#complex characters for the win!

[splanana-bitz]

You know what?

Shout out to complex characters. Those guys don't get enough of the proper recognition they deserve

I feel like we try too hard to make everything black and white, especially when it comes to characters, their actions, and the discourse surrounding it.

Should good characters be perfect all the time? Absolutely not! That's not how people work, and I think (to a certain degree) media needs to contain more accurate representations of how messy people and life can be, and sometimes, that means making good characters make a bad decision or giving them a complex past or a morally grey view on this or that, etc.

Should bad characters be excused for their actions? Hell no! But it's their flaws and seeing their improvement on said flaws that make it all the more interesting to see the story progress (especially if it's done right)

So, like...can we stop going to either the extreme of baby-girling and infantilizing questionable, ethically ambigious characters who's rough around the edges, or the extreme of shunning them so much and villainizing them for one bad decision...to the point we forget who the character really is and is supposed to be?

[mostdeviouswizard]

Clementine Midnight Burger inspires complex feelings in me which I cannot exactly put a name to so I had to make fanart about it.

[aroaessidhe]

2024 reads / storygraph

Road To Ruin

start of a postapocalyptic fantasy series set in an Asian-inspired desert world plagued by dangerous storms

follows a courier who transports romantic letters between a prince and princess, who helps the princess escape across the wastes towards the prince’s safe haven

but they’re pursued by bounty hunters, and accidentally uncover some ancient secrets. and also she’s in love with both of them

dinosaurs, magical motorbikes,

bi MC, start of polyam triad

[jaxihammer]

Media literacy and smooshing my little guys together like non-canon compliant barbies should not be mutually exclusive

[duelistkingdom]

the worst part is i can't even say he's wrong. they certainly did figure out how to contribute the city by joining the wrgp. but like. this is one of those things where it literally does not make sense. this is insane levels of logic. "we're not sure how to contribute to the city. we think entering a magic the gathering tournament will help." like. imagine saying that fr when your parents ask what you're going to do after you graduate college. "idk. thought i'd play card games and figure it out, man"

[idliketobeatree]

rereading the book omens again and I must admit, Aziraphale really is That Bitch most of the time. that being said, I really enjoy the special kind of uwu and sluttiness Michael brings to the table

[prettyupsetnerd]

(her mom was her best friend)

[midnight-mismanagement]

I know the writers were in a bind with having powerhouses like Lucifer and Alastor both on the playing field at the same time. But, idk, to me, Lucifer coming late to the party feels less like a triumphant entrance and more like “where the f were you.” If Lucifer and Alastor were both there at the start, it would’ve made more sense for Lucifer’s character as he is trying to do better and be there for Charlie, and has no excuse for being late, but then the fight would’ve been two on one and there would’ve been no justifiable reason for why Adam couldn’t get defeated by both of them. So, maybe have another player on the field? Sera entering the fight? Or Lucifer getting kidnapped into heaven and forced to watch his daughter fight while he’s helpless to do anything until he convinces Sera to let him go? Idk. Cause his presence also undermined Charlie’s arc a bit imo.

Charlie has been sheltered by the two people closest to her: Vaggie and Lucifer. I think I would’ve liked a moment where Charlie is in a bind and this distracts Vaggie who automatically goes to protect her, but Charlie rallies harder, and Vaggie is shown that Charlie can also protect herself (maybe this happened in the show but I missed it? Cause they did split up at one point. I should rewatch the ep lol). I know they split up during the battle, but I kind of would’ve liked this part of their dynamic at least nodded to directly for the sake of their character arcs. And then with Lucifer, if he had to be in the fight, then have Lucifer raring to go, about to destroy Adam, but Charlie stops him and holds her own instead while Lucifer watches proudly. Or, somehow have Lucifer on the backfoot at one point because it’s been so long since he fought anyone, at first he’s overconfident or trying to appear confident, as he should be stronger than Adam, but Adam has been fighting for longer, more consistently, and maybe he’s had some kind of blessing to make him stronger. Have Lucifer taken off guard, and then have Charlie save his ass, clobbering Adam while he’s distracted, Adam who has always underestimated her, and then they defeat him together or something. Idk, just something to satisfy my personal need for Charlie to prove that she doesn’t always need to be sheltered or protected, that it’s fine to have support, but that those supporting her also make themselves vulnerable by doing so. I also feel like if Vaggie or Lucifer were hurt while protecting Charlie, she would definitely have some complex about that.

[1800naveen]

Characters who are clearly complex or are misunderstood but half of the fandom don't want to believe/say it because they did a few bad things even though there are characters who are a lot worse>>>>>

[abijahfowler]

sigh… every time an irredeemable antagonist gets uwuified or romanticized an angel loses its wings… i can’t keep doin this shit no more

give me the character you have lost your priveleges

[96percentdone]

I feel like it bears repeating on like a daily basis, but I do unironically think Nirvana Initiative is like. Demonstrably superior in craft and meaning than the first AI: The Somnium Files. Like I'm not doing a bit on this blog or anything I just actually think AINI is that good and deserves the world. This is the hill upon which I will die, I'm right, fuck you.

[aroaessidhe]

2024 reads / storygraph

At The Feet Of The Sun

book 2 in a slow paced high fantasy duology*

the right hand of the emperor (who is off searching for an heir) struggles with what to do after passing on his responsibilities and also discovering various pieces of information that are mindblowing to him, personally,

after adventure is thrust upon him, he travels to find His Radiancy and they go on some otherworldly adventures while growing closer and figuring out the nature of their friendship

(*there’s extra novellas & i think another book coming? duology adjacent, currently,)

[sunflcwering]

i have always desperately wanted courtney to win but also she’s so doomed by the narrative

[wtfforged]

i really wanna redesign the strawhats timeskip designs because i hate all of them with my soul but the thing is every time i try theres a good chunk of them i wouldnt actually know How to change, or if i Did change them itd just be one completely insignificant thing. like sanji barely changes but he WOULD grow that Thing on his face. doesnt mean i have to like it though. ptooey. OR. OR. hell, id just be fighting my urges to keep them the same as pretimeskip. if its not broke dont fix it... etc...

[ladychandraofthemoone]

Traintober Day 3: Twins

“Hads you some Scottish twins angst”

“Thinking about my au and how Donald’s and Douglas entire story would work and I’m still not sure if adding this but in honor of traintober day 3:twins here it goes so here since my au is following more of sos storyline but still has rws/tv series tidbits the same thing still happens the twins flee to sodor scratched off the numbers but since it’s instead mr.Zorro and Mr.Starr, who are in charge has the two companies have not been melded together yet and despite mr.Zorro gruffness even he wouldn’t sent them back to a uncertain future and after talking about it with Mr Starr and within their respective engines they both agree on taking one of the twins for each of their respective companies Donald goes with nor’easters while Douglas with the midis.

So despite both twins being eventually purchased and thereby saved, they still end up “separated” from each other yes they can see each other it’s not forbidden but their coworkers fierce rivalry between each other separate company among other reasons slowly but surely begins to influence the twins themselves douglas is caught up in more criminal activities even with a guest nearly gone wrong (sorry Colin!!) and as a result of his coworkers toxic influence (diesel, Adam, Stanley mainly) the latter two who were against having him for personal reasons he began to like the independence forming bonds with those from similar origins/railway(Emily), those giving him a warm reception (Lily, Colin) or just those who welcomed him regardless of the whole rivalry(Peter, later Reginald).

Both receive praise and attention though I feel like Douglas more so felt a slight need to become one of the midis thanks to his coworkers’s attitude towards him like yes he’ll defend himself but it’s better to make friends than enemies when you’re the new guy with Mr.Zorro having favoritism and watching your every move combined with some rather unpleasant encounters from the nor”Easter’s side (mainly James who also unintentionally stains Donald rep but doesn’t say anything on it) I feel like a fight would come when Douglas come in painted blue as a reward where he is finally accepted into the midis where slowly but surely the cracks begin to show from when their visits to one another become sacred, withholding secrets (mainly on douglas’s side cause let’s be real I’m pretty sure no one wants to tell anyone you’re involved with criminal activity) just drifting apart from the brother you once thought you knew your entire life until it all eventually comes crashing down.

of course this is still a work in progress but this idea would be quite interesting. Reference:

[the-innefable-idiot]

Way is such a deliciously angsty character rip king your suffering will be missed