#if someone is mean then say they're mean. if they have a martyr complex then say they have a martyr complex

[andersdotters]

Hi! I recently found your blogs, and can I just say how much I love your character analyses? Your portrayal of each character is always so in depth to the point where I can even picture them acting and speaking the same in game! I'm so impressed and I seriously don't know how you connect to each and every one of them so perfectly :O

If I may ask, what does your research and character profile process look like? As someone interested in writing, I hope to be as skilled as you with analysing characters (and writing plots and writing in general--) one day :) Any tips would be appreciated!

Thank you so much for all the hard work you do. I know I'll enjoy the story you come up with next!

Aww thank you so much!! Honestly sometimes I worry that my analyses won't be to everyone's tastes, so I'm very glad you think that they're good! I feel the same way about my writing because I know they're not the most romantic, so it's a relief to know you like it. ;v; <3 I have a lot to say about your questions though, so I'm going to put it under a readmore. It's an uh... infodump HAHA

When it comes to research, what it basically comes down to is reading everything. Read the character's lore, read their voice lines. Read what other characters have to say about them. Even talking to every NPC you see in the hopes that they'll talk about a character helps out a lot too HAHA. I also recommend going back to old events when doing research too. Reread them. Listen to the voice actor's portrayal of them. Read everything you can.

This is take three of trying to explain my character analysis process, but I'm going to give up and just explain to you the main logic that governs it. Basically what it boils down to is: we are not unique. Humans are not unique. What do I mean by this? People that are certain ways--for example, they have a low self-esteem, consistently overwork themselves, they want children when they get older, etc--they will typically share common characteristics. When you know the defining characteristics of each trait, you can potentially apply that trait to everyone you know that displays those characteristics.

For example, people that constantly overwork themselves typically have unhealthily high levels of perceived responsibility, typically with a self-deprecative trait that they don't deserve to be happy and rest. People that are very showy tend to care a lot about what people think of them. People that are extremely close to their families typically lose the ability to function properly without them.

If you know people that are like the examples above, you know that these observations are pretty accurate. And these examples represent pretty common types of people as well. Once you've seen one of them, you've seen them all. Nobody is unique. And because of that, you can apply these observations to characters because characters are meant to be human. Example one is Kaveh. Example two is Itto. And example 3 is Lyney. Now you've gotten a deeper dive into their psyche.

The way you become better at character analysis is by broadening your internal library of traits and their defining characteristics. This involves three steps: observation, drawing connections between observations, and fine tuning these connections by applying them to other people.

These steps are easy to understand, but let me go a bit more into step one. Observations come in two categories: physical observations and intuitive observations. Physical observations encompass things they physically do. Intuitive observations are larger statements that can't be tied to just a single physical observation. For example, physical observations may be that they don't go out much, they don't talk much in groups but do one-on-one, they wear bright colors, they're rude, etc. Intuitive observations are more: they seem to be uncomfortable around children, they act like they're scared to contact first, they're always on the move, etc.

The second step involves drawing lines between observations and trying to deduce meaning. For example, [they end their sentences using a rising intonation] + [they ask me my opinion a lot] = [this person cares about not sounding rude or unwelcoming]. Or, [they have a low self-esteem] + [they care about being seen as morally good] + [they engage in fandom] = [I probably should not tell this person I think Dottore and his penchant for human experimentation is hot].

Typically the logic goes: [physical observation] + [physical observation] = [intuitive observation]. [physical observation] + [intuitive observation] = [mid-tier intuitive observation]. [intuitive observation] + [intuitive observation] = [top tier intuitive observation].

But it does not end at step two. Step three basically tests to see if your observation from step two is valid or not. When you apply your observation from step two to a multitude of people, you're able to fine tune your observation to make it more generalized and more accurate. Maybe you realize that not everyone that ends their sentences in a rising intonation is necessarily polite, but it's more of a cultural thing. Maybe you see that having low self-esteem isn't always a symptom of having a high moral code. Test, revise, then test again. The higher the tier of your observation, the greater the chance it has of being wrong.

When I analyze characters, I go through my mental library and see which traits and characteristics I've catalogued before. And for things that don't have an exact match, I try to find ones that shares at least a few things in common that may follow the same logic. For example, I don't know anyone like Zhongli. However, I do have a friend that's very outgoing, but you can have a full on conversation with them and leave not knowing anything about them. Can I apply the logic of my friend to someone like Zhongli?

I will say this and I will say this again. People are not unique. Everyone is a copy of someone else in some way. When you treat the characters as if you were analysing any other normal human being, you can quite easily draw conclusions from what they have in common with people you know and have seen.

Anyway, this is so long I am so sorry. Hopefully I didn't completely bowl you over with information. OTL

[xxwish-bonexx]

Why were the kids in momma cq not in therapy?

Geno has a terminal illness and that fucks up full grown adults. Not to mention that he has some sort of martyr complex and puts others before himself all the time. Also, I'm sure anyone would need therapy after having to constantly break up fights between his brothers.

Error has severe anxiety and anger issues that make him hella violent and crash. Also, the scene where he punches Fresh down the stairs is crazy. I know he's like 9 in this comic, but that's old enough to understand that someone falling down the stairs doesn't mean they're okay, no matter how often Fresh is "always fine" as Error would say.

Fresh is very emotionally stunted and could use a therapist to at the very least try to help him understand why people act the way they do.

[neptunes-sol-angel]

ஓ๑ The Sphinx Gate ஓ๑

This is chapter three of my 'The Neverending Story' series. This is a pick a pile reading meant to reveal what doubt lingers inside you and what you should have more confidence in.

Paid Readings | Patreon | Tip Jar

Pile one Pile two

Pile three Pile four

✧ Pile one ✧

There's someone that has wronged you and you feel like they won't get their karma.  From the outside, it looks like they're being rewarded for their injustice. They could look they're thriving on social media and are surrounded by praise that they don't deserve, and this could anger you to the point where you want to take matters into your own hands. Regardless of if you don't worship a deity and practice a certain religion, you do somewhat have a belief that there's a higher power, and that karma is a thing that exists, but the doubt that lingers inside you is the misconception that you aren't worth avenging for in a higher power's eyes, that karma leaves victims behind, that you aren't loved and that your existence is a punishment, or that your spiritual team has no power to make things right. There's a feminine spirit that I'm picking up, could be a guide, ancestor, or deity, but most importantly, a confirmation that you are cared for, loved, and there isn't anything that they wouldn't do for you when it comes to your protection or guiding you to be your best self, but there's this plead from them, for you to have more trust that they are handling the situation, you may not like the timing, but they want you to understand that strings are definitely being pulled behind the scenes, and to not be fooled by what's superficial. They know how much this means to you, but they care more about how you see yourself, and to not walk around with the belief that no one cares about you. Even if it feels like it's hard to find a person on this earth to trust, start with your people, and know that you're loved immensely by them.

(Lorde - White Teeth Teens)

The situation could have robbed your passion to speak up for yourself, or even at least, write about what ails you, because you feel that what you say, won't matter. But the song that I channeled while interpreting your spread, there's this lyric that sticks out, "we got the glow in our mouths", there's so much light in speaking your truth, even if your story is too heavy or sunshine and rainbows for others, darkness can be a light too for the way it reveals. In general,

✧ Pile two ✧

There's doubt over seeing yourself as strong enough for your current battles. Strength is one of the most misconstrued concepts when it comes to our humanity. You could feel like you're not a strong person because you've "slipped" on the days where you couldn't stand still for much longer, but there's power in letting go, especially when it comes to crying. Feeling ashamed to release is because we've been taught that strength is about how much you can keep in. But if that's what you personally choose to define as strength, then please know that you do not have to be "strong" all of the time, and doesn't make you weak. Surrendering the armor, doesn't mean you can't win the war. We aren't meant to dodge and block everything that comes our way, because the art of being vulnerable is what allows for resilience to exist. Those of you in this pile should have more confidence in being human, than making yourselves a deity with the way you set self-sabotaging expectations for yourself, I'm specifically picking up a martyr complex that some of you may have a martyr complex, where you're sacrificing your comfort for the sake of being the bigger person or just the good person in general, but another thing about releasing in order to get the confidence that you need, is letting go of being silent for another person's peace, wanting everyone to see you a certain way will only take your power away and wave it over your head until you finally drop kick them to get it back.

✧ Pile three ✧

Right away, I'm picking up that there's doubt around how much your purpose and direction in life. I'm getting that people in this group feel like they have to tip toe around people when it comes to talking about your blessings or even about yourself in general in fear of offending someone, but this is wavering your confidence by feeling like you have to get permission from another person to exist. No way, if your wins and the positive things about you offends another person, let them sort out those issues on their own, but your path in life? No one can take that from you but yourself, in fact, you block your blessings by not allowing yourself to shine, don't be afraid to take up space, because we live in a world of scarcity due to people falling for the illusion of there not being enough room for all. This is also message about protection, if you've been in fear over someone cursing you in some way, whether directly or passively, let them seethe, because their insecurity, jealousy, hatred, is not your truth. This is also about showcasing your talents and taking interests in new hobbies, have more confidence in the art that you want to make, by letting go of how it could possibly make another person feel. Your potential is limitless only when you actually work towards it, don't hold yourself back from it by remaining stagnant. You also need to be more confident in your wins that materialize into your present, don't get caught up on how big or small they are, or the durability of them, that is one of the fastest ways to discouraging yourself and burnout. Your blessings aren't too good to be true, your skills aren't too good to be true, your purpose isn't too good to be true, and your presence isn't too good to be true-so why are you trying to minimize it?

✧ Pile four ✧

There's doubt over life and death. This pile could be doubting if they're learning anything or healing and there's also some doubt if there's even a point in learning lessons in life. For some of you, I'm picking up that you could be praying to someone who passed away (ancestor or a closer relative), but there's frustration over the possibility of not being heard or wondering if there's even an afterlife. I feel like this message is a confirmation that you are being listened to by them and they want you to speak to yourself as you talk to them when you pray (be nice and respectful)—don't diminish the progress that you make just because you don't you see your results yet, your healing is sincere because it was never supposed to be glitz and glamor, when it seems like moving on or your feelings are in a retrograde, that's still healing. When you make a mistake that breaks your streak, that's still healing. When you disengage with something that you usually react to, and vice versa, that's still healing. What you know now that you didn't know before, is how you know that you're learning. Life is complex, but you make it less overwhelming, when you make it simple. Have more confidence that your work is paying off, by withdrawing the urge to over analyze what it should look according to another person, or even yourself. Also, continue to pray to that person you hold dearly to your heart because emotional support doesn't have to be material, it can be spiritual too and just as effective as well. Try writing your prayers out on paper and to include specific signs (numbers, animals, music, plants, objects, etc) to ask for confirmation that you're being listened to, you'll find that you are, and that you too are being communicated with because it will grow to something stronger and comprehensible.

[utilitycaster]

I feel like a lot of times people in fandom spaces aren’t willing to admit the role personal taste plays in the things they like and dislike, so they invent reasons to avoid having to say “I disliked the choice Ashton made because i think it would have been more interesting if X happened.’ And i think that’s why the discourse has been so busted this last week

I think this is true in some cases but by no means all. I actually think a lot of people are admitting to personal taste, but using it as a shield for baseless or incorrect criticism. It's fine to dislike Ashton, but again, you have people who openly never cared for the character (valid to feel) claiming that the reason they don't like them has been that he has undergone no character development; or has a martyr complex; or is manipulative, none of which I think are actually backed up by an unbiased reading of the text; or you have people who openly state that they dislike all Taliesin's characters because they're all arrogant (again, valid to feel and also a correct assessment of the characters, even if I see this as a fun character to explore myself) but then allow this to bleed into their real-world judgment of Taliesin as an arrogant scene stealer at best or someone who is deliberately treating Ashley badly in real life at worst.

"No, I just dislike the character because of personal taste; she's really annoying" has always been the line misogynists would give, and the thing is, if you say this about one person, it's valid, but if you say this about every female character, and never say it about comparable male characters, it's obviously not. Which is why I noted here that it's a useful exercise to check someone's blog and to mentally swap a given character for a few others (or pretend they were being played by a different cast member), because a lot of people who hated every little thing Keyleth did would have gladly tolerated the same from Percy (and vice versa). There are valid reasons to dislike this action, but also, there are people who do have biases or discriminatory beliefs or who simply dislike whenever their favorite character isn't the star. You do not need to assume good faith when someone has shown you that they are one of those people. Everyone is subjective and everyone has personal taste, but it's usually not terribly hard to see this kind of pattern.

[bijoumikhawal]

re julian and starfleet: I worded it weirdly but I meant that they either had the option of, as you've said, discharging and/or incarcerating him, or–the option that they chose–keeping track of him & avoiding a big scandal by keeping him in their employ AND then they decided to exploit those same abilities that made him an outcast through section 31. it reminds me of the thing sloan says about section 31–they break the very principles they are meant to protect because someone needs to and they're the people for that job. implying that theirs is a disadvantaged position because they're taking all these moral burdens on themselves. like it is a kind of voluntary exploitation. and that they're impossible to get rid of because section 31's dissolution would mean ruination for the federation. just like julian's discharge would cause an upheaval, so starfleet must keep and then exploit him. because if you can't get rid of something or someone, why not use them? I'm probably not making much sense but my point is that I agree with you and just wanted to add that there's a kind of perverse logic to how starfleet treats both section 31 and julian. both are in principle considered to be inimical to the federation just by virtue of existing but they will be used to protect the very principles they break. the irony is that julian isn't actually an enemy of the federation but he's the one being ostracized and exploited. while section 31 is a betrayal of everything what the federation is supposed to stand for but they are let loose and even supported by starfleet, their martyr complex notwithstanding.

oh yeah I get what you mean 100%. Perhaps my hottest take- because again I find the Federation to be of the mold of the idealized versions of imperialist, colonial Western governments it was clearly inspired by- is that it does need S31, not because what S31 does is ultimately good, but because governments like that only maintain their holds on power through such organizations. It's notable that the 4 major planets of the Alpha Quadrant all have intelligence orgs, with the Federation having a public and a private one.

[malaierba]

ok. for that rancid ask game: 6, 13-16

i wanna know em all

Hello bestie 🫶 Already this is gonna be difficult bcs I was a little annoyed but then I saw your message and now I'm in a good mood LOL

Which ship fans are most annoying

F/arcille fans that mischaracterize (as a simp, or someone butthurt over being turned down, or jealous, etc) & villanise Toshiro. Legitimately who's the guy in that stuff?

Worst blorbification

Hmm 🤔 NGL the main three protag-coded guys (Laios, Toshiro, Kabru) have got it kinda rough.

Laios is used as a stand-in for a top a lot. Again, who's that guy? I know he's weird but he's not as sexually aggressive as I've seen him portrayed. If it's not that, he's a himbo.

With Kabru and Toshiro, I've seen it less since I spent a couple weeks going into tags just to block annoying people LOL. ✨ curating my fandom experience ✨. But people often miss the balance with them?

They're both NICE. Kabru has a martyr complex that's born from an honest concern about humans, it's been said a lot but a lot of his "intensity" are PTSD responses. Which, ofc, a bad look, but he keeps them under control for the most part? Impressive. To me he just looks like a guy who takes politics seriously, yet apparently that makes him nefarious. Please.

And then, my guy lol. Toshiro's usually a patient, observant person? Why is he so often drawn so angry? He'd rather put up with stuff that's truly vexing him than accidentally be impolite. He empathises with Kabru after he stops trying to manipulate him, and seems to have sided with Rin when they fell with Pamela. He's nice! Just a bit serious and anxious.

If it's not this too, it's making those two too... Uke-ish. Kabru gets twinkified and Toshiro gets turned into a blushing dandere (hey, I agree, I also see him as inexperienced and repressed. He still talks to people without blushing and getting flustered though? If anything I think he's more prone to go blue with anxiety than red with bashfulness).

Hmm. I can see why it can be difficult to find the balance with them though. I just also feel like they get shoved into tropes that don't fit them the most.

The one thing you see in fics all the time

I've mainly read fics that star Toshiro, NGL, and I'm super picky so it's not like I have finished that many 😬 but, if I had to say...

People write him as hating Laios way too much, when I think the emotion you need to balance is frustration coupled with respect for the guy and the knowledge that his social fumbles are accidental. Toshiro KNOWS he means well, that's what made it difficult to call him out! He feels he has social rapport with the guy. It never crossed his mind that he COULD find a way to speak up without making it weird.

He said he couldn't stand him during the fight, but I just can't look at it without keeping the context in mind. I'm sure he felt what he said in the moment, and I'm also sure he didn't mean it as much afterwards. The bell is a peace offering, a bridge. He was telling Laios "despite what happens I'm on your side". That's a thing you only do if you feel loyalty towards someone if you ask me.

The one thing you see in fanart all the time

Eh... A mix of the previous two answers lol.

Not a fan of Kabru getting eaten by monster!Laios. That's his trauma.

And I know some people fetishize elements of traumatic events to cope with them, or because sexuality is complex, I know this... But man it's crystal clear they're not doing it as a character exploration! They're not turning on their brains at all.

Can't understand why so many people like this thing

Why is ChilChuck X Reader so popular. LMFAO. I'm not judging!!!!!! But why him?????????

[bonesandpoemsandflowers]

Hi! I saw ALW’s Phantom of the Opera live a couple of days ago and I haven’t been able to stop consuming Phantom content ever since, which is why I happened to read your interpretation of Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera, and the post is so well thought out I really felt compelled to send you an ask. It’s so hard to find a good book commentary in which Erik is not depicted as the worst man alive or the sweetest angel who did nothing wrong.. I’ll definitely be going through your tags in the next couple of days!

I hope this doesn’t come off as inappropriate, just wanted to say I absolutely love your take on the character, I don’t usually see interpretations I actually like or agree with!

Have a good day 🫶

nonono this was SUPER cool of you and I really appreciate it! and I'm sorry my tags are a mess and you can't find all my Erik thoughts in one place.

I find the current dominant fanon on poto to be...frustrating. It's a bunch of people engaging in the most shallow, deliberately bad faith reading, rehashing the same tired ass takes. I'm off reddit now but for a few months there I had a lovely time on the poto subreddit, with, like, one good reddit friend who was, like me, an adult age fan of gothic literature in general, and we were constantly batting theories back and forth for why the culture is like this--and why only the English speaking portion of an international sensation is like this. We ultimately concluded that some people are just saying shit for the clout, but also the show brings out a TON of repression in people. We are convinced that some of the loudest, most irritating, most condemning voices are the ones also reading absolute filth on a03.

Some people are attracted to Erik and cannot handle the reality of that. It's easier to not admit you like something you "shouldn't," and pop culture has not come nearly as far in this way as it thinks it has. There's a lot of internalized hang ups and even shame about liking something that is, on some level, portrayed as potentially dangerous. Something powerful. Some people are still hung up on power = bad, lust after someone powerful in whatever way as indistinguishable from lust for power = bad.

And some other people are genuinely repulsed by the fact that Erik is canonically physically ugly, and they can't live with the realization that they're that shallow. Therefore: Erik must just be a fuckin loser lol and it's all his fault. And this is where some frustrating distortions of Christine's character happen, imo. The contemporary audience can't handle a female character who is anything but free of judgement. Christine is a perfect angel, a good girl, therefore any hesitation about Erik means that EVERYTHING IS HIS FAULT EVER.

But it's also frustrating, too, like you say, when Erik is seen as a perfect little blorbo who's done nothing wrong in his life. The point of it all, imo, the actual point of gothic horror et all assorted genres, is that the suffering is real and it matters and the actions can still be terrible. The character can be both a monster and a martyr.

And maybe it's just that those ideas are too complex for everyone to hold at once. Erik is absolutely a victim and he's not WRONG about how his face is the problem, and of course that would make anyone bitter. But Erik just as absolutely does some terrible things. It's all very understandable, imo--as long as the audience knows that understandable doesn't automatically mean justifiable.

And he's just such a powerful figure, in and out of his story, and also tragic and so Romantic and so romantic, and it drives me crazy that people reduce him to textbook normal male loser.

Like, don't apply your real life filters to fiction, you guys! Erik is not a normal guy! He's brilliant! He's different! That's why there's such fun tension in story--he's got a lot to offer; it's just also very very complicated.

AND THE MOST FRUSTRATING PART IS THAT IT WASN'T ALWAYS LIKE THIS. The stuff that the phandom seems to think is essential and obvious is not essential nor obvious! Broadway carried the show for decades on the strength of mostly women who were mostly obsessed with the Phantom! That's just the reality of it all.

Or, no. The MOST frustrating part is how some people accuse you of internalized misogyny for being sympathetic to Erik. As if reducing all media to the standard of "does the female character choose the Good Husband?" isn't wildly patronizing.

anyway, preaching to the choir, etc...

getting back to important things, CONGRATS ON SEEING IT LIVE FOR THE FIRST TIME! It's such an experience and so deliciously definitive. Do you mind me asking who you saw? I love looking up new cast members and hearing their takes and quirks.

[inafieldofdaisies]

2 in 1 uquizzes (choose one or both, idk) | Tagging @socially-awkward-skeleton @direwombat @fourlittleseedlings @g0dspeeed @trench-rot @nightbloodbix @aceghosts @strafethesesinners @poisonedtruth @adelaidedrubman @purplehairsecretlair @josephslittledeputy @jinfromyarikawa @euryalex @madparadoxum @detectivelokis @josephseedismyfather and anyone that would like to do the uquizzes <3

What kind of complex does your OC/ship have? | uquiz

Sabrina:

Savior Complex

.... oh man. Go take a nap, buddy. they're not your responsibility.

she needs a nap, for sure. and good luck convincing her people aren't her responsibility. This sounds like John talking, ain't gonna lie.

John:

god complex

holy shit... you just seriously wanna control everything and make all the choices... it never was a choice between God and Satan, for you, it was always a choice between God and Self.

i mean... what do i say to this. ironie in french? *in my best nicholas hoult voice*

martyr complex

no comment. stop dying on every hill.

calahan be breaking my heart at times &lt;3

Why do people love your OC? | uquiz

Sabrina:

because you love them

people are drawn to you because you loved them first. they love the feeling of being adored, and you show it wholeheartedly. you've been taken advantage of in the past, but you haven't let it break you. it's an amazing thing to have been hurt like that and still love so loudly.

*coughs* why is this so on point.

John:

because you keep them guessing

you're a mysterious type. people can't quite figure you out, and they're drawn to you because they desperately want to. they can never tell if you're pulling them in or pushing them away. the games get tiring after a while, though. have you ever had someone stay? do you want them to?

THE GAMES. *laughs in accurate*

because they can depend on you

you aren't the warm fuzzy type who says "i love you" all the time, but you take care of the people you love by always being there. they know they can always rely on you, from making dinner reservations on time to changing their oil when they're due. you can't stand to see your loved ones struggling. don't forget that you're allowed to accept help in return; it's not a one-way street.

Calahan. My dude. :(((( stooop

[possessionisamyth]

Reasons to Love Ada Wong:

-Outstanding Intelligence: As seen in damnation, re4, and re6, Ada knows how to remain one step ahead. She knew the BSAA lie would fall through so she could get into the facility to access what she really needed. She immediately adjusted her plan in re4 to make her helping Leon out of tight fits appear as inconsequential tasks while she went towards her goal. She immediately figured out the "Simmons" calling her wasn't Simmons at all. She's not someone you can outsmart easily.

-Excellent Self-Preservation: Gotta look out for #1 baby, and Ada is the best embodiment of that. RE is packed with enough martyrs who will give up their entire lives "fighting for the cause". This girl is there to get her paycheck and get the fuck out so she can live her life, and I respect it. I hope she charges triple for overtime and extra hassle. We should all be doing that.

-Plays The System Like A Fiddle: Ada says fuck cops. Ada says fuck the government. Ada says fuck corporations. As long as what they're doing won't pull her into a long standing cross fire, she will work for the money they offer, but she'll go where she pleases once she's done. Is that really any different than people in real life looking for a better job when leaving an old, shitty one? I don't think it is.

-Has only one weakness: Ada knows her limits. She knows when she can save someone and when she can't. She knows when to let something lie and when to go for it. Leon is her only weakness, but everyone else she can take or leave unless they prove they'll have value for her work. If Leon died, she'd retire or go back to being ultra capable, so kill him Capcom.

-Impeccable fashion: Ignoring the dragon lady take with og re4 dress, Ada's other outfits are fire. Red is a wonderful color on her because it hides the blood, and also she's so hot.

-Emotionally Unavailable: She is the only RE woman who is not seen sincerely comforting a man or comforting a child(re2/re2r doesn't count because she's acting). This is extremely refreshing. Yes, she is the sexy femme fatale, but does she comfort Leon? No. Does she baby Sherry when she saves her? No. This isn't a moral failing. She's just not that into you, and it's not a flaw. It's an underutilized character trait with women especially.

-Hookshot User: I don't know about the people younger than me, but this was the coolest tool for people to use in cartoons when I was a kid. It's the closest a normal human can get to being Spiderman, and that automatically puts a character on the Best Design list in my opinion.

-High-risk High-reward Thinker: Working with B.O.Ws in any capacity means you're somewhat of a gambler. What does Chris get from going into enemy territory to arrest some guy? Paperwork. What does Jill get from saving Chris' life? Brainwashed into a killing machine and made blonde(the worst fate bestowed upon women). Leon fights for his country. Ew. Gross. You know what Ada gets going into death ridden zones? Her bag. Her check. Her money, and it's actually worth it.

-Espionage S-Rank: The international arrest warrant is going to make things a little more difficult, but Ada's made her career around going under the radar to get in and out of high security areas. She gets the gear, the guns, and plays her role with finesse. Her intel gathering skills must be impeccable to achieve this.

Quick Bullet Points:

Not a eugenicist. (Wesker is.)

Doesn't experiment on corpses. (Heisenberg does this.)

No god-complex. (Wesker has this.)

Against child labor? (Heisenberg wants a baby gun.)

Doesn't make viruses that kill people. Only gets paid to move them around. (Unlike some people.)

Thinks Leon is pathetic, but likes him anyway even if he's a lil ugly. Which is so nice of her. (❤️)

So there's my comprehensive list I said I'd make weeks ago but am just now getting to. If anyone has anything else to add feel free to do so in the replies. If you're here to be an Ada hater, you'll get blocked.

[asharaks]

🩵🤍

for. >:3 clemfalynastarion >:3

EXCELLENT TY

🩵 Who does what chores? Which chore do they both avoid?

falyn cooks, clem cleans, astarion drinks wine and heckles; clemfalyn have exactly the same taste in chores (do NOT want to fold the laundry) but clemmy's martyr complex means that they end up picking up the slack

🤍 What is their favorite or most admired quality in the other?

if asked, falyn would say clem's sense of humour: in reality, they're probably the first person in the world she actually trusts and relies on, and as someone who's spent most of her life alone and entirely self-reliant that's more important to her than she'll ever be able to actually express:3

for clem, falyn is a grounding influence; she's the pragmatic side of the relationship, and a non-emotional counterpoint to the higher-strung partners who love an emotional spiral<3

also they both think the other guy is the coolest guy in the room

[jerek]

man seeing how wrathion is treated by the writers(and as such, the fans) in dragonflight is so fucking frustrating. like at first i thought they wrote him ooc but when i went to see the cutscenes, he's actually written consistently. its just that he's being written next to these characters old fans go YEAH MY FAVE I KNOW YOU and when THEY tell wrathion he's wrong and insensitive when they themselves are to him, it's like.. insulting? idk. Like he's never wrong or unreasonable and yet people say he is, and they play dark music in the background when he's reasonably upset and people go OOUUHH DEATHWING oh shitttt And NEVER do they consider helping him while he helps everyone all the time, literally everything he does is to help and ensure a future. He went for raszageth on his own to save everyone. like BITCH?? i feel like im going crazy when i see comments about him being evil or bad or mean and aaaaaAAAUUGHGHGH wrathion deserves to be free from world of warcraft, let him OUT

you are so real for this kisses you.

Idk what I can say that I haven't put in the wrathionposting tag lmao. He's.

Anduin Wrynn, feeling a deep sense of guilt for young men and women going off to war under his banner, for his kingdom, tells Jaina Proudmoore in the novel Shadows Rising:

"It isn't fair. It should make everything stop. The whole world should stop and point at that, but it doesn't."

I think of that line almost every time I see Wrathion. I've described him before as a 'walking humanitarian crisis.' He's inherited a role just below the living, physically incarnated creator gods of the universe. The Titans created Azeroth, and when they left, they left his father and his father's comrades in charge. For almost all of his life, he's been trying to assume this same responsibility. Acting as if he already IS the guardian of Azeroth.

He was transparently terrified in Mists of Pandaria. He might still be terrified, or he might be overwhelmed by the need to prove himself now that he's not just been the son of Deathwing, but a fugitive of Alliance justice (after the events of War Crimes.) I'm glad he seems confident enough, but...

Is there literally anyone on Azeroth who can care for him without insulting him? I wonder if there isn't a sort of built-in martyr complex in dragon culture too, explaining why Dracasia is a drake and a broodmother, Wrathion's a drake and a potential Aspect, and somehow none of this seems strange to someone like Ebyssian.

I do think there are tragedies like this probably built into the fabric of Azeroth itself. That's why I write my rogue, Midha, as having joined Wrathion's cause at around 13. There are few residential buildings in Stormwind because so much of the Alliance population is made up of travelling adventurers: soldiers with no rank. Same for Orgrimmar. Their leaders have no responsibility for them, and no reason to take responsibility, and the history of Azeroth is only recorded in terms of great heroes.

They're training up new, young heroes almost as fast as they're killing them. Isn't that something? Shouldn't the world stop and point at that? Imagine what the wider fanbase could say about Wrathion and other characters like him if they weren't so solely committed to either vilifying or sexualizing them.

[direwombat]

Sybille for the oc asks!

and @socially-awkward-skeleton requested syb as well! thank you both so much &lt;3 just gonna say upfront tho, answers 14 and 17 mention the murder-suicide of her parents and 15 alludes to patricide, so if any of that is particularly upsetting...either skip those answers or just move on to another post <3

01. Full name: Sybille Marie La Roux 02. Best friend: Growing up, it was her brother, Augustine; in the army she had a small group of friends; once in Hope County, it's Joey if we're talking human friends, but the one true answer is Boomer. 03. Sexuality: *~bisexual~* 04. Favorite color: now, i know i use a lot of green when making graphics with her, but her favorite color is actually tyrian purple 05. Relationship status: 😬 it's complicated but i suppose taken in about as many meanings of the word as possible 😬 06. Ideal mate: put vaguely as possible? someone who challenges her on both a mental and physical level. strong and smart and able to keep her on her toes. 07. Turn-ons: ....strength and wit. 08. Favorite food: any kind of southern comfort food and has been known to demolish a plate of beignets. 09. Crushes: various throughout her lifetime, but the most recent being joey and definitely not a certain ginger who's the head of cult security, no siree there are no feelings there :///. 10. Favorite music: Blues, bluegrass, and classic rock. 11. Biggest fear: losing her brother/being unable to protect him 12. Biggest fantasy: f;alsdkjadfls a full night's sleep/feeling fully rested. 13. Bad habits: SMOKING but also her martyr complex. her first impulse is to sacrifice herself </3 14. Biggest regret: oooooogh....not being home the night her dad came to murder her mom (and then kill himself), or at the very least, not being the one to find the aftermath first. poor augustine (who was only sixteen) was the one to find that carnage first and she desperately wishes she could have been there to shield him from it15. Best kept secrets: that from the ages of ten to fourteen, she had lowkey been considering ways she would kill her father, and if her mom hadn't gotten her and her brother out of that house, she might have followed through on the patricide. no one knows this. not even the few therapists she's had. (jacob knows tho. she doesn't tell him, but he knows). 16. Last thought: as in most recent thought? probably something along the line of "jesus christ, not this shit again." but if we're talking final thought, it'd probably be a relieved "finally." 17. Worst romantic experience: adf;lkjadsfa;ldfkj the guy she was sleeping with the night her parents' murder-suicide. they weren't a serious thing (they were literally sleeping on the boat where they both worked) but she immediately left him there when augustine called the work phone (keep in mind this is in 2005) in hysterics after coming home to pick up something he forgot while sleeping over at a friends' place and found a crime scene instead. the guy she was sleeping with didn't take that very well and also in retrospect he was a jerk, so bullet dodged there i guess. 18. Biggest insecurity: honestly? her teeth. she probably needed orthodontics as a child but her family couldn't afford it, so she's got some buck-teeth and they're a little crooked.

19. Weapon of choice: she's a big fan of her 1911 pistol. that baby has seen her through so much. also the survival knife she picks up during the reaping.

20. Role Model: her mom. r.i.p. <3

[ellanainthetardis]

Spare by Prince Harry My rating: 2 of 5 stars 2.5

« Pa stepped back. Willy shook his head. They began talking over each other. We’ve been down this road a hundred times, they said. You’re delusional, Harry. But they were the delusional ones. »

After reading this book cover to cover, I'm forced to conclude they're right and you are, Harry. The thing is, at first, I honestly thought it was just pure character assassination and a petty - although justified, from his point of view - revenge on his brother and father and on the press. However, the more I read the more it became obvious that this was a version of the truth, his version, and because I believe some exchanges to be accurate, there's such a second reading. When William says he needs help, I felt that because I was thinking it. The thing is, beyond the who's right who's wrong, if I learned one thing reading this book it's that Harry needs help. For someone who claims to have learned accountability in the army you can't find one single instance in this book where he actually takes responsability, where he actually owns up to his mistakes, one since story where he comes off in a bad light or a little bad. He's always the hero and he's always the martyr or the victim of his own story. It's one or the other. It's never his fault. It's always someone else's: his brother's, his father's, the press', Camilla's, the list goes on and on... The irony is, every time someone told him he was delusional or needed help, I was more enclined to believe them than he who was the actual person recounting the story because his version of events is always so centered around him being hero or victim that it doesn't ring true. It doesn't mean he hasn't suffered. Reading this it's obvious the poor guy suffered. But there's such rage in this book, so many red flags... The way he talks about his years in the army, the detachement about killing... Also there's a very shocking passage where he compares the press to radicalized extremists and terrorists that I found just in poor taste and it honestly disturbed me. I don't doubt he feels that way but I still think it was poor taste. Let's not go over the obviously never resolved oedipus complex (that scene with the frostbite will forever stick in my mind thanks) that clearly still hasn't been addressed... Honestly, it's just... chilling. I came out of this hoping he gets the help he needs (and that he obviously won't find in weeds or mediums). It's his truth, I guess, but that doesn't make it the truth. View all my reviews

[theskeletoninthegarden]

Another rant about my blorbo of a Baldur's Gate character

Quinntav lived in the circus for about a decade, and during that time in order to deal with their dark urges they would lock themself up at night. This cage was made for them by the leader of the Circus of the Last Days, but was only effective at night essentially for a specific window of time. This means that if Quinn wanted to sleep otherwise, they would have to incapacitate themself, thus immobilizing their other half as well.

They could never sleep or over indulge in anything that could potentially cause them to lose consciousness, and this meant they couldn't risk being around anyone in the Circus in this state without risk of potentially harming them.

Within the Circus they were especially close to two bards, Glingo and Medrash. For the purposes of world building, these two are husbands in my story, and worked closely with Quinn throughout their time with the Circus of the Last Days.

Of course this means they bring up the two of them alot.

While on the road in my current fic, this is brought up between Astarion and Quinn.

Astarion: "With the way you speak of these husbands it almost seems as though you would have been the third wheel to their little ride if given the chance."

Quinn: "I...I'm not sure really. Between Glingo teaching me how to walk the wire and the both of them working with me in music, it's possible. But with the Durge present, I guess I'll never know."

Astarion: "If they truly felt that way I'm earnest they would have discovered something. You're not the problem in this, it's them."

I'll not say that Astarion is correct in this in the black and white way that it comes off as, no one can be faulted for not wanting to risk their life being so close to Quinn, but I'll provide some context.

At this point in the story Astarion and Quinn are very close, Quinn using their hemopathic skills to help Astarion resist Cazador's thrall as the two travel to Waterdeep. But as that same ability proves to help ensure Astarion isn't killed by the Dark Urge (this isn't canon in every version), the vampire finds that they can be in the cage without being harmed. He doesn't need to be, he can feed and then leave them for the night. But as time progresses and Astarion begins to offer the physical intimacy, the sort provided by simply being near to someone, in order to repay Quinn for their protection of him and their continued donation of blood, the vampire discovers the appeal of such a bond on his own. It's not recognized, privately acknowledged, and then admitted out loud to Quinntav for some time, but Astarion does what everyone else before has not: he stays.

It took a moment for Astarion's words to sink in, but when they did a surge of emotion hit them hard enough to keep them from breathing. Quinn didn't want to agree, they didn't want to think that anything their friends could have done was selfish or in any way not the wiser route to have taken. But never would they have expected anyone to have said otherwise. It wasn't conceivable.

Quinn has a terrible martyr complex, to the point that it becomes a point of contrition between themself and Astarion in every one of my stories several times. Their acceptance that they have no choice in having a partner and an actual home of their own is so cemented that they never once feel or even think to feel bitter towards any one about it save for themself. It takes Astarion saying that, basically, someone who has known them for all of several months has taken the time to find a loophole in their curse, and so what of the rest of the world? What of these people who they spent a majority of their known life with? What is their excuse? And though Quinn still can't find it in themself to be angry with anyone in the Circus, they finally recognize that their situation is horribly unfair. They finally allow themself to grieve, to actually begin the process of healing.

Quinn doesn't cry often. They're a grin and bear it through every sort of situation sort of person, unless it involves the pain of a friend, or finally breaking under the strain of their own existence, which is brought on by dealing with their inheritance, something they have to physically fight not to succumb to every moment of their life.

In my other stories that these excerpts weren't taken from, Quinn has Wyll, Gale, Lae'zel, and everyone else present and supporting them in their struggle in a positive but affirming way. But Astarion is the first one to tell them that they're allowed to feel angry, indignant, all of the above, and there's something about letting yourself feel some honest to god negativity that results in its own sort of catharsis.

Anyway I wrote all of this after making my purple baby Tiefling darling cry and I feel terrible.

[foxounderscorecube]

Her Majesty's Royal Coven - Juno Dawson

3¼ ⭐

I have a lot of thoughts on this book, but first, my overall opinion on the book is that it's alright. The cute little homage to Good Omens in the character of Annie Device and the repurpose of government acronyms for the secret magic stuff (as in the titular HMRC) are fun, and it seems like Dawson generally had a good time coming up with ways to add a secret magical layer to the real world. I thought the pacing was decent and the style is easy to read - although, having read Cruel Summer and Say Her Name since, I do think Dawson's style suits YA a lot better. At times, it feels a bit juvenile. There's a sequel for this coming out soon, though, so there's nothing to say that she won't be able to improve upon that for the next instalment!

Now, here's the thing, right. I feel like, broadly, there are two contexts which this book can be viewed in. The first is as vent art. Despite the digestible style, this book was, at times, really fucking difficult to read because it made me angry - which is not at all a fault! The premise of this book is to reflect all the weirdness we've had politically that has led to an increase in anti-trans sentiment. It does this pretty accurately, with Helena's doubts about Theo snowballing into single-issue obsession clearly echoing stories of big names like Rowling and Linehan. It's not the most complex metaphor, but it certainly works. Helena receiving the death penalty because she put absolutely everything, including the lives of those she held dear, at risk out of her pure hatred seems to act both as catharsis and as a caution: our main characters don't agree with the harshness of the sentence even if it is in law, and express worry that she will be seen as a martyr to the group of believers she's gathered and even radicalise others.

The second is as a bit of a cry for help; an attempt to let people know what's going on before our noses. In my experience as a non-binary person who's very online and generally tries to keep up with politics to at least some extent, a lot of cis people living their day-to-day lives have, at best, the vaguest idea that some anti-trans laws are being passed in some places. Most people don't really care about trans people - and not as in, "oh, they hate us", but as in, they just have no particular reason to think about them. A lot of people - again, this is all just in my experience - are in the camp of not really "getting" it, but they don't see trans people as a problem because, you know, they're just people living their lives. Which makes sense, really. Trans and non-binary people are affected by it more so we're going to pay more attention.

Where this becomes a problem is when you try to explain some of the shit the weird little anti-trans and TERF bubbles spout to somebody who isn't affected by it or aware of it. It sounds totally ridiculous! A few years ago, I remember trying to talk to my mum about it, and she just could not comprehend why people would bother dedicating their time to hating on trans people, and so was convinced it couldn't be a real problem. The fantasy aspect to this book, I worry, could take the bite out of the point that, I must stress, it makes pretty well to a reader who knows the political context. Like I said, the parallels of Helena's character arc with (previously) well-liked and well-respected people who went waaaay down the transphobia rabbithole are pretty clear, but if you read this as someone who doesn't know much about that (or, let's be fair, how radicalisation can affect people in general), her spiral could seem improbable, I would expect. Dawson also seems to have a little bit of a habit of making her bad guys do real villain monologues, which doesn't help things in this particular example.

I mean, these are just my thoughts on it. The characters are fun; the magical action scenes are a little more sparse than I'd like, but they're enjoyable; and seeing Theo gain confidence in herself as a witch is so heartwarming - she's a great expression of trans joy, and I hope she gets more focus in the sequel because she acts mostly as a plot device in this book.

One other thing I will say as a criticism, though - it seemed a shame to me that the little POC-centred coven run by Leonie gets so little screentime (so to speak). We see enough of it, and hear enough of its reason for being, that it feels like we're left hanging! Aside from it being a little prod at the fact that the UK government is pretty bad at remembering that our population includes non-white people, and being a very obvious indication of Leonie's frustrations with even her own childhood friends' tendency to be white-centric in how they operate, it doesn't add much. There's a bit of an irony to that there, actually, isn't there?

There's a lot of potential with this setting, but I don't think it quite meets it. It is very much worth the read, though - with its digestible style and intrigue, there's a lot to like about it and it was a fairly quick read. I'll definitely be reading the sequel, which I hope will do well to improve upon this!

[banghwa]

Tell me your thoughts on all the hyyh dynamics

GLADLY omg ok so. for the sake of not having a post the length of the planet im only gonna go over the main ones but i have Thoughts about the others too. also this got rly long SORRY i have lots to say abt hyyh taejin

yoonkook: they're FINE i guess. yes they're compelling and interesting, especially individually. the vagueness of their relationship i think is whats' most enticing. they're both madly in love with each other but don't know how to deal with it and as a result are just so lost. both trying to prove SOMETHING to each other but neither of them know what exactly. aside from the "will they wont they" of it all it doesnt really get me going personally. it needed to be more petty. i needed more bitterness and resentment. jungkook should have been MEAN. i needed them to be dreaful and dramatic and CHILDISH and guilty.

taejoon: now HERE'S something. they weren't that interesting to me at the start but then i read demian and went crazy and now i think about them so much. theres such a STRUGGLE with them between nihilism and innocence. i think they capture sinclairs' initial struggle in demian so well - like the transition from your 'safe' ignorant childhood to an adult life of pessimism. the two world of good and evil merging into one because namjoon is obviously the nihilist. but then he can't bring himself to come to terms with his needs and his affection or his life and loss of youth. and taehyung is obiously the figure of innocence. but then he kills someone. also the cain and abel complex. "am i my brothers' keeper?"

jihope: they're just so. scream oh my god i dont even know how to put it. they're so tragic. they're both so desperate and hungry and want so bad to be GOOD and perfect....but hoseok never gets close enough and jimin can only watch and yearn for him and to BE like him from afar. they do such stupid shit for each other but they're also the only ones they can be honest around. i really wish we got more of them. and MORE VIOLENT CODEPENDENCY. i wanted less yearning for jimin, more desperation instead. i wanted hoseok hungrier. i find him so interesting specifically, he's so self-aware and yet not. maybe im seeking catharsis on his part because i feel so sad for him but they should have torn each other apart. but at the same time they didn't because they're both just so good and hurt and don't want others to hurt the way they do and i think that too is so . scream. theyre both too good to take it out on each other and impose themselves like that, hoseok especially. but if he did, i think jimin would take it gladly.

taejin: dear fucking god i could write an essay on these two they drive me nuts. did anyone get jesus/judas parallels on their edm kpop lore bingo card? they were so interesting to me before i even read demian, but then after i did . like i CANT stop thinking about them. they are both running away from themselves through trying be righteous. both have broken relationships with their fathers that haunt them no matter what. both have a martyr complex the size of the moon, but it drives one of them into the ground and the other to kill. and like with taejoon, seokjin is so desperate to assert his maturity and prove himself but just . cant let go of his youth. cant stand the idea of his friends suffering while he's gone to make a life of his own. like theres this profound guilt with seokjin and yet he can't connect. it's his life or nothing at all. and its' the same with tae but in this twisted sort of sense; he needs to save those he loves, and for that he kills. dont even get me started on the fukcing DREAMS. everytime i think abt them i think about this scene in the priest that i have posted about on here but i cant find for the life of me but to paraphrase essentially it goes: jesus had it easy, all he had to do was die. judas on the other hand had to sell him out, kill himself, and go down in history as a right dirty bastard - that's real sacrifice. like scream that is so them. also sooooo much doppelganger/narrative swap potential, i think they made good use of it esp in the mvs but could have been more. overall GREAT dynamic i would have just liked it more fucked up.