#father figure!Gilgamesh

[babyrdie]

ALERT OF HADES II SPOILER

Okaaaayyy....seeing a considerable number of people act shocked at how Odysseus is in Hades II and think it's something against Odysseus, and now I'm wondering if they actually paid attention in the first game…I know everyone talks a lot about Hades' art, but I didn't think that was because it was the only thing you guys were really paying attention to.

It makes sense to be disappointed that the characters weren't treated the way a fan would have liked (for example, I'm not a fan of Hades, but I don't really like the idea of him in the game although I understand why he's the way he is), but I think it's weird to be that surprised by it or treat it like it's personal. Hades never fully followed the myths. They didn't do this because they haven't read Homer or because they don't like Penelope or hate Odysseus…it's simply because they don't follow the myths authentically. They don't specifically have anything against Odysseus or Penelope, it's just the way they do things. If this were the first game, I would understand this being unexpected… but it's the second game, we already know that they won't faithfully follow the myths because they didn't do that in Hades I.

I'll admit that I also didn't expect what was done with Penelope and Odysseus, but it's not really such a "wow! I could never imagine!" when it comes to Supergiant (I'm playing the technical test, for context). And I hoped they would already be together without relationship conflicts, because I really wasn't looking forward to a repeat of Nyx and Chaos, Patroclus and Achilles, Orpheus and Eurydice. I know most people wanted this, but I think it would be lazy to repeat this and I'm still hoping to not have this quest, whether with Odypen or other characters. And yet, even if I didn't expect it, I don't think it's as unexpected for Supergiant as some are making it seem.

Examples:

Melinoe and Zagreus are children of Persephone and Hades, and in mythology they aren't children of Hades.

Zagreus and Dionysus aren't the same person. The game makes humans believe that they're because the two played a prank on Orpheus, which made him invent a song with that story. Clearly a joke on the Orphic hymns.

Theseus is proud to be a demigod, but Poseidon denies that he's his father. Clearly a joke with the different versions of Theseus' birth, in which some he is Poseidon's demigod and others he's mortal.

Persephone is the daughter of Demeter and a mortal, not Zeus. For that reason, she and her children bleed red rather than gold.

Persephone isn't actually kidnapped by Hades. The kidnapping was an act that went wrong. Yeah, Odysseus wasn't the first character to have his non-con and dub-con aspect erased.

Achilles has a different personality than in myths. The game explains this as him maturing in the afterlife.

Patroclus is distant instead of communicative as in the myths, also explained by post-death events.

Asterius (Minotaur) is much more humanized than in the myths and he and Theseus are best friends.

There is a character heavily implied to be Medusa (Dusa) and she definitely doesn't behave like a monster.

Sisyphus is a kind and helpful guy, which is explained in the game with him having regretted his actions after his years of punishment.

Artemis and Callisto are on good terms even though they ended tragically in mythology.

Hades has a much more difficult personality to deal with than in mythology.

Thanatos, Megaera (one of the furies) and Zagreus are in a romantic relationship, which definitely doesn't exist in the myths.

The last aspects of the weapons to be unlocked do not even make reference to Greece, but to other figures. For example, the Twin Fists have the "aspect of Gilgamesh", a figure who is definitely not Greek.

Aphrodite says "You do know that I'm married, don't you love? I forgive you if you didn't. For my husband, he's always... busy with his work. I'm grateful that you are there for me to talk to" about Hephaesthus...her husband, she says. Hephaestus and Aphrodite are often divorced in mythology, including in Homer. And it's not because it wasn't yet at the time they got divorced, after all the Trojan War had already happened and they were already divorced at that time.

Also, they clearly don't use Homer as their only guide, so I don't know why you guys are saying "but Homer!" Patrochilles is there and not really canon in the Homeric tradition, but in Classical Greece they were considered a couple in certain sources (Aeschylus mainly). They use the name Asterius for the Minotaur (something Pausanias mentions, for example) although it wasn't the most common, they play with the various versions of Theseus' lineage, they reference Orphic hymns, etc. Like…it's really VERY obvious they took inspiration of more than one source.

On the Supergiant website, part of the Hades presentation is "Greek myth comes from stories of ancient gods and heroes filtered through new points of view; we’re excited to share ours." This already makes it more than evident that certain aspects were purposefully changed. It wasn't a surprise even before Hades I was released, for anyone who bothered to read it.

On Twitter, Kasavin (Creative Director) has already said that "it is a concerted effort over time, although Hesiod and Homer were very significant among the many authors we explored", which makes it clear that they don't focus on a specific source, although he recognizes that Homer and Hesiod are very influential.

In an interview available at Rock Paper Shotgun, he even said that he read more than one translation of the Odyssey and cites other sources like Diodorus Siculus.

Also, Odysseus cheating Penelope isn't even a modern invention, there were already versions of this in the Bibliotheca of Pseudo-Apollodorus (I'm talking about Callidice). And giving an unpopular opinion here: while I agree that Calypso in The Odyssey is undeniably an SA situation, Circe is more debatable than you guys like to make it out to be, it isn't undeniably. Both the interpretation that there was SA and the interpretation that there was no SA are valid, because the text itself doesn't make it explicit as it does with Calypso. In Circe's case, not necessarily not making it a relationship with SA makes it something that deviant from the myths.

Again because I don't want to be misinterpreted: what I'm taking issue with here isn't the disappointment in how Odysseus was portrayed. This is valid! I'm questioning the idea that this was done because they don't know about the myths or that it was something specific to Odysseus and Penelope. They know the myths, they just purposefully choose not to be completely authentic. They have nothing specific to Odysseus and Penelope, which is precisely why they aren't exempt from the changes they also made to other characters. They are no more special than Persephone, Hades, Zagreus, Melinoe (to name a few who had changes), that's why they receive the same treatment (that is, being changed).

I would never recommend Hades to someone who wanted complete authenticity to the myths. I wouldn't do that because I KNOW that's not the game's purpose. I thought everyone else knew too. You don't go to a vegetarian restaurant that you knew was vegetarian because you had eaten there before and be surprised because they don't have real meat dishes, be serious.

Edit (01/05): guys, you're talking about Epic, but I admit that I've never even heard that musical and I'm not part of the fandom. So I don't really know if Epic has an influence on that mindset 🤔and also my reblog develops a little more what I think based on Hades I if anyone is interested in theories for the narrative.

[talonabraxas]

Anu 𒀭 “Skyfather and Lord of Firmament, or the Great Above.” Talon Abraxas

Anu (also known as An) is an early Mesopotamian sky god who was later viewed as the Father of the Gods and ruler of the heavens, a position which then passed to his son Enlil. He is the son of the couple Anshar and Kishar (heaven and earth, respectively), the second-born of the primordial couple Apsu and Tiamat.

He was originally a Sumerian sky deity known as An (meaning 'sky') first referenced in writing during the Early Dynastic Period (2900-2334 BCE) who was adopted by the Akkadians c. 2375 BCE as Anu ('heaven') the all-powerful. Sargon the Great of Akkad (r. 2334-2279 BCE) mentions Anu and Inanna in his inscriptions as legitimizing his rule or helping him in his conquests as he established the Akkadian Empire and maintained order.

Anu is most often represented in iconography simply by a crown or crown on a throne symbolizing his status as King of the Gods, an honor and responsibility later conferred upon Enlil, Marduk (son of Enki/Ea, the god of wisdom), and Assur of the Assyrians, all of whom were believed to have been elevated by Anu and blessed by him. His consort is Antu (also known as Uras, goddess of the earth), and among their many children are the Annunaki, the gods of the earth and judges of the dead, and Nisaba, the Sumerian goddess of writing and accounts. He is also given as the husband of his sister Ki (earth) by whom his son Enlil is born.

Although Anu is not featured prominently in many myths, he is often mentioned as a background figure. This is because, as veneration of the god progressed, he became more and more remote. Initially a sky god and one of the many younger gods born of Apsu and Tiamat, Anu gradually became the lord of the heavens above the sky and the god who ordered and maintained all aspects of existence.

Along with Enlil and Enki, Anu formed a triad which governed the heavens, earth, and underworld (in one version) or, in another, heaven, the sky, and the earth. He was also listed among the oldest gods of the Seven Divine Powers: Anu, Enki, Enlil, Inanna, Nanna, Ninhursag, and Utu-Shamash.

Even though he is rarely a main character in a myth, when he does appear, he plays an important role, even when that role might seem minor. He is referenced in some of the best-known myths from Mesopotamia including Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Netherworld, The Epic of Gilgamesh, the Myth of Adapa, and the Enuma Elish.

[jungle-angel]

Your Ornaments Are History (Bob Floyd x Reader)

Summary: You and Bob wouldn't trade your cat, Pumpkin for the world, but there's a reason that you don't like to let her near the Christmas tree

Tagging: @floydsmuse @desert-fern and @bobfloydsbabe

Bob hummed along to the music playing from his phone in the kitchen as he began frosting the cookies that had come out of the oven. He couldn't wait until things had quieted down and you both had vacation time from work, seeing as he and the rest of the squad had gotten tickets to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra performance at the beginning of the month.

He felt that familiar curling around his legs and the cheeky little meow coming from Pumpkin, your black cat who had chosen you and him as your family on Halloween night one year ago. "Hey, out, outta here Pumpkin," Bob told her firmly. "Go see if there's pack rats in the basement."

Pumpkin sure enough, ran off and disappeared. "You sure you wanna be scrawling notes this late in the afternoon (y/n)?" he asked.

"Bob we've gotta get everything ready for when the lesson blocks at school change," you told him, scrawling a few notes into your notebook. "Fortunately for you, you've got everything you need. I on the other hand, have nothing to work off of."

"You sure Ancient Egypt didn't produce any epic poetry or literature?" he asked.

"A hundred percent certain," you answered rather flatly.

Bob gave it some thought, his lopsided grin turning down a little into a thoughtful frown. "Ok," he said. "Ok.......let me think a minute......what's the closest you might be able to get?"

"We already did Gilgamesh," you answered. "And Homer and the Viking Sagas."

"Damnit," Bob hissed under his breath.

You suddenly snapped your fingers. "Wait, I've got it," you said suddenly. "I forgot about The Tale Of The Court Of King Cheops and about The Tale Of The Shipwrecked Sailor."

"Don't you also do mythology lessons too?" Bob asked.

"Well........yes," you said a little sheepishly.

"So Ancient Egypt shouldn't be too hard to figure out, right?"

"No I wouldn't think so," you answered. "Besides, it's not like we're......"

"MOTHERFUCKER!!!!!"

The loud curse from your husband gave you only a split second before you heard a crash in the living room and Bob running to pick up the Christmas tree that Pumpkin had managed to topple over. You could practically feel his nostrils flaring when you both heard that cheeky meow once again from the slinky black cat who wore the biggest grin on her face.

"PUMPKIN YOU ARE SO LUCKY I HAVEN'T TURNED YOU INTO A PURSE!!!!" Bob thundered.

Pumpkin meowed again and skittered off to her favorite hiding place, the mother-in-law apartment in your basement where Bob's parents had taken up residence. The front door creaked open a minute later and in came Joe, Bob's father, carrying a brown paper bag full of dinner supplies.

"What the fuck happened to your tree?" he chuckled.

"Cat," Bob answered.

Joe burst out laughing. "I knew that little shit was trouble when she showed up on Halloween night!"

"Love the cat to death Dad," Bob told him. "But if this is gonna be an ongoing issue....."

"Put some fuckin lemon and orange peels in it," Joe said. "That's all you've gotta do. It worked when we had Tootie living under our roof."

Bob let out a disgusted groan as Joe helped him stand the tree upright again. Bob shuddered at the memories of his sister Aly's so called "devil cat", a mean old thing who had scratched Bob and his brothers more times than he could count. Hell, that damn cat had scratched his brother Eugene's little boy when he had been a baby three years ago. But Bob had to admit, Tootie had been a smart little shit who had quickly figured out how to use the toilet in the basement bathroom.

Joe went into the kitchen and peeled a few lemons and oranges, leaving the fruit to be used for later baking or cooking. "Let'em dry for a good day and a half then put'em in a pouch and hang'em from the branches," he explained.

"Thanks Dad," Bob said.

"And don't worry," Joe added. "I'll show the little footwarmer later who the real boss in this house is."

You snickered a little as Bob went back to his task. "You really think he'll do it?" you asked.

"If we hear a scared meow coming from the basement we'll know it worked," Bob chuckled. "Although I have a feeling I won't wanna look out the basement window for a year."

You laughed picturing Joe scaring the shit out of Pumpkin. Yet you and Bob both knew that for as much trouble she might have caused, that damn cat was one of the best things to ever happen to your family.

[derekscorner]

Fated Rantings: Ground Zero

I finished Fate Zero

And what a ride that was. I don't even know where to start with all of this which shocks me because I went in knowing things would go to hell.

I started my whole Fate journey due to lore videos, curiosity and FGO so (just like the 2006 Fate Stay Night) I had a full grasp of what would happen. To be shocked anyway just goes to show that the cast and their dialogues sell this story.

There's a stark difference between hearing plot points and watching Gilgamesh slowly poke at Kirei's mentality. There's a difference between knowing that Blue Beard is summoned by a serial killer and seeing them discuss the nature of God.

And there's one hell of a difference between seeing memes of Iskander & Waver and seeing what is possibly the best bromance within Type-Moon.

I went into this expecting Saber to be a bit too idealistic and for Kiritsugu to be a badass only to leave it finding Kiritsugu the least interesting compared to everyone else.

Magus Killer Indeed

Now, I do not say that to imply that he lacks depth himself. Kiritsugu is unique in how he operates within his magic world and you're not supposed to view him as idealistically as Irisviel or Shirou do, he's a flawed man with a very fucked up history.

This man, like Shirou, wanted to be a hero of justice as a child. An innocent enough desire but one that was both never tempered in realism and was shattered by realism.

What I mean by that is that Kiritsugu is plagued by a paradox. Yes, the village being turned into ghouls and murdered was bad. Yes, Kiritsugu killing his own father because he felt that "he had too" is a very dark sign of his mentality even as a child.

But these things haunt him, they do not drive him. What drives him is his desire to be that hero. When his world is shattered he takes a dark approach to kill the few to save the many.

It's that pursuit that eventually shatters his goal with the realism of humanity. You can never truly save everyone, other humans will always ruin it.

But the realism that pushes him to try anyway is the grail. In this world the wish granter is real, tangible, thus the paradox. He fully believes the goal shattered by realism can be salvaged by the realism of the grail's existence.

He's usually so pessimistic and realistic in his approaches to the war and battles that it's almost jarring to see his character break once he learns that the grail can't just do anything. You can see that last bit of idealism in his soul die.

Worse, the grail taunts him. It can only grant a wish that a human themselves can understand. As an example;

you can't ask for fire if you do not know how fire operates.

Thus the grail shows him a way to grant his wish but that wish grants nothing. This is very crucial to his breakdown because the grail showed him in the purest terms that;

This is your way of saving others but ultimately it saves no one

That's the point of the boat example. No matter how many you sacrifice for the whole, the survives will further fracture. There will always be a minority and a majority, Kiritsugu's life was essentially pointless in the larger picture.

Now, it'd be too cruel to say his life had no meaning at all. He was willing to sacrifice his mother figure and mentor to stop an undead outbreak. He killed his father because he felt responsible for his actions and Shirley's death.

He had to have done some good, it just wasn't in the way he had hoped. The greatest tragedy here is possibly that he's unable to see it.

We the audience see it in those rare moments of him being a father to his daughter, to Shirou, or a husband to Irisviel. People were drawn to him and loved him and if he had stopped his pursuits for them he may have found a happier ending.

True Emptiness

Then there's this true demon of a man. For all the talk, the praise of their battle, and Kiritsugu's own foreshadowing, I expected a deeper connection between the two.

It's strange, you can't just bring up Kiritsugu's flawed mentality without mentioning Kirei's yet the two only physically met one time. It's fascinating because I expected a bigger grudge or more plot relevance to their dynamic.

Yet, at the same time, their lack of interaction makes the eventual fight more interesting because of where Kirei starts and where he ends.

Intriguingly, Kiritsugu pegs Kirei near instantly. He only had a mug shot and some info on his life but he could instantly tell that there was something very wrong with Kirei. He sensed the lack of love and emptiness and feared him the most.

In contrast, Kirei didn't know Kiritsugu as well as he believed. Half of his emotional journey is realizing that they're not as alike as he thought.

This is best shown in his battle with Irisviel and Maya. He assumes Kiritsugu sent them there to battle him and he can't comprehend it when that's not the case. In his mind he is fully incapable of understanding why those two women would choose to face him.

He can't comprehend the illogical actions love will drive one too.

That said, the far more interesting dynamic in Kirei's life is Gilgamesh. While Kirei fails in his assumption of Kiritsugu and lacks a full understanding of himself it is Gilgamesh who sees through Kirei instantly.

Their talks are some of the most interesting parts in the story because you can tell Gilgamesh is trying to make him realize his own nature. Gilgamesh has no grand reason for doing so, he's just bored.

For all the dorky shit Gilgamesh does, for all the moments of him being oddly good with kids, or a good king (in FGO) you can't forget that Gilgamesh defies morality. He's not above it he just does not consider it.

He seeks entertainment and Kirei is the most interesting thing there. A full grown man unable to feel yet subconsciously seeking too. The answer is always on the tip of Kirei's tongue. (he's in self denial)

It's truly fascinating to watch it unfold. This ancient demigod taking a mentorship-like role just so he can see what Kirei will do.

It's due to these talks of introspection and Kirei's other actions that I find it hard to see the duality of he and Kiritsugu. What ultimately awakens Kirei's understanding is watching Kariya's suffering.

Gilgamesh may point it out but that's moot. It's Kariya's motives that catch Kirei's attention most, it's the drama with Tokiomi that fascinates him, it's saving Kariya and using him later that makes it click for Kirei internally.

You could possibly argue the whole thing is Tokiomi's fault. He gave his daughter to the Matous and even if he was unaware of the torture she'd endure for years that- no wait.

He possibly went wrong the moment he schemed with the church. Watching the Tohsaka's and Kariya play out their drama awoke the monster that is Kirei but it was Tokiomi's fault Kirei was there at all.

It was also Tokiomi that summoned Gilgamesh....hmm there's a lot more to ponder there I guess but let's move on.

I can only praise the depiction of Kirei's awakening so far before it seems like I like his character or adore it. It's fascinating to watch but he's still a monster that shouldn't be walking among men.

The Best Fate Bro to ever live

I wanted to use the last section of this to talk about the best fucking boy. I do not care what anyone tells you, Iskandar is the best bro in the Fate universe.

The very first thing this man does upon being summoned is find a map. With the enthusiasm of a child he admires it looking for where his kingdom is now and seeing the world mapped out in whole.

There's something that is just genuinely pure about Iskandar in Fate/Zero. No heroic spirit is without questionable actions in the modern lens but this story does a good job of blending that by explaining Iskandar's motives.

He has a genuine love of seeing new things. That joy is so pure that his wish for the grail is to be reincarnated so that he can begin his conqueroring anew. I have no earthly clue how he thinks he'll be able to do that in a normal mortal body but no matter because I doubt he's thought that far ahead himself.

His patience in dealing with a prideful child is also second to none. His words are often full of small wisdom to the point I did not keep count of them all nor could I explore it all. He's always pushing his master to try new things and it takes root overtime.

It is very easy to see how Waver could become the popular Lord El-Melloi II in other materials. It all began here, regardless of timelines, there's usually a Waver that fought in the 4th Grail War with Iskander.

I'm not even sure what to write about Waver himself because so much of what made the impression was seeing him slowly changing due to Iskandar's influence.

In a mage society that belittles him for being "new blood" it is Iskandar that continually tries to open his eyes. That's highlighted best when Waver tracks down Caster easily using simpler methods due to his magical limitations.

He views it as bad but Iskandar makes a good point. To do something in a simpler yet equally relevant way (perhaps even better) is a talent worthy of praise. Waver doesn't recognize his own ingenuity nor does he realize that there's merit in someone who can think around their limitations.

It's the core of their dynamic and that moment when Waver goes from being his master mage to his subject is beautiful. That strong loyalty born over the story even saves Waver's life.

Gilgamesh spares him based on that undying loyalty alone. A far cry from where Waver starts.

Kingly Mentality

Before I lose myself in the praise I should point out that Iskandar is no fool. Yes, he rarely plans in Fate Zero and his pure love for the new and patience shapes his bond with his mage.

However, do not mistake that pureness for a simpleton. Iskander is simply straightforward to a fault. His greatest characteristic is that friendly straightforward nature he has.

He's the one servant that repeatedly stops to talk to the others, he's able to get them to talk when they normally wouldn't, and even when he expresses desire to take them into his army those present do not get that offended.

Gilgamesh, the king of arrogance, even begins to shrug this off. On some level he respects Iskandar's nature because he is true to himself.

Still, some do think his attitude toward Saber is bad in regards to the banquet of kings. Now this is tumblr which is bad for seeing what isn't there to begin with or it's twitter which has lost it's critical thinking skills long ago.

What do I mean by this? Simple, while Iskandar and Gilgamesh disagree they at least respect each other as kings. Similarly they disrespect Artoria as king but for differing reasons.

To Iskandar a king is someone who stands above men as a symbol of their ideals. Something to follow, a larger than life person to show them the way.

What lost Iskandar's respect for Artoria's kingship was her wish. Her desire to undo it all, even if for good reasons, is an insult to Iskandar. No matter how tragic he would not change one moment of his life because that would affect everyone that fought for him and with him.

He sees Artoria as a slave of her people and the ideals she was raised on rather than a king that's truly led and valued her men. It is here that some have issues.

We'll argue King Arthur another time, what's relevant is why Iskandar views it. The tragic thing being that he is not entirely wrong.

Artoria was raised to be a king, she was conceived in convoluted magic ways to be England's king, so when he says that he only "sees a girl who could not chase butterflies or fall in love" he is entirely correct.

I do not say that dismissing her choices mind you but she did sacrifice that normalcy regardless. Iskandar, as we've covered, enjoys life at it's core.

So what he sees in Saber is a girl who was denied life. She could not truly enjoy it which disconnected her from her people. He views it as sad and states that one reason for recruiting her into his army is to show her otherwise.

Now as to whether he could have is another topic entirely. What's important is that he can't respect her as a king because he sees a martyr not a king.

The Fate Route of the FSN justifies his views to an extent because Saber eventually finds some things she denied herself in Shirou. She ultimately just needed a chance to be a person and Iskandar wanted to help her do so.

There are some faults in his thinking, yes, but his intentions aren't negative nor his his disrespect of her kingship based on sex. He fully respected Saber as a king until he learned her wish.

Even after he respected her as a warrior and wanted to see her enjoy life...and cut down his enemies BUT STILL.

Conclusion?

Already? So abruptly? Kinda. This got too big to fit into one post and there's a lot I can't find a way to organically work in.

Such as Tokiomi's dumb ass making Kirei Rin's guardian when his wife is perfectly healthy and alive when he writes that will.

Or how Gilgamesh views Saber just as objectively and disrespectfully as you'd expect. His take on her kingship and sex is completely negative and objectifying, a contrast to Iskandar.

Hell the whole mutual respect and differences between Gilgamesh and Iskandar.

I also didn't get to the odd but unnervingly deep take on God between two mass murderers. (Caster & Ryuunosuke)

I definitely don't have it in me to cover Kiritsugu's family. Illyasviel is more of a FSN topic and Irisviel is hard for me to quantify. Her love for her husband and of the small things he showed her was beautiful though.

Oh well, ONTO PART TWO: https://derekscorner.tumblr.com/post/737301977761005569/fated-rantings-seiba-pt-2#notes

=======================

For my other experiences with Fate go here: https://derekscorner.tumblr.com/tagged/fated-rantings

[grassoftunnel]

Completed Fate Stay Night: Fate Route!

My favourites were in order:

Rin Tokiomyevna

Shinji Byakuyich

Kirei

Rinita and Shinjito I liked from the first moment they appeared, but Kirei I was very ambivalent to until the reveals at the end! I thought he was just going to be some run-of-the-mill boring corny found family type father figure (like his scary aura would be subverted by being good at heart or whatever) and was mostly bemused by Emiya’s fear of him. Colour me surprised when he turns out to be the grade A sicko of my dreams! I’m so excited to see all three of them more/learn about them in the following routes, as while Shinji and Kirei have more minor roles, even Rin was largely Ms Exposition and just spent Fate Route taking L after miserable L.

Out of the servants, my favourites were, in order:

Rider

Assassin

Caster

Also: When he was introduced, I started calling Gilgamesh “White Gilgamesh” as a joke, because I was able to immediately clock that he was some kind of ancient Near Eastern guy but didn’t expect to get further in my guessing of his identity than that, and then it ended up actually being him lmfaooo

I’ve also been an arthuriana fan since my mid-teens and I really felt that Saber was a cute and true to spirit adaptation of King Arthur! It also opened my eyes to the fact that Arthur has many Yamato Nadeshiko qualities, much to think about. Obviously Arturia is twisted into a shape to suit the genre and medium, and was certainly not the type of characterisation I would have immediately gone for ( I also feel King Arthur could be a Lancer class too, if you know you know…) but I quite enjoyed her, as well as the preservation of the concept of the Holy Grail being like terrifying and inhuman.

[bunniope]

top 5 ancient mythical figures

i dont know a lot so forgive my foolishness

5. romulus. i dont actually care about him on a personal level but i took latin in high school and i always laugh really hard about how apparently he killed his brother bc he was making fun of how small the wall he was building was. like he was jumping back and forth over it and making fun of it and romulus just stone cold murked him and then named the city after himself. really funny

4. anubis. freaking swag dogman. i like death gods in general

3. prometheus. idk i just really like him. hes neat. father of humanity or whatever

2. gilgamesh. all timer. guy who is always on my mind in some way or another

1. enkidu. the fucking goat. ultimate swag beastman

[multiplebirthinwebcomics]

Multiple Births

Round 2 Poll 8

Read Girl Genius

Read Dumbing of Age

Submitted context including spoilers and propaganda under the cut

Zeetha and Gilgamesh : OK so I do need to clarify because this is technically not confirmed canon yet.

Gil is the son of Baron Klaus Wulfenbach, the guy who whipped all of Europe into shape through some tyrannical de sporty after returning form a years long sojourn through a portal yo find everything gone to shit. He brought with in his stolen/rescued baby kid, who he then proceeded to not tell anyone was his kid, because Klaus is winning every father of the year award (sarcasm). Gil is the first/main love interest, and is an idiot (affectionate)

Zeetha, Daughter of Chump, is a warrior Princess of Skifander, a lost kingdom that may or may not be on Mars, who came with an expedition to visit Europe only for everyone to die and her to end up in a traveling circus - Agatha, the protagonist, is the first one to recognize Skifander, and the two become best friends.

Zeetha knows her father is a warrior from Europe, who disappeared when she was young; Gil has been told by his father that Skifander might be sending assassins to kill him, that Klaus had a complicated relationship with the Queen, and that he is through some path technically royalty. Zeetha and Gil are the same age. A requested sketch of Chump looks identical to a (younger) Klaus. And when asked for fun facts about Skifander in an AMA, quote “they don’t like twins.”

So, you know, not technically confirmed, but 100% Klaus kidnapped his own son under the impression that he was going to be ritually murdered for twin-superstition reasons (and son specifically bc Skifander was a matriarchy), leaving them to be raised separately and unaware the other exists. Although Zeetha is definitely putting the pieces together.

Walky and Sal :

From the site's cast page:

Walky is his parents’ favorite child. He’s smart and he doesn’t get into trouble, but he could be a little more ambitious. He’s here at college because his parents want him to be, but mostly what he wants to do is watch television and goof off. Lucky for him that good grades came easily to him (in high school), so he figures college will be everything he’s ever wanted. No parents, no structure order — just eating McNuggets whenever, wherever.

Walky is Sal’s twin brother, and the two very different siblings haven’t really spoken much in a long while.

Sal’s parents always liked her brother Walky better, and so over the years she started rebelling more and more to get attention. This culminated in a double convenience store holdup that got her arrested and exiled to a Catholic boarding school in Tennessee for most of her teen years. Her parents expected her to find Jesus (or whatever), but she instead found smoking, tattoos, and motorcycles. As you can imagine, Sal turns a lot of heads, but she finds this mostly annoying. Stop idolizing her, dammit. She can’t help how cool she is.

[ertrunkenerwassergeist]

Fire Priest!Ignis: five times somebody was surprised by Ignis knowing something random and unexpected, and the one time somebody figured it out.

(Bonus points if the person who figures it out is not Ardyn)

Ardyn figured it out within 3 seconds of meeting Ignis. He doesn't count. (He sits back and enjoys the show)

The first is when Ignis warns Gladio of when Iris's sickness will be flaring up again. Gladio doesn't really believe it. But then it happens. He really wants to ask Ignis how the fuck he knew that, but forgets to do it over caring for his sister.

The second would be when he tells a random stranger where he might find his mother's testament. The stranger is weirded out, Ignis is wondering why he told the guy that. Turns out he's right, though. It also turns out that the guy it Petra Fortis from the City Watch. So now Petra ows Ignis a big one :D

Third is when Ignis tells Cor that Gilgamesh is a hypocritic piece of shit and should not be trusted. He also gratulates Cor for cutting the man's/ghost's arm off. Cor is weirded out, becaus he never told the kids what exactly happened in Taelpar Crag. Before he can ask how exactly Ignis knows about this, he vanishes (and goes to track down Noctis in Deep City for the first time).

On his way down he meets Nyx. He tells him to talk to Petra. Nyx really doesn't want to do that. Ignis just tells him to say that Ignis sent him and to take him to one of the old cellars which were dug into the cliff Insmonia is build around. To incentivice Nyx, Ignis also tells him that he very much looks like his father Ilias. Nyx turns around at once and goes to track down Petra. He's convinced Ignis either got possessed by a Galahkari spirit, or is like the Wise One. Either way, he listens, and lo and behold, in that one wine cellar they find some very interesting documents and some stolen cultural objects.

Fifth is when he is looking after Solaris and Astra and starts to tell them stories about their ancestors. Stories no one should know about. Not that the kids know that. They're just happy about New Stories.

Noctis figures it out when one day, Ignis randomly drags him out of his clinic because 'it's time now'. He brings him to the grave of two Lucis Caelums which were buried close to the old palace. The first was Mendax Lucis Caelum II, titled The True (he's Somnus's son), and the second Atalanta Lucis Caelum, mother to Ardyn and Somnus. Noctis wonders why he didn't figure it out earlier. It's very obvious in hindsight.

[gust-jar-simulator]

Ohhh my god my heart.

Okay so I read stuff about the Ancient Near East for fun and also my major, and this post has me thinking about the parallels between Skyward Sword and the Epic of Gilgamesh.

To grab a couple of excerpts from sisterofiris:

[…] just like death is tied to life, suffering is tied to love. What prompts Gilgamesh’s desire to escape his lot isn’t pride, but the loss of his beloved. In short, we’re human because we die, because we die we suffer, and we suffer because we love.

The question of being human can be broken down into the state of being human, and the quality of being humane. So if that’s the argument for the state of being human, what is the quality of being humane?

To the Hittites, being a good human - generally a good king, though the concept also seems to apply to common people - meant being merciful. The Hittite word for mercy, genzu-, overlaps with the concepts of love and benevolence. Etymologically it derives from genu-, “knee” or “lap”; thus what makes someone humane is their ability to (figuratively) take someone onto their lap.

And this, my friends, is where I tear off into fandom territory.

Ghirahim is notably struggling with but determined to express mercy at the beginning of Skyward Sword. Textually, we’re given the reasoning that a lack of mercy is “unbecoming of a lord”. Meaning, if we take the idea that a lord is supposed to be an example for his people, that a person should be merciful. That, in addition to his need to vent emotion, is something that immediately characterizes him as human.

(Granted, you don’t need emotions to be human, but I’m using fairytale rules here.)

Ghirahim expressing a lack of mercy coincides with his physical and irreversible change into his weapon form, up to and including the moment where he attempts to kill Zelda and is then finally turned into a sword.

I’d also like to point out that this version of Link is essentially the progenitor of all the others. In essentially every game, you are immersed in the idea that you are not the first hero, but part of an unending mythos. Minish Cap, for example, references the Hero of Men who exists only as a throwaway line for no other reason than to immerse you in the idea that Heroes have Come Before; you are an heir to and part of the overarching legend.

I don’t entirely know where the fandom got the term Hero’s Spirit or the Spirit of Courage, but the idea sums up the concept I’m going for in the same way the Shezarrine in the Elder Scrolls does. Namely, the hero as an individual might be mortal, but as a concept and legend he is immortal. The hero never dies. Because we buy the next game.

Ghirahim, and most every other secondary villain in the series, is incredibly human because his existence is temporary. He doesn’t get a legend. He doesn’t get an impact on history. That’s for the godlike figures who matter, like Ganondorf and Link and Zelda. Ghirahim only exists, in his moment and his time, and then he simply doesn’t. He gets no kleos, and not even a eulogy.

Definition from Wikipedia for you:

Kleos is the Greek word often translated to "renown", or "glory". It is related to the English word "loud" and carries the implied meaning of "what others hear about you". A Greek hero earns kleos through accomplishing great deeds.

[…] besides the meaning of "glory", kleos can also be used as the medium (in this case, the ancient Greek poetry or song) which conveys glory.

Kleos is invariably transferred from father to son; the son is responsible for carrying on and building upon the "glory" of the father.

That quality of the transfer of kleos, I feel, carrying it on and building it up, is exactly what the Legend of Zelda does by introducing the myth of The Hero and then giving us a cute little enby with a sword to sic upon the world. We, the player character, build upon the legend of our predecessors.

Despite the fact that we’re Hylian and destined to die (sometimes several times), and we’re fighting immortal demons: our story lives on, and theirs doesn’t. So who, in that case, is more human?

At the end of Skyward Sword, Demon Lord Ghirahim has been fully transformed into a weapon spirit, and asks us in raw disbelieving curiosity what we are. Coming from a man who’s just confirmed himself to be a magical AI, who we can narratively assume knows quite a lot about everything there is to know, it’s kind of chilling.

Because we get the girl, we get the glory, we get the validation of our god, we get a future. But I think in the process, past how human our desires are, what we are is something on a mythic scale. And Ghirahim, though he wants exactly the same things in his own way, even though he’s a weapon, is only human compared to us.

It’s a fairytale. We’re the hero. In the face of that inevitability, he never had a chance.

[softquietsteadylove]

Hello! ✨

Something for the Thenamesh 10 Things AU!

What about some drama with Arishem. He heard a stupid rumor that his daughter Thena had some dirty time with a "bad boy" at a gas station or a workshop. Arishem was storming out of the house when Thena an Sersi came home and he yelled at her and grabbed her, trying to drag her into the house. And then, of course, Gilgamesh shows up and makes it even worse, because Arishem thinks he's this, in the rumor mentioned, "bad boy".

🖤✨Hugs and Love✨🖤

"Thena!"

Thena and Sersi both jumped as their father's voice rattled the air around them. Sersi stood from where she and Thena were sitting on the front step together. "F-Father, what-"

"Silence," the monstrous man stepped closer to them, forcing Thena to her feet with the pressure of his presence. He loomed over them. "Thena, I have heard rumours of you."

"What rumours?" she asked outright. It wouldn't do her any good to play stupid with her father. "Whatever it is, I'm certain it's false."

"Is that so?" he queried, leaning over his eldest daughter more. "I was told you went looking for...transportation."

Thena bristled.

"It is my understanding that you have formed an associative attachment with someone," Arishem paused, "less than reputable."

"Please say who you mean, Father," Thena asked, which was as good as wagging her finger and sassing him.

"Gilgamesh," Arishem spat out the name with distaste. "A young delinquent who will be lucky to graduate school, let alone attend a secondary education befitting of this family."

"And what does that have to do with anything?"

"You know the rules," he spoke deeply and evenly, eyes bearing down on Thena with her head directed at her shoes. "You do not let the common animals bed you, especially not the likes of unlawfuls."

"Father!" Sersi spoke up in a surprising bout of rebellion. "I don't know what you're talking about but Thena-"

"Was seen with this young man several times," Arishem concluded for his second daughter. And favourite, if Thena needed any more proof than this very conversation. "Including, entering and exiting his vehicle."

"I did not realise asking for a ride was strictly forbidden," Thena spoke up for herself again, which she had never done as much of in the past. But she managed to drag her eyes up to glare at her father, "truly I must be the whore of Babylon, then."

Arishem's eyes flared, only making his dark, devilish appearance even worse. "Enough."

"Father!" Sersi gasped.

"Inside," he snarled, gripping Thena's arm and dragging her up the rest of the stairs and towards the door.

"Hey!"

All three heads turned as a figure walked up the sidewalk and towards the house. "I don't know what the hell's happening, but let go of her."

Arishem stared down the young man walking towards him so brazenly. "You."

"Me," Gil made a face at him. Arishem's height didn't bother him, nor the sheer size of his figure, wide shoulders and monstrous limbs. Gil shrugged at him, moving his jacket with his hands inside the pockets.

Arishem looked down at Thena, in his clutches like a bird being shoved into a cage, "truly? This is with whom you wish to associate?"

"Father, please!" Sersi pleaded, tugging at his other sleeve in an effort to help her sister.

"Father?" he an even more sneering face at him. He walked up a few steps towards them. "You're their asshole of a dad?"

Arishem's spine straightened, each vertebra locking into place so he could glare down at the boy. "You have the audacity to address me so improperly?"

His eyes dashed down to the hand around Thena's arm. "I have a problem with anyone who handles their own kid like this."

"Gil, don't-!" Thena bit her lip as her father pulled her upwards, forcing her to stretch up with the impossible angle of her arm within his frighteningly high grasp.

"Gilgamesh," Arishem addressed, still holding onto Thena like an escaped convict. "I will say this only once: whatever claim to my daughter you think you possess, put it from your mind."

"Put it from my mind?" he repeated back as if he hadn't heard it the first time at all. "The fuck is wrong with you?"

Arishem brought his shoulders forward. "You-"

"No, you!" Gil belted back at him, jabbing his finger up in his face despite the difference in their height. Gil didn't back down in the least in the face of the monster of a man. "You listen to me, fuck-face! I don't care if you're their dad, I don't care if you spoon feed them from gold plates every single day! You don't handle them like this!"

Gilgamesh reached forward, taking advantage of the surprise on Arishem's face and grasped Thena's hand in his. He pulled faintly, but Arishem's grip hadn't loosened any.

His eyes looked as black as coal. "Unhand her."

"Stop hurting her," Gil barked right back at him. "I don't know what happened here, and I don't give a shit. She doesn't deserve this."

"Gil."

He looked at her, grief stricken by the whimper in her voice.

"Enough!" Arishem bellowed, his voice once again seeming like it could rustle the leaves in the trees. He let go of Thena, who stumbled like a fawn into Gil's offered support. "It seems I was right to deem you a lost cause."

"Who the hell talks about their own kid like that?"

"You," Arishem turned his attention back to Gilgamesh, whose hold on Thena's shoulders tightened. "If I ever lay my eyes on you again, your life in this town will cease to exist. Do you understand?"

Gilgamesh didn't even blink, holding Thena against his chest, "I understand that you're a prick who's lucky his daughters didn't turn out to be psychos too."

Perhaps with nothing more he could do to exercise control over the situation, Arishem turned and walked back into the house. The door slammed closed and Sersi's somewhat panicked breathing became more audible.

"Hey," Gil said gently, tipping Thena's chin his way, "are you okay?"

Thena just blinked, somewhat stunned by the past minutes.

"Thena!" Sersi rushed over to her, practically in tears. "I-I-I can't believe Father would-!"

Gil moved aside as Sersi threw her arms around her sister. Thena would never call herself a 'hugger' by nature, but Sersi was always the more emotional of the two of them. She patted her sister's back, "I'm okay."

Her eyes met Gil's, who still had quite a snarly look on his face. "Are you?"

Thena blinked before nodding, "I am."

Gil shifted on his feet, nodding his head in the direction of the front door, "are you gonna be okay going in there?"

Thena had her reservations, but their Father, at the very least, never dwelt on them for long. "I have no concern with what his opinion is of me. But don't worry, he would never expend the effort it would take to hurt me."

Gil eyed her arm--the one that had been wrenched upward in her father's grasp. "You sure about that?"

Sersi pulled herself away from Thena to offer a positively furious expression, no matter how tearful. "I cannot believe Father would act this way. I'm going to tell him that I will never forgive him for this!"

Thena nearly laughed, watching Sersi stomp her way into the house to give 'daddy' a piece of her mind. She rubbed her hands over her arms, "if it comes from Sersi, he is more apt to listen."

"Hey."

Thena looked at him as he placed his hands over hers, letting her guide his hands over her arms as well. She immediately thought of the hoodie that was inside, sitting on her bed waiting for her.

"Are you really okay?" he whispered, as if her father were lying in wait, listening. He ducked his head closer to hers, "you don't have to go in there. My Uncle would have no problem with you staying with us. He has a guest room!--and my room in the basement is-"

Thena smiled, tapping just the tip of her finger to his lips. She had never had the privilege of seeing Gilgamesh ramble on and on. It was endearing. "I am not afraid of my father, Gil, nor will I be afraid of walking into my own home."

"But-" he tried to protest, but she sealed his lips shut again.

"It is a sweet offer," she conceded. She never would have anticipated it, and it was almost humorous to imagine Gil just...showing up with her, like some stray he wanted to keep. "And I appreciate it. But I promise I will be fine here."

He sighed, obviously not in favour of leaving her here to whatever her father had in store for her. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," she echoed back to him, just to see a smile on his face. It was small, but it was there. "I'll come find you tomorrow--prove my living status to you."

He chuckled, stepping back from her with a roll of his eyes, "okay Princess, whatever makes you feel better."

This was very literally for his benefit. But she didn't mind that so much, "very well. Tomorrow, then."

Gil took the steps backwards, staring at her as he made his way back across the street, "looking forward to it."

[howlingday]

My idea for a potential DEATH BATTLE! #4

2023, October 11, 12, 13, 15

Link to the third post:

Master list:

https://www.tumblr.com/donotmindme1/731003687600881664/mind-what-you-do?source=share

Achilles vs. Cú Chulainn (Greek Mythology vs Irish/ Mythology)

Let their anger be known and all warriors shall fear them!

Fighter 1: Achilles, the legendary warrior of the Trojan War.

Fighter 2: Cú Chulainn, the guard dog demigod of the Ulster Cycle.

Wiz: Mythology has given us heroes, monsters, and gods with amazing power.

*insert clips of Marvel's Thor on a Warrior's Madness, Clash of the Titans, God of War's Kratos, Asura's Wrath's Asura, and Troy 2004,*

Boomstick: Yet no one seems to get the memo: do NOT anger them, even if they're human! Chances are, they are NOT just human! He's Wiz and I'm Boomstick.

Wiz: And it's our job to analyze their weapons, armor, and skills to find out who would win... a Death Battle.

PREFACE: I am really, REALLY sorry for the late post. I tried to make PCBs for a project but for some reason or another, my attempts failed. I got super obsessed and stressed over it and because of it, I lost a night's worth of sleep. Add to it the fact that I've been struggling with my other STEM classes, and I haven't given myself the time to flesh this out. Not only that but starting next week, I'll be taking tests for two weeks. Safe to say that I'll be busy for a long time, so sorry again...

WHY:

Connections:

1. Cú Chulainn's association as "the Irish Achilles".

2. Both were born to a divine-like parent and/or royalty. Achilles was mothered by the sea nymph Thetis and fathered by Peleus, king of the Myrmidons. Cú Chulainn is the son of the god Lug (Lugh).

3. Both have done great deeds but at the cost of their very short lives. This tends to be one of the greater points of comparison between the two.

4. Both are known for their anger and fury. Achilles' most famous bout of anger stemmed from finding out that Patroclus died and Cú Chulainn is known for his battle frenzy (ríastrad, sometimes called a "warp spasm") in which his body becomes contorted and attacks anyone indiscriminately.

5. Both are super strong and are so skilled that they are deemed to be one of the greats of their respective myths. Achilles was said to be necessary for the conquest of Troy and Cú Chulainn was said to be the greatest of the Knights of the Red Branch.

Personal reasons: I can say with little if any hesitation that Season 9 giving us Heracles vs Sun Wukong was a shock to the system. No longer was DB! limited to pop culture's versions of ancient myths as they focused on the original texts and accounts, giving us what could honestly be one of the show's greatest analysis sections. Inspired by this, I thought up a matchup: a three-way battle between Achilles, Cú Chulainn, and Sigurd/Siegfried (I thank Persona 5 Strikers for introducing me to the last two, especially Cú Chulainn) because of how similar they at least appeared to be. I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that Cú Chulainn was sometimes called "the Irish Achilles", but I couldn't find any solid connections between Achilles and Sigurd other than the fact they obtained their invincibility from a divine source only to leave a single spot uncovered (Thetis dipped Achilles as a child in the waters of the River Styx, by which means he became invulnerable, except for the part of his heel by which she held him and when Sigurd bathed himself in Fafnir's blood, a leaf had fallen and stuck itself on his shoulder). However, I encourage others to idea up MUs using Sigurd, Gilgamesh, Beowulf, Rama, and figures from Aztec, Mayan, and Native American mythos. We need more myth matchups that aren't just Greek figures. I have at least one more matchup for the Greek itch. I had a different matchup that could likely be Halloween-themed, but it's unique, to say the least, and would require a very different analytical lens due to the source material. Not only that, but the source material could be to the disinterest of some, even if unlikely.

THE FIGHT:

Art and animation: This one will likely be a 2D sprite fight like Heracles vs Wukong. It would have an aesthetic like that of a storybook or tapestry to separate it from HeraKong's scroll and brush aesthetic. It would be best to not have a narrator again, or at least to not have the ending spoiled by the narrator if there is one.

Possible setup:

Both heroes are on their paths to glory, having emerged from battles with nary a scratch. Cú Chulainn is riding on his chariot, thinking of his lovely Emer, but Achilles is still mourning his dear Patroclus. They see each other and prepare for battle. Warriors need no reasons to fight other than glory and survival. On their chariots, they charge into battle.

FIGHT! :

1. Both warriors used their spears to slay the charioteers and horses and were successful. They leave the chariots and start using their spears, resulting in parries and attempts to use their swords as well.

2. Both warriors slowly pick up their paces, but Achilles is able to successfully parry and even disarm Cú Chulainn. Cú Chulainn then attempts to strike from afar using his slingshot. Achilles uses his shield, but Cú Chulainn is able to get some shots in, including near his heel. Achilles slightly staggers, and Cú Chulainn takes notice, but Achilles only lets out an angry war cry and lunges forward like a bull.

3. Achilles closes the gap by throwing his spear and impales his enemy. However, Cú Chulainn lets out his own war cry and becomes horrid and deformed. Achilles is not taken slightly aback by the monster, and attempting to hurt the warp-spasming warrior is hit very hard and launched backward. Achilles could've sworn he heard his armor slightly crack. The deformed destroyer grabs boulders and hurls them at Achilles who is able to dodge all but one and is knocked down.

4. Cú Chulainn calms down, remembering his beloved Emer. He removes the spear with which he was impaled and notices something: his opponent does not seem to be too injured. His armor and his skin do not seem to be scratched. "Could it be a magical set of armor? Is he invincible?" No. His new nemesis faltered when hit in the heel, so he should try to use the Gae Bolg where his enemy seemed to be weak.

5. Achilles recollects himself and draws his sword again. His enemy can seem to mutate into a monster and become vicious, but becomes violent, almost to a mindless degree, putting a lot of force in his strikes. He should strike afar from with his spear and evade his opponent's spear and slingshot. "He's strong, but it looks like he can still be hurt with my weapons. He struck my weakness, but does he know of it?" With his plan in mind, Achilles raises his shield and charges, evading Cú Chulainn's projectiles. Cú Chulainn even throws Achilles' spear back at him which Achilles catches.

6. They start to clash swords, spears, and shields again, striking any exposed skin they can. Cú Chulainn cannot seem to injure his opponent and his armor is very sturdy. However, he is able to graze Achilles' weak point, and Achilles pushes him away. "Aha! So he IS weak there!". Using his shield, Cú Chulainn parries his attack and attempts to get another strike in, but Achilles, using his spear, keeps his adversary away. "He seems to know. I must keep him at bay." Achilles, using his own defensive techniques, is able to momentarily fend off his rival.

7. Cú Chulainn now knows what needs to do. He needs to end the fight soon, or else he'll never see his dear Emer again. "For Emer." With his dear love in mind, Cú Chulainn warp spasms again, and assaults Achilles, trying to hit his heel. Achilles attempts to rush his foe, and he is able to injure him, but Cú Chulainn flat-out launches Achilles away, leaving his weak point exposed.

8. Achilles knows his enemy is weak and desperate. Why else would he mutate like he did? However, Achilles still feels a bit of pain in his heel; his opponent has hit his weak spot and he knows of his heel's vulnerability. He grabs his weapons and prepares for one final clash. "For Patroclus." He meets his foe's eyes again and both let out one final war cry and charge.

9. Achilles wins by tiring out Cú Chulainn. The monster gets angrier and angrier, but Achilles dodges, and taking advantage of his foe's seeming mindlessness, slashes off one of his arms. The monster staggers, and in a short time, Cú Chulainn returns to normal, panting and bleeding. He ties himself to a stone using his own entrails and meets Achilles' eyes once again. Achilles throws his spear and successfully impales the now-normalized foe who lets out a shout of anger, seemingly not one of anger.

10. Cú Chulainn wins by keeping Achilles at a distance. Still in his ríastrad, Cú Chulainn is able to smash Achilles' armor so hard it starts to crack and break. The adversary attempts to rush him, but Sétanta knocks him away. He starts to calm down, knowing he only has one attempt to win. Seeing that Achilles' heel is exposed, he readies his weapon and throws the Gae Bolg with his foot. It successfully lands on Achilles' weak heel. The weapon then opens up into thirty barbs, causing Achilles to shout in agony and fall.

11. Both retrieve their weapons only after a raven lands on the corpse's shoulder. They pay their respects to their adversary for a great battle, entomb the other as a sign of respect, and depart the battlefield. Home is a long journey away, and without the horses, even longer.

12. KO!

RESULT:

Strengths and weaknesses:

Achilles:

+ Has divine armor from the god Hephaestus as well as his invulnerability from bathing in the Styx and/or the ambrosia he was fed as a baby.

+ Arguably the more experienced warrior due to his time in the Trojan War and his training under the centaur Chiron.

+ Is capable of killing powerful and skilled warriors like Hector, Penthesilea (Queen of the Amazons), and Memnon.

- The only weak point is his heel, but it was only exploited because of the god Apollo.

Cú Chulainn:

+ Actually favored by the gods of his pantheon.

+ Is likely the greater warrior as he defeated Fer Díad and Aífe. Fer Díad and Cú Chulainn were trained under the legendary Scottish warrior Scthach, and Aífe is said to be Scathach's rival and stated to be equal to Cú Chulainn in skill. Cú Chulainn also single-handedly fought Queen Mab's army and even harmed Morrigan, said to be a goddess of battle and war, though not in direct combat.

+ His anger is more dangerous due to the ríastrad.

+ Has a ranged option in a slingshot.

+ Likely has a healing option as when he met his father in a dream, his father healed him.

+ The Gae Bulg allows for an instant kill...

- ...assuming that Cú Chulainn can pull it off in time and Achilles doesn't avoid it.

- Can still be killed like a normal warrior, but that was because he broke his oaths which weakened him, and was killed by a magic king-killing spear.

- His healing was done in a dream, and Achilles doesn't tend to leave opponents in just a sleeping state. Even then, the healing doesn't seem to be instant.

Ending puns:

"Setanta just couldn't exploit his opponent's Achilles' heel."

"Achilles should've said 'Cú-dbye'." (Cú + goodbye)

MUSIC:

Name: "Face My Fury"

The title makes reference to both combatant's anger.

Art: The art would depict Achilles' shield being pierced by the Gae Bolg, but the spear would be chopped by Achilles' sword.

Sound: Grand and orchestral again, but it would be faster and even have some metal elements in it. The orchestra is for the mythological aspect and the metal is for when the two get angry.

THANK YOU AND I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS!

---------------------------------------------------

First and foremost, amazing work.

This would be an amazing fight to see. However, I might be a little rusty in my folkloric knowledge, because I must have missed the "warp-shift" (and to be honest, I'm not as familiar with Cú Chulainn as I, a huge myth fan, should be).

I also find the references to their bonds pretty interesting, since I don't think we get a lot of internal dialogue in either references.

"Face My Fury" is pretty good for a track, so...

FACE MY FURY

[lady-of-the-spirit]

For the character thing, Sersi? And Anakin too if I may ask multiple? :P

of course i'm gonna do both my blorbos!!

Sersi

How I feel about this character: BEST CHARACTER IN THE MOVIE. she's chronically late, she talks to statues, she's a bad liar, she's a collector, she's horribly insecure and is such a sweetheart and is the heart of the whole movie 💚

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Ikaris (I love tragedy 😔), Dane bc she deserves a nice normal guy and he clearly loves her!! (or at least they think he's normal-), Thena and Gilgamesh in an ot3 because I thought of it ONCE and couldn't let it go

My non-romantic OTP for this character: I mean I could say all of the Eternals because I love their relationships but I'll be specific. Phastos! They are besties to me, I cannot be convinced otherwise. Also Druig. I'm pretty neutral on Druig but I love his relationship with Sersi, he clearly respects her and listens to her!!

My unpopular opinion about this character: I mean just the fact that she's my fave is kinda unpopular already. people don't really care about her :(

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I wish she could have had a more solid leadership arc. Like she's clearly afraid to take control, everyone makes jokes about Ikaris not being the leader which probably isn't good for her self esteem (Sprite outright says she doesn't care about Ajak choosing Sersi instead), and in the end none of that is really resolved. I wish her internal arc had been fleshed out some more and gotten a more satisfying ending of everyone looking to her as leader (this is why it should have been a show and not a movie!!!)

Anakin

How I feel about this character: honestly my favourite character potentially from the whole star wars series, DEFINITELY from the prequels. I love a tragedy and Anakin Skywalker is the definition of tragedy.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Padme, obviously. I've read some Rex/Anakin fics too but tbh I never watched the clone wars so I can't say I actually ship it.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Obi Wan is his tragic brother/father figure and I love it. Also, again from someone who hasn't watched the clone wars but read fics, Ahsoka and also his clone trooper squad.

My unpopular opinion about this character: This is more an unpopular opinion about the fandom I guess but. Anakin was not misunderstanding the Jedi teachings when he talked about love. Love is forbidden for Jedi, that's literally the whole point of the story? It's not just attachment or obsessive love, it's all love. Why would Anakin have completely misunderstood the jedi teachings. If that were true that would say more about the jedi as teachers than Anakin, I think.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I mean if I said what I wanted to happen to him, the rest of the series probably wouldn't even exist in the first place? But damn I wish someone in the jedi had been like Why the fuck does Palpatine want to spend so much time with our new 9 year old recruit and cut that shit out.

Or just. Him being a slave for his entire childhood being acknowledged at all after Phantom Menace because damn they did not acknowledge any of that shit at all.

give me a character and I'll break their ass down

[talonabraxas]

“Those Who from Heaven came to Earth”

Anu 𒀭 In Sumerian Pantheon Of Gods Talon Abraxas

Anu (also known as An) is an early Mesopotamian sky god who was later viewed as the Father of the Gods and ruler of the heavens, a position which then passed to his son Enlil. He is the son of the couple Anshar and Kishar (heaven and earth, respectively), the second-born of the primordial couple Apsu and Tiamat.

He was originally a Sumerian sky deity known as An (meaning 'sky') first referenced in writing during the Early Dynastic Period (2900-2334 BCE) who was adopted by the Akkadians c. 2375 BCE as Anu ('heaven') the all-powerful. Sargon the Great of Akkad (r. 2334-2279 BCE) mentions Anu and Inanna in his inscriptions as legitimizing his rule or helping him in his conquests as he established the Akkadian Empire and maintained order.

Anu is most often represented in iconography simply by a crown or crown on a throne symbolizing his status as King of the Gods, an honor and responsibility later conferred upon Enlil, Marduk (son of Enki/Ea, the god of wisdom), and Assur of the Assyrians, all of whom were believed to have been elevated by Anu and blessed by him. His consort is Antu (also known as Uras, goddess of the earth), and among their many children are the Annunaki, the gods of the earth and judges of the dead, and Nisaba, the Sumerian goddess of writing and accounts. He is also given as the husband of his sister Ki (earth) by whom his son Enlil is born.

Although Anu is not featured prominently in many myths, he is often mentioned as a background figure. This is because, as veneration of the god progressed, he became more and more remote. Initially a sky god and one of the many younger gods born of Apsu and Tiamat, Anu gradually became the lord of the heavens above the sky and the god who ordered and maintained all aspects of existence.

Along with Enlil and Enki, Anu formed a triad which governed the heavens, earth, and underworld (in one version) or, in another, heaven, the sky, and the earth. He was also listed among the oldest gods of the Seven Divine Powers: Anu, Enki, Enlil, Inanna, Nanna, Ninhursag, and Utu-Shamash.

Even though he is rarely a main character in a myth, when he does appear, he plays an important role, even when that role might seem minor. He is referenced in some of the best-known myths from Mesopotamia including Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Netherworld, The Epic of Gilgamesh, the Myth of Adapa, and the Enuma Elish.

[rake-rake]

For Father's day we have!

BNHA!

Dalma and his grandpa attitude! (turned his grandson into a Nomu)

Rikiya and his fatherly vibes! (stress over 9000%)

Hagusa! (self explanatory)

FGO!

Our favorite Lord of the Furthest Reaches, genderfluid dad King Arthur! (got killed by his son)

Grand Caster Gilgamesh! Never had children (Enkidu Enkidu Enkidu) but the dad vibes with everyone are off the charts!

Absolutely really Ancient Fae King Oberon and no one else! All Fae are his children! (do not start)

JJK!

Intersexual icon Satoru adopting Megumi and Tsumiki! They're greedy and celebrate both Father and Mother's day! (the more sweets they get the better)

The one responsible adult still alive, Miguel! Aka Yuta's dad! Troubled children are going nowhere, he's adopting them all.

Naobito.

Noragami!

Yato picking up the first stray kid he sees! (wouldn't recommend but also no regrets)

Father. (Father)

Soulsborne!

Gehrman adopting and raising Maria as his own! (and then going crazy with grief after her death and selling his soul to an eldritch horror to bring her back)

Said Eldritch Horror, Oedon, the flora of the Moon! (Multiple kids. Do not ask.)

Fave King Gwyndolin! Raised his half-sister Yorshka like his own kid! (pain suffering pain)

TG!

And finally Haise, the unexpectedly reliable paternal figure for the Quinx! (nothing bad to say he was amazing)

[lampmanliveblogs]

Ah, I see The Collector used his space magic to summon a book filled with the completed version of all the fanfics I’ve never finished. I know I always say it’ll be a miracle if I ever get all my ideas written down, but I didn’t think it’d take an actual miracle.

You guys might think I’m exaggerating, and I am for comedic effect, but not by much. Just today, I started jotting down yet more notes on my phone while eating lunch at work. What if Masha discovered that they had psychic powers? I have so many unfinished first chapters, short snippets of dialogue, and premises for stories written down on my computer, phone, in various notebooks, pieces of cardboard, and reciept paper lying around. It’s honestly a bit ridiculous.

Oh wait, the pages are stone slabs? Or maybe they’re supposed to be clay tablets? That’s kinda cool actually, brings to mind the earliest stories written down by man in our own world. You know, like the Epic of Gilgamesh.

…hold on, I gotta go get myself a drink to dramatically spit out in shock and disbelief, give me a sec.

…

”Right, now where was I?” I say as I sit back down with a refreshing beverage. I rewind the video by a few seconds and hits play as I take a sip of my drink.

”Collectors live long, we watch things pass.”

”Pfft!” I spit out my drink in shock and disbelief, spraying my computer screen with liquid. ”What!?” I exclaim between coughs. ”Other Collectors?

I mean yeah, sure, The Collector is a child of the stars and whatnot, I kinda figured there’d maybe be some subtle hint at a larger pantheon out there, but, uh… I guess we get it confirmed right here, right now. I was even thinking of including a joke about The Collector’s parents being Mother Nature and Father Time, I just couldn’t figure out how to work it in.

Alright, calm down Lampman, think…

Based on this short summary, it appears that the collectors are if not gods, then at the very least god-like beings. They travel the cosmos and collect specimen of various lifeforms to preserve them in their collections. That in and of itself doesn’t sound all that horrible… but, ah… that second paragraph is a bit concerning.

Should the mortal beings they collect begin to meddle in the affairs of the Collectors (like, oh, I dunno, maybe NOT wanting to be turned into a collectible), they’ll scorch the planet and wipe them all out. Which… yeah that sounds about right for gods of mythology.

Our little Lord of the Fireflies doesn't like that mentality though, they’d rather play games and have fun and make friends (though evidently, The Collector still don’t care too much about what the mortals want).

Right of the bat, this does make me wonder something: is it possible that The Collector we saw in the Owlbeast’s flashback in Knock, Knock, Knockin’ on Hooty’s Door wasn’t THE Collector, but another collector? Cause that’d explain why that one didn’t look a whole lot like this Prince of Plastic

It also makes we wonder if maybe The Collector ISN’T the Grand Huntsman worshipped by the Titan Trappers, but rather, another collector (or several of them). Indeed, we see at the bottom of the page, three collectors looming over several worshipping humans. Because’s I’ve been wondering about that; aside from calling King’s dad a bully for putting him in divine time-out, The Collector really didn’t seem to have much against Titans from what we’ve seen thus far. Heck, he was super excited to meet King. So could it be that The Collector was not the one responsible for wiping out the Titans, but rather some other collector?

What I’m thinking right now is that The Collector is the divine equivalent of a kid that ran away from home. And their family either doesn’t care, doesn’t know, or enough time has not passed for them to notice.

(hm… a kid that ran away from home because they didn’t fit in with their peers… where have I heard a similar story before…?)

(the book mentions that the collectors would scorch the air… the demon realm planet is covered in a boiling sea… perhaps scorching the air is a more poetic way of saying ”set off a bunch of volcanoes”? In real life, the worst mass extinction event known was caused not by the meteorite that wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs, but a massive flood basalt taking place about 251.9 million years ago, colloquially referred to as ”The Great Dying.” Volcanoes are good at killing stuff, is my point. and undersea volcanoes spewing out lava would explain why the sea is always boiling)

I mean, look at this face. Does this look like the face of someone who could wipe out a race of giants? Look at him! He couldn’t hurt a fly.

Except Belos, but he doesn’t count.

And I guess they did turn an island’s worth of people into puppets and force them to play along in their games, hmmm…

[fujimaru]

merlin is blind (headcanon)

ok so i sent this to a few of my friends but i wanted to archive it here bc it is IMPORTANT to me and maybe some other people will enjoy the headcanon. please keep in mind this is Really self indulgent and not really rooted in anything canon but the “blind seer” trope is a thing that happens in media so idk. go crazy silly.

here’s some like... tidbits on how i think it’d impact him and such. enjoy! read more bc this is a bit ramble-y.

starting this off just saying - he keeps it a secret. he Does not want people knowing this. merlin is merlin so he has to be mysterious at all times or he will Die.

i think he has trouble remembering faces and thus has trouble placing Who people are bc he can't recognise their features visually... he relies on other traits in order to know who people are, but he's Notably bad with faces... most people attribute it to him not caring abt individual humans and he plays along with this as to not raise suspicion...

the one thing he's really good at seeing is movement, and it's so good that it really... erases most people's suspicions about him not being able to see, if they have any in the first place.

his staff! it's really important!! he uses it as a white cane but very subtly... people just assume he's doing normal staff wielder things with it but every time he extends it, taps it on the ground, or relies on it for support while walking it is ALL because it is helping him figure out where things are. :)

fou! is important too!!!!!! fou ofc knows... he is very insightful :) but like fou will often nudge merlin in the right direction silently (it looks like he's just doing normal creature things... but someone who is acute ex: artoria would notice the correlation)... ofc...

his abilities as a seer are a REALLY incredible coverup. he can "see" anywhere in the present ofc!! this means he can hijack his vision... he's not exactly "seeing" in a visual sense, but the knowledge of what's going on around him (or wherever) is absorbed :D

his spacial reasoning skills suck. if you asked him to fit something into a crate in a way that minmaxed space he would utterly fail, it would take him multiple tries. he can't visualise sides of objects either, so if you told him to turn something on its side, he would do the opposite/etc...

hair is always messy which is partially bc it's Long and Fluffy but people point it out to him and he's like "what? i brushed that 5 times!!! it's fine!!!" (it's not fine)

i also like to think his hearing is really sensitive to make up for his vision (this often happens!!! it happened to me ) it's important to note he's not completely blind (as in, he can't see light), but he still is Blind... :) so yes he can see, but it's very very poor!!! ^-^

in battle, he focuses his mana and such on his clairvoyance in order to make up for any shortcomings... it’s not noticeable unless you Know what to look out for. sneaky sneaky.

people who i think would catch onto merlin being blind are: fujimaru (servant-master bond yadda yadda and also fujimaru is merlin’s scrunkle), da vinci (girlboss genius powers GO), romani (he’s very insightful... and even if he won’t admit it he’s close with merlin AND HE’S A DOCTOR), artoria (but i think it would be something she doesn’t speak up about... i can see her and merlin sharing some very tender moments though irt it bc thats his child!!), fou (he’s the seeing-eye beast and knows merlin’s secrets), karna (relevant to his lore he sees things people do not want them to see AND the father of his bff/soulmate was a blind king and like even if they don’t interact majorly it just Makes Sense), amakusa&edmond (they’ve met people like that in their past lives...), gilgamesh (he’d be a bitch about it but secretly cares and makes sure merlin is Doing OK. merlin feeds off of the banter though), andersen (duh), holmes (DUH... deduction is His Freaking Thing + he’s compared to merlin in camelot... he’d kinda be a Rude Boy abt it but means well, and he does keep the info private), and lastly bedivere (sidenote: i don’t think any of the other knights of the round table would know lol. they’re too busy being Fans of merlin aka they just... don’t realise!? silly guys).

and here’s a silly re: roman being like “Merlin’s seer abilities (eyes) suck”