#but i'm a little too biased so some insight from others would be nice

[thewardenisonthecase]

Ok I need people who enjoy Sebastian more than I do to give me some insight.

So, as we well know, he gets pretty pissed off if Hawke spares Anders and a few years down the line, even tries to annex Kirkwall.

However, it's been like what, over ten years now since the events of DA2? Do you think in this time, after all this years, would he still hold some resentment towards Hawke or could he be amicable to them again?

[3d-wifey]

TBOSAS was a great movie and an even greater miss---here's why:

The problem here is no fault of the movie. It's not that it isn't a good adaptation or that it cut out too many important scenes. The casting was amazing, the acting phenomenal, the writing and plot translated immaculately into the screenplay format, and the ending was tragically beautiful. All of those boxes are ticked. The problem lies with one thing: Coriolanus Snow.

To understand what I mean, I'll bring the main trilogy to the stand. All of the books were written in first person from Katniss's pov. There were things that we as the audience don't know because Katniss doesn't know them and vise versa all do to her inner monologue. But there are also things we as the audience do know that Katniss doesn't because she's an unreliable narrator. She often misreads people because, whether she'll admit it or not, she's highly suspicious of those that aren't obviously weaker than her and is quick to judge in general. Her biases and black and white moral standpoint can be attributed to her environment, ptsd, and, though not confirmed, Autism (source: I'm actually Dr. Autism) or bpd. So, in this case, she's unreliable, but we understand it's not malicious and it was translated well in the movie (i.e. her thinking Peeta wanted her dead, her thinking Peeta is only acting like he's in love with her, her misconceptions about Finnick.)

Coriolanus Snow on the, other hand, is an entirely different case. He's a bad person at the start of the book and that isn't up for debate. His thoughts about Lucy Gray should make you angry, let alone about people who knew and cared for him for years (Tigris and Sejanus). He is also an unreliable narrator, but in a completely different sense than him. While hers is founded in ignorance and defensiveness, his is built in paranoia and narcissism. He's obsessive, possessive, demeaning to any and everyone, and thinks he's owed more than he is and hates anyone that has what he doesn't. We get all this through his inner thoughts as well (him hating the very idea of Lucy Grey being with anyone before him and likening her to a whore---implying she's slept with peacekeepers, wanting to own her in the literal sense of the word hating Sejanus for having basic human empathy, hating looking down on the Plinths who have been nothing but kind to him, so on and so forth). I say he's bad because, though he hasn't done any of the horrible things he thinks about or acts on them is because he didn't have the power or social standing to back them, something he has plenty of as a president. All this to say, the movie lacks that insight into the character that we gain with Katniss. Enough that people that have only watched the movie genuinely believe he was a nice person drove to the brink or thought there was a little gray area in regards to his morality. Enough that people that think the actor is hot will say they like "Coryo" not Snow, or some people send hate mail to the author because they think she tried to humanize him/excuse his behavior, the exact opposite of the point of the book. I don't fault the movie too harshly for this too harshly. Other than having a voice over, they could do very little to convey his every horrid thought. And because of this and Tom's phenomenal acting, Snow was able to manipulate the audience just like everyone else he fucked over.

Snow is a narcissist who can't wrap his mind around people genuinely being kind while having no ulterior motives, because he would never do that from the kindness of his heart. He thinks everyone is trying to back stab him and want to turn on him and are out to get him or are trying to embarrass him because that is what he would do if he was in their position. Unlike Katniss, he can read people and he can act his ass off, but unlike Katniss, he can't see the best in people because he doesn't want to/it doesn't benefit him. He had many opportunities to do the right thing or the kind thing and actively chose not to.

He, more than anyone in the Capitol, even more than Sajanus, should know what the Districts go through. He grew up poor, starved, and was forced to grow up too soon. He knows what it means to have nothing, be starved, and go into the arena and almost be killed. Yet, he looks down on them and sends children who were younger than him when he went into the arena, to their deaths because it benefits him.

He's a horrible person. He's always been bad, but he strove to be worse. I'm not saying the movie wasn't able to portray this in it's own way, but since it's not as obvious and in your face if you're too focused on how cute you think his face is, you can miss it. You'll find reasons to justify his actions just like he does and, ironically, become like his inner monologue where he continuously made himself the victim in almost every scenario.

Again, great movie! Fantastic even, my I beg of you, read a book. Or watch a youtube essay about it.

[sakurapika]

What are your all-time favorite outfits from Twisted Wonderland?

Hello @letterstoear, thank you for ask! I've had a lot of fun making this post, and I'm so sorry that it took forever to answer!

Every time I was certain I had my list narrowed down, I remembered another outfit I really liked. (Also, I'm a little bit biased, as you will see...haha). This time, I focused on event outfits to make it easier for myself. Maybe in the future I'll post my "reviews" on dorm uniforms or Halloween costumes.

I am always blown away by the the little details that Yana Toboso and the rest of the design team have added to each of characters' outfits, because they give some interesting insight to their personalities and backgrounds.

Without further ado, let's discuss some outfits! (Please note that there are spoilers for upcoming events from the JP server, as well as some groovy arts!)

My Favorite Twisted Wonderland Outfits

10. Floyd's Outdoor Wear (Vargas Camp)

Most of the outfits on my list are on the extravagant side. I recently bought a volume of Black Butler, where there was a note about how Yana Toboso loves to draw clothing, and it truly shows.

But in contrast to seeing our beloved characters in over-the-top costumes, it's refreshing to see them wearing casual outfits once in a while as well and see their individual, everyday styles.

I'll admit that I haven't played any of the Vargas Camp events, and have a grand total of zero (0) cards from this series. I'm not sure why; I always miss the event's runtime for some reason.

Still, I've always loved Floyd's little sling bag with the eel keychain, as well as the teal visor. The bright colors stand out and are appealing.

The whole outfit looks like something you could get from a store like Uniqlo, and sometimes it is nice to have that sort of realism in a magical game. He looks like an ordinary teenager I could find on the street. Except...if I did find Floyd on the street, I'd be running in the other direction. But that's not the main idea here.

9. Azul's Glorious Masquerade Outfit

At first, I sort of forgot that this SSR existed. When the PV for Glorious Masquerade came out, I was more focused on Malleus.

However, eventually, many people began to cosplay as GloMas Azul, and they all looked so amazing. I began to appreciate the outfit more after seeing people pose and dance in it. Azul also tends to have some of the best fanart, and fans have spared no expense when drawing him wearing this.

My favorite part of the outfit is his coat. I like the silhouette it creates with a high-waist belt, and the long coattails that resemble tentacles. The ruffles on his trousers are cute, too. I would buy a pair if I could. Unfortunately, it's hard to see these details on his in-game sprite.

As for his accessories, the pearls are so dramatic (and so very Azul). His round glasses are also cute, I hope he wears them again!

8. Idia's Suitor Suit

One look at Idia's Ghost Marriage outfit, and you can really tell that it was designed by Yana Toboso. His gloves, coat, and cravat make him look like he's in the Victorian Era. Also, doesn't he look sort of like Grelle from Black Butler?

Speaking of Grelle, Idia's outfit is meant to look more like funeral attire, between the long, black coat and the lilies pinned to his shoulder. There are also skulls hidden throughout his outfit, such as on his jacket chain and cufflinks. I was still new to TWST at the time, so I just thought that Idia liked gothic clothing. I didn't realize he was (at least in his mind) attending his own funeral!

Let's not forget his new hairstyle! This is one of Idia's first SSRs if I remember correctly, so it was exciting to see him with a ponytail.

My love for this outfit also comes from my love for the story associated with it. Fans have pointed out that Idia's "arranged marriage" with Eliza parallels the myth of Hades and Persephone. The design team and Yana were so clever for this.

I don't have this card, either, but I hope to pick him up one day!

7. Ortho's Fairy Gear

The Shroud brothers are luckyーthey are probably two of the characters with the most SSRs in the game.

That being said, we all have to agree that Ortho's fairy gear is one of the most unique and avant-garde cards in the game.

I really enjoy the white and gold color scheme in this event. His color-changing wings are stunning, and the piece covering his eyes makes him look very mysterious.

I thought this card was cool when I first saw it, but then I learned that Ortho's outfit and hair can turn pink, which is even better.

Every time I see his "pointe shoes," it makes me imagine Ortho and Idia trying to learn how to dance together in Idia's room, and Idia obsessively studying ballet costumes for his younger brother.

Yet again, I don't have this card, but my best friend does! At least I can admire him from her phone...

6. Silver's Rabbit Wear

There is no way that this outfit is just an R card! When this card was first advertised in one of the JR rail train stations, the pictures showed this card with Deuce's hometown in the background instead of the standard Diasomnia R background, so I thought that this card would at least be an SR. (Although I can't complain so much, because that means it's free!)

Silver is so princely. I am convinced that he can look good in anything. I am fond of pastel colors, and the pink/blue color scheme suits him, as the TWST version of Aurora. The bows may be silly, but I find them adorable.

Compared to the other boys in this event, Silver's outfit looks a little more like a soldier's (albeit a toy soldier's or a nutcracker's), which is a cool touch.

5. Deuce's Rabbit Wear

Deuce's hometown event was truly one of my favorite events that came out in the JP sever last year. Not only were some of my most favorite characters there, but they were dressed up in the most whimsical outfits possible. (And we got to meet Deuce's motherーshe's the coolest!)

Since Deuce is the main character of this event, his outfit bears the most resemblance to the white rabbit's in most classic illustrations, complete with a bow tie, top hat, and, of course, his pocket watch. His outfit has a blue color scheme. Like Azul in GloMas, Deuce also wears round glasses in his groovy art. Overall, it looks like the sweet ouji style, although I'm not very familiar with this sub-fashion. If anyone who is reading this has studied/worn this style of fashion, please let me know!

I used to play Love Nikki and Shining Nikki (two fashion-themed gacha games), which also featured lolita dresses inspired by Alice in Wonderland characters. For this reason, Deuce's outfit in particular feels very nostalgic to me.

4. Lilia's Right General Armor

Here's another departure from the cute pastel outfits...

Sleeping Beauty was one of my favorite Disney movies as a child. I always remembered Maleficent's "goons" as short, silly little creatures wearing simple green tunics.

So how on earth did we get to Right General Lilia Vanrouge?!

Seriously, I'm just stunned by how the artists looked at the source material and created something so radically, yet wonderfully, different.

I'm curious about the green stones (jades?) on his outfit--around his waist, there are several pieces attached to tassels, and he has two strapped to his right leg. The material matches the stone used for his weapon. Maybe it represents his status in Briar Valley. If you check his (unposed) sprite, you can also see that he is wearing something around his waist that looks like folded bat wings.

Like everyone else, I'm obsessed with his long hairーit makes him look so formidable, especially with that hood. My friends and I like to joke that his ponytail makes him look like a character in a Chinese martial arts drama.

Again, the story associated with this card made me love it even more. Few books have made me cry as much as Book 7 of TWST.

3. Malleus' Glorious Masquerade Outfit

While Sleeping Beauty was my favorite movie as a young child, when I got older, I began to love The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It was only natural for this outfit to be among my favorites for this reason.

There are so many details here. The feathered hat. The sheer sleeves. The golden embroidery. The split cape. It's honestly overwhelming to take in at once.

I can say that my favorite detail is his green earrings. They really bring out his eye color, and the PV made them so sparkly.

In addition, everyone I've ever seen who has cosplayed as GloMas Malleus or has drawn fanart of him has increased my appreciation of this outfit.

[Now for some very spoiler-y stuff] The fact that this event came just before the release of Chapter 7 is worth noting. Doesn't it feel a bit tragic that just before Malleus' overblot, we have a chance to see him wearing an outfit that makes him look especially like his mother, having fun and being the star at the masquerade? And what about the feathers on his shouldersーdo they hint at another side of his family? There's so much foreshadowing and mystery going on, and nothing is more suitable for the occasion than masquerade attire.

2. Kalim's New Year Attire

I've already rambled about how sentimental this outfit is to me in a previous post, but in summary: New Year is my favorite holiday, and the New Year's Sale event was the first event I "seriously" participated in. Kalim looks excessively cute and festive in his kimono, and every time I see this card, I feel nostalgic and in the holiday mood.

1. (Tied) Epel's Applepom Outfit and Riddle's Beach Outfit

I'm really sorry, Epel and Riddle are my favorite characters, and in the end, I refuse to chose between them. They're like my younger brothers! I try to collect all of their cards, so I pay attention to their outfits the most, and picking only one outfit for each character was a challenge in itself.

My favorite part of Epel's Applepom outfit is his cloak. It looks so fluffy and warm. When you set him as your home screen character, you also have the option to "swap looks" and see his outfit without the cloak--the apple embroidery on the rest of his outfit is very detailed. Many fans have mentioned that the outfits people wear in Harveston resemble traditional Scandinavian clothing, which is really cool!

The little apple slices on his cap are everything.

And I'm always happy to see characters in different hairstyles, such as Epel's little ponytail.

One of my headcanons is that you're allowed to call Epel cute, but only when he wears this specific outfit, because he takes it as a complement to his culture.

As for Riddle, we're all so used to seeing him wearing formal suits. It's so nice to see him loosening up for once. He looks so happy, now that he has the chance to see the ocean for the first time!

I also happened to be on vacation at the beach around the time this event came out, so it felt like a gift.

I have to laugh a little, because there are so many flowers on his outfit. Even Jack pointed it out in the story. But he looks so cute!

I suppose we have to discuss the elephant in the room. My friend saw it before me, so she spammed me with messages along the lines of "RIDDLE IS WEARING A CROP TOP!!! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!!" and I naturally thought she was pranking me. But lo and behold, it's the truth. I like to headcanon that among the rest of the cast in this event, everyone has made an unspoken mutual agreement not to mention it. This Victorian child has already been through enough, and not a word must reach Mrs. Rosehearts.

Thank you once again for the ask! For anyone who read all of this, what do you think about these outfits, and which ones in the game are your favorite?

[falmerbrook]

Updating my ESO base game zone list (from roughly most to least favorite), adding the EP zones I'm done with (up through Deshaan), and elaborating on my thoughts for each zone and on the writing overall because I like yapping. Moving on to DLC now.

TLDR:

Grahtwood

Rivenspire

Coldharbor

Auridon

Glenumbra

Stros M'kai

Malabal Tor

Alik'r Desert

Betnik

Reaper's March

Greenshade

Stonefalls

Bangkorai

Bleakrock Isle and Bal Foyen

Khenarthi's Roost

Stormhaven

Deshaan

More detailed thoughts below (spoiler warning for these 10 year old quests):

1) Grahtwood - I would say Grahtwood and Rivenspire are tied for my favorites, with Grahtwood being all over strong while Rivenspire has a particularly strong environment and main quest. While for me most other zones maybe had a few standout quests if any, the side quests in Grahtwood were very consistently getting me invested and were fun/interesting (stand outs include: The Grip of Madness, Bosmer Insight, Keeper of Bones, The Wakening Dark, and The Unquiet Dead). The environment is just stunning too. It's one of the few base game zones where things truly feel grand and huge. I love the giant trees in this game and Grahtwood is full of them. The Bosmer towns are really cool too, and Gil-Var-Delle was very cool. I appreciate all the Bosmer lore and culture fleshed out by all the Valenwood zones, and it feels very unique compared to the other cultures fleshed out (in the base game at least).

2) Rivenspire - I love the main quest for this zone so much. The characters are more memorable, the story doesn't feel as forced (and the player's inclusion feels less forced) compared to the other zones, and the twists and emotional connection to the events are stronger. I love all the Ravenwatch characters. Verandis alone boosts my opinion of this zone. The scenery of this zone is probably one of the strongest in the base game too. Entering the zone to see the Doomcrag (A+ name btw) with the red lightning in the distance immediately got me excited for what the zone had in store (especially after the bore that was Stormhaven) and the way it sorta hangs over everything on that side of the map makes it such a strong set piece. Even beyond it, I love the gloomy and lightly gothic vibes of the zone and the Main Quest. The main reason I put it below Grahtwood is that I really didn't get invested in any of the side quests I did.

3) Coldharbor - I actually didn't realize this was going to be an entire zone, so when I first got to it I was a little put off, especially because my experience with planes of Oblivion in past games was mostly annoyance (the Deadlands and Aprocrypha), but I ended up really liking it! I liked how pretty much everything in it related to the main quest, so it made for a nice focused change of pace, and every quest relating to the same goal made me more invested in them. A lot of the quests felt more unique than the rest of the base games ones too. The scenery was really grand and cool and impressive, and the environment paired with the sound design really made the place feel uneasy and unsafe to explore (even if it wasn't really that much more dangerous than the other zones)! I also found a lot of the characters fun and likeable. Some stand out quests for me were Vanus Unleashed, The Endless War (and its follow-up quests), Special Blend, and The Soul-Meld Mage.

4) Auridon - I ended up spending a ton of time in this zone so I became pretty familiar and fond of it. The environment is so pretty and picturesque. I also liked how a lot of the side quests either related to/built on the main conflict with the Veiled Heritance or helped to elaborate on the current context of the Aldmeri Dominion. It helped the whole zone feel more cohesive. I certainly remember the quests of this zone better than most others. Razum-dar and Ayrenn are absolute treats as well!

5) Glenumbra - (bumping up) I might be a little biased in liking this zone more because it was one of my first, but I'm also pretty fond of Glenumbra. The biggest negative of it for me is that I barely followed the main quest storyline at all. It felt kinda all over the place and like different parts of it barely connected to others. However, the vibes and aesthetic are great. I love all the marshes and fog and general moodiness, which really fits a lot of the quests in ghost towns and cemeteries. I enjoy going back to Glenumbra for events and antiquities because I just like running around it (although it really suffers from having enemies on every square inch of the map, but that's an issue I've noticed to a lesser extent everywhere with the game so far). The environment is just very pretty, and a cool touch is the huge moving vines everywhere. Also, gotta say, I hate Daggerfall's layout. It's a really cool looking city and it feels more like a large city than most others in the base game, but it sucks for doing daily crafting. Overall I just had fun here.

6) Stros M'kai - So given this was the first zone I ever experienced, and I had just started Redguard right before earnestly starting ESO so it was fun going "like the one in Redguard!", I might have a bit of bias on how much I like this zone. But I am very fond of it! I found the characters of the main quest endearing and memorable (even if they and their story wasn't relevant almost at all to the rest of the DC) and the player's inclusion in the story didn't feel forced. I like the aesthetics of Port Hunding, and the desert around it just felt warm and big despite how small the map actually is.

7) Malabal Tor (after thinking about it more I'm bumping this one up a little) - I didn't really care for this one while doing it, but in hindsight, it's grown on me. I really like the lore and development of the Silvenar and Green Lady that they do in this zone, and I like how so many of the side quests help to flesh out those lore concepts and backstory beyond the main quest. It makes the storyline of the main quest for this zone feel more developed and worth getting invested in. However, I didn't really get invested in anything else very much. The scenery was pretty beautiful too.

8) Alik'r Desert - I was surprised how beautiful I found this zone given that it is a desert, but I really loved the scenery! I also liked the quests here fine enough. They weren't my favorite, but I didn't necessarily dislike them either. I liked the old Redguard temples you got to explore, and the way they implemented and introduced the Yokudan religion/gods. It was fun to engage with. This was a perfectly middle zone.

9) Betnik - I like the setting of Betnik. The rocky and foggy beaches are pretty. The history of the island is pretty interesting. in hindsight having done the first zones for the other alliances as well, I now appreciate that the characters from the Stros M'Kai main quest are here and the story is continuing with them, it feel more natural for why my character is invovled. However, I barely remember anything else from this zone, and in hindsight the environment isn't as pretty or as impressive as later zones, so I don't care too much more for it.

10) Reaper's March - This zone was very hit or miss for me. The scenery was nice, and the music stood out to me and I really liked it, but the quests and character writing was either something I really liked or something I really didn't. I loved Shazah and Khali, and while the whole concept of of the Moon Hallowed felt super contrived, I like that it gave us an opportunity to really get to know them and get invested in them. They were both charming and likeable, but it is for that reason that I was not a fan of how the main quest in this zone ended. I was looking forward to how they would handle which twin would be the Mane (or maybe push against tradition and make them both Mane or some other compromise...), but one ultimately dying felt like a stupid way to solve that issue. They could've been so much more creative with it. This feeling of enjoying parts of a questline and disliking others from some reason continued through the quests of this zone.

11) Greenshade - I wasn't a fan of the scenery in this one. Not only was it just not as cool to me, but I think I've developed a bit of a pet peeve over how everyone kept refers to it as a forest when it was clearly some kind of savanna woodland. Sorry Bosmer, that is not a forest to me. Anyway, the story and side quests for this zone didn't stick out to me at all with the exception of a few MVP characters. I liked the Wilderking quest, in part because the idea of the Wilderking is interesting (in theory, it's ok in execution) but mostly because I really liked Aranias and the story we see with her (I think it's kinda weird that the original Wilderking and her are Altmer, especially in the context of the politics around the formation of the Aldmeri Dominion, but besides that I enjoy the idea). I was got a little emotional over the very sweet short quest, The Flower of Youth, and it has really stuck out in my mind. And finally, I liked Indaenir. I found him very charming. To the extent that I was sad at his sacrifice at the end of the main quest and hyped for him when he becomes the Silvenar. Mid zone with some stand out moments.

12) Stonefalls - The story for this one baffled me a bit too much, in the sense that there were several moments where I feel like I didn't get enough explanations as to why what was happening was happening. I was truly just along for the ride. There weren't really any characters that stood out to me either. Like, I recognized them and remembered them as the kept popping up, but I wasn't invested enough in them, which is a shame, because I think the last few quests of the main zone quest would've been a lot stronger if I actually liked or felt endeared by Tanval, Garyn, and their relationship. The second half of the main quest felt drawn out and I think the writing was just kinda bad for this zone tbh (more than usual). Now, saying that, the scenery and environment for this zone was gorgeous, and the music stood out and really accentuated the mood! One of my favorites so far environment-wise. I think it felt very Morrowind-y, and I loved the mountains and the volcanoes and the land coral and the ash effects. I also love the look of the Dunmer architecture in this game, and I think it fits them well. I took so so many screenshots in this zone. I genuinely enjoyed just wandering through it.

13) Bangkorai - Nothing about this zone really caught my attention. I didn't care for the main quest, I didn't get invested in any side quests, and for me this zone feels more frustrating to navigate with how many areas as controlled entirely by enemies. It also does nothing new or interesting with the Reachmen, unfortunately. The scenery is pretty, but it is similar to everything else we've seen in the Daggerfall Covenant, so by the time I got to it it wasn't anything special. My opinion on this zone was also probably colored by the fact that at this point I just wanted to get further in the main quest. I also want to highlight this one quest, Freedom's Chains, which has a super interesting basic idea and hypothetical choice at the end, but is so horribly buggy and terribly written that it is one of 2 quests I've done so far in this game that made me angry.

14) Bleakrock Isle and Bal Foyen - I did the entirety of these in a little over an hour each, and really nothing stuck out to me. Not the characters, not the setting, not the quests, nothing. The only thing of note is that I was running around Bal Foyen at sunrise and it was very pretty, and there was a guar in Bal Foyen named Rollie.

15) Khenarthi's Roost* (I did it slowly over a few months while my hands were in pain and nothing about it stood out to me) - So there is an important context to this one, which is that I started this zone in January after the New Life Festival, but soon took a break from the game because my hand pain was really bad and I couldn't play. I attempted to play every few weeks (in this zone) and every time my hands hurt really bad, and I had forgotten what was going on. It took me months to finish this teeny zone, and I just don't have a great association with it. Outside of that bias, I just wasn't invested in the plot or characters (outside of Raz, of course), and I feel like the Maomer were uninteresting and a waste of potential. The aesthetics of the island were pretty nice, but I didn't find it as cool or pretty as most of the other zones.

16) Stormhaven My dislike of this zone was mostly circumstantial when I first played it, but in hindsight having gone back to it for other random things, I continue to dislike it. The wayshrine placement sucks. Somehow by the time I got to this zone I was already a little burnt out on all the Daedric prince involvement, and the involvement of Vaermina and her cult did nothing new or interesting. I could not bring myself to care about pretty much any quest in this zone, with the notable exception of the part at the end where you enter Emeric's dream and talk him off the ledge. I like Emeric, and I feel like this detail made it make more sense for why he can trust you so much. But other than that, it was a very mid zone. The scenery was Glenumbra but less cool in every way.

17) Deshaan - This is only below Stormhaven because of that one quest with Emeric (and maybe I'm a bit jaded right now). In a game where it feels like the Daedric Princes are invovled in every other quest, you're telling me that a questline focusing on an organization creating a plague had nothing to do with Peryite? Justice for Peryite! Speaking of, the main quest for this zone was so... what? The writing for this alliance so far has been really weak imo and this quest really exemplifies it. It's just antagonist doing miscellaneous antagonist things without a solid connection between their actions. Despite building up to the main antagonist's backstory throughout the zone, I still don't understand her motivation for just about anything she did until the last 3rd of the story, and the kinda interesting conflict of her backstory was written in the least interesting way it could be. None of the other quests stood out to me, and the environment, while fine, didn't catch my attention either. I did like that Mournhold felt larger than most of the cities in the game, and I loved how the temple looked and loomed over everything.

-

Daggerfall Covenant Overall Thoughts:

These zones were my starting zones so I was learning how the game works and doing the big main quest while going through them. I straight up can't remember whatever the overarching plot of these zones was, but I remember each zone as its own individual thing better. At the time I felt sorta meh towards it, but having done the other alliances it has grown on me because of the characters and pacing. The way you get invovled with the leader in this faction feels more natural and less contrived than the other two (and the build up to getting to that point is longer and more developed) since you have to prove yourself and work your way up the High Rock leadership to finally impress Emeric and get him to entrust you with things. You don't just do him one favor and he goes "ok I trust you with alliance secrets now", but compared to the AD it felt like the over arching story of the alliance is much much weaker and less developed. it feels more like each zone has its own story only loosely tied together with "WAR IS HAPPENING" (EP is sorta the same). The antagonists weren't memorable, but the side characters like Emeric, Darien, Gabrielle, Skordo, the gang on Stros M'Kai, Lady Laurent and Stibbons, etc. were fun! I read on Reddit that the team that made the DC also made Coldharbor, which is why so many DC characters feature in it, which definitely helped me feel connected to them more. Overall, not the most striking alliance, but I liked the characters and am probably more fond of it because it was my first one

Aldmeri Dominion Overall Thoughts:

I appreciate that there are overarching storylines between the zones (beyond just "[other alliance] is attacking!") between the Veiled Heritance, the death of and new Silvenar and Green Lady, etc. The other two factions' zones can sometimes feel too disjointed from each other or the way they are connected feels contrived, so the reoccurring characters feel more random (like, why are you here too??) or there are way less of them, while in the AD you meet a lot of the reoccurring characters in the first two zones and then it makes sense why you keep running into them. It makes the relationships you build with them feel more genuine, and there were a number of stand out characters for me. I think for this reason, having one small starting zone as opposed to 2 might've helped with that feeling. On the other hand, I feel like the build up to how you get invovled with the alliance leadership was way more rushed (in a bad way) compared to the other two zones. Like, you happen to be picked out as competent and trustworthy by one of the right hand men of the queen (no offense to you, Raz, you are one of the highlights of this alliance) and then you save the queen from an assassination attempt in the first story point of the next zone and she just trusts you immediately (once again, no offense to you Ayrenn, you are also a highlight). But once we're into the main storyline, I enjoyed it and followed it a lot better than the other two zones. I also appreciated how the antagonists had motivations that felt like they actually informed their decisions and related to the political and interpersonal dramas going on. It made them more memorable. I felt in general that the side quests were a little stronger here as well.

Ebonheart Pack Overall Thoughts (so far)

I've only done Bleakrock Isle, Bal Foyen, Stonefalls, and Deshaan, and hopefully I'll come back to do the rest later, but I'm a little sick of the base game and would like to move on to DLCs. With that disclaimer out of the way, I've found it so far lack luster compared to the other two. So far the zone stories aren't that connected (although that may change), and there seems to be less reoccurring characters. The one that I do know for sure shows up repeatedly, Naryu, didn't actually make her first appearance until Deshaan (not a fan of her so far tbh... why does she neg me so much??). Altogether, none of the characters so far stood out to me, and they've been overall less endearing and less memorable (so far). None of the quests have either. Generally in this series, but particularly in this game, and even more so in this alliance for some reason, the player's involvement in a quest or situation feels really contrived. The one positive for this alliance for me is that I think the environments are consistently pretty strong (so far). Finally, the antagonists have been weak in the sense that they aren't memorable or interesting (similarly to the DC). These ones frustrate me a bit more because they feel much more like wasted opportunities. So far there's a theme of family or parent-child relationships going on, but it's really shallow and I'm not sure it's purposeful. Like I said, maybe I'm just jaded with the base game zones because they are pretty same-y (and it makes sense why tbh), but this alliance has been my least favorite so far and I don't feel bad about skipping the rest of it for now.

[thegoldenshi-shi]

Hello Shi-Shi! It definitely has been awhile since I messaged, and I apologize for that, but I’m still alive! I hope you’ve been well and things are going okay for you. Also, I’m unsure if you celebrate it, but Happy Thanksgiving!!

A lot has happened since I last spoke; school has started again, so I’ve been busy with that. In fact, I have a presentation tomorrow, two tests Wednesday, and then I’m off for Peer Mentor camp for three days! Definitely a short school week for me, which I’m quite happy about.

Another reason I haven’t spoken is I was sick for quite a bit, a mix between both a cold and flu at the same time. I’m just starting getting back into the swing of drawing and other things, but I’ve mostly gotten better other than a slight cough.

Fun, exciting news though, is I finally have my road test booked to get my full license! It’s in December so still a month and a bit to go, but it’s great that I finally have that booked, it will be nice to have my license if I pass. Another thing is I’ve started a new job! In a booth as a cook, so we’ll see how that goes.

Now enough about me! I just saw your animation and oh my goodness, I love the detail in it! The backgrounds are so beautiful and the walking looks really good; I also love the detail of when they disappear. I’m unsure of who the characters are, but they look really cool. How long did it take you to make it?

I also like the Angel au piece with Leona, the little smirk they have is like they are going to cause mischief and the wings are absolutely stunning! The snow is also a nice touch, it gives it sort of a mysterious vibe.

I remember seeing your To Be Gentle Optimus art in the server when you posted it! The tiny butterfly and how gentle it seems he’s being with it is definitely a nice way to show how compassionate and gentle Optimus is. Sunstreakers piece is also really stunning, but I might be biased as Sunstreaker is one of my favourite characters haha. The colours really compliment each other and make Sunstreaker glow (the lyrics are also so him, they fit him so well)

I could ramble on and on about all your art pieces, but I have to start on finishing my presentation for tomorrow as it’s still not done. I’ll message when I can and I hope that soon. Have a good day/night Shi-Shi!

-Meister

Hello and happy Thanksgiving to you as well Meister!

It's good to see you in my inbox again 💛

I'm sorry to hear about the double-whammy cold and flu combo, but I'm glad that you're feeling better. I've been struggling with seasonal allergies, but otherwise I've been very lucky thus far (fingers crossed that my luck will hold). You've got a lot on your plate again from the sounds of things. I would be rolling over and screeching if I had that much on my agenda, but it also sounds like you have a lot of fun ahead of you(particularly with a short school week hehe).

Congratulations on your road test and new job~ I know you've been looking forward to your license and I am very happy for you that it's happening. I've never worked as a cook before, so I can't offer any insights there, but I'm rooting for you back here!

Now, as far as the animation goes, it took be about a week to do it all, with very long days hehe. I've always respected animators, but now my respect went to an all-time high. The backgrounds were fun to do, I referenced a lot of different name-cards from each region of the game to get them right so it was like an art study. I'm glad you liked the other pieces that I've done as well. The Optimus piece took the longest because it was for a zine project ofc, but the Leona picture took me a long time too. (I'm trying to get better at composition and entailed backgrounds) Sunstreaker is still one of my favorite characters as well, I really enjoyed doing that piece, even though it's relatively simple, because of the colors.

I won't lie, I'm having trouble with fanart at the moment due to persistent AI anxiety and some of the fandoms (not Transformers by any means) I move in have gotten too toxic and I've had to leave. Also life has been very hectic with work and other obligations, so I haven't had as much time to do personal things like drawing as much. BUT I'm doing okay and working on many things to tide me over through the anxiety!

Thank you so much for dropping by. It's been a while since I've talked to anybody so I appreciate it, AND hearing how you're doing. I'm glad you're doing well and I hope your presentation went well (since I was a little late responding). It's always a pleasure, have a wonderful day/night Meister.

[yuseirra]

I would like to see pieces of what they are, I want to understand it in an accurate sense, it's that sort of desire I have... I want to know what it is, what it's supposed to be, what it's really like...it's not just about a fictional piece, I think I've always had that desire to understand people, make out of what exactly they could be feeling and how things work... Not only in a logical sense but in an emotional sense,

It's a "want" I feel I naturally have, and that mindset extends to so many things I encounter upon. I think that's allowed me to approach and connect with a lot if things.

But it's such a selfish and unrealistic desire too because everyone is so different and it may be imoossible to fully understand that's not yourself. And I'm so far from being knowledgeable, what I know is so limited, so wishing for something like this can be rude to the other party since I'd be limiting them to only what I can make out of them myself. In that case, it's better to just acknowledge I have a certain lens I use to see things, and realize of its limits while trying to improve what it could offer for me throughout my entire life. That's what I think growth could mean, it can be achieved through a lot of ways but this surely is one! :)

Still, most things do have some common ground, so if you think of it positively, you CAN still relate to so many things that aren't you and go even further than that, it helps you discover things you never anticipated it to be there. I do think there is a point in trying to understand one another through the head and the heart.

Maybe that's why we aren't just a single ball of meshed up entity or some sort of hive mind that shares every single thing in common, it's nice things are different and left mysterious because there's always more room for thought and to explore! Whether it be you can accept it or not(but I hope things still don't have to hurt each other abd be cruel.)

Yeah... It's not a bad thing to be different. It may even go as far to being desirable if you take it this way,

But I really want to understand things and get on the same wavelength and level too!! It'd be sad if I wouldn't be able to get what things are and relate to them! I think...I personally think, it could be one of my reason for living... I talked with a friend sometime back and they said they aren't like this so not everyone feels like it, huh? XD Well to be fair, my energy is so limited and I get biased and selective with what I end up struggling to understand in the end.. I wish I could care for every single thing, love every single thing(perhaps it's one of the reasons why I really love seeing characters like that, seeing them do that feels so healing. And it's relatable to a degree although they are saints and I'm not) but... What I have is very limited. My thoughts, insights, knowledge, resources, experiences, it'll never be enough in order to achieve what I want, but I hope to be closer to it day after day as long as I live, or until I lose this will to!

It's such a nice opportunity for it to have had my thoughts flow like this. I really should read more books and increase my comprehension. And I should forgive myself for being wrong about something whether it be about myself or something else. I get too serious about some things that it gets scary~~

I'd like to say I try though! I am very introverted I think, but, I love a lot of things. I notice that I really love little kids and feel an affection towards people in general although it's a vague feeling of connection I have. I wish you all well! Thanks for being kind to me! I've been talking so much lately, hm..I really do hope it wasn't something too bothersome to take, if I could send some type of positivity through it, it'd be nice~ I tend to be really showy about my emotions but I want the good ones to get out there. The good ones can make others happy. Bad ones.. Make people agitated and worry. I just hope the way I see things aren't what make feel for the worse, I want the opposite to happen!

So yeah. I'm really happy when I had people tell me what I drew were healing(The funny thing is, I DIDN'T purposely intend for that to happen!! I just draw out what I think and make out if things!!) so in the end, maybe that's what I want to do in an ultimate sense!! Learn and understand and heal!! Let's see if I can keep doing that in the future and through the course of my life! I will be very happy to cross ways with you through this desire! Hope you have a good life, I hope I do with mine!

[paperclvps]

I give a pspspspsp, recently got Limbus have been loving it and have been directed to come to you to see which to play next

Oh, hi!

It's nice to hear from you. Thank you for coming on over and, I'll see what I can do for you.

Personally, right after I finished Limbus (since I was introduced to it by a dear, dear friend of mine, albeit somewhat late compared to project moon fans post limbus-) I purchased Library of Ruina.

I'm not sure if this is the best way to do it by any means, and it may be good to read around, but I'll list a few reasons why:

The main selling point Ruina had for me, was the obvious lore and identity tie ins- especially with the recent hells chicken event, of which the ids were pretty much identical to two of the characters from Ruina. Not only that, I wanted to know more about the 'factions' we have ids of so to speak, so I'd actually understand what was going on with them.

I wanted to know more about the world Limbus is set in, and it felt like a good idea to go from there. Especially with how similar the combat system is to Limbus, which I'd already picked up.

Ruina, similar to Limbus, is a turn-based rpg kinda game, though, if you're not a fan of games where you need to put together and build your own deck, it may be one you don't enjoy too much. I'm not much of a strategy person so I've struggled with enjoying it, and I've also heard that like a lot of project moon games the difficulty spike is quite harsh. The game is fun! Though, I personally play it for the story as I'm more story focused when it comes to games like this than the actual gameplay. Either way, it's worth the money and the time played, but I can't say I'd blame you if you just wanted to find a playthrough that displayed the story aspects if you're more of a reader writer type over a game mechanics person. That said, I'm aware Lobcorp is the first game by technicality, and I haven't had the time to play that one yet as I'm not much of a gaming person as mentioned previously. This one, as far as I know, is a management sim compared to the other two games. I would take the different game styles into mind before selecting which one you'd be most interested in playing first. Maybe take a look at early gameplay for each game to decide what you'd find the most fun, or challenging if that tends to be what you look for in a game. If you'd like to know a little more about thoughts on Lobcorp, my mutual @loveless-lovesickness seems to have been enjoying playing through that one. I do believe it has a lot of important lore to go over, that I'll have to look into further when I get a free second to enjoy other parts of the story, as I haven't really connected all that much with any of the characters post limbus which makes it difficult to motivate myself into playing.

With all that out of the way, do please remember that I started with Limbus, and that game fits my preferences more than either of the other two, so I may be biased! do take all I say with a grain of salt, and I'm sure there's a lot of longer term project moon fans on this website that can give you some better insight in the best order to play, for maximised knowledge and lore flow. I've enjoyed going into limbus with absoloutely no knowledge similar to Dante themselves, but may you find your game! Good luck, and most of all remember to take ample breaks if you find yourself frustrated.

[risubisu]

ok so ranking my faves for season 1 of too hot to handle

rhonda - my girl is BEAUTIFULLLLL like she is just stunning 😭💕 i actually knew from the moment she walked in, i was js like "yeah this girl is going to be my fave fave fave" AND SHE DID BECOME MY FAVE

chloe - tbh most of the time i'm not big on the loud n extroverted girls cos i prefer the quieter and sort of more introspective ones, but chloe is just too lively to not be my fave 😭 she's so invested in the drama and loves being the center of attention and i just love that ab her <3

matthew - out of all the guys, he n dave r my two faves !! the only reason why he's above him is cos we share the same dislike for haley 😒

francesca - ok honestly, the first time she came in, i didn't like her all that much just based on vibes alone :/ i think it was cos when she came in she went straight to the boys n didn't say hi to the girls there (maybe she did and i missed it, idk) BUT i came to love her during the season bc she was so real for everything 😍 i was also so pissed at harry for that little stunt he pulled ugh ++ i hated that thing she tried to pull off w haley n how immature she was at the beginning but fortunately she had her redemption weeee

lydia - since she was a new arrival and came late,, i really did not think she would end up high on my list, but lo and behold !! when she first came in, she was all like "oh whatever f this show idc i'm gonna do what i want" and i was put off by that 😶 but she started interacting w the other girls and she was so open to the workshop and just becoming a better person on the retreat that i could not help but like her 😌

nicole - tbh she didn't do that much, she wasn't the most main character-y person n all, but she also wasn't a hindrance to the group and she was nice w the girls :)

david - OK DAVID SO like in the beginning, i didn't like his intro all that much (i get that he was using his being a british "gentleman", to quote, to his advantage, but it was js kinda cheesy lolsies) but imo he was the most decent man on season 1 of the show 👌🏽 (i don't think he broke bro code at all on that incident w rhonda n sharron) he was giving valid insight and was (i think, idk maybe i'm biased) the least horny guy amongst all of them (plus points in my book)

sharron - right off the bat i did not like him 👍🏽 i can't rmb what it was but i js recall him doing smth to piss rhonda off, and rhonda had a valid response to that, he got pissed at her response and started sulking,,, boy what??) i get that he has love trauma n stuff but rhonda's response ab how if she could do it, then he can was so real, i agree w her 100% on that (if he wants rhonda, he's got to work on it !! he can't expect rhonda to wait for him to heal before they do something, that's neither right nor realistic)

kelz - the whole alpha lion leader of the pack threw me OFF straight away 💀 he kept that mindset for the entirety of the show so he's ending up on this rank. the reason why he's on the middle tho is because he is the only person who actively resisted breaking the rules (mans was right in front of FRANCESCAAAAA and he still managed to stick by the book 😭)

harry - this guy is a dick you cannot change my mind. first, he blamed the kissing incident on francesca when it is so clear that he initiated it 💀 second is when he was having his little argument w fran and she decided to shift her attention to kelz, he was being such a baby ab the whole situation !!!!!! he had the AUDACITYYY to say that kelz was uglier than him ???? his smile holds a trophy over you my guy 😭 both their personalities are questionable, yes, but harry just cannot keep his wee in his pants 💀

bryce - his hairline threw me off and may or may not play a part in why he's on the bottom part of my list ... 😁👍 ok but looks aside, he was kinda nice sometimes. mostly a shallow geezer (the american kind) tho

madison - she just gave me the ick for some reason. i was very happy when she got booted from the show bc she sure as hell did not deserve that equal part of the prize fund

kori - now this man is just icky in all kinds of ways 😬 i mean like,,, the chloe situation ??? f he wanted francesca, why'd he go for chloe ??? he wasn't attracted to her and still gave back n replied to her initiations :/ if you didn't like the girl, you should've told her straight up. you were a complete waste of time for my girl chloe, she did not deserve you at aLL

haley - THIS GIRL IS SOOOOOOO DUMB 💀💀💀💀💀💀 do i need to explain why she is on the bottom of my list ?? 💀💀💀 matthew was so real when he said francesca hired her for the most befitting role of her mindless puppet LMFAOOOO this menace fool didn't even know where australia was like girl what

[godsofhumanity]

hmmm. now that i've actually read the Iliad, i want to do this again, but this time, with an informed opinion 😎

also, previously i only did it with the men, but i'm including Andromache and Helen now too <3

Andromache - my beloved. i just love everything about her, even though she only has a limited amount of screen-time. she's smart, and emotional, and brave, and loyal. she's one character who i feel, no matter the media interpretation, is always just perfect. i never have any disagreements.

2. Hector - nothing's changed here! actually, he's wayyy more flawed than i originally realised, but i'm still deeply in love with him, and he'll always be my number one* for the same reasons listed previously. (*after Andromache of course)

3. Polydamas - I LOVE THIS GUY!!! if Hector had just listened to Polydamas, he might've actually survived the war idk. Polydamas is just so smart and clever, but so gentle.. he never gets angry with Hector even though he knows he's being a dumbass,, God bless him xx

4. Priam - same reasons as before. his bravery in going to approach Achilles was heartwarming.. and Helen's little speech about how Priam was like her own father to her was soo sweet. i like him a lot!

5. Aeneas & Sarpedon - pretty much the same reasons as before, but seeing Aeneas in action in the Iliad was really great :)) im putting Sarpedon on the same rank because they're both kinda minor characters, but i liked them both equally.. RIP Sarpedon <3

6. Helen - Helen is someone who i've previously really really hated. i always blamed her partially for starting the war, but actually, upon reading the Iliad, i've changed my mind about it. she genuinely seems to hate it so much- it's clear that she despises Paris, and even Aphrodite, and wishes for nothing more than the war to end. i feel really bad for her because she really didn't have a choice at all in the matter. it would be so difficult for her to show her face in the court in Ilium during the war,, i can't imagine her pain, and there's not even anything she can do about it :( still, she remains humble, and i respect her.

7. Menelaus - from number 11 to number 7 is quite a big jump i think, but reading the Iliad gave me better insight into his character.. i think Menelaus has a lot of flaws, but i feel that that's what makes him likeable. he's doing the best he can, and i appreciate that.

8. Patroclus - here's a guy i didn't expect to like as much as i did. actually, Patroclus is a super nice guy in the Iliad, and i just couldn't find anything that i hated or disliked about him.

9. Ajax the Greater - i still like this guy ^-^ he feels like the embodiment of "all brawn and no brains" hahahaha but he's honourable and brave, and i could stand behind him.

10. Odysseus - i think i ranked Odysseus pretty high last time because i wasn't as familiar with the other characters than i was with Odysseus,, but honestly, he didn't do much in the Iliad besides beating some guy who talked a lot with a stick lol also,, i'm biased because i liked the way he was portrayed Troy: Fall of a City and it's difficult to separate that Odysseus from the real Odysseus.

11. Nestor - it's not really that i like or don't like Nestor,, but he's not beneath Agamemnon, or above Odysseus, so he's sitting at 9. predominantly, his main role was providing wisdom, but lots of his ideas weren't so much wise as they were foolish, e.g., sending Patroclus out in Achilles' armour ://

12. Deiphobus - errrr... what did he do again? i swear he literally has no major roles in the Iliad, except for the time that Athena impersonated him during the Hector vs. Achilles death battle... still, he's kinda low on my list because Hector praises him in Book XXII, saying that he's his most beloved brother.. but evidently he didn't have the guts to stand by Hector and join him on the field.. :// i know it's not an easy thing to do, but like,, was there seriously no one brave enough to join Hector on the field??!!

13. Agamemnon - i used to be a passionate Agamemnon-hater. i still don't really like him all that much, i think he's pretty hot-headed, but perhaps i may have been too harsh. he has some redeeming qualities- i like that he was able to put away his pride and offer gifts to Achilles when the war was really going to shit.

14. Achilles - this guy. ignoring the fact that he killed Hector, i've found that my preference for Achilles has fluctuated constantly throughout the Iliad-- sometimes he's great and cool, and sometimes he just sucks. ultimately however, i've decided that i don't really like his ego or grouchiness. i think he's too temperamental, and too violent.

15. Paris - what's there to even say. he's just unfathomably stupid. the scene where Aphrodite whisks him away from the battlefield and Paris speaks to Helen made me sick to my stomach. how could he possibly be related to Hector or Priam...

16. Diomedes - IGNORE EVERYTHING I SAID IN THE PREVIOUS POST! i was foolish, i had not read the Iliad, i couldn't really remember his portrayal in modern media.. Diomedes SUCKS and i hate him. he's arrogant, and he's full of himself. how the hell did he have the audacity to fight against the gods is beyond me. it's a no from me.. truly my most hated character in the Iliad.

rank the men from the iliad (+ explanations)

1. Hector 

WHAT do i even need to say????? Hector is literally brilliant!!! He’s kind, he’s smart, he’s brave, he’s honourable, he’s loyal, he’s a fighter. Even Zeus thought he was so good that he deserved to be saved and only didn’t save him from Achilles because Athena begged him not to. I also really love Hector because even though he’s so awesome, he’s not arrogant or pretentious like Achilles, he’s just so grounded and nice.

2. Odysseus

Remember when Odysseus tried to avoid participating in the war by pretending to be insane? AGHHHHH ODYSSEUS, KING!! That really indicates what kind of a man Odysseus was- kind, and strong, and preferring peace to violence. This guy also stopped Achilles from being stupid and forcing his soldiers to keep fighting even though they were exhausted. Also.. Trojan horse epic prank.. great work, Odysseus.

3. Priam

Oh, Priam! The scene where Priam goes to Achilles himself and begs him to give Hector’s body back is what does it for me. Priam, a king, has to cross enemy lines and bow down before his enemy, the man who murdered his son, and beg him to have the smallest bit of sympathy and give back the body so that they can give Hector the proper burial rites so that he can pass on to the land of the dead. Can you imagine how humiliating that must have been? What strength of mind this old man must have had to go to Achilles, a spoiled brat, and ask for mercy! Priam is just... words can’t describe. I have so much respect for him. He really put family first, always.

4. Polydamas

Hector’s good friend and a Trojan commander. He gives Hector some really good battle advice but my man Hector never listens 😭😭😭 Props to Polydamas for trying though xx

5. Diomedes

Honourable, valiant and not pretenious despite being the ONLY mortal warrior to actually wound the immortal gods (Ares)!!! I LOVE this dude!! He’s smart, he’s brave, he’s cunning, he’s resourceful. Fantastic work, Diomedes!

6. Nestor

i like him because he’s a little bit funny, but also extremely wise and sensible. everyone appreciates him and listens to his advice when he gives it.

7. Aeneas

Aphrodite, Apollo AND Poseidon loved this dude and saved his life on separate occasions, so you know he’s a good one!!

8. Ajax the Greater

remember when Hector and Ajax had a big fight, and then they just stopped and gave each other gifts???? KINGS! Ajax is just very honourable, and he’s an excellent fighter. i like him! sad ending though :///

9. Patroclus

Did you know that Patroclus was actually older than Achilles, despite most modern adaptions portraying him as younger? Anyways, i don’t hate Patroclus. He had the spirit- he was brave and courageous, albeit a little brash. 

10. Deiphobus

i feel like we always forget that Deiphobus married Helen after Paris died. the fact that Athena chooses to impersonate Deiphobus during Achilles’ fight with Hector, indicates that Deiphobus was trusted and beloved by Hector, which further suggests that they had like-minded personalities. still, he’s further down this list because of the myth where he carries Helen off and marries her- Deiphobus, my dude, did you not just watch an entire war unfold because Paris did the exact same thing? Idiots! The lot of them!

11. Menelaus

Menelaus isn’t exactly a strong fighter, but i actually kinda like him! As a king, i think that if Menelaus had simply just sat back down and been like “okay, my wife got kidnapped, let me just leave it be because a war is too much”, that would have made him look really weak. He 100% was in the right for waging war, because Paris was WRONG and never should have done what he did. I genuinely do think that Menelaus did love Helen, though I’m undecided about whether Helen reciprocated. Either way, Menelaus is okay in my books- he just did what he had to.

12. Achilles

ugh. i used to really like Achilles, but the more of the Iliad i read, the more i disliked him. He’s so arrogant and pretentious and hot-headed. He thinks he’s a god. obviously, i hate what he does to Hector, and i don’t think he was all that honourable. He was just a spoiled brat.

13. Paris

Troy’s resident dumbass. for real, Paris is just so dumb.. i don’t like him! he makes so many bad decisions, and everyone else has to pay for them. He knew that Helen was off limits- being married, and already being a mother with a child who needed her, so what did brave Paris do? Kidnap Helen! AGHHH YOU IDIOT! YOU FOOL! 

14. Agamemnon

i hate this guy. i feel bad for him because he had to sacrifice his own daughter for the sake of the war.. but other than that,, he’s just so angry and scary and brutal,, and i don’t like him. also, his own wife killed him, so what does that say about the man?

**these are just my opinions,, feel free to disagree!!

[daresplaining]

I loved the recent ask you guys answered about Matt as a lawyer and ethics. I'm a recent law school graduate and big DD fan, so my question is: What are some of your guys' favorite moments from Matt in the courtroom in the comics? They could be ones you think are his best work, silly, dramatic, insightful, made an impact, etc. I'd just love to hear some more about his legal work and find some future issues to read. Thanks! :)

    Thank you, and congratulations on your graduation! Neither of us have law degrees, so we can’t actually vouch for the accuracy of the legal antics portrayed in DD, but here are a few of our favorite law-centered stories.   

Matt on the Legal Rights of Aliens (Daredevil vol. 1 #28)

Matt: “Only the law stands between justice and total anarchy–! And that law must offer equitable protection to all– regardless of race, creed, or color… Now, in this age of space exploration, we may need a fourth qualification… with regard to planet of origin, as well!”

    Not a whole trial, but this is a funny early issue detailing Matt’s thoughts concerning the legal rights of extraterrestrials. In his defense… that’s actually a legitimate topic of conversation in the Marvel Universe. This scene was gently mocked fifty years later, in Daredevil vol. 3 #30:

Matt: “It… wasn’t completely serious.”

Ru’Ach: “It seemed heartfelt.”

Matt: “I can’t swear I was entirely sober, even.”

Matt Defends the Black Widow (Daredevil vol. 1 #83)

Natasha: “Once I was a spy– they’ll use that against me, too. All my life I’ve been afraid, Mr. Murdock– first of my Soviet masters– then of a strange curse– and now, when it seemed I’d found a country at last– where I could feel safe– everything’s come crumbling down!”

Matt: “Believe me, Natasha. I understand your fear– and I won’t let it happen– I promise you.”

    This is one of a series of issues from around the same time, which all strike at similar themes: Matt defending those neglected by the system. This could describe most of his career, but the similarity of these early cases is what has led us to group them together. The above example comes from Matt’s earliest interactions with Natasha Romanov, who later becomes his partner/girlfriend, and remains one of his closest superhero friends. The Scorpion is seemingly killed while fighting Natasha, and bystanders claim that she was responsible. As a Soviet emigre and reformed spy, Natasha is so sure she will be convicted based on her background and cultural biases that she tries to run. But Matt convinces her to go to court and trust in the system, and manages to prove her innocence.

    The other, similar stories from this era that we’ll point you toward are Matt’s defense of blind war veteran Willie Lincoln in Daredevil vol. 1 #47, and his defense of Bruce Banner/Hulk in Incredible Hulk vol. 1 #152-153. They explore many of the same themes, and are equally good.

Matt v. His Childhood (Daredevil vol. 1 #203. Not digitized)

Foggy: “Tell me what’s going on here! Stymie Schmidt is guilty as sin and you know it!”

Matt: “He still deserves a decent defense. A lot of what I am today is due to that man. I own him more than you’ll ever know. This may be my one chance to pay him back.”

    This isn’t a full-on legal story, but it’s a fascinating character study and another look how Matt’s emotions can interfere with his ethics. When one of his childhood bullies comes to Nelson and Murdock for legal help, Matt agrees to take the case himself… but Foggy soon realizes that his friend is planning to lose on purpose, for revenge. This is not the only time Matt’s past trauma comes back to haunt him in this way, but it is by far his worst reaction to it.  

Karen Page v. Mr. Fear (Daredevil vol. 1 #375)

Matt: “Let’s get some reasonable doubt in this joint.”

Karen: “Matt? Matt? What happened to your face?”

Matt: “Cut myself shaving, of course… That’s what the invincible, cocksure hero is supposed to say, isn’t it?” 

    DD vol. 1 #375 is the final issue of Joe Kelly’s phenomenal run, and is one of our absolute favorite issues of Daredevil. The story arc leading up to it details Karen’s attempts to deal with an increasingly violent stalker. When he ends up dead thanks to some supervillain meddling, she becomes the prime suspect and is put on trial for murder. Way too emotionally close to the situation for obvious reasons, the issue follows Matt’s frantic attempts to win a case that seems more and more unwinnable the harder he fights, all while attempting to take down the supervillain responsible. It’s a powerful story, and a great look at the point of contact between Matt’s legal and extralegal careers.      

Playing to the Camera (Daredevil vol. 2 #20-25)

Matt: “Foggy, meet Samuel Griggs. Mr. Griggs wants to sue Daredevil.”

    We mentioned this magical arc in the other post, but it always merits more attention. Matt and Foggy are hired to sue Daredevil for some property damage that Matt knows he didn’t cause. He accepts the case (against Foggy’s wishes) in order to keep the situation under control. Chaos, ethics violations, and a massive superhero law-based comedy of errors ensue. This arc isn’t afraid to take itself less than seriously, which makes it a hilarious read and by far the most lighthearted part of volume 2.

The Trial of the White Tiger (Daredevil vol. 2 #38-40)

Matt: “Sitting in judgment over a total stranger. There is no larger burden that we as a society will put on ourselves. But I can ease that burden for you… because Hector is innocent of the crime he is accused of.” 

    Luke and Danny talk Matt into helping one of their close friends– Hector Ayala, the original White Tiger– who has been charged with murder. Knowing Hector is innocent, Matt agrees to represent him, despite the danger this association will present to his already vulnerable secret identity. This is a courtroom drama, pure and simple, in which all of Matt’s skill as a lawyer can’t prevent his case from imploding.      

   (Flash Fact!: Barry Allen (the Flash) has a cameo in this story. Don’t tell DC.)  

The Spartacus Gambit (Amazing Spider-Man: Extra!)

Matt: “I’m trying to keep your mask on and get you out of the civil suit. It’s going to take a little more than what I’ve got planned to get the criminal charges against you dropped.”

Peter: “What do you have planned?”

Matt: “If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”

    This is a great little story, in which Matt defends his buddy Peter Parker in court. He is his typical smug self, which we always enjoy, and he comes up with a creative argument to reduce Peter’s charges. It hits a lot of the same superhero legal issues covered in “Playing to the Camera”, but it’s still a fun read. This issue runs parallel to Amazing Spider-Man vol. 1 #587, so we recommend reading that as well, for context.

Leopold York v. Foggy Nelson (Daredevil vol. 3 #12)

Matt: “Welcome to the mock trial in the case of Leopold York v. Foggy Nelson. […] Professor, will you be defending yourself?”

    It isn’t an actual trial, but this flashback to the origins of Matt and Foggy’s partnership is too fantastic not to mention. Foggy is accused of plagiarism by a spiteful professor attempting to get him kicked out of law school. Knowing it’s a frame-up, Matt insists on fighting back, and forces the professor into a trial-like situation in order to argue the truth out of him. It’s a nice glimpse at Matt and Foggy’s early friendship, and a testament to why they make such a good legal team.

Supreme (Daredevil vol. 5 #21-25)    

    The arc that just ended was a great law-based story, enhanced by the fact that the current writer, Charles Soule, is also a lawyer. Matt attempts to craft a new law that would allow masked superheroes to testify in court without revealing their identities. Wilson Fisk and the supervillain community at large take issue with this. Soule mixes legalese with physical action in clever ways (e.g. Matt’s metaphorical brawl with the Supreme Court, shown above), brings in Jen Walters and Fisk’s badass lawyer Mr. Legal, and generally celebrates the heck out of the intersection between superheroics and legal work. This may be our favorite law-based DD story yet.  

[help-im-a-medstudent]

Hi- I'm a high school student and I'm seriously thinking of applying for medicine in the UK. I would love some help/advice for preparing right now (classes and stuff!). Thank you so much!!

Hello! 

From your message, I can’t quite work out if you are already from the UK or not, but the entry requirements are the same for UK and international students, so I’ll give you a general overview if that helps :)

it’s great that you’re thinking early about this, as it gives you time to prepare and research whether studying medicine is definitely for you. Things to prepare for can be split into different parts, as a medicine application is a big thing!

1. Subjects and grades

For UK students, A level (or the equivalent in Scotland etc) chemistry is usually a requirement, along with another science (biology is not necessary to do medicine, and I know a few people in my year who dropped it and haven’t struggled at all). Minimum grades tend to be AAA, although some universities require more.

This is a really helpful document for entry requirements in 2017, although it may change in future years (they publish one each year, so have a look for it when you come to applying). 

If you are an international student and aren’t sure what universities require, have a look at each individual university, you may also need to take an IELTS to check your English is fluent enough to study, although it may not be necessary. 

2. UKCAT/BMAT

These aptitude tests are used differently by universities, but you have to take them in the year you are applying (UKCAT you take before you apply, BMAT afterwards.) I’ve made a post about how universities use the UKCAT, the BMAT is used by Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, University College London, Keele, Brighton & Sussex and Lancaster. 

To prepare for these you might want to look on their websites and do practice questions, I had a book of practice questions which I worked through for both, and the BMAT you might want to look over and revise your science knowledge (I hadn’t done physics in over a year so did a bit of revision, although when it came to the exam, unless the physics questions were really obvious to me, I cut my losses and left them, because the test is also about speed) 

3. Personal statement

Start to think about your statement, or rather what you want to include in it, for example why you want to study medicine. I wouldn’t start to write it until the summer before you apply, as it helps to have it fresh in your mind for interviews and also you might not have done all your experience. 

There are some really good advice posts out there for statements, here’s a masterpost, and here are my own tips, but i found that looking at someone else’s statement didn’t help (and i’m fairly sure a lot of other medblrs would agree!) 

4. Volunteering/experience

The best thing to do to prepare for applying is get voluntary work and possibly work experience on top of that. Some good places to go to are hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, clubs for children with disabilities, there are so many opportunities and it is great fun. You learn a lot, try and do something for a longer period of time. not only does this show commitment, but the relationships you build and the insights you gain are amazing. I learnt so much and I’ve been in situations in placements that i’ve been better prepared for because of volunteering. It’s not just something you ‘need’ to do for your application, you should enjoy it and genuinely learn from it!

Experience can be tricky, with observing doctors etc. My advice is if you don’t ask you don’t get. Write a letter with a bit of a personal statement where you sound eager and enthusiastic and send it to lots of places. I didn’t have any family/friends that were doctors, but I sent the letter to my childhood allergy consultant (I hadn’t seen them in 8 years and they barely remembered me) and he gave me details of a doctor in the hospital that organised week long placements on paediatrics which was incredible. Don’t think you are bothering people, doctors are on the whole more than willing to help people that want to do medicine and the worse they can do is say no. 

5. Research the universities

There are 32 medical schools in the UK and it can be quite daunting to narrow them down to the four you want to apply to. Here’s how I did it. 

I wrote a list of all of them then crossed off the ones i definitely didn’t want to go to because of location (All of the London ones, the one in my home city and the ones in Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland, as they felt too far away for me). 

I then looked at the course. There are three types of course in the UK:

PBL - problem based learning, mostly self-directed study, with small groups where you look at a case and research it, before discussions and round ups with a tutor. This isn’t for everyone, and universities do it differently, have a look online and see if it’s something you might enjoy

Integrated - most medical schools have integrated learning. All of them do it differently, for most it means you learn with a mixture of lectures,small group discussions, clinical cases and practical sessions, with some clinical experience and talking to patients in the first 2 years. It can vary as some schools focus on systems of the body, and learn everything (e.g. cardiovascular physiology, anatomy, what can go wrong, drugs and treatments, then move on to respiratory) and some focus on all of physiology before doing anatomy etc. again, have a look at the websites

Traditional - The 5 (or 6 in some university cases) years are split quite distinctly into ‘preclinical’ and ‘clinical’, with little patient contact in the preclinical years, the classic examples of this course are oxford and cambridge

After that, look at entry requirements, some are stricter than others in terms of GCSE grades, UKCAT scores etc. Don’t get too hung up on these though, and if you aren’t sure, just email the enquiries page. It can be useful to look around universities, but I wouldn’t do this until you have narrowed it down to 4/5, as travelling to open days is expensive. Try and get a feel for the campus, the city, have a look at accommodation and talk to current students (they aren’t normally too biased, they will quite happily tell you the good and bad points about their course - they know it’s important to be happy at uni, and they aren’t going to get paid extra by the uni for saying nice things!) 

Hopefully this has helped, if you have any other questions, just send an ask or message me directly!

Good luck! :)