#and i also know that the story is not the main focus of the development team
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Text
so i dont actually have a lot of stories about getting injured, and that number is wayy lessened due to my kinda bad memory so if itâs fine, im just gonna infodump a bit abt the summary of the brain-multiverse in my mind bc thats the only thing i can remember mostly clearly with a timeline (<- has been building the world since before covid)
uhh so like we start with characters made from songs or stories, ocs to do cool stuff, and at some point i realized that thereâs too many universes so i do a purge of them with a ceremony, the multiverses (at that time, only one multiverse) are destroyed, yet still remain as fragments for the characters
i make an oc that i plan to use more frequently than the others, and the other previously main characters are still main characters, im just not making them the spotlight character, or the character that i focus on/imagine from their perspective-ish, as of that time. All the previously made characters (like a hundred kinda developed ones bc they tend to stick to a genre of music or story) are now in the same universe, but none of them have the memory of the previous multiverse. due to my characterâs (call them M for now) backstory and role in the world (which would take too long to actually explain) theyre one of the few who are actually aware of the multiverse, with the multiverse being canon in their memories due to the multiverse being part of the âhostâ M. they are able to travel multiverses, but can only interfere with select labeled multiverses (interactables?)
thereâs chaos events (limited to the universe, caused by C) world events (limited to the universe, caused by world/NOT outside interference, and universe events (limited to universes of that type, cause is kinda funky depending on the event)
so im not too sure about all of that, they may change, they may get more added on, doesnt matter because for every thing that is, there is one where it isnt and many inbetween
so now that we got the Origin multiverse, or the High Magic multiverse, due to many people there and the world being very powered, and kinda op compared to the other worlds, its part of the Named side, in which basically all the characters are named.
Then we move onto the semi-Named side, originally based in a Danganronpa world so Ultimates and stuff exist before eventually adding magic. theres also an M there, however very few other characters there are also named compared to the High Magic multiverse. the M there is different from the M in the High Magic in what they are, their origins, and a lot of stuff, however they are also aware of the multiverses due to how their character originated and branched from the other M
while some characters are exclusive to their multiverses, some characters are in both, so in the crossover universes (in which the higher magic universe crosses to the lower one, as they have magic to spare so they can bridge the gap) there may be more than one character with the same name and appearance
thereâs also those two people, not M, who have their own lore i wont be saying but who are related in some way (cousins or brothers or idk) who literally moved from High Magic to Middle Magic, so the Ms check up on them from time to time.
then thereâs the Low Magic multiverse where magic is rarer. (High Magic has magic, basically everyone is magic in some way, and thereâs a lot. Middle Magic has magic, most people have magic, thereâs not really a lot but also not little. Low Magic has magic, itâs rare to have magic, and the amounts of magic there is kinda lower than average.)
this one is odd bc i spent the least time here so each plotline/universe varies from each other in many ways
i have to be kinda vague bc each M has a different plotline and if it was different enough for me to know it, itâs different enough from other Ms. also important note: magic isnât exactly magic, im just saying it because thatâs the easiest explanation
now i think thatâs basically the gist of it? theres been a recent development in which i switched spotlight characters in the High Magic (i often use High or Middle Magic) and im starting to develop another character a bit more now, also adding more characters as well lol, but besides that, yeah thatâs the summary :3
uhhh idk if this summary infodump was fine but oh well, i dont have injuries that i remember that seemed important
uhhhhhhh
@hero-dualies-3 ?? idk i dont talk to my other mutuals i talk/interact the most with like two mutuals and one of them tagged me
open if anyone not tagged wants to join ig
it's so weird to me that everyone on this website is a human person outside of their weird internet niche so rb this with a random bit of your lore
41K notes
¡
View notes
Text
I think if you accept All Of Us Strangers as a fantasy film, the whole "so everything that happened between them was just a dream" debate really doesn't matter.
Like, yeah, I guess Adam and Harry's time together was as much a dream as Adam's time with his parents. Which is to say, it wasn't. In the world of that movie ghosts exist, right? The point of the entire thing is love. The love was so strong that it brought the parents back and kept them in Adam's orbit just for the right amount of time, so he could say goodbye and finally process the grief and trauma. And then he could take that love (the untangled knot) and put it into Harry to let him go gently and provide that comfort he himself didn't have for so long.
Which, in turn, also cuts short the line of thinking of "what if he had let Harry in the first night", because he couldn't have. And if he had, he couldn't have provided love or comfort, because the trauma and grief would have blocked it. The story was only ever going to go this way. And of course that is tragic, of course that is sad. Adam has chosen to isolate for so long, because the people he loved were taken from him so early in life. Harry died alone, because the people that were supposed to love him turned away from him. But at the end of his life there's Adam, who is only able to be there because he found closure. It all feeds into each other. The power of love.
#i see a lot of people focus on the romantic aspect of the film and i feel like that's just a bit false in terms of importance#adam is very much THE main character and I'd even argue in a lot of ways harry could be seen as a plot device to show#development/change/growth#though that feels like i'm dismissing him which i don't want to do!#it's just very much adam's story which#you know#does have a positive ending in a sense#i really tried to make this cohesive but whatever two people will read this lol#also maybe i'm talking out of my ass because i haven't read the book or really seen any interview for this film but it's my take#all of us strangers
14 notes
¡
View notes
Text
im still not over (kaf)tenren event on the 6th. can you believe it. (kaf)tenren event just a few days away! (kaf)tenren event!!!
#okay for context.#new 18trip set. its r1ze seasonal. ten is the ssr. renga the event sr. kafka the gacha sr.#according to the story summary we're getting tenren development. i am also praying for a kaften crumb#literally just a single conversation would suffice for me#like tenren are Definitely the main focus but since kafka is the other sr i do hope he has some relevance? which is why (kaf)tenren#anyways basically i will die. i already am kinda dying.#I HAVE LITERALLY BEEN ASKING FOR THIS SINCE FOREVER.#blogging#if you didnt know already im not normal about kaftenren.
4 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Important note I'm realizing as I edit the next installation; unless things are specifically stated, it's safe to assume that there is a solid few weeks, if not months, between stories!
#idk what to tag this as so ill leave it as is#but yeah#just imagine it as highlights of excitment#or milestones in character development#i write in a very straightaway style with very little planning#so i like to focus on exciting events and incidents!#ive been writing more small scale things too tho!#also#if you follow my main art blog#you know about my take on borrowers#they actually originated from these stories!#im excited to get to those installments >:)
2 notes
¡
View notes
Note
Adding what have recently become my go-to comfort fics:
The Bookseller And The Garden, rated T, 13k
Fluff, fluff, fluff! Canon divergent fiction where Crowley is a demon stationed on earth, Aziraphale is an angel stationed on earth, but they have never met until present day. There's no end of the world in sight, only an angel and a demon falling in love and not knowing how to break it to the other that they're not human. I laughed all the way through.
The Anon Before Christmas, rated E, 66k
Ah. Where to begin. Every now and then, you read a fiction that just makes you feel at home. Makes you feel like youâre in safe hands. Like youâre in for a real treat. This absolute gem has very quickly become my favourite human AU. For several reasons. The characterisation of the two main characters is absolutely spot on. I could hear Crowley talking in DTâs Crowley voice and see him moving in DTâs Crowley way, and I could hear Aziraphale talking in MSâs Aziraphale voice and see him moving in MSâs Aziraphale way. The pace of the development of their relationship from enemies to lovers is just perfect. Itâs told from Crowleyâs POV and you can see how his perspective changes as the story progresses, but the writer is so good that Aziraphaleâs change of perspective shows perfectly through Crowleyâs POV too. The array of side characters is so good that it actually pains me to call them side characters. I wrote in one of my comments to the fiction that I will forever adore this storyâs Bee, and I meant it, but Newt and Ana are equally fantastic (and I loved the other cameos too!). Also, and this is especially important to me, this story is as much a love story between Crowley and Aziraphale as it is a story of true friendship among all the characters. They look after each other, they have each otherâs back, they support each other. I am so lucky and privileged to be able to see myself represented in that aspect of the story. Last but not least, this fiction doesn't overstay its welcome one bit. You are happy about how everyone ended up, but still could read more. Itâs like you are part of the gang and want to know what your friends are up to. Everything in this story was perfect. I realise I havenât mentioned what the plot is about, but hopefully by now you might want to find out for yourself!
Wrong Turn, rated T, 37k
Honestly, I don't know why this fiction touched me so much. I just couldn't stop thinking about it for days after I finished it. It's a post season 1 fiction where Crowley suddenly finds himself in a parallel universe at the time the apocalypse is just about to happen. The Crowley and Aziraphale in that universe have a different history to our Crowley and Aziraphale. All our Crowley wants to do is to go back to his universe and his very own angel, but how? As you follow the main plot and focus on Crowley's thoughts and actions, you'll start slowly feeling the other story get hold of you, and it won't let go until the very end and beyond.
Happiness, More Or Less, rated M, 21k
If you read only one story out of this list, make it this one. This human AU moved me so very much I cried. Crowley moves into his new flat in Soho, only to discover the flat in haunted by the ghost of the owner of the bookshop downstairs. I won't tell anything else about the plot other than it does have a very sweet happy ending, and it gets there via a rollercoaster of emotions. This is really one of those fictions that leave me in awe of the fandom's talent and creativity. Read it, read it, read it!
Wavelengths & Frequencies, WIP, rated E, chapters 14/?
If you feel like you're going through one of those phases where you need to curl up on a sofa with a cup of hot chocolate and something good to read, something safe and reassuring, then this fantastic fiction is for you. It's a human AU enemies-to-lovers fiction where Aziraphale and Crowley can't stand each other, but work for the same media corporation as radio DJs and have to attend charity events together. The characterisation is spot on and the humour great. And what an incredible soundtrack! I honestly can't tell you how happy each notification of a new chapter of this story makes me!
Plus my own one shots:
Angel! Angel! They're At It Again! Rated M, 5k
It's the year 2030. The world never ended. Aziraphale and Crowley are living happily and safely together as a married couple. Everything would be well, if it wasn't that lately Aziraphale has been a bit busy. A bit distracted. Now, Crowley can't have that, can he? He seeks the advice of his girlfriends, who unwittingly give him an idea on how to liven up his marriage.
A fluffy story about how we get to a certain cottage.
In Vino Ludus, rated E, 3k
It's the year 2030. Crowley comes to the bookshop drunk, and Aziraphale can finally put all those years of eye-rolling practice to good use.
An as of yet canon divergent fluffy night in the life of an angel and a demon.
Do you have any go to Good Omens comfort fics?
i got u â¤ď¸
stockholmâs other syndrome (T, 5k): aziraphale lets himself get âkidnappedâ by a demon. very cute and romcommy
sit tight take hold (E, 150k): formula 1 au that got me totally into f1 while i am not even a car person. the type of au that becomes its own thing and you love escaping to it again
where a canvas blooms (T, 3k): cuddle arrangement au with SUCH gorgeous art too itâll make you feel so warm inside
manual handling (E, 8k): massage fic. ummm can an e rated fic be a comfort fic? sure why not. definite rereading material so
let me care for you (M, 1.7k) literal comfort â crowley gets cared for
big name feelings (E, 103k): fandom au and SO well done including the art. i followed this while it posted and it was so exciting
the gift (T, 3k): short & sweet they talk about the elephant in the room
my mind holds the key (T, 3k): aziraphale wants to know who the âbest friendâ was that crowley supposedly lost. superbly written
one night in bangor (E, 17k): a classic and great on every reread. thereâs a heaven-hell mixer and omgâŚ. the careful, exciting, fluttering flirtation
slow show (E, 95k): i know i know itâs such an obvious one to rec bc itâs so famous but genuinely one of thee best fics and a lovely reread each time. actors au
empirical study on the principles of snake care (T, 2k): sorry to be that guy but sometimes i reread my own fics and i laugh with the little jokes bc iâve forgotten them. aziraphale tries out some snake care tips on crowley
as always: begging people to add (self) recs to this post because iâd love to know what peopleâs comfort fics are. please share the joy
369 notes
¡
View notes
Text
TOTK is a good game and it's got a good story to boot. But the thing is, that story doesn't connect very well to BOTW. It really does read like a sequel fic of someone who loved the source material but really wanted to gush about how awesome the Zonai were. I'm not a game dev or writer, so maybe this is just my inexperience showing, but with two delays, you'd think they'd have enough time to polish up the story.
#totk#totk discussion#i'm not saying it's not good#it's great!#but i'm annoyed that the story in BOTW was so well done and in TOTK they just sort of said 'yeah we got it don't worry'#and i also know that the story is not the main focus of the development team#yes it's trope-y#yes it feels anime-ish#what with the 'i'm totally the strongest' and 'they were like gods' kind of themes going on#that's fine#no less than what i normally expect from a Zelda game#what bugs me is the incomplete continuity#they act like the calamity didn't happen#and yet there's so much acknowledging that it did#like why?#this was fixable!#ugh
10 notes
¡
View notes
Text
oh i'm sorry, i didn't realize we were taking moral standing points from the asura now. y'know. the race that full-hog experimented and ripped apart sylvari even after knowing they were wholly sapient beings (and it wasn't even inquest! it was regular fucking asura! the arcane council most definitely okayed those experiments! never mind the fact that the council TO THIS DAY fucking openly allows inquest to do as they please so long as they don't cause trouble in rata sum) and have done little to nothing to apologize for that fact to their sylvari allies.
but no, you're right, the humans are the worst race in tyria just by way of existing and trying to find a place for themselves. how could i have ever thought different?
#from beyond the grave#hi i'm going to go fucking feral#I'M NOT EVEN A HUGE HUMAN FAN. i have them and i love the ones i do have! but i greatly prefer sylvari as my playable race.#what the FUCK are you talking about#âdid everything they can to push other people off their landâ are you talking about pushing charr out???? cus uh.#i don't know how to tell you this but the charr STOLE THAT LAND IN THE FIRST PLACE EVEN BEFORE HUMANS#dont even get me started on their HoT take (the One Expansion that anet gave sylvari before forgetting they exist)#and the icebrood one (the charr should have never been the fucking main focus of the goddamn NORN PLOT ANYWAYS)#the âhuman interferenceâ in icebrood was literally a fucking BLIP amongst the bullshit of the charr getting involved#don't even fucking talk to me about âhumans being lynchpinsâ for icebrood. it should have had NOTHING but NORN LORE.#it was the NORN PLOT. jormag had always been NORN STORY AND PLOT.#âbuhbuhbuh humansâ I DON'T GIVE A SHIT. THE CHARR SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THERE EITHER#it's extremely telling that you don't care that the charr shouldn't have been there either#and only focused on the .0000000000003 seconds that kas helped in anything related to the plot#while also framing crecia and rytlock's relationship problems throughout as âhuman-lookingâ squabbling#god forbid rytlock get some character development where he WANTS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for his kid#(even tho it should've happened in a charr-centric story thread and NOT THE FUCKING NORN ONE ANET)#and every charr in the world is like âbut why do you care??â because charr society is so incredibly FUCKED re: their kids#âbeing attentive to the storyâ my fucking ass. just say you fucking hate humans as a race and move the fuck on.#i didn't mean to rant this much in the tags but the more i stared at the post the more i felt like biting someone#OH. OH SORRY. i just noticed that#the person was like âlol inquest figured out how to harness elder dragon energy before xunlai <3â#JUHGTFJHKDFJHGLKFD ??????#okay for one the inquest are a bunch of literal rat bastards who caused a NUCLEAR REACTOR EXPLOSION in metrica#i'm not going to trust a fucking inquest ANYWHERE NEAR ME let alone praise them for âethicalâ dragon energy#the âuhm ACKSUALLY S W E A T Yâ tone of voice re: canthan tech vs. asuran is asinine and also annoying as fuck#âall of PoF was about humans :(â IT IS LITERALLY. ABOUT A HUMAN GOD? IT IS *THE* HUMAN XPAC.#IT WAS NOT A SURPRISE FOR IT TO BE HUMAN THEMED? WE KNOW ELONA IS H U M A N S ?#yet again. what the FUCK are you even talking about.#OKAY. jesus christ. i think i'm finally done bitching about this.
10 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Okay, so! It's late and I should've been asleep hours ago so I probably won't be writing a fully in-depth/detailed response, but I can offer a little bit of perspective from the writing side of things (as someone with experience in the industry, who's worked on several mobage games)
So, a big part of the plot/story aspect is due to OM being a live service mobage. By the inherent nature of the genre, the story must always be able to continue going (ie: the story can never "end" because then the game itself would end)
This means that the writers will always be limited in how much they are allowed to do, because the story must still be able to continue after the current Lesson/Season/whatever. No matter how big or crazy you want to make the plot in S3, you still have to reel it back in by the end so that S4 can still happen. Status Quo is hugely important for this style of game. Making significant, permanent changes means having to commit to those changes and not revert back, which is risky from a development perspective (if players don't like the change, they may drop the game) but also means that all of your writers are now railroaded into writing within the bounds that this new permanent change has established. It's not that this is impossible, but it's common for management and executives to discourage it.
This is also the reason why it feels like character development never truly "sticks" even though we see the boys learning the same lessons over and over. No matter how many times Levi has a big moment where he learns to be more assertive and believe in himself, he'll be back to his usual characterisation next season. Ditto for Satan's relationship with Lucifer. Lucifer himself will re-learn not to keep secrets from his brothers or take the burden of responsibility alone, over and over again.
If a character is allowed to have an actual conclusion to their personal arc, then that means that their growth is now over. It's satisfying for players because we get to see them struggle, learn, grow, and have an actual conclusion. But the problem is...then what? The story itself still has to continue. And if a character's arc is "over" then that leaves them with much less for the writers to do as the story continues.
Stories need conflict, and the same is true of characters. They need to struggle, they need to learn and grow, otherwise they would be boring. If Satan never struggled with his anger issues or his relationship with Lucifer again after S2, then he would have very little to do in every following Season of the story. All of his personal growth is concluded, so what would there be to focus on? Sure, new struggles and new character arcs could be introduced, but then you start introducing the same narrative hurdles as mentioned above. You especially don't want to fiddle with the characters TOO much, because you'll risk losing that character's stans if their favourite blorbo is irrecoverably changed in a way they don't like.
With this genre of game, it's much preferred to keep the characters as consistent as possible, because you'll be writing these same characters continuously for many many years. OM itself is about to turn 5 years old, and "if it's not broken, don't fix it" is a big aspect that the writers will have drilled into them.
Speaking of the writers themselves, this is the last point I'll touch on for now. While we don't know absolutely everything about Solmare's inner workings as a company (for good reason) we DO know a few things. Mainly:
OM's writers are often split up into many different smaller teams, and will be working on multiple assignments (Main Story, Pop Quiz event stories, Devilgrams, etc) at the same time
It's not entirely uncommon for Solmare to bring in guest writers from outside of the company
Not all of the writers from 2018-2019 are still working at Solmare, and the staff will change regularly as older employees leave and new staff is hired (just like any other company)
Which all means that at any given time, completely different people could be writing the plot between one Lesson and the next. This is generally good for the writers themselves (since delegating the workload in this way is much better than having individual writers taking on far too much on their own) but it also means we get things like inconsistency with the characters, or continuity errors. Communication and management are much harder when you have a large team working on many different assignments at once. This is even more likely to be the case when a guest writer is brought in from outside, because they will be less familiar with the story and characters. (This is how we ended up with Lucifer's controversial "Lady" lyric in "Arcadia" - the songwriter was not a Solmare employee and not a member of the OM writing team)
This is something that happens with all written media, but the more writers you have working on a project means there will just be more chances for things like this to slip through the cracks.
Anyway, sorry to ramble like crazy on your post (and I'm tired so I'm not even sure if everything I said made sense) but hopefully this was at least interesting for some people to read!
i also think that either obm needs better writers OR if itâs not an issue with the writers themselves, that they should start thinking about where they want the game to go. the story is so⌠disjointed⌠and messy. with every season, it just feels like the story deteriorates in quality bc nothing is ever at stake + nothing changes. character development and plot points are easily forgotten in favor of having scenes with characters instead (which like i know thatâs the main point of the game but ⌠it all feels⌠cheap?? idk). nothing ever happens in the main storyline and thats just ?? wack
102 notes
¡
View notes
Note
Since you've mentioned Scarlet Lady in one of your posts, what's your opinion on it?
I've mentioned before that I'm a big Scarlet Lady fan, which is the only reason that I'm comfortable answering asks like this one. I don't publicly criticize the content of hobby creators. That's wildly inappropriate! Punch up, not down.
The linked post was a general discussion of the adaptation process and how @zoe-oneesama did a fantastic job, so for this one, I'm just going to do some general gushing because I do actually like praising and enjoying things!
Scarlet Lady's chosen format (comic) allows it to have this wonderful conversation with canon where it can rely on the framework of canon to tell it's own story while also using canon for jokes and meta commentary. This means that Scarlet Lady is about as close as fan content can get to a direct reboot because it's able to have moments like this one from the comic's first post:
[Image description: Adrien standing in his room after transforming into Chat Noir for the first time. He is beaming and his eyes are shining with excitement as he exclaims, "This is gonna be awesome!"]
A single picture that communicates everything we need to know about Adrien getting his miraculous. When I've done this same thing in fanfic, I had to write out the full scene because that's how novels work. You have to give the full picture. With a comic, you can just quickly acknowledge this thing that we all already know and then move on to the new stuff. A picture really is worth a thousand words! (Or, in my case, more like two thousand...)
This allows Zoe to keep the same akumas that we get in canon without her story feeling like a boring rehash because she can focus on what's different in her version. A novelization of the same content would have to show both the stuff that stays the same and the stuff that changes for it to be coherent. That's a lot less fun to read and write. It's why I basically never revisit canon akumas in my own stuff. It's just too derivative for the written word.
This is one of the big reasons that I loved Scarlet Lady. Because it was able to have that more directly conversation with canon, it was able to take canon and say, "hey, why don't we embrace the tone that you established in season one and retell the story with that vibe?" That's something that I desperately wanted to see, but that is totally unsuited to my chosen artistic form. It couldn't be a novel. It had to be a comic.
If you want to know what a true formula show version of Miraculous would look like, Scarlet Lady is it. It does everything that Miraculous should have done:
Sticks to a lighthearted tone where nothing is ever super serious
Keeps Gabriel entirely unsympathetic
Has slow character development and background hints at a bigger plot as the only serial elements, allowing the individual episodes to be their own story while never feeling incomplete or rushed
Allows characters other than Marinette to shine while keeping Marinette as the clear main character
Makes Adrien narratively important
MAKES THE LOVE SQUARE CUTE SO I CAN ACTUALLY SHIP IT
Understands that Lila and Chloe can't coexist as antagonists
Reverses the love square, which is the best way to tell their story. Yes, I will die on my "love diamond" hill. It's a good hill. Come join me. I'll bring cookies.
I could keep going, but you hopefully get my point. While Scarlet Lady is certainly not the only way to do a formula version of canon, it's proof that a formula version does work! You don't have to go the serious route for Miraculous to be successful.
I want to take some time to gush about the ending, but I don't want to spoil it, so I'll put that gushing under a "read more" in case anyone hasn't seen it. I'll finish out this less spoilerish section with this:
I feel like some people are surprised when they learn that I love Scarlet Lady because - as some of you have probably picked up - it is quite different from my ideal version of canon. I'm not sure why that would stop me from enjoying a thing, though. It's important to remember that our personal ideals are not the only way to tell a good story. There are lots of ways to take what canon gave us and make something wonderful! It's part of the reason that I enjoy being in a fandom.
If I only wanted to see my ideal take on canon, then I'd stick to writing/imagining my own stories. But I don't want that! I like seeing alternate takes, too. Scarlet Lady is one of my personal favorites. It's completely different from anything that I'd ever think to write and that's why I'm so glad that it exists! I like being entertained just as much as I like creating my own entertainment and I don't want to only read stories that look like something I'd write. That's boring!
Spoilers below:
I've mentioned before that there are many, many ways to properly handle Chloe's character and Zoe did such a good job with her take on that! Chloe isn't absolved of all the things she did wrong, but she's also treated as a young woman with the ability to change.
While the comic bares the name of Chloe's alter ego, she was the never the main character. She never went on a journey. The story kept her to her shallow season-one self: a petty brat who just wanted attention. It did this because that's who Chloe was in canon and who Chloe needed to be for the comic to work.
The first time we see any complexity from Chloe is in the comic's final few episodes, which was absolutely the right call for Zoe to make! In a recent post, I talked about how the end of a formula show is the only time when you can break the formula in catastrophic ways and that's what Zoe did. She kept Chloe static until it was time to end the story and that's when the formula breaks. That's when Chloe gets depth because, once she has depth, the formula doesn't work.
That depth is not used to redeem Chloe, but to show us that there's hope for Chloe. That this petty brat who we've been dealing with has some serious issues and needs help. Help that she's going to get far away from the people that she's hurt because her issues aren't an excuse for what she's done. They don't erase the harm that she caused. At the same time, understanding her issues makes us hope that she can be better now and Scarlet Lady took a moment to give us that hope. To show us the START of Chloe's true story.
That is the kind of ending that I have wanted to see in so many properties!!! It was so wonderful to finally get one that did this right. A story that understood that full redemption to the team and damnation to death/suffering are extremes on a scale of possibilities. You don't have to go to extremes! You can fall in the middle and the middle is a perfect, natural place for Chloe to land in this kind of story. Fully redeeming or even fully damning Chloe simply doesn't work in lighthearted formula content. It's too big a lift as canon has already demonstrated.
I also loved Zoe's take on Emilie. I've mentioned that I don't like evil Emilie in part because it makes her revival feel like the start of a new story. She's back and she'd bad, so we have to take her down now! But I don't want that. I want the story to end when Gabriel is stopped. Zoe does this by giving us an Emilie that is another perfect middle ground. She matches canon's uncomfortable implications without feeling like a true villain who is a threat to society.
1K notes
¡
View notes
Text
One of my favourite things about Young Royals and its characters is how much it romanticizes being utterly ordinary.
Stories often focus on characters who are exceptionally good at something or who are more ambitious than the average person. Even in the teen shows Iâve watched, these young characters always seemed to have their dream career and dream university figured out at a young age and I could never relate to that because I had none of those things figured out as a teen. It always felt like pushing this narrative that teenagers need to have their entire lives figured out before their brains are even fully developed.
None of the characters in YR seem particularly ambitious and in fact, the main characterâs journey is a story of anti-ambition. When he is introduced to Simon, it is precisely Simonâs ordinariness that draws Wille to him. Sure, Simon is a very talented singer, but itâs never indicated within the series that he has dreams of being a pop star. Itâs just something he likes to do. Simon is motivated by very ordinary things - he wants to do well in school so he can have better opportunities for himself, he wants to take care of his family, he wants to hang out with his friends and play video games. Heâs a dedicated student but not necessarily valedictorian. Itâs not his ambition that Wille is drawn to but his integrity and kindness and warmth.
Wille had a chance to be extraordinary - to be Swedenâs first gay king - but being extraordinary has never been Willeâs ambition. Willeâs ultimate goal and dream within the seriesâ narrative is to be free to make his own decisions and live his life as he pleases. He just wants to kiss his boyfriend and get drunk at parties and live his life one day at a time instead of spending every moment of his life preparing for an inevitable future he doesnât want. In the end Wille is extraordinary not for his ambition, but for his bravery to reject the expectations thrust upon him and throw himself into the unknown and see where it takes him. Wille had a whole future in front of him as crown prince and future king - heâd never have to work a day in his life and would have people advising his every move - and he rejects that. This lack of ambition is not portrayed as a moral failure, but a necessary step in Willeâs journey to personal self-discovery and fulfillment of his own desires. His desire right now is simple - be free with Simon, but that doesnât mean his dreams end here forever. He deserves peace and tranquility after all the trauma heâs been through without having to worry about where or who heâs gonna be in a few years. He deserves time to just exist.
None of the characters know where theyâre going when they drive away at the end. We as the audience donât know what careers if any these characters will find themselves in, but thatâs also not important to this story. The series is saying you donât have to have everything figured out when youâre 17 and you donât have to do something just because your parents think they know whatâs best for you and even if you donât know exactly what you want to do, that doesnât mean you donât have the agency to know what you donât want.
Itâs not a moral failing to want the simple things in life or to be ordinary, and I love that Young Royals celebrates that. It shows the beauty in simple moments that feel revolutionary to a person - touching the person you love, forgiving someone and making amends after a hardship, whooping with your friends in a car as you drive into the summer and celebrates them. Ultimately these are the moments that make life worth living.
754 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Unfortunately I came across a very strange and misinformed video about Black Butler.
Itâs not good. Donât watch it. Unless you wanna ruin your day, in which case have fun.
Despite it all, I watched it. What left me wondering, however, was how off the mark the person who made the video was on, well, everything.
From their insistence that the Book of Circus Arc theme or point is non existent, to reading Cielâs character so badly they genuinely thought the Green Witch Arc did nothing for his character development.
While baffled, it also made me think on how someone could read Black Butler so badly.
Sure, you can say that thereâs no real way to read or interpret something âin the wrong wayâ but interpreting The Hunger Games as a pure battle-royale action story would make you believe itâs bad.
âWhy are we focusing so much on how the capitol preps them?â Or âWhy isnât Katniss winning everything?â Or âI wanna know more about the rebellionâ All questions that miss the actual point of the story - which is criticizing (not solving or ignoring) the way that media distracts us from violence via spectacle.
The same thing applies here. While there is no ârightâ way to consume media, thereâs things that the author makes clear they wanna focus when creating a story. Things that, if you understand, make the story youâre reading actually make sense.
And in Black Butler thereâs three things that you have to understand to properly get what Yana is saying.
Sebastian is the protagonist
Ciel and Sebastianâs relationship IS the story.
And that relationship is, fundamentally, a positive one.
A quicker version of it would be:
Black Butler is a love story from the POV of Sebastian, and you have to ship it to get it
- but thatâs not entirely true.
You can still look at it as a complex but ultimately positive rship and get in broad strokes of what itâs conveying. It doesnât have to be romantic. Although, it helps much more than a platonic framing.
(That said, interpreting their rship as father and son, still isnât the best way to go about it. Mostly because by its very nature of âsoul consumingâ their relationship is extremely sexually charged. And hey, if youâre into that I donât judge. However, if youâre desperately trying to interpret their rship as NOT romantic to the point you fall back on heteronormative patriarchal ideals of nuclear familiar as framing device, I donât think this interpretation bodes with you)
Now, having all that ground work:
Why do I say these are the key components to understand BB?
Okay so, first,
1. Sebastian is the Main Character. The protagonist.
Thereâs a lot of people who wanna argue against it, claiming heâs either the villain or the antagonist. Both wrong.
He does not function as an antagonist. Even if, and an emphasis on if, you consider Ciel to the protagonist, Sebastian isnât a narrative antagonist.
If you wanna go back to Creative Writing 101, be my guest. An antagonist is directly defined by the protagonist. Itâs the opposing force. If the protagonist wants A, the antagonist wants to stop them from getting A.
Sebastianâs catchphrase is âYes, my Lordâ. He never opposes Ciel, in fact quite the contrary. By the mere fact theyâve created contract, it means that theyâve both agreed in the inevitable outcome.
People want to frame Sebastian as the villain, because Ciel having his soul taken by a demon, would be a BAD END in the context of their moral compass. They see Ciel as a frail victim of abuse, whoâs being tricked by Sebastian, who wants Cielâs soul.
Which is an. Interpretation. A bad one. But still one.
The narrative (and whether the narrative fits your personal moral compass and lack of critical thinking is irrelevant) treats Ciel as an agent in his own destiny. The abuse he suffered was the moment in which he had no control. Itâs only after he meets Sebastian that he can rid of both his guilt and his despair, and do what he wants.
In this case though, itâs revenge.
The famous âAsthmaâ scene shows this. If Ciel is taken back to his past, he becomes helpless. Swarmed with pain and memories that make it so that he canât even react. Sebastian is his saving grace. If Ciel didnât have him, and the power he wields to rebuilt whatâs broken, he would crumble once more.
If Ciel has a panic attack, because of all the pain he has, Sebastian picks him up and says âyou are not a helpless child anymore, you are not a victim anymore, you have the power to do anything. So, what do you wanna do?â
Cielâs answer is to kill them.
A proper analogy would be to say that, if Sebastian offers a gun, Ciel pulls the trigger. They are both at fault. Sebastian, strictly speaking, is not here to directly cause Cielâs downfall, but as a tool Ciel uses to plunge into the abyss.
If, again if, you were to frame Ciel as a protagonist, Sebastian falls closer to the âVoice of reasonâ character. Not a literal voice of reason, but a literary one. If you have a protagonist and an antagonist exchanging ideals, the Voice of Reason serves to engage with the protagonist on their own ideals.
That said, Ciel isnât the protagonist. The story quickly falls apart if you interpret it as such.
Things such as Cielâs character arc beingâŚshall I say odd?
Itâs not that his character arc isnât there, but itâs never lineal. His goals stay the same, the only thing that happens is that we start to peel back the âwhyâs of his goals. Throughout the series itâs never about Ciel understanding himself better, he knows who he is, he knows what he wants, he knows why he wants it. He doesnât ever need to uncover these, but simply remember them. Because itâs always about the audience understanding Ciel.
He knows he wants revenge.
In the Circus Arc: He knows that he needs Sebastian because without him, the pain of the abuse he suffered would be too much to bear. But WE are introduced to it.
In the Book of Atlantis: He knows that with this new lease he does not want happiness and peace, he wants revenge. The one being told this is the audience.
In Green Witch Arc: He knows that their revenge isnât for his family, the real Ciel or guilt. Itâs because he wants it. Heâs angry, heâs upset, and this is entirely for him. The one being told this is the audience.
Except. Not really. The one either discovering or remembering these key moments - is always Sebastian.
Sebastian is the one who reassures him that he now holds the power of a demon to override the pain. Sebastian is the one who remembers that to override that pain, Ciel wants revenge. And Sebastian is the one who discovers that that revenge isnât built out of grief or guilt, but for himself.
We are witnessing it all, through the eyes of Sebastian.
This is why we have an extremely vague idea of who Ciel is, Sebastian does not have the whole picture.
If you havenât been reading this manga with your eyes closed, youâll realize we have a better grasp at Sebastianâs character than that of Ciel. We get a lot of insight on how he thinks and what he values through light hearted dialogue he has with the servants. You even see the character development in these little interactions.
Think about how when he first arrived to the mansion he magically created food with no regards to taste, but when he meets Bard he states that food is created to see whoever will eat it, smile.
That is character development, more than you will be able to see from Ciel.
Because Cielâs character, while not static, doesnât go from point A to point B. Mostly, cause it doesnât need to. He went through that when he lost the real Ciel and got Sebastian. Everything we are watching is the falling out.
Now, given the fact that Iâve told you that it makes more sense for Sebastian to be the protagonist/main character, and that he 100% isnât either a villain or antagonist in ANY of the interpretations you can get:
Do you believe me?
If you donât, youâll probably believe Yana herself.
This is from the first Volume, where Yana herself describes the process of making Black Butler. The primary idea behind the creation of BB was a butler as a âheroâ.
If you go back to the introductory chapter, you notice that Ciel is barely mentioned. Heâs simply the one to give Sebastian impossible tasks and standards that Sebastian must find how to overcome.
Ciel is properly introduced until the NEXT chapter. The second chapter has this formula too, introducing Lizzie as a problem to overcome. Although, to Sebastian the best way to âget rid of the problemâ is simply to indulge her.
The issue here being that the problem isnât as simple as a business meeting but something directly tied to Ciel and Cielâs past. Each time that Sebastian has to solve a problem, it chips away at Ciel. While with Lizzie he shows a persona, once heâs alone with Sebastian he acknowledges the toll it took on him. It serves to build Ciel as Sebastianâs master, and how some problems arenât as simple as discarding a tablecloth.
The third and the fourth, are a unified narrative, with a similar premise to the first chapter. Ciel gets kidnapped and Sebastian must find a way to retrieve him without raising suspicions.
If the first chapter is to set up what Sebastian must do as a butler, the third and the fourth serve to set up what he must do as a demon.
The entirety of the volume, and up to Book of Circus Arc, is about how Sebastian tries to follow the increasingly absurd orders that Ciel has - it is not about Ciel trying to solve them.
Thatâs how they work, we follow Sebastian for the most part, because heâs the one having to come up with the solutions.
If anything, in early Kuro, where the emphasis was more on a slice of life conflict, Ciel is the antagonist. Heâs the one creating problems for Sebastian to solve.
Whatâs more, in the second volume, the very first chapter is one from Sebastianâs POV. So far, we hadnât gotten an entire chapter from Cielâs POV. In fact, I would find it hard to point to a single chapter where Ciel is the POV throughout. The reveal of real Ciel and the flashback is the closest contender.
But once we move past early Kuro, and into Book of Circus, this set up changes.
Itâs fairly easy to assume that Ciel is the main character, because from this point on the conflict of the plot sorta surrounded him. We spend a lot of time with him and with his story. The enemies start being people directly tied to Ciel and Cielâs trauma. Rarely, if at all, we get to see Sebastian before he met Ciel.The framing device for the story, is Ciel.
This is where point 2 gets intertwined.
2.- Sebastian and Cielâs relationship IS the story.
The story begins at the point where Sebastian and Ciel met. Who Ciel was before he met Sebastian, informs why heâs the way he is when he does. You have to know all he went through to understand why heâs a brat, why he lashes out. However Sebastianâs past doesnât matterâŚbecause Sebastian himself doesnât care much for who he was, before he was âSebastianâ. Thatâs also part of the narrative.
Unlike Ciel, he doesnât seem opposed to revealing information from before the contract. He talks about how pets from where he is from are gross, he talks about how he knows how to dance because of other places heâs been to, and alludes to the life he's lived before.
Just that, to him, they're footnotes.
He makes allusions to a very bland, uninteresting life, up to the point he meets Ciel.
Thatâs why we donât know more about his past.
As for why we focus on Cielâs storyâŚokay maybe we need Creative Writing lessons 102
I studied Dramaturgy for about 3 to 4 years. And something you notice is how play-writing is the quintessential story telling. Itâs making it work with the bare bones of a story.
Some other mediums have more finesse, more depth, or more spectacle - all amazing things that work for whatever theyâre created for. But understanding a play, how and why it works, helps understand the fundamentals of any derivative story telling medium.
Particularly, conflict.
Conflict is dialogue and dialogue can take many forms. A story, in its essence, is a dialogue between two opposing ideas.
Take Batman, for example, who embodies the ideas of justice and order. On his own, heâs not a well rounded character.
If you ONLY present him, in a vaccum with nothing else, you donât have a character. You have a list of characteristics that youâre supposed to know.
You only know who he is when you have dialogue with another character.
I say Dialogue, but it doesnât necessarily mean spoken language at one another. Dialogue can mean fist fighting, playing tabletop games, talking to other people about the other, or even just a competition. The idea is to simply to compare and contrast both ideas.
If you want an example on how tabletop games serve as dialogue, watch the video âWell, Someone Had to Explain the Liarâs Dice Sceneâ by Lord Ravecraft
Another example, were we to retake Batman, you have him fight Joker. Whoâs the embodiment of chaos and randomness.
In the following picture, you get far more information than the one previously shown. While the Joke fights with daggers and fake guns, Batman only uses his fists. He doesnât use the tricks that Joker does. His serious demeanor, contrasted with Jokerâs glee at the dangerous situation. The fact that Batman has a deathly grip on Jokerâs shirt, while the Joker doesnât, which shows a desperation to catch him.
You are being shown, through a dialogue, who Batman is.
Itâs so much easier and much more effective to explore a character through another character.
This is the reason why Shonen has a tendency to make incredibly good gay ships. If you want to explore Narutoâs personality, and his feelings of inferiority, you HAVE to have him interact with Sasuke.
If you wanna understand Hinataâs passion for volleyball, you have him enjoy himself the most with the only other crazy motherfucker whoâs as obsessed with volleyball - Kageyama.
And I think that originally, Yana had this problem.
Sebastian was the protagonist, but she had little room to develop him as a character in the confines of the manor, dealing with random enemies.
She likely tried to create Grell as someone of the same stature as Sebastian. Someone who could be this other person to engage dialogue with and show or allude to his past a bit more.
The problem being that Sebastian didnât care for his past. Or really, engaging with anyone. He sees everyone as below him, but when confronted with Grell who isnât below him, he doesnât wanna talk to her.
So youâre stuck in conundrum.
How do you have dialogue with a character, that as a character trait, doesnât really wanna have dialogue?
Well, Grell also solves the problem. Because only the moment she gets him to start any semblance of a dialogue - is questioning why heâs serving Ciel.
And this is the moment when itâs perfectly cemented that the focus of the story is their relationship.
Why is Sebastian here? Why does he stay? What did he see in Ciel that made him want this extremely convoluted contract?
THATS the dialogue.
THATS the conversation weâre having in Black Butler.
We need to know Ciel because understanding who he is, letâs us know WHY /Sebastian/ is here.
Then slowly, with the introduction with the Undertaker, we find out Sebastianâs conflict.
Which isâŚ
Heâs scared of losing Ciel. It becomes apparent with the constant imagery of the Undertaker taking away Ciel and at some point even obtaining r!Cielâs body, that heâs worried it might happen.
But he can only be worried that Ciel might be taken away if he wants to stay near Ciel.
And thatâs his character arc.
Realizing that he actually likes Ciel, cares for him and the role he plays a butler that he doesnât want this to end.
In the first chapters, he doesnât feel a need to protect Ciel anymore than whatâs strictly necessary. Just donât die, thatâs about as deep as his involvement in chapter 4 gets.
But by the Green Witch Arc, he feels a need to protect Ciel from ANY harm.
This is why I also said
3.- Their relationship is fundamentally a positive one.
In broad strokes, Sebastian to Ciel is the person who allows him to survive. Heâs not worried about giving up his soul since heâs already dead. While Ciel to Sebastian, is someone whoâs making him have fun. Heâs slowly becoming more and more attached to Ciel and the life he has with Ciel.
Their relationship is not that of just a predator and prey, but also of master and pet.
In the terms that Black Butler itself would call: Sebastian is a wild wolf acting like a collared dog.
Ciel is aware that the wild beast will eat him at the end of the day, but if he clings hard to leash for now, he might just be able to have Sebastian maul his abusers.
Sebastian as a dog, currently finds that he enjoys being a chained dog.
(This is demonstrated in the Green Witch arc where he quite literally says, he doesnât wanna be a wild beast and prefers to be a butler)
And much like the actual DOG Sebastian, Ciel constantly interprets his attempts to get close and protect him, as an act of aggression.
This push and pull of Cielâs perception of Sebastian and Sebastianâs true motives is what feeds the story.
And the briefs interludes were that isnât the case (what other people call the âplotâ, but I would refer to as the connective tissue) such as Sullivan and Wolfram, the other servantâs past, the grim reapers and the like, serve as a parallel to Ciel and Sebastian relationship. Either to signify how they care for each other, highlight their weaknesses or fears, or explore how they feel.
Itâs no surprise that Sullivan and Wolfram are parallels to Ciel and Sebastian. A sheltered sickly child who seeks the protection of a cold hearted machine that only knew how to kill, but who eventually found he cared for her genuinely.
Undertaker and Claudiaâs relationship being heavily paralleled with them, even though we arenât 109% sure what they had but heavily implied it was a romantic attraction from the undead supernatural creature and a Phantomhive.
Everything is a parallel.
Thatâs why, like the approach of the terrible original video, is flawed.
Trying to interpret Black Butler as action scene after action scene, with mystery after mystery with the only connective tissue being the mystery of who burned down the mansion - is missing the trees for the forest.
Thatâs not the point.
And if youâre too much of a prude to engage with gothic horror in its gothic horror game, I see little point as to why you even bother to engage with it at all.
A lot of people, including the person who create the video, simply refuse to acknowledge Black Butler IS the story of Sebastian and Ciel as a close and positive relationship, romantically and sexually charged. The reason for it being that theyâre âput offâ by it.
Part of me wonders how much that is genuinely true, and how much is just performative outrage. Itâs like ignoring the fact that Cersei and Jami are in an incestous relationship and try to frame it as âplatonic loveâ, because the idea of it is THAT off putting.
But regardless of that, if you donât like the fact that itâs as canon as canon can get, I would reccomend you donât engage with the story at all.
As Iâve explained, the entirety of the series is about them. If you refuse to see Sebastian and Ciel as, at the very least, a duo that cares deeply for the other - you arenât reading Black Butler.
I have no idea what youâre reading.Perhaps your own biases and subconscious stigma with British aesthetic. At that point, watch the fucking British Royalty Gossip Magazine. Youâd find more substance there.
Just donât be like the person in the video, please? Donât play dumb. Donât ignore the fact that Yana is a Shotacon, donât ignore the fact Sebastian is a hero, donât ignore the fact that the entirety of the story is based on Sebastian and Cielâs dynamic.
Because if you do, you are ashamed. You are ashamed of what this story is about. You donât wanna engage with the text, you want to engage with yourself. You wanna project into Ciel whatever traumas and experiences you have, for the sake a vanity project, where you come out as the morally superior.
You donât wanna talk about Black Butler, you wanna talk about how good YOU are. How you âdonât sinâ by watching it âwithout all the gross unholy stuffâ.
Which is the exact opposite of what BB is about.
So, if you donât want to, save us all the humiliation fetish and leave.
810 notes
¡
View notes
Text
On Wuk Lamat, and Female Characters in FFXIV
The Thing with Wuk Lamat is you can tell me you think she had too much screentime; you can give me numbers on how many lines she had or how many scenes she's in relative to other characters or other expacs; you can prove to me "objectively" that she gets more focus than other main NPCs; you're simply not going to convince me that this is something I should be unhappy about. And not just because it's silly to think you can use numbers to prove a story is good or bad and make someone else go, "Wow, you're right, let me just throw away all the joy I experienced with this story and revise my opinion because you've scientifically proven to me that I'm wrong."
Because while I love Final Fantasy XIV and I have greatly enjoyed its story in so many ways, fundamentally one of my biggest beefs with this game has been how much female characters have been denied complex character arcs and growth and agency and interiority.
Minfilia gets treated as a sacrificial vessel who lives for everyone but herself and doesn't even get to have feelings about her own death because that entire arc is focused on a male character's angst about it instead. The game tells us in the Heavensward patches that Krile sees Minfilia as her best friend and then just forgets about that later and never follows up on what that loss must have meant to her. Ysayle is basically right about most of what she's fighting for but harboring a bit of self-delusion is apparently such a terrible sin that she has to pay for it with her life, while her male foil is deemed so worthy of salvation that there's a whole plot point about how important it is that we risk our lives and others' lives to save him. Y'shtola is a major character who's been around since the beginning, and the game keeps dropping maddeningly interesting things about her (apprenticed to a cranky old witch in a cave! saved her own life and the lives of her friends with an illegal and dangerous spell and it worked! reserved and undemonstrative yet regularly through her actions reveals herself to be deeply caring! disabled!) and then shows complete disinterest in following up on any of those things with the kind of depth and care shown to male characters with complex arcs like Urianger.
In general there is also a repeated thread of female characters being portrayed as weak or overly emotional: Minfilia is weak because she doesn't fight and needs to be eaten by a god in order to gain "a strength long sought." Krile is portrayed as not being able to pull her weight with the Scions (despite the fact that she actively keeps five of them from dying in Shadowbringers) and the only thing they could think of for her to do in Endwalker was be yet another vessel for Hydaelyn (hmm, that sounds familiar) and it's not until Dawntrail that she gets much actual character development in the main story and even that has to come alongside "Look, she can fight now so that means she's useful." (And I love Picto!Krile, I'm just saying, there's a pattern.) Alisaie, despite having very good reasons for needing to find her own path apart from her brother, is portrayed as having to prove herself when she returns, that she's "not the girl she once was," and "will not be a burden" (while Alphinaud is repeatedly given the benefit of the doubt and reassurance and affirmation from other characters even after he takes on responsibilities he isn't ready for and fucks up big time).
And if you follow me you know I adore Urianger, and I love Alphinaud and Thancred and Estinien too, so please don't misunderstand what I'm saying here! I'm not knocking those characters, or saying we shouldn't also love them. I just use them as a comparison to demonstrate how the female characters have been neglected.
Lyse has some of the stronger character development among the female Scions, and while she's still kind of portrayed as being too emotional and hotheaded in early Stormblood, I think it's actually explored in more depth in a way that I like; Lyse has good reasons for wanting to fight for her nation's freedom, but having been away from Ala Mhigo for several years now, she needs to understand the stakes for the people who've been there fighting for years, what they've lost and still have to lose. She grows as a person and rises to the challenge of leadership, and I'm even okay with the fact that she leaves the Scions afterward because it feels right for her to stay in Ala Mhigo, and at least she doesn't die.
And by all accounts she was, like Wuk Lamat, widely hated when her expansion came out.
Unironically I think the other female Scion with the strongest character arc is Tataru. She tries to take up a combat job, finds that it's not for her, and decides to focus on where her strengths are instead. In doing so, she both holds the Scions together as an organization in the absence of a leader by capably managing their finances, and also comes into her own as a businesswoman and makes international connections that benefit both the Scions and her personally. In contrast to Minfilia, she's not portrayed as weak because she doesn't fight, and is actually allowed to be an important character who's good for more than being sacrificed. Tataru is still distinctly in a supporting role for the player character, however, and her character arc happens as a side story that takes up a relatively small amount of screentime over several expansions, which I think is probably why she doesn't evoke such a negative reaction.
But there is a pattern of the game's writing showing disinterest in the interior lives of female characters generally, and in making their growth the focus of a story.
So yeah, I'm going to be happy about Wuk Lamat! I'm going to enjoy and celebrate every moment of her character arc, of her personal growth, of watching her put the lessons she's learned into action. I'm going to love and treasure every moment when she gets to be silly, embarrassing, emotional, scared, grieving, confused, upset, seasick, impulsive, and still deemed worthy of growing into a hero and a leader. I will love her with all of my soul and you simply will not convince me that it wasn't worth the screentime after such a profound imbalance for basically the entirety of the game. We've never had a major female character get such a strong arc with this much love and attention put into it and that means more to me than I can truly say. The backlash to it is disheartening, as this kind of thing always is, but I'm not going to let it ruin the wonderful experience I had playing it and how much joy it continues to bring me.
And for those of you who don't want any of that for a female character, thank goodness you have Heavensward and Shadowbringers and Endwalker and no one can take those away from you.
(And if you follow me you know that I love Shadowbringers and Endwalker and have very fond memories of Heavensward despite some issues with it, so not only can I not take that from you, I am not trying to!)
Some of us have been real hungry for a character like this with an arc like this, so, I think, y'know, maybe we can have that. As a treat.
#this has been sitting in my drafts#i held off on posting it and i'm tagging minimally#but yeah i still feel this#wuk lamat#ffxiv stuff#afk by the aetheryte#dawntrail spoilers#ffxiv critical#anne's ishgardian salt rock#dawntrail
322 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Write your book STEP BY STEP
hello hello, it's me again!
today i'm bringing you a step-by-step / checklist to finally get your book done. i know it can be a bit complicated to put everything together to make your idea come to life (you're definitely not alone!)
that's why i compiled some tips and made this post, in hopes to help some author out there :D
let's get started.
PREMISE
assuming you already have a good idea in mind, you should start by writing a premise. to help you with that, try to answer these questions:
who is the main character?
what are their goals?
which troubles will they face / what's stopping them from achieving their goals?
do they have an opponent? if so, who?
now that you know the answers to these questions, it's time to write the premise. the premise consists in a sentence that summarizes your whole idea.
PLOT OUTLINE
there are infinite ways to plot your story. you can do it by writing down ideas and linking them together, following a scheme, or any other method.
the most common plot outlines are these:
synopsis outline: one to two pages, where you hit all the major beats of the story
in-depth outline: outline each chapter/scene
snowflake method: develop the premise into a bigger paragraph, and that paragraph into a page (etc.) until you have the whole outline of your story
booken method: plot the start and end of the story, and the main characters
the novel factory created plot sheets for free, and you can choose from eight different templates. you might want to check it out!
KNOW YOUR CHARACTERS
having your outline defined, you should start developing your characters now. the main character's profile might be more detailed than the others, however, it's up to you. there are many character sheets out there on the internet that will help you create flawless characters.
i have a post with resources that might be helpful when creating a character, check it out!
and here you have some prompts and sheets to create a character:
Quick Character Creator - EA Deverell
Extremely detailed character sheet template - @hawkasss
The Best Character Template Ever - Dabble
Character Twenty Questions Worksheet - The Writers Circle
at this point, you should also define the narrator's voice, tone, etc, as well as the pace of your novel.
LOCATIONS
define the principal locations of your story, the settings, and where the story is taking place. it's important to know how the environment looks, and how your characters feel about it.
for this part, you might find it useful to do some research about some locations, if you're not familiar with them. find inspiration on Pinterest, Tumblr, or even on books, paintings, and art. everything is valid.
if your story takes place in a fantasy environment, you might need to fill out a template to create it or write down the way you imagine it to be. try to get as many details as possible, so there are no holes when developing the novel.
SUBPLOTS
you might want to give more depth to your novel by developing a subplot (or more than one). make sure it doesn't get too confusing or that doesn't take the focus away from the main action.
the subplot can be a romance, another character's relationship, a character's arc, a backstory, etc. this will make your story more real and 3D, more realistic.
develop it as a side story and mix it with the principal plot but don't make it as important as the main story, otherwise, none of the plots will make an impact.
SYNOPSIS
write a synopsis as long as you wish, covering every important part of the story. this will help you to really know your idea, and have a solid structure for it. it can range from 500 to 2,500 words, but you don't have to restrict yourself to a number.
things the synopsis should cover:
the status quo
the complication
initial challenges
midpoint
further challenges
the low point
the climax
the resolution
DRAFT
and we get to the best part which is writing! now that you know everything about your story, characters, locations, and scenes, all you have to do is to put all that together in words. don't feel pressured to make everything look perfect already, just write what comes to your mind. if you have a new idea for the plot, good, write it down! if this character doesn't make sense anymore, okay, get rid of them. just go with the flow, following the structure you've planned, and everything starts to come to life.
i know it's so tempting to go back, read what you wrote, and start editing and polishing, but trust me, don't do that! it's a waste of time, and you will take so much more time to finish your first draft. in fact, i've given up on so many stories because of that...
just when you finish the first draft, you will re-read everything and start editing, fixing plot holes, changing what doesn't fit well, etc. but for now, just write, get the first draft done. enjoy the process, don't rush.
thanks for reading!
i hope this post was helpful!
also, you might be interested in this free workbook with over 90 pages and many exercises! check it out here: THE WRITER'S WORKBOOK
resources for this post:
How to Choose a Plot Outline Method: 4 Techniques for Outlining Novels
How to Write a Novel: A Step-by-Step Guide
#write#writer#writeblr#writer tips#writers#writers block#writing#writerscommunity#writing advice#writing help#writing inspiration#writing prompts#writing reference#writing resources#writing tips#writers on tumblr#books and authors#author struggles#authors#writing community#resources for writers#free resources#research#tips for writers#masterpost#masterlist#list of resources#step by step#useful#save for later
4K notes
¡
View notes
Text
In celebration of Diluc and Kaeya's new Theater cosmetic, I bring to you the reason behind THIS post,
"Did Diluc ever actually disown Kaeya?"
(TL;DR & art at the end)
Yeah that's right we're getting into some technicalities thanks to Knaves line about assumptions â¨ď¸
Because who the hell decided it was a good idea to let Kaeya control the narrative uncontested?
Now, now, I hear you loudly already: He burned that boy, Diluc's an ass to him, Kaeya was banned from the household, Kaeya hasn't called him brother in YEARS, and of course,
KAEYA TOOK A FLAMING SWORD TO THE FACE
All of that would reasonably be acts of disownment without having to say the word, but when has Genshin ever been reasonable?
And while I can go on for an incredibly long time, dissecting every scene the brothers have so much as been hinted in, for you, my dear readers, I will refrain and focus on the main points đ
Firstly, let's stray away from the main points and see what the staff thinks about all of this â¨ď¸ Of course, they're working with limited knowledge of what happened, but it's a good place to start. We have Adelinde assuming it's Diluc's pride keeping him from setting things right, Tunner notices a problem with Kaeya but assumes he's seen as an outsider to the Dawn Winery's Family and is excluded from such talks, and Elzer, who believes while Diluc is stubborn, wouldn't actually send Kaeya away
[Adelinde's idle line, Tunner from Kaeya's Hangout, and Elzer's Hidden Strife Letter]
"When will Master Diluc finally resolve his issues with Master Kaeya."
"We did not refuse him, however. We believe that even if you were here, you would not refuse him outright."
And while that may have been true in the beginning, the staff have certainly realized the only person they need to convince to let Kaeya stay, is Kaeya
So what's the brothers issue with one another? Well, they're both incredibly petty for one, and then there's the issue where no one in their lives know enough about the situation to be able to mediate their fighting (even the Traveler doesn't know Kaeya's full story just yet).
Hell, it's not even just that they need a peacekeeper either. The dialog can't even BEGIN because it would be inappropriate for the staff to set it up, Diluc lost his right to start this talk in the flames of that night, and Kaeya knows what happened the last time he tried to have a one on one 𤡠So instead the brothers are left making various biting remarks 'cause Tyvat doesn't have therapy
"It's been years, Kaeya doesn't even blame him, he should step up đ¤" Well, lately, he's been trying to. Shocking, I know. Diluc is still learning how to navigate this new personality his brother developed in his absence, and not only is he doing a terrible job at it but he's also frustrated
Between inviting Kaeya to dinner and getting rejected, trying to voice concern and being hit with venom, and only being able to keep Kaeya around if there's wine involved...
It's frustrating knowing the other person has every right to walk away, no matter how much you want to fix it. Besides, WE might know Kaeya doesn't blame him,
but Diluc clearly doesn't.
"Why doesn't he introduce Kaeya as his brother then?"
Do we see Diluc introduce Kaeya at all?
What we do have is Diluc saying he's not his "bro" in the webcomic, which has been pointed out as not being in a family sense but as buddies. Which is absolutely how "bro" is used in my area as well 𤡠but for Diluc, why the hell would he ever want to be friends with his brother? Diluc has set up the situation to be All or Nothing. Either they're brothers or they're nothing at all. And Diluc's tried the Nothing course. He kept Kaeya at a distance from his vigilante business, allowed him to revoke his place in the household (both in calling Crepus father and moving out), and keeping his distance from his brother in general [Kaeya's letter in Hidden Strife that Diluc receives before making himself scarce]
"The Grand Master has assigned the Cavalry Company to this mission. As such, I will be paying you a visit in three days. He seems to think that our relationship can be improved if we are forced to talk in person. Donât worry, though. My lips are sealed. This will be nothing more than a formality. Anyways, three daysâ notice should be enough for you, I presume?"
We know that none of that went as intended
I mean Kaeya's response to being kept away from Diluc's Dark Knight Hero business is to repeatedly show him he IS in on it just by the fact he's keeping it a secret. Hidden Strife Diluc finally talks about, albeit strained, partnership he has with the Knights now where they'll watch eachothers backs. And of course my absolute favorite of their interactions,
Diluc asking if Kaeya can cool it on the drinking, and Kaeya deciding a reasonable response is:
Or what? :) you gonna throw me out with the trash? :)
And Diluc deciding Kaeya's cut off point is whenever he starts getting sassy
[K: Any GOOD bar would have SNACKS đ¤đ¤đ¤ D: aaaaaaand you're done]
I know I said you can thank the Knave for this post and that's because her line finally helped me pin down Diluc's Summer Conch dialog
"I didn't know you still remembered anything from back then... Huh."
Diluc actions line up with the bitterness of being left behind by someone who's still around.
Someone he's not willing to actually let go of
[Inviting him to dinner, saying he'd normally join Kaeya when he had the time, serving Kaeya at the bar, drinking with him outside Angels Share, drinking with him at Cats Tail, abandoning the business he claimed to have at the Cats Tail just to chase after kaeya when finding out about his tcg card (despite already admitting it doesn't bother him)]
TL;DR: If Diluc did disown Kaeya, he's doing a terrible job at following through.
Art by the wonderful Remy
262 notes
¡
View notes
Text
master list + More
đ đđ đŁđ§đŹ đŁđđđĄđđ§đŚđ
& how you can make income! đ¤
Is empty house means empty wallet?
There are 12 sectors (zodiac sign + house) in astrology that reflect different aspects of your life. At this point, if you have planets in 12 houses, a planet being in that house as well as the rulers means you should have more focus in that area. For example, too many planets (2) in a tenth house with Venus aspects or rulers (Taurus and Libra) signifies that your career might be related to Venus qualities such as modeling, rebranding, or makeup (products, tutorials, etc.). Hence, I know some of you might ask: So what to do if none?
Empty Planet in 1st house
Aries: self image, rebranding and investing
Empty Planet in 2nd house
Taurus: depends on your own efforts. Kinda Similiar to 1st.
Empty Planet in 3rd House
Gemini: Person's activity, and investment (education, training and self development -professional)
Example: Graphic Designer, Artworks related, Freelance writer and etc
Empty Planet in 4th house
Cancer: Anything related to fostering homes, and building connections (social network)
Example: adopting a dog (female), and let them grow after that you can sell her puppies. Or you can build a pets/ poultry suppliers.
Empty Planet in 5th house
Leo: Anything related to pleasure, wholesome stuff, makes you happy and alive, self-expression, recreation, and innovation.
Example: Build a program (school, playground, or be a Yaya for a day) and alike
Empty Planet in 6th house
Virgo: anything related to health, wellness, and daily routines
Example: Be secretary, write a blog about health and wellness, Be a Yoga instructor, or Drugs Cashier in some malls, teacher and more.
Empty Planet in 7th house
Libra: anything related to partnership, business and interest in society as a whole.
Example: Be an event planner, teacher, or social media influencer starts to sell your self in social media.
Empty Planet in 8th house
Scorpio: money houses, long term success or growth career, real state investments and financial portfolios
Example: rentals of your personal collection like shoes, etc.
Empty Planet in 9th house
Sagittarius: Travel, higher learning, personal philosophy, exploration and intellect
Example: You may consider writing a story or list of quotes on a known website and look for a small publisher until you get recognized. You can also Teach foreign ppl in diff countries to use other languages.
Empty Planet in 10th house
Capricorn: public image, career aspiration and achievement, and more on ppl oriented.
Example: vlogger, streamer, content creator, YouTuber and alike
Empty Planet in 11th house
Aquarius: humanitarian and personal networks. Anything that may show your passion and interest in specific content.
Example: musician, or be friends with famous people (they can help you a lot), then let them see your talents. I've known a lot of Aquarius placements tend to be very talented. You just have to precise and be stick with good purpose cause double karma occurs if you're not.
Empty Planet in 12th house
Pisces: Mysterious side of humanity, mind, and life
Example: be a tarot reader, practice gambling, or any creative outlets.
â There are no such things as empty planets. The empty planets are ruled by the "lord" or "zodiac signs" inside them. Although I don't really believe it's not your main focus but more in IT'S YOUR HIDDEN GOAL AND SUCCESS, I've heard a lot of women who have their second house empty, but years later become rich due to partnerships, investments in education, and such. We have this called "transitting of each sign."
â take note that this is not a dynamic and astrology is about multifaceted interpretation. The question of where and what you can do to make money can vary depending on the whole system of your chart (aside from your energy). For me, I need to see the whole birth chart before I give the exact meaning of it. Every chart is different, so I can't provide full, detailed information about it.
âYou have to look for your MC (signs), Jupiter house +signs (power), Saturn (warnings/challenges occur) and Moon placed (for reminder why you started, why you need to work something like that) if you don't like your moon, then look for your south code. Or if you dont know how to start, look for the (Pluto). Find inspiration in everything :) God bless!
Plagiarism is A crime.
#astrology observation#astro notes#astrology#astro community#astro tumblr#birth chart#empty house#zodiac signs#income#business#keywords#writers on tumblr#natal astrology#astrology observations
170 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Some thoughts about Zayne in "Adventure above clouds" event:
Like I've explained here, I've been having a bad feeling about Zayne's fate in the next main story updates, and after finishing Zayne's route in "Adventure above clouds" my feelings of uncertainty are just increasing.
So, I'm going to write down some thoughts I had while playing his route, especially about him wearing Dawnbreaker's variant outfit "Shadowfall dawn", which might be a bit interesting for some.
Disclaimer: I would like to pride myself as a Zayne connossieur but that's actually quite far away from reality. I'm a Zayne main and I devour every piece of info that there is about him, however my interpretations and opinions are my own and can be wrong. I'm someone that sometimes tends to overanalyze so, it's up to you if you agree or no with my takes! I'm also always open to be corrected â¤ď¸
Let's get strated with by saying that in this event, Zayne was undoubtedly and utterly perfect. He's honestly all what he's always been: Sweet, patient, cute, smart, funny, gentle, caring and a lot of other things, the only difference here is that he's more prone to show his affections openly and straightforward which only showcases his development as character. It's like he finally feels at ease by expressing himself, especially around MC. When I say he was perfect, I'm not talking at how lovely he was (he's always been lovely anyway) but more like, he's natural, he feels less stiff, totally happy with MC and himself, smiling most part of the time and showing his love even through words, to the point MC says this:
Since Snowy Serenity he's been more direct at expressing his intimate thoughts towards MC. For example, in previous cards he would always refer to her as "someone" and even refer to him in third person: "Someone thinks it's special treatment" [Drunken Intimacy] "He can't ignore you even if he wants to" [Tranquil Heart] "Recently, a certain someone ocupies my mind. Whether I'm walking, eating or sleeping, I keep picturing myself with her" [Heartstring healer] to mention a few.
It's in Snowy Serenity that we have a clear change in his way of expressing his feelings. He starts with "I don't want the person I like to get hurt", in here he's still using the third person but the message is really straightforward "the person I like" and as the conversation goes by and it becomes more meaningful, deep and intimate, he leaves all his chains behind and says "I need you, I have never denied that". This card is all about communication, even he admits that he's always been bad at saying what others want to hear and still, he's trying.
In Hidden Motive, this behaviour keeps going. When MC says that the lights behind him are beautiful, he looks at her and replies "Indeed, very beautiful". Because his eyes are fixating in her, she clarifies that she's talking about the lights but without hesitation Zayne replies: "I know. I was talking about you"
And I'd like you to recall Drunken Intimacy because this is like a paralel with Hidden Motive, since both cards were made for lovers' day festivities; Drunken intimacy for Valentine's Day and Hidden Motive for Qixi festival which is lovers' day in China. Not only they are like cards that go hand in hand but also showcase Zayne's and MC's character develompment and how their relationship has changed:
See the difference?
In Snowy Serenity and Hidden Motive, there's a focus on improving communication, being honest about their needs and feelings (Zayne saying "I'll survive" at MC's concern and her telling him that he'd better stop talking in Snowy Serenity and MC talking about her "last wishes" before dying and entrusting them to Zayne and he replying that he didn't come all the way here to listen to her talk about that nonsense) and finally, getting both physically and emotionally closer.
In this last event, "Adventure above clouds" it feels like the result of this devlopment is finally paying off all their effort: they're both happy working together to solve the escape room, showing open affection, talking about the future and the past ("Us in 50 years" "Our childhood memories" or how was Zayne's university years without MC and the big difference now that he has someone to watch the falling snow with). They talk about how they're each other's sun, how they keep each other warm. When Zayne says that the snow will show them the way and they both "pray" it kind of reminded me of Master of Fate. They getting at the top of the Ice Palace reminded me of Foreseer.
(It's like we've reached peak, literally lol. Ok, bad joke, that's why I love Zayne).
And once all of this has happened, once they've gone through all this develpment, they've come this far together, even bits of the story reminded me of Zayne's myths, and they've talked about the past and the future, what's next?
Zayne mentions eternity.
Zayne has mentioned eternity a couple of times, like in one of the PV's where he's wearing End of Depths outfit ("As the cosmos dances to the tune of eternity, life will reach the fathomless depths of deepspace") and in some of the texts that show up when you level up your affinity with him ("I want to turn every moment into eternity).
In here, he doesn't mention eternity directly, but it's implied when he says "Every snowflake will rememember your name. As well as our story". Eternity is just another way to refer to death for immortal people. It's like Zayne is saying "Your name and our story will endure in the snow even when we're no longer here". We often talk about the memories we leave behind in this world once we part from it, who will remember us? What are the proofs that we existed and lived in this world once we're gone? Will our story fade away? In here is like Zayne is just promising her that their love won't be forgotten.
Let's remind that one focal point in the story is immortality. We know that MC it's immortal and even in the main story, when Zayne it's explaining things about the protocore in MC's heart, he mentions that he doesn't know too much about it, however he knows that her protocore creates a shield around her when she's attacked and that she will live long enough to discover its misteries (kind of reminds of the Creatio Protocore that Foreseer gave MC but that's another talk for another day).
Whether if Dr Zayne knows about MC's immortality or he doesn't, that's something we don't know yet (altho something tells me that he knows, but I won't be explaning this here, if you're curious about it just ask), however we know two things:
1._ Zayne it's against using protocores in human hearts to reach "immortality". To him, death is still essential to life.
2._ Even knowing this, he also knew in his heart that he would do everything in his power to prevent MC's death and he seems to know that something bad is about to happen.
Master of Fate and Foreseer already proved these points. Master of Fate had to kill MC for the greater good but decided to say "fuck it" and instead chose to seal her powers. Foreseer also broke the rules for her sake and gave her the Creatio Protocore, going against Astra's will in order to cure her illness and extend her life (probably one of the things that caused her immortality?). She's always been the exception to every rule in Zayne's book. Something tells me that things with Dr Zayne won't be the exception.
And now... we have to recall something about Zayne's first PV.
youtube
Ever since the beginning, Zayne's route was presented as something with angst. It's interesting to hear these unknown voices saying "Won't you regret it" "She will not come back" "You've paid the price"
This whole PV makes it look like Zayne puts MC to sleep in order to protect her (like with MoF) so she wouldn't "come back" ( revive with the help of her aether core) and then... he loses control of his evol and freezes the whole hospital? Dies in the process? These are just speculations and can be wrong, however we simply know that something bad is happening there and, if we recall them talking in "Adventure above the clouds" and "Us in fifty years"... this PV kinda shatters the hopes for them to have a life as long as that. However, 5* memories and events are not exactly connected to the main story but I think they kind of... interconnect somehow? I'm still wondering how the devs are going to relate each ML route with the Main Story. The announced that they are going to release more "Main Story Branches" from September to December, and I don't know if by saying "Branches" they meant routes? Or simply referencing to the way they've released the main story until now, with each chapter dedicated to each LI? Either way, those are questions for another day.
Now, let's remember this:
"When you and the world wake up, I hope we do not meet again"
A quote that kind of leads us to Zayne's next lifetime: Dawnbreaker.
I've mentioned above that there are bits of Zayne's route in Adventure above clouds that reminded me of MoF and Foreseer, but now it's also time to mention the most obvious thing, the Dawnbreaker reference in this event, of course: "Shadowfall dawn":
There are two things about Zayne's look here:
1._ He's wearing the variant version of Dawnbreaker's outfit.
2._ He also has a halo above his head.
And these two things together create an interesting concept considering that Dawnbreaker Zayne, the serial killer is considered the Grim Reaper, his whole aesthetic is dark, it's even clarified in his anecdotes that his wardrobe was full of black clothes. To see him with a brown variant of his outfit wouldn't make sense at some point... So, of course, Doctor Zayne being his opposite, the one who instead of ending lifes, saves them to the point of exahustion, wears the clear variant outfit, looking like an angel.
Were have we read this before?
Of course, Doctor Zayne is in the opposite role of Dawnbreaker Zayne and even tho Doctor Zayne is always wearing black clothes outside of his lab coat, it's actually wearing his profession's clothes what completes the aesthetic with Dawnbreaker: The Guardian Angel (white) and The Grim Reaper (black).
However in Adventure above clouds, Zayne is not wearing his lab coat cause he is not in his Doctor role. He's just being Zayne, he's being himself, what he is. He's being free, like I commented at the beginning of this post. Still, the fact he's wearing Dawnbreaker's variant with a halo seems a bit supicious considering what I've already pointed out, right? It could also be that I'm simply looking too much into it, but I also believe in the power of foreshadowing, especially considering that we all know that Zayne's birthday is coming next and it kind of connects with Dawnbreaker.
In the story of Adventure above clouds, of course there is a reason as to why everyone is wearing an accessory, in Zayne's case, it's because his role is being "Winter's emissary" just as MC, so she is also wearing one, however we all know that "Winter's emissary" it's more likely to be a fitting title for Zayne than for her. Recalling what it's been previously mentioned here, he says "With Winter's Emissary by your side, every snowflake will remember your name, as well as our story".
Zayne is saying that he'll be by her side in the snow, he is promising her eternity in the snow and with the halo above his head, it is clear that he kinda looks like MC's Guardian Angel, the one who is always going against his duty to ensure her safety, the one who pursued a medical career in order to take care of her heart disease, the one who is always on the lookout for her health and tho stric, still indulges her a lot. Aren't angels emissaries as well?
But you know, in order to become an angel, you first have to die? Doctor Zayne didn't have to die in order to fullfil his role as a doctor, however this one is simply Zayne. Emissaries never stay, they always have to return to the ppl who sent them. Will Zayne return to snow?
What was Zayne's reply to MC's post again?
At the end, all of this are nothing more than supositions that of course, it'd be very happy to get wrong. I wouldn't mind ending up looking like a clown if these theories are wrong and we get to spend a lot of time and precious memories with Zayne. I genuinely just want to see him being happy after all these years of respressed emotions.
#Youtube#love and deepspace#zayne love and deepspace#zayne#lads zayne#l&ds zayne#l&ds#lnds#Dr Zayne#Dawnbreaker#Master of Fate#Foreseer
152 notes
¡
View notes