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lynlyndoll · 1 year ago

Text

Apple Cider

genre: fluff, angst, comfort

tw: this may trigger people to cry, especially reader's first part; some type of traumatic childhood

pairing: producer! han x architect! reader

w/c: 4.5k

summary: Maybe is a complex word, that not many people believe in - not even you. However, as time goes, you find yourself asking multiple questions that start with "Maybe", all of them related to the guy who you didn't even like. Maybe he asks the same questions, all of them related to you.

a/n: Hey, I'm freaking back!!! This made me kind of exhausted, since it's the longest fic I've written :)). I advise you guys to listen to Apple Cider by beabadoobee when I start writing some words with blue! Oh and also, I know that, if you know me/my blog, you might actually see the similarities between me and the character i "drew" for Y/N. :) feel free, however, to change the dream job for yourself though, however i made architecture to fit the fic! <3

Many people seem to think finding your romantic soulmate is impossible. People say they are right. That it actually is impossible for human kind to feel something as 'real love', the life people see in movies portrayed as the 'soulmate's love'. Finding the one and only can't be true. But maybe, people are wrong. Maybe people can find the person they are happy with, the person that listens to everything and nothing just for the sake of their lover. Because, afterall, the questions we have that start with a 'maybe' are actually possibilities. Technically, questions shouldn't even start with 'maybe', they should start with 'who' or 'what' or 'where' or 'how', but humans started using 'maybe' for expressing desires that are actually a truth, masked under other people's desires that win over the true facts. Which means, finding your true love might actually be true.

You are one of those people, however. Those people who never ask themselves the question of 'maybe'. You're a person who makes straight up decisions based on what you already know, based on what people say or do, based on experiences that have already happened. You never did because you never could've asked yourself that type of question back in your childhood. The action of doubting something has always been forbidden in your family, the only way of doing things being the ones that were told by your parents. Your childhood wasn't an extreme level of trauma, but it wasn't good either. Your parents weren't severely strict, nor free-range. You were an only child, every single thing your parents wanted from you had to be done at the level of perfection, otherwise you knew deep inside that you would bring your parents down, bringing shame to all of your family. So you knew since you were a child that you had to keep fighting for every single one of their desires, no matter how tired you were. So you did it. You continued living the life your parents wanted, named as the 'Golden Child', having every other child turn against you and your actions because of jealousy. No friends, no real life and no feeling of wanting to continue. But you had to. Your family needed you.

Since you were a child, you realized your problems. Everything that happened caused you a huge self-doubt and hate, anxiety and depression, but you couldn't talk about it to anyone. So you sucked it up and continued. That's the person you are today. Y/N Y/L/N, a current student of architecture in Seoul. You think that being an architect is one of the few things you really have done for yourself, especially, and not for your family’s pride - which has been there, however, because who wouldn’t want their child to have a good job. The architecture trope fits you, though. Your life and sense of rationality made you realize a long time ago that you were made to be one. Your head was full of imagination, full of new and fresh ideas, ready to come out when you let them. However, you were never truly sure about the choices you made, so when something was almost ready, the fear made you overthink and start again. You wanted, no, you needed someone to be there for you in those times, but you had no one other than yourself and your orange cat, Honey.

Another thing about yourself is that you finally realized how much a ‘loner life’ affected you, so obviously you tried making friends. Which you successfully did. It wasn’t a big group - nor could you name it little -, it consists of 3 guys and 2 girls. You met Seungmin in the town, while you were assigned to draw a building that caught your eye from 3 different perspectives. Turned out that he chose the same building for his project, since he was a student as well, majoring in photography. This encounter made you both friends and soon after, he introduced you to his own friend group: Jeongin, a literature student with the want of becoming a teacher, Felix, a cooking student that wants to start his own bakery, Yuna, a fashion modeling student that already caught the attention of a few brands, and Lia, a music student ready to start writing songs. They immediately ‘adopted’ you in their friend group, accepting you as if you were there all along.

It's not as if you only hang out with them. You also hang out with some other friends of their own, such as Minho, Felix's friend, who is also a cooking student. However, they actually met at the dancing classes they both take. There, they have also met Hyunjin, an art major that is somehow friends with Seungmin as well, both of them being in the same art university. He often takes modeling classes as well, but more as a hobby, so he and Yuna are always bickering about the latest fashion trends. Since Seungmin's hobby is baseball, he also has a friend named Chan, who is on his way to becoming a famous athlete and who often plays different sports with his other 2 friends except Seungmin. More exactly Han and Changbin, both of them preparing for a musical career, Han as a song-writer and producer and Changbin as a self-made rapper. You usually would hang out with all of them, however, hanging out with Han was harder. Not that you disliked the boy, but he usually had a not-so-nice attitude towards you, so you acted the same as he did. And that's how your friends tried to never have each other in the same room, the bickering being insupportable. A part of you told yourself that you're doing the right thing, acting the same to hurt him, however, the other part was telling you that maybe he isn’t like that. Perhaps you did something wrong or offended him. You tried not thinking about it, but when you were alone in the dark night buried in your own thoughts, this idea was haunting you.

You liked your life now. Sure, it wasn’t the best, but it was enough. You had great friends and your results were extremely good, meaning that you wouldn't be left without a good job in this domain after graduating. Sure, the apartment you lived in wasn’t probably the greatest. A little bit too old and possibly not the cleanest out of all, but it was just for a few years of college. And maybe you also wanted some action, excepting the lives of your friends or your favorite movie characters, but who were you to whine about it? You used to have some action, until your boyfriend of 1 year and a half cheated on you. You also went on a few great dates - forgetting the fact that after a few dates, you were always stood up - and you went to the bar pretty often with Lia and Yuna, plus a few of their fun friends, Ryujin, Chaeryeong and Yeji, all of them dancing majors. But a real relationship… Nah, and maybe you didn’t even want it. Okay, maybe you wanted it, but who cares? You definitely don't want to have only a fling, so it is way better to not have someone randomly ask you “Wanna come into my apartment?” have a few drinks, have sex and then forget the whole night. It just didn't sit right with you. So, better to abandon the idea and focus on your college life.

“Was life this hard?” a drunken Yuna asks, causing all of your female friends to fall into a drunken laugh.

“Considering everyone’s past…” says Yeji.

“YES!” Lia says, amused.

You're with your friends into the bar all of you have started being regulars at. It's a nice bar, not too full, so it's perfect for 6 deranged women to spend a friday night. Yuna’s boyfriend has broken up with her recently, so all of you went into town to console her. But of course nothing goes as hard as three bottles of soju. You are possibly the only one in the state of walking - not saying that you're not drunk, however - and the one who will call out the boys for some help. So that's exactly what you want to do, grabbing your phone and opening your contact list.

“Have you guys heard about Han?” your head snaps right there, eyes wide. The girls laugh at your confused reaction.

"Heard that…?" Ryujin asks Lia as she was the one who apparently knew everything about it.

"You remember when we heard that he got an interview at some big music company? Rumor has it that they didn’t accept him.”

Your brain starts thinking about him. Han was extremely talented, why would a company decline him and his talent?! This made you angrier than it should have. You wanted to go to whoever was in charge and scream directly in his face, telling him how good of a producer or songwriter Han would make for his shitty company - that, theoretically, isn't as shitty as you think right now, the fury taking over your thoughts. But, of course, you wouldn't do that. Who are you to even want to do it? You're not exactly friends, you're more as acquaintances, so why would you risk it?

After you finally called the boys to pick you and the girls up and after you finally got into your apartment, laying on the bed, you were left with only your thoughts. Many people say that it would make them uncomfortable to only sit somewhere, in the dark, with no one by their side, in total silence, but you like it. You like the safety feeling it gives you. In that silence, you remember the Han gossip, which would obviously go around for at least two weeks, not only between your friends, but also in his university. And you felt bad for him. Like, really bad. He isn't a bad person, you don't hate him, you just… haven't talked with him as much as the others. So obviously, none of you knows each other well enough. Either way, you still don't know why you're feeling so bad for him, afterall he isn’t your friend.

“I’M HERE!”

That’s probably Hyunjin, after the second round of beers for the movie night everyone had. He came with Minho, Yeji, Ryujin and Chaeryeong, plus Felix, who came with Lia, who came with Seungmin and well… Then you, Jeongin and Yuna came. All of you in the 3RACHA dorm, as Chan, Changbin and Han liked to call it. It was kind of a normal-sized and lowkey dirty apartment, that could often fit groups as yours was. The movie night is kind of a regular, you found yourself thinking one day. Once two weeks, during a day of the weekend, you found yourself surrounded by Felix, Minho, Hyunjin, Chan, Han, Changbin, Seungmin, Jeongin, Lia, Yeji, Yuna, Ryujin and Chaeryeong, either on the sofa, either on the floor, for a few hours. You usually watch a movie together and drink, sometimes even gossiping, always ending with the majority already falling asleep there. You always liked these days, always leading to something hilarious, however, this time, you weren't feeling as entertained as you used to. Tonight, it wasn't the whole group. Han was missing. You asked about him when you came, of course you did, but Chan and Changbin said he was in his room. You knocked on his door once, but he didn't answer, so you left him like that. Why would you continue? Why did you care so much? He isn't your friend.

"Hannie" You hear Minho yell at him, knocking on his door. You hear a groan from Han, from his room. You get up from the couch and go to his room, stopping Minho from knocking on the door.

"Min, let Han rest." Your voice was heard and Han immediately opened the door. Minho's eyes widen as a restless Han makes his appearance in front of you. "Hi, Han. Sorry if he disturbed you…" You apologize as his eyes look at both you and him.

He mumbles "No problem…" as he looks at the floor, not making eye contact for none of you to see his tired face. "Sorry for-"

"Don't be." You smile and rest your hand on his arm. "It's alright."

"Thanks…" A smile sketches on his face, a little bit of sparkle in his eyes as you brush your hand on his arm. You were the first person till now who didn't ask him more about the situation, not that the others were bad intentioned, but you just knew that he was going through a rough time, so you just didn't question it. You smile at him again and mumble another sorry, getting Minho out of the hallway, guiding him towards the couch.

Later that night, when almost everybody left the 3RACHA apartment, leaving you the only one to leave, Han left his room.

"Y/N.." He called you, to get your attention. You snap your head in his direction, tilting it in confusion. "Sorry if… If I acted badly towards you, but…" His eyes were shiny, as tears were filling his brown, boba eyes. You immediately wiped his tears off with your hand and smiled.

“Shh, it’s alright. I know that you’re not in the best mood and that it has been hard every day, but I promise to you that someone will discover your talent and will make you a star in the music industry. You’ll be the shiniest star out there because you have a huge talent, Han Jisung.” You interrupted him and smiled. He returns the smile, his pretty and round cheeks still shiny from the tears before. You hug him, shocking him, then saying a little goodbye and leaving the apartment.

Why were you so nice to him? That's a question both you and him put that night. Another question gave Han no peace at all. Why did his heart beat faster when you hugged him? He swore he never felt that tingle in his heart or the way he felt when you hugged him, almost as if he was flustered. He realized it wasn’t just almost, but he in fact did get flustered. Another weird and uncharacteristic Han thing to experience. He sat that night in his bed, not closing his eyes for not even a minute, his whole mind being too preoccupied with the thought of you and only you. You were in the same state as him. Not only that you didn't understand why you hugged him, but you also didn't understand why you felt so comfortable doing it. Or why didn't he fight back? Why did you feel your ears burning as you made contact with him? It was an entire deligma why, your answers never making sense toward yourself. The lack of showing affection in your family didn't make this better for you. One thing, however, was in sync in this mix of feelings and questions. A thing that both of you realized. You actually acted like friends tonight. You cared about him and he cared about you. So why not… try to be friends? Maybe you would actually click.

Han was standing in his room, eyes locked on the computer screen. His ears were already in pain because of the heavy headphones he put on since early in the morning. The apartment was peaceful, his roommates were out of the town and he had the place for himself, however he only stayed in his room. It was already night, his fourth cup of coffee still unfinished as he tried to find the right beat he had in his head. Chan and Changbin knew what he was up to, they knew him and how he probably locked himself in the room, with barely any food and a huge amount of caffeine in his possession.

Ding Dong.

The doorbell rang. He put his headphones on the table, looking around as if the person who rang was in the room with him.

Ding Dong.

This time he was sure someone was at his door. He unlocked his room and went to the apartment’s door, opening the door. And there, right in front of him, was you, with two bags full of food. As if you knew.

“Hi!” You said. “I… brought food.” You smiled and looked at the two bags in your hands. He smiles.

“Come in.” He tells you, helping you with the bags he then put on the counter.

You follow him into the kitchen, opening the bags and displaying all the take out you got - as well as the products you got from the supermarket. He looked at you, with a tiny smile on his face, muttering a thank you every time you looked at him while explaining.

"I… should go now." You smile awkwardly as you finish showing him everything you bought. However, he catches your wrist.

"Don't go… I mean, that's a lot of food and… I won't finish it, so you can have some." He says quite awkwardly, but the genuine look on his face told you that he was telling the truth.

So you stay. You thought that it would be boring or awkward to share an apartment with Han, even if it was for a few hours. However, you talked. Both of you. And when you didn’t talk, you were watching a drama, his head on your lap and your hands in his hair, both of you covered in a huge blanket. As your hands were massaging his scalp, he found himself closing his eyes often from both the feeling of your fingers and the warmth of the blanket. It was an awkward, but warm feeling, something intimate, something that made both of your hearts melt. After not even a few minutes of your action, his steady breath was heard through the silence of the movie. You giggled to yourself as you realized that he was asleep and not long after him, you fell asleep as well, with only one thought flooding your brain. The thought of Han Jisung.

Han woke up in a warm embrace that night. He checked the tv’s clock which said it was 03:25. “Almost 03:30” he told himself as his eyes slowly adapted to the darkness of the room. That's when he saw your face, sleeping peacefully next to him, face buried into his chest. At the sight, his cheeks started to burn, a weird, but cozy feeling filling his tiny heart. Right there, his mind was full of questions. Questions about you and his possible future. Questions about his feelings and questions that started with “What if''s or “Maybe”s.

“Hannie” your raspy and sleepy voice called out for him, your eyes slowly opening to see the man before you already staring at you. To be honest, Han was glad that there wasn’t a lot of light in the room, otherwise you’d see his puffy cheeks get even redder than they already were because of the nickname he oh-so-heard many times, but never from you.

“Agh, Y/N, I-” he wanted to continue, but your arms wrapped around his small waist, getting him even closer than he already was on the tiny couch.

“Go to sleep, Hannie. ‘Night!” Your voice said and he swears he didn't mean to think that, if you were a couple, you'd say that every night. “Han, stop thinking about that!” his mind said, since his heart was already beating fast.

However, after a few tries, he did fall asleep again, in your embrace.

“What should I do?” Han asked both Chan and Changbin, as soon as they entered the door of their shared apartment. As much as they tried to understand the meaning of the question addressed by Han, both of the guys were looking around the apartment with a confused face.

“Why is this place so… clean?” Changbin asked, followed by Chan’s question of “Why does it smell like actual cooked food?”. Han sighed at the amount of questions the boys asked him, all of them having the answer “Y/N”. It would be an understatement to say that the two guys looked shocked. Sure, they asked you to come at their apartment, but-

“She stayed. A few days.” Han answered all their questions with this simple answer. Changbin gave a smirk to his younger friend, getting a disapproving hiss from Han.

“What was the question about?” Chan asks, quite confused.

“Well, Y/N stayed and we… I mean, I felt like… I don’t know, I felt weird. But in a good, warm way. In a way that made my cheeks redden-”

“That we can see” Changbin pointed out, as Han’s cheeks were visibly getting redder with every mention of your name.

“Either way, I’m not sure what I feel-” Han sighs.

“Love” Chan simply answers, shrugging his shoulders, making Han’s eyes widen. “C’mon, mate, you’re a producer and song-writer. Or that’s what you claim to be doing with your life.” He continues, making Changbin approve. “Give me one good reason for you to not consider love as an option.” He challenged Han.

“Well…” He started, but his mind already agreed with every word Chan said. That's when it clicked. The way he found himself thinking of you during his late nights of being awake, wondering how you are. The way he usually thought about you and your comforting words while writing songs. The way all his songs became more related to love. The way he woke up that night with you snuggling into his chest. All of these things made him realize that maybe he actually felt something stronger than he thought at first. All of these things made him wonder whether you’d feel the same or not. Whether things would be the same or even more, if he would have opened up some time ago. Maybe you'd like him too. Maybe you like him, right now, in this universe, not in a world of “What if…”s.

It started with small gestures. It started with little conversations, remembering insignificant things about you, adding your favorite songs into his oh-so-special playlist, hanging out only the two of you or even touching each other’s hands, waist or knees. Then it got to something more, such as small compliments that made you blush. Those hang outs became regular, they became a Han-Y/N thing to do. You haven't realized, at first, but slowly, Han Jisung wasn’t only a friend, he started becoming something more. He became the person you trusted the most, the person who occupied your thoughts most of the time, the person who made you laugh the most and the person who got you. You found out that he didn't have an easy childhood either, that he was also pressured by his family and the criticism he received gave him bad ideas about himself. You found out that everything he wrote for his songs were emotions he felt, emotions that you could relate to as well. You also found out that you were one of the few people he let listen to his music before editing it. He found out about your past and about your fear of not being good enough. He found out that whenever you felt a strong emotion, you’d draw something that reminded you of the emotion you felt at that moment.

Actually, the actual time you realized you were in love with Han was when you felt giddy and excited about life, you drew Han. Without even thinking about him, directly, you drew him. That day, you stood in front of your drawing, listening to your special-made playlist. You thought about him, about the guy who made you feel that you were someone special, someone who deserved to love and be loved.

“Y/N, wait!” Han’s voice was heard behind you, in the silence of the night. You stuck out your tongue as you continued to run, wanting to be the first one at Han and your special place.

Even though it was already freezing and both of you still had courses the next morning, nothing could stop you both from meeting up with a hot chocolate in your hands, admiring the stars from the nearby park.

You look behind and see Han finally arriving, his breathing unsteady from the amount of times he yelled at you and ran at the same time. His cheeks and nose are red, making you smile in adoration of him. He took a seat next to you, handing you one of his airpods and the hot chocolate he bought you. The playlist that once was his, now became your shared one, full of his and your favorite songs.

“We both like apple cider, But your hair be smelling like fruit punch, And I don't even like you that much, Wait, I do, fuck”

This song reminded you of Han, of your situationship and of your feelings. About how-

“Y/N..?” He says, a little above a whisper. You hum in response, turning your head into his direction only to find his boba eyes already looking at you. “I… like your hair.” He said, looking in your eyes as he moved a strand of hair behind your ear. “And… is that the jumper I like?” He smiled slightly as his eyes flickered on the jumper you always knew he adored seeing on you. “I… love talking to you, you know that?” He chuckles as he shifts a little bit closer to you. “And holding your hand is… always making me nervous and giddy and… fuck” He says, his fingers fidgeting.

“And even if we're just friends, We could be more than that”

“And…” He says, finally taking a big breath. “I know you probably only see me as a friend, but I can't picture myself without you and…” his eyes are teary, the emotion within him making him vulnerable only for you to see under the moonlight. “And what I’m trying to say is that I want us to be more than that!” He blurts out, staining his pretty cheeks with tears. So you move closer and put and wipe his tears, locking eyes with him.

“Me too, you pretty and emotional boy.” You say, tears flooding your vision and you immediately go into a kiss. A kiss that tasted as an apple cider, bringing your memories back. The ones back when you didn’t even talk to each other to the ones that happened a few seconds ago. The ones that you put into a special room in your heart, preparing to keep them there for the rest of your lives.

Maybe soulmates do exist. Afterall, you have Han, the guy who understood you the most, sometimes even more than you ever thought you knew yourself. The guy who made you feel safe and loved. He made your doubts go away and now you think- No, you're sure, he is your soulmate. Any "Maybe" that there once was, now is gone and turned into reality.

taglist:

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@agi-ppangx @lisaaassophhhieee

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burnyouwithacigarettelighter · 1 year ago

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Omg I’m so happy you replied!! I definitely have more questions.

1. What Cillian character do you like writing about the most and why?

2. What story from your master list are you most proud of?

3. Do you personally have any fic recommendations/ must reads? Other sites included.

4. What gets you inspired to write? Following that question have you ever abandoned a fic?

5. What do you think made you a better writer? If you have any doubts about your work, how do you get past it enough to continue?

6. Is there a Cillian character that you just don’t like, or aren’t interested in watching/ writing about? (Sorry if that’s a loaded question)

omg thank u so much for this!!! i srsly love interacting w u guys, tysm for the thought provoking questions😄🙌

i think i like writing most about robert fischer:) ik it probably doesnt translate considering ive written most for jonathan crane but robert fischer is just such a little sweetheart to me,,, and can go both ways in being a sassy dom douchebag or being a sobbing daddy issues sub darling LOLLL i just think he has a lot of duality to delve into and develop (which ive definitely not done so far☠️) and it helps that his characterization in inception was also very surface level— i have a lot of wiggle room y’know??

i think im most proud of “dine & dash” which im aware probably no-one has read, but getting chris o’doyle’s sassy little dialogue down was like taming a wild beast,,, otherwise, considering my more well-known work, i rly liked writing “honey, i’m home”. i go crazy for the unhinged readers (if u couldnt alrdy tell lmaooo) and seeing jackson get messed with like that was a real treat.

i seriously just recommend anything by @mypoisonedvine,,, they’re literally genius & are the reason i started writing for cillian:)!! other mentions include kitten fics by @pictureinme and, a personal fave, @floralcyanidee’s jackson rippner mile-high club fic!!! these writers are all incredibly talented and im just blown away at their work every single time🫶

my thirst is such a big motivator for writing LMAO😭i wrote “guinea pig” ‘cus i wanted to absolute wreckkk jonathan crane and have him be a sub, and i got a 6.8k words long fic out of said thirst! music & book quotes motivate me a lot too— i spend sm time digging thru my pinterest for a good quote for the beginning of my fic its actually insane☠️and yes,,, im ashamed to say ive abandoned fics numerous times,,, but thats because they were series’, not oneshots. i get bored of series’ pretty quickly, ‘cause i feel kind of trapped by the initial dynamic or mood set in the first chapter. with oneshots, its like writing one long chapter of this trope and this kink or whatever and then its done, and i dont have to exhaust myself going back to tropes or kinks or storylines ive already done.

i think reading made me a better writer. expanding my vocabulary through the words of others was a biggie; seeing something be described in a certain way in someones story had me thinking of out-of-the-box ways to describe another thing (that doesn’t make much sense but lets pretend it does😭). i have many, many doubts about my work, like constantly, but i usually just suck it up. i sound like an attention whore but seeing the reposts & comments & tags on my other work reminds me people like what i’ve written before and certain people will enjoy what ive written now, so i should just finish my work for them. i also take like 100 years rereading my stuff until i think its good enough lmao,,,

ive kinda watched his whole roster of films (atleast ones i could actually find on the internet and not gone missing as a lost piece of media lmao) and i could probably write for any cillian character given i had a good idea and proper motivation. writing for certain characters is definitely harder for me to do though, so its likely i wont write for them/will take a long time to do so. an example is lenny miller— anna was such an insufferable movie to me, and lenny’s screentime wasn’t long at all, atleast not long enough for me to properly grasp his character. he just felt like a horny hardass fbi goof the whole time i could not take his 5’7 ass seriously😭cillian is smexy as hell in anna tho, so we’ll see😈another would probably be robert capa from sunshine,,, hes beautiful and deliciously musty in that but the whole spaceship setting kinda freaks me out (considering i know 0 zilch nada about space, spaceships, or anything of the sort, so it’d definitely be inaccurate). an au with him id definitely do, though! (with that hair of his my mind is already forming a 90s band au, guitarist!capa x singer!reader story…)

again thank u so much for these questions!! i feel like i rarely get to chat to u guys so this was well appreciated😄🫶thank you so much for reading, for sending these questions in, and for being an overall sweetheart, anon!

#burnyouwithacigarettelighter #long post

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laurellerual · 2 years ago

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why do you think/say gendrya has all the tropes of the romance genre???? also, do you think jonrya will or could happen?

Romance tropes in Gendry and Arya relationship

The Family: Baratheon and Stark have a tragic love story (which we later find out isn't quite like that, but that's how it's told to begin with).

The love interest meet the father first and the mother second: Gendry meet Lord Eddard and Lady Stonheart.

The first meeting: the boy intervenes to protect the protagonist from bullies.

The hidden identity: the protagonist is disguised as a boy, only the love interest realizes the deception.

Forced coexistence: these two would never have met if it hadn't been for fate (the author) that forced them to embark on a journey together and have only each other to count on. And don't tell me Hot pie etc, … because Arya doesn't confide everything she does to her other supporting cast. She only have this relationship of trust with Gendry.

The protagonist goes to save her love interest: when Gendry is captured by the Mountain.

The children: Weasel is adopted and rescued by them. In the hierarchical dynamic that is established in this improvised pack the two take on the role of mom and dad.

Flirty banters: too many to write here.

Boy sees girl in a dress for the first time: Acorn Hall.

The two are too young to write them in a context of more explicit romantic tension so: rolling on the floor for no reason, tickling and ripped dress.

Insurmountable conflict: class difference

The love interest protects the protagonist from unwanted sexual attention.

Feelings begin to change: 'you are not my brother'

Everyone notices their dynamic except them: See the Brotherhood who gave Arya Lem as a chaperon.

Song that is sung to them and is clearly inspired by their situation: 'My featherbed'.

Innocent jealousy: Edric and Bella.

Misunderstanding at the end of Act II; the obstacles that have accumulated explode: conversation in the forge 'can you be a blacksmith for my brother', 'too lowborn to be kin to mylady high', 'I don't even care about you'.

Premature separation without a good bye: Arya is kidnapped by the Hound on her way to Riverrun (not too far from where Lyanna was abducted, probably on her way to Riverrun for Brandon and Cat's wedding).

The love interest waits parked in the last place where the protagonist has left a clear sign of her presence: (the bloodstain on the floor of the Crossroad inn). He's protecting the children like Arya would have want.

I'm sure that if I thought about it more I would find others too, but for now the list seems exhaustive enough. ASOIAF is not a romance story and Arya and Gendry are too young to play too much into that. Yet the writer decided to dedicate a lot of otherwise useless scenes to this relationship. Something have to happen in Act III to give them closure.

Jonrya

Despite all this I think Jon x Arya is not an unreasonable prediction. I admit that on first reading I had interpreted their relationship as entirely platonic.

When I found out about the 1993 outline I was surprised. The fact that Martin didn't take well to that being leaked is suspicious. Rereading the books after reading the outline it seems clear that he has reused and recycled several points and concepts that make it difficult for me not to consider Jonrya as a possible future.

Then the fandom worked its magic: there's a lot of well-argued meta in the Jonrya side of tumblr. So even if I prefer Gendrya to Jonrya I don't think the latter can be totally excluded until we read ADOS, that is never.

#arya stark #gendry #gendry waters #jon snow #gendrya #arya x gendry #jonrya #arya x jon

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canayams-art · 1 year ago

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i also feel like the animation this season is different, more crisps or something, because it looks even better than season 1 already gorgeous one. fengqing taking hold of me again was unexpected, but im dealing with the onslaught of emotions! i think it's just been too long since ive seen them in new scenes :"))

LQQ IS THE MVP OF THE DONGHUA AT THIS POINT! i looooove his design so much, more than the manhua one personally, and every scene he was in was soo good, i would have hard time choosing the one favorite as well. i think lqq debut this season was absolutely on point, and honestly i love watching him on my screen. he's so precious and when i tell you every scenes he's in makes me love him more and more im not kidding.

KEJEJJRJRJ FY AND LQQ INTERACTION WOULD HAVE BEEN SOO GOOD! especially considering mq is much more open as fu yao and being touched by lqq's sincerity and concern for mq would be right there on his face. (dw they make me cry as well🥹) i think i would also like to explore lqq's reaction to qi rong insulting mq, or maybe even their interactions during the aftermath of the tong'lu. mq being canonically good with children and helping lqq with guzi would be soo cute 🥰🥺 their potential for a strong and genuine companionship has me squealing as i write this, no lie

im so with you on your view of quirong!! it's definitely not a ship for me, even if i do tend to give every ship i come across a chance. although i think a fandom as well plays a role in my dislike, the overall impression of the ship didn't really give me the right vibe to like it either. im not above liking a pretty fanart for them when i come across it, but overall i just don't care about them. however it is always nice when you come across someone who also isn't a fan of the popular ship, makes you feel less crazy for not liking them 😭

mhmm if only more people thought like that, the discourses in the fandom would not exist :") it's so silly thinking everyone would have the same taste about fiction and media they watch and choose to interact with, and if that were to be the case the fandoms would be such a dull place to be. everyday i feel like the fandoms have went from a fun place to find like-minded people who enjoy things you do and with whom you can gush over your silly little blorbos, to this draining chore where you're constantly afraid someone will be on your throat for whatever reason if you dare say something about any character whether you like them or don't. it's honestly becoming exhausting but that's exactly why curating your own fandom experience and environment is important to have fun.

im personally ready to drop a fic if i see a trope i don't like or interpretation i don't agree with, even if i was already invested into the story prior. im willing to look past the characterization issue when the fics are clearly meant to be crack, but otherwise it really is very important to me that characters be the closest to canon as possible, especially in canon universe. modern aus are tricky, but honestly with enough lore throw in to explain it, i can swallow slight mischaracterization. anything fanon related tho, yeah im dipping so fast 😭 gods i sure sound pretentious and nitpicky about this but it's true, i learned the hard way that the only way to enjoy a fandoms is to set standards for what you like and not and not really care about others opinions, it's so much more enjoyable and you will eventually find the like-minded people who will support your delusions

side characters are gold mine when it comes to fics and general fandom experience, and from what ive noticed, the less popular the better 😭😭 sure you will probably have to make your own fan work but it's soo worth it at the end of the day! also less discourses so it's definitely a win. i also feel like the side characters/pairings usually have more interesting concepts when it comes to fics/art 🤔 this is not the case in every fandom but from my experiences, fics and art about side characters somehow feel more satisfying? idk to me it always comes across how people make a thing without it being cut out and served for them by already established canon, so to me it always feels more enjoyable to interact with such works

FIRST TIME DRAWING SQX?!?!?!!! IM ALMOST TEMPTED NOT TO BELIEVE IT! SQX IS SO GORGEOUS IN YOU ARTSTYLE AND IM DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THEM AGAIN AT SOME POINT IF YOU DECIDE TO DRAW THEM AGAIN! im also not so subtly stalking you account for any lqq rarepait you decide to grace us with 👀👀

I’m so sad we have to wait a little longer for the next episode to come out,,,,, I need to see fengqing more 😭 Also!!! Lqq really is the heart and soul of the season so far!!! I guess that makes sense considering we’re right in the middle of his arc but he really is such a joy to see in every scene— they really made him so baby and if last episode is anything to go by they’re about to make him so anguished (affectionate). I love this boy so much.

Also every time we bring up more and more different qianqing scenarios, I can’t help feeling that they’re actually so surprisingly complimentary to each other. Now I’m actually just disappointed that mxtx never really explored their dynamic. Lqq would’ve been a perfect ally in mq’s hardships and mq would’ve been a such an asset to have in the search for qr and the management of Guzi’s care (not sure if mq would be nurturing but he’d definitely come through with a lot of “Why aren’t you [insert form of care here] ?”). They could’ve benefited from being closer.

I think there’s something novel about side characters and rarepairs that makes them (personally) so appealing. We don’t see so much about them so we want to know more and from that want comes so much unique and interesting exploration. I just read an entire story about a pair of main guys— I wanna know more about the people who were a part of their story. It’s about the fun of redirecting the spotlight 🥹

(Also I think in a way everyone is a little pretentious with their personal preferences for what they enjoy and how they enjoy it. If the writing or the art isn’t doing anything for you or it loses you along the way then that’s just part of the subjective experience of the arts! It’s okay to admit to being picky or selective.)

Anyway—! As a lqq art peddler I am happy to keep peddling more lqq art in the future. Might even start drawing more donghua lqq (manhua lqq is very special to me but donghua lqq has charmed me so much 😭). I really gotta get back into the frenzied rate at which I used to draw him— now with a couple extra boyfriends LMAO.

#yams uncans #qianqing #sorry for the delayed response again! I hope you didn’t think I’d forgotten this ask 😭#anyway I’m holding the lqq doll in one hand and the px sqx and mq dolls in the other #lqq needs more hands cos two is not enough anymore LOL

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frostycatblr-fandom-files · 1 year ago

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SW Request Guidelines

This list is not cemented or exhaustive in any capacity, and will be occasionally updated, so please be sure to keep an eye on this post in my #frostfics masterlist and/or check before you make a request if you'd like some inspiration.

**Remember above all else, friends: 'this is War of Stars and Shit's Whack Anyways'. I more believe in having *fun* with the source material above strict adherence to it. If someone requested something that did not strictly adhere to whatever the current canon is, that's their choice. We all have our favorite aspects of Star Wars and they will not always align with another person's.**

UPDATED: 7/11/24

What I WILL Do

Headcanon requests

Drabbles

One shots

Short series (IF I am inspired by the request)

When it comes to X Readers: I can comfortably write in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Person POVs. My default is 2nd and 3rd person, for the most part! (Readers can also have nicknames, if that is your preference!)

Want to request a non-x reader? I can do that too, don't be shy!

Tropes including but not limited to: Fluff, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Whump, Enemies-to-Lovers/Idiots-to-Lovers, One Bed/Escape Pod, Fix-its, Soulmate, and Domestic.

Popular occupations or specified reader-types like Medic, Mechanic, Bounty Hunter, Jedi, etc.

As much or as little Clones-using-Mando'a as you'd like. Familial terms only? Sure! You wanna go for Oops! All Pet Names? You got it. You're allergic to Clones using Mando'a? Cool beans, buddy, I can do that and correct any slip-ups! (I know not everyone subscribed to that fanon trope like I did and/or for the same reasons I did.)

Platonic or romantic relationships

Implied smut/Mature on occasion! [Will range from 13+ to 18+ age rating depending on my comfort and familiarity with the requested character.]

I have more familiarity in writing AFAB/Female and Gender Neutral x Readers. I often write the general, physical description of Reader in a very vague, more "poetic" manner unless otherwise specified in the request. [Should be noted I am very unfamiliar with writing AMAB/Male x Readers so I'm afraid I'm likely not the one who will be best to ask.]

We're LGBT+ friendly; I'm a bi woman in my twenties for goodness sake. 🩷💜💙

Most SW characters, really. If you have a particular character in mind that isn't in my main niches of interest, I can probably swing it. There'll be better luck if you request something from one of my favorite eras (The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch, The Mandalorian). Please keep in mind that the less I know of a character, the longer it'll take me to complete.

Like a particular fanon trope [ex: Gray Jedi] and want to see my take on it? Sweet, glad you trust me! I'll certainly do my best depending on what's requested.

We're AU and canon-divergent friendly here! You ordered the "No Order 66 AU with Domestic!Clone Boyfriend" with an order of "Somehow, ____ Lived." on the side? Coming right up!

Is it well past time for everything to Just Stop™ for your fave? We can magically give them a little break.

I will postpone or delete a request if you're impatient with me. I'm doing this for free, for FUN, on my own time with no set schedule. I have ADHD tendencies (and chronic health conditions) and sometimes the inspiration is just not there. Do not be an entitled little snot or you'll get put in timeout.

What I Will NOT Do

Whitewash the Clones. We believe in evidence of Temuera Morrison's physical characteristics in our Clone husbands/boyfriends here.

Art requests: Most of the fan art I'm posting in the #frostsfanart tag is done on whim, vibes and impulse; and it's a miracle some of those have gotten popular.

Sidenote: There is a *chance* you'll get an art response to an ask if I feel I can pull it off, or, if you give me an idea. [An acceptable example would be asking me if I've ever done a helmet doodle for XYZ before.]

Explicit smut as of now. Nothing against it, but I had a more conservative upbringing; I currently struggle with writing that material without unnecessary guilt.

Your OC x Canon. Don't want to butcher your brain-child by mischaracterizing them by accident. Not running that risk; doubt this would be a thing that would be requested but I'm just covering my bases.

I am not personally comfortable with Clonecest or Clone-shipping. They are brothers and refer to each other as such in-canon. I understand people will do as they please, but I do not support this material. Respect my boundaries.

Will absolutely NEVER do requests involving incest, dub-con/non-con, or general bigotry (homophobia, racism, etc). You will be fed to the Rishi Moon eels instead of Cutup. I'll free Echo and put you in his place on Skako Minor before anyone notices I'm there. Get lost, please.

I am not comfortable with the Rex/Ahsoka business or Master x Padawan romance. Platonic takes on Master x Padawan!Reader dynamic is acceptable. Characters need to be of-age for romances. Ahsoka was only 17 at the end of Clone Wars, for stars' sake.

I Will Love You If You Let Me

Talk about my Clone OCs!!

As the Clone Wars is my favorite era in this Galaxy Far, Far Away, I have a LOT of Clone OCs. I keep track of them in an Excel spreadsheet, so chances are a "throwaway" name that's not found in any Star Wars series is one of my boys.

Chances are good that I throw one or two in a fic as a cameo, as well! Some of them are more fleshed out than others with proper canon, while others have none at all.

Talk about my own fics from time to time!

I promise, there's no need to be shy!

I reread my own work often enough, and I'd love to have you stop by my ask box (on or off anon) with any questions you might have about what you've read! I'll gladly elaborate on why I wrote a scene like that or the particular headcanon(s) I've worked into the fabric of the story.

You're more than welcome to drop by and gush about things too. Authors truly do love to hear back from the people who've taken the time to read what we've written. 🩷

#for the masterlist #fanfic request guidelines #frostfics #star wars #star wars fanfiction #star wars fan fiction

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mcmcntomorii-later · 2 years ago

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Plots please ( for Soi fon, Yoruichi, Yor, Byakuya, or Itaru. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ALL OF THEM. JUST ONE. I JUST WASN'T SURE WHO TO PICK SINCE I WANNA THROW ALOT OF MUSES YOUR WAY )

@kismetkiss

— oh imma do all of them :3cccc and honestly you could throw any/all of your muses at me I have a bunch of fun writing with you :3

Soi Fon:

— ( This one could work for either Soi Fon or Yoruichi ) but given that that she's commander-in-chief to the Onmitsukidó, that would give some connection to Mukuro's late fiancé since that was the division he was in. That could be a way that they'd sort of know each other besides Mukuro knowing of Soi Fon given that she's a captain. — While I can see their personalities clashing ( with Soi Fon being a 'we have to follow orders' person and Mukuro being the embodiment of the shrug emoji towards orders and authority figures ) I can also see them learning from each other. — I'm trying to think of how to spin a fun shipping plot but I think that a fun kind of rivals to lovers thing would be fun? Like they're both just kind of *side eye* towards one another but they also can't seem to be apart for long lol also the sex is probably too bomb

Yoruichi

— Honestly I think having her and Yoruichi be childhood friends would be fun! With Mukuro learning how to efficiently sneak out of her clan's compound their paths could cross and Yoruichi spots her and is like 'well, well, well, fresh meat someone new to tease.' Also honestly if we go w/ their paths crossing and Yoruichi talking about what she does with Mukuro could probably be the push Mukuro gets to go to the Academy when she gets exiled from her clan — To add to the one above the mental image of their paths crossing again but this time it's Yoruichi in her cat form and Mukuro who's just like 'aw kitty~' and as she goes to pet Cat Yoruichi, she says 'nice to see you again, Mukuro' and there's the fun little comedic moment of Mukuro panicking 'did I just hear this cat speak actual words or am I more exhausted than I thought?' — That would also give some good good childhood friends to lovers trope lol with the reunion and having them both be like 'oh... she's hot'

Yor

— I love the idea of them being paired up for a mission and then unexpectedly running into one another outside of their assassin jobs and it's just a bit like the spider man pointing meme — Honestly with how horny that Mukuro can get after a successful assassination job, that could led into some spicy moments ;3 — I imagine that they probably begin interacting with one another prior to Yor having that fake marriage but I can easily see that when Mukuro finds that out she's just like... *squints* oh. B/c by that point she's probably developed some sort of feelings for Yor and to hear that she's fake married to a guy would probably set Mukuro off and while she'd be civil on the outside, on the inside, she's absolutely livid and figuring out how to plot his demise so Mukuro could be with Yor. ( if shipping is a route you'd like to take with them anyway :3 otherwise Mukuro could be just absolutely over protective of Yor )

Byakuya

— Ooh I do love me a good rescue plot :3c For instance her clan could change her mind and be like 'oh mukuro's like mega powerful now so we want her back' and then just yoink her in some fashion and either Byakuya knows somethings up almost immediately or it's something like she gets nabbed on her way to/from a mission and people are like 'hmmm she... isn't back yet?' — I honestly just love how soft they are with one another so I'm always down for more things like that. Mukuro opening up more and both of them learning that it's okay to love again. So I'm always up for more interactions like those, like them having walks and holding hands and talking, just enjoying the company of one another. OH! like having a moment where Mukuro is ready to show him her back scars ;v; and that could lead to some sweet lovey dovey moments afterwards. maybe very emotional/heartfelt lovemaking huuhu:3c — I think a thread where either Mukuro gets sick or Byakuya gets hurt and there's just the almost non stop worrying/doting that one is doing to the other.

Itaru

— I do really enjoy the thought of Itaru's coworkers finally getting him to attend an company party or something ( honestly Mukuro was also probably like 'i'll get you like 10 buys of whatever the highest cost package of any in game currency you'd like, if you go and take me and we can even stay enough for just a quick visit and eat some free food' ) and all his lady coworkers are just like 'aw yessss time to flirt with itaru outside of work' but then he comes in with Mukuro and they're just in disbelief. Because honestly Mukuro also lives off of making others jealous lol. — Either Itaru is out doing like a late night snack run and he runs into a bloodied Mukuro ( not her blood ) or while he's out he sees Mukuro with known Yakuza and he raises questions ( because I'm not sure if she would have revealed that she's an info broker/assassin to him yet - I think she'd probably lie and be like 'oh ya i'm swimming in cash because i'm a rather popular vtuber' ) Either way some good good drama :3 — Mukuro would probably help him increase his stamina ( either legitimately or through... you know ;3 huhu ) or honestly an interaction of like 'oh wow Itaru your stamina has really improved since you've started dating Mukuro, what sort of workouts have you been doing?' and those who could probably get an good idea of probably what the cause is will just go silent and wait for Itaru to explain ( and mukuro at the sidelines like :3c 'yea babe what do we do?' )

【 plots please! meme 】 ♡ 【 accepting 】

#⌈ 💌 ⌉ ASKS. || ✧ –––– A SORT OF HAUGHTY PLACE TO RUN THROUGH.#kismetkiss #⌈ ✨ ⌉ OOC. || ✧ –––– KOOBIE OR NOT KOOBIE.

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novemberhope · 5 months ago

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🌿 🧩

🌿 ⇢ give some advice on writer's block and low creativity

Do something else for a change and don't force it. Or try something new. It sometimes helps to write differently, like instead of using word, to write directly in... idk the tumblr text box. Or write it on pretty paper with your favorite pen. I don't know why this makes a difference but sometimes it does. Or ask a friend to work on it together, maybe they can give you prompts or write paragraphs you struggle with or give advice. It also helps a lot if there's interest. I wrote a fic once where I got lot's of positive comments on ff.net and that made my fly through the chapters because suddenly I was super motivated. Chose a friend to discuss things with in depth because talking about your favorite piece of media and characters for hours will certainly help. Or rewatch/reread for a bit. Or of this one story just won't flow, try an au, try writing for a different character, write a short story, use a prompt creator and write something like that. Make up a new oc and try again. If you speak multiple languages, try another language. You can always translate later. I think if it's a time problem it's a bit more difficult because if you have very little time and try to fit your writing in that small half and hour you have left in your day, that's going to be exhausting. If it's a lack of ideas and/or motivation, the changes might be better that any of these tips might work.

🧩 ⇢ what will make you click away from a fanfiction immediately? the typical Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Mary Sue character I guess. Back in the day when I was reading HP fanfic and there was a character like that, possibly with bright blue hair and pink eyes, being extremely skilled at everything, everyone is immediately in love with them and so on... idk it feels so foreign (at least for me) in the typical Hogwarts setting with all the british normal looking students. Otherwise... idk obviously things I'm not comfortable with or characters I dislike as the main characters... strange formating, like Y: bla bla bla X: bla bl bla *x and y go into the room* Grammar and spelling don't need to be perfect but at the very least the author should have used a spellchecker and I have to understand what I'm reading. Certain tropes or kinks I'm not into... character that are really not written like they're in the show/book and feel completely off or, you know, just "not feeling it". I start reading, the idea sounded good, but I keep reading and I'm just not really into it? Doesn't always mean the writing is not good but just that it's not for me. For the most part, I don't like crossovers. Expections are possible, but especially when I'm not a fan of all the included fandoms or if there are just too many characters I'm out. Or just... people I barely know sending me links to their fanfictions. Although everyone is welcome to my ask box with their fics and I might just read and love them when the timing is right, please don't be disappointed if I'm just not in the reading mood or that much into certain media at some points... and please don't keep sending new chapters, it's just overwhelming... I can always have the fanfiction site send me update emails if I want them or check myself if there are updates (ok that sounds harsh please do send your work if you want to, I'm honored, just... there's normal conversations and there's "too much", ya know?)

oh boy, how much did I write here? sorry for the wall of text...

#writers write #ask game #fanfiction #fiction #reading #writers block #tips #writing tips #sorry i hope this is helpful

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thebaepatricia · 1 year ago

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Book Review • Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney 📕📝👩🏾‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏾

Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney ⭐️ 3.5/5 Genre: YA Romance, Coming of age, Enemies-to-Lovers Trope

Quinn keeps lists of everything—from the days she’s ugly cried, to “Things That I Would Never Admit Out Loud,” to all the boys she’d like to kiss. Her lists keep her sane. By writing her fears on paper, she never has to face them in real life. That is, until her journal goes missing…

An anonymous account posts one of her lists on Instagram for the whole school to see and blackmails her into facing seven of her greatest fears, or else her entire journal will go public. Quinn doesn’t know who to trust. Desperate, she teams up with Carter Bennett—the last known person to have her journal—in a race against time to track down the blackmailer.

Together, they journey through everything Quinn’s been too afraid to face, and along the way, Quinn finds the courage to be honest, to live in the moment, and to fall in love.

Just as I thought I was over YA's, "Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry" by Joya Goffney found its way into my list. I heard a lot of positive reviews about it and I'd have to agree with the rave.

Quinn, our protagonist, is a list fanatic. She keeps a list of anything and everything in her red journal. This journal keeps her grounded and feeling safe. Until it goes missing. An anonymous person blackmails her into completing one of her lists within a deadline. Otherwise, the rest of her lists would be exposed to everyone.

This novel is cute, sweet, and mildly spicy. The diverse set of characters make me feel like I'm back in HS and I'm witnessing all the scenes unfolding. But it also tackles serious themes such as racism, cyberbullying, senescence, and social anxieties (or mental health, in general).

Surprisingly, I really enjoyed it. On a personal level, I can relate to Quinn. But instead of lists, I have trackers. My trackers make me feel in control of things I can. It makes me feel that despite my shortcomings as a human being, I'm at the least capable of tracking things and I'm damn good at it. On the downside, it can be mentally exhausting and time-consuming.

Just like Quinn, I have many fears. And just like Quinn, I'm afraid of facing them. But I also understand that eventually, I'll have to wear my big girl pants and face everything I don't want to, so I can grow as a person.

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jilytoberfest · 3 years ago

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Author - @scriibble-fics

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this! Find her on ao3 and ffnet !

1. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I don’t know how interesting this is (she says, getting that quick qualifier out of the way, because that’s otherwise how she’d answer legitimately every question), but I don’t plan out my fics in any sort of concrete form. When I first start writing, I typically have the beginning of an idea or trope or scene, and then things kind of blossom from there. The more I write, the clearer the direction of the fic becomes, and I keep all my notes for potential plot lines/pieces of dialogue/questions and answers in a chaotic pile at the end of the doc. I envy people who can plot things out clearly and concisely from the beginning, but I love discovering where things will go right along with readers!

2. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your stories?

Honestly, it surprised the hell out of me—and still surprises me daily—that people want to read my stories. That’s not some attempt to fish for compliments or to fake modesty or something, so I hope it doesn’t come off that way! There’s just so much talent in the Harry Potter fandom generally, and in the Jily fandom specifically, that I genuinely thought I might end up with a few readers if I was lucky. To see the same people pop up with commentary with each update, and then to watch those people follow me from fic to fic, still astounds me every day.

3. Do you have any suggestions to help others become a better writer? If so, what are they?

Get out of your own head! It’s easier said than done, I know, but I put off writing Voyeur for the longest time because I was embarrassed to write something that started off, literally, with such a crazy bang. I ended up waiting until I was too exhausted from insomnia to let doubt creep into my mind, and then I sat down and wrote the entire first chapter. After that, things flowed so much easier, and now? I can’t remember the last time I wrote something that embarrassed me. It’s super freeing. Also, never delete anything! I’ve had to take away entire chapters of content before due to plotlines moving in a different direction. (This is my own fault and comes from a lack of planning for sure, but I haven’t learned my lesson!) I have a doc for each fic called “outtakes,” and I migrate everything there. I’ve been able to recycle sentences or paragraphs or even full scenes before, and it keeps me from feeling like I “wasted” time writing something I didn’t use (although no writing is ever wasted!).

4. What do you think makes a good story?

That’s hard! There are about 3,000 possible ways I could answer this, but I’ll go with something basic: tension is key, as is a satisfying resolution to the tension. The latter is what keeps me up at night.

5. What is the first book that made you cry?

I have a very vivid memory of crying around the age of 8 or 9 because I realized that the characters in The Babysitter’s Club weren’t real and I would never meet them, so I’m going with that. I know a lot of people are like, “I was so upset when I didn’t get my Hogwarts letter at 11,” but I’d already had my own what-is-fiction-and-what-is-reality crisis, so I never went through that.

6. Does writing energize or exhaust you?

It depends on the type of writing! Academic writing? That shit is exhausting. Fiction writing? I can’t get enough of it, and it energizes me more than almost anything else.

7. Have you ever gotten reader’s block? If so, what are your tips to overcome it?

Reader’s block is a new one for me! It’s a term I’ve never heard before. Honestly, I have a hard time reading when I’m also writing, and I’m nearly always writing, so maybe I have a certain amount of chronic reader’s block? For me, it’s difficult to read Jily when I’m also writing Jily, because I’m constantly worried that I’ll end up absorbing someone else’s ideas or end up comparing my work to theirs in a demotivating way. What I’ve found works for me is reading non-Jily fics, and published work as well, when I get that hankering to read but don’t want to interrupt the flow of my own thoughts.

8. Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?

I think so! I write about a lot of emotions I’ve never personally felt and a lot of situations I’ve never been in. To me, writing is definitely about emotion, but imagination plays an even stronger role.

9. If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

You’re way stronger than you think, and you need to give yourself more credit for it. I’m still working on this, tbh.

10. What was your hardest scene to write?

Nothing really comes to mind. Writing a lot of Eighteen Again was difficult personally, because the fic deals with the theme of loss throughout, and I wrote it in part to cope with my own losses. In one way, that made it an easy fic to write, but it’s also been a difficult fic to write in for that very reason.

11. What is your favorite childhood book?

I read legitimately everything I could get my hands on. Prisoner of Azkaban was probably my most-read book, because I reread it over and over again while waiting for Goblet of Fire, to the point that I could basically quote whole sections of it. We’re talking over 20 times. I was a fiend. But I also really enjoyed The Babysitter’s Club (obviously, because WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY AREN’T REAL PEOPLE), The Chronicles of Narnia, and anything by Roald Dahl.

12. How long on average does it take you to write a one shot or a chapter of a fic?

Obviously it depends on the length, but I can bang out a shitty first draft in a day or two if I’m feeling especially motivated or inspired. The editing process takes longer, because I like to give it at least a couple hard edits (for content, continuity, etc. ) and then at least a couple soft edits (for word choice, sentence structure, etc.) before I post, and I like to sit on those edits for at least 24 hours between each one, although the longer the better. Without that time in between each read, I tend to miss slippery things like typos, although I’m sure a few make it into each chapter.

13. A fic that inspires you?

The Bet by sleepinghookah / @smileyjily is my comfort fic, and the fic that inspired me to start writing my own after over a decade away from the fandom.

14. How do you edit your work?

I answered this a little above, but I’ll also add this: I highlight each sentence I change after each edit. It helps me look over those sentences in particular to make sure that the sleepy edits I do on my phone at 1 AM actually make sense, and that I don’t gloss over any repeated words / typos / whatever when I get into the flow of rereading the story again.

15. Where does inspiration come from?

…can I say insomnia? Besides that, other media, conversations with friends in and out of the fandom, and daydreaming has been where most of my ideas come from.

16. Who has been helpful for you as you write for the fandom?

Oh gosh, so many people! I’m reluctant to name names because I don’t want to miss anyone, but @tumbledfreckles was my first fanfic friend by a long shot, and she’s become an actual friend since. @relyingonoldships might just be me from another life, and you can blame/thank her encouragement for me foisting Bought upon the world, because I don’t think I would have posted it without her. She also makes me laugh out loud on the regular. @tiffanytoms can also share much of the blame/credit for Bought, since her Enemy Within sparked my interest in dark!James, and she’s another one of my fav people to talk to. @maraudersftw constantly lights up my life with positivity, and her fics are bomb. Besides being a phenomenally talented writer, @clare-with-no-i discourse makes me ~think~, y’all, and she’s hilarious. There are also like 15 other people who I owe responses to in DMs who have taken time out of their days just to offer kindness, and that’s on top of all the lovely people who share their thoughts in reviews and edits and playlists and reblogs and likes and other things. Honestly, a better question might be “who HASN’T been helpful for you as you write for the fandom?” The answer is always going to be “people who leave hateful reviews because what I write isn’t their cup of tea,” but it’s so few and far between that I really can’t complain. I love this corner of the internet.

17. What is your fav POV to write from?

I started out writing James exclusively, and so much so that I had a lot of anxiety about writing from Lily’s POV. Now that I’ve tackled her a bunch? I think I’m starting to enjoy writing from her more than James, although it’s tough! I think it depends on the scene and the fic, honestly.

18. What is a fic you would love to write but are worried you won’t be able to accomplish it/nervous it wouldn’t work out?

I have no chill, so if I have an idea, I write it. Of the fics I’ve published, I’ve been most nervous about how Voyeur and Bought would be received, but people have been overwhelmingly lovely with only a few flames here and there. I’m still sitting on my Sirius/Lily/James throuple fic, mainly because even just the idea received quite a bit of criticism in my ask box. It fostered a lot of anxiety on my part, although people have been excited about it too. Still, I’ve written it even if I haven’t worked up the nerve to publish it, mainly because I truly don’t have the chill to let an idea sit dormant in my brain.

19. Do you ever self insert in fics?

I tend to empathize with every character I can, and I’m sure there are bits of me in most of the characters I write, but I’ve never done it on purpose that I can recall.

20. What is the story you are proudest of?

Notes and Magic are my two current favs. Writing both of them just made me feel good, because they’re almost entirely fluff and pining and love and lust with very little drama or angst or sadness, so they’re the ones I reread the most.

21. Do you prefer writing canon jily or muggle au?

Canon, although canon divergent is my favorite place to frolic! I’ve never done a muggle AU, but @mppmaraudergirl muggle AUs are some of my absolute favs.

22. Did the new dark!James fic had any inspiration from James and Lily going undercover in Eighteen Again or did that plot bunny came from elsewhere?

Love this! Honestly, the connection between undercover!James and dark!James wasn’t one I consciously made when I first came up with the idea of Bought. I give credit to @tiffanytoms’ Enemy Within for the initial idea of dark!James, and then credit my academic reading and research on sex work for the rest of the plot, but I’m sure there was some cross-contamination in my brain between EA and Bought.

Thank you so much for doing this!!

#scriiblefics #jilytober 2021 #jilyinterview #jilytober #jilytober fest #jily #writer interview

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emotionallyits2009 · 4 years ago

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deancas fic rec list!

hello everyone! happy christmas to those who celebrate it, my gift to you is my fic rec list that i said i would make like a month ago. the only thing it is organized by is canonverse vs alternate universe. tried to cover a variety of subjects but there are in particular many fics of the genre “postcanon where cas is human and he and dean live together and slowly finally get their shit together” because i know what i’m about, son. HOPE U ENJOY. and if you wanna talk about any of them or rec me other fics please do. :)

Canonverse:

where the weeds take root by deathbanjo, 30k, explicit “Are you happy? Y’know. Just—being here,” Dean says, gesturing to the yard with his beer bottle. “Being with—I mean, you used to fight in celestial wars and—and save the world. Now you’re growing vegetables and talking about chickens.” There are many fics set in a post-canon universe where Cas is human and he and Dean live together and slowly fall into a relationship. Imo this one is the best of the best of that genre. This was one of the first fics I read back in July when I was getting Back Into Supernatural where I was like oh fuck I’m like in this. Dean builds Cas planters and bookshelves and a chicken coop and they fight and work through it.

Cuckoo And Nest by komodobits, 10k, explicit For a long time, Castiel thought that every earthly possession other than the immediately necessary was excess to requirement. But Dean – Dean who named his car, who keeps a photograph of his mother in his wallet, some thirty-plus years after her death, who still has the crumpled ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign with a sleeping pelican emblazoned on it from the Microtel outside of Roanoke where he first kissed Castiel, clumsy and unsure, under the unsteady fluorescence of an exhausted bathroom bulb – is sentimental. It puzzles Castiel, where Dean draws the line between what is meaningful and what it is worthless. Really Gets the dynamic of Cas doesn’t think Dean wants him to stay/Dean thinks Cas will leave the first chance he gets. Also a nice example of Cas thinking he’s not wanted if he’s not useful/powerful and being told otherwise. Another all-time fave!

lonely hearts by outphastthemoat, 4.5k, gen He thinks he might give up having his own anything just to be able to step foot inside the room next door and sit on the edge of Dean’s bed instead. This one is for the CAS GIRLS who know what LONELINESS feels like.

Helionneiros by aeli_kindara, 24.2k, mature In which Dean visits his mother, and Claire takes Cas on a hunt. I’m always on the lookout for more fic with Claire and Jack. Jack doesn’t show up until the end here but the relationship between Cas and Claire is really nice.

Crawl by aeriallon, 11k, explicit It’s been almost four years since Castiel left Kansas; he'd eventually settled in an island town where he has a job, a house, and a life without the Winchesters. Every winter, Dean drives down to the coast to see him. Another fic where Cas is human but in this one he took some time for himself and got some distance from the Winchesters! He gets to be competent and weird as a human and we love that for him. I must warn you all that this fic contains one use of the phrase “making love” which would normally put me right off but it’s still worth reading. The first of a three-part series.

home where you hold me by microcomets, 1.6k, gen Cas and Dean, in the moments between their battles, ache for quiet spaces. Technically this is a coda to 10x20 but you don’t need the episode for context. Short and very sweet.

Build a Home by domesticadventures, 20.1k, teen After they save the world, Dean expects Cas to come back to the bunker with them. He doesn’t. This one is so cute it’s like what if once they were done saving the world Sam and Dean actually invited other hunters to move into the bunker with them. Obviously Dean wants that to include Cas but doesn’t know how to use his words.

the taste of gravel in the mouth by deathbanjo, 22.4k, explicit This is what Cas gave up Heaven for: greasy diner food, shitty motel rooms with even shittier cable, long car rides spent in complete silence except for the same six tapes playing over and over again, and a burnt-out husk of a man who can barely hold a conversation anymore. Angst fic! They go on a road trip and Dean is severely fucked up post-Mark of Cain.

Unknown Quantities by xylodemon, 8.6k, explicit No one ever tells Dean anything. Another nice getting-together fic.

Creature of Habit by trinityofone, 5.2k, teen The more you love someone, the more you want to kill them. Or: How Cas developed some bad habits, and Dean coped surprisingly well. This one is ancient by destiel standards (written during season 5) but it manages to nail the married couple vibes they give off in later seasons. Cas is a bitch and Dean likes him so much. <3

The (Mostly Accidental) Courtship of Dean Winchester by Tuesday, 11.2k, mature Angelic marriage rites were never intended to go quite like this. Another old one that is a lot of fun! They get Accidental Angel Married and if you don’t enjoy dumb fanfiction tropes like that I don’t know what to say to you.

Vena Amoris and Other Old-Fashioned Bullshit by pyrebi, 4k, teen In which angelic marriage bonds are apparently stupidly easy to trigger, Cas wages multidimensional war in Heaven, Dean can't catch a break like ever, Sam rather enjoys being a dick, love saves the day, and nobody consummates anything. The OTHER accidental angel marriage fic written in 2010.

Crazy Diamonds by pantheon_of_discord, 24.8k, explicit A week ago, Dean was pulled out of Hell. Now, he’s apparently woken up in 2018, and the angel that a mere twenty-four hours beforehand had threatened to chuck him back into the pit is sleepily pouring himself coffee and wearing Dean’s second-favourite Zeppelin shirt. It all seems like a perfect happy ending, but with Hell’s scars still so fresh, Dean can’t imagine how he could have possibly gotten there. At the same time, the Dean who went to sleep in the bunker, right next to Cas, wakes up on Bobby’s couch in 2008. He’s instantly bombarded with questions by a Lilith-obsessed brother and a man who’s been dead for years, and must decide between keeping his finally-perfect life intact, and the lives he could save by re-writing history. Regardless of these choices, both Deans are trapped in the wrong decade, and their only way back lies with a Castiel still very much under Heaven’s thumb – one who might find the future Dean describes difficult to believe. Time travel is FUN. There’s an excellent part where (minor spoilers) future!Dean is like, “Guess what, asshole? You like me so much you marry me!!!!!!!!!!!” to 2008!Castiel that made me laugh out loud the first time I read it. Also just a good reminder of how most problems in life are temporary and if you could go back in time to talk to your younger self you’d be like, “Hey man. Chill out. You get through it.”

The Path of Fireflies by museaway, 63.7k, mature After his humanity is restored, Dean wakes up in bed with Castiel, a wedding ring, and no memory of the past twelve years. There’s a lot of amnesia fic and djinn fic out there were Dean wakes up ~suddenly together with Cas~ but I like this one in particular because he’s initially very confused and kind of a dick about it until he acknowledges that being with Cas makes him happy.

take the long way home by dothraki_shieldmaiden, 95k, explicit Three months ago, when Dean decided to retire, he thought his life was going to end up differently. He'd thought that he might get to have it all, Sam, Cas, Jack, and nice little place to live. Instead he gets Sam and Jack off on their Summer of Love Tour, radio silence from Cas, and a never-ending road trip consisting of himself. Still reeling from the loss of his grace, Castiel travels the country in search of hunts. Driven by a need to prove his usefulness, he pushes himself beyond all limits of endurance. Together, with the help of a few friends, a crumbling Victorian house, and a stray cat, Dean and Castiel patch themselves back together and create a home together. Do you wanna read almost one hundred thousand words of Dean and Cas having extremely intense feelings but refusing to voice them aloud? Haha of course you do that’s why you’re here. There’s also a lot about Cas adjusting to being human and being depressed about it which might resonate if you’ve ever felt weird about having a body. To be honest the author could stand to use a few more commas but there were also half a dozen moments that made me put my phone down and drag my hand slowly over my face and whisper “oh my god” to myself which is like, the ultimate measure of a good fanfiction so it gets to be on the list.

like moses and batman and james dean by saltyfeathers, 31.6k, explicit dean used to turn tricks. over a decade later, he met cas. Have you seen the fanon (apparently pioneered by Mr. Jackles “Original Deankin” Ackles himself) that Dean used to prostitute himself to feed himself and Sam when they were younger? Are you interested in exploring that concept in fanfiction? Well, this is the only fic you need. Mind the tags on this one! It’s not what I’d call happy but it’s good.

Some Assembly Required by narrow_staircases, 47k, mature It’s September of 2005, and Dean Winchester, in an attempt to outrun old mistakes and painful memories, finds himself in southern Kentucky on a wild goose chase. He’s completely certain this weird religious movement he’s “investigating” is a hoax, despite the miraculous healings people report, and he’ll be back on the road in a day or two. Things are looking up when he meets Cas, an awkward (and gorgeous) graduate student who’s actually doing honest-to-god research into the local tent revival meetings. When that research takes a weird and personal turn, Dean’s left to face two very serious realities: one, this may be a real case after all, and two, he’s fallen way harder for Cas than he should ever have let himself. Stanford-era AU of Dean trying to avoid his father and getting in over his head on a case.

Alternate universe:

And This, Your Living Kiss by opal_bullets, 57k, mature Only a very few people in the world know that the celebrated and reclusive poet Jack Allen is just Kansas mechanic Dean Winchester, a high school dropout with a few bucks to his name. Not that it matters anymore; life has left him so wrung out he never wants to pick up another pen. Until, that is, a string of coincidences leads Dean to auditing a poetry course with one Dr. Castiel Novak. The professor is wildly intelligent, devastatingly handsome...and just so happens to be academia's foremost expert on the poetry of Jack Allen. Mundane AUs in this fandom have to be really, really good to catch my attention and this one is! It’s exactly what it says in the summary and the characterization is spot-on.

Out to Drift by deathbanjo, 20.9k, mature Dean drives a black car with a loud engine. He lies too easily. He keeps a gun in the back of his jeans, and Castiel isn’t sure, but he wouldn’t be surprised if Dean has killed someone before. Two people in fucked-up unstable situations meeting and forming a connection. Honestly guys I really just love deathbanjo.

#fic #deancas #destiel

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true-blue-megamind · 4 years ago

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FAN THEORY SUPPOSITION SUNDAY: The Warden

SPOILER WARNING! It’s still a thing, and, if you haven’t yet, you still need to watch Megamind. (If you have seen it already, however, you need to see it again. Because it’s awesome.)

Yes, yes, the post is three days late this time. Real life has to take priority and such. So sue me. (Don’t really do that. LOL!)

For that same reason—or more accurately because this week has exhausted me—I will attempt to make this post shorter than usual. We’ll see how that goes. My money is on “not well.” LOL.

Anyway, today we’re going to look at a subject that often divides the Megamind fandom: the Warden and his relationship with Megamind. There are several fan theories—I mean, suppositions—surrounding this, but I’m going to be focusing on a few of the main ones.

The first of these is that the Warden was actually a father figure to Megamind when he was young, allowing him to be raised in jail not out of cruelty or disinterest, but because it was the only way to keep him safe from shadowy government agencies that otherwise would have performed all sorts of experiments on the blue alien. This both accounts for why a child would be allowed to grow up in what is clearly a high-security prison for dangerous adult criminals—something that, admittedly, needs some sort of explanation—and fits with widely accepted sci-fi and comic book tropes. (From Area 51 to mysterious “Men in Black” type organizations, fiction is full of government agencies created to study extraterrestrial life and technology.) Some even go so far as to suggest that the Warden may have tried to adopt Megamind officially, but was blocked from doing so by these same entities. On top of this, such an idea also offers room to re-imagine the Warden as a much more interesting, complex, and sympathetic character. Indeed, there has been some excellent fan fiction written about this pseudo-parental relationship.

Art: Fathers And Sons Day by tabbydragon

There is some evidence to support this. The first is that, although the Warden behaves harshly toward Megamind in the “jail-break” scene near the beginning of the film, Megamind himself seems to be trying to engage in a playful exchange: pranking the older man, wishing him a good morning, and even teasing him. While some say that this is simply Megamind’s personality as well as his determination to always appear indominable, others suggest that, perhaps, the blue man is trying to recapture a lost amiability between himself and the prison Warden. It is possible that, when he was younger and less villainous, Megamind might have exchanged friendly jokes and greetings with the man in charge of the jail he called home. It has even been suggested that the Warden is so hard on the blue man at the beginning of the film not because he hates Megamind, but because Megamind’s life choices have hurt and alienated his father figure. This idea finds some support in the facts that, when Megamind leaves jail to confront Titan, the Warden wished him good luck, and at the end of the movie, that same man seems genuinely happy as he watches the television broadcast of his one-time prisoner being named Defender of Metro City. Finally, there is some evidence from the comics which, although not truly considered canon, as I’ve mentioned before, do offer some material for fan theories. In the “episode” entitled Bad Minion! Bad! Megamind runs into the Warden in a bar, and the latter offers the former advice. There is certainly a somewhat fatherly feel to the scene.

The second theory is exactly the opposite: that the Warden either did not care for or outright disliked the former supervillain. Unfortunately, as fun as the Warden/Father Figure concept is, this second, darker idea has far stronger evidence to support it in the film itself. (Try not to hate me, everyone.) These clues range from the obvious to the subtle, but there are quite a few of them to be found.

During the first scene in which we see Warden interact with Megamind, he doesn’t behave like an angry, disappointed father—at least not a good one. He isn’t merely surly toward Megamind; he is absolutely nasty. The Warden verbally condemns the alien, telling him that he’ll “always be a villain,” and essentially steals what he believes is a gift for the blue man, even taunting him by saying: “I think I’ll keep it!” This hardly seems like the actions of someone who once felt any sort of affection for the extraterrestrial. That same portion of the movie holds another clue as well: the screens monitoring Megamind’s brain activity. Indeed, in original concept art for the film, the system appears both more invasive and more nightmarish. It seems that, far from protecting Megamind, the Warden may have actually allowed him to be experimented upon.

Next, there is the newspaper article at the beginning of the title sequence, which bears the headline “Hometown Boy Makes Bad.” It’s hard to see what the paper says, of course, even if you bother to really notice it, but luckily for us Liz (Demishock) wrote a wonderfully thorough blog post which, among other things, provides a transcript of the “news story.” In it, the Warden is quoted as referring to young Megamind as a born villain as well as abnormal.

You don't know this kid. I've watched the little criminal since he was in diapers. This kid is just a bad seed. I've got experienced, hardened criminals in here who are afraid of him - I mean, have you seen the size of his head?… It's not like he's a normal kid… I mean, have you gotten a good look at his gigantic blue head? I don't know where you come from, but where I come it's just not right.

Granted, there seems to be some truth to what the Warden is saying, as the article also mentions that Megamind, who can hardly have been more than seven years old at the time, has basically been put into solitary confinement for the safety of other prisoners following an unnamed incident, adding that the other inmates “refused to point fingers for fear of retaliation.” (This fits with the fan theory that young Megamind would have had to both fight and develop a fearsome reputation in order to protect himself. You can read more about that in the post How Strong is Megamind?) However, the Warden seems to dwell a lot on the fact that Megamind looks alien, and he displays an obvious dislike for the young boy.

Finally, there is evidence hidden in the school scene, although it’s easy to miss. In an amazing two-part video series, Megamind: A City of Deception. YouTuber The Theorizer illustrates several hidden clues about Megamind’s early life and how it it led him to embrace villainy. (I will very likely write another post going into more detail about that at a later date.) One thing that The Theorizer discovered is a seemingly innocuous detail in the background during the popcorn scene. Take a moment to examine the images below. Look closely at the blackboard and you’ll see a paper cut out of a school bus. Look even more closely at that and you’ll find something odd: the bus is full of crayon-drawn children except for one figure: an adult male, riding in the back of the bus, who looks suspiciously like the Warden as he appears at the beginning of the film.

In a movie where so much attention is given to small things—I mean, seriously, the animation team actually went through the trouble to write a news story for a paper that was on the screen less than ten seconds—this cannot possibly be a coincidence. (You can learn more about the artists’ amazing dedication to detail in my post What’s Hidden in the Animation?) Although it is vaguely possible that Megamind, painfully aware of how much his appearance was despised, chose to draw the Warden’s face instead of his own, most fans believe there is a darker reason for this oddity.

Think about it: the Li’l Gifted School for Li’l Gifted Kids is built close by a jail with a strangely similar name: Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted. It’s clearly a small academy, yet the only two known aliens in the city—who, by the way, have extremely different social backgrounds—both just happen to attend there. And now the prison warden appears to be somehow involved with the elementary school? It’s bizarre. Add to this the fact that the young alien adopted by a privileged family—a boy who possessed super-strength and laser vision—seemed inclined to be a bully, (as is made obvious by the kickball scene,) and a disturbing fan theory emerges. Adults realized that Wayne Smith, the child who would eventually become Metro Man, might prove dangerous if left unchecked, and came up with a plan to turn him into a hero instead. Wayne was showered with praise, conditioning him to seek public approval, but a superhero needs a nemesis. The strange-looking, unwanted blue boy who’d already been labeled a criminal would have seemed like the obvious choice. If this is true, then Megamind was purposefully, albeit covertly, groomed to become a supervillain from a young age, and the Warden played a major role in doing that.

So there you have it. Two competing fan theories concerning the Warden’s connection with Megamind. Both have some evidence supporting them, and there are fans who are firmly dedicated to one or the other. Which is true? Did the Warden care for Megamind like a son but distance himself when the boy turned to villainy? Or did he judge and despise Megamind but come around to liking him when he finally realized what sort of person the blue man was deep down? The fact is that those questions can be argued for hours on end. No matter which of these suppositions you prefer, however, the mere fact that even a minor supporting character is complex enough to offer room for this debate speaks to the impressive amount of work and devotion that went into creating this amazing animated film.

#Megamind #Megamind movie #Megamind fan theory #fan theory #fan theories #fanon #Warden #the Warden #connection #relationship #relationships

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shihalyfie · 3 years ago

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A handful of ways 02 often gets misread

02 is a series that, in many ways, seems to adhere to a lot of conventional shounen anime tropes, structural aspects, and plot beats -- except a lot of them are very much not played the way you would usually expect, or have aspects to them that are slightly different or more nuanced than the average play on it. Unfortunately, this means that a lot of people (perhaps rather understandably) tend to be expecting the usual formats or plays so much that they try to shove 02 back into that box, which inevitably leads to a lot of its important subtleties getting pretty badly buried.

A lot of these misconceptions have become mantra in the fanbase, even despite a lot of hardcore 02 fans’ efforts to counter them, so while this isn’t an exhaustive list, I’ve decided to unpack some of these!

That the 02 characters didn’t get character development or much depth

Fighting back against this stigma is practically this blog’s major raison d'être; one of the first posts on it was a full meta on this, later followed by individual posts breaking down each individual character and their role in the series (Daisuke, Ken, Miyako, Iori, Takeru, Hikari). Yes, they did get character development, no matter whatever your definition of “character development” is -- we saw into all six of these kids’ heads, we saw what made them tick, we saw what their internal worries and aspirations were, and we saw all of that to a level that many, many other series, Digimon or otherwise, don’t even hold a candle to.

Personally, I feel like there are two major reasons this stigma keeps circulating around: one, that the series has a very unique emphasis on “character relationships” and the nature of relationships between characters rather than them individually in a vacuum (that "human relationships” was a deliberate theme of 02 in contrast to Adventure’s “oneself” has been stated outright by official, multiple times at that), and two, that the series has a habit of not saying in outright words what it’s doing, meaning you have to read between the lines a lot to figure out what’s going on here. This means that (especially for those who are expecting 02 to use the same writing style as Adventure) it’s too easy to observe the fact that 02 doesn’t have “character focus episodes” to the same extent as Adventure, and that there’s few or virtually no points where the characters look back and say in explicit words what changed about themselves, and think “oh, so nothing happened at all with them?”

But just because they don’t say it outright doesn’t mean it isn’t there! If you pay proper attention to the kids’ words and actions, the way they interact with and see each other, and in general just what their behavior patterns are between the early episodes and the final ones, there’s a huge difference, to the point where making it to the end of the series and rewatching the early episodes can cause pretty severe whiplash from seeing how different the characters are at first. Plus, “relationships between characters” gets an elevated amount of importance compared to Adventure, so defining a given relationship between one character and another, and how each character approaches others, is given its own spotlight -- and, in a cast of six major human characters, you can get a very good idea of how almost any pair might interact and see each other, which is a pretty huge thing, all things considered.

Moreover, this leads to a bit of a (paradoxically) frustrating situation where a lot of people will describe the characters in terms of how they were in only the very early episodes of the series, even in scenarios where their later characterization would be more pertinent; Daisuke and Miyako especially tend to get the short end of the stick here. Daisuke’s characterization in 02 episodes 4 and 7 is very, very much him at his worst and most shallow -- compare him in an episode like 26, or 35, or 45, and it’s very easy to understand that grew out of a lot of that shallowness and Hikari-related hangups, but many seem to be all too often convinced that Daisuke somehow only ever stayed the same character he ever was in those very, very early episodes.

It’s a very “slow burn” type of character development and growth that doesn’t involve them handing the answer to what happened on a plate, and it definitely forces you to read into things a bit harder than usual to figure it out...but, again, that doesn’t mean it’s not there!

The alleged “gender pigeonholing” of the Digimental and Jogress assignments

It’d be foolhardy to say that “matching genders” didn’t have some likely part in Miyako’s Digimental assignments or the fact Hikari is her Jogress partner, but if you listen to a huge chunk of the fanbase, this must have apparently been the only reason such is the case, and Miyako and Iori’s Digimentals were actually forcibly “swapped”, and meanwhile, the Jogress pairs “should” have been Miyako-Iori and Takeru-Hikari because of their prior existing relationships (instead of, say, a more likely scenario that the assignments were a factor taken into account, but that Miyako and Iori’s characters were also fundamentally built from the ground up to make sure that things tracked, instead of retroactively forcing anything).

This interpretation of “forcing” or “pigeonholing” is only really possible based on surface-level readings. The idea of Miyako and Iori’s Digimentals of Love and Knowledge being “swapped” only works based off a misreading of the meaning of the Crest of Knowledge and a surface gloss of Miyako’s character; Miyako’s character really doesn’t work with the Crest/Digimental’s correct definition of “inquisitiveness and curiosity”, Miyako’s association with computer skills doesn’t actually have much to do with her character and personal aspirations, and moreover “Love” is actually specifically “affection” in this context, which Iori is...definitely not the shining example of, even if he has a different, more passionate kind of love.

As far as the Jogress pairings go, trying to imply that a Miyako-Iori and Takeru/Hikari pairing setup based on existing prior relationships would be more appropriate misses the deeper implications of Jogress, which involve actively working on relationships being the point. Daisuke and Ken weren’t people with an existing relationship, either; the fact they’re Jogress partners comes from the fact they have complementary personalities and therefore provide what each other needs to grow and do better. Miyako and Iori certainily “get along” based on knowing each other beforehand, but that simply means that they have a surface-level friendship, and not as much about what they can provide for each other on the deeper level, and while Takeru and Hikari likewise seem to “get along” based on their prior knowledge of each other, 02 episode 13 had already established that they’re actually not that great at communicating with each other and may not be the best people to most intimately solve each other’s problems at the moment. The pairing of Miyako-Hikari is significant because it means that Miyako’s aggressive personality can be the one to break through Hikari’s infamously closed-in one while Hikari can be there to provide a proper ground for Miyako’s loose cannon tendencies, and the pairing of Iori-Takeru is significant because Iori’s way of methodically going through things helps in poking through Takeru’s convoluted layers, and said complicated emotional perspective from Takeru becomes the first important step in Iori learning to take the human heart into account.

They’re relationships that don’t come naturally, and that’s part of the point! You have to work on your relationships and make an active effort to get them to work, and that’s an important lesson for real life in general, where relationship maintenance can be even harder than the three episodes Takeru and Iori went through.

Daisuke “being an idiot”

I’m one of the many people who loves affectionately calling Daisuke an idiot, and it’s because it’s funny and it’s my way of showing love for him, but actually, while Daisuke being a bit simple-minded puts him further in the typical “idiot hero” play in this kind of series, there’s a very specific way Daisuke is an “idiot” -- it’s not that he’s going to just ruin every single situation by taking the least advisable path!

Daisuke is actually best summarized not via lack of intelligence per se but rather that he’s “simple-minded”, and this has both bad and good things about it. Given an overly complex situation, or something he needs to think through thoroughly, he obviously struggles, and it means he’s also not very book smart, since that involves a lot of intellectual and complex thinking. However, there’s a lot of different aspects to his personality, and there are a lot of ways Daisuke can be surprisingly perceptive because of this:

Difficult to fool: Actually, Daisuke isn’t gullible at all -- a side effect of his penchant for being overly dramatic and quick to be suspicious of others. Notice how the two characters he’s traditionally been antsiest around are Takeru and Wallace, the two characters who have an infamous penchant for not being very straightforward -- and really, while his tendency to take things grossly out of proportion and act dramatically adds to the comedy, you can’t deny he was absolutely correct about catching onto Wallace hiding things and acting very suspicious back in Hurricane Touchdown. Of course, he’s also an open-minded person who’ll observe proof that someone might be trustworthy and take it into account -- this is how he became so open to Ken after all -- but he does have a certain sense of catching onto shady or unscrupulous behavior and calling it out.

Not all that reckless: Daisuke’s actually more of the type to get easily intimidated by things, so even if he initially talks big, he gets strung around pretty easily, and it doesn’t take long for him to back down. In fact, he does seem to have a sense of self-preservation, so while he could, in some sense, be called “hot-blooded”, that doesn’t mean that he’ll automatically beeline for the most aggressive solution if it actually seems like that bad of an idea.

Not very arrogant: In fact, a lot of Daisuke’s problems seem to come from a lack of self-confidence, since many of his more ludicrous antics tend to come from trying to impress others or prove that he’s cool (and, conversely, moments where he has his head on straight generally tend to correspond to times when he’s capable of having more confidence, or is sufficiently distracted by the gravity of a situation to the point where impressing others is no longer a priority). Beyond that, Daisuke very often gives credit where it’s due and compliments others very often; he really does genuinely like other people, after all, and he’s practically devoid of condescension.

Emotionally sensitive: Daisuke isn’t the type to mow over others’ feelings; even in 02 episode 7 he had a capacity for quickly apologizing once he’d noticed he’d crossed a line, and he actually has a strong capacity for catching onto others’ feelings and treating them with the care they deserve. Even if his exterior seems abrasive, he’s fundamentally someone who likes others and doesn’t like seeing them being hurt. Moreover, one thing he’s very good at is “not denying others’ feelings”, even when he disagrees with them; during the arc when everyone’s unsure what to do with Ken, even when Daisuke proactively reaches out to him, he also respects the others’ right to have more difficulty in forgiving him and doesn’t push them too hard about it, allowing them to accept Ken on their own terms.

Easy to convince or hold back: Tying into the above, Daisuke being an open-minded person in general, plus the fact he holds his friends in high regard, means that he also takes others’ opinions and thoughts into account when making decisions (see the Giga House incident). Daisuke’s only really a loose cannon (his worst incidents being 02 episode 22 and Armor Evolution to the Unknown) if you leave him completely to his own devices, but have his friends with him and he’s more than willing to defer to them and work cooperatively with them. This is why he also has such a good dynamic with Ken; they both have opposite dispositions in many aspects, so working together means Ken fills in a lot of the intellectuality Daisuke doesn’t have, and they can get a lot of things done effectively.

Doesn’t overcomplicate things: Sometimes, the simplest answer is the correct one! In a case where everyone’s getting into circular logic or weird platitudes, Daisuke is likely to emerge as the smartest person in the room, since he’s capable of getting directly to the point, offering pragmatic solutions, and calling out elephants in the room. This is why he ends up being such a vital key to keeping everyone on track during the second half of 02, when everyone’s concerned with abstract concepts of forgiveness and moral responsibility, and he’s capable of reframing things in the most practical solution that’s best for everyone in the immediate moment.

And as for his crush on Hikari, this is something I need to extra emphasize: it starts gradually dying down in prominence over the course of the series, shot up in 02 episode 22 when the Kaiser was defeated and they had nothing to do left, and then started dying down in prominence again until it mostly phased out after 02 episode 35. Post-02 materials clarify that the crush is still present, but it never, ever gets to the same level of Daisuke rolling around like an absolute idiot and constantly fixating on her the way it was in the earliest episodes (and 22). The level of “idiocy” Daisuke expresses on his crush on her scales very directly with how insecure he’s feeling (notice that one of the earliest level-headed conversations with her is from 02 episode 8, when he was feeling very good about himself in the soccer game and didn’t need as much external validation to consider himself doing well) and how much of an important purpose he has as a priority, so it’s extremely reductive to think that his brain would constantly be full of nothing but Hikari-chan in every single waking moment of the day to the point where he has no other apparent priorities in life.

Ken’s “villain reformation”

That Ken went from an antagonistic villain to a member of the team is well-known (I mean, it’s one of the most famous parts of 02, after all), but the details of exactly how tend to often get obfuscated due to it having many details that are often rather different from how most shounen anime that pull this kind of trick would normally play it. This tends to lead to a lot of misreads of Ken’s characterization and rationalizing how Ken and the Kaiser can be the same person, with extreme readings that go from the Kaiser being a completely different persona with a personality that doesn’t even go near Ken’s, to treating Ken as a liability with the potential for “relapsing” into the Kaiser persona at any moment.

The key to understanding this is that Ken’s journey from villain to deuteragonist is actually the inverse of how it would be usually played -- it’s not a naturally cold-hearted person “learning” to embrace their softer side, it’s Ken starting off the series in emotional shambles and putting his life back together over the course of the series. It’s not immediately apparent on a first watch because Ken’s true nature is a “plot twist” when first properly revealed in 02 episode 21, but if you rewatch, you can catch a lot of hints placed in the entire first half of the series that the Kaiser persona has been keeping Ken in an absolutely miserable state from the very beginning.

Something important to keep in mind is that the other 02 kids actually had no part in Ken’s initial reformation. A lot of these kinds of plotlines involve the protagonists “turning” a villain by appealing to their better nature, but the 02 kids had pretty obviously dismissed Ken as a lost cause since very early in the series; even the very pure-hearted Daisuke had reacted to the revelation that a kid he admired was actually the Kaiser by simply being very upset and angry about it, and he made absolutely no attempt to convince Ken to change his ways. Ken himself was the one who slowly started getting pushed over the edge, and eventually decided that he couldn’t take it anymore; at the time, the 02 kids were mostly just cleaning up his messes and hammering in some cold, hard truths into his head. (With a lot of coldness, too.) Ken came to the realization that he wasn’t cut out for a life of sadism and evil all by himself. The desire to do good came from him, not from others.

So, indeed, the other kids’ role in the latter half of the series had nothing to do with the morality part of his reformation. Ken understood from the very beginning that he had to do something to make up for his mistakes, and was the first person to pick up the slack once he’d realized Archnemon was up to no good. The other kids’ role had to do with his healing and penchant for shame; they reached out to him, came to accept him, and helped him learn to treat himself better and stop drowning in regrets over his actions. But the entire part about having the inner strength to overcome all of the mental torture he’d been inflicting on himself? That was all him, and Ken often doesn’t get enough credit for how resilient of a person he’d been through all of it even before the others’ help came in.

The “cliffhanger” of the Dark Ocean episode

I can hardly blame anyone in the audience for being curious as to what the hell was going on with Dagomon’s Ocean, but contrary to popular belief, there’s honestly no reason to believe that the mysterious sea creatures intended to pose any real threat to her after all was said and done. In fact, they said pretty much the opposite: “Oh. We thought you’d be honored to be our bride. No? Okay. We’ll leave.”

The line of “waiting for the time” is pretty much the only thing you can take as a potential hint at something, but this is so vaguely phrased that you could take this to mean pretty much anything, and especially since they also talk about being forced to worship a “new god” and having a need to raise an army against it.

If you consider the fact that this was originally intended as an Adventure episode (with Adventure being a series where “weird out-of-the-ordinary things that you’re supposed to find interesting but also not question too hard” was basically its modus operandi), and that the Dark Ocean itself is actually not portrayed as actively malicious for the rest of the series, there probably really wasn’t any ominous, horrible thing being hinted here -- at worst, just “some things are still beyond the kids’ knowledge at this point,” which may be kind of anticlimactic, but not really a cut-off arc or anything.

Daisuke’s “optimism” towards Ken

It’s definitely a good thing that Daisuke’s hunch about Ken was right and that his faith in him paid off, but this aspect sometimes gets really exaggerated into Daisuke blindly thinking the best out of Ken by default from the very beginning. Actually, this isn’t the case, and looking closely reveals that Daisuke was initially as scornful of Ken as everyone else was!

In 02 episode 21, Daisuke urges Ken to “go home”, but note that it’s not about Ken’s own sake as much as telling him to go home for the sake of his family that he’d hurt. In other words, Daisuke’s not the kind of cold person who’ll kick Ken when he’s down, but note that his facial expression still seems to have a lot of “look what you did. Are you happy now?” sentiment in it. It ties into the rest of Daisuke’s character being more about pragmatism than anything; Daisuke lives not by forgiveness or punishment, but “what’s the best thing to do from here?”, and so his statement to Ken here is basically “well, you’ve gotten yourself into this mess, so if you want to fix your mistakes, here’s something productive you can do.”

Three episodes later, Daisuke voices a sentiment that Ken should come help out in the restoration efforts -- again, he sees things in terms of “fixing things going forward” instead of reflecting too much on the past -- but if you listen to his tone of voice, you might also notice that he delivers this in a very annoyed one. It’s not advocating for the others to let him help; it’s basically annoyance that Ken left them this entire mess and doesn’t have the decency to do something about it.

It’s only after the events of said episode, in 02 episode 25, when we see Daisuke actually start genuinely advocating for Ken potentially having “good points” -- and he says his rationale straightaway: Ken had saved them in the prior episode. It’s not just optimism for no reason; it’s “optimism” that checks out with his own stance on the matter and personal observations, because even later in that very episode, Daisuke himself understands the gravity of the situation that they might have to kill Golemon to prevent mass casualties, meaning that he inherently understood that it was likely that Ken had used the same logic. (Of course, the situation turned out to be very different, but that’s besides the point.) 02 episode 26 has Daisuke cite his encounter with the Crest of Kindness as more proof that there’s something good in Ken, but, given his more abrasive attitude towards the topic in 21 and 24, it seems like that wasn’t exactly a convincing case by itself as much as it enhanced his growing suspicions that Ken might be a better person than he’d thought.

So, the take-home is that Daisuke is, indeed, very pragmatic (remember, as said above, Daisuke isn’t the kind of person who’s all that gullible, and can get suspicious of others if they seem shady), and had pragmatically observed that Ken was trying to help -- thus, his “optimism” was only in the sense that he felt Ken should be given that opportunity to help and fix his mistakes if he wanted to, which is a significantly more reasonable stance to take than the blind optimism he’s often accused of.

That Ken is prone to being melancholic or constantly traumatized about and tortured over his past as the Kaiser

I don’t think anyone would really blame Ken if this were the case, but it really isn’t!

Ken is actually very good at talking about what he’s done; obviously he doesn’t like it, but even as early as 02 episode 25 he was capable of bluntly saying “I did this. This is a problem and I am going to fix it.” Pushing over the edge into feeling so severely hurt that he has difficulty talking about it takes a hell of a lot more than that; he’s a resilient kid!

Situations that had Ken severely emotionally compromised:

Episode 21 and 23: Which was also right after the initial wound of Wormmon’s death and him coming to terms with everything that happened. He wasn’t in an episode 23-level crying state for the rest of the series.

Episode 26: Which isn’t even nearly as “on the verge of tears” as the fanbase often stereotypes him as; it’s just him very frustrated and upset “I’m trying to do something and nothing is working!!” (Also note that, again, this is frustration more than it is being a crying mess.)

Episode 31: Involved excessive exposure to the Dark Ocean, which is notorious for causing people psychic damage in eldritch ways, far more beyond the usual invocation of memory.

Episode 44: Learning (for the first time) some very vicious things about the truth behind the Dark Seed and watching kids volunteer to fall to the same fate he did, in front of his eyes, with nothing he could possibly do about it. Pretty horrifying situation to be in! (Following episodes that do, indeed, involve him actively trying to do something about it, certainly portray him as emotionally invested, but he’s much more level-headed about it.)

Episode 45: Opening the gate to the Dark Ocean, which, again, has a tendency to cause psychic damage to eldritch levels. (In regards to the idea of opening the gate in the first place, he was the one who decided to do it, and very assertively at that.)

Episode 48: Witnessing Archnemon and Mummymon’s death (which also happened to traumatize everyone else in the vicinity). Notably, he actually is the one who still tries to push himself to join Daisuke in the fight; it’s Daisuke who calls him out for being more nervous than he’s trying to let on.

Episode 49: Being shown an illusionary scene of the Kaiser getting beaten up and Osamu forgiving him. Very active invocation of some very serious internal issues here (and even then he bounced back from it very quickly before the others even came into the picture).

Ken may be a naturally “soft” person, but he’s much more assertive than he’s often given credit for, very in control of his feelings, and honestly kind of a go-getter! Painting him as more weak-willed than he actually is...is somewhat of a disservice to how impressively resilient he is over the course of the series, and also doesn’t accurately reflect the connection between the Kaiser and Ken, and where exactly Ken’s potential for being harsh and cruel came from in the first place. Moreover, rather than being “melancholic and sad” about it, Ken would actually be more likely to react with righteous anger towards anyone making light of or exploiting things related to his dark past; he’s someone who’s very quick to stand up for himself and what he believes is the right thing to do.

That Iori never truly became on good terms with Ken

I’m not sure if this is honestly a “misread” as much as this one seems to require just not reading it at all, but this one pops up so much that I’m including it here. But, seriously...

This is before we get into Spring 2003 or the Kizuna drama CD making it extremely unambiguously clear that there are no beefs between the two anymore. Yes, it’s true that Iori was one of the most stubborn to accept him, but they dedicated a whole scene to it with a giant spotlight so that you understood that Ken had crossed the final barrier and that Iori had come a long way! Goodness, this wasn’t even subtle!

That anyone besides Daisuke or Ken got narratively “shafted”

I think the series lead characters often getting higher evolutionary forms than others tends to sometimes be a bit of a distraction, and while there’s definitely still room for criticism on that part, there’s a huge difference between that and whether said characters weren’t allowed to still do awesome things in battle or whether they still had a vital role in the story’s actual plot.

Adventure and 02 often get an accusation of being overly biased towards their leads (02 more so), but actually, director Kakudou personally hated the idea of characters being sitting ducks and actively worked to make sure all of the characters got nearly equal time in the spotlight. True to form, if you count the number of “focus episodes” each character got, or how often they got to play a pivotal role in the episode’s conflict/battle, they do turn out to be roughly even (with the exception of Hikari in Adventure, because she’d joined the story late).

02 makes things a little more complicated because it mostly bucks the focus episode format, with more episodes having complex narratives that have multiple characters being heavily involved, or even character arcs that take several episodes to set in. If we do attempt a count of episodes in which each character ended up pivotal to the episode’s conflict or were given a significant amount of the episode’s character spotlight, while the numbers fluctuate depending on your definition of the above, Daisuke and Ken each only have about 15 episodes (30%) dedicated to them and 25 episodes (50%) combined, and keep in mind that these are episodes shared with other characters -- meaning that a whole half of the series episodes does not feature either Daisuke or Ken as a leading character in its plots. It is true that the two have slightly more episodes than the others, but it’s actually a very minimal difference (one that falls within margin of error, at that) to the point where you can hardly say that the others didn’t play a significant role at all.

Part of the reason it’s so difficult to quantify is because of 02′s writing philosophy of defining character development in terms of “relationships” instead of by characters in a vacuum. There are very, very few “focus episodes” that we can learn about Daisuke, Ken, Miyako, and Iori individually with, because the majority of the episodes thereafter are about defining their relationships to the others, and several episodes will have multiple characters at the forefront of driving the episode’s plot. You’ll also have episodes where a character’s arc is significantly furthered, but it’s not exactly relevant to the battle (for instance, in terms of “character focus”, the one getting the most character attention in 02 episode 10 is actually none other than Miyako -- but this is easy to not realize because it involves her originally sitting out and agonizing about joining in later). And in the case of Takeru and Hikari, we already “met” them back in Adventure and we don’t need to do the initial establishment all over again, which is why we can just cut to the chase with them and bring them up mostly in episodes that define them in relation to others (may I remind you, Iori and Takeru’s Jogress arc has a whole three episodes dedicated to it).

What led to this perception that Daisuke and Ken supposedly dominate the narrative and are apparently the only useful people in this story? Mainly, it’s that the issue of Ken (and the fact that Daisuke is his Jogress partner) is looming over everyone’s heads for so long -- and that’s to be expected, since his existence is central to the plot itself. Moreover, you can think of the latter half of 02 as turning Ken into a sort of “test” for the other five; this is a story of relationships, so what does it take for each kid to befriend and accept someone who should be the last person they’d normally be able to? (This is why the order in which everyone accepted Ken is so important and so telling about each character’s priorities and ways of connecting with others.)

But just because Ken is “relevant to the overall plot” doesn’t mean he was cutting into everyone else’s character development all that much, especially since the entire block of 02 episodes 28-37 has him pop in as a symbol of relevance but actually doesn’t do a lot to advance his personal character arc (30 is the closest) as much as his presence provides a backdrop as to how others interact with him and how the others are dealing with him as a recurring issue. Moreover, the battles are still finished with everyone in cooperation; even as we go from Paildramon to Imperialdramon to Fighter Mode, there’s still concentrated efforts to make sure everyone is keeping busy, both on the Digimon successfully defeating their enemies, and the other four kids playing active roles in the development of the story. (Unless you want to tell me Iori wasn’t actually extremely vital to the last few episodes in terms of his relationship to Oikawa?) Certainly, it results in the effect that the story feels very biased towards his importance in the plot, and you can certainly point out the lopsidedness in that sense, but, again, that doesn’t mean the other characters weren’t constantly running around making massive headway in the meantime. “Lopsided in emphasis” doesn’t mean “only one person did anything”; the others did a lot and got a ton of attention at the same time. 02 is a series where all of the characters were sharing!

The other issue is that it’s probably misleading to be using this “by episode” metric in the first place; again, this isn’t a series that’s big on the focus episode format, so a lot of characterization is constantly being advanced in the background even when said characters aren’t the focus of said episodes. (Particularly in the case of Miyako; certain smaller gestures in episodes like 38 and 46 actually speak volumes about how far she’s come.) Just because they didn’t put giant arrows of attention like “look what this character is doing!!” doesn’t mean something significant didn’t happen -- in fact, a lot of the stigma of Hikari supposedly not doing anything in 02 comes from the fact that it initially seems there aren’t a lot of moments where she does huge dramatic things like literally making Numemon glow the way she did in Adventure, but if you’re actually bothering to pay attention to her behavior, you notice the subtleties of how she’s capable of having Daisuke wrapped around her finger, or how it was her who scared the hell out of Miyako with her assertiveness in 02 episode 18, or how she’s personally responsible for a lot of the advocacy and firm decision-making in the series! They just didn’t put huge red arrows and dramatic music on too many of these moments, so it’s easy to get complacent and think she’s not doing anything special, until you actually stop and think about the fact that she’s basically taking some of her most assertive moments in Adventure and doing it for an entire series.

Bias on showcasing? Sure, but absolutely not bias on the sheer question of doing something productive and important for their own characters and for the overall plot. And especially since, in the end, 02 is a story about how these kids who originally came from different places became an incredibly inseparable group, inseparable to a point that exceeds that of their seniors -- to the point where removing one person from the group could easily disrupt the entire dynamic. Hence why “the issue of Ken” is given so much attention in the latter half, because even given Ken’s relevance to the story’s themes aside, the sheer act of inserting a sixth person into that group subverts the dynamics they’d cultivated beforehand, so of course it’s going to cause them to question themselves and each other all over again! That’s why it’s extremely reductive to act like this is a story about Daisuke and Ken plus four other people who just incidentally happened to be there; the complex web of relationships that this group even is in the first place means that even them getting to where they were depended very heavily on the presence and actions of the other four, all the way to the very end. It took a lot to get Ken to the point where he became a proper member of the group with a sense of naturalness like he’d always been there, and with all six of them uniformly adoring each other’s presence.

And, again, when you actually look at this in comparison to most other series with a cast this big, including other Digimon series: 02 probably still ranks as one of the highest in terms of giving this many characters such uniformly significant prominence all the way to the very end.

That Takeru and Hikari especially didn’t do anything

I’ve already written extensive meta on Takeru and Hikari to prove otherwise, but I think the main issue here is that a lot of people don’t take into account the differing writing styles between Adventure and 02, and how that impacted the way their characters were presented. For instance:

The problems Takeru and Hikari were meant to deal with over the course of 02 were actually set up in Adventure and remained unresolved by the end of the series -- recall that Adventure ended with the writers well aware that Takeru and Hikari were going to be moved to the next series, so it’s likely that they were set up this way to have their stories continued by design.

This means that the initial “establishment” of their characters would be redundant, since we basically know what the issue is already -- hence why Daisuke, Miyako, and Iori start off with single-character focus episodes in the early parts of 02, but for Takeru and Hikari this isn’t really necessary since we already had that established, so we simply see a continuation of said unresolved issues through the other episodes’ narratives (Takeru blowing up, Hikari being too passive).

Both character arcs have to do with the concept of “being difficult to read” and “not being honest about their feelings”, so it’s too easy to take their silence on certain topics and assume that they’re not thinking anything at all, when in actuality the ambiguity of what they’re doing is part of the point and is meant to serve as a contrast to the events that cause them to open up thanks to the efforts of Iori and Miyako.

And, hence, this being a story about relationships: this is why their respective Jogress arcs are told more from the perspective of Miyako and Iori trying to break through to Hikari and Takeru, because this kind of arc is best facilitated by the more active/aggressive/assertive one (Miyako and Iori) breaking through to the one who’s closed up and needs to be actively reached out to (Hikari and Takeru). Again, it’s not that they were sitting ducks doing nothing while everyone else was doing the legwork -- especially since episodes 31 and 36 have resolutions partially driven by Hikari and Takeru becoming able to meet them halfway and willing to admit more of what’s going on -- but that this tendency to be closed-in was actually a severe problem that they’d been struggling with since Adventure.

So in other words, the mistake here is trying to frame 02 in terms of “Takeru’s story” and “Hikari’s story” by itself, rather than “Miyako and Hikari’s story, and how they influenced each other” and “Iori and Takeru’s story, and how they influenced each other”, and things work out much more smoothly from there.

02′s finale and its placement in the narrative

I think one very important thing to understand about 02 is that it’s much more of a theme narrative than it is a plot narrative, and understanding why certain plot points are the way they are is better done by prioritizing “what’s the message and point being made here?” moreso than��“does this check out based on material details of the plot?” (This is especially in the case of the epilogue, since the career choices make significantly more sense when you think of it less in terms of material hobbies and more in terms of its relevance to the meaning of each character arc.)

So in terms of the reasoning behind why BelialVamdemon is the “final boss” of 02′s narrative, while on a plot level this places him as the dramatic mastermind behind it all, on a theme level, his point in the narrative actually serves to further establish the meaning behind Oikawa’s struggles and how they relate to the main cast and the Dark Seed children. The point made here is really that even someone like Oikawa, who was supposedly masterminding everything, was himself a pawn; the rest of the finale is a close to 02′s ongoing themes of society’s pressures on a human being, and what it means to move on.

Unconventional as it may be, fixating on “the identity of the mastermind behind it all” is actually not really supposed to be the point as much as what his presence entails, and its relationship with Oikawa’s backstory.

That the 02 group ended up outclassing/is more powerful than the Adventure group, or that they “replaced” them

While it’s common for narratives with cast swaps to power creep the new crowd to prove why they should be so much more necessary to the plot, 02 actually accomplishes this by temporarily nerfing the Adventure group. I think this is reasonable to take issue with, but nevertheless, the point being made here is that the 02 group actually is not treated as a sufficient “replacement” for their seniors, and, in fact, if you inspect the way they’re portrayed throughout the series, the 02 group is constantly reliant on their seniors’ help from the very beginning to end. The first few episodes involve the kids breaking Dark Towers so that their seniors can step in and finish the job, the final arc very prominently shows their seniors constantly intervening during Christmas and after, and if you inspect the 02 group’s accomplishments over the course of the series, they never actually get quite as impressive as their seniors’ at any point. Once we get to Diablomon Strikes back and the assumed lifting of all restrictions, the 02 group is explicitly treated as the backup support group that ended up only moved to the front when things went a little more sour than expected.

The group got its spotlight narratively speaking, but, in actuality, even in-universe, it’s made clear that for all intents and purposes, the Adventure seniors are more capable of tackling widespread problems and the juniors can only do so much in comparison. Even putting aside the fact that the 02 group ended up practically dependent on all of the non-combat support roles their seniors provided, with all restrictions removed, the 02 group doesn’t have nearly as much combat power as their seniors. Moreover, the point is also that they don’t even seem to mind that much -- for them, the accomplishment was what they got out of it, and their happiness in each other, and their cultivated talent in being exceptional in emotional outreach, and, besides, it’s a fitting way to go in a series where the whole point is “you don’t have to be the best, as long as you’re happy with yourself.”

#digimon #digimon adventure 02 #shihameta

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