#all i'd have to do is make the other apprentices a little more willing to hurt one of their own

[firestorm09890]

guy deflecting all my attempts to write terrible angst situations featuring him by saying "it wouldn't fit the tone you've set for your vision of canon. they wouldn’t do that to me"

[666writingcafe]

Love?

I wish Barbatos didn't act so high and mighty all the time. I feel him glaring at me as I help get MC situated in their bed at the castle, as if it's my fault they're currently unconscious. Like, how was I supposed to know that someone would magically kick Solomon out of my cave and take his form while I was gone?

I already know how he would answer that question. And it pisses me off. He's intentionally put Solomon through much worse experiences and nearly killed the poor sorcerer in the process. I don't think he has any right to judge me for a complete accident.

Once he shuts the bedroom door, I drag a nearby chair over to the bed and sit down, reaching down and grabbing MC's hand. I've already established a connection to their soul, so I should be able to communicate with it.

That motherfucker! I swear, the next time I see him, I'm going to punch him.

Well then. Wasn't expecting that.

MC?

Oh, good. I finally have someone to listen to my bitching. Ever since the bastard knocked me out, he's been taunting me. It's fucking annoying.

This is going to be entertaining. I didn't think MC had it in them to curse.

Who was he?

Solomon has called him Nightbringer. He's the one that sent us here.

Why?

To gather information that will help a dear friend of mine. At least, that's what he told me. If I'd known it was a ruse, I may have reconsidered.

The door flies open, and Solomon quickly ducks inside.

"And where have you been?!" I ask him, making sure he feels my wrath.

"Don't start with me," he grumbles. "I've had to escape a rather deep part of the Devildom forest without magic."

"Ooh, how depressing."

"Enough, Thirteen." Oh shit. He only ever uses my name when he's really agitated. "How's my apprentice?"

"Alive." Solomon notices me holding MC's hand, looking slightly amused.

"You out of all people ought to know that this isn't what it looks like," I gently scold him. "I'm merely accessing the connection I have with them."

"Right." He walks over to the other side of the bed and looks down at the sleeping MC.

Can you tell Solomon that I didn't mean to slap him as hard as I did?

"I think he already knows, MC."

"You think I already know what?" Solomon asks. I repeat what MC said, and he sighs.

"You're still getting used to your strength as a demon," he tells them. "I wouldn't expect you to be super delicate."

Still. I must have left a nasty bruise on your face.

Nah. Ever since he became immortal, he heals quickly from simple injuries like that. The only thing you might have damaged was his ego.

"I should have gone with you," Solomon states, glancing up at me.

"And risk angering MC more? I don't think so."

"Well, I'd rather have that than this. What if they don't wake up?" Is he holding back tears?

"Solomon, it's okay." I try smiling gently at him, but I'm sure it looks fake as hell. I don't have a particularly soft-looking face. "I'm sure they won't remain like this forever."

"I..." He trails off, clearing his throat and rubbing his eyes. I haven't seen him react this strongly to someone injured. Not since he was a little kid. Being around Barbatos has desensitized him to death and violence, making him more likely to not only engage in risky behavior, but to act flippantly when other people fall victim to those things.

And yet, he's acting like losing MC would be a tragedy. Why? What makes them different from the thousands of humans in similar predicaments?

Wait.

No fucking way.

"Do you love them?"

"What?" Solomon recoils at how loud he asks that question.

"You know I don't like repeating myself." He takes a deep breath, trying his best to remain composed.

"Possibly? It's been so long since I've cared this deeply about someone. I've kinda forgotten what that feels like."

"Would you like some time alone with them?" Solomon's eyes widen. "Look, I know I tease you a lot, but I'm not heartless. If you need me out of the room, then I'd be more than willing to do so. Just let me know when you're done, and don't do anything stupid."

Taglist: @lost-in-time-wanderer, @fuzztacular, @dianedancer18, @sweetbrier2908, @flare-love, @completelyshatteredbrokenmschf, @thunderlightning351, @l3v1chan, @anxious-chick, @5mary5, @expressionless-fr, @tenkobitch

[spireclangen]

The Dragon challenge mechanics

With the arrival of the first community cat, Sir Ravensong, imminent, I'd like to give a rundown of the Dragon challenge now, so you all know what exactly you can do with them once they actually join the Kingdom ;3 and here's a preview of the special little cat in question, as a treat

I'll put all the rules under a cut, for anyone who's curious or would like to try the challenge themself. More details about how community cats play into it are at the end, but the TL;DR is: you can choose to send a community cat on a Dragon patrol, in an attempt to track down and damage the Dragon, instead of waiting for it to come to you. Each community cat may also choose up to 1 normal member of the Kingdom to accompany them (whether or not the other cat accepts is entirely dependent on their relationship with the community cat, and how willing they are to actually seek the Dragon out)

1] Feeding the Dragon

In exchange for leaving the clan alone, the dragon demands a sacrifice. Every season/3 moons, the dragon has 3 food points that must be filled before it is satisfied. Kits fill 1, apprentices fill 2, and adult cats fill 3.

ANY cat that joins the clan via patrol while the dragon is still hungry must be killed upon joining the clan. They have been fed to the dragon. Once the dragon is fully fed, patrol encounters can join the clan as normal.

If the dragon is not fully fed by the end of the season, it will attack the clan and take its food by force. It will take a cat of the clan at random, with no regard for age or rank. If its food points are not filled, it will continue attacking until they are.

2] Fighting Back

In the event a clan cat is taken by the dragon, they have the chance to fight back before being eaten. When an apprentice or adult cat is taken, roll 1-20 (plus any bonuses that apply—see ‘Penalties and Bonuses’ section below) to see how well they fare against the dragon.

Apprentices: Must roll a 19-21 to ward off the dragon, and a 22+ to injure it Adult cats: Must roll a 17-18 to ward off the dragon, and a 19+ to injure it Kits: Kits themselves cannot fight back against the dragon, but any grown cats in charge of the kit may fight back for them. Roll as listed above, based on the age of the grown cat.

Injuries

When the dragon is successfully warded off, whichever cat it tried to take will have to make an injury roll. If the dragon attacked a kit, the cat who tried to save them must make an injury roll even if the dragon wasn’t warded off.

Roll 1-20

1-10 ] The cat does not survive their ordeal, and dies to their wounds. 11-17 ] The cat survives, but is injured. The next time the dragon attacks, they’ll have a higher chance of being taken, and cannot fight back. (Even if their wounds heal, the dragon holds a grudge, and now knows how they fight.) 18-20 ] The cat escapes unscathed.

In the event that a cat is able to injure the dragon, one health point will be subtracted from its total. The dragon has 7 health points (may be changed to whatever you see fit for your own game), and these do not heal/regenerate. Once the dragon has lost all 7 HP, it has been slain (or permanently driven off), and the challenge can be considered won. (Or another dragon could move in if you wanna keep it going)

Whenever the dragon is injured, it will not attack the clan next season, even if its food points aren’t filled. Optional rule; For the first few injuries, whoever injured it will have a higher chance of being taken. Once its health drops too low (3 HP), it will get cautious and start avoiding those it knows are skilled enough to hurt it.

3] Penalties and Bonuses

These bonuses and penalties are applied to the attack roll made when fighting back against the dragon. They have no effect on injury rolls.

They DO stack, too! The highest roll you can get (if you manage to get all the right bonuses on the same cat) is 30!

Penalties

-1 to the roll if the cat… Has one of the following personalities: Insecure, Oblivious

-2 to the roll if the cat… Has one of the following personalities: Nervous

Bonuses

+1 to the roll if the cat… Has one of the following personalities: Bloodthirsty, Daring, Sneaky Has one of the following skills: Low-level Fighter or Clever Meets one of the following criteria: Is Vengeful, but has not lost any friends/family to the dragon

+2 to the roll if the cat… Has one of the following personalities: Fierce, Bold, Cunning Has one of the following skills: High-level Fighter or Clever Meets one of the following criteria: Has a low-level Kit skill, and one of the clan’s kits is the one being taken, is not Vengeful, but has lost friends/family to the dragon

+3 to the roll if the cat… Has one of the following personalities: Righteous Meets one of the following criteria: Has a high-level Kit skill, and one of the clan’s kits is the one being taken, is Vengeful, and has lost friends/family to the dragon

For every 1 HP that the dragon has lost, decrease the ward off/injury threshold by 1. For example; if the dragon has 4/7 HP, then the rolls for adult cats would be 14-15 to ward it off, and 16+ to injure it.

4] Dragon Patrols

If you feel the dragon is taking too long to be defeated, or want a fun story, you can choose to send a patrol of cats to search for it.

Choose up to 6 cats from your clan to send on a border patrol. The more cats you bring, you'll have a lower chance to find the dragon, but a higher chance to injure it. The outcome of the patrol will be determined via rolling a random number; the in-game patrol results have no effect on it (unless you want them to).

Finding the dragon: roll 1-20. The following results are for a patrol of 1 cat; for every additional cat, add +1 to the first range of numbers (for example; with a patrol of 5 cats the ranges would be 1-17 and 18-20)

1-13 ] Your patrol does not find the dragon 14-20 ] Your patrol finds the dragon

Each cat with a low-level Hunter or Sense skill will give a +1 to finding the dragon, and each cat with a high-level Hunter or Sense skill will give a +2 to finding the dragon.

If you are successful in finding the dragon, each cat in the patrol will make an attack roll to attempt to injure it. Only the highest roll will actually apply to the dragon. If you have 3 cats, and all of them roll high enough to injure the dragon, it will still only take 1 damage.

Warding the dragon off does not apply during dragon patrols; you must get a 19/22 to have any effect on it. Penalties and bonuses DO apply to these rolls, however.

For spireclangen community cats, this means that you guys can, once per season, choose up to 6 eligible community cats to send on a dragon patrol. "Eligible" community cats are any cats that are not injured, and are old enough to go on patrol. Each individual community cat can only go on one of these patrols once every two seasons.

For each community cat, you may also choose 1 non-community cat to accompany them. Non-community cats will take the place of other community cats in the patrol, however. You must choose which specific cat will join the patrol.

Whether or not the non-community cat accepts the patrol will be decided by me, based on the relationship between them and the community cat inviting them, along with how willing they are to actually go seek the Dragon out.

Their willingness will be affected by things such as if they've lost anyone to the Dragon (more likely to join), or if they currently have any close personal relationships aside from the community cat (less likely to join). Certain personalities will also play a role in their decision (nervous cats will be less likely to join, while righteous cats will be more likely to join, etc.).

[spextkrr]

I'd like to hear more about Adam x Amanda

!!! coming right up

tbh i started shipping them based on vibes alone but then i started to reaaaaally think about them and i went a little bonkers. i don't consider them canon or try and find any proof that they are, i think it's just fun to think about!!

so in order to become the next jigsaw, amanda had to be willing to give up everything, right? Can't remember exactly what peepaw said but it was something along the lines of she had to give everything she was to him in exchange for his legacy. and we know he meant everything. and we saw how much amanda was struggling with that.

i like to think they started going out before adam's game, but during the time amanda was supposed to be scouting him. a classic "fake dating turned real dating" when she started to catch feelings. maybe she did show up to adam's friend's concert that night and the two hit it off really well? or maybe they met again at another time and she decided to give it a shot? (im aware the concert thing is probably supposed to be the night he got captured but this is saw, we can play with time djensjwj + we know how long jigsaw can take planning and executing his games)

and maybe this relationship started to distract her from her apprenticely duties? after giving up a lot of what made her "herself" and inherently made her miserable for becoming the next jigsaw, a lot of doors probably opened for her. one of them being the chance to have a stable, healthy(-ish) romantic relationship. she's still dedicated to jigsaw's cause, just not as desperately as john is because she has other things going for herself. and here's where the "You must give up everything" part comes in.

she's distracted. john recognizes that. so, he makes her role in this all the more crucial to really get it through her head of what her life is going to be like once he's gone. of course she was always going to help, but now she had to drag her unconscious (ex)boyfriend into a shitty bathroom, chain him up, and dump him in a bathtub. whether they were together or not during adam's game? idk lol. them being broken up adds to the angst factor + it does explain how 'careless' she is whenever it comes to setting up his game,,, i like it either way!!

now, adam's "death." (im an "adam in saw xi" believer). it was her forcing herself to truly give up everything. she had to get comfortable being alone, and doing these horrible things to people she very well may know, since who knows what the future games will consist of? so, she goes with suffocation, an easier death, and gets the job done. and we saw how much that broke her

UH sorry if this made no sense i just woke up 👍 i just think these two have really good angst potential + the "very rockstar" scene lives in my head rent free and i wanted to incorporate it in canon somehow

[grasshopperdoingdogpaddle]

There was a post about enemies, friends.... and what about FRENEMIES? What is your favorite frenemies' duo? ^u^

Ooo, just my favorite one this time?

My definition for frenemies is really particular, so I don't consider Omi and Chase to usually fall under that role, as much as I'd like to answer them as my go-to. They're a little too ride-or-die and open in how much they care about each other to count in my book. More of a star-crossed mentorship there.

So then, my favorite frenemies relationship definitely has to go to Omi and Jack.

I especially love all the times they've hugged, and how the other always insists they don't want a hug. They always have a taunt ready for the other, there's this fun rivalry!

The way Omi says "Jack Spicer!!"

The nicknames Jack has tailored just for Omi.

The way Jack has a drawing of Omi on his business and on his "keep out" sign on his lair.

The way Omi keeps arguing that they should save Jack even though it makes the other monks get so mad at him.

The way Omi clearly wants to adopt Jack as his apprentice and is willing to give up his room for him.

The way Omi is uniquely quick to forgive and trust Jack no matter their past, in a way he doesn't quite do for anyone else.

[cursed-angelic-art]

For the ship ask game and the crackhead ships I find hilarious and interesting:

BingLiu

LiuShang

MoBing

JiuYuan

(I think they're funny and silly)

Oh man, this'll be a long one. Tysm for the ask! I think as a disclaimer for these asks, to get it out of the way; I can't really conceptualize any of these ships without Bingqiu and Moshang still there, lurking. I try to think of just the ship at hand, but the uninvolved characters from each of these pairing are still coloring my perception of each ship listed.

Bingliu

Ship It

What made you ship it? Honestly it's just the antagonism. I'd like to read some UST into it. Also, while I believe Shen Yuan is narratively the best person for Luo Binghe (on account of him caring so much about LBH and about him having a good story), I think from Luo Binghe's pov, he just needed someone to step in at the right moment and care for him. I like to entertain an au idea of LQG being in the wrong place at the right time and blundering into stopping LBH from being abused, leading to LBH's lifelong obsession with his Shishu.

What are your favorite things about the ship? Literally the enmity. Being at each other's throats for five years, fighting over a dead man, does something to a person.

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship? Idk what's unpopular since I haven't spent much time on just these two. I think if it weren't for sqq, these two wouldn't need much to warm up to each other? At least from Luo Binghe's end. He values loyalty and strength. Liu Qingge is a harder nut to crack imo. It would depend on the circumstances.

Liushang

Ship It (Somewhat)

What made you ship it? From the little fanwork I've seen, I think it could be viable and fun.

What are your favorite things about the ship? Mostly just Shang Qinghua finding more stability among the peak lords and being taken care of. Having someone on his side who is explicitly loyal to him and cares about him more overtly. Idk how things fall that Liu Qingge would end up taking on that role, but I believe it could happen.

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship? Not really, because I haven't explored this ship much.

Mobing Don’t Ship It

Why don’t you ship it? I just see these guys as coworkers/friends, but not even super close friends. Binghe is kind of a young upstart/apprentice to Mobei-jun, and I just struggle to see Mobei going for that??

What would have made you like it? Probably a talented fic author. I'm willing to read any ship, and I think if an author set things up such that Mobei sees in Binghe some of the parts he's attracted to in SQH, but in like early PIDW canon, I could be invested. Beyond fanwork, I think maybe if canon showed them interacting a bit more, that would have helped.

Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it? There's loyalty, there's hot guys, there's committing atrocities together. I can see why people ship it for sure.

Jiuyuan Don’t Ship It

Why don’t you ship it? I think I just struggle to see it conceptually? It's hard for me to reckon with Shen Yuan falling for someone who hurt Binghe. That said, I still enjoy some fancontent for it. AU stuff can be really creative in a way that makes me enjoy it on occasion, but I tend to gravitate towards canon compliant or canon divergence type fics.

What would have made you like it? Honestly, outside of enjoying fanwork and aus about, I can't really think of something that could be changed about the canon, that would have made me invested. Maybe if Shen Yuan was at all haunted by Shen Jiu's corpse, that would be really zesty, but would also have changed a lot about the story. I'd def read an au about that though.

Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it? I do think that Shen Yuan comes to have very mixed feelings about the previous SQQ, and could be persuaded to care for him more than pity him. In an au, I can see this being a basis for something. I don't think that something would necessarily be healthy, but are any of the pairings in this book? I think an au where they're both inhabiting the body together could be a really fun way of smooshing them together where they have to become wholly invested in each other.

Ship/Don't Ship Ask Game

[kyros-tha-soldier]

🏵️OP fathers day list🏵️

Hewwo, looks like I'm a bit late but happy father's day for all the dad's out there who love their kids (deadbeats Btfo we don't want you ugh) and a happy father's day for the actual one piece dilfs as well!

today i wanted to make a list for my beloved one piece papis!

Okay, let's go!

🦩 Doflamingo

i know, i know some of you are saying "ummm, who?" Yes, i agree, I'm a little biased on doffy, but hear me out. Doffy is a good dad, how? Why? The fact that he recruited kids is a bad thing, at least for irl standards, but he still cared for them, he knows that sugar is older than she looks yet he cares for her by assigning Trebol to protect her, also when he was making a toast, he gave Law, Baby 5 and Buffalo juice instead of wine. Now that's a good papi

🏰 Capone Bege

The Chad, the goat, the big father and the greatest mafioso daddy in this list, while Capone seems like a terrifying bloodthirsty gangster, he's an amazing husband and an even better father, always there for his kid, playing with him, entertaining him, and loving his wife, a real family guy!

🌊 Neptune

Cry-hoshi's (and her three brothers') father is also included in our list, yep yep! i figured that he needed to be recognized as a father more. What i liked about Neptune is that i liked how he's still loyal to his wife, but i kinda don't like how he sometimes looks weak willed, either way we Stan a mer-daddy!

🍊 Genzo

Most new OP fans may not remember him, but he's one of the Bravest civilians in one piece. He was there when Belle-mère and her daughters were attacked by Arlong and tried to defend them, making him get heavily injured resulting in his iconic scar and somewhat acted like a father figure for Nami when Belle-mère was gone (whomstdve make fun of him, he's precious and btfl 😤) he's now living his best life while following all of Nami's news and achievements.

💊 Hiriluk

Dr Hiriluk, one of the earliest father figures in OP, i liked how he went from treating chopper as a random deer, to an apprentice, to straight up treating him like his son (I'd do that too he's just super duper kyuttttte!) Sure he had his shenanigans and moments where he looked bad, but he's an overall good father figure for chopper, seeing how good he was to him and how he was the one who made him decide to become a doctor.

🍘 Sengoku

"no way, Sengoku has no kids!" ahem, did you forget that he literally adopted Corazon? We don't see much about them interacting, but from what we've seen Sengoku loved Rocinante as if he was his own child, he cared for him and would call him every now and then, and cried real hard when he died and at the end of Dressrosa when he was talking to law it felt like he held him real dear to his heart. Rocinante may have been a marine to the other admirals, but to him, he was his son.

🍳 Zeff

move over Judge, Sanji's real father is here!

He sacrificed his leg for Sanji, LITERALLY, just so the little boy won't die of hunger. And even after that, he ditched piracy and took him under his wing to teach him how to cook and be a real gentleman, he might've been harsh a little, but his heart is in the right place!

🍢 Oden

The true definition of the muscle brain trope, Oden is HUGE, kinda dum dum, he likes to goof around, extremely strong but has a soft spot for his family. He's a perfect family guy to his wife and kids, and despite all, he decided to put his family, disciples and friends at his top priorities, and that's why we totally Stan!

🏜️ Cobra

One of the OP characters that i didn't expect to be SO BRAVE for a non-fighting character. I like how he greatly cared for his daughter, but what i didn't like is how pervy he acts at times (bath scene) but other than that, he's such a beloved father, especially whenever he looked out for his daughter (along with Igaram), such a goof.

🐾 Kuma

We still don't know much about Kuma's past and his relationship with Bonney, why he chose to become a cyborg, why he's climbing the redline...etc etc. But from what Oda has shown us, Bonney loved him so much that she was willing to protect a pacifista since it reminded her of him, and ofc that speaks volumes about him.

🖤 Corazon

Ahhhhh, i remember how hard i cried during law's flashback when it first dropped in the manga, Corazon treated like as if he was his own son, he looked like an insane man at first when he kicked and beat buffalo and baby 5 (which i dunno, was uncalled for) but he's a really good father figure. He did all he could to save law, keep him entertained, made him food (they were grilling sweet potatoes in that one manga cover) and gave him all the love he needed. That is one hell of a reason for law to seek revenge against doffy!

🐋Whitebeard

Yep yep, Oyaji is here, i really like Whitebeard for how he would literally take any fatherless child (be them actually fatherless or just mentally) and make them his child. He's a VERY forgiving father as well, even when he got attacked by one of his sons, he just didn't hold it against him and forgave him. GOOOOOOOD that was sad af i cried!

🌻 Kyros

Once someone asks who's the best OP father the first person that comes to mind is Kyros. Trapped inside a toy's body, forgotten by everyone, if he tells his daughter who he is he will be thrown into the scrape heap, he had to organize a revolution. bro never took a break and ALL of this while taking care of his daughter! If this isn't one of OPs peak dad material then i dunno what he is!

And there you have it! The best OP dad's in my book!

Future dads? Take notes please!

[livewireprojects]

My past weirdly Bleedman inspired characters

I contemplated posting this cause it was weird & I felt like talking about past shit but forgot about it. I'm posting it now cause I found a video talking about Grimm Tales from Down Below & how weird it was. For some reason it made me decided to make this post.

Before I say anything I want to say I don't follow Bleedman anymore & mostly only followed/was a fan of him when I was a kid. I say this because Grimm Tales(along with many other stuff) was weird & as a child I was oblivious of how Mini Mandy's affection towards Junior was.(Nor understood how weird some shit was)

That being said another explanation(that this post was meant to start off with) is that when I was a child before I realized that I should look up the Bleedman comics my only way to watch them was to hope someone put the comics up in videos.(Like how I use to find dounjishi in the wild west of Youtube when people could put anime/cartoon episodes in 3 parts) I was able to watch a little of Sugar Bits & a lot of the early comics of Bleedman's PPG comic. Anything I knew that wasn't in the comics was in AMV stuff.(A specific one I saw had These Words I'll Never Say by Avril Lavigne)

These characters were inspired by Grimm Tales from Down Below & their story is based on what I originally thought Grimm Tales was about cause I've often had weird moments of random guessing. I'd see bits about something & cause I was unable to see the whole thing my imagination would go wild. An example is the movie Home(with the purple aliens) I was under the impression the girl/human companion/main character was a teen that had issues/a fight with her mom that led to running away from home & now she wants to find her mom & make amends. In reality it's a girl that was dealing with the invasion for a few days(hard to tell due to passing at the start) trying to cope with the kidnapping of her mom when they were getting use to having moved to a new home & was trying to find her missing mom.

So as I said these two characters are inspired by what I thought Grim Tales was from what little I knew from AMV videos.(Which at the very least had the prologue pages were Junior & Minnie were visiting the flowers & a pic of Minnie being torn apart) I don't remember when I made these sketches just know I tried to recreate the Bleedman art style. I have no idea if I could do this again & do not want to try.

The idea is some how this teen girl managed to get stuck in hell with no idea how to get home. The grim reaper's apprentice ends up making friends with her & the two end up on an adventure through hell as the apprentice tries to help his friend return home unharmed.

The idea is that she does eventually make it back home after a long adventure but are separated since the apprentice doesn't belong there. If you want a bittersweet ending then going the ragdoll route then the apprentice fails to keep her safe leading to the girl getting torn apart. The apprentice with help manages to put her back together as a ragdoll but thanks to all of this she's unable to return home however she & the apprentice are able to stay together as friends & go on more adventures together.

I dunno how I came up with the names but I guess I named these two Juliet & Cody at some point. Looking at these pictures I think at one point I was going to turn them into talking sprites for a game I never got to.

Juliet: A stubborn/strong willed girl that some how fell into the underworld or something managed to drag her in. While curious about the place she's currently stuck in Juliet would really like to go home. The skulls in her ponytails are pendants meant to protect her on her journey through the underworld to find a way home as well as make people think she's associated with the Grim Reaper as a way to leave her alone. Cody has one on one of his ears & it seems Juliet has managed to break through his distant behavior. Despite her stubborn/at times headstrong behavior she can have a friendly side & sometimes teases Cody.

Cody: Cody is the apprentice of the Grim Reaper, he at some point use to be a teenager that ended up dead/taken to the underworld. His appearance has become altered over time partly thanks to his boss trying to both repair him & make Cody stronger. The Grim Reaper despite his stern behavior & dark nature seems to consider Cody his son. Cody doesn't like his boss & this might add into Cody's often distant behavior. Despite this he seems to have managed to make a few connections & seems to be willing to help out in certain situations. There are moments were he still acts possibly like how he use to be before ending up in the underworld, he doesn't like the fact he's short.

I dunno why I drew this, I actually had to alter it a little

Cody doesn't like the fact Juliet is making fun of him for being short. This also shows what memes were popular at the time kind of.

[litlunacy]

Apprenticember Pt. 5 (Days 26-31)

We've reached the end! Woohoo!

26. How has your mc changed since you first made them? 

Well, she started out as just a name and pronouns, so I guess Ximena's come pretty far from that! But also when I first started the game I leaned more into the actual text and so she was very quiet and unsure, much different than the sparky snarky kick-ass woman she became. But I think I'd call that character growth, not actually changing. She just...found herself again, that's all.

27. Has your mc ever KILLED anybody? What are their thoughts on MURDER?

Has she actually physically killed anyone? No. Would she if the situation called for it? Yes. As far as murder, however...it depends, really. Are they a threat to her friends and family? Are they willing to change, or completely irredeemable? For example, she hates Lucio and everything he's done, to both people she cares about and just the city in general. However, she wouldn't murder him simply because he isn't worth the effort and she no longer sees him as a threat. She also thinks he's just a pathetic, petulant child, so as long as he stays far away she's good. Valdemar, on the other hand, she would rip limb from limb if she could figure out how. They are very clearly a danger and have absolutely no remorse whatsoever. 

28. Are they afraid to die?

Ximena isn't afraid of dying itself. She already has once, and it was a really unpleasant way to go, but it is something that she's familiar with. She is afraid of leaving people behind again, though. Asra and Julian did not handle it well the last time and she definitely doesn't want to put them through that again. 

29. What is a fact about your mc others would never guess?

She has sedatephobia, or fear of silence. Considering how much she enjoys her quiet alone time and meditation, it's not something most would expect. But there is a difference between quiet and silent. There is a reason she keeps wind chimes in every window, and hums to herself when she's alone. One of her favorite things about having Julian around is that he's constantly making noise, whether he's rattling off some ridiculous story or muttering to himself or just bumping around the house. She's even mildly fond of his snoring, as long as it keeps the silence at bay.

30. Is there anything else you'd like us to know?

I have the vaguest idea of Ximena and Julian at some point adopting an orphan girl they find outside the shop one night. All I've got so far is she's a redhead with freckles for days and Ximena's first thought is 'this kid looks like baby Portia'. (This also feels like a good spot to add that while Ximena might hate Lucio, I actually do not. He's my sad little wet cat and I'm fond of his stupid ass. That's what I get for playing his route first.)

31. Name another mc you read about and enjoyed! Shout out your favorite mc!

Oh boy. Uh, I don't do the whole interaction thing much, but it was fun reading about everyone's apprentices! If I had to pick favorites though, it would probably be @arcanabananafefifofana's Keziah (who just seems like an absolute sweetheart) and @justanarcanasideblog's Sarqen (love a character that's cold on the outside and warm fluff on the inside. Plus that murder prompt answer, what is this man's past??).

[doctorhuh]

hiya! first, love the podcast and both of your senses of humor. second, i recently got to the part in your magician's apprentice ep where you suggest the clara/jane austen kissing comment was "something for the fellas," which seems like a continuation of the other times you two have been (not unjustifiably) critical of a lot of the portrayal of queer chars on DW, and i wanted to offer an alternate perspective - not in a "you're wrong and i'm mad at you" way, just in a "here's a perspective to think about if you'd like to" way. also, i'm not expecting a response (in fact, i think i'd find one embarrassing bc of how long this is) or for y'all to change, just tossing this out there

for context, i got into doctor who as a middle schooler at the beginning of my realizing-i-was-bi-and-nonbinary-in-a-homophobic-household journey. and as a result, jack harkness was Important to me. in fact, i think there's a poll that went around tumblr a month ago where 12% of this site's userbase said doctor who was the first place they saw an earnest depiction of a queer char. jack does plays into bi stereotypes, but he still has depth and likability, and i think that's more important than deciding he doesn't fuck, esp in 2005. plus, he and torchwood were created by rtd who is himself gay, so i'm willing to cut him some slack

i agree that the vastra/jenny "actually, she's my WIFE" exchange is mostly moffat looking for praise, but that scene was also Important to me as a closeted kid who could only fantasize about being so open about my sexuality. and last year, i /did/ get a little thrill when i was getting a haircut and the hairdresser (who /did/ give off homophobic vibes) asked me after my Person left, "are you two sisters?" and i could say no

regarding clara, my view of moffat's misogyny in writing DW has always been "he /is/ aware that a lot of the audience is women and kids and when he thinks to, he does write to those ppl, he's just also infected with the views-women-as-lesser parasite and doesn't make enough conscious choices to battle it." if you'd asked me if clara's bisexuality was /for/ any particular audience segment, i'd say i'd never thought about that before, but if it was for anyone, it was probably for the queer girls. i esp feel that way bc she's followed by bill (and yaz, though that wasn't moffat's doing). i also like that clara said that in front of her class! it's nice to see a teacher char be open about her bisexuality bc of how social reactionaries often rush to "think of the children!" and criticizing schools and teachers as their first line of offense. plus, gay teachers were my rocks in high school, and i loved hearing about their lives bc it made my own future feel more solid

in sum, if the metric for a portrayal of a queer char is "was this scene written thoughtfully and to make queer audience members seem seen?" what might seem cringey and forced to one queer person could feel very affirming to another. i think due to DW's intended younger audience, things fall into the affirming bin more often than expected, and i think they're also /intended/ to be affirming more often than expected. i'd be as annoyed as hell by all these scenes if i saw them for the first time today, but i remain glad they exist for the good they did for kids back then and (who knows?) maybe still today

have a good night!

Hiya! Thank you for the thoughtful message! I will say I do totally get what you're saying. In fact, I remember being a closeted queer teen in the 2010s and I felt the exact same way. I thought it was super cool to see a bisexual character on TV, and I remember when the 11th Doctor would have throwaway lines about, yknow, romances with other men or whatever I thought that was pretty cool too. I loved Jack back in the day! It's certainly not my place to tell a person that they're not valid for appreciating representation! I think any kid who saw something relatable or inclusive in DW is a big win. I do still feel like looking back and watching it as an adult with more context; we can get a sense that it could've been better! A lot of it reflected attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people from 10-20 years ago, that I think we've largely moved past. I feel like there's nothing inherently wrong *or* invalidating about pointing that kinda stuff out. With regards to Moffat specifically, I get frustrated with Moffat because I think we're all in agreement that we can do better than him to write representation, yeah? Moffat is very "tell don't show" about his characters' queerness in a way that I find personally frustrating. If Clara is bisexual, that's awesome!! I'd love for Moffat to have shown us this instead of just an offhand line about it. His track record is just really bad (anyone who has seen Sherlock can attest to this lol). That's why we are always kind of feeling like his inclusion of LGBTQ+ representation comes across in bad faith (i.e. queerbaiting, using queerness as setup/punchline, or just kinda trying to score points from the progressive viewers).

I'd add that I do think there's been some great LGBTQ+ representation on DW in the past and present. I can't be the only one who loved to see Donna being the parent of a happy, thriving nonbinary trans person. That brought me a lot of joy to see on my screen in a time that is SO fucking hostile for trans people (transfeminine people in the UK in particular have it really bad). More of that please, Rusty. Lastly, I should say our show puts us at a disadvantage by design in terms of good faith criticism, because we're literally not watching the show in a way that makes sense. So a lot of stuff we're saying is basically watching the show completely devoid of context and we're just trying to have a bit of fun and share our thoughts; I do think we've ate dirt on this 1000 times over it's part of the fun when our listeners get mad because we were just Completely Wrong. Like what the hell happens in the Zygon Inversion?? Or Heaven Sent?? We don't know but everyone is mad because we didn't have that context. I really disliked Clara and got at totally different read on her, now I'm much more cool with her as a character. If there's stuff we're missing that's kind of part of the fun. At the end of the day we're just two goobers with microphones trying to have a bit of fun and you're ten billion percent allowed to disagree with everything we say about DW. Also not to like, shill, or anything but if you ever want to discuss this stuff with us directly, our discord link is in every episode. You can join the chorus of listeners who get mad at us every week jkjk. Thank you for the thoughtful ask! I hope that clears up at least my own feelings on it a little bit. -Jordan

[the-scrappy-stinger]

OH no. We're about to have the Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice problem.

Because we're talkin' rakugo.

And particularly bad rakugo, at that. (Although not gonna lie, theatres are great places to sleep...) This older guy doesn't have any apprentices left because all of them, mostly his star pupil Iwashi, quit and started restaurants instead. And the theatre troop is just on the edge of closing dow-

Oh no.

And it has awards. This guy is getting punched.

Then again, this guy is looking pretty punchable. This is Iwashi. He's had the place open for about 10 days and none of his old celebrity buddies have answered his invites to the new place... except his rakugo master, who he treats. His old nobody coworker has to pay for his though.

Oop, it's not KitKat that's making the first swing, it's old rakugo guy!

But it's not like Iwashi was always a fame-obsessed little bitch. KitKat remembers when he came by 5 years ago, asking for a special treat for his old master.

Y'know it's not like French food is all cheese and butter, but hey, what do I know...

KitKat splits the difference and makes Japanese food in French style, which makes the guy happy.

KitKat is left befuddled! Why is Iwashi, the kind young man who wanted to do something nice for his master, acting like such an asshole? Wait, first he has to talk shit about some other customers that Iwashi is treating like A-listers.

And there's the kicker: Iwashi is defrosting pre-made burgers for customers and only hand-making the food for famous clientele.

So KitKat does some digging. Iwashi got famous, and you know that being famous makes you a... bad chef. Or something.

KitKat's willing to train him to be better, on the master's request. Meanwhile Iwashi's food starts going uneaten at the restaurant; the crew he hired isn't cooking the food the whole way through. Probably because he's out of the shop advertising and schmoozing with other TV celebs.

Aaaand he's about to get himself canceled.

So his crew walks out on him. KitKat comes in and for once doesn't yell at the guy. Just tells him he has to, like, try to make his food taste good and people will eat it. He's gotta remember how to treat people right.

So now it's time for the TRAINING!

... specifically...

You know, if they were bots, I'd be into that kinda job, but it's not lookin' great for Iwashi. It's no wonder he gets a callback from a job offer and tries to bail the first day. Who wouldn't wanna be the host on a travel show instead of a burger chef, right?

The sumos are unhappy.

Monkey D. Luffy-ass lookin' legs. But they tell him not to give up! He's never gonna finish anything if he keeps jumping around- from rakugo to TV star to chef to TV star again- actually no he turns that job down and gets back to massagin'. After ten days, they treat him to dinner.

(Turns out, Iwashi also means "sardine".)

NOW, the training is over! Now that Iwashi the guy has gotten good at handling handfuls of big, hot, raw, hard MEAT-

Okay for reals though he's gotta make him some burgers.

Well, "burgers." Like Japan CALLS it "hamburg steak", but look at the ingredients.

It's meatloaf. This ENTIRE ARC has been about Iwashi turning down a job in broadcast TV going on world tours and eating food to run a meatloaf shop. And all his training was to get him used to handling big amounts of meat.

Which he couldn't have done, obviously, by lifting weights or, like, making lots of bread or anything. NO, it had to be big naked sumo wrestlers who happen to belong to a stable the KitKat is buddies with. Absolutely nothing ulterior going on there.

(Man, I used to do that for my botfriends all the time because it was FUN, not because it'd make me good at meatloaf-) anyway....

And KitKat, remember, is STILL charging people for this. In fact, Iwashi the guy tells him point-blank that he can't keep the shop open because he paid KitKat the last of his cash.

Seemingly out of guilt, KitKat goes and buys him more groceries.

MOUNTAINS OF FISH. FISH MEATLOAF BURGERS.

This is a weird fuckin' manga.

So they make a fish burger! And Iwashi the guy is like "dude there's no way this's gonna sell" and KitKat's like "no trust me dude it's gonna sell" and KitKat hands out some flyers that are like "FISH BURGERS. THEY HEALTHY. COME EAT" and it fuckin' WORKS.

And not only does it work, his old rakugo coworkers, even the ones he treated like shit, come to help out! And the opening is a a big success. KitKat wishes him well and tells him to start prepping the sardines for tomo-

Iwashi: ... okay but THIS one's not my fault. KitKat: It really isn't.

So they ride out to the truck to go pick up all the fish and guess what?!

The guys didn't even put on SHOES and they're out there pickin' up the fish!

I RAN OUT OF PICTURES!!!

So wrappin' up real quick, everybody works together to open the place. Iwashi the guy becomes a good chef and his master is proud of him, the end.

Arc length: 9 issues. No wonder I ran out of pictures!

[marveloustimestwo]

Imagine yan Peter falling in love with a sorcerer reader (as well as the Doctor Strange)

I'm assuming you wanted them separate, so that's what I went with. However, if you want a yandere platonic! Strange and yandere! Peter together, I'd be happy to do that too.

Warnings: Yandere themes, a couple mentions of kidnapping

Peter Parker:

Once he fully became an Avenger, Peter was tasked to meet other heroes just in case he worked with them in the future.

When he went to formally meet and talk with Doctor Strange at the Sanctum, he happened to meet you.

Peter was almost immediately interested in talking with you more than anyone else there. You were a lot more approachable than Strange was.

And seeing how little Peter bothered him while he was with you, Strange pawned the boy off to you and tasked you with the job of giving Peter a tour.

Peter, of course, was thrilled at the notion of spending more time with you. Unlike Strange, you didn't act bothered when speaking to him and treated him like an equal.

During the tour, Peter would develop a small obsession with you that grows over time.

You were just so smart and cool and powerful. The way you gracefully showed off your sorcery was astonishing to Peter, as well as the knowledge you held of the artifacts and secrets of the Sanctum.

Even after the tour was over and he left, Peter would actively try to keep in contact with you.

Not only did he call you all the time, but he also visits the Sanctum a lot, too.

(Honestly, Strange was getting more gray hairs with how often Peter showed up. He made you take care of Peter to get the new hero off his hands, but now he was seeing Peter more than he ever bargained for.)

Now, considering how powerful you are, Peter is less likely to do anything rash like kidnap you.

He has little to no knowledge of how magic works and you are a master at it, not to mention people like Strange will probably come looking for you.

Instead, Peter will focus on making you fall for him as much as he fell for you.

Stephen Strange:

Stephen first met you when he first became an apprentice.

Just like him, you were new to things, learning and trying to figure out how to do sorcery correctly.

You were the only other apprentice he really connected and bonded with (which is especially true if you have a disability that made you turn to sorcery like him).

While it took him a while, over time, he slowly but surely grew obsessed.

By the time he becomes Sorcerer Supreme, Stephen is fully obsessed with you.

You are his rock. You were with him through his entire journey through sorcery, encouraging him and helping him where he failed.

Now Stephen is willing to do anything to keep you by his side.

He wants to make you fall for him naturally first. With any luck, you might've fallen for him over your apprenticeship, too.

However, if you try to leave, he can always take away your sling ring and trap you in the mirror dimension.

[entwinedreams]

a weirdly formal letter. it reminds barbara of the few times she's read miss lisa's essays or one of eula's scouting reports- paced in a way that seemed more like a business letter than a letter between potential friends- still. the deaconess found the dry, sanitary tone charming in it's own right.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

dear collei,

i'm very happy to hear back from you! i've never sent a letter so far before, so i was worried it got lost along the way.

i'll definitely have to take that advice into consideration~ i don't find that weird at all- my sister almost worked herself ill a while ago, and without her or kaeya, the knights would definitely suffer. so i'm willing to anything to keep them both as healthy as i can! also, it sounds like you care about your master as much as i do my sister, which is so sweet!

miss lisa is working hard- or, well. i guess it'd be more accurate to say hardly working. she has an... apprentice of sorts? his name is razor. and he was raised by the wolf of the north. he has a hard time being in the city- so if i have to go pick wolfberries or other herbs for medicine, miss lisa will usually send along a message or a care package for him.

amber is enthusiastic as always when i visit, but she seems kind of distant to our chief alchemist, since the joint knights of favonious and mondstadt branch adventurer's guild training session- i guess something happened on dragonspine, the big, cold mountain between mondstadt and liyue. i heard about an avalanche, and one of my friends from the adventurer's guild getting injured, but everyone is being very cagey about it. most of the sisters are also working very hard right now, and i'm also trying to do my fair share. except for sister rosaria, but she only does as much as she wishes and wants and then leaves. she's interesting like that....

i will admit that my concerts can get a little loud and rowdy, but it's part of the experience! i'll make sure you have the best places to view and teach you the chants!~ i'll even try to arraigned a smaller concert so that it's not as scary or overwhelming! as for crowds- i guess it gets pretty packed, but for me its a sign that my music and signing can uplift and help so many people.

also, please don't worry about formalities, or coming across as dry or boring. i'm very curious about everything you're learning in sumeru, and i'd be more than happy to read a whole encyclopedia!

may your journey be accompanied by songs and happiness, collei! sincerely yours, barbara!

ps. it's very nice to talk, er- well, write with someone my own age who will treat me as a person, rather than idol. i hope if/when we meet in person, we have a lot of fun together~

if not for tighnari reaching their apartment in time,   collei would have watched the fire of their hearth tend to the parchment.   its cradle would be grave,   but its embrace wouldn’t be unknown.   the regret settles in immediately—   flushed honeyed face,   quivering lips,   an unearthly hole in their heart—   when tighnari expresses excitement at the sight of the letter.   the penpal he asked the traveler to contact for them.   for them.   it’s the only revelation that obediently sits collei at their desk and conjures a quill in their grasp.

(   the print of their handwriting is simple,   yet shaky and sketchy at a closer glance.   the ink gathers at the end corners of most letters,   producing a tiny bubble or clot they hardly register.   the writing’s voice doesn’t match the name,   professional and hardly without insight.   )

[   ...   ]

barbara,

thank you for the letter.   i know of you and your sister,   if you’d believe it.   unfortunately,   though i’m familiar with you,   i don’t know the proper way to address a penpal.   master tighnari told me to approach this as if you were in front of me but i fear that wouldn’t go as well either.   still,   i’ll do my best to satisfy you.   (   the ink clots terribly on the letters of satisfy; a mistake of a shaking hand.   )

i’m glad to hear that preparations for the windblume festival are going well.   master tighnari suggested for us to visit since paimon brought up returning with the traveler for it.   something about a whisper in the wind telling them to.   either way,   you might see me there.   i just hope our physical meeting goes as smoothly as did our letters.   dare i say it,   but while writing this,   i feel optimistic on this “penpal” situation already!

for miss jean and sir kaeya,   i’d suggest locking their offices if the workload overwhelms them to the point of danger.   i know locking miss jean’s office used to work in the past,   though it might be odder now.   and i understand how strange this must sound,   but trust me!   i do the same to master tighnari if he refuses to let a sample or paper rest for the night.   on the other hand,   i can’t wait to visit your concert.   i just have to ask if the crowd levels are as... staggering as i’ve heard of other concerts across teyvat.   crowds and loud music are a horrible concoction,   unfortunately.   rather,   master tighnari told me of it.

sumeru has treated me well through the years i’ve spent here.   i don’t know much i can tell you without risking boredom but if you’d like to hear an extensive summary of my research here then please do ask again.   otherwise,   that is all i have for an introductory letter.

thank you,   again,   for the letter,   barbara.   i wish you well,   on behalf of the seven.

sincerely, collei

p.s.   how have your colleagues been?   amber?   miss lisa?

[doctorofmagic]

Hello friend! I play Strange on a Marvel RP server and one of the regular RPers there wants to play Clea! (:D) She's only a casual comic fan like me and we've been digging into Clea's history to see what we can do to make a hybrid MCU/comics Clea to match the hybrid Strange I have.

The problem we're running into is figuring out her personality without rereading all the comics. I read that she made the first advances on Strange so that gives her some sort of boldness, but from what both of us remember, her run as just a non-powerful apprentice in the 60s was a bit boring and (in our recollection) she was a rather flat "damsel in distress" more than anything.

So we're trying to find what her personality actually is in canon. We know what she *is* in terms of roles over the years, and her history. But that doesn't say anything about what she likes, dislikes, introverted or extroverted, how good of a leader she is (if she likes it or does it out of obligation more than anything), stabs at her Myer-Briggs profile, and other fun things like that. Basically, things that have been really well established with Strange and recorded all over the internet in character analyses don't seem to exist with Clea.

You seem to love Clea so I'd love to get an idea of your take on her personality (and, if you wish, how it's evolved from the 60s onward). I'll be looking at what's established in the Death of Doctor Strange run but that's not that much with her whole history to establish a personality, well, *beyond* being just another woman in Stephen's sphere.

Go as little/long as you like, I know this is a big ask :) Thanks in advance!

Greetings, my friend!

Ohhh, that one will be a challenging ask but I'll give my best. Clea has changed A LOT since her debut in the 60's. I'll give a quick overview of each phase and from that you and your friend can work on her characterization. Although this is, of course, merely my own interpretation of Clea.

Strange Tales v1!Clea is brave and bold enough to betray Dormammu by just seeing Stephen's courage and inherent goodness. She's never afraid and she shows great knowledge about the Dark Dimension. She's often the damsel in distress but for someone who was conceived in the 60's, I believe she's pretty strong and independent on her own.

Doctor Strange v1!Clea is somewhat curious and the one to make the first move, but she still remains the nerfed apprentice who can't return to her own dimension. She's not shy at all and she's not afraid of showing her emotions and thoughts.

Doctor Strange v2!Clea and Defenders!Clea are my least favorite version of the character. This is the one who is submissive, insecure, jealous, melancholic. She doubts her own strength because she compares herself to Stephen, and this version is basically the female being reassured by the male character. This is why she leaves Stephen in the first place. It's only at the end of the run that we manage to see a strong Clea again, willing to fight her own mother in order to get the throne of the Dark Dimension. She starts showing the first signs of independence and strength without depending on Stephen. But that's just a looooong road.

Doctor Strange - Sorcerer Supreme!Clea is absolutely my favorite version!! She's the girl boss I always believed her to be. She's a queen and she actually saves Stephen twice!! She's confident enough to get married to him but she doesn't leave the Dark Dimension's throne for him. She won't take Stephen's BS and overprotective attitude toward her. She will confront him about it and she will make her stand whenever she's unpleased. In DSv2, she leaves Stephen because she believes Morgana's love is stronger than hers. In DSSS, she says she will never do that again. When they part ways, it's because they're both too busy with their own issues. Stephen is hiding from Salomé, gathering the power to fight her, while Clea lost her throne and is back to leading the rebelion against Dormammu. But they're mature enough to be aware that they still love each other.

After that, I don't believe there's a good representation of Clea until DODS, in which she's strong but also emotionally damaged for everything she'd been through. Waid's interpretation of her is okay, except that he ruined her memories and that was disgusting, especially when she's a woman literally being gaslighted by a male character. That's a huuuuuuuuuge no-no.

Now, with everything in mind, I can come up with a summary.

So basically I believe Clea - in a general context - is determined, stubborn, clever, powerful, definitely a girl boss, she dislikes when things are unspoken, she's not afraid of emotional conflict in a relationship because she wants to fix things rather than leaving it in the shadows, she's honest and willing to learn more about human culture, she questions certain social traditions, she IS a natural leader for she was the one to lead the rebellion against Dormammu, she became queen of the Dark Dimension once, even though she finds her duty a bit boring, she's definitely definitely definitely horny on main as much as Stephen, they both share the trait of loving too much, she hates when people underestimate her, she's independent and has lived centuries, which means she's wise enough to fight for what's right. Canonically speaking, she loves flowers, rabbits, popcorn, snow and flying. She will use magic to do silly tricks in order to make Stephen laugh. She's definitely an extrovert because she loves meeting people and learning more about human traditions. She's strong enough to bring Valkyrie back to life with her magic, and Val is one of her best friends for sure. She can ride Aragorn (Val's horse), which tells A LOT about her because Aragorn is picky. She also made Val's new outfit, and although little is shown, she's also close to Patsy. I think Clea is lonely as much as Stephen, but the difference is, she doesn't want to. I think she enjoys when she's surrounded by people. Clea never learned love until she met Stephen, but she deserves so much more than just a single romantic relationship.

Regarding MBIT... I'd say she's an ENF(T)P. She's an extrovert for sure, but she will definitely perceive the world by her impressions (this is how she fell in love with Stephen in the first place. I guess N is meant for sorcerers after all). I'm a bit conflicted about the F/T because, although she makes decisions based on her emotions (leaving Stephen because of Morgana and then confessing she still loves him in the middle of a battle), she also allows logic to dictate her fate (leaving Stephen to lead the rebellion because people are suffering). I suppose she's more mature now to make decicions based on logic so perhaps she's a T? Not sure about that tho. And lastly she is aware that magic is not about control so her mindset is probably based on letting things play out.

I think Clea is the type of character that is figuring things out as she goes. She's not perfect but she's strong and brave enough to fight for what she believes. She fights for love, most of all, and she's not afraid of being who she is. And this is precisely what makes her so interesting and my favorite match for Stephen. She makes him be a better man by allowing him to grow emotionally. She's the light of his dark heart, even though she doesn't know everything.

I guess this is pretty much everything I can offer about her. I hope it was enough! Have fun with your rp!!

[scrawnytreedemon]

AUGH JUST SAW YOUR RESPONSE OKAY *throws a small boy at you* Vaati!!! (please god I hope nobody asked about him while I wasn’t looking-)

THERE WE GOOOO!! And not to fear! We alone are mouse-boy enthusiasts in this chili's tonight.

Right! For some context, I've only had direct experience with Minish Cap, and that was via an LP. I have a general gist of his motivations in Four Sword and Four Sword Adventures, but nothing more; as such, my characterisation will largely hinge on his depiction in Minish Cap.

Without further ado--! Let's begin.

First impression: Oh god, there's a fair bit? I had the idea that he was this gloating, menacing but lowkey bland villain by wider-fanbase standards who fit the mould of your standard arrogant-cunt sorceror-- Either that, or this bitch Gumpy™. There were also characterisations of him being this leery fuck who didn't know how to keep his hands off women-- I imagine largely thanks to his deeds in Four Swords.

Impression now: He feels like something right out of some early '00s kid DeviantArt page and I mean that in the most delightful sense. He's literally an albino mouse-fairy boy who was an apprentice to one of the most revered sages in his people's society, only to go, "NO!!! I do n o t t e wish to be Tiny Mouse anymore!!!" and then fucking stole the cap and fucked shit up. Vaati comes across as so juvenile here, and I'm genuinely surprised I don't see people outside of hardcore-Vaati stans lean into this? Because that's pretty fucking important, the fact that he's essentially a preteen that stole a bunch of power to... become God??? His motivations are disjointed, and while it's smart that he sat back and watched instead of leaping in like many others(cough, cough, Ghirahim) tried to do, but at the same time it lends itself to an utter lack of presence on his part, as he game's antagonist-- And I suppose this methodology makes sense, considering he is a kid. I say this about every Zelda villain, and I'll say it about him too: there's alot of untapped potential at play here, I think, were you to merely examine his character or toss him into a room with others and see how that character plays out. Vaati's fundamental immaturity makes a good contrast or even unveiling in regards to the motivations of his compatriots; maybe calling into question whether any of them know what the fuck they're doing. On a minor note, he's alot more jovial than I anticipated. It's obviously of the aloof-sneering variety, but I really didn't expect it; again, I'm surprised no-one thinks to convey this? It was a pleasant little discovery.

Favorite moment: The twist-appearance as Link and Zelda flee to the Elemental Sanctuary-- I knew it was going to happen, if they'd left it there a major thread in regards Vaati's ascension would have gone unresolved. Even still, the bossfight afterwards was underwhelming, from the looks of things, y'know, considering he's a demigod, but again I think that ties back to his complete lack of experience and self-discipline; and I'll be real, I was side-eyeing Ezlo the entire time with how willing he seemed to dismiss Vaati and place all the blame on him; nevermind that Vaati was his charge, and his behaviour speaks to Ezlo's methods more than anything else, but I'm getting off track.

Idea for a story: I'd say a moment of quiet reflection; maybe he's hauled himself up to his (stolen) room after a long day, and we get insight into his thought process and motivations. Maybe even some second guesses-- Only briefly, of course. Why stop, when he's this close to becoming a God? But it's lonely at the top; lonelier than one can ever imagine. But who is he to worry? At least he'll be lonely and powerful, and with that power he'll... he'll... He'll get to it, whent he time comes.

Unpopular opinion: Probably that I find more mature, surly depictions of him jarring? But I'm guessing that has more to do with his FS and FSA appearances-- Again, limited scope here. I don't think this one will be particularly controversial by Tumblr Zelda standards, but I really found it so jarring how Ezlo and the narrative as a whole seems so keen on avoiding why Vaati got here? All we're told is that he was fascinated by the darkness in the hearts of men, but like, why? And why did that metastasise into such destructive tendencies? Because alot of people do get curious of morbid topics, and in regards to psychology, that can blossom into an education in that field should that spark be nurtured-- I think it would have been incredibly beneficial to have had a Minish capable of looking into man's darker nature and seeking caution based on that-- After all, wasn't Ezlo's inability to anticipate that what lead to all this? The only time I can remember when Ezlo properly touches on the issue is at the very end when he apologises to Princess Zelda, saying that it was his fault any of this happened-- And he's right to! Especially considering what Zelda's been through. But any consideration as to Vaati and what brought him here is sweeped under the rug immediately. There's no desire to examine this; no want to dirty their hands with this filth. And like, is that not concerning? Regardless of the affection in it that becomes apparent toward the end, Ezlo reprimands and talks down to Link on serveral occasions; am I the only one wondering what part that played in all of this? How it could have worsened an already precarious mind like Vaati's? To be very clear, this isn't an absolution of Vaati's deeds-- I have no interest in doing that, as I don't think villains need to be absolved in order to gain consideration; rather, this is a frustration of how Zelda once again refuses to give that consideration to its villains, save for the fleetest of moments.

Favorite relationship: The thing about Vaati is that he's isolated, almost completely divorced from the cast in any meaningful interpersonal way; all bridges are either burned, or absent. And that's jarring, isn't it? I think any relationship could be a good one, and take his character in a number of interesting directions. Link? A foil, in regards to them both being under Ezlo's tutelage, and a potential for him to examine his own maturity; a question if he retains any innocence yet; maybe, even, if any of this is worth that. Ezlo? A confronation of the past he seems all to eager to throw away; all the bitterness and the contempt, all the hurt they both seem loathe to acknowledge. Zelda? Well, she's in stone for most of the game so I don't know how that'd work, but assuming this is an AU where she's merely interned instead of petrified, I think the examination would be similar in regards to Link's, but with the questioning amped up to 100 late-arc, that despite everything he's doing to set himself above others he's taken a shine to her, and now he's stuck wanting to pursue his goals but also... He admires her. He can't help it. He's loathe to admit it, but that firey sweetness she seems to hold for everyone and everything is enthralling; and they all return it, too-- Maybe, just maybe, he considers, even a little, that love may be more desirable over power-- Whether he pursues it, however, is to be seen.

Favorite headcanon: Oh!!! God, I can't remember who suggested it, but when I was scrolling through the tag, someone brought up the idea that Vaati's boss-morphs might be the closest we have to actually catching a glimpse at Hylia's true form-- And I can see it, now! The whole eye-thing actually makes alot more sense, if you consider it cognate to the Sheikah All-Seeing Eye. On the whole, it's a wonderful headcanon that adds so much to what initally seems to be the epitome of Zelda's eye-fixation, tying a villainous character to something adjacent to light, to holiness. If I might throw another idea in here, my own observation, I can't help wondering if this:

Is far more akin to this:

Than anything else.

It's certainly make Ezlo's horror at Vaati's new form more understandable, and also serve as a lovely tie-in that Fuckign Around With Dark Forces™ leaves you looking like a little goblin person.

But yeah! That's that :) Sorry I'm late, hopefully though this makes up for that.

DO let me know what you think, though! I'd be delighted to hear your own thoughts on the matter.

[kanansdume]

It's absolutely an issue in other major franchises helmed by men. I hadn't really considered Padme in light of the idea that she'd make a better Jedi than Anakin before. I think the claim could be true inasmuch as if she'd been found and brought to the Temple early, she'd make a perfectly good Jedi, but the same is true of Anakin anyway. Padme is generally more inclined to try to help people for the sake of helping people rather than because she wants to be a hero and is, in general, less genocidal than Anakin. So sure, she'd make a better Jedi than Anakin, but not by a hell of a lot. It's an interesting thought experiment for me to take characters like Padme and Anakin who are so defined by their selfish choices and attachments and try to figure out what kind of people they would be if they were more normal Jedi who had been brought to the Temple as babies. How do you keep the aspects of their characters that make them who they are while changing them enough to fit the new circumstances? Who is Anakin without his fear of authority and his attachment to his mother and his desire for commitment in his relationships and his dream of being a hero? Who is Padme without her seething rage at injustice and her dream of having a family she can raise on Naboo?

But that's getting off topic.

I think "well-rounded" might be pushing how I think of characters like Luminara, Aayla, Shaak Ti, and Depa just because we see so little of them that we truly don't know them all that well. Particularly if we stick only to high canon or Lucas canon. They're wonderful characters, but I just don't know that I'd call them "well-rounded." I agree that it's nice that the narrative manages to acknowledge when they're wrong sometimes without vilifying them for it, though. The height of grandeur for a female character in Star Wars lol!

Characters I might utilize instead would be Hera and Sabine in Rebels, who I WOULD count as "well-rounded" due to how much we get to know them and how many more struggles we see them go through and overcome. They're absolutely allowed to be wrong about things and have flaws without being vilified for those flaws, too. If we want to use TCW characters, I'd probably go for Trace and Rafa from season 7 even though we only get those four episodes with them. Within the Lucas years of TCW, though? Female characters tend to fall into one of two categories: perfect heroes, or villains/antagonists.

I think the fact that the rest of TCW seems to take the Jedi's side in their choices during the war when Satine isn't around kind-of is why I don't believe she's intended as a foil for him. It's not that it was intended that way and didn't work, but that that just was never her purpose. She opposes him because they want her to come across as his intellectual match and one of the easiest ways to do that is to have them argue with each other on opposing sides of a topic and try to present them as equally valid. A thin line and a slight difference, maybe, but I don't know that there's much more to her opposing opinion than just trying to make her look like she's equal to Obi-Wan in wits. Narrative foils for me need some kind of grander thematic element to them that Satine and Obi-Wan just... don't have.

Obi-Wan and Padme I might be willing to budge on, particularly within ROTS based on your argument. Mostly because it's obviously intended as a parallel between Padme and LUKE, with Obi-Wan on a particular side of that argument, but there's still a thematic throughline with Obi-Wan giving up on Anakin while Padme and Luke do not. And where Padme failed, Luke will succeed.

I think giving Obi-Wan a romance is lazy, to be perfectly honest. Like sure, it's a valid thing to explore with him, but it's also been done to death and it's boring. I think that's part of why I love the Jedi Apprentice books' Melida/Daan arc and how they explore Obi-Wan's relationship to the Jedi via his relationship to Qui-Gon and other children in the galaxy. I think giving Obi-Wan a romance, even if done in a more respectful and in character way, doesn't tell us a hell of a lot about Obi-Wan as a character that we don't already know. It's just there because audiences like romance plots and they're comparing him to Anakin.

I think TCW still generally has a lot of Lucas's ideas and themes in there given the influence we know he had over it and that he WAS able to override a lot of Legends ideas people wanted to bring in (see how different TCW's Mandalorians are to Legends Mandalorians and the ways Filoni immediately changed them in Rebels and now The Mandalorian once Lucas was out of the picture, and also Grievous's backstory completely changing in TCW as well to make him entirely unsympathetic). I think the Jedi, as you've noted before, still generally come across as noble and doing the right thing in the war. Right up until season 7 which was obviously done after Lucas had sold Star Wars to Disney and Filoni had more creative control and now we get things like Trace and Rafa shitting on Luminara and Ahsoka calling the Jedi TOO political, etc. Ahsoka is absolutely Filoni's personal mouthpiece, but I do think she mostly becomes that after Lucas leaves. Her reason for leaving in Season 5 is "I can't trust MYSELF anymore" which changes by season 7 to be more accusatory towards the Jedi.

I've got plenty of issues with the way they characterize Anakin (I think it focuses much more on Anakin's anger than his fear which was done to make him more likable) and the way their female characters get girlbossified to death, but at least most of TCW still seems to be ON THE JEDI'S SIDE as long as Lucas was involved. I think Filoni believes he likes the Jedi, I don't think he sees himself as anti-Jedi at all, he's just coming into Star Wars with a lot of the same opinions and interpretations of them that came from Legends where the Jedi were closer to medieval knights than warrior monks and so the closer he can get them to that portrayal, the happier he is. It's an incredibly common perspective on the Jedi, but one that's very frustrating to have to deal with from someone who is as involved in Star Wars as he currently is.

I do think Filoni is MOSTLY there on the Jedi, his writing of both Kanan and Ezra in Rebels is pretty good! There's a lot of stuff in there that really works with the way Lucas would have written them, to be honest. They're obviously existing in a world where the institution of the Jedi Order from the prequels is gone and so they are able to sort-of exemplify both what Lucas understood the Jedi to be and what Filoni WANTS the Jedi to be, but there's enough of Lucas's Jedi in there to make them work. I think we see this, as well, in the way Luke is portrayed in The Mandalorian with his handling of Grogu's situation. And that's in some ways what's most frustrating to me about Filoni's interpretation of the Jedi and this particular perspective in general: they get it right like 75% of the time, they LOVE the Jedi and do mostly understand some of the concepts Lucas was trying to get across, which makes that 25% seem all the more of a betrayal when it happens.

Of course, thinking about how Bo-Katan and Satine's father's treatment of them influenced Bo-Katan's terrible choices actually starts to shed some light on SATINE'S terrible choices, too.

Because as much as Bo-Katan would've dug her heels in and refused to compromise on her beliefs regarding traditional Mandalorian values and what their father would've wanted, Satine would've dug her heels in just the same and refused to compromise on her OWN opposite beliefs.

Which leads us to how Satine treats Obi-Wan and her disregard and dismissal of the Jedi and the situation they're in. There is nothing Obi-Wan could ever say that would convince Satine that the Jedi fighting in the war is a necessary evil. Nothing. He'll NEVER be able to convince her otherwise because Satine likely got completely dismissed by her father for her choice to be a pacifist or her arguments that Mandalorian infighting was supremely stupid. She was her father's EMBARRASSMENT and she likely knew it just as well as Bo-Katan did. I imagine she was asked to change her mind a lot or to just give up and compromise because she was the heir or something to that effect and she never ever allowed herself to because she knew that she was RIGHT.

But this leads to her refusing to see any kind of nuance in the Jedi's situation. It leads to a VERY limited definition of what it means to be a "peacekeeper" that doesn't take into account what you do what someone else attacks YOU. She claims she's not against the idea of defending herself, but cannot wrap her head around the idea that the Jedi fighting on behalf of the Republic IS them defending themselves and their people. Obi-Wan TRIES to argue his side of it, tries to make her see that refusing to fight would do nothing but allow the Separatists to kill and enslave and oppress everyone in the Republic, and Satine will hear NONE of it. She's completely and entirely convinced that she's right and refuses to budge on the topic to the point that she's willing to get into a screaming match with Obi-Wan about it in public.

This doesn't excuse or condone her arrogance and refusal to compromise or understand someone else's situation, but it at least adds some context to it to help make that unfortunate aspect of her personality make more SENSE. I know where it comes from now, and that lets me see it in a different light even if I still don't agree with her. Because while she was right about the Mandalorians (mostly), she was WRONG about the Jedi. She was wrong about the Separatists.