#and how onyx seems like the only one who knows how to deal with her ww

[amelikos]

Onyx going to pick up Sango with his Ptera like it's the most natural thing in the world (because he knew she wouldn't withdraw and he wasn't going to leave her behind), and Sango accepting her fate once she was carried away and not even trying to talk back to him (and she talked back to Agate when she was told to withdraw since the mission was complete).

[slainmaitos]

Train. Your. Signet. - B Side

pairing: Dain Aetos x Sloane Mairi

description: One of our favourite Dain/Sloane moment through my interpretation of Sloane's perspective, i.e. Chapter 28 of Onyx Storm through Sloane's eyes. A significant spoiler for Onyx Storm is casually mentioned in the first half of this story so I wouldn't recommend reading until you've finished the book.

wordcount: 2.4k

ao3 link

“Did you skip signet training with Carr again?”

I struggle not to roll my eyes at Aaric’s motherly tone.

“Did you forget to tell Carr you’ve manifested… again?” I snipe back, snatching his wrist so I can drag him through the barrier Garrick placed on my dorm during his last visit.

Aaric goes silent behind me as I toss our packs onto my desk.

It had almost been two months since Aaric had manifested on the flight field, two months since I’d held his head in my lap while trying desperately to stop the visions from suffocating his mind.

He’d insisted I tell no one, not even Violet.

“That’s different and you know it.”

“Different how?” I ask, that lingering ache that hadn’t left since the battle for Basgiath tightening its vice on my throat. “Your signet could be saving people, Aaric. All mine will ever do is drain the life fro-”

“That’s absolute bullshit, and you know it.” Aaric’s tone is harsh, but just quiet enough not to draw attention from the other first-years outside the door. “The last rider who had your signet brought someone back from the dead, Sloane.”

Aaric lets out a soft sigh, his eyes softening

“I’m not going to pretend that I understand what you went through with Violet’s mother.” I almost flinch. “But what I do know is that you’re more capable than half the riders in our year, and that you slacking off because you can’t get out of your own head would be a monumental waste.”

That familiar ache slips away but is swiftly replaced by something else, fondness maybe.

“Thanks for the pep talk.” I whisper, straightening my posture to shake away the soft feeling in my chest. 

Aaric just smiles.

“Now what’s your excuse?” I pester. “I’ve got heavy emotional baggage to deal with, but it seems to me that you’re just dodging responsibility”

Aaric rolls his eyes, mumbling something about ruining a nice moment.

“Can you imagine how quickly my father would be abusing my signet the second he got his hands on me again?” He asks, years of frustration evident in his tone. “I don’t want to become the next Melgren. I want the choice to be able to fight where I’m needed instead of being coddled by a bunch of politicians.”

I press my lips into a thin line, slightly regretting my last words. If the rest of Aaric’s family was anything like his brother Halden, I couldn’t blame him for never wanting to go back. “I didn’t think about that.”

Aaric opens his mouth to speak but is interrupted by a knock on the door. He opens it to reveal Lynx, leaning against the doorway, an easy smile on his lips. 

“You two ready to go find the rest of the squad?”

Aaric and I both nod.

“Just let me grab a sweater.” I’m already shivering at the thought of the damp stone in the amphitheatre. I pull open my armoire door, cringing at the high-pitched creak of old wood and hinges.

“You need to put some oil on that thing.” Lynx chimes in from the doorway.

“Shut up.” I grumble, grabbing the first warm looking sweater I can find before pulling Aaric back through my door.

Baylor, Avalynn, and Kai are already waiting for us in the hallway when we emerge, engrossed in a conversation that probably has something to do with our egregious physics capabilities.

I try to pay attention to what they’re saying, but my mind is still stuck on what Aaric’s said, not only about my signet, but his own. If we wanted to be any kind of help to Violet in her search for Andarna’s kind, we both needed to find a way around our problems.

“Whose sweater is that?” Ava asks, pulling me out of my thoughts, her brows scrunching as the sweater that I’m now realising is about two sizes too big settles over my shoulders.

“I… have no idea.” The lie slips easily off of my tongue. I don’t know how they’d react if they knew Violet hadn’t burned all of Liam’s things. “Maybe it was left behind by whoever had my room last year.”

“It looks big enough to be Aaric’s.” Kai points out.

“I must’ve left it after studying. I don’t want it back, though” Aaric answers, pushing past a crowd of second years. “You’re too messy, probably got something on it.”

It’s a quick cover up, but not one I completely appreciate.

“Screw you.” I counter. “Not all of us are fussy enough to be folding our underwear.”

“Dude.” Baylor stops outside of the amphitheatre, looking at Aaric with an incredulous expression. “You fold your underwear?”

Aaric takes a long look at all of us, lifting his chin in what looks like disgust before stalking through the already open doors.

The second years are seated at the bottom of the theatre, talking amongst themselves as they watch a fire wielder spar with someone on the mats. Sawyer is the first to notice us.

“I thought you all had physics right now.”

“We got out ten minutes ago.” Each of them has a book seated in their laps; Venin and their medicinal uses, something to do with traveling routes and political relations, but Violet’s is bound in plain leather. “We came to help.”

“Excellent” Rhiannon smiles but I can already tell she’s feigning ignorance. “Empty row behind the third years. Take a seat and watch.”

“That’s not what I mean.” I counter, crossing my arms over my chest and tilting my chin up, trying to emulate the royally stubborn look Aaric has mastered. “You’re in charge of your mission now, right?”

“Yes.” I meet Violet’s gaze to find an unfortunately familiar look in her eyes.

She’s been having these… moments, ever since I first met her at parapet. Moments where I can tell that when she looks at me all she can see is Liam. I never minded the resemblance when we were children, but now it seems my very face haunts Basgiath like a ghost.

“First year is hard enough without adding all this into it.” Ridoc noted and Violet nodded beside him.

“You’re one dragon short of even pairs,” Ava reasons, disregarding Ridoc entirely. “You know, in case you need to split up for some reason.”

Rhiannon quirks her head.

“Odd numbers don’t bother me-” Violet begins to explain but is quickly cut off by Imogen.

“What Sorrengail is too nice to say is first-years aren’t going.” I sense Aaric’s muscles tighten behind me.

“Or helping.” Garrick chimes in from beside the mats.

Gods, what a fucking pair. They should just screw and get over it.

“Didn’t ask you.” Baylor snipes back, glaring at Garrick. He always wants to act so tough. “Last time I checked, we’re the actual Iron Squad and you’re a substitute teacher.”

“That’s not a fight I’d pick.” Violet lectures, lifting her brows in a way that makes her look like a scolding mother.

“Unless you’d like your ass kicked.” Garrick adds with a smug smile.

I hear a pair of footsteps approaching, but I don’t turn to look at who they belong to. I’m too worried about being ready to dodge Baylor and Garrick if they decide to tackle each other across the theatre.

“Sit or move,”

The moment his voice registers in my ears I regret not turning around when I’d had the chance.

Dain.

I crane my head over Aaric’s shoulder, locking eyes with the wingleader the moment he comes into my line of vision.

His umber eyes are shadowed with dark circles, no doubt from a lack of sleep due to whatever he and Violet are always whispering about. He looks tired, still incredibly handsome, unfortunately, but tired.

“We’re trying to help.” I pull my eyes always as I feel my cheeks begin to flush. 

“You can help by staying alive.” Dain’s eyes are on me but I refuse to meet them. We always seemed to be caught in this strange sort of stand-off. I spend all my time trying to make sure he doesn’t catch me staring while all he seems to be doing is just that.

There are a million reasons I could conjure in my head as to why I should hate every fibre of his being. He could’ve prevented Liam’s death. He could’ve stood up for Violet sooner, stopped things with Varrish from reaching the point they did. His father, as strained as their relationship is, is the General of Basgiath. But for some terrible reason, the more time I spend with him, the easier it becomes to forgive him for everything.

I’ve let him get too close, let him see too much, let myself feel too much. His smile makes it so easy to forget that he’s one of the reasons why Liam wasn’t waiting for me on the other side of the parapet.

“Carr tells me you’re refusing to train your signet.”

That comment snaps me from my thoughts. My eyes glance at where Professor Carr stands in the amphitheatre, a silent curse on my tongue. Tattle-tail. I redirect my glare to the wingleader, any kind feelings I’d had towards him fizzling out in seconds.

“You what?” Violet questions from beside me.

“You really going to mourn the death of another Mairi?” I ask, venom seeping into my tone.

Flashes of Liam race through my mind; his smile, his incredible laugh that I’ll never hear again.

“His death will always be on my head. Yours will not.” Dain's tone is sharp, but his eyes convey something softer. The look he’s giving me makes my stomach flip for all the wrong reasons. “I don’t coddle first-years anymore, so train. Your. Signet.” 

“Asshole.” I whisper, but the vitriol I was hoping for doesn’t quite reach my tongue. I pray that the heat rising to my cheeks can be construed as anger.

If Dain notices the blush on my cheeks his expression doesn’t give it away, but I catch his eyes flit down to my lips for less than a second before he turns back to his reading.

“Fuck,”

Everyone's attention is swiftly drawn by Garrick, a slight panic in his tone as he watches a third-year launch a barrage of flames into the face of a fellow first-year whose name I can’t remember. Bohdi reacts quickly, using his signet to defuse the flames before any real damage can be done.

“Why won’t you train?” Violet’s voice is insistent.

“Would you train if all you did was destroy things?” I ask, pulling my attention away from the argument ensuing on the matts. “Kill people.”

She shifts in her chair. “I don’t know. Would I?”

I look to Rhiannon, hoping for at least a small amount of back up from my squad leader, but she shakes her head before turning back to her book.

“Don’t look at me. I agree with her.”

I feel my own posture deflate. “I just want to help in a way that doesn’t suck the magic out of something. And I highly doubt you lot would have been content to sit aside last year while your second-years went off and saved the continent.”

Aaric bumps his fist into the back of my hip, a silent praise for leaving Violet, who seems to have a response to everything, speechless.

“Solid point.” Sawyer chimes in, his attention still focused on the mats.

“Liam-” Violet’s tone already tells me she’s going in for a lecture so I interrupt before she can continue.

“Made his choice. We’re making ours.” I wish I knew what it would take for Violet to stop seeing me as an extension of my brother. “And he would want me to make sure you’re as prepared as you can be, even if that means none of us go with you.”

I’d read Liam’s letter enough times to have them memorised. He believed in Violet, believed that she could be capable of making a difference in this war, and as hard as it sometimes is, I know Liam would want me to help her find that chance.

Violet exchanges a quick glance with Rhiannon before rifling through Imogen’s pack. “Fine. Here you go. Read these and write up a one-page report on each-”

“Oh for fuck-” Kai begins to complain but is quickly shut down by our squad leader.

“No whining. You said you wanted to help.”

“And get them back to me as soon as you can.” Violet finishes, passing me a stack of well-worn books.

“Thank you.” 

I pass the books around to the rest of my squad, glancing at Violet and Rhiannon before letting my eyes find Dain. His nose is buried in his book, but I can tell he’s tuned in to our conversation.

I retreat towards the back of the amphitheatre, weighing the tome Violet gave me between my palms. I flip open the cover, reading the perfectly printed lettering inside.

A History Of The Wardstones.

Fantastic.

I settle into one of the many wooden benches, and flip to the first page, drowning out the rest of the room to give the book my full attention.

“What was with that look you gave Dain?”

Aaric drops onto the bench beside me, his broad frame taking up a majority of the personal space I’d had just moments ago.

“I didn’t give Aetos a look.” I answer, hoping my tone sounds as indifferent as I want it to.

“Yes, you did.” Aaric argues, flipping open the first page of his book. “”It was a I want to take your clothes of-”

“Shut up.” I panic, slapping my hand over his mouth as I check to make sure that no one heard him. They’re all too embroiled in their books to have noticed. Dain especially seems absorbed in the map in front of him.

“What is wrong with you?” I whisper-shout at Aaric, pulling my hand away from his mouth.

“You’ve got a thing for him, don’t you?” He looks entirely too amused.

“Dain Aetos is the last person on this continent I could ever have a thing for.” It’s a lie. I know it, Aaric knows it, but that doesn’t stop me from repeating it in my mind like a mantra.

A throat clears from below us and a heavy sense of dread fills my stomach. Dain shifts in his seat, lifting his hand to rub away the tension in his temples. Even from here I can see the redness creeping up the back of his neck.

Aaric has the kindness not to laugh at my predicament, but that doesn’t stop him from whispering one last thing.

“Liar.”

[moon--mama]

Onyx Storm Ending Thoughts

[Cut just because I don’t want to accidentally show anyone spoilers!]

This is a big list of thoughts I have about a variety of topics in Onyx Storm. Some notes contain theories about the next books.

Who’s Crazy?

In Iron Flame, it was definitely a plot point that dragons don’t choose riders in the same family because that can cause them to go “mad.” Vi gets all worried that Xaden bonded Sgyael, until ultimately he confesses about his inntinnsic ability. In Onyx Storm, this plot device never resurfaces. Instead, all rebellion children conveniently have a second hidden signet through their relics. What a massive gift from the dragons—and that seems to suggest that some members of the Emperyon are working against one another. How did the rebellion children get their relics, and which dragons marked them? When did they develop the secondary powers through their marks? I’m sure there couldn’t be a rune powerful enough to gift them all signets too. Seems unresolved currently, and maybe like a potential plot hole?

Infodump

One big complaint I have seen about this book is the serious barrage of names within the first 100 pages. I also noticed that there was a huge amount of work put into addressing or resolving issues the first two books left uncertain. The bit where Violet asks about channeling and why infantry soldiers wouldn’t do it more often definitely feels like a cork in a plot hole. There is also much more “world building” as they travel outside of Basgaith.

Dreaming

This is definitely something that seems obvious looking back. At the same time, it would have been more obvious if it had happened to more than one character instead of only Xaden in IF. Why are the Irids so horrified about this power? Not just because it can circumvent any defenses…if you die in a dream, do you die in real life? Can she change the way people think about things, like Cat’s emotional manipulation? Do dragons dream? Can Violet create nightmares?

Sloane

When Sloane channeled from Dain to Brennan, she was surprised by Dain’s extra power. More on that in a second. After Sloane’s channeling, the venin marks on Dain’s arm and the marks on the back of Brennan’s neck were gone. I suspect Sloane might be able to purify venin energy by restoring magic…she basically undrained both of them while exchanging their energy. This also clues us in that Brennan likely has some past dealings with venin that we don’t know about yet.

Dain

Violet went through all of that trouble to steal a gemstone that could magnify powers. In the recent bonus chapter from Xaden’s POV, Dain was huffing and puffing up the stairs. What if Dain took the amplifying gem for himself to level the playing field in terms of his relatively mismatched power? They said after the fire it looked different. Could someone have done a swap?

The Emperyon

The peaceful truth of the Irids seems to have something to do with magic and balance. Throughout this book, we saw that different areas of the world have been drained of magic and are inhospitable to dragons. When Andarna brings up Threshing to her kind, they respond with language that suggests it’s actually a sort of human reaping. My theory is this—the dragons, many thousands of years ago, were being threatened because humans discovered how to drain magic from the earth. To stop this, dragons turned humans against one another and shared their powers with the first riders. For the dragons, the riders become a weapon to protect them from the venin. But magic strikes a balance—once riders had powers, the venin had to draw more and more from the earth to compete. The Irids remain feather tails, which suggests that the other breeds of dragons are endlessly transforming themselves into war machines because of their untenable hold over humanity.

Why would the dragons go along with pretending that venin aren’t real for so many centuries, without telling their riders the truth? Because they don’t want riders knowing that they could be just as powerful without their dragons. Venin seem to be the magical balance to the dragons. I wonder if the Irids view the other breeds like the humans view the venin.

Or this could go in a completely different direction and we come to find out that beyond the edge of the map the “gods” are living away from the continent. What if Dunne, Amari, Malik, and all the other gods Vi likes to name drop are actually the first “venin”?

Why, Rhi?

Was the Rhiannon POV for extra tension as we waited for a squad member to die? It happened right at the moment that Violet was confronting T. I have to go back and look again—what happened in that passage that made it so important for that exact moment? The Imogen chapter, sure. It showed that our girl has a hidden second signet and also gave a reason that she might not be making the most sound decisions after the battle. But the Rhiannon chapter showed Ridoc freezing a wyvern to death. Was that so important right at that exact moment? Dain was also fighting throughout that chapter, which seemed like a great time to explain that “extra power” he was carrying.

Marriage

We knew this had to be a breakup book. It’s the third one in the series, and the next will be the evil Xaden arc before a big resolution in the last book. The only thing Xaden held onto in his POV is that he loves Violet, but T said that venin are incapable of love. That suggests to me that Xaden is somehow not fully venin. Or, if that’s too blindly optimistic, it suggests that all venin may not be as lost as previously thought. Jack does know something apparently, so Violet will need to interrogate him to find out. Whatever Xaden has planned, it seems that Sgaeyl is in on it and he asks Tairn to agree as well. Now, unless Sgaeyl broke the bond with Xaden, there will likely be some connection between the dragons at least. The real kicker is that Imogen tells Violet she did what Violet asked her to do—and why would she want her memories erased? So that she can’t remember a painful decision? Or so that she can’t leak a secret if interrogated? Or is that a lie, and Imogen is helping Xaden escape?

My theory is that Xaden has realized he won’t be free from the Sage unless he actually kills him, or someone higher up the chain of command. He’s going to try to play spy for a while and get information on the venin, like Panchek was leaking information about the riders. He marries Violet to give her Tyrrandor, since she sees it as home and has been imagining her life there. She’s never been good at shielding her intentions from him. He also gives her the political responsibility to keep her busy while he starts on whatever he’s doing. He doesn’t need her to “rescue” him because he’s undercover, but he also needs her to be absolutely convincing if they cross paths with any venin inntinnsics. He was planning whatever this was long before this battle—originally he was going to leave Bodhi with Tyrrendor, but Violet was his obvious second choice. That would be a scenario where I could see Violet asking Imogen to wipe her memory.

Grandma

Mira went to visit Grandma, but Brennan thinks that is a bad idea. By going there, Mira was able to find out the truth about Violet’s magical hair. We found out that the other priestesses dye their hair with lye and herbs, but Violet’s is the real deal. Dedicating babies has been outlawed for hundreds of years. What happens when Violet visits grandma and finds out more about her father’s choice? Why was the grandmother so upset? It does seem like a horrible betrayal that her parents tried to “fix” her as a baby, especially as an infant. But they were extremely calculating people who knew the truth about a lot of things—perhaps Violet’s partial dedication to Dunne will give her some extra advantage or connection to the goddess in this next book. I’d imagine she will probably need to go back to the priestess who sent her the temple rock.

Aaric

A rider with true precognition…does that mean that Melgren has turned in some capacity, since there is one per generation for some of these signers? Or are there other riders out there predicting the future? It certainly seems like a troublesome turn of events for a potential future ruler to know the future. Is he seeing only one path? He could potentially identify villains or traitors, manipulate events to meet his private goals, or turn people against each other. And how can Dunne’s priestesses predict Violet’s future too?

Andarna

After being rejected by her kind, does Andarna choose to reject them in turn and rush back to Violet? Or is there another reason they don’t want an irid left on the continent? T says that Andarna was very valuable—is there another something we don’t know about her? She certainly wasn’t gone long enough for years of training unless she learns how to travel in time.

[violentdelightshavevioletends]

Processing through Fourth Wing's Ending thoughts with me Part 4 with SPOILERS!!! (& other 3 post summaries + some Iron Flame theories)

So:

I think Xaden is gonna have a long journey in winning Violet back (as he should, she deserves to be fought for & respected in boundaries). Though it’s also a little hard to watch knowing where this all comes from & it’s a little mixed up/misdirected.

Speaking of misdirection Dain Aetos has some explaining to do, unless I read that wrong; if he intentionally sent Violet & Liam off to their deaths thanks to his betrayal… nope. No.

I am utterly destroyed over Liam & dreading the aftershocks of it… meeting his sister is going to make me cry & I will protect that baby with my life.

Brennan also has some explaining to do, backstory to give, etc.

So mostly I’m ruined and this book is gonna ruin me even more and then it’ll be time to cry with Onyx Storm… so… yeahhh

I am dying to know what the deal is with Lilith Sorrengail… she can’t truly have meant to get her children killed can she? Is she a part of the rebellion somehow? And what was the deal with Violet’s dad? Plus a lesser but still prominent question: what does Mira know? I get the feeling it’s not much… but I am curious all things considered how many more secrets that family holds.

Violet included in the latter as I wonder if the poison affected her memory, powers, etc. it seemed to be a different situation (to the level I was worried she’d turn Venin or something). Have her powers changed with Andarna growing? — WHY DID ANDARNA GROW? How long was she asleep for? What does that make the powers now? … also morbid question I don’t want the answer to but have a fear of learning: if Tairn dies could Andarna keep Violet alive?.. I just have a bad feeling about one of her dragons all things considered. — I’m just scared of who’s going to die next book since clearly they are not afraid to kill the ones I love.

Not important, probably fine, but how’s Rhi? I miss my bestie girl… where is she? What’s up babe? Will I get my crew back? Please tell me she and Riddoc did no betraying.😅😅

And of course between characters and secrets and the final chapter being Xaden’s perspective: what are the many stories he has yet to tell? What’s the deal with his mom? What’s all those one line mentions of things to catch Violet up on?.. please tell me we resume in time so it’s not 5 chapter of brief references & 0 explanations?

I have a bad feeling the robed Venin are someone we know or a bigger deal… also probably Dain’s dad being evil… and some big horrible betrayal upcoming and hurting my babies so not looking forward to that.

Mostly it’ll be fun to see what another year looks like… especially when Xaden graduates… and is tethered to Violet who is going to probably hate him & fill the book with angst… so I’m gonna have to strap in for a bump ride I suppose. We shall see! And no spoilers please these questions are rhetorical/hypothetical😂 though if anything happens to Liam’s little sister give me a heads up please🙃

Finally, in review of the first book:

I love Violet. Her heart is her first power, I love the brave fierce way she loves, and has a true compass for goodness… the way she didn’t blink at rebellion if it was right; she processed that extraordinarily fast & it says a lot as to her as a character. I love her wit, which is honestly awe striking and a superpower in itself and we just LOVE a smart heroine. She is also an awesome representation for the EDS/Chronic Illness community and FMC’s in general, which I greatly appreciated (especially for how relatable she managed to be not only for the disability community, but young identifying women who get called “crazy” or “not believed”, kids who are bullied (though this book is not for kids😅😂) and just generally speaking esp. for being fantasy fiction… she’s funny, she’s a mood, and her POV was great).

On the note of representation: I also loved the way they did adaptations (such as the saddle for example: because she did the work, and it’s just not accessible, so why not make it functional? The debate she has of using it or not resembles conversations I’ve had with many people when it comes to mobility aids, they worry about people seeing, about people thinking them less capable, about the mentality of “power through it” when really it makes more sense just to use the help you have when you need it… it’s not an act of weakness or lesser). The way Rhi even tries to compliment it, to encourage her, and the agency it still gives Tairn & even Andarna, who’s a friggin time-stopping dragon (she’s certainly not weak even if she is not as “strong”—not the word I’m looking for as the other dragons, she’s still a dragon) and she too uses the help!

And the dynamics they have within chronic illness relationships… from the over-protective: I CAN DO IT ON MY OWN many people end up with in siblings & previous caregivers. To the truth that there are some things you cannot do on your own and that’s okay even if your never okay with it. To the way Xaden not once thinks less of Violet for it or gives her special treatment; he is fair to each of them (well as fair as Xaden can be amid murder school). Or the way Dain’s comfort quickly turns into a stinging degradation even if it’s well-meaning & frankly valid (she may very well get herself killed there, he’s not wrong; but he also could, and she could die just as easily getting sent back) it’s her choice, and she does a damn good job honestly. And they try to give agency to Violet in that where they can and I appreciated that.

I love Tairn a lot, especially in character dynamics like his humor & protective affection for Violet in reminding her she is worthy & also please don’t die. He loves a lot, especially for such a “scary, tough” dragon. There’s a strength to that sort of love. And of course Andarna who is a fierce, brave, loving, joyous, other half to Violet’s soul… how could you not love her?

Xaden managed to avoid some very frequent and infuriating YA love interest tropes that I appreciated and while I won’t claim him to be “perfect” (because I know all YA novels have a problem if we’re gonna make it real world) but for the sake of character I actually found him to be not only attractive, intriguing, and entertaining as the classic “rebellious, bad boy, enemies to lovers, angsty brooding burdened softy” but also empowering, fiercely loving, protective but not stifling, and some strong standing points that are needed such as consent, or the why as to how he cares for people. He’s got good reasoning. He’s not needlessly cruel. He also has a cause he is a rebel with a cause, and not some nonsensical brooding, no he has reason. Generally I found him interesting & entertaining without being infuriating. And while he has his issues he’s a very young guy kinda issues? Idk the right way to put it. But I do think him and Violet with trust, and no “forced bodyguard” situations have the potential to be a really awesome couple. I mean he’s pretty much a shadow boi… like it’s fairly simple😂 and she’s the sunny & stormy trope. So, of course I’m an absolute idiot for him and find them sweet.

Also thanks for making the best friend bi! And if I’m correct some non-binary characters too! This book did a good job at trying to give some more representation. And managed to go beyond the basics of YA novels.

Overall it made me laugh it made me cry, I’m not calling it the perfect book but minus killing off one of my favorite characters it was a lot of fun and I look forward to the next one and think this will definitely be a favorite series of all time. And while I’ll process for fuller reviews (not that this isn’t already obnoxiously long). I really enjoyed this one a LOT!

So, off to Iron Flame with our theories, feels, and thoughts we go! Wish me luck! And we’re almost to Onyx Storm so yay for all you long-term fans!

(Should I read slow to avoid waiting a few days inbetween? I’m worried for a cliff-hanger😂)

Oh, and because he deserves to be in here: Yes, Liam was a favorite from day one. He always will be. He was just genuinely good, easy to like, funny, entertaining in his conversations to everyone, depth to the feelings it brought he added layers to many stories, he was kind and loyal… so loyal… somehow even to Violet, even with the lies, he was a good friend and he loved them all a lot. And more than just brawn (though also he was described to be a total heartthrob) he was also smart! And he learned sign language which I always love as someone who grew up speaking ASL for my sisters… he was the best of his class, and frankly just deserved a lot more. Watch Deigh & then him die broke me and I really thought they’d find a way out of it because he just loved his friends so much.😭 And I hate that this is gonna be the pain of the next book… it’s a little too personal for me right now in my own real life with holiday grief & stuff so I totally bawled like a baby… and the fact he said he just wanted to be alive, and see his sister… yeah-not-okay-enough to write this. I shall miss our sweet bb blonde wood carver boi.

Okay, time to go be basic: fall for the shadow guy, root for the FMC & project my life onto her, feel all the ship angst, cry for the fictional sweetheart, & totally fall for whatever the writes me to like/hate & guiltily forgive/hold onto…

[novantinuum]

Pink Onyx AU- An Analysis and Theory Post, Part 2

[Part 1] | [Part 2- You are here!] | [Part 3] | [Part 4] | [Part 5]

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Welcome back, folks! This is part 2 of my analysis series on the excellent @pink-onyx-au comic made by @ceephorsshitshow. And for those who are tuning in fresh just now, please check out the first part- linked above- for more information on what these posts are all about. A lot of this analysis will build on what came previously.

We’re jumping right back into it.

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Question Two: What is Pink Steven’s whole deal in this comic, anyways?

Fans of this comic have long pointed out the oozing pink looming at the corner of many of the earlier comic panels when Steven and Jasper are fused, and the strong resistance Steven’s own gem seems to have to being Onyx at all.

(Episode 1: Pages 17 & 18)

In some small way, even if he never states it any more bluntly than he does in the panels above, even Steven himself recognizes what’s going on. The reason their first fusion attempt doesn’t take is because half of him doesn’t want anything to do with Jasper at all.

And with the way Jasper speaks of fusion like it’s a tool to conquer, it’s not very hard to glean one of the reasons why.

(Episode 2: Page 17)

Pink Steven, probably: And That Was My Cue To Say Yikes™

So, yeah. If you’ve read the comic, you know what happens after this. Steven allows Jasper to front for a while completely unhindered, genuinely curious about what she thinks he should be using his powers for. 

(Episode 4: Page 3)

This decision isn’t inherently a wrong one- in fact, from one angle I think it shows a lot of mature openness to go to such lengths to try and understand someone you feel you don’t have much in common with. However, it IS a decision that Steven himself doesn’t seem to be in consensus over. And we know this because of how he physically responds to Jasper’s violent use of these powers, and what the speech bubble styles (there’s a lot of that scribbly pink lettering throughout this scene) can tell us about his mental state.

(Episode 3: Page 7)

Like, just look at the top set of eyes while Jasper’s taking this fused body on a destructive spin around the woods while abusing his powers. They are alert, they are pink, and they are fucking ANGRY.

Not only that, but this part of Steven almost seems to be feeling a bit vindictive towards Jasper for the harm she’s caused him in the past, because he takes a minor bit of control for just a moment to summon that damned death barrier again, in a move that feels intensely like a silent threat to me.

(Episode 3: Page 9)

Jasper confirms herself in Episode 4 that she did NOT consciously summon this barrier. So, it was Steven, then. Or at least… It was a part of Steven.

(Episode 3: Page 10)

I feel like many readers contextualize this moment as Steven’s Gem half chastising Jasper for abusing his powers, but I personally read it as him calling out Steven himself- Steven as a whole- for allowing her to have full reign when he knew deep down he was in conflict over the idea of this whole fusion to begin with. The panels with the visualization of Steven’s human half struggling to crawl his way through this gummed up, frothy pink fusion mindscape while his other half takes the reigns immediately calls to mind the shot of Jasper struggling for control in Malachite’s mindscape in the season 2 episode "Chille Tid." 

Not only that, but take a close look at human Steven’s eyes in that previous panel���

They’re dulled, not drawn with full black irises like they usually are. 

(Episode 3: Page 13)

And guess how full hybrid Steven is drawn just a few panels later, right after Pink Steven pulls away his power (“But you’re starting over just like I did!”) and Onyx splits? Those same, concerningly dulled eyes. Reminds me a lot of how he looked during both the cliffhanger of Change Your Mind and when his gem was glitching out in the movie. Given the context of the scene and the internal instability he was facing, I take this to mean that even his gem powers have briefly been nerfed, rendering him just as weak at this moment as he’d be without that gem at all. Hell, this whole page basically reads as him outright bargaining with this part of himself to summon one last panel to break Jasper’s fall.

“No. She can’t… She can’t… Please. She didn’t… didn’t… mean…”

So yeah, this episode in particular is the best glimpse we’ve gotten at the blatant opinions and feelings of this part of Steven so far… but quite frankly, I think the visual motif of the ominous pink goop oozing in at the edges of panels continues to be a powerful reminder of his constant presence. He’s watching things closely. I think the last thing he wants right now is for Steven as a whole to end up hurt by this again.

Basically, in my head, the ooze is Pink Steven’s “Mmmm don’t like that” signifier, lol.

__

Question Three: What is up with Onyx’s fusion dream?

The beginning of Episode 7 starts with Onyx caught in the middle of a strange dream.

(Episode 7: Page 1)

In my mind, this is absolutely one of those strange mixed-up fusion dreams- the subject and presentation influenced by the thoughts and memories of the individuals involved in said fusion. I think this dream is a combo of the memories from Rose that Steven can access through his gem and Jasper’s own fears/insecurities.

You have a visualization of the corruption blast, an event that Rose experienced firsthand- thus, exists as dormant memory within Steven’s gem… and then I think Jasper’s component of this is the perspective, and how it compares to her experience in being struck down by a diamond attacking from the sky in much a similar way. Only, unlike Rose… she didn’t have a shield to hide behind.

Part of me kind of wonders if the emergence of this dream means Jasper’s den is IN the same place where Rose shielded her friends from the corruption blast- since usually, these memory related dreams that Steven and his fusions have are drawn out by being in the exact locations the memories took place. It’s kinda hard to say, though. In the one shot we have of Rose facing the corruption blast, the environment looks entirely different (way flatter, not reddened + weapons on the ground) than the environment in Onyx’s dream. In fact, the environment in Onyx’s dream looks far closer to this:

The context given in the episode "A Single Pale Rose" shows that this is the Strawberry Battlefield right after the corruption blast itself. (An earlier shot shows the floating islands unique to this area.) You get the reddened soil and the weapons, like we see with what Onyx is dreaming, and the hills. 

So, I think our most likely possibilities are as follows: 

Rose defending the Crystal Gems from the corruption blast DID take place in this location, and the actual shot of her pulling up the shield is just colored a lot differently… perhaps to account for the intense glow of the Diamonds’ power.

The location visualized in Onyx’s dream is actually related to a Jasper-specific memory of the war, which is merely getting mixed up with the ambient memory of Rose seeing the corruption blast careening down at her.

No matter which of the two is true, the major crux of this dream is how it parallels Jasper’s experience of seeing Steven let loose his shattering strike from the sky. This is important, because it is yet another piece of evidence that she is truly, DEEPLY bothered by this moment, even if she often acts otherwise.

When Steven bluntly asks her why she’s not bothered by him shattering her, she deflects…

(Episode 1: Page 7) 

…completely brushing over any and all feelings she may harbor over the matter to comment on how shattering is a completely normal thing for the old eras of Gemkind. However, later on, she admits that she felt upset when a part of Steven summoned that spiked barrier again while fused as Onyx.

(Episode 4: Page 4)

This signals to me that processing this event is going to be a large part of Jasper’s arc in this comic. This is the capital ‘B’ Big Trauma that she is burying under all her false bravado and her tough exterior.

I think it is also important to note that we see a visualization of the battlefield from this dream once more, when Onyx’s own personality finally comes to the forefront for the first time. We’ll delve into this matter in the next discussion section.

__

Look out for the next post in this series at 7am PST tomorrow. Farewell!

[greeneyedwildthing]

Canon Viojack Moments

This ship. Let's talk about it. Warning for Series Spoilers:

I know most (if not all) of the fouth wing fandom refers to Jack Barlowe as JFB. And honestly? for good reason. The man has the personality of a wet paper bag and the plot armor of an old nokia phone. But I digress. It wasn't until my third or fourth reread that I realized that the main pairing (X/V) didn't hit the same strong enemies-to-lovers notes for me the way Viojack did-- especially in light of the fact that Xaden had never had the intention of hurting Violet because of his deal with her mother.

So let's dive into the canon moments for a rarepair that will never be! Please keep in mind that this is, in fact, all meant in good fandom fun. I still love Xaden, I just tend to love unhinged psychopathic characters a little more.

As I was rereading this for the fourth time, I noticed the subtle power play/primal play going on in this scene with Jack putting emphasis on pleasure and screaming. I also love how Violet's response sets the tone for their dynamic: Jack making threats and Violet refusing to back down.

His hand on her hip as he hovers above her while Violet presses a dagger to his balls... whats not to love?? I also find it interesting that Violet fixates on his eye color here, which is something that she seems to only do for the other main love interests (see: Xaden's onyx eyes, Dain's warm brown, even arguably Liam's blue eyes)

Omegaverse AU where... lol no but on a serious note I find it hilarious that Jack smells her before stalking away especially considering the fact that Violet canonically (from Xadens Bonus Chap POV) smells like citrus- the one thing Jack is allergic to. The irony is *chefs kiss*

I love how most readers will finish fourth wing with the impression that Violets fear towards Jack was completely one-sided (I know I did) because he's a Big Strong Murderous Man™ when *canonically* she repeatedly scares the shit out of him too.

This little morsel during threshing just buttered my biscuits because I love how she compares Jack to Xaden- aka the MMC and LOVE INTEREST- and Jack somehow unintentionally comes out on top?? this is a stretch but stick with me...

Also, I found it interesting during my reread that Jack wasn't the one who planned Andarna's murder. Tynan was the "genius" behind that plot, and also the one who bullied Oren when he voiced his second thoughts. Jack only followed along with the plot to an extent (he arguably ran at the earliest convenience) And I feel like readers put the weight of Tynan's plan on Jacks shoulders solely because we remember Jack as the asshole who participated (and survived). also see: Jack was never involved in the assassination attempt or any of the other dozens of times he could've killed her without repercussions.

ngl really loved that Violet's last thought as she was making her peace with death is Jack-centric.

Again, Jack is seen as the primary instigator but throughout FW Violet is the one that meets him where he's at. She's unwilling to back down and I love that about their dynamic because - in this scene- you can see her begin to gain the upper hand.

Another canon moment that I completely missed when I first read FW. But again, Violets actions/accomplishments instill a sense of fear in Jack. Also I just love that by this point she's able to read him so well.

Did everyone miss the fact that he blew her a kiss or was it just me??? because in light of the IF turret scene (you know where he saves her life) this had me feeling absolutely feral. Like of all the ways he could have instigated a reaction out of her it was blowing kisses that did the trick?! and I love love LOVE how she continues to be vocal about his cowardice when the rest of the quadrant doesn't.

Exhibit four of prime sarcastic banter from enemies that could become lovers (leave me to my delusions).

Out of context this is the most insane and more than a little erotic moment between the two of them??? like they're dick to butt here, and he's whispering? (where have i heard this before- oh right: that time Xaden kicked her ass on the mat. The only difference is one of them had dangerous intent which makes my E2L heart swoon)

Canon that, not only is Jack the first person Violet's killed, he's also the only person Violet's felt *guilty* of killing.

Listen, I get that this scene has more to do with her sense of self and loss of morality but I think it's interesting that she's grieving this after saving one of her best friends by sacrificing the main antagonist and primary pain in her ass. Read between the lines on that one lol

IF JFB's return lets break it down:

she's focusing on his appearance.

She points out that her signet manifested as she killed him. Now this is pivotal because during rereads we've uncovered that there's an easter egg during her *passionate* first kiss with Xaden. Keep that in mind. So we fast forward to War Games where she has another *passionate* moment- feeling protective of her best friend and fury towards her main antagonist. And that's exactly the moment where her signet truly manifests. Xaden may have been the first spark but Jack is her catalyst in both character development and achieving power. I also just love the irony that him pushing her towards destruction is what ultimately destroys him.

And again the way she fixates on his eyes. I love that in a room full of people applauding his return the first person he looks for is her. (it gives me the best chills every time)

AND FINALLY THE MOMENT THAT HAD ME SHIPPING THEM:

I love this on so many levels. I love how witty and sarcastic he is. How sincere. This is the scene that made me realize (amidst the X/V "tell me the truth" debacle in IF) that Jack has always been weirdly open with Violet. He wears his intentions on his sleeve. She never second guesses his motives until *this moment* because she's already in the middle of second guessing everything the other love interests (Dain and Xaden) have done towards her. While this scene felt out of character in comparison to the rest of the series, I personally choose to believe that he's being genuine and open with her. Because the last thing she's anticipating is the truth and it catches her- and us as the readers- completely off guard

Also I know general fandom consensus is that he did this to protect his double-agent venin status. However, as i've said before I'm a die hard believer that Nolon succeeded at mending Jacks soul for a short time but ultimately it's Jacks' greed for power that continues to push him towards veninism.

[callsign-rogueone]

Hi! I was wondering if one of my favorite authors had any new thoughts or theories on the new book know that we have a title in place?

I personally hope with the title we will get more xaden contain through dual povs throughout vs not just at the end!

howdy!! my first thoughts were just internal screaming tbh. I’m very excited. I pre-ordered both versions already. I’m locked in.

some of my (many) questions / worries / thoughts (more to come later probably)

onyx = his eyes, storm = her lightning… probably

I really hope we get more Xaden pov! I think we will, as the “special edition” doesn’t mention bonus chapters in his pov like the fourth wing special edition did. but it would be so sad to watch his thoughts slowly turn evil and watch him deteriorate 😭

are we picking back up right where we left off? if we are, my bet for the opening scene or somewhere in the first few chapters is gonna be the three siblings going through their mom’s office / burning her stuff 🥺

how fast does one “turn” after they become venin? like how long do we have to save him? he seems to be cognizant and “himself” right now, but what has to happen for him to slip and lose that control? is it only a matter of time, or is he gonna be okay if he just doesn’t pull from the earth again?

like, Jack touched Dain and he immediately broke down in pain and left dead gray handprints on his skin. how long until X starts doing that too, and he can’t hold Violet anymore? and is Dain okay? is he scarred for life now, or did it go away after a while? 🥺

speaking of Dain… what’s the deal with his dad? I don’t trust that guy literally at all. I would love to see Dain stand up to him more and stop being the perfect obedient and trusting son and give his old man the what for, like a real face to face confrontation and demand answers. I want him to be as ruthless with his dad as Brennan was with their mom (only Mr. Aetos truly deserves it)

and in general I want more of Dain’s redemption arc! but that’s just me, I know other people don’t like him as much as I do (which is a lot, so…)

we can’t forget poor Sgaeyl… I hope we see more of her relationship with Violet in this one, if Xaden is truly detached from his dragon now (how does that work?) she can’t be away from Tairn, anyway, so…

also… there are so many people who might not have survived the battle… :( we know the first years and Vi and Brennan are safe, because they were there fixing the ward stone, and I’m pretty sure sawyer made it through, but everyone else…? though I’m not too worried about that, it think it would be really cheap of her to be like, oh by the way, ____ died. I’d never forgive her lol

speaking of dead people, are we getting more Liam in this book again? I couldn’t handle it… but there’s a group of people on Reddit who are very convinced that Vi can see dead people as her signet from Andarna, which I don’t really believe (they disconnected her from Tairn at the time, so she probably couldn’t reach Andarna’s power either. and side note: think of how fucking haunted Basgiath must be. half the class dies before they can graduate, and it’s been there for hundreds of years presumably.)

that’s all I have for now. I’m sure I’ll reblog this later to add more / make this a kindof thoughts thread, but I’m always down to theorize with y’all in my inbox too! 🖤⛈

[berrypass-de-murdler]

2 - 51 An Experiment in Murder!

AAAAAAAA SEASON THREEEEEEE

LOOK

MAJOR RED!!!! ignore his hat Oh god I have been waiting so long to draw him

Red used to be an aerial bomber, until one day he was shot clean out of the sky. His wing was so crippled, he had to tear it off himself! Given a weak prosthetic claw to humiliate him, he is doomed never to fly again. And he wants REVENGE...

DON'T READ THE EPISODES WITHOUT READING THE BOOKS!!

Irratino is lying on the grass. He’s stiff as a board, staring into the gray sky, slowly freezing in the bitter cold. No, it’s still summer. But anyway.

IRRATINO: [in his head] What would Logico do… what would… Logico do… He would- he would solve murders until he found the answer. He would - yeah, he would solve a trail of murders that led to the answer he needed! IRRATINO: [jumps up] [out loud] I’M going to solve murders using DEDUCTIVE LOGIC! 

A bunch of randos walking by laugh very loudly at him. But Irratino knows he can do it. He practically solves all the murders anyway with his fortune-telling clues, right? And with that COMBINED with his new logic skills he is definitely magically going to gain, he’ll be unstoppable. It’s goat time!

The first thing Irratino has to do is find out where that blood came from. So he collects a bit of blood from his friends and foes, like the mentally stable person he is. And he brings them all to Dr. Crimson. 

She gives the DNA readings for all of them. But Irratino could only collect from so many people before there were legal issues, and the mystery sample doesn’t match any of them. But this will probably still help him on his mission. The goat lord is no longer hopeless. He is GOING to rescue Logico!

IRRATINO: I’M COMING, LOGICOOOO0000000000OO

The first place he goes to is the PRL. This is totally what Logico would do.

IRRATINO: GUYS, GUYS!! LOGICO IS MISSING!!! SEASHELL: Oh. Really? Then who’s going to solve this murder? IRRATINO: I’M going to solve the murder. ONYX: But Mr. President, doesn’t that usually contain… logic? IRRATINO: I’m covering for both of us this season. Don’t doubt my abilities!... So, what are you up to? COBALT: We are testing each other’s psychic abilities. IRRATINO: Awesome! [slaps himself] No. It’s murder time.

First, Irratino checks the laboratory. He looks VERY closely at everything, so he can see fingerprints and stuff. Then he thinks. Logico really NEVER uses fingerprint identification? That seems like it would be a LOGICAL thing to do...

COBALT: I smell something superior. Is that BLOOD you’re carrying in your purse? IRRATINO: HEY! It’s not a purse! This is a man’s bag!

Back outside, the Crystal Goddess is attempting to pick up Onyx with her mind, and failing.

ONYX: Okay, I think we’re done now. Thanks for lending me ‘Re-dead-able’ by ‘ghosts’, Dr. Seashell. It’s a fascinating read. SEASHELL: Isn’t it? I LOVE reading things by dead people. 

Mf is standing in a hole for no apparent reason.

IRRATINO: Why are you standing in a hole? SEASHELL: I’m doing aura readings. Want one? IRRATINO: Uh… SEASHELL: BOOP! Your aura is… okay, I guess.

Irratino is getting really frustrated. These investigations are so obnoxious! How does Logico deal with it every day? But he remembers who he’s doing this for. And just when he does, he gets a voicemail - FROM LOGICO!! He’s alive! 

LOGICO: Hey, Irratino. It’s me. Oh! You know that… but… Anyway, apparently I’ve been detained by the Free Drakonians. They want to negotiate some kind of prisoner exchange. Call me when you get this. Please. OH! I just read an article about the Psychic Research Laboratory, and they always put a person in a control group in an actual laboratory. I don’t know what that means, but it mentions your favorite place, so I thought you’d get a kick out of it. It’s almost like I’m giving you clues now! This is so silly! Um… call me when you get this.

Irratino tries to call right away. But the signal won’t reach. He's so relieved his little detective is okay. But he needs to find him!!

Irratino manages to solve his first solo murder. It was the ridiculous Crystal Goddess! 

GODDESS: NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! I AM NOT THE KILLER! BUT I DO HAVE TELEKINESIS. AND TO PROVE IT… I AM GOING TO KILL YOU WITH MY MIND!!!

She clutches her forehead and makes straining noises.

IRRATINO: …Dude!

He leaves. He has to get to Drakonia!

The end!

HOW DO I BOOP 😭 I am the only person on tumblr who can't boop help!!!

It sucks that Logico was kidnapped, but I do love Irratino and writing him trying to solve murders by himself is quite entertaining. Who would have thought I have an insane obsession with Irratino??

The power of Goat Lord compels you!

See you next time murdlers!

[true-blue-sonic]

I've heard at least one person suggest that the one who tried to get the Chaotix to go after Silver was, in fact, Eggman Nega; as, in his ideal turn of events, the deal would've simply ended with Espio just capturing Silver and thus preventing anyone from interfering with Nega's plan of releasing the Ifrit and powering it with Chao. The fact that Espio decided to hear Silver out at all and then started trusting him inexplicably is the only reason it ended up backfiring.

OH DAMN

OH I LOVE THAT

You see, I was reasoning that Nega actually wouldn't do that: why would he direct more people towards the Chao disappearances who could intervene and rescue them? He'd just be shooting himself in the foot by asking a group of detectives to mingle themselves into the problem, with the chance they'd take potentially-capturable Chao from right under his nose and/or find out what's truly going on. But you're absolutely right!! Even with Sonic & Tails and Espio & Silver rescuing Chao, Nega himself says he has enough of them in Mystic Haunt Zone to make the Ifrit invincible anyway. The only reason this doesn't succeed is because Sonic and Tails just so happened to find the room and take all the Chao along with them before Silver and Espio did and before Nega could continue with the plan. Add to that the fact that Eggman in Shadow's/Metal Sonic's story figures Nega is Rouge's client and is making her collect the Chaos Emeralds: we thus know Nega has done so with at least one person in the past. Furthermore, this isn't mentioned explicitly in the game itself, but Vector does somehow know Silver's name and that he "showed up" one day, despite Silver being a time traveller whose prior adventure was kept entirely contained to Onyx Island and like four other people. Even if it's not explicitly said in the game Vector got that info from the client in question (and the wording seems contradictory to this idea, even, but it could maybe be an As You Know introduction for the player), it's also not impossible either. And lastly, Nega is noted to be short-sighted and lose track of the tinier details easily, so him figuring that the Chaotix couldn't possibly find out his real identity and plans does fit here as well, I would say.

I love how, in this scenario (and my Espilver fic because I am absolutely going to be diving into this more), there was so much hinging on Espio chasing down Silver and capturing him... and he just did not, lol. You know how Sonic Channel's story with Sonic and Silver in Soleanna mentions how Silver's "way of life" inspires people and makes them want to watch over him and cheer him on forever? If I can nicely write that into Stories with Silver and Espio, I'll be one happy gal <3

[authortobenamedlater]

E6! We’re getting toward the end now!

The good:

While it wasn’t exactly the John & Cortana reunion I’d hoped for, WE FINALLY GOT IT and it was still immensely satisfying. John is bloodied and bruised and when he sees Cortana he still SMILES and just looks so much more at ease. Like everything is going to be OK now because Cortana is back.

Cortana did, in fact, sell her digital soul to Parangosky in a way. We don’t know why, but my guess is to get Parangsoky/ONI to spare John. A sad look into how Cortana and John are both looked at as disposable once they’re no longer “useful.”

Pablo Schreiber continues to pull out all the stops. His Captain America elevator scene-style beat-down (his second of this season) on the ONI guards is glorious, as is his fight scene with Kai and his reunion with Cortana. Also, he’s oddly sexy in the black sweatshirt.

Oh yeah, and the way Cortana’s “I’m with the Arbiter” line gets John standing up and growling “the one who killed Vannak?” This is a WAY more personal rivalry than game Chief and Arbiter had and I’m all in on it. Thel led the fleet to Reach, but this Var ‘Gatanai fellow stuck a needler round in Vannak’s chest with John watching.

The scene where Var cuts down his fellow Sangheili instead of Makee reminds me of Kylo Ren turning his lightsaber on Snoke in TLJ. Makee has clearly fallen from grace in the Covenant, but I’m not seeing her joining up with the humans either. At least not entirely. We do see her telling John the Covenant will use the Halo to annihilate mankind in the trailer for next week.

The bad:

I can’t think of anything really bad about this episode? Except that Vannak and Jacob are still dead.

Questions/neutral/speculations:

These Spartan-IIIs are definitely not the IIIs of the main canon, in fact they seem more like IVs. I don’t think they’re even augmented yet. It’s been only a month or so since Reach and Talia is already there training. That’s not enough time to have a bunch of major surgeries and procedures and recover. My guess is they are waiting to see who will wash out before doing any augmentations.

If they’ve got a bunch of consenting adults to be IIIs, why did ONI take Kessler? They wouldn’t need to recruit children if they can do the same thing (somewhat) more ethically on adults. Unless they took Kessler for reasons entirely unrelated to making more Spartans.

I still want to know why Cortana struck a deal with Parangosky. I’m really starting to think that opening scene was not much to do with untangling John and Cortana and more to do with Parangosky/ONI getting Cortana to do their bidding.

Will Kai see the end of the season? The show has taken John’s team from him one by one. It doesn’t make sense to pull her to train the IIIs and then kill her. Who would take her place? Are they going to kill all the IIIs? Again, why? We just met them and they’re supposed to be the next generation of Spartans “in [the Master Chief’s] image.” Not missing the Genesis allusion there, Ackerson.

In next week’s trailer Parangosky says she is willing to sacrifice all the Spartan-IIIs. Maybe they will all die. This show does love to ride the ragged edge.

What is the “mistake” Miranda found in her mother’s research?

Are Var, Makee, John, and Cortana all going to go rogue together?

But, Kai IS in the Kurt role and he doesn’t see the end of Ghosts of Onyx. Shoulda worn the Mjolnir, buddy. Maybe Kai will learn that lesson.

Kate Kennedy would do a 10/10 job delivering the “Die? Didn’t you know? Spartans never die” line. I really hope I don’t have to hear it.

[aloeboba]

A/N: I don't actually have a title for this 🤷‍♀️ this has been in drafts since March so I decided to post a little of it. Imo it's not that good

Synopsis: in a moment of weakness, Shoto confronts Momo and asks her to pretend to be dating since they would both be benefitting from the relationship (and get they're parents' off they're back), reluctantly, she agrees.

Academic rivals to lovers / College/University AU / Faking dating / Rich kid AU / Shoto is a little bit of a jerk tho

Momo's face scrunched up as she searched Shoto's face. Her onyx eyes flicked around his neutral expression and found nothing but hidden spite and smugness under his calm exterior which only made her angrier—including when she noticed him biting back a rude remark when she wrinkled her nose at him. A brisk dusk of wind blew past them and ruffled her perfectly styled hair while she remained eye contact and blinked slowly and Shoto waited for her response, growing more and more impatient.

"Well?" Shoto tapped his foot quickly against the the gravel.

Her slow blink was replaced by an agitated quick one, hoping she had heard him wrong. "You want me to do what?"

The latter rolled his eyes exasperatedly, clearly annoyed. Momo and Shoto's parents ran in the same social and economic circles ever since they were young so they were quite familiar with the other even if they wished they weren't. It seemed they always found each other in social events - from galas and get togethers to even ending up attending the same university. It also didn't help that they're parents were friends with Shoto's mother being quite partial to Momo and enjoying her personality (the very same one he despised).

As long as Momo could remember, her and Shoto always disagreed and disliked each other. All interactions included sly comments and dirty looks from the other during social gatherings with some resulting in hushed arguments that were cleverly disguised by the exchanging painfully sweet smiles and bitter handshakes.

"I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend." He says again with narrow eyes—the same look he made when she saw him with his father making deals during galas.

Momo shifts uncomfortably on her feet as another cold wind blew past. Shoto had asked her suddenly to join her in a private setting - an alleyway between the school's main building and the office. She accepted on a whim to see what it was about and already regretted it. "Why would I do that?" She snarks back. "Especially, with you."

"Ouch." Shoto's tone was dry and expression unphased. "This could benefit you, too, you know."

"And how, Todoroki, could I benefit from an idea like this?" Her tone was sharp and bitter but still professional sounding.

"Your mother always seems to be pushing you to find suitor is she not?" He cocks his head to the side. "Trying to set you up with many snobby, wealthy men who are at least 10 years older than you, correct, Yaoyorozu?"

Momo knew it was childish but she still rolled her eyes. It was true her mother had been constantly bothering her about her love life. No, it was not true that all the men she suggested were much older than her. "They're not that old." Her bangs fluttered around her face as the wind blew once again. "That's none of your business anyway, Todoroki."

"But you do want your mother to leave you alone, don't you?"

She hated that he was right. She was tired of having to turn down dates and offers from efficient suitors that effectively ticked her mother off. "Maybe." She puffed her cheeks out and blew out a huff of air. "And what about you? We both know we aren't very fond of each other. What would you get out of this and why approach me with this ridiculous plan?"

A small, sly smile spread across Shoto's lips. "It seems we're in the same boat, Yaoyorozu. Both of our parents want us dating so we're ensured a bright, luxurious future. I need my parents off my back and so do you." He lifted his chin up and looked down at her. "As for my choice in roles, your reason of questioning my decision is exactly why I need you. For lack of a better word, I consider us enemies and I'm sure the feelings are mutual. We're not close and no messy feelings in the end, only a planned breakup."

"And the other very obvious reason, you lack friends. Specifically, female friends." A polite smile appeared on Momo's face. The exact smile that she uses when she speaks to socialites and subtly insults them.

That comment almost bothered Shoto but he still put on his own fake, polite smile in response. "Todoroki, if you don't mind me saying—"

"I don't."

"I can barely stand being in the same room as you. Why would I agree to pretend date you and lie to both of our parents?"

Shoto looked at the ground as he smiled to himself right before his gaze shifted back up to her. "Ah, right. It seems I've forgotten your goody two-shoes tendencies, Yaoyorozu." He shook his head. "I thought you wouldn't mind since it would mean finally getting your mother to stop setting you up on dates and snooping in on your private life. Seems like an easy way out."

"Oh, does that bother you? I hadn't realized it did." Momo's eyebrows raised in curiosity suddenly at the thought of her enemy possibly being upset about her social endeavors.

"I don't want to disappoint you, but no. It doesn't bother me in the slightest." His expression was back to neutral. "But I know it bothers you. I was hoping that would be enough for you to agree."

"And it isn't. I'm not so desperate and it's sad you think I am especially for me to go so low as to enter a pretend relationship with the likes of you."

"But it does annoy you. I know that for a fact."

"Do you?"

A subtle yet smug look flashed over his features. "Don't think I haven't seen you practically beating off all those other men with a stick at all those parties we attend." Momo began to bite the inside of her cheek as he spoke. "And I know you'd rather argue with me—which says a lot—over champagne and caviar than converse like a civilized person with them."

Now she was back to being angry. "Then you should also know that they don't want to marry me for any real reasons other than inheriting their father's business and wealth but, of course, to do that they need a bride."

"Ah, looking for real love, Yaoyorozu?"

Momo looks down at her feet. "I don't believe in those kinds of things," she kicks a pebble into a patch of clovers growing through the cement. "but it does make dedicating and spending the rest of your life with another more pleasant, doesn't it? Even if your feelings aren't completely genuine for the other."

"And we're opening up, too?" The smugness was only growing in his previously neutral expression. "This is the most profound thing I've heard you say."

Momo immediately raised her head and locked eyes with his heterochromic ones. "This is why you'll be impossible to date."

"We haven't even started and you're already judging my performance?"

"You're impossible."

They stared wordlessly at the other with slight frowns and annoyed but neutral expressions until Shoto spoke again. "Well, Yaoyorozu, I still think this benefits the both of us. If you're okay with the way others treat you, that's fine but if you change your mind, you know where to find me."

As he slips past her and out of the alleyway Momo's phone buzzes in her bag and who she knows for a fact is another missed call from her mother and yes, it is about another suitor. She had been dodging her calls and messages for the past week. She luckily has been able to blame it on a hefty work load and about a dozen promises to return her messages. Shoto was right.

This was ticking her off and she wanted a way out. His solution was temporary and no one would know it was fake. No harm no foul, right?

Momo squeezes her eyes shut and quickly reaches to grab the sleeve of his blazer. He turns around to look at him and she takes her hand back and holds them in front of her while clearing her throat. "Change your mind?"

"Unfortunately, I've realized I'm in need of a temporary solution, Todoroki." She shallows nervously. "So, yes. I have."

Shoto merely hums. "...is that so?" The corners of his lips raise and forms another small smile. "Alright. Excellent choice, Yaoyorozu."

"We should talk about this first." She doesn't wait for an answer before saying, "You know the cafe on the northern side of campus? Meet me there after class."

He acknowledges her by shrugging his shoulders and stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Sure."

Momo firmly nods and quickly walks ahead of him and towards her class.

[team-oliv]

Part 1: Team Dynamics

The frigid climate of Solitas was almost entirely inhospitable. Very few patches of decent land existed and it was freezing all year round. An unprepared explorer would die of hypothermia in a matter of hours out here. Aura was supposed to help deal with extreme temperatures like this, but Onyx still found himself chilled to the bone and Ivory wasn’t doing much better. Frustratingly, Violet was relatively fine while Lapis was entirely unphased. “How can you two stand this?”

Lapis threw a flat look at his nominal team leader for only a second. “By living in it. I’m not like the rest of you; I’m not from the kingdoms.”

“A mining town then?” Ivory asks, shivering a bit as she crunched her way through the snow. All they were told to do was find a Grimm that had been sighted in the area. It was a nuisance the army didn’t care to bother with nor did anyone put up a huntsmen’s job on- perfect for a trainee set of students.

“I wouldn’t be caught dead near one of those faunus-infested death traps.” Lapis barked back, snapping to Ivory once before moving on. “I’m from outside the kingdoms, that’s all you need to know.”

Violet marches through the cold past Lapis and occasionally going through her scroll, checking their equipment stores and information on the Grimm they're meant to track down. She would have to let his horrible comment slide for now. For now. "Lapis, I want to talk to you when we get back."

Onyx watches Lapis ignore the criticism and continue forward. “I don’t believe he’s interested in continuing that line of discussion. However, there is something that’s been bothering me about you.”

“And what’s that?”

Onyx slowed his pace to walk beside Violet, flashing a knowing grin. “Major Ymir hinted at some sort of name legacy back at our introduction. I could have sworn he was referring to me but he seemed to include you in his pointing. Why is that?”

“Being a huntress is kind of a family trade for me. My parents are both licensed and active. I’ve got a lot to live up to.”

“But there’s dozens of huntsmen active in Atlas and Mantle. What would be so special about yours? No offense, but I’ve never heard the name Goodfellow before.”

Onyx stops for a moment before resuming walking. “Actually… Ivory, do you remember the 35th Vytal Festival? Atlas’s last big win?”

“Yeah! I watched that broadcast with my mom. It wasn’t the first time Atlas had a champion who wasn’t in the specialist program, but it was the first one from Mantle in a long time. Robin Goodfellow- he was all over the news for months.”

“And he won so handily that at least one other academy professor accused him to cheating.”

“He didn’t cheat! Robin was one of the most skilled huntsmen Atlas Academy’s ever had!”

Instead of being offended at being cut off, Onyx simply chuckled to himself, the wide sly grin returning to his face. “Did I say he did? I said he was accused. You really need to consider your responses more carefully, you know.” He stopped and spun on his heel, giving a sneering look to Violet. “So, on top of your family’s expectations you have the reputation of a tournament champion to live up to and you’re the niece of an accomplished Major who has taken a direct interest in your performance. Quite a tall order, particularly given the stigma of being from Mantle.”

Violet forced the taunting to bounce off of her. She couldn’t let that get to her. But if this was her team leader she wasn’t sure how long she could stand the academy. “Yeah… Robin was always really good and my family’s known around Mantle. I’ll be joining their search and rescue team once I graduate.”

“Hey…” Ivory starts, “Don’t worry too much about it, okay? At least you know what you’re going to do once you have your license.”

Lapis stops ahead of the group and turns back. “Excuse me?”

“What?”

“Are you telling me that you signed up for and passed getting into an academy specifically designed to teach you one thing and you don’t know if you want to do it?”

Ivory was taken aback by Lapis’s sudden interest in her intentions. “Well, I mean, I’ve always kind of been interested. My dad set me up with a private tutor to teach me how to fight and Onyx and I entered together. I figure even if it doesn’t work out I can always get a security job at the company. He's got his own plans, too.”

Lapis darts his stare to Onyx. “Seriously? You too?”

“I will fully admit to having absolutely no interest in continued huntsmen work after graduating. My father is a former huntsmen and insisted I learn how they operate given how important the profession is to the continued existence of society. It’s a business decision really.”

“Are you joking!? I get pushed into some special team by a bunch of people who either don’t know what they’re doing, don’t care, or happen to have important family why!? The rest of you had better start taking this seriously or so help me I will leave the rest of you to die in the snow!”

Onyx took a step forward, putting on the best commanding posture he could muster. “Hamelin, you are out of line! As your team leader-”

“You just said yourself you don’t care about what anyone else is doing here. Why should I give a damn about what your orders are!? I’m going out there and doing this myself. Have fun with your stupid chat about how important your relatives are.” Lapis stomped off into the distance, pulling a rifle that looked like it was made out of scrap parts from behind his long blue coat before all but vanishing into the flurry.

“Lapis, wait!" Violet shouted after her teammate with a sudden rise of urgency. Her cry landed on deaf ears as the blue speck shrunk. "We need to go after him."

“Why bother? He sounds like he’s confident enough to handle himself? Why not let him get in over his head and then show him why he shouldn’t go off alone?”

“Because if we lose him, we lose him.” Violet pulled up her scroll. Only the three of their signals were active. “Lapis didn’t activate his scroll. If we can’t find him, no one knows he’s out there and he might not be able to radio for help. Remember when I said my parents do search and rescue? Even the most experienced huntsmen can get lost in blizzards like this. It's way too dangerous.”

“She’s got a point, let’s go. Besides, I don’t want to have to tell the Major why we lost a teammate on our first training exercise.”

[amberskywrites]

Meeting At Last

A side story of Not of This World, following the character Valerie.

This piece was written for my Intro Fiction class in uni, and was written before I decided to turn Not of This World into a hypertext CYOA. This story specifically was an exercise in time.

Word Count: 658

Fic Masterpost | Original Work Masterpost | Not of This World Info

Lounging on the throne at the center of the big throne room, his head propped up on one arm supported by an armrest, his legs thrown over the other, his body angled towards her. He stares at her, a bored expression on his face as his eyes rove from her feet to her head.

He looks different from how she’d always imagined him.

Lord Asonze… Valerie had heard nothing but what she would be expecting to see as soon as she stepped into this room, had fully expected what he would look like from the books that she was going to burn as soon as she escaped.

And yet, this was someone completely different.

Lord Asonze had long, black hair. It was a moving shadow, a creature of ash and darkness that spilled over his shoulders and down his back and loomed behind him as an ever-present threat. His arms were lined with orange protrusions that glowed and burned anyone who touched them, leaving behind wounds that even the best healers couldn’t help because they had a thin layer of acid. He was light, always moving about a room as though walking on clouds and the air around him shifted and reflected with such a natural ease it was as though he was born in the between where nothing and everything existed. He was accompanied by drip–drip–drips that could be water from the oceans he was known for taming and unleashing upon coastline villages, or it could be the blood from the prisoners he was said to deal with personally for hours at a time.

This… 

This was not that.

He has short hair, almost white, though Valerie thought it was tinged red. It’s fluffy and moves slowly around his head – clouds, just like Gale’s, except the clouds which clung to Gale were harsh and swift and dark. These were soft, almost like the clouds at home that drifted over her neighborhood in the early summer. Only one arm has orange protrusions – and these didn’t look as hot. They look warm, squishy, and unlike Watina, the protrusions aren’t a solid orange. They seem full of liquid, each twitch of muscle stirring the inside and the colors shift between yellow and orange and back to yellow, occasionally a small bubble appearing under the layer keeping it all trapped inside. His other arm gleams in the light produced by the protrusions, shiny and blacker than his dark skin, fingers seeming blockier, almost as though they were carved from stone rather than born from a person once upon a time. It looks like onyx. Only the forearm and hand are this black stone, the upper part of his arm turned into a tangle of something coiled tightly together to form a shoulder and half a chest, curling across a collarbone. There was a slow drip–drip–drip, but it was a leg revealed by the skirt he wore, black like his arm but less solid – it was more transparent, and Valerie could clearly see the drips, clear as they puddle at the base of the throne he lounges on. Melting ice.

She briefly wonders if it’s painful.

Valerie looks at his face and tightens her grip on the ornate knife Watina had made for her, adjusting the hold just as Aryn had taught her. It’s wrong, she knows, and she shouldn’t look at his face – it’ll just make this harder.

But she looks, and she meets his brown eyes that have gone slightly wide, and she doesn’t know why, but the dread she’s felt for weeks evaporates, and instead her heart aches.

The person – because this can’t be Asonze, can it – opens their mouth, and Valerie prepares to hear it, to hear the name they all call her at first until they realize it’s wrong and correct it before she can, Sylvia–

But it isn’t what she hears, in a strangled voice, and it– she can’t– she doesn’t believe it. And yet–

“Pip?”

[peace-coast-island]

Diary of a Junebug

When you feel out of step, just dance to the music without a care in the world

Music festivals are a great way to discover new artists as well as learn about different cultures. The Radiant Springs Music Festival is one of the biggest events in Marippe, so it’s something you must check out if that’s your thing. A lot of artists from all over the world would kill for an opportunity to perform as doing so would be a dream. Given the lively atmosphere and the variety of the music and artistry they showcase, who wouldn’t want to be a part of the fun?

What makes it even more special is that we’ve got some familiar faces performing on stage. Beryl, Ruby, and Topaz are performing with a theater troupe as an opening act for a band. Josette, Madeleine, Aurelie, Connie, and Pai are with an orchestra on violin, cello/piano, flute, bass guitar/viola, and oboe respectively. Connie and Pai even got solo performances, something that Madeleine and the festival organizer planned out to close the night.

The timing of the festival serves as a welcome distraction for most of them, especially for Beryl and Connie, who are dealing with a lot right now. It sucks when you’re in a position where you have no choice but to hold your tongue and nod along like nothing’s wrong. In other words, their hands are completely tied, so no matter what they do or don’t do, they’re gonna have to take the fall if anything goes wrong - a convenient third party scapegoat, basically. Yikes, that’s a fucking pain to get trapped into.

So the festival’s helping them keep their minds off that as there’s really nothing they can do about their situations anyway. I mean, they could try to take matters in their own hands, I guess, but that’ll probably bring unwanted trouble, so staying out of the way as much as possible is the wisest option. At least Beryl and Connie are taking it in stride by refusing to let that bring down their spirits. I think it helps that they kinda foresaw being in that difficult position rather than being blindsided - that’s the nature of the kind of lives they live.

Beryl’s situation has more to do with his master, the head of the Garden of Flames, but because he and his siblings are the closest to her, they’re bound to get dragged into it too. Since it involves classified information, he and his master have been kept in the dark about the specifics, which they aren’t happy with - obviously. But at the same time, it’s probably better off that way.

In other words, a lot it has to do with complicated politics, something that Beryl doesn’t care that much about, though given the Garden’s affiliations, he can’t avoid it entirely. Their organization is being used by another entity they have indirect ties to by providing finances and resources in a legal matter, so to speak. Something about exploiting loopholes to get shady but not exactly illegal stuff done. Not only it can keep them off the hook, it also serves as a way of controlling the Garden as independent organizations can be perceived as a threat, especially when they don’t see eye to eye on certain things. Again, sounds like a fucking hassle, and I feel bad for those who are inevitably gonna get tangled up in these affairs whether they like it or not.

Connie’s situation is also complicated and the more they attempt to figure things out, the more frustrating it gets. Basically, nothing adds up and no one knows why - that was why Connie went to Raiden for help. Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to help either as there’s still a lot of unknown factors at play.

First, let’s go into why Connie’s traveling all over the Celestine Onyx and getting into their affairs even though they’re an outsider. At a glance, they seem like any other adventurer, but the more you look closely into their escapades, there’s obviously more to it than just some hero who happened to show up at the right place at the right time. I mean, how unusual is it for some outsider to be able to have considerable sway in various political factions to the point that drastic changes have taken effect, often resulting in ensuring a better future for the people? Like, that’s no ordinary person - not with a track record like Connie’s.

I’ve mentioned it before, Connie’s like a disruptor, an outside force who throws themselves in to temporarily stop the gears of fate. Of course, disruption, even if it’s for a good cause, results in unease, tension, fear of the unknown, but most of all, it throws everything into chaos. You’ve got a system like cogs in a machine where everything has to work perfectly well together. Throw something in between one of the gears and bam, everything comes to a grinding halt. And then what? That’s what Connie is.

In other words, that is Connie’s true purpose for their journey in the Celestine Onyx. It serves as sort of a punishment or redemption from their failure from preventing the Surtal disaster, a catastrophic event that resulted in the destruction of a nation and its people. Had the divine order not intervened, the disaster could’ve easily spread throughout the other seven nations. In short, a lot of things went wrong, and so it became sort of buried in history as the centuries passed.

The Surtal disaster was kind of like a domino effect that affected the other nations in the Celestine Onyx jurisdiction. But not in an obvious way, it was gradual, like something that sneaks up on you when you’re distracted. Political unrest and natural disasters were among some of the major catastrophes Connie managed to help avert. As for why the divine order failed to intervene earlier, that’s another question, though not one that Connie’s interested in finding the answer too. They believe that if the divine order got involved, it would have made things even worse. After all, they not only failed to prevent one prophecy from happening, but they turned it into an even bigger mess.

Many of those involved are still haunted by the disaster, including Connie, and so they are determined not to let history repeat itself. That’s why Connie sees their mission as more of a redemption than a punishment, as well as why those who were also involved were willing to let Connie intervene on matters that most outsiders have absolutely no business stepping into. They can’t change the past, but they can do something about the present and future. And so they will.

No matter what the cost or how many enemies they’ll make down the line, Connie will stop at nothing to make sure no one else had to suffer like the people of Surtal did. Defying the divine order by siding with the Celestine authority to take matters into their own hands is their way of righting the world’s wrongs. If the divine order finally decides to strike, Connie is more than prepared to fight back. To the death if they must.

As for the root cause of the Surtal disaster, Connie said it was the arrogance of the Six Pillars, five influential members who were supposed to represent the nation and guide it towards a better future. Instead, they were arrogant and much more interested in power and glory than the general wellbeing of the people. And that was their downfall. How tragic.

Among the many casualties of the disaster was Connie’s younger sister Trini - or so they thought. More accurately, she was among the missing and after an extensive search was assumed to be dead. They had been separated in the chaos and Connie blamed themselves for not being able to protect her. Interesting thing is that part of the reason why they took Pai under their wing was because her headstrong attitude and almost childlike curiosity reminded them of Trini.

And this is where things get confusing. It turns out that Trini survived the disaster and is allegedly working with the surviving Pillars. No one knows for sure what they’re planning other than it probably has to do with picking up where they left off before the disaster struck. So that’s bad news. As for how and why she’s involved with them even though she initially opposed them, that’s one of many questions Connie has for her. However, in the few times since they confronted her, she effectively sidestepped the interrogations.

What they know for sure is that Trini adopted many identities over the centuries. She also lived with two survivors of the Surtal disaster at some point - one whom Connie and Pai have run into a few times during their journey. According to him, a warrior who also happened to be a cousin of two of the Pillars, they traveled together for a while and he sometimes referred to her as Master. Then they had a falling out - or as Connie speculates, Trini walked out on him when she chose to side with the Pillars.

It was a chance encounter between the three of them that confirmed that Trini and his master were the same person. But other than that, there seems to be a lot of conflicting information that leaves both of them baffled. Connie was initially skeptical of the guy given his family ties, but as their paths crossed more and more, they realized that he really got the short end of the stick in the middle of all this, to put it simply. If Trini and the Pillars decided to attack, he would be their target, and knowing how their sister would operate, Connie would be the unwilling bait.

Of course, Connie will do whatever they can to prevent that, but with little to nothing to go off on, their hands are pretty much tied. For now, the best course of action is for them to lay low and avoid attracting any unwanted attention. At least for Connie, it means business as usual, especially now that they’re waiting for that inevitable mountain of paperwork following their final preparations for Sazona. Given everything that’s going on, they’re actually looking forward to trudging through all that boring bureaucratic stuff. Well, can’t really blame them - lesser of the two evils kind of thing, I guess.

As for the other person who also lived with Trini after her supposed death, Connie has yet to find her. She was also a survivor of the Surtal disaster and currently serves as one of the harbingers of Melovka’s imperial capitol. That means you will have to go through several loops just to even get permission to arrange a meeting with her. Connie’s also had a few unfortunate run ins with some of her subordinates, so they don’t really have high hopes that they’ll get concrete answers from her.

There is one silver living though, and it’s Beryl’s master, who’s acquainted with the High Mage. She’s not close to her, but she told Connie that she can try to get a word in for them as the High Mage seemed to express interest in Connie’s exploits. There’s no guarantee, but Beryl and his siblings can vouch for her as she always keeps her word. And if that doesn’t work for whatever reason, she’ll manage to find another way - though Connie’s afraid to ask what other methods she has in mind. Despite not seeing eye to eye with the head of the Garden, Connie agrees that she’s the best option as a go-between for the High Mage.

Connie had their objectives and Trini has hers. Two people with a grudge against the divine order should be working together, not against each other. Then again, a lot of things in life aren’t as simple. One stands with humanity, the other stands against it. Why is that? Another question that Connie’s intent on finding answers to. Whether they will like what they find out, that’ll be a bridge they’ll deal with when it comes. Again, there’s too many holes and unknowns to really come to any sort of conclusion.

So that’s a lot to deal with, and I wouldn’t know what to do if I were stuck in that kind of situation. But it’s like Connie said, you just have to focus on what you can’t do instead of driving yourself crazy or shit you have absolutely no control over. They don’t know what’s going on with Trini, so they obviously want to get to the bottom of that. While they’re willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, Connie also said that they won’t hesitate to strike back if she goes too far. Hopefully it won’t get to that point, but it has happened - see Raiden and her brother.

At least they’re keeping busy with the Radiant Springs Festival. Connie and Pai are well acquainted with the organizer, Ivanna, a traveling musician and songwriter. In fact, one of the songs Connie performed was an original the two of them wrote together in the course of one evening. That song is titled Stopping the World By Force, which seems to serve as an outlet for Connie’s frustration regarding Trini’s evasiveness. Emotions run high with this song - anger, sadness, desperation, frustration, and yet somewhat cautiously hopeful in the end. Like in an even if things don’t work out between us, I’ll still walk on with my head held high until the very end kind of thing.

The other numbers Connie and Pai performed were jazz standards, which they chose themselves. Nothing like getting into the timeless classics - they’re called that for a reason after all. I’d say Pai leans more into jazz pop while Connie’s more into the traditional classical genre, which kinda suits their personalities.

It was also a lot of fun seeing the performers in the orchestra, especially those who had their moments in the spotlight. Josette hadn’t planned on being up on stage until Madeleine and Aurelie asked her if she was interested. Madeleine and Ivanna wanted to get a mix of professional and casual but experienced musicians - Aurelie and Josette falling into the latter category. Josette was initially unsure as she was a little rusty with the violin, until Aurelie told her she was on the same page with the flute. Both of them played extensively in school and later picked it up on and off as adults for fun.

Madeleine didn’t expect to be in the orchestra too until the others insisted. She can play a variety of instruments, piano and cello being her top picks. While she’s known for being a talented pianist, she’s also a maestro on the cello. Really, the only reason why her cello playing’s not as well known is because she’s usually featured singing on stage, which is easier to do while playing the piano. Still, that doesn’t mean she can’t do it with cello, it’s more that she’s usually limited to plucking the strings - though her ability to seamlessly go from pizzicato to bow while singing is one of many reasons why she’s mesmerizing to watch.

The highlight for me was the orchestra, which was the main focus of the festival, though all the other performances I managed to catch were just as great. It’s nice watching a show where you can see the performers having as much fun as the audience, singing and playing to their favorite songs and putting their own spin on it.

Even when things aren’t looking too bright right now, that shouldn’t stop you from having a good time. Connie and Beryl certainly didn’t let their worries show in their performances, nor would they let that dampen their spirits. Sometimes all you can do is just lose yourself to the music and let that carry you to the clouds for a short period of respite. It won’t solve your problems, but it’ll give you some much needed headspace to be able to tackle these issues head on. I should take a page out of their book when I’m stuck in a difficult situation.

Read on AO3

[skyfallscotland]

This was a stellar analysis and if everyone who is NOT Helena could just ignore this reply that would be amazing. (Not really, you don’t have to, but like if you think I’m dumb just whisper it quietly to yourself and if you can’t handle dissection of the text or SOMETIMES dissatisfied opinions, then also turn away this is not for you, I don’t want more anxiety it was just too long for the comment reply box).

I laughed out loud at “modern au” 😭😂 she just wanted to get in on that, she saw us writing relatively happy Xaden and went you know what, that seems like fun

I just think the new “brother” being Bodhi is so trite and heavy handed 😩

I actually just assumed this was a six month period like the last two books so Aaric’s signet could have manifested a month in LMAO damn it. PLUS, before Rebecca said that, it did line up for him having manifested during the battle of Basgiath. His whole speech to Vi about having to choose between Lilith and her seemed a bit too on the nose to me.

If it IS Bodhi for the reasons RY implies and Xaden’s like wow he’s the last person I’d expect…it really isn’t a good look for Xade in my opinion 😭

What is a random vindictive gene if not a birth defect? Though I think maybe it could have been better demonstrated by Violet having had the fever and never recovered herself (a la POTS/CFS) if she wasn’t going to actually do something with it, but then I also think making the illness the result of her being “the bad guy” could also give neggy connotations? Idk it really depends if she plans on expounding on veninism—I know we’ve talked about this before.

But also on this—was Vi just a preemie baby? Was she just small? Because (afaik) a hEDS presentation probably wouldn’t be immediately obvious until she’s four? Five? Which is def old enough to remember going with daddy to a temple if it was a big deal/memorable event. Like how old was she before this was an idea in Asher’s mind? Or are we just assuming it’s to do with her illness and it’s not. It’s never overtly said.

I also think, on the venin, that perhaps in her original idea, they Were supposed to be a very one-dimensional villain, but then we got to writing book two and they made it a five book series and all of a sudden she felt like she had to flesh a lot of things out? And that maybe that is where things became unstuck and not greatly paced in regards to them as a concept?

“She is warmth and light and air and love” CRYING

Also, out of order with my other thoughts but I didn’t really get the ice analogy (when reading it in the book), I’m sorry, I’m dumb but it feels clunky.

SGAEYL IS HIS MOTHER

I don’t know who that person on the isle even was and his real mother should have roasted her for her offences.

Jack kinda implies that it goes initiate then straight to asim, no? Like there’s no in between?

The intentionally misleading writing For Me doesn’t hit. I really feel like she does this continually and I just think it shows poor narrative skill and/or poor choice of POV/tense overall if that’s how you want to do it. At the end of the day, readers aren’t supposed to come away from your book confused. Curious and wondering, yes, but confused, no. I would die if this many people were walking away from my writing going “what the fuck was happening, I almost DNF’d because I didn’t understand a thing” but that’s just me.

I think also, the lack of resolution for anything also ties into this. You have to give your readers some payoff and it can’t just be in the form of fan service. Every book needs to have some subplots that are wrapped up, all good series’ have some subplots wrapped up in each book—you get new questions, sure, but you have some answered too. Onyx Storm just didn’t do that.

Also, I think the Isle of Dunne is a red herring, I think he’s taking the eggs to the irids. They’re the ONLY ones who right now, as far as he knows, conceivably have the power to change the tide of this war, they just refuse to help because they left an irid there once and the dragons perverted her morality? I don’t have a fleshed out theory, but I think they’re the only ones it makes sense for Xaden to try and elicit a deal out of right now and I think he somehow plans on using the cultural exchange student hatchlings to do it 🤪🖤

Question: are the irids technically dragons at all? As we know them?

Were the dragons irids who lost some of their power by drawing from the ground or refusing to worship their gods? Is this devolution at work? I have….questions.

I’m very aware I need to do a re read to clear some things up for myself but I’m just not…wanting to yet ha. It’s also 1am so I’m probably making ZERO sense, I can barely keep my eyes open sorryyyy xx

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the ending!!

I'm soooo sorry nonny. This took 5ever. For some reason, I mentally decided that the completion of this ask would be the end of my Onyx Storm era, and then I didn't want to go near it because I didn't want the book to be done :(. However, I was brave, and I did it. This got insanely obscenely long, so you're getting Xaden's chapter 65 now, and then I'll reblog with Vi's LAST chapter some other time.

Chapter 65: Xaden

Veninism: I think the first thing that comes up in this chapter is the insight into the venin mindset. Xaden's significantly more intense (both than earlier in the book, and in his previous POV chapters). At first, I wasn't a huge fan of the "ice" thing, because I missed the part where he explains it (perks of reading till 5 in the morning) and I thought it was some anachronistic hockey reference. (Fun fact: I wrote this out before Rebecca gave that interview revealing that, yes, it WAS an anachronistic hockey reference. I know that lady WELL.) HOWEVER! The way it's explained here, (essay below the cut)

"Wrath courses like a current under the ice I willingly skate onto, cutting my emotions like the burdens they are so I can be the weapon she needs." (Yarros, 520)

reminds me a lot of a PTSD flashback/trauma event. Not only does this make significantly more sense with the metaphor at hand, but it makes a lot more sense with Rebecca's body of work. I know she's made addiction comparisons, and I can see some lines, but, frankly, I think it's a much more intricate web than a 1-1 metaphor. Especially with the use of the word "triggered" to describe what happens to him when he is "on the ice" as it were, I think (if anything) it's about using an addiction to cope with PTSD-type trauma.

Bond Fuckery: After revealing that Xaden cannot kill the sage himself, he goes on to say,

"I could no more raise a blade to his throat than I could Violet. The bond between Violence and me is the kind of magic that has no explanation." (Yarros, 521)

Which....is weird! Given that we have a precise explanation for said bond in Fourth Wing, maybe something else is going on? #the power of love?? I'm not trying to say they're soul mates in any real tangible way because this is not that kind of story, but I do think it means something. I just don't know what yet.

Further bond fuckery themes are found earlier in the book. There's the entire situation with Andarna leaving, in which Leothan says,

"Bonds are merely magical ties. You are irid. You are magic. Bend it, shape it, break it as you see fit." (Yarros, 443)

I've definitely seem some people floating the idea that perhaps Andarna broke Tairn and Sgaeyl's mating bond, re: Tairn's suspicious period of rest on page 526, (I personally thought he was tired from killing some dragons!) and I definitely think that's a possibility. However, I think it's really interesting that, specifically, Leothan also says bend it and shape it. I know we're supposed to finish the book thinking that Andarna/Leothan severed Violet's bond with Andarna, and then re-forged said bond mid-battle. To me...that doesn't really make sense? There was no real moment where you can say, okay, bond re-forged. It just kind of happens? Which I suppose is also how it happens at threshing, so maybe I'm the problem. Still, I think the idea that perhaps Andarna (or another irid??? given her 1 week of training???) bent or reshaped Tairn and Sgaeyl's mating bond (in order to protect Xaden/Xaden's mission/Violet from the consequences of Xaden's mission) is worth considering.

There's also the entire element of modern AU no magic isles. I know a lot of people thought that entire quest section of the book was filler, but I disagree. I definitely think that insertion was meant to demonstrate that the bonds are not as infallible as we've been led to believe, to show their importance to Xaden and Violet, and to further show just how much Andarna is not like other dragons, and therefore able to do shit with the bond.

Xaden's new brother! Xaden starts off describing the new venin by saying,

"and now that my sage has a new sibling he can use against me...I'm screwed." (Yarros, 521)

Then, he goes on to add:

"...my new brother and the unconscious dragon lying in the valley...how could he do this? Choose this after watching me stumble and fall over the last five months. How could he willingly walk the path I've fought like hell to leave? He's the last person I ever would have expected to turn, and yet here we are." (Yarros, 521)

My money's on Bodhi! There's a lot of "brother" mentions surrounding Bodhi, given the repeated descriptions of how similar he and Xaden look. He's "the closest thing (Xaden) has to a brother since Liam." Garrick even thought Theophanie called Bodhi his brother beforehand! It's Bodhi. Further nuance to Bodhi turning is found, in my opinion, in his frustration with Xaden's over-protection at the end of Onyx Storm. This feeling of impotence combined with something potentially happening to Cuir (re: unconcious dragon lying in the valley/Bodhi puking his guts up wherever that quote is) gives him a reason to turn.

I know @skyfallscotland thinks Xaden's new brother is actually Aaric, which is also super intriguing. Specifically, Amy suggested a scenario where Aaric knows he needs to be venin in order to win the war, and is willing to do whatever it takes to get to the future he sees. I do lean more towards Bodhi than Aaric, if only because of the element of knowing for 5 months (which Aaric does not--even if he finds out about Xaden's veninism from his signet, RY has confirmed Aaric didn't manifest in IF, and therefore it cannot have been five months prior to Battle of Draithus), Xaden really seems to care about this new brother. I know he says he has a "complicated sort of loyalty" to Aaric, but I don't think he and Aaric at the friendship level where Aaric can be used against him in the same way Bodhi can. There's also the whole having to give Vi Tyrrendor ordeal. I know some people think Xaden may have had a change of heart and decided to listen to Bodhi in regards to not forcing him to lead Tyrrendor in his stead, and/or Xaden just felt giving Vi the province directly (what a wedding gift!) was the best possible way to protect her. Who knows, not me. I think of Xaden as someone not particularly inclined to listening to people when he doesn't feel like it, but I also know he'll prioritize Vi regardless, so it could go either way.

Slayer! This is just for the one line mention of Berwyn killing the dragons with the alloy dagger. For one thing, I think this draws parallels between the venin and the dragons (which have been a theme the entire series). For another, I think this is how Xaden, Vi, and co. go about killing the dragons and elders in order to get to the eggs. Seems a lot less messy!

Everything, Everywhere, All At Once: Throughout the text, there's a couple mentions of individuals inability to be everywhere all at once. Theophanie, in chapter 60, for example: (from my Kindle copy, so no page numbers, sorryyyy)

"You're just another lightning wielder, mortally incapable of being everywhere at once."

Or, the slightly different take from Mira in Chapter 23:

"Even if he did, we can't be in two places at once."

I have no idea why this got me so bad, but every time I read it, my spidey-senses tingled. I really feel like it means something. Xaden then wraps things up with saying he IS everywhere at once, on page 522 in regards to the veninism amplifying his shadow powers.

Do I know what this means? No! Of course not! At first, I thought it was a papa sorrengail is venin hint, but I don't actually believe in that. I have been holding out hope that perhaps Vi is somehow venin from Lilith (this is why I think papa sorrengail had her dedicated. it doesn't really make sense to me for Rebecca to write her with a real disability, and then have that real disability be a birth defect when it isn't one in real life. that just seems odd?) and I think this COULD be a hint there. Although, as always, who knows.

What is a soul if not love? Some of you may know, I've been getting a wee bit heated about the implications of the corporeal soul. I get a bit gagged by this because it makes no sense. I ask @maethologies probably once a day, what IS a soul? And to that question, I raise you this: what is a soul if not love?

page 523 has this:

""I love you.' Violet's voice cracks the cold, and a silken thread of warmth wedges itself in the opening before it seals shut, locking it in place. No. Wait. I grab for that thread with desperate hands, clawing to keep her as more of my pieces are blown away, lost to the void. She is warmth and light and air and love."

For starters, I think "she is warmth and light and air and love" is my favorite quote from the entire series. It makes me want to cry!!! There's definitely something to the fact that being venin makes Xaden colder, and Violet only seems to get warmer in this book (her lightning being hot enough to blister, for example). But really, my focus here is that he's so aggressively in love with her. I genuinely do not know how people read this line, or the rest of the novel, and somehow thought Xaden was just going to go join up with the venin. Genuinely! I am REALLY not trying to be mean, it just makes no sense to me.

I'm going to go a bit out of order here to further contextualize, but other Xaden Riorson bangers include:

"What even am I? Hers." (Yarros, 524)

And, far earlier in the text, when Courtlyn asks to whom Xaden swears his fealty:

"Violet. (...) My loyalty is to Violet first above everything, everyone else." (this is a Kindle page number because I don't want to find it in my book, LMAO, but it's 326 in that format!)

Again, he's constantly making it as clear as humanly possible that SHE comes first for him. He is not going to spontaneously gain venin loyalty. Whatever soul-fuckery is going on here, it doesn't make him incapable of love. If anything, the presence of love is what is going to continue to save him. In the chapter 48 epigraph, in which a scenario is described wherein a venin returns to their village, desiccating an entire village except for her husband and two children. Clearly, the theme here is that the feeling of love helps venin gain control of themselves when lost to the thrall of power, if you will.

Frankly, there's a LOT of issues with venin as a concept and how willing the fan base is to accept the characterization of the entire "enemy" as evil, soulless, and incapable of feeling and love. Just on the most basic level, think about the real world implications of that ideology for about ten seconds. If you can't do that, think about it in-universe. The entire point of books one and two were that Navarre's government perpetuated a narrative of dehumanization in regards to the Poromish people so that Navarrians could see them as the enemy. This tactic of dehumanization is then DIRECTLY applied to the venin. The narrative on the surface-level is: These people ARE human, but these other guys are the REAL monsters. Please kill THEM instead. I cannot tell you how many times I've seen people say "Violet's never killed anyone in the series, she only kills venin!" The very fact of saying these people aren't human; therefore they can die...do you see what I see? I know I'm a bit more thematically minded than the average romantasy reader, but it's really VERY in your face here.

The most obvious narrative purpose for Xaden choosing to turn is that it gives Violet and the reader a way to humanize the venin, just like working with the gryphon fliers in part two allowed us all to humanize them. After I finished IF, there was not a doubt in my mind that this was where Rebecca was going.

And she went there...a little bit? She's about halfway there, I'd say. Violet has started to internally reconcile with the fact that Xaden being a venin makes it impossible for her to generalize venin any further, but there's definitely still an undercurrent of "he's not like other venin!!" I think this COULD be a logical progression of the story, and, partially, I think it makes sense for it to take a minute for her thought processes to shift. However, I think it needs to be better layered? And I think that when you have a book like this one with such a low barrier to entry, you need to do a bit more thematic hand-holding if you want people to really get things.

Anyway, this was all to say: Xaden loves her, and so, his soul is fine. HE's fine. He's not evil, he didn't marry her just to leave, he's not "team venin". Etc! I could go on about this further, and I think before book 4 I'll be pushed over the edge and do so. But, for now, I do think the direction Rebecca is pushing for is the "cure" being the power of love et. al.

Mommy Issues: We come back to Sgaeyl! I know some people think Sgaeyl breaks the bond with Xaden as part of his 12 hour plan, and again, I ask: literally how.

Basically, unlike his mother, Sgaeyl isn't leaving Xaden. When he breaks through the pulling from the earth haze, he asks Sgaeyl if she forsakes him, and she says:

"'What is there left of you to forsake?' Sgaeyl lowers her head and steam gusts down the canyon, reminding me of the moment she found me in the forest at threshing. (Yarros, 523)

My direct annotation here is : threshing! Threshing = choice. And I'm right! Threshing does equal choice. She has the option to forsake him, and she doesn't! Case closed. I will say, just as a side note, the idea that she'd leave him for being extra venin is wack as hell when he became extra venin for her. I don't think she was that heated about him being venin in the first place: the focus of her ire at the end of IF was that he "picked" Violet. "You cannot! I chose you!/ But Violet chose me too." She's just a pick me dragon at heart.

Quest Squad (Xaden's Version) I touched on this in response to my other ask about the ending, but now we're gonna go beat by beat.

Xaden starts what I call the quest intro by responding to Sgaeyl's threshing part 2 with:

"'You tell me.' I lower the ice and let her in."

Clearly, this is Xaden showing Sgaeyl whatever plan he's been concocting in his head.

Sgaeyl's response:

"Her next breath is laced with sulfur, and her eyes widen. 'You cannot mean to--'"

Now, this is just needlessly vague to make sure we buy the next book. Like we weren't going to anyway. Thank you for extorting me, Red Tower. However, at the very least, it reveals that his plan is, shall we say, problematic? Controversial? Illegal?

Then, we have (from Xaden)

"'You saw what happened. It is the only way.' She glances over her shoulder. 'And you think she'll help?' 'She loves me.' 'Tairn does not, and you haven't looked in a mirror yet. The red veins branching from your eyes look like her lightning.' 'She'll help.' It comes out with a hell of a lot more certainty than I feel. 'She promised.'"

Line by line time!

"it is the only way" is mad interesting from Xaden "the right way isn't the only way" Riorson. It could just be the influence of being venin on his psyche---everything feels more serious now, and he himself is more intense. But it's such an interesting switch, especially since Violet's assumed his way of thinking from FW.

At first I thought the pronoun fuckery in SHE'll help/SHE loves me was meant to indicate that the she in question was not actually Violet, but I don't think so anymore. I do think it's intentionally misleading! Again, for the money. But, more than that, I think Sgaeyl is glancing over her shoulder AT Violet and Tairn to indicate who they're yapping about.

Now, how will she help? I think this is a separate quandary than the marriage (hence where I broke up the text). Personally, I think this is him saying Vi goes with him to get the eggs/kill the dragons/etc.

The veins branching from his eyes are intriguing. I know he says he's no longer an initiate on this page, but I don't think he's an Asim either? According to Mr. Drake Cordella's venin compendium, Asim's veins distend only when riled, but Sage's veins are perpetually distended. (Iron Flame chapter 47 epigraph). I guess we'll see? I don't know, it would make sense to me if he was a sage, but who knows.

And, finally, what the hell did she promise?

WAY earlier on in the book, Xaden says:

"Swear you'll sound the alarm if I go too far, that you'll keep it safe, even if it's from me." (Yarros, 58)

This is what I think he's referring to! I know @hockeyspiral23 thinks the 'it' in question is actually the sword of Tyrrendor (correct me if I'm wrong!!) and not Tyrrendor itself. I definitely think there's something to that theory.

A few pages later, Xaden says:

"I'll use Tyrrendor to protect you, not you to protect Tyrrendor." (Yarros, 102)

Not to be a broken record, but again: Intentionally! Misleading! Content! I think you're SUPPOSED to interpret the promise as Violet saying she'll protect Tyrrendor from Xaden, and Xaden saying he's "gone too far". But when you actually look at the text, there's no way that's what he's saying. First of all, why would Sgaeyl think THAT plan wouldn't work with Tairn? Tairn does NOT fuck with Xaden right now. And then, why would Xaden Riorson, president and CEO of the Violet Sorrengail fan club, prioritize Tyrrendor over Violet? He cares about Tyrrendor, sure, but in the face of VIOLET? It doesn't compare. It just doesn't! ("I love you more than this city. Do not die defending it.") He's not winning any king of the year awards with those priorities, but that doesn't make it any less true. I basically already have a post ranting about this, (here! If you're curious) so I'm going to cut myself off here. Basically, we have to remember who Xaden actually is when we try to contextualize this vague ass chapter.

And then, wedding bells!

"'Even if she agrees, no one will--'

'Someone owes me a favor.'" (Yarros, 524)

This is the part of the quest that I think is more directly the marriage issue. This has already been covered elsewhere, but the Priestess from Dunne's temple says she owes Xaden a favor earlier on. She goes on to officiate their marriage. I just think the wording makes it clear that this is a multi-step plan. (How can Violet "help" with her own marriage?)

I already quoted the absolute banger "What even am I? Hers." But I'm going to bring it up again! His loyalty, primarily, is to Violet. Whatever quest he's going on, it's FOR HER. He steals the eggs FOR HER. He''s taking them somewhere FOR HER. I don't know how to make that any clearer, but if I keep seeing people misinterpret it, I'll probably try again.

Agency!

The final bit I'm going to pull is Sgaeyl saying:

"And her decision will determine our fate." (Yarros, 524).

I think this just really succinctly makes clear my 573938503 argument above. Violet gets final say on Quest Squad (Xaden's Version) but whatever he does do, he's doing it with Sgaeyl. I know there's some good bits Rebecca's said throughout the tour that support this interpretation, but I don't think I need them quite yet. Maybe next time!

For now, that's all. I'll see y'all back here with Violet's chapter in a bit!

[lord-squiggletits]

One of the thing I love about IDW Op is that he's technically an atheist war pope. It's interesting that he didn't believe in religious aspect himself but was willing to use it for the power. Made his character more complex to me. Do you have opinion on this topic?

I have a lot of mixed feelings about it tbh. On one hand, I think being an atheist/agnostic fits IDW Optimus' character well (I've tried to imagine him as religious and just...can't), but on the other hand, I kind of have a problem with the way most media depicts religious people, and it's a bit disappointing that the Matrix has canonically been associated with multiple miracles (reviving OP and Hot Rod from death, creating new sparks, even Primus/Rung being able to make them) but Optimus still calls the Matrix 'nothing but a bauble' at some point like. Really bro? So there is a part of me that is disappointed at the Matrix being treated as a Plot Device rather than a proper, respectable religious thing. On the other hand, that's just not what the story is about, and I can't call a story/character bad because it didn't go in the exact direction I wanted.

TLDR: I think Optimus being agnostic/atheist makes sense for him, but I really dislike the way it was handled in the story because it feels more like it was used as a plot inciting device than some sort of journey of Optimus trying to discover his purpose. Also, the way he interacts with other religious characters had a lot of wasted potential, so I just feel like it wasn't written in a very interesting way? Basically, the writing is such a mixed bag of interesting concepts with mediocre/bad execution that I can barely focus on the in-universe implications and mostly just get mad at Barber's writing.

My feelings are also complicated by the fact that I don't like Barber's writing at all (it's like 90% dislike and 10% like) because of how bad he is about prioritizing plot over character emotions and stuff. Earlier on in phase 2 it seemed as if Optimus was genuinely curious about his religious role as a Prime and asked the Camiens for guidance on who he should be as Prime (Windblade, Aileron, the Mistress of Flame). In Death of Optimus Prime, OP literally wished he was dead when he woke up. He made a very big deal about how he's Orion now, not Optimus. In Dark Cybertron he had a whole crisis about whether he's Orion or Optimus. Basically, he was set up to have a huge identity crisis (especially since the war is over and leadership of Cybertron fell to Starscream), but any amount of introspection was quickly derailed into PLOT PLOT PLOT OPTIMUS ANNEXES EARTH AND FIGHTS GALVATRON. The story just devolved into bullshit plot on Earth that was just action, action, plot, things happening, with pretty much no room for the characters to stop and breathe and talk and have relationships with each other. I barely felt any emotional investment for most of exRID.

I think the only scenes we got with Optimus actually getting to reflect on this new role of his was 1. when he first met Aileron and asked her and 2. when he's telling Aileron he doesn't believe and then Pyra Magna comes in and gets mad at him.

Speaking of Pyra Magna, the story writing also annoyed me because from the moment she was introduced, Pyra Magna was SUPER self-righteous about how she should be the Prime instead of Optimus and she said that she would try to make Optimus into a better Prime. But then guess what happens? Her and Optimus barely talk and Pyra Magna is basically just there to form Superion and punch people :/ And then later on when Onyx Prime is introduced, all the sudden Pyra Magna goes from having strong opinions about what a True Prime should be and believing she's destined to be the true Prime........ to talking about how she's never trusted Primes and she left the Mistress of Flame for trusting a Prime too quickly??? I know Pyra Magna isn't Optimus, but the reason I'm bringing her up is because she seemed truly religious and opinionated, she SAID she was going to "teach" Optimus things, she seemed like she was set up to be a rival to Optimus, but instead they barely have interactions and the ones they do have early in the series end up being retconned later by Barber's shitty writing that puts plot over consistent character development so. :/ I really expected Pyra Magna and Optimus to have some meaningful interactions, some mix between a rivalry and a mentor/student situation, but instead all she does is shit on him like half the case of exRID/OP and it just made me mad.

(There was also Slide who went from worshipping Optimus to saying that his leadership style is "literally fascism" and monologuing about how Optimus is a conqueror while fighting Unicron and Trypticon is being killed in the background. She's so fucking annoying and comically stupid that I genuinely thought she was going to betray them or do something evil just because she was so unhinged.)

But if you want my actual in-universe opinion on atheist pope Optimus, I do think it's an interesting concept. It shows off Optimus' sense of duty where even though HE doesn't believe, he thinks that what other people think of him his more important. He sees that being a religious figure can help him do what he thinks is right, so he willingly plays that role as a means to a greater end. He's already a "patriot and hero" to the Autobots thanks to his military feats; he's used to being venerated (sometimes to unhealthy degrees) and knows how powerful his influence can be whenever he makes political decisions. I think that he basically saw the Camiens' worship of him as just a new form of the admiration he was already used to receiving. He's spent his whole life commanding armies so simply adopted the colonists into his ranks as well.

(Also, side note, it's so fucking hypocritical for Pyra Magna to call Optimus a piece of shit for "using belief, but not believing" only for her herself to admit a few volumes later that she's never trusted Primes. Why do you wanna be one so badly then if you think Primes are so awful? If it's because you think you could do a better job than past Primes, that literally makes you the same as Optimus, who is also trying to redeem the title of Prime, so you have no right to be punching Optimus in the face lmao. But I also genuinely can't tell if that hypocrisy is supposed to be deliberate or if Barber just did what he usually did and ignored character emotion/motivation/self-reflection in favor of shoving some backstory in for Pyra Magna that tied her to Onyx Prime.)

At least Optimus tried to discourage the blind worship and used the Camiens to do things he had already spent his whole life doing (fighting genocidal colonizers aka Decepticons and protecting organic lives) so I don't really see it as out of line for Optimus. It shows how IDW OP can be a politician as well as a military leader. I think it shows how Optimus can be clever and take advantage of his reputation to achieve his political goals (protecting Earth) and it makes him a more realistic character. Sometimes things that are good aren't done through noble means. Sometimes people do good things by being not very nice.

Also, for what it's worth, I think IDW OP is less manipulative than someone like Starscream, who constantly flaunted his "Chosen One" status while admitting he didn't believe in it (or wavering in his belief) and doing things like creating secret police and trying to kidnap sparklings. Like damn at least Optimus risked his life in the same battles he asked his followers to fight in, he ruined his reputation for the sake of protecting Earth from the Decepticons. Even if the guy is an atheist pope at least he puts his own ass on the line for things he believes in for the sake of protecting people who pretty much hate him lmao. That's why I'm more inclined to view Optimus sympathetically; he's living a lie for political means, but his politics are literally "protect humans and Earth from the bullshit war and destruction Cybertronians forced onto their planet", and the burden of leadership is making him depressed and passively suicidal, and eventually he literally sacrificed himself by jumping into a black hole to save millions/billions of people so like. Let the guy fucking rest lmao.