#i'm getting war flashbacks ���

[quartzslab]

vague wonderlust episode 23 spoilers i guess??

no no it's nice i just didn't expect troy's dad to be willy wonka

[animatedjen]

One thing I find jarring when playing Fallen Order and Survivor back-to-back, is how Cal goes from having very dark, coal grey eyes to bright green eyes in the span of five years. I’m curious to hear your thoughts on why Respawn made this change, and if you prefer one eye color over the other.

Love this question! There's a few things that impact the design changes between FO Cal and Survivor Cal.

The biggest change is how the two games handle their overall color. Cal's eyes have always been somewhat green, but Fallen Order's visual design is a muted color palette with darker shadows. That "look" fit the story Respawn was telling, and Cal spends much of FO exploring darker spaces like scrapyards, tombs, ice caves, and Imperial facilities. Very few of the game's cutscenes take place in well-lit spaces.

Cal's character design also includes a strong brow, and because of how Fallen Order renders light, his eyes are often in shadow. Add in stylized environmental lighting (the red tint of Dathomir, the blue-green of Zeffo tombs) and the iris quickly loses its green-gray tint.

Survivor has a more vibrant color palette and more complicated lighting, including how Cal's eyes catch and reflect light. More of the story takes place outdoors, and indoor spaces generally have more lighting. Also did I say vibrant?? Just look at how bright the SU poncho is compared to its (almost navy blue) FO counterpart.

Visual design is also influenced by time and technology: AAA games have changed a lot between 2019 and 2023, and the methods of rendering light/color/texture in real-time are growing exponentially.

Comparing a similar environment (the couch on on the Mantis) makes the color/lighting changes really obvious. It's easy to say new = better, and from a strictly technical standpoint that may be true, but I appreciate the thoughtfulness of Fallen Order's color and how the color stylization served the story. But that's probably a whole separate post.

TLDR; the design difference is likely a mix of technical advances and intentional color choices by Respawn's art teams. But I do like the bright green eyes! They look more green-blue in shadow and gold-green in direct sunlight, which is a neat effect.

[yuseirra]

Alien Stage Character Analysis- MIZI (after having read the new comic)

A Very Subjective Interpretation / Impression

I came across a new comic related to this series, and it seems like people are interpreting it in all kinds of ways. As a psych major and enthusiast, I found it really interesting!

I actually had to read it twice to start comprehending exactly what feelings this particular character may convey: here's my personal thoughts and interpretations on Mizi after having read this piece.

In short, what we thought of this character is not something that should be interpreted as a mere "facade" or "a lie" (it's simple enough to see, but I still think that should be brought up as starters.)

Rather, this is actually stemming from Mizi's self-depreciation that she couldn't be as sincere and helpful as she ever wanted to be. It's her desire for sincerity that's causing her these inner struggles and self-mockery.

(oh gosh though.. she reminds me so much of Ai from onk in such a sad way though, what is this trend of bright, cheery looking girls constantly doubting themselves or believing that what they shared with others were lies?? If you like that girl, you see so many things in common regarding what's happening in this particular comic)

Mizi seems to have had the feeling of: “I’m struggling too.”

she tried really, really hard to be that girl who everyone could love. and I think she wanted to be that way not just because she wanted to use others, she thought that was what she could give.

This doesn’t mean Mizi wasn’t pure—it’s actually the opposite. That kind of emotion does genuinely exist in her.

She can truly think things like “That kid who slapped me isn’t actually a bad person,” or “Being with Sua makes me so, so happy.” She really means those things. But there are multiple layers about her. It’s not that she’s being fake—many of her emotions are genuinely felt.

But they’re not coming from a place of being “simply” or “naively” pure.

Let me explain it like this:

Outer Layer (Expression / Facial Features / Outward Behavior): Appears bright, pure, openly expressive, and acts as if she doesn’t understand the full context.

First Inner Layer (Surface-Level Instinctive Psychology): Actually struggling. Stressed. Feels pressured to maintain that outer appearance. That’s why when Sua says, “You have it easy, huh?”(The original KR text for this is "편하지?" which means "you're in a comfortable situation, right." The English version translates this as "It must be nice."), Mizi instinctively slaps her in response. Because it isn't that way.

It was an immediate reflex, stemming from deep emotional pain—like “Sua, even you don’t understand me at all. I thought you would, if nobody else would.” That’s why right after hitting Sua, she’s shocked and cries while apologizing.

and then she begins to think she's "cunning"-

Because, underneath that is the second, deeper emotional layer: self-hate and guilt.

Thoughts like: “I’m not actually as innocent, pure, and all-loving as people think I am.” + “Did I just survive all this time by manipulating others?” These thoughts are intruding in her and getting reinforced the more people die, and she keeps surviving in the rounds.

She’s becoming harsher in her judgment of herself. The guilt and self-loathing are growing intense—especially because she couldn’t save Till.

In the comic, when she says to Till: “I love Sua the most. Is it that hard for you to stop liking me?”, that’s because Mizi truly cares for Till.

She’s saying: “I can’t love you back the way you want. I can’t give you what you hope for. So why do you still like me? Wouldn’t it be better if you didn’t?” This is her opening up. It means she trusts Till enough to show that side of herself and be more truthful about what she can or cannot do.

It’s like saying: “I’m not who you think I am. If you keep liking me, you’ll only be disappointed. Are you really okay with that?”

By choosing to have that honest conversation instead of pretending, she didn’t want to hurt Till. What shows here is that she really does consider Till a friend. Even if her feelings toward Sua and Till differ, Till is still precious to her. She’s saying this because she knows she can’t give Till what he wants.

But when Till responds with something like, “I just think you’re pretty. That’s why I like you…” —he probably meant it in a broader sense: not just her physical appearance, but the beauty he sees in her kindness, her heart.

A dissonance/disconnection between the two happens. Mizi, who was earlier slapped by a boy who liked her for being “pretty,” but got offended by her "pretending to be oblivious and clueless," hears this and interprets it the wrong way:

She thinks: “So even Till likes me because I’m ‘pretty’… That’s the only reason.” She can’t believe that she’s lovable for who she is, so the thought that probably hits her here is:

“Ah… I really am someone who can only survive this way.”

Because everyone expects that from her, and because she’s already become that person in their eyes.

If she were to suddenly show her honest self, it would break all of that. She’d lose her connection to the world.

What’s happening with Mizi is that she doesn’t believe that the genuinely pure and beautiful side of her (the one that shows up in her usual expressions and actions) actually exists within her. Because she feels so much guilt and self-hate.

And that is what she believes is her true self, “ THE TRUE FACE” as portrayed in the title of this comic.

That’s why Mizi now sees all her past actions as:

“I was pretending to be pure to survive. I used that fake purity to manipulate everyone.”

But the truth is—it’s not the whole picture.

At the deepest level (3rd internal layer, her core), Mizi really does want to love others, be bright, be honest.

Other people saw that in her—even more than she did herself and appreciated it, and that’s why they loved her.

The way she acted toward Sua, Ivan, Till, Hyuna—those were all genuine. She always wanted to help them. She earnestly hoped they’d all survive and live happily together with her.

But when things didn’t go that way, the guilt overwhelmed her. And now she believes everyone was fooled by the persona she “made up.” That she was evil and cunning. So now she blames herself.

But how others treated Mizi all along was a reflection of how Mizi treated them. Everyone—Ivan, Sua, Till, Hyuna—really cared for her. That’s because she did always love them sincerely, and that love came through.

Even if Mizi now thinks, “I had such awful thoughts. I was calculating and untrue…”, the other characters would probably look at her now and say: “Oh Mizi… You went through so much. It’s okay. We don't blame you.”

Her tendency to blame herself, feel guilty, and try to meet others’ expectations isn’t selfish. It comes from how deeply she cares about others.

She's really that girl who wants to say, “That kid who hit me wasn’t actually that bad…” That comes from her heart. That’s Mizi’s true kindness.

She really is a good person, with a beautiful heart.

If Mizi had lived an ordinary life, her outward appearance and core inner self would’ve been fully aligned.

But in this series, the situation is so extreme that extra emotional layers got added on top of all that

That doesn’t mean she lacks kindness or her usual cheery brightness.

You know those super cheerful moments in the previous videos or comics— the ones where Mizi looks carefree and innocent?

That is her true nature.

It’s just that, even while she looks that way, she’s also holding a lot of thoughts and feelings inside. It can happen at the same time. Whether consciously or unconsciously, she’s carried those burdens.

And if she had lived in a world where she didn’t have to carry them, those layers might never have formed.

That’s how I interpret it.

Oh, and that one picture where Mizi is smiling over the bodies of the other characters you can find in VIVINO'S youtube channel—

That’s displaying her inner self-hatred and despair.

If everyone else had survived, she would’ve been so much happier. But she survived alone in that horrible situation.

So now she thinks:

“I’m the only one who survived? Wow, look at you. Good job. You got what you wanted by using everyone else, didn’t you?” She’s turning that blame inward. She’s labeling herself as cruel.

It might be a kind of psychological defense or rationalization, but ultimately it’s because she’s suffering.

Of course she is…

If someone came back alive and told her:

“You didn’t survive because you were cunning. You survived because we loved you, just as much as you loved us.” Then I think Mizi could start to heal. But that hasn’t happened—so she can’t.

I really wonder what’ll happen to her...;

Mizi is someone who wants to be kind and deeply understanding.

Her ideals are high— she wants to love everyone, be good to everyone, to not feel hatred, give whatever she can. Her desires do lie in those kindness.

But because she can’t reach those ideals, she thinks she’s a bad person and blames herself. That's what's being portrayed in that particular comic. She's someone who's struggling to be kind and is currently devaluing herself from the mismatch between her ideals and her reality. She deserves to be happy, like everyone else in this series does. And forgive herself regarding what's happened at that, because what's happened is so far from her fault.

[sillyfudgemonkeys]

I need a series where Yangchen/Kuruk/Kyoshi/Roku/Aang/Korra (from their respected novels/shows, guess Kuruk is an outlier tho) and their companions all gather in Korra's timeline and just....react to things. TT0TT Like kfljask;dfla I mostly want it because I think Kyoshi's reactions would just be 90% "WhAT?!/*absolutely flabbergasted*"

Yangchen: Let's go to my island! Kuruk: I'm sorry Yangchen, I sank it Yangchen: How do you sink an island? Kuruk: ...........you forget to cherish- Yangchen: Why couldn't you have destroyed some of my statues instead? >_> Aang: How about we go to Kyoshi's Island? Kyoshi: ????? I have an island??? Why do I have an island??? Korra: Kyoshi, you made it. Kyoshi: ????!!!! What???! Aang: Well more like moved it Kyoshi: ???!! WHaT?! Roku: Though you did make the Kyoshi Warriors! Kyoshi: ???? I did??? Why??? Why that name??? Am I a narcissist???? Aang: *sigh* she also made the Dai Li.... Kyoshi: THE FUCK IS A DAI LI???? Aang: Secret security police for the Earth King. Kyoshi, a known criminal: I DID WHAT?! Roku: Should we tell her she lived to around 230? Kyoshi: HUH??????! Wait. no. That tracks. Kyoshi's companions: WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT TRACKS???? Aang: On second, let's just go to the Northern Air Temple. Yangchen: Oops, can't, I'm banned from going. Aang: ????! WHAT?! You're an Air Nomad, how do you get banned from an Air Temple???? How did YOU get banned, but NOT Kyoshi???? Kuruk: She got a tad bit silly. Roku: Oh let's go to Ma'inka island then! It's suppose to be amazing. Kyoshi, war flashbacks: FUCK NO! You can't make me go back there! Yangchen: Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm not welcome there either. They hate my guts. I kinda fucked them over. Aang: What is the matter with you two? Korra: Can we just find a place to chill out where Yangchen isn't banned, and Kyoshi isn't having a meltdown?

[mistressemmedi]

Lewis vs MV in the wet in BRAZIL

[tvckerwash]

plot points that should've been utilized in season two but weren't #432575890: the chembarons.

ignoring how awful the chembarons being taken out in a single music montage already is, I actually think it was a mistake for them to be taken out of the picture at all.

piltover's goal in season two, or act one of season two anyway, was to regain a semblance of order and reestablish control in the midst of the chaos left in the wake of the attack on the council and the continued chaos being perpetrated by jinx. as runeterra's version of the panama or suez canal, they are very valuable, and the entirety of act three in season one is establishing just how much trouble they could be in if they don't get a handle on the situation—which was one of the reasons why jayce made a deal with silco in the first place, as having some outside faction swoop in and take over because of their instability would be a problem for both piltover and zaun:

the chembarons are zaun's leaders/policing force/the guys keeping the place from falling into total anarchy, and as mentioned above an outside force coming in would be a major issue, so logically they should've played a key role in helping piltover hunt down jinx, if only for the sake of their profits. as a bonus, season one established that every single zaun faction we meet—silco’s guys, the barons, and the firelights—all hate jinx, and for good reason! so they have multiple reason to want her out of the picture.

it'd also been made clear in season one that piltover CAN'T control zaun, which is why the vote for independence happened, and with silco dead zaun is in the exact same position as piltover. working together is in their best, mutual interest, and that in of itself would be a major point of tension between the two—zaunites are pissed they're working with pilties, and piltovians are pissed they're working with trenchers. the situation would not be helped by jinx continuing to be jinx while evading capture, renni's attack, and warwick running around murdering people either btw. everything is on fire and the barons and the council are going "this is fine".

basically taking out the chembarons was a really, REALLY stupid move on multiple fronts, in and out of universe.

with the barons out of the way I want to take a moment to address ambessa and noxus, since the writers decided to make them the threat piltover and zaun came together over, which imo was also stupid. jinx being arrested should've been the finale of season two, and cait letting her go on the condition that she left piltover would've been a better ending than her sacrificing herself (because lbr having every suicidal character 'die' at the end is uh. definitely A ChoiceTM)

anyway, contrary to what the writers thought of her in season two, ambessa never had a desire to conquer piltover in season one, in fact it seemed to be the complete opposite—she wanted to take mel, whatever hextech weapons she could get jayce to make, and jump ship. a war between piltover and zaun was literally meant to be a diversion against the guy that killed kino (who I think could've been urgot but I guess we'll never know):

[vaguely-concerned]

I don't know what I love more, the fact that as rook you can make a statement in NO uncertain terms that you are NOT responsible one way or the other for the theological implications of the shit you're discovering in the 'regrets of the dread wolf' memories. not my jurisdiction. quite simply none of my business. not my chantry circus not my chantry monkeys. irrelevant to the matter at hand here we'll kill that god if we get to him he can get in line. or if the best thing about it is seeing the lone little 'lucanis approves' that pops up right after choosing it. corvid with a knife about to commit deicide keeping it real and sensibly, pragmatically, wilfully agnostic with me here in this magical lighthouse today

[piko-rose]

Every time I encounter a ship war with Sonic and Amy or Shadow, etc, I just smile to myself and believed that I'm the only smart shipper in the fandom because Sonic is bisexual and I'm the only person who knows that. 😎

[bornuntohimself]

reading row chapter 54 again (fork spotted in kitchen etc) and this part is genuinely so brutal. like. renarin lost his mother, who he was very close to, at a young age, and was treated pretty poorly by dalinar – his only remaining parent – for the majority of his childhood/teen years. and it clearly means so much to him to see how hard dalinar is trying now, how he's making a real concerted effort to get to know renarin and be a better father – imagine how devastating it must be to finally build a relationship with a previously neglectful parent and truly experience having a loving and attentive father for the first time in your life, only to find out that he was the one who killed your mother. how do you come to terms with the fact that your mother died a horrific, painful death and your father, who you're only now finally getting to know as a real parent, was the one who made it happen?

and even the language he uses to describe it is so telling: "she hadn't lived" and "odium had seen her killed" are both technically true statements, but they're also very passive. he's not acknowledging the actual core of the issue here, which is that dalinar is the one who killed her. it wasn't intentional and he was being influenced by the thrill, but ultimately, he still did it. of course renarin can't look that fact directly in the face; it's not just that he would lose his father, it's that he's finally learned what it's like to actually have his father for the first time in his life and if he truly acknowledges how angry he is about his mother's death he'd lose him again

[greyedian]

MAN I'm seriously so sad about season 2. Bc I wish act 2 had the same emotional impact on me as it appears to have on so many others. But rn I'm just somewhere between unable to care and actively annoyed by some of those writing decisions. Seriously the more I think about it the less I like it.

[crow-posting]

"I know [Osiris] feels guilt when he tells me that he stopped looking for me. But I am proud of him. He felt such sadness, and shame, for losing me. But he did not use those feelings to harm others."

Saint, I love you, but your boyfriend built a time machine that scared even the Drifter, and we're dealing with the reverberations of that up until now. Just because Osiris wasn't as obsessed as Maya for that particular venture* doesn't mean his feelings "didn't harm others," my guy.

*Osiris was just as obsessive as fellow Vex enthusiasts like Clovis and Maya and Asher, let's be real. Something about the Vex attracts obsessive personalities. 🤐

[fictionadventurer]

Sitting on my hands kicking my feet waiting to hear when you watch Skeleton Crew finale :333

I watched it!

It stuck the landing!

It did everything I wanted it to do (except technically one thing, but it was close enough so it counts) and didn't do anything I didn't want it to do!

What a good story! Maybe the Star Wars property that best captures the tone of the original Star Wars! Plus a great '80s kid's adventure!

[dootznbootz]

Hiiiiiii I just saw the character ask thing :))))

Can you tell me about your NOTP, random headcanon and unpopular opinion about Helen of Sparta?

Thank you so much!!!

I'll save the one that'll get me crucified last! 👍

Random headcanon: Both Odysseus and Penelope were given a "photographic memory" by Athena. When Athena had "forsaken" Odysseus it was taken away. Makes it nice because a lot of the more fucked up parts of the Odyssey are a bit more "fuzzy" for him. And he hates feeling "so out of sorts". He gets it back though.

Also Athena technically took Penelope under her "wing" like, one month before Odysseus.

Unpopular Helen Opinion: In MY FICS, (It's okay if you don't agree!) She is built like Rose Quartz from Steven Universe. She doesn't have a perfect "hourglass figure". She's got some pudge on her tummy. Girl is TALL (Demigod) and CHUBBY. One of the important components of Helen and Menelaus' relationship is that they are both strong enough to lift each other. Also she's the most beautiful woman in the world and chubby women are hot af lskdjf She also SUCKS at singing. She's good at wrestling and spear work. (Sparta. I also love athletic women. Plenty of chubby women are also athletic af. If you think otherwise, literally look up women's Olympic sports participants.)

Homies, know that my NOTP can be YOUR OTP and that's okay! We can still love each other and be friends! Ignore the rest if you just don't want to see that, but know that while it kind of will be in my fics, it's probably not in the way you want it to be.

Please don't hate me and know I don't hate you or think I'm "correct"!

It's OdyDio.

These are the reasons why so avoid them if you don't want to read that! :'D This is the only time I will ever be on the "Odysseus hate train" because he's such an asshole to Diomedes.

I feel so bad about it. 😭 I'm a freak who likes Odysseus/Menelaus (Big BROTP) I think it's because Odysseus is just... SO MEAN to Diomedes. And when he's not mean, he's just neutral. There is not really any "Diomedes, you're the best guy!". Especially when have Sthenelus and Diomedes saying I love you to each other To ME, they are like co-workers who work GREAT together on the battlefield and on missions, but never do anything outside of that.

When Diomedes asks for help, Odysseus sprints away from battle. When Diomedes compliments him before the night raid, Odysseus literally is like "Dude, you're not the only person who knows I'm good at stealing. Let's go."

Odysseus, that long-suffering, godlike man, replied: “Son of Tydeus, don’t over-praise me, or censure me. You’re speaking to the Argives,                           who know everything about me. Let’s go. Night is passing quickly. Dawn approaches. The stars have shifted forward. Most of the night                   has passed, two thirds of it, with one third left.”

(Ian Johnston, Book 10)

Odysseus is an asshole but he's still so mean to Diomedes! 😭 ESPECIALLY WHEN DIOMEDES IS SO FUCKING NICE TO ODYSSEUS!!! I know that's what probably makes them so compelling to so many lovely folks but I love fluff BECAUSE I'm so tired of toxic relationships irl. I don't...I don't see how I can make OdyDio fluffy 😥 With OdyDio, I feel like I'm watching my bestie (Diomedes) get back with their toxic ex who mistreats them (Odysseus). Diomedes is actually quite polite to the others. Even when Agamemnon scolds him, he tells Sthenelus to think nothing of it. He compliments Odysseus! He listens to the gods when they tell him "Hey stop fighting!" and listens to Athena! Like he's violent and a killing machine but he's respectful! He's a traumatized, respectful, killing machine! He bitches at Paris but everyone has done that! That's something everyone partakes in /j

It bothers me even more because when Odysseus is with Penelope, he's so wonderful and loving? And that the Odyssey, literally Odysseus' story/Epic, doesn't even really mention Diomedes? That goes to show how little Diomedes means to Odysseus.

And since Odysseus runs away from Diomedes when he asks for help, it boggles my mind that books earlier, he goes into a rage when his friend gets killed!

[...]but hit Leucus, a brave companion of Odysseus, in the groin,                                           as he was dragging Simoeisius away. His hands let go. He fell down on the corpse. Enraged at Leucus’ slaughter, Odysseus strode up, through the front ranks, armed in gleaming bronze. Going in close, he took his stand. Looking round, he hurled his glittering spear. As he threw, Trojans moved back, but the spear found a mark. It hit Democoön, Priam’s bastard son, who had come from Abydos, where he bred horses for their speed.                                    Angry for his friend, Odysseus speared him in the temple.

(Ian Johnston, Book 4)

Odysseus, you prick!!! You go on a rampage when your buddy gets killed but sprint away when your STILL ALIVE BUDDY asks you for help?! ASSHOLE

They ARE kind of friends/frenemies during the end of the war but it's a weird thing where Diomedes cares about Odysseus but Odysseus tolerates him. Like he left him to die. I love Odysseus. He's my special little guy but he treats Diomedes, another special little guy, like shit 😞

They also have a fairly large agegap, (Odysseus being one of the older kings while Diomedes is the youngest. If you bring up pederasty, you will be smited.) and have very little in common other than them both being Athena's pets. Odysseus is a fucked up lil warrior trickster who loves his wife and child more than life itself while Diomedes is a young child soldier boy who is incredibly duty bound and war is where he feels most comfortable.

Also just...Most of anything about OdyDio (fanart/fanfic/etc.) it's of them fighting or bickering or betraying each other or being very sexual. Even OdyPenDio STILL feels very "OdyDio... + Penelope in the footnotes". I already plan to write Odysseus (and Penelope) as Aspec CODED and so I...just really don't care for that??? There's barely ANYTHING of them being soft. BECAUSE THEM TWO TOGETHER just aren't soft... I personally don't like couples that are mean to each other 😭 (I'm not even including the whole "betrayal with the Pallidium" because it makes me sad to think about. I don't consider it canon.)

Menelaus though?

I have plans 😌 These two bring me comfort and are a special brotp

[mistressemmedi]

Me looking at the guy starting next to Lewis

[fruity-glitter-pen]

I can dislike and not support some creators from dsmp all I want but the year 1970 will be staining my memory till I die

[cedarw00div]

redeemed Gort au....He gets tadpoled instead of durge....hregrgrggrr...