#hi im emotionally compromised!

[jaskefer]

THE WITCHER S3, Vol 2 3.06 / 3.08

[the-ninja-legacy-whip]

This is all I got

But LLOYD CAN SENSE OUTBURSTS NOW???? Was this always a thing???? I’m so so SO obsessed with the implications of this. Obv it’s his Green element empathy stuff at work but I’m like Insane over the fact that he could be able to tell if someone was in danger/distress from a distance. Like he can even feel the more distant outliers!! Insane stuff and amazing chapter

YEP, LLOYD CAN SENSE OUTBURSTS AND/OR NRG MODE ACTIVATION -> hence why he started tapping into the Core Four's powers when they first achieved their TPs + has correctly anticipated Nya's Outburst twice now

Yes yes it's the Green Element empathy lololol BUT while it is naturally/strongly attuned with the Core Four for obvious reasons (this is also how he was able to 'sense' them all in the wreckage during Ch13), the reason Nya and Jesse are so potent with Lloyd as well despite being Derivatives is because of his own personal relationship/connection with them, whiiiiiich we'll explore in the next chapter!

But, like, he wouldn't be able to tell if, for example, Karlof or Tox are in distress though. Yet as he gets personally close with other EMs (i.e. Skylor), he'll become more attuned with them as well! :D

(...there's alsooo a couple exceptions too *cough* his family and Harumi and Pixal *cough cough* buuuut we'll get to those when we get to those, wheeeeee)

Once again, Everything Is Connected! :D

[fleetcaptainpike]

after 200 years i've come back to my thor roots and picked up the immortal thor #1.

it has teenage loki in it. i'm sobbing into my elbow.

[southernvampire]

finished phantom liberty for the first time and man, I'm having some thoughts about Vin being so so self-sacrificing and selfless despite his search for a cure for the relic.

he sees so much of himself in So Mi and refuses to betray her, despite being betrayed by her. he doesn't want a cure if it'll cause him to betray someone he cares about, he refuses to stay mad at her because he understands her position and her guilt. they're one in the same, in a way- both so desperate to survive that they've done some fucked up shit they wish they hadn't. but he just can't betray her for the neural matrix. he understands too much. hell, he's not even sure if he would have done anything differently if he was in her exact situation.

so he gives her the treatment he wishes he could receive, knowing that his chances for such a thing are next to zero: he buckles her in and sends her off with the cure, genuinely wishing her the best while nursing the sting of her betrayal. no judgment, no anger, no bullet to her brain night city style, just gentleness. because at least one of them deserves to live out their life, and fuck, he couldn't imagine a worse fate than her dying from some Blackwall bullshit or living/dying under the thumb of the NUSA, who used her as a weapon for so long already. he'd rather break his own heart than give her back to Myers, and so he does.

no, if there's a way for Vin to live, he wants it to be on his terms and his terms only. nothing is worse than allowing those you care for to die, even if it's to find a way to keep him alive. sure, he has blood on his hands from his past at arasaka, from being a merc, from trying to find some way to continue on, but he refuses to have it be from anyone he loves. he's haunted enough by Jackie's death to lose another friend. and though she wasn't always honest and never told the whole truth, he couldn't help but care about So Mi. so he sacrificed the one thing that could have possibly cured him for good and tried to keep it together to find his own way to live.

[reallyneedsalife]

As I am currently reading the novelisation of the 2009 Star Trek, I've decided to note down some of my favourite parts / interesting bits / funny moments.

George Kirk actually realises that Ayel is a Romulan before Captain Robau even leaves the Kelvin

They actually say that Jim has brown eyes, despite the fact that in the films he Very Definitely Doesn't

Amanda tells Sarek (metaphorically) where to stick it and its hilarious

When Sarek tells Spock he is to choose his own destiny, Spock goes (internally), "but im eleven"

Jim teases cupcake in the bar scene further by asking if he's into him and then asking if they beam those uniforms right onto them because "they're so form fitting"

Jim speaks Orion Prime

He also considers Pike to be his mentor, explicitly rather than the implied route the movies took

Jim calls Spock "Commander Spork" by mistake during his trial

Jim also genuinely has a breakdown in the trial at the idea of being kicked out of Starfleet, and then proceeds to have another when he hears he's on Academic Probation.

Here, Chekov doesn't run down to the transporter room to catch Sulu and Jim. Instead him and Uhura work together on the bridge to catch them in time

Amanda Grayson's last words are "It's okay, to be scared"

Spock estimates that no more than 10,000 vulcans survive the planets destruction

Kirk helps in medical central, and Spock notices him taking care of a young vulcan girl

Doctor McCoy says "Damn it man I'm a doctor, not a physicist" which is nice, since it doesn't happen as often in the AOS films vs TOS

Spock makes a point that despite him and Jim both losing a parent to Nero, they cannot have a personal vendetta against him for the sake of the crew

Jim brings up Spock being emotionally compromised before meeting Spock-Prime, citing the regulations. Spock sees this as an attempt at mutiny and - recognising that Jim will just escape if he is put in the brig - lobs him off the ship like he does in the film

The bug(?) Nero implants in Pike is not intended to torture him, but instead works as a truth serum in some thinly veiled way. Nero actually gives Pike anaesthesia to prevent him being in pain while the bug makes its way to his spinal cord, so torture is definitively not his goal

Keenser talks, and has actual lines (though not many)

As Nero and his crew wonder at the amount of water on Earth, one of the romulan crew ask why it is called Earth and not Water

Ayel actually asks Nero, on behalf of the crew, to stop before they attack Earth and go home to Romulous. Nero murders him in response.

the in-universe reason why Pike has a head of grey hair is the trauma from the events

Kirk gets a commendation for original thinking

Kirk has to actively try not to laugh when Spock submits his application for First Officer in the middle of the bridge

The book closes with Admiral Archer's beagle being beamed onto the ship

[shazzbaa]

Your star has never guided you wrong.

I'm so emotionally compromised by child, you guys... I wasn't even expecting to be able to still see and pick out which one is my kid on the cavern roof, MUCH LESS how bright and special it is.... The fact that Sam can, in a weird way, spend time with his child at zee, looking up to the false-stars to guide him, rEALLY DID ME IN.......

Anyway more liveblogging and feelings under the cut,

[No hints or info about other post-ambition tie-ins in tags/replies/etc please! I like stumbling upon things myself]

so like immediately after finishing the ambition we were obviously all emotionally compromised, but also, we were already thinking about this --

WE DIDNT KNOW. SO LIKE TWO WEEKS LATER,

IM NEVER GOING TO BE OVER THIS

And then I had to deal with these feelings by drawing this picture. ANYWAY THANKS FALLEN LONDON FOR MAKING THIS THE PERFECT AMBITION FOR SAMUEL IN EVERY WAY.

[teddie-bear420]

breaks down your door. i don't think you understand how much the last shot of that comic you drew is going to be emotionally compromising me for weeks to come. you mad, evil genius you 😳😳😳😳

ITS TRUE, IM THE EVILEST THINKER IN THE WORLD HEHhahgshah IVE BEEN COMPROMISING YOU SINCE DAY ONE I was just LURKING in the shadows :)

and your response just floored me 🫣😳and I just started doodling and here we are…

The wiggly fingers and lux pushing into Tedd’s chest and HIS STUPID SMART ASS FACE IM #INSANE I respect and admire you writers so much I love turning your words into drawings :)

THANK YOU FOR THE ASK OK BYE 👋

[iloveladybuglucy]

HIIII this is birdssong and I'm here to gather lore for the collab... can you tell me about melee mark's personality + his lore so I can make my part as accurate as it can get ? Thank you :3 /nf

quick warm-up edit of Melee :P

YES im so happy to infodump ab himmmm

Mark Grayson, aka Melee Mark/Meleevincible, is a complicated creature. He got his powers at 17 after breaking a brick to get his second-degree black belt, which he was naturally excited about. Gaining his powers not only meant newfound freedom, but also gave him a chance to prove himself to his father.

Being that he's a "superhero", Nolan wasn't around much at all during Mark's childhood. This left Mark feeling the constant need to fight for his father's attention, additionally making him very insecure and anxious he was failing his father for not having powers throughout his childhood. Mark has major separation anxiety (and is just,,,an anxious person in general) which unfortunately seeps into his future friendships and relationships.

Mark didn’t have many friends growing up, partially because of Nolan’s absence and the pressure of being the “son of Omni-Man.” He was often left alone while Debbie worked, leaving him a lonely, curious kid who tried to fill the void with martial arts, comic books, and training. This planted the seeds for his discipline—but also his desperate need for approval and connection.

Mark got into martial arts young, not to fight, but because it gave him structure, control, and a sense of pride. He wasn’t super strong at age 7, but he was very determined. His instructors became his first true mentors—people who recognized his efforts without conditions.

In terms of his relationship with Debbie, Mark loves her fiercely. Mark’s relationship with his mother is one of the most stabilizing forces in his life. While Nolan was frequently absent under the guise of “hero work,” Debbie was the one who raised Mark, taught him empathy, and fought to preserve his sense of right and wrong. She’s sharp, resilient, and deeply perceptive—traits that made her suspicious of Nolan’s increasingly cold and authoritarian parenting once Mark gained powers. Though Mark struggles to speak up for himself, Debbie’s presence plants seeds of doubt in Nolan’s methods, and reminds Mark of his own values. Her belief in his goodness often clashes with the version of strength Nolan tries to instill in him, creating tension but also giving Mark a moral compass he clings to—even when things get...complicated, to say the least.

Afte gaining his powers, Mark starts to shadow his father a lot more and copies Nolan's every move, regardless of how questionably moral it may seem. When he first gets his powers, Mark is elated. He finally feels like he matters—but this feeling is fragile. Every time he’s praised by Nolan, he’s euphoric. Every time Nolan disapproves, it wrecks him for days. Mark imitates his father’s tactics without fully understanding them—like using excessive force or intimidation. This leads to a few public moments where he goes too far, and afterward, he isolates himself, riddled with guilt.

I imagine there'd eventually be a breaking point for Mark where he finally decides he needs to stick up for not just the innocent lives, but himself too. Nolan puts Mark through brutal, emotionally detached training. It's under the guise of preparing him for “real threats,” but in truth, it’s also a test of Mark’s obedience and potential loyalty to the Empire. Deep down, Mark knows he’s being conditioned to normalize harm and moral compromise...he just doesn't want to believe that the image of his father that he's internalized since childhood is fake.

Everything finally comes to a head during what would be episode 8 if this were adapted into a series. Nolan ends up going too far—ordering Mark to hurt or kill innocents. Mark hesitates, but after hearing how Nolan talks about the humans and how they're beneath him, even Debbie, he disobeys and tries to save them. That’s when everything starts to unravel: it's his first real rebellion, and shit it does not feel good in the moment. Nolan and Mark fight, Mark being a bit stronger than his prime counterpart bc of his 10+ years of martial arts training, but still gets a brutal beating before Nolan abandons his post.

[tomatopers]

biggest peeves with genshin x reader fics

I'm going to preface this by saying you can write whoever you want however you want and no one is gonna stop you; heck, it likely won't even affect your likes and stuff. These are my personal peeves stemming from character portrayal <3 Characters A-D

Albedo ;; He isn't very heavily emotive; He is shown to approach almost everything from a logical/analytic standpoint!! My guy expressed concern with the most nonchalant voice, so he clearly does care, just not in an expressive/passionate way

Alhaitham ;; Similar to Albedo, but slightly more expressive! He clearly has things/people that he values, and his own ways of showing care differ from societal norms, which is why he comes across as cold and indifferent!! Even the vulnerability that comes slowly with trust isn't immediately obvious, but this is definitely something that's interesting to explore in works⎯ Would he change the way he feels comfortable expressing himself into something else for you? Would you want him to?

Aloy ;; fuck what genshin did to my girl im skipping aloy

Amber ;; One of her main personality traits is the lack of deliberation!! Even with people she really cares about and loves!! Overthinking? We don't know them

Itto ;; Let bro be silly. Let bro make mistakes. Let bro have no idea what he's doing, but know he's giving it his all no matter what⎯ This is the Arataki Way.

Arlecchino ;; Gonna be honest I know jack shit about her but everything I read sounds hot <3 I do think she isn't the type to get frazzled/embarrassed but boy oh boy you can try

Baizhu ;; bffr he would NOT let you neglect your health like... Look at the man 🤨 I don't think he's the yelling type either?? Like he'll stand up for you obviously, but wouldn't start a fight imo; He got them dangerous snake eyes and scary words fr

Barbara ;; idk i don't read minor x reader things + i don't think i've ever seen a barbara x reader ever 💀 I do think she'd be patient and caring to the point where doing anything bad would make you feel guilty asf :/ not even in a romantic way, just like⎯anything. The kind persona isn't actually an act, she's in a role where she cannot be seen as anything else but it isn't hard to be kind as she would act that way, idol or not. More of a character thought, not a fic peeve </3

Beidou ;; She would start fights for you and she'd win, we all know this. I do think that many fics don't explore her emotions to a deeper extent, like motives and such? I think there's a lot of flexibility in that, and many avenues to explore! Not a peeve either, just a thought.

Bennett ;; Minor again(?), I don't read Bennett fics aha 😭 Grasping at straws here, with such a brave face shown to everyone, taking it off to share the sadder stuff sounds hard

Candace ;; Dunno much either 💀 Nor do I see any fics about her...

Charlotte ;; Would she love and cherish you? Yes. Would she leave her job for you? No. Would she feel bad about always being busy chasing headlines? Yes! Would she only really do well with a partner who supports her career and aspirations? Yes!

Chevreuse ;; Sorry guys I don't even know her 😭

Chiori ;; Would also start fights for you, would also win; Clearly takes no shit, I imagine certain compromises would take a while to reach? Canonically fairly headstrong, I doubt she'd be a pushover with an s/o

Chongyun ;; Minor 🧍

Clorinde ;; Her showing vulnerability with you definitely means a LOT. Beyond her career and the things she does for it, I just know there's so much going on in her head :( Let my girl share, give her a safe space, be patient to eventually emotionally connect

Collei ;; Minor 🤨

Cyno ;; He does not seem like the dominant/aggressive/pushy type :( I bet there's complicated feelings between the way he acts as a General and the way he acts with a lover⎯undeniably would never want you to be scared of him. Teasing type, likely nothing worse.

Dehya ;; I haven't seen her done dirty, so I'm pretty content

Diluc ;; High-functioning man, having dealt with varying stressors over so many years I doubt anything could interrupt his work flow⎯having said that, yes that means issues with a relationship making him struggle to work would mean more; Yes, i still believe that's highly unlikely

Diona ;; No.

Dori ;; No. Also, I hate her.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

you know i've been thinking about the consequences of malleus's actions in book 7 and i realized how much he's fucked everyone over including his grandma. bc like other than the fact that he ob'd (which literally has NEGATIVE connotations one of which being is idk ""UNSTABLE"" which isnt necessarily a good look for a crown prince is all im saying) he's literally causing terrorism (??? can you call it that idk how else to call it) which is going to setback his grandma's efforts (and lilia's and baul's, and every supporter of his and his family) in keeping peace in their kingdom and the favor of the humans towards the fae. Like. i feel so bad for grandmother draconia rn i can only imagine the stress and pressure she's under.

Then theres also aside from PHYSCIALLY compromising everyone's healths in sage island (BECAUSE THE MAJORITY ARE HUMANS OR AT LEAST THEY DONT LIVE AS LONG AS THE FAE). He's also fucked everyone mentally twice over!!!! By booting them straight into a world where none of their problems exist. Now that wouldnt sound bad if it weren't for the fact that dreams have to end, and life isnt kind. It rarely ever is, and i can only imagine how distraught i would be if i were to say, hypothetically lost someone a year before and the wound is so fresh and raw and, in my dreams, they never died and everything is okay, then i wake up and realize that it was just that. A dream, they are still gone and i wish i never woke up which would be a LITERAL DEATH SENTENCE. This isnt just an event that takes place in NRC either BUT THE WHOLE ISLAND and that domain is GROWING, GROWING. I can't imagine just how many would be so emotionally ruined after this. Like.....

If Malleus does not suffer the consequences of his actions istg i will be so pissed, at least REMOVE HIM FROM THE PREMISE OR SOMETHING GODDDDDDD this cannot be remedied with a slap on the hand!!!!!

(Note: Sorry for the long rant. I felt the need to get this out of my chest bc i dont mind malleus's archetype actually nor do i actually hate him, bc i enjoy him interacting w other characters a lot (my fave ever vigenette is him giving deuce the equivalent of minecraft diamon for fixing a retrobit gaming toy) BUT GOD DOES HE MAKE MY BLOOD BOIL)

Yeah, I do feel like the scale of Malleus's actions cannot be understated. I know it's kind of a fandom joke that the OB boys are left off with a slap on the wrist + maybe some social ramifications at school, but this is the ONE time in the main story where things are getting super big and the effects could be cripplingly long-lasting.

I don't know if TWST will seriously address the consequences after book 7, but I sure hope they do!! There is a lot of interesting ground to cover (many points which this anon has already brought up) in a follow-up main story arc or the next book.

For example:

Malleus obviously has to regain the trust of his peers and staff. He didn’t really have it before but now has to work twice as hard to make connections since he just took a drastic action that confirmed the rumors some were already spreading about how he’s a monster.

He’s the sole heir to the throne and has just betrayed the trust of the people of Briar Valley. How are they feeling about him now? Do they still trust him to lead them?

How does this impact their relations with other countries (since Malleus himself stresses how he represents Briar Valley)? This is a problem visible on a global scale, and surely this would damage their rep with other nations, particularly the predominantly human ones. It’s setting back what is hundreds of years of trying to fix the broken trust between their races.

Malleus’s UM potentially puts his victims in physical harm; in book 7, Ortho suggests that since everyone is sleeping, their bodies are not getting the food or water they need. As a result, they may physically waste away and then perish. (We have seen that there are sleep blessings that keep people sleeping for hundreds of years without detriment to the blessed though, such as the one cast on Silver—so we cannot be entirely sure if Ortho’s theory is correct or not.)

There is the possibility that Malleus’s dreams may traumatize or retraumatize his victims, particularly those with deep rooted troubles. An example of this is Idia, who had suffered the loss of his brother when he was like… 8 years old??? But then in his dream, Idia is living a happy false reality that Ortho never died. When he finally comes to this realization, he has to relive the trauma of the discovery all over again and breaks down sobbing. We also see in the most recent book 7 update that Vil had to face the evilest aspects of himself and a dark reality; Rook became very emotional upon waking himself. Admittedly, Idia and co. coped with it well enough—this is proof of their character development and the strength of the new friendships they’ve formed. However, all the people on Sage’s Island/Twisted Wonderland may not react so positively or be so accepting of their cruel realities.

Again, just the overall moral dilemma of one person robbing all of Sage’s Island (and soon all of Twisted Wonderland) of their autonomy.

Potential extra work for STYX and whichever countries Malleus’s magic manages to spread to (repairing any physical damage caused by the thorns + mental damage done to those that fell asleep). That’s money, time, and resources that aren’t going toward other everyday endeavors.

How will Malleus himself mentally and emotionally cope with what he has done? Is he going to show remorse and shame? How does he plan on rectifying his actions, if at all?

Will this change how his dorm members + family view him? For example, will Sebek become disillusioned with his liege/realize Malleus is not as perfect as he seems? Will Maleficia blame herself for not being there for Malleus? Will Lilia feel guilty for not teaching Malleus right from wrong? Etc, etc, etc.

I’d honestly love to read all of these! 🤔 It would add a lot to the lore and history of Twisted Wonderland, as well as serve as motivators for Malleus to change, “be better”, and actually earn the respect he’s so used to being handed by default. This would be huge for him, especially seeing as he has not really faced significant backlash or consequences for any other missteps he was responsible for or involved in. (I know I bring this one up a lot, but Endless Halloween Night is one such major example.)

[sovasleepy]

i'm in such phoenix brainrot riki i need you to write whatever is/was on your mind about him, some hcs, fics, whatever! just pure fluff

HII im info dumping stuff about phoenix that is definitely 100% canon since u said u didn't mind teehee. will also be a good way to be me back into writing muah so sorry

do NOT give this man gifts if thats ur love language. or do, but just be warned. he will use or wear whatever you give him until it becomes a hazard.

you got him flowers one time and he wouldn't throw them away until brim got mad and threw them out for him bc they were so so dead.

also in the same vein, he has a t-shirt you got him that's been worn so many times its decrepit. im talking about goodwill would not take it and he refuses to throw it out simply because you got it for him.

contrary to popular belief, he's not a constant supply of energy and will occasionally power down for a bit, but he likes to just.. exist with you. playing video games, reading a book, taking a nap, he doesn't care. he just wants to be around somewhere.

i've said this before somewhere but i do believe he has some sort of control over his body temperature -- not to an unhealthy extent, but he'll definitely be a heating pad or a space heater when you need him to be.

on the contrary, his abilities do go a little... haywire when he's any sort of emotionally unstable. that includes whenever you fluster him. some of his shirts and jackets have fallen victim to your compliments.

definitely a words of affirmation guy, but thats a given to an extent. whats not so much of a given is the gift-giving.

mention one time in passing that you want something and he'll get it for you, no questions asked. you wanted that shirt, but didn't say what color? he's buying you all of them.

he's also a touchy guy but not necessarily in an overly affectionate way, more so just a 'i want to be close' way. usually, that just looks like him throwing an arm over the back of the couch when you're next to him, or sitting so that his leg touches yours at dinner, or standing close enough that your hands barely touch at debriefs.

also a dog person but if ur not he can compromise by gasping over-dramatically and pointing at all the dogs in public when you're out together sigh

[qoldenskies]

Since they skipped Christmas in cw, how are holidays for the cc fam in the future?

initially? Stressful (extremely pressing emotionally important deadline + adhd combination for like everyone there for donnie, how do you think it'll end up LOL) but on the day of im sure it would be fine. i think the expectation to do it right would really be the thing that puts them on edge, so they'd all be really intense about it. probably in a more comedic fashion than anything seriously angsty lmao they would not PLAY about it.

although for donnie it would suck. he's seriously internalized the "they dont like surprises" thing they insisted upon under the curse (they do it several times, make him feel terrible for not telling them because they treat dealing with his tech like a burden), to the point where he's forgotten that beforehand they enjoyed being caught off guard. the only point of reference he has for a lot of his buried memories is the spreadsheet where he repeatedly beat himself up for failing to impress them.

i think they'd find a compromise where he'd just ask them what they want, until he's more comfortable doing something like that again.

[percheduphere]

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHEN MOBIUS GETS EMOTIONALLY COMPROMISED

I rewatched S1 (in prep for a GIANT meta reviewing S1 and S2 together), and upon second viewing, I greatly appreciate the subtle and gradual progression of trust within Loki and Mobius' friendship. S1E2 is key to this. Tom and Owen's performances are impeccable because the energy between them changes scene by scene alongside the plotpoints.

From Mobius' end, I think I found the exact moment Mobius officially became emotionally compromised when it comes to Loki:

S1E2

The interaction that caused the final blow: 32:09 - 33:04

"Gentleman's bet? Let's play for pride."

"Let's go let's go let's go!"

"Extinction of the swallow? Is that a thing?"

"Got 'em!"

Racing against time cross-refrencing apocalypses with the presence of Kablooie. Spouting back and forth about their progress. Sassy remarks.

After a rocky start, they are now operating on the same mental wavelength. They're in rhythm. They are having so much fun together. They are smiling and laughing. Any moment in which a best friend is made feels exactly like this.

Not only was Loki right about his Apocalypse Theory, he also finds the exact date and location where Sylvie hides. Mobius is so proud of him! Look at these faces:

But we don't see how smitten Mobius is until he's with Renslayer in the scene that immediately follows. Sure, Mobius is excited about getting close to catching Sylvie, but he's even more excited about how well he and Loki work together. It's incredibly sweet.

I couldn't find gifs of the exact dialogue I wanted, so I transcribed it like the obsessive fool that I am:

RENSLAYER: And this is all based on a theory from the variant who just blew your previous mission?

MOBIUS: Yeah, he's doing great!

AND

MOBIUS: Come on. You don't usually see me this worked up, right? I'm exited! Im chomping at the bit!

When he says this, even Ravonna looks happy for him? I'm kind of sad, actually. You can tell in this scene that Ravonna and Mobius truly were close friends, once upon a time.

Then, they go to the locker room before deployment, and what does Mobius do?

He's so happy he gives Loki his daggers (a symbol of love), likely knicked and saved for who knows how long, hidden from Renslayer because this love is precious and he will not give it up. (@northrnfool you put this so well in another post!)

S1E2 has so much to unpack. Every scene is so layered, yet efficient and economic in effectively in propelling emotion and plot. I can't wait to word vomit on the whole series. Please forgive me.

[twst-hottest-takes]

So, I’d say I’m someone who really likes Malleus. I enjoy seeing him pop up in events and the main story, and I’ll go out of my way to enjoy fanart and fanfics about him. BUT at the same time I’m his biggest hater, call me a Leona kinnie because as far as I’m concerned that’s my nemesis fr fr.

Seriously though, while I genuinely like Malleus, I also have a lot of grievances with the way his character is written and utilized whenever he shows up. For a while I had trouble pin pointing what exactly my grievances were, but it JUST hit me.

I was scrolling through some fanart I have saved on Pinterest(my Twisted Wonderland fanart treasure trove) and I REALIZED that all my favorite pieces of Malleus art featured him being emotional and/or really expressive; something we don’t get to see him be all that much, especially not in the main story.

And that’s my problem with Malleus, he’s not nearly as reactive as I want him to be, especially not when compared to the other characters. When it comes to Malleus, there isn’t a lot that can get under his skin and bother him, which is fine on paper but the way it’s executed means that most of his reactions to strange situations - ones that would have any other character panicking - are blunt and subdued.

And, of course, the reason he’s like this is because of ginormous power gap between him and literally everyone else in the world.

Why does Malleus not panic when the VDC stadium is destroyed? When Vil is turned into an old man? When ANYTHING bad happens? Because he can fix it instantly with magic, he’ll even comment on how easy it was. Even without magic we know that Malleus is physically super strong by virtue of being a dragon.

And it’s not just the big stuff, at this point I’m scared that Malleus’ next birthday card vignette will just be him immediately making himself look perfect with magic. Because of his incredible power, I feel like I’m missing out on a more messy, uncomposed side of him.

Like I just want to see this guy realize he forgot to set an alarm last night and he’s late for first period.

However, I’ll admit that this way of characterizing Malleus does have its upsides. That scene in Book Seven when we Malleus yells about the Senate and his Grandmother telling him what Lilia did for him??? PEAK, NO NOTES, BEST MOMENT IN BOOK SEVEN AS FAR AS IM CONCERNED, and I’m not certain it would’ve hit as hard if we DIDN’T have to slog through Malleus’ boring reactions thus far.

All of this is to say that when we finally get to fight OB Malleus and we get to see his backstory, I NEED to see him snap I NEED to see him panic and yell and cry and lost his composurE PLEASE YANA PLEASE.

And if they want to have their vaguely Grim shaped OB monster pose ANY sort fo a threat they better nerf Malleus HARD. Not just magically I need him to be physically weakened please. If this happens the birds will sing, the flowers will bloom, an angel will gets its wings etc

We've been hitting the nail on the head with these Malleus takes lately.

As anon said, he's had his upsides and moments and hopefully with the game moving towards the end (plz?) of Book 7 we can see more of Malleus' emotional range. . .gosh I hope so. Please nerf him. He can't keep being this powerful, if it always effects the weather it's no wonder he's emotionally stunted! BRING THIS MAN DOWN TO OUR LEVEL! (Or at least direct his rage at something worth smiting.)

I can only say, "Malleus is too important for his own good," so many times before it gets stale, but that's the issue in essence. So powerful, noble birth, such status, dragon, very dignified *Wow*. So trying to get him on the level where we really relate to and understand him as a person is awfully difficult for this game apparently. He's not the only character who suffers from the "can't have his image compromised because reasons" thing, but I digress. Malleus does have some fun and silly moments, but there's a lot more potential with him that's yet to be explored. I know that it's not impossible to have a character so far removed from average who can still be endearing and relatable, but the game just hasn't done that with Malleus. His otherworldly aura and pressence makes it hard to think of him as a person, which is very intentional; however, it puts him on this pedestal and has been written into a corner that doesn't allow his character to breathe. It's why he needs friendships like with the MC to help "humanize" him. That's something which the game doesn't do enough of.

Thank you for your take.

[elainem-art]

ACOTAR: Gwyn is a Lightsinger Theory

Summary

Gwyn’s powers are of beckoning songs that emit joy and light; they literally make her glow. This power causes her to knowingly or unknowingly manipulate people into wanting to make her happy. There’s a lot of phrases like:

* “…didn’t know why she did it…”

* “…didn’t know why she wished to see Gwyn…”

* “…for whatever reason…”

Etc.

Not only that but Gwyn’s voice is a siren call to people who are lost, not physically lost but emotionally. Gwyn herself is a siren call. Is it ethical? Her powers seem to be as ethical as Rhys and Feyre’s Daemati powers, the difference is that Feysand know how to control these powers, and right now we don’t know if Gwyn knows about her powers. Im sure the truth will come out sooner or later, but I do not think she is evil in any way.

Ps: Gwyn might be being manipulated by Merrill, but thats a whole other post.

PPS: Azriel’s shadows not warning him of Gwyn’s presence in the bonus chapter is bad. His shadows are his alert system, his upper hand on his enemies. If his shadows are compromised, that means that he doesn’t know if there’s any immediate danger.

Credit: @silverlinedeyes

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[hoverboards-and-dragons]

How does God and Lucifer’s siblings view the sins? Are his siblings jealous they have been replaced or are some of them glad that Lucifer has found others who he can be a family with?

Also, do Asmodeus and Lucifer ever indulge in bird like behavior together?

God is very pleased Lucifer has them, He intended for it and a lot of the needless cruelty of the fall was to ensure Lucifer was found, endeared and open(desperate enough) to accept the help of the demons princes.

A full power emotionally destabilized Archangel wasn't going to be quick to make friends in hell. And Yes, I am very much looking forward to unpacking God's 'Ends justify the Means' mentality and 'Father knows best' approach to making decisions that affect other people without their say.

He likes them if only cause He's less guilty for losing Lucifer's original family if he ends up with another one.

However they as individuals are very foreign, while nothing is like Him, He has an understanding of creatures that strive for His perfection. He does not know what to do with those that have no interest in His order. Especially those created outside His will.

He skittish around Fat Nuggets as He is the Sins its very amusing

He's immune to Fear of Unknown by nature of being All knowing, they aren't Other to Him - He's perfectly aware they are complex people with depth and value. Which has unlocked some other, far stranger emotional response that like a morbid intrigue.

The sins and archangels' dynamics do have some posts here and here but im always up for an excuse for a proper mindset deep dive!

Because of implicit and explicit bias his brothers think of hellborn demons as lesser, Heaven is just like that, not necessarily bad just insignificant in the wake of God's Will and Order.

They see them as pets Luci is using to fill the void they left behind, the best he can do, while they're not necessarily upset at the situation by itself...

They are absolutely affronted at Lucifer being closer and more comfortable with the sins than he is or really ever was with them.

All he does is complain about the sins and how he has to manage them! (context) They were under the impression he barely tolerated them what do you mean he finds the demons' company preferable and there's a undercurrent of unbreakable trust and unconditional love in all that taunting and banter.

His siblings aren't jealous of being replaced however they are extremely jealous of being superseded.

They also... see the sins as bringing out Lucifer's 'worst traits', (mainly, Pride) because Christianity Heaven runs on shame and repression so nothing's more terrifying to them than someone being unapologetic in themselves

It's like, the worst parts of Catholic guilt and Protestant evangelical beliefs mixed together.

He has to miserable in hell in every way because if he was even the least bit happy away from the church Heaven that would have to mean something was wrong with him... or it. They don't want to see their brother like that but they're unwilling to compromise their worldview either, for who are they without God? Who is God if He's wrong?

Lucifer is cringe(and damned) but he is free etc etc

I'm so glad that near decade I spent studying Christian dogma and culture is coming in useful, there's so much texture and potential in this family dynamic

Yes, YES!!! I have waited my whole life for someone to ask about this, Bird solidarity!! Asmodeus unfortunately doesn't have a beak (it's different from claws or fingers and not even other angels can replicate it, fuck he misses his Dad) but still mutual preenings!! Billing!! Nestling!! Headbutting!! Wing tucking!! Someone who gets it!

I think Lucifer feels way more fondness for the Ars Goetia than he has any right to just cause a lot of them are birds.

Yeah they're pompous arrogant pricks but, those are endearing quirks to him if it's birds (okay he sees these as basically pets)

Paimon is still around despite his everything because he has a beak and is one of the few Goetia to truly prioritize ass kissing over dignity or prestige and will groom him without acting like it's weird.