#also she is such a good character to play in the game

[masterarchfiend93]

I honestly like abs, but some belly fat is good too. All body types are beautiful, I just get a smidge annoyed seeing the same type used in media over and over even when it completely contradicts the overall character. “So let me get this straight. They don’t work out at all, the most exercise they get is getting up from their game to get their fast food from the delivery person…and they are thin as a rail? They eat more than a bodybuilder in terms of calories and just play games! How are they so thin?!”

I just want some more consistent logic. Not saying that gamers can’t be thin or anything like that, just that a character’s physique should match up with what we are told about them. Applejack from MLP:FiM eats a ton, but she also works a ton on the farm, so there’s an explanation present. Just little things. Some people just go “oh they have a great metabolism” and it just feels like a cop out. Have them, I don’t know, own a Wii and some motion heavy games or something. We don’t need to actively see it used, just that it isn’t being neglected and covered in dust.

I guess I’m really just giving my opinion on good character design and using a character’s physique and their habits as an example of what can be something to think about.

…also I am pan and that applies to body types.

when a character has a shirtless scene and they have washboard abs and no sign of any belly fat not even a little bit

[juleshollow]

Scarlet Hollow's soundtrack

I need to write about this game’s music, especially since I don’t see much praise about it when it’s clearly due.

From the start, I’ve loved the opening song – so much so that I usually wait a few minutes on the title screen before playing just so I can listen to it. I think the song is perfect for the game, it sets just the right atmosphere. I don’t know how to explain it (especially not in English), but it sounds like Scarlet Hollow. Like it transports me to the town. I’m there, surrounded by woods and mystery. I love it so so so much.

It's because of this song that I checked if the soundtrack of the game was on Spotify, and it is! Cool! So I’ve been listening to it while I work. Brandon Boone did amazing.

I’ve actually discovered something that surprised me while listening to the playlist. It turns out that every character has their own song, when I was mistakenly associating their music to a scenario or mood. Like I thought that Avery’s theme was the diner’s theme, and Sybil’s was the music you hear when there’s a moment of particular tension and mystery (makes sense). It seems obvious now that I think about it, but I don’t know if I would have realised had I not paid attention to the name of each track.

Which leads me to! How amazing the music is! Now that I know that the characters have their own themes, I can tell how well they fit them. Just like the opening song is perfect for the game (for the town, for Scarlet Hollow), the characters' songs tell you a lot about them. Let me list some stuff I’ve thought about while listening:

Tabitha - low and slow, it sounds guarded, like it’s keeping secrets. It’s mysterious and a little ominous (I originally thought it was the mansion’s theme – it even has a few piano notes and they remind me of the faint piano you hear in the forbidden area of the state on the first day). In the second half of the song, they introduce a higher-pitched melody. It sounds softer, more vulnerable to me. It shows that Tabitha has a delicate side you can stick around to find, I think.

Stella - it sounds very melancholic, which is surprising for a character that positive and energetic (you come to find out why it actually suits her). I don’t know the name of the sound that starts at 1:09, but it’s very UFO/alieny. Kinda points to her search of the supernatural. At first I thought this was the “intimate moment theme”, which makes sense with how close and personal you can get with Stella very early on. Like she needs the intimacy, even if she keeps some stuff hidden.

Avery - synths (which Avery plays! Nice!), a steady percussion beat and electric guitar: smooth, chill, cool all around. And then from 1:43, higher-pitched notes that sound oh so sweet and hopeful.

Kaneeka - starts so soft and peaceful and promptly turns into full-on detective music. Like this is the sountrack of an active investigation. This woman is thinking, she's digging out data because she's super smart. And something about the sounds they chose feels very “technological” to me (if you’ve played Sly Cooper, it reminds me of Bentley’s hacker mini games!), very machines and buttons and science. Why does that matter? Because it’s all so realistic! Kaneeka sounds like the reasonable explanation she’s looking for.

Oscar - sounds like the start of a new day in a videogame, like "6.00am theme". Sunrise, the lazy early morning. Cozy, good.

Reese - pure anticipation, you spend the whole song waiting – something sinister is coming. It’s cool that there are some industrial sounds in there, which Reese supposedly likes.

Duke - slow and sure like an old man. And that slide on the strings is so country, baby.

Sybil - secrets, possible lies. She knows more than you. I need to compare it to Kaneeka’s theme because Sybil sounds like a mystery while her daughter sounds like an investigation. Also, if Kaneeka gives a scientific vibe, Sybil gives off magic – from 2:23 it gets very Hogwarts chimes and bells or whatever. It’s magic vs. logic!

Anyway, I think the soundtrack can make or break a game and this one is fantastic. It really contributes to making the whole experience more immersive. So great job and thank you so much to Brandon Boone 👍 Especially “Scarlet Hollow”, the opening theme, my favourite. Listening to it already makes me nostalgic and brings back the feelings I experienced playing the game, which is exactly what makes a soundtrack great, to me.

[kxsagi]

okay okay okay imagine

Nagi having a gf who's also good a gaming, but doesn't play as much as he does. He then suggests her to play a MOBA game so they can play together and she agrees because she's good at those

then weeks after that Nagi is hanging out in her apartment and brings up the game to her and she answers "too lazy to rank up because of how toxic the players are" and Nagi was like, aight bet I'll play it for you and rank you up

“𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 (𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲)”

a/n: how do you guys have the best plot ideas??? also i had to do some research since i actually don’t play MOBA so let me know if there’s anything you want me to edit 😔

nagi had always known you were good at gaming, but he didn’t expect you to be that good at a MOBA, especially since you didn’t play as much as he did. 

when he first introduced the game to you, you had shrugged, downloaded it, and within minutes were breezing through the tutorial like it was nothing. then the two of you queued for your first real match together. 

nagi played his usual slow-paced yet calculated style, effortlessly farming in the lane while you took a more aggressive approach. the moment the enemy team made the mistake of stepping out of position, you pounced. 

“gank bot,” you called out, fingers moving swiftly across your keyboard. 

“mm.” nagi, playing a jungle role, took the hint and rotated to your lane. as expected, the enemy marksman and support didn’t react in time, and with a well-timed stun from you, he cleaned up the kills effortlessly. 

“nice,” he muttered, blinking as the words “double kill!” flashed across the screen. 

but just as you were about to respond, the chat exploded. 

[enemy mid]: lol jung diff, this nagi guy is so carried[enemy ADC]: cringe gank, imagine needing your boyfriend to help lmao 

you rolled your eyes and started typing. 

[you]: cry about it 

nagi chuckled at your response, but the toxicity didn’t stop. 

by the time the match ended, a decisive win for your team, half the chat was filled with insults, people blaming teammates, and even some directed at you. 

[enemy mid]: ofc a girl would play a busted character, no skill 

[enemy ADC]: go back to playing animal crossing, why are you even here? 

“yeah, this game’s definitely toxic,” you sighed, leaning back in your chair. “i don’t have the patience to rank up when it’s just a cesspool of people like this.” 

nagi hummed in understanding, his gaze lazily drifting to you. “aight, bet. i’ll rank you up.” 

you blinked at him. “you’re gonna grind my account?” 

“yeah.” he stretched his arms, cracking his knuckles. “you’re too good to be stuck in this rank ‘cause of annoying teammates. i’ll fix it.” 

you snorted. “that’s a lot of effort for someone who hates effort.” 

nagi just shrugged. “easier than watching you complain about it.” 

and with that, he got to work. 

𐙚 

at first, it was just one or two matches whenever he had time. you’d go make food, shower, or get distracted with another game, and when you came back, you’d see another win on your match history. 

[MVP - nagi (on your account)] 

he didn’t even bother responding to chat. every time a teammate flamed him, he just played even more flawlessly, shutting them up with his sheer skill. 

it quickly became a routine. nagi would be chilling at your apartment, stretched out on your bed or lounging on your gaming chair, controller in hand or fingers idly tapping at your keyboard. you’d glance over and see him casually dominating the game. 

“why are you playing jungle again?” you asked one night, peering over his shoulder. 

“less stress,” he replied, securing another objective while his teammates bickered in the chat. “can just carry without talking to anyone.” 

it was actually insane watching him work. he made the game look effortless, dismantling enemy teams while your rank climbed steadily. even when the inevitable toxicity crept in…  

[teammate 1]: stop kill stealing, jungle. trash. 

[teammate 2]: report jungle for not helping lane!

he didn’t even react. just another deep sigh, another quiet, “annoying,” before hard-carrying yet another game. 

at one point, you watched him take down three players alone after your teammates abandoned him. the moment he secured the final kill, an enemy typed: 

[enemy ADC]: bro who is this?? smurf??? 

nagi tilted his head slightly, exhaling a soft, “hmm.” 

“i should reply, ‘nah just my girlfriend’s account,’ huh?” he mused. 

you cackled. “do it.” 

he didn’t, but the idea clearly amused him. 

𐙚 

a few weeks later, you sat down at your PC, stretched your fingers, and blinked at your rank. 

“…wait, what?” 

you had been stuck in mid-tier rank before, but now? 

grandmaster. 

you turned in your chair, raising an eyebrow at nagi, who was lying on your bed, scrolling through his phone. “when did you do this?” 

he barely looked up. “dunno. while you were asleep, maybe?” 

you squinted at him, then back at your rank. 

“… damn.” you clicked through your match history. almost every game was a win. “you actually carried me all the way up?” 

“mm.” he yawned. “wasn’t that hard.” 

you stared at him for a long moment before shaking your head with a laugh. “you’re ridiculous.” 

finally, nagi lifted his gaze, his lazy expression softening into something almost smug. “now you don’t have an excuse not to play with me.” 

you smirked, cracking your knuckles. “guess i don’t.” 

and with that, the two of you queued up, this time, at the top. 

© 𝐤𝐱𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐢

[callmearcturus]

Alright Arc, I'll bite; what exactly is going on in fields of mistria and in what way is it better than Stardew, and also how many hot queer women are there to (presumably) date?

I played a lot of Stardew but unfortunately I found the experience of it very shallow. And I fully understand it's such a fucking hard needle to thread. Moon Channel pointed out that the sweet spot of these games is a feeling of being welcome and not overwhelmed. So if every character you meet is, as he phrased it (talking about Coral Island), "the coolest person your coolest cousin knows," then you don't feel welcome and the game will not hook you.

Fields of Mistria fucking nails this because there are some child NPCs in FOM that have more character than the combined NPCs of Pelican Town.

As for the love interests.... I'll make a fast ranking.

BACHELORETTES

5. Celine

I do NOT dislike her at all, don't let the rating fool you, she is just not at all my type. She's the Box Art Girl but less Shiori Fujisaki and more Liara T'Soni, if you get what I mean.

She's the florist of the town, is super friendly and a little silly. I like her!

4. Adeline

Oh my gd I adore her. Adeline is the Isabelle of the game, she runs the town on an administrative level and she's extremely good at it. She loves doing government paperwork out in the sunlight! She helps Nora with her taxes! She believes in the power of local government and by gd so do I.

3. Reina

Objectively speaking I think Reina has to be the the hottest girl in town and always gives the vibe that she is into you, which I think is very important in games with dating sim elements. You want at least some of the options to be proactive with their interest and MAN REINA SURE IS.

She helps run the inn and comes from what seems to be a lineage of hot people.

2. Juniper

Juniper is fucking hilarious. She is the villain of every early Sailor Moon arc but now she runs a bathhouse that def isn't a front for some shady magical biz.

She does the Villainous Anime Woman laugh and she has a dog named Dozy who just sleeps all day.

She is so mean and so funny and just pitch perfect. Her weekly lowkey squabbles with Valen at the Inn are my favorite writing in the game. The fucking scene with the super rare expensive wine l m a o.

Valen

LIFE GOALS? WIFE GOALS? who could say!

Valen is the town doctor, she is more than a little posh, her petty fights with Juniper are hilarious, and everything about the look and the fit and the vibe is just 😍

Unfortunately she and Juniper are so good together I worry I'm interfering with some destined perfect kismesissitude....

[glittering-darmallon]

My Rooks Part 1.: Valrys Ingellvar and Canelo de Riva

Questionnaires behind the break

Valrys Ingellvar

1: Where in the Thedas is your Rook from? Nevarra City. However, they were likely born somewhere in the Deep Roads from Orzammar to Nevarra, but they have no way of knowing.

2: What is your character's alignment? Neutral Good

3: Race and class? Dwarf Warrior

4: If your Rook was a companion, where would they be found? Does this mean where in the Lighthouse? They'd have picked up and relocated that mirror of transformation first off. They'd also likely set up shop on the second floor of the laboratory. It looked like there was enough space up there for a dwarf sized bed.

5: What emotion did they usually pick? Affable.

6: What companion are they platonically close with? Their best friends in the Veilguard were Emmrich and Taash

7: Romantically close with? Lace Harding (somewhere in the background proud cries of "That's my wife!" can be heard)

8: Who are they suspicious of? In the Veilguard? None of them. They consider them all like family. They are the kind of person to give benefit of the doubt at first. But once you lose their trust, it is gone forever. They were and are still a little suspicious of Morrigan

9: Does your Rook get along with their chosen Faction? Yes, very much. They love each and every Mourn Watch member, especially their chosen parental figure VORGOTH and loves Myrna like a little sister

10: Are they proficient in playing any instruments? Nope. Not only that, they can't carry a tune to save their life

11: Weapon of choice? A maul. They really liked the one named Lawrence.

12: What is their orientation? I don't know if I have the right word for it. They're genderfluid but only interested in women (they love women so much). So I'm choosing to use sapphic.

13: What are their thoughts on killing? Is it a necessary evil or do they enjoy it? They like fighting but not necessarily killing. However, they understand they live in a dangerous world and it's necessary sometimes. They will try to come to a non-violent solution whenever possible.

14: What hobbies does your Rook have? They like fashion and history. And the lack of finding the clothes they want that fit them right (this is me being mad that even the robes in the game had pants) had them teaching themself how to sew and make clothes. It's my headcannon that in the future when they and Lace get married, they're making their own gown.

15: What NPCs do they like? Which one's do they dislike? I've already mentioned Myrna and VORGOTH but they also like Viper and Antoine and Evka. It's not that they have anything against the other faction leaders, they just wouldn't want to hang out with them much. They really liked talking weather with Karash.

They did NOT like Shathan. Yes, they understand she was struggling to understand Taash's identity struggles and did the best she could, coming around in the end. But they did not appreciate her telling them that "Taash was rarely interested in men" while looking right at them (and this is when they were dressed in the most femme outfit I had access to at the time, and a full face of makeup. They were serving looks) and never apologized for that. That whole conversation made them want to break things.

And they really hated Mythal (only time I've fought her so far).

16: Do they have a favorite creature in the Thedas? They love nuggalopes. It is a life dream to own one for a mount and or pet

17: Do they enjoy life as an adventurer? Yes. They love to learn. My plan for Valrys and Lace post-game is to go on journeys to find and compile Dwarven history into a compendium

18: What would your Rook be doing if they weren't recruited by Varric? Killing every Venatori that dared entering the Necropolis and helping VORGOTH with the hauntings they discover

19: How do you think they'll meet their end? By trying to reason with the wrong person instead of just fighting them

20: Would they side with Solas or fight him? They reluctantly sided with him. But they weren't happy about it.

21: What is your Rook's favorite ability? Deadly ground and Reaper. That Spirit Storm ultimate was amazing

22: What languages is your character fluent in? Other than Trade? Nevarran and somewhat fluent in Orzammar Dwarven but that's self-taught and hard to practice back home (they found a book)

23: What do they do after an absolute crisis? Smash so many things.

24: Does your character believe in the afterlife? Yes. They grew up around spirits. They know there is more.

25: What specialization best represents your Rook? Reaper no question...However, if berserker had been an option....

26: What animal best represents your Rook? An elephant: Strong, smart, protective of their own, great memory and generally pleasant unless you wrong them them they're gonna remember forever and make sure future generations know about it.

27: What was their life like before the events of Veilguard? As much as they liked it and working with the watchers, the Necropolis was starting to feel claustrophobic

28: Is your character the de facto leader of the party? Or do they consider someone else to be the leader? Yes. They were trusted with the job and they take it seriously. They have enjoyed bringing everyone together and helping people

29: If you could choose a different faction for your Rook, which one would they have joined and why? They'd probably enjoy being a Veil Jumper even though they're not magical. The history they'd get to learn about would fascinate them. They would absolutely refuse to wear those outfits. "No. They do nothing for my figure. I look like a lump of mud. Absolutely not"

30: What's your favorite thing about your Rook?

Aside from the fact they're just so good looking? I love how they just let themself feel whatever emotion it is they're feeling. They repress nothing. They're highly emotionally intelligent.

---------------- Canelo de Riva

Where in the Thedas is your Rook from? Born in Seleny, moved to Treviso at approx.16

2. What is your character's alignment? Hard to say. Likely a true neutral of the "heroic neutral" variety.

3. Race and class? Elf rogue, veil ranger

4. If your Rook was a companion, where would they be found? In the Wolf's Den

5. What emotion did they usually pick? Stoic

6. What companion are you platonically close with? He was bff's with Davrin and Harding (yeah I know. Why did I choose to hurt him like that?)

7. Romantically close with? Lucanis

8. Who are they suspicious of? He didn't trust Solas, Illario, and Invenci right from the get go

9. Does your Rook get along with their chosen Faction? For the most part. He is close with Viago and the real reason he was sent away from Treviso was for his safety. Canelo suffered a psychotic break thinking he'd found Antaam member responsible for killing his siblings and just went ham on them. Wasn't even aware of what he'd done until Viago told him. He likes Teia a lot as well. They do each other's hair.

10. Are they proficient in playing any instruments? Nope.

11. Weapon of choice? Longbow specifically the dauntless greatbow he named Jugular (his preferred place to shoot a target)

 12. What is their orientation? Bisexual greyromantic

13. What are their thoughts on killing? Is it a necessary evil or do they enjoy it? A job is a job, and being an assassin pays better than being a prostitute did.

14. What hobbies does your Rook have? He enjoys making his own arrows, including the knapping of arrowheads when he can find appropriate stone. He likes dancing and making beads for hair or jewelry too

15. What NPCs do they like? Which one's do they dislike? As stated above, Viago is very important to him, like an older brother, Teia too. But he likes Tarquin quite a lot, and they both grew up in a lower socioeconomic class. He is to no surprise no big fan of Illario. "I don't care if he's like your brother, mio cuore. He tried to kill you, had you imprisoned in a place where they tortured you. I am never going to like him." He is also no fan of the First Warden

16. Do they have a favorite creature in the Thedas? Dracolisks. He thinks they're awesome. "Lucanis, if you were ever thinking about getting me an extravagant gift...get one of these."

17. Do they enjoy life as an adventurer? He is the kind of guy who would have been happy earning an honest living as a hunter and continuing to raise his little brother and sister and being left alone, but life had other ideas. Adventuring really isn't for him.

18. What would your Rook be doing if they weren't recruited by Varric? He'd love to say still working for the Crows, but he is fairly sure Viago would have made him find other work outside Treviso. It was clearly not doing his mental health any favors, and the city was slowly killing him

19. How do you think they'll meet their end? Likely the way most Crows seem to. In a power grab

 20. Would they side with Solas or fight him? Oh he fought him. Every tragedy in Canelo's life could be traced back to Solas giving Corypheus that orb.

The orb explodes and opens the breach

Demons pour out of fade rifts

His parents are killed by demons on their way to Treviso to collect a shipment of spices to sell at their store.

Canelo is too young and doesn't have the brain for running the store, and it goes under. He and his two year old twin siblings lose the house and end up living in a hunter shack in the Tellari Swamps near Seleny. They do okay for about 2 years

Zenzera gets sick, and Canelo has to sell everything but the clothes on their backs and steal the rest of the gold to get them to a special healer in Treviso.

He cannot find a safe job that will let him bring a pair of four year olds along with.

Ends up becoming a sex worker to feed them, but never makes enough to get them off the street

A noble who had been tossed from the brothels for being too violent with the workers their decides to just quit paying for it and assaults Canelo.

This noble that Canelo kills in self-defense was Viago's contract. This results in Canelo joining the Crows.

The three of them are doing okay for a while.

Then the Antaam, who broke away from the Qun after the events of Tresspasser (Thanks again, Solas) invade Treviso.

Antam raid the market where Zenzera and Zafferano are shopping with some fledglings and are killed.

Canelo falls into a spiral of depression, PTSD, and heavy drinking until the above mentioned psychotic break happens and he snaps, killing those two dozen Antaam and wrecking the big plan that had been in the works.

ERGO- SOLAS AND HIS PERPETUAL FAILURES RUINED CANELO'S LIFE. THEREFORE, THERE WAS NO PEACEFUL RESOLUTION TO SOLAS' STORY.

 21. What is your Rook's favorite ability? Hurricane of Blades and Storm's Path

22.  What languages is your character fluent in? Trade obviously, but Antivan and Rivaini with conversational knowledge of Qunlat and Tevene. He's fairly good at picking up languages. Davrin and Bellara teach him Elvhen when they can.

23. What do they do after an absolute crisis? Go hide on the island with the laser that is floating above the Lighthouse Courtyard and have a good breakdown where no one can see it.

24.  Does your character believe in the afterlife? He wants to, but he's afraid that if it's real, he'll go somewhere other than where his family is. Or if he finds them, they will hate him for the choices he made in life

25. What specialization best represents your Rook? He took Veil Ranger, because it was bow focused, and that suits him just fine

26. What animal best represents your Rook? Jaguar- Quiet until they're not, death from above, solitary, master of tactical retreat (Canelo's tactical retreats come when his emotions are too big for him and he needs a safe place to hide and process them)

 27. What was their life like before the events of Veilguard? See the answer to number 20. It wasn't all bad. The first few years with the Crows were great. For the first time in over 5 years they all had enough to eat. When Canelo became a full Crow, he quickly earned a name for himself for being quick and efficient from far away, his contracts never even knowing he was there. Once the Antaam invaded though, it all fell apart

28. Is your character the de facto leader of the party? Or do they consider someone else to be the leader? Yes, but he'd really rather not be the leader. Someone has to do it though

29. If you could choose a different faction for your Rook, which one would they have joined and why? He'd make a good Shadow Dragon.

30. What's your favorite thing about your Rook? He's resilient. He's been served a tragedy buffet and yet, still going. Plus, underneath the stony and or sad exterior he's a lovable person who will lavish his loved ones with affection. Even ones who would REALLY rather he didn't (Viago).

Rook Questionnaire

inspired by @cassieuncaged's BG3 Character Development Questions but for Rook instead!

1: Where in the Thedas is your Rook from?

2: What is your character's alignment?

3: Race and subclass?

4: If your Rook was a companion, where would they be found?

5: What emotion did they usually pick?

6: What companion are you platonically close with?

7: Romantically close with?

8: Who are they suspicious of?

9: Does your Rook get along with their chosen Faction?

10: Are they proficient in playing any instruments?

11: Weapon of choice?

12: What is their orientation?

13: What are their thoughts on killing? Is it a necessary evil or do they enjoy it?

14: What hobbies does your Rook have?

15: What NPCs do they like? Which one's do they dislike?

16: Do they have a favorite creature in the Thedas?

17: Do they enjoy life as an adventurer?

18: What would your Rook be doing if they weren't recruited by Varric?

19: How do you think they'll meet their end?

20: Would they side with Solas or fight him?

21: What is your Rook's favorite ability?

22: What languages is your character fluent in?

23: What do they do after an absolute crisis?

24: Does your character believe in the afterlife?

25: What specialization best represents your Rook?

26: What animal best represents your Rook?

27: What was their life like before the events of Veilguard?

28: Is your character the de facto leader of the party? Or do they consider someone else to be the leader?

29: If you could choose a different faction for your Rook, which one would they have joined and why?

30: What's your favorite thing about your Rook?

[crimsoncold]

What is pol!Jon?

It a short form tag that stands for political jon. Essentially an explanation theorized and popularized by a number of people in asoiaf/game of thrones fandom in an attempt to explain some of the very questionable if not outright out of character choices that writer's made on game of thrones for Jon Snow in the later seasons concerning his entire storyline since encountering Daenerys.

Essentially its a theory that stands by the idea that the only way Jon's action and choices could make sense were if Jon's interactions with Daenerys and her allies were not of a genuine nature (i.e. he had no genuine loyalty, affection, love, or trust in her or her advisors/army) but rather everything he was doing and saying amounted to him "playing" the game and doing whatever was necessary to gain her help (i.e. her army and dragons) in the war against the dead, but also to keep his family members and subjects safe from Dany's wrath once he brought her north, and potentially even to maneuver/keep himself in a position where he would be close enough to take Daenerys out all together should it prove necessary to eliminate someone who had proved to be an obvious threat (i.e. before she could cause mass murder and destruction via her dragons, or attempt to greviously harm Jon himself or his "siblings"- the latter at least Jon was successful with)

Essentially it holds to the idea that Jon would have had to have clocked Daenerys as a temporarily necessary "evil" but ultimately also a likely a very dangerous person who would have to be carefully managed to keep her on track and from outright imploding and he then acted (i.e. lied) accordingly (honestly not exactly unlike how her own advisors tended to treat her... as someone useful and powerful who they hoped to influence/guide to some desired outcome/ruler while also having to offset her ever present dangerous desire to take the easy road- i.e. screw the consequences wipe out any and all of her "enemies" with dragon fire).

This theory was meant to offer a more sensible and in character explanation for him bending the knee, becoming her lover, him acting as if he believed she really was a good queen or a ruler any different than the several other violent destructive and/or fire-obsessed ones that came before her.

One that wouldn't require the audience to accept that Jon had just suddenly and without explanation had a personality transplant, becoming incredibly foolishly trusting, a exceptionally bad judge of character, and willing to follow and submit to someone who was not just personally disrespectful to him and his family but who also burned countless people alive, is intending to invade westeros, forcefully take independence away from the north, while also directly threatening Jon's own beloved family.

Support for the idea that Jon would never sincerely trust or feel affection for Dany comes from various things such as...

1. The general lack of any affection/passion/happiness being displayed by Jon when interacting with Daenerys. That feels like a very intentional and suspect choice that is unlikely to have solely been the decision of Kit Harrington or simply due to a general lack of chemistry between him and Emilia Clarke. (Storytelling is more than just the performers... other people on set had to have been involved in creating even the possibility of this political Jon narrative)

Just compare scenes of Jon with any number of characters (his Stark siblings- Sansa in particular, Sam or any of his other nightswatch friends, Tormund or even Ygritte) and it seems obvious to conclude that his interactions with Dany lack true happiness/comradery/affection.

2. How many scenes between characters were being framed in the show.. a number of which seemed to point the audience towards the conclusion that something is quite suspect with this whole dynamic between Dany and her Northern and other Westeros Allies.

Serving to foreshadow Dany as an ultimate aggressor and villain for these characters but also currently establishing a noticeable tension- both a jealousy and a sense of isolation...a lack of belonging or trust between Dany and these characters- all of which hints to the idea that Jon was always loyal to the Starks and The North while Daenerys always remained an unaccepted and untrusted outsider, someone that Jon would attempt to placate and manage but never actually endeavored to truly welcome, include, or help integrate into his family or his people (which one may typically expect a man would do for a foreigner lover that he had brought to an unfamiliar place and people to introduce her to his family, his home, his friends, his culture, and his homeland ... that is if said man were actually in love with this woman or had a even a modicum of affection for her).

For evidence see almost any scene with Jon + Sansa + Dany, Dany + Sansa, Dany + the Northerners, Jon + Greyworm.

3. Jon's book or (perhaps to a lesser degree) his established show canon personalities and familial background.

Him having been established as more intelligent and strategic than how he appeared in the later seasons, his protectiveness and nobility, him being at times ruthless, his willingness to compromise his honor when it's necessary for his own life/saftey or that of others... all of which would correspond better to a pol!jon theory than to the idea that he so quickly and inexplicably fell truly in love with, became loyal to, and strangely willingly so passive to a person like Dany.

His previous history and interactions with other villainous characters who choose to use fire for human sacrifice/execution not unlike the way Daenerys does repeatedly (think Stannis or Melisandre, he didn't like them, found their actions abhorrent, he actively worked to oppose them when he could/when it was the right thing to do),

The general history between House Targaryen and Stark (Lyanna's assumed abduction and rape by the brother Dany admires, and the horrific and brutal killing of his Grandfather and Uncle by Dany's King Father, the resulting uprising that Jon's beloved late "father" took part in to overthrow said king) which by itself is enough reason for him not to readily trust any Targaryen

That's all without even looking at Dany's own personal actions that indicate she, much like other various terrible Targ rulers/ancestors is also an incredibly dangerous individual (one unwilling to look to and learn from the past, to unlearn the sense of targaryen superiority she was raised with, or accept the reality of her family members/ancestors, a conqueror who strength lies in her military might and her willingness to kill en masse via dragon fire rather than in an interest in say labouring to earn the loyalty and acceptance of westeros, in handling the details and minutiae of ruling, or striving towards improving her general political acuity).

Lastly because his willingness and ability to infiltrate, manipulate, lie to, and otherwise feign going along with until the time is right to "strike" (while still not actually abandoning his original duty or loyalty) to the people who qualify as an enemey has already been established (including ones he- reluctantly or under coercion- engages with in a romantic or sexual relationship) through his dealings with Ygritte and the other Free Folk.

Essentially fans were unimpressed with the choices and explanations from the writers/showrunners and were trying to come up with their own more reasonable explanation for Jon's later storyline (beyond the simple fact that the show's writing quality in general had suffered in the later seasons, and that the writer's seemed to forget that several houses - including the starks you know the unofficial heart of the story- were significant and that GOT wasn't ever supposed to be the Dany & DRAGONS!!!! Show ft. everyone else) which cumulated in this jon as a political actor (i.e. a strategic manipulator who is working on the behalf of the collective good of the north, or really humanity itself) theory.

So considering all these facts (plus undoubtedly some I couldn't recall simply off the top of my head) a number of fans saw that a reasonable or even somewhat satisfying explanation for Jon's later season's arc/storyline had to be pol!jon... though people may vary on how canon they think this theory is.

Some may think it does make considerable sense and accept it as headcanon but not believe it was an intentional decision by the writers- thus it's something that is applicable in fandom spaces but is not actually a canon theory.

Others believe pol!jon was a storyline that was actually originally planned out and initiated by the writers but was one that would ultimately fall off and never be properly or explicitly addressed in the show itself- or even acknowledged behind the scenes.

Explanations for this generally are various (unconfirmed and speculative) theories that it was scrapped because the show had second thoughts because....

a) Perhaps the show wasn't interested in or able to devote enough time to properly focus on Jon's character arc in the last leg of the show (not at all unlike the treatment of several other major characters), so this storyline wasn't explicity kept up

b) Maybe because they wanted to make Dany's downfall some supposed huge exciting twist for the audience and thus could no longer have an established heroic and generally liked character explicity be shown as as treating Dany as a villain so far in advance from her downfall as it could raise questions on Dany's ultimate role in the series potentially ruining their oh so amazing twist,

C) More cynically speaking it could have been from a desire to avoid any early on backlash from the large, very invested, and profitable, dany-stan/targ centric/jonerys part of fandom who were banking on a "happy" ending with Dany successfully taking power, being accepted in westeros (and the north with Jon as her consort), making for a glorious return of the dragons and a full targ restoration in Westeros with good queen Dany who would be beloved by all (regardless of the atrocities she enacts with her wmd on those she deems her enemies or any potential Nephews whose claim to the IT would supersede hers).

Having an explict pol!jon story being properly built up over the later seasons would certainly make it harder to sell that fantasy for the die hard dany/targ fans and could have meant viewship would have suffered...(i.e. there would be enough potential backlash coming from the finale what with Dany's down fall and Jon's role in her death... why risk having any prematurely which could effect earlier ratings/reviews/viewership/etc. when instead they could scrap what remained of that storyline and keep targs stans and targ favoring HBO staff happy for a little while longer)

... or

D) perhaps pol!jon was a halfheartedly planned out and clumsily executed storyline that would become abandoned as an extension of the writer's getting cold feet around the idea of a Jonsa romantic pairing (this may seem a stretch but I find there are some compelling arguments that the show may have been in the know of a book!jonsa endgame and even considered having a show!jonsa endgame only to abandon what they deemed too unpopular a pairing.

Pol!jon is something that would have enhanced the Jonsa undertones that remained present in the show .... i.e. such a theory could amplify the canon strange tension/jealousy exhibited between the three characters as well as the canon aspect of Dany being a threat to Sansa's safety being brought up several times ultimately adding further motivation for Jon to assassinate Dany... all of which would have then been paired with the explicit fact that Jon never felt actual loyalty or love for Dany if the show had confirmed pol!jon... this might have leaned too hard in the direction of jon and sansa as a potential romantic couple an idea that the show was not exactly fully committed to exploring or implying

[mj23thefrenchgoat]

MJ BY ALEXIA CHERY

“Scoop: she's not shy!”

Together, they played nearly 300 matches for Bourges (2016-2019), Lyon (2021-2024) and the French national team. Alexia Chery describes the evolution of her teammate, on and off the court.

Do you remember your first meeting with Marine Johannes?

We signed for Bourges the same season, we both arrived at the same time, I was coming out of the INSEP and she was coming from Mondeville where she had started to play professionally, but it was her first real contract outside her region. So we got on quite naturally, right from the first days at the Prado, in pre-season, and we immediately got on well off the court, which brought us closer together.

How would you describe her as a teammate?

In a nutshell, I'd say she's a … (she laughs). Not bipolar, but two-faced. She has what she shows, what she wants to show and give to people outside of her circle, and she also has another side, where she gives herself authentically to those close to her. It's really two different characters. Everyone thinks she's shy, but scoop: she's not! She's careful about what she does, what she says, she's not necessarily at ease with the media, but she's managed to build her career in spite of that, and she doesn't care.

With the media, the evolution is impressive. Have you noticed it?

Yes, I was amused to see it. It's a great evolution, she's come a long way! Seeing her now quite at ease in interviews makes me smile, because I know where she's coming from. Like seeing her speak in English in interviews after her games in New York. And at a time-out in New York, being interviewed and asking to speak in French makes me laugh too, because it's Marine. I feel she's more comfortable with it, and good for her. She's been through a lot that's made her grow up.

Do you think there's a lack of understanding surrounding her, some people, in the face of her level, her talent, expect her to be, in addition, the vocal leader she's not?

Yes, I think so. People, the media, expected a lot from Marine very early on. She made the decision - and it was the right one - to concentrate on the court. In the French team, as at ASVEL, she's not the one who's going to speak up, who's going to shout the loudest, but she's our leader on the court. And we teammates know that, we know her. And I'm repeating myself, but we expected a lot from her at the start, and she wasn't necessarily ready for all that. But I'm proud of her, because she's managed to stay true to herself despite what people have said, especially during her years at Bourges when she was very young.

And in the game, because she can pull off some amazing moves, should we also give her a higher percentage of missed attempts?

In every team, there are leaders who are more likely to make mistakes, and that's normal, and some players who come off the bench, make a mistake and go back to the bench, and that's normal too. I've played a lot with Marine, and I'm used to her being the player with the margin of error. We all know that she's capable of great things. And it's the area in which she has made the most progress which is smaller than it was five years ago or even last season.

As time goes by, are you still surprised by some of her passes?

Less and less, if at all. I must have caught one or two balls in the head, so I know now that you always have to have your hands ready! When she manages to trick the defense, she often tricks her teammates too, so we always try to be ready. I remember one match where she put the ball in the referee's head. It was unintentional, but the referee's hands weren't ready.

In terms of popularity, have you noticed any changes in recent years, particularly among young people?

Above all, she's become more aware of certain things. At first, she felt she was only a basketball player, but now she's starting to realize that she's more than just that for some people. She's taking more initiatives, doing more things off the court to show that she can be a model to other girls and young basketball players. The WNBA has enabled her to do that. And when we go to venues in France or back home at Lyon, you feel that people come for Lyon, yes, but also for Marine. When we were younger, the players we admired didn't necessarily have the opportunity to be much more than basketball players - even if some of them did it very well. But today, with the evolution of social medias and the fact that we're more and more in the media spotlight, it's part of the job. And Marine can handle it, so that's even better.

Source: Basket magazine - April 2024.

[nethxibis]

Time to yap about another thing I loved in DAO and wished really badly it was brought back in Veilguard: origin stories! And I love it for several reasons.

The introduction to the game world is so much different depending on who you choose as your protagonist in DAO. Take Cousland vs. Surana origin. While the Couslands are presented as the good guys, they actually have elven servants, treated by their "superior" not much better than slaves. But then your hero is immediately treated with respect, if somewhat diluted by the fact that they are not allowed to join the fight by their father. Meanwhile, with Surana, you get a very quick introduction to demons, the fade, templars, the way mage circles work, etc. At the tower itself, you don't feel as if elves are treated that much worse, but that's because all mages are treated the same - not great. This immediately immerses you in your character and their role in the world, which is so, so important in RPGs.

You also get to understand your character's motivations better. If I just read an origin story card of "Ellissa Cousland is a child of the Teyrn of Highever. Her whole family got killed by Arl Howe, including her young nephew. She fled the attack with Duncan and joined the Grey Wardens. " I might go: "oh okay that sucks. " And then every time someone mentions Howe, I'd probably go: right, he's a bad guy. Meanwhile, after actually roleplaying those events, getting to know the Cousland family for an hour or two of irl time, hearing Howe's name left me actually angry. It made me remember the ambush and the little nephew and not only my character but I wanted revenge. Similarly, playing as Surana, I got to meet Jowan. And I got to help him because it seemed like allegations of blood magic were everywhere anyway and mostly untrue. Then imagine my feelings when I see him again, and he swears up and down he had nothing to do with a poisoning. But in this game that I personally played, I saw with my own two eyes how he swore he was not a blood mage and then used blood magic. Do I believe him now? It makes you care about those background characters in a different way. Not only have you read on an intro card that they are a killer or a liar, but you saw it, you lived it. It helps you connect with your protagonist on a whole new level.

This was one of the opportunities absolutely fumbled by Veilguard. I played so far only 2 origin stories in VG (LoF and Crow), and honestly... I don't remember half the details of what led my Rooks to be with Varric. An artefact heist gone wrong and messing up a bigger Crow operation is the gist. But how much more profound would it be if we got to play a short level based on those origin stories. Let me play my Crow Rook through a skirmish with the Antaam. Let me see them thinking they did a good job, maybe celebrating. Let me see Viago yelling at them for not thinking, for improvising. Let me hear him berate them and talk about consequences. Give me a short cutscene of the consequences, SHOW me the Antaam brutality. Later, when Rook helps Minrathous, Viago talking about them not thinking again, the words will cut twice as deep.

Codex entries in lore rich games are so important, BUT they have to be used properly to aid in storytelling and not hinder it instead. Games are such a great piece of media combining film and literature. Why wouldn't you use it to your advantage and show as much as possible. Leave codex entries for background setting stuff, historical events, and addressing past game lore.

[writingdevil]

Just read your analysis of Nightmare and I was thinking maybe you could write an analysis on Prisoner!

(Sure! I didn't think my character study of Nightmare was that impressive, but if you liked it, it must be at least a pass. Prisoner's a really cool vessel, so this'll be fun. I won't touch on Cage because I feel like that's a whole other analysis. Anyway, enjoy, and I hope this is good!)

I'm almost certain that everything I say for these analysis' has already been said, but oh well.

We all know that Prisoner is extremely sharp, and I love that about her, but I also love that she's content to sit there and have a conversation with you about the situation you're both placed in.

Other vessels like Nightmare or Razor are malicious from the beginning, and some aren't what they seem to be or have a sinister edge to them, like Damsel and Stranger. But with Prisoner, it feels like she's the one who is the most willing to talk about what you can both do to try and foil the Narrator's plans. It feels like the closest to working together, or at least offering the chance to, if you save her.

She's willing to work with you, but isn't an idiot, and knows that TLQ could change his mind and stab her whenever he wants, so she trusts him from a distance. She literally tells you how close she's comfortable with you being. She wants you to slide the blade over. She'll start strangling you if you don't listen to her and try to get her out on your own, because she's not about to risk the chance of you taking advantage of her while she's still in chains and while you hold the blade.

I love that about her character, that's she's both dangerous but not illogical with her violence. Shifty tells us that, 'She has protected herself when others could not.' She wants freedom more than anything, but she knows that they have to play smart about it if they both want to get away from the Narrator's influence.

She knows that both her and TLQ are at the mercy of the Narrator. She knows that TLQ is just as trapped as she is, that there's things that he's in the dark about as well. She can see that, and chooses to work with us, or at least be civil with us, if we're civil to her, like when you get yourself chained to the wall as well with no way out, instead of lashing out and attacking you for making her wait even more, she just instantly settles in and waits for whatever happens next. She tells you that she's 'extremely patient.' She can play the game as long as she needs.

I also love that, even though she can't hear Skeptic, it always sounds like a mind game that they're playing with each other, like the Narrator and the TLQ and the Hero don't exist, and it's just them trying to figure the other out, or see if this is the way they'll move next.

When she starts to cut her head off, Skeptic's only response is, 'So that's her play.' When you carry her head outside, she says, 'Well played,' and that she had to 'take it on faith that you would know what to do.' They just make the whole thing feel like a puzzle they want to figure out, and I love it.

Anyway, that's my analysis, or just my opinion on Prisoner. I love her, and I hope this was somewhat interesting to read.

[karaunaa]

rated pvp duo extraordinaires, discord and fluttershy!! he loves his pocket healer very very much (almost too much), and flutters is just happy to help him enjoy the game

discord is 100% a toxic alt junkie. he has a million and one characters everywhere that are every class-race combo known to man bc he gets bored easily

he does love playing feral druid w flutters the most tho, bc he likes the obscenely bright colours that troll druid forms get and he likes calling themselves ‘the cat gang’

fluttershy plays exclusively Druid bc she’s only got the time to play one class, and so she chose the class that lets her play all 4 different roles at once. also. animals!!

she’s also surprisingly good at pvp, who knew!!

[genoskissors]

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy - Demo Thoughts

Some more of my thoughts on this game now that I have completed the demo. I'm sure a good review would talk about multiple aspects of the game, but I like characters so this will be 1% story, 1% gameplay, and 98% characters. This is not as long as my other post. When the full game releases, I'll be having a yap session.

Story A lot of mysteries are thrown at the player at once, so I'm a little worried that, with all the routes, some won't always get answered. I am staying optimistic though, and I did enjoy what the demo had.

Gameplay I'm playing on my computer but I plan to play the final version on my switch, so my thoughts on controls might change. I don't have much to say here, I like fighting games so the battles are pretty fun. Hiruko's my favorite to fight with.

Okay now for the fun part, characters!! If you really like a character I didn't like, just know I'm very open to change.

D Tier

Takemaru Yakushiji I was hoping he's grow on me but he really didn't. I'm sure he eventually will, after 100 endings I'll find something to like about him, but right now I'm iffy. Maybe I just miss Mondo.

Shouma Ginzaki As a thought, I was not amused by his self-deprecating gig. Shouma feels like a background character. No more thoughts.

C Tier

Gaku Maruko Like I said with my thoughts before playing, I didn't really find him to serve the purpose he is meant to. However, out of everyone here, I think he is the most likely to move up a tier. He reminds me of Kazuichi.

B Tier

Ima & Kako Tsukumo These two didn't really stick out to me but I like them a bit. Ima is a weirdo but I expect something big from him. Kako on the other hand, I find endearing for how easily she's amazed. No hate towards the voice actors but I didn't really like either of their English voices.

A Tier

Hiruko Shizuhara I liked her a lot more than I thought I would! In real life, I tend to be blunt, so I find that trait in characters to be refreshing. She's also super fun to use in battle.

Tsubasa Kawana Her design is a big reason why I like her so much, I think she's beautiful. Regarding her personality, it's nothing extravagant but I think every cast needs someone more down to earth.

Takumi Sumino I really liked him and I always like Danganronpa protagonists. Only one issue with his voice, sometimes his tone or volume doesn't match the conversation. For example, when meeting Eito for the first time, he sounds like he's yelling in some bits.

S Tier

Eito Aotsuki I enjoy his different approach to bluntness. Instead of it being perceived as rude, it's just being sappy. He says what he feels and that is a trait I really enjoy in characters. I don't know if he'll stay in S forever, but for now he will be.

Darumi Amemiya Without a doubt my favorite so far. I was unsure of how I would feel about her because, while she was very energetic, it seemed like she was going to be a bit too childish. After playing, I like her a lot. Her "death" was a moment that really got me hooked. I like both her Japanese and English voices. Overall, just a very fun character.

BONUS: S Tier purely based on design

[prismatoxic]

absolutely obsessed with the fact that gamerbros who want to find every possible reason to hate monster hunter wilds are insisting that erik is a trans man

this game is already doing a bunch of shit they must be fuming over. i can't imagine how mad the dual armor system is making them. or how voices and walk cycles and other character creation features also aren't gender-locked. i know before the game came out, some of them were pissed about olivia, bc she's a woman with short hair who wears full armor and isn't overtly feminine. (butch lesbian olivia is real to me)

but this? they just made this up???? apparently they're debating whether he's a femboy or a trans man, and like, realistically speaking, he's just a twink. but honestly this is awesome. 100% headcanoning him as trans now. he was already my fave npc in the game (a high bar, they're all really good)

behold! a trans man! he's astrum unit's handler and he loves biology and ecology :3

they also complain that his VA is a woman. and to be fair, in the original jp, it is. this is hardly unusual though and mitsuki saiga has voiced plenty of guys. this is normal practice for animated guys meant to have softer/higher voices!

his eng VA, though? a non-binary person who also, notably, plays a ton of guys. i'd argue they mostly play guys. you might recognize them from their hit role as chucklefuck in the eng dub for dungeon meshi! so if they want to argue that a VA's gender is indicative of their character's gender, there you go! casey mongillo is trans! not a trans man, however, and knowing these people they're also referring to casey as a woman, but no one said they were smart

[burningcheese-merchant]

Honestly thank goodness you, your work and your writings have been feeding me especially with your Burningcheese and redemption au ((your alternate reality with Pepper Jack is also very good poor boy going through it dealing with the worst versions of his parents))

I’ve only recently gotten more into crk and I’ve quickly learned some things 1.) become a multipshipper you just enjoy an abundance of dynamics that are interesting and 2.) people need to learn to respect eachother more and understand said dynamics between characters and situation ((TikTok and Twitter I’ve seen the worse of this))

So checking on tumblr and seeing your work and writings and explaining your reasons have been such a thankful breath of fresh air. Keep up the good work

Come on now, flattery won't get you anywhere! Seriously though, thank you ❤️ I say it all the time, it brings me a lot of joy to see and know my dorky gibberish actually interests people lol. I know I'm not the greatest writer in the world, nor will I ever be, but as long as people actually find joy and merit in my work then that means I'm doing something right!

(And the alternate reality with Pepper Jack... You mean me barging into cuppajj's Beast Ancients AU and shoving Jack in there? 😅 It's a creative writing exercise I kind of imposed on myself for funsies, really. It's an interesting AU and I found myself wondering how he'd fare in a place like that (him and not his sister, because unfortunately, she'd probably get herself in serious trouble immediately. She wouldn't be able to pretend to be happy or ignorant around Celestial Cheese, nor could she stand to see a bitter, mean, selfish husk that dares to look like her father (BAAU Spice). It would be Game Over for her in a day). I'm basically looking at that AU and my own reflection and going "GUARDS!!! PUT THE BLOND BOY IN A SITUATION!!!" as silly as that is haha)

And yeah hoes be mad about shipping as usual lol. I can't stress this enough, shipping is just playing dollhouse. Play with yours the way you want and extend that courtesy to everyone else. Sure, you don't have to like which dolls other people make kiss lord knows I'd throw 🔺🥛 into an active volcano if I could but there's really no need to get so bent out of shape about it, you know? Just focus on what you like and leave others in peace. Multiship, ship casually, become demonically possessed by a certain ship and allow them to dictate all of your creative decisions for the foreseeable future, just have fun! They're cookies, who cares

Anyway. Thank you for your kind words and support!!! I hope I can keep entertaining you with my stuff for as long as I can! (Also, I hope you're enjoying the game so far!)

[real-fire-emblem-takes]

hcs of how assorted fe8 characters play pokémon:

eirika

favourite game: BW1 and/or SM (likes the characters and story. was genuinely sad when n left at the end of bw1.)

unironically loves, and uses pokémon that are usually hated or otherwise ignored, such as simisear (she picked oshawott in her first playthrough of white), audino, zebstrika, drampa etc. though tbh she enjoys all pokémon in general and usually tries for 100% dex completion in every game.

completes every single sidequest she comes across, because she really wants to help the npcs. would prefer to play through the main story slowly and at her own pace, except her friend group is full of people who play for endgame content and/or competitive, and she more often than not is urged to complete the main story quickly so she can help them out with postgame (e.g. trading post-HOF version exclusives).

only occasionally dips her toes into battle facilities, usually because another friend (or her brother) is challenging multi battles and needs a partner. the one battle facility she actually grinds of her own accord is the battle subway, for character-related reasons.

doesn't battle much, really just her friends if they're up for it. prefers to do other co-op activities in multiplayer such as raids.

ephraim

favourite game: pokkén (loves beating the shit out of opponents in a fighting game. it's cathartic at least.)

doesn't really catch a lot of pokémon, just those he thinks looks cool / strong. the exception is when he's trying to help his sister complete the dex and needs to catch version exclusives.

in fact the twins always get opposite game versions (for mainline + old mystery dungeon) for that reason, to cover more ground, e.g. ephraim's first pokémon game was black, eirika's was white (which their dad bought for them when they were kids). they either play third versions (emerald, plat) / single titles (LA) concurrently, or only one of them plays while the other backseats the entire time.

rushes the main story to get to the battle facilities (and endgame items for competitive prep). was very disappointed when SV didn't have any sort of battle facility.

ladders a lot ingame and on battle sims. also fights innes every friday night, where he runs the risk of getting both of them banned from showdown over battle chat getting spicy.

lyon

favourite game: explorers of sky, poképark 2 or SM (he vibes with the more grim plot)

also a 100% dex completionist, though he usually tries to play third versions / transfer from other games to do so.

has memorised at least one dex entry for every pokémon. just knows all sorts of stats and lore off the top of his head.

actually knows how to datamine / modify game files. he will never admit it but he absolutely has used cheats ingame before.

doesn't do battle facilities beyond grinding for BP for items, or playing with friends. he prefers to explore the region to its fullest extent and learn about all the background lore.

he does play competitive, but isn't very good at it yet because he doesn't really have time to practise (actually studies irl).

may or may not also be making a horror romhack of his own with knoll's help.

joshua

favourite game: TCG (or masters) (gambling)

likes running risky strats such as (in mainline) multi-hit moves without skill link / loaded dice, serene grace + paraflinch etc. frequently also does these on challenge runs such as nuzlockes, because it's funny.

for the tcg pocket people: he mains celebi. 'nuff said.

actually pretty good at the game, he just can't resist the allure of 50/50 coinflips to decide a game.

.

[petruchio]

Caroline I’m moving too!! and also returning to the hunger games to procrastinate unpacking!!

Since we’re both here, can we talk about Madge? She’s sticking out to me on this read through.

Like it’s so charming that two very opposite people are such sweet quiet buddies. Like Katniss doesn’t think in terms of friends but that’s clearly what they are. And it’s so interesting that we don’t hear much of her after the games. She gives Katniss the pin, but is estranged from the Mockingjay she becomes.

Maybe I’m just forgetting her place in later books, but like? Is that anything? Like Madge is real, and the pin as a gift is real. It’s anchoring to Katniss in the Capitol to have her token.

But when it stops being her token from Madge, when she starts wearing it because she has to, it’s less real. It’s a symbol, not an anchor. And we don’t hear about Madge anymore.

Something something real or not real.

i think madge is SO interesting, and i think her presence adds a lot of layers to the commentary the book is making! i think it's annoying that she was written out of the movies, because while i get it, i think her character actually does a lot of heavy lifting in terms of what sc is trying to portray.

like, yes -- they are friends!!!! and it's super important that they're friends, even if katniss doesn't realize it, because it's one of the ways early on that we see katniss making genuine bonds that transcend her "assigned" social class. (this is a good time to return to my extended gale analysis, in which i always like to point out that one of the very first things that happens in the book is that he "takes a dig at madge" and katniss doesn't like it. she doesn't disagree with his IDEOLOGICAL opinion, but she does disagree with the way he directs it at individuals. and well... that will continue to be relevant!)

and the symbolism of the pin has been written about time and time again by everyone who loves thg, but i do actually think it's significant that it comes from madge -- someone for who the hunger games (and the other living d12 victor) are so deeply woven into her family history (re: maysilee, also omg i cant believe we're getting a new book soon but we can talk about that later) and the mockingjay being representative of these kinds of bonds that the capitol can't control. that is to say, katniss and madge's friendship is a "mockingjay" in its own way, the same way her and peeta's love story is -- it's a bond that transcends social class and goes against the divisions and divides that the capitol and the society thrives off claiming are innate. it's the same seam/town bond that we see with katniss and peeta, with mr. and mrs. everdeen, with haymitch and maysilee, and so here, even so early on, it's threaded into katniss and madge. so i DO think it's deeply significant that the pin comes from her -- that it represents this bond both as a symbol but also in the relationship itself.

also, on the topic of mockingjays and music, one of my favorite sort of throwaway lines that we get in catching fire is that madge tries to teach katniss piano after the first games. katniss says something like "mostly i just like listening to her play" but i think it's SO interesting that music plays a part in their bond as well, especially in context of the mockinjay pin, especially in context of the role of music throughout the series and the way it transcends social division. (hello mr. and mrs. everdeen! hi peeta! and ... oh wait... lucy gray??? is that you too??)

anyway, all that is to say i think madge is deeply woven into the mockingjay even as a symbol! her part in it is in symbolism of bonds that go beyond our assigned social classes! (though to your point, it is interesting that she dies when the mockingjay symbol ceases to be a sign of resistance by the oppressed and is co-opted by another authoritarian regime... but i don't have anything super insightful to say on that quite yet.)

[lutheban]

1987 April sketches! I've been playing a lot of Shredder's Revenge lately and this woman won't leave my mind man i love her sm

Also- some drawings i made in class of her