#he doesn't need to be King to given them that prestige

[problemswithbooks]

So, a few things:

In a monarchy, which Westeros is and has been for THOUSANDS of years the king's words is the law. Not that of his predecessors, but of the present ruling monarch. Viserys named his 8 year old daughter as his heir, he varied from custom yes, but never broke law. HE IS THE LAW.

While, yes a King/Queen is the 'law', that doesn't mean they can do anything they want. They maybe the law but if a monarch fucks up or makes choices that gets them on the bad side of their subjects, particularly their Lords, they will face consequences. Case in point, Aerys II, who fucked up so bad that he caused a huge rebellion and lost the Targaryens the Iron Throne.

Was Ned and Rober going against the 'law'--sure, but it doesn't matter. Aerys rule was so bad that he lost support of the Lords. Some stayed with him due to a mix of fear, and loyalty to his son, but in the end being the 'law' did not matter. Robert won and Aerys was killed by his own King's Guard.

Now, Viserys was not anywhere near as bad, but using the idea that because he's King he can do whatever he pleases without consequence isn't as strong of an argument as you think. Yes he can name his daughter as his Heir if he wants but that doesn't mean that won't cause issues, or that everyone will except it. Viserys was himself made King because the Lords preferred him over Rhaenys being a proxy Queen for her young son (it was never a vote between Viserys and Rhaenys, but Viserys and Laenor). Choosing Rhaenyra has Heir was always going to have some push back even before he had sons, and it does not appear Viserys did much to lessen or ease the path for her.

Viserys also broke custom by marrying Alicent, a daughter of a second son and not a ruling lord. A woman that could not give him anything of importance, not money, not a fleet, not any great allegiance. He married her simply because loved her. Being the second time he broke CUSTOM for a woman he loved. Rhaenyra and Alicent.

Viserys marrying Alicent wasn't against custom, in fact I'd argue it was actually a pretty good political move on his part. Sure, Otto was a second son, and the marriage doesn't necessarily earn him any great alliance, but the Hightowers are a rather powerful family, since they control the second most populace city in Westeros, that also has the Citadel and at the time the main house of Worship for the continents biggest religion.

On top of that Otto and Alicent have been dedicated, loyal servants of the crown since his grandfather's rule. In a way you could see this marriage as political reward for that dedication/loyalty to house Targaryen that they showed at the time.

Alicent also has a benefit that Laena didn't--her age. As much as some people hate on Viserys for remarrying and having more kids, it makes total sense. His grandfather had a many children yet none lived to actually sit the throne. If Rhaenyra died, which is always a possibility, the only back up he had was Daemon who was incredibly unpopular with the Lords and was very impulsive. Marrying someone that can have children ASAP is a smart move, which only backfired because shockingly every child he had lived (up until the Dance).

Even if Viserys allowed his 16 year old daughter to be wed to her 6 year old brother, you think that would prevent war? You people are simply stupid if you think so. Aegon (Otto & Alicent) could easily imprison Rhaenyra and simply put it out as she died, or simply even just end her life. And obviously with their children being young(if they had any, very unlikely) Aegon could crown himself as king rather than prince consort. And do you really think Alicent would let her precious son be king consort to a wanton woman? We see this with Jaehaerys' children Daenerys and Aemon.

This is the main thing I wanted to talk about--this paragraph is complete fan-fiction and is not supported by anything in the text.

Where in the story does it in anyway say that Otto, Alicent or Aegon II would have locked up and secretly killed Rhaenyra if the two had been wed? Yes, Viserys, weirdly, gets annoyed that Otto/Alicent want their 'blood' on the throne, but that doesn't mean he thought they would kill Rhaenyra if he married them. Frankly, they would have no reason to do so anyway, since any children Rhaenyra and Aegon had would also be of their 'blood', so they would get what they wanted regardless.

The whole, 'Alicent wouldn't let her son be married to a wanton woman' line doesn't make any sense either since that accusation came after Viserys turned down the idea of wedding Aegon and Rhaenyra together. If Viserys had agreed to the marriage the Hightowers might not have bothered to try and smear Rhaenyra this way since, again they were getting what they wanted, their grandchildren on the Iron Throne.

Am I saying the Hightowers would never have done this? No. But it is disingenuous to act as if it is fact that they would--as if it is said in the book this was totally their plan. I could easily say they would have simply let Rhaenyra rule and everything would have been peaceful and perfect, but that would be equally unfounded and simply something I made up.

Also, if the Hightowers had enacted this plan it does in fact not lead to war, so your first sentence is wrong. Would it have been cruel and still ended with Rhaenyra dying, yes, but it would have in fact meant the Dance didn't happen. The only thing I could see is Daemon trying to over throw Aegon, but without the support Rhaenyra brought to the table, it's unlikely he would have gotten very far. The Velaryons might have helped him, but both Rhaenys and Corlys seem hesitant to go to war unless absolutely necessary. Unless Daemon had damning proof the Hightowers killed Rhaenyra, I doubt they'd join him in such a one sided fight (since they'd lack Rhaenyra and her sons' dragons as well as access to Dragonstone to acquire more).

Right, Rhaenyra insisting for Aemond to be questioned sharply is mad but Alicent asking for a five year old's eye to be cut out is perfectly sane behaviour, yes? Be serious right now. Do you really think Viserys out of all people would let his son be tortured? Rhaenyra knew of that, she wanted Aemond to admit that his mother, Alicent has been spreading rumours abt easy as that. It wasn't just for the insults either, Luke's nose was broken, Jace was hit in the head. And Joff was thrown into dragon droppings.

Again, this is baseless. Fire and Blood is written like a history book. We do not get inside the characters heads. You have no way of knowing if Rhaenyra's threat to have Aemond tortured was just for show or not. It's also rather confusing because the rest of what you say makes it sound as if she did want him tortured to get info on Alicent spreading rumors and as revenge for Luke's broken nose, Jace getting hit in the head and Joff for being shoved in poop. So was it a bluff or wasn't it?

Also if what Rhaenyra said was a bluff, why is what Alicent said not also a bluff? Viserys would be just as unlikely to order his grandson's eye taken out. Could Alicent not have said what she did to try and defect Rhaenyra's demand for Aemond to be tortured?

As for the whole Aemond Vs. Rhaenyra's kids debacle, frankly it never made much sense to me. It doesn't make any sense that these very young children who are heirs to the throne on both sides were not being watched, and were just wandering around. Anon asked why Luke has a dagger, but the biggest question is really why any of these very young children, particularly the three year old were without supervision. They should all have nurse maids and guards. Also, why did Joff go get his brothers and not his mother, a gaurd or any adult? Why didn't his brothers?

They didn't because Martin wanted Aemond to lose an eye and cause a bigger rift between the Blacks and Greens. It's a poorly set up scene, that only happens for plot reasons. Frankly it makes everyone involved look like fools.

I don't know how fighting for something that is yours, and have been for over TWENTY YEARS is seen as entitlement rather advocating and defending her own right? There is someone who is portrayed as entitled, however. Alicent Hightower. Who thought simply because she popped out the King's son, means he should become a king. And this son who thought simply because he was a man with a cock, he was more fit to rule than a daughter without a cock.

They're literally all entitled--they're royalty. Rhaenyra is only Heir because her father said so. No one voted for her nor didn't she conquer the continent like Aegon did. Sure, the throne was hers, but again it's not as if she earned it while Aegon II didn't. Neither of them did anything that made them worthy to be Rulers. In both cases it comes down to who their father was.

Alicent probably did feel entitled to have her child on the throne, but again, it's no worse or better then Rhaenyra's entitlement. Culturally, it makes sense she felt that was what she was owed--getting your blood on the throne is why people want to marry a monarch. If Viserys had married Laena and she'd have had a son she would have felt the same, as would the Valeyrons. That is the socially accepted reward for having children (in this case sons) for a Ruler in western based cultures. That's not any weirder or more entitled then Rhaenyra considering the throne hers simply because her father named her heir and she's first born.

As for Aegon II thinking he deserved it because he had a cock, there's conflicting stories on that. It's just as likely that the story where he didn't want the throne and only took it after he was told he, his siblings and his children would be killed is true. Sure, after he got the throne he wasn't willing to give it up (few people will give up power like that once they have it) but that doesn't mean he felt he deserved it because he had a cock.

To be honest it's not necessary 100% for sure that all the Hightowers believed he deserved it because Aegon was a boy either. Did they use Aegon's gender to say he was the rightful Heir due to tradition? Yes, but that is also their only political leverage they can use to promote him over Rhaenyra. I mean, look at any modern political campaign--many candidates say things they clearly don't believe based on past actions, but have instead adopted it because it gives them more support to beat their opponent. Not saying this is how the Greens felt, just that given how the book is written there is no way to 100% be certain they felt Aegon II deserved the throne because he's man, or if they were just doing everything they could to advance their political power and that was their best avenue of attack. To be honest, if they were so power hungry, you could argue they might have usurped Rhaenyra even if all of Alicent's children had been girls.

Personally, I've always perceived Rhaenyra as an entitled brat. That was sort of how she was portrayed in the book. Daemon was pretty nasty as well, as he groomed Rhaenyra. He was teaching her "how best to touch a man to bring him pleasure," if Mushroom is to be believed.

I am inclined to believe Mushroom.

I think most of Rhaenyra's behaviors at Daemon's fault, but I do think that Rhaenyra is mad as she wanted to torture her little brother for calling her bastard children 'bastards'. That isn't sane behavior, and nothing really excuses it. Aemond really was defending himself.

Alicent should have asked for Rhaenyra's boys to be swatted on the hands wooden spoon a good few times, not an eye. (Lucerys should not have had a dagger. Why would a child need a dagger?)

I don't think anyone thought Rhaenyra was still heir after Aegon was born. Viserys literally broke the laws of the entire realm for her.

War was inevitable, and there was nothing Rhaenyra could have done aside from marrying her infant brother.

I don't know if you've been asked something like this before. I also have no idea if the background to my question makes sense, but do you think there was any way Rhaenyra could have become Queen without breaking laws, murdering kin, and or bloodshed?

Who started breaking laws? —The Greens

Who started murdering kin?—The Greens

Who started bloodshed?— The Greens

In a monarchy, which Westeros is and has been for THOUSANDS of years the king's words is the law. Not that of his predecessors, but of the present ruling monarch.

Viserys named his 8 year old daughter as his heir, he varied from custom yes, but never broke law. HE IS THE LAW.

Viserys also broke custom by marrying Alicent, a daughter of a second son and not a ruling lord. A woman that could not give him anything of importance, not money, not a fleet, not any great allegiance. He married her simply because loved her. Being the second time he broke CUSTOM for a woman he loved. Rhaenyra and Alicent.

Even if Viserys allowed his 16 year old daughter to be wed to her 6 year old brother, you think that would prevent war? You people are simply stupid if you think so. Aegon (Otto & Alicent) could easily imprison Rhaenyra and simply put it out as she died, or simply even just end her life. And obviously with their children being young(if they had any, very unlikely) Aegon could crown himself as king rather than prince consort. And do you really think Alicent would let her precious son be king consort to a wanton woman? We see this with Jaehaerys' children Daenerys and Aemon.

I don't think anyone thought Rhaenyra was still heir after Aegon was born. Viserys literally broke the laws of the entire realm for her.

The Blacks? Literally many at court more than even the Greens supported Rhaenyra as heir. Even afterwards, during the war Rhaenyra had much more supporters than Aegon, even after her death.

Rhaenyra is mad as she wanted to torture her little brother for calling her bastard children 'bastards'. That isn't sane behavior, and nothing really excuses it. Aemond really was defending himself. Alicent should have asked for Rhaenyra's boys to be swatted on the hands wooden spoon a good few times, not an eye.

Right, Rhaenyra insisting for Aemond to be questioned sharply is mad but Alicent asking for a five year old's eye to be cut out is perfectly sane behaviour, yes? Be serious right now. Do you really think Viserys out of all people would let his son be tortured? Rhaenyra knew of that, she wanted Aemond to admit that his mother, Alicent has been spreading rumours abt easy as that.

It wasn't just for the insults either, Luke's nose was broken, Jace was hit in the head. And Joff was thrown into dragon droppings.

Afraid that the boy would raise the alarm, Prince Aemond shouted at him to be quiet, then shoved him backward into a pile of dragon droppings.

Aemond fought back, breaking Luke’s nose with a punch, then wrenching the sword from Joff’s hands and cracking it across the back of Jace’s head, driving him to his knees. As the younger boys scrambled back away from him, bloody and bruised, the prince began to mock them, laughing and calling them “the Strongs.”

Jace at least was old enough to grasp the insult. He flew at Aemond once again, but the older boy began pummeling him savagely…until Luke, coming to the rescue of his brother, drew his dagger and slashed Aemond across the face, taking out his right eye.

Aemond was TEN. Jace was SIX, Luke FIVE, Joff only THREE.

A 10 year old Pummeling (= boxing, repeatedly puching) and 6 year old is a perfectly good thing to do.

Lucerys should not have had a dagger. Why would a child need a dagger?

Because this child, is a prince? Almost everyone had daggers at that time, Kings, Queens, Princes, Princesses, Ladies, Lords, Commonborn, every one had daggers. They carried it for personal protection, even Lucerys.

Не was teaching her "how best to touch a man to bring him pleasure," if Mushroom is to be believed. I am inclined to believe Mushroom.

Even then, if Rhaenyra is such an 'entitled brat' why would she want to please the son of a steward of a Lord. And that too, not even a major Lord. Why would she want to please a no-one that became a someone because of HER.

Personally, I've always perceived Rhaenyra as an entitled brat. That was sort of how she was portrayed in the book.

She was portrayed as spoiled, yes. How could she not be? She came after many miscarriages and stillbirth, many other losses in the family. To her parents she was their first daughter, both of them motherless on their own. To Baelon, she was his first granddaughter after the loss of this wife, son, aemon and the rest of his siblings. To Jaehaerys and Alysanne, she was probably the first great-grandchild they met, she came after they lost most of their children (+Jocelyn who was as good as daughter, Rhaenys and probably never met her children till the feast and tourney of 98). She was a light in a time where her family was sinking from the inside.

I don't know how fighting for something that is yours, and have been for over TWENTY YEARS is seen as entitlement rather advocating and defending her own right?

There is someone who is portrayed as entitled, however. Alicent Hightower. Who thought simply because she popped out the King's son, means he should become a king. And this son who thought simply because he was a man with a cock, he was more fit to rule than a daughter without a cock.

Why should I explain the basic of things to strangers as if they're 5 and lack comprehension? Lol😭

[evilminji]

Okay, as I have mentioned, I'm Ace AF. And you know that plot line in kids cartoons where the alien or foreign Warrior Royalty just sort of *violently kicks down door in full armor* "We Will Marry."? I?? Always said:

"Sure!" (#OhThankFUCK!)

Like what do you mean "No"? The powerful, attractive, monarch that is very into you has travel a great distance JUST to marry you! Now you don't have to date! They seem nice! You can skip the whole "trying to find a life partner" awkwardness.

So, Sudden New Fiancee(tm) how we doing this? Blended customs? Two weddings? One in your peoples traditions, one in mine? Should we invite your family? Tell me more about yourself.

God, this solves just... SO MUCH for me? No having to make small talk. No "do they like me?" Or "am I reading the signs here right?" No failed dates! It's positively ideal! AND they announced why they were qualified, in a VERY impressive show of power and prestige, when they arrived! Good lineage AND accomplished!! Very nice.

Don't get why everyone's so upset.

Sure the "we leave at once" thing that usually follows would have to be discussed, but that's what you DO as spouses. Really guys, it's like you think I'm incapable of common sense here.

And you know who probably agrees with me? Damian Wayne.

Hell is other people, INDEED. You expect him to just... randomly go up to people and try Courting them? What do you MEAN it's "creepy" to compile portfolios on eligible individuals of worthy bloodlines? How ELSE is he supposed to know if they are worth attempting to talk too?!

There are BILLIONS of humans on this gods forsaken rock, Richard! Is he supposed to just GUESS? Gamble and hope for LUCK? This is a MARRIAGE not a "best friends club"!

Then? Danny showes up.

Gotham heard her baby talking. Heard her KING being harassed by clearly plotting Observants and power hungry ghosts MANY times his age. Connected some dots. Formed themselves a new OTP.

Danny says "Fuck It". Worst he can say is No. According to Gotham, he is neither Shy not the meek obedient sort. Is in fact, VERY stabby. So if he's not interested he'll no doubt be BRUTALLY clear about that.

So? Danny gets Fright Knight. Go get him a horse. Someone fetch Cujo some armor. He's been told the guy like weapons and animals.

TIME TO BE IMPRESSIVE.

He goes FULL Regalia. Armor of solid night sky. Cape of frost and stardust. Crown like crack in reality itself, through which the cosmos gleam and shift. He gets a horse from the far frozen. They're wooly and carnivorous. Gets THE most impressive sword he can find to wear.

It's gonna be a gift, since he doesn't need it.

He does the whole "rend the skies open" thing. Fan fair and knights. Every title he's ever been given, no matter how embarrassing he find them in reality. And announces his intentions. Declares that ONLY Damian Wayne, aka. Robin, is WORTHY to Marry Him. And (in the traditional Ghost proposal of "either accept or tell me to fuck off" /w violence) Demands Damian accept his offer of Marriage.

Right there.

IN THE WATCHTOWER.

In front of EVERYBODY. And yes, ESPECIALLY the Bats. Who are making glitching, vaguely threatening DEMONIC NOISES. Because? You... you THREATEN the BABY? Death. Ten thousand years DEATH.

People are :O ing and backing away from the visible heatwave of unadulterated FURY being put off by Batman. Danny is nano-second from every bone his ANCESTORS had being reduced to a fine paste.

Then? Damian consider him... considers the sword being thrust in his direction, still held aloft in a steady and armored hand... contemplates those titles for a second...

And goes: "Acceptable. Very well, but I have demands."

N..... Nani the FUCK? Says local Bat-Dad. No??? You are NOT GETTING MARRIED.

Try to stop him. He very obviously IS, according to Damian, the man brought him a kick ass sword and has a giant green dog. Is the king of an ENTIRE REALITY. Yes, he realizes he probably COULD do better... but frankly? This one's cute. But if it upset you so... extended engagement. There. Happy?

NO! Because the JLA Dark are LOSING THEIR SHIT. Damian is still UNDERAGE. We don't even know how OLD this being is! NO MARRIAGE.

Damian is unimpressed. A whole six months? That he's likely already LIVED thanks to various timeloops, temporal shenanigans, and reality warping bits of fuckery? You're reaching.

Just? Marriage Meet Cute.

@hdgnj @ailithnight @the-witchhunter @nerdpoe

[intimidating-fettuccine]

Can I request a reader to help zalgo during one of his panic attacks?

This got long but I love and adore Zalgo and I missed writing for him so here you go~

It's not often that Zalgo has panic attacks. He's generally very capable and sturdy as a person, and as the king of the Underworld and the owner of an assassination business, it's expected of him to be able to perform well and handle any task that's given to him with excellence and prestige. However, it's due to that pressure that sometimes, something inside of him will crack. The pressure that's been on him since he was a child, the expectations of his employees, of his citizens, of his competitors, it all gets to him all at once, and he just snaps.

Snapped is exactly how you find him, sitting behind his desk, head in his hands as he's hyperventilating over a pile of important paperwork. His eyes are unfocused, and his hair is being pulled as taut as it can be in his fists, to the extent that you're worried he's going to rip it out. You lock the door behind you, and then you creep over to him slowly, pulling all of his paperwork over to the edge of his desk in neat piles first so nothing gets destroyed, and he's so out of it that he hasn't even noticed yet. After you finish doing that, you walk around his desk calmly, and you stand behind him, gently resting your hands on his back, and you quietly whisper his name as you begin to rub soothing circles along his skin. He snaps back to attention, breathing heavily, tears slipping out of his eyes as he chokes. He slips back into his seat, sliding down so he can have a view of your face, and it breaks your heart to see the panic in his eyes as he tries to calm himself and figure out where he is and what's happening. 

You tell him that it's okay, that he's home, he's just in his office, he's not in any danger, and he shudders, unable to find his voice. You have to be careful with his panic attacks sometimes, as he's well over seven feet tall and incredibly strong, and as a human that can bring about danger for you if he ends up getting destructive. However, today, he seems weak, unable to speak, and hardly able to move, so you crawl into his lap and pull him into you for a nice, tight hug. His arms are caged around you immediately as he burrows into your shoulder, and he shudders again, tears slipping out of his eyes as he clutches onto you. You sit like that for a little while, until eventually he gets his voice back. He cries out quietly, in a cracked voice, about how he doesn't want to let everybody down, about how he can't fail when he has so much riding on his shoulders, about how he has all these expectations and he has to meet them, and it breaks your heart that his parents raised him and punished him into only caring about validation and accomplishments. 

You hold him tighter, telling him that it's okay, that he's never once been a disappointment, nor will he ever, and that it would be best for him to get some rest. He panics again, tries to argue, tries to reach for his paperwork, but you shush him, guiding his hands back around you as you calm him again, eventually getting him out of his chair and guiding him to your bedroom. You didn't care how much he was going to fight you on it in the morning, you were going to make sure he took a few days off for vacation, for rest. He might not have panic attacks very often, but when he does... They get increasingly more destructive, and he gets increasingly closer to the end of his rope. Some love, rest, and relaxation are always what he needs most, and you're always the one there to give them to him.

[zahri-melitor]

Recent Reads:

Barda (2024): I am always interested in judging what they do and don't put into the young adult stories. I thought this was a solid adaption of Barda's backstory and the Furies, to my mind. I'm not across all the versions, but it felt true to what I was hoping to see in the story, which included Barda's positioning both in terms of what it's like to grow up in Apokolips but also the harm she has done as leader of the Female Furies and complicity in torture.

I enjoyed it! It's worth seeking out.

Batman: One Bad Day - The Riddler: well this sure was a comic written by Tom King and drawn by Mitch Gerads. Even if I had not looked at the title page I could have told you that from the specific way their collaboration lays out a comic.

It's a very Tom King prestige comic, with all that that implies. This one isn't openly hung up on the military. (His prestige work tends to be his best work. Don't fight me on this)

This is not even near my favourite conception of Eddie, though it's also not at the bottom either. Definitely trying to lean into him as a threat. It doesn't, however, show him having fun with his puzzles, and I think at the heart of all the best Riddler depictions he needs to be both cocksure and personally entertained by what he's doing. Even (especially) when it's particularly dark.

(if you want favourite characterisations, Cliff Chiang's Catwoman: The Lonely City and the way Paul Dini writes him, particularly in 'Tec #845 are highlights)

Batman: One Bad Day - Two-Face: Mariko Tamaki did a good job here. I particularly think she has a solid grasp on Steph's character, because she had Steph argue with Bruce over Harvey and whether he's worth redemption and second chances.

"I hate it when villains aren't just villains. Maybe it's not fair to the Dents of the world, but I like to think it protects me from the creeps."

Steph's whole thesis here is that they shouldn't be making an extra effort for Harvey, just because he was Bruce's friend, because villains are villains and they can't and won't change, and even when they do, they'll ultimately backslide. It's a very conservative view of criminalisation, and it's one Steph's had since her creation by Dixon, and which makes a lot of sense given her background and her problems with her father.

Bruce and Steph then have a fight over "Harvey isn't Arthur". What makes the fight particularly interesting to me is that Steph's arguing that if Harvey was committed to changing we would see it, and she hasn't, while Bruce still believes that Harvey can change and is trying to, because he's seen Harvey work on it. While Steph has absolutely no trust or belief in her father. And they're talking past each other here while having a conversation.

It's some great character work. Because Bruce at his core is fundamentally committed to rehabilitation and hoping that everyone can be saved. While Steph, for extremely good canonical reasons, thinks that criminals remain criminals, and that if they want to stop being criminals they have to show the work for people to trust them; because she was betrayed while growing up.

(The actual plot of this story was good too. But people like to say that Steph doesn't have any good characterisation post Flashpoint, and I'm here to point wildly at things like this and Tynion's 'Tec run and ask what their issues are, because this is another extremely solid congruent-with-pre-War Games-Steph story)

Batman: One Bad Day - The Penguin: I could definitely tell this was a John Ridley story. I think part of my discomfort with this was that it wanted to be canonical and non-canonical at the same time. It's very clearly set in approximately the 2022 present for Bat comics (Renee Montoya is Commissioner, Oswald has recently been kicked out of Gotham)...but it's also very much an alternate history, where instead of pretending to be dead, he's been replaced by "The Umbrella Man" who has stolen Ozzie's life. It's rather like a rerun of the Emperor Penguin plot except for the fact that The Umbrella Man is a random black man (yes, thanks Ridley) who points out a bunch of class disparity issues to Penguin.

It's just a very odd plot choice to run for an specific oneshot at this point in the storyline, because completely separately we are in the process of doing "Oswald vs his children who have killed all their siblings to inherit the Iceberg" in main continuity. Get a second Penguin plot please.

Mostly this is a parable about accepting who you are and not being a bully, or the Penguin will rip out your throat. Or something. It worked, it was just...really obvious nobody knows what to do with a Penguin plot. Just do mafia and black market stuff!

Batman: One Bad Day - Mr Freeze: I don't recognise Gerry Duggan? He's apparently done about 2000 Marvel comics and a whole 8 DC ones. Oh! But he wrote Arkham Manor! Oh my gosh so many things suddenly make sense, including the fact that the motif of this comic was Victor making snow angels.

I loved Arkham Manor and particularly the way Victor was characterised in it, even though that characterisation wasn't exactly standard Mr Freeze (it was comedy Mr Freeze). What we got this time was hmmmm a very self-absorbed Victor, where the plot specifically removed some of the pathos of Victor's devotion to Nora by showcasing a number of ways he was overly obsessed to the point of harming Nora before she passed away. It wasn't quite the direction of depth into Freeze we've seen other stories go recently, but it definitely committed to him being potentially quite harmless if you frame things around Nora in the right way to get him to focus how you want him to.

I have to say though, I don't think Duggan has a particularly good grasp on Bruce or even Dick. There were a bunch of moments where Bruce calls a completely random street thug an "irredeemable villain" and that "he belongs in the deepest hole we can throw him in". I'm sorry, did I pick up a Bruce Wayne comic or a Jason Todd one? Because uhhhh that's not standard Bruce personality. Alfred was even snarking at Bruce about how "Forgive me gentlemen, I must be suffering from a senior moment. I thought Master Bruce just said he though a criminal could change."

YES! YES HE DOES THINK THAT! THAT'S BATMAN'S WHOLE THING! HE BELIEVES HE CAN SAVE EVERYONE! HE BELIEVES THAT THEY CAN CHANGE! We literally just had the Two-Face story two titles before this be all about how Bruce is overcommitted to believing that Harvey can recover and trying to help him!

Okay poor Bruce characterisation aside, this was a fairly fun Year 4 setting for the story, and it was the requisite Christmas episode, which I did also appreciate as thematic for release date and chosen villain. Tiny Dick is highly amusing in how he thinks he might be about to get to drive the Batmobile for the first time...and then the autopilot engages. He really wants to drive and comments on how he doesn't have his learners yet (and 7ish years down the track he can end up amused and irritated that TIM got his learners at 14)

I assume Duggan got given a slot on the strength of his Marvel work, and that's fine, except...the off characterisation makes it pretty clear he doesn't have a particularly good or current grasp on at least one of the two main characters of the title. Which is just slightly important for a special high profile series on Batman and His Villains. And I'm saying that as someone who liked Arkham Manor, but enjoyed it for being a quirky offbeat, tonally dissonant story in the middle of the unending angst that was Batman Eternal.

Everyone else in this set has big set piece previous stories involving the characters to point to as why they got picked. Duggan seems to have scraped through on "Big in Marvel, has written one of the few focused on Victor Fries stories in the last decade".

[p-eleles]

hi I love your new kalim-centric fic and im so happy there is leokali. haha who is the one person who everyone will see as a threat but who they cannot dare try to declaw… that’s right. i know leona isn’t even in the story yet but im already imagining with the preface of the first chapter set in, it’s such a refreshing perspective on their relationship; that kalim will pursue leona for the sincere want (visceral need) of having something or someone no one can take away or dare to impede the development of. how leona responds is an interpretation that can vary depending on what aspect of his character you lean into but “leona is bad with feelings” tag gives me so much love in my heart that leona and kalim will be treated with care as characters. im so excited for this thank you for spawning this fic into the ao3 void

You did it. You've cracked the initial nature of Kalim's interest and desire to pursue Leona in one ask! What can I say? Kalim loves his big cats. The more likely to snap at him, the better. I don't think Leona might like candied fruits, but the prospect of eating from Kalim's hand is tempting ( ￣-￣)

One thing (one of many, honestly) that I find very interesting about Kalim is, to paraphrase, when he showed genuine delight and joy at him and Jamil fighting because it was the most genuine interaction they'd had... ever. Kalim is naive, born from his optimistic outlook of life that itself was granted from the position he was born in, but he's not stupid. He's aware that many of his relationships are built on unequal ground—Jamil is his servant first and foremost; he's the dormleader of Scarabia (and sure, he got the position fair and square, but he wouldn't even be in Night Raven College if his parents hadn't bought his way in); he's not just rich rich, he's rich with prestige. Kalim's family name is a title all of its own.

He's clear that is the reason behind why people, if they don't like him, are at least obsequient. It's why his dream in Book 7 is incredibly fascinating. Kalim wants to truly be friends with Jamil without the weight of their respective roles hindering them. He desires people's honesty. Yet he's never anything but nice and sweet and loving when it comes to this, even in the privacy of his dreams.

And you know, obligatory Disney references all around: Kalim is twisted from the Sultan, but he's also a very Jasmine figure, desiring earnest connections and having Jamil/Jafar as something of an obstacle in that aspect. And also being good at throwing hands, for some reason (RIP Kalim, you would've loved Desert Scourge!Jasmine. Not).

Canonically, Leona likes Kalim. In his own particular way of liking people, but still. He recognizes his strengths and, most importantly of all, trusts him. And Kalim likes him back! Their dynamic is pretty limited compared to other characters, but the similarities between them have me in a chokehold. They're both characters best summed up as "I'll hold all my emotions here, and then one day, I'll die," except in vastly opposite directions. Plus, there's also the whole "disdained second born prince" vs. "beloved heir" and how Kalim's magic brings life while Leona's only destroys. He doesn't sugar coat what he feels or thinks–though he's king of obfuscation when he wants–and to Kalim, that earnest nature would be incredibly refreshing.

I feel like I can't write about a romance with Leona and not tag that he's bad at feelings. Kalim is in for a ride, but he's also horrifically bad at vocalizing his true desires. It's a very steep learning curve here, folks.

There's so much I want to say that I can't put to words in this ask because exactly! Kalim is driven by a desperate need to know he's genuinely loved, not because of who he is, but just because. Bro wants to be loved on purpose, not the uncertainty of a life where he's only given so much because he was born first!

[softlysilverfountainsfall]

"...but most of all that which he heard of Turgon, and that he had no heir; for Elenwë his wife perished in the crossing of the Helcaraxë, and his daughter Idril Celebrindal was his only child" (Of Maeglin, The Silmarillion).

In-universe or the author's sexism with regards to women inheriting aside, this is...a really, really weird motive to assign to Maeglin?

Because...elves don't really die. Even in Beleriand, they don't die unless they're killed, and this is before the Bragollach and the Nirnaeth, during the Long Peace. And on top of that, you're talking about the king of Gondolin, specifically the most hidden and secret and protected realm in Beleriand other than Doriath and possibly Nargothrond. The likelihood of Turgon dying is incredibly low at this point.

(Yes, Feanor and Fingolfin had a whole Thing (TM) about being the heir, but that was a very unique situation that Maeglin, growing up with only Aredhel (who doesn't seem to be into politics or ruling others, since she wanders off into the wilderness frequently) really knowing about that whole situation, shouldn't be that affected by it.)

So, why this motivation? Perhaps simply the rank of heir (especially when death is technically a possibility) is an enormous boost of status and prestige...but Maeglin has that in Nan Dungortheb, as his father's only child.

The true reason is probably that Maeglin is desperate to get away from his father (given that Eol shortly tries to murder Maeglin I don't think anyone needs convincing that Maeglin has very good reasons to want out). Gondolin is the place of his mother's kin and extremely well hidden (probably the safest place from Eol in Beleriand, except for the unfortunate fact that he was able to track them)

If you want to bring in in-universe biased narration, it is possible that this is an entirely made-up motive after the Fall of Gondolin by historians. I try not to dismiss assertions about motivations/events/conversations in the Silm that historians couldn't possibly know because if you strip all that out it's a very boring story; you need to accept most of it as at least partly true if you want to have any insight into character's private conversations or thoughts. However, this assigned motive to Maeglin is just so nonsensical that I might have to pull the "in-universe author is just dead wrong" card.

[littlesparklight]

I love your posts about the Trojan family! Are there any headcanons about them that you could share? (especially Ganymede and his immediate family's era cause I love those ones the most :) )

Hehe, thank you, anon! <3 I love the Trojan family, especially, of course, Ganymede's era and then Priam's one for Paris and Hektor hehe.

And I think I can do that~ I love thinking about the Trojan royal family. :D

Considering you can have basically a nymph wife in every other generation being married to a Trojan king in either branch of the family starting with Astyoche (daughter of Simoeis) marrying Tros' father, the whole family is marked by this connection. I don't really headcanon that mortals being born of nymphs has any physical/visual effects as such on them (I go with nymphs generally just looking like human women), aside from... uh, beauty "infusions"? But that doesn't mean there aren't effects! All of the following would only work in fresh water, not the ocean: -Literally all of them can either keep their breath for extended periods of time, or straight up breathe underwater. -They don't really need to learn how to swim. They might need a refresher a couple years after birth, but that's not really swimming lessons so much as "lead them into the river and let them dog paddle a couple moments, done". -They can see really well underwater, though it's doubtful anyone ever realises this is weird. Unlike being able to stay below for an extended length of time, it's far less easily noticed by others as something off from what they can do.

Xanthos and Simoeis have turned up for each and every birth of their direct or extended grandchildren in Troy or Dardanos. When it comes to Priam's children, this got restricted to those born of Hecuba (but Aesacus also got this 'blessing', since at that point his mother was Priam's primary wife). Aeneas was visited when Aphrodite handed the infant to the nymphs who raised him for his first five years on Ida. Only Paris wasn't visited at his birth - but he has, however (even if he doesn't know that she is his ultimate grandmother) been visited by the goddess-nymph of Mount Ida, Idaea, before he was reunited with his family.

There's a tacit agreement that only one daughter of either Xanthos or Simoeis will marry into the family in each generation (at most). Why it was Assaracus, who isn't the oldest son, instead of Ilus, who got to marry a nymph, is because he was already involved with her before Ilus was looking to marry. He didn't marry before his older brother, but it was obvious he and Hieroneme were going to do so, so Ilus looked elsewhere and married a mortal woman. (Laomedon "makes up" for it by being involved with two daughters of Xanthos lol (possibly three? We don't know who Calybe's father is) One that he married, one that was simply a mutual fling. save yourselves, girls!!! I suppose he has divine dick-skills or something.)

The beauty of nymphs isn't actually where the famed beauty of Troy's royal line stems from! It's undoubtedly why the daughters are beautiful, but as it's especially the sons who are given a certain beauty, it actually comes from Dardanos himself, and thus from Zeus. The first and only time divine-like beauty was conferred on one of the demigod sons of Zeus, and it uh, had effects, as we know.

I feel like Xanthos gifted Erichthonios his first mares (maybe as a wedding gift?), and this is where the whole ~horse connection comes from; the herd grew ungodly fast and Boreas, uh, taking an interest, meant the horses descended from those were particularly fine and could fetch some great prices when sold/or favour and prestige when gifted.

Ganymede kept up with his brothers and sisters' lives. He might only have ended up visiting Troy when his father died, but he was well aware of what was happening. Basically, he had a sort of long-distance relationship to his family, even if it was sort of one-sided, but it kept a connection up for him, which was important! It let him still feel involved.

Like I've mentioned before, I don't go with Tros' son Ilus founding Troy, because I lean more into the real world here. What I do, instead, is have Dardanos' son, the first Ilus, help extend and build up the already extant settlement into something greater, and it keeps building from there. Ganymede's brother Ilus merely becomes one of the greatest Trojan kings and does a lot for the city, etc. I headcanon he built a new shrine/temple to Athena for both her and the Palladium (and that the cow omen mentioned in Apollodorus has to do where to put said temple, not the city as a whole).

I originally headcanoned Kallirhoe dying with her husband, and obviously this still applies for my fic-verse. But it's also just annoying when most of what I see is how alone and depressed and without family connections Ganymede is, so I also definitely very much like the idea of Kallirhoe living quite a long time afterwards, and that she becomes one of his main familial connections alongside Xanthos, now that she's back within the divine sphere.

I headcanon the Palladium is tied to the Trojan royal bloodline specifically, through Elektra. I basically go with that it was given to her directly, and then handed on to Dardanos as he left Samothrace. (Blending a scholia and a 4th century CE source.) It does have a protective effect even in Rome, but as the blood connection to the royal family (via Aeneas and thus later the gens Julia) is extremely thin at that point, it's not at all a very strong protection.

Green is the eye colour for fresh-water nymphs! (Blue for ocean-connected ones.) Which means the whole Trojan royal family have green eyes in various shades and degree, and it is always very bright and intense colour. Around the generation of Priam's children hazel has become more usual, but even then the green element is very obvious and still more-than-mortal intense/bright.

Xanthos and Simoeis tacitly agree not to marry any of their daughters into Priam/Anchises' generation (or the one after), exactly because they can tell something is coming. It's nothing against the family suddenly, in fact especially Xanthos becomes more actively protective, but they don't want to tie any of their daughters into what might be tragedy. (It becomes far more of a tragedy than they'd assumed, however, which both affirms their choice but also horrifies them both.)

[tarnishedxknight]

Headcanons: Effects of Imprisonment in Nalbina Dungeon on Basch

{out of dalmasca} Even though FFXII largely glossed over it, or at least glossed over the raw reality of exactly what was done to him, friendly reminder that Basch was starved and tortured in Nalbina Dungeon for two years. Let that sink in. Two years maybe isn't the longest sentence anyone has ever had, but it's not two days either. It's a decent amount of time to be given inadequate food, kept in either total or partial darkness, denied sunlight (vitamin D deficiency causes a whole host of health problems such as brittle bones and muscle weakness), and hung for most of the day in an uncomfortable metal harness.

I think sometimes, because the game just throws him right back into the mix and expects him to function 100% like he did when he was a knight, we forget what bad shape Basch was in. He was very much unhealthy after being sprung from that dungeon. Aside from the psychological trauma and effects of starvation, the vitamin D deficiency and two years of breathing musty, moldy, stale air without receiving adequate water a lot of the time must also have taken a toll. This man went from being in bright sunshine almost every single day for some twenty years to being plunged into darkness or the simple light of a torch for two years straight. His vitamin D levels would have plummeted, and the psychological trauma would have been excruciating and demoralizing.

Basch would have lost muscle mass, maybe even bone mass. His lungs might have been affected by crappy dungeon air, and maybe he developed a nasty cough. His heart function could have been affected, which then affects other secondary things like breathing, stamina, and general circulation. And that doesn't even account for any actual torture in the form of cuts, burns, stretching, or other types of wounds that may have been inflicted on him, or potential infections and other health complications that might have resulted from them.

In my opinion, though he is an incredibly strong and resilient person mentally, there is no way he would have been able to just get up and do things like running (maybe not even walking), swinging a sword, or fighting as the game would have you believe. It's fine to leave it as it is, as it played out in the canon game, and I usually do, but sometimes I think about what the real effects of the torture would have been and reflect on just how poor Basch's health would have been at the time of his rescue.

One could choose to say... well, the game is unrealistic and with good reason, lots of kids play it, heh. Absolutely, 100%, I totally get that and I understand. But as someone who strives for realism even when writing fantasy characters in fantastical worlds, it just isn't realistic at all. So I choose to view it in this context instead: Basch is a seriously resilient, strong, and amazing person. Not many could survive what he did, let alone get up and carry on with his duties as a knight in horribly poor health when he'd been disgraced years ago and didn't even have to acknowledge those duties at all.

He couldn't said screw this and gone off on his own. He could have even very sympathetically said hold on, I need some time to recover. I need time to acclimate to the pain of moving again. I need time to regain my strength. I need time. But nope. He had a job to do. And really, the reason he still cared about orders given to him by a now-dead king or protecting a princess who never came to his aid and who blamed him for all the ills in her life for some time after they were reunited... was that it was never just a job to him. It wasn't just a job, or wages, or prestige, or anything like that. Being a knight was a calling, a desire, a love. He believed in it, he loved his king and his princess, he loved Dalmasca, and he was carrying on for those reasons regardless of what anyone thought of him... and despite what his own personal needs might have been.

If that's not inspirational, I don't know what is.

I'll leave you with a visual comparison, part of which is admittedly a bit shocking despite being digital and a bit blocky, heh... if only to illustrate what happened to Basch so that the extent can really be seen and understood. First, I reblogged this post not only because... well, come on (*gestures at fine looking man*), but also because to me, that's an example of Basch before imprisonment. We never got to see him without his shirt beforehand, we only saw him with armor on. The way I write him and my understanding of his physique is that all that armor, which he wore daily and for hours and hours on end, was extremely heavy.

A full suit of armor can weigh about 35-55 lbs., depending on thickness and style. Lookign at his armor, I'm guessing it weighs maybe around 45-50 lbs. He's wearing that on him every day, in the oppressive sun of Dalmasca, plus the weight of heavy weapons. He's fighting in that through long, drawn-out battles. This man had to be decently strong to pull that off for the better part of two decades. So that post is what I imagine pre-FFXII-main-game, healthy Basch was like, and what he could possibly return to once he gets his health back on track and can properly train again.

Now, below the cut (because it might be shocking or upsetting to some people), I'll leave a screencap of Basch just after he's freed from his harness and busted out of his cell in Nalbina. The man's wasting away, he's skin and bones. He's got these angry marking where the iron harness pressed into his shoulders for hours and hours a day as well. You can see his hip bones protruding, I mean... It's sad to look at.

This also means he was recovering and still in poor health through the entirety of the game, save for the very end, the epilogue. (Yes, I'm ignoring that healing is all over the places and anybody could just heal anybody at any time in FFXII, heh. Did we see it happen? No? Then I say it didn't. Realism... Imma shoehorn it in wherever I can, people, heh.)

So just... keep this in mind as part of Basch's history and character as a person, that he was not only able to survive this, but to carry on with essentially no initial recovery time, recovering on the road while strenuously adventuring, while he unselfishly continued on as a knight even though the title had been dishonorably taken from him. He continued on after suffering incredibly traumatically, without thanks, without gratitude given to him, while his name was being dragged through the mud, and with no apologies offered to him for that at all. And he did so with selflessness and humility. Why?

Poor Basch... T^T

[teddybasmanov]

So this is another tidbit, this time based on this warlord roleplay (still very NSFW) and since Jay practically begged me to write it, I'm tagging them - @lostinanothersmemories

Premise: the classical - the country is being conquered and to avoid the fall of the kingdom the heir is being offered to the conqueror to keep them away and at peace. So in this particular case we have a prince entering a warlord's harem for the sake of the kingdom. In the original roleplay the prince is very upset about it and throws a tantrum, but I'm obviously changing it. The prince isn't happy about it but he's content with his role - he knew his whole life his marriage would be political, he hoped for a little more power in his role (being a prince/prince-consort/king), but saving the home country is important enough to give up that power.

TW: arranged marriage, implied sexual content, self-consciousness/self-image problems.

Notes: Almost unedited again and even cringier (so cringe).

Word count: a bit below 700.

The scene: the warlord enters the room in the harem that was given to the prince, he's a little concerned - it was reported to him that his new bride has made a strange request. The moment he opens the door, the prince gets up and bows to his waist to greet him.

"Sit, no need for formalities, princeling," he waves his hand dismissively and the prince sits back on the edge of a loveseat, raising his eyes to meet the lord's face. He lands heavily into an armchair across from the prince.

"I was told you asked for a job."

"Yes, your majesty," the prince folds his hands in his lap, "I wanted to be useful and not eat my bread for nothing," and without a pause to let any debate, "When I was given a tour of the castle - I saw the royal archive and, if you excuse my brazenness, it's not in the best state. I could help with that," he says rapidly, practically in one breath.

"Useful?" the warlord raises his eyebrows.

"Yes, your majesty," the prince repeats again, "I know that other harem inhabitants mostly work with hand-crafts and I'm unfortunately not good with the needle."

"You know they aren't earning their keep like that right? They just do it for fun," the lord is getting a little amused.

The prince frowns ever so slightly, "I understand that's not their prime function, but I'm afraid I'm falling short in that regard as well. I presume, however, my main purpose is fulfilled simply by the virtue of me being here."

"Your main purpose?" the confusion returns to the warlord's face.

"Bringing your majesty prestige, of course," the prince bats his eyelashes, it's his turn to be surprised.

The lord just stares at the prince in silence and the prince starts getting worried.

"Your majesty, there's no other reason anyone in their sound mind would marry me, right?" the prince permits himself a small nervous smile, "Especially without getting any lands right away," he continues reasonably.

"You think I took you for the prestige?" the warlord sounds like he doesn't believe what he's hearing.

"The prestige of having a royal in your harem, your majesty," the prince explains patiently, "Moreover, I saw your other brides and I don't know how delusional should I be to think anything else."

"Who taught you that?"

"Taught me what, your majesty?" the prince slightly tilts his head.

"To think of yourself like this," the lord leans forward in his seat, but the prince keeps sitting still with his back straight.

"Every royal must know their strong and week sides, to improve on the former and hide the latter - one cannot survive the diplomacy game without it," the prince holds back the lecturing tone, "I would just be lying to myself, to think anyone would want me for reasons other than political," he gets quieter at the end of that phrase, noticing something resembling pity in the warlord's eyes.

The lord reaches out to touch the prince's cheek and the prince's facade slips a bit - he shudders and lets his mouth fall open.

"I don't care about the prestige," the warlord gently strokes the prince's face with his thumb, "the moment I saw you in your father's throne-room and knew that I needed you here," he lets out a low chuckle, "preferably under me."

"Your majesty surely jests?" the prince looks in the lord's eyes in utter disbelief.

"I'm dead serious," the lord gets up and starts approaching the loveseat, so the prince instinctively jumps to his feet as well, "and I'm dead set on proving it," and with these words he picks the prince up to bring him to the bed.

The prince yelps in surprise but doesn't resist or try to move away, when he's set on the silken sheet.

"Your majesty, I have to warn you, I don't I think I'd be any good at this," he says seriously.

"No more majesties," the lord leans forward, "Relax," he ducks his head into the prince's neck and the first thing he says or rather giggles outside of diplomatic tone is:

"Your beard tickles!"

[the-archlich]

My copy of the Romance has a note justifying Liu Bei's seizing the title 'King of Hanzhong' by saying the emperor would have given him that rank anyways had he overthrown Cao Cao. Were there any significant differences between the Emperor making someone a marquis or duke and the emperor making someone a king (like how Cao Pi made Sun Quan king of Wu and how Cao Rui made Gongsun Yuan king of Yan)? Was it just a matter of kings having more territory? Did kings have extra powers that dukes did not?

My response to this keeps getting out of hand, so I'm going to keep this as simple as I can.

The titles like king/prince, duke, marquis, etc didn't come with any authority of their own. They were a matter of social standing, not actual power. Han's princes were explicitly forbidden from wielding any kind of real power. The title mostly reflected prestige and how much money the government gave you.

Under Han tradition there were only two noble ranks: king/prince (wáng 王) and marquis (hóu 侯). The former was reserved exclusively for members of the imperial family; all others could only be made marquis.

The title of duke (gōng 公) was not a traditional Han title. By taking it, Cao Cao elevated himself above the commoners, just a step below the royals. Yuan Shu did the same when he started calling himself Earl of Xu Province 徐州伯. Later, of course, Cao Cao had the emperor appoint him as king/prince anyway. When people like him (or Cao Pi, Sima Zhao, Sun Quan, and Gongsun Yuan) were given this title, it was a means of confirming their unique status, in light of the fact that they were effectively sovereign in their territories. That sovereignty did not come from the title itself, though. The title recognized their authority, it did not grant it.

For the purposes of this discussion we don't need to go into all of the other exceptions.

So, these titles were significant in that they were essentially formal recognition of an individua's unique status. Making someone a marquis was unremarkable. Taking a title like duke or earl was highly unusual and signified someone distinctly elevated beyond the commoners. It was something Han didn't traditionally do and could fairly be seen as telegraphing one's intentions to eventually supplant the imperial family. Giving someone not of the imperial bloodline the title of king/prince signified their extraordinary power and was not something Han traditionally did.

Circling back to the Liu Bei question, then:

The first thing I want to say is that there's no need to come up with any elaborate justifications for him calling himself a king/prince. That's just what warlords did. Yuan Shu named himself earl, then emperor. Cao Cao made himself duke, then king; Sima Zhao did the same. All of them could provide their own justifications for it, apologia written by the scholars in their service, but it doesn't really matter. Claiming titles and authority for themselves is just what warlords did. The only reason to jump through hoops to come up with a justification for it is the sort of thing you only do if you're overly invested in the absurd narrative of Liu Bei as a man of virtue and strong ethics rather than just another competing warlord like everyone else, doing the same things as everyone else.

Now, setting aside the hilarious logic of "this is justified because this would have happened if circumstances were completely different . . ." I have no doubts that Liu Bei absolutely would have made himself a king/prince if he took control of the Han court. And then, if he didn't take the imperial title himself, he would have made certain that his son would, just like everyone else in his position.

[darthstitch]

That Goddamn Fishbowl

Let's talk about Dream and that "fishbowl."

From a story and plot perspective, Dream's imprisonment starts off his story arc. This is where we first get to meet the King of Dreams, an entity imprisoned by a greedy, avaricious man who just wanted power, prestige and wealth. The comics don't even give Roderick Burgess a conveniently dead son to humanize him. He's just an asshole who wants to get one up on Aleister Crowley, a real person who was pretty well known in occult circles as "the wickedest man in the world."

I've seen some fans like to rationalize this as Desire's attempt to get the stick out of Dream's arse, knock him down a few pegs, stop him from becoming a complete monster. That the fishbowl was a "timeout" that was "good" for Dream and led to his character growth. So Desire had a point, right? Maybe Desire wasn't so bad after all.

People still continued to dream, right? Maybe Dream wasn't really needed to perform his function. Desire is the stronger of the two, after all, at the end of the Sandman series, Dream breaks. Dream as Morpheus comes to realize that in order for him to change, he should just die. The universe doesn't need Morpheus - they needed a Dream who was young, still capable of hope, a clean slate - hence, the rise of Daniel Hall as Dream - a pure, literal white knight who could lead the Dreaming better than Morpheus ever could.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FUCK. NO.

The tragedy of Desire, to be honest, is this. Dream is the third eldest of the Endless for a reason. He is absolutely more powerful than Desire because dreams are where desires originate, where they are shaped and given form. It's not a coincidence that Destruction is fourth eldest after Dream, that just as Dream defines Reality, Destruction defines Creation, the logical next step when you're inspired to imagine and wonder. That's what Desire can't accept, because they're just as proud and as arrogant as Dream is, and ultimately, they're even more cruel and less self-aware.

If this was a bid for Dream's attention, then it's even more sad and pathetic. Dream loved Desire once and trusted them completely. And then Desire destroyed that love, affection and trust by messing around with Kilalla of the Glow and laughing in Dream's face about it. Was Kilalla a good match for Dream? Absolutely the hell not - she did not understand who Dream truly was, but she'd eagerly "traded up" when the star Sto-Oa courted her, dropping poor Dream like a hot potato. Could the relationship have developed better, given time and space to communicate? Maybe - they were still dating when all of this happened. We'll never know because Desire stomped all over that relationship and broke Dream's heart. It started off Dream's long string of disaster romances, where he could never trust and give into his desires in a healthy fashion, always afraid that his sibling was meddling and messing shit up.

The ironic thing is I can see that Alianora had to be Desire's attempt at a peace offering, but how would Dream accept that, knowing that this particular sibling just loved to fuck with his head? That he'd been manipulated and deceived before?

Dream is flawed but it's not impossible to talk to him. Death proves it when she points out how much of an asshole he had been to Nada. Death doesn't imprison Dream in a fishbowl to get him to calm his tits down and listen - instead, she literally helps him to make a friend in Hob Gadling. One mortal turned immortal - imagine that, you can actually drive home a point and make your little brother learn a lesson without emotional and physical abuse. Amazing!

There is nothing good about Dream's time in the fishbowl. The TV show only shows us the death of Jessamy - who absolutely did not deserve to die trying to save her lord - and Unity, who had spent her life in dreams and was actually raped and impregnated by Desire in a twisted plot to get Dream to spill family blood. The comics makes it clear that thousands of people died because of the sleepy sickness - little stories like the one of Ellie Marsden, Daniel Bustamonte and Stefan Wasserman. They didn't deserve this bullshit.

Ultimately, the Sandman is a tragic tale. Dream of the Endless attempts to change - to try and be a better ruler, a better friend, a better brother, lover, husband and parent. In the comics, many of his relationships and failings are repaired and fixed - Nada is freed from hell, Calliope is freed from Richard Madoc and closure is reached with her, Dream makes it to his meeting with Hob and calls him friend, Orpheus is finally set free from his living death. But it now has the sense of a person quietly closing out his affairs, having realized how terrible and unlovable and unworthy he is. That it's time to set down his crown and his powers and pass it on to someone worthy. It's a long suicide note, accomplished with the elegance and flair that Dream is known for, but it is suicide. Morpheus is dead. A wake is held for him. And his remains are set off in a Viking-style funeral - on a wooden boat set to sail straight into the heart of a star.

The last time we see Dream as Morpheus, he is with his brother Destruction, appearing one more time to Hob Gadling, in the same way dead loved ones appear to say a final farewell.

Where is Morpheus now? The text isn't clear, really. We are invited to imagine. Perhaps he is wandering between the stars and universes with his brother, free at last from function and duty. After all, there are many versions of Dream in the multiverse, and this version of Morpheus is just one of them. Perhaps he is now human, getting to grow old and creaky like the rest of us, living a mortal lifetime, ready to greet his sister when his time comes.

Maybe he's just some writer named Neil, grumpily answering inane asks in his Tumblr inbox.

[dreadfutures]

This is your permission to vent if you want, or not, but genuinely, how is the strike going? How are you holding up? How long do you think you'll be at it/how's the response from the university so far?

Thank you for asking!!

Once again I'm not a union official or strike captain or really plugged into the leadership, this is just what I've heard from the official updates all UAW members get and what people are rumoring on the ground. This is vibes and not official in anyway.

Except for one official thing: DONT VANDALIZE PROPERTY, DONT SKIP CLASS, DONT USE FORCE TO PROHIBIT INGRESS/EGRESS FROM LOCATIONS!!!! Ask your profs to cancel class in solidarity, instead. ;)

It's going well I think! The University (system) has a slow response time to what's happening on the ground, so I think right now we're seeing the response to the strength we showed at the end of last week (which was record, phenomenal, Solidarity). The University has quit stonewalling certain topics at the bargaining table. It seems really promising that we're gonna get some historic deals that might...reshape what these outdated models of "apprenticeship" look like going forward.

We're never gonna meet an industry level of compensation and no one is asking for that, we know we're doing PhDs for low pay, but we have limits that we just can't take anymore. "you can't eat prestige" and "passion doesn't pay the rent" really are just...trueisms.

The new deal the postdocs are getting progress with looks...astonishing honestly, in a great way. We'll see what happens with the other units!

I'd say my campus is the most conservative and complacent of the 10 campuses, and we still managed to get amazing and astounding and thrilling amount of turnout. Even in STEM, which is well paid by general standards (relative........$30k is still not good 😂)

Every time we make gains however the University then sends out new waves of threats. Departments like mine have been threatening their TAs and GSRs (illegal threats and threats of illegal actions) in a variety of ways, in particular with regard to the empty/fake "research units" we are forced to sign up for *in order to be employed by the university*. It's a blatant effort to discourage and retaliate against strikers, and illegal, and unfair labor practices have been filed. But unfortunately it sucks to have to live through. Even if my advisor doesn't go through with it, even if he does and it then gets *undone*, it's still a stain on our relationship going forward. And fuck the department.

Fortunately (?) the threats are what actually pushed a bunch of people who were anti-strike or just complacent into being like "wtf, department/university, that's evil" and made them join the picket line

I hope we'll be able to reach deals for all the units next week. The University will likely hope we lose steam over the holiday so we definitely need to keep the showing strong next week. I'm hopeful!

On a personal note it's...been really strange finding myself leading chants and being asked to make speeches. 🙈 I have given serious side eye to many people in my department who got involved with DEI and other activist initiatives just to...have something they can rule over as king or queen. They want to be known for something without doing anything substantial, and edge other well meaning people out because they consider others to be a threat to their monopoly. There are people who cry racism and sexism and corporate corruption at every little thing, just to scare people into giving them what they want, and it's kind of...ruined that reputation for anyone who wants to get involved. It makes people like my advisor think that any sort of activism or mentorship is just distractions from work, or SJW stuff in the worst sense. I agree when it comes to those people! They make it really hard to want to be associated with any sort of activism or outreach!

So I really don't want to be strike captain and I really don't want to be The Lead or The Contact, but I've ended up in that role...because no one else wants to, or can, on my side of campus. I'm literally getting "so and so from chem?! it's you!!" and it makes me want to not be here. It puts a target on my back and it puts more microphones in my hand, and it leads more people to look to me for answers that I don't have (fortunately my first year room mate and I are still right and she's a lead organizer, so I can get answers or direct people).

(Ironically, the people I mentioned who want to be Known as activists and as The Most Woke and stuff...aren't striking. 🙄 they are comfortable with the establishment because they have set themselves up as the token minority yes-man for the establishment.)

I'm really touched and honored and just trying to listen to what's needed and do my best and ask for what I can do that would be most helpful. But I'm exhausted and it feels like this is... something I have been inextricably linked to. It makes me worry about employment in the future and what the rest of my time in my program is going to look like.

Also my department (student wise) is still so complacent or anti union. It's lonely.

A friend of mine defended her thesis recently and her dad, conservative from Texas, was talking at her going away party about how good it was that we were striking and solidarity and stuff and...it was so awkward because I was the *only person there* who is striking. Everyone else is too scared of their advisors, or doesn't want to be associated with Cringe People, or just doesn't care enough because we have it good.

(we have it good at the moment.... But the department HAS denied us raises before arbitrarily, and they HAVE been scummy, and their generosity is not codified in writing... What they give they can and do take away to control us)

🥲 I really don't hold it against people and people are constantly surprised that I don't have hard feelings against the people who aren't striking. But people just have a variety of personal situations and frankly striking hurts me and my progress more than it hurts my advisors research program, so I get it. I'm not out here calling people scabs or getting bitter about people not striking. I'm mostly striking for other people, who I know, at other universities or postdocing and not being able to afford to live.

But the fact of the matter is that just by standing alone, they have set me apart as Us Vs. Them. Friends assume I think they're cowards or that I think I'm better than them, and it's made things strained.

I'm confident it'll smooth over but. It's a little lonely.

I tore off a chunk of my toe tripping while leading a chant on Monday, I have lost my voice completely and have a gunked up respiratory system from so much shouting and talking and speechifying, and my brain feels utterly empty and coming home to an empty house just feels cavernous and echoingly overwhelmingly empty most days.

Also I put my hand on a literal stove and have an electric burner branded on my palm 🙄 I am glad right now for the break, I'm so tired. I wish I could write but my brain just has no words for myself, so I'm trying to find words for others. Holiday cards. Letters.

A very dear friend of mine gave me a call in the middle of the night because I said I missed him and we'd been promising to catch up for ages, and I didn't say it but I'd felt like. we were slipping, like I didn't mean much to him in the end after all, but he was there for me. Makes me miss him more (the one with the dog I drew as a Tintin homage in #my+art tag) and all the friends who've moved on already from here.

This campus has never been my home and I have been so, so unhappy here. I hate suburbs I hate socal I miss Public transit and the Bay Area and Santa Barbara and I can't wait for the next stage of my life when I get paid what I'm due and have real person hours instead of this 60-80 hr, 6 day work week that I've had through all of grad school.

But I've survived and I really, really hope I've helped make this a better place to be for the next sucker. I've been thinking about it a lot lately and I've been intimately involved in...a lot of efforts to reshape my department and the concept of a chemistry PhD in the UC system, over my five years here. We changed the demands put upon TAs in my first year. We demanded a better deal upon arrival, when the department used to withhold our pay for a full 2 months after our program started (putting so many of us in debt right at the start of our PhDs!). We reshaped how switching labs works. And now...

This historic movement.

It's something to be proud of, and I've really enjoyed getting to know more of the people who are helping make it possible, out on the picket line. I think I've made some friends with some math grad students who actually know what it's like to party 😂 we played beer (water) pong yesterday at the picket and I hope we're gonna be friends even after all this is done.

Thank you again for asking! I haven't had a chance to see my therapist since I decided to strike so. I haven't really allowed myself to reflect on things.

[cappymightwrite]

Customs, Chieftains & Countergifts

I'm currently writing up a deep dive chapter analysis of Jon XI, A Dance with Dragons, but wanted to post this section separately as a sort of preview, but also something to be enjoyed on its own (with some added visual aids). For all the medieval nerds out there...enjoy!

He slapped Jon’s back. “When all my folk are safe behind your Wall, we’ll share a bit o’ meat and mead. Till then…” The wildling pulled off the band from his left arm and tossed it at Jon, then did the same with its twin upon his right. “Your first payment. Had those from my father and him from his. Now they’re yours, you thieving black bastard.”

The armbands were old gold, solid and heavy, engraved with the ancient runes of the First Men. Tormund Giantsbane had worn them as long as Jon had known him; they had seemed as much a part of him as his beard. “The Braavosi will melt these down for the gold. That seems a shame. Perhaps you ought to keep them.” – ADWD, Jon XI

The exchange of arm-rings, or armbands, in medieval Germanic (notably Scandinavian/Nordic) cultures is hugely significant, and as a aspiring medievalist this interaction between Tormund and Jon really stood out to me. For some historical context:

Every ambitious chieftain faced the same problem: how was he to recruit and keep warriors in his retinue? His retainers, not simple mercenaries that fought for wages, were free men whose sense of honour would not have tolerated that kind of venal relationship. Instead, a chieftain needed to engage his warriors in close personal relationships. If they were not biological kin, they might create kinship through, for example, rituals of brotherhood, marriage alliances, and friendship formalised by drinking together in the chieftain's hall. Whatever their relationship, it was constantly reasserted through the exchange of gifts. It was their relationship with their chieftain that made warriors willing and eager to fight for him. [...] Appropriate gifts in a gift-giving relationship needed to be prestigious, which caused many chieftains to focus some of their energies on acquiring prestigious goods specifically rather than wealth in general. When the warrior recieved a gift of something valuable and prestigious from his chieftain, he was required to give a countergift. His first countergift was loyalty, unto death if necessary. This is how relationships of power were created in a society without states; rather than being obliged to perform military duty for his king (as in a full-fledged state), the warrior was persuaded with gifts to voluntarily perform that duty for his chieftain. The asymmetry of this interchange, with the chieftain giving more valuable gifts than the warrior, was an expression of the structure of political power: the more exclusive the gift, the higher the esteem of the giver, and the more power concentrated in him. – Anders Winroth, The Conversion of Scandinavia

The importance of this type of exchange is notably highlighted in certain passages from the Old English poem Beowulf:

Here is Seamus Heaney's translation of the same lines:

The above is just one example, but it illustrates how it was an honour to be gifted a ring/armband by a chieftain, and Tormund, we shouldn't forget, is a kind of Wildling chieftain. He is introduced to Jon by Mance as "the Mead-king of Ruddy Hall [...] Father of Hosts," (ASOS, Jon I), which connects to the significance of the chieftain's hall and the ritual of drinking in that hall to cement kinship bonds.

With Tormund and Jon, despite the former's earlier provocations, we see his real respect for Jon shine through here, initially by essentially inviting him to drink in his hall, or at least together:

“When all my folk are safe behind your Wall, we’ll share a bit o’ meat and mead. Till then…” – ADWD, Jon XI

This may seem like a small thing, but to the cultures which Tormund and the Free Folk play off of, this is a significant gesture, as noted above by Winroth. Furthermore, he makes clear the importance of his gift-giving by mentioning the armbands' prestigious history: "had those from my father and him from his." They are also materially valuable: "the armbands were old gold, solid and heavy, engraved with the ancient runes of the First Men."

The visual description of the armbands is very evocative of actual Viking era arm-rings that have been excavated, for instance, this gold one which has been recently found in the Isle of Man, which dates back to 950AD:

This plaited technique — probably more achievable in gold due to its relative softness/malleability — is reminiscent of other finds from around the same period (876-950AD), such as this one currently held at the British Museum:

As far as I can tell, however, runic inscriptions on arm-rings/armbands aren't really a thing, though you do see a variety of different kinds of engravings (the below date from the 10thC–11thC):

Of course, GRRM is just trying to evoke this kind of culture through his inclusion of "ancient runes of the First Men," rather than aim for exact accuracy, and we do see runic inscriptions on personal objects and some items of dress from the Viking period — often to denote ownership. However, in the below examples at least (a bone comb case and bossed penannular brooch), they seem more like later additions, rather than part of the original design:

But back to Tormund and Jon's exchange!

The armbands' prestige and value cannot be dismissed, and even though they are meant as "payment", Jon's acknowledgement of this significant gesture is reflected in his returning them. In fact, you could argue that his return of them is his "countergift" to Tormund, as well as the cementing of loyalty and trust between the two of them.

“The Braavosi will melt these down for the gold. That seems a shame. Perhaps you ought to keep them.” – ADWD, Jon XI

So, this little moment really plays on the dynamic between chieftain and retainer in a very interesting way. Indeed, we sort of see Jon take on the role of gift-giver himself, as he returns that same honour and respect to Tormund. Whereas Winroth describes the asymmetry of the interchange between chieftain and retainer, for Tormund and Jon there is symmetry, there is mutual standing; they are equals.

This is just such a beautiful, yet subtle, cultural exchange that is actually so meaningful. It really highlights Jon's strength of character and his respect and understanding of the Free Folk culture:

Tormund Giantsbane had worn them as long as Jon had known him; they had seemed as much a part of him as his beard. – ADWD, Jon XI

He understands how intrinsic this item of dress is to the Free Folk and to Tormund especially, how emotionally weighted they are, which is why he does not want to see them destroyed and diminished by being melted down for their gold. This stands in almost direct contrast to how Dany views the Meereenese tokar:

Dany had wanted to ban the tokar when she took Meereen, but her advisors had convinced her otherwise. "The Mother of Dragons must don the tokar or be forever hated," warned the Green Grace, Galazza Galare. "In the wools of Westeros or a gown of Myrish lace, Your Radiance shall forever remain a stranger amongst us, a grotesque outlander, a barbarian conqueror. Meereen's queen must be a lady of Old Ghis." Brown Ben Plumm, the captain of the Second Sons, had put it more succinctly. "Man wants to be the king o' the rabbits, he best wear a pair o' floppy ears." – ADWD, Daenerys I

Though to give Dany her due, the tokar is a far more restrictive and difficult item of dress to wear than a Free Folk armband, and Jon is also not being given Tormund's to wear precisely. Nevertheless, she fails to truly acknowledge the symbolism and cultural importance of the tokar. It is actually quite an offensive act to want to ban them, simply because you do not appreciate them aesthetically. It is a good thing that she takes on the advice of others and does wear it, but it is a concession on her part, not really anything deeper than that. It also doesn't exactly help things that the tokar continues to be referred to as the "floppy ears" by Dany from then on. It shows a lack of respect.

Jon continues his exchange with Tormund by not just showing respect to his culture, but by also sympathising with the loss of his two sons: Dormund and Torwynd. This moment between them was already bestowed with emotional meaning through the offer and return of the armbands. That could have been the end of it, yet Jon extends his understanding further to comfort a grieving father.

^ There you have it, just some stuff I found especially interesting in that interaction between Jon and Tormund — how it evokes a period of history and culture that I'm quite familiar with, as well as how it contrasts to Dany's own cultural confrontations in Meereen.

[lizzybeth1986]

Quick Thoughts on TRR Book 3 Chapter 19

• It's our WEDDING DAY. But it looks like Anton wants to make it our Deathday first.

• For the kind of wait most of the stans have been keeping since this book has begun, seeing our MCs finally married to our favourite LIs is quite...satisfying. Well. For most of us at least.

• Title: You Are Cordially Invited. To see me get married or to see me die?

• Mara goes outside, vowing that to get through to us they'd have to get through to her first.

• Madeleine and Bertrand barricade the door with a couch and Bertrand warns everyone to have something in hand (Olivia is one step ahead, obviously, with her sharp-as-fuck stilettos).

• That girl is ready and prepared to commit maritricide, y'all! XD

• Hana picks a vase, Madeleine keeps her clipboard, Penelope is panicking at the back with Merlin and Morgana (this was the shit I was trying to avoid with court, Mom! I can almost hear her thinking), but if you really want to see a legend minus the legend points...I should point you all to Kiara:

I repeat. A legend I stan.

This is someone having a trigger attack, and steeling herself despite the trauma of two previous experiences before plunging herself into a possible third one. That takes serious guts.

• Madeleine isn't exactly prepared to fight (clearly being Queen never seemed to involve fighting assassins before for her, strangely enough), but Olivia sure is. She says "do you want to keep bleating like a defenseless lamb or do you want to get ready to fight?"

• Honestly though Olivia delivers some of my favourite lines this chapter.

• Ana is staying out if this - (in public) because she "does not have the equipment for this" and (in private) because she wants to capture the scoop of the century!

• THANK YOU MAXWELL for gifting me that sword!

•

(All the screenshots, except for the Maxwell one from the HIMEME channel, are mine)

I have better bodyguards inside this boutique than I do outside. Look at all of these people. Picking up clipboards, stilletoes, vases, mannequins, scissors, THEIR OWN BARE HANDS, and defeating these dudes. Like...like...they may have been incredibly sheltered and protected by their families but all of them know how to make the best of a situation where their lives are under threat. And mind you, at least two of those women openly struggle with issues related to their mental health and still manage to emerge from this doing what they can.

• I loved the sword scene! It was a nice look back at TCaTF (esp Book 3) and a nice way to celebrate the Choices anniversary. In TCaTF books 1 and 2, you had different point systems for Kenna and Dom: prestige for her and power for him, to show the rise of Kenna as a formidable leader and the gaining of Dom's fire powers. Because he possesses enough power to transform into a dragon by the end of Book 2, the focus then shifts to them gearing up for their biggest battle yet - the one with Empress Azura of Ducitora (though part of this book is spent with Dom trapped inside an airship fighting a particularly frightening form of mind control from Hex). The implication is that Kenna becoming a legend consolidates her position as the uniter of the Five Kingdoms, which is what she becomes by the end of the story. It's therefore fitting that the legend points feature here, just before the MC's wedding - for like Kenna, she has just returned from reuniting the nobility (or not) into supporting Liam's right to the throne through her wedding, and like Kenna she needs to fight a Nevrakis, while possibly having the support of other Nevrakises...well, just one in the case of TRR.

• If you're marrying Hana, she features nowhere in this scene, and Olivia stabs the assassin who attacks Madeleine with knives. If you're not, she is part of your entourage, and particularly is shown taking action when Madeleine's life is under threat. If they hadn't already been hinting at Madeleine's "feelings" for Hana, and the latter's convenient amnesia regarding the events of the engagement tour...I wouldn't have minded. But I do. Very much.

• Maxwell only features in this scene if you choose him as a bridesmaid, but I would highly recommend choosing him as one at least once (if he's not your LI that is) because he and Bertrand do so amazing fighting together here.

• Ana's motto will be "my life may leave me but never my desire to catch proof of a burning-hot scoop".

• Gee, Bastien, you took a while to get here. Like...8 chapters or something.

• Mara comes back with an injury and an attempt to say our code name, which...sure thanks Mara but you still suck at your job. If guarding us is really your job at all.

• Bastien and whoever is with him have managed to capture the remaining assassins but Anton managed to escape. If that doesn't come back to bite us in the ass later...

• Why is Madeleine so involved when it comes to MY dress? Her hand is literally trembling. Please don't tell me this design was intended for her wedding. That'll be a waste of 25 whole diamonds.

• Or perhaps she's just shook coz THERE IS FYDELIA LACE INVOLVED YOU PEASANTS.

• "I need to have security remove any guests wearing white," says the press sec who tried to sneak in a white dress to wear for my wedding.

(Yes. I plead guilty. I just needed an excuse to cram in a Brian May gif there. I can't help that this man is the Meme King of Queen).

• OF COURSE I'M WEARING DRAKE'S POCKET WATCH AND HANA'S SHOES.

• We've finally reached the cathedral! After threatening to either drive the carriage through the premises, cry or sue Cordonia if we don't get there soon enough.

• I see the Applewood people! You get loads of options to greet the crowd. And of course I was going to try getting Esther to say " 'sup" once lol. I think depending on how you wave to them, the press will either see you as graceful or playful.

•

(Screenshots: Hana's is mine, Maxwell's from the HIMEME YouTube channel, Penelope's from @sgt-peppers-coffee-club , Olivia's from @i-dream-so-i-write , and Kiara's from @callmetippytumbles )

Here's all our Maids (plus one Man) of Honour! All of them speak about this day being a long time coming, but also reflect with the MC on what it took for them all to get to this point. I think Olivia (by virtue of being the Fighter of the lot) and Kiara (because of what she's faced at least thrice now) get some particularly meaty lines for their MOH scene.

• You get to choose whether Bertrand should accompany you down the aisle, since it's tradition to be done so by a member of your House, and the Beaumonts have been her sponsor from the beginning. Cue an emotional moment with Bertrand, who regards you as family now and is immensely proud of you. The Maxwell stans got a similar conversation in the vows diamond scene, but in more detail because it's his kid brother you're marrying, but now we get it as an honorary Beaumont as well. He gets super super emotional if you ask him to walk you down the aisle.

• Oooh pretty! And so many stained glass windows! Why was Leo complaining so much about this cathedral in RoE Book 3? I would have given an arm and a leg to get married there.

• NEW MUSIC!!! Lots of lovely flowery piano notes and trumpets. Very regal and very much a wedding march tune.

• So technically I'm guessing this is where we get to see the results of our tour, because in my playthrough everyone is here.

• If you're marrying Drake, you get to see his mother Bianca, and she speaks to you after the ceremony. I can kiiinda see where Savannah gets her "I only met you ten seconds ago but OMG WE'RE GOING TO BE BFFS" vibe comes from.

• WTF none of these people changed clothes it seems 😂 Everyone's else is wearing what they usually wear. Guys, this wedding is going to be freaking TELEVISED and these nobles are wearing their usual dusty outfits 😂😂

• The Best Men/Women, are depicted positively - whether they have feelings for the MC or not. Drake is said to be showing a "rare, unabashed grin", and Liam is "smiling proudly". Kiara is "smiling excitedly".

• So as you all know, you can choose between Liam (if you're marrying Hana or Maxwell), Leo or Regina for officiating your wedding. The speech is largely the same - they all mention the seed and apple tree analogy, the traditions of Cordonia and how important love is - but the opening lines vary.

(Regina's is from mine, Leo's is from the Bizzy's Choices channel, and Liam's is from @kennaxval )

Regina's is distant and formal, which suits her and suits the scale of the occasion. Leo's is humorous, and Liam's is flowery and poetic. This suits both of the men as we know them. Leo is known to not take himself very seriously, and Liam's language is very ornate by default.

• The vows (I'm talking about the LIs' ones here, since the MC's is customizable) are all beautiful. Every single one delves into their history with her and how their relationship with her grew from strength to strength. You can see why they decided to go off-script for their vows. Their story with her has always been personal and these vows are about acknowledging the long, hard journey that got them to this altar.

•

Liam's is about how the MC taught him to believe in possibility, to believe that he needn't be stuck in the rut of royal stoicism to be the king his people need. Hana's is about the freedom the MC gave her from a future carefully charted out for her, into a better, brighter one. Maxwell's is about how he has found a woman whose very presence represents adventure for him, someone who will raise him up rather than tie him down. Drake's is about embracing change, accepting the love the MC has for him and the love he tried to deny having for the MC. I love them all.

• In my mind this is the improved version of the wedding scene in TCaTF, as is the RoE wedding. I recall, way back when Kenna got married, fans (rightly) pointed out that while her LIs' vows sounded heartfelt and acknowledged their relationship with her, the few options given for Kenna's vows made her sound impersonal and not very involved in comparison (for instance, even though Diavolos appeared only by Book 3, Kenna still was made to sound like the relationship had been there for longer). In RoE, they attempted to correct that, by giving us the diamond option to personalize our vows (still using their choices, but we got more options here and went into more detail). In TRR they've gone a step further and have US type what we want with our wishes, because even when you have the same LI - no two people can view one character the same. There's space for shitposting haha, but it's also to ensure that we have enough say in the vows we want our MCs to repeat.

• If you don't choose either your corgi or Bartie, the Cordonian children become your ringbearers. In this case, they are Valerie and Marco, the little ones from Lythikos, which I think is a very interesting choice. Because it does show us that though the Nevrakis clan seem to want to destroy Liam and his line, Lythikos itself - represented by Olivia - is in support of him. If Liam doesn't marry you, it makes even more sense that the children meant to represent Cordonia come from Olivia's estate.

• Lol everyone got the same ring. At least it isn't the cheapass one Madeleine had us pick up for her in Book 2.

• Vows exchanged, tears shed, and we can be as thirsty as we want in public without anyone saying a thing (wink at the LI, tell them you wish you both were alone instead of at a cathedral, give them a steamy kiss after your vows are exchanged).

AAAAAAAND WE'RE MARRIED!!!!

(Screenshots: for Drake and Maxwell it's was @sgt-peppers-coffee-club and for Hana it was @kennaxval 😄)

Ngl I was super super emotional when I saw the wedding portrait it took us so LONG and it was so BEAUTIFUL 😭

• Esther wants to call the monarchy the "DuPont dynasty" right now haha. I think there are some playthroughs (for instance Maxwell's I think) where Hana speaks of creating the Lee dynasty which...well...is odd if you're not marrying her, yes. This chapter had a whole bunch of goof ups going on.

•

YES DONNIE KEEP SAYING IT. I'M QUEEN NOW. FINALLY.

• From rats in a dumpster to this...what a journey.

• We now have a reception to go to! There is a teaser about whether this reception will be the one we hoped for (which is shorthand either for "gear up for drama folks" or for "you didn't spend enough diamonds for this, sucks to be you" 😒).

General Thoughts:

• How many of you folks have seen Cold November Rain? That music video from Guns n Roses? In that one, there's a wedding and Slash, the band guitarist (cum best man who seems to be in love with the bride) drops the ring in the bridegroom's hands and then steps out into a...desert for this:

Would have been epic if either Drake or Liam left the ceremony midway to perform an epic guitar solo to the bustling crowd in Cordonia 😂 (you know the writers have friendzoned Hana and Maxwell hard enough that that will never happen for them).

• For the most part this chapter definitely did live up to the hype. This wedding was the culmination of everything we've been through since the book began so of course it was going to be big - and it was. I may have lost a lot of love I used to have for this book, but damn did I feel emotional when I read those vows, saw that wedding screenshot, heard the wedding music, fought alongside my girls.

• I think there may be two chapters left. Next chapter will be dedicated to the reception, and we'll see the following choices we made play out, most of which are certainly diamond-options:

1. The nobles (free, but it largely depends on whether you won them over or not)

2. The main course (from the food festival in Castelserraillian). Liam also showed us a chocolate souffle from there which he was suggesting for the wedding but IDK if that one will feature.

3. The wedding cake (Capitol cake scene) and the surprise dessert for the LI (baklava, cheetah cake, s'mores, hot chocolate).

4. The chocolates/macarons for guests

5. The gifts for the LIs (all of which open up a special scene).

6. The presence of Drake's mother (if you are marrying Drake).

That's a whole lot of stuff to code so get ready for a few goof-ups here and there, fam. As long as it's not as bad as the one they did at Hana's wedding that would be fairly okay.

• Now I know the "husband and wife" thing was a goof-up with the code, as is Liam not wearing the white uniform if you chose it for him and Hana's comment on the Lee dynasty with the MC (which somehow never showed up on my Liam playthrough). And technically, not many would actually be this angry about it if it weren't for the fact that Hana has been treated like crap by her writers before this, and on a smaller scale so has Maxwell. It's bad enough that she is the only option out there. It's even worse that while Drake gets extra development and extra scenes and extra characters (they worked hard enough to do the artwork for his mother for just that one playthrough), Hana is stuck with lazy writing and the person shown having a crush on her was her bully in the previous book. Having Liam announce that Hana and the MC are "husband and wife" even after different options had been given or chosen, would feel like a slap in the face.

Thankfully, PB has recognized how badly this could alienate fans, especially fans of characters like Hana and Maxwell who don't get the attention they deserve, and not only apologized but recognized how hurtful it was and tried to compensate.

I mean, how would you feel if the LI you liked was constantly being treated like they didn't matter? Wouldn't it frustrate you? Wouldn't a "glitch" like this one be the rotten cherry on a huge crapcake?

I'm saying this because I have seen at least a few say "this is a glitch lmao why are you guys complaining so much". This is why. It goes beyond just the glitch. It goes into why "husband" has to be the default here. It goes into chapters and chapters of shitty writing given only for certain LIs. That frustration is bound to boil over at some point.

• We'll also definitely be sneaking out and doing some post-matrimonial banging at some point. And if I don't get lingerie before that happens Ima be very very angry 😡

• I think it would be better to spread this out into two chapters.

• Is there a chance Anton might actually try something at the reception? Possibly.

• Will it be enough to warrant another full-length book? I don't know. I hope not.

• Alright, it's time for Chapter 20 now!

[drpaulmacdonaldrnma]

King David Will Be a Princely Administrator During the Future Messianic Reign Here Upon the Earth

Dr Paul MacDonald RN MA Dipl

David Will Be A Prince

In The Messianic Kingdom, David will be a Prince. It is mentioned several times in prophecy. While David is mentioned as being King and Prince, he is only a Prince in comparison to the King of Kings.

The Israelite's will serve Yehovah and David, whom will be raised up for their sake.

"And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, Yehovah, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am Yehovah; I have spoken" (Jeremiah 30:9).

"Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek Yehovah their God, and David their king; and shall fear Yehovah and his goodness in the latter days" (Hosea 3:5).

And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant DAVID shall be their PRINCE FOREVER (Ezekiel 37:24-25).

Yehovah Will Rescue His Flock

Yehovah promises that He will rescue His flock Israel and judge between the sheep (Ezekiel 34:22). David will be installed as the shepherd who will feed Israel spiritually (v. 23).

David Will Be a Prince Over Israel

While David is to be the prince over Israel, he is still a subject of the lord Jesus (v. 24). This may be why David is spoken of as a prince in some passages but as a king in others. David will be a king relative to Israel but only a prince when compared to the King of kings.

David Both King and Prince

In Ezekiel 37:24-25, David is referred to as being both a king and a prince in the same narrative. The use of both titles hints at David’s status as the head of Israel while he serves under the Sovereign of the entire earth.

David's Duties as Prince

Prince David’s duties will include collecting and then presenting sacrifices on behalf of the people of Israel (Ezekiel 45:16-17; 46:4-12).

He will eat from these sacrificial meals before the Lord Jesus in the hallowed outer east gate of the temple (Ezekiel 44:1-3; 46:12).

David will enjoy the privilege of overseeing the observance of the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles.

On Passover the prince will provide for the people and himself a bull for a sin offering. He shall present various other offerings during the seven days of Passover and the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles (Ezekiel 45:22-25).

David is NOT the Messiah

The prestige attached to David in these passages has led even those who usually interpret the Bible literally to argue that it is actually the Messiah who is in mind here.

Messiah Sinless and NOT in Need of Sacrifices

The claim is that Christ is being called David because He is his descendant. This is impossible, for Christ would never need to provide a sin offering for Himself, and nor does the Messiah have any sons (Ezekiel 46:16).

Even if the prince mentioned in Ezekiel chapters 44-46 was distinct from David, the prince mentioned in Ezekiel chapters 34 and 37, there is still nothing in those contexts that identifies David as being the Messiah.

Son of David and Branch NOT Mentioned

Also, none of the passages refer to the Son, or to the Branch of David, which is common when anticipating the Messiah. David also has sons, the Messiah DOESN'T.

David Set to Occupy High Office

Even if the Messiah is to fulfill some of these prophecies, David will undoubtedly occupy a high office. It is perfectly in keeping with the overall thrust of Scripture that David would be given much responsibility in the Messianic Kingdom.

Other Patriarchs and Princes in the Kingdom

Other Princes will be resurrected, and they will rule the Universe (Psalms 45:16 and Isaiah 32).

David and the Jewish Patriarchs are coming back.

Dr Paul MacDonald RN MA Dipl ©

Israel Institute of Biblical Studies

[drpaulmacdonaldrnma]

King David Will Be a Princely Administrator During the Future Messianic Reign Here Upon the Earth

Dr Paul MacDonald RN MA Dipl

David Will Be A Prince

In The Messianic Kingdom, David will be a Prince. It is mentioned several times in prophecy. While David is mentioned as being King and Prince, he is only a Prince in comparison to the King of Kings.

The Israelite's will serve Yehovah and David, whom will be raised up for their sake.

"And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, Yehovah, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am Yehovah; I have spoken" (Jeremiah 30:9).

"Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek Yehovah their God, and David their king; and shall fear Yehovah and his goodness in the latter days" (Hosea 3:5).

And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant DAVID shall be their PRINCE FOREVER (Ezekiel 37:24-25).

Yehovah Will Rescue His Flock

Yehovah promises that He will rescue His flock Israel and judge between the sheep (Ezekiel 34:22). David will be installed as the shepherd who will feed Israel spiritually (v. 23).

David Will Be a Prince Over Israel

While David is to be the prince over Israel, he is still a subject of the lord Jesus (v. 24). This may be why David is spoken of as a prince in some passages but as a king in others. David will be a king relative to Israel but only a prince when compared to the King of kings.

David Both King and Prince

In Ezekiel 37:24-25, David is referred to as being both a king and a prince in the same narrative. The use of both titles hints at David’s status as the head of Israel while he serves under the Sovereign of the entire earth.

David's Duties as Prince

Prince David’s duties will include collecting and then presenting sacrifices on behalf of the people of Israel (Ezekiel 45:16-17; 46:4-12).

He will eat from these sacrificial meals before the Lord Jesus in the hallowed outer east gate of the temple (Ezekiel 44:1-3; 46:12).

David will enjoy the privilege of overseeing the observance of the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles.

On Passover the prince will provide for the people and himself a bull for a sin offering. He shall present various other offerings during the seven days of Passover and the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles (Ezekiel 45:22-25).

David is NOT the Messiah

The prestige attached to David in these passages has led even those who usually interpret the Bible literally to argue that it is actually the Messiah who is in mind here.

Messiah Sinless and NOT in Need of Sacrifices

The claim is that Christ is being called David because He is his descendant. This is impossible, for Christ would never need to provide a sin offering for Himself, and nor does the Messiah have any sons (Ezekiel 46:16).

Even if the prince mentioned in Ezekiel chapters 44-46 was distinct from David, the prince mentioned in Ezekiel chapters 34 and 37, there is still nothing in those contexts that identifies David as being the Messiah.

Son of David and Branch NOT Mentioned

Also, none of the passages refer to the Son or Branch of David, which is common when anticipating the Messiah. David also has sons, the Messiah DOESN'T.

David Set to Occupy High Office

Even if the Messiah is to fulfill some of these prophecies, David will undoubtedly occupy a high office. It is perfectly in keeping with the overall thrust of Scripture that David would be given much responsibility in the Messianic Kingdom.

Other Patriarchs and Princes in the Kingdom

Other Princes will be resurrected, and they will rule the Universe (Psalms 45:16 and Isaiah 32). David and the Jewish Patriarchs are coming back.

Dr Paul MacDonald RN MA Dipl ©

Israel Institute of Biblical Studies