#brian mcd

[rexecutioner]

Brian nobody could ever make me hate you

i’d like to think this happened at some point

[localcryptidinthewoods]

my thoughts and prayers about brian

i think he found family and home in the enemies of Pheonix Drop when he was sent away.

if we’re following the medivial knight training process, he was sent away at 7 years old to become a page and start his training as a guard, and came back when he was 21 and knighted. its mentioned multiple times that dale is a drunk, and that he sent Brian away as soon as he was old enough to start training to become a knight. I doubt Brian saw this as a loving act from his father who was excited to share a passion of his with his son, but rather as a way to get Brian off his and mollys hands so Dale could continue to indulge in drinking.

When Brian does come back, im sure he is happy to be back to the place where he was born and grew up in for a handful of years, but by the time he is home Molly and Dale have had another kid, Alexis, who Dale is consistently there for and quits drinking for, especially after the whole shadow knight incident. Alexis has the father Brian never had, which i think ultimately makes Brian feel bitter and discarded, thus turning to the friends and family he had made in his time at the guard academy, which ultimately ended in his betrayal.

its also mentioned by Donna that Molly told her that Brian came back different, that ‘her baby boy wasent the same when he came back than when he went away’ and i think thats bc of two reasons, one, brian most likely grew up. he isnt a kid anymore, he isnt a baby. hes at least a teenager and at most a full grown adult by the time he came back. i think he also holds resentment towards his family, specifically his dad, and pheonix drop, that he keeps to himself with a tight lipped smile.

[lunarrosette]

Mcd related things I can go on and on abt (and will if ppl r interested)

Brian is way more tragic that he is treated in canon and by the majority of the fandom

Laurance is a better parallel to Shad than Aaron is

Aaron’s character sucks and not in a “he ruined my ship >:(“ kind of way, in the he failed to be a good tragic hero kind of way

Garroth’s betrayal at the end of s1 isn’t believable bc of poor scheduling (events feel out of order)

[eego0]

Episode 43 of MCD S1 always shatters my heart and not for the reasons that many people think. In this episode, the guards take their new oath to take their lives if they become shadow knights, Laurance is stuck in the Nether and Aphmau can’t save him, Brian comes home, and much more.

The part that really kills me is near the end of the episode when Aphmau is bringing Levin out for his first crawl outside and attempts to fix up his old house. This is one of the longer bonding moments Aphmau gets to have with Levin on screen and you can just hear how excited she is to watch him grow up. She sees Brian and John in their teenage years and thinks out loud about what Levin will want to do. Will he take her position as lord when he comes of age? Will he live in the house he was born in? All she wants is for him to be happy.

Aphmau remarks about how fast Brian and John grew up and certainly expects to see the same fast transformation of her own son. It can’t be helped. She had no clue of the future yet to come. The future where she never gets to see Levin become the man she finds him as post Irene Dimension. Even more, she finds him as the spitting image of who she could not save.

Like, that’s literally so horrendous I could weep

[constantlybrainrotting]

rewatching mcd season 1 is a TRIP let me tell you omg because this has been driving me mental

there's this massive plothole that idk if anyone has really mentioned (at least not that i saw), and its that molly and dale's son was originally named ryan not brian??

like, did jess just change the name for funsies?? is it because she just forgot or is it foreshadowing to brian's betrayal??? i need answers STAT because i feel insane and my (non mcd watcher) friends who get my insane watch updates just simply do not yet understand my insanity over this help-

[whoopsimasecret]

Hc that brian betrayed phoenix drop bc it was just,, a different guy, like are we forgetting his name was originally ryan

Fr dale and molly dropped off ryan at guard academy and picked up brian bc 'meh close enough'

[faun-the-hound]

Brian was sent away from Phoenix Drop at twelve. Three months after that, Lord Malik was murdered/went missing. And Brian didn't find out for four years.

The way the Guard's Academy works is this: two courses, each four years long, either starting at twelve and ending at sixteen, or starting at fourteen and ending at eighteen. The fourteen-eighteen course is more difficult, but also more rewarding, and is the course from which guards can be nominated for the JO9.

Dale put Brian on the first course that was available, wanting his boy to grow up to be a heroic guard just like him, and to fight and patrol alongside him as soon as possible. And so, at twelve years old, Brian was sent across the region to train in O'khasis.

During those four years he was gone:

-Lord Malik was murdered and his home was burned down

-Dale started drinking, getting steadily worse over time

-Molly and Dale separated for several months, though they did get back together, their relationship is still rocky

When Brian came home, he came back to a very different village than where he grew up. He came home unrecognisable from the nervous little kid he was, and, for a moment, he thought he'd taken a wrong turn somewhere, because this couldn't be Phoenix Drop.

This run-down, ramshackle village. Completely lordless and practically abandoned. The friends he knew were gone, their houses empty and gathering dust. When Molly came running up to him, she stopped. She didn't recognise his face, tired and worn-out, a fresh scar still partially scabbed, crossing through his eyebrow. His hair matted, his eyes hollow- she didn't see her son anymore. And she immediately blamed Dale.

Brian didn't recognise the man his father had become. He didn't see the noble, proud and loving father and guard he used to know, just a bumbling moron, inattentive and irritable, arguing that he was right to send their son away, proclaiming Brian a hero "just like him".

He had no regrets for sending his son away. Brian spent most of the last four years half starved, beaten and exhausted, covered in aches and pains that still hadn't faded away, and scars that would never fully heal.

And this is what he comes back to?

Maybe Ivy was right. He was too good for a place like Phoenix Drop.

--------

So, yeah, the Guard Academy isn't the best place to be. Brian didn't even want to be a guard to begin with, but stuck with it when none other than Ivy the Creeping Venom herself applauded his performance in a mock exam. Praised him and planted the idea that Phoenix Drop wasn't good enough for him- that with his talents, he deserved a place on the O'khasian guard instead.

This is why Brian betrayed Phoenix Drop in the end. He was sent away at twelve despite pleading with his father to stay, then came home to a village and family that was almost completely unrecognisable to the one he grew up in. Then Alexis was born, and suddenly Dale wanted to be a father. And Ivy had already put the ideas in his head, promised him a place on the O'khasian guard if he wanted it, so it was an easy choice, really.

Why stay for a village or family that clearly didn't need him?

And, just to be clear, Ivy acted purely as a mentor to Brian. She trained with him, gave him pointers, and took him on as her apprentice for a season, cultivating trust and cementing Brian's belief that she was on his side.

She wasn't. But he was a kid. He didn't know any better.

[madcatlad]

I doubt Jesson intended it but... why do I keep running into this really heavy theme throughout mcd.

Hear me out:

Children turning out to be monsters despite their parents efforts.

Let's start of with the obvious red flags

Zenix.

It is implied that he was very young when he was taken in by Garroth. It is also said outright that he was a shadowknight even before that. The dark implication of this is that Zenix became a shadowknight at a young age (children becoming shadowknights is rarely mentioned within mcd, it notably is only implied with Zenix, and Alexis.) Garroth took Zenix under his wing, so much so the kid was literally described as like a son to Garroth. But despite his efforts Zenix betrayed Phoenix Drop. The way they address this issue stands out to me as multiple characters seem to describe Zenix as "already gone" from his arrival to Phoenix Drop. Even Laurence. Now one could chalk this up to Jess being unable or unwilling to truly address Zenix as a tragic character, and simply paint him as the conniving villain the series needed at the time (before Zane). And i think there is some truth to that. However the fact that Zenix' motives have remained notably undefined and his actions seem to contradict from what we are told about him so insistently. Even for Jessica this is a clear sign that something is up. "Already gone"... because my writer brain loves parallels I automatically connected it to (again) the only place that this idea is brought up in the series: Zane.

Zane.

Zane in mcd is evil, his motives also seem a little unclear at times, but this is because he characterized to be power hungry, unpredictable, and- undeniably evil. But was it always this way? Zane would prefer to watch the world burn than rule it. He seems to just hate people, so what terrible event caused such a terrible person? Nothing apparently. As said by Zianna, he was "always that way".

Zenix' "Already Gone" hits far too close to Zane's "Always That Way" for me. And the parallels don't end there, Zenix and Zane mirror one another in interesting ways. Both have familial-like attachment to Garroth, and their nature/motivation seems to torment and confuse him endlessly. They both became shadowknights (both were chosen by the shadow lord despite being outside of his usual "type" - Zane:At twink, Zenix:A child.) And they both seem to be obsessed with power, yet both have some kind of trauma surrounding people in power (Zane:Garte, Zenix:Implied to have been wronged by a lord in some way.) All this being said I have to point out Zenix and Zane both start with Z. They are the only ones aside from Zoey with a Z starting name, and since they already share so many qualities I can see this being a way for Jess to foreshadow this.

Garroth, like he did with Zenix, he questions what led Zane on his path but Zianna seems to put this idea to rest entirely, and her word is taken as fact. Which is fair the idea isn't too shocking, considering the kind of person Zane was. But the fact that even Garroth thought to question the cause of Zane's nature and is immediately shut down by Zianna, and then it is never mentioned again. It's just to reminiscent to how Garroth compartmentalized Zenix' downfall and never mentioned it again. It's just too close.

Zianna at the end of the day is Zane's mother, which one could argue that she knows him best, however parents can be blind to the trauma that young children might face and the results that this may cause. Important to note is that Zianna is likely a victim. A constant state of fight or flight could absolutely block her from realizing or addressing the effects of prolonged trauma in her children. In her mind she was taking the blunt of the rather, a shield between harm and her children, but as in most cases, and as shown in both Garroth and Vylad this was not the reality, so it would be easy to connected that this would be the same with the middle son, Zane.

But in the misfortune of her situation Zianna did the best that she possibly could. But Zane ended up the way he did anyway. The way that Zianna is characterized in her short time on screen really encapsulates the backbone of this concept. Her guilt, and her grief are so compelling, and the manner in which she rationalize her traumatic experience is very believable... but identifying a child who was raised in a household that actively encouraged cruelty as just "always like that" is very suspicious to me. And the strong thematic intersections aligning between Zenix and Zane makes me believe that there is something going on here.

Brian

Last but not least.

This reveal was unexpected but impactful. It was shocking because of this concept. Despite Molly's best efforts Brian became a traitor anyway.

It came alongside Zenix' in a way which I think is interesting. It was implied that they had some kind of relationship. And they both ended up betraying Phoenix Drop.

I wonder where this guy is now...

But some honorable mentions since this concept is interesting to me. (Most of the arcs were put aside so it is interesting to think where they could have gone considering the circumstances, so I'm connecting it to this mini-theory.)

Season 1, when Baby Alexis was turned into an adult SHADOWKNIGHT! She was returned to normal of course but still... is that a possible destiny for her to be weary of?

Leona. Kiki is so sweet, and a great mom, bit... there is too much mystery and unanswered questions surrounding this child of her's. (Why did Zane even do this?) She is somewhat implied to kinda-but-not-really be Zane's? Regardless of the reality one way or another she is a result of Zane, a pawn in his plot, maybe one that died with him, maybe one that returned with him, we don't know.

Considering this thematic presence throughout MCD I wonder where this would have led in season three. It would be interesting if this heavier side to the series continued. Especially since Aphmau is raising the heir to a destroyer's relic. If this theme is to be believed then where would that lead to in Alina's destiny?

"Minecraft Diaries: Son and Daughters"

https://archiveofourown.org/works/46724815

[mac-audcheese]

can one of u guys make like an analysis on brian or something like u do for zenix he’s turning my brain into goo sooo bad i need to understand why this is a him thing

WHO is brian, WHAT is brian ??? answers????

what do u mean you pathological LIAR I DONT UNDERSTAND

[blockgamejournals]

Mrrrp. Zenix x brian propaganda

[pheonixdrop]

Crying over Brian and Alexis

[rexecutioner]

Guys Jacob (Aarons son) and Brian were in the same goddamn boat but one of them was an innocent six year old and the other was a bitter teen

(Given amulets by Zane to eventually kill everyone in the village they lived in) (only one succeeded)

Idk where I was going with this im just really missing Brian bcs he didn’t even show up once after s1 I hope those fifteen years treated him well :(

Also Aarmau shouldn’t have been a thing in Mcd but we all kind of knew that already (Aphmau and Zoey 💔) (what we could have had 💔)

Anyways my plane home leaves tomorrow so if yall miss my weekly rants and art posts it might become more frequent idk

Have this Garroth art that I drew with crayons yesterday

[localcryptidinthewoods]

i finally finished rewatching mcd season one and god im so mad about the whole garroth betrays everyone cuz he saw laur and aphmau smooch and also brian being the traitor. head in hands

[zenixromeave]

You are someone I have loved, but never known And you'll never see the reasons I had

//

Do you ever think of me and my two hands, and wonder why? They never soothed your fevers And wonder why They never tied your shoes

[noble-guards]

Mcd Minor Character Tournament

[sammygems]

I totally didn't forget about this and hadn't been watching diaries for a while, TOTALLY not.

anyway, UPDATES (starting from Episode 92)

KESTIN VOICING ZANE! LET'S GO!

did Nicole cause the war between Scaleswind & O'Khasis? 😭 girl, i- (apparently her father was shown an illusion of her being murdered by a guard of O'Khasis to fool Scaleswind & O'Khasis into war, but they don't say if the illusion was made by Nicole or someone else)

Aphmau and Aaron secret talk in the woods (i legit haven't watched this in like, 9 months, i didn't remember i left off on Aphmau and Aaron talking in the woods after Aaron held a sword to her throat)

i like how Jess does some visible acting with the webcam (she touched her neck as if she actually had a blade held to it)

almost a Laurance jumpscare

love how Aphmau is worried about Aaron doing something to Levin or Malachi (do we think Aaron's capable of harming children?)

Laurmau banter, let's go

Garroth is "sick"

i do love how Laurance decided to get Cadenza to watch over Garroth while he's "sick"

Nicole is filling in for Garroth by keeping watch in his place

Aphmau's questioning why Nicole would wanna step in as a guard, as if they didn't tell her a few episodes ago that Nicole has joined the guards?????

Laurance is so sweet, i love him

"oh Lord Aphmau! i thought you were a monster i was reading about earlier" "oh well i do bite" Aphmau, what do you mean by that?

Emmalyn foreshadowing them getting stuck in the Irene Dimension by talking about the Irene Dimension

Emmalyn is so neurodivergent coded

LEVIN'S SITTING IN A CHAIR AND EATING SNACK

Levin's finally wearing clothes that aren't baby clothes!

HE'S WEARING PANTS

Malachi got knocked out. they summon Lucinda

i like how, Zoey is feeling upset with herself because Malachi got hurt, and Aphmau yells "ZOEY WAIT" as Zoey hasn't even moved yet

"Zoey, you are apart of my family" and i'm supposed to believe they're not married???

LILLIAN! LILLIAN MY BELOVED!

Aphmau is the gayest straight woman alive this is why i headcanon her character to be bi

Cadenza talking about Aphmau to anyone she meets is very cute

noooo don't let Lillian near Garroth

Cadenza's love for fashion is so me coded

Things I Have Noticed/Remembered from my MCDiaries rewatch

I will be updating this as I continue my rewatch, currently everything listed is out of order, cause I've started writing this as I am on episode 64 of season 1 and I don't feel like fixing it to be in order, so sorry!

What the fuck was Garroth's "plan" he mentions to Zenix in the first episode 😭

Zenix seems to be younger then Garroth in Diaries, considering the way that Garroth talks about him, but I think in MyStreet, Zenix is either the same age or slightly older then Garroth, so far this is like, the only obvious age difference between the series (besides Travis and everyone else of course)

I forgot how entertaining Brendan's character is, he's far less annoying then I remembered

ZANE AS AN ACTUAL BAD PERSON, I LOVE HIM

I love Vylad, but I legit forgot how much he was in Diaries season 1, I thought he was in it far less

Currently at the stage of Diaries where there is no lgbt+ people, i'm very disappointed by this (we haven't even reached the queerbaiting)

KC's character is....not as bad (racist) as I was expecting, still not great though. I'm choosing to believe that KC is from Tu'lu and Maid Cafes are a thing there, and "Kawaii~Chan" is just a stage name for her work.

Y'all know how Cadenza went missing and she was actually turned into a chicken? Yeah, the way Hayden, Castor, & Laurance talk about her to Aphmau makes it sound like Cadenza is a small child. But then it turns out she's the same age, if not older, then Laurance and Aphmau.

Aphmau should've just made Joh and Hayden lovers, I'm so serious, it would make the whole Cadenza and Laurance being "close like siblings" in season 1 to I think actually being called as siblings in season 2 and in MyStreet a lot easier to understand and make a lot more sense.

Why does Kenmur have like, some sort of romance with all the girls from Meteli??? He was engaged to Sasha and is stated to have feelings for Cadenza.

I love when the episodes open from Sasha's POV, and she goes and talks to Gene and there's just no voices. I love having to pause to read what they're saying. (this point is sarcasm)

The way literally everyone reacted to learning Laurance was blind was....icky. Like, I understand Cadenza and Aphmau reacting as like "we need to find a way to bring his sight back", but the fact that it was literally EVERYONE who decided he needed to get his sight back was so weird.

I don't mind Laurance ACTUALLY getting his sight back, but I wish it was done differently. Like, personally, I'd have him like, have to wash his face with the water of the fountain of Lady Irene.

Emma & Corey, Dale & Molly, and Logan & Donna are very sweet couples.

After Zoey and KC were able to turn Cadenza back to her human form, Zoey mentions that she "recognizes Cadenza from somewhere", but I don't think this goes anywhere???? I'm assuming it was supposed to hint at like, Cadenza's backstory.

ngl, I kinda wish we got more of Zane and Kiki's relationship, I really wanna know what side of Zane Kiki actually saw.

Anyway, Kiki is currently expecting.

Nicole (my beloved) has showed up. I've decided I won't question the logic behind her iron fists being able to break bedrock, and instead say that her referencing her iron fists just made me think of Ace from One Piece and Natsu & Gajeel from Fairy Tail.

I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT NICOLE'S FOX, ROXY, AND ABOUT THE WYVERNS IN GENERAL 😭

I need to mention that in one episode (before Aphmau went to Scaleswind and learned about Lady Irene), Garroth says to Aphmau "by the seven", which I think she was hurt, but the use of "by the seven" is similar to how the same phase would be used in Game of Thrones or to how irl lots of people say "oh my god", so I'm really wondering if there were originally supposed to be 7 Divine Warriors instead of 6.

The way when Aphmau found Levin and decided to keep him and Garroth IMMEDIATLY decided he would be Levin's father figure.

The way when Laurance found out that Aphmau had a kid, his response was to play with Levin and say to Aphmau "you didn't tell me you had this little buddle of joy/energy".

That's all for now, I'll like, update when I have more to add.