#dark oracle lance

[homeforall]

Dark oracle screenshot redraw!

Redraw:

Original:

This is honestly one of my favorite episodes, love a good tense scene!

[burn-this-bloggo]

Y'all fans of Reverse Falls? Wait until you learn about 2004's Dark Oracle

[brucestalia]

talia al ghul: relationships // platonic ｡ﾟ•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈• ｡ﾟ

this is the start of a 3-ish part series consisting of a collection of drabbles and headcanons exploring talia’s character in relation to relationships that canon (and fanon) have barely touched. ✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦✦•┈๑⋅⋅๑┈•✦

diana prince

i briefly mentioned this in a previous post, but let’s dive deeper. i’m a huge fan of museum curator mlle. prince, and talia, ever the patron of the arts, must have crossed paths with her during one of her many visits to paris.

ra’s al ghul might be an international eco-terrorist and cult leader, but he also operates under (and eventually abandons) the alias of henri ducard: eccentric billionaire and environmental activist. (yes, this is a nod to nolanverse ra’s. while i’m not a fan of how the al ghuls were handled in nolan’s films, there are a few elements i’ll be borrowing for my brutalia worldbuilding.)

following in her father’s footsteps, talia adopts the alias of henrietta ducard, a french socialite and heiress. of course, she knows diana—who wouldn’t know the wonder woman, teammate to her beloved and “aunt” to jason?

their paths cross at the louvre, where diana is overjoyed to host such a cultured guest. the two end up touring the museum well past closing hours, completely engrossed in their conversation. diana’s younger colleagues are far too intimidated to interrupt the two women who seem entirely in a world of their own.

oh, and jason? he 100% calls diana “dad” whenever he’s mad at bruce.

add in girls’ nights with barbara minerva and occasional appearances from the gotham city sirens, and you’ve got a dynamic i cannot wait to explore further. 2. the birds of prey; a) dinah lance

the “i’m married to a total himbo-billionaire” club.

their interactions mostly consist of knowing looks exchanged across lavishly decorated ballrooms during charity galas hosted by wayne enterprises and q-corp—always trying to outdo the other. they sneak out for smoke breaks, share a quiet camaraderie, and occasionally spar together.

considering the plotline about ra’s almost marrying black canary (or was that just a fever dream?), i’d say they know each other by association and share a mutual understanding. not quite friendship, but something close—born from shared experiences and a begrudging respect.

when it comes to training, with lady shiva now part of the birds of prey, i can see talia attempting to cooperate with the ladies. she’s clearly got a lot of history with the group, which brings us to the next duo: b) barbara gordon and helena bertinelli

talia can be good when she wants to be.

i like the idea of talia taking on a maternal role for cassandra during her time with the league of assassins. she has the capacity for genuine care, even in the shadowy corners of the league’s operations. similarly, i can see her stepping into a similar role for a younger helena kyle (or wayne), particularly if selina is no longer in the picture (possibly dead).

talia would likely oppose bruce’s treatment of the huntress, siding with the family members who sympathise with helena’s cause—especially during the events of the hush storyline. she could even act as a mentor of sorts, helping helena find her place in the dark knight’s world, while providing the kind of guidance bruce often withholds.

for all her similarities to helena, barbara stands apart in one key way: she grew up within the dimly-lit walls of the batcave, immersed in batman’s world. over the years, talia has quietly observed the commissioner’s daughter, often alongside one very pouty dick grayson. these observations, layered with her own sense of justice, only deepen her fury against the joker after the events of the killing joke.

barbara and helena are probably the first batfamily members to know whenever talia is in gotham—after jason and damian, of course. oracle’s network would almost certainly keep tabs on talia, especially during her prolonged, unexplained absences. 3. the gotham city sirens; a) pamela isley

ivy—or rather, dr. pamela isley—superpowered eco-terrorist extraordinaire, would have been a subject of keen interest to the league of assassins. from her controversial tenure at wayne enterprises to her involvement in woodrue's experiments, talia would have kept a watchful eye on pamela’s journey.

when isley became poison ivy, the demon’s head would have undoubtedly reached out to her. sharing similar values—and at times, equally extreme methods—talia and pamela would have initially maintained a professional relationship. however, the nature of their shared work, coupled with the undeniable chaos that is harley quinn, would have eventually evolved their dynamic into a close, if unconventional, friendship.

at some point, talia becomes an honorary gotham city siren. she doesn't hesitate to crash at harley and ivy’s place when things with her detective aren’t going so well. b) harleen quinzel

harley is one of the rare individuals (alfred being the other, obviously) whom talia would truly trust with damian. over time, harley earns the title of “aunt,” though it’s anyone’s guess which side of the family she’s from.

their friendship didn’t stem from any significant shared history, allegiance, or grand cause. harley just showed up one day, decided they were friends, and that was that. talia nodded hesitantly, chalking it up to just being the gotham way of things.

unsurprisingly, dr. quinn has tried (and perhaps succeeded?) in scheduling talia and bruce for marriage counseling on multiple occasions.

c) selina kyle

without bruce in the equation, talia and selina’s relationship becomes infinitely less strained. talia might envy selina, but only in the sense that love has been far kinder to her questionable morals with a partner like kate.

in this scenario, talia is definitely closest to selina—whether it’s due to genuine fondness or simply their frequent proximity is unclear. either way, they seem to understand each other on a level few others can, especially over shared indulgences, like extravagant shopping sprees.

the moment they move into wayne manor, it’s inevitable: the place will be overrun by animals of every kind, much to the amusement (or exasperation) of the other residents.

4. john constantine & zatanna zatara

i love the idea of melisande being homo magi, which would mean talia inherits that lineage as well. being part homo magi, combined with her access to the powers of the lazarus pits and mastery of incantations, would make talia uniquely positioned to bridge gaps between her world and the other side. talia’s connection to magic would make her better suited to collaborate with heroes like those in the justice league dark, creating opportunities for uneasy alliances and reluctant partnerships that bring out the best (and worst) in everyone involved, with her being someone who walks the thin line between antihero and ally.

5. lois lane and clark kent

double dates!! :D

lois would come to like talia a lot more after the unforgettable spectacle with president luthor, and clark would absolutely demand every last detail of his definitely-not-best-friend's relationship with talia.

after jason's resurrection, talia would entrust him to the kents' care, enrolling him in metropolis university before the big reveal to bruce.

additionally, damian and jon’s friendship (though damian insists it’s more of an alliance between the supers and the bats) would require them to meet up at least once a week.

✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦

[lands-of-fantasy]

Titular Women in Live-action Superhero Media

Joanna Cameron as Andrea Thomas / Isis in The Secrets of Isis (1975-76)

Cathy Lee Crosby as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman in Wonder Woman (1975)

Lynda Carter as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman in Wonder Woman (1975-79)

Helen Slater as Kara Zor-El / Linda Lee / Supergirl in Supergirl (1984)

Teri Hatcher as Lois Lane in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993-97)

Ashley Scott as Helena Kyle / Huntress, Dina Meyer as Barbara Gordon / Oracle, Rachel Skarsten as Dinah Redmond in Birds of Prey (2002-03)

Halle Berry as Patience Phillips / Catwoman in Catwoman (2004)

Jennifer Garner as Elektra Natchios in Elektra (2005)

Melissa Benoist as Kara Zor-El / Kara Danvers / Supergirl in Supergirl (2015-21)

Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter in Agent Carter (2015-16)

Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones in Jessica Jones (2015-19)

Gal Gadot as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman in Wonder Woman (2017) and Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

Olivia Holt as Tandy Bowen in Cloak & Dagger (2018-19)*

Evangeline Lily as Hope van Dyne / The Wasp in Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018) and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Brie Larson as Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel in Captain Marvel (2019)

Sophie Turner as Jean Grey / Phoenix in X-Men: Dark Phoenix

Ruby Rose as Kate Kane / Batwoman in Batwoman Season 1 (2019-20)

Margot Robbie as Dr. Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Helena Bertinelli / The Huntress, Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Dinah Lance / Black Canary, Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya, Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain in Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)

Brec Bassinger as Courtney Whitmore / Stargirl in Stargirl (2020-22)

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch in WandaVision (2021)

Javicia Leslie as Ryan Wilder / Batwoman in Batwoman Season 2–3 (2021-22)

Elizabeth Tulloch as Lois Lane in Superman & Lois (2021-)

Scarlett Johansson Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow in Black Widow (2021)

Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop in Hawkeye (2021-?)**

Kaci Walfall as Naomi McDuffie in Naomi (2022)

Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel in Ms. Marvel (2022-?)

Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer Walters / She-Hulk in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022-?)

Letitia Wright as Shuri /Black Panther in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Brie Larson as Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau, Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel in The Marvels (2023)

Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez in Echo (2024-?)*

Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb / Madame Web in Madame Web (2024)

Kathryn Hann as Agatha Harkness in Agatha All Along (2024)

________________

*While not directly reffered as such in their shows, "Dagger" and "Echo" are, respectively, Tandy's and Maya's codenames in the comics.

**This also goes for Kate and the "Hawkeye" codename, but in her case the show implies she will use it in the near future with the blessing of Clint Barton (the original Hawkeye, who also stars in the show).

[kevin-day-is-bi]

Beginner's Guide to Batman (and Batman-related) Media

(based on my knowledge and the things I enjoy)

Live action Batman movies are very hit or miss. Most of them are fairly middling, but the Dark Knight Trilogy is generally pretty bad. Poor Bruce characterization, white-washing, inaccurate representations of Gotham, etc. I have several thousand words written on that trilogy, and many more on live action movies in general (all of which are accessible thru my pinned post). The Batman (2022) is pretty widely regarded as being good and accurate. It has a much more emo depiction of Bruce. A major pet peeve of mine is that I, personally, don't think it's a very good Riddler, but everything else is good.

As for shows, those are generally less accurate but more enjoyable. Gotham is not technically canon I don't think but it has better aesthetics, canon accuracy, and character design than every live action movie imo. It starts with Bruce seeing his parents' murder and goes up until he first decides to become Batman. Gotham Knights is a much more AU-style show, detailing the death of Bruce and how his adopted son (invented for the show) handles it. It also has Stephanie, Harper and Cullen Row, and Duela Dent, plus great queer rep. Heavily recommended for people who want to know more about general character personalities or who enjoy AUs. Titans has Dick, Jason, and Tim, and while I personally don't think that they did well with the characterization of the other Titans, the Robins are well-done. If you want a good idea of Dick right after he became Nightwing, you want to see Jason as Robin, or you like Tim pre-Robin, this is the show for you.

As for animated shows, the usually widely loved ones are Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, and Batman: The Animated Series. B:TAS is largely accurate to the comics at that time, though it plays a little fast and loose with the Robins (goes straight from Dick to Tim). Plus, it's the first appearance of Harley Quinn! Additionally, I enjoy The Batman (2005), though it plays with the timeline a little and targets a younger audience. Batman Beyond is amazing if you want to get into the future of Batman/Terry McGinnis universe. The accompanying movie, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker covers Tim becoming Joker Jr.

Speaking of animated movies, there are a Lot. Standouts include the Batman Unlimited movies, which are some of the only ones to include Tim. They're very futuristic, so if you enjoy AUs or the science side of Batman, these are the ones. There are a lot of AU style ones, like Gotham by Gaslight (which I personally really love but don't think is anything particularly special outside of being interesting for characters), The Doom That Came to Gotham, and Batman Ninja. Batman Ninja isn't one of my favorites, but it is very good and has general good characterization. If you want to know more about how Barbara became Oracle but you don't want to read one of the most sexist comics ever, watching the Batman: The Killing Joke movie is a good way to do it. It frames the movie from Barbara's perspective and focuses on her story. If you want to know more about Damian, Son of Batman and Batman vs Robin are good. They detail him becoming Robin and his brush with the Court of Owls. Batman: Under the Red Hood is absolutely necessary viewing for anyone who likes Jason, as it details him coming back to life and becoming the Red Hood (along with having one of the all-time most depressing lines in-context ever).

When it comes to media that doesn't have Batman in it but is Batman-affiliated, Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of Harley Quinn is a really good post-Joker pre-Ivy look at Harley, and it has Helena Bertinelli (Huntress), Dinah Lance (Black Canary), Detective Renee Montoya, and an AU-ized Cassandra Cain. The show Young Justice, particularly the first season, is a really good look at Robin!Dick in non-Bat teams, as is the animated Teen Titans. Both take slightly different routes when it comes to his personality, but both are equally good (especially if most of what you know about Robin!Dick is "holy dental hygiene, Batman!" or his vague backstory). They also both provide introductions into other team families, particularly Young Justice, so if you've just gotten into DC via Batman and want to know more about other characters, YJ is the way to go.

My personal idea of best piece of media for any character:

Bruce Wayne

Pre-Batman - Gotham

Batman: The Animated Series

Alfred Pennyworth

Batman: The Animated Series

Barbara Gordon

Batman: The Animated Series and The Killing Joke

Kate Kane

Batman: Bad Blood

Dick Grayson

As Robin - Young Justice

As Nightwing - the Son of Batman/Batman vs Robin/Batman: Bad Blood trilogy

Jason Todd

As Robin - Titans

As the Red Hood - Batman: Under the Red Hood

Tim Drake

As Robin - Batman: The Animated Series

As Red Robin - Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem/Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts

Stephanie Brown

Gotham Knights

Damian Wayne

Son of Batman/Batman vs Robin

Feel free to send an ask about a specific movie or show (or if you want a detailed list of everything a specific character has ever appeared in!) - I'm currently watching every Batman movie in existence and writing reviews literally so I can provide better recommendations to people (on part 41 rn). I will gladly provide more details about any movie or show. Also if you want to know more about specific media or what media a specific character has appeared in that is Bat-affiliated but is not a Bat, I probably have info! Anyone who's ever been a Titan, most Supers, most of the JLA, etc.

I can do another of these for comic recommendations if anyone wants bc I Do have opinions, I've just had some folks ask questions about specifically non-comic media recently!

[thehumantoolchest]

Never mind that's it's 4:30 am, new historical legend art just dropped! I wanted to redesign historical legend's armor as the original was essentially a historical LU legend rather than my own and my silly little AU has morphed in my head into it's own distinct thing! I included a wide shot and a closeup version for better detail! This time her armor is inspired by central European armor of the 13th century, featuring still primarily maille armor as in earlier centuries yet now including some notable reinforcement from in the form of the coat of plates seen on her in red! The coat of plates is a fabric or leather (in this case leather) bodice with a bunch of small steel armor plates riveted to the inside. You'll commonly see this type of armor mistakenly coined "studded leather" in fantasy and games which is unfortunately a modern misinterpretation of period art depicting coats of plates/brigandine (a later development of the coat of plates) This armor style was very popular in the later high middle ages as the metalworking technology only allowed smiths to make relatively small plates, so overlapping them and riveting them to a soft shell gave great protection for the time. In the drawing you can see that the rivets are done in a decorative pattern which is also quite typical of the period, though of course here it's the Triforce of course! The rest of the outfit is taken both from my previous historical legend pieces as well as from the original game art from ALTTP and the silly genderswap fun from shonen captain. I didn't originally plan to draw a background for this piece but I was loving the drawing so much that I really wanted to make it pop with a fun split background with both Hyrule and the dark world! Thank to @musical-chan for the idea to use her lance as the split line and @aurora-boreas-borealis for help with the detail painting! help from y'all really helped make this one pop! Also the horse coloration is based on the intro to the oracle games where legend is seen riding a horse, but they need a name! please comment if you have ideas :)

[mealvaan]

Steer

The skyslipper embraced the dull light of the desert and returned it in lances of blinding white. No one was there to witness it, for a mercy; there were enough blind people at the Inn at Journey's Head.

They were spared from the glare within the vehicle, but for caution's sake they all wore protective eyewear for the ride. Gaia, a pair of obsidian, kaleidoscopic spectacles. Ryne, a pockmarked wooden visor. Urianger, a pair of forgesmith's goggles — they bore a similar design to his Sharlayan eyewear, which is likely why he chose them. A'tari, a sheer, dark veil that shimmered in the Empty sun.

"Can we pull over?" Gaia asked, the furrow in her brow evident even behind her glasses.

"Hm?" It was Urianger who spoke, barely audible above the engine's rumble.

"You drive too slow. Even Thancred thinks so. I've been practicing, so how about I take over?"

Though her cheeks were ruddy with secondhand embarrassment, Ryne gave into the laughter that was bubbling up from her chest; around Gaia, she was a fizzy drink. "He's not that slow, Gaia," she chides.

Urianger kept his hands steady on the wheel. They cruised towards the lodestar of Eden Prime with no signs of stopping.

"Let thou who believeth that she shall steer take heed that she doth not stall."

"Sorry? In Common?"

Within the folds of his iambic pentameter lay a mischief that only A'tari could see. Behind her veil, she winked at him — the scintillation of a star. He turned to her and smiled, carving apostrophes along the edges of his sly lips. Ryne knew this tack, and mum was the word, but A'tari sought to throw the oracle a curveball. For chaos' sake.

"He means to say you'd probably be slower," she said, punctuating it with a yawn. Ryne's brows rose to her fringeline, and Urianger's knuckles dusted A'tari's thigh with a gentle swat. Her pride gleamed even through that swatch of darkness.

"The meaning is in the hands of its maker."

"So is the steering wheel, somehow. How about instead of prophesying my speed, you let me show you?"

Urianger turned to the Warrior of Light for guidance, only to find the challenging quirk of her brow. The skyslipper dipped gently as a turtle underwater, and Ryne gasped: "Wait, really?"

"Prithee, I merely request thine—"

"He means 'don't tell Thancred'."

[toomanyf4ndoms7]

A Canary On Your Shoulder.

Summary: An impromptu sleepover takes a turn.

@helenababs

@spoilerqlert

Barbara didn’t call this a sleepover. It wasn’t. Dinah was sleeping on the couch after a tough mission, too exhausted for a bed. Barbara had even draped a blanket over her.

Such a gracious host. The couch was pretty comfortable too.

Barbara was a quiet sleeper, as far as Dinah could tell. So when she heard a gasp of heavy breath from the Oracle’s quarters of slumber, she figured it’d be smart to check in.

A worse partner would have not moved an inch.

Groaning to her feet, Dinah made her way to Barbara’s bedroom. Or, second bedroom, most likely. She stepped over a Batman plush with a couple pins poked into it.

Nice.

Barbara was sitting up in her bed, shaking as she stared off into space with wide eyes.

Dinah’s hand gently slid into Barbara’s own, careful not to squeeze too tight and shock her. Barbara had a damn good left punch.

“Barbara, it’s me, I’m going to keep you company for a bit,” Dinah offered persuasively.

Slowly, little by little, the trembling slowed, Barbara’s breathing relaxing to a typical state. But, weirdly enough, she looked even the littlest bit embarrassed about the situation.

It made sense for Barbara, independent as she always was. But even when she was given permission to leave, Dinah shook her head.

“Sorry, you don’t get out of it that easily. What’d you dream about?”

Barbara looked away with a scowl.

“None of your business.”

A concerned expression flickered in Dinah’s eyes. She had to be careful. Not too soft to make Barbara feel coddled, but not too stern to cause an argument. Luckily, Dinah Lance could be versatile.

“Considering that I’m your partner, I’d say it is. Just… give me the cliff notes, if you want?”

With a sigh and rubbing a cloth on her forehead, Barbara began to explain.

“I was in the clock tower. Watching you on a mission, when suddenly, all the screens went dark. I couldn’t see you, but I could hear you, and…

Two quick blinks.

“You were hurt. You needed help, help that I could give, but I couldn’t see you, I couldn’t help you, I couldn’t do anything, but I could hear you…”

Barbara’s eyes lowered, falling silent. Dinah could predict the rest of the sentence.

“Hey, don’t worry about it. I’m way too stubborn to leave you,” Dinah offered as comfort.

Barbara’s fiery orange eyebrows narrowed.

“Don’t talk to me like that. I’m not a little kid who had a bad dream.”

A smirk.

“I’m not using the baby voice, Barbara. I’m using the best friend voice. There’s a difference.”

A roll of the eyes, Barbara was getting back into her comfort zone. Dinah had an idea.

“You know, if you’re feeling grumpy, I know a way to fix that,” she teased.

Barbara’s eyes went wide, attempting to pull the sheets back over her upper body.

“Dinah, don’t you dare-

In a lightning fast movement, Dinah fingers danced along Barbara’s stomach, one of her two sensitive tickling spots, causing the All-Seeing Oracle to burst into hysterical giggling and laughter. It really was a lovely laugh.

She didn’t do it for long, pulling away when Barbara gasped out a stop. Dinah stood up, arms folded in a picture of friendly pride.

“Told you.”

“You can be a real pain in my neck, you know that?” Barbara asked, but with no true malice. This was just the bonus of their relationship.

Dinah’s smile was the perfect mix of softness and confidence.

“A pain you can’t help keep around.”

Not a word was said after that. They knew that the statement was true.

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

Arkham Birds

by Herdslittlefictions Arkham Asylum has seven inmates that should not be there. when Batman finds out he is horrified. When they meet batman they designed to make themselves everyone else's problem. Dr. Hugo strange is up to something and its not good. Aka Batkids + Stephan didn't meet Bruce Wayne until later. but they all met each other. in Arkham. Words: 3040, Chapters: 1/28, Language: English Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: Gen Characters: Bruce Wayne, Hugo Strange, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Cassandra Cain, Duke Thomas, Tim Drake (DCU), Stephanie Brown, Damian Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, Selina Kyle, Harleen Quinzel, Barbara Gordon, Dinah Lance, Talia al Ghul Relationships: Batfamily Members & Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson & Duke Thomas, Stephanie Brown & Tim Drake, Tim Drake & Jason Todd, Dick Grayson & Damian Wayne, Stephanie Brown & Cassandra Cain, Alfred Pennyworth & Bruce Wayne, Cassandra Cain & Tim Drake & Dick Grayson & Duke Thomas & Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne & Damian Wayne, Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne, Pamela Isley/Harleen Quinzel Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, cannon and me are not friends, Arkham Asylum, Arkham Asylum is Terrible, Arkham Asylum Patient Jason Todd, Arkham Asylum Patient Tim Drake (DCU), Stalker Tim Drake (DCU), Dick Grayson joins the Batfam late, Chaotic Duke Thomas, Feral Tim Drake, gremlin cassandra cain, Stephanie Brown Being a Little Shit, Jason Todd is a Menace, Good Sibling Jason Todd, Good Sibling Dick Grayson, Good Sibling Cassandra Cain, Damian Wayne Has a Heart, Self-Sacrificing Dick Grayson, Medical Inaccuracies, Legal Inaccuracies, Bad Parents Jack Drake and Janet Drake, Barbara Gordon is Oracle, Bruce Wayne Gets Therapy, Bruce Wayne Tries to Be a Good Parent, harleen and her hyenas, Good Parent Talia al Ghul, Canon-Typical Violence, Fluff and Angst, Crack Treated Semi-Seriously, Ableist Language, internalized ableism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Substance Abuse, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Underage Smoking, Swearing, Non-Consensual Drug Use, venom in DCU, Mental Health Issues, Human Experimentation, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, This sounds a lot darker than it is, but it has its dark moments, no beta we die like jason todd, Batfamily Meets the Justice League (DCU), Happy Ending, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping via https://ift.tt/QkFRAu3

[ekat-fandom-blog]

No Dick Grayson AU

Alfred convinces Tatsu Yamashiro(Katana) and Dinah Lance(Black Canary) to join Batman's crusade when it starts getting difficult for him to handle crime on his own. Katana brings Barbara Gordon into the fold as Oracle because Barbara is determined to help the vigilantes.

A few years later, Bruce joins the Justice League(Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash, Cyborg, and Green Lantern). Dinah moves to Star City, and Katana disappears. Barbara starts to join Batman on patrols.

About a year later, Batman brings Jason Todd home. Jason tries to join Batman as a vigilante, but Bruce, Alfred, and Barbara convince him to wait until he's an adult. Bruce agrees to train him until then.

Jason starts helping Barbara with coms, Alfred with making sure they have the medbay fully stocked, and Bruce and Lucius with Wayne Enterprise Charities. Jason, as the top student, graduates a year early(age 16/17 since his b-day's in march) and goes on a world tour for extra training. He gets sucked into training with the League of Assassins, but leaves rather quickly via Talia tossing him to the All-Caste since Bruce knows where he is. He returns to Gotham as the vigilante Flamebat as a nod to his All-Blades and the dark red and black costume he created. As the All-Blades don't harm any non-magical being, he normally uses them when he wants to be dramatic or particularly threatening.

Barbara does get shot by Joker before Jason goes on tour and loses the ability to walk.

Steph also appears (at 15) on the vigilante scene briefly, but is talked out of it by Barbara and disappears for a while. When she gets back she decides to go out as Spoiler. When the others are unable to convince her to wait until she's at least 17 to start being a vigilante, Cass (as she's about 1 year older) is declared to be her patrol partner. (this happens just before Jason leaves)

Cass shows up a bit after Steph does. She's found by Barbara and is convinced to wait until she's at least 17 to start vigilantism. Bruce adopts her pretty quickly and gives her the tools to figure out who she is without the violence of being an assassin or a vigilante.

About a year after Jason returns, Damian (age 10) appears in the Bat's lives. He continuously sneaks out of the manor to prove that he's worthy and ready to become a vigilante and follow in his father's footsteps.

When Bruce disappears, Jason takes on the responsibilities of being Batman and CEO of Wayne Enterprise. Cass and Alfred take on the role of being Damian's primary caretakers. Tim figures out that Bruce is still alive after getting "lost" in Wayne Manor during a gala, and leaves an anonymous tip about it for the Bats to find. (Tim doesn't know that they're the Bats, just that somehow Bruce ended up in the past.)

After Bruce comes back, things mostly go back to how they were before. Except, they catch wind of a group of child vigilantes. Beast Boy (age 13), Blue Beetle (14), Impulse (16), and Raven (13). When interrogated, the adult heroes find out that: Beast Boy had joined a group called the Doom Patrol and been with them since he was 11 but left because of conflicting morals, then run into Raven and Impulse; Blue Beetle had been doing superhero stuff for a few months before he ran into the other three; Raven had been picked up by Beast Boy while running from a cult that wanted to use her to summon a demon; and Impulse is the one who pulled the group together to help prevent a future event from happening. Not knowing exactly what to do with the group of child heroes, they put Kon (aka Superboy; 17) and Spoiler (18) in charge of the group that's now called Young Justice.

Around half a year later, Damian(11 almost 12) joins the group along with Jon (Superboy; 12).

They also find out somewhere along the way that Billy Batson was 10 years old when he started superhero-ing.

[homeforall]

Thinking about them again 😔

[zahri-melitor]

Okay, general roundup of New 52 titles I have read so far, now I am well into 2013 in my read through:-

Batwoman, J.H. Williams run – genuinely great. This is a highlight of the New 52, honestly. If DC had stopped occasionally remembering that Kate Kane is now Bruce’s cousin and had let Kate and Maggie get married, it would be perfect.

Blue Beetle – it’s not the best Jaime run I’ve ever read, but in terms of restructuring Jaime’s origin to simplify it and remove the heavy connection with Infinite Crisis shenanigans, it worked far better than the Rebirth reboot. Let down by getting cancelled just as it started becoming more interesting (aka had finally finished the retread of Jaime’s origin story and started him having new adventures).

Threshold – this was certainly a comic I read entirely to see Jaime in it. If you are lucky enough to know nothing about it, it’s basically a planet of foxhunting tagged ‘criminals’, where Jaime ends up one of the tagged. It’s meandering, pointless and bad. I think if you’re a Lantern fan you’d also think it was bad. Deservedly knocked off after 8 issues.

Justice League Dark – I made it through 6 issues. My biggest takeaways were that everyone here was just so miserable and Boston Brand was dating Dawn Granger for reasons that surpassed understanding. I want to like it more than I do, for the cast it has.

Batgirl, Gail Simone run – appealing and infuriating in turn. There’s some genuinely beautiful writing here (the WWII paper balloons!) and Babs is recognisable as Babs, but it’s horribly let down by the fact that ‘healing’ Barbara means that she’s now both not allowed to operate as Oracle (by editorial dictat) AND she’s having trouble as a street vigilante as she’s still recovering from her injuries. It makes sense but it also makes Barbara doubly incompetent which is maddening as they’ve taken away everything that was hers specifically. Also James Gordon Jnr is always intensely irritating to have around and I am never going to get over giving Babs a villain called ‘Knightfall’ in the run immediately after healing her back. Yes. I got the reference. It’s not that funny.

Birds of Prey – it’s hmmm still finding its feet. Lacks the soul of the original run, but there are flashes of the old magic occasionally. It is hilarious to me that they decided to merge Dinah Drake and Dinah Lance back into a single character for this run, creating a bizarre new ex-husband for Dinah in Kurt Lance (seriously, Kurt Lance, why do you exist you’re so weird) and then within 6 issues or so abruptly realised WHY Dinah Drake and Dinah Lance have been separate characters since 1983 and reinvented a new Dinah Drake mother for the character. Spectacular. Sheer evidence that nobody involved in new 52 was actually spending much time thinking about how an all new origin reboot would affect characterisation.

Batman – I have my differences with Scott Snyder over his run, but he at least manages to make things interesting and spend time interrogating Bruce’s identity. It feels in conversation with the Loeb and Dini storylines around Thomas Elliot and that whole crowd of elite Gothamites. Lots of interesting set ups let down by execution or obsession with conspiracy theories. Love his work with Harper Row as a character.

Batman & Robin – okay folk, I do agree, this is a far far better Batman & Robin run than 2009. I feel like I’ve spent more time with Damian showing me his character rather than being informed by Morrison via Alfred mouthpiece about Damian’s character. There’s some lovely character work in here. It’s still suffering from getting New 52ed but it’s honestly the first run anywhere that’s actually really good for Damian characterisation (plus or minus the Damian and Colin Wilkes fight Zsasz plot in Streets of Gotham or Gates of Gotham).

Batman Incorporated – fuck you Grant Morrison. Nobody reading this title is having a good time. If you’re here for actual Batman Inc characters well I’m sorry, they’re mostly standing around the sidelines of a plot about Bruce, Talia and Damian. If you’re here for Talia I’m so sorry for you. If you’re here to read Bruce and/or Damian you get like 3-4 sweet scenes that I am sure you have already seen in screencapped panels floating around with no context. DC would be a better place if this book hadn’t been approved (also Cyril might still be alive)

Nightwing – this comic so far is obsessed with Haly’s Circus. Now I don’t like the whole Talon retcon (I think it cheapens a lot of things about Dick’s backstory as a character) but I will admit it’s nice to see Dick spending time with his Haly’s Circus friends and Dick’s optimistic side coming out in the ‘let’s just rebuild Amusement Mile as a place that isn’t Joker-haunted!’ Tragically of course because we’re never allowed to have nice plotlines involving Haly’s Circus it gets blown up again and lots of people die. But at least Dick’s back to owning the circus, amirite? (For bizarre ‘Pop Haly left it to him in his will’ reasons rather than Dick buying it out with his inheritance money that is totally not one of the many occasions Bruce has lied to Dick and told him that this trust fund is 100% based on investments of his parents assets, rather than Bruce attempting to give Dick Wayne money again so he stops living out of cardboard boxes in a tiny apartment)

Red Hood and the Outlaws – I have now suffered through three whole issues of this comic (actually 4 but I paged through that one to read like one scene at the end) and it is determined to make me hate everyone involved with it in terms of its disrespect for Roy and Kory. Also all the issues kept trying to convince me that Jason and Tim have always been each others’ favourite brothers, which lol. (If that’s actually ever true for Jason it’s the most hilarisad thing ever).

Teen Titans – I made it through two issues for crossover purposes. I am tempted to come back as I think I will get some stuff out of it once I’ve finished my Teen Titans 2003 read (and look there does actually appear to be some things in here I may enjoy). Can’t believe Kurt Lance shows up in this comic. I swear he’s my new nemesis.

Suicide Squad – I am 100% not reading this comic, I only opened it for crossover issues. What have they done to Amanda Waller. (Also why is Harley Quinn trying to date Floyd Lawton, did editorial suddenly realise how many people are into his deep uh comradery with Thomas Blake and overreact trying to remove the gay cooties or something?)

Catwoman and Detective Comics – honestly I haven’t got a good enough read on either yet from the few issues I’ve read, but ‘Tec is running a Penguin plot and I’m not in the mood for a Penguin plot at the moment.

So far, my recommendations: Batwoman I recommend without hesitation. Batman & Robin has been embroidered in fans’ memories but is worthwhile in any case. Batman is interesting stories sometimes let down in execution and may actually read better if you avoid touching any tie-in issues for a readthrough.

Nightwing, Batgirl, Birds of Prey and Blue Beetle are “these are some of my favourite characters, I want to know even if I don’t always like it” reads. They’re still the same characters, just trapped in a maddening world.

[vacantgodling]

#42: Raaga Chaar

If there were sins in this world, the one you would bear is that which covets. The harsh wasteland which brought you up has made you greedy. When you see one who you call friend proceed you in every way, that bitterness grips you and makes you act out. Your actions however, have dire consequences, ones you cannot bear face. Repent, or die alone, its your choice to make.

“raaga” means dye and is a specific melodic framework. “chaar” means poet or bard.

43, cis man (he/him), romance: sort of? he’s okay with the idea of it but its a bit of a foreign concept since kisk oracles decide who people wed. sex: yes. preference: feminine

is about 5’11” and he keeps his dark auburn hair braided neatly down his back. he has cunning yellow eyes that edge on green, and his beard is a bit sparser than jace’s is. his goal has always been to grow it out. as usually weildes a lance, he has many callouses on his hands and his skin like many kisks is deep like the night.

raaga still lives on kiskkaddon and while he did not have a “formal” role in their society—like jace, he was a hearless one—he and jace were formerly thick as thieves. they went on many raids together and protected their people to the best of their ability. since jace and miki left, and he gave up trying to take care of vivo (who is he and miki’s son… yeah a whole mess) and passed him along to jace’s father, he has been essentially living as a hermit. he doesn’t have the motivation to leave kiskkaddon entirely, but he also doesn’t want to deal with the stares and judgement that their people are throwing his way. 

underneath the surface of kind smiles and agreeable attitude that was the temper to jace’s flames, raaga has always been a bitter, jealous man—especially over his closest friend. if he had more forethought, perhaps he would say that he tried to keep jace closer because he viewed him as a rival or enemy, but really, he isn’t capable of that much foresight. he is a man ruled by his emotions, no matter how much he may try to reign them in—and simply couldn’t take the fact that jace was getting near everything that raaga himself wanted in life. to make up for this (in a twisted way) he gave miki his sob story about always wanting to be with her… which was partially true. but really he did what he did to get back at jace. he’s quite vindictive. now that things have fallen apart, he has become apathetic and disinterested, stewing in his own bitterness.

[liangxinn]

untitled fantasy/royalty AU

For someone who supposedly doesn't care much for writing royalty AUs, I sure have a lot of them in my WIPs... including a King's Maker AU which I really really want to see through to the end ><

Anyway, I found this abandoned draft for a different fandom from 2019. Looking back at my writing from 4 years ago sure was an Experience, but I didn't want to immediately throw up at least, so I consulted the oracle (Twitter) and decided to tidy up a little excerpt as a SVT/Minwon fic. Here's the basic gist:

Elven princes Mingyu and Seungcheol are shocked to discover that their late father has named Mingyu his heir instead of Seungcheol, the eldest

Newly appointed captain of the royal guard Wonwoo is assigned to protect Mingyu (spoiler: they do not like each other lol)

To avoid taking the throne, Mingyu pledges himself to the god of the hunt, joins a band of hunters (I'm thinking performance unit), and leaves for six years

He returns to the kingdom when a mysterious affliction sweeps the land, turning the people into demon-like monsters, and has to work with Wonwoo to investigate...

I actually have the entire story plotted out, and I am more than happy to answer any questions if anyone's curious to know more! You can find 3.2k of one of the early chapters, mostly unchanged from the original draft, below the cut ^^

//

Mingyu's sleep is fitful, leaving him tossing and turning and tormented with snippets of strange dreams.

He walks for an age along the secret corridor, only for it to lead him to his father's room when he exits through the trapdoor. Just the sight of it, unopened since the king's death, stirs up a sick feeling in Mingyu's stomach. He doesn't know what possesses him to press his palm against the wood, only that it feels like fire trying to burn the skin from his hand. Of its own volition, his other hand drifts up as well, and he watches, entranced.

Mingyu pushes lightly against the door, hears the snap of splintering wood. A voice escapes through the cracks like scalding steam, and he pushes harder. His father's sharp words rush back to him from weeks, months, years long past. A heavy ache settles over his body, throbbing dully in the places where he could not be forced into the mould they made for Seungcheol. Pain lances across his cheek, but whether it's from the flames or a blow meant for his brother, he can't tell. The door collapses beneath the pressure, and he disappears into the flames.

He wakes, gasping, and sleep claims him again.

At a coronation, a crown is placed upon Mingyu's head, so heavy that it threatens to crush him. Hundreds of eyes bore into his flesh, picking like crows at every part of him they can reach, ripping him apart with their scrutiny. His own eyes dart around frantically and land upon Queen Consort Hyeyoung only to find a cold, insincere smile. Seungcheol is somewhere among them, flashing in and out of sight.

Mingyu tears the crown away in repulsion. When he hurls it to the ground at his feet, it shatters as if it were made of glass instead of precious metals. A moment passes, then the crowd erupts into raucous sound. He has displeased them. They surge upwards from their seats in a writhing, screaming mass. They call for his head. They call for his blood to be spilled.

He wakes, feels the prickle of those eyes on him, and shudders.

By now, the sun has begun to rise, throwing weak light into the room. Mingyu had gotten just a couple hours of sleep at the most. His body struggles against him, forcing his eyelids to droop and demanding more time to rest. Just as he's about to succumb, a sharp rap on the door seizes his attention.

Mingyu knows exactly who it is when the person enters before he even has the chance to respond. His brother slips into the room with those distinctive footsteps of his, dark eyes alight with excitement and the corner of his mouth curled upwards in amusement. He perches on the edge of the bed, yanking the covers away when Mingyu tries to bury himself underneath.

"You got caught last night," Seungcheol says, mirth laced in his tone. Mingyu rolls over to throw a glare in his direction.

"Good morning to you, too."

"Was it him? That Captain Jeon?"

Mingyu scowls at the mention of Wonwoo, having forgotten his existence momentarily. Seungcheol takes his stubborn silence as confirmation. In a more serious voice, he asks if Wonwoo found out about the passageway. Mingyu mulls it over for a moment before deciding that Wonwoo shouldn't have been able to figure out how he left castle grounds. He must've traced his path by some other means.

"I have a guard, too," Seungcheol sighs, flopping back onto the bed and across Mingyu's legs, ignoring his squawk of protest. "His name is Vernon. He's quiet, but he seems like a good kid. Must be capable if he became a guard at his age. He thinks quite highly of Captain Jeon."

"Good for them," Mingyu remarks sarcastically before he can bite it back. He shoves his face into a pillow to avoid the intrigued look Seungcheol sends his way.

"What, don't you like him? He was pleasant enough when I met him. Surely you've heard that he's the youngest captain in the history of the royal guard."

Mingyu refuses to answer. There is silence for a long moment, which borders on suspicious, then Seungcheol says in a sage-like, all-knowing tone, "Oh, I see. You fucked him."

Mingyu's expression cycles between outrage and disbelief before deciding to settle on embarrassment, to his dismay.

"Hyung!" he hisses, springing upright to hurl a pillow at his brother's head and shoot a look at the door as if Wonwoo could hear them from outside. Seungcheol blocks the pillow with ease, the sound of his delighted cackling quelling Mingyu's outburst. There hasn't been very much to laugh at as of late.

"There's no need to be embarrassed, Gyu-yah. Come to think of it, he's exactly your type-"

"I did nothing of the sort and I have no desire to!" Mingyu fumes, even as a giggle of his own threatens to escape him. He's painfully aware of the incriminating heat rising to his cheeks and ears, but he can't help the smile that tugs at his mouth. The roguish grin he receives in return is more than worth it.

Seungcheol has been run so thin lately, what with the burden of kingship dumped upon him in such an abrupt manner. And now, it may turn out that all of his efforts over the years were for naught. Mingyu reflects on what the queen consort told him last night, and dread fills his stomach at the very thought of having to take the crown. The vision of the coronation from his dreams flits to the front of his mind.

"How have you been, Mingyu?" Seungcheol asks softly as he pulls the pillow onto his lap and rests his hands atop it.

"Hyung," Mingyu begins with a heavy sigh, "did you know about the will?"

Seungcheol's gaze slides away. "Yes. I saw it the day before it was posted in the city centre."

"I don't blame you for keeping it from me, but how are you... alright with this?"

"The king's will is law, Mingyu-yah. I know this, and so do you."

"It doesn't make sense! Why would he name me his successor over you? He barely acknowledged my existence for twenty years and yet he left the entire kingdom to me? I don't believe it. I cannot believe it."

"Father took his reasons with him to the grave," Seungcheol says with grim resignation. "The only thing that we can do is follow his wishes."

"It should be you, hyung. It was always meant to be you. I'm not worthy," Mingyu finishes with a miserable sigh.

"I thought you would say something like that. But honestly speaking, I think you're just as capable of being a leader. Don't be so quick to undermine your skills."

Though Mingyu knows that Seungcheol is trying to be reassuring, he can't help but think that his brother sounds just like Queen Consort Hyeyoung. A product of her teachings, he supposes.

At Mingyu's skeptical raised eyebrow, Seungcheol gives his shoulder a light squeeze as a comforting gesture. "We'll figure something out. I'll still be here to help as much as I can."

Regardless of Mingyu's faith in his ability to lead the entirety of the kingdom, it simply isn't right for him to take the crown. Not when Seungcheol is the eldest, not when he has spent much of his life preparing for the inevitable day of their father's death. Despite having no choice but to take up the role of heir, Seungcheol has a true interest in the responsibilities of kingship. The life of a king has never appealed to Mingyu in the same way.

Seungcheol rises to his feet, tossing his pillow lightly at Mingyu's face and startling him from his thoughts. "Get dressed. Let's go to breakfast."

"Don't want to," Mingyu whines in response. "Can't we stay in here?"

It's definitely not because he doesn't want to face Wonwoo and be reminded of his wounded pride. Not at all. He's simply too tired to go all the way down to the dining hall and he'd much rather have breakfast in his room without having to take a single step outside, where Wonwoo is standing right now-

Mingyu yelps as the pillow makes contact with his face for a second time, more forcefully than the last. In his serious, all-business voice, Seungcheol insists that he comes down to have breakfast with Queen Consort Hyeyoung, so Mingyu acquiesces with a grumble.

"Choi Seungcheol, you are the rudest elf I have ever had the misfortune of meeting." 

"I know you love me, dearest brother."

Mingyu's exaggerated eye roll threatens to earn him a third smack with the pillow, so he leaps out of bed under the pretence of getting dressed and shoos Seungcheol out of his room. After he's cleaned himself up and made an attempt at taming the bird's nest that is his hair, Mingyu scrutinises his reflection with a critical eye.

He's visibly tired, his under eyes stamped with dark half-moons. His mouth is set in a displeased line, his shoulders are hunched, and his eyes are too full of worries. The image staring back at him doesn't look at all like a king, not even when he tries to picture a crown on his head. Its phantom weight pushes his head down, forcing him to break his gaze from his tired reflection.

Seungcheol always resembled their father more, anyway.

//

Breakfast is doomed to be a sombre affair as soon as Mingyu and Seungcheol enter the hall, followed closely by Wonwoo and Vernon. They slide into their seats across from Queen Consort Hyeyoung under the sympathetic eyes of the staff present, and Mingyu resists the urge to steal a sideways glance at his father's empty place at the head of the table. He almost prefers it this way.

The last time they all had breakfast together must've been at least four years ago, when Mingyu and Seungcheol were only sixteen. He barely remembers what it was like, though it isn't a particularly fond memory to begin with. It was around that time Mingyu took to having his morning meal alone in his room or the gardens. Immersed in his studies, Seungcheol wouldn't even come to eat sometimes either.

When Queen Consort Hyeyoung greets them, her slight smile doesn't quite reach her tired eyes. Mingyu meets her gaze, and the knowing look he finds there is enough to make him break eye contact to stare at his plate. A welcome distraction comes in the form of food brought out by the kitchen staff, who he thanks courteously.

Queen Consort Hyeyoung and Seungcheol begin to discuss an upcoming trade meeting with one of the western nations, so Mingyu helps himself to a roll still warm from the oven. After a liberal application of butter and honey scented like the local flowers, he bites into the soft bread, relishing the satisfying sweetness. Honey spills over his fingers and threatens to turn into a sticky mess. Perhaps he was a little too generous.

"Prince Mingyu," Queen Consort Hyeyoung calls to him. "What do you plan to do today?"

Before he even has the chance to open his mouth to respond, Mingyu feels a shift in the air, something odd that makes the hair on the back of his neck stand up. And before he even has the chance to even furrow his brow in suspicion, it happens.

The sound of shattering glass pierces the air, followed by a soft thud. The razor sharp tip of an arrow impales an orange perched precariously at the top of the fruit bowl, sending it flying off the edge of the table. Mingyu tracks it with his eyes as it rolls in a wobbly line to stop at Wonwoo's feet. A note written in black ink is tied to the shaft of the arrow like a mockery of a white flag.

A violent chill races down Mingyu's spine when he realises that the arrow had flown straight through the space between his and Seungcheol's heads. There had barely been a beat between the moment that he'd felt it twist the palace magic and the point of impact. He would've been dead before his mind even processed the window shattering.

After the last shards of glass have settled, the dining hall is silent. No one dares to move an inch, all eyes glued to the arrow which interrupted their morning meal. Slowly, carefully, with tension lining his body, Wonwoo leans down to pluck the arrow free and straighten out the message. Mingyu can see that his jaw is clenched, his knuckles pale with the intensity of his grip.

"I will come for what I am owed," Wonwoo reads out in a grim tone. His eyes flicker to Mingyu, then Seungcheol.

A murmur erupts throughout the room, pulsing in waves of concern. To their credit, none of the staff panic or dissolve into hysterics, though the palpable tension sits heavily on Mingyu's shoulders. He shares a sideways glance with Seungcheol as Queen Consort Hyeyoung says in a dangerously calm and even tone, "A perimeter search, if you will, Captain Jeon."

Wonwoo strides out of the room with a curt nod, still clutching the arrow in his hand. The remaining guards band closer towards the three of them left sitting frozen at the table. It makes Mingyu's chest constrict with snake-like fear, the kind that suffocates hope. Such a blatant threat, a direct attack. Mingyu and Seungcheol aren't the only ones left of the royal bloodline but they're certainly aware now of the bright red targets stamped upon their backs.

Queen Consort Hyeyoung clears her throat pointedly, and the maids, startled into action, bustle about using spells to gather the broken glass shards and dispose of them safely. A shield is put up across the empty frame in the meantime. The arrow must've been enchanted to break the protection on the window, powerful magic to counter the intensive safety measures woven into every single brick of the palace. It will take some time before a replacement is ready.

"Who would dare do something as bold as this?" Seungcheol asks in a low voice as Queen Consort Hyeyoung speaks to the guards. There's something almost like incredulity in his tone.

"I don't think they were acting alone," Mingyu murmurs back.

"Sounds like it has something to do with Father."

All this talk of an assassination plot has sapped Mingyu of his good mood, filling him with anxiety instead. But still he wonders, why? Whoever it was had both the resources and the opportunity to kill either of them in that moment, perhaps even both. So why go to the trouble of revealing themselves and their intentions in such a brazen manner?

Mingyu casts his gaze down at his half-eaten roll, regretful now that his appetite has entirely vanished. The honey has soaked into the bread and formed a golden sheen, but not even that enticing colour is enough to assuage the sick feeling in his stomach. He nudges the plate away with some reluctance.

"As I was saying," Queen Consort Hyeyoung begins in a slightly tense tone. "Prince Mingyu, what are your plans for the day?"

"I was... actually hoping to visit the city centre."

"Absolutely not."

Mingyu cannot say he wasn't expecting to get shot down immediately, but it does nothing to quell his disappointment. His dismay only deepens when Queen Consort Hyeyoung contemplates a total lockdown of the palace until the threat has been eliminated. If there's one thing he hates, it's being confined. The urge to protest is too compelling to push aside.

"My lady, we're playing right into their hands. Whoever was behind his, they want to create fear-"

"Prince Mingyu. Your safety is no trivial matter."

"I refuse to be afraid," Mingyu insists, all too aware of how stubborn he sounds, how he's playing a dangerous game with the line that marks defiance. "I will not stay shut up in the palace and wait for someone to kill me."

The warning Seungcheol gives him in the form of a kick under the table reminds him to keep his tongue in check, though he doesn't pay it much mind after that. He's not ready to back down on this just yet. Queen Consort Hyeyoung shows no indication of her thoughts except for a slight, almost imperceptible, flaring of her nostrils.

"Very well," she begins in a steely tone. "I don't doubt that you can take care of yourself, Prince Mingyu. But Captain Jeon will accompany you at all times, and I want a tracking spell bound to you."

Dissatisfied with these conditions, Mingyu clenches his jaw. He loathes the thought of being monitored at every step, but he recognises the immense leniency Queen Consort Hyeyoung is showing in allowing him out of the palace in the first place.

"Of course, my lady," Mingyu concedes quietly as he bows his head in respect. He's given a sunset curfew which he agrees to without any resistance; the idea of being out at night with a potential assassin in their midst is none too appealing. At that moment, Wonwoo returns with a steely expression.

"We weren't able to find anyone, Your Majesty," he reports, his deep voice tinged with frustration. "But we did catch a faint trace of magic. I've got someone looking into it."

"Thank you, Captain Jeon. I trust you will keep me informed. In the meantime, please accompany Prince Mingyu during his visit to the city centre."

The incredulous look that crosses over Wonwoo's face would be amusing if not for the tension still throttling the room.

//

"I'm beginning to get the impression that you are quite stubborn, Prince Mingyu," Wonwoo remarks dryly, leaning against the wall with his arms folded. "Foolishly so, one might even say."

Mingyu raises an eyebrow, but otherwise remains unaffected by the obvious bait.

"Think what you like about me, Captain Jeon," he shrugs even as the urge to retort does a tantalising dance at the forefront of his thoughts. He shoulders his satchel and sets off down the corridor without waiting for Wonwoo. The way that Wonwoo falls smoothly into step right beside him is something Mingyu will have to get used to.

"All I'm saying is that I don't think it's very wise for future King Mingyu to be so insistent on leaving the palace, especially when someone wants you dead."

"There won't be a problem as long as you do your job," Mingyu replies airily, shooting a sly sideways glance at Wonwoo. "Are you implying that you're incompetent, Captain Jeon?"

The sight of Wonwoo's face scrunching into a scowl might be the most satisfying thing Mingyu's seen all morning.

"Let me make this clear, I am your guard, not your mother-" Wonwoo begins in an irritated tone, but Mingyu stops walking and effectively cuts him off.

With narrowed eyes, Mingyu says, "I'd watch my tongue if I were you, Captain Jeon. I may tolerate the less than appropriate way you speak to me, but others certainly will not."

There is a moment in which Wonwoo holds his gaze firmly, expression unreadable. It's rather tense, and Mingyu finds himself unable to look away from those sharp eyes. Then, Wonwoo seems to relax a little.

"My apologies, Your Highness. I misspoke," he murmurs, and though Mingyu doubts its sincerity, it's better than nothing.

[fancoloredglasses]

Birds of Prey (minus Harley Quinn)

[All images are owned by DC Comics and Warner Bros Discovery. Please don’t sue or paralyze me]

(Thanks to The World’s Finest)

It’s absolutely incredible that Bat-mania, that was always low-key A Thing since Batman's debut in the 1930s (but kicked into high gear in 1989 thanks to a little film starring Michael Keaton) is still going on (despite Joel Schumacher’s best efforts) It’s to the point that pretty much any DC film (and a number of TV shows) that doesn’t feature the Dark Knight is all but doomed.

This may have been the issue with 2002’s Birds of Prey, based on the comic of the same name. The show takes place in Gotham some years after Batman stopped being A Thing, but there is still Scum and Villainy in Gotham (or New Gotham) to deal with, so a new team was formed to deal with them.

The team is led by Barbara Gordon…

…AKA Batgirl…or at least she was until a scene ripped right from The Killing Joke graphic novel…

(Thanks to jbaltiero)

The Joker’s bullet shattered Barbera’s spine, leaving her a paraplegic. Still wanting to make a difference, she asked Bruce Wayne to set her us with a state-of-the-art computer system, which she used to hack into the city’s computer and surveillance network, allowing her to gain information on the underworld and rechristened herself…

...Oracle

The second member is the team takes her origin from her pre-Crisis years rather than post-Crisis.

The Huntress AKA Helena Kyle, daughter of Batman and Catwoman. When the Joker murders Selina Kyle, Barbera takes in Helena and trains her to be her partner on the street.

Finally we come to the final member of the team…

Dinah Lance is the daughter of the Black Canary. She has psychic abilities but little in the way of fighting abilities. As such, she’s usually held in reserve (or in danger)

The trio work to do what Batman did years ago, dealing with the Thug Of The Week.

However, as this was essentially a Batman series without Batman, plus for the most part there was no overarching storyline, the series only lasted half a season. Which is a shame, since the series had potential, even if the hardcore fans (like myself) may have had issues with the series taking too many liberties with DC canon.

However, the series was given a (sort of) proper sendoff 17 years later…

(Thanks to TV Promos)

If you would like to watch the series, it's available on Tubi or behind your favorite paywall.

If you would like to see an episode reviewed, let me know!