#if this theory is true its not even skill… its a lack of skill… that he’s benefitting from…

[presdestigatto]

by all these reactionary ferrari headlines you’d think that carlos has a 14-1 h2h record over charles so far or something but if you use your brain a little you’ll realise the number of comparable weekends has been 2. two.

[innaillus]

Drawing Ryōmen Sukuna

Development notes

This post has been in the making since last year, before the manga has reached its current arc. My aim was to respond to comments that pointed out that my version of that time didn't look like the one in the anime. I calculate everything I do and the way I do it. My current goal is to share my thoughts on the development of my take on him - simply because I'm a nerd when it comes to anatomy and I love figuring things out. It involves a lot of thinking, questioning, analysis, dissecting information and building theories. So I totally understand if it's not anyone's cup of tea.

MANGA SPOILER WARNING

The very beginning

I used to have a serious case of lack of self-confidence. My earliest art of Sukuna dates back to 2021, but it always felt like my skills are not worthy of this particular character. I never shared my art. I was also struggling to find my artistic voice. I was obsessed with the idea of semi-realism, but even if I managed to pull it off after weeks of stylisation practices, I didn't like the results.

Due to personal reasons, I stopped trying to draw him for a long time.

The development of "my" version

It was an entirely conscious decision to draw him differently.

The top reasons for the change was that I didn't want to sexualise him in his host, Yuuji, who is a minor. Back then I thought he inflicted the deformation on himself (extra limbs, eyes, etc), for the sake of efficiency, and I was curious what he looked like before that - or what he would look like in a civilised environment.

During the process, I considered a number of factors:

the beauty standard of the other JJK men - I wanted him to fit the lineup - his original appearance made him stand out quite much

in a setting where he adheres to the rules of society, more or less, I believe his MBTI personality type (ENTJ) would dictate a lot of his choices when it comes to appearance, at least to a certain extent. I thought he would choose to have an appearance that fits the beauty standards of the era

I kept his tattoos because it's a very distinguishing feature of him, but I also exercise freedom in the way I draw them, to make them as stylish as possible

Reincarnation

I used to believe once he reincarnates, his proportions would be closer to that of a "normal" human, even if he has some extra limbs. However, his size and features are above and beyond of what we are used to, and even the story emphasises their malformed appearance. So a a whole new era of Sukuna started in my art. I chose my favourite manga panels of him and mix-and-matched the most attractive features into a figure that I consider on the fine edge of monstrosity and unconventional handsomeness.

Even when I draw him with a regular number of limbs, I keep his usual mass and proportions. I dubbed this form "true gains" form.

I also realised that some of the tattoos Yuuji's body displayed was a product of the partial reincarnation stage, like we see it on Tsumiki's forehead.

NOTE: Did anyone notice that Sukuna is getting progressively more and more human/handsome in the manga? When he took over Megumi's body, I also noticed that as the story progressed, he started to look older and more mature. I'm curious of it was a conscious decision.

Twin dilemma and speculations

According to the Japanese wikipedia page, the mythical figure Sukuna could have been a conjoined twin. Despite my extensive digging in the matter, I was shocked by the recent lore drop.

My question: what does Sukuna look like in a universe where he did not absorb his twin in the womb during development?

It hasn't been confirmed, but I find it very possible now that he was born with his extra limbs, eyes and mouth, as well as the deformed, wide features. (...as opposed to my first theory about him altering his own body for the sake of efficiency)

This, however, would mean that in a universe where both him and his brother are born healthily, he would look different. There is the obvious lack of extra arms, eyes and mouth - but I believe he would also be closer to the JJK beauty standard of men, as far as proportions go (eg. more narrow face, anime-esque nose, larger eyes).

At first I was hesitant to accept this idea, as I'm very attached to the 4-arm hulk / "true gains" form now, but then I realised: this would mean that "my"version of him actually has logically explainable place in at least an alternate universe.

Thank you if you got this far.

I may edit this post later. Let's see where the story takes us.

[inquisimer]

7 or 35 for Arlow from the Rook story prompts, whichever catches your fancy more c:

thank you mo!! going with 7, as it suits a headcanon I've been meaning to write out for a while re: Rook's inability to swim.

Arlow has hydrophobia and water-related trauma, and though she can swim (physically at least) by the time of Veilguard canon, she could not when she originally joined the Crows.

Mind the CWs - in the early days, especially before he is Fifth Talon, Viago is far more focused on ensuring Arlow's survival and usefulness as a pawn than he is on kindness.

7. Rook being taught an important skill

Arlow de Riva & Viago | T | 1460 words | cw: child abuse, hydrophobia, whump

-

She cannot swim. Viago learns this, not because she tells him—for which she will face his wrath later—but because one of the other fledglings teases her for it. She decks him, which is fair, and the trainer brings them both before Viago for admonishment.

He taps gloved fingers on the edge of his desk. Sends the boy off with Heir to learn the value of trust within his House. But Arlow—Arlow he keeps for himself. As always.

“Is it true?”

She’s standing loosely at attention, hands clasped at the small of her back, chin jutted out a bit too defiantly to convey respect. Her gaze is fixed somewhere over his shoulder. She nods, just once.

Of course it is. His question was only a formality—she would not have assaulted the boy over a falsehood, he knows. He made her more resilient than that. Still, his jaw tightens; his lips purse into a thin line.

She is not meant to keep secrets from him. Even by omission. Anything could be a weakness; anything could leave them vulnerable, and she is meant to be the one piece on the board that he can move without thinking—without doubting. He lets his anger bleed into his eyes, into the flare of his nostrils, and he sees her teeth dig into the flesh of her cheek. So, she knows that she is in the wrong.

Of course she does, because she is not stupid. An idiot, and a fool, sometimes, but not stupid, never stupid. They take contracts on, in, and around the water with great frequency. Under the water, even, on the rare occasion. With this, she puts herself at a disadvantage, she puts herself at risk—and by extension, puts him, puts their House at risk.

Unacceptable.

In theory, she could weave spells to breathe and propel herself through the water. But such a thing leaves her vulnerable, in turn, to dispels and Purges and magebane, to simple exhaustion at the end of a fight. More importantly, no mage casts well under the pall of fear—and he suspects that this is not a simple lack of skill, because she knows that he will teach her. Harshly, and with a demand that offers no yield, but he has always taught her, as needed, no matter where her abilities faltered.

No, she kept this hidden, for a reason, on purpose. Concealed carefully for years, which is vexing on its own. She should not be able to hide such a weakness, not from him, not for so long. Concern gnaws behind his careful mask. How deeply embedded must the claws of terror be—in her gut, her throat, her chest—that even knowing the consequences, knowing that eventually her secret must recoil with a snap, she had not been able to unclench the protection her mind had warped around it.

Frustration simmers in his mind as he turns over his options. She would need to learn—to swim, yes, but also that she cannot keep secrets from him. Not of this magnitude; ideally not of any magnitude, but absolutely not one that leaves them so blatantly vulnerable.

Learn is not quite right, though. That lesson has already been taught. She must be reminded. This insubordinate impulse burned away and the instincts of fear replaced by the muscle memory of rote training. He stands, suppressing a sigh.

It will not be pleasant. But it must be done.

“Come.”

She falls into step at his shoulder, not looking half as contrite as he would have liked, though her lower lip pulls into her mouth when he scowls.

He watches her from the corner of his eye. As they walk, she keeps the normal surveillance, checking idly for tails or threats or movements of interest while he winds their way down the roof paths and through the market. In this way, he sees the exact moment when she realizes their destination; her teeth release her lip and her eyes widen, ears flattening against the side of her head. Her fingers tighten around the spellblade at her hip, but she does not stumble, stays in perfect step in his shadow.

Her tongue darts out over her lips. “Viago—“

“No.” The word is steel and sharp and in one syllable it is the verbal whipping she was clearly expecting before. She flinches, and lapses back into silence.

In the shadows farthest from the bustle of the city, there is a dock without any vessels and this is where Viago leads her. Still watching from the corner of his eye, so he sees when she loses control and begins to shake. Little shivers that pass over her from tip to toe, like a breeze rippling through an endless wheat field, as much at the mercy of her fear as the chaff and straw in the wind.

The lapping of the water against wood is not bothering him today, but her ears twitch with each wave that comes to shore. Ignoring that, he stands aside and jerks his head, indicating her to walk ahead of him.

She hesitates, and he glares. Hesitation gets an assassin killed. She knows this, and he knows that she knows how to quash the instinct. That she is receding like this, falling backwards into bad habits, is almost as maddening as the secret that she kept.

The secret that he failed to notice.

He does not move his head again—Viago does not ask for things twice, and Arlow does not need to be told more than once. Not by him. This time she pushes past the hesitation; a thread of relief slips through his anger and frustration.

Her shakes come more violently as his presence at her back forces her forward at a steady pace. Released from her blade, her hands fist at her side and she stares resolutely at the sky, as if keeping the murky, dark waters of the Rialto Bay out of her gaze will remove them from proximity as well. Finally, when the toes of her boots align with the last plank of the dock, she stops.

“Give me your weapons,” Viago orders. Mutely, she unhooks her blade and her focus and passes them to him. “Your leathers, as well.”

Her fingers slip on the fastenings of her cape—not yet the finery of a full-fledged Crow, but a mark of…something, something like security and belonging, nonetheless—and it takes her several tries to strip it and her armor from her skin. Left only in a thin tunic and leggings, barefoot and shaking from the cold now, as well, her toes curl over the wood and she looks back up at the sky.

He does not give her any warning before he pushes her into the water.

Because she is expecting one—he can tell. She thinks he will ask her to jump, force her to take the fear into herself and swallow it, disperse it, tie it away in her gut where it cannot see the light of day. That is what they would have done, had she revealed this to him in the normal course of things, and they had come to this point under different circumstances.

That would have been a lesson. This is the reminder.

There are guildmasters who would find their pleasure here, take this as a hobby rather than a necessity. But Viago’s stomach sinks as Arlow does beneath the water. This is not a pleasure. And it is only a necessity because she made it so.

He glowers at the bubbles that mark her depleting breath, counting a measure of sixty before he lowers his walking stick into the water, handle-end first so that she can see where moonlight catches on the metal snakes, and latch on.

Back on the dock, she sobs and splutters, spitting the bay water out of her lungs and struggling to replace it with air even as fear seizes them. Better here than on a job, he tells himself, schooling the sour taste on his tongue into careful neutrality. Better here than at the mercy of a rival House. Better here than anywhere without him, anywhere that he could not supervise and smooth out this chink in her defenses that she has allowed to fester.

He presses his walking stick into her shoulder and she gasps, winces, turns her eyes—wide and glassy with fear—up to him.

“Viago, please, let me—“

“Do not beg,” he says. Not coldly, not quite, but not kindly, either. Stern, unyielding; like the hands that break a poorly healed bone before it can be properly set. “Know yourself. Control yourself, and you will control this.”

He shoves and she rolls over herself, back into the water once more.

[daemon-in-my-head]

Past Life Dark Urge Asks - 9th Edition:

OK but how does Durge actually view relationships and romance?

What does their room look like? Describe it to me. Neat? Messy? Organised mess where everything has its place?

What's their favourite spot to hang out at after a long day of temple managing and murdering in Father's name? Is it by the altar, their desk, a certain someone's office or by the docks?

Gorion's Ward was a hero and a Bhaalspawn that defied Bhaal. But they're also a powerful person who rose far above many, as well as the reason Sarevok once returned. What does Durge think of them? Is he an idol or a villain to them? When did their view of them change or do they perhaps even feel pity for the sibling which had been led astray?

Durge loves efficient killing, but what was their one little indulgence whenever they did it? I don't mean getting loot, keeping trinkets. Did they perhaps draw out the hunt or play with the mouse unfortunate enough to fall into their trap?

There's this funny bit that Durge refused to clean themselves, but is it true for yours? Did they indeed always carry the scent of entrails or did they bathe regularly? After all, Bhaals Scion has a reputation to uphold.

Speaking of Water, Baldur's Gate is a Port City. What did Durge think of the sea? Did they long to sail or do they prefer solid ground beneath their feet? Did they feel any connection, or was it just a body of water, perfect to drown some innocent souls?

Durge is clearly a skilled master of their craft, but would they ever consider taking an apprentice? Perhaps they already did? Or would they absolutely detest those who yet lack skill and prefer they attain it on their own?

Orin makes for a great spy and even the Bhaalist Temple relies on intelligence to survive and operate more efficiently. Did Durge ever try to help out Orin in attempts to gather intel? What was it like? Did they charm their way into hearts and minds, or did they rely on the thing they did best, a skillful killing?

Bhaalspawn are pretty similar to Aasimar in every aspect, well except that Aasimar are children of celestials and good aligned powers while Bhaalspawn hail from the Lord of Murder. What did Durge think of their goody-two-shoes counterparts?

Bhaal is widely hated or feared, as are Bhaalspawn, but what does Durge think about that notion? Would they hunt down anyone who dares speak I'll of their father, or could they not care any less? Do they perhaps revel in that fear and hatred?

If Durge knew they'd lose all their memories in the future, what would they think? Would they weep for their treasured moments or perhaps even feel delighted about forgetting a dreaded past?

Name a personality trait of theirs which is, in theory, something great, but they've taken it to such extremes it became something negative.

How is Durge handling failure? Do they handle it at all or do they just refuse to acknowledge any?

Would Past Life Durge like for their life's story to be told and remembered? Why or why not? In what way would they have liked it to be remembered?

In general, how does your Durge cope with stress, life, and the things that happened? How did it affect them? Are there any lasting effects from an outburst once?

On a scale of 1 to 10, how easily does your Durge snap? 1 being the world could end, and they'd barely be mildly inconvenienced, and 10 being somebody looks funny in their direction, and the next minute, they're in a nasty brawl.

What is their favorite spell? It doesn't have to be one they themselves know or learned. Just a spell they think is neat, handy, cool, etc.

If there happened to be a street fair in the Gate, would they attend? Yes or no, who would they go with, what would it be like visiting one of those with them?

Bhaal was a netherese arcanist. Does Durge, considering they're made from Bhaals flesh, consider themselves to be netherese? Have they ever thought about these things or do they simply not care?

I totally forgot I had these I'm sorry lmao. They've been rotting away in my drafts the whole time.

[makingspiritualityreal]

Death Note - A Faustian Purva Bhadrapada Parable

Probably one of the most famous animated television series, Death Note has gathered millions of fans all over the globe due to its exciting plot and twists of action. For those of us interested in looking a little deeper, we can very clearly see the themes of Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra in this creation.

Nakshatra synergy for this series goes very deep, before we even get to the actual exploration. Not only is the author and writer a Purva Bhadrapada Moon native, but he also gave his characters personality profiles within the series itself, which included birthdays. Those birthdays make two protagonists, Light and L, a Purva Bhadrapada Sun and Moon consecutively. Assuming the author has no knowledge of Vedic Astrology, the energy of this Nakshatra was transferred down to his intuitive choice of character identities, which of course is a reflection of his own personal internal struggle.

I.

Ah! Now I’ve done Philosophy, I’ve finished Law and Medicine, And sadly even Theology: Taken fierce pains, from end to end. Now here I am, a fool for sure! No wiser than I was before.

We begin Purva Bhadrapada where Shatabhisha ended. In Shatabhisha we mastered all intellectual arts known to mankind, as well as religious and moral theory. However, in Purva Bhadrapda we feel the most deeply emptiness of knowledge and cold facts without wisdom and feeling to apply them. And thus, we spend all the time in this Nakshatra obsessively trying to fill the hole in our hearts, not really being able to use any of the rational means, that have worked previously at our disposal. As a result, we fill with ego and irrational belief what was filled with facts before. Similarly, Light is the perfect student and high achiever that everyone envies, the pride of his parents, but feels bored, empty and unfulfilled and views his perfection as emotionally meaningless, merely a starting point for the actual greatness he seeks.

II.

The theme of Purva Bhadrapada visible in Death Note is a moral dilemma - does a single person have the right to judge the actions of others? Should an individual elevate themselves above the crowd? Is there ever a situation, where one has the right to do so?

This contrast between man and society in Purva Bhadrapada comes from the fact, that this is the collective stage of Jupiter, where it reaches its apex, so personal interests of the individual are aimed at the collective. As a result, there is a karma of friction between individual belief and larger scale ideas. From the previous stage of Shatabhisha, one possesses the skill of socially blending in if necessary, the skill of perfect illusion, but underneath the smooth facade, true beliefs are starting to break through, ego hunger is rearing its ugly head, which is what causes such a strong dissonance, the “two faced nature” of this nakshatra.

III.

In reality, in Purva Bhadrapada one simply explores one's desire to eliminate all oppression and control the world according to one’s will instead of being controlled by it in any form. That desire is masked by belief in one’s own righteousness or even notions of self sacrifice for the greater good, contrasted with what one views as societal flaws, but there is an initial lack of authentic self examination. As a result, one’s actions are unpredictable and have a wide spectrum, that can be hardly defined as purely moral or righteous. Instead, they are driven by a desire for personal expansion.

Over time that leads to degeneration of one’s Humanity, as it becomes apparent that ego worship dominates over the human desire to actually do something good and contribute to the world. As a result, one is unable to admit one’s true nature to oneself, and the consciousness splits between an egoic righteous trip and an authentic desire to evoke positive change. In reality, the native simply desires to see one’s imprint on the world and is not really concerned with consequences of their actions on other people’s lives, to the extent they eliminate any external voices of reason. That is because voices of conscience keep defying the Purva Bhadrapada desire for extreme ego gratification.

IV.

A good man, in his darkest yearning, Is still aware of virtue’s ways.

However, despite intense attempts at externally manifesting one's internal concept of greatness, reality ultimately comes crashing down, and with it, the true awareness of moral implications of all one's actions. At this point, the "high" of the trip is over. What is also revealed, is that underneath the false comfort of the ego, the native's heart feels a sense of guilt over all the mistakes made on the path.

There is an interesting theme emerging in this Nakshatra. “Destruction comes not from the human being itself but from what gives it too much power”. A statement repeated many times in Death Note, that the true evil is the power to kill people. To prove that point, the moment Light loses the memory of Death Note and with it his supernatural advantage, his purity of heart and moral compass automatically return. It’s only the Death Note that reveals his psychopathic tendencies, and fate has put him, an otherwise decent person, into a fatal situation. The position of a human being existing simply as the plaything of the gods, being a force too insignificant, being at the mercy of fate. That is the theme of Jupiter, having too much power, too much goodness threatens to corrupt even the most decent individual.

V.

Yes, I’ve surrendered to this thought’s insistence, The last word Wisdom ever has to say: He only earns his Freedom and Existence, Who’s forced to win them freshly every day.

When Jupiter in Purva Bhadrapada finally matures, one understands, that merit only comes from continuous effort and character building, which over time forms into a solid habit, at which point Jupiter matures into Saturn.

We never see this happen in Death Note, as Light dies defiant in his dark side. However, we can explore the positive development through L, his Purva Bhadrapada polarity. L commits his life to the relentless duty of righting the wrongs of society, to the point that he doesn’t have a private life. He makes financial and personal sacrifices in his determination to wake up every day doing something for the world, knowing his contribution is irreplaceable, and ultimately he dies passing on his life’s work to make sure his ideas remain immortal and any unfinished business is wrapped up. This is also where Jupiter accepts the possibility of death and realizes that while all men must die, what matters is how you die - ultimately achieving your goal even after your death, like L, or disgraced, like Light.

That’s why in Saturn’s stage, which comes next, we learn refinement and personal self control. We work to become better people with our attitude as a habit, instead of focusing on ego development. This is, however, wisdom reserved for the next stage, so if it is reached in Purva Bhadrapada, it coincides with the character's Death, just as the quote I used escapes Faust’s dying lips.

[swanpyart]

Prepare For My Most Deranged Slay The Princess Theory That Makes Sense The More You Think About It - The Narrator IS Another Voice

I'm a bit jumbled so bear with me, but I realized a lot of odd things that give me the idea that the Narrator is actually another Voice and another facet of the Long Quiet.

The game goes out of its way to make it clear that the Narrator is different from the Voices; he has a degree of power over the Player that the other Voices initially lack, he has info about the world that the Player does not, and his authoritative nature puts him (and us by default) in opposition with the Princess. Because of this, none of the other Voices treat him as an equal or even as a friend: They are all either opposed to him, treat him as someone who can be listened to but ultimately ignored, or outright dismiss him. In the Thorn Route, Hero even points out that the Narrator "doesn't count" as one of them.

Another difference is that the Narrator never learns new info from previous chapters; we essentially get a new Narrator each one, while literally EVERYONE else remembers what happened before. This alone feels like the game pointing out the disconnect between the Narrator and the rest of the Long Quiet.

Now, for what my theory hinges upon.... the Start Over Ending, where the Princess wipes the Long Quiet's memories and causes the entire game to start over from scratch. The interesting part of this is that both the Long Quiet AND the Princess remark that there's a chance that they'd done this before, possibly countless times, because they were unable to make a permanent decision the previous times.

If this is actually true, and the Long Quiet and the Shifting Mound have been in this perpetual cycle of the Long Quiet finding five vessels, the Narrator's Echo fading away, both gods realizing their true natures but being unable to compromise, and the Princess wiping both of their memories and forcing a restart.... then what becomes of the Narrator? How does he come back for things to restart?

"Well, obviously he's resurrected," You might say, but we're not given any reason to believe that the Long Quiet can resurrect an actual mortal person, right? The entire point of the game is the inevitability of death, and that "even in rebirth, things can't be the same." Not only that, Nary is an Echo, not an actual person, so his presence as a living being is one that's even more precarious than an actual human life; focusing too much on him makes him fade away. The Long Quiet and the Princess can come back from death, but those two are literally GODS.

So, my main theory is this: The Narrator we hear throughout the game is no longer the Narrator the Long Quiet may have originally started with in the VERY first loop with the Shifting Mound, right after the Creator killed himself and split the Gods in half. The original Narrator is actually long dead, along with his original Echos, and now he is merely another Voice of the Long Quiet assuming His role. Perhaps at one point, the Narrator was actually a person who wanted to rid the world of death, and created an Echo of himself to do it, but the Echo of that human has long since faded away, only to be replaced by the Long Quiet to maintain the illusion of the loop.

In this light, it's entirely possible that every version of the Narrator and the Creator we meet is merely an extension of the Long Quiet playing the role of an omniscient storyteller. This could be part of why the Narrator struggles to answer in-depth questions, and why the Creator never goes into detail about his true identity as a human. The Long Quiet doesn't actually know much about the one who created him, and gives the same recycled lines he heard long ago from the voice of a long-dead man.

So, why does the Narrator never remember previous Chapters? That's his role. Every Voice has specific skills and abilities, and the Narrator's role, as a Voice, is to maintain a status quo. With no storyteller, there is no path in the woods, there is no cabin, there is no Pristine Blade, and there is no basement. There's no vehicle through which the Long Quiet and the Shifting Mound can reach an agreement of some kind.

The irony, then, that, if this idea is true, that the Narrator, hellbent on destroying the Shifting Mound, then becomes a vehicle through which her love for the Long Quiet facilitates. It's no wonder that, Like the Voice of the Hero, the Narrator is ALWAYS with us, and if Hero represents our agency, then Nary represents the scenario through which to exercise that agency.

Let me know if I sound like a madman lmao

[lapquang]

MBTI | ENTP

ENTPs are primarily guided by Extroverted Intuition (Ne), which gives them an insatiable curiosity and constant drive to explore new possibilities. This function makes them divergent thinkers, good at recognizing patterns, synthesizing ideas, and pursuing creative connections between seemingly unrelated concepts. Their quick thinking allows them to navigate complex situations with ease, always seeking new perspectives and discovering hidden opportunities. This emphasis on possibility over certainty makes ENTPs naturally creative. They thrive when engaging in conceptual exploration, coming up with creative solutions to problems, or re-imagining the future in creative ways. The dynamism of this thinking helps them stay in a state of intellectual stimulation, constantly creating new ideas and solutions. The drawback of Ne's dominance is its propensity to overlook concepts' applicability. ENTPs often get so engrossed in the possibilities that they forget to take the necessary steps to bring their ideas to life. Here's where a suppressed Introverted Sensing (Si) function might act as a blind spot, leading them to rush into decisions or give up on a project in the middle of monotonous, intricate work out of boredom. Although ENTPs are driven by their exploratory nature, their Introverted Thinking (Ti) serves as a logical framework for analyzing what they find. Through this function, they are able to assess the ideas they generate critically and determine whether they are based on logic or are merely fantastical. Ti helps ENTPs in difficult situations apply rigorous reasoning by breaking down systems and arguments to reveal underlying truths. Their disinterest in knowledge, however, can occasionally cause them to think nihilistically and begin to doubt the very basis of reality and knowledge. This never-ending probing, though helpful in the process of discovery, can make them question the veracity of their conclusions, leaving them feeling unsure or disoriented in their search for the only true answer. Even with their aptitude for logic, ENTPs do not lead socially secluded lives. Their ability to negotiate social connections with charm and adaptability stems from their tertiary Extraverted Feeling (Fe) function. People are often drawn to ENTPs because of their charm and wit, as well as their intellectual curiosity and sense of humor. They are skilled communicators and connectors because they can read social dynamics and modify their communication style accordingly. However, their charm can sometimes be considered superficial, as they may have difficulty engaging in deeper emotional relationships. Their focus on ideas and pursuit of theory can make it difficult for them to connect with others on an emotional level, especially when they care more about the intellectual value of the conversation than its emotional tone. Additionally, the ENTP's weak Introverted Sensing (Si) function can lead to a lack of interest in routines and specifics. They may become bored with repetitive tasks or long-term projects that require sustained focus on small, meticulous elements. This frequently results in a disjointed approach since they hop from concept to concept without really finishing any of them. The difficulty for ENTPs is not only coming up with ideas but carrying them out consistently, which calls on them to use their Si function to balance the practical aspects of their undertakings.

[1eoness]

hi! could i request something fluffy? maybe leon spoiling reader with some meal, or cuddles? thanks! ❤️

mentioning meals I AM THE REMINDER TO GO GET A SNACK AND REJUVENATE

and yes ofc i love writing fluffy fluffy hehehehe (im kind of uncreative rn so sorry). btw i'm writing this in the same format as the other one but if you want it to be more structured and narrative just uh tell me LOL

content : fluffy leon kennedy x gender neutral!reader (it's written in second person though). pet names lol

synopsis : leon wants to spoil you so he's feeding you and providing you with an army's ware of cuddles >:)

-food is fuel and leon is a fucking engine

-tbh i hc that leon has a big appetite for sweet stuff,,,, i'm sure a big collective of ppl agree bc he's so squishy squishy [what the fuck am i saying idk]

-anyway enough about me gushing on leon.

-YOU. when will you ever take the time to let him spoil you? are you trying to avoid him?:((

-leon is part kidding. he's not mad ofc but sometimes he can't help but get a tiny bit worried about you sometimes.

-see, leon is a firm believer that a person cannot come to their best senses unless their basic/psychological needs are fulfilled. that includes things like eating, or affection—because when your body senses that you're lacking in something, it will use your brain power to signal you that you need to eat or be smothered with affection! hence you can end up feeling burnt out if u dont pay attention to ur love vitals!! >:(

-leon's mindset will always be applied on you because you're his second heart, you're his tough rock and you need to be taken care of!!

-HE KNOWS WHAT YOU'RE THINKING "affection? that's absurd people can still learn attentively and work efficiently without having to be coddled >:(" while yes in a sense its true—but sometimes you just don't realize that what you need is some time to be vulnerable and intimate, which can explain why your emotions feel a lot more heightened recently than usual (which he notices by the way). you've been tense for a while, and leon reasons that you can't just 'move on' from being overwhelmed with work stress and whatnot—you have to relieve it! but enough about theory.

-your hunger for food or affection is like a 7th sense to leon to be honest. while it's not an accurate intuition everytime, he's bound to think of you once every like two minutes.

-leon actually has very clear and high critical thinking skills. this means he is able to remember a lot of things about you even if he only notices them or you mention it once: this includes your comfort drink, where you like to be touched, hell maybe even the MBTI of your favorite character. and he ESPECIALLY knows what food you like. pad thai, sushi, oxtail, jerk chicken, cake, boba, YOU NAME IT HE KNOWS IF YOU LOVE IT OR NOT

-so when it actually came to asking you what you wanted, he'd send a text saying he's downtown and asking you 'what would you like, baby?'. he's careful with his words and doesn't say "do you want me to get you something on the way?" because it means he's giving you a choice >:( when the whole point is to spoil you because you deserve it.

-and if you answer with something vague like 'anything' HE DOESN'T MAKE YOU SPEAK FURTHER he'll just buy what he knows u like and keep the rest in the fridge if you dont wanna eat it :3 well that's what they're for, right?

"oh, my sweet.." his voice was quaint at the sight of you. leon tried his best to be silent when he entered the room, not wanting to sound like he was pitying you, but seeing you half-covered with comforters, mildly upset and your mind in a frazzle has his heart dropping a bit. you were probably thinking about so many things: meeting some deadlines, picking up this and that from the store, computing this... but you just couldn't organize your thoughts. but that's why leon was here.

your head moved to swivel his direction. "leon.." you smile at him weakly.

it was cold in the city tonight. leon places a hefty white plastic bag of your favorite on the nearby surface before he sits down in front of you from the edge of your bed. he takes the brief second of studying his lover's face before he pulls you into a comforting and warm hug. he can't help but pat the back of his sweet baby's head down, and you feel his lips barely nuzzle onto your ear as he mutters. "y're so good to me, baby. you know that?" leon reminds you before kissing the side of your head shortly. you tried to reciprocate it by giving him a nimble kiss on his cheek, which he gratefully accepts with an eager beam on his lips.

his hands slide down your arms in a soft stroke as he lets go of you gently. the rustling of the bed's layers being heard as leon moves a bit to reach for the hefty boxes of food, which he opens for you once he gives you take your utensil/s. leon's happy seeing you eat. it's a form of reassurance to him personally witnessing you getting the fill you deserve after a whole few days of being so busy and rushing everywhere. it's a calming sense to him as you both soak in comfortable silence while he watches you eat. he was caring less that it's 2 in the morning and caring more about the way the color on your face slowly vibrates back onto your features. you seem less tired, just by a tad percentage. it makes him smile to himself knowing he was able to take care of you. " 'm finished." you mumbled with a hum, feeling a little full and having to lie down. fullness makes you sleepy (and leon knows that!) so he has a subtle, cheeky little grin as he leans over and collects your legs with one arm, pulling you to make you lie on your back. he crawls over to lie down next to you, once again pulling you close to him while he wraps his arms around you— one patting and planted gently on your back while the other cradles your head close to his heart. just where you belong... "you tired, baby?" leon asked shortly and your little nod sufficed. his cheek gently rests against the side of the crown of your head. his touch is soft, it's sweet as he rubs and scratches down your back gently. he gently scruffles at your scalp with his other hand's fingertips, and the motions will send you to a hopefully revitalizing sleep ♡. he places a kiss on the top of your head, like a ribbon keeping its gift from falling apart :( he knows at this moment maybe you're thinking you don't deserve him. but that's so far from the truth.

[pen-and-umbra]

idk if everyone checked out latest halloween special, so SPOILER alert ahead. why do you think sephiroth stuck w/ shinra for so long with all the crap they out him thru? i mean ec is EXPLICIT abt sephiroth suffering mistreatment at hojos hands, not to mention those lies shinra created abt him being this hero figure. and he only starts thinking about *maybe* quitting on the eve of Niebelheim mission, like whyyyyy??

Who can say? There could be numerous reasons.

For one thing, I believe Sephiroth understood he couldn't truly escape ShinRA's clutches and sever all ties with the organization. He was too valuable to lose, the pinnacle of ShinRA inventions, a source of non-degradable cells; they wouldn't let him go. At best, he could hope for a life like Aerith's: loosely free but on a leash, watched over by Turks and whatever other means of surveillance were available. It doesn't help that half the places in the area have a strong ShinRA presence, and Sephiroth is a well-known public figure with an eye-catching appearance. He couldn't just blend in with the crowd because he was too famous and well-publicized. Perhaps Angeal and Genesis were not the first SOLDIER members to desert active duty, and younger Sephiroth witnessed other deserters being chased to hell and back (I have a theory that the FS trio might eventually face this fate). If such an incident occurred, it could have left an indelible mark. After all, living under constant surveillance or a threat of pursuit is not exactly the normal life Sephiroth desired.

One could argue that ShinRA couldn't do anything against him if he chose to quit or flee. I disagree to a point. They did manage to bring down Zack — it took an army, but they did it, and Zack, mind you, held his own against Genesis. Now Sephiroth is on a whole other level, but he is still human — at least before Nibelheim events. He requires sleep, sustenance, water. If a direct confrontation is out of the question, ShinRA could always resort to subterfuge. Poison, gas, sedatives, in water/food/air when he's less vigilant — you name it. The only issue left would be containment. If they wanted him for cells and tissue, they could just arrange something to keep him comatose. Not to mention that the remake makes it abundantly clear they have no regard for collateral damage. They could burn down an entire town just to get to him. ShinRA most likely had dirty tricks up its sleeve that could cause problems even for SOLDIER members — not necessarily in the form of firearms or other weaponry.

Another reason could be one of existential nature. Sephiroth had been raised his entire life to be a killing machine. He lacks both the vision and the skill set to be anything else. Ever Crisis openly states that Sephiroth had little prior experience with people prior to his first field mission with the FS trio, meaning that it was mainly lab and training staff that influenced him during his formative years. As a true psychopath, Hojo is a master manipulator; in FF7R, it is he who suggests using psychological torment to break Aerith, so it's fair to assume a young child might have also received a chunk of that. Knowing Hojo, I wouldn't be surprised if he made it a point to instill this belief in Sephiroth: you're only good for killing, and without ShinRA, you're nothing (or maybe it was even more personal, with Hojo substituting ShinRA for himself). Those ideas are very likely to have become absorbed into the very core of Sephiroth's sense of self as he matured. And once something has been drilled into your head since childhood, it is difficult to break the mold. When you combine that with the fact that his legend began as a deceptive marketing ploy, you have a potentially damaged sense of self-worth. You'll get someone who is confident on the battlefield but lost beyond it. Fighting, as short-sighted as it was, gave him a sense of purpose. It sufficed for a while, being as good a reason as any other.

There's also the matter of belonging. Sephiroth's obsession with finding his family stems from a sense of rootlessness and an unsatisfied need to belong. The game is subtle about it, but it's still there: it's his sense of being different from others, his inability to relate to normal experiences (having a hometown, for example), his sensitivity to cyborg comments (the implication here being that the question of his own nature was salient for Sephiroth already back then), and his reaction to "it's not cool to ask about mother" (which implies that people teased or berated him for wanting to know). Still, as bad as ShinRA was, it gave him purpose and provided whatever meaningful relationships he had. It gave him stability. Unlike the world outside, it was a known variable, and as the saying goes, better a devil you know. As far as my guess goes, Sephiroth was in no small part simply reluctant to shift the status quo and go for drastic changes, which is very human in hindsight. Humans are conformists by nature; uncertainty generally frightens us, so we avoid it. To him, the outside world may have appeared to have no place for him: no place to belong, no place to mingle, no skillset for a living other than wielding a blade. He eventually considers leaving once he realizes that whatever anchored him to the company is no longer there, with his friends gone and ShinRA completely discrediting itself with human experiments.

It's tragic in retrospect, too; as Ever Crisis points out, Sephiroth knew the company was using him from a young age, but his need to belong and have a purpose was strong enough for him to willingly turn a blind eye to its questionable ethics.

[practically-an-x-man]

I wish you'd write a fic...

...where the least likely OC you have suddenly is in charge of an infant, or a bunch of toddlers...

(I'd accept headcanons for as many of your OCs as you'd find fun to talk about. This was just rattling around in my brain last night.)

Ooooh... interesting!

My gut instinct would be to say Eris for the least likely, but... honestly, that's not as true as you'd think. They're strict in their code of not hurting children, plus the conflict that radiates even from an exceptionally angry baby or toddler is really nothing compared to an adult. And after centuries of life, they know all the old wives' tales and techniques for calming a child. They'd actually be quite good with a baby!

So then I turned to Vivienne - similar in Eris in terms of its limited degree of morality, lack of interactions with children, and image as a dangerous mythic figure. Vivienne has the storytelling skill to entertain a group of children for a while if she had to, but past that... it knows a few little things its mother taught them ages ago, but it's still a bit out of its depth when it comes to putting those skills in practice.

I think a fic with Vivienne and Wojchek suddenly charged with an infant would actually be a pretty fun concept! Neither of them know what the hell they're doing, Wojchek still needs to run the ship on top of everything else, so it basically becomes this game of "baby tag" where they're perpetually passing the kid off to the other one - at least until the Captain (who has a grandson) finally decides to take over before one of them accidentally loses the kid.

My other option for "least likely" would be Gia, though that's less from the technical side of things and more from the emotional side. She's still young, and extremely anxious - while she does have young cousins and other small children she's interacted with, and would in theory have the gentleness and patience to watch a child, she would be so anxious about the child getting hurt or lost that it would not be a fun experience for her.

[dailycharacteroption]

Psychic Expertise Envoy (Envoy Alternate Class Feature)

(art by Jarret Kelly on Artstation)

The power of the mind is a fascinating thing. Who hasn’t dreamt of being able to not just imagine and conceptualize, but enact one’s own will into the world with nothing but a thought?

Whether you call it magic or psionics makes no difference, both tap into the same fantasy, albeit with different trappings. Indeed, while occult or “psychic” magic was a distinct subset in the distant past of Pathfinder, work towards a universal theory of magic has broken down that distinction, with differences in spellcasting being more focused on the nature of the skillset of the individual. In the far future of Starfinder, magical disciplines beyond class are simply flavor text, whether you recite the rituals, invoke divine intervention, will the work into being, or even ask for aid from nature itself. (Obviously, the general vibes of each class lend themselves better to the classic disciplines than others, mystics being grab bags of divine, primal, and occult, technomancers being almost all arcane, and both witchwarpers and precogs blending arcane and occult)

And yet, despite that, there are still a few things in Starfinder that call themselves psychic vs generically magical, things about psychic magic that makes it just different enough aesthetically to warrant it. Things like the telepathy demonstrated by many species, or simply minor or not-so minor spellcasting and effects that have the whole mentalist aesthetic.

Which is where we come to today’s subject: the Psychic Expertise Envoy. Much like the magical expertise envoy, these individuals trade some of that jack-of-all-trades gumption of the base class in favor of magical powers. Where they differ is that while magical expertise envoys gain very limited traditional spellcasting complete with picking your own spells, their psychic counterpart focuses instead on a very limited spell list and more general psychic vibes with a renewable resource.

Much like other magical envoys, however, they often share the same sort of backstory, a dilletante character possesses psychic power, either from a young age or developing recently, but lacks a formal teacher or the time to properly educate themselves on how to use their power, and so supplements their extremely limited grasp of their own power with the flexible skillset that forms the bulk of the envoy class. However, their psychic magic, while unrefined, can prove a surprising ace in the whole in a dire situation, as long as they don’t overtax themselves.

So without further ado, let’s take a look, shall we?

These psychics are of course telepathic, either granting limited telepathy or improving its range. Eventually the refine it further to become true telepathy, crossing any language barrier.

Their focus on their psychic powers limits the expertise they can bring to bear, providing a much smaller bonus that grows much slower. Furthermore, they cannot use the expertise die with skills beyond social insight at all (though they can still select skills to be marked as such for the purposes of expertise talents). However, what they can use it for is to bolster their mental defenses when they come under attack. However, this strains their mind, and can only be done once before a short rest is required.

Eventually, their psychic senses sharpen enough for them to sense other beings by their thoughts, at first only able to sense those nearby, though the range improves with mastery.

Their true power begins when they begin to manifest true spells and other effects, though they can only do so twice before taking a short break. At first, they can only sense thoughts, create psychic static, or establish mental links. Later, they can ward their allies against mental affects that target the whole group. With an additional expenditure of resolve they can sense falsehoods, probe deeper into a mind, or modify memories. Finally, they can instead fully awaken their psychic senses, allowing them to precisely visualize the locations of others based on thought.

As we can see, this option offers some interesting psychic senses and abilities, but only able to be used sporadically throughout the day. The utility of these minor psychic spells can be pretty high though, so don’t underestimate it. Additionally, expertise dice to will saves, and more specifically the ability to give that to allies is a major boon against mental threats. That being said, this option does pretty thoroughly the ability to use the envoy’s signature skill monkey ability from most of their skills, even if they still get unique special skill abilities. Still, if minor psionics that can use as long as you have the resolve to keep resting throughout the day appeals to you, perhaps you can have fun with it!

A card shark and inveterate gambler, he often challenges marks to test themselves against his “halfling luck”, but most leave flat broke. However, when someone trained in psionics notices his mind-reading, he has to go on the run.

No matter where they go, Kalsk Prismscale always gets his mark, the kobold bounty hunter having a reputation for being able to get into the head of his target and predict their next move to an uncanny degree, and folk don’t realize how right they are.

One would think having psychic senses would help one stay out of trouble, but Penelope’s ambition in the city’s underbelly always seems to get the better of her. Which is why she’s stuck on a grav train with no way off and no way to even get in to steal the mark she had come for in the first place… that is unless she can cut a deal with the party.

[mbti-notes]

Anon wrote: Hello, mbti-notes! I will quit trying to be creative and will just thank you for this blog. I always come here when I need to somehow freshen up my thoughts. I like your approach and your wording.

I was going to ask you a question about a better way of socialising, but before that I wanted to explain my current mental state. It got long, sorry in advance.

So, lately I have been socialising my a** off. Like literally hopping on every opportunity to have a conversation with anybody. Even with people that I feel no sympathy for and initially despise. I tried to prove to myself a theory that I can have a nice conversation with any kind of person. For what?

Maybe, I am thinking, I was just trying to become a «better adult». I have always been told by my parents and elders that I am a sloppy, slow to react child, that is spending too much time in its head. And I felt uncomfortable with that. Though I doubt anyone would be comfortable with listening to such half-teasing accusations )). But I respect and love my elders, though can be bitter sometimes. Unconditional love is a thing, yeah. No one is perfect.

And I just tried to prove myself that I can be that easy-going, light, happy person. I tried and I succeeded. Because you think what you believe - in a lot of cases. And you can go a pretty long way with silencing that tiny voice in your head that keeps asking: «Is that the real you? Why are you trying to become the person that you despise the most? And why do you not feel anything?»

But because there is (Thank God!) such thing as one’s nature, I am entering my usual state currently. With constant cold showers of mild social anxiety, but having my own projects back on the forefront and exploring new interesting topics that fill me with knowledge (and thus providing comfort/sense of self).

But there is a doubt in my head that is always present: may it be that I am just «slacking off»? Not doing enough of my Extraverted Feeling exercises? Should I go back to caring about people around me even if it seems to be pointless, emptying all of my resources and making me feel miserable and hollow? Maybe it is true that «what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger» and I should continue this slightly destructive way of self-exploration?

Because of those constant intrusive (and self-deprecating) thoughts I feel the need to go back in time somehow. In a way, return to the foetus version of me and tell it to feel less guilty for not liking people around it, for not having answer for everything and being a little bit slow to grow up. And maybe take with me that precious naivety of my younger self, that openness which helped me overcome dark pessimistic thoughts with ease.

But I based my whole socialising experiment on trying to prove that the child me was wrong. That elders are right because they are more experienced and know the flow of things better. Simultaneously, though only a little bit, it helps with fear of dying a mediocre person. At least there is a possibility that you will gain «enlightenment» skill with age. It could have been worse, right?

And of course it is not my first experiment. I did a lot of it in my teens too. Now I am just being more conscious about the steps that I am taking.

And my sentences may be lacking structure, that’s why I will try to sum up everything I wrote in one question. If you would be so kind, please answer. I would really appreciate your feedback.

My question:

Is there some better way to stop feeling disgusted with yourself while trying to socialise, other than just straight-up ignoring your feelings and discomfort?

Example:

I am talking with a person. At some point I understand that I do not care about them. Then I feel hollow, because somewhere deep I start to feel that I sincerely do not care for anyone. I even question if I have any feelings at all. Maybe I am just a piece of egotistic shit and that is all to me. To avoid this dark thought I just throw it away. Stuff it in a metaphorical drawer. And maybe try to justify my lack of empathy by thinking that we are all the same and I am not the only one with a social mask. And maybe feel manipulated/tricked by society/media/literature/art for putting in our minds this concept of sincere empathy afterwards.

Thank you for finishing my long ask!

Hoping to receive a reply.

An INTP (early twenties, female)

--------------------

I appreciate that you have a desire to improve yourself and I certainly wouldn't want to discourage you. However, I would never suggest anyone try your method. What can I say when people go against my advice? Your case is a textbook example of two mistakes I have repeatedly warned people about:

1) It is important to wait until one is psychologically mature enough to pursue inferior function development, otherwise, one could easily get trapped in inferior grip. You are not yet at the stage of ego development where healthy inferior function development is possible or desirable. The results of your "experiment" only confirm this.

2) It is important to approach type development with the right intention, armed with the right understanding of its grand purpose, otherwise, one is likely to exacerbate developmental issues or create even more. Your motivation for function development was suspect from the start. It is apparent in your admissions that you are driven by ego, childishness, and faulty reasoning (that keeps you trapped in your own world of distorted beliefs).

Why do people socialize? They need relationship. To be successful in interpersonal relationships, you have to: invest in strengthening relationship bonds over the long term; care about psychological well-being; open yourself up to being seen and loved. It doesn't sound like any of this was happening. How can a proper relationship form when your intention in socializing is merely to prove some imaginary point? Other people don't really exist for you except as objects to be used and discarded once the point is proven. There is no "social" in your socializing. There is no "Feeling" in your Extraverted Feeling actions.

As far as I can tell, one reason you've faltered is that you don't know what exact problem you're trying to solve. From your description, it seems the main problem is a lack of feeling and empathy. Forcing yourself into inappropriate socializing situations isn't going to solve this problem. If lack of feeling/empathy is indeed at the root, then you ought to focus primarily on it. Lack of feeling/empathy isn't a crime and doesn't automatically make you a bad person; it is a legitimate psychological issue that people experience for a variety of possible reasons. Take time to understand how and why you suffer from this issue. Perhaps consult some experts on the matter.

Putting yourself down or destroying yourself is unnecessary and counter-productive. Self-denial and self-hatred are major impediments to personal growth. If you truly want to grow as a person, the first thing you have to do is face facts and accept the truth of what you are, rather than live in a fantasy world where you believe that weaknesses and faults can be eliminated with the wave of a magic wand. Only by being seated firmly in reality will you have the right frame of mind to learn effective coping and adaptation strategies to make the best of what you have.

[cugzarui]

ok i've been letting this one bounce around in my brain for a while and i don't know if someone else already thought of it or not (i rarely have original ideas) but here's my theory on pink diamonds true power:

every diamond has a power that lets them control other gems. yellow diamond controls their bodies - even to an extent that the gem being controlled is unable to match. likewise for blue and a gems emotions. white diamond is a bit trickier to pin down but i think her power could be reasonably be boiled down to "identity". she is able to turn other gems into extensions of herself, or turn herself into an extension of other gems, because she can change a gems identity. also, when centipedel was being healed, yellow, blue, and steven together managed to fix her completely, but not keep her in that state without constant contact with them. white is needed to somehow solidify the transformation. i think this is because centipedel still identified and thought of herself as a corrupted gem, so no matter how much help she got she would revert back as soon as that help disappeared.

so we got: body, emotion, and identity. but what about pink diamond? at first it looks like her power is to heal gems; but that still breaks the pattern because it's not a form of control, and because it also works on organics. she also seems to have a whole bunch of other powers that the other diamonds lack. so what's going on here? well, i think a pink diamond has power over a gems abilities.

basically: anything a gem can do, a pink diamond can change their ability to do it. make it easier or harder. make them more skilled or less. even derive new abilities from it. this fits well with another theory that stevens powers (creating a bubble, floating) are just modified versions of normal gem abilities (bubbling, maintaining consistent personal gravity). in fact for most of his powers it's easy to see how they can be derived from a normal gem ability. there is only one exception; his most iconic power: healing.

it's been theorized (but from what i know only from pretty shaky evidence, and never confirmed) that the liquid inside the injectors that make gems - the liquid that turns into gems - comes from the diamonds. if this is the case, then the healing liquid of a pink diamond could be a modified version of this ability. applying that liquid to a gem that already exists could - much like putting an irl gem in the right mineral solution in the right concentration - cause new material to grow on the old gem, possibly ceiling cracks or healing other issues. but what about healing organics? and giving life and superpowers to plants? steven can even heal inanimate objects (one of his toy bears).

this i think is what happens when you have that concentrated mineral solution, but no gem for it to crystallize on top of. it forms new crystals (probably microscopic ones, that can grow super fast, and maybe get removed by biological processes). these micro gems would probably be too small to have much of a consciousness (i hope) but would still view the object they formed in as their body, and use their gem powers to fix and maintain it. possibly to give it gem powers and gem behavior too. but they'll take on the objects identity as their own. of course if the object isn't alive, they won't be able to use its biological processes to help maintain it (cuz it won't have any) so they'll make it fully gem instead. this is probably what happened to lars and lion. this also means that yes

lars is a zombie

[not-souleaterpost]

20th century boys - scrapped reveals and plot twists?

Don't know if anybody cares about speculating something as hard to proof and irrelevant, but I had a few ideas while reading, which even if didnt come true, seemed to be getting hinted at and with how much was made on the spot I wonder if they were originally the plan...

So not really them mentionened besides random yt comments that may or may not be an alt account of me...

Spoilers of course.

Donkey was supposed to be friend?

Remember how Donkey was first introduced? As the weird kid others ostrociced and didnt really want to include, who actually was very smart and talanted all excentricitys aside.

And he was the first "friend" to die, as a classic misdirection - while having an obvious excuse introduced to fake his death "Oh all his siblings look just like him..." (Also the evil twin angel was really emphasised with the fat bully kids at the start, hmmm....)

Donkey was the one that had the skills and near supernatural abilities while being the classic story of a good kid cracking and turning - tieing the dark subversion if shonen magazine tropes.

His whole skepticism of things could tie into too with him cynically learning that "Oh people want to fall for superstitions for illusions, really friendship is fake as well, so why not start a cult, not like its hard for me to make some tricks..."

The symbol being sent by him would be than a cheeky hint, the intentional start of a goose chase, but no geese will ever outrun a donkey...Even all the showing of Donkey in the first half would not just be as motivation for the middle aged friend group, but a setup for this dark twist, while laying the seeds of the themes, maybe even having Dunkey in his twisted logic think he did it for their sake, to make them be the heroes they didnt become.

Oh and also the whole Aldrin Moon Nasa thing seems to work the best for him - with him being the stereotype of a "I fricking love science" kid (who if I dont misremeber is said to have actually wiaited till it happened and didnt fall asleep, but maybe Im misremebering that part) and also his familys lack of money stoping him from enjoying many activities with his "friends" (even having to watch tv with Kenji...)

Oh and for any "well how would he set it up, was the one injured guy lieing about what Donkey said before he threw him of??? Or was that all part of his plan??!"

And yeah its convoluted and kinda breaks the "trying to figure out a mystery without the author just lieing and pulling bullshit" part - but Urasawa does it anyways, with all the reveals obviously not being planned before getting changed again (as he admits)

Oh and also that applys to the "real" reveal (the first one) - we literally saw the friend guy have an emotional breakdown, say he knows who the real friend must be, remove the friends mask and say he isnt that and then fall to his death

So if the Dunkey twist goes against the story, so does the real one. "Ohnono, you just had to assume that he lied and hired actors for his family and then did a double misdirection plunge to the dead and-" Yeah ok Donkey could have done that too.

but for the other theory

Kiriko/the protags sister had a "virgin birth"

So remember when there was that random detail about "Godzilla being a girl and giving a birth without a father"? And how this godzilla thing getting a callback with the mom saying she is one cause her virus killed that many people?

Well isnt it weird that the actually weird part wasnt adressed? Especially when Kanna was mysterious from the start and that at the same time talks of a "Holy Mother" started, as did all the Christian imagery with saviors dieing, resurecting and the pope (with Catholics having the biggest connection with Mary...)

But then it didnt pay of - guess she really had a secret relationship with a random half-friend of her younger brother🤷‍♂️ Not saying that that is more fantastical than all the magic and conspiracys but still a weird detail, especially with the romance and relationship not being explored at all.

It even seems to be anti thetical, with the sister being very mature and selfless, while "friend" is childish and egoistical (well maybe a certain codependent weird thing makes sense now but ehh...)

Still what would make more sense in a dramatic story with supernatural elements - the model sister suddenly just having a kid and abandoning it without ever telling anyone about the father who she only found out was evil after having a consensual relationship which she didnt really have a reason to hide at the start

Or if she DOES have a miracle birth...

Like Kiriko was literally shown to be a perfect sister, doing everything for her brother, being responsible, taking everyones shit, even sacrificing her well being for her brother and others while having a stoic expression.

Maybe she actually did magically get a baby and that scared here enough to abandon it without explaining because who could believe it.

Or maybe something cause it, something she couldnt explain.

Like Friends "magic" or "science"(magic) - hence why Friend calls himself "the father" - he kinda is, in some way, indirectly, idk

Or, as a subtheory...

Kiriko was friend. Think about it, she would be "the father" if her research developed a way to create a child without a fathers DNA (I mean there is a magic anti-proton bomb, and the virus is also not really scientific), the "father" being the part of her that is the alter ego executing the plan, the magic and the tricks.

But more importantly, it would be the perfect obvious misdirection - they were so busy searching for a boy in their class, missing the obvious girl who was just a few years older, who may even in younger photos, if she could have had short hair as that other girl love interet with the dog as a kid had, may have looked as a standard early middle school boy.

And the thematic motivation would be perfect too - she allways just saw everything from the outskirts, she had to be the older and responsible one, not having a chance to ever play like her younger brother did, being resentful of not being able to have a secret base and alll, especially when the other girl could join later.

The scientific angel is there too, as the metaphor of "being in the space capsule while the others got all the fun and glory"

Also it would be a perfect hiding in a plain sight twist thing "Oh my sister disapeared and left a baby, I wonder who this mysterious masked individual is who seems to know me and my friend so much while even knowing the name of my sisters kid... Guess we'll never know🤷‍♂️" (bonus connection - the concert being "not real rock" could be the sis either trolling him on porpuse, or doing it as a intentional thing while also not understanding why it doesnt work, showing that there is this misunderstading between siblings that could get solves in the end)

[kanerallels]

Re: homeschooling. There is ALOT of stigma, but I’ve heard the stigma is much higher in the USA than elsewhere, and this is an American site so all polls results are skewed to an American world view. So there’s that, what fears exist there that influence the vote? I’ll try to summarize. I’d be interested in a poll from everyone else. Also the points I’m gonna cover are just what I’ve heard over the years, and over the border as a Canadian myself, who only homeschooled for a few of my years, so it’s not iron clad or anything. Just some possibilities.

The stigmas come from the idea that it’s bad because there are, unfortunately, a lot of people who don’t do it right, or for the right reasons. The main objections are these kids are completely isolated socially, underprepared to function in the real world, and that they won’t get a proper education - either from ignorance or malice, or both. There may also be unconscious bias that the state (not the American sense of the word, but the institutional sense) knows best and how can parents know what to teach? Which probably feeds back into factors I don’t really have the qualifications to talk about but basically boil down to “if you educated them better they won’t be mindless minions for the capitalist/military/prison grind” - the state does not want that, so they purport the idea that it’s bad (yes that borders on conspiracy theory, not saying it’s true, saying I’ve heard this said). Never mind public education is a fairly new concept, historically speaking (and it is a good thing in many ways! Mandatory, free, basic education has eliminated illiteracy in many places for example. The concept started out with worthy goals, etc - have they strayed from them and why? Lack of care or just resources?)

Obviously, all of that is going to vary by who is doing it and why and if they have the time and resources and desire to do it properly.

Socially, you can absolutely create community elsewhere - when my mom was doing it with us, we went to the library every single week and met up with a bunch of other kids and planned social stuff and educational group trips to places like the science centre and the art and history museums. We mixed our book learning with practical skills - one person knew a sewing teacher, one person negotiated a discount for swim lessons, the library offered French lessons among its many other programs. And of course to supplement grade standard education lesson books, like math, spelling, etc, we were ALWAYS taking out books from the library, both fiction and non fiction. So there are absolutely ways to get a rounded education and a social life. I would say even more so now than when the concept was new for me 15-20 years ago.

But on the other hand, there are the horror stories, and success stories don’t circulate half so well. The people who isolate their kids to abuse them, don’t teach them anything, make them do chores all day beyond age appropriate responsibility or physical ability, etc. also the deliberate obfuscation of certain information or topics because of personal ideology, usually religious, because you know. Somehow education equates belief (sarcasm. Example: I learned people used to think the world was flat. Guess what? I don’t believe that).

These are just some random thoughts, feel free say it doesn’t make sense lol. I do believe if that’s what you want to do, and you have the love and time and ability and patience etc, and financial freedom for at least one parent to do it (someone’s gotta work unfortunately), then go for it. But do it right, and find as many resources as you can. Unfortunately there are people who go into it without preparation and for the wrong reasons and I can see why people believe kids need access to third parties somewhere in their lives, and school might as well be it. Like there’s very much merit and drawbacks on both sides. I think there’s kids who could come out from both systems with abysmal skills, and from both with stellar skills, (I’ve met both types), it’s just really gonna boil down to individual circumstances.

This is all really really interesting, thank you for the ask!! I knew some of this stuff but not all of it. And I don't think I knew you were homeschooled at one point, that's so cool!! (Oh and you're never gonna hear judgement about conspiracy theory sounding stuff from me lol)

[nolongerapileofashprobably]

Hi. Me again. I've been thinking and reading a lot recently about Tears of the Kingdom, and the possible... implications that its story has, and I would like your opinion on them. I would have simply sent you the posts I've read, but it'll be quicker if I give you an abridged version of the talking points. So with that said, if you're interested, let's begin:

[If you'd rather not think too hard about this game, then feel free to just ignore this.]

First and foremost, Rauru. I already asked you about your thoughts on him, and I loved your answer, but I'd like to look a bit deeper into what he represents.

So, for starters, about the Zonai as a race. I've seen the claim that the whole setup behind them about coming down from the sky and being worshipped as gods could be seen as colonialism. I think the only way that's true is if they were oppressing the people of the world, and we don't have any evidence of that, but some people think the lack of evidence means it must have happened. I don't really know what to say to that.

Since Rauru is the founder of Hyrule, you can see why I find that a little concerning. It's not clear if he adopted Hylian culture, or if Hyrule is fundamentally built on Zonai customs, but I figure its a question worth asking. And if it is built on Zonai customs, does that not imply that whatever Hylian culture was got erased?

Secondly, the Secret Stones. Rauru having the monopoly on them makes him the single most powerful being of his era. Is the fact that he is also the king not a little concerning in the face of that? Like, I've seen the argument made that people might simply have followed him because they were afraid he would wipe their races off the map otherwise. I don't think that's something he would do, but still, he and Sonia flaunt theirs like jewelry.

There's also the statement that he was apparently repeatedly inviting Ganondorf to form an alliance. Firstly, why would they need to have an alliance? There doesn't appear to be any external threat. Secondly, no matter how friendly these invitations may have been, there is still the undercurrent of "if you don't, I could wipe the desert off the map" thanks to the stones.

I've seen the claim that everything about the Zonai and Rauru's role in the story could be seen as pro-imperialist propaganda. I don't want to believe that, but I'm curious as to what your take is.

I had more to ask, but this is getting pretty long, so I'll leave it there for now.

Okay— the Zonai and Rauru’s role in Hyrule is one that I have honestly stayed away from. Simply for the fact that we don’t have a lot of information regarding either. So I’ll refrain from theorizing for the most part and simply rely on my critical literary thinking skills in order to discuss this without being completely biased (at least I will try my hardest)

For one— Rauru and Mineru are the last two Zonai and keepers of the Secret Stones. That brings SO MANY questions. How do the Zonai fit into Hyrule’s history? What are Secret Stones and why does only Rauru have access to them? What happened to the Zonai?

The Zonai are a people still so mysterious to Hyrulians nowadays and a thought to be extinct race (technically Zelda is very, very, very distantly part Zonai). Zonai thought to be gods… Now we are heading into theory land but it is very interesting to think of Hyrule’s history. While Hylians are supposedly the race closed to the gods, there was another race mentioned before in the Zelda universe that was even closer to the Gods. NOW I’m not saying the Oocca are the Zonai— but it shows us that there are races to be expanded upon in the Zelda verse and possible other gods or goddesses we do not know about.

The Zonai are thought to be Gods by Hylians… and the Hylians have a bloodline that shares the blood of a goddess. While we see a very loving relationship between Sonia and Rauru, it would honestly make sense if it was purposefully set up in this manner for them to be the first King and Queen of Hyrule. And as we see, Sonia and Rauru do wear their secret stones… but in a kingdom newly founded with an enemy in the south west whose malicious intent has been noted… doesn’t it make sense to wear the secret stones?

If I’m not mistaken, Ganondorf isn’t aware of other stones. Why would he go through the entire hassle of impersonating Zelda and killing the Queen for her secret stone if there were MULTIPLE just hidden away? Because he doesn’t know about them. He chose the weakest and targeted their stone and succeeded in stealing it.

While it is true that Rauru is keeper of these stones, we never see him monopolize them and keep them to himself. Had it been a pro-imperialism narrative, he wouldn’t have delegated them out to the others. He would have used their power for his own gain and forced his rule upon the entire land. His show against Ganondorf was simply a king protecting his people, with the aid of Zelda and Sonia sharing their power with his. It’s to force the secret stones into action— to show both us and Ganondorf that they are powerful. Naturally, it becomes the main motivation for Ganondorf in his quest to rule over Hyrule.

And the comment of Rauru repeatedly requesting Ganondorf’s presence… that was made AFTER the Modulga attack. It was Rauru repeatedly trying to peacefully discuss the attack and Ganondorf’s intent. It was not a threat. It was a basic way to hold out a hand and see if the true malicious intent is still there. And Rauru confirms it is with Ganondorf’s presence. He knows he must prepare for battle because he extended a hand, knowing it would be taken despite a knife being hidden away just waiting to strike Rauru and the rest of Hyrule down.

And as for culture, we do see that the Hyrule Zelda finds herself in is a mix of Zonai and Hylian culture. Had it been just the Zonai culture, we would have seen remnants of that reflected in the Hyrule before the Great Calamity. Instead, we only find the rare mention of the Zonai and ruins scattered upon Hyrule. Remember that Rauru and Mineru were the last of the Zonai— implementing and erasing Hyrulian culture isn’t at all supported by any details found in the game nor is a feasible feat.

Rauru isn’t meant to represent colonialism nor head a pro-imperialism narrative. He is meant to represent a King who did everything right by Zelda and in the end by his people. He makes mistakes of course, but he is the supportive guide for both Zelda and Link that King Rhoam never truly could be. The Zonai’s place in Hyrule’s history has yet to be truly discovered and I suspect we won’t gain many answers until the next Zelda game. Of course, there may be more information in the ToTK Official Guide, but we won’t know until it releases.

Naturally, I could be wrong, but I find that in a series with a character such as Ganondorf who exemplifies tyrannical, imperial characteristics… and is constantly fought against… the odds are far more in the favor of Rauru and the Zonai being a mysterious race we do not know much about beyond that they helped establish the modern day Hyrule and married into the family that holds the blood of the goddess 🤷‍♀️ and that the last two remaining Zonai would have done anything for Zelda and supported her choices no matter what