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raven-at-the-writing-desk · 2 months ago

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i cant really tell if yuu's involvement in ace's character is more for fanservice reasons or because they really did play a part in his character development.

like in nbc we have malleus choosing to focus on finishing the task at hand as quickly as possible so that they can then find the prefect rather than drop everything there at that moment and prioritizing finding yuu. (iirc) and compared to that we have ace who does put a lot of emphasis on finding yuu especially when no one seems to remember it during the halloween event it feels very traditionally fanservice-y ? and i cant really tell where the line is drawn for ace anymore. and you did mention a lot of other points in another post that you made esp with ace's dream recently dropping and the fact that hes the only guy whos dream yuu was actively involved in idk its a little confusing for me i hope im making sense TT no shade to the shippers im just a little slow in comprehending it all bvbvsjdj

your posts are always really neutral and accurate it just helps to clear up a lot of my confusions and questions i have when playing so thank you for your hard work!

[Referencing this post; you might also find this related post useful in the discussion of Ace and Yuu's relationship!]

DISCLAIMER: I do not mean to invalidate or detract from Ace x Yuu or Malleus x Yuu shippers or anyone who may interpret their relationship as romantic. You should ship what you like and have fun doing it. My reply aims to be more objective, but that should NOT impede on your enjoyment or whatever it is you choose to ship.

iufipaerasfeao Thank you for the feedback! I'm glad you find my posts helpful. I try my best to be objective when it comes to analyzing the story and characters, but there's no true way for someone to be completely neutral. There are definitely times when I have an aside to insert my two cents on a situation or I get super heated about a particular topic. Hopefully I still leave enough space for everyone to come to their own conclusions.

I think it's both fanservice and because Yuu actually plays a big part in Ace's character development? Like, it's technically fanservice but it does not feel egregious because it fits Ace’s teasing nature and Ace's bond with Yuu has been established from the start. He was the first student we met at NRC and we spend so much time with him since then; there's no way Yuu wouldn't have had an impact on him, especially when book 7 is now paralleling the two as people with insecurities about being weak/unable to do anything + not contributing enough and Yuu encouraging him when he finally gets his UM.

I commonly see people joking about Malleus having "missed the meeting about Twst not being a dating sim" and holding him up as "the main love interest". (And to be clear, Twst isn't a dating sim, nor do all Twst fans see the characters romantically; I am only speaking about this in a romantic lens in the context of this post.) However, I think there's a very strong case to be made for Ace as well. The thing is, I also feel that Malleus and Ace fundamentally appeal to two different groups of yumejoshi. Malleus is the tall, dark, and mysterious type you can "fix", the type of guy that would burn the world down for you. Ace is the teasing and approachable boy-next-door that has your back and supports you even when the entire world is against you. This is also evident in the ways they're set up in the main story; Malleus is introduced in a way that encourages much more "filling in of the gaps" due to how little he actually shows up in front of Yuu in the main story. It gives the player a lot of space to imagine what their relationship with him is like because there isn't a ton of interactions in canon to go off of. Meanwhile, Ace has many more canonized interactions with Yuu (eating lunch, doing homework, watching movies, playing video games, etc.), so the effort of thinking about what they actually do over the course of their relationship is already done for you. There is an established friendship and connection with Ace, but you barely see Malleus enough to truly have a strong impact on him or to change him. Does that make sense?

IADUPADF9A9FSBdb I do find it sort of funny that Malleus is basically like, "Oh, something unexpected happened (ie Yuu is missing). We'd better solve this." Not really showing much emotion about them being gone in Nightmare. (Malleus only gets annoyed when Leona begins to take charge; he is not mad at the fact that Yuu is gone.) Meanwhile Yuu is missing in Endless Halloween Night and Ace is the FIRST person to excuse himself to check Ramshackle for them.

If you consult the fandom and the fandom alone, you'd think the situation would be reversed. Edit: Malleus does have his moments of intimacy with Yuu (which I won’t be getting into here because then I fear this post would veer into shipping wars), but the English speaking Twst fandom has a VERY strong bias for Malleus x Yuu. Because of that, there is a tendency to misinterpret or misattribute every little thing that Malleus says and does to support the idea that "Yuu is his most important person". (For example, even though Malleus provides no reaction at all when Skully kisses the back of Yuu's hand, many Malleus fans claimed that he would be very jealous or would harm Skully for doing such a thing. In another Halloween event, Glorious Masquerade, people believed he was angry at Rollo for harming Yuu even though this was not the case; the event states that he was mad because the invitation he had been extended was a fake one.)

It is because of thinking like this that a lot of English speakers genuinely believed Malleus would OB in book 7 in a desperate attempt to prevent Yuu from returning to their original world. Misinterpretations, headcanons, misattributions, and personal projections were conflated with canon, leading to many people to believe that Malleus was closer with Yuu than they actually are. Instead, Malleus ended up OBing because he feared Lilia leaving and he barely even considers Yuu after he OBs. And, ironically, Ace is the character whose dream prominently features Yuu and a scenario in which Yuu doesn't have to leave them forever. It was always Ace that we had a strong relationship with, not Malleus.

Ace is often overlooked even though he has far more canon interactions with Yuu in the main story. I think this could maybe to chalked up to a combination of him being "boring" compared to the literal DARK FAE OP CROWN PRINCE M. Draconia over there and the fact that so many of those "gaps" are already filled by the main story. There's less room for imagination because the game has already defined what Ace and Yuu's relationship entails. Malleus is just so much more appealing when it comes to intrigue and mysteriousness. When you look at it objectively though... Yuu only meets Malleus face-to-face like 5-6 times for brief conversations. (Edit: I’m not counting voice lines because those are arguably directed at the player, not Yuu, to endear the character to you and/or all characters get similar voice line fanservice. The canonicity is questionable since the same familiarity in voice lines is not carried over to the main story.) 5-6 times… That's not nearly long enough to make a huge impact or change in his life (unless you as the player extrapolate and imagine more Malleus and Yuu interactions outside of the ones we see in the main story). At best, I think you could say Malleus is glad he can have a special little friend who doesn't know of his name and status? He doesn't really change because of that relationship though. Malleus doesn't even show up until book 2. But Ace has literally been there since the beginning, canonically spends tons of his free time with Yuu, and has been through several near-life experiences with them (several OBs). He has the chance to bond with Yuu. Malleus does not. (He has given Yuu advice once, sent them a card once, and reassembled a stage for them once; all other interactions in the main story are short talks.)

It makes a lot of sense that Ace would be the one "touched" by Yuu's influence, whether you see it as romantic or platonic. Both he and Malleus (and all the other characters, really) get their moments of fanservice--but very few characters' development is directly impacted by Yuu's presence. Yuu might be there for most of the main story, but they actually get only a few moments to engage with the other boys in the cast to the point of actually changing them. It feels like the changes that occur are more often the result of the other boys (Trey standing up to Riddle and holding his hand afterwards, Epel and Deuce bonding on the beach, the twins telling Azul he's lame but also being the first to check up on him following the OB, Idia finalizing his farewells with Ortho, etc.) Ace just so happens to be an exception to that, as Yuu very clearly plays a big role in his development.

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endlesslyhyperfixating · 2 months ago

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Every time people try to pretend there’s no existence of racial bias in the way Sydcarmy is dismissed, an angel loses their wings.

You know what’s exhausting? Watching people bend over backward to insist that there are no racist or misogynoir undertones to the way Sydcarmy gets dismissed as a valid ship—let’s just be real for a second.

I understand people who don't ship it or believe in the ship because they prefer to take the show at face value, focus on different dynamics, or interpret relationships in other ways. However, the people who deny any validity to believing their relationship is more than meets the eye? That needs to be addressed.

People will swear up and down that their issue isn’t with Sydney, that they love her, and that they "just think Carmy should go to therapy first"—but then in the same breath, you'll catch them romanticizing the hell out of his dynamic with Claire, a relationship that was unhealthy, regressive, and rooted in avoidance rather than growth. @yannaryartside covers the very strong existence of the Oedipus complex and the fulfillment of Carmy’s mommy issues through Claire’s behavior and manipulation in their relationship, and I agree wholeheartedly.

Let’s talk about the “Carmen needs therapy before a girlfriend” argument. Let’s be real—Carmy needed therapy when he was with Claire too, but nobody seemed to mind that. In fact, everyone around him—Richie, the Faks, even the audience—enabled this idea of Claire as a “good” thing for him, as if she wasn’t feeding into his worst tendencies. And the most infuriating part? Claire was, in fact, manipulative. (Again, covered by @yannaryartside .)

She didn’t do it in an overt, villainous way but used **soft, socially acceptable manipulation**—the kind that gets ignored when it’s coming from a conventionally attractive, non-threatening, quirky white woman.

Claire’s Manipulation: The Softness of a Manic Pixie Dream Girl

People like to act like Claire was just a character who wasn’t well-written or worth the time for analysis, but that was the entire point of her: to feel underwhelming, to feel forced into place. In many ways this is true of course, she's under/not well-written in ways, and people think she was simply there, offering Carmy what she believed (and convinced him to believe) was love, when in reality, she inserted herself into his life in a way that preyed on his vulnerabilities and pre-existing issues.

And before anyone jumps in with "she didn’t do anything wrong!"—let’s actually look at how she operated.

- She sought him out when he wasn’t in a good place.

She made it a point to go out of her way to get his real number after being given a fake one. If course she uses that classic manipulative play it off as a joke move when she threatens him but not the best way to start. I know it's been said before, but can we imagine if the roles were reversed? Would we not think that creepy?

- She made it about her when he was struggling.

When Carmy tried to set a boundary, Claire framed it as him pulling away from her, rather than him dealing with his own issues. She encouraged his avoidance, gave him an easy escape from his problems, and then was surprised—and (validly) hurt—when reality came crashing down. Even when Carmy was harsh in breaking up with her, he was speaking from a place of truth for himself. To be with her, when he was so damaged and not really in a space of genuinely liking her, was bullshit.

- She used nostalgia as a tool.

Claire’s entire presence in Carmy’s life was based on a past version of him that no longer existed. Just as Carmy didn’t really see Claire, but rather a projected version of her shaped by his family (and a little bit of Sydney), Claire didn’t love him—she loved the idea of Carmy she had from childhood. And she expected him to fit back into that mold, to regress into a state where he could blow off work to hang out with her and forget his partnership with Sydney, someone he's meant to work with and has a responsibility to be with. That’s not love. That’s entitlement to a person’s growth—or lack thereof.

And yet, people ignore all this because Claire fits their idea of what a love interest should look like to them. She’s non-threatening, familiar, digestible. They don’t question why she feels right, - white - while Sydney—who actually challenges Carmy, who understands him in ways Claire never could—gets written off as “not romantic.”

Claire, for "clarity" or "peace" (ugh)—is simple. She's the painted picture of a woman who puts others before herself, the quirky manic pixie dream girl inching too close to the camera, sneaking her way into his life. People argue it feels like the same effect Sydney has on Carmy, but it's not the same at all. Claire is easy. For Carmy. He can fuck up, regress, and stay stagnant, and she’ll applaud him for it. "Never ever, ever apologize."

Sydney is the opposite. She calls him on his shit, and she sees him for who he really is. Sydney is the real peace for him (how many times do we need to bring up that damn panic attack, the table scene, and strange currencies? Thank you, @chefkids ).

Phew...

Moving on,

The Hypocrisy of the “Carmy Needs Therapy First" Argument

Back to the “Carmy needs therapy before a relationship” excuse—because wow, is that just selective. People only seem to apply it when Sydney is involved, not when Claire is around. It’s the most transparent double standard imaginable. I’ve seen one too many “I ship Carmy with therapy” memes, and I need to talk about it.😾.

When Carmy was with Claire, he was a mess—but people loved to romanticize it, acting like she was his “breath of fresh air,” even when she was just another distraction. Even he fell for it, tricking himself into believing the false sense of security she contrived for him.

When these people talk about Carmy and Sydney, suddenly it’s “he needs to work on himself first” as if the mere suggestion of them together is too high-stakes to even consider. It’s always “God forbid we have well-written female-male relationships without it being romantic.”

So we prefer shitty romantic relationships between the quirked-up white woman and our white male main character rather than the chemistry, character plot, and dynamic between Syd and Carm? Okay.

It’s not about Carmy’s emotional availability for these people. It’s about who people *want* to see him be available for, and it's not Sydney.

Why Do People Feel So Pressed About Sydcarmy, Anyways?

If Sydney were white—let’s be honest—this wouldn’t even be a conversation. The dynamic is already there. The intimacy, the trust, the undeniable chemistry. Their relationship fits the mold of that slow-burn, work-obsessed partners-to-lovers trope better than any other ship that actually makes it to canon.

But instead, people act like EVEN speculating about it is ridiculous, like the idea of Carmy feeling something deeper for Sydney is somehow beyond the realm of possibility. They’ll call it “forced,” “delusional,” or “just not where the story is going”—as if every single element of storytelling isn’t deliberately crafted to suggest something simmering under the surface. Whether platonic or romantic, it's there. It’s genuine soulmate energy.

They pretend their dismissal of this ship has nothing to do with race, but race is an integral part of the ship because Sydney is a black woman.

It's almost like erasure in itself when they deny it's importance, as if there isn’t a long history of Black women in media being sidelined, desexualized, and treated as expendable when it comes to romance. Sydney isn’t “just a coworker.” She’s not “just his business partner.” She is one of the most important people in his career—and even his life—whether people want to admit it or not.

So yeah, maybe people need to interrogate *why* they can believe in Claire—a character who offered Carmy nothing but regression—but not Sydney, who actually represents something real.

Because if the reason is "Carmy's growth," you're bullshitting.

---

Tags

@fairestbeard @chefkids @thoughtfulchaos773 @yannaryartside

#the bear #the bear fx #the bear rants #the bear ramblings #tais ramblings #tais rants #sydcarmy #sydcarmy truther #sydney adamu #carmen berzatto #claire bear #claire bear disliker #rants

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contamination-zone · 3 months ago

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Just wanted to tell you that i love your Nightmare and Fresh headcanons and personalities ^_^

I love how your Nightmare is such a menace 😭, i dont necessarily enjoy when people make him dadmare (to each their own ofc), so seeing this nightmare is so reFRESHing! I love how you show us his thought process too, its seriously so interesting to see how he thinks

Your fresh too! He's such a silly goober

Seriously, chefs kiss

Thank youuu! X]]]

[Not ship] [Just, so much yammering under the cut]

I am also, ahh, not the most interested in dadmare... I prefer when he is genuinely cruel and an awful person, because I like when characters are just the worst :-][I do feel like I sand off many of the hard edges though, even still... bad habit of mine, to try and make them more palatable hehe]

Also a reason Nightmare is so interesting to me is as a tool to show more of Fresh's characterization off. Most of what I see with Fresh is either ignoring how morally grey he is, or characters helping him get "better." Nightmare though, I feel like he could really show off and feed into Fresh's worst habits.

Nightmare would do very little to make Fresh stop being so existentially terrified of death, I think he'd even feed into it or try to make it worse; its useful to him, it keeps Fresh close. Nightmare is powerful, and if Fresh is so scared all the time, it means it would want to have a strong ally to protect it.

Also the lack of regard for others/using others in self interest. Extremely self explanatory, I think they are just enjoying meals together X]

I also think Nightmare treats Fresh different to the rest of his gang; the gang is useful in what they can do For Nightmare, and only producers of negativity second. Fresh, however, would probably not be a very public ally to Nightmare, and wouldn't provide that sort of thing. His use is in his own suffering, and the suffering of the host he's inhibiting. Which means Nightmare cares less for using him in more practical ways, and more for just Keeping him.

This leads to Fresh getting more special treatment, almost akin to pampering HAHA. Nightmare needs to show that Fresh would have a better time With him than Away from him. He has to balance what he wants of the relationship with the fact that Fresh is liable to bolt if He's not providing enough to Fresh. [And I think escaping, fleeing, is one of Fresh's strong-suits.]

Also sorry gahaha, you had such lovely things to say about my nightmare interpretation, but I just went off about freshi and how he's affected by the relationship.

#fresh #fresh sans #fresh!sans #nightmare #nightmare sans #nightmare!sans #fresh & nightmare #utmv #undertale multiverse #puppydraws #puppy barks #puppyyips #ukuban #also I always smile when I see you in my notes... you have been following me for a while... recognizable face [pfp] :-]

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cloudinthesky444 · 3 months ago

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At this point, it’s clear that Sauron is in love with Galadriel, and he knows it’s not one-sided. In the show, the feelings and interactions between the protagonists (specifically Sauron and Galadriel) are portrayed metaphorically, and it’s obvious that the directors do this on purpose to avoid angering the lorebros who seem to get upset at the idea of shipping Sauron and Galadriel and call the show an insult to Tolkien 😱😱

But anyway, that’s not what I wanted to talk about. When you watch the show and see the interactions between Sauron and Galadriel, you find yourself wondering, in the midst of all this chaos, why it seems to work so well and yet always ends up falling apart. If it’s not Sauron who ruins it, then it’s Galadriel. You know what I mean? The answer is that they attract and repel each other, and if there weren’t so many feelings and suppressed anger involved—stemming not just from past events in their lives (like Galadriel’s grief over her brother’s death or Adar’s betrayal of Sauron, which we know truly hurt him)—these past emotions mixed with their current ones create a brutal phenomenon of confusion. On one hand, Sauron doesn’t understand why Galadriel constantly rejects him. He says things like, “I see you; I know what you desire,” because he does know—but he doesn’t get why, despite their similarities, Galadriel keeps pushing him away. In the show, this is framed as a logical decision, with Galadriel rejecting him because Sauron sees her as a mere tool. And yes, in part, that’s true, but it’s also not the whole story. For me, the Sauron in the show and his desire to “use” Galadriel comes from the same trust and companionship I explained in a previous post. Sauron’s thought process about Galadriel is: “Nothing is free. You used me to achieve your redemption, so why can’t I use you now?” This extremist mindset, combined with his attachment and devotion to Galadriel, ends up manifesting in a VERY toxic way. And yes, maybe Sauron manipulates Galadriel and always feels the need to do so, but unlike his other victims, he shows a “human” side with her. Most of the times he acts passive or even affectionate in Season 2, it’s because he wants something. He can’t help but associate his surroundings with Galadriel and with people in general—he doesn’t like being touched, and when he does it voluntarily, you can tell how fake it is and that he’s only doing it because it’s the most convenient moment. This behavior, in my interpretation, breaks with Galadriel. With her, he lets his guard down, which we see in the fight scene where Galadriel attacks him, and he looks genuinely surprised (I even made a meme of that scene, LOL).

Then he tells her, “My desire is not to harm you,” and he’s right—he doesn’t want to hurt Galadriel. He dodges her blows for a long time, and that’s not like him. He’s usually ruthless and enjoys killing his victims when they least expect it 💩🙏🏼

Anyway, he dodged Galadriel’s strikes and turned a deaf ear until she brought up a topic she should’ve never touched: Sauron’s feelings. And well, that wasn’t a good idea, because her rejection drove the man back into satanism 💀

In the end, something they both share is self-deception. This self-deception is very persistent in Sauron and opportunistically manifests in Galadriel. But unlike him, she eventually accepts the consequences of her decisions, while Sauron doesn’t care at all.This same self-deception is what’s leading young Galadriel to ruin. Her inability to acknowledge the feelings and desires she once had for Halbrand surfaced when she realized he was Sauron, mixing with past emotions and events (her brother’s death and her hatred for Sauron). These two things combined altered Galadriel’s mental state, leaving her just as affected as Sauron and, as a result, expressing her hatred by trying to impale him with a sword. The reason for this? She no longer saw Halbrand in him. To her, he was now a completely different person in both body and soul. That’s why she doesn’t hesitate to attack him.

This shocks Sauron because he believes she still sees him the same way, but she doesn’t. He’s like, “Why did you do that, bestie? It’s me!!” This stops briefly when she sees an image of Halbrand. She immediately calms down, lowers her sword, and becomes passive—but then realizes the truth and attacks him again.

And well, you know, it’s sad.

The two are so similar, but they can’t understand each other when they face off. It’s terrible when two people deceive themselves—it always ends in destruction. Maybe in another reality, things could have been different, but I doubt it. They met at difficult times in their lives, which later manifested in pain and suffering, causing them frustration and confusion. But I believe this is simply part of destiny, and everything happens for a reason. This whole confrontation only serves to forge the Sauron and Galadriel we see in the future. By the time this is over, I’ll be devastated.

#galadriel #saurondriel #haladriel #rings of power #rop #halbrand #sauron #the rings of power #trop #trop season 2 #trop season 1

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fullofwoe5321 · 2 months ago

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The most Addams-coded scene

I want to show something for you guys

I was rewatching some Weyler scenes (Yes, because I miss them) and this scene have so many interpretations, but one I love the most is how Addams -coded is:

I love how Tyler is giving us a full acting scene here, but at the same time, it seems legit. He was really afraid Wednesday would cut him off once for all. But for me this is ALSO the Hyde taking over the situation to keep it under his control.

But he didn't see that coming... me neither... lol

He couldn't even fake his reaction. It was genuine. RIGHT HERE AND THEN, I knew he was the one to match her freak. And he knew she was the love of his life.

His eyes remind me the eyes of adoration Gomez always had when he looked at Morticia on the movies - exactly when she is saying the most preposterous thing and he is turned-on (I'll be back on this topic in a minute!) like: Oh Tish!

And I haven't finished it yet... lol

As her last resort, she tried to show him he had no remorse for her actions and to see how he would react after finding out about her murderous tendencies. She probably thought he would go out and leave her there and their story would end. She has this kind of behaviour: she pulls and pushes people all the time. It's a defense mechanism because she is afraid of being rejected, doesn't believe anyone could love and accept her -except her family- and she needs to be in control. She does the same thing in their date.

BUT lol he was as kooky - sorry SPOOKY- as her!

LOOK AT THIS FACE! THIS MAN IS SMITTEN! He is finally admitting he liked her because she is as insane as him!

AND she liked what she's seen… The confession scene is not only about Tyler but it is also about Wednesday soften for another person who truly seemed to accept her. She decided to enjoy this feeling of being seen, wanted and accepted. Why not? AND Tyler shares the same feeling.

gifs by @tastethesetears

This is one of the biggest evidences how Tyler fits in the Addamses way of life, but haters are going to say I'm creating a fanfic. Well, I'm not. Because right after that scene, what does Wednesday do? SHE DANCES. SHE DANCES FOR HIM! She never breaks eye contact with him during the dancing and he is mesmerized by her. And there was a reference from the tango which Morticia and Gomez danced.

gif by @victoria-pedrettis

And I dare to say that this dance was a seduction one, or a mating dance as I've already read. And Tyler got turned-on as he should. He accepted her kooky way of flirting and he liked. He understood he was accepted by her even after this confession. She got even more interested after his confession.

He is biting his nails watching her dancing. Do you guys really think he was not aroused? He is 16! Minutes before, they have showed Enid cleaning Lucas' trousers because she spillt a drink on his lap. REALLY?

And let me tell you guys a little bit more: I'm 100% sure Wednesday and Tyler would have kissed if it was not for Eugene's attack. The scene, the lights, their eyes, "let's get physical!... And I would have loved! They would date a little bit or maybe she would find out sooner he was the Hyde. But it would have been fun!

The Addams is about acceptance. They teach us to accept people's difference and love for who they are with dark humour. Their priority is family and support. More than a romantic envision and ship for Tyler and Wednesday, they both could find in their prior stories a way to connect with each other: two fucked-up kids who were both judged and criticized by their past actions as they were loners. As we don't know why Tyler destroyed Xavier's mural (we assumed he was a bully and hated outcasts due to his anger issues, the fact Nevermore was the one propping up his hometown and father's neglect), Wednesday defended her brother from bullies.

Anyway, this confession scene is where the show hinted Wednesday and Tyler definitely accepted each other. A person who harbors a dangerous darker tendencies aligns with the Addams Family Universe. Tyler being the Hyde was not a coincidence.

#weyler #wyler #tyler galpin #wednesday x tyler #tyler x wednesday #wednesday addams #wednesday netflix #tyler and wednesday #tyler wednesday

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nimpnawakproduction · 2 years ago

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The ultimate reference sheets for all of Vash's outfits in Trigun maximum (with commentaries)

IT IS DONE. I'M FREE. Now I can forget all about Trimax and draw Trigun stampede designs only hahaha (just kidding I have things for Trimax on the stove).

Trigun bookclub was an awesome initiative, I loved the manga with my all heart and wanted to honor Nightow's designs ;w; I also wanted to help my fellow artists with references for Vash's clothes because DEAR GOD it's difficult to understand how the hell he dresses himself in the morning. I have a lot of fun dressing and undressing him like a barbie doll. My hyperfixation is completely healthy.

I put a "read more" section to avoid spoilers :) !

The July coat

The very first coat in Trigun chronology and the one he wores during the destruction of July ! There is not a lot of panels to take references but I tried to stay as close as possible to the manga. I don't know what number of prosthesis he had before but let name this one Prosthesis 1.

Scars map

Next, nakey Vash ! There's A LOT of changes between one panel to another. Scars changes places and forms panel to panel and the design evolved from the first chapters of Trigun, the time we see him naked as Eriks and his undressed state while he was a prisoner on the Ark. I drew the scars that appeared more than once or were in clean view in a panel (but really you can do like Nightow and draw as many scars as you want without thinking about consistency, this boy has been in a meat grinder)

After July underclothes

Or the jumpsuit that gave me grey hair. His suit does not make ANY sense, I don't know how the hell he dresses himself in the morning with this. My solution is that it's very long gloves and chaps strapped to a belt. The position and shapes of the belts changes IN EVERY PANEL. Same for his knee guards, sometimes they're here, sometime they cover his shins, sometimes they are tiny..... I gave up in the end and draw them as we see them in the very last panel he wears this suit. But damn he looks good in it.

Also in all of the 13 volumes, there is not a single panel with a clear view of his holster (I checked...) so here is my interpretation.

This is prosthesis n°2, the design is a little different from the first one so I guess Prosthesis 1 got destroyed (this happens a lot).

After July coat

The very first Trigun coat he wears in the manga ! Very simple, very basic, it gives him impossibly wide shoulders but Vash deserves it. The first one is worn Post July until Vash's confrontation against Brilliant Dynamite Neon. The second one is the state of his coat after the sandsteamer incident. He loses his prothesis after his fight against Monev the gale. He meets Wolfwood with only one arm and stays that way while he fights Knives for the first time.

Eriks

I took liberties with colors because there's no colored panels with Vash as Eriks. Yes I drew him without suspenders because he has them for like 5 panels and then Nightow drew him without them for the rest of Eriks arc so I made choices ;w;

I love the fact that Vash choose to wear tight jeans even in his casual outfits, this boy will not let his skin breath. This is now Prosthesis 3 ! It's way less advanced than the ones he wore in the rest of the manga, the other ones seem to replicate skin.

After his years as Eriks

And now the first Maximum coat, he wears it until the famous Yuri hospital arc! Finally an undersuit that makes sense, I love it, too bad Nightow-san decided that I had to suffer and changed it again to add BELTS EVERYWHERE. We only see his legs in this part of the manga so I gave him the same top because I can.

The tubes he has on his waist are filled with bullets, he can connect them to his prosthesis to have a mini machine gun.

We are now at Prosthesis 4 !

Hospitalization on the Home ship

The famous Yuri hospital phase! Vash definitely shared his wardrobe with Wolfwood, you can't tell me otherwise.

The first outfit still shows Prothesis 4 but he keeps it for like 5 minutes and lost it again against Nine-lives. I don't really know if the prothesis comes with the integrated glove or if there's synthetic skin under it but why would he keep the glove on if it's not intergrated?

The second pictures is the different outfits he wears during his convalescence. I took liberties with the colors, I drew this in like 10 minutes, everything seems easy when you don't have to draw BELTS. We are now on Prothesis 5 ! Nightow drew it as a regular arm so I guess Vash wears gloves on top of it??????

Back on the road in pursuit of Knives

He wears this one after his stay at Home, throughout the Dragon's nest ark and until his 2nd fight against Knives.

I liked the design of his jumpsuit until I looked closer at the panels and saw that the design change ON EVERY ONE OF THEM. Knee guard on only one knee? No kneeguards? Two??? WHO KNOWS ??? I tried to make it work but really go wild with this one, even the author does not know how his pant looks.

Still prosthesis 5, BUT UNTIL WHEN?

Prisoner on the Ark

THEY MASSACRED MY BOY. Did they even feed him at least in 7 months? Those pictures are the definition of the drenched kitty cat left under the rain. Give this man a blanket and a therapist.

Bye bye Prothesis 5 ! And see what I mean when I say that his outfit does not make sense????? It comes out in parts????

After his imprisonment on the Ark

The last suit in the manga! He keeps this coat until the end of the story. From this point, only his hair changes (or the color of his coat).

I adore the little angel wing symbol on his left arm, such a cute addition. Too bad it appears in one of the most traumatic event of his life.

Speaking of his jumpsuit...The return of belts.... But at least this outfit stays relatively coherent except for his kneeguards who appear and disappear panel from panel but most of the time he doesn't have any, so no kneeguard it is. Prosthesis 6 hello !

Final battle and end of the story

It hurted to drew those outfits ;w; And working on the design of his coat when he fights Legato made me realize where Orange studio took inspiration to chose the colors for Vash's coat in the final episode of Stampede ! Great job ! I tried to color the same effects as one of the illustrations showing dark Vash but I'm not really good with colors..... He actually radiates energy but with some purple undertones, I took some liberties because those are my drawings I do what I want.

I'm not sure at 100% that he has a tuft of blond hair left when his outfit turns black but his hair is all black at the end of the fight. His prosthesis is destroyed at the end of the fight. He got another one in the final chapter. So 7 prosthesis throughout the story!

#play with vash like a barbie doll #I love reference sheets #took years to do but it helps so much when drawing comics #or writing fics #how the hell do you expect me to show him undress if I don't know how his clothes work #anyway enjoy #vash the stampede #vash #trigun #trigun maximum #a's art

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rubberduckyrye · 1 year ago

Text

Okay in all seriousness. There's something that I REALLY want to talk about as an open discussion with the fandom, but. This is not going to be a very nice thing to hear/talk about.

It's about how Gonta is treated by the fandom.

As a fan of all the V3 characters now, and as someone who has always been a fan of Gonta, and as someone who has many mental disabilities and two diagnosed neurodivergancies... I'm tired of playing nice about it.

You all need to stop being ableist towards Gonta.

I've mentioned in the past that I don't like shitting on personal interpretations. I don't like saying something is or is not canon because narration is just a big web of text that you try to decipher with your own personal biases, experiences, and thoughts. That's why two literary analysts analyzing the same text with the same literary criticism rules can come to wildly different conclusions--why people develop different headcanons from the same canonical information.

But one of the things that challenged my integrity is just how many people view Gonta as this innocent, naive, ignorant, baby boy who can do no harm/never has a complicated/dirty/violent/sexual thought in his life ever.

This incredibly ableist interpretation of the character bothered me for, well, obvious reasons (See: It's fucking ableist, need I say more?) but I never challenged it as harshly as I am now because to be frank, it's not my place to tell people how to HC a character. It still isn't. But I've pretty much given up on my integrity on the subject and have decided to go all in on discussing why this interpretation of Gonta is just. Really bad.

First of all, not to promote my own analyses here or anything, but I think this analysis I did of Gonta explains a LOT in regards to the ableism the cast gives him in canon. I also think that this subtle ableism is why the fandom is so bad with Gonta's characterization in headcanons and fanfic--because they've seen how the cast treats him, and they think it's normal. They don't see the microaggressions, they don't see the subtle ableism in the cast--they just see this big giant idiot who speaks like Tarzan in the English version (which... I don't actually know why people assume Tarzan (Thinking of Disney's version) is stupid. Like as a boy he had to reinvent the spear with no one to guide him on how to do it. He was able to strategize and outsmart "civilized" men in the final showdown. Still I digress) and don't see the literal genius behind his social awkwardness.

There is also another very important point I'm going to make in addition to this, and it's going to be very uncomfortable to Gonta fans who insist he's nothing but a sweet baby who only has pure thoughts. Especially to the fans who insist he "can't be sexual" or think it's weird to ship him with his peers.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but... Gonta blatantly has sexual desire and gets horny right in canon.

This is further clarified here:

It wasn't a matter of Gonta didn't want to touch her because touching someone in their underwear was inappropriate, or being flustered because she was in her underwear which is inappropriate...

It was literally a "weird feeling" that made him unable to approach her or touch her. A "weird feeling" that Miu makes pretty obvious as to what it was--sexual arousal.

He literally was sexually attracted to and felt sexual arousal from looking at Miu in her underwear. He had sexual feelings and thoughts about Miu. Why?

Because Gonta is a young man.

Gonta is a brilliant, talented young man who has normal human thoughts for someone his age--sexual desires, upsetting thoughts, complicated thoughts, ectect. He is not a child, he is not mentally stunted (I've been informed that people have literally said this on Ao3 for the NSFW Gonta fics, please for the love of god stop that)

I think the reason why Gonta fans typically want to keep him as a "pure baby child who can do no wrong" is because treating him like the young adult that he is makes it harder for them to justify Chapter 4. Every time I've seen a Gonta fan that hates Kokichi, it's always followed by the sentiment of "Kokichi manipulated and abused Gonta into killing Miu, so it's all Kokichi's fault." They're afraid of nuance and liking a character with the grey morality of genuinely thinking Mercy Killing the cast is a viable option, because it challenges their own morals about the character they adore.

To those people who read this and are upset: You can and should like Gonta! Gonta is a magnificent character who showcases the subtle way microaggressions can manifest and hurt people, he's a good-hearted person and a literal genius, he cares deeply for his friends and loves everyone with upmost sincerity.

But.

You need to re-evaluate your stance on Gonta if you think he's a stupid, naive fool who Kokichi manipulated. You need to re-evaluate why you think those thoughts, why you think Gonta being shipped with anyone is "Kinda weird" or "has weird consent problems" or "give you the ick." You have to challenge yourself and ask yourself uncomfortable questions in regards to why you treat Gonta like a child when canon has proven otherwise, why you think he cannot have violent or sexual thoughts, why he can't think mercy killing his class is the only way to save them.

This isn't an attack on you--but understand that these specific takes on Gonta? They are ableist in nature. They belittle and dismiss him, they treat him like a child, an idiot who can't think for himself--and you have to come to terms with the fact that Gonta is a far more complex character with complicated thoughts and feelings who is a young adult. Not a child. A young adult.

So again, ask yourself this: Why are you treating this young adult like he's a toddler?

#Gonta Gokuhara #Miu Iruma #Kokichi Ouma #Danganronpa V3 #DRV3 #As an AuADHD individual who thinks Gonta is Autistic coded #do you understand how frustrating it is to see this shit #Do you understand how it feels to be infantized? To be told through the lens of a character “You're too stupid to be an adult”?#Worse yet is that I'm also constantly told that me being short and baby faced makes me “child coded.”#Do you understand how ableist this all is. Do you Understand?#Anyway that's one post down. Gonna go read a thing for Star #This does genuinely upset me though as an AuADHDer #Please stop. I am speaking on behalf of people like me--/Please fucking stop./#Tag Edit: Yes this is safe to RB and spread around #Please do RB this in fact

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atefingersdagger · 10 days ago

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This shouldn't have to be said, but here we go: Interacting, responding, or discussing others' take on media is fine. Even to say why you see it a different way. I think most people love to be open for discussion.

What isn't okay is being rude or practically harassing someone and insulting their level of intelligence or comprehension skills because you disagree with them over a piece of media. People aren't open for that. Leave constructive criticisms, tell your interpretations, and discuss differences in interpretations. Those are all fine. But being rude and hateful is not. Attitude like that is what makes fandom space very sour for people, and some stop interacting at all.

I've been seeing this a lot more recently now that Sunrise on the Reaping is out. It's very divisive. I have a lot of things I both love and hate about the book or things I just find unnecessary. However, I do not go and question the mental capacity of someone because they might like what I personally don't.

I've seen a lot of hate between ships in my lifetime, but even ones I don't like, I don't call others brain dead for enjoying them. I've also noticed much vitriol to those who ship Haymitch with anyone but Lenore Dove (primarily Hayffie and Haysilee), and I find that quite disappointing in this fandom. Disliking a ship is fine. Insulting the shippers as a whole, I think, is uncalled for.

Call me what you will because I dislike how Lenore Dove was written and what was done with her character (I like her, but not how she was utilized) or how I dislike many things with the novel. But I'd rather you explain to me why you like the novel, why you love Lenore Dove.

Explaining what you love about something could make me understand and have more depth with a character, even if I don't agree. However, I won't be inclined to listen to piss poor attitude or someone insulting anyone's level of intelligence or comprehension skills.

#the hunger games #hunger games #hayffie #haydove #haysilee #thg sotr #sotr #sunrise on the reaping #the hunger games trilogy #hunger games fandom

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startheskelaton · 4 months ago

Note

I'm not sure how Nightflyer and Soundblsster met Sparkplug, but I guess they met her at Earth.

So I'll do my interpretation of how Nightflyer and Soundblaster got on Earth.

Nightflyer was at the palace as usual, going to his berth after he finishes all work for the day he overhears from his sire's chambers about space bridge and how it can take someone to a different planet.

Interested, he begs and pleades Soundblaster to help him try the space bridge, which Soundblaster soon agrees with, using this as an opportunity to get rid of Nightflyer.

So they sneak out and go to the room where the space bridge is kept, and they eventually find it after a few miss ups at which room is it and knocking a few guards or less.

They tried using the space bridge, but it went wrong, and they both ended on the same planet called Earth. They ended up in different places, Nightflyer ended up in the same forest where Optimus first arrived and met Spike, and he's amazed by Earth's beauty while Soundblaster ended up in near fancy human city as he wondered where the living FRAG he ended up.

And that's pretty much it. You can tell me how they actually ended up

Also, I think Nightflyer and Soundblaster would love Earth and its culture.

Nightflyer like Optimus from idw comic and maaaaaaaybe Repunzel from Tangled would fall in love with Earth's beauty and its creatures and plants since he never saw that back Cybertron where everything's metal. To his, this would be a dream come true since, like you said, he's into mutants and plants.

Soundblaster wouldn't like it at first, but then he sees humanity's arts, creativity, literature, museums, and many more humanity has to offer. Like Nightflyer, this would be a dream come true to him, too, since he's into art and literature.

Bonus: Back on Cybertron, Starscream and Shockwave panicking where the living Primus where their sons went and screaming at anyone while Slipscream tries to eat her energon cereal.

Anyway i really love your ocs and I wish to know more about them. I really love how you have progressed the story so far. I love it.

Actually the real answer is a good bit different, however I love the story you made, It was vary fun to read!

This is how it really went down.

Shockwave chose Nightflyer in particular to be the one to go to earth undercover, he did this because he knew that Night was so loyal to his family, that he wouldn't change sides if need be (this would be proven right later). Nightflyer was absolutely mortified when he was told that he needed to go to earth, not because he didn't like earth, but because he would have to go alone to make the plan look believable. Also he would have to purposefully crash his ship on the planet... but the alone thing was more of priority for him.

He dose make it to earth and makes the ship crash, making it look like he desperately trying to escape from Cybertron. He would be found and taken to the Autobot base (after checking him for tracking devices) where he would be questioned and checked to see if his arrival would bring more enemies to the planet. He was kinda blacked out for a while (because of the crash) when he was sent to Ratchet's med bay to undergo an emergency check up. And who just happened to be the reluctant medical assistant on hand? Sparkplug. She really had to fight her dad in order to stay and help with the exam (she really wanted to be part of something exciting, and a random hot guy falling from space was definitely exciting).

They properly met during tryouts for being put on a mission team. Nightflyer passed well (however he needed to hide his full potential as to not tip off that he was part of the Cybertonian guard). Sparkplug on the other hand passed with shockingly flying colors for a bot her size, however was immediately turned away by Megatron (this is because Sparkplug has been training most of her life to be qualified for off base missions, however is shot down by her dad each time at the qualifying tests. Like her late father, she's not one to take rejection lying down, so she has trained for years and gone to every try out. Much to Megatron's dismay, this has only forced her to get stronger then she would have been if he had passed her earlier).

At first Sparkplug is kinda spiteful against Night simply because he was able to go on missions despite being so new to the autobots, however something makes her look at him differently... she notices he's lying. She has no idea what about but she can feel it, something about his story is too perfect, he's moving up the ranks too quickly and cold outer shell doesn't fit with someone who wanted to break away from his original faction. So when she finds him in the library one night, she corners him, and he breaks... but not fully. He reveals his true personality to her, but not his mission. He is vary genuin about how he feels trapped by having to mask all the time, that no one would take his seriously if he was himself, and how he genuinely felt oppressed by the "the strong rule the weak" mentality of the Decepticons. In return, Sparkplug opens up about her strange existence and confusing expectations people have for her. That she needs to be a replacement but not a copy, to have prime's kindness but none of Megatron's anger, love herself for being special but listen to everyone talk about how freaky her existence is. And after that night... Sparks start to fly between the two.

Soundblaster met Sparkplug in the middle of space.

Eventually the time comes and the seekers (slipstream and company) show up on earth and it's revealed that Nightflyer was a spy the whole time. And a dangerous one at that, actually able to go up against a good amount of the autoboots. This breaks Sparkplug's heart because she talked to Nightflyer a LOT, she had no idea if any of that was real or not. It didn't help his case when he immediately sided with his sister, going back to being a deception due to his loyalty to his family.

However during this shit show, who arrives but the DJD, taking advantage to the situation to try and take Sparkplug in order to make her a new Megatron. Seeking a chance to be praised by Shockwave, Soundblaster is able to grab Sparkplug admits the chaos (capturing the last remints of Optimus prime would be extremely useful in manipulating the public or just making a super weapon) . However due to a mix of Skywarp's powers fucking up along with Slipstream's (she has the same power's as Skywarp), Soundblaster and Sparkplug are warped halfway across the universe. This now forces our characters to try and find Spark before anyone else can.

When coming to, Sparkplug is absolutely livid at Soundblaster and immediately attacks him. But due to the situation, they reluctantly come to an agrement, get somewhere where they can get back to Cybertron or earth, then fight about it then. This forces the two to work with one another to try and make it to intergalactic space station without dying. During this time, Sound only communicates through mores code, never speaking once. However him and Sparkplug have a good amount of conversations, slowly opening up to one another. They really hit it off when Sparkplug is able to relate to Soundblaster, but admit that he defiantly had it worse then her (nightflyer on the other hand saw himself and Soundblaster as equally out cased despite the huge power discrepancy). She's able to see him for who he is, what he was supposed to be, and who he wants to be... and this makes Soundblaster throw away his loyalty to the decepticons and decide to be loyal to Sparkplug herself.

OH MY GOD this was a long post, I could go on but I need to stop myself before this becomes an essay.

#artists on tumblr #oc #transformers #tf #ask #ask blog #ask box #lore dump #one spark au #transformers au #transformers oc #tf sparkplug #sparkplug #nightflyer #tf nightflyer #soundblaster #tf soundblaster #long post #this was a really big lore dump I'm so sorry

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meomoicecr · 27 days ago

Text

Some Thoughts: On Maxwell's Self-Perception, His Dynamic with the Others, and the Unique Nature of His Relationship with Wilson

Still Wilson/Maxwell ship content! In this second piece, I want to discuss how the camp members view Maxwell who was a "sinner", the differences between their perspectives and Wilson's, and also examine Maxwell's attitude toward his own crimes—plus another reason why the dynamic between Wilson and Maxwell is one-of-a-kind! (Okay, honestly, there are many more reasons, but let’s tackle them one by one…)

This is a long read with heavy in-game quote references www—I’ve written a lot about my interpretation of Maxwell’s character, and this isn’t even all of it…

Now, onto the main topic! First, interactions between Don’t Starve characters are plentiful, and most of these amusing exchanges happen in their quotes—like Wigfrid hitting Wilson and Woodie with a backscratcher or the lightbulb joke between Wilson, Maxwell, and Wickerbottom.

This is also pretty adorable—Wilson handles Maxwell's shift assignments, even notifying him personally, and Maxwell still manages to get them wrong before cheekily blaming Wilson… Although Maxwell is older, Wilson talks to him like he's Maxwell's guardian, belike he's the one responsible for managing Maxwell's affairs (more on this later in the piece)."

I want to discuss how the camp members' perceptions of Maxwell have shifted—given that he was once the Shadow King, the main antagonist of the previous game / the mastermind who dragged everyone into the Constant to suffer, but is now reduced to a mortal forced to rely on them for survival. Even the narrator describes this situation as "awkward."

Although I really love Maxwell dearly, in my view—even if the reasons remain unclear (initially, it was said Maxwell dragged people in out of boredom for amusement, but later character profiles suggested he was forced, and the stage play's depiction of this was equally ambiguous; to this day, Klei hasn't filled in this plot hole)—Maxwell's act of pulling everyone into the Constant is unforgivable. This single action yanked multiple characters out of their original life trajectories, severing them from their families or careers. Not only that, it flung them from civilized society into a perilous wilderness. Any player who’s experienced the game knows just how dangerous the Constant is—clueless new players (mirroring the characters’ own first-time arrival) can only die and revive repeatedly, struggling in agony until Wilson finally ends it all.

So even if Maxwell technically fulfilled some characters’ wishes (like Wigfrid or Wendy) or provided refuge for those with no place in the real world (Willow or Webber), everyone still has every right to hate him. This is abundantly clear in the single-player game’s examination quotes for Maxwell’s statue and NPC—almost every character expresses disdain. It’s safe to say that if they aren’t seething with hatred, they at least hold deep resentment.

Examining Maxwell’s Statue ↓

Examining Maxwell NPC ↓

The unquoted examination lines are all emotionally neutral, but it’s clear most characters have nothing nice to say about him...

Here, we can also see that initially, Wilson viewed Maxwell with the same hostility and distaste as everyone else. But after the single-player campaign concluded and the timeline shifted to Don’t Starve Together, Wilson’s perception of Maxwell diverged sharply from the others’. The bond between Wilson and Maxwell is undeniably closer than Maxwell’s relationships with anyone else in camp. As the sole survivor to complete Adventure Mode (our boy did it with zero special abilities, mind you), Wilson witnessed every facet of Maxwell’s nature: the silver-tongued deceiver, the vicious tyrant, the panicked schemer, and—most terrifyingly—the merciless monster of the Darkness. Yet he also saw Maxwell at his most pitiful and broken in the Throne Room (Maxwell’s behavior in Adventure Mode is the perfect embodiment of the phrase ‘paper tiger’… all bluster and threats, but utterly powerless against his advancing pawn. )

I’ve already covered the Throne Room scene in my previous piece, so I won’t belabor it here! The key point is that after Wilson freed Maxwell from the throne and took him in, the two spent a significant period alone together—likely a long stretch, given that their first meeting was in autumn, and the finished Florid Postern features a Deerclops Eyeball. This confirms they survived at least one winter together. (Others have noted this before, but it’s crucial.) They lived, worked, and relied on each other, even defeating the seasonal boss as a team before proudly displaying its trophy as a centerpiece of their shared efforts.

And it’s worth noting that many mechanics in Don’t Starve Together—including newly added items or boss health pools—differ from Don’t Starve. Wilson was the last to arrive in the single-player timeline (evident from each character’s chronological entry) yet became the first player to conquer Adventure Mode and dethrone the former king. Meanwhile, Maxwell is the ex-King of Nightmare who created this world. Wilson’s survival skills are indisputable, and while Maxwell’s single-player examination quotes reveal this cat’s practical abilities are… lacking (to put it mildly), his theoretical knowledge of his own creations remains encyclopedic.

But in Don’t Starve Together, with Charlie now the Queen, everything changed. Wilson and Maxwell became the first duo to test multiplayer mechanics, spending at least one winter in a two-person world. This means they had to explore all the new systems and changes together: the first death, the first revival via Telltale Heart, the first death penalty, the first use of a Booster Shot to restore max health, the first discovery of revamped caves, the first realization that bosses had beefed-up health pools… The list goes on.

[Insert headcanon here] Let’s be real—the first to die was definitely Maxwell. This fragile old man has half Wilson’s health, meaning a lot of creatures can one-shot him. Early on, both would’ve been wary of each other (former enemies, after all), and Maxwell wouldn’t volunteer his vulnerabilities. So Wilson, unaware his companion’s real health, probably assumed Maxwell could tank a hit—after all, he’s survived worse—only to turn around and find the old bastard dead 🙏.

Wilson was stunned—suddenly stuck with a ghost companion while his PTSD from Maxwell’s disintegration flared, sending his sanity plummeting ↓↓↓. Maxwell’s death in the throne-room was the closest thing to true death the Constant had ever shown… Wilson had died and revived countless times . He’d watched slain Pigs respawn from houses, Spiders crawl back from nests, even seasonal bosses return year after year. In this world, nothing dies permanently—until Maxwell did.

Sure, it was terrifying, but part of Wilson must’ve assumed Maxwell would reappear too… except he didn’t. The old man was just gone, not a trace left. And he stayed dead for a while (…). Wilson remained on the throne, enduring Ragtime’s ear-grinding, then met Charlie, got dumped back into the Constant, and built a camp—all before Maxwell finally respawned. To Wilson, that interim was absolute death. He’d never seen anything like it! And that disintegration scene? Traumatically vivid, followed immediately by his own despair (throne bondage). So I think his PTSD is very justified…

In Don’t Starve, Wilson always revived via Touch Stones or Meat Effigies—or just reset the world. But with the new rules? He had no clue what death meant now. (‘What if Maxwell got yeeted to another dimension? What if I’m alone again?’) Turns out Maxwell just became a floaty ghost, watching Wilson spiral into madness while crafting a Telltale Heart (Maxwell, baffled: ‘Why’s he freaking out so hard? Since when do spider glands and blood resurrect people? Higgsbury, what kind of science is this?’).

Sanity in freefall, Wilson zombied through the steps and revived Maxwell—who, upon waking, saw Wilson fighting Shadow Creatures and assumed his ghostly presence was the cause (awkward!). Little did he know his own death was what traumatized the poor guy. Not that Wilson would ever admit it, of course.

(And this isn’t the rambling—the narrator said the same situatiion)

(Of course, we can't overlook moments like Maxwell instinctively trying to recognize a boss as "family" only to be yanked back by Wilson, or how—after dying once and becoming even frailer —Wilson invents a Rot-stuffed Booster Shot to inject him, sparking violent resistance from the old cat... All utterly adorable!)

In this environment, the two survived alone together, solving problems and relying on each other. Though their initial distrust ran deep (Maxwell, in particular, was guilt-ridden), their forced cooperation in isolation created the perfect setup for a classic enemies-to-friends(-to-lovers) arc via the good ol' suspension bridge effect. After all, in the wilderness, they were each other's only companionship—their lives literally in one another's hands... Over time, Wilson gradually realized the "evil old cat" was really just a deeply traumatized, prickly creature—not so irredeemable after all, and even growing tamer under his care...!

So by the time the portal was built and everyone gathered, the dynamic became... complicated. Wilson, as the sole Adventure Mode conqueror who'd seen Maxwell at his most broken and spent months alone with him, naturally understood him on a fundamentally different level. Meanwhile, to everyone else Maxwell remained the same smug demon who'd tricked them into this hellscape, watched them die countless times, and laughed at their suffering!! The Maxwell in Wilson's eyes and the Maxwell in theirs might as well have been two entirely different creatures!! (...)

↑This is also why examining Maxwell’s quotes reveals the pattern I mentioned earlier→ He’s visibly more relaxed around Wilson, but when he faces to others, he still reflexively puts on his "Kingly airs" or reverts to that "villainous gentleman" act from his King of Nightmare days—because he’s subconsciously performing the version of himself they expect. But Wilson? He’s seen Maxwell at his rawest: that numb, despairing, broken puppet on the throne. That was the one time Maxwell wasn’t masking himself—couldn’t mask himself—and Wilson was the sole witness. So around him, Maxwell drops the act, belike ‘You’ve already seen me at my worst—what’s the point of pretending now?’

(Yet even with Wilson, Maxwell can’t fully open up… Since his days as William Carter, he’s been the type to bury his true thoughts and circumstances—even from those closest to him, like his brother or Charlie. And this habit directly catalyzed nearly every tragedy in his life.)

Anyway, in the end, everyone still gathered together. You can bet the moment the deceived crew saw the mastermind himself standing right there, they were ready to tear Maxwell limb from limb—Maxwell himself was terrified, with only Wilson standing in the way. Neither side could understand the other, but ultimately Wilson went belike: ‘Look, regardless of anything else—this is my camp. I’m the host here. I’m providing shelter and food. I’m the one sharing my resources with all of you. So if only for my sake, let this man stay. As the one who defeated him, I’ll vouch for him now. He won’t—and can’t —hurt anyone again.’

(Okay, yes, this is peak fanfic cliché—but come on, it’s absolutely plausible, if not outright inevitable!! In Don’t Starve, everyone’s examination quotes for Maxwell’s NPC/statue drip with hatred. When reuniting in DST, they don’t get Wilson’s gradual reconciliation arc—just a group of victims suddenly face-to-face with this pathetically fragile old man…Without intervention, I genuinely can’t fathom how Maxwell wouldn’t get torn to pieces!!

Faced with this, Maxwell would of course put on his usual ‘unflappable tyrant’ act in front of the group—while internally panicking, utterly baffled by Wilson’s defense. All he can think is: ‘Another debt to him…’ (Just how many cat-rescues is this now?... Wilson’s favors are truly unrepayable!)

(And those habits they developed or experiences they shared during their time alone together—those private moments only the two of them would know, that deeper understanding of each other's quirks, flaws, routines, even preferences... A kind of irreplaceable bond forged in isolation. Solitude good! Solitude great!)

Getting back on track—compared to single-player, the group's perception of Maxwell in Don't Starve Together has shifted significantly (though Maxwell himself has also undergone major changes between versions, which is equally fascinating and deserves its own separate discussion). This contrast becomes especially clear when comparing how characters examine Maxwell's statue in single-player versus multiplayer.

Where single-player responses were overwhelmingly hostile, the Together version takes a noticeably different tone:

The tone has largely shifted to teasing and doting (…). Realistically speaking, regardless of what Maxwell might have done during this time to alter their perceptions of him, the change in everyone’s attitude toward him has improved so drastically—to the point of being almost perplexingly amicable—because, let’s not forget, his past actions did irrevocably alter all of their lives. That they could extend such forgiveness and acceptance only goes to show how extraordinarily kind-hearted and tolerant the people he’s encountered truly are. 🙏🙏🙏

(Okay, but also—let’s be real—this cat still doesn’t present himself well!! He’s daily rude, mischievous, complaining about everything, lazy, gluttonous, and just generally insufferable . Yet somehow, they all collectively picked up on his ‘tsundere’ act—that awkward, soft-hearted, easily bullied core beneath the bluster (Maxwell’s trying to play the villain, but his true nature keeps leaking through…).

And so, they genuinely dote on him now. They care for him, treat him as a friend and proper member of camp, consider his feelings, and even try to help him become better.

Even in his short anime video, when Maxwell gets knocked out avoiding the rook's attack (I can't believe it—he wasn't even hit by it, just jumped aside and fainted from the landing—how is anyone this clumsy?), not only do multiple people come looking for him, but when he wakes up, their gazes are full of relieved, warm smiles. The rook that attacked him lies shattered nearby. It's clear evidence they've genuinely come to care for him—really treating him as one of their own now.

And yet, Maxwell remains trapped in his spiral of self-loathing, seemingly oblivious to their kindness—still convinced everyone hates him, completely unaware of their doting affection.

(Examining the Glossamer Saddle ↓)

(Examining Pearl's Pearl ↓)

(Examining the Cracked Pearl ↓)

(↓Examining the Giblet. "Fowl" here is clearly a pun on "foul" - entirely derogatory in meaning.)

He only trusts himself—instinctively wary, convinced everyone around him is hostile, completely lacking any sense of security (though his behavior is understandable, it somehow makes him even more rabbit-like...)

So in truth, Maxwell acts all high-and-mighty like he looks down on everyone, but subconsciously, he places himself at the very bottom. He uses self-deprecating puns, feels utterly insecure, believes he’s unworthy of trust, and has alienated everyone he possibly could (which adds a self-destructive undercurrent to his ‘villain’ act). He reflexively assumes every glance directed his way is accusatory, leaving him no room to escape. All this proves that, in his eyes, he’s fundamentally different from the rest of the camp—while everyone else interacts as equals, he remains an outcast, a guilty aberration. To him, he’s long since forfeited any credibility or right to kindness, let alone belonging. Others’ hatred is just deserved—and the sole architect of this isolation? His own past sins. So really, he ‘deserves’ to be denied normal relationships.

(Let’s be real—the gap between Maxwell’s arrogant facade and his deeply insecure, self-loathing core is delicious … but truthfully, his psychological issues trace back to his magician days. After Charlie fled upon finding him, he’d hide in secret rooms tearing up his own posters (…). And yet, objectively speaking, everyone’s been remarkably patient and forgiving toward him! Given how unforgivable—and frankly, irreparable—his actions were, Maxwell’s guilt complex and Charlie’s outright hatred are probably the only normal reactions here!)

But Maxwell’s perspective isn’t entirely baseless. His quotes reveal a genuinely sensitive, observant side, with a thinking style skewed toward emotionality (somewhat like Wendy’s, though his niece clearly outclasses this dumb cat in both depth of thought and articulation—most of Maxwell’s reflections remain stubbornly emotional and self-centered).

He constantly anthropomorphizes animals around him, projecting his own emotions and circumstances onto all sorts of flora and fauna—seeing himself in them and spiraling into melancholy (depresso mode activated).

(The contrast with Wilson here is stark—he maintains a firm distinction between humans and animals. He might find creatures cute, but animals are animals: meant to be utilized to their fullest, alive or dead. I’d argue this stems from their professions: as a scientist, Wilson likely has medical training (he volunteered to amputate someone’s leg when he examine the Peg Leg, and his Victorian skins/Forge Mode literally depict him as a doctor) (Meaning he’d even chop off a healthy leg)).

—This inevitably made animal experimentation a routine part of his work. Even while showing them respect, daily operations involved euthanizing subjects post-experiment—to him, animals were indeed primarily utilitarian, a perspective only reinforced by survival in the Constant. Hence why this man can call a Koalefant adorable before immediately slaughtering it for meat (then praising its corpse as cute) (…) (He also called frogs cute—Wilson, what even is your aesthetic standard? Okay fine, does this mean perhaps he don't think Maxwell’s ugly?).When he examining Carrot Rats and Rabbits, he considers them lab animals (accurate given their experimental use), wants to capture the Rabbit King for experiments, gets ideas upon seeing Merms, and calls Carrot Rats 'excellent lab rats' or 'just sentient vegetables'. Meanwhile, as a magician, these small creatures were long-term companions in Maxwell’s performances, naturally fostering his habit of anthropomorphizing them. So we can see Max launches into full animal conversations, arguing with his rabbits and their 'entourage' despite their obvious incomprehension.

(Even Maxwell's quotes imply Simon the Rabbit King was a mischievous troublemaker who often ruined his performances - yet he still uses affectionate nicknames like 'scallywag'... Vibe check: that one aunt in YA novels who shrieks and tattles to parents when the protagonist's gang pranks her.)

He also constantly delivers similarly emotional, melancholic monologues—

So honestly, you can tell that compared to Wilson's mostly factual, objective expressions about his direct observations/descriptions of reality, Maxwell's thoughts are clearly more sensitive and emotionally influenced. He unconsciously projects emotional associations onto what he sees, and these reflections—colored by his own experiences and mental state—are usually negative (sigh... depresso).

Additionally, his careful use of pronouns reveals another thoughtful side of him—as others have noted, with WX-78 being a canonically genderless character, Maxwell even specifically uses "Mx." (the honorific for those who prefer not to specify gender) when addressing them. Maxwell is a man from the early 20th century. Even in that era, he still made sure to consider everyone's pronouns, ensuring they felt welcomed and unoffended—which shows that, when he wants to, he does put genuine effort into considering others (though granted, only if he feels like it... but he has done it).

But circling back—what do others really think of Maxwell? This becomes clearest in extreme scenarios, like when characters burn items/assault/kill. Below, I'll list all the reactions toward Maxwell from characters who experienced his reign—those who transitioned from DS to Together.

Honestly, it's clear everyone's being unusually lenient with Maxwell... When examining his pyromaniac version, Wickerbottom treats him like a misbehaving toddler needing placation. But their true feelings surface when checking his assault/murder variants—though usually restrained, they're no saints. None (Wilson and Webber excepted) can genuinely erase his past transgressions from memory, so some lingering tension inevitably persists. Maxwell's surely picked up on these subtle cues—that he remains the camp's perpetual outsider, that they're constantly monitoring him, gauging his threat potential, fully prepared to combine past grievances with new offenses should he misstep again (...). And considering he's still covertly exchanging messages with Charlie behind their backs... yeah, absolute forgiveness seems impossible at this point!)

Even when 'Bad Maxwell' gets examined by normally gentle souls like Wickerbottom and Warly, their verbal lashings are brutal—the fact he can provoke such ire from them is almost impressive...

Wurt's examination quotes reveal glimpses of their underlying stance:

LMAO, From the perspective of an indigenous child bystander the ultimate verbal gut-punch. Part of me pities him (well, self-inflicted misery, really).

Similarly, no one in camp would discuss Maxwell’s sins around the children, so Wurt’s remark must stem entirely from her own observations—if even a sensitive child perceives this, Maxwell himself can’t be oblivious.

From this, we derive two key points:

First, Maxwell possesses profound awareness of his past crimes and harbors genuine guilt. To him, any hatred or retaliation from the others is entirely justified. This isn’t just evident in his self-loathing quotes. During Adventure Mode’s finale in the Throne Room, if the player silences the ragtime record he’s endured for centuries, he whispers “Thank you.” But reactivating the music to torment him prompts: "I suppose I deserve that." ← This line alone crystallizes his stance. He believes he deserves retaliation, malice, false hope followed by cruelty. With the throne denying him death, the music is the sole means to inflict suffering—and he’d accept worse, internalizing it as his due. “I deserve that” fundamentally means he fully acknowledges his crimes, accepts any retribution from his victims andviews all suffering as rightful punishment.

(Thus, any act framed as “payback” would likely paralyze his resistance…)

And in the stage play, the King (Maxwell) delivers this soliloquy:

On the surface, this appears as Maxwell reflecting on his past greed, but in reality, his tragic fate wasn’t determined by ‘one more show or one less.’ Them had chosen him from the start—the moment he obtained the Codex Umbra, his destiny was sealed. Yet without it, William Carter would’ve been crushed in the train accident rather than saved by the Codex’s power—or stranded eternally in the Constant without the Throne, doomed to wander alone. Thus, his claim of ‘never sought the crown’ carries two implications: either guilt over dragging others into this mess (‘Let me suffer here alone’) or belief that his death/nonexistence from the start would’ve spared everyone.

—Hence his follow-up line: ‘What a terrible thought.’ Because it’s essentially suicidal ideation… The fact he entertained this is terrible! Maxwell’s persona radiates arrogance, selfishness, and egocentrism, yet beneath lies a man so consumed by guilt he’s imagined scenarios where the Codex never existed—or where he never existed. (Notice he fixates not on his fate without the throne, but the world’s… implying he wonders if others would’ve thrived without him.) (Seriously, Maxwell should get therapy. His psyche is uniquely catastrophic even by this camp’s standards)

Secondly, even if the other camp members still harbor resentment and distrust toward him—however well-concealed behind politeness and their own inherent kindness—Maxwell’s acute sensitivity allows him to detect the subtlest cues in their behavior. Inevitably, his mind spirals into negative interpretations, even when no malice is intended. His hyperawareness latches onto every flicker of displeasure or hostility, and like a form of self-flagellation, he obsessively dwells on them, sinking deeper into emotional turmoil. The guilt he feels toward others and the self-loathing he describes in his quotes truly leave him no escape—a phrase with dual meaning he’s forced to coexist daily with the living victims of his actions, even relying on them for survival, at the same time, he can’t evade the weight of his own culpability—these consequences are undeniably his to bear.

But Wilson is the exception. As evident from the earlier quotes, Wilson and Webber are the only two characters who transitioned from DS to Together—who lived through Maxwell’s reign yet never bring up his past misdeeds when examining ‘Antagonist Maxwell.’ Webber’s a child who doesn’t hold grudges, but Wilson’s silence is remarkable… He was one of Maxwell’s victim, enduring countless torments for no reason. Yet he’s also the one who defeated Maxwell, personally drawing a line under their feud. He’s seen Maxwell at his most broken, witnessed the shattered soul beneath that pristine suit. From the moment he handed Maxwell that meat skewer to this day, Wilson’s been consistent in his stance—as discussed last time, he refuses to dwell on the past, treating Maxwell with equality, respect, and ease. He’s the only one who’s given Maxwell a real chance to start over and interact normally. The past stays past. Even if Maxwell misbehaves now, Wilson judges each incident on its own merits—no dredging up old wounds. This attitude isn’t forgetfulness or full forgiveness, but conscious letting-go. And Wilson’s the only one positioned to do this. He defeated Maxwell, reversing their power dynamic, his ‘revenge’ was seizing control from Maxwell—suppressing him without cruelty.

Most crucially, he’s just a genuinely good man. Max suffered for decades—meeting Wilson was your one lucky break.jpg

This is why Wilson holds a unique place in Maxwell’s psyche. As noted previously, he’s the sole source of safety Maxwell��s felt in ages—the only one whose care and tolerance let him drop his guard. Like a spoiled old cat, he dares to bicker and banter freely with Wilson. In an environment where Maxwell feels trapped, Wilson’s presence alone doesn’t suffocate him. Because Wilson has moved on—even when Maxwell assaults, burns, or kills. Around him, the cat finally relaxes… and thus, dependency forms. That’s why we see Maxwell’s (seemingly prickly but actually) clingy antics: mimicking Wilson’s speaking, jumping into his conversations, obsessively name-dropping Wilson in quotes—as if proving to others, ‘See? I have someone this close too.’ (Adorable. Will analyze next time…)

To Wilson, who doesn’t overthink this It’s just: ‘Why’s my cat rubbing on me all the time? Fleas?

And let's be honest—Wilson attitude toward Maxwell is truly one-of-a-kind… Relaxed (.), or more accurately, compared to others, he doesn’t really take Maxwell all that seriously (okay fine), also remains unusually patient and tolerant with him.

First, we have to address Wilson’s examination quote for Assault Maxwell: ‘Seems you've gone from "dapper" to "slapper."’ Here, Wilson deploys a vicious pun—while ‘slap’ means to strike, ‘slapper’ as a noun is (…)

Is this teasing or flirting? And coming from someone as gentlemanly and polite as Wilson—just how close are you two behind closed doors to be tossing that word around in broad daylight?! (What’s next, Wilson whispering it during bedroom activities?? Mind the kids in camp!!)

The contrast with others’ reactions to Assault Maxwell is stark. Most tense up, expressing disappointment—‘Same old villain, what destruction will he wreak now?’ Only Wilson drops this aggressively suggestive pun (…). Even with Pyro Maxwell, he quips: ‘Maxwell's just asking to get roasted.’ Like… dude treats Maxwell’s crimes—assault, arson—as jokes (‘no big deal.jpg’). Problem is, this isn’t some random troublemaker but a felon with a rap sheet!! Why the blasé attitude?!

His Murderer Maxwell quote is eerily calm compared to others—angry yet composed. Even when faced with murder, ex-villain-boss edition, Wilson stays unshaken, fully in control… radiating absolute confidence in handling him. And why wouldn’t he? This is the man who single-handedly dethroned the Shadow King—current fragile-old-man Maxwell doesn’t stand a chance.

Compare this to how Maxwell panics when facing 'Murderous Wilson,' and invoking their truce agreement (…the fact he even remembers the truce)

↓ Maxwell’s examination quote for ‘Reviver Wilson’ is gold! This cat who’s normally too awkward to show affection—even with Wilson, whom he calls ‘acquaintance’ at most—actually mutters ‘a real pal’ here. Those ellipses… they carry the weight of genuine vulnerability…! (Alright, friendship meter: 100% unlocked)

So it all makes sense now—why Wilson handles assigning Maxwell’s tasks! He essentially functions as Maxwell’s de facto guardian in camp. During the initial gathering, Wilson was likely the one who vouched for Maxwell’s stay, so everyone naturally deferred to him, thinking, ‘If he’s willing to shield Maxwell and bear responsibility for him, let him manage the old man.’ The others don’t even know how to interact with Maxwell normally, so task delegation flows through Wilson—the only one fluent in ‘communicating with this creature.’ When Maxwell acts off, they report to Wilson first. Maxwell always claims he’s ‘built a wall between himself and the world,’ yet Wilson kicked a hole through it, dismantling their conflict while becoming Maxwell’s sole bridge to others. (Wilson’s motive for breaking in might as well have been: ‘Is this the way home? Wait, did I take a wrong turn—’)

On the other hand, Wilson can suppress Maxwell from every angle—he’s practically Maxwell’s natural counter. Even at Maxwell’s peak during his King of Nightmare era, wielding power beyond mortal comprehension, Wilson still overthrew him. Post-throne, the frail old man gets pinned to the ground without resistance. Conversely, Maxwell only feels at ease around Wilson. This cat needs Wilson’s oversight precisely because a guardian’s role is both restraint and protection.

I realize this piece has focused heavily on Maxwell—but honestly, his characterization is fascinatingly nuanced. At first glance, he appears to be that tired trope of the unlikable, stereotypical villain (an old white guy, no less), but deeper analysis reveals something far more complex. Even within DST's deliberately fragmented narrative, his backstory and in-game quotes paint him as a profoundly conflicted individual—simultaneously childish, stubborn, emotionally contradictory, and prone to melancholic spirals (...frequently, at that). Yet when contextualized with the game's lore, these traits aren't just shallow 'tsundere' quirks—they're the direct result of his traumatic experiences. That depth transforms him from a one-note antagonist into a genuinely textured character.

And so, even when we circle back to the fact that he's still ugly, still rude, and still morally dubious... it's impossible not to feel oddly fond of him. (And hey—if Higgsbury himself likely thinks the same way.)

Finally, a shoutout to my friend shippers! Many of these details emerged through collective lore-digging, which has been the real joy of analyzing this pairing. See you in the next essay!

#dst #maxwil #dst maxwell #maxwell carter #maxwell dst #dst wilson #wilson dst #wilson higgsbury

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