#hero vs villain war

[chaotic-orphan]

Vendetta (IX)

Read part one here // Continued from this part here

*~*~*~*~*

Hero ducked under outstretched arms. Feigned left, lunged right. A flash of colour to their left, then heat. Hero sidestepped the tendrils of fire that shot out from the villain’s hands. They weren’t quick enough. The flames caught Hero’s shoulder and they faltered with a cry, their hand going to the burns, but they grit their teeth and kept moving forward, charging Fire Villain.

Hero grabbed Fire Villain’s wrist in a death grip, nullifying their ability. Their hand chopped through the air going for the throat. Fire villain gasped, doubled over, struggling back a step, clicking their fingers for flames that wouldn’t ignite. Hero yanked them closer by the wrist and crunched their elbow into Fire villain’s nose, eliciting a shriek of pain. Hero finally let go, sweeping fire villain’s legs from under them. Stomping on their ankle as they fell, then their face and bolted again.

Ahead of them shouts of encouragement only harshened the headache pounding in Hero’s ears, pushing themselves faster. Their shoulder burned as the wind caught it, but Hero kept pushing forward, gritting their teeth against the pain. They had to get to Superhero. They had to stop Supervillain.

They had to stop the war right here, right now.

Hero barrelled through the crowd of villains, undetected by the group whose attention was fixed on Superhero and Supervillain in the centre.

Superhero’s eyes widened when they met Hero’s. Supervillain took the opportunity to dash forward, swinging Hero’s sword down in an arc. Superhero barely had enough time to cross his arms in an X shape over their head, catching the blade on their vambrace. Supervillain tossed his lazy gaze over his shoulder, keeping the pressure on Superhero’s arms with ease, icy eyes landing on Hero.

A horrible grin stretched across his face as Hero pushed into the circle with the pair. “Ah, Hero. Come to enjoy the show? Out of your cuffs and everything. Naughty, naughty. Superhero… you should’ve raised them with better manners.”

Superhero threw their arms up while Supervillain was distracted, pushing the sword away and sidestepping the edge. He lunged on the inside of the blade, batting it away with his forearm and kicking Supervillain back to the edge of the tight circle of villains. Hands reached out to keep Supervillain up, ensuring he didn’t fall.

“Hero,” Superhero said, a muscle in his jaw tightening as Hero stepped towards Supervillain. Supervillain backed up to keep both Hero and Superhero in his vision, swinging the sword in his hand.

Hero narrowed their eyes into a burning glare, catching their breath from running through the battlefield that stank of blood and shit. The group somehow smelled worse, pungent heat mixing with sweat.

Hero’s mouth was dry from running, but they pushed through everything in their body that was telling them to stop. To lie down and go home. That told them this was too hard, they should give up now. You’ve done enough now, Vigilante is gone. Give up fighting, nobody will think less of you.

“That’s my sword,” Hero told Supervillain, ignoring the intrusive thoughts screaming in their head. They put their hand out, palm up. “I’d like it back now.”

Supervillain tsked. “Hero… it’s kind of concerning that you want my attention so badly. Clearly Superhero’s opinion of you has gone to your head. You’re not everyone’s sweetheart.”

A pop behind Hero and something was shoved into their hands. Another pop and Hero glanced down to see their sheath with their secondary sword. Hero wanted to close their eyes and pray, thank the Gods for Teleport, but instead they drew their sword, dropping their scabbard to the ground. Wiping their sweaty palms on their trousers, Hero tightened their fingers around the hilt to get a better grip.

Supervillain smirked at the pair of heroes ahead of him.

“Two on one is a little unfair, wouldn’t you say, lads?” A cheer around them. Hero and Superhero retreated, back to back on instinct, looking warily around them.

Hero saw a flash of Supervillain’s toothy grin as he stabbed Hero’s sword into the dirt, leaning his weight on top of it like it was a cane and crossing his legs. Entirely too casual, his voice dipped, darkening as he said: “How about we even the odds?”

Another cry and the swarm of Villains descended like a plague of locusts upon them. Hero kicked out at the first Villain that ran at them, leaning on Superhero’s back to get more force behind it. The next one lunged while someone pulled at Hero’s shirt, trying to yank them to the right and away from Superhero.

Hero jutted their arm up sharply, deflecting a blow with the flat of their blade, but they were too slow. A fist crunched into Hero’s face from the left and they stumbled and then there were hands on them. Hero kicked out, thrashing and raging against the hands holding them. They were sharply pulled to the left, the hands on them unrelenting, but Hero kicked out at the Villain trying to body check them on the right.

A villain sprung up in front of them and Hero barely dodged the knife going for their eye. Hero punched them in the solar plexus and the Villain folded, but they didn’t get to fall.

Blood splattered across Hero’s face, and they flinched and froze for a split second, stumbling back into the hands of villains. The taste of iron infested their mouth, heightening the stench of blood and metal that surrounded them. The villain that they just punched— their head was ripped open and their deadweight fell on top of Hero. Hero fought back a retch, struggling to push the body off them.

Two bright yellow eyes the colour of pus gleamed down at Hero, a wicked grin on a pretty face and they were speaking but Hero couldn’t hear them over the cacophony of sound that assaulted their senses. Her face was covered in blood too, blood that she licked from her fingers, as if it was sauce leftover from chicken wings.

Hero threw their arms up in defence, not hearing anything over the pounding of their thundering heart.

The girl stumbled forward, her mouth falling open, frozen in shock. Hero only distantly realised the hand that was through her chest, roughly pulling out after the girl fell like a rag-doll to the ground, motionless. The look of surprise etched into her face forever.

Superhero was in front of them then, grabbing Hero and yanking them up, their hand like a vice around Hero’s arm. Hero flinched when their eyes met Superhero’s. There was a horrible sense of urgency in them that Hero couldn’t feel, their body felt numb. Did they have pieces of that Villain’s face on their—

“Hero! Hero! Snap out of it!” Superhero cried, but Hero’s eyes drifted down to Superhero’s hand, slick with blood. Superhero moved like a blur around them. One Villain stepped towards the pair and Superhero whirled, both hands finding the villain’s head. A swift movement and the villain’s neck snapped and they fell.

“Hero!” Superhero screamed, glancing behind him at the still comatose Hero who was just standing there. Another Villain went to attack Hero, but Superhero got there first, breaking the Villain’s arm, then ripping it from the socket. The Villain screamed as Superhero smashed their foot against the Villain’s knee, crippling them and shoving them away.

Hero blinked at Superhero, recognition flashing in their eyes. “Hero- we have to—”

A crackle of electricity behind Superhero and Hero’s body moved before their mind realised it. They shoved Superhero out of the way and lunged forward, grabbing the electric villain’s arm, and nullifying their ability before they surged their sword arm forward and up, under the Villain’s armour. Their sword poked out of the villain’s mouth, who stared at Hero with a horrible knowing they were about to die on their face. Don’t think about it, Hero told themselves. Keep moving. Don’t think. Keep moving. Blood splattered across their face as Hero pulled their sword out, kicking the corpse back into another group of villains.

And more were coming.

It seemed like every Villain they cut down, four more took their place, and the circle was getting smaller and smaller and Hero could barely catch their breath between the bodies.

Don’t think. Keep moving.

Slice. Block. Superhero’s fist cracked and crunched into Villains behind Hero, but they kept fighting.

Kick. Punch. Another haunted expression. Don’t think. Don’t think. Don’t think.

They had to win.

Another death at Hero’s hands. Keep moving.

They had to stop Supervillain here.

Another body fell and three more Villains surged forward with cries of bloodlust. Hero cut them down like weeds. Don’t think.

They had to end the war. End all the fighting, all the dying.

Just stop, Hero. Give up, nobody would think less of you. The thought made Hero pause in their movements. A mistake, they realised too late.

A hand clamped down on Hero’s hair and they were dragged back. Hero let out a startled cry, losing their footing as they were yanked back. Hero swung their sword at the Villains coming towards them.

“Hero!” Superhero cried from somewhere in the masses. Hero adjusted their grip on the sword until the blade was aimed behind them, grabbing the hilt with both hands they drove it backwards and up. A sudden, piercing scream and Hero jerked forwards, their hair still heavy.

Hero whirled. A villain was standing clutching a bleeding stump and screaming. Hero shook, their entire body trembling as they reached for their hair and found the hand still bunched in their hair. Hero ripped it off, the smell of piss and sweat overwhelming them as fell back, the ground growing slippy. Tears sprung to their eyes, but Hero had to get up. They had to get up or they’d die.

Hero dug their sword into the ground and pulled themself up with an effort. It felt as if all of Hero’s energy was zapped from them as they got to shaking feet.

They barely had the chance to catch their breath before a villain was rushing them. Hero didn’t think, they lifted their sword and let the Villain impale themselves. The Villain didn’t die immediately, and horrifically Hero’s sword got caught between the Villain’s ribs when Hero tried to yank it out. Hero planted a foot on the Villain’s pelvis, yanking on the sword but it didn’t budge an inch. Instead, Hero kicked them back into the masses of bodies, unarmed.

Shit they should really find—

“HERO!”

Superhero… Hero turned to Superhero’s voice. Their mind a fog. It felt as if their eyes were too slow to catch up with their surroundings that seemed to zoom past them. A sudden pit opened up in their stomach, their mind screaming DANGER! But Hero was turning towards Superhero, exhaustion pulling at their muscles. Tiredness pulling at their eyes.

Chocolate brown curls fell over a pair of cool, cold eyes that flashed with malice. Hero barely had time to process before something hard slammed against their jaw. Hero’s head whipped to the side and was righted by a cold hand, before it hit them again in the same place.

The world spun around them as Hero spluttered out a gasp, raising their knee to try and dislodge Villain from them. Villain smiled a cold smile. A flash of metal and the breath was taken from Hero who folded around the object, their legs giving up on them.

“Shh, Hero,” Villain cooed, running their hand through Hero’s matted hair. “It’s okay. You fought well, Vigilante would be proud.”

“HERO!”

Hero let out a loud cry, spitting blood, thrusting their elbow up towards Villain. Their strike went wide, Villain parrying with his gun and hit Hero over the head again. Hero would have fallen if Villain wasn’t holding them up, they realised, with how heavy they were leaning on Villain’s arm. They wanted to throw up, they wanted to sleep.

They needed to end this war.

A cold mocking voice piped up from the back of their head: you’re going to end this war? With what?! With who! The war won’t be finished by some half-conscious, possibly concussed, disarmed mess that needs someone else to hold them up!

Hero winced. The voice was so loud, their shouts echoing around Hero’s dumb head like a cavern.

A thick, cold shadow crawled from Villain’s fingertips around Hero’s neck like a collar and leash, choking them. Hero gasped, hands flying to their throat to try and dispel the shadow but nothing. Villain yanked their hands down, tying them in front of Hero with his whip and yanked Hero forward again.

Hero followed because they couldn’t not, they didn’t have the energy to pull against Villain, their legs shaking as Villain paraded them through the crowd of villains. The heat from the bodies squeezing Hero on all sides threatened to knock them out from pure exhaustion and lack of air. Everything was too much, it was all too much.

The air smelled of smoke and vomit, and iron. Hero gasped on no air, struggling to breathe with the little leeway that Villain granted on Hero’s neck pulling tighter the more Hero resisted. They weren’t trying to resist they just couldn’t… their body didn’t want to move anymore, they could barely fucking see straight. Everything was reduced to whirling colours, a deafening ringing sounded between Hero’s ears, blocking out all other sounds. Or could everyone hear that?

When they finally emerged into the middle of the significantly thinned circle of villains, Hero’s eyes went to Superhero who was fighting Crow. Hero yanked against the whip in Villain’s hands. They had to get free. They had to help Superhero…

Villain only pulled the whip sharp in reply and Hero was yanked forwards. Their feet couldn’t gain purchase fast enough on the wet ground and they slipped, hands out to catch themselves. Villain yanked on the whip at the last second and Hero’s plunged face-first into the blood-stained mud. They shot up immediately, spewing and sputtering out the taste in their mouth.

Hero’s eyes shot to Superhero who was covered in blood, his hands stained to his shoulders with the dried, flaked crimson and fresh blood dripped from his fingertips. Someone kicked Superhero in the back of the knee and Superhero fell to his knees.

“No…” Hero mumbled, their tongue fat in their mouth. They army crawled forward. “Superhero… no… get up.”

Villain grabbed Hero by the hair and yanked their head up so they could get a better view of their fallen leader. Supervillain stepped in front of Superhero, Hero’s sword coated in blood already. For a single, heart breaking moment, Superhero’s kind eyes met Hero’s. Something sad pulled at the edges of his smile.

Hero mirrored the frown, needing their brain to process what it meant. What was happening? What were they looking at?!

Hero struggled against Villain’s hold, more out of instinct than anything else, but they didn’t get anywhere. They stiffened when the gun pressed against their temple.

“Here is the great Superhero,” Supervillain yelled. “A symbol of the old world order. A symbol of powered individuals forced to live in hiding. Told that we’re freaks, and dangers to society!”

Supervillain turned in a circle, looking every member of his captive audience in the eye. “Well I say no more.”

There was a chorus of cheers.

“I say NO MORE!” He screamed, and the cheer turned to screams and riotous applause. It exasperated the thundering headache that threatened to burst Hero’s skull. They slumped against the gun at their temple, but quickly perked up with a hiss when Villain yanked on their hair again.

Supervillain smirked at Hero, on their knees, shaking their head. “Supervillain… please… don’t… don’t do this.”

“I’m so glad you’re here to witness this, Hero,” Supervillain told them. Hero felt bile rise in their throat at the elation in his voice. “Let it serve as a reminder of what happens to those that oppose me.”

The ringing got louder as Hero’s desperate eyes went to Superhero’s. Superhero still smiling sadly at them. Hero lurched forward with a cry of protest as Supervillain turned.

“It’s okay, Hero,” Superhero said. “Everything will be—”

The sword plunged under Superhero’s armour. Hero watched as blood gurgled up and over his lips, a small trickle at first. Then, a waterfall. Supervillain twisted the sword before yanking it out, scraping against bone and wet flesh. In the distance someone was screaming.

Hero blinked at the scene, flinching when some of the blood from Supervillain’s blade flicked back onto them. Superhero… that was… that was Superhero’s blood. Hero didn’t lower their gaze from Superhero’s face. At one point Superhero fell forward. One of the Villains behind Superhero grabbed him and pulled him up so Supervillain could plunge the sword in again.

This time it ripped. Villains still cheered, someone was still screaming. Hero couldn’t take their eyes off Superhero’s face, the same sad smile echoing back at Hero.

Frozen. This was how Superhero’s face would remain forever. Like all the Villains that Hero killed today. This was how his face would stay. A sad, knowing smile on his face. Nothing shocked or terrified, Superhero greeted death with a smile on his face. A smile that was to reassure Hero, to make Hero feel better.

A smile that said: it’s okay. I know. We tried our best and we failed, and it’s okay.

That wasn’t how Superhero was supposed to greet death.

Not… not making an expression to comfort Hero.

That can’t be how Superhero dies.

It seemed as if the entire world rushed by Hero’s ears, bringing them back to the present with a renewed laser focus.

That can’t be how Superhero dies!

Hero sucked in a breath as the sword squelched out of Superhero. Someone said something, Supervillain gestured. He pulled out a dagger and sliced an arc down Superhero’s face. Hero struggled in Villain’s hold, roaring:

“GET OFF HIM!” Hero screamed, surging forwards but they were wrenched back, their voice going hoarse as they struggled in vain against Villain’s hold. “DON’T TOUCH HIM! STOP! STOP!”

Something hard hit the back of Hero’s head and they jolted forwards, collapsing onto their elbows, crying into the dirt. Twin streams of spit, snot and tears fell onto the ground under Hero’s head and they squeezed their eyes shut, not wanting to see it anymore. See Supervillain cutting Superhero’s body because… because Superhero… Superhero didn’t lose.

Superhero didn’t die with a smile.

Superhero never lost. Superhero may have cut it close every once in a while but he always walked away from a fight. Superhero wasn’t—

A sharp tug in their hair and Hero was yanked to their knees again, then to their feet. Hero threw their elbow back, catching something but what they didn’t care as they bolted towards Superhero.

They fell to their knees beside his body, their hands reaching to Superhero’s pulse. It was faint, but it was there.

Hero turned wet eyes to Supervillain, pleading. A black figure from the corner of their eye advanced on them, but Supervillain held a hand up, stopping them.

“Plea— p-p-please,” Hero whispered, sniffing, their voice hoarse and quiet, but Supervillain heard. He tilted his head, eyes drinking in Hero’s broken state. “Please… don’t kill him, please… please. I’m— i’m begging you, Supervillain. I’ll do ah-anything.”

Superhero can’t die with a comforting smile on his face. That wasn’t his death, that can’t be his death. Always looking out for someone other than his stupid fucking self! Superhero deserved to be selfish in death! At least in death!

Supervillain leaned back, pursing his lips as if he was chewing Hero’s words, tasting them, trying to find some flavour within them to his liking. He leaned forward, cupping Hero’s cheek in his hand and thumbing away the trails of tears and dirt and blood.

Hero shook in his hold but didn’t dare pull away. “Would you show me the same consideration?”

Hero blinked, sniffing. “What?”

Supervillain’s expression wasn’t mocking or cruel, he looked genuine. Patient, even. “If the roles were reversed, Hero. If Superhero had won and I was on the ground, dying, would you let Superhero kill me here? In the dirt?”

Hero’s breath hitched, their eyes drifting to Superhero’s face, his lips stained bright red with blood. Unnatural. Superhero’s lips were never bright red. Supervillain gently tilted Hero’s head back to him.

“Would you?” He asked, voice soft.

Hero’s bottom lip quivered. “I- I don’t think an-anyone should d-die like this.”

Supervillain smiled. It was kind, without malice. Hero swallowed the lump in their throat. Not daring to let themself hope but- but what if?

“So what would you do, Hero? Take me prisoner? Have a trial for my crimes?”

Hero shivered. “Yes.”

Supervillain paused. Hero held their breath as Supervillain pulled away and got to his feet with a grunt. He surprised Hero by walking over to them and helping Hero to their feet too, gentle movements all the while. Not too fast, trying not to spook the trembling Hero. Hero protested leaving Superhero’s side by Supervillain shushed them.

“It’s okay, Hero,” Supervillain coaxed, whispering sweet nothings into Hero’s matted hair. “There we go. Villain?”

Two more hands grabbed Hero’s shoulders. “Be gentle with them,” Supervillain told Villain as he pulled away.

Hero grabbed Supervillain’s arm before he could. Burning eyes met ice cold glaciers that smiled warmly at Hero. “You’re- you’re not going to k-kill him?”

“No, Hero. I won’t kill him.” Supervillain said softly and Hero’s legs went from under them in relief. Villain held them up while Hero cried, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Supervillain spread his arms out, bending down to scoop Hero’s sword from the dirt. Villain held Hero loosely to the side, their eyes never leaving Superhero’s body.

“My friends!” Supervillain boomed, his voice carrying over the battleground. “We’ve won!”

The field erupted into applause and cheers, villains roaring their triumph and chanting Supervillain’s name.

“Hero has begged me to spare Superhero’s life,” Supervillain bellowed with a grin, turning to face Hero again and winking. Hero flinched at the chorus of boo’s and mocking aww’s, jarring and vicious. “So I will not kill Superhero.”

Hero risked a baffled smile, though it probably looked pathetic. Maybe Supervillain was telling the truth. Maybe he did want to stop this endless violence between heroes and villains. Hero’s eyes got their determination back and they nodded at Supervillain, who returned the gesture with a smile of his own.

His arms still spread to his rowdy crowd, Supervillain’s icy eyes turned sharp, cunning twisting the side of his lips up and when he looked at Hero again there was something off about the picture. Something that told Hero there was something wrong. What were they missing?

What were they missing?

Grieves walked from the crowd that parted for him, walking up behind Supervillain. He plucked the sword from Supervillain’s hands who never took his eyes off of Hero. Grieves didn’t break his stride as he turned Hero’s sword upside down, walking towards Superhero on the ground.

Hero’s eyes widened too late, their face pulled from peace to horror in the space of a second. They lunged forward while Grieves slammed the blade of Hero’s sword through Superhero’s armour and into his heart.

Arms locked around Hero as they sprung for Supervillain, an animalistic shriek pulled from deep within their bones. “YOU FUCKING MONSTER! YOU BASTARD! YOU SAID YOU WOULDN’T—” Hero screamed over the cries of victory and celebration.

Supervillain walked around Grieves to Hero who was practically foaming at the mouth, blood-stained-spittle flying as they screamed. “YOU’RE A LIAR! YOU’RE A LIAR!”

Supervillain pinched Hero’s chin jutting Hero’s attention towards him. His arctic gaze freezing Hero solid. “I didn’t lie, Hero. I held up my end of our bargain. I said I wouldn’t kill him. And I didn’t,” Supervillain said very matter-of-factly, as if he were speaking to a child throwing a tantrum. Though his wide smile betrayed his joy and malicious intentions. “Grieves killed him.”

“You fucking MONSTER! I’ll kill you!” Hero vowed, their promise coming out guttural, voice hoarse with grief and despair; broken. “I’ll—”

“Promises, promises,” Supervillain said, dropping Hero’s chin. “Superhero had to die, but that was only half of the main event, dear Hero. Now to the good part.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Continued here

Orphanage roll-call: @micechomper @aarika-merrill @silentpotat0 @dutifullykrispyland @gloriousqueen101

[hegodamask]

It's so funny watching these Star Wars YouTubers who thrive off outrage try to come for Andor. They be like "It was BORING. It put me to SLEEP. Only PRETENTIOUS people like it." Then a second later be like "It was a good show though."

They know Andor is too solid to be taken down by the normal drivel they churn out and they know a lot of their own viewers like it as well.

But being positive about something doesn't get the views or fit with the "evil Kathleen Kennedy is ruining Star Wars on purpose" narrative. So they just end up tying themselves in knots over it and making an ass out of themselves.

Living in their heads rent free, babey!

[short-wooloo]

I had a thought about that line from the opening crawl of Revenge of the Sith

"There are heroes on both sides"

A lot of people took this to mean there are good and bad people on both sides, but the thing is, nothing really supports this

The Republic and those who fight for it are 9 times out of 10 the good guys, and the separatists are invariably horrible monsters (and the ones who aren't are next to useless)

So maybe "there are good and bad people on both sides" was not the meaning there

Perhaps it's more along the lines of "villains is the heroes of another story/heroes are the villains of another story"

From the out of universe perspective, the republic-despite it's issues-is good, and the separatists-despite their claims-are bad, worse than the republic

But in universe who is the hero and who is the villain depends on perspective

To the separatists, Dooku/Grievous/Trench/etc are the "heroes" and the Jedi/Republic heroes are the villains

Even if that's not how it really is

[isabeauwolf]

Anybody else sad that we never got Dabi vs Geten round 2? Or talk about the fact that they are cousins?

Shame that we never then interacted again

Can we talk about how pretty they are?! 😍❤️💙

[theunimagined26]

SaY hElLo To ThE oVeRsEeR

SoMeTiMeS wHaT yOu SeE iSn'T aLwAyS wHaT yOu ExPeCt

[tngmpersonal]

I would love to see the next Smash Bros. game (or any other fighting game, really) to have a rival system. Don't get me wrong, I love Ultimate's more personalized Classic Mode routes, but after playing Smash Remix, I want another gauntlet where the opponents are picked at random except for one of the last rounds where the opponent changes depending on the player's character. You pick Mario, either Bowser or Luigi await towards the end. Pick Ganondorf (a character who is infamously known for getting into the series through crunch development) and the rivals are villains like King K. Rool or a newcomer like Raven Beak (later additions with more deliberate designs). Picking Andy would have Marth, Robin, or Byleth at the end because both Advance Wars and Fire Emblem are turn-based strategies.

Come to think of it, the only platform fighter that I know with a rival system would be Shovel Knight showdown. Anyone know any others?

[enchantingepics]

Story Prompt 102

Circling the chair, a tense standoff unfolded between two contrasting figures. One, with an aura of mischief, stood boldly, while the other, marked by recent turmoil, faced them with a mix of defiance and curiosity.

"Come on, join the fun," the mischievous one urged with a playful grin. "Let's stir things up a bit."

The other shook their head adamantly, refusing to be swayed. "I won't be a part of your reckless schemes."

But the mischievous one persisted, undeterred by the rejection. "You can't deny there's a spark between us. Why not embrace it?"

As they bantered back and forth, the tension crackled, reaching a crescendo with the sudden intrusion of a radio broadcast. Its announcement labeled one of them as a fugitive, casting a shadow of suspicion over their interaction.

Curses escaped the accused's lips as their secret was laid bare. The mischievous one couldn't help but feel a surge of intrigue, wondering what secrets lay hidden beneath the surface.

"I got too close to something I shouldn't have," the accused confessed, their voice laced with desperation. "I've been on the run for months."

Moved by their vulnerability, the mischievous one approached cautiously, sensing an opportunity amidst the chaos. As they drew nearer, a forbidden attraction simmered beneath the surface, threatening to ignite.

"What if we took them down together?" the accused proposed, a glimmer of hope in their eyes. "And then you can decide if you want to be the hero."

The mischievous one chuckled, seeing through the facade with ease. "You got yourself caught on purpose, didn't you?"

Caught off guard, the accused hesitated before admitting the truth. "Maybe," they conceded, a hint of mischief dancing in their gaze.

[gothicelfsstories]

Gods at War Chapter 04 Outfits

I don't own any of these pictures, so shout out to their original creator!

This is the outfit that Izuki is wearing in Chapter 4 of Gods at War. The chapter is named Bakugo's P.O.V. about these past few weeks.

Izuku is wearing this Hoodie, Mask, Shirt and Gloves.

These are the Cargo Pants that Izuku is wearing.

These are the Steel-Toe Boots that Izuku is wearing.

[darthkieduss]

This is the most cartoon hero vs. villain dialogue I've seen in a Star Wars book. Very Zurg vs Lightyear "I will destroy you Skywalker! *evil laugh*"

Exar Kun: They can't hear you, Skywalker-but I can. Luke Skywalker: Exar Kun. Kun: Do you enjoy having your spirit trapped away from your body, Skywalker? I have had four thousand years to get accustomed to it. The first century or two is the worst. Skywalker: You corrupted my students, Exar Kun. You caused the death of Gantoris. You turned Kyp Durron against me. Kun: *evil laughs* Perhaps it was your own failings as a teacher. Or their own delusions. Skywalker: What makes you think I'll stay like this for thousands of years? Kun: You will have no choice, once I have destroyed your physical body. Trapping my own spirit inside these temples was the only way I could survive when the final holocaust came. The allied Jedi Knights devastated the surface of Yavin IV. They killed off the few Massassi people I had kept alive, and they destroyed my own body in the inferno. My spirit was forced to wait and wait and wait until finally you brought your Jedi students here, students who could hear my voice once they learned how to listen. Skywalker: You can't harm my body, Kun. You can't touch anything physical. I've tried it myself. Kun: Ah, but I know other ways to fight. And I have had endless millennia to practice. Rest assured, Skywalker, I will destroy you.

[dylan-welcome-bot]

⚠️FLASHING LIGHTS WARNING⚠️

More like, Darth Faul!

Get it because like gravity and stuff?

[chaotic-orphan]

A crumb of vendetta, I beg of you governa!

- a sick victorian child.

Vendetta (XII)

Read part one // Masterpost // Continued from here

While most people got the imprisonment part down for what Supervillain did to the Heroes, this part is dedicated to @sunflower1000 to coming the closest to what he actually has in store for them…

To the sick Victorian child, I hope you're still alive considering you asked this ages ago... but here, an offering

*~*~*~*~*

Supervillain leaned down and grabbed Hero under the arms and yanked them into a startled standing. Hero stifled a gasp at the suddenness. The room blurred before their eyes; their brain pulsed painfully against their skull until the world refocused. Before they knew it, they were back in their wheelchair and being wheeled back through the arches into the hallway that led them here.

Their room was to the right, but Supervillain wheeled them to the left from the dining room this time. Hero would be lying if they said they weren’t nervous about where exactly Supervillain was taking them. Was he tired of Hero’s antics already? There was something not right about how Supervillain looked when he spoke of the heroes that remembered. Something Hero needed to know; why did he look so cruel and smug when he told them?

And now? This was an impulsive move on Supervillain’s part, and impulsive people were harder to predict than organised ones… but what did Supervillain expect? That Hero would wake up and just accept the fact that they were to be Supervillain’s counterbalance in a room full of his fanatics?!

The hall led to a ballroom of sorts, or at least that’s where Supervillain turned Hero’s wheelchair into. There was a balcony that lined the upper walls, but Hero’s eyes went further up to the ceiling that displayed a beautiful arched ceiling carved out of white stone like bone and a grand chandelier of crystal teardrops.

“Where are we?” Hero asked, unable to keep the awe from their voice.

Supervillain hummed above them. “Impressed?”

“Yes,” Hero said honestly.

“Then where we are doesn’t matter, little Hero, does it?”

Hero swallowed the biting retort they wanted to throw at Supervillain. He didn’t trust Hero, which was smart, but annoying. Hero couldn’t fight back from this fucking chair. They could barely stand without support… but then again— Supervillain wouldn’t have been able to literally change the world if he only thought about the immediate future. He played the long game, and even if he could trust this pathetic version of Hero, once they got their strength back, they would go right back to being a legitimate threat. Especially if he was stupid enough to give Hero back their swords.

Supervillain wheeled them through the ballroom out into an atrium. Hero dragged themselves from their thoughts at the doors to the outside. Supervillain just wheeled them to it, but that’s not what drew Hero’s gaze.

It was the blonde zombified girl standing at attention beside the wall. She was dressed in all black. Her hair tied back into a ponytail, hands behind her back, like a solider awaiting their orders.

Somehow, this was worse than seeing Medic used as a servant. Teleport’s face and clothes lacked any colour. She wasn’t bouncing from foot to foot, filled with limitless energy she just… stood there. Still as the grave. Hero felt the soup curdle in their stomach at the sight.

“Teleport,” Supervillain said, and Teleport looked at him. She didn’t spare so much of a glance at Hero. Hero wanted to speak. To scream. To say— to fucking say SOMETHING! But their jaw locked and all they could do was stare, mutely horrified. “We need your services.”

Teleport glanced at Villain, then at Hero in the chair and Hero leaned forward, eyes wide. Please, they pleaded silently. Recognise me. Please.

“The cripple coming too?” The words had barely left her mouth before her head whipped to the side, a slap echoing through the atrium. Hero flinched at the sound, stunned. Villain was in front of her, moving quicker than lightning across the sky.

“You will address your betters with an appropriate tone, Teleport,” he said coldly, and Hero knew the bastard was smiling his cold smile. “Or I’ll have you put in the dungeons for another lesson.”

Teleport’s blue eyes widened, a protest on her lips but she didn’t get to say it before Hero lunged out of their chair towards Villain. They crashed into the back of Villain’s knees, and they went down, Hero climbing on top of the bastard as he turned beneath them.

“You fucking bastard!” They hissed, drawing back a fist, feral. “Don’t fucking touch her!”

Hands grabbed Hero and yanked them easily off of Villain who smirked up at Hero as they were wrestled back into their chair. This time when Supervillain had Hero sitting in the infernal chair, he produced a pair of power dampeners. Hero froze for a beat.

“No! No, no, Supervillain—” they said but their words fell on deaf ears. Twin shadowed hands grabbed Hero’s wrists and yanked them to each armrest. Supervillain cuffed Hero’s wrists to the arms of the chair while Hero cursed and raged and kicked out at the bastard. “You fucking cowards! You’re scared of me like this, just fucking wait until—”

Hero shut themselves up. The words died on their tongue as they saw Villain with a knife against Teleport’s throat. Once Hero was secured Supervillain straightened and fixed his jumper before a blur of movement and Hero gasped as flames of pain erupted on their cheekbone. They saw stars as they slumped, completely caught off guard at the violence. Of all people they never expected Supervillain to lose his temper so quickly.

Hero didn’t right themselves in the chair. They stared, glared at the spot to their left, where their head had snapped after the almost knock-out punch. Supervillain grabbed Hero’s chin and yanked their head towards him, looking into his glacier gaze that froze Hero to their chair with fear. The taste of blood metallic on their tongue.

“Are you going to fucking behave?” Hero swallowed at Supervillain’s barely-contained-rage filled question. They glanced at Teleport who didn’t look at them and nodded once, slightly, as much as they could. Supervillain smiled.

“Good.” He said, and his frosty rage melted, replaced with a smile, with saviour Supervillain, the charming man. Hero swallowed the lump in their throat when Supervillain walked around their chair again. “Now, Teleport. If you would, please. Put us in the box, I don’t want Hero to do something stupid again so soon.”

“Yes sir,” Teleport said softly. She grabbed hold of Hero and Supervillain, while Villain held onto her shoulder. Hero opened their mouth to protest that three is too many when the world morphed and folded around them. Oxygen compacted into tight space as Hero felt the world contort and pulled around them. Nausea climbed Hero’s throat as they tried to breathe in the liminal space before the world stopped attacking their senses and they could breathe again.

Hero folded in on themselves, the cuffs clinking against the metal of the wheelchair and they sucked in a few deep breaths trying to steady themselves. They didn’t open their eyes or straighten until they were sure they wouldn’t throw up again.

“Are you okay, Hero?” Supervillain asked. Hero hummed in reply, swallowing hard before they finally sat up straight in their chair again. “It takes some getting used to.”

I know, Hero wanted to snap. Teleport is my friend, of course I know that. But they kept quiet. They didn’t want to anger Supervillain anymore than they already have, afraid of the consequences. Not for them, but what Supervillain or Villain might do to Teleport to make Hero behave.

Once the anger receded, Hero finally took in where they were. It looked like they were in some kind of stadium. Hero could barely see anything from their wheelchair, but it looked like an arena with tiered seating like a football stadium or concert venue, except the stage must be in the middle.

Ahead of them a wall of glass exposed the spectacle to whatever entertainment happened here, and Hero jerked forwards. The only response was the rattle of their chains. Supervillain let out a soft laugh.

“Oh, sorry. I forget you’re sitting,” he said coming around Hero’s chair and wheeling them towards the wall of glass. “Here. A better view.”

The glass box was a little more than a quarter of the way up the giant stadium that looked more like an amphitheatre or… Hero swallowed when their eyes fixed on the arena of sand in the middle of the stadium. Their heart stuttered in their chest as all breath left their lungs and Hero shook their head.

“Do you not like?” Supervillain purred as a door behind them opened but Hero didn’t pay it any mind as they fought against their soup coming back up again.

“What is this?” Hero whispered, horror coating every breath. Hero couldn’t take their eyes from the centre of the arena. It looked like a mockery of the guild sparring pit that Hero grew up in, spent their youth training in day after day. They pulled at the cuffs as they leaned forward, staring down at the arena. “What is this?”

“I could tell you, Hero,” Supervillain cooed. “Though I’m sure you already have a good guess. But I think it’s far more entertaining to show you.”

Hero swallowed the lump in their throat as they stared and stared and stared. Hero couldn’t stop the flashes from the war, fighting in the dirt and the mud so like the sandy pit below, the smell of blood and piss singeing their nostrils and sweat, they swore they were back there now as a siren sounded and two heavy portcullis gates lifted on opposite sides of the arena.

Hero could see everything from the box they were in, even the faces of the two people who emerged onto the sands of the pit. The portcullis dropped as they stepped out far enough. Hero’s heart jumped into their chest as they recognised hero Trainee’s sister, Ishka, a water wielder. She had the same golden skin as her brother, her hard, dark eyes framed by her silky dark hair as she glared up at the box Hero was watching from. There was no lightness to her usual happy features. Hero knew Ishka. She was kind, cheerful. Now she looked like nothing more than a cold hearted weapon.

Her dark eyes widened in surprise at seeing Hero, mirroring Hero’s as they stared down at her. Ishka’s eyes glanced at Hero then Supervillain and then at the cuffs around Hero’s wrists they tugged on as they leaned forwards in their chair. Hero swallowed as they realised Ishka had a pair of power dampeners around her wrists too, but with no chain in between.

“They can’t use their powers?” Hero demanded, hands balling into fists.

“No. They can’t. All thanks to you, really.”

Hero’s head whipped to Supervillain. “What?”

Supervillain grinned down at them. “While you were… asleep, I had my best scientists and craftsmen experiment with your power.”

Hero flinched. “What?”

“I needed my gladiators to be able to fight, Hero,” Supervillain said as if it was the most logical thing in the world. “But I couldn’t have them wielding their powers against me or any of the audience so I set my best minds to work and work they did.”

“Gladiators,” Hero repeated, barely audible. They really were going to be sick. Tears brimmed Hero’s eyes as they turned their attention back to Ishka and AnotherHero, Hero didn’t recognise. Wait… no. Wait, Hero knew most heroes—

“He’s not a hero,” Hero said, gesturing at the other person in the arena with Ishka. He was built like a giant, big and burly and thrice the size of Ishka’s lean frame.

“No,” Supervillain said with something like pride. “He isn’t. There were a couple of… little rebellions while you slept. Some people don’t take as well to their memories being adjusted.” Supervillain smiled wryly. “Who knew. So I squashed the petty squabbles and then offered their leaders a deal. Die for their uprising, or live as a gladiator.”

Hero’s body was like ice in the chair. They wouldn’t be able to move their limbs if they wanted to, but… this? This was too much to comprehend. Too horrifying.

Supervillain imprisoned the rest of the heroes and anybody else who dared question him and made them fight each other… for sport?!

“You’re a monster,” Hero hissed.

Supervillain laughed coldly. “It seems a fighting punishment, no? To those who fought a war against me, who killed my people, people who followed my orders… well, their punishment will be to fight to the death.”

A rush of cold dread struck Hero like a lightning bolt ricocheting through their entire body. “To the death?”

“Only on some occasions,” Supervillain said, his eyes glinting with a cruel malice as he drank in Hero’s horror. Hero recognised this vicious Supervillain, the monster behind his well crafted mask. The man that had Superhero killed and dragged Hero back up the podium to face the spectacle of gathered villains. The sadistic beast that lingered deep under his skin, but was always there.

“Besides,” Supervillain said, his hand lifting palm facing Ishka and the other gladiator. “This is only practice.”

He closed his fingers into a fist and both gladiators bowed towards the box before turning to face each other. Hero watched, their heart in their throat as Ishka sprung at her opponent with lethal grace and speed.

Her opponent to his credit didn’t fall for her feint and instead planted his feet and spun on his heel to bring his broadsword up against her daggers, her typical weapon of choice, though… they weren’t her usual ones. The ones she showed Hero once, perfectly balanced for her short stature and skinnier frame.

“You said you wanted an end to this violence,” Hero ground out through gritted teeth. They pulled sharply on their cuffs. “This is barbaric! Controlled violence?! For entertainment, do you see yourself as some fucking roman senator?”

Supervillain shot Hero his charming smile. “Why? You planning on stabbing me in the back?”

“I’m no coward.” Hero spat, yanking on their cuffs again just to do something. Not a coward, but powerless? At Supervillain’s mercy? Their stomach rolled as they watched Ishka spar like her life depended on it.

“This is the cost of losing a war,” Supervillain said, coming around to kneel slightly in front of Hero’s chair. Hero’s glare snapped to Supervillain’s glacier eyes. “Don’t worry, Hero. You’re safe from this fate.”

“And you call that mercy?”

“Yes.” Hero swallowed at the honesty colouring Supervillain’s voice. “I know you won’t see it that way, Hero. Not now, maybe not ever, but in time you’ll respect the cushion of safety you have by my side.”

Hero’s eyes widened in horror. “I would give my life to save all of theirs,” Hero spat, venom injected into every word. Supervillain smiled like a proud father speaking to a child.

“I know. Which is what makes you all the more compelling, Hero. You and I,” he continued, his eyes glittering with something that terrified Hero, “will change the world. Make it better than it was before.”

Hero pulled against the chains of their cuffs. “Better on your terms!” Hero hissed. “You have changed everyone’s memories to follow along with your stupid narrative of Superhero being the bad guy!”

“The victors write the history books,” Supervillain said softly. He dipped his head, his smile extending on one side of his face. “I mean, if you won, I would be in prison right now. As would all my people who fought with me.”

“Humanely treated!” Hero cried. “Not forced to- to fight for your lives through blood sports!”

Supervillain hummed and stood, cupping his hands behind his back as he stared down into the arena.

“A punishment must fit a crime, Hero.”

“Punish me in their stead!” Hero cried. An oppressive weight pushed down on Hero’s shoulder, on their skull, on their chest and it felt like they couldn’t breathe. “Please! I worked under Superhero! I was his second in command! I made the plans that killed so many of your friends. I was there in the war room. Punish me! Not them!”

Superhero didn’t speak for a moment. A single moment that managed to weave that terrible spark of hope in Hero’s chest.

“They chose their side, Hero. Now they must face the consequences.” He glanced at Hero over his shoulder. “As must you. Besides you wouldn’t last two seconds in the arena in your state, and the people love the spectacle of it all.”

“You’re a monster.”

“As are you,” Supervillain replied easily, pinning Hero to their chair. “We’ve both done monstrous things to survive. Don’t act like we are different.”

“We are different!”

“Not in the ways that matter,” Supervillain replied. He glanced to the right of Hero as the doors opened and closed again behind Hero. His eyes brightened and his smile warmed. “Ah, Hero, you are in luck. Meet the overseer of the Arena of Heroes.”

Hero didn’t want to turn their head and greet another of Supervillain’s sycophant, but they didn’t have a choice as Supervillain turned their wheelchair to face the door.

“I didn’t expect you to be here today, sir,” a strong voice answered that pulled at Hero’s heartstrings. “It is only a training day. There are no games tonight.”

“Don’t worry. We just came for a visit. I would like to introduce a guest of mine that will be joining my office,” Supervillain said. Hero couldn’t hear anything over the booming of their heart, deafening all sound, all love and peace evaporated. They couldn’t turn their head. They couldn’t… it would… it would shatter them.

But their brain had to… they had to see and register that he wasn’t dead. That he was still alive.

Hero turned and their breath caught in their throat.

“Vigilante.”

It was him. It was him. He was… he was alive. Beside him stood Villain who smirked at Hero over Vigilante’s shoulder. Hero wanted to slap that smugness from his stupid face, but they couldn’t take their gaze from Vigilante.

He looked good. He didn’t… he didn’t look zombified like Teleport or mistreated like Medic. He looked- Hero’s eyes raked over the uniform that Vigilante wore. Their stomach turned.

Oh god… he looked like one of them.

He smiled warmly at Hero. His voice soft as he said, “hi Hero. Good to see you’re awake.”

If Hero were a house of bricks, they would all be crashing down around them right now. Vigilante knew Hero? He recognised them? Supervillain didn’t introduce them, did he? No. He didn’t, which means… Vigilante— did Vigilante— was Vigilante?

Hero yanked at the cuffs keeping them bound to the chair. They couldn’t help the tears welling behind their eyes as they looked at Vigilante, their Vigilante, healthy and well. Not in the gladiator ring. Not bloodied or wearing power dampeners.

“You… you recognise me?” Hero asked in a breathy whisper. Vigilante’s golden gaze went from Hero’s face to Supervillain’s and back again, an awkward smile on his face.

“Yes,” Vigilante said with a small laugh. Hero’s breathing hitched. Did he… was he?…

No.

No!

Hero couldn’t entertain the possibility that Vigilante was always on Supervillain’s side. They couldn’t. They knew Vigilante; knew him in their soul. This wasn’t Hero’s Vigilante standing before them. The one who told Hero he’d always find them, that he loved them.

His golden eyes went to the cuffs on Hero’s wrists, and he frowned. Something Supervillain clocked too. “When Hero awoke, they were a little… violent,” he explained. “This is for their safety.”

“Yeah,” Villain scoffed, “and mine.”

Vigilante’s eyes lit up with his smile and Hero swore that everyone in the room could hear their heart break.

“What did you do to him?” Hero cried, yanking their wrists against the cuffs. “Vidge, it’s me, please! Please tell me you remember me. Please! Please!”

Vigilante’s eyes widened slightly. “I– I don’t think we’ve ever properly met before, Hero,” Vigilante said. Hero couldn’t restrain the whimper that broke up from their chest. “I… I mean,” Vigilante continued quickly, “I know you were in a coma for a while and that sometimes long-term coma patients wake with new memories and–”

Hero couldn’t take it. They yanked at their wrists harder as hot tears poured down their cheeks, shaking their head as they said no, over and over again as Vigilante continued. Hero ignored him and turned to Supervillain. “Kill me… just kill me, just- just-” Hero yanked harder on the cuffs until they drew blood. “JUST KILL ME! YOU TOOK EVERYTHING…” their voice cracked at the end as they pulled back hard on a blood-soaked wrist, trying to break their thumb and free themselves.

Vigilante stepped forwards, coming closer to Hero and kneeling in front of them. He grabbed Hero’s hand in his and pulled a roll of bandages from his pocket. “Please, don’t hurt yourself, Hero,” he said, and it sounded so like Hero’s Vigilante that they couldn’t help but stare as Vigilante carefully and meticulously wrapped Hero’s bloodied wrist. “You must be weak from waking and hurting yourself more will only delay the healing process.”

Hero stared at Vigilante while he worked. Their heart slamming against their chest and for a moment, a single, logic defying moment, Hero could pretend that it was only Vigilante and them in the world, maybe back in that shack in the trenches, and he was berating them for being foolhardy in battle.

But of course, reality didn’t let Hero have that delusion for long.

“He’s right you know,” Supervillain said. Hero didn’t take their eyes from Vigilante, afraid if they did that he would disappear again. “In fact, Vigilante watched over you while you slept, Hero. Making sure you were okay.”

Vigilante blushed hard, shooting a sideways smile at Supervillain, but he didn’t drop Hero’s fingers, or their hand and Hero held onto his for dear life. “Way to make me sound like a creep, Supervillain.”

“Good looking boy like you?” Supervillain said with a smile in his voice. “I’m certain Hero didn’t mind.”

Hero stared at Vigilante, heart pounding so loud it felt like everyone could hear but they didn’t care. They had to know. “Why?”

Vigilante’s dark hair fell over his forehead as he looked at Hero once more. “What?”

“Why did you watch over me?”

Vigilante ran their thumb over the knuckles of Hero’s hand absent-minded as he considered the question. “I… I don’t know. I just felt the need to be close to you, like… like I’ve known you all my life,” he said earnestly, his golden eyes bright. “Like this isn’t our first conversation.”

Hope struck in the shape of a knife straight through Hero’s chest as they deflated in the chair, in the cuffs, under Vigilante’s gaze. They knew it wasn’t an accident that Vigilante felt that familiarity that Medic and Teleport didn’t. That he was as soft and gentle as he was with Hero before… it all made a perfectly, devastating picture.

Supervillain crafted Vigilante into the perfect trap for Hero and fuck did it work. How Hero went from hysterical in one second to docile and quiet the moment Vigilante touched them. How their body remembered what their mind fought so hard to try and differentiate against. And Hero understood too the peace offering that this was from Supervillain to them, that he had kept Vigilante happy and fed, that he was in this box instead of down in the ring fighting for his life.

Hero swallowed the lump in their throat. They couldn’t rage against this softness. “Funny,” Hero replied hollowly. They could feel Supervillain and Villain’s gazes lock on hungrily at Hero’s reply. “I feel the same.”

Vigilante's smile was a hammer poised to crack Hero's ribs, but they didn't care. They couldn't. They'd do anything to get Vigilante back, anything... even if that meant sacrificing the world and following Supervillain's plans.

*~*~*~*~*

Hehehe, I will refer back to the song that inspired this entire series Gladiator by Jann...

Tag-list— @micechomper @aarika-merrill @silentpotat0 @dutifullykrispyland @gloriousqueen101 @ehobep @alynaevelyn

[elowai]

Star Wars Battlefront 2015 time (PS4)! I want to play as Jyn Erso and Director Krennic <3 .

(Yo if you have an account lemme know — I also have BFII but sadly on PS4 there isn’t a mod for Jyn because EA sucks).

[sctvita1988]

I like Hot Wheels Road Wars from Mattel!

[ct-hardcase]

missing the phase 1 wave 1/2 polyam firebrand vibes today especially

[itachi178]

Watch "Hero vs Villains" on YouTube

[iamjadehawk]

so there's this thing that has always bugged me in fantasy stories with any form of good magic and bad magic, where they would play up the temptations and the immense power that the "dark side" offered... and then as a result failed to properly justify why the fuck the bad guys lost anyway. the usual way to get out of this nicely is to have the bad guys destroy each other/themselves; this is... fine. worse is when the good guys win for no discernible reason at all, or when they just... care bear the bad guys. like, heart-emote at a villain so much he turns on the other villains and dies in a redemption arc. (yes a lot of this is complaining about star wars, but only because that's what i'm watching. it's not unique to star wars in any way) anyway. today, after watching a youtube video that has fuck-all to do with fiction or literary villains (it was about a group of ppl whose worldview seems... extremely self-defeating, let's say), i realized finally how this problem can be resolved in a way that is satisfactory, at least to me. cuz you see, i'm kind of an asshole; a nasty little gremlin who will often succumb to satisfyingly mean impulses and highly uncharitable thoughts about others; for the purpose of this post, my thinking is like what villains are like. meanwhile, the people in the video i watched were of the "genuinely caring" type. maybe they also have the nasty reflexes, but i think they also have an AT LEAST equally strong "there for the grace of god go i" reflex even for the worst ppl, where they try to understand how one could become a self-hating little waste dump of a person. for the purpose of this post, this is the hero side thinking. so anyway, i realized if the video had been made by a spiteful gremlin like me, it'd be 90% dunking and maybe 10% trying to figure ppl out, which probably wouldn't've reached any deeper than "lol self-hating bigots". but because it was made by less vindictive people, it instead produced some fascinating insights into how certain beliefs and behaviors can arise. which *ALSO* means it offered some starting points on how to prevent people from becoming like that, how to try to get people out of it once they're down that path, and how to combat some of it. y'all. the good guys are better people-understanders. maybe even than the bad guys they're trying to understand. not only does this provide a much more substantial foundation for any care-bearing of villains into having a redemption arc, it also means they should be able to outmaneuver the bad guys by finding their psychological sore spots. (ok this was probably entirely too much text for what just amounts to me circuitously arriving at a “kenland contains the seeds of its own destruction” way of defeating overpowered villains, but fuck it, at least i figured it out to my satisfaction, lol.)