#WHY ARE ALL OF MY FAVORITES CHARACTERS DEAD GONE OR JUST HAVE DISAPPEARED?????

[nervocat]

I'm so tempted to change my theme to Blade.. I'm starting to like him more again lol

[allthingswhumpyandangsty]

Hi, big fan of your work in the whump community :3

Do you have any prompts/thoughts for one of my favorite phrases: "I thought you were dead" ?

thank you so much!!

dialogue prompts in responses to ❝I thought you were dead.❞

❝I’m not dead, babe. I just ghosted you.❞

❝cheating death is what I do for a living.❞

❝that was weeks ago/months ago. people change.❞

❝not dead. I am Death.❞

❝and it sucked. being on the verge of death. would not recommend.❞

❝that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. I literally cannot die.❞

❝no, but you will be if you don’t start running.❞

❝a bullet to the heart can’t kill me. you, out of all people, should have known my heart has already been blackened and dried up a very long time ago.❞

❝surprise, bitch. I bet you thought you’d seen the last of me.❞ (the classic one, I couldn’t not add this.)

❝of course, you did. after all, it was you who tried to kill me.❞

❝darling, you’re going to have to try harder than that.❞

❝this is gonna sound crazy, but I am dead, and apparently I’m assigned to be your guardian angel now.❞

❝you know I’m not actually real, right?❞

❝no, you left me to die. I was just a survivor.❞

❝yeah, yeah, I heard that before.❞

❝I am.❞

❝did you really have so little faith in me?❞

❝me too! another thing we have in common.❞

❝I did, but it turned out death didn’t want me.❞

❝who’s going to look after you if I’m dead?❞

❝I’ll always come back to you.❞

❝dead? it was just a cut on a finger. stop being so dramatic.❞

❝sorry to disappoint.❞

❝boo.❞

❝you’ve made sure of that, haven’t you?❞

❝I’m stubborn just like that.❞

❝is it because I disappeared from your life for 20 years?❞

❝why? what happened? why would you think that?❞

❝oh, I am. and so are you. welcome to the land of the dead.❞

❝I’m a ghost, and I need your help.❞

❝I don’t have much time. you have to find my murderer.❞

❝I am. you’re just hallucinating.❞

❝if I am dead and you’re talking to me, doesn’t it mean you’re dead, too?❞

❝I’m not Dead. I’m (insert character’s name).❞

❝I did. I just crawled out of hell.❞

❝hell was boring anyway. so here I am.❞

❝you can’t get rid of me that easily.❞

❝nothing could kill me. not even death.❞

❝you know I’d never leave you.❞

❝God says it’s not my time.❞

❝well, this is awkward.❞

❝oh, I am. I’m here to take you with me.❞

❝did you cry?❞

❝did you mourn?❞

❝oh please, I was gone for less than an hour.❞

❝there’s been a misunderstanding. It wasn’t me who died.❞

❝I understand why you’d think that.❞

❝I can explain.❞

❝I am, and you will be just as dead as I am if you don’t turn around right now.❞

❝you’re not gonna believe what I saw on the other side.❞

❝why? you already replaced me?❞

❝I was hoping so too.❞

❝I really need to stop dying. let me tell you that shit is not fun.❞

❝I’m sorry if my survival is so inconvenient for you.❞

❝I have always been dead.❞

❝I died a long time ago, actually.❞

❝what are you going to do about that? try and kill me again? because it certainly didn’t work the first 6 times. but hey! maybe seventh time’s a charm!❞

❝I fooled you, didn’t I?❞

❝I’m not going anywhere.❞

❝I’m sorry. do I know you?❞

❝it’s a long story.❞

[trippingontheescalator]

Curious about the direction the HP fandom has gone

Okay, so as an old HP fan from way back when the books were first coming out, and then getting hit with the nostalgia and decided to return after years and years of not interacting with the fandom at all, the changes are truly mindboggling and I'd love to get to the bottom of some things.

Like, the disappearance of Blaise Zabini. Blaise was a fan favorite way back when we only knew his name but now I barely hear a whisper of his name. Now, the obvious answer is racism, which I think is the #1 reason why Blaise-pairings have dropped of significantly. Back then we all thought Blaise was a hot Italian girl, and then we found out he's a black man and suddenly people stop writing about him? Hm, yeah, seems the obvious answer (especially considering the popularity of other characters who are just a name on a page *cough*regulusblack*cough*).

Or the rise in Snape-hate. Like, Snape used to be the fan favorite. Everyone loved Snape. The meaner he was, the more we liked him. Being mean to children was a plus, not a negative lol. And this was back when we all thought he was a pureblood who came from a wealthy family like the Malfoys. Now by the time the 7th book came out I had pretty much moved on and so I didn't really see the fallout of readers discovering his actual background, so I don't know if his drop in popularity is classism and learning that he isn't a palette-swapped Lucius Malfoy or not, but honestly I would figure his impoverished background would be a plus in these times. Like Snape is obviously one of JKR's least favorite characters, and considering how she-who-must-not-be-named has destroyed her reputation with her increasing radicalization you'd figure the poor, abused, author-hating character would become more beloved instead of the rich, white, heteronormative bullies who barely even show up in the books. Like with our increasing knowledge of social injustice, I just don't understand why the fandom would want to latch onto the Marauders? And I just can't believe Snape's handful of snippets with Lily is the cause of his downfall (like what's there is barely enough to fill up a few pages, and there are certainly more toxic relationships in the series that are still beloved), or the fact that he was a Death Eater or that he inadvertently caused the deaths of the Potters (we already knew that in GoF and HPB respectively and he was still beloved, and this was when we assumed he didn't give a shit about the Potters or if they died when he went snitching). Draco is still popular. DRACO who doesn't give two shits about slinging around the word "mudblood," as opposed to Snape who actually changed for the better.

Am I just too old to understand? Is this like 90s fashion coming back in style (no, I won't do it again, I don't care if it's cringy I'm sticking with my millennial styles, I did the platforms and the slip dresses and the cargo pants in high school and I'm not putting myself through that again lol you gen z's can pry my comfortable mom jeans from my cold, dead fingers, I don't care if it makes me look old, that's the point, I AM old). Like, in addition to 90s fashion, has the 90s obsession with luxury athletic fashion like Lacoste come back in style? All those fashion ads of rich white people on yachts with popped collar polos? Are people starting to obsess over the Marauders because nouveau riche conspicuous consumption is coming back in style? It can't all just be young kids who have only read AtYD and have never actually opened one of the books, can it?

There also seems to be a trend of treating characters as if they're real people. I mean, we've always done it (Snape Wives, I'm looking at you), but now it almost feels as if the crimes characters commit are treated as if they're real crimes and that liking them is somehow a moral failing on the reader's fault. If you were to say "I don't like Snape, his douchy actions anger me, I'd rather skip all the parts he shows up in" I'd say, cool, I get that. That's normal. But "Snape is an abuser, a racist, and an incel and if you like him you're probably those things too" is fucking weird. Like, Harry and Hermione are not real children. Snape is not a real person. The things that happen in this book have as much influence on the real world as me imagining ninjas breaking into my workplace on a slow day. And that "media does not exist in a vacuum" pisses me off because it's blatantly misused. The pieces of media that have had serious consequences? Jaws, The Birth of a Nation. One resulted in the culling of sharks, the other helped restart the KKK. Do you know what those two pieces of media have in common? They're not about fucking wizards and magic schools. They instead paint a target on real groups. After twenty years nobody has ever tried to hurt a marginalized group of people because of a harry potter book (except for JKR herself).

Anyway, these are just some random thoughts, feel free to chime in with your own.

[offical-ouroboros]

Someone pointed out the pure ease there is in yandere unknown and I absolutely approve of that oh my god

(Mostly rambling, what I feel a romantic relationship with it would be like at the bottom)

~☆

Between all the calm, normal interactions suggesting its stalked it's victims, or maybe can have more human looking forms to blend in

"Why so nervous tonight?" UGHHH THE GROWL AT THE ENDDDD 😻😻🤤🤤

"I lived in dungeons long forgotten." Could lead to it easily becoming very clingy and possessive over an interest

"I will not be denied my happiness." MORE EVIDENCE THAT THIS THING COULD 100% BECOME FERAL AND OBSESSED

He's got me wondering if he's actually fully sentient COMMUNICATION WISE

Like how with SCP-939, it's up for debate if they KNOW what they're saying if they mimic voices, or if they just do it, but what they repeat is somewhat relevant to what's happening.

>calling out while in a search

>getting aggressive/defensive when alerted

>screaming when chasing

It seems like the Unknown is somewhat similar, specifically so far with mori lines referencing to pain or the one that tells you to just die.

When it's walking around, it engages like an actual human (kinda), asking questions and such to start a convo/lure people in closer to it

There's also this freaky kinda effect that goes on when you Dispel its hallucinations where it kinda brings your FOV in and the audio gets a bit. Adore that. Watching your character just like... Reach a hand out to its chest... Before the hallucination disappears.

You already KNOW I'm doing more than dispelling his form 🙏

♡~

Can just imagine this thing curling up around you with its contortionist body just doing its best to mock affection it might've seen or heard before.

Arms and legs wrapped around your body, nuzzling you, making weird off-putting purring sounds and, if you're a freak like me, maybe even trying to kiss you, but it's not really... Good at it... So it just kinda presses its face to yours.

I like the idea of it taking on forms of people or things it's killed, so go on! Pick your favorite survivor! He'll kill them and steal their appearance for you!

Hearing little distorted "Love... You."s is also so freaking cute, just having him pick up various nicknames or phrases for an interest

Ofc this is mostly romantic, but could just as easily be platonic. I'm just sick of seeing monsters not get romantic love.

Do I think that he could actually love someone?

Ye-no.

If it happens, there's 2 ways I see it going.

option a. You engage first. For whatever ungodly reason, you decide you like this thing. You like how it acts, its voice, just think he's hot.

At first it... Would most definitely reciprocate. As best it can. You get shocked, or don't react and pursue more- Doesn't matter. It doesn't actually like you back. It just wants you dead. Needs to fill that 'insatiable hunger' it has.

But... Hm. Now it feels... Mean. Why did you act like that?

Huh? You like it? You LOVE it? You don't even know it!!

... Well, maybe it can give this affection thing a try.

Next time you see it, it goes easy on you. Awkwardly watches. Waits. If you don't do anything, or just ignore it, he goes back to hunting down and tormenting other survivors. But you still linger in the trial...

If you seem scared of it now, it comforts you. Tries to.

Things go better if you're the freeze type of scared and not the fight or flight type.

Though, it's not against chasing you down, incapacitating you, and then just holding as it struggles to say things to soothe it.

It just wants you to know it's friendly! Despite... You... Bleeding to death.

But!

Again, it feels kinda bad about how the last time it saw you went, so this time it doesn't hurt you!

if you're still lovey after the betrayal, things go great! Mostly.

Everyone else is incredibly fucked though. He's gonna mori the hell out of them. Just for you!!!

Wait. Just for you?

Huh. It... Feels good about that.

You should thank it! Right? Everyone else is gone- Now the two of you can spend time together!

You still like it right.

option b. Youuu... Are normal. You're so totally normal. You don't engage first, you play how you're supposed to, you hopefully get out with maybe a few major injuries but so do most people.

Eventually, for some reason, it's not yet crippling but still horrible loneliness catches up, and it chooses you as it's interest.

Maybe you were nice. Maybe you looked cute. Maybe it enjoyed killing you before. Maybe you were just slightly better to it than anyone else in the games it was in, and it appreciated

Well, now you're screwed.

Everyone else is getting killed. You're getting trapped in an embrace. It's probably going to let the entity kill you as the game times or, or he's going to get impatient enough with you struggling to just mori you.

In either scenario, it gets addicted. Giving it affection, struggling- It doesn't really matter. Being near you makes it happy. It likes how you feel, smell, look, everything about you- Even your imperfections. I mean, look at it. Is that an ideal human? No!

Hey, stop fighting. Stop struggling- Did you just try to bite it?

Just calm down.

Don't make it hurt you again. It didn't like how that made it feel.

So to him, you're probably divine.

Empty husks for eyes just looklooklooklooklooking at you.

Craving your attention.

Hold it. Coddle it. Pet it. Kiss it. Love it. Hate it. Hurt it. Say whatever you want. Do anything you want.

Just stay with it. Feed it's unyielding hunger.

It's not like he's letting you escape now.

Not after being alone for so long.

[003soy]

Thoughts on the new BancalaWalker info?

My thoughts are: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!

Even though I’ve read everything at this point I’m only allowed to think about front roe at any given moment it’s Fucked Up

My eyes immediately gravitated to whatever this bullshit was and I was like AAAGH! I mean, the info was pretty lacking clam-wise but I won so hard... Murasakis in my clam character description? More likely than you think... And hey, it sort of implies that Murasaki is an essential part of clam's character if I really distort it... Whatever, back to canon info: "he was invited to join the band by 003soss" That means they know eachother okay 🥹 This can't turn into clamsaki rant im sorry. They've worked for 2 other bands which just reemphasizes the highly skilled thing. Yesso scallops (same species as muruta) are eaten as sushi and sashimi (hotategai) so yaaaay sushi moment. And do yoyu know what you eat sushi/sashimi with- AAGHH AAGHHH *starts burning* Clam has too much naming potential. The one thing im the most disappointed about is no name tbh. But whatever.

And then I read Murasaki's new bio and I need him dead so bad. Seriously. THEY'RE BOTH SESSION MUSICIANS?! REALLY, Goddd GODDDD... The brainworms are so bad someone send me a different ask about clamsaki origin story okay... Clamsaki has me so fucked up I don't even care that he isn't emo anymore. Emosaki? DEAD. Clamsakisaki? LIVES. Okay but seriously, the fact that he is the most public out of all of them is really interesting to me. Like woah, media apperances? Seriously? For serious? And I have thoughts about this too but send me another ask someone send me more asdfklsdfdsklfdsklkldfskjlfdskjlds. Emosaki has not gone away he is just adapting and evolving. Murasaki angst 2. I'm giving him hidden depression now what who said that. Did anyone hear that. Anyway tumblr user 003soy loves Murasaki... Did anyone know that? Them saying he improved made me go teehee a bit. And I don't even teehee like its that serious.

Namida being the reason for the fucking kids choice awards album art is amazing. I'd say more about that but oh my god. Them saying that she collects tea utensils... I'll learn about japanese tea ceremony just for you Namida. YOUTUBE CHANNEL... Her having a channel centered around her teaching jazz theory is so aaaaaaaahg. Do you think that's why they call her Master Namida or whatever... Because she's so good at infodumping and teaching... And it might also indicate that she's more comfortable being herself at least through her youtube channel... I hope she explodes like a bomb. I wonder if she'd be worried about getting too many subscribers though. Happy to get more Nami info.

I don't care about this cunt.

Just kidding I will pretend. I will pretend okay. Sorry, I couldn't resist the urge it is ingrained into me. Hardwired. Anyway. He kind of stole my Murasaki's emo arc but I'll forgive him this time I guesss *eyeroll*. But to be fair most of the new stuff reaffirms what I thought about him already. Since its not a lot of info. The specification that he specifically is getting followers and was the most deified is AAAAAHHHH. AAAAAGHHHHH. I'm writhing in pain Ichiya sun theory still survives somewhat. Icarus. Ichiyicarus. SQSQDs fucking everlasting impact and the concequences of it aaaaaagh. In my old headcanons the overidolization of him was present even within the band itself so that will be fun. That sounds so fun to me. I had more to say but all of my thoughts about him evaporate immediately. I hate this motherfucker. Slash jay (obligatory). Ichiya complicated relationship with his fame is my favorite. Favorite food. Top ten. He doesn't have a phone. That's awesome. Of course he doesn't. And this doesn't disprove Ichiya Disappearance Scenario which is amazeballs. Front Roe is ichiya get-away island. Sea Him Now but also Sea Him Later. lol

The emphasis of the deification of them is so yummy. And even looking back its like yeah. From in their splatune article and how their shows are always selling out and the're getting mobbed by fans and by the fucking "post squid squad" era being emphasized like oh my god. I hope they [REDACTED]. They need to [REDACTED]. They have got to go... "004clm joined the band" <- praying that is accurate and true. The difference between "worked for a bass player for" and "joined the band" It's probably just different phrasing or an error but whatever. I will pretend it matters. Something that is obvious: "formerly known as Squid Squad" "suspended their activities" "the band changed it's name, and they started over" its soooooooooooo *dies* Just like, the emphasis of front roe being squid squad just makes me so "^_^" Because that's them man... Fuck Ikkan. JUST KIDDING. JUST KIDDING HUYS HAHA... But seriously it makes me so... a... Because even after all this time its still them and whatever. They'll never be the same but they'll still be them... "Despite everything, its still you." I sound fucking stupid this is embarrassing. LOGGING OFF.

Oh yeah and they're emo-like and that's funny. Ha ha.

Bye.

[barrenclan]

Given that you’re a fan of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, do you have any ideas for a song/songs that would fit any character/s?

OH BOY! Absolutely! :D Here's a few;

"You Stupid Bitch" is obviously a perfect Slugpelt song; that kind of self-deprecation, especially the kind of sardonic hatred that it personifies. With the lyrics about Josh I can also imagine it taking place directly post-Cashew abandoning her.

"You ruined everything You stupid bitch You ruined everything You stupid, stupid bitch"

"Yes, Josh completes me, but how can that be When there's no me left to complete"

Hilariously, I can kinda imagine "After Everything I've Done For You" as a Ranger to Rainhaze song? Although not all of the lyrics fit I really like the tone of Ranger singing 'how dare you be so ungrateful, for me ruining your life'. It'd also pretty Dustfeather pretty well.

"After everything I've done for you (That I didn't ask for) Do you have any idea The work you're undoing?"

"What's that look on your face? You're horrified You think I'm a monster For doing your dirty work You think love is stainless and pure But beneath all the fantasy There's filth and there's gore"

And then as a complete joke how about "Let's Have Intercourse" with Deepdark. What a charmer! He's so early-season Nathanielcore.

I'm not adding lyrics... just listen to the song.

Yes, The Nowhere King is already on the PATFW playlist!

I do appreciate a good FNAF song, especially since Pizzaria is my second favorite game. (SL is first.) Hm, this one is interesting! I can see it fitting Rainhaze pretty well...

"It's a bright new day, and it's your time to shine Time to take your career into your own hands Spend all your money and the stars, they will align"

"Wait, I hear voices on every side And I wonder where And I wonder why Where do they hide?"

"I'm sorry, you've been misinformed This is just a never-ending labyrinth and nothing more Endless circles of fear Chasing cries of children that seem so near Out of reach, you will never find them Don't you see? This is where your story ends"

I can see it!

"Can't pick them out Can't press them in I'll never hide my scars"

"One unsheathed knife must glint In an alternate timeline's light One rust-ridden blade juts out Of a friendly moonstruck shape" <- I love this turn of phrase

We got a sleep motif reference boys! Pack it in!

Oh yeah! I've seen this song used for good PMVs before. I like this kind of music with Rainhaze, too; that stomp-clamp indie kind of sound.

"If they find the body in the basement In the very house that she was raised in" <- ohh......

"So when we get the sign From God I'll be the first to call them I'm taking back the number of the beast"

"Should I choose a noble occupation? If I did I'd only show up late and sick And they would stare at me with hatred"

Oh gosh yeah I do remember being a little confused by that ask. So ominous! But I agree, it's fitting for him.

"I roam these halls, search the night In hopes that I may see A remnant trace, a glimpse of you"

"There and then, I should have known It was me all along Nevermore to leave here Nevermore to leave here My love is the killing kind"

Rainhaze has this wonderful effect on people's brains where instead of Thoughts there is Rainhaze. Definitely adding "Her Sinking Sun" to the playlist.

"Torn apart from everyone Her sinking sun I watch it die"

"Animals begging to eat They can't survive Not meant to be"

"Flowers of skin and bone We're all alone Waiting to die"

"Water rushes through my heart It's torn apart By yr trusting eyes"

That's a cute idea, I like it! Well, not cute all the way, but you know what I mean. Or in another way... Pinepaw looking for Asphodelpaw after she disappears. A shorter timeline, but maybe more accurate to the song.

"Have you seen my sister, Evelyn? Dang, she's gone and wandered off again! I've been lookin' high and low Where oh where'd my sister go?"

"Is she studyin' Kabala? Did she win a million dollars? Or is she dead in a ditch somewhere?"

Boooo I ran out of links fuck you tumblr

[crayonnthief]

Sup, who's your favorite turtle, and why?

If I’m being REALLY specific, then 2007 raph.

This is due to him being my first favourite turtle ever. 2007 having been the first TMNT media I ever watched, when I was really young and is something I loved greatly.

I find a lot of depth within the film and love speaking on the complexity’s of the characters within the movie. (Raph and Leo’s complicated dynamic. You want to be pissed at Leo, sure he’s a hypocrite at many stages and lets his ego get in the way a few times, but you also need to understand his own self loathing. It was causing him to take out his anger on Raph putting up a front to be what he thought his family “needed”. Leo having deemed himself a “failure” and struggled to return because of that, seeing them “better without him” As well as raphs use of anger to mask emotions, clearly upset that Leo was gone for A YEAR longer then we was supposed to.

Caused so much heavy tension and stupid actions to occur. Leo could have been dead for all they knew having disappeared without a letter and the fact Leo did not address his absence clearly upset Raph, he was probably scared that he would note see his brother again, then Leo turns up and pretends like he never left? Raph wanted Leo to address the elephant in the room, but Leo never did. Not even by the end, they still seemed to dance around what happened, leading to an emotional tango. (There is much more I could go into. I could talk on and on about this movie)

Though I wish 2007 mikey and Donnie had more screen time, I actually LOVED 2007 Donnie (for some reason his voice actor just fit so well) plus the times he was on screen I found him funny, and if there was more complexity to the character shown, he would of 100% been my favourite.

But if I’m saying overall favourite turtle then My favourite is Donnie in most iterations.

It Varies sure 2012 Donnie, rise Donnie, 2003 Mikey, idw Donnie (I love metalhead ok. This might change the more I read) Mutant mayhem Donnie and 1987 raph (I’m not forgetting The last ronin, its just it’s focused on Mikey solely and I haven’t watched the Batman TMNT movie. I want too though)

(Tbh mm Donnie can be quite cringy but I just love his design sm)

I think I’m most attached to Donnie because of 2012 Donnie.

2012 was the first tv series I watched of TMNT (after 2007) and easily my favourite was Donnie. His loved for accuracy and fact, as well as overthinking and creativity, wanting structure and control, are things I relate to (not obsessing over a person though :/ that’s the only part I’m not a fan of, is Donnie’s crush on April and sure April did some questionable things but I don’t dislike her, cause people do dumb things sometimes)

I didn’t like her kissing him when he was FINALLY going to give up on her. But it was more a fault of poor writing (There is a lot of Poor writing in 2012 sadly)

Sorry for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes!

^^ im dyslexic please be kind.

[messier-47]

A study on Ethan Winters because Resident Evil's got me in a chokehold and bruh he's so fucked? I love him?

But also this is MAJOR "taking liberty" of a fictional character cause no chill. Warning: this is....long post, a character study

RE7, RE8

So admittingly I was tempted to write RE fanfic cause brain go brrrrrr at thought of spookiness but ultimately didn't however if I don't bleed out these thoughts and feelings about RE and Ethan Winters it's gonna fester.

First off, does anyone else think RE7 and RE8 have two different versions of Ethan? Which...could be excusable seeing as how there's a three year time gap and emotional stage difference, or it could be just "Ethan was always a [blank-slate] character and thus prime for storyline manipulation". RE8 we're given the desperate father ripping apart the world to get to his daughter, scrambling for a handhold against monsters and completely out of his league of bullshit. Whereas RE7 Ethan is so much more fascinating.

RE7 Ethan is my favorite.

Okay, so I watched RE7 gameplay with the intention of taking notes about his character and personality traits and HOOBOY is he an interesting character! So in the beginning we get so much context if you really stop to think about it. First, Mia's ID is a Texas one which means by the time she went missing 3 years ago, she was registered as a Texas resident and probably alongside her husband Ethan. (which i know about the "he's a systems engineer from LA" databook thing but he could both be a systems engineer from LA and be a Texas resident)

Now this bit i think is a little more...take with a grain of salt cause it's not verified but also; Ethan has always been "the ordinary man". so what would an ordinary man do when his wife goes missing around the same time there's a fucking HURRICANE in the gulf of mexico? He'd report it! Missing person's report! cause he's not a psycho with something to hide! His wife is missing! she was babysitting some rich brat along the coastline and he'd lost all contact after the Hurricane hit Louisiana! if her body were to wash up, the boat she was found, anything having to do with her disappearance, there'd already be a papertrail of proper protocol without the question "Why didn't you report her missing?"

So Texas may be different? idk, I think I heard something somewhere "after two years, a missing person's case is closed and legally declared dead" or something. maybe that's why ETHAN WINTERS GOES TO LOUISIANA ALONE TO FIND HIS PRESUMINGLY DEAD WIFE.

the "maybe this is all a prank" comment I'm willfully ignoring cause wtf Ethan what about the relationship with your wife made it okay to disappear for three years all for an elaborate ruse? Except somehow the "it's just a prank" is probably what pushed him beyond the limits of rationality. Abandoned van outside the house with "accept her gift"? obvious a mystery treasure hunt. Weird carcass effigy? gross and wow this prank is getting fancy. dilapidated house full of rot and rank? nice movie set bro, where are the cameras? especially with all the "fabricated" evidence of twenty people having gone missing around here and oh wow a convenient VHS about "paranormal investigators" to show where the secret chambers are. but goddamn his mental fortitude is strong to be able to jump in putrid basement water to go find his wife. dead corpse rising out of the waters and he just presses on, probably thinking it was fake or something.

Okay so then we meet Mia and Ethan's slow realization that this is totally NOT A PRANK cause of evil possession or whatever (honestly RE7 in Ethan's POV is hilarious cause he probably isn't thinking how this all ties in with bioweapons, legit thinking demons are the answer) but Ethan gets more talkative in a very interesting way; upon finding Mia, he is immediately interrogative. He's not the overly worried dad friend trying to make sure Mia is fine and that they should escape, no it's Mia who takes the lead in trying to escape cause Ethan is already "you've been missing for three years what the hell is going on?"

And...when Mia claims that she doesn't remember shit (telling the truth) Ethan doesn't believe her. He pulls away to investigate the next room over. and honestly it's understandable in his POV, even if he stops believing this is all a prank; his wife has been missing for 3 years and claims to not remember why she'd ended up here (also there's a history of Mia having lied about some pretty important details in the past?)

As we go on through the story, Ethan...personal opinion here, but he reads as pretty calloused. I know the fandom jokes/remarks about Ethan's "fuck this especially" meter throughout the games but goddamn in the beginning of RE7 his meter was already damn high. He's...bitter? prickly? i don't have the word for it, but he's definitely a man who'd gone to Louisiana to finally get some fucking answers from his wife.

You know what I found super interesting? His interaction with the sheriff. So policeman shows up in front of house Ethan is trapped in and like a regular person he goes "hey there's some crazy people here you gotta help me" and sheriff is understandably wary of the whole situation. But Ethan Winters takes a risk in manipulating the policeman to get what he wants "do you want to read about me in tomorrow's obituary or do you want to be the hero?" which is so interesting to me. Why would he use this tactic? and this is something Ethan decided to do, there's no game mechanic where the player chooses his response, this is Ethan Winters using the cop's ego to try to get immediate help.

Throughout the game, Ethan is shown to be...honestly he's damn quiet. Yeah, sure he talks and shows his personality but he keeps his cards close to the chest. All his talks with Zoe make it pretty clear that he is motivated on a singular goal and he isn't persuaded by this "we" talk Zoe keeps bringing up. Looking at fandom, I honestly thought Ethan was going to be a little more chatty and while he does have some one-liners and quips, they are not at the same level as...let's say Leon Kennedy. Also, his humor is different from Leon's. I watched RE2 and 4 and whereas Leon has a love for ironic+witty humor (also can't shut up), Ethan has more of a dry wit.

Watches older woman crawling down tunnel on four legs like a bug, "That's special."

Figures out shadow operated puzzle doors "Who builds this shit?"

manages to clear out bioweapon cesspit by himself and the professionals arrive "What took you so long?"

Hmmm, and I know fandom loves to rib about his IT guy attire throughout RE7 but have y'all noticed his fucking shoes? ankle cowboy boots. Understated, completely speaks about where he's coming from, but also fits with the "i'm modern and know software engineering" typecast. And his car? A 1971 Dodge Challenger (could be a Vanishing Point reference but honestly if it's not ment to be-) it's a retro muscle car. A classic. Our boy loves his cars and did you see how nice it was in the beginning? spic-and-span paint job with the nice interior finish, it looks like it was well taken care of and Ethan was confident enough to actually drive it out to cross-state roadtrip.

Another interesting thing that only adds to what we've already seen of him was when Zoe makes two serums, she offers both probably just to show Ethan that they were made and he takes both. Why? ...I'm not sure. If he was only grabbing for Mia, he'd just taken one and let Zoe have her own syringe. But he took both. thoughtlessness? or was it an added show of his character in COMBINATION of whatever the fuck was going on during his interaction with the sheriff? In actuality, it was probably just the videogame needing Ethan to have the two so that he can use one on Jack and he'd have the "hard" choice of choosing between Mia and Zoe. It's still a pretty interesting detail if someone would want to further look into it.

then there's the "Thanks Ethan for choosing me" "Who the hell else could I choose?" "Ethan!" which only solidifies Ethan's character for me; He's a jaded man in a desperate search of answers, not really doing all this for the heroics. makes me wonder if there had been a 3rd choice, would he have made a different one. (but i digress because that's stepping into potential shipping territory)

Ethan once again tries to get answers from Mia and when she isn't able to give anything more concrete, he just lets the silence hang. Admittingly, the silence could've been the videogame setting up for the epic reveal of the boat and mold tentacles but this is also repeated behavior. Ethan asks Mia questions twice, once in the beginning and the second time right now and when Mia claims to not remember anything/have told him everything, he distances himself. No, wait, I'm dumb, Ethan pushes for Mia to try to start remembering. Which...idk maybe I'm reading too far into this, was kinda sardonic? "I honestly don't remember." "Try." and then the silence happens...before the boat comes into view.

Sardonic isn't the right word. In my opinion, Ethan is a "quiet" man, not as outspoken as the rest of the RE cast, so it's really hard to read tone when i ain't given much to compare/contrast to. All his dialogue have a different weight because he talks so little. Compare his dialogue with Chris, Leon, Jill, anyone else within the franchise and his character is immediately drowned out by the titans of other personalities. But get him by himself? reflect on his circumstances, context, and what he does say? He's a deeply complex character, alot of his reasoning and background is hidden and left to be inferred.

He's not a "heroic" character. He's not doing all of this to defeat evil or get justice or make the world a better place. Of course he's a survivor but...he's got a "get 'er done" personality. Ethan goes to Louisiana for answers. The truth as he told Mia multiple times. If he has to go fight a family with a bad case of swamp fever to get those answers then so be it.

Headcanon time: I honestly think Ethan is a born and bred Texan. He might have gone to LA to get his degree and a job as a systems engineer (which may explain how he knew how to build a flamethrower) but there is something about Ethan that is more than just "he now lives in Texas so he wears cowboy ankle boots and drives a muscle car". it's the "get 'er done" attitude. Maybe part of the reason why he's so mentally resilient when faced with horror is because of this cultural mental state of "get 'er done". Also explains how he's so adept with a wide range of guns.

And...wow this has grown awefully long and I haven't even gotten started on RE8 Ethan Winters character study yet so lemme make a second post.

[valleyfthdolls]

Quick FNAF analysis: Why and how I think Cassie's dad died

Content warning: This is very long (TLDR at the end) Trigger warning: Death

Why I think Cassie's dad died

I'll be the first to admit that a small part of me mostly hopes that Cassie's dad is dead because Cassie is only one of two female protagonists we've ever gotten and I'd hate to see the progression of the story from here be that Cassie was fridged and overshadowed for her dad's development. However, I also think that it's likely that he is in fact dead.

Everyone who's brought this up- and I do mean everyone- has talked about the item descriptions and Cassie referring to her dad in the past tense, and the common rebuttal for this is that he could simply be absent from her life.

However, this is unlikely for one main reason: look at the other missing character who was absent in her life. Gregory.

We know Gregory probably wasn't present in her life for long before disappearing. Less than a year, most likely, since they met at her birthday party and she went looking for him before the next birthday. I'm willing to bet based on his total lack of legal records and Vanessa not recognizing him as a missing child that he's been gone long enough for the case to have gone cold, more or less. That would at least be a couple of months. If you consider GGY canon, Cassie is not present at school and is never mentioned, which could take off another few months. (Funnily enough, at one point, the Spanish version of the FNAF wiki asserted that the two were likely school friends.) Likely, Gregory was missing for just as long as if not longer than Cassie was friends with him, and yet:

"Freddy is Gregory's favorite."

Not was, is.

This could be because she thinks she's talking to Gregory, so she has reason to believe he's alive, but to me, it feels intentional. It's the exact same quote as "Bonnie was my dad's favorite", but in the present tense. It makes me think that at the very least, Cassie has no reason to believe her father is alive.

Also, this note that I can't believe no one talks about.

This note appears in the AR world, as found by me and my friend Kani. If my memory serves me correctly (might not), it was found in the raceway. It's akin, to me, to the cutouts of Gregory. It represents something she's lost. But unlike with Gregory, where it's easy for her to believe he's been alive this whole time, Cassie makes no indication she believes or even hopes that her dad is alive. I think she's likely accepted that he died, but subconsciously, it may still weigh on her. See:

Monty very obviously destroyed Bonnie. Associating Bonnie with her father as she seems to, it's hard for her to look at Monty. Maybe in her eyes, he destroyed her dad, in a sense, and also:

Speaking of associating him with Bonnie.

I think Cassie is likely projecting all of these unanswered questions onto the mystery of Gregory under the building, because there's an answer coming to that, and she isn't going to be getting an answer for what happened to her dad. If this is true- and this part is mere speculation- the case of her father's death could be closed, ruled an inexplicable freak accident. If it was still a mystery, or if he was still missing, there would still be a case and a reason to search for him, but there's not. There's no hope of closure and reunion to hold onto. So all hope is funneled into seeing Gregory again.

But if her father's death is confirmed, if the case has been closed without the truth coming out, then what actually happened?

How I think Cassie's dad died (and it was not the staff meeting)

I think, simple as all things, that the ending of Help Wanted 2 represents the death of Cassie's father. He could be the protagonist, but that raises some questions about the Princess Quest ending- in all honesty, HW2 is a game I don't really understand the significance of, and given all the wildly varying and painfully unfounded theories, I have a hard time believing anyone really does. Regardless, I do think that HW2 showed us his fate. And I don't think it's what fans think.

A lot of people chalk Cassie's dad's death up to the staff meeting referenced in Security Breach. The leading theory goes that with the heavy emphasis put on going, it was definitely something sinister.

Attendance is mandatory, despite how late it is. There's a risk of being laid off if you don't go. And then, not too far away, a message saying that they no longer need a lot of their staff due to the success of the STAFF Bot project. What most fans believe is that staff meeting was a way for Vanny to congregate staff members and use the endoskeletons (who she had trained not to not react violently to the presence of cake, and one of whom has a model in the files where it is covered in cake)-

I don't know who the guy in the top right is-

-And that the fifteen victims' deaths were covered up with a "staff retreat" mentioned in Special Delivery, but the kitchen it happened in was left in a state of total disarray.

However, I doubt this. First of all, Karen Soto is on there twice, which isn't relevant to this but I needed to point it out. Second of all, I doubt that the massacre actually even happened, third, Special Delivery took place in the early days of the Pizzaplex's creation, before they would've been able to replace people with STAFF Bots (which we know was done around the same time), and fourth, if Cassie's dad died at the end of HW2- which I have no idea why else they'd show us that if it wasn't relevant to Cassie and I'll explain that in a second- it doesn't align with the details of the supposed staff meeting massacre.

Let me explain.

I doubt that the massacre actually even happened: The evidence is few and far between, and flimsy at that. A mandatory meeting, the endoskeletons being violent in response to quite literally everything, not just cake, a staff retreat that might not have even happened at the right time to be related, and a single endoskeleton with cake on it that isn't actually in the game. Also, if that was the cause of the mess in the kitchen, A) why was the meeting in the kitchen? B) wouldn't the company want to cover it up by cleaning up the kitchen before going with faking a company retreat from which apparently no one questioned that fifteen people never returned?

Cassie's dad's potential death doesn't align with the details: If we put my skepticism about the massacre ever happening at all aside and assume it did, if Cassie's dad died at the end of HW2- and again, I don't think that they would show this to us if it wasn't relevant to her- it couldn't have possibly been in the massacre.

First and foremost, that scene is immediately followed by watching Cassie take the VANNI mask, meaning that what we just saw not only predates Ruin, but is also important to it. Therefore it has to be relevant to Cassie, to Ruin as a whole. I think it makes the most sense, then, that we're not just following any random ass technician but rather Cassie's own father.

Beyond that, though, looking at the scene, Cassie's dad is not in the kitchen. He's underground in the old pizzeria. And there, Cassie's dad is attacked by Vanny's weird nightmare STAFF Bots. These weren't the tools she used in the massacre- that was the endoskeletons. No other people appear where Cassie's dad died. There is no cake. This is not the staff meeting.

Plus, if I'm right about Cassie knowing that her dad is dead, then that negates the cover-up part of the massacre.

But why would he individually have been targeted?

Look back at the note.

"Gone for a while" is ominous. You'd think if it was the staff meeting, it'd be "gone for the night", but it's "gone for a while." That suggests something odd. He didn't think that it was something innocuous. He was expecting to be gone for a while.

Cassie's dad was a technician. The technicians were the ones who caught onto P46 hacking into the system and were trying to keep [her] out and fix things. As described later, the glitch was "broadcasting a very dangerous message."

Attempts to remove the glitch did nothing. It was certainly obvious to these techs that whatever was happening was sinister in nature. So maybe Cassie's dad was trying to put a stop to it. To keep P46 out of the system and fix the damage [she] had caused in a way that would cause meaningful change. And in this way, he ended up in [her] line of fire.

As the fourth therapist points out, the previous therapist's body was "mangled by machinery". Knowing of The Mimic and what it does in Tales from the Pizzaplex- decapitating and dismembering its victims- that sounds like it could be described as them being "mangled by machinery." And it happens when they become suspicious of Patient 46's behaviors.

The STAFF Bots are trained on the same program as the Mimic. They're taught by watching. Showing them what actions to replicate. That's at least what HW2 suggests. So if the Mimic program is corrupted, then Vanny or P46 could use the STAFF Bots trained on it to do the kind of damage described to the therapists, and the kind of damage done to Vanny herself in the disassembled ending. (Now, that ending might not have happened, but I imagine it must have been within the realm of possibility at least in Gregory's mind, and they could dismember Freddy, who is much larger than a human.)

Cassie's dad was a technician, the group that became suspicious of Patient 46's behaviors. Others who became suspicious were brutally murdered, potentially dismembered, "by machinery". The STAFF Bots in particular would be easy to get to do such a thing because they're programmed just like the already-prone-to-dismembering-people Mimic, and we know that it is absolutely in their power to dismember people.

And what was he attacked by?

STAFF Bots.

TLDR; Cassie refers to her dad consistently in the past tense even though she refers to Gregory (also missing) in the present tense, and doesn't seem to think or hope that she can see her dad again. She seems to have accepted that her dad is dead even though she doesn't know how. As for how, he wasn't at the staff meeting where people were supposedly attacked and killed in the kitchen by endoskeletons; he was a technician who got suspicious of Patient 46, or Vanny, or The Mimic, or whoever, and the STAFF Bots, trained by the same program as the Mimic and corrupted by it, physically tore him apart just like the Mimic does to its victims.

[tatertotcosmonaut]

I hope I didn't mistake you for someone else, but I think you're the other mutual I have who's into JJK, right? I only have two mutuals who reads JJK ahahahha. So it should be you...

Have ya read the (albeit terribly-translated) leaks for C248 yet? Thoughts?

Yes I am the other JJK mutual lol, you weren’t mistaken! I have read the leaks, but I usually wait till TCB scanlations and then official translations (although I hate official translations, John Werry really needs to be replaced) so I can compare them and come to a conclusion about my thoughts.

I’m a bit more ready to negatively criticize JJK than most, but I do so because I know Gege is capable of really good writing. Shibuya is one of the best written arcs I’ve seen, and the philosophy and themes aren’t new but they are written in ways that are intriguing to me.

Sukuna is one of my favorite characters, but the mass Sukuna v. Everyone fight has steadily become more and more boring to me. There’s only so many times I can be “off the edge of my seat” with constant deaths and death scares and “Sukuna defeat” close calls before I just become blasé to it. I was expecting there to be many deaths (it is a war after all), I was expecting Sukuna to be difficult (He is known as the most powerful sorcerer for a reason), but it feels less like a battle of tension and cunning and more close to levels of “last season of Game of Thrones” writing (although not nearly as egregious, Gege is still a competent writer and he clearly is trying to tie this up as best as he can).

The Kenjaku v Takaba fight is, no joke, one of my favorite fights in the series. I think it’s a wonderful display of how cunning Sorcerers need to be whilst showing the creativity of the power system Gege has made. And I think that’s what I feel is missing from the Sukuna fight, or is steadily disappearing. Sukuna is meant to be cunning, he’s meant to be smart, but it feels less like he’s winning because he’s cunning and more because he’s winning because well…Gege needs him to for tension reasons.

The court room fight is a good example of this. Lord I would’ve loved to see Sukuna utilize his intelligence to overcome Higuruma’s domain, it would’ve been much more satisfying than Sukuna getting that one weapon confiscated and the whole fight just ending in like 4 panels and that’s that.

I also will be majorly rankled if Kenjaku is actually dead and gone. There is no reason they should be as Kenjaku, the person that prepared for this whole debacle for over 800 years, is much more cunning than to just be killed by a decapitation. I think it’s fair to say that Kenjaku is the main overarching villain, none of this would be happening if it wasn’t for them, nor would Sukuna be here either. To kill then off as if they were some dumb goon obstacle boss would be an insult to their character. Kenjaku’s connections to the Heian era, to Tengen, to Yuuji and Choso, is too valuable for them to just be gone.

Anyways, I’m intrigued to see where this will go and what Sukuna will do know that he has the ability to go forward with the Merger. Although I’m confused on why he would even bother doing that or what interest he would have in that.

I’m also interested to see where Gege is trying to go when it comes to themes of love, power, and loneliness when it comes to Sukuna. The theme of “it is lonely to be at the top” is budding into something intriguing, which is why I think Sukuna is fascinating to me. I don’t care to much about his fights, and more of him as a philosophical figure, because he his quite philosophical in and outside of fights. His ending conversation with Kashimo was quite cool. He also can’t stop being very homoerotic towards the enemies he fights and defeats. It’s funny to see hm having fun and being satisfied by an opponent and then being sent into a philosophical crisis over human emotion.

Also I am always fascinated by Gojo fans absolute hope in Gojo coming back. I think this chapter sent them into more of a fervor, I am rooting for them it would be funny to see honestly.

[just-a-carrot]

Hi Carot!

Finally binge played the whole main game and side games (except for T2A2G, which was the first game I played)

I think I had a different emotional journey in OW than most players; I was interested in Orlam from the beginning.

I’m aromantic and don’t enjoy the situation where a love interest already has a hardcore crush on the protagonist (though I could sympathize with Iggy’s struggle about how blurry the line between romantic intimacy and sexual one is for allo/allo people), so a character who’s not involved in the love triangle somehow being a love interest seems interesting for me.

I’m not sure that you were expecting people to find out what exactly happened between Genzo and Orlam (something romantically or/and sexually intimate) before Arc 3, but I could tell there was something more than just a bully and his victim going on between them.

For example, in the BBQ scene where Orlam tried to hint at Genzo's sexuality and the conversation from the first Orlam’s revenge, the combination of dirty jokes and the mention of "after-prom" were so obvious.

I was fully convinced that Genzo didn't just bully Orlam awfully but also broke his heart when fake guilt-tripping Genzo in Kiddie Kruise mentioned that Orlam helped him after the loss of his sight. Why would a victim help a powerless bully? Orlam’s body sitting on a bed instead of lying is a dead giveaway (pun intended).

After the disappearance of Genzo in Arc 3, I thought Iggy would find out Orlam turned out to be a monster and was going to cry, so the choices caught me off guard. Choosing a man whose heart was broken by your friend over the forementioned friend who has a crush on you? SIGN ME UP ALREADY. (Don’t get me wrong, I like Genzou, but I'm here for THE INTENSE GAY DRAMA) (I’m also here for THE COMPLICATED TRIC TRANSMASC DRAMA) (but they once caught my eye PHYSICALLY and tried to pop it out MY EYEBALLS WANT TO STAY IN THEIR SOCKETS COMFY HELLO???????)

The emotional roller coaster ride of the end of Arc 3 was WILD, and his relationship with Iggy was also a good surprise, so when I reached Arc 5.15, seeing he's suffering from something I would never experience was really painful.

Whe I played Save the Last Dance, I figured out the way to get End 2 out by the hint (the player should gain points) and Orlam’s personality; he loves being in a dominant position and fears betrayal.

The game makes you trick him to get the wrong hope that Genzo will choose him over Iggy and stab him in the back (figurative language) (technically he stabbed him in the front this time). That's exactly what he did to him on the after-prom.

Now we know Arc 2 Genzo was not a ordinary person who was traumatized by the experience of killing someone he knew from his childhood; he killed someone who's happy in his last second of life because the man who once broke his heart cried for him.

Their fucked up relationship is one of my favorite parts of the game, and I'm also happy for the sidegame version of Orlam, who is no longer suffering from his feelings (we could see he's still bitter about Genzo, but as long as they're not trying to kill each other literally, I’ll take that as a win).

BINGED, MY GOD that must have taken so long I feel hghgjgy even aside from the long main game playing all the side games would take a while too 🤣💦 I am both impressed and honored that you'd play through everything like that LOL

and I'm very happy you like Orlam!! Orlam is such an interesting character for me personally just from a reception point of view as he's gone from a char no one seemed to like to the most popular char of the entire game... (and often with such intensity that I feel a tad overwhelmed at times jjgjfhg 💦). but I do find his story in general to also be one of the most interesting and he's easily the one I've always had the most fun writing and his scenes are always some of my favorites LOL there's a reason I spent so freaking long making sure the climax of his character arc, so to speak, in 5.15 was the best i could absolutely do 🥺

I don't really talk about the whole Genzou and Orlam thing outside of the game itself much. for one, because it's one of the many things I kinda would rather leave open to interpretation and for people to take away whatever they want from it (similar to some of the other stuff i don't go into detail much, such as some specific moments of all of their pasts, some of the chars' reasons for doing things, etc). and for another, because I don't really wanna romanticize it at all (and honestly feel uncomfortable if I see ppl doing so) so I mostly just avoid it in general jghgjgh to me they are awful for each other in every way, which is why I love how tragic and awful the whole thing is, but I don't like pushing it more than that LOL I do enjoy their dynamic in the AU-ish side games though as in those games I tend to head canon most of the Most Awful things as not having happened so they're not as toxic but they still clash horrendously which just makes for funny banter

I'm very happy you enjoy their tragedy and drama though dhdhdh sob this whole game is just pure convoluted drama laced with a bit of horrible death and a few bad jokes I swear 🤣💦 and tbh it grew more convoluted as production went on because both arcs 3 and 4 turned out a lot different from how I'd planned (4 especially). I still think 4 might be my favorite of all the arcs just because of how serendipitously I feel it all came together and also how much it broke my heart... though arc 5 once it's fully finished might take its place just because I love how it brings all the chars' arcs to their heights (and also I think the production value is the best LOL). Arc 3 though was where the game finally started to get a bit of traction (and also took such a huge turn) so I've always been fond of it, too

I feel like I might have gotten off track with this answer though that might be due to the aforementioned bit about me generally avoiding talking about those two too much so I instinctively veered LOL but I really am glad that you've enjoyed the game and its chars and all its tragic horrible drama so much!! 😭💦 And also thank you for taking the time to write out such a long and thoughtful message!! 💕

[karlyanalora]

First Aid and Shockwave for the character breakdown!! —cmo

(From this)

For First Aid I'm giving my general thoughts, unbound by continuity and influenced by my favorite fics featuring him.

How I feel about him: He's a sweetheart. You know how the fandom insists Ratchet will treat anyone? They're thinking of First Aid. He's a kind soul who deserves more screen time and love in the fandom.

Who I ship him with: Nobody. He doesn't strike me as a character interested in romance. I think he's pretty fulfilled by being part of a combiner.

Platonic OTP: His brothers in Defensor. @playswithworms Protectobots AU has greatly influenced how I see their dynamic and I adore it.

I do have thoughts of him trying to draw Ambulon into the gestalt (and scaring the crap out of command when it works.) The Protectobots have always been this way and shared this gestalt bond. Ambulon brings a needed dose of the outside world.

I love the fandom concept of combiners following one member of the gestalt into death, unwilling to let any member be alone. (I further propose you have to kill two and have at least two alive to prevent this.)

Ambulon would not be okay with that. He'd fight tooth and nail to keep the rest of the Protectobots rooted in life. I just think that while Defensor is pretty healthy as a gestalt, there are some unhealthy things in the gestalt they just don't realize are bad, and Ambulon as an outsider made insider could point out.

Unpopular Opinion Time: He's kind of boring in canon? Like there's tons of potential. But most of it is wasted. I feel like I love him, but it's hard to remember what parts of my love for him are based in canon fact.

I wish...: So we know when the Comabticons combined with a comatose Swindle in IDW, it was super freaky for them? I'd loved to have seen similar comic panels of what it was like for First Aid to be in a combiner with a dead body. Were there echoes of Ambulon?

For Shockwave

How I feel about him: Senator Shockwave my beloved. I will never not be obsessed. I know he's only canon in IDW, but I project him into all my favorite continuities. It just adds such depth and tragedy.

Who I ship him with: Self-indulgence time. I'd ship TFA Shockwave with a Senator Shockwave background with TFA Red Alert. A senator secretly courting a medic. And then Shockwave disappears.

For Red Alert, she knows medically what has happened to her love. That what they had is gone. But it hurts to see him on the opposite side of the war. You know how in canon she lost an arm? Yeah, Shockwave did that.

And then the War is over and she's growing close to the young Longarm Prime. She reminds her of her dear Senator so much. And it's like Longarm has always known her.

Because he has. And her heart gets broken all over again.

(I blame the fanart.)

Platonic OTP: @novafire-is-thinking has given me Soundwave and Senator Shockwave brainrot. Something about working with and knowing Shockwave before and after. It only works in AUs, but they are such delicious AUs.

The urge to fix Shockwave but also the struggle of knowing he will never be the same. How does it feel to know people care about a version of you that no longer exists? Does Soundwave even care about what you are now? Do you care?

Unpopular Opinion: The boobs are weird and should die.

I wish...: TFA Shockwave is clearly very intelligent. I would really love to see the canon explanation for why his brain cells all disappear when it comes to pleasing and obeying Megatron.

[becauseimanicequeen]

Pride Month Watch: The Blue Hour

I'm currently going through my Pride Month Watch List.

This is a film with Gun ATP (one of my favorite Thai actors), which I've been putting off for far too long. I'm going into it without knowing very much, which is just how I like it. I have a feeling it might be a bit dark (based on the title), and I don't mind that at all. So, let's dive in!

Gun's character looks like he's been physically abused. I wonder why...

I love how silent the film has been since it started. I've basically just seen Gun's character, for several minutes, doing stuff in silence and it's still managed to pull me in.

Tam (Gun's character) met up with another boy Phum at an abandoned building, and things got physical.

So, Gun's character was beaten because of money.

The actress playing Tam's mom was Akk's mom in The Eclipse, and she was one of the workers in I Feel You Linger In the Air as well.

It took me some time, but I finally realized where I'd seen the actor playing Phum before. He was Jai in I Promised You the Moon (the sequel to I Told Sunset About You).

The whole "I'm gay so I have to prove myself by being a high-achiever and successful and a good person on top of that" mirrors the reality I know quite well.

Oh, shit, did Tam just kill that man?

Tam and Phum are making out while hiding amongst the trash. They've clearly got their priorities straight, lol. I approve.

It seems like Tam is the scapegoat of the family.

Shit, Tam just disappeared in the pool. This is why you should never be in water (whether in a pool or lake or the ocean or whatever) when you're alone.

So, Phum was there too, or at least arrived in time to save Tam.

Oh, shit, the dead body in the abandoned building is Tam's brother.

This film is more thriller-like than I thought it would be. And I like it. It's got a vibe similar to Red Wine in the Dark Night, which I also enjoyed.

The movie's title plays its part, especially here towards the end from the moment they realize Tam's brother's body is gone to Phum disappearing and Tam waking up from his dream next to Phum. The blue hour is the time between day and night and it can usually be seen as the transition between dream and reality as well. Spot on.

This is one of those films that needs at least a second viewing to understand it better, and I love films like that.

Overall, I liked it. It was interesting and different. I loved the silence, Gun and Oab's performances, that a lot of it was shot in the dark (to illustrate the blue hour), and more.

Will I watch it a second time? Absolutely.

[swndmehelp]

I am very bored so I will be rambling about my dragon age hero’s just because. Maybe just talk about how they get along with each companion. I’ll add a photo or doodle of them so you know what they look like.

It’s all under the cut, I wrote a lot more than I thought I would. I’m so sorry.

Vara Surana (Hero of Fereldan):

My favorite one, if I’m honest. I probably just like her so much because she’s from the first game, and I LOVE Origins. I love all the characters, the story, though I hate to admit it, it’s the only of the three games I haven’t finished. I’m working on it I promise.

Her romance is Alistair (hes my favorite, basic I know). She doesn’t make him king and they live happily ever after. Honestly I just LOVE their romance, makes me all giddy and everything. I have a thing for good relationships in games. I love it when you get Alistair to talk about the Warden in Inquisition and he just talks about how much he loves her and how he wants to make her life easier. I LOVE HIM AHDBDOS.

Anyways, Vara loves all her other companions. She gives Sten his cookies before he goes back to the Qun, a lot of cookies. She’s with Oghren at Ameranthine so she does things often with him. Writes Wynne and Leliana as much as she can. Wynne is her grandma, being raised in the circle she never had a real family (except Irving), Wynne was the group grandma. Zevran probably bothers her as much as he can until she disappears. And Morrigan, uh, idk, she probably doesn’t talk to her until they meet again at the Inqusition.

Vara, uh, she’s pretty decent. She’s probably got PTSD from everything that happened before, during, and after the blight. Her life was a shit show from the start. It just got worse when she became a Gray Warden. That’s probably why Alistair says he wants to make things easier for her, that she deserves that much. (I FUCKING LOVE ALISTAIR UUUUUGGH).

Maya Hawke (Champion of Kirkwall):

Uuugh Hawke, I love Hawke. She’s a goofball up until Anders (spoilers) BLOWS UP THE FUCKING CHANTRY. She is altered man. Part of it is probably because she was romanced to Anders, at first I was doing Fenris then on my second play through, already knowing what was happening I purposely romanced him just for the angst. I forgot to mention I also love doomed romance. Anyways Hawke fucking killed Anders, poof, dead.

I think the only companions she really ever stays in contact with is Varric and Merrill. Everyone else is just gone, done with Hawke and everything else. Given Gameln is her only living family, and he doesn’t exactly like her especially after her mothers death, she doesn’t talk with him. Varric is her bff though, Merrill coming in a close second.

Okay, I know Hawke didn’t get a lot of writing and I’m sorry. (If people are even reading all my yapping lmao). Anyways, Hawke has SEVERE survivors guilt. First her sister died, she got blamed for that by both her mother and brother (though Carver apologized right after and I love him so I’ll never be mad at him for it), the Carver died, she definitely blamed herself for that, then her mother. She probably didn’t leave her estate for a week after her mother died, probably didn’t even leave her room. Then she killed Anders, that was her breaking point. Her guilt took away whoever she was before and just makes her absolutely miserable all the time. I love her, she deserves better (I made everything that happened to her happen to her, I had complete control over it :)) ).

Sorry I don’t have any good photos of Hawke on hand, this is a very old drawing. She doesn’t look like this anymore.

Ayla Levellan (Inquisitor):

Finally Levellan, my absolute sweetheart of an elf. She’s probably the nicest of the three hero’s, trying her hardest (but failing to) avoid violence. If anyone was mean to her she would probably cry, for example when she was talking to Dorian for that quest where you have to talk with his father she says she thinks he should go talk with him and Dorian says, “I didn’t ask what you thought, did I?” Ayla would have sobbed in her quarters right after that, if not in front of him. I’m just happy Dorian apologized right after, I love their dynamic.

Ayla absolutely adores all her companions and advisors. She’s romanced to Cullen (basic again I KNOW), I just feel like they’re a perfect fit. Cullen is so sweet to her and I just feel like they just click. If she were a male inquisitor the romance would be Dorian, sue me.

Anyways. She didn’t let Backwall get killed even after his betrayal, she loves doing pranks with Sera just because. Though she does always feel bad after. She reads the Swords and Shields with Cassandra. Iron Bull tries to train her, she’s always sore after that. Her and Cole running around helping people, her favorite being the time they gave flowers to everyone. She’s terrified of Solas (trespasser messed her up). She’s also scared of Vivienne but for different reasons. Josephine and Vivienne dress her up, like pick her clothes for her everyday, Ayla is Dalish and has no sense of style. I like thinking Vara came to the Inquisition just because I said so, so her, Hawke, and Ayla all hand out.

Dorian and Ayla’s relationship is so dear to me. They’re like siblings, it’s awesome. The whole inquisition feels like some sort of a whole found family trope, more so than all the other games. I just love it. But I love the relationship between Ayla and Dorian, they’re just so dear to me I can’t. And Ayla and Varric’s relationship reminds me of a sort of parent-child relationship, almost like how Varric and Solas are to Cole. Wholesome I know.

When Hawke is with in Inquisition she normally stays with Vara or Varric, they’re tight. Or she bothers Cullen just because. Vara normally stays with Alistair but she also talks with Leliana or Morrigan, also Ayla and Hawke. Really she’ll talk with anyone who talks with her. Though Vara is definitely terrified of Morrigan’s little demon baby, no matter what she will be scared of that little 10 year old boy. She’ll shit herself.

Neither Hawke or Alistair die because I said so, shut up. I love Au’s where everyone lives and is happy.

My Inquisitor is definitely very anxious all the time, but I also like to think (just how I play her and everything) she any be on the spectrum. Just a thought though.

Another old photo, I really gotta redraw these losers omg.

[malice-death]

RWBY Song Analysis: Winter vs. The Path to Isolation

Now I know what some of you are probably thinking, "The Path to Isolation is a Weiss Schnee song and has nothing to do with her sister.

But after looking at the deleted V9 epilogue, I can clearly see that this song can work for V7-V9 Winter.

And here's the reason why.

To start it off, Winter's return in Volume 7 was something that I couldn't wait to see, considering she is one of my favorite characters.

Winter as a whole is a very serious character, trying her hardest to keep up with the people around her, and make sure no one sees any sort of weakness, or disloyalty to Ironwood and the whole of Atlas.

Now when push came to shove during the volumes, She had to make choices she wasn't proud of nor dejected the orders in certain areas.

Even worse was probably all the deaths caused by the things around them.

Back of course this is about how V10 Winter suits "The Path to Isolation" now.

"It starts with the unexpected loss of something dear."

Already got one notch on the board. At the very end of V8, Winter witnessed the loss of her dear sister, Weiss.

"The warmth that comforted and cradled. Just disappears."

This one can pertain to Penny in a way, another person she lost, who physically disappeared, someone who sought to make sure she knew her life was valued.

"And in its place, there's nothing, just than endless empty hole."

Winter clearly shows how she felt in the deleted animatic, speaking on a more negative value, and really doesn't know how to cope properly with the grief she is feeling."

"The light that showed the way is gone and darkness takes control."

This one goes to Winter talking Ruby in a way, considering to everyone who came because of her video, but since she is dad, Winter doesn't think she can believe in such a voice, allowing the darkness in her heart take control.

"Bitterness and anger, are quick to fill the void."

"The path of isolation is littered with the dreams that lay destroyed."

While studying the song, this line alone was harder to think about, cause in the original context of thinking about Wiess, you can clearly see where this fits into her story.

But Winter's I had to rewatch a lot of the series to see where such things could take place in V10 potentially.

In the end I decided that this was talking about the hope that Winter could've felt after defeating Ironwood, and "saving" Atlas/Mantle, but because of how the cards were dealt, those thoughts could be ruined.

"The cold seems to grow in my soul, its consuming me."

"Confused and I'm losing myself in the storm."

This one goes out to fighting physically and for fighting emotionally.

Winter spent a long time forgetting about how she felt about the things around her, always just following orders. But when everything happened, when everyone fell, and with Ironwood dead, she has no choice but to face the things that she never considered before.

"Growing jaded, being pushed, I'm unraveling."

"Can't find myself when I'm constantly pushed to conform."

Before Weiss was suffering at her father's whim and will, it was Winter who had that heiress seat, who was being pushed around to make sure she always followed through on everything.

Think about how she speaks, how the solider grows cold when she knew that she could have others standing there beside her.

"Enemies surround me, but the worst appear as friends."

"Liars and pretenders, only seek to reach their ends."

Winter has known many people, but Ironwood was someone she trusted, someone she knew for the longest time, but to see him falter to see him make orders that she couldn't approve of morally, was breaking her, making her remember all the things she probably to get away from such ideals.

And when you're in the military its harder to know friend from foe.

"Everything is breaking, right before my eyes."

"Looking in the mirror, I see someone that I don't recognize."

When Penny died, and Winter became the Winter Maiden, she didn't get a real chance at goodbye, just like when Weiss fell, she didn't get a proper chance at goodbye.

So, while she stands in the back breaking into pieces, the person, the maiden she sees every time she wakes up wasn't the person she wanted to know or see.

It was still that hard to remember who she was in the end.

"The joy my heart use to know is eluding me."

"Removed and the one thing I feel is alone."

"Smile's faded, and I'm spinning and sinking. I'm weakening."

This one brings us to the V9 epilogue, and how broken and alone Winter is. She stands away from her mother and Qrow, and even when she stands around anyone else, she seems to be at a distance.

"Frozen in solitude, loneliness chills to the bone."

"Memories escaping me, as my heart begins to drain."

"Scars that cover wounds, can't hide the self-inflicted pain."

To be honest, I was thinking that Winter must hide her own scars that she got over the years. And the fact that she decides that she doesn't want everyone back.

She believes that they aren't going to come back.

"Everything my mind wants, in conflict with my heart."

"Fighting back surrender, but every day I'm falling more apart."

Winter as a solider and a sister, and friend as well, but in the world she was born and trained in, she wasn't thinking about those things.

Her mind thinks in orders, while her heart thinks in feelings.

It's one of those things that almost never add up in certain types of military trained induvials.

I was the same sort of way for the first few months in my training.

It can take a lot of time to ease back into your heart.

"Mirror what's this thing that I see?"

"Who is staring back at me?" "A stranger to my heart has filled my mind."

This one goes to Penny and Winter, considering that when a maiden dies a bit of their spirit goes into their next host. Not to process or make a new person, but to give them new perspective on things that they never thought of before.

"Mirror"

"Help Me"

"Who Am I?"

Winter is not Snow White, she is the mirror, the thing that Weiss relied on.

And whose to say that the mirror never quesitoned themselves?" In the end sadly, until V10 comes out all of this is pure speculation.

But personally its my way to celebrate the end of V9, and the hopes of a new Volume on the horizon.

Until next time.

Thank you for reading.

And thank you, my dear Winter Maiden.

[imsosocold]

How I celebrate my birth week is by writing the execution of one of my favorite characters, triggering myself in the process. The most ‘me’ thing to do.  Hope you enjoy!

Manfred was set to be executed during sunrise.

When he’d be too groggy to think, when there’d be no time for visits or goodbyes.

At his request.

The sky shines of yellow light, familiar and warm.  The tulips around the prison have reopened their petals from the night, the golden chain trees swaying from the early morning breeze. 

Manfred liked yellow. It was his brother’s color.

He was wearing yellow, amidst the offensive orange he was forced to wear ( always a man in uniform). A plastic star hair clip outlined by green, a gift from his old wife. 

Of course, there’s still the golden bullet in his shoulder.

He wondered if they’d all be waiting for him. He wondered if anything would be waiting for him. 

He wishes he was scared. He wishes he was trembling and crying, begging for his life. He wishes he was mad, screaming and cursing everyone and everything. He wishes he was excited, for the hallucinations and nightmares and abuse to end, for the chance to see his loved ones again. He wishes he was repentant, finding peace and empathy he couldn’t find to have in life until its end.

Manfred felt nothing and he hated himself for it.

He was sick of feeling numb, of not feeling like a person.

Was he even a person?

Had he ever been one?

Birds sing amongst themselves as he makes the trek to the chamber ( they hadn’t allowed him to take his cane, of fucking course).

His friends, his oldest teachers. What he missed most about being free.

He hoped if he got reincarnated he would be a bird. A wren, perhaps. A splendid fairy, of course.

Just as quickly as he sees them ( so many colors, he had missed it in the gray that was both his physical and mental prison along with the sickly yellow light always surrounding them), they’re gone.

Everybody always leaves in the end.

Manfred can taste the oranges and sticky candy he had as his final meal, made up of memories of older, better times.

He doesn’t bother checking to see who’s in the crowd. He’s sick of searching for others and their approval. He can tell it's his largest audience yet though. 

He doesn’t recognize who is performing the execution but they’re incompetent. The guillotine still isn’t fully set up yet, though it won't be too long until it’s ready.

He has a couple minutes.

He knows Miles and Franziska aren’t here. They had both balked having heard the news, becoming even paler then when they had first visited him in prison, or maybe even more when they learned of the truth. Honestly, with how stringently they had followed in his footsteps, he was surprised they didn’t want him dead. 

Then again, if they really cared they would’ve fought more against it.

But if he had gotten his way, wouldn’t Miles have gone in his place?

No, they wouldn’t have killed him certainly, with how young he was,

Besides, he wouldn’t have allowed it.

Do you think they listen to you? 

He doesn’t know he doesn’t know he doesn’t know he doesn’t know- 

He never knows anything. Where his brother and wife disappeared to, why he took in Miles, why he shot that gun-

Gregory. Of course he’d be thinking about that romanticist in his final hour.

He knew like the heart in his chest that Gregory wouldn’t want this, despite everything.

He’d always been too gracious for his own good.

And how sickening that thought brings him comfort.

Not that anybody cares what victims want. Manfred was aware this execution was primarily a show, a way to make a grand example out of him, for him to become the sacrificial scapegoat of the entire justice system.

Just a weed amongst the flowers, don’t notice that all the soil is polluted! 

Well, no need to stress about that now, that’s a problem for whoever is left.

Besides, they’re all going into that soil in the end.

Along with the many who shared Manfred’s fate, those he’d personally condemned, those who may have committed no crime, who went cursing his name.

Lady Karma really did tie up all loose threads.

Manfred’s called up, he can’t really hear it though. Everything muffled like he’s underwater, always back to the tidepools.

He refuses to take his Buddhist charms off. 

His head still fits perfectly into the pillory.

He can’t see the audience anymore. 

He’s granted the view of endless flower fields instead, orange lilies pulled out unevenly and already dead.

Gregory’s favorite, of course.

He’s asked for his last words.

Manfred does not have any.

He has nothing left to give them.

Up. 

Down.

 Click. 

Finally free. 

No encore.

 No angry yelling, or cursing, or cheering.

Just a trembling silence. ***********************************************************************Those who witnessed the DL-6 Execution Sentence almost unanimously expressed they never expected to see Manfred so serene, especially in the face of death, considering his breakdown in court.  He didn’t struggle or gasp for breath. His expression didn’t even change. He was perfectly still, and died with a perfect smile.

A Von Karma to the end.