#also it's cold here so this is very in character (?)

[a-bad-case-of-the-stephs]

Out of all the stuff Steph says and does towards the end of Robin 1993 that signals that her core characteristics have been totally perverted and that she has a character has been fundamentally broken post War Games- (participating in a Batman Mindgame™️ against Tim, allying with multiple villains, going to Batman to ask his permission to operate as Spoiler etc etc) I think you can really see it so clearly in just her lines here alone:

Steph is a character driven by love. Love and anger, to be completely fair, but still at her core love. And unlike Batman it’s not really this all encompassing love for Gotham or its people, it’s not a catch-all feeling, Steph’s love is targeted and intense, just like her anger. It’s so very human. It’s not idealistic and broad, it’s specific. She loves her mom, she’s angry at her mom. She hates her dad, she’s angry at her dad. When she loves someone she’s there for them, she has to protect them. Her relationship with Crystal, no matter how complex, is based on Steph loving her mom so much that it drove her to reassure her, to take care of her, to pick fights with her, to make her breakfast, to sew together fabric in the middle of the night Crystal a few feet away passed out and drunk, to create Spoiler in the first place.

Steph’s relationship with Tim is also defined by her love. Honestly this feels so obvious I don’t think I even need to elaborate on it much. Attaching an applicable panel below anyway.

Point being so much of who Steph is is her love for other characters. What motivates her can be by a large part found in that love. What causes her to become a vigilante in the first place was love.

But now? After everything? Steph isn’t a vigilante out of love anymore. Her loyalty to Tim - so strong that she had no qualms at all calling out Batman and jeopardizing her just earned place on the team immediately after getting hired, twice, is gone, or at the very least diminished. Likewise, Steph’s willingness to defy Batman, another staple of her early character, which meant she was always willing to push away and set out on her own after she’s told time and time again to quit, the same assuredness that allowed her to tell Batman to go to hell, point blank, is gone. She goes to Batman and asks if she’s allowed to fight crime, and she agrees to a plan she in no world would have participated in before her death. Her first traits that cause her to be a vigilante, her love, and the traits that very early on allow her to push on and keep being a vigilante, her determination and doggedness and willingness to stand up and disagree with Batman, are gone.

Like we see this transformation on page. Think about the massive difference between her reaction to her first firing where she, despite the cold cruelty of the rejection, is pretty much immediately able to understand the situation and she reacts with understandable anger, and she immediately confronts Batman with that anger. But by the time she’s fired as Robin she’s much more broken down, she reacts to her firing with just dejection. She doesn’t try to fight back or get a final cruel word in. At this point, being a vigilante has started to become much more about earning Batman’s never winnable respect and trust. And then she tries again, and then she dies, and then she spends a year on another continent, and then she goes back home.

And here, in her journal, she thinks to herself ‘what’s love got to do with it anymore?’. She is not who she was. She is not doing this for the reasons she was a vigilante before. The thing that got her in a costume and on a roof in the first place, this huge factor in how Steph interacted with her world, just has nothing to do with anything anymore. She’s broken.

[thepeaklegendoffirstgen]

Hiiii

can you plz write future lookism AU where 1st gen kings + James find out that their daughter (high schooler) has a boyfriend I think it would be hilarious

thanks ❤

I don't know whether it's hilarious, but here we are, I had fun writing this❣️ hope you enjoy :)

Characters: James Lee, Kitae Kim, Jichang Kwak, Jinrang, Jaegyeon Na, Taesoo Ma, Seongji Yuk.

JAMES LEE

He will create a nurturing yet disciplined environment where enjoyment and growth coexist. His daughter won’t be spoiled, he loves her deeply, but to him, love also means ensuring her well-being and development.

So when a no-name, good-for-nothing loser ends up dating his daughter, James is absolutely stumped, how did this clown even manage to get near her?

He’ll give a cold, deadly stare and instantly dig up the guy’s full history, geography, and psychology like it’s a mission.

If this guy genuinely makes his daughter happy, and James believes she’s made an informed, mature decision, he won’t interfere. He wants her to grow as a person, and relationships, good or bad, are part of that journey.

But let me be very clear: if something goes wrong, Mr. Boyfriend might find himself mysteriously missing a few fingers... or limbs. Who knows? 🤭

KITAE KIM

Immediate axe-out!!! Mr. Boyfie , I hope your cardio's good.....run.

Kitae isn’t entertaining any cockroaches around his daughter. He knows how men can be, he’s seen it firsthand, starting with his own scumbag of a father.

No amount of begging will work. In his mind, his daughter is still way too young to even think about dating. There’s a right time for everything, and this is not it.

Now imagine a 6’7” giant charging with an axe in one hand, chasing down Mr. Boyfie… and the daughter running after him, trying to stop the madness.

Even in the rare event, he gives his approval, because no matter what, he doesn’t want to be the reason for his daughter’s sadness—he’ll keep a very strict eye.

Tears? Bad mood? One wrong move? That axe is coming out of his pocket again🤣

JICHANG KWAK

Think of how Manager Kim reacted when Minji brought a guy home, that will be Jichang. 😂

Now, he’s not the overprotective type at all. He believes his daughter should live her best life. But her well-being? That’s everything to him.

He’ll run a background check, not just for safety, but also for fun, and might even throw in a casual threat involving a bullet, just for laughs.

If the guy turns out to be kind, genuine, and respectful, Jichang has no issue.

But if he finds even the slightest red flag, he’ll push for a breakup fast. His daughter can hate him if she wants, but he refuses to sit back and watch someone else break her heart.

JINRANG

He’s got a solid head on his shoulders. Like a wolf: calm but overprotective. He knows choices like these shape a person for life.

First question he asks the guy after he hears she’s dating:“Are you James Lee’s dog?” LMAO.....yes, that’s real😂😂 He’s testing the guy’s character, strength, independence, whether this boy has his own backbone or just blindly follows others.

His daughter’s safety and well-being are his top priorities, but he’ll never suffocate her growth.

Instead, he gently makes her do a pinky promise: “No matter what happens, or who walks into your life, always remember, you can rely on Dad. You’ve got nothing to be afraid of.” A genuinely good father, with the right balance of care and protection.

He’s not against dating. Even if things fall apart, he’ll handle it with maturity and calm, but let it be known: if the guy steps out of line, he will vanish. Murder? Not off the table.

JAEGYEON NA

He will literally run his car over the poor guy, zero shame, zero fear. The law? Irrelevant. Because in Jaegyeon's eyes, this boy already broke the first and most sacred law: pursuing his precious daughter.

Now imagine this: his daughter is on a sweet little ice cream date with her boyfriend. Jaegyeon spots them by chance.

Suddenly, it turns into a full-on Bollywood scene, his car turns in slow motion, dramatic background music blaring, jaw dropped, eyes bulging, multiple-angle cinematic shots🤣 Then... he floors the accelerator.....full speed ahead, aiming straight at Mr. Boyfie. 💀

He’s hurling every curse and profanity that comes to mind. Mr. Boyfie is so traumatized that he might just beg her to break up.

Jaegyeon isn’t against love. He just won’t let some average Joe ruin his daughter’s happiness. Teenage hormones? He knows all about them. He’s certain she’ll find the right one someday. But definitely not right now.

TAESOO MA

Another one in the category of healthy dads with strong boundaries. When he finds out his daughter’s dating, he doesn’t lose it. He sees it as a natural part of teenage life, but warns her to stay cautious and alert to red flags.

He’s raised her with strong values and a clear sense of self, so he trusts she wouldn’t just fall for any random guy.

Not throwing shade at above men, but come on, have you seen how Taesoo treats Hudson?It’s a tearjerker....that perfect mix of discipline and motivation, of grit and love.

He won’t meddle unnecessarily in her personal life, but he’ll always be there in the background, offering a gentle yet firm nudge to make sure she’s walking the right path.

SEONGJI YUK

The chillest dad out of the entire bunch. Honestly, all he wants is for his precious, adorable little girl to be happy and healthy,that’s it.

He won’t throw tantrums or launch threats. His daughter would likely come to him herself and say, “Dad… I have a boyfriend.” He’ll probably just nod and say, “Okay. Just be careful. And make sure he respects you, not just as my daughter, but as a human being.”

But deep down… a quiet sadness will settle in. Time moves too fast. The same little girl who once held his hand just to walk straight is now slowly stepping away. He’ll have quiet moments where he mulls it over. He’ll sigh, smile faintly, and accept it.

Because at the end of the day, if she’s safe, healthy, and truly happy, then he’s okay too. That’s what being a father means to him.

[taybrinaa]

Between Engines and Glances

Logan Maddox x fem!reader

Synopsis: (Y/N) returns to Ironwood after years away to uncover the truth about her missing father. In the town’s old workshop, she reunites with Logan, the man who was once both her father’s friend and rival. Amid engines, silence, and open wounds, they rebuild more than just a car.

Warning: Contains emotional language, themes of family loss, and romantic tension between characters with an age gap. No smut. Drama, nostalgia, and slow-burn romance.

Author’s note: Hey! This is my first one-shot on Tumblr after switching from Wattpad, and I’m really excited. English isn’t my first language, but I try my best. PLEASE send me one-shot requests because I’m very inspired, whether about motorheads or any fandom. Thank you so much, and I hope you like it <3 If you do, please hit the heart.

The smell of old oil and burnt metal hung in the air of the workshop. The place hadn’t changed much since (Y/N) Reyes had last seen it, over five years ago. The same tools hung on the walls, the same dust rested on the shelves, as if time in Ironwood had come to a halt. But she hadn’t. She had changed. At twenty-three, she returned a different woman, hardened by absence, by years away from the town, and by the wound that had never healed: her father's disappearance.

Logan Maddox had his back to the entrance, crouched next to a disassembled engine. The clang of a wrench stopped when he heard footsteps. He turned, and his gray eyes met hers. He had aged, of course, but still had that solid, steady presence that sent a chill down her spine. He had something more now. Maturity. Silence in his gaze. Something built over time... and through loss.

“I thought you’d never come back—at least not for a few more years,” Logan said, wiping his hands with a dirty rag.

“I thought so too,” she replied, folding her arms. “But I’m not here for nostalgia. I need your help.”

Logan set the rag aside and stood up. He was taller than she remembered, stronger, but also more worn.

“What kind of help?”

(Y/N) pulled an old, rusted key—a heavy iron cylinder—out of her bag. Logan frowned when he recognized it.

“That’s the engine from my dad’s Charger. I found it in a junkyard up north. It’s in pieces, but I think there’s something in it. Something that can tell me what happened to him.”

Logan didn’t answer right away. His jaw tightened, as if holding back words he didn’t want to say.

“And what makes you think I want to dig all that up?”

“It’s not about what you want, Logan. It’s about what I need. You were his rival, but you were also his friend. You know things. And you know cars. If anyone can get that engine running, it’s you.”

The silence between them thickened, heavy with the past. Finally, Logan gave a curt nod.

“Bring it in tomorrow. We’ll take a look.”

Weeks passed.

The engine arrived the next day after that conversation, and over the following days—and then weeks—(Y/N) and Logan worked side by side in the shop. At first, everything was tense. Their movements were mechanical, their words short. But over time, that tension shifted into something else—something harder to name.

Logan, though reluctant at first, threw himself into the work with near-obsessive focus. (Y/N) wasn’t far behind. Though she didn’t have his experience, her determination was undeniable. She learned quickly, dirtying her hands, wrenching bolts, covering her face in soot. Logan watched her in silence when he thought she wasn’t looking.

“You work just like your father,” Logan murmured one night, as she struggled to unscrew a housing, jaw clenched.

She glanced at him sideways, a mix of pride and pain in her eyes.

“I wish I had his answers too.”

There were nights they shared cold beer and old music playing in the background. He told her stories of past races, of how the roar of an engine could say more than a thousand words. She listened closely, discovering a man who wasn’t as unreachable as she’d remembered from childhood.

Sometimes they argued. She was impulsive, stubborn, explosive. Logan was quiet, blunt, direct. But in those clashes, in those sparks, something grew. A brush of hands when he passed her a tool. A glance when she fixed something on her own. Silences that said more than any conversation.

One night, while a thunderstorm roared outside, Logan turned on a portable lamp and they both sat on the floor in front of the open engine block. The air smelled of wet earth and metal. She hugged her knees, exhausted.

“Your father…” Logan began, his voice low and rough. “He was impulsive. And proud. Like you.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“Is that a compliment or a warning?”

He gave a small, lopsided smile.

“A bit of both.”

She looked down, fingers playing with a bolt.

“I never thought I’d come back here. Let alone end up… with you, in a workshop, chasing ghosts.”

“You’re not the only one who didn’t expect this,” Logan said, and his gaze lingered on her longer than it should have.

The silence between them slowed, heavy. And then, as if fate nudged them, she pulled out the carburetor filter and noticed something strange. A compartment sealed with electrical tape. Logan knelt beside her. Together, they opened it.

Inside was an envelope.

(Y/N) held it in trembling hands. She opened it. Papers: bank accounts, coordinates, names. And a note in her father’s handwriting:

"If something happens to me, Logan knows why."

Her heart stopped.

She stood up abruptly, envelope in hand, eyes blazing with betrayal.

“What does this mean?”

Logan didn’t move. Didn’t look at her at first.

“It means he didn’t want you involved. He thought that if I pushed you away, you’d be safe.”

“You pushed me away on purpose?”

Logan finally looked at her. His eyes held no defense—just sadness. A deep, real sadness.

“I promised him. I said I’d protect you if something happened. But I didn’t know how to do that without making you hate me.”

“So you lied. You made me believe he just… vanished. Abandoned me.”

Logan took a step closer. He didn’t touch her. His voice was barely a whisper.

“I couldn’t save him. But I could try to save you.”

Tears burned behind (Y/N)’s eyes, but they didn’t fall. She pressed her lips together. She wanted to scream, to shove him. But her body wouldn’t move.

“You can’t keep carrying this alone,” she said at last, without looking at him. “Not if I’m going to carry it too.”

Logan watched her for a few seconds. Then he stepped closer, slowly. She lifted her gaze. For the first time in weeks, there was no anger in her eyes. Just pain. And something deeper. Something that had always been there, growing with each touch, each silence.

“(Y/N)…” he murmured, a mix of longing and fear in his voice. “I’m not the kind of guy who—”

“Shut up, Logan.”

And she kissed him.

The kiss was soft at first, like a test. Their lips barely brushed, timid and trembling. But when Logan lifted his hand to her face and held it gently, everything broke. They kissed like the world was ending. Like redemption could be found between their lips. Their bodies drew closer—hesitant at first, then certain. She clutched his shirt; he wrapped his arms around her waist with a need bottled up for years. And time stood still.

There was nothing but them. The workshop. The rain pounding on the roof. And two broken hearts finding each other in the middle of the storm.

Weeks later, when all the pieces had been cleaned and reassembled, the Charger roared back to life. She and Logan stood in silence, listening to the sound of the engine. There was something poetic in it—rebuilding the heart of something that had been broken for so long.

But it wasn’t just the car. It was them.

(Y/N) had followed the clues in the papers and confirmed what she had feared deep down. Her father had died. He had given his life to make a deal with dangerous people, settle debts, and keep her out of harm’s way. His sacrifice had been his way of protecting her. And Logan had covered for him—for the same reason.

That truth didn’t bring peace, but it brought answers. Closure.

One morning, instead of packing her things to leave, (Y/N) showed up early at the workshop. Logan was already there, as usual. She stood in the doorway, the Charger’s keys dangling from her finger.

“I’m staying,” she said bluntly.

Logan looked up, eyebrows slightly raised.

“You sure?”

She nodded.

“There are things I need to fix here. And I don’t just mean cars.”

Logan gave her a small smile, that serene expression he wore when something hurt and felt good at the same time.

“Then welcome home.”

She walked up to him. Kissed him. This time with no storm, no engines roaring. Just the soft warmth of midday light streaming through the window.

Ironwood wasn’t what she had lost. It was what she could still build.

And Logan… Logan was part of that.

don't forget to send me any requests for another character, I'm open!

[sexiestpodcastcharacter]

Sexiest Podcast Character 2024 — Unscripted Redemption Bracket — Round 5.5−1

Propaganda

Sammy Sinclair, the Scat King of Ganymede (Tidal Wave Games Podcast: SEE YOU, SPACE COWBOY...) (Boba Count: 3):

Listen: we have fun here but there are two things Sammy Sinclair does and does well, and that's play the saxophone and fuck like a freight train. There's a reason he's left a trail of ex-lovers across the entire solar system, and while it's true the majority of them want him dead, that shouldn't be taken as any indication of his abilities. It's just because he's an asshole

In character audio propaganda against Muldan Foxskull.

Spanks Sinatra (Tidal Wave Games Podcast: SEE YOU, SPACE COWBOY...) (Boba Count: 1):

When not performing, is drinking. When not drinking, is beating people up for money. When not beating people up for money, is performing. Life is purposefully structured to avoid encountering a thought for as long as possible

Vote for Spanks, he doesn't need a psychic ghost to turn you to rubber

Art of Sammy Sinclair by @areyoshi.

Art of Spanks Sinatra by @violetfoxsketches.

Additional propaganda below the cut:

Sammy Sinclair, the Scat King of Ganymede (Tidal Wave Games Podcast: SEE YOU, SPACE COWBOY...):

Don't be crass, it's scat as in jazz. Formerly known as the Sax King of Ganymede, before the loss of his prized saxophone in a debt to the Space Mafia necessitated a rebrand

Pansexual, pangalactic, personal pan pizza

4'10"; but it's not the size that matters, it's what you do with it

As a saxophonist, is good with mouth and fingers and can hold breath for a VERY long time

Say hi to your mom/dad/aunt for me

In-character audio propaganda from when he was against Lup.

you know what's sexier than being an umbrella? Making da fuckin corpos so mad they cancel you.

I heard that swearing is sexy, or something

sexiestpodcastcharacter lore

PLEASE VOTE FOR SAMMY SINCLAIR, SCAT KING OF GANYMEDE!!!!!

In-character audio propaganda with Spanks Sinatra from a previous round.

Husky: Vote for Sammy or else... well let's just say that you will not like what happens.

Alright here's my final appeal to vote for Sammy: a spoiler-free clip from after a very pivotal moment where shit has gotten real and he has to make a decision with far-reaching repercussions. It's not all goofs and gags in SEE YOU, SPACE COWBOY…, Sammy can lock in too!

In-character cover of The Slur Song.

Spanks Sinatra (Tidal Wave Games Podcast: SEE YOU, SPACE COWBOY...)

He/him lesbian drag king Frank Sinatra impersonator

Is too old for this shit (is 30)

Loves to use his fists

Is so tired

This is propaganda for all the female characters. Voters please remember how pretty all women are and factor that into every single vote you make. Thank you.

Don't forget that Spanks' name is Spanks Sinatra ok, this is very important. Appreciate my jokes.

Don't you want to reach over and give him a better reason to turn his brain off for a while?

Spanks self-describes as a "himbo", but he's really not; he's highly intelligent and analytical, with a lot of shit in his past, and at the time you meet him the most effective way he's found to keep his own brain from overwhelming him is by beating it into submission with a life of hard drinking and violence

Important note: Spanks is a woman, he just uses he/him pronouns for various reasons, most of which are that he's a butch drag king.

Also vote for him.

Vote for Spanks Sinatra!!!

Who are you going to vote for: the he/him lesbian who can bench press you, or the tangled bundle of Christmas lights in your attic?

Come ON, you're going to let the he/him lesbian drag king Frank Sinatra who is also a bounty hunter get beat by a pile of cold, unflavored spaghetti??? Seriously?

Audio propaganda with Sammy Sinclair.

Art propaganda of Spanks Sinatra being crushed by Husky, as mentioned in the above audio propaganda.

Vote for my sad messed up drag king

Spanks is a he/him lesbian. come on. look at him

Anyway if it's rope/cable play you're into, Spanks has a move for that

[nottogetpoliticalbutwtfisoatmeal]

ok guys guys hear me out:

robloxians adapt to their environment quicker than humans. so for each area discovered, the locals have different traits and physical appearance.

BizvIlle:

as close to humans as you can get

green meadows and plenty of sun means not a lot of danger to adapt to

regular sleeping habits

the most human-looking body types you'll find. Sometimes hair matches skin color.

Omnivorous and fairly diurnal.

One of the most welcoming and friendly communities, like an animal with no natural predators.

David Buszuki

Notable characters from Bizville: Player (not including Noobador's family b/c i hc them to be imps native to somewhere else.)

Roadtown:

despite the fact it says it's 'the sunniest town in roblox' im just gonna say this place is like Scandinavia. cmon if they weren't adapted to the cold why is there snowflake rugs and log cabins

robloxians native to here have hairs all over their body, even their skin. It's thin and short, but definitely there.

Their hands and feet have sort of paw pads on them to help them grab things and keep traction in the snow. Between these paw pads thick fur keeps their extremities warm

Their eyes go from reflecting blue light in the winter to thickening their corneas to avoid snow blindness in the summer. Their eyes change color during the seasons to show this.

Their coats change as well, many light-blonde and white-haired characters dawning brunette and ginger colors in the spring.

Combing one's fur is a tedious habit that robloxians do themselves. If someone else does it, it's usually a loved one.

Hibernation is real. Incredibly real. If you come into Roadtown during December, expect no one to be awake, let alone outside.

Robloxians need extra fat to weather the winter. A Roadtownian has more subcutaneous fat than any other robloxian. It's just biology.

Families and friends usually spend hibernations curled together in a giant cuddle pile in one of the rooms to conserve the most warmth possible. Hugs are not only fun but tactical.

Notable characters from Roadtown: Mayor Monty, Accountant Jim, Banished Knight, Cruel King

Turitolopis:

turitpolis is in the jungles of africa and you can rip that headcanon from my cold dead hands.

Due to the hot, humid temperatures, sweat glands are bigger and skin is more permeable. Turitopolians are always covered in a thin sheen of sweat and grease. Think of a tree frog.

Due to this permeability, if a turitopolian's skin dries out they can get very sick. This isn't usually an issue unless they go somewhere less humid.

Love of water and cooling liquids. During summer it is not uncommon for the entire village to enter a lake or mud puddle.

There's so much vegetation in the way. But instead of try an eliminate these stray branches and vines, turotopolians have a natural talent for brachiation. It's rare for a long travel to consist entirely on the jungle floor.

This also means you can find a turitopolian lounging on a tree branch taking a nap. They don't find anything weird about it.

Their skin can be a variety of colors, but usually their skin has some sort of pattern on it to camouflage them. Think tiger stripes and butterfly swirls.

Some turitopolians have venomous fangs. This is supposedly only a trait the mayor's family has. The venom is more to endure physical pain than to stop prey from moving.

Loud. Everyone is loud. Dancing, eating, talking, crying, singing, arguing, laughing, even sleeping. They're just naturally loud, and can stand out when put in more quiet civilizations

Notable characters from Turitopolis: Mayor Thaniyel, Griefer, Bigfoot, Komodo Dragon

below is demo 4

Vermillion Village:

Hot, hot, hot! Vermillion is inspired by the vast deserts of egypt and the middle east

With the land made of sand, vermillions have padded feet to keep them from scorching on hot rocks.

Feet are long and wide compared to skinny legs, keeping them afloat on the sand.

Long, thick eyelashes help keep sand out of the eyes during windy days and sandstorms.

They have small, camel-esque tails that help swat at bugs.

Vermillions actually have fat reserves in parts of their body. This seems counter-intuitive, but actually helps them go long amounts of time without food and keeps them warm during freezing desert nights.

Very small sweat glands to conserve as much water as possible.

Black markings on their eyes reduces sun glare and helps them see on sunny days.

Tough stomachs have a multitude of bacteria that can digest rotting matter like carrion or wilted vegetation.

Some houses have underground compartments where vermillions can burrow down into to warm up in the night.

Notable characters from Vermillion Village: all those fucking camels, The Great Flocci, Temple Guardian, The Ancients, Finn McCool

[icarus-in-the-sheets]

-----------⛦˙☠︎︎⋆Fear (he/him)⋆☠︎︎˙⛧-------------

aka Ekilar Diocles, Guardian of the Rhean Rescue.

Created for a diplomatic mission that needed another background character who was a martial fighter, but who has become a vital and staple member of the focal location of my D&D world-build.

Fear is coming in as both our Gay Pride character and as I had originally intended before it was suddenly June, an exercise in my studies of CBC's Lesson 1.5: Hair for Thought. Find character building processes, original sketch, and backstory below the cut!

He is Gay Romantic and Demisexual. He is slow to love, loyal and steadfast in his love, and lets heartbreak linger a little too long. My default for characters is bisexual and polyamorous until proven otherwise unless I have a specific plan for them. I did not have a specific plan for Fear's sexuality and let him guide me. He guided me to one of @ceruleanties' characters named Hank, a dilf of a graviturgy wizard with a kind heart and smile. I related personally to the stubbornness and aversion to change that Fear was developing as a character, and re-imagined it alongside a Demi identity as well [I do not identify as demi myself but my allo identity is in question often enough in my head that demi is relatable to me plentifully].

Fear's physical design went through some iterations before becoming what it is here. His first design was rather generic, as I was just wanting to draw a randomized character design. I used a tail and horn art reference chart from DeviantArt to design him, and I notated that he had dark blue skin and cyan accents and drew him in a generic leather outfit that was notated as being white with simple straps/belts.

When I started looking for characters in need of overhaul for CBC's course I was looking primarily at dark brown characters like Finley who were designed with a human or human approximate skin tone, but without a racial intention. However, I noticed that as a dark-skinned man, he also may have needed attention, despite not having a human skin tone. Other things about the importance of his faith and the community he adopts and protects also reminded me of positive tropes associated with strong Black characters, and I felt the change would honor that.

In regards to Lesson 1.5 and his hair specifically, I have pictured above two styles - sponge twists and long locs in a bun. I came up with these two very different styles in response to two very different times in his life.

For his younger years living in the cold depths of Hell, when keeping up appearances and masking his identity in a false persona of violence and anger, he took time to style and color his natural cyan-white hair into a black-tipped sponge twist and kept it short for the mercenary-style work that he did so that it would stay out of his way. The style was about appearances - something he could put effort into controlling while the untrained eye would see it as effortless.

After he dropped the toxic masking of his youth, Fear moved out of Hell and adopted a community, giving him time to heal and grow -spiritually and mentally. His protected locs represent the growth and healing he found in that recovery. They are something he nurtures, showing that he isn't just a warrior and protector of his community, but also learning to protect himself.

I have *a lot* more to say about Fear. As well as a lot more research to do on his characterization and probably on his design. For example, I discovered while writing this that I have research to do on the specific fashion choices I've made for him and the ramifications that have for him as a Gay Black character. He means so much to me and his story is near and dear to my heart. I love him so much and he keeps coloring outside the lines and throwing me new surprises.

[hyaxci]

suo theories/character analysis

very very very very very long rant about my theories for suo from windbreaker. BE CAUGHT UP ON THE ANIME IF YOU WANT TO READ !! SPOILERS LIE AHEAD !!

i personally find suo so incredibly interesting. and its apparent that a lot of people in the fandom do too. a lot of fans are also saying that suo might be the main 'villain' of windbreaker??? but they never really elaborate on how or in what way exactly. so this is going to be a really really long rant/diagnostic/analysis thing into what i think about suo and his backstory since even manga readers dont know the full story

so. i suppose i'll begin with already existing theories about suo. starting with the 'villain' one. first of all, most of this theory isn't fleshed out. at least from the people i've seen writing/talking about it. it's just based on the fact that he's cold and detached and blah blah blah but they never really go into *how* exactly this could happen or why in the context of windbreaker. it's important to remember that windbreaker as a story follow sakura. it's mainly used as an exploration of sakura and his progression/journey with emotional vulnerability. sakura, as a character, has been neglected and unwanted all his life. until now. until furin/bofurin. he's slowly but surely finding his ground because of the people that's there. so in the context of this, how exactly would suo become a villain? windbreaker doesnt follow the typical "oh my god im so evil and i plan to completely wreck your plans" type of story arc. if suo WERE to become a villain i think it'd be much more quietly and under-the-radar type deal.

now following that train of thought, if we really think about - like really really observe what suo does CANONICALLY (i have nothing against fanon it just isn't relevant for this context), he's not very emotionally attached. or it doesnt seem like he is. there are quiet a few moments where suo just kinda exists. yes he talks. and no he doesnt talk alot but that's not what i mean. during sakura's emotional vulnerability arc during season 2 (mainly season 2 cuz season 1 is just kinda an introduction/preview of it), suo doesnt interfere necessarily but he doesnt push it forward either. and yes during the....red light district run in with the gang/people who were chasing that one singer girl (oopsies spoilers sorry), suo did encourage/step in when sakura wanted to throw nirei to the side bceause he didnt trust him to be able to protect himself. because of suo's step-in/encouragement, sakura turned his attention to fighting and fending off the gang. but i think this is the only time when you see suo encouraging sakura. and even then, suo isn't an active...participant? in sakura's emotional growth. like he doesn't urge sakura to try and do things in certain ways during active situations (i.e. a gang fight or confrontation) in ways that would help in him. anyway, there's really no other time if my.........very limited and often murky memory serves me right. this doesnt imply suo is bad per se. just that he's not necessarily involved in sakura's growth as much as, say, kaji or umemiya or togame for exampe. also notice that if he doesnt see an opening (socially), he wont butt into conversations. though this could just be his extremely high emotional intelligence for a typical high school boy. but here's the thing. it could be that or that he's just an observer. 

if we follow this theory that suo is just an observer, it could open up a lot of paths into exactly how he could be a 'villain' in the context of windbreaker as a story.

to make this section more....digestible and not just a fat block of text im gonna break this into bullet points for possibilities:

- suo is very emotionally intelligent. i think that much is obvious. he understands emotional restraint and when to use it. he knows exactly when to joke - where and when to poke someone's buttons - but he also knows when to stop and become serious. in a way, he kinda similar to the jokester but secretly really skilled character archetype that's been......showing up way too much in anime recently. an example of this is during his visit to sakura's house when sakura was sick. nirei (oh dear beloved sweet nirei) was worried and wanted to stay with sakura. as is expected of any typical high school boy. but suo could instantly tell that sakura wanted to be alone and was able to use a strategic deflection to get nirei to follow him outside. he also proposed that they go back the day after they went to go visit sakura instead of that night or a few hours later. this is opposing nirei who was really anxious and wanted to make absolute sure that sakura wouldnt feel lonely or was okay. im not gonna say this type of emotional intelligence is rare (it's....kinda not but also kinda is idk its complicated) but in the context of furin being a high school with a bunch of teenage boys, this is most definitely rare. suo often stops others from getting too emotional as a way of driving their actions. BECAUSE he's very emotionally intelligent (not just for his age but just in general - even in the context of adults) and considering the fact that he actually doesnt involve himself emotionally with the guys at furin, it might suggest that he was sent to observe them. for. one reason or another.

- IF he was sent to just observe furin as like an......ambivalent kinda all-knowing person, then this might also support the fact that people often think that he's from a gang/the yakuza. this is ignoring the fact that his family is just really rich since he has a liking for foreign teas and also has earrings that are antiques (we'll get into that later). we don't really konw why this would be though. it's just a possibility. we're not sure exactly sure why suo is even at furin. plus when we first met him, it appeared like he already was well acquainted with everyone there even before nirei and sakura? so. that suggests something that im not entirely sure of yet.

- OKAY. now for the family rich and earrings being antiques thing. it's kinda interesting because suo isn't chinese. he's japanese. though he does know another language according to the official fan guidebook published by the author. and....i saw some drawings/sketches on tiktok that i think were of suo and his proclaimed 'master' that taught him how to fight. dunno if these are official or not and i didnt really bother fully looking into if they were or not BUT if they are, then it seems highly probable that suo's chinese liking/influence comes from his master. and...his family might not necessarily be rich since i think it's heavily implied that suo was sorta kinda raised by his master? or at least spent a lot of time with him. so maybe his parents often went out/traveled a lot for work and then left suo at home. though his family being rich would sorta make sense? but it doesnt logically fit into the rest of the fan theories. 

- uhhh okay i think that's all the ground for my theories on him being an observer of sorts. so i digress into this: what WOULD be really cool tho is if windbreaker turned into a sort of time....leap type of thing. cuz suo is just back because he's waiting to make a move cuz someone died or smth. idk. would be an interesting storyline to follow but its not plausible.

OKAY. NOW ONTO A COMPELTLEY DIFFERENT THING: suo's fighting style.

i dont know if anybody's noticed but he rarely moves. like i mean physically. yes its been stated that he uses his opponents weaknesses against them. but notice how his body stays relatively upright/straight. he'll duck yes but that's not what im talking about. he's just very....stable? when on his feet? idk. i think this might be a metaphor/a psychological type of thing. maybe he fights like this because he UNDERSTANDS violence intimately. and i mean like. really understand it. like maybe in his past he killed someone in a fit of rage (similar to the KEEL situation before sakura stopped him) or did some really bad damage that he now wields it with the utmost precision. i've also noticed that he doesnt like to fight people. he wont attack first BUT here's the catch: he WILL verbally provoke people which is. interesting in the grand scheme of things. basically, what im suggesting here is that he might be burdened by guilt, past violence, or emotional repression because he fears loosing control, or past trauma where violence was too easy OR an extension of his emotional state (numb, indifferent or deeply conflicted). HOWEVER the only thing that would oppose part of this theory would be the fact that we've seen him get angry. especially with that fight with KEEL. i dont know why he got angry or what exactly that other guy did to provoke him or even how but. hm. raises an eyebrow amiright

aside from his.....emotional intelligence he also doesn't really seem to have a moral compass. while most people at furin are there because of internal values and beliefs and motivations, he doesnt seem to have any? anyway, the other strange thing is is the fact that as soon as he saw sakura, he took an interest in him. suo has become a protector of sorts for sakura but also doesn't actively participate in advancing his emotional development? (someone double check if this is actually true or if im just imaging another version of him in my head). 

okay but it's clear that he doesn't oppose furin. obviously because he's there. but does NOT opposing something mean he truly supports it? there was a very very brief moment during season 2. right after suo's fight with that one KEEL member (the one where he almost lost control - oh! just had a thought. nevermind. scrap the uh. the theory i had earlier about him fearing loosing control. because that probably isnt the case. he didnt look scared or terrified of what he was about to do. so that's probably not the case. he did look like he was in a trance though) and right after sakura pulled him out of that trance he was, he whispered something under his breath that sakura wouldnt have heard because he was already walking away. it was something like "god you're too strong for me" or....something. something that suggested admiration mixed with resignation and maybe envy? sakura isn't necessarily stronger than suo in terms of physicality/fighting strength. at least not on the surface. if anything, i think suo would be much stronger if he got genuinely angry. so if suo wasn't saying something about sakura's physical strength then it must've been about the emotional restraint/control that he's been developing. i think that suo admires sakura in the way that he's able to grow and develop despite the hardships that he's faced. and maybe that makes suo a bit jealous in certain ways because maybe he wasn't able to or currently isnt able to (maybe because of his ties to another organization that has more power - aka his potential observer role). 

anyway, i'll wrap this up with the ways he could become a villain

- embody the 'old way' of thinking. if sakura is progressing towards emotional vulnerability and openness, suo could say "this softness is going to get us killed" or "just keep moving forawd, dont dwell on the past"

- he could become emotionally unreachable. even more than he is now. as sakura and the others grow closer, more open and more emotionally bonded/attached, suo might not keep up. he might pull back and begin feeling alienated. this could hurt group cohesion in ways that the others dont know how to fix because most of them (besides the third years, umemiya, hiragi and tsubaki in particular) aren't this emotionally fluent

- whenever bofurin encounters a crisis - whether internal or external - he might not choose to act at a crucial moment. this would cuase the others to question his loyalty and maybe this is where we would get his real backstory. he wouldnt do this out of malice though just maybe that he'd realize/stick with this realization that he's with them but not ONE of them.

but suo does get surprised. he does show emotions. just not....usually? like during everyday stuff? when they aren't fighting? yeah. he only shows emotions during fights. particuarly during that one time where nirei was about to get hit by a guy in the red light district but nirei was able to duck because suo had taught him to do that. suo was shocked then. like genuine shock and worry. sakura too but that's expected. he's usually pretty emotional and wears his emotions on his sleeve even if he doesnt know how to talk about them. so, in me saying that suo isnt emotional/doesnt show much emotion is not in the sense that he's just purely stoic like uh ayanokoji from classroom of the elite or other such characters. he just. doesnt show what he really, truly feels. and that can act as a double edged sword both for him AND the people he seems to care about

all of this villain thing would ultimately lead to conflict BETWEEN our main characters. sakura would want to fight for suo to stay and nirei too. but suo would probably go down his own path again once their story ends and their paths diverge. oooo yummy tension hehehe. anyway.

here’s another additional layer: suo might be information gathering sure. but somehow, when he's provoking/poking at his opponents, it seems like he already *knows* how that person is going to react. suo hasn't also struggled to maintain control while fighting tho. sakura at some point (canon I think but I haven't seen it myself to be certain) called suo "the one without any shred of kindness". I wonder where that came from though and what made sakura say that about suo.

[artingstarvist]

So I've started reading Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know and I thought it might be fun to periodically update this blog with some of my reactions as I read it.

Here are my thoughts on chapters 1 - 3.

Chapter 1

GREAT way to open a story. "Oh no, everyone thinks our lord is locked away inventing a new cultivation path but really he's locked himself up with a smutty romance novel and I don't know what to tell everyone" is just an amazing hook.

Ok, so his Left Protector is definitely the love interest. Can already tell Yin Hanjiang is gonna be a little bit of a freak. I do love a loyal knight/ prince dynamic.

So this 'romance' book is a possible future timeline, but it sucked so much somehow he got sent this book and told to 'do better this time'? 😂

Lmao the reviews at the end. God I also would hate that book so fucking much. Idk Baili Qingmiao yet but she deserves to be a cold uncaring bitch. Let her be a calamity this time please.

Ok so this guy is ARO aro lmao.

Well, so far Wenren E is giving heavy aroace vibes and even if he's actually not or he's just demi I understand him. I too would be horrified to find out that in my future I fall in love and die for it after spending my whole life going 'lmao what's wrong with y'all' to allo ppl.

VERY excited to find out what Yin Hanjiang did to creep all the readers out.

Chapter 2

This guy (YHJ) is so intense. I hope one day he learns how to have his own opinion on something. I hope, at some point in the story, he doesn't follow an order. Just once. As a treat.

He tried to turn her into lamp oil???? Yeah he's a freak (affectionate). I'm glad Wenren E appreciates it.

(I guess that's also one way to not follow an order)

He's so dramatic. "I thought about life without my lord for 2.5 seconds and bit my lip till it bled" Get it together man it was just a thought exercise.

Already digging the Right Protector. Girlboss.

Ok. Shu Yanyan's also a freak (affectionate).

I like that these cultivators have pokemon types. What's good against Lightning Type cultivators?

"It seems what this Venerable doesn't know amounts to a great deal" This centuries year old demonic sect leader from the Path of Slaughter is really just an innocent bean lmao. This should be fun.

Love this logic- "Ok in the books these ppl destroyed me. Better go hang with them to prove that they won't destroy me."

I think Shu Yanyan should just be the sect leader she seems way more nefarious than Wenren E lmao. They should just let him retire. He seems tired to me.

Chapter 3

Ok these characters need collector cards showing their evolution stages, power levels, and elemental types.

Love that Wenren E never looked twice at Yin Hanjiang till he found out in the future he concocts an elaborate and exceedingly cruel revenge scheme for him. Like against the girl he died for and asked him to protect lmao. Now he's all heart eyes like actually maybe this guy is the best??? How did I not realize?

Obsessive, Resolute, and Loyal. My fav kind of love interest.

Lot of sword metaphors going on here and I'm not sure if they're supposed to be dick jokes or not.

Welp. Wenren E is already whipped. That was fast.

Lmao he still made Yin Hanjiang do the evil deed. Still waiting for the leader of the Demonic Sect to actually do something evil himself. 😂

Shu Yanyan I'm so sorry you are stuck trying to work with these incompetent dumbasses lmao.

Okokok. Shu Yanyan x Baili Qingmiao's gonna be a thing now right? Right??? Can we just kick He Wenzhao out of the story completely?

Huh. So he feels he owes past-life-Baili for his success. I kind of dig that as a reason not to just kill her off at his first chance. I hope in this timeline she brings many new disasters. 💜

Overall thoughts: I like it. I'm interested. Every character is some level of deranged and that definitely makes for a fun time. Love a story from a 'villainous' pov. I cannot even imagine how these two will actually navigate romance dear lord.

[yuseirra]

Supplemental interpretation of Mizi’s character (Scene-by-scene breakdown of the new comic)

This post is a follow-up to the previous analysis I wrote last time! I think reading this will help things make more sense~

It's really, really intriguing to interpret characters with layers to them. I really enjoy doing that!

Before we begin, when doing character interpretation or psychological analysis, here’s a helpful tip—

It’s important to pay attention not just to how the character evaluates themselves, but also to how other characters react to them.

For example, if someone has a tendency toward self-loathing or self-deprecation, what they say about themselves might not be all that accurate—even if they’re the ones saying it. That’s why we need to keep in mind that a person’s self-evaluation isn’t always something we can fully trust.

Sure, sometimes crucial aspects of a character’s inner world only come out through their self-perception—but often, it’s the people closest to them, their overall behavior, and how others view them that end up giving a clearer, more fair assessment.

You know those moments. Like when a hero saves tons of people but still says, “I couldn’t do enough. I’m not good enough…” Or the opposite—when someone hurts a bunch of innocent people and says, “They had it coming. I was just doing what was right!”

So while a character’s internal monologue matters, we also need to take a step back and look at what they’ve actually done—their past actions, and how others respond to them—if we want to get a fuller, more accurate picture.

At the same time, we really need to factor in the situation they’re in. The emotional pressure someone feels when they’re in a stable and happy state is very different from the kind of feelings that come out when they’re in a chaotic, extreme state. That difference totally affects interpretation.

So overall, it’s about putting all of that together and looking at the full picture.

And that’s exactly why this new Alien stage comic is such a great one to analyze...

Of course, my interpretation is still subjective, and I could totally be wrong! But this is a topic I really care about, and I genuinely enjoy digging into this kind of stuff. It’s something I take seriously.

I feel pretty confident in my ability to break down complex psychological layers. I might be biased toward interpreting people positively, but in this case, I think I’m reading it well.

So! Picking up from the last post—let’s break things down scene by scene.

Here’s the situation:

Mizi had rushed onto the Blink Gone stage to try and save Till. But Till ends up dying right in front of her eyes. Mizi is devastated—mentally falling apart while staring at Till’s blood on her hands.

Then she sees a hallucination of Sua.

Sua is someone Mizi couldn’t save either—and she’s also the person who mattered most to Mizi. So this whole moment overlaps with the memory of Sua’s death.

But then Mizi suddenly thinks something strange:

“Feel like a waste?”

That word—“waste” (in the original Korean: 아깝다)—is super important. Depending on how you interpret it, it could completely change how you see Mizi.

So here’s where it gets interesting:

From a reader’s perspective, Mizi saying “what a waste” to herself could be taken as: “Ugh, another useful pawn gone. Shame—I’d been grooming that one for a while.” Basically implying that Mizi is cold and calculating, and everything we’ve seen of her so far was just an act.

But if you look into it a bit more, that interpretation doesn’t really hold up.

If that were the case, Mizi wouldn’t be crying so hard, crushed by grief, and hallucinating dead loved ones. Even if she felt some practical loss, she wouldn’t be emotionally wrecked like this. She wouldn’t be experiencing this level of human sadness and pain.

So Mizi’s emotional reaction to the situation is just as important as what she says. People don’t think the same way when they’re in a stable state vs. when they’re emotionally overwhelmed—it wouldn’t be fair to judge both from the same standard.

Mizi might be judging herself, thinking: “I was just using people, wasn’t I…” but if you look at what she actually did—her behavior—it doesn’t line up with that harsh self-judgment.

And we can get a better idea of what Mizi really meant by “waste” through the next scene, where she gets confronted by that guy who hits her.

He calls her “cunning,” saying boys and girls can’t be real friends—and accuses her of pretending not to know that Till liked her, just so she could keep being close with him.

What the boy is saying is basically, “You’re stringing him along. You know how he feels, but you’re acting clueless. You’re fake.”

While saying it "must be nice," being her, pretending to be sweet and all innocent, getting people to love her, he slaps her across the face. (Just before this, he remarks on how guys and girls always end up “mating,” and Mizi rightfully calls it kind of gross.)

Now here’s where Mizi’s immediate reaction matters:

She says sorry to the boy who just slapped her face and calls her disgusting and filthy.

She tells him, “I’m sorry for upsetting you”—but she’s also confused, like, “What exactly did I do wrong? I don’t get it.”

Then she says again:

“It’s a shame.” (in English, "It's a shame" / in Korean, again, 아깝다< it's the same word in the original KR version)

What’s behind that, you may wonder:

It is that Mizi tried. She genuinely made the effort to be kind to everyone. When there were things she couldn’t respond to or reciprocate, she just smiled and played it nice. To her, that was her way of being considerate. She really put in effort.

So from her perspective, the fact that her kindness didn’t work here—that it hurt someone instead—that’s what feels like “a waste.” and "a shame" It’s like:

“If you’d stayed like the others— believing I really was to be completely innocent, not knowing anything—it would’ve been easier between us. But now I’ve ended up hurting you. That sucks. That’s a loss for both of us.”

Her saying “I don’t know what I did wrong” —it’s that she really believed she was doing her best. So if that’s still seen as manipulative or “fake,” it just invalidates all the effort she put in.

She’s thinking:

“But I tried! I acted that way to be thoughtful! Everyone was happier that way. I thought no one would get hurt if I just smiled and played along. But now this guy’s saying I’m two-faced?”

“Then… what was I supposed to do instead? I don’t get it. This really hurts.”

That’s Mizi’s heart there at that scene. The way she’s been acting—that’s a core part of her identity, but it wasn't acknowledged and it gave her pain.

So she runs away crying.

And from this point, Mizi starts to have serious doubts about the way she’s always acted.

She ends up telling Sua about what happened—because she’s upset. She just needed to talk to her closest friend about it.

But even then, Mizi says stuff like, “I'm sure I did something wrong,” and “He’s not a bad person, really.”

Part of her really believes that, and part of her wants to believe that.

She wants to think that maybe, if she had handled it differently, the relationship could’ve stayed okay.

So she tries to focus on the good things in life to pick herself back up, saying stuff like: “And right now, I’m just happy because I’m with you, Sua. I'm sooo happy!”

But Sua’s not in the same emotional place. Because of what she’s been through, she's distressed. Moreover, she’s not the type to force herself to act cheerful just to lift the mood.

So Sua replies: “I’m not really happy. (...) You don't get dragged around like me.” And then adds: “Must be nice(being you) right?”

She doesn’t join in Mizi’s effort to stay upbeat. Instead, she takes Mizi's efforts as something 100% genuine, that Mizi "has it nice"

The reason Mizi reacts so strongly to that—“Must be nice”—is because she’s not. Not at all. Her head is a mess, her heart’s a mess, and for Sua to not see that—to not notice how much effort she’s been putting into staying cheerful—makes her feel overwhelmed with anger and sadness, even just for a moment. Moreover, this line also brought her back to that time when that boy earlier had called her out for being "manipulative" and supposedly having her way with people acting innocent because it happened to be phrased the same way.

It’s like… she’d really hoped Sua would understand her. And in that moment, they just didn’t connect. That’s where the despair came from. Mizi really treasures Sua, but even Sua didn’t notice how hard she’s been working to stay bright. Instead, she just assumed Mizi was feeling carefree and smiling for real. So Mizi snapped.

But then right after that moment, when she hits Sua out of that emotional outburst, she’s hit with the crushing thought that she just did to Sua what that boy who slapped her did. And that fills her with intense self-hatred. What’s wrong with me? I shouldn’t have done that… She starts beating herself up inside.

Their facial expressions in that scene are pretty intense and eerie… but emotionally, that’s what’s going on.

After that, Mizi starts to believe—Maybe I really am as manipulative as that boy said I was.

And then, what she does next is go find Till. This is something really worth paying attention to.

If Mizi actually had the intention of using Till, then she would've kept pretending she didn’t know anything, acting all innocent.

But instead, she goes straight to him and says it plainly:

“Till, you know the one I love the most in the world is Sua, right? Is it that hard to not like me?”

Mizi really does care about Till. Maybe not in the same way as she does for Sua, but as a friend, she cares deeply. So she thinks she needs to be honest with him. She tells him—I can’t give you what you want. Even if you love me, I love Sua. So wouldn’t it be better for you to not to love me?

Why? Because that boy had called her manipulative for keeping her feelings hidden. And now she’s scared—If I keep pretending nothing’s wrong and just act like a normal friend, maybe Till will end up feeling betrayed too. She wants to prevent that. If she didn’t care about Till, she wouldn’t even bother.

And the thing is—Till already knew. He knew Mizi had feelings for Sua. (Side note: yup, I called this in my earlier analysis!) So Mizi was never leading Till on or anything; he just liked Mizi because that's how he felt about her.

So in a way, Mizi and Till have a pretty healthy relationship—they both know what’s going on between each other, and they acknowledge it. But Mizi’s head is all tangled up from what that boy said, and it’s making her question everything. Was I just using Till this whole time?

When she tells Till that she loves Sua, and he says he still likes her, Mizi asks him:

“Why do you like me so much, anyway?”

Because she doesn’t believe she can give anything back. She doesn’t think she can return his feelings… even though Mizi, just by being herself, is already a light in Till’s life—she just doesn’t realize it.

Till, so sincerely, just says, “Because… you’re pretty…” He’s simply being honest about how he sees her. But for Mizi, that ends up reinforcing all the wrong thoughts.

Because the part of her that worked so hard to be cheerful and sweet—what she now sees as “fake”—is exactly what Till is saying he likes. So she thinks, He’s rejecting this honest version of me. Even he loved the version of me that pretended to be pure and happy. If I want him to be happy, I have to keep pretending. That’s what everyone wants from me. I guess I have to live my whole life putting on this mask, tricking people...

And that’s why she lets out that hollow laugh.

Then she ends up viewing all her past efforts—being kind to people, staying cheerful—as nothing more than:

“I did all of that for myself. Just so I could survive. I used everyone.”

But that’s completely the opposite of the truth. She actually put up that cute and cheerful energy for everyone around her.

If everything she did at Anakt Garden—living with the other kids from a young age—was really just her cold calculation to survive, then she wouldn’t be hurting this much now over Till, over Sua, or anything else.

If it was all just part of some scheme she set up, she’d be smirking right now going, “It all went according to plan. What idiots.”

But instead, Mizi’s in a place where she’s seeing hallucinations, hating herself so much she’s breaking down.

She’s thinking, Maybe everything I’ve done was just for me. Maybe I’m selfish. And she’s lashing herself with those thoughts. That’s how much she hates who she thinks she is.

But the truth is—Mizi really did want everyone to survive. Till, Sua, Ivan, Hyuna—all of them were precious to her. That’s why when Luka provoked her with Sua, she lost control and didn't care about the whole contest. If she only cared about winning or surviving, she wouldn’t have been furious about it, she wouldn’t have snapped like that.

Mizi cares and has a big heart. That's why she broke down when Sua died. That’s why she looked so relieved and lit up when Till reached out to her in the Blink Gone Stage, That's why and how she risked her life to fire a gun and save Hyuna, while nearly having gotten hit by a bullet herself. What really took place just before this comic was that Mizi couldn't bear to leave Till behind, so she snuck back into the alien stage show and held out her hand to him. She was nearly killed herself, and had barely escaped with her life, and yet, she returned to that stage for someone else's. That's so far from taking advantage of others, it's a choice she wouldn't ever have made if everything she did was just to survive.

Mizi using others for her own ends? If that really were to be the case, then when Hyuna saved her, she wouldn’t have joined the resistance or risked going back to the stage to help the other children.

She RISKS her life to save others, and actively jumps in to help. That's what's consistent about her, and it's what describes her as a person.

If she had really just been using the other kids, they all wouldn’t care about her so much. They wouldn’t try to protect her the way they do.

Mizi is devastated right now because nothing turned out the way she wanted. She couldn’t save anyone. And thinking that it’s all her fault—thinking she failed to save them—feels like a punishment she deserves. This is how and why her thoughts are spiraling this way in this particular comic.

[actuallyjustabiscuit]

Fuck it

I think I just need to say it

This whole scene to me…

Didn’t come off as flirting

Ok, I promise I’m not doing this to put down any FunnyGummy shippers.

The ship is fine. I like it

But just hear me out on this take, because there’s a specific reason I’m making it.

And to do that, I gotta do a quick analysis on their interactions.

So here’s the deal, it feels weird to call Pomni’s behavior towards Gummigoo in ep 4, namely all her clumsy stuttering and stumbling, as anything resembling infatuation.

The reason she’s failing to play it cool is because she’s suddenly reunited with someone who, not a couple days ago, was previously blown up right in front of her.

Like, I’m pretty sure she was struggling not to just immediately go “holy shit, you’re alive!?” as soon as she realized who was standing on the other side of the counter.

Let’s try walking in Pomni’s shoes for a bit. Imagine seeing someone you just befriended…suddenly get killed…in a pretty violent fashion…and then pop back up again with absolutely no warning.

You’d think the first thing you’d talk about upon reuniting would be something related to that.

But nah, they just waltz in wanting some breakfast like the average customer in this little fast food simulation game that you are being forced to play in.

Now, let’s go back to ep 2

Gummigoo had accidentally stumbled onto the other side of Caine’s curtain, making him question his entire existence. Leaving Pomni the only one available to explain and to effectively shatter his worldview by revealing that he, and everyone he knows, is an NPC. And his reaction to all of this was naturally negative. He goes from panicking at the discovery to being completely dismal over the loss of the reality he knew.

To say the poor guy was going through it would be an understatement.

Gummigoo was pretty much in a hopeless state. Being burdened with eye opening knowledge is a very lonely experience. Especially when it seems you’re the only one to be made aware of it. It’s not hard to see why Pomni took the time to help him. She was forced to suddenly comprehend a different reality just the other day.

“Feeling like your nothing is kinda normal.” is a wild way to try to relate to someone, but she decided to take a seat next to him because it’s probably the most normal thing she’s heard since she’s been there.

And what’s important to note about their conversation under the map is that with every attempt that Pomni initially makes to help him feel less alone, Gummigoo’s quick to brush it off because none of it is enough to diminish the fact that he’s not a real person, and therefore does not get to exist as a real person. Believing that his friends care about him the same way he does for them is pretty much cold comfort when their roles have been literally coded for them.

Even when she offered him a way out of his situation, he wasn’t immediately keen on taking it. His question, “how does this benefit you at all?” is the kind of question someone asks when they place no real value on themselves as a person. He was so quick to accept that he is nothing, because from his understanding that’s what he would essentially be reduced to once the adventure is over. This is what fills him with dread, knowing his life ends when his purpose as a character is complete. And it’s only when Pomni finally gives him a new role, being her friend, that he begins to respond positively.

He goes from a fake bandit to a real friend, giving his existence some validity.

The show has been doing a great job at establishing that Pomni is the kind of earnest person to lend a helping hand. But, considering how she failed to help someone the day prior, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was placing a lot of responsibility on herself to make sure this guy at least gets a chance to not feel like nothing. Helping him benefits her beyond feeling less alone in this strange new life, it was also a chance to redeem herself.

This time she wasn’t going to abandon someone who needed her.

And then he was fucking obliterated.

Once again, Pomni failed at helping someone. And not just a stranger, this time it was someone she called a friend. On top of that, she didn’t just failed, she practically led this lamb to slaughter. She didn’t know the outcome of course, but it was still her idea to take him to the Circus.

It was her insistence on bringing him along that got him killed

So now she’s talking to someone who may or may not be the same person because he sure damn well looks like him.

And if he didn’t really die, then perhaps she didn’t really screw up again, at least that’s what she’s hoping for

However, this isn’t the Gummigoo that got stranded under the map with her and needed consoling from his existential crisis.

This is just a guy who’s still waiting on his Sausage Bacon Jaffle Combo, and is super weirded out that the cashier girl is crawling around trying to get his attention.

And you can see all the hope in Pomni’s eyes die at that realization.

Additionally, her saying “I…don’t know” feels like it goes beyond the surface level “we met before…but you don’t remember me, so maybe not…”

Because, really, Pomni actually doesn’t know Gummigoo.

She never got the chance to know him. Sure she knows what he is, but who Gummigoo was as a person was what they both were going to find out together.

But this Gummigoo doesn’t have the baggage of knowing the truth, which is what ultimately led him to feel like nothing, and in turn needing the validation that he doesn’t have to be nothing. Here, he’s just a simple customer.

This isn’t her friend. And Pomni has to accept that it’s best that he doesn’t remember her. He doesn’t think he’s nothing, and that’s all that matters.

Alright, so why am I really going over all of this?

Why bother making a whole post analyzing these two just to pedantically point out that their interactions have been purely platonic?

Well to tell you the truth, it’s cuz I’m a little fed up with all of it.

I don’t mean people making assumptions that these two characters have feelings for each other.

Im talking more about the trend of when a girl is shown acting all nervous around a guy, people automatically conclude that she has a thing for him.

But when it’s two characters of the same gender acting the exact same way, you get some annoying commentary about how it’s for reasons unrelated to romance and how they “just don’t see it”

“It’s like people can’t just be friends anymore”

Does that phrase annoy you as much as it does me?

Now, thanks to Gooseworx, we are all in a collective understanding that none of the characters will actually get together romantically. So we are free to ship who we please, with the caveat that we are not to act superior over what will or will not be canon. And this is a good rule.

I’m too old to be making arguments against a ship because at the end of the day these weird little guys are public domain and you can imagine them being together in any way you please because they’re just characters.

So me saying that people viewing Pomni’s behavior towards Gummigoo in ep 4 as inherently smitten are misconstruing their relationship just sounds like I’m putting someone’s beloved ship down for no real reason other than just being weirdly contrarian about it.

And you’d be right to think that way.

But when you get people in this day and age who are so quick to label these interactions as romantic and then have trouble extending the same imagination towards a ship like ragapom, it starts to get a bit grating. That the awkward and nervous interactions between two women can be dismissed as platonic and anything more is just delusion.

Like, even people who sincerely ship them tend to make jokes about how delusional we are to do so. You don’t see that in people who ship FunnyGummy. And that’s a little depressing to me.

Now, I’m not saying you have to ship Pomni and Ragatha romantically. I’m not here to dictate anyone’s tastes or say anyone’s reasons for shipping are less valid than others.

I guess it just irks me that we don’t extend this platonic view just as readily towards straight pairings.

Like, I honestly feel that Pomni and Gummigoo’s relationship is appreciated less because of all the shipping.

Their story is so much richer than just another “love that could never be”. It’s the tragedy of losing a friendship only moments after its inception. Of having to come to terms that someone you wanted to be closer with, is better off living their life separate from yours. You wanted to be a positive influence on them, but it didn’t work out as planned, leaving you both to suffer as a result. And all you can do is wish them well as they leave you behind.

A lot of people like to see this pairing as a tragic romance because their circumstances give them prime shipping material. That her having feelings for him would make their separation feel bittersweet.

But Pomni not being in love with Gummigoo doesn’t invalidate the heartbreak of her having to say goodbye to him.

And it shouldn’t. Because he was her friend, for the brief special moment she knew him. And in the end, she did get to do something for him.

She got to wish him a pleasant day.

[pavlov-sdog]

I may have watched severance

My two favorite things are combining my interests and drawing over things. Sue me. Anyways am I crazy or is Adler less horrible in Bell’s “memory” (for the 30 seconds we see him that is)

[drenched-in-sunlight]

saying this as respectfully as possible but. Do not put fandom content creators on a pedestal. We are also just fans contributing to a community just as you are. We have boundary on our own work and that’s it. What I say is not and should not be considered sth the whole fandom should listen to. I’m just a normal ass person ranting about things on my blog. If it does not have a fandom tag for others to engage in, do not make it out to be me trying to start fights or addressing the whole community. Because it’s not.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, my art, my lore talk, is biased. I’ve never tried to hide that I view Marika a certain way and will always develop my theory following that base assumption.

Aside from translation stuffs and pointing out in-game items, everything else I say you can look at it, agree or disagree, and move on to form your own opinions. Just because I draw stuffs doesn’t mean you get to saddle me with responsibilities about managing fandom expectations. What the hell? I’m a fan artist, I’m the last person who you should look at for “leaderism” (?) WHAT?

I can and will be a hater in my own space, like I know sometimes other artists will just post their stuffs and not engage too heavily with fandom, and for a while I did try to do that here (because I’m already a dramatic ass on twitter), that’s just not me though.

You will get art and you will get my opinions as well.

[luck-of-the-drawings]

"I think this is the most inhuman; and human, that I've ever felt.." MUCH CAN HAPPEN IN A YEAR. IN FIVE YEARS. A DECADE. imagine how much can happen in a century. just ONE (1). How will you grow? what phases do you find? even in 5 years, you will find patterns.

[nekoekko-art]

SinDon stargazing and eating soup for your Monday!

[moeblob]

A succubus and a demon! (The succubi don't have names but the demon is Kronos and the succubus is one of his bosses in Hell and he's not /fond/ of the succubi for many reasons but they all adore picking on him)

Also because I love them and like to point it out, the succubi act more as pleasure dealers in the sense of they offer up whatever a human wants most in exchange for their soul. It's rarely of a sexual nature since it's what they want MOST in life. And most people's ambitions are outside of a bedroom. (happy pride, asexuals are able to get affected by a succubus now without discrimination)

[anthromimicry]