#and there's aspects of his character in league I really appreciate

[meownotgood]

I can't lie with each passing day I just get more and more worried that they will change literally all of viktor's lore in league and arcane... so he will basically be a totally different character... and his old character will be entirely gone................

[agentrouka-blog]

What made you first interested in Jonsa? I really want to love Jonsa. Which may sound strange. But hear me out. I’ve read all the metas and from a metatextual level I really agree with and believe in Jonsa. But I have trouble actually enjoying it and I think maybe it’s because so much content seems to focus on Jon pining over Sansa. I’d much prefer to see things from Sansa’s perspective where she sees the hero in him and sees that maybe all the songs aren’t lies after all as opposed to him “winning her over.” I feel I have been inundated my whole life with stories of outcast men pining over beautiful women they see as out of their league and “winning them over” and I honestly find the trope tiring because it’s so male perspective focused and doesn’t give Sansa the agency of choosing her lover, instead, making her something to be won or earned. If you have any suggestions for Jonsa content that focuses heavily on Sansa’s point of view, on her falling for Jon first (or at least falling for each other at the same time without realizing it) I’d love to hear them! And I’d love to hear what makes Jonsa appeal to you on a personal non-meta level!

Hi there!

I too draw a difference between Jonsa as a theory and shipping it for entertainment.

I've drifted quite a bit away from what you describe as "content", which is fanworks, art and fanfiction. My tastes are very narrow and that puts me outside the target audience for a lot of what is being shared by creators. Plus, I get a great deal more personal enjoyment out of just interpreting the canon text. I enjoy what the couple represents in the narrative more than I necessarily enjoy immersing myself in different non-canonical variants.

And there's a lot of variants. You have two similar but also very different canon-sources (books and tv show) and within those two sources very different takes on the couple. For as many "Jon pines for higborn Sansa" approaches you get an equal amount of "Sansa jealously pines for her brother's oblivious best friend" modern au's. What we enjoy in recreational reading is extremely personal and subjective.

That said, for fear of disappointing you, I don't particular enjoy the "Sansa falls first" scenarios because what I like about the couple especially is the idea of Sansa finally being appreciated for who she is. Canon offers us plenty of examples of Sansa extending affection and crushes on other characters. They are never truly reciprocated, and they join in on a theme of Sansa going unappreciated for her qualities by the world around her. She is disregarded, mocked, criticized, belittled, humiliated. So much so that a large part of the fandom considers this to be justified and educational for her. She has given up on being loved for herself, but she will not sacrifice her values as a consequence. So someone falling in love with her is to me a very compelling and cathartic validation of Sansa as a person. Of course, this only works if the person falling for Sansa is actually attractive to her and embodies the things we know she has been looking for all this time. But specifically the idea that Sansa falls first fails my personal taste because it contains a sense of lacking reciprocation that we've already seen multiple times in her story. She's been not-loved-in-return a lot already.

I do enjoy the concept of Jon being loved by Sansa, too, because it validated aspects of him he usually keeps close to his chest. Things that touch on his specific mixed sense of identity as a nobly-raised bastard. He has soft sensibilities, a romantic disposition, pedestrian dreams of family and home, and highly idealistic and emotional ideals surrounding leadership that center on duty and honor. But he is generally not appreciated for those specific things. He is appreciated for his brains and his abilities, his bravery, his pragmatism, his loyalty to his friends and duties - but not for the boy who wants to be Lord of Winterfell with a lady wife and babies, who wants to be a hero from the songs, Florian the Fool, Ryam Redwyne. It's a lovely and very specific recognition of a very private part of Jon, to be loved for his secret soft self.

But it's not my primary focus because unlike Sansa, Jon still receives a lot of validation and love in the source material. It's just not the specific kind he wants. So that makes it comparatively less compelling to me.

That doesn't mean that Sansa primarily falling in love with Jon isn't an equally valid thing to enjoy! It's just that I can't make you any good recommendations on this subject specifically because it's not my specific favorite flavor of jonsa.

I wish you good luck though!

[m1ckeyb3rry]

note: i have never done one of these and don’t know if they’ll be a regular offering on my blog but this was fun!! anyways, without further delay…@tigreblvnc, i think your blue lock match is marc snuffy!

☪︎ to be honest, at first i was going to say barou because a lot of the things you said in your description reminded me of him, but then i was like — “okay, no, i don’t think two of them in one relationship would work all too well”

☪︎ however, with the ubers in mind, i quickly arrived at snuffy, and i ended up really liking the idea!!

☪︎ i’m sure this isn’t really a common pairing but i am nothing if not interested in side characters and i think you would go surprisingly well together with snuffy based on what we know about him so far

☪︎ bear with me here LMAO i’ll go through why i made this choice and hopefully you can see the vision!!

☪︎ starting off, i think everyone knows snuffy best for his focus on teamwork and strategy, especially with how he leads the ubers

☪︎ this aspect reminds me a lot of what you said about yourself — “i prefer when things go fast and efficiently, meaning that i’m very good at finding the fastest way to finish something with the least effort possible”

☪︎ i think that snuffy would appreciate that efficient and logical thinking!!

☪︎ on the topic: “i’m the kind to encourage people to take initiatives so i can work on my own tasks without always telling people what to do, even though i like things being done in a precise way” this just screams snuffy to me with his whole ‘soccer-is-work’ ideology and how he carefully constructs a multitude of strategies for the ubers but ultimately leaves the execution on-field up to them

☪︎ according to sendou, snuffy began their training by analyzing each player’s individual style in order to fit it into the ubers framework. i think that for this reason, he would probably appreciate your skills at analyzing others, as well as how you recognize other people’s potential and encourage them to do their best. considering that’s one of the reasons he’s won four out of the five leagues, he definitely recognizes the value in that!!

☪︎ you mentioned not wanting to be reminded of past failures — well, snuffy is the king of working past his former mistakes, of which he has unquestionably made many, so i think he would be very good at uplifting you in the present instead of pointing out things you may have done wrong before, because he knows better than anyone that people can change

☪︎ “people have told me i’m very effective in my work and i’m proud of it” now where have i heard someone talking about “work” before?? LOL

☪︎ “i love and need to be challenged by inspiring individuals who can teach me how to grow and become the best version of myself” — like i said, snuffy understands growth better than almost anyone in the blue lock cast; along with that, snuffy is considered the number one overall player in the world by noel noa himself, so, even setting aside his other characteristics, how’s that for inspiring??

☪︎ along with these similarities, i think you two also have qualities that balance one another out!!

☪︎ when it comes to your temperament, i think snuffy’s patience balances out your quickness to anger as well as your firmness. he’s not the type to engage in a yelling match; if it’s space you ask for, it’s space he’ll give you, and if you just want to have a calm conversation, then he’s more than willing — as we see with him and barou, he is reasonable and, although he has his opinions and viewpoints, he also is willing to change his mind when proven wrong

☪︎ i also don’t think we ever see snuffy angry?? like of course chris prince has his infamous crash out and same with lavinho, but for the most part, snuffy is just encouraging, determined, and methodical, which goes well with your need for organization and control

☪︎ on the flip side, i think your playfulness, love of laughing, and curiosity entertain snuffy to no end. he can be a bit serious, especially given how his misadventures when he was younger led to the death of his friend, but i think you help him remember how to have fun and enjoy life while still being serious and focused on the things that are important

☪︎ furthermore, your love of psychology aligns very well with how seriously snuffy takes mental health. he is as concerned with his teammate’s well-beings as he is with their individual talents and performances, and i’m quite sure he’d love to hear your input. i think your wide base of knowledge would help him out more than once, especially when he has to deal with particularly difficult personalities barou

☪︎ getting into your likes and dislikes, the one that jumped out to me was traveling HAHA i mean considering how many leagues snuffy has WON if you stick by his side there’s likely no end to the places you’ll get to visit!! he’s very popular and in demand, and based on his desire to win all five leagues, he doesn’t seem like a person who’s content with staying in one place for too long

☪︎ adding onto that, his design is based off of an eagle, so yeah. traveling. he’s got you covered.

☪︎ like i said earlier, i think your fun personality helps snuffy find joy in smaller things, and this translates to your likes as well!! things like amusement parks and restaurants feel like a more mature form of the partying he used to do and are more in-line with his current mindset

☪︎ snuffy’s also very generous as we see with him and lorenzo so i think he’d like to indulge you with whatever you want at a given moment!! life’s too short to hold back in any sense, whether it’s with gifts or praise or vacations

☪︎ also — “absurd humor like british people” — considering he’s won the premier league, he’s spent plenty of time with the british and definitely at least understands that brand of wit, so if anything he won’t get offended by it (you’ll probably draw a chuckle out of him)

☪︎ as for your dislikes, i think snuffy would be in agreement with you!! he doesn’t seem like he’d relish in gloominess or sadness or anything like that, so he’d much rather go somewhere warm in the winter than force the two of you to suffer through the nasty weather

☪︎ “indecisive and unreliable people” i think snuffy is like the exact opposite of this so we’re in the clear there

☪︎ being vulnerable — here’s another area where i think snuffy actually helps you out!! he’s not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to, but i think he understands how to be someone that people feel safe confiding in and works hard to be that kind of person, so whenever you want to share, he’s there for you

☪︎ when it comes to your hobbies, i don’t know if snuffy would understand them without a little bit of explanation, but he i think he would be super interested in hearing about your adventures with things like writing!!

☪︎ “i wasn’t good at writing when i was younger, so practice everyday is what helped me to improve my skills significantly” i think that that kind of work ethic is something that snuffy finds super admirable in a person!! he definitely appreciates how committed you are to bettering yourself and improving in your chosen areas

☪︎ for some reason snuffy just seems like someone who would know more than a couple of languages so i can clearly imagine you guys having conversations and then just randomly switching languages as you please

☪︎ maybe it’s because he’s a master striker so he gives more fatherly vibes than some of the blue lock characters but snuffy reminds me so much of those dads that just wander into the kitchen and steal a bite of whatever you’re making HAHA i think he would at least ask first (and respect it if you say no) but suffice to say he is the number one fan of your cooking and baking endeavors…he’s also probably game to trying anything once so he doesn’t mind being your guinea pig and taste-testing whatever you come up with

☪︎ just from the different things you’ve mentioned about the music you listen to as well as you specifically saying you like classical music as well as the general vibes snuffy gives off i’m just going to say that the two of you have almost identical music tastes (did you mention liking pink floyd?? i hope that was you lol anyways i can envision snuffy listening to them incredibly well LMAO like he definitely blasts comfortably numb in the car)

☪︎ on to the love languages!! you said you enjoy physical touch as receiving, but only when you are genuinely comfortable with someone. i think snuffy is empathetic enough not to push — again, i think he would wait for you to seek it out before he does anything, but once you give the go-signal, he’s all for it!

☪︎ also this is just my opinion but i think snuffy gives really nice hugs so there’s that

☪︎ when it comes to giving, you said that you’re good at acts of service, and honestly i think this is something that goes perfectly with snuffy!!

☪︎ he’s used to being the one shouldering people’s burdens and doing things for others — whether it’s helping out those in need, like lorenzo, or taking on the responsibility of his team’s successes and losses alike, the way he does with the ubers, he’s almost always the one assuming a position where the onus is largely on him to perform

☪︎ for that reason, i think that having someone who does even small things for him is a major relief and makes him feel super super cared about. does that make sense??

☪︎ you could literally leave a granola bar in his soccer bag because you don’t want him to be hungry at practice and he’d have heart eyes — anything more than that is the cherry on top!!

☪︎ especially given your attention to detail and intuition with guessing things about people, i feel as though you’re incredibly good at figuring out exactly what he needs and doing it without making a fuss, which not only helps make his life easier but also has him feeling very recognized??? appreciated??? something along those lines

☪︎ as for your appearance and personal style, all i’m going to say is that “sports and practical clothing in my everyday life but classy for special occasions” is exactly what i’d picture snuffy being like!! he’s not going to go crazy on a normal thursday (although he’s always put together) but he knows how to clean up well

☪︎ unfortuantely we have Iike zero information on him so i can’t speak to your signs’ compatibility but hopefully i’ve presented my case well enough that that’s alright HAHA

note: well, that’s all from me!! i hope you enjoyed this even though i’m sure this isn’t a character you were expecting (i did some investigative work and i think i’m the first person to pair you with snuffy?? even though you did say master strikers are alright hehe) and that this was alright (like i said, not a matchup master by any means). i enjoyed doing it though and apologies if there were any typos or repetitive language or if i like. horribly misunderstood you. or anything like that 😭

[call-sign-shark]

Hi there,

A friend of mine was watching Peaky with me the other day and we ended up having a convo about Arthur. We were just wondering what the Arthur lovers liked the most about him?

I mean I sort of get the appeal of him being fucked in the head and sorta unhinged. But what’s the best thing about him?

I really hope this doesn’t come of as judgmental! We were just genuinely curious since we’re totally Tommy girlies. 😅

Hi Tommy's girl anon! Thank you so much for your wonderful question. Don't worry, this is not judgemental at all, quite the contrary this is always such an interesting topic to discuss! 😊

First of all, I'll try to remain concise because I can write for hours about my love for Arthur, but my goal isn't to bore the death of you.

Obviously, the unhinged and mentally fucked up aspect of the character is what attracted me at first. It's my favorite character trope of all time, and all my favorite fictional characters have it -- and when I say favorite fictional characters I mean characters I hold very dear to my heart. I can mention Vaas Montenegro from Far Cry 3 and Jinx from League of Legends / Arcane. This is also a trope you can find in most of my OCs except Heaven, which has a colder and maybe even creepier form of "madness".

Apart from the unhinged persona, I can also talk about his physical appearance. Of course, Tommy is hot but... I don't know, there's something about Arthur's weird style, body language, and lanky body type that feeds his batshit crazy and unpredictable nature. To conclude that very quick and superficial part of physical appearance, I also think that Paul Anderson's eyes and facial features are jaw-dropping. Next time you watch Peaky Blinders try to pay attention to Arthur's eyes and gaze. I won't be able to explain it properly but he has a piercing and intense stare with adorable bambi lashes.

Now, if I had to choose the best thing about him I'd go for his complexity. SK's poor character management aside, Arthur is the most complex character in the show in my opinion. And his complexity did surprise me. I really thought his character would remain the typical unhinged and problematic brother throughout the story but the more the plot unfolds, the more I've discovered a very third-dimensional and emotional character. Arthur is a character full of colors and paradoxes. On the one hand, he is that ultraviolent man with psychotic outbursts and addiction problems, and on the other hand he is that loving (and yandere) husband, loyal brother, and goofy man. Like, for real, the drastic change in him when Linda appeared blew my mind in the most positive way possible. Arthur is the type of character that you know is fucked up and who does cruel/unforgivable things but you can't hate him. You can't help feeling bad for him because, somehow, he's maybe the sweetest of all the Shelby clan. The fact that Arthur is always walking on a thin line between pure psychotic monster and touching / redemption-seeking man is certainly the best thing in his tragic character. It is also best described by Polly's quote " Watch Arthur, because he's as likely to hurt himself as anyone else."  He tries to be good, he really tries but he's fighting with the wrong weapons and always ends up sinking again. That's why I appreciated SK freeing him from his addictions and making him feel better at the end of S6 after the shitty treatment of the character throughout that final season.

I would have loved to go on but I think this post is already long enough. To summarize, Arthur is a complex character made of paradoxes and this bipolarity between the violent/evil man and the loving/goofy one is fascinating. Thanks for your wonderful question and thank you for choosing me! 🖤

[silvermeww]

12. An unpopular character you like? (and why more people should like them)

asdfghjk THANKS FOR THE ASK I'M GIVING YOU SO MUCH <33 RN

Ooh, hmm, this'll be fun. there are so many examples in pokeani and honestly some are a little eh, but then I remembered how almost every comment I see about 'worse' characters seem to include Max and I just don't get it?? How can anyone hate him??

(fun fact, when I was first watching him - in dub mind you - I also really didn't like him much. but I was coming off from the end of the OG, which was pretty sad considering who we lost, and tbh especially in 4kids early seasons dub EVERYONE was pretty unlikeable. I think I hated almost everyone back in the early gens at some point lol; I can be real vindicative but I think watching the whole thing taught me to take my time before judging stuff :v)

But yeah!! I really don't get the hate. Oh, so he said that Ash sucked for getting 8th place in the Silver Conference - can we all remember that a) legit kid and b) he's seeing this guy lose to an evolved starter from his own region of the SAME type as Ash's. It's like watching a Venasaur lose to Meganium if you're from Kanto; you'll be feeling pretty patriotic and stuff too ngl, especially if you don't have any battle experience yet.

But he acts so smart - Yes, and?? I don't see anyone talk about how Gary was coming up in the first season spouting random facts only to lose in the prelims and get a lower place than Ash. Again, I wish that people remember that Max is the kid of a Gym Leader, who reads and watches Leagues to make up for not being able to watc the Gym Battles taking place under the same roof, who dreams of becoming as strong if not stronger than his father. He's going to have high expectations. He's going to think that knowledge is everything. He's going to show off as much as he can, to make up for the fact that he's the only one in the group who isn't a Trainer. And I love how he learns that you have to actually interact with Pokemon to learn what it's all about, that you can't replace experience, that you can still experience things now even if you are too young to start. There isn't a limit to going out and interacting with the world. He doesn't have to wait. He's allowed to make mistakes and own up and not know stuff and grow, now and in the future. In a way, he's learning the same things as May, and I think that's wonderful.

And while I wish that he could've gotten a Pokemon while on the journey (one that he could keep à la XY with Bonnie), I'm fine with what he had in Advanced. He got to see Gym Battles. He got to travel two (2) regions. He got to see different aspects of being a Trainer, as a Coordinator and as a Breeder/Doctor. He got the recognition of his father in the end and was able to get into the Gym business. He got to play and learn with so many Pokemon and just act his age for once, instead of having to grow up to make up the percieved difference (wrongly percieved, might I add). Dang it, he brefriended two Mythical Pokemon (Jirachi and that other Deoxys). I dunno, he's doing pretty well for himself. Sure he's snappish and remarks on a bunch of stuff, but AG is full of that (ugh Ash was on another level, especially in Hoenn) (we don't talk about flat Brock) and S1 Kanto was way worse.

Anyways everyone go out and appreciate this goober. He did not bond with this Ralts for nothing and I swear I did not cry in this ep just for everyone to hate him. His character growth was awesome and if we ever get a Chronicles 2.0 I need to see his journey (the kids that go with Ash legit get such powerful Pokemon I fear for the competition lol).

[romancomicsblog]

Who should play Lex Luthor in the DCU?

With the DCU casting its red caped hero last month as David Corenswet in Superman Legacy, the Man of Steel's archenemy feels just around the corner.

While nothing is confirmed, names like Nicholas Hoult, Alexander Skarsgard, and Bill Skarsgard have been rumored for the role.

While I have no problem with any of these actors or these Luthors, I feel we can do better.

So before James Gunn throws out a name that will likely break the internet, I thought I'd pitch my three ideas for The DCU's Lex Luthor. Unlike my last fancast (shameless plug for My Flash Fancast Article), I have one actor who I think truly stands beyond the rest.

But first, as always, let's answer a few questions:

What performances are we looking to emulate?

Much like the Man of Steel himself, Luthor has a number of appearances across DC media, including animation, film, and live action television. So unlike my Flash article, I will not be going through all of them, even the main ones.

While I don't think any performance has been perfect, I think there are several we can draw from to create a better Lex.

I'm going to try to remain positive and only look at performances I appreciate, so instead of dunking on Jesse Eisenberg for 45 minutes, I'll just say quickly: He's doing a real good Mad Hatter in Batman vs Superman.

1. Michael Rosenbaum - Smallville

There's a lot to love from this one.

Unlike most iterations of Luthor in media, Rosenbaum begins the series an ally to Clark, even a friend. Luthor is confident, smart, but has a likeability to him I think we have lost in more recent interpretations. All those aspects should be brought over to the DCU.

We need someone who you could believe the city loves almost as much as Superman.

Rosenbaum also had a physical presence and voice to beat. He projected strength, and felt like someone who could throw hands if he needed to.

Finally, his anger and rage were bubbling just beneath all that. He could snap at a moment's notice, and in those moments is where you see the villain. That's what I want from my Lex, someone who mastered masking his demons.

2. Clancy Brown - Superman the Animated Series, Justice League & Justice League Unlimited

If it wasn't for Rosenbaum, this would be my definitive Lex Luthor.

Clancy Brown has never misunderstood the assignment, as he plays a much more aggressive and fiercer Luthor in the DCAU.

What I love about this Luthor is his ability to become a bigger threat from season to season. Making deals with Darkseid, giving speeches to Amazo, and even fusing with Brainiac, this Luthor could hang and outsmart the best of them.

While he was a little quick to anger in my opinion, this Luthor had that same strength and confidence I absolutely love in Rosenbaum.

Something inbetween these two may make the perfect Luthor.

3. Jon Cryer - Arrowverse

While there is a huge gap between two and three, I think there is a lot to love about Cryer.

While he is harder to take seriously than the other two, he does show off one thing the others don't, the fun of being the richest, smartest person in the room.

Cryer always felt like Luthor was having fun toying with heroes. Only when he dealt with the Girl of Steel did he really go off the rails.

Do I want a performance as hammy or out there as Cryer? Not necessarily, but someone who can do a little comedy may be fun here.

What ethnicity is Lex Luthor?

This one doesn't have a definitive answer.

While in most iterations of the character he appears to be white, in Justice League/Justice League Unlimited, some fans speculate he is a person of color, specifically black.

I have mixed feelings on changing a villain into a person of color, as that can have its own implications, especially when their hero wears Red and Blue.

I do think leaving Lex Luthor as an only white character can take away from the depiction. Luthor sometimes is a self made man, and making him a person of color who clawed his way through oppression only to be seconded by another white man could be an interesting take.

Again my feelings are mixed, but for now I'm going to say either way works.

Any other stipulations?

Yes, a few.

For one, I will not bring back an actor who played him before, so I'm sorry Rosenbaum fans, maybe next time.

My Luthor will be either A) a friend to Superman of the same age or B) a mentor like figure, still a friend though, at least for the first movie. So age range is anywhere between 30-50.

Unlike Superman, Luthor's are usually played by actors with a name. Jesse Eisenberg and Gene Hackman both are heavy hitters, so I will be looking for actors of similar caliber.

I also don't want to go with actors who have been or are known for different superhero roles. That doesn't mean they can't have ever been in a superhero movie (hint hint) but we're not getting Downey Jr.

If they are bald that is a plus, but not necessary.

Again I think these picks all can do it, but I really love my number 1 pick.

3. Jason Bateman

This one will probably take the most convincing but think about it.

Known for his wide ranging work such as Ozark, Arrested Development, Game Night & Air, Bateman is a comedic and dramatic force.

At 54, Bateman is my oldest Luthor, but I think he can emulate better than anyone else on this list the fun of Cryer.

I have a few problems with this casting. While he has a great calming voice, I don't know if it's Luthor. It can be sinister, and it can be friendly, but I don't know how confident it can be.

My other main problem is this Luthor doesn't seem like he can fight. I think this Luthor would feel more like someone who needs the mech suit.

Overall I think this is a fun cast and would be a little unexpected, and a challenge for Bateman. But one I think he could nail.

2. John David Washington

If we want a cool, strong, and same age Luthor to befriend Superman, I think John David Washington slides into this very well. At 38, Washington still looks like a passable 30.

Known for his roles in Tenet and Malcolm and Marie, Washington I think is our best bet at emulating Rosenbaum. The swagger, the look, and the dangerous presence bubbling beneath the surface.

My main problem with casting Washington is always the same, does he fit better elsewhere?

Washington is such a versatile actor, he sometimes feels like a blank slate. Would he better suited for Cyclops? Green Lantern? An older Firestorm? Who is to say.

In any case, I'm sure he'll be casted in one of these sooner or later, but Luthor may be an example of right place, right time for Washington.

1. Sterling K. Brown

Several years ago, I saw an episode of Brooklyn 99, which to this day is my favorite episode, where Jake Peralta and Captain Holt try their absolute best to get this killer to admit his crime or slip up.

He is so intelligent, suave, and calm, that they are unable to break him, until they hit the right nerve, and the bubbling anger boils so hot, he admits everything.

That is Lex Luthor.

And that is Sterling K Brown.

Known for hit shows like This is Us, The People vs OJ Simpson, the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and movies like Black Panther and Waves, Sterling K Brown may be the most underrated actor working today.

Brown has an intensity about him that screams Luthor. He can play likeable and caring like Rosenbaum, he can reach that rage and intensity that Clancy Brown nailed, and have the fun of Jon Cryer.

Brown also has a kindness that reads extremely genuine. You'd get the sense in another world, this Luthor would be a hero.

At 47, he's old enough to be a mentor to Clark, but still feel formidable, especially with his current physical build.

Brown's Luthor I can see as a staple character for the DCU, appearing as an overarching puppet master, leader of villainous teams, tormentor of many heroes, or even uneasy ally when greater threats emerge.

No matter where they take Luthor as a character, Sterling K. Brown is the right pick to menace the DC Universe for years to come.

Thank you for reading! Let me know who you'd like me to fancast next for Marvel or DC!

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[epicspheal]

Something that I brought up on twitter that I wanted to bring here was how some of the choices for the Indigo League in the original anipoke series are often severely underrated. Namely speaking how Gary was knocked out of the tournament before Ash does and Ash will soon be knocked out too. As much as the anime gets a lot of flak for it’s writing (and yes there are plenty of flaws) I think it often doesn’t get the props it deserves at times for actually being a bit subversive in how it handles certain aspects and the Indigo League is good example of that when it comes to the rivalry of Ash and Gary The Kanto Protagonist-Rival dynamic is one of the most iconic in the franchise and for good reason. It’s portrayed solidly throughout the games, anime and manga although it’s really iconic mostly for the games’ portrayal (and I’m talking the RBGY and FRLG portrayals because it’s the minute details that made it so worthwhile Blue as the rival whereas trying have lightning strike twice with Trace fell flat and it’s not because “Friendly rivals are trash” but rather “you can’t put friendly rival in a story meant for a character that has negative tension with the protagonist and expect it to work”). The manga’s portrayal is solid but it’s the most vanilla of the three dynamics because it takes out one of the key features of the dynamic (the strong friendship that was destroyed prior to the journey adds emotional weight that both the game and anime portrayal actually keep intact) and didn’t do anything subversive with final like how the games and anime do. Now the anime, I think writing-wise had the most shocking portrayal of the rivalry. We’re coming into the series, especially if you watched this is the late nineties/early aughts where shows like Yu-Gi-Oh! and Beyblade were also on TV, expecting for a climactic showdown between Ash and Gary in the finals of the Indigo League where are naive rookie Ash will take down his former childhood rival and become champion. They don’t even get to face each other at all. Gary is knocked out in the top 32. I remember watching this as a kid and I was like “WHAT!? When is Ash going to face Gary?” because we had been waiting for a battle between them for ages. If it is one major criticism of the Ash-Gary rivalry that I have is that they should’ve had more battles with each other leading up to the eventual final battle in Johto. But still the subversion was huge and now that I’m older I can really appreciate it for what it was trying to do.

First off it’s super realistic that two people in a heated rivalry never face off compared to how most manga/anime tournaments tend to be where it just so happens that the main character will face most if not all of the major side characters. As a sports fan, realistically match-ups are quite random and rivalries don’t always get a chance to be settled in major tournaments (especially in the finals where even non-sports fans tend to tune in). Of course in a fictional narrative we want to see that payoff hence why the match-ups are a bit more contrived but it’s categorized under the willing suspension of disbelief for the sake of closing story arcs. Second upsets happen in tournaments all the time. Number one seeds get ousted by the lowest ranked people/teams in the tournament. Promising newcomers get unexpectedly thrashed. Gary was definitely one of the more promising rookies and we were expecting for him to go further than he does but again being promising doesn’t guarantee anything really Those two bits of realism act as a major wakeup call, for Gary, for Ash and for the audience. For Gary between that and being clapped hard by Mewtwo at the Viridian Gym (again another subversion from the games and manga where Blue is with Red and Green the last few characters to ever win the Earth badge off of Giovanni as gym leader) it’s a huge signal that something’s got to change. It’s why he acts so different once we meet him again after Ash comes back from the Orange Islands. In the moment of the Indigo League, this is a huge wakeup call for Ash as he realize “shit is real”. Despite the current animosity between him and Gary he still massively respects him especially as a trainer. And seeing him get knocked out the tournaments leaves such an impact that Ash almost considers dropping out himself, showing some rare moments of insecurity because at the moment he doesn’t believe himself to be better than Gary. If Gary can’t make it past the Top 32 what chance does he have? And then for the audience it’s a wakeup call that this despite being a kid show isn’t going to play by every trope that we come to expect. That you’re not going to win everything or always get a chance to prove yourself to someone else. It’s sobering, and quite mature for a kid’s show and I think it just doesn’t get as much credit that it deserves. It leads to introspection for both Ash and Gary and even though they don’t have their final battle until the silver conference Ash still “claims” a victory of Gary by getting further and going to win the Orange Island Cup. And this helps inform Gary’s eventual decision to become a researcher because he’s really not seeing the same results as his game and manga counterparts end up doing in their respective universes.

[bogbiter]

League Concept: Bazelgeuse

Finally my own content hooorah!

So, for those who haven't caught on, I love creature/character design, I love Destiny, I love Monster Hunter, and I love League of Legend's world building. This culminated in one of my projects of fan champions inspired by monster hunter and destiny.

Before Bel’veth was even launched, I had grown uninterested in new champs because well riot was going through its shirtless hunk era and the sparkly faced whatever the fuck Lilia is era. And though I like Sett and I can appreciate Yone, they ultimately served the "Sex Sells" argument of champ design. All of this later culminated in the Ruined King event, which just... sucked. Viego was the biggest offender of that, and characters like Gwen really felt like cop-outs. I was excited for a living doll, and we got well...

Anyways alot of complaining I openly was unhappy with the newest designs and among mutuals at the time the main thing brought up is "monsters don't sell", people want to look at something pretty not something unfuckable. I found this concept absurd because I could list many times fiction depicting monsters in a non-scantily clad light took off. And so I created this mini project, inspired by the monster hunter caste.

The idea was to make monstrous champions, from lore to kit to aesthetic, interesting to the player, and engaging enough to revisit. And monster hunter to me, had honed that down. It's a game about hunting creatures that can take up to 40 minutes of just chipping away at fantastical megafauna, taking the kill, reveling in it!-

Than repeating because you need more parts but a good monster! Makes the returning fight still engaging. And one monster I especially loved was Bazelgeuse. A strong bombastic and cinematic theme, a massive hitbox. Literal explosions pouring out of it from bomb like scales... and that reverberating trilling roar was just... mwa! And as a fan of playing as the meaty bastards in top lane Like Volibear, Cho'Gath, Malphite, and Sion, I thought that for a tankier crowd-controlling bruiser we deserve the same spectacle up there!

And so here was my attempt: Kyridon, The Custodian of The Sands.

....

Not all who seek adventure are running from something. Not all who are sent for battle do so for a noble purpose or greater plan. No, some just wish to have their fun. Ever since time memorial, the Rocs were ancient wardens of the skies over Shurima and Targon, their presence usually inciting reverence and awe at their body crushing might. Even more terrifying was their power over flame, and when combined with their explosive dust that showered upon their foes from their feathers, oftentimes turned the earth below into a warzone no man is able to take head on. After the Rune Wars, their numbers waned, and they became a more elusive sight as the centuries carried on. They now patrolled the land as ever searching scavengers, often coming in to feast on the sun-bleached meals of travelers and beast below, occasionally hunting the weakened caravanners or outcast of Targon. Yet occasionally, a Roc might bring home trinkets they exchanged with the wiser nomads of the lands they patrolled, or Guardians who offered them some blessings for their travels. Kyridon, the chick of an eccentric literary collector, would wander to his mother's horde and read up on the epics of the races below. These tales, which told of the Ancient Ascended Rulers of Shurima or the Divine Aspects that protected Targon. His little mind was filled with dreams of great power. He wished to be revered for his might. Or, more simply put: "Look cool beating the shit out of someone."

As Kyridon grew, his form was something else to behold, far longer and more wyverian in design than the massive raptorial visage of his kin. The first sparking of a Roc is usually quite uneventful, as they shed their feathers, they slowly begin to shed the explosive scales their kin are known for, and frequently if was accidentally ignited by the emerging Flame sac the Roc possessed, it is usually but a surprising pop that is far more bark than bite. Kyridon, of course, was not so harmless. His ventral feathers on his neck and tail appeared to be braided, ending in feathered clumps that looked like a rosebud. He wasn't producing the explosive scales the rest of his clutch did, so his father, a venerated warrior, took it upon himself to try and teach his chick how to use their explosive arts. Shaking his body, the larger Roc jumped back, and letting out a blast of fire from his maw, ignited the ember- like cloud lingering on the ground, creating a fantastical explosion. Kyridon looked bewildered, and not wanting to disappoint did the same, but instead, the rose buds bloomed with a fiery glow and fell to the earth like a gourd. As he jumped back, he blew just a small flame onto them, and the explosion it produced threw him back and staggered his father. As the sand and smoke cleared, the crater left was far larger than what was typical of a Roc his age. His son was gifted, incredibly so. Along with his musculature, there was no doubt his son was meant to fight.

For the four years Kyridon lived under his parent's roost, every day, he was taken to train and hunt with his father and the others of his colony. He was their Desert Rose, a poster child for their little enclave where the mountains touched the desolate sands. Their praise, however, diluted his vision, and for all his stoicism, he had grown rebellious as well. With so much power, he wished to claim himself as The Roaming Tyrant of these lands. The Custodian of the Waste!"

It wasn't a gradual takeover either, Kyridon had all the subtlety of a firework's display. At first, he set his eyes to the raiders of the sands, those who followed the "Butcher of the Sands." In his mind, he believed himself to be starting an epic, starting with what he assumed to be the "Bad Guy." And at first, the little almost chortle like squawks he made before he did every attack was confusing, bewildering. Before the Rose Feathers began to pelt the earth, detonating on impact with the sands, throwing man, mount, and ground around. Then, the cries for war became more clear as he descended down to attack his foe- no... his prey.

He'd drop his explosive covering onto the earth, as if outlining a runway... Then he'd release an earth shattering bellow, before the beast crashed into the earth, setting his own explosive feathers off as he dragged himself across the ground. His foes were engulfed in flame, the sands polished into smooth glass. Standing up from the carnage he'd patrol around for survivors, eating whoever wasn't entirely scattered across the wastes, then take off once more.

Soon, his roar, his silhouette, his behavior spread across the land. Tales of the strange roc that dropped bombs upon his targets inspired fear upon those who had to trek the open, as they knew well how standing their ground made it easy for him to dive upon his victims. Yet if they were to run, they heard he would still pursue them, until they broke into cover, in which case they'd hear a cry of pure rage as the explosives would descend onto their shelter, as he flew off to find a better fight. And while at first Kyridon attacked those he knew to be the raiders on the outskirts of his colony's territories... he hungered for another chapter to his story.

He soared over the dunes, immediately working upon asserting himself as the apex of the land. He'd steal kills from the invasive void beast or the crocodilians and jackals of the dunes. His own explosives made for a great way to assert himself in any situation, as most would cower at the carnage raining down from above and the vibrations quaking the earth around them. For those who were perhaps too foolish, they'd be met with the beast landing before them, bill snapping, as it charged at them, Kyridon throwing his weight around with little finesse, focusing more on his brutish strength than any greater level of strategy. It, however, grew boring, it grew stale, they didn't tell stories of scavengers, they told stories of warriors and kings! So he began to survey the land, looking for a fight. After two days of searching, he found it, a scuffle between some desert trolls and shuriman nomads. But from so high up, it seemed like a battle of raiders against one another. Such barbarism had to be dealt with swiftly, and so Kyridon descended onto the battle, his explosive feathers dropping around them in a run by flight, as he soared over them yet again, casting his shadow over their terrified forms. Naturally, they raised their arms, and Kyridon dived for the kill.

The battle that ensued was violent, as the beast let off his explosions around them to create a ring for the brawl. He threw his weight around, dragging his head across the ground as he crashed into the crowd with the force of a comet. Smash into everyone, crash into everything, the reckless abandon befitting of kamikaze. Fire threw from his maw, as spell and blade pierced his side, the one leading the trolls throwing a javelin into his neck, Kyridon dropping more feathers from his neck and tail reflexively. He roared in the heat of the moment out of raw joy of the carnage he participated in, not knowing this peculiar below would be enough to light the fuse. As he turned his head to face the troll in charge of his own entourage, him and his opponent were enveloped in sand and flame. As the smoke subsided, he charged forward, hoping to meet his opponent, and instead found nothing but remains. He performed his usual, searching for something to scavenge on that was intact.

However, as he approached a wagon, having been tossed away due to the explosion, he heard coughing. He was snapped out of his foraging trance. He approached the wagon, tearing the fabric off, finding a human child, singed and with broken legs, the bone visible. Kyridon felt his heart sink. Why was there a child here... They looked so young, why didn't he smell them... Why did he attack then?! Heroes defended the innocent, stood for what's right, and legends favored the noble. He heard a whimper, not just from the child, but the female troll whose weapon was now lodged on the back of his neck. He looked around. Everything else was just charred, broken. His battle trance wavered, and he felt shame, knowing he had scarred this child and that the woman on the other side of the crater had perhaps lost something dear to her too. He spilt blood, and while he found it quite easy and fun, here it just felt... wrong. He was astronomically stronger than most of his opponents. He knew that. He didn't think for a second. That was his problem.

The damage was already done, but maybe he could bring them somewhere safer. He gently took both troll and child into his bill and took off, searching the lands for a village to properly bring them to. He flew faster than he ever had before, and as the sun faded behind the dunes and the moon took its place, he found a village fortified by intricately carved stone. But no matter how high it stood, he could simply glide over. He landed in the middle of a bustling market, mortifying all present. As they cowered in their structures, the guard rushing to aid them and drive away the Roc, Kyridon gently laid the two towns against a stall, before taking wing and leaving the market, fighting the urge to combat the guard who pelted him with arrow and bolt. As he soared across the desert, searching for a new place to roost, the sight of the broken boy and woman twisted something in his gut, and as he finally roosted atop a peak overlooking the dunes, he found no solace in resting, simply questioning what it was all for. Was he the hero of his story, or just a self-serving beast, diluted by grandeur.

He stalked the dunes silently now, searching for prey he deemed able to put up a fight, creatures that did not immediately fall to his attacks. However, it became a struggle in his turf, and thus, he had to go toward the "Great Sai," where the most dangerous beast of the desert sands lurked. He had been warned of the Great Worms of that land, and the Sand Sharks and Earth Swimmers, that they were not of this world, and that even the smallest fought with the ferocity of a Rok. But that's what Kyridon needed, a proper fight. As he soared over The Great Sai, it wasn't long to spot the tunnels made by his new prey. Dropping some of his heavier feathers onto the ground, he'd see the sand part as figures immediately swam in for the kill. Only to arrive just as the explosion set off, throwing those hidden by the dunes away and onto the surface, and thus attracting more prey. This, this was the fight he wanted, those who did not flee from the explosions! He roared out to the swarm of purple chitin layered beast below them, opening up their inky black maws to roar at him. He crashed into the earth, setting off more explosive feathers around him, as the swarm would pour over his form. He did not rest. He did not halt, he tackled swatches of the beast, setting off more explosions that slayed many but drew in even more. Fire scorched and bubbled the exposed flesh of his enemies, his bill chomping through their shells. As they lunged from below and tried to gut him, he'd lift himself into the air, crashing back down on the advancing tide, their bodies splintered and fractured. He did this many times over, scoring dozens of bodies out of it, like a gluttonous demon he'd feast on their bodies for weeks, before diving into the heart of the tide, wishing to partake in the cathartic slaughter of these beasts.

He eventually grew tired and stalked after the Great Void Worms, stealing their meals at first with a surprise assault from his run by explosive tactics. But soon, the beast learned of his tactics and tried to bring the fight to him. Such exciting concepts invigorated him, and he met their own savagery with his unparalleled eagerness to brawl. These fights were the stuff of legends, and many told of that same Bomber Roc tackling the whale sized beast of the sands, sealing their fate. The cries of his prey lingered on for minutes before falling silent, his own cry of victory ringing out across the Great Sai.

His feast was plentiful, subsidized by the invader beast and their caches, he ruled over the skies like some guardian beast. No longer did he pursue the Caravans and those passing under his guise. He was now the brilliance that ruled the dunes, The Custodian Of The Waste. And thus, it put him at odds with the Queen Beast of the Sands, Rek'Sai. Innumerable were their fights together, as he preyed upon her and her kin, and for years The Subterranean Queen and The Avian Tyrant dueled in the Sais, leaving craters in the earth, and tumbling stone monuments. Many let the beast fight, less they attract either the Warhead's Ire or the Queen's Wrath. Of course, the two were met in a stalemate, beings of raw power colliding for one goal: Domination. However, it was obvious Kyridon was undeniably controlling the numbers of Rek'Sai's kin, and so, drawn to the commotion, came a desert wanderer, violet eyes under indigo cloth standing out amidst the sands.

The Traveler wandered for a few days, walking among the skeletons of wildlife and void creatures alike, many embedded in the sides of deep craters. It didn't take long for the Sand Swimmers to grow interested in him, a few lunging forward in the sand to attack the strange nomad. He was unbothered by them. He knew once they got close enough, they could see what he truly was. But before they could, he felt his body tremble when he heard the roar of the one he came to greet. Diving down upon the Sand Swimmers, Kyridon didn't even bother with explosives, simply smashing into everyone, crashing into everything. The Traveler barely avoided the Roc as it tossed about a sand swimmer caught in its jaws, and to the nomad's surprise, the other sand swimmers abandoned their kin to be devoured on the spot. The Traveler hesitated for a bit before confronting the Roc.

"...Are you the Custodian of the Waste?"

The creature hesitated, stopping its crunching and tearing, looking back at him.

"What of it?"

Luckily for him, the creature was not one to immediately fire upon him, he continued to talk with the beast as it pulled its head back, its bill hook helping free softer flesh from muscle and ligaments. He peered into the being's thoughts, probing its mind with greater finesse.

"So- you used to soar all across Shurima, why did you stop in the Sais?"

"I was looking for fights... Just so happened it was... One Sided."

He was growing bored of the conversation, the Traveler could feel it, plus he was almost done with his meal, it wouldn't be long before he took off. The Traveler prepared for the worst, ready to cast a shield upon himself as he forced out his words.

"The Child and Woman, whose friends and family you butchered-"

And Immediately the beast turned to face him, his feathers rising as he stomped over to face the nomad, a fire brewing in the back of his throat. The Traveler had to continue, less a fight would ensue.

"They reside in a village, the same one you dropped them in, and it is under the protection of Xerath. But another, with an army made of the desert itself, is on the warpath, and the Village will not bow to a new king, and so they will be silenced. I came here, so you may quit the fight with the Voidborn, and bring it to someone who is actually endangering the Innocent."

The Roc stared for a bit, his gaze hard to read. He stomped over and as the mage called upon his shield, it saved him from being directly smashed into the earth by the tyrant's swinging head. Yet as they were thrown back into the Earth, Kyridon spread his wings and began to take to the air, looking down at the mage-

"So, youre saying there is a good war to fight?"

----

Kyridon traveled from the Sai and flew to the West, as he was carried by the drafts to gain a higher altitude, trying to find the village he left those two behind all those years ago. He spent three days on the wing, scouring the dusty plains for the fight. On the fourth day he saw a village, in the beginning throes of a siege, a man in the distance raising his hand, and the sands themselves formed into a legion of warriors that marched forward towards the village. This was no raiding party, this was a full out battle. He soared in lower, and could see siege equipment being pushed by men with jackal-like heads, and there in the frontlines, trying to push the Sand Soldiers back, was an older female troll, and a man with prosthetic legs. He for some reason felt his mind revert into a battle trace, as he furrowed his brow, gazing at the sand horde below, catching the attention of the sorcerer general, he then let out a warcry that he hadn't bellowed in sometime. The two at the frontlines looked up, their faces paling. They immediately began to tell their men to fall back past the walls, as rosebud-like feathers bloomed in the air as they fell to the floor, the jackal headed men looking confused.

Then the explosions rang off, as Sand Guardian after Sand Guardian returned to dust as their lines were blown apart. As the Jackal Headed men tried to retreat, they found only a searing heat met them from above, and for those who did not succumb to the flame, a crushing weight as Kyridon crashed head first through the earth. With momentum alone, he carved his way through the enemy lines before fixing himself up onto his back legs, roaring into the heavens as he charged forward, any poor soul trampled underfoot. Their searing blades meant nothing, the presence of his blood on the sand motivated him in ways he hadn't felt before. He threw his neck and tail haphazardly, letting them detonate once they made contact with any of the men surrounding him. His flame turned those closest to him into grains of glass, and those not scorched by the flame were charged at, helping detonate any of his explosives that weren't set off. The village looked on at the war-torn earth, and the one man army pushing the enemies' forces back. A spark returned to Kyridon that hadn't been felt in a long while, the spark of war, of might, what all true legends strive for! To be witnessed!

As the man who set upon this small legion to attack the village began to retreat, the Roc felt the need to pursue and grow stronger. He took to the skies, soaring faster than the man could run, as he trailed explosives behind him, making a runway straight for the coward's position. He began to dive again, his wings out as he barreled into the earth, his head raised and his mouth open to roar as he prepared himself to nab the man with his bill alone. As the explosions set off around him, he grew so close, so close to taking a bite out of the coward!- Only for a wall, one of shields and blades stronger than any stone met him head on, as the beast was thrown back, a massive explosion accompanying his collapse as the world began to dim. When he came to, he saw the village garrison looking on at him in fear and wonder. The Roc clamped his bill together, finding nothing. It audibly groaned as it dragged itself out of the crater, scorch marks everywhere. He flexed his wings, finding no permanent injuries on him. And the army he had been assaulting had disappeared without a trace. Yet that wasn't right. There had been flesh and blood he knew it that much. Unless, of course, their mages had helped them retreat. As soon as he realized what happened, he laughed hysterically. The thrill that fight brought him, the adrenaline! He took wing and soared out to find the man who gave him that brawl and finally finish it off. He wasn't done with this man of sand. He was a Roc on a mission: crashing his foe’s party.

Kyridon Kit:

His Passive is similar to Garren's old passive, where you do more damage to people who have a bounty on them, the theme being you're going after the best fights, and his kit is very explosive and offensive

Passive- The Warhead: Kyridon foes more damage to enemies with a bounty, and after takedown, gains a significant movement speed bonus and temporarily decreases ability cooldown.

Q-Fussilade Torp: Kyridon breathes out fire in a straight line in a straight trajectory, doing ap damage upon impact. Can detonate explosives if they make contact. Enemies marked with Q can be dashed into to knock them off the ground.

W- Piledriver: Kyridon charges forward, doing AD damage and pushing people back. Knocks enemies up into the air after being hit by Q, and impact with explosives will cause them to detonate.

E- Gravefall: Kyridon drops a set of interactive explosives in a given area, which, when detonated deal AD damage with AP afterburn. These can be triggered with Q or W.

R- Party Crasher: A chanelling ability, Kyridon flies overhead, dropping explosive feathers as to make a "Runway," which he then then crashes through the entire length of till reaching the end, creating explosions on both sides.

....

It's pretty obvious even when reading, and especially look at this raggedy ass doodle I did his inspirations

Visually he takes Inspiration from Bazelgeuse from Monster Hunter and Phoenix from Dota 2. This is done to add weight to his character and to add a feeling of luminous to him, as if he wishes to be the center of attention. And it helps make him stand out. He is heavy bodied with a massive tail, but instead is alit like a fire, with a sharp bill and robust wings that make him feel as though every scene he is in he captures everyone's awe. Or terror.

Also because Phoenix from Dota 2 is a comfort character and I wanted to make Kyridon a bird.

Kyridon might not be subtle, but he speaks like a Herculean hero. He is full of pride but also believes that for his legacy to live on, he must constantly punch above his weight class. He isn't looking to bully people weaker than him. He's looking to provoke someone stronger than him.

He is utterly violent and bombastic, but he uses his aggression to find higher purpose and praise. This is why he finds kinship with the concepts of self-made legends. People who raised above their station. To him, that is like the ideal dream and aspiration to hold to. Unfortunately, his tactics are pretty mid, and his intimidating bulk is what keeps him from being minced meat.

I am redoing the first one because he deserves it, and I have some destiny Inspired champions I can post here if that is anyone's cup o tea.

[jetaloen]

Idk if this has been answered before, but what character inspired you to create Rohan?

i have talked about it a little bit on other sites, but not here i dont think....I LOVE SHARING MY INSPS

so i do have this pic that kinda shows characters/random elements that inspired rohan. most the actual shit about him is drawn from samurai champloo and vagabond tho

his background is based off jin from samurai champloo. jin's parents die and he is taken in by a dojo, where he trains constantly to compensate for his lack of family and structure. as a result, he is leagues above his peers, who ostracize and fear him. that's literally exactly what rohan is too, except i made rohan's PARENTS run the dojo he's in, and THEY make him train constantly with the reasoning that it will ensure rohan's future. i love themes of alienation in childhood, but i also love when characters are trapped in toxic family dynamics. jin grows into his role as a swordsman though he eventually must leave after he's forced to murder his master, but rohan resents his lack of choice and feels trapped, so despite his skill (that he doesn't appreciate until he comes to hisui) he yearns for a life where he isn't pressured.

personality wise, rohan is mostly based on soho takuan (vagabond), ryoji kaji (nge), and shunsui kyoraku (bleach). they are all easy-going but perceptive characters who, to varying degrees, can cut right into people when they need to. rohan is really similar to volo in some aspects as well, namely in terms of his tenacity. the whole point in originally creating rohan was to ponder the type of character that could realistically befriend someone that selfish and immature. i came to the conclusion over time that volo needs someone who will show him—the real him—a little care and empathy, someone older, wiser, and more mature; but it is imperative that that person must still go to war with volo on his level. and rohan will fight volo over and over until he dies, because that is what reaches volo the best: the determination to stop him. rohan knows this, even if volo doesn't recognize it himself.

other little elements of his character just kind of happened randomly.....such as catcher wrist wrappings to match volo's hisashi iwakuma pitch. he also wears brightly colored, patterned kimono usually typical of women's clothing bc i love ukiyo-e art, where a lot of the subjects are women, courtesans, and kabuki actors, all with intricate, patterned clothing. while the dragonfly print kimono is taken from PLA, most men in warring states/edo period japan typically would wear something more understated for everyday attire. if anyone had something to say about his clothes, he could just kick their ass i suppose lol

[mizkit]

new blog post: Reading Roundup: The Starbridge series

new blog post on https://mizkit.com/reading-roundup-the-starbridge-series/

Reading Roundup: The Starbridge series

I decided in my re-read of AC Crispin’s Starbridge novels that aside from the first one, I wouldn’t do individual reviews, but rather cover all of them in one longer post. I may or may not regret this decision. :)

I’ve read all of the Starbridge novels at least once, most of them twice, and a few of them three+ times. Once upon a time I hoped to write one with Ann, and even now, re-reading them, I would dearly love to write in her world. It really holds a special place in my heart.

STARBRIDGE: SILENT DANCES, AC Crispin & Kathleen O’Malley – This, after STARBRIDGE itself, is my favorite of the series, and depending on the day, it might take the lead.

SILENT DANCES is the story of Tesa, a young, Deaf Native American woman whose Starbridge work brings her to a planet of crane-like people whose thunderous voices can destroy human hearing. She’s not at risk, although everyone around her wants her to return to Earth to have her hearing ‘fixed,’ a path she’s not at all sure she should take. Like all Starbridge novels, it’s a story of first contact, and the trials and tribulations therein.

I *love* her story. I love the Grus, the enormous, crane-like people who mostly speak through sign language themselves, and I love the world they inhabit. I love the truths that Tesa discovers in her time on Trinity, and the beauty of her path of self-determination. It’s by far my favorite Starbridge world.

SILENT DANCES, like STARBRIDGE, suffers the problem of an age-gap romance that didn’t bother me at all when I read it the first few times at an age much closer to the protagonist’s than I currently am, and upon re-reading in adulthood suffers even more from the fact that the romance is *completely* unnecessary and so quickly developed it’s actually unbelievable, whereas STARBRIDGE’s at least develops well. That’s a huge frustration to me as an adult reader, because I can now see how easy it would have been to just…not do that.

But the flaw is not fatal. I love the story, the world, and the characters too much to let that one aspect of the book–which is somewhere around tertiary or arguably even quad…quaternary (i had to look that up)–in plot importance wreck it for me. It’s such a good story. ♥

STARBRIDGE: SHADOW WORLD, AC Crispin & Jannean Elliot – I’ve read this one twice, but remember liking it less than the first two. In re-reading it, I understand why; it deals with death a lot, and has some really heartbreaking moments that are just beautifully written and really tremendously powerful. There was one point in the book where I gasped out loud and my husband was like “IS EVERYTHING OK–oh, you’re reading, okay.” :)

SHADOW WORLD follows our first male protagonist in the Starbridge series, Mark…who does not have a creepy age gap romance. Go figure. In the wake of his mother’s death, he’s about to give up on Starbridge Academy, but is drawn into a devastating First Contact in which a faction of the new alien race *violently* disagrees with becoming part of the, uh, Federation. (It’s actually the Collective League of Starfaring Worlds or something like that, but, you know: the Federation.) The aliens in SHADOW WORLD live only around fifteen years, and the internal struggle over whether they should allow the CLS to help them extend their lives is the central conflict of the book.

Coming at this from adulthood, it’s…god, it’s a beautifully written book in almost every aspect. It deals delicately with grief, anger, despair and healing, and I have a *much* greater appreciation for it as an adult than I did as a teen. They did a really good job here, and I’m really glad I re-read it.

[meritatem]

Before coming back to the past, Damian had more than enough time to dissect every aspect of his existence and come to terms with the fact that, for such a short life like his, he was full of regrets.

One of those countless regrets was that he never made enough time for Colin. It always seemed like he had something else going on: Damian dying, his mother's Leviathan, the Joker, Grayson dying, trying to repent from the Year of Blood, Robin gang wars, his father losing his memory, the Court of Owls, getting into trouble off-world with Jon, Grayson losing his memory, the Arkham Knight, his terrible attempt at leading the Teen Titans, dark multiverse nonsense, Leviathan again, even fucking Timothy Drake coming from the future to kill Jon, of all of people. There was always something happening... it was all so outlandish to the point of being cartoonish.

And Damian regretted not being a better, constant friend for Colin, because despite all the absurdity of his life, he made time for Jon, even if he did it because he was trying to fool himself and pretend their time together was just to keep Jon under surveillance.

He also regretted never introducing those two to one another. 

Talia handcrafted, so to speak, an extraordinary child by forcing all the training she could from the League of Assassins, Bruce's Batman's training and her own personal interests. She attempted to rush the creation of a perfect warrior, a weapon to tame the world with, a little Alexander... but she also made a child that was insecure, sensitive and had zero social skills. Had Damian stayed in the League and grow up there until adulthood, he'd had lose his soft edges and everything compassionate inside him, following the same path his mother went under the al Ghul madness, but he saw his father's world and for the first time in his life he had the opportunity to choose, and his choice was to stay in that world, despite how unfitted he was for it.

Damian understood better now the flaws of his character, accepting that he kept Colin and Jon apart because deep down he was afraid of being left behind, because he knew those two would become instant friends; they were so alike: full of childhood wonder, pure-hearted and hopeful, while Damian was just Damian: conceited, self-centered and callous. They'd like each other better than they liked Damian and in the end they would've ditched him for good.

It should've been clear for him that he had nothing to worry about, because even if Damian was an absolute terror, Colin and Jon genuinely appreciated the friendship they shared with him, even when he didn't deserved such loyalty, especially when it came to Jon.

The only thing Damian could do now was to not repeat the same mistakes and just carry on. That's why as soon as him and Colin were at a safe distance from the police after waiting for them to come, hidden and seemingly alone, he raised a commanding hand and stopped Colin in the middle of the sentence he was saying.

“I don't have a lot of time,” he started. “I must keep patrolling, but you seem like you could be a--“ and he stopped himself for a second, because calling Colin something like useful acquaintance didn't sound all that amicable. “Good associate,” close enough. “I'm open to work together sometimes if you are interested.”

One thing Damian will always give to Colin is that despite his lack of training, he was really good at keeping a poker face. “Are you with Batman and Robin?”

Damian thought he was asking because he just wanted confirmation, because if the belt and the mask weren't enough of a dead giveaway, having a kid fight crime was something very up to Batman's alley. Instead of verbally answering, he took one batarang out and making use of the empty street, he proceeded to swiftly throw it away in such manner that it came back right into his hand.

He offered the batarang to Colin expecting at least some enthusiasm from his part, but what Damian got instead was a look of fondness directed at it, like it was something valuable.

“You can keep it if you want.”

And just like that, Damian finally got a real glance of his old friend. “Woah, really?”

“I have more than I need. But remember, is not a toy, you need to be careful, especially with its storage.” Brass knuckles were one thing, but surely the nuns would be a little more alarmed with sharp objects.

“I'm not a kid, you know?” and he went back into is Abuse persona. “If you're working with them, do you know where is Batman? People on the streets are talking, they're not saying nice things.”

“He's fine, he's just preoccupied with something very important but he'll be back soon.” Even if it wasn't so prominent, Damian could see the way Colin relaxed at his words.

“I knew he was fine, he's Batman,” he said it like it was something he debated against Damian before. “But some people think he's not coming back and things are getting ugly and that's saying a lot for Gotham.”

“That's why we are here, to remember the vermin that Batman isn't the only one keeping the city safe.”

“You're right,” and he hit his right fist against his other palm, making Damian almost smile. “I accept your offer, you can call me if you need help.”

“I'll look for you when I'm able. Keep helping if you can but don't take unnecessary risks, remember, is best to run and fight another day than stay and die. Dead heroes don't help anyone.”

Colin just started to chuckle and even if Damian saw his huge hand coming to him with more than enough time to react, he resisted his first instinct and just stood there, letting Colin pat his head like Abuse wasn't a child himself. Damian, of course, will remember such offense.

“Don't worry, No One, I can look out for myself.”

“I'm in a generous mood, so I'll let you keep your hand.”

That just made Colin laugh some more and even if it wasn't his normal, natural laugh, Damian had missed hearing that one just the same.

When he came back from his patrol, Damian was exhausted, but not physically.

Alfred let him go easily given how late it was - or early, depending on how one looked at it - and after taking a shower, Damian went directly to his bed, letting himself heavily fall without any of his usual poise and not bothering with going under the covers, just like he used to do in his first days at the mansion.

Meeting Colin again was an eye-opener.

All this time he had been devising his plans to work around the premise of him becoming Robin, even when he had doubts about it he quickly took this as the default path for him.

Damian lost sight. His knowledge about things to come had made him complacent, stagnant, happy to be comforted by the security that Robin will give him in this family full of well-known strangers. For someone trying to change the horrors of his future, he was comfortable letting events of the past play the same when he should be out there, braving the sands of time by destroying everything so he could just remade it.

He knew what he really had to do, because being Robin wasn't the only option he considered at the beginning, just the one that was reassuring.

Damian had to force himself to sleep because it was important for his efficiency, but he didn't felt any rest when he woke up hours later after having only nightmares, despite this, he soon wished to get back to those nightmares when he saw Dick at the breakfast nook. His unusual presence there and the events from the last night were enough for Damian to know he was being ambushed again; fine, this will just make things easier for him to put an end to this ridiculous situation and move on to more important things.

“Good morning, Master Damian,” said Alfred, appearing out of nowhere in what it must be his best impression of Batman. “Breakfast is served.”

“Thank you, Pennyworth.” And he made sure to give Alfred an accusatory look before taking the empty seat were his food was waiting, coincidentally being just the one in front of Dick. “Grayson.”

“Hi, Damian.” He said almost meekly.

He proceeded to ignore Dick completely, concentrating instead on taking the napkin that was wrapped around his cutlery and placing it on his lap, which was a silly and unnecessary ritual, but displaying good table etiquette even if it was in an informal setting like a breakfast for two at home, was one of the easiest ways to please Alfred, so Damian didn't mind putting in the little extra effort.

He counted almost five minutes of uncomfortable silence before Dick finally broke.

“Look, I'm sorry,” he said with a sigh. “I wasn't in a good place yesterday, there's a lot of things going on and I know it's not an excuse, I should've handle things better, you did nothing wrong, kiddo.”

“I know that.”

And with all the theatrics he was blaming on Pennyworth, Damian took the teacup that was to his right with calculated movements to look graceful and natural, taking a sip, avoiding a wince at Alfred's Earl Gray and setting the cup back down, placing his elbows on the table and interlocking the fingers of his hands, like he was pretending to be in a business meeting.

“I want to make one thing clear, so you and Drake can stop arguing like children... I don't want to be Robin.”

That simple and serendipitous encounter with Colin set in motion the gears that led him to question if he really was doing the best he could in the situation he was. The answer was, plainly, no. Damian could do even more if he sacrificed one of the last things he had left, something that was even laughably simple when he considered that at that point it hadn't even been granted to him yet. Thus, even before he got back to the mansion Damian already made up his mind and from then on, all he had been doing was to prepare to make it official; it was true that when it came to emotions he was a walking disaster, but at least now he had enough emotional intelligence to control himself, even if his childlike brain heavily affected by his upbringing in the League wasn't being as cooperative as he would like it.

One step at a time... even if those steps were over burning coals and Damian had no shoes.

“I don't need to dress like a clown and go around calling myself avian names to be effective.”

“Damian,” and it sounded so soft that Damian wanted to kick Dick's shin under the table. “It's not about that, the identities we take can be used as symbols, statements, ideas,” he had that look in his eyes that was unreasonably inspiring and also admonitory. “That's important, it's why Bruce created Batman and why he chose to work the way he did. And it's about us too, what we want to represent, what we want to honor, who we want to be. Is more than a costume and a name.”

God, Damian hated Dick so much. He was always so good at making things more difficult for him and at the same contradictory time, easier too, whether it was the embrace of death or think of himself as a member of a family.

“I agree,” and he was so proud of how detached he sounded. “That's why I don't want to partake in any of those things. Pennyworth said I have freedom here, a luxury I was negated to in the League and if that's true, you won't force this on me.”

He knew that was a low blow, but after all “fight to win, not to be fair” was something that the League indeed taught him.

Despite being out of his field of vision, Damian knew that Alfred surely schooled his expression, not openly showing what he thought of his words but Dick on the other didn't bother to hide the pained look that flashed across his face.

“He's right, we're not like that. You have options and you are free to make choices, I'm sorry if I made you feel like you didn't.”

Damian hated himself so much too, but the good thing about it was that ultimately this will be a meaningless refusal for Grayson, because Damian was also meaningless to him.

“Now that we settled this,” he took the napkin from his lap and put it on the table. “I'll skip the rest of the breakfast, I'm afraid the tea made me lost appetite.” 

Pennyworth, of course, took the bait and played along. “Apologies, sir, it seems I keep forgetting your palate is not that educated yet.”

“I'm sure you'll work to correct it. Good luck with that, Pennyworth.”

Without adding anything more, Damian left the room at a steady pace, missing the way Alfred and Dick shared a look before Dick inelegantly slammed his forehead into the table, causing the dishes and glasses in the surface to wobble slightly.

Although the easiest option would be to let Grayson talk to Drake and tell him he still had his job, Damian admitted that Dick had a point about the whole statement thing. It was for that reason that he spent the rest of the day on the lookout, waiting for Tim to come back, even though there was a chance he might not return that day, given the nature of his argument with Grayson.

Of course, following Damian's theory that the universe liked to be against him, Drake returned late in the afternoon. Tim was at least consistent in his ways because he walked right through the front door, where Damian had decided to wait for him which he was grateful for, because after the day he had, the last thing he wanted was to look for Drake on the hallways of the Manor or worse, having to talk to him in the Batcave. No, for this he needed neutral ground.

When Tim saw him, his body language changed completely, even though he closed himself off and was noticeably more guarded, Damian could still make out the anger that lurked beneath his impassive exterior. Hah, maybe in the future he could ask Drake to give him some tips about it.

“Drake,” he started in what he hoped was his best non-confrontational tone. “I spoke with Grayson and I'm telling you what I told him, I'm not going to be Robin, I'm not interested.”

Damian said that sentence as hastily as he could, not wanting to make Tim angrier. However, his reaction was not what Damian expected; he stopped walking and for a few moments he stood there in the middle of the room, looking at Damian as if he were not worthy of being in his presence.

He crossed his arms, supporting the weight of his body on his left foot and his look of contempt changed for a sardonic one. “Oh, you're not?” he asked mockingly. “You tried to kill me so you could be Robin, and now you don't want to? Give me a break.”

“I already apologized for that, I'm not doing it again, I think I explained myself well.”

“Like I care about your apologies, but is good that you don't want to be Robin,” and his smile became spiteful. “Because I wasn't going to let you anyway. A psychopath like you will only taint the name.”

He had to admit those words took him off guard, but it was clear that Tim was more upset than Damian initially assumed. But good on Drake, he still had it even so far back.

“Glad we came to an agreement, have a good night.” And Damian turned around, ready to leave.

This is what Damian wanted: simple, clinical, fast. So, of course, it wasn't what Tim wanted.

“I guess you only want the mantle if you can take it by force. Or maybe you just miss having blood in your hands.” Damian took the deep breath he couldn't when he announced to Grayson of his decision. “But it's not that, right? You wanted Bruce to make you Robin.” Tim humorlessly laughed. “You should take advantage and accept Dick's offer, because Bruce would've never chosen you.”

Damian was doing so well, so, so well at controlling his emotions even in the face of another one of those heartbreaking sacrifices; he was even proud of himself, at how much he had learn over the years. All his reflections, his conclusions, his remorse and wishful thinking... all of that and Damian was still that same kid that came to Gotham with only a sword and anger issues.

“I know that!” he screamed, turning around and trying with all his might to not throw himself at Tim. “You can keep your stupid costume and your insipid bird name! I don't care! Just do your damn work, Drake, so when my father comes back he will find this wretched household standing!”

Until that moment Tim had been preparing for a fight because it was what he was looking for. Damian might have fooled Alfred and even Dick with the act he was putting on, but Tim knew he couldn't be trusted, he knew the type of person he really was and he was not going to fall for the game he was playing. Yeah, he had been cruel but he did it solely for the purpose of seeing how far Damian was willing to take this “humble assassin” act he was putting on, how much he could tolerate before he finally showed his true colors... and yet, in just an instant, with just one sentence, Tim felt all the anger leaving him, as if someone abruptly thrown him into the waters of a frozen lake.

And now he felt more empty than mad. “Bruce is dead.” He said, trying to ignore how heavy and disgusting those words felt in his mouth.

“Tt! As if!” And Damian literary bit his tongue, so the pain and the taste of blood could give him some clarity in his ire. “That cannot stop people like us. Whether we crawl from our own graves or some fool finds a way to bring us back, death is inconsequential.” And he took a couple of calculated steps towards Tim, just enough to have him at the perfect range for an attack, because that was also a message. “Until my father comes back, you will do your job and keep Batman alive, because if you fail in protecting Grayson, I will destroy. Everything. You. Are.”

Damian did exactly what he told Colin to do, so he just ran away because he didn't want anyone to see him like this.

And when he finally reached his room, his only sanctuary in this tomb he had to call home, he slammed the door behind him and thumped his back against it, dropping to the floor, squeezing his eyes shut and hugging his legs as he trembled, trying to control the urge he had to scream, to shatter the few things that were in his bedroom; to light the fireplace and make the fire consume everything just like how Damian felt that anger burning his insides... but it wasn't just anger, because hidden deep beneath it all were the true emotions that Damian couldn't allow himself to express freely, that made his throat tighten and his eyes sting with unshed tears, so he released his legs and crossed them on the floor as he began to rock back and forth while rubbing his arms up and down with his hands, in a futile attempt to soothe himself.

Hush, hush, little Robin, Richard's voice echoed somewhere in his mind.

But Damian wasn't Robin, he will never be and despite his doubts about the role through the years, Robin was still the best thing he had ever done and now it was just another something that would only live in his memories.

It was for the best, because Robin was meant to be in the light... and Damian will always belong in the shadows.

⪻Chapter 4

Chapter 6⪼

[personally-probiscuits]

Raihan, the Dragon Gym Leader, the Confusing. The Narcissistic Selfie Addict.

Recently I've been researching different characters' personalities for a personal story, and Raihan's was the most complicated (Besides Leon, but I still haven't exactly figured him out).

The small "stub" on Raihan's Pokemon Wiki page wasn't enough information. Besides saying he has a "flair for taking selfies of himself" and that "Raihan respects Leon as a worthy adversary", I didn't learn much. So I went to trusty old Youtube and looked up Raihan Pokemon. I found a video titled "Raihan being himself for 3 minutes straight", uploaded by TheMeowthtuber (personally, those are my favorite videos, and gotta love the user name).

To begin this deep dive, let's start with a simple concept; Raihan's selfie "addiction". To anyone who watches the Pokemon series or plays Sword or Shield, it's evident that he takes selfies quite often. On his rare league card, the description says, "Raihan started taking selfies so as to never forget the pain of his defeats...," while that might sound like something that makes you feel sympathetic, the remainder of the sentence is really the thing that catches my eye, "but more recently he has been taking photos showing off his training routine, his fashion choices, and the like, causing some fans to leave harsh comments whenever he loses to Leon." This catches my eye for a number of reasons. One reason is that, while his habit of taking selfies originally started to document his humiliating losses, it bloomed into an active online presence, taking pictures of himself more frequently. I bring this up based on something written on 24fingers.co.uk, for an article called "The psychology behind a selfie", "People who take more selfies show higher levels of narcissism and psychopathy."

...Well, that's certainly not what you think of when you think of Raihan. Or rather, you don't think of the psychopathy aspect. Narcissism, maybe. Or maybe you don't know what either word means, don't worry, I got you.

"Psychopathy is a neuropsychiatric disorder marked by deficient emotional responses, lack of empathy, and poor behavioral controls, commonly resulting in persistent antisocial deviance and criminal behavior." -National Library of Medicine (P.S. All references will be put at the bottom of the post.)

"Narcissism is characterized by a grandiose sense of self-importance, a lack of empathy for others, a need for excessive admiration, and the belief that one is unique and deserving of special treatment." -Psychology Today, Narcissism

Psychopathy and Narcissism share a lack of empathy and anti-social behaviors, but I think it's narcissism that mostly applies to Raihan. Let's go back to that video I mentioned. "...You shouldn't go around making trouble for a lady, and whatever I say goes cause I'm the Hammerlocke Gym Leader, Raihan." This was said by Raihan in the Pokemon Animation series, Pokemon Journeys. Taking away the flirty introduction of this quote, you are left with someone who sounds full of themselves. Maybe it's well founded since it is the truth, Raihan is the Hammerlocke Gym Leader after all, but still, that phrase "whatever I say goes," with or without the fact he is the Hammerlocke Gym Leader sounds self-absorbed.

But how does this tie into the photo taking? Well, to sum-up what Matt Monk wrote for 24fingers.co.uk, taking a lot (and I mean a LOT) of selfies = a self-centered and attention-seeking person. The league card quoted prior obviously shows how often Raihan takes a lot of selfies, and it can even be seen in cut scenes of the game prior to battling the MC. My belief is that Raihan, while not having a narcissistic personality disorder, has narcissistic attributes and a heightened sense of self-importance, both of which are negative attributes that can severely impact one's life.

I'm aware my research sounds more like a coffee-driven tangent, and not all the dots and citations connect, but I appreciate you for reading and I hope this helps you as it will help me write my story.

Resources:

Raihan being himself for 3 minutes straight, TheMeowthtuber

Raihan, Pokemon Fandom Wiki

The psychology behind a selfie, Matt Monk

Narcissism, Psychology Today

Psychopathy: Developmental Perspectives and their Implications for Treatment, Nathaniel E. Anderson and Kent A. Kiehl

[thatgaiagirl]

Hello yes I made an entire new Twisted Fate design in like a week instead of focusing on other things because brainrot, and now I’m gonna make a long-ass post about it

TLDR; He doesn’t look enough like a pirate so I tried to make him look more like a pirate whilst sticking to the spirit of his OG design because it’s not BAD, I just feel like it isn’t Bilgewater enough. Also forgive the lack of rendering and basic-ass spell effects I was more focused on the design aspect so. Flat colours it is. And my art style is very different from the League style so there may be whiplash there too but I digress. And, of course, this is all based on my personal opinions and biases in what I think looks good, your mileage will vary.

Ok now for more design specifics so click if you want the full low-down on my thought process here.

- Each individual aspect of Twisted Fate’s original design can equally be replaced by a more ‘piratey’ version without significantly changing his silhouette or general design: riding boot to pirate boots, cowboy hat to a tricorn (even though this hat isn’t actually a tricorn but shhhshsh), duster to a pirate coat, etc. I also (obviously) took some elements from Cutthroat Twisted Fate - makes sense as it’s both a lore skin for a younger version of him as well as an honestly great example of Bilgewater fashion.

- The shoulder pads are a common element in Bilgewater, especially in the Ruined King game with characters like Malik and their Miss Fortune design, so I emphasised them on his coat with the characteristic gold detailing that ties them to the Bilgewater aesthetic. I also continued the gold detailing throughout the rest of his coat and on his boots, for a reason I shall elaborate on below

- Twisted Fate is explicitly written as someone that cares about his appearance and appreciates the finer things in life. He’s found success and is a little bit materialistic about it with a fine coat and a ‘dandy’ hat etc etc, so the gold is meant to look a little ostentatious since it’s associated with riches and luxury, but also… I don’t know about y’all but I think having braided and decorated hair is a MUCH better visual expression of effort being put into your appearance than base Twisted Fates hair. So, I struck a middle ground between the Cutthroat braids and base twisted fate by having his hair partially braided. The half-up half-down style is also because I just. Like it. Looks nice. LOOK I AM NOT IMMUNE TO DESIGNING THINGS BECAUSE THEY JUST LOOK NICE. This is also the reason for the red sash around the waist - not only does it tie him better to the pirate aesthetic but it’s a little bit of showy finery - it’s not practical, but it looks nice and it’s a fine piece of fabric, so of course he’s using it for fashion purposes.

- He’s described as having tattooed hands in his colour story so I expanded to full tattooed arms because tattoos rule. I started by mimicking the style of his cards (something that’s still there in the wrist detailing and the eye design), but the final style that mimics river water just felt better to me. As a character, his past as a river nomad isn’t really addressed, but to me it always felt like he’s still connected to his past life given the fact that his literal calling cards were inherited from his family on the river, so the tattoos can be a visual element showing he still has a connection to the river by getting those designs permanently inked on him

- Yes I blatantly stole the better card designs from the Legends of Runeterra cinematics, I could NOT find a yellow card design for the life of me (even though I thought there was one, idk if I Mandela Effected myself or what) so I took a crack at it. It looks e n o u g h like the other two, and I did my best to incorporate the eye imagery into it, but I was just driving myself insane with it and eventually I went ‘good enough’ and just left it. Feel free to make a better one yourself, please, mine is just… passable. Same with the back of the card - The weird-ass ornamental card hand thing on the brim of TF’s original hat just didn’t work with this version (not a Tricorn, I went with a hat with a shape closer to his original in the end) so I settled on a card tucked into the brim. At first it was explicitly a Blue card, the implication that TF is carrying a get-out-of-jail-free card on him at all times visually speaking, but I though it made more sense for someone like TF (who IS smart at cards, and literally only cards) to hide his intentions and hide what the card is. Now it entirely depends - is it a blue card? A red card? Gold? Is it some new special card he’s saving as a hail-Mary? Or is it completely ordinary and used for decoration alone? Only Twisted Fate knows, and a writer can 100% use that to their advantage and wring a bad-ass or tense moment out of forcing Fate to use that card

- Finally I did end up adding some smaller details like the little sun spots because he is running around Bilgewater chaotically in the sun all day, and even if he’s wearing a hat now he wasn’t back in his Cutthroat days, and the earrings because 1) self decoration makes sense for him and 2) further boosting the pirate aesthetic.

Anyway that was my extended explanation, obviously I could’ve pushed this much harder but I honestly chose not too because his base design isn’t actually bad in my opinion, just unfitting for the region he’s supposed to be a part of. Part of this is because he’s an OLD champion who’s Visual Update focused more on refining his original design and bringing him up to speed than re-orienting him in the games lore - there was a balance to be struck there and in the end he just doesn’t look Bilgewater enough in my opinion. Graves has the same issues, but honestly he’s far less egregious IMO - a few small changes to his coat (maybe add a big collar on there?) and he’d look perfectly Bilgewater. But, I just wanted to convert Twisted Fate’s design as accurately as possible to pirate fashion, and I think I did that well, so. Enjoy!

[theraininthestars]

Review of The Bromance Book Club

Hi darlings, today I bring you the review of the book series: The Bromance Book Club The series consists of 5 books, soon 6, written by Lyssa Kay Adams.

The first book is called Bromance Book Club and was published in 2019.

As a note: Bromance refers to the platonic relationship between men who have an emotional closeness as if they were brothers.

In the first installment, we have Gavin Scott, one of the best players in his American baseball league, dedicated to his work, he spends his days training and going to promotional events. However, his life in his house is the opposite. He has missed so many of the twins' events and dates with her wife, Thea, that it force her to file for divorce. Desperate not to lose his house, his daughters, and most importantly, the love of his life Thea; Gavin gets drunk in a hotel room where his teammates, and other strangers, find him. They reveal to him that they are willing to help him fix his marriage on the condition that he is completely honest about his life with them. Gavin accepts, and that's how he enters the Bromance book club. The rules of this club: 1. Never talk about the book club 2. Be honest with all club members 3. Read the book.

One of the most attractive factors of these novels is the emotional connection between the men. I think the author manages to reflect very well how these connections where priority is given to mental health, self-reflection and making them take responsibility for their actions help men improve as people.

Another aspect that I like is the tension between the couple. This being a relationship of a married couple, it helps a lot in feeling comfortable with the dynamic between the characters. Unlike other books, this is a couple who already know each other and understand the other person's body language. The romance between the protagonists is well structured. The scenes denote chemistry and a very beautiful connection that has been created in those three years of relationship, but it also denotes an introduction to a new dynamic between them that improves them as couples and people.

Something I loved was the inclusion of the protagonist's stutter. The author managed to include it in a very natural way and make it feel like an important part of the relationship between the characters. At the same time, how they work together as parents and deal with their relationship problems. I still think they need to polish a lot more, but they have reached the stage where they are both open to working on their relationship.

Futhermore, a strong aspect of the book is the development of the characters, I feel that they manage to recognize their flaws and grow from them. The only thing I would like is to see if these changes are not simply to preserve the relationship and that there really is a change in both of us. A mention of Gavin managing his athletic career better with Thea's projects and even the inclusion of couples therapy.

An extra is that I enjoyed tje comedy. There are too many lines that made me laugh, the comedy is good in this book (even if it is “accidental”).

Now what I didn't like. Oh, the things I disliked about this book.

Let's start with the first thing, the “inclusion” of a hispanic guy in the story. First of all, the spanish is written poorly in the book, it would be appreciated if an editor would notice that. Reading Yan Feliciano's scenes left a bad taste in my mouth.

Tip: Do not publish texts that use languages ​​that you do not master, or that you do not have someone that is a native/dominant of the language that can give you feedback about it.

Second, the generalizations of men and women. There are so many times characters mention like “Men love it when women…”, “…it's kryptonite for any woman,” and “Every woman remembers this…”. It is uncomfortable and arrogant to have these generalizations.

And finally, the characters of Liv and Mack.

Let's start with Liv, she is more justified in acting rude and pushy, because she is afraid that her sister will end up hurt. I didn't appreciate how she tries to antagonize the main couple, considering they have daughters together. However, she is a good element to create tension and obstacles in the relationship.

But Mack, he is one of the most unpleasant characters I have ever read. No spoilers for the second book, but how offensive, cynical, arrogant, arrogant and hateful he is ruins most of the scenes. At first, I thought he was going to be a character who would clash a lot with the protagonist, but they would have form an honest and self-deprecating friendship. But in the Thanksgiving scene, I realized that he is just a man who likes feeling superior and the attention he gets from knowing that “he hasn't done anything wrong.” The simple mention that everyone lets him do it because “it doesn't mean anything”, but before that one of the characters' wives mentions that she dislikes him because of his attitude. It gives me the feeling that he would be the type of person who claims to be a feminist, but he manipulates his partners to make them think that “they” are the problem for not appreciating him.

The book was a disappointment, but I would recommend it as a fun read. Yes I would give it 4 stars for the romance, friendship and character development. And as on the scale of hot scenes I would give it a 3. It has very good scenes between the protagonists and fulfills itself as a romantic comedy book. But, I would have liked to see the beginning of this book club, instead of seeing it already established.

Have you already read this saga? What did you think of the first book? What did you like about this book? What did they dislike? Have you read other Lyssa Kay Adams novels? What do you think of a book club for men to improve their relationships?

[inkykeiji]

What aspect of Dabi/Touya or Tomura/ Tenko is your favorite? Also hi! I was hesitant to ask at first, but here I am! ∩｡• ᵕ •｡∩

hmm, that’s a really good question!!

in terms of actual character/characterization i love every bit of dabi. he’s so well written, developed, complex, and interesting. his motivations for his actions are easily understandable and sympathetic; it makes sense and we as the audience can see where he’s coming from, even if we don’t agree with him or his intensity. his whole story arc has been great, for the most part (tho we’ll see how it ends >.>). i just love everything about the way his character has been created and constructed, and i find such an immense amount of comfort in him, having been raised in such a toxic and abusive environment myself!

in terms of him as like, a significant other or a person, my favourite things about dabi are his will power, his stubbornness, and his tenacity!! he’s SO ambitious—once he sets his sights on something, absolutely nothing is going to get in his way or stop him from achieving that, and i really admire it (even tho in canon it’s used for evil purposes LMAO).

we’re skipping over characterization for tomura due to the recent manga events, but my favourite thing about him is his massive heart. he’s interesting, because he can be quite selfish, entitled, bratty, and childish—and yet, he is constantly thinking of the league, his league, his found family. they matter to him. he wants to make them happy, to help them feel vindicated and fulfilled. this is a quality that develops more as he matures and grows throughout the story, but it’s also a quality that has always been there, despite his less desirable traits.

aw hehe hi!!! so lovely to hear from you!!! thank you for working up the courage to send an ask, i appreciate it a lot! (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶) ♡

[dolphs-world]

Too much faith in above

Friends is a generic but decent show. And it is probably the best generic show. I have only watched a handful of episodes from the first 2 seasons but if I remember correctly there are only a handful of plotlines, we were on a break, Joey and Rachel, Ross and Emily, basically just how drawn out Ross and Rachel's stuff was, that are bad. Hell, I caught some season 10 episodes on reruns and I was actually belly laughing! And I've seen this show like 20 times thanks to my sister. It's consistent and that's the draw. So I've heard people criticise Jerry Seinfeld's acting in Seinfeld but it's never bothered me. Everyone is much better, I can admit, but he gets the job done. In Friends, everyone feels like they are just playing themselves. Which brings up a thought my mother and I had, what makes a good actor? Tom Cruise is very good at playing one type of character, he feels authentic and genuine. But contrast this with Edward Norton, a guy who every role of his feels different. Even if Tom Cruise is better at one role than Norton is at all, Norton is still the better actor. Even with this in mind, the actors in Friends suck. Anytime a guest is on the show I am floored by how much better at acting and more convincing they are as character's with significantly less screen time. You wanna know what the best scene is in all of Friends? When Robin Williams and Billy Crystal appear for a cold opening! They're semi-competent but it just surprises me that Jennifer Aniston famous from that. She's the worst one! And honestly I'm surprised, I know Lisa Kudrow is a good actor. She's definitely a league above the rest but she too defaults to the same mannerisms. Except for David Schwimmer, he is a great actor. I know Ross gets worse in his beliefs as the show goes on and turns into a bit of a butt monkey but he is the best actor. Maybe he should have been Jerry in Seinfeld? Now watching a show from 30 years ago, where $1 then = $2 now, about a bunch of people who seldom work, it's dated to say the least. Again, honestly Ross, at this point, is probably the best when it comes to this. He's proud that Joey is able to take financial gambles when he cannot and gives away his ex-wife to her new one. But there's no consequences. Like anytime they lose a job there's always a back up. And when the back-up sucks it doesn't make sense that they don't help each other out. There's an episode where half of them are mad that the other half don't realise that they make less money and when the richer ones help out they deem it charity. You're not Walter White, swallow your pride! Do you know how lucky you are? (sidenote: Susan, the woman who "stole" Carol from Ross is the one who offers money to Walter White in Breaking Bad). I think an ultra left class critical analysis of these old shows is a bit of a waste but it's really hard not too. I think this aspect of the show is worse than any of transphobia. They're always talking about sex but money? No no no, that might be to real. No, let's focus on how women like commitment and men don't. Yay! That's another thing the show does, it really props up the whole women are from venus and men are from mars. Again, it's hard not to be critical when analysing how this may have shaped norms at the time. But I think the gay jokes are still funny, mainly due to the ignorance of the characters. And again, they had a Lesbian couple as supporting characters. Joey is very comfortable in his sexuality and it may be because he is Italian but it is still great to see! Also Rachel to the man who she thinks is Chandler's dad, a drag queen. "What's your name?" "Amanda" "Oh! I Get it! A-man-duh!" But the worst part of the show is how repetitive it is. I always thought Chandler was the funny one but it's really Joey, Phoebe, and Ross. He's on Family Guy levels of one-liners. If there's any take away from this post is do not binge watch TV! Appreciate it before it's gone forever!!!