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dysfunctionalupsidedown · 8 months ago

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An Analysis Of "STurn": My Turn

Hello, everyone! This is my first real post/analysis of anything Stranger Things related, so please keep that in mind while reading. I'm sure there are quite a few analyses about this playlist already (I'm definitely late to the party,) but I still wanted to add my two cents.

Feel free to let me know if any information I've provided is incorrect. My main source is Genius.com, which isn't at all the most reliable; even still, it'll help to give a clearer picture of each track's meaning and how the general public (which includes Finn) interprets them. I'm attempting to go by what I think Finn's intentions were.

Also, don't forget that this analysis was done under the assumption that the "STurn" playlist is a somewhat play-by-play outline of how specifically Mike Wheeler's S5 arcs might happen. The playlist could be entirely unrelated to ST5. It could be related to all the characters and arcs in ST5. It could be out of order, or based on vibes -- We really have no way of knowing until the full season comes out.

Finally, I tried my best to keep the analysis somewhat objective and reasonable, and I hope I've at least partly succeeded. This is all in good fun, in the end. Now that I've finished housekeeping, please enjoy my thoughts and feel free to chime in with your ideas in the comments! I'm always open to changing my perspective.

1. Ballad of the Texas King

Let's begin! This song starts with the lyrics, "No one saw / Nothing at all, no law was there to fight / All dressed down / Walkin' out in the California night". I believe this is a more surface-level vibe-setting song, considering where Mike ended in S4. It may also imply that the start of S5 begins where S4 left off. A lot of car imagery is also present throughout, which was a big part of Mike's S4 journey.

There are ideas of being separated as well, with lyrics like "My heart won't beat / 'Til we meet again together". This may allude to Mike's feelings towards the end of S4, having been separated from Hawkins/his family.

2. What You're Doing - Remastered 2009

Genius.com claims this song was written about Paul McCartney's then-rocky relationship at the time. The lyrics make this very clear, so there's really no alternate angle from which I can read. Let me know in the comments if you interpreted it differently.

In specific, the lyrics "You got me running / And there's no fun in it / Why should it be so much to ask of you / What you're doing to me?", "Please stop your lying / You got me crying, girl", and "I've been waiting here for you / Wondering what you're gonna do / And should you need a love that's true / It's me" really intrigue me. This could refer to Mike's relationship.

The song suggests that the partner may be withdrawing in multiple ways, with the singer grieving over it and attempting to prove their love. El may be starting to distance herself, and Mike could be struggling with it. At the end of S4, El was understandably focused on her failure, to the point where she hadn't really spoken to Mike in the days following it.

I don't think it would be surprising if everything was too much and she ends up pushing herself away from him. I wouldn't say it's implying a break-up, but maybe distancing issues.

3. After The Earthquake

Again, it's pretty surface-level in the beginning. There was a devastating earthquake in-universe, which supports the theory that "STurn" connects to ST5 in some way. The song tells a story, though, and I recommend looking up it's inspiration.

Despite the choice seeming surface-level at first, After The Earthquake may be implying more for Mike in ST5. Genius.com's contributors interpret the song's narrative as, "[Molly Rankin applying the] concept of post-catastrophe clarity to a couple that got into a major disagreement before one of them falls into a coma from a car crash... In a metaphorical sense, [the song] could describe a more mild situation in which Rankin must put their conflict on hold because something more important turns up." I don't think it's too far-fetched to say that Finn picked up on this. The idea of a disagreeing couple and coma is also prevalent in ST, but like I said in the beginning, I'm going to try to connect these songs to Mike Wheeler specifically.

Although this may be me reading too deeply into it, the metaphorical meaning of the track pairs pretty well with the implications of What You're Doing. It also fits in well narratively, considering that more important things are happening aside from the drama -- the earthquake being one of them. Mike could be putting all of his current issues (internal-conflict-related, relationship, or otherwise) on hold for the moment. He continues to struggle with suppressing his problems later on in the playlist, as well.

4. Promises I've Made

This song is about mourning a lost or ex-lover. The opening lyrics, "Ever since you have gone, the days don't seem so bright / And I wish I could forget you but I can't / Ever since you have gone, I haven't felt quite right / And I promised I'd forget all that you meant" address this quite directly.

At this point, it's possible that Mike has either been broken up with or the pair have gone their separate ways for some reason. It wouldn't be too crazy to say something like that will occur and he'll grieve it, keeping in mind that one of Mike's main fears is losing El. I just don't know why they'd continue to make it the subject of conflict in S5 (unless it hasn't been fully resolved yet.)

Physical distance between the two also makes sense when considering that Mike is, supposedly, teaming up with other characters next season. Personally, I'm leaning slightly more towards a break-up because of what the previous songs have set up, but, ultimately, it's up to interpretation. It's possible they've just been physically distanced while in a bad spot.

5. Angst In My Pants

This song is about a person attempting to be someone they're not, suppressing who they really are, and it ultimately leading to dissatisfaction. The lyrics, "You can dress nautical / Learn to tie knots / Take lots of Dramamine / Out on your yacht" describe a faux lifestyle one lives that only serves to hurt them in the end: The idea of putting on a self-harming persona. This could be what Mike is going through in S5, and his teased wardrobe change from S4 supports this.

The lyrics, "I hope it doesn't show / It'll go away / It's just a passing phase / It'll go away" and, "I hope it doesn't show / It'll go 'way / Give it a hundred years / It won't go 'way" are particularly fascinating and can have multiple interpretations.

For one, it could be Mike trying to hide his real personality following Eddie's death and the collective panic by acting out a more "normal" and "idealized" life -- painfully repressing his true self in the process. This is supported by the lyrics I first discussed. Hiding and embracing differences is a theme in Stranger Things, and I wouldn't be surprised if this is where they take Mike in S5.

Another interpretation involves the previous lyrics, as well as, "But when you think you made it disappear / It comes again, 'Hello, I'm here'". This sounds more like someone trying and failing to suppress a thought. Coupled with "It's just a passing phase", it appears to be a feeling or belief instead of someone's true personality, although I do believe that's a big part of it, too.

Whatever it may be, Mike is definitely struggling with something at this point. He's pushing it down, hiding it, and hoping "..it doesn't show" and that "It'll go away".

6. The Better Side - Audiotree Live Version

Half way through! This one gave me more of a challenge because there aren't any written lyrics to analyze. From what I can gather, the track is about a person yearning for someone who is a better fit(?) The lyrics that best support this interpretation are, "You're on the better side / You're always the better one for me" and "Don't make me do the falling when I'm drinking of you". Again, if you have any alternate interpretations, please let me know. I'd like to take all ideas into account.

The final lyrics are interesting, "And you're all that I need / I'm not gonna miss you anymore". This can be read as the narrator longing to accept a person into their life and bring them closer. I'm especially interested in the final line because it implies there was something to miss, as if an emotional rift or gap was there.

Mike has come to a realization about something, as shown in Angst In My Pants, and it might partly be about a new thought he's trying to push down, "It'll go away". It's possible the "thought" is about newly developing feelings he isn't ready to accept(?) I don't want to say for certain, though. Nonetheless, it seems like he recognizes this person's importance and "better fit" for him, despite trying to repress it. A fairly surface-level read, but it's the only conclusion I'm able to come to.

Alternatively, it might be about El. The distance apart could be what gets him to solidify how he feels about her. However, Angst In My Pants and multiple songs establishing a separation precede The Better Side. The track is about a better option, as well. Those facts alone make me think of this interpretation as unlikely, so it's not one I personally hold.

7. Don't Ask Me to Explain

Don't Ask Me to Explain is about two people who are afraid to confess their true feelings to one another, so instead they hide them; with one of the two seemingly more uncertain. It's also, from what I've researched, supposedly about two people of the same gender. There's a possibility that this is irrelevant to the track's purpose in the playlist, but I kept it in mind considering the other songs and my personal interpretation. It's also important to note that these "true feelings" could be about a multitude of things.

The lyrics, "How will I ever know you enough to love you / If you're hiding who you are?", "How am I supposed to let it show / When I don't even know?", and, "Besides, I don't want to be the one who's coming out first / I'd really like to but I'm just too shy" support this reading.

I interpreted the last line, "It's so easy to laugh to myself / And pretend that I could love you but I can't" in two different ways. Either it's the narrator doubting their feelings for someone else, or it's the narrator recognizing that they can't let themselves embrace their love for someone, for one reason or another.

As for Mike, his progression makes the most sense to me in the following interpretation. There are multiple and, again, please let me know your ideas in the comments. I narrowed it down to just the one so I don't start nit-picking.

Mike went from a realization, "It's just a passing phase / It'll go away" (Angst In My Pants) to a sort of acceptance, "You're always the better one for me" (The Better Side) to struggling to admit it out loud, "How am I supposed to let it show / When I don't even know?"

An LGBTQ+ or "new love interest" interpretation is what I'm able to gather from this. It could describe Mike falling for 'someone' and not knowing how to be open about it due to fear and doubt; with the other person feeling the same way. It may be a surface-level reading, and I'm sure there are several other ways to interpret the track, but that's what I've been able to conclude thus far.

8. What Do You Want Me To Do?

This one might be the most difficult for me to figure out, but I'm going to try.

The song and the lyrics, "You walked out, took your chance / You turned your back on our romance / You said you found somebody new / You said the change'd do you good" and "You never even gave me a thought / You figured that would be all right / I nevеr had a chance to persuade you / You nеver let me put up a fight" remind me a lot of What You're Doing.

One way to look at it is that it might have the same purpose as What You're Doing -- adding a sort of angsty frustration vibe. I don't know if it would be used to set up a "come crawling back" moment because I don't think that would make sense (especially in Stranger Things), but it's a random possibility I'm throwing out there.

Alternatively, the 'person' that Mike has feelings for could have rejected him for someone else(?) Again, I don't think this would make much narrative sense in Stranger Things, but we don't know what the next season's going to look like.

I'm personally reading it as the former because there are other songs in the playlist used to set the tone. Keeping What You're Doing and Promises I've Made in mind, an additional break-up song is on theme. There's still the possibility of another conflict, though. If anyone else has different thoughts on what the song could be implying, I'd appreciate the input.

9. Substitute - Live

This track is about an idealized version of someone being put in place of their true self. The narrator describes a scenario in which their partner sees a version of them, "I'm a substitute for another guy / I look pretty tall but my heels are high / The simple things you see are all complicated / I look bloody young, but I'm just back-dated, yeah", that is unrealistic and put on, as seen in the lyrics "Substitute your lies for fact / I see right through your plastic mac / I look all white, but my dad was black / My fine-looking suit is really made out of sack" The couple also seem to be having issues with this, or in general, that they're not addressing, "It's a genuine problem, you won't try / To work it out at all, just pass it by, pass it by"

The concept of a guise applies well to Mike, as referenced in Angst In My Pants. A recurring theme of hiding oneself really makes me think Mike is going to completely abandon his interests for a different lifestyle. I believe Finn has also mentioned that Mike wants to be as "normal" as possible, so I can't wait to see where they take that idea. It could also be him realizing how he's been acting, and admitting that this "romanticized" version isn't true to him. I have hope that Mike will eventually learn to embrace his differences and what he enjoys.

While this part is a bit nit-picky, I feel it's fun to mention that the song was inspired by a lyric in The Tracks of My Tears by Smokey Robinson; the lyric being, "Although she may be cute / She's just a substitute". The line following this (which is also referenced in Substitute's Genius.com entry) is, "Because you're the permanent one". Funnily enough, these lyrics also fit into the narrative the playlist is laying out. They remind me a lot of what The Better Side represents.

Out of context, the lines from The Tracks of My Tears may imply that someone is either using another person as a substitute for an ex, or that someone is realizing they've been using their previous partner as a substitute for someone better. Both routes have the potential to happen in ST5. Although, I don't know if the idea of a literal substitute fits with what The Who was going for. The Tracks of My Tears is also not on "STurn", so take this part as a fun fact with a grain of salt on the side.

At the end of the day, we don't know Finn's motivation for adding Substitute, so this is what we'll have to go off of for now. I feel as though the former interpretation, a less literal "substitute," holds the most merit considering the theme of personas.

10. The Rebel Kind

Like The Better Side, I couldn't find any lyrics, so I'm doing it by ear. Though, I'm happy to say that this song is about a desire to embrace differences and rebellion. "We'll be free to run with the rebel kind" and "It's not easy, but I don't mind / I just want to run with the rebel kind" establish that. The track appears to tie into Mike's insecurity struggles throughout the playlist.

The lyric "They call us the rebel kind" hints to the panic brewing at the end of S4. Mike might start to embrace and stand behind his true self at whatever point this is in the season. The line following, "But they don't understand / The things a man must do to prove that he's a man", can be taken in different ways depending on how the lyrics are read.

It could be the narrator's struggle to keep up with societal norms before finally giving in to their truth instead of trying to conform, read as "they call us rebels but don't get how hard it is to for us to keep up." On the other hand, it could be the narrator commenting on how society doesn't understand people like them, and, by embracing their true self, it proves more about who they are than conforming ever would; read as, "you think we're the rebellious ones, but you don't understand that we're more self-secure and strong than you'll ever be."

I can see both of these interpretations working for Mike and his connection to the Party. The progression of insecurity in Angst In My Pants and potential realization of this guise in Substitute is wrapped up by Mike's self-acceptance here. I really hope this is how it plays out in S5.

11. Block Rockin' Beats

There's not much to analyze because this track has one repeated line of lyrics, but it's definitely here to set a tone. The song may have a similar vibe-setting purpose as What Do You Want Me To Do? and Ballad of the Texas King. That's just my theory, though. (A ST5 theoryyy!)

Perhaps this is a climax of sorts where the cast fight the "big bad." The music's tone is intense and sort of aggressive. It's definitely a fun addition to the playlist, whatever the song's purpose in it may be.

12. Just What I Needed

Finally, we have Just What I Needed. I read this song in two different ways.

The first way I interpreted it was as a love song about the narrator not caring about who this person is, and realizing they need them in spite of it all. The lyrics, "It's not the perfume that you wear / It's not the ribbons in your hair / And I don't mind you comin' here / And wastin' all my time", "Cause when you're standin' oh so near / I kinda lose my mind, yeah", and "I needed someone to bleed / Yeah, yeah, so bleed me" support this.

The second possible reading is that the narrator realizes they were/are in a codependent relationship and they still love the person. The lyrics, "I guess you're just what I needed / I needed someone to feed / I guess you're just what I needed / I needed someone to bleed" and "I don't mind you hangin' out / And talkin' in your sleep / It doesn't matter where you've been / As long as it was deep, yeah", could be read as more of a "you're what I needed at the time, but I still love you and want you in my life." With this reading, it's unclear whether or not the love is romantic or platonic. Maybe I'm looking too far into it, but this is what some Genius.com contributors brought up, and it would feel wrong to not include this understanding of the song.

I'm just assuming, since The Rebel Kind seemed to tie up Mike's self-security problem, that this track is supposed to imply a resolution with his romantic issues. Under that impression, there are a few ways we can look at it.

It could be an acceptance for who he has feelings for. He went from mourning a loss in Promises I've Made, noticing something and hoping it goes away in Angst In My Pants, potentially coming to terms with the fact that this person is his "better" choice in The Better Side, wanting to admit a truth but feeling doubtful in Don't Ask Me to Explain, comprehending that he's able to embrace his authentic self in The Rebel Kind, to now admitting, possibly out loud, that this person was "just what [he] needed". That could be far-fetched, but it's just what I picked up on throughout the playlist.

However, it may also pertain to his self-identity struggle that's hinted at throughout (can you tell that I love this part of Mike?) while also tying into his romance issues. He went through a difficult separation with someone in What You're Doing and Promises I've Made, put on a persona and suppressed his true self in Angst In My Pants, realized he couldn't keep it going and needed to address it in Substitute, embraced himself in The Rebel Kind, and now recognizes that the relationship may have been codependent and holding him back from fully dropping the facade: "I guess you're just what I needed" -- in the moment. I don't know if that's too in-depth of a read, but it's a possibility.

While not relevant to the playlist in it's context, it's fun to bring up the fact that Just What I Needed was apparently also the final track listed on the 'official' "Will's Castle Byers Classics" playlist created by Spotify. It's not available anymore, so I can't really say it as a fact. Although, recreations of the playlist have been made long before "STurn" was a thing, and the song was added as the last track as far back as 2018. I suppose that's proof enough that it was at least on the playlist.

Finn listing it as the final track may be a reference to "Will's Castle Byers Classics", but it's also likely that there's no association. That's why I gave the song an equal amount of analysis instead of writing it off as a reference. As to how canon those playlists are, I don't think it particularly matters. It's true that Finn could've seen Just What I Needed in the Will playlist and put it on "STurn", thinking of it as a fun easter egg. There could or could not be implications for that and I'd be remiss to ignore it. I don't know if this rings true for any of the other songs on "STurn" as well -- if they're connected to any other character playlists. Feel free to let me know if they are!

TL;DR

This was really hefty post, and I apologize for that, so here's a summary/recap of what I think S5 may have in store for Mike Wheeler.

Summary:

The season likely starts off at the end of S4, with us seeing Mike react to everything that's happened in Hawkins and reuniting with his family. Tension or unresolved conflicts may be arising in his relationship(s) as well, but he puts it aside to focus on the more important tasks at hand. Either his relationship is put aside with this, or there's an eventual separation that occurs, and he mourns it. After, he tries to maintain normalcy and puts on a guise to appease others. During this time, he may start to have a realization about something that he attempts to repress. He eventually comes to terms with it, though, recognizing that there's someone (maybe something?) better for him. He wants to admit to these true feelings, but he'll struggle with hiding, doubting, and fearing them; thinking he can't allow himself to fully love this person or, at least, admit to whatever feelings or "truth" he possesses. Mike will most likely continue to struggle with mixed feelings and hiding his true personality after this, eventually admitting to not being fully authentic. He'll then accept his true self for what it is. This will lead into a climax, where the main conflict of the show will be resolved. Finally, he'll accept and admit his true feelings, realizing that all he needed to do in the end was be entirely honest with (and about) himself.

In Conclusion

I really want this to be where they take Mike in ST5. It would be such a satisfying thing to watch, especially with how he's acted the past two seasons. I think he deserves to have a self-love/acceptance arc because the show has made it clear he's insecure and inauthentic.

Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed! Please let me know your thoughts and interpretations in the comments, as well as if there's anything you think I should add/fix. I'd love to hear what others have to say about "STurn" and it's connections to ST :)!

#Mike Wheeler let me into your head challenge #stranger things #stranger things analysis #stranger things speculation #stranger things 5 #st5 #st5 spoilers #mike wheeler #el hopper #eleven stranger things #will byers #byler #<- target audience #byler analysis #STurn

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generic-whumperz · 3 months ago

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I watch a lot of movies and shows, figure why not put my binge watching to good use?

I’ve been thinking about sharing whumpy movies and creating a “Whump Movie Spotlight” series, if you will. I’ll keep them spoiler-free and as objective as possible (this isn’t a review). I'll share bullet point details (and their 2-3 sentence copy/pasted descriptions) that go over the basics. If y’all want specific information, feel free to let me know what you would like to see going forward: leave a comment on this, shoot a message or an ask, or even add your own two cents in a reblog if you wish.

(These aren’t my favorite movies and I won’t even particularly like all these that I share; so if you don’t like them, that’s totally fine, I’ll have my scruples too. Just trying to showcase some lesser-known films featuring whump themes.)

Without further ado:

Whump Movie Spotlight:

ALONE (R) 2020 / 1h 37m

When a lone traveler flees the city looking for a fresh start, she meets a sadistic stalker who tries to make the wilderness her final destination.

A thrilling fast-paced psychological-suspense drama.

Cabin in the woods vibe: seclusion, isolation, man vs. nature, hunter vs hunted (lost in what I’m assuming is the Oregon wilderness)

Has an on-the-edge-of-your-seat feel

Low budget but doesn’t feel like it where it matters

Better than expected cinematography

No NSFW/sexual scenes (sorta alluded to for a sec but nothing comes of it)

No torture. Just some mild beatings, a drugging, and a couple scramble fights.

Serial-killer-esque

Brief captivity

Run for your life

Nightmare roadtrip

Fleeing from the demons of your past only to run into the Devil

#whump #whumpblr #whump community #Whump in media #whumpy movies #whump media #whump movies #Alone 2020 #whump movie spotlight #whump inspiration #captive whumpee #creepy whumper #serial killer whumper #whump tropes

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zairas-realm-gateway · 3 months ago

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A small open invitation to League-based VikJayce (Machine Herald x Giopara) shippers

Feel free to say hi or interact.

We're a bit of a shipping minority here so we gotta stick together. If you like my VikJayce or VikJayceLiss posts, then feel free to interact. You're free to comment, reblog (I love reading tags people add), send me a message, or even add your two cents to my posts.

I suffer from anxiety and a bit of social phobia. I have a hard time reaching out first but it would be nice to find a sense of community with other VikJayce shippers.

I draw VikJayceLiss art over on my art blog, @zairasarthaven . I'll probably get to plain VikJayce eventually.

Note: I do love Arcane JayVik as well, just not as intensely as VikJayce (League Jayce is connected to my mental health, that's why). I just haven't seen season 2 yet.

So, no ragging on either ship, please.

#vikjayce #jayvik #jayce giopara #league of legends #machine herald viktor #machine herald

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kellykswift · 11 months ago

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Happy 1 week ttpd. what ive learned so far

1) you cant get fucking sick of this masterpiece

2) rep (my all time fav) is chased at the finish line but my hopes for those lowercase letter vault tracks are like 🌶️

3) nothing seems like we get from „just“ reading the lyrics. dig deeper. get a dictionary

4) at one point we all tortured poets

5) taylor is fucking mad, as she should be!

6) maybe i ve spent too much time in this asylum (kaylor tumblr)

7) just because you hear ttpd in your head all the time doesn’t mean there is actual music playing

8) fuck the mainstream - this is so much deeper/ bigger

9) i am a writer and drank more wine than usual but i am not that wine mom!

10) taylor do whatever you want as long as you deliver like a bitch post mortem goddess man poet!

11) iykyk we love the muse and perspectives of some songs.

aaaaaand mark as many tortured poets as u like! i need all of ur opinion!

so feel free to add ur 2 cents @kwyw @kaylorfossil @9w1ft @theprologues @corneliastvendor @chosetherose @daisyswift3 @industryhearts @iwanthermidnightz @bettys-cardigan143 @spade-riddles @chickawah23 @rainbowdaisy13 @roamertv

#taylor swift #ts ttpd #kaylor #ttpd

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silalcarin · 1 year ago

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Squall and Rinoa actually, surprisingly, have a lot in common

No, seriously, I just randomly thought of this as I've been revisiting Final Fantasy VIII, for the first time in 20 years, over the last few weeks. Don't get me wrong, Squall and Rinoa have vastly different personalities (he's an introvert, she's an extrovert), but, outside of that, they share a lot of similarities:

Both are originally from the Galbadia region — Squall was born in Winhill; Rinoa was born and raised in Deling City.

Both lost their mothers at a very young age — Raine died after she gave birth to Squall; Julia died right before Rinoa turned 5.

Both have non-existent relationships with their fathers in the present time — in the game, Squall never directly finds out that Laguna is his long-lost father; Rinoa has been estranged from Caraway for who knows how long.

Both look more like their mothers than their fathers, in terms of physical appearance — while aboard the Ragnarok at the end of Disc 3, Kiros and Ward both comment that Squall looks very much like Raine, and that it's a good thing he doesn't look like Laguna; Rinoa is almost a carbon-copy of Julia.

Both wear a ring on a necklace — Squall wears a pendant of Griever above a cross that's reminiscent of the Cross of Saint James, as well as a ring featuring a profile of Griever, around a chain; Rinoa wears what appears to be Julia's wedding ring around a chain. In Disc 3, Squall tells Rinoa to keep the Griever ring when she willingly goes to Esthar to be self-restrained and they think they'll be separated forever (which is touched upon in bullet #7 below).

Both are strategists and leaders of their respective groups, SeeD (Squall) and the Forest Owls (Rinoa).

Both are driven, impulsive, and persistent — Squall is determined to complete the assassination mission after Irvine fails to kill the Ultimecia-possessed Edea in Deling City; he hastily saves Zell when the latter is about to be shot in the head at the D-District Prison; and there's everything he does and perseveres through to save Rinoa in Disc 3 (which I've already covered in my previous post). Rinoa is determined to liberate Timber with the Forest Owls; she hastily tries to suppress the Ultimecia-possessed Edea by herself in Deling City; and, despite being scared and knowing that she may be cryogenically frozen forever, she perseveres in her decision to seal away her Sorceress powers, prevent Ultimecia from possessing her again, and keep the world safe from her.

Both prefer to not talk or think about the future — this is made explicitly clear during the good date at the Garden Festival in Fishermans Horizon (Irish Jig/Let's Dance = Guitar, Violin, Flute, and Tap) in Disc 2, and during the romance scene in the Ragnarok in Disc 3.

Both have had a fear of isolation since they were 4 years old — Squall has suffered from loneliness ever since Ellone had to leave Edea's orphanage; dummied out dialogue (during the aforementioned romance scene in the Ragnarok in Disc 3) indicates that Rinoa has suffered from loneliness ever since Julia died and Caraway became too busy.

Welp, that's 9 similarities. I think I covered everything. I'm glad I got that off my chest. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk!

P.S. — If anyone can think of more similarities between them that I missed, please feel free to add your two cents! (Word to the wise: I have consistently kept my replies limited to only the Tumblr accounts I follow, because I don't have time for negativity of any kind.)

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lenticchianita · 8 days ago

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Good evening, good evening everyone.

I recently got sick and remained confined at home for a couple of weeks. In the throes of boredom, and due to a recent conversation with an old friend of mine, my brain remembered the existence of Dolce Flirt (My Candy Love for international folks). A day passes, a whole day in which I think I can get this hyper-nostalgic memory out of my head. The next day I reactivate my old (and first) email address to be able to access my first (and old) profile in the game again. I also reactivate the other one, just for fun. Not only was I amazed that I had such a good fashion sense at 18 (the year I stopped playing with both profiles), but I was delighted to discover that beemove had decided to milk her otome cow to the end: not only had university life come to an end, not only was it now possible to have an adult relationship with the flirts, but those excluded had even found their own space with chapters dedicated exclusively to them! (Armin girl here). Taken by the purest form of nostalgia possible, I start playing again: the APs shower down on me, and the ones I've accumulated with such patience years ago are finally spent. I decide that with one profile I'll finish HSL (I'm two episodes short) and with the other I'll alternate between university life (completely blind) and alternative life with Armin. I laugh at least half the time. I remember when APs were spent on moving between environments and not on dialogues. I realize that I'm an old gal (I signed up in 2012). And I also realize that maybe in 2018 I felt too grown up to play this little game (spoiler: I was still in high school). Now, years later, I'm finally completely shameless (patting my past self on the back, smirking) and with a stressful university life ahead of me, unlike my candy who is studying nothing at all and spends her days traveling around the city instead of reading books.

A week ago I created my profile on New Gen, thrilled to start a new adventure. Thomas, my friend (not for much longer), the bitch I pulled by being autistic, you're so cute. Jason, there's no need to be so annoying, or as they say in Italy with our very fluent English: fly down (joking!!). Davon, thanks for the company credit card, I'll give it back to you in a couple of working days. Roy, I'll buy you a T-shirt with the company credit card, tell me what color you prefer (it will have sleeves, I know, I know, it's not your style). Amanda, thanks for existing, you seem to be the only one with their head on their shoulders in that madhouse of a company.

Oh, and Jason, one more thing: your company, with that Z at the end of the name, is a bit like as Bratz is to Barbie or Bratz is to Monster High. And even though I'm a Bratz girl, this time I'm willing to side with the enemy (the black blouse under the black suit is a style faux pas, srry) (still joking!).

Well, now that I've bored you (who?) with this nice story and my 2 cents on the New Gen characters I've just met, I'll conclude with another drawing of my sucrette. I missed you baby, the Florence Nightingale of dating sims <3

P.S. my username is Maia#305! Feel free to add me <3

#my art #traditional art #my candy love #MCL #my candy love new gen #mcl #mcl new gen #mcl ng #dolce flirt #corazon de melon #amour sucre #amor doce #mclng #beemoov #my sucrette #i'm having so much fun you have no idea #Thomas bby i'm on my way

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mrs-monaghan · 2 years ago

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well, i see that your blog is cock friendly, and even tho its a jikook blog, there is something that i think we should adress (i'm not saying that this could be a reason for jk's crush, im not saying it could not), but...

Namjoon's cock!!!!! I suare, if everything in that body is proporcional, you know, i mean YOU KNOW he is fucking big!

Oh anon I really wish you hadn't gone there.

Now we must talk about JK and his anti Minimoni agenda. We now need to delve into this and get to the root of the issue. We must!

Jimin's hand on RM's lap.

JK: 👀

Love it. Okay let's take a look at some photos, shall we? Jimin's type.

Oh wait, before we proceed, JK's crush on RM i have never thought of it as an actual true crush. I think its played of as such for laughs. But I think JK just really admired him for his talents and what not and I don't think JK is attracted to RM in the slightest. Not even a little bit. Imo.

Now back to Jimin's type. 😁

Number 1) Wonho

Number 2) Black interviewer

Number 3) Usher

Number 4) JB who is basically JK's doppelganger in some of his photos 😅

Number 5) Gonna casually drop Tony

And last but not least Number 6) The main topic:

Jimin has a type. Okay? He likes them muscles and them thick men and them hot men and them arms and chests...and thighs... anyway, Mimi has a type. And while none of the men above hold a candle to his actual boyfriend, you can see the similarities.

Jungtiddies. Check

Thighs. Check

Arms. Check

The whole damn body. Check

Where I'm I going with this you ask? In short what I'm trying to say is, RM is Jimin's type. My friends and I disected this the other day and concluded the JK Minimoni thing probably has something to do with the fact that RM is Jimin's type to a T. JK looks at RM and sees himself. And then add the fact that RM is a genius and JK's insecurity goes through the roof!

(And like anon mentioned, JK has that Jungkonda, yes but on this post I also share what RM is working with so.... like I said. JK & RM, same thing basically 😂)

See, yeah, JK comes between Yoonmin and hates that Suga thirsts over his man. But, he is not threatened by short, skinny legged, with an ass almost as big as Jimin's, Min Yoongi. He knows Jimin will never see Suga that way. So he can dislike how Suga behaves with Jimin, but sometimes he even ignores it and doesn't look bothered at all. But when it comes to Minimoni he just has to insert himself. For eg, I saw something today.

Look at Jimin's face after JK adds in his 2 cents because of course he did

Minimoni moment, JK is like "not today Satan" He refuses for the audience to associate Jimin with RM and its the funniest shit. I mention here how JK inserted himself when Minimoni were practising the own it dance. Even though he wasn't really supposed to be there.

Disclaimer: The following opinions are my own, I will give them but please feel free to form your own

So listen. I will be the first person to tell people to stop treating the Tannies like characters in a fanfic. And I have mentioned many times that there has never been any in house dating (sans Jikook) That just wouldn't work and BTS wouldn't be together if that was the case. So please, please try not to read too much into the following tiny analysis. It's just something a friend pointed out to me and I couldn't believe it myself. It's short and quick, easy to miss. But it shows just how deep this thing with JK and Minimoni goes.

Okay so In the Soop season 2 episode 3 around 6 minutes in. (Thanks @serendipitous-sky)

Jin tells JK to go wake up either Jimin or V. Of course JK goes to wake up Jimin. Duh!

Sidebar, this isn't the point of my post, I just feel the need to point out that Jikook look at cameras ALOT. The whole time he climbed the stairs on the way to Jimin's room he was staring at that camera

If you guys remember correctly, Jimin was kind enough to switch rooms with RM the night before. RM couldn't sleep in the main house due to all the noise. So they swapped. But JK forgot this. So off he goes to what he thinks is still Jimin's room (he cheated/helped Jimin to get this room btw, but that's an analysis for another day) Anyway, back to JK looking for cameras.

If you're looking to mess around with your boyfriend and not get caught its important to find blind spots. So yes, Jikook are always making sure they know exactly where those cameras are. I'm sure y'all get it. 😏😏

Anyway, off he goes into the room and he's surprised to be greeted by RM's snores.

He forgot this wasn't Jimin's room anymore. But guys, here's my thing. JK is here, right? He has heard and seen that that is RM asleep in that bed, right? So you'd expect him to leave, right?

Wrong!! JK goes further into the room!

But why 🤭🤭🤭 that's my question. He had already established that was RM in the bed why did he need to go further into the room? What did he need to see? He literally has no reason to confirm it's RM in that bed when he already knows it is. So my guess is that he wanted to confirm RM was in that bed alone.

Now hear me out, even if Jimin was in that bed lying down fully clothed just shooting the shit with RM, it would not have gone down very well. At all. Shit, would have hit, the fucking fan!

We definitely wouldn't have go10 a season 2 of ITS or anymore BTS for that matter 🤭🤭 I'm just saying, for the sake of a million things, I'm glad RM was in there by himself.

JK as he's leaving says;

And off he goes to look for Jimin. We already know what happens after this. Nothing, coz we were robbed.

But anyway, conclusion: RM is the only one who actually threatens JK. And no this doesn't mean he doesn't trust Jimin. He knows Jimin would never but it doesn't stop him from wanting to make sure everyone most especially RM, remembers who Jimin 'belongs' to.

The End. Stan Namjikook for clear skin

#he he hee #jikook theory #jikook theories #jikook analysis #ask shaz #bts ask #jikook #bts #jimin and jungkook #jimin #jungkook #park jimin #jeon jungkook #kookmin #minkook #jikook bothered #ITS Jikook

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5and3nevermind · 9 months ago

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so i am very much a yoonmin shipper and although i appreciate jimin's dynamic with all the tannies (especially tae), i was wondering if you could explain why yoonmin hits™️ for you and jikook (which i think is the other big jimin ship besides vmin and yoonmin) doesn't? (No offense to jikook). I know for me it's definitely partly that i feel jk is very much that loving to all the tannies while in yoongi's case he's a lot more reserved in general so i feel like his gestures speak a lot about his feelings. I was trying to explain this to my jikook irl friend but she didn't share my opinion hahaha (which is fine as long as nobody sends any hate).

Just wanted to get your two cents on it! 💜

P.s.: thanks for all your yoonmin posts, love them all

Hi anon! This is a great question. I could talk forever about why I think ym is special, but I’ll try to keep it short(ish).

To me, yoonmin stands out for a couple reasons:

1. the amount of time they spend together outside of work and the ways in which they spend time together. Yes, yoonmin go to dinner together and work out together, and these could just be friendly things. But then there are other times that seem to go beyond typical friendship: Jimin going to Yoongi’s parents’ house in Daegu, Jimin seeing Yoongi doing his shoulder rehab, Yoongi making a point of seeing Jimin at the music show (even saying that “of course” he would be there because he “should” be there), Jimin knowing what Yoongi’s temperature was on the night of the JITB party, Jimin sending flowers to Yoongi’s parents in addition to the flowers sent by the group. All of those things are significant to me. (You can go to my pinned post for more “free time” examples and for a post about health-related matters.)

2. Their own words: Yoongi likes Jimin’s voice best, Yoongi would bring Jimin to a deserted island, Jimin told Jimmy Fallon that Hobi and Yoongi are the members he sees most often, Jimin said he talked a lot with Yoongi about friendships/relationships while working on Face Off, etc, etc.

3. Their interactions: this is subjective, but both Yoongi and Jimin seem to want to be near each other and yet they are very careful. So often their interactions feel a bit hesitant or awkward. Why would that be? I think it’s because they can’t interact freely, given their situation. Add to that Yoongi often reaching out for Jimin, seemingly out of habit, and their dynamic just feels unique to me.

As for the other ship…I’m always hesitant to compare ships because I think all of the members are close. If someone ships j/kk or v/min or nam/gi, I think that’s great! I hope their pair brings them joy! I’m not here to argue with anyone or change anyone’s mind. That said: to me, the bottom line is that Jimin’s interactions with Jk remind me very much of his interactions with both Tae and Hobi. We need to look for the outlier, not the norm. Remember: Jimin kissed Hobi on the neck twice during Hobi’s birthday live! He’s an affectionate guy when there aren’t any reasons to be careful. I think with Yoongi, there is a reason to be careful.

Just my opinion!

And please don’t worry about trying to convince your friend about yoonmin. 😉 Aren’t we lucky that we get to see and appreciate their bond?!

#ask #there’s so much more I could add but I’ll leave it here for now #thanks anon for the kind words about my posts!#yoonmin

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lunar-years · 1 year ago

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Can I ask about that Keeley kiss conversation/scene between Nate and Roy and what the micro-aggressions were? Or can you point me to where Nick talked about it? I’m so curious now

I dove wayyy back in Nick’s Twitter archive for you, anon, lol. Unfortunately he doesn’t elaborate on it much, but he wrote this in his season 2 recap: “season 2 is jam full of micro aggressions against Nate… from Ted laughing at the prospect of Nate being a ‘big dog,’ to Roy not being bothered that Nate made an inappropriate move on Keeley, to him not receiving a Nespresso machine.” (He may have also said more in interviews around that time but I couldn’t begin to link you)

If you want to read the full thing see below (and get ready to zoom in lmao) ⬇️

Along the way searching for that I also ran into his season 3 Nate recap; that one goes on for three pages so I’m not putting it all here, but I want to draw an eye to this line in particular: “it’s no coincidence that Nate chose a black suit to emulate Roy following his inappropriate pass at Keeley in 211, which is gross for all kinds of reasons, but shows Nate’s toxic and confused mindset at the end of season 2.” !!!! Which is unrelated to this conversation about micro aggression but very related to how Nate sees Roy.

Taken from this page ⬇️

(Also on Nick’s Twitter if you want to read the full thing).

I am absolutely NOT a definitive source on the matter, and there were some really good metas on it during the season that spoke about it much more eloquently than I can. If anyone has links to those posts or consider yourself a Nate scholar please feel free to add your thoughts!!

Just my two cents…compare Roy’s reaction to Jamie telling Keeley he still loves her in s2 (or his reaction to Jamie sleeping with Keeley in season 1 after they’d broken up, or his reaction to Jamie telling Roy he’s not going to stop pursuing Keeley in season 3…) to how he reacts to Nate inappropriately kissing Keeley. Jamie doesn’t do anything on that level of inappropriate or untoward (if still wrong, that’s up to you) and yet Roy is FURIOUS. He’s head butting Jamie on the pitch!! He immediately shifts to violence and yelling!

But to Nate, who’s just made an actual pass at his girlfriend without her consent, he basically…laughs it off? And I guess you can say that the difference is all in the history between Jamie and Keeley and Roy and maybe it is, but that’s definitively not how Nate sees it. To him, Roy is able to quickly dismiss the issue with Nate because…unlike with Jamie, Roy doesn’t see Nate as an actually viable threat to his relationship in any way. He’s not much bothered by the kiss because, well, it’s Nate. Keeley would never go for a guy like Nate. (This is how Nate views Roy’s reaction anyway.) He apologizes expecting a HUGE backlash from Roy and possibly violence, and is all braced for it, and instead Roy just dismisses it as bygones be bygones. Rather than being relieved, Nate finds himself offended.

#nate shelley #roy kent #ted lasso #asks #nick mohammed

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cool-person-yey · 1 year ago

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Tell me about ur corruption Tim thoughts

buckle up fuckers, cuz y'all about to enter the you-just-asked-me-about-something-I-really-like-and-I-have-a-lot-to-say-about-it zone

So. The Corruption, bugs, worms, mould, infestations, all that good stuff.

But what I'm focusing more on is love. wanting to be loved, to be more specific.even if the " love" its unhealthy

now let's take a look at our boy Tim. Tim who lost his brother. Then Sasha (and not even noticing it until Melanie pointed it out), and, in a certain way, he also lost Jon, he lost the friendship that they had, because of the paranoia and the distrust that settled between them.

someone who has lost everything. everyone. that's the perfect mold for a "victim" of The Crawling Rot.

because at the end of the day that's what Tim wants isn't it. to be loved. there's the need to be loved, there's the grief from all the loss and the anger for everything fucking else.

imagine this, you lost everything that mattered to you, but there's something, or well, somethings that love you. little bugs and worms and whatever else. they loved you when no one did anymore, so why not?

I know that im using the word love here too much, but that's the point. Because he loved Danny. he loved so many others and then watched it all fall apart.

so really, that's it. Tim lost everyone. everything. and after that, finding comfort and fondness will be pretty fucking hard. especially if no one has your back.

and that's really what The Corruption is to me. the fondness, the comfort of being loved and consumed by that love, even after you lost everything and thought unloved , there's something that does.

anyways, this was my 2 cents on this topic, if anyone wants to add anything to it feel free I'd love to read it. Now i seriously need a nap.

#this isn't that good at showing all my thoughts about it but. I'm tireddd #and ik i won't remember to asnwer this if put it off for later #but yeah this is how i think abt it #ask #tma #tim stoker

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tezuze · 9 months ago

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The results are in from my ghost game poll, and while most people would let the poll speak for itself, I like talking about ghost game, so I'm going to talk about ghost game!

Sorry I have to put a cut on this one too. Tried to keep it short but not hard enough, I guess u_u;

So you don't have to refence the original post if you don't want, here's the breakdown!

1: Kiyoooooo with 12 votes

2/3: Coincidentally enough, a tie between GulusGammamon and Gammamon with 9 each

4/5: Tie between Hiro and Jellymon with 6 each

6: Angoramon with 5

7: Ruli with 4

I'm kinda surprised and kinda not by the results here

For reference on what inspired me asking, I was talking with a friend who hasn't watched digimon about the concerning amount I draw Kiyoshiro and said "well, to be fair I think he's the most popular character in the show" and then later that night I was second guessing myself.

Turns out (based on the small sample size here) I was right!

I totally thought Gulus would sweep here, past that I wasn't sure how the ranks would fall since Kiyoshiro and the digimon partners are all pretty popular

Although maybe it was unfair of me to split up Gamma and Gulus?

I still think Gulus is probably the most popular in reality but I'm taking my boy's win and running with it

Anyway,

Very sad seeing so little love for Ruli (and Angoramon) but I can't say I don't see where it comes from. I only watched GG though once but from what I remember they did Ruli dirty, didn't really give her a lot of development or screen time. She could've been such a strong fem lead but they just SLEPT.

I was going to post screenshots of people's comments about their faves but I didn't quite get enough for it to not just look like creepy callouts for those that did, but I really really enjoyed reading everyone's responses!! Thank you!

I would add my own two cents on why I love my very discrete unguessable fave(s) but I'll spare everyone. It would never end.

Even though the poll is closed feel free to still leave comments on your fav and/or why! I WILL read them and that's a threat!!

#I need to learn to shush #digimon #digimon ghost game #ghost game

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musette22 · 23 days ago

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Hey Minnie,

I think i'm the anon who wanted to complain😁 but I lost the text (i'm on phone).

If not, i still want to complain

So there I were, enjoying life (real and also fantasy filled with buckies) and I see someone on your page complaining about some sh...t people are doing to seb and anabelle. And suddenly I'm omg:

If you see sh... like this 1. Why? Why aren't you curating twits x whatever tumblr and

2. Why would you spread it? In the name of complaining? Leave it there in the garbage!! They most asuredly don't deserve us talking about them and basically spreading it around.

So yeah...sorry for the rant. Minnie, please note that it is not aimed at YOU, but at the people who mind the crap and spread it around...sorry again...I just wanted some tulips 'cause spring😗💓

Hi love! Thanks for sending your message again.

I do understand your frustration, and it frustrates me too sometimes that I try so hard to keep this a "safe space" without drama, but that I'll still be made aware of it through messages that others send me. I do often wonder if I should even reply to messages about drama, and I frequently don't, but sometimes I feel like people are genuinely upset and in need of someone to talk to, instead of merely complaining for the sake of complaining. And sometimes I feel like perhaps they may benefit from the advice I have to offer due to my own experiences with fandom and fandom drama.

In those cases, and when I really feel that whatever is happening is bigger than just "drama" and really needs to be addressed, I will sometimes decide to reply and add my two cents. That's my decision, so you can assume that while I'd usually also rather not be talking about it either, I am replying because I feel I need to, and not because I feel obligated or forced, because I'm very capable of deciding which messages to reply to and which to delete or ignore. So basically, what I'm saying is - I do understand why seeing drama in your safe space annoys you, and I'm sorry for my part in that, but I'm basically just discussing things that I feel are worth discussing, on my own blog.

I would also much rather see that people curate their fandom experience and pay all the crap that also comes with fandom no mind (not in the last place because I'm sure I must've repeated the same advice about a hundred times by now), but for most people, that is something they have to learn. Sure, some will never learn and those people you eventually just kinda have to give up on, sadly, but I do believe there are also plenty of people who can make positive changes to the way they participate in fandom over time. I know I did!

I was much more susceptible to fandom drama etc. when I first started out here, but over the years, I've learned to deal with things in a way that is much more healthy for me personally. I want as many other people as possible to get to this much nicer fandom place too, but I know I can't expect everyone to just be able to get there instantly. It's often a process, and I want to try and contribute to that by giving my thoughts on certain matters and repeating the advice that worked so well for me, in the hopes it'll help others.

So that's my very long winded response to your understandable reaction to my reply to someone else's message! Lol. I hope that explains my point of view.

Anyway, I hope you had a lovely, relaxing, otherwise drama free day with lots of Buckies! <33

#I wish there was an easy way to tag discourse like that that would make it possible for you guys to filter it out if you want to #but I haven't found one yet #if anyone has any idea feel free to share though #minnie answers

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angeltreasure · 10 months ago

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I have a few testimonies for any one who is struggling with their faith or feeling hopeless!

TW: References to homosexuality

Jesus can free you from the shackles of homosexuality

My cousins were freed from the homosexual lifestyle and they are both interested in the opposite sex now. I prayed for them. My female cousin is now interested in the opposite sex and my male cousin is now dating a girl. They are both happy. Sexual immortality does not bring glory to God. It says so in the Bible.

As Christians, I do NOT think our only focus should be on the LGBTQ community. Leviticus 18:22 is NOT the only Bible verse worth highlighting. Christianity is SO much more than being against the LGBTQ community. Christianity is about LOVE!

CHRISTIANITY IS ABOUT LOVING GOD AND ALL PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR LIFESTYLE CHOICES. Christianity is preaching the Gospel and not perverting the Gospel. I just read about this in my Catholic Bible.

2. Live for God’s will

I prayed to the good Lord to help me on my path— the right path. Delight in the Lord and he shall give you your needs. I want to live for God’s will. I prayed to Jesus and he told me to go in my front yard and so I obeyed. Sure enough my neighbor, with my special needs, was outside with his mom. I want to be a special education teacher and think this was God’s way of telling me that I should be a special ed teacher. I will continue to pray on it.

3. Your body is a Temple

My friend, from Bible Study, wanted to spend some quiet time with God. She got in her car and did just that. God told her to start running again and now she feels better. Praise Jesus!

What can we take away from this:

It is never too late to be freed from sin.

You should always listen to God’s plan because God’s plan for YOU is beautiful.

Your health (physical, mental, and emotional) matters.

PRAISE JESUS for He is good.

Also, Angel Treasure, from a sister in Christ, find some quiet time and pray on it. It will be okay! :)

✝️✝️✝️

:) My little two cents to add to this:

—— When you said “Christianity is about love” this refers to God because God IS love itself. The Holy Trinity is there Persons in One: the Lover (the Father), the Beloved (the Son), and the love shared between Them (the Holy Spirit). There are many ways we can use images to describe the Holy Trinity but this is a good one to start.

— While not every soul can be turned from “other” tendencies by prayer alone, all of us are obligated to live a life of chastity regardless of the vocation and state of life. We can look to the Holy Family as wonderful examples of holiness and in humility to see the straight and narrow path, especially our Blessed Mother (the perfect example for us on how to be a disciple of Jesus Christ).

— If you are Catholic and reading this, please come back to confession and do your perscribed penance as soon as possible after you leave the confessional, don’t walk away and delay. That’s advice directly from an exorcist that I listened to today.

—- Our bodies our temples of Someone very special: the Holy Spirit. We must take care of the temple and care for Him, the helper. It takes humility, meekness, and patience to recognize the importance of how to care for our own temple, which leads us directly to the fruits that the Holy Spirit holds. Eating healthy, drinking water, taking our prescribed medicines, exercising, daily grooming, modesty, respect, prayer… this is how we can take better care of our bodies and others.

— Contemplative prayer is great for quiet time! Try it sometime under the stars. So is Lectio Divina and Visio Divina. The best outside of Mass is Eucharistic Adoration and other forms like Benediction, where you are directly in the presence of the Creator of the entire universe.

— Prayer can sometimes make us feel amazing and other times dry like a desert. Do not despair if you are in the desert. God allows this so we can recognize that we need Him. Offer yourself up daily for God right when you wake up ‘God, I offer myself up to You today so Your will, not mine, be done’. Even the saints felt the desert and the dark night of the soul. Stay close to God by modeling after our Lady, give your own fiat to Him.

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starlightandetherealshadows · 2 years ago

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Hello! Feel free to ignore this, but I wanted to give my two cents about the MC's initial personality while playing. Now, this may be blunt, but at first, I was incredibly disappointed. Usually, I tend to play stoic/quiet MCs who don't lash or speak out, and it seemed to be quite the opposite to the distrusting and stoic mc in the game. However, I was thinking extremely hard about this, and I actually get why the MC was so outspoken, especially when V literally pointed a gun at them. Stoic and stubborn MC, from what I saw in the prologue, could easily be more nonchalant *before* the alien invasion, but that, obviously, changed. When C found them and brought them to the hideout, I didn't take into account that MC was in a vulnerable position, and I only focused on the part that MC hadn't interacted with another person in years. So, yeah, of course, MC may be overwhelmed, but their not gonna let people (V *cough*) walk all over them. I guess the thing was that I was so used to stoic MCs in IFs just standing on the sidelines and observing, but that is obviously not that kind of IF. The thing that had gotten to me the most, however, was the second-hand embarrassment of MC actually talking back to V after he blatantly insults them because I could never😭 I guess what I am trying to say is that even though I was seriously taken aback, none of the characters (including MC) are not gonna be 2-dimensional (as you have stated multiple times), and it has definitely grown on me, even if the MC was a little more of a fire-cracker than I expected. I am really looking forward to seeing where you take this story, and I will absolutely be eating it up because even if I might have to be tossing my phone across the room occasionally (bc my second-hand embarrassment is so easily triggered😭😭), I cannot get enough of your writing and characters!! I hope this made sense because I was just rambling about my take on if you are willing to make the MC a little more stoic or have some mute choices, which I am not against, but at the end of the day, I will still be reading the fuck out of Memento Mori! Have a good day/night!!! MWAH💋

Hi sunshine!

I appreciate your super-thorough analysis of both MC's personality and also your initial/developing reaction to it!

Just wanna offer some perspective on why I'm writing MC the way I am (you've already nailed a lot of the points but this is gonna be a succinct explanation from my head hehe)

MC is ultimately a fully fledged character in Memento Mori. While writing, I have about six different MC's in my head, each with distinct personalities, motives, and reactions to events. As I'm writing Ch. 2 in particular, I'm using these characters to influence the choices available and the stat checks necessary for certain actions. MC was never going to be a self insert. I love a good self insert sometimes, but it doesn't work with this if!

What makes characters feel realistic and multi-dimensional to me is their ability to break out of their different archetypes. We all know the ones like The Mean Girl or the Shy Kid or the Comic Relief. We can use your Stoic!MC example. Do we as humans act the same exact way every single day with every single event and interaction? No, we don't. Because we are complex, muli-faceted individuals that can have conflicting thought and actions, or opinions. What makes a character feel flat is when they are only given like 3 personality traits and stick to those regardless of what happens around them in the story.

So in Memento Mori, your Stoic!MC will have moments where they're outspoken and opinionated. The Charming!MC will lose their cool and lash out rather than smooth talk. The Friendly!MC will snap at someone without thinking. We aren't perfect, neither is MC, and I think that adds dimension to what can easily be a very blank slate kind of character. This isn't exclusive to MC, either! Veronica/Vincent will be nice to you sometimes for seemingly no reason. Zero will have moments where he is not okay and rejects your comfort when he reads it as pity. Cecelia/Chase will not always be the bouncy comic relief that uses humor to make everyone smile.

To add insult to MC's injury, like you mentioned in your ask, they are suffering from extreme amounts of PTSD and trauma. They have lost everyone and everything, they're a young adult living in complete isolation for two years. They're starving, they're injured, they hate themselves and being alive. It's going to take them a while to feel like themselves. In the span of one day, they've been nearly killed by a monster, then they're covered in blood guts and sweat when they meet C, then C brings them to meet 6 other people (including two aliens) and now they're going on this extensive journey with complete strangers, while that very morning they were contemplating ending it all. it's a lot.

By the time MC meets V, they are already at their limit of dealing with bullshit so V pointing a gun at them was never going to fly. V insulting them was a no-go either. Now, in the future, MC can ignore V more often because they'll be less on edge than when they were all first introduced. Once they have time to process, then they can react what is most familiar and comfortable for them. It will take time.

I laughed when you called MC a firecracker! I'd say they're more...unpredictable as a character when they're under high stress. As time goes on, they'll adjust and mellow out in some ways, but right now? MC has had ENOUGH with feeling like shit all the time.

I'm really glad you were a bit embarrassed by MC talking back to V because that was my goal AHDSEWLKMFRLK it's supposed to feel a bit uncomfortable. It's MC trying to clap back on someone when they have lost most of their social skills. It made ME cringe while writing it. Like oof MC, just ignore them???!!!

I'll definitely be adding some more options to be a bit more stoic or selectively mute in chapter 2, and as for chapter 1, I think more options to stay silent while talking to Cecelia/Chase or when they're speaking with Delphine/V could be good too. I'll see how it flows!

You'll see at the beginning of Ch.2 that MC already feels a tiny bit better. Nothing much but at least they aren't alone anymore, and they have a hot shower and some real food. So small wins for MC!

I think that's all I wanted to say for now!!! Thank you again for your message, my friend!!! I'm glad you're liking my writing and my characters, it does mean a lot to have your support!! <3

#ask: answered #interactive fiction #interactive novel #interactive game #if wip #interact if #interactive story #memento mori #MC

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