#also in episode prompto when noct is like “i’m gonna change the world and make it a better place. you with me?”

[pinkkittysaw]

PROMPTIS IS SO BOYFRIEND CODED!!!!! 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

[spectreblanc]

Why Episode Ignis SUCKS!

So, here I am.

Episode Ignis is morally corrupt AND bad for the gaming industry. I'm serious. This kind of catering to the fans could seriously ruin the gaming industry if it isn't ruined already.

I wasn't originally going to say anything about what I thought of Episode Ignis, and I'm aware that this will probably earn me a steady stream of hate on this blog, but I don't care because I really hate the way Tabata just keeps vomiting out whatever he THINKS we want to see. And when said "vomit" comes in the form of some VERY disturbing themes- not only within the narrative, but in story-telling itself- that's when I just gotta say something.

None of this is fan theories or trying to figure out what's really happened or trying to fill in plot holes. It's clear both endings have plot holes. This blog is just WHAT'S WRONG WITH EPISODE IGNIS AND WHY I HATED IT. And why, in my opinion, it didn't fix anything.

I've compiled my reasons into one little...big blog. Divided into chapters for organization.

(I'm not borrowing anybody's opinions or theories, btw. I wrote this blog before I even knew anyone had similar fan reactions to mine about the alternate ending.)

The date I started writing this in One Note was Dec 14, in case anyone is interested. No? Okay.

So buckle up, and don't say I didn't warn you...

HEAVY SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT

CHAPTERS:

1. IGNIS IS OUT OF CHARACTER 2. IGNIS IS A SELFISH PRICK 3. IGNIS TAKES OVER EVERONE ELSE'S ROLE 4. THE ORIGINAL STORY'S BUILD-UP AND CLIMAX IS GROSSLY OFFSET 5. WHY THE ORIGINAL STORY IS BETTER 6. COMPARING FFXV'S STORY TO OTHER GREAT EPICS 7. BAD MORAL/MESSAGE 8. THIS ENDING IS NOT CANON 9. PURE FANSERVICE 10. LINGERING QUESTIONS 11. OTHER THINGS I PERSONALLY DIDN'T LIKE 12. IN CONCLUSION

Okay, saying episode Ig sucks is kind of shameless clickbait, I admit. The episode proper was actually great and I really enjoyed it. It was compelling, exciting and answered enough questions. The alternate ending part... Not so much.

Keep in mind that most of my criticism is directed toward the Alternate Ending, and from a story-teller's vantage point, but there is a bit directed toward the main episode as well. And this is just STORY criticism. The gameplay elements of Episode Ignis and the visuals and music were great. No complaints there.

So, let's get started!

1. IGNIS IS OUT OF CHARACTER

We're all familiar with the bespectacled, level-headed, pensive advisor that is Ignis Scientia. With his cool logical methods, he is the one the bros- and most importantly Noct- rely on as their anchor. The voice of reason in the medley of chaotic situations which they often find themselves. But, watch out! Throw a magic ring and a prophetic vision into the mix, and he becomes a one-man recipeh for disaster, who's ready to literally burn the world! See what I mean:

-Ignis doesn't use any of the cool decision-making skills we've come to expect from him in the main game. He's all raw emotion and flights of fancy now.

-He's never shown signs of obsessive protectiveness over Noct before. He cares, yes, but one little vision makes him completely lose his ability to examine the situation and think clearly. This is a direct contradiction to everything we've previously learned about his personality!

-The creators of episode Ignis also based the alternate ending on the comradeship that was built up in the story parts that THEY CUT OFF. The close bonds that the bros come to forage during the later parts of the game never happen, thus making their actions (and especially IGNIS'S actions) unrealistic. Remember, all that's happened to the bros at this point is a few hours on the road trip in the regalia, they've captured a few summons, collected a few weapons... Nothing has really happened. No death, no vision loss, Ignis and the others act like the story proper has already taken place.

2. IGNIS IS A SELFISH PRICK

The alternate ending seems innocent enough. Ardyn threatens to kill Ignis, and he has little choice but to put on the ring and defend himself. But it's what Ignis says first that is highly disturbing. Ignis's words are at best emotionally compromised-- at worst, EVIL. Let's listen in on some quotes:

-"This world means nothing to me. Do with it as you wish!" (To Ardyn) (TO ARDYN!!!!)

-"A world without him isn't worth saving!" ??? What about Prompto and Gladio? What about Iris, Cindy, Cid and Aranea, you BLATHERING BOBBY-SOCK??? ...Actually they never make nice with Aranea if this happens, do they... Huh.

-"I refuse to let Noctis sacrifice himself!" Again, "I refuse to do this." "I refuse to do that." Ignis isn't thinking about what is really best for Noct and the others. He's thinking about himself and what he wants or doesn't want. Isn't that Noct's choice? Did you ask him? Ig only wants it to go HIS way. Like, Dude, just because your bud might die, you'll let the world burn? That's not your choice!

And I'm sorry, this isn't self sacrificing or beautiful. It's DANGEROUS for Ignis to be thinking this way, much less get praised for it. He's willing to throw away everything everyone has sacrificed up until that point. Regis, Luna, Nyx, EVERYBODY. Ignis didn't 'rebel against fate'. He acted selfishly without consulting any of his friends, and only by the good grace of Tabata did it work.

-Ignis doesn't believe in Noctis. Regis and Luna both believed in him, but Ignis sees one vision and freaks the hell out. He is like: "No, I will make all these decisions for Noct. I will not allow him to decide if he wants to go through with it. I'll risk burning the world down instead." Whatever happened to "Stand by Me"?

-after he learns of Noct's potential death, Ignis tries to make Noctis discontinue his journey. Even though he knows now that Noct is the only one who has the power to save the world! And just as Noct is beginning to realize how important it is! Just on the heels of Luna's death! He's only thinking that he doesn't want Noct to die because he's SELFISH.

-Ignis treads dangerously close to the same path as Ardyn in the alternate ending and it's NOT RIGHT that he can do the same thing, yet have a better result. Selfishness ALWAYS leads to harming those we wish to protect most.

-I CAN'T BELIEVE THE LUCII FOUND HIM WORTHY OF THEIR POWER WHEN HE JUST DECLARED HE WOULD LET ARDYN BURN THE WORLD DOWN! Sense made: 0%

3. IGNIS TAKES OVER EVERONE ELSE'S ROLE

Say hello to you new protagonist everybody! Ignis Scientia effectively usurps the lead position from Noctis. (And everybody else's positions too.) Watch this:

-Ignis takes over Noct's role of the game's protagonist/hero.

-Ignis takes over Gladio's role as Noct's guardian. He says something like: "I swore an oath to protect him!" No, Ignis. That's Gladio's job. You are a cook, remember? Now be a good boy and come up with a new recipeh for us.

-Ignis takes over Prompto's role as Ardyn's hostage in Gralea.

-Ardyn reveals his true identity to Ignis (a complete stranger) and Noctis never finds out??? Idk.

-Ignis takes over Ardyn’s role as the guy who’s gonna burn the world.

-Ignis takes everyone's role for himself except his own, which was to be the pensive, intelligent and dependable advisor. He totally takes leave of his brain!

4. THE ORIGINAL STORY'S BUILD-UP AND CLIMAX IS GROSSLY OFFSET

-The train ride to Gralea, Noctis coming to terms with Luna's death, finding the strength to wear the ring-- all this character development and story arcs NEVER HAPPEN! Noct just decides on the spot that he's gonna hop right into the crystal and... That's basically it. No doubts or fears or hesitation like he had in the original story. Nope, we skip all the development and cut right to the chase. The previous build-up made him a human, relatable and interesting character. It made us stand up and cheer for Noct. Now, just the sight of Ignis messed up on the ground and BOOM! Skip straight to the ending. Character development and struggles be damned! Such an immediate decision as Noct makes is not only highly unrelated to his character, but doesn't even make for a good story. I don't know how people say it does.

-Everything becomes too easy. Luna's death and Iggy's vision loss stirs up some serious turbulence that the bros have to work out before they continue their journey. All this is skipped in the alternate ending.

-Ignis's vision loss becomes just a tease.

-There's no penalty for using the ring's ultimate power to banish Ardyn for good. Noctis's survival doesn't make any sense. It's kinda easy to defy fate when there's no consequences for any of your actions, eh? Seriously, there's no consequences to putting on the ring and summoning the Knights of the Round to defeat Ardyn and restore light. This is wildly out of whack with every way the ring's magic has worked until this point. (That is: draining life force in exchange for magic.)

-Noctis doesn't die defeating Ardyn now? Just because Ig used the ring on him ten years ago, doesn't mean he's still weakened all this time later. And if it does, then we should just do this all the time. There's no good explanation for this that I've seen.

-And why would Ardyn still go through with his plan. I mean, you can't exact revenge on your own bloodline and the crystal if you're not strong enough to at least take him down with you, Ard.

-Luna and Noctis's "love story" (big fan) is stepped all over. Not that it was well written to begin with, but now her death has no effect on Noctis or anything that comes after. I guess Tabata's no good with commitment to relationships.

-Ignis trying to "change fate" is like saying every other character didn't try to figure out EVERY possible way to save Noctis. Do you think Luna wouldn't have tried to find a way to save her only friend? DO YOU THINK REGIS WOULDN'T HAVE TRIED TO FIND A WAY TO SAVE HIS OWN SON?? No, they were basically stuck-up bigots who were willing to sacrifice Noct because it was convenient. Yep. Not buying it. I mean, Ravus looked for years for another way for Luna to fulfill her calling without spending life force (even selling his own soul in the process) and couldn't do it, and suddenly Iggy just snaps his fingers and BOOM! "I've come up with a new way to fix everything!" Imma call bogus on that one.

-Now the Genesis artwork makes no sense, because Noct never had a blind companion.

-Luna's t- t-...tr...TRUE feelings for Noct are never disclosed via Gentiana/Shiva.

-Ardyn is now on the losing end for the bulk of the game. Horrible dramatization!

-The world of darkness now has reduced meaning because everyone now knows Noct is gonna be back and kick Ardyn's backside in a bit.

5. WHY THE ORIGINAL STORY IS BETTER

I say "story" and not "ending" because it's pretty obvious how much of a change there is to the story, depending on which ending you choose.

So, there's a generally accepted fan theory that Noctis never had a choice in his destiny and was basically funnelled down the path to complete it by the prophecy and/or the Astrals and/or the Knights of the Round. Not going to name any names, of course, but there's this thing that the FFXV fandom says: "Noctis never had a choice but to sacrifice himself. That he was the slave of the prophecy and the Astrals were using him." That he was a victim of circumstance. That it "wasn't fair". Like somehow the prophecy and Astrals were forcing Noct to kill himself.

I've never seen any real evidence to support this. On the contrary, no one is forcing Noctis to do this. The prophecy's not something you can rebel against. A prophecy is just a foretelling of something that is to come. It doesn't force anybody to do anything. In fact, it's only fair that Noctis know what's coming if he chooses to go through with his destiny. A last chance to turn and run from it if he so wishes. In fact, it would be unfair if he had no warning whatsoever.

The magic of the ring is what kills Noct. We know that the more magic one uses, the more life force is drained (see KG and ep Ig). Like simple Physics: what goes up must come down. He who uses the magic must sacrifice life force. That's what magic runs on. (like king Regis ages more quickly as he uses magic to keep up the new wall) It's nobody's fault. As the only one with the power to use as much magic needed to defeat Ardyn, (even the Astrals can't) Noctis has a choice to make. Surrender his life force to kill Ardyn, or give up and run. THAT is Noct's choice.

And he makes conscious decisions to sacrifice himself many times throughout the story. This is what makes our heroes and heroines worth looking up to. Putting aside their own desires and doing the best for everyone.

"I think I can do it... I won't let you down!" He tells Luna.

Still, Noctis had many chances to run. He could have turned from his responsibility and turned back. But he knew his Dad and Luna and the bros and the WORLD was counting on him. By the time he emerges from the crystal we see his resolve. He's made his decision and he'll see it through.   Because only HE can. Only the chosen. By the ending campfire scene and when he takes Prompto's photo as a keepsake, it's clear he'd made his choice. And the bros RESPECT IT. They STAND BY HIM. There's none of this second-guessing stuff or making decisions for Noct.

As for being a victim of circumstance, aren't all heroes?

Ardyn, for one. Here we have an example of a man who could have been a hero, but his jealousy of his brother led him to do things that led him to hurting those he once swore to help. Noctis didn't let this responsibility drag him into the depths of despair and spite like Ardyn did.

The important thing is that Noctis makes the right choice. If he didn't, he would have ended up like poor, corrupted, jealous Ardyn.

As I said before, Ignis treads dangerously close to the same path as Ardyn in the alternate ending, and it's NOT RIGHT that he can do the same thing, yet achieve a better result. Selfishness ALWAYS leads to harming those we wish to protect most.

A direct corruption of morals.

6. COMPARING FFXV'S STORY TO OTHER GREAT EPICS

Seems like a good time to reference Lord of the Rings, since it's obvious Final Fantasy gets a lot of inspiration from there:

For example: It was never Frodo's choice to inherit Sauron's ring of power, but as the story progresses, he learns to accept his burden, because he understands that if he can't destroy it, then no one will. Even as it becomes abundantly clear that it will cost him his life. It's the doubt and fear that Frodo overcomes that makes him a true hero. He's faced with a situation no one would choose, but isn't that how all heroes are made? In the end he chooses to do what's right.

Likewise Noctis: As the chosen King of light, Noctis finds himself in a situation no one would choose. But it's how he handles it-- forces on in spite of everything -- because he knows it has to be done. And like Frodo, he finds himself the only one who has the means to do it. And he does it because it's the RIGHT thing.

And that's the ONLY kind of hero worth looking up to.

Other elements of the two stories match up too, like four protagonists set out on a journey, one with a very special mission, although they all will have to sacrifice part of themselves to see it through. 

Speaking of which, let's take a look at the similarities between the theme songs:

In Dreams, by Howard Shore:

When the cold of winter comes,   Starless night will cover day, In the veiling of the sun , We will walk in bitter rain, But in dreams, I can hear your name, And in dreams, We will meet again,

And now Stand by Me, by Ben E. King:

When the night has come, And the land is dark, And the moon is the only light we'll see, No, I won't be afraid, Oh, I won't be afraid, Just as long as you stand, Stand by me,

As you can see, both songs tell of the world being enveloped in darkness, but the bravery of the heroes spurs them on to complete their task with the help of their friends, because the world and all good things in the world DEPEND ON IT.

And, yes it's nice if there's an easy way out. A quick way to escape hardship and possible death. And in real life this even happens a lot, but those are the stories you never hear about because there's no sacrifice, effort and determination in them. For instance, if the Great eagles were to grab the ring of power, fly over to Mt. Doom and plop it in the lava, that wouldn't be a real story worth listening to.

Likewise, if Iggy were to put on the ring of the Lucii FOR Noctis, and defeat Ardyn halfway through the game, pretty much skipping the journey and the evolution of the characters, then that wouldn't be a good story, would it?

Why do you think you're so heart broken when Noctis finally does decide to sacrifice himself? Because, you got to know him and his friends throughout their journey. Their struggles. You felt like you were actually there through the ups and downs, observing all their actions. Taking part even. Through their hardship you learned to LOVE these characters and care about the choices they make.

That's how it should be. That's what makes every good story GREAT.

Look around. All your favourite stories follow the same pattern. It's not something we can dispense with to make ourselves feel better. It's OUR responsibility not to.

Okay, that got a lot deeper a lot faster than it had to, but you have to see, that Noct's sacrifice is in no way unfair or bogus. It's HIS choice.

7. BAD MORAL/MESSAGE

-So, the message the alternate ending portrays is basically: "Just act irrationally and irresponsibly on your own whims and desires. Without consulting your friends and the people who's decision this REALLY is. Things will come up aces ;)"

-Throw out your rational-thinking self-sacrificing heroes boys and girls, because here's one hot-head who NONE of the rules apply to!

-Heroes are made by the great deeds they do, and the obstacles they overcome. I guess heroes don't overcome their struggles anymore. They just go berserk and look for the quickest, easiest way out. And yay! They find it! What d'ya know. ;p

-The theme of Final Fantasy is not necessarily to "rebel against fate, or the powers that be". The theme of Final Fantasy has always been to overcome your obstacles, push forward and to do WHAT'S RIGHT, no matter the circumstance. No matter what the cost. Even if it's your own life. That's what's always been important about the Final Fantasy games I'VE played. That's the message I've always taken away from not only the Final Fantasy stories, but all great adventures in general. That's the true message to be learned.

8. THE ALTERNATE ENDING IS NOT CANON

-People have noted already that the ending is called "Possibilities" therefore indicating that you can take it or leave it. Like something that might have happened if Ignis had taken Ardyn up on his deal to come to Gralea.

-You can only play the alternate ending if you ALREADY played the first one, which leads one to believe that that's how the game is supposed to be played.

-You're seriously gonna make me invest in a DLC to get the "Canon" ending? (A whole year after the game came out?)

-Square Enix has even confirmed that the ending is not canon, but rather a 'possibility'.

9. PURE FANSERVICE

-Just because fans bugged hard enough for an easy way out. A blatant suck-up! At a time when fan service is butchering the industry! Calling this disaster "canon" is giving Tabata an easy way out of his responsibility. A responsibility to do it right the FIRST time, not just patch all your mistakes later. (If you can call this "patching") We paid for the GAME, not fan service.

-We all wish for that perfect ending where nobody dies and everything turns up roses, but at the cost of proper development, REAL heroic sacrifices and grievances and battle scars, I say NO.

10. LINGERING QUESTIONS AND PLOT HOLES

-So, remember that part when Noctis is lying there on the ground, and Ignis is lying there too and Ardyn offers to take Ignis to Gralea to lure Noctis to the crystal...? The key words were: Noctis is just lying there... Yep.

-What's up with those visions? Luna sending them? There's no way she would send those to him, because why? He's a random stranger who will just freak out and burn down the world if he sees them. It seems only to set up the alternate ending. And that makes me really mad. There's no way Luna would give Ignis the idea to turn from his path. Not after how strongly she and Regis and everybody believed in Noct. There's NO reason Ignis needs to know this. UGH!

-Why does the ring hurt when Ig puts it on? It didn't hurt Nyx.

-Ardyn reveals his true identity to Ignis (a complete stranger) and Noctis never finds out??? Idk.

-Why does Ardyn taunt Ignis (a total stranger) into thinking he's going to kill Noct? What purpose does that serve?

-Why was Ardyn shocked to see the ring in the alternate ending, but in the main episode he wasn't worried?

-Why could Noctis command the crystal so easily in the alternate ending, when it was ignoring him in the main game?

-What happened to the Niflhiem Empire? Did Ardyn still kill Iedolas?

-Why doesn't Ardyn kill Ravus/turn him into a demon? So much for wiping out the bloodline of the oracle. :p

-How come in the original story, Ravus is fooled by Ardyn disguising himself (as Noct),and Ardyn then kills him, but in ep Iggy, he sees right through the fake Gladio?

-And to top it all off, Iggy walks up to Noct at the end and mouths "Your Majesty", which is already starting to spark theories that that was ARDYN! Personally, I don't buy into the theory, but why the tease?????

11. OTHER THINGS I PERSONALLY DIDN'T LIKE

-It was short. Come on, we waited until December for and hour and a half of gameplay? Episode Prompto was way longer and fuller. (And raised a lot less questions...)

-All fangirl squealing aside, Iggy's outfit changes were kinda lame.

-All that money spent on an alternative ending when the main game is starving for patches...?

-Throughout the episode proper, we get dumb clips that intentionally set up the alternate ending. Like those visions and Ravus not dying/turning into a demon. They don't even serve a purpose into the main story.

-The blatant disregard for commitment to a story.

-The voice acting was a bit off in parts. Like, sometimes Iggy is just standing there screaming. Lol

-Ignis didn't come up with ONE new recipe!

12. IN CONCLUSION

-Tabata is spineless!

-Ahem, sorry. So yeah. Everything in this new ending is pretty messed up. The first one had it's issues, but this one to me is 10,000,000,000,872.5 times worse. It's hollow, with no backbone, and plays out like a cheesy fan fic I would pass up on AO3.

-Look, I love sweety, fluffy, nonsensical endings and happily ever afters and shippy ships too, but if Tabata sees the rate at which we're lapping up this sugar and rainbow vomit, he'll wonder why he should even waste time developing fleshed out characters with real struggles and cohesive stories, and we'll be stuck in this cheap fan service HELL forever! And that's disrespectful to true story tellers and well established character arcs everywhere! Disrespectful to the name of Final Fantasy!

-So yeah. That's all I wanted to say. I'll say no more on why I hate the alternate ending, because I know a lot of people liked it. I just wanted my friends to know why I'm won't be hopping up on this alternate ending train any time soon. ^^

Thanks for reading. Stay epic, you guys!

[caseyvalhalla]

@junecsea tagged me to gush about 10 favorite characters and by god this is the meme that was made for me. presented here in no particular order and under a cut because I HAVE A LOT TO SAY OK

Kurama (Yu Yu Hakusho)

I was in love with him from the moment I first watched him kill another demon in cold blood. Listen. When you can make murder terrifyingly sexy you don't need any other skills. When you're a violent nerd devoted to your aesthetic in addition to being more brilliant than anyone else, who trails rivals along who seem deeply confused about whether they want to defeat you or just want you, when you can summon literal fucking plant nightmares from the depths of hell and flip your hair like it's nbd, then you can step to Kurama. He's fucking beautiful and he will grow flowers in your corpse.

Roxas (Kingdom Hearts)

Look. Look.

Do you see this shit. Do you see this pure little smile and his teeth, do you see the way his eyes squint when he does it, do you see the genuine love exuding from his being and does it kill you because you know every inch of the pain and loss and invalidation he has been through and has yet to go through? Do you see it. Do you feel it crushing your soul. Are you crying yet because I am. I'm crying right now. (Look I also have an old meta post gushing about how much I love Roxas here.)

Kurapika (Hunter x Hunter)

Okay so once upon a time I was watching a thing and the first time this guy appeared onscreen he saw a spider and his eyes turned red and he wasted it and I was like "I feel this kid in my soul," and then he did this:

and I was like this is it, this is the end, I can feel my soul departing my body as we speak, I am now devoted completely to this boy and that friends, that was the beginning of the end. That is how you enroll yourself in Eternal Suffering. Would I have done things differently, would Past Me have turned away from this utter perfection, if I knew I would spend my ensuing years yelling 'PLEASE STOP THIS PLEASE LOVE YOURSELF GOD FUCKING DAMMIT WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS' at television screens and manga panels? idk

Victor Nikiforov (Yuri On Ice)

So I wrote an entire fanfic that was basically my treatise on Why I Love Victor Nikiforov and So Can You. The thing about Victor is that you don't really get what his deal is until episode 10 and then it hits you all at once and it hits you hard. Like. This guy you thought was a rock star playboy world champion is actually an insufferable nerd who fell hopelessly in love with a sloppy undressed blackout drunk Yuuri Katsuki who pole-danced at a formal banquet and begged Victor to coach him in his underwear with his tie around his head and Victor. Did. He dropped everything for a pretty Japanese boy who showed him a good time because he was miserable and trapped alone at the top of a golden pedestal and dancing with Yuuri made him feel happy and alive again and he wasn't afraid to chase that happiness. Also just:

look at how pure this is. Really look. Feel it embrace your being. Feel it in your bones.

Wolfram von Bielefeld (Kyo Kara Maou/maruMA series)

Alright so I've already made a long post about all of the things I love and appreciate about Lord Bielefeld, former Third Prince, Mazoku of Flame, and fiance to the 26th Maou of Shin Makoku that you can read here but like. This guy. Do you love character development? Do you love it when characters realize that they were wrong, that they had toxic ideas and behaviors, and when they consciously set out to change them and make up for their wrongs and do better? Do you love seeing how love makes a character into a stronger and better version of himself even when there is no guarantee his love will be returned? (Also do you like canon queer characters? Because that is also a thing.) And yall I loved the anime but you really have to read the novels to see what a brilliantly realized character Wolf is and I just. Fucking LOVE him.

Prompto Argentum (Final Fantasy XV)

I'm positive at this point that Square Enix has made it their personal mission to destroy my life in particular and their weapon of choice is blond boys with spiky hair. Idk if I need to explain to you guys just how fucking much that scene with Prompto and Noct on the motel roof just fucking devastated me because a) of course it did and b) how could it NOT. He just. Wants to be loved. He just wants to be ENOUGh and it's oto lase i'md cryyy

Mikorin/Mikoshiba Mikoto (Monthly Girls Nozaki-kun)

I relate to Mikorin because I too

say things and immediately regret them

get embarrassed easily

fail at socializing and need to be rescued

desperately want to be helpful and looked up to

am weak to compliments and easily manipulated by them

take an eternity to warm up to new people and almost immediately revert to lurking in a corner like a gremlin

plan my life around video game releases

am a hopeless nerd who tries to be cool and often gives off the impression of being cool up until the reality of being a hopeless nerd becomes apparent

Nezumi (No.6)

Another canon queer in the lineup and another situation where the anime version of a character manages to not be as amazing as the original novel and again I wrote an entire post about him years ago that says much more than I could gush about here and is also full of spoilers but man. You know. This is a guy who specializes in portraying women in theater, who is so traumatized that he has a panic attack when his crush touches him, who cries when Shion kisses him goodbye and lies about it. He has mice friends. He builds robots. And he lives in a fucking book vault. He's a nerd and a badass and is so, so deeply messed up but not beyond redemption. I like to think he'll come back, eventually.

Natsume Takashi (Natsume's Book of Friends)

Why are all of these traumatized boys that I regularly cry about. Why do i love characters who tear my heart into pieces? At least Natsume is nice and soft about it. Like. Have you ever watched this show? Its like the feeling you get on a warm summer afternoon with just the right smell of grass in the air that reminds you of being young and carefree and ignorant of the world's cruelty and you ache for the loss of that simplicity and the sincerity with which your younger self experienced life. In the middle of this soft nostalgic melancholy is this boy who is slowly learning to love and trust the people (and spirits) around him after years of being ostracized and its. Fucking beautiful. It's slow and sad and gorgeous. I'm such a mess.

Keith (Voltron Legendary Defender)

I was not a huge Keith fan at first. I mean, he was there, he was kind of a boss, it was cool, and then s2 happened and he started to grow on me, and the s3 happened and GOOD LORD but you know. You know what, that fucking vlog. That is what did it. Not the show itself. A three minute promo clip where he muses on his bad temper and defense mechanisms and storms off stage because he's gonna cry. Apparently showing emotional vulnerability and fear of rejection is all it takes for me to be willing to fucking die for you. Please just let this boy be happy. Love him. Give him hugs. Get him the fuck back to the Castle and his family because being a Blade is great and all but it's gonna get him killed if he keeps going like this. Just burrito him up in a blanket and hand him off to Shiro, problem solved. Mostly.

aaaaaaaand i guess I will tag @sylvermyth, @the-smallest-kurapika, @adulterclavis, @deadfreckledboys, @xigspicelatte, @opallight, and @painpackerrisingsun to do this if you want to! Anyone I didn’t tag can definitely take up the meme as well.

[siren-dragon]

Brothers In Arms - Noctis and Prompto drabble *SPOILERS!*

Hey everyone, guess who’s feeling a bit sad today. :(

Anyway, I finished Episode Prompto and was inspired to write this, even though its not Ardyn. Plus, this is my first time writing both Prompto and Noctis for a fic. By the way, this is about a friendship, not a romance; so don’t be disappointed.

Now, this will have SPOILERS for Episode Prompto, so if you haven’t played it; I highly recommend it and also don’t read this fic. Please enjoy.

The icy temperature of the Niflheim tundra seemed to wrap around him like a vice, despite the fire that sat beside him. Prompto stared out across the frozen lake, half wondering if the fish within were as iced over as the water itself. He bet even Noct would cast a line regardless of the frigid weather, eager to see what new aquatic creature he could reel in.

Glancing down at his wrist, Prompto took in the sight of the barcode that was printed upon his flesh; more like a brand then simple tattoo. Quickly he tugged down the sleeve of his coat and wrapped his arms around his knees, staring into the flickering flames as his mind wandered. Even now he thought back to his friend…

“Why did I even talk to him?” Prompto spoke aloud, his voice keeping the horrid silence at bay. “I knew I was…different. So why did I….”

Prompto knew that he was not the…most active kid and his weight certainly took a toll on his self-confidence. But deep down, even at that age; he felt empty. And for a while, he was okay with that. He didn’t really need friends and the loneliness he felt was easier to deal with; so, he kept himself isolated. But then Noct transferred into his class that spring morning and changed everything. It was only when Prompto saw the prince in person that he realized he too suffered from a crippling loneliness.

And it was like looking in a mirror.

Did he truly look just like that? Quietly lost within his own thoughts as he shut away everyone from the outside. Maybe that was why he truly wanted to be Noct’s friend. Not to support him at Lunafreya’s behest or guide and guard him like Ignis and Gladio did. No, it was because Prompto saw himself in the young prince…and he hated the reflection he saw.

“At least changing my body helped.” Prompto laughed, remembering the tiring hours of physical exercise he performed.

Oh, if there was only one regret he had it was delaying his official ‘meeting’ of Noct. If he had spoken to his friend earlier, their friendship would have been longer. What years wasted…

He let his limbs fall limply against the shackles, knowing there was no use to escape. It was unbelievable that he still fell into that Chancellor’s traps; even after everything he went through. But there was nothing left to do but wait. Prompto frowned, feeling a slight trickle of blood slide down his face from the cut on his forehead.

Was he even coming?

He knew Noct was in the Keep, as Ardyn didn’t exactly keep it a secret with his loud boasts over the intercom. But was he coming for the Crystal…or for him? Was there even a point in waiting anymore?...

“Not yet,” he whispered to himself. “I can’t die…not yet….”

And after what felt like an eternity he heard it, the loud thumps of footsteps rushing toward him. He lifted his head and blinked blearily into the light, recognizing the three figures that stood on the other side of the metal gate.

“PROMPTO!” Noctis shouted, immediately rushing toward his shackles to free him.

He couldn’t help but smile, even as he knelt on all fours to catch his breath and strength. They were worried…they came for him…

“I…I wanted to say I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

Noct sighed, “for falling right into his trap…and for hurting you like that.”

Prompto turned to face Noct, who was sitting on the opposite side of the bunk. He turned away, biting his lip to keep the tears from falling before giving a small laugh. “I know, right? How could you possibly do such a horrible thing—after everything we’ve been through?!”

Glancing briefly behind him at Noct, Prompto looked away, feeling a sad smile tug at his lips. “Nah, it’s okay. You weren’t the only one who fell for it...”

“…Once this is all over, I say we break down the borders—come together as one nation.”

He spun his head toward Noct, staring in disbelief at the black-haired prince. Noct shrugged, leaning against the bedframe. “I mean, what does it matter, where you’re from anyway?”

It wasn’t a sweeping declaration, or even an out right word of comfort. But that loneliness he harbored disappeared with his friend’s words, never to return. For the first time in his life…he felt content. Prompto knew may not be good with people, or a good cook, or even a true Lucian…but none of that mattered. So long as he had those three…he would never be alone again.

Prompto turned away from his friend, unable to hold his tears back before standing up. “You know…I never thought I’d say this…but you sounded like a real king for a second there.”

“Better late than never.” Noct turned to face him, a small smile on his face. “I’m gonna make this world a better place. You with me?”

“Uh huh. Ever at your side.”

“So…it’s been a while.”

Noctis couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, ten years…May have taken my sweet time a bit.”

“Eh, better late than, never right?” Prompto grinned, leaning back against the plastic chair by the camper.

“I suppose you’ve got a point there.”

They watched the black particles fall from the dark sky, looking almost like ebony snowflakes. It looked almost picturesque in a cold and empty manner. The silence between them was one of comfort despite the task that sat before them. “You know, I always wondered why you wanted to be friends with me,” Prompto spoke.

“I thought it was obvious.”

“Huh? It is?”

Noctis shrugged, “you were the only one who didn’t care I was a prince.”

“W-Well- not exactly. I mean, it was still a big deal but- “Prompto sighed. “I guess, I didn’t care about you being a prince because…I saw myself in you. Sure, you’re a brunette, royalty, and weren’t over 200 pounds at the time…but you seemed lonely. And seeing that in someone else made me hate…that I felt the same way.”

Noctis remained silent, staring at the cup in his hand. “…aren’t we a pair.”

“I guess,” Prompto laughed.

“You know…I’m glad you’re my friend.”

Prompto turned to face Noctis, a sad smile on his face. “Yeah, same here.”

“So, we still have to finish this once and for all…. you with me?”

“Ever at your side, buddy.”

And even as he watched his friend- no, his king walks up the stairs of the Citadel, Prompto couldn’t help but smile. Though his friend was walking toward his death, he knew that everything would be alright. He would stand tall in the years to come and Prompto knew that the loneliness would never haunt him again. Though Noctis was gone, his memories of his friend would never make him feel empty ever again.

“I’ll make the world a better place…. you wait and see Noct.”

There we are. Let me know what you guys think. :)

[randomfandomimagine]

Final Fantasy XV Thoughts

So after I finished watching the Final Fantasy XV gameplay I wanted to share my thoughts on it with you guys. There might be some spoilers ahead, but even though I’m putting a ‘keep reading’ thing I will be putting a warning before actually talking about a spoiler. 

Hardcore fangirling incoming, especially about Prompto because he’s my lovely precious ray of sunshine ;)

Let’s talk about the gameplay first: It was really fun! Although I didn’t get a chance to actually play the game and can’t really get a feeling of how it trully is, I really enjoyed watching it. It’s entertaining and endearing to watch the four guys being close pals and traveling around. The banter, the quests, the exploration, the scenery... It was all pretty nice! I trully loved all of that!

My favorite part of the game definitely has to be the characters, though. At first I was positive that I would fall in love with Noctis, but Prompto got my heart instead! And I actually didn’t like Noct that much at the beginning. He was kind of arrogant, selfish and mean at first and he came out as a royal prat. But oh, does that change at the end. The fact that (spoiler ahead: start of spoiler!) Noctis actually sacrifices everything to restore the light to the world, that he spends 10 fucking years locked away when the Crystal sucks him in and that later he willingly gives his own life to achieve his goal and make his father proud (end of spoiler!), it really shows how much Noctis has changed and evolved, how he started acting like royalty at last. But he really is an endearing nerd character, after all he’s just a guy travelling with his friends and he happens to be a prince even if he doesn’t like being treated as such, he just wants to be a regular guy which is why he’s so close with Prompto.

Now, let me tell you about my sunny boy Prompto. The boy that lives for his friends, that feels so insecure when he’s the most precious boy. I just wanted to reach out into the game to hug him, give him cuddles and kisses and never let go of him until he feets loved and realizes how precious he is. And despite everything he went through, he’s still the same kind, selfless and caring soul. Prompto fucking Argentum went through all of this shit: (spoiler ahead: start of spoiler!) First off, he felt worthless compared to his friends as he says in the rooftop scene with Noct. He feels like no one will ever love him because of where he came from, because of the fact that he has a codebar on his wrist and because of it people might think he’s not someone they can trust. Prompto always feels so scared that he won’t be enough, that people won’t love him. Also, when Noctis fucking pushes him off the train and Ardyn kidnaps him and tortures him, he isn’t even angry at Noct, not even a little bit. The boy thanks him, genuinely glad to see his friends again! (end of spoiler!). So yeah, I love Prompto so much, not only because he’s a likeable character that makes you laugh, but because he has so much depth and he cares so much and he just needs to be loved and protected and I volunteer to do it. 

Ignis surprised me so much! Like, I really like him and Gladio, but I thought they would be so different! Ignis is so caring and he definitely gained my heart (spoiler ahead: start of spoiler!) he actually loses his eyesight for Noctis, taking one for the team. The fact that he goes blind for the rest of the game broke my heart. He’s so strong and dedicated! One has to love him (end of spoiler!), it really shows how trully caring he is and how selfless. The fact that he spent so much time trying to figure out that recipe that was so important to Noct? It just heart-warming. And Gladio was much more intense than I thought, I really thought he would be the kind of big guy that is actually soft and tender and, don’t take me wrong, he is. But he can be a bit too temperamental sometimes, like when he lectures Noctis. Still love him, though, all four are great and I adore them.

Other than the characters, there’s the story. Compared to other Final Fantasy games (I’ve only played/watched VII and X, and kinda know what goes on in VIII), I think it lacks something. Like they rushed through it all and it feels kinda incomplete and too quick-paced even though at first it was so much slower. Let’s hope it gets fixed with the updates and new cutscenes they are/were supposed to add.

I really enjoyed the game in general, and the ending left me with such emptiness because there’s nothing more! Of course, I still have to watch the DLCs but... after the main game I don’t think I’m ready to suffer more. Especially Episode Prompto, that one’s gonna fuck me up real good, I just know it.

So I think that’s all about my thoughts upon finishing the game! Made me cry a lot, made me laugh a lot, made me smile, fangirl, and it made me emotional. Overall loved it, but what I take with me are the amazing characters (not you, Ardyn, fuck you very much, asshole) and my ray of sunshine Prompto Argentum.