#and he still does good things because he's powered by compassion and kindness. and maybe a little bit of flexing his skill

[llycaons]

jimmy in bcs pissed me off SO bad he was always whining about being judged and not given any chances and this and that when he constantly did the exact shit people were mad at him about. shut up! you had so many chances! if you want people to trust you, be trustworthy! jaime from asoiaf also had this issue with the kingslaying but I like him and he's funny and he actually grew as a person about it. wwx doesn't annoy me when he complains about his reputation because he had genuinely good intentions, he suffered by FAR the most out of any of them for his actions, people are constantly trying to forms mobs to kill him, people do talk shit about him for things he never did and he obviously takes being slandered really hard, and he doesn't even whine about it he just mentions how sad and bitter it makes him

[bookdragonideas]

Here's the thing. I'm a girl, and as a girl, I really like it when girls are portrayed in fiction. Especially fantasy.

But so much fiction/fantasy mixes up 'girls' with 'unstoppable forces of female badass' and there's not necessarily anything wrong with having a character who is an 'unstoppable forces of female badass'. But it gets old real quick. And it is not the same as portraying normal girls, or having good female characters.

And that's one of the many reasons I love Avatar the Last Airbender.

Because all the girl characters have flaws and weaknesses and sometimes act like idiots or jerks. They get emotional and make mistakes. They lose fights or arguments or are just wrong sometimes. Some of them are amazing warriors, and some aren't. Some are powerful or special and some are normal, with nothing special about them.

And I Love that.

I was around the same age as Katara when I first watched Atla. And I instantly connected with her as a character. I loved her optimistic attitude and her fighting spirit. And I could relate with her anger, and with her maternal instinct. I admired her fighting skills of course, but I loved how the show portrayed her compassion and kindness, the way she could both beat up a bunch of bullies AND enjoy a relaxing day at the spa. She was a baddass warrior that should never be crossed. But she was also a normal teenage girl who had a lot of the same internal struggles and problems that I did.

(I never connected to Toph on the same level, but I did relate to her on a few things. She's an adorable trash gremlin who would commit any crime for fun and I love that. But she struggles with being both independent and letting people help her, and I still struggle with that sometimes. I've learned that sometimes, you can help others by letting them help you.)

Yue is, in my opinion, a perfect example of a type of hero that seems to be disappearing. She is not a warrior. She is not a fighter. She's not even a bender.

Yue is a perfect princess, a perfect daughter. She is extremely feminine in a rather older sense.

And she was the only one who could save the world. She gave up everything for her people. She saved everything, everyone, the entire world. Without ever becoming a fighter.

Yue is a perfect example of a girl who was never more than a girl, and how that's okay. Not every girl has to be rough and tumble and fight for her rights in order to change everything. Sometimes it's okay to just be a quiet obedient girly girl. Sometimes that's all it takes to be a hero.

And I love that. Yue is strong in her own way. She is unique and interesting. She appears in only a few episodes and yet manages to be one of my favorite characters.

Song is another great example of this. Song is a healer in a small town. We don't see much of her but we see her compassion and empathy. She is gentle and generous. A healer not a fighter.

She watches Zuko steal her ostrich horse and does nothing.

Is that because she's kind and generous and knows he needs it more? Or is it because she's a healer girl who knows she can't actually stop those two from taking the horse? Maybe neither, maybe both. I have always thought that the scene where Zuko steals the horse and only the audience knows she saw it is one of the most thought-provoking in the series.

Suki is a badass warrior woman who is an awesome fighter and good leader. She is one of the best non bender fighter we see in the entire show. She was one of the smartest, most efficient, and powerful characters we ever saw.

She kissed a boy she had just met because she thought he was cute.

Now don't get me wrong I love SokkaxSuki. Its one of the best couples in the show.

But Suki totally did the old 'love at first sight' thing. And that is awesome. Because when she kisses him she delivers one of the best lines, not only from her, but, I think, in the entire show.

"I AM a warrior, but I'm a girl too."

Being a warrior doesn't mean that she isn't also a teenage girl. She might be a fighter, but she still gets crushes and likes to flirt with cute boys. And hey, she picked a good one. Not every boy is going to come break you out of prison.

Anyways, let's have more realistic girls in fiction. And please enjoy the next 24 hours.

[gallierhouse]

I really do think Armand is ultimately someone who’s motivated by love and compassion in equal measure; he just expresses it in all the wrong ways. Maybe it’s not something anyone else would identify as love or compassion but I don’t think he’s ever unkind, really, except to Lestat. He’s always operating from this place of trying to be the bigger person and trying to control himself and trying to let things go and forgive and be kind and be good and he’s put in positions that make it very difficult to keep up the restraint. He’s holding his own chain. He’s trying to do the right thing, but his idea of the right thing is so entangled with his flawed logic and his utterly insane beliefs about the world (and duty, and suffering, and right and wrong). He’s trying to play nice and he’s trying to behave and it never really works out because he’s selfish and he’s monstrous and he’s cruel and he’s possessive and he needs to own things and he needs them to own him, too, and he likes the taste of power and he likes the taste of despair, and yet he’s still trying to not be bad. He’s not trying to be good. But there are certain lines even he won’t cross and there are certain people he doesn’t want to be, and while it’s obvious he takes pleasure in the suffering of others, it’s also so clear that he, in a lot of ways, is trying to be the person that he needs. Or maybe he thinks he needed a long time ago. As much as he likes to play the victim and act like he’s been wronged, I don’t really think that’s what he believes about himself. I think he probably thinks he’s… unmoored, a lost cause, someone whose fate was sealed a long, long, long time ago and now it’s all meaningless because what’s done is done and whatever good or innocence that he maybe once had, once upon a time, is long gone and now it’s only waiting for the end. Or maybe never the end. Doesn’t really matter which. There’s no meaning, only filling time. Armand’s very principled, deep down, which is why he’s got this one line he refuses to cross until he does (not making fledglings) and everything he does is in proportion to that. He’s evil, but he’ll only do things up to how evil he is now, and he won’t go a step further, and it’s fine for him to do all those evil things as long as he doesn’t cross that line because he’s already damned and it’s already done and he has to do these things anyway and if he doesn’t someone else will and if he does it maybe he can control it or make it better or at least give someone else somewhere to put all the pain. I don’t know. I think he’s compassionate. In a fucked up way, but it’s a cornerstone of who he is. He’s the person who puts down the dog when no one else wants to and he knows everyone else is going to hate him for it, but sometimes dogs have to die, and it’s his dog so it’s his choice, and it doesn’t really matter what anyone else wants, not even the dog.

[geminialchemist]

I made this originally as a comment on a post on Reddit, but it seemed well liked, so I thought I’d expand on it a little and make it a post here on Tumblr.

Spoilers for Shadow of the Erdtree abound, don’t read any farther if you don’t want the ending spoiled.

I really loved a lot of the lore about Miquella up until the big reveal that he Miquellested Mohg, and was bringing back Radahn as his consort. I remember finding the crosses across the land, and then finding the one in the fissure, and seeing that he abandoned his love there, and man, that was so good, so chilling to see that Miquella, known for his compassion and kindness, had thrown that away. We were going from cross to cross, learning just how much he was willing to mutilate and change himself for godhood… only for him to cling to a childhood crush he had on his older brother. That’s lame. Like, really lame. And gross!

And Mohg. I know we joke about how he beat the allegations, but remember that he needed to wed an Empyrean for his plans to work out with the Formless Mother. These plans he already had in place before Miquella charmed him, since Sir Ansbach was already a Pureblood Knight working under Mohg before Mohg was charmed, meaning Mohg had already established the foundations of his dynasty. That means Mohg was going to go after either Miquella or Malenia, since they were the only Empyreans left, and tell me, which one sounds like the easier target, the small child, or the undefeated champion? Miquella was always going to be taken by Mohg, the retcon just exists to make Miquella look more morally questionable while stripping Mohg of a bit of his agency and villainous identity. The entire Mohg portion feels like a rewrite when the entire reason he was charmed by Miquella is because he had some unspecified way into the Shadow Lands, and it’s never really talked about ever again. Mohg’s entire purpose in this plan comes off as an afterthought, with no specifications as to why he was needed, other than a vague “he was needed.” Even the use of his body to resurrect Radahn is unexplained as far as I know, though I headcanon that it’s due to Radahn’s body being too rotted after the centuries of Scarlet Rot infecting it, and they needed a demigod’s body, so Mohg was the only one to use available, but it would have been nice if that had been explained.

Godwyn would have been better as a final boss, and it didn’t even need to be actually Godwyn to work, since I know some people don’t think that would work from a lore perspective since his souls is gone, and his full return would wreck the Duskborn ending. Of course, “gone” is weird way to put it, since his soul isn’t destroyed, it’s in whatever afterlife exists in Elden Ring and just not being reincarnated like everyone else who dies after the rune of Death was removed, so Miquella could maybe work a way to get him back. The DLC is in the Shadow Lands, where all things that die pass through, after all. Get rid of Mohg being brainwashed, but keep his body being used so that Sir Ansbach, one of the best NPCs, still has a quest to follow in putting Mohg’s body to a proper rest. It also makes sense, Godwyn’s body is really messed up, bloated, and multiplying all over the Lands Between like a cancer, and can’t be used for ressurection.

Still, I think a failed Godwyn would be better. Maybe we skip the whole Promised Consort part, and just have it be the first act of Godhood Miquella does, because ew, am I tired of the incest surrounding Miqella’s character. Godwyn The Golden starts the fight off back in his prime, doing loads of attacks infused with Holy damage, coming off as the perfect and powerful Demi-god he’s always stated as being in the lore. Then he starts falling apart at phase 2, his phase 1 attacks being switched to being ghostflame infused rather than holy, Miquella now on his back and any new attacks added to phase 2 take on the holy affinity due to his presence. Then phase 3 hits, no holy infinity at all, all attacks do ghostflame or deathblight buildup. Deathblight is already so underused, so it would be great here. Godwyn is falling apart faster the more we fight, and Miquella, holding on, is getting hurt by the ghostflame and deathblight while desperately trying to keep his beloved brother together.

Have the fight set during an eclipse, too, sorta like the final boss of Dark Souls 3, the Soul of Cinder. Really tie it into the lore of Miquella trying to bring Godwyn back, like we find out at Castle Sol, where he had hoped to use an eclispe. I’d even say to make the light from behind the eclipse change color as the fight rages on, starting off bright and holy, and change it to the horrid dark grey and sickly yellow that deathblight has by the third phase, so rather than the arena getting brighter than a flash bang like it is in canon, have it get darker and gloomier. And of course, after the fight, the eclipse has faded entirely.

Instead of a cutscene that is nothing but information we already know(Seriously, what was even the point of the cutscene we got? It gave us not a single piece of new information), Miquella is lying on the floor, mostly dead, much like Morgott after we beat him in Leyndell. He isn’t dying because of us(honestly, I don’t even know why he died in the DLC, he’s so high up on Radahn’s back we never really get a chance to hit him directly, but he dies when Radahn does for whatever reason), instead he’s dying from clinging so tightly to Godwyn and trying to hold him together, burned by ghostflame and deathblight. He laments that even as a god, he wasn’t able to fix anything. Not his sister, not his brother, not the Haligtree, none of his plans ever work. No matter the sacrifices, personal or otherwise. He’s a failure in every way, and the knowledge breaks him as he sobs and dies.

However, if you visited every cross before the boss fight, you can absorb the essence of Miquella’s discarded body, and if you beat him then, you’ll get the option to return his discarded flesh and emotions after the fight. Doing so heals him, and gives him back everything he discarded, like his love, his fears and doubts. He fades away into light particles, and if you sit at the grace in the arena, he’ll appear like Melina does, sitting across from you and with a healed character model. This gets a few bits more dialogue, some exposition, yadda yadda. He’s a god without a consort, you’re a lord without a throne. He’s unsure, and not confident it will work, but maybe if you work together, something good can come of this tragedy? Giving up now would just be spiting in the faces of everyone he’s hurt. You’re strong enough to stop him if he loses his way again. (I think the reason he chose Radahn in canon was because of his strength and kindness? He trusted Radahn to do what was right after he threw away his love and compassion, entrusting Radahn to lead him down the right path when he lacked those things, and to be strong enough to resist his charm. That’s again entirely headcanon due to our lack of knowledge about their vow, but I’m adding it here because this is MY fanfiction and I can do whatever I like!)

(This part is more of a personal bit I’d have liked added because I find it amusing, rather than because I think it would make it better. Remember when you go through all that trouble to find Fia, and she asks if you’ve come all this way to kill her, and you can just say “No, I want to be held,” and it’s the funniest chunk of text you get in game? I really wanted something like that with Miquella. He wants to know why you came all this way, entered the Shadow Lands, a sealed off region of the world where only death awaits, where you fought against insurmountable odds, all to get to Miquella, presumably to stop him, only to heal him at the last moment, in which you can straight up tell him to his face you want to be his consort, and he’s just as confused and amused as Fia was. He knows you aren’t under his charm, but still he questions if it’s possible you are if you went this far just for that.)

This unlocks a new ending for the base game, the Age of Compassion. You summon Miquella like you would Ranni after beating Elden Beast, and together you usher in a kinder world, this time without the brainwashing. Or maybe with the brainwashing. Or perhaps it’s vague about the brainwashing, and if this is a good or bad ending in classic Fromsoft fashion. I’d prefer no brainwashing, and Miquella still unsure if things will work out, with it ending ambiguous if the Age of Compassion lasts, or fumbles and falls to a world blind to it. All you and Miquella can do is hope it will be better.

That might be a lot to ask, but look, it’s the only way I’ll ever get to live out my fantasy of being fought over by a cold, goth witch gf and a soft femboy twink with hair longer than I am tall, okay?

[sassylittlecanary]

Superman (1978) and the Female Gaze

In honor of Superman’s 85th birthday, I got to see the 1978 movie in theaters (!!!) and I realized how much it appeals to the female gaze, which I would NOT have expected for a male-led superhero movie from the 70s.

To elaborate:

I’ve always cringed a little at Lois’ cheesy voiceover during the flying sequence, but I realized it’s actually a whole scene from Lois’ perspective. It gets in her head and explores her thoughts and feelings. It doesn’t portray her as “Superman’s girlfriend” from his perspective, focused on his viewpoint. The entire scene is Superman from Lois’ perspective.

Even the cinematography (especially in that scene but also throughout the movie) caters to the female gaze. There’s so much focus on their hands — Lois and Superman holding hands, Superman gently cradling her face, etc. There’s a focus on eye contact, on body language. Superman’s muscles aren’t emphasized — instead the camera lingers on his eyes and his smile. Through the visuals, both leads are very humanized instead of gratuitously sexualized like many superhero movies ever since.

Also, Christopher Reeve’s Superman emerges as such an unexpected example of positive masculinity. In the late 70s, Family Feud’s host was kissing every female contestant on his show, consent be damned. ERA and the feminist movement were losing ground to the New Right. The macho male hero was already a staple thanks to characters like James Bond and advertising campaigns like the Marlboro Man. Men Were Manly.

In contrast, while Superman is held up as a quintessential “manly male protagonist” admired by many, he very pointedly does not fall into the action hero male power fantasy stereotype of “I’m a tough macho man who affirms my masculinity by harassing and sleeping with lots of women and who expresses emotions by hitting things and yelling at people. Wow look at me punch things and shoot guns! I’m so strong!” Instead, he’s always gentle. He smiles brightly, he laughs, he cracks jokes, he waves as he flies off. He’s a huge guy, but he’s not intimidating unless he wants to be because he’s just so kind and down-to-earth. He’s much more in line with a stereotypically feminine fantasy of a “kind, respectful, warm guy who makes me laugh” rather than the male power fantasy more common in this genre.

There’s also the way female characters are treated. Lois is Superman’s love interest, but she’s also more than that. She’s her own character with her own voice. She’s a tough, snarky, take-charge, no-nonsense, competent career woman who goes after what she wants fiercely. She grouches and rants with her signature attitude, and Clark just stands there smiling at her because he thinks she’s amazing exactly as she is. It’s the fantasy of an independent woman with traditionally “unfeminine” traits who’s loved and celebrated for being herself. Clark doesn’t want to tame her — he adores her and supports her.

In addition, Miss Teschmacher is stereotyped as the villain’s “sexy but a bit dumb” girlfriend/sidekick, yet she’s still allowed some depth. Superman’s treatment of her stood out to me because this woman has helped Luthor endanger innocent people and nearly kill Superman himself, yet he’s still kind and respectful toward her. Because he always treats women like that, no matter who they are or what they’ve done to him. She wistfully says “Why can’t I ever get it on with a good guy?” instead of a toxic one, and he touches her face tenderly and gives her a reassuring smile. He has compassion for her, as well as hope that her life will improve.

There’s also the climax. There really isn’t much violence (it’s all natural disaster stuff). The whole “hero does something dramatic to save his love interest” is a time-honored action movie cliche, but this feels different somehow. It feels more like the climax of a romance movie than an action movie in some ways. Maybe it is, again, the focus on tenderness. On the way Superman cradles Lois’ dead body so gently and then cries. On the way he allows himself to feel, to express his emotions, instead of heading out to punch something as an outlet for his grief. Lois isn’t a love interest to be won — she’s a person to be cherished, which is 100% consistent with the female gaze.

Just, 👏 THE FEMALE GAZE AND POSITIVE MASCULINITY Y’ALL 👏

[letsdeerintheheadlightsuniverse]

<<Previous Chapter<<

**Masterlist**

>>Next Chapter>>

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Pairing: Izzy Hands x gn!reader

Synopsis: Some bad habits are hard to break, and despite his best attempts to be kind, Izzy still manages to mess things up between you.

A/N: And we are back with the second chapter! Thank you for giving this fanfiction a chance. Every like and reblog means the world to me.

Content Warning: Self-depricating inner monologues, reference to the Kraken's torment and torture in Season 2, mutual pining and Izzy being a dick. This series is 18+, so minors dni. Go away (politely).

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE DO NOT REPOST, REPUBLISH, OR TRANSLATE MY WORK ANYWHERE WITHOUT MY EXPLICIT PERMISSION. I DO NOT OWN OFMD OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

=============================

It had to be noted that, the First Mate of the Revenge was indeed, a man of few words. And the few words that left his lips, were usually either a command or a curse. Though that was not quite strictly true when it came to addressing someone such as yourself. It had not gone unnoticed by the crew that, there was a certain softening of Izzy's tone, whenever he addressed you directly. His curses were said more in jest, than in true anger and there was something akin to fondness in his gaze, as he stared at you for longer than what was considered appropriate from a friend.

While some called Buttons a Sea Witch, perhaps it was you, who was the true magic wielder. Had you not ensnared the First Mate with your powers of compassion and competency? Though you sang no siren song like Swede, you had managed to captivate the mind and heart of the most austere person on the Revenge. If that were not the work of sorcery, then what else coukd it be?

Even now, as Izzy patrolled the deck, barking his usual commands and vulgar threats, there was no denying he kept glancing at the entrance to the hull, where you would be found within the ship's kitchen, helping Roach plan ahead for the upcoming storm.

"I mean look at him, the man's like a lovesick puppy." Lucius scoffed, as he watched the silver-haired pirate like a hawk, scrutinising over every movement and twitch with a level of surveillance that would put even the keenest-eyed night watcher to shame.

Cringing at the verbal observation, Oluwande dared to look in the general direction of the First Mate, whom had thankfully, not seemed to have paid attention to the scribe's declaration. "Sssh, Lucius. He'll hear you."

"Yeah, babe. I love you but you gotta keep your voice down." Pete agreed, taking the rope from his betrothed and making quick work of the shirked task, seeming happy enough to complete the work for them both.

Smirking at the horrified reactions, Lucius looked like a cat who had gotten the cream. Since his lover had taken charge of securing some nearby barrels, he took the opportunity to light himself a cigarette. "Good. I want him too because then, maybe if he does, he'll grow a pair of balls and actually do something about the situation."

"Have they seriously not confessed anything to each other yet?" Archie questioned, genuinely surprised that it had taken you both so long to finally couple up. In the same amount of time, she herself had managed to acquire two partners. Your dire situation did cause the pirate to question whetger or not you were absolutely useless when it came to the matter of love.

"Not according to (y/n), no."

"I wish they'd hurry up. I've got good money riding on them getting together before the next full moon." Wee John grumbled, as he carried a barrel passed the gossiping group. He had invested several coins into the outcome of your poorly-timed love life and by he'll or by high water, he was going to get a good return on his investment- even if it meant locking you and Izzy in the store cupboard himself. Hell, he'd shove you both into a burlap sack, if he thought it would boost his chances on winning the bet.

"You and me both." Archie scoffed.

He could hear them. Not clearly enough to make out what they were saying but enough to hear the sound of constant nattering. It was incessant, irritating. Like having tge constant buzz of a pesky wasp in you vicinity. Izzy longed for his days on the Queen Anne, where tge crew we focused on work, not idle chatter. Judging by the way that Lucius fellow kept glaring at him, the First Mate surmised that he was the topic of conversation. "Oi! You lot," he yelled, having finally reached the end of his patience. "I told you to prep the ship, not stand around gossiping like washer women!" leaning heavily against the railing, Izzy let out a string of curse words. Whilst not a religious man, he did ask whatever deity was listening, to give him strength and the will power to not throw someone overboard. "Fucking useless."

"Hey, Izzy."

He tensed at that familiar sound, that voice that never failed to stir something dark and wonderful within his soul. It brought to life a part of him he thought permanently dead. Turns out, it was just in a state of dormancy, waiting to be awakened at the right time. Or, at least of Izzy, the right person. "Aren't you supposed to be helping Roach lock down the pantry?" to an untrained ear, his lack of greeting might have sounded barbed and unwelcoming but you knew him better than that. The silver-haired pirate might have even gone so far as to say, you were the only one who knew him as well as himself.

The average person started a conversation with 'hello' but your dear Israel Hands was less conventional in his approach. "Yeah, we just finished. Oh, I brought you some tea. Thought you might appreciate it." you offered him one of the steaming cups of tea in yiur grasp. With a word of thanks, you both took a moment to savour the first sip, letting the warmth run through your veins and stave of tge slight chill in the air. "How's it going up here?"

"We'll be dead in the water come daybreak, if this lot don't do their fucking job right!" he all but screamed the final part of the sentence, easily earning himself a chorus of 'fuck off, Iggy' and 'we're doing our best here, dude!'

Your cheshire cat grin only grew, as you relished in the harmless feud between the crew and the First Mate. "Wow, that good, huh?" you teased, nudging Izzy with your elbow.

"Can you go down there and help 'em when you're finished with your tea? I need someone with half a braincell to check the sails are secured properly." he implored, pinching the bridge of his nose, as a migraine already started to form. Already feeling overwhelmed, the last thing Izzy needed was to add 'check the twats had correctly prepped the rigging' to his never-ending list of chores.

Sensing his palpable stress, you were quick to place a gentle hand on his shoulder in reassurance. Though public displays of affection were not common between you both, you speculated that since the pirate had not flinched but in fact, leaned into your touch, that he was comfortable with the gesture. "No problem, boss." his returned smile did not quite meet his eyes but a win was a win. You had at least eased Izzy of one burden. "How bad is the storm looking?"

When your hand eventually dropped from his arm, it took everything in Izzy's power to keep his voice steady, as he gave an answer to your question. Oh, how he longed to take your hand in his and place it back in his arm, so that he may feel your gentle warmth through the material of his shirt once more. "If Ed's calculations are correct, which they usually are, then...bad."

"Sounds like it'll be fun." you sighed, your attention now on the looming, dark grey clouds the besmirched the periwinkle skies with the promise of rain and turmoil.

While you were distracted by the landscape, Izzy was preoccupied by you. That was it, just you. There were not a multitude of opportunities in the day, where the First Mate had the chance to be this close to you. Where he could drink in your appearance, under the guise of merely being invested in your conversation. It felt wrong to him to be so infatuated with someone, who quite frankly, would never return his feelings but he was a starved man. Taking in every moment, every snippet of closeness he could get, until one day, your heart belonged to another.

Sometimes, he liked to delude himself and believe- just for a moment- that your kindness, your patience towards him, were all a hint towards you sharing his adoring sentiments. That perhaps, you could indeed fall for someone so wretched and broken as him.

The illusion never lasted long. Such fairytales of beauties falling so hopelessly in love with a beast were nothing but children's stories. The very same fairytales found in Stede's library, no doubt. And Izzy, well, Izzy was nothing if not a realist. He knew that you only tolerated him because you felt forever in his debt for saving your life. The silver-haired pirate had told you time and time again that you did not owe him anything but being as stubborn as you are, he doubted that you had paid him any mind. "Where are you staying tonight?" he asked, tone softer than he would have liked. Keeping up appearances around you was nearly impossible.

"I'm gonna bunk up with Oluwande, Jim, and Archie. They've got space on the floor of their cabin."

It was a relief, he mused, that at least you would be sleeping somewhere safe tonight, rather than in the communal space with the others. Still, Izzy could not help but wonder what it would be like, to offer you his own cabin to stay in. He would sleep on the floor, of course, he was a gentleman after all- well, that was debatable but he did possess some morals and understanding of social etiquette- and the last thing the pirate would want to do, was force you into an uncomfortable situation but no. Instead, he kept his yearnings to himself and responded in his usually curt manner. "That's good."

"What about you?" you asked, wondering if Izzy had plans on how he was going to ride out the storm. You assumed alone. Although, you felt a pang of jealously towards the non-existent crewmate, who may one day occupy the same living quarters as the man you were hopelessly besotted with. It was silly really, to feel resentment for someone who had not yet joined the team of misfit pirates and yet, it was inevitable that they would soon in the near future, waltz into Izzy's life and give him the love he most deserved. And as much as it pained you to accept your fate, you knew that could never be you.

"What about me?" he shrugged, unaware of your inner turmoil.

Correct, it could never be you who had the privilege to wake up beside him everyday or have the chsnce to call him yours. He would never see you as anything but some wounded creature he had saved from the brink of death. Certainly not worthy of courting the infamous Israel Hands. "Well-"

But before you could answer, Izzy caught sight of something. No, someone watching you both talk. Lucius. Fuck, he loathed that young man. He could not quite fathom what it was about the scribe that made his blood boil but just seeing him standing there, occasionally whispering something to Pete and smirking, as he cast a glance in your general direction, made Izzy see red.

Then it clicked. The oncoming storm. Of course. Those bastards. They knew of his past, thanks to Fang. No doubt they had told you the story too about how as a young sailor, he had not been able to keep down the contents of his stomach during a storm. Fuck, that nicknane too. You must have been revolted by him. Thought him completely and utterly pathetic. "-Look, whatever those twats have been saying, it's not true. I threw up one time-" Izzy began to defend himself, hoping it was not too late to salvage his reputation.

"-Oh, shit. No, I'm not referring to that. Fuck." you were quick to interrupt his rambling explanation. Sure, yeah, you knew the origin of his nickname, Izzy the Spewer but the story had not altered your opinion of the pirate. So, he threw up! Big deal. So had you during your first storm, and no one had bothered to call you, (y/n) the vomiter. "I just know that, storms bring up a lot of memories for some of the crew." you further explained, hoping he woukd catch the underlying meaning behind your words. "If you catch my drift?"

It took a moment but then a flicker of understanding sparked within Izzy's eyes, as he fully understand your insinuation. "Ah."

"Yeah." you smiled meekly, hoping not to trigger any unwanted memories for the pirate. All you wanted was to assure him that, if he needed comfort, you would be more than willing to provide him with comfort and company until the rain ceased and the skies became agate blue once more. "Will...will you be okay? Tonight, that is."

He knew, somewhere deep down. Deep, deep down, that your asking after his wellbeing was not an attack on his character, that you did not view him as weak for what had happened those many moon cycles ago, when the Kraken had stole him of his leg. This was your way of saying, "Hey, I'm here for you. If you need me", right?

Wrong. The poisonous voice of reasoning whispered in his ear, reminding him not to bet soft and be so sentimental. Of course you pitied him. How coukd you not? He was a disgrace. A washed up has been of a legend, who could no longer ride the coat tails of Blackbeard anymore. You were not offering him anything in the way of kindness, you were just reminding him of yet another mistake in his checkered past.

Before he could stop himself, the words left his lips and it was too late to take them back. "I'm not a fucking child, (y/n)." Izzy almost winced at how hurt you looked, as you flinched at his sudden outburst. Each time- and unfortunately, there had been more than one occasion- your pained expression left a lasting scar upon his heart. A fresh wound of regret that bled out over and over again. He did not mean to be this way with you. It was a defence mechanism, not that was much of an excuse really. Izzy should have- no, he did know- better. His sharp tongue was going to drive you away one day and he would only have hinsekf to blame. What's done was done.

There was nothing he could do, except keep up the charade and retire quickly from sight. He did not have to glance in the direction of the crew to know that they had all played witness to the entire exchange. No doubt he would have to sleep with one eye open tonight or maybe Roach would just spit in his food like last time. "Finish your tea and go fucking check the rigging. That's an order."

"Yes, boss." only minutes earlier, that nickname had been fondly used, now it just felt bitter to the taste.

Without another word, the First Mate abandoned your side and disappeared below deck.

Under the guise of work, your friends had been watching the entire exchange through side eye glances or in Lucius's case, just straight up staring.

Though idle hands appeared busy, Pete had in fact, tied the same knot several times. It was important to get everything secured ahead of the storm but in that moment, his mind was distracted. Casting a glance at the love of his life, his suspicions were confirmed, Lucius felt the same way as him- completely and utterly livid on your behalf. "Yeah, you ain't winning that money back, mate." he muttered to a frozen in rage Wee John, who merely stood holding another barrel, looking like he was contemplating throwing it at Izzy.

"Fucks sake, what a dickhead." he hissed, seemingly deciding against the idea, as he placed it with a resounding thud upon the deck.

Lucius could not stand to see you looking so hurt, as you stared longingly after the bastard who had dared upset you. The scribe knew he always teased you about your intense crush on the First Mate but it was during moments like these, where he really had to question what it was that made you so smitten with Izzy the Spewer. The man was volatile and about as pleasant as a cup of cold sick. Worst of all, this was not the first time he had stormed off after saying something cruel, leaving you to pick up the pieces of your hurt emotions. "I'm gonna go and see if they're okay."

"Maybe give it a moment, babe. Look." Pete urged his partner to take pause and watch you down your drink.

Despite wanting to abandon his post and assume the role of comforting friend, Lucius instead watched as you fought back tears and climbed the rigging, towards the crow's nest, no doubt seeking some privacy away from the watchful eyes of your friends.

"He really is the fucking worst. I genuinely do not get why (y/n) likes him so much." Archie mused, as she wondered if it was possible to find a snake at sea and put it in the bastard's bed?

With all the mysticism of a Sea Witch, the conversation was quickly intercepted by Buttons, whom decided to impart a great wisdom upon those in his vicinity. "'Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind. Therefore, is winged cupid painted blind?'"

There was a pause, as the gathered crew ruminated on his words. Well, partially ruminated. Most just sat there, looking confused or proverbially scratching their heads, unsure what to make of his revelation. Not one to admit his lack of knowledge, Lucius made a conscientious effort to nod his head and pretend he had understood the poet musings of the fellow pirate. "Right, yeah. What he said. Makes total sense."

=============================

A/N: Thank you for reading up until the end of the chapter! I look forward to updating you all with a new instalment soon. Before I go, can anyone guess where Buttons's quote comes from?

[xiphiaarts]

Still solidifying the relationship between Starscream and Megatron for my au

I don't know the fine details of it yet, But I know I don't want to go the 'Starscream gets pimpslapped for every small mistake' route

I rather go for like the corrupt military official route, who may very well be sabotaging his own affiliation in order to have it's people turn against their leader, and elect him, the one who supposedly knew Megatron didn't have to steel for leadership all along, as new ruler (Also known as Starscream talking sweet in Megatron's face and talking shit about him when he isn't around.)

Soundwave and his cassettes are spared Starscream backstabbing musings, his loyalty to Megatron and the decepticon cause poses a threat to Starscreams plans

I also like to think Starscream wants to lead based off of the idea of being loved/feared by all, being seen as a revolutionary like Megatron, untouchable like him too, though he usually lacks the compassion to be the kind of leader Megatron started out as, the compassion Megatron has slowly but surely lost.

I also like to think another part of it is the idea of 'if I can just get x thing I'll be good enough' or 'if I can just get x thing I'll be happy', he's tunnel visioned onto ruling the decepticons as his object of happiness, he assumes the role comes with power, respect, and safety, but never considers factors like maximizing your troops survival or an end goal *if* the decepticons ever manage to truly trump the autobots.

He wants the power, but he has no righteous goal he wishes to see through, he has no guilt for those weaker than him because he was never fighting for them, only for the chance of being the one on the throne and calling the shots, to be the one wearing the crown

I can't imagine if they (the cons) win Starscream will be satisfied, there will always be a bigger fish, such leadership won't make him happy so there will always be another 'x thing' for him to pursue, it will never end unless he changes his goals entirely.

He isn't in the cons to make a difference, he's there to highjack what power and notoriety Megatron has achieved with his own two hands by soaring straight to the top with little effort besides his manipulation. He works hard but he works hard for his own interests and nothing more, he figures he's done being used and he has the right to use everyone else, like some twisted sense of vengeance

I like to think only after Starscream manages to kill off most of the decepticon ranks does Megatron's trust in him waver, even if he doesn't say anything to Starscreams face, he knows of the whisperings Starscream spreads about him (he's been told many a time to ensure the loyalty of his second in command by other cons, hes not nearly as sneaky as he thinks he is) But Megatron keeps him close to keep an eye on him, to keep him sharp in the face of fake friends, and to utilize what resourcefulness Starscream does posses.

This is why plans may be made or revised in the absence of Starscream, his second in command left out of the loop to make it more difficult for him to orchestrate decepticon failures. He knows of plan A, But not plan B Through Q, the backups Incase something interferes, autobot or traitor.

Though Megatron does bestow him with 'decepticon hospitality', the base layer of hostility all decepticons treat eachother with, he doesn't particularly aim his frustration at him, he more sees his disloyalty as a challenge, a way to keep his processor on its toes and to expect every bad thing.

His punishment may come in the forms of suicide missions, but the wonder that is Starscream always returns from them, bruised, beaten, maybe missing a few operatives assigned to him, maybe even dead. But he always returns

That's all for now, I'm still thinking about it, thanku for coming to my Ted talk

[rbbalmung]

Pre-Timeskip Straw Hats Ranking:

1. Chopper - My baby. He’s like a little Ghibli character! I loved his design and he has such a good heart 🥹

2. Zoro - He’s so cool! I love how loyal he is and he always has the best fight scenes.

3. Luffy - Didn’t expect to like him this much, but here we are! God, he’s just such an interesting character. I really like characters with a strong moral compass/sense of their own justice, and Luffy fits that so well. Out of all the captains, I’d want him to be mine.

4. Sanji - He’s a little cringe (I am a woman), but he’s got really good scenes mixed in there! (Like that scene with Enel? Legendary).

5. Franky - TBH, he didn’t grow on me until Enies Lobby. But Franky is a homie! He’s SUPER!

6. Robin - Another character that took a bit to grow on me. I love how she just takes things in stride, it’s really funny. Her and Franky are my fave duo, so I love when they get scenes together!

7. Brook - I LOVE SKELETONS! I love his puns and his backstory made me cry. Minus points for the underwear thing, though

8. Nami - I like Nami! I wish she got a bit more control of the situations she gets thrown into (especially Thriller Bark, I felt so bad for her).

9. Usopp - I don’t hate Usopp, don’t get me wrong! He’s just kind of annoying. He’s the sniper of the crew, so it’s irritating that he rarely does any sniping. He also complains/is cowardly A LOT. I get that’s his character, but…

Time skip Ranking (I’m in Zou right now. Light spoilers for up until then?):

1. Luffy - My Number 3 pick overall! I love him so much, I can’t even. He’s really stepped it up! Something I really like about him is the slight changes in his personality after MarineFord. You can tell it effected him more than he lets on and I love that Oda is subtle about it. 10/10 protagonist!

2. Franky - SUPER!!! I just love him, he’s so fun! I may be a bit influenced because he’s my brother’s fave (we’re watching it together). Like Luffy, I love how positive and kind Franky is. I also love his power ups!! He’s so cool!!

3. Zoro - Still cool, haha. My opinion of him hasn’t changed much since before timeskip - he’s a really consistent, interesting character! I also love how he’s eager to fight, in a weird way. Nothing scares this man, it’s cool to see!

4. Usopp - Biggest jump on this list! But damn, I love Usopp now. He’s mellowed out a bit and takes a bit more of an active role on the crew! (Spoiler) He has Haki!!! I didn’t see that coming, but it’s by far the coolest Usopp moment yet!

5. Robin - As the sole introvert on a crew of extroverts, I love the dynamic she brings! Like I mentioned before, her “go with the flow” attitude is really unique and fun to see! I do wish they’d let her fight more, even though she has more of a supporting role.

6. Nami - Ever since Punk Hazard, I’ve come to realize the Nami is the heart of the crew. You can see how much she cares for everyone and wants the best for the people around her!

(I may start to sound mean from here on out, but I promise I like all the Straw Hats)

7. Sanji - SANJI STOP BEING CRINGE I SWEAR TO GOD. I know the Whole Cake is coming up soon, so I’m holding out for some major character development there. I just don’t like that women have taken over most of his screen time and that he holds resentment against Okamas. Like, not cool bro.

8. Chopper - He’s kind of been reduced to a mascot character. They never give him anything to do anymore (granted, he wasn’t in Dressrosa much so maybe I’ll be proved wrong). I don’t hate his new design, I just liked the other one better. And apparently he’s supposed to be 17??

9. Brook - Brook, for me, has filled the role Usopp had before timeskip. He’s always loud and being cowardly, it gets to be a little grating. He still has good moments, don’t get me wrong, but I wish he was a bit more like he was in Thriller Bark.

Bonus! Jinbe - Dad energy 👍 He was a real homie for Luffy on MarineFord, and I’m excited to see the dynamic he brings when he joins the crew!

[billpottsismygf]

Episode 7 (The Very Long Stairway)! I didn't put it in my last review, but I had a strong feeling we were going to get a flashback to the start of Edwin and Charles' relationship in this one. I had wondered if it would start with it, Good Omens style, so when it didn't happen immediately I thought maybe I was wrong. I was vindicated, however! And I love the use of the Night Nurse's already established powers as a framing device for it. I got so into what was happening, though, that I forgot that was how it started and was surprised when the camera panned to her watching everything.

So, oh my god, Edwin sat and talked with Charles as he died!!!! Edwin is so incredibly kind to him and it's heartbreaking that he knew this boy was going to die in front of him, and decided to make sure he had the most calming death possible. And Charles instantly decided to stay with him. I think it's very telling that he latches onto Edwin so quickly. Charles is someone who values kindness and helping people - he literally just died because he saved another boy from being bullied - so when he understands what Edwin did for him, he knows this is a person to hang onto.

I had wondered for a while if Charles had been the one to rescue Edwin from hell, given that they met 30 years ago, the same time he got out of hell. Turns out that no, Edwin had already just got out of hell by himself, but this was still a really satisfying flashback. Speaking of their relationship, we also finally got the love confession. I really didn't want Edwin to say anything, but it went about as well as it possibly could have. Still, gah, reeling from the secondhand embarrassment and the fact that this is not the time, Edwin! I was about to be so annoyed if the thing 'worse than a demon' had caught them because they spent so long dawdling on the staircase.

The scenes in hell themselves were really effective. Loved the page ripping punishment, very Sisyphean, and in fact the entire scene that followed with Simon was so touching I had to watch the whole thing again immediately. He was a stupid boy who didn't know what he was doing, and their reconciliation reminded me a bit of Pat forgiving the boy who shot him in Ghosts. Anyway, it seems that everyone has a crush on Edwin apart from the one boy he wants. Still, Edwin and Simon reconciling and Edwin telling him that 'if you punish yourself enough, everywhere becomes hell' but that being queer doesn't have to be a punishment, was incredibly moving. Again, Edwin has empathy for him and shows him kindness.

Relatedly, I also loved the scene with Despair. The moment she came on screen, even with her face obscured, I realised who she was. She barely features in Sandman, far less than Death anyway, but I recognised her instantly. Obviously I'm intrigued about the whole 'I'll call you if ever I need you' thing, but for the purposes of this episode I really love how that scene solidified the importance of Edwin having compassion. Edwin can be very bitchy (which I love him for), and he had every right to be mean to the boy who sent him to hell, but he chose kindness instead.

Conversely, Crystal got to choose violence and I love that for her. It was very satisfying seeing her literally get to bury David. It's fitting, as well, that David once overpowered her mind and now she's using her mind to overpower him. It is, of course, 'bad for the tree' if he stays there long, so I wonder if we'll see repercussions from that further down the line.

What else? Oh, the opening scene! The Cat King is such an interesting figure. He's creepy in the way he pursues Edwin, but it feels like they're on slightly more level ground now. He's a wild card character who's not exactly a villain, but will always act in his own interests. I'll be interested to see where his character goes from here, especially now it's been established that he's less powerful than Esther. His line about how strong and great Edwin is and who does Esther think she is trying to beat him, while obviously a problem in terms of giving her ideas, was also interesting in its own right. He clearly knows a fair bit about Edwin and genuinely thinks highly of him. Until this point we've only really seen him interacting with Edwin, where he taunts him the whole time, so this has made me all the more intrigued and invested in him.

Small things:

Edwin explaining to Charles that he doesn't fall through the floor because of the vague and weird ghost rules once again gave me strong Ghosts vibes.

I continue to love Mick, so really hoping he'll be okay after his confrontation with Esther.

Maxine in hell was interesting! I thought we'd learn more about her after her death, but it was a very fleeting appearance.

I thought Jenny might actually learn about ghosts and demons and psychics (oh my), but it seems not, alas.

Simon got a blue light after Edwin left, so does that mean Death came to him? Can people in hell get closure from unfinished business and move on? Or is it something Edwin specifically is good at doing for people?

Monty's still around and doing Esther's bidding! Someone turn him back into a human, please! Maybe Crystal?

I loved Niko getting to save the day (for now) through the power of reading comprehension!

[christian-oc-tournament]

OC Propaganda: Subject: Tamaki "Zo" Nozomu

Tried to make a life for himself after quitting the secret government assassin program, but now his only skills are knife throwing, sarcasm, and not being stupid [author's note: wisdom and intelligence are different stats].

So here he is, a stocker at a convenience store, and trying to be a vigilante on the side. Except... that's not going super well. Maybe he mouthed off to too many people he was saving, maybe his methods were a little.... violent (though he hasn't killed anyone! and he's very proud of his restraint), maybe it was just bad timing or something, but yeah. No one in the city likes the vigilante.

So when an inter-world rift appeared, he did not hesitate to go through--even though it actually just meant trading one set of problems for another. (Still better than the convenience, store, though)

New problems:

Kathryn had him help her to train people with powers how to actually fight and be good at it, but she got sucked through a rift and he now has to manage it on his own. He is.... not a people person

Kathryn also (accidentally) left this new Rifter recruit who is honestly kind of pathetic and keeps getting hurt and also bullied because she has no powers and can't throw a punch (this is Lyn)

The new recruit uncovered a dangerous scheme underneath the school and almost got herself killed

Fast forward, now he's stuck traveling through rifts with the most annoying of the students and also Lyn

Lyn keeps almost dying and the student is being kind of the worst

He's suddenly the voice of reason and does not know how to deal with that. It's his worst nightmare.

Lyn keeps trying to get herself killed and also accidentally dragging them into trouble because she knows too much about... everything, actually, it's kind of unnerving. (maybe he needs to teach her how to lie better) 

Maybe he's just had to protect her too much, but he's growing... fond...? of Lyn and that feels weird (is this friendship? no idea. anyway, moving on--)

Oh. suddenly there's an inter-world plot going on that they have to stop before reality gets fractured. Figures that would happen

Still has zero powers. Still more competent than everyone else, apparently. Why is everyone so dramatic all of the time.

UGH apparently he needs to grow his moral compass to be more than just "don't kill people"

WOULD LYN STOP GETTING HURT FOR LIKE FIVE MINUTES this is raising his blood pressure. He didn't know it could do that. (why did that one villain call him a "guard dog" that's so rude. Clearly he'd be a fox if he were an animal)

OH so making Lyn the source of his moral compass wasn't enough??? Now he has to actually work through things and grow on his own???? This is so unfair

His sufferings truly never cease

Anyway, vote Zo to force him into character development and make him realize he has been in love with Lyn for like a year now.

Bonuses:

Teenage menace:

Young Adult Menace, snarking off to captors during a Situation:

Menace to Felix (grew out his hair and started mimicking Felix's style): [this isn't actually canon, sorry]

Menace to people he and Lyn are trying to work with:

Trying to be a Menace to Lyn (but she's used to him):

Threatening to be More of a Menace:

A Menace:

.

[sepublic]

I've noticed that for three GEverse arcs, I have this 'lens character' with their own storyline parallel to the main protagonists. They're someone who's living with the main antagonist(s) when they're not out and about doing evil, and they act as a way to see this antagonist from a different angle, exploring the villain's motives, worldview, their issues, etc.

This lens character doesn't really meet the protagonists until like, the very end or climax of the story. Pretty late, at least. They might know of the protagonists and vice-versa. And they all have this parallel beat of seeing the villain as a friend and/or someone they can at least reason with, sympathize with... But inevitably, the true colors are revealed, and the lens character realizes that the two sides they're seeing, the 'good and bad' aren't contradictory; But the presence of the 'bad' kinda eliminates any relevance the 'good' might have in the end.

Because what does it matter, if you're still hurting people? Horrifically dehumanizing them? Going out of your way to be awful? You were nice to me, so you CAN be nice to others. You just won't be. How am I supposed to tolerate that?! My sympathy's dried up real fast. And so they're kind of like, the other side of an ideological argument at times. The villain is of course disappointed that the lens character doesn't see their side, and does no self-reflection in shunning them. The lens character might encounter the main protagonists later, maybe even bring them up as being right just to piss off the villain.

So there's Esther for Shogaken, a recently-deceased soul turned into a Skull Kin by him; We see how he rules his domain within the Spirit Currents, where the Skull Kin come from and operate. She does research and learns Shogaken's past, that this place of torment was supposed to be a place of healing... And despite her softening and offers to be more sympathetic, he just continues to be a mediocre, unimpressed prick, and eventually Esther realizes there's nothing she can do to change his mind; Shogaken doesn't actually want help, he just wants to do whatever he wants and take his anger out on others because it's easy.

And she gives up on the guy, especially since by the end of the day, Esther's main priority was making things better for her fellow Skull Kin; She hoped showing compassion to their tyrant might help with that, but alas, people who do that sort of thing are gonna be committed, they have to be. And when Shogaken is reduced to a skull thanks to the protagonists, he's left at the mercy of his Skull Kin, who opt to take agency into their own hands and run the place together. Shogaken is buried, just as he buried dissenting Skull Kin, with plans to eventually dig him up and keep him around in a weakened state. But for now, his once-tormented subjects let themselves be vindictive.

There's Kita for Majikus, whose mother is the warlock's sister. After years of pestering her sister into letting Kita come over, Majikus somehow pulls it off and it seems like an initial rags-to-riches, discover your hidden heritage in a magical world sort of adventure! Kita learns magic from each warlock and sees how they operate, what their motives are, etc. But she also notices more and more the atrocities that her Aunt Maj is willing to commit, how she's obsessed with creating 'order'. And there's a lot of pressure on Kita to continue that legacy when the role inevitably has to be handed on, and Kita realizes she doesn't want this power, to be special; She just wants to live her own life.

And Majikus takes this badly, with Kita beginning to understand why exactly her mother was on such bad terms, why she hesitated to let them visit. Deep down, Kita had a feeling that Majikus would kill her (exaggeration) for not living up to her expectations, for not being a tool to further her dictatorship; She isn't sure now if Majikus will actually do that, but she knows Majikus will kill a lot of innocents minding their own business. So what difference does it make? She stands up to her aunt despite being so hilariously out-classed, but her defiance does prove vital to the Monster Fighters, whom she is aware of and hopes will prevail in the end. And Ruby, later, thanks Kita personally. They may not really have 'known' each other at all up until now, but in a way they're kindred souls.

And then we have Emily Walker, whom I'll elaborate more in some future posts about her relationship with Maerco. But at this point, you probably get the idea.

Point is, I wonder if I should do something like this for the rest of the arcs; With a pattern established, it could be a lot of fun. But I also consider that it might get repetitive. But then maybe I just need to find a way to mix things up? But it might still be the same at its core, and thus still repetitive. I'll think about it, esp since I don't exactly, necessarily have pre-existing characters to choose from for this role, with the exception of at least one for the Escapees; That could be the fourth. So I might make some up, we'll see.

[jean-dieu]

6, 7, and 20 ! -Yunessa

Yay! Thank you for these, Yunessa !! <3

6. Which mythic path did they choose and why? Do they regret it?

Lazare: Azata for Lazare and no, he doesn't regret it. While clearly good-aligned and wholeheartedly with the crusaders, Lazare doesn't "fit in" exactly, and he's quick to welcome anyone ready to join their cause no matter who they are.

It's a bit ironic for a commander to be spontaenous, but Lazare is a perfect example of Acting First, Think Later (maybe, if his two brain cells collide). Somehow, it works. Maybe it's the sheer power of his good will and determination, maybe it's something else, but Lazare never regrets the choices he made because even when things don't turn out like they should, he knows he acted in accordance with his heart.

Raphaël: Angel, of course. There weren't many other possibilities for Raphaël beside maybe legend. He did make a few Aeon choices there and there but his faith, his values, his moral compass naturally guided him to the Angel path in the end.

He did regret a bit not accepting Iomedae's offer and gives up on hys mythical abilities as he does feel a bit... Nervous at the idea of telling a goddess no, especially a goddess he has so much respect for.

A worry he quickly sets aside when many celestials actually joined his ranks as it was some kind of divine confirmation he was going what was good, and that Heaven was with him.

Because I like "what if" and alternate AU/Dark AU, I can't help but think of what could (big emphasis on COULD) happen if the Devil mythic path was available while starting Angel. I think that would be interesting (and devastating thank you very much).

Ziel: Ziel's still at the begining of his route so it's a bit early to say if he'll regret things or not.

He started as a Demon despite him, just succumbing to rage and not controlling anything... Which is very scary for a tiefling. Eventually, the trickster path will come to light for him, and he feels happy at first to be able to use his fucked up sense of humour instead of rage for his newfound abilities.

But knowing what awaits a Trickster... Ziel will eventually struggle to keep a sense of himself. As much as he relies on dark humour and sarcasm, there's plenty of things he just can't take lightly. And deep down, he's just a scared child that barely knows what he's doing.

7. Is your KC religious? If yes, which deity do they follow? If not, what is their view on religion?

Lazare: Lazare collects faith in the way that he struggles to find a Divinity that really fits him. He prays Shelyn, Desna and Cayden Cailean. After all, he's a kind free-spirited artist that believes wholeheartedly in freedom and self-determination. Also, beer is cool.

As he was born and raised in a brothel, he has a deep respect for Calistria and her followers, but he doesn't pray her himself.

He never got to learn things "properly" and has his very own conceptions of his Deities' teaching, and while he still understands their philosophy, he lacks the knowledge to fully grasp the extent of their domain.

Post crusade, he will also add Nocticula to his Deity portfolio, as the Reedemer Queen is THE divinity made for him.

Raphaël: Idk, is he?

Jokes aside, OF COURSE he is religious. He has devouted his whole life to Sarenrae, trying desperatly to please her and to follow her principles even when they contradict his natural instinct and way of thinking.

He knows this damn well, and yet, he still thinks Sarenrae's ways are an ideal to strive for. Since he was a child, he dreamed of becoming a priest. As an older teenager, he's "kindly" reoriented (I wrote about it in a small fic there) from priesthood to Inquisition as it's deemed it's just more... Fitting for such an angry individual.

His faith is however bound to change.

Since birth, Raphaël has heard divine voices he and his family thought were from Sarenrae because... Well, who else would it be. He wasn't very vocal about them though, only revealing it to close friends in the church's rank, but he never questioned it.

Later in the campaign (as it's something I've taken from the TTRPG WOTR game I have with friends), as he meets Ragathiel, he learns that the voices weren't from Sarenrae but from the General of Vengeance himself.

It's something Raphaël takes time to process in the sense of it was very unexpected, and it does change quite a lot of things. While he stays an Inquisitor operating under Sarenrae's name, he finally accepts his role as more or less Ragathiel's chosen one, and manages to find some peace as the Angel's principles and teachings match his more than Sarenrae's.

Ziel: Ziel was raised an Abadarite. His father was a cleric, and he has been involved in te church's life during his childhood. He was quite disinterested in it, mostly just following his dad around, not caring too much about Abdar's principles as a whole but not rejecting them either.

When his father is accused of corruption, Ziel finds the whole trial suspicious, and is persuaded in his father's innocence, as he feels like his father was way too faithful to commit such a crime. Cast aside and excluded from their own circle, Ziel witnesses his mother leaving them both and never coming back, and his father turning to alcoholism to cope with the shame.

Seeing his father in such a state deeply angered him, and he hold Abadar responsible for his father's state, thinking it's completly unfair he didn't do a thing to protect his father who is and has always been a honest man. He will now gladly spit on Abdar's name, not even caring of repercussion as it's his father that matters, not himself.

As a teenager and as he begins to start stealing to support his father that can't find work with his reputation, he's introduced to Calistria by fellow thieflings and eventually converts, determined to seek revenge for his father, wanting to clear his name.

As he grows up, and as he becomes a hardened thief, parts of him feel less and less angered at Abadar, to the point of him sneaking in one of his temple at night just to pray for his father's solace.

20. Which event of the crusade traumatized them?

Answered there!

[autisticaradiamegido]

day 309

no actually i wont stop inserting my blorbos into other properties.

anyway.

i saw hadestown on tour this summer and im never going to emotionally or spiritually recover. and i have a lot of thoughts about this au!! long-winded rambling under the cut

so casting: Orpheus: Jade Eurydice: Aradia Hermes: Rose Hades: Jane (Crockertier mode, primarily) Persephone: Roxy The fates are representative of like. Aradia's ghost voices. I don't super know how to convey that visually. ANYWAY!! I just think that the dynamic between Orpheus and Eurydice in the way Hadestown tells their story gets very much to the heart of what I think is so interesting about AraJade, and that's the like.... Conflicting worldviews they have. I think that conflict, despite frustrating them at times, is part of what pulls them toward each other. Aradia (and Eurydice) are like... Kind of tragic characters! They have been through a lot, and while Aradia is very positive, and Eurydice is prepared to crack jokes, their worldviews boil down to "The universe is uncaring, and fate bears down on us no matter what choices we make. But FUCK it, I am going to live anyway. I'm going to do whatever the hell I have to do to keep going as an act of rebellion."

Jade (and Orpheus) however, still manage to be optimistic, not just about their own prospects, but about the world. When problems arise, they're not just going to ignore them and try to press on as things get worse. They're going to try to solve the problem! They're going to put that responsibility on themselves. It might speak to a level of overconfidence, or naivete, sure. But it also speaks to an overabundance of compassion for the people around it. They're not just going to fix things for themselves, but for everybody.

So when they meet, and Jade says "YES the world is difficult, the seasons are wrong, the world is out of tune, but I am going to write a song that will fix it." Aradia is understandably skeptical! She doesn't believe it until Jade shows her proof that her music has some otherworldly power (which. shakes her worldview obviously and she kind of fucking LOVES that?) But Rose (Hermes) says this girl will make her feel alive again, and to Aradia, "that's worth a lot" Speaking of Rose, idk. I was torn on who to put in Hermes' place. But Rose is established as both a Seer, and a storyteller. To repeatedly narrate a story whose tragic ending she's already seen play out a thousand times, just because it's beautiful and hey, maybe it'll turn out different this time (even though it never has before.) IDK ITS JUST A ROSE VIBE 2 ME! Plus Hermes has a friendly relationship with Orpheus, he wants him to succeed, but he's also not afraid to pull punches when criticizing him. I think that's a good dynamic for Rose and Jade.

I also waffled around for a while about Hades and Persephone, but in the end Persephone really HAD to be Roxy. It's not just about the alcoholism recovery arc they both share, it's about Persephone as a daughter missing her mother, and as a figure known to everyone around her as funny and generous and just kind of this universally-beloved figure who behind the scenes is REALLY struggling to cope with her own emotions. The Roxy vibes are truly off the charts. So given that, Jane made the best Hades, I think. Jane as Hades isn't the MOST compelling matchup in this to me, but I think she fits into the role well enough. First off, she really DOES love Roxy. But as they drift apart over time, and in the absence of any other real positive influences, she just kinda... Falls into the capitalism thing a little too hardcore. She misses Roxy and maybe to start with she really DOES think that if she can make enough progress in her work that it will impress Roxy enough to maybe stay a little longer than usual, but well. Industrial progress is not what impresses Roxy! And Jane is.... A little stubborn about her worldview, and has become extremely busy with her work, and doesn't really pay close enough attention to Roxy's feelings to notice all that, so. Things decay rapidly, and it becomes a point of conflict between them. But in the end we DO get to see them taking the first steps towards resolving things. Because frankly I think they would! They just care too much about each other at the end of the day.

Anyway listen to the Hadestown soundtrack if you haven't yet, please, I'm fucking begging

[panlight]

If every vampire were to have a special gift, which would be unique for them, which would Rosalie, Emmett, Esme and Carlisle have?

I've answered a version of this before but it's fun to revisit!

I think I usually say that Rosalie would have something similar to Heidi of the Volturi's gift, that her enhanced beauty would get some psychic element and spill over to superpower. And I still think that is the most logical thing, but it's not super exciting. It's predictable. Rosalie is also big into family, and into justice (sometimes revenge), and she's very determined. Any of that stuff could have been enhanced, too. Maybe she has an always correct gut instinct about people in dangerous domestic situations. She doesn't 'hear' things like Edward or 'see' them like Alice, she just knows. And can intervene.

Likewise the obvious answer for Emmett is that his super strength somehow spills over into a superpower. Maybe even MORE strength or he himself is so strong he's basically invulnerable to attack (can't bite through his skin, can't rip him apart). The other option is that the strength is not the focus, like how Edward for some reason is also super fast even though he already has mind-reading. Emmett can be super strong and have something else entirely. Maybe a cheerful aura like Didyme had, or maybe being near Emmett puts you in a party mood, or a work-out mood, or just makes you feel chill and supported. Literally gives off Bro Vibes, but in a good way.

Honestly have always kind of felt like the shield thing would have worked for Esme almost better than Bella. Bella loves fiercely, sure, and she has her protected mind, but Esme loves EVERYONE with the intensity that Bella loves Edward (not romantic in all cases obviously, just talking about the strength of Esme's love) and with that love would come with a desire to protect. A shield could do that. But maybe it's more like Renata's shield, it doesn't protect against psychic attacks, but physical ones. Or maybe Esme's love just radiates out of her so strongly that she could stand in front of those she loves and enemies just . . . can't bring themselves to hurt her to get to the others. Makes everyone instantly remember their mother or a beloved parental/familial figure and the line of Volturi guards just turn into blubbering messes as Esme comforts them.

Again the obvious one with Carlisle, I think, is some kind of healing ability. I know I've said this myself before. But he wasn't a doctor in his human life, that's a choice he made after becoming a vampire. The literally meaning of compassion is "to suffer with," so maybe his gift would be more of a thing where he can take the suffering from someone else by feeling it himself. Whether he actually takes the illness and cures them, or just takes the pain so they aren't suffering anymore, idk. I mean he's a vampire so he can't die, and I don't think any illness could survive the stone-and-venom environment of SM's vampire physiology anyway. And there's a theory floating around fandom that he does have a power in the sense that he unconsciously draws people to him; thus building a family and building allies and being able to blend in with the human world when humans usually subconsciously find vampires off-putting.

But at the end of the day I like that they don't have any supernatural powers. I feel like sometimes the superpower just overwhelms the character and they get reduced to that rather than a more nuanced personality. I think Carlisle's more interesting and impressive because he has accomplished what he has accomplished without one. I think Esme keeping a family united by love rather than a 'real' power is lovely. That Emmett bringing the fun because that's just WHO he is and not what he can do is cool. That Rosalie is just determined and focused and smart and THAT's why she is what she is and does what she does rather than some power is awesome.

[columboscreens]

Been loving the Twitter account and realized I'd love the Tumblr too.

Anyway, I've always wondered something... my mom and I began to realize that maybe one of the reasons classic Columbo's formula made such a splash and continues to be unique is that he's basically presented as the story's "villain".

Not in a "he was the real killer" kind of way, I mean structure-wise for most episodes the killer is the main character with the majority of screen time. It occurred to us that all the best episodes really seem to present the murderer as the protagonist, with us seeing them plan and carry out their scheme, even sometimes be privy to their inner thoughts. Then after they've done their killing, this... monster starts stalking them. It seemed to us the best episodes were the ones where WE are put in the killer's shoes the most, and maybe the character and show formula has endured so well because its thrill feels so similar to watching your favorite movie monster pursue dumb teenagers in a haunted house.

We noticed it kinda felt like it had that same weirdly sadistic glee. Like sure the movie might be "about" the campers or family or whatever, but the monster creeping around "getting" everyone is who you really came to see.

I wondered if anyone else had felt this fun "relentless antagonist" vibe from Columbo? Maybe the formula continues to feel unique even today because it isn't set up quite like a detective show. It's a rich arrogant murderer show, we just can't wait for our favorite monster to show up and chase them (with insidious, relentless politeness).

thank you!

not to needlessly intellectualize my own favorite show (i say, maintaining this blog), but there's a real sophistication to columbo, a literary quality that i think appeals to people. though the production appears facile at first, those choices in formula and perspective you mention are indeed very deliberate and part of what made columbo so fresh and special both when it aired and today. it was a very novel approach to the mystery format to have us start off with the murderer and maybe even root for them sometimes against columbo. as i always say, the show evokes dostoyevsky and doyle, not bruckheimer; it's born from old-fashioned drawing room murder mysteries, not CSI.

the mysteries are usually sharp--between columbo and murder she wrote alone, levinson and link were two of the most prolific mysterysmiths of the 20th century. but ultimately, for both the viewer and for columbo, it's all about the chase, the game, the banter. it's about a mangy little guy tussling with someone with more dollars than he has hairs on his body, and winning to boot. the legwork is important, but it does ultimately come second.

steven moffat got torn to shreds for calling columbo a sadist, but he was absolutely right and needn't have apologized. if you get up in arms about that, do you really understand columbo?

the man is a benevolent sadist. that's why he appears borderline villainous. he is a sadist with a level head and good moral compass, but still a sadist. he goes well out of his way to fuck over people who deserve to get fucked over, and he clearly enjoys every minute of it. it's how he's able to remain so relentless without getting burned out. is that so wrong?

just look at the smirk on this man's face. you cannot deny that.

like a fine wine, his power grows with time...

peter falk himself often likened being chased by columbo to "getting nibbled to death by a duck". nobody can stand there and tell me ducks aren't the cutest and also pettiest most sadistic little bastards in the animal kingdom...

sir!!!! SIR!!!!! i don't mean to bother you, i've just got this one little thing on my mind, i thought maybe you could help me...

[mrfengi]

This Jenny Nicholson video is amazing because it is a 4 hour deep dive on a niche topic which manages to explain why the topic is relevant and worth 4 hours of frequently funny rumination.

Part of what makes Jenny's videos work is anger - for the most part it's framed and sometimes obscured by quips, asides and carefully built deadpan arguments, but Jenny's deep nerd fondness for certain things does not ignore the ugly bullshit nor deny how it pisses her off. Her general affect seems detached but it's just speaking at one volume level most of the time, maybe cause she knows her core audience is not into frequently, randomly shouty essayists. Anyway, when she raises her voice it's a thought out choice and in this case it's often open anger (at least relative to her usual delivery). In this way Jenny reminds me of @twiststreet - because the primary tone is a naturally comedic and seemingly detached one, but that's just how the author processes things. When necessary he'll be more direct and it's pretty clear there's some kind of moral compass and a lot of bullshit pisses him off, even if he can also laugh about it. Some of my favorite posts are openly mad to a most vulnerable degree, but the reason they are powerful is all the prior posts making similar points in a more artful and humorous manner.

These days I've been thinking a lot about anger and the take, pundit, sharing thoughts business. Like if you get too into the "speaks truth to power" bullshit you end up a Keith Olbermann or Rachel Maddow or Dennis Miller or Ricky Gervais, smug assholes who are often speaking "truth" for power. And it's not just a lack of humor, but forgetting that Emily Dickson thing "success in circuit lies".

Jenny is obsessed with theme parks and other odd ephemera, like the pop culture Easter Shows of this one church, but through that she engages her fondness for research, journalism and larger themes. And she's amusing & has tight timing even when running 4 hours. Abhay has managed to be a snarky yet earnest casual blogger for over a decade (or is it two?) with a reformed interest in comics, certain youtubers, current events, dad TV shows like Will Trent through which he also confronts horrific BS that bubbles up everywhere. Both have been around and still sane much longer than when Olbermann's reheated "at long last have you no sense of decency" bit turned trite and then ugly (to be fair, that was less than a year). Part of it is they know their lane and stick to it while still noticing the entire world. Maybe it's also cause they are known but not mega successful so it's easier to remain grounded. Some big names manage that - Anthony Bourdain comes to mind but look how that ended. Okay this is now long and earnest and nowhere near as tightly edited as the two people I praise. If I have any conclusion it's this: look, so many of us are angry about the way things are going, right? Even if some are drawing wrong or evil conclusions, I get that rage. And I get the need to commiserate about that anger for solace and maybe survival. But if you have the rare opportunity for even one other person to read your words, it helps to be more than that. You can't cram every angle and tone into every post - especially microblogs - but overall be more, have a life and thoughts beyond those points and those points will be better made. Only a few preachers are actually good at it, y'know? The rest of us have got to have a sense of humor and doubt about ourselves in order to not go sour, I think. This applies to more than posting. It's a way to be in the world. It's a not entirely applicable to this long post, but gonna end with a Walt Kelly quote: "As our people move in all directions with great grim purpose the safety valve of humor seems to be missing. Humor is not escape. Sleep is escape. Humor is relief. The laugh of finding out the other fellow is funny because he is the enemy is not enough."