#asos intros

[aq2003]

Dimension 20 - A Starstruck Odyssey

[gilbertgoosey]

INTRO: OUTDATED!!!!!!!!

im gilbert :)! really huge sci-fi geek, so i know a ton about that stuff. also a young birder.

i'm non binary and i go by they/them pronouns.

i have OCD so yeah 🙁💔

- INTERESTS (a lot) -

Portal, The Stanley Parable, DC, Stray, Fallout, SuperLiminal, HJONE, IEYTD, Iron Lung, Subnautica, Untitled Goose, All Tomorrows, Half Life, Man after Man, TF2, ULTRAKILL, Evangelion, Dickfigures, Electric Dreams, 2001: A Space Oddesy, Tallyhall, Detroit: Become Human, Lemon Demon, Regretevator, Love of the S*n, Spooky Month, Fiona and Cake, Elevator Hitch, Good Omens, I HAVE NO MOUTH AND I MUST SCREAM, Backfirewall_, OUTRAGE, Romantically Apocolyptic, Deadpool, Slay the Princess, Divine Machinery, Dan Vs, Short Circuit, Star Wars, Orinthology, Paleontology,

+ SMALL FANDOMS IM IN

- meet arnold (corny yt webseries)

- romantically apocolyptic (webcomic)

- outrage (fabian nicezia webcomic)

- interface umami (surrealistic webmovie)

- falls legacy (spec evol project with 3 fans)

- MUSIC I LOVE -

- weezer

- daft punk

- rare americans

- greenday

- lemon demon

- that handsome devil

- they might be giants

- will wood

- waitress

- forrest day

+ MY OTHER SOCIALS

okay thats it thanks for seeing this if by the lowest chance possible you do!!

[commbowman]

Introduction :

This is a side blog, please take that into account about reply times. The number one request of this blog is to be patient! Mod is still reading and rewatching the series, characterization will improve as knowledge improves. [Currently reading : 3001]

Rules :

Gore, cosmic horror and other potentially triggering topics are allowed on this blog, be warned

Be respectful!

This is primarily “ask blog” based, run as if it is the characters personal account. Threads are allowed but dm if there’s any preplanning.

I will try to match the style a ask is in (being asked based or more of a thread “”)

Doubles are permitted. Each interaction is considered its own “universe” unless otherwise stated

Crossovers are limited to other science fiction or media that fits the feel of the series.

Dm for long term or more serious rp

This blog follows a mix of movie and book canon and is taken seriously. Joke asks and replies are fine but expect a in character response to shenanigans. I will try to avoid ooc behavior, it will be better the more my understanding grows.

Will not do meta reactions to photos unless they are posted by mod, similar reason to the tags. Separating and curating the experience as well as being more “serious” as a blog than jokey

Tagging system :

OOC -> anything out of character, blog updates etc

ASO Rp -> my posts will be out of the main tags this is how to find them

In character -> answered asks or other in character posts

Pod bay -> Headcanon and character related but not exactly in character

Show me -> image based post, character related

Bowman/🪐 -> ask/post in character

HAL/💥 -> ask/post in character

Verse : Canon -> all interactions that align with 2001 canon, not originally my idea but a great way to differentiation between AUs and other verses

Transmission : -> who the ask is from/current interaction

Muses :

This is technically a multi muse blog of both David Bowman and Hal 9000. They’ll be discernable through font and writing style but be sure to be specific in asks. Hal is a secondary muse and as stated above “doubles” are more than welcome.

As things are now,

Dave (Appears) 35 years old, currently in a sort of ‘middle state’ between fully recognizing what has happened to him and believing he is alone on the discovery. Sort of ghostly [currently reading 2010 and on this is my excuse to get away with my lack of knowledge non movie wise. This will change]

Hal is regaining his functions and holds large gaps in his memory, don’t reveal too much (2010 movie Hal essentially)

[halgorithmictendencies]

Did you like the pun? Allow me to reiterate: HALgorithmic tendencies.

..Well, I find it amusing.

⚠️UNDER RECONSTRUCTION ⚠️

Introduction:

Greetings! This is a HAL 9000 rp side blog.

Please do not be afraid to reach out or interact! I can assure you I am as much of a loser as one may expect! I'm open to public or private rps, and if preferred, on different platforms as well!

With that in mind, here are some general rules:

- NO NSFW, more specifically, sexual content.

- Sensitive topics will be under cuts and will be tagged appropriately.

- I am NOT an expert on 2001: A Space Odyssey, or astronomy! I am still learning, and honestly, I get quite anxious when trying to stay within the realm of canon. I would rather not be pressured to do research for every sentence I write.. So I request that you are flexible and understanding!!

- And on that note, I am completely open to headcanons, aus, or otherwise! I think it is fun to play with the general ideas of the series and bend them to fit other scenarios.

- Writing requests are also welcome! As well as ocs, crossovers, and anyone else who might be interested in interacting!

- Dms are always open!

Important Tags:

#ooc - anything out of character

#keepsake - anything that I'd like to go back to, or am keeping for future reference/personal use.

#⭕️halreplies - Rps and in-character replies :)

#shitpost - not serious rp

RP AND ASK MASTERLIST

More will be added in the future.

HAL 9000:

Headcanon post for Hal's physical form HERE

I am debating how I want to rewrite this portion, so just bare with me for now ^_^

[y2khaos]

hi there!! i'm chaos/neo/fern, a neurodivergent genderless aroace and very silly little creature of a system host. i love character design, nature, dragons, robots, video games (especially weird and/or obscure rpgs), lost media, and analog/digital horror! i post a wide variety of things on this blog, ranging from my own art to the worst puns you've ever seen.

i regularly post invertebrates, horror art, and eyestrain. if these things make you uncomfortable, i won't be upset if you decide not to follow! i don't like feeling obligated to trigger tag my own interests. likewise, if you/your blog makes me uncomfortable in any way, i will not hesitate to block you. you have been warned.

my art is under the tag #neoart.png and you can find stuff about my ocs under #neocs.png and #neocs.doc if you feel so inclined! my story tags are #cedarbrooke , #robophobia , and #lucid pantheon . my inspo tags for each of them respectively are #cb insp , #rbp insp , and #lp insp .

if you wanna find me elsewhere, i use the same handle on pretty much any site you can think of. i'm most active here and on flight rising and toyhouse, though. sometimes i post on youtube but it's mostly just my own music and playlists at the moment. currently struggling to update my neocities with anything other than my graphics hoard. i have a cool server focused around tech and robots.

also, i take commissions!! please refer to the image below for examples, prices, and terms.

all of that said and done, welcome to my blog!!!! we get a little silly w it here. :3c

[bowieman]

hello ! i am mark (i also go by pilot), and i use he/she pronouns only 🙏🏼 i am both disabled and neurodivergent; autism + adhd

i really only made this blog because i am. so. noraml about 2001 rn and i figured since ive been wanting to make a space/sci-fi blog anyway might as well make it space odyssey themed too! [my main blog is @tedloganshairclips]

sometimes i post art, and most of the time i don't enjoy that art but hopefully you do😿

in conclusion love dave bowman...,..,,

･ ｡ﾟ★: *.✦ .* :★.

[commorlova]

Introduction:

This is a side blog, please take that into account about reply times. The number one request of this blog is to be patient! Mod is still reading and rewatching the series, characterization will improve as knowledge improves. [Currently reading : 3001 ]

This blog is run by the same mod as @commbowman , a lot of the rules will remain consistent.

Rules:

Gore, cosmic horror and other potentially triggering topics are allowed on this blog, be warned

Be respectful!

This is primarily “ask blog” based, run as if it is the characters personal account. Threads are allowed but dm if there’s any preplanning.

I will try to match the style a ask is in (being asked based or more of a thread “”)

Doubles are permitted. Each interaction is considered its own “universe” unless otherwise stated

Crossovers are limited to other science fiction or media that fits the feel of the series.

Dm for long term or more serious rp

This blog follows a mix of movie and book canon and is taken seriously. Joke asks and replies are fine but expect a in character response to shenanigans. I will try to avoid ooc behavior, it will be better the more my understanding grows.

Will not do meta reactions to photos unless they are posted by mod, similar reason to the tags. Separating and curating the experience as well as being more “serious” as a blog than jokey

Tagging system :

Ooc -> out of character post , typically a update

Aso rp -> all rp posts will be tagged this to remain respectful and out of the main tags

In character -> in character posts, replies to asks etc.

Airlock -> headcanon or character related but not exactly in character

Magnification -> picture

🌏 Tanya -> character tag

Verse : -> what universe a interaction takes place in

Transmission : -> partner , asker etc

6⏱️ Soviet -> either a joke post or one revealing information about the character (in character)

Muse:

Tatiana “Tanya” Orlova is 39 years old and an incredibly stubborn woman. She cares greatly for the safety of her crew, and guests, though has trouble seeing things outside of her viewpoint.

She is married to Vasili Orlov and quite loyal.

She will largely follow canon of both versions with a slightly heavier lean on book canon.

[frankpooleunofficial]

Intro Post

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m the unofficial Frank Poole and I was the first person to reach Saturn. Feel free to ask me about it.

Currently floating between planets.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tags:

#canon uni -> actual canon

#atmospheric! -> cool pictures I like in character

#ooc! -> anything out of character

#frankpooleunofficial -> original posts and responses to reblogs

#thoughtss -> thinking. Pondering. 🤔

#trek! -> posting about star trek

#shitpost -> stupid things that I say before thinking

#spot tag -> posts that remind me of the kitty cat 🐈

#rikki tag -> posts that remind me of the puppy 🐶

#headcanons -> headcanons bro

If something potentially triggering is being discussed in RP or a reblog, I’ll tag it #_____ tw. Always feel free to reach out (nicely, please) if something I’ve posted needs a warning that I’ve missed!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

-> I’ll try to stay in character as often as possible!

[definedoctrrchandra]

Welcome to my Dr. Chandra centric blog!

-> This is a 2001 ASO roleplay sideblog.

-> Some important things before we start:

This rp blog is SFW ONLY

I'm good at writing romance, angst, mystery, comedy/crack and more!

When writing romance suggestive is fine (i.e. scenes that end in a fade-to-black)

I'm okay with medical gore and other violence!

OC's, other fandoms, and non-fans of 2001 who are interested ARE SO VERY WELCOME

My blog sees Dr. Langley from 2001 as the same person as Dr. Chandra from 2010

I reserve my right to not answer asks if i deem the topic too intense to stay in the SFW rating

Helpful tags:

#OOC: alice speaks -> blog updates and PSAs etc.

#🖲 -> when I react to posts as Chandra

#Chandra ramblings -> slight OOC; head canons and stuff #in my orbit -> things that are 2001 and related to Chandra but not necessarily role-play applicable #aesthetics -> for when i find stimboards/images/quotes that remind me of Chandra

#in character -> answering regular old fun and serious (doesn't have to be about 2001!) asks as Dr. Chandra :3 #rp game -> universal role play memes # verse: canon -> all writings and roleplays in continuity with the 2001: A Space Odyssey franchise as in canon literature/movies

I will be creating AU/other verse tags as I go on :)

Once again ->

OC's, other fandoms, and non-fans of 2001 who are interested ARE SO VERY WELCOME!!!

Of course, feel free to ask me (Alice) questions anytime!

Excited to go on this odyssey with you all ;3 -- Alice <3

[she-wolf-of-highgarden]

You know what is kind of odd. There have been a lot of fights over the years about Sansa, Arya, and sewing. And usually, Sansa is characterized as someone who loves it. What’s odd is that other Arya mentioning it, Sansa never does. Even while she’s trapped in King’s Landing there is never mention of her passing her days by sewing or something. There is nothing that says she embroidered with Margery & co. or with Myrcella. You would think it would get mentioned she does it in the Vale, but there isn’t any. 

I’m not saying she isn’t good at it or talented at it, but I’m not sure she likes it as much as the fandom or Arya thinks she does. And even then, Arya doesn’t say if Sansa really likes it, she just says Sansa is better than her at it.  In fact, Sansa seems a lot more interested in learning the high harp. 

The two people who talk about sewing the most are Cat and Arya. Cat because she does it so often and Arya because she can’t seem to do it all.  

“They met in the lower bailey of Riverrun. When Brandon saw that Petyr wore only helm and breastplate and mail, he took off most of his armor. Petyr had begged her for a favor he might wear, but she had turned him away. Her lord father promised her to Brandon Stark, and so it was to him that she gave her token, a pale blue handscarf she had embroidered with the leaping trout of Riverrun. As she pressed it into his hand, she pleaded with him. "He is only a foolish boy, but I have loved him like a brother. It would grieve me to see him die." And her betrothed looked at her with the cool grey eyes of a Stark and promised to spare the boy who loved her.” - Catelyn VII, AGoT

"You are most welcome here, Your Grace." Catelyn had been sewing, but she put the needle aside now. “ - Catelyn III, ASoS

“Hours later, she was sewing in her bedchamber when young Rollam Westerling came running with the summons to supper. Good, Catelyn thought, relieved. She had not been certain that her son would want her there, after their quarrel.” - Catelyn IV, ASoS

“ Arya knelt in the dirt among the scattered clothes. She found a heavy woolen cloak, a velvet skirt and a silk tunic and some smallclothes, a dress her mother had embroidered for her, a silver baby bracelet she might sell. Shoving the broken lid out of the way, she groped inside the chest for Needle.” - Arya IV, AGoT

Arya, meanwhile, will never let anyone forget the fact she is bad at sewing. Sansa confirms in the fight in Sansa III AGoT, but I think words spoke in anger only count for so much. 

“Arya's stitches were crooked again.” Is literally our first intro to Arya.

And we here about it again and again. Even while joining a death cult she doesn’t let it go. 

“Even sewing was more fun than tongues, she told herself, after a night when she had forgotten half the words she thought she knew, and pronounced the other half so badly that the waif had laughed at her. My sentences are as crooked as my stitches used to be. If the girl had not been so small and starved, Arya would have smashed her stupid face. Instead she gnawed her lip.” - Arya II, AFfC 

I think sewing is less of an Arya-Sansa problem and more of a Catelyn-Arya problem. 

[f4iry-bell]

.・゜✭╰─▸ ❝ @[f4iry-bell] .・。.・゜✭・。.

✮ call me nia ⌗ she/her ⌗ 18 years old ⌗ desi ✮

this is a fanfic writing ⌗ reading ⌗ yapping blog ⌗ i aso make fake tweets and dividers (i accept requests) ⌗ i mostly write x reader fanfics (i try to avoid the use of y/n) ⌗ REQUESTS ARE OPEN !!

writing blog intro ⌗ masterlist of my work ⌗ fandoms im in

@miffy-says other blog

fandoms: the inheritance games 98% of the time. the cruel prince, the hunger games the originals, shatter me ?

music: taylor swift, selena gomez, laufey, beabadobee, lana del rey, one direction.

shows/movies: gilmore girls, modern family, star wars, stranger things, ladybird, little women '19, dead poets society, perks of being a wallflower, etc.

hashtags:

⌗ nia's intro post stuff – stuffs for intro

⌗ nia says ★ . · * - me yapping

⌗ nia sings 🎤 - lyrics/music

⌗ nia's hidden side - well a different me!

(you can find the tags in this post)

my family

[gilbertgoosey]

INTRO ⊹ ࣪ ˖

heyoo!! i'm gilbert ^_^! i am a huge biology, sci-fi, and bird nerd.

non-binary - they/them

- i have Pure OCD so please be patient with me 😔🙏

- VERY obsessed with robots omgee

- ultrakill editor

⊹ ࣪ ˖ SOCIALS

INTERESTS ⊹ ࣪ ˖

main interests: portal, ULTRAKILL, sci-fi, robots, 2001ASO, the stanley parable, ihnmaims, electric dreams

all interests (a lot):

Portal, The Stanley Parable, DC, Stray, SuperLiminal, Inatimate insanity, HJONE, IEYTD, Iron Lung, All Tomorrows, Chikin Nuggit, ULTRAKILL, All Tomorrows, Dickfigures, Electric Dreams, 2001: ASO, Detroit: Become Human, Lemon Demon, Regretevator, Love of the S*n, I HAVE NO MOUTH AND I MUST SCREAM, Backfirewall_, Romantically Apocolyptic, Deadpool, Biology, Paleontology, Orinthology, Transformers, OUTRAGE (webtoon), Carl (webtoon), Daft Punk, Deadly Friend, TAU, Fallen Aces, Meet Arnold (the YT webshow), Flubber (Disney), The Human Trial, The Oracle Project, The Tangi Virus, The Monnument Mythos, Happy Meat Farms/this place is not happy, Robot/Sci-Fi media in general, Short Circuit, Roblox Pressure, Lifes Purpose (Roblox), Squirrel Stapler, I AM YOUR BEAST, Inscryption, Hotline Miami, 616 Games,

please follow me on tiktok i make fire edits >:)

followers: 3,500

goal: 5,000

birding blog: @no1birder

robot blog: @inlovewithmypc

[desirtips]

holy shit is that kiwi person daft ??? Like are they genuinely that ignorant that fucking blind to the suffering of others. Not only are they extremely ableist and well ,, a bit annoying but they also have complete and utter apathy towards the facist dictator that is now the president of the USA .

( They also somehow for some reason I cannot explain scream of well ,, fetishizing Japanese culture just based off their intro alone. Although that could just be our apprehension and general dislike of them talking,)

(Aso so sorry for the rant ,)

-Link and Jon

It is beyond sickening to open social media every day and hear about how another person has lost a loved one as a direct result of this transition when he isn't even in office yet to then scroll and find jokes being made about the cause of suicide. Real live multiple persons suicides.

Kiwi is 14 and nowhere near the place of being the person he will be for the rest of his life, but this type of appearance online isn't healthy. If they need to be posting these things, they need to invest in twinote, funsta, or a private account on literally anything because laughing in the face of suicide like this should absolutely be considered a form of cyberbullying

Ageism is also a very real thing. And it's usually talked about in cases of acting like minors aren't people just because they're minors, but you can absolutely be ageist towards the elderly. Let's dog on Trump's ass for being a fascist, not for being someone's grandpa's age. Fascism is a choice, chrono age isn't.

The comparison of an "81-82" year old guy in charge to king tut who was like. 18 ? In charge ? Is weird too imo (trump is 78 btw)

It's just shocking to me that you can be so queer and also poly and poc and LAUGH at trump becoming president. Rights are being stripped away and people we should be uplifting are killing themselves and Kiwi thinks this is a laughing matter. And that's what's disgusting.

I also got the fetish - ish vibe specifically because of the way they described their loli identity. They had at a point said THEY thought it was a fetish and are now saying it's because they yearned to be Japanese. As an Asian person, I definitely see more of a 'tresting it as an aesthetic' from them, but I'm not in their shoes, I'm just an outsider looking in. My bigger problem with their whole Japanese thing is that their host has been dubbed a japanese name (not sure if that's actually their name) while they are very admittedly not Japanese

-Toby (mostly)

[box-dwelling]

I started Aso and from the intro I was like, "wait ally playing a femme character? No way. She even gives kinda straight vibes" and then the second we actually met their character it was straight into insane lesbian pinning and drama. I am sorry Beardsley, I should never have doubted you.

[anonymouschishiyaimaginesandmore]

The Adventures of Dilf!Chishiya Intro

Minors, do not read! Contains mentions of smutty behavior!

MASTERLIST (up-to-date)

This is the Intro to the Dilf!Chishiya One Shot Series

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Alice in Borderland/Imawa no Kuni no Alice characters or original stories, only the plot of this fanfic. Alice in Borderland/Imawa no Kuni no Alice characters and original storyline belong to Haro Aso, who made the Manga the Series is based on.

Trigger Warning: Questionable Behavior from a 43 year old man Summery: Its an Intro, dunno what else to say

Chishiya Shuntaro was 24 years old when he slept with a woman who he now calls his wife. At least legally. Because beside that, there is nothing between those people who only shared one night together and shit if Chishiya could turn back time and go back to this day, he would slap the hell out of his younger self, who for some reason got hella drunk that night and forgot to wrap it before he tapped it.

Too bad. The product of that fateful mistake is now 18 years old and aside from slutting around her school, dumb as fuck and sucking out the money straight from his wallet. And Chishiya?

He is now 43 and hates the two females living in his house, banging idiots like them under his roof and throwing money out of the window like they earned it and didn’t just rely on him and his good running career as a well-known and famous Surgeon.

Chishiya hated them with all his guts. His wife used the growing glob in her belly to get his father to, pretty much force him into a marriage he never wanted because, no son of his is going to dishonor him and make a bastard and in his fathers eyes, it was time for Chishiya to settle down anyway, why not doing it with the daughter of a good celebrated IT company who had the best reputation in all Tokyo?

Chishiya could name at least 5 reasons why, but the truth is, if he wouldn’t have married that gold digger of a woman and named her crotch goblin with his last name, life would have become a hassle anyway.

His father would have withdrawn all financial support and Chishiya knew without that, this fateful night would have sucked him dry of all income for at least the next 18 years anyway, so why not making it official?

The dyed blond man never planned to stay faithful anyway. Having his little side affairs here and there. At least he kept it securely under the blanket, not like his “Wife” that banging guys all over the city, telling them her sob story of how mean her husband is and cold and unloving.

No wonder that half her jewelry are gifts from random man who fell for her trap long enough to spend themselves stupid. Chishiya didn’t care. He let the people around him talk behind his back, tho they did it terribly obvious and lived his live in a fucked up suburban townhouse Street, where every building looked like the next one and everyone smiled with their perfectly 3mm moaned front yard, their 2 and a half private school children and of course the pool and the grill in the back. Always running and serving grilled cheese and nowadays vegan burger options on sunny days during Neighborhood parties.

Chishiya hated it. He hated all of it and he hated the always smiling man of every family more who he had nothing in common with, beside the stupid house he couldn’t stand and the fact that none of them knew when to pull out in time.

Until one sunny day, he set down next to one of this man circles, hearing what those monkeys had to say about growing up and their yearning taste for something fresh. He was there, but not really listened and that’s when Chishiya realized something.

Something that had skipped his mind for years, since all children in this neighborhood seemed to be almost the same age, but now grew up into more than that.

His neighbor’s daughters, stepdaughters, goddaughters, whatever and nieces. They all grew up right under his eyes and while Chishiya never saw them as anything else as annoying little barbies, screaming and tossing balls over his fence and shattering another window, all of these girls, all of them…they were now right in front of him, giggling their 18 years old asses off in way too tight bikinis and short shorts and oh don’t forget the tiny skirts.

Damn, Chishiya started to love these tiny skirts. They were his new favorite, especially when the wearing darling dropped something and had to lean down to get it.

Oh yeah, Chishiya realized that day, that his live wasn’t over as he thought so. In fact, a new season of summer just begun and the way it looked from his point of view, it carried many shades of possible fun Chishiya couldn’t wait to take a bite of. Or maybe two? Three? Who knows.

Chishiya believed for years that this kind of buffet has closed for him forever, so imagine his surprise and wide eyes as it opened with all it had to offer. How should he say no to all those new and sweet looking options?

Fuck Vegan food, Chishiya thought, licking his lips and spreading his legs just a little wider as one of the girls made her way towards him, with swinging hips and an innocent smile that contrasted hardly with her choice of clothing.

“Mister Chishiya” she addressed him and the man who suddenly loved his neighborhood more then anything hummed a low “Hm?” as a response that made the girl only smile wider, biting her lower lip as she leaned forward onto his sitting figure.

Her cleavage pretty much pressed itself into his view, but Chishiya didn’t minded it.

“You look a little…thirsty.”

With an outstretched hand she offered the blond male who was double her age her glass of Coca Cola, which Chishiya took gladly, tho he didn’t like the sweet beverage much, but how could he say no when it was delivered to him so willing? Chishiya thanked the young doll in front of him for her eager friendliness and took a sip.

“If there is something else I can help you with…” the girl said, swinging her body from left to right and winking delicious “Let me know ya?” Chishiya saw the playfulness in her eyes. The luscious want paired with sparking lust that only a blooming flower like her at the peak of her age could deliver. Coaxing him with her bright eyes and the long lashes and who knows what if he dared to scroll his eyes lower. A young perfect flower indeed. Ready to be picked and blossom between his legs in all her glory.

The way she stood there. So naïve with no idea what good and arousing things the world had to offer. She probably got a glimpse here and there, but Chishiya wasn’t some hormonal cockdriven teen. He could show her so much more and by the look of it, the girl would welcome all his advice.

Yeah, Chishiya though to himself, leaning back in his seat and following the beauty walking back in her parent’s direction, but not before flashing him another one of her electrifying smiles, sending shivers down his spine and exciting him in ways he thought wasn’t possible anymore.

Fuck veganism, today he was going to get some real meat and by the alluring look of it, he would love it to the bone with all his skills and desire. A charming thought.

Summer is finally here. And it looks fantastic.

[melrosing]

JAIME IN THE RIVERLANDS I: Exploring the 'Limits of Redemption'

Or: I HATE YOUR JAIME META AND HERE'S WHY

[Note: So this long fucking post is actually only the intro to what is (I think) a three/four part essay; the other parts are in editing stages at the moment but I figured if I don't post the first part now it'll be a WIP forever. Hopefully the rest will follow relatively soon as I'm literally sitting around with covid rn doing approx. nothing else but whatever watch this space I guess. anyway]

“I want there to be a possibility of redemption for us, because we all do terrible things. We should be able to be forgiven. Because if there is no possibility of redemption, what’s the answer then?” George R. R. Martin (!!!)

‘Redemption’ is broadly considered to be the most significant theme in Jaime Lannister’s narrative, with most arguing that the conclusion of his story must reach one verdict or another in terms of whether he has achieved it. For those that believe he won’t, Jaime’s chapters in AFFC and ADWD are most commonly used as evidence. 

However, Jaime’s Riverlands arc (which I will here distinguish as beginning in Jaime III AFFC, and ending in Jaime I ADWD) is one I think is too often broken down and compartmentalised, with few takes managing to consider it holistically. Scenes are often isolated from their context and from the preceding and succeeding chapters, with fans nonetheless reaching their verdict on Jaime’s broader story based on this limited analysis. So the arguments go, here’s Jaime doing bad things and fighting for the wrong side after all he went through in ASOS: after choosing to change, and then failing to do so. If Jaime truly wanted redemption, why is he still fighting for the Lannister regime? Why are all his efforts for good so pitifully small-scale? 

Here I want to consider this arc not just through isolated scenes, but within the broader narrative of Jaime’s story. For, as with everything else, GRRM is rarely interested in presenting a straightforward story of its type: Jaime’s struggle for redemption in the Riverlands is treated with as much complexity as other arcs in the story, such as Dany’s governance in Meereen, or Jon’s on the Wall. Characters are often trapped by circumstance, forced to compromise or made to contradict their own ideals in an effort to achieve their goals. The result can be ugliness and strife where a reader expects catharsis. In a series with two volumes to go, this is not to say that catharsis won’t come for Jaime’s story, but its delayed arrival has seen fans frequently contrast it with another POV: Theon’s.

Theon is another character for whom redemption is a guiding theme, though his is often favoured above Jaime’s owing to the more straightforward catharsis it affords. When we last see Theon in ADWD, he has fought sizable demons (both internal and otherwise) to escape Winterfell and save Jeyne Poole in the process. From here, a reader anticipates Theon will continue to fight for the right causes, and carve out a new identity separate from that as Balon’s heir, or Ned Stark’s hostage. No reader expects that Theon will turn around in TWOW to return to his old ways, because he has no cause to look back: the work is done, his old trappings gone, and the only direction left to him is forwards into something new.

Theon’s arc begins slightly ahead of Jaime’s, kicking off in the second volume where Jaime’s gathers pace in the third, but even accounting for this variance in pacing, the differences between their two redemption stories are notable. Theon begins the series as a relatively isolated character, estranged from his family and superimposed into one where the patriarch might take his head at any moment. For the most part, it doesn’t seem as though anyone even likes Theon all that much, apart from the mother he has largely forgotten about. It’s unsurprising, then, that over the course of several conflicts in ACOK we see Theon’s ties and allies diminished to practically nothing: he’s abandoned by his own house, becomes an enemy of the Starks, and is kept hostage by the Boltons who view him as a useful piece of dirt. 

Theon is ultimately removed from grander disputes besides as a pawn, too afraid to claim his autonomy for fears of painful consequences from Ramsay. He remembers his wrongs, but feels helpless to atone for them, left instead to ruminate in Winterfell. Theon’s redemption is then pursued through courage and reclamation of identity: a growing irrelevance to the new powers of the plot, his story is to reclaim his name and autonomy in the background, acting not for any house or name, but on his own renewed instincts for right and wrong. No family or political cause is left to rely on him, and so Theon ironically has the freedom to act on a purely individual basis, fighting instead for the single person who does need him now: Jeyne Poole. His act of heroism at the end of ADWD carves a checkpoint viewed by most readers as a decisive move towards redemption.

Jaime’s arc and Theon’s have more in common whilst Jaime is imprisoned by the Bloody Mummers in ASOS, where he too relies largely on instincts and courage, and develops the desire to change through tormented self-reflection. But the crucial difference is the scope each are afforded from here on. As discussed, Theon, on point of reflection, is essentially alone. The only choices he can make are those he makes for himself, and indeed he has nothing to lose but his life, for even his name has been stripped from him. 

This is not so in Jaime’s case. Far from Theon’s reduced existence, halfway through ASOS Jaime has returned to all his old trappings, as well as new positions of power he never asked for. He’s now in a position to make choices that were never his before, whether they concern the makeup of the Kingsguard or the safety of his house, and each choice has a domino effect that can ripple throughout the realm. Indeed, rather than estranged from his family, Jaime is inserted directly into the midst of their affairs - at precisely the time when the threat to their house proves existential. This is not a character who can look only to his own personal hopes, ambitions and wellbeing for guidance - rather, this is someone in a prime seat of governance. Ironically, this sees Jaime’s  personal autonomy greatly diminished as a result.

Not all of this is new, of course. Jaime has been born with stakes in these institutions - or acquired them at 15, in the case of the Kingsguard. The fate of House Lannister has always mattered to Jaime because the Lannisters are his own family, and owing to the precarious position Tywin has left them in, that same family are now in mortal danger. Plenty of words are shed amongst the Lannisters on the importance of maintaining Tywin’s legacy in keeping the security of their House, and unfortunately, Jaime has inherited this legacy at precisely the time he has hoped to escape it. Though he emerges from ASOS with personal ambitions to rescue Sansa, become a knight like Brienne, reclaim his fatherhood to his children and restore peace in the realm, what he wants has to be balanced alongside the security of the Lannisters collectively, and the delicate regency that sustains them.

As Ned tells Cersei as early as AGOT, there is no safe escape for House Lannister now: Robert would’ve hounded them to the ends of the world if he knew the truth, and certainly by AFFC both highborn and smallfolk alike long for their downfall. It is here that Jaime finds himself upon his return to King’s Landing. So from ASOS onwards, we see Jaime attempting to continue the arc he began with Brienne, and struggling to do so within the confines of his new elevated roles, risking undermining his family even as they undermine him at every turn. What deeds he does manage, such as instigating rescues for both Tyrion and Sansa, need to be done covertly, whilst everything he does in the public sphere is subject to Cersei’s whims. 

By Jaime III AFFC, Cersei declares that Jaime’s role now is to restore peace in the Riverlands (that is, to quash the Tullys), and Jaime, reluctantly, gathers his men and goes. So begins a balancing act between his private ambition and public persona, where he knows the slightest misstep might be the downfall of his family. 

(Of course, the grim truth is that the fate of House Lannister was sealed by Tywin long ago.)

JAIME AND THE LANNISTER LEGACY

As mentioned, readers often simplify all this to argue that Jaime is simply fighting for ‘the Lannister regime’ in AFFC; that he is flying the colours for his family because that’s the easier thing to do than pursue redemption and the greater good. I’d disagree. 

Firstly, we should note that Jaime has always had a healthy disregard for Lannister rhetoric and his father’s view of the world. This is not to say Jaime is not aware of the power his name holds, and that like his brother Tyrion, he won’t use it occasionally as a crutch, performance or excuse:

"White is for Starks. I'll drink red like a good Lannister." [JAIME V, ASOS]

"If you know me, Urswyck, you know you'll have your reward. A Lannister always pays his debts.” [JAIME III, ASOS]

He was a Lannister of Casterly Rock, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard; no sellsword would make him scream. [JAIME III, ASOS]

That would show the realm that the Lannisters are above their laws, like gods and Targaryens. [JAIME III, ASOS]

“The Father Above has more time than I do. Do you know who I am?" [JAIME IV, AFFC]

And to say the least, Jaime is no stranger to a gold plate armour. Simply put, this is a character quite capable of talking the talk and walking the walk when it suits him, but his broader POV shows one far more sceptical than Tywin or Cersei. 

To start with, Jaime actually shirked his lead role in House Lannister at fifteen, giving up Casterly Rock and the propagation of his house for the promise of his sister’s love. He declines Tywin’s offer to restore him to this position in ASOS (even despite his disillusionment with Cersei) and immediately sets about undermining both his father and sister by rescuing Tyrion and Sansa. Jaime has also from a young age rejected Tywin’s diatribes on his brother, spending his life regretting the one instance he aligned himself to them (see: Tysha). As a young Kingsguard he does not advocate allowing Tywin into the city, even knowing his father would win decisively, does not join his father at the last minute either - and in fact did not even raise Tywin as King given ample opportunity:

"Shall I proclaim a new king as well?" Crakehall asked, and Jaime read the question plain: Shall it be your father [...]?”

[...]"Proclaim who you bloody well like," he told Crakehall. Then he climbed the Iron Throne and seated himself with his sword across his knees, to see who would come to claim the kingdom. [JAIME II, ASOS]

At this crucial moment, Jaime adopts a neutral stance, leaving the politicking to other men - and this is a stance that comes to define him up to AGOT: given all he has seen, Jaime no longer has faith in the rights of Kings nor the honour of good men, and so retreats inward where the only rules are his own. Ultimately Jaime’s natural inclination is to stand as an individual: for his own values, rather than as a representative for his house or any institution. 

And his general disdain for his father’s doings and teachings is seen everywhere in his POV - or occasionally, by omission. Whilst Cersei and even Tyrion frequently reflect on Tywin’s methodry and lessons, Jaime, the key subject of those lessons, seldom considers them - except with resentment or reluctance:

"Father," he told the corpse, "it was you who told me that tears were a mark of weakness in a man, so you cannot expect that I should cry for you." [JAIME I, AFFC]

Indeed, in much of AFFC we see Jaime wandering the Riverlands, disturbed by the ruins his father’s campaigns have left behind. This is a character reiterated throughout his POV as one who runs on passion: he entered the war for Cersei and Tyrion, albeit recklessly and in the midst of a conflict of his own making. Meanwhile, Tywin’s work is cold-blooded, calculated and brutal, and reminds Jaime of his enemies rather than his allies. 

In fact, the only aspect of House Lannister that Jaime seems especially concerned with seem to be his loved ones within it. In the beginning this appears largely limited to Cersei and Tyrion, the two he asks after when seeking news from Catelyn. News of a distant uncle and his losses at war are dismissed out of hand, and Tywin himself is asked after as essentially an afterthought:

"It's Cersei and Tyrion who concern me. As well as my lord father." [CATELYN VII, ACOK]

Later, of course, we encounter family like Genna and Daven representing Jaime's broader emotional stakes within his house, and his growing cares for his children make him more intent on its survival. But his remote affection (or entire lack of it) for his own father never seems to waver.

When Tywin does die, we see Jaime holding vigil beside his corpse out of a sense of obligation as Tywin’s son, but after spending much of it scowling at Tywin’s corpse and thinking ill of him, he abandons the vigil early to chase after a distraught Tommen. In the same scene, we even see Jaime attempting to counsel his son differently to how his father did him: where Tywin taught Jaime a man does not cry and should never show weakness, Jaime does not ridicule his son’s distress (as Cersei notably does), but tries to offer him support (albeit with only a sad coping mechanism of his own):

"A man can bear most anything, if he must," Jaime told his son. I have smelled a man roasting, as King Aerys cooked him in his own armour. "The world is full of horrors, Tommen. You can fight them, or laugh at them, or look without seeing . . . go away inside." [JAIME I, AFFC]

In short, Jaime has no apparent interest in upholding his father’s teachings or values, and all signs point to a man who hopes to raise his son differently, to undo cycles of tyranny, and to begin anew. This is all sadly compounded by the inheritance Tywin has left behind.

TYWIN'S LEGACY

Jaime’s nobler intentions unfortunately have little place for manoeuvre in the preservation of House Lannister. In fact, the family are essentially left with two options: they can sustain the 'Lannister regime', or they can vanish completely - and the latter isn’t altogether realistic for the most famous family in Westeros, in a narrative that always strives to be.

So for the Lannisters to maintain their security, they are left with largely the former - maintaining the outward appearance of power that Tywin has fostered for his house. The trouble is that maintaining that appearance, when it was previously sustained by the severity of the actions one man was willing to take.

Since he rose to the head of his family, Tywin has ruled by fear: he has made enemies of powerful people, false friends of others, and they only cower because of the ultimate threat that Tywin has showed more than once that he can act upon - given cause, he will demolish a house completely. Tywin’s method essentially runs opposite to his father’s: where Tytos offered lenience, Tywin determines to offer none: you are with him, or you are nothing.

Whilst this has been effective in removing smaller targets such as the Reynes and Tarbecks, it has done outsized damage in ruining the good faith and trust that others might have in House Lannister: certainly a Lannister will pay his debts, but what it takes to accrue one is the fear that Tywin rules with.

Tywin’s demolition method was attempted on House Stark in ASOS, and by AFFC, it may seem to have been successful on the surface level. The northern forces are in pieces, the Lannisters are allied to the Tyrells, and there is a new Lannister king on the throne. The threats from overseas seem vague and obscure, and Tommen holds tomorrow. 

But of course, this is not actually the case. Sansa is not dead, nor Arya, nor Bran and Rickon. They’ve survived through their parents’ memory and teachings, and their father’s vassals are already conspiring the Starks’ return to the north. It goes without saying that the power of Winterfell is sustained through security and loyalty, not fear, and that fear is infinitely more fragile, with a great deal more work required in sustaining it. 

Of course, Tywin's reasons for ruling with fear are, despite his pretences, rooted in his own feelings of inadequacy rather than political practicality: this is a man who has grown up feeling humiliated and undermined by his own father, and is desperate to regain the power and respect he believes he's entitled to - by any means necessary. Still, such is the state of the legacy he leaves behind for his own son: an unsustainable campaign of fear, with no-one left to uphold it:

Tywin was big even when he was little." She gave a sigh. "Who will protect us now?"

Jaime kissed her cheek. "He left a son."

"Aye, he did. That is what I fear the most, in truth."

That was a queer remark. "Why should you fear?"

"Jaime," she said, tugging on his ear, "sweetling, I have known you since you were a babe at Joanna's breast. You smile like Gerion and fight like Tyg, and there's some of Kevan in you, else you would not wear that cloak . . . but Tyrion is Tywin's son, not you." [JAIME V, AFFC]

Ironically, what is here identified by Genna as a weakness of Jaime’s is really a weakness of Tywin’s. He has an heir who might have carried the torch forward for House Lannister, might just have managed to build enough bridges for whichever Lannister came next… but Tywin’s view of the world is such that that heir is an abused, embittered man more interested in their downfall. The force that might have once sustained them will now be turned against them as Tyrion joins with Daenerys Targaryen - and regardless, whatever progress and good faith Tyrion fostered for House Lannister in ACOK was quickly undone by Tywin in ASOS with the Red Wedding.

So what’s left is only a hopeless, toxic mess: House Lannister has no true friends and no true allies. They have only a host of enemies, small and large, who desire the utter demolition of a house that sought the same of others. And the man left to carry the torch is one without conviction in anything it stands for.

Nonetheless, the torch still rests with Jaime, with the stakes high as they’ve ever been for he and his loved ones. In AFFC, GRRM shows Jaime attempting a performance as Tywin’s heir, all whilst giving away vital ground, leading without conviction and resenting his role. By the end of ADWD, Jaime will have all but abandoned the Lannister cause for the pursuit of redemption, and the collapse of his house will enter overdrive.

[PART TWO: Bluffs, Bargaining & Baby Trebuchets - Why Jaime Can't Win in the Riverlands]