#axel and his sacrificial love

[everloste]

a short fic about abuse, from a small series i did a few years ago while coming to terms with my own experiences.

axel and isa, post kh3, implied past relationship

Isa was exactly the same person he used to be. Neither of them changed, really. They just stayed the same and things ran their course. 

good morning moon ii

“I’m going to prove it to you.”

“What?” Axel asked, feigning innocence as he tried ever-so-gently to remove his arm from Isa’s grip.

It wouldn’t work. Isa wouldn’t let him go. He’d made up his mind. He was going to show Axel exactly what kind of people they both were.

“I’m going to kill you, Axel,” he said, shoving him back against the wall, “Just like I killed Lea. In every way that mattered.”

He didn't want Axel to mistake this for a joke. He was deadly serious. He was pressed against Axel just enough to be threatening… which was an unfortunate tell. If he was truly out of control, he wouldn’t be hiding how much he wanted him.

Axel only rolled his eyes, “You think you killed me, huh…?” he asked as though he was bored with the answer already, “You’re hardly the worst thing to happen to me, Isa. Sorry.”

Isa wished he knew why it bothered him so much… Was he of note at all? He clenched his teeth, “You concede nothing…” he croaked, hoarse from holding in his anger, “You give me nothing…”

“What were you expecting?” Axel asked, voice tired, “You want an award…?”

Without a thought, Isa jerked Axel forward by his shoulders and slammed him back into the wall, “I want my best friend back, you fucking monster!”

It got quiet.

With the force he'd put into that motion, it was a marvel Axel was even still conscious. He watched the look on his friend's face as it twisted in pain, then anguish... His knees buckled, his weight dropping into Isa’s guilty arms.

“I’m sorry…" Axel confessed, "I’m sorry I’m not who you remember.”

“No… I think you are,” Isa rasped. He was such a fucking idiot… Axel wasn’t exactly Lea, but his heart was rekindled from the same spark. They were the same. In every way that mattered.

“I can prove it.”

Axel tensed again, “Don’t— I don’t need that—” Of course Axel could tell when Isa’d made up his mind about something. Axel could read people well, especially his best friends. His memory was flawless. Isa was exactly the same person he used to be. Neither of them changed, really. They just stayed the same and things ran their course. 

Lea was too friendly to ever be satisfied with only one friend. No matter how close… Isa never would have been enough, and he would’ve gotten jealous all the same. And that alienation would have pushed them apart. He was the problem. He was always the problem. 

Lea always forgave him… and Axel always apologised. He was unforgivable… but Axel just kept trying anyway. And Isa, good friend that he was, kept proving to him that he didn’t deserve it.  

But Axel didn’t believe that. He never did. Sometimes it felt like he must know, right…? He must realise what he’s been doing to himself…

Isa pulled Axel along, fingers curled tensely around his elbow in a controlling grip that left the dancer stumbling to keep balanced. Usually Isa'd be more careful… They were in Radiant Garden, after all—Isa’s home, since he felt like a trespasser in Twilight Town—the walls here were hard, stone… But it didn’t really matter right now. Axel was going to get hurt either way.

Down by the old bailey, he threw Axel against the balustrade, grabbing him by the neck and tipping him back. There was a ravine on the other side; still full of terrible things, though now those terrible things belonged here.

They were echoes of the sins committed here… hearts that had yet to return to the light: Full of rage and sorrow, roiling and violent like the sea. Their numbers dwindled by the day, but they were expected to be a problem for years to come. A wound on their Garden, one Axel was here to assist in healing, as a key bearer.

Axel yelped, kicking his legs and grabbing Isa by the arm, “Please don’t do this, Isa…!” Isa’s eyes glowed with intent; those desperate little whispers reminded him of another time… “What, still can’t hold your own against a few thousand heartless…?”

“What the fuck does this prove!?” Axel asked indignantly, his anger finally coming to the surface. 

Isa felt a shiver run down his spine at the thrill of Axel’s fury… though he knew it wouldn’t last.  “Your weakness,” he said, cold as ice, “You never fight back.”

“So? Why should I?” Axel asked, “Is that what you want me to do!?”

Isa’s eyes closed for a moment, shutting out the question, the answer… Yes. Yes, if you'd only do what’s good for you…

“As though you’d ever do what I want…” Isa said in a low voice, pressing a hand against Axel’s hip, “No, I'd prefer to have my way... You already knew that.”

Axel’s eyelids fluttered as he took an overwhelmed breath, struggling for words. He was trapped between the valley below and Isa’s dispassionate abuse. He had little choice but to relax into his grip. Struggling would only put him at risk of being dropped… Isa so loved being the lesser of two evils.

“I can’t fucking believe this…” Axel laughed miserably.

“Can’t believe what?” Isa asked, the hand that held him aloft quietly shifted, cupping the nape of his neck, thumb tracing his pulse, “That I’d hurt you?”

“That I’d rather—” Axel glanced to his right, to the horde as his back, just a fall away.

“If it wasn’t me, then who did kill you, Lea?” Isa asked.

Everything fell silent… the wind stilled to a quiet chill in the air. Axel couldn’t hide his face, so Isa gave him the small, selfish mercy of looking elsewhere as he tried to speak.

“I did,” Axel finally confessed, more quietly than Isa had ever heard him speak.

He was wrong, though. Axel didn’t kill Lea… Axel was just taking the blame. Covering for his best friend again.

 “Liar…” Isa hissed, leaning closer, “You know better than this.”

“What’s your fucking problem with me!?” Axel demanded, sounding exasperated as he thrashed in frustration, pulling himself close to Isa, “Why do you pick on me so much, huh!?” His shouts petered out into a pitiful murmur, a fistful of Isa’s jacket in either hand, “What did I ever do to you…?”

“You forgave me,” Isa replied, his words jaded and cruel, “And you’d do it again if I asked nicely, wouldn’t you?”

“Shut up...” Axel’s demand sounded more like a desperate plea.

He wouldn't. This is where Isa sunk his teeth in every time. “You’d try to make it work. Curse your own stubborn nature for not giving up easier when you know you’re right. You’d stay silent when you deserve to be heard, like the only kind of love you know is sacrifice.”

Axel was quiet. Still. He was listening... Isa hadn’t trusted his intuition in a long time. It led him astray for so long that he’d begun contradicting it on purpose; shutting it out when it assumed anything. But this time, he couldn’t. 

“How many times has Roxas asked you not to visit me again?” “None,” Axel answered with a predictable quickness, “He wouldn’t—”

“You’re telling me he hasn’t seen the bruises?” Isa asked flatly. “He has! But—” 

“But he trusts you, doesn’t he?” Isa asked pointedly, shoving Axel back, “What a shame.”

Axel shrieked, his hands clasped, frightened, around Isa’s neck, face buried in his chest, “Stop, stop, stop…”

Isa didn’t imagine the threat below was of literal death for Axel, but of his own darkness. There were so many awful things lurking in the past, so much pain… If anything broke the seal, he’d be lost in an instant. His will wasn’t what it used to be… he was tired…

“If you fell here, do you think you’d even hit the ground?” Isa asked, “Or would there be nothing left?”

He just couldn't stop himself. He knew he was right, everything he said was right. He knew exactly what hurt people, what scared them. It was the worlds worst gift.

“The old man asked me about you,” Isa continued once Axel’s silence grew irritating, “Asked me if you’d make a suitable vessel… I told him not to waste any effort. Without Roxas, without Xion… you’d give up on your own. You wouldn’t be able to resist. You aren’t strong enough.”

“Fuck you,” Axel stammered, teeth chattering from the cold and his own nerves, “Let me down, I wanna leave… ”

Isa knew he’d prefer to sound angry instead of hurt. Still playing games… He couldn’t help but look down at him now, just for the view. His heart was racing, skin flushed as though he’d been trying not to cry. Of course there were tears in his eyes… He wore them so well.

“Let you down…?” Isa asked slowly, blinking until his thoughts came back to him, “Why don’t you ask nicely first.”

“Are you fucking kidding me!?” Axel balked.

“Maybe you’d prefer to beg?” Isa offered cruelly. He was doing it again… why did he get off on twisting the knife? Was he really so desperate for a reaction?

“Stop it…” Axel demanded quietly, adding a softer, more shameful, “Please…” Axel hated hating people. It was his least favourite activity… if he could, he’d put it off forever. 

Isa sighed.

[tetrakys10]

Sweet Elite episode 9

It’s Halloween at Arlington academy, and we get a nice, lighthearted episode to make up for all the angst we went through lately. Long post below the cut.

The episode starts during preparations for the official Arlington Halloween party, you have a chance to ask someone to help you with putting up some decorations. Our favourite senior shows up to explain that this person will be the one we spend most time with during the episode. Whatever LI you chose, you have a chance to get to know them better and raise your infinity meter.

The following day we notice Ellie, Tayler and Tegan acting strange, we have a choice to follow them or not, not sure what happens if you chicken out, but if you go ahead you find out that they are building a robotic Arlingtonator to scare Tadashi on Halloween.

Afterwards, scholar suddenly remembers that they don’t have a costume yet and it’s very late for last minute shopping, so they end up buying a simple witch hat online. I don’t know if this changes between male and female scholar, but my two girls look really really cute.

(The one on the left is Tetrakys who is romancing Axel, the one on the right is Nyx who is on Tegan’s route.)

Then we go back to class, science class specifically, and realise that we don’t understand what the teacher is talking about and we need help. Luckily, depending on the person you chose to spend time with, someone will come to your help and organise a study group where your chosen crush will also be present.

Now, allow me to digress for a moment.

---

I don’t like when my scholar proves to be less capable than the others, she is a scholarship student, she should be smarter. While on Tegan’s route this part only slightly annoyed me but I soon got over it, on Axel’s route it was worse. Because, firstly, Tetrakys is in the science department, so not undertanding the science lecture and needing help is more serious and I would completely freak out. Second, the person who came to her rescue was... Claire. FREAKING CLAIRE. I hate Claire. Ok... I don’t hate hate her, but she really got on my bad side for multiple reasons:

1) The first time I played I was trying to pursue Tadashy, I didn’t know that, when the meter is the same, you get the illustration of the first person in aphabetical order. Which was... Claire.

2) Scholar was amazing during the department competition, she did a great interview, came up with the best idea and saved the day when things went downhill, and she ended up third place behind effing Claire who, of all things, was spending her time MANUALLY COPYING her notes for her classmates instead of scanning them.

3) When we were all helping Tadashi and people where looking for someone to help him write his speech I thought that it was finally our moment since our contribution that far had been to just buy computer parts online... and instead... they picked Claire! For the sole reason that apparently everyone loves her...??? We nailed the interview in episode 4!

And now, Claire again saves the day coming to our rescue using her superior intellect to explain the lecture for us...

It’s clear we will never be best friends.

---

Anyway, moving aside from my dislike of a 2D fictional character, we at least end up spending a bit more time with our crush, and even see some teasing from the other characters pointing out how that person was excited to have us in the study group.

Following this, we are asked to join a meeting with all the LIs except Tadashi, where Ellie explains that they have been organising a secret party and we are going to trick Tadashi to join it. One group is going to attend the official Arlington party and get Tadashi away with an excuse, another will stay at the dorm and prepare things. Scholar is always part of the kidnapping party.

While going back to the dorms we assist at a conversation between Karolina and Neha talking about an important fashion show that is going to happen soon at Arlington, a hint to the next plot I guess, probably Neha and/or Karolina’s arc.

Then it’s finally time for the party. We wear our hat (first illustration) and go to the gym. Once there we manage to take Tadashi away saying that we saw the Arlingtonator luriking in the dorms corridors, Tadashi believes us because Alistar is there too. We see Tadashi trying to put a brave face and not show how freaked out he actually is, we take him to the dorms and at the right time the Arlingtonator appears, scaring the crap out of him. Everyone laughs and the real party can finally start. They put Tadashi in a Pikachu onsie and crazy makeup

he is a good sport and lets people do whatever they want to him (he must be really greatful for the help everyone gave him during his whole ordeal). This is where we get the second illustration depending on the group we chose to spend time with.

Then we are told (but we don’t see it) that more time goes by chatting, playing, doing tarots, and finally telling scary stories. We see only the last bit of it before we hear some noises from the corridor, it’s the custodians who are making rounds. Time to end the party and rush back to our room. Before we can close the door someone burges into the room right behind us. We wait in the dark for the custodians to go away and then we find out that it’s the LI we chose to spend time at the beginning of the episode. There’s a cute scene between the two, then they leave and the episode ends.

---

What I liked

I liked the episode in general, I think we needed something lighthearted and fun, and there were lots of funny moments there. I loved how everyone ganged up on Tadashi because he is the perfect sacrificial lamb 🤭🤭🤭 but you could tell they were also doing it for him, to make him have fun and distract him after everything he had gone through, and he appreciated it. That’s real friendship.

I also liked that it feels like the company really listens to their players’ feedback and takes it into account. There were two main problems that I had found in the past few episodes: the fact that we were spending very little time with our LI, not advancing the relationship, and the fact that we were forced to spend time with all 10 of them equally, again reducing the amount of time with the characters we really want to focus on. This time they made up for both, by chosing our crush at the beginning we were able to spend more time with them and with just a few selected other characters. No one is forgotten, we eventually meet and talk to everyone, but it doesn’t feel like the time is equally shared and the game feels more focused and with a proper direction.

Another thing I really liked were the costumes. They were so damn on point. For everyone. They really capture the essence of the characters and I love when a game is able to stay true to its characters’ personalities even with the little things. And they all looked so damn good. Alistair as a firefighter?? HELLO MISTER! Raquel as a cheeky pirate, Ellie as a deadly Alice and... Axel 😍 Axel was some kind of modernised version of the Phantom of the Opera (I think) and HELLO??? This is one of my big bias, he looked so good 😍 I have only one complain: he took the mask off too soon 😭 he should’ve worn it the whole time 😭 I don’t care that it was too hot, it was hot in other ways too if you know what I mean...

One last thing I’d like to add is that I think the art was really pretty. I am totally useless when it comes to art, but to my ignorant eyes it looks like the artist is making lots of progress.

What I didn’t like

There’s only one thing, actually, and this is probably just a matter of personal taste. I thought that the writing lacked heat when it came to the romantic parts. I think that it was pretty good with comic and fluffy moments, but there was little passion. And I know this is a game aimed at a young audience so that’s why I said that maybe the problem is me, maybe I’ve just outgrown this type of games, but I also think that you don’t have to go all bang bang to describe heat between characters. Scholars says multiple times that she feels attraction towards the LI, and I read it but I didn’t feel it. I’m happy that I waited to play Axel’s route before making up my mind, because that’s actually better. And yes, Axel is more forward than Tegan, so there’s that, but it also felt like Axel’s romantic moments were more developped than Tegan’s as if the writer was more interested in him, if it makes any sense. However, even with Axel, I think they could’ve pushed more.

This is the first time in a long while that I’m in the mood to rewrite the scene of a game the way I have it in my head, maybe this will help me get out of my writing slump.

---

Anyway, all in all, I’m pretty happy. Looking forward to episode 10!

[nadziejastar]

Flurry of Dancing Flames

Chapter 15. Day 193 was a super important day. This chapter will be the origin of Axel’s moniker. He was angry and grief stricken on this day. And when Saix made him relive that, he was pissed.

The name of the cutscene where Axel receives his title is Axel’s Wrath.

Sati

Shiva's first consort in Hindu mythology, she threw herself into a sacrificial fire in protest of her father's mistreatment of Shiva. Upon hearing of this, Shiva become enraged and wailed in grief. Reincarnated as Parvati, she was reunited with Shiva.

If Axel’s death was based on the Phoenix’s blaze of glory, his fight with Roxas was based on the Tandava of Shivā. 

Shiva’s Rage

Shiva sensed this catastrophe, and his rage was incomparable. He loved Sati more than any and would never love any other woman after her. He danced the terrible Tandava or Rudratandava, a terrible dance of destruction and the power of his dance wrought havoc upon the Earth and threatened to give rise to Pralaya or the Great Destruction.

Shivā’s dance was a wrathful dance, causing a circle of flames around him. He performed this dance because he lost the one he loved. She self-immolated, very similar to the Moon Rabbit. So, it’s only fitting he used this flurry of flames for Isa.

Axel: Let’s meet again in the next life.

Just Like with the Phoenix, the dance symbolizes the cycle of death and rebirth. That’s why I think it was chosen to represent Axel’s character. 

[snowflake-of-destruction]

For the “send me a ship meme.” I have two. Akuriku and RikuRoku

 I’m  going to do these in two individual posts because I am a wordy person who gets carried away. Akuriku first and Rikuroku later or tomorrow.

1. How do much do I ship it?: Never heard of it/ Notp / Dislike / used to ship / maybe / ship it / aww / otp / IS IT CANON YET

Big surprise. Everything I am sent is going to be "ship it" even if it wasn't already once I have to concentrate on it.

2. What non sexual activities do they like to do together?

Video Games

Hikes. Axel's hesitance toward strenuous physical activity going out the window when Riku suggests paths that end in scenic overlooks. We know Axel is all about climbing to high places with nice views.

Philosophical debates and deep talks. They both seemed inclined and would appreciate someone wanting to dig into the mysteries of or deeper issues with life and daily living with them. I see them on the same level. "I never thought much about that" is not an answer either of them would utter, both because it's generally not true since both spend a lot of time thinking, and, because, if it is something they hadn't considered or don't know much about, they can both quickly make it up. On the other end of the spectrum, neither is so intellectual or psuedo-intellectual as to leave the other behind. 

Naps. Riku cannot stand even the idea of naps initially, much less the idea of taking one himself, then Axel just pulls him into/back into bed or tricks him there to koala/cobra wrap around him and refuse to let him leave because Axel is a big fan of sleep, and if anyone needs more sleep it's Riku. Riku has a slow breakdown of admitting things in stages. I like that you can overpower me (though mainly because Riku has too much worry about hurting him to use all his strength, because Axel is taller and he is lean muscle not twig, but Riku is still the beef in this stroganoff and Axel the noodle)---> I like being the little spoon DON'T LAUGH--> this napping thing isn't so bad.

Comparing and contrasting Sora and Roxas. Take this however you want.

3. Who does chores around the house?

Riku. He likes an orderly house. He won't nag outright and Axel doesn't fall for the same kinds of taunts/manipulation as Sora would so at first he just doesn't know how to deal with Axel not putting in the same effort he does. Plus, he doesn't mind doing everything that much. When he begins minding, they have an honest, open talk because, though it took awhile to get there, Riku is good at those. Axel earnestly promises to do his share...and then does it terribly so Riku doesn't ask again. If Riku ever shows real stress though, Axel feels so bad he....tricks someone else into doing everything for both of them. Haha, you thought he would do it? No.

4. Who’s the better cook?

Self-sufficient Riku, though Axel is the more creative chef that tries new dishes, so it depends on how quickly one gets tired of the meals Riku has mastered and considers adequate enough in fulfilling the need for variety. 

5. Who’s the funniest drunk?

Riku. Axel argues Riku is only the funny drunk, whereas, he's hilarious all the time. Once more, it comes down to the principle that when you care less what you say or do sober, your drunk self isn't that different. Riku is a craps shoot when drunk though. Just as often as Funny Riku you get Depressive Riku that needs to be treated very gently.

6. Do they have kids?

One day. I don't have particularly strong feelings about it, but instinctually I feel both are the type to want kids eventually.

7.  Do they have any traditions?

Light left on whenever one isn't home. 

Watching the sunrise together. Axel whines about lack of sleep/goes back to sleep after, but he loves his red and orange skies and Riku refuses to "share" a tradition. 

Celebrating rebirth days as well as birhtdays. This is when Riku broke free of Ansem for Riku and Axel's recompletion for him. Dinner in complete darkness that is then broken by a fire spell lighting cake candles. That specific tradition lasts one rebirth day because Riku stabs himself repeatedly with a fork in the dark and then Axel sets the whole table on fire. Afterwards, they still do the symbolic darkness into light thing, but do it with Riku's old blindfold, putting on the blindfold early and being led around obstacles until they get to a "surprise" party and are "freed from darkness."

8. What do they fight about?

Their sacrificial streaks and trying to protect each other mostly. Sometimes about how Axel will not do any housework.

9. What would they do if they found their paring tag on tumblr? (If they have one)

 Laugh. Riku would get embarrassed. Axel would propose acting out any fanfiction they come across.

10. Who cried at the end of Marley and me?

Riku. Axel took advantage of cuddle time.

11. Who always wins at Mario kart?

Axel and it drive Riku up a wall.

12. One thing I like about this ship?

Well, I just love the characters so much I am tempted to just say anything that includes them is good. I guess Riku being with someone he doesn't have a built in need to be the strong one for--more than his baseline I mean--and, on the same track, both of them getting the chance to be with someone who they can just build a more naturally paced relationship with not having to start out with the intensity and baggage of "everything I was for awhile was because of you/for you" or "I went to hell in back and/or died for you" that hangs over Soriku, Rikai, Akuroku, Leaisa, etc. 

13. One thing I don’t like about the ship?

It's not Akuroku. A flaw many Kingdom Hearts ships share.

But if Axel and Riku then....no Akuroku or Soriku or Rikai in this story? Like a zero amount? Or it's only in the past? Or it breaks them up? I...can't compute this. None at all? What about a little, as a treat? (This ignores a polycule situation, but I'm trying to be funny.) 

14. The song I would say fits them?

There is going to be the reoccurring answer of "I do not have a song for them. I never thought about it." Copy and paste everywhere because I hardly ever do this even with the major ones. The Grass is Greener Vanikai was a fluke. 

15. Another headcanon about the paring? (Free space)

Axel gets Riku to move in with him like he's slowly adopting a stray cat, buying and leaving out things he'd like both food and decor wise and making a comfortable space until Riku spends more and more time around.

[loxare]

A crap guide to KH characters

that I made instead of studying psychology, enjoy!

Sora – precious bab. Will fuk you up if you mess with his friends. Has been suppressing his emotions since 2002 and honestly really needs a hug and probably a good cry. Sunshine boi. People really need to stop being mean to him, or trying to unravel who he is as a person i s2g i will cut a bitch. Has sacrificed himself to save his friends way too many times. Honestly, he's just a good boy who went on an adventure to save his friends and went through a lot of crap, but still manages to keep an upbeat outlook.

Riku – 2edgy4u. Will also fuk you up if you mess with his friends. Went through probably the best redemption arc since Zuko. Also needs a hug. Has tried to sacrifice himself to save his friends several times but his friends say he's not allowed. A good boy who's been trying to make up for his mistakes since 2002 and honestly he's doing a great job.

Kairi – Sunshine girl. Hasn't fucked anyone up for messing with her friends yet but damn if she isn't trying. Tired of playing damsel in distress, more tired of waiting for her boys to come home. Probably would sacrifice herself for her friends but hasn't had the opportunity. Ready to fist fight a damn werewolf to avoid being sidelined again. I need a game dedicated to her stat.

Roxas – 3edgy5u. Started out a happy kiddo, then some bad shit happened and now he's just mad at everyone. Identity crises every second Wednesday. All he wants is to eat ice cream with his friends, roll around town on his skateboard and disassemble the government, is that too much to ask?

Axel/Lea – The absolute worst person ever turned lovable asshole once he discovered parenting. Seriously, he was terrible in CoM. But honestly, understandable considering he was forced to join a cult that spent a solid decade telling him he had no emotions and hey, please be an assassin for us. Needs to pick a name. Currently fighting Aqua for the Best Team Parent Award (and losing, sorry Lea, Aqua is just that good).

Xion – precious daughter. Seriously needs a hug. Identity crises all day all night all the time. Most Forgettable Character Award (I'm so sorry). All she wants is to eat ice cream with her friends, go to the beach and scream trans rights at the worlds, is that too much to ask? Had so much bad shit happen to her. Inherited her self-sacrificial streak from Sora. Someone get this girl a better role model. No, not Lea, he did some self-sacrifice bs too, someone else. No, not Aqua either.

Terra – himbo xtreme. So good and trusting he trusted the wrongest person. Sorry, two wrongest persons. Terra no. He's just a terrafic dude (I'm not sorry). Stronk. Dumb. Kind. Would possess his own empty armor to protect his friends and sit in a wasteland for over a decade. What strength. What willpower. Someone get this man into the Green Lantern Corps, stat. I need him and Kronk to meet because they're both so dumb I love them. Terra's great.

Aqua – Light of my life. Willingly jumped into hell to save her friend. Jewelry maker. Will fuk you up if you mess with her friends. Did I mention that she jumped into hell to save her friend? Who was actually her friend being possessed by the bad guy? And that she stayed there for over a decade? Such strength. Someone get this woman a hug. And therapy. Current holder of the Best Team Parent Award. Her friend group has five brain cells and she holds four of them.

Ven – Literal sunshine boy. Don't look too long, you'll go blind. Will fuk you up if you even look at his friends. Shady past that he absolutely does not remember. Winner of the Rip Van Winkle Award for longest nap. Kind of a brat at first but damn does he grow up fast. Has the worst evil twin ever. Holds the last brain cell.

Vanitas – The evil twin. The worst, I love him. Seriously needs to get some therapy. And a redemption arc, I need one so bad. Makes his own pets out of sadness. SHady past he might remember. Sees himself as the monster when the real monster was Doctor Franken- I mean. Xehanort. Really needs a hug, but maybe be prepared to run if you're giving it.

Namine – Perennial damsel in distress. Literal self insert character. Ends up going from one bad situation to another. When she finally gets her freedom, she vanishes. No one understands her powers and honestly that's fine. All she wants is to help. Someone tell her it's ok to want things for herself too.

Repliku – this guy is just an identity crisis put into a person. Doesn't even have his own name yet. So incredibly angry at everything he's gone through but has ended up in a sort of acceptance. The only person who didn't get a happy ending and I can and will revolt. Spent most of his life confused and angry and honestly relatable.

[literally-in-too-many-fandoms]

Kingdom Hearts as types of people

@mistkissedmoon requested KH characters as types of people and i physically had to stop myself from making these into headcanon posts but here I hope you all enjoy :)

RIKU: rainy days for studying and playing board games; a really good baker, to everyone's surprise including himself; teacher's pet; hard-earned but genuine smirks; Buff as heck and works hard for it;

SORA: bright sunny days with no plan but lots going on and an unscheduled nap; all around good cook; earnest but forgetful; a smile so bright you can't help but be warmed; can get along with anyone as long as they're kind

KAIRI: partly cloudy days with a schedule full of friends; no cooking ability whatsoever but loves food; picture-perfect smiles that never fail to cheer anyone up; constantly underestimated, uses to her advantage; secretly Buff; 

TERRA: misty mornings with quiet and solititude; plays several instruments with lots of skill but not show-offy; traditional tea; getting hurt never stops him from trusting people; comfy chairs next to fireplaces;

VEN: slow, peaceful mornings before energetic afternoons; literally can only play the ukelele; only drinks the sweetest of frappuccinos; mismatches socks on purpose; wind whistling through hair; oblivious;

AQUA: bright, busy mornings fading into calm afternoons; plays seventeen different instruments seemingly effortlessly; coffee with cream and nothing else; Ultimate Mom Friend; old libraries and comfy sweaters; believes the best in everyone but herself;

AXEL: a bright sunset heralding in a long evening before bed; buddy cop movies; cries really easily; punches people to show affection; became the Mom Friend on accident and despite being an idiot himself;

ROXAS: the long sink of the sun below the horizon and the shifting, intense hues of color that come with it; likes dramas with lots of angst but inevitable happy endings; strong sense of justice; touch-averse most of the time; hard to earn his trust but unwavering once it is won;

XION: a calm sunset after a long busy day; cracks up at dark comedies; self-sacrificial; cuddle monster; is making a list of her favorite beaches;

ISA: a bright twilight with shared inside jokes and soft laughter; action movies with lots of violence; stubborn as heck; gives the best hugs but they're rare; likes piercings a lot;

REPLIKU: nights with lots of stars and lots of company; likes those adult coloring books; emotions are hard; wants to be tall; forgets to wear emotion on face sometimes;

VANITAS: dark nights to vent and release emotions followed by peaceful sleep; can't draw but can kind of sculpt; Dramatic(TM); wears eyeliner for the Look(TM); prefers to hang out with animals; 

NAMINE: dreamy evenings fading into a comfy night; art on art on art in every medium you can think of; doesn't show much emotion; obsessed with color palettes; obsessed with scented candles; 

[zdbztumble]

“Chain of Memories” revisited

(NOTE: My only experience playing this game is with the remake for the PS2, and so all my comments, and all my memories, derive from that, not the GBA original.)

It’s been interesting, going through the Kingdom Hearts series again this year, to see lines of praise and criticism I wasn’t aware of before. In the case of Chain of Memories, I wasn’t aware of some of the objections made to this game’s story and gameplay. Apparently, it’s been faulted for abandoning the set-up at the end of KH I in favor of a completely new story, it established the series’ penchant for nonsensical mystery and needlessly convoluted plotting, and the gameplay is too divorced from the rest of the series.

I can’t say that I find the first and the third to be justified critiques. To begin with the third point, I really enjoy the card-based mechanic. It took me longer to get the hang of it this time than I remembered from my teenage years, but once I did, it was a lot of fun to play around with. If I have any complaints about the mechanic, it’s that the game becomes a little too easy once you unlock enough sleights and grow your deck to a certain size. By the time I reached the end of the second set of world cards, it was only boss battles that offered any real challenge. But I still enjoyed building decks and watching the sleight animation. 

As for the idea that the game abandoned the set-up from KH I - I just can’t see that at all. It’s stated more than once that Sora and friends came to Castle Oblivion on the trail of Riku and King Mickey, and until Repliku is revealed as such, he feeds into their feelings about that search. This game was also produced when KH II was already announced, and was conceived of as an intermediary title; even if it had deviated wildly from the set-up at the end of KH I, this would have been the place to do it.

And that is something worth remembering when assessing CoM - the state of things at the time it was made. It’s easy to look over the entire series, with all its strange naming conventions, egregious retcons, and neglected and abandoned character lines, but when CoM was made, there was only the one game, and an upcoming sequel. To think of CoM as a side game, was appropriate at the time, even with the impact it would have on KH II’s story.

However - with that said, hindsight has not always been kind to CoM, because the game did set trends that would end up metastasizing and bringing the whole series down. It did indeed establish the precedent of teasing future titles and stories with vague allusions, set-up without a pay-off. In this case, with KH II on the way - and the fact that KH II did pay off the teasing in CoM - the mystery made for an effective element in the larger series. But efforts to replicate the success of that mystery in later titles were often abysmal. A very similar story goes for this game’s attempt to have its cake and eat it too with the question on whether Sora would ever remember Namine - KH II found a way to pull that off in a satisfying manner that preserved a bittersweet and sacrificial element, but other games could never duplicate that feat.

This game also started to demonstrate the pacing issues that later games would make far worse. One aspect of the pacing was out of the developers’ hands - the loss of the rights to Tarzan cost them a world, and by moving Halloweentown up to fill the empty slot in the first set of world cards and sticking the 100 Acre Wood into the second, that set of world cards feels light and rushed compared to the first. But there are other pacing problems within this game. The ratio of cutscenes to gameplay is often awkward, especially with the need to pass through two sets of scenes every time you move up one floor. The repetitive nature of these cutscenes, with stilted dialogue covering things the player already knows, also emerged here, in a more pronounced way than in KH I that would only grow and fester.

I also found some of the leaps of logic more of a strain on credulity here than in the first game. To complain about logic in Kingdom Hearts is always going to be a little ridiculous, I know, but the first game did manage a better internal logic, at least up until the very end. It was a fantasy world’s logic, well freed from many normal constraints, but it held up. Some of the moves here, from Goofy’s deductions about memories early in the game, to when Donald and Goofy do or don’t appear in cutscenes, to Sora’s assumptions when he offers to let Namine wipe his memories, just didn’t hold water even internally, and that’s another trend that would worsen with time.

And then...there’s the villains.

Organization XIII has always been better as a concept and a collective than broken down into its individual components IMO. In this game - where it was still just “the Organization” - that collective is never truly dealt with. Its plans and its threat are the tease, the shadowy image on the horizon that will ultimately be addressed in KH II, its only representation within the game being Axel and Vexen. The villains here are a renegade faction within the Organization, and that faction is essentially only two members, Marluxia and Larxene. And I have to be honest - they just don’t work for me.

Playing through KH I again this year led me to finally love and appreciate Riku as a character, but no such change of heart happened with these characters. Axel and Larxene remain utterly repellent to me. I get that Axel is meant to be smug, and Larxene’s meant to be a sadistic bitch, but such characters tread a very thin line between being effective and compelling antagonists that enhance a story, or being insufferable black holes that derail a story. Both fall firmly in the latter category IMO, and the only reason they don’t do more damage is because of their limited screen time. As for Marluxia - I was shocked, playing through this game again, how little screen time he has, and how limited the build-up to him is. Couple that with his non-existent personality, and I really can’t believe that this guy was brought back in KH III, let alone the greater lore. This, of course, marks another trend began in this title - underwhelming and/or detrimental antagonists in black cloaks given one too many monologues.

There are also issues unique to this game, and in some cases to the remake of it that I’ve played. Summons are much more hit and miss than in the first game (Donald and Genie are essentially worthless in my experience), and not having some of them available for most of the story in a given world can get frustrating when you want to play with them but the game moves so quickly due to the ease of combat. Line readings in cutscenes are often awkward, and Sora’s teenage voice, while unavoidable, is incredibly distracting.

And there is one criticism I’ve seen of this game’s story that I have to agree with: the lack of a role for the Disney worlds in the story. I don’t always agree with the way this criticism is put. The fact that none of those worlds and characters are really there, and are constructed from fragments of memory, put some limits on what agency they could have in the larger plot. And I don’t object out of hand to the fact that this turns a good chunk of the game into covering old territory; the level design, world-plot tweaks, and battle mechanic all make it a unique enough experience from KH I. But while some of the Disney worlds tie in thematically to the larger story (Halloweentown and Neverland in particular stood out on that point), there was a huge missed opportunity to tie them into the actual narrative.

Consider this possibility: in each Disney world, there is a fragment of Sora’s memory - his memories of his past, before the first game - that is unlocked by completing the world. These could give us some backstory on his life on Destiny Islands, show more of his friendships, and give more detail on Riku and Kairi’s character - for example, Alice tricking the Red Queen (an excellent scene and character beat, BTW) could trigger a memory of a time when Kairi displayed similar quick thinking, early in her friendship with Sora. As the game goes on, these unlocked memories would become more distorted, with Namine gradually worming into them - first as a figure on the periphery, then co-existing with Riku and Kairi in their childhood, then ultimately replacing Kairi. This idea already exists in the game through dialogue - some of it quite well-written - but this would have been far more impactful IMO, and expanded the lore of the series in the areas that actually deserve it.

Now - that’s a lot of negatives, and you may be thinking right now that I became disenchanted with CoM after this play-through. But in fact, I didn’t. As I said, the flaws it has that became trends aren’t nearly as ugly here as they would become, and the flaws it has unique to itself aren’t deal breakers. And this game has elements that are executed so well, that they make up for nearly all of these flaws, and turn this game into what I feel - at least at this point, with more games to revisit - is the best character piece in the series. And the character in question is none other than our hero, Sora.

To begin with - even more than replaying KH I, replaying CoM demonstrates how far Sora’s IQ has fallen in recent titles. The Sora of DDD and KH III would have been slack-jawed and buggy-eyed, constantly baffled by the nature of Castle Oblivion, throughout the game. This Sora catches on quickly to how these projections of memory and people work, which is quite welcome. As in KH I, he is still clearly a childlike teen with a lot of zest and optimism, but he isn’t incapable of getting down to business, and he’s realistically triggered by setbacks and trauma.

And boy, does he come in for trauma on this game. If other aspects of this game suffer in their pacing, the slow build to Sora’s disoriented, lost, and broken state of mind when the truth about Namine comes out is fantastic in this game. The way Namine is revealed over time plays a big role in that, even if the player can see it coming, but the timing on when Sora shifts gears is wonderfully placed, the dual memory moment being a highlight. When he breaks with Donald and Goofy, it feels truly earned, and that dovetails nicely into the Destiny Islands story material. Prior to this playthrough, I actually remembered Sora going even darker - for some reason, I thought he was the one to kill Vexen. But the grim, even ruthless, look on his face when he defeats Axel and finishes Marluxia are enough to sell that having his mind scrambled leaves Sora in a dark place. I daresay that the angry and fragmented person he becomes over the course of the game should have been the model for Roxas’s personality...but my unpopular thoughts on Roxas are best saved for after I replay KH II.

It’s the breaking of Sora’s mind, more than any scheme of Marluxia’s, that really drive the conflict in this story, and Namine’s role in that as the reluctant breaker turned savior is quite effective. I can’t say she’s at the top of my list of favorite characters from this series, but she is a unique and engaging presence, who I’ll have more to say about after replaying KH II. The role Repliku plays in the story is even better IMO, even if clustering all his material in the back half of the game seems a poor pacing decision. I don’t know whether this was intentional or not, but the sheer level of vindictiveness and hatred that Repliku expresses towards Sora, and the reactions that draws out of him, were a great way to indirectly express any lingering fears or doubts Sora might have developed about his friend after the events of KH I. (Though one must ask why the real Riku didn’t appear in Sora’s memories of Monstro or Neverland.)

Lastly, we come to Kairi, who plays a significant role in this game without ever actually appearing in it before a clip during the credits. That Kairi, and Namine, serve almost entirely as objects for the hero to save is unfortunate, as is the fact that Kairi is more intrinsically tied to the heart of this game’s story than she is KH III’s.  But that said - at least she is relevant. I’ll also credit this game for, intentionally or not, showing how unhealthy a single-minded obsession on protecting and saving the “princess” can become.

Where Kairi’s role really comes home to roost is in this game introducing the phrase that Kairi is the most important person to Sora. That they were more than friends, and that they were bound together, was well-established in KH I, but the point is really driven home here, largely through Namine’s machinations but also in smaller details, such as the dialogue given over to the three friends on Destiny Islands. This side to their relationship is so stressed, and so central to this game, that I really can’t understand all the comments about KH III “finally” making it canon - Sora’s side of it, at least, has been so from Day 1 of this series.

The one missed note in this aspect of the plot is in the dialogue right before the final floor begins, discussing the fake memories. Just a word from Namine about how her fake memories held the power they did because they were built on truth, with herself grafted over Kairi, would have been nice. But even without that beat, it’s a wonderfully handled story element. I really can’t put into words how satisfying I find Sora’s arc in this game, or the fact that it actually is central to the game, the primary thread in its narrative, something that shouldn’t have to be remarked upon in a series with one central protagonist. For the strength of that arc, and the joy of the gameplay, I still give Chain of Memories high marks. It can’t compare to its predecessor for overall quality, but what strengths it has overpower so much else about it.

I suppose now I should revisit Reverse/Rebirth...the tax one has to pay in a proper re-visit before getting to KH II...bleh. 

[lightmimic-a]

“Concentrate on my heartbeat. Don’t listen to anything else.”

@fireize

Conflict:  rage burning in her skin / underneath her artificial organs / perpetual  /  hurt and suffering loud and sharp and cutting like the crystals she once became.  Fingers twitching to grasp and break.  A child at once sure that she cannot deserve existence / love / them but also furious that she should have to believe that.  SACRIFICIAL LAMB DIED FOR THEM REMAINS QUIET FOR THEM SWALLOWS HER SUFFERING LIKE GLASS FOR THEM AND SHE IS TIRED OF SLICING HER THROAT AND STOMACH TO MANGLED FLESH FOR THE SAKE OF OTHER PEOPLE.  But can’t stop.  But won’t stop.  Conflict:  nervous and desperate and angry and hurting and compelled to break something / anything / herself if only to be sure that she exists and that she is powerful and that she has the strength to KILL ANYONE WHO TRIES TO MAKE HER A PUPPET AGAIN.

Conflict:  rage burning underneath her skin and the knowing that she cannot breathe a word of that suffering to anyone / to him.  What she feels is ugly and she knows and if they see how bad how sick how furious how weapon - like she is they will leave.  (  saïx and xemnas taught her well.  she knows the rules.  the requirements are different.  PERFORM OR DIE.  the requirements are the same.  the performance is different.  BE GOOD OR BE ALONE.  which is the same as BE GOOD OR DIE.  )  Conflict:  nervous and desperate and angry and compelled to break something / anything / herself and if she does not expel this riotous thing somehow then it will turn her into shrapnel and she will DIE.  But can’t speak it.

Conflict:  she remembers how it felt, back before, when Xemnas brought her back and remade her into a weapon and she couldn’t fight and he would kill her if she couldn’t fight and she grew desperate and she leeched the memories and the skills from him and ———

Berserk is difficult to control, is all.

It is loud and white noise and rage overwhelming her / and she helpless in the face of it.  A puppet to her own hurt / better that than a puppet to another / BETTER THAT THAN ALONENESS OR DEATH.  Another kind of drowning.

She sequesters herself away when she does indulges this torture (  a forest, this time, decimating trees  ) but she is not impossible to find.  She doesn’t notice him; not even when his keyblade is against her own, desperate to either stop her or protect from her.  Her blood roars.  SHE IS AWARE ONLY THAT SHE HAS A TARGET.  She doesn’t notice him past the white noise roaring in her ears and her body screaming screaming PUSH FARTHER PUSH FARTHER PUSH FARTHER PUSH FARTHER BREAK BREAK BREAK ——

She doesn’t notice him until her blade meets his body and he shouts in pain, the sound familiar and sick, and her mind twists and still screams but she pauses.  His blade returns the strike in the pause she offers; not to harm but to STOP.  She flies back at the force of it, landing on her feet and the fingertips of her free hand; crouched as though she’s half - feral.  Perhaps she is.  Eyes still bright and shining.

“Axel ——”  It’s a choke of a name, voice tight.  BREAK HIM BREAK HIM BREAK HIM.  NO.  I WOULD RATHER DIE.  She wills the keyblade away and in its absence her weapon hand curls so tightly that her nails leave red half - moons in the scarred expanse of her palm.  Her mind screams.  Her body screams.  SHE WANTS TO BREAK HIM.  “Stay back —— nononononono —”

“Xion!”  His voice is sick with hurt and worry.  Her mind screams.  Legs give out and she falls to her knees, fingers tangling in her hair and pulling hard.  She curls in on herself, eyes screwed shut.  SHE NEEDS TO GET OUT OF THIS PLACE / THIS BURNING BUILDING / THIS JAGGED RIBCAGE.  NEEDS TO GET BACK TO HERSELF.  SHE CAN’T.

“Stop it,” she hisses at herself.  The reverberating need to break something doesn’t lessen.  “Just stop!”  

She isn’t aware of him until there is a familiar hand on her shoulder; her head snaps up, a GROWL against her teeth.  Lips part to tell him to GET AWAY, SHE’S NOT SAFE, but before she can manage he’s on his knees before her, folding her into a tight embrace.  Her head against his chest.

“Concentrate on my heartbeat,” he says, voice low, perilously close to tears.  Her trembling, twitching hands wrap around him and dig into his back with force enough to bruise — BREAK HIM.  He doesn’t flinch.  “Don’t listen to anything else.”  Her shoulders shudder.  She wants to BREAK HERSELF.

But she tries.  Glowing eyes wide and staring at nothing at all, and she wills her grip to loosen and her body to loosen and she listens to his heartbeat, over - fast and afraid but STEADY.  He took her back to Xemnas, once, so that he could break her, and his arms feel like the safest place in the world.  She chokes out a sob.  He holds her tighter.

“I’m sorry —” she gasps.

“Shhh.”  One of his hands is gentle in her hair, brushing through the locks.  His voice is trembling, and his hand is, too.  He’s crying.  “It’s okay.  You’re okay, Xion.”

Her grip on him loosens.  Her eyes flicker and then return to themselves.  Her shoulders tremble and she listens as his heartbeat slows and her breaths turn to saltwater sobs.  She curls against him and wants to apologize, but she is crying far too hard to do anything but cling to him and love him and feel so, so, so sorry.

“Shhhh,” Lea murmurs.  “You’re okay.  I’m here.  I’ve got you.”

[cheshirequeenwithoutaheart]

if you (ie: me) think about it hard enough, it’s kinda obvious that colleen would end up with other members of her private investigations agency (which doubles as a paranormal detective agency so, ya know, they would need to be supernatural as well) after she, axel, asena and jason split. 

i mean, yeah inertia/inyrxiaz and cuthbert are members but... cuthbert is a freaking skull. he gets around in a ball of fire and THAT isn't practical. inerta/inyrxiaz is a eldritch being who comes and goes whenever they please and colleen is their technical spawn after the eldritch transformation event of 19XX (that’s a lie, it’s probably set somewhere in the 21st century).

anyway, the point i’m trying to make (whilst being distracted by other points because that is just the story of daily life of a witch pi) is that, apparently, one of the themes (if you can call it that) of dloawpi is friendships changing, growing apart and growing up and still being friends, but not being as close as you were before. kinda. idk how to make it simple so i wont.

right, so axel and asena split and start living an ordinary life (well, as ordinary as a green witch and a werewolf can), axel gets with kaius and they eventually get married, asena gets with annabelle (maybe they split, maybe they dont) and axel and kaius start a florist shop (with witchy things attached on the side. but secret like). they have their own lives apart from the mystery magnets and dont want to go back to being pi’s. which i get. like i didnt make these characters myself.

i mean, sure. axel and colleen still call each other their best friend and they love each other (as much as they can in colleen’s case), but they dont talk much. colleen disappears for months at a time, not counting the year she went radio silent right after they broke up, and she isnt interested in settling down. plus she’s an eldritch being now. so, ya know, she’s going to live a lot longer (ie: probably till the universe itself dies) so... eh. asena might still dabble in investigating but she’d probably do something else. like art. or make-up. or fashion. there’s a lot she can do. 

jason, on the other hand, was already old when they met. he’s kinda stuck in his ways: look after the library, flirt with men and women alike, get out as soon as romance is added since the only person he ever loved died in some sacrificial ritual. he meets with colleen a bit more than axel since she uses the library for her cases but it’s so big they can spend a few days there without seeing each other. (which has the potential for a lot of comedy, lemme tell you). his curse thing that keeps him alive is probably undone eventually and he gets to pass over.

the bottom line is they’re friends who’ve moved past their days of solving mysteries together and have grown up and apart in many ways. but they still love each other. kinda. depends on the day.

(they probably get together to finally lay the tarot card murders case to rest and there’s probably a moment where they all look at each other, smile, and walk off in their own directions.)

[naruhearts]

13x20: “I don’t care what happens to me”-- Dean Worthless Winchester, John Winchester’s Death and Destiel

Oh my god!

I gotta say, 13x20 was an ANGSTY FEELSY amalgamation of meta and foreshadowing for the Big Finale Triad of 21, 22, and 23. It laid down S5 tones, key themes, and narrative direction, hoo boy!!! 

I’m sorry I posted late! Time-of-month sickness was an interruption, yikes.

I’d like to start with the Dean & Sam final scene, then talk about the major culminating implications this Father-centric episode specifically holds for our beloved protagonist Dean Winchester the shackled child — the Man behind the Mask (which S13 has been a gigantic narrative mirror of) — and the Destiel narrative/Cas in relation to Dean’s arc and character disposition *rubs hands together*

Glynn & Co made Dean’s axel-swinging between communication and miscommunication pretty clear to me in the last scene of 13x20, especially regarding the dialogue that people thought was character regression into Brodependency.

After sleeping on it, I didn’t see the same scale of toxic codependency from seasons ago a la ‘there ain’t no me if there ain’t no you.’ It wasn’t mutual. I saw it as: 1. more from Sam’s end, and 2. Dean’s willingness to protect his loved ones (Sam and CAS, in bold) combined with letting go and the textual acknowledgement of his low self-worth carrying over from 13x05 (the low self-worth he internalized across 99.6798% of his life course).

Firstly, Dabb’s subverting S5. 

He put independent Dean in S5 independent Sam’s shoes here, and it’s surely not a coincidence that Dean himself referenced their implosive S5 Michael-Lucifer mess: “Where we were last time we had front row seats”. S5 exhibited Dean’s Holding On vs Sam’s Letting Go, with lost Dean crawling to Lisa’s door and yeah, we know how that prickly-edged story went. It’s finally Dean Letting Go vs Sam Holding On. It’s indicative of S13 faithless Grieving!Sam re: Mary/Jack seeking his own emancipation and finding real introspective purpose away from the codependent strings he’s clinging to. We heard Sam’s “If we die, we die together”. Don’t fret, his current arc is constructed to get rid of this kind of thinking and move towards Faith!

Dean’s prepared to cut the codependent strings — already has via 12x22, and then in 13x05 (albeit in a suicidal grief-ridden manner. Speaking of, 13x20 this time shifted focus to Sam’s risk-taking re: Lucifer and the Apocalypse in itself. Unsurprisingly, we already witnessed this narrative train running in reverse -- early S13 Grieving!Dean and Functioning Sam swapped roles post-13x06 and in 13x11. Man, I am pumpin’ my fists).

Atop the bro dualism, Dean’s behaviour in 13x20 concerned me the most, saddened me the most, and intrigued me the most. 

:’( 

I may have yelled said that Dean has emotionally matured, eliminated toxic coping mechanisms, achieved an internal balance between his femininity and non-performative masculinity (acknowledged in 13x04; actively manifested in 13x16 onwards x, x), and gained a sense of non-combative communication and understanding (seen in 13x14), yet his low self-worth constitutes the biggest roadblock to his FULL personal growth.

Okay, I know you’ll exclaim: after Cas returned, Dean wasn’t depressed anymore! 

Well, that’s accurate and relatively inaccurate. Dean’s low self-worth is the central facet of his characteristic development, and it does have a guaranteed correlation with depression. Yes, you can feel worthless without being clinically depressed, but worthlessness is maladaptive and contributes to feeling depressed --> Dean’s depression. 

Dean’s case is a heartbreaking one. He’s been depressed for YEARS. He never really cared about what happened to him for YEARS = our Dean meta textualized in gloomy letters!!

Yes, the single individual -- the canon WIN -- that placed him back on the rails was Cas, his Everything, resurrecting from the dead. Cas’ return drastically mitigated Dean’s severe nihilistic depression (aka his rock bottom nihilistic grief when he lost Cas) BUT it didn’t necessarily fix his pre-existing depression.

S13 depicts Dean -- despite Cas’ bright presence -- as traveling the rails empty. There’s not enough coal to fuel his engine because he LACKS the mental faculties to appropriately cope re: trauma and give up his control. This is why he seems to oscillate between character progression and regression, and he still isn’t 100% HONEST and OPEN about his feelings. He’s keepin’ it in. There’s no healthy psychological unload taking place.

Case in point? Dean’s regressed to drinking the hard booze again; Cas FILLS the negative spaces (as he’s been doing throughout S13). Dean is not disclosing the whole truth -- not saying what he’s genuinely feeling (to CAS. I discuss it x, x, x). 

Plus, Dean’s internal worries re: Death, the next apocalyptic war, Cas’ Heavenly plans, and his respective destiny/fate (Death’s “See you soon”) just exacerbate the personal instability he’s experiencing.

And then we observe Dean’s parental duty rearing its head:

To me this is what reiterated the Brodependency being dismantled in late S12/S13 (12x22 and 13x12/15 in particular). Don’t get me wrong – Dean’s mostly let go. He was willing to leave Sam behind in 13x05 after losing the one person who textually means Everything to him. 

Dean’s psyche is at a point right now where he AIN’T okay with Sam’s risk-taking. He questions his little brother’s half-baked plans and sympathizes with the close-to-here manic desperation (again, mirroring S5 and S13 Grieving!Dean), except Dean’s low self-worth puts him in the dark position: I’m doing it, all of it, for YOU (Sam and Cas) since I don’t value myself enough to do it for ME. He further says--

He obviously does, but us, the audience, know--in dramatic irony fashion--that this is NOT Dean’s entire truth.

He values his brother more than himself, and he values CAS more than himself. He cares about what happens to CAS. Nothing Else Matters. And we’re aware that Cas canonically occupies the highest pedestal in Dean’s life, which TPTB absolutely highlighted during Dean’s grieving arc, Cas’ return, and 13x16 onwards. 

(In this scene, Dean continues to tell Sam what he’s NOT telling Cas. USE THE RIGHT WORDS.)

 Cas is the love of Dean’s life, his Everything, and his Win. I mentioned before that losing Cas a second time would destroy him.

(**Dating 101: Dean therefore cannot establish a truly healthy, mutually interdependent relationship with Cas if he has low self-worth. He’s trying, but his personal losses -- more LOSSES than wins this season i.e. AU!Charlie/Mary/Jack in AU, non-confronted traumas i.e. Cas’ death, and insecurities cripple his ability to give Cas ALL of himself, out in the open!)

Although Dean HAS FAITH (Cas), the decisions he’ll formulate to protect/save Sam, Mary, Jack, and especially Cas aren’t exactly derived from mental stability. Keeping them safe is too paramount to Dean that the choices he’ll encounter could be questionable/dangerous, putting him in the line of (sacrificial) fire. 

Sound familiar? It’s deliberately supposed to sound familiar!

Jack, TFW’s Unity/Balance symbol and characteristic mirror, even stated that ‘if he can’t keep others safe, what’s the use’?

Dean will make the penultimate save-the-world (read: save my family) decision ALONE regardless of Sam’s regressive wish to die together. And I wrote that his arc is now DIRECTLY paralleling S11 Casifer & Depressed!Cas’ S11/12 arc, especially (mis)communicative 12x19 --> 12x23 ‘I Have Faith’ Cas. There’s prevalent narrative symmetry in Dean’s arc (intrinsically linked to Cas’ arc).

“You, me, and Sam...we’re just better together” indeed, and this year’s season-ender should unite TFW like last season--unite Dean and Cas--in order to change their fates/defeat Death, but Dean’s decision will be an isolated one --> one that was foreshadowed as he faced expositional Daddy Issues™ Loki by himself. And Dean may not tell Cas, just like Cas hadn’t told Dean in 12x23 about his sacrificial act.

These vastly important storytelling threads ultimately conjoin with “I don’t care what happens to me. I never really have” as the PINNACLE of Dean’s 13-year long characterization; the progressive climax sparking his death/decay so that he can be reborn and revitalized aka THIS IS IT!! Dean’s impending death and self-sacrifice for his loved ones (CAS) = the ultimate catharsis in that S13′s narrative has finally approached the IRL scenario of 13x16 ghost kid (DEAN)’s release from father figure Bad Man -- from the negative influence of all the other literal (Loki, Odin, Lucifer, James Turner) and metaphorical (Asmodeus, Buddy, Michael) fatherly mirrors permeating this season. He’ll LET GO of everything that incarcerated him since he was 4 years old: his Blunt Tool role, control, manipulation, parental abuse and absenteeism, parental duty, the heteronormative patriarchy, and the long-standing trauma slapped on him by Alastair, Amara, and Cain.

He’ll burn the remaining pocket knife of all pocket knives tethering him to his past -- John Winchester x, x He’ll self-transform.

And Dean’s S13 death would fulfill the sacrificial Act of True Love (with Cas holding heavy weight in Dean’s decision for LOVE)--

--and S14 Winning Him Back in the subverted flavour of S10. Romance tropes abound!!

 @thetwistedwillow and @sactownbrowns3 both ignited my stomach-churning feels. This is an extremely pivotal visual. The Michael-reminiscent sword and radiant halo-like lights atop Dean’s head? Yeah, set off HUGE Michael!Dean radars. Complete moral dualism with S10 Demon!Dean--selflessness vs selfishness. Free choice (saying yes to possession) vs stolen choice (demon transformation against his will).

Secondly, as aforementioned, Dean’s harbouring a LOT of traumas he hasn’t mentally confronted, with Daddy Issues™ re: John Winchester (reflected via Dean’s solo faceoff with Loki) as his overarching undealt source of trauma.

Loki tells Dean: “The truth is, [Odin] despised me, but he was my father. I’m sure you understand. What would you do for your father?” 

And Dean stabs Loki’s hologram. He stabs the metaphorical father figure who neglected his sons. He stabs another narrative embodiment of John’s ghost, foreshadowing that Dean’s death = John Winchester’s final death. It’s time to deconstruct and conquer his influence.

(Gabriel was an extended mirror of both Dean and Sam, too. Gabe, the little brother whom deadbeat Daddy Chuck never paid attention to. ‘Ah, big bros, right? Always think they know best’ Gabe, who stabbed and killed deadbeat Loki. Gabe, who subsequently ran away from home, was used and tortured beneath Asmodeus’ control, embarked on a revenge trip, and didn’t feel good about it. Dean and Sam themselves knew what it felt like to be manipulated. While it’s true that their traumatic experiences are subjective, they share common Deadbeat Father-adjacent life courses.)

What beautiful and consistent silent storytelling!!

And oh look, narratively associated to this ^^ is the reappearance of Dean’s John-linked BAG OF EMOTIONAL BAGGAGE--

I can’t can’t can’t wait for him to let go of it PERMANENTLY! 

And of course, Cas’ death remains his immediate significant source of undealt trauma (same links above:  x, x, x)

*looks at Dean’s serious, intense, and emotionally laden expression* *clutches chest tight* *blinks away tears*

I additionally wrote something about Endverse!Cas and D/C (mis)communication a few months ago which I feel is relevant again:

And we know HUMAN Endverse!Cas was representative of that, a sad, depressed, and hollow depiction of the wrong choices for the right reasons who festers (AND DIES), in part because of Dean’s wrong choices, and also because of his own consciously uninformed, narrow-minded choices that led to this literal apocalypse of mind, body and soul.

5x04 laid down what Cas (and Dean) shouldn’t become. If both Cas and Dean (TFW) continue to fail in learning their lessons regarding healthy interdependence (where control must become equality; ignorance must become understanding; intransigence must become compromise; stonewalling must become transparency; lying must become honesty; silence must become communication), Endverse will be their life.

Thankfully, they’re learning as of S13 onwards and I’m ECSTATIC. Slow but sure progress (13x15′s conveying the shift), yet they still have to use the RIGHT WORDS.

Endverse!Dean, who never gave up his control to Cas nor listened to him, was himself consumed by the NEED over the WANT and an authoritarian means to an end. He lost everyone. And Endverse posed an ultimatum for Dean (and Cas’ own characteristic progress): keep your control forever, and you’ll have one destination–no growth, no life, no freedom. 

Full circle!

Dean Winchester must die so he can live.

And what are Dean’s WINS (plural) by dying? Saving people instead of losing people--saving Mary, Jack, Sam, and Cas. Saving the world. Reuniting his family unit. Interacting instead of performing. OUTING INSTEAD OF HIDING. HIGH DEPRESSIONLESS SELF-WORTH INSTEAD OF LOW DEPRESSIVE SELF-WORTH.

Better yet, Dean will undergo character development in relation to his loved ones (and Cas). With high self-worth, Dean’s capable of learning how to value HIMSELF independently. In turn, without personal obstacles he’ll learn how to sustain HEALTHY interdependent relationships and COMMUNICATION as well as learn how to WHOLLY GIVE HIMSELF to others (Cas).

Tell Cas he’s not expendable, Dean. Disclose the real reason YOU “needed him back”. Expose your feelings, choose Want over Need, and push away your rejection fears! Cas loves you dearly—let him know that his love for you is reciprocated. Nothing but good things ahead!!

Gosh, this post is way longer than I expected—thank youu for sticking to it! Circumstances shall get worse before they get better, and it’s totally necessary to ensure our characters meet the final demise of their prisons.

BTW, I still can’t believe we got a borderline blatant onscreen bi!Dean (and Cas insert) treat!! What’s by is by! Overall I’m incessantly praising Dabb’s spectacular work so far + Glynn and Rich Speight Jr’s craft in this ep!!

Very little sub is left in the text, my friends. TPTB are rendering years’ worth of meta increasingly explicit in S13. I can only HOPE and expect that 13x23/S14 brings us past the Point of Know Return subtextual boundaries and into full-blown textual narrative! Authorial intent EXISTS. 

**I know, I know--S14 wasn’t confirmed as the last season and S15 is fair game. The plot accordion, as per usual, re-emerges with the slight overhaul/pullback of characteristic arcs and narrative plot due to season renewals, but I’m Endgame Positive that slow progress is SURE progress. Imho Dean and Cas are so close in saying everything from saying nothing. THE UNSAID WILL BE SAID.

Bracing myself for the last 3 episodes—they’ll burn us in awesome ways!! 

[mimiplaysgames]

So... Who is going to die in Kingdom Hearts III?

Speculation over the course of how Kingdom Hearts III will play out has been buzzing lately due to certain comments that director Tetsuya Nomura has made during a panel at the latest KH3 demo event (I will spell out those comments after the jump in case anyone just doesn’t want to look at anything spoilery). Now, fans are left to ruminate over the pieces and the reasons why x and x character may kick the bucket.

In this specific discussion, what I have to contribute is the writer’s perspective. Here, I will not attempt to convince anyone as to why x and x character will certainly die. I am instead going to gather supporting arguments for a major character’s death and its disputes, leaving the choice up to whichever lovely person ends up spending the time to read this. The writer’s perspective is one that is certainly overlooked. Instead of only relying on lore and literary analysis, the writer’s perspective is useful in understanding how the Death of a Major Character works, and how it relates to character and plot development, which, unbeknownst to probably many people, are MAJOR factors in deciding who is going to die.

This essay will first define what makes the Death of a Major Character tick and other core writing concepts, and then we will go through each major protagonist and the arguments for/against their deaths based on overall plot progression. What I hope to achieve is to stir discussion. I would love to read anyone’s suggestions or ideas about other arguments or lore that I have overlooked!

All information used in this is canonical, official, and known to the public. No leaked information was used.

So... who will die?

WARNING: Spoilers for the entire series. And one for Game of Thrones and Harry Potter.

ALSO WARNING: Very, very long.

First, a writing lesson! How do you kill off a major character?

1) Death is always foreshadowed. Yes, it is. It doesn’t only serve to create tension or danger as an element on its own. It is a writer’s job to plant seeds of awareness of such a possibility - for the basic reason of avoiding pissing off consumers/readers/viewers/players. Which is bad. All creators/writers/directors/designers strive to avoid doing this.

But wait, what about surprising deaths? Always foreshadowed, too. It can be simple and seemingly innocent, such as a character telling another character to “be careful.” Or it can be unrelated, such as a character reflecting on the loss of something that has nothing to do with death, or a character reflecting on their own dreams for the future. The latter two gives off a sense of heaviness without directly meaning to be. But it is always foreshadowed.

The reason for this is while consumers/readers/viewers/players enjoy being surprised and to be on the edge of their seat anticipating what is coming next, they DO NOT ENJOY being tricked, manipulated, deceived, or betrayed. Death is upsetting, for reasons that are human and natural to all of us. Death of a major character that consumers have gotten attached to is upsetting. Death, being the ultimate finale, robs a character of any promise that we expect them to achieve. Which leads me to the second reason...

2) Death should have meaning. What does this mean? How do you define what makes a death meaningful? Two ways: symbolically and logistically.

The symbolical reason could be anything. It could be a direct symbol of a theme, or a concept. It could be literal of a conversation that same character had moments earlier. It could be a representation of the psychological development of another character related to the dead one.

The logistical reason is related to plot development. The death of one character should make a tremendous impact of the course of another, major character’s development to the point that it affects the plot, or it should dramatically change the course of the plot progression overall. The most shallow plot-related reason to kill off a character is to exemplify the severity of a battle. Challenging a living character’s development and changing the plot structure should be long-term in order for it to have actual meaning.

Robbing the significance of the death of a major character would leave the consumer to accuse the death of existing purely for shock value. As you can probably guess, this is bad. This would upset the consumer purely for the reason of upsetting and emotionally manipulating them - and they are smart enough to realize this.

**If you are on the avant garde side and think that these kinds of rules are limiting of creative expression, I invite you to think about Ned Stark’s death from A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones. George R.R. Martin is called a genius for not only challenging our understanding of what it means to define a main character, but for challenging our understanding over how characters are protected by Plot Armor. What you will find is that he did not pull this off by ignoring the above two rules. He just toyed with them. This is an example of how a writer effectively breaks the rules.

**Considering how I said earlier that consumers do not enjoy being tricked, we should quickly cover Nomura’s comments. He said that the ending of KH3 will be difficult to swallow. He said that resolving the fight against Xehanort will have severe consequences, and that “Light will be defeated. [The game] will have a darkness to it.”  This was done during a panel discussion, a PR event. This is essentially a business promise to consumers of what to expect in the final product, much like how a writer plants seeds of awareness that death is coming. I have noticed that there are some people who are denying his statements by saying he is trying to trick us on purpose as some sort of stunt. This would put him in a precarious position which could threaten his career, actually. He will then be accused of lying. Overall, while this certainly may be a possibility, it’s a really unstable method that may bring him more consequences than he would expect. I honestly wouldn’t bet that he is lying to us. But what I will do is cover an alternative possibility as to what may happen in case there is no major character death.

Now that we have discussed the mechanics of death in modern storytelling, let’s cover two other concepts: Chekhov’s gun and consequentialism.

-Chekhov’s gun is a term that is credited to Anton Chekhov, a renowned Russian playwright who was at the height of his career in the 1880′s. It essentially states that elements of a story have to be necessary, and that you cannot deliver false promises to readers (remember what I said about consumers hating to be tricked?). The reason it is called Chekhov’s gun is because of a specific example he used: If you were to describe a gun in an earlier chapter, it must go off at a later chapter. Otherwise, forget mentioning it altogether (the only exception in modern storytelling is that a detail mentioned should have something to do with character development - but even so, this character development should have relevance to the plot).

What this means is that story elements that are alluded to need to be resolved, or not be mentioned at all. And if Nomura cares anything about essential elements of storytelling, he will stick by this, unless he wants to throw it out the window for who knows whatever reason.

-Consequentialism is the idea that a character will be important enough to affect the plot in substantial ways. I do not mean as a tool or a plot device either. I mean in such substantial ways that if they were erased, it would demand the majority of the plot to be rewritten. A consequential character is one whose actions actively change the plot or create new scenarios. Consequentialism is very important in determining who is going die because this is normally our first cue as to when a character is finished. In other words, when they stop being consequential, we subconsciously realize that they are no longer useful.

Now that we have covered some core writing concepts, let’s go over a couple of major themes of Kingdom Hearts, which should be considered when mulling over major character deaths.

-Sacrifice: This is present in every. Single. Game. Particularly the willing kind. Sora sacrificing himself to save Kairi, and Riku sacrificing himself to save Sora in the original game. Naminé sacrificing her desire for friendship and connection for Sora, and Riku sacrificing his most precious memories to keep the ones he made in Castle Oblivion in CoM. Roxas and Axel sacrificing their existence for Sora, and Riku willing to sacrifice his friendship in order to keep doing his thing in KHII. Xion sacrificing her existence for Sora in Days. Aqua sacrificing her life for Terra, Ventus choosing to sacrifice his, and Terra’s life being taken away from him in BBS. Riku willing to sacrifice his life for Sora again in DDD.

There is a clear give and take with all of these examples (Sora seems to be the winning character in many of these). Sacrifice is given in order to gain something. A willing sacrifice is indicative of the strength of the heart. This essentially means that if a major character is going to die, it is mostly likely going to be sacrificial, and it will be for a reason.

-Obsession leads to destruction: Obsession or a narrow-mindedness towards a goal or idea essentially leads to destruction of the character who is obsessing or destructiveness of those around them. Riku’s descent into darkness. Terra being possessed. Sora losing his Mark of Mastery exam. The Foretellers turning on each other. Xehanort, being the one to obsess the most, is the sole reason for the destruction of all the worlds (which essentially means that this will be also be a factor in his own destruction).

This could be a compelling reason for why a major character would die. Yes, this implies that a major character would struggle with darkness, but we already know that Kingdom Hearts defines character development through a struggle with dark elements of their own character (darkness in general). Meaningful and deep character development doesn’t exist in any other way in the series.

-Memories hold our bonds: This is certainly indicative of normal human behavior. We form relationships through the memories shared (ex. see Naminé and her lack of friends; see Xion and her lack of existence; see the fact that Xehanort lost his memory and it barely affected his ambitions because he has no friends). To lose memory means that the friendship is therefore broken, and it becomes non-existent, as if it never happened. This is not related to death directly, but it is something to bring up.

Now it’s time to get into the meat and bones of all of this, and the reason why you’re reading this essay in the first place. First, a disclaimer: As stated before, I am not attempting to predict what is definitely going to happen in Kingdom Hearts III. I am merely collecting reasons for/against character deaths. This is meant to be a reference, a resource for readers, to either contribute a different perspective or to ignite further discussion. Look at it as a starting point, if you want.

Let’s move on to the characters. First, our main contenders.

Sora

Support for: No, NOT OUR PRECIOUS. But seriously, considering how so many characters have sacrificed something for him, where is the return on investment? WE KNOW that Sora is willing to sacrifice himself for others. He always tries, that’s what makes his heart so strong. From a theoretical standpoint, Sora is the main hero - the one to go on the longest journey. According to Joseph Campbell, the professor of literature who wrote The Hero of a Thousand Faces, the hero’s journey is marred by a significant event that depicts the death of the hero as the end of that journey, which is found in the majority of mythologies and most fantasy stories. Just think about any fantasy hero who went through a literal death or a symbolical one after his achievements. Furthermore, Sora views the Keyblade as a tool to give everyone else a chance to be happy. Who is one of the people that he wants to make happy? Roxas. We already know that messing with hearts in general bring grave consequences - we haven’t seen something positive come out of that. It is also implied that he needs to wield darkness to do it based on the trailers. What if bringing Roxas back means that Sora can no longer exist? Or, try a different scenario. What if sealing Kingdom Hearts requires a blood sacrifice? What if using the Key to Return Hearts requires a sacrifice? If Sora had the choice to make another person happy, and bless them with a peaceful life, HE WILL DO IT, no matter the cost. He views himself as part of something bigger. He already has an understanding, then, of how big this truly is. He is the one character who will be the quickest to give himself up for others. Furthermore, Sora will eventually achieve Mastery, since he is on that path anyway. Beyond that, what is left for him?

Dispute(s): Despite what Campbell says, many contemporary stories usually reward heroes for their good deeds. It’s a particularly cruel disposition to kill Sora, considering how benevolent, kind, warm, and necessary he is. He accepts others as they are, with no judgment and no expectations. He is the healing source that others need. If anyone needs a connection or a bond to get them through things, it’s Sora that they can rely on. If there is a character that is the true representation of happiness and hope, it’s Sora. I understand that Nomura said that the ending will be difficult - but Kingdom Hearts is not a nihilistic series. In other words, the tone and mood of the series is not designed to bring us a completely destructive and hopeless ending - this is the same as tricking the consumer (hence, why tone is so important in writing). I am aware that this point does not protect Sora from death, which is indicative of how hard it was for me to find legitimate reasons against it - however, I will get back to him at the end of the essay.

Riku

Support for: No, NOT OUR OTHER PRECIOUS. Riku is Sora’s foil, Sora’s shadow, Sora’s other half. Symbolically, Sora and Riku are two halves of the same coin. Nomura makes tremendous strides in showcasing this throughout the series, and repeating the significance of their friendship. You do not have to be a shipper to notice this - Nomura makes it a major theme and to deny this is to ignore the primary source material. The two even appear together in any game they are a part of - even if separate, one is doing something for the other. In other words, they cannot be separated even when fighting or when physically distant. The reason why I mention Sora is because Riku considers himself as someone who has to look after him. If Sora were to do something reckless such a sacrificing himself, Riku is the ONE true appropriate character to stop him and take his place. This may be the series’ intended sadness - that death would finally separate the two, as a response to their friendship being such a main element to the story as a whole. It’s not only this factor: Riku’s character arc for the most part is already finished. He has become Master. He has built a resistance to darkness. Aside from his missions, what is there left for him to do? The trailers even show him forsaking his Way to Dawn in exchange for a new Keyblade as representative of his finished development. And still so, he keeps being reminded by Ansem that he will fall anyway. Furthermore, I understand the implication of the fact that they are never separated - it implies the possibility that BOTH of them may die together.

Dispute(s): It is a particularly bitter pill to swallow to kill off a character like Riku. Of all the characters, Riku is the one to offer a sacrifice the most often. While his sacrifices are nowhere near as tragic as the ones given up by the Wayfinder trio, it’s the consistency of his offerings that add a tragic and hopeless element to it. It’s the concept of how he has given up so much already - so why ask him to give up more? However, considering that I am starting this argument with an emotional appeal, it shows that I had trouble finding legitimate reasons against his death, too. But let’s think of a different scenario. Since Riku is Sora’s other half, it stands to reason that Riku is also a fitting replacement as a leader and main hero should Sora sacrifice himself (which is still a separation of the two). But I will get back to Riku at the end of the essay, as well.

Terra

Support for: Whether you think that Terra is a manipulated victim deserving of compassion and understanding or you think that he’s a genuine idiot in desperate need of redemption, Terra is indisputably a wildcard among the cast. The series has been blunt about Aqua and Ventus’ whereabouts, but purposely kept mum about Terra’s. This secrecy lends to several different and conflicting theories about his whereabouts and his return. He is the one character closest to Xehanort, and therefore may play a large role in the death of the primary antagonist. And while Terra sacrificed his body and ability to live, it wasn’t done so willingly - it was taken from him by force. So where is his contribution in accordance to one of the main themes of the series? Let’s consider a couple of scenarios, such as the theory that Xehanort is still using Terra’s body. Considering that the Master has failed in expunging Terra’s heart from the body, what if Terra was the one to bring Xehanort down with him, in some heroic suicide? Another theory suggests that Master Xehanort and Terra-Xehanort are two of the 13 Seekers of Darkness, as though they are separate entities. If that is the case, then we know that Terra’s whole body and heart have traveled in time to be one of the 13, so what does that mean for Terranort’s elimination? If Terra is Ansem’s Guardian, then that is a fractured heart given up to darkness. Since that has already been destroyed before, destroying it again would be inconsequential to the plot as a whole, so this particular one wouldn’t matter to the overall plot. Keep in mind that these are current theories based on current information. Considering the instability of the lore of the series as a whole (aka, all the retconning), it is quite possible that Nomura may come up with elements that we are completely blind to in order to make sense of Terra’s return and eventual sacrifice. But the main reason why he is associated with death is because Xehanort will eventually die - and Xehanort is an obsessive character, whose own obsession puts Terra at risk.

Dispute(s): Considering that death should have meaning to it, there seems to be a robbery of it by finishing Terra off. In other words, what is the point exactly of Sora and/or Riku going through all the trouble of saving Terra if he is going to die anyway? It’s labor with no reward, which cheats the consumer (especially a video game player, whose storytelling experiences are tied with achieving goals in a game). Furthermore, unlike the Destiny trio, the Wayfinder trio haven’t received the reunion that they so desperately want. We know they want this, and we have an expectation that it will happen, and while it may be tragic to take this away from them, it is taking it away from them purely for tragedy’s sake (shock value/emotional manipulation of the consumer). Continuing on this trend, there are certain suggestions that Terra has a definitive role to play that will rob him of meaning if he were to die. He promised to set things right to Aqua and Ventus as his lingering and fractured emotions and thoughts stayed with his armor. Aqua sacrificed herself for him to give him a fighting chance. Robbing him of both his promise and his chance ruins the promise made to the consumer that it will happen.  While this does not necessarily protect him from death (meaning, he could die after he fulfills his duties), the probability of him dying lessens to a significant degree if he is brought back to redeem himself because his character arc suddenly switches to being the fixer as a foil to Xehanort - unless of course KH3 makes subtle threats to his life again, in which case Xehanort has reason to kill him if he is an efficient foil.

We have gotten through the most likely characters, so let’s continue on to other contenders.

Ventus

Support for: Ventus is easily the largest question mark in the entire cast. What started out as a simple concept has become complicated as KHUX dropped a bomb on us and revealed that Ventus existed during an age eons ago. We don’t know what Ventus knows. We don’t even know if it’s the same Ventus as we recognize him. Undoubtedly, according to Chekhov’s gun, whatever Ventus knows, or whatever his contributions are to the events in KHUX, they will be tied to his role in KH3. What remains to be seen is how this is related to the possibility of Ventus dying. What we do know, however, is that he is willing to accept death if it means that it would benefit the worlds. What we also know is that Ventus’ plot progression cannot be discussed without the inclusion of Vanitas (quite a strange conundrum - what did Ventus do in the past to be able to give birth to such a spiteful, angry, hateful darkness? Yes, I am aware of the novels - more on that later). I will discuss Vanitas a bit more in detail next, but it depends on whether Vanitas can be purified - or will Ventus have to kill (at least a part of) himself? The union of Ventus and Vanitas also keeps being implied to being (somewhat) catastrophic. We don’t know it as anything else otherwise. So if their union is no longer necessary to form x-blade, then what does it mean now? If he is not necessary, then why is Xehanort trying so hard to find him? Not only this, but considering Ventus’ immaturity, and inability to gain personal experience because of sleep, this puts him as the one most vulnerable to be obsessive to fix a problem or to hyper-focus on saving Terra and Aqua (and obsession leads to destruction).

Dispute(s): As part of the Wayfinder trio, Ventus will be motivated to fight for a reunion, which keeps being referred to (and therefore it will happen). Not only this, but we know now that Ventus and Vanitas are not necessary anymore to form the x-blade, so therefore are no logistical means for Ventus to die either (under the ignorance of his involvement in KHUX). While the union of Ventus and Vanitas was implied to be harmful before, now that they are no longer the means of forging the x-blade, there is a possibility that the danger of their union is now just a red herring. It could be reduced to nothing more than Ventus needing to keep control of himself (much like how Terra needs to regain control of himself).

Let’s divert our attention to quickly cover...

The Case of Vanitas

Vanitas is in a precarious position, being that he has two distinct characterizations. The primary source material (the games) depict him as sadistic, unsympathetic, and incredibly spiteful. If he was acting selfishly - if he wasn’t following Xehanort around - Vanitas could be described as a sociopath. The secondary source material (the novels) depict him as a victim of horrible abuse with his own twisted perception of the world and of his relationship to Ventus. He has a need to merge with Ventus in order to feel whole (we have to keep in mind that we CANNOT call the novels an adaptation - that’s an abuse of the word and its definition). These kinds of characterizations are incredibly different and seemingly conflicting. They certainly can work together if KH3 plays its cards right and spends the screen time. However, for the majority of players who have never been exposed to the secondary material (and if KH3 never explores it), a redemption arc for Vanitas will not make sense. What does this mean? Death. In relation to Ventus, we can see this as Vanitas having to “die” as we know him in order to be whole again, or Ventus possibly dying in order to rid the world of Vanitas. Vanitas is also an obsessive character, who, similar to Xehanort is to Terra, puts Ventus at risk through his own obsession.

Let’s get back to our main focus.

Lea & Isa

Lea and Isa’s history is parallel to Sora and Riku’s, where Nomura explores how he defines a friendship that failed to stay together. I am not going to suggest that both of them have to die together, but being that they are linked, I am hoping to tackle our last likely contenders all at once.

For Lea -

Support for: Ah, to kill off our lovable, red-headed, fiesty know-it-all is an easy way to make players sad. It would certainly have a tragic element to it considering Lea’s history and how he was forced to work for Xemnas. But more importantly, it’s his role as that extra, new Keyblade wielder. There are 7 Guardians of Light, and while most people will include him on this list, his gray morality and overall consequential role to the plot dilutes the definition of a Guardian in comparison to a character like Terra. I am not suggesting that Lea is incapable - merely that he is an oddball in comparison to the rest. He is also just so willing to be sacrificial as well - he considered sacrificing his life for Roxas, and ended up doing so for Sora. The other characters will spend time questioning his morality, and what better way to prove the strength of his own heart? It may not even go down this way. He could be collateral damage in the final battle, á la Fred Weasley.

Dispute(s): Killing him off may subject Nomura to a certain anger from the fandom, partly because there isn’t a real convincing foreshadow to his death. While yes, he will always be there to get have his friends’ back (even if it means standing in the way of fire), many suggestions related to Lea are arguably related to hope. This promise of having his friends’ back was made to Roxas, indicating a role that Lea will play in getting Roxas back (or at the very least, a factor in Ventus’ development). We also know that he is slowly remembering Xion, and so his existence will play a factor in this, too. In other words, Lea is very much the support character that many of the others will need to rely on. The suggestion that he may be collateral, especially if there is no meaning to it, would easily put him in the shock value category. In other words, what purpose would killing him serve? What message does that send? Also, the term “lea” means “an open area of grassy and arable land (suitable for growing crops).” Lea is the earth that supports the Salt Ice Cream trio, who also have not been given their reunion (more on Roxas and Xion later).

For Isa -

Support For: The name Isa is the Arabic form of Jesus, and a name like this is quite on the nose. While we may use literary analysis to sympathize with Isa as to how he was manipulated into the Organization, and how he is being controlled by Xehanort, Isa is not designed to be sympathetic. He is bossy, mean, rude, cold, and jealous. He has done nothing so far, like Riku, to redeem himself, and this puts him the gray area of being irredeemable so close to the end. His bond with Lea is deeply fractured, as they are two former friends fighting on opposite sides of a war. If Evil Jesus, Our Lord and Savior, were to fix this fracture, considering that he does not show qualities that would paint him as deserving of Lea’s loyalty, a willing sacrifice for the purpose of saving or protecting Lea seems fitting in this case. His death would also support Lea’s survival.

Dispute(s): He is another character that I had trouble finding legitimate reasons to spare, but let’s consider the mark of the Recusant’s Sigil on his face. Any other time we see this sigil, it’s through a temporary means - clothing, magic attacks, or a rearrangement of a name. Isa is the only one to bear it on such a permanent level (by normal human’s standards). The series makes a point, however, that even the body is malleable. Since we do not know the full role the Recusant’s Sigil will play in KH3, and how Isa in particular will relate to this, sparing his life can enrich our understanding of it. However, I recognize that the Recusant’s Sigil theory supports the idea that he will save Lea (and thus betraying the Organization), which fits the idea that he will die more so than he will live. I also recognize that Isa is not necessary at all to understand the meaning of the Recusant’s Sigil - that falls directly on Luxu and the Master of Masters.

But wait, x and x character are not on this list! What gives?

Let’s trudge through the last few characters, who are either highly unlikely to die or fit into a weird definitive space.

TRIGGER WARNING: Keep in mind that I will cover two very controversial characters in this section, and I WILL address their controversy and lightly touch upon why they are controversial. You know who these are. If you are a fan, keep in mind that I am discussing the writing process - colloquially yes, but academically. I have to be critical where it is appropriate and required. I expect this to be understood.

Kairi

Support for: Let’s get two concepts out of the way: First, Kairi is the kind of character that writers will create to fulfill incredibly specific purposes That’s putting it nicely. If you want me to be frank and use my education* to define her, she is a plot device. This cannot be disputed considering the massive amounts of evidence - but that’s an entirely different, very long lecture on its own. All writers create plot devices - many will spare a character from fulfilling that role by creating an object instead, like the One Ring, the Elder Wand, dragons - but in Kingdom Hearts... well congrats, Kairi. Her whole existence in KH3 is going to be tied to the summoning of Kingdom Hearts, due to her being a Princess of Heart. This does not mean that she is consequential to the overall plot - it only means that, for Xehanort, she is one of the tools needed to forge the x-blade (consequentialism, agency, and character development in relation to the series are also entirely different lectures on their own - if anyone wants to learn more, I’d be happy to indulge). Furthermore, she is the only character to not have sacrificed anything. Secondly, let’s go back to Chekhov’s gun. The one element that every game alludes to is Kingdom Hearts. It is discussed among other characters what they think it means, or what they think it does. But the truth is, we have never seen it in action. Definitions of Kingdom Hearts come from an age of fairy tales, diluted from time and misunderstanding. So, we don’t actually know what it does or what’s inside aside from a vague description that it’s the light of all worlds. It has been unattainable to us this entire time. This heavily suggests that it will be summoned so that we can finally see it. It means we will get a chance to see the x-blade in ACTION, since we don’t know what that looks like, either. And for Kairi, she is going to be consumed. We don’t know if that means death, per se, or if she and the other Princesses will be part of a ritual. Nomura did say that light will be defeated - since Kairi is indicative of pure light, then his statement pretty much defines itself. However, considering that it seems so certain that she will be consumed, why is she in this category?

Dispute(s): I have mentioned before that the series is not designed to be nihilistic, hopeless, or full of despair. An ending like the summoning of Kingdom Hearts with no resolution is the same as betraying the consumer - it is unsatisfactory, given the amounts of efforts players have put into achieving happy, bittersweet, or hopeful endings. We may witness a catastrophe happening, and the 7 Guardians may fail to stop the summoning (thus, Nomura’s statement about light being defeated can be interpreted this way), but it cannot stay a catastrophe. This robs all of the main characters from their goals. If catastrophe was truly the ending that the series was pertaining to, it would have been foreshadowed through its tone already, beyond the Master of Master’s Book of Prophecies. Tone is everything. And it’s a Disney game. What this essentially means is that we will see a reversal of fortune in relation to this in some form. Maybe the worlds will all blend together, or maybe they will stay apart. Who knows. But it’s definitely not all death and despair. In relation to Kairi, it means that she may have to be saved by Sora and company (which may end up leading to Sora’s death) as a means of sealing Kingdom Hearts. In other words, she’s a retconned key to unlock Kingdom Hearts, and a retconned key to lock it back up again (going back to calling her an object and all - and if it wasn’t her, it really could have been anybody). Going back to her lack of sacrifice, it makes no sense that she would willingly sacrifice herself to choose to summon Kingdom Hearts. Not only this, but if pure light is needed to rebuild the world (and since we know of no other young children), the light of the Seven Princesses may be necessary here. I do recognize the possibility that Kairi may choose to sacrifice herself for Sora, but since she has no character development, this truthfully is going to hold little value to many fans since there has been no foreshadowing to this. There would also be a lack of meaning here in comparison to a character who is already closely tied to the theme of sacrifice (such as Sora, Riku, Ventus, etc).

What I mean to say is that MEANING can only be created through characters who are active in the plot and undergo well-developed character development. This is because this gives us, the consumers, a reference point so that we can determine what is meaningful in relation to the events in the overall personal journey that a character went through. And no, training to fight is not personal development. That is shallow development, because actual personal development would deepen and challenge our understanding of her. In other words, she will be the same person despite her training, because training is not a personal trial for her - she will continue to be someone who loves her friends, someone who wants to be involved, a broken record, etc. This is emphasized over the fact that Kingdom Hearts defines character development to be tied to struggling with darkness considering how all the other characters developed. She’s pure of light with no darkness. This means that sacrifice or death for her is just not fitting to give to her as a role and cannot create meaning, unless you want to make this a symbolic tie to how light in general has disappeared. It can very easily argued and challenged by skeptics though that this is still a shallow symbolic tie because her light doesn’t MEAN anything in terms of behavior, psychology or plot development. It’s just a broad, vague concept that was ignored for most of the series. This is inconsequentialism. This also suggests that if she were to die, it would be meaningless (therefore, shock value).

Meaning for her specifically doesn’t exist, but it does for Sora. What this means is that yes, she can die, but it holds no message for us as consumers. It would be a plot device to drive Sora, which is something that I don’t think Nomura will go for, mainly because Square is already aware of the backlash that can happen by fridging a female character for the sake of a boy. Especially a flat character. That suggests that she has no purpose to exist except for Sora, and Square already went through this song and dance with all the controversy surrounding Final Fantasy XV. Fridging her also cheapens her death from any real meaning because it’s all meant for Sora’s development without saying anything about her, since she has no development. Again, this is shock value - especially if it’s going to happen in the end of the game.

It terms of actual meaning and consequentialism, this brings me to... 

Aqua

Support for: I found little in support of her death. Considering that there is no foreshadowing to it, and that despite consistently wanting to give up in the Realm of Darkness, BUT SHE NEVER DOES - the only way for her death to have any meaning is if Terra and Ventus were to die as well. Then she could rejoin them in the afterlife, and that could be their reunion. In this vein, yes, this would essentially mean that Terra and Ventus are safe from death through their association with her.

Dispute(s): Aqua defines herself as a wayfinder to others, someone to be a guide. In relation to Sora and Riku, she is the ONLY other character to fit as a leader. She is incredibly consequential to the plot, being that she is the only one who knows what happened to Terra and she is the only one who knows where Ventus is. In other words, she is one of the most important characters to the plot progression of KH3. Plus, any references to her character progression have been positive, about how she will push forward, how she will be a light to others. Yes, she could die after the fulfillment of her duties, if Nomura really wants to be depressing, but this could draw possibly the most ire from fans. This would be mainly because of the lack of meaning. What is the point of saving her if she is going to die? Hasn’t she suffered enough? What about the Wayfinders? Isn’t their purpose to represent an unbreakable connection? What is the point of that connection if she dies? It is not that she is more deserving to live than other characters, such as Sora or Riku. It has more to do with the reality that we expect the Wayfinder trio to reap some sort of reprieve after all they went through. We expect this because the series has always given back to those who have sacrificed enough. Killing her would therefore be done for shock value for the purpose of saddening fans. Since this is still a Kingdom Hearts game we are talking about, just because it will be a darker game doesn’t mean that the game is going to be a total curveball. Unless of course, Nomura wants to change the tone of it and turn it into a curveball for the purpose of shocking fans - which will not fly by many. Fans are smart enough to notice.

Here is where I get apprehensive, though - Nomura has already shown to be emotionally manipulative, so it doesn’t mean that Aqua is totally safe. Which brings me to...

Roxas & Xion

Support for: So, I have just finished explaining how the series is forgiving to characters who are sacrificial enough, and of course these two will spring to mind. Of any character that underwent a death already and been revived in some form, Roxas and Xion are two who have yet to come back. There are many fans who think they shouldn’t. Fans like these are aware that their return may serve no purpose. This is the concept of consequentialism in action. Roxas was consequential until he wasn’t anymore. Xion was inconsequential to the plot as a whole, which means that her character had only one specific purpose: to be emotionally manipulative to the player (do not take this as criticism of her if you are a fan - if she serves no role to the plot, then this is the only reason left for her existence. I am speaking of the writing process here, not her personally). Inconsequentialism is the fancy academic term why some fans accuse their return as fanservice. They are asking: what purpose do these two characters serve? What meaning does their existence, their living, really have? The truth is that it will all be tied to Sora. Xion is tied directly to Roxas and her return would not be possible without him because no one remembers her. Sora wants Roxas back. How does this relate to their deaths? If we can assume that bringing Roxas back (and therefore Xion by extension) is risky, then that means that their return is in conflict with Sora’s safety. But this is conflict beyond just the surface-level understanding that Sora is in danger - here we have inconsequential characters threatening the existence of a consequential one. Overall, on paper, it sounds like a bad idea. So what does death look like for them? Either Nomura will make Sora fail to bring Roxas (and by extension, Xion) back, or he succeeds at a huge cost to himself, and Roxas and Xion will make the willing sacrifice to spare him.

Dispute(s): Roxas and Xion really fit into a strange space, because much like how meaning is stripped if the Wayfinder trio die, there will be a feeling of emptiness if Sora put all this effort into bringing Roxas back only to be fruitless in his efforts. It also contradicts the concept of Chekhov’s gun entirely - especially in Xion’s case. For a character that the plot says everyone forgot, BBS, Re: Coded, and DDD all make an effort to remind us that she still exists. She will return, and because this can only happen through Roxas, Roxas will return (unless Nomura really just wants to toss this concept out the window, of course). I have already mentioned earlier that Riku serves to be a fitting replacement as leader in place of Sora should Sora kick the bucket. Roxas is a character that can appropriately fit this role as well, a counterpart to Sora. Another scenario is that Sora finds a different way, a way through light, in order to bring them back so their return doesn’t have to threaten him. We do not know if the Key to Return Hearts will be used to bring Kingdom Hearts back to its former glory, or if it allows the wielder to split hearts into two with no consequences, or how data plays a role in building Roxas and Xion bodies. All of these are possibilities.

Naminé

Support for: She is another character that exists in a strange cloud of space. Unlike Roxas and Xion, her return is not guaranteed, given that Kairi has no expressed interest in finding her. Other characters seem to go on the assumption that she is gone for good. The last time we saw her, it was a data-copy. Instead of really dying, evidence points to her never coming back at all.

Dispute(s): It seems a bit out of character for someone like Sora to never consider bringing her back in some way, even though there has been no indication that her heart is with him. If he wants to make everyone happy, then surely isn’t Naminé included? He also wanted to thank her personally, as indicated when he chased her in DDD, only for it to be a dream. If she doesn’t come back, then he never gets that chance - although that could be a tragic reality as a consequence of messing with the heart. Being that there has been no indication of her coming back, this is a small tragedy that can certainly happen, since we are not expecting her to.

And here is where we finish with going through all the characters.

Well, what if no one dies?

Ever since these kinds of doomsday comments by Nomura, it has been a doomsday response by many fans. Which is ironic, considering that death really doesn’t mean much in Kingdom Hearts, even for someone like Ansem the Wise, who was right next to an explosive device and he survived anyway. So what is left? Here is one idea that I will argue may happen, which include arguments as to why I personally believe that one or both of them may die:

Sora and/or Riku will lose all their memories

I write this under my personal expectation that if any characters are going to be the ones to sacrifice the most, it will be Sora and/or Riku.

In Kingdom Hearts, losing memories is worse than losing a limb, and is equivalent to dying. The whole purpose of existing, and the whole point of having a heart is to feel feelings and to build relationships with one another. Sora and Riku are two characters whose friendship we have watched develop the longest. Sora has been together with Donald and Goofy almost the entire time. Similarly, Riku is tied to Mickey. This tie to the most iconic Disney characters of all time is indicative of just how their characters define the meaning of Kingdom Hearts as a whole. If you want to pick something to be representative of all of Kingdom Hearts’ themes, it’s them. Like a Greek choir telling us the story. Like Rosencratz and Guildenstern, but way more involved (sorry, obscure Hamlet reference). What I am saying here is that many fantasy stories will rely on characters that act as twins, or represent twin-like concepts, whose relationships are indicative of how the nature of the plot is going. Examples? Merry and Pippin. Cersei and Jaime Lannister. Fred and George Weasley. C-3PO and R2-D2. Cecil Harvey and Kain Highwind. With characters like these, you look for when they are separated, when they are together, how they are feeling, what they are facing, their commentary on the events around them, the decisions they make, etc. The genius of Kingdom Hearts is that it’s the main heroes who also fulfill this role. It’s a lot of pressure.

One of them losing their memories severs the friendship that we have spent the longest observing. We know that this will be considered a huge loss to either of them. If both of them lose their memories, it severs their many connections to EVERYONE else. It has meaning because it’s a testament to what the cost of protecting the light is supposed to mean, especially from characters who have done so much for everyone else already. This testament is especially true for Sora, whose entire purpose is to build connections and to heal others - to make them smile, and it acknowledges that his heart is connected to everyone else. His friends are everything to him, and losing his memories is therefore a huge loss.

This testament is true for Riku, who for Sora is a figure meant to look after him - someone that Sora has expected all his life to be there, and to lose this friendship would be a tremendous loss to Sora if he survived it. It holds meaning because far beyond anything we have ever seen Kingdom Hearts do, this is truly the meaning of death and loss, done in a way that is meant to make us able to recognize that, yes, this is very bad. It is a resolution that would acknowledge why Nomura puts such a strong emphasis on the two of them, including how he tried to tie “Dearly Beloved” to them. Death or loss of memory is truly tragic in this case. It can be argued that loss of memory is worse than death, because at least the dead are grieved over.

So, that’s all that I have. I would LOVE to hear other people’s ideas for other alternatives to death! Who do you think is going to die and why? What kind of lore would you tie into those theories?

If you read all the way here, THANK YOU for getting through this monstrosity!

*In case anyone wanted to know my credentials, I graduated with a degree in Creative Writing/Literature and Psychology from a prominent and respected university in this field in Florida. 

[balletspins-blog]

evan & cary for the kid meme xoxo

Like I can never decide on anything so here’s like a bunch of possibility’s or their humungous six kid family idfk

@petschysName: Leah Caren Laurent-Mills (Named after Leia in star wars XD but Cary had its end changed to ‘ah’ instead because it was closer to Neveah, and middle name is Cary’s mother’s name)Gender: FemaleGeneral Appearance: Pretty even combination of the two of them she mostly has Cary’s facial structure minus her full lips which are more similar to Neveah and Evan’s, she also has Evan’s eyes, but Cary’s hair. Looks a lot like Cary’s mother and younger sister.Personality: Charming, stubborn, temperamental, determinedSpecial Talents: DancerWho they like better: Cary, she’s very determined to be a dancer so she likes spending more time with him.Who they take after more: Cary but barely cause she doesn’t take after either of them really, she’s more akin to Neveah or Cary’s mother personality wisePersonal Headcanon: She’s the fire starter in the family. She’ll argue till the very end. Determined to become a dancer and to be the best out of her siblings. Is always putting herself in competition with Devan and Cameron, as well as Derek who decided to not be a dancer largely due to his sisters desire to push him away from it. Her talent is more practiced than natural ability.Face Claim: Kiernan ShipkaYoung:

Older:

Name: Eleanor Marcia Laurent-Mills (Cary liked the name and also wanted a name that started with an E like Evan’s, Marcia is Cary’s grandmother’s name)Gender: FemaleGeneral Appearance: Looks a lot like Evan, she does have Cary’s nose and thinner brow but for the most part she takes after the Mills side.Personality: Brainy, social, judgmental (a lil bit), responsibleSpecial Talents: WriterWho they like better: Evan, she really can’t stand dancing and has always been a bit distant with Cary even though he tries to reach out to her. She often thinks less of him for being a dancer, she’s very logic driven, and she fails to see that Cary is just as smart as Evan and just had a different passion.Who they take after more: Both but more so Evan. She’s very studious liking intellectual pursuit but she’s certainly more social and confident than Evan.Personal Headcanon: Very intelligent. She shares Neveah’s passion for writing and has Evan’s wicked smarts. She has no use for dancing and has avoided it heavily. Always the one to tattle on her siblings, particularly Cameron and Devan (Devan less just because he rarely does something wrong) as she sees them as the golden children, the oldest who are adored Face Claim: Millie Bobby Brown

Younger:

Older:

Name: Casey Neveah Laurent-Mills (Cary liked carrying on with C names like his name, his mothers, and his sisters and he liked the name Casey, her middle name is obviously after her aunt)Gender: FemaleGeneral Appearance: For the most part she has Neveah’s facial features but she’s got Cary’s hair and eyes and you can definitely see him in her.Personality: Sweet, soft-spoken, insecure, indecisiveSpecial Talents: GymnastWho they like better: Likes both equally really but she spends more time with Evan, as her dancing siblings are normally glued to Cary’s side.Who they take after more: Evan as she’s quieter and super gentle.Personal Headcanon: She’s always felt like the one lost in the middle, not exactly sharing either of her parent’s passions. While she has the flexibility to be a dancer she always preferred gymnastics. Always the one to comfort others. Face Claim: Brighton Sharbino

Younger:

Older:

Name: Cameron Joseph Laurent-Mills (Cary again liked the name as well as following the C names like his name, his mother’s, and his sister, middle name is after Cary’s father)Gender: MaleGeneral Appearance: Looks like both of them facial wise, but has lighter hair than Evan but darker hair than Cary’s and has Evan’s eyesPersonality: Headstrong, determined, protective, jokesterSpecial Talents: DancerWho they like better: Cary, Cary’s always been adoring on Cameron, they’ve always been close and he was one of Cary and Evan’s first kids, Cameron also is the one Cary sees the most talent in dancing wise, he’s got both the focus and determination to be the best dancer like his younger sister Leah, but he also has just a hefty slice of raw talent which is what his twin brother also has. He has them both and Cary sees a lot of himself in Cameron too though Cameron can be a little brasher.Who they take after more: Cary but more than anything perhaps he takes after Cary’s father, though he’s certainly sweeter and more centeredPersonal Headcanon: He’s somewhat the harder side of Cary sharing his ambition and stubbornness. Often comes off a bit cold at first but he’s very protective and loving with those he cares about. He’s particularly close to his twin, while they fight there’s honestly no one he loves more than him. Both him and Devan are close to their cousin Jamie.Face Claim: Max Charles

Younger:

Older:

Name: Derek Steven Laurent-Mills (Named after both Evan’s middle name as well as Cary’s stepfather who he is very close to, middle name is after Steve Rogers, Captain America since it’s Cary and Evan’s favorite and meant a lot in their relationship XD)Gender: MaleGeneral Appearance: Looks mostly like Evan facially, but has Cary’s hair and eyes.Personality: Sweet, kind, creative, protective, altruisticSpecial Talents: ArtistWho they like better: Like both equally, but tends to spend more time with Evan as they share a lot of the same passions. He’s always had a close relationship to Cary too though, always looking to him when he got hurt or felt bullied.Who they take after more: Both, he’s a lot like Cary was as a kid always reaching out to help people and making huge sacrifices, very giving, very similar to his namesake Cary’s stepdad as well, as he has his great patience. He’s much like Evan too though, soft-spoken, creative, and a little insecure, always polite.Personal Headcanon: He’s the youngest the baby of the family. Always soft spoken and sacrificial not wanting to cause anyone trouble. He loves painting and drawing, he certainly has the skill to be a dancer and is naturally talented at it but has never wanted to invade his other sibling’s space with it. He prefers drawing and painting anyways as he can just sit quietly and lose himself. He really enjoys portraits or landscapes. He likes drawing his family and their different facial expressions of movements. But he also likes altering realistic landscapes into something more skewed toward fantasy.Face Claim: Mekhai Andersen and Axel Auriant

Younger:

Older:

Name: Devan James Laurent-Mills (Cary liked that the name was a combination of his stepdads and Evan’s, James after Bucky in Captain America for the same reason as above) Gender: MaleGeneral Appearance: Looks almost entirely like Evan’s side of the family except for his eyes which are Cary’sPersonality: Mediator, intelligent, patient, indecisive, easily manipulatedSpecial Talents: DancerWho they like better: Likes both, with Cary he shares a passion for dancing, but he’s super nerdy and into all things fandom like Evan. He’s often by Cary’s side as he feels Cary is often in charge of how things run day to day, and he’s always been Cary’s helper. With Evan, he’s more relaxed and goofy and gets into debates about Star Wars or superheroes with him, all in good fun.Who they take after more: Cary, always the mediator between the siblings and finding the best solution for everyone, but he’s certainly a lot like Evan as well.Personal Headcanon: He and Cameron are the oldest and twins, he’s the older twin and has always been very relaxed and hard working but far less intense than his twin brother and his younger sister when it comes to dancing. He can draw too and unlike his siblings hopes to go to college after high school rather than straight on to dancing as he wants more options once his dancing career ends. He’s often pulled into trouble by his siblings cause he’ll always stand by them and go with them when they cause trouble as he wants to be there to protect them when things go wrong. Both him and Cameron are close to their cousin JamieFace Claim: David Mazouz

Young:

Older:

[wafflesex]

Axel, roxas, xion and saix?

Axelgeneral opinion: fall in a hole and die | don’t like them | eh | they’re fine I guess | like them! | love them | actual love of my life hotness level: get away from me | meh | neutral | theoretically hot but not my type | pretty hot | gorgeous! | 10/10 would banghogwarts house: gryffindor | slytherin | ravenclaw | hufflepuffbest quality: his stupid loyalty to his friends even if it’s at the expense of his life wtf he’s a nerdworst quality: ....... tbh wtf is his hairship them with: SAIXbrotp them with: Roxas, Xion, SAIXneeds to stay away from: Xemnas/any variation of this asshole there is now misc. thoughts: what is up with my faves and having nice eyeliner game

Roxasgeneral opinion: fall in a hole and die | don’t like them | eh | they’re fine I guess | like them! | love them | actual love of my life hotness level: get away from me | meh | neutral | theoretically hot but not my type | pretty hot | gorgeous! | 10/10 would banghogwarts house: gryffindor | slytherin | ravenclaw | hufflepuffbest quality: his curiosity maybeworst quality: how distant/angry he becomesship them with: Naminebrotp them with: Axel, Xion..... Demyx because you can’t tell me they weren’t bros at one point or anotherneeds to stay away from: still Xemnas and his crewmisc. thoughts: LET HIM HAVE A LONGER SUMMER VACATION

Xiongeneral opinion: fall in a hole and die | don’t like them | eh | they’re fine I guess | like them! | love them | actual love of my life hotness level: get away from me | meh | neutral | theoretically hot but not my type | pretty hot | gorgeous! | 10/10 would banghogwarts house: gryffindor | slytherin | ravenclaw | hufflepuffbest quality: her independenceworst quality: mayyyybe being self-sacrificial (though I guess this technically applies to literally everyone in the KH universe)ship them with: ..... I don’t really ship her with anyone I think??brotp them with: Axel, Roxas, Namine, Kairi, Rikuneeds to stay away from: XEMNAS FFSmisc. thoughts: how can she run and fight in heels I’ll never understand this

Saixgeneral opinion: fall in a hole and die | don’t like them | eh | they’re fine I guess | like them! | love them | actual love of my life hotness level: get away from me | meh | neutral | theoretically hot but not my type | pretty hot | gorgeous! | 10/10 would banghogwarts house: gryffindor | slytherin | ravenclaw | hufflepuffbest quality: hardworkingworst quality: I think he might have some tunnel vision going on in that he focuses on one goal and ends up ignoring the bigger picture IF THAT MAKES SENSEship them with: AXELbrotp them with: ...... Axelneeds to stay away from: whoever calls him a puppy I mean what even is that... also, yeah, Xemnas toomisc. thoughts: can he maybe have a nice ending please thanks