#honestly my current mental state is fine I'm starting to feel a little more okay about existing in the world as a person

[velarisbynight]

Hello. Santa here 🎅

Let's start with a few questions...

1. What are your thoughts on Elain and Gwyn as individual characters?

2. Why do you ship them?

3. Finally... we haven't gotten their povs in canon yet and we have a lot more to learn about them both. So I'm curious, as a writer yourself, how would you describe your version of Elain and Gwyn. Their personalities, motivations, goals, whatever you want to talk about

Wishing you a good day/night ❄️

Okay, okay, I'm so excited to be getting to chatter about them so I'll try to keep my trembling happiness from interfering with my answers here :)

Elain and Gwyn as individual characters

Healthy or not, I think in a way I do view Elain as an interpretation of traditional femininity? At least in the first four books. I loved her prior to Silver Flames but the section where Nesta snaps at her and instead of being hurt Elain seems happy that Nesta is being herself and treating her as a person rather than the little sister Nesta previously felt she needed to protect shifted my perception of Elain more than the scene where she killed Hybern? I also think in the beginning of the series she was set up to appear one way (traditional wifey material) but throughout the books she goes through various developments like losing Graysen, having her mortality taken away from her, grappling with being a seer and having magical powers.

For Gwyn, I think her mental strength is incredibly understated. I think at first she might appear cautious or at times a little stoic, but she still has plenty of spark to her (that we see when she and Nesta have their interactions in the library), and works hard and earnestly without half-assing her work? She seems like she has the potential to be sincere when needed but also playful which I think is incredibly endearing. Also to still be capable of not just going through life but living it and actively applying herself, to me, is very admirable.

2. Why do you ship them?

Completely honestly, I think I'm wanting to live vicariously through them? I'm very much a femme who likes other femmes, and I don't think I see much representation of that in the few sapphic books/series I read/watch? I think Killing Eve (the tv series) is the closest I've got to finding the kind of story I'm interested in :')

Usually there's a clear masc character and a clear femme character (which is obviously fine, but it's not what I'm currently desperately searching for) so to come across these two who I think have clear elements of femininity within them while also not being constricted to that role and existing outside of it as people is definitely appealing to my personal loves in reading/romance.

3. How would you describe your version of Elain and Gwyn?

This is such a difficult question to answer because I love reading different interpretations of their characters? I'm not a fan of the evil Elain theory in canon, however, I would definitely read a gwynlain fic or even just a short piece about Elain on her own where she turned evil for the sake of getting to explore alternate pathways? All this to say that I hope my answer won't make you feel like you're bound to writing them a certain way!

Also I can't remember how much of this is based of stuff that's explicitly stated in the books and what's me adding stuff in

So, physically I imagine Elain having golden/brown hair that's fairly long and hangs in ringlets, and also imagine her as being of fairly average height? I think she has short nails from gardening and used to have fair/pale skin but has realised she gets small freckles if she's beneath the sun for too long which is something she finds she doesn't mind about herself? I think she's also begun tying her hair up more often from spending so much time gardening and baking. Personality-wise/internally, I think post-cauldron she spends a little more time on her own than she used to, but still very much gets her energy and happiness from being around other people? She needs her moments of quiet but on the whole she enjoys company and feeling a connection through speaking and shared interests.

For Gwyn, I think she's supposed to be part nymph part fae? (Sorry if that's wrong) Physically, I imagine her as actually being quite tall? Not so tall she stands out in a crowd, but definitely taller than most high fae females are? I think that like Elain, Gwyn's hair is fairly long (maybe down to her waist?) however it's mostly straight. I imagine that after she came to Velaris she mostly wore her priestess' robes, so having to change into Illyrian leathers was a challenge for her, and that for the most part she leans more towards looser clothing that keeps her 'hidden', but is beginning to slowly try and push herself to find different ways to dress herself. In terms of domestic habits(?), I think Gwyn can sometimes feel frustrated with herself for not pushing herself harder? Not in training, but in terms of her comfort zones? I imagine being around other priestesses is both comforting and agonising, and she can at times feel restless or angry with herself for not yet being able to freely walk about and be 'normal'? Though I like to imagine that while Gwyn has self-critical moments, she acknowledges and is proud of the research she does, even if Meryll(?) scares her at times. Similarly with training, I think she's proud of what she's achieved so far and acknowledges how impressive it is.

In terms of my interpretation of them being together

I adore the idea of Elain first realising that the feelings she has for Gwyn aren't platonic, but aren't the emotions she's experienced for men? I think Elain's idea of romance before coming across Gwyn would be completely centred around men, so her first time falling in love with a woman, and experiencing affection without any preconceived notions about how it's supposed to be or what it will be like would be like seeing the shadows on the cave wall to emerging from the cave and seeing the flowers and sun for herself. (Imagining she has a preference for women over men, that is)

And for Gwyn, I love the idea of her and Elain going on dates to little gardens at first as a way to slowly begin letting Gwyn re-experience the world without terror. Reintroducing her to how good life can be, while Elain is keeping to her side and each of them feeling safe enough to rely on one another and trust the other with their new experiences? Makes my heart melt :')

Anyway I'm so sorry that I seem to have rambled on for so long!! I think that excitement may have ended up bleeding into my answer a little after all, but I hope you don't mind :)

[insomniac-astronomer]

Peter Parker (any) x Reader: Post-Christmas Depression

NO SPOILERS FOR NWH! You're all good!

Okay so here's the tea: I am living vicariously though these fanfics as I slowly dissolve internally. I would like to note that I am in no way fantasizing mental illnesses. If you don't have depression, you don't want it. Just because the stuff in this fic sounds good, it's not. There's so much more to depression that I'm not going to talk about because this is written for people who need to read it.

WARNINGS: Depression, depression episode, mention of anti-depressants, mental illness stuff associated with EDs, DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE TRIGGERED BY MENTIONS OF MENTAL ILLNESSES!!!

Gender: fem

Description: After the holidays, you find yourself trapped in a cycle of negative thoughts. Peter tries to help.

You lay in bed and stare at the mess that is your bedroom floor. It is covered in all the clothes you've worn in the past two weeks and the clean ones you never put away before that. Glasses of water decorate the available dresser space. Somehow your desk became cluttered with notebooks you didn't even know you had.

You honestly don't know where the mess comes from. The little box you dedicated to "put it away later" was overflowing. You never did "put that stuff away later."

Despite the fact that it is noon, you make no move to go and eat. You feel hunger starting to bite at your stomach, but it's not too bad yet. Not bad enough to make you get up at least.

You roll around to your other side as your blankets tangle between your feet. You don't even have the energy to fix them.

You don't have enough energy to cry, either. You felt the empty sadness in your throat but nothing surfaced from it.

Gifts also litter your floor. You are grateful for every single one of them, but that isn't the problem. Of course you love all the gifts you got and you couldn't ask for more (in fact, you didn't ask for any in the first place), but for some reason the end-of-gifts, end-of-christmas-lights-and-music has your brain plummeting.

You hear a soft knock on your window. You had forgotten Peter was going to come over today. "Come in!" You shout as loudly as you can, honestly not caring that you look like a mess and are still in your pajamas.

The window slides open tantalizingly slowly.

Peter quickly sees your current state. "Did I wake you?"

You shake your head. He walks over to you slowly and sits at the end of your bed. You muster the strength to sit up and lean against him. He wraps an arm around you. "What's wrong?"

You shrug, letting your eyes close again. They burn under your eyelids.

"Are you sick?" He asks worriedly, lifting your face up with his hand.

"Mentally yes. Physically, perfectly fine."

"Love, what's wrong?"

You think for a moment and heave a shaky sigh. "I dunno, I'm just not feeling good."

Peter and you sit in the dark room in silence for a little while longer. "Want to go ice skating?"

"Ice skating?" You ask, perking up a little. "I don't know how."

"I know but you said you wanted to learn, right? I can teach you." He gently pushes you off him so you sit on your own. He keeps his hands on your shoulders. "Do you want to? It'll be fun."

You feel a little smile start to break through your dead face. "Okay."

"Alright, get dressed. Have you eaten yet?"

You shake your head. "I'm not hungry."

"That's not good. I'll wash off some grapes for you at least, okay? Will you at least eat that? Cause we can't go until you eat something." He starts to make his way to your door.

"Okay fine."

Peter smiles widely. "That's my girl. Hurry so we can go!"

You laugh slightly at his enthusiasm. Maybe these next couple days won't be so hard after all.

Pretty short but I feel like it serves it's purpose. If you have symptoms of depression or an ED, you should ask for help. You are loved by people that you don't even realize and the world needs you here. For example, every time someone interacts with one of my stories, it makes me so happy. I notice every single one of you. Send me a message, I'm always here to listen and I appreciate all of you. You guys are the reason I'm not completely breaking down right now. I love all of you!

Buy me a coffee?

[daikenkki]

epiclafiteau: If Edward and Henry never left Tidmouth Sheds, BUT two engines HAD to leave, who would they be and why? Let me hear what you think! Who would be in their spots? Someone that's been there before, or someone that hasn't? My take btw: Edward and James. Edward at Wellsworth Sheds makes so much sense, and James should've been kicked out as the punishment. Yeah, Thomas/Percy at Ffarquhar would be neat but Toby's at Arlesdale End now. Henry doesn't need to stay at Vicarstown and Emily is just there.

JD41796: Honestly do what the series did and move Edward to Wellsworth because that actually makes sense, and throw Thomas and Percy back with Toby. Have the engines stay closest to their place of work, and have the sheds be what it used to be; whoever is working in that area, stays there.

epiclafiteau: Edward moving to Wellsworth to be closer to his branchline was a smart move, and it made sense. The issue is they're like "Henry's going to Vicarstown ok bye". I'm sure we were supposed to get an episode further explaining it but they haven't done so yet and the only thing to back it up is the fact that Henry is on the Mainland in 70% of the specials lol.

StreakSmeargle: I’d actually kick out three. Thomas, Percy, and Edward. Thomas and Percy can move to Ffarquhar (and honestly Nia can live there too). And Edward can move to Wellsworth like he already does. Fill up the missing Tidmouth slots with Rebecca and maybe the Scots?

epiclafiteau: Unless I'm missing something, I'm not actually sure where exactly Duck, Oliver, Donald and Douglas stay in the CGI Series. We see Ryan, Daisy, Judy & Jerome at Harwick but are there sheds somewhere else on the Little Western? It made sense for Duck to stay at Tidmouth in Duck and the Slip Coaches cause he was needed nearby, something they should do more often, but I don't think we've actually seen where he normally stays.

StreakSmeargle: There should be sheds at Arlesburgh if the RWS is any indication. Duck, Oliver, and Toad would realistically stay there. Donald and Douglas could also stay there but it might make sense to have them at Tidmouth as they’re not strictly tied to Little Western only. Gordon, James, Henry, Rebecca, and Emily can definitely stay at Tidmouth tho. Henry at Vicarstown was a neat concept but it went nowhere so I say move him back.

epiclafiteau: I can get past Edward moving because of etc reasons but the big 3 should definitely stick together. Edward leaving felt sort of natural because it had a whole episode to it and he suggested staying at Wellsworth permanently. Henry liked the idea, followed by deciding to transfer to Vicarstown, and nothing happened.

StreakSmeargle: If they ever do move Henry back to Tidmouth, they could do an episode where he starts reconsidering his decision on moving to Vicarstown but worries about what the others will think. That would allow him to move back and even potentially shedding light on why he moved in the first place.

Jacob34335638: Well, I think James could be kicked out as punishment for destroying the sheds in the first place, and Emily could possibly leave too since she works on the Misty Valley Branchline, and it would be convent for her to be closer to her work like Edward is at Wellsworth Sheds.

epiclafiteau: Yeah, literally. I never understood why they were like "Well James, you destroyed the sheds... Okay, Edward, go find somewhere else to stay".

Echo62445283: Because apparently they were like "Hey thats Edward's part of the shed guess he has to go, not like he can sleep in your spot James".

ComradeSpinel90: Tbh... Percy and Thomas. They have sheds at Tidmouth and Ffharquhar. And in Nia and Rebecca and it would be fine. Or better yet. Drop Nia and add in oh idk... Stanley, or someone underrated imo.

epiclafiteau: Now you're on the right track.

ComradeSpinel90: And it wouldn't be out there norm. There was many time where they were at Tidmouth and Ffharquhar.

ilovetrains3232: The obvious Thomas and Percy go back to Ffarqhuar, Edward going to Wellsworth like in the show because, and as much as some people hate to hear, it was a great idea. They just haven't executed it to it's fullest ability. James could be an interesting choice as a punishment for crashing into it in the first place. I feel like Gordon is the only one who should stay there no matter what. Emily was the reason the 7th she'd was added but that doesn't necessarily mean she HAS to stay there and Henry, should have probably stayed but could easily go somewhere else and it would work. Tidmouth AND Vicarstown both honestly don't make much since for Henry. Yes, Henry does go to the mainland sometimes but not as much as he works elsewhere. If anything, Henry should have moved to Wellsworth with Edward. Since he has to go to Brendam anyways to pick up the Flying Kipper, and Wellsworth is in the center of the island so it would make it easier for him to work anywhere. As opposed to be on either side.

legomastr_365: I love all of them too much to kick anyone out, but seeing the replies makes sense since that's literally what I do in my series.

epiclafiteau: Thomas and Percy is the most logical answer but I'm curious to know if anyone would consider Emily or James, or have other reasons for Thomas/Percy.

GraydonBruckle1: Definitely Emily, as for the other I'm not sure.. I guess Edward or Percy. Edward does make sense BUT he is one of the three original character the Rev W. Awdry wrote about.. Percy could go to Ffarquhar. That way he wont have to go far for the mail run or something like that.

ElliotKW: It would be Thomas and Percy and I'd move them back to Ffarquhar Sheds (even though the sheds are in the yards at Tidmouth Station). Series 2 kept the roots of Thomas, Percy and Toby living in the sheds for five episodes and I would love to see that happen again in the future.

SunilFan48: Thomas and Percy. Go to Ffarquhar sheds with Toby like they did for S2 and then never again. Leaves room for Nia and Rebecca and no Tidmouth Shed reconstruction.

ThomasTheorist: The only engines who really need to be at Tidmouth Sheds are Gordon, Henry and James. Everyone else can be shuffled around.

TheLargeBarge: At Tidmouth Sheds you'll have Henry, Gordon, James, Emily, Rebecca, Donald and Douglas. At Ffarquhar, Thomas, Percy, Toby and Mavis. Knapford Sheds; Nia, Paxton and Rosie. Wellsworth; Edward and Philip. Arlesburgh; Duck and Oliver and Harwick; Ryan and Daisy.

CTFEologist: Thomas and Percy; move them to Ffarquhar with Toby instead.

DanielAlsop2: Well I’d still go with Edward, but also Thomas and Percy to Ffarquhar or Tidmouth Station, since they both work on Thomas’ branch line and if they had the usual adventure encounters, they could meet the others at Knapford or Elsbridge, simple.

GTSHProductions: I’d actually kick Thomas and Percy to live at Farquhar. But to be honest, I liked it better when the engines just slept wherever whenever they wanted.

TFan512: This may be controversial, but I’d still let it be Edward and Henry. Wellsworth is on Edward’s branch line, and he could be a mentor to Philip like he was to Thomas in The Adventure Begins (too bad no episodes have so far done that). As for Henry, he goes up to Vicarstown a lot anyway when he travels to the Mainland, and with him taking The Flying Kipper at night, he hardly has any time to rest at Tidmouth. I don’t agree with James being moved out as punishment, as he showed remorse in An Engine of Many Colours and was forgiven.

NWTom25: I choose three, Edward, Henry and Emily. It make sense to remove Edward to his branch line shed, Henry at Vicarstown since he could run goods trains from there to the mainland and Emily could stay at Knapford sheds like she did in CAE! I honestly don't see the need to remove Thomas and Percy since it had been stated in a Mr. Perkins interval that Knapford was the starting point for Thomas' branch line. So it make sense in the current series to have Thomas and Percy at the sheds. Plus Toby could fill in the spot at the sheds that the engines I chose left and maybe fill in the space for any of the secondary characters (e.g - Duck, Donald, Douglas, Rosie etc.).

TidmouthStudios: Y know if Knapford sheds came back I would LITERALLY LOVE THAT SO MUCH. I think Emily earned her spot in the sheds though and calling all engines definitely made a good move by specifically confirming that Emily was an official part of the core cast.

crikey_fell: Kick out everyone but Henry, Gordon, James and Emily, move them to their RWS positions.

Fan12Thomas: Thomas and Percy they should be on Ffarquhar Sheds.

kirkronan25: I'd chuck Edward to Wellsworth and I kinda like the idea of James having a shed all of his own, but I'm not sure about that.

Diesel20212: Thomas and Percy. I just can’t see them staying in Tidmouth when they already have their own sheds on their branchline.

TruckFan1996: Emily and Henry. I hate Emily and Mattel has made Henry wimpy.

WyattLoughrie: Well Thomas and Percy would have to live at Ffarquhar sheds with Toby and probably have Donald and Douglas take their places in Tidmouth Sheds.

SciFiCosplay99: Maybe have Thomas and Percy move back to Ffarquhar, perhaps add Toby and/or Nia. The Scots then move in. Also, show a shed where the Great Western Engines and the Scots live at some point, please show?

YBoi95: Honestly probably still Henry and Edward. Edward is too smart to be involved in the hive mind mentality of the Steam Team and Henry is just kind of there and doing very little. Honestly the two just don't really contribute enough to be worthy of being main characters.

gwr_fan: Part of me wants Thomas and Percy at Ffarquhar with Toby, Mavis, etc

Mechai94829484: For me it’s Thomas and Percy instead of sleeping in Tidmouth sheds they sleep in the sheds at the ffarquhar station with Toby and Henrietta just like in the railway books.

CementLord: Thomas and Percy, send them off to Ffarquhar.

TidmouthStudios: I’m not mad that Edward left due to the fact that he simply wasn’t offering anything consistently new to the franchise for some time at that point. He’s been outshined by the other core cast members since S5 and him being removed from said cast was inevitable. I’m happy they just did it in a nice and pleasant way and didn’t just suddenly have him leave. He at least got an episode showcasing his goodbye. Going off where he was going to be stationed makes more sense and serves as a sorta mentor for Philip like bill and Ben before him.

FantasticMrS3: I'd go with Emily and James. Then they could be given their own branch line to share, and it would open up more storytelling possibilities for them, especially Emily; God knows more could be done with her as a character.

TomtheSTL: Thomas and Percy, they don’t belong on the mainline or you know, besides the big 3 and Emily, not having a strict cast at Tidmouth, have it change a bit, hell the Brenner era did it on occasion.

HTGE3Prod: Hmm, Edward and Thomas. Both have their respective branchlines to run. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if Salty, Bill and Ben are running Edward's line, and Mavis and Toby for Thomas' line.

Edwardandjamesp: Thomas, Percy and Edward. Thomas and Percy can go and sleep at Ffarquhar because that's where they work, and Edward could sleep at Wellsworth with Philip. And the ones to replace them would be Rebecca/Bear and the Scottish boys.

8Puffer: It would make more sense to put Thomas, Percy and Toby at Ffarquhar as it would help develop the three characters more and help build the relationship further.

ChaosDustSteam: I would actually pick three. Thomas, Percy, and Emily. Thomas and Percy would go to the Branchline Sheds, revealed in a new render for CGI. Emily would be moved either to Knapford Sheds or her own sheds, as I feel she is not a Main Line worthy engine.

BJG922: Hmm I would take out Thomas and Percy from Tidmouth and take them to Ffarquhar Sheds like how Edward went to Wellsworth, and keep Henry, Gordon, James and Emily at Tidmouth and allow Bear, Pip and Emma in Tidmouth.

ahmirallthings1: The answers obviously be Thomas and Percy. They lived in Ffarqhuar.

LNERA0X: If we wanted to apply this to all the engines really only Henry, Gordon, James, and Emily should be stationed at the main sheds. Decentralize the cast a bit.

JohnDarkblaze: Thomas, Percy, and Toby. My head canon is that they belong at Ffarquhar like they were before (also considering Arlesdale End hasn't been relevant for a while). As for Tidmoth Sheds itself, I'd leave Edward, James, Henry, and Gordon while adding Rosie, Stanley, and Molly.

TheThomasFan: Thomas and Percy, they’re supposed to be at Ffarquhar.

benbearce96: Toby and Emily because for Toby I just think he’s overrated as a character and Emily, well she can live at the shunting yards with Spencer Murdoch Arthur etc.

IvoryGreen456: Thomas and Percy. Because they were originally based at Ffarquhar they can easily go back.

SayCheeseBurgr: Emily and Edward, but Edward would still remain a main character, purely to line up with old continuity :p

sixteen_dnw: Edward to Wellsworth and Percy to Ffarquahar, they wouldn’t take Thomas away from Tidmouth.

EianHardy: I’d choose Thomas and Percy to go, as a way for them to be with Toby again in the branch line sheds.

TY_HAMMER_TIME: Its a tough one. I see a lot of thomas, percy, and Edward. But i think the "steam team" while still cool concept i think it hurt the series. Why not have a rotating cast of engines at Tidmouth Sheds per season. It would allow the writers to switch the engines in the shead and we wouldn't need to feel that Tidmouth Sheds = 100% steam team residences. Maybe then when Edward and Henry moved out it wouldn't have felt like such a blow or need explanation.

NWRGresley1942: Thomas and Percy because it would make sense that their work are closer to his branch line. Toby could also sleep at Ffarquhar with them. James because he destroyed the back of the sheds and Sir Topham would’ve strictly moved him out.

the_mega_derp: Move Thomas and Percy to Ffarquhar. It can have the same benefit as Edward moving to Wellsworth, since they’d be living on the line they work on. Whatever happened to them vibing in Ffarquhar sheds back in the day?

Jordan192692: I think Percy and Emily; To run the “new” Kirk Ronan branch-line. Thomas would miss both engines, but he would know it was for the best.

jaymeerkat520: It would be Thomas and Percy. Those characters have just become annoying now.

imnotveryfunny0: My take is Edward and Henry, yes, but don’t stick Nia there. Put her and her bland personality at Vicarstown. Put Rosie there with Rebecca, who knows the others but still has some well deserved fleshing out to be done.

HydesR01: Personally, I’d say Emily and Edward. Emily doesn’t really “click” with the originals, and I think Edward would be better suited at Wellsworth anyway. And in their spots, I’d say Rosie instead of Emily and Stanley in place of Edward.

Glover368: Emily and James, just send James back to his early RWS shed, and Emily can go back to Knapford.

RealMay_C: Emily and Henry, Emily is just a badly written character and Henry is just the stereotypical worrier and I'm really not a fan of that trope.

cgsmodelling: Let me say it loud enough so everyone can hear.... JUST ADD TWO MORE FUCKING BIRTHS. ITS NOT THAT DIFFICULT.

SquidTrain2020: Thomas and James can simply fuck off. But instead of Nia, replace James with Rosie and Thomas with Rebecca.

[ohhicas]

I've only been into comics for a few years, but I've read enough of the old Flash stuff where I adore the classic incarnations of the Rogues. Honestly curious here: what's it like to be a fan of James Jesse back when he was retgonned around 10 years ago and see him brought back but now all mwahaha crazy evil? I'm way more used to Axel (and all that off-panel character development in Nu52, thanks DC) but even I find this kinda weird. Was James ever crazy evil in any arc?

^- me 90% of the time someone says James is coming back to recent media & it’s not a direct continuation of the comics prior to 2004

[ Warning: this is gonna get long and be full of a lot of assumptions. I can never form solid statements and things will get jumbled, because I suck at presenting things ]

[ this is my can of worms hill and you opened it so I’m dYING HERE ]

I mean, back in the earliest ages, no Rogue had a real personality to speak of? They were just “1960s Bad Guy in a different outfit” at the very start, with quirks! Like James having a thing for toys and nuclear powered flying tricycles. It wasn’t until that era ended that they started getting real distinct and into what a lot of ‘classic’ James fans loved and appreciated? 

(I think at least, I’m just One Person here pretending like I even understand HALF of what the ‘classic’ fandom enjoyed. I’m wildly speculating just going off what fanworks I’ve seen produced.)

(I don’t have all my scans anymore but I’ll toss in scans when I have them)

But that’s when we started getting things like James actually having specified friendships with certain people

or clear distaste towards others, and when you could tell he was more of a wild card than the others. Or when he decided to fuck off and hang out in Hollywood with Blue Devil for a bit, even siding with Kid Devil to deck out Captain Boomerang. 

Or when he decided to fuck off to Gotham, to mess with Catwoman by pretending he didn’t know who she was, but absolutely knew who she was because of how she walked and carried herself, but James being James was like “mmmmm long con, nope”

hey lil Cold, gimme all ur guns and don’t question why I’m in drag xoxo

Even then, he wasn’t shown to be vicious yet! He’d hopped around various places, was still considered A Rogue, A Criminal, and as far as any comic reader could tell by trying to count up how many civilians may have been crossfired at, he had no On Purpose deaths racked? Like, the only thing you could really argue was he may have made someone drive their car off a cliff once, but I’m like 98% sure they’re fine. He’s not a murderer, he’s just here for a laugh and a long-con for funsies because he know he can get away with it!

AND THEN WE GET A LITTLE OLDER, LITTLE DARKER

[ I’M PUTTING A CUT HERE CAUSE AFTER I THREW IT INTO DRAFTS, I REALIZED I GOT REALLY LONG, I’M SORRY IF MY LAYOUT SUCKS ASS FOR THIS. ]

little more 90s Hair. Little more 90s stereotypical “But what if EVERYONE WENT TO HELL” demon plots against Satanic Hockey Hair Neron. And James? still wasn’t evil? He was a little dismissive when everyone ELSE died sure but he still in the end turned around like “nghgng I’m THE ONLY ONE”, purposely got his ass down there, regretted it, and then beat Neron at his own game to save the entire fucking world. Because! He could! And he did it so well. STILL NOT EVIL, even when he had a chance right then and there to take over everything alongside Neron should he so desire. Like, two words, maybe some under the table BJs depending on how you feel about that pairing (I don’t), and bam. He would’ve bested nearly any other villain in the DCU save like, Satan himself. Or i guess one of those world destroyers. But we’ll get back around to those BOY HOWDY WE WILL GET AROUND TO THOSE. 

So James! Saves! The world! Sorta! Later they fight Neron again and his kid he somehow had somewhere down the road (it sounds like I’m complaining, i’m not, I love Billy and Mindy both I just wish they showed up like… ever again?) and he sTILL SAVES EVERYONE. 

Piper helps by their 90s ponytails combined. 

Somewhere around here, because dates and timing aren’t my strong suit, he also goes and messes with Bart for a bit. It’s pretty much a Spy Vs Spy episode, but with less bloodshed. 

ANYWAY IT’S AFTER THIS POINT THAT THINGS GET… where I think the majority of “James is a Low Rate Joker” comes from? 

For some unknown goddamn reason, in between issues (James wasn’t a Super Frequent Rogue? He’d show up, sure, but in the huge run of the series he’d just kind of vanish for 20 issues at a time and you’d go “welp, guess he’s still alive”) James went super-cop? like, the FBI? For some reason? Hired James “I am a probably still wanted felon, a man who has escaped jail numerous times, probably never served a full sentence, known Trickster and liar” Jesse. to the FBI. And for so many issues it’s like he legit just. Did this. He threatens to shoot Piper who he was up until this very moment, considerably very close friends with (as far as comics would show Rogue/Rogue friendships), unwilling to help his friend clearly framed for murder of his parents and losing his mind by the day. Despite James talking Hart down a little on the whole ‘THE MAYOR IS ROSCOE ADN NOBODY BELIEVES MEEEEEEEE” thing. 

Also he steals Digger’s dead ass corpse? 

FBI James is a fucking enigma. Here he is standing up for Gay Rights even though Piper is like “mm maybe I should forgive my abuser??”

BUT. AFTER THIS? WE GET COUNTDOWN WHICH IS JUST. Countdown is. IT’s a problem. James’s personality is IMMEDIATELY HORRIBLY u-turned into “well we need SOMEONE to be the Bad Guy to Piper’s Good!” DESPITE. ALL THESE YEARS OF COMICS.This is the shit you’ll see people who don’t know better or just want a reason to hate the Trickster (despite being 100% okay for them to just say he’s annoying/they don’t like his tights/acrobats are stupid) reference. James is, suddenly, very abruptly, a homophobe. Like an “ew don’t touch me” level homophobe because I’m pretty sure DC snorts cocaine and threw a dart at a board for “how could they make these two fight” and landed on GAY RIGHTS IS TRENDING. 

BUTSTILL IN THE FUCKING END OF ALL OF THIS?After so many issues of James being a complete fuckass prick? 

springboards himself from his current job of being railroad face putty to catching bullets to make sure Piper wasn’t gonna die. Without knowing the proceedings of this entire plotline, James out of nowhere after so much gaybashing, still finds it in him to leap into the path of multiple bullets and save Piper. Because, yknow, he’s evil!

Later it’s shown he’s been working to take everyone down (y’know, like when he was in the FBI) and left Piper specific helpful notes to do it himself. Because Evil Bad Guy! Helping his gone-good friend! Take down bad guys! 

DC I STILL HAVE SO MANY GODDMAN QUESTOINgsd

But yeah that’s. That’s where we last saw James. in 2007, dead, after saving Piper when he could have easily pulled a Joker and ripped HIM down to take hte bullets and etcetc, y’know. Something a Very Bad Person would’ve done, like the characterization we’ve seen now. 

His ghost (easily argued as Piper’s own mental construction of James sassing him) sasses Hartley to even, in his mental state, saw off James’s hand so Piper doesn’t have to lug his weight around and has a fighting chance at living. And in the end, when Piper’s fighting the thing that can destroy the fucking world, it’s shown only Piper was the one who could save them? Because his flute, and his musical ability, and [enter DC comic science here]. You could argue this was James, once again, somehow knowing the long-con at play here, getting screwed over at EVERY turn, and sacrificing himself so they ‘good’ team had a fighting chance.You could also argue this is me losing my mind trying to make sense of the things they made James do. (my running argument is he was purposely a prick to push Piper away, so he could keep him safe) 

Also Piper plays James a Swan Song of Queen as the final boss explodes and he’s fully prepared to die. So like. There’s that. 

AND THATS BASICALLY THE COMICS? The main, ‘canon timeline’ comics. I’m missing a LOT of little things here and there, but I’m not missing anything like body counts, or murder attempts, beyond the old Silver Age “Bad guy of the week” things like trying to make Flash’s head explode, or you know. Other “nobody really has a personality, we just have quirks”. 

MY NUMBER ONE GUESS TO WHERE THIS NEW PERSONALITY TREND COMES FROM?

Mark Hamil|’s OG run as him in the old live action show. That characterization was fun, for the time, and I even enjoyed it cause it was just that off the wall and you could tell it was what they used to decide he should be the Joker for the BATS Joker. Consider it a prototype (combined with all the previous comic jokers but that’s not for this long ass post) 

And if it’d stayed there, that’d be it! That’s it! But then JLU came along, and they referenced the old show for their version of James with a sprinkling of early-era comics, and a lot of people loved and watched that show. That was their version of the Trickster, because it was their first meeting with him! And I can’t fault that! But that guy was clearly off his rocker and I’m sure if the JLU allowed a higher rating, it would’ve been even closer to the old TV show. 

And both of THOSE were heavily, heavily referenced for the CW version, which as I’m at this point now means I need to slap my usual anti-CW tag onto things. I hate the CW James. There is so little comic in him it’s almost disgusting, and they ramped up so much of the Joker side of JLU & OGTV he might as well just be the Joker. It’s not a good representation of him at all. I have, also, only seen his first appearance episode, so maybe I’m wrong? But when you fuck up hard on the first run, why would I return for round 2? 

So with ALL THIS– 

REBOOT TIME. Whatever the newnew remake is calling itself. 

At first! With how James was! In the first panel flash of him clearly behind the scenes tugging so many wires and lines, watching everything with a bucket of popcorn while pulling others to his side, sitting pretty in an old museum? warehouse? highlighted in purples and vintage toys, I was like “holy shit this it. This is My Boy, back from the goddamn limbo-dead. It’s him.” But then“taking over the city entirely” to do? What? Turn it into the world’s biggest Trickster themepark? Make everyone wear striped leggings and combat boots? Martial Law of murder if you don’t carry rubber chickens? This is already veering from anything major James has ever done. As it stands I can’t see the gag here. Its’ weirdly dark and edgy, and way too close to something we saw the 90s TV show Trickster do, in the episode where he basically took over the place. The previews show him being what I’m assuming a Judge, Jury, & Executioner joke– and unless this spins into a Clopin song and dance number and his little hand puppet crops up to slam the button on the guillotine, I’m not having it, DC. 

They’re trying to tie him back into the CW, despite the writer saying he really enjoyed the Neron-era things with James (if I’m remembering the interview correctly). And it’s also why you may see me constantly saying “Well I sure as fuck hope Neron shows up” at anything new that’s released, to explain away all of… this.

This isn’t him. If they wanted a murderous Trickster, they should’ve just used Axel. The kid, canonly, tied explosives to stray dogs and homeless people. AXEL is the not-good Trickster, the murderous Trickster, the one you aren’t suppose to feel sorry for beyond being in way over his head due to his young age. 

i think I somehow didn’t answer your question

TL;DR

it sucks? it’s also great because there’s a .5% chance that maybe they’ll do it right and won’t reference the fucking 90s noncomic media. But then they do. And all I can do is laugh and shrug like ‘welp I expected nothing’. But when they get it RIGHT it’s like christmas came early.