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sentient-rift · 4 months ago

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Rules:

First off, I am a Born Again Christian who will put God first. I will not compromise my faith or deny the Lord Jesus, and I am more than willing to pull the plug on this blog if it comes between my relationship with Him. I will be posting the Verse of the Day from my Bible App to honor Him. The tags are #verse of the day, #bible scripture, and #Word of God. Sometimes there's more, but these three should be enough to blacklist so you don't have to see them. Of course, if you just have a problem with me being a Christian in general, then that's fine as well. You don't need to follow.

2. I want to make it clear that you DO NOT need to be a Christian to be an RP partner of mine. I have many friends who aren't Christians, and I still consider them good friends. And you don't ever have to worry about me forcing my beliefs on you, neither. Yes, I will put verses of the day when I can, and will give God praise when I can, but I won't make you convert to Christianity. I came here to both have fun and improve my writing since I aspire to Write stories for a living one day. All I ask is that you let me worship my God in peace and to treat me and everyone else the way you'd want to be treated.

3. This is a Hate Free Zone. You never have to worry about hate here. I will do my best to treat everyone with the love God gave to us, and I will always see you as a person God has created and loved before even being born. I truly despise the hate in this world and don't want it to be part of my blog.

4. With that said, I will not be interacting with raciest people, pedophiles, rapist, etc. Just because this is a Hate Free Zone doesn't mean I will tolerate dangerous people who will treat others like objects or act like immoral monsters towards others without a care in the world. There is no justifying such actions, and I won't have any of that here.

5. This is purely a SFW family friendly RP blog, and will remain that way. That means there will be no smut or any kind of NSFW sexual content or gore. Dark subjects may appear, such as death and angst, but it will never go anywhere near rated R. The highest I will go is rated PG-13, though even that will be rare. I prefer to go at least to PG, but am willing to bump it up to PG-13 so long as it doesn't go too far.

6. When it comes to swearing, there won't be any on my part, but if you prefer to have your characters swear, I'm not going to tell you not to. I just ask that if your muse has such a potty mouth to the point to were every other word is an F-bomb, I hope you'll be willing to tone it down. I can handle a character swearing on occasions. Some of my favorite movies have some swears here and there. But when sentences are swimming with F-bombs and other strong curse words, I will find it difficult to continue with the RP and will most likely drop it.

7. As a Born again Christian, as well as this being a SFW RP blog, I have to be a bit selective with what kind of muses I interact with. This has been something I found myself having to repeat more than I like, but I DO NOT want to RP with demon muses or Satanic muses. As a Christian, I am an enemy of Satan, and therefore do not want to have any part of Satanic things. I also don't want to RP with witches, although that one can be a bit tricky. Muses who's "magic" is closer to that of a superpower, such as Elsa and her ice magic, "Magical Beings" like fairies, genies, and even Magical Girls, and of course, characters like Berkana who may be designed to look like a witch but use science masquerading as magic are fair game. The witches I'm talking about are actual occultist who use satanic and demonic witchcraft. Basically, if it's satanic, I won't interact with it.

8. I ask that you be patient with me when it comes to replies. We all have lives outside of Tumblr, and whoever doesn't, that's not healthy. Most people have been very kind, patient, and understanding about the fact that I can't always reply right away, have to put God and real life first, and that we all have those moments where we get writer's block, miss a post due to too much activity feed, simply forgot for whatever reason, or just not feeling the muse at the time. Unfortunately, there are still a small amount of people out there who treat me like a tool for there entertainment, demanding me or guilt tripping me to finish the reply or get mad when I announce I need a break. So to those people, I must remind you that human beings are not objects, and that role-playing is a hobby, not a job. If you turn it into a job, it will no longer be fun, and all you do is make them want to finish less. I don't mind friendly reminders, but when it gets as far as becoming a tool to you, and it continues even when I ask you to stop, I'll have no choice but to block you.

9. Obviously, no god-modding. For those who don't know what that means, you can read about it here.

10. Some franchises I wll NOT interact with are:

. Disgaea or anything in the same universe like Makai Kingdom

. Harry Potter

. Anything VivziePop related

. Shin Megami Tensei

.Cuphead

.Bendy and the Ink Machine

. Cult of the Lamb

. Supernatural

. Most horror series

. Any heavily demonic or Satanic series

(I might add more in the future, but these were all I can think of at the time.)

11. When it comes to shipping, I might be very selective about it, and I also have to be in the mood for it. Honestly, I don't write too many shipping RPs, and any shipping drabbles I do is with two of my own muses. If you want to ship my muse with yours, please ask first. And if I say yes, don't rush things. Let there be chemistry and development. They need to get to know each other.

12. And finally, have fun! Seriously, role-playing is meant to be fun, not a chore. Since I expect you to be patient with me, know that I will indeed give you the same courtesy. Don't ever feel like you have to rush to reply or answer an ask. And if you ever want to drop a thread, just let me know. There's no point continuing if one of us isn't having fun with it. The best RPs are the ones we both have fun with.

If you read the rules, you can send in "Dive into the Deep Log!" or you can just like this post. None of which are mandatory, though. I understand that many have anxiety. I struggle with it myself. Either way, thanks for taking the time to read them, and I look forward to role-playing with you. God bless you, my friend.

#blog rules #administrator (ooc)

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swordfright · 1 year ago

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9, 12, 15? :)

9.) How do you headcanon c!Dream’s appearance? Does it ever change?

Well you know I’m a Just Some Guy truther so the c!Dream in my head is by default a regular human man, not a hybrid. He’s tall and lean, got that typical DnD ranger’s build. He’s blonde. He’s got a warm smile. He’s freckled from so much time spent outdoors. He had a couple visible scars even before the prison era. Tbh i think the most notable thing about my c!Dream headcanon is that he’s not like, ethereally beautiful or even classically handsome. Sure, some characters see him as attractive (George, Sam, etc..) but he’s no Calvin Klein model objectively. He looks like some guy you’d run into at the grocery store. I think a lot of what makes other ppl see him as hot is his skill in combat - competence is attractive. When the mask comes off, people are surprised at how ordinary he looks.

Does his appearance ever change? Yeah, definitely. When I draw him, the drawings tend to look pretty different, I like some variation in my c!Dream design (in particular, it’s really fun giving him different hairstyles!) But also in terms of headcanons, his appearance obviously changes after prison. His stay in Pandora absolutely devastates his physical health in every way: his hair noticeably thins and never really recovers, his teeth are in bad shape, etc. It’s not just crazy anime scars.

One of fave c!Dream artists is @/pinegren actually, the way they draw him is soooo close to how I picture him!! So if you wanna see the c!Dream I visualize when I’m writing fic, I recommend checking out their art! Go go go it’s so amazing!!!

(Also my c!Dream is always trans because all my faves get to be trans. The highest honor i can bestow on a character lmao)

15.) What’s your favorite c!Dream au?

There are so many good ones! I guess an automatic fave is that c!Dream stays with emerald duo/the syndicate in the immediate aftermath of the prisonbreak. There are tons of great fics that explore this scenario and tbh i think it’s more realistic than c!Dream just…walking off after the escape. Like sorry but there’s no way he was in good enough shape to make it by himself LMFAO

Also i do wake up every morning and clock in for my shift at the thinking about coparent au factory so there’s that.

I already answered 12 here!

#asks #c!dream

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katyspersonal · 1 year ago

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002 for Mico and Rom both please?

Oh!!!!!!! Hell yea!!!

(Asks from this ( x ) meme)

002 I Give me a character & I will tell you

• How I feel about this character

For Micolash: I feel a LOT of things about Mico. He is genuinely one of the most important fictional characters that I ever had in my life. Not just that, but there were many bizarre and significant dreams connected with him, and even some things transcending into waking life.

I actually feel a bit reclusive to elaborate as these are very intimate matters (that also touch upon spiritual matters and mental health). I'll just say that this character means A Whole Bunch for me, and I gave up trying to reason why I am not scared or repulsed by him despite the sheer depth of comprehending his insanity. Though can a hard-core fan of FromSoft games truly be sane? Hehehe~ Also I love his appearance and I want to kiss his face, and I want to give him a motherly hug and wrap him in a comfy blankey

For Rom: Roughly the same things apply; a very important character, a lot of connection with dreams, spiritual experiences and mental health profile. In fact, I sort of kin this character. It is just hard to convey since within canon she is almost a blank canvas, yet I don't even feel connected with my portrayal of her specifically. It is just A Rom. There are only a few boundaries, such as strong sense of her being one of the students. But I love all the takes on her!

I picked interest in her almost instantly, but I had a dream about being her before I knew ANYTHING about her and only saw the design. She was, and is, such a blast to develop from my very first days into Bloodborne. She is as important for me as Micolash, just except that I do not have a crush on her. It'd feel too awkward... xD

• All the people I ship romantically with this character

For Micolash: Edgar, Damian, Laurence, Rom (not my version of her though, since mine is his sister), to an extent Kos and Wet Nurse (they are weird ones since they're gods)... Yeah, I think that's mostly it! I could like some others though? For example, @saint--adeline had a ship of Mico with Adeline and like... gfjjjfjyug cursed but it actually makes hella sense, you go girl xD

For Rom: Ebrietas, Julie/Yurie, Edgar, Micolash (see above), Damian, Adeline, Maria, Willem (cursed, I know), Patches

Naturally, I am not rotating all of these ships in my brain all the time, hahaha! I just like to explore different opportunities in fiction, and these are the ones I think of!

• My non-romantic OTP for this character

For Micolash: It is hard to choose one... I think him and Archibald work well! Archie probably would simp for Micolash, though, but I just don't see them becoming a couple. However, they would work together and get along juuust fine like two mad inventors, plus Archie is basically THE chief of Yahar'gul hunters. And one of the few mad lads that was loyal to Micolash genuinely until the end.

For Rom: Which one would not become a ship, hmmm... She sure has friends, but 'platonic OTP' is a very honorable status, you know! I think Caryll falls here the best; my particular version of Caryll distances from Byrgenwerth a bit soon, but in general they are the highest Insight scholars on the block (Micolash drools and hisses and cries and throws up from envy)

Honorable mention: My versions of Rom and Micolash themselves! They are siblings separated at birth that found each other thanks to Rom's intuition and unique devotion to finding her lost brother. They went though everything together, and were close and loyal to defending each other until the end. In fact, they are SO close that arguably none of their romantic ships could rival this bond. Very codependent family bond does that sometimes...

• My unpopular opinion about this character

For Micolash: Not an opinion, more like 'then do it yourself if you're so goddamn smart' moment. But I think he should have been involved in Research Hall (very likely as one of the doctors), and I think this is not explored often enough! Just like him being a necromancer and being able to teleport is not something I see addressed often enough. Basically my opinion is that there are more sides of him to simp for appreciate than just him being Weird Guy and a cult leader. The dude got TALENTS, okay? x)

For Rom: I prefer to think that her being intellectually disabled and, I quote, "childlike", was not a side-effect of ascension but natural traits for her in life! (Her title in Japanese original uses the word 'hakuchi' that is very directly a way to describe profound mental disability, as opposed to the more vague English word 'vacuous'). No, takes along the lines of Rom being a super genius so smart that she deserved eyes for that alone are cool, I am just very biased on my way of taking her title. In my case since she is a student, it is selective disability: academically smart but very helpless otherwise. Can see everything throw raw intuition but gets none of it. Can conduct incredibly complex research on the Universe but might not know how to button her shirt or count to ten. Along those lines!

I'll say though: the day someone makes Rom not a scholar and not a teacher but a secret third thing (Willem's baby daughter) is the day I will EAT that take /pos

• One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon

For Micolash: I'd LOVE it if Micolash was a friendly NPC in the Nightmare for some time (basically temporary Doll, or maybe giving us helpful updates for Insight points), and then "betrayed" us by jumping in the Lake that'd serve as teleporter to the Lecture Building. x) Inspired by the cut idea for him in beta version where he DID do that. Him being a useful NPC is just my idea to lead up to it. Maybe he'd even make lamps conveniently not work in the Nightmare to force us to interact with h- lol yeah I just wish we got to interact with him more.

For Rom: A way to reveal Mensis Ritual without having to kill her and her babies. Just a split way of acting where if you kill her you get this, if you use roundabout way you get that... I just... I can't describe the feeling from that battle, it felt like bullying a child... even despite the fact that she has like 500 of her own children. But yeah, a FromSoft game that let's you be safe from anguish is not a FromSoft game...

• my OTP

For Micolash: Micoedgar! Edgar fell in LOVE with Micolash and he ruined his mission because he was GAY for him and he WILLINGLY gave Micolash his soul and he protects him because he is SIMP and I'll die on this hill!!!! But no, seriously, I feel like the two have the best potential. I largely characterized Edgar as someone not quite fitting with the Choir's limiting, toothless ways, and his brilliant and inquisitive mind simply found more of a kindred spirit in Micolash; the 'insane' and 'evil' guy that Choir told him to not trust and stop at all cost. And I think Micolash likewise appreciates Edgar; someone both smart (and brave) enough to listen to him and question things like him, but also an individualist enough to doubt him and concur his own thoughts if needed. Edgar refuses to wear a cage, now doesn't he? They are just equal, in the best way possible.

For Rom: I could not choose between Robrietas or Yurom/Julirom. Ever. Like yeah I know Rom has two hands (16 in her ascended form, actually), but balancing a human and a GO is hard... I think my preference will SLIGHTLY skew towards Rombrietas though, since Rom is destined to ascend anyway..

I concluded Ebrietas is a half-human herself (adult version of a celestial larva), so both Rom and Ebby would hit a very strong bond of being 'between' the mortal and the divine. Ebrietas also mourns Rom's petrified real body. I always felt like Ebrietas would much rather have Rom stay safe within the guidance of Stars and Moon, but Rom just.... HAD to go above and beyond, HAD to become a Spider (Amygdalae affiliation), HAD to secretly help Micolash... There is very deep emotion and conflict, and Ebrietas also having the Grinch heart moment; as a 'paleblood' Great One she nonetheless cries red bloody tears, as a sign of her feelings Rom 'sullying' her purity.. but also letting her touch upon her human side for the first time. Her theme and Rosmarinus both have 'why do you cry, fair maiden' bit but Rom altar has candles, so they must know WHY, right? But maybe it is because it was the first time Ebrietas cared about someone being lost to a ritual....

There are just so many layers to the two, I could go on all day....

• my cross over ship

For Micolash: I don't know... I have a suspicion a character from ER might fit, but I'll need to learn more about them before.

For Rom: I once had a weird fever dream where she met Gwynd0lin and they were talking about their experiences, and then Rom (still human-ish enough) had to run away carrying him in her arms when Suly appeared and beckoned Aldr1ch with the bell ggjhkgkyhj It is hard to describe but the emotions of both of them, and the impending horror, felt so real that I now physically can't unsee the two having a good chemistry. I've been imagining them interacting in a crossover a few times by now.

• a headcanon fact

Damn, I did not notice upon first reading the meme that it had this oxymoron, hahaha. Like... so, a headcanon OR a fact? I'll interpret it as 'a headcanon I am firm on' because I don't see any other way x)

For both: The description of the first Brain Fluid you find mentions a man that wanted to become a doctor, and so his sister volunteered to be his patient. I believe that the mentioned siblings HAD to be Micolash and Rom; Research Hall's connection with peeking into the Sea, the fact that eventually Research Hall does become Choir's base, the fact that this description is too random otherwise.....

You pick this Brain Fluid from a female head that is guarded by a guy, sure, but not only he is lower ranking Black Church doctor/hunter (that'd probably not do experiments on ascension, unlike White doctors)... But also, his internal name is 'lover npc'. So yeeee.

I'll give some pointer though: it could also refer to maybe Laurence and Adeline (Laurence does hold Eye Pendant and Healing Church WAS interested in internal eyes through water at its first days). Or maybe Micolash and Adeline? I just think these being Rom and Micolash comnects the things way better, Rom being the zero patient from whom that research started just... just completes things so well, and explains her fate more... That Rom was honored by Kos, when other patients turned to the Stars instead of the Sea or just went mad... argh.

Thank you for the ask, it was fun to reflect on so many things! These two are indeed my favs!

#bloodborne #micolash host of the nightmare #rom the vacuous spider #ask replies #bloodborne headcanons

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hirocimacruiser · 2 years ago

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TOM'S C5 SOARER

more people speed cruiser

The character of the normal car is maximized, and fine-tuning is applied as an extension of that. The method that Tom's approached made a lot of sense. This TOM'S C5 can be obtained not only as a complete car, but also as individual parts. How has luxury sports transformed?

Photos/Tatsuo Sakurai Text/Hitoshi Sezai

very high grade

Toyota is good at business. It may be rude to say this, but it really hits the mark. That's why marketing research is so thorough that no one can go wrong no matter who buys or rides it. If you are worried about it, you can say Toyota is a manufacturer that you can buy with peace of mind.

However, if you look at the other side, it is also true that it lacks individuality, and when it comes to sports cars, it is not a little betrayed. Well, the debut of Japan's first mid-engined car is indeed impressive, but the honor student style that is unique to Toyota's cars is rather annoying. The achievement of sharing sports cars equally among all people is undeniable, but the admiration for sports cars is trivialized.

Sin is also great. For that reason, I didn't expect Toyota to produce a sports car, but when I turned my attention to racing, I found that they were really active. Anyone can see that the connection between sports cars and racing is inseparable, just like Ferrari. Because it is a manufacturer that does racing, the image of sports cars can be improved and you can admire them.

Although the commercially available version has disappointing expectations, it can be fully evaluated for its racing activities. That's why it has enough qualities to make a debut of a sports car, and it has a solid charm. TOM'S, which is the racing division of Toyota, has a relationship similar to Ferrari and FIAT, so to speak, the front line of major manufacturers. It is an important entity that connects racing and sports manufacturers.

It can be said that Tom's debuted a complete car was born out of such necessity. The TOM'S C5 is at the forefront of Toyota's production of sports cars, and has a strong significance as a preliminary test. TOM'S, who is at the center of racing activities, is doing what Toyota couldn't do, and is trying to upgrade even further.

Based on Soarer, it seems to be Tom's. In order not to give the image of a complete car, equal tuning car, the first priority is the sense of grade. Because it is based on a high-grade car, it cleverly raises the value of the complete car itself.

In that sense, the appearance has not been touched at all. The only thing that stands out is the aluminum wheels developed exclusively for the C5, and the 5-spoke discs are dazzling. The letter C5 designed on the wheel expresses that it is exclusive to this car. The wheel size is 7J×16 at the front and 8J×16 at the rear. This is combined with Pirelli P700Z of 205 55ZR16 225/50ZR16 respectively. Suspension is also systematized at the same time, adopting C5 suspension and C5 brake system. The impression is that the front of the car is slightly lower than the normal car, but there are few points that draw particular attention.

The decisive factor is ultra-high-speed cruising

However, when you ride it, the development concept is clearly conveyed. The firm suspension does not like pitching, and the attitude change is obviously small. There is very little sinking in particular, and the impression is that vertical movement is limited only to the extension side. This setting that suppresses the bottom feeling by bending forward is what you see in the highest speed specification. Considering the aerodynamics in the high speed range, the top priority is the balance at the maximum speed. When the rear is pressed by downforce, the front and rear become flat and stable driving is promised.

It is done. That's why I'm running on winding roads

Then I started to feel a little unbalanced. The bumpy feel makes it hard to get a feel for the ground, and above all, the rear grip is lower than the front. Of course, there is no need to compare it with normal, but the tail bounces and swells outward. As with the maximum speed, which is the C5's specialty, it must prove its true worth in the higher speed range on winding roads.

The engine was changed to Tom's original on the compressor side of the turbo, and the computer was specially tuned accordingly. Due to the speed limiter and fuel cut, the maximum speed is marked with actual speed data of 251km/h in 1m section average. Indeed, the power and torque of 300ps and 400kgm demonstrate the performance that can easily handle ultra-high speed cruising, and the goodness of matching with the suspension is fully expected.

Because the interior is completely the same as normal. In fact, I can't even feel its hard potential. The stainless steel 600 muffler made by German Gillette makes a glimpse of it through the sound. It's not loud by any means, but the clear sound is conveyed to the driver, making them want to step on the throttle unintentionally.

As expected, the goodness of growth is incomparable to normal, and it feels good especially above 6000 rpm, which has been difficult until now.

It accelerates straight up to 7000rpm, which is the red zone on the meter, and has plenty of power. The most delicious point is that the middle speed torque, which is the biggest selling point of the 7M-GT, has increased further, and the matching with the AT is outstanding.

In city driving, you can enjoy easy driving in combination with AT, and yet top cruising exceeds 250km/h. The fact that such a car is available at a dealership is something only Toyota can do.

PIC TRANSLATIONS

The stainless steel muffler produces a comfortable sound.

3 Piece casting wheel that is genuine C5. Titanium bolts are used for the purpose of lightness.

Engine tune-up kits can of course also be purchased individually.

Suspension tune is a setting that emphasizes the stability of high-speed cruising.

#Z10 Soarer #TOM'S Soarer #TOM'S C5 Soarer #TOM'S #Toyota Soarer #JDM

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beevean · 2 years ago

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I accidentally found this post again, and now that I have watched the entirety of Netflixvania, I can say that my opinions here have been consolidated and then some, but in some cases they’ve changed. Fun how I managed to peg the show’s quality from a bunch of clips, huh.

Trevor is pigeonholed in the character archetype of “drunkard asshole”, even though he already had a fairly interesting personality in Curse of Darkness that could have been elaborated on, honorable but arrogant and hotheaded.

I’ll throw a bone at Trevor and say that he was by far the most consistent and even enjoyable character in the cast. I still prefer his shonen hero personality from CoD, but he wasn’t as bad as I thought, maybe because he’s basically Qrow Branwen from RWBY and I happen to like Qrow lmao. His biggest problem is that he and Sypha get put into the backburner and given the most boring, useless plotlines, like sometimes I forget that they, and Trevor in particular, were supposed to be the main protagonists.

Also, hello, Trevor doesn’t even kill Dracula himself! That is kind of a huge deal???

And boy help you if you like Hector, Isaac and/or St. Germain, because they bothered to bring them back, but the former is… well, I don’t know what other term to use but he was pretty much ukeified, with how his main trait seems to be naiveté and how he gets imprisoned, beaten up and enslaved (did we really need to see his dick flap around as Lenore is beating the shit out of him? Now you’re just humiliating him); and the other two have nothing in common with their game counterparts other than their names and somewhat their powers.

St. Germain is also relatively fine, he has a believable descent into villainy and his surface personality is surprisingly similar to the one in the game. It’s just... those stupid lines he got...

So I guess now I’d say “boy help you if you like Hector, isaac and/or Alucard”, because MY GOD what did they do to you, Alucard. How can you fuck him up so badly. I had no idea he was that badly written! He’s OOC, he’s so annoying until mid-S2, he gets shafted, he gets humiliated, he doesn’t even stick around Trevor and Sypha for long, he’s literally here to be eyecandy! His S4 design is so stupid 😭

(I’m also still perpetually bitter about N!Isaac overshadowing the real Isaac, and the unfiltered hatred I feel for Hector’s writing could power up my whole town in times of need. lol that even back then I said that he was ukeified, oh past me you had no idea...)

and I’m sure that Netflix!Isaac is a great character too so I understand why he’s so popular.

... actually, not really. The hype really let me down. N!Isaac has some of the highest highs in the show, I was really touched by his final monologue and some of his more vulnerable moments in S3, but I just can’t like him that much because 1) he has some truly stupid moments that I will never let down, and 2) he’s basically a reskinned Hector, everything I could like about his character arc was done in the CoD mangas and done better IMO :V

also now i’m even more bitter because we could have got villain pre-C3 Hector in the show, it would have been so badass, but nooooooo, let’s give the arc to an OC that is Isaac in name only (with an unnecessary time skip that ruins everything) and turn Hector into a rape fetish object manipulable manchild!

(also apparently back in the day I didn’t want to strangle Carmilla and Lenore with their own hair, oh how I long for these sweeter days...)

I don’t personally resent Netflixvania

And this did not age well at all :^) now it’s not just that it has become unnecessarily hard to find game content, but it really is because of serious quality issues. The show simply isn’t written that well, from the dialogues to the plotlines to the characterization, and the less said about the faithfulness the better.

What annoys you about the Netflix version of Castlevania? 👀

Mostly the fact that it has become the face of the series. I pointed out already that on AO3, 2/3rds of Castlevania fics are based on the cartoon - at best, some fics aren't even tagged.

Tumblr is even worse. Search for "Castlevania" and notice how many posts are about the cartoon.

For more specific things... I may have become a fan of the series relatively recently, but to me the whole show feels like the showrunners really wanted to make a Berserk anime, and slapped on it the Castlevania aesthetic. And I'm a big Berserk fan! But not when you mix concepts this way. Just because both series deal with monsters and are set in the middle ages doesn't mean that they have quite the same vibe.

Then there is the questionable treatment of characters. Grant was adapted out of what was supposed to be a C3 adaptation because Ellis decided that his name was stupid and that his pirate-like appearance didn't fit the setting, even though Grant isn't a pirate, he's a thief. Trevor is pigeonholed in the character archetype of "drunkard asshole", even though he already had a fairly interesting personality in Curse of Darkness that could have been elaborated on, honorable but arrogant and hotheaded. Carmilla hasn't appeared much in the series, but the few times she did, she sure wasn't a radfem girlboss who dismissed Dracula as yet another "stupid old man". And boy help you if you like Hector, Isaac and/or St. Germain, because they bothered to bring them back, but the former is... well, I don't know what other term to use but he was pretty much ukeified, with how his main trait seems to be naiveté and how he gets imprisoned, beaten up and enslaved (did we really need to see his dick flap around as Lenore is beating the shit out of him? Now you're just humiliating him); and the other two have nothing in common with their game counterparts other than their names and somewhat their powers. You know why I reblog Isaac fanart from 10 years ago? Because now the tag is full of posts about the Netflix character (even "Isaac Laforeze", even though by logic it makes no sense that Netflix!Isaac would be called that way, Julia Laforeze doesn't exist in the cartoon), with some fans even saying things like "sometimes wildly deviating from the source material is the best idea" :') also, how can you even write Death as not being the biggest Dracula simp? C'mon.

(yes I'm particularly bitter about Isaac. I would have accepted if they just replaced him with an OC, and I'm sure that Netflix!Isaac is a great character too so I understand why he's so popular. Replacing the original version with an OC but keeping the same name is just sleazy, like you want credit for "fixing" the "bad" character but not putting any thought in salvaging what could be salvageable, it's lazy)

Another thing that I find sus is the overabundance of OCs. I'm biased because I watched in real time IDW Sonic shift focus from the canon characters to the new characters to the point that the cover of #50 didn't even feature the titular character, but it says something that big bad Dracula dies halfway through, and then the series is about a council of 4 new villains. And yes, I'm biased because of scenes like this:

youtube

Tell me if it doesn't look like the show really wants to show how #girlboss Carmilla is compared to dumb Dracula. He can't even command a room.

Then there are... dubious writing moments. The series makes the common mistake of thinking that swearwords are witty, to the point that even Alucard says "fuck you" to Trevor and shows him the middle finger (because haha he's becoming like trevor). St. Germain is just embarassing, going from a refined yet quirky 19th century dandy man to someone who says "I am immortal and glorious, and all these other people smell of piss" or "God is now standing right in front of you. And soon, very, very, soon... he's going to have sex again". And Death... oh, Death, what happened to you...

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I'm also baffled when they try to apply logic to vampire lore? It feels like the writers felt too smart for their own good. I can't find it on YT but at one point the character just stop in their tracks to argue the validity of the conception that vampires can't cross running water, just because. And the explanation to why every vampire hates crosses is just ridiculous, sorry.

And then there's the offensive stuff. Hector sticks his dick in Lenore, she tricks him into becoming her sex slave/pet, and yet in the next season they basically develop feelings for each other? And she's painted in a tragic light? She's basically Dahlia Hawthorne with a dom fetish (which I'm not even opposed to, she seems to be an interesting villain at first) and I'm supposed to feel sorry for her? In the same episode there's a random threesome between Alucard and two people he welcomed into the castle, but it was all a ruse to try to kill him, and he's traumatized for... a few episodes? Then he gets better? Just enough to show him pissing on their corpses. Thanks.

(and I'm not even getting into the fact that Ellis himself has been accused of sexual misconduct, which makes these scenes even more uncomfortable)

So yeah. I don't personally resent Netflixvania, and I know that there are some good moments in it ("Lisa, I'm killing our boy..."), but from what I've seen so far, the series simply doesn't deserve to massively overshadow the game series - not even because of quality issues, but because at the end of the day it doesn't have much to do with the games beyond some superficial references.

#anti netflixvania #i looked in the tag to see if others used it #apparently not i'm the only one tagging my posts like this #so i found my old posts lmao #sorry sometimes i still get overtaken by the sheer hatred

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princessmisery666 · 2 years ago

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Baby - Part 5.4 Under The Radar Mini Series

Summary: Maverick offers Huntress the opportunity of a lifetime, but will her relationship with Jake hold her back?

Warnings: fluff, slight angst.

W/C: 982

Characters: Lieutenant Jake "Hangman" Seresin, Lieutenant Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, fem!reader (You. Call sign: Huntress), Captain Phil “Maverick” Mitchell. Mentioned/Small Parts: Lieutenant Natasha "Phoenix" Trace, Penny Benjamin, Lieutenant Javy "Coyote" Machado, Lieutenant Robert "Bob" Floyd, Lieutenant Reuben "Payback" Fitch, Lieutenant Mickey "Fanboy" Garcia.

Pairing: Hangman x Fem!Reader, (you - no descriptions of body type or ethnicity).

Betas: @deanwinchesterswitch

Graphics: title card made by me // @writercole made the divider // picture source

Series Master Lists: Parts 1 - 5 // Drabbles & One-shots

Baby

Maverick gestures for you to join him at the bar. Bradley smiles down at you, “good luck.” He winks, and you're pretty sure he knows whatever it is Mav has to say.

As you retake your seat, you watch Rooster join the rest of the group, and it warms your heart a little that he shakes Jake’s hand. You don’t see the two of them sharing a hug anytime soon, but it’s progress.

“I’m gonna get right down to business,” Mav says when you focus on him, “so you can go join your friends. I’m staying at Top Gun for one more year. Then I’m done. Retiring.”

You smile, happy that he’s made a decision and that it means he’ll get to be with Penny. You always thought he was a lonely man. “That's great, Mav.”

“I want you next to me,” he says, “I want you to shadow me for the year and then take my position.”

“What?” you ask, completely flabbergasted.

“I’ve already cleared it with Admiral Simpson. He thinks it’s one of the smartest decisions of my career.”

You don’t doubt it, and you both share a laugh. Your eyes gravitate to your friends. Bradley and Jake are leaning on pool cues looking at you with stupid grins. You presume Bradley knows Pete’s plan, and he’s told Jake. They both look happy and proud of you.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Y/N, you’ve spent the better part of a year by my side, helping me out. I know it was technically a punishment.”

“It never felt like punishment, sir,” you reassure him.

His billion-dollar smile beams, and it’s so contagious you smile back. “I know you’ve got what it takes to be a Top Gun instructor. I want to teach you everything I know so you can teach the new pilots for years to come.”

It’s a huge compliment and one of the highest honors for a Navy Pilot. It takes a second to get your ego in check. You’d be lying if you said you didn’t feel a little smug about the whole thing. Mav chose Rooster, Phoenix, Bob, Payback, and Fanboy to run the mission with him, but he’s basically giving you the golden ticket to the Chocolate Factory. There’s no one better to learn from than Mav, who wants you to be the next him.

However, you catch Jake’s eye, and it gives you pause. You want to make it work with him; you do. It’s not going to be a cakewalk, even less so if you’re separated. Maybe you should talk to Jake first and gauge his thoughts and plans before making any decisions.

“I’m honored and flattered, sir, but…”

Obnoxiously loud hollering and hooting from the door drowns out your words, and you turn to see a rowdy group of about thirty women pile into the bar, pink feather boas accompany pink sailor hats, and a bride-to-be clad in a sexy sailor’s uniform.

“Take the day,” Mav calls over the women, laughing. “Think about it.”

The women crowd the bar, and Mav makes a mad dash away. Though not in uniform, his bomber jacket designates him as Navy personnel, and the rowdy group would most likely eat him alive.

“Oh, he’s a handsome one, yours, sweetheart?” one of the elderly women of the group asks.

You chuckle, “no, he’s my boss.”

“Pretty girl like you has definitely got one of these Navy boys wrapped around her finger,” she says.

You like this woman. She’s fun and feisty, your kind of woman, and she’s given you an idea. “I do have one, actually,” you smirk and make purposeful eye contact with Jake. “Hey Jake,” you call across the bar, “are my drinks still on your tab?”

“For a lifetime,” he smiles back with a flirty wink.

Your grin turns devious, and his brow creases for a second before you hold your cellphone in the air and very slowly lower it.

“Y/N!” Jake yells, pointing a finger at you as he rushes around the pool table. “Don’t. No. Don’t you dare!”

He’s too slow, and by the time he’s behind you, Penny is ringing the bell to gleeful cheers all around. The bachelorette party read the sign in a chorus; “Disrespect a lady, the navy, or put your cellphone on my bar, you buy a round.” Their shouts are impossibly louder.

Jake receives numerous kisses, lipstick marks pepper his cheeks, he gets a boa draped around his neck, and some of the pink feathers take residence in his hair. He flinches when the bride-to-be’s mother pinches his butt, practically jumping into your lap. He’s a good sport for it all, flipping off the team when they can’t stop their hysterical laughing.

Jake sighs, shaking his head when they finally move on to the dancefloor. “Penny,” he calls, handing over his card, “ring me up, please, before they come back for round two.”

You manage to subdue your laughter to light chuckling. “Thanks, baby.”

“Oh, now it’s ‘baby’?” he asks, brow raising high and dislodging a pink feather that he bats away with his hand.

Though he’s teasing, you know he’s still a little hurt that you pulled away from him earlier. You haven’t discussed if you want your relationship to be public knowledge. Truthfully, the only person whose opinion really mattered was Rooster’s. He’s given you his blessing. Penny’s caution rings in your ear - Either you're in, or you're out.

Jake’s edging closer, slotting himself between your legs, and dips his head. You’re in, one hundred percent in. His lips ghost over yours, hesitantly as if he expects you to push him away again. But despite the fact he’s covered in various shades of lipstick and smells like multiple types of perfume, you pull him down and kiss him with an enthusiasm that matches the wolf whistles and cheers echoing across the bar.

Part 5.5 - Without Hesitation

Imagine that a reblog and like button conveniently close together. I dare you to hit one ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️🤣🤣🤣

#top gun maverick #hangman #jake seresin #jake seresin x reader #hangman x reader #fluff #the hard deck #pete mitchell #maverick #jake seresin x you

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keyofradiance · 2 years ago

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have you seen the last amphibia ep? if so, opinion on it?

i have watched the finale and LOVED the finale actually and think it was a satisfying conclusion to the story and themes. heres some discord messages of me discussing it + some assorted rambles

i really think amphibia handled its split up very well actually. my main gripe when a protag group and/or found family splits up at the end is that usually, their experiences together are often not seen to really affect them too much despite everything that happened to them. but the people anne/sasha/marcy had bonded with over their time in amphibia are shown to still be affected by said people, and the reverse is true for anne/sasha/marcy.

like, in the timeskip we can see how that being in amphibia was so important to them, with the people who they bonded too being represented in both symbolic and explicit ways. we see anne become a herpetologist, not only having the exhibit be designed and named after amphibia, she has it at an aquarium, where the plantars went to get their minds off of annes original departure. marcy has a blue newt pin slightly above (which may symbolize how important that was) to her to her charms on her bag, which hold a clear importance as she chooses to take them on a flight. sasha has: a heron swords patch, a sticker of her guitar from battle of the bands, and a charm of her swords. also, arguably her being a child psych may be a reference to grimes help in her life and her want to pay that forward.

on the flip side in amphibia, while we get a more limited view of the changes (as the time skip there only seems to be a couple months-ish and we really dont see as much then), we can still see things beginning to change, and how people have been affected there. hp, despite being originally a pretty traditional character now grows avocados. sprig is currently working on something detailing his and annes adventures and later agrees to continue adventuring with ivy on the new continent. andrias wears both marcys pin and a leaf pin, and wearing leifs hood/shawl thing and using barrels hammer as a cane (smth smth people in your life both new and old changing you). also my good friend andy (@/firebendingsummer) pointed out that ivys hair looks/seems to be styled like annes. also along with amphibia healing, relationships among the toads/newts/frogs seem to be getting better.

the development of the characters is great too. anne goes from someone floating on by to performing the highest sacrifice and then sort of dedicating herself to being the best person she can, and doing so in a job based around this crucial point in her life. sasha starts as someone pretty toxic, and generally a bad influence, and goes into a job where she helps kids affected by this, influencer and influenced. marcy just wants them all together, that sense of being in a group but by the end runs a webcomic all by herself.

i really like the message the last episode gives out, no matter if your situation changes and you dont talk or if you drift apart from people, they still were with you at one point and that love is important even if situations change. and even though these sorts of changes are scary, theyre inevitable and we just have to just be human, learn how to honor those loves in our own way, and keep going.

no love, however brief, is wasted.

#bees knees #analysis #amphibia spoilers #amphibia

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twistedtummies2 · 3 years ago

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Top 12 Pandora Hearts Characters

Moriarty the Patriot may be my new favorite anime and manga series, but today, I feel like talking about my OTHER favorite manga (and what COULD have been my favorite anime, if it had only gone on longer): a little franchise known as Pandora Hearts. Japan has a huge following for the works of Lewis Carroll, but Pandora Hearts has probably the most unusual manner of reinterpreting the characters. The story of PH is set in a world where human beings coexist with monstrous entities known as Chains: demon-like beings who are all directly inspired, in terms of name and design, on characters from Wonderland. With a few exceptions, the characters themselves do not have the names of characters from the books; instead, it is the Chains they make bargains with, form “Contracts” with, that tell you what character from the stories they are meant to represent. It’s a cool idea, and whether you look at this franchise as a new take on Wonderland, or just look at the characters on their own terms separate from the books, they are all fun and engaging characters who are frequently much more complex than they at first seem. Now, Pandora Hearts is a series with a lot of twists and turns, so I’m going to try and keep this as spoiler-free as possible when it comes to some of the REALLY big twists, but there’s only so much I can do. So if you haven’t read the manga, or at least watched the anime, and don’t want things spoiled, just be wary in case something pops up here you weren’t wanting to know ahead of time. Also, because this is me writing this list, I will give away which characters from the Wonderland stories these characters are analogous with in their descriptions. With that said... “The time has come,” the Walrus says, “To honor them today! So here’s a list of my favorites to lighten up your day!” (pauses) Yes, I’m aware that rhyme was terrible, just run with it. These are My Top 12 Favorite Pandora Hearts Characters!

12. Echo & Noise.

Wonderland Analogues: Tweedledee & Tweedledum.

One thing you need to know about Pandora Hearts is that...honestly, like a lot of anime/manga, in my opinion...it can be rather confusing at times. The lore of this world, partially because it takes so many twists and turns all over the place, is a little hard to follow at times. I’ll try be succinct and as major-spoiler-free as possible, as I said before. With that said, these two are a prime example of how things get twisted up. Echo and Noise are essentially a classic Jekyll-&-Hyde scenario; a pair of separate identities occupying the same body. Noise, also called “Zwei,” is the original personality: a member of the mysterious and dangerous Baskerville Clan, she is, as her name suggest, loudmouthed, crazy, and rather all over the place. Noise is in control of a Chain known as “Duldee,” and the Chain is responsible for the creation of the other personality: Echo. Echo is the exact opposite of Noise: she is quiet, constantly polite, and indeed often seems to be little more than a robot, very emotionless and unnervingly calm, even in the heat of battle. As Echo, she is the unsettlingly loyal servant of one of the series’ chief antagonists, Vincent Nightray, and their relationship is...a little creepy. Vincent frequently treats her like a beloved child or pet, but he also frequently uses her for his own selfish ends, never worrying about nearly killing her in order to get what he wants, and seeming to see her more as an object than another living being. Despite this, the most upset with him Echo ever gets is calling him “annoying” (now, THERE’S an understatement), and Noise herself is absolutely obsessed with him. Their twisted relationship with Vincent, and all the fun that’s had with these two different personalities, is a big part of what gets them a slot on the list.

11. Oscar Vessalius.

Wonderland Analogue: N/A

While most of the characters in Pandora Hearts are easily identified by their Chains, some don’t even have Chains, and thus cannot be readily identified as any character from the Carroll classics. Oscar Vessalius, whom I frequently and affectionately refer to as “Uncle Oscar,” is one of those cases. Now, to be fair, Uncle Oscar is not the most complex character in this series, but he IS one of the most endearing. Oscar is the paternal uncle of our main protagonist, Oz, and considering Oz’s father is...well...a gigantic douchebag of the highest order...Oscar really is more of a father to Oz than anybody else in the series. Oscar is unflappably encouraging and jolly, and extremely protective and caring when it comes to his family. He’s always there to support Oz and his friends, tries his best to get along with everybody, and generally speaking brightens up every single scene he has. Despite this, Oscar does have a bit of a sly and sneaky side to him, as well as a slightly lecherous leaning in some cases, which keep him from being too perfect or one-note a character. While he has no direct ties to Wonderland, some have suggested that he MIGHT be inspired by Lewis Carroll himself, and there are a few subtle things that could suggest that...but either way, he’s ultimately a purely original character, and of those ranks, he’s easily one of the best.

10. Reim Lunettes.

Wonderland Analogue: March Hare.

Reim, sometimes called “Liam,” is the best friend of Xerxes Break and one of the most notable members of Pandora: a not-so-secret organization dedicated to the study of Chains and the protection of the world. Sort of a Victorian-styled Men in Black, if you will. (pauses) The Will Smith Men in Black, I should say. ANYWAY, an interesting thing I’ve noticed with many interpretations of the March Hare in Japanese culture is they tend to make him a somewhat more serious and more easily flustered character than the Mad Hatter. Reim is no exception: he’s a panicky workaholic who is frequently the butt of other people’s jokes, and tries to treat things with a no-nonsense demeanor, taking his job extremely seriously and always worried about what’s best for his employers. In some ways, one could argue he acts more like the White Rabbit, but that character is one we’ll get to later. At any rate, while Reim is constantly obsessed with his work, and frequently frustrated by Break’s antics, as well as the shenanigans of other characters, he has a heart of gold and is always there to try and help his friends and colleagues when they most require assistance. His Chain also has a pretty impressive power that one does not expect...but I mustn’t say more, or I’ll spoil something important.

9. Sharon Rainsworth.

Wonderland Analogue: Unicorn.

Another character with close ties to Xerxes Break, Sharon is an interestingly dichotomous character. She’s one of the first people we encounter in this series, and she plays a big part in the story as it unfolds...but in the early parts of the franchise, what’s interesting is that Sharon stays largely in the background. Now, at first, it seems this is because she’s one of the head members of Pandora, and Break is technically her servant; so it makes sense the others would interact more with Break than Sharon. But as time goes on, and we learn more about Sharon, we find that’s not so much the case. Sharon and Break have a brother-and-sister relationship, with Sharon seeing Break as her surrogate big brother, and Break seeing her as his little sister. The problem with this relationship is that Break will do anything to protect Sharon, and at times that can go a bit too far, as Sharon truly wants to be of use to him and prove she’s just as powerful as he is or any other major member of the team. Indeed, her Chain, Equus the Black Unicorn, has many impressive abilities, including being able to open a gateway between Earth and the Hell-like dimension of The Abyss. A lot of this dichotomy is visible in Sharon’s personality: most of the time she’s very demure, polite, sweet, and ladylike. But the more we see of Sharon, the more we become aware of other facets to her personality. She’s shown to have a tough and domineering side to her character, and has some eccentricities of her own. Most notably, she’s absolutely INSANE when it comes to romance stories and romantic situations, and holds both the standards of ladies and gentlemen in high regard. Whether she’s a soothing presence or a downright scary one, Sharon is always an interesting character to return to.

8. Rufus Barma.

Wonderland Analogue: Dodo.

There are a few characters in the frequently twisted-up world of Pandora Hearts who have a habit of constantly keeping you guessing...but the king of mystery, without a shadow of a doubt, is the Duke Rufus Barma. His analogous Chain, Dodo, is able to conjure impressive illusions, and this illusionary skill is only the tip of the iceberg in showing how this man constantly manages to make you wonder just what is going on in his head. Barma lives by the code of “knowledge is power,” and constantly seeks to learn everything he can about...well...anything and anybody he wants. Money and prestige are secondary to him. He’s very soft-spoken and cold, even when angered, and carries himself with a sense of grace that’s rather flamboyant, but somehow not exactly loud or over-the-top in the way some of the other characters can be. His exact goals and motivations are constantly second-guessed, and you’re never really sure what makes him tick or what side he’ll take. You’re never really sure if he’s a villain or a hero. I love characters like this, in general, so it’s ultimately no surprise that Rufus Barma gets a solid spot on this list.

7. The Will of the Abyss.

Wonderland Analogue: White Rabbit.

The Will of the Abyss (sometimes called “Alyss” and sometimes called “The Intention of the Abyss”) isn’t a villain we see a whole lot of. She is the queen of the Abyss; the ruler of everything there. The Abyss, itself, is the home of the demon-like chains: ghoulish entities who feed on human beings, body and soul, and are formed from those who have fallen into the Abyss in the past. The place is described as “a broken toy box” and is a horrifying limbo realm of killer dolls and psychotic puppets. Needless to say, it’s not exactly an ideal vacation spot. The Will is a mysterious and mercurial character; she’s mostly a peripheral villain, since we see more of the Chains she controls than her, herself, and much of what we DO see of her actually comes through flashbacks...but in that overall brief amount of time, she proves to be honestly the single scariest character in the series, as well as one of the saddest. Part of this is due to her mood: the Will can shift from seemingly innocent and playful to screaming like a banshee in a split-second; she can go from crying and sobbing like a sad little girl to being as refined and elegant as a proper queen. And there really isn’t a safe place with her, in any of this, either; sometimes that playful and sweet persona is a good thing, but other times...yeah, it’s...um...REALLY not. Like many Chains, she’s violent and bloodthirsty, but unlike other Chains, there’s some humanity to her and you get the feeling that a lot of her actions are justified. She’s still very much a villain, but she’s also a victim, in a way, and as the story goes on, you feel bad for her and are truly sorry when her part in the series’ events is finished. Whether she makes you whimper with terror or makes you want to hug her and console her, the Will of the Abyss is bound to get a major reaction from you.

6. Vincent Nightray.

Wonderland Analogue: Dormouse.

One of the main antagonists of the series (though not, for the record, THE main antagonist...they actually don’t appear in this top twelve), Vincent Nightray is another character who changes throughout the series. What I find most interesting about Vincent is that he, himself, changes very little. It’s more the attitude the reader has to him, in the manga, that changes. See, if you only know Vincent from the anime, or the chapters in the manga that the anime covers, chances are you find him to be a pretty repugnant person. He’s creepy, he’s treacherous, he’s responsible for some of the most screwed-up things any character in this franchise does, and that’s saying a lot. He’s totally insane, and sort of seems to be aware of it, and seems to have an unhealthy interest in his own brother, Gilbert. In fact, with how disturbing he is, and the kinds of things he tries, you start off thinking he’s the main antagonist...and, for a while, he pretty much is. However, as the series continues in the manga, and you learn more about Vincent - why he is the way he is, and what exactly he wants to accomplish - the more you come to understand him and sympathize with him. Make no mistake, Vincent is a villain; in fact, even he seems to be aware of the fact that he’s sort of a monster. But he’s the kind of villain you come to feel sorry for and realize that, if things had been different, maybe could have turned out a much better person. In a way, Vincent is a foil to the ACTUAL main antagonist. Without giving anything away, the real main villain of the series follows the opposite path: at first he seems sympathetic and endearing, but the more we learn about him and the more horrible things he does, the more we come to loathe him and want to see him kicked in the face a thousand times over. Vincent, meanwhile, we start off hating his guts, but by the time his part in the story ends, we’re sad to see him go, because we understand him and care about him, and realize not everything was his fault. I actually feel a little bad for not placing Vincent higher, but I doubt the characters above him will drastically disappoint. He may have been one of the nastiest characters in the franchise, but if ever proof was needed that Evil is a lonely course to take, Vincent Nightray could provide it.

5. Cheshire Cat.

Wonderland Analogue: Doesn’t need to be given, because IT’S HIS NAME.

Again, the Cheshire Cat doesn’t have a lot of time in the series - he gets one major arc fairly early on, appears in several flashbacks afterwards, and then makes a sudden and unexpected return much later in the story - but that doesn’t keep him from being one of the most fascinating figures in the universe of PH. Cheshire is the reincarnation of an innocent kitten who belonged to a girl named Alice; the kitten was brutally murdered by Vincent Nightray. As a Chain, the Cheshire Cat is steadfastly loyal to the Will of the Abyss, and - at least at the start of the series - dwells within a mysterious realm simply known as “The Cheshire Cat’s House.” The “house” is an eerie Victorian mansion that is literally made up of all of the worst memories the Will has, and Cheshire guards the mansion and the Will herself with ferocious zeal. It’s ironic because this is a very different take on the Cheshire Cat, in general: the character in the book, and most other adaptations, is a chaotic being who shows loyalty to seemingly no one, and while some versions lean more towards good or evil, friend or foe, than others, he ultimately isn’t an obedient housecat. He’s more of an enigmatic agent of madness. This Cheshire Cat is a totally different spin on things. He’s got human-like intelligence, for the most part, and occasionally speaks in a cryptic or evasive manner, but he’s not the puzzling imp of Carroll’s classic. He doesn’t even SMILE all that often...and when he does it’s...well...the most terrifying thing you’ll ever see. But just because he’s a very different take on the character, doesn’t mean he’s still not a good one; Cheshire’s mixture of ravenous hunger (all Chains are so), sadistic ferocity, and childlike adoration of the Will make him a very layered character. Like the Will herself, he can be very creepy and menacing, but he can also be sympathetic and sweet, since he still very much is that loving kitten whose life was cut short. In a very short time, he becomes one of the most standout characters, and despite a relatively short lifespan (so to speak), it’s clear the creators really liked Cheshire, since they tried to find ways to fit him in all over the place. It’s a sign of restraint on their parts, I’d say, that he doesn’t pop up more often throughout the franchise. When he does pop up, he’s a scene stealer, and I was always excited to see him.

4. Oz Vessalius.

Wonderland Analogue: N/A

Our chief protagonist, and another original character, Oz Vessalius is a teenager whose life is turned upside-down when, at his Coming-of-Age Ceremony, a group of depraved cultists send him body and soul into the Abyss. He makes a contract with a Chain called Alice, and escapes the Abyss, only to discover that the very short time he spent down there equated to a full decade in the real world. He is enlisted by Pandora, and the rest of the series focuses on his adventures as he tries to discover the secrets of a cataclysmic event from the past known as “The Tragedy of Sablier” - in which an entire city was somehow sucked down into the Abyss. Oz is an endearing young hero, as his youth is mixed with a curious maturity. At times he’s very silly and almost hopelessly optimistic, but at other times he shows a very fatalistic and calculating side to his personality. Part of this is due to his upbringing, as his father never showed him any love at all, and the best friend he ever really had was his own servant, Gilbert. He didn’t exactly get out much to explore the world. So while he’s lived a very sheltered life, it’s also been a very cold one. Oz works on a philosophy of acceptance, just going with the flow and trying not to let the bad things get to you...but considering he frequently claims his own life means very little to him, it’s very clear the bad things DO get to him. In fact, despite his privileged youth, he puts the lives of others vastly before his own, even when he doesn’t know them all that well. He just doesn’t like to show how much things can hurt him, and tries to press ahead no matter what. It’s a complex sort of way of thinking - being proud and unflinching and yet humble and downright self-loathing, all with a dash of youthful exuberance - and as the series goes on, and we learn more about Oz than maybe even he knows, it only becomes more fascinating. He may not be my favorite character, but he’s a fine protagonist for us to follow, and certainly worthy of high marks here.

3. Gilbert Nightray.

Wonderland Analogue: The Monstrous Crow...probably.

I say “probably” because Gilbert’s Chain, as well as his own codename, is “Raven,” which is an obvious reference to the riddle “Why is a raven like a writing desk?” I guess it’s possible both were inspirational, but the Crow is an actual creature/character in the stories, so it’s the one I choose to credit. Whatever the case, Gil is one of the other major protagonists in the series, and...this guy is freaking adorable. I know he doesn’t look it, but trust me, he’s adorable. At the start of the series, we meet Gil as a small boy, who has amnesia about his past and works as a servant for Oz. Oz is not only his Master, but his best friend, and Gil will do absolutely anything to protect and serve his “Young Master” no matter what. After Oz descends into the Abyss, Gil - blaming himself - tries to run away...and is enlisted, at a very young age, by Xerxes Break. He becomes a double-agent, working for both the Rainsworth and Nightray households, upon discovering he is actually a long-lost member of the Nightray family. When Oz returns years later, Gil is a seemingly changed man: stoic, stern, always dressed in black, smoking heavily, and rarely speaking. Very quickly, however, we discover a lot of this stoicism is a facade: underneath it all, Gil is very much still a child at heart, and even though he’s grown older, he still sees Oz as his brother and best friend, as well as his true master, and will do anything to protect and to help him. Just as Oz always puts his life ahead of others, Gil’s foremost thoughts are always with Oz and how he can help him, and the lengths he’ll go to in order to keep Oz safe are sometimes touching, sometimes hilarious, and sometimes downright heartbreaking. Gil’s “dark side” is certainly engaging - he’s a crack shot with a pistol, and has a gloomy and cynical sense of humor - but I think what’s most endearing about him are the moments...and there are surprisingly many...where we see the cracks in the armor, and this “seaweed head” shows that he really hasn’t changed as much as he often claims. Whether he’s a man of action or a man of hilarious hijinks, Gilbert Nightray is more than worthy of a place in the top three.

2. Alice.

Wonderland Analogue: Again, IT’S HER NAME.

The secondary protagonist of the series, after Oz, this Alice is a far cry from the little girl we know of from the Carroll stories. At the start of the franchise, we are introduced to Alice as a Chain known as “B. Rabbit” - a title that stands for both “Black Rabbit” and “Bloody” or “Bloodstained Rabbit.” (In fact, her full title is often given as “The Bloody/Bloodstained Black Rabbit.”) B. Rabbit is one of the most powerful Chains out there, and in her Chain form, Alice is a nigh-unstoppable powerhouse ruled by bloodthirst - a maniacal berserker whose morning star chains and massive scythe cleave through even the toughest opponents with ease. However, Alice can also resort to human form, and here she’s much more...well...human. She has the same basic weaknesses a human has, she’s not quite as psychotic (though she DOES have a nasty temper at times)...really, the only sign of her being a Chain is her ravenous hunger. Like any Chain, Alice is ALWAYS hungry, and always hungry for MEAT. Thankfully, unlike other Chains, Alice has no desire to consume human beings. Indeed, while at first she comes across as frightening and intimidating, Alice has a very vulnerable side to her; she’s lived her life without any real friends or family, since the only “family” she has is her twin, the Will of the Abyss...and, to put things simply, they don’t get along very well. Much like Oz, she often feels like she’s undeserving of other people’s care and attention, but while Oz compensates this through being charitable and caring, Alice compensates by over-inflating herself; a classic “superiority complex via inferiority complex” issue. She’s never unlikeable, however, and as the series goes on - and we come to realize that Alice’s true identity, and her status as a Chain, is a lot less cut-and-dry than we might think - she only becomes a more and more fun and fascinating character...arguably more fascinating than Oz. Indeed, it’s really Alice who drives so much of the plot of the series forward, as her whole goal in the series is to find out the truth of her past and regain her lost memories, and it’s through the team’s efforts to help Alice in this goal that so much of the story is told. Oz is really just along for the ride, at least at first. Powerful but not invincible, and easily one of my favorite takes on the title character of the Carroll stories, Alice nabs second place easily…

...But who in the great wide world could take first? That honor goes to...

1. Xerxes Break.

Wonderland Analogue: The Mad Hatter AND The White Knight.

Yep. Two characters. How is this possible? Well, the first thing to know about Xerxes Break is that he wasn’t always called “Xerxes Break.” Once upon a time, he was a knight called Kevin Regnard, who served a noble family; his Chain was called Albus the White Knight. When Regnard’s mistakes led to the destruction of the entire family, he went absolutely bonkers and became a twisted serial killer known as the Red-Eyed Ghost. Ultimately, however, his contract with Albus ended, and Regnard was dragged down into the Abyss, where the Will and the Cheshire Cat ripped out one of his eyes (...yikes…), and plotted to turn him into another Chain. Things get a bit complicated at this point, but basically, Kevin managed to escape and was thrown into another time and place upon doing so. He was taken in by the Rainsworth family, befriend Reim Lunettes, and steadily began to come out of his shell. He took the name “Xerxes Break,” because he felt “broken,” later formed a contract with a very special and powerful Chain known as The Mad Hatter (in fact, one of Break’s nicknames is “Mr. Hatter”), and crafted a whole new personality for himself: Kevin Regnard was stern, work-obsessed, and wore his heart on his sleeve. Xerxes Break is in every way his opposite. When it comes to takes on the Mad Hatter, Break is one of the best; granted, we very rarely see him WEAR a hat, but the personality of the guy speaks for itself. Break often comes across as clownish and childishly hyperactive, constantly eating sweets, performing magic tricks and weird stunts just for the sheer sake of it, prancing around and giggling like a small boy, and even interacting with a puppet he calls “Emily”...which...may or may not actually be alive. However, much of this is a facade, as underneath it all, Break is...well...broken. Not just in body (he’s much, much older and more frail than he often seems), but in terms of his mind; he’s half-crazed and extremely mercurial. Much like with Rufus Barma, Break is somebody you’re never entirely sure of, but in a different way. Break, you see, is very open and honest; he never tells lies and he makes his loyalties and disloyalties very clear. But at the same time he’s very secretive and enigmatic, often speaking in riddles and partial-truths to throw people off. He’s very cunning and intelligent, and a gifted swordsman, and will do anything and use almost anyone to get what he wants. So while he can be extremely funny, he can also be very frightening and ruthless. You’re never sure what’s going to set him off and if the next line he says is going to be a threat or a joke. And as the series goes on, and we see more and more of Break’s vulnerabilities, we only come to care about him more and more, though, at the same time, he always remains an eternal mystery. A riddle with no real answer...just like the Mad Hatter’s from the book. (Way to bring things around, don’t you think?) Whether you look at him as a version of the Hatter, or look at him just for who and what he is on his own terms, he is, in my opinion, the most well-rounded and fascinating character in the whole series, and easily takes the top spot as My Favorite Pandora Hearts Character. Xerxes Break, I doff my own topper to thee. (tips hat)

Honorable Mentions Include...

Elliot Nightray.

Leo.

Jack Vessalius.

Lottie Baskerville.

Lily Baskerville.

Ada Vessalius.

Phillipe West.

#pandora hearts #top 12 #top 12 pandora hearts characters #characters #best #favorites #list #countdown #alice in wonderland #wonderland #alice

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felswritingfire · 4 years ago

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First Parent up is Horkeu Kamui! I hope these satiates those who requested for him for a bit, I’m still getting a feel for his character!

Under the cut for length!

Word Count: 2429

Horkeu Kamui

IF YOU WANTED TO HAVE/RAISE BABIES, HE’D BE SO HONORED ABOUT IT

He’d probs go off into a spiel about it and you’d have to sit through this hour long talk of him shooting off about how humbled he is that “you’ve chosen this Horkeu Kamui to sire your children, my Hero- it is the highest honor-”

He’d probs end up with with three little babies, all of them boys, the oldest is two years older than the twins and all of them are extremely overprotective of you when they get older

He’s ecstatic when you bring home your first boy. He’s always been enamored with the thought of a family and now here’s the start of one with his beloved hero. He’s honestly euphoric about it

You’d think that he'd be an amazing dad with zero problems since he’s had a history of raising heroes- but, here’s the thing, he has zero clue how babies work because when he gets the heroes, they’re usually all older then, you know, little kiddos. So when you hand him your guys’ first boy for the first time, he just, let’s him lay in his arms too afraid to move because what if he drops him????

You have to lead him by the hand for a bit, which he’s a little embarrassed about, real talk, until he gets the hang of it- which he does, he gets it real quick

He’ll try his best with diapers, but,,, my guy- the dude has a sniffer, what, 100xs better than ours??? So like, he’s coming out of that shit (haha) with tears in his eyes and a migraine. So I suggest you doing it just to spare him and then just comfort him afterward, because a Kamui who’s in pain is… well, painful to see

He does everything else tho!

He loves dressing your babies up in general! He gets these really cute baby clothes that Bathym designed just for your babies, even tho your first boy would always give him grief about wearing clothes- which killed Kamui because he hates doing stuff that makes your babies uncomfy (he’s really soft for them- like extremely soft for them)

Your twins tho, love wearing the clothes and he actively sends pictures of them to Bathym who literally flips his lid everytime

Your older one will try to pull said clothes off of them any chance he gets though, in his two year old words: “Trapped!”

Kamui is distressed and you laugh at his distress, which just distresses him even more because:

“My Hero, are you taking a video of this?” “Yes” You say as you continue to hold up your phone, a bright smile on your face.

He’s struggling with pulling your biggest boy off of your youngest son who’s fighting to keep his shirt on.

With your guys’ babies, they slept in their crib until they started figuring out how to crawl out of it (especially when they all respectively start walking) to get to you guys; you thought that this was just going to be a trend with your first born- but no, he started breaking out the twins and you two almost shit when you both woke up when you felt shifting on the end of the bed that ended up crawling up until your guys’ chest, Kamui tensing, and then you two open your guys’ eyes and there’s three sets of sparkling eyes staring down at you. Suffice to say, Kamui almost launched your boys into the ceiling until he realised who they were. Which they were giggling all the while, your oldest holding the other two up by their waists, until your youngest yawned and flopped down in between you two. And then your middle boy went right after and then your oldest boy rolled your middle out of the way and squashed him up to your youngest, proceeding to curl up against Kamui’s side and knocked out

You and Kamui looked at each other until you shrugged and grabbed the blanket at the end of your bed and pulled it over the boys before you snuggled deeper into the blankets. Kamui promptly followed your lead

When they turn to toddlers, Kamui starts to teach them all how to fight since he wants his boys to be able to protect themselves (and you)

Your first born is, of course, two years ahead of them in his training compared to the twins so he takes it upon himself to help them when they need it so that their papa doesn’t have to worry about them too much, which Kamui is so proud of him for

When he he first took them to the Berserkers colosseum- they uprooted EVERYTHING because all of the gladiators went bat shit crazy when they met the babies; nobody went to do any of the fights, they were all derailed because everyone wanted to say hi to the boys

Kamui was a little worried about his oldest because he almost bit Claude’s hand when he tried to touch his youngest brother, but Claude just laughed it off and started into a spiel about how he would make a great gladiator for the Berserkers one day!

It all changed when he noticed Snow and he screamed and rushed to hug his leg. Snow was shocked and Kamui was trying to pry him off his leg all while saying “Apologies, I should have warned you all, he loves lions and other such big cats.”

Snow was so flattered that day

The boys are enamored with Pollux and they cheer every time he’d show off his punches, your middle thinks he’s one of the coolest things ever and wants to learn how to punch like him

Bathym already knows the boys but he’s still so excited to see them and he shows off his moves too, which the oldest tries to copy but he refuses to let go of Snow’s pant leg so he ends up slipping and almost falling but there’s, like, four different sets of hands shooting to keep him from falling; but your youngest is hoping around and toddling towards Bathym and Bathym is MELTING. He ends up holding him the entire time that Kamui is there with them

They meet Nomad and Macan and your oldest is determined to hold onto all of the cat therians; Nomad complains as he lets him hold onto his pant leg too- Macan he has to be convinced a bit more. “Hah? You wanna get eaten, kid?”

“Not if I eat you first!”

Kamui almost shit until Macan laughed and wrapped his tail around his arm (which left him sparkly eyed) and said: “you can’t even if you tried.”

Your middle boy noticed this and decided to grab onto papa’s tail and Kamui almost died

All three end up meeting Garmr and they are IN LOVE with him and Garmr gets all the pets and love he could ever want

They’re all sad to leave and the Berserkers force Kamui to make a promise to bring the three babies back

Kamui is happy too because now he has like, 20 different babysitters. Score.

When they hit the tween years, your oldest is very boisterous and energetic, he bounces off the walls and you have no idea which one of you he got that from. Your other two are very calm, though your youngest is the shyest out of your boys

Your oldest boy is very popular and definitely joins a sports club, something like football, but he definitely goes into wrestling if they have that (he practices with Uncle ‘Suke who makes him a mask for him, but instead it’s wolf themed). He’s protective of his brothers and the people he cares for, so he doesn’t put up with any bullying on his watch. He will square up if he has too, but it usually doesn’t have to come to that because he’s pretty chill by the end of it

The oldest comes to Kamui when he needs help with emotional problems, which, might not be the best, but it also is an added oof for Kamui because your oldest has zero filter so when he asks why you have to pee into a girl to have a baby, Kamui almost DIES

Your middle flits between you and Kamui, luckily he is not one to just hit you with any off the wall questions, so it’s all nice and relaxed when you answer his questions

The little one goes to you with any of his problems. Which can go either way because he’s very similar to Kamui with his social skills, so you’re sometimes sitting there blinking at him trying to figure out how to answer a question

The boys at this point are becoming more and more protective of you and they are determined to keep you safe and happy. Like, any person even thinks about flirting with you- they’re getting three tweens in their face and it’s terrible because they could all snap a man’s back over their knee and they’re only, what? 13 and 11 respectively (they are huge baby bois, adopted or not)

Your twins are both much calmer than their older brother, they’re also much closer to their dad’s disposition too, so they tend to be closer to wall flowers- or at least they try; their big brother drags them into the spotlight a lot because he talks about them ALL THE TIME- so they have to put up with their brother’s rambunctiousness a lot

All three of them have a tendency to get in trouble together, your oldest usually runs head first into things while the other two are trying their hardest to get him to not do what he wants to do

There was this one time you and Kamui had to go and get them at three in the morning because your oldest dragged the boys into, what they thought was an abandoned fake haunted house, and your youngest twin called you in near tears as he quickly screeched that: “THE HOUSE IS ACTUALLY HAUNTED- THE HOUSE IS ACTUALLY HAUNTED- MOM/DAD/NANO- COME AND GET US-” And then the message cut out at the sound of your oldest son screaming bloody murder and your oldest twin… also distantly screaming: “DAD. COME AND GET US-” You also heard some… growling??? And more screaming????? You think???? Anyway- you almost shit, and since you were in the living room at the time and Kamui was in your guys’ little home gym you both ended up almost running into each other trying to get out of the house and into the fucking car-

So, you two get there, ready to murder someone- when you see all three of your boys sitting in front of said “haunted house” just to see Benten of all people yelling at them with Ebisu holding his face in his hands; turns out Benten also thought that the house is haunted and decided to go in their for a video, she also dragged the poor man into it too, and they ended up bumping into a dresser and knocking it over, which set off the boys which caused your son to start swinging, which kicked up a whole bunch of dust, almost got Ebisu punched in the face, and caused Benten to start swinging as well-

Long story short, they were very grounded after that 😔😔😔

By the time they get into high school, your oldest is still loud and boisterous but he’s already on the verge of getting a scholarship for his football and Wrestling and the twins have really committed to their passion: which is MUSIC!

Your oldest twin is in band and plays the French Horn, but he also plays the violin and Bass (Kamui really likes the bass so he learned how to play it just for him ); while your youngest is in choir! Him and his brother get together and do a mini concert just for you two and their older brother- who cried whenever they first played, he was so proud

Their older brother still brags about his little family- it’s actually gotten worse

All of his friends know almost everything about you guys, it’s kinda freaky tbh

Also, you will never forgive Kamui for instilling the instinct to protect you with their lives because they really take their job seriously

There was this one time where your oldest brought one of his friends over and, aw, poor boy had a big ol’ crush and you and almost got chucked through a window when he tried to be smooth with you by three different giant boys

Kamui just sat with a serene smile on his face as he flipped some pancakes- he’s such a little shit, you swear-

Your boys still like to be near your guys despite being older- like they prefer sticking to you guys than going with their friends

UM, YOUR BOYS TRAIN- despite the boys not focusing on a fighting career or anything of the sort, they still like to be able to stand on par with their big brother so they can help him train- WITH THE RANKERS AND CLAUDE HAD TO REALLY SELL YOU TWO ON IT TO LET HIM TRAIN WITH MACAN BECAUSE, BRO, IF MACAN HURT YOUR BOYS HE WAS GONNA BE TURNED INTO A TIGER RUG BY THE BOTH OF YOu

But he’s actually a really good teacher??? Which shook the fuck out of both of you (and Nomad)

Speaking of that, your oldest likes training with him, Snow and Nomad the most, while your oldest twin likes training with Pollux and your youngest likes learning from Bathym the most and has some scary ass kicks now

When your boys do graduate, all of the Berserkers are there to see it and Kamui is so proud of them- he’s not one to cry but he will have this super proud smile on his face and he’ll bring his boys into his arms and squeeze them real tight- your oldest is full on sobbing because he doesn’t want to leave you guys for college; the twins are also sobbing because they don’t want to leave, but they end up going to the same college as their older brother (who is excited AS FUCK ABOUT IT)

Another really good dad, I think he’d be really fulfilled by the end of it all- he loves his boys to death and he’s so happy you chose to have a family with him- he’s just- ah- so good

#dad hcs #Horkeu Kamui #SFW #x reader #nonbianary reader #gender neutral reader #reader scenario #housamo #tokyo afterschool summoners

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songbirdsingingthings · 4 years ago

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Chapter Two - Calling All Callers!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Kohei Horikoshi

Previous Chapter ~ Next Chapter ~ Series Masterlist ~ Main Masterlist

Word Count: 3.5K

“Your Grace, I-” You sputtered, dipping into a small curtsy, trying to show your respect to the duke’s son. The red-and-white haired man simply raised a hand, waving off the courtesy to show no harm was done.

“There is no need, Miss… Yagi.” Shouto said hesitantly. You gave him a smile and nodded.

“It really is a pleasure to meet you, but I am curious, how do you know my brother?” You ask.

“He and I studied at UA together a couple of years ago.” Izuku commented, beaming at the two of you. A bright grin sprouted across your face.

“Oh, how lovely!” You enthused. “I’ve heard wonderful things from both the critics and Izuku about that institution, people say it’s one of the finest in the country.” This earns a slim smile to spread across Shouto’s face, so thin in fact, that if one weren’t looking specifically for it they would miss it. You just happened to catch it.

“Yes, it was certainly a rewarding experience - the professors there allow a great amount of knowledge to pass through their students.” Shouto’s voice was measured and direct, matching what he was wearing. It was a handsome grey velvet suit with small gold details on the cuffs and coattails, and he had a white cravat with matching gold features.

“Curses, would you look at the time,” Izuku mutters, in his hand a pocket watch. “I’m terribly sorry to cut this introduction short, but it is time that Y/N and I must be departing.” You shoot your brother a bewildered look.

“But Brother, it is quite early,” You noted, wanting to continue the conversation the three of you were having.

“Under normal circumstances you are indeed correct, but I’m sure you would like to be well-rested for tomorrow morning.” He says, a somewhat shyness seeping into his voice. It then suddenly clicked for you - callers. It was custom that the morning following the first ball of the season, young men would be invited into the homes of the young ladies they had an interest in, often bringing along with them gifts.

“Ah, quite right,” you say softly, the daunting events of the next morning making you a little uneased. Out of a nervous habit, you pulled your silk gloves higher on your arms - even though they were at their highest - and sighed. “Your Grace, it was lovely to meet and converse with you this evening. I do hope you excuse our early departure,” You tell Shouto, genuine disappointment in his voice. Shouto simply nodded.

“Of course, Lady Yagi. It truly was a pleasure.” You cutsied with a simper and took Izuku’s arm.

“We must get together properly, how about you come to our club?” Izuku offers.

“Indeed, that would be nice.” Shouto confirms, a hand outstretched to shake your brother’s. From there you bid your adieu and followed Izuku back to where your father was located. The carriage ride home passed by a lot quicker than you would’ve thought, your mind running rampant with questions about the duke’s son.

“Up, up, up!” You whine as you hear Mei trill about. As soon as she pulls back the curtains, the offensive light shines into your eyes causing you to squint.

“What time is it,” you groan as you arch your back into a stretch. Mei rolls her eyes and gives you a grin.

“It is time for you to get up, Miss Yagi.” She replies. You frown as you hear her address you in such a formal way.

“Mei, I’ve told you before - please call me Y/N. We’ve been friends since we were little.”

“And I hope you remember that when you marry some rich man,” she quips, earning a stuck out tongue from you. The two of you always were in sync when you were getting ready for the day. You slip into your chemise and moisturize your hands while Mei is behind you tightening the restricting corset around your torso. Then comes the dress. “Which one, Y/N.” Mei asks, making a point to emphasize your name. You give her a smirk and turn your attention to the dresses she was holding. One of them was a pretty pale pink and had a sheer lace pattern on top while the other was a sage green with a darker green satin bow tied around.

“I don’t know…” you mumble, closely inspecting both of them. You acknowledged that both of the colors and features presented a different attitude - while pink bore a more innocent approach to society, the sage green displayed a much more mature tone.

“Personally, I love both, but I think the sage green is your winner.” A deeper but still feminine voice filtered into your room from behind you. Recognizing it immediately, a wide grin spread across your face. You turned around to find your governess from when you were young, Nemuri Kayama.

“Mrs. Kayama!” You exclaim, rushing towards the woman and enveloping her in a hug. While your actions might’ve been seen as improper by most of the public, your relationship with your governess was far different than the norm. When Inko, your mother, died, Nemuri helped to pick up the pieces. She was your father’s friend from when they were younger - happening to live right next to each other. From the raw age of eleven, Nemuri became your mother-figure and governess, teaching you how to become an integral part of society but not be quieted and coddled. She taught you to be strong.

“Y/N my dear, it’s truly been too long since the last time I saw you.” She said earnestly, returning your tight hug. “But we are on a tight schedule today - callers will be coming any moment!” Nemuri exclaimed, leading you back to Mei. “Mei, it is wonderful to see you again.” Mei brightens at the raven-haired woman’s words and smiles.

“It’s an honor, Mrs. Kayama! And to be clear, we are going with the sage green?” Mei questioned, holding up the pretty dress. With a simple but clear nod, Nemuri allowed space for Mei to help you into your dress as she went to grab something from the basket she carried.

“Mei, before you do her hair, I have something,” She says, walking back over to you with something wrapped in tissue paper. “For you, my dear.” Nemuri places the wrapped gift in your hand. Daintily, you peeled back the layer to reveal a stunning hair comb. Detailed with gold plated flowers, the comb fit perfectly with your outfit - in the center of each group of petals were pearls.

“Mrs. Kayama…” you say, at a loss for words. Her hands work along with Mei’s as they style your hair into an updo, letting some of the front hairs stay down to make it look more effortless. Finally, Nemuri takes the comb from your hand and nestles it into your hair.

“It was my mother’s and it would be my greatest wish for you to have it.” She says, giving you a smile through your mirror.

“I couldn’t possibly-” you start.

“Y/N. I want you to have it. I have no children, nor will I ever, but I do have you.” Nemuri rests her hands lightly on your shoulders. You bring one of yours up to touch her’s, grabbing hold of it.

“Thank you.”

“Miss Yagi, I would encourage you to settle into the parlor soon, it’s almost 11 o’clock,” A maid said from around the corner. You quickly stood and slipped on your lacy gloves and looked back to both Mei and Nemuri for a final approval of your outfit. You were greeted with encouraging smiles - all you needed to scamper off down the stairs and into the parlor. Waiting there was both your father who was reading this morning’s newspaper.

“Sorry for being a bit tardy, I was catching up with Mrs. Kayama,” you explain, settling onto one of the pristine white couches that adorned the beautiful room. Originally designed and decorated by your late mother, it was full of everything she loved. From the powder pink walls to the white detailing, the beautiful chandelier that dangled from the ceiling, and the most comfortable but chic furniture, all of it seemed to scream ‘Inko’.

“That’s quite alright darling,” he says taking a sip of his tea.

“Is Izuku off with Lady Uraraka? I remember him mentioning that he wanted to take her to the sweets shop downtown,” You mention, smoothing out the folds of your dress.

“Actually, he is-” Your father begins but is cut off by the shuffling of feet. He simply waves the conversation off, signaling that the two of you would continue it later. You, however, were scrambling to your feet in order to look presentable. In walked two of your butlers, and behind them, a group of about five young men.

“Callers for Miss Yagi?”

And with one sentence, those four little words, your afternoon was whirled into a twister. You felt flattered, of course, but some of the young men that called for you were just so… dull. Just like at the ball the previous night, Lord Ojirou was kind but boring - his conversation going in one ear and out the other. But, to be polite, you wore a kind smile and nodded when needed. Sir Koda was incredibly shy, so you had to take the reins on your chat. It wasn’t awful, in fact, he was a rather nice man to talk to. He was even so kind hearted as to bring you two white parakeets - a gift for giving him your time. Lord Kaibara and Lord Shoda were both nice enough, each bearing expensive flowers and boxes of sweets. And finally, you were onto the worst out of the bunch. You figured that the afternoon was going nicely, a bit too nicely. Then, of course, Lord Mineta had to walk on in. While he brought along a gift that was nice enough, a pair of sheer lace gloves, he was insufferable to converse with. You made eye contact with your father several times and knew that if he could kick the young lord out, he would, but for the sake of your family’s reputation he abstained. You suppressed a sigh as your conversation with Lord Mineta took quite a serious turn, already talking about a possible engagement between the two of you.

“Oh Miss Yagi, I can see it now - you and I, a large house in the midst of the city, about ten children-”

“Ten?!” You exclaim, a nervous smile on your face as you brought out your fan.

“But of course!” Your conversation with him continued down this unfortunate path but you chose to focus on the opening door behind him to reveal your brother. You let a breath of relief flow out from you as you saw his familiar face, but it soon morphed to one of curiosity, because behind him, was Shouto Todoroki. You registered Lord Mineta continuing to drone on but your eyes stayed on the duke’s son, watching his simple mannerisms as he followed Izuku to where your father was sitting. It only took another moment for the red-and-white haired man to return your gaze. It was like a fresh rain had descended upon you - a wave of solace seemed to wash over you as your eye-contact remained, finding comfort in his heterochromatic eyes. It was broken, however, when you felt someone’s hands on top of your gloved ones. Wrenching your head back quickly to the man, if you could even call him that, in front of you, you started to feel a light panic rise within you. What on Earth am I doing entertaining this guy? Like hell would I ever become engaged to a man like him, you thought.

“As I was saying, Lady Yagi, I was mentioning how it would be more than kind of you to join me to promenade tomorrow - perhaps noon?” Lord Mineta said, a sickening smirk spreading across his face. You glanced over at Shouto to see he was still looking at you and flashed him a look of desperation.

“I, umm, that is very kind of you Lord Mineta, however I find myself occupied tomorrow.” You say, trying to find any excuse to get out of the situation he hopes to find the two of you in.

“That is curious because I remember talking to the other callers you so selflessly entertained and they mentioned nothing about making plans with you,” Damn, he caught me in a lie. I am surely in for it now.

“That’s because I have made plans with Lady Yagi.” A cool tone graced the room and you turned your head to look up at the speaker. Shouto stood next to you and looked at Lord Mineta with indifference in his expression, but pure confidence flickered in his eyes.

“O-Of course Your Grace!” Lord Mineta stuttered, letting go of your hands. You quickly returned your hands to your side, accidentally brushing one across Shouto’s sleeve. “If you would excuse me, I have some business to attend to! Lovely, of course, to chat with you Miss Yagi.” He says and walks quickly out of the room. As soon as the doors were shut, you sighed with relief and turned to face Shouto.

“Thank you so much for helping me,” you confess, giving him a tired smile. “I don’t intend to be rude, but Lord Mineta was-”

“He was incredibly inappropriate and completely mindless.” He says. The bluntness of his words made you laugh, even causing you to bend over a bit.

“Nicely put, Your Grace.” You compliment, amusement still leaking from your voice. He gives you a small smile. “Were you and Izuku at our family’s club? I hope everything was to your satisfaction,” You comment, inviting him to take a seat next to you on the couch. He takes your offer and settles down beside you.

“It was very pleasant indeed, your family was kind enough to provide me with the finest of activities there.” He confirms. You grin and discard your gloves, wanting to rid Lord Mineta’s presence from your memory. You don’t realize, being too preoccupied with the lacy accessories, but his breath hitched a bit at your casual actions.

“I normally don’t get to go, it being a gentleman’s place and all,” you say as you arrange the gloves by your side, “but on special occasions when it’s closed I do love to go horseback riding there. The paths and roads there are always brimming with beauty.” You look back to him.

“Unfortunately I wasn’t able to partake in such recreations, perhaps I shall take a ride another time.” Shouto says.

“I’m sure my brother would love to take you, he absolutely adores his horse but don’t tell anyone I told you that.” You snicker, eyeing Izuku to make sure he wasn’t listening. It seemed to be that he was very absorbed in a conversation with your father, one that he started the moment he walked into the parlor.

“Well, if things go according to plan for Izuku, I do believe he will have less opportunities to give his time to his friends.” Shouto says, a warmer tone to his voice. It took a moment to connect the dots, but your face lit up when it did.

“Is he asking father to permit him to propose to Lady Uraraka?!” You whisper-squeal, your head drifting closer to Shouto’s.

“Indeed,” He whispers back, his smile beginning to widen.

“Well, if he’s too busy to accompany you, I wouldn’t mind doing so.” You say softly, your eyes flicking back to his. Noticing the not-so-far distance between the two of you, you lean back and blush. He doesn’t seem to mind, though, showing nothing to insinuate that he was uncomfortable.

“That would be nice, Miss Yagi.” You think a bit at how he addresses you and smiles.

“Please, Your Grace, call me Y/N. You see, whenever I do an activity with another whether it be picnicking, eating flavored ice, or horseback riding, I consider them my friend. And as my friend, I prefer to be called by my first name.” You say confidently. You can see Shouto clearly process your words and he in turn gives you a soft smile.

“If I am to call you Y/N, then if you wouldn’t mind, I would like you to call me Shouto.” For some reason, butterflies seemed to take flight in your chest when he said those words to you - like your soul had told you that this moment was one to remember.

“Alright then, Shouto.” You quip, a sly grin donning your face.

“How about tomorrow then?” He suggests quickly. You sit back, stunned a bit as his eagerness.

“Huh?” You say shocked.

“Well I did say that I had plans with you tomorrow,” His voice seemed to become a bit more shy as he explained himself, but still held steady. Recalling your interaction from earlier, you laugh a bit and nod.

“Yes, you certainly did. Tomorrow should do splendidly.” You assure him.

“Thank you Father! Thank you!” Your brother’s shouts of excitement pulled you from your conversation with the duke’s son and towards Izuku.

“What? What happened?” You stand up and rush over to your father and brother. Izuku seemed to have a sparkle in his eye, and wait, was that a tear?

“Tomorrow I will be proposing to Lady Uraraka.” He says breathlessly. You let out a shriek of excitement and wrap your arms around him, giving him a bone crushing hug.

“Izuku, that’s wonderful!” You shout with glee. The two of you spin around a bit and you were stationary enough to catch Shouto’s eye, a look of happiness spread across his face.

“Sorry, we can be kind of an energetic family,” You laugh, straightening your dress back out. He, to your surprise, chuckles.

“No, no, I’m not bothered by any means.” He replies. Shouto checks his pocket watch and sighs, regretfully looking back up to the three of you. “Unfortunately, I must be taking my leave. My father and I have some things to take care of, but Lady Yagi, I look forward to our sally tomorrow.” He says, tucking his pocket watch back into his coat.

“Y/N.” You emphasize. Shouto nods and smiles.

“Y/N.” He says, waving as he steps out of the parlor. As soon as it’s confirmed he exited your house, both your father and brother turned to you, expectant expressions on their faces. “What?” You ask, walking back over to fold up your gloves, handing them to a maid so that she could rush them to the washroom.

“Well, how were your callers?” Izuku asked. You roll your eyes and stretch your arms, feeling a little stiff after sitting for hours upon hours.

“They were… fine. Sir Koda was certainly nice to talk to and Lord Ojirou was, well, nice.” You realize that the two of them weren’t really satisfied with your responses, looking for more. “Really, that’s all I can say. None of them were that wondrous.” Your father hummed and closed his newspaper, standing up to rub a hand affectionately on your shoulder.

“You seemed quite friendly with the duke’s son,” he said, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes. Unwillingly, you felt your face heat up and try to temper it before it became apparent to the two men.

“Oh, Shouto? He is very polite and kind - the two of us are actually going riding tomorrow.” You say casually as you take a teacup from the table and take a sip of the chamomile that was sitting in it. You hummed at the taste, calmness running through your nerves.

“Shouto, huh?” Izuku said, wiggling his eyebrows and nudging you with his shoulders. You simply rolled your eyes and set the teacup back on its saucer.

“Izuku, you know my friendship policy,” you respond.

“So that was all you planned for? Being friends with him?” You father inquired, a genuine look of curiosity on his face.

“Well, yes, that was what I planned for. I wouldn’t mind it at all if he was my friend. In fact, I would like it very much.” You decide, a soft smile spreading across your face.

“Sis, I know that smile,” Izuku says, pointing a finger at your face.

“What smile am I wearing then?” You ask, raising a brow.

“It’s the same one when Father brought Lord Takami by when you were thirteen.” He says, smiling cockily. The blush on your face returned and you shook your head.

“You're being foolish,” you respond, gently pushing your brother away, earning grins and chuckles from your father and Izuku. While you tried to negate your feelings, you couldn’t help but let yourself admire Shouto - granted, it may be in a more, well, romantic way then you would’ve originally intended. However, that is probably not what he needed. He needed a friend to go horseback riding with and that was what you would be. For now.

A/N: In case any of you were confused, the reason why Shouto got so flustered when Y/N took of their gloves is because it was technically considered improper for women to physically touch a man whose not part of her family without wearing them. So, even though Y/N didn’t touch him, he was still a little shocked by her casual actions :)

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thattimdrakeguy · 5 years ago

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ROBIN 80TH ANNIVERSARY - REVIEW!! - The GREAT, the okay, the meh, the wait what, and the freaking awful

None of the stories I’d consider bad in this besides the Super Sons one.

They have flaws, some don’t have any but aren’t that great, and just weird choices, with some disappointments.

I’m just gonna be honest about each story because that’s all I can do.

DICK GRAYSON’S FIRST STORY: Really freaking good.

My favorite story is probably the first one:

Like the art is the best in the whole issue, and the only real flaw is how mean they made Bruce through-out it.

It’s yet again another story of how and why Dick quit (I guess he didn’t get fired this time) being Robin, but it’s just nice. Nice pacing, timing, dialogue, good art, and because the people working on it are 80s writers and artists, it keeps it feeling classic.

Which is great for a little showing of the 80s world, and I’m no big 80s DC guy at all, but it’s a really nice flashback for that.

One thing that was disappointing but I won’t count as a flaw (since it’s really not, just a wasted opportunity) is that this kid didn’t end up being Tim:

It looks like a young Tim, it’s drawn by the first artist on Tim’s Robin ongoing, written by his creator, it’s about the history of Robin, and he’s an overeager Robin fanboy-- like why wasn’t this kid Tim? He even has that dorky bowlcut Tim had when he was little, just less 80s styled.

A missed opportunity honestly.

The story though shows Dick’s compassion, talent, frustrations as he became his own man, his views on Robin, some of his sense of humor even. So his characterization is pretty great, but it is written by the man that grew Dick his own unique character to begin with, and it’s great to see this story keeps it up. (Prolly gonna find out this is an old script, but hey, it’s a good one.)

A weird retcon story, but it’s a nice callback to the 80s, and I think it’s really well-done beyond Bruce being a controlling grumpy prick to the point it feels like parody.

DICK GRAYSON’S SECOND STORY: It’s just alright.

Where the first story is a flashback to the 80s, this is a direct flashback to he 90s, with the writer and artist that started his ongoing solo.

And it’s good. Like I had a lot of fun reading it, good heroics, feels of it’s era, but like the last story that’s the fun.

There’s nothing really to say about it besides it’s good. There isn’t anything too standout about it.

DICK GRAYSON’S THIRD STORY: It’s forgettable.

I forgot this was a thing in this, and it just feels like a waste of page.

It’s in no way bad that I seen, but it’s so very bland and one note. Titans fight and Dick acts as leader. Very generic.

The art’s really good though.

DICK GRAYSON’S FOURTH STORY: It’s better than that last one at least.

Unlike the last one, this feels like it at least has a point to be here, and it actually feels like it makes sense to be in he 80th anniversary as well.

I’m not a personal fan of the “Grayson” series, it just sexualized Dick too much honestly, made him cheesier again a bit, and the writing was a little on the off-side in a way that just made it all feel empty besides a few moments, but I never read the whole series to be a great judge on it.

But also because of that, I have no idea who these people are for this story to be grand. What makes it feel like it’s worthy of being here though is trying it back to the history of Robin like the first story with these little bits.

Without these moments though, you wouldn’t have a clue why this is there.

Also Dick just suddenly wears this:

Which is super duper off-putting. But Oh-ho gotta have sexy Dick in there somewhere I guess. Just-- wow, was that super sudden.

JASON TODD’S STORY: It’s good but this kid doesn’t look right.

The story is very simple and sweet, and I think it works a lot given Jason and Bruce’s complicated relationship.

It’s even written by Judd Winnick who did Under the Red Hood, which is awesome.

But who is this kid they keep calling Jason exactly? It irrationally bugs me, because all the art has been super spot on till this story. They even write him well, but it just genuinely doesn’t look like post-crisis Robin Jason.

Like to show what I mean--

You read it and this is how the kid speaks.

Super snarky,

a bit of a rude edge to it,

practical sounding but rough teen-ish still

yet still mature enough to feel like he can handle himself.

So you might place this around when Jason was 15 given he’s Robin, and when he was 15 and when they gave him a unique design finally away from a generic silver age Robin, he looked like a young body builder--

Like this is what Jason Todd looked like when they settled his look away from a Dick clone:

A young body builder type, strong jaw, working out, mature features for his age

So who the heck is this?

Like this isn’t what Jason looked like besides pre-crisis, but this is post-crisis Jason. They already settled what he looked like during that 80s run, and this isn’t it. He’s not supposed to look like a generic silver age Robin anymore.

Even beyond it not looking like what Jason’s supposed to, it doesn’t fit the dialogue. He’s written as a practical, snarky, yet in his own way still mature teen. Soooooo why’s he look 5?

It’s so off-putting and it bugs me.

However, beyond that, I really like the story, and at least the artist was good at drawing adult Jason.

Them representing Bruce’s and Jason’s complicate relationship of distant but still caring is something I really enjoy. It’s so much more true to character rather than acting like Jason is just a part of the family like nothing ever happened.

More of that dynamic for them, please.

TIM DRAKE’S FIRST STORY: It’s pretty good, but it’s missing something.

Not the highest praise ever, but I do like this story. I enjoy it’s setting at Tim’s school. High school was a constant setting for Tim’s comics in Robin, and they rarely ever treat it like that so I enjoy this story bringing it back.

I really enjoyed the connection between extracurricular activities and what he does as Robin. It’s that blend of relatability and heroics that really made Tim work as a character. So that’s also great they brought back.

One of my favorite things that they bring up is Tim being into eSports, cuz it reminds me of how much Tim was into video games. It’s a very modern version of him being into the arcades in the 90s. Which is great.

However a downside is that it doesn’t really focus on Tim as a character like the other stories did with the other Robins.

Nothing about his never give up attitude, his insecurities, his underdog likability, how hard he is on himself, or things like that.

In-general this story says nothing about his personality besides a mention that he’s geeky. Which is a pretty big let-down because it keeps it from being any better, despite it already being good.

Freddie William’s art is also very hit or miss. It’s so crude sometimes, and Tim seems so buff compared to before in his actual Robin run. It’s very displeasing given that his early Tim work was top 5 Tim art material. However I still enjoyed that they brought him back even if he can’t draw Tim as well anymore. Tim’s still good in the babyface in most panels at least.

BUT-- this is still a pretty good Tim story. It’s just lacking.

Like it just should’ve been more about Tim as a character since it’s a Tim Drake story.

TIM DRAKE’S SECOND STORY: It’s honestly just pretentious.

Tim doesn’t talk like this. Tynion has a melodramatic tone to his characters that works great for characters like Batman, I’ve actually quite liked his Batman run so far partially because of that, but it doesn’t work for Tim.

This is not what Tim talks like. It’s so very unnatural sounding for a kid. Yet Tim talks in this incredibly dramatic tone except for a few light hearted spots, when I feel like it should be the opposite.

It’s also trying hard to be a character study, but again it’s so unnatural. It sounds like a fan describing their view of the characters, not the characters themselves. Like since have these guys became each others therapists?

And then he has Dick say these things that makes Tim seem like a Gary Stu and the greatest most talented guy ever.

Also having Tim hang out with Jason when Jason’s using guns even though Tim’s insanely against that sort of thing.

They even have Damian talk like a typical fan person who dislikes Tim based off of superficial things for a bit.

The fact it treats that Detective Comics Rebirth part of Tim’s character history as uber important is also a bit pretentious of the writer given he wrote that too. Despite Tim only being in that run for like three arcs and wasn’t even in-character for most of it.

Best part of it, is the vague acknowledgement that Tim didn’t want to be anything else but Robin to me.

Otherwise it just reeks of awkwardly written fan fiction.

Honorable mentions of quality though, is Dick and Tim being brothers train riding, and Damian’s mini-adult coming out. I’m so sick of them making Damian a generic kid sometimes that I actually liked this part even if it’s through a snarky filter.

STEPHANIE BROWN’S STORY: Better than expected, it’s actually pretty good.

I actually really liked this story. Overall I think Steph’s actual Robin run sucked, this is still a good story if I can get past the era it’s set in.

Unlike Tim’s stories, this actually uses her character.

How reckless she can be without it being super exaggerated, her attitude, love that they brought back the diary format for her inner-monologue too.

There’s not much to say besides I’d actually consider this one of the best stories in the thing, except for the fact Steph clearly disobeys Batman and she was said to get fired for that. That’s a decent plot holes for me.

I super love the detail of Tim being so small that Steph can’t fit in his uniform. That cheered me up.

Them bringing back her Robin era artist was also great. Unlike Freddie Williams, their art actually really improved.

DAMIAN WAYNE’S FIRST STORY: The genuine worst story in it.

It’s so-- baaad.

Fan service can work if it’s in good quality. Like being in-character, or a nice homage. The train riding in Tynion’s story was that.

This isn’t that.

Damian and Jon didn’t get along right away, not even soon enough for this “mostly” part to feel right as a joke, because they obviously didn’t get along mostly right away. They fought a lot. They even show it on the full page them fighting, but they downplay how long they did fight just for fanservice. It took a long time, and even when they did it was still contrived.

Then they have Damian and Jon in the same class, when they aren’t the same age for that to make sense..

They even have Jon help Damian on his tests when it’s constantly shown that Damian is a brainiac who wouldn’t need that.

It’s literally even in the history summary at the end that he’s highly intelligent. So he probably wouldn’t even ever need a study partner considering he’s even said to have actual PHDs anyway. Which makes the study partner thing just plain out of character.

There’s also panels that straight up feels like oddly specific deviantart fetish art, which is so nasty. Especially considering that I know damn well that’s there’s pedophiles who make this same kind of oddly specific fetish art on there. So much so I had to stop using the site cuz of the anxiety it gave me.

And they downplay how mean Damian can be too Jon so much that it irks me.

This is the worst story in the whole comic, genuinely. Nothing good is in it, besides some decent enough art.

It’s certainly pandering to it’s fandom, but to certain parts it really shouldn’t be.

(This sort of stuff was still happening in their miniseries. Jon really shouldn’t want this as a brother. That’s stockholm syndrome.

DAMIAN WAYNE’S SECOND STORY: It’s better than the last one, but somethings missing still.

Unlike the last one avoiding talking about Damian’s actual character besides to play it down. This one actually uses it.

It’s just so quick, and empty feeling at the same time that it’s missing something. A bit like an inverse of Tim’s first story. Tim’s story had the setting and interesting story format, but no real character, while this has a lot of usage of the character but no interesting setting or story.

A lot of Damian’s character is that he’s not a natural Robin as far as attitude goes. He isn’t a typical Robin, and I enjoy how they play into that rather than be afraid of that. It’s what makes this actually work for me.

Although it makes you question why he’s still Robin, I consider that a good thing, because YOU SHOULD. You want the character’s to actually acknowledge things as if they’re real and not just ignoring things.

He’s not typical, he’s unique for better or worse. That’s Damian, and that’s what you should show of him.

This goes into why Damian’s the exact opposite of what a Robin normally is. That’s great.

But it’s missing anything memorable about it. However I think that’s cuz it leads into a future issue of Teen Titans which gives it a reasonable excuse.

I’m really hoping it leads into something.

Although i have a feeling they sadly might do the same thing as typical and ignore Damian’s actions more. Avoiding any genuine feelings.

OVERALL

It’s not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Only two stories I’d actually call bad, which is a lot less than I thought With just occasionally sloppy art, not even what I’d call back, but just crude or not drawing the character accurately which will annoy some more than others.

When I heard of this book I got so worried, but only two stories is actually almost relieving how little that is given the potential ego-driven things they could’ve done, which only those two stories then.

To me, I say it’s worth a pick-up, just rip out a story or two to keep it friendlier to revisit

Mostly was just really missing that extra heart in a lot of the stories.

#Tim Drake #Robin #Dick Grayson #Nightwing #Jason Todd #Red Hood #Stephanie Brown #The Spoiler #Bruce Wayne #Batman #DC Comics #Bat-Family #Batfamily #Bat-fam #Batfam #Teen Titans #Young Justice #Young Just Us

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theholycovenantrpg · 4 years ago

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CONGRATULATIONS, SAY! YOU’VE BEEN ACCEPTED FOR THE ROLE OF RYUK.

Admin Jen: Say, I wish there were words to describe my joy over your application. Not only because you’re bringing us my beloved Pale Rider, but because of the beautiful way with which you captured them. There was so much to love about your app, but I have to admit that it was the para sample which stole my heart. Ryuk’s voice, his image of the other Horsemen and the way it bled into his dialogue throughout, the nuance in his perspective and the small tics in his mannerisms. It was all so vivid, so visceral, and so mesmerizing to take in. Although I absolutely cannot deny the impact of all the other sections in the app, which only served to amplify the portrayal and bring it to life in a way that left me so thrilled to leave Ryuk in your hands. I trust you with him completely, and I pray for the New World to bear their arrival. Please create and send in your account, review the information on our CHECKLIST, and follow everyone on the FOLLOW LIST. Welcome to the Holy Land!

OUT OF CHARACTER.

ALIAS | Say.

AGE | 25.

PERSONAL PRONOUNS | She/Her/Hers.

ACTIVITY LEVEL | Hopefully around 6/10! I check the dash basically every day for replies, but whether I get to them or not is a completely different story 🥴 Also, given that this is a highly literate roleplay, it may take me a tad longer to craft replies and post them, but I’m confident I can meet the 8 post/month minimum that you outline in your guidelines.

TIMEZONE | EST / UTC-5.

TRIGGERS | REMOVED.

HOW DID YOU FIND THE GROUP? | A mutual of mine reblogged some of the first promo posts onto my dash. From then I’ve been following the group, and I finally got a chance to read through all of the lore / word-building you guys have done and I am super impressed.

CURRENT / PAST RP ACCOUNTS |

IN CHARACTER.

CHARACTER

Ryuk.

WHAT DREW YOU TO THIS CHARACTER?

I will admit that when I was first browsing, I had the worst choice paralysis because all of the biographies were compelling in their own way. The Angels and their pretentious morality, the Demons with their freewheeling madness, the Gifted toeing the line between mortal and divine, desperate to survive in a world with their powers… That being said, I kept on going back to Horsemen because of their remarkable existence across Caelum, Sanctus Terra, and Infernum. Not quite Angels or Demons, and far from mortal, I interpreted them to be the closest beings to God the world has, given that they were torn from the flesh of God Himself.

This steadfast solidarity between Viktoria, Ryuk, Nerissa, and Dmitri really hit me square in the chest. Four distinctive beasts, hungry for bloodshed, are dropped into a world already ravaged by devastation at the hands of God’s own creations — so they take solace in each other, even broken from their original purpose. And yet, even amongst these four outliers, Ryuk stood out to me even more, because of their innate understanding of the ravaged world before him. While Nerissa raged for their stolen war, while Viktoria mourned their own creation in Purgatory, while Dmitri adjusted their child-like senses to their surroundings so starkly different whence they came, Ryuk intrinsically knew of their role on this plane of existence.

I recognized the subtle intricacies woven into Ryuk’s biography, and wanted to challenge myself by writing a character whose desires, motives, and perception of the world is markedly unique from how I interpret my world. What sort of purpose could a Horseman have when stripped of their divine right and design? What do the immortals fear when they are bound with eternal life? What could Death himself fear, when they know the unknowable, and have the power to exact their purpose?

All beings, regardless of their time on earth, fear death in some way. For divine beings, it is the possibility of their destruction through their infinite life, and for mortals, it is the inevitability of it that induces fear. But what about Death himself? Is it possible that they could be terrified of it as well?

PLOTS.

DISCLAIMER: I illustrated a few points that rely on the development of other characters, most specifically the Horsemen, but it will all obviously rely on me working out the details with other players.

I. A HUNGER FOR DEATH PROMISES A STARVATION OF LIFE — a division amongst a former whole.

We begin the story with the Horsemen being a single unit, working alongside each other in relative harmony, existing as mercenaries for the highest bidder. In a world teetering on the fragile truce between the Angels, Demons, and Mortals, the Horsemen of the Apocalypse walk alone, united in their understanding that they are unlike anything else walking the holy grounds. Without each other, they have nothing — so they remain close together out of deficit rather than benefit. However, in each of the Horsemen’s biographies, you’ve outlined a faint, yet irrefutable line dividing the four. As it stands, the division relies on recognition; Ryuk has always understood Nerissa and her cause more than he sympathizes with Nerissa or Dmitri. So what if that line became a crack?

I’ve interpreted the current division to lie within the fundamental conflict of bloodlust vs. power, with Ryuk and Nerissa lying firmly in the former camp, though this would all be hammered out with the appropriate muns. But the interest lies within the Horsemen, and what would happen if their loyalties suffered an upset — who would they pledge their allegiance to?

II. MONSTERS, WE ARE NOT SO UNALIKE, YOU AND I — an unlikely understanding.

This brings me into the next plot point, which involves Ryuk’s connections to the other factions.

Within my app, I sought to base much of Ryuk on what he is not — and their antithetical existence to Cade is something I played with deeply in this application. As hungry as they are for blood, there is a distinct lack of intention behind their killing, as if they inflict death because they are a Horseman. It is why the division is so crucial for Ryuk to begin to align themselves to a cause. A trap I don’t want to fall into while writing them is not giving them a fear to hold onto. I think the fascinating part about Ryuk is that they were birthed out of God’s terror of His unknown — and that is precisely what they fear the most. They feel safe and powerful when aligned with his fellow Horsemen, but without them, what do they know?

The details of what would sweeten their attraction to any cause is something I want to keep open, rather than delineate extensively here, but the core of it is the same: to lower them down so that they may see the light in another’s faith.

III. IN MY END IS MY BEGINNING — a touch of Death.

And here, we end with a renewal of their perspective. Some sort of mortal injury happens that gives Ryuk a taste of their own medicine, perhaps in saving something they have truly learned to care about, as much as their dark heart will allow.

Given that they fear losing their power and dominion over mortals, throwing them into a situation where they are possibly injured by one is a surefire way of allowing Ryuk to face what truly lies dormant underneath: what is their purpose? And why are they here and living, despite having their purpose erased so long ago with the death of their Creator?

Perhaps this will finally give them a hunger for something more than just taking souls and money for it.

ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH KILLING OFF THIS CHARACTER?

As long as it serves a specific purpose for the long-term prospects of the group’s plot, 100% yes.

IN DEPTH.

DRIVING CHARACTER MOTIVATION

I admit that this is the one of the parts of the application I struggled with, because for all intents and purposes, Death’s purpose has been ripped away from them. They, along with the other three Horsemen, were created for Earth’s apocalypse — but now that they’ve been thrown into the world without it, in some ways they are lost beyond comparison.

Even so, Ryuk was still built to thirst for mortal blood at their hand, and as of now, that base instinct is what they actively rely on to move through the world. They are desperate and hungry for the souls they’ve been promised by God, and nothing more.

And yet, I think they are also terrified of what it means to be stripped of their purpose. There’s this tentative resentment they hold for the world that no longer needs the Horsemen to wreak havoc, and yet, a terror that overtakes them when they think of fully relinquishing what they’ve been handed down from God. A fear of incompetence, the unknown, and the uselessness they feel is what drives Ryuk to continue to do what they’ve always known. After all, it’s easier to believe in a belief they’ve held close to their chest for so long.

CHARACTER TRAITS

( + ) RESOLUTE | Permanence: it is the one thing Ryuk knows to be true. Mortal blood expires, and nobody knows it better than the harbinger of Death himself. It is what makes them loyal, unwavering in their beliefs in their tar-black soul once he has made up their mind. ( + ) ASTUTE | It is impossible to be foolish when he has the ghosts of the past right at his fingertips; a history, laid before them like an open book. And what are first impressions, when they have the still-lingering souls to guide him along? Not much escapes their eyes or ears, and they use their gift well, for himself first, and for the Horsemen second. ( + ) VIGILANT | All that knowledge, always within reach — it would be a shame if they did not apply it well. Though he can be quick to react, it is rarely out of ineptitude or undisciplined impulse; it is precisely the wealth of information he gleans that makes them all the more wary to enter into a situation without identifying the risks first. They are adamant on victory, not by anyone else’s terms but their own. ( – ) DUPLICITOUS | He has no qualms about trickery, or resorting to underhanded means to get their way. After all, what is integrity to a being that values Death above everything else? What is honor to a Horsemen without a future, when Death is the period, the endmark to every creature with a beating, bloody heart? ( – ) RUTHLESS | When Ryuk first learns of the word mercy from the spirits’ whispers, they can barely fathom the concept. Sparing another out of the benevolence of one’s heart? It’s practically laughable, given their own penchant for cruelty when faced with their victims. He is ( – ) PASSIONLESS | And one wonders: what could make such a merciless killer unflinching in the face of their purpose? Yes, they relish in every single kill, just as much as his compatriots, but in the end, he does it because it is all he knows. One cannot mistake the devotion they show for passion, the very fire that ignites the circle of life. No, Death will not and cannot be acquainted with life, no matter how many live souls they take for themselves.

PARA SAMPLE

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” — Matthew 24:36

From the beginning, at the very break of their conception at the hands of God, Ryuk is told they are the antithesis of emotion. It is an age-old story of the hero, their origin a simple blip in the vaporous, golden-god kingdom from which he is torn, cast into darkness until their path is clear — but Ryuk is not a hero. No, they are told that some day, they shall wreak havoc across the mortal realm that He has forged to collect their birthright of the damned souls roaming the earth. When? It’s insolence, a rare bit tumbling out for his Creator, He who has torn a part to make their whole.

You will know, and it is thunderous, the cadence of his voice, that even Death quivers, when the gates to the mortal realm opens. And then, they are thrown into their realm, devoid of anything but dust and half-formed souls. They know this, because the moment they’d slipped into the aphotic depths of His plan is the exact moment they hear their wails, deafening, ululating, even for their immortal senses.

And oh, did they wail. Told stories of dominions and dirt, of princes and peasants, a swarm of the dead desperate for the ear of a God — or however close they could get to such a being. Time and time again, Ryuk would swat the cloud away, gaze always focused in the distance, where the dark smoke broke into a line of halcyon shimmer, and they’d ask Him ( pray, a soul whispers ) for their birthright, their infernal kingdom of souls.

Ages pass. They hear nothing. They see nothing. The gilded line shrinks. But what is time for an immortal? Still, they hunger for the permanence of their existence; here, in this inchoate cavity of God’s creation, they are useless. The void is a steadiness of not quite death, but the absence of life — a temporary, an unhappy medium that they cannot satiate themselves on no matter how hard they strived. When? They think again, but He is long gone, in His heavens with His angels and His mortals He’d bore out of Love.

In the ages to come, they will begin to understand this. Tales brushed in human concepts, of Love and Fear and Ecstasy and Hope, of those dominions and dirt, the princes and peasants. In the ages to come, they will see that the mortals flourish, souls rising to Heaven and Hell without their touch. They will see the expanse of God’s love for His children, in fractured pieces of the half-gone souls’ shrieks, wondrous at how He could destroy something He’d built from the sands of the lands. They will ask why did the mother forbid her to marry her lover? and the souls will answer, because she loved her daughter, a babe she’d birthed for nothing in return.

“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” — Matthew 24:7

And what they mean to say is — no, they do not understand. How could God, in all his love for his mortal creations, bring their deliverance, Famine and War and Conquest and Death, upon the moral planes? What is their purpose aside to destroy what He has created? To understand the world is to hold it in one’s hands and inflict upon it an inconceivable love, of which they had none in their ichor-stricken heart.

They resent God for this. They resent their purpose, and yet, they walk the earthly plains alongside their comrades, knowing that even God has succumbed — and so they hold their faith, deal their foreordained havoc in spades.

“For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.” — Revelation 16:14

“You must have mistaken me for a being of mercy, of which I am not.” Viktoria’s nostrils flare. Ryuk’s voice is low enough that the others do not catch the impertinent remark, the subtlest of digs on what she prized most. Within visible distance, Dmitri fiddles with a mortal contraption, one of the many gifts from his beautiful admirers, and far off, in the other direction, Nerissa sharpens her blade on a slick slab of quartz, eyeing her two comrades with a watchful eye.

Among them all, fallows, burnt yellow and unseemly, spread out across either side, an end distant and impossible. In this part of land, there is nothing but rainfall and smog, untraversed by even the most seasoned of travelers, which, of course, had made it ideal for the likes of the Horsemen. Nothing but tar black clouds roamed the sky, save for the sliver of white in the horizon, a marker of Caelum to the North. The line glows, and Ryuk is briefly struck by the likeness of their environment to the emptiness from which they came. If they listen diligently enough, the winds almost mimic the agonized shrieks of undamned souls, and it completes the resemblance, far too uncanny for their liking. He shifts on his feet, left and right, and tugs on his ear. A cue, he’d learned, then committed to muscle memory, to ward away the spirits when they were not needed.

“And as always, you have failed to listen. And they say you can hear the spirits with those ears?”

It is Ryuk, this time, that prickles under the weight of the insult. Viktoria, as always, has fashioned herself as the brains of their expeditions, always pointing out their next destination. He cannot blame her; of the quad, they all know she is the weakest, but her passion for their good fate flares stronger than his own. Viktoria, always the one hungering for something more. A desire for a bite of the heavens whence they came.

To each their own, they suppose.

“I have provided all of us with good information, have I not? Saved our good health, if I remember correctly, more times than I desire to count.” Their sharp glare meets the other’s steel-bit fire, and she huffs.

“And what are your qualms of this plan? Do you plan to serve this diseased Tridium for our eternity?”

Besides him, the souls begin to howl. Cry out, they will hunt and kill you, they have weaponry, blessed by the something dark and holy, and yet, another faction beckons, they are no match for the Apocalypse, they are not as strong as you believe —

“What is it?”

They snap out of their trance. In the centuries they have known each other, they have all learned each other’s behaviors like their own kin. Like the flicker in Nerissa’s jaw when she lusts for blood, the fondness glimmering in Dmitri’s eye when he spies a mortal he desires. They’ve all seen the half-slack stupor Ryuk undergoes when he channels the voices of the dead, most of all Viktoria, but he brushes her away, throat cleared with a rumble.

“Nothing. They caution us against it.”

“And?”

The sinew in their neck tenses. “And there is nothing else. We all know that some mortals are still gifted. They hold the power to our demise as much as we for theirs.”

Viktoria scoffs. It is clear, in her stance, from her gaze, that she does not believe he is giving her the entire truth. “We will need more than that if we are to carry through with it; perhaps, they can tell us the size of their armory, or perhaps how it could be of use to us...“ Eyes averted, she begins to pace a small distance. They can already see the cogs turn in their brain, assembling their scheme for an upset of power across the lands.

“And who has agreed to carry through with this design? Dmitri?”

They look up. Viktoria, who’d been addressed; Dmitri, who’d believed they'd been summoned; Nerissa, who’d smelled the whiff of conflict. The lines, there are always the lines. Viktoria with Dmitri, himself with Nerissa. Left unsaid, but voice did not negate the fact that the line is a truth, hanging amongst them like an errant thread, impossible to sever even with the sharpest of blades. “You don’t believe we can do it?”

They stare, unflinching against her black gaze, because for all that they lack with their deadened atrophy and rot, they fill themselves with the faith that there will always be more souls to take. They do not prescribe themselves to a greater fate other than the one that has been given to them, from God, their Creator. What use do they have of power, when they had all that they required in the present?

“If we take this job, do this favor for this mortal, we will secure an ear in the ranks — a cousin of a member of the Round Table, and we can use leverage, to raise our status, to find these heavenly instruments to mine for crystallis —”

“Of which he has none, Viktoria, in case you have forgotten!”

From the corner of their eye, they see Dmitri flinch, Nerissa cease her movements to sharpen her blade. They are always like this, vying for a position that neither of them particularly desire, but ages have passed since they’ve come to terms with their uncertain fate. They’d been dropped amongst mortals and divinity alike, across barren lands and built cities, alone in their status as creatures of God, literal in every sense of the word. He had torn them, the four of them, from His own celestial body, had He not?

They are quiet again.

Mere mortals would have raged, now Ryuk knows this. It is the security of more that protects (or rather, exposes) the others to wars, seething with blood and blades, to the black certainty of hatred that infected the strength of their ranks, susceptible and raw. Their net, of course, had perished along with the annihilated remains of God’s and Lucifer’s immortal bodies. They had nobody, and would have nobody else, until the end of time.

Perhaps they all realize this, sheepish expressions flitting across their eyes, the sunken hollows of their cheeks. Jagged as they are in countenance and disposition, Ryuk has realized they have gone too far in their words. His head hangs an inch lower, shoulders hunched in sour defeat. It is all that they need for the mood to lift. Viktoria nods, and they mount their horses, in implicit agreement that they would defer the conversation for another time.

They scan the fields. It is still sunken, stinking of something burnt yet still living, sodden with the foul scent of mortal dirt. The gales have only reinforced their vigor, screeching through the vast space, washing away their bitter anguish — but the winds are just that, the earlier parallel lost, if only because they had three others by their side. They have survived the fire, and they will survive, untouched, riding their noble steeds into the winds, not separate, but as one.

#accepted #accepted: ryuk

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sirikenobi12 · 4 years ago

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Well then, you’re lost! - Jedi Rant

This is in response to someone who posted on one of my other blogs. Apparently there is a character limit on responses on Tumblr, so forgive me - I didn’t want to post this in multiple responses! I never meant to imply that you condone mass murder, that was not what I was trying to say. My comment was meant to simply bring up the fact that one cannot compare the light side of the Force to being just as corrupt as the dark side – as soon as someone is “corrupt”, they are no longer following the light side of the Force (hence Dooku) which is the point.

You said that you are speaking about the Force in the Star Wars universe, well, that is exactly what I’m talking about as well. You say it is an “Essence” and isn’t “good or bad”, but I am sorry to say that is actually the opposite of what George Lucas has said about the Force. That is why I quoted him, he is the creator of Star Wars and he has the end all/be all authority on this galaxy – because he is the one who created it. George Lucas has REPEATEDLY stated that there cannot be a gray area in the Force, it is either light or dark (good or bad) and ANY darkness throws the Force off balance. In terms of the Force itself, straight from the man who created it there CANNOT be any gray and the light side is inherently good.

Now, let’s also take a look at it from even a moral standpoint and not a fictional standpoint – does anyone ever say “I’m really worried about him because he’s being too good a person”?? (If so, then I’m a little concerned for society). No, but we do worry when someone is acting selfish or letting themselves lose themselves to an obsession.

Now, were the Jedi perfect? No, and I never said they were, but did their “failure” mean they deserved genocide? Absolutely not. To say their order deserved to “fall” (aka be wiped out) that is victim blaming of the highest level. Even IF the Jedi were “corrupt” as people say they are that doesn’t mean they deserved what they received. Also, it does not keep Sheev or Anakin away from blame – two “wrongs” don’t make a right.

By the end of the Republic the Jedi were in a trap created by the Sith, all of the points you brought up (with the exception of “taking children” which I will address later) were perpetrated by the Sith. Sidious designed this trap so the Jedi would be painted in a corner and have no way out. But they still tried their best to do what was right despite all of this. For example, you bring up the use of a clone/slave army – well, what was the alternative? Please, tell me what the alternative was because no one who throws that accusation at the Jedi have an answer and I’d love to hear a legit one. Sidious gave Sifo-Dyas a vision (much like the ones he gave Anakin) which caused him to create an army without the Council’s knowledge or approval – in fact he had gone to the Council first demanding the Jedi create an army and they emphatically said “no” because of the moral implications of it. But, now here they were in the middle of being slaughtered on Geonosis and Yoda brought the army to save them. Then, the Senate (whom the Jedi were beholden to) decided to use the army to fight the Separatist, the Jedi instead of hanging back knew it was their duty to not only defend the people Republic, but also to destroy the Sith (who was in charge of the CIS army) so they joined in. Most of the Jedi ended up treating their men like the sentient beings they were (and were the first ones who did), which was not true of many citizens of the Republic. And had the Jedi NOT taken control of the GAR what do you think would’ve happened to the Clones?? Do you actually think the Kaminoans would’ve let them go free? – no, the Kaminoans are selfish business people and would’ve either destroyed them or more likely sold them into actual slavery.

Now, the Jedi code seemed to work for everyone else EXCEPT Anakin Skywalker, why does no one see that?? Sure, the Jedi were not allowed to get married and have children, it wasn’t because they “weren’t allowed to love” on the contrary they were encouraged to love, you don’t think they didn’t know Anakin loved Padme?? Jedi were trusted to not let it become an attachment because attachments lead to jealousy which lead to anger and given the type of power they possess that is dangerous. They are also committed to the Jedi order, think of it like they are married to the Jedi Order. If they were to go out and get married to someone else there is no way they could give 100% commitment to both the Jedi and their family/spouse. But, they are given the option to leave if they want to choose a family/marriage, is it a difficult choice? Yes of course, but that is an option. Anakin decided he was better than EVERYONE else and lied to the Jedi because he couldn’t give up the power/status that came with being one.

Going back to the Jedi “taking” children that is just the most absurd falsehood I hear going around. It is 100% the parent’s choice to give their child to the Jedi. Being a Jedi is an honor in this galaxy and it brings incredible honor to the family I’d imagine, but the Jedi have NEVER in any canon been shown to put pressure on a parent to give their child up. In fact in the Clone Wars we even see a mother saying “Master Ropal said I have more time with him” to a bounty hunter who was actually there to kidnap the child (for the Sith might I add). This statement means not only that she agreed to let her son be trained, but the Jedi in their compassion gave her more time with her baby. Also keep in mind how difficult raising a Force Sensitive child must be, I can bet that most parents welcome the help/training. And as I mentioned the Jedi ALWAYS have the option of leaving if the Order isn’t for them, it’s not a prison.

I honestly don’t understand why you (or other people) can’t see that the Jedi are good…I am baffled by this trend. Like I said, they are not perfect but no one is – and frankly the Jedi themselves don’t think they are perfect either. In fact contrary to what is usually written in fanfics the Jedi allow/encourage their members to question their rules, they constantly tell one another to “search their feelings” – the love and compassion they have for all beings in the galaxy is truly something more people should aspire to be. I know you said it’s “okay to be selfish” and I am sorry, but I disagree. There is a difference between being selfish and self-care. Selfishness is inherently not a good quality to have, and maybe beyond that it’s actually dangerous for a Jedi (or someone with the Force) to be selfish – that is where the Sith come in. The Sith only think of themselves, that is the definition of selfishness. And when you have extreme powers that are affected by your emotions you need to be more mindful, which is what the Jedi teach.

To believe that the Jedi failed makes me so sad…they didn’t, they were slaughtered - it would be like saying the people of Alderraan deserved to be blown up because there were a few criminals on the planet. If you are going to quote Luke in THE LAST JEDI about the legacy of the Jedi being failure, then you really need to take into context where Luke is in his emotional journey when he says it. He even later admitted he was wrong. – the point of the movie/saga is the Jedi are good and the Sith are evil.

The Jedi and Republic were all “deceived by a lie” and I stand by my post that it looks like Sheev deceived a good chunk of the audience as well.

Thank you for the lively debate, I appreciate hearing your thoughts!! 😊 May the Force be with you!

#jedi #jedi culture #jedi appreciation #lightside #darkside #the force #rant post #jedi are good

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