#That Story Line Is A Mess

[mizuribbons]

this fucking extension is giving me too much power

[erinwantstowrite]

On the Jason as Uncle Ben variant—you’re response, you can’t do this to me! It’s making me more insane! After the Grey Ghost bit in LoF I thought of a crackpot theory of Uncle Ben being Bruce. And I was like no, Peter would recognize him(but the time is shifted and would he recognize that version?; probably, whatever). But his ages could line up(but what about the name change that’s inconsistent; handwave that). And your answer is throwing fuel on that fire I want to suppress

teehee :3 i might maybe have a plan and a reason for that... there are some variants that are not the *exact* same as the other. (Biggie and Benny, for example...) they don't look the exact same and they don't have the same stories, but fundamentally they are the same person. i played around with the multiverse. Even Peter looks different from a lot of Peter Parker variants. Sort of like how the three Peter Parkers in the one Holland movie are Peter, but all look different. I took some liberties to spice the story up (￣y▽,￣)╭

[bixels]

What did/do you like about Pharah?

Uh, gameplay-wise, I really love characters in shooters who rely on three-dimensional movement techs. Chaining together hover and jump to stay in the air for as long as possible and keep momentum is so satisfying, and picking enemies off from the sky made me feel like a bird of prey. I was a good Pharah main.

Story-wise, there unfortunately isn't much to canonically go off because Pharah is so underutilized and neglected. Her personality's pretty boilerplate "heroic hero" (she's literally inspired by Captain America).

But it's the crumbs/bits and pieces that I really latched onto. Pharah's a confirmed lesbian; her short story with Baptiste implies she harbors a crush on Mercy (fucking thank you.). She's biracial Egyptian/First Nations. She has major mommy issues, having grown up both admiring and resenting Ana. She's the bridge between Old Overwatch, inspired by the idealized heroes who surrounded her childhood, and New Overwatch. She's one of the only inter-generational characters in the cast; someone whose experiences span the gap, which is why I seriously believe Pharah would make a great main character.

There isn't much to go off of, though; she's a very uncomplicated character (she's a soldier for a private military corporation, lol.). But that just means she's a blank slate character, so I've seen fanfic writers run wild and create some really interesting takes on her. My favorite interpretation of her's a dense, herbo gym-bro type (a lot of her liens are about work outs, exercising, and playing sports) who's easily excitable under her seemingly self-serious, armored visage. We see how she tends to gloat and hype herself up when she's on a streak too, so Pharah definitely has a competitive and boastful side under her more professional and militant performance.

Now Mercy? Mercy is a real complex character.

[puddingcorals]

Rewatching Legend of Korra once more made me wish to see the equalist story continued

[kekithepancake25]

drew Starlo from memory >:3

[hood-ex]

I always have to prepare myself for scenes where Zac Efron cries because his eyes are incredibly expressive when he's crying, and it makes me cry. It happens in every movie he's in where he has an emotional scene. He does sad and destroyed so well 😭.

[welcometoteyvat]

tags: fluff(?); lyney x gender neutral reader; very vague spoilers for the motifs present in lyney’s story quest (no plot points spoiled)

there's a little bit of magic falling in love with lyney. every day he has a new trick to show you—a sprig of baby's breath miraculously tucked into your collar before you head out the door, an elegant watch magicked onto your wrist right before your disbelieving eyes. When you ask him what his secrets are, Lyney just laughs, like a bell in the light spring breeze, and kneels down to kiss your hand. "A magician has to keep some of his secrets, my love! After all, you already know a fair few of them." Oh, what a tease—just as silver tongued and charming as the first time you met. “Aw- please, Lyney, don’t you trust me with your truths?” You half smile and half pout, arranging your features into your best pleading expression, and you can see your great magician giving in. 

"Ah, alright," and he's tapping his chin in mock thought, eyes twinkling, "since you asked so nicely, I suppose I can show you a couple more tricks, as an apology for my insincerity." Lyney winks, his serious act dropping in a flash, and you laugh as he pulls you towards the plush velvet couch. After he’s sure you’re comfortable, Lyney grows serious again, and you know the real show has begun. He pulls chocolates out of prop cards, bouquets from his hat, and, at your request, promises to pluck the stars from the sky to decorate your dreams, as a reminder of his love. His breezy solemnity makes you laugh, but you wouldn’t doubt Lyney’s word. It’s so easy to love him, and almost as easy to believe his magician’s world of dazzling stunts and marvelous tricks. But underneath all his glamorous charm and beyond the brilliant light of his performances, the hand that holds yours is quite warm, quite solid, and quite real. So too is his quiet admiration when you talk excitedly about your passions, and his eagerness to learn about your world. When you're together, there are no facades obscuring his earnest fondness for you—it’s one of the few truths of Lyney’s life. He hasn’t yet told you many things, but you don’t seem to mind as much as he expected. Smart as you are, you’ve already guessed at some of his secrets, yet you still place in him all your faith, all of your affection. Someday, maybe he can also learn to give himself wholly—without reservation. After all, you are one of his unwavering truths, and him? He’s your fantastical, wondrous everyday magic.

[arabriddler]

( Set after they met at the first time at the back of the Batmobile while being taken to Arkham. )

part 1

Oswald knows Edward could break out of Arkham in a day if he wanted to. It would be easy for him, and his tooth-gap and dimpled smile would be front and center on The Gotham Gazette, but he’s still here, a week later, because Oswald made him. 

Oswald was… smart, resourceful. He can make people do whatever he wants. He’s smart like that, and what he needed to overtake Gotham was this smart guy whose intricate mind can shake the ground. Edward was smart, smart in the way that his brain overpowers him. It’s all over his place, he’s a mess, a tornado, and Oswald knows how to … control him, gather up all these pieces and guide them. No one understood how powerful a tool Edward Nygma is, except him.

It was easy to control Edward. First of all, the man had deep hunger for riddles, for mysteries. Oswald needed him drawn to him, make himself the mystery. Give him little pieces of information just to hook his thoughts. Like a fish, and it worked like a charm, Edward grew obsessed with him.

Then came, love. Oswald knows from his experience how powerful love is, and how weak it can make you. It’s a double edged sword he knew how to use. Edward wasn’t just obsessed with him, he was enamored. A love sick puppy right at his feet. Oswald fed that love, a little crease of the cheek, a lingering gaze, plenty of praise, and some strictness. Edward needed control, it’s another thing he hungered for, and Oswald gave him just that. Ordered him around subtly, praised him plenty. 

It was all perfect, all according to plan, but Edward didn’t fail to surprise him. they’d often stay up late talking and talking. Oswald never had such an intellectual conversation with anyone else, and he enjoyed it. Edward wasn’t bad company. The most surprising thing happened when Oswald offered … ‘physical’ services. He didn’t like them, never did, but he was familiar enough with the idea. It’s alright he’s black out during it and then forget all about it, wash his skin over and over. It was a tool, just like everything else. *

Except, Ed refused, firmly. Oswald understood that his looks aren’t… desirable, but he can be convincing. Yet, Ed was firm. 

“ This is going too fast. I need time.” **

Which…  Oswald didn’t mind that, it was a relief, and they settled to cuddle in bed, helping each other through nightmares and anxiety. 

(next part)

notes:

* -> he doesn’t realize it yet, but he’s asexual. He thought his… sex-repulsion due to it never being meaningful, never being true or born out of love. When he’s in an actual relationship he’d be able to think about that, realize that he still doesn’t like it. Whether it’s because he always associated it with survival or just simple repulsion, he doesn’t know, but doesn’t change the fact that he’s asexual. ** -> Ed is demisexual. He doesn’t feel comfortable performing sex unless he built a strong relationship first. His relationship with Oswald is still new, overwhelming and fresh. He’s got lots to build up.

[youmakethelight]

I've got my conspiracy theory hat on for the s11 finale time jump. And. I have a theory.

[omg-ame-chan]

i read mizu5.

[cienie-isengardu]

Khaos Reigns (2)

So far, my two biggest complaints about new Mortal Kombat storytelling is the lack of Tomas in Lin Kuei-focused  Khaos Reigns and lack of sensible logic behind characters’ choices. This is not really about how characters behave toward each other as this is rooted in the previous game, but how weak is the reasoning that pushes the story forward. Which sadly is how the whole attack on Kuai Liang’s wedding feels to me. We have Bi-Han’s lie 

Cyrax: I still cannot believe that Liu Kang capitulated to Outworld. That he agreed to break up our clan.

that has no backing up. A certain time has passed between MK1 and current story mode, right? So if Liu Kang capitulated to Outworld, then logically Outworld forces should showed up in Earthrealm or the Fire Lord would knock on their door to say sorry guys, no more Lin Kuei; something Lin Kuei would be first to know. Even more, since apparently Lin Kuei were asked to protect Earthrealm in dire need in the previous game, something they refused to do (as we were told by Tomas). Liu Kang capitulating to Outworld would be a political change hard to miss. So it is no wonder why Cyrax is not buying it, as this lie makes little sense.

(Personally I think it would be better if Lin Kuei were not “deceived” but simply wanted their independence and supported Bi-Han for this goal alone, while Sub-Zero letting his father die still works fine as the shocking revelation to cast a doubt in Cyrax’s mind.)

Then we have Sektor and Bi-Han acknowledging Cyrax suspecting their deception

but apparently this is not a concerning enough to, you know, not including her in the attack or not giving her the top-technologically advanced armor, if you can't be sure of her loyalty.

Bi-Han said they will be ready when Cyrax learns the truth but as the story goes, there are no backup plans for that scenario. Sub-Zero does not deny he lied or killed his father and I really wonder what he or Sektor expected to happen? Yeah, so much for being ready to deal with the problem they were aware of from the start.

Same with the stealth attack on the wedding. Lin Kuei warriors successfully got unnoticed inside Wu Shi place,

where the wedding was happening. And instead of some of those ninjas quietly opening one of the gates, Sektor was using her guns to destroy the main gate, losing the element of surprise.

A tactical surprise that she and Bi-Han wanted to use it to their advantage.

Not to mention Lin Kuei warriors had no problem with getting past the not-even-so-high walls so it is not like the main gate was so necessary for their army to get inside. Or if they have such great firepower, they should thrown some grenades over the walls or set bombs before frontal attacking. Just saying.

Okay, that could be just Lin Kuei arrogance or testing the armors in battle (something they could anytime anywhere), but one would think a clan that for ages was doing commando-like work for Liu Kang would get the stealth attack correctly. Especially since one of the first things Sektor told us on screen was that Lin Kuei were not trained for Tournaments but for war.

Cyrax is overall a fine character, but for me she lacks an edge the MK9’s male Cyrax had and thus feel, well, meek. The story shows her as a person with a strong moral sense, however Bi-Han literally said to her the mission is to attack Kuai Liang and his clan. Harumi chose to fight back so why is Cyrax so surprised that Lin Kuei warriors were ready to kill her? It’s not part of their missions, she said when attacking her own people to save Scorpion’s fiance/wife-to-be, but for me this shows how much Cyrax is just naive and detached from reality. The previous game showed us that Lin Kuei brothers are ruthless fighters (Bi-Han was ready to decapitate defeated Shang Tsung, Kuai Liang effectively killed his opponents with no hesitate), so Cyrax jumping to rescue a woman that killed her own comrades kinda made me wonder, why she is even that important to Sektor or Bi-Han to be involved with them so close? Like, there is little I can see that could interest Bi-Han or Sektor in her, as she is presented from the start as disrespectful toward her superior and mentor (Sektor) and way more idealistic than any of them is. Literally the first argument she has with Sektor and her criticism about ambush & sneak attack tactics feels a bit off, considering this is what Lin Kuei were doing even as the good guys, presumably for centuries and with full approval of Liu Kang (as was seen in previous game).

Sure, we could say Cyrax is new! She knows no better… but then storyline openly claims she and Kuai Liang knew each other before he left the clan and even were once friends, so it is not like Cyrax just joined the Lin Kuei. On one hand, I understand why NRS went with Cyrax’s personality in such a direction, on another, she feels so un-Lin Kuei, I have no idea why Sektor and Sub-Zero even bothered with her in the first place. Like... what was so special about Cyrax for the whole fuss about her from their perspective?

In all fairness, I’m also a bit confused how MK1 and Khaos Reigns follow the same storyline. In the previous game, Bi-Han was captured by Kuai Liang after the ill-fated mission and presumably imprisoned. Then somehow Lin Kuei was asked(?) to aid Liu Kang in the battle against the sorcerers

so how is that the news of Sub-Zero allying with Shang Tsung is still a secret to anyone  if Lin Kuei already made a decision to abbadon Earthrealm in need - story wise, after Bi-Han was defeated by Scorpion and captured? So I’m to believe Scorpion took compromised Sub-Zero to Lin Kuei headquarters like nothing happened, did not mention the whole allying with enemy, then left to honor tradition and dad and joined Liu Kang and some time later he is angry at Cyrax she believed in a not-well prepared lie? Is this me, or did NRS not connect all the dots together between the first game and the additional storyline and kinda every character took damage to intelligence so the story could go from point A to point B?

The relationship between certain characters is frustrating, I won’t lie about it. But I’m much more frustrated by how the logic and consequences of events feel either forced or make little sense. I do not except a brilliant, smart storytelling from a fighting game, but when characters that are supposed to be competent and/or trained for a specific job suddenly share one brain cell - and no one is using it at all - kills a great chunk of enthusiasm I had for Mortal Kombat.

I may not like my fav characters being robbed of their original complexity and yet still enjoying the fact they are part of the storyline. I do however take a great offense when story mode turns them into incompetent idiots just to push plot from point A to point B.

[sc0rpion-slut]

physically i am a 19 year old kid. emotionally, i am nick foster/close, aka nicky, aka saint nick. he is me and i am him. we are one in the same

[raystranslationsfestival]

People Who Understand Without Words.

Type: Skit. Character: Stahn (First Skit). Characters Featured: Stahn, Yuri, Repede.

Translation, recording, subbing by Shi. Proofread by Yewfelle.

[goldensunset]

i want to properly hit people with the keykid dalia lore but unfortunately i’m a perfectionist and i believe text should be accompanied with pictures in order to have a stronger impact which means i gotta draw which means it’ll never happen

[meimi-haneoka]

Every time I see the English translation of a certain Clear Card panel with Touyuki appearing on my TL I want to pull my hair because that line was mistranslated so, so badly and people are making speculations and going nuts about it in the tags and it's all based on something that doesn't exists because that's not what Touya says, not at all. Like, not even remotely. It's also so out of character for him to say something like that, I don't know how his fans don't realize something is off in that line.

One day I will compile those translation mistakes in one giant google sheet or something, I need to turn this into a mission because it's honestly so irritating to see how riddled with mistakes this localization is, sometimes to the point of messing with important parts of the plot. I don't see them releasing a decently translated edition in the near future, so it's all I can do to give back some respect to the story. Clamp are aware of the translation mistakes and how they change the perception of the story for the foreign readers, just as they are aware of the posts I've made about them over the years (they talked about this in a Space long time ago, and I still cherish that mention in my heart with pride). But there was basically nothing they could do at the time, if not suggesting the English readers to check the posts mentioning the translation differences. That's great and all, I'm glad I have their blessing but this is also not really how ideally one should read a story. My posts are long and filled with personal comments and maybe that would deter many people from checking out what a certain line actually says, so I need to find a quicker and easier way. Also, I started to do those only from chapter 40 onwards (and in the beginning I was way overzealous, I would need to revise) and this panel I'm mentioning above is part of the butchery they did in the first volumes, which weren't covered by my posts yet.

[beastsovrevelation]

The Lord of Flies is such a doll~ 👑🪰 Not that she won't kill you.

(I needed a reference picture of Beel with long hair. Should I try and colour her?..)