#her heroics cost her a lot

[youngpettyqueen]

went looking for a creation myth

ended up with a pair of cracked lips

[theoraeeken]

I saw a post a while ago about Tommy and Buck running into Buck's exes, but I'd be interested in them running into Tommy's exes (boyfriend and/or girlfriends)

i spent such a long time fleshing out an OC for this tiny little oneshot but i could not get this out of my head gfhdhsjjdf.

EDIT: okay this isn't tiny and maybe i got over excited.

bucktommy / rated t / prompt requests still open

-

"Tommy?"

Chim stops mid-sentence, hands still up in a gesture, and his mouth is a little open as he looks over Buck's shoulder, behind him. Hen and Eddie seem similarly afflicted. Confused, Buck turns around, and-

Woah.

Buck's not unfamiliar with attractive people - he works in an environment with a lot of hot, athletic people, who do insane, heroic things, and since discovering that he's playing equal time for both teams, the pool of people that are nice to look at has grown considerably. That's a given. But... woah.

Green. Very green eyes.

"Dan! Oh, shit, how long has it been?" Tommy grins, getting up quickly enough that his chair scrapes against the concrete.

Hen and Chimney are doing their freaky psychic parademic mind melding communication thing, which mostly involves a lot of eyebrow movement and head tilting, and Eddie is glancing from Dan to Buck like he's nervous. This was supposed to be a chill little brunch, a catch up between friends. It's nice, being able to bring his partner to brunch like this, the same way Hen brings Karen and Chim brings Maddie. He never brought Ali, or Taylor, or any of his girlfriends. For reasons he could never quite pinpoint, he never wanted to let his worlds collide like that.

But Tommy is already part of his world. He's got inside jokes with Chim and Hen that Buck still doesn't quite get. He brings his own stories about the job, and he can laugh at everyone elses without getting maudlin and worried the way any of Buck's exes would. Tommy is as much a part of Buck's world as Buck is of his.

Except, Tommy's world apparantly has other things in it. Like Dan. Dan with the very green eyes, and the black hair swept carelessly back off his face like he thinks he's a 90's movie star, a little grey peppered at his temples and a t-shirt that has to be at least two sizes too small. Dan with his arm around Tommy's shoulder, and a 1000 watt smile dangerously close to Tommy's mouth, like he's not 100% committed to pulling out of this extremely long hug.

"What are you doing in California? You miss the sunshine?" Tommy asks, his hand still very noticably on Dan's hip.

"Don't even say that, those Oregon winters are no joke," he huffs, "Nah, I'm down for my sister's wedding."

"Emily's getting married? What the hell, she was barely out of college last time I checked."

"Yeah, Tommy, that was six years ago," he laughs, "All grown up now, marrying some IT geek from San Diego. Don't know what he did to deserve her, but my balls have been well and truly threatened if I give him anymore shit."

They chat for another few minutes, completely oblivious to the audience they have, oblivious to the way that Buck's hands are clenching into fists under the table. Tommy's usually so poised, straight-backed, almost stoic. Even his humour is deadpan, but Buck relishes the moments where he can tease easy smiles and full body laughs and dorky jokes out of him. Dan and his pretty eyes seem to have that down pat, too.

"Uh, I feel like I've crashed a party here, Tom."

Tommy blinks, looking back over at their table.

"Shit, sorry," he says, "I should have said. These are the good folks of the 118 firehouse. You probably know Hen and Howie by reputation, and this is Karen and Maddie," Tommy indicates each of them in turn, and they give a wave, "That's Eddie, and this is my boyfriend, Evan."

He says is so casually, like it costs him nothing, and it drags a smile out him the way it always does. Boyfriend. Buck stands, offering a hand. There are still half-cresent marks on his palm from where he'd dug his nails in.

"Good to meet you, man."

"You too, Evan."

"Buck," he says reflexively, "People call me Buck."

"Sure," he says easily.

Tommy is staring at him, face unreadable, but he smiles anyway, polite, almost professional.

"This is Dan Archer, and he used to be the best damn EMT in California," he says, clapping him on the shoulder, "until he deserted us for the PFR."

"Portland, huh? That's a good department to work for, from what I hear," Hen grins, "You guys were trialling those new electric ambulances in 2019, right?"

"Oh, yeah," Dan laughs, "All green, baby. Not that it matters when you're pulling another hiker out the Cascades in mid-December, but for some reason no one wanted to put the funding into my caterpillar-tread gurneys idea."

Chim snorts, "Shit, that's a good one. We should start lobbying for that, Hen."

"Ain't that the truth," she mutters.

"I don't have that problem," Tommy says smugly. Dan punches him in the arm, "You wanna stick around? This place some amazing bruschetta."

The collective inhale the table takes is probably loud enough to hear across the street. Eddie puts his coffee down like he's worried he's going to have to do something that involves having both of his hands free, like restrain Buck.

"Nah, I'm just doing a coffee run, then I've got to get back to the pre-festivities festivities," Dan shrugs, apparantly oblivious, "And maybe buy a shotgun to clean somewhere in view of Samuel."

Tommy laughs, "Give 'em hell, Archer. And don't be a stranger."

"You neither, Kinard," he grins, "I'll take you up on that bruschetta before I head back North."

"You better."

Tommy sits back down, and puts a hand on Buck's thigh. Nothing salacious or suggestive, just the weight of his palm and the heat of his skin. Familiar. The group lapses back into the same kind of easy chatter that they had before. Maddie and Chim talking about something cute Jee had done last week. Hen recounts in detail the call out they got that ended with having to deep bleach the inside of the ambulance. Buck takes a hold of Tommy's wrist, feels his pulse against his fingers, a steady, paitent beat.

-

Tommy's mouth paints lines of heat against Buck's shoulders. He's on his stomach in Tommy's bed - their bed, really, with how often Buck is here these days - propped up on his elbows. There's a book open on the pillow in front of him, something he found on Tommy's bookshelf about the history of the American rail network. It's been open on the same page for the last ten minutes, Buck's eyes somewhere in the middle distance.

There's temptation here, in the form of Tommy's half naked body pressed up alongside his, the hand on his lower back, his mouth. But Buck's mind is going a mile a minute.

"Baby," Tommy murmers, lips pressed to the nape of his neck.

"How do you know him?"

Tommy stills, just a moment where he freezes, before he exhales.

"I don't know if I like you thinking about other men while I'm trying to seduce you."

"Well, he is a very handsome man," Buck mutters, before he can help himself.

Tommy snorts, "Seriously?"

"It's ridiculous," he grumbles, "He's a paramedic, not a model. What's he even-"

Tommy muffles his laughter into Buck's shoulder, his body shaking with it. It should irritate him, it should make him feel belittled and mocked, but the way Tommy curls over Buck's naked back, smudging kisses into his hair and muttering his name softens the blow.

"I'm being an idiot, aren't I?" he says flatly, and it just makes Tommy laugh harder.

"No, Evan, you're being jealous, and possessive, and very sweet," he says, indulgent. Tommy is always indulgent with him, and Buck aches with how much he doesn't deserve it, "I know there's no way for me to say this without it sounding sarcastic, but I really do think that you glaring daggers at my ex like you're thinking about burying him under a carpark is extremely attractive."

Buck huffs, "So, he is your ex."

"Yes, he's my ex," he says, trailing a finger down the dip of Buck's spine, "We dated for nearly a year, the first year I moved to Harbour. He was my first serious relationship after I came out."

Buck doesn't really know what to say to that. Tommy represents a whole lot of firsts to Buck. First kisses, first touches, first fucks. Not first ever, obviously, but a kind of first all their own. And maybe Buck is always going to be a too much, too fast kinda guy, but he can't imagine getting over that, getting over him. Not even after five, six years.

"It ended amiciably. He got the job offer from Portland. Captaincy. Dan's job is important to him, too important to pass it up. I understood that."

"Do you miss him?"

Tommy kisses his shoulder, "All the time. He's been a good friend to me over the years."

"Do you see him very often?"

"Handful of times, since he moved," Tommy smiles, curling his fingers into the hair at the back of Buck's neck, "Came down for Harris' retirement. Couple years ago, we met up while he visiting family. I went up to Portland last year, too."

"Oh?" Buck says, feigning indifference and probably missing it by a mile, "How was it?"

"It was great. Awesome city. Great hiking in the area, and the ceremony was beautiful."

"What ceremony?" Buck asks, jerking up.

"You would have cried," Tommy continues like he didn't even hear him, like he didn't almost just headbutted in Buck's eagerness tosit upright, "I bet you always cry at weddings, but you definitely would have cried at this one. I bawled like a baby."

Buck shoves at Tommy's chest playfully, and he bounces when his back hits the mattress, laughing again.

"What wedding?"

"Dan's wedding," Tommy grins, "to his husband, Jake. Who he loves very very much."

He groans, shoving his head into the pillow, but Tommy doesn'tlet him mope about it for very long. A strong pair of hands roll him flat onto his back, and Tommy wastes absolutely no time in covering his body with his own, pushing between his legs and kissing him halfway to stupid. Which doesn't bode well for Buck, who's pretty sure he was more than halfway there already.

"You're ridiculous," Tommy says fondly, pressing a kiss to Buck's cheek.

"I know," he sighs, "I'm sorry."

Tommy kisses him again, before propping himself upon his elbows, "We're gonna talk about this properly tomorrow, about you being this worried about me... leaving? Or being interested in other people? Whatever it is, okay? We're gonna talk about it, because I don't actually want you to be upset, Evan," he says softly, "but you don't need to apologise for being jealous. It's just an emotion."

"Not the best emotion on me, though," Buck sighs, "It's not even rational."

"Maybe," Tommy shrugs, "but I wasn't lying when I said I like it on you sometimes. I don't regret my relationship with Dan, so what's rational about me liking how much you wish you were the only one who has ever touched me?"

Tommy's got a talent for taking Buck's most ridiculous thoughts, his worst traits, the ugliest sides of him, and rearranging all the pieces so that they actually make sense. He's so steadying, like a hand on his back while he feels like he's constantly walking on a tightrope. All of it is like water off a duck's back to Tommy, even when it feels like Buck's about to drown in it.

"God, please just kiss me," Buck whispers, half because he wants to, he always wants to, and half because it minimises the risk of saying anything else stupid, like 'I hate your gorgeous hero of an ex just because he got to kiss you before I did', or 'I like myself better when I'm with you than I ever had before', or 'I love you', or 'please don't talk about weddings around me because I'm terrified of the images in my head right now and how good you look in a suit'.

"Yeah?" Tommy breathes, his mouth hovering just over Buck's, "You gonna be thinking about him again?"

"Thinking about who?" Buck mutters back, just to be a brat.

Tommy laughs, a gentle, soft little thing that's so, so fond, but he kisses him anyway.

[imsobadatnicknames2]

To my great surprise, one of my friends expressed interest in DnD, bringing the total people interested including myself to a whopping THREE! Now, I've only played DnD a few times at a game shop and literally no other TTRPGs, but I'd be open in checking out other stuff (and can hopefully persuade my friends)! Would you happen to have any recs for maybe a bit more of an intro/beginners game that one could run with three players total? (If you happen to know any that maximizes a player feeling badass, that'd be neat & appreciated, as I think that's the main draw for them lol). Anyways, thanks for your time :3

Hiiii thanks for your question! So have in mind that I haven't played any of these firsthand because I'm mostly into games that mechanically emphasize disempowerment (the games i run tend to go less for the Found Family of Heroic Misfits Go on an Epic Quest approach and more for the Gang of Amoral Treasure Hunters Get Themselves Killed While Looking For Treasure in a Dark Scary Hole one), so I'm going off mainly from the play experience implied by reading the rules themselves and by what I've heard other people say about them.

First of all Is Quest RPG

I've seen it recommended a couple times by @thydungeongal and after reading a bit of it I have to agree with her assessment that this is the game that most D&D players seem to ACTUALLY want to play when they start invoking Rule 0 and the Rule of Cool and playing fast and loose with mechanics. It's a game where the explicit design intention seems to be natively supporting the style of gameplay that most popular D&D Actual Play shows feature, without any of the negatives of trying to fit 5e's square peg into that particular round hole. It's also available for free, which is pretty nice.

I would also recommend Brighthammer: Rules Light High Fantasy (which is a hack of Sledgehammer: Rules Light Dark Fantasy)

It's a simple system with a d100 resolution mechanic which fits into two eight-page mini-zines, one for the players and one for the GM.

It leans into the heroic fantasy angle specifically by letting players continually accumulate advantage to rolls during combat encounters by performing heroic actions, such as defending an ally or an innocent bystander. This one is also free and it's a pretty quick read so you don't lose anything by checking it out.

Next up is The Basic Hack

This one is a slightly streamlined version of The Black Hack, which itself is a massively streamlined version of early editions of D&D. Just like The Black Hack, it uses D&D's classic six-attribute array and a lot of other mechanical elements that make it pretty easily compatible with a lot of D&D materials while still being a very distinct system of its own, but where it differs from TBH is that it simplifies a lot of its mechanics and overall has a less gritty and more heroic tone.

Lastly there is Break!!, which is the only game in this list that is going to cost you any non-zero amount of money

Break!! has some old-school sensibilities here and there (seems to take some inspiration specifically from games like Cairn and ITO) but aesthetically and tonally it takes most of its cues from fantasy anime and JRPGs. It has a pretty cool-looking setting, and some interesting twists on classic fantasy TTRPG races and classes. You get everything from "basically a D&D fighter with a different name" to "paladin meets magical girl" to "literally an isekai protagonist". Anyway one way in which it leans into making the players feel pwoerful and badass is that its initiative system rewards being proactive in fights: whatever side starts the fight gets to act first, with no checks or rolls required. Also, it handles health depletion on a per-encounter basis. Health regenerates fully imbetween fights, essentially ensures that players always start fights at full strength and gets rid of long-term resource depletion. Which, you know, i like long-term resource depletion for my games, but if what you want to do is feel like badass heroes this is definitely the way to go, and it still has some interesting long-term consequences for running out of health in a fight.

[biblicallyaccuratemoth]

Amphibia has middle child dyndrome next to Gravity Falls and The Owl House

Let this be a lesson to everyone. Send me an ask about some things, and I will reply with a wall of text.

I'm gonna get into some Amphibia spoilers here, so if you haven't seen it, go watch it. The first season is slow, that's not a bug it's a feature.

Amphibia I don't think suffers from middle-child syndrome. Amphibia suffers from expectation issues from the audience, and that comes firstly from when exactly it was airing. Amphibia hit the scene in 2019, 3 years after the end of Gravity Falls (a whole 7 years after Gravity Falls began), during Star vs the Forces of Evil's fall from grace, and less than a year before The Owl House started airing. It was a time when the TV-Animation scene was still much stronger than it is today. Steven Universe: Future was on the horizon later that year, Adventure Time was in its final moments, and there was a lot of expectation about who was gonna be taking up the mantle of the animated show to watch. With Matt Braly, a Gravity Falls alumni, at the helm, Amphibia had a good chance.

And then the first season aired, and people seemed offputt. It's deliberately a lot slower than The Owl House, Gravity Falls, and the other shows of that era. It's quieter. Lower stakes and with less of that dark core that defined TOH and GF. But that's a deception- in reality, Amphibia is just as dark and just as complex. It just hides it.

Season 1 of Amphibia is crucial, but it also misleads the audience. It feels younger than its competition. Episodes are based around seemingly 'simple' morals of honesty, hard work, fixing mistakes, and so on. But the thing that sets it apart is this. Ann learns from her mistakes and becomes recognizeably different by the end of the first season. She's the same person, but her view of herself, her relationship with the Plantar family, and her place in Wartwood have all changed fundamentally. And so by the time Sasha appears at the end of season 1, Ann is no longer the same person that Sasha once knew.

And the brilliance of Amphibia is that, as Ann is doing this, so are Sasha and Marcy. In a way they've each undergone their own hero's journeys, faced challenges and temptation, and emerged from the other side fundamentally changed. And that's where the thematic core of Amphibia becomes clear.

Amphibia is about what happens when people (and members of society) who care about each other have grown in ways that make their former relationships to each other impossible.

Ann doesn't only gain the ability to stand up for herself. She clearly defines her moral compass apart from Sasha and discovers that, even if it's difficult, there are things she needs to fight for and protect.

Sasha is a gifted leader and a brilliant tactician but she's also manipulative and cruel. Underneath that, though, she does care about her friends dearly. She's just perverted that affection into something wholly toxic. Grimes understands her explicitly and encourages both the good and the bad, in her. She becomes stronger, more determined, and more able to bend situations to her will but she does so at the cost of any remaining boundaries she had.

Marcy outright regresses, even if she doesn't realize it. She gives herself fully into the fantasy and embraces her role as the 'heroic' savior from another world, and doesn't realize that she's causing the people around her pain. And that before getting into how she fails to see the danger she's in.

By the time Ann, Sasha, and Marcy find each other again, these changes in who they are have made it so they can't go back to how things were. Ann isn't the pushover she was. Sasha's veneer of kindness (with a genuine undercurrent of warped compassion) dissolves. Marcy isn't engaging with the people around her anymore, at least not genuinely. She's in her own fantasy long before the Core puts her there, and she suffers for it.

Amphibia is a piece of art. Honest and truly. I may prefer the Owl House but that doesn't mean I don't love Amphibia with all my heart. I honestly think it plays its cards so well that it fools the audience at first, and that's a really impressive narrative trick.

[hypnoticmoth]

Some informations about After the tower fell setting ! And some tidbits ! - It takes place a few months after the events of season 1. The Vees are slowly taking over some new territories in the city as they have been unaffected by the Exorcists's attack on the hotel. Just like they said, there is now a power imbalance in Pentagram, and they are taking full advantage of it. Rosie has lost a lot of her cannibals during the fight and is weakened, forced to defend without any possibility to attack back. Carmilla Carmine has also been weakened after lending so much angelic weapons to the hotel, putting her in a precarious situation, even with Zestial's partnership. Basically, the Overlords are at each other's throat, trying to gain in power and the Vees are taking full advantage of it, using the tense climate to turn everyone against each other through misinformation and manipulation. (It also doesn't calm anyone that Lucifer is back and might have a hand in what the Overlords are doing in Pride) - Vox is fearmongering the population of Pentagram city by slowly corrupting the informations about what happened at the hotel. Turning a heroic battle into a severe misstep that will costs Sinner's lives (and using it all to sell his products or future products). He speaks of Heaven ready to wage a full on war against Hell. Not only he is slandering the hotel, but also turning the citizen of Pentagram hostile toward the patrons and Charlie. - Heaven stays silent for a while, merely mourning the loss of Adam and observing the events in Hell. Between the Overlords' squabbles and the Sinners of the Pride ring becoming restless, they fear a war will be inevitable. And eventually their fear proves true. Sinners and Overlords now know how to kill Angels, and with their numbers growing exponentially, Angels have to put a stop to it for the sake of Heaven's souls. - The V tower collapses soon after the beginning of the war with Heaven. Alastor lured Exorcists to it and rampaged through the halls as well before vanishing, but not before making sure all three Vees knew it was him. He wanted to make sure they knew he didn't take kindly to being relentlessly taunted and slandered these last few months. - A lot of the Vees's employees died, breaking a ton of soul contracts, weakening them considerably. Some other soul contracts got erased because the Overlords broke specific terms. (I spoke about it more in another post) - Vark is Vox's only pet that survived. - Valentino and Velvette are blaming Vox's unhealthy obsession with Alastor for their downfall. During the months leading to their end, they tried, multiple times, to reason with him to stop attacking the hotel and to focus on the other Overlords instead.

[thelonelyfairy]

Fractured Bonds

Chapter 1

( Shouta Aizawa x Reader x Toshinori Yagi)

Summary: Your time working alongside All Might was cut short due to his devastating injury and Sir Nighteye’s grim warning of the resurgence of All For One brought you no choice but to part ways with your lover for the greater good.

Upon your return, you took up a new role as UA’s next nurse, under the guidance of Recovery Girl. Yet, as you re-entered the lives of your old friends and stepped back into the growing conflict with the League of Villains, your past, connections, and the secrets buried deep within you would challenge you resolve and ultimately shape your destiny.

Note: Tags of this story will be on my master list which is linked below! Happy reading!

Masterlist Chapter 2

Note: I absolutely despise reading any x reader fics with any mention of (Y/N) so I added a name here, you’ll see it scattered here and there but I did not add any physical features that’ll throw you off since that is up to your own imagination. Lastly, Minors DNI 🛑 Happy reading! 🫶

Day 1

The sterile smell of antiseptic fills the air as you stand by the entrance of the U.A. infirmary. Once you step foot into the room—with its white walls and clinical cleanliness—your mind and body finally begin to ease.

Recovery Girl sits at her desk, scribbling away at a stack of medical reports, her short figure barely visible behind the pile. “Welcome, dear! So glad to see you doing well after all these years!”

You offer a small smile, though your nerves twist tighter as you approach her desk, your fingers fidgeting with the hem of your coat. You’re not used to standing still—action, movement, and fighting was your norm. Healing, while always a part of your Kitsune quirk, has never been your primary focus.

Recovery Girl stands, her cane tapping softly against the floor as she moves towards one of the examination tables. “Your healing abilities with that Kitsune spirit of yours intrigued me the moment you enrolled, but you need to learn how to harness them properly in this kind of environment.”

You nod, healing was always something you did on the sidelines or in the heat of battle, never in a controlled setting like this.

“And one more thing,” Recovery Girl adds, her voice softening slightly as she gestures for you to come closer. “I know you’re carrying a lot from your past, child. You’re not just here because you’re talented. You’re here because you need healing too.”

Day 2

“Absolutely not, Yamada,” Nemuri hisses, keeping a firm grip on the back of Hizashi’s jacket as he tries to push forward, eyes alight with excitement at the sight of you and Recovery Girl on the way to tend to the injured students after the entrance exam. But while Hizashi is eager for a reunion, Nemuri knows better, aware that seeing the faculty, especially after all these years, would turn your stomach into knots.

In the dimly lit security room, Aizawa leans against the wall, his eyes heavy with fatigue as he attempts to ignore the banter between Nemuri and Hizashi. His attention, instead, stays locked on the screens, observing the aftermath of the students' battles, each one fighting for a place in U.A.

As he mentally tallies the students' performances, his sharp gaze focuses on the feed that switches to a familiar face—Midoriya, lying broken in the debris after a heroic but reckless display of power. The boy had saved another student, but at the cost of his own body.

Aizawa sighs, already planning to mark Midoriya down, his thoughts centeres on the boy’s lack of control over his quirk. Then, something—or rather someone—unexpected enters the frame.

Your colored hair steps into view, a fox-like spirit at your side, guiding you towards the injured boy.

‘Yan…’

“Who’s that?” one of the faculty members mutters, leaning in as the camera zooms closer.

Aizawa doesn’t answer. He already knows. Half of the staff in the room already knows.

Beside you stands Recovery Girl, the two of you examining Midoriya’s broken form.

Aizawa watches closely, his heart tightening unexpectedly. He hadn’t seen you in years, but there you are—compose, calm, your movements precise as always.

The room grows quiet, everyone transfixed as you kneel beside Midoriya. Your Kitsune glows softly, casting a warm light over the boy’s battered body.

With practiced care, you place paper talismans, ofuda, on his limbs, each one pulsing with healing energy. Slowly, the light spreads, knitting his shattered bones and torn muscles back together. Midoriya’s pained expression eases as the healing takes hold.

“Fox Face…” All Might’s voice breaks the silence, confusion lacing his words as he leans in for a better view.

Aizawa clenches his jaw as you stand, your Kitsune wrapping itself around your shoulders. You introduce yourself to the students, with that smile full of life, confidence, so different from the shy, hesitant girl he used to know.

“Looks like things are gonna get interesting from here on out,” Nemuri whispers to Hizashi, who chuckles softly, nodding in agreement.

Day 3

You stand just outside the teacher’s office, clutching a stack of paperwork to your chest. It’s your third official day back at U.A., and despite all the years of training and experience you’ve accumulated, a heavy sense of nervousness still resides.

Rumors already circulating that this year’s Hero Course will face unprecedented challenges, which means your workload will only grow. But for now, your task was simple: drop off some forms and avoid any familiar faces.

You peer into the office and sigh in relief. Empty, just as you hoped.

“Alright, get in, get out,” you whisper to yourself, stepping into the quiet room.

You place the paperwork on the desk with a quiet thud, your body finally starting to relax.

“Yan.”

The deep, familiar voice sends a jolt through you, a rush of warmth and dread coursing through your veins.

You turn slowly, already knowing who it is before you even meet his eyes. Toshinori Yagi—All Might, even in his slimmed-down form—leans casually against the doorframe, his smile soft but with a glint in his eyes that hints at more. He’s not here by accident.

You catch your breath before meeting cerulean, “Toshinori,” you greet coolly, though the softness in your tone betrays you.

He steps further into the room, gently closing the door with his foot, leaving it slightly ajar. His gaze drifts to the teacher directory on the wall. “Quite the lineup of teachers this year,” he muses, his finger tracing down the list. He pauses on one name in particular. “Aizawa... EraserHead, huh? Heard some... interesting things about him. Expelled a whole class, didn’t he?”

You stiffen, your heart sinking at the mention of Aizawa.

“He’s... thorough,” you say carefully, forcing neutrality into your voice. “Harsh, but fair. In his own way, at least from what I remember.”

Toshinori glances back at you, his eyes lingering a moment longer than necessary. His gaze feels like a gentle weight, as if he’s trying to read more from your words. His lips quirk slightly, a knowing expression��he’s always been good at reading you.

"Thorough, huh?" he says with a raised brow, teasing. "Sounds like you’ve got some experience with him."

You bite the inside of your cheek, debating how much to reveal. “We studied together. He’s... not the easiest person to get along with.” You force a casual shrug, hoping to mask the sudden heaviness in your chest.

Toshinori’s smile widens, but his eyes soften with understanding. “Well, I was thinking of having a chat with him. Get a sense of who he is before we start working together. But—” his voice lowers, gentler, “—maybe you could join me? Help break the ice?”

You blink, caught off guard not just by the request but by the tenderness in his voice.

Your immediate instinct was to refuse, to avoid the inevitable awkwardness of facing Aizawa after all these years. But Toshinori's warm, steady, almost pleading gaze makes it hard to say no.

“You know him better than I do,” he continues, “It’d be a good way to ease into things... together.”

You finally exhale, your resistance crumbling. “Alright,” you whisper. “I’ll come.”

Toshinori’s face softens with gratitude. “Thank you.”

You nod, glancing down at your hands, realizing they’ve tightened into fists. This was going to be... interesting. To say the least.

The warm afternoon sun filters through the trees as you crouch beside Toshinori, hidden in the bushes near U.A.’s training field. The gentle rustling of leaves matches the anxious beat of your heart as you peek through the branches. Out on the field, Aizawa stands next to Midoriya, the boy you saved back in the entrance exam.

Toshinori, in his All Might form, leans closer, his broad shoulders brushing against yours as he watches with intense focus. “This is where we see what the kid’s made of,” he whispers, his voice low but brimming with enthusiasm.

You raise an eyebrow at his excitement, “Really? Don’t you think this is too much?” you whisper back, nervously glancing up at his massive frame. Even after all these years, it’s still surreal seeing him like this—tall, powerful, and confident, as if his injury never happened.

Toshinori chuckles, the deep sound sending a wave of nostalgia, “A little pressure never hurts anyone.”

You sigh, he hasn’t changed at all. But despite the ease of his presence, a shy flutter stirs in your chest. You had never quite adjusted to seeing him in his All Might form again, not after everything you’d been through together. Memories flood back—his soft whispers and kisses, desperate but gentle touches, his grunts turning guttural with your sounds of pleasure and whimpers—rushes back to you. Those days were exhilarating and loving, but now it felt nothing but a distant dream.

“Wait, wait, is he for real?!” Toshinori’s sudden exclamation pulls you back to the present, his eyes widened with surprise.

Following his gaze, you see Midoriya, his expression full of determination, hurl the ball skyward with such force that it disappears into the clouds. The sheer power of his throw elicits cheers from the other students, their excitement electric as they crowd around Aizawa to see the score.

All but one.

Bakugo—spiky blonde and unmistakable—scowls with fury, clearly unimpressed by Midoriya’s display. Without warning, he charges at Midoriya with a guttural yell, ready to tackle him.

But Aizawa is faster. His gray capture scarf snaps out like lightning, coiling around Bakugo’s arms and torso, stopping him mid-charge. The explosive student thrashes wildly, but it’s no use. Aizawa has him locked down within seconds, his eyes glowing red, hair floating in that familiar storm-like halo, signaling the activation of his Quirk.

You bite back a smile. There’s something about Aizawa’s battle-ready stance—the glowing eyes, the quiet authority, the way his hair moves like it’s caught in an invisible wind. That quiet intensity he carries always draws you in, no matter how much you’ve tried to push it away.

Toshinori, oblivious to your shift in focus, continues watching in awe. “Young Midoriya has so much potential,” he mutters, still marveling at the boy’s strength.

As Aizawa loosens the grip of his scarf, Bakugo grumbles under his breath before stalking back to the group, glaring daggers at Midoriya. Midoriya, relieved, exhales heavily, tension melting from his shoulders.

Aizawa hands Midoriya a referral slip, likely sending him to Recovery Girl. Just as you begin to relax, you feel a sudden, sharp tug,your Kitsune spirit, stirring with urgency. Alarmed, you see the ethereal fox dart out toward the training field.

"Kitsune!" you whisper urgently under your breath, leaving Toshinori behind to admire the glowing trail of Sakura blossoms that always follows your departure.

A gentle breeze, shimmering with glowing Sakura blossoms, swirls around you as you materialize in front of Midoriya, paying no mind to Aizawa being behind you as Your Kitsune spirit coils around you in a radiant, ethereal light.

Midoriya, wide-eyed, in awe at your sudden appearance. His injured finger—the nail bent and bruised—is quickly noticed. Without missing a beat, you pull a healing ofuda from your pouch, wrapping it carefully around the boy’s finger. The Kitsune channels its energy through the talisman, and in an instant, the bruising faded, the injury vanishing as if it had never existed.

"Th-thank you! That was amazing! Aren't you the new nurse? You're incredible!" Midoriya’s words tumbled out in a rush, his face full of awe.

You offer a soft smile as the other students whisper among themselves, intrigued by the display of your Quirk. “Take care of yourself, okay?” Giving Midoriya a final nod before your Kitsune flicks its tail, signaling it was time to retreat.

Before the students begin to flood you with questions, you teleport back to Toshinori, leaving behind the usual shimmering trail of Sakura blossoms.

As you reappear beside Toshinori, hidden in the bushes, he chuckles warmly. “You’re quite the showstopper, Yan.”

You smile, humming softly. “You taught me all of that, after all.”

But before the moment can settle, Aizawa appears. His sharp eyes, trained on the glowing cherry blossom trail you left behind, track its faint shimmer—something that would’ve easily escaped the ordinary eye. His expression is unreadable, though a faint tension lingers in the air.

“Aizawa, that was a rotten move!” Toshinori chimes in, clearly referring to the expulsion tactic used earlier.

Aizawa’s gaze flickers between you and Toshinori, and though his tone is dry, a subtle smirk pulls at the corner of his lips. “And what were you two doing over there in the bushes?” The passive aggression in his voice lingers, cutting through the cold detachment of his words.

For a moment, you were back in high school, bantering and teasing like old times. But this wasn’t the same Aizawa you once knew. His cold demeanor, the years that separated you both—it built a wall you weren't sure you could break through.

Toshinori, the complete opposite of Aizawa, brushes off the tension with his carefree demeanor, waving a hand. “I’ve heard rumors about you, Aizawa. Expelling a whole class—bold move.”

Aizawa’s eyes narrows, his gaze locking onto Toshinori’s. “And?”

Toshinori continues, his tone more serious now. “The threat you made earlier about expelling the student in last place—it wasn’t a bluff. You saw their potential and acted on it. But that can only mean, you see the kind of potential in young Midoryia that I do!”

Aizawa’s expression remains stony, but his eyes shift toward you, scrutinizing closely. “So you’ve both been lurking here for a while, watching.”

You drew in a breath, steadying yourself under the weight of his gaze. You’ve never gotten used to those piercing eyes. Your mind scrambles for a response, but Aizawa didn’t give you a chance to speak. “And you just happened to show up in time to heal Midoriya’s injuries. Convenient.”

A small, almost imperceptible smirk tugged at the corner of Aizawa’s mouth before he turns on his heel, walking away. “It’s cruel,” he mutteres, his voice just loud enough for you and Toshinori to hear, “to let a kid keep dreaming of something that’ll never come true.”

His words lingered in the air, biting and cold. You stood frozen, the weight of his judgment sinking deep into your chest. Even as he disappears from sight, the intensity of his presence remains, swirling around you like a storm cloud that refuses to clear.

Day 4

The next day was more calm to your liking since Allmight planned on mentoring Aizawa’s students with an indoor training session, leaving you busy at the infirmary with Recovery Girl.

With all that’s on your mind and with the insistence of Recovery Girl, you step into the breakroom, your nerves still buzzing from the encounter with Aizawa yesterday.

The breakroom was quiet, except for one familiar figure lounging on the couch.

Midnight, or Nemuri as she preferred to be called by those close to her. Nemuri glances up from her cup of tea, a smirk instantly pulling at her lips. "Well, well, look who finally decided to stop by," she teases, her voice smooth as silk.

You manage a small smile as you cross the room, "I figured I should finally make an appearance," you joke lightly, though the exhaustion in your voice was hard to hide.

Nemuri’s eyes narrows, "You seem tense. Does it have anything to do with a certain someone who goes by the name Eraserhead?" Her voice was teasing, but there was genuine curiosity underneath it.

You wince,"It’s nothing," you lie, but Nemuri wasn’t buying it.

"Uh-huh," Nemuri leans back in her seat, folding her arms over her chest. "Well, if you say so. But I know that look. You saw him, didn’t you?"

You sigh, knowing there was no point in denying it. Nemuri had always been sharp, especially when it came to reading her friends. "Yeah, I ran into him yesterday," you admit, "It was...awkward. I don’t even know how to act around him anymore."

Nemuri frowns, her teasing tone fading. "You know Aizawa can be a tough nut to crack, even for those of us who’ve known him for years. But give it time. He’ll come around again."

You nod, though you weren't entirely convinced. Aizawa wasn’t the only reason your emotions were tangled up. Your return to U.A. had brought up so many memories—both good and bad.

Nemuri studies you for a moment before her expression softens. "What about Hizashi? Are you okay with seeing him? You know how he is—loud, excitable... the complete opposite of you." She chuckles, though her concern was clear.

Hizashi Yamada, Present Mic, had always been a whirlwind of energy, constantly shouting and bursting with enthusiasm. It was hard to keep up with someone like him, especially for someone like you, who thrive in quieter spaces. But at the same time, you do miss him. You missed the friendship you all once shared.

"I think..." You begin slowly, unsure of your own words, approaching one of the couches across from Nemuri "I think it’ll be nice to—“

Nemuri grins at your approval, just as the door to the breakroom burst open, and in comes Hizashi himself, his voice already at full volume before he even stepped inside.

"YAAAAANNNNN!!" Hizashi practically screamed with joy, the break room door burst open, and in comes Hizashi himself, his voice already at full volume before he even stepped inside.

He rushes into the room with arms wide open, hugging you from behind. His blonde hair bounced wildly as he practically jumped toward her, his enthusiasm infectious. "It’s been forever! I can’t believe you’re back!"

You barely had time to brace yourself before Hizashi plops down next to you, pulling you into a tight hug, his sheer energy making you laugh.

"Hi, Hizashi," you managed, your voice muffled by his shoulder. "You haven’t changed a bit."

"And you haven’t aged a day! You’re making me jealous of that Kitsune of yours," Hizashi beams, stepping back to give her some space but still buzzing with excitement, surprised that he still remembers the other pros of your quirk.

For a moment, you regret avoiding them for so long. These were the people who had been by your side through thick and thin. Sure, they were loud, chaotic, and sometimes overwhelming—but they were your friends.

As Hizashi begins his exuberant storytelling, arms flailing dramatically with every word, You couldn’t help but smile at his antics. He hadn’t changed one bit, still the same energetic force of nature. But just as he was getting into the climax of his latest radio escapade, Nemuri suddenly stood up, a sly grin forming on her face.

"Yamada, dear," Nemuri begins in a sweet, almost too innocent voice. "Why don’t you take a little rest?"

Before Hizashi could even react, Midnight raises her hand, releasing her quirk—a subtle wave of pink, sparkling mist that drifted towards Hizashi. His animated voice trailed off mid-sentence, and his eyelids drooped instantly. Within seconds, Hizashi slumped into the chair, fast asleep, still smiling from whatever ridiculous story he’d been telling.

You blink, glancing between Nemuri and the now-snoozing Hizashi. "Was that really necessary?"

Nemuri shrugs, her grin widening. "It was either that, or listen to him go on for another hour. We’d never get a word in." She plops back down on the couch, patting the seat next to her. "Come on, we need a little girl talk, just us. I’ve been dying to hear what’s going on with you, especially after becoming All Might's sidekick.”

You hesitated for a second but then sank into the other end of the couch with a soft sigh, finally able to enjoy the silence after Hizashi’s whirlwind of energy.

Nemuri leans forward, resting her chin on her hand, her eyes twinkling with mischief as you look down, her fingers nervously tapping against your thigh. Of course Nemuri would go straight to the heart of the issue. And now, with Hizashi out cold, there was no escaping the conversation.

"It wasn’t anything serious," you begin softly, trying to brush it off. "I mean, we were both… well, we worked closely together. That’s all."

Nemuri rolls her eyes, giving her a playful nudge. "Don’t play coy with me, Yan. You and All Might were practically glued to each other back when you were his sidekick in America. Something was definitely going on between you two."

“We just work together like we’re supposed to…”

Nemuri raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Oh, please. You don’t just look at someone the way you look at him if it was ‘just work,’ I’m surprised no one caught on."

Your face begins to heat up, recalling those late nights on missions, the moments between battles when you two would steal glances and in private of his home filling up with euphoria from his guttural grunts and your sweet gasps, along with late night cuddles and soft kisses . It had been a different time—a simpler time, before Toshinori’s injury, before he had to carry the burden of being the Symbol of Peace all alone. Back then, you’ve been by his side, helping him, loving him.

But that was the past.

"It was complicated," You admit, her voice barely above a whisper. "We were both so focused on the job. And when his injury happened, everything changed. He couldn’t afford to be distracted, and neither could I."

Nemuri hums, leaning back with a playful smirk tugging at her lips. “So… how big was he?” she teases, her eyes glinting mischievously.

Your eyes widens in shock, Of course, the R-Rated Hero would go ask that.

“All I’ll say is I never got used to his size…” You quickly covered your face, embarrassed by the answer that escaped your lips. Thank goodness Hizashi was still out cold—there was no way he could keep something like this to himself.

Nemuri chuckles. “Come on, Yan. We’re all adults here. Why are you acting like a blushing virgin?”

You stiffen, avoiding her gaze as the silence stretches between you. It didn’t take much for Nemuri to put two and two together.

“Wait… Are you telling me… that All Might… All Might, the number one hero, was your first?”

You groan, desperately gesturing for her to lower her voice. “Keep it down! The last thing I need is for the whole school to know that.”

Nemuri mimicked zipping her lips, though her expression was still one of utter shock. “I can’t believe it. All Might took your virginity?” she whispers, disbelief written all over her face.

You sigh, running a hand through your hair. “It wasn’t planned, it just… happened,” you explained softly.

“I thought you lost it to Shouta?"

“You know this,” You explain, “He’s not the same anymore, and neither am I. We’ve both… changed. The breakup had to be done.”

Nemuri shakes her head. "Girl, you’re not getting off that easily. You can’t just bury your feelings forever. I remember the way you two were back in highschool."

"What do you mean?"

Nemuri scoffs, "Oh, don’t play dumb. I remember seeing how flustered you got when he teased you. You two have history, you two were well known as the Highschool sweethearts. Even in the yearbook voted that the two of you would marry in the future!”

Aizawa has always been a constant presence in your life—steady, reliable, and still completely unreadable. But even after all these years, something about him still made your heart race, especially when his sharp eyes locked on yours in that intense, unblinking way of his.

"It’s not like that anymore," your voice strains at the loss of what you two had. "We’re just… co-workers. That’s all."

Nemuri chuckled, rolling here eyes. "Yeah, right. And Hizashi’s a quiet introvert."

You begin to rub your temples. "It’s just… complicated, okay? With both of them. I don’t even know how to feel anymore. Coming back to U.A. has brought up all these old memories, and I just… I don’t know."

Nemuri rests a hand on your shoulder. "Hey, I get it. It’s hard being back here after all this time. But just remember, you don’t have to figure it all out right away. Take your time. See how things go with both Toshinori and Aizawa. You’ve got a history with both of them, and that means something."

You nod, grateful for her friend’s understanding. "Thanks, Nemuri. I just… I guess I need to figure out what I really want."

Nemuri grins, pulling you into a quick hug. "That’s what I’m here for. We’re best friends after all aren’t we?”

You smile as all the weight leaves your chest. Maybe Nemuri was right. For now, though, she was grateful for the support of her friends.

Nemuri stands up, stretching lazily as she glances at the still-snoozing Hizashi. "Now, I’m going to wake up this loudmouth before he drools all over the furniture. But remember, if you ever need to talk, I’m here."

You chuckle softly. "Thanks, Nemuri. I’ll keep that in mind."

As Nemuri leans over to nudge Hizashi awake, you take a deep breath, A sense of relief washing over you.

———

Feel free to comment below if you’d like be tagged on the tag list for upcoming chapter updates! Reblogs, likes, and constructive feedback are greatly appreciated 🫶

[sophrosynesworld]

With all my love, pt. 3

Part 3 is finally here and *gasp* lore?!

Do you know how hard it is to escape your top 5 pro-hero ex-boyfriend? His voice plays on my radio during my commute. His image is plastered across the news in the lobby this morning before lunch—he’s acting irrationally again. He’s always been too much of a hothead.

His recent heroic deeds have garnered both admiration and scrutiny. My departure seems to have affected him, causing some of his harsher traits to resurface. I never anticipated that he would notice, let alone react like this.

"I don't care if he's a jerk. Dynamite is one of the best heroes of this generation," I overhear one of the news anchors saying. The radio in the small restaurant makes it hard to miss.

"Dynamite is one bad decision away from killing someone," the woman says, clearly frustrated with her cohost. "I don't even know if it would be on accident."

"He has saved more people this year than Deku. How is that not a hero?" the cohost argues back.

"He's also cost this city thousands of man-hours repairing the damage his blasts created."

I set my tablet down, trying to push their argument out of my head. The familiar chime of bells rings, drawing my gaze to the doorway.

A redhead stands there, his eyes scanning the restaurant until they find mine. His face softens as he makes his way over, pulling out a chair and sitting across from me.

"You look good today," he says warmly. "Changed your hair?"

"No, but I did change my relationship status." I roll my eyes at his attempt at small talk. I know my ex-boyfriend's best friend didn’t just call me up to chat.

He chuckles, a sound out of place given the tension. “Look, I know things have been rough for you.”

“Rough? That’s putting it mildly.”

He leans forward, elbows on the table. “I want to help. He’s worried about you, you know.”

I sigh, glancing at the drawing in front of me. “He wasn’t worried when I was crying myself to sleep.”

“I get it,” he says softly. “But he’s struggling too. The hero life isn’t as glamorous as it seems. You know that better than anyone.” My heart skips a beat at the reminder of my early retirement. “The constant pressure, the expectations... it’s taking a toll on him.”

I look up, meeting his eyes. They hold sincerity, a genuine concern I hadn’t expected. “What do you want from me?” I whisper.

“Talk to him. Just once. Hear him out. You both deserve that closure.”

I lean back, the weight of his words settling over me.

“Fine,” I say after a long pause. “I’ll talk to him. But this doesn’t mean anything beyond that.”

He nods, a small smile playing on his lips. “That’s all I’m asking. Thank you.”

He settles back into his chair and picks up the menu. "Why don't we order something?"

I nod, grateful for the change in topic. "Sure. I hear their ramen is amazing."

We browse the menu, tension easing as we focus on the food. The waitress comes by, and we place our orders—spicy miso ramen for me, tonkotsu ramen for him.

As we wait, the restaurant buzzes with lunchtime chatter. Clinking utensils, humming conversations, and occasional laughter create a comforting atmosphere. It feels almost normal, a brief break from the chaos.

“So,” he says, breaking the silence, “how’s work? Still drawing those amazing designs?”

I smile, appreciating his interest. “Yeah, hectic, but I’m managing. Deadlines are killer, though.” He laughs as our waitress places two bowls in front of us.

“I can imagine. But your work is worth it. You’ve got talent, always have.”

“Thanks,” I say, feeling more at ease. “How about you? How’s hero life?”

“It’s... a lot,” he admits, mouth full of food. He swallows. “But it’s worth it, knowing we’re making a difference." I hum in agreement, tasting my food. The flavorful broth dances across my tongue, making me do an unconscious happy dance.

"We really do miss you though," Kiri says, his voice trailing off as he scratches his neck. I feel a pang of remembrance. I've never stopped missing being a hero. I hate not being able to work with my best friends.

"I don't get a retirement package as a hero," I reply, forcing a smile to mask my heartache. But it's clear my facade fails as regret fills Kiri's eyes. Apologies spill from his lips, but I don't listen. Instead, I reach out and gently place my hand on his for a brief moment.

"Eijiro, I promise you I've moved on. I don't blame anyone for what happened," I assure him, pushing another smile onto my face. "I got over that a long time ago."

I withdraw my hand and continue to eat, the conversation flowing more easily after a few moments. We reminisce about our days at UA, share laughs about our coworkers, and for a while, it feels like old times.

By the time we finish, I feel lighter, the past weeks’ weight lifting slightly. It’s not a solution, but it’s a start.

“Thanks for meeting me,” he says as we stand to leave. “and for agreeing to talk to him.”

I nod, a sense of anticipation blooming. “We’ll see how it goes.”

As we step out into the city’s noise, I unblock his number from my phone and watch in horror as hundreds of missed messages flood my phone screen.

[demigod-shenanigans]

Jason and Reyna and fatal flaws

(based on a conversation I had with @queenjunothegreat ages ago)

I know Jason’s fatal flaw is generally considered to be indecision. However. Consider conceptually that Jason’s fatal flaw is his sense of duty. That way we’ve got an additional fatal flaw which isn’t a bad trait inherently but becomes a problem when it’s left unchecked and makes you lose sight of other aspects of the situation.

Jason’s sense of duty is what feeds into his indecision. When he’s speaking to Notus, the problem isn’t that he doesn’t fundamentally know what he wants. It’s stated that he’s happiest when he’s with Piper and Leo. He just thinks he’s not allowed to make the choice because it would mean neglecting his duty.

Jason’s sense of duty is also what ultimately gets him killed. The prophecy he got in ToA stated that him or Piper would die if they joined Apollo on his quest, but not once did Jason consider just… walking away. If he had, it would have saved him. But it’s quintessential to his character that he wasn’t able to. That, no matter what, his duty as a demigod hero will always outweigh his personhood.

Now consider what it would mean if Reyna’s fatal flaw was the same. 

I’ve talked about this before, but duty as a character motive makes a lot of sense for Reyna. She’s raised to believe the fate of New Rome lies on her shoulders—to her dad, the fact that New Rome rises and falls with their bloodline (and therefore specifically with Hylla and Reyna) has always mattered more than their personhood.

A lot of Reyna’s actions in the books explicitly link back to her sense of duty—the way she runs herself ragged trying to do a job that’s meant for two people while Jason is missing, the way she chides Lavinia in ToA for leaving her post, etc. A lot of her conflict stems from the fact that what is necessary to protect her home (leaving her post and following Jason) inherently clashes with the rules of that home.

This can be applied even down to powers, which inherently wear her out to strengthen other people.

Of course Jason and Reyna click immediately. It’s inevitable. They’ve got similar mindsets and similar work ethics and both of them see the way they’ve been raised to consider the bigger picture but never themselves reflected back at them when they look at each other.

They understand each other like no one in their lives has ever understood them. They’re drawn to each other like magnets. They love each other in a way they’ve never loved anyone before.

But that love is also fundamentally linked to the most self-destructive part the other person has to offer—the part that has to be productive and heroic at all costs because otherwise they don’t deserve love (Jason) or doom their shared home to a horrible fate (Reyna).

They only ever let the other person see that masked version of them, so now even with the person they’re closest to they can never unmask because they don’t know and might not like that version of them! They actively bond over their sense of duty so now to stay loved and happy in that friendship they’re required to lean into that even harder. They’re heading into a completely disastrous burnout situation together with no signs of stopping.

But then Jason disappears. And when he reappears, their shared fatal flaw—which was a huge part of what brought them together in the first place—is what ends up driving them apart.

It’s not that he’s lost his sense of duty or anything. His fatal flaw is still the same. But the focus of that duty has shifted to encompass more than the home he shared with Reyna. His duty is to both camps now. His duty is to Piper and Leo and the prophecy of the seven.

Reyna’s duty is still to Camp Jupiter. To Bellona’s prophecy that’s bound her to New Rome’s legacy for as long as she’s lived, and will bind her to it forever.

When her home is under attack, Reyna’s duty is obviously to New Rome and her people first and foremost. And the Jason she knew would have agreed. He’d have jumped to New Rome’s protection in a heartbeat.

This Jason doesn’t. This Jason chooses Leo and Piper and the Argo over everything else.

And it unmoors Reyna utterly, in a way even his disappearance didn’t. Reyna knows Jason. She knows how he’ll act in almost all situations, because she’s seen him make tough calls before. She knows their priorities will always align. Except, suddenly, they don’t.

They’ve always been on the same page, and suddenly it seems like they’re not even in the same book anymore, and she has absolutely no idea how to handle that.

[raayllum]

Seen some discussion on this and I think the big takeaway being "Rayla is taking Runaan's place here as the leader" is underselling it in some ways, tbh, since I think it's a lot more indicative of how S7 is going to challenge Rayla at her core of whether she's like Runaan, and what version(s) of Runaan that means.

Rayla has always had similarities to her father / mentor. Keeping secrets about her own harm, the emphasis on sacrifice, her view of herself as an assassin, goodbye kisses to their lovers, leaving people at home to protect them, her little silver pauldron that matches his, wielding his bow-blade in S5, and her ponytail hair clasp, etc etc. Some of the lessons she's learned from Runaan have been helpful, allowing her to protect herself and her friends; some of them have been less so.

I told you: I am already dead.

I've talked about this before but the bulk of the characters in TDP have a 'shadow self' for lack of a better term—a person in the narrative/history or in their family that they are struggling with whether to be like, if not actively striving against it (Janai with Queen Aditi, Ezran with Harrow, etc). However, it's a bit more complicated than that. As noted in previous metas, Callum's parallels to Viren have gone from being indicative of a mostly negative path (dark magic use to the point of corruption, Aaravos' manipulations, etc) to also indicating a positive path: breaking away from Aaravos and dark magic (5x09) and doing more heroic deeds (6x08) because you refuse to sacrifice the people around you. It's shifted from "Callum is like Viren" to "Callum is like both of Viren's arcs, bad and eventually good," as when he inevitably breaks away from Aaravos' hold, he will ultimately be paralleling his main foil in a positive way as well.

It's a similar matter for Rayla with Runaan, with the way Runaan parallels Viren being a fun bonus, down to being resurrected and deeply regretful of how they've treated their child(ren).

Is she going to be Runaan the assassin, who keeps their oaths/promises no matter what even if that means sacrificing everything they hold dear, including their family? Who believes that the mission is too far gone now for a detour, or to go off track entirely? The Runaan who put duty over love and tried to kill someone he loved, even if it ended up destroying himself, too?

Or is she going to be the Runaan who regrets doing so, who is lost but found through love, who is brought back and brings others back? Who carries Runaan's bravery and guidance but sheds the lesson of sacrifice at all cost, of yourself, of others? And instead is devoted to preserving life, rather than taking it?

CALLUM: Rayla's brave. She saves people. [...] Rayla is selfless, strong, and caring. That's what makes her a hero. That's what makes her Rayla.

As Runaan and Rayla have both had time to unlearn their previous mindsets and build upon new ones, I think they will continue to challenge each other to reject the duty > love mindset, and that they've had to embrace a healthier, more balanced view of love and sacrifice for themselves and its impact on others around them.

[whiteheartlight]

Toa Metru being influenced by their metru's Toa Mangai not just Lhikan, anyone?

Nokama lived through Naho's death and the grief that followed as well as Tuyet's killings and betrayal. It's obvious which one of those Toa she would emulate, but Tuyet served as a reminder that Toa of Water carry power and the capacity for hatred and violence. when she becomes a Hordika, she remembers Tuyet's rage, and it makes her afraid. she always wants her brothers to see her the way she feels Lhikan saw Naho: patient, warm, and endlessly reliable.

I've written about Onewa feeling fealty to Lhikan's stone brother, whom he had seen in battle and trusted whole-heartedly. when the Stone Toa died, Onewa's loyalty transferred to Lhikan instead. truthfully, as they started losing the Mangai, Onewa lost a sense of security in Po-Metru and missed the feeling that the Toa was nearby to watch over them. he never had a lot of friends but had always felt that the Toa accepted him and liked him as he was. the Toa wasn't some distant hero to Onewa, he was a companion and a feeling of safety

less tragically, Matau is one of the Matoran who burns effigies of Nidhiki and helps graffiti the place where he used to live, celebrating his downfall. a lot of Le-Matoran laugh about his defeat and how solidly Lhikan paid back his betrayal, but really, it smarts to know their city's Air Toa did that. not that Nidhiki had had much of an interest in Le-Metru for years. the Mangai weren't from Metru Nui and some of them took more interest in the metrus than others. that being said, Matau thinks a lot about Nidhiki when Vakama is with Roodaka. even though Vakama is the one who turned on them, Matau still can't but think it would be a betrayal not to try and save him. he doesn't want to be like Nidhiki, who put himself first and turned on his Fire Toa. Matau decides to put Vakama first no matter if it costs him his life. he redeems Nidhiki's betrayal

I just see the Toa Mangai of Earth as the first person to get that idea of "we preserve the past to learn from it" into the collective conscious of the Onu-Matoran in Metru Nui and Whenua just took that and ran with it. that Toa was very very old and respected, although Whenua did not know him well. Whenua also once heard the Earth Toa and the Plant Life Toa arguing like they hated each other and then laughing together five minutes later. so he thought, oh, it's okay to disagree with each other sometimes when you're Toa. and it made him realize that Toa are just people too and not always perfectly measured and mature or magically heroic. some of his siblings didn't learn that lesson til they were already Toa, so he's grateful for it.

Nuju has a lot of possible heroes to learn from as a Ko-Matoran, and for all that he's an academia-focused nerd who enjoyed the isolation of his study, he loved the Four Brothers Frost. all of Ko-Metru did. four Ice Toa who fought Kanohi Dragons together?? they were so cool. but Nuju never ever imagined himself as a Toa, so to him, it was more like these were professionals in another field, or even storybook characters. it wasn't until he was a Toa that he started wondering if he was like them at all or asked himself what they would do in his place. the Brothers Frost were very independent, so it could have taught Nuju that he didn't need a team, but actually what he saw was that no matter how much they preferred working alone, they always came when Lhikan called and recognized a need for a united team. Nuju reflects on that a lot - it just takes him a long time to decide Vakama is the one who should be the head of that unity. sometimes, now that Matoro has also passed, Nuju fears that Ice Toa will die out in the world. you could call it an irrational fear, although it's true there are few Ice Toa left, but it comes from the memory of watching all four of them die one after the another. still, he tries to be like them: taking absolutely no shit from anyone, ever, but loyal to his siblings and his Matoran

[clean-casual-analysis]

When the villain is a philosophy

When you think of the word antagonist, the first thing that comes to mind is a villain. This is completely natural, given that stories of good vs evil tend to follow a heroic protagonist fighting against an evil antagonist. But once you get into the definition of the word, a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something, moral alignment doesn’t dictate whether a character should be a protagonist or an antagonist. The most recognizable examples of this would be the likes of Invader Zim and Megamind, characters that are villainous in nature but are still the protagonists of their respective stories.

But villain protagonists and hero antagonists aren’t what I’m talking about here. I’m talking about the antagonists that aren’t entirely focused on, at least in the traditional sense. Antagonists that, despite being the source of conflict in the narrative, don’t actually show up a lot of the time. These antagonists, while characters in their own right, are more symbolic in nature. The protagonists of these stories aren’t just trying to defeat the antagonists, but the rotten philosophies that these antagonists have. The beliefs that push the antagonists to do their villainous acts.

White Diamond: Uniformity and the Status Quo

In the entirety of the original Steven Universe series, not counting the movie or SU Future, White Diamond appears in three episodes out of one hundred and sixty episodes. (Two if we don’t count White Pearl/Volleyball) That’s not even one percent of the series. In most series involving a good vs evil plot line, we usually switch perspectives between our heroes and villains to understand how they’re reacting to the events of the story. But SU is entirely told from Steven’s perspective. The audience only gets new information about gems, homeworld, Rose Quartz, etcetera, when Steven himself learns it. Because of this perspective, we don’t see the final antagonist of the series until the very end of the show.

But even though White Diamond is not present throughout the majority of the show, her homeworld subordinates and beliefs fill in the place of the hurdles that the protagonists must pass. Think about what the show is about and what lessons it teaches. Relationships are intricate and need mutual respect, being proud of who and what you are, and (most importantly) societal roles do not define you. The development of the main characters each involve acceptance of the self and bucking of what’s expected of them. Pearl fully moving on from Rose, Garnet improving her self-love, Amethyst fully accepting herself for what she is, Peridot’s disillusionment with Homeworld and growing appreciation for earth, Connie disobeying her mother’s strict rules, Steven slowly becoming someone better than even his own mother, I could go on. It’s honestly surprising, looking back, how most of the characters’ core issues stem from the lack of self-assurance and how homeworld views their flaws.

White Diamond and her Homeworld regime ultimately represent how systems put limits and stigma onto people for the sake of uniformity. The consequence of living inside your own head. A fusion cannot happen between two different gems, Pearls must be servants, Quartz gems must be big and strong, and Diamonds must be the perfect leaders. Why? Because that’s just what gems do. Because that’s how the system works. Homeworld’s status quo is one of creating an ever-expanding empire at the cost of independence, self-expression, unique lifeforms, and healthy relationships. The system can’t be wrong, White Diamond can’t be flawed, it’s how things have always been so why change what isn’t broken.

Sauron: Dominance and Corruption

While he has more screen presence and is a much more a significant part of the story of Lord of the Rings than White Diamond is to SU, the dark lord Sauron is similarly one small part of a larger tale. Heck, he doesn’t even have dialogue in the book trilogy. Also, like White Diamond, Sauron is best represented by his many underlings. Ruthless orcs with crude but effective weaponry, colossal beasts to crush his enemies underfoot, massive armies dedicated to the dark lord’s cause of dominating all life in Midde Earth. But what’s most notable about Sauron isn’t the great power he possesses or the armies he commands, it’s the way he corrupts and deceives those that stand against him.

The betrayal of Saruman the White, the nine Nazgûl once being great kings of men who were turned into terrible ringwraiths, and most notoriously, the enticing power of the one ring. Boromir, believing that Gondor can use this evil weapon for good. Smeagol, utterly degraded into a deceitful cave dwelling throttler named Gollum. Frodo, forced to carry a heavy burden that weighs him down both physically and mentally. To Sauron, the corruption of good is a weapon he wields with unmatched lethality.

The insidious nature of his villainy is what makes Sauron the great representative of dominance and corruption that he is. The promises of more enticing good people to do evil for the “right” reasons and the ruthless conquest for dominion over all is all too real an evil to ignore.

The Martians: Colonialism and Warfare

I debated with myself on whether or not the martians from War of the Worlds should be included here. Unlike Sauron or White Diamond, the martians are clear and present throughout the story. On the other hand, there isn’t a named martian general or a big bad that’s shown to lead the alien invaders into combat. In the end, the fact that the martians are made to purely represent the darkest parts of humanity outweighs the secondary theme of this essay.

One of, if not THE first alien invasion story, War of the Worlds messaging is clear and easy to understand. The tentacled beings from Mars are coldly intelligent, remorseless, and regard our world with envious eyes. They use human blood as sustenance when they aren’t vaporizing us by the hundreds, their tripods are horrific machines of mass destruction, and their invasion is one of slaughter and destruction. But the book is quick to remind us that humanity isn’t so morally innocent compared to the martians. The consumption of our blood seems horrific, but humans have also killed animals and each other for food and resources. Their tripods are colossal and terrifying, but humanity has made countless destructive war machines. The invaders are dead set on wiping out humanity, but humanity not only brought extinction to animals like the dodo bird but to entire groups of our own kind. The martians are not simply an alien invasion to fight back against, it’s a cautious look into our worst future. A humanity that prioritizes ruthless colonization and military might is a humanity doomed to be parasitic and heartless.

War of the Worlds also takes a critical view towards solving problems through warfare. Violence is sometimes needed to fight evil, but that does make violence a good thing. The action and battles in War of the Worlds are not thrilling or glorious, they are horrific and even bumbling to an extent. Much like the early British imperials that they represent, the martians are arrogant and only win because they have the better technology. Even the destruction of a tripod has severe consequences, a flaming wreckage falling into a lake and boiling the humans hiding there alive. There is nothing pride or goodness to found in destruction and death. Warfare and violence should be the last resort of those trying to survive, yet humanity and martians brandish their weapons without care or empathy for those beneath them.

The Truth, In-Fighting, and the Seemingly Insignificant

These antagonists all represent a morally dangerous part of humanity. The stubborn refusal to change a flawed status quo, the desire to dominate and corrupt those who don’t, needless conquest and bloody war. But despite all their power and influence, these philosophies that the villains believe in fail them in the end.

For White Diamond, her ultimate failure stems from the mortal enemy of all tyrannical systems: the truth. In the last episode of Steven Universe, White Diamond removes the gemstone from our protagonist’s body. Believing that the mischievous Pink Diamond is merely hiding in this human body, White seeks to end this silly game once and for all. But once the gemstone is removed, it does form into Pink Diamond or even Rose Quartz. It forms a bright pink Steven. In the final act of Change Your Mind, White Diamond is faced with reality and all its implications. This gemstone is Steven, it’s always been Steven. This half human is not the irrational or childish person, it’s White. The leader of Homeworld, the one who’s supposed to know all and make things better, is wrong. But in order to do that, she needs to leave her own head. One of the hardest things for a person to do is admit when they’re wrong, that their foundational beliefs holding up a status quo is deeply flawed and objectively false. But accepting that you were wrong, learning from and fixing your mistakes, and becoming something better than what you were before is the greatest reward anyone genuinely looking for redemption can ask for.

For Sauron, his victory over Middle Earth comes so close. Minas Tirith has been ravaged, the army of man outside the black gates are crumbling before his might, and the ring bearer has been corrupted. However, just when all hope is burned to ash, something unexpected happens. Gollum, the epitome of the corruptive power that the one ring possesses, attacks Frodo to get back his precious. Whether it’s through struggling with Frodo like in the movie or not paying attention like in the book, Gollum falls into the fires of Mount Doom with the ring in tow. In the movies, we’re told that the eye of Sauron can pierce through cloud and stone. Because of this detail, I personally wonder what was going through the dark lord’s mind as he watched Gollum plummet to his death. The one ring’s defense, Sauron’s greatest strength, corrupting others into fighting amongst each other, was what led to his ultimate downfall. This is not the first time something like this has happened. Think back to the orcs fighting amongst themselves, or when Wormtongue stabs Saruman in the back. Not to mention that the mercy of both Frodo and Bilbo is what led to Gollum reaching Mount Doom in the first place. Even with all his armies and power, Sauron underestimated the petty infighting amongst his followers and the little acts of kindness of his enemies. Even when the forces of darkness seemingly succeed, all they’ll have left is each other to destroy. As Frodo himself said in the Two Towers book, they can’t conquer forever.

For the martians, their demise comes outwardly from nowhere. Their Tripods fall silent and they all die due to sickness. The book states that the martians either never encountered bacteria like earth’s or they had wiped out all disease on Mars. In both scenarios, the martian’s belief in their untouchable superiority over earth led their death. As soon as their invasion started, they were doomed. War of the Worlds isn’t just a hard look at what humanity could become, but also a love letter to all types of life. Bacteria, the seemingly most insignificant part of our world, is our savior here. It is so, so easy to despise germs and how they make mankind ill. But they also decompose dead flesh, helps the human body digest food, and are just as vital to our world as so many other creatures’ humanity takes for granted. All forms of life has a place in this world and to undervalue, let alone actively want to eliminate, all of it is foolhardy and black-hearted.

It’s how these stories come to an end is why I’m attracted to the idea of villains representing abhorrent philosophies. They show the inherent flaws of such morally bankrupt ideas and how their failures are inevitable. The desire for uniformity and belief that your status quo is flawless cannot stand up to the truth of the situation. Great and powerful conquerors seeking to corrupt will find themselves destroying each other when there is nothing left to dominate, while small acts of generosity and sympathy keep their opponents afloat. Arrogant war lords with their mighty machines will crumble to the things they deem to be insignificant.

[atlantis-fell]

Storm, A Hero's Hero

Well, let's kick off my coming back to tumblr with a review for my favorite character, Storm. Ororo debuts in her solo series in the most heroic way possible. She's saving civilians on the ground and helping with repairs at an apparent nuclear reactor meltdown. The way this is shown on-panel is beautifully drawn and gives off a Superman-esque energy that feels natural to Ororo. After years of being a veteran leader of X-men, Goddess to many lands, and her role as Regent of Arakko and Voice of Sol, Ororo finally makes her presence known to everyone that she's carving out her own individual path with the resources and experience she's obtained over the years. This also includes leveraging her global adoration from civilians, superheroes, and beyond.

Storm has her own base of operations! The Storm Sanctuary. A literal sanctuary that is mobile and includes shelter and habitat, even for animals. A lot of fans asked where all of this came from. Storm being a former Regent of Mars and being Voice of Sol clearly paid well. Her home is also on the Storm Sanctury, and we see her grand closet and room designs. Murewa Ayodele and Lucas Werneck are already delivering on the promised wardrobes.

Storm's mission is to tackle and address the problems of the world on her terms. After declaring her intentions, she's immediately faced with multiple conflicts and a moral dilemma. The first conflict was discovering the nuclear meltdown was a mutant manifesting their powers for the first time. The second conflict and moral dilemma rolled into one is deciding to reveal to the public a mutant caused the meltdown after her heroic deeds tipped the general public in favor of Storm and mutantdom. The honesty and transparency come at a high cost because mutants are collectively subject to mutant bigotry and oppression. A show of integrity and power is not always meant to appease.

The future is bright for this solo series for Storm as we're already introduced to a much deserved spotlight, foundation, and story centered on Storm and her individual journey. There's also the foreshadowing of her ascension to Eternal Storm. I've made plenty of essays on Storm's godhead and elemental powers, but Eternal Storm appears to be a succession of both. From what we can tell from the last page of issue 1 and promotional art, it looks like Storm is going to become the Avatar of Eternity, the embodiment of all of existence and time. Now, G.O.Ds introduced Avatars, and we've known avatars of greater powers like Jean Grey and Phoenix Force and Thor and his Odin-Force. We are also informed Oblivion, the embodiment of nothingness and non-existentence, will be her foe in some way. Clearly, this series is going to be a defining moment for comics and Storm for years to come, and it's exciting.

- The Creation of Eternal Storm

[ice-cream-nekogirl]

BNHA 420: Nothing About This is 'Okay'

It never fails.

After BNHA 420, I'm definitely done. The only thing that's stopping me from being OFFICIALLY done is the sunken cost fallacy. And some nostalgia in that I used to LOVE BNHA. I mean I still do, I love early BNHA, but the ending is really bad.

This last chapter pretty much did everything I feared. And I was just about to eat a slice of humble pie when it SEEMED like the author faked out the idea that Eri's Rewind would be utilized. But as it turns out... I WAS RIGHT! XD They used her after all.

For once I am not happy to be right. Because what went down was just so WRONG.

Because Eri almost seems GLAD to be used. And these so-called heroes are ENCOURAGING it. She literally mutilated herself just because she thought it would 'help' Deku and the others. This child hurt herself, a child way, way younger than the high-school aged 'heroes', hurt herself. And nobody's worried about it. Not even Aizawa! I don't count that look of shock as worry, otherwise he would have been a lot more upset with her.

But no, he just accepted what this little girl did to herself. No moral qualms about it whatsoever.

Using Eri no matter what was always going to be horrible, but the way it's been done is even more horrible than I could have ever imagined. And it has an extra horrible implication.

Hurt yourself to help people, and let that person hurt themself, even if they're SIX YEARS OLD because it's a 'rational' decision. That is such bullshit btw, how in the hell is that 'rational'? That's actually extremely concerning and yet nobody is even concerned, they just think it's a heroic act? My ass.

I'm still pissed that this little moeblob is truly an example of a perfect little victim who just seems innately good even though she really shouldn't be after everything she's been through. It makes ZERO sense and I really hate it.

I really don't like Eri or her role in this arc as many others are saying now, and I never have. People love to give me flak for it, but I don't care anymore. This is definitely the last straw for me and it just validated that my concerns were right all along.

An adorable little plot device that was always meant to be used for Deku and the heroes. Even though she was used by Overhaul, it apparently makes it 'okay' if the heroes use her because they're heroes. If anything, it not only makes them just as bad as Overhaul, it actually makes them WORSE than Overhaul.

Overhaul at least never pretended that what he was doing to Eri was okay, but the heroes are such hypocrites that they're using her too and calling it 'rational' and an act of heroism on her part. It's not.

And the worst part is the fandom seems to believe that this makes Eri 'so good' when no, it's deeply concerning for a child to do such a thing to herself. Her actions should NOT be praised, and I don't like the kid, but that doesn't mean I want to see her hurt herself!

It's not okay. None of this is okay. And I am once again, really not okay with this.

[fefairys]

"The session always "knows" things about players. It knows Karkat has blood issues, so it gave him a planet full of bright red blood. It knows Dave has a thing about broken swords, which is tied up with his personal mythology related to the intersection between intense combat training for his destined role as a warrior, and deeply traumatizing abuse which causes him to resist the call to such heroism. He cites said abuse in the text above, in case there's any doubt this issue has been inseparably woven into the lore of his arc at an early stage. There's a lot to say about the broken sword as a symbol... First, there are two symbolic modes, an "Unbroken Sword" and a "Broken Sword," which have meaning in relation to each other. The simplest translation is that the unbroken sword is "The fully manifest, wholly embraced heroic arc. Suppressing reservations, answering the call, putting the tough training to use, despite the cost to oneself." Versus the broken sword, which is "The fractured heroic arc. An incomplete, broken self stemming from past trauma. A conflicted semi-refusal of the call, resulting in pursuit of combat and quest-fulfillment navigated through half-measure, wavering resolve, and compromised investment." Only one of these symbols can be fully embraced, and it means something to embrace one over the other. It becomes a statement Dave is making about himself, and the type of person he wants to be. But the statement has to be understood by him to be meaningful, and this understanding comes through his long-term inner reflections over his arc. The game also seems to provide frequent clues to help him understand these symbols and choices. It keeps offering up broken swords, or more specifically, a whole sword that can only be obtained by figuring out how to break it."

"So here's a spin on the Arthurian legend (Caledfwlch is another name for Arthur's Excalibur) where the sword, instead of being removed through strength or the divine touch of a chosen one, must be broken to be freed. There's no other way, since this is how this game challenge was designed to be solved. It says, "This is a symbol for your heroic journey, and to some extent, who you are as a person. Now, what will you do with it?" In the long run, this sword-based Sburb quest does appear to have a formal endpoint, which is Dave using this sword to have his denizen forge the Royal Deringer, a much fancier mythical sword. And in forging that sword, he "heals" it, converting it to an unbroken sword symbol. Heroic arc, back on track, right? Except to wield that sword, Dave has to break it too, simply by touching it, as if his identity being linked to a broken sword is inescapable."

"There are ways of reading into what this means. Maybe it's that making yourself whole as a person isn't so simple? Maybe it's that Dave embracing the broken sword as his heroic talisman corresponds with his embracing who he is as person, flaws and all? Those things aren't going away, and they contribute to making him who he is. Similar to Rose's arc, which is more about embracing her imperfect sense of humanity rather than satisfying an external sense of obligation that includes the false promise of repairing the flaws of a damaged person through a path of shallow narrative regimentation. There are echoes of "two people who can't be fixed, and that's okay" in each other's arcs, but a lot of differences in the way their respective roads are paved to reach the destination." -Andrew Hussie

[sapphireshineonao3]

*inhales*

I ended up listening to Mavuika’s voicelines about the Six Heroes early since I couldn’t wait and I made an observation. No spoilers for the quest, just voicelines.

Mavuika speaks about all the other heroes with some kind of levity and admiration, her voice is more light and reminiscent sometimes.

HOWEVER, her voice line about Kinich is spoken just ever so slightly more somberly, her voice is heavy, more reminiscent than light, with just a hint of frank sadness. Her manner of speech is also different in regards to Kinich in comparison to the other Heroes, she talks about Iansan, Chasca, and Ororon more personally, she comments on how different Mualani is in comparison to Tupac. Mavuika always refers to the person directly in regards to the other heroes. But, for Kinich, she speaks about the Ancient Name of “Malipo” first and the qualities she admires. It’s not about Kinich personally, but the role he played in aiding her.

Why she does this, I do not know, but it further makes me wonder about their dynamic. Kinich was one of the first to awaken their Ancient Name, he’s from the same tribe as Mavuika, he is the successor of her childhood friend, even his signature weapon was one Kongamato used to use. There’s too many details, and this… this odd figure of speech, referring to Kinich by his ancient name and the role he played rather than him personally is interesting to say the least.

Taking into account their respective voicelines about each other, there’s an obvious distance between them, whether this distance is purposeful or not, I do not know. But taking into account how Kinich carries himself, I’m going to take a shot in the Abyss and say part of this distance is his insistence.

Voicelines regarding Kinich and Mavuika are below the cut, just for spoilers to be safe. Alongside some additional thoughts.

Kinich, “About Mavuika” - “For most of my life, I’ve been getting others to pay a price. Then, the Pyro Archon used the Ode of Resurrection to bring me back from the Night Kingdon, and suddenly I was the one paying the price… Only then did I understand it from both sides. To the stronger party, the “price” is a bargaining chip, and to the weaker party, it’s a sign of what’s at stake. What matters is whether you have the courage to make the gamble.”

Mavuika, “About Kinich” - “In addition to the Turnfire, Malipo has another meaning, “cost” or “price”. It may seem less overtly heroic compared to the other Ancient Names, but in truth, Malipo teaches us to be calm and analytical — to ask the questions people may not want to hear. Without people who possess these qualities, it’s just too easy for the rest of us to act on impulse and emotion, and to make decisions we’ll come to regret.”

What’s interesting now that I look at both of these lines, is that the both don’t refer to the person in question, but rather the role and title they wield. Looking at these two lines together, I now get the impression that something else happened when Kinich was brought back. Based on looking at his line again, he might have very well awoken his Ancient Names that day alongside his Vision. The “parties” referring to the former Six Heroes, Mavuika, and the abyss, and the “gamble” being Mavuika’s plan to jump 500 years into the future.

As for Mavuika… that ending line gives me the impression there!s more under the surface. Something happened and she is carrying that weight with her. Whether that’s in regards to Kinich or Burkina, I don’t know. Regardless, I think these two are hiding a lot more in regards to their dynamic, and I want to know what that secret is.

[queenvhagar]

It seems like a lot of House of the Dragon's writing issues in the first season stem from the disastrous final season of Game of Thrones, specifically the rushed implementation of Daenerys' Mad Queen arc. It feels like the writers and HBO are hyper aware of Daenerys' ending being fumbled and the negative audience reaction it garnered, and now they're trying to correct the mistakes of the main series through the prequel series and specifically its characterization of Rhaenyra. Both Rhaenyra and Daenerys are Targaryen dragon riding queens motivated by their perceived birthright, but the similarities between the two characters are surface-level. In reality, Daenerys and Rhaenyra are not the same character, and the story of the Dance of the Dragons is not the story of the War of the Five Kings.

Daenerys is the last Targaryen (as she knows it), a former slave who seeks to use the power of her dragons to reclaim the throne and in the process abolish the institution of slavery as it exists in the world, a true revolutionary who seeks to transform society through fire and blood if need be (and if a Mad Queen arc appears in the books, it will undoubtedly be because the existing Lords in Westeros would likely oppose a restructure of society - after all, they are the primary beneficiaries of the feudalist society - and this could lead to conflict with Daenerys, which would escalate).

Rhaenyra is the named heir to the throne. Her position is "quite comfortable" - she enjoys her privileges (which is very fair of her). However, her privileged position above others leads her to act according only to her own desires and not her duty as heir. She fights only for herself and her own (although the show added the prophecy to obscure this motivation), and despite having the power and influence as the most powerful woman in the realm to promote "a new order" as she once envisioned a child, she repeatedly reinforces existing structures to further her own power (like defending Lucerys' illegitimate claim so her own looks stronger with her son as Lord of Driftmark instead of advocating for Baela to inherit as Laena's eldest daughter, something that ironically could have really supported her own claim of "eldest child inherits" in the process - and she could have sidestepped the bastard issue). Rhaenyra wants to be the exception to the rules; she doesn't seek to rewrite them for anyone else. Rhaenyra is a "rebel" only in the sense that she's breaking the law and then using her privilege to avoid facing the consequences of her actions at all costs.

You can argue that both Rhaenyra and Daenerys are breaking ground when it comes to becoming queen of Westeros, and both are motivated by their beliefs in Targaryen supremacy and their perceived birthrights to the throne. They might both be known as a "Mad Queen" - Rhaenyra's arc will come, and when it does, I'm really hoping it will be because of the reasons it was in the books: her suspicion and distrust leading her to isolate herself from her allies, eventually turning on them, and her disregard for the commonfolk leading to her being driven out of the city and the death of dragons (though I won't be surprised if the writers shy away from this, in fear of repeating any aspect of Daenerys' portrayal). But fundamentally, trying to write Rhaenyra to be Daenerys 2.0 so that they can fix the mistake of the Game of Thrones ending kind of ruins the Dance.

The Dance wasn't written as just the tragedy of a heroic girl taken down by sexism and misunderstandings, which is the story the show seems to be trying to tell. It's the tragedy of a family tearing itself apart, of the cultural conflict between Westeros and their Valyrian conquerors, of the desire for power and the lengths one will go to in order to get it.

But the writers are more interested in trying to tell a largely black and white story where they can make up for what they did with Daenerys' arc. Unfortunately for everyone, Rhaenyra is not Daenerys, and the Dance is not the War of the Five Kings.