#but Leverage lets all the characters be competent and skilled | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

lifetimeoftired · 1 month

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My dear, I’ve been going through everyone who reblogged the ask game and see that you’ve answered everything in the tags. But would you perhaps do us the honor of making a proper post with all your answers? They deserve to be in more than just the tags <3

This gives me the same emotions as that one time my manager caught me drawing devil horns and a tale on a portrait of a co-worker none of us liked, told me that I should be better than this and when I blurted out 'do you wanna finish the tail?' he went 'yes :)' and finished drawing the tail. Which is to say; embarrassed at being caught but blindingly delighted to oblige the situation.

Also I'm going to go even more in-depth with permission granted.

The characters are as follows:

Warden-Commander Zaion'Jyn of Clan Dantalyse. Hero of Ferelden(/the Fifth Blight), Arl of Amaranthine, The Dark Wolf (his alter ego on the streets when he needs to cause problems on purpose illegally), Storm Wolf (to the Avvar clans), The Magi of Broken Chains (to the tiventer slavers, freed slaves, and the Fog warriors), Chosen of Mythal (to the dalish)

Champion Sadria Hawke. Scion of house Amell. Princess of Starkhaven. The Dark Marcher. Darling of Fool's Gold.

Inquisitor Thalla. (Formerly) Lady in Waiting to Comtesse de Bayard. Hunter to Clan Lavellan. Herald of Andraste. Lady of Bows.

your Warden/Hawke/Inquisitor's opinion on Orlais?

Zaion despises Orlsias. Their mistreatment of his people, being the birth place of the chantry, the Grand Game and all the self serving nobility while they sit in the house his people built- their sins are so highly stacked against them. In his ongoing grudge match with human civilization, the only country he hates more is Tiventer.

Sadria has that innate disdain of Orlsias that's ingrained in all Fereldeners.

Thalla actually was born and raised in Orlsias. Her grandparents were from the same alienage that Celene burned down, so her feelings on her country of birth can be described, at best, 'Complicated to Hatred'.

2. are they skilled in The Grand Game?

Zaion is a skilled manipulator and a trickster to his core. He's pretty damn good at the Game. However when he does bother to compete, he hates the person he becomes and mostly uses it as a way to kill nobles in his way or to leverage better deals for Amaranthine or Ferelden.

Sadria? Fuck no. Despite being a good lair, she's shit with people.

Thalla could be if she wasn't desperately trying to stop being in politics.

3. opinion on blood magic?

Zaion: There's three kinds of blood mages; The Stupid, the Desperate, and the Arrogant. Of them, the last one is the most annoying to deal with.

Sadria: I wouldn't care of they would stop blowing up my city :(

Thalla: bad evil bad!! Let's not!!!

4. attitude towards Andrastianism? / 5. attitude towards the Chantry / 6. attitude towards the Qun?

All a resounding disgust to exhausted groaning.

Although, Zaion doesn't judge people for their faith, he even finds parts of the Qun admirable. His main issue with organized religion is how it must mistreat it's own people in order to stay in power. Sadria just doesn't want to deal with religious fanaticism and Thalla just wants to be left alone.

7. if they had to choose one person most important to them, who would that be?

Zaion's most important person is absolutely Alistair- until he learns of both his own son (who's my Rook at this moment in time, subject to change depending on how the game goes) and Alistair's son Kieran. Both boys become his biggest priority with full support from Alistair.

Despite not caring for fanatacism, Sadria fell in love with Sebastian and he subsequently became her most important person. Especially after they got married.

Thalla is an odd case because she rarely gets close to people at all. Shockingly enough however, during the events of Inquisition, she was closest to Cole, nearly adopting the boy as her own (much as he actually freaked her out at first). But he's the only person who can get past her walls and helps her open up to others and her helping him learning how to talk to people is what really broke her out of her shell. After the events, she spent a lot of time with Alistair and eventually the two fell in love and she married him (they met when she fell out of a tree and knocked him out on accident :3)

8. who do they hate the most, and do they have an arch-nemesis?

Zaion: Loghain- he'll never forgive him but he's dead at least. Currently he also considers Solas an enemy because that fucker is trying to undo all his hard work saving this stupid fucking world and not today satan wolf!!

Sadria: Quentin, the mage that killed her mom.

Thalla: Celene. Leaving Briala in charge of Gaspard was the most satisfying thing she's ever done

9. what is their love language?

Zaion: Sure he's a hero and does a lot for everyone anyway, but he'll pay close attention and goes the extra mile for the people he cares about. He'll also be more inclined to let go of some of his paranoia and tight control around them.

Sadria: Hiding so much of herself beyond a laugh and a quick retort, if you actually get to see that vulnerable side and hear her sincere feelings, that means she likes you.

Thalla: As someone who spends most of her time actively trying to avoid being noticed or being roped into problems, if she slows down and actually hears you out and tries to help- even if it's just a simple comforting word- you're her friend.

10. are they good horse riders?

Zaion / Thalla: Yes

Sadria: Would prefer not to. She can, but her own feet are safer.

11. what are their religious beliefs, if any?

Zaion: Fully believes in the elven gods and hopes they're still waiting for their people. (A faith that's getting shakier after all that BS Solas said, but he's holding out hope)

Sadria: Andrastian but doesn't consider herself particularly faithful. She prays when she needs it, but by this point she sends up a quick 'thanks asshole' when something else goes wrong.

Thalla: Atheist by this point because even if there was a god they sound like selfish dickbags and she wants no part of their nonsense. She does however follow the Dalish Way of Three Trees as best she can, and held The Way of Shadow deep in her heart in case she ever got the chance to pay back Celene.

12. attitude towards Mabari?

Zaion / Sadria: Undying love and affection. They would die and kill for their dog.

Thalla: Hasn't been around mabari much but isn't a fan of dogs after a shitty noble refused to stop his dogs from harassing her back in Orlsias.

13. their thoughts on the Grey Warden order?

Zaion: He had respect for the Order previously due to hearing tales of the Wardens growing up, but as a bitter adult he's a little more realistic on the nature of people themselves. Still, after becoming a Warden he has the utmost faith in and loyalty to the mission. He may no longer be a Warden (complicated events in my canon led to him taking the power of the Well himself), but he still holds his former comrades in arms in high regard.

Sadria / Thalla: Believed in the wardens as heroes and got a little crushed when they were forced to confront they were only people. Sadria was especially hurt when Bethany turned on her, becoming so bitter when she was forced to join the Wardens. Thalla was beginning to trust in Blackwall, and the sheer mind-numbingly horror show that was Adamant has lost faith that there's any real good in any institution- including the Inquisition.

14. who are they closest to from their family?

Zaion: All of his blood family died years ago and of his chosen family he remains closest to Alistair. Though after he meets his son, the two form a fast and rather close bond.

Sadria: Was closest to Bethany but, well, she's mad at her now after joining the wardens. After joining the inquisition though, she meets her cousin Amell and the two have been getting to know each other.

Thalla: Her grandparents, and her parents who were visiting them, died in the fire and she struggles with getting close to anyone now. Even in the inquisition.

15. preferred weapon of choice?

#15: Zaion: Duel wields two blades; the Calenhad blade and Starfang, in tandem with his battle magic as befitting Dirth'ena Enasalin. A True Arcane warrior.

Sadria: Bow and arrow. For a short bow, she uses The Houndmaster's Short Bow. If she needs a more powerful long ranged weapon, she uses The Hawke's Key- but she rarely needs it.

Thalla: Also an archer, she predominantly used the Superior Dalish Hunting bow, but after finding the bane of red crossing she thought it fitting.

16. do they get sentimental about their weapons or armour?

Zaion is very sentimental about the warden armor- in his canon he made the iconic blue and grey to confront Loghain at the landsmeet. Just petty enough to outsmart and out dress him at his supposed moment of triumph (he also helped the others find stylish outfits, plent of unused concept art that was pretty lit is what he used for their outfits because like hell was he going to be the only well dressed one here). Even better that it's become the official warden outfits in the years since. As for the blades, he's unbearably attached to them. Even if he goes without the armor, he can never let Calenhad out of his sight after Alistair trusted him enough to hold Cailan's sword and wield it with respect. Starfang is of course a one of kind, made for his hands alone. He takes that very seriously.

Sadria has a complicated relationship with the champion armor. To her, it is a source of pride. She saved the city and protected her home, rescued her loved ones and earned the respect of the Arishok to the point he would willingly fight her one on one out of that respect. It is also her burden. A symbol of her failures and that legends never live up to reality... As for The Houndmaster and the Key, the first she wields for the memory of Tallis- a love that burned so bright yet so brief and will always remain her biggest what-if. The latter in her father's name. For his burdens and how she understands him now better than she ever did when he was alive.

Thalla was by far the most reluctant to don her armor. Her? A herald to a religion she hates for people that want her dead in a world with plenty of other people far more willing to bear this burden? She was basically dragged kicking and screaming into it. Yet, by the time she's finally able to leave the armor behind, there's a strange sorrow to it. The respect she had as a world leader will be gone, her friends will part ways, and she must stop an ancient evil without those who put their faith in her. It's harder than she wants to admit to put it all away- but she must and take the relief of it's weight as it comes. As for her bow, upon learning the story of Red Crossing, elves and humans, a love story, and the tragedy of intolerance, it feels heavy. It feels like it belongs in her hands.

17. what were they like as a child?

Zaion: Happy go lucky, a pure kind of innocence to even his most silly and rebellious actions as a teen. A smile like the sun and compassionate to a fault. Most wouldn't recognize him as the same person honestly.

Sadria: A much more serious child, though she always had a wild streak in her. She took the importance of caring for her family with a smile, but it was with the seriousness only a child can give with their first responsibility.

Thalla: A much more curious child. Always trying to learn more and sticking her nose into places it didn't belong.

18. do they have any irrational fears?

No. All their fears are completely justified after the events of the games. Though Zaion's claustrophobia is definitely on the more extreme side.

19. are they afraid of death?

Not anymore.

20. where would they like to be buried?

Zaion: Would love nothing more than to be buried in the family crypt with his old clan. Unfortunately, due to his decision to get involved in the outside world, he's made himself a bit of an outcast in his clan. He's allowed to visit, but it's clear it's not his home anymore and he's no longer privy to their rituals. Instead, he'll take being buried in the Amaranthine woods where he's made a home.

Sadria: Wants to be buried next to her husband, Sebastian.

Thalla: Hopes to be able to be buried in traditional Dalish fashion. Somewhere in the woods with a tree growing atop her.

21. what is their biggest regret?

Zaion: He has so many, but it will be not getting to watch his son grow up.

Sadria: Not spending more time with her family when she had the chance.

Thalla: Not going with her parents to visit her grandparents on that fateful day.

22. have they ever been to Tevinter?

Zaion: A few times. He likes to free slaves and kill magisters to vent his frustrations and for a little adventure when he's been couped up in Amaranthine too long.

Sadria / Thalla: Never and are happy enough not to. (Though Thalla will grudgingly go to stop Solas in the new game I'd assume)

23. do they have, or want to have, children?

Zaion: Would love nothing more than to be a father, but he's never had time for a real relationship. He has his whole Thing with Zevran, but he refuses to call it romantic due to trauma and as such. He has a bad habit of picking up strays batman-style. Meeting his bio son was a bit healing for him really.

Sadria: She's nervous about the idea, unsure if she'd make a good mother, but she's open to the idea. Especially since, being married to a noble house she'll be expected to.

Thalla: No kids and no current plans on getting any.

24. what languages can they speak?

Zaion: Speaks Common, Elvish, several dialects of the Avvar language, Tivene, Qunlat, Orlsian, and Antivan. Common, Elvish and the Avvar were learned prior to becoming the arl of Amaranthine and the rest he's picked up for trade route reasons, excluding Tivene. Which he learned to speak to the slaves and so he could mock magisters while freeing them.

Sadria: Common, some broken single dialect of the Avvar clans.

Thalla: Fluently speaks both Common and Orlsian (though she's done a good job of hiding her accent). Knows some Elvish after years of living with the Dalish.

25. what did they plan for their life to look like before the events of the game happened?

Zaion: His main goal in life was becoming what was known as a 'Lore Hunter' like his family before him. His clan is extremely isolationist, only occasionally trading with the Avvar clans nearby, so they do not bring attention to themselves by getting involved. With the except of their Lore Hunters; Well trained individuals who leave the clan to seek out lost knowledge on the People and return with it for preservation and study. Eventually to get weary of the dangers of the world and return to settle down and get married with kids.

Sadria: She was content being nothing more than a simple game hunter for Lothering and looking out for her family. Maybe get some kisses here and there from cute folks around.

Thalla: Her original plan in life was following her parents footsteps and working as a servant in waiting to the noble family her parents worked for. After their deaths and the horrifying realization that their lives were fodder, a game, and there would be no justice in Orlsias for the loss of her family. she fled and found her way to a traveling clan. Learning the ways of the Hunter she was at peace to pretend her past life never existed.

26. do they get a happy ending?

THEY MIGHT IF THEDAS WOULD STOP BLOWING ITSELF UP (Merril Voice:) BY THE DREAD W O L F

#dragon age #my ocs #ask game #Zaion #thalla #sadria #ask #salemcantupdate

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sawaproexperts · 3 months

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linuxgamenews · 4 months

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rotationalsymmetry · 2 years

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(Leverage redemption spoilers)

I like how in the last Leverage Redemption episode, everyone was like

“oh shit, Breanna’s in danger, we gotta pull out all the stops to go protect Breanna.” And she was visibly freaked out but did a pretty good job of keeping her cool and used her skills to help get herself out of trouble, anyways I think it really threaded the needle of “worthy of care and protection” without falling into “helpless damsel in distress” y’know? And it’s also very similar to how the show treated Hardison getting into dangerous situations in OG Leverage.

also cannot express how much I love Janice’s character, I think they nailed a lot of “extremely competent at what she does” and “has a good heart in a professional way” and “ok the company would probably run just fine without the boss siblings but it would fall apart instantly without Janice” y’know? I’m not necessarily thrilled about the surprise romance, given y’know he was her boss, and to me it felt a little bit “let’s do some surprised twist thing just because” I mean it felt extra, unnecessary, but whatever, and she gets the company in the end which is very Leverage. They had me going there for a moment, I was utterly convinced she was in on the smuggling and I was going to be so sad. But no :-)

also damn this show knows how to write satisfying villains.

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notzilon · 3 years

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achillesmonochrome I really love this idea but, what bugs me is...why she became the champion if she didn't want it? I mean, you go to the league, and then the champion has been defeated by N, you eventually win, and then you have the post-game. You don't become the champion unless you go again to the elite 4

I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED.

Okay so you bring up an excellent point and typically, yes, I would agree this is a plot hole! However I have incurable brain disease that makes me think about world building and the implications of children's media 24/7, so I accept no responsibility for the unhinged garbage that's about to come out of my hands and directly into your eyes Pokemon BW is a story whose major themes for the MC are consent, agency, and societal pressure. (As an aside, this is why I prefer Hilda - these themes particularly resonate with me as a lady.) Anyway. Stay with me here.

When Hilda, Cheren, and Bianca start their journey, it's so innocent, man. Bianca wants to find herself, Cheren explicitly wants to become champion, and Hilda is intended to be a blank slate to project onto. Except she's not, not entirely - we can infer a lot just from her character design and how the characters in the game react to her. She's tomboyish, probably rough around the edges. There's a good chance that she's not looking to do pokemon battling professionally but is still very good at it (many rivals are upset when they lose, but Cheren is consistently baffled by why Hilda always wins. It isn't like Silver who is learning how to love or something, Cheren is clearly intended to be a competent and skilled trainer in-canon, yet he just Can't Win,) she's most likely empathetic (see also: good at pokemon, these critters react to trust and love,) she's got a heroic nature (the average person is not willing to stick their neck out to throw down with a cult) and she's got a lot of hesitancy in literally every step of the plot. The last point might not be true for a lot of players, especially if you tend to say Yes to prompts, but the experience is a lot different if you let Hilda say No. Because, obviously, it's a game. But Thou Must. The show must go on. The script has been written and the prophecy has been foretold.

Hilda's life changed when she stepped out of her home town and met N, because in giving him the spark of doubt that would allow him to regain faith in humanity's ideal, she got an obsessive stalker. N decides, completely on his own, that if he is to be one half of the heroes of legend, then Hilda has to be the other half. What was supposed to be a fun journey adventure for Hilda and her friends soon becomes about fulfilling a prophecy, which N is constantly trying to goad Hilda into. He's pleased when she answers yes/agrees with him but any no answer is met with sneering, condescending nastiness. He wants Hilda to fulfill the prophecy because that's how he achieves his dream and proves that his way of thinking is Correct, giving him the leverage to change how Unova is structured. And like. The adults around Hilda just Do Not have her back like they should? Alder gives her Zekrom's rock prison and just tells her hey, good luck kid. If I lose it's all on you. And she can say no here!! She can refuse! And if she does, all Alder does is continue to push the Dark Stone into Hilda's hands, telling her that he's sorry, it has to be this way, it's not fair to her but she has to step up to do this if he fails. The whole of Unova is resting on her young shoulders.

And it ends up being true. Zekrom responds to her, at the final moment - because even if she said no every chance she got, when the cards are down, she still helps. Uncertain and unsure, dragged into this whirlwind of legends and fate, she counters the factually true statement that humanity is capable of unending cruelty with the ideal that humanity is also capable of incredible kindness and good. (As an aside, Zekrom and Reshiram represent yin and yang. Yin, the dark, the feminine, that which is acted upon. Yang, the light, the masculine, that which has its will acted out. It's interesting how it lines up.) The reluctant hero is victorious, and she certainly did choose to follow through with the plan, but how much of that agency can be attributed to the constant pressure held to the back of her neck? So there Hilda is. She's sixteen, she's the hero that saved Unova, and she's got every single eye on her. Of course she's going to be Champion. The Champion is the region's strongest trainer, the face of the region, the one who travels and solves problems. Who better but the one who is already a legendary hero? It doesn't matter if Hilda says no.

#achillesmonochrome #long post #leaving the league is how hilda regains her agency btw #bw brainrot au

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pale-silver-comb · 4 years

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So I know absolutely nothing about Leverage except what I've been seeing you post lately and I have to admit you're making it look tempting to watch! Can I ask what are some of your favorite things about the show/reasons you would suggest people watch it? And is there really a poly relationship that is canon?

Okay. Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. I am going to do my best not to just “asdfghkjl” at you and answer coherently.

In a nutshell, Leverage is about 5 people. 4 are criminals (Parker, Hardison, Eliot and Sophie) with different and unique skill-sets and 1 is an ex-insurance investigator (Nate) who, at one point or another in his career, has tracked down (or at least attempted to) the other 4. The whole show is essentially: man reluctantly reforms 4 criminals to use their criminal powers for good and 4 criminals move into man’s life and stubbornly refuse to leave because, goddammit, now they have morals.

I’ve got a lot of favourite things about the show but the main ones are as follows:

1. Found family. And I’m not talking about loners who come together to fight crime and happen to co-exist to the point where they realise they happen to have found themselves a family. I mean, Nate and Sophie are the Drunk Uncle and Wine Aunt who somehow become Mom and Dad to 3 beautiful criminal children. Mom and Dad love their criminal babies and the kids love them (as well as each other, but we’ll come to that in a moment). You get amazing family moments such as: Mom and Dad packing the kids lunch before sending them out to kick corporate greed’s ass; Mom and Dad giving the kids ridiculously expensive and personal Christmas presents causing their most Grumpy Kid to go very very quiet and soft as he runs off to gleefully play with his new murder toy; the kids interrupting Mom and Dad’s big Movie Style Kiss to ask if they can please keep their new underground layer and huffing and puffing when Dad tells them no.

2. Found family: the OT3 edition. To answer your question, the OT3 is indeed canon, confirmed by the creator. Now, usually, “confirmed by the creator” infuriates me because most of the time it’s a way for a creator to be seen as “progressive” without doing anything to actually be progressive. That isn’t the case here. The OT3 are built up carefully and while it is obvious the creators didn’t originally intend for all 3 of them to become a relationship in the romantic sense, by mid-season 5 we are given a very clear picture of where Parker, Hardison and Eliot are heading in their relationship. There aren’t any kisses at the end to signal this but there are solid marriage vows in not only one but two episodes. (And by marriage vows I mean literal equivalents of marriage vows: “for better or worse” and “’til death do us part”. I’m not even exaggerating). The OT3 also doesn’t need explicit romantic narratives to convey how much they love each other. Their love is laced through the whole show, from the way they teach each other things to the way they respond to each other and work as a unit. The way they fiercely protect and admire each other. Like someone once said, if you need characters to kiss or say I love you to let the audience know they love each other, you are writing them wrong.

Aside from that, each of the parings in the OT3 are just. Gah. They are so well done, with friendship being the solid basis for them all. The creators never expect the audience to assume anything about them or fill in the gaps. They give us their relationships on screen and reference many things off-screen to show us how these relationships continue to build in between episodes.

Hardison and Parker are a canon couple and date in the show: it’s approached slowly and they are so goddamned sweet. They are basically every fluffy slow-burn trope with a healthy dash of mutual pining in the mix. They are basically that quote “love is patient, love is kind”. (I would like to add their romance never becomes the focus of the show or overrides the importance of any other relationship they have with the other characters, especially Eliot.)

Hardison and Eliot are the Old Married Couple and from day one are already bickering and looking at each other/making comments that are found in every UST fic ever (not to mention Hardison has a very good knack for making Eliot grin like a little kid, when usually he’s basically an Angry Little Chef Man). They argue, they play, and love each other plain as day.

Parker and Eliot are more subtle but every bit as wonderful. They have an unspoken connection and understand each other on a level no-one else can. Parker and Eliot are not good with giving themselves over to affection for different reasons (and Hardison plays a central role in helping them realise it’s okay to want it and have it- that boy has endless patience) but there is something so beautiful in the way the two of them come together on their own and develop their own special bond that works for them. Parker and Eliot are that trope where the characters don’t need to speak to understand each other perfectly. They just do. Their love language is a lot of the time non-verbal but speaks volumes. (Parker also likes to annoy the hell out of Eliot and Eliot....just.....lets...her. Because he’s soft. The softest, grumpiest boy.)

I could go into so much depth for each pairing and their dynamics as a 3 but that's for another post.

3. Subverting stereotypes. There is the occasional hiccup in the show regarding stereotypes but ultimately, Leverage gets an A+ when it comes to writing characters and making them 3 dimensional people who are not defined by certain characteristics or events. Nate could so easily fall into the White Man Pain trope where he uses the trauma of losing his kid as a reason as to why he is entitled to act like a dick. Nate is a dick but he doesn’t use his pain to excuse it and I appreciate that. Hardison is a black man who is soft and nurturing. Easily the most empathetic and patient of the group. He’s nerdy, an actual genius, and has the biggest heart of all the characters. Nate is maybe the glue but Hardison is definitely the heart. Media’s usual aggressive, amongst other, racist stereotypes can fuck right off. Parker is canonically autistic (I am sure this was confirmed by one of the creators) and she is not defined by it. It’s not written as some kind of singular personality trait. It’s part of what makes up Parker but it’s only one facet of who she is and not once is her actions, thoughts or feelings treated like a joke. Sometimes people don’t understand why she does and says the things she does but it’s met with patience and fondness over the course of the show. Equally, it’s not met with over-caution. Parker is just Parker. No-one tries to change her. The other nice thing is Hardison, who always makes sure Parker knows she’s amazing because of who she is and not in spite of it. Finally, Sophie is in her 40s. She’s not treated like she’s past her prime. Ever. She’s sexy, smart and never is she pitted against or compared to Parker (who is younger) for anything. Sophie is amazing and there’s never even a conversation of “I may be older but I am still *insert adjective typically associated with younger women here*”. Sophie is possibly the first female character I’ve ever seen who isn’t just unapologetic about her age but has never had to apologise for her age. It’s a non-issue and that’s that. The women on the show are written so well, right down to secondary characters and it’s beyond refreshing.

4.) It’s just fun. The show has a “monster of the week” type format. Except instead of a ghoul or a ghost, the monster is some corrupt wealthy and powerful individual or organisation. The show draws on real-life individuals to do this and therefore closely parallels real-life people and events. It addresses important political, economical, social and environmental issues while at the same time remaining fun and light-hearted. The characters constantly get the chance to play dress up and by GOD do they have fun with it. You get to watch Eliot beat up bad guys in the most delightful of ways, usually after a witty non-sequitur and with a weapon you’d never think could be a weapon. The dialogue and back and forth between the characters is everything. And finally - my favourite thing- the team can never resist striking a dramatic pose after they’ve taken down the bad guy, making sure the bad guy sees them. I mean, they COULD just walk away, satisfied they’ve taken the person down, but nope. They gotta be dramatic bitches 24/7 and pose like they are models for every single month of this year’s Criminal Calendar.

5.) Competence Porn. So. Much. Competence Porn.

Honestly, I could list a thousand reasons for why Leverage is amazing but to list them would to be spoiling so many amazing moments you’d get to discover for the first time on your own if you do choose to watch it. It’s the kind of show you can watch with an eagle-eye and sink your teeth into. But it’s also the kind of show if, you would prefer, put on in the background for something entertaining while you do something else. Each episode is about the job at hand but it’s made up of so many moments between the characters that show how much the creators and writers care about them. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll do whatever it is you do when something Soft and Wonderful happens that makes your heart melt. I am so beyond grateful for Leverage. It’s everything I always wanted in a show. Nearly every show I’ve watched in the past 10 years has disappointed me in some way, usually either because the writers run out of steam or characters who I love are treated poorly or given some kind of unnecessary “shock value” arc. Leverage doesn’t do that. Leverage is what it says on the bottle. Fandom isn’t something I joined because I needed canon fix-its. Fandom only enhances and celebrates an already excellent canon.

#leverage #leverage ot3 #parker #alec hardison #eliot spencer #sophie devereaux #nate ford #talk leverage to me

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writing-frenzy · 4 years

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Plz let Airplane be EVEN MORE Awesome - Fic Rec Part Duo

*Stares at all the notes my last post got* Nice to know we are all just as Thirsty for the good boi as Mobei-Jun is.

So Thus, I have decided to make another! (Smashes the post button) Since there was a lot, I just decided to make another post.

here we go kids, more of that good Airplane love... alongside that good quality Moshang because I am biased~

(Plz share if you find more!)

a cup of vinegar, a spoon of sugar by Shamelesscooper - “Your timing certainly is impeccable, my lord,” Wei Wuxian groans, rubbing his back. “What brings you here for the second time in as many nights…?” “I left my cloak,” Mobei-Jun says, shooting Wei-Wuxian a dirty look as the bird demon shrugs his robe back on.“You certainly did!” Shang Qinghua exclaims, crossing his arms quite crossly. “You can’t just leave your things everywhere, my king!” Mobei-Jun’s hard stare refocuses on Shang Qinghua, and he can’t help but shrink back, hurriedly rummaging around in his qiankun pouch for the offending garment. As soon as Shang Qinghua finds it, Mobei-Jun takes it from his hands and throws it over his shoulders, breathing in a deep sigh as if it relieved him to have it there again. If you miss it so much, why did you even leave it behind?! Shang Qinghua almost wants to say, but he is quite fond of his head, actually, and would rather Mobei-Jun not take it off his shoulders, thankyouverymuch.

--Shang Qinghua is tasked with escorting the leader of the Yiling Carrion Tribe to Gusu, and it'd be fine if only Mobei-Jun would stop poking his (gorgeous, beautiful, drop-dead handsome) head in!

*Evil grin* here we have a delicious rare side of Jealous Mobei, Shang Qinghua doing something that most MDZS fans dream of doing once, and a side of shamelessness from our favorite ‘Lovebirds’ XD Not to mention how steamy it gets~

You Will Never Step Lightly In The Dark by Janusoverlord - Shang Qinghua wakes up in the aftermath of Tianlang-Jun's rampage on Cang Qiong Mountain and has to navigate the delicate political situation he now finds himself in. Luo Binghe is building a harem with Shen Qingqiu as his first, and honestly most terrifying, husband. Yet, Luo Binghe seems to be turning his eyes to Shang Qinghua as a possibility as well. Excuse you? What is this? He didn't sign up for this!

Okay, make sure you read the tags kiddies because uhhh, this has some themes to it. It is also part of a series as well, but I read it stand alone and it does good with how it explains things; as it is...

Let me just say, Luo Binghe does not know what he just got into; all mortals will bow to the might of our lord Airplane! I really did like this and I am tentatively on the fence about reading the rest of the series, because the writing is so damn good but we will see how my ship cravings twist.

With Ink and Sword by xnemone - Shang Qinghua is appropriately nervous when he passes the Imperial Exams only to be assigned not to the Emperor’s palace, but to the barren lands ruled by a lord known to be as ruthless as he is cold. Although his friend and confidant Shen Qingqiu gives him a sympathetic smile and a mountain of furs before he sets off, Shang Qinghua feels less than reassured.He expects ridicule, a harsh regime, even rejection. What he does not expect is for Mobei-Jun to take one look at him among all the scholars and servants of his palace, and proclaim him his.

Now, this is such a good story, I love it, is makes me feel happy and squishy inside with the good Moshang, and you know what? It has my new favorite thing in the world!

Shang Qinghua calls Cucumber bro out! AND IT IS GLORIOUS!!! (Seriously, why does this not happen more often?)

Good Vibrations by Feynite - In Shang Qinghua’s defense, this whole trope was originally something he’d only ever written in for Sha Hualing, for precisely one scene.

In which I actually feel ashamed for forgetting such a treasure. Like, Feynite is a wonderful wordsmith, invoking so many thoughts and good shit with their words and characters, and by god do I end up just loving them even more then before.

This story passes the Vibe Check! (Luo Binghe also gets a Vibe Check~)

From Your Perspective by cozycitywitch - It was nothing more than a curse, probably, and surly the witch doctor could fix it? So what else was Shang Qinghua to do inside Mobei Jun's body until the end of the night? He couldn't be blamed for his curiosity! He was only a man! Or the one where Moshang switch bodies and Shang Qinghua can't help himself.

Now, this is a lovely, spicy lime where while there is no big action or technical awesomeness going on, it does have some wonderful images; Shang Qinghua’s hamster body with the aura of a king, him showing off being intimating which means Shang Qinghua can indeed be scary, it is something that could happen if he has the motivation for it.

Not to mention this is just a hot story all around~ (My kingdom’s for My King’s POV on this~)

ham hunt by jets_adjacent - There's a wolf at Shang Qinghua's heels and his only thought is: Northern mating rituals are a pain in the ass.

This is a really, really good A/B/O fic; it also shows just how tricky and sneaky our Shang Qinghua can be, as well as a mischievous side I just love seeing in our favorite Peak Lord. And let’s not forget the spicy goodness of this fic, which is really tasty~ (And can I get a shout out for consent and negotiated kinks!)

In which healthy relationship skills are forcibly brought into Proud Immortal Demon Way by two bros by Rafaela271412421 - Look, if no one is going to give these people friends and healthy relationships then by GOD, I WILL do it myself! It's about two bros bringing healthy relationships into PIDW both intentionally and not. Gods and deities, accidental and not, will also be included. Also, it's in bullet point format, so you’ve been warned.

ahahahahaahhahahahaahaha! I love this fucking outline/bullet points presentation, it is something I always end up going back to and giggling like an idiot. The is really a healing piece, my crops have been watered, my face is clear, and Airplane and Cucumber Bros go completely feral~ I love it, I want to propose marriage~

trinkets for a king by jets_adjacent - Shang Qinghua gives many extraordinary gifts to his King. His King finally catches on. --aka: Mobei Jun has never been courted by a human before.

So, this is a wonderful subversion of the ‘Mobei-Jun courts/plans his wedding to Shang Qinghua all the while said man is unaware’. like, it is so cute and I love jelly Airplane; it gives me life. Also, one of the few we see Airplane taking full advantage of all his author knowledge and using it for the devious plans~

The Southern King and The North Star by Luuplup - A series of meetings between the Southern King and a cultivator. The happy moments, the romantic moments, the sad moments.

Another really cute Role Reversal I find I greatly enjoy, with a very competent, beloved Lord Demon!Airplane :D it makes me happy when I read it, I end up wanting to hug something~ It seems like it will be a slow burn, what with our favorite moronsexuals, but oh is it delicious seeing the buildup~

under a wicked star by tagteamme - Caught unaware, Mobei Jun is kidnapped for leverage. On the eighth day, Mobei Jun is broken out of his trance by the sound of something being tossed into his pit. It’s a lot lighter than what they throw food down in. He realizes that today, he is not tied down.When he moves off the bed, he does not need the canopy post to support his weight as he stands up. The object on the floor glints in the firelight, and Mobei Jun crouches to pick it up. His face is immoving; slowly, he turns the An Ding peak lord crown in his hand, looking at the blood-soaked metal through the light.

SQH to the rescue! Alongside some good old fashioned angsty Moshang miscommunication but with Mobei-Jun’s POV this time, and some absolutely good steamy good times for all XD

we seal our fate by ketolic (corrose) - All things considered, it really was sort of obvious. Hey! Anyone can be a genius in retrospect. Hindsight is 20/20! Besides, who can blame him! He'd never written about this facet of Mobei Jun's life before! Still...considering all the times he'd gotten his hands on Mobei Jun's sealskin, he's sort of shocked that it took him so long to figure it out.

:D This story makes me giggle uncontrollably, and still finds ways to unexpectedly stab me in the heart. I love it! Not to mention we get to see SQH be awesome! Sure, he flails around as he does it, but busts out the fighting moves and even fits a rescue in there! So good, so in character, I love every watery moment of this fic... good thing I’m so thirsty- (Is shot)

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But yeah! These are some more good stories I found, some a bit more- urrrr- thirstier then others~ you can find the first thing of Fic Recs Here! And Plz, share more awesome Airplane whenever you have a chance~

#SVSSS #Scum Villain Self Saving System #Scum Villain Self-Saving System #Shang Qinghua #Moshang #Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky

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emblemxeno · 4 years

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Fates’ 1st Gen Characters: Parallels and Contrasts

I know I already mentioned it in the post where I made fun of myself for taking so long to realize this, but I wanted to make a post dedicated to it because I find it really cool. (I won’t do the siblings or Corrin and Azura because those are fairly obvious lol)

Saizo and Laslow: Saizo is serious and aloof, but he has a problem with keeping his emotions in check. Laslow is carefree and sociable, but is actually very wise and introspective. Both of their classes also contrast each other, Saizo being a ninja who does work in the shadows and Laslow being a mercenary who’s on the front lines.

Kagero and Peri: Kagero is a mature and traditional woman, bred to be a royal retainer; however, she has a casual and relaxed side as well, especially around Orochi. Peri on the other hand is very childish and prone to outbursts, and was chosen to be a retainer based purely on her martial prowess. Both ladies also come from noble families of their respective kingdoms, and have hidden talents with Kagero having unique artwork and Peri being adept in the kitchen.

Azama and Beruka: Azama is a priest who you would expect to be serene and caring, but is actually nonchalant and doesn’t really care if his remarks bother people. Beruka is an assassin who has the reputation of being unfeeling and cruel, but actually desperately wants to feel emotions and express them.

Setsuna and Selena*: Setsuna is absentminded and clumsy, but is extremely dedicated and focused when pushed to her limits. Selena is competitive with a strong work ethic, but can also be pretty superficial and likes to squander money.

Hinata and Odin: Both are passionate fighters with hidden serious sides, but Hinata is grounded in reality while Odin is theatrical. Hinata is also outwardly competent and recognized for his ability whereas Odin is underestimated by many because of his antics, until he ends up proving that he’s very capable.

Oboro and Niles: Both lost their parents at a young age and have a hatred for certain people. However, Oboro’s parents were killed and if she could help it, she would rather not interact with the people she hates at all. Niles on the other hand was abandoned by his parents and deliberately gets under people’s skin to see them squirm. Also, Oboro was born to a family of tailors with strong connections to the royal family and was taken in by relatives after her parents died. Niles was born in the slums and raised by bandits.

Subaki and Arthur*: Subaki is a perfectionist who is renowned for being skilled at all he does, and gets very critical and unforgiving of himself if he makes a mistake. Arthur is a clumsy hero and notoriously unlucky, but never lets his mistakes get him down or stop his pursuit of justice. Both characters also state that their parents helped shape their respective personalities.

Hana and Effie: Hana looks girly, likes feminine accessories and is an elegant samurai. However, she is actually extremely tomboyish, trains excessively, feels she has a lot to prove by being a female samurai, and protects people by going on the offensive. Effie on the other hand looks more like a tomboy, has more masculine hobbies like working out, and is a bulky armor knight. But (specifically in the Japanese version since her personality was changed in the western release) she is actually pretty soft spoken and sweet, is plenty emotional, no one has any qualms about a female knight, and protects people by going on the defense (she talks about being her allies’ shield a lot in the JP version, to the point where it’s pretty obvious that it’s a meta reference to her class)

Hayato and Benny: Hayato is an orphan who was raised by the chieftain of the Wind Tribe, eventually growing into a very respectable position. His sophisticated way of speech and self confidence is at odds with his childish appearance. Benny was raised by his commoner parents and eventually became one of many border guards. His intimidating looks contrast with his shy and warm personality. Both characters also have opposite classes and stats all around. Benny is an armor knight with great strength, defense and resistance. Hayato is a spellcaster with great magic, speed, and luck.

Orochi and Nyx: Orochi comes from a family of diviners with a divisive reputation, but was welcomed warmly by the royal family (Mikoto specifically). She’s fun, spirited, sociable and feisty. Nyx was born a powerful dark mage who went into isolation after committing a heinous crime, eventually becoming feared across many countries. She’s mature, sarcastic, brooding and keeps to herself.

Rinkah and Charlotte: Rinkah is the princess of the Flame Tribe, and forgoes relationships with others unless they turn out fulfilling and worthwhile. Charlotte was born into a very poor family, and deliberately tries to get popular with people-especially rich men-to curry favor with them and get money for her family.

Kaden and Keaton: Kitsune are an established hamlet and the race itself are only known by few to exist. Wolfskin are notorious in Nohr for their savagery. Kaden is friendly with humans (who don’t come to the hamlet), upfront about his feelings, and loves keeping himself groomed and clean. Keaton isn’t as nice with people at first, isn’t as open with his true feelings, and has a very unkempt appearance and sense of taste. Both characters however, are extremely protective of their tribes and the races themselves are both hunted for their rare fur.

Reina and Gunter: Older knights of their respective kingdoms. Reina makes it no secret that she’s bloodthirsty and loves battle, but off the battlefield she has a surprising motherly side to her. Gunter is very refined and acts as a mentor to other characters, but has a hidden hatred of Garon and seeks vengeance against him, even revealing that he was gonna use Corrin in his plan.

Scarlet and Flora: Both are involved with rebellions in Nohr. Scarlet is a Chevois knight, whereas Flora is a royal servant. Scarlet planned to be a knight from a young age, but Flora was taken hostage (along with her sister) to be used as leverage against her tribe. Both characters’ deaths are treated as tragedies, but Scarlet is murdered whereas Flora commits suicide.

*(You can also have Setsuna and Subaki trade counterparts and have it still work, since Subaki and Selena are perfectionists for different reasons, and Setsuna and Arthur are both notable for being extremely clumsy and unlucky. This way, all characters mentioned here also have supports with their respective counterparts aside from the avatar exclusives)

I could probably find some parallels with the neutral characters and 2nd generation as well, but I didn’t wanna make this post longer than it is lol. I just really wanted to point these things out because I think it really shows just how much the difference between the Nohrian and Hoshidan characters is integral to the plot, but also how the subtle similarities leads the nations to eventually cease conflict.

Anyway, I love Fates a lot.

#fire emblem #fire emblem fates #nohr #hoshido #fire emblem if #fe14 #character analysis #storytelling #meta

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thecaptainhelm · 4 years

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Shut Your Mouth

Small daminette one-shot, aged up characters. Close to Robin V’’s retirement, close to Hawkmoth’s defeat.

Word count: 1350

Enjoy!

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Robin irately observed the spotted hero sitting on top of the stairs leading to the second floor. She seemed to like high places, he noted to himself. She was currently using her yoyo’s compact form, tapping and scrolling through something.

The hero in question had been Ladybug, Scarlet Luck of the city of Paris. She’d come all the way from the JLE headquarters to the JLA ground site to receive tutelage under Batman and Red Robin themselves. That meant she wasn’t hopeless at least, but he didn’t see that as an accomplishment.

However, he could admit that she was a competent hero and good at what she did. He wouldn’t tolerate a daytime hero otherwise. She was good at improvisation and quick-witted, well organized and well spoken. She was decisive and leveraged herself as a pillar of strength and support for the citizens of Paris, her team included.

In that way, Robin and Ladybug had quietly bonded, being leaders of their own team and often sitting in silence together as they worked on their own tasks. It was neither amicable nor awkward, at least now and for the time being, merely productive.

And regardless of what Grayson said, he did not like her. At all. In fact, there were a number of things he detested in regards to her character.

First, there was her lack of confidence. While her image as the certain and sure-footed Ladybug was maintained by the lack of media coverage and professional conduct, she was more unsure of herself than not despite her blatant skills, effectively crippling her investigation into Hawkmoth’s identity, the most crucial aspect of her job.

The moment someone’s opinion differed from her own she would second guess her decisions, wasting time and brain cells on a different perspective when all she needed were the facts and her own conviction.

Next, was her inane denial. She constantly proclaimed that Chat Noir was her partner, but where she saw an equal, the rest of the world saw ‘sidekick’. Granted, the cat hero could perform well, he wouldn’t still be here if he couldn’t, but he clearly did not contribute as much as he should be.

The one left to do all the planning, coming up with strategy after strategy, as well as resuscitating the dead, dying, and brainwashed, was Ladybug. He was a sidekick who needed to stop being coddled so that he could reach his full potential.

Lastly, was her leadership role. It was solid and her team didn’t question her judgement, he would give her that, but her team members weren’t solid enough to be relied upon. Chat was a one trick pony, more often a hindrance than not, Queen Bee had ultimately ruined any chance of wielding a miraculous again, Ryuko didn’t follow orders, Carapace was overtly prioritizing Rena Rouge over the rest of the team and Rena Rouge was recklessly endangering herself and others by either giving away her position, or clinging so close to the other heroes that she was a direct inconvenience.

And don’t even get him started on Viperion. One of Ladybug’s few competent allies and he retires?! For what reason, when he’s only participated in less than ten skirmishes, the lout. She needed to establish more than the ground rules, she needed to make clear expectations.

So, no. He did not like Ladybug. He didn’t hate her either. She did her job, worked with what she had, and left him to his own devices whenever they’d interact.

Except for now. Sort of.

Technically she hadn’t said anything, but every now and then she would glance up from her compact and thoughtfully observe his tight expression.

“Speak up or stop gawking,” he finally snapped. Ladybug’s thoughtful gaze quickly glimmered into something else, but it was gone before he could identify it.

“Trouble in Jump?” Robin didn’t care for being figured out so easily.

“Jump is none of your concern.”

She tilted her head. “No, but it is yours’s. Tell me about it?”

He just glared darkly, and she raised her hands in surrender.

“Okay, I get it. I wasn’t asking to be nosy or anything, you just seem less stoic than usual, like you’re upset or angry, so I wanted to offer an ear,” she waved her hands, a foolish tell she needed to correct.

“Upset? Angry?!” He leaped up to pace around the room, cape swirling being him.

“I’m neither of those paltry emotions, angry and upset cannot begin to communicate sheer fury that boils in me!” His cadence was fast and biting.

“How much more will I have to fight to keep my position as leader of the Titans?! Have I not proven myself time and again to be trustworthy, yet my efforts are only met with scrutiny and skepticism as though I’m still that same child from all those years ago,” he dragged a hand through his hair without dislodging his hood.

“What more do they want from me, what more could I possibly give them to prove myself, how--how do I…” he trailed off from his rant, mutely horrified.

“...Robin?” Ladybug hesitantly called. “Um--?!” He rushed to stand above her on the steps.

“You will speak of this to no one.” He threatened. Her worried expression quickly flipped to that of annoyance.

“Yeah, I gathered,” She scoffed sarcastically and stood on a higher step, looking down at him.

He gritted his teeth. “You want something, so name it.”

“Pardon?”

“You wouldn’t offer something without knowing you’d receive benefits, so let’s just get this--”

“Oh Mon Dieu!” she groaned under her palm. “I’m not blackmailing you, moron. I--”

“Who are you calling moron?!” he growled.

“Just look up, damn it!” she snapped. He brashly tilted his head up.

“What--!” could looking up tell me about this situation, is what he would’ve said, but the world just…

It was as if time slowed to a crawl. Every nerve ending, each skin cell gained a hyper awareness rare outside of combat.

What…

He could feel hot, gentle puffs of air on his right cheek. Heat was effusing through his body, soft and tender. Ladybug was closer than she’d ever been, close enough to see the detailed fibers of her mask. Ladybug was close because Ladybug was kissing him.

Why was she…? Robin couldn’t think, everything was focused on Ladybug. She pressed down and his head further tilted, accommodating her completely. Her lips were warm, sliding against his silkily, parting to slip her tongue into his mouth. The air got hotter.

Why am I…? Her tongue was slowly and possessively wrapping around his. He still couldn’t think. Then, it was over all too soon.

Ladybug pulled away with a quiet noise and he leaned into her space, eyes belatedly flickering open. When had he closed them?

“...” Robin gazed up, stunned.

“That’s...not why I offered, but I got lost in the moment,” Her blue eyes were steel, unyielding. Unapologetic. Strength left his limbs, the only reason he was still standing was because of sheer pride and willpower.

“...”

“Robin, I offered because it looked like you wanted to shut yourself away. I know what that looks like, from others as well as myself. It’s not a good mindset to be in, and I wouldn’t let you sink to that without at least trying to talk to you.” She bit her lip and he locked onto the motion behind his mask, frozen stiff.

“I...I don’t know what to say and I don’t know how to help, but I do know that I can at least listen to you so you can know that you’re heard. That you’re being understood.” She brought up her compact and input some command and his utility belt beeped.

“I just sent you my contact information. Call me whenever, for whatever.” She clasped her hand on his shoulder as she descended the stairwell.

“I gotta go deal with an akuma. See you later, yeah?”

“....”

Just like that, Robin was left alone in the break lounge, halfway up the staircase and gaping up at the ceiling like a complete imbecile. Red, weak-kneed, and utterly stupefied.

What…?

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The end. Now validate me.

#daminette #maribat #mlb x dc #oneshot #ficlet #maridami #marinette x damian

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penguiduck · 4 years

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Writing Fight Scenes

I’ve had a lot of readers mention that they don’t feel comfortable with fight scenes. Well, that’s understandable. It’s challenging writing about experiences you’ve never had. But with some perspective and practice, you can most certainly work toward writing those fast-paced, heart-pounding scenes with ease.

To give you some background, I practiced competitive martial arts for six years. I competed in tournaments and trained hard to perform well in the ring. It was a contact sport, and even if I wasn’t sparring, training often left me with bruises, usually of the physical nature, sometimes of the emotional persuasion.

This experience gave me a lot of perspective when it comes to writing fight scenes.

Whenever I step into the ring, I have a flexible strategy in mind that combines what I know about myself, my opponent, and what I’m going to learn about them in the next two minutes. I’d like to share some of these thoughts and perspectives with you, and how your character may think before and during a match of their own. Of course, my fighting experience is limited to a contact sport. Your story may very well be far more violent with higher stakes, but strategies may be of similar foundation. Once you take a fight into deeper consideration, aside from the depiction of two fighters merely exchanging blows, you can begin to enrich your writing experience.

I’m including examples from Yu Yu Hakusho because that’s the fandom I write the most for, and as you know, there’s a lot of fighting involved! But remember — anime and writing are two completely different mediums. There's no one narrating everything that our beloved characters are doing on screen. You just see it. That is why you, as a writer, must paint those scenes through words for your readers.

Nevertheless, this advice really stands for any sort of writing, so do with this information what you will.

A well-written fight scene is never about just trading blows. There are other conflicts at play, whether between the fighters or even in the heads of your protagonists.

Allow me to elaborate:

1. Who is your protagonist?

Whenever I am preparing for a sparring match, the first thing I worry about is me. I must be self-aware.

I think about my own fitness. How am I doing? Do I have any existing injuries or ailments? How is my weight? My body type? What are my strengths and weaknesses? What do I have in my toolbox? What techniques do I know? What techniques am I most versed and confident in?

I also think about my overall wellness. Have I been eating well? Drinking water? Sleeping? How is my emotional state of mind? What are the stakes?

Is my uniform clean and pressed? What about my equipment? Headgear? Mouth guard? Shin guard? Did I replace that torn lace?

I recommend using these questions to bring your character’s own reflection to the forefront in whatever way makes most sense for them. How is your character’s fitness? Is she in good fighting condition? Has she been injured previously? What has happened since the last fight that might impact her state of mind?

It’s possible that she’s recovering from an illness or injury. Perhaps her mentor died a gruesome death. Maybe she’s frustrated because she lost use of her right hand, temporarily or permanently, and has had to compensate with her non-dominant hand. Or perhaps she’s lost the will to fight, having experienced something traumatic.

Hiei had to constantly think about his own state of health throughout the Dark Tournament after his fight with Zeru. His arm had been sacrificed to his Dragon of the Darkness Flame, rendered useless, and he was in terrible pain. He never let it impact him, of course, being the stoic warrior he is. His personality allows for little inner dialogue to be shared with the audience, but as a fighter, he was most certainly considering what options he had with his handicap. And, as a writer, perhaps you would like to elaborate on his thoughts for your readers.

What has your character been practicing lately? Is her weapon of choice the same? Has it been upgraded? Has she been training with a different weapon or technique? Is she perhaps nervous about using something new?

Maybe she just repaired her sword, and she’s unsure if it’s as strong as it was before. Perhaps she’s been studying a new technique, and she knows she’ll need to use it in this battle.

Remember when Kuwabara first introduced his spirit sword in Maze Castle? He was so proud of himself, and that whole battle was an introduction to his newfound technique, how he manipulated his sword, and how he was able to harness his spirit energy. It’s far more interesting to see this development and exploration than to just watch him stab at Byakko a dozen times.

My point is that while your character probably should keep her emotions out of the ring, she may not be able to. There are so many things that could be on her mind, plaguing her thoughts, especially if there’s a lot riding on this battle. I think it’s really important to not only acknowledge the physical part of fighting but the emotional toll it can take a fighter, too.

Think about the fight between Yusuke and Toguro. Toguro had just killed Genkai, and Yusuke took that very personally. This was not a simple battle of strength or wits. This was a battle of emotions, and it wasn’t until Yusuke was able to master his feelings and reach beyond that “six foot wall of crap” as Genkai so affectionately calls it that he was able to finally defeat Toguro.

And the catharsis that came from defeating Toguro? It was made all the more powerful because Yusuke went through that emotional journey. It wasnʼt just a fight — it was a calling, a purpose, and a lesson. It was painful and potent, and it made him realize just how much these experiences shaped him as a person.

2. Who is the opponent?

Before I participate in a tournament, I do my research. Who is likely to be competing? Who is in my weight class? What do I know about these competitors? If I don’t have answers, I would find them. I’d chat with my instructor, my fellow martial artists. Has anyone else from my school fought these people before? What were they like? Are there videos online of their performance?

I find as much information as possible. I make calls, send texts, take people out to lunch, scour the internet for information. Even if your character lives in a less technologically dependent world, I would imagine that he might talk with friends, look through old records, listen to gossip and hearsay. He might watch battles leading up to his own fight in an effort to learn more.

And if this pre-work isn’t possible, that’s okay. Fights in your story may be entirely unpredictable, but your character can also learn things about his opponent during the match.

When I step into the ring and ready myself to compete, one of the first things I want to find out is on which side my opponent is dominant. In other words, are they right-handed? Or left-handed? Right-footed? Or left-footed? Maybe they only focus on one side during training (which is silly, but that’s another conversation). But there could be an underlying reason why as well. Perhaps they injured themselves in the previous round or maybe they just don’t like exposing one particular side of their body for whatever reason.

This information is critical because this tells me what I need to watch out for, which side of my own body I should be guarding, how I may penetrate my opponent’s defenses. How can I catch them when they least suspect it? Where can I knock them off balance? My instructor always told me to watch the shoulders — shoulders move before the rest of the body. You can tell what your opponent is about to do by watching their shoulders.

Your character may wish to discover the same thing. Maybe his opponent uses a two-handed sword and is very clearly right-handed. This may give him some information on where his blind spot is — or maybe he just needs to disable his opponent’s right arm. The possibilities are endless, and understanding his opponent will give him leverage, offering him many options.

Understanding an opponent’s technique is also important. In martial arts, practitioners often favor a strategy or skill. This seems obvious, but it’s vital that you understand what it is — only then you can combat it.

Consider Kurama’s matches with Gama and Toya during the events of the Dark Tournament. The English dub did a wonderful job voicing Kurama’s inner conflict during these fights, struggling with first his inability to move and then his imprisoned spirit energy — if you were to put these scenes into writing, explaining his thought process would be fascinating. How does Kurama overcome these obstacles? He seeks to understand his opponents before he defeats them, which, unfortunately, also means he risks injury to himself until then.

Your character’s thoughts about the fight, interpreting for your audience what he feels he might need to do to secure victory, is just as important as detailing the fight itself.

3. What about the writing?

The writing will come once you begin to dissect your characters and their motivations for fighting. Your characters aren’t one-dimensional, or, at least, they shouldn’t be!

Your fight scenes shouldn’t be, either. It’s not about two fighters trading blows. It’s about an artfully curated dance. Two opponents are engaged in a craft that they both know well, and whether they’re fighting to win a tournament or for their very lives, they have reasons and complex thought processes that should make their fight interesting.

There are two players here, and unless the fight is grossly one-sided, they’re both thinking and acting independently of one another. My advice is to thread their actions and consequences together — weave the fight scene as if it’s a stream of conscious thought, separated into paragraphs, each with a shift in perspective, for clarity.

Instead of writing:

Yusuke charged at Kuwabara and punched him in the face. Kuwabara punched him in the mouth. Yusuke then kicked him in the stomach.

Try this:

Yusuke had little patience for Kuwabara’s bad jokes, and he rushed toward him, landing a blow square in the side of his head.

Kuwabara flew backward with a grunt, stabilizing himself before launching himself at Yusuke, returning the favor. His fist collided with Yusuke’s jaw, a blow hard enough to knock the teeth out of any regular human.

Yusuke expected him to retaliate, and although he was nearly knocked off balance, he swung his leg around, making full contact with Kuwabara’s stomach.

You may also find it useful to deviate from the fighting itself. You can speak to a character’s inner dialogue or thoughts, whether about the fight or something else. You may choose to have them begin a brief conversation. Or you may describe what other characters are feeling about the fight as onlookers.

There are many ways to make these fight scenes seamless and interesting — take some time to explore your options!

Just a few more general tips that might help:

If you’re going to use a thesaurus, be mindful about it. I use a thesaurus when I write because I suffer all day, every day from tip-the-tongue syndrome. But words, even if they generally fit the same definition, can have vastly different connotations, so before selecting a word from the thesaurus, do some digging. Look at the exact definition and perhaps Google some common usage. Punch, slap, and stroke do not mean the same thing, even if a thesaurus might say otherwise.

Read your writing out loud. If you’re unsure, this is the best way to understand your cadence, the flow of the battle. Use your best Morgan Freeman or Jorge the Ogre voice.

Consider a beta reader. Sometimes having a second opinion is immensely helpful.

Remember that there are no strict writing rules. You write whatever your heart desires in whatever manner your heart desires. Experiment and explore with different styles and techniques to find whatever works for you.

I hope you find this information useful! Please feel free to suggestion additional blog posts you would like to see from me in the future. ^_^ Of course, please reblog this if you found it helpful!

Pictures are, of course, not mine. They are shots from the anime or other official derivatives.

#YYH #Yu Yu Hakusho #YYH tutorial #YYH fight scenes #Writing fight scenes #Fight scenes #Writing #Writing tips #Writing help #Writing tutorial #YYH resource #YYH fanfic #YYH fanfiction #Writing fighting #Writing how-to #Fanfiction #Fanfiction writing #YYH headcanon

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katiebugwrites24 · 4 years

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My Very ScientificTM Breakdown of Parker and Hardison’s Relationship

Someone asked me to explain how I’ve charted out Parker and Hardison’s relationship across all five seasons of Leverage, so here you go. All of this is off the top of my head, I literally just sat down and wrote this in a few hours, but I’d love to hear any responses y’all have to it! Do you agree? Disagree? Did I leave something out? Let me know!

It begins in Nigerian Job with Hardison finding Parker attractive (because, of course, she’s amazing). He offers her the whole box of earbuds and Eliot notices and teases him about it. So we know from the beginning he’s attracted to her, which isn’t that surprising.

In Homecoming Job (episode 2), while Hardison and Nate are watching Parker ‘steal a law,’ Hardison calls her “sexiness” and Nate tells him to maybe ease up on that. Again, Hardison is commenting on his more surface-level attraction to Parker, and on his appreciation for her skills (because competence porn). Nate has noticed, rightfully, that Hardison doesn’t appear to have that much experience with girls, and therefore might not realize that his comments about Parker being sexy might make her uncomfortable (which I think they definitely would at this stage). So Nate is trying to help Hardison out by saying, “hey, maybe chill with that especially if she can hear you.” Let’s face it, Parker would probably not want her appearance commented on in that way at that point.

Which leads to Wedding Job, when Hardison casually says that she looks “much better in the same dress” than the maid of honor, and Parker is kind of confused and asks “You really think I look good?” He does think she looks good, obviously, he has from the beginning, but this more casual way to approach it was the much smarter move given her skittishness. I think that exchange is what prompts Parker to tell Hardison that she’d pretended to be meeting him for sex in the screening room. I don’t know if it’s what gave her the idea to use that excuse in the first place, but I definitely think it’s why she told him about it when he asked. I think it was an acknowledgement to say “I hear you, and I appreciate that you find me attractive, but I’m not prepared to do anything with that, so I’m just gonna tease you about it a little and never mention it again.” Basically, she’s not shutting him down, but she’s not prepared to encourage him, or take the relationship any further at this stage.

(There’s another little quip in Mile High Job about how if Parker was a geek she’d be really turned on by Hardison’s hacking, and she just kind of rolls her eyes, which I think is a fair response. It’s similar to the way she rolls her eyes when Eliot talks about some of his relationships. I don’t really read to much into that.)

By Bank Shot Job, we see them becoming closer friends. They work well together as the undercover agents (which they also did in Wedding Job, but they anticipate and riff off each other really nicely in Bank Shot, indicating that they’ve worked together long enough to be a well-oiled machine). Also they’re obviously hanging out in the van together when the episode starts, and they mention they’ve been in Juan for a few weeks by that point, so I think it’s fair to say they’ve definitely reached friend territory by now.

Regardless, once we get to Stork Job, they’re “a little more than a team.” That episode is a lot for Parker, and has a lot of her personal growth in it, obviously. It also shows Hardison opening up about his own past for the first time, and it shows how deeply Hardison cares for Parker and her safety. Personally, I also think the scene when What’s-His-Face is flirting with Parker and Hardison keeps making Parker laugh by saying stuff like “do my cape and fangs frighten you” is a sweet moment because he makes her laugh. I don’t really read this moment as jealousy, though I’ve seen that some people do, but I just think he was commenting on how ridiculous What’s-His-Face is. (I forgot the character’s name because he’s always just gonna be Moriarty from the Librarians to me).

Juror # 6 Job is also great, and I really didn’t want to make this an episode by episode break down, I was really just going for broad overall themes, but I’m in too deep at this point. In Juror #6 we have Hardison who initially brushes off Parker’s concerns just like the rest of them, but he does come around and convinces Nate to listen to what Parker is saying. He also has the insight to say that Parker never had experience with people, etc. I like this scene because it mimics the previously mentioned scene in Homecoming Job with Hardison and Nate sitting in that same spot discussing Parker. Obviously at the end, we also have that sweet moment where Parker is proud of Hardison for his closing statements and also proud of herself for acting ‘normal’ (and I think he’s proud of her too).

Then in First David, we get the first kiss. Obviously there are different ways to read this one. Either Parker is only focused on the job, and only kissed him because it helped her break in, OR she used the break-in as an opportunity to get to kiss him without actually having to follow through with anything else because she could just play it off. I like to believe the second option, because I think her awareness of his feelings is high enough that she’s starting to question her own feelings at this point, but isn’t consciously ready to go there. So I think she wanted to kiss him and she got to use this as an excuse, and then shut that door again immediately and pretend it never happened. Because later in Second David she was obviously just pretending to not know what Hardison was talking about. She just wasn’t ready to talk about it yet.

I do also think that small moment in Second David is really telling when Hardison says something like “no calls no texts for three months, I don’t need y’all” and Parker is seriously offended—like seriously offended, and says “What do you mean ‘you don’t need us’?” In her mind, not only does he obviously need her (they’re more than a team at this point, after all), she stayed away and didn’t contact him because she was protecting him. That was the safest thing to do, it doesn’t mean she didn’t want to talk to him. But Hardison is less . . . emotionally equipped to have to split up from his new family for months without contact, so it makes him feel like they never cared about him in the first place.

Then we reach season 2, where we have the “people are like locks. You have to have patience and be fiddly” conversation. (By the way y’all, literally all of these quotes are off the top of my head, so if I misquote stuff please forgive me). Anyway, here Hardison wants Parker to know that he did look for her because he wants to be sure she knows he cares about her enough to try (I think she’s perfectly aware he was looking and has been intentionally not letting him succeed because she wasn’t ready for that yet, but who knows). And Parker encourages him with the fiddly message, but is again emphasizing that she’s not really ready yet. This encouragement is different from the acknowledgement she gave in Wedding Job in season one, when she was just saying “I see you.” Here, she’s saying “I see you, and continue, maybe one day it will work out.” Importantly, though, she still hasn’t addressed within herself her own feelings for Hardison.

Skipping forward a bunch, because this is already 1200 words long and I’m only on season 2, we’ve got other small things, like them pretending to be a couple several times, and Hardison getting kind of jealous of McSweeten in Fairy Godparents Job. Parker also gets mad at Hardison in Ice Man Job, but that doesn’t really advance their relationship that much. The main thing we are seeing over the course of this season is Parker’s willingness to touch Hardison more and more. She holds him in that arm bar for a long time in Tap Out Job, and she pulls him close in the safe in Ice Man. Again, these can all be written off as being part of the con or for a bigger purpose, though, because she doesn’t want to admit to Hardison or to herself that she likes touching/being close to him.

This similar thing is clear in Jailhouse Job, when he says “see, I like when we pretend to kiss” and she goes “pretend?” and scrunches up her nose. (also, is it just me, or did it look like they were trying to imply something other than kissing? Were they also kissing too? What was happening?) Because Parker may be pretending that kissing him doesn’t mean anything, but she’s not pretending to kiss him. The kisses themselves are real. Also, we see her in this episode once again get naked in front of Hardison, and once again it could be interpreted as Parker doesn’t really view her own body as sexual (perhaps hinting at being on the asexual spectrum here) or it could be interpreted as Parker wanting to mess with Hardison, or wanting to see how he’d respond. I think it kind of could be more of the latter, though I do maintain that Parker doesn’t naturally view her body as inherently sexual regardless. I think that she may have gotten naked because she knew it would make Hardison flustered, and she likes that she can make him flustered, but again she doesn’t want to examine why she likes it.

In Reunion Job we have the sweet dance, which I think is one step further than what we saw with the touching in season 2, where this time there’s no “excuse” for her to dance with him, she just does it because she wants too, which is great. But I don’t think at this point if he’d tried to talk to her about it directly that she’d be willing to. For the most part, Hardison is really doing as she asked and being patient, but it’s still clear he’s eager to see where things go.

(BTW, I started writing fic set in this time because there’s so much in these episodes in season three that I want to explore, so if you’re interested here’s the link but be warned I never finished it: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12707019/chapters/28977393)

In Inside Job, obviously Hardison is super concerned about Parker, and I really think it’s so nice that he’s the one she calls when she gets to a phone. I also like that this is the first (?) instance of Hardison calling her “mama” that I can think of which is personally one of my favorite nicknames of his. I also think it was really eye-opening to Hardison to see how Parker lived and what her warehouse looked like. I think even though he knew all that stuff about her, it was different to see it in person.

In Scheherazade Job, Parker sides with Hardison against Nate about the whole hypnotism thing, which I think is really interesting especially given that Nate says Hardison doesn’t have the ruthlessness needed to run a crew, but he leaves Parker as the mastermind at the end of the show, indicating that she does have that ruthlessness (which she does) but here she is still on Hardison’s side. I also doubt she’d be able to con her own team the way Nate does unless it was absolutely necessary for their survival, not just for the con. Like, she’d con them to save them from jail or to save their lives, but I don’t think she’d con them just to get a job done the way Nate did with Hardison here.

ANYWAY, we come to the biggest development, which is the Pretzels conversation in Double Blind Job. One thing I love about this is that Hardison is in no way trying to make Parker jealous in this episode. That would be really kind of manipulative of him given what he knows about her, etc. That said, I think he does a good job of pointing out that there’s no reason for him not to date someone else. Parker hasn’t said anything concrete to him about her feelings one way or another, so if someone like Ashley came along and he wanted to date her, Parker would have no reason to object. Parker realizes this too, which is why I think she actually does say something, even if she can’t actually say the words in the end. This is when Parker realizes that not only does she like Hardison’s attention and get upset when it’s given to someone else, she likes it because she likes him back. So she tells him she has feelings for pretzels, and he understands that it means “I like you but I’m not ready yet so please don’t move on to anyone else” and he accepts that and says “they’ll be here for you when you want them” essentially saying that he’s not going to move on now that he knows she really does have some feelings for him. That allows him to justify to himself waiting on her because he has something concrete, and it allows her to work through her feelings for him without having to worry that he’ll move on to someone else before she’s ready for it to go anywhere.

There are further moments this season where they grow together and are comfortable together, until finally, in Big Bang Job when they almost get blown up on the train and they manage to work together and disarm the bomb, she realizes that she is ready for pretzels. I don’t know if it’s the adrenaline of the situation or what, but somewhere in that she realizes she does want to move forward. How they’re going to do that is unclear, and doesn’t come up in San Lorenzo because they’re busy with Moreau and then they have to split up for a few months, so none of this comes up again until Long Way Down Job.

In Long Way Down Job, Hardison is coming in kind of expecting a relationship at this point. Parker has said she wants pretzels, and this is the first time they’re seeing each other in the months since then. Parker, on the other hand, has used those few months to kind of get cold feet. It’s not that she doesn’t want to be with him anymore, it’s that she’s kind of gotten into her own head about being good enough for him or being able to handle a relationship in a way that’s fair to Hardison. That’s why she reverts to pretending not to see his obvious advances, and responding with “this isn’t going to be a thing, is it?” when he’s concerned for her. She’s trying to push back again, and again he respects that, but it’s obviously really upsetting for him. But after her whole experience in the crevasse with Eliot, she understands that it’s okay to be herself while she’s trying to be a better version of herself, and as long as Hardison knows that, then it’s okay. So in the end when she says “you know this isn’t going to be normal, right?” she’s admitting that she is, in fact, ready for “this.” That’s what they have in season four, a kind of limbo thing where they’re not saying they’re dating, but they’ve admitted that they like each other and they’re going on very date-like outings together. I always refer to season 4 as when they have their thing because of how Parker said, “this isn’t going to be a thing, is it?” and then turned around and said it is a thing, it’s just not normal.

We of course get more great moments in episodes like Carnival Job and Grave Danger Job where Hardison expresses that he would never replace Parker and Parker expresses that she needs Alec. I don’t think they would have said ‘I love you’ yet at this point, but I think these things are essentially saying that in different words. In Queen’s Gambit, again we get that assurance from Hardison that he’s got Parker and he’s not going to let anything bad happen to her, and he proves it.

In Experimental Job, Parker kisses him again, first on the cheek after she tells him that he’s really cool, and then on the lips to convince Zilgram that Hardison is worth having in the Dustmen. The ease with which she kisses him on the cheek indicates to me at least that a) she doesn’t mind showing him that kind of affection at this point, and that b) she doesn’t mind doing so in public. You could argue back and forth on the second kiss because it is for the job, but also I think she just really wanted to kiss him and knew she had an excuse to do so. Obviously she was acting for Zilgram’s benefit before and after the kiss, but there’s a spot in the kiss where they’re body language changes, and I think in that moment it’s a “real” kiss and not just for the con.

Parker and Hardison both have some doubts again in Girl’s Night and Boy’s Night, but again those are pretty self-explanatory, so I won’t go into them. But it’s also interesting that the team does see them as basically dating at this point regardless of whether they use that terminology. Sophie references “early relationship jitters” and it’s clear by the way Eliot gives Hardison advice that he knows what’s going on (not that they were that subtle with it, lol). It’s clear enough by the end of the season that they’re together even if they haven’t officially said anything.

They spend the 6 month break between season 4 and 5 together traveling the world, and then they finally admit to the team that they’re dating. The traveling the world time is when I really think they kind of hammered things out and actually talked not in code, which lead to their official admission to the team. I think this official admission really just means that they’ve become more comfortable talking about their relationship with others. So now they’ll refer to each other as babe (or, memorably “my santa baby”) in front of the team, etc, and refer to things as dates instead of just hanging out or activities together. They’ll spend the night together in the apartment above the brew pub, etc. But if you notice, their behavior around each other doesn’t really change that much between season 4 and 5, which I think is just more proof that they were just as much in a relationship in season 4 as they were in season 5, they just weren’t calling it that yet.

So, to break it down:

Season 1: Hardison likes Parker; Parker realizes this, and experiments with kissing him

Season 2: Parker encourages Hardison’s advances, but warns him to be patient and fiddly; she begins to touch him more

Season 3: They have the pretzels conversation, and Parker confirms she has feelings for Hardison but asks him to wait for her and he agrees

Season 4: She’s ready for Pretzels now so they have a ‘thing’ where they’re basically dating/in the early stages of dating, but they don’t call it that.

Season 5: They’re finally comfortable admitting to everybody that they’re together, and acting like a couple in public. They’ve gotten over most of their doubts/insecurities about their relationship and are mainly just being happy together as a couple.

#Leverage #Parker #Alec Hardison #Hardison #Pretzels #katie rambles

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nishiagrawal · 3 years

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Gamification in e-learning

Virtual learning is transforming the EdTech sector and gamification is more than just a buzzword these days. It is a unique approach and engages the users with its benefits. Infusing gamification in learning, not only increases the competitiveness but also makes learning dynamic and increases the level of engagement. As gamification has seen huge popularity in the marketplace, we need to consider the impact of this technology on virtual learning.

With EdTech becoming a reality, several businesses and institutions are adopting gamification. Gamified environments are improving learning engagement to increase the outcomes. Gamification has proved to be a new way of learning and researchers are looking into new techniques and methodologies to improve the quality of virtual learning. Let’s now see how gamification has transformed the education industry.

How Has Gamification Transformed Virtual Learning?

Information transfer and transparent communication have become omnipresent and the education sector is heavily relying on new techniques to prepare better MOOCs for the virtual classroom. Gamification offers several advantages for the structure and game dynamics to have expected relationships with the content. Several advantages play an important role in transforming eLearning and virtual classroom sessions. The main advantage is the level of interactivity students and participants love. Let’s check some advantages and learn how gamification is improving the education section.

Advantages Of Gamification In eLearningUnique Interaction

With gamification, the interaction models and the levels of user engagement have increased as students now have access to a different environment to learn online through MOOC. A good strategy with a high level of engagement increases the retention rates of the students. Learners can easily engage in the academic content and develop a positive attitude while learning. This leads to student learning productivity. Different e-learning platforms allow the content creators and designers to incorporate interesting games, quizzes, and dynamic content that can deliver academic concepts in a fun way. This keeps the learners and participants engaged and improves the interaction.

Improved Motivation

The young students and learners are interested in games. They are always motivated to play and win. Gamification can easily harness this interest to develop a positive attitude towards learning while playing a game in an interactive environment. In a gaming environment, the learner is challenged to finish quests, accomplish goals and unlock achievements to move forward with the chapter. Developing dynamic content that is not only interactive but also challenging, keeps the learners engaged. Gamification offers interactive roles when incorporated into the learning process thereby increasing the motivation of the students.

Increased Reception

Gamification offers an effective learning environment that is quite informal and engaging. Learners face real-life situations, decision-making scenarios, and challenges in an interactive learning environment. This increases their level of reception while playing an interesting game. Instructors develop customized MOOCs and leverage gamification to teach complex topics in a fun way. This results in an engaging environment, smoother information flow, and increased attention. Interesting simulations can increase reception and keep the learners and participants engaged.

Increased Involvement

In virtual classrooms, learners have no option but to participate in game-based learning modules. Gamification allows the learners to take on new challenges, play different roles, unlock new chapters, level up their characters, and do much more. Apart from that, several MOOCs engage the learners differently and prepare them to handle in-game decision-making scenarios from different vantage points. Thus, there is increased dedication and involvement of the learners to effectively interact with the subject matter.

Increased Longevity & Quick Feedback

Gamification increases the overall outcomes of the virtual classroom. Game-based MOOCs not only engage the students but also offer learning conditions that build a better understanding of the subject through quick feedback. Quick feedback increases the interest level of the students and participants. Quick feedback offers a feeling of accomplishment. Game elements such as rewards, level-up points, badges, leaderboards, and challenges help the learners to understand their level and improve to finish their current quest and unlock the next one. Clear and immediate feedback is very important to have higher engagement in an immersive game-based e-learning session.

So these are a few parameters of how gamification is changing the face of education. Let’s now check out a few elements of a game-based e-learning module that can be incorporated into an Open edX® learning management system.

Elements Of GamificationAction & Events

eLearning platforms allow the learners and participants to perform certain actions. These actions are called events and they depend upon various dimensions and locked achievements that are defined by the instructor in a MOOC. Game-based virtual classroom sessions keep the learners engaged by offering them different challenges and interactive events to unlock. This increases their interest levels and improves engagement.

Points

Different game-based online learning modules offer point-based MOOCs to improve the learning process. Points offer instant feedback that increases the motivation of the learners. Points can be combined with other game-based elements to improve the overall effect. When learners complete particular tasks, they can earn points that can be used to upgrade their skills and unlock new content.

Badges

Based on the points obtained, the learners can acquire badges. Badges work as social elements that allow the learner to compete with one another to reach the same goals. Badges offer a few positive aspects and improve the learners’ engagement.

Increase the participation by encouraging the learners and offering rewards

Motivate the learners to engage with the MOOCs

Making the learners feel satisfied after completing tasks and unlocking more content

Performance Dashboards & Leaderboards

With gamification, the learners learn throughout their journey and performance dashboards offer the learners all the required game information and flow to see the distribution of all the activities. A performance dashboard allows the learners to view all their achievements, the total number of badges acquired, points earned, unlocked content, rewards, locked quests, and more.

The leaderboard displays the scores and names of the current learners and participants in the entire system. It helps the learners to view the following parameters.

Compare the performance with that of the other learners

Evaluate and analyze the percentage towards the next goal

Achievements locked and unlocked

Win With Gamification

Businesses are vying to see if their gamification strategies can make a difference by increasing the level of learners’ interest. With an effective gamification strategy, organizations can channelize increased engagement into career growth and better opportunities.

Gamification elements within your MOOCs encourage the learners to invest their time in the opportunities that are available to them. Recognize the learners’ desires to increase engagement in your virtual classrooms. Our learning management systems offer you the right gamification elements to have the expected engagement of your learners. Gamify your e-learning strategy with DRC Systems right away!

#gamification #e learning

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personalcoachingcenter · 4 years

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Coaching within groups, Try Gamified competition

New Post has been published on https://personalcoachingcenter.com/coaching-within-groups-try-gamified-competition/

Coaching within groups, Try Gamified competition

Coaching Case Study By Laura Maria Vieru (Transformational Coach, SWITZERLAND)

Introduction

Step 1:Finding a common enemy

The root of my paper goes back to episodes experienced back in my childhood, and even though not fully aware and understanding of what was happening, I did observe a pattern that generated more meaningful connections and efficient collaboration.

Brothers and sisters are our first playmates and friends, and I am blessed to have a younger brother. Needless to say, it was very difficult at times, but I do remember that certain situations would always bring us closer.

Finding peaceful times and maintaining a collaborative relationship seemed to be more difficult when we would identify ourselves as two stand-alone characters, with individual interests and priorities, trying to outgrow each other. However, we would turn to best friends with either common goals or willingness to compromise for the well-being of our “team”, as soon as we wound find ourselves in a position of playing against a common “enemy”. From soccer games against the nearby neighborhood and mathematics competitions against other schools to finding alternatives to suppress irritation after being grounded for the weekend by our parents.

All of these small challenges have helped us grow closer together.

Step 2: Introducing gamification

It was only in my early 20s when I started observing this pattern at a larger scale, involving young, self knowledgeable adults engaged in company team building activities and competitions.

I was impressed by how guided activities and group coaching have augmented teams to set aside desires to prove themselves as individuals for the success of the overall group.

Let’s say your team of four is competing against another team of four, you can select any team member to complete this particular task, and the goal is to complete a 200m sprint in under one minute.

I could try to win this one, but speed is not really where I shine. Our young colleague, Maria, could attempt to cover it but she is also not very sporty and her 2 MBAs in science are not levers for this goal. Our team lead Mark might want a shot at this, but he had a recent knee injury and his 20 years of management experience are also not an advantage here. However, our new joiner, Carl, is a father of 2 active young boys and practices water sports during summertime. Potentially this is achievable for all of us, but my vote goes out to Carl.

From these gamified competitions, I understood that we do not all need to be the strongest, the fastest, the sharpest, the most optimistic, or the most communicative. Actually, we are all different, we all have different competitive types but the more diverse the assets, the sturdier the team. We all have a role to play based on our individual strengths.

The science of competing vs. collaborating

Psychologists have yet to agree on whether you are born a competitor, or you grow to become one. Depending on whether the competitive desire is coming from within or driven by the crowd it will also impact the chances of achieving and sustaining your goal for a longer-term.

Nevertheless, if we differentiate between “good competition” and “bad completion” to account for the years of shifting opinions, the “good competition” can incentivize to surface the best out of individuals and support their understanding of themselves.

On the other side of the coin, it is well known and recognized that collaboration has been and continues to be essential for our survival and growth. Or as Bertrand Russell put it, it is “the only thing that will redeem mankind.”

Collaboration requires time, patience, trust, and commitment but it is a tool that enables participants to go beyond their own agendas, for the success of the team. And psychologists agree that collaboration can be considered a “dream tool”.

Neuroscience comments that “neurons in the specific region of the frontal cortex, called the Anterior Cingulate Cortex, become active during decisions involving competitive effort” or that competitiveness is in our genes and it helps to reprocess dopamine, helping our brain to adapt to new situations, memorize and plan.

Our brains are shaped by heredities, time, surroundings, experiences, and thoughts. All of these are influencing the different neuronal paths that create our perceptions and assumptions. And although we are routed differently, we all react when different stimuli are triggered, and we either compete or collaborate.

Some other scholars argue that competitiveness “is a biological trait that co-evolved with the basic need for (human) survival.” And biology supports the statement that it is a result of evolution and it is a normal, natural, understandable human tendency.

After the idea was introduced 100 years ago by Alfred Sloan at General Motors, significant testing has been performed so that we can confidently conclude that collaborating to grow and inspire while leveraging healthy competition against a “common enemy” has many benefits. From increased performance, productivity, and innovation, improved revenue and savings, improved team skills and morale as well as camaraderie beyond office walls and team loyalty.

My thoughts, as a result of my own experience, as well as the available research and evidence, is that competition is beneficial when properly dosed and carefully managed. The negative side associated with winning at all costs or drowning in a bad aftertaste of a lost competition cannot be ignored. Therefore, competition needs to be performed in teams, and combined with collaboration, in the space of a gamified “rivalry”.

Misconceptions about competitiveness

Forty years after Richard Dawkins called it the “selfish gene”, the damage persists.

Furthermore, what genes do in their interactions with each other, whether competitive or cooperative, has nothing to do with whether the organisms they create are selfish or altruistic: That is a much more complex issue and depends. Remember, it is our genes and evolution that give us not only our selfish impulses but also our higher ethical and moral impulses, as well as the altruistic feelings we prize, including love for our children, family, and friends and the heady feeling of romantic love.

Competition is about motivation, desire, presenting, and pushing yourself to be your best version. Nevertheless, people continue to misunderstand competitiveness as an aggressive, pushy, unfair, or even mean behavior, and would not want to be associated with this trait.

Not finding it worthwhile or exciting enough to take a stand, does not mean that you are not competitive. Also, being a nice person does not necessarily mean that you cannot be competitive. Some fights are not worth fighting, and that is completely fine.

Science actually shows that the best competitors are nice people that respect their opponents and I encourage people to explore that side of themselves as well.

Applicability

Many of us are competitive by nature, and who can resist a fun, engaging, playful competition?

My recommendation involves collaboration within a team while competing against another. Touching upon both sides of the coin to maximize opportunities for discovery and development.

Create a safe, positive, and fun environment for team buildings and competitive activities between different teams or companies

Establish the rules of the game and boundaries for interaction and behavior

Set small “prizes” for each activity, allowing for the competitive spirit to break indifference, compliance, and boredom

Support each individual to find the best version of themselves and perform at their best level to achieve both personal and team goals

Stimulate team growth and deeper collaboration through sharing of individual strengths and potential levers for delivering the best results for the team

Inspire ambitions for new skills, interests, and overall personal growth that can transpire beyond the competition itself, into people’s lives and careers

Encourage responsibility and leadership yet allow for participants to engage in activities that feel meaningful for them

Debrief together and allow for everyone’s voice to be heard. Allow for learnings to surface, both from colleagues and competition

Explore relatedness to create stronger collaboration and trust between participants

Foster acceptance and honesty while allowing for the discovery of personal values and overlap with team/organization values

Set aside time and create opportunities for teams to interact at a personal level and strengthen trust

Allow for autonomous tasks towards the end of the team building, to observe individual changes and shift in collaboration between participants

Be an active listener and a careful observant. Bring awareness back to participants and acknowledge their growth

Be open with your observations and allow for teams to define next steps, timelines, and support structures following the team building

References

https://www.themuse.com/advice/is-competition-in-your-genes

https://www.quantamagazine.org/are-genes-selfish-or-cooperative-20170914/

https://psychology.jrank.org/pages/135/Competition.html

https://www.psychologytoday.com/

https://www.forbes.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/

https://instituteforcollaborativeworking.com/

Home

http://media.the-ceo-magazine.com/

Cloud HR Software | HRIS for Human Capital Management – EmployeeConnect HCM

https://www.ideasforleaders.com/

21 Collaboration Statistics that Show the Power of Teamwork

https://www.dkglobalrecruitment.com/

6 Benefits of Teams Competing and Collaborating

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/

Original source:

elink.io | See Original

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lizzybeth1986 · 5 years

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Quick Thoughts on The Royal Fast-Track Pregnancy, Book 1 Chapter 15

• A friend of mine just called me Cassandra recently coz when I predict things, not a lot of people take what I say seriously, and by the time they find out I'm right it's too late.

• I have just one thing to say there:

• If you don't want to see these posts on your dash, here are the tags to block: #trh quick thoughts, #trh qts, #trh qt reblogs, #long post.

• Title: Apple in the Oven

Alternative Title: ...Will Be Burned to A Crisp From The Speed At Which You're Trying to Bake It!

• Screenshots:

Hana: The Abhirio YouTube channel and the Universal Studio 77 YouTube channel.

Maxwell: @itsbrindleybinch and the rash rec YouTube channel

Drake: @thefirstcourtesan and the HIMEME YouTube channel.

• I liked parts of this chapter - the MC definitely seems to show a bit of the concern and caring towards her certain LIs that has been missing for a while now. I liked that she could try to talk to Liam about how he's feeling as his wife + friend, and that as Hana's wife she could encourage Hana to take a step back and bask in the attention for once. But I'm wary too. Like, is this just a small carrot they're dangling in front of us, before returning to the status quo and continuing to perpetuate the same problems in their writing?? It certainly wouldn't be the first time I've seen tiny glimpses of progress before the team took 50 steps backwards in their storytelling for some of these characters.

• How the heck did Edenbrook get a branch in Cordonia? 🤭

• Also...it's plausible that Brad/Thad/Chad may have reached there and settled in before we made it to the hospital...but still, Olivia didn't notice anything suspicious? Nothing at all? Why is it that the moment competent individuals (like Mara) become security detail, they become as stupid as the people they're protecting?

• So within our own playthroughs we have 3 people to choose from: our LIs, ourselves, or Olivia:

I like how this incorporates all their ways of thinking into how they fight.

Liam has the ability to fight a man but also the wisdom to know when delegating will make things more effective.

Hana's is reminiscient of her fight at the boutique (if she was part of your bridal party), where she had the forethought and flexibility to use anything that was at hand as a weapon (and here, she uses a potted plant).

Maxwell is someone who enjoys sliding down the stairs via the bannister (his last scene in Book 1 features him and the MC do this together), and he uses that to gain leverage over his opponent.

Drake opts for speed and aggression, since raw power is what he is most known for.

Olivia is a master of fighting skill and agility, which is obvious from her tackling of the man.

Of course...the "opponent" is really a dudebro reporter who was easy to catch so I doubt any of them saw him as that big of a challenge 🤣

• The MC then gets to choose how to tackle him - two of the options involve coming down heavily on him for invading their privacy, and one offers to provide him a picture that's taken with the consent of the MC and LI.

• Why do none of them even bother to grill this guy over where he came from? Who sent him? Who he was reporting to? Why is NO ONE asking these questions oh gosh why are you all so stupid.

• DIAMOND SCENE TIME. In some ways it could be a throwback to Liam giving you a massage in Book 1 Chapter 16 at Beaumont estate, but like all LI scenes, it plays out differently depending on who you're married to.

Liam: The MC is surprised that Liam managed to secretly set this (the arrangements for the massage) up, and Liam confesses to taking a course from a professional masseuse (wasn't he already very skilled in massage? I recall the MC saying so in TRR Book 1 Chapter 16. I mean it's likely he wanted to sharpen his skills etc but why no acknowledgement from the MCs who did the scene back at Beaumont House?). You get to choose between letting him focus on your upper body or lower body, and you can either flirt with or help Liam to set up.

The variations for the sex scene involve the MC telling him what she wants in terms of speed and tempo (slow, or "right now"), as well as positioning (under her, or on top of her). The couple then relax and speak of how moments like these will be few and far between once the child is born, and how they will make time for their children and each other regardless. If you're a Henney fan, you'll love this scene coz at some point the MC calls Liam "Mr Perfect".

Cmon PB tell me that wasn't done on purpose! 🤣🤣🤣

Hana: There's plenty of Hana's thoroughness in action here. The skill is something Hana has already learned and picked up from before, and it's something she is excellent at (for instance, there is a point where she tells the MC that she almost put her course instructor to sleep with her rendition of a Swedish massage). Hana's version of the scene is detailed in terms of the oils she uses and the names of the massage therapies she employs.

We get a choice between two oils - elderberry and rose, or sage and sandalwood - and two massage therapies: Swedish and Shiatsu. The first therapy is meant to soothe and relax, the second is meant to invigorate and awaken. The MC can either respond by talking about how much she needed this, or jokingly offer to be "Hana's personal genie".

The MC also gets to set the pace for sex - either hard and fast or slow and tender - and the scene shortly after involves the women engaging in playful banter about how there will be less time for private moments like these after they have children, but how it will all be worth it for the joy those very children bring.

(Also the one time I went to France I saw the sun set at 9 PM or something to my utter surprise 😲)

Maxwell: The tone of this - including the MC's as well as Maxwell's dialogues - sound a lot like the fun couple they're expected to be, and have a different vibe. I liked this scene particularly because the MC gets to show her mood swings here, and Maxwell has a story similar as Liam's about taking a course on massage ("with a complimentary chakra kit"). Additionally he also provides his own recorded music.

The MC gets to choose how they'll do foreplay ("my mouth on you" or "your mouth on me"), and how they'll have sex (behind or under). Once that is done, they speak about their wishes and dreams for the child. Maxwell mentions needing to lock the door so the kids won't hear them during moments like these, and contemplating on their growing years (he mentions "preschool" then jumps straight to "first car"). They do, however, agree to relax and take each moment as it comes. Which is a theme with Maxwell even in the buildup of the scene where he talks about living in the here and now.

Drake: More attempts to make Drake more flexible and open, and less "manly man" stuff. He gives the MC the opportunity to choose who should "order around" even though he isn't used to it (at least they acknowledged that). He doesn't say a lot about his massaging skill - and he shouldn't considering the writers already write enough about it in their Chapter 13 scene where he talks about his dad playing masseuse for his mother.

The MC gets to decide whether Drake can watch or touch, and positions (on top, or under). Afterwards, Drake gets to talk about how far they have come as a couple - how the MC didn't imagine how her life in NY led her to this charmed one, and how Drake could hardly imagine until she chose him that he was the one she wanted. While all the others speak about the changes that having children will bring into their lives, Drake gets to also talk about how unbelievably good their present life is.

• The next few weeks pass in a blur. Another couple of days pass in a blur. A whole six months is reduced to a montage wowwww. Amazing. What was the premise of this book again?? Family, right? And surprisingly, we spent AGES on only one LI's family, so much so that the rest of us have to be satisfied with just 5 chapters of the theme for our own LIs!

• Your free dress is basically a peach monstrosity (sorry guys I can't stand the colour peach 😅😅), and the diamond option is a floral blue short dress, which is fitting considering our next diamond option involves an actual flower garden. It would go with the theme.

• Our second trimester montage includes the following:

- Maxwell googling pregnancy-friendly yoga poses and learning them so he can practice them with us. For solidarity awww (which could be either as a friend, or as the father. Both are adorable). He teaches us the downward dog pose (we call it adho mukha svanasana I think. It's supposed to have many benefits, though I hear that earlier, pregnant people used to be advised against doing this asana during late term).

- Drake making something that was supposed to be a rocking horse but that looks either like a footstool or abstract art, further reiterating that if he has so few skills maybe he shouldn't be yapping about how nobles swan around doing nothing of importance.

- Liam doing the rounds of our estate with us, and proposing the lakeside be converted into a garden with a gazebo...kiiinda similar to Applewood's? The narrative promises that paying for this background art will unlock scenes not only in this book but in other books in the series as well.

- Hana suggesting names for our kid - either Oswald, Valentina or as our namesake. Valentina is the popular option, obviously, because Hana then gets to give us a callback to TCaTF where she can speak of the "great warrior" who was close to Cordonia's greatest warrior queen. This comes MUCH later in the scheme of these scenes, and if you're a Hana fan who doesn't romance Hana...it'll definitely feel like you spent a huge chunk of the chapter not even catching a glimpse of her.

- In addition, you get two scenes exclusively with our LIs - one where we're dancing with our partners and experience the baby's kick together for the first time (it's cute because the sprite wiggle and shake a couple times from surprise and joy in this scene 🤭), and this adorable af dream section:

Now this scene takes place while the MC worries over the number of kicks in two hours that her character should be doing, and the LI is in the middle of a dream when she wakes them up. It's followed by the LIs calming her down and attempting to communicate with the child before they eventually kick. The dreams are cute, but I couldn't help but notice how all of them are in some way connected to themes of family (and perhaps responsibility? IDK this is just a wild guess):

* King Liam and the Baklava Arm: Liam's dream involves him and Leo (they remember Liam's brother exists! Hallelujah!) eating baklava, before Liam turns into this sweet and gets eaten by his older brother. Which I take to mean that sometimes, it really does feel like the responsibilities Leo - and why just Leo! I would include Liam's father in this as well - has left behind for him may swallow Liam whole. After all, Liam is in many ways, spending his time as king constantly fixing his family's messes.

* Hana Lee and the Tea Party: Hana's dream focuses on enjoying a tea party with the MC and her future child, to the point where she is reluctant to shake herself out of the dream. As a child Hana was deprived of this experience - forever keeping a place for her mother that her mother never bothered to fill - that she now views the same thing as an opportunity to NOT be that person towards her own child. In a lot of ways she may view this as "I will not make the mistakes my mother made, and make my child suffer believing I don't care for them". Why is why, when the MC wakes her up she shows such a reluctance to leave. In a lot of ways her view of parenting rn is largely coloured by her desire to be the exact opposite of her mother.

* Maxwell Beaumont and The Shrimp Buffet: Maxwell's recurring dream involves him being in a shrimp buffet, being fed shrimp till he wants no more. This is a little tougher to decipher, but I'm guessing that since their house sigil is nautical and shrimps are a delicacy of the waters, the shrimp buffet mayyyybe represents his House and family, and the responsibilities and complications that will eventually pile up from them. Remember, he enjoys his father's respect and regard now, but perhaps there may come a time where being a Beaumont will feel like being in a carousel that refuses to stop.

* Drake Walker and the Giant Marshmallow: Drake's dream involves being smushed by a giant marshmallow that he seems to be fighting. Now most of us usually associate the marshmallow with Drake only, but in a lot of ways the treat has its roots in his memories of his father. In fact, that's the earliest actual memory we get of Jackson. So the dream could either mean he fears he may not live up to Jackson's example, or foreshadowing that Jackson's secret may blindside and engulf him.

• One thing I really don't get about the TRR/H team re: Hana is...why do they sometimes spend chapters and chapters repeating the same things like a broken tape recorder? In the early chapters she wound up making constant mentions of embroidery, even when it wasn't needed. When it was pointed out that they forgot she was skilled at horseriding then they kept beating that reference to death. Now it's tea parties. Hana is a layered character, PB! Start treating her like one!!

• It's nice that the MC has that rare moment of checking in on Liam and asking him how he's taking the news that his mother was pregnant when she died. That doesn't happen much in the books - she can ask a ten-second question about how Liam is holding up after his father died but somehow never tries to check up on how he's down again, even when she's his wife. It would be nice to see more of that...but I don't have any hope left of that happening.

• Hallelujah! The members of the Council speak about something other than balls and parties!! There's a brief mention about "transportation reforms" which gets knocked over by the press in favour of more pregnancy speculations. Which is on par for pregnant celebs - in that once you're pregnant, everything else seems frustratingly unimportant in comparison in the eyes of other people. You begin to feel less like a person and more like a vessel (and if you don't have the right support, those feelings will keep gnawing at you even after childbirth).

• I wanted to hear more about those transportation reforms! Dammit PB!!

• The MC and LI eventually celebrate the point where her morning sickness is out of the way in a short scene.

• Man I miss seeing the palace. It felt almost like the team had forgotten that some of our MCs might actually live there.

• Callback to Book 1! We get a scene where the friends are having dinner, but the MC now has a craving for cronuts so they go to the same bakery they visited when she was still new to Cordonia.

- Jumping out the window was Liam's thing in Book 1 (and he almost fell on the rose bushes), but this time it's the MC who is doing it

- Maxwell speaks about how fun rule breaking is, leading to an interesting observation from Hana (the last time they went to a cronut shop she sidestepped this question and merely commented on how much more fun it was that their destination was "something delicious"). This time around, Hana actually focuses on the "rule breaking part", where she speaks about what it feels like to break a rule for her:

I've mentioned in my QT for Chapter 9 how Hana often speaks of her parents "as if they are still there, still controlling her choices, as if she cannot remove herself from her fears concerning them even if they're physically away from her. In her head, she still has a lot of difficult getting out of the obedience mindset (particularly towards her parents) built in her.

I can connect to this personally. As a teenager and a young adult, I wasn't allowed to go out too often, and the few times I did go out to meet friends I was given deadlines that left me with very little time to actually have much fun. (yknow, like 6 pm, or 7.30 if I was lucky...even if I'd gone out at 4 or 5). My college days were mostly spent in convent-run hostels with strict curfews (like 6 pm), and you had to repeatedly hit at a locked gate if you were even a minute late.

Now I'm married, to a man who understands if I run late...and even now I think in terms of timing and curfews. I still get a tiny chill down my spine when it's 10 pm and I'm not home yet - for no other reason than "I'm late". It's just the way my brain's been wired from years of that routine and it will probably take a lot of unlearning to grow out of it.

Hana's guilt about rule-breaking is kind of like that. She knows it's unreasonable, she knows theoretically that she is safe from harm, she knows logically that she's free to do what she wants, but her brain has been wired to certain routines that will take her maybe years to grow out of.

...and this fandom acts as if she's just a weak, passive, one-dimensional character who is nothing next to the Almighty Olivia Nevrakis. LMAO.

- A lot of the callbacks are in the shop scene, such as the way Maxwell shouts for the cronuts as soon as they enter, the way Maxwell finishes his cronut before the other LIs finish their countdowns, and the compliments they deliver for the treat hold a few similarities too.

- There is also a tiny callback when Maxwell recalls Liam and Drake "stealing a boat" - something Liam talked to us about at the Regatta.

- If there is anything different, it's the messages the LIs now deliver to the child:

The friendly version includes all their plans for this child they have already begun to love and consider as their family, and involves what is important to all of them. Hana simply lets the child know there is an amazing support system that will shower them with love, Maxwell playfully asks the child about what flavour of cronuts they would prefer, Drake promises them fishing and trekking trips just like the ones he had as a child, and Liam assures them that even though their future lies in the throne, they are not entirely bound by it (why couldn't the writers have made the heir an "heir presumptive" then? Rather than make this a permanent arrangement! Oh, I know. Coz the MC has to be the front and center of everything).

• Slight variations if the LI is married to you:

Le Moi:

• It's now time for our baby shower, which means we're now in our third trimester. So much for a book about having a child 🙄

• One of my favourite variations in this chapter happens around here. If she is your friend, Hana is organizing the baby shower along with the other women in court, and the MC tells her she should enjoy it with her and she doesn't need to fuss so much, and Hana responds that the MC is her best friend so it's important for her to be involved.

Fortunately, in Hana's playthrough, the MC ensures (and insists, actually) Hana enjoys the function alongside her, rather than playing second-fiddle:

It's a lovely scene. It's all I could want. The MC shows that she cares about Hana, follows up on the "I won't let you play second fiddle when you're my wife" promise from last chapter, and generally includes rather than excludes Hana. It's heartwarming and shows some effort from the side of the writers.

But...at this point it's been FOUR BOOKS. Four books of seeing the MC simply use Hana when convenient and discard her when convenient. Four books of seeing the MC not bother to even ask Hana how she is when she is affected by terrible things, while showering attention and advice on people like Olivia and Penelope and Madeleine. Just a book ago, the MC marrying her was treating Hana like a bridesmaid on what should have been a memorable wedding day for Hana.

It's great that this mistake is not repeated now, but this is one tiny spark in a long, long line of lackadaisical writing. It shouldn't take you four fucking books to come to the conclusion that, hey, maybe we're treating our lone female LI like garbage and we should do better.

So...yeah, I love this scene. But I have no idea whether PB will continue doing better in terms of their treatment of Hana, or whether this and the previous scene are just brief flashes in a pan. I probably never will trust them on this, but honestly the team has only themselves to blame for that 🤷🏽‍♀

• I'm tempted to say "too little too late", but (foolishly) I'm still holding on to a sliver of hope.

• Hallelujah! The writers also remember that Kiara exists outside of being Penelope's bestie! And she comes to us and the LI, delivering the news that Auvernese and Monterisso royalty have decided to come to the baby shower to find out who Cordonia will make an alliance with. Jesus Christ. Stop.

• In my playthrough, Kiara interacts with Liam and Esther (but more to Esther than Liam - and I saw similar interactions on the plane trip back to Cordonia) which felt...different because up until now the narrative never allowed the two to even speak to each other (she's the only suitor in Book 1 who never gets to even talk to Liam, and in Book 3, they went as far as to replace her with Hakim in the armoury scene at Lythikos). To me it simply goes to show how deep the rot goes with regards to Kiara's treatment in this series (as well as the fact that they make Kiara interact just as normally with Drake in his playthrough, yknow, that asshole who treated her like shit last series. Oh what I wouldn't give for Kiara to rake that man through the coals for his treatment of her, if only just once).

• We're also told that our in-laws will be in attendance, which means we will have different playthroughs featuring different characters visiting or gaining additional dialogue. Regina and Leo for Liam's playthrough, Leona, Bianca and BertVannah for Drake's, Barthelemy and BertVannah for Maxwell's, and Xinghai and Lorelai for Hana. I think Hana's family is the only one so far who have NOT made an appearance...and will for the first since Book 3 this week. They'd better treat her well this time around!

• I'm wondering - with the arrival of the other royals - whether another flashback scene will be shown. Or perhaps it will be reserved for Chapter 17 since we'll be traveling to Lythikos.

• I wonder if one of the gifts will include something for the nursery. I think it might.

• Another visit to Lythikos. This has to be the third time I'm seeing this place. It was the only duchy besides Beaumont Estate we were allowed to see in Book 1 and one of the major turning points in the plot in Book 3. We haven't seen any duchy (besides our own) as extensively as we have seen this one, and I know it will involve more opportunities for Olivia to gobble up space.

• Like at this point why the hell am I being regarded as an honorary Beaumont when the only time I bothered to visit Ramsford was in Book 1, and I have never, ever visited Hana's Cordonian side of the family even once - not even aware of anything besides their sigil being flowers and her great-grandmother teaching her a Cordonian tradition featuring three coins in a fountain (and don't even get me started on Shanghai!!!)

• In an ideal version of this story, where the writers made a damn effort on all the LIs...I'd be really happy about the writing for Olivia. I'd be fine with it. But now I'm sick and tired. Sick and tired of her concerns, her issues, her pain getting more attention than Hana's ever has, or ever will. Sick and tired of how often I see both the writing and people in the fandom (yes Olivia stans who downplay Hana just to make your fave look good, I'm looking at you) act like Hana's story has zero value, every time the narrative gives Olivia attention. At this point the narrative is giving a secondary character the space and attention that they should have been giving the female LI. And not because Hana's story is not equally compelling - but because the writers didn't want to put in the effort. Why the hell do I have to wait four goddamn books to see even a tenth of this much effort put into Hana, huh?

I'm fed up at this point. I like Olivia but can't even enjoy her scenes nowadays without thinking of how much the same amount of space could have benefited Hana, or wondering how and when the fandom will use this opportunity to shit on Hana just because she's not their preferred female LI or BFF.

• Chapter 16 has always been the kind of chapter where the nobility have an excuse to go wild and party a lot (except in Book 2, where Chapter 16 was set aside for Liam's proposal and the MC finally choosing her endgame). In Book 1 it was the Beaumont Bash. In Book 3, it was the MC's bachelorette in Vegas. Now in Book 4, it's the baby shower (maybe less wild...but still partylike). It's kind of a pattern at this point.

• Liam's suggestion of a flower garden + gazebo at Valtoria brought me back to that Book 1 Chapter 4 scene, where he spoke about the palace gardens and hedge maze being his mother's vision. But it also reminds me of that gazebo with cherry blossoms, and that flower conservatory, in Applewood.

There is a statue of a woman with a crown on her head and a specter in her hands, at the back of the garden, and I wonder who that is supposed to represent.

• That's it for this week! Until Chapter 16, guys! (gosh how did I survive 15 chapters worth of meta with this).

#long post #trh quick thoughts #trh qts #the royal heir #king liam #hana lee #maxwell beaumont #drake walker

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