#and the exploration of trust is tragic

[juniperpyre]

Harry & Dumbledore & Love

chapter 37 takes place immediately after harry returns from fighting death eaters and resisting voldemort's possession in the ministry. it takes place immediately after sirius black falls through the veil.

dumbledore finally decides to tell harry the truth of the prophecy and explain the reasoning behind his actions of the last fifteen years. why did he leave harry with his aunt and uncle, to ten years of abuse? he explains:

dumbledore is speaking, of course, of love. love is the ancient magic that lily invokes to save harry, that petunia and dumbledore invoke to protect him after lily's death.

this magic is powerful, perhaps the most powerful, and voldemort's fatal flaw is that he routinely underestimates the power of love. this brings his downfall.

as dumbledore explains his plan to harry, he points out his own missteps, his own flaws.

he cared for harry. he loved harry, and in doing so he acted in a way voldemort could predict and thwart. this is said just a page or two after dumbledore points out that voldemort's flaw is underestimating the power of love. and yet dumbledore's flaw is loving harry too much? is there such a thing as too much love, when lily's unending love for harry protects him fourteen years after her death? is this not dumbledore underestimating love, and using it in half measures, relegating it to the weakness that voldemort expects?

near the end of the chapter dumbledore returns to explaining the power of love:

love is the most powerful force in the world, according to dumbledore, but also his flaw. is this not a contradiction? does dumbledore fear love because it's out of his own control, beyond human intelligence, wonderful and terrible?

like voldemort, dumbledore trusts few people. he speaks to the power of love, yes, but like voldemort he underestimates it's power through being unwilling to wield it himself. dumbledore and voldemort's plans and machinations are interrupted more than once by lily and harry's ability to love. they underestimate lily and harry's powers, draws in on themselves, and trust no one, and they fail.

dumbledore cannot break himself of his fear of love and inability to trust others until his death. i wonder who besides harry may have survived if he could have

[mirrorofliterature]

Hi! You write about Star Wars in an interesting way. More often about Anakin, but may I ask what do you think of Darth Vader?

first of all, thank you! it's the 'I have been studying societies and law for long enough that it seeps into my every thought, including the institutions of star wars'

darth vader is a tragic pathetic little guy, to me

darth vader is not a monster - he is human, and he does monstrous things, but he's not simply ~evil~. people overestimate the amount of power he has in the empire (leia literally says in the OPENING SCENES OF ANH that vader is on tarkin's leash), and try to inaccurately pin all the empire's evilness onto him and him alone, like palpatine is right there.

he is a walking corpse. hurt people hurt people. he inflicts terrors on trillions of sentients; has committed more mass atrocities and crimes against humanity that can possibly be created, yet he is an inherently tragic figure trapped, abused and enslaved by palpatine

vader is evil not because he enjoys it, but because he is depressed and apathetic, truly reflective of the banality of evil (hannah arendt. he is trapped in his suit; he feels like he has no one left but palpatine, no reason to leave (which luke does change, but by the point he learns about luke... it has been so long). he is so, so alone.

darth vader is an iconic villain. his character is fascinating. he is pathetic. he is mainly bad, but a little bit good, he ironically becomes perfectly apathetic and detached like the jedi always wanted him to be the second he becomes a full-fledged sith.

he is a walking cautionary tale that ignoring trauma and not addressing systemic oppression and violence will only beget more violence; he is a symptom of the republic becoming corrupted into an empire through ignoring slavery, being apathetic and fighting pointless wars as well as the jedi's neglect and stagnation (letting children to meet with politicians without supervision is a breach of duty of care)

and do not be fooled, he is anakin skywalker: twisted, corrupted, yet still the chosen one who ends the sith, the worst timeline for anakin skywalker; he is not anakin skywalker's inevitable future, but he is not a surprising result

[lazywriter-artist]

Administratum, my beloved fucked up hellhole…

Now meet my wet cat son!

With chronic shakes from recaf consumption and ink stained broken hands, Romedus is my sweet scribe son…

Busted hands and pale grey eyes for the low light he lives in :)

Scary, maybe the paperwork can wait? For now—

A dapper young man, constant stress is his secret ;3c

Death by desk work?

[stardustdiiving]

My friend today was like you know fern I think your genshin favs are really funny because to me they’re all very tame green flags that have good vibes and then there’s zhongxiao which everyone hates. And I was like. WELL…..YES….SNUCHFJFJCNC

[transclaudia]

its manipulating the situation but dw dw its for love which is also about power because love and power and hurt(what hurt?) they all are similar or close or the same...

[ivanttakethis]

Do you think that maybe… when Mizi was attacking Luka, she was attacking Sua too?

brain vomit....When Mizi sees Sua I wonder if a part of her feels angry for what she did in round 1, in the way Sua haunts her perspective, Mizi sees her as her 'antagonist', and it's her own personal torture having to see her again even when she's gone. In the way Luka was taunting her, reminding her of her own naivety she felt that the Sua holding her face so tenderly was the same, leaving her in the dark for all that time just to let it all crash down on Mizi when the time came, her sacrifice, her betrayal was just that and Mizi is left alone knowing that she and Sua had never been on the same page.

And with that sadness, rage, and overwhelming grief culminated all in one she projects that into her outburst on Luka, for playing with her feelings, pushing her to the limit like this, and on Sua, for not being honest with her in the first place. for abandoning her.

[rbrownillustration]

I don’t know how to give a spoiler alert on this website but if I can warn you here it is. This is vague enough though it’s not too much??? Maybe????

Anyways, I saw Transformers: One yesterday and have been thinking about it nonstop ever since. It’s beautiful. Almost perfect. Sensational. 10/10 would recommend please go see it if you have any Transformers love in your bones and even if you don’t. It’s just a good story.

As for the spoilery part, don’t read ahead as I talk about this piece if you don’t want some spoilers.

What kills me about this movie is, yes, Orion and D-16’s friendship, but also Bee and Elita coming together as a team as the four of them. Bee particularly, as it would be assumed he is the youngest and the least experienced in their little group and needs them potentially the most.

I would say there’s a direct parallel you could make between Bee and D-16 throughout the movie. As both of them move from blind loyalty in the status quo to having to accept that the system they live in is set up against them and the power that they trusted is false and vile.

D-16 is a fascinating case of losing trust in anyone and anything because of that betrayal. The movie does a fantastic job of justifying (not excusing) the rise of Megatron and truly emphasizes how tragic of a character he really is, beyond just the violent rebel we’ve gotten used to.

Bee on the other hand shifts quickly to lean on the support and trust of his friends (maybe he is more inclined to as they are literally his only option), and to still hold his faith in Primus and the true Primes, ultimately following Optimus.

Anyways, this illustration I whipped up this evening is in the climax of the film when Sentinel Prime has captured much of the High Guard, as well as D-16 and Bee. D pulls the ballsy move of refusing to kneel to the false Prime. They discuss Megatronus Prime for a bit, Sentinel drawing attention to D’s Megatronus decal. Then Sentinel decides that D-16 should always have a reminder of that dead Prime, and brands a crude likeness of Megatronus on his chest with a laser gun.

Above all else I think that this is potentially the final turning point for D-16. This isn’t the point of no return (see end of film when Sentinel gets his due) but I see it as D-16 losing faith completely in both the true Primes of the past (Megatronus), and the false Prime of the present (Sentinel), leading him straight to the point later where he won’t trust his future to anyone but himself. Not even Orion. I wanted to explore this moment visually so while I was at work the composition for this piece slowly started forming in my head and I knew I wanted to bring both D-16 and Bee into the focal point.

[casper-spills]

✦| Your Summer Glow Up |✦

❀ ᴘɪʟᴇ 1 ~ ᴘɪʟᴇ 2 ~ ᴘɪʟᴇ 3 ~ ᴘɪʟᴇ 4 ~ ᴘɪʟᴇ 5 ~ ᴘɪʟᴇ 6 ❀

✦Masterlist ✦Paid Readings ✦Support me through Kofi

Hello little wisps ~

I haven't been able to post a PAC reading in sooo long so I wanted to do this simple one. Those who are still waiting on their free reading, don't worry! I'm still working through them in my drafts and polishing my writing! I'm sorry its taking so long. Life has been busy. I hope you enojy this PAC regardless and I promise I'll do my best to finsh those readings that people are still waiting on!

But before we begin this PAC, please share your opinion in the comments or the poll below! You may or may not recognise this poll from my other posts. If you don't, the reason I'm looking for opinions is because I'm thinking about adding some handmade items to my kofi shop! And who knows, maybe I add even more things in the future if people are interested in seeing more!

Thank you all for all your support as usual!

Sincerely,

Cassy the friendly ghost ♡

❀ ᴘɪʟᴇ 1 ❀

This summer, I see an enemies to lovers romance coming your way. They're a person you could honestly never see yourself falling in love with in million years, and yet, they will drive you crazy! (In a good and a bad way.) You're the kind of person who is very withdrawn, responsible, modest and logical. You typically don't let yourself feel things strongly because you think it's a waste of time and energy that you could be spending doing work. This person will come into your life like a hurricane and will make you feel things you didn't know you could feel. You'll despise them but they also fascinated you. Total opposites. They show you a different way of being. They're someone who lives freely without a care in the world. They're not responsible, they're wreckless and they're dirty minded which you hate more than anything. But still, they manage to make you blush. Soon enough, you'll find yourself wanting to dress differently to how you normally would in hopes of getting their attention. You'll become less modest, less prudish and more curious. You might dabble with makeup too! They tease you a lot about your resting face saying that you look grouchy and miserable all the time so you decide to spice things up. You try out some natural and gentle looks. I see puppy eyeliner with an eyeshadow colour that makes your natural eyes pop, and natural pink lipstick to compliment the look. You'll notice that you feel a lot more sensitive to things and become more emotional. At first it will drive you crazy and you'll hate that this person will have this affect on you. This enemies to lovers connection is going to be intense, messy and unexpected and it will be everything you didn't know you needed. It's your chance to break free, your chance to explore your true self and be adventurous. This person will make you cry, scream, laugh and smile and that is beautiful.

Physical glow ups: Gentle features, curvy lips, bright eyes, blushing/flushed skin

Personality glow ups: Curious, sensitive, adventurous, true to yourself, social, open, free

❀ ᴘɪʟᴇ 2 ❀

This summer looks like it will be a time of healing for you. Your glow up will be more about how you work through your emotions and traumas. You're someone who may have a very dark and tragic past. You might feel broken, you've become cynical and you've become numb. You feel alone don't you? Like there's no one who really sees you. You find it difficult to trust people and when you do, you are loyal and true to them. So when that trust is broken, you feel like your life has shattered into peices, because you bet all of your tokens on that one person because you need someone to believe in. This summer you I see you purging all of that pent up rage and grief. I see a rage room or a scrapyard where you shine. All the ugly comes out here. Perhaps you'll bond with someone here who also holds some darkness from their past. You'll come out of this summer as someone who embraces their darkness and anger despite the pain it has caused you. You'll become someone who can channel that energy into some raw and beautiful! You will become less evasive and more honest, you'll become more creative and you'll feel a new sense of power against your enemies!

Physical glow ups: Soft features, emotionally expressive, gentle face, gentle demeanor, heart shaped figure

Personality glow ups: Creative, honest, quiet power, emotionally intelligent, sensitive, empathetic, independent

❀ ᴘɪʟᴇ 3 ❀

Something tells me that you're the conventional type, the type that everybody idolises or wishes they could be wheather that's good grades or good looks. You may get a lot of attention from your peers at school or work and you feel a lot of pressure from it. You secretly hate it and you hate the pressure of pleasing everyone all the time. This summer, you're cooking up something big and unorthodox. This could be a new project, a new pitch or a new look. You're tired of conforming to social norms or the expectations of others. You just want to rip off the bandaid even if it seems too ambitious. You are unleashing the you that has been screaming under the surface. The true you is innovative, different, reformative and weird. You want to be free to experiment. You want to change things here. You plan on making a massive impact with your new plan. I imagine someone like Cruella De Vill crashing the 'no colour' fashion event with a blazing red dress and making a huge specticle. This summer you will finally decide that as long as you and your ideas are being discussed, good or bad, you must be doing something right. Your massive glow up is finally not giving a shit! You will become a force to be reckoned with.

Physical glow ups: Unique appearance, half smile, inquisitive eyes, calm/cool/detached demeanor, intimidating

Personality glow ups: Progressive, innovative, intelligent, altruistic, reformative, unorthodox, future-oriented, ambitious, inventive

❀ ᴘɪʟᴇ 4 ❀

Pile 4, you are tired of always being considerate of others, always being taken advantage of, being disrespected, and always having opportunities taken away from you. You'll finally decide that you've had enough! This summer, people are gonna see you differently. You have the ability to read others like a book and people are gonna feel it, and no matter how much they try to bring you down, your energy is untouchable! You're gonna make them all respect you, take you seriously, fear you even. You won't be easily taken advantage like before. But most important of all, your biggest glow up is that you will no longer be limiting yourself and anything you do now will only be to serve you and serve those who love you. Screw people pleasing, this summer, you'll be ruthless. You'll make everyone fear your judgement espcecially when you embody your new attitude, calling everyone out on their bullshit. On top of all of this, you might become a captain or a leader of something. Perhaps a promotion! Prove them all wrong! You will not sacrafice yourself for others any longer!

Physical glow ups: Wiser gaze, impactful demeanor, elegant body, intimidating, shining hair and teeth

Personality glow ups: Strategic, determined, persistent, ambitious, ruthless, fearful, leader

❀ ᴘɪʟᴇ 5 ❀

You guys may be people who tried to be good, work hard, and hoped that your efforts would reward you. But despite that, again and again your efforts have gone unnoticed, so instead you've decided to work smarter and not harder. People may tend to treat you differently you because you're in the minority in some way. You could be one of very few women, person of colour or someone with a disability. This summer, you're gonna decide to use that to your advantage and become a wolf in sheeps clothing. You may use your innocent demeanor to your advantage, and you find alternative ways to get what you want, such as charming your bosses to finally get that promotion that you've been working towards all this time and you know you deserve. Doing it the right way wasn't working for you, so you gotta do what it takes. Nobody suspects that you are pulling the strings! Some of you may even resort to blackmail. You might dig up dirt on people, such as your teachers who put you down or your coworkers who try to trample you. You send back whatever comes your way twice as hard and you fiercely protect your energy with doe eyes and a smile on your face.

Physical glow ups: Soft features, emotionally expressive, gentle demeanor, heart shaped figure, sensual,

Personality glow ups: Charismatic, supportive, intuitive, creative, imaginative, observant, empathetic, manipulative, intelligent

❀ ᴘɪʟᴇ 6 ❀

Pile 6, your glow up becoming someone calm, cool and collected this summer. I see you spending the entire summer practicing your hobbies or skills. Some of you might be performers, artists, fighters or scholars. Let me tell you, all that hard work will not go to waste because something big is coming. People will see how extraorginary you are! People cannot stop watching you! You're basically the chosen one. Whatever competitions you enter, you'll for sure win! You're not just a good looker, you're hypnotic and you suck people into whatever you're doing. You also make people curious about you and want to get to know you. Despite all of this, there still will be people who will try to bring you down out of jealousy to which you will respond nonchalantly like a true protagonist. People fear you but not because they think you're scary, but because they think you're wayyy out of their league, even platonically, but your close friends know how humble you really are and just how much work you've put into everything you do, even if you seem to do it so effortlessly. People notice how you do things with confidence and they are mesmerised by how unbothered you seem. This summer, your glow up is embodying the talented main character energy.

Physical glow ups: Magnetic/piercing eyes, hynotic actions, sharp features, sturdy build, poker face, focused gaze, sensual

Personality glow ups: Intense, passionate, driven, determined, transformative, bold, intimidating

☁︎ Thank you for your support! ☁︎

Dividers: @cafekitsune, @aquazero

[elfbotanist]

Environmental storytelling in inquisition is so good. I played the game blind last year and oh how I wish I could play this game again for the first time.

Early in the game you're exploring the ruins. You heard about ancient elves in a dialogue with Solas and now you are seeing the remains of the said people. Ancient beings used to live in these ruins. It's fascinating but also sad.

You explore an ancient tevinter ruin, you venture deep inside the said ruin, you realise the architecture is more elvhen than tevinter. You remember someone saying how tevinter built its empire over elvhenan. Claimed their marvels as their own like vultures and now you are seeing it.

You capture Suledin keep. Place obviously elvhen and important to the elves, only for the chantry to claim it for its own as soon as you clear out the red templars. Andraste's statues everywhere, place never going back to elves ever again. You are left with a bitter taste in your mouth, maybe you shouldn't have captured the keep but atleast nearby villages will have a safe sanctuary.

Then near ending of the game you actually meet those ancient beings living in the ruins you were exploring throughout the game. You talk with them. It's implied that others may still linger. You're so bamboozled by the idea that a whole society of ancient beings might still be out there sleeping and/or walking. No one had any idea about this, it changes everything you know about the world and your own people.

You're so busy having a crisis about everything, you don't even question how your hobo apostate bf even knew about other ancient elves still surviving.

Then you meet the said hobo apostate bf in rotunda wondering if he had painted something after the quest but dude is fuming. You don't know what's happening you just want him to calm down so you reassure him and he gets hopeful and flirty. You pat yourself on the back 'job well done' cuz now he's taking you on a romantic date.

He tells you the truth about vallaslin, you think 'but the meaning is different now' but you still let him remove them cuz you trust him. He said he wanted to show you how much you meant to him but ended up breaking up? You're so confused, angry, helpless and sad. You just don't know what is happening anymore. When you ask him to explain things he hits you with a 'you saw the most' which again makes no sense because why you're running away from me if i changed everything?

You're either busy being too sad or busy backtracking everything he has ever told you to pinpoint the reason WHY he broke up, you are not analysing the environmental storytelling anymore. You are analysing the man himself. And then he fucking leaves. Motherfucker. You hope atleast he's safe wherever he is, he got the warmest armour you made for him with so much love and care and the powerful staff you gifted him which goes with his whole hobo look. But you can't stand the rotunda being empty so you skip everything and load trespasser dlc.

And ah the trespasser dlc. They really said "oh so you loved exploring ruins for storytelling? AND you romanced Solas? Well I have just the dlc for you".

You see someone casting a huge mindblast spell, literally shaking your screen and now you know it's him. It has to be him. So you rush forward, he's not there but there are murals. I honestly can't put in words how I felt when I saw that one mural of Solas removing vallaslin and freeing slaves. It's beautiful, terrible (how can your "gods" enslave your own people) and tragic (that's your lover and you thought you knew him).

You're feeling so miserable and now the music is making you anxious. Everyone back at winter palace is having the best time it seems. You appreciate it but you're not in the mood for spa day. Get married? With whom exactly my dear friend. Cole is someone you are seeking out again and again cuz you know he will give you something.

You think this can't get any worse but then it does. He created the goddamn veil. And sundered the world. "Vhenan, where the fuck are you?"

The qunari tells you Solas is an agent of Fen'harel but you know better and so does your inquisitor at this point. But you have to save him. You run through eluvians, skipping fights to reach him as soon as you can. Your anchor is killing you, you don't care, you have to reach him anyhow.

You hear a familiar voice speaking some foreign language. You know it's him. You've found him. Finally. One moment you don't recognize him AT ALL but in another you do because he has the same kind eyes, full lips (and adorable shiny head lol). He looks very different now. Somehow older, wise, like a leader and so SO handsome. He tell you not to be proud of him but you just are. He is brutal to his enemies, his magic terrifying, an ancient freedom fighter, Fen'harel, Dreadwolf. But he is also just Solas. Vhenan.

"Ma ghilana, vhenan"

 "Ir abelas, vhenan"

He keeps calling you vhenan, my heart, my love. You have never seen him so open and vulnerable about his love for you (like that night in crestwood). He answers some of your questions but not all. This impossible man. He saves you only for vowing to sacrifice everything else, even himself.

Impossible, IMPOSSIBLE man. Just let me come with you!

"I cannot bear to think of you alone".

"I walk the din’anshiral. There is only death on this journey. I would not have you see what I become".

[bluepandaears]

It has occurred to me while rewatching The Case of the Two Dead Dragons that perhaps one of the more tragic consequences of Niko's death, strictly to Paynland, is that Niko was quite possibly Edwin's main avenue to exploring and expanding his emotional capacity. The look that Charles glances at Edwin with when Edwin says it was far too much emotion for one night and that he is unaccustomed to it totally explains why they haven't talked things out before. It's a brief, quick glance and Charles quickly looks away but it's there and it's so sad. Because he's hurting so much and it's like he wants to talk to Edwin and on some level wishes he could, but won't because he knows it would make Edwin uncomfortable and he doesn't want to cause Edwin any kind of pain.

Niko on the other hand is detached enough to allow Edwin a way to learn about and expand his emotional growth. She is safer because to Edwin she is trusted but still temporary. Being a living girl she doesn't come with the risk of loosing everything that Edwin holds as most dear to his afterlife if he makes a mistake. She is bubbly and optimistic and caring while also have much more knowledge in modern emotional exploration. When she dies he looses that path to grow and it is unclear if he will be able to grow in the same way without her. He spent over 30 years with Charles being his main, if not only, confidant and can't seem to get through a single heavy conversation that lasted all of a few minutes. So as much as I love Charles, he's clearly not in a position to help Edwin with that part of his growth. Which is completely understandable given his own history and the fact that his's still a teenage boy. And while Crystal is a friend in the end, she doesn't hold the same level of trust and comfort that Niko has. So I don't think Edwin would really be able to expand his emotional capacity and maturity without Niko.

Edwin's speech about feelings to Monty at the end of the episode makes me think that, in Edwin's mind, feelings and emotions may be two separate things. He can talk about, to an extent and after some inner reflection, the end result feeling but has trouble with the emotions that caused those feelings; and perhaps that is what really scars him about his feelings. He sees how emotionally expressive Charles and Crystal have been and has stated that once you admit a secret to yourself it can be hard to hold it in. Meaning at that point he's probably headed towards some kind of Edwardian version of an emotional explosion. It's probably in part what causes him to confess his feelings the way he does. Yet even there he states the feelings in as clear cut and dry a manner as you can possibly express those kinds of things. Not that they have a whole lot of time, but he doesn't say anything about the emotions behind the feelings. It's Charles who is the more expressive of the two. Charles is the one who holds Edwin's sholders and talks about what Edwin means to him. Charles is the one who says that they will always be best mates no matter what. That he will literally do anything for, and really what grater act of love is there than going to Hell and throwing a bomb at a giant spider made of baby dolls? But I digress.

My point is, that Niko really needs to find her way back to the living plane so that Edwin can grow fuck up already so that he can be there emotionally the way Charles really needs him to be.

Edwin, my grammar loving soul mate, I love you, but your emotionally stunted self is putting a damper on my fandom.

[34to42]

Okay. So.

It’s no secret that I’ve been eagerly anticipating season 2 of The Night Agent so I made the very adult decision to take a vacation day from work and binge watch the whole thing in one day. And I have some thoughts.

Obviously spoilers lay ahead so please be aware of that before you continue reading if that’s something you care about. There might also be some swearing.

It’s not often we see a Netflix show get to season 2 and more importantly, have a season 2 that either lives up to or exceeds season 1 but I think The Night Agent is one of them. Season 2 is SUCH an experience, one that I was desperately worried about before it aired, and one that I am so happy I got to participate in now that it’s done. I was worried that the show would forget the events of season 1, that Rose would play a less integral role, that the show’s bigger and better storylines would be overdone, that they would play America as the hero when dealing with plot lines regarding international relations - none of those fears came true.

Though the showrunners were in uncharted territory having no other Matthew Quirk novels to adapt, they did a fantastic job in creating a new situation that felt similarly dire and equally as convoluted as the events of season 1. And the events of the previous season are directly referenced, and Rose continued to be integral, and the bigger and better storylines were handled well, in my opinion at least.

The overarching result of the events of season 2 however, has to be… tragedy. So many different characters have their lives upended, affected, or changed and it’s all just tragic. The character of Noor, an outstanding addition to the show, risking everything to get her family into a better situation only to lose her brother, traumatize her mother, and receive a cheque from a smiling bureaucrat for her efforts. Warren’s son Ethan, having to go through the betrayal of a friend (David), meeting his estranged father, getting so much conflicting information about his dad, only to lose him and be traumatized forever. Rose, desperately wanting a normal life but unable to fully process her grief and trauma because the only person she fully trusts left her and isn’t coming back. Even Alice’s family and the way they had to deal with their broken hearts when she took the Night Action job and stopped keeping in contact with them.

And finally… Peter.

Peter, who is a good man and wants to do the right thing but keeps getting into situations where the right choice has consequences. Who desperately wanted to clear his father’s name only to learn that it was all true and then have to make the same choices to save the one person he loves. The soul crushing tragedy of the scene with Peter and the broker in the rail car as he taunts Peter with the knowledge that by making the choices he did, he will become his father and follow in his footsteps. The absolute fucking agony on Peter’s face.

And then the tragedy of Peter telling Rose to forget him, because he knows that he cannot keep her safe and she will be used against him even though she means “everything” to him. 😭😭😭😭

My poor shipper heart.

Although I, and I suspect a lot of people, would have loved to see a happier ending for Peter and Rose, I will say that this one felt true to the story they were trying to tell. I can think of other ways this could have gone to get them that ending which I will definitely be exploring in fanfic but I can see why this choice was made. That scene in the hotel broke my fucking heart. Again, the absolute agony on Peter’s face.

So… yeah. Just, tragedy all around with this season.

I do want to mention a few things that I really appreciated about the new episodes. First, that Rose continued to not be a damsel in distress but rather continuously came to Peter’s aid and helped him out, much as she did in the first season. Second, the character of Javad was INCREDIBLY acted by Keon Alexander and made for an excellent villain, even if not the ultimate one. Holy shit, watching the shifts from romantic interest to quiet, seething menace on his face and in his demeanour throughout the show were so compelling. Third, all the scenes between characters at the Iranian mission. I was really worried this storyline would feel rushed but instead we got so many sweet moments between characters such as Haleh and Noor and an insight into their relationships.

Some specific moments I loved:

- Noor wearing her friend’s headscarf to the event at the mission

- Haleh warning Noor that Javad knew she was at the UN even though it could have cost her her job

- The ambassador’s handling of how to get Javad out of the mission, such a stroke of brilliance

- Rose’s conversation with Catherine where she told her off for talking about her aunt and uncle because she didn’t know them

- Peter holding doors open for Rose even when they were trying to get away from gunmen

- Peter immediately crawling into bed with Rose when she was having a nightmare

- Basically ever scene with Peter and Rose

- the fight scenes, they felt incredibly realistic and used a lot of elements from around the scene

- Peter and Rose’s silent communication regarding shooting Markus, it was so awesome to see them in sync like that

- Rose’s speech to Tomăs regarding the chemical weapons, she was able to get through to him even without any type of training because she is awesome

- Peter’s immediate confidence in Rose when Catherine asked “who knew she could do that?” Fuck, that was an awesome moment

- Peter and Noor’s conversation on the steps of the UN where she understood why he did what he did and accepted his apology by holding out her hand. The number of times Peter did and tried to apologize to Noor for her brother because he wants to do the right thing

Despite how much I loved the new season, I do have a few lingering questions and complaints that I also wanted to write out in case anyone else is struggling with them:

- How did the broker know to contact Rose at the beginning of the season if Peter’s name and involvement in Camp David were scrubbed?

- that President Travers wasn’t in more episodes. I really, really appreciated the way she stood up for Peter in front of Catherine at the beginning and wish there could have been some follow through later on in the season

- it feels like Rose and the doctor could have maybe thought of knockout gas a little earlier? I understand why the show did what they did for the plot but it didn’t ring quite true that they would both make so many cannisters of KX without trying something to get out of there

- Soloman’s speech to Peter as he was taking him to meet the broker regarding the one agent of theirs Peter killed in Bangkok. How they all attended his funeral and he had 40-some people who loved him. Dude, YOU killed Peter’s partner!! That whole speech just felt off.

- the character of Catherine. Things improved towards the end of the season but I really didn’t like the character at the beginning and especially didn’t like the way she spoke about Peter. It isn’t his fault that they sent him in without a lot of training and it was her job to make sure he was ready

- Peter’s tattoos being gone. I understand why it makes sense that a spy cannot have very identifiable tattoos but come on. I think we can all agree that Gabe’s tattoos are incredibly hot and we should be able to see them

So, those are my thoughts. I’m sure I’ll have more once the dust settles from watching all the episodes in one day but for now, I hope you enjoy the new season as much as I did.

[doublechocolate]

Haibara dissecting Conan/Shinichi like he's some kind of experiment ksjksjf

I think it was around this time when I started to seriously ship them. Haibara, at this stage, was still given the "cold and mysterious" status of a character but the story didn't shy away from showing us how her empathy extended beyond her own needs. She was well aware of Conan/Shinichi's pain, and also Ran's, because she finds herself to be in that same position as them, and has gone through layers of her own emotional turmoil by this point to recognize this.

But more than that, it's blatantly obvious here that if there's anyone who can understand Conan, it's her. There's a level of understanding between them that's deep and personal. And yes, Conan has that with others too, you can argue that, but what he has with Haibara is slightly different. You see, their "friendship" was born out of pain and trauma. They were each others' "doom", in a sense. Haibara created the APTX4869 drug while Conan failed to save Akemi. They saw the sides of each other that others haven't and had to learn to trust each other in their own way. Slowly, they grew to understand one another and from doom, they became each others' hope.

(Long rambling under cut)

There are many instances of Conan being able to understand Haibara's thoughts by merely watching her actions but to me, the one that stood out the most was none other than m26 Black Iron Submarine (not canon to you but canon to me) when they were underwater and Haibara is about let Conan's hand go but he pulls her back up. The entire conversation takes place inside their heads yet they knew exactly what each other was saying. Remember that post I made about them being drift-compatible?

That's why I think Conan is still unaware just how big of a presence Haibara is in his life. He came close to that in m26 but with Pinga, BO and Haibara's kidnapping, he didn't exactly have the time to sit and ponder over it. Surely people (non-shippers) would chalk it up to you, "aakchuallyyyy he just needs her for the antidote". But... are you sure? Are you really, really sure that that's all he is to her? Is that all you understand about Conan/Shinichi as a character? Even Takayama Minami and Hayashibara Megumi commented on how Conan losing his cool and becoming short-tempered when Haibara got kidnapped was unusual of him. In their opinion, the only reason why Conan calmed down was because of Agasa and how the Prof almost risked doing something reckless to save Haibara. Only then Conan realized he needed to remain calm to keep Agasa in check.

And also, Haibara noticed Pinga and Vodka's presence in the hotel first but Conan only noticed when Haibara was in danger. His train of thought literally went; something happened to Haibara -> it's the Organization -> oh shit they've taken her. Like, hello?? Excuse me?? What is this soulmate-level telepathy going on here right in front of my salad??

I've ~kinda~ mentioned this before in a passing before, but CoAi lowkey reminds me of SyaoSaku (from CCS) but in a different font - a more painful and (perhaps) tragic one. Haibara being Syaoran's counterpart, and Conan being Sakura's counterpart. Example; Sakura's infatuation for Yukito was loud and out there, literally everyone knew about it too (Conan/Shinichi with Ran). Meanwhile, Sakura's love for Syaoran was already growing quietly within her. She was showing signs of it but was too distracted to realize it, until the time came when Syaoran was going to leave Japan and return to Hong Kong. All of a sudden it hit her like a train that it was too painful to let him go (Conan/Shinichi with Haibara/Shiho).

This is why I'm convinced that when all of this is over, Conan will have to face the reality of just what Haibara means to him. It doesn't matter if Aoyama doesn't want to explore this, or chooses to address this in a different way. It's his story, he can do what he wants. But personally for me? I know Conan simply cannot go back to his original life as Kudou Shinichi anymore. He's too far changed, forced to recognize the grayness in a world he deemed black and white, empathize with people he would have classified as "criminals" in the past, and live a life of white lie even it meant hurting the people he cared for the most - in short, Conan/Shinichi simply cannot go back to being the same person he was before Tropical Land. And the one person we know for sure who will be able to understand him despite all of this, is Haibara.

I saw a comment once saying that CoAi/ShinShi are supplementary and wouldn't work. I disagree because I think they are more of a narrative foil. Haibara's existence in Conan's life taught him that he isn't invincible (failure to save Akemi) and that not everyone from the Black Organization are cold-blooded assassins. Haibara had her life and freedom stolen from her. Conan, otoh, taught Haibara to live. To not run away from life and to learn to trust people again. All the important people in life left her at some point, but Conan was the only one who kept coming back for her when she chose to give up, holding her hand as tightly as he can.

Conan, the boy who has everything. Haibara, the girl who lost everything. Conan, the boy who keeps trying to dig deeper into the viper's nest. Haibara, the girl who has lived in the viper's nest trying to pull him back from diving further. Conan, the boy who wants to keep tempting fate to save his friends. Haibara, the girl who is willing to die to save her friends. Conan, the boy who thinks his actions of holding back his love is immature. Haibara, the girl who understands his pain enough to know he is anything but. Conan, the boy whose life changed because of the drug Haibara created but in a way also saved his life (Gin chose to not shoot him in the head but fed him the drug instead). Haibara, the girl who lost her sister because Conan couldn't save her but now he'd do anything to make sure she stays alive.

Whether you ship them or not, or see them merely as friends, you can't deny that they play huge roles in each other's lives. We know that when the end comes, Haibara will be willing to let Conan go. She might have already prepared herself for this, even, because Ran is the last person she'd want to hurt at this point. Her resemblance to Akemi is too strong now and she knows Ran adores her a lot too. And from that scene above, we know Haibara feels the same pain Ran and Conan/Shinichi are going through.

But. Will Conan be able to do the same? Can he simply let go of Haibara and return to his old life? Even if Haibara/Shiho does remain in his life, when the dust is settled, can he truly move on from the person whom he has experienced so many life and death encounters with, and in a way, shaped him into becoming the person he is today?

We know the love is one-sided now because we're almost always seeing it from Haibara/Shiho's perspective. But how can we be so sure that something isn't growing deep down in Conan/Shinichi's heart too? If it's something subtle and quiet like the flap of a butterfly's wings now, eventually growing into something that could literally change the course of his life?

If you understand Conan/Shinichi as a person, beyond the shipping lenses, then I think the answer is already obvious.

"It's not cause the creator said so. They're just friends and Shinichi already confessed to someone else". Okay, like I said, the creator can do whatever he wants with his story. I AM choosing to read between the lines based on what that same creator has presented to us. I'm also always reminded of the Akai/Jodie/Akemi love story and how that panned out. I'm saying, things can happen because feelings are complex and sometimes you go through experiences in life that changes you inside out. Both Akai and Conan have had their lives stained by the Black Organization.

Not to mention that, in terms of their personalities, CoAi/ShinShi's relationship are quite a stark parallel to Yuusaku and Yukiko's relationship as well. What Conan/Shinichi needs is someone who can match his level of eccentricity yet at the same time call him out when his head floats too high in the clouds. Haibara is that person. And the best part about it is she didn't even have to change herself to match him - that's pretty much her personality already. Fitting in exactly like a puzzle piece.

Anyway, this is long-winded already. i'll stop rambling here. Also, if this breaches containment and reaches a non-shipper/anti and you have something negative to say, please do me a favor and be a mature person. Leave this post and let's both live in peace.

Love you, CoAi nation, bye!

[abcdfghjklmpqrobin]

Batman and Robin 2023 #23

I need to discuss this. You guys don't understand. This page is everything.

There's so much going on, so much packed in to this apology. The desesperation and relief, and guilt in it are so palpable.

This is Bruce getting Damian back after he was kidnapped and it speaks volumes that the first thing he does, even in the middle of a persecution, is hug Damian and apologize.

And, my God, the way he apologizes. Like it has been punched out of his soul, like it's his first time breathing since Damian was taken and he needs to get the words out now.

Bruce almost lost Damian here, and he knows it.

It's not a coincidence how much we're shown Jason's Death through Bruce's hallucinations before this point. How his words to Damian mirror his last words to Jason. "Don't go after him, wait for me"

This is cautionary tale that almost came true again, and Bruce knows it.

You just know he's thinking of Jason here and it makes his worry so much more tragic.

It makes the desesperation in Bruce's voice when he finally gets Damian back so important.

You can almost hear the gratitude in his voice, like with every "I'm sorry" he is also saying 'thank you'. Thank you for being alive, thank you for being okay.

And you can almost hear the regret in his voice because Bruce has spent so much time alienating and antagonizing his boy and it almost got him killed.

This apology has been long overdue. For the pain he caused, for Bashar, for everything...

The whole run Bruce has been so scared that he's going to lose Damian. His son is changing, he's growing up, he's exploring the world outside of Bruce's wing. And Bruce has been terrified that it means Damian is going to leave him.

And he has been going about it in all of the wrong ways.

It's life's cruelest joke that he didn't even realize how much he was hurting Damian until Memento took him. Didn't realize how much he was pushing his son away in fear of losing him until he no longer had him.

"I will trust you" is as much a promise to Damian as it is to himself. A vow to stand by his son no matter what.

And at the end, the way that Bruce so tenderly holds Damian's face. All forgoten, all questions ignored in favor of making sure his kid is okay. Truly okay.

The way he asks "Are you us all right or really all right?", like he doesn't need Robin to be fine, he needs Damian to be fine.

Here he is not Batman, here Bruce is just a father that desperately needed to have his kid back in his arms.

It's perfect, it's everything I needed their reunion to be.

There is so many layers, so much hidden meaning between their interactions just in three panels.

This run has been written with so much care. This hug has so much build up to it, it feels so earned. I love everything about it.

[aphroditelovesu]

Awake

❝commission: a oneshot that explores the relationship between y/n and some of the generals and or soldiers. I'm personally torn between a 'Cleitus wakes up' fic. — requested by 💻 anon.

❝ 📜 — lady l: I can't tell if I find this cute or distressing, maybe both? I hope you like it and forgive me for any mistakes! 🩶

❝tw: slight angst.

❝word count: 1,670.

It was noisy outside. The soldiers’ voices mingled in a hubbub of conversation, loud laughter, and the sound of clinking glasses; the celebration seemed to grow longer with each passing second, like a wave of rising energy. The tumult could be heard for miles around, for this was a night of celebration — a rare occasion in wartime when everyone had a common reason to celebrate.

Cleitus was alive. Against all odds, even after Alexander's merciless attack, the man had held on. Wounded and exhausted, he now lay in the shadows of the medical tent, the smell of medicinal herbs and aged fabrics permeating the heavy air. It was there, under the care of the King’s own trusted physician, under your care, that he was recovering, his body still vulnerable but his spirit preserved — and, even though unconscious, life pulsed faintly but presently through his veins.

And it was all thanks to you. No one understood exactly how it had happened; how, amidst the chaos and bloodshed, you had managed to save Cleitus. Murmurs of your daring and skill circulated among the soldiers and servants, shrouded in awe and distrust. But the fact was undeniable: he was alive, despite the dire predictions. Although he had not yet regained consciousness, the mere fact that he was breathing was cause enough for celebration.

But while the others celebrated, you remained motionless, sitting in the shadows of the tent, facing the cot where Cleitus rested. The darkness seemed to taper around you, filled only by the regular, fragile sound of his breathing. It was as if a current of anguish was rising through your body, slow and relentless, squeezing your heart with invisible fingers.

He was safe, yes. You had saved him and you knew it. But then, why was there that weight on your conscience, that nagging feeling that something terrible had been done? The memories of history hammered at your mind, insistent. From what you knew, Cleitus should have died at the hands of Alexander. His fate was death that night, a tragic and inevitable part of history. But now everything was changed. You had interfered, diverted the course of time — the natural balance of things had been disrupted.

And it wasn’t just any life you had spared. It was Cleitus, a man who, despite his outward toughness, carried an immense loyalty to the king and, in a way, to you as well. He had stood up for you, protecting you in a situation that would undoubtedly cost you dearly. For that reason, you simply couldn’t allow them to let him die. He was more than just a historical figure to you; he was someone you had learned to respect and consider a friend.

The dilemma seemed to pierce your soul. How could you allow history to take its course, letting someone who was important to you be killed in such a brutal and cruel way?

You couldn't.

It was strange to think about it: history itself had already begun to distort itself before you saved Cleitus, before each of your interventions. Alexander shouldn't have cared about you, much less "proposed" a union that would seal your presence with him forever. It was an unthinkable, dangerous idea that was already altering the course of things.

So where was the real weight of your guilt? Was there any point in questioning your interference now, when that whole era was far from how you knew it from the books? Perhaps Cleitus's destiny had already been changed from the first moment you arrived, from the first look Alexander had given you with an indomitable gleam in his eyes. Perhaps he was saved not only by your hands, but by a new destiny that both of you were creating every day.

Or perhaps it was the work of some sadistic god.

It was no secret that there were rumors in the camp. Whispers ran through the hallways of the tents, escaped from the campfires, were whispered among the soldiers, servants, and slaves. They admired what you had done. In their eyes, you were no longer a foreigner, a barbarian, who had appeared out of nowhere; you were the woman who had faced your own fate to save Cleitus. A feat worthy of honor, worthy of respect.

These men, so accustomed to the brutality of battle, who saw death as an inevitable companion, now looked at you with a mixture of awe and reverence. It was as if, in a single action, you had earned everyone's respect, an almost heroic figure to those who, not long ago, didn't even know your name.

But this admiration only deepened the knot in your chest. What they saw as heroism, you saw as a mistake, a misstep that could trigger unimaginable consequences.

"(Y/N)?" The hoarse, slurred voice cut through the silence, bringing you back to the present like a blow of reality. Your heart skipped a beat, and your eyes widened as they fixed on Cleitus's figure.

He was awake.

Still pale and visibly weak, Cleitus half-opened his eyes with effort, blinking a few times as if trying to adjust to the soft light that filtered through the sides of the tent. There was a vague confusion in his gaze, a mixture of pain and astonishment. It was clear that he was still recovering, the features of his face carrying the exhaustion of someone who had fought between life and death.

For a moment, you stood paralyzed, unable to find words, while he tried to focus his vision on you. Each second seemed like an entire universe, filled with emotions that you could barely name.

"I..." Your mouth went dry and you shook your head. You didn’t know what to say, what to feel.

Cleitus, his expression grim, tried to stand up, but the movement made his entire body protest. A low groan escaped his lips, his face contorting as he pressed a hand to the wound. Still closed and bandaged, but far from healed, the pain was still a vivid reminder of the attack by the man he admired.

"Don't strain yourself, Cleitus." You murmured, almost without realizing it, instinctively reaching out to grab his shoulder and stop him from moving any further. Your touch seemed to calm him, and he relaxed back against the cot, the muscles in his face softening slightly as he tried to catch his breath.

Cleitus's dark eyes locked with yours, a silent, contemplative weight in his gaze. He sighed, a long, weary sound, as the fragments of the past rearranged themselves in his mind, forming the painful mosaic of that fateful night. The banquet, the laughter, the lively conversations, the rich and fragrant food, the unexpected announcement of the wedding... And then, the chaos. The violent attack, the betrayal that had almost cost him his life.

Cleitus frowned, his eyebrows drawing together in an expression of sincere concern as he studied your face. "Are you okay?" His voice, still weak, carried a concern that made him ignore his own pain for a moment. Even after everything he had suffered, there he was, worrying about you.

The question took you by surprise. He, who had almost lost his life, was there asking if you were okay. For a moment, you wanted to laugh, perhaps to ease the weight of the situation, but the sound got stuck in your throat.

"I..." You hesitated, trying to find an answer that didn’t sound absurd. It was a simple question, but it seemed to carry all the weight of the guilt and doubts that hammered in your mind. You had defied fate, broken the lines of what was supposed to happen and, in a way, you were feeling lost amidst the whirlwind of consequences. And now, with Cleitus looking directly into your eyes, this barrier of defense seemed increasingly fragile.

"I... Just wanted to make sure you were okay." You finally said, your voice barely above a whisper.

He stared at you for a few more moments, absorbing your words, and then nodded slightly, as if he understood something that not even you had fully understood.

Cleitus took your hand in his and squeezed it lightly, your fingers gently touching. Cleitus touch was warm and firm, despite the evident weakness. He wrapped his hand around yours, his fingers squeezing yours gently, almost reverently. The warmth that radiated from his touch seemed to dissolve, even if only for a brief moment, all the tension you had been carrying since that chaotic night.

Cleitus smiled, a genuine smile full of gratitude, which lit up your tired face, softening the lines of pain and fatigue. It was a smile that spoke more than any words could. He didn't need to know everything that moved you to thank him — all the fears, the doubts, and the guilt you still carried for having interfered.

"Thank you." He said, and that was enough.

A soft laugh escaped your lips, and you smiled back at him, feeling the tension slowly dissolve from your body. For the first time in so long, you felt light, a sense of peace and happiness nestling in your chest. Amidst the chaos, the battles, and the uncertainties of being lost in a time that wasn't yours, there was finally a safe haven.

"That's what friends are for, isn't it?" You murmured, your smile widening. The word seemed to vibrate with a special meaning, something rare and precious in that place. Friends.

Amidst a time full of uncertainty, distrust, and danger, you had found something as simple and profound as friendship. He smiled in response, and in that moment, all the confusion, the weight of decisions, and the uncertainties about the future seemed to disappear. Cleitus was more than a warrior or a character from a distant story; he was your friend, someone who cared, who had risked everything for you.

And now, in the midst of all this madness, you had done the same for him. And, you knew now, you would do it all again.

[gold-rhine]

5.6. PARALOGISM SPOILERS

extremely polarizing feelings on this quest, ngl. i don't really have a problem with WHAT happened, but with HOW its happened.

first of all, pacing is crazy. after standing in a circle for 4 hours in a natlan finale we start doing ten million massive things in one hour, with almost no space for them to breathe or explore properly. this quest had less detalization than my bullet point inazuma rewrite. in fact, it feels like the writers did exactly bullet points in like one day and nothing else. i understand they were probs rushed due to change of direction with nod krai, but this is too much.

and tbh i dont even think it would take a lot to make this quest truly good. polish up an invasion sequence a bit, make it closer to natlan war section, add at least one actual cutscene. like the french gordon ramsey story quest had too many cut scenes, with special animations at that, and it tbh didn't need them, but they cant spare a separate cut scene for whole ass mond attack? hoyo, stop acting so cheap, we all know you have the money!

and then the main conflict, with albedo and durin. first of all. albedo saying that he considers himself a real human, just another type of human, and then saying that him killing susbedo is not a murder, bc he was NOT A PERSON??? babygirl, whats the difference between you two then? like he literally didn't have to say that, he could argue self defense bc that motherfucker tried to kill him and his friends. why dehumanize him and yourself?

and then framing durin as like ontologically evil, when all of his prev existing lore AND simulanka say that he was well intended, but with abyss aura that harmed the world just by existing. but now suddenly simulanka durin is the only one good, but actual durin is evil???? bc he's jealous of not being favorite child???? durin was thinking about how dvalin is beatiful and how he'd wanted to dance together while dvalin was killing him, but now hes pure evil bc of mommy issues, are you kidding me? bro did the writers of this quest even play simulanka? or take 5 minutes to read durin wiki page?? but even with that, in this very quest, venti says that durin feels like "an angry child". so you have an abandoned, tragic angry child lashing out and just go yeah, lets put him down, no attempts at reaching out??? what is this, hsr????

and like i truly think itd take like additional half an hour to fix and just a bit of actual writers effort. killing susbedo off screen is such a waste, and i'm not one of his fans or anything, i do not care about him personally, but he was a very well foil setup for albedo. and we exchange him for what? for fake copy of NPC no one cares about or knew before? literally why??? just washing 3 years of setup down the toilet.

instead of killing him off screen and having some durin mind controlled monsters (?????) dig him up for durin to eat, they could have just said he contacted durin himself. we know its possible! elynas is able to contact melusines through his blood crystals, same as dragonspine has, and even speak directly with the traveler when his heart awakens, and durin's heart is alive! bros, you already have the perfect setup, if only whoever wrote this took 10 minutes to read abyss dragons lore first! so susbedo could communicate with durin and teach him alchemy and influence his worldview!

albedo and susbedo could have had a confrontation that actually dramatizes albedo's conflict. albedo's answer to the truth of the world is that being a "real" human is about connecting with the world and other people, forging bonds and connections. which by itself is good character culmination and where it was always going, i always said that. but he just TELLS us that! instead, susbedo's philosophy could be the isolation, refusal to engage with the world, refusing to trust people bc he's afraid they will not accept him, and so instead using and controlling them. then it would be a juxtaposition of opposing viewpoints that SHOWS us albedo's arc instead of telling. and at the end of the trial susbedo could reveal the truth about albedo to try and turn ppl against him, but we could have mond people to accept albedo instead, bc they know him for years and he's friends with many of them! like that would be an actual logical conclusion of his arc, bc albebe, how are you gonna be like i'm a real human, truth is about having a life with other ppl, but you don't trust these ppl to not turn against you when they find out who you are?

and with durin i'm not even against durins merge, but they just introduced mini durin so rapidly, like RIP ppl who didn't play simulanka, and it wasn't explained in their "recollections" at all. and instead of just killing durin and replacing him with "better" durin, they could have communicated with durin, since hes whole theme is misguidedly lashing out, explain to him the situation. durin let himself be killed the first time bc he realized hes harming the world by existing, and he didn't want to, so they could have been like hey so in simulanka in special conditions we were able to clear abyss corruption from a version of you. we don't have fairy powers of life irl so we can't do the same exactly, but we can merge you with already cleansed mini durin, and we think this gives you the best chance to live an actual life as a part of this world, do you agree? like it wouldn't take much to write him to believably agree to something like that. like it would truly not even take that long to have that dialogue instead of putting him down like a sick dog.

[mirisia]

I want Cassandra in Ilium the musical.

Imagine her referencing Epic (ex. "Pride is a damsel in distress" as Jay once mentioned considering the concept of pride being the main theme of this Trojan War musical) and no one getting what she's talking about. She, the prophet whom no one believes, can be the link between Epic and Ilium whom no one in the musical understands but the audience absolutely does.

I personally imagined her instruments being violin and harpsichord. Their sounds are graceful but sharp, piercing into your ears. Plus, it is difficult to control the volume of the sounds of harpsichord (which is why it eventually gave its place to piano) just like how people don't listen Cassandra, want her to stay quiet, and she doesn't. She never does. She can't.

I wish she gets a full song for herself. In which she sings about her cursed prophecies and foretells about the gruesome fate of Troy and gets ignored. I wish she makes appearances in several scenes and shows her relationships with others, including Hector and Helen. She's the one who witnessed and announced Priam returning with Hector's body (Homer official) She's the one who insisted that Paris should return Helen to Menelaus and was ignored. She likely would have seen how this war is Paris's fault, not Helen's, but still she can't be happy knowing Helen will go back home and continue to live a good life while Cassandra herself and her loved ones will be enslaved and killed. She knows what will happen to who. And no one listens. And the god she serves, the god who is the patron of her homeland, is the one who made sure her prophecies would never be heard. She makes a tragic antithesis with her twin brother Helenus — while Cassandra was cursed by Apollo and believed by no one, Helenus was still being favored by Apollo, trusted by Priam and Hector, and believed by their people. Yet it was Cassandra who tried to save Troy till the final moment while Helenus betrayed his homeland. Helenus gave the Greeks the information about how to conquer Troy (which eventually inspired Odysseus to form the Wooden Horse plan) and Cassandra tried to stop that Wooden Horse entering her city. (Yeah I have very complicated feelings towards Helenus :/)

Even though she's only a minor side character in the source material, her story has so much potential and I wish Jay takes full creative liberty upon exploring this.