#but i'm really struggling with his endgame decision

[queen-scribbles]

I'm having a Time trying to figure out Arkady's endgame since "completely cut ties with both Empire and Republic" won't be an option, but this conversation is always juicy for character development.

[firelxdykatara]

sorry not sorry but i'm actually completely fine with getting a version of katara where she wasn't parentified at eight years old (something that was lampshaded but never actually unpacked or presented as something she shouldn't have gone through, it was in fact not part of her arc to work through this in the original show and the proof of that is in the fact that she was shoved into an endgame 'romance' with someone for whom she'd expressed no romantic interest, even when prompted, and whom she spent a large portion of the show mothering). a katara who still had to deal with the trauma of her mother's death, but without having to become her own mother and her brother's mother on top of it in her place. katara whose struggle with waterbending is rooted in trauma, because her power is what her mother was killed for, her mother who died protecting her. katara who struggles to be taken seriously not because she's a silly girl with magic water but because her brother still sees her as his baby sister who needs him to be strong and she desperately wants him to lean on and trust her because that's what she needs to be able to grow.

and i like getting to see sokka actually behaving like a big brother! sokka whose responsibilities to his people and to his sister are treated seriously, rather than as fodder for jokes. sokka who is still a dork and a goofball and a pragmatist but underneath it all is that fear that he isn't actually good enough--that his family and his village don't actually need him, and who is he if his own sister is grown and doesn't need him anymore either? (sokka who is terrified of katara learning to bend not because he doesn't take her power seriously but because that's exactly what got their mother killed, and it's so, so obvious they've had that fight many times before.)

are they the exact same characters we got in the original cartoon? no, but i never expected them to be and frankly i didn't want them to be. something that every fanfic writer doing an AU or canon divergence has to grapple with is how would having these different experiences change the way this character behaves and interacts with and perceives the world. do i think the live action did it perfectly? no, but then the original show was far from perfect to begin with and i never expected perfection in this adaptation.

what i do think, though, is that i can see where certain creative decisions were made and the resulting ripple effect, i can understand the logic behind them--and i can enjoy the end result, because a lot of it is stuff i've rolled around in my brain in the past anyway. and what i really want to see is where things are headed in the future.

[accirax]

initial thoughts on DCAS episode 19

Emily has really been going full villain mode these past couple of episodes, huh? while I'm overall not a huge fan of how many women have been portrayed as rude/unreasonable as compared to their male counterparts, i do love an evil queen. i support women's wrongs.

oh, Gabby. how many people wish that were true. (very cute gabellie content as usual)

i wonder if this is a soft confirmation that we'll never see Gabby or Ellie compete again.

this is so important. also, Hunter, the heart is on Ally's pajamas, not her casual look with the jacket. unless he just drew that there because he loves Ally so much :D

glad that Tom can finally admit that he is a terrible liar. truly, the person Tom and Jake should blame is the hiring manager who hired Tom in the first place.

if you loved him this whole time then why did you lie to him about having another boyfriend, Tom? ,':/ (/lh) (i know that he was explaining in this scene that it's because he was afraid, i'm just saying that the extent of his fears is something that shouldn't be swept under the rug, and that i feel it wasn't properly set up enough in s1 or DCAS as a replacement. yes it was showcased in DCAS but we never got an explanation as to Tom's thought process between seasons that would change his mind to make him more fearful.)

*several people are typing*

we NEED to see jaiden teaching Miriam a tiktok dance.

this is your daily reminder to not take anything that's said in a greeting too seriously.

c'mon, Fiore, a true gen Alpha-er would know that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell without having to look it up. unless, oh god, is that too much of a gen-Z reference for gen Alpha to understand...?

HE'S SUCH A DAD I LOVE THEM

this was probably my favorite line of the episode.

this was a really cute detail! even though they were both the archetypal "old person" of their season, Connor is still, like, 20 years younger than Miriam. it totally make sense that she'd still call him kiddo! just, not grandkiddo.

literally even Ellie is rooting for them to finish this plotline already. or maybe she's just feeling guilty for separating them in the first place, and she's lowkey hoping that the damage wasn't that severe.

that's... that's a crime? you can't just burn people, even if they're terrible??? i guess that, given Riya attempting to kill Aiden and directly breaking Connor's leg further, the definition of what counts as a crime is pretty lax in this universe. unless it's about destroying the environment. thanks, Tom! (/j)

also, why is Yul's scar so damn low res?

MCDONALD'S ELLIE ISN'T CANON??? D:

i wonder if this season is going to end with Grett giving Ellie a job/helping Ellie get a job. i could see fitness influencer and fashion designer working together well, as long as Ellie is okay designing athleticwear.

on one hand, i don't like that we don't get to have the finalists pick the people that they're closest with help them in the finale. this feels rather random, and in terms of real-world fairness, having a finalist get stuck with terrible help isn't very fair (i cite Top Chef season 4 as my example). however, i do appreciate how Disventure Camp always mixes the endgame up. it's not very fair in a real-world perspective, but given that it isn't a real game i appreciate the variety.

i also think that this is a nice fix to really incentivize whoever is helping the finalist after (in-universe) we had two really unpopular finalists, Fiore and James, who struggled to get any help. it feels like a reasonable decision that the in-universe showrunners would make.

don't distract him during the finale, you fool!

the Romber strategy!!! wow, and it's even in the first All Stars season, too :D

THE YUL CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT IS BACK ON?!?!?!?!

FIORE FINALE CONTENT! FIORE FINALE CONTENT!

ain't no way she's actually winning and of that $100K though, lol.

y'know, this might as well happen.

Riya and Yul really are perfect for each other (platonic) because every time that either of them gets a chance to either repent and be a good person or double down and keep relentlessly chasing their goals, they both always choose the latter. they're gonna get punished in the finale big time for sure... to the extent that Yul hasn't already been punished by getting that scar(?) to the face. like, seriously, that could be even more damage to his career.

once again, i missed the real Hunter so much :,)

while i love the roast here, does Fiore actually have anyone's respect...?

that's a wrap, folks! the most important character arc of the season is over!

[buddiebeginz]

You know I think I find this kind of thinking even worse than people who just never liked Buddie to begin with. People who claim to love Buddie or who were Buddie shippers and who are now trashing Buddie just to prop up Buck/T*mmy are literally some of the worst.

I think everyone should be allowed to like and ship who they want. I'm not a multishipper so I don't ship Buck and T*mmy and I'm not the biggest fan of T*mmy in general but I do see the significance of him in Buck's story.

What I don't get is how so many of you have become so enamored with a ship from very little buildup that you don't care anymore about how important Eddie coming out and Buddie becoming canon is. Also that you'd go back on all of your opinions on Buddie and the history they've shared.

The fact is Eddie coming out as gay is incredibly important. Just as Buck coming out as bi is ground breaking in it's own way and increasing much needed representation for bisexual characters, a character like Eddie coming out would also be ground breaking. Eddie is older, a veteran, Mexican, a single dad, struggles with mental health issues, a firefighter, fits a model of stereotypical masculinity, etc. There are so many people who would be helped to see a character like Eddie have a queer awakening in ways that are different than Buck's.

Buddie becoming canon is also equally as important as the coming out storylines for Buck and Eddie. I know people keep trying to say it's not and keep hating on anyone who dares to talk about Buddie along with Buck's bi awakening but it all matters.

It's not that Buddie has to happen for Buck and or Eddie to be queer but it should. I could write a novel on the history that is shared between these men. They are so much more than just friends honestly not sure how anyone can even see them that way. If you compare them to any other friendship on the show there is so much more there. They also know one another and are there for one another in ways no one else is. Buddie already has this epic love story built up it's why so many of us are waiting for them to reach that next level of their relationship.

Buddie would also be groundbreaking in their own way if they make it a canon ship. We have never really had a slow burn queer romance especially not with two men figuring out their sexuality later in life like this and on a primetime show. It's also not just about Buck and Eddie it's about Christopher too. We've watched Buck and Eddie basically co-parenting together for six years. It would be so amazing and important to have Buck actually recognized as Chris' other dad.

I just don't get how you can watch these men loving and supporting and fighting for one another over six long years and then trash their relationship because one of them kissed someone else and call this new guy basically his soulmate. We don't even really know T*mmy or how a relationship with him and Buck might work out because they're not even in one they're just dating.

I don't get anyone who can't see how Buddie being canon could literally change how queer ships are written in the future. We deserve to have our ships written with the same passion and care as straight ships have been. Also don't say you love Buck and then say you want his endgame love to be some guy you don't even really know. He deserves an amazing love story like the other characters have had on the show. He deserves Eddie who has fought and screamed and chosen him time and time again. Who has literally made Buck Chris' other dad, even put it down legally in writing for all intents and purposes because that's how much Eddie trusts Buck and how much he means to him.

I know the show runners/writers don't let fandom stuff influence all the decisions they make but it has some sway because I fully believe our love for Buddie has helped push things to where they are now. It does seem there is a plan already in place for Buddie to be canon but things can always change in shows I mean Tim said he was still writing and filming episodes. All I know is if the more vocal Buck/T*mmy (endgame) shippers do anything to help derail Buddie happening I'll never forgive you. I'm sure I sound ridiculously dramatic here but this isn't just about me not getting to see a fictional ship. Buddie going canon and Eddie coming out mean so much more and I'm sorry some of you can't see that.

[dayshipper]

I just had a thought...

What if JJ and Kiara are no longer together after the 18 month time jump? Hear me out...

I love Jiara, but I think we all know how mundane some storylines can become when slow burn couples inevitably get together. What if all the Jiara moments we have seen so far, i.e this...

...is actually just a flashback and JJ and Kiara aren't actually together anymore?

While I feel like deep down this is unlikely to happen, I've kinda thought about it and, don't kill me, but I feel like the angst would be soo good if this were to happen! Don't get me wrong, I love Jiara (I've been on this train since the beginning!) and I am dying to see how they act around each other as an actual couple; however, it might also be interesting to see them try to find their feet before they become the ultimate obx couple.

I don't think they have to prove anything to anyone because they have already made it clear that they would die for one another however, we haven't seen them be a proper couple in the real world yet.

Let's theorise. So far, we know the Pogues got the gold at the end of season 3 and they've blown most of it by starting their businesses and recreating Poguelandia 2.0. What if this, along with maybe Luke coming back into the picture, has created a rift between JJ and Kiara. Maybe JJ is trying too hard to become the ideal guy for Kiara by using his share of the money for all the wrong reasons and Kiara becomes resentful of this because after all, she didn't fall in love with what JJ could become, she fell in love with him for who he was, warts and all.

Or, maybe JJ is struggling with his new found wealth and feels that there are expectations he has to live up to so he is distracting himself by entering into dangerous motorbike races and gambling his money away. Seeing JJ put his life in danger isn't something Kiara is willing to support so maybe this causes them to sever ties.

Now that s3 established them as a romantic couple, we are no longer doubting ourselves by thinking 'wait, was he jealous or am I reaching?' because now that they are/ were together, all the moments we get of them from now on will always have an underlying romantic tension. Even more so now. Even if they aren't together, they will always care and find a way back to each other so I'm not saying they won't be endgame (because they are), I just feel like it could be interesting to see them struggle to get there. Even though I know it feels like it has been a struggle already...

Imagine Rafe trying to crack on to Kiara with JJ around or Rafe making fun of the fact that JJ couldn't hold on to his girl 🤡 OMG I would die. Probs won't happen though after Kie abandoned Rafe in Barbados... but imagine!

To me, this photo ^^ seems a bit angsty. It looks like they're having a dmc and JJ is saying something that Kiara is grappling with... Maybe they were lumped together because everyone else is coupled up and they have had to share a bed and Kiara is not feeling comfortable with it because while she definitely wants to be with JJ, maybe the decisions he is making aren't ones she can get on board with and she's frustrated by it all.

Ugh I don't know, I haven't fully thought this through it just popped into my head. I just had this sudden realisation that while it might look like they're together in the teaser, what if they're playing with us and they're not. I think it would be too perfect if all of the Pogues were coupled up and lived happily ever after, romantically speaking.

Realistically speaking though, the likelihood of everything I just said happening is pretty low. 💀 I don't really see this eventuating although, I'm not ruling it out completely. They have been through a lot already so I don't think they will want to break them up. But if they did, it won't be for long, maybe only a couple of episodes before they get back together for good, hopefully in an epic way. Can't have too many of those!

Either way, I CAN'T WAIT to watch them be together, whatever that may look like!! J4L

[onionjulius]

Alright so, ER rewatch is happening, but I'm swamped with work and so I'll have to wait for episode posts. For now, an initial inventory of my remembrance of the main characters/my opinion of them:

Love: Carol Hathaway, Mark Greene, Susan Lewis, Kerry Weaver, Abby Lockhart, Luka Kovač

Really like: John Carter, Doug Ross, Peter Benton, Elizabeth Corday, Lucy Knight, Jing-Mei Chen, Greg Pratt

Like: Jeanie Boulet*, Cleo Finch, Michael Gallant

Unlikeable but not devoid of complexity: Robert Romano, Dave Malucci

I remember your existence: Neela Rasgotra, Anna Del Amico

I don't remember your existence: Sam Taggert, Ray Barnett, Archie Morris, Tony Gates, Simon Brenner, Cate Banfield

*Jeanie's on the cusp between Like and Really like.

I'll be curious to see if my opinions change much watching this show 15-30 years after it initially aired. No doubt there will be cringe "Oh wow that aged poorly" moments, but hopefully also some that hold up well. It'll also be interesting to watch a pre-Prestige TV critical hit post-Prestige TV (and yeah, nostalgic, I'm getting quite nostalgic in my old age). And I'm wondering how my impressions of the characters will hold up in a close watch; I think I'm much more analytical now, and I'm pretty sure my opinions reflect the characters at their best without necessarily accounting for them at their worst. Although maybe that's not a bad thing as long as it's consistent.

More character recollections, some quite spoilery:

Mark's death slew me. It was so protracted too, he was suffering so much and his family was fraying at the seams and I just remember him trying so hard to handle things the best he could with that understated irony of his and just feeling so terribly for him. There was that thing with the guy in the elevator that he just let die, I don't remember what became of that ...

I love so much that Mark is really just Some Guy trying to do his job well while having normal Some Guy things like a wife and kids and basketball breaks. He's smart, decisive, dedicated, compassionate, a good teacher, and truly a deserving leader.

I know that Jeanie had at least one great story, which of course is the HIV story. I'm actually struggling to recall much before that, so that'll be fun.

I just ... I remember having such complex reactions to Kerry, and all these years later that has registered in my memory as love. I love Kerry, warts and all. You could feel so bad for her while simultaneously hate what she was saying or doing, and I do think she learned things over time. She was an outsider, a party pooper, ambitious and career-driven, a disabled lesbian, oil to Doug Ross' water. She was not easy to love, and so I loved her. Also, she was ER Mom. Love you, Mom!

I also loved Kim/Kerry. They felt so real and human and not simply an "issues" story. I find myself not recalling much of her relationship afterward, so looking forward to seeing if it is a worthy follow-up.

I loved Mark/Susan. They were such easy friends, so natural and believable together, so bright and breezy and (mostly) supportive and wonderful. I think they would have made a fine endgame, it was so easy to want good things for each of them, and what an unforgettable, lovely and bittersweet moment when she left Chicago on that train.

For all that though, I liked Mark with Elizabeth. It's true there wasn't the same will-they-won't they (and I remember feeling like her thing with Peter ended rather abruptly) but their domesticity was very sweet and she was a kick-ass character, strong and funny.

Romano was ... Problematic ... but his bond of some sort with Elizabeth was probably the best thing about his character.

I remember feeling that Peter was shafted, but that said he did last 8 years and I remember some good stories with his mother and sister, work vs parenthood, the custody battle, and of course (of course) his evolving dynamic with Carter.

Seriously though. Benton/Carter.

And on the topic of BroTPs: Mark/Doug!

There's something about the two most ambitious characters being Peter, a black man, and Kerry, a woman, that I kinda love.

Upon reflection, it seems to me that at least some of my affinity for Susan and Abby have to do with their family stories--particularly, having to deal with flawed family members, walking the line between loving and enabling, battling the desire to hope because of the need to protect against disappointment. It's ... interesting? ... because I don't have any deadbeat family members or family members who refuse to take responsibility for their illnesses, but something about how they use sarcasm to deal with life resonates with me, even though Susan in my head was a sunny character while Abby was a little black raincloud.

I loved Abby. Abby was a hot mess, a human disaster, a trashfire. Abby was strong, but also a coward. Abby was full of contradictions, Abby mistook self-abnegation for independence, Abby was only happy when it rained. Abby was hard to love, and so I loved her.

There was something about Abby/Luka that I found compulsively watchable. Something probably having to do with being really messed up and dysfunctional and full of maladaptive habits, but nevertheless wanting love like any other human being. There was a brooding intensity and understatedness to them that I remember just eating up. I was an undercover emo kid, what can I say.

That said, there was a phase in which he was truly insufferable (which I know was them taking a page out of the Doug Ross book ... but he isn't Doug Ross, even though he was brought on as a direct replacement). I'm curious if, on my rewatch, it will feel like an organic arc given how sweet, patient, gentlemanly and sensitive I recall him being at the start. Oh tragic little meow meow.

The final scene between Carol and Luka is so etched in my brain. "Because I'm still in love with him. I've been in love with him since I was 23 years old. He's everything to me. I feel complete when I'm with him and I feel empty when we're apart. He's the father of my children, and he's my soulmate." Yes, Doug was a manbaby and yes I was so hurt on Carol's behalf that he left her for Seattle, but really Doug/Carol were the Truth. You bought their connection so thoroughly and George Clooney's chemistry with Juliana Margulies was critical to that.

I remember thinking that Peter/Cleo's chemistry was nothing in particular to write home about (you know, not bad, but not special) ... but hell if they weren't beautiful together. Michael Michelle was just so stunning.

I really thought that they were heading for a lot of yummy Carter-denying-his-feelings-for-med-student-Lucy angst, which I was so there for. But I can't deny that what ended up happening (you know ...) was unforgettable television.

On that note, Carter was never the same after That. There's such a sad lost innocence about his character, given how earnest and caring and even hapless he was at the start. That's not necessarily a bad direction to go, narratively speaking, but one would hope for some eventual hard-won optimism for him all the same.

And yeah, at some point ER became darker and soapier, but I honestly have good memories of a few of those years, before becoming bored.

Like, another scene seared into my brain is Maggie Wyczenski turning on a dime and going postal right in the middle of the ER, screaming "I'm leaving! I'm leaving! I'm leaving! Iiii'm leaving!" and "You're my daughter you bitch!". God did Sally Field earn that Emmy or did she earn that Emmy. I wouldn't want to have missed out on that story, for all that it was such a downer.

Apparently Sam, Ray, Archie, and Tony came on more or less when Neela did, but she's the only one I remember. How'd that happen? Though I can't say I remember her stories, so there is that.

I remember watching with my sophomore year roommate the night that Romano freaking lost his arm to a helicopter. It was crazy. And I really thought it couldn't get any crazier, but then, as you know ...

The look of the show really changed from beginning to end, which, given that it lasted fifteen years, is probably to be expected. But I remember most the constantly moving camera in so many of the medical emergency scenes, and I hope that doesn't go away.

Mark's daughter and Peter's son were impossibly cute. Impossibly cute. So so cute. So so so so so cute.

Speaking of Chicago in the 90s, goddamn do y'all remember how incredible the Bulls were? I don't know why I'm putting that in this post, but I guess I am.

Carter/Jing Mei were such great friends, they never stopped being competitive with each other but they nevertheless grew up together and I love that the show never hooked them up.

I don't recall quite why but I feel like Doug and his dad were reminiscent of Riker and his dad from Star Trek. I don't know.

Okay yeah that's all for now.

[lunabug2004]

You said that according to you there is a way to make Mileven stay together and have all the characters have a good arc at the end of the show. Could you develop that? cause in my opinion if Mike's arc is about falling in love , changing his personality after meeting a girl and at the end being the protective paladin to "fix" his bad behaviour then it's really bad writing (coming from a straight person)

I'm going to be completely honest here, which I hope is what you want lol, I do think I say this (sans the "good arcs" part bc I don't think I've ever said that there's a way to make Mileven happen where all the characters have good arcs) to more-or-less make myself feel better bc I have so much Byler doubt (& Mike love) so yeah, take this as you will, this is just what my brain has come up with as an arc(?) I could mostly cope with. I mean, there's a reason I put "(mostly) happy" but yes, I'll try to expand.

I love Mike and I have a feeling I will continue to love Mike whether Mileven or Byler is endgame. This is purely because I do not believe Mike is a bad person or bad character just bc he's made some bad decisions/said some things he (canonically) regrets. I don't think Mike would be a protective paladin to simply "fix" his "bad behavior". While I do agree that this wouldn't be the best writing choice, I think, in-context, he would be trying his best to keep everyone he loves alive. He is an extremely traumatized teenage boy whose biggest fear is losing those he loves. He has been smack-dab in the middle of the action until s4. Finn Wolfhard himself has said Mike is depressed and pushing everyone away bc of it.

Anyways, all of this to say that I don't think it'd be too farfetched to say all of his "bad behavior" is simply untreated trauma symptoms. And yes, you could say something about other characters being traumatized and them not acting like Mike, but trauma, and this is a fact, effects everyone differently. One person may lean into their life before going through said trauma, like Will in s3, while another may block it out, like it's shown with El in s4, and another may completely change themselves while being stuck in a loop of wanting those he loves close to him but also wanting to keep them at a distance bc he is so terrified of losing them. Dr. Owens even says in s2 that a sign of PTSD is change in personality and lashing out, which we see both in Mike. Plus all the parallels bt him and Max in s4, it's safe to say this boy is struggling mentally.

I do think it would make sense, when we finally get Mike's POV in s5, for a lot of his controversial moments to be fueled by his mental health struggle. Now, do I think this is an excuse? Not necessarily, but it does make sense, and as far as I know, anytime Mike's actively made anyone upset he's apologetic (like I said earlier, lashing out). I believe that if the show solely focuses on Mike's mental health issues, then Mileven wouldn't be out of the question.

I do want to add that this is not how I want the story to go, I would much rather his story go the Byler route, but I've said before that his character is not solely dependent on either Byler or Mileven, and I still stand by that. He should not simply be seen as a 'romantic interest' character bc he is more than that and he has his own problems (that we aren't necessarily shown) that have nothing to do with who he's in a romantic relationship with.

Now, again, this is probably mostly just something I've convinced myself I'd be alright with, but I am aware that this in and of itself would be boring and not very good writing. I also do not know, in this case, what would happen on the Byler side of things, this why I say "(mostly)". I am fully a Byler shipper and would prefer Byler endgame to anything really, but I'm a Mike-stan first and foremost.

Sorry if this wasn't too clear, I feel like I just rambled and repeated myself a lot. Thanks for the ask, though! And pls if you or anyone else has questions about anything I said, pls ask me! Trust me, I know this isn't foolproof and I'm probably just dumb 😂

TLDR: I think it's possible they could go more towards untreated PTSD and trauma/mental health related route for Mike in a way that would make Mileven possible. Doesn't mean I'd think it's necessarily good writing, but I could see it going that way.

[gmariam321]

I really do want to finish this, but keep hitting little road blocks. I know the big picture but struggle to move past single scenes here and there. I'm also still not sure how far to take that big picture endgame. Here's how it starts, though! If it looks familiar, I'm pretty sure I've posted it before. Enjoy and wish me luck finishing the damn thing!

The Wooden Torch - Chapter One

Ianto Jones was glad to be back in Wales and living in Cardiff. He'd left to get away from it all—from his father and his family and all the other problems he'd had growing up on the estates—and was surprised to find he enjoyed being back. He felt a connection he hadn't felt before and suspected there would be no going back to his life in London. The city had been great until it had become a bitter disappointment, but now he wanted a new start, a second chance to find what he was looking for in life.

The problem was, he wasn't sure what he was looking for.

In the meantime, he floated between a few part-time jobs, barely making ends meet, until the night he walked into the Wooden Torch, a pub a few streets down from the flat he was renting in Radyr. Something felt different about the place, something comfortable. It was a well-regarded pub with a good crowd of locals, and they welcomed him almost immediately. He felt like he fit in, and within a fortnight he was their new barman.

He'd had no experience with bar work, but he was a quick learner, and after a few weeks on the job, Ianto felt surprisingly settled with his spontaneous decision. He'd been a personal assistant in London and helping people was in his nature; instead of coffee and files, now he served pints and conversation. He still had to look up a few drinks, but he'd learned most of the regulars' names and could banter with the best of them. He'd cleaned up a drunken mess, broken up a fight, and called a taxi for a hen party trying to hit on him. And in spite of all that, and the long, late hours, he found himself enjoying it. It felt right at that moment in his life, like he was where he was supposed to be.

Alex Hopkins owned the pub and ran it fairly and efficiently, keeping it clean and up to date. The other bar staff were all about Ianto's age, give or take a few years, friendly and hard-working.  He liked his fellow bar worker, Toshiko Sato, immediately. She had also moved from London, and like him, she'd had left the city for personal reasons. They bonded almost instantly over their mutual disappointments, and also shared an interest in technology: Ianto had worked in the field, Tosh had a degree in it.

About two weeks after he started, Ianto was wiping down the bar when he heard a commotion at the door. A tall man in an old-fashioned military coat walked in and several people went to great him, including Tosh and Alex. The new man was grinning as he greeted everyone, waving like a film star on the red carpet. Ianto watched from behind the bar, wondering what the excitement was all about. He held back an eye roll at the man's gregariousness and continued cleaning up.

"Hello, and who are you?" asked a voice from the other side. It was the man in the great coat. Up close, Ianto noticed immediately that the man was exceptionally handsome, with a broad smile and deep blue eyes. He stared for a moment, then shook his head and blinked. Ianto had seen plenty of beautiful men and women come through the door of the Wooden Torch since he'd started; this man wasn't any different and certainly no one to embarrass himself over.

Before he could open his mouth to reply, Alex was introducing him. "Stop it, Jack. This is Ianto Jones, he joined us while you were gone. Ianto, this is—"

"Captain Jack Harkness," the man said, holding out his hand with a blinding smile. His handshake was strong and firm and a bit electrifying, if Ianto were honest. He didn't usually react so strongly to meeting someone new, but there was something about Jack Harkness that sent quick sparks through his body, despite his brain trying to tell him that the man was an arrogant prat.

"Like he said – Jones, Ianto Jones." Ianto winced at how awkward it sounded to introduce himself after already being introduced.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Jones, Ianto Jones," grinned the man. He was several years older than Ianto and held himself with the confidence of his good looks. Ianto wondered if there was anything else to back up that confidence.

"I take it a welcome back is in order?"

"Jack's one of our favorite regulars," Tosh told him. "He's been gone for a month, though. Why didn't you tell us you would be gone so long?"

"I didn't realize you cared so much," Jack laughed, with a wink. To Ianto's surprise, he quickly turned serious, his voice dropping as he pulled her into a one-armed hug and kissed her hair. "I’m sorry, Tosh, but it was an unexpected, last-minute trip. I hardly had time to pack."

"Sounds interesting," said Owen Harper, one of the regulars who practically had his name engraved on a stool at the end of the bar. "Tosh, can you get him a drink so he can tell us about it? Welcome back, Harkness." He stood to shake hands, and Jack sat down on a stool next to him.

Tosh moved behind the bar and started making a scotch and soda as Alex returned to the back office. "So where did you go?" Tosh asked. "Did it go well?"

"Not particularly," Jack said. He rubbed his hands over his face, the confident veneer slipping. "It was a long month of nothing but arguing and testing and failing and more arguing and—let's just say I don’t think they’ll be sending me back anytime soon."

Ianto noticed that Jack had not answered her question about where he'd gone, but either she didn't notice or choose to ignore it. She handed him his drink with a smile and a pat on his arm. "I’m sorry, Jack. I hope things get better. We're glad you're back, you know."

"Yeah, it was damn quiet around here without you," Owen said. He held up his glass and Jack held up his. "Cheers."

"Well, I'm certainly glad I came back when I did," Jack said, throwing an overly bright smile at Ianto and changing moods just like that. "So when did you start, Mr. Jones, Ianto Jones?"

"About two weeks ago," Ianto said, keeping a straight face even though he wanted to roll his eyes. Jack Harkness not only changed moods on a dime, but he seemed to be an incorrigible flirt, and Ianto hoped the man didn't call him Jones, Ianto Jones forever. "Moved from London to try my luck back in the wilds of Wales."

Jack laughed and took a sip of his drink. "Now why leave an amazing place like London? What drove you out?"

"Who says anything drove me out?" Ianto countered. "Maybe I wanted to come home."

"I understand," Jack agreed unexpectedly and sincerely. He was unpredictable, that much was certain. "I love Wales, couldn't wait to get back. What did you do in London?"

"Personal assistant," Ianto said. "At Hartman Technologies."

Jack set down his drink, nodding slowly, his face unreadable.  "And did you leave on your own or did Yvonne Hartman sack you?"

"I left on my own," Ianto said, surprised by the question. Jack clearly knew about Hartman Technologies and the quirks of its infamous leader. "I didn't agree with where the company was heading." At all. It had been a great job for years, until Yvonne Hartman had started messing with things that shouldn't be messed with, like life and death and immortality. Working at Canary Wharf had become something from a science-fiction nightmare by the time he left.

"And she let you go?" Harkness sounded surprised. "With your memory intact?"

Ianto leaned back against the counter behind him with his hands crossed over his chest. Tosh was helping someone down at the other end of the bar, and Owen was pretending not to listen. "How the hell do you know about that?" Ianto asked in a quiet voice. Jack grinned again; Ianto found it annoying then, fake and full of lies and manipulation.

"Because I work for John Smith," he said. "Head of Development. It's my job to know the competition."

"Of course," Ianto murmured, not bothering to hide the sarcasm. Yvonne Hartman ran the biggest tech firm in the UK, but John Smith was close behind and gaining, with both an ethical integrity and innovative quality more and more people had started to appreciate, including Ianto. He had even thought about applying there when he moved back to Cardiff, to really stick it to Yvonne, but in the end, he'd decided to take a break from the tech industry and the corporate world, and he found his stress levels were the lowest they'd been for years. He did not want to get pulled back into that life by a charming customer.

Jack frowned and leaned forward, serious once more. "Look, I know what goes on over there. I'm sure it wasn't always like that and was a great place to work a lot the time. But I'm also glad you left. You won't regret it."

"I might when their stock options quadruple," Ianto joked. He did not want to think about everything he had left behind. Yes, he had made the right decision, but he still missed the good things about London: his flat, the café on the corner, his coworkers and his girlfriend and the much bigger paycheck.

"You could always put your money into something more local," Jack said, interrupting his thoughts. He sounded sincere, then wagged his eyebrows and ruined it. "I'd be happy to suggest something over dinner and a drink."

Ianto gave in to another eye roll. "Are you sure you're Head of Development and not the Head of the Innuendo Squad?"

"No, but I do believe in what we do," Jack replied, the flirt gone once more. It seemed Jack Harkness had a singular ability to turn it on and off, switching between moods in the space of a heartbeat. Ianto wondered if the man was serious about dinner and a drink—and how he responded when someone took him up on it.

"I used to believe in my job too," Ianto pointed out.

"We're not trying to bring about the end of the world," Jack told him.

"Neither were we," Ianto said, feeling defensive even after his break with the company. "We—"

"Hey, can I get another pint over here?" Owen asked. "Stop making eyes at each other and get a man his drink, teaboy."

"Sometimes I can't keep up, Owen," Ianto said, turning away from the unexpected conversation with Jack Harkness to pull Owen another pint of Brains. "Besides, he's new and interesting, you're not." Jack flashed that damn grin again.

"He's not new, he's old," Owen scoffed. Jack made a sad face, and Ianto tried not to laugh at the ridiculousness of them both. "And he's no more interesting than me."

"Of course I am," Jack replied. Ianto had just met him, but had to agree. Owen was a decent bloke, but he could be somewhat abrasive, particularly after several pints. Jack Harkness, on the other hand, was someone that worked in his former field, someone Ianto wanted to know more about. Even if he was an overconfident flirt who worked for John Smith, Ianto sensed there was more to Jack than met the eye.

"Why are you a teaboy?" asked Jack, glancing between them curiously.

"Because he threatened to make me a nice cup of tea instead of a gin and tonic last week," Owen groused. This time it was Ianto's turn to grin. He crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow.

"And that's because I'd already made you about six. You do remember hitting on Mickey, don't you?" Mickey Smith worked part-time, covering when Tosh or Ianto had a night off.

"Nope. Never happened." He took a long sip of his pint.

"I was there. So was Alex. It definitely happened."

"Still don't believe you," Owen replied, while Jack laughed at the exchange. "So Harkness, did you pull while you were away?" Owen asked. "Because that’s more interesting than talking about stock options."

"What do you think, Owen?" Jack asked, gazing at him over the top of his glass with a look on his face that indicated the answer was obvious. Apparently, Jack followed through on some of his flirting.

Owen took his pint and stood up. "Knowing you, probably every day. Good to have you back, Jack. Have fun with the new guy." He left the bar and walked over to one of the large round tables in the center of the pub, where a group of regulars was talking and laughing. Ianto turned back to Jack to find the other man watching him.

"What?" he asked warily, wondering if he'd somehow embarrassed himself.

"Nothing," said Jack, shaking his head. "Although you've already worked out how to hold your own with Owen, so I'm impressed."

"Thanks," Ianto replied dryly. "It wasn't hard since he's in here almost every day."

"It's a good place to relax," Jack said. "I'm glad I'm back. Especially since I got to meet the cute new guy."

Ianto gave him another eye roll, ignoring the adjective. "And it's good to meet another shameless regular. Let me know when you need another."

He moved away, busying himself with cleaning a table that had just left for the night. He felt Jack watching him, but eventually Jack left the bar and went to a table by the windows. Owen joined him, and then a few others, and they talked and laughed for at least an hour. Ianto found himself watching Jack more and more as the night went on. He was somehow impossible to ignore, and Ianto was fascinated by the quick changes in the man's mood: gregarious, flirtatious, serious, intelligent. He couldn't help but hope he'd see more of Jack Harkness in the Wooden Torch.

[arufure]

IJL Day 3 Thoughts

Hi. I'm Kasumi and I am normal about IDV esports. Starting this week I would like to dump my thoughts regarding every IJL match. Why? I don't know. Who is this for? Don't ask. I just need a space to type out my thoughts.

ZETA vs AWG (Winner: ZETA 1-0)

ZETA claims Round 1 in this matchup 7-2 with an amazing 4K from mkmldy. Watching how he was able to guard the ciphers was so impressive, it's really hard to believe that he JUST became a pro because his decisions felt so pro-like... good stuff.

AWG didn't go down without a fight however. Round 2 opens with an amazing 3 escape, starting with a great first kite from Kaeru and a dungeon escape from Nameko's Prospector. I think the most fatal decision was chasing a full magnet Prospector at the endgame... but AWG were able to hide the endgame-weak Barmaid well. BUT THEN. ZETA return the 3 escape, even nearly getting a 4 escape...

The highlight of this match is hands down DoLisu's harassing using Fire Investigator. I call it Ballin. Kznk went to a corner to be downed there after Tide ended, and then DoLisu comes to ball and block brontal's path while carrying Kznk twice, forcing him to break both balls. Kznk is able to struggle free, connecting to a 4 man endgame. Apparently it was improvised on the spot, and Kznk wasn't entirely sure about the exact down position, but they went for it anyways and it worked out so well. This is the first time we've seen this done in IJL, I think it's possibly the most successful example of it across all tournaments too... DoLisu is just so good at doing things the hunter hates. I'm glad we're seeing more of his Fire Investigator in IJL.

But did you know that there was also another more secret super moment from the survivors in Round 3? DoLisu's ~3 cipher kite against yukakina's Geisha was naturally great, but pay attention to Kznk's Aeroplanist rescue. You'll see that he used the Hover, but didn't leave the ground...? And only the knockback effect for the hunter was in effect....???

What did he mean by this?

I'm truly stumped by this. This hasn't even been seen in IVL before. Kznk always discovers new tech with the characters he uses, but this... This is something else.

The 3rd set draws, as AWG's survs don't back down and get a 3 escape against mkmldy's Hermit. AWG is just a very solid team against Hermit overall. Just like Kaeru this game, every member seems to excel in kiting against a Hermit. It's also funny how Nameko's Antiquarian didn't even need to get involved — it was really mostly Kaeru's raw kiting power. AWG may have lost this matchup, but it was a very good fight. I believe they have so much potential as a team, and I'd love to see them win more this season, hopefully not in the last 2 weeks like last season...

FAV vs RC (Winner: FAV 2-0)

KiRye's first day back and he's already first kite man. He did a pretty good job, but that rescue terrorshock did mess up the pace for the survivors. However, RC survs did pull through to a 3 man endgame, although... did they have to force the gate so much at the end...? Detention was over, monoP probably could've taken a hit and fully opened the gate. You could argue that chairing monoP gave enough time for the other gate to open and it would've ended the same either way, so don't quote me on that. Still, I don't see any merits to getting terrorshocked off of gate though...

In the second half, Felix just does a really good kite against Peter's Sangria as Psychologist. It's especially impressive because although she does need an extra hit to down, Psychologist has pretty much zero chase ability so Felix pretty much depended on raw kiting ability alone against a Sangria. Dacho also gets an amazing rescue, and Peter goes to guard Nerisu's cipher but a little too late... he gets downed, but he's Embalmer so he can just self embalm and they can pop with no problem. It ends with a 3 escape which was honestly bordering on a 4 escape if Peter hadn't found Appai. Peter's Sangria is as fast as ever though. Truly one of the best of the pros.

KiRye gets first kite again in Round 2 1st half and this time it doesn't go so well. I just really think Aeroplanist is overall pretty weak to Sangria when he gets chased so there really wasn't much he could do. But then, something amazing happens...

Soba as Lucky Guy pulls both a watch and flare gun. What he does is use the watch where KiRye is downed after Tide ends... at first I was extremely confused, but I thought perhaps maybe it's so he can use the flare gun while he's unable to be seen. But no. It's to buy enough time for KiRye to prime his self heal, THEN Soba hits the gun and wakes KiRye up... sadly the game ends in a 4K (although very close to a dungeon escape) but I was just flabbergasted (in a very good way) at that use of Lucky Guy. Only Reject man. I need to study hhu's mind and know how he comes up with strategies like this.

Aka is only able to get a tie in the second half, which means that FAV wins with a straight victory.

SZ vs ZETA (Winner: SZ 1-1)

Man. As someone who was devastated when MiraiK went back to SZ and considering the intertwined history between the two teams, this matchup turns me into a mess of emotions whenever I watch it.

The match starts with a 3K from mkmldy's Sangria. I feel like this could've definitely been a 4K if it wasn't for gnk being able to buy enough time for Takoyaki to pop the last cipher and open the gate. Embalmer is strong man. I don't get anyone who says he isn't (do those people even exist? Am I strawmanning? Perhaps I am). ZETA survs come in clutch with a solid tie, amazing decision to not force a rescue and pop during Burio's trait CD time even though DoLisu had been chaired. Both FO and Gardener being able to tank a detention hit inside the gate was strong too.

In Round 2, MiraiK gets his first win against the ZETA survs since going back to SZ. If Shinami had been able to bodyblock after rescuing Kznk, things may have turned out differently, but alas he was able to hit Kznk, who didn't have BT... a solid 3K. Maybe it's just me but MiraiK just seemed to read Kznk so well this game. It makes me emotional....

Also, gnk is just on a roll with his kiting this day. He does an amazing 3 cipher kite as Cheerleader, and reminds us of why Cheerleader was considered to be meta against Ivy. mkmldy has no choice but to give up on tunneling and switch to a different strategy of applying pressure to every survivor and chairing anyone he can, but this of course has the downside of not having anyone dead on chair. SZ survivors get a 3 escape, I believe their first of the season.

The points have flipped, and now it's a set battle. Whoever wins the next round wins.

mkmldy shows us his Night Watch in the first half of Round 3 and gets a solid tie. Especially with Insolence Warp, that's around current day Night Watch's limit, so that's probably what he was aiming for. And then, the second half happens.

This was undoubtedly the most entertaining game from this matchup. We got to see the classic ZETA double harasser comp of Kznk's Forward and Hametu's Antiquarian, as well as Shinami's Aeroplanist (ZETA now has 3 Aeroplanist users) and DoLisu on Composer. MiraiK's pick? Naiad, of course. Million Dollar Mermaid too at that. If you know you know, but that skin choice was definitely intentional. DoLisu isn't able to Flywheel the water damage and gets a pretty early down, but with the power of harassment (this sounds bad out of context) they are able to achieve a 4 man endgame. I don't even know if I can describe what happened but to sum it up the survivors wanted that win so effing bad. They very aggressively opened the gate right next to MiraiK and Shinami did NOT give up and went for 4 rescues, nearly travelling to the other side of the map.. This was peak ZETA. It was so fun to watch. When they want to win, they will go RELENTLESSLY for a win. It's truly something special about them.

The set draws, but SZ wins on points. It's their first win of the season, and a well deserved one. I really do want them to make it to playoffs this season. Today was a big step for them, so I'd like to see how they grow from here.

If anyone somehow read through all of this then thanks. I think. I just want to thoughtdump my esports thoughts. If you like IJL then please talk to me and tell me your thoughts.

[miloscat]

[Review] Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree (PS5)

They made Elden Ring 2 and called it a DLC.

Since playing Elden Ring (an instant classic of the dark fantasy hardcore action-RPG genre), my appreciation for it has only grown. I've watched countless lore videos and fun challenge runs that show just how deep it is, and comparing it to previous FromSoft games shows a level of polish that represents a peak for the whole meta-series. I still think the open world and material/crafting system are a bit much, but still. Great game. So I was excited to dive right into its expansion pack as soon as it dropped. A week and more than 50 hours of gameplay later and it's done; wow.

The new adventure is intended for endgame characters, so I took my completed game save in there. The difficulty does indeed continue to ramp from that point, but there's a new character scaling mechanic similar to Sekiro's memories/prayer beads, whereby you can buff your damage and defence by collecting new thingamajigs. There's also cool new weapons in there and they absolutely throw smithing stones at you. I kept my ultra-heavy greatshield but soon swapped out my Rotten Battle Hammer/Serpent Hunter/Straight Sword for the Milady, an example of the new Light Greatsword weapon class. It's got a great balance of reach, power, and speed, plus neat combo attacks where you can rapidly chain multi-hit heavy attacks into fast sweeping light attacks. Other new weapons have fun gimmicks and twists beyond what the base game encompassed, although you pretty much have to upgrade them to the max for them to be viable.

The Land of Shadow is the new setting, a realm sealed off and teeming with bitter and twisted creatures abandoned by the outer world. The story has you following in the footsteps of the lost demigod Miquella, deciding the fates of his followers, and ultimately stopping his quest for godhood. Focusing on this one plotline with a small cast of characters makes for a strong story thread, although there's plenty of side distractions along the way that all flesh out the larger story of the Lands Between. I can't wait for further analysis of the details and connections here.

This shadow realm is an excellent setting, with some stunning new biomes, like the plains full of graves, the finger-sprouting wastelands, or the stormy mountain dominated by dragons. What I most appreciate about this new zone is its density, a tightly overlapping landscape with more memorable setpieces and crafted spaces by area than the base game's world. And this despite the new map being nearly half the size of the original map, which for a DLC is huge! There has clearly been some effort to bridge the gap between the open world bloat and copy-paste filler dungeons, and the intricately designed Legacy Dungeons, and I appreciated the balanced approach here.

As always, the combat encounters are a big highlight, culminating in epic boss fights. There's a lot of variety in enemy design and much of it is brand new, with a lot of care in level design and such to ensure memorable fights. As for the bosses themselves, there's some super cool ideas and a lot of them! The base game has 15 major "remembrance" bosses, and this DLC adds a whole 10 new ones. There were many deaths in my playthrough but I'm proud to say I didn't struggle too much with most of them... until the final boss, which really, really makes you work for it. It's kind of nutty. Playing your cards right with the NPC sidequests lets you bring a couple of summon buddies into the final fight, and I really needed them. As per usual, this quest progression can be obscure and parts can be missed or skipped, so I made use of various guides along the way.

Shadow of the Erdtree complements the base game so well, filling out and expanding on aspects of it perfectly. I also think it improves on design decisions while adding some creative new sparks along the way. Taken on its own, it may be the strongest FromSoft "game" yet, and makes Elden Ring as a whole even better. So yeah, it's good. Now to watch countless more lore deep dives and challenge videos!

[misarem]

Umineko Episode 5 Thoughts: The Part Where I Try To Lock In

I feel the need to just get this out while I have the chance to do this before I start episode 6. I think I finished this episode over a week ago at this point and have since been doing other stuff, been too busy with real life to pour over this vn, etc. My thoughts on the episode itself will be kinda minor but I'll compensate with my current theories on the overarching mystery and the murders. What I'm hoping to do is have preliminary theories ready for episode 6 so that I can develop them while reading it and be ready for endgame. I even started making a physical journal of my thoughts on each murder, character, and rule because after like 80% of my life in the education system this is all I know how to do to retain information, plus! itll be cute. but anyways

Doing what's easy for me and starting at the beginning and just working my way through. I'm still kinda burnt by Beato in episode 3 but I really do wanna believe she's like fully dejected now that Battler isn't matching her as an opponent the way she thought he would. Surreal to see her practically dead but I guess this is signaling that the game is becoming something much bigger than Battler vs Beatrice, to the point where Bern and Lambda are more active and Knox is now involved. Through some meta lens I almost wanna read this as like, an event within the world of detective fiction where a story spirals out of control and the foundations that do exist need to intervene. Feels like commentary on stories as a whole, what has been established as "good" and "reasonable" and what it means to subvert those paradigms, and how far you can reasonably go. And having these larger themes on fiction as a whole run parallel to the events of Rokkenjima, with the ideas of love and trust being established and broken between family mirroring the trust between an author and reader and the love for reading and storytelling, is very satisfying. And if you read the witches as authors and critics of mystery stories, or just stories in general, then the idea of fiction giving our lives fulfilment and meaning also operates on all these levels: the witches weave the narrative on Rokkenjima from a higher plane to stave off their boredom, those on Rokkenjima cope with the dire situation by blaming the murders on witches and demons, and outside of the murders, the people who struggle because of this family cope with fantasy, from Ange and Maria easing their loneliness with the sisters and Sakutaro, to, as we see later, Natsuhi finding refuge from her responsibilities in an imaginary Kinzo and his furniture.

Going off my ideas about black and white magic in the last episode, Natsuhi herself is beginning to resemble a white witch in the same way Maria did. Her and Jessica finally beginning to come to an understanding of one another only in the dire circumstances that were the murders of Rokkenjima was one of the first terrifyingly realo depictions of strained family relationships I latched onto in the game, and I was sorta sad to see her fall to the wayside in the rest of the Question Arcs (altho everyone else getting some focus was important). Very nice to see her in the forefront again here, this time focusing more on her self-sacrificing nature and her sense of duty to the image and wellbeing of the Ushiromiya family that feeds it.

Having THIS be the backdrop of her inner monologue is fitting considering the way everything she faces ends up spiraling into her own guilt and self-loathing, and how she needs to take everything on for her family. I can't even blame her at this point for imagining Kinzo recognizing her for her work cuz idk how else I would live like this. And when she tries to help her husband and he just keeps making the same types of decisions that fail his business ventures and she ends up just acquiescing every time. Wow its just harrowing. They can never make me hate Natsuhi. Also I forget if I addressed Maria's torture of Rosa in the last write up, I don't wanna say a whole lot besides the cycle of abuse within the Ushiromiya family is horrifying, and that it feels like this chapter, Maria's turn to inflicting harm on others to cope feels unaddressed in a concerning way. Like I'm scared

As for the new characters, I like Erika a decent amount so far, I'm mainly just waiting for her to fly off the handle because she was just so dominant here until the end of the episode. Her being an avatar of Bernkastel almost makes me think of her as like a joke on author insert characters in fiction, also makes me wonder just what Erika is, if she's supposed to be like a meta entity like the witches even tho she's meant to be a human? Does she just exist between reality and fiction as Berns fucked up creation? Its interesting to me. Also they keep namedropping Ange when talking abt Erika as a piece and its getting on my damn nerves keep my homegirls name out your mouth. I like Dlanor a lot too and how cordial and nice she can be. even tho formally she's usually an enemy.

Not much changed here besides moving Natsuhi up and Krauss down again lmao. I'll keep doing these just to track my opinions but it might be good to be more nuanced with it, add a few more tiers or find some other way to address the cast overall altho by this point, almost all of them in the okay tier or above are so well established and integrated into the story. If I take anything from this vn its gonna be the cast.

The murders themselves I was like fine with. I hope Jessica died painlessly she deserves a break. Obviously things went way differently but, I thought the way it worked was a little boring and I almost expect episode 6 to be some sort of do-over for it altho that feels unlikely at the same time. Altho I do understand it, this is supposed to be a breaking point for Battler, seeing someone actually be (wrongfully?) implicated but being powerless to fight against it before he has his epiphany moment so it's fine. The court scene also made up for it just in its style alone, the sound design, visual effects and transitions are such a treat and give this game such a strong identity among visual novels. The OST with tracks like patchwork chimera, ACI-L and totemblume is like incredible, -45 does such incredible work and I wish I could have them all on my vgm tag on this blog. I might need to liek stop being lazy and do my own vgm uploads and quit replying on other blogs to do it if i want them on my blog lmao. Still a good episode and it's obviously setting up for greater payoffs but it's hard for me to imagine that Bern and Lambda find this first game of theirs particularly interesting before the court scene.

What I'm interested about thought is Natsuhi's baby, if that will end up being a full-fledged piece of Lambda's, and if its the character who I think it is from the little snippets of him I've seen in the intro. It does kinda tickle me that the first twilight murders were all very deep, clean slices to the neck and there's just a Battler-aged, brown haired dude in the intro with a sword. Considering how hard he implicated Natsuhi by controlling her movements, his presence in the story is cooperative with Erika's sleuthing and I'm curious if they'll end up working together as, I guess meta entities in the story? We'll see.

Like I said before I go into ep 6 I wanted to just get down what I have as the solution so far. Nothing concrete still, and I know the how is super important even tho I kinda only have the who and sorta the why, but again I'm hoping episode 6 will help me develop that.

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...

Anyways I really think it's Kyrie. PIOKJHGFHJKL:L I can't help it. I almost feel like I'm approaching it at the wrong angle and that she's a red herring or something, and I keep going back and forth, but at the same time, so much of the movement of the characters makes sense when you think of it as Kyrie manipulating things. Her face being completely smashed in the first twilight of episode 1. Her being the one to rile the other parents up by warning them about Beatrice in episode 2. The details she reveals about herself in episode 3 and the part of her and Hideyoshi's characters tab that alludes to her shooting him (maybe an accident but ???). And the way she positions herself slightly under Krauss when they're in the dungeon of episode 4, letting him take the reins but still having a lot of influence and command as well as watching them all die as they escape, being the only one to make it inside, being "missed" a bunch by the Chiesters and telling Battler in her own words to believe in magic while her version of the actual events as it is given to Battler is glossed over by the narration. The mystery of the code above the parlor in (i think) episode 3 and half of the numbers corresponding to Battler's birthday. And that, as Beatrice said, because of Battler's sin, people on the island die, that the sin feels like it could be connected to his unclear parentage and that the sin, by the fact that it occurred 6 years in the past, was close to Asumu's death, Rudolph's marriage to Kyrie and Ange's birth. Again I could be barking up the wrong tree cuz I really don't have the how or why down like, in a concrete way yet but I don't know it just feels so likely like I just feel it. And she at least has Genji or Shannon in cahoots too, not committing the murders but just helping with keys or acting as certain people. It would be easy to say they're acting on Kinzo's will but he's dead now so idk. But my vague guess is she wants revenge against the Ushiromiya family for how (like how it affects literally everyone elses like a huge trauma abuse machine) it affected her life, her relationship with Rudolph and the birth of her child. Maybe Battler really is hers but was taken at birth because Asumu's child had died or she has miscarriage and the family wanted to save face. And I think by manipulating the situation and her in-laws she managed to create a state of paranoia on the island, which facilitated most if not all of the murders even without her needing to act. Just because of some of the ways she dies, and some of the red truths restricting the possibilities, I don't know right now if it's possible for her to have killed everyone, but I think it's possible for her to have led people like Rosa and Eva to kill.

Kyrie is shown early on to be among the most shrewd and observant people on the island, at least concerning the battle for inheritance, and since her and the other siblings, besides Krauss and Natsuhi, are already in cooperation against Krauss, I don't find it hard to imagine that she could splinter the group further by influencing any one person in it on her own, away from the others, and I feel like that's how she got some things done in the first couple episodes, and maybe episode 3? Like for the first, I can imagine Kyrie taking Eva aside and using her competitiveness and resentment to convince her to go along with her plan to kill all the other siblings, blame Natsuhi to get her out of the way so the inheritance can be enjoyed by Eva and Hideyoshi with Kyrie taking a fraction while pretending to be dead. Eva goes along with it and after the murders, where Kyrie's whole face is obscured (and Shannon's half-face is hidden from George), and after they return to the parlor, Eva implicates Natsuhi heavily while stoking tensions even further by leaving with Hideyoshi and being very overt about setting the chain to their door and only coming out at precisely dinnertime. Going with the idea that Kyrie's still alive, she hides out in the designated guest room and kills the couple, escaping when Genji and Kanon discover it but leave to get help, escaping and resetting the chain from outside somehow, like with some sort of tool perhaps? and draws the magic circle and leaves, or if we believe Shannon is also alive, that her face was obscured for a reason and any confirmation that "Shannon is dead" can be bypassed with a loophole about her real name (Sayo I think I remember but if I google it I'll get spoiled), Shannon makes the circle and when Kanon and Kumasawa cut the chain, enter and move away from the door to one of the bodies, Kyrie slips out. I can't find any specific red text for this specific locked room other than the one for all locked rooms, so I'm guessing the instances where the entrances are unattended are deliberate. Kanon's death, from what I can find, isn't denied to have been with a trap like Natsuhi's is, so I'll guess that and then say the rest of the deaths were committed straightforwardly, with Shannon disguised as Beatrice for Maria and possibly Natsuhi as Kyrie kills them.

Episode 2 is weird cuz I don't feel like I can act like Kyrie can be proven to be alive atm but it feels like she could have been in contact with Rosa instead, potentially starting with the appearance of Beatrice at the "19th guest". Rosa witnesses her and while it isn't revealed in this episode, it's feels possible that this is likely Shannon in disguise having an effect on her because of how she watched Beatrice die as a kid. Kyrie is in the entrance when Beatrice "enters the mansion", and I think she likely pretended to see her to rile up the other siblings, saw Rosa as potentially weak and had her corroborate to seem more convincing. And later that night, at the chapel, Rosa kills the other siblings. No set motive for this, but when I read the red text which specifies that the key to the chapel didn't pass thru anyone else's hands before Rosa took it, it didn't, to my knowledge, specify that Rosa only took it once, so she could have grabbed the key around midnight and let them all in before killing them, forgetting or pretending she didn't, and then locking and leaving. I also think that the reason they were all at the chapel was over the gold, which we see three ingots after the discovery of the bodies. If the gold is real, I think Rosa could have solved the mystery here considering she solved it in episode 3, and brought some gold as proof, or Kyrie could have solved it and not said anything although that somehow seems less likely. Either way, over the fight about the gold, Rosa in a stupor or frenzy or something kills them and leaves. Since Shannon isn't shown here, maybe she pretends to be the Beatrice we see talking to them here and guts the corpses after, also placing the magic circle, but having Rosa return the key for her to find again. I don't know about the later deaths though I still have to work some of them out. Like what we see as Kanon being warped away and suddenly trudging around outside the kitchen might just be him being killed or gravely wounded and the body being taken and laid against that back door for Gohda to find. Stuff like that but I need to work it out.

Eva in episode 3 almost feels so obvious that it seems like a red herring. If Shannon and maybe Genji and mayyyyybe Kanon? are in kahoots then the six part locked room seems more doable. Eva killing the five after that feels really on the nose, I'm wondering if Beatrice losing some of the games to Battler's Eva culprit Hideyoshi accomplice theory was her playing her own game against him. Altho even with that there's still some mystery like the floating gun killing Hideyoshi which the character tips seem to imply was Kyrie's doing. Battler also proposes that Kyrie's idea about going to the mansion was to privately confront Hideyoshi, in his eyes to confirm that Eva was going out because Eva hated his smoke but a cigarette butt was found in an ashtray of the rom, and I think this is likely, but I also think that maybe, potentially like episode 1, Kyrie colluded with Eva and Hideyoshi and she wanted Hideyoshi to explain why Eva was acting suspicious, in the privacy of the mansion as the smaller guesthouse leaves more opportunity for conversation to be overheard. I also wonder if Kyrie knew that Eva found the gold. If Kyrie was with Rosa here the way she might have been in episode 2, Rosa might've told Kyrie that Eva found it, and besides that, I feel like Kyrie is the type of person to be able to deduce that Eva found it, but this is speculation. No clue what was happening as Kyrie's stomach was bleeding out in front of Eva though.

But this kind of is the best I got right now before I go into episode 6. All of this is assuming Kyrie's able to fake her death as a couple key points and that multiple murderers and servant accomplices are even permitted, I don't think I saw anything in red or any Knox rules against these things but that theory just makes things work better. Technically a lot of these murders can have anyone as the culprit with someone like Shannon as an accomplice but this is the most complete idea I can come up with. I don't even know about episode 5. Hopefully ep6 elucidates some things. Maybe Eva knew Kyrie was a killer and that's part of her resentment of Ange. Maybe there is some fucky true identity shit with Asumu and Kyrie. who knows! Also I had to text search and replace every time I called an episode a chapter because I'm barely cognizant of all the names of the individual chapters within the episodes and I'm just thinking of this like a big book god help me

[furrylibrarian]

Alright so here's the team I'm taking into endgame for my Fire Emblem Engage Hard Mode run. I don't think any of my class picks are too weird, but I barely did any reclassing on my first run, so it feels significant to me. Units are listed in order of recruitment. I'm putting down a "read more" in case people are worried about getting late-game recruits spoiled, any also just so this big long post doesn't clog up people's feeds too much.

I hope you like Canter, because I sure do

Alear (I named her Syldra)

Sword Griffin Knight; S-Rank Xander; Sword Power 4, Canter

Since Alear gets her Emblem form, I was comfortable switching her off an Emblem Ring. I consider this a pretty straightforward build; Flyer mobility and Canter enable her personal skill very well, and then Sword Power and Chivalry ensure that she'll do solid damage. My only complaint is that I didn't think of reclassing to Griffin (and necessarily unlocking staff proficiency) or of using Sword Power until after losing the first batch of rings, so I didn't get to use Alear in her final form until the lategame.

Clanne

Lance Hero; Sigurd; Dual Assist+, Reposition

I like this setup a lot. Brave Assist, Dual Assist, and the movement boost from Sigurd make Clanne effectively a damage boost for the rest of my army.

Framme

Martial Master; Lucina; Canter, Staff Mastery 5

First and foremost a utility setup. Debilitate with staffs, protect allies with Chain Guard/Bonded Shield, and occasionally bash some kneecaps with Flashing Fist Art.

Anna

Sword Mage Knight; Byleth; Canter+, Momentum

I like Byleth on a mounted character because more movement is good for Goddess Dance. Plus, the big Luck boost helps trigger Make a Killing, which is helpful for me specifically because I am not good at making financial decisions in video games nor in real life.

Yunaka

Thief; Corrin; Canter, Gentility/Bravery+

Daggers+Draconic Hex can cripple most targets, and Fog Dragon Vein+Trained to Kill with a crit-boosting engraving on her weapon means she is occasionally really good at securing kills. Bravery ensures that she can always deal some damage, therefore ensuring that her daggers properly debuff things.

Diamant

Successor; Roy; Canter, Speed +5

Honestly kind of a filler pick when I realized that I had 14 deployment slots for the last few maps and not 12 like I thought. I went with Diamant because he can use S-rank swords and I wanted to start using my legendary weapons.

Ivy

Lindwurm; Celica; Canter, Speed +4

The other character I added to my lineup to fill a newly-acquired vacancy, but unlike Diamant she fills a genuine niche, since I didn't have a good fit for the Celica ring on my lineup that didn't have a different Emblem I really wanted on them.

Kagetsu

Sword/Axe Wyvern Knight; Lyn; Canter, Gentility/Bravery+

Very much a meta pick. I took who seems to be considered the best physical combatant and put him into what seems to be considered the best physical combat class. Lyn ensures that he can double enemy speedsters like Swordmasters and Wolf Knights.

Fogado

Cupido; S-Rank Leo; Canter+, Bow Focus 5

Fogado exists for one purpose and that is to annihilate flyers with the Radiant Bow. Ideally I would have a Claude bond ring for Wind God, but the RNG just didn't pan out.

Panette

Warrior; Ike; Vantage+, Pair Up

Blood Fury+Wrath+upgraded Killer Axe=consistent 100% critical rates. Vantage and Pair Up help to prevent my hubris from killing her.

Hortensia

Sleipnir Rider; Micaiah; Canter+, Staff Mastery 5

Here pretty much exclusively for wacky staff shenanigans, using Micaiah to warp and debilitate en masse. My only regret is that I used up most of my Freeze staffs, and the shop never got them in unlimited supply like I thought it would.

Seadall

Dancer; Leif; Canter+, Quality Time+

Just straight grooving. He gets Leif because I struggle to find another unit that really wants his skillset more than another Emblem's, and Arms Shield protects Seadall from bows and tomes, which are most of the weapons directed at him whenever I fail to move him out of the danger zone.

Mauvier

Royal Knight; Eirika; Canter, Lance Power 4

I gave him a Brave Lance to take advantage of Lunar Brace. I've moved him and Alear to healing duty so that Framme and Hortensia can devote more of their inventories to wackier status staffs.

Veyle

Sword Wolf Knight; Marth; Canter, Gentility/Bravery+

Levin Sword Lodestar Rush goes brrrrrrrrrrr. She can't debilitate as well as Yunaka, but she still can add to poison stacks, which is neat. I also made her Alear's S-Support, and the two of them have tag-teamed a healthy amount of chapter bosses so far.

[rigginsstreet]

I feel like we have a very unpopular opinion in common: we both really like Lucas! I find him a really interesting, layered and cerebral character, and I can relate to his flaws and mistakes. Plus, like you said, I never doubt that he's a genuinely good person. I feel like we're nearly alone even among the OTH/Leyton fandom in feeling this way :) Other UOs about OTH: 1. I'm mostly indifferent to Naley 2. I don't like the acclaimed school shooting episode 3. I truly don't believe the real life Sophia/CMM drama had anything to do with Leyton being endgame 4. I have an irrational dislike of Mouth and Millie despite being pro-nerd 5. I couldn't possibly care less about Julian (ITA with you and an anon who said his personality changed completely at least once or twice a season, and the actor just irked me) 6. I care much more about the Peyton/Brooke friendship than the Brooke/Haley friendship 7. Season 6 is probably my favorite season of the series due in no small part to Leyton being happy, pregnant and engaged and 8. OMG the way they have all fabulously successful careers in nearly impossible fields to break into drives me nuts (like Lucas gets his first novel published, it immediately becomes a bestseller and is made into a movie lol---that happens to like .1% of authors, Nathan makes the NBA, Haley goes from casually singing in a coffee shop in high school to being asked to perform on tour, Brooke owns her own fashion line before they're old enough to legally drink, Quinn goes from idly deciding to become a photographer to immediately being paid to fly around and shoot for major publications like Sports Illustrated (riiight) and so on. And they can all have these impossibly glamorous and successful careers not in a major city but while mostly living in a small North Caroline town? Please! I don't mind when the show is unrealistic about crazily entertaining drama like the way there are about 25 different stalkers, but the way these athletes/cheerleaders are all insta-successful in other fields too just stretches credulity for me. Haley being a teacher was the most I liked her because I think it suits her perfectly and it was actually a normal, relatable career! Thank you so much for listening to me rant, and obviously I would love to hear your UOs too---I think we have a few of the same ones?!

Ok let’s take this point by point lol

Yes about Lucas! He’s such an interesting character and he’s allowed to be wrong and flawed unlike other male main characters who generally are written making the dumbest choices/making bad decisions but the narrative will justify it and that’s so annoying. People just hate Lucas because Brooke’s the fan fave please get over yourselves

The school shooting episode is what got me into the show so I cannot relate to that sorry lol top 5 episode to me and I think should be required viewing

It’s basically been debunked chophias divorce had anything to do with endgames.

I like mouth and Millie (at least seasons 5 and 6. Idk what the fuck happened by the time I watched 9, skipping 7 and 8)

I like Austin Nichols lol not like a FAN or anything but I think he’s nice to look at

I prefer Brooke and Peyton over Brooke and Haley (because people only love them out of hatred for Peyton you cannot tell me I’m wrong) but Peyton and Haley reigns supreme to me

Season 6 is so good! Exactly for leyton reasons lol but I do enjoy all the storylines going on

I always laugh about how successful everyone was from this random ass town lmfao but like they all did have their struggles too it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Idk it’s a teen drama where a guys heart gets eaten by a dog, their career paths were the least of its problems 😂

[thatonebirdwrites]

Book 3.5 has a title now

So the Shared Moments Series is nearing the end of Book 3, and we all know the intense trauma and heartbreak and pain that is the end of canon Book 3.

I have only a few chapters left to post for Book 3. Writing them has been very difficult in the sense that they are pretty traumatic. I admit to procrastinating a bit while writing, but I needed brain breaks from the trauma of it. In my series, Korra and Asami are already together, which means the decision to give oneself up or not requires a joint decision. For Zaheer wants them both. Why? Read Book 2 through Book 3 to find out why Harmonic Convergence, Asami's presence there, a Lion Turtle's gift, and a spirit affliction has transformed their connection into something much deeper. Something that is an unknown in Zaheer's calculated plan to end the Avatar in his bid to bring forth disorder.

(Note: I contrast Zaheer with mutual aid anarchists who are against his plan in my version of Book 3 to show that he's really not an anarchist per se, as anarchy isn't disorder. It's mutual aid/horizontal decision-making/community building with no oppressive state. Korra and Asami get to meet the mutual aid folks and find friends, who will aid them in Book 3.5.) This means Book 3.5 is an unavoidable angst-fest because healing from Zaheer and his people's actions is complicated. The scars and injuries resulting from it will have lasting consequences for both Korra and Asami.

We also know that Korra has a tendency to blame herself. She also struggles with this idea, has her whole life, that maybe the world doesn't really *need* her. That her only worth is as the avatar, and if the world doesn't need the avatar, then what is her reason for existing?

Asami tries so hard to combat that mind frame to show Korra that *she* needs Korra, but not because she's the Avatar, but because she's *Korra.* But Asami is also injured from the confrontation with Zaheer. She's also dealing with heavy pressure to honor promises made in Book 3, the city rebuilding effort, and her company's struggle to avoid bankruptcy. She's overwhelmed.

To add fuel to the fire that is Korra and Asami's struggle to heal, Kuvira is working with the Earth military in a dangerous bid for power that threatens civil war within the Earth Kingdom.

That is the plot of my Book 3.5. The events will take place in the three years before Book 4.

i mean, I already wrote the first few chapters of book 3.5 and I'm already crying! *sighs*

However, Korrasami is ALWAYS endgame, and my series is about how they weather the storms together. They may be in a season of pain right now, but by choosing to heal, the season of growth and hope will soon rise. All that to say, the title for Book 3.5:

Shattered Dreams

The series as a whole: https://archiveofourown.org/series/3370741

Book 3.5: Shattered Dreams will debut in September/October.

Stay tuned!

[blocksruinedme]

I am very intrested... what's one thing your really proud of so far? (No context)

Like, in life, or the larper au i just mentioned? I'll go with the larpers cause that's part of life.

I'm really proud of my Joel. I've suddenly become obsessed with Mr. Beans, I'm working hard on writing some complicated emotional stuff in a double life fic. Getting to write him outside empires/double life is very exciting. I love writing "Joel thinks x about himself, but he's entirely wrong and it's y." I love writing him flipping out at his friends, and everyone knowing that's just Joel. I love how well his friends know him, and he has no idea he is known and perceived and loved so much. (We'll get there.) I love what a mess he is about Etho and my endgame plans. here's an example of the boys talking about joel. i am STRUGGLING to figure out how best to type like a 2022 college student but i'll get a genz beta or something??? chat is fwhip, scott, and sausage. all of them (and joel) have previously hooked up with Jimmy.

fWhip: gentlemen, we have a decision to make

fWhip: i propose the following: everyone puts in what they are willing to do/give up/etc into the pot, until someone decides collecting from the other two is worth the ordeal that must be undergone

Scott: fWhip… what have you done now

fWhip: nothing, i just discovered something. Well, as usual, Gem informed me of something. Not kindly.  She may have laughed. A lot.

fWhip: anyway i can’t express how much i don’t want to be the one to tell joel, which is why we have a gc of normal non-joel-esque people

Sausage: fWhip, what are we telling joel?

fWhip: Jimmy’s dating Tango.

[hyperfixationcritter]

Thinking about this again and turns out I have a LOT more thoughts about this so I'm just gonna put it under read more.

Starting with Jayce, he's a character who's been established in s1 as simultaneously caring about/being dependent on what other's think of him and having some good intentions but (due to his privilege) also doing what he wants without taking others into proper consideration because of his need to be the one to do something when there's a problem.

It's a bit of a parallel he shares with Caitlyn who also goes off and does her own thing by tracking down Vi and going to the Undercity. Jayce also covers for Caitlyn when Marcus alerts him to her releasing Vi from prison.

If Jayce went down a villain arc like Caitlyn, it would just be an extension of these traits and flaws that are already there in both of them.

But if he sides with the Undercity, this would be a way to have his good intentions and genuine care for characters like Viktor and Mel be met with positive growth and real actions that support that and branch out from where his character development ended by s1 act 3. I think I'd still keep his regression in s2 act 1 when he makes the hextech weapons for Caitlyn's team because I think that's a mistake that makes sense for his character in the immediate aftermath of the explosion given his need to do something, caring about Mel and Viktor as individuals but not taking into account the bigger picture/class struggle, and his bond with Caitlyn. I'd just have him afterward be held accountable or hold himself accountable to Mel and Viktor and segway into them ultimately working together as a team.

Going back to Mel, again I think that if her going back to Noxus HAS to be endgame (and I have very mixed feelings on that which other people have articulated) she could at least end things with allies in the Undercity/with Viktor and Jayce. I also wouldn't kill Elora off because I just think that wasn't necessary. Mel sacrifices so much just to end up alone, depowered (despite gaining magical powers), and worse where she started off because both the show and fandom sidelined her. I'd rather have Elora be alive so Mel still has a close friend and confidant if Noxus has to be endgame for her and even if it isn't, we'd also just get to see more of them working together and expand on that already established friendship instead of killing off a useful and interesting support character.

On that note, I feel the need to bring up Sky because if I could change one thing from s1 which I overall enjoy very much and don't have much notes on, it'd be Sky's death. I think she's a side character that could've stood on her own instead of being fridged twice for white man pain (especially when it was so vague about whether or not it was actually her or the hexcore using her image to manipulate Viktor). It would give Viktor someone else in his circle instead of just Jayce (and it goes without saying for me that his dynamic with Mel would be a thing that's actually explored for both their character's benefit and not just as extensions of Jayce's story). It would also give the story another character from the Undercity who made it into the academy with her own knowledge and theories to offer to the story and characters.

I think it would be really cool to see Sky and Viktor be science buddies and have them get closer in s1 act 3 when tension arises between him and Jayce (she'd probably start to feel some tension on her own end too given Jayce's decisions). Someone could still die at the hands of the hexcore but I'd make it the security guard Mel distracted so Viktor and Jayce could prove the hextech theory worked in s1 act 1. It would keep up that side character continuity and allow Sky to be her own person who contributes to the story and future of Zaun. Maybe she still comes in on that happening or Viktor tells her first before Jayce and Mel as a way of showing their personal bond and having them confide more in each other as two people from the Undercity who feel disillusioned with how things have turned out for them and, after the council attack, go back there to help people.

A lot of us have talked about how the show would've benefited from keeping the class struggle front and center. While I do like the magic aspects of the show, it should've been framed as an inherently/ethically neutral resource/tool along with science that different sides and characters were fighting over; liberation and autonomy for the Undercity and suppression/control for Piltover. It would also disprove Heimerdinger's whole "all magic bad" stance because that's too much of a black and white approach/oversimplification to be true/good worldbuilding in my opinion, especially given the themes of systemic oppression in this story.

Both Sky and Viktor's arc could have them regain their autonomy after spending so much time in Piltover where their work couldn't come to fruition. Viktor's transformation would be something in his control. And honestly, if I wanted/if Sky still somehow got injured from the hexcore accident or some later event, she could have some plant based transformations based on her research whereas Viktor's are more metallic based and in-line with his league lore.

I think someone brought up the potential of Sky channeling the energy of this character/illustration which I can vibe with so that's where the idea for her plant transformations came from. I also saw that post about Viktor's machine herald concept art and, I say this as someone who likes his elden ring boss looking ass design in the show, THAT would've been both REALLY COOL AND more in line with his lore. It could also provide a cool parallel to Mel's golden armor/feromancy connections (bet you thought I couldn't bring this back to melvik but I did lol).

I think that's all I have to say about this idea for now. I didn't get much into Ekko, Sevika, Jinx and Vi because I feel like they had more of a solid set up to draw from in terms of where their arcs could've and should've gone whereas the writing for the hextech trio just went completely off the rails/removed them from their place in the class struggle narrative. That and I've seem some other posts that did a good job of suggesting where their arcs could've gone.

This one had some good takes on how Ekko could've been more included in s2 act1.

This person's take on s2 as a whole had some good takes on Ekko, Sevika, Vi and Jinx as well. I am 1000% down for Sevika, Jinx, Vi, Mel and Viktor joining all working together!!!!

If you read all this, congratulations! You're now a new partner of hextech lol XD

I personally would've been fine with Caitlyn pulling a bit of a Claudia from The Dragon Prince and staying a definitive antagonist. I think her turn to fascism in act 1 this season fit her character by falling back on her privilege. I still think that was a decent writing decision but they ended up not going through with it. If they did, it would also be an interesting way to show Caitlyn ultimately still doing her own thing despite her initial opposition against rogue plans because of the death of her mom. There's a lot they could've explored with Caitlyn not just falling back on her privilege but prioritizing her family above all else.

When it comes to Jayce, I like meljayvik so I got some bias, but I could potentially be ok with him also becoming an antagonist if it was done well and because I know he and Viktor have pre-established beef in league lore.

Alternatively though, it could've been an interesting plotline to have Jayce, given his development in the first season and even his regressions in s2 act 1, end up taking a definitive stance in solidarity with Zaun, starting with sabotaging any further use of hextech by Piltover against them.

There's a lot of parallels in Arcane but I don't often bring up the parallels between Caitlyn and Jayce as privileged people in Piltover who need to figure out if they're going to look beyond the one undercity person they know/are close with (Vi and Viktor) and take a definitive stance against the Undercity's oppression for everyone's sake or not. The Medardas also play a significant role in their arcs; Mel mentoring Jayce in s1, becoming equals and romantic partners who go through interesting character development together, and Ambessa very easily enabling Caitlyn's dictator arc in s2 for her own ends.

The other layer to Caitlyn and Jayce would be the fact that, while they're both privileged, Jayce was more middle class/lower noble house vs Caitlyn's family who were his patrons and immediately dropped him the moment he was put on trial in s1 act 1.

If Jayce were written to take a solid stance on the side of Zaun and against Caitlyn, though I see it starting out as him still being a bit wishy washy by trying to solely contain the use of hextech because he just resigned as a council member and wants to do science and needs to learn that he should be playing a bigger role in this because he can't separate his scientific ambitions from the political, it would also parallel him telling the other council members, but particularly Cassandra, that he doesn't care what they think of him anymore by fully rejecting his ties to house Kiramman. It would also make for some good "essentially big brother little sister angst" between him and Caitlyn.

It would also give the story as a whole a lead character who starts out in Piltover and chooses to grow and show solidarity with the oppressed.

As for Mel, she already canonically opposes Ambessa and sacrifices a lot to put a stop to things. In this plotline I think it would be interesting to see Mel grapple with how far she's willing to go against her mother at the cost of her place in Piltover. At the end of season 1 Mel already realizes she was channeling her mother by suggesting making hextech weapons and stays true to going against that from that point forward as shown in s2 act 1 whereas Jayce is the one to make weapons for Caitlyn's team without even telling Mel. I would've liked to see a conversation between the two of them about that and for the sake of this plotline idea have them figure out what they want to do as a team.

Mel already knows she's against her mom and Jayce already resigned his spot on the council but to see them both develop into definitively supporting the undercity, not just by extension of wanting to prevent war... I think that could be interesting and also delve more into them and Viktor being the trio that started hextech and see how that relationship with all three of them develops under these circumstances in a way that stays true to themes of classism and systemic oppression in the show. There could still be room to talk about the different types of magic/disprove Heimderginer's "all magic is bad" stance if the writing for Viktor and the hexcore was done differently and the story actually played into him and Mel's parallels in general but in this context, in regards to their magic.

Also if Mel returning to Noxus is still endgame, her sacrificing her place in Piltover for a better future for the people who suffered under them (the Undercity) and to go against her mom taking advantage of the conflict would support that.

These are just my two cents tho but it felt worth it to make a post about it the more I thought about this.