#champions of antithesis

[reddragonraz]

KELLET TIME!!!

[fantastic-nonsense]

I wouldn't mind the heavy focus on warrior Amazons so much if they were allowed to be competent instead of just being used as red shirt cannon fodder. But it seems DC only hypes up the Amazons as deadly fighters so other characters can look more impressive when they take them down.

Oh and Happy New Year.

Happy New Year! Forgive me if I use your ask to talk about a piece of the Wonder Woman mythos I've wanted to discuss for some time, because your complaints offered me the perfect segue to write a nice, in-depth meta on it and I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

Honestly, I think a lot of people (both creatives and readers) either don't know, forget, or fundamentally misunderstand the nature of the Amazons' warrior status. So they often get reduced to "deadly warriors who strike first," "supposedly deadly but generally incompetent warriors when outside of their own books," or "militant man-haters" by a lot of people. None of which are true.

The Amazons are incredibly competent warriors and have been since Marston's first portrayal of them in the 1940s, so I don't inherently mind them being shown as such. However, where people get bogged down is insisting that they be shown as deadly and trigger-happy offensive fighters who are happy to strike first and hard, which fundamentally goes against the philosophy and thematic messaging built into Amazonian lore.

DC's Amazonia, lore-wise, is traditionally framed as an Aphrodite vs. Ares "peace and love vs. violence and war" story. In Marston's original rendition of the Amazon's backstory Aphrodite is not only their patron goddess but also their sole creator; it was only after Crisis on Infinite Earths and George Perez's long-overdue lore expansions that the rest of the goddesses became co-creators and co-patrons of the Amazons. Regardless, Ares and his domain are consistently invoked as what the Amazons don't want to be like or engage in. That behavior is the antithesis of what Amazons are supposed to be. This lore informs literally everything about how the Amazons view both their combat abilities and their duty to the goddesses.

The contemporary Amazons are, for the most part, women who died in terrible and traumatic ways at the hands of men (usually through domestic violence, murder, or as conquests of war). When the goddesses created the Amazons by reincarnating these women via the Well of Souls, they specifically charged them to become their champions. And what did these goddesses want? They explicitly wanted justice and protection for women in a violently patriarchial world. The Amazons being warriors is thus specifically tied to an understanding of necessary self-defense and protection (both of themselves and other women), not offense.

Which of course is what lands the Amazons on Themyscira in the first place: invoking the goddesses' ire by not obeying these commands after their rebellion against their enslavement by Heracles and his men crosses the line from the necessary battle to achieve their liberation into wanton violence and revenge:

"The battered Hippolyta prayed to her goddesses and found the courage and inspiration to free herself. Athena had reminded Hippolyta of the Amazons' purpose and mission—but not all of the Amazons remembered. Or cared. They yearned for vengeance. For retribution against those who violated them...and under Antiope, many found it." -Wonder Woman: Our Worlds at War (2001)

And as Hippolyta and Menalippe tell Antiope:

"No, Antiope. Never vengeance; never again!" /// "That is Ares' way, Antiope. We achieve no glory by embracing the Dark God's power!" -Wonder Woman (1987) #1

The Amazon way is promoting a society based on love, equality, truth, and peaceful conflict resolution, not vengeance and violent combat. It's a philosophy that defines Diana's mission in Man's World as an ambassador, teacher, and living example of her peoples' way of life:

Enraptured, they listen to her dissertation on equality between the sexes, tolerance, peaceful coexistence. Social Philosophy 101, Amazon Style. -Wonder Woman (1987) #170

Diana's gods-given mission was to spread the Amazonian ideals of conciliation—to give those living in the World of Man the proper tools to peacefully coexist with each other. It was her life's purpose to teach the possibilities of respect and love by being a living example of an upbringing founded in those ideals.

Truth-seeking, diplomacy, and peace are the Amazonian way of dealing with conflict, not violence. And when you are forced to engage in combat (and you should be prepared for that eventuality because sometimes it will happen), your goal should be self-defense and de-escalation, not offense and prolonging the conflict longer than necessary.

This is also, as an aside, why Diana (and specifically Diana in her capacity as Wonder Woman) does not usually carry offensive weapons like a sword and why her primary "weapons" are the Lasso of Truth and protective bracelets. She's the official representative of her peoples' culture and personally deeply believes in that cultural philosophy. Other Amazons have different views on the matter, including her mother, but Diana grew up completely separated from the World of Man and fully immersed in that belief system, which deeply informs how she views her mission as Wonder Woman.

Personally, I think many (but not all) of the problems re: depicting the Amazons in the modern era come from various writers attempting to solve contradictions that don't exist. They see "kickass trained warriors living peacefully on an island" and see that as a contradiction they have to solve: why do they train if they're pacifists? Why do they fight if they're peaceful? In reality, it's not a contradiction: their status as warriors and champions is specifically tied to self-defense and protection (both of themselves and others), but given the choice they don't want to have to take up arms to protect people because that goes against their fundamental cultural philosophy. Outsiders and meddlesome gods are the ones who force them to do that! What they want is for everyone to be treated with love, respect, and understanding so they don't have to!

And there's a lot of problematic elements built into the concept's execution, but this is the core thesis behind the split between Hippolyta's Themyscirans and Antiope's Bana-Mighdall. The Themysciran Amazons have had their fill of violence and war; they just want to live in peace. But a) they were specifically tasked with guarding Doom's Doorway when they were taken to the island, a duty which necessitates perfect combat readiness, and b) their history is littered with examples of people refusing to leave them alone. So they train, in case someone decides to take shots at them, but otherwise live in peaceful isolation. Meanwhile, the Banas looked at that same shared history and went "we need to take the fight to the outside world. Offense is the best defense, and the only way to protect ourselves and the other women of the world is to actively seek vengeance for the violence women face." So they chose to actively intervene in Man's World, fighting constant battles and exacting revenge for any women mistreated at the hands of men.

...which is also why Artemis was such a necessary and interesting addition to the Wonder Woman mythos (even if she's often handled...poorly), because she and Diana represent two diametrically opposed views of how to protect and represent both their cultures and the women of Man's World, but that's a rant for a different time.

Anyway, the Themysciran Amazons' martial pacifism as a cultural value isn't a contradiction; it's one way of looking at a history filled with violence and victimization and saying "no more." And it's a pretty subversive way of doing so, which (well-written) comics tend to note!

So yes, the "Amazons are warriors" mentality has always been there and has been solidly emphasized at various points throughout Wonder Woman's history, and it should be acknowledged and shown that they're all incredibly competent in battle when they're forced to engage in it. But the way in which it gets emphasized is what defines whether a writer has a solid understanding of the history and baggage that comes with depicting the Amazonian struggle and the socio-political issues embedded in their lore. And unfortunately...many writers just don't seem to get it.

[elswing]

in defense of elrond

it is ironic that elrond keeps accusing galadriel of being too blinded by pride while he's fallen equally victim to being blinded by his own frustrations. neither of them are being particularly rational about the situation because they're both hurt and feeling betrayed, and i think elrond's remark about how galadriel only sacrificed herself to save the ring instead of the company perfectly encapsulates that—because, yeah, that is a fair interpretation of it, but she did just tell him five seconds ago that she was only there to protect them, a fact that exists simultaneously with her possessiveness over nenya.

it isn't One Or The Other, just like both of their opinions on the rings, because in actuality they are both right about them. elrond has a limited perspective on it, but from his pov he is completely justified in hating the three feanorian crafted shiny magic jewels that everyone around them covets (🤨). all he knows is that sauron had a hand in making them and no one can possibly know how much influence he has over them because the true art of his craft is subtle. as in, you don't know it's happening to you until you're suddenly slapped with the consequences of it. it is equally fair of him to be suspicious of galadriel herself, because it is impossible to rely on whether she now believes herself to be free of his corruption when she never knew it was there to begin with. also, again, for emphasis—she knew sauron walked among them, she knew he'd helped make the rings, and she let it happen anyway. that doesn't exactly inspire trust, especially when it's the exact antithesis of the point she's trying to prove to elrond and she hasn't done anything to try and rectify that breach of friendship except offer an apology that does sound quite empty given she is still championing the rings.

on the other hand, galadriel is the one who spent time with sauron all this time. galadriel is the one who befriended him, and while even we as the viewers can't be sure which parts of halbrand were an act and which were genuine moments of connection, the main point is still clear: whether she wants it or not, they understand each other. even without their friendship, you can't spend thousands of years dedicating your life to hunting someone down without them becoming familiar to you in some way, and i think there is a specific manner of vulnerability that loss and grief gave her and it just tore her wide open for all sorts of habits and traits to take root. she became so devoted to her vengeance against sauron that the lines between identity and purpose began to blur.

i am not of the opinion that galadriel loves sauron (or vice versa, but that's a whole other post), as fascinating as their dynamic is to me. i do think that she is a passionate individual who was made for love and boldness, and losing everything she did was never going to mellow her out or slow her down. in her, vulnerability takes the form of rage, and it is there, in that twisted, not-quite-galadriel version of herself, that sauron was able to find a reflection.

there is no way elrond can possibly understand any of that, even despite suffering similar losses, because that's just not who he is. galadriel has the better intuition on sauron's manipulations, and she has a far better understanding of the depth of them, so of course her opinion should count here.

the issue is that they're both too raw and hurt that neither of them are willing to say "okay, so we BOTH have good points here. let's hear each other out instead of waiting for one of us to see reason and blindly agree with everything the other is saying"

i think it should also be noted that galadriel does end up being right about the rings' capabilities as a force for good, especially since the One to control them hasn't been forged yet. as unlikely as it might seem to elrond, her intuition isn't leading her astray here. we just haven't reached that point in the story yet (nor have we reached the point where galadriel begins to humble herself to the elves and seeks to redeem herself like morfydd mentioned, but i have a feeling they're getting into that now. after all, she did give nenya up to the guy who hurtled face-first off a cliff hoping to destroy them, so that's gotta count for something. baby steps!)

[humansofnewyork]

(11/54) Before our wedding Mitra’s father gave her one final piece of advice: ‘Never let a man enforce his opinions on you.’ And she took it to heart. She was my opposite. My antithesis. The hardest for me to convince. She would tell me I was too optimistic. She’d say that I only saw the best in things, whether that be people, Iran, or Shahnameh. After our marriage I finally convinced her to read it with me. We’d just moved to Germany so that I could attend university. Each night when I came home from class, she’d lay her head in my lap and I’d read her a chapter. It was my second time reading the book all the way through. My first time as an adult. As a boy I’d always been drawn to Rostam’s feats of strength: his taming of Rakhsh, his defeat of the demon king, his slaying of the dragon. But now I noticed something else. Rostam lived by a code. He would not serve an evil king. He would only serve his ideals. 𝘋𝘢𝘢𝘥. Justice. 𝘙𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪. Truth. And most of all, 𝘈𝘻𝘢𝘥𝘪. Freedom. Rostam would never sacrifice his freedom. The great champions of Shahnameh were more than warriors, they were vessels for our ideals. Even in the darkest times, even in the times of greatest danger, they lived by their code. I did my best to interest Mitra in certain parts. When I came to the story of the female knight Gordafarid, I quickened my pace. I filled my words with excitement: ‘The battle was nearly lost. Gordafarid’s commander had been captured on the battlefield. Her castle was completely surrounded by the enemy. Gordafarid tried to rally the men to fight, but none would join her. They wanted to stay behind the castle walls. They wanted to surrender. Gordafarid’s cheeks turned black with rage. She grabbed her bow and arrow, tied her hair beneath her helmet, and rode out to face the enemy alone. She stopped just short of the enemy lines, and like a lion she roared: 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴?’ In the heat of the story, I peeked down at Mitra to see if she was scared. But she’d fallen asleep.”

 پیش از ازدواجمان پدر میترا آخرین اندرز را به او داد: «هرگز اجازه نده مردی به تو زور بگوید.» و او آن درس را جانانه پذیرفته بود. و ما در تمام زندگی‌مان چنین بوده‌ایم. او همواره آنتی‌تِز من بوده است. نقطه‌ی مقابل من. سرسخت‌ترین کس برای متقاعد شدن. می‌گفت بیش از اندازه آرمانخواهم، بیش از اندازه ناآزموده و بیش از اندازه باورمند. می‌گفت که من همیشه بهترین‌ را در هر چیزی می‌بینم، چه مردم باشد، چه ایران و چه شاهنامه. پس از ازدواجمان سرانجام توانستم او را راضی کنم که همراه من شاهنامه بخواند. دوران دانشجویی را در آلمان زندگی می‌کردیم. و هر شب که از دانشگاه به خانه برمی‌گشتم، سرش را روی پاهایم می‌گذاشت و من بخشی از شاهنامه را برایش می‌خواندم. این دومین بار بود که شاهنامه را از آغاز تا پایان ‌خواندم. نخستین بار در بزرگسالی. در کودکی همواره شیفته‌ی نبردهای رستم بوده‌ام: رام کردن رخش، شکست دیوان، کشتن اژدهای پیدا و پنهان. ولی آن روز به نکته‌ی دیگری پی برده بودم. رستم برپایه‌ی یک قانون زندگی می‌کرد. او به پادشاه ستمگر خدمت نمی‌کرد. او‌ تنها به راه آرمان‌هایش می‌کوشید: داد، راستی و بالاتر از همه، آزادی برایش ارجمندترین بود. رستم هرگز از آزادی‌اش نمی‌گذشت. پهلوانان بزرگ شاهنامه فراتر از جنگجویانی نیرومند بودند. آنها نگهدارنده‌ی آرمان‌های‌مان بودند. حتا در تاریک‌ترین زمانها، حتا در بزرگترین خطرها، پیرو قانون پهلوانی خود بودند. من بیشترین تلاش خود را می‌کردم که میترا را دلبسته‌ی بخش‌های ویژه‌ای از شاهنامه کنم. هنگامی که به داستان گردآفرید رسیدم، شتابم را بیشتر کردم. واژ‌گان را با شور بیشتری خواندم. دژ سپید به محاصره‌ی دشمن درآمده بود، هجیر نگهبان دژ بود. به جنگ سهراب رفت و به کمند او گرفتار شد. هنگامی که گردآفرید آگاه شد، گونه‌هایش از شدت خشم به سیاهی گرایید: چنان ننگش آمد ز کار هجیر / که شد لاله‌رنگش به کردار قیر. پس تیر و کمان خود را برداشت. گیسوانش را به زیر کلاه خود گرد آورد، و یکه و تنها بر دشمن تاخت. به نزدیکی سپاه دشمن ایستاد و چون شیر غرید: به پیش سپاه اندر آمد چو گرد / چو رعد خروشان یکی ویله کرد / که گردان کدامند و جنگ‌آوران / دلیران و کارآزموده سران. در اوج داستان نگاهی زیرچشمی به میترا انداختم تا ببینم که آیا ترسیده است. او به خواب رفته بود

[neptunereturned]

The Zodiac Signs as Protagonists of a Fantasy Series (Updated)

(Libra | Cancer | Virgo | Leo) applies to Sun, Rising, MC, Chiron.

Once upon a time, there was a world long forgotten called Altheria, a magical, ancient kingdom founded by the people and creatures of abandoned fantasies. Tall mountains made of milky quartz rose high from islands of clouds, crowned by grand, pearlescent castles. The Altherian sky was an airy melange of pastels, and at night, erupted in a dazzling display of auroras. The land was adorned with white cherry blossoms trees that sung harp-like tunes in the wind, while great fountains of liquified diamonds, known for their healing properties, dotted the rest of the landscape. In this enchanted world, what is possible was merely a matter of imagining, such that the people of Altheria could conjure everything they need by thoughts alone. This ancient kingdom existed as an antithesis to reality, where the figures of children’s neglected daydreams could find a second home. At Altheria, childhood persevered. Just as the realm took care of them, the Altherians took care of each other, championing idealism, romanticism, community, and above all, sacrifice. The exemplary of these virtues are Altruists - winged beings with extraordinary magical capabilities, whose destiny it was to sustain and protect the kingdom.

Character design by me via Charat Magazine design by me via Canva written by me @neptunereturned

aquarius | sagittarius | scorpio | capricorn aries | gemini | taurus | pisces

CHAPTER I: THE FIRST ALTRUIST

Libra - The Banished Princess

(Applies to Sun, Rising, Midheaven, Chiron)

The kind, beautiful, and good-natured Libran Princess was not supposed to be a political threat in the Altherian Court.

She was the second daughter to the King, meant to enjoy an agreeable marriage to some Prince and spend her days decorating palaces.

But she was charming, perhaps too charming -- dazzling everyone at court ceremonies, and popular with the people for her grace and just dealings. It would make her a thorn in her elder sister's eyes, the heir apparent whom everyone was supposed to love more.

Soon after her sister's coronation, the new Queen would banish the Princess to a tower. 

These were dark years that saw to the slow destruction of Libra's idealism. Yet, the Princess remained gracious despite her desolation. She treated her guards and handmaidens with politeness. After all, good manners was an aesthetic, and deprived of her pretty dresses, she held on to the last strand of beauty in her life.

Her kindness would soften the tower guards, and she was eventually permitted to pick flowers from the meadow nearby under their supervision. 

Overtime, the guards would become more and more lenient with their watch, letting her roam further and further away from them.

It wasn't like they were under any risk. She would never be able to out run them and the region surrounding the tower was extremely treacherous.

Until one day, the Princess stumbled upon a person who claimed to be a farmer, hiding in the tall grass of the meadow. Out of hearing range from her captors, she was able to converse with the stranger. They were intrigued by one another and in these stolen moments hence forth, a love story unfolded.

The Princess soon discovered that the farmer was in fact a freedom fighter, rebelling against the oppressive reign of her elder sister. She, of course, was the entire reason why the fighter was there: they were gathering intel on her captivity for a rescue mission.

But instead of strategizing a political alliance in the face of imminent freedom, the Princess and the rebel found themselves fantasizing about a future together, on-the-run, but together.

On the night of her rescue, the lovers intended to do just that. They had just made it out of the nearest town and heading for the woods when the Princess, horrified by the state of her people, decided the to kill the only dream she had ever dreamed and asked to be taken to the borders.

The Princess would seek political asylum in a neighboring kingdom to gather allies and raise an army. To do so, she knew that she would need to offer her hand in marriage to the foreign Prince. They both knew.

Instead of biding her farewell, however, the fighter volunteered to follow her into the foreign Court and be her personal protector. However painful having to watch her marry someone else, they believed in her as a leader.

And she did just what she set out to do: married someone else while her beloved watched, raised an army, gathered allies. The fall of her sister's reign was so near, everyone could taste it.

So perhaps it was this final struggle for survival that her sister ordered the most lethal assassination attempt: death by dark magic. The usage of which would tear the soul into pieces.

The result would not be the Princess' head, but her lover's heart speared on a knife. The Princess would watch her beloved die.

The shock and anguish caused wings to tear from the Princess' back and began to flap vigorously. Everyone in the room was blinded by the white light emanating from her, whilst she found herself strangely familiar with magic that coursed through her vein. Unbeknownst to her then, she had become an Altruist - the first one.

With this new power, she easily took back the throne and became Queen of Altheria. She upheld the marriage to the foreign Prince, who maintained his Princehood within her kingdom. Using her magic, she created white cherry blossom trees that sang harp-like tunes in the wind, turned water into liquified diamonds with healing properties that shimmered in the light. She hoped that by surrounding her subjects with benevolent beauty, it would inspire idealism, romanticism, and hope for her people. After all, those were the qualities within herself that she had had to sacrifice and that she wished no one would have to do again. She would be right. Under her rule, the realm prospered, particularly arts and culture. Her people were happier and kinder to one another, but the Queen herself would be forever grieving.

Every year on the day of her beloved's death, Libra would return to meadow by the tower and lay amongst the flowers, dreaming of a life that could never be.

---

CHAPTER II: THE DARK AGES

(150 years after the Age of Libra)

Cancer - The Martyr

(Applies to Sun, Rising, Midheaven, Chiron)

Cancer arrived on the Altherian shore without knowledge of who she was or where she came from. All she remembered was that at some point, she had meant something to somebody, but now she was alone.

Fortunately, the beautiful landscape of Altheria reassured her and she felt less scared as she searched for some others who could help her make sense of it all.

She eventually wandered into a village and ran into an old couple who offered to take her in. She was reluctant at first, but their warmth and compassion were so palpable that she agreed.

Her instinct would not fail her. The old couple turned out to be even warmer and kinder than she could have imagined. Soon, Cancer found herself settling in comfortably to the family routine and developing deep love for her new parents. In that small, idyllic cottage housed the happiest time of her life.

But it was short-lived. Too soon would she lose her father to a fatal fall while he was out shopping, followed a year later by her mother's passing from a heart attack.

Aware of their old age, the old couple had already arranged for their relative to take care of Cancer should anything happen to them. So Cancer was re-homed, though this one less warm and far more crowded.

The relative had had a lot of children and saw her only as extra care for their little ones. Even though still little herself, Cancer was thus forced to become a parent, until one day, out of exhaustion, she accidentally let one of the kid go missing. The child would be found soon after, but that was enough for the relative to cast her out.

The Church would be her next home, though there was nothing familial about it. But it was here, amongst the hums of religious sermons, that she discovered the ability of stories to soothe one's loneliness and despair.

A few years later, the Church burnt down. Despite being the person who notified everyone of the fire and got them out in time, rumors swirled about the misfortunes that had befall anyone close to Cancer.

Now older, Cancer made her living by telling stories on the streets. Her stories were about domestic life, simple yet warm and comforting like the only two people who had ever shown her any kindness.

As she got more popular as a story-teller, so seemed the rumors about her using dark magic.

For awhile, it didn't matter. Cancer was cultivating a community who took comfort in her words and she found great purpose in providing a home for their pain.

But when famine struck the Altheria, the years of damning rumors made Cancer an easy scapegoat. Grabbing their pitchforks and torches, they captured her and carried her to the ocean from whence she came. They intended to drown her as a sacrifice.

People chanted pleas for forgiveness as they dragged her to the deep end and pushed her under the water.

Somewhere between alive and dead, she heard an earth shattering noise from above and their hands relenting. And then she felt warm and light. Could it be? At long last? It occurred to her that if she was going to heaven then she would like to see it. So she opened her eyes to find that she was flying! She had grown wings.

But the sky she was flying towards was no sky at all. She couldn't believe her eyes. There was a gaping hole in the sky while everything else was grey and stormy. The ocean was black and violent.

Cancer turned to look at the people who had tried to drown her. They now looked at her in awe and terror. She knew then that she could save them -- these poor lost souls.

Without further thought, she flew into the gaping hole. She did not know what she would do when she got there, she just knew that she could save them, somehow.

Then she felt a wonderful feeling - like she was full but not heavy. She felt herself expanding and expanding until she stopped thinking.

When she could think again, she was no longer a body. She had become the sky, their sky. And she was beautiful. She could see herself in the reflection of the ocean below. At long last, she finally belonged somewhere.

---

More signs coming later.

[fantasyinvader]

In Snow, before taking Enbarr Flayn gives a speech about how the crew are rejecting Edelgard's “twisted morality” and is willing to kill, and that to go down the same dark path themselves. Yet Seteth talks about how Edelgard will never bend to the player's will a few scenes later despite how Byleth would wish for a peaceful solution. It makes Snow sound hypocritical, no?

However, the Japanese instead says it's Edelgard's willingness to sacrifice others and rejecting that path, whereas Seteth says that while it's understandable that Byleth would want to walk a path with Edelgard it's Edelgard who refuses to give in towards that goal. This bookends the map, where Edelgard on her defeat says that through her death she and Byleth will walk the same path together.

You can see how the changes, though slight in some places, alter the meaning of the story. But this, ultimately, is the case. Byleth's path is supposed to be representative of Nirvana, the Path of Liberation, with Byleth's ending title being The Flame Who Seeks Their Destiny. Edelgard's path is identified as both hadou, where she uses her power to impose her will upon people including through the use of violence, as well as the animal path, the antithesis of Nirvana. Byleth can reject their own path and walk Edelgard's, but it's not meant to be a good thing. Meanwhile, Edelgard's joining Byleth's side through her death comes across as an act of redemption. That by defeating her ideals by winning without the methods she used to gain strength, Edelgard realized her own wrongdoing.

But the thing is, looking at the choices at Snow, it's basically clear the player is being pushed to choose rational thought and logic rather than act on emotion. The player doesn't have a choice, instead the game tells them “no, you have to do this.” Case in point, where the player may want to join Dimitri their forces are in no state to do so so they sit Gronder out. Or how Byleth in the end is pushed to become the new ruler of Fodlan. In the English script, pushing the idea that Edelgard champions freedom if supported rather than oppression, it only makes it look worse.

But it makes sense when you consider Edelgard's path is meant to be the animal path (though the other lords at their worst could be said to have sunk to Edelgard's level.). It's not just that she's hurting through her ignorance, it's also that she's abandoned morality and her humanity doing so. Edelgard might appear rational, but in reality this is saying that she's acting more on instinct and impulses in order to achieve her goals. In contrast, Snow is about saying to have the self-control Edelgard doesn't and to do the right thing. It's not saying to be emotionless, but to look at things logically before acting.

Just like how Seteth says at the beginning of the route, to not see the intent behind Edelgard's words would be a dire mistake while in the Japanese script she flat out says that she did everything she could to try and sway Byleth to her side. Being in the BE House just gave her more opportunities to do so.

Plus the hadou stuff would make it clear that Edelgard isn't benevolent, whereas Byleth is meant to be if they follow their path. The Animal path is thought to be a path of evil, leading to a world of suffering where the strong rule over the weak who cower in fear. To be human means to have the ability to act in a humane manner in Buddhism. Edelgard and Byleth's ideologies being in direct conflict, with hers being made out as evil in the Japanese script, only serves to say that Snow is the hero route for the BE class. To walk Edelgard's path doesn't make her see the light, it just tells her her methods work and encourage their usage further.

But all this is lost due to the translation mischaracterizing Edelgard and trying to make the game grey. Houses essentially wanted players to be Jedi only for the translation to pull a “From my point of view, it's the Jedi who are evil.” And because of that, Edelgard's redemption is lost and instead they try to justify her means by altering her ends.

[onesunofagun]

I will now yell about Fi and Ghirahim as symbols of their respective creators, please stand by:

So, the biggest slap addition the lore that Skyward Sword gave us was (Her Grace) Hylia and (the Bringer of) Demise. Entities who, regardless of confusing localisation choices, exist as two sides of the same coin and are locked into a mutual karmic cycle.

They reflect each other like a mirror, and also represent an antithesis of each other, seemingly existing as consequence to one other. They were presented as the penultimate deities of the physical and metaphysical realms of their world since the advent of its creation by the departed Golden Goddesses; twinned yet opposite, and each both inevitable and necessary.

Shadow; Light. Chaos; Order. Indulgence; Restraint. Upheaval; Stability. Primordial; Designed. Spite; Grace. Hidden; Seen.

Ghirahim; Fi.

It goes right down to the blades that Demise and Hylia would level at one another. The spirits of each are a representative of the principles and philosophy championed by their creators.

Now, the closer you get to the works and relics of the Gods/Gods Tribe in Zelda, the more you see divine constructs that blur the line of spiritual magic and advanced technology, and are ostensibly both. This was a direction that really bloomed in Skyward Sword, taking a running start on it that games hereafter have followed. The caveat is that only certain special people chosen by Gods or otherwise given permission to use this kind of Magitech can interact with it or produce things like it (either at all, or without punishment).

Even the Sheikah, who have closely served the intentions of the Gods/Spirits of Light (Hylia and her aligned) all throughout history, make the mistake of getting too comfortable in their inspiration and cross the line into imitations. Despite the successful utilisation of, and later recovery of, certain Sheikah Tech such as the Divine Beasts to positive effect, the tragedy of both the Sheikah's Divide and the Calamity's hijacking of Hyrulean defence systems is still played as a cautionary tale of hubris and knowing one's place in the natural order of things.

The Sheikah were effectively making unauthorised knockoffs of Divine Magitech and it bit them on the arse.

Can't have shit in Hyrule.

Pretty much every significantly advanced tribe in Zelda has a stated closeness to 'the Gods'. Either by being adjacent to or descended from deities and spirits collectively known as the Gods (specifically the Gods Tribe in JP), they are still distinctly subordinate to and separated from entities such as Hylia and the three Golden Goddesses.

Confirmed to be included in this special grouping are the Zonai and the Oocca, for instance. Speculatively, the Wind Tribe are an example of people who ascended (with permission or worthiness) from the surface-- they are an arguably Gerudo adjacent tribe who may even be precursors to the Zonai or related to the Twili.

The Picori, at the very least those in their native realm, also certainly count as part of this grouping. Though it could be argued whether those descent Minish living on the surface still do.

The Sheikah, it should be noted, have never gained entry to this Gods club. Despite their proximity in worship and service to Hylia, historically, they've also done some pretty shady things-- like the Shadow Temple and the general murder and espionage stuff -- that may have otherwise excluded them from ascending like the Wind Tribe did. They walk a grey line, and they have a duty in the eyes of the Powers That Be that apparently prefer they stay put.

Not Turtle-y enough for the Turtle Club.

Another example of this Icarus flying too close to the Sun type cautionary tale, and a far more egregious offender in the eyes of the Gods Tribe, are the 'Interlopers' who would eventually become the Twili. They were a tribe of people that, while squabbling with others, tried to take dominion of Hyrule (referred to itself as the Sacred Realm/Holy Land in TP) with powerful magic that more or less gave them a winning advantage. Specifically, the Crystal Stone of Shadow (the Fused Shadow) which greatly amplified their magical power.

Banished by the Spirits of the Light whole cloth into an underworld (lit. A Realm of the Dead) that we also know as the Twilight Realm, they have been shunned from the land they tried to conquer and transformed by shadow so much, they're now allergic to the light (without sufficient mystical power to bolster themselves).

Basically, the intended message is this: any earthly people who have advanced themselves without approval by the Gods Tribe-- especially by using Divine Constructs as inspiration or means-- have therefore disrupted the order of things, and stacked the deck too much in their own favour. Even if the intent was primarily a fixation on preserving Hylia's bloodline, and by extension her sacred land, it is still possible to elevate oneself above your contemporaries (especially the capacities of the Royal Family line in Hyrule) in such a way that you impose too much independent influence upon the the natural world.

No longer following 'the way of the Gods' (the Gods Tribe law) or respecting the order of things (ala Shintoist inspiration), you are labelled a disruption to harmony and peace, and therefore seen as corrupted and pollutive, and generally negative in your impact. You will then be chased off, at the very least, unless you renege-- for fear that you will bring in demonic influences or be used by them. This has canonically happened to both the Gerudo and the Sheikah, now.

But you know who Magic Constructs on par with the Gods Tribe, except it's more eldritch and organic-looking and primordial in form? It's the other club, the one that the disenfranchised Sheikah went and banged on the door of, hoping to be let in if they started wearing cool red and black outfits and changed their name and stopped worshipping Hylia.

Yeah. It's the Demon Tribe-- who are pretty much just the inverse reflection of the Gods Tribe and its set up. Their Magitech equivalents, and what they can do, only serve to further cement this.

Specifically, if you could suggest that the Gods Tribe's main objective is maintaining a status quo of shared prosperity that provides an ordered and peaceful existence through conformity and tradition, the Demon tribe is an ever churning well of opportunity where winner takes all. It is a hierarchy built on brutal meritocracy, honed by constant challenges and hard won continuation-- survival and status fought for and maintained by individualistic influence and innovation.

Many various little bastards exist in the Demon Tribe. Bosses in charge of sub-tribes of monsters are commonly seen, but they have their minor Deities ad Spirits, too. The head honchos are called Demon Kings (plural, because it doesn't describe a single position, but rather just very powerful Demons who have clout). Demise is both a Demon King, namely the most powerful one, and also the 'Chief' of the Demon Tribe; just as, in this case, Hylia could be considered the 'Chief' of the Gods Tribe. So, Demon God-King, really.

While Demise is incapacitated by Hylia's seal, his role as the Chief of the Demon Tribe is actually the position that Ghirahim fills in for as his (literal) right hand man-- the very extension of his arm, as his blade.

Both the Master Sword (Fi) and Ghirahim himself are, perhaps, some of the most advanced forms of this sort of Magitech we've actually ever seen.

Ghirahim goes above and beyond in his role, even going so far as to cultivate his full persona as a Demon in his own right in order to maintain his authority as the effective Regent while the big boy is incapacitated. He disguises his true form and nature, and with a surprising level of autonomy and self-transformation for what he is, sets about attending his duties with great devotion.

He seems to have an incredibly intuitive and flexible mode of operation. His sentience is full of creativity, emotionality, and genuine potential that he has the capacity to explore and shape with great freedom, for the construct that he is.

He is flamboyant and attention grabbing, highly expressive. He entertains great personal indulgence, even going so far as to toy with Link in a manner that borders on vicious training for a while. Though in part due to his undeniable sadism, Ghirahim almost can't help himself but to continue to test and push against the potential as a swordsman that the Hero has, inadvertently cultivating its growth.

This depth of identity and adaption he's capable of was either an intentional part of his design, or specifically not prevented by it-- both of which stand to represent something of Demise and Demonkind. The lengths to which Ghirahim is allowed to wield himself when not in his creator's hand is remarkable and, though he is shown to be unable to override actual commands from his master, it stands in an interesting contrast to Fi.

Where Ghirahim is able to radically redefine his own presentation and function to best suit his Master's needs in a way that mimics the organic, Fi's evolution is far more linear and streamlined, never really deviating from systematic updates. Though the sword itself is subject to physical restorations, Fi's personal appearance is unchanged and reflective of her true shape, indicating that her tempering in the Sacred Flames is either a slow return to previous form or a pre-programmed and permanent upgrade set into motion by Hylia. It is also an evolution that is entirely dependant upon the actions of others, largely lacking the individual agency and flexibility that Ghirahim possesses.

Not to suggest that Fi is any less devoted to her purpose, however.

She is, quite unlike Ghirahim's aspect of individual advancement, wholly geared toward a model of mutual enhancement with a partner. She is built with a singular and clear objective in mind, perfectly designed to suit the needs of the one wielding her as a supplement to their ability, rather than an autonomous servant. She defers entirely to her Master's decisions at all times, though does make informed suggestions, and does not appear to be able to relocate the physical sword on her own. Many of her abilities are things that must be directly requested of her.

Even when she is given to performance, such as her singing or her ballet, these are seemingly dispassionate affairs that are precisely executed, preprogramed displays for Link's benefit. Absolutely nothing, not even particular inflections of emotionality, must risk the distortion of her relayed messages and guidance to Link-- these displays may also be something analogous to morale boosting rewards or a really weird form of reverence to the musically inclined Hylia. Either way, Fi is highly logical and presents herself foremost as an instrument and a tool. She does not indulge in a persona or otherwise engage in anything not directly tied to her assigned mission-- she does not get distracted or indulge personal whims as Ghirahim does. But critically, a large part of her design is geared towards an awareness of her surroundings. Fi has a visible consciousness for the living things around her at all times, contrasting to Ghirahim's seeming negligence of them and open disdain.

Fi's orderly efficiency and lack of cultivated personality to detract from her purpose make the fact of her construction obvious. Unlike Ghirahim, her true nature and her task is almost painfully undisguised. She exists in a simple sincerity, almost austere, seemingly unwilling or unable to seek function beyond her designation without being updated by another. However, her concentrated application seems to achieve concentrated results, strengthening both herself and her wielder in a near impenetrable mutual reinforcement.

It is perhaps of no coincidence that, despite Fi's seeming inflexibility and clinical pragmatism, she also expresses something of a fondness for Link at the end-- in many ways, mirroring her Divine creator. She does this very robotically, by correlating her collected data time spent together and their completed task with what she's observed of human happiness.

Skyward Sword seems to argue that Ghirahim's main flaw is spreading himself too thin, or trying to be so many other things, that he falls short as a sword in the end. It suggests that his sin, like others in the franchise, is getting too big for his boots scabbard and letting his pride become his downfall. His individualism gets presented with a great cost, as he has only enhanced himself in ways that seemingly do not apply when he returns to his primary function as a sword. The emotionality he has, such as the frustration and cockiness and bloodlust he indulges, are also shown to lower his successes-- reducing the sense of his efficiency and precision beside the ever level, measured Fi.

When he returns to Demise's hand, Ghirahim is already weakened and spent. Despite all he's done for his Master's revival, Demise is left to fight with a paling version of the blade that once fatally wounded Hylia-- not unlike a Master Sword in need of restoration to its full power.

There's a legend regarding Gorō Nyūdō Masamune, widely regarded as the greatest swordsmith in Japanese history, and Sengo Muramasa, who is famously known for creating unique and terrifically sharp blades that are considered cursed.

It starts when Muramasa challenges Masamune to see who can make a finer sword. When the work is done, they go down to a river, and place the blades in the water with the cutting edge towards the current.

Muramasa's sword, which he named Ten Thousand Winter Nights, cuts everything that floats its way-- leaves, fish, even the wind that happened across it. It is so sharp that nothing escapes unscathed.

Masamune's sword, named Tender Hands, is placed in the river and cuts the leaves that go by so seamlessly, they reform on the other side. Fish swim up to it and seem to be repelled by its aura, avoiding death. The wind kisses the blade gently with a pleasant whistle.

Muramasa isn't impressed by this. He thinks the blade is useless, barely cutting anything at all, and starts to remark on the lack of skill. Masamune smiles at the criticism, but merely compliments that Muramasa's sword is indeed quite sharp.

A monk who had watched all this from nearby approaches at that point, bows, and interjects with his own observations.

Though he too observes that Muramasa's sword is technically very finely made, he notes that it's a bloodthirsty, wicked blade. It cuts anything in its path indiscriminately, he says, and would just as soon cut a butterfly in half as remove somebody's head.

Masamune's sword, however, was the clear winner in the monk's opinion-- a gentle blade that did not needlessly cut that which was innocent or undeserving, tempered by grace. It is a benevolent sword, and so far finer made.

In popular culture, Muramasa's blades have held onto their violent reputation. There's a superstition that they can compel their wielder to murder. It has even been said that, once drawn, they can't be sheathed again until their thirst for blood is sated-- even if it has to drink from its own wielder.

They also had a weirdly consistent habit of maiming or killing members of the Tokugawa Shogunate, and so became an anti-Tokugawa symbol synonymous with the rebellion. So that's fun.

But Masamune was considered to be a very calm man, who was controlled and reserved and quite spiritual. Muramasa, though, was depicted as an aggressive man, who was a bit wild and kinda unpredictable. As far as the folk stories go, Muramasa is depicted as having been quite envious of Masamune. Unlike Masamune, who approached his craft as the art of achieving clean death, they say Muramasa needed to transfer his unhinged energy into his blades to keep from being overwhelmed by it himself.

Because their natures bled into the swords they created, it was believed that Masamune and Muramasa imbued them with purifying and demonic power, respectively.

Just as with Demise and Hylia and the swords that they created-- as inspired by such a legend-- the spirits inside of them represent their natures, as well.

[breannasfluff]

Eldritch Soup

Things with Wild are getting worse. Sky tries; he swallows down his sickness and pastes on a smile. He tries to stay closer than Four and takes responsibility when he snaps. It’s clear the Chain’s distance hurts Wild.

Yet no matter what he does, the champion continues to be the antithesis of Sky. Sidon said prolonged contact would make it better, but he’s not sure how much more he can take.

Something has to give. Sky just didn’t expect it to be over pumpkin soup.

“I can make dinner—”

“My treat to cook—"

Sky and Wild stare at each other as they both volunteer. They are on the surface in Sky's time; a message sent for Sun to join them.

Sky takes the lead. “We’re in my era, let me cook for once. I know a great recipe for pumpkin soup.” It won’t be as good as the Lumpy Pumpkin, but if Zelda’s joining them for dinner at least he’ll get to cook for her.

“I can make pumpkin soup!” Wild grins and tries to wave him away. “We have our own recipe in my era. I’d love for Sun to try it.”

Hot emotion wells in Sky’s chest, even as he shoves it down. “Really, Wild, take a break from cooking. I can do it.”

“But…I always cook.”

“Exactly. So, take a break. I can cook for Zel—Sun.”

Wild’s smile is fixed, even as Sky’s stomach sinks at his attention. “It would be my treat. I don’t get to see her often.”

His hands are fisting at his side, tension firming his shoulders. The others are setting up camp or gathering wood; Twilight would be taking the kid’s side if he were here. Time is out with the others, though, so Sky is in charge for once. He draws himself up and gives his sternest look. “I am making dinner.”

“Are you going to put meat in it?”

“What? No, it doesn’t need meat, it has pumpkin. Look, most of the ingredients are stored at the base camp, I just need to borrow—”

“It needs meat.”

The chosen hero takes a careful breath, and glares. “Wild. Not everything is going to be made the same way you do it and that’s okay.” He’s exhausted and they just arrived. “Please just…let me do this, okay?”

Wild glares, but gives a single sharp nod. “Needs meat,” he mutters but backs off to sulk.

Fine, let the champion be that way. Sky edges to the far side of the camp and starts setting up ingredients. Despite the distance, the sickness doesn’t fade. Goddess, he’s so tired of feeling sick. Is it too much to just ask for a break? Why can’t he be Twilight, who seems to have no problem with the newest hero? Days upon days of feeling ill with no sources are wearing him down. Endurance was never his forte.

With a slow blink, Sky starts chopping a pumpkin. It’ll be fine, Zelda will be here soon.

Read the rest here!

[warthoggz]

I used to post art stuff to instagram but I kind of hate using it so I think I’ll start posting it here every once in a while.

This was one of my pathfinder characters, a champion of the giant disembodied hand that would pluck our characters out of the narrative if their playing couldn’t join that day. I created a whole set of edicts and antithesis for it and then I only actually got to play her for like two sessions.

[possiblyunhinged]

So when are transphobes going to give up their grift that they care about 'women's rights'? In the same vein, racists believe that refugees are a threat to women's rights while being utterly disinterested in the reality of who is attacking women in the UK.

Why is it that these individuals only seem to champion women's rights when it provides a platform to justify their own prejudices and insecurities? Do these people care that 1 in 4 women have been raped and sexually assaulted as adults? (x)

When I was assaulted at university, I found out four other women were assaulted by the same guy - a 'wholesome,' 'nice' white guy who was far from a caricature of a predator.

The likelihood is that women will be assaulted by somebody they know... 6 in 7 rapes against women are carried out by men they know. (x).

Is Tommy Robinson concerned about that statistic? Or does it not suit the stereotype he is married to when thinking of violence against women?

Can we be honest that it just seems like Tommy Robinson and Co. only care about rape because he sees white British women as his property? 'Our girls' when he seeks to embolden his racism, but not about dismantling the culture he flourishes in, which is immensely misogynistic.

If he were concerned with violence against women, perhaps he would be worried about the effects incel culture is having in classrooms (x)... Creating a whole new generation of misogynists who see women as deviants, liars, and unworthy if not of service to men.

It is nothing about protecting children when these people show a complete disregard for their future - the two-tier education system, their inability to freely move and work around Europe, the climate crisis, which isn't dependent on you 'believing it'... it's fucking happening.

What scares me most about British politics is that we've had 14 years where, slowly but surely, the importance of the truth has diminished.

People such as Farage don't care about objective realities because their popularity relies on the antithesis of considered, logical thought—it's all about feelings and pandering to a sector of society that feels invisible.

I'm just so exhausted with people talking out of their arse.

[rodlaveraryna]

ok time for me to rant for a sec: i'm sorry if this offends anyone but i can't stand the jannik as aaron burr (hamilton musical mind you, not the real person) comparisons. don't get me wrong, wait for it has some great lyrics that fit with jannik nicely but as a whole the core of burr's character is like the antithesis of jannik. the reason jannik went from in and out up and coming top 10 player to world #1 grand slam champion is because of incremental improvements in his game that might not have looked like much match by match but are clear as day in retrospect. on the other hand, burr's inaction is a key negative trait of his and he only realizes that after he's fallen behind from his peers. and while you could perceive this "catching up later" as being jannik coded, jannik has been active since the beginning trying to catch up with and surpass his peers after a practically nonexistent junior career. burr is defined by being passive while jannik is anything but.

[reddragonraz]

it is currently REAL SAFRA HOURS

a collection of sketches cuz i just draw her when im sad

feat. vic with flowers in his hair because he deserves nice things ( @shepspencil )

[horizon-verizon]

One question, why Dany fans are against her and Euron being together? People say he is a misogynist and evil but it's not like the ones they ship her with are champions of good morals, same goes for the people around her. He is a king chosen by his people ,has a large fleet and a potential dragon rider . He even captured the warlocks who were after her. Not to mention he is handsome and totally her type personality wise (Daario but more dangerous). Who are the other candidates? Faegon the pretender, Sweet Robin the sickly and somehow one BASTARD when it doesn't make any sense even if her brother was his sperm donor.

Short Answer -> Because Euron Greyjoy is the antithesis of Dany in every way and will try to depower or debase her in any way he can. And that's not Dany's arc nor is it logical, narratively, with the direction Dany's arc has gone. This would never be a happy or constructive union.

He would never be satisfied with a a spouse--and female spouse, as if there would be any other kind in his hypothetical case--having the power of a true monarch or leader that he has enjoyed his entire life. A spouse that the armies, subjects, etc. are paying the obeisances that they would to Jaehaerys, Viserys, Aegon I, etc. One who is not merely a consort but has the authority, power, higher status, etc. of a Queen regnant and an ordinary king. While Dany is raised to goddess-like status among some of her people not because she thinks herself in that vein and thinks it her due to be their queen, Euron plainly is in the process of thinking himself as godlike and deserving of higher and the highest as possible seats of power no matter how he will get to that but in underhanded and sinister ways of persuading people that he'd be in some type of service to them or really that he'd be their way to gain power for themselves, esp how he frames himself as the way for the ironborn to conquer Westeros by invoking their heritage. And he ends up being the one to become their king. That's really his only aim--how to use people and persuade them to give him power so that he may rise to that position. that's why his never taking anything in those raids he has with his crew is also sinister--it works to inspire more loyalty from them.

Dany constantly interrogates whether or not she is doing what is best for those under her care, she feels a sense of responsibility to her people and those she observes she can protect. Power is not a luxury or a right in of itself to her; it is an inevitable tool for any possible happiness or peace.

In the leaked Winds of Winter "The Forsaken" chapter, we see that he ties a tongueless, naked, pregnant Falia Flowers--his "bedmate" from when he took the Hewetts' castle (A Feast for Crows)--to his ship. The same girl in the TWoW chapter says to Aeron that Daenerys will be Euron's "rock wife" (the ironborn's terms for their main consort) and she'll be his "salt wife" (a sort of concubine, slave wife). Daenerys is not be anyone's consort of any kind for her to be safe and able to actually exercise the power that she needs to enact great social and magical change, as Fire and Blood has shown us time and time again. We didn't even really need F&B (if we were thinking persons) to know this because Drogo would have never allowed Dany to do the stuff she'd currently doing or be at her side while she makes decisions for those she takes on as her people...they'd and she'd be "his". But F&B is great to introduce us to other characters and to reemphasize Dany's importance AND understand histiography, misogyny, and propaganda.

Back to Euron, those people that he captures, he's not doing that with the intention of being her consort, but just to bring her to feeling of comfort so she'd be open to having him later on and get him into that space where he'd do whatever he thinks of doing. Just as he's doing with Aeron and the ironborn and Falia Flowers and his own crew.

And there is reason to believe that he SA'd his brother, Aeron (Damphair) when they were children [the 3rd quote down]. Aeron is deathly afraid of Euron and most people who aren't in his crew dislike, are wary of, or are also afraid of him for good reason.

Godless? Why, Aeron, I am the godliest man ever to raise sail! You serve one god, Damphair, but I have served ten thousand. From Ib to Asshai, when men see my sails, they pray. (A Feast for Crows, The Iron Captain.) We are the ironborn, and once we were conquerors. Our writ ran everywhere the sound of the waves was heard. My brother would have you be content with the cold and dismal north, my niece with even less ... but I shall give you Lannisport. Highgarden. The Arbor. Oldtown. The riverlands and the Reach, the kingswood and the rainwood, Dorne and the marches, the Mountains of the Moon and the Vale of Arryn, Tarth and the Stepstones. I say we take it all! I say, we take Westeros. (A Feast for Crows, The Drowned Man.) That man is dead. Aeron had drowned and been reborn from the sea, the god's own prophet. No mortal man could frighten him, no more than the darkness could . . . nor memories, the bones of the soul. The sound of a door opening, the scream of a rusted iron hinge. Euron has come again. It did not matter. He was the Damphair priest, beloved of the god. (A Feast for Crows, The Prophet) Kneel, brother. I am your king. I am your god. Worship me, and I will raise you up to be my priest. (The Winds of Winter [not released yet, leaked], The Forsaken)

Gods don't answer to "mere" men, much less women. As her consort, Euron would have to "answer" to her.

Then there is the dragon horn he says he got from Valyrian ruins. Mind you, dragon horns--"hellhorns" as the Valyrians called them--are thought to have been used by the Valyrians alongside spells to control dragons by "binding" them to a person. Daenerys is the one who supplies us--in the main series, in A Dance with Dragons--with this information.

The text shows that Euron is one of the worst possible candidates as a consort for Daenerys or any female monarch--much a less a dragonriding woman who hasn't reawakened dragons and magic into the world. Every thing shows that this man will use magic horrendously and oppressively to not just those close to him but wide swaths of people. Unlike Daario, he actually presents a some sort of threat to her ideologically and numbers wise. He, of most men aside from maybe Jon, has a stronger narrative relationship and familiarity with magic and has magical secrets that may contend with Dany's. It's all so ominous and foreshadowy.

As for other candidates, people have brought up Aurane Waters, some in her khalasar, Jon Snow--if he/they manage to have his influence over others undermined or he announces/swears himself to Daenerys, so people do not look at him as a viable monarch over her. Euron, again, would never allow himself to be a mere consort. And Dany can never be a consort to anyone for her story to make sense. A story of a woman, not a man, being the "messiah" figure by crushing gender roles and tropes or subverting them under her pretty little feet.

Euron is a classic case of the a smart and devious "psychopath" always looking for power and charming people to think him less of a threat than he actually is.

[lupinusalbus]

Sad Inability to See the Writing on the Wall

I was watching Kit’s appearance at the GOT Convention where he stated (somewhat apologetically) that he thought killing Dany was the right ending for the show. Its kind of sad that he has to be apologetic and also to qualify his remarks by saying something to the effect of “it’s ok if you see it differently.”  There was reportedly a backlash against him on twitter because he dared to state the obvious.

It all makes me wonder what universe Dany’s champions are inhabiting.  Do they really believe the book(s) are going to end differently for Jon/Dany when the ending makes so much sense for Jon Snow as the protagonist? He’s half Stark, half Targaryen, and he must choose between these two aspects of himself. He is effectively ending the Targaryen Dynasty by killing Dany, and plot wise, it all makes perfect sense. The two Ds made a lot of errors in judgement for seasons seven and eight, but significantly altering the end point of Jon and Dany’s trajectory from Martin’s plan was not something they would have had the temerity to do.  It's convenient to blame them though, because the books aren't published yet.

But some are apparently living in a fantasy world, even saying that Dany is going to be resurrected and will get back together with Jon Snow. It’s one of the most ridiculous theories ever. If it happened (which it won’t), it would ruin the elegance and symmetry of Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire. He will never write that, nor would he approve of it being part of any sequels about Jon based on the upcoming books.

But the character of Daenerys has been deceiving people all along. I mean those show characters who saw with their own eyes how cold blooded Dany was when possessed by her “fire and blood” Targaryen persona but remained blind to that brutality. Crucifixions and burnings were not enough to turn them against her because they became dazzled by her “charisma” and smitten by the dragons.

The Starks and Jon Snow are the antithesis of Dany, and that’s ultimately why Jon Snow had to make his choice. It’s also why Kit Harington is right.

[invasive]

You know how the day goes.... Extra information under the blanket ^^

Alessandro (Andro/Andy)

Name: Wanting to reference Venus, I named Andro after the painter Sandro Botticelli: the artist who created The Birth of Venus. I also liked Venus' connection to space, so Andro felt like a good callback.

Species: Big-Headed Turtle

Left behind after the accident at Draxum's lair, Alessandro found herself navigating through the cracks of this new life. Companionship eluded her grasp as she continued to fight tooth and nail to survive, forcing a steel shell around her. Weathered and directionless, Alessandro finds herself in the Battle Nexus after catching wind of an underground fighting arena run by one of the most influential yokai to date.

Big Mama knew of Draxum's experiments, especially when it stole her last champion. Mutated turtles, supposedly blown up with the rest of his lab. An unexciting end to such a financial blow-- until one resurfaces on her front door years later, usurping her predecessor's title. She plans to keep this gem under her wing to earn back lost profits, but when this champion of few words demands to be her assistant, she obliges (on condition).

I wanted Allesandro to be an introduction to some darker themes of the show, and to give Mikey a bigger role in that. I want him to try and introduce her to his family to reunite, but she isn't . accepting . Draxum was. She is their antithesis in almost every way, never seeing things through a light of good or evil, moreso failing or succeeding. And unlike Draxum, she is succeeding. Mikey, despite his best attempts, is met with a rock that he cannot chisle, and it's something he will struggle with for a while.

[hauntedveil]

my first goth event

last week monday, I saw blood club in concert. it was genuinely the best thing I've experienced in a while. casket cassette and dustbowl champion played that night as well (the lead singer of casket cassette is so handsome). that event was the antithesis of what I'm accustomed to a concert being. the space was small and intimate and the band members were literally just hanging out, open to chatting with anyone. i almost squealed when i saw jesse. alas, i was too awkward and nervous to actually talk to him, a regret that haunts me still. however, i was able to capture a few beautiful photos with him and the band.

i chatted with the lead singer of casket cassette, who i was much more comfortable with and was one courage point away from hitting on. there were so many wondrous things about that night. here are a few:

i got to meet the band members of blood club and take photos with them

there were so many cool-looking goths, i was so inspired just occupying the same space as them

i wore the cutest, but simple, outfit i felt so confident in

i danced to almost every song that night, screaming the lyrics to my favorite songs

i picked up a couple of band merch t-shirts and stickers

the venue had the coolest lighting and fog setup, it made the experience so much more mysterious and thrilling

of course, the MUSIC.. the music was great but like duh

i am so excited and moved by my first goth concert, i can't wait to experience more and hopefully make spooky friends who'll dance the night away with me.