#and protector and. just person in general. following him is a choice

[abyssalpriest]

oh and in case it isnt clear, i dont necessarily blame anyone on this plane for believing the stuff i said in the first posts tags? like. eve if youre an incarnated "demon" like i am as much as eh yeah im sick of that term like. its hard to get info across from fuckin anyone, but you add to that how their/our plane works requiring so much damn energy to get up here..... Its hard. yes.

HOWEVER. the fucking "demons" coming here being like. well. this

and fucking talking about how all evils are Actually (chrxstian and ''angelic'') and we're soooooo good and innocent like. you know what youre doing. i see you. shut the fuck up

[obsessivevoidkitten]

Between A Rock And A Hard Place

Male Yandere Human-like Golem x Gender Neutral Human Reader (CW: Noncon, huge dick, golem man, magic, fatal violence towards bandits, spit used as lube, general yandere behavior) Word Count: 1.8k (Sorry this took forever, was originally going to be a drabble and then kinda got away from me, hope you all enjoy huge dick golem man.)

The small town that you lived in, Somnheim, had been victim to a swathe of horrible luck. Raided by bandits, packs of beasts killing livestock, and enemy soldiers scavenging what they could. Finally the town had enough and sent for a practitioner of the magic arts to aid them in the defense of their village.

This was you.

They didn’t have much but they offered a home and food for your services. You figured you could help them and have a quiet place to conduct your research away from the prying eyes of the council, who liked to hold newer mages under their thumb. It would also just be something nice you could do for your fellow humans, and these folks clearly needed the help.

You didn’t want to stay in this place forever though, so your solution would have to be one that would last long after you were gone.

Given your expertise in summoning and animating the logical choice was a good, old fashioned, golem. A pentagram, some select incense, clay flesh molded to a slate skeleton and imbued with an amethyst heart carrying an artificial soul, some runes carved in, and a scroll inserted that would have him follow his purpose and give him personality.

Then just add in a spell that turned the humanoid clay man into something more human so as not to frighten the villagers too badly and make him able to experience a near human existence.

The ritual was a complete success. Of course it was. You were you after all, young but talented and more importantly utterly dedicated to your craft.

Somnheim now had a mighty protector. An artificial man over 9 feet tall, with huge bulging muscles, shaggy brown hair, stoic brown eyes that gave nothing away, and glowing green runes on his arms and legs. The spell that made him human-like was more than just visual, it gave him nearly all the functions of a human male, he’d be as durable and strong as the hardest metal, never age, and of course he was certainly infertile.

Not one for creative names, you named him Slate.

Eventually bandits came by and decided they would stock up in Somnheim before going on to bigger and better loot.

They did not live to regret that decision.

Slate simply rolled a massive boulder down the hill they approached from and flattened all but a couple. Those he took care of quickly with magically precise throws of average sized stones.

Over the months any threat he couldn’t flatten with a boulder or smack with a stone he would pop open with his mighty fists.

By the end of his first year as the village’s guardian he was beloved by every single townsperson. Even the tiny children, who would climb on him and put flowers in his shaggy hair as he smiled and watched, had no fear of him.

You had enjoyed your time there, but eventually it was time for a change of scenery. You wanted to do more field research and you had saved enough money up with side projects to be able to fund a trip to the other side of the country near The Great Forest.

The villagers were grateful and sad to see you go, but they were much more interested in Slate than you.

But when you packed your bags to leave behind your wattle and daub dwelling once and for all you found yourself blocked by Slate.

He uttered one word in that deep, almost monotone, voice of his.

“No.”

“What do you mean no? I have to leave.” You tried to squeeze past him but he was not having it.

“I must protect the village… Your presence here makes the village safer… I might need repairs… or reinforcements… And you also tasked me with keeping you safe…”

You fudged the wording. You, breather of life into stone, weaver of clay, and creator of souls, messed up the wording.

He picked you up like a box of luggage and sat you on a chair in your makeshift study before going over to the heaviest bookshelf, picking it up, and placing it in front of the only door so you couldn’t escape.

“I’ll move it when I need to leave… then I will put a rock outside to keep you here…”

And that became your life. A literal prisoner in your own home.

Your magical abilities were useless in this situation, you were not a battlemage that could explode a wall, you couldn’t teleport, you bent earth.

Of course you tried to tunnel your way out by making a hole under your bed, but Slate had walked in and caught you red handed. He had confiscated and locked away all your magical supplies and texts unless you needed them to repair him you were not getting them back.

Slate was tentative enough of your physical needs, bringing you food and water and taking you outside like some sort of pet for sunlight, fresh air, and exercise. You had tried to run away but of course he had inhuman speed. And the villagers refused to help. What if Slate refused to save them if they did that?

It was a fair concern, he was made to protect the village and not villagers, he may even see them as a threat if they assisted you. You were on your own.

Though you were healthy enough physically your mental condition was deteriorating rapidly. How could you not be? Being trapped in the same building, even with trips outside, was awful. The villagers only looked at you with pity if they looked at you at all, and no one would even talk to you anymore.

It got to the point where you barely eat, refused to go outside, and spent all your time laying in bed.

Slate was failing the magical directives that governed his personality and behavior. You were clearly not safe, he was convinced that you would die if this continued, and honestly you likely would… eventually…

But the golem was not incapable of learning. He observed the other humans to find out what he could add to your life to bring you back to your usual self.

One night, when he was sitting in front of the house watching the humans passing by and holding hands, he came to the conclusion that humans had families, they lived together in their dwellings and they loved each other. They coupled together and mated.

Up until this point Slate had only been directed by simple emotion and the unyielding parchment that had imbued him with his goals. But now his task demanded something more of him, it demanded a much more complex emotion. The magic in him allowed this evolution, and now he was much more dangerous because he loved you. But it wasn’t just love he felt for the first time, it was lust.

Slate’s expression became one of someone thinking about the one who they adored infinitely, an expression of a man thinking about the person he wanted to have writhing in pleasure beneath him, even his normally green runes and brown eyes took on an amorous pink glow.

When you heard the boulder blocking the door shift and then heard the bookshelf take its place as what was blocking your way out as Slate came lumbering in with his heavy steps you didn’t even glance up.

Not until he stood in front of you and you noticed his strange pink glow replacing his green one did you stir.

You sat up in bed and when you saw the strange way his normally near emotionless eyes were staring at you, and glowing, you scooted away.

“I know what you need now! I am so sorry for not realizing sooner…” He said in a surprisingly soothing tone, a stark departure from his normally deep monotone.

“What do yo-”

Your words were forgotten as he took off his shirt and pants revealing a sweaty body and a frighteningly large cock.

“You need a partner to be happy, like the other humans, and you need to mate!”

He sounded very eager.

“No! Uh… I don’t need to… mate. I need to lea-” he put a large finger over your lips and shushed you before gripping your pants and peeling them and your underwear away from you carefully.

There was no dissuading him from his chosen course of action, he would make you happy and keep you safe no matter what!

It’s what you needed.

Slate leaned forward and spit all over your hole, thoroughly lubing it with his spit, before pressing his big cock into your hole.

It was so large that you let out a whimper of pain at first, but he was somehow knowledgeable enough about sex to know he needed to let you adjust to the size rather than just ramming himself in.

You gasped and writhed but he held you still with his massive hands running up and down your sides as he slowly pulled you down on his prick.

Slate was in complete heaven, he had never really known much pleasure of any kind, let alone the type that came with burying his cock in someone he was now completely obsessed with.

He had no idea his dick could be used for this at all, but now that he did he would certainly be doing this everyday, maybe even a couple times a day! The perfect blend of heat and softness was amazing.

As he began to thrust slowly, with a blissed out expression as he stared up at nothing with drool coming out of his mouth, you couldn’t help but moan in pleasure as his cock caressed your depths perfectly.

Hearing your breathy moans snapped him back to reality. You were finally happy again~

The treatment was working! That settled it, he would do this every single day no matter what!

Carefully gripping your sides a bit more firmly he moved your entire body back and forth on his cock. You couldn’t help it, your whole body twitched with the force of a massive orgasm. The sensation of your body spasming around his previously virgin dick caused him to slam in deep and cum hard.

He pulled you close, holding your head into his muscular chest as he panted, his dick still firmly impaling your limp body. You hadn’t been eating much and this serious fucking had taken a lot out of you.

Slate cleaned the two of you up, bathing you gently before taking advantage of your compliant state by spoon feeding you some dinner he had brought from a town person.

Mating with you made you so pleasured and too tired to resist him when he took care of you, he almost couldn’t wait until you had enough energy to do it again, his cock strained in his pants with anticipation.

[hayatheauthor]

Hello! I just found your blog and I love it!! How would I write a good protag's best friend character (or sidekick but not really) Much appreciated!!!

Thank you for the ask! Sorry it took me forever to get to it

How to Write a Protagonist’s Best Friend (Without Making Them a Sidekick!)

A great best friend character does more than just stand beside the protagonist, here are some tips to help you capture that:

What Makes a Best Friend Character Strong?

A well-written best friend character has qualities that make them stand out on their own. Here’s what sets them apart from a generic sidekick:

They Have Their Own Story – They shouldn’t exist just to serve the protagonist’s journey. Give them goals, conflicts, and motivations that intersect with the main plot but don’t revolve around the protagonist.

They Balance the Protagonist – A best friend should contrast the protagonist in meaningful ways. Maybe they challenge the protagonist’s worldview or complement their weaknesses with different strengths.

They Change Over Time – Just like the protagonist, they should grow. Their relationship with the protagonist should evolve based on the events of the story.

For example, in Percy Jackson, Grover is not just comic relief—he has his own mission (finding Pan, proving himself as a protector), and his strengths (resourcefulness, empathy) balance Percy’s impulsive nature.

What Role Should They Play in the Plot?

A best friend character shouldn’t just be there for emotional support—they should impact the story. Here are some ways to make sure they play a meaningful role:

Driving the Plot – Have them take actions that change the course of the story. Maybe they uncover crucial information, make a decision that alters the protagonist’s fate, or even become a source of conflict.

Acting as a Foil – A best friend often highlights the protagonist’s strengths and flaws through contrast. Are they more cautious while the protagonist is reckless? More idealistic, while the protagonist is cynical?

Having Moments of Leadership – The protagonist shouldn’t always be in charge. Let the best friend take the lead at times, making key choices that drive the story forward.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even well-meaning writers can accidentally flatten a best friend character. Here’s what to watch out for:

Making Them One-Dimensional – If their entire personality is “supportive and loyal,” they’ll feel like a cardboard cutout. Give them flaws, ambitions, and struggles.

Using Them as a Plot Device – They shouldn’t just show up to deliver emotional support or conveniently solve problems for the protagonist. They need to have agency.

Forgetting Their Growth Arc – Just like the protagonist, they should be affected by the events of the story and change accordingly.

A common complaint about Ron Weasley’s character in later Harry Potter books is that he sometimes feels like just a sidekick, while Hermione and Harry have more direct influence on the plot. Had Ron been given more individual agency in key moments, his presence might have felt stronger.

How to Develop Their Relationship with the Protagonist

A strong friendship isn’t always smooth sailing. Consider:

Conflict & Tension – Friends fight. Maybe they disagree on how to handle a situation. Maybe one feels overshadowed by the other.

Moments of Distance – Do they ever drift apart? Are they forced into situations where they can’t rely on each other?

Loyalty vs. Individuality – The best friend doesn’t always have to be on the protagonist’s side. Maybe they make a choice that goes against the protagonist’s wishes.

Examples of Well-Written Best Friend Characters

Here are some standout best friend characters and what makes them strong:

Samwise Gamgee (The Lord of the Rings) – Sam is fiercely loyal, but he’s also stronger than Frodo in many ways. He makes tough calls, pushes Frodo forward, and carries both emotional and physical burdens.

Inej Ghafa (Six of Crows) – Inej is Kaz’s closest ally, but she doesn’t just follow him blindly. She has her own sense of morality, her own trauma, and her own dreams beyond him.

Peeta Mellark (The Hunger Games) – Peeta isn’t just a love interest—he challenges Katniss emotionally and strategically, making choices that directly impact her fate.

Robin (Stranger Things) – Unlike the stereotypical “supportive best friend,” Robin has her own quirks, insecurities, and motivations that make her dynamic with Steve stand out.

These characters don’t just exist to assist the protagonist—they challenge them, change them, and make the story richer.

Tips to Make Your Best Friend Character Stand Out

Here are some practical ways to make sure your best friend character is strong and memorable:

✅ Give them distinct personality traits – Don’t let them blend into the background. Make sure they have mannerisms, speech patterns, and habits that set them apart. ✅ Let them struggle – Just like the protagonist, they should face obstacles that force them to grow. ✅ Make them essential to the story – If you could remove them from the plot and nothing would change, they’re not well-integrated enough. ✅Let them ride solo – Just because they're friends doesn't mean they have to be glued to the hip the entire story! Maybe they get separated during a key arc, have a bit of tension that splits them (think Ron and Harry) or have different offices/schools/hobbies. ✅ Show their relationship evolving – Friendships aren’t static. The ups and downs should feel natural and meaningful.

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Check out the rest of Quillology with Haya; a blog dedicated to writing and publishing tips for authors!

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[gingergofastboatsmojito]

Jeremy and the minorities he loves to represent and apparently was born to

This post by @freedelusionshere cracked open a pattern that was right there in front of me for a while now and I hadn't really been paying attention to:

Jeremy Allen White's career choices

I won't go over every single role he ever played but overall his taste is quite distinctive and particular, he's into the marginalized, the anti-heroes, and the minorities.

He's not afraid of having to dive deep into his dark side to play addicts, disabled, depressed, suicidal, and traumatized human beings who struggle with mental health issues and don't always win their battles or are elegant about it.

His most famous roles are Lip Gallagher and Carmy Berzatto

Both addicts, the product of a traumatic upbringing with abusive parents and absent parental figures, with older siblings who played roles in his characters' lives that they shouldn't have due to the dysfunctional family dynamic they lived in.

He also played Kerry Von Erich, who lost his battle with addiction and a part of his leg as well and whose whole family was part of the problem, no matter how much they loved him. Kerry Von Erich was a fatal victim of his toxic environment and upbringing.

More about Carmy and Kerry's parallels here:

In Cornflower (short-film) Jeremy played the big half-brother of this little girl whose mother killed herself and he was in charge of "protecting" his baby sister from the news and sending her away

He's the Boss, the chef, the champ, the protector in his own fucked up way, but not really because he plays the shadow aspects of all those characters, otherwise, he's just not interested.

Jeremy once said (for GQ magazine) that if he played the romantic lead in a rom-com it would also have to be very sad.

And now, when he steps into The Boss' shoes leather jacket he doesn't play the idol, the icon, but one of his darkest moments.

Deliver me from nowhere

The movie tells The Boss' story during a time of his life that he described himself as dark and challenging, filled with isolation and loneliness.

I read Warren Zanes' novel a few months ago when I found out that JAW had been cast as the lead and LOVED IT. He also wrote Tom Petty's bio, which I haven't read yet (but definitely will because I love Petty) and served as VP of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, back when I still gave a fuck about it.

Zanes' Deliver Me from Nowhere captures that feeling completely. No wonder JAW felt compelled to play that part.

Nebraska, Springsteen's album (1982) was his 6th studio album and followed the widely successful and critically acclaimed album: The River and it was off-beat compared to its predecessors because it contained darker and more solemn lyrics but most importantly because The Boss lived up to his nickname and fought his Record label at the time (Columbia Records) refusing to tour to promote it. As a result the album only reached number 3 in both USA and the UK.

Bruce was going through a lot and having a hard time coping with fame and struggling to balance his personal life with his career, re-defining what the concept of "success" meant for him.

The book goes over that struggle and inner turmoil, it says it got to the point where the album was recorded by a Springsteen who literally couldn't get outta bed to do it. It was recorded in his bedroom.

The author says:

"Nebraska is the recording that matters the most in Bruce Springsteen's career. But not because of the hits it contains or it's renowned or because of its generation of young people played it on repeat while they searched for themselves in bedroom mirrors. It needs a different measure. Springsteen made the record when he was the object of tremendous expectations. (...) They were waiting for Born in the USA and that's not what they got, the truth was that Springsteen was a little lost."

Again, no wonder JAW got cast for this role.

I wish nothing but the best for him and I expect nothing but the best from his performance. I'm sure that it must be terrifying for him having to sing for the first time but the way I see it only 2 outcomes can come outta that: either he rocks or he's dubbed by The Boss himself who rocks even harder, so I'm cool.

This is the beast JAW has to tame (And make it relatable, moving, and hopefully award-winning):

The album's reverb-laden vocals and mood combined with dark lyrical content have been described by music critic William Ruhlmann as "one of the most challenging albums ever released by a major star on a major record label"

Source: Wikipedia.

I'm positive he can do it and I'll be there, watching and crying as he does.

Remember to follow my tag #Gingerpovs 💋

[ragingstillness]

Recently caught up on the Black Butler anime and manga and it just reminded me of how much I love the series. Also made me realize that the last time I caught up was so long ago that I’ve never written any meta for it and I have things to say:

Obviously the selling point of the series and what fascinates me the most is the relationship between Sebastian and Ciel (note: NOT a romantic relationship! Relationship as in a connection between two people). They have one of my favorite kind of relationships which is one that doesn’t really fit in any typical relationship boxes. It’s too nebulous, too flexible for it. Are they father and son? No not really. Are they siblings? Definitely not although they do occasionally fight that way. Hero and sidekick? Nope. Cousins? No. Teacher and student? No, they switch those roles around too much. The closest I can get is Bodyguard and Client but even that doesn’t fit. The only right word is partners but partners in what is not clear.

There’s multiple motivations on Sebastian’s side. He’s clearly intrigued by Ciel and by humanity in general, albeit not enough to feel anything about killing them. He’s hungry, eager to eat Ciel’s soul. He’s invested in Ciel and his goals because of this. But he’s also protective of Ciel and Ciel’s mission. Somewhere along the line that change occurred and imo we see that change confirmed during the Campania arc.

Ciel returns this new understanding when he orders Sebastian to rest after fighting zombies all night and comments on having never seen Sebastian injured before. The barrier of untouchable immortality between them has come down a bit. They have always schemed together but in the arcs that follow they seem to be working more together than working alongside each other.

Above all else, my hc is that Sebastian is bored, or was bored, with the life of a demon who quickly devoured souls. And Ciel, Ciel is interesting. He doesn’t act like the humans Sebastian has eaten before and he’s entirely unafraid of him, confidently striding into his own doom. That’s a new experience for him. It’s worth enough, adds some undefined richness to Ciel’s soul, that makes it worth the wait.

Ciel’s motivations for beginning the relationship are incredibly transparent. He was in danger and he cried out for help. He was weak and needed a strong ally. He was afraid and needed a protector. Over time that grew into having duties as the Queen’s Watchdog and needing an impossible secret weapon to wield.

Ciel’s motivation to continue the relationship and the way he reacts to Sebastian is more complex. He likes being the king, likes feeling invincible, and Sebastian’s presence gives him that. But at several points during the series he is forced to stand on his own. He faces down Madam Red alone, he destroys the circus’ “Father” alone, he utilizes social engineering to ingratiate himself to the other students alone, and he has to keep both himself and Lizzie safe alone on the Campania.

Of course Sebastian joins him eventually in every one of these situations but slowly Ciel realizes that he can’t rely on Sebastian to save him 100% of the time and begins to develop skills of his own. Of course this comes to a head on the Campania when he sees Sebastian get seriously injured for the first time and has to come to terms with his invincibility being fallible. At that point he’s faced with a choice, to give in to fear and lash out at Sebastian for not being perfect or to accept the limitations and resign himself to being scared yet charge forward bravely. He stops seeing Sebastian as untouchable and while he certainly doesn’t forget that Sebastian isn’t human, he begins to treat him more as a person who is working with him towards the same goal. He even reciprocates the protectiveness a tad, in asking Sebastian to rest and also in his taunts to Ronald that “his butler could never be so weak as to lose to him” (paraphrasing).

The manga bears this pattern out, with the two of them sticking closer together than before when they go into the forest, seeking treatment together, not spending time alone, sticking close for the idol arc and partnering up for the current arc. Some of that closeness is fear, but it’s also an acknowledgement that they work better together than independently. There’s less of Ciel as a damsel in distress and more fighting together, tricking people together, discussing mysteries together.

And even still, the relationship is impossible to pin down. Partners in crime implies a similar skill level and a similar age (generalizing) which is certainly not the case here. Sebastian can do pretty much anything Ciel can, except for the things that only Ciel can do, such as leveraging his peerage and making connections based on human emotions, which Sebastian doesn’t have and doesn’t understand. The differences in age, in socialization, in levels of empathy, in species, in opinion, they are too tangled to come up with a single label and I love it.

I could gush about all the other reasons I love this series but it’s late and I have work in the morning so I’ll cut it here for now. Anyway, would love to hear people’s thoughts.

[thewickedspinster]

The Protector & the Prince (Aedion Ashryver x Reader)

a/n: this character and plotline has been in my head ever since i read throne of glass, so i'm lowkey thinking of making this a series? to explore the character and also her relationship with aedion? because there is a criminally low amount of aedion love out here (i'm happy to provide). lmk your thoughts in the comments!

content: aedion x fem!reader, aelin x reader platonic, rowan whitethorn ofc, spoilers for empire of storms & kingdom of ash, slight au where reader is taken by maeve instead of aelin

requested by anon

The Protector & the Prince

The dawn was chill and damp against your cheeks. Dew rose from the meadow below, kissing your hair and skin. Welcoming you home.

In the rocky hollow behind you, the Bane packed up camp. They were battle-weary, exhausted to the bone after years of fighting in the mountains. Last night at dusk, when the company had stopped, you had just been able to make out the spires of Orynth across the next hill. It had been a trial in will to halt, to take stock, to rest before making the final push across the Staghorns.

Today, you would return to the home you had been forced to abandon, to the people you called your own. To your queen. To your friends. The war had been won, they said. Word had come over the mountains in the form of a white-tailed hawk; the king himself had come to find you and call you home. He had said his queen commanded it.

Against your will and better judgement, the memories of the past decade flowed freely as you and your company hiked down into the vale, then up the other side, crossing the last line of mountains. The loss of Aelin, the fall of Orynth, the Assassin's Guild, the land of Erilea, the return of magic, and the nightmares of war. Yet by midday, Terrasen unfolded before you, green and golden as ever. Your heart strained against its cage, and the Bane's pace hastened to the city's gates.

When you had last seen this city, it had been white and glistening, a kingdom in its prime. You were but nine years old, a nameless child with no family, no wealth, who had been taken in by King Orlon, of all people, to guard his young niece and heir, Aelin Galathynius. Since, your fae lineage had been revealed, and his choice in you had become clearer; only you could have followed Aelin to the ends of the earth as you did. Only you could have kept her safe.

Now, Orynth was rebuilding. The people had begun to return, but their wariness was palpable as they turned from their work to observe the Bane walking down the main thoroughfare. Some bowed, but there was no fanfare. There was little room for celebration as the dust of war settled, and the work began.

Your mind was a muted whirlwind of thoughts. You had little idea what to expect upon seeing Aelin. You hadn't seen her since the day on the beach, when you had been taken by Maeve in her place. The war done, you no longer knew your place.

Besides all this, your heart pounded for entirely different, unwelcome reasons.

Aedion would be here.

Aedion, Aelin's cousin, the Wolf of the North, fearsome general and protector of a fallen kingdom, had always been your best friend. Your first friend in Orynth, the lifeline you held onto while training with Arobynn. Your closest confidant. The only person you needed. And gods, did you need him now, with the uncertainties rising and the past creeping in... As you approached the towering doors to the castle, you actually considered whether you could do this.

The walk up the sweeping marble steps took a millennium. Untouched, no one had been able to steal their grandeur, though the great doors were still missing. One step over the mighty threshold, two steps, and you had yet to collapse. Three steps, and you were blindsided, barreled into with such force you stumbled.

"Y/N," came Aelin's shaky breath in your ear. She clutched you close, her fingers digging into your leathers. You clung to her in turn, holding her as tightly as you could, breathing in the smell of her, free of blood and iron. "You made it."

"Hi," you laughed breathlessly. "Gods, Aelin. Hi."

And suddenly, everything was entirely right in the world. You were home. You were with your best friend. You had made it.

Reluctantly, Aelin let you go and addressed your company. The Bane, ever having been Aedion's to command, had been given to you in the wake of your return to the continent. You had earned their respect, earned your place as their general. But they were, of course, Aelin's to command. Her arm still around you, she thanked them and dismissed them.

Before you knew it, you'd been swept up to a grand chamber, Aelin with you, to wash and eat. Your head swirled with the welcome, with the shock of being back in this place you'd once called home. She spoke softly, bringing news of Rowan, Chaol, Dorian, Elide, and Manon. She skirted talk of fighting, of that day on the beach, and for that, you were grateful.

"How is Lysandra?" You asked, pulling a comb through your wet hair. The sun was setting, but you would luxuriate in this time with Aelin for as long as she'd allow. "I heard she became a sea dragon."

"She did. That, and more." Aelin laid out a tunic on the bed for you, and it all felt too much like evenings at the Guild, preparing for grand soirées (and murders). "Her and Aedion have finally made up. Thank the gods for that - the tension was borderline unbearable."

Your eyes flicked to hers in the mirror, but only just. You blamed the exhaustion for the way your heart stuttered. "I'm glad to hear it. One big happy family, right?"

She snorted. "Yeah, a right happy home we've got."

A knock came on the door, and a servant entered, summoning Aelin to her council chamber. The young queen groaned, but you saw how she straightened - how the mantle settled on her shoulders in a way that no longer looked entirely unbearable. She turned to you, saying, "You should rest, Y/N. Eat up here, and we'll talk more tomorrow."

You turned to look at her in full, smiling faintly, strained. "Tomorrow."

Your queen disappeared. In the sudden dimness of twilight, you were alone.

But, you supposed, there was a tomorrow. That alone was enough to help you breathe.

~~~

Dawn came too early. Despite your fatigue, you'd hardly slept. First, it was the dreams. Then, it was the contemplation. Would Aelin send you away? What would she have you do in service of her court? Would you even have a place? As a demi-fae of no noble birth and little standing, all you had was your training. Your violence.

You supposed that was worth something.

It was what drove you down to the training yard in the gray light before the sun, moving through the familiar dance of swordwork. Before long, sweat poured down your spine. As the sun rose over the yard, more soldiers came to train, though they hardly had a swordmaster to tutor them. Quietly, you placed your weapons back on the racks and slipped away, unnoticed.

It was down the second stone corridor you turned, then, that you first heard the soft laughter, the hushed tones.

"Isn't it too early for this?" A gasp, a giggle. "Surely there's a better place."

"No one will come down here. Besides, it's never too early for this."

You stopped dead. You knew that voice. You'd know that voice anywhere. You'd heard it in your dreams. You'd followed it in your darkest moments, guiding you home.

You turned on your heel and stalked in the opposite direction, chest aching, as the sounds of Aedion and Lysandra's tryst faded behind you.

~~~

Aelin had called a meeting for midmorning, and you were notified last moment. You were still straightening your fancy new attire - silver, threaded with dark vines - as you entered the privy chamber. It was nearly exactly as you remembered. Eerily exact, as it was. You kept thinking you'd see King Orlon leap out from behind the curtains to say it had all been a cruel jest.

Luckily, you'd had plenty of time to right yourself, as Aedion was embarrassingly late. Though you knew the likely reason why, you kept your mouth firmly shut, instead braiding your hair and reporting to Rowan Whitethorn on the state of the Bane. When that was through, and only then, did the doors open once more, and Prince Aedion swept in, not a hair out of place.

"Forgive the delay, Aelin," he said softly when his cousin gave him an arch look. "There were... urgent matters to attend to in the yard."

Rowan grunted, "Those soldiers need a proper swordmaster."

"Which is why we're all here," Aelin said, as if it were obvious. She was clearly bored with the court business, but she looked between you and Aedion as though she were expecting something... more. After an awfully long pause, she continued. "Now that we're all together again, I figured some rearranging of duties is in order. Aedion, the Bane are yours, should you want them. And Y/N, my Queensguard is yours."

Aedion looked satisfied, but you were rooted to the spot with shock. "Aelin, your Queensguard? Why not have Chaol do it, or something?"

"Because Chaol has his own wife, child, and parcel to handle."

"You're more capable," Rowan chimed. "Wouldn't have anyone else protecting my wife."

"I'd also like you to be my envoy to Rifthold, for the time being." You actually had to take a seat. The closest one was a large armchair adjacent to Orlon's massive, ancient desk. "You know the city - and the affairs of Adarlan - better than any of us. And Dorian asked for you. You're a far better diplomat than I ever was."

"You were simply never a diplomat," Aedion said flatly, but his attention was fixed on you. Had been since he entered the room.

"Thanks, I know." Aelin flipped her hair over her shoulder, perching on the edge of her uncle's desk. "Much more of a decisive type, don't you think? Anyways, Y/N, would you accept both positions?"

You truly had to think a moment. You were reeling, your breath coming shortly. You had feared that Aelin wouldn't have work for you, and now, you were to captain her Queensguard and act as envoy to Adarlan? The responsibility almost seemed too much to take on.

Without thought, you glanced over to Aedion, who was still watching you. You caught his scent as you did so, and the desire to launch yourself into his arms after so long apart, after such hardship, after thinking you'd both die, took your breath away. But he was steady as he watched you, and as he nodded once.

You returned it. Rose, squared your shoulders, and bowed to your queen. "I'd be honored to accept both charges."

Aelin and Rowan shared a glance this time, before Aelin said, "Don't answer right now, Y/N, but there was something else I wanted to ask." You quirked a brow. "If you'd join me, I'd have you as one of my bloodsworn. You've followed me through everything, given up everything for me, and there is no one I can count more loyal than you. I would have you by my side, in all things."

The blood drained from your head, but you felt uncommonly steady. You couldn't give her an answer, but you could reassure her that you weren't going anywhere.

You stepped forward and wrapped your arms around her, and she returned the embrace fiercely, burying her face in your shoulder. "My path has always been beside yours. Past and future. Not going anywhere."

Aelin lifted her head, eyes teary and brilliant. "Never again."

Flashes of the smell of iron, the taste of iron, the smothering of iron. Of a cell, of shattered realities, of a white wolf. They haunted your sleeping and waking moments. Had consumed you for so long.

The meeting was, for all intents and purposes, over. After parting, you gave barely a fleeting glance at Aedion, unable to deal with that emotional disaster at present, and strode from the room, already calling for all soldiers to report immediately to the yard.

You had work to do.

~~~

A month had passed, and your life was consumed with dust, sweat, the grunting of fighters, and the clash of steel on steel. You had selected a Queensguard from the soldiers who'd been in the city, but training them was something else entirely. They'd all seen combat in the war, of course, but that didn't mean they even knew how to swing a sword without tearing a muscle. It had been nigh on ten years since Orynth had had an organized militia of any kind. You were starting from scratch.

The men and women you'd selected were, of course, learning quickly. You wouldn't have chosen them if you didn't think them trainable. But they were reaching a plateau, and their progress was slowing. You were spending long hours training under the blistering sun, and even longer hours planning rotations and the coverage of major events in the castle. Aelin needed two guards with her at all times, and given the state of the Queensguard at present, you hardly trusted any of the new additions to protect her without you present.

Aelin's queendom was in its infancy, making it particularly fragile. Anyone could come for her - or the king - in an effort to change the political balance. It was something you couldn't chance, even if both king and queen could protect themselves admirably on their own.

All that being said, it was well into the evening, and you couldn't recall the last time you'd slept more than three hours. Or eaten a meal, actually. You sat back and threw down your quill, rubbing at your eyes. They'd grown weak and scratchy as you wrote by candlelight. The moon hardly helped, casting a silvery glow across the floor of your chambers.

A knock came at the door, and you didn't bother to sit up before calling, "Come!"

"Prince Aedion, Commander Y/L/N," the servant said. A second later, Aedion stepped in, shutting the door behind him in the servant's face.

You were still, watching him from under your brows as he approached your desk.

He stopped before you. "You look like hell."

"Thanks."

"That's a compliment."

"An absolute charmer, you are."

"I only mean to say you've been working hard. Aelin appreciates it."

"I know she does."

He suddenly looked like he was at a loss for words, something he hadn't been around you for... ever.

"Have you slept?" He finally managed.

"Do I look like it?" You gestured to your desk. "Lots to do. And I'm due in Rifthold next week."

"Are you going to take the blood oath?"

You sighed. "Don't you have something more useful to do than interrogate me?"

"I don't, actually," he snapped back, anger sparking. "Nothing more important than making sure you're alright."

"Funny, I thought you had a kingdom to defend. My mistake."

"The Bane are getting well-deserved rest. And thank to you, they're in top shape." He crossed his arms. "You led them well."

"I'd assume you'd know that, considering it was you who wanted me to lead them."

"Only because you needed something to do that would keep you safe."

Silence swallowed you whole as you stared at him. Fury turned your chest cold, your fingers numb. "Keep me safe?"

"You had no business being near the final battle for Terrasen," he snapped back. "Considering what you went through at Maeve's hands, you couldn't have been ready."

"So you sent me to babysit your troops?" You hissed, rising to your feet abruptly. "Are you serious, Aedion?"

Aedion sighed, exasperated. He held out placating hands. "This is going all wrong, Y/N. I'm not trying to upset you. I'm trying to make sure you're okay."

"What, because I was tortured? I can assure you, I'm a big girl. I can handle a few nightmares."

"Because I can hardly believe that you've healed," he nearly shouted. You leaned back. He said, quieter, "Because I know you haven't. You're throwing yourself into work to distract yourself. But it won't work forever."

He couldn't know just how right he was. It hurt, like a raw blister, the way he saw right through you. The way you wished you could bare your soul to him, let him comfort you, let him take care of you. You'd never had that, but you'd only ever wanted it from him. Your jaw was tight with hurt, and with fury.

"I gave you command of the Bane because I needed someone I could trust in the Staghorns. No one else could have earned their respect as you did." Aedion's gaze softened. "And selfishly, I wanted to keep you safe."

"I can take care of myself," you said, rather childishly.

"I know that."

"I don't need you to look after me. Not when you have other people to worry about."

The last had slipped out, unbidden, and you immediately cursed yourself for even saying it. Straight away, Aedion knew. His eyes sharpened, and you were glad to have the desk between you as his eyebrows rose.

"Lysandra," he said simply.

You stared back at him. "It's only natural."

"What? That I... frolicked with her, or that you're jealous of it?"

You scoffed. "'Frolicked?'" Seriously, Aedion? Are we twelve again?"

"We may as well be, for how well I feel I know you right now."

"You've known how I've felt about you for ages, Aedion. I know you have. You're blind, but you're not that stupid."

"Well thank you for that," he said, anger entirely abated. The snark of his remark missed its target. "Honestly, I only knew because Aelin told me."

"She told you back in Rifthold. I know. Before Arobynn was dead. Before I was free of him. Right in the midst of a shadow war." You gave a one-shouldered shrug. "But you always knew me best, Aedion. You had to have known before. But whether you did simply doesn't matter."

"How could it not?"

You straightened under his piercing stare, under the question in his eyes. "Because I have a job to do, and so do you. Aelin will always come before me, and I would never let anything, even you, come before her."

Aedion's mouth curved into a sad smile. "I know that."

Put off by the starkness of his honesty, you added, "And to be clear, I wouldn't be jealous of Lysandra. Her and I have been through enough. She's beautiful, and more than that, she's good. You deserve her."

"Lysandra has gone to Wendlyn."

"What?"

"We... I thought we'd gotten over the deception leading up to you being taken by Maeve, but we hadn't. She requested to leave, and Aelin gave her a job across the sea."

You were dumbfounded. So much so that you had to sit down. Lysandra, Aelin, and yourself had been the only ones to know of your plan to glamour yourself before arriving on the beach that day to greet Maeve's forces. As demi-fae, you had few powers, but one of the strongest was casting glamours. It was part of why you'd been so successful as an assassin at the Guild. Glamoured as Aelin, you'd been the one to be taken that day to Doranelle.

Anything for Aelin. Anything. Always.

Your voice shook as you said, "I will not be your second choice, Aedion."

"I'm not asking you to be," he murmured. "I'm asking you if you're alright."

Nearly. You nearly bent and broke, straight into him. Your mouth wobbled, but you managed to stand straight as you whispered, "I don't know who I am, now the bloodshed has stopped." When he said nothing, you drew a deep breath and continued. "Which means I'll keep fighting until I can sleep through the night."

"That's not how this works," he said evenly, and finally, he reached out, stopping himself just as his fingers grazed your sleeve. "You don't get to do this on your own, Y/N. We've always done this together - let me help you."

"You couldn't understand, Aedion."

And it was true. The things you'd gone through at Maeve's hands, at Arobynn's before her, no one could understand, least of all this prince. But as he touched you, for the first time in years, you felt your will against him falter.

You could have him, you thought. He's right there.

"Let me try," he breathed. His gold-rimmed eyes were desperate, soulful. Full of something you'd hardly dared admit to seeing before. Before Lysandra, when it was just you and him against the world. Desire. Admiration. Love? "Let me take care of you, Y/N. You've spent your whole life caring for us. Let me shoulder the burden, just for a little while."

The space stretched between you and Aedion, infinite. A breath. There was the truth, you realized. And you whispered:

"I'm scared, Aedion."

"I know, sweetheart."

He sensed it before it happened, and was around the desk in an instant, even as you fell back into your chair. Your breath came shortly, your chest crushed beneath the iron vice of memory. You'd failed to realize what it was to be rid of the constant routine of fight or flight, and now, that freedom came crashing down upon you as a wave, crushing your breath into teary gasps of air. Into sobs.

But Aedion was there, perched next to you, drawing you as close to him as he could. He pressed his mouth to your hair, your temple, your cheek, murmuring that he had you. That he was sorry. That Lysandra was only ever a distraction. That he'd loved you since you were children. That he had you. That he wouldn't let you go.

That you were safe now.

When the sobs subsided, you managed to lift your head, to look up at him through bloodshot eyes. He gazed on you fondly, his own eyes limned in silver. His hand smoothed over your hair, a gentle caress.

"You are the strongest female I have ever known," he murmured. "You may feel lost now, but we'll take this on together. Alright?"

"You have some explaining to do," you replied with half-hearted severity. "Frolicking with Lysandra isn't entirely forgiven, I'll have you know."

"Figured it wouldn't be."

"But... Together?"

"As it's always been, Y/N." He leaned in, pressing his forehead to yours. "I swear."

"I'll hold you to it."

"Wouldn't expect anything less from my most fearless warrior."

You smiled, and leaned up just enough to take him by surprise, kissing him softly. With the tenderness of ten years of longing, of ten years of sacrifice and love.

He tasted of beginnings.

[lassieposting]

Ideas I think have a lot of potential: Gur Tav/Durge. Especially with an Astarion romance.

Like. Maybe Tav grew up in the city, the child of parents who decided to give up the wandering lifestyle and settle down. Maybe they've ended up less in touch with their culture than they'd like, but they speak the language, and treasure the traditions and stories they learned from parents or grandparents. Maybe they're very attached to and proud of their culture, and mention it early, and their initial impression of Astarion is affected by his negative reaction, leading to a relationship built on bickering and making up.

Or maybe Durge spent their childhood on the road with a Gur camp, right up until Sceleritas paid them a visit for the first time and Urged them to massacre their foster family, and since they've lost their memories it's not until the party visits the Gur and witnesses the funeral rites that they realise they've seen something like this before - they remember those words.

Think of that moment, where Astarion snipes at Gandrel - "I thought all Gur were vagrant cutthroats."

Tav who immediately elbows him and tells him not to be a fucking bigot, darling. Tav who's shocked into making a joke - tell us how you really feel, why don't you? Gods. Tav who says nothing, politely sees Gandrel on his way, and then calmly reveals later on that their parent or grandparent was Gur (or foster family, if the Tav is Durge).

Tav who says, "You can't blame an entire people for what happened to you," and hears, "I think you'll find I can," hissed back in response, and challenges him: "So you blame me?"

And like. Of course he doesn't. Tav is, if not his lover yet, still his protector, his willing capri-sun, his shield against monster hunters like Gandrel. Tav didn't turn him over, didn't even let on that they knew him. He's left floundering, because he has no comeback that doesn't invalidate his entire attitude. He can no longer generalize the Gur people without also insulting someone he's starting to really like.

Tav sharing little snippets of their life as he gets to know them. Maybe they grew up in a camp like the one whose children he was forced to steal. Maybe they grew up in the city proper, largely divorced from their culture, but they have a little of the Gur language and learned some cultural traditions from a grandparent. Maybe they follow the Gur faith, and can translate the funeral rites the camp leader recites, or maybe they don't. Maybe, when he has night terrors and gets up in a state during their turn on watch, they distract him by telling him folk tales they learned from the Gur in their life, and he realises some are not all that different to the stories his "brother" Leon would tell his daughter Victoria. Bit by bit, mostly unintentionally, Astarion gets an unexpected glimpse into the world of a people he's seen as irredeemable curs for two centuries and change.

Somehow, the practices don't seem as absurd and primitive anymore. 200 years ago, Astarion the corrupt magistrate looked at the Gur culture and saw only the superstitious nonsense of a lesser people. Now, Astarion the vampire spawn is starting to see it for what it actually is: just...people, a different way of living, and a snapshot of the world through the eyes of a person he is beginning to fall in love with.

Anyway. Astarion being dragged kicking and screaming into having to reexamine his own racism because the person who saved him and loved him and chose him as he is comes from the same culture as the people who - due to his own shitty choices, though he'll never admit that - beat him to death all those years ago.

[eldragon-x-moved]

um in depth thoughts about my isat pokemon au I guess lol

Siffrin

Gimmighoul has been with Siffrin since around the coin incident. It carries around his silver coin and just kinda stuck around.

Idol Pikachu and Pawniard have been with Sif since he can remember. I thought a generic cute mon like Pikachu would match with his own generic but cute design while the idol cosplay references his love for stage plays. Pawniard being a mon associated with blades matches with his scissor type, him using a dagger, and his hobby of wood carving.

The Psychic types are all Pokemon Siffrin aquired during the loops and represent aspects of their character that are explored during the events of the game. Beeheeyem is an alien-like Pokemon that can manipulate memories and represents Sif's feelings of alienation and his memory issues. Clefable are associated with space and look up to the sky at moonlit nights yearning for their home, representing his homesickness. And Gothitelle can see the future by looking into the starsky, sometimes grieving when they see their trainer's lifespan. It represents Siffrin's fear of the future.

Pikachu is their main Pokemon. I've also thought about giving them a Klefki which would suit their role as a Rogue but they already had a full team of six and I was pretty happy with the choices.

Mirabelle

Luvdisc, Tinkaton, and Alomomola are all mons that have been with Mira since before her journey. I gave her Luvdisc since it's said that couples who see those would be blessed with eternal love and I feel like that myth is the kinda thing she would be into, given she enjoys romance fiction. Alomamola is here both because it's a healer Pokemon, and because people compare it to Luvdisc a lot. And Tikaton feels like the brand of cute but powerful/menacing that I think suits Mira.

Virizion, Aegislash, and Gallade are all Pokemon that more or less play into her Chosen One role. Virizion she got soon after she recieved Euphrasie's blessing. It felt appropriate to give her a Legendary Pokemon and I decided to go with one of the Swords of Justice since she herself is a swordfighter and the Swords are known as fierce protectors, matching her and her role. I picked Virizion specifically since its known for its speed which feels like a fitting contrast to the King's ability to freeze time plus there's some irony with it being a Grass Type while Mirabelle isn't very good at raising plants.

Aegislash still follows the swordfighter theme and is possibly the mon that embodies her Chosen One role the most, despite Virizion. In the past people who where chosen by Aegislash were to become kings, which again has some irony considering it's pointed out how strange it is that Vaugardians refer to the King as such seeing as it's not a monarchy. But I mostly thought of it from the angle of Mirabelle supposedly being chosen by divinity. I think she either got this Pokemon as a gift from Euphrasie when the house was frozen or a pre-evolved form from a Vaugardian citizen. Additionally Aegislash is a Pokemon from Kalos, which is based on France. And yknow Vaugarde takes inspiration from France too.

Gallade I think was her last Pokemon added to the team. It's kind of a generic heroic and noble Pokemon. It's pre-evolved form can also see into the future matching Mira's strive towards the future and change. I also thought it would be cute to have her match with Isabeau's Gardevoir.

I think Mirabelle's main mon would either be Tinkaton or Virizion. Though I have to say in retrospect I really regret not giving her a female Jellicent because I would happily replace either Tinkaton or Alomomola with one. Like it's a cute Pokemon that's actually really morbid and drowns people. Mirabelle is a sweet and anxious person who surpisingly loves horror books. Why didn't I think of this earlier!! Agh anyway, I also felt it was appropriate to make her the one person to have a full team of six besides Siffrin.

Odile

Hatterene, Lapras, and Mawile are all Pokemon Odile already had before coming to Vaugard. Hatterene resembles a witch, matching with Odile being a mage. It's also a Pokemon that can sense the emotions of other living things, gets overwhelmed by them, and acts aggressive in response which I feel suits with Odile coming across as cold and abrasive and not being very good at feelings. Lapras is here because it's a mon known for travelling long distances across the sea and we know Ka Bue is very far off from Vaugarde. Additionally the species used to be endangered so it might throw in a red herring about what Odile's research is about.

Hatterene and Lapras also both have this imposing regal presence which fits the surface level impression one might get from Odile. Serperior continues this pattern of being regal and imposing but I also put it here for other reasons. I wanted to reflect Odile being half-Vaugardian and longing to connect with Vaugardian culture in her team, so I chose to give her a Serperior which has an obvious french influence with its Fleur de lis patterns. Though I also chose it because it's one of my favorite Pokemon and Odile is my favorite character after Loop and Siffrin 👍

On the other end I also wanted a Pokemon with a clear Japanese ispiration since she comes from Ka Bue, which also has Japanese inspiration. So I gave her Mawile which is based on the yōkai Futakuchi-onna. I also thought it would be fitting to give her a literal two-faced Pokemon since she comes across as rather harsh and logical but genuinely cares for her party and has a soft side.

Lastly she has a Dedenne which I imagine she picked up during her journey with the party. A lot of scientists in Pokemon have Electric-Steel dual types which I wanted to give her since she's a researcher but nothing really fit. Instead she got a Steel Type with Mawile and an Electric Type with Dedenne! Which, by the way, is unlike Serperior an actual kalonian Pokemon so it adds to that theme too. Dedenne also uses its whiskers as antennas to communicate over vast distances and I'm sure she'd appreciate a Pokemon this convenient. Sidenote in the tags of my original ISAT Pokemon team post someone said they liked the contrast between Odile's overall more graceful Pokemon and then there's Dedenne which actually isn't even something I really thought about!

I believe Hatterene would be Odile's main. Other considerations for her team would've been Froslass instead of Mawile, though I decided Mawile fits better, and Delphox which is both a mage and another kalonian Pokemon.

Isabeau

Abra is a Pokemon Isa has had since he was a child. He was a nerdy kid and the third evolution stage, Alakazam, is well known for being intelligent so it fits. Though it still remains in its first stage since Isa hasn't been training it in battle for a long time, but its still important to him and part of his team.

Machamp and Gardevoir are also Pokemon who have been with him for a long time, becoming part of his team not long before he joined the Defenders. Again, Gardevoir matches with Mirabelle's Gallade. It's also a very protective and loyal Pokemon and it's pre-evolved form is rather perceptive of other's emotions. Meanwhile Machamp is a strong physical fighter.

Furfrou and Eevee are more recent additions to his team, joining Isabeau during his journey with the party. Furfrou are from Kalos and used to be royal guard dogs though nowadays they're popular for how much their fur can be styled, which suits Isa's desire to become a fashion designer imo. As for Eevee, which can evolve in many different ways and really suits the whole theme of change, I was actually considering giving him an Eeveelution but Isa is very well aware that he still wants to grow and change as a person so an unevolved Eevee matches him in that. I also just think a simple cute Pokemon like that would speak to his tastes.

I think Gardevoir would be his main mon though I can also see his Eevee becoming one.

Bonnie

Pansear and Slurpuff are both Pokemon Bonnie has had since before the King. Pansear is here both because I really wanted to give Bonnie a fire type and because I always associate it with cooking/baking because I always remember one specific baker npc from Pokemon Black and White that uses a Pansear lol. Slurpuff is obviously a food based Pokemon and again, from Kalos. It also has a strong sense of smell which would be useful to Bon.

Riolu joined the team during Bonnie's journey. It is an active and energetic baby Pokemon which suits Bonnie wanting to play their part in the party but being put on the sidelines by the adults. Something about Bonnie wanting to be strong and Riolu evolving into a strong mon.

Pansear is their main but I can see Riolu reaching that status too. I also thought it would be fitting to have Bonnie have the smallest team.

Loop

Gimmighoul is the one Pokemon they could never get rid of, and the only one remaining from their original timeline.

Mimikyu is meant to be a twisted reflection of Siffrin's Pikachu. A pitiful envious reflection that is in reality much more unpleasant than the real thing.

Celebi is here both because of timetravel and because it lives in forests and Loop always sits under the Favor Tree. Funfact! One of the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games has a plot about time being frozen where a supporting character is a Celebi.

Yamask actually manifest from the ghosts of passed away people. Their mask will show their face as it was when they were still living and sometimes they will look at it in grief.

Xurkitree is here partially because of its design, yes, but also because it can enter and tree-like state. and Favor Tree.

I think Gimmighoul would be their main. Potential Pokemon I considered Blacephalon but I couldn't really justify it beyond "they're goofy so they get a clown pokemon" and giving them a mythical and one ultra beast was enough. plus while them having a full team would be appropriate with their secret boss status, I can hardly imagine Loop really taking care of their mons much, especially not a full team.

okay that w as a lot im gonna go to bed now goodnight. passes out

[sapphire-weapon]

I'm just curious on whether his ending is more likely to match OG, Remake or both. If we're being brutally honest, his OG characterisation is a complete mess. He's likeable and fun to play and watch, I know, but in terms of story and development, especially implied things behind the scenes... they've had a LOT lf trouble writing Leon. I think OG CAN have a satisfying ending. At least not one that Capcom will bother to write. The remakes seem to want to slowly fix and piece together who Leon is and what he thinks and feels in a way that's consistent and more believable. It's why his interactions with others are completely different to the OG storyline. Depending on how he's handled (which he will be... the remakes are bringing in headache inducing piles lf cash), Remake Leon may just be able to be coherent enough to have an eventual end that really ties up his story and shows him actually learning something and facing his fears. What people need to understand is, the most important relationship at the end of Leons story is between him and the US government. Not a ship. Not any ship. It's about breaking his own chains, recognising his responsibilities and mistakes and finally taking a step for himself, by himself, without help after all of these years. The end goal is not "whos ship wins in a vague document", because it's completely irrelevant and imposes a threat of DOING THE SAME THING THAT RE6 DID AND COMPLETELY FUCKING UP THE CHARACTERS that the wider audience justifyably hates.

what i can tell you is that, if i were to write Leon's ending, i would have him retire without really retiring.

have him break away from the US government and have him create his own shadow organization that:

A. trains the next generation

B. goes after the heart of the problem with the intention of actually putting an end to this shit instead of just putting out fires like the gov't had him do

C. operates in a way that he finds ethically/morally right

this gives him autonomy to make his own choices and follow his personal, specific brand of justice that he's been ignoring since he was 21 -- and it also gives him something (and an entire team of someones) to nurture, in line with his Protector archetype.

it also has the secondary benefit of allowing him to make cameos in future installments and making the next generation of protagonists feel connected to the original story.

like, i guess they could just make a full-blown Nero/Jake and create a son that Leon never knew about for the next generation but

this feels way better LOL

[echoeternally]

Bowser Buddies (ENY)

For the ongoing Mario fanfic that I'm working on, there are some additional characters that were included as Bowser's extra loyal allies. Someone requested a little more information about their background and descriptions, so, here's that!

Background blurb: Conceptually, these characters were supposed to feel similar to Paper Mario 1 & 2 partners, but for Bowser instead of Mario. It was a fun idea that floated into my brain, and I just rolled with it. When I knew that Bowser and Mario were going to be facing adversity to having a relationship from both kingdoms, I wanted to make sure that Bowser had support past Junior and the Koopalings. It felt stronger to include characters from races that his army employed, rather than other high-ranking leaders (Petey Pirahna, King Boo, King Bob-omb, etc.), so that way it would show he still could appeal with his citizens. Also, it allowed the inclusion of rainbow color friends for the obvious reasons, lol.

Goomphen the Goomba / Spiked Goomba (Brown): He’s a Goomba with eyes that are wider than the usual Goomba, and with flatter teeth too. The teeth were meant to be similar to Goombario’s teeth, who was the first partner in the first Paper Mario. The eyes were meant to emphasize his usual demeanor tending toward the fearful side. Following the Paper Mario origin, I decided that his advanced form would be similar to the Spiked Goomba, which was an enemy type that debuted in the series. To make his appearance more unique, I gave him four spikes on top of his cap rather than one, which felt like believable compensation for his otherwise timid nature. (More spikes for more defense, repelling enemies from attacking.) His features in general tend to make him stand out more than he would like, which only furthers his unnerved personality.

Koopaella the Koopa / Koopatrol (Purple): She’s a Koopa with a purple shell and matching purple shoes! Very exciting ideas going, I know. To help her stand out more, and because I knew that I wanted her to become a Dark (Elite?) Koopatrol, I gave her the ruby eyes to match the designation. Continuing the homage to the Paper Mario partner tradition, she was the second partner, and her alternate form was that of a Paper Mario original enemy. With Goombella being the second version of a Goomba partner and since we had two Koopa boys in a row, I thought it would make sense to have a Koopa girl for this one; the “ella” suffix was also pays homage to Goombella. Since she’s typically a serious type, she tends to have a stoic expression, turning kinda prideful when Bowser praises her and souring to annoyance or anger when dealing with enemies…or nuisances like Nix. Guard characters in Paper Mario tended to carry spears as weapons, so that tends to be her default choice; I like to imagine that she carries a sword around as well, because a Koopatrol seems like a Koopa knight equivalent.

Tech Guy the Shy Guy / Fly Guy (Blue): This is a Shy Guy that wears blue robes instead of the usual red, and tends to carry around a dark blue / indigo backpack full of gadgets (and matching shoes). The idea is that he has multiple kinds of devices to employ, true to a Shy Guy’s versatility in using a variety of weapons. He later gains a light blue propeller to take on the Fly Guy form, allowing him to navigate air spaces as needed. To keep the assortment idea going, his default weapon tends to be a spear, allowing him to switch into Spear Guy weaponry and tactics. Though I don’t think I ever elaborated on the bag, it’s meant to carry anything a Shy Guy would need to help keep the class changes going. Stilts, skates, slingshots…you name it, he’ll game it. (Since he’s a smart guy, pun intended, I was considering if he should have maybe a pocket protector or something too.) He was also meant to give a bit of a break to the Paper Mario exclusives pattern, since his two main forms weren’t originally from those games.

Jasmine the Snifit / Scorchit (Yellow): A Snifit that wears a yellow, perhaps floral robe. The idea of a Koopa Troop member wearing a sunshine color but employing bullets as weaponry seemed funny to me. Even her name makes you feel like she’s not a threat, keeping the flower theme going. (Probably wears green boots too. Maybe wears a flower crown when nobody’s looking…or maybe just for fun regardless of anyone around.) To make the contrast even more jarring, her upgraded form that appears later is to allow her nozzle to fire not only bullets, but fireballs as well, with flames being a notable opposite to flower petals. The nozzle even added soot and burn marks to her mask, making it even more horrifying to think that this seemingly sweet Snifit is actually a scary force of strength. (Don’t mess.) Technically, a Snifit that shoots fire out is known as a Scorchit, but I don’t recall how often (or ever) using that term for her. Similar to her Shy Guy companion, I liked the idea more that she would be able to switch her type of powers around with various nozzle swaps or storage capacity, but…I don’t think I ever got around to that. Fun idea though! Also, it was nice to swipe something from the Yoshi franchise, since that’s where the Scorchit enemy originates.

Niall the Paratroopa / Shining Paratroopa (White): The Feather Duster himself! It seemed funny to picture a type of servant member in Bowser’s army being…an actual servant. So, that’s where this fellow came in! He wears a white shell and boots to match his wings, and carries around his nicknamesake: a feather duster! (But a twist is that he actually has multiple! One that he has is with a black rod and white wiper, one that’s red and blue, and one with green and pink. Probably would wear gloves like Mario does too, because that’d fit.) I remember originally looking to see variations on Koopa Paratroopas and finding nothing exciting outside of the Paper Mario Sticker Star enemy, which stuck out since I came up with the silly notion of, “Oh, haha, that would fit his character, having a shell so cleaned that it shines, ha…wait a minute, that’s good.” So, his upgraded form would be a Shiny Paratroopa, which I renamed into Shining Paratroopa to emphasize it a little more and to make the sparkling seem more of an intentional/offensive choice. The shell would sparkle more than usual, but could be made to glimmer in a bright, blinding light; that’s easier to magnify combining it with sunlight or starlight, which is easy for a Paratroopa to fly around and find. He tends to have a cheerful or innocent expression, although whenever his name is forgotten, he gets a bit distressed.

Nix the Rex / Winged Rex (Black): Everyone’s favorite minion of the minon squad, and I’m actually pretty happy about it. I have a soft spot for Rexes, which I thought would make a natural counterpart to Yoshis. Nintendo never made that happen, sadly, but it still seems fun in my mind! I liked making the color choice similar to a Black Yoshi, with white colors where the Rex would normally have orange or red colors: boots, belly, wings. Though he’d have the usual small nose spike of a Rex, he also has more spikes on his tail. The white wings are more avian like, since his appearance was intended to be comparable to the Winged Yoshi power-up form for Yoshi, and allowing the normally flightless Rex to actually fly. His eyes being green seemed nicer than having the squinty expression, and kinda to call-back to Yoshi too. (I preferred the expressions from the Rex debut in Super Mario World and its artwork, as opposed to whatever Mario & Luigi attempted.) Due to being flirtatious, his expression would normally include smugness, lowered eyes, lip licking, and probably a few winks thrown in.

Ruby the Boo / Shifting/Morphing Boo (Red/Pink): Pretty much the red/pink type of Boo variant found in the Mario Party games. By the time I had a color theme set, I saw this and felt like it was a simple yet fun inclusion. It also covered both red and pink colors, which I was wondering what to include next and thought it was easier to knock two out at once. (Probably should’ve used both, but, it works well enough, I suppose!) Expression-wise, just a standard Boo with a big toothy grin. The idea of the upgraded form, which involves Ruby changing his shape to others, came from the types of ghostly enemies that were labeled as Boo enemies, but also resembled different species from Bowser’s army, such as a Fishing Boo from Super Mario World resembling a Lakitu, and a Boo Guy from Yoshi’s Island looking like a Shy Guy. Having a Boo that could change its shape and transform felt like a fun and fitting ascended form that a Boo might gain, so I went with the unique name(s) of Shifting Boo / Morphing Boo. There are two names because I am extremely indecisive and liked both ideas. If he’d wear a costume/outfit, I like to think it would be similar to the outfit that Boo used in Mario Party 4, but red and pink instead of blue and yellow; he’d also make fun of Magikoopas while wearing it.

Olive the Blooper / Poison Blooper (Green): Harmonizing with Ruby is Olive, because a red Boo deserves a green Bloo…per. Since there wasn’t an aquatic selection, and I wanted one that could apparently move on (or rather over) land without choking to breathe, a Blooper seemed like a nice choice. (Several Mario spin-offs that showcased them just kinda floating around helped influence the choice.) Respectful and diligent in terms of personality; I like to think she’d be the one that works hardest to just show off her work ethic. Being so prim and proper might cause others around her to feel lesser in conjunction with the busybody tendencies. She kind of borders on a dangerous line to being the mom friend of the group, but has no desire to be a mom, so take that as you will. Defying the easy upgrade for a Blooper, which is to the Blooper Nanny that’s in charge of mini (child) Bloopers, she takes on a Poison Blooper form to gain an asset in power. This also made her feel like a portable Gooper Blooper in my mind, because Sunshine, why not?

Bombkin the Bob-omb / Tail Bob-omb (Orange): The only holiday themed character and I still have no idea why I went that route, but this is a pumpkin styled Bob-omb! His fuse is green to mimic a stem, his eyes are yellow to mimic candlelit eyes of a jack-o-lantern, his main body is obviously orange because pumpkin, and there are additional appendages (wind-up key, feet) that are also green to continue the plant features. He has diligence but also tends to end up annoyed frequently, considering everyone telling him that he looks like a pumpkin and that his name is like a pumpkin and this is just his life really. To make matters worse, he ended up getting knocked into a Super Leaf by Goomphen, and gained the tail power-up for a Tail Bob-omb. Worse still, the coloration ended up being orange and green, only matching with his pumpkin theme and continuing his misery.

Glaucus the Buzzy Beetle / Spike Top (Gray/Grey): Oldest member of the group because they tend to be slow moving enemies and I thought that tracked well enough. Dark brown/black eyes and the gray shell give a solid calming vibe that also extends to his characterization. Including a Buzzy Beetle felt right because the species has been around since the first Super Mario Bros. game, and yet there are very few moments that they ever matter (probably because Koopas), with only one notable member of the species that I’ve found. (From Paper Mario, no less, but not a partner for Mario.) Even new forms of Buzzy Beetles feel scarce and I felt like his new form to a Spike Top was the most noteworthy option to work with, since that is also a common Mario enemy type that is mostly ignored. The idea of his unique role being shared with another ally (Spiked Goomba) felt a little funny too, since he stands out even less for lacking originality.

[secrettyrant]

Full Name: Marlon 'Marlo' Slater

Age & Birthday: 44 years old, July 15th

Species: Werewolf

Time at Base: 2 weeks

Role on Base: Supply Depot / Registration / Patrol / Watch / Seeker

Core Personality Traits: Loyal, Wry, Grounded, Resilient, Resourceful, Observant, Tenacious, Reckless, Abrasive, Stubborn, Unpredictable

IDENTITY & CHARACTER

Physical Description & Distinguishing Features: Marlo is just about six feet tall with a broad, muscular build shaped by years of physical labour. His face is rugged, with a strong jawline, sun weathered skin, and pale blue eyes. His most defining feature is his glorious mane of mullet, often unkempt and pushed back from his face. He's always got a beard. Most of his clothing still comes from the vacation he never left, Hawaiian shirts, board shorts, and battered work boots.

Impact of War on Personality: The war didn't make Marlo mean, not by a long shot but it has made him restless. He's always talked a lot, and even now he fills silence with banter, jabs, and half true stories no one asked for. Trust doesn't come easy anymore, but he hides that under charm and smart arse one liners. If anything, he’s more protective now. He won't say it, but the war left holes. So he keeps talking, keeps helping, keeps laughing because if he stops, it might all catch up to him.

What Drives Them Now?: Marlo just wants to survive but more importantly, he wants to help other people survive. He doesn't really have loved ones to look for, just a few friends that are fuck knows where after everything went to shit. He's passionate about rebuilding, too and turning nothing into something.

Moral Compass & Boundaries: Marlo acts like he doesn't care, but his lines are drawn deeper than he lets on. He's not one to preach or posture, but he knows exactly what he won’t do and hurting someone helpless is top of the list. He'll steal, lie, or bend rules if it gets him or someone else out of a bad spot, but he won't cross into cruelty. He plays it off like he's just looking out for himself, but the truth is, he's a protector at heart. He'll throw himself into danger without thinking if someone smaller, weaker, or dumber needs a hand. What he won't do is follow orders blindly, or trust systems that have already failed. His moral compass doesn't point north, it points toward whoever needs him most, and he follows it with his sleeves rolled up and an aussie attitude.

How have they adapted to the new world order?: Marlo adapted fast, not because he wanted to, but because he didn't have a choice. He was stuck in California on a two week holiday when the veil tore open, and he hasn't seen home since. But years of working as a linesman in rural Australia meant he already knew how to live rough, fix what's broken, and keep his head when things go to shit. He never relied much on comfort to begin with, so when the world fell apart, he just… kept going. He's made himself useful in whatever camp or crew will have him, slipping into whatever role needs filling, patching fences, wiring generators, keeping the power on when he can.

Skills/Abilities: Marlo brings a practical skillset to the table. As a former linesman, he knows how to work with electrical systems, handle tools, climb, and make field repairs in tough terrain. He's resourceful and quick with his hands, able to jerry rig power sources or reinforce structures with whatever's lying around.

Survival Instincts/Experiences: Marlo's survival strategy is simple: keep moving, fix what breaks, and never stop paying attention. He's not a planner, not really, but he's quick to react and quicker to adapt. He doesn't charge into danger unless there's no other choice but when it comes, he handles it. He thinks with his body more than his head, leaning on reflex, muscle memory, and a knack for getting out of tight spots. He's not a soldier, not a tactician, but he knows how to stay alive and how to keep others breathing, too. If it breaks, he'll fix it. If it bites, he'll dodge it. And if it chases, he'll run until he doesn't.

DYNAMICS

Who were they with before ending up at the base?: Marlo was on holiday with some mates when the veil tore open, but RIP Tex and Jacko, they were surfing right where a rift formed and were sucked into it. Shit luck, mate. But, Marlo thinks they would've found it funny. After that he survived alone, and joined different groups where possible. His longest group was with a small, multi-cultural crew who didn't speak a word of English and he didn't speak Russian, Chinese or bloody French so it was all a bit fucked. He peeled off after a while, ending up at the base just after it had been overturned.

Who are they looking for now?: Technically, Marlo doesn't have anyone to look for but he keeps an eye out for anyone he previously knew in other crews (WCs). He helps other people look for loved ones, mainly and treats it as if they're also near and dear to him.

Significant Relationships: Being new to the base means Marlo is still finding his footing and getting to know people. More importantly, they're getting to know him. He thinks Charlie is great, obviously, and he's got plenty of time for Astra, Felix, Jakob. As for the young'uns, he calls Margo his name twin says she'd suit being an aussie, and he thinks Ines is too adorable to be in this mess. Finds it hilarious that him, Ryan and Jasper look like they could've been brothers in another life.

Involvement in Base Politics/Power Struggles: Marlo knows not to put his neck on the line, especially not so soon so he isn't vying for any leadership roles or making too many of his opinions known. That being said, he's bloody loud and he'll always stand up for what he thinks is right and what he thinks will keep people alive.

How Do They Contribute to the Community?: Marlo does anything and everything around the base and not just because he wants to prove himself. He physically can't stay still for long. Even if there's technically nothing to do, he'll find something. He'll take people's shifts if they're tired, he'll share his rations and he'll keep morale up too.

Thoughts on Other Survivors: Marlo has never been trusting by nature but he's also not a closed book. He talks to everyone, much to their dismay. He knows having a tight knit crew is the difference between life and death, so he isn't here to burn bridges unless he really has no choice.

[blightandshiningarmor]

Oh, I don't think it would go well. I've often heard the question "who does your Rook remind Varric of, your Inquisitor or your Hawke?" But, in my case, the Warden is the one my Rook has more in common with, and yet (or maybe because of that) the situation would get quite tense very quickly. Sure, the Warden and Rook would get along; they would work in sync and agree on their plans (or lack of, more likely). What about the other followers? That's where a few problems may arise. She and Davrin would hit it off almost immediately. He's a loyal protector who sees himself as a weapon wielded by his own values, just like her, and just like her he's gentle yet fierce, can appreciate formalities while still going rogue whenever it's the best course of action, and is ultimately an affectionate (found) family person. My Warden is definitely not one for self-sacrifice and duty: she'd be very gentle with Davrin and would do her best to help him navigate his life and find purpose beyond roles and responsibilities. Needless to say, they would be a couple by the end of the game if Rook didn't romance Davrin. She wouldn't be romanceable for Rook/the player, though. (And in my canon, not only do they meet, but they do end up together! Well, he joins her family, to be precise. While he's also one of Rook's two partners.) (I really like Davrin, can't you tell?)

Aside from him, though, things would be a little rough, and my Warden would butt heads with some of the others quite frequently, if they had to live together: while both my Warden and my Rook are loose cannons, Rook is much more patient and accommodating, while the Warden can't stand any kind of compromise and drama, and would be constantly rolling her eyes. Oh, Illario betrayed you? Kill him and be done with it. Shathann? Kick her off the Lighthouse's platforms. Cyrian? I'll keep him still, you take off his mask. It all boils down to the fact that she doesn't believe in family in the way most people do: blood means nothing to her, and she cannot tolerate anyone who values it. She was born to a good, loving family, but adored them because they were good and loving, not because of "blood". Mind you, Rook is the same -and they're even more hardcore about it, considering they were adopted and could never relate to all that crap- but they're also much more patient, more tolerant, capable of summoning a little bit of empathy if the situation demands it. Not to mention how unbelievably awkward things would get with Lucanis and the Crows in general. Why yes, I've killed countless of you, and I might keep going if the mood strikes. By the way, my husband will join us for dinner tonight. She would become fast friends with Emmrich and Neve, though. Putting the slavers' remains to work, so that not even their bones will ever know peace? That's the spirit. Using unsavory assets to your advantage, to take down your enemy? Yes, absolutely! They would match her energy quite well. There would be one single problem between her and Rook: my Warden would have saved Minrathous. I won't go into detail as to why my Rook chose Treviso, because that's a long story (no, my Rook is not a Crow; no, Lucanis has nothing to do with it; no, the Warden would not only choose Minrathous because of her... past disagreements with the Crows), but there may be some tension, especially if the Warden joined the Veilguard at the start of the game, before that choice is made. However, they would both cool down quickly, at least. To summarize: it wouldn't be a very good idea.

If your HOF was a follower in Veilguard, what would they be like? And how would they get along with the other followers/rook?

[fateunwritten-if]

GENRES: Fantasy, Romance

CONTENT WARNING: Blood, Violence, Swearing, Some suggestive content (never really gets explicit).

You know something isn't right.

Yet here you are walking straight into the unknown. You should have listened to them you could've avoided this. Your already married to a prince and now the same people you grew up with seem different as it its a different reality. But even if you decided to listen now it would be too late.

Your fate is unwritten don't try to write it.

DEMO

☆ Customizable MC: choose your name, nickname, appearance, gender, and pronouns.

☆ Romance: 4 males, 2 female (so far its not in stone), and 1 possible poly route.

☆ If you don't want romance, you could just make friends with everyone, or the opposite.

☆ Your not the only one here.

☆ The choices you make may have consequences later.

☆ Will you find the truth?

Queen Hera

"You are a royal now. Take responsibility."

Head of the family, your family, and the Queen of Florin. She oversees the well-being of the kingdom and its Civilians. A close Friend of Idris, the General.

She is a caring and kind person. Although he is more strict and harsh with her family including you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

General Idris (RO)

"I never said it would be easy."

The General of Florins army. Sarcastic, coy, and a natural leader. He always gives his very absolute best. He's extremely loyal to the royal family.

They value loyalty above anything and everything else and will stand beside you whenever you need them; as friends or possibly more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Astoria (RO)

"I hope you know that I will never let you get hurt."

Apart of the Royal Guard. Almost always with a smile and a happy personality. She's usually training the newer guards but whenever she has free time she loves to just talk with you.

She's a just a kind person but she can crack when certain things happen especially when it happens to someone she cares about.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prince Ivan (RO)

"People like me aren't supposed to have someone like you, I think fate was being a bit harsh on you."

Your husband and friend. He may look harsh, but really, he's easygoing and always finds time to crack jokes to make the best of your arranged marriage. He likes to train in his free time when hes not stuck in his royal duties.

He's loyal and holds honesty as a priority but he still holds secrets from you only because he doesn't scare you away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shadow (RO)

"Not listening to me won't get you anywhere"

The Whispers and the one who guides you in your mind. He is the reason you're still alive. His real name is 【ｃｅｎｓｏｒｅｄ】.

He's 【ｃｅｎｓｏｒｅｄ】 and 【ｃｅｎｓｏｒｅｄ】

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Flora (RO)

"I know how this will end."

She is the chill best friend. She's your sunshine protector of you,the sunshine. And she might become your shelter in the storm.

She mostly hangs out at the park or library just to relax and enjoy the atmosphere.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prince Emir (RO)

"I think you are going to end up getting hurt."

He's the younger prince. He has quite a slight contrast to his older brother. While even though he is not very expressive, he's a very good listener.

You can find him in the palace courtyard and library.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kael (RO)

"You don’t need to understand me. You just need to trust me."

Kael is the brooding outsider, a warrior from a distant kingdom with a secret that runs deeper than the royal politics you’ve ever known. Fiercely independent and accustomed to operating alone, she doesn’t expect you to follow her every command—but there’s something in her eyes that says she’s willing to protect you at any cost.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Callan (RO)

"You can’t blame me for making things a little interesting."

Callan is a soldier through and through, a member of the royal army with a sharp eye and a steady hand. Though he may be Flora’s playful older brother, when it comes to the battlefield, Callan is all business. He’s got a natural charm that lets him connect with people, but when he’s on duty, his focus is unmatched. His playful demeanor hides a heart of gold, and he’ll do whatever it takes to protect the ones he loves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ASK WELCOME

[atdawnweryd]

Lucia Appreciation Post

I wasn't in the fandom when S1 came out so hopefully this isn't something that everyone has already rehashed to death, but! I want to give some love, and my own interpretation to the S1 Lucia scene.

First of all, I know we can all agree that it is a thing of pure beauty artistically! But beyond that it's such a great scene because of how it shows a very critical moment in Simon and Wille's relationship:

We know that Simon is a caring person. This is one of his core characterizations that comes into play over and over again throughout the series (eg taking on the role of protector to Sara; playing peacemaker for his mother and Sara when they are not understanding each other well, and then working hard to make sure Sara keeps in touch with their mother while she's living at Hillerska; giving Wille 2nd, 3rd, 4th chances after he gets skittish and pulls away in S1, then not allowing Wille to believe he and Marcus are dating because it will make Wille sad. The list goes on!). Seeing someone he cares about hurting or needing help is something that Simon cannot turn his back on, he truly believes in giving people chances to grow.

So, as the scene starts there is a big conflict happening within Simon, and you can see it clearly in the amazing acting by Omar. When they walk into the classroom, he has already calmed down significantly from the anger he was previously feeling- now that he knows that he's not going to get expelled - but he's still upset. He's not shouting or defensive anymore like he was in the music room, he's listening, but still skeptical of Wille's intentions. He maintains a physical separation between them that shows clearly that all is not forgiven yet.

Wille has really hurt him here by allowing Simon to be put into a position where he might be expelled. Where the rich kids would get away with it while the outsider feels all the consequences. More importantly, Wille showed Simon that he didn't understand or anticipate how upsetting that would be for him during their argument in the music room.

But now Wille responds with honesty and sincerity. He doesn't try to beg, plead or excuse his actions, or worse - try and convince Simon that it wasn't a big deal, minimizing his feelings.

And you can see how much that resonates with Simon here. You can see his defensiveness melt away, leaving him feeling a little lost on how to proceed. Does he just forgive Wille right way? Is it enough? Is this relationship even worth it if this is the kind of B.S. he's going to be exposed to around Wille?

But Wille continues. He opens up and makes himself vulnerable to Simon, revealing how important Simon and their relationship are to him.

He tears up, showing just how scared he is of losing Simon. And Simon, who is a caregiver at heart, can't help but respond to that.

(Me too fr, let's have a brief moment of admiration for Edvin's acting and unreal kicked puppy eyes!)

This following moment right here is so important!! The emotional climax of the scene in my opinion.

You can see it in Simon's eyes, the exact moment when he gives in - when he realizes that his feelings for Wille and his need to comfort Wille overpower his own feelings of hurt and frustration.

But it's not an easy decision for him - he looks almost pained, like he has fought a battle with himself and lost. Like maybe he had no choice at all, this was only going to end one way....

He pulls Wille into an embrace, and it's forgiveness, emotional release, and relief that this is not the end of them. Relief mixed with a very strong feeling on both their parts that their relationship has taken on a new dimension.

Before, they had admitted to liking each other, but their relationship was limited to lighthearted (and sexy) hookups, teasing, and generally enjoying each other's company. The honeymoon phase.

But this is the first time their relationship has been affected by external influences outside their control. It's been put to the test, and although they choose to overcome it together, it leaves them shaken.

Wille gets his first taste of reality - that Simon comes from a different world and does not see things from the same perspective, nor will he put their relationship above his family or his morals (ok yeaaa it's going to take a few more lessons for this one to fully sink in, but I said first taste!). Simon is not a sure thing.

And Simon realizes that being with Wille is not all fun and games, but it's something he wants anyways.

This conflict is unpleasant and jarring for them, but ultimately leads to a better understanding of one another, and new depth in their relationship.

They end this scene with a kiss that is pure comfort. Wille, who craves touch from Simon when he needs reassurance of closeness, goes in for one quick kiss before he pulls back slightly, and they just breathe each other in, Simon lightly stroking Wille's hair and cheek. We very much get the sense that there is an intensity between them that wasn't there before.

This scene was necessary to have before their video was leaked and everything went to hell. I don't know that Simon would have been so certain about sticking it out with Wille, or that Wille would have tried defying his mother for Simon if they hadn't gotten this taste of being apart first, cementing their desire for this relationship.

Because Simon is a very good, caring person, yes. But - he's not a bleeding heart who will stick their neck out for just anyone (for example, he doesn't exactly seem bothered that Alexander's going to be thrown under the bus instead of himself). He's the kind of person who generally prefers to mind their own business unless he or a loved one is involved.

I think that this scene is the first time Simon consciously realizes that he's in a bit over his head with Wille, that the depth of his feelings for him far surpasses what he had believed. Because Wille is now one of those people whose needs Simon will put before his own. He has become a loved one.

[namorthesubmariner]

Namor & Talokan

So these are my thoughts upon watching Black Panther: Wakanda Forever twice now.

I loved Namor. I truly feel they captured the characterization so well in so many ways and it’s amazing how good of a job they did in this movie, how Tenoch owns that role, how perfect everything is. This is what it means to adapt a character, changing things but keeping the essence of the character and tbh the changes were such a great choice because in the end it served to enhance the character and bring him to new audiences and fans to enjoy and he is still NAMOR. So many people complaining about how bad it is they stripped Namor of everything obviously think that Namor begins and ends with Atlantis and know nothing of his character.

The overarching theme of Mothers, and their children, Namor & Fen, Shuri & Ramonda, play a central role amidst all the grief of the past/losing someone. Colonization is the enemy, not Namor who was just Wakanda’s antagonist. 

Talokan mirrors Wakanda but asks the question: What if Colonization had won, what happens to the survivors who escaped? Wakanda never had to deal with the Invasion of their homeland, while Talokan did.

In the comics Namor is often the “Voice of Reason” when placed within a group dynamic, such as the Illuminati, it’s Namor who points out their plans are stupid or finds the most straightforward path to his goals, he is a very honest character and doesn’t hold back his words/thoughts. So it makes sense that just as Coogler holds up Talokan to mirror Wakanda so he would hold Namor up as a mirror to Shuri and gives her the option that others in Wakanda could not, to take on the world and give into those feelings of Rage. Ramonda (and by extension Wakanda) wants Shuri to grieve properly in a healthy and begin to move on with her life, which Shuri cannot do because in part she blames herself for not being able to save T’Challa. Survivors guilt is strong within her even though she really couldn’t do anything but that’s how guilt works. Which plays off really well because Coogler wasn’t afraid to let Namor be exactly like his comic counterpart and follow through on his word/promises even if that meant he was going to do things no Morally White/Good aka Hero character would do, since Namor is a Morally Grey character he has the space to make and follow through on choices he finds benefits himself and his people.

Spoilers beneath the cut, so this is your warning.

While Namor is much older and had time to rule over his people and deal with the grief of losing his mother for hundreds of years he chose Rage & Vengeance as his crutch to get through losing her. He focuses his anger on the world. He isn’t wrong, the Spanish Colonizers are the root cause for all the evil done to him and his people and by extension the surface world. Namor is a Hero to his people and he is their Protector. Which means he will be viewed as an enemy of the surface world. Namor was superhero comics first anti-hero and Tenoch!Namor is the same.

As a general overview before I get into details, Namor’s arc is very complete. His goal was an alliance with Wakanda, he makes it clear the first time he comes to ask them for help because Namor does not ask for help, not in the comics, not unless he trusts that person or is willing to trust that person. Namor + Trust is a very important trait. Listen if you think Namor couldn’t find the scientist and kill Riri where she stood on his own than you don’t know how capable Namor is. He and his people are not primitive/lacking of skills or smarts, he doesn’t need Wakanda’s help but he recognizes it would be smarter in the long run to have an ally that would empathize with him and his people. He chooses Wakanda because its the Nation his mother told him about, and he recognizes that they and Talokan are both very similar. Namora and Attuma were literally using a hunting trick for Riri, have someone else draw her out into the open before taking them down. Why else would they have been waiting close enough to take Riri if Namor had asked the Wakandans to bring her to him? If Namor had truly trusted them to find AND bring Riri to him he would have waited instead he had a back up plan which were Attuma and Namora. Namor’s trust of the surface, even Wakanda only goes so far. 

Let me get into details. You don’t know how much it’s killing me to not have pics to go along with my text but I will have to wait till the movie is out on dvd to be able to gif/screencap everything.

I’m starting off with character design first:

Wings.

His wings are AMAZING. There was no easy Superman gliding and swooping here! His air walking was astounding, at times it felt like he had to really push himself to get up to a certain height level like a bird putting more effort into its wings getting off the ground vs catching a air current. He was so agile and FAST, turning on a whim and aware of his surroundings, honestly some parts felt like he was just swimming or dancing through the air, the way he twists his body/hips to change positions. I am so happy they included the wings because it’s so important to his character.

His wings flap rapidly like a hummingbird, and it’s always been one of my personal headcanons that’s how Namor’s wings move and it was really cool to see! There’s a sound you hear when his wings move, like a rattlesnake/buzzing, I think its because he is called K’uk’ulkan, Feather Serpent God, so that rattlesnake buzzing is a nod to the serpent aspect of that.

Edit: AresisKander on Twitter added this comment after reading this post and I am including their comment:

About the sound of the wings or when he flies, I think the reference is to the ayoyotes or chachayotes many people in Mexico still use to do/reenact traditional dancing

A photo of Ayoyotes.

/End Edit.

I did some searching online today to try and figure out what bird/feather pattern they modeled Namor’s wings off of because in the movie it’s not pure white wings and had some light patterns of grey/light brown with the white. I think its modeled after the Osprey (Pandion Haliaetus).

The parts I’ve highlight here are what stood out to me the most in the movie, the tops of his wings had the same white feathery look and his lower feathers had that pattern. The bird makes sense for Namor as the Osprey is found near rivers/bodies of water and is a fish eating bird of prey, with excellent eyesight to see underwater to hunt their fish. They are excellent divers too.

Tenoch’s ears were so cute, and while Namor has pointed ears, the rest of his people do not, so some people like Namora, use jewelry to give themselves the pointed ears like Namor, others use jewelry on the outside of their ear to mimic the pointed ear shape.

GILLS.

THE TALOKANIL (or is it Talokaneil?) HAVE GILLS. I AM SO HAPPY THEY KEPT THAT FROM THE COMICS!!! The Gills have always set Marvel’s Atlanteans apart from DC, and even Namor has gills in the comics even though artists forget to draw it but it was an important plot point in a couple of comics. Seeing their water masks covered not just their mouth/nose but also the gills on their necks was so cool. I can’t wait until high res stills come out so I can show you all how cool their costumes were! the gill masks were soooo pretty!!! There is just so much detail on their look/costumes/mayan influences that I can’t do it justice with words but it was beautiful, Namora had a few outfit changes through the movie which I loved.

Speaking of Namora, she was not at all like her comic counterpart and like I guessed before she is basically a mix of Namora and Andromeda. It makes sense why they wouldn’t use the character Andormeda since she is Attuma’s daughter in the comics so they wouldn’t have time to explain why his daughter is the same age as him etc. since comic atlanteans are long lived and look the same ageish. Andromeda operates as Namor’s right hand woman, the captain of his guards/army, a highly respected close friend and long time ally who would always fight beside Namor and offer advice.

Namora is smart, loyal, and such a badass in the movie. Mabel played her beautifully and I adored her. Anyways I loved this interpretation of Namora and I hope we get to see more of her and Attuma. Attuma’s character does not get alot of lines, we have no clue to his motivations and if he hates Namor or not like in the comics, in the comics they were enemies, but the recent King in Black: Namor tells the story of Attuma’s origin and friendship with Namor before it all went bad.

Namora, Attuma, and Namor all wear different outfits throughout the movie. The character designs were brilliant, and the costumes were gorgeous, so I really hope they win an award for that again.

It also feels like they each have an “Avatar” of sorts. Namor is the Feathered Serpent, Attuma is a Shark, and Namora is a Lion Fish, remember the Lion Fish is a deadly venomous creature so those spines Namora wears are a warning threat to her enemies.

The Plot

I will be focused on the Namor/Talokan plot mainly.

The first scene we get with Namor is literally ripped from the pages of Marvel Comics (1939) #1. In the comic, two divers go exploring a ship and Namor darts by too fast for them. Later Namor cuts the lines of one diver killing him, then goes after the second diver.

In the movie the divers are sent to check on a drill in the ocean, it had struck vibranium, which the Americans were after since they had a Vibranium detection machine. Namor swims by too fast for them to see, they are too focused on their find, however one diver’s life support signal stops, when the scientist lady on the ship asks the second diver to turn around to check on her partner and see if he was ok, she turns only to find cut life support lines. Namor comes for her next. I want to say very quickly that while Vibranium was included in the backstory/plot of the movie it also has it’s roots in the comics but only since the 90s:

Golden age - two divers on an exploratory mission - Marvel Comics (1939) #1 Silver age - expanded: two divers were sent there because the captain of the ship was Captain Leonard McKenzie on his return to the Antarctic waters after decades to search for Fen. The Sub-Mariner (1968) #44 Modern Age - The original cause of two ships coming to Antarctica is because the first one (The Endurance) was on a mission to find Vibranium, while the second one {The Oracle, Namor’s father’s ship) was on a mission to find The Endurance. Namor, the Sub-Mariner (1990) #52

So as you can see they just cut off the Leonard part since Fen’s origins have changed as well, and they kept the scene from the first comic and their motivation is Vibranium. There was a very Depths!Namor vibe to the character which I adored because Sub-Mariner: The Depths is such a good comic.

Meanwhile above there is a siren song luring the crew to their deaths in the sea. I loved the Sirens, they are a highlight of the Talokanil. The ship is now under attack by the Talokanil, and the scientist lady escapes into a helicopter. Attuma and Namora arrivals are great! The Talokanil are efficient at their tasks.

Namora watches as the helicopter goes higher into the sky but doesn’t do anything because she knows Namor will stop them. The first scene showing Namor’s full strength is amazing, it cannot be understated how Namor is a Power in the comics, he is literally called a one man navy. Namor is the guy the other characters call in when they need the Big Guns. He wrecks that helicopter and the scene ends with a visual of Namor hover over the sea in the dark, it really reminds me of this visual.

Marvel Fanfare (1982) #16

So as you see Namor has been called Devil, Sea Devil, Sea Demon in the comics which makes the Spanish Priest’s words to a young Namor really hit home because humans have always viewed him as something not human, evil, and otherworldly even though they themselves are not good people.

The next time we see Namor he is rising out of the water in Wakanda to speak with Ramonda and Shuri, he carries with him a shell, a conch shell, which in can be symbolic of a declaration of war or something else depending on the context as written here and here by Aztec Empire on twitter. The soundtrack to Namor’s arrival is freaking awesome, and Namor’s first show of pure astonishment/wonder at Wakanda is so endearing. Alot of people complained about this online saying he wouldn’t do that, but the truth is Namor does know how to smile, he loves the wonder and beauty of Nature, he isn’t a scowling angry fish man all the time. Tenoch’s micro expressions are amazing, he goes from wonder to being a Threat in the space of seconds. What I really like is how he captured Namor’s humor which is not an easy thing to do since in the comics Namor has a very dry gallows humor that makes people around him think its very serious but he’s actually telling the joke more to himself than for the benefit of others. Namor says “- I took care of it” meaning he totally killed all those people but he’s acting like it was nothing more than a small chore or something. lol. Also there is something else I wanted to point out about the beginning of this scene, Ramonda and Shuri are alerted by elephants who sensed Namor and ran, in the comics when Namor is running amok in New York for the first time he releases several wild creature from the zoo, which also had elephants. Now I don’t know if that was in reference to that scene in Marvel Mystery Comics (1939) #8 but it did remind me of it.

And as stated earlier, Namor was willing to extend his trust but still Attuma and Namora followed Shuri and Okoye in the later scenes.

MCU!Attuma is strong and a capable warrior, I greatly enjoyed him baiting Okoye on the bridge into a fight. The way he looks at Riri (whom Namora told him to kill) and decides she isn’t going anywhere so he might as well have a fight for fun with Okoye was Peak Character for him. Namora is annoyed and snaps at him to stop playing around. I love their dynamic with Attuma playing the Strong Muscle character and Namora though tiny was clearly in charge. Both of them have consistent characterizations, both are very loyal to Talokan and they get stuff done. Attuma is 100% ready to kill Riri and so is Namora. They are looking out for the future of their people. BUT when Shuri asks them to take them to Talokan alive they confer with each other, they treat Shuri like the royalty she is and they take her wish seriously since they also know Namor wants an alliance with Wakanda. If Namor had ordered them to kill the scientist at all costs, I don’t doubt they would have been done there on the bridge.

When Shuri and Riri are in Talokan, Shuri is treated as according to her social status, a Princess, with all the respect given to her from one Nation to another which really stood out to me. They give her traditional clothing, and they aren’t unknind, they care for Riri and give her food while Shuri goes to speak with Namor. I’m just pointing out that Coogler isn’t depicting the Talokanil as some hostile people who are unreasonable in wanting to kill Riri, they are only hostile when the safety of their people is in question.

The biggest change I would say character wise in regards of the transition from the Atlanteans to the Talokanil is that the Atlanteans actively hated and looked down on Namor for being half human/atlantean, its a major source of isolation for Namor. Namor’s character is rooted in his biracialness, is rooted in being a man of two worlds without fitting into either world and struggling with his two people. Changes seem to have taken away that biracial aspect in the form of two different races of human/atlantean since it seems Namor is a full Mayan/Talokan now however it doesn’t mean it’s lost, Namor is never a part of the Talokanil proper, he is respect and revered yes but also set apart in isolation because of his slowed aging meaning he would outlive all of his people, and that he is seen as their deity. When Shuri meets Namor he is open and honest with her. He RESPECTS her in a way the Elders of her people didn’t, because they saw her as a child. He respects her because she is a Princess and because Namor respects women. I know there is alot of bad Fanon out there regarding Namor’s treatment of women in the comics but as a person who has read all of his comics, so much of it comes down to out of context weird fanon and also some moments of really bad writing however Comic!Namor was raised by his single mother Fen and has great respect for women, so of course Namor would respect Shuri and treat her in accordance with her social stature.

I’ve already begun to see NamorShuri shipping discourse so let be preface this by saying I literally do not care. I don’t care what people ship. However this meta is my, a comic fan’s, thoughts on Namor’s character and the rest of the movie, and I would appreciate it if people don’t use my words out of context nor they drag me into any shipping wars. Once one of my other metas was used out of context to promote racism and I don’t appreciate that. Also I personally believe that shipping is not the end of all things. I believe shipping is a fun addition to the source BUT it’s NOT the end all reason behind character’s actions. So people saying Namor was totally hitting on Shuri, or flirting with her, or whatever, that’s fun fanon for you but I personally do not see it that way.

Namor is charismatic in the comics and Tenoch!Namor captures Namor’s charisma, anger, sorrow, and light heartedness but most of all he captures Namor’s loneliness. When Namor opens up to Shuri and tells her the story of his people, of his mother, he is trying to find a connection, some empathy, a friend.

Princess Fen and her people.

They don’t say Fen is royalty or some high ranking woman in their Nation, however they don’t not say that either. Until we get more information about her then I will only speak on what I saw. Fen and her people are suffering from smallpox brought over by the Spanish Invaders, her people are dying, and she is pregnant. We see Fen place a stone, a funeral rite, into the mouth of a dead man who was placed in a dug grave, he had already passed. The unnamed man died of smallpox, and I personally believe this could have been Namor’s father but also it simply could have been a person who was her family/friend/she had some connection to since we aren’t exactly sure who he was. In the comics Fen is the most beautiful Atlantean ever, and I love the actress they chose for Fen, Maria’s beauty takes my breath away to be honest. In the comics Fen meets Namor’s father after she was sent to spy on the Americans and she falls in love with him. She is strong, smart, and fierce princess of her people. I have very strong feelings about Fen as she is one of my favorite characters.

The Shaman creates the potion/serum they drink to turn into water breathers/Talokanil, however Fen hesitates because her concern is her child. The Shaman promises her that this will save her child and her and then swears that her son will be their new king since he will be the first born of their new people. This new backstory for Namor fits the tone of the movie. I loved both Fen and the Shaman, their actors were so good.

Fen being a central character in Namor’s life is so important and I’m really glad that the movie didn’t skip over that. Fen is a guiding force, the reason why Namor is the way he is in the comics, her love and protection, even her naming him “Namor” which in the comics/atlantean it means “Avenging Son” all shaped Namor into the character he is. Fen and Namor are so important to me.

Namor speaks about how he grew up slowly and his mother aged normally, and how for her death she wanted to be buried in her homeland on the surface. Namor carries out his mother’s wishes. Fen in the comics is also buried in her homeland in the antarctic waters of her youth.

Now. This scene. The Child without Love. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I have not been able to stop thinking about this since.

Namor is the AVENGING SON, he gets his identity from his mother. When I learned she wouldn’t be naming him that I was honestly very upset because its so central to who Namor is, but then I saw the adapted scene and I feel it works in this context. In the comics his name is a warning to the surface world/white people who hurt his people in the original comics. In the movie the name was bestowed upon him by a Spanish Priest who calls him a devil after Namor saw their evil and punished them for it. Namor wears his name as a promise to his people and a threat to his enemies,“My enemies call me Namor”.

Honestly the burial of Fen was so sad, Namor even places a stone in her mouth as well. She missed her home and wanted to be returned there. This really speaks to me about immigration and displacement, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard my own family members, the older ones, who don’t live in the homeland anymore talk about how they must be buried there. I think its something that only people who leave their homeland (not out of choice but a need for a place that will be better for lives because their home isn’t safe or they have better opportunities in foreign land) can really understand that no matter how far away they are, the need to return there, be buried there for the rest of time is a such a human need. The themes of immigration/displacement/colonization is prevalent throughout their story.

In the comics Namor’s first motivation is to wage war against the surface (white) people who hurt his people and he does cause a ruckus but then he faces the true Evil of Humanity when he finds out about the Nazis, he fights alongside the humans to stop them in WWll because he knew that they would come after his people next. 

In the movie, the Evil of Humanity is the Spanish Colonizers. There is no romanticized version of this, there is no Spanish colonizer myth of them being benevolent people bringing advancement to the Natives. They are shown in their full evil glory as colonizers who hurt, killed, and destroyed Nations of Native people. This is the first time Namor sees humans, and its the worst they have to show.

When Nakia is searching for Namor/a way to find Shuri and Riri, she speaks to an old woman who tells her where Namor was sighted, and how he returns, and those who go after him with ill in their hearts do not return. So it means Namor is standing on a beach, returning over the years, because there is only one thing that would bring him to the surface world, his mother’s grave. Namor was visiting Fen’s grave in her ancestral lands.

The Sub-Mariner (1968) #17

Namor’s core character is that he is a hero to his people, and their protector, which the movie displayed so accurately. After the story of his people’s origins, Namor takes Shuri on a tour of his capital city. Another time one of his jokes comes into play, he is telling her all the ways her body would die under the deep water, and then goes “We have suits!” he neglects to mention its the SAME suits that he had taken from the scientists he had killed in the beginning of the movie! lmao. I love him. I really love this character even more now even though I’ve been such a huge fan of Namor for years.

Talokan’s Capital City is so pretty. I can’t wait to zoom in on all the details.

I honestly wish I could get my hands on that 400 page Talokan design book of it’s history/lore. I wish I had better pictures of the stone ring in which Namor does the Rising Sun hand gesture to activate the water currents that take them from the cave to the capital city. It’s clear the Talokans have advanced science/machines which they use all the time, and how they harrassed the power of undersea vibrainum like the Wakandans. Namor even says “I brought my people the sun”. I know there is like 30 minutes of cut footage so I will be waiting for that to come out in an extra dvd feature soon I hope.

¡Líik’ik Talokan!

The term means “Rise Talokan” or “Talokan Rises” the Mesoamerican symbol is the hand symbol connected to the sun (source & source) Namor and the Talokanil use it in greeting to each other.

The Mesoamerican worldbuilding of Talokan is more than I ever hoped for. One of my main ongoing complaints of Namor’s world in the comics is that Marvel is more interesting in destroying it than building it up so it’s just really great to see that Coogler and team had Mesoamerican experts and a language teacher (who played the Shaman) to make sure everything is the best it can be. I know this is a fantasy take of Mesoamerica but I feel they really respected the source material, and Namor’s transformation from Prince/King of Atlantis to  K���uk’ulkan is a wonderful way to bring about the comic fantasy coding of native (atlantean) people to actual native mesoamerican people representation.

After their tour Namor gives Shuri his mother’s bracelet. The bracelet is made with fibers of the blue vibranium plant that the Shaman gave to Fen and her people. I know people are saying “it’s romantic, he gave her his mom’s bracelet” but like, if y’all could just take off those shipping glasses for one second to understand not everything has a romantic intention behind it. Imo Namor gives it to her as a gift, a sign of trust, everything he’s done so far has been to extend his hand in trust to what he hopes will be allies to his people. That has been his motivation, that’s what compels him to go to Wakanda, he is seeking an ally, and why not the Princess who has a chip on her shoulder, who wants to burn the world as he does?

While Namor is gone, answering Queen Ramonda’s summons/falling for her distraction tactic, Shuri and Riri escape with Nakia and in the process one of Namor’s people, a young woman, is killed. Namor and Ramonda’s confrontation is tense, and again he carries the shell, remember it’s significance of a object that represents war or other intentions.

Until now Namor had been trying to reach Shuri and get her to see things from his POV about why the scientist should die, but he makes it clear to Ramonda that he will kill Shuri along with Riri if it ensures his people will be safe. That is a character who all throughout the movie has made his goals very clear and then the rest of his character follows through on his threats/promises.

When Namor comes back to Talokan he finds that the entire ruse had been a betrayal, a trick, to get him to leave and in the process it costs him the life of one of his people. If there was one thing in the comics that was always sure to set Namor off was one of his people dying, and it’s no different in the movie. He gathers his people to make a speech about how his hopes was for naught.

The attack on Wakanda was Namor’s retaliation for the murder of one of his people.

In the comics the first time Namor attacks Wakanda, he was possessed by the Phoenix Force and not in control of his mind/actions. However there is a Namor and Shuri plot where Shuri sends her warriors to slaughter Atlanteans because of the Phoenix Namor attack, and then he sends the Black Order to Wakanda. Shuri in the comics does have innocent Atlanteans killed and Namor retaliates. Again they adapted stuff for the movie, and it plays out differently but I just thought to share that to showcase how different things were done. You can read Namor and Shuri’s interactions (they don’t have alot in the comics) in my Black Panther (T’Challa) & The Sub-Mariner thread here.

Edit:

I forgot to add another scene that was Comic to Movie:

Black Panther (2009) #1 - there is a scene in the movie that is exactly like this, where they fly above and comment on how fast Namor is in the water.

/End Edit

The action scenes, every time Namor is flying around fighting and breaking stuff. Once again they show that Namor is A THREAT, and he will follow through on it. And again, the Sirens are so pretty, I love them. One thing I really found interesting is how we see Namor’s moral code even in battle, even after Ramonda, he knows he could crush them but instead he gives them time to grieve. Some people might go “why did he give them a week, etc.” but like, it makes sense for his character, he isn’t a murderer because he likes killing, everything he does is in accordance to his moral code and no one elses, honor is a huge thing with Namor in the comics too. Not to mention Namor’s over all goal throughout the movie, he wants Wakanda on his side, he will do what he can to get that. He points at Shuri and says “You are queen now.” He puts the heavy burden of caring for an entire nation on her shoulders, now she will finally be forced to either step up or let it crush her. Namor is pressure that presses Shuri’s character into change, either she will crack or become a diamond.

Good characters are not stationary, good characters grow and change.

The final three scenes I want to talk about:

The big Wakanda vs Atlantis fight takes place on the Sea Leopard, now this could just be a fun name they gave the ship but it could also be a deep dive reference into a Namor comic character, a villain called Sea Leopard. 

Okoye vs Attuma fight again and I loved it. Namora was such a badass!!!! I didn’t mention the water bombs the Talokanil use but its so freaking cool, they use it all throughout the movie and they also use Whales to launch their people out of the water with their tails, or the people ride them. I just love all the worldbuilding of Talokan. I know I haven’t talked about other parts of the movie so far, but my favorite characters are M’Baku, Okoye, and Nakia. I enjoyed every moment M’Baku was on screen!!!

Namor vs Shuri, the big fight, Shuri has finally taken the mantle of the Black Panther, and this action scene was so freaking good. Shuri’s plan to use Namor’s weaknesses against him gains her the upper hand and to be honest all those whiney fanbois crying “but SHE is a girl and SHE can’t fight and beat Namor!!!!” need to shut up because they are WRONG. They aren’t jobbing Namor, they aren’t writing him out of character, these weaknesses are the same weaknesses Namor has in the comics!

Namor’s main weaknesses are: Pollution/Poisons, Being dried out/overheated, his wings being hurt, and some forms of mind control/amnesia.

The fight was more than fair imo and Namor isn’t flawless, he has weakness that were used against him. Honestly I would have been mad if he somehow was unaffected. ALSO I LITERALLY FREAKED OUT WHEN I SAW “IMPERIUS REX” ON SCREEN. lol, my arms were flailing for real.

Shuri weapon is against Namor’s throat and she has the power to avenge her mother, to kill Namor, to take that step further into violence and vengance, to burn the world and move further away from healing and dealing with her greif.

“When my mother died, the last person who truely knew me died with her” Shuri’s loss drove her to become the Black Panther.

Namor’s mother dies, and the last person who truely loved/knew him for him, for being him, not a protector, not a leader, that love dies too.

Ramonda’s words “Show Him Who You Are!” is echoed to Shuri, it’s the same words Ramonda yells at T’Challa in Black Panther, when he fights M’Baku at Warrior’s fall. This is Shuri’s defining moment, her path forks and she has to choose mercy and moving on, dealing with her grief or accepting vengence to forever take a place in her heart. Shuri demands Namor yields, and  Namor yields, he got what he wanted, Wakanda’s alliance.

When Namora confronts Namor about him yielding, he even says as much, that what he hoped to achieve he got, and now Wakanda would turn to them when it was time (for them to face the surface world/colonizers)

The action scenes in the movie are amazing, I could watch it a hundred times, the final confrontation between them ends in peace between their peoples.

As I’ve said, this post was mainly focused on Namor & the Talokanil, and I didn’t go into depth with the other plots/characters because I’ve been a Namor fan for years so all my interest is hyperfocused on him and his people.

My complaint: Everett Ross’s entire plot was not needed in this movie, it literally could have been a phone call with the first scene and we could have gotten more scenes with Namor & the Talokanil.

Personally my one biggest gripe is that in the end Wakanda & Talokan should have gone after the main people who were a threat to their nations which was the american government, it was a earlier plot point with Queen Ramonda at the United Nations that was just dropped as the focus shifted over to Namor. I do wish they had keep that plot thread going and both Wakanda and Talokan had teamed up to fight the Government/Surface World etc. but this is a MCU Marvel/Disney movie and Disney/Marvel is never going to do anything so controversial as calling out the American or other governments in present day for their colonizing ways, which is why I feel keeping Colonization as something that happened in the distant past isn’t true. I know the realities of the studios politics and the message the movie was sending and tbh it really followed through on alot of things and my complaints are minor and doesn’t take away the sheer enjoyment and happiness I felt watching Namor and the Talokanil on screen. Also I’m so glad we got to see Namor’s artistic side, which he has in the comics as well.

Once again I am so glad that Namor is shown as a Man of Color and his people are Native Mesoamerican. I’ve always personally felt the coding in his comics meant that we would lose the impact of his story if they stripped him of his biracial poc coding and cast a generic white man. It was always my biggest worry when it came to thoughts of Live Action Namor.

I love how multifaceted Tenoch’s acting was with Namor. Tenoch Huerta is MY Namor, he is the perfect choice for Namor and I’ve stood by his casting since it was first announced.

Created in 1939 by Bill Everett, Namor is imo one of the best characters ever created in comics, and the mcu version is one that is equally as wonderful and complex. I love both versions very much.

[pawmesan]

You know, this one particular phrase from Gou in episode 133 bothered me when I first watched the ep and it still bothers me a lot, even though I think I know why it's there now:

Hi hello I'm back with a textwall about Gou lmao. So yeah, what bothered me about this line in particular was that it came pretty much out of nowhere. Even worse, his character arc throughout the whole show had been him learning to let others in and letting them help him instead of going on ego trips all the time. So for 100+ episodes we have this slow and imo great build up to Gou learning exactly that. To communicate with his Pokémon and people, to work together with them instead of denying help because he had always been on his own when younger. Then suddenly this sentence is meant to be a new and important realisation of his and leads to a sudden 180 arc in the last few episodes of him lamenting being too reliant on Satoshi and others in general. And that's why he has to travel on his own now. You know, if there had been clear build up to that, I wouldn't have minded that conclusion at all. People first being reluctant to trust anyone and then clinging too much to someone to a point where they're scared of doing anything if they're not around is a very real thing and a nice idea for a character arc. But the issue here is that the "too dependent" sentiment suddenly happened in the last four episode of the series, with no signs whatsoever beforehand that he was over relying on his Pokémon or Satoshi. Quite the opposite, he's always been perfectly fine with doing things on his own. It's noticeable that he was still worried about having to work with others without Satoshi around, but the entire Project Mew arc took care of that. As for the Pokémon, he's often taken the role of the person the Pokémon rely on too, an obvious example being Grookey. The very episode he says this and its follow up even focus on Grookey taking the role of the protector instead of the protected for once. Also whenever Gou does rely on his Pokémon, it's in situations where he obviously would have to, unless he thinks he's a prick for having his physically stronger Cinderace battle a Pokémon instead of him himself throwing fists with idk, Mewtwo lol.

So even though him saying he's spooked of travelling alone and being too scared to tell Satoshi directly while Satoshi comforts him is a cute scene in the end, it is also a decision on Gou's end that didn't have any build up. Him saying in the episode prior that he chose this because he'd rely on Satoshi too much didn't have any build up.

Anipoke is no stranger to throwing in jarring decisions at the end to justify the existence of the next series, Game Shark user Tobias from DPP being probably the most obvious and famous example of that. But, correct me if I'm mistaken, it's never harmed an individual character's writing that much. Heck, it's never harmed a relationship between two characters as much. Satoshi and Gou had been built up as these best friends 5ever who slowly become closer and closer throughout the series. Gou says in the second to last episode that he thinks Satoshi would totally just tell him to go for it, to do the solo journey if he feels like it. It's exactly what he said too, so Gou certainly understands his buddy by now. However, this scene would have been the perfect opportunity to have Satoshi be called out on his niceness there, because sure he's a nice and supportive dude. But we know that he enjoys hanging out with Gou. We know that he misses him when he's not around. Heck, we see in the last episode, when they seperate, that he's not exactly happy to part ways with his friend. He completely puts Gou's sudden desire to travel by himself over his own desire to keep being around his friend. As if there's some outside force that forces them to separate against their will. As if they didn't have a choice but to go separate ways because what they wanted to do was impossible with the other around. But in the epilogue (and MPM) they literally do the same things they did together the 100+ episodes prior, so there clearly was no narrative reason for this.

So with all that said. Sorry for the longass text lol, I was thinking about just throwing this into my Satogou essay, but I don't think it really fits there so here we go. SO WITH ALL THAT SAID I think MPM's existence, the way the series goes, the knowledge of what the last episode seems to be about, the knowledge of the change of executive producer between JN and MPM and Yuyama's Animedia interview about MPM, I think the reason for the sudden change in character makes sense. Hear out my super kewl theory

The Yuyama interview makes it sound quite clear that MPM wasn't exactly planned ahead, unlike decisions like Satoshi winning the PWC and making way for a new series this year. It feels oddly disconnected from the series, because even though Satoshi uses old Pokémon and briefly travels with Misty and Brock again, the places they visit are deliberately nameless. And the episodes themselves, while conceptually just like any other "helping Pokémon of the day" episode prior, have little connection to stuff that happened in the actual show outside of small references like Rattata or Beedrill. While we still have to see the conclusion to the Latias plot, it feels more like a spontaneous idea to connect these 10 episodes until the last one than anything.

Oh also a relevant tidbit of information is that Yuyama equated the title of Pokémon Master to a rainbow, e.g. something you're fascinated by and try to reach without ever being actually able to. Might explain JN's heavy usage of rainbows, at least to some extend.

In conclusion, I think what has happened is that JN was written with it being Satoshi's last series in mind. And Gou has been written as the ideal counterpart to him, basically. He's essentially the Lugia to Satoshi's Ho-oh if you wanna, hence both of these mons appearing in the last JN ep. So from his conception, Gou was never meant to go separate ways with Satoshi. But then they realised they have three whole months to fill until the new series is able to premiere. And the idea of MPM was basically born, Misty and Brock as a no brainer nostalgia bait (as per Yuyama's words, the decision to have them be the companions for MPM was so certain he doesn't even remember how they got to the conclusion), episodes that fill the void until the new show etc. Of course to recreate the og trio, they'd have to get rid of anyone but Satoshi from the previous show. How do you get rid of a character that has been established as basically having no reason to leave the other main character and who's relationship with said character had been highlighted so much in both the show and promotional material? You just make up a reason lmao.

And yeah, I mean, as I said, Anipoke is no stranger to sudden decisions like that. Shudo, the chief director from OS to Johto said how he wanted to give the show a proper ending and wasn't able to because the show had to go on. The DPP series was clearly written to build up to Satoshi winning the league (and him potentially getting replaced entirely, since Gen 5 was initially meant to be a fresh new start to the franchise). XY also very clearly was building him up to win the league. Each time it was stuff that happened in the last few episodes that certainly didn't look like they were anywhere near planned ahead. And I am almost 100% certain the same happened in JN with Gou and the sudden change of heart in these last few episodes.

Had to write all this because not only did the decision itself bother me of course (don't get me wrong, I am genuinely looking forward to the new series and MPM had its neat moments so far, but the way JN, Satoshi's series and Gou ended was a wholeass mess imo) but other I've kinda been frustrated about how many people went "hahah told yall so Gou would leave XD GOne" (that pun IS funny tho). Like, no you guys, a broken clock is also right twice a day yada yada. I highly doubt yall saw MPM coming. I high doubt yall expected Satoshi's story to end. I highly doubt you could have been able to tell me what reasoning they'd come up with to have Gou and Satoshi separate. You guys' reasoning had always just been "because they always did it (except for the times they didn't)". Because the thing is, I had written them all up at some point, but all the arguments for Gou staying were based on what the series itself presented and relied 1) on Satoshi staying and 2) the producers of the show not changing their mind last moment to justify the existence of the next series. I'm gonna go ahead and assume the executive producer of JN (Tomiyasu) saw more importance in Gou and Satoshi's relationship and Gou's importance as a character, given that he's probably partially responsible for it being a thing in the first place, than the executive producer of MPM (Yuyama), who has worked on the series as it started and notably would rather stick to the traditions of the show instead of trying out new things. That's why JN's ending feels so out of nowhere and that's probably also why MPM feels so disconnected from the rest of the series, almost more like a spin-off. While Tomiyasu is much more keen on bringing new ideas and concepts into the series. You can see that, as once he started having a bigger influence on the series with Sun and Moon, there's notable changes in setting, writing of characters etc.

Now this was a really long rant fr lol oops. Uhhh... Gou best boi, I am glad the Satogou fandom is still alive and kicking, stay gold, Satogou Day is in two days and I completely forgot about it tho oops