#but it might take a while lmao

[lu-is-not-ok]

what are your thoughts on the AEDD egos? I can see how the theme of experimentation and exploitation relate to Gregor but i don't really see what Heathcliff has to do with it

Alright, cracks knuckles. Time to figure out what I can come up with here.

Under the cut we go.

Let's start with the Shock Centipede itself. Cruelty and exploitation is absolutely one of its main themes, but I think there is something more we can look into here.

The Centipede's Mirro Dungeon event involves a choice between shocking it or forcing it into water, two different methods of inflicting pain on it for the sake of a nebulous "better result". I'm going to focus on this aspect of this theme of exploitation specifically - putting someone or something in pain for the sake of progress or improvement.

Another potential theme I want to note here is perserverence. As a boss fight, Shock Centipede does not die upon reaching 0 HP, but rather stays on 1 HP for several turns as a "final struggle", as it's put in its Observation Logs.

Likewise, in its Mirror Dungeon event, while it is noted to stop moving upon being shocked, it notably does not drown when its tank is filled with water. It's clearly in pain, writhing and "dancing", but it doesn't succumb.

Let's apply both of those themes - pain for the sake of progress and perserverence - to Gregor and Heathcliff.

The connections here are immediately obvious for Gregor. Hermann put him through horrible trauma and likely invasive procedures for the sake of making him into what she considered a good soldier. I think the fact that Gregor ended up not suffering from as many side effects as the other Old G Corp soldiers adds to this theme. Gregor was treated as an improvement on the formula, in exchange of him having to go through a war and serve a role in it that he didn't ask for.

However, just like the Centipede, Gregor persevered through it. He survived the war, and he continued to try and live a somewhat normal life. Even as he trauma got in the way, he kept on living. Survival is a Sin, he'd tell Yuri, but who cares? Even if it is a Sin, you should keep on living anyway.

While we don't have enough information on Heathcliff to be able to make as clear of a connection as we did with Gregor... I think we can reverse-engineer here a little bit and speculate on what AEDD means for Heathcliff's potential backstory.

For one, we know two things for sure about Heathcliff's background - he's from the Backstreets, and he was part of a Syndicate at one point in his life.

I think in this case the theme of Pain for the sake of improvement still applies, but in a noticeably different way to Gregor's. Say, have you ever heard of the saying "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger?", the idea that the pain you're going through will leave you a better person for it?

In my opinion, that's exactly what Heathcliff's AEDD signifies. The idea that the pain and cruelty he might have gone through in the past is what made him stronger. What is impossible for me to tell at this stage is who would hold that opinion. Is it the opinion of someone Heathcliff knew and who had put him through a significant amount of pain, or is it his own opinion that he developed as a way to cope with his trauma? There simply isn't enough information to know for sure just yet.

Applying the theme of perserverence is a lot simpler here. It's clear that Heathcliff's life was rough, likely full of abuse and heartbreak. And yet, even having gone through all of that, he keeps going. He keeps living on with his chin held high and doesn't let anyone get in his way.

I'd also like to look at their dialogue lines real quick, as I think there's something interesting to be read from them.

When it comes to their Awakening lines, I think they're meant to signify the kind of torment they've been put through in their lives.

Gregor was forced through horrible trauma because Hermann wanted him to endure it, to become a better soldier for it. It was calculated, "just enough to kill", or in this case, just enough to leave lasting damage, but no more or less.

For Heathcliff, it was pain that aimed straight for his heart. While it's in Heathcliff's character to be excited about violence, I think in this case the tone of his line could signify that the person who hurt him saw him as just something to play with. Either that, or that's how Heathcliff views them in retrospect.

Likewise, I think their Corroded lines have both of them almost fully take the role of their own abusers, something that is already hinted at by the E.G.O taking on the form of a labcoat-like suit, the uniform of the people that likely tortured the Centipede itself.

When Corroded, Gregor takes on the role of someone like Hermann, a mad scientist who hurts other people because they are the test subjects. They aren't "people" to her. An idea that gets further carried over by the ID on the AEDD's outfit being crossed out in its Corroded version.

If it wasn't already obvious that Heathcliff considers Cathy as his abuser from his Awakening line, I think his Corroded line cements this. While I haven't read Wuthering Heights, I do know one thing about it - and it's that Cathy and Heathcliff were both toxic to each other. I think that's what Heathcliff's Corroded line ties back to, how Cathy was horrible to Heathcliff partially because he was also horrible to her.

Alright, that was a lot. Thankfully, I think the Sin analysis here is actually quite straightforward!

AEDD is a Gloom damage E.G.O. Gloom as a Sin represents actions done under the pressure of negative emotions. It implies severe emotional stress which. Yeah. Yeah I would fucking think an E.G.O representing the effects of the abuse its users perservered through would be Gloom.

There's also another angle to look at here, and that is the fact that AEDD has its users act in the shoes of their abusers, as implied by the dialogue lines. Whether it's biting back at their own abusers with the exact same tactics they were hurt with, or whether this ties into an idea of a cycle of abuse, I'm not entirely sure. The one thing I am sure of is that it would still count as something motivated by emotional stress, thus Gloom.

When it comes to Sin requirements, they're the same for both Gregor and Heathcliff, that being Gloom and Envy.

Gloom, of course, makes sense, as it's the severe emotional stress that distates one's actions when forced into a situation that AEDD represents.

Envy, on the other hand, represents actions done as a reaction to other people's actions. Which. Yeah. Yeah that is exactly what's happening here. It's Gregor and Heathcliff reacting to and lashing out at the abuse they suffered at the hands of other people.

I never know how to properly end these E.G.O analysis posts but uh. Yeah. There you go. That's what I got on the funny electric bug that symbolizes abuse E.G.O.

[bunnieswithknives]

Gore, Violence and Blood under the cut

What a mess

[crescentdream3r]

here’s an experimental art of the dorito guy, because art block’s been kicking my ass lately and I wanted to fight back

[lee-minhoe]

hanjitonin for @strayklds 💖 happy birthday!!!

[st-rick]

So erm...

About the last WIS.

I might've accidentally lied. ;-;

I mean, might as well include both of the original twos for creation comparison 🥲

Another thing that I've noticed... While Newtwo is generally more emotional than Scarfy in normal times, Scarfy had the highest intensity of emotion during bad times. Scarfy, your drama talent is top notch 😭

Yall probably knew who they belong to, but I'm just gonna add in just in case :] (Idk, prehaps there will be someone who'll ask me who those two big weirdly shaped cats belonged to)

Scarfy and Newtwo belongs to Xxtc-96xX :>

[telesodalite]

Never getting over Fulcrum being a project manager...

Idk why, but something about that is so funny to me. Not just because the title of "project manager" is inherently kinda funny for a Decepticon, but also because-

1. It's vague sounding and hard to explain irl because it technically exists in multiple fields, like healthcare or manufacturing, which surely translates into canon in some way.

2. In canon, it's simultaneously a really mundane, innocuous sounding job, yet it's also a super morally awful position to reside over depending on the context. (*cough* forced colonization and cyberforming *cough*)

And 3. It solidifies the fact that behind all the surface level militaristic work we get with both the Decepticons and Autobots, there's also Cons and Bots with "normal" jobs in both factions.

Like, sure yeah we get scientists and doctors, engineers and programmers, but usually in big important or warfront positions. (For plot reasons, understandably.) But it's also really funny and interesting to think of those that worked background positions, or minor jobs.

Like an Autobot working in their equivalent of an HR department, or a Decepticon who runs one of their outpost's or starship's kitchens.

Just all the pre-war jobs that didn't just disappear with the war, but instead evolved to exist within the factions.

It's particularly funny with the Decepticons though, because it could be a super mundane job or situation, but because it's them, it has to have an air of ~e v i l~ to it, either legitimately and/or merely for the vibes, like Tarn's "performance reviews".

[maerhiya]

in regards to the constant dismissal of his aroace identity, i hate it when alastor 'fans' say and use the excuse: "he's fictional, he won't get offended."

like, you're right, but it can and will offend us.

when you see yourself being represented on screen, of course you'd feel enthusiastic about it — representation allows individuals to see themselves reflected in the media they consume, validating their identities and experiences. but when so many people take that representation and decide to disregard and discard it, it is so fucking frustrating. we finally have another character to be part of the tiny amount of representation we have, but then people don't even care about how much it means to us? like yeah, alastor won't get offended because he's not real, but it frustrates and annoys us. do you realize that it's also technically invalidating the aroace community? that you're invalidating our feelings? imagine feeling like you're finally being seen because your orientation is finally being represented in media, and people just decide to blatantly ignore, discard, and invalidate it.

media has such a powerful influence on real life, representation being a prevalent factor of it. there are numerous posts that dictate how people went to watch a movie/show or read a book just because a character depicts their identity in it — obviously, being represented is an incredibly uplifting and validating experience.

which is why seeing an aroace character in a popular show is so meaningful to us because we live in a world where romance and sex are literally everywhere and prioritized above all else. (and it's pretty obvious that alastor's on the repulsed end of the spectrum, but even if he wasn't, at least make an effort to acknowledge his sexuality instead of continuing to portray him as allo; aroace folks can be in relationships but it's not going to be the same thing with allos' experiences.)

any and every representation matters, but why does that seem to stop at people under the aroace spectrum? like y'all can't even let us appreciate the scraps of representation we have. we barely have any, so are we really that dramatic for being upset at how people easily disregard and dismiss our identities that are being depicted on screen just like that? is it truly wrong of us to want to defend and maintain the little representation we have?

[take-care-of-it]

I think taking Jimmy at face value with his “attracted to cartoon horses” thing is a mistake. I think in hindsight, the subtext is pretty clear that he said that to make Anya uncomfortable. Taking him at face value is the mistake that curly makes (albeit curly thinks he’s joking).

I also don’t think depicting a Jimmy with morally taboo paraphilias is necessarily missing the point, but I do think there’s this impulse to make him ~sexually deviant~ in a way that serves to distance him from “normal society.” As if he isn’t supposed to be emblematic of it.

Like, I think if you’re genuinely trying to explore that, you have to grapple with the idea that Jimmy himself thinks he’s normal. He isn’t “deviant and loving it” or whatever. He isn’t a sadist knowing and loving the harm he’s doing.* He’s genuinely convinced himself he’s a normal guy. He does not want to grapple with the harm he’s done. Jimmy’s way of getting around guilt is refusing to admit he’s done anything he needs to feel guilty about.

Jimmy wouldn’t be secretly guilty and self-flagellating about it. (Actively. He DOES feel guilt, but subconsciously.) He also wouldn’t be openly “admitting” this to Anya if he were being serious. It’s a joke, Curly’s right to take it as such. But it’s subtextually a joke at Anya’s expense. Something to make her uncomfortable.

Thinking that Jimmy associating Polle with both Anya and the unborn baby is something that came first, as a serious thing before the joke, is a mistake imo. I think it’s something that comes back to bite him when the subconscious guilt starts getting a little less subconscious. A joke association twisted into a more serious one by Jimmy’s unrelenting refusal to see Anya as a person.

* The exception here is people Jimmy thinks “deserve” the harm being done to them. “Morally justifiable harm,” if you will. I think Jimmy does take some satisfaction from hurting a post-crash curly, for example, but he justifies that to himself with the idea that Curly “looked down on him in the same way” pre-crash. He always has to view the harm he does acknowledge doing as punching up harm. He always has to be the righteous one.

[usagifuyusummer]

Best friends or something...

Feeling so much like a dead corpse lately. It's probably the stress of the semester... and being mistreated/ underappreciated a lot. Still, I'll manage.

Happy Valentine's Day to those who celebrate it, by the way! It's a coincidence that I drew something mildly mushy on the occasion, lol. It wasn't really my intention. Just gotta let these thoughts (Toxic YAOI LMAO) about them out, and then I can get back to business. If you're confused, that's just how I draw younger Jimmy and Curly. What an odd pair of friends(?)...

[togament]

you feel togame’s larger hand rest on top of yours while you’re both sitting next to each other. you look over to him and it’s like he’s not affected by it at all, scrolling through his phone without sparing you a glance. your heart breaks a little but you swear you feel his grip tighten slightly when you attempt to move away (you think he did it on accident and hasn’t noticed)

…unbeknownst to you, his heart’s already beating a mile a minute and he prays you don’t feel the sweat forming on his palm.

[sodepopcorn]

Ok so there’s this fucking parallel/inversion (idk how to call it) that makes me want to hurl :

When Morty confronts Rick about how he carelessly treats others and tries to protect his mother from another heartbreak.

But Beth immediately (IMMEDIATELY) forgives Rick the second he’s back because she couldn’t bear the thought of being abandoned by him (again). 

AND THEN

THIS FUCKING SCENE where Beth confronts Rick about how he carelessly treats others and tries to protect her son from another heartbreak. But Morty immediately (IMMEDIATELY) forgives Rick the second he’s back because he couldn’t bear the thought of being abandoned by him (again).

Anyway every time I think abt them I start shaking violently.

[meamiki]

a star being appeared in your apartment, wdyd?

(aka loop getting reverse isekaied into the modern office au)

also there are some scattered mumblings on loop in this AU under the cut actually in an rb now link right here if anyone's interested (spoilers for all of ISAT, including 2hats!)

[jdorian]

some of you might be unhappy to hear this but an interview mentioning that Eddie would want to hang out with his bestie of 7 years and the guy he hung out with at least 3 times a week and who he introduced to his son within weeks of knowing him, when said son no longer lives with (or speaks to) him, especially during a time he isn't dating 2 women simultaneously, being alone bar his coworkers and friends who are clearly very busy with other things...

all of that has nothing to do with one ship or another and maybe for once we could just acknowledge that he is his own character, more than ever before probably and just not act like there is something weird about that or as if it Must Have romantic intentions one way or another

the man is lonely you all, ofc he's gonna lean on the people he's still got left, it's the least surprising thing ever

[rebouks]

Previous // Next

[Brodie flicked through the mail, instantly recognising the scrawling handwriting of a certain redheaded little boy. Scaring a few birds in the process, he bellowed up the stairs: ALEEEEX!] Alex: [breathless] Is it for me?! Brodie: Nah, but I could do with some help carrying this super heavy envelope upstairs. Alex: Who do you think you are, Johnny Zest? Brodie: I’m better than that guy, c’mon…

… Hi Alex! Sorry it’s taken me so long to reply to you, I promise I didn’t forget! I guess I just didn’t really know what to say cos I’ve sorta not felt like myself recently. My mom says I disappear into my own world sometimes so I sorta did that again and found it hard to think of anything fun to say. I don’t think I’d mind if you wrote to me about the less fun parts of your life though n’ my dad says you shouldn’t really keep everything to yourself all the time cos it ends up hurting so I thought I’d write anyway n’ just force myself not to worry about being boring or whatever. Your letters and your life always sound so exciting compared to mine though so sometimes it’s hard not to!!

I got in a fight at school which sounds like it should be an exciting story, but it wasn’t really. There’s this kid called Levi in my class that always picks on me (don’t worry though, I don’t care about that) and I couldn’t be bothered listening to him anymore so I hit him a couple times, I thought he’d hit me back but he just freaked out so I sorta felt bad about it afterward. He still makes fun of me but he doesn’t get up in my face as much so that’s a plus. Who says violence doesn’t solve anything? Hahaha I’m kidding! It wasn’t nice of me but maybe he should know better than to push people around so much.

I’m looking forward to summer so I can wander off a bit more and maybe it won’t rain so much! My mom doesn’t really like it when I go too far but as long as I’m back before curfew she tries not to freak out about it which is nice of her cos she knows I like to explore n’ stuff. I shouldn’t complain about my family cos I love them n’ stuff but I like being on my own sometimes and it’d be nice to have a bit of peace now n’ then. I’ve got SUPER good hearing so it’s hard to find anywhere quiet in my house, especially cos there’s always something crazy going on. My aunt Alma is sorta similar to me so she’s been helping me block out the noise with this meditation sorta thing, I guess it’s hard to explain but it’s not as lame as it sounds, it’s kinda fun to see how long you can stay in your own brain without people interrupting you. That probably sounds really weird but maybe you sorta get what I mean?

I finally have a treehouse now too!! It reminds me of your watchtower in some ways, but I guess it’s no way cooler than that, even though I know you’re bored of it by now. I wish we could hang out in it together cos it’s super awesome! Mom n’ dad don’t really bother me when I’m up there n’ my brother n’ sisters can’t manage the ladder yet so it’s all mine! It’s right at the bottom of the garden and looks out over the whole Bay too! Mom said she might let me sleep in it once it gets a bit warmer! It’d be cool falling asleep to the sound of the waves.. I hope it doesn’t end up making me need to pee all night though haha!!

Wren’s been obsessed with watching me play on the computer recently and I keep tryna teach her how to play herself but her little fingers can’t really reach all the buttons on the keyboard too well and she gets stupid mad when she dies so she just makes me play instead. She’d kick me if I told anyone but she’s a bit scared of some of the monsters too lol!! Mom told me I shouldn’t let her watch those ones but they’re the only ones she WANTS to watch and she jumps all over me until I give in so idk what they expect me to do other than lock her in the pantry, but I got told off for that so I guess I shouldn’t do that again haha (Wren thought it was funny though so it’s all good!) It’s a shame you don’t have a computer in the tower otherwise we could play together! Jude n’ Jacob aren’t really into that sorta thing so I usually just play on my own. Do you have a computer back home??

Oh! I got another badge for my swimming lessons too! I’ve almost got em all now which is neat but I sorta wanna avoid getting the last ones cos anyone that gets them all or has good attendance n’ whatever get an award at the end of the school year. They save em all up to give out at some stupid last year disco thing they put on before summer for the last year kids n’ it’d be so cringe to get called out in front of everyone like that. Some people think it’s gonna be amazing like my friend Jude, but I’d rather not go at all. Mom n’ dad keep saying it’ll be fun n’ everyone else is excited about it too but how fun could something be if you’re technically at SCHOOL? Bleh! I know you said you hate it sometimes, but being homeschooled sounds awesome to me lol.

I keep tryna bug my parents to go camping again so we could maybe see each other but they won’t take me out of school for a holiday n’ dad’s too busy with some work project so I guess we’ll have to keep writing to each other instead! Maybe if I keep annoying them about it we can come back in the summer! I hope so anyway but I guess I don’t wanna piss em off TOO much just in case my plan backfires or something.

I still feel really bad about not writing sooner but my dad said better late than never so hopefully you’re not too upset with me! I’ll try my best to write faster next time so you don’t have to wait as long. I’m looking forward to hearing about everything you’ve been up to!! Love Robin c: ps. my dad’s friend finally helped me fix that old polaroid so I’ve sent you some random pictures I took to test it out! I’m still getting used to it but the next ones will be better, I swear!

… the treehouse! it even has cool lights on it!! the back of our house! it’s so big it’s hard to fit in a picture.. it sorta looks fancy but it’s not really n’ dad said it was cheap cos it was a shithole a rare Byrd! (grumpy too – dad tried to take his dummy off him lol) he’s not supposed to be on my bed… the Bay! Jude says I sound girly for saying it’s so pretty here but I don’t care I could take a million pictures of this place n’ never get bored (I’ll stop now though cos mom says these polaroid things aren’t cheap for this model.. oops lol!!)

[shepscapades]

shep I was talking to my brother about dbhc xisuma as one does and mentioned that ask about not being able to puzzle xisuma's face together mentally and my brother joked that the reason you put the spoiler bars and such on his face is cause you cant draw his whole face yet 😂

anyway I might have talked his ear off about dbhc idk tho lmao

LMAOO NOOOO!!! MY SECRET FINALLY IS OUT!!! /silly

[rinboking]

I'm doing something (totally for science /j) and I need some opinions... What kind of profile pictures do you think the interns would use? I made this one as a joke for Gisu, and I think Raz would probably use a picture of Sasha from one of the True Psychic Tales comics. (Or maybe a photo of his first appearance in the comics? Maybe)