#can we really survive this or will we be each other's downfall?

[echodior]

would anyone be interested in a small closed discord verse based on leave the world behind but instead of two families. it's 10-12 college friends (26-30 age range) who booked a really swanky airbnb away from the city for a long weekend due to celebrate the engagement of two of the friends? then the apocalypse breaks out and they are stuck there now? and oops, did these rich people have a secret basement that's actually a doomsday bunker? that's convenient. and maybe later on in the plot we can introduce new muses into the dynamics? idk i just think it'd be fun.

[luna-lovegreat]

Triple Threat Time

The Terror Trio

Legend, Hyrule, and Wild are known as the Triple Threat and I love them.

@breannasfluff for you, m'lady

Legend and Wild

These two are the most over looked.

And from the very beginning, we have a ton of examples of them just. Being. Near each other.

Like magnets

We can trace back to the moment these two really connected and spent more time with each other... which was of COURSE over girlfriend trauma

That's one of our first Legend being soft moments, showing true empathy. And Wild found that Legend could be understanding of his hurt- this is where they connected beyond just being closer than most

The main point in the plot with Legend and Wild is when they split off into groups

They went together, and this interaction shows that with these three, Legend is the common sense filter that keeps the other two from falling off of cliffs

Wild: I wanted to climb the mountain!

Leg: there is literally a cliff to fall off of right there

One of the things I love most about about Legend and Wild is they understand each other

We have multiple examples of them literally stating facts about the other in coversation.

"I know you love to tease" "you break everything" "you're not usually impressed"

They just state facts about each other because they get each other and understand

Wild and Hyrule

Ah yes. The two that have so many similarities in which they give the rest of the chain heart attacks

They both have the insecurity about knighthood. Hyrule because he's never felt adequate, and Wild feels like he only used to be.

They both hate maps (who needs them, right? *promptly gets lost*)

They do not care about injury at all. "I can walk off a broken leg for sure it'll be fine"

When left alone these two nearly die. Like every time. Love them.

Here's a lot of them hanging out:

Legend and Hyrule

The downfall duo

These two are from the same timeline, the downfall timeline, and there are certain connections coming from the same world. I think that their world made them have a similar fighting style because of how it's developed.

They are around each other mostly

And they always fight together

Here's my take on these two: Legends more confident because he's done so much. Hyrule's less confident because he didn't have such an insane number of adventures.

Legend's been through enough to know this is ganon's fault, not his. Hyrule's been through little enough (even with insanely hard adventures) that he has much more insecurity.

These two are quite possibly the most skilled in survival, because of no formal knight training. Instead of having perfect swordsmanship, they have tools (legend) and spells (hyrule) to fight in a world that was so much harder.

Which of course relates to wild who woke up in a cave, found a sword and winged it.

That's their relationships two on two

Legend and wild: power team, overlooked but so so close

Wild and Hyrule: do not let them near fire

Legend and Hyrule (downfall duo): They fight together and they are a pair

Combined these three make a Triple Threat

They also have dynamics with all three of them combined

Bestest moments of them:

When turned into a bunny, Legend mentioned both Hyrule and Wild as the ones he was worried about seeing him that way

In both scenes of Wild breaking swords Legend or Hyrule was there

When Wild was injured, they both somehow lost their senses and freaked out about him being dead (lol)

But with all of them they understand each other

Wild and Hyrule know Legend is grumpy and rude- they don't care, he's their brother. As the one who appreciates maps, he keeps both from getting even closer to dying

Hyrule: he feels accepted. These two make him feel like he has a place and is valuable to those with similarities.

Hyrule and Legend don't care about Wild's odd traits, they know that he breaks stuff and gets hurt often.

Proof

!!!! Looking at their scenes (in my screenshots above too), this is clear: all three of them have more examples than most of them being next to or near the others

Plus all the adventures and scenes of them- they fight and wander together- they are on this journey with each other

Because they understand each other, they spend time with each other. With nine people in the chain, when a few are around each other this much rather than the others, it makes it very clear how close they are, since they simply want to be near each other.

Here's my very favourite picture that perfectly sums up the three of them:

Legend: grrrr

Hyrule: excited

Wild: still can't put his hands on his hips properly

And these three combined... we've got constantly injured, set fire to everything, get lost a ton, snarky rudeness galore, plus swords and tools and magic, and that makes them a threat

(one thing I want to point out. you can see this by looking at the screenshots in this post. with the chain, much of figuring out who is close is simply who is near each other. looking at their interactions and the times they are hanging out as a group, Four is most often near and hanging out with these three rather than the others, so I think he is also very close to them and feels comfortable with them. do with that what you will.)

Yeah! Terror Trio.

:)

[ihaveforgortoomany]

Reverse 1999 and the Nature of Tragedy: Analysis on how the tragic structure is used and potentially why (spoilers for Chapters 2,3 and 6 mainly)

Reverse 1999 loves tragic characters, we don't go any patch without suffering. Here Im going to explore how the tragic structure in literature is presented in the game through at least three main story chapters.

Tender is the Night (although I have covered aspects already in previous Chapter Two analysis)

Nouvelles et Textes pour Rien

E Lucevan le Stelle

What is Tragedy?

Tragedy is often described as a play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending, especially one concerning the downfall of the main character (thank you Oxford Languages)

Yes this is common knowledge but the core to a tragic narrative is the inescapability on the tragic ending - the way I usually describe tragdies is like a cake no matter how you slice it, it is either too sweet or stale and never a perfect bite.

Tragedy in Tender is the Night

This will be short as I have analysis on the chapter in previous posts so here will be specific bits. Schneider here can be considered the tragic character as she ultimately gets taken by the storm, while I don't consider her to have a traditional tragic flaw the status as a human pretending to be a arcanist does doom her character. She is denied by the Foundation/ the Chicago Branch so attempts to find safety in the Manus by lying that she was adopted into the Greco family, however likely Manus had captured Mariam and after being tortured by them reveals Schneider's identity.

Throughout Chapter Two there is a moments of false hope that she might be saved, somehow surviving multiple bullets (I mean really she was shot so many times arcane healing must do wonders) . It is only the very end to we realise Schneider was never going to survive (gameplay does trick us as well since we can play as her in the boss fight of Ch.1 and for some reason still in the final tutorial stage which I only found out at lvl 40 when I wanted clear drops lol).

Tragedy in Chapter Three

A large part in tragedy is the helplessness the audience feels at being aware of all events yet unable to prevent events from happening. We get the perspective of Constantine setting up the conditions for the Breakaway attempt to occur on the day of the Storm, even making us watch chess board style how Vertin and her friends are lured into a trap. Tragic characters do not need to experience a literal death, as Vertin could be considered the tragic heroine here, her hubris being the hope and desire for the outside world that led her to attempt to leave SPDM. Ofc she doesn't die but her actions result in the reversal of her friends and cementing her role as the Timekeeper.

The point of no return could be seen in the children choosing to escape on an earlier date, unable to see the scheming and manipulation of Constantine to create loopholes the children view as opportunities to escape rather than a trap.

Tragedy in Chapter Three

This is a big one as operas and plays tend to be tragedies themselves. Isokania is a tragic relationship as both Isolde and Kakania regardless if they lived each other were doomed from the start: being an unethical doctor and patient relationship, Kakania not being a licensed doctor therefore completely misjudging her patient's wellbeing, Isolde's own mental instability, dangers of her arcane powers, the history of her family ... the list goes on. Even if they ended up together they would not truly be happy.

Isolde is a tragic character, other than being a reference to Tosca, she is doomed by the nature of the arcane power and the nature of her family. A family own for misfortune as a result of their arcane skills (her sister dying at age 3 to a seance) + the social pressures of being an upper class woman in the 1910s.

Book six having a reference to 'A Streetcar named Desire?'

So we already know Book Six reference multiple tragic operas such as Tosca but I want to suggest the final chapter in this patch potential makes reference to a 1940s tragic play called "A Streetcar Named Desire".

(This is a stretch since Tennesse Williams published the play in the 1940s not the 1910s)

So. In this scene Kakania attempts to interrogate Isolde on the nature of The Salvation, to confront the fact that she was the co-creator to the painting, the fire was caused by Theophil who hoped to end both his and his sister's suffering but was shot by Isolde instead.

It is notable that Isolde repeatedly asks for the lights in the room to be turned down, refusing to look at the truth in the painting. While we could just view this standalone I think we could make a guess or suggestion that this scene is meant to reference another tragedy.

(Maybe there is an older tragic play that employs a similar scene but Ive only studied this one, someone can tell me in comments)

A Streetcar Named Desire sees a fading Southern Belle Blanche Dubois move into New Orleans with her sister Stella and her husband Stanley effectively as a last resort, her past is filled with "leaky roofs" and instability with sleeping with men to survive, alongside the destruction of the Old South leads to her to seek refuge with her only surviving family.

She almost finds salvation here, finding love in an ordinary man named Mitch. However this is a tragedy. Late into the play Stanley, Stella's husband confronts Blanche on her lies about her past, putting a light to her deception in order to reinforce is own authority over the house. Eventually succeeding in sending Blanche to a mental hostpital (Im summarising a play, I may miss other details and this is long)

And what about Isolde? Like Blanche she is forced to confront the truth she had tried to repress in her memory, remember in a previous seesion with Kakania the detail that she shot Theophil with intent (again who allowed her a gun and who taught her? I guess she can channel the spirit of a sharpshooter?) is omitted, similar to how Blanche in the play distorts the truth with lie, the "what SHOULD be true" could be viewed as Isolde making the world her stage, everything as a performance that never ends.

The idea of having to confront the truth of events being forced into the light is similar to Blanche's reoccurring motif of bring adverse to strong light, revealing all her flaws. However the person forcing them to see the truth is different, where Kakania acts out of a determination to right her wrongs and find the Storm Immunity Ritual to save everyone, Stanley (similar to Mr Karl) acts out of self preservation and malice.

Here's the big one: why does Reverse 1999 employ so much tragedy?

Tragedies are usually employed as a message to the audience, a commentary on the state of the world about people/ individual facing the impossible force of society, its expections and its demand for conformity.

There can be many answers, we still have more chapters to explore the narratives of this game but so far it seems Reverse 1999 wants to tell a story about overcoming adversity, to not be defined by others or your past, to "beat onboard boats against the current" (see what I did there?) even if the odds are surmountable. It is a struggle for both the truth and the future even if the odds are against you.

(This is giant speculation, nothing concrete but yeah feed the brainrot)

(We could analyse each 'focus character' of each patch because I think they generally follow this theme but that's alot, the game is still updating and i have uni soon so)

[makingspiritualityreal]

Moon Ruled Nakshatras - Consequences of Attention Seeking

A trope very commonly seen in many creations, executed with various contexts and endings, in which the protagonist has his big 3 in Moon Ruled Nakshatras (Rohini, Hasta, Shravana), is the consequence of the Moon ruled Nakshatras following the stage of the Sun.

The Sun is self sufficient and self focused, so full of themselves their light even spills outside. However, in everyone's horoscope, the Sun burns out over time. By the time we reach the Moon Nakshatra stage, we mature to realise that we need, and are attached to other people in our lives, and we won't survive if we don't adapt and don't form relationships.

This brings up the topic of paying attention to people's feelings, that we only discover in the Moon stage. In the Sun stage, as we are learning independence, we don't bother with that and we can come off as insensitive and self centered. The Sun is also an intelligent, logical planet, capable of providing solutions for both oneself and the others. However, by the Moon stage our shine wears off, and we begin to need other people. At the beginning, we try to catch their attention with rational means, but over time human behaviors become increasingly irrational and instinctive, the more desperate we are to get what we need and assert our position. These situations develop differently depending on the Nakshatra, but they always invariably end up the same way.

The Moon Native gets caught in their wrongdoings and suffers consequences for it, being taught a harsh lesson about including the other person's point of view, developing a capacity to empathise and bond through forced circumstances. However, that actually gives the Moon native happiness, as it provides them with what they unconsciously craved all along - stable connection.

In Vedic Astrology, the Moon as a planet is called "lovesick". It has no enemies, because the one quality of the Moon is its constant desire for attention and stimulation. ANY attention will do. Moon is where the saying "negative attention is still attention" originated. The one desire the Moon has is to be constantly surrounded by love and presence. And it will go to any lengths to fulfill that desire, irrationally, and will always, inevitably pay the price for it.

The antidote for a Moon native is either having very secure connections or tapping into their intuitive, psychic abilities.

Below, I will give a brief description of how this process unfolds for each Nakshatra, and give fiction examples.

Rohini Nakshatra - For movie examples, I recommend the Rohini video created by The Hidden Octave on Youtube. There are two paths for these natives. One is obsessive flirting, pathologically seeking attention of multiple romantic and sexual partners, for the sake of feeling constantly adored, but not taking anyone's feelings seriously, which leads to generation of resentment from many people. In anger, these people retaliate on the native, causing their downfall. The productive path here is working with pets or releasing one's urges through creativity or really surrendering to romance, even if just through art or fiction. Introducing more sensuality into already existing relationships can also help.

Hasta Nakshatra - The desire for attention here mostly leads to a tendency towards financial fraud, where tempting people with financial mistakes is yet another call for help. Huge sums of money are in fact a compensation for a desire for true family connections. Still, irresponsible criminal financial activities are always met with a sticky end in this Nakshatra, at the hands of governmental powers. Hasta Lagna Leonardo DiCaprio in "Catch me if you Can" plays a youth turned into a hardened criminal, after he escapes home, heartbroken at the onset of his parents' divorce. He retains a very childish behavior while committing financial fraud crimes, almost as a tantrum, and ultimately calms down when finding a boss and a surrogate father in an FBI agent played by Pushya, avatar of Brihaspati, Tom Hanks. At the same time, crime and cheating is replaced with offering society a useful skill. The real desire here is for an exchange, socialising. It’s a less romantic, more “friendly” expression than Rohini.

Shravana Nakshatra - I recommend watching the recent Nina Dobrev flick, Shravana Moon "Sick Girl" for this one. It's about a girl who fakes having cancer to draw attention of her close friends and loved ones back to herself. This is the highest expression of the Moon, where the native seeks out attention from groups/media/through faking an illness or through provoking very serious, life threatening situations. Same behavior for Rosamund Pike, Shravana Sun in "Gone Girl", she commits murder and fakes death and victimises herself to feel loved by her husband and parents again. Amanda Bynes in "She's the Man" goes to drastic measures and poses as her brother to get everyone's attention to her misery of having her life career denied. The desire for collective, mass attention here can lead to fame if channeled towards public service, and if one's contribution is genuine. The real desire here is to be part of a close knitted group or fit into some comfortable place in the world.

[forestfiresandfics]

Tragedies

Is third life a tragedy? In literary terms, a tragedy is a specific plot line with its own requirements. It’s not what we think of as a tragedy in the common sense—that is a story with a sad ending. Not all stories with a sad ending are tragedies. 

What distinguishes a tragedy is the protagonists failure. The plot of a tragedy is one where the main character makes choices that will ultimately lead to their downfall. Macbeth pisses off the one person who can kill him, Frankenstein abandons his creation and it becomes resentful, Jason cheats on his sorceress wife and then surprise pikachu face when Medea gets her revenge. It’s the result of an imperfect protagonist, often villain protags, but also anti-heroes or byronic heroes. Really, anyone who has flaws, which is everyone except the paragon archetype. 3rd life is full of imperfect characters making mistakes constantly. But do those mistakes dead to the their own downfall? 

I’ve defined the protagonists before, but for the purpose of this discussion, I want to talk about Grian and Scar separately, since two characters cannot share the same tragedy (it’s their own mistake after all). There are a couple other characters I want to talk about as well, as you might imagine. So what are Grian and Scar’s downfalls? Everyone in 3rd life has one, so what is theirs? For Scar, the answer seems to follow a tragic trope quite solidly, his death is his downfall. But did his mistakes lead him there? Answer: not really! Scar’s greatest ‘mistake’ is his betrayal of his partner. But his death isn’t the result of that. In fact, when he offered his life in apology, Grian doesn’t take it. Scar’s death is actually the result of the two of them being back on better terms. Their relationship can never be what it once was, but they go out crying and laughing and talking about how much fun they had. Scar’s mistakes don’t lead to his death. His redemption does. 

What about Grian? Where is his downfall? There are three moments that could be considered his downfall, being betrayed, killing his partner, and his own death. I think the betrayal is simply the lead up to the real fall, and I think that killing Scar is the real fall—with the suicide being the result of that fall. Do his actions lead him to that conclusion? Answer: sorta? You could argue that his mistake really was getting close to anyone in the first place. He knew he would have to finish the game, so he shouldn’t have let himself get attached to anyone. But his actions aren’t really “mistakes” in the tragic sense, rather, he simply follows the rules of the narrative. Grian more than anyone is simply passively following the plot, rather than being an active member in it. The only part that wasn’t in the plan was having to kill a friend—not just a competitor. So this one is arguable.

Now I talk about Scar and Grian a lot in these discussions of narrative structure, and because as the protagonists, theirs is the POV you are expected to make these assessments from (a tragedy is inherently about the main character, after all. If an antagonist falls, that’s simply comeuppance). But I do still want to talk about the primary antagonist: Ren. And it’s because his storyline really is a perfect tragedy. He starts out just trying to survive, he sets up a business, tries to gather resources and alliances that way, gets dragged along by Martyn who has to show him how to survive. But as things start going well for him, he gets the idea to expand. He has lots of allies now, lots of supplies, why not get everyone in on this? Ren’s hubris leads him to splitting the server in two, and though at first they dominate the fight, each battle they lose a little bit more. His actions have brought once-enemies together all for the sake of defeating him, and he is killed by the person he was trying to protect himself from. His mistake was forcing the partnerships into larger alliances, and it lead directly to his downfall—his death and the death of his kingdom. It’s a very neat and tidy tragedy.

The other notable tragedy is Scott’s. His mistake comes quite late, and his downfall comes immediately after. He does well, plays it smart all the way up until Jimmy dies. And then he loses his head a little. Goes after revenge over anything else. He doesn’t wait for other allies to join him, doesn’t stick with the group as they are gearing up for a larger fight. No, he simply goes to kill Skizz on his own (with Joel, who happened to be there), and then gets killed alone and surrounded. His mistake was simple—going for revenge instead of working with the alliance. But It gets worse when you consider his pact with Cleo. He hadn’t wanted to leave his partner, but he did have a plan B if anything ever happened. And instead of leaning on that plan B, he gets himself killed for revenge. And Cleo ends up dying alone too, doing something similar. So with Scott, we see a more subtle tragedy. 

There are a few more individual POVs that have tragedies included too. But more are just sad. Impulse playing the field, making everyone question where his loyalties are, only to then prove to be strongly loyal to his original alliance—and then HE is the one betrayed? What are heartache. BigB relying on agreements made earlier, before the war, and ending up with an audience as he gets killed instead? Devastating. But not tragedies in the strict sense. 

And similarly, neither is the cactus ring a capital T Tragedy. No one’s mistakes lead them there. Their love and their loyalty did. They overcame everything together, and ended up at the end together. The fact that no matter what they did, this couldn’t be avoided, that this was ordained, that it was fate. That is what makes the cactus ring so heartfelt. They did everything right, at least in the end, and they still ended up here, in a bloody duel to the death. 

Masterlist

By the way, anyone can add to this series if you want! Tag it 3rd life literary analysis, and the one rule is you gotta treat it like a proper analysis haha

[kevin-the-bruyne]

I really had to read with my own two eyes multiple times since this post had multiple people add on to it, bringing it back to my dash again and again, that the drama from Tharn and Phaya's past life did not feel dramatic at all. And somehow that detracts from taking the drama of the present as seriously as the show is taking it. This story is based on Thai folklore? The Naga and Garuda are eternal enemies. The love between a Naga and a Garuda is an insult to the literal cosmic order. Chalothon who was only trying to preserve the natural order has been wronged by their love. The natural order is also referenced several times but especially when the priest was like keep Phaya and Chalothon away from each other, they're destined to be enemies. Not meeting the show halfway to accepting this as part of your lens as an audience is frankly...an interesting choice to make. The next bit is pure conjecture on account of me not being Thai but I'm trying to relate to what The Sign is likely trying to do from my own understanding of Asian folklore and the way we use those stories to build new stories. What is there to get out of this show other than the big fuck you to 'natural order' of things that must be because of the way that they are. Why can't a Naga and Garuda be in love? This must be a concept that people explore under the general lens of forbidden love in Thailand (pure conjecture but also like I don't know how it can't be true). We all have our poorly explained versions of Forbidden Love gone bad; Romeo and Juliet, Ram Leela, Devdas would be some heterosexual stories of Forbidden Love that kind of hand waves around the forbidden part a little bit that I'm familiar with. Devdas (the story I'm most familiar with of the one's stated) and its myriad adaptations is a story about the absolute ways we hold on to class even as it brings about our own downfall.

It's a great pick for a queer adaptation because the reasons why the lovers couldn't be together was so made up and really came down to ONE person (Devdas' mother) who just couldn't let go of class even though everyone else was literally begging for the two to just be together because let me tell you none of you have met a poor little meow meow on the scale of Devdas.

The Sign is bringing the forbidden love between a Naga and Garuda as a parallel of the forbidden love between two men. Homosexuality outside of the legal sphere really does come down to an ideological difference as to what is natural vs not. Homosexuality goes against a natural order of reproduction. And this is true. Two men cannot reproduce, two women cannot reproduce with each other.

The challenge isn't to prove that they can, it's to prove that reproduction isn't the centerpoint of human life, that we have transcended the need for our life to be dictated by this 'natural' order because on principal our societies just aren't built along the paradigm of 'survival of the fittest' where the benchmark of species fitness is its ability to reproduce.

Thai shows including things that have come out of Idol Factory (that produces The Sign) are often socially engaged with LGBT rights within Thailand. Now that gay marriage is legal or on its way to be, I assume a move in the direction of bringing same sex relationships up to the same societal respect as straight relationships would be a natural direction that future screenwriters will go.

The Sign is trying very hard to take the question of homosexuality right to the heart of Thai culture and tradition and talk about it from that lens [this is less conjecture and more paraphrasing what Saint has said about the show in interviews] And I know that you all are capable of meeting a story halfway in respecting its desire to set up the stakes through references of allegorical story telling since y'all have been doing it with Last Twilight and Le Petit Prince. So I don't know even know why I had to make this post but: tl;dr: The stakes of the love between Tharn and Phaya and the forbidden nature of it is set before you even see much of the show just from the fact that Tharn is a Naga and Phaya is a Garuda and as a member of the audience you have to accept that the love between Naga and Garuda is a deviant form of love in Thai culture.

[polutrope]

The world bent and, like Beleriand before it, Elenna was no more. But as a stone cast in a still pool sets a bright autumn leaf sailing to its hoary edges, the ships of the Faithful rode the wake of their kingdom’s downfall to the shores of Middle-earth. 

Elendil and his sons observed no period of mourning, left no empty space in which to contemplate their loss: almost at once they set footprints of great cities atop the villages of Eriador. Monuments to their strength, their survival. 

Soon, Elendil wrote, soon there would be time to visit the Last Homely House. But as the years wore on, it became clear that if Elrond wished to meet his brother’s proud heir he would need to make the journey to Annúminas himself. 

“You look so like him,” were the first words the King of the Exiles spoke to the Lord of Rivendell, once the door of his meeting chamber was shut behind them. Before, he had stared, as he had failed to hide his astonishment — and, it might be said, discomfiture — behind a kingly reception. 

“Who?” Elrond asked with half a smile, knowing full well who he meant. 

“Elros,” Elendil answered, completely serious. “The statues and portraits—”

“Yes, he was my twin.”

Elendil shook his head, abashed. “I am sorry, I suppose it is… Artists are known to flatter their royal subjects. You do not think, seeing the statue of a king of legend, that he might really have looked so in life.”

Elrond laughed. “You have something of him in yourself, too, lord.” He did not say it was his self-assurance, his candour that nearly overstepped the bounds of common courtesy. For all it had irked him at times, Elrond had ever admired his brother’s boldness and was pleased to see it had not been dulled over the generations, even in the more humble strain of his descendants. 

“Call me not lord,” said Elendil, then laughed and swept an arm across the room, beckoning Elrond towards a sumptuous green settee by the window. “But come, come. Let me have wine and cheeses brought — or perhaps you wish to eat a proper meal? I am sorry, you have come a long way, you must be tired. A bath, perhaps, and then we can meet again at supper?”

“No, no, I have all I need. I was hosted well at an inn on your city’s borders yesternight.”

“An inn!” Elendil cried. “You ought to have come at once to the palace.”

“My arrival was late.”

“Nonetheless,” Elendil said, and called to a servant positioned outside. “Solmion, have food and wine brought to us.” Sitting, he again addressed Elrond. “I do wish you had sent word of your coming. We would have had rooms and a great reception prepared.”

Elrond nodded and smiled graciously. He did not tell the king that his promises of pomp were the very reason Elrond had given no notice of his coming. 

* * *

Elendil’s wine cup barely touched his mouth, so absorbed was he in tales of his ambition, his hopes for Endor. His hands flew expressively as he spoke, and Elrond's eyes returned always to the ring adorning the index finger of his right hand: the green emerald crowned in gold, the serpents devouring each other. The ring of Barahir: Elrond knew it from the histories, though how it came out of the ruin of Beleriand, he could not say. For all its fame in the great tales, a ring must have seemed but a small token in those days when Elros’ ships were laden with all the surviving heirlooms of Men and Elves. Now, many of those had no doubt been lost, and Elrond noted how securely the ring circled his finger, as though it had become a part of his hand — for so jewellery appears when seldom, if ever, removed from the wearer. 

Elrond wore no such jewels.

Only one heirloom had come into Elrond’s hands, passed quietly from Gil-galad’s safekeeping, as if the High King felt some consolation was needed for all the times he had been passed over in favour of Elros. Elrond accepted the gift with gratitude, but in truth he had felt no jealousy for the many reminders of their legacy that had been heaped upon his brother the king. The heavy longsword, moreover, had never been Elrond’s weapon. For many centuries now Narsil had lain unused, awaiting a more fitting bearer.

Elrond bore it with him to Annúminas, for he had heard the sword of Elu Thingol had been lost at last in Pharazôn’s ignominious fall. 

“The work of Telchar!” Elendil exclaimed, admiring the well-balanced blade. “How have I heard no rumour of this weapon?”

“Alas,” Elrond answered, “the heirlooms of the Edain are often overshadowed by those of the Eldar.”

Elendil hummed his agreement, not taking his eyes from the sword.

“I am told,” Elrond elaborated, “that it  was commissioned by Felagund for Bëor the Old and became, for a while, the sword of his House. But Barahir sent it from Dorthonion with his wife, Emeldir Manhearted. Its history in Brethil is obscure, but it was kept by those peoples in honour, for it was carried with them to the Havens of Sirion and thence to Balar. Gil-galad entrusted it to me —but ever has it sat uneasily in my hands.”

“Nonetheless, it is a generous gift.” Elendil sheathed the sword. “You can be assured that I and my heirs will bear it with honour, Elrond son of Eärendil.”

* * *

Great as its deeds had been, it was all too short a time before Narsil returned to Imladris in shards.

Elrond balanced them upon his lap as young Valandil played among the wildflowers, uncomprehending of his doom. Tears gathered in Elrond’s eyes and wet his cheeks. Such premature grief was ever the price of foresight. Somewhere, Sauron’s Ring survived. Long would be the road and many the losses before Elendil’s sword was lifted once again against the shadow of evil. 

On AO3 | On SWG

[yaut-jaknowit]

Hi there! I wanted to say that I love your work and I’m really enjoying seeing all the good shit you put out! Tbh me and my twin have been eating up the story with We’ar-ow! We’ve sorta created our own character to fit in as the reader, and we chat about each update after you post them! It’s a fun little book club in a way! If you ever end up publishing any books, be sure to tell! I love your writing style it’s so distinct and enjoyable!

Also! I wonder how yautja would react to a real short s/o (imma dude and being 5’2 sucks a lot, my mom had to fuck a short king sigh) I had to grab something next to my couch that’s only 2 feet off the ground and I almost flipped my body over reaching. I can’t even wrap my arms around my knees when sitting either

I am able to reach a lot of small things hidden around my house, and I’m really good at anything small with my hands like sewing- tbh that’s the only upside

also quick yautja question- do you think they’re able to produce twins or triplets? Mostly asking cuz I’m one! :p

also I’m so thankful for you writing for readers who aren’t female! it really warms my heart <3 sometimes it can hard to find non female readers and x male readers help with my dysphoria

Short King

Pairing: Uihoy (Male Yautja) x Mas!Reader

Word Count: 692

Summary: After the countless times you've fallen off of places or even found yourself somewhere you're not suppose to be, your wonderful mates have gotten you a step stool. Uihoy understands the frustrations himself. But he doesn't want you getting hurt.

Author Note: I'm so thankful and love this message so much. And the fact you chat about my writings?! Seeing this message for the first had me squealing and kicking my feet like a school girl. I hope one day I'll publish books but for now, I stick to writing fanfics about being dicked down by aliens.

P.s. Gonna be honest, I never knew how many AMABs liked Yautjas. I'm used to fangirls since I'm one myself. But I'm happy to help fill in the hole for the lack of AMAB writtens

Masterlist

Ao3

Knowing some Yautjas out there, they have a size kink. So you being much smaller than them goes burr for them.

They can also wrap themselves around you easier. It makes for the best cuddling sessions because they can probably almost encase you completely. That way, they can protect you better!

They also wouldn’t treat too much different either. They might ensure your items are closer to the ground so you don’t have to climb as much to reach them.

A step stool around either their ship or hut on Yautja Prime is necessary. They wouldn’t want you to go without it either. Less climbing means less danger for you! Safe on the ground floor where you can’t bust your head open.

After one close call with a fall, your mate wouldn’t want you to even think about getting on the damned counters again. So, he got you a step stool.

Once in awhile, you’ll see him use it too. Don’t let him know or say a damn word about it.

Plus, imagine those with the size difference kink. You desperately trying to reach something too far above you. They come up behind you, squishing your body to either the counter or wall. That day ended up differently than you originally thought.

Seeing the way your hand barely fits in their palm. They’re purring up a storm and holding you close.

As for the twins and triplets: yes, it is possible but a very rare occurrence. With their head structure, it’s already hard to push out one. It also puts a huge strain on their bodies. Some go through with the pregnancy if they believe they can endure the journey. Others don’t to save them either the downfall of an unnecessary death of themselves or their children.

I believe in some cultures of the Yautja, it’s celebrated if a female produces more than one offspring and survived. It is a feat that many don’t endure or survive.

Hands encased your hips and pinned you to the counter. A heavy body draped acrossed your back. Hot air caressed the shell of your ear. “What does little hunter think gonna do?” a grumbly voice spoke, slightly scolding you for what might have been a dangerous action. At least in those bright orange eyes of his.

Your entire body jumped at the sudden feel before relaxing, head titling to the side. Uihoy’s profile met your gaze. “I have no idea what you mean,” you brushed off. “I’m just trying to grab a bowl.” That was only thing that was the second shelf they hadn’t moved yet. You best believe it will be after today.

Uihoy snorted then reached above you and grabbed hold of the item you were attempting to take. It was placed before you on the counter in front of you.

The hand left on your hip drifted up to clasp hold of your throat. A finger was used to tilt your head back. Uihoy leaned over you to look you in the eye. “Next time, use the stool,” he scolded and pinched the column of your throat in warning.

Your shoulders sagged, eyes rolling with attitude. “But Uie! I was fine. Three feet off the ground ain’t gonna kill me,” you complained and leaned your weight against the short Yautja. His body barely even wavered at the added weight.

“No, but Uihoy might if little hunter doesn’t listen.” There was no bite in his words. You groaned.

His hold on you slipped away. He took a step away from you. You snatched the bowl off of the counter in front of you and marched over to the refrigerator-like device in the wall.

As you pulled out the stew made yesterday to consume as a mid-day lunch, you narrowed your eyes on Uihoy. The Yautja still stood in the kitchen, leaning against the island. With a spoon, you pointed it at him, non-threatening. “You’re lucky I love you enough I won’t smack you for calling me short,” you pouted and poured some of the stew to fill half the bowl.

A disgruntled grunt sounded from the elder. “My heart is yours, little one.”

[alexandraisyes]

how much am i aloud to know about the Hunger Games AU :glancescutely:

TEE FUCKING HEE BITCH BUCKLE UP

And y'all this is gonna be so long but this is an AU I've been working on with Turbo for *months*. We love our TSBS hunger games.

So these are the tributes, this is just a sketch obviously

And here are the mentors, they haven't been sketched yet but have heights

And a few important people from the capitol (there will probably be a few more added later on as we work on developing the plot some more).

Each character will have several refs for the different parts of the story.

Information about the tributes. "Group" is the age group for the Games. In this world the age of maturity is 17, and once you are 17 you are considered an adult in the eyes of the law. Teens are between 12-16, Young Adults are 17-21, and just like in the States while they are adults there are a few restrictions on what all they can do, and certain jobs they can't work until they are 22. Adult is 22-29, and really the only difference between Y.Adult and Adult is that there's certain jobs you can't do when you're below 22 because young people aren't expendable like that according to this government. Elder is the last age group for the games, 30-35, and once you've crossed 35 you are no longer applicable for the Games.

(Poleart is supposed to say polearm)

Information about the Mentors. Then vs Now is how old they were when they won their games, and how old they are in the current narrative.

Tributes are selected by one female and one male tribute, in the lists for the tributes it says which group they represent in that aspect too. The government doesn't care what your pronouns are, they just care about if you're AFAB or AMAB because of tradition. The single exception is Harvest, who is lying about being AFAB and he was so vicious at the reaping about being with Blood that they didn't even bother to question it for the sake of their fingers.

We have done entire descriptions for the past arenas, but there's so much that I'm not gonna include here. Maybe in a separate post? Or when I open up a blog specifically for this AU since it's so convoluted. For an example of how long the arena descriptions are it's 5000 words. I will give you the description of the arena design for the one they're in during the story though.

72nd Annual Hunger Games Victor: Theme: **Apocalypse Forest** A post-apocalyptic wilderness where nature has reclaimed the remnants of civilization, turning it into a sprawling forest of tangled vegetation and decaying ruins. Set in the aftermath of a catastrophic event, such as a nuclear war or environmental collapse, this arena presents tributes with a harrowing landscape where survival is a constant struggle against both the elements and the remnants of humanity's downfall. The once-thriving cityscape has been engulfed by dense foliage, with skyscrapers now reduced to crumbling ruins and highways choked with overgrown vegetation. Tributes must navigate through the twisted remnants of urban infrastructure, facing hazards such as collapsed buildings, hidden traps, and radiation hotspots. The forest itself is a tangled maze of towering trees, dense undergrowth, and winding creeks, where tributes must contend with natural hazards such as toxic flora, mutated wildlife, and unpredictable weather patterns. The air is thick with the scent of decay, and the eerie silence is broken only by the distant cries of scavenging creatures and the creaking of rusted metal. Despite the desolation, pockets of life still exist within the forest, including desperate survivors, feral mutants, and rival factions vying for control. Tributes must navigate this hostile environment while also avoiding conflicts with other survivors, scavenging for resources, and deciphering the secrets of the apocalypse that brought about the forest's transformation.

There are ships, but they're not really a huge focus of the story. The main ones are surprise surprise, Blood/Sun/Harvest. If you've read my writing you should have expected this. There are a few background ships as well.

Unlike the uh canon Hunger Games, we're gonna give everyone the chance to talk to each other, hang out etc. Form alliances, friends, and rivalries. Instead of it all happening in three days before the arena, they get a whole month of training and publicity. Some parts of the story may be grueling for that reason, since we really want to give perspectives on all of the tributes. We're probably going to do a two or three-parter fic, before the games. The games. After the games.

We already know who dies, how they die, who lives, and how they live the rest of their lives after the games.

Oh yeah this is a bio-organic AU. Some of the characters are partially mechanical, like most of the celestial-based ones, but the rest are purely organic. The society is a mix of cyborgs, anthropomorphic animals, and humans.

Here's a few snippets of the plot that we have planned.

Sun and Moon are an oddity. Never has there been a set of (actual) siblings in the games before. Moon tried to tell Sun it would be okay when his name was pulled, and made sure to put on a brave face for the sake of Sun. He knew there was a 1/24 chance of him surviving the games. That was a risk he was willing to take. He would come back to Sun. You can only imagine the way his blood ran cold when they then pulled Sun's name and there was nothing he could do about it. He swore to himself he would find a way to get them free so he didn't have to see his little brother die in his arms. When Blood's name was pulled Harvest immediately pitched a fit. Blood had to pull him off of him so he could go up to the stage (and got bit for his futile effort). The second the female tribute was drawn Harvest volunteered for tribute. No one was going to kill his best friend unless it was him, thank you very fucking much. The guards tried to protest since he was coming from the male group, but they backed off after one almost lost a hand to sharp teeth. Ronty and Frank were from the same district but didn't know each other until they were both pulled for the games. Golden, Freddy's mentor, is his father. Freddy has two younger brothers who aren't old enough for the games yet. Foxy and Roxanne both have kids they need to win the games for to get back to. The Creator is the President.

[mauveberries]

the reason i think tomarrymort is a predator-prey relationship is because in reality, if you look at it completely objectively, harry is just an obstacle voldemort has to beat down. he is not an equal enemy. it's really not that deep. put down your pitchforks, let me explain.

obviously, they are enemies in the way that they stand for opposing ideologies. so it is an enemies to lovers dynamic, but it isn't THE enemies to lovers dynamic. they just don't have enough history to be portrayed as arch enemies in my opinion. that title goes to dumbledore.

you have voldemort, who is a terrifying warlord who has brought britain to its knees. he has stricken fear all over the world. people are afraid to say his name. and then you have harry, who is powerful in his own way, he is a decent wizard and is considered voldemort's enemy by a prophecy.

voldemort, in his paranoia and fear, decided to kill this toddler who is considered his enemy and ends up without a body. as you can already tell, there is a maaajor power imbalance here, it's laughable that voldemort lost to a baby. because of this, he has to spend 13 years as a wraith without a body. that is probably one of the most traumatizing things he has probably went through. obviously, when he recovers, he becomes even more irrational. he makes another horcrux, he considers harry as a real threat because he thinks harry's power did that.

we, as the readers know that the last statement is untrue. canonically, it was lily's love that protected harry. not some magical power harry possessed when he was a toddler, but because lily loved him so much that voldemort's soul was split apart again and he was left in agony.

then, harry grows up. he is a bright student. he is good at DADA, he sucks at history, he is powerful enough to cast patronuses. but overall, he is mediocre. we don't see him having a thirst to learn, we don't see him actively seeking out ways to destroy voldemort, we don't see him taking his occlumency lessons seriously. (rightfully, because snape was being an ass) but overall, he doesn't go out of his way to do anything significant. he's just trying to survive. but that doesn't mean he is not brave. when he's put on the spot, he faces voldemort and hardly runs.

but overall, he is not in control of the grand scheme of things. dumbledore is the one orchestrating voldemort's downfall behind the scenes. harry is just a particulary shiny pawn needed to win the chess game, but the queen is still dumbledore. sure, harry is scene forming the da in book 5 and sure, he goes on the hunt in the seventh book, but that is only because voldemort is actively pursuing him. do you see it now?

yes, you could say harry would have graduated and fought against voldemort but... so would everyone else. there is an entire order dedicated to fighting against voldemort, harry isn't special.

harry is only significant to voldemort because of the prophecy, without it, he will always be a no one to voldemort. you can't disagree with this, because if you do, you should be prepared to ship neville with voldemort because he could have been the chosen one, but the prophecy wasn't about him. he fought alongside harry, too. he slit nagini's throat, and yet voldemort barely pays attention to him.

you can say harry isn't prey-material because he fights back. but that is because he's been put on the spot. he has no where to escape at all. harry never instigates any of their fights, they are not on equal footing. they can therefore, never truly be equals opposing each other, simply because harry does not have the expertise to hold his own against voldemort. the prophecy labels them equals, but is this ever truly portrayed? no! voldemort literally has a piece of his soul inside harry, it's like he partially owns harry already. they were never equals to begin with. if jkr truly wanted to portray them as equal enemies, she should have given harry more credit. he is never anywhere near as powerful as tom riddle. she shouldn't have had dumbledore providing all the info, she shouldn't have had harry be a martyr-like figure who has to sacrifice himself to save the world, she shouldn't have made harry win based on pure luck.

the only reason harry won was because of voldemort's irrationality and harry's plot armour.

[that-ari-blogger]

The Owl House's Most Important Episode

"Everyone wants to believe they're chosen. But if we all waited around for a prophecy to make us special, we'd die waiting. And that's why you need to choose yourself."

Witches Before Wizards is the second episode of The Owl House, and it is one of my favourites. It's goofy and delightfully creepy, but that's not why I like it.

This episode gives Luz some really interesting character development and it makes clear the main difference between Luz and Belos.

(Also, this episode has some killer visuals, but I can't analyse them because Disney + won't let me take screenshots, so go watch the episode)

SPOILERS AHEAD

So, who is Luz when we meet her?

Summarized quickly, Luz is a dreamer. She wants to go on an adventure and be a hero.

The earliest surviving work of Greek dramatic theory is Aristotle's Poetics. In it, he coined the term "Hamartia" to mean a tragic flaw. For example, MacBeth's hamartia is his rage, Hamlet's hamartia is his indecision, and Romeo's tragic flaw is his lack of multiple brain cells.

But this is in relation to tragedies. Hamartia is the flaw that causes the protagonist's downfall. Why is it relevant here?

I don't believe hamartia is reserved for tragedy. Any hero can have a tragic flaw. The most compelling stories are those in which the hero overcomes something in themselves, at least in my eyes.

Ok, enough preamble, what is Luz' tragic flaw? Naivety. She believes she can be the chosen one.

This episode is about Luz learning that the world isn't like that. There is a reason The Owl House goes out of its way to twist every trope imaginable. Its to twist expectations, so that the audience, just like Luz, learns to treat this as a world of its own.

"If you look at it from a different perspective... it's beautiful"

Life isn't a story, and you can't wait around to get chosen, or hang on to self-significance. You need to forge your own path.

Now, let's talk about actual tragedies. Because this episode is as close as Belos and Luz get to genuinely mirroring each other. Let me explain.

Belos's defining flaw is his hero complex. He is convinced he is chosen to save the world and... do you see where I am going here?

The difference between the two is the capacity for understanding. Luz, when shown her worldview is faulty, changes. Belos doubles down and says: "You can't reason with crazy". It's the difference between naivety and willful ignorance. They have similar results, but in this episode, it is explained the difference between the two.

Previous - Next

[happyk44]

Ya know, I was reading your Siren-Powers!Children of Poseidon post earlier and while I really absolutely love your thoughts on the Children of Hades & Zeus versions of the siren powers, I'd love to offer up some possible alternatives to the Siren!Powers that I think would better match up with those vibes <3

1) What if Children of Poseidon can appeal to the darker parts of the mind? In Ancient Mythology, Poseidon was often known as the "Dark Twin of Zeus" (as opposed to Hades, which we see in modern versions) and so what if, while Children of Zeus appeal to people's sense of justice and morality, Children of Poseidon appeal to their impulsivity and intrusive thoughts? They can't exactly give direct instructions nor can they invoke any immediate reactions through this power, but they can make their "suggestions" swirl around in their victim's heads until it is all they can think about. Like if Percy said to a monster: "What if you fall on your sword right now? What would happen?", throughout the course of the fight, the urge swirls in their mind until it gets stronger and stronger until eventually the monster does that (if they haven't already died yet). It's not an as effective power as it's cousins are but it does drive the victim slowly insane and can offer for some insane scenes if you phrase the questions just right. Basically, they're targeting the mind's intrusive thoughts and turning them 1000%

Another alternative to that is:

2) What if Children of Poseidon can confuse the mind? The Oceans are bottomless, unknown abysses who can easily sink ships and make creatures no longer know what is up or down and what is right or wrong. They invoke frantic survival instincts, even to the greatest swimmers and divers, and a lot of the time it's to the point where humans bring about their own downfall. There's a reason Thalassophobia is so common and exists. So what if Children of Poseidon can manipulate the frequency of their voices to invoke that kind of confusion/disorientation? What if they can make their victims either act out or break down within themselves in an existential panic attack? They could say things like "you don't know what's going on, do you?" while approaching them slowly with a sadistic smile like someone who's trying to talk down a dangerous person would. They could talk circles around someone while further bringing them down into their trap like a siren typically would but Poseidon was originally born to the land so wouldn't his and his children's power be more land-oriented? Food for thought but the whole hc still stands :)

All in all, as usual, this is just a suggestion/proposition coming from a brain who always thought Siren!Powers for Children of Poseidon was always weird and absolutely random--okay, the Oceans I get, but literally nothing else connects Poseidon to the sirens?? If anything, that would be more of Demeter/Persephone's domain because that is where the actual mythological origins lay (in some accounts)? Or with Children of the actual Seas/those who were actually born of the Seas like Children of Amphitrite or Porchys? Or just Nereids in general? Idk man, it just personally seems weird to me /gen--and so they decided to come up with cool and interesting alternatives! Pls tell me if you like them!!! (I absolutely adore your blog-- /shy)

I do like the idea of Poseidon's kids being able to appeal to the inner chaos of people - partly because it makes Dionysus and Percy occasionally beefing with each other even funnier since Dionysus is sometimes thought of as the god of chaos, and is capability of inflicting madness on characters, which, lol, Zeus being his dad is even funnier now that I think about it.

Dionysus: *makes wine*

Zeus: I like this.

Dionysus: *causes people to go insane and riot*

Zeus: I do not like this.

But back to the ocean bugs, them being able to cause disorder as a versus to their cousins being able to cause order fits Poseidon's status as a god of storms! And the fact that when he loses a competition, he immediately jumps to "flood this city, kill everyone". Percy and his siblings being able to inflict this mentality onto other people is a really neat way to look at it. Rather than getting people into line, they get people to scatter even more, maybe even causing them to go against their internal morals.

Water is also associated with chaos in some mythologies (which, yeah I get why), so that's another aspect that helps the idea. As well as the fact that water can distort your perception of things within it because of the refraction of the light, so distorting someone else's thoughts and being able to talk them into something they wouldn't normally do is 👀👀

There's also nitrogen narcosis!

[ID: Screenshot from the wikipedia page on Nitrogen Narcosis. It is a table displaying the Signs and Symptoms of narcosis, breathing air. The columns of the table are Pressure (bar), Depth (m), Depth (ft), and Comments. The Comments column lists the signs and symptoms of narcosis at different pressures and depths.

Row 1

Pressure (bar): 1-2 Depth (m): 0-10 Depth (ft): 0-33 Comments: Unnoticeable minor symptoms, or no symptoms at all

Row 2

Pressure (bar): 2-4 Depth (m): 10-30 Depth (ft): 33-100 Comments: Mild impairment of performance of unpracticed tasks; mildly impaired reasoning; mild euphoria possible

Row 3

Pressure (bar): 4-6 Depth (m): 30-50 Depth (ft): 100-165 Comments: Delayed response to visual and auditory stimuli; reasoning and immediate memory affected more than motor coordination; calculation errors and wrong choices; idea fixation; over-confidence and sense of well-being; laughter and loquacity (in chambers) which may be overcome by self-control; anxiety (common in cold murky water)

Row 4

Pressure (bar): 6-8 Depth (m): 50-70 Depth (ft): 165-230 Comments: Sleepiness, impaired judgment, confusion; hallucinations; severe delay in response to signals, instructions and other stimuli, occasional dizziness, uncontrolled laughter, hysteria (in chamber); terror in some

Row 5

Pressure (bar): 8-10 Depth (m): 70-90 Depth (ft): 230-300 Comments: Poor concentration and mental confusion; stupefaction with some decrease in dexterity and judgment; loss of memory, increased excitability

Row 6

Pressure (bar): 10+ Depth (m): 90+ Depth (ft): 300+ Comments: Intense hallucinations; increased intensity of vision and hearing; sense of impending blackout or of levitation; dizziness, euphoria, manic or depressive states; disorganization of the sense of time, changes in facial appearance; unconsciousness, (approximate inspired partial pressure of nitrogen for anaesthesia is 33 atm); death

/end ID]

So yeah - siren-like powers focused on causing disorder, distortion, confusion, and so on, make a lot of sense to what the ocean can illicit in people. These are a lot of good ideas 😊

As for the siren thing - yeah, I get it. I haven't really seen people talk about it before, but it doesn't really bother me because it's fun to think of different things.

As for greater fandom, yeah, it's likely because sirens are associated with the ocean. If you're focusing only on "Poseidon is the ocean, has no relation to the sirens outside of that", then some of the other parts of Percy's powers don't make sense - like being able to hold up the Lethe, or keep himself dry from it, being able to drown Ahkyls in her own fluids, and so on, because none of that is technically the ocean. The only link is that people associate the ocean with water/liquid and those other things involve water/liquid.

Or you can look at it the same way I look at Hades - where the link to Underworld is why Nico, Hazel, and Bianca are able to use the powers not related to the dead or underground wealth. Nico hopping through dreams is not an afterlife power, but Hypnos lives in the Underworld, he's connected to Hades by that, and so Nico gets that little boost. So Poseidon is the god of the ocean, and anything and anyone associated with the ocean is linked by that.

Sirens are also associated with merfolk in modern times, so there's that too. I mean, have you ever heard of a mermaid not singing? It might not be a "siren song" but it's still some kind of song. But, lol, don't stress yourself too much about it. If it doesn't make sense to you, that's perfectly understandable and the ideas you've presented are super great!

[chidoroki]

Maybe it's a unpopular opinion but i think that, whatever Isabella thought about it, shipping Ray would have destroyed her. She tried to keep her distance from him, because she was afraid to love him like her son, because she was unable to save him. She says "i couldn't dote on you" but she also thinks "i love you so much". She loves him so much when she tried to not. So i'm pretty sure that giving him to demon ans seeing him die (because she sees the kids die) would have broke her heart forever

Oh for sure. I don’t think anything could break her as much as Leslie’s departure did, but having to ship out Ray would definitely land a critical hit on her heart. No one would ever know this, of course. Isabella would hide her true emotions on a daily basis, as she does with every other kid she sends to the gate, but despite their very unusual and complicated mother-son relationship, she still cares for him as much as any other kid she had the chance to raise. We just don't get to see her loving nature towards Ray much because.. well, she's real damn good at her job.

I believe she only distanced herself after she learned that Ray was her actual son. Before Ray made the deal with her, there was no reason for her to treat him any different from anyone else. She thought he was just another kid she had to raise to be eaten for some demons to ensure her own survival. It sounds bad, I know, but it also means there was no point in acting fake around him. Everything she did pre-agreement was as genuine as she could get, given the circumstances of the house. For the first couple of years, she was nothing but a mom to him, just like she was to the other kids.

The distance between them grew once the deal came into play because they now saw each other as enemies. That actually helped them in regards to them handling their different situations and their own emotions, as the deal gave them different roles to act in. The whole shepherd/sheepdog idea made their interactions more civil and blunt. Sure they both ended up despising one another and plotting for the other’s downfall, but the agreement ultimately made it easier for them to deal with each other, as all their actions, words, thoughts, etc were as fake as could be. They learned that by twisting their relationship in such an insane way would help keep their emotions out of the picture so they can each pursue their goal in their never-ending game of chess, sneaking around their formalities to gain advantages over the other.

If they had to act like a real mother & son to each other with all the knowledge they both had about the farm, it would certainly make those last six years mentally and emotionally exhausting, no matter how hard they tried to hide it. Makes me wonder if Ray never offered up himself as her watchdog, would Isabella have shipped him off early instead? She kept Ray around since she could still control and use him as her own puppet, but I dunno if her love for him would’ve been strong alone to save him. She takes her caretaker job so seriously that love certainly couldn't save any other kid of hers, so despite Ray being her actual son, I wouldn’t doubt that she might’ve shipped him out prematurely here. His test scores could possibly gave him the chance to stay a bit longer, since she favors results more than the rules of the house, but there’s no way she could’ve ignored a kid who knew the secret and have them walk around the plantation carefree either. That would’ve created several problems. In the end, the deal was a huge benefit to them both. Obviously it spared Ray's life, but it also saved Isabella from getting even more emotionally attached to him by tossing their precious relationship aside.

Of course I know she does love him deep down. All I need to prove it is this one page that still manages to break my heart in several pieces and oh my god y’all I love them so damn much aaaaahhhh. Damn it Shirai! Did you really have to do this to them? And to me??

Aside from all the occasions I’ve spoken about Isabella loving her kids & Ray, ch 181.7 also throws the truth right in our faces once more thanks to Ray’s goodbye note. I recently mentioned in my 182days posts how touching it was for Isabella to hold onto the children's stuff because it shows us how near and dear they all were to her heart, so while she does eventually use the note to gain trust from Matilda & the other ladies, I firmly believe she kept it as a memento of Ray first and foremost. We see her holding onto that note here as if it’s just the most precious thing in the world and it warms my heart knowing that she kept it on her person the night of the escape since the entire house literally went up in flames and everything else in it was lost. If her love for Ray was this obvious to the four sisters who barely knew a thing about her, then it had to be clear as hell to her actual kids.

The love she feels for her kids (& Ray most importantly) should also be common knowledge to us readers as well, but I see some people doubt it every now and then still. It's fine, really. People will always see her as a villain and that's understandable. But *gestures to everything I ever said about this woman* hello?? Pfftt. ANYWAYS! Thanks for letting me ramble on about these two! (and if you're the same anon who sent the other ask that came in right after this one then I'll be answering that one shortly.)

[silvia678]

Twisted wonderland Steven universe Au

Disclaimer: English isn’t my first language and this isn’t proofread, this is a wip.

This Au will be called Twisted universe,look at the end to see some sketches of the Au

Some basic facts about the au:

* In this Au I will try to put some characteristic from the game and try to adapt them in Su universe, for example, even tho the gems can summons specials weapon they also have some special powers which is their *unique magic*, if you use too much magic you will start to gain *blot* in your gem which will lead to an *overblot*

* There are two planets (night raven and royal sword) and both of them have their own leader which are black diamond (Crowley) and withe diamond (the headmaster of RSA) both of these planets have seven nations and the leaders have their own court of other less important diamonds which they appoint as the ruler of each nations,

* Previously there was a war between the two planets in which some of the previous leader of the continents have been shattered and even for those few who survived Crowley decided to replace them with their successor for a brand new start for the new era of peace

* Sometimes gem can come out “wrong” and have difficulty to use any weapon, they only can use magic in a moderate way, these gems are called ‘monsters’ they are called like this because they don’t really have a specific gem and they also have a different body from other gems, only the dangerous monsters gets shattered

* In this Au the gems are like humanity, I mean that they used the resource from theirs planet and other planet that they have colonized to create buildings, technology ecc.., but all they create is more advanced to what we have.

* Unlike in SU, in this Au the gems can’t heal the scars they have and they aren’t born directly as adults, they also have the normal stages of lives, except for dying

* Actually Crowley isn’t the most powerful diamond, it’s malleus but he has no intention to take Crowley position, his only interest are the people from his nation and plus even if Crowley is irresponsible as fuck he isn’t doing anything to get in malleus way

* Yuu role in the story is basically the same, that got transported in another word and they are trying to find a way home hopping between lands

* Every leader of a nation has it’s court

Heartslaybul court:

This is Riddle Roseheart court, he is a really strict leader some may also call him

a tyrant but don’t let him hear you you may find yourself with a cracked gem or if your lucky in isolation with a collar on your neck if his loyal pearl, Trey Clover, manage to calm him down.

Even tho Trey seem kind and calm, don’t let him fool you, he will watch your downfall all of the sake of his Diamond.

Don’t worry, everyone is not so evil in Riddle’s court, when you feel sad the refreshing attitudine of a certain spinel called Cater Diamond can make you feel better even tho sometimes he might be a little too overbearing with the camera always pointed at your face.

Let’s not forget about two of your dearest friends! A certain ruby and a lapis who are always by your side in the worst situations,

Ace Trappola and Deuce Spade!

Savanclaw court:

This court is ruled by the strong orange diamond also called Leona kingscholar,

his brother got shattered in war so he is taking his place until his nephew is old enough try not to disturb him, he has a temper, Leona train the army and

his pearl,Ruggie Bucchi need to keep under control the army when Leona dooze off.

His strongest jasper is Jack Howl, since he was young he admired Leona so he trained hard to get into the army however it’s seem that the result of seeing his role model for the first time left him disappointed as Leona use dirty tricks in the battlefield.

I got lazy, I’ll continue this later, here some sketches that I’ll never finish

[drysaladandketchup]

The Terror, The Franklin Expedition, and The Humanity Lost In Interpretation

I’ve seen one too many posts about The Franklin Expedition and The Terror with regards to colonialism and how the intentions of the British Empire at the time means that none of the characters---nor their real life inspirations---deserve sympathy or to be seen with even an ounce of kindness, and the way some folks talk about the men on these ships, real or fictional, really rubs me the wrong way.

These men were not martyrs. Of course not. The damage done by British colonialism is massive and far-reaching, to say the least, and very apparent in the show. It’s obvious in what the Tuunbaq represents and how it suffers more with each interaction with the crew right up to its death by their hands. It’s made apparent during Goodsir’s discussion with Silna about why they’re in the Arctic, framing the futility of their actions. It’s seen when people like Franklin or Dr. Stanley or Fitzjames, among others, turn their noses up at the Inuit people, their customs, or their knowledge, because of a perceived ‘superiority’ to those they deem as lesser. Hell, we see it plain as day when all these men are suffering and dying in a land they deem ‘savage’ and ‘inhospitable’, despite the fact that we see the Inuit people living and surviving just fine in that same land.

So of course I am not arguing the message about the damage done by imperialism and colonialism under the Empire. I’m not denying that their refusal to learn from the Inuit or past mistakes did not aid in their downfall.

However, where I start to get irked is when people talk about these men as if they were not human beings. All of them. As if they were an irredeemable hive mind of brutish men who were there for the sole purpose of doing harm. Which is simply not the case.

First and foremost, I think some people need to remember one very important thing: the Franklin Expedition was not in the Arctic for the purposes of settlement or assimilation. In fact, had all gone to plan, they had no intention of setting foot on land in the Arctic at all. Britain was a coloniser, yes, but this specific expedition was to find the Northwest Passage. A waterway through the ice, a faster route to the Pacific for the purposes of trade. This expedition wasn’t to set roots or colonise anything. I’m not saying that had they succeeded in finding a viable route, that it wouldn’t have led to more colonising of the Arctic, I just mean this group of men were not there for that. They were not there to claim and conquer people or land. They were literally just sailing ships through the ice. Were they doing it under the flag of the British Empire? Yes. Were they wholly unprepared for the environment? Undoubtedly. But ultimately this expedition was one of exploration, science, and cartography.

The British Empire colonised, exploited, and abused many countries around the world. Plenty of people at home believed in the rhetoric of the ‘white man’ as a superior race; the white Englishman, specifically. Religion had a strong grip on the population. Classism played a major role in many facets of life. Laws and rules and institutions sometimes reflected harmful values and beliefs. But that doesn’t mean every single living, breathing, thinking individual at the time believed it or subscribed to it or acted upon it. Often the worst rhetoric is the loudest remnant of its time, but it rarely paints a full picture. The darkest parts of our history often overtake other narratives.

People today have a plethora of thoughts and opinions, regardless of---and sometimes in oppositions to---their leaders and governance. Yet we forget that that was the same in the past. Individualism has always existed. Tolerance and empathy are not modern concepts. Who you are as a person is not inherently defined by where you were born. Can the tenants and teachings of where you grow up and those you grow up around affect you? Of course. But people are fully capable of thinking for themselves, and changing. Growing.

What is often lost within the argument of whether or not to look at history through a modern lens, is that regardless, you cannot paint everyone with one brush. Few arguments are black and white, and never have been. History, and the people who came before us, were just as diverse, and fallible, capable of good and bad and everything in between. I find myself somewhat unnerved when we talk about people as if their very existence in a particular time or place is reason enough to denote their entire character or personality or intentions in life. Rather than just seeing them as people, living lives that were messy, fluid, complex, unique to them. It is a simple fact that we cannot hold every individual accountable for the actions of others or a group or a nation.

My point in all this with regards to the Franklin Expedition and the The Terror is that people who say ‘they were all there to do harm and therefore deserve no sympathy’ are missing a huge bit of forethought. As well as a bit of compassion, I think. Most of the men on those ships (aside from the officers and Marines, who were commissioned) were volunteers. But whether commissioned or volunteered, these men were sailors. They were there to do a job. I can guarantee that none of them signed onto this expedition thinking, ‘This sounds like a good opportunity to snatch up a chunk of land and kill a bunch of Indigenous people.’ It was simply sailing; it was how they made a living.

This expedition wasn’t ‘Manifest Destiny’, to use the American term. Find a passage to the Pacific, measure the magnetic readings to improve navigation, map as much of the still unmapped Arctic region as possible. Those were the goals. Nothing more. To the crews, it was to be a few years aboard a ship with good pay and a chance to see the world. Many likely thought it was an opportunity to be a part of what was to be an important voyage, which could earn them better standing within the Navy.

And again, I am not arguing the ultimately imperialistic intentions of the British Empire with regards to the potential results of this mission had it succeeded. I am simply saying that to vilify all 129 men aboard these ships simply for a job that, in this particular case, was not intended to do any harm to anyone, is extremely careless and misguided.

Hubris was a factor in their failure, undoubtedly. But even then, there were those on the Expedition who had traversed the Arctic and/or Antarctic before, like Crozier. They knew more than most what to expect. Of course it’s hard to say whether or not these men would have made changes to their approach or supplies or tactics had they the freedom to do so (after all, Franklin too had suffered terribly in the Arctic on a previous expedition, yet he seemed confident that nothing need change for them to survive this time around). But the fact is the rules and practices of the Empire and the Royal Navy were set in stone. In a sense, these men were also victims of their own Empire. That, and the reality that what ultimately sealed their fate was the unprecedented deep freeze during the winter of 1846 which trapped their ships.

And to the point I’ve seen people make about how the crews refused help from the Inuit: I will politely ask you to read some more books, or the oral accounts passed down by the Inuit themselves. The Franklin Expedition did have interactions with the Inuit. They did look for help once they were on foot. And by the accounts of the Inuit, help was offered. The issue wasn’t that the crews refused it, the issue was the Inuit simply did not have enough food or resources to support 100 men as well as their own community. And before someone interprets this the wrong way: no, I am not at all saying the Inuit caused the deaths of the crew who made it to land. It was a simple fact of life: the Inuit survive in the Arctic, yes, but it is still a harsh land where resources are scarce. You mind your supplies, every bit of food, every tool, every fur, every scrap of material. Nothing wasted. And you care for your community, your people. The crew sought help, and the Indigenous peoples offered what they could, but the situation was simply not ideal for anyone.

As an aside, I would like to point out that there are many cases throughout history where Europeans had normal, positive, and prosperous interactions with Indigenous peoples, not just in North America, but across the world. Not to say that makes up for the irreparable damage that’s been done to many of those same Indigenous cultures by colonialism and various Empires, I simply mean we need to remember that not every single moment in history is dark and dismal. You cannot assume some binary ‘good vs. evil’ when discussing someone or something simply because of who they are or where they came from.

But to my point with regards to the Franklin Expedition and The Terror: the Empire’s refusal to learn and adapt resulted in the loss of these men’s lives. But that should not translate into, ‘Every man on those ships deserved to suffer and die simply for being there.’ I think some people miss that side of The Terror as a show.

While it is clear in its message about colonialism and the worst things that people can do to survive, it is just as clear in its humanising of the men. It is just as clear that they were all people with lives and families, their own hopes and thoughts and wants and dreams. Men who could care and help each other as much as they could harm each other. This show is about people. About surviving. About suffering. It is a warning about hubris, but it is also a tale of humanity, and all the ways that manifests or withers. Good decisions are made, bad decisions are made, extreme decisions are made. Sometimes perspectives change, reasoning shifts, outcomes are different than expected. Because people are complex, diverse, fallible, ever-changing, imperfect.

So at the end of the day, talk your head off about the impact of imperialism and colonialism, both the messages from history and it’s message within the show. It’s very important.

But if you cannot also look at these men---their real life selves or their fictional counterparts---with even an ounce of sympathy, or empathy, then I genuinely fear how you treat people in the present, in the real world. Because if you believe death and suffering are ‘deserved’ as a solution to the world’s larger injustices (even by people who themselves are not committing those injustices, simply living under them), then you have condemned yourself to nihilism and a refusal to gauge human kindness and hope.

[depressocafe]

What is the real reason why Zarkon thought Lotor was weak? And why did Zarkon become power hungry after the quintessence incident?

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In this week's edition of VLD Theories I hyper fixate and overanalyze the show once again but this time I think I have something really interesting, considering the fact that we're not just talking about the inner workings of the Voltron universe but we're also discussing everyone's favorite father son duo.

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Something that's always irked me is the cliché way Zarkon was written (and don't worry we'll get into Lotor and his relationship with Zarkon as well as childhood trauma in a moment but to get to that we have to talk about the Emperor himself). Zarkon is written as everyone's typical, immoral, emotionless, power hungry bastard and while that is essentially what a 'bad person' is it doesn't make for good writing nor does it function well with the cannonisity of the series or even its inner workings.

Let's go back to what Shiro said himself about Quintessence Corruption. Shiro stated "Zarkon fell to his own evil instincts. The quintessence field didn't create Them, it revealed them." This sentence states that the chemical itself is capable of sensing and seeping into hidden or strong desires. But here's the thing, Zarkon initially didn't desire war. He conquered planets because that's what his race had done for generations, that was until Alfor helped Zarkon to end his conquest and ally with several of his enemies (Alfor, Blaytz, Trygel, Gyrgan) then Zarkon put conquest behind him and worked on being a benevolent ruler who desired peace. Quite a switch but that still leaves the question, what changed? What made him power hungry? What ruined him? Well the answer is actually quite simple and was staring us in the face the whole time.

It was the overwhelming feeling of weakness. Weakness that came with his greatest failure, the inability to support what he loves and cares for. Namely, Honerva, Lotor, his planet, his military, his citizens, and with each day watching the things he loves grow weaker, even himself.

Zarkon watched his life grow into something spectacular and then started watching it's downfall. Even when he put stabilizers into his planet, that only slowed its collapse. He struggled to make his wife pregnant and now he was struggling to keep his son, his only child, healthy in his mother's womb. Speaking of his mother, Honerva slowly and harshly deteriorated right before Zarkon's eyes and he couldn't stop it. Because his planet was dying, he struggled to feed and support his citizens as well as provide nourishment for the soldiers whose job it was to stay healthy and protect all of Galra existence. And thusly Zarkon himself began deteriorating, His mind losing its sense of morality in favor of a stronger sense of survival. He's been weakened. Powerless to stop anything, the quintessence at this point is the only support he has. And thus the only thing he can focus on. If he can harness it, he can fix everything.

See, the quintessence didn't reveal Zarkon's evil nature, he wasn't evil to begin with. The quintessence corrupted his deepest desire. To become strong enough to support all that he cares about. To have power over all that he controls and sees. But no wish comes without a price. Power and quintessence became his biggest concerns. And turned him into what we now know as the Evil Emperor Zarkon.

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But how does this tie in with Lotor? Quite easily actually! You see a lot of what Lotor is, happens to be what Zarkon once was. Lotor had a deep seated love for existence. He indulged himself in other cultures, he respected every living being, he befriended individuals other than Galra, and he believed he could harness quintessence without destruction or disrespect to life.

But to Zarkon, that is Arrogance, Foolishness, it is Weakness beyond compare. Because he thought that way once, and it only brought Daibazaal to ruin and made him incapable of anything. But as we know, that's just Zarkon's perspective through his corrupt eyes. We, the viewers, know Lotor is right in his beliefs But his father is incapable of seeing that because of his fear, having no control over anything, no power over anything. This led Lotor and Zarkon to have an even more broken relationship than they already had, disintegrating to the point Zarkon couldn't stand his own son anymore and sent him away.

But he didn't kill Lotor. Not until 10,000 years later. Because his son was one of the things Zarkon wanted to save. Another reason why Lotor and Zarkon had an abusive relationship has to do with the Quintessence Corruption itself. Because Zarkon desired that power and control over everything, he desired it for his own son as well because if he can't control his own child then the weakness will grow again. The fear Zarkon let die along with his friends and planet will regrow and resurface. But Lotor is not the kind of person who allows himself to be forced, coerced, or manipulated so easily into obedience. Especially when it has to do with his father's sense of Value and Morality. So naturally in Zarkon's mind Lotor has become weak and as he's said before "Weakness is an infection. Better to cut it off then let it spread." We all know what happened next.

And if you need more evidence. Look no further than to Lotor's own corruption itself. Lotor was never good enough for anyone. And honestly saying that statement grossly understates Lotor's actual suffering. But it's still accurate. There are many things the prince wanted in his life. He didn't just want good parents he wanted his parents to be good. But that wasn't going to happen. He didn't just want to accept and be proud of himself he wanted people to accept and be proud of him. But that wasn't going to happen. His home quickly became nothing short of a survival situation and a place where he couldn't belong. So he decided he'd find that place himself and if he couldn't find it, then he'd create it with his own two hands. A place where he is accepted and everyone is proud of him. A place where his accomplishments and intellect matter. A place like the Altean settlement

Initially yes, I believe Lotor made this settlement to save his race. There is no denying he's always had a good heart. But sadly, he's never had a sane mind. Lotor was in Honerva's womb when she and Zarkon became corrupt and it's even stated within that show that when Galra doctors did a health read on Lotor shortly after his birth, he was giving the same quintessence readings as Zarkon and Haggar. In addition, Lotor seems to struggle with letting go of a grudge. Understandable but holding onto grudges creates emotional instability which can cause problems for your mental state. Take it from me if your angry with someone, forget the pain you felt but remember the harm that was delt. Learn it and let it hone you for further down the line in your life. Lotor, didn't do that. He wouldn't forget the rage he felt, even if he could still get revenge on his abusers if he wanted. And with his hidden desires and quintessence his parents seeped into his veins, it was only a matter of time until Lotor finally lost it.

Lotor desired a place to belong and he was going to make it happen no matter what. No matter what or who he had to sacrifice to get it. That's what the Quintessence brought out. His hidden desire for belonging. To be honest, Honerva had her desires herself. But we already understand what those are. Her desire for endless knowledge as well as control over quintessence, life itself. And we know what it made her. We've always been aware of Honerva's mind so there really wasn't a place for her in this post. This statement does exclude her actions for season 8 and that's because who she is then doesn't fit into who she once was or what were discussing.

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Zarkon became what he wanted to be but at what cost? His desire ruined everything. So did Honerva's. It tore apart the universe, it destroyed their son, it slaughtered their friends. Zarkon got the power he wanted and control over his fear, but in turn it ruined everything he built. Immoral sacrifice for absolute solace.

Post made: Feb 18, 2023

Updated: Mar 9, 2023