#did I mention I love character development?

[rassicas]

Ive always wondered.

Since fruit and grain consumption is so commonplace in Splatoon's culture. Wheres all the alcohol?

Inkfish society evolved almost the same as humans did, and one of humanity's first known inventions was the cultivation of alcohol through wild grain and fruits. It was also a neccesary process in ancient city-dwelling, as it could make unsafe water drinkable.

So the question stands, did Inkfish develop alcohol just as we did? Of course i doubt any mention of it in-game because its a (mostly) family friendly series.

Lookin at you Flight VS Invisibilty splatfest

they absolutely did develop alcohol!

>i doubt any mention of it in-game because its a (mostly) family friendly series you're in for a surprise bud

Squeezer using a champagne bottle is the most explicit in game example. Now for Flow, she canonically loves to drink. In JP she sounds loopy and mysterious when she speaks because she's... probably drunk.

Her name is Flow, a sea slug. She is a sales clerk at Headspace, a store that sells head gear. She always speaks as if she is drunk, giving off a mysterious air. She appears to be older than the Inklings, and seems to enjoy teasing the younger squids. Her companion, Craymond, is a considerate shrimp who gently watches over her.

This character trait of hers got censored in english, notably on the Splatoon Base website

the highlighted text in JP reads that she's "a drunkard who loves alcohol"

There is also this official artwork (my Favorite official art. btw.) of Sashimori, Hightide Era, and Bottom Feeders at a bar, with Bertie, Ryu Chang, and Taka at the counter drinking what looks to be alcohol.

[heart-of-ep]

Elvis: Through Her Lens (Chapter One)

(Elvis Presley × OC Reader)

Character/Fandom: Elvis Presley

Read More Here: Elvis: Through Her Lens (coming soon)

Prompt: You are Minnie Jones, an aspiring photographer working for the LA Sentinel. Your chief editor is looking for a story that will help boost the popularity of the paper, so an opportunity comes knocking when Colonel Tom Parker approaches him with a new 'snowjob.' After a tentative first meeting with the Colonel, and his star Elvis Presley, you are hired on to follow Elvis around as his personal photographer in an attempt to catch lightening in a bottle twice with the earlier success of the Alfred Wertheimer photos. Along the way, you develop a close bond with Elvis, leading to complications in your relationship when the issues of his marriage and eventual drug usage start to put a strain on your relationship. Constantly fighting your ever-growing feelings for him, you are swept up into the whirlwind of Elvis' world, which forces you to see the King of Rock 'n' Roll through a new lens.

Tags: Slow burn. Angst. Drama. Friends to lovers (sort of).

Rating: PG-13 (ish) (may get spicy but won't be explicit as I don't enjoy writing smut lol but cursing, possible violence, prescription drug use, and infidelity will appear throughout the story.)

Word Count: 3.6k

Author's Note: Hey everyone! My name is Mari (aka heart.of.ep on here and Instagram!) and I'm so excited to finally be diving into the world of Elvis fanfiction after being a hard-core fan for almost three years now. This is my first time writing in a long while, and it's only my second time writing a fanfiction, so I hope I'm able to entertain you with this story and I hope everyone has a fun time reading it!

I did create an OC for this story as I have an easier time writing with a specific character in mind, but I kept it in second person as to give readers the opportunity to self insert in a way. Wasn't a fan of this POV at first but its really grown on me so hopefully I've done it well haha.

This story will begin by following Elvis in 1970 (my favorite year 🤭) but will continue on throughout the early 1970s! There may be some historical inaccuracies along the way to accommodate the presence of Minnie Jones, but of course I'm always striving to keep things as accurate as I possibly can.

I don't think I will have a specific upload schedule or regular time for posting, but I'll try my best to be as frequent as I can with uploading chapters. Any comments, thoughts, reblogs, etc are very much appreciated and I genuinely hope everyone loves this story as much as I do. 🙏

If you'd like to be tagged in any chapters going forward, just comment and let me know!

Thank you once again and I hope everyone enjoys!

February, 1970

Los Angeles, CA

~*~*~*~*~*~

Elvis Presley.

The most photographed man in the world, and for good reason it seemed. Impossibly blue eyes that swirled like the depth of an ocean, statuesque like features that even a Greek god would most likely be jealous of, and a brilliant smile that sent millions of girls and women all around the world into a complete frenzy whenever he flashed it their way.

It made perfect sense then why his face was pretty much plastered on every magazine you ever came in contact with. Not to mention the various movie posters you would often see at the theater throughout the years. You could even recall being just about twelve years old when Love Me Tender first hit theaters. Even at such a young age, you could see why everyone sitting around you in that dark theater were either crying or screaming. His beauty seemed to transcend the realm of normal.

As hyperbolic as it may seem, no one in the world looked like Elvis Presley, that much was certain.

Unfortunately, while many photos exist, most are heavily curated, either on a movie set or in a studio with lighting and makeup. It didn't make him any less beautiful, but it did give the fans and the public a very specific view of the King, one controlled by Hollywood and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker.

In the early days, there were hundreds of photos of Elvis that appeared in newspapers from fans and those photographers who were lucky enough to capture a picture of lightning in a bottle. But those days were far gone, and nothing like it has surfaced since.

And that's exactly why you had been brought to your editor's office early one morning in February of 1970. You had been busy working on gathering photos for a local political campaign, which was a real bore, but someone had to do it and you didn't exactly have the seniority to say no. But when your manager called you about a new project, you were practically chomping at the bit to accept. Of course, you wanted to hear him out first.

“You've been doing great work, Minnie. These shots are truly some of the best this paper has seen in a while.” Your editor, Mr Pierce, said as he looked over the pictures you had submitted this morning.

“Thank you, sir. Though, I think there's only so much I can do to make a rally look interesting.” You said jokingly.

Your boss snorted. “You're right about that.” He sighed before sitting the folder down on his desk. “Which is exactly why I called you here. I think your talents are being wasted on shit like this.” He said bluntly. Your boss never did sugarcoat. “I was recently brought an opportunity from a rather…private sort of individual, and I think you would be the perfect fit.”

You raised an eyebrow, now rather curious. Usually your paper only covered public events or individuals. “Who exactly is it?”

Pierce seemed hesitant at first to tell you, but eventually he decided to just come right out and say it. “Elvis Presley.”

Your eyes widened in disbelief. "Elvis Presley?” You weren’t sure if you had cotton in your ears or if maybe you were imagining it, but Pierce noticed your surprise and quickly added some context to explain.

“Yes, Elvis Presley. I can’t say I had a very different reaction when his manager called me a couple days ago.” He said as he sat down in the chair behind his desk. “I’m sure you know that Mr Presley has been taking a step back into live performances this past year, which means every photographer worth a damn is chomping at the bit to capture the ‘best’ photo of him possible for their respective news outlet. So far they’ve been doing a damn good job. Meanwhile, we’ve got nothing.” He grumbled in frustration. “Needless to say, Presley is the hottest talk in town, and we’re failing to keep up.”

You furrowed your brow a bit. “I don’t understand…why did his manager contact us?” If there were already dozens of papers covering Elvis’s shows from all across the world, then why contact a somewhat small paper in Los Angeles?

Pierce seemed to light up at your question. “I had the same question, my dear.” He stood up again, unable to sit still. “Are you familiar with Alfred Wertheimer?”

The name was instantly recognizable. Any real photographer knew of Wertheimer’s work, especially if you knew anything about Elvis Presley. “Of course I know about him. His work with Presley is still amazing even now.” You said, trying your best to keep your adulation in check.

“Well, no photo of Elvis Presley has been taken like that since Wertheimer almost fifteen years ago.” He frowned a bit. “Seems as though his manager,” and apparent publicist, “wants to change that. With all this new buzz surrounding Presley, he wants to see if he can capture lightning in a bottle twice.”

It quickly began to dawn on you what this all meant exactly. “Shit.” You muttered under your breath.

Perhaps Alfred Wertheimer didn’t mean much to the uninitiated, but the photographs of Elvis were completely unprecedented. Just at the cusp of fame and without the glitz and glamor that would soon overtake him in Hollywood, Wertheimer was able to capture a view of Elvis that was both intimate, but also honest and revealing in a way that didn’t feel voyeuristic in the slightest. It was the picture and story of an Elvis Presley that still felt entirely obtainable and human. It was truly a special form of artistic expression that only a photographer with a great deal of talent could accomplish.

Which is precisely why you were sitting there staring at your boss like he had completely lost his mind. “S-sir...you’re not suggesting that I…?”

Pierce smiled at you and nodded. “I knew immediately that you’d be the perfect candidate, my dear. After all, it was your photos covering the Nixon inauguration that sparked Mr Parker’s curiosity to begin with.”

You practically felt your heart leap in your chest, leaving you utterly speechless for a long moment. This was definitely a step up from a local mayoral campaign.

The prospect of photographing someone as famous as Elvis Presley was exciting on its own, but from how your boss explained it, this wouldn’t be a simple snap and go for a quick column on page four of the paper. To compare it to Wertheimer’s work made you realize just how important this opportunity was. This side of Elvis hadn’t been captured in over a decade, and no doubt it would catapult your career towards opportunities you’ve only ever dreamed of covering.

“Well?” Pierce’s voice snaps you from your thoughts. “Of course, we would still have to meet with Mr Parker and Mr Presley.” He said as he sat back down in his chair.

You parted your lips, not sure what to say at first before you finally pushed your excitement down and immediately stood up. “Well? Of course I want to!” You said, practically grinning from ear to ear. “Jesus, Pierce, this is amazing!”

He smirked a bit. “I take it you’re an Elvis fan?”

You rolled your eyes. “Everyone likes Elvis, but that’s not what matters. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.” You had to stop yourself from jumping with joy.

He laughed a little before standing up again as he dialed a number on his phone. “Presley just finished up his current residency in Las Vegas. According to Parker he’ll be back here in Los Angeles before leaving for a string of concerts in Houston.” He held the phone up to his ear. “We can plan a meeting between you two beforehand. After all, this whole thing is dependent on Elvis Presley liking you enough to let you follow him around.”

You felt your smile dissipate a little at that realization. You hadn’t exactly considered that part in the few minutes you had to think about everything. You were charming enough, but this was Elvis Presley. Enough wouldn’t cut it. You swallowed a bit, but nodded, ignoring the sudden flurry of nerves that swarmed in your stomach.

This is your one shot, Minn. Don’t screw this up.

The next few hours felt like a whirlwind. You spent the majority of that time researching anything and everything about Elvis Presley. As it turns out, a lot had happened since his pictorial debut in Love Me Tender. You hadn’t exactly been keeping up with his career, and now all of it seemed a bit overwhelming. You weren’t sure what to expect from a man like him, especially since any other celebrity you had the opportunity to meet usually turned out to be a total asshole. You didn’t think he would be any different. After all, the humble southerner with perfect manners and an award winning smile just felt too good to be true.

You flipped through a magazine from the stack on your desk, biting your lip in concentration as you read over the raving reviews from Elvis’ previous engagement at the International Hotel in Vegas last summer. You vaguely remember one of your girlfriends at the time mentioning it in passing, but you hadn’t thought much of it. Now you wondered if you were completely insane for having overlooked the entire thing.

The photos of him were truly magnificent, picturing him in a slim fitting two piece jumpsuit that seemed inspired by the style of a karate gi. It alternated between black and white depending on the night of the show, and you couldn’t help but think about how well the black complemented his dark chiseled features. It was a much different look than his earlier appearances throughout the sixties. The greased back hair was now loose and untamed, a reflection of the evolving style in the entertainment world, and the button ups and blazers now seemed to be replaced by a bare chested look accompanied by a stylish scarf around the neck.

Quite frankly, it was hard not to get caught up in the image of him, but you quickly reminded yourself that even though he was Elvis Presley, world famous superstar, he was also just a subject for you to photograph at the end of the day.

A very beautiful subject, indeed.

You practically chewed off all of your fingernails by the time Pierce came out of his office in the early afternoon, approaching your desk with an optimistic look in his eyes. “Good news, Minn, it looks like you’ll be meeting Elvis Presley tonight.”

Your heart leaped in your chest as you stood up from your desk, prying your eyes away from the papers on your desk. “Really? He agreed to the meeting?”

“He sure did, though I doubt that manager gave him much of a choice.” He snorted. “A real carny, that one, but it’ll all be worth it if we can secure this job. Our paper will practically fly off the stands if you can snap those photos.” He grinned.

“Right, no pressure.” You mumbled, trying to ease your growing anxiety as you imagined all the ways this could possibly go wrong.

“Don’t worry, Minn. You’re charming and pretty. Knowing Presley’s reputation, that’ll surely be enough.” He smirked, nudging you a bit before turning on his heel toward his office.

You shot him a glare before letting out a deep breath as you quickly gathered up your portfolio, shoving the photographs inside the binder before standing up and pulling your coat on. You refused to let your nerves get the best of you, after all, this is your job. And as such, you weren’t going to let this opportunity slip through your fingers.

The ride over to Beverly Hills felt long and seemingly endless. You kept staring out the window, focusing your gaze on the large mansions that you drove past, frowning as you realized just how out of your league you really felt. After all, you hadn’t exactly been to this side of LA. The few times you had gotten the chance to photograph a celebrity, it had always been at some sort of public event like an awards show or some kind of charity fundraiser. This, however, felt like a strange new world that you were entering.

You briefly wondered why Elvis and his manager didn’t just come down to the office to conduct this whole ‘interview’ or set up a meeting somewhere on Sunset Blvd, but when you asked Pierce about it, he simply explained the logistics of having Elvis Presley go somewhere so public. You didn’t think much of it, assuming that since it’s Los Angeles nobody would care very much about a celebrity walking around, but then you recalled the different articles you had read and figured maybe Elvis didn’t quite fit into that category.

You chewed on your fingernails, watching as the mansions grew larger before you finally descended upon a set of cast iron gates blocking a long driveway that kept a house just out of view. Much to your surprise, there was a fairly large group of fans already stationed outside, giggling amongst themselves as they took photos with their polaroid cameras. You glanced at Pierce, giving him a skeptical look to which he simply shrugged. He pulled up to the gates, and without having to push a doorbell of any kind, the gates buzzed and suddenly opened up, the crowd of fans quickly dispersing out of the way.

It surprised you to see that they didn’t try following the car inside, but they stayed respectful and stuck to the exterior as the gates closed shut behind you and Pierce pulled forward, parking his car next to a small, but impressive, collection of Cadillacs. You figured if everything fell through with Elvis, maybe he’d be okay with you snapping a few photos of his cars as a consolation gift.

Once again, you pushed down the flurry of nerves that settled in your stomach, realizing it was stupid to feel so nervous over a simple meeting. After all, it’s not like you were the one who set the whole thing up, if they weren’t really interested, they wouldn’t have gone through all of this trouble. That thought helped qualm the uneasiness you felt as you stepped out of the car, looking up at the gorgeous home that overlooked the rolling hills below.

It really did feel like the perfect place for a superstar like Elvis to live.

“Come on, Miss Jones, we’re about to make history.” Pierce grinned as he took the lead, following the brick pathway up to the front door of the mansion.

You self consciously kept messing with your hair, tucking the loose strands behind your ear and pushing your glasses up the bridge of your nose as you anxiously awaited for the door to open. When the door opened, you and Pierce were met by a rather short fellow with a goofy smile.

“Mr Pierce?” The man in front of you inquired.

Your boss nodded and smiled. “Yes, and this is my associate Miss Jones.” He said as he gestured toward you. “I believe Mr Parker is expecting us?”

The fellow nodded and smiled again as he quickly stepped aside to let the two of you in. “Right this way.” He closed the door behind him and then led you down the long hallway that acted as the entranceway before spilling out into a rather lavishly decorated and open floor plan. You briefly considered how many rooms the house had before realizing it was probably too many to count from this juncture.

“The Colonel is waiting in the office.” The man said, interrupting your thoughts as he led you and Pierce down another hall towards a beautiful sculpted oak door.

“What about Mr Presley?” You asked without thinking.

“Elvis will be down shortly.” He replied, once again with a lopsided grin before he knocked on the door to the office and pushed it open. “Colonel? Those two journalists from the Los Angeles Sentinel are here.”

“Send them in.” You heard a strange sounding voice say from inside the office.

The man stepped aside, letting Pierce and you step into the room. Your gaze immediately fell upon the robust man sitting at the desk, a large almost comical sized cigar sticking out of his mouth, and a stylish looking barét that clashed with the rest of his ensemble. His steely gaze landed on both you and Pierce the moment you stepped into the room, regarding the two of you with a frown before he removed his cigar and put it out in the ash tray.

Pierce glanced at you, giving a look that said more than enough, before looking at the somewhat unsettling man. “Uh, you must be Mr Parker–”

“Colonel.” The man huffed, his accent a strange mix of southern and something else you couldn't quite identify.

“Excuse me?” Pierce asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Colonel Tom Parker.” The man repeated himself before smiling, though it seemed off and not at all genuine.

Pierce cleared his throat. “Right. Colonel Parker. My name is Steven Pierce, I'm the editor of the LA Sentinel. We spoke over the phone a few times.” He said before gesturing to you. “This is my associate, Minnie Jones. She's one of my best photographers and the one responsible for the portfolio I sent you.” He explained.

The Colonel glanced your way, regarding you for a long moment. If you weren't self conscious already, you certainly were now, but you refused to let yourself show how nervous you were.

“Hi, it's a pleasure to meet you.” You said, stepping forward and extending your hand for him to shake.

The Colonel snorted, which struck you immediately as rude, but he shook your hand regardless. You did your best to hide your frown, making sure this man didn't pick up on your displeasure at his general demeanor. “I have to say, Miss Jones, I'm quite impressed with your photos here.” He said as he sat back in his seat, opening up a binder in front of him. “I can't say I was super eager at the idea of someone following my boy around, least of all someone working for a lousy tabloid. But it seems like any publicity is good publicity, my dear.”

You glanced at Pierce for a moment, quickly registering the anger that flashed across his face, before cutting in. “Yes, well…I think this could be very beneficial for Mr Presley. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. And with all due respect, the LA Sentinel is a newspaper, not a tabloid. We just want to publish the truth, not lies.” You said calmly.

"Truth is subjective.” The Colonel shot back. “But it's true that my boy needs some good publicity. After all, a good thing can't last forever.” He said before standing up. “I'll make it simple for you, Miss Jones. All photos taken must be submitted and approved by me before printing. If I find out they're not, you won't have a story to tell anymore.” He said bluntly.

You swallowed a bit before nodding.

“Secondly, Elvis appreciates his privacy as you might imagine, so you will be working according to his schedule and his requests. Simply put, if he doesn't want you there, you won't be there.” He said as he picked up his cigar and stuck it back between his lips.

That's when Pierce cut in. “With all due respect, Colonel, my employee isn’t going to work at the whim of your client. This is still a job at the end of the day.” You shoot him a glare, not wanting him to ruin the opportunity for you, even if you knew he was right.

“Don't worry, Mr Peers,” The Colonel said, purposely mispronouncing his name, “Miss Jones will be accommodated, but if you two want the story you're looking for, you'll have to work with my boy’s fluctuating schedule.” He explained. “That won't be a problem, will it?”

Before Pierce could say anything, you stepped forward. “Of course not. I'm sure we can work with whatever his schedule may be.” You said firmly.

“Good.” The Colonel smiled, much to Pierce's chagrin. “We’ll write up a proper contract with all the logistics before you leave, but I think now is a great time for you to meet Elvis.”

Suddenly all your nerves instantly returned, but before you had much time to even think about what was happening, the Colonel was walking out the door and down the hall. Both you and Pierce quickly followed, keeping with his surprisngly fast pace as he limped with his cane towards the living room area you had passed by earlier.

“Minn, are you sure about this?” Pierce hissed by your ear as he leaned over to you. “This isn't exactly what I thought you were signing up for.”

You looked up at him, biting your lip for a second before nodding, standing firm with your decision. “C’mon, Pierce. We both know this is too good to pass up.” You whispered before the three of you entered the room.

The man who had let you into the house earlier was there with a couple of other guys you hadn't seen. You saw that Elvis wasn't there, frowning a bit as you folded your arms and looked at the Colonel. “Where's Mr Presley?” You asked, feeling a little impatient and maybe a little excited.

“Right here, honey.”

You froze, goosebumps rolling over your skin for some inexplicable reason, as if some kind of force you didn't recognize had suddenly entered the room. You slowly turned around, coming face to face with the most famous man in the world.

Shit.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Likes, comments, and reblogs are much appreciated! Let me know if you'd like to be added to the tag list ~

Taglist: @60svintage @moonchild-daniella @ken-kenzie-zie

[flare33]

So yeah MAG 92 where do I even begin? That's a rhetorical question, of course I'll start by losing my mind over Elias😌

I wanted some villainous monologues and smug behaviour and oh boy did he deliver.

Calling the police way before anybody actually got there, taking the time to record a random statememt while waiting, generally just admitting to every crime without a care in the world, goading Daisy to shoot him, calling of the police again and casually mentioning that if he dies they all die.

Man is out here playing 4D chess while the rest of the characters haven't even figured out what the game it is yet, actually feels kinda unfair😭

When Daisy called him a weird little freak at the start of the season she did not know just how right she was. Like what a freaking drama queen but I fear I love him. I'm sure he's going to commit many atrocities in the future and I for one can't wait!

But enough of that, the episode was quite a game changer! Now everybody is on the same page as Jon and knows pretty much everything so that will make for a really interesting dynamic going forward.

I also love that we are diving deeper into the people who serve the fear beings this season. Between Mike and that flame lady it's quite intriguing so see people who actually chose this fate and seem to be enjoying it. I do wonder how Jon is going to develop from here, especially with him asking if he's still human

[wisteria-lodge]

I'm the "2 things about Lily" anon and but she Identifies with Dumbledore

I soooo agree! There is a switch where it begins even. I used to be able to pinpoint the book, the moment where Dumbledore becomes this force of nature that can never go wrong.

I haven't read the books for a while but it happens at the end of the 5th book, I think, the book that is the harshest on Dumbledore (and of course it is! Harry is 15, it's time to become critical of your mentors!! she was always brilliant at child psychology, my mom and all the other moms of my friends loved her for this), and then Sirius dies, and then there is this scene where Harry is screaming at Dumbledore.

And he deals with Harry (of course he does, he is the principle, he loves his job and adores his students, he must deal with several scenes like that per year). And she feels empathy for him. She thinks about her stupid children just not getting her. And it's over.

The next book Harry's grief for Sirius is lesser than it was for Cedric. And Dumbledore graduates to a demigod and dies, achieving sainthood, even though it is obvious that Cedric's death was supposed to be a lesson FOR HIM ALSO. After that the status-quo must be protected at all cost, and her original plan for a man who went trough a lot and tried very hard (because he did! he devoted his life to protecting children like Ariana! he devoted his life to develop tolerance and even love for muggles who did terrible things to her! but Tom was a muggleborn and so so cruel right of the bat, who did he see in him?) and was never perfect, and arguably lost his humanity to the fight, because he accepted to sacrifice a child while avoiding going face-to-face to Voldemort? Never mentioned. The characters are never allowed to react to that. Lupin specifically goes through who knows what so that he doesn't react to that. Only Snape is allowed a word, one word and no contradictions to the great plan, but only because otherwise Snape is unforgivable.

money is poison?

I agree with all of this, and think it's beautifully put. Book 6 & 7 (and the fantastic beasts films...) would have been a lot better if they leaned into Dumbledore's darkness, darkness which is absolutely there.

(here's my own deep dive on dumbledore, in case anyone is interested.)

JKR has talked about how she originally envisioned Albus Dumbledore and Rubeus Hagrid (white and red) as foils but oh boy was that distinction lost:

I named them for the alchemical colours to convey their opposing but complementary natures: red meaning passion (or emotion); white for asceticism; Hagrid being the earthy, warm, physical man, lord of the forest; Dumbledore the spiritual theoretician, brilliant, idealized and somewhat detached.

But this absolutely DOES track with how they're characterized in Philsopher's Stone. Hagrid is kind, comforting, emotionally intuitive, protective, but not much of a planner... while Dumbledore is all mind - weird, brilliant, mad, wise... but not especially cued into the emotional dimension.

[paingoes]

(long Paris apologia paragraph ahead sorry)

I love both Delta and Paris, and while Delta is infinitely more likable and I have more in common with Delta re: autism and child abuse, I honestly find Paris to be a more compelling character? (Part of this is because I'm also an alcoholic with complex trauma and I so very rarely see the worst parts of my trauma being represented in a sympathetic light.) I definitely get why people don't like him. he's a violent shithead, a menace to society and himself, not to mention he has the emotional intelligence of a rock.

You mentioned this in a previous post but I think you did a really good job with showing that a lot of Paris' worst qualities (his violent mood swings, his sense of entitlement, his power tripping abusive behavior etc) comes from a place of his own patheticness and refusal to change (especially the times when he breaks down after getting too drunk) and I think that's what allows me to sympathize with and like him more then anything. His childishness in his most monstrous and vulnerable moments really drives home that he's not really suited to the role of all powerful monarch he was raised to be, and who's abuse and status in the empire caused him both to grow up way too fast, while at the same time never allowing him to develop into a healthy adult and that he's in many ways, a kid in a grown person's body who sees himself as doomed to repeat the cycles of his childhood trauma that created him unless he chooses otherwise. (A horrifying and daunting task for someone like him)

Like the scene where he breaks Delta's arm and almost drowns him? It's scary as hell but what stands out to me it despite the horrible violence and long term consequences of his actions, is just how petty and childish his motivations for doing so is (which does not make them any less harmful). he's acting this way because he feels slighted and abandoned by Lorelai. You hurt me I hurt you. This gives me a lot of leeway into both sympathizing with him as someone with similar struggles while also reminding me that he's not the way he is because he's powerful, like he wants you to believe, but a very weak and jaded person who wants to feel powerful and is given the systemic means to. Which doesn't make him less dangerous.

Sorry for the long ask, I'm just very much enjoying your story, especially Paris's "being humbled by life" arc and I'm super excited about what will be in store for both him and Delta next ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

oh my godddddd this was such an amazing thing to wake up to. i kind dont even wanna post it i just want to hold onto it forever. this is so sweet.

i dont know if i can respond to all of this right now and i might talk more about the different points you brought up later. but generally i am so pleased with this analysis and im pleased you have gotten this much out of it? im gonna say more under the cut

pretty heavy warnings for child abuse. nothing explicit just discussion of institutional child abuse/complex trauma and how it affects people psychologically.

like i said i could talk about them basically forever but re: childishness and being pathetic. YEAH i mean i think it is very obvious that paris’s growth has been stunted as a result of abuse + neglect. in fact i think that growing up in empire alone is inherently stunting because it is a system very much designed to kill empathy and to breed hunger and greed in people. its a problem with the whole society, cruelty and selfishness are incentivized over developing more complex moral structures and even over developing your own identity.

[ people like lorelai are very much an outlier within Empire, but i think its clear that she is….also pretty immature? she has a lot of love and a desire to do good, which kind of makes up for it, but she is childish in the sense that her parents sheltered her and her own ideas about revolution and utopia are very very idealized. i think this delusional optimism is a good thing for paris tbh and it kinda balances out his own cynicism. but lorelai will need to grow up at some point too. its just her reckoning is allowed to be softer. ]

but paris’s case was particularly bad for a few reasons.

the most obvious is that he was prince and naturally the expectations placed on him were a lot greater and the consequences for not meeting them were a lot harsher.

paris was born with pretty severe ADHD and mood regulation issues and his symptoms only worsened the more that he was punished for them

paris at his core is a genuinely sensitive and intelligent person that understands right from wrong

and i think this alone provides a lot of context for how he is now but it also makes it easier to understand why his childhood was basically torture for him. like yeah exposure to complex trauma will kind of naturally stunt your growth at certain points but you also get the sense that paris’s growth was like. deliberately stunted or that the handicap was self-inflicted. paris acts dumber than he is. its how he makes peace with it. its cool to be a callous idiot because if you have to be a self aware and moral person in this environment you will immediately get one-shotted by guilt.

and for what it’s worth i think delta’s growth was also — obviously — stunted. but in a different way shaped by their respective roles.

it’s legitimately really gross for me to describe it this way but it does feel like one of the goals with delta’s conditioning was to make a forever-child. someone who will do what you say and remain perfectly ignorant and docile and obedient. he can be used but is basically incapable of putting up a fight. martino and simon both speak to delta like he’s a child and that infantilization is to keep him pliant and similarly trapped in that same sense of helplessness he felt when he was little :(

i think delta is very low empathy naturally and actually doesnt have an innate moral compass which is what made him such a perfect candidate for the job. but it also means he is super susceptible to getting someone else’s morals imposed onto him as long as he finds them logical and coherent. his ability to morally reason and his way of interacting with people is obviously very underdeveloped but its more immediately obvious why.

ive said before that i think delta is more emotionally mature than paris but i think maybe this paints an incorrect view of things? i mean. delta is not holding his tongue and regulating his own emotions because he thinks its a mature thing to do. hes doing it because he knows not to speak without permission and that if he ever had an outburst the way paris did, he would be beaten within an inch of his life. so i feel like maybe its wrong to attribute this as one of his virtues. (without totally discounting the fact that delta is very sweet and doing his best.) delta would very much struggle with like. setting boundaries, standing up for himself in any way, communicating his feelings. you can describe paris as childish but i think delta is childlike. in that he’s also suffering the consequences of abuse but his specific conditioning has made him more fawny in a way that reads as sympathetic and virtuous.

basically yeah my point was. they were both stunted at some critical point in their development and are both dealing with the consequences of that. paris was a victim but he was simultaneously groomed to be a perpetrator, versus delta who is mostly victim.

anyway thanks so much wow im gonna print this whole ask out ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

[papayadays]

okay so i just finished onyx storm and oh my god what a ride (spoilers below cut!!)

okay first off, xaden confirmed venin and some people know about him but as long as he didn't keep it from violet, i'm good with it. but i'm lowkey scared. i know that he'll likely be cured somehow, but with rebecca yarros, you never know. so far, when his eyes became amber, i was shocked and honestly, terrified because xaden is getting closer and closer to fully turning.

also, ANDARNA!! i felt so bad for her when the irids rejected her (hypocritical and stubbornly ignorant dragons boo) but she is definitely going to be important later on, as are the other irids because they seem to be revered everywhere. i mean, we know andarna can burn venin and change her scales (giving rainwings btw) and also the signet she gave violet, but what else do we know? their fire can power to wards, but how much can the irids do, because to me they seem like what will tip the balance and beat the venin. as much as the irids promote peace and call andarna a test of society, they will end up being the weapons that save everyone. but also, breaking the bond with violet?? that broke my heart and was one of the sadder parts to read because she just left and when violet went to the bond it was gone and i just lost it. (i may have shed a few tears). but we also learn that irids can manipulate bonds such as how andarna was able to bond violet alongside tairn. but, can all dragons break bonds? and what else can andarna do with the bond? ALSO, how could violet still use her signet after the bond was broken??? so is this how the venin can use their signet? they were formerly bonded to an irid and then turned and retained the signet even after losing the bond? this could explain why the irids are so keen on staying out of violence after many of their kind gave the venin signets and also probably died from the venin. speaking of, regarding the irids and andarna, why does everyone keep asking who violet bonded with first? the logical answer seems like tairn, but rebecca yarros likes to throw curveballs so i think andarna bonded her first and allowed tairn to also bond her. but what would this signify and why is this so crucial?

speaking of violet's second signet, SHE'S A DREAM WALKER??? to be honest, i did NOT see that coming. but this will be very helpful to communicate and see things or potentially get information. in addition, with some of the marked ones getting second signets, i have to wonder if bodhi was lying if he said he didn't have one. because we know now that garrick is a distance walker (badass) and imogen's is rock wielder (does only dain know?), so who else? will sloane develop another one? what about some of the others?

and can we talk about rhiannon and imogen povs? quinn's death was gut-wrenching and akin to liam death 2.0. (i also shed some tears here) i also heard that rebecca yarros said that a character we love will die in the next but i remember she also said ridoc's humor will change throughout the series so it can't be him. i think it could be someone from violet's squad but also i think rebecca might let iron squad stay strong till the end.

also, was it just me or was this book really god-influenced? he had lots of mentions of dunne (strength + war), zihnal (luck), amari (queen of gods), hedeon (wisdom), and malek (death). but surprisingly, not loial (love) which is one of the two gods violet stopped praying to a while back. coincidence? i think not. especially since they ended up not going to the island for loial and also the quote, "for both war and love change souls irrevocably." i think somehow love will be connected to the solution or cure, which also ties into what the irids want. and also, WE KNOW WHY VIOLET HAS SILVER HAIR! her father wanted to dedicate her to dunne but she was only touched and not fully dedicated, hence the partial silver. also, we know theophanie was also a part of the temple of dunne but somehow turned her back on the goddess but does that imply that gods aren't just theoretical?

speaking of theophanie, we learned that riders get signets to balance venin?? like violet's mom was the balance for theophanie, and lynx is xaden's balance. but that brings up the question, what about the other ones like mira's signet to raise wards? also, when sloane siphoned power to brennan from dain, there was no mark at all, which i think will be significant.

with violet's dad asher, we learn that he explored the isles and left behind books for only her to find. however, he also goes by asher daxton which makes me think if he took the sorrengail last name.

AND AARIC. I LOVE AARIC. he's literally one of my favs and such a great character but something tells me he's been too good of a character. like i know xaden is the main love interest and we all should swoon, but aaric. AND HE'S A PRECOG WHAT???? i started to get suspicious myself when he told violet to guard dunne's temple and when he handed her things. i was legit willing violet to open it because i knew that it would end up being relevant. and i was like, "how can aaric predict this- wait i think i get it now, melgren 2.0" which opens up new questions because does this mean he's the balance for melgren which would imply the latter turned venin?

okay, now onto the most ambiguous part that left me reeling: THE ENDING. holy shit where to start? okay, so we know 6 eggs are missing but why and where? were they taking them to unnbriel in exchange for the army? also tairn is in a deep sleep, which is concerning and what exactly is he resting from? i've seen theories that claim he severed his bond with sgaeyl to save violet which scares me because then xaden and violet can die independently. ALSO VIOLET AND XADEN ARE MARRIED NOW?? WTF WE WERE DEPRIVED OF A FLUFFY SCENE but i assume xaden married her so she could be the duchess and gain power (2nd highest rank of royalty) to protect herself from whatever she did. andarna mentions protecting violet from being burnt so it must've been something gravely serious relating to xaden. and xaden, i mean he was planning to propose before, but now they basically got married in vegas. but he's gone and everyone thinks he's evil and has killed riders. but what has happened? is he fully turned? asim? also, WHO TURNED? xaden refers to him as a "brother" similar to jack but panchek was also there. i think it was bodhi because otherwise, xaden wouldn't need to ensure tyrrendor's ruler was violet. also, bodhi's countering signet only works on riders, so maybe he turned to counter venin?

to end on a good note, DAIN AND SLONE MY LIFE. (no pun intended) ENEMIES TO LOVERS?? HELPING HER SIPHON? CALLING HER LIFE? (which i think will be super important later on) i love them tbh

[pain-is-too-tired]

Why Luke did have bad childhood, and definitely an interesting character, what he did is far from anything close to any of the other characters. Even Octavian(who lot more people hate more then Luke.)

We don't know Octavian's backstory but based off what we are told he likely came from an upper family who enforced the thoughts he had when we see him.

New Rome/CJ pushed anti-greek sentiment lot more than chb even thought about Romans. And then Leo's is possessed and attacks New Rome, his home, all that is confirmed in his mind. By BOO he's very clearly spiraling, but despite all that he truly wants to defeat Gaea. He just feels the greeks are another enemy to his home.

He was 18 when he died, and outside his blackmail tactics everything he did took place in a few month span of time. And he's already falling apart at the seems.

Luke is 23 when he dies. He's believed to be 19 in tlt. Which likely means when he leaves Percy to the very venomous scorpion that he just barely survives, he at least close to 20,as his birthday is probably end of summer but before Percy's.

In those years from 19-23 this is list of what he does-

-attempt murder on multiple children(as well as indirectly cause deaths of multiple children)

- was going to make Percy watch Annabeth and Grover get eaten alive before killing him just to make him suffer a bit more.

- sends unknown amount of demigods into the labyrinth where majority of them died/ went insane.

- Was complicit in what was pretty much human trafficking(both Di Angelos are nearly taken and forced into the Titan Army. Then the next year Nico is near sold to the army,as the ranch guy mentions Luke been offering payment to those who bring demigods to the army. We really dont know how long that been going on by botl)

- Manipulated and blackmail children into working with TA

- was pushing for Thaila to join knowing full well Kronos wanted her for his host(a fate described as worse than death-)

- only really seemed uncomfortable and wanting to backtrack when he was going become Kronos' host.

- we don't see him break through Kronos until he snaps at Chiron. Not even a change in facial expression or hesitantation when dozens of demigods on both sides are killed by Kronos. Not even when Annabeth is stabbed.

He maytrs himself. But that doesn't make all he did justified or to be brushed under the rug. He doesn't really get to face the consequences of his actions(if he is sent to Esylum/reborn, which personal don't believe. At least think he should go to the Fields. Even then they're not really all that aware in the fields)

Luke is a represention of someone so blinded by hatred that he looses himself. Looses his humanity. By SoM, maybe even tlt, he cared more about besting his father then anything. Yet in turn he turned and did the same onto those who looked up to and trusted him.

Percy and Annabeth are at the stage where their prefrontal cortex is less developed. That effects emotions, impulses, aggression and instinctive behaviour. And all have adhd so they're level in that regard. Yet feel as though in some cases they have much more emotional maturity and think through things more than Luke. But they're still gonna to make rash decisions and react more emotionally to things before thinking.

Trauma doesn't go away. But it's up to you to make sure you don't continue the cycle. And Luke failed at that. He failed at that for 3-4 years. But those qualities are what make his character interesting and why I feel just sweeping it under the rug is a disservice to his character. It's not naive to expect more from the grown adult then from the 12-16 yr old children. Trauma doesn't excuse actions. Especially when you have Jason and even Thaila as a comparison

not only did they grow up with a mother not at all present, but unlike May who went insane out of the love for her son and what she saw, their mother hardly gave them much love. Thaila had to raise Jason, and then Jason was abandoned just to please Hera.

Thaila later runs away and then dies. Jason spends almost all his life being raise to be nothing but a soldier for New Rome and Juno. He dies for his friends, not as a last minute choice but something he knew was coming.

Jupiter cared so little over him that Hera grieved more than him. The goddess known for hating children of her husband even says "your son" to Zeus. And in a way was more of a godly parent to Jason then jupiter

Why Hermes, who definitely wasn't perfect father to Luke, still loved Luke after everything. More than all his other children combined i argue.

I mean Chris doesn't get claimed until he's at the lostest part of his life why Hermes gets angry at a teenage girl for choosing not to trust and help the guy who nearly killed her friends and nearly had her eaten alive and crushed under the sky just cause he was upset over what happened his son(and also kinda emotionally avoiding both his own guilt and how Luke put himself in the situation he was now in- emotional avoidance i feel was a trait passed on to Luke as well)

And again,despite being younger, Jason never let's his anger be aimed at those who didn't cause his pain. He focused on making sure no one had to feel like he did.

Naive observation about PJO character flaws

I have noticed something very interesting in Percabeth and Luke discussions when it comes to flaws.

The common rhetic employed by Annabeth defenders against anti Percabeth arguments is that Annabeth had a traumatic childhood so she doesn't know any better and we can't blame her for the way she is.

But then I bet those same people will say Luke has no excuse for his actions and was evil trash who deserved to die...although his childhood was arguably worse than Annabeth's. Thalia seems to be the only one who came close to being his equal. Despite all the injustices the demigods face, Luke's anger and bitterness are waved away by PJO fandom it seems.

Pretty sure I saw someone say Percy's life was terrible but he didn't fall down Luke's path. Percy had trauma but he turned out ok, not like nasty Luke. Just another way to emphasize how much "stronger" Percy is compared to Luke. The same way Snaters will use Neville and Harry to downplay Snape's trauma.

So I guess based on that logic Annabeth is weak for letting her trauma influence her poor treatment of others?? Why does Annabeth's trauma give her freedom to treat Percy the way she does but Luke's trauma is irrelevant and downplayed?

I have a soft heart for characters with innate goodness who have been screwed over by life. Characters who could have been so much more but never got the chance to truly be happy and LIVE. I guess that's something Luke and Snape have in common. I guess another thing Luke and Snape have in common is that the hero protagonist gets all the glory for their pain and sacrifices.

[residentdormouse]

OC Asks:

Character Design Edition

Thank you for the tag @mrsmungus!!

You made me realize I did not have a piccrew for Faith, and I had to search one out to remedy this. So that said, here is a cartoon rep of the main protagonist of my original story, Faith Lochren.

Hot mess of a woman...

That said, I had picked a face claim of Jennifer Carpenter, specifically in a Debra Morgan capacity, for reference sake. Very... Eloquent with her words, and always said with such tact. And by that, I mean, she does neither of those things.

Full questions and answers below for length sake.

No pressure tagging: @cxttlefishcxller @thebejeweledwatercat @darknightfrombeyond and OPEN TAG for anybody who would want to jump in!!

Gance: At first glance, what stands out most about your OC's appearance? What's their distinguishing feature?

In general, the overall disheveled state of her would most likely draw attention first. She has no fucks left to give. Pair that with her recent tendency to live life in a drunken stupor, and you get a mess of unkempt hair falling wherever it wants, buttons that don't quite match up with their intended button holes, and whatever loose socks are closest to the bed, matching be damned...

Face: Describe your OC's face. What's their smile like? Are their orbs cerulean? What would someone notice first when looking at them?

Smiles are beautiful, but tainted by the fact that it's almost guaranteed to be accompanied by a fair amount of shit. Hazel eyes that can change based on their surroundings are now dulled and dark, usually hidden by heavy lids. While there are some people that can be said to bring a light to the room; Faith brings a storm.

Stature: What's your OC's body type? How tall are they? Do they wear clothing to accentuate their look or do they try to mask it?

With a slender build and average height, Faith would have no problem turning heads if she put her mind to it. And, she did put more effort into it once upon a time. But now the clothes hang where the fall, and she isn't bothering to make any attempts.

Motion: How does your OC move? How does their clothing help or hinder their range of motion? Are they flexible, coordinated, clumsy?

Faith was active once. Fairly swift, decently coordinated. But now with about three shots in her bloodstream at any given time, she's lost a good deal of that. Clothing is just another obstacle to work around.

Stillness: How does your OC act while still? Are they fidgety? Do they have any common gestures or tics? Does their clothing affect how they hold themselves while at rest?

In her past, Faith did have issues with anxiety. Self consciousness that would eat at her. But now, it's just a dull voice in the back of her head. A voice that takes a back seat to the cynicism, and is drowned out with drinks. Smoking numbs the urge to fight, and swirling the booze around the glass fills any lingering urge. Clothing still hangs where it falls.

Canvas: Does your OC have any scars, piercings, tattoos, or other markings? Do they display or cover them up at all?

There's nothing that truly separates her in this respect. When she was a kid, her ears were pierced, but she hates the weight of wearing anything. By the end of the day after wearing earrings, her ears hurt, and why the fuck would she want to keep doing that.

Night: What does your OC wear to sleep? Do they have a favorite pair of PJs, or are they more the birthday suit type?

Preference used to be underwear only. Sometimes and oversized T-shirt to go with. Now, it's whatever she finds herself in when she's tired. Sometimes sleep calls before the desire to strip down hits, and she's face down passed out in bed with a button down and jeans. She usually manages to ditch the coat and shoes beforehand. Usually.

Day: What does your OC wear on a normal day? Why do they default to those clothes? Do they wear similar things, or do they change it up?

Faith doesn't have a shortage of button down shirts and cozy sweaters. Jeans are preferred, although she has held a few jobs that require dress pants. Shirts would also be acceptable, but fuck that noise. Pants or bust. She'll throw on a blazer to dress it up as well, although anymore, it's haphazard at best.

Formal: What's your OC's formal look? Do they like dressing up? Do they have different looks for different occasions?

Dressing up is not one of Faith's strong points. Put her in high heels, and you might as well be looking at a baby deer staggering about. Good chance that ends with an ace bandage and crutches. Blazers about as good as your getting, and she'd be more apt to throw on a tie than a dress. If she needs to, she'll through on a dress here or there, but flat shoes only.

Informal: What's your OC's lazy-day look? How do they like to dress when they're winding down?

Jeans are a staple. She could throw on some sweatpants or fuzzy PJ bottoms if they're there, but it doesn't really feel any different. T- shirt. Sweaters. Whatever is clean and easy is the best for her. Lazy day and all; that means no work in thinking about what she's wearing.

Outerwear: What's your OC's outerwear situation? Jacket, sweater, cloak? What sort of weather do they deal with most and how do they protect themselves?

Faith is definitely in an area that will encompass all four seasons. Sometimes within the same week. Hoodies, blazers, or jackets for spring/fall days or summer nights. Heavier pea coats and puffy winter jackets for the colder days. Sweaters for all times, cause sometimes, you're just cold. And fingerless gloves are just about perfect anytime.

Footwear: What does your OC wear on their feet?

Never heels. Never. Platforms are Shakey at best. Sneakers, boots, sandles, perfectly fine, but she is not twisting another ankle, thank you very much.

Road: What does your OC wear while traveling? Do they have high-quality equipment, or are they making do? What does their gear look like?

Faith was never really prepared for outdoors. She loves it, but it was never a big thing until Paul came into her life. The most she has is what could easily be seen from a magazine image as staple items. Hiking boots and flannel, that's what people wear, right? So that's what she has. Thankfully, the hiking boots and button ups are nice enough to fit into everyday rotation. Not that she's really concerned with acceptable in the first place.

Armor: What kind of armor does your OC wear? Is it well kept? Bonus: where does it come from? Is there a story behind it?

No armor for Faith, unless you count the emotional kind. And that shit has some sizable splits that need attention.

Arms: Does your OC have any weapons? What weapons do they carry, and how do they wear them when they're not fighting?

Faith doesn't really carry weapons. She has mace, but also has a bad habit of forgetting to take it anywhere. It lives in the end table drawer for the most part. She can wield a fine frying pan when push comes to shove. Baseball bats can do some damage too. She's resourceful.

Roots: Is your OC's look inspired by any specific style of clothing or fashion trend? What are the roots and/or inspiration for their look?

She's a bit of a chaotic blend of grunge and noir. On put together days, she could pull a stylish detective vibe, but anymore, it's leaning way more grunge with the lack of maintenance and care.

Texture: Does your OC favor any specific kinds of cloth or textures? Is there anything they can't wear or don't like? What sort of fabrics do they prefer?

There's not much of a no-go for Faith unless it's scratchy. Nobody should have to put up with scratchy fabric, and she sure as shit won't be dealing with it. Soft fabrics are welcome, especially in sweater form. She's been known to frequent thrift shops back in the day, and loves a good broken in feel that sometimes comes with those finds.

Wardrobe: How big is your character's wardrobe? Do they wear things threadbare, or can they afford new clothes often? Are they any good at mending and repairing their own clothing?

Threadbare. Adds character. She has attempted to sew a few of the larger holes, but has a tendency to just use whatever thread is around, regardless of the fabric color. If you see sandy thread holding together a black sweater, no the fuck you didn't. She tried.

Bling: What jewelry does your OC wear? Does it have any meaning?

She has a simple rose gold engagement ring that Paul gave her. She will not be taking it off. Ever. And if you try, you better pray she's dead. And you better be prepared to be haunted for the trouble, if that's the case.

Hair: How does your OC wear their hair? Does it have some kind of meaning?

Even before her life fell apart, Faith didn't put much effort into her hair. One cut every other year. Let it ride until it gets too long and then it gets hacked away. She's donated it a few times. There's not much meaning to it; she just really doesn't care that much. It's only gotten worse now, and is known to be a tangled unkempt mess.

Makeup: Does your OC wear makeup? How often? What kind? Why do they wear makeup, and do they like it?

On special occasions, she would, but not frequently. Just another pain in the ass thing to deal with. And scrubbing off the scary eyes after the eyeliner and mascara run in the shower is the fucking worst.

Favorite: Does your OC have a favorite article of clothing or accessory? What is it? What's the meaning behind it? Do they wear it all the time or do they wear it sparingly to keep it safe?

The "bling" item is just about it. Everything else is a matter of convenience.

Change: Has your OC ever drastically changed their appearance? Significant haircuts, big tattoos, complete wardrobe swap, etc? Why? How do they feel about the change?

Hair really is her biggest swing. She's tried color as well as length changes, but it's just more upkeep that she hates commiting to. She's not a big fan of change. At all. And with the threadbare mentality for clothing, she's just been tacking on items here and there for rotation for years.

Alternate: What would your OC's alternate universe look be? If they're a fantasy character, what's their modern look? If they're sci-fi, what's their fantasy look? What AU would you want to see your OC in, and how would they dress themself? Bonus: Prompt an AU!

Well, I've been playing a shit ton of Diablo lately, so I guess I could see her as a rogue or sorcerer. She's quick and resourceful. And I'm sure she would love to throw some flames at quite a few people. Please fuck with her now. Try it. But she'd also get herself into trouble fast.

[starcurtain]

thank you for addressing the Alhaitham and aranara thing!!! loved your critique and explanations! personally I feel overwhelmed with game lore since there's just too much and I think many people like me just tend to forget stuff and then hype over new bits of info?? nice to know that there are people like you who actually remember and understand the lore to analyze and explain these things. it makes me happy

Yeah, I think it's totally fair to be excited about new possibilities and jump on them as inspiration to create new things like fanart and fics!

I just think the Hoyoverse fandoms in particular have a major issue with not being able to distinguish between "This is now my headcanon based on an exciting new hint" and "This is absolutely canon now, and if you think otherwise, you're mischaracterizing."

The moment a lot of people in Hoyo fandoms see a new interpretation on social media or a new tidbit in a Hoyo promotion pop up, they completely rearrange their understanding of the games and characters to suit the new information, usually without checking whether it actually matches canon or not.

And personally I think it's completely cool for people to have headcanons, even really wild and out there headcanons! Even headcanons that contradict canon in the first place! Go for it!!

But I'm just begging people to remember that they can't enforce their headcanons like they're indisputable canon material. Until there is evidence in the game, confirmed word from the developers, or at least some explicit confirmation that the promotional material is fully canon, then whatever takes the fans develop are just fanon and should be treated as such, and people should really be careful not to frame their personal interpretations as canon without at least having some form of evidence from the game itself.

It's like... don't write an essay for school without sources! Don't claim Alhaitham can see aranara without doing your research on aranara!! 😂

[lorasdolly]

I have qualms with two specific points mentioned. One, Caitlyn didn't verbally apologize because the filmmakers executed the "show don't tell" storytelling method. Instead of verbally apologizing, she threw everything away to be with Vi and practically began part of the war.

Two, "My girl Violet, the eldest sibling, ended up depending on an enforcer." I think this point completely ignores Vi's character development of having to be the rock for everybody and finally having someone to rely on. Vi is constantly scared, Vi is not as mentally strong as she is physically made out to be. She has to act as such to protect her loved ones as Powder from the AU mentions. Vi being able to depend and basically having to depend on Caitlyn shows the development from being everybody's protector to being protected.

I'd like to add an extra mention here, this surface leveled take with zero nuance on the sex scene has been (unfortunately) very popular. The scene represented Vi choosing what she wanted to do instead of choosing others above herself for the first time. Caitlyn did not initiate the sex, Vi did. She did this because Jinx approves of her choosing what she desired over the endless urge to save others.

My case is closed.

I’m back only to say thar, as controversial as this might be, caitvi was NOT properly represented.

Sorry but whatever cait did was unjustified. Yeah, sure, she was mourning but.. that doesn’t mean she can’t apologize to Vi for hitting her in the gut for holding her back from shooting a child? I love how this fandom is, now, all about lesbian sex. Feel like if caitvi talked it out, the sex would’ve been so much more emotional. ykwim!

Cait’s logic: “Oh! My wifey’s having a breakout cus her suicidal little sister ran away? Mmm, kinda wanna flirt and have sex with her!”

Also, Cait never got consequences for all the things she did (from her gf). And, I hate how Vi’s potentially was just spat down the drain. My girl violet, the eldest sibling, ended up depending on an enforcer. Cool. Totally cool.

Season two was fucked. Been fucked, I just knew I’d get dragged if I said something.

[beartes22]

Super angry at arc 3 of arcane btw. They rushed to close everything up and it shows

[sherbetlemonss]

Babette angst/lore related art 😋😋

[nikatyler]

let your OCs get a little squishy, it's good for you

[clegfly]

‘Puter mari can’t read rooms. Or screens I guess

[theblogof-rassilon]

Hello Rassilon. Apologies for the deception but I rather wanted to make sure you started reading, so I thought it best not to announce myself. I'm assuming you're alone; you always did prefer to read your Asks in private. I wouldn't try too hard to stop reading, there's every likelihood you'll just hurt yourself. So just listen.

Anon ask of Omega (Your Ex) regarding Rassilon's current partners. Ask begins.

I hope you'll forgive me the self-indulgence, but I have worked so very hard for this moment, a culmination of two centuries of work. It's rare that you get the chance to monologue through another, and you can't tell me you're not curious.

Why does an ex seek to talk about their former partner's lovers?

It's a simple enough answer: for satisfying one's curiosity. Uninspired, perhaps, but my god. The discovery, not simply of the variety of partners you take interest in, but that you would quite willingly date the teacher of one of Gallifrey's most infamous children.

It's a strange thing to know about an ex, but the fascination, Rassilon, the fascination of it all. I have dedicated my afterlife to handing myself knowledge of these partners, and I feel nothing but satisfaction in this choice.

I believe there are far more people in this world that would catch your eye than you would ever guess. And I have preceeded all of them.

Of course, their desires did not manifest overnight. When Tumblr first gathered your romantic intereste – Borusa, Banthony, and the rest – to discuss and hypothesize on the nature of their love for you, I felt what I believe we all felt: jealousy, and anger.

But as attention on Tumblr increased in number and discussion on the greatest partner for you emerged, I began to develop a very specific concern. Banthony was so obsessed with his ideas on you and his marriage, even as our fellows began to flirt and confess our love to you ourselves.

I began to worry that if Banthony successfully attempted to catch your gaze, then I would be as much a victim as any, trapped in the nightmare landscape of a twisted world without your love.

At first, I attempted prevention, but the cause seemed hopeless. The only way to ensure I did not suffer the tribulations of what I believed to be an inevitable confession of love was to stop my own feelings of love. So what began as an experiment soon became a race. I would make you fall in love with Banthony before professing your love to anyone else, therefore eliminating what myself or Borusa's feelings may be.

And there, I think, we are brought just about up to date. I have enjoyed our little trip down memory lane, but past here lies only a happy future for you and Banthony.

Goodbye, Rassilon

- Omega xoxo

I- I don't know what to say.

Omega, if this is really you, if you somehow, by every twist and turn of fate imaginable, survived this long in some form... My love for you has always been the greatest of any I have felt. Never have I loved another in the way I loved you.

But that is in the past. I have to stop letting you hold me back. I made my decision that fateful day; I did what I had to do to reach the top, to shape this society- our society, our dream- in the way that it must be shaped. Gallifrey could never have had two rulers. You knew this going in. And, best of all, dearest love, you knew that I would not be able to stand a threat to my power and my control. So, as much as I loved you, Omega, my sweet Ohm, my darling Peylix, I had to let you go. For us, for our home, for our people, for our dream. For Gallifrey. We would both be dead and gone by now if I had not, but now, you live on in your beautous creations, and in our shared society. Look at our children. At what we have created. This must be enough.

Oh, but my darling, you never could be so easily satisfied.

That is why I loved you. And that is why I had to let you go.

If this really were you, I would say, dearest Ohm, that I am glad you are able to let me go. I know that must be exceedingly difficult. But, I am happy with Borusa, and I do not love Banthony. If I did not have Borusa to think of, perhaps things would be different, and I would honour your wishes. Perhaps, then, you may finally find peace.

I am truly sorry that I must leave you trapped in your death, but you will never be in a world without my love. My love for you transcends the grave- and yes, I know, it must be your grave, my darling, for you cannot have survived beyond. I know, in my hearts, that you are gone and that this cannot be from you, not really, for you are lost to all but my memory.

Goodbye, my love. For whatever isn't left of you, for whatever could have been- my love for you persists even now, across regenerations and across death and across time.

[shsl-analyzer-guy]

finally watched Cobra Kai s6 p2

hey guys. What was that