#but only because i think about the Tropys a lot

[nefariouslystupid]

i’ve kinda been dippin my toes in Tank and BOTH of the Tropys

[kinghijinx22]

So I finished Crash Bandicoot 4 It's About Time

Beautiful and super fun game, loved it so much that it's my new favourite of the series. Don't really have many more thoughts than I did last time, loved getting to play as best bandicoot Coco for all of the regular levels and the other characters like Tawna and Dingodile with their different playstyles were fun to play as well. Actually got to play as Cortex now and he's cool too although probably my least favourite of the bunch.

I appreciate this game bringing back a lot of the classic characters and I think it really does a lot for them, like I think one of my favourite things was Coco really seeming to admire alternate Tawna and the 2 of the them forming a cute bond. I thought the new masks where all cool as well, both as new mechanics to expand on the gameplay with the powers they give you but also as characters and Time Mask was my favourite because she's a cute grandma. They even bought back the cute baby polar bear that you get to ride again in that one snow level which was cool.

N Tropy playing such a big role and being the main villain was interesting, as was the lady N Tropy showing up and teaming up with him although the weird... selfect thing between themmight be the only thing I didn't like in the game? Yeah that was weird lol. I suppose the idea is that they are so egotistical that they could only like another version of themselves. The boss fight with them was cool though, in fact all the boss fights where good and feel like a good test of your skills with my favourite being N Gin.

The twist of Cortex turning on the the Bandicoots was unsurprising because that jerk will never change and has been the final boss of every other Crash game. But I did like the idea of needing to chase him back in time and going back to his old castle from the first game as the final location. And this final shot of the Bandicoot family all playing games together in the end was super cute.

One level that I specifically want to give attention to is the alien planet from the future sci fi levels leading up to N Tropy. While this game is doing a lot of things to evolve the classic Crash formula, this level in particular really stood out in trying new things beyond the masks from both a gameplay and a presentation perspective. The whole level design and perspective felt really expanded on this one, especially in that part where you ride the alien and have to jump on the floating platforms and there is so far that you can travel to the left and right.

So yeah really fun game but also REALLY hard, easily the hardest Crash game in terms of platforming but they at least give you an infinite lives option so you will only ever go back to the last checkpoint and never have to restart the whole level which would have driven me mad.

[no-shxme]

Hi I saw you have TalEz on your won'ts for your commissions. Just curious can you explain why?

hi anon yEAH i can explain but like, to preface this, if you happen to like talez you're totally valid and dont feel like you have to dislike it or anything bc im gonna be a lil hater. people like what they like (and dislike what they dislike) and thats totally okay. this is just my own personal opinion. i wish i liked talez more bc its probably the most popular talon ship and im often starving, but i just dont and there's a couple reasons why.

i dont like the way its usually portrayed

im not the biggest ezreal fan.

imo there's better fits for both of them.

ugh this is going to be long so ill put it under the cut.

tbf, you dont NEED some complex reason to dislike a ship/character. like reason 2 is already enough for me to open and shut smth, but i do have complex thoughts about talez. and i am totally going to do a little hating below.

i think talez is so fucking anime that it lacks so much complexity. i dont really like anime. (i know thats a broad, loaded statement i just hate 99% of the tropes that pop up. not saying ive never enjoyed a shitty/tropy anime, but just--no) i think talez is broadly boiled down and portrayed by most fan-creators as 'edgy dark cloud + ball of sunshine' and i think thats so boring and lame for both of them. imo it reduces them to a really basic ship trope and there's nothing inherently WRONG with it, i just think its so boring. i look at popular fanworks and personally find it super reductive for both of them. it feels like talez happened bc at it's inception league needed an anime character ship. to be fair, you can reduce ANY ship to smth basic. talsett is just 'tall x short' but in comparison i think talsett has so much more complexity in theming. same with like, rhaayn for example. to me there's a lot more depth. i think the most depth you can get out of talez is related to ez's loss of family and talon's too + themes of belonging, but god. its not good enough.

talez is also usually portrayed romantically and i'm turbo aromantic and mostly romance repulsed and also hc talon as the same, so this already cuts out so much talez fanwork for me. :')

ALSO while we're at it, talon is such a bottom to me. even when he tops. and i hate him being portrayed as this like, idk, grim edgy SUPER TALL??? domineering top when he's like, as tall as katarina in the comic and was prolly malnourished bc he lived on the streets for years. tbh i would automatically like talez more if they were BOTH shortasses and switches as god intended. but noooo. i think if i literally just saw/read more ez topping talon then i'd be automatically more on board. but id also need an aromantic angle so its literally never happening.

i think when ezreal gets paired with talon both of their personalities get so fucked. his ass is not cuddling. ezreal is not some weak damsel or master of seduction either. i think a problem that not just talez creators but like, creators in general suffer from is erasing bad traits that characters have, unless they're 'cute.' talon has some cute bad traits, but he also has some seriously bad traits that loving or being loved wont fix. and ezreal is just reduced SO bad. so talez feels inherently ooc to me. fandom has done a number on him. there's nothin left in the pot. i think being with talon (in canon) is such an uphill battle and most of the time i dont see ezreal equipped to handle it in comparison to other people.

i dont really like ezreal. i think i've already made that clear before. he's fun to play and i like him on a surface level and ive got friends that really like him and thats totally fine but idk he's just not my blorbo. the only time i really like him is when he's with aphelios, where somehow my dislike of both characters cancel out. maybe i dont have room for him because i like talon too much, who knows. either way, often times when talez fanworks are created the focus is actually just on ezreal, and that annoys me as an ezreal disliker. (fanwork creators can create whatever the fuck they want ofc, godspeed do what makes you happy)

and my third point: there's better fits for both of them. i like ezphel and ezkayn more than talez. i think in canon there's a good chance talon might genuinely kill him. or ezreal might really overwhelm him and drive him away with his outward facing personality. and frankly there's a good chance ezreal also goes away bc talon is bad news and also doesn't have the charisma to keep him there. and ofc for talon i think talsett is the ultimate fit, or even talshan is right there.

THAT BEING SAID. i don't mind talez AS much if there's a third, though we still run into some of the same issues as above. like ive written talezsett before. thats nice! talezlux is okay too even if,, completely unfeasible... (i have strong opinions im sorry. as a crack ship its fun i think)

blah blah. i think i could like talez but i would have to write it myself. thats what it boils down to. there are ideas/concepts i like about them. ive juggled the idea of putting a talez fic on my to do list but i just dont think i'll write it in any way that actual talez fans would like, which means there's no point in writing it at all. i've plotted several, long and short, but i think everyone would hate it. talez isn't a strict 'won't write.' iirc it specifically says like: 'unless the idea goes hard' but no ones tried me pfppf, and im fine with it i guess.

there's more i can say but like, i dont want this to be too long.

the important thing to remember is that if you like talez... GOOD. im happy for you!! keep loving it, godspeed. these are just my personal reasons it doesnt click with me.

[unnursvanablog]

When the Phone Rings / kdrama review

This is a mostly spoiler free review of the kdrama When the Phone Rings.

It's not what you say it's how you say it is something that can be said when you slowly tire of tropes and stories and too often with poor results. And yet, occasionally you come across a story that manages to use these tried-but-true tropes and old soap opera clichés so well that they remind you why these narrative elements have become so widely used and turned into clichés in the first place.

There were a lot of things in When the Phone Rings that usually make me roll my eyes whenever they appear on the screen in romance dramas, like rich evil parents and their twisted family dramas and birth secrets and the like. But somehow the soapy goodness of When the Phone Rings managed to make it all work. A kdrama story about an emotionally stunted rich man and the woman who makes him open up just by loving him, with a dash of family drama nonsense and tropy plot that seems over the top but works so well within the universe that the drama has created.

The story felt airtight and structured where there was always plenty going on and a good enough flow to the story to keep you constantly entertained. There was always a plot twist, something that kept you on your toes, and the chemistry between the paths was so electrifying that you couldn't look away. You never really knew what to expect.

The emotional weight of the story works well with the suspense. I enjoyed that Hong Hee Joo seemed helpless to the other characters in the drama, and yet the narrative showed her that she wasn't, she was just trapped. It created such a beautiful contrast and interesting character dynamic, and Chae so Bin was great in this role. To me, this jerk who is the main male character is often in the beginning a double-edged sword. It can be an interesting character, dynamic and fun like the 'I hate you, but I also adore you' relationship that you have with that character while they're opening. It's become a tired cliché to a certain extent, as many of these characters because the narrative needs them to be, but it doesn’t feel organic, but here I thought it worked really well for the character.

These two characters' longing for love was palpable, captivating, and addictive. The two main leads have quite a rich inner turmoil that becomes quite intense and addictive to explore as the story unravels and at quite a simmering speed. They are very interesting characters that you can't help but root for in one way or another in their source of happiness and inner peace.

One of the few minus points I can really give this drama is the second way, which feels way too much filling and doesn't help much in moving the story forward. If anything, these characters and their story seem to hinder the tension and the pacing of the story. And those secondary characters were just there, if anything. The plot didn't need them.

Although those characters involvement in the mystery was perhaps because When the Phone Rings is only 12 episodes, and the story here so wants to dwell on the emotions and spark between our main characters and focus on telling that story as kdramas tend to have a slower and more emotional structure in their stories that the current twelve-episode formula doesn't always allow for. And if so, I think it was the right call because Paik Sa Eon and Hong Hee Joo are the emotional core and focal point of the story and everything else revolves around them.

This drama is such a soap opera but that's what made it so fun. It takes a bit of a skill to weave together such a story that uses tired and old tropes in a fun way and really leans into the soapy aspects of the old school kdramas while also finding a way to satisfy everyone no matter how long or not they have watched kdramas. Every episode had an intent, or a purpose and it felt like not much time was wasted as the story briskly takes us from one heartfelt moment to another cliffhanger and onwards. And with the exploding chemistry of the leads and the highly dramatic story it was very entertaining and an addictive watch.

[hologramcowboy]

Hello how are you? I don't know if you see the picture that Jensen shared for 4th July in Instagram I wonder your opinion

I don't follow Jensen on Insta but I did see the pictures via my friends.

Jensen looks awful tired and disconnected for someone who was on vacation and Elta looks smug and she is whoring him out as her prize, as always. That woman truly is incapable of love. At least, he has children that can love him unconditionally not as a prize, tropy, sex symbol, status symbol and all that nonsense.

Professionally, I would advise against posting family pictures on an account that is meant to promote his brand and types to his buyers. The more he does that the more he is diluting his already badly branded image. He is going to end up like Elta, uncastable. If you want to be seen as the top tier actor then act like one and be professional. Buyers care about your acting skills, types, professional knowledge and you being a trusthworthy professional. Actors who make amateur like posts end up looking like the wannabes they are. Look at Danneel, her career ended the moment she fakely tried to rebrand herself from the bitch/other woman to "mom of Jensen Ackles' babies". Casting didn't buy the image at all and her roles dried up fast. Not that she ever had any actually relevant roles to begin with. She's what lead actors call and extra lol In other words, she has about as much charisma as sandpaper.

Note for Jensen: Next time you want to sell fake happiness please make an effort, as an actor, to actually look like you are happy and in love otherwise people will just see things for the attention seeking desperate actor antic they are. 🤦🏼‍♀️

The Ackles lack class, chemistry and, most importantly, credibility.

I hope Jensen gets some actual rest at some point because he looks exhausted around his own family and that's just sad on every level.

My overall impression is that Jensen needs to get a clue about his image, direction and industry or he will end up as an extremely forgettable "actor". He will end up like Elta who is now relying on the fact that she is sleeping with Jensen to further her "producer" career. 🤣🤣🤣🤦🏼‍♀️

I'm very creeped out by their dynamic, sorry, anon, that's probably not what you wanted to hear. I am unimpressed by his lack of savvy when it comes to his own industry and there is something fishy about him I can't put my finger on. He is trying waaay too hard, perhaps covering something up? One thing's for sure, casting will not be impressed. They aren't looking for regular joes with families who go fishing, they are looking for capable, trustworthy leading men who are dedicated to their craft. Jensen needs to establish himself as that and only after make a few ON BRAND family posts, if he feels he absolutely must. An actor is a product and ruling people's fantasies is important, the more he signals "daddy day care with boring wife" the less attractive he will be to his buyers and to the people who create stars.

Seriously, this goes for all of us. Define what your objectives are and make your posts relevant to you being the person that embodies those objectives. If you must have a personal account then make it super private. Even company recruiters nowadays check everything online. Be smart. Brand yourself, stay constant and professional and watch opportunities open up. The people who are looking for your talents and skills are not looking to marry your family or join your drunken escapades with friends, they are looking to learn who you are, what you are about, how good you are at what you do and how trustworthy you are so please, keep your image clean and think of yourself as a product that can bring value to people because that's true, you have a lot to offer, you just need to showcase it more. 🧡 Family pictures are lovely but there's a right way to do things and then there's the layman, amateur way that will only end up diluting an actor's brand and types. Same goes for regular accounts, you can post about your family if that's what you are all about but it needs to be on brand and authentic.

I will never state this enough but as an actor you are not a regular person so please stop acting like one on social media, you are diluting your star power and castability. I know it's a hard truth to hear but people don't tune in to television to see regular people and regular drama, they can find that at the street corner. They tune in to see expectional people overcoming exceptional odds. If you've chosen a career path that involves YOU being the core image then be faithful to that and stop diluting your brand.

[silver-wield]

hmm in the premise that SE is definitely set out to be killing a non existent ship in the trilogy (preferably in part 2 already), I just don't understand how anyone can think the story would go astray from it's array of chekhov's guns. Tbh, when I first watched AC, as a kid, in my mind I just assumed tifa was his gf and z and a were like his comrades who died. The part where he called him "mother" did help tons for me to think of it this way. It was only after 15 years? That I discovered there was even a debate? So I spoiled myself and by the principles of storytelling, FF7 seems to have the trope of quite literally any amnesia tropy kdrama plot I've ever seen that also exist in jp media. Aka, anything that happened during his amnesia phase does not count after finding out who he is, because he was most party manipulated to not remember things by the narrative and its character. Mind you, this is just me spoiling myself for a small context of a game i haven't played yet and only have superficial understanding of the characters. Also, the part in lifestream really sells it lol, he gets himself back? Because he was false before? It's so weird why this is even confusing.

So, I had a conversation with my bro about this and he's a debater, I told everything about the "LTD" and it's a long talk but he says, it's a non-debate. Since cloti is sourced explicitly in the game and sources, answering cloud's feelings as the main question.. the ltd asks "what does he feel for a?" But the thing is, it can also be asked "what does he feel for z?" Easily can be romantic IF we base thier "logic" of ca on zack + cloud. Canon wise both are stated as friends to him. But romantic? For both, it LITERALLY doesn't exist. It's not as to make it vague per say, but that the writers, story, and characters have no idea that it's even needed to be answered. Aka it is by default platonic. Not vague, it's platonic as stated by canon sources as it's the only one that exists. The LTD is a cult like idea that continued to persist in the fandom of FF7. But never in the mind of it's creator. This is their mistake. They find this as an activity of the fandom, but reality is, it undermines their work greatly. Destroying all the characters, and story they've made and for what? Cheap pity fan service? That's lazy. This isn't a charm of the game, but a mistake of its delivery. I mean as evident as how many pitied tifa in AC. Essentially it's like 1+1=2 (canon) but someone says it's 3. In short it's BS, but a lot are biting on "maybe it is 3" and ignoring all the proof for the sake of negating. Hence a non-debate because canon has already won and will always win.

Now, I saw a zerith point out how they're so happy they're even getting anything. Tbh I found this strange, a good story would utilize the successful built up if zack and they are thank god. But why do I see this as a random person? And they don't? I feel there's trauma in this fandom, and I hate that for all of you and a story that has intense potential. Which leads me to a "funny" thought. It seems for so long, cas have been going on about their way to misinform everyone, thus encouraging incels, dudebros, bandwagoners alike. This does not seem to sit well with devs, I sure hope so. I feel like the fact that they've been this toxic, is the reason why SE is extra mean to them and is even planning to finally give them an answer to the "what does c feel for a?" After all these time? A question that was never important to begin with because it's already platonic by default but copers want more. It is because of this desire, most likely "he doesn't feel romantically inclinde, even if you as a player did, he does not, never will, never did" would be the answer. SE could have let them have their merry way, but they've been pos. So they made the compilation, imperfect, but there's Zack, now Zerith is coming around and with closure, Cloti is being emphasized. They added stuff for cloti and more important, reduced what was "theirs". Had cloud's mocap actor emphasize cloti and downplay ca. We even had a trailer quite literally exposing to the whole world how disgusting the idea of ca is, and if you liked it? Lol get help , your morals are astray. There's so much much more, and for some reason if this is successful, if SE actually gives a shit for art and not cheap money? Then lmao, cas made all of this happen just because they can't stop fcking things up. The existence of a problem, that needs to be fixed. Because of that, ZA will be pushed on their faces, and they will definitely not like CT more with all the sexual built up in part 1. I'm obviously joking to " thank them", of course, the devs who lost their patience are to be thanked as they've been inspired to take responsibility for their shortcomings as well. But yeah, if everyone understood OG on the get go? And AC didn't get much shit? Nobody pitied tifa? doubt we would be even getting this much content for cloti, maybe cloud, and quite especially tifa.

It's a strange journey, but I hope I'm right about them having integrity. I sure hope so. I hope they don't leave room for pity, I hope they are ruthless with it. I don't think I ship anyone but I am a sucker for a masterpiece, and I very much want this to be one.

None of the devs have ever thought about that ship, and even when asked point blank Nojima was all "idk" and had to come up with something on the spot but even that was negative because he stated Aerith cares more about the planet than she would Cloud

Which is obvious from how she has zero respect for him

[fairy-dust-trash-can]

My honest thoughts about the Flora and Helia s5 drama, Krystal and how she was done dirty!

Ok, so I’ll start off by saying that like many people, I really disliked Krystal at first because of her oblivious she seemed to the damage she was causing to Flora and Helia’s relationship. However, I’ve come to realize she, like pretty much everyone in the later seasons, is a victim of bad writing.

With the whole “love triangle” in season 5, its bad enough that they introduce Krystal just to stir drama between Flora and Helia, and therefore making her a plot point for conflict rather than an actual character, but this whole conflict in general just badly mischaracterizes Flora and Helia as a whole. First, I think we all know Helia would never introduce Flora as just his friend to ANYONE! But season five just had to say otherwise! I’ve seen rewrites and fics that fix or explain this by introducing a sort of threat that promps him to hide his relationship with Flora in order to protect her, but in canon they give us no reason! Also, they make Flora regress back into her insecure self from the earlier seasons, which I actually think could be an interesting concept but it feels so arbitrary and it counters so much of seasons 1-4 with its reasoning that I can’t buy into it. Flora’s my favorite character so I’ll admit seeing her cry hurt my soul but I couldn’t help but facepalm at the same time. Like in all honesty, I’m happy Krystal acknowledged the damage and turmoil she had caused but at the same time, this could have been solved so much quicker if Flora and Helia talked it out. But no, we gotta make Krystal, the 16 year old, get involved in all this drama and do all the apologizing. Listen I know that season 5 onward, the writers could not to save their own lives decide if the winx and specialists were adults like intended if or they were just magically 16 again, but I DONT CARE!! By the chronological timeline, Flora and Helia are supposed like 20 by now! They’ve been dating for like 3 years! They’re considered the mature ones of their group! THEY’RE GROWN ADULTS! Make them communicate!!

But unnecessary relationship drama plot point aside, there’s a lot of things about Krystal‘s character that doesn’t make sense on a writing stance. Especially given her personality and the fact shes a princess by Nick’s canon. I understand they wanted to go for the tropy “airheaded cinnamon roll who causes problems on accident” with her but I feel it’s counterintuitive. Especially with how she tried helping Sky with his amnesia by bringing Diaspro back into the picture. But like shes a princess, therefore she should probably know of all the crimes Diaspro has committed! Like she should be well aware of political things like this! Diaspro was banished from Eraklyon after trying to brainwash Sky! Plus Sky is dating Bloom and its not like Eraklyon and Domino are small, unheard of kingdoms. I feel like it’s implied that like Solaria, both are pretty influential realms. And I’m well aware that season five onward in general throws Diaspro’s banishment and Sky and Blooms engagement out of the window, but at the very least, I feel like Krystal should know that Sky and Bloom are dating, and that Sky and Diaspro are exes. I know shes younger than most of the princesses in the show but even at her age, I feel like she should be somewhat aware of the political state of affairs between the planets. We even see her attending a political meeting, so there really is no excuse. As far as we know, she doesn’t have any siblings, meaning she is the only known heir to the throne of Linphea. Granted she’s pretty young so she probably still has a while before ascending to said throne but regardless, the kind of air headedness she’s characterized with is not something that makes a promising future monarch. Like I’m gonna say it right here, if the future queen of Linphea genuinely lacks this much situational awareness…..the Linpheans are actually screwed! MARK MY WORDS! Linphea will burn down 20 times faster than the forests of California if their princess doesn’t get some situational awareness by the time shes Queen!

Ok but seriously, they could have done so much more with her character aside from making her a roadblock for Flora and Helia’s relationship, and I will forever be salty!! Nickelodeon really messed up….

[thinkatoryprocess]

The thing about Tom and Roman is that I think they both actually match each other's freak perfectly but neither of them has any idea because they refuse to spend the amount of time together that would allow that. So like what if they get trapped in an elevator together or snowed in at a cabin or somehow become reluctant roommates?

It's interesting that we barely ever see Tom and Roman interact, actually, being that Tom trusts Roman to arrange his bachelor party, but they're so separated by the narrative (Roman with Tabitha or Gerri, Tom with Greg or Shiv) that I'm almost sure Kieran and Matthew were probably barely onscreen or maybe even on set together.

The tropiness here is kind of delightful. Trapped in an elevator is fun, especially if they're stuck there for a long period of time - not one or two hours, talking more like six, seven plus. Whether or not Tom should be with Shiv at the time is the question - that's a lot of drama, and it feels to me that even if the Tomshiv relationship isn't perfect (lol) she'd hold a hell of a grudge about him being stolen. It'd be pretty easy to just have Shiv break up with Tom after he joins Waystar but before they get engaged (yes, I'm massaging the timeline) and for Tom and Roman to wind up awkwardly in an elevator together only for the elevator to suddenly stop dead halfway down the Waystar tower. You'd still have Shiv taking issue with it once she found out for a bit of drama, but at least she couldn't blame Roman for the breakup.

This could have undertones of whether or not Tom is just using Roman the same way he used Shiv, to get through the door and to the halls of power. I suspect Roman would be full of doubts no matter how comfortable he started to become with Tom. They're probably not totally unfounded, but Tom would also be obsessed with Roman once he realized how well they understood each other and what they wanted, so he could say with some sincerity that he really does want to be with him. I feel like there are two arcs there: Roman trying to make good with Shiv again, and Tom trying to prove that this isn't only a cynical ploy to Roman.

[askfordoodles]

Whats your Cortex x N Tropy headcanons¿? And N Tropy x Fem!N Tropy?

lmao, oh boy here we go... *rubs hands together*

My sorta crack cortropy headcanon is that when Uka Uka left them unattended to reconnoiter the time-prison, they hate-fucked exactly ONCE during a particularly heated argument.

Uka Uka noted to himself when he returned to them that they were unusually quiet and refused to look each other in the eye for 3 whole days. He appreciated the peace and quiet, though, and didn't care to ask any questions.

The entire rest of their imprisonment Cortex and Tropy wordlessly decided between them to pretend it never happened. Literally, neither of them will EVER bring it up, no matter how petty they're feeling because they would both rather forget. What happened in time-prison STAYS in time-prison xD

I do believe that they both secretly admire and respect the other, but they're sadly too proud to communicate it. They're literally some of the most accomplished geniuses in their respective fields and they can't deny the evidence of that. Nor can they deny that they could never achieve what the other has, and it frustrates them to no end. Instead of elevating each other, they decide the best way to feel better about themselves is to try and diminish the importance of the other's field.

Basically when I ship cortropy it's usually tragically dysfunctional at best and toxic at worst. There's something there, but it isn't really what I'd call love.

My Tropy² headcanons are a lot more wholesome, since they actually uncompromisingly adore each other/themselves 😎

First headcanon is that they never actually got around to fucking. They keep getting distracted by their own dirty-talk and wear themselves out before anything escalates. They're both fine with this arrangement, however. It just works for them.

Second headcanon, I've briefly mentioned elsewhere, is that the only thing they truly disagree on (or argue about) is which tuning is superior. N. Tropy's resonator is in 430Hz whilst FemTropy's is in 440Hz.

FemTropy has perfect pitch, so she can actually hear the difference and it annoys her, while N. Tropy doesn't have perfect pitch, so his insistence on 432Hz is primarily a matter of principle. For now, they've decided to leave it alone.

FemTropy (despite being the more accomplished villain) does not judge her male counterpart in the slightest, even though he was the one who gave the heroes a chance to win. As they both consider the other the be an extension of themselves they will quite literally never place blame on the other. They're too proud to examine what that would mean for their perceived flawlessness.

They don't spend every waking moment together; they retreat to do their own villainous businesses in their own universes every so often and then meet up to discuss and plan together. Occasionally N. Tropy will visit FemTropy's universe, since the lack of Crash and Coco makes it more palatable to him. It is a world in which The Master of Time has already won.

That's what I could think of for now ^^

[jewishbarbies]

Something about all of Victoria's roles being so refreshing. They are nuanced , feminist, untropy.

I really wonder whether she chooses her scripts that brilliantly or is her acting the thing adding nuance to some otherwise tropy written characters.

I think she chooses her roles pretty carefully! she could be in a lot of things and really getting herself out there but she chooses to only do a few things here and there. she waits for the good stuff. she pulled out of Saint X before filming because they weren’t paying writers fairly and now that it’s out, people are saying it sucks, so I think she’s really good at sticking to her guns and following her morals as well.

[mxtxfanatic]

I'm really bad at accepting interpretations that differ so wildly from canonical characterization. I know everyone interprets things differently and a part of fandom is transformative work. But seriously, some interpretations I see for certain characters feel and sound super OOC.

Hm, I think the best way to think of critical analyses and interpretations is that an interpretation is only as valid as the evidence used to support it. Anyone can just say shit, but that doesn’t mean that it is a legitimate analysis of the work. Speaking for the mdzs fandom, there are interpretations that differ from mine that I am able to accept, regardless of whether I eventually agree or disagree, simply because the people who hold that interpretation have brought evidence from the text that shows me why they support that interpretation. However, there are also a lot of interpretations in this fandom that I don’t accept because I can trace the root of it back to a fanfic or a big fandom account, and the supports twist the text to make their points. So instead of thinking of interpretations as “mine vs. everyone else’s,” try, instead, to think of it in terms of “evidence-supported vs. complete fanon.” This makes it easier to just not engage with people’s imaginations when you don’t want to, and makes discussion run smoother when it is just debating the actual text, because you don’t have to treat fanon as a legitimate means of interpretation.

Also, the thing about fandom and fan works is that it actually isn’t inherently transformative. It’s creative work just like any creative work out there in the “professional” world, liable to produce hidden gems as well as the most derivative drivel at the same rate as their legitimized published counterparts. Fan works can only be “transformative” so long as the creators understand the source material they are supposedly transforming. Turning the source material into the sort of tropy nonsense you can find in literally any fandom of any work and brushing every single character down into the same character models to fit generic fanon is fanfic, yes, but as far from transformative (as the word is being used) as you can get.

[convenientalias]

would you be willing to rate cdramas on: your recommendations for someone who hasn't seen many cdramas yet?

I can try. But also the first cdrama I ever completed was Nirvana in Fire, which I've heard a lot of ppl specifically say is not a good first cdrama. So this is all with a grain of salt.

Also, to be noted: I assume that a drama delving into Chinese culture is not a minus in this case, as long as it's still comprehensible or would be with a little research. (E.g. when I watch a historical drama set in an era I have no experience with, I usually do a little googling at the confusing bits and come out fine.)

Also to be noted: Since I usually just rate every cdrama I've ever watched (...it's only eleven. I'm also a person who hasn't seen THAT many cdramas, tho there are more I've DNFed) I'm just going to do that even if I don't actually rec the drama at all. You get a range!

So with no further ado, here are the dramas:

Ancient Detective--8/10 as an introductory drama, actually I think this is a good choice in a lot of ways. There are a lot of wuxia aspects to the show, from wanderers in the jianghu to martial sects to bands of bandits to legendary doctors to improbably perfect disguises to weak heroes who faint because they have a curse of coldness on them. So it's kind of cool as an introduction to that genre. However, it's also just a case procedural show, and the plot's easily understandable. Also, it's only 24 episodes, making it the second shortest drama on this list. I feel I must mention that the next shortest dramas here (Granting You a Dreamlike Life, Handsome Siblings, and Weaving a Tale of Love, tied) are 40 episodes long. Love Is More Than a Word is shorter. But Love Is More Than a Word is not very good (I love it but its quality is not high).

The Disguiser--7/10. What's not to love about a spy drama? Gave me a crash course on China's politics in WWII. Has a lot of intrigue and great characters. There is a small fandom. It is in love with a pair of adoptive brothers who are also employer and employee (and kind of ships the two) and it is not wrong about this but what I want is for ppl to care more about is the youngest brother of the Ming family and his awful relationship with his ruthless and manipulative spymaster mentor. which broke me into small pieces. Not rated higher bc 1) I think most ppl who watch this first watched Nirvana in Fire and became obsessed with one or more of the actors in it so I'm sure that influences our perception of it and 2) it has some episodes that are just kind of boring and a couple things about it really annoy me. (Like, why can't ppl show Ah Cheng some more respect, damn it?!)

The Flame's Daughter--God, I don't know. On the one hand, inter-sect intrigue, martial arts, vengeance, incredible whump, beautiful and color coded costuming, all things I love. I am constantly trying to get more ppl to watch this show. On the other hand I want to punch the male lead in the face, the main romance sucks, and the main plot only really kickstarts at about, hm, episode 6 or 7. And it only gets REALLY good (just imo) around episode 20-ish. But also, Dilraba Dilmurat! Even if her character develops slowly, I just love her! Idk, pick between a 8 (for "please watch this I am begging you") and a 4 (for "you might just quit around episode 4 and I wouldn't really blame you").

Granting You a Dreamlike Life--Again, can I rec this show? I'm really not sure I can rec this show. The love triangle, depending on how you feel about the characters and about love triangles in general, could easily be a huge drag. Also it's non-stop melodrama and tropiness. But it has nice whump and also has Zhu Yilong (most ppl know him from Guardian, which is not on this list bc I never finished it. He's a good actor). I guess I'll give it a 5/10. If you try it, try not to get bogged down in the first half (more like 3/4) of the first episode, which is all framing device.

Handsome Siblings--There are a few adaptations of the novel Handsome Siblings is based off of out there. I'm talking about the 2020 version. And honestly? 8/10. For me this show is the best wuxia I've seen, and probably the most classically wuxia at that. It is very over the top. A lot of Villains and Heroes who are self aware enough to call themselves literally villains and heroes. But it's also doing a little commentary on this--Jiang Xiaoyu, the real MC, calls himself both a hero and a villain depending on the day, and the real villains who drive most of the overarching conflict of the show are believed to be heroes by the general public. Anyway it's just a lot of fun. I only take the last two points off bc 1) the deuteragonist, Hua Wuque, is a drag, and his romantic arc is even more of a drag, and 2) there's definitely some sexism going around--sexual harassment jokes, for example, and Jiang Xiaoyu being generally sleazy. So those are serious downsides but I think the pure fun of the show makes up for it. Idk I think it's worth at least trying out. (...just make it past the first episode and a half of backstory before you judge.) ALSO THE FOOD LOOKS REALLY GOOD.

Joy of Life--4/10. I'm biased; I don't like Joy of Life very much even though a lot of people like it a lot. But apart from that assessment. Imo Joy of Life is a parody and a genre mash-up and better watched after you've already watched one or two more serious (or at least earnest, if humorous) wuxia or palace intrigue dramas. Like, it's more fun to see the Crown Prince and Second Prince awkwardly feuding if you've already seen Nirvana in Fire princes doing the same with a way higher sense of gravity. Watching Joy of Life before watching a sincere wuxia or palace intrigue drama would be like getting into Watchmen as someone who doesn't know superhero comics--it's not like you can't do it, but it kind of feels like you're skipping a step. That said, you said recs for someone who hasn't watched "many" cdramas, so, depending, it might be fine. But I also just don't like it that much. I think the characterization and tone are kind of weak. (...in general, ppl disagree with me on this.)

Love Is More Than a Word--5/10. On the one hand, very slashy and very SHORT, which is not something I can say about many cdramas. On the other hand, disappointing ending. I'm trying to rec cdramas that make you want to watch more cdramas, not ones that make you say "huh, well, that sure was a show" or tear your hair out. But again, it's short, so if time commitment's an issue, you could do worse. And it has fun historical vibes and a litttttle political intrigue.

Nirvana in Fire--Subjectively 10/10. The first cdrama I ever watched to completion, the drama that hooked me on cdramas in general. And imo easier to follow than many political dramas, bc Mei Changsu (or Prince Yu or Jingyan, depending on the episode) always takes a moment to monologue to the audience surrogate (usually Meng) and say "if you can't tell what I'm trying to do here. This is what I'm trying to do." So it's not too overwhelming. Also it's just. really good. And a lot of ppl view it as one of the best cdramas ever. And there's an actual fandom with a lot of good fic. However, objectively, the first couple episodes can be confusing, and the show in general is kind of dry. so if I was being objective I might rate it lower but I'm not going to bc this is my list.

Sword Dynasty--2/10 the real question is why would you watch this at all. But if you're a beginner with cdramas maybe you wanna watch a drama with a lot of swordsfighting and that's valid. But maybe you should watch Handsome Siblings or The Flame's Daughter or literally any other drama instead bc Sword Dynasty honestly is just not good. And it's very confusing! So confusing! I honestly thought I'd missed an episode when I started the first episode and never quite got over the sense of holes in the narrative and characterization; stuff I felt like I was supposed to already know, characters I felt like I was supposed to already be invested in. There are some good actresses here and some nice fighting scenes but I do not recommend the show.

Weaving a Tale of Love--5/10 in that I wouldn't discourage watching it but I don't think it would be very rewarding as one of your first cdramas. It's got some lovely episodes--fun political intrigues, cute flirtations, angst, all the good stuff. The aesthetics are good and the main actress is really cheerful and just fun to watch. But it really takes its time getting started. The first couple episodes are backstory, and then you have to see Liuli as an adult, and then Liuli has to sort of meet some people and her love interest and do some shenanigans, and THEN you finally get to the main political intrigue and revenge subplot. I didn't get bored by any of these arcs but I think for a beginner it might get frustrating. It's also not good enough that I'd put it in a category of "something you simply MUST watch". It's popcorn.

Winter Begonia--7/10, but with emphatic pros and cons both. This show has a lot going for it: It's slashy. It's a historical, and not in a vague wuxia sense; it's set solidly in the 1930s and deals with culture and events of the time. Watching Chinese opera in this show is a great look at a traditional Chinese art. It also has a lot of adventure, intrigue, shenanigans... However, the tone might be off-putting to some watchers, because the tone is a bit hard to place. Sometimes it's very melancholy, talks about changing times and living in a country at war. Other times it's slapstick comedy, and characters are yelling at each other or chasing each other around tables. Or petty intrigue, opera-circle melodrama and sabotage. Often it's more than one of these things in the same episode, or even in the same scene. For me it took a couple episodes to really get a sense of what Winter Begonia was going for in terms of tone, so I don't know if it would be a bit difficult for a beginner in cdrama-land to get a handle on it. However, I've shown this show to my mother, who had previously only watched two other cdramas, and she enjoyed it a lot. So honestly I feel I can rec it with a clean conscience.

And now I should really go to bed.

[fiora-miriel]

Once again... mixed feeling when reading. I enjoyed the writing style, I rushed  through it in like 2 days or so. 

Also, I basically wrote this in 20min after putting the book down. So there are lots of feelings involved.

Nikolai: Prince Perfect comes to save the day

He is a fun character. A bit of a deus ex machina in my opinion, the handsome, intelligent prince, disguised as a pirate, sorry privateer, who has done so so much in his life (I mean how, he is not describes as that old) who knows how useless his father and older brother are and now wants to become king himself. And while privateering and what else he is doing is also an inventor. (He reads a bit like a male Mary Sue, but he is fun). I get that he is painted as the more intelligent, "light" equivalent of the Darkling, but come on...

I think Stormhound as a character on its own could have been fun as such, but combining making Nicolai into Stormhound? Not sure. Also: Where does he get his resources from?

The problem with Mal

I didn't like him very much in the first book, and it continues in this one. He is presented as Alina's big love, but they way she describes her interactions leaves me so cold? It feels very non-feeling to me? He is also very antagonistic. Towards the darkling, of course, but also against Nicolai. And sometimes Alina. Just for the sake of it. Him flirting with basically every woman and then still coming back to Alina? Him and Zoya?  Red flag 

Him wishing kind of (Or Alina interpreting it that way) that she wishes she still were a powerless little girl he can defend? Red flag

Him fighting Grisha and regularly winning? What is he the Ravkan equivalent of Superman?

He seems to wallow ins self-pity for so much of the book. 

Also, what is the reason for making him the human equivalent of kittens? Why does it seem like everyone likes him, wants to be friends with him or go to bed with him?

Alina's journey or whatever

I read in another review that Alina Starkov reads occasionally like Bella Swann, just with a different supernatural vibe around her. And hell yes. It feels that way, maybe it's the POV, maybe the self-doubts, maybe the co dependency thing with Mal, maybe the inability to read the room and the non observing the world around her, maybe something else... Character development: Alina does not want to be a pawn any more! Yeah! But does she succeed? Meh. She wants to head the Second Army at some point, but why? To oppose the darkling? OK, but what else? As it is pointed out in the book by the tsar, she is very young to lead an army, and she also doesn't have much of military experience. She also has no clue and finesse to navigate court. I still don't really know what Alina wants, what are her goals? Yes, it is told from her point of view, but I feel we barely get to know her character. Just her superficial thoughts about what happens, with a bit of an opinion in there. She still often only reacts instead of acting and while she is the main character that should be driving the plot, she is driven by the plot.

Darkling: or the darkest man who ever darkened the earth I have to confess, I was so bored. And also angry. It is alluded sometimes (and yes I know 1st P POV is unreliable) that he has planned so much of that for centuries... but it doesn't feel like it. I would expect someone who has lived so long as a commander of an army, hidden and re-emerged so often and worked at court so long to have more political finesse. Also, the evilness is so tropy that it hurts sometimes. Hunger for power? Sure, could you have been any more obvious with a villain? He could have been so much fun, but he remains a clichee. 

And that thing/connection between him and Alina? What is the purpose? What is the origin? Their powers? The stag? Something else? Whyyyyy? Why does Alina never tell anyone about it?   So many questions here.

He has also dedicated most of his life for a safer life for the Grisha, and then he slaughters most of them (in the Little palace) just because he can?

Additionally, the Darkling is build up to this mighty powerful creature here who controls the nichevo'ya against whom there seems to be no weapon except Alina’s powers. I’m curious to see how they get out of that predicament because it feels a bit difficult to see an out here in this book. His powers are basically endless, or almost endless, so how should they win against him. Will it end in a battle between him and Alina alone, because only they are equal to each other?

The love triangle or square... or whatever Alina - Mal - Nicolai - Darkling It lacks the nuance and the subtlety to really be anything. Or sensuality (yes it is YA, but yes it could have been done better without being explicit in any way). Mal --> see above Darkling --> See above Nikolai --> see above Without any lovey dovey stuff itmaybe would have been better? 

On the other hand, Alina is becoming kind of randomly cruel (threatening to cut out people's tongues?), maybe she and the darkling should just be miserable together.

That end battle

Where was the build up to it, where were the clues except for vague stuff like “We think the darkling is in Shu - No in Fjerda - he will be coming, we have to defend ourselves”. That whole moment with Vasily and the alliance to Fjerda and the immediate attack? There was barely any build up, tension whatever. The Darkling destroying David’s invention immediately. Why build it up and then just do that?

The confrontation with the Darkling: Alina had another Bella Swann moment and wants to sacrifice herself. Great, it kind of fits with what we know of her character. But once again, she is just going with the flow? Also, how does she suddenly understand her power and the darkling’s power? And why is he suddenly afraid? 

Telling Mal, that she has always loved him? After pushing him away and pining for him over most of the book? It left me very cold. 

Tamar and Tolya working with the sun soldiers and the Apparat - Alina girl, you should not trust anyone any more. Also, Nicolai should not trust them. The played you for most of this book. And that whole sun soldier/Apparat storyline has potentially opened another “front” in the book and made everything even messier. 

That underground tunnel system that just exists and barely anyone seems to have known about it until this point in time? How? People gossip, people discover things. The darkling had a network of informants, as well as other spies etc. How can no one have discovered this before?

All the little things I cannot fit everywhere else<b/>

Inconsistency with the magical system: Some Grisha are now able to do heartrendering, healing and tailoring in similar strengths? The shadow creatures, how do they fit into the magic system? Where are the consequences for using merzost?

I like Fedyor a lot, I hope he is not dead, but he probably is. 

Zoya - so much potential, but also why does she turn from mean girl to kind of supporter here? Why is she so high and mighty even though she is also not much of a noble woman? What is her purpose? Just to be Alina’s rival when it comes to Mal?

The whole timeline is weird? They are in Novi Zeym (are there no Grisha there??), the Darkling comes and is evil, and then they are on the ship. And boom they are in Ravka again for how long? The whole timeline of this book (and Shadow and Bone is so muddy)

Cruelty for the sake of cruelty? 

The darkling attacking Mal and Alina in Novyi Zem

Nicolai’s story about how he got the stormhound title

Most of the Little Palace dying

 Genya’s mutilation just to show us how cruel the darkling is

Timeline --> I don't get it, is there one?

Why the random inclusion of Russian - for titles, ok, but otherwise it is gimmicky

The Apparat and religion in the book(s) overall: Of course, the Apparat turns out to be a major creep

So much potential for conflict that is barely used: Court intrigues, Vasily vs Nikolai, The Apparat/religion, the problems between grisha and non grisha...

What about the wars at the border? Have they suddenly disappeared

Baghra: loyalties? I don't get her. Her plan to get Alina out of the country in book 1 was shit as well as her motivation and this just continues here

Botkin: Supposed to have been an instructor at the Little Palace for ages, and he still speaks broken Ravkan. Oh please? 

Unnecessary scenes - Nadia's brother, The Gritski party with the Apparat mysteriously appearing and disappearing - yes to tell us he has Morozovas journals but it felt gimmicky and a bit forced? And especially with Alina etc dressing up as Suli fortune tellers and then mimicking some accent? That scene where the darkling makes a shadow Mal to kiss Alina - very rape-y

Why were they included at all? They hardly drive the plot

To sum it up

It is a tropefest once again and for me, it lacked nuance, with the way everything was painted as either black or white (shadow or light). While the writing style is fun and engaging, it heavily suffers from 2nd book syndrome. And the characters (Alina and everyone else) lack depth and nuance. And yes, once again the POV writing explains a lot of that... but then we should at least get character depth with Alina. It could be said that we have character width, but not depth? I still like the whole concept of the world, and I will read book 3... but it will probably be a hateread (except if book 3 surprises me completely, but at the moment I don’t have hope for that).

And I’m pretty sad about it because there seems to be so much potential here, but it remains so flat. Fanfiction to the rescue?

I have Six of Crows and also Ninth House on my TBR pile as well, and I hope those are better. Because I feel there is so much good potential in Bardugo’s writing. 

[avauntus]

niche (new?!) content

I’ve been wanting to post something fun and not too heavy for a minute, but I couldn’t think of anything tied to fandoms mutuals enjoy. Then it occurred to me-- this is my little junk pile on the internet, so if I want to be completely unhinged, I can.

In that vein, it’s a rainy weekend near the end of a stressful year, and who couldn’t use some ‘for the vibes’ fun! So I’d like to tell you about one of my dorkiest hobbies: Collecting post-2000 RPG adventure modules for plot reasons.

Yes, I know - they’re often a mishmash of clichés and railroading (forcing characters a direction because the story demands it), but I enjoy throwing fandom characters into the mix.

I’ve never written any of these, and I don’t plan to, but here are a few of my favorites if you’d like to come on this special journey with me. 😆

#4 - Waterdeep: Dragon Heist (2018)

The plot: Your band of novice adventurers start in a tavern. They end up mired a grand mystical conspiracy with the potential of staggering profits and accidentally acquire a haunted inn (wraith of a former proprietor; not clear on the former part, aggravated about the utter state of their dusty ale taps) along the way. Their haunted inn can have a demon-tiger private investigator as a next-door neighbor if you want.

What I love: It’s set in a city! There’s multiple plot elements that involve scheming / schmoozing / sleuthing / diplomacy/guile -- pretty much everything beyond hacking your way through monster guts. The villains -- co-written by Mathew Mercer, of critical role fame-- are complex and top-notch.

Fav Part? - Most commentary I’ve read on this adventure calls out the Cassalanter’s storyline (it’s good!) I love the (vague to avoid spoilers) Winter Mage and Jarlaxle with his carnival and magical submersible (what?)

Fanfic? - Anything that pairs well with the “they’re secretly hiding from a life of adventure / coffee shop / bureaucratic job!” meet-cute tropes. In my head, most recently: Supernatural (retired!Dean/post-Empty human!Cas retire to the coast’s most bucolic vacation city, only to realize their ‘charming historic bed&breakfast’ ...isn’t). Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung; Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty; and I think Persona V would be interesting (you’d have to AU the gang or smoosh Waterdeep into Tokyo?) I also think Loki (2021) [Loki & Mobius case fic!] or an alt-take on Final Fantasy VII’s SHINRA [the Turks! 😎] would fit. 

#3 - Key of Destiny adventure path (2004-2006)

The plot: uhhh. It’s...a lot. This was a set of three adventures written for the Dragonlance campaign setting that starts your adventurers out in a fairly tropy fantasy frontier city and goes everywhere from ruined civilizations to theatre in the round with a cursed dragon to dinner repartee to a romantic obsession at the end of the world. Also, the first book is 175 pages long and the last one is 365 pages and covers nearly a year of in-game time, Y-I-K-E-S. The adventurers start out trying to cure a town of its mysterious plague, only to slowly uncover that they’re taking part in a divinely-fated story that began a thousand years ago.

What I love: This adventure has a little bit of everything. Drama, humor, romance, time-travel...it’s all there. I love the haunted temple of Hurim, the redemption of the dragons, and the cursed dinner party.

What I’d change: ‘What if high fantasy, but too much?!’ At best, only some could be adapted, and I’d give the more stereotyping parts a miss. The shattered kender make me sad. 🙃

Fanfic? - Any fandom that can handle drama & ‘epic quests’-- The Untamed; Star Wars (Rogue One AU/’everyone lives’ or a Republic-era AU plot with Anikin and Obi-Wan); and I don’t really go there, but I think The Lost Tomb would be neat too.

#2 - Tomb of Annihilation (2017)

The plot: Look, if I try, we’re gonna be here all day. You start out racing dinosaurs. Then you get hired to fix a death-plague. Depending on how well your party chooses their wilderness guide, you either successfully find the ruins where the plague can be stopped, or you don’t, but you probably end up doing something that results in your commanding an army of zombies or becoming a zombie dragon, or both. If you head in the right direction, you can take part in a “hidden heir to the throne” situation too. I think there are aliens or intraplanar beings in there somewhere. And so on.

What I’d change: Again, too big to fit all of it in, and I heard it was nigh-impossible for most groups to finish the final tomb, so that’d get dialed back.

Fanfic? - The Lost Tomb (obviously, lol); The Mummy (1999); Inception (no, seriously-- think about it); Alice in Borderland; The Order of Moon Reflected in Pure Water (but I am not cool enough to write for this, 😆); Stargate(s); any fandom where having a pair (or group) of characters in a tough, deadly situation with some humor and high stakes would be interesting.

#1 - Red Hand of Doom (2006)

The plot: This is sooo cringy, oh man, I’m so sorry... 😅 Your group of adventurers stumbles upon a peaceful, idyllic valley for...reasons. Only things aren’t as quiet as they seem. Over the course of the next few days, as your group scrounges up work, you slowly come to realize the valley is on the brink of war, and they are not going to be winning. Maybe your party can turn the tide...or maybe the best you can do is save as many as you can along the way. It all depends on how fast you can act, how good your choices are, and how much the people you meet trust you and each other.

What I love: This adventure has a timeline, and stakes. If your party tries to linger over petty concerns (let’s stay an extra night to loot!), or make a big stand when you’re not ready, you will get overrun. I also like the feeling of ‘hard choices bound by relationships’ this story gives out-- your heroes can’t fix things by attacking head-on...so what are you going to do?

What I’d change: The base plot is great, but the background could be so much better if it let go of ‘Ye Olde Fantasy’ a bit more. Instead of vaguely Roman-esque ancient ruins and monstrous antagonists, I’d lean into the colonialist underpinning: the valley-dwellers are settlers from the dominant culture, and not the first to live in those lands. Maybe the invaders know something the colonizers don’t, but there’s old pain between the two groups. Maybe some of the valley-folk sympathize with those who were pushed back into the mountains and are pushing back. Maybe the threat isn’t what the dynasty leaders tell your heroes it is at the beginning, or maybe they hear two different versions and have to decide who to believe?

Fanfic? - Anything with an ‘enemies-to-lovers’ arc; tense situations; high competence-- I feel like with some setting and plot adjustment, this could make an amazing My Country: the New Age or Final Fantasy XIV Ishguard AU or plot-adjacent fic... 🤩      

[tasteslikemolecules]

Top 5 fanfic tropes you like reading and Top 5 fanfic tropes you like writing

Top 5 Tropes I like Reading:

5. Modern AUs

I'm not actually a big fan of fantasy, horror and the supernatural. I'm mostly into SPN for the characters and their dynamics. I mainly read realism and literary fiction in novels, so if someone manages to transport the characters into novel-length plotty or character-driven modern stories, I love it. I don't really like High school settings, but anything from college to coffee shop to stuff I know nothing about is fine. I didn't like AUs when I first got into SPN, but the longer I'm obsessed with the show, the more open I am to all kinds of settings and worlds.

4. Case Fics The trope lists said this is a trope and not just a genre, so I'll take it. I love a well-written case fic with great characterisation, especially if it's Sam-focused. I also really like love stories or stories that focus on interpersonal trouble with case fics as a secondary plot – perfect for Sam & Dean stories. It provides such a neat story arc and I'm always impressed with how much better fan fiction cases tend to be compared to actual cases on the show. Case Fics are how I like to get most of my Gen fix, too.

3. Slow Burn

If I'm in the mood for a straight forward love story, it's always Slow Burn. It's pretty much the only way I enjoy stories that aren't dark or overly sad (depending on the pairing I sometimes even like some fluff this way). I especially like Slow Burn with obvious mutual pining and lots of miscommunication. Maybe one person 'obviously' being unavailable for whatever reason.

2. Unrequited Love Suprisingly difficult to find. Especially in longer stories. A great subcategory is unrequited love combined with themes of asexuality and aromance. It doesn't have to be necessarily fully unrequited love, but just they want different things. Basically I enjoy the dynamic: Person A wants something from Person B that they can't give/don't want (but they really care for Person A). (Or maybe they don't. Also good!) 1. Love Triangles These are so hard to find. At least the ones I'm interested in. I have only ever read a handful of the type I like, and I always go insane when I do find one. I don't like stories where one person is the 'bad' one and there is a pairing that is obviously supposed to belong together. I like the dynamics of people wanting different things and being unable to negotiate between themselves. I like people being torn and indecicive, making wrong decisions. I like reading what jealousy does to people. I like when love isn't described as destiny between two people, but as a journey, and when relationships are hard. I've honestly thought way too much about why I love this trope so much, but I don't know. It's not just fan fiction. I eat it up in novels, tv shows, movies... The tragedy being, again, that it's mostly handled in a stupid way. If there's infidelity, I don't want excuses, I want to see the consequences. I want to see what acting or not acting on impulses does to people. I want people sad and not getting what they want.

Top 5 Tropes I like Writing:

5. Cas has no grace /Sam has powers It's pretty much the same trope, just switched.

4. Slow Burn Friends To Lovers & (apparent) Unrequited Love Write what you know. 3. Lucifer/Halluficer returns Obviously I like reading this too, but with writing it happens unvoluntarilyy. I just always end up slipping in Lucifer in some shape or form. I guess I just can't ignore a main character's lifetime of hell trauma very well. Sam's relationship to Lucifer is one of my favourite things in the show. That itself isn't tropy, but the 'Oh look, Sam is feeling bad, let's make him see the devil' kind of is.

2. Love Triangles So, I know these are really not 'en vogue', but I already talked about why I love them above in general. With SPN and TFW specifically I love them because they feel, um, quite canonic to me. They all love each other in some way, and if you crank that up a little, violà. And even if you don't: a platonic love triangle is still that ('I mean, who are you gonna turn to next time instead of me? Another angel?'). If you devote your life in such an insane way to just one person, there's not really room to have a full-fledged relationship with someone else in any normal way without letting go. 1. 'Someone (Dean) is gone' Not sure if it's a trope, but I always end up writing this. I think this came up when I started wanting to write Sastiel and felt there was no way for Sam and Cas to explore anything with Dean being there. Not because Dean would necessarily 'disapprove' but because they are both so focused on and centered around Dean. And I also just love the hole Dean leaves in Sam's life, and the way it makes him free and disorientated at once. Because when Dean is gone, he's almost taking more part of the story. For Sastiel stories that means you get them both emotionally confused and vulnerable and... yeah, just typing this makes my fingers itch. Dean being gone doesn't mean dead. This also works with MOC Dean, Michael Dean, Dean in purgatory, Dean being sick, etc.

Overall, I don't really like reading very tropey writing, although it can be fun. I mostly like character-driven, slow stories focusing on interpersonal drama that make me sad. I'm honestly a lot more picky when it comes to writing styles than tropes. I'll give any trope and any pairing (bar Sabriel) a chance, but I nope out pretty quickly when the writing style doesn't work for me.

[inventors-fair]

Showrunners ~

Our runners-up for this week are @arixordragc, @haru-n-harkel, and @misterstingyjack!

@arixordragc — War of the Emerald Flame

You know, considering that it’s the Green Flame in-game, searching this was a bit of a head-scratcher. BUT, a cursory search shows that yeah, this kind of makes sense; the dead rising, the attacks, and then the end of the war kind of. I’ll be very honest going into this when I say that I’m not really down with how many sagas were used for this contest. Yeah, it takes part of a story and condenses it into a bite-sized piece of sorts, but the point of this, along with the examples, was to show a piece of IP rather than explain it. 

So I hope my opinion there also reveals just how amazingly well-designed this saga is; frankly, I’d prefer that this was a standard card, because it seems like a powerful build-around payoff kind of bomb. It doesn’t exile the creatures, excellent, it’s card advantage with the deathtouch, and the control sacrifice at the end (of the war) is an awesome way to finish out the saga, regardless of how many Skeletons you have. And honestly, because this took place long before the video game, that’s prrrrrobably the best use a saga could have, and this particular card colors how I’m going to be judging a lot of sagas from here on out. Great, great job. Powerful mythic. Save this one. No changes.

~

@haru-n-harkel — Moxxi’s Crit

Guns! Guns are hard to design. Like, flavorfully, how do you get “ammunition” for it? Cards that fire creatures out of cannons have the sacrifice, and sometimes it’s enough for a card to just deal damage to show that it’s firing something. I think just saying “this is a weapon and here’s what it does” is fine enough. It’s powerful enough without breaking anything, sure, and I think it could be uncommon (and maybe legendary, I guess? Dunno how that would feel to the in-game stuff). Explaining the second ability in game mechanic cohesion was helpful and it’s because of that that I think you can perhaps reduce the cost. This is one that could use small tweaks to really make great. Good use of colored equipment.

In terms of flavor presentation, Moxxi, from what I can look up, might be a good image for this card and I can imagine a cell-shaded art and card style with her. The only issue is that marketing her with that particular flavor text might be, uh, not up to brand standards for WotC... But that’s a problem for them. Borderlands crossover wouldn’t be out of the question.

~

@misterstingyjack — Doctor N. Tropy

Honestly, some game developers who make things aimed towards a younger audience  (read: games with less blood ‘n guts ‘n guns ‘n COD crap) could absolutely make some cool cards with WotC, and having a group of Crash series bosses wouldn’t be off the table. What I like about this card is how it demonstrates a really cool “boss” presentation combining video game mechanics with Magic’s mechanics. The boss comes in! The boss gets cloned! ow you gotta fight against the power of two of them together (unless you kill one)! And yeah, that totally makes sense. This card is totally asking to be broken because, well, you can tap the two of them to return the nontoken copy to hand immediately and start getting yourself copies on copies. “Ugh, this is broken with Omniscience,” I thought to myself, followed by “Self, that’s more obnoxious than saying ‘dies to removal.’” In all seriousness, this card is absurd and might be broken with enough solid flicker effects. Might want to stop the Brago players while they’re ahead.

Alrighty, time for the big ol’ commentary writing. See y’all in a few.

-@abelzumi​