#but it might mean that we genuinely don't know the full cast yet

[normalbrothers]

Errrrrrrr what you mean Arthur and Lizzie will not show up in the movie? Is it confirmed??

well it's not confirmed in the sense that there's any official statement been made - from the actors or anyone else involved - but likewise neither were mentioned amongst the other actors who are reprising their roles :/

seems like a slim hope atp, but maybe they are just withholding their names for some silly reason

[theriverbeyond]

Okay please help me I'm not good at the media literacy; did we ever find out who tried to smother Harrow at the beginning of HtN? With all the gaslighting (and gatekeeping and girlbossing) going on I genuinely have no idea what was happening there. Like,, I doubt it was Ianthe for some reason. Pls advice, i am lost

HIII sorry i was going to reply to this a few days ago and forgot whoops

so, in text, we never get specific confirmation of who tried to smother Harrow. What specifically happens there is also obscured by Harrow's own perception/ exaustion/ grief etc, because she doesn't investigate anything that we might want her to -- like figuring out WHOSE blood is on the nails embedded in the wall or doing any psycometry on the crates moved to cover it all, etc.

Anyway -> John logically makes sense, because he both has access to her and also later sics G1deon on her repeatably trying to get her to "activate" in the Lyctoral sense -- however I actually don't think it's so clear cut for the same reason: John doesn't do his own dirty work, generally, unless totally cornered, and attempting to kill her *himself* to trigger a fight/flight Lyctoral reaction is a BAD idea -- what if it works, and now she is a full Lyctor who knows the Emperor just tried to kill her? Also, at this point in the book it's only been a few days since Harrow ascended, and the lobotomy is fresh -- the 1st murder attempt is *before* Ianthe delivers the letters "upon coherence" -- so I'm not sure he'd be yet motivated to attempt murder vs waiting a couple more days and attempting some amateur trauma therapy.

I agree that Ianthe seems unlikely, because she wouldn't have approached Harrow in her murder mode. Also she wants Harrow to be in debt to her, and she wants Harrow to be alive. So she has no motivation. AND she's missing one arm & rejects the new one they graft onto her, so. Not really a pillow smotherer, IMO. Augustine and G1deon don't show up until the Mithraeum so they're out as suspects, and I am pretty sure Mercymorn WOULD attempt a mercy-killing but I don't think she'd use a pillow, and also I don't think she showed up until after Harrow achives coherence.

Like I think John is the most logical possibility of the avalible named cast, but TO ME it's not clear cut. I mean I guess John could have ordered a random cohort grunt to attempt murder but idk. If anyone else has opinions/thoughts pls lmk!!

[drenched-in-sunlight]

Your genuinely one of my favorite elden ring artists, what would you say is your favorite aspect of elden ring just in general

this might be a big revelation but i think my favourite part about Elden Ring is i... actually don't really like it until the DLC.

the way the base game presented a kinda basic and fragmented story, one i'd even say i were underwhelmed about. because i went in expecting Sekiro-level of character driven writing (they did promise that in an interview) and what i got... ehhhh. that's why my fanarts for the base game is literally just fluff pieces and shipping Malenia with another character altogether that isn't even in the game. meanwhile my AC6, Sekiro and Bloodborne art... i think you can tell i have a very deep emotional connection to those games from the kind of work im putting out for them. (hell, before the DLC i actually was thinking "well i'll probably only draw some general fanarts after the DLC then go back to draw more JJK stuffs lol" famous last words)

but holy mother of God the way the DLC completely blew everything tf up.

sorry Fromsoftware, i were not aware the Sekiro character-driven part is actually about the DLC. im sorry im still not familiar with your game yet 😭

(this turns into a mini rant so imma put it under cut OTL)

before, i were pretty "...." about Elden Ring female cast. i think Melina appears too little, i think NPCs like Fia and Roderika... i can't figure out the significance of them within the narrative at all. and it kinda upset me because it feels like they regress back to the helpless / fanservice maiden trope that was usually seen in DS franchise for no reason. i don't like how Rennala ends up as and i don't like not knowing why Radagon did that to her (which turns to me not liking the way it became a popular fanon that he actually loved her he was just bound by duty etc etc...i mean what?), i actually don't even really like how Malenia's barely-there story turns out (but that's a rant for another day).

as standalone characters, sure, i'd say they all have their own merits, but if they don't play any role within the narrative... what's the point then?

but all of that is because back then, we literally did not know what's Marika's deal either.

and so she became this cardboard that everyone pins all the crimes and bad things in the world on, which is... fine? makes sense. but the following line of reasoning that she did all that because she's just...like that drives me up the wall. if i want another "woman bad" story i'd just replay DS2 😭

and that line of thought also distance her from other characters in the game. those stories are not lining up, so we literally see no point in anything.

but by giving us Marika's story in the DLC they:

shine light on the possible division between two Numen factions (Anna & Jolan story + Sword of Light & Darkness // no one is left in Marika's home (those embraces Light/Gold/ Greater Will and its Stars children) vs the Numens in Eternal City (those embraces Dark/ Black Moon/ opposing GW and its children)

the discontent with the Moon and how there are those who will never accept it as being equal to the Stars

the other half situation

the Marika's eye colour possible reveal (link her to Roderika - Roderika as a reflection of the maiden Marika once was and probably still is deep down)

give Godwyn more agency in his ending (his personal knights are on a quest for Age of Duskborn) -> link Marika to Fia (Fia as a reflection of the mother Marika is)

draw direct parallel between Messmer - the child carrying Marika's vengeance for the past, to Melina - the child carrying Marika's hope for the future

Marika as a God full of human flaws >< Miquella as a God devoid of all human emotions. both are bad in different ways. but share a same gentle origin of a simple wish for a kinder world.

the DLC singlehandedly swipes clean every problem i have with the base game. like im actually in awe they managed to do that so efficiently 😭

all that is to say. my favourite aspect of all is truly how one's perspective of this one character could alter the entire story.

i still dislike the interpretation that Marika is cold and heartless or that's she's cruel for no reason, but at the same time, i can see how ppl viewing her that way affect how they see other events in the game. just like how my view of her changes my entire view of the story itself too. and i just love how the writers pull that off really skillfully. man. and i think that's sth so unique to videogame storytelling. it's amazing!

[archivedblog16]

Might be a tangent but Genuinely i don't get why some characters have the nationalities that they do. [ not including charlie ]

Like, i don't understand why they made alastor creole because 1. White people can be allowed to practice voodoo as long as it's approved by someone who already practices it, and 2. It just makes so much of his whole deal with rosie in that one leak even more offensive than before he was said to be creole.

Same goes for nifty because she does not give any hints of being japanese???? I'm not saying they should go full out with her i just mean they could have at least given her like, a hairstyle or even small aspect of something she knows about like something from japanese culture that hints at her being japanese [ i even remember seeing a video where someone drew the characters as humans and nifty literally just looked like all the other white characters??? ]

Characters like husk and angel dust i can at least slightly excuse because they have SOME hints like the voice actor in the case of husk and one of angel's outfits in his case. Vaggie feels like a gray area because idk if the exorcists were made by adam or are human souls who joined the exorcist army so i don't have a clear opinion on her yet. And even with the villains only velvette is the one with a clear hint at how she probably looked as a human. Vox has no hints cuz he's a literal tv and valentino fluxuates his accent so much it's hard for me to tell if he's actually hispanic or if he's faking the accent.

It just feels like they could have either kept their nationalities a surprise for when we do see how they looked as a human through a backstory, or could have just changed half of them????

The funny thing about Niffty is that the Spindlehorse crew changed her skin. Originally it was tanish light yellow to completely white. Like you easily mistake Niffty as Charlie’s secret sister.

In real time, I’m now noticing they somewhat changed the color of her eye and her dress. Vaggie is supposed to be salvadoran like Vivziepop. Take that information as you will. Wouldn’t be surprised if she changed it.

Valentino is supposed to be Hispanic, as funny as the different accents are. He speaks Spanish here and there in the show and no it’s not fake 😂. Richard Horvitz’s voice directing Joel especially was booty cheeks.

Regarding Vox, the closest thing we know is that he was a cult leader during his time as a human and he has the worst fashion sense like the rest of the main cast.

Their nationalities is most likely a surprise. Once season 2 officially comes out, Twitter will bully the hell out of Vivziepop when once Alastor’s human design officially debuts. They are going to compare Alastor’s human form to his Karen cut demon form.

[the-great-knight-gay]

Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man Review: Episodes 1 and 2

I've just watched the first two episodes of YFNSM and I have one thing to say...

I was fucking right. It's not a bad show.

In fact, its pretty decent especially so far.

Full review under the cut: *SPOILER ALERT*

Characters:

One of the MOST important factors this show needed to get right was the characters and BOY DID THEY.

Let's start with the supporting cast.

Harry Osborn is the character with the least screen time so far (his only appearances being the 'Good Deed' clip in Amazing Fantasy and a shot of him on television in The Parker Luck) so there isn't much to say about him yet.

Next is Pearl Pangan, a character who hasn't shown up much outside of being Peter Parker's older crush who seems like a genuinely nice person. She also seems to be a less academically inclined version of Liz Allen-Toomes from Spider-Man: Homecoming (by which I mean that Liz was the captain of the Academic Decathlon and Pearl hasn't really had any scenes that show she has that level of intelligence). The similarities between the two characters are high so it might lead to people asking, 'Why not just reuse Liz?'.

The answer is, why not? Reusing Liz would have been fun but she doesn't add much to the story (at least yet) and the usage of Pearl has quite a few positives. One, it raises awareness about some lesser known Marvel characters (Pearl is a minor super hero and an Agent of Atlas called Wave) and it allows for different stories to be potentially told in the future. This is the same reason they used Nico Minoru rather than a character like MJ or Gwen, both of which he met in College btw not High School - pretty much all Spider-Man media since the first Ultimate Spider-Man comics have decided his ENTIRE supporting cast should be in high school with him. Personally the easiest way to rectify that imo is to just make an adaptation where he's in college or got a job already (adapt the JMS run marvel I dare you) but one can hope.

The characters in the Oscorp Internship where also a fun nod to characters in comics (looking at you Amadeus Cho aka Totally Awesome Hulk/Iron Spider depending on the adaptation) and Carla Conners was a fun addition (also I better not see anyone hating on her for being a genderswapped and raceswapped version of Curt Conners - there is no part of Dr Conners character that is negatively affected by these changes - its still the same character)

May seems to be very similar by the MCU version (which makes sense) so nothing much to say there yet.

Norman is a character we haven't seen yet in MCU media outside of Willem Dafoe reprising his role from the Raimi movies and I am LOVING it. Colman Domingo is FANTASTIC in the voice role, bringing just the right amount of menace and authority to his voice. All I need now is for him to be able to play crazy and we can get a potentially amazing Green Goblin when the time comes (also his design is just *chefs kiss*)

Next is the character that might actually interest me the most.

Lonnie Lincoln.

Anyone who has seen The Spectacular Spider-Man (or read my screenplay on ao3 - sorry for the promo but I don't get many chances to advertise it) will know who he is. Tombstone, a vicious gangster and mob boss and in this show, he's... an American football player.

And I love it.

Saying that he's been just put into the 'nice jock' category, while accurate, does not think to scratch the potential of this character. There is a scene where he's walking home and it's revealed he lives in a rough neighbourhood. In that same scene, we see that he is helping his family out in quite a few ways (for example the part where he offers to help his little brother with homework) but the part that stuck with me was with his mother when he said that he'd talked to someone about fixing their car and how to get a cheaper price for it.

Money problems.

What I'm thinking they're doing is they aren't showing Tombstone as a mob boss. No. They're showing his descent from upstanding citizen and star American football player to gang violence. We already see that they've planted the seeds and we know they're going for the long haul with this show (It's been greenlit all the way up to season 3 already) so I'm incredibly excited to see Lonnie's arc play out, especially if we're going to get Tombstone by the end of it.

"Cold as Ice. Hard as marble. What else would you call a Tombstone?"

Next, we have the main character himself. Peter Parker. The Amazing Spider-Man.

This might be their best achievement yet in the show. They have Peter's dorky attitude and nerdy demeanour down to a T and it's so fun to watch. He's also a genuinely good person, just how Peter should be. A scene that stands out is the scene where he's caught a shoplifter who's broken down and crying in his eyes and he looks at them and he doesn't see a criminal. No. He sees someone who was down on their luck and asks the shop owner to give them a second chance if they give back the money they stole. It's beautiful and it's so very... Spider-Man. This is the exact kind of thing Spider-Man should be. A friendly guy who's just in the neighbourhood. It's a scene that's very reminiscent of Tom Taylor's Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man in all the best ways. (also the shop that was stolen from is called Pizza Time and that's already the best thing ever)

Animation:

Okay so some people have been saying the animation of this show isn't very good which I can say is not an unfounded concern. The effort the show has taken to emulate the original Ditko comics have had a slightly detrimental effect to some of the series.

There aren't as many background extras used in an attempt to mimic the original comics and lots of the shots don't use typically cinematic shading, opting instead to use brighter and slightly less rendered shots to emulate the older style. In some ways, this is actually really cool if you can appreciate the attempt to mimic the 60s style but it can be quite off putting for some people which I can respect.

There are also some issues with the 3d models. The characters mouths don't always move directly in sync and sometimes, for when they do use background extras, they are just 2d images in the back which can be quite unsettling when standing in the same shot as 3d models (there is one scene at a party where Nico is on the phone with Peter and in the background there's a completely unmoving 2d person who's eyes just seem to follow Nico and its quite unsettling).

HOWEVER, there are some incredibly beautiful shots too. Some shots are a direct mimic of older MCU shots from Peter's first introduction in CA:CW like the opening shot and final scene of the first episode which stand out as incredibly well done.

The best part of the animation is easily the web swinging which is so well done and one of my favourite parts of this version of Spider-Man so far. His movement is rough and unrefined as it should be for a Year One: Spider-Man but it is very reminiscent of the Insomniac Games style swinging (which in my personal opinion has the best web swinging in Spider-Man media since The Amazing Spider-Man 2) and it is INCREDIBLY fun to watch when it occurs. They actually focus some time on the web swinging too unlike some other adaptations which see him shoot a web and then THWIP out of the camera frame so we get to really see the extent of this web swinging.

Story:

This is the one where I probably have the least to say, mainly because we're only 1/5 of the way into the season so far and we haven't actually gotten much of the story revealed yet. However, it definitely has a LOT of potential.

Episode 1 establishes that the Spider that bit Peter came from a portal (alongside this universes version of Doctor Strange who is fighting a demon looking creature which is credited as Symbiotic Alien - Klyntar easter egg?????) which might be slightly different to some people but to me this gives me a heavy JMS vibes.

JMS wrote for Spider-Man from 2001 to 2007 and created what became the foundation of the Spider-Verse by introducing the Spider-Totems to the Marvel mythology. He said that the powers that Peter received did not come from the radiation, but the spider itself. The radiation is just what killed the spider. It was never even stated that Peter was the intended recipient of the powers and was hinted that maybe he was just in the right place at the right time when the spider died, which really hammers home the idea that anyone can be behind the mask.

The spider coming from a portal which also brings a symbiotic alien that looks hauntingly similar to Shathra (also a character introduced by JMS that returned to the Spider-Verse in Dan Slott's End of Spider-Verse story line) hints that maybe YFNSM is taking a similar approach to JMS , which is always a good thing. I mean that man wrote Back In Black. (OMD and Sins Past were editorial and should not be credited to JMS despite it being his run people)

Now in terms of the rest of the story, we haven't gotten many hints yet but there is a scene where Spider-Man fights Butane and sees a symbol on his gauntlet that looks hauntingly similar to the number 8. You know what has 8 limbs?

An octopus. Specifically, Doctor Octopus.

We already know Doc Ock is in this show. My theory is that Butane's gauntlets were made by him but my main piece of evidence that tells me that he's the final villain?

The final episode of the season is called 'If This Be My Destiny...'

ITBMD is one of the most famous Spider-Man comics of all time and the panel where Spider-Man lifts the heavy machinery of his body has become legendary. It was used in multiple adaptations of Spider-Man, including Spectacular and Homecoming. Doctor Octopus is also the main villain of that storyline.

Norman Osborn seems to be a character that they're setting up as a main villain for the complete show but not the main season just yet, similar to how the insomniac games treat him. They seem to be putting Doc Ock as the first big villain and then following up with Norman later down the line, maybe around Season 3.

All in all, this show is shaping up to be an incredible adaptation. What are your thoughts?

[sunflowerabyss]

can you write reader confessing her admiration towards lupin and being rejected and as a result, she focuses on other boys and it enrages remus?

The Art of Understanding

A/N: Okay so I didn't know if you wanted a young!Remus Lupin or an Older!Remus Lupin, so I wrote them both! (They'll be on separate posts) I love this prompt and how angsty it can get. Thank you for the request!

Find the Older!Remus Lupin story here: Jealousy

Pairings: Young!Remus Lupin x Fem!Reader

Warnings: angst, unrequited love (not really), fluff

___________________________________________________

The halls of Hogwarts were quiet as the seventh years prepared for their upcoming exams. In the middle of academic chaos, Remus Lupin found himself in the library, surrounded by towering shelves of books and the hushed whispers of students engrossed in their studies. He had been helping Y/N with Transfiguration for weeks, patiently explaining complex spells and theories, and he couldn't deny that he found a sense of peace in her company.

Y/N, with her determined eyes and infectious laughter, had grown fond of Remus over the weeks. She found comfort in his presence and couldn't help but notice the subtle ways he made her feel special – a lingering touch on her hand, a genuine smile that reached his tired eyes. She believed there was something more between them, something that transcended the realm of friendship.

As they closed their Transfiguration books one evening, Y/N gathered her courage and decided it was time to share her feelings. The library was quiet, the air thick with anticipation. Clutching a book to her chest, nervously watching Remus as he flipped through the pages of another worn tome. The dim light cast a warm glow, emphasizing the shadows playing on Remus's face. She took a deep breath.

"Hey, Remus," she began, her voice a touch uncertain but determined.

Remus looked up, offering a small smile. "Yes, Y/N? What's on your mind?"

"Well," she hesitated, her cheeks flushing slightly, "there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

Remus closed the book in his hands, giving her his full attention. "Go on."

She took another deep breath, gathering her thoughts. "I've enjoyed our time together, studying and all. You've been such a great help, and I really appreciate it. But... it's more than that for me."

Remus furrowed his brow, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "More than that?"

"Yeah," she admitted, her gaze meeting his. "Remus, I really like you. Not just as a study partner, but, you know, in a different way."

Remus's expression shifted from curiosity to surprise. "Oh."

Y/N nervously fiddled with the edge of her book. "I wanted to be honest with you, and I thought you should know. I've been trying to give you hints, but I guess I'm not very good at it. A-and as cocky as it might sound, I thought that maybe we could go to H-Hogsmeade this weekend?"

Remus, however, looked pained as he gently declined, expressing his apologies. "I'm sorry," he said, "I just don't feel the same way."

Y/N felt the crushing weight of disappointment settle in her chest, but she put on a brave face. "It's okay," she replied, managing a small smile. "I understand."

As soon as she left the library, however, her composure crumbled. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, and the pain of rejection cut deeper than she expected. Unbeknownst to her, Remus, with his heightened senses just days before the full moon, felt a pang of regret. He wanted to explain, to tell her the truth, but he couldn't bear to burden her with the knowledge of his lycanthropy.

The days that followed Y/N's confession were filled with a peculiar tension. Remus couldn't shake the image of her revelation – her candid admission that she liked him despite the challenges he faced. Yet, as much as he appreciated her honesty, the shadow of his own insecurities lingered.

Meanwhile, Y/N navigated the awkwardness with a newfound determination. A month had passed since her confession and heartbreak and she still avoided Remus at all costs. She chose to spend her time with other boys, not out of spite but as a way to cope with the lingering disappointment from the rejection. Remus, however, couldn't help but notice her newfound companions, and the bitterness within him began to fester.

The Great Hall became a silent battleground of unspoken emotions. Remus watched from afar as Y/N sat with different boys, sharing laughter and engaging in conversations that felt like needles piercing through his already wounded heart. Each friendly interaction felt like a dagger, stirring a mix of jealousy, regret, and an inexplicable rage within him.

The days leading up to this confrontation had not been easy for Remus. James, Sirius, and Peter had noticed his increasingly moody demeanor. They cornered him one evening in the Gryffindor common room.

"Moony, mate, what's got you so broody?" Sirius asked with a mischievous grin, attempting to lighten the atmosphere.

Remus sighed, his eyes flickering towards the direction where Y/N was sitting with a couple of boys, laughing. "It's nothing. Just tired from all the studying."

James raised an eyebrow, exchanging a knowing glance with Sirius. "Come on, Remus. We know you better than that. Spill."

Remus hesitated, glancing back at Y/N. "It's personal. Let's leave it at that."

Sirius nudged him playfully. "Come on, Remus, we're your mates. You can talk to us about anything."

But Remus remained tight-lipped, keeping the true reason for his turmoil locked away. As they left him to his thoughts, he couldn't help but feel a sense of isolation, knowing that his friends were unaware of the storm raging within him.

The next day at dinner, Remus found it particularly difficult to concentrate on his food. His eyes kept drifting toward Y/N, who was engaged in animated conversation with a couple of boys from their year. The laughter that echoed in the Great Hall felt like a sharp contrast to the heaviness he carried. Remus's fingers tightened around his fork, and he couldn't bring himself to eat.

James leaned in, nudging Remus with a smirk. "Jealous, are we, Moody Moony?"

Remus shot him a glare. "I'm not jealous. Just preoccupied."

But the Marauders weren't convinced. They exchanged glances, whispering among themselves about Remus's strange behavior.

The sight of Y/N with different boys became a recurring theme. Remus couldn't escape the nagging feeling that he was losing her--not to someone else but to the walls he had built around himself.

One night, fueled by a mix of frustration and desperation, Remus caught up with Y/N in the hallway. His steps quickened until he cornered her, and his words spilled out like a torrent.

"What's going on, Y/N?" he demanded, his voice laced with frustration and a tinge of hurt.

She met his gaze, her eyes flashing with a mix of anger and hurt. "What are you on about?"

Remus couldn't contain himself any longer. "I can't stand seeing you with those other guys. It's driving me mad."

"Why?" she snapped, her tone sharp. "You made it clear you're not interested."

"There's a reason I said no," Remus admitted, his guard slowly breaking down.

"Is it because you're a werewolf?" she blurted out, the words hanging in the air.

Remus was taken aback but nodded reluctantly. "How did you know?" he asked softly.

Y/N scoffed. "I might be complete and utter arse at Transfiguration, but I'm not a daft git. You would go missing once a month and came back looking like you went off to war."

Remus stayed silent, letting her words digest.

"Is that all?" she fired back, surprising him. "Remus, I wouldn't care about that! I care about you."

Remus couldn't believe what he was hearing. Y/N's blunt response left him speechless. He searched her eyes for any sign of deception, but all he found was a genuine concern and care that he hadn't expected.

"You really mean that?" he asked, his voice a mixture of surprise and hope.

She nodded, her expression softening. "Yes, Remus. I mean it. I care about you."

A weight lifted from Remus's shoulders, replaced by an overwhelming sense of relief. "I never thought… I didn't want to burden you. I thought it was better if you didn't get involved."

Y/N stepped closer, her eyes locked onto his. "Remus, let me decide what's better for me. Don't shut me out because of assumptions."

He took a deep breath, the truth hanging heavy in the air. "I appreciate your honesty, Y/N. I've been a fool."

She smiled gently. "We all make mistakes. The important thing is learning from them."

Remus nodded, gratitude filling his eyes. "I promise, I'll be more open with you. No more hiding."

She reached out, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. "That's all I ask, Remus. I want to get to know all of you."

He chuckled softly, a warmth spreading through him. "And I want to get to know all of you too, Y/N. I've been a sorry sod for pushing you away."

The tension that had gripped them began to dissolve, replaced by a newfound understanding. Remus's gaze softened as he looked at her, a mixture of regret and gratitude in his eyes.

Y/N smiled, breaking the silence. "So, are you free this weekend? How about we go to Hogsmeade together?"

Remus's eyes lit up with surprise and delight. "I'd like that, Y/N. Let's start over, shall we?"

She nodded, a playful glint in her eyes. "Fresh start it is, Remus. And this time, no more assumptions."

They walked down the corridor together, the weight of the past lifting off their shoulders. The prospect of a new beginning, filled with honesty and understanding, stretched out before them. Remus couldn't help but feel grateful for Y/N's straightforwardness, and he silently promised himself to make it up to her. Until then, squeezing her hand in his would have to do.

[kamehamehamlet]

Hello!

I saw this show back at Fringe and it haunts me to this day.

I cried over a show where everybody was wearing wheelies. Amazing.

If you wanted to do a revival (I want you to do a revival) would you consider doing at at a show at a local geek convention, like CONvergance? I think it would go over really well there, and I would love to see it again.

Hi @leebrontide! I'm grateful/sorry KamehameHamlet has been haunting you for nearly a decade. But genuinely, thank you. I shared your review/reblog with the director, Shalee, and it meant a lot. I have a bit more to say about that, but I'll save it for the very end because it has mild thematic spoilers and well, this blog only exists because most people haven't seen KamehameHamlet... yet. As for your question, I've been planning to share my thoughts about a full production revival at some point, so I hope you don't mind me diving in.

To respond to your question about a proper revival:

In the grand scheme of possibilities, I haven't written off a revival production. However, we would want to make sure it is accessible via recording, and if we're putting recorded staged theatre into the world, we want to make sure the recording is professionally captured and edited. I haven't done the research, but my gut estimate is that it would be a pretty penny. Additionally, a goal across the revival project is to make sure we are ethically supporting any artists involved. Put together, this means a revival production would require significant funding on top of other logistical elements. This isn't to say it isn't a goal, but I don't see it as something we would be able to achieve this year. that said I believe one of the magic things about theatre is the nature of works to be produced by different people who each bring their own passion and points of view. This is why I'm exploring options for making the script available for others to put on their own productions. I've had at least one person reach out about possibly submitting KHH to a Shakespeare festival, and I read a handful of reblog tags where folks mentioned wanting to perform it at the schools, etc. and that really excites me. It would be my dream to see this performed across the world so everyone would have a chance to support live and local theatre. Some runs will be great, some will be bad, and some will haunt you for a decade, but that's theatre! To bring this back to the topic of a revival, I'm working on a post to share tomorrow. But I'll tease it here. While a full production isn't likely anytime soon, we are working on a staged reading with the original cast and director for this year. This will be available to watch online! Finally, (or well, finally before we talk mild spoilers) since you brought up Convergence I'm really really curious if you learned about our play because of the flyers we put up at Convergence the week or so before our show. We made a handful of different flyer designs, printed maybe 100 copies and plastered the double tree. I'll share the others in an upcoming archival post but here's my favorite!

Mild thematic spoilers for KHH below!

^Lee's reblog/review for context!

Once again, thank you for the kind words and I really want to shout out Shalee here. Her direction excavated the themes of pretend/play violence that I'm really glad resonated so well with you. And speaking with her, I know it's inspired by playing DBZ with her friends outside as a kid. While this POV might not always be present in my dream of endless productions, I'm certain if she gets a chance to direct it again, it will be at the heart of that production. And if we get a chance, we'll be sure to save you a seat.

[botanikos]

Good evening!

I have some. . . . words to spill! Let's see how I do, shall we?

First and foremost, I am beyond emotional from the events of earlier today in which I was gifted absolutely stunning work of Stolas's head! At the time, I had no idea who was reaching out to me and telling me to expect this gift. I was puzzled, mildly anxious, and just. . . . in wonder. Truly, I had no idea how to feel. Even now, I am still a whirlwind of feelings! Of course, I am INCREDIBLY appreciative and just basking in such kindness!!

Words fail to capture everything I am experiencing, and how this has left a little darling imprint on me. A positive one, of course!

So, since it's Munday, and the glow of this is still surrounding me, allow me to explain a bit of why I struggle with accepting any measure of kindness or gifting — ( putting it under a cut since it's just a rambling of my feelings / explanation to some things )

There is a monster in my head that grows, grows, grows with teeth and claws and sometimes, it whispers to me: You are undeserving. Do not accept this; what have you done to earn it? Who do you think you are?

This monster never leaves. It is always at my back, looming, watching, waiting for the days I am at my lowest. Even on my best days, it casts a mighty shadow! I could use my own money to purchase something for myself and regardless of what it is, I will feel dread and guilt and regret. Every vacation I have ever taken or saved up for? Promptly after if not during, I feel guilty. Asking for or needing genuine help? Oh boy, time to feel guilty and project that I am a burden and wholly incapable of anything!

I understand and know well enough that my value as a person is not tied to anything in particular, but the inferiority complex and anxiety really like to keep me pinned down sometimes! It's something I've been working on, and I've been doing better! So, so, so much better!

But it is largely why you rarely see me participate in those memes seeking positivity, compliments, questions on portrayal, etc.. For one, I just do not do well with receiving compliments ( goes in hand with the above feelings ); I prefer to be a giver rather than a receiver! And secondly, they can be a slippery slope into dangerous territory ( worsening those feelings / inviting responses that might not be constructive ).

But goodness me. . . . Those thoughts reared their ugly head when I was gifted this incredible piece of art out of nowhere! And I'm crying yet again, as I type this. Of course, I know why Alex gifted it to me, he explained as much, but my heart is so full and also just. . . . I cannot explain it. Genuinely, I am at an absolute loss for words.

I don't come here expecting anything aside from writing, having fun, and making connections with you lovely people. The friends I have made in the RPC & bookish communities have been the best of my life. The support I have seen, the creativity I have witnessed, the passion and individuality — you are all remarkable individuals! You have absolutely no idea how much it means to me to come on here and see you having fun, getting to either witness or be a part of the good times and memories we're all making!

So please, understand that I absolutely value, appreciate, and adore each of you so entirely, and anything and everything you throw my way!! . . . . I just cannot find the appropriate words or reactions at times!

Thank you for being here, thank you for staying a part of this whacky community, thank you for sharing your craft with us, thank you for being my friend, thank you for just being you!

Love you all,

Jude

[pastel-rights]

Well I do not have anything specific I want to know but I still enjoy learning more so you can use my ask as an excuse to tell more about any of your ideas for your Aus

oho? well, i have so many of these shared aus with friends that I can't possibly talk about all of them, y'know??

but uhh, the main shared aus I'm workshopping right now are uhh... I'll toss 'em under the cut, and if any catches your eye, feel free to ask about them!

let's see, first on the list is the current au hyperfixation!! This AU doesn't have a name yet unfortunately so I'm not sure how I would refer to it. Besides, that one is a secret for now! I might talk about it eventually after I workshop it to a good sharing point if you guys are like. genuinely interested. You could also try your luck with Tae, maybe she'll tell you guys something funny about the au??? This art post is actually heavily associated with the AU in question, so... have that???? I guess??? (As for an AU name... mhm. I'm listening to Hell is Forever as I type this section, and My Love is Hellfire is a song with heavy meaning to the AU, so let's call this AU the Hellfire AU? Do you guys like that as a name?)

The next AU in the workshop is the Dark Decora Hospital AU!! You might have seen me post some of the designs here! As for the status of this AU in the workshop, this au is FULLY workshopped minus the small lore details!! That means we have a full and extended cast of characters, area maps (although they have to be drawn), official lore for the characters, and more!! There will likely be future cards and designs for every cast member? Right now, the AU is in the workshop because of there is a protagonist shift! We're moving away from the Check-Up Area and going to the Morgue... scary stuff. And, because of that shift, we're moving from the protagonist being "Narcissus" to her brother, who we'll call... "Husk", since the accident left him a "husk" of his former self. haha. I'm hilarious. /j

Also, it's technically Narcissus' birthday today... whoops!

after that, next on the AU workshopping table is... the bubble universes. This one is a little bit more of a personal side project for me as of late, but basically, these are AU bubble universes based off of video games and other digital medias. The bubble universe I'm currently working on is known as the SIM bubble universes (there's 5 of them) and the YaMaH bubble universe! Each bubble universe is it's own finite storyline, and it basically follows the timeline of its source material, just with me and my friends' muses in these universes! It's a fun little side project for when I'm bored. Of course, you guys are already familiar with some of our bubble universes! Like the Dark Deception/DSAF AU! Or the IDV x Crossover Source AU! These, though, are considered "bigger" bubbles that technically earn them their own AU titles! But they technically belong to the bubble au umbrella. These ones being workshopped are technically small enough that they don't warrant their own titles, but eventually, they'll get fully fleshed out and combined into their own AUs.

I hope that makes sense!

And... finally on the AU workshopping list... is the Roundtrip AU!! Well, to be more specific, I'm working on the first section: Golden Land! Uhh, to make this short, this section of the Roundtrip AU focuses on Aventurine and those involved in this side of the story. It's also connected **directly** to another AU involving Sparkle that I have with Tae, which is why it's getting workshopped! But, while I have it here, we might as well connect it to the other pieces/groups in the AU, you know? This one isn't very far along in its workshopping though, since it's a downtime type of work. I get ideas for it every once in a while, so I'll put it on a sticky note somewhere and dip /j

I hope that. helped??

[gwynbleiddyn]

💥🙈💢 for our favorite princelad?

ohoho there's one in there that immediately made me go oh no

💥 COLLISON - what emotions do they have trouble dealing with?

Maahes is not what I would call a sincere person, but he does have a lot of sincere emotions... which definitely causes a lot of internal conflict. he loves easily, he feels deeply, but everything about him is designed to maintain an image no matter the cost to his own sanity.

in that regard, he has a hard time portraying genuine love/affection in earnest, and quite frankly, anything else that comes from a similar place of raw/unfiltered emotion. he either doesn't process it (looking at you, years of untouched grief) or he is hyperaware of it and keeps it locked away, never to be acknowledged.

above all, he truly hates being put in vulnerable positions with regards to his thoughts and feelings. if his deceptive nature can't shake off any questions, he gets angry and dismissive, quite often resorting to just being a fucking mean bitch about it. sharing is only on his terms.

🙈 SEE-NO-EVIL - whats a side of your oc that they don't want to show other people?

this is a really interesting one because like we keep saying, he's very much a curated image of whatever persona he thinks is suitable for Akhenaton's throne. what that looks like might change over time, but the intention remains.

i guess similarly to the above, he's reluctant to be visibly vulnerable and his interpretation of that is showing affection or any sort of deep emotion without any filter slapped on top of it. i also think in moments where mio asks for help that isn't disguised in some sort of deal, he can barely stand to think of how he looks to the people he's asking.

while i'm on the topic though, this could be interesting?? maybe?? it's not something he would outright share but he has alluded to: Mio knows that he really, really wants a family - regardless of the necessity behind having children to continue the divine bloodline, he has so many thoughts and hopes of being a dad and protecting and loving his children no matter what - the kind of unconditional love i think Mio wonders if he was ever given, sometimes. i think again it's the vulnerability aspect playing here, i don't know that he'd feel great showing somebody this side of him.

also relating to this: one thing i don't know that Mio's realized yet, but i don't mind sharing, is i think he really protects his younger self. i don't know how to explain it fully but leaving Akhenaton the way he did felt like being shunted out of his own existence, and he was still so young when it happened that i kind of think he's got that boy hidden away inside. there's a child in him that he protects so intensely and so desperately, that i think it would be deeply uncomfortable to see any glimpses or memories of that child in the Shadowfell or even in Akhenaton - it would be an acknowledgement that he wasn't treated fairly growing up, and it will call into judgement his belief and relationship with akhen and its creator. he couldn't cope with that, and he definitely wouldn't want anybody in Talisman to see him wrestling with that.

💢 ANGER - what are some habits they have that will take some getting used to?

the way he expects luxury LMAO he is 100% an entitled bastard, he will make snide digs if things aren't up to his standards, he won't be a karen about it but he has such a passive aggressive smile reserved for the many nights Talisman have spent in camps on the road. thank god Laz has the ability to cast Magnificent Mansion.

probably another annoying thing is that he rarely tells any one person the full story of something, instead delivering bits and pieces across random scattershot trajectories. sometimes it's intentional, other times it's just because he's a fucking gossip and it's second nature to him to sprinkle little juicy tidbits into a conversation.

[paramadics]

The One I Left On The Beach

Hai. It's been a while since i talked to you. A year and a half, i guess? I wrote something about everyone so i thought that i need to write something about you too.. To ease my mind, to let go.. But i've been trying so hard in the past 1,5 year to avoid, hide, and run away from you. From the thoughts of you. So it's probably why i only write about it now.

How are you? Is life been good to you lately? Is there anyone that replace me now? Haa.. asking the last question do stings a bit if you're wondering. wkwk.. i don't even have the right to question that and yet i'm still wondering. Honestly, i think about you. Like a lot. One day my day sucked and all i want is to rant to you. Another day i just miss you. Like really really miss you. It took me a year just to get rid of that balloon you gave me. Cause it feels like if i throw it away, everything becomes real. I moved away, i don't know if you notice. Far, far away from our town. So that i don't have to see you as often. Why? well i always cried after i saw you at that time. That was the best solution i could think of. I'm tired crying, and longing for something i shouldn't have.

I was mean. I know that. I turned around and run. I cut the rope and leave, slowly but surely. I know it might sound like an excuse but i had to. I saw what i did to you. You are always more than enough for me. But i made you feel like you're not enough. That you have to try more just to be with me. Do you realize that it doesn't even make sense. I was already with you, i was there, by your side, trying my best not to be tossed aside by your fear. And once that fear came to us upfront, you said to me we should stop. That we should be nothing, and you'll only be a company till whenever i feel like it. At that moment, i felt like i was casted aside. Like i don't worth to be fought for. Blame my insecurity, but it hurt. And I thought, that even if i try to fight for us, i'm fighting alone. So i did what i did. Cause i really can't bear the feeling of being thrown away. Not again.

But that doesn't mean that i don't meant everything that i said. I said what i said. I like you. I really genuinely like you. And i think, i really like you that much, cause i never run away so fast like that. I was so scared of getting hurt by you, i decided to hurt myself. At least, i feel like the power is on me. I'm the cause of my own misery. At that point i thought it will break me less.

I'm sorry. I really do. If it gives you any console, i still cry sometimes when i think about us. And i'm still that lonely pathetic bitch, like i used to be. I know, i deserve it. But i really do wish you a good life. I hope you can find someone, who love you, cherish you, and fight for you no matter what. Not a person with heavy baggages and full of trash like me. I really wish you find the happiness you're longing. I pray to God, even talked to your mom sometimes too when i close my eyes. I really wish that she could find you a better person. I really do.

-The one who is still stuck at that beach

[roxannepolice]

i think the reason this framework would aggravate me so much (though who knows, there's nothing better than a writer doing something you don't want in a way that makes you like it), instead of going for a play with the medium (which might culminate in a television show reveal) is that. Well, frankly, there are few things mass culture needs more right now than reembracing the convention. Like, the stuffing it up in versimilitude (because I would't call that realism) is at the core of everything from the Battle for Dawn being all but invisible bc "well y'know, it's night, it would be dark", through actors not being given scripts so they will be genuinely surprised at the twists, to "uhm, actually, liking Palpatine means you'd vote for Hitler". I've yet to see this hot take, but it boils down to diagnosing every singe theatre character with behaving-like-a-theatre-character personality disorder (hystrionics). THERE ARE WAYS TO TELL THE AUDIENCE THAT A CHARACTER IS HYSTRIONICAL even while everyone else monlogues in rhyme, just as there are ways of conveying introverted, autistic or, damn, full-body-paralysed characters' emotional states instead of audience projecting things on what's basically a blank slate.

Yes, art is supposed to make you emotional and engaged, and mass produced art is not inherently worse than your starving painter eating their paint, but IT IS ART. It's ARTIFICIAL. Characters aren't "literally" anything. Casting non-white non-cis-men as protagonists is important not because IT'S A STATEMENT THAT MAKES YOU REINTERPRET EVERYTHING ABOUT THE WORK, only because non-white non-cis-men actors should be getting the same deal as white cis men in what's essentially an industry. The Doctor being a woman and then a black man wasn't a good idea because yes, it's high time to tell the stories of the downtrodden victimized babies, only because it's ridiculous to act like two-headed humans are likelier to exist than those with vaginas and higer-than-european-standards levels of melanine. Yes, the representation aspect IS important, but on the level of reception, NOT on what it does in-universe. This is the same shit that had people throwing tantrums over Fourteen being referred to as Fourteen, AS IF THE NUMERATION EXISTED IN THE TEXT ITSELF??? Those numbers are there for the audience and pr team to move around, they DO NOT affect the text itself. Calling the current season "season 1" has more to do with marking it on a viewing channel than with an era statement, Does this argument sound a bit inchoerent with my premise of embracing convention? That's because ACKNOWLEDGING convention is not the same thing as FETISHIZING convention. Fetishizing convention is when you think camerawork HAS to have a diagetic reason rather than accepting that it's probably there to focus the audience's attention on a specific aspect of the scene and create a mood. It works TERRIFICALLY in comedies, but that's... precisely because you understand the convention.

This is also why I can't undertsand the shitstorms around BUDGET OF ALL THINGS being a reason to dismiss New New Who? Yes, I agree, the shitty effects of Classic and NuWho had a lot of charm. And Monty Python having too low a budget to hire horses is how we got coconut knights. And maybe if Bruce the Prop Shark was more realistic, John Williams wouldn't be so hard pressed to write music that's fear itself. But it's not like damn expensive animatronics ruined Jurassic Park?!

And finishing the rant this is also why I can't agree the titularity names are to show the Doctor is of the same "kind" as the Toymaker or the Maestro. Like, no. Again, this is about choice versus convention. THE TOYMAKER AND THE MAESTRO ARE CONVENTIONS EMBODIED. Covnetions are the ESSENCE of games and the Doctor's the guy who UPTURNS THE CHESSBOARD. That's specifically NOT something someone bound by rules can do, just as making sure your new witch coven picks up the tooth you'll be turned into. Those are the things you do WHEN YOU'RE OUTSIDE THE GAME. And the Maestro as the emodiment of music is also pure convention. Yes, music may be the purest of arts, but it's just as conventional as language (keeping my fingers crossed for The Linguist). There is no REASON two sounds are in tune (yes, there's the whole reverberation across strings that's physics but you get me), they just do because they do in the same way that the ace beats the king and the joker beats the ace. THAT'S WHY THE MAESTRO WOULD FLOURISH MOST IF ALL THAT WAS LEFT WAS "THE PUREST" MUSIC OF AOLIAN SOUNDS, unmarred by sentient lifeforms' expressing anything through it.

The Doctor is the Doctor because THEY CHOOSE to be that. They aren't ONTOLOGICALLY INCAPABLE of "First, doing no harm" in the way that the Toymaker can't cheat.

Like, I undertand wanting all of the reflections on storytelling and music to be statements about the nature of the text. But for me, they are there to celebrate their apparent pointlessness. Apparent pointlessness, and yet without being able to evoke a story out of chaos of events, we would never know what to do, and without music we would have no other way to let go off our emotions than by attacking one another.

Reading all the omg fourth wall is breaking bc the Doctor is a godddd thing and whatever works for you.

But I'm going to sit at my little altar and pray to Ortega y Gasset that the actual story crux specialest story binding character that's going to discover something special about themself is in fact Ruby. Pleaseplwasepleaepleaer PLEASE RTD free my alien from linear journey and let them be the backdrop on which linear stories unfold.

[mymarifae]

bbberdly?

favorite thing about them

i think he's a fun, dynamic character! i appreciate the depth he's given. he's not brushed off as some sort of poor excuse for comic relief. he's just as much of a whole, well-rounded person as any of the other characters! what you see on the surface isn't the whole story - which is one of the biggest takeaways for all the main characters. i love that he's genuinely brave and that he has a good heart, and how much he cares about noelle. he's just a kid, y'know!!

the pretty divisive response to his character is just kinda like... i think on the older side of the fanbase, we were all more or less teenagers when chapter 1 came out. and i think some people forgot that these characters didn't grow up with us 😭 "he's annoying" "he's embarrassing" yeah he's a teenager. that's kind of. what teenagers are. idk i mean i might just have a higher tolerance level for insufferable teenager attitude? but i mean. i adore all the kids with my whole heart but there are moments with all of them that i kinda just pause and pinch my forehead and sigh. and i mean this so positively!

as an adult observing a cast of older teenagers, you should feel some fucking secondhand embarrassment. because "oh my god once upon a time i was this kid. oh my god. oh no." but it's with a certain fondness, too, you know? like idk let's all just relax... he'll grow up and mature. it's fine. he's still a good kid. pinches his cheek

also i do like his design a lot! i know i over-redesign him when i draw him but it's not because i dislike how he looks in canon or anything. it's just fun for me to add all those extra markings and stuff ^^ and i want him to look like his mama i like how unironically cool he is in the dark world <3

least favorite thing about them

ok taking everything i just said into consideration. i am annoyed by how little he listens to noelle. and i think he deserved and needed that furious shaking moment from her. and it's only chapter 2 so i'm not too miffed, buuuuut i kind of wish the wrap up on his character development there didn't end with him just finding a new trait to flaunt and brag about. like, i wish there had been more of an understanding that it's not a competition; he doesn't have to be the best, and not being the best doesn't make him the worst. he can just simply be and exist on equal footing with his peers.

BUT AGAIN. it's only chapter 2. and that's clearly like, the path he's heading down. so it might be a little unfair for me to complain that that process wasn't rushed because it's probably paced throughout future chapters. he's got a tough mindset to unlearn and it's natural for it to take time.

but still it's hard to change my feelings here when the rest of the game isn't out and i can't see his development arc come to its full conclusion yet *grumbles and kicks a rock or hwatever*

favorite line

honestly everything he says makes me want to throw my computer into the ocean (affectionate). but i'm kind of obsessed with:

"Kris, you're tired of being the class No.3, gazing distantly at Noelle and I's fruited figures..." because what? what are you fucking talking about? DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU JUST SAID

but i think him calling kris "fellow bluebird" is genuinely cute

brOTP

i will never shut the fuck up about him and noelle being besties. i stand by this being their dynamic when no one else is around

also susie and berdly friendchip forever. he says something a little snarky that she genuinely finds funny and she GUFFAWS and slaps him on the back and sends him flying. i think also that he and jockington are friends, because i'm Insisting that he does cross country too. he relaxes a little bit around jockington - not as much as he does with noelle. but, y'know

OTP

still him and kris they're sillies

nOTP

anything else

random headcanon

okay so i don't fucking have anything because much like with susie if i experience a berdly thought it's an immediate brain-to-tumblrpost pipeline SO. i guess i can share this itty bitty thing that was never worthwhile enough for me to mention:

i completely ignored that lions and most other big cats can't really purr due to the structure of their skull. cartilage. whatever it is. and i made an executive decision that giselle can purr like ages ago, because it's cute. and *throws up my hands* whatever, berdly can have little a purring, too. as a treat

he doesn't do it as easily as giselle will. he's usually gotta be like, half asleep already. and it's very quiet. the first time kris ever hears him do it is during a sleepover at noelle's. the four (susie's there too. but she passed out like 5 hours ago) of them are in her room playing video games, and berdly RESIGNS his controller after losing like 20 consecutive rounds of mario party and he watches while noelle and kris switch over to something two player and eventually his head drops onto kris's shoulder. and he's just softly purring... and they're like furiously whispering "n. noelle? noelle?? what's happening??" and noelle pauses and listens for a second and she's like oh ya he does that sometimes. and then she's like >:), but only when he's completely happy and comfortable... wonder why that is!? and it spirals into a mini bickering match between her and kris. she can be merciless with her teasing.. they're trying to be very quiet so they don't wake berdly or susie

(it doesn't work. berdly wakes up. the moment is ruined. susie on the other hand could probably sleep through the entire roaring)

song i associate with them

six feet - patent pending

musician - porter robinson

bad trick - jetty bones

math - iris lune

favorite picture of them

my own art

love and light.

[hopeymchope]

I prefer the clone theory — that the V3 cast actually were like what we saw on the monitors, but were then cloned and the clones took part in the killing game. Like Monokuma was genuinely serious about that resurrection spell, a lot more than he should have been, and Tsumugi seemed fully prepared to present Kaede’s ‘twin’ as the mastermind before being forced to improvise. It would also fit with what Shuichi said at the end about who they were before being a lie while at the same time being true (and of Keebo also being an artificial being, and this being the future). I always pictured it as if there were a V4 sequel, it would essentially be a clone rebellion thing, like Blade Runner and it’s replicants, have Shuichi and Co. inspire a revolution, upending world society. Ultimately becoming a real and noble version of what Junko Enoshima was meant to be in the narrative of Danganronpa in terms of what she actually did — tear world society to the ground in despair, resulting in something new and good, no hope about it — facts. A completion of the narrative, full circle.

I don't think there's a lot of support for this idea in the existing canon, but I mean, you're welcome to have your own headcanons, of course.

This isn't for me, personally. I mean, I think the fact that they were kidnapped and forced into this killing game (and therefore the audition videos are phony) is pretty much an absolute lock at this point. Kodaka tweeted that we should, after finishing V3, go back and review the prologue to find any inconsistencies. And you can quickly see that their memories of being abducted against their will are right there. They obviously show no sign of being pleased about being on the show (despite what Tsumugi shows them in Chapter 6 - another inconsistency with reality), either. And there's other stuff like that. Plus I think there's reason to believe the 'Ultimate' talents are based in real talents they had.

That's an interesting point about how we're in a more futuristic world in V3 than we've seen in the other games. That is, assuming you don't think it might be virtual reality again — I know that's another popular headcanon for many, and I can see where people would get that impression. But if you think it's reality, then the Keebo and the nano-kumas and the ability for them to create a fake "outside" atmosphere where people can't breathe, and maybe even the Exisals?... those would all be beyond what we've seen in the franchise before now, for sure. And yet... that could all just be symptomatic of the fact that we're in a different universe now. Maybe it's not the "future" so much as it's just how the world of V3 has always been?

But that last part... I'm not sure how I take that. I get what you're saying about how V3's outside world — if it's indeed true that a significant portion of the population is totally fine with watching real people die on camera — probably needs a major overhaul. But there's still a lot of wiggle room on how many people are really watching "Danganronpa" the show, how they're accessing it, how much they believe in the "reality" of it, and so on. We don't know a lot about the outside world beyond the Ultimate Academy's dome, so I mean, do we feel like it definitely needs to be burn downed in despair? And why would building something "new and good" have "no hope about it"?

I think V3 makes it clear that it wants to move away from Hope/Despair despite the fan expectations that that's just what Danganronpa HAS to be. But it also gives so much lip service to the old Hope/Despair dichotomy for the last two chapters that it's hard to say it totally succeeds at the attempt to grow beyond it. I think it's mostly about a new Truth/Lies conflict, sure, but they don't exactly manage to cut off the vestigial tail of the Hope/Despair conflict from the Hope's Peak Saga. They're too aware that it's an expectation/demand from the audience by then (which the game even comments on).

[help-im-a-gay-fish]

Okay I had to do some stuff, but here I am rambling about relationship between Killer and Nightmare in Colours of LOVE.

Some of this I might mention before some of it might be your and Jann or Yuri ideas... Anyway!! The way I see that:

Even though this is soulmate au Nightmare and Killer aren't perfect fit for eachother. They are perfect fit in threesome - Ccino softens rough edges of both of them, and changes their attention from being mad on eachother to carrying about Ccino together (especially at first when he is really depressed). But before that... It was hard.

Killer is really open about everything he thinks and feels. If he founds someone who is attractive he will flirt. Even when he is already dating Nightmare. And also he always shows his affection to Nightmare everywhere, in public too. That's cute and sweet, but Nightmare is really closed person so that makes him really uncomfortable. Night often got jealous with Killer flirting with anyone else, got embarrassed with his kisses and all on public, and in general is a bit annoyed with Killer's actions. Killer on the other hand doesn't really understand why Nightmare is so "tensed" (he is not, Night is just much more calm, but Killer don't get it).

They were braking up and coming back again a few times, because they had argued a lot about everything and got tired of this. Right now they are on their "best days" - they started to date again a few weeks ago and right now they are through some stuff, they understand eachother better, and pretty chill about eachother weird actions. Like in the second page Night is a bit flustered by Killer's kiss but he almost used to that. Same as he is worried about being late, since Killer is almost always late, but he is more or less fine by that. On next page (which you haven't seen yet), there are an interesting dialog between them, and I will definitely write some of "subtext" about it when I will post it.

Actually if they haven't met Ccino they would break up again after a few months. And maybe come back again after a week.

Also! Interesting thing about third soulmate: at the beginning of the comic (before Nigh met Ccino) Killer is 100% sure that they have third soulmate, but Nightmare is sure for about 60%. Killer is existed about that, he knew knew that he is polyamorious for a long time, but Nightmare hesitates a lot, because he can't really imagine himself in polyam relationship. It feels weird and also he is soooooo jealous about Killer paying any attention to anyone except him, that he worries to become "third wheel". Will it be different with Ccino?? Who knows (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)

Hi kotikaleo!!! This was super fun to read.

Firstly I'm going to tag @zu-is-here since she started the studio verse

It's definitely an interesting insight to your comic and the characters!

It reminds me a lot of an early version of my own ideas about the studio verse nightkiller relationship! And I can definitely see the way we have bounced headcannons of each other paying off.

Them still dealing with a softer kind of lovehate dynamic is an interesting one. It doesn't seem to be as extreme as my version, but it's interesting that it's still there.

The fact that they are meant to work as a 3 makes sense as well. If they are supposed to be bounded as a 3 it makes sense that three they their relationship would be unstable. They don't work as a two, but they are soul mates and something would always pull the two of them together.

I'm also curious, since Nightmare isn't 100% sure that the lack of colour is due to them being soul mated to another person. I wonder if he ever felt like the universe got it wrong? And that he'd been mated to the wrong person? Or perhaps he felt it meant that him and Killer don't have soul mates and that's why they have some connections.

It sad boy.

Also if Killer knows he's poly by nature, is that something that causes disagreements with the 2 of them?

And now for mine and @jann-the-bean version.

This story has been something that we mostly developed in tumbler DMs but both me and Jan wrote a story about it. Jan wrote

KillerNight(s)

And I'm writing

Round and round till we all fall down

Nightmare and Killer's relationship started off baddddd, it basically started as a mutual dislike for one another. This is due to their conflicting personalities and morals.

Nightmare was originally quite excited to meet Killer, as he'd heard a lot about the actor. But almost straight away he found Killer to be rude, childish and irritating. Killer found Nightmare to be stuck up, snobbish and entitled.

The two first met at an awards ceremony and got into a yelling match after a few drinks and were separated. From there their dislike for one another was made quite well known to the public because of a social media battle back and forth.

This only went on for a few months however, as the characters of 'Killer' and 'Nightmare' were cast to play together.

Nightmare and Killer agreed to be civil in order to function while working and get the filming completed as soon as possible.

As they worked together, their dislike turned into a playful banter and respect for one another. And then something else shifted.

Now Killer has a reputation for being a player and one who likes to sleep around, as you said, he's open about his interest in people when he has it and enjoys casually flirting with just about anyone.

Which came to include Nightmare.

Nightmare paid no mind to it really, though he couldn't understand why it embarrassed him so much.

Killer comes to find Nightmare to be very attractive and enjoys his reactions when teased, he rights him off though because he was under the impression that Nightmare was straight, and he'd never try to change that.

It was a day when they were talking about Killer's eyes and how it's caused him to struggle, that Nightmare tells him that he thinks his eyes are very pretty and that they are an attractive quality, and something in Killer breaks and he kisses him.

So Killer feels like he messed up and the two avoid each other. But it causes Nightmare to start questioning things about himself.

Nightmare at this point had only every dated women. He assumed that he was straight. But after that kiss a lot of buried feelings are dragged to the surface and exposed, and he realises that he's also attracted to men.

So Jan goes into full details about this, in the fic Killernights, but basically Nightmare confronts Killer about the kiss and Killer tells him he 'has a thing for him'

The two go back to Killer's flat to talk, but their normal banter, leads to flirting and then another kiss. And Nightmare who is curious and suddenly craving new sensations becomes lost to him. Killer who finds Nightmare physically very attractive, also gets wrapped up and the two of them sleep together.

Nowwww this is getting long so I'll try to shorten it down a bit.

Basically, it's an amazing night. It's passionate, enjoyable and a lot of fun for both of them. Upon finding out Night has never been with a man, Killer guides him carefully though the process.

After that night the two can't stop thinking about each other, even though they both planned for it to be a one time thing. Again, they avoided each other until talking after a while.

And killer admits his desires for the other, and offers Nightmare a safe environment to experiment with his sexuality, where he won't be judged.

To cut a long story short, this spirals into a passionate and carnal, on and off booty call/fling with each other that spans for years.

Other that time they grow very close with each other, and come to recognise the similarities that they share, and have soft moments of just enjoying being together with one another.

For Killer, Nightmare is the first person to ever tell him he had beautiful eyes and mean it. The first person who wasn't at all put off by them.

To Nightmare, it feels like Killer is the one person that will never pick Dream over him. And he makes him feel wanted and desirable in a way few have before.

However, their are still parts of their relationship that conflict. Of course a healthy relationship will always have some conflicts. But for Killer and Nightmare the conflicts clash and fight with each other.

That along with both of their past traumas, (I wrote about Killer's back story here) means they find it difficult to talk about genuine feelings and what's bothering them. Causing things to bottle up and blow up over time.

They also find it impossible to admit that they actually love each other deeply.

They tried to be in a full on committed relationship once, (which I'm writing about in Round and Round) but it didn't work out for these issues. As well as the fact that Killer is poly by nature, and therefore gets anxious and uncomfortable in a relationship with one person only. Which he won't talk to Night about for the reasons stated above.

Enter Ccino.

Now Ccino is the missing piece for Nightmare and Killer.

He's soft and gentle spoken, which easily helps them calm down when things get heated between them. He also provides a safe and loving space to open up about what things are bothering them.

Nightmare and Killer's also, as you said, spend more energy caring for and sometimes worrying about Ccino, so they have less energy for the constant fighting.

Ccino was the missing piece. He's the person who will cuddle and read books with nightmare, but also the one who's super into affection, which Killer loveesss.

A relationship would never work between just killer and Ccino, since Ccino wouldn't be able to keep up with Killer's libido and killer doesn't know much about Ccino's mental health. And Ccino wouldn't work in a relationship with just Nightmare because Night's colder and more straight forward personality would leave him affection staved after a while.

They just work together! They are basically soul mates in this universe as well!

P. S Nightmare in this universe was also very veryyyyy jealous when Killer showed interest in Ccino. Which is something he took out on Ccino till Killer stopped it. After falling in love with Marshmallow he regrets this a lot.

I'M SO EXCITED FOR MORE. COLOURS OF LOVEEEEE

[insert-joke24]

hahaha I have more to say

So the best part of this movie for me was the energy. I don't know what the 70s comedy scene was actually like but according to this movie it was sexy, dangerous, high-brow. Lorne Michaels within the story represents almost like a mythic figure in the sense that he is The Creator. Yes, he's the Underdog too but he's also God here, the divine hand that we, the audience, knows will go on to shape the lives and careers of several decades-worth of comedy stars. This is the show that would give us Chris Farley, Bill Hader, Andy Samburg, Adam Sander Kristen Wiig, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey and, unfortunately, Jimmy Fallon. This first iteration is not devoid of its own stars - Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Jane Curtain, Jim Henson, Gilda Radner, Andy Kaufman, and, most unfortunately, Chevy Chase. Lorne Michaels is the figure moving the pieces (with some resistance from NBC higher-ups who only deepen the mythology in the sense that they position Michaels and his ragtag, discombobulated cast and crew as Revolutionaries on the forefront of the Next Big Thing, an irony not lost on me given Michaels' real-life trepidation towards handing the reigns of the monolith show to literally anyone). Even if he's not quite there yet, he is still deeply deified by the movie. Any flaws he might possess are downplayed and overlayed thickly with scenes of Michaels running frantically, putting out fires, his resolve never really wavering and his passion remaining equally steadfast.

Which is...fine. it's good. it gives Saturday Night an almost Birdman-esque vibe minus the one-shot composition. It's fun and engaging, I mean what else can you ask for? It's funny in all the right places (Nicholas Braun's dual role of Jim Henson and Andy Kaufman were standouts, with Henson carrying an odd amount of emotional weight in one scene while Kaufman illicits the most genuine laugh that came out of me the entire time) and really sold me on some questionable casting choices (Cory Michael Smith and Dylan O'Brien as Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd ended up being some of my unexpected favorites), but its sometimes hard to buy.

The thing I keep coming back to here is that Jason Reitman has recreated what I'm sure was a tumultuous production leading up to the first showcase of Saturday Night Live in 1975. He's added some drama, I'm sure, some stress to keep up with the manic energy of the dynamic of camera to character. The movie literally jerks you around, it's honestly great because after seeing the last 2 Ghostbusters movies I didn't think he had that in him. But ultimately I walked away feeling full but not fulfilled. There was a lot to latch onto but the story itself, primarily the excellent supporting cast, ended up falling a little flat. It's like it's trying to distract you with all the pretty lights and chaos and oh, look, George Carlin is here! Oh look, it's Andy Kaufman's bit! JK Simmons is here!

There's a lot of ideas here and, much like his main character, I'm not sure Reitman knows what it's supposed to be. Much like it's titular program, Saturday Night is full of bits and jokes and music and turmoil and drug use and it's all VERY exciting. Sometimes the branches feel like distractions. Don't peek behind the curtain or you'll see the Wizard was just Lorne Michaels failing upwards all along.

About to see Saturday Night wish me luck