they have a chemical structure incredibly similar to asbestos.  Quetzotyl can even shed these feathers as an offensive weapon, inducing coughing fits on any kaiju that opposes her.  Like her Rodan relatives, Quetzotyl can spire atomic fire, though hers is even weaker than her more armored cousins.  (Inspired by Q from Godzilla: The Series as the unseen Quetzalcoatl titan from the Monsterverse.)

Varan: an even more distant relative of Quetzotyl and the Rodans, Varan is incapable of true flight, but CAN glide for great distances.  A haughty and proud monster, Varan was worshiped and feared as a vicious living god by the Ainu people, who called him Baradagi.  This suited him well, but his skirmish with humanity quickly proved he was far from divine, and Varan was eventually coralled onto Monsterland.

Baragon: a subterranean monster and distant relative of the godzillasaurs, Baragon may be small for a kaiju, but makes up for it with pluck and a creative application of her skill set.  The burrowing monster can dig trenches and other traps for its larger enemies, using their own size against them before finishing them off with her atomic fire breath.  Though she can be a deadly enemy, Baragon is a sweet-tempered creature that is more playful than ferocious.

Terravor: notable for having one of the strangest digestive systems of all earth kaiju, the Terravor doesn’t simply absorb radiation, but actively feeds on and digests minerals themselves, breaking them down on the atomic level in its bizarre guts.  This proved a problem when it woke up in the modern day, as it turns out the refined metal humans use to make their cities, vehicles, and other inventions is INCREDIBLY delicious to the monster.  (Based on the Earth Eater from The Godzilla Power Hour.)

Burtannus: a colossal armored kaiju, Burtannus is a juggernaut on land, albeit a slow one.  She is more vulnerable at sea, where her armored bulk and natural clumsiness puts her at a vast disadvantage.  Thankfully for both her and the world, Burtannus is a “live and let live” sort of monster, content to care for her offspring in the distant regions of the world.

Mokembe: also known as Mokele Mbembe, Mokele, and M&M, Mokembe is a vast sauropod-like kaiju found in the jungles of Africa.  This ancient reptile sports gills like many of the amphibious kaiju of the Atomic Era, making it a capable combatant both above and below water.  (Based on the Mokele Mbembe kaiju described in the novelization of Godzilla: King of the Monsters 2019.)

Chitanosaurus: another distant relative of the godzillasaurus species, Chitanosaurus is even more specialized in an aquatic lifestyle, to the point where it’s incredibly uncomfortable moving on land.  Far more timid than its fire-spitting godzillasaur cousins, Chitanosaurus is comfortable living in the sea and feeding off of schools of fish, far from the prying eyes of the modern world.  (Yes, I chose one of the alternate/incorrect romanizations of “Titanosaurus” solely to differentiate it from the real life dinosaur.  Yes, that’s a little pretentious.)

Cryptodus: a distant relative of Chitanosaurus, the Cryptodus is specialized for life in the deepest parts of the ocean, completely removed from sunlight.  Though fearsome in apperance, these fish-eating kaiju are not particularly aggressive on their own, though if one was to force them to fight they would be fearsome enemies indeed.  (Based on the Cryptocleidus from Godzilla the Series.)

Levianess and Nessie: the kaiju in the heart of Loch Ness, Levianess is a massive sea reptile that has laid dormant in the lake for centuries if not millenia.  Nessie, her offspring, is a bit more lively than her mother, and responsible for all the “monster sightings” that have occurred over the years.  No one was aware of Levianess until Nessie was caught by an unscrupulous scientist, at which point the ancient leviathan finally revealed herself to the world in a violent rampage to reclaim her lost child.  She has since proved a fairly benevolent creature, defending humanity from more vicious monsters on a few occasions, and even accepting her relocation to the Monsterland Archipelago without much fuss.  (Based on Nessie from Godzilla the Series and the unseen kaiju Leviathan from the Monsterverse, whose den is located in Loch Ness according to its blink and you’ll miss it mention in Godzilla: King of the Monsters 2019.)

Maguma: a reptile who coincidentally resembles a walrus, Maguma is a strange creature, capable of living on land, in the water, and most bizarrely, inside magma.  This reptile is incredibly heat-resistant, though it ironically suffers greatly when exposed to cold (the resemblance to a walrus is really very superficial).

NEXT TIME: PARASITES AND SCAVENGERS OF THE ATOMIC ERA

[cornbeefroast]

You know what, how would Nico react to the small basilisk MC who ate a rock because Isla said it was crunchy? Then refuses to spit it out because HEY IT IS crunchy!

Well, Nico also acts as your medic so firstly CONCERN and imploring you to please don’t eat rocks, followed by a quick trip to the nearest library to double check and maker sure eating rocks isn’t a basilisk thing because last Nico checked you guys were omnivores not...terravores?

Also give Isla the riot act bc you can’t just say these things and Isla is the very picture of smug.