#especially the depth of having great character flaws as great strengths

[olis-inkwell-symposium]

How to Create a Flawless Villain: A Comprehensive Guide to Crafting Your Perfect Antagonist

Every great story needs a great villain. Whether you’re writing an epic fantasy or a gritty thriller, the villain is often the character readers can’t forget. They’re complex, morally grey, and create tension that drives the story forward. But how do you avoid clichés and create a villain who sticks with readers long after the book is closed? Let’s dive deep into the art of villain creation, exploring their psychological makeup, societal role, and relationships with the hero. We’ll also touch on how esoteric philosophies or occultism can shape their worldview, motivating them to chase power, forbidden knowledge, or even reshape reality itself.

Core Identity and Origins

A villain’s origin story is the root of their motivations. Were they betrayed by those they trusted? Once a noble hero, now twisted by tragedy? Crafting a rich backstory will set the stage for whom they become.

Name and Meaning: Choose a name that reflects their essence or offers an ironic twist. Consider names rooted in ancient languages, forbidden texts, or alchemical symbols if your villain is into esoteric or occult knowledge.

Defining Childhood Event: What critical moment led them to this path? A betrayal, a prophecy, or perhaps a dark inheritance? This event should haunt them, driving their desire for revenge, power, or forbidden enlightenment.

Motivations, Desires, and Philosophy

Villains aren’t evil for the sake of it. Their motivations—whether it’s control, vengeance, or the pursuit of something beyond mortality—must be clear and compelling.

Primary Goal: What is their ultimate aim? Power, control, or maybe freedom from their own pain? If they’re driven by esoteric philosophies, perhaps they seek to transcend the mortal realm or unlock the universe's hidden truths.

Inner Desires: Beyond their surface goals, what do they truly long for? To become one with a cosmic force? To destroy the current reality and rebuild it in their own image?

Occult and Esoteric Motivations: Do they crave ancient knowledge? Are they obsessed with dark gods, lost magical practices, or the mysteries of existence? These deeper motivations give your villain texture, turning them into something more than just an antagonist.

Psychological and Emotional Depth

To make your villain fully realized, dig into their mind and emotions. They’re driven by traumas, fears, and warped worldviews—making them unpredictable and dangerous.

IQ and Emotional Intelligence: Is your villain a cold mastermind or someone who operates on gut emotion, manipulating others through fear or charisma? Are they emotionally detached or frighteningly intuitive about others’ desires and fears?

Philosophical Depth: Does your villain have a worldview rooted in esoteric thought? Perhaps they believe in alchemical transformation or view themselves as a chosen agent of cosmic order (or chaos).

Fear and Trauma: What do they fear most? Losing control? Facing an entity more powerful than them? How do their traumas influence their choices?

Powers, Strengths, and Weaknesses

Your villain’s abilities should reflect their inner self. Whether they dominate through sheer strength or subtle manipulation, their powers, and weaknesses make them memorable.

Unique Powers: Can they control dark forces or warp reality? Perhaps they’ve mastered necrotic magic or gained immortality at a great cost. Their powers should align with their motivations—reflecting their esoteric pursuits or thirst for control.

Weaknesses: Every great villain has a flaw. Are they vulnerable to their own hubris, bound by cosmic forces they can’t fully control, or haunted by their mortality? This flaw should not only humanize them but also create a vulnerability in their power.

Relationships and Rivalries

Villains thrive in their relationships with others—especially with the hero. Craft dynamic relationships to give your villain emotional stakes.

Relationship with the Hero: The best villain-hero dynamics are deeply personal. Maybe the hero represents a path the villain once rejected. Perhaps they’re old allies, or twisted reflections of one another.

Esoteric Mentors or Rivals: Who taught your villain their dark arts? Did a mentor pass on forbidden knowledge, or does a rival compete for the same cosmic power?

Arc and Transformation

Villains should evolve. Show how they became who they are, whether through corruption or a gradual descent into darkness.

Origin of Villainy: Were they once idealistic, only to be warped by ambition or dark forces? What pushed them from seeking enlightenment to seeking dominance? Their fall from grace should feel inevitable, tied to their deepest desires.

Villain’s Endgame: What do they ultimately want? Is their goal to transcend mortality or reshape reality? By the end of the story, their final form should feel like the culmination of everything they’ve sacrificed.

Visual and Symbolic Representation

Villains often have visual cues that represent their power or past. Their appearance should reflect their inner darkness and esoteric connections.

Appearance: Do they bear occult symbols, alchemical tattoos, or physical scars from dark rituals? Their look should reflect their journey into darkness.

Symbolism: Consider what motifs represent your villain—death, chaos, transformation. These should be woven into their appearance, powers, and actions.

Legacy and Role in the World

Even after your villain is defeated, their influence should remain. They might leave behind followers, secret societies, or prophecies that keep their legacy alive.

Impact on Society: How does your villain shape the world? Do they leave behind grimoires, magical artifacts, or a legacy of fear? Their reign should leave scars that ripple long after they’re gone.

Villain’s Endgame: Whether they succeed or fail, what was their ultimate goal? Were they trying to unravel reality itself, merge with cosmic forces, or create a utopia in their image?

Twists, Secrets, and Moral Complexity

Villains become iconic when they are morally complex. Add twists to make them more than just evil—they might believe they’re saving the world in their own way.

Secret Past or Hidden Identity: Does your villain have a dark secret, perhaps a heroic past or a forbidden bloodline? These secrets add layers to their character, making them more unpredictable.

Moral Complexity: Does your villain believe their actions are necessary for balance? Are they more tragic than evil, motivated by a cosmic truth that others can’t see?

By incorporating esoteric philosophies and occult influences, your villain can become a driving force not just against the hero but against the very fabric of the world. Let’s create formidable villains that’ll haunt readers long after turning the final page.

[dragonageconfessions]

Full Confession Under the Cut due to Length

CONFESSION:

I find it fascinating to experience how my views on companions change the older I get. I first played as a young teenager many, many years ago. I adored Alistair (not hardened), loved Zevran (but not that he left a romanced Warden), and wanted to appease Morrigan and force her to stay. Aveline was great and without bias, Anders was okay and great to romance, Isabela and Varric were some I only brought for the story and left alone in the background, Carver was just a brat, Bethany could do no wrong, Leandra was a good mom, and Fenris was grumpy but my favorite.

Now? Alistair is too immature and naïve to be king. Zevran is easy to know on surface level but has so much depth that I couldn’t understand before. Morrigan never had a childhood and I mourn in her place for having had an abusive mother and just wish for her to be free to do what she wants. Aveline is sometimes too stubborn and stuck in her ways (and she and Isabela should stop agitating each other). Anders feels uncomfortably clingy and breaks boundaries in a bad way. Isabela is super intelligent and a real friend, and deliberately hides her softer feelings. Varric is a true, unwavering friend (not to underestimate that, it's difficult to find). Carver just wants to be his own person. Bethany has a lot of self-hatred. Leandra has major flaws. And Fenris’ trauma is so raw and genuine, I’m in awe of his character every time he’s on screen.

I love all the characters (also those I didn't mention). They were written to feel like actual people with real strengths, weaknesses, and flaws, and I especially appreciate all that they are now that I can understand the depth that was hiding underneath. Sometimes it just takes a couple of years. 

[velvet4510]

let’s talk about LOTR book vs. movie differences.

Overall, I prefer the book over the movies. The book just has even more depth, even more great character moments, and of course, all the lore (particularly the appendices) that could never be squeezed into a film, even a film trilogy.

The movies were perfectly cast - every actor was born to play their respective role - with magnificent direction, music, cinematography, and SFX. But the script has many problems when compared to the book.

These are, IMO, the worst changes that the films made (in no particular order):

Far too much emphasis on action/battle scenes. Helm’s Deep is 1 chapter long in the book but the equivalent of at least 5 chapters long in the movie. Ridiculous. LOTR has action scenes, but it is not an action story.

Frodo sending Sam away and going into Shelob’s lair without him. Everything about this added scene is an absolute atrocity. Enough said.

The entire butchering of Faramir. It’s really quite tragic. For the sake of drama, the films stripped Faramir of everything that makes him the incredible character that he is in the book.

Deleting the Scouring of the Shire. I get why (pacing), but it’s the true climax to the hobbits’ storyline and character arcs, and is just a better ending IMO.

Not including any of Frodo’s moments of impressive strength from the book (saving his friends from the Barrow-wight, fighting back against the Nazgûl at Weathertop, defying the Nazgûl at the ford, saving Boromir from a troll in Moria, and choosing all by himself to go to Mordor alone). He has so many bad*ss moments in the book that Elijah Wood would’ve nailed, but the movies made him too helpless and didn’t give a true talent like Elijah nearly as much to work with. (Elijah himself, though, is absolute perfection in the role, and it pains me to think how many great moments from the book he was robbed of.)

Cutting Tolkien’s beautiful songs, especially the “Man in the Moon” from the Prancing Pony. Why couldn’t the film have been part-musical???

Gandalf’s fall looks like he just…lets go. For some reason. In the book, the Balrog’s whip drags him down immediately, but onscreen he grabs onto the cliff and then lets go himself. Makes no sense.

All the stupid hamfisted foreshadowing of Boromir’s attempted theft of the Ring. The script bashes it over our heads, especially in Galadriel’s scene, and I have no idea why any of this was added. Why not just show Boromir glancing at Frodo and the Ring several times, like the book describes? That’s all that was needed.

Making so many jokes at Gimli’s expense because of his height and reducing him to mere comic relief. In the book his character is treated with dignity and has such depth.

Reducing Faramir and Éowyn’s phenomenal love story to a single 30-second scene. Screw pacing, those two deserved a full half hour (at the very least) of screentime dedicated to just them.

The butchering of Tolkien’s point about the Ring’s power by making Isildur’s failure seem like a personal flaw, to the point where it’s the reason Aragorn doesn’t want to be king. A refusal to destroy the Ring isn’t about the Ring-bearer’s own internal character; it’s about how the Ring’s power is absolute and no mortal has a chance of directly destroying it. Elrond, Gandalf, Aragorn, et. al. are fully aware of this in Tolkien’s canon. This change makes it seem like there’s something wrong with Isildur and Frodo specifically for not destroying the Ring.

Cutting the pivotal moment of Sam’s entire character arc where he takes the Ring from Frodo’s body, decides to try to continue the Quest alone, and then wears the Ring to hide from the Orcs. The movies just cut all of this critical content just for the sake of a surprise reveal of “omg Sam’s got the Ring!”

Deleting the CRUCIAL scene where Frodo curses Gollum outside the Cracks of Doom. The whole point of Gollum’s fall is that it’s not caused by a physical struggle between him and Frodo (as the movie portrays), but rather by his own actions, breaking his oath to Frodo and ignoring the warning within Frodo’s curse. The movie instead makes it into the climax of a typical action film.

Apparently this doesn’t bother most fans, but it most certainly bothers me: reducing Rosie to distant eye candy for Sam who he’s never talked to. In the book their relationship is so much more substantial because they grew up together and know each other inside & out and Sam’s love for her actually feels real. In the movies, the relationship just feels so shallow.

Referring to Frodo’s ride to Valinor as “the last ship to leave Middle-Earth.” A flat-out lie when you know Tolkien’s canon, completely ignoring the fact that Sam will be allowed to sail West eventually and they will reunite. They don’t even include Frodo’s line “your time may come, Sam.”

Sam, Rosie, and their children apparently not living in Bag End at the end. One of the book’s most beautiful developments is that after years of being too big for bachelors, Frodo’s generous parting gift to Sam finally enables Bag End to be a family home. It shocks me that the trilogy ends on a closeup of a random yellow hobbit-hole door instead of Bag End’s iconic green door.

On the other hand, there are a few book-to-film changes that I really like:

Arwen helping Frodo at the Ford instead of Glorfindel. I just love the idea of giving Arwen something important to do in the actual narrative, besides just being Aragorn’s wife. At the same time, as I said, I feel like the way the film did it made Frodo too helpless. My ideal version would be a mix of the two: Arwen meets the travellers in Glorfindel’s place but then sends Frodo off on her horse by himself, like Glorfindel does.

Boromir training and playing with Merry & Pippin.

Boromir carrying Frodo out of Moria.

“Give them a moment, for pity’s sake!”

Boromir saying “they took the little ones” instead of “they took the halflings.”

My favorite of all of the screenwriters’ additions that aren’t in the book is the immortal “Roast chicken” exchange.

Giving Théoden a sadder, more realistic reaction to his only child’s death.

Just giving Éowyn more screen time and showing why she falls in love with Aragorn. In the book, she only talks to him a few times and her love for him feels quite rushed; one of the book’s few flaws, in my mind.

Pippin being the one to directly save Faramir by jumping onto the pyre and rolling him off of it to safety.

Denethor realizing too late that Faramir is alive; a heartbreaking moment.

Théoden getting to see that Éowyn is the one who saved him and say a proper goodbye to her. It’s so unsatisfying in the book how he never knows she was there; I much prefer how Éowyn in the movie gets that moment of closure with her beloved uncle.

“I can carry you!” is the scene with the greatest page-to-screen adaptation, hands down. Everything from the acting to the gut-wrenching addition of “do you remember the Shire?” to the music is flawless. Makes me choke up every single time without fail.

The Ring lingering on the lava’s surface, trying to survive, and only melting when Frodo chooses Sam over it. Absolutely phenomenal.

Frodo saying “I’m glad to be with you” to Sam on Mt. Doom instead of “I’m glad you’re with me.”

“You bow to no one.”

Expanding the timeline of Frodo’s last months in the Shire after their return from 2 years to 4 years. I love Jackson for gifting Frodo more time in the Shire before his departure than Tolkien gave him.

I’d love to hear other people’s thoughts about their favorite and least favorite book-to-film changes!

[let-us-cultivate-our-garden]

have you read (ugh) Harry Potter and if so how do you compare it to TOH ( also let’s burn Rowling at a stake lmao)

I grew up with Harry Potter so it was a pretty big part of my childhood. It was a fun, fantasy series that inspired millions of children worldwide and had a considerable impact on children's literature. Given its popularity and position in the zeitgeist, it was inevitable that people would be inspired by it, analyze it, criticize it, mock it, etc.

Now I haven't read HP in a long time and it's been a hot minute since I've watched the movies but I think I remember enough. It's also difficult (and probably unfair) to compare TOH and HP because one has 7 books in which to expand its lore and characters while the former only had effectively 2 1/2 seasons. But let's try any way. This got long so there will be more after the cut:

The Owl House is a structurally flawed show and it has a glaring blindspot in how its poc characters are treated but at least it doesn't have offensive tropes such as Jewish-coded goblins and elves who are happy to be slaves.

TOH's biggest strength is probably the likability of its characters and how easy it is to project onto them; Eda is the fun and sassy mentor but struggles with a terrible curse that many people read as a metaphor for chronic illness. Luz is your typical kid protagonist who is curious, excitable, and struggled to fit in at school. Amity was the perfectionist bully but secretly has a soft side. These are all good archetypes for your characters and it's easy to see why they're appealing.

On the other hand, I feel like HP's biggest strength is its world building: Hogwarts feels like a place the reader can step into as do Knockturn Alley, Gringotts, Grimauld Place, the Burrow, 2 Privet Drive, etc. The fact that I can still name all of these places shows the culture impact HP had and just how immersive the books were (and of course, how the movies brought them to life).

I think a big part of this is how HP incorporates magic into its universe: Hogwarts has the moving staircases, a ghost haunting the girl's toilet, floating candles in the Great Hall, the magic makes the setting come alive. When Harry said that Hogwarts was his home, many readers felt the same way.

When I think of the Boiling Isles, I think of how small it feels; there's Hexside, the Emperor's Castle, and the titular Owl House but aside from the last one, none of these places really stand out design wise or even emotionally. Hexside is just another fantasy school except with teeth, and the Castle is just a generic evil overlord castle. And the Owl House only stands out because of Hooty, without him, it's just another house.

As for the magic itself?

Well, the magic in TOH is really inconsistent, especially the glyphs. Here's a post that goes in depth on how poorly the glyphs were incorporated into the show. It's also not terribly creative with its magic: Willow is a plant witch but we only ever see her attack with vines and Gus' Illusion magic is explored in one, maybe two episodes. The only new element that is interesting is Abomination magic, which looks cool but it's basically water bending with goo.

For a show set in another world, it doesn't really do much to distinguish itself from Earth outside of the aesthetics; there's social media, movies, a job fair, and people treat covens like college degrees (which has enormous implications for how poorly done the EC is). It doesn't feel like you're in another world and I think a big part of that is the lack of whimsy in the show.

When Harry Potter explored the castle, the reader did as well, and we were just as amazed and impressed as he was. As Harry explored the wizarding world and all of its creatures and inhabitants, that sense of whimsy and awe never faded. I never got that sense of whimsy when Luz was exploring the Boiling Isles, it felt too similar to home.

If the show had spent more time in season 1 establishing its tone and identity instead of making fun of HP or fantasy tropes in general then we wouldn't have this problem. Hexside is especially guilty of this: look! here's our Parody Sorting Hat! check out our broom game that has nonsensical rules! take that Harry Porber!

As it stands, TOH looks good on paper but it botches the execution of its interesting ideas and concepts. I can see why so many people love it though because some of the things the characters go through are Relatable but for me, I've seen all of this done before and better in other media. If it came out years ago, perhaps it would have left a bigger mark on me, but in the end, TOH has very nice designs but it's undercooked.

[yumedoca]

About UY fanfiction: I might have asked you about that partially because I don't think I have had the best experience with it so far and I wanted to know if you maybe had a different experience from me and I was just unlucky with what I found. Of course, I'm glad there is fanfiction for UY and I'm thankful for all the writers for all of their work (I have even read a bunch of works from the 90s!). But some of the works I've read so far tend to bash or, at the very least, "severely criticize" the characters, especially Lum (and almost never Ataru). I've started to think that maybe the comedy just doesn't translate well? These works look into Lum's shocks very seriously, and the way most of the characters are looked at is really like Ataru is being abused by everyone around him: by his parents who say they regret having him, by his friends and colleagues who physically assault him (like Mendou and the Stormstroopers but also characters like Shinobu) and, of course, by Lum with her shocks and controlling behavior. To me, it was like Ataru's own flaws and bad behavior were glossed over too much. But maybe if we were to take all that happens in the UY universe seriously, it really is that bad for Ataru and he's being surrounded only by people who severely mistreat him. And there are a couple of good works too, of course! There are some promising stories on archiveofourown but they are currently incomplete. And the best complete story I've read so far has to be "Lum Gets Grounded". The romance and the characters are handled well, with the characters still being themselves, both flawed and lovely.

Hai again, hope you're doing great!!

You know what? After reading this, I somewhat see the connection between the fic ask and the slapstick ask..

Honestly, one of the smaller reasons I haven't checked out fanfiction yet is because there's a part of me which worries about how true the characters feel to the original. For someone who's quite nitpicky as me, I feel like that wouldn't work out for me.. But then again, I can't expect everyone to instantly understand how the characters really are including all their flaws, strengths and depths since not everyone may be able to get it.

About the characters being severely criticized' bit, all I have to say is that how they treat Ataru is not all that serious, it wasn't supposed to be and it never will be. To me it seems like the writers just didn't fully get that aspect despite it being the bread and butter of the series.

To me, loving and enjoying a character entirely means to accept both their positives and negatives. And yeah, Ataru would be a poor soul if he truly was innocent, but he isn't. He's a pervert, he's selfish, he's a jerk and most of the trouble he winds up in usually is because he's somehow the original cause for it. It's not fair at all to act like these flaws don't exist.

The UY world shouldn't be taken realistically at all. It is fiction and should be seen as such. I mean, realistically, Ataru's sexual harassment would be a serious case, wouldn't it? So you can't just talk about how he is mistreated when seen through a realistic perspective without considering the other side of the coin.

'Lum Gets Grounded' sounds nice and I'll make sure to check it out! And actually, sometime after you send this ask @sarinatendouji reblogged the fic ask with two fic reccs (thanks again, btw :D), even if those were for me, I'll still share them in case you haven't read it.

And lastly, I'm doing fine and your welcome, it was a pleasure to answer your questions and you don't need to worry about that since many people send asks in that same manner, it's pretty common, really.

[poisonedfate]

for the character ask game

Elyan with number 6, 14, and 20

arthur with number 7, 8, and 19

gwen with 5, 7, and 22

hi angel!

elyan -

6. What's something you have in common with this character?

our urge to just...disappear sometimes <3 and if that's not enough, perhaps the mom friend vibes. they come across differently - he's the protective kind, i'm more the "what do you need, i got it" kind, but i recon we're both similar in the "lecture them into take a break" way

14. Assign a fashion aesthetic to this character.

another bad mood board incoming... i call this: big hoodie, cool pant, silly ass accessories couture

20. Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn't matter?

i am tempted to say precival or gwaine, but honestly...i think him and lancelot would've been great together. they're both serious enough to play off each other, and i think they both have the silent chaos vibe. elyan is a tad bit more serious in my head and lancelot is obviously the more chaotic one, but i think that's what would've made them great friends. there's just something about them that goes so well together in my mind.

arthur -

7. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

i LOVE when people put him under the microscope. there are so many interesting characters in merlin, but arthur is so truly dysfunctional in different ways. it all plays so well into his upbringing and his relationships and it's always a good time when we get into dissecting him

8. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

make him black and white. he's not a saint, but he's also not the most horrible person to exist. yes, he obviously did things that weren't always completely justifiable (merlin fandom buzz word of the week/month), but he's also not popping around the kingdom being malicious on purpose at all times of the day. characters have flaws and characters have depth and built foundations of who they are and who they're becoming. it's okay to discuss these things and even dislike them or attempt to reason them, however i don't appreciate the idea that he has to be either completely good or completely evil. good people do bad things and vice versa, but beyond that - characters are allowed to make mistakes and they're allowed to do things you disagree with. they're allowed to do things that aren't justifiable or even understandable, they're allowed to be dysfunctional and wrong. none of it has the be taken as the be all end all.

19. How about a relationship they have in canon that you don't like?

again, the kind of easy answer here is uther or agravaine, but it's not even that i dislike them. they're uncomfortable or maddening, but they're interesting. i can't think of a single relationship i dislike, though perhaps i can twist this and say that i simply wish we had more of him and leon, i would've loved to see more of their dynamic.

gwen -

5. What's the first song that comes to mind when you think about them?

i'm horrible at these but i went through my playlists and i'm assigning her hello cold world by paramore

7. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

try and wife her up any chance they get <3 no, really, i love to see people loving her and i especially love it when people talk about her in a way that highlights her courage and her intellect and her strength.

22. If you're a fic reader, what's something you like in fics when it comes to ths character? Something you don't like?

i love when she's chaotic in fics - in on the jokes etc etc. i don't like it when she's there only as a plot point.

[kustas]

Finished: Soul Eater

one of the earliest manga I've read and probably the first who I got to follow as it came out? This was a reread I started years ago and halted because I got bored.

shonen battles ain't my forte so a lot of the ending arc was boring to me. What shines through during the whole series is that it's simultaneously very unserious, while earnest in its message of friendship, real good shonen ingredients. Recently saw someone mention they loved the series so much "because the characters are all friends" and yeah, they are, they love to chill with each other and the plot slowly builds up their little group together, each playing off with and learning to understand each other's strengths before they can all come together with that final combo attack. The individual characters all have strong, fun personalities and while I got a bit lost at times because of my reading hiatus I never felt like the cast was too big to remember.

writing wise nothing extraordinary about the plot. Characters themselves are fun and strangely human in their depth and flaws and the banter and drama between them is what saves this all alongsides a simple premise. Some of the humor is rather hit or miss, with basic running gags and immature titty jokes during the whole runtime, most of the latter they removed for the anime adaptation which was a blessing bc it's at best annoying and at worst super creepy, they're teens, yo

artwise, it's a manga that has STYLE. some of the best character designs I can name in the game. The pages themselves evolve over time into a style I'm not super fond of, but the chapter and volume covers consistently pop out with some art style experimentations towards more stylized or even abstract stuff which definitely left a permanent mark on my then-preteen brain and continue to fuck hard.

because of the lengths of the combat especially during the last arc, I'll recommend the show over the manga, as it's shorter (a the expense of some plot beats) and in being insanely well animated, turns the fighting from a bore into something real fun to witness. The show was abridged into a totally different ending which stays in the spirit of the original and makes for a great complimentary story. it'll likely remain for some time the only anime I recommend over the source manga

[neonanima]

i just finished narutaru (aka shadow star) and i can't stop thinking about it. it's so full of problems, especially the last few volumes, but i struggle to think of any anime/comic i've liked so much despite so many flaws.

spoilers abound, and this probably won't be interesting if you haven't read the manga, anyway.

from a creator standpoint, i'm paying attention to the fact that kitoh's use of duality and jungian archetypes seems to be what makes it so effective, although the former is part of what makes it so messy and needlessly convoluted. it seems like kitoh's goal was to present almost all characters in pairs with their opposite. the first and best example of this is shiina and akira, shiina being light/optimism/strength and akira being darkness/pessimism/weakness.

kitoh keeps on (and keeps on and keeps on) introducing new characters and it definitely gets tiresome when you're three volumes from the end and there's a new side character/side story, but one of the ways he makes them easier to digest and more integrated into the story is to immediately establish them as a reflection or contrast to another character. when hirono is reintroduced in vol. 6, we're following her struggle with bullying and her isolation is juxtaposed with akira's. it ends up being one of the most interesting and emotional conversations of the series, as a result, although i think hirono only has about three chapters of "screen time."

to make sure every character has a foil/opposite is one of the ways he makes each one seem to have more depth. tsurumaru being really enthusiastic about procreating is a bizarre and repugnant character trait, for example, but when he's juxtaposed with the hollow, uncaring, passionless naozumi, what he symbolizes seems more important and interesting.

you quickly see the problem with relying too much on the dualism approach, though. shiina and akira spend half the manga being clear and understandable opposites, for example, before akira's role is abruptly diminished and she's replaced at the end with kuri, who explains that she's the shadow to shiina's light. it would have been way more effective to nix the kuri character and have akira fill her role. i'm baffled as to why kitoh didn't do this, but i suspect when he started focusing the characters as playing symbolic dualistic roles, he was a bit blinded to simple ways to tighten dynamics and give them greater emotional impact.

stories that heavily employ jungian archetypes (shadow self, anima, great mother, etc.) and subconscious symbolism always seem to have this lingering grip on my psyche (the last ones that i remember feeling similarly about were the nightmare alley novel and overdue rewatch of evangelion). they still seem so mysterious and meaningful to me even when i can consciously recognize what the creator is doing. it makes me wonder just how sloppily you can use these devices and still have the same effect.

[housewarningparty]

3 and 25

3. What were your top five books of the year?

Alright HERE'S where I'm gonna answer for series - I already had a separate answer for standalone books

1. The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik (Scholomance #3) - LOVED this conclusion to the Scholomance trilogy. I read books 1 and 2 during December 2022 and did 3 in the first week of January and it was one of the most satisfying conclusions to a series I've ever read. And I'm NOT just saying that bc it's the book where most of the gay shit happens. Leaving the school and having the world open up so much felt so good. I love Orion but having him out of the way for most of the book felt like a good choice to me - it made a lot of room for El's relationships with other characters and the role she decides to take on in the fight against mals. I remember at some point while I was reading the earlier books skimming past some essay or other identifying the Scholomance as like a climate change metaphor and being so puzzled by it - and then getting to the end of Golden Enclaves and being like OHHHH. YEAH. I GET IT.

2. Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee (Green Bone Saga #3) - AGAIN talk about satisfying conclusions. I know some people didn't like this book as much especially bc of issues they have with Hilo at the beginning but to me it all felt in character and didn't diminish anything about my enjoyment. I enjoy how often Lee takes the time to remind the audience that the characters are flawed and sometimes petty or foolish or cruel, even while you root for them. The scale of this book surprised me - SO much time passes, the characters and the world all change so much. I was genuinely shocked by some of the things that happened in this book. I've still got Jade Shards and The Jade Setter of Janloon to go, but man am I gonna be sad to say goodbye to this setting (at least for a while). Absolutely one of my all-time favorite fantasy series of all time now.

3. The Traitor by Anthony Ryan (Covenant of Steel #3) - honestly this could be any of the Covenant of Steel books. I just finished The Traitor this past weekend but this isn't a recency bias thing - I read The Pariah and The Martyr back to back in August. There's something I really love about Ryan's style - his characters are fucked up but compelling, his worlds feel accessible but still like they have depth and intricacy. I love his Seven Swords novellas and I'm constantly trying to get people to read them bc I think they're a great way to get a taste for his strengths as a writer and hopefully enough to whet your appetite for a more complex, in depth series like Covenant. The books are detailed and they definitely have some parts that can drag a little - but when you DO get hooked they're just propulsive. Super compelling low fantasy that builds and builds in really interesting ways. Great characters.

4. Before They are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie (First Law Book #2) - alright First Law is like TRUE grimdark. Seriously - the end of the final book was extremely brutal. Which is why book 2 ended up being my favorite of the first trilogy, actually. Before They are Hanged is the most straightforward adventure story of the bunch and it has a relatively optimistic ending. There are still gruesome and brutal things happening on the page (and frequently!) but there's such a strong sense of momentum building. The character work for Jezal in this book is so damn good - Abercrombie got me to do a full 180 on him here. (And a 360 by the third book lmao). Abercrombie is a masterful writer, the dark humor running through the story helps keep it readable when things get very bleak.

5. The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan (Empire of the Wolf #1) - another grimdark fantasy that whips ass tbh. Really great low fantasy setting. Something I really enjoyed in Empire of the Wolf books AND in the Covenant of Steel is the conflict between state power and religious power and how the people losing the most are the commons in the middle. Justice of Kings sets this up beautifully - I loved the way it slowly zooms out to this larger world-altering conflict after beginning the story as a sort of medieval fantasy murder-mystery. I also think the magic system is so cool and scary. The atmosphere in this book was incredible too - even just thinking back on it makes everything feel miserable and wet and tense despite the fact that as I write this it's kind of picturesquely sunny with white fluffy clouds outside for me. (I DO have to finish the follow-up book Tyranny of Faith, but I think I'll probably pull that off in January next year tbh)

25. What reading goals do you have for next year?

I wanna continue on with more series! And I want to keep challenging myself with long books. I got some Tad Williams stuff in a humble bundle earlier this year, so I'm thinking of taking on Memory Sorrow and Thorn next year as a way to satisfy this desire. A little intimidated by the length but I think it could end up being v rewarding.

End of Year Book Asks

[scmoobly]

I seriously love Erics world building but me personally I think it’s so low-fantasy. It’s a great start but we barely see a lot about the world even inside dahlia I’m just itching for more lore! I mean i ask myself every time what do you even do at DAMN? Do they do enchantments? Do they have spellbooks? Can they create magical objects? Can people who are not werewolves transform into animals? Is there magic that can teleport people or is that strictly for demons/daemons? What kind of races besides the ones mentioned are there? So on and so forth.

It may be just because I’m the kind of person who really enjoys in-depth lore videos because if Eric just did a video of him rambling for like 20-30min I wouldn’t even be making this. The concepts he has right now are awesome like dump, connections with other realities and magical colleges I just want MORE. Gimme stuff to write with I want to know about some historical events, overseas governmental systems, pre-college magical training, sports, JOBS AND CAREERS(what the hell is someone supposed to do after going to damn??? Just get a job in administration??? No??) I just want more stuff my dude I’m starving over hereeee

ANON SPEAKING MY LANGUAGE!!

I agree so much with this, especially with such a broad genre as fantasy. One answered question leads to a trail of mini-questions which don't seem to be answered as often as one would like.

It's also quite sad that when I'm craving for lore or story, I always have to go back to the Imperium, which is a different reality entirely??? Tell me more about the character's powers, backgrounds, hierarchies, flaws, restrictions, strengths, and history etc. Give me details. AND MORE ON JOB OPPORTUNITIES AFTER DAMN YES ANON LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK.

While I'm definitely aching to learn more about Erik's little universe, he is just one person and probably working to the best of his abilities. It's quite sad that lore-based videos don't get as many views as the other audios do, which can be discouraging in its way BUT THIS IS A CALLING TO YOU ERIK WE LOVE REDACTEDVERSE AND WE WANT TO KNOW MORE.

At this point mans should just write a book about it.

Keep it away from Netflix tho or istg-

🫂 Hug for Anon, thank you for sharing ♡

[thevalleyisjolly]

for the fandom of your choice/whatever is more applicable (although if u have any spicy d20 takes 👀👀): 3, 5, 7, 13 and 18

Ooh, thanks Jack! Had curry for lunch today so I'm full of spice and ready to let loose!

3. screenshot or description of the worst take you've seen on tumblr

I stay out of the general tags for a reason, but my top 3 all fall along the same lines - the idea that K is a "toxic" person to pair with Evan because they don't really "see" him for him (...which is exactly the flaw and the room for growth that Erika built into the character), the idea that Ricky was "bullying" Cody because he was upset about Cody's cultural appropriation, and the whole non-consensual brain surgery thing with Norman.

(The common theme is people accusing Asian PCs of being mean to their white faves and therefore deserving of all sorts of bad things. Funny how that's happened not once, not twice, but thrice, huh)

5. worst discord server and why

As most of my friends and IRL classmates can tell you, I'm not super active on Discord and am horrible at answering messages in a timely fashion, so I don't actually have a server that I particularly dislike!

7. what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them?

Keradin, Limon, and Evan Kelmp are the first ones that spring to mind. Keradin actually has some interesting character beats and flaws but I've never seen anyone try to engage with him as his own character, they just interpret everything he does as part of a relationship dynamic with Lapin. Limon is a fucking background comedic NPC and I am still annoyed that during and after the season, people were willing to credit him with so much complexity and interiority while downplaying/outright shitting on the actual PCs.

With Evan, I'm not a huge fan of the character concept to begin with but I'm even more livid that in one of the most diverse D20 seasons, fandom actively sidetracked and ignored and even denigrated every other character in favour of the sad white boy played by the sole white player at the table. To be clear, Brennan is great, nothing against the man, but I was in the tags when the season aired live and about 95% of the posts were Evan-centred. Sam, Whitney, and K barely showed up unless they were interacting with Evan or did a particularly funny bit. And that's not even getting into the hate and criticism that got thrown at K for daring to be in a mutual romantic relationship with Evan.

13. worst blorboficiation

See previous question, but oddly enough, I also feel like Emily gets this treatment sometimes? It's complicated because there's one portion of the fandom that acts like she's a terrible chaotic player who keeps trying to fuck up Brennan's plans for shits and giggles (which is outright wrong and misogynistic) and then there's another portion that acts like Emily's characters can do no wrong and Emily may in fact be the only player at the table who knows what she's doing at any given point in time while the rest of them are just comedic yahoos fumbling their way through dice rolls and jokes. Which, placing women on a pedestal is in fact also sexist, and it's not any better than the misogyny you're responding to. It's a huge disservice to the cast and it's especially a huge disservice to Emily - she creates incredibly complex and well thought out characters who have their strengths and their flaws, and acting like they're all perfect girlbosses who are right even when they're wrong erases so much of the depth that Emily put into them.

18. it's absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on...

I mean, we all know my answer is of course going to be Cumulous Rocks, but as per a recent post of mine (and many posts in the past), the answer is also more broadly applicable to Zac and pretty much all of his PCs.

[bookhavenblog]

Why Do We Love Page-Turners? Key Ingredients Explained

Ever found yourself up way past bedtime, utterly unable to put a book down? We’ve all been there—captivated by a story that keeps us turning page after page. But what exactly makes a book so gripping that it becomes impossible to put down? Let’s dive into the elements that make a book a page-turner, from unforgettable characters to relentless pacing and a plot full of surprises. 1. Characters We Root For At the heart of every great page-turner are characters who feel real, relatable, and complex. Readers don’t just want to read about characters; they want to connect with them, feel their struggles, and cheer on their victories. When a character is faced with compelling challenges or undergoes meaningful growth, readers can’t help but invest emotionally. Think of characters like Harry Potter, Lisbeth Salander, or Katniss Everdeen—each with their own strengths, flaws, and motivations that make them unforgettable. A story becomes addictive when readers feel like they’re walking alongside characters they care about. 2. High Stakes and Consequences A book becomes unputdownable when the stakes are high. When there’s a lot on the line, whether it’s life, love, reputation, or justice, readers are drawn into the suspense of what will happen next. Page-turners are often built around the potential for loss or disaster, making each choice feel critical. This sense of urgency keeps the reader emotionally invested and creates that need to keep reading to find out if the characters will succeed or fail. In thrillers and mysteries especially, high stakes are essential to build suspense and keep readers on the edge of their seats. 3. Pacing That Flows A fast-paced narrative is essential for a page-turner. It’s not necessarily about having action in every chapter but rather a rhythm that keeps the story moving forward. Skillful pacing involves balancing intense, action-packed scenes with quieter moments of reflection, which allows the reader to catch their breath but not lose interest. Authors like James Patterson and Lee Child are masters of pacing, making their books feel like one continuous, gripping flow. Short, punchy chapters can add to this effect, as they create a natural impulse to “just read one more.” 4. Surprising Twists and Turns Unexpected twists are a hallmark of page-turners. A well-timed twist can completely change the direction of the story, shocking the reader and reinvigorating their interest. Great twists don’t come out of nowhere; they’re carefully set up, making sense in hindsight even if they’re surprising in the moment. These twists can be large plot reveals or smaller, emotional turns that add depth to characters. Whether it’s a surprising betrayal, a secret revealed, or a sudden shift in the story’s trajectory, these moments make a story feel alive and unpredictable. 5. A Relentless Antagonist Every good story needs conflict, and one of the most compelling sources is a strong antagonist. Whether it’s a villain, a personal struggle, or an external threat, the antagonist forces the protagonist to rise to the challenge. A well-developed antagonist adds tension and urgency to the story, raising the stakes and making each decision more consequential. Great antagonists, like Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes or President Snow in The Hunger Games, aren’t just obstacles; they challenge the protagonist on a deeper level, creating a battle that resonates with readers and keeps them hooked. 6. Mystery and Unanswered Questions A sense of mystery can be a powerful driving force in a page-turner. By leaving certain questions unanswered, an author invites readers to actively speculate and engage with the story. Mysteries, whether they’re the whodunit in a detective novel or a hidden truth in a drama, create an irresistible urge to keep reading to uncover the answers. When every answer brings another question, the suspense intensifies, drawing readers further into the story. Mystery doesn’t just apply to thrillers; it’s equally effective in romance, historical fiction, and fantasy, where secrets can add layers to the narrative. 7. Strong Emotional Stakes Page-turners aren’t just about plot twists and action; they’re also about emotional connection. Books that delve into relationships, friendships, or internal struggles give readers something personal to invest in. When characters are grappling with emotional stakes, readers feel the weight of their decisions and become more invested in their journeys. A story with strong emotional stakes, like love that feels impossible or a personal journey of self-discovery, keeps readers engaged on a deeper level. Authors like Jodi Picoult and Nicholas Sparks use emotional stakes masterfully, creating stories that resonate with readers long after they’ve turned the last page. 8. An Engaging Writing Style The way a story is told is just as important as the story itself. An author’s voice, language, and descriptive style all contribute to making a book a page-turner. Some writers have a conversational, accessible style that pulls readers in immediately, while others use lyrical, evocative language that captivates with every sentence. When the writing style matches the tone and mood of the story, it amplifies the reader’s immersion, making the experience of reading even more compelling. 9. The Right Mix of Tension and Release A truly skilled author knows how to balance tension with release. By building up suspense and then providing moments of relief, they create a rhythm that keeps readers from feeling exhausted but still craving more. Think of a thriller where each chapter ends on a cliffhanger, but there’s just enough resolution in the next chapter to keep you hooked. This balance makes the story addictive, as readers get the satisfaction of small payoffs while still needing to know what happens next. 10. A Strong Opening and Ending Page-turners usually grab readers from the very first line and hold on until the last. A strong opening sets the tone, introduces a question, or immediately engages the reader’s curiosity. Similarly, an impactful ending—whether it’s a cliffhanger in a series or a satisfying resolution—leaves a lasting impression. A great beginning hooks the reader, while a great ending ensures that the story lingers, making the book unforgettable. Why We Crave Page-Turners At the end of the day, page-turners tap into our natural curiosity and desire for excitement, mystery, and resolution. They’re stories that keep us up late, make us lose track of time, and transport us into worlds we can’t bear to leave. Whether we’re in the mood for a mystery, romance, thriller, or fantasy, page-turners offer a temporary escape that feels as urgent and engaging as real life—sometimes even more so. What are some of your favorite page-turners? Share in the comments! We’d love to hear about the books that have kept you reading into the night. Read the full article

[stillness-in-green]

I remember that! And yes, I'm still very eager to see what you came up with, particularly given the inverted ways Spinner has kind of risen to prominence in the story while poor Tsuyu steadily dropped out of it, to the point that she's pretty superfluous even to the plot she's in. (Seriously, if Horikoshi had really wanted Tsuyu to be a factor in Toga and Uraraka's plot, there is so much more he could have done with her, starting with paralleling Toga and Habuko.)

As to the contents of this post, I unsurprisingly have a lot to burble about. Hit the jump for me too, por favor.

O Right off the bat, I dig what you’ve got for Sato and Slidin’ Go.  Like, you don’t mention Hawks, but the idea of SG dealing with feelings of redundancy and inadequacy plays right into Hawks arriving on the scene and immediately capturing Skeptic’s attention where Slidin’ might well have previously been the MLA’s highest ranked Hero!  But how’s he supposed to compete with Hawks?  I felt bad for him already, with those probable feelings of insecurity driving him to try and pull rank, only to get his chops busted by Skeptic, but in a version of his story where he joined the MLA specifically because of the inequality fostered by the Hero rankings, that becomes especially poignant.

And lord knows it’d be great to see more flaws and self-doubt from the 1-A students than we do; Sato is one of many perfectly apt candidates for that sort of focus.  It’s particularly bad for him because he really is, other than Deku, the only one in class who truly has a strength-boosting quirk, yet it never gets any time to shine at all, because—like Iida’s speed—its combat effects (e.g. the only effects that matter to the series, by and large) can be replicated and surpassed by other, more versatile quirks.

      

O I wholly agree that Aoyama and Kunieda should have had more going on.  While my personal bead on them is that Kunieda should have been the hand through which AFO maintained his grip on the Aoyama family (thus explaining Kunieda’s familiarity with Yuuga and giving Yuuga some familiarity in turn, at least with the flowers if not the face behind them), that’s certainly compatible with your idea of Kunieda’s striking loyalty to AFO!  I do wish Aoyama had more complex feelings towards AFO than “terrified of him from Day 1, always knew he was Evil and Bad,” as Aoyama having his own feelings of loyalty he had to overcome on top of the cowardice would make the moral throughline of his decision to repudiate AFO stronger, but hey, in a rewrite, you can have that if you want!

It’s something I desperately wish the story/Deku would think about more in all cases: why, specifically, are these people so loyal to AFO?  Positioning Aoyama to look at that, via both his own experience and what we learn about Kunieda through him, would be a good place to explore it (ideally in addition to similar depth given to the civilian moles, Gigantomachia, and Dictator).  Also too, it means Aoyama doesn't just parallel Deku as a bullied quirkless child miraculously being given a quirk and using it to become a hero, it lets Aoyama parallel Yoichi as well, as a frail, weak, quirkless person with tangled feelings of regret and rebellion about the monster who gave him power.  (That’s, of course, better suited for a story in which Yoichi maintained dignity and agency in the creation of One For All, tragically not the story we currently have.)

      

O Anything you can give Ojiro is wonderful, especially something that lets him answer the single damn joke the series has been making about him from the very beginning!  Tail asphyxiation is good, and I like the metal absorption power because it highlights that Ojiro's very plain costume contains no metal for Fang to use against him (compare to the many, many, many other characters with metal accessories and ornamentation in their Hero outfits).

Might I also suggest that all that martial arts training means that Ojiro isn’t 100% dependent on his quirk in a fight?  An extra prehensile limb, stronger, thicker, and more durable than the rest is great, but it also means he has all his regular limbs free to fight with—block counterattacks, engage in grapples, all that good stuff.  I think Uraraka is the only other person in 1-A we really see engage with that sort of non-quirk-related subdual, and it’s often something people use to critique Deku: that he wanted to be a quirkless hero but doesn’t seem to have even so much as taken a friggin’ judo course to help prepare him for passing a Hero School entrance exam.

But then here’s Ojiro, plain old tail-having Ojiro, and he didn’t have to be taught combat arts on his internship (Uraraka) or in special after-school tutoring sessions (Shinsou); he started the school year already having that knowledge because he’s been diligent and deliberate about bringing his best to this from the start. Compared to people who depend solely on their flashy quirks, it paints him as more versatile, resourceful, and frankly more driven--and that goes for his classmates as much as it does Fang!

      

O I particularly love making Neptune a violent mutant rights activist, given that he’s one of the established Tartarus escapees, and Tartarus is not only an indefinite detainment prison for criminals whose quirks make them to be dangerous to hold via less stringent means, it’s also the prison you get sent to for disrupting the status quo.  [Insert rant about Overhaul here, but I could mount the same argument about Stain and Lady Nagant.]  Love everything about a conflict between him and Shouji being about finding a middle ground between the two of them, increasing the focus on mutant discrimination in the story prior to the endgame, and highlighting that the big problem with the heteromorph uprising in the final war isn’t the uprising itself, but them taking orders from someone who’s just using them for his own ends.

      

Really hope you do more of these! I like seeing anyone try to do better by this incredibly terrible endgame we're in, and I particularly like it when it involves humanizing the villains Horikoshi threw in without bothering to even pretend that they're going to get the same humanization and grace as the League villains.

Some Vain Attempt At Giving Every Member of Class 1-A (plus one more) a 'Nemesis' Pt. 1 of 3 - Jailbreakers...and Slidn' Go.

Now this is something that's been on my mind since like, what, a year now? Back before this blog existed a comment from @stillness-in-green asked why I thought Tsu should have been Spinner's 'Nemesis' instead of Shoji...

However, due to a combination of shyness, scattered thoughts and business, not only did I pretty much hold off on giving my thoughts, I also got hit with an idea that I'm both loving...and deeply regretting!!!

"Say, instead of just doing why I think Spinner and Shoji aren't a good match-up...why not give legit everyone in Class A (and a certain someone else), a Nemesis. Because what I'm doing isn't hard enough to explain as is!"

So I did, and have practically everyone else mapped out. What you see below are basically, most of the tertiary squad of Class A get their due facing against a Villain that I feel would be roughly on par with them and still be a meaningful clash (though not as important to those that got the League/upper MLA executives).

In addition, I added pretty much how I would write their 'arcs' so to speak concerning their clashes with these Villains. Nothing full blown, but just a bit of concepts had in mind that I feel would make their last battle meaningful.

Now, concerning these pairs I did have some rules going in place (because I can't make it easy in myself, why...) First rule is that the Villains chose have to be members of the League of Villains or its alliances. For example, Paranormal Liberation Front or whatever the Hell the Final War villains are called, are game. That said, I can't use Villains from spin-off or movie material, and Nomu's aren't allowed either (the former due to just wanting to contain things to the manga as much as possible, and the latter is more for balancing reaons).

Also, on that note, concerning the likes of Dabi/Shoto, Toga/Ochaco, and Deku/Shigaraki, they aren't going to be listed since...well, they're pretty much established enemies in canon! No real need to re-state them here. Also, AFO is hard locked to All Might if you were wondering, so he's not making an appearance here either. Neither is Gigantomachia or the Advisors (except one), due to balance and just being way too easy to fill up the roster with.

So with that stated, here we go!

Slidin’ Go - Sato

It’s speed vs power with this one, a match between the traitorous Hero who can, ideally, weave himself away from heavy blows against someone who can be stronger to take him down, but has to find a way to get that solid hit in.

Character wise, I want to imagine this being a storyline where Sato becomes insecure over his Quirk’s weaknesses and how unreliable he feels it might be. In a class where people can harness the elements, shoot intense soundwaves, and warp gravity - having a Quirk with a cognitive drawback and intense fatigue + being yet another strength Quirk would actually be a good way to explore the inner doubts of feeling redundant or unneeded.

As a foil to Sato, Slidin Go could be a Villain with heroic intentions at one point. However, Slidin Go was eventually overshadowed by speed/mobility Quirks that were functionally better (like Ingenium) and his popularity dropped to the point he became borderline poor given how low he was in the Hero rankings. S.G. joined the MLA as their man on the inside, in exchange for promoting him to rise higher in the rankings. Because, at his lowest point, all he cared about was just being able to sustain himself. The price to pay for being seen as redundant and how he sympathizes with Sato.

Assuming this takes place in a timeline where S.G. is participating in the Final War, Sato thinks outside the box to best S.G. With the last of his cognitive strength, he shatters the ground to trip SG up before taking him out in one strike. Sure, his Quirk might be ‘redundant’ in the face of others, but what matters in the moment is not caring about one’s status but doing the right thing, in spite of it. A lesson that Slidin’ Go forgot long ago...though maybe, in time, after his arrest he can regain that spark?

Kunieda - Aoyama

Now this is one that, really, already played out in the manga, but will restate it here briefly since there is an interesting dynamic here, if brief. Aoyama and Kunieda offer a unique spin on the ‘loyal ally versus the traitor’ plot. Aoyama is the Traitor, a double agent for the Villains that goes against them for the bonds he made undercover and to make up for his wrongs. In contrast, Kunieda is someone actually loyal and grateful to All For One - his liberator (heck, one of the few that seems to genuinely be loyal to AFO in the Second War) and hates Aoyama for switching sides. It’s to the point Kunieda personally wants to kill Aoyama just to keep up AFO’s streak (which, to me, gives credence to Kunieda being a former associate to AFO and not just a random Jailbreaker).

In media, I always found it interesting when the heroes are people who betrayed their former allegiance for someone else, and their rival end up being someone fanatically loyal to their old group. I think its because, if alignments were reversed, it’d be easy to portray the Traitor as being self-serving and cowardly, compared to those who remain whose loyalty to their boss who would be seen as virtuous. Given both of their personalities, with Aoyama actually struggling with cowardice and Kunieda being fiercely behind AFO, its not an unreasonable thing to consider at all.

Here? It’s pretty much saying that not only is it okay to betray someone who you work for, if they’re as toxic and awful as AFO, but the virtuous thing in this instance is to go against them to save others, with loyalty to the ‘boss’ being a vice that’ll just bring you down. If I were to make their fight stronger storywise, perhaps Kunieda could have been someone that got the better end of AFO giving out Quirks. Perhaps, he was also Quirkless or had a weakish Plant Quirk before running across AFO one day. In exchange for the Quirk he currently had, he swore loyalty to AFO to be a supplier of corpses for him, before being arrested by Endeavor.

Gashly - Sero

At the time of this writing, Gashly is likely slated to be Sero’s opponent. Can’t really get into too much specifics since I don’t know how that’ll play. So I’ll just give brief thoughts on why I think they’ll work, how I’d write Sero to make it evern more appropriate, and what Gashly deal might be.

Sero is the laidback, witty guy of the Class A who provides support and levity to his allies. In contrast, I imagine Gashly to be the type that only wants levity for himself in the form of his crimes: making twisted stories that involve brutal deaths of kids. If I were to write Sero’s arc, I’d probably make his jokey side both his reason to be a Hero and a bit of a front for insecurities of people taking ‘the guy who shoots tape’ seriously (especially after Shoto beats him in the Sports Festival). His victory against Gashly is him proving to the Villain and himself that it’s far more of a threat than people give it credit for.

For the Top Ten that beat Gashly before, I want to imagine Ryukyu did the deed. A fantasy creature Hero beating a storyteller is just fitting.

"Fang"/2nd Hired Gun - Ojiro

Yep, its Ojiro against the second Tartarus Jailbreaker AFO sent after Deku…who got his ass beat so very quickly. Name and power? Nope - just a reminder that Deku is so OP now not many can compare, because that certainly helps brings out the threat of even escaped criminals. Distaste aside, Fang (for lack of a better name) was chosen because, design wise, I feel a gangster type contrasts well against Ojiro being a disciplined martial artist.

Ojiro always had to face people criticizing for fighting ‘plainly’  with his Tail Quirk, and his own arc here could be accepting that, yeah, while not as flashy, as his peers, his Tail is more versatile in its simplicity and incredibly effective. Fang, as a dark reflection, could be what could have happened if Ojiro had a ‘flashier’ Quirk and let the fame of it go to his head. Since he’s a Tartarus Jailbreaker, and had quite a bit of jewelry on him, I’m going to give him something like a Metal Absorption Quirk. Something that, in theory, could pose a problem to Deku (if Fang didn’t get his ass beat so quickly). Whatever metallic substance he touches, his skin reflects it. In this case, befitting his chain around his neck, he skin becomes gold. I like to imagine Fang was originally overconfident and based too much of his pride in his Quirk. So much so that he was a bully that turned to a life of crime as head of his own crime gang. A gang that I imagined was stopped by one of the Top Ten heroes like Edgeshot.

Fang’s downfall, assumign he made it to the Final War, could be that arrogance biting him in the ass. He’s so cocky he fails to realize that, while Ojiro can’t necessarily hurt physically due to his Quirk, he can still use his tail to take him out by other means. Such as restraining Fang and knocking him out by suffocating him with his tail. Is Ojiro’s Quirk flashy as the others? No way, but he doesn’t need for it to be flashy to be effective. He just needs a chance to make that ‘plainess’ work extremely well for him. Leading for Fang to once again be defeated by someone both more humble and creative than him.

Dictator - Hagakure

It’s everyones least favorite clown villain - Dictator! But now he gets to face off against our perky spy!

So what would Hagakure’s storyline be for this? Before Sato and Ojiro's dealt with issues of the world such as feeling of being Outclassed or Plainness. So I figured an interesting contrast for Hagakure is to deal with personality and powers not really mixing. Her arc could be struggling to be an efficient espionage Hero when she longed to be in the spotlight, getting praises and such from the crowd like her friends If I were to rewrite the story, Hagakure's personality would be tweaked to be more of a cocky type, inspired by her bout of overconfidence during her 1B battle.

Early on she'd be extremely boastul & playful concerning her invisibility, blinding her enemies and taunting them throughout her fights...up until people eventually wisened up either by paying close attention to her voice, laying traps to trip up Hagakure or just using AOE moves if they had it. I could see another change could be that she might volunteer to go after Mustard in the Training Camp attack but ended up losing because she overestimated her own ability and her cockiness gave him an opening to knock out her out. Following that, her training under Yoroi Musha could be to grant herself more discipline and find different ways to channel her mischeviousness into being a better spy - one that can get a victory worth celebrating for and cheers at that!

So how would this relate to Dictator? Well, given his Despot Quirk and clown theming, I’d expand on this short guy as him being a ringmaster that wanted to put on the best show in Japan…problem is that he forcibly recruited/enslaved those he saw potential in his ‘circus’ via his Quirk. He’d trained them to Hell and back under very dangerous performances, up until an investigation was enacted. Something that lead to him taking over everyone, cops who came to arrest him and panicking audience, until Crust defeated him. In short he’s a tiny fella that wants to be in absolute full control from start to finish.

A control freak to the core against someone whose a master of surprise, it works out surprisingly well. For their fight, and to show how Hagakure’s grown, she’d silently wallop Dictator who’d be in utter panic over getting hit by seemingly no one. Enough that he loses his grip on Despot and release his prisoners by accident. Thus, giving Hagakure enough time to blind him before knocking him out with an uppercut…and celebrating with an appreciative audience for good measure.

"Neptune"/Hired Gun No# 3 - Shoji

Finally, Shoji would have Neptune, for lack of a better name, as his Rival for the War fight. Now, why? Especially given that Shoji was meant to reflect Spinner. Now, on this end, I have said I disliked their pairing and I think that reason has to do with importance at the end of the day. Storywise, meaning. On Spinner's end, on the Villains side, he's had load of character development from his beginning as our lovable Stain cosplayer, to reluctant leader just trying to help out the one who cares about most. It's actually a remarkably clear and steady growth that leads up to his role in the Final War...

Yet, his Rival in this instance is Shoji. While Shoji's whole arc did have a few crumbs (such as his Pony fight), let's be honest he hasn't had any near enough importance or build-up in the story that really feels earned to be Spinner's Rival, nor do I feel that, given both of their roles in their respective groups, do I think they made even a natural match. Neptune here is meant to be a substitute for him that gives him a climatic finish and Spinner someone different to butt heads with (and will it be Tsu still?! Who knows!!!!)

Neptune here would be a mutant rights activist, though was dubbed a Villain after his protests involved taking a violent stance against those that harmed him and his shipping crew. In his case, I imagine Gang Orca was the one to defeat him, and given Gang Orca’s whole deal with being considered one of the scariest Heroes, Neptune might consider this a betrayal from someone in the same boat.

His role in the Final War arc would be assisting in the freedom of Kurogiri, and intercepting Shoji. Neptune would be the stance of physical rebellion - that change can not occur unless those affected fight back physically and showing their discontentment. Shoji would represent emotional rebellion - that change can not occur unless you show others by your character that you are different. Both aren’t really wrong  in their ideals or their feelings on the matter, but it's Shoji that recognizes that working under All For One, someone who has no one but his own interests in heart, is not going to give the Heteromorphs the better treatment that they yearn for.

For Shoji's character arc in particular, I would change things so that the Heteromorph discrimination would be more out in the open in UA, likely in a history class that covers the great Jeda purge or 6/6 incident, and him being a bit more vocal concerning the reputation of mutants. Have it be a case where the class, naturally, is disgusted by such genocide, but seemingly think that its just a case of evil in a bygone era…up until its Shoji who ends up doing a report on just how many Heteromorphs make up the majority of the arrests in Japan kind and victim reports out in the slums, boonies and even the case of the cities they thought were safe from such prejudice. He isn’t condemning them for not knowing, but it is his words that get them to consider how they’ve been acting towards those who were like Shoji so far (like Shoto and how he treated the police chief). Just something to help boost the plotline a bit more.

I also think Neptune just fits with Shoji given their sea animal/monster theme, too. As for their fight, I imagine it’d go similar to Spinner fighting against Shoji, although in this case, I imagine Neptune’s need for water might eventually make him lose a battle of attrition against Shoji in the end. Though compared to Dictator or Fang, he’d be a Nemesis that Shoji does actually succeed in getting him to stand down and possibly even get rehabilitated for the future.

-

But, yeah, this has been the first part of the series, so far. Hope its been at least an interesting read through, and these match-ups make sense from your views.

I was very conflicted when it came to giving these guys Nemesis since they didn't really fit/other people in the Class were more fitting to get the likes of the League or MLA guys. I originally was going to pair the likes of Sato, Ojiro, Hagakure and Shoji with the High End Nomu, but a combo of the realism concerning them facing one, and just feeling iffy on them had me scrap the idea and put up the Nomu rule in effect. I wanted the Villain they face to not really be a monster like a Nomu.

I also did toy around with the movie stuff, namely the Heroes Rising Villains coming into play, though it would have been just Shoji, Hagakure, and Ojiro going against Chimera, Mummy and Slice, but figured it'd be best to stick to just the manga.

If you're wondering about Slidin Go', he's like the only exception to the Advisors showing up here due to being a thing before the group. He also was supposed to be who remained of Sato, Ojiro or even Sero as like a filler choice if I couldn't find a suitable villain. Sato happened to get the short end of the stick. SG is also here because still writing about the MLA guys, who are next, and had his completed first.

I actually had Hagakure locked into facing Mustard, but once it hit me to use the Jailbreakers, thought it'd be best for Mustard to face someone with more story importance and who could be a better contrast too. Aoyama was considered to but it felt awkward for me.

Here's hoping the next part comes out soon...or at least this year!

[nighttimepixels]

i!! have a question i don't think has been asked before? we always see the skeletons being incredibly talented in their chosen fields of expertise, but what are some things they're just downright terrible at? which of the ladies can't draw for shit, who would rather sit at the bottom of a pool for a few hours than be responsible for a few kids, who always forgets to throw away empty milk cartons? stuff like that! gimme them Character Flaws tm because honestly i rarely see people focus on them??

Ohhh, this is a good one! I’m generally someone who aims to be positive so i tend to steer away from angsty asks, but that’s very different from character flaws; thinking about this sort of thing is a lot of fun too. Plus super important! … Also, I’m wheezing at “who would rather sit at the bottom of a pool for a few hours than be responsible for a few kids”.

So here goes! The major character flaws of the ladies, while also trying to not overlap/repeat (since several definitely share a few, but I don’t want to rehash, heh). (post-answer edit: woops these are all straight up character flaws, rather than ‘bad habit’ flaws, ahaha! that’ll have to be for another ask in the end XD )

Plus a bit of silver lining after all to heal any sad hearts ;v; Under a cut to save your dashes =v=b

Serif: Getting her to be honest about her negative feelings is like pulling teeth, oh stars. She’s a laidback lady, it’s not like she’s overly effusive with praise or anything; but positive and/or neutral feelings will come easily from her, with general honesty about it and not really hiding it. Sure she might tamp down on some flustered/’oh no she’s hot’ type reactions, but to a normal degree. And she’s fine with being honest with casual critique/review if it’s asked for. Any negative stuff bubbling up in her though…? Nope, no way, her mouth is shut tight. It’s to the point that you have to know her very well to tell the difference - and it’s definitely to a bit of an unhealthy degree. If she’s angry, or strongly upset, or so on, she just doesn’t talk about it.

Remember that line from Undertale? “nothing can be done about it, so there is no point in being morose?” It was something of a common theme in her Underground, but with all her responsibilities and her general personality she internalized it hard. It’s important to be able to relay negative feelings or just let yourself be mad, but you just won’t catch it with Serif. This one’s gonna take a lot of work to work through…

Vellum: She’s blunt. Now, this isn’t always a bad thing; honesty is great in a lot of circumstances, and she always hopes Serif will catch on too-! However, in any society, you have to know… when to curb yourself. You get yourself into trouble, others into trouble… you hurt feelings, or miss cues that might inform you better about a person, and sometimes even end up a bit self-centered. Vellum’s an absolute joy and a wonderful friend, but her bluntness can sometimes rub the wrong way.

Sometimes a softer touch is needed, you know? Reading people isn’t easy, and I certainly don’t think we should discount anyone who isn’t the greatest at it; but it’s also important to recognize as a character flaw. She’s not… the greatest at it, still. She has a bad habit of accidentally insulting people in utter good faith, making for a head trip and a bit of a struggle if you get into a tight spot with her where subtlety and creative liberties with the truth would be preferable.

Sapphire: Is absolutely bullheaded. She does any number of obscenely stubborn things with a grin and a good attitude, however, so a lot of people don’t realize it until she’s sort of… bowled over whatever else might’ve been happening. Think about in-fic, how she charged into your apartment; sure, it was with the good intent to get Addy before she could wreck shop, and with all the charm of her million-watt smile and sapphic-hand-holding powers, but she didn’t stop to ask, or explain much at all. Luckily for her, it ends up working out well because she is at least good natured…

However, it doesn’t always. She’s accidentally caused people to clam up further by trying to get them to open up, on the rare occasions she does get mad it’s hard to waylay her from a headstrong attempt to ‘right things’, and so on. It can be a bit exhausting to face or to reason with her, even more so because she is extremely smart and skilled enough to accomplish a lot. This side of her takes patience and, well, a lot of work to get through to.

Amber: is extremely soft-hearted. She looks laidback, yes, and often comes across as a chill charmer-next-door, but she has a soft spot a mile wide and untold fathoms deep. This seems like a good thing on the surface, but it also leads to her having a bleeding heart (… so to speak); she tends to negate her own feelings or sweep them under the rug in favor of others. Whether it’s not expressing her own frustrations often, or quietly taking into account everyone else’s preferences, weighing which one would make the most of them happy, and casually suggesting that as if it were the same as her own choice - well. It comes through in countless ways.

Her amicable nature trips up even more under the fact that most people don’t realize she’s such a bleeding heart, because she doesn’t act the way most people would think such a person would. So it becomes a spiral, where she ends up negating her own feelings more and more in favor of spreading a little more happiness to everyone else, in subtle ways they don’t even see. It closes her off to other people’s understanding, somewhat ironically, so it ends up being hard to get past that ‘wall’ of her own overactive empathy to actually get her to open up and think about herself and share more personal details and opinions.

Crimson: surprising no one, Crimson is quick-tempered. And I mean quick. For such a laidback lady, more than happy to joke and flirt and laze back with the handful of people she cares the most about, she can just as quickly snap, on her feet and barely - if at all - held back by those with her. It comes from a logical place - her entire life, she had to prove she was fierce and fiery enough to protect her little sister, to prove they weren’t going to be walked all over, to prove she was a force to reckon with. It’s embedded in who she is, now; and it can make it hard to broach certain topics or to get her to be vulnerable, emotionally most of all.

Her harsh temper is mostly directed on anyone who’d cross her and hers, but it can leech out and become a bit hairline in general if something’s gone down; she ends up hurting the people she tries to protect, and it kills her inside. She doesn’t want to be mad, not at them anyways - it puts her in a worse mood, hating herself for it, and self-perpetuates until she can find a way to eventually calm down enough to reset her temper. Her tendency to lash out like a wounded animal makes her all the more reticent to truly open up - after all, what if she lashes out when you’re even closer? Surely, surely that would hurt worse.

Scarlet: The most impatient of all the Lilytale crew. She can’t stand lateness - in herself or others; and she has very, very high standards. In fact, this comes from upholding herself to the highest standards, under the shortest of timeframes. See, growing up, as she caught on to all Crimson was having to do to protect them and make sure they were even fed, and Scarlet could get to school with at least a modicum of safety and dignity in being decently dressed/prepared and so on, she started to put pressure on herself. She didn’t have time to dawdle; she had to get smart, get strong, get fierce enough to be able to protect her big sister in turn. This feeling only grew as she did, and now, while she can have patience for strategic reasons (she’s impatient, not foolhardy), it runs very thin. Think to the fic, where she literally picked you up to take you to dinner.

Her impatience costs her the most in interpersonal relationships. Her own creeping need to be her best at all times as quickly as possible causes her to perhaps call things too soon with some acquaintances (especially in a peaceful world), or causes her to act rashly when an invisible clock has run out. She struggles to relax and take in the idle moments, something inherently critical for distressing and cultivating softer moments with those around you.

Pepper: happens to be the biggest perfectionist of all of them. As Cinnamon’s older sister, she had to help raise her in a world that would happily kick weak kids to the gutter if they didn’t prove themselves; she quickly became fiercely exacting, desperate to ensure she was the most capable fighter/protector, a stable provider, a monster to think twice about being messed with. She tried to give Cinn as regular a childhood as one could eke, while also encouraging her to develop the things she showed aptitude for… and trying to figure out ways to help her improve terrible weaknesses.

It’s something that comes from a… good place, but is inevitably a terrible weight on those around her if not checked. While currently she can at least acknowledge that she’s a perfectionist, she’s still not… apologetic about it, especially towards herself. Her entire life required her to be constantly pushing to be better; it’s part of who she is. And she’ll keep doing it, even as it sets her on a lonely island distant from others, if only to continue ensuring her & hers are safe & secured. This one’s another that’s hard to break through to.

Cinnamon: is, secretly, the most self-deprecating of all of them. It’s harder to see than most of the other flaws listed so far; insidious and quiet, it leeches into her mindset and affects her relationships to a strong degree. Perhaps the flipside of Pepper’s perfectionism, Cinnamon never feels like she’s good enough. She’s intelligent & observant to a degree that exacerbates this; she knows too well how things should go/what she should have done/better qualities to cultivate, but when she inevitably falls short, rather than a roadblock, it’s an affirmation of her status as ‘not good enough’.

Because of her life growing up, it’s a flaw that’s even harder to pick up on; she doesn’t seem to outwardly second guess herself, and doesn’t even react much to ‘failing’ a task. It would be dangerous to show that sort of thing (she’s more likely to show a bit of irritation if anything, if really stressed - but it’s all inwardly directed). She’s extremely skilled at countless things too, but it’s never enough to her. It triggers depressive spirals and an aloof, laidback attitude that’s something of a protective barrier to keep from drawing attention to what she perceives as her flaws, and makes it harder yet for her to actually be emotionally open with others.

Blade: is what might best be described as… morally unscrupulous. Considering her background, this is perhaps of… little surprise. What most has to go when you get to the point in a famine to consider eating other sentient beings is, well, your scruples. Stark morality has no place in the world hers became; while she wouldn’t call it a weakness, exactly, it only hurt worse the longer time went on. She had to abandon it or risk Falling. It lead her to being a bit more… callous, shall we say, a bit less concerned with just how grayscale ‘morality’ had become, how well you could reason through a lot of terrible things if it meant she and her sister - and, slightly lower but still important - their little community could survive to see another meal.

Nowadays, obviously she’s happy to not have to worry about cannibalism, but it definitely left a deep, unshakeable flaw in her personality. She only believes in the ‘morality’ of ensuring the well-being of her and hers; she tends to shrug off… well, crimes, especially ones that don’t hurt people in particular. She doesn’t understand people who get twisted up about morality, and tends to get a little annoyed, more and more when it comes to ‘playing nice’ especially ‘just for looks’. She’s survived a famine and came out permanently fucked up in something as deeply personal as her ability to use magic, to say nothing of her head wound; she hates pretending, hates niceties for the sake of niceties, and is liable to shut out (or, physically, kick out) anyone who tries to get her to be more accommodating according to their own standards, or more understanding of what she now perceives as wishy-washy moral banalities.

Twist: is, for lack of a better word, deeply rebellious. This one may come as a surprise for some, but like with Blade, it’s deeply rooted in their background and what took them from being “Serif and Vellum” to “Blade and Twist” - some of their backstory is still under spoiler-based protection, but essentially she and Blade got their… worst injuries a significant way into the famine. What happened - and what had been building - effectively disillusioned her in a lot of ways. She refused to bow to anyone’s rule anymore, knowing that terrible sacrifices did need to be made, but believing…. better ones could be made. Their lives were extremely rough beyond just the famine, to put it succinctly…

That rebelliousness really implanted in her; it’s one of her greatest flaws now. She questions leadership to a bit of a fault, and you have to really earn her believing you can make weighty decisions. It’s obstinate, and causes a lot of frustration when it really would be faster to fall in line; it also leads to her having a slightly devil-may-care attitude and needing a lot of convincing (and probably her sister’s direct opinion, who Twist trusts the most & for good reason) to not flagrantly disobey the law (eg, magic acts while out on the town on rare occasion, etc). It’s exhausting for those that do have her best interests at heart, but she’s extremely disinclined to listen to casual opinions; it’s a very good thing that she’s smart and can figure out the why of many things on her own, or she might cause a lot more trouble, however well-intentioned.

Alpha: is perhaps the most overconfident. It’s not without reason; as an AI, she’s obscenely capable & vastly ultra-intelligent, and has the tech access (/can perpetually gain access to it) to ensure she can learn anything needed or get anything needed. While not in bad faith or anything, it’s inevitable that this leads to something of a superman complex; she feels a bit invincible, and while some things take time or are inconvenient at a given moment, she knows it’s largely just a matter of time before she figures it out/overcomes the temporary obstacle.

This leads to, however rarely, a miscalculation in her own abilities - perhaps a less quantitative variable that she didn’t perceive as important enough before something terrible happens. It also leads to weakness on the interpersonal side of things; it can be a bit daunting to be emotionally vulnerable with that kind of confidence… whether for her, or for someone who might consider being emotionally vulnerable with her. As of yet, she hasn’t had to… challenge this overconfidence too much; at most, just better cultivate a bit of reluctant patience. It’s going to cause more troubles as time goes on, however, as she’ll be forced to face that not everything is as easily, or at least with steady work, solvable.

Glyph: is the most ephemeral. Fancy word, I know, but fitting; she’s excessively hard to pin down, both literally in a physical location, and emotionally. She’s transient to an extreme; she only very technically has a home with the Lilytale crew. It isn’t that the girls don’t want her there, they’re totally happy to have her and consider her as part of their motley crew, but Glyph herself gets… restless, if she’s in one spot for long. She tends to at least stop by once a month, sometimes staying for a week, others only passing through a nearby town to meet up for the day. But outside of that she’s constantly drifting from place to place, experience to experience, new sight and open sky to the next.

This… sounds pleasant, but it’s also very much a flaw. It comes down to an inability to plant roots, to feel permanent, to not want to. It’s something she is deeply uncomfortable with thanks to her backstory, and avoids beyond the way the Lilytale crew managed to make her one of their own - and even with them, she hesitates to get close. She has very few close relationships of any kind because of this, and is rarely emotionally open or available. While she’ll show up when she’s needed, she feels unreliable for how brief each appearance of her feels in the long run; for how unlikely it is you’ll get a proper hold of her at your convenience. Sure, it’s not necessary in the slightest to be at someone’s beck and call, but it’s also deeply isolating to never be available in your average day-to-day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oof! Now, all that said… I do want to point out the fun, warmer part - the silver lining, so to speak. All of these flaws… are also a big part of their strengths! Essentially, take their flaws, and pose them in a different light…

Serif: won’t reveal negative feelings, but is a great mediator and leader

Vellum: is blunt, but tells the truth at the most critical points where it’s hard to speak out, & inspires honesty in others

Sapphire: is bullheaded, but is reliable; gets even the hardest tasks done

Amber: is excessively soft hearted, but has the greatest sense of empathy and understanding of others no matter the circumstance

Crimson: quick-tempered, but is the first one to speak/act out against injustice, and to protect her loved ones.

Scarlet: is impatient, but is conversely dedicated and will never let the important things fall by the wayside.

Pepper: is a perfectionist, but is a hard worker that won’t accept failure and will ensure her loved ones get the best of anything she can provide.

Cinnamon: is self-deprecating, but conversely can see the best in everyone, and knows the inherent value that everyone can bring to the table.

Blade: is morally unscrupulous, but also can most clearly see what’s truly important in everyday life and overall; will always see to the well-being of her family/found family.

Twist: is rebellious, but can cut through the red tape and not fall into trusting someone/the status quo to the point of missing red flags; inspires others to question habits/expectations put on them in a healthier way.

Alpha: is overconfident, but also inspires the positive desire to take chances & to have confidence in yourself - all while knowing she has your back.

Glyph: is ephemeral, but brings all kinds of new perspectives to the table and has a way of seeing the world that broadens everyone’s perspective.

[amistytown]

The Brothers Comfort MC During a Panic Attack

This is my first attempt at writing down my headcanons for the brothers, so I apologize if anything is out of character. I meant it to be short and sweet, but it grew out of my control after a while. I’m a perfectionist and wanted to rewrite everything. I made minor edits and am posting it anyway or it’ll sit in my drafts forever; I admit I put the most effort into Lucifer’s, forgive me. Also sorry for the repetitiveness and any typos you may find. I decided to write how the brothers would comfort MC during a panic attack, especially as someone who suffers from anxiety and panic attacks themselves. Honestly, I wrote this as a way to comfort myself since I’ve been dealing with terrible anxiety lately. Of course, everyone experiences anxiety differently, so I can only speak from my own experiences. I didn’t go into detail when it comes to the symptoms themselves because it’s from the point of view of the brothers and only so many are visible to the eye. Trigger warning for depictions of anxiety and panic attacks. Thank you for reading!

LUCIFER

Lucifer is troubled. Following lunch, you disappeared, currently absent from class. This is unlike you, his worry intensifying every minute you’re out of his sight. Yet he maintains his composure, resigning himself to scouring the academy grounds. Time passes at a torturous pace, his thoughts beginning to take a turn for the worst. He contemplates whether to involve his brothers and Lord Diavolo himself at this rate, however the sound of his D.D.D diverts his attention. A wave of relief washes over him at the sight of your name lighting up his screen, chased by frustration at you, your silence, and himself for losing track of you so easily; he couldn’t bear living if anything happened to you under his watch. He expects this behavior from his brothers, not you. Though his heart sinks, the Avatar of Pride uncharacteristically overcome with guilt while he reads your message. Of course, you are not his brothers. He should not have doubted you.

Your texts are apprehensive, a weighty pause between them as you hesitate to lay bare the darkest depths of your soul. He approaches you cautiously, to avoid upsetting you further. Your words alone convey the sheer panic taking possession of you, the last of your strength used to press send. Outside he discovers you, huddled miserably in an isolated corner of the building, swathed in shadow. The desire to shelter you from the world burns within him, but your eyes widen fearfully in his presence, wounding his pride. Immediately, you apologize. Sorry you’re missing class, that you left without telling anyone, and upset him—especially when you’re aware of his busy schedule. You’re sorry for not having the courage to pull yourself together, succumbing to your anxiety, your shame palpable. The hand clutching your D.D.D is trembling, your chest heaving as you struggle to breathe. He aches for you, each tear shed hurting more than the last, your pain managing to touch the very core of his being and set him alight.

If anyone is sorry, it’s him, pride be damned. Kneeling in front of you, he assures you an apology isn’t necessary—your wellbeing of great importance to him. He wants you to rely on him, grateful you confided in him despite your doubts. Hopefully, he can eventually put your mind at ease. His voice low, soothing, he continues to console you, making sure you’re aware he’s not upset, and your feelings are valid. Although he’s not familiar with the inner workings of anxiety itself, he’s willing to listen, learning how to support you to the best of his ability—starting today, providing you’re comfortable accepting his offer. Initially, he prioritized your safety for the sake of the exchange program and Lord Diavolo’s wish to unite the three realms, now it’s merely out of adoration for you, his beloved. Once you’re ready, he’ll let you know you’re not alone. He’s never too busy on your behalf. 

Offering you his hand, a smile graces his features as you accept. Slowly, he helps you to your feet, steadying you against him. He notes the way you relax at his touch, shoulders sagging and head coming to rest on his chest. Only you exist in this moment, his gaze not leaving you, not even for a second. Standing in silence until your breathing settles and you regain your balance, he sees you through the height of your attack before escorting you back to the House of Lamentation. He’ll personally excuse you from the remainder of your classes, understanding you need a quiet place to recover. Classical music plays softly in the background of his room, and he’s content to have you in his embrace, drawing you onto his lap after you finish the tea he brewed to calm your nerves. Lucifer pays you special attention, massaging your tired body and kissing you tenderly, his breath fanning across your lips as he reminds you how special you truly are—brave, compassionate, and incredibly loved.

MAMMON

Mammon mourns his loss, wondering how he let them gain the upper hand; admittedly, a foolish mistake on his part. He dreads breaking the news to Lucifer, and the resentment that shows on his brothers’ faces once he confesses does little to ease his mind. Still, he worries about your reaction most of all, knowing his stupidity has put you in a precarious position. In that moment he believes their words—only a greedy scumbag like himself dares to place his human’s happiness on the line. Although certain of his win at the time, he should consider how his actions affect you more often; otherwise, how can he claim he’s the Great Mammon? His confidence is his downfall in the end. Now you’ll suffer along with him. Yet you feign optimism, attempting to soothe everything over despite your innocence. His guilt only grows, a heavy weight on his shoulders. One he deserves.

Three days of waiting on and performing for large crowds at The Fall proves hectic for everyone. He can tell you’re struggling beneath the façade of a composed and hospitable server, going above and beyond to ensure the patrons leave satisfied. Furthermore, you lend him and his brothers a hand, coming to their rescue; it should be him making it as easy on you as possible. His concern for you runs deep, no matter how hard he tries to maintain his usual air of indifference, but you have the nerve to reassure him—it’s meant to be the opposite, dammit. Each night he goes out of his way to check on you, frustrated that you continue to dance around the subject. He can see the exhaustion on your face, hear the slight tremor in your voice, the toll his stupid decision is taking on you, and it stung. You comfort him, even when he’s undeserving, so why won’t you allow him to hold you and kiss the pain away? Not that he’s asked. You should realize by now you can rely on him, right?

Watching you suffer in silence tortures him. He can’t deny it regardless of his best effort to make light of the situation. You barely eat or spend time outside your room, saying you’re tired, which isn’t a lie—working is exhausting, no doubt about it—but he understands you well enough to notice the subtle signs of your anxiety, your smile unable to trick him into believing otherwise. Perhaps you find him as insufferable as his brothers do, or worse, and don’t want to see his face after what he’s done. That doesn’t stop him from showing up at your door, hoping he can offer some form of comfort. However, you keep up appearances, supporting the seven of them during the longest weekend of their lives. You work hard too, his chest swelling with pride as he watches you care for his brothers and customers alike. How can you like an idiot like him? You’re selfless and loving, looking past his flaws to see what lay beneath his sin. His human. His angel. He wants—no needs—you to be okay.

The last day comes and goes in a blur. Finally, he can toss these ridiculous clothes and rabbit ears in the trash and never perform that dance again. Better yet, you’re free of his burden, though the guilt remains. He can’t relax until he’s positive you’re okay, knowing he’s genuinely sorry. Standing outside your room, he tries to muster up the courage to open his heart to you—apologies not his strong suit—when he hears you crying. They’re small, muffled sobs that manage to shake him to his core, blood running cold. Yeah, he should knock, but he can’t control himself, throwing the door open without hesitation and rushing to your side. The sight of your tears is almost too much to bear, and he draws you into his embrace, face heating up at his own moment of vulnerability, but this is about you, not him. He can be strong for you too, telling you everything’s going to be okay, that the Great Mammon is here to help.

After his stupidity, you tell him you were afraid to bother him? He can hardly suppress the shock at your confession, the sadness in your eyes breaking his heart. You wanted to make sure it went smoothly for his sake? You suffer through Hell alone because you chose to put his feelings first? Crazy. Though he thanks you, not completely ashamed to admit he’s touched. However, he tells you that you don’t have to put aside your feelings for his benefit; he prefers to be by your side then know you’re having a rough time on your own. He is your first. Taking the initiative, he asks what he can do to make it up to you, no matter how big or small the request is because he’ll do it in a heartbeat. You opt to stay in his arms, burying your face into his chest, and he wipes away your remaining tears, being as gentle as he possibly can. He can feel how tense your body is, your skin unnaturally warm, and it takes a while until you stop shaking. It’s moments like these he’ll tell you how much you mean to him—that he loves you, okay—and he wants you to come to him for everything. He’ll hold you, taking your hand in his, and kiss you with all the adoration in the world because you’re incredibly important to him. Mammon can attest to that.

LEVIATHAN

Leviathan invites you to his room to play video games, a daily routine the two of you have comfortably fallen into. He loves gaming with you, though on occasion you opt to watch instead, thoroughly enthralled by whatever is on the screen. Miraculously, you enjoy listening to him ramble—whether it’s about the game he’s playing, anime he’s watching, or TSL among other things—genuinely showing interest in his passions; he’s incapable of expressing how truly grateful he is for your company. His heart nearly bursts whenever you compliment him on his gaming prowess, encourage him during a particularly intense battle, or merely tell him how you enjoy hanging out. How in the Devildom did a gross otaku like him get so incredibly lucky? He can hardly believe you love him of all demons. The thought alone sounds crazy lmao. 

Unable to contain his excitement, he awaits your arrival that night, ensuring everything is perfect when he hears a knock on the door. However, his smile fades the moment he lays eyes on you, mind beginning to race as he wonders why you look miserable, your gaze trained on your hands. Before he can speak, you apologize, dissolving into tears while you return the game he let you borrow. You’re stuttering, completely winded, and he can barely hear you confess to accidentally corrupting his data in your panic. In fact, he loses track of the number of times you choke out a sorry. He treasures his games, his collection extensive, but he cherishes you most of all. The loss is a minor annoyance, nothing that lessens the feelings he harbors for you. Although difficult, he overcomes his insecurities to show you it’s okay—you’re loved.

Not only are you sad, but you’re also terrified, a part of him wanting to destroy the game itself if it means you never have to experience the pain that torments you now. Regarding you carefully, afraid to make matters worse, he reassures you that he’s not upset—far from it, honestly—and that he cares about you more than any game. No stranger to your panic attacks, he reaches out to take your hand in his, hoping you find comfort in what he has to offer. And when you finally glance up, hope shining in your tear-filled eyes, he can’t help but wrap you in his arms. A warmth spreads across his face, heart pounding in his ears, but he knows you need him, allowing his body to relax around yours.

Holding you against him, he tells you everything’s all right, stuttering out how he loves you and, most importantly, wants to you to feel better. Your arms circle around his waist, causing his heart to jump into his throat, but he only pulls you closer. You’re his Henry, and what friend is he if you can’t rely on him? Leviathan is understanding, wanting you to come to him for support at your most vulnerable. Now he puts his knowledge to the test, easing you into his room with continuous words of affirmation. You always know how to console him at his lowest, and he hopes he can return the favor. If anyone deserves to feel loved it’s you, who brought joy into his otherwise bleak world, and he’ll sit with you every day and night if you need him to. 

SATAN

Satan knows he shouldn’t be awake, though he finds it difficult to satiate his curiosity as he peruses the books lining his shelves. He barely registers the sound of his D.D.D, reluctant to put the book aside to see who’s messaging him at this ungodly hour; Asmodeus most likely. His tune changes after he sees your name lighting up his screen, his annoyance replaced with worry. He knows you struggle, especially at night, but he can tell you’re hesitant to reach out. Nevertheless, you gradually begin to confide in him, his patience limitless if you’re concerned, and he feels a sense of relief that you choose to trust him at your most vulnerable instead of suffering on your own. Pouring over every book he can locate on anxiety, he studies it religiously, engraining each page into his memory. Not by giving unsolicited advice—he doesn’t want to make that mistake twice—but by comforting you the best he can, even if it simply means to stay by your side, waiting for the panic to pass.

A second later, he appears at your door, gaze softening as your eyes meet. In the darkness of your room, he can tell how exhausted you are. You apologize for bothering him, particularly this late, but he dismisses you with a shake of his head and a reassuring smile, sitting beside you on the bed. It saddens him that you feel the need to, but he’s familiar enough with anxiety by now that he understands how much of a manipulative monster it truly is; if only he can destroy it with his own two hands, strangling the life out of it so it no longer taints that innocent soul of yours. To watch you struggle fills him with a rage that he forces deep within himself, fully aware anger isn’t the answer no matter how great his desire to protect you is. So, he cups your face in his hands, your skin warm beneath his fingers as he strokes your flushed cheeks and presses your foreheads together. 

Focus on him, he tells you, the steady rhythm of his breathing, and his voice while he whispers words of love and encouragement. He never tires of letting you know how beautiful and strong you are, that he’s always here for you and loves you—all of you. You unravel in his arms, opening your heart up to him, and he listens intently, pressing a gentle kiss to your lips the moment you look uncertain. You’re not a burden he promises, hoping one day you’ll believe it yourself, but he’ll remind you every chance he gets; forever if he must. It’s worth it in the end, when you relax against him and smile, kissing him in return. Slowly, the anxiety leaves your body, Satan thankful that the waves of panic have receded enough to let you rest your weary mind. He remains next to you, pulling you down to lay your head on his chest and closing your hand in his, entwining your fingers. He’s content here with you, watching you fall asleep and chasing away the nightmares.

ASMODEUS

Asmodeus loves shopping, but he loves shopping with you most of all. The day is bright with you by his side, and he can’t help but buy you clothes and matching accessories to bring out your inherent charm. Your potential is endless, and he gushes over how gorgeous you are, unable to contain his excitement when your cheeks turn a beautiful shade of pink in return. He can hardly control himself around you, gaze fixated on your every movement and heart racing each time you flash him one of the sweetest smiles he’s ever seen; your very soul seeming to shine through and blind him. Nothing prepares him for the love he feels for you, but he considers it a welcome surprise, his desire to grow closer to you intensifying day after day. You captivate him, the Avatar of Lust of all demons. What an exciting turn of events!

Of course, he attracts attention wherever he goes, posing for pictures with adoring fans and basking in the compliments constantly thrown his way; nothing new, but he enjoys it, nonetheless. Who can resist the allure of his very presence? However, anger wells within him at the sight of you being shoved to the side, falling to the ground and lost to the crowd that has gathered. Their words of flattery fall on deaf ears as he rushes to you, throwing a heated glance at the lowly demon who dares to touch his darling human. He desires nothing more than to punish them for such an injustice, but the fear in your eyes tells him otherwise. By the time he scoops you up into his arms you’re trembling from head to toe, and he can feel your heart pounding against him. A part of him places the blame on himself, an unfamiliar feeling, but he chooses to ignore it for now, focusing on getting you home in your worsening state.

In the peace and quiet of his room, he sits you on the bed, wrapping you in his arms as he affectionately runs his fingers through your hair. He can tell you’re upset—in an absolute state of panic by the looks of it—and all he can do is hold you through it, quietly asking what you need and willing to answer your every beck and call if it means that adorable smile graces your features once more. For a moment he considers seeking out Lucifer, worried something has gone terribly wrong, but thankfully you find your voice, mumbling into his chest about anxiety and panic attacks, that you’ll be fine—eventually—and are sorry for ruining your date. He doesn’t understand completely, though he knows you need him, promising to stay by your side for as long as you want. Kissing your cheek, he assures you there’s no need to apologize to him, your safety more important than anything else; the demon who laid his hands on you won’t go without punishment either.

Admitting a bath helps calm you down, he prepares one for you, steam rising from the surface and the heady scent of roses filling the air. Together you slip into the water, enveloped by its warmth, and he hums in contentment as you lean into him, his arms coming to rest around your waist. He watches you carefully, making sure you’re able to relax and preparing himself in case you call on him; he’ll do anything for you if it brings you the happiness you deserve. Your eyes flutter close, Asmodeus showering you with delicate kisses, comforted by the fact your breathing has levelled out and you appear a lot calmer than before. The day didn’t go as planned, and he hopes to make it up to you, vowing that no one else will hurt you on his watch. He loves himself. He loves his brothers. But loves you most of all.

BEELZEBUB

Beelzebub notices you haven’t touched your dinner and is beyond happy the moment you offer your plate to him. Yet he can’t bring himself to enjoy the food in front of him while you excuse yourself from the table, eyes downcast and voice quiet, the usual smile gone from your face and leaving behind an emptiness that rivals his own hunger. His mouth waters at the thought of seconds, but his concern for you grows, and he decides to follow you without question, disregarding the ravenous growl of his stomach. He catches you in the hallway, calling out your name. You turn to him, his brow furrowing in unease at the sight of your tears and the slight tremble of your lip. It hurts him to see you in obvious distress, and he earnestly offers his support.

The only sound is that of your sobbing. He desperately wishes to hold you tightly and rid you of your pain. However, he falters, studying you. Your gaze is trained on the floor, shoulders stiff with tension, and the color drains from your cheeks. When you speak, he’s surprised by how helpless you sound and the fact you’re trying to reassure him, putting his needs above your own although you’re struggling to hold yourself together. Fear flickers across your features at the echo of the brothers’ voices travelling up the stairs, and he mumbles out an apology as he carefully lifts you into his arms, cradling you to his chest. 

Before the others can round the corner, he hurries down the hall and slips into your room, determined to protect his vulnerable human. He notices you relax against him, your fingers curling into his shirt, and he can’t help but want to keep you close, relieved after you lean in closer to wrap your arms around his neck. Stroking your hair, he allows you to cry, his patience and love for you endless. Eventually, you mutter an embarrassed sorry, thanking him profusely, but he’s merely relieved you’re beginning to feel a bit better, reassuring you that you can always depend on him. 

Listening to you intently, he never breaks eye contact. You open up to him about your anxiety, his stomach twisting as you describe what you call a panic attack and how it wrecks you both mentally and physically. Beelzebub knows he has a lot to learn, but he expresses interest in understanding anxiety and, most importantly, how he can help you, so you don’t suffer alone. For the rest of the night, he keeps you company and eases you through the remainder of your attack, giving you plenty of hugs and rubbing your back in soothing circles until you no longer shake, and your heartbeat returns to its usual pace.

BELPHEGOR

Belphegor enjoys the time you spend together, especially when the two of you are alone. He asks you to accompany him in the attic, and it’s not long before he curls around you, falling into a peaceful sleep as he listens to the steady beat of your heart. However, when he awakes it’s to the sound of your soft cries in the dark, which fill him with a fear he can’t seem to shake. Without hesitation he’s at your side, sitting up to softly place a hand on your shoulder and ask you what’s wrong. The sadness in your eyes as you glance up at him, tears staining your cheeks, tugs at his heartstrings. He can’t bear to see you upset.

Once he realizes you’re having a panic attack, he’s attentive to your needs, cradling you in his arms as you cry into his chest. You confided in him about your struggles with anxiety after you fell to pieces in front of him months ago. A part of him understands, the loss of Lilith haunting him throughout the years and instilling a similar feeling of unease within him, especially when his nightmares seem to blur the line between reality and the painful memories of his past. You always came to his rescue and now it’s his turn to comfort you in your time of need. Sleep can wait.

With you in his embrace, he brings you down to relax against the pillows, pulling the blanket around your shivering form. You rest your head on his shoulder, and he gently brushes the remaining tears from your face, whispering words of love and reassurance. He listens to you when you’re comfortable to talk, the slight tremble of your voice causing him to draw you closer and press a kiss to your forehead. Belphegor tells you he’s here for you—forever—and although he’s still learning about anxiety and finding the best ways to comfort you during an attack, he wants you to depend on him no matter what. Even if that means you wake him up in the middle of the night. He won’t rest until he knows you’re okay, and you’re peacefully sleeping in his arms.

[moonlit-sunflower-books]

writing Strong Female Characters™

[@/moonlit_sunflower_books on ig]

i think there's a big difference between "strong female character" and "female character who has no emotions and punches things", and that's my main issue with writers who attempt to be feminist and result in taking away all humanity from their female characters. this post is going to talk about how to write Strong Female Characters well!

disclaimer: these are all my opinions and not to be taken as fact. i'm open to debate and constructive criticism as long as you're kind and respectful! i'm not a professional writer, i'm a student who writes for fun, and this is based on my own experiences and preferences.

give them motivation other than "proving people wrong"

don't get me wrong, spite can be a really great motivator for so many characters. but it's been used so many times for female characters that it becomes repetitive. many Badass Female Characters™ have been discriminated against by men in their life and want to prove their strength and their worth. while this can be part of their motivation, i think it would be refreshing to see something other than this as well. for example, give me a female character fighting for her family or her religion or for her country rather than against it. take helene aquilla from an ember in the ashes - she's the perfect example of a badass woman with unique motivation (if you don't know what i'm talking about, read the books)

let them have emotions

please dear lord give your characters emotions. even if your character is an angsty heartless assassin or someone traumatised into believing emotions are weak, no character is devoid of emotions. let them feel love, let them feel regret, let them have faith and remorse and mercy. inej from six of crows is my favourite example of this: she's a really badass knife wife, but she's religious and kind and empathetic while deciding how best to carve up her victims.

when you take away a female character's emotion, you're leaning into the stereotype that a) women are too emotional and b) emotions are weak. vulnerability is not a weakness, but it can be shown through narration rather than dialogue/action if that fits your character better.

let them fall in love

this one is entirely my opinion, but i feel like "i'm too hardcore for love" has kind of become the new "i'm not like other girls" - except this time it's marginally more subtle. i'd love to see female characters who are strong without giving up on love! like annabeth chase - none of her intelligence or strength is compromised because of her relationship with percy, and not once does she suggest that her love for him holds her back from reaching her potential.

let them fail

NO CHARACTER IS SUCCESSFUL 100% OF THE TIME and if they are, they're a badly written character. in order to see what your characters are made of, you have to break them, and this holds true for Badass Female Characters™ too. i think this holds true especially for physical strength - it would be refreshing to see them fail in a fight against a man sometimes (but obviously not all the time - possibly at the start of the story, before they gain strength depending on how their character arc is structured). honestly, even a woman failing against another woman! don't make your characters unbreakable.

give them a weakness other than pride

something very common among Strong Female Characters™ is that their weakness or "fatal flaw" is pride, such as with annabeth in pjo. pride can be a really strong weakness because of how much depth it can give to a character, and i think annabeth is really well written. but many other female characters have the same weakness, and once again, it becomes repetitive. i found this true with captain marvel as well: carol danvers is really awesome, but her entire personality revolves around the fact that she punches things and is too prideful. make your female characters have varied weaknesses! let them be loyal and stubborn and empathetic and convinced of their own intelligence.

or, let their pride not just be a character trait - make it affect their plot. make your character overconfident and fail because of it. make them unwilling to compromise. but also make sure it's a strength - them so confident that they convince a minor villain to side with them. essentially, make sure that it's not just for show and that it has an impact on their story.

i also think that the Prideful Character trope was kind of a fight against Not Like Other Girls, where the protagonist always ridiculously low self-esteem, and i will say that i much prefer someone prideful. but it would be nice to mix it up a bit and find a middle ground as well!