#instead he’s introducing invasive species

[the-wizard-of-magicland]

Of course it was you

[elbdot]

Hello I am back with more lore questions about your comics if u wanna answer 👀 (I looked back, but couldn't find this mentioned so sorry if I just missed it 😅)

I was curious since the comic starts after all the main plot stuff has happened: we know El is the Champ of the Alola League, but did she also do the island challenge trials like in the game or was she just traveling around with Hau while he did his? If she did do the trials did you make up a reason why the kahunas would let her, despite being well over the age limit for it? If she didn't was there some other motivation for her building her team up enough that she could beat the league when it was finished?

We're basically playing out the original story of SM with some changes!

Originally El just wanted a FUCKING VACATION and came from Hoenn after receiving a letter from her mom, to come to Alola and help her move into their newly bought appartement. But then Kukui busted through the door to welcome them and El's mom insisted on her coming with Kukui to get to know the locals while she'd continue setting up the place in the meantime. El didn't have any of her old Pokemon with her, as she heard of the strict laws of letting "invasive species" into Alola and she didn't want to deal with the paperwork, especially since she assumed she'd only stay in Alola for 2-3 weeks at best. Kukui showed her the way to Iki Town, talked about their customs, wanted to introduce her to the island Kahuna. When they couldn't find him, Kukui suggested he might be up Mahalo Trail, but stays behind in case Hala might come back from Hauoli City instead. El checks it out, she meets Lillie, the saving-Nebby-scene plays out where Tapu Koko rescues Nebby and El, El unexpectedly receives the sparkling stone from Tapu Koko that Hala makes a Z-Ring out of. Due to the incident, Hala encourages El to partake in one of Alolas oldest traditions as a way to get accustomed to Alolas culture but also to welcome her into it and keep an eye on her, with Halas and Kukuis interest being sparked by the appearance of their deity. The fact that she's way over the age of regular trial goers is not a problem, Tapu Koko must have given her that stone for a reason so Hala simply follows the will of the Tapus and is interested to see how El's journey will play out.

El feels honored being so welcomed by the Kahuna himself and is also too polite to decline partaking in the island challenge, even though she wasn't really interested in going on anther journey and building a new team of Pokemon...wasn't this supposed to be a vacation aside from helping out her mom??

But her mother is surprisingly supportive of El going on the island challenge, as she feared strangers like them from Kalos might have a hard time fitting in and making friends with the locals. She's okay with El not being able to help out setting up the house, as in her opinion "You're doing your part by learning everything you can about the region and getting to know our new neighbors."

After getting to know Hau the next day during a Festival in Iki Town, El starts to feel more like Hala specifically put them together so someone would keep an eye on Hau while the old Kahuna is unable to. Babysitting it is then. GREAT. But the innocent sweet little sunshine that is our Malasada Boy QUICKLY grows on El and she takes looking after him VERY SERIOUSLY and becomes the Mom-friend of the group. She downright enjoys looking after the shy Lillie and the joyful Hau while getting to see so many of Alolas amazing sights. She also greatly enjoys Kukuis company I might add...

Until she finds out he's taken. FUCK. GODDAMNIT. OF COURSE HE FUCKING IS AAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGG "No Hau I'm not depressed. No I don't act strangely hostile towards Burnet what are you talking about nooooooo pass me the Malasada Hau. EW. It's BITTER. WHY'D THEY SELL THAT. I HATE IT HERE"

Don't worry, she recovers... El really starts to get into the challenge after a while. She was never a fan of challenging Gyms and greatly enjoys the different Trials she gets to go on instead. Alola quickly becomes her favorite region for the lush beautiful nature, the incredibly kind people and the Pokemon she meets along the way. Her team is unbalanced, but that's what makes her grow more closely together with her Pokemon than any previous team she had before. Beating trainers is a challenge due to the many bug-and flying-types on her team, she has to strategize more than ever before to make it work and be able to defeat the Kahunas. Her Oricorio Sweets would become her Partner Pokemon in the end, when she survived multiple hits from Kukuis Incineroar, holding on to 1 HP multiple times because of how determined the little bird was and how much she loved her trainer, defeating Incineroar in the end.

(This was my OG Team, only Sweets and my Golisopod Titan made it into the comics in the end, her Decidueye and Vikavolt are on Mohn's Pelago, Fletchinder I'd actually still like to include at some point)

El didn't expect to stay in Alola. She didn't expect to build a new team or even join the League or becoming CHAMPION of all things... Let's be real, Kukui didn't really give her much of a choice in joining. After Hau and El finished their island challenge, it was more of a "might as well join the League I just finished building" from the Professor, since before it was built, the final challenge WOULD have taken place on Mount Lanakila anyway. But what surprised El the most, was the fact that, after winning, she was offered the position of Champion by Kukui at all. IF she would have won, she thought, surely they'd not let a stranger like her actually keep the title and defend it. But NOPE. All hail Alolas first champion El I suppose. And with this, it was clear that El had to extend her stay in the region. For an...unforseeable time.

[jonnysinsectcatalogue]

Ten-Lined June Beetle - Polyphylla decemlineata

The stripes along this Beetle's shell are very prominent, but not necessarily distinct as there are a few similar-looking species. It does make for a beautiful find from Canada's west coast (in Squamish). My dear friend found it sheltering inside his car. Presumably it needed a ride to Vancouver and public transit just wouldn't do. While I'm kidding here, insects do on occasion get transported to new locations via road vehicles or overseas shipping. Such activity can introduce species that are normally considered harmless within their native range into an ecosystem that isn't prepared for them! This can result in pest status, or being labelled an invasive specie should their habit become too detrimental. This specie is fortunately not an invasive one here, as it is native to western North America. It instead has status as a pest of orchards, whereby the adults feed on fruit tree leaves while the larvae feed on their roots! Naturally, this can warrant monitoring of crops to prevent extensive damage, especially for the larvae who may inadvertently destroy young trees during their time developing beneath the soil. Today's specimen has pupated and left that life behind in favor of a more herbivorous routine. Despite the weight of her armored shell, this Scarab is quite capable of strong flight.

For a North American comparison between similar Beetles, my friend described this insect's behavior (when he found it) as similar to that of May Beetles (Phyllophaga spp.), which are more common in my neck of the woods. Both genera seem to have a fondness for flying into lights at nighttime. There is somewhat of a resemblance as well, especially with the soft fluff on the Beetle's underside. The Ten-Lined June Beetle is far more glamorous, however. There's a lack of confirmation on this, but it's possible that those bold stripes gave this Beetle its other common name: the Watermelon Beetle. I'd be hard pressed to say that their feeding habits created that name since watermelons grow on vines rather than trees (the harvest would be much more precarious if that were the case). Finally, should you find a Beetle similar in appearance to this one, take note of its antennae. This individual is likely to be a female as her antennae is reduced in size, but it can still fan out (from a club shape) to better catch scents on the breeze. Male Ten-Lined June Beetles have enormous, (curved) paddle-like antennae jutting out from their heads! Genuinely, you can't miss them! Although particularly ornamental in design, they aren't useful as weapons to batter away rival insects. They elaborately fan out to catch the alluring scent of a female Beetle's pheromones, but I wonder how the male's flight stability and direction are affected by the larger antennae.

Pictures were taken on August 5, 2024 in Squamish with an iPhone 12.

[wjbs-bonkle-au]

Bionicle Superhero AU thing but I'm actually like pinning down some aspects the actual lore I guess (some of which are retcons of stuff from here) in a somewhat disjointed way that I might elaborate more on in the form of a document or diagram or something.

Also if you want more details on a specific thing, just like. Send an ask or whatever. Especially since a lot of this stuff is kinda limited compared to what I could do in one of those other formats.

World

The whole thing takes place on Earth.

Metru City, the main location, is a sort of pastiche of Metropolis from DC, and therefore a stand-in for New York.

If Metru City is Metropolis, then its neighbour, Voya City, is Gotham, being much darker and having a very obvious class divide. It's also kinda inspired by Steelport from Saints Row: The Third, being a run-down industrial city that serves as the base of operations for a powerful crime syndicate.

(Almost) everyone's names are different, but to avoid confusion and because I want to have like a full name list I'll use their canon names. Exceptions will be noted. Characters who lack canon names will have their names [in square brackets].

There are original characters, but they won't be listed here.

There is a metanarrative that's mostly an excuse to talk about hypothetical in-universe game and film adaptations, and also the specific decades different characters and universes are introduced and their earlier versions in cases where I actually have an idea for that.

Alternate timelines/universes

G2

A version of the main timeline where everything is more futuristic, the Mata look and act differently (and are all like 5 years younger), and the Inika and Metru are completely different people entirely (with the Metru acting as the Inika's mentors).

Instead of the Makuta being a species, there is now a single being called Makuta, who is this universe's equivalent of Karzahni. Rather than retiring from godhood and becoming a back-alley surgeon, he was imprisoned for millenia awakening every 100 years; whenever he awakens, he is eventually defeated by...

Ekimu, a warrior that is reincarnated every century and is destined to return Makuta to his imprisonment. This universe's Takua is the next incarnation of Ekimu and can transform into him, magical girl-style. However, every time Ekimu incarnates, so does Umarak, an underling of Makuta with shadow-based powers; the current incarnation of Umarak is this timeline's version of Ahkmou.

Metru City is now called Okoto City and is much larger, covering some of the area that's occupied by Voya City in the main timeline.

There are a few heroes and villains who only exist in this timeline, e.g Exo (who is technically this timeline's version of Dume; more on that further down), Kulta's Skeleton Army, the Elemental Beasts, etc.

Some aspects of this timeline are inspired by Dimension 23 from Ben 10 Omniverse, for example the fact that a lot of characters have different stuff going on than in canon (e.g Vezon is the mayor of Okoto City) and that the "main" heroes are a lot more immature than their main-timeline counterparts.

Empire

Literally just the Toa Empire universe, with very few changes. Tuyet and Nidhiki killed Lhikan, Tuyet declared herself god-empress, and now the world sucks.

Invasion

A morality-swap universe where the Spherans destroyed their own planet and invaded Earth; the Makuta have light powers and are attempting to liberate the planet, and what (specifically human) characters do and don't have superpowers are swapped.

Technically the equivalent of the Melding, albeit much worse.

Opposite

An inversion of the main universe; the Skrall attacked and destroyed Earth, so humanity travelled through space and made contact with Spherus Magna.

The equivalent of the Spherus Magna Alternate Universe, though instead of the plot never happening, the plot actually happened the other way around.

Doomed

A world created when Jaller attempted to use the Mask of Time to travel back and save Matoro; the Skrall's superweapon fired, but missed Earth and hit the moon. However, the radiation from the blast turned most of Earth into a desert; a large amount of Earth's population is dead, and Matoro lives in self-imposed exile. However, what remains of humanity have managed to piece together a new civilisation in what used to be Metru City.

The equivalent of the Kingdom.

City of Silver

A film-noir universe where all the old heroes are still active and in their prime, the Metru and Mata are children, and the Inika haven't even been born.

Superpowers are much rarer, and are mostly explained as being magic, or changed to be more realistic (e.g Dume's ability to instantly repair things is just him being really good at fixing stuff, and Jovan's magnetism comes from a pair of electromagnetic gauntlets).

The Barraki are all a single crime family rather than a syndicate, and rather than being immortal, they are all descendants of the original Barraki (though they mostly look the same as their main-timeline counterparts (albeit in period-accurate clothing), with the exceptions of Carapar, Ehlek and Pridak, who are women). Nocturn is one of the few explicitly-supernatural things in the universe.

While it's named after the City of Silver Pocket-Dimension from Bionicle canon, this universe is conceptually inspired by Earth 90214 from Marvel and also Fallen Aces kinda and really just the whole "proto-superhero" concept.

Earth B

A world where everything is a little bit... off. The Mata and Metru aren't superheroes, the Inika Fanclub are older than the Inika and act like mentors to them, Voya City and Metru City swap names, Axonn and Brutaka are supervillains, there are no Makuta or Spherans, and the Piraka are high-ranking gangsters instead of CEOs, among other changes.

Basically this AU's excuse to reference Bionicle Heroes PC/Console's weird BS (other than the main-timeline Piraka's respective businesses).

Golden Age

The original versions of the Metru, Mata, Mangai and Hagah from the early-1930s to the mid-1950s.

Some characters' genders and even races are different, and the queer characters are all. Not that.

The characters' jobs are also different, e.g Lewa is a circus performer instead of a professional gymnast, Pohatu is an explorer instead of a footballer, and Tahu is a scientist instead of a firefighter.

Various characters and factions don't exist in this timeline, as they weren't introduced (in the metanarrative) until later; this includes the Inika and Barraki (who first appeared in the mid '60s), the Cordak and Order of Mata Nui/Federation of Fear (who first appeared in the early '70s), and the Hero Factory (who first appeared in the late '90s).

The Chiara Games

Essentially the AU's equivalent of the Arkhamverse; in the metanarrative, Chiara has her own videogame series. They include grittier reimaginings of her rogues gallery, and plots adapted (usually somewhat loosely) from the comics. There are also a few original characters.

The games play like a cross between actual Arkham games, but with elements of Dishonored, and Zeno Clash in its stealth and combat, respectively; the former works somewhat differently (you can't grapple up to overhanging scenery, but you have superpowers like a medium-range electric shock that can stun guards and disable security cameras), and the latter is based around attacking individual enemies while avoiding other nearby ones rather than bouncing between multiple enemies in a horde.

Very few other superheroes appear, though some that don't appear are mentioned occasionally, and some of their villains show up as bosses.

While Chiara is the main protagonist, Zaria and Vezon are playable in some of the games; the former has a more combat-focused gameplay style, while the latter is even more stealth focused (since his powers are being restrained).

Other minor worlds that I don't have much to say about

The Shadow Timeline (a more straightforward morality-swap than the Invasion; the Shadow Toa come from this timeline)

Cosmic Nightmares (Lovecraft-inspired early 20th century cosmic-horror take on the main universe; Artakha, Karzahni and Mata Nui are unfathomable elder-gods, Teridax is more obviously an alien pretending to be a human, and no-one has superpowers)

Manga (a manga version of the main "comic" where everything is at least somewhat different; based on similar real-world things)

Chiara: The Animated Series (an animated series about Chiara, which introduced a lot of elements that would be used in later parts of the canon)

Pirates (arrrrr, they be pirates!)

Cinematic Universe (the equivalent of both the MCU and the DCEU)

Zombies (because of course)

Obligatory boring realistic version where everything has to make sense and no-one has superpowers (yeah that)

Cheesy 1960s Toa Mata live-action TV show (which is where the idea of Tahu being a fireman instead of a scientist came from)

Assorted one-off what-ifs (including but not limited to "what if the Mata received their powers from Karzahni instead of Artakha?", "what if Umbra had awakened in the 1880s?", "what if the Chronicler's Company were the most recent incarnations of the Inika?", and "what if Pohatu was a wild-west gunslinger?")

Superhero teams

Mata/Nuva

Six heroes from the Mata district, with element-based superpowers gained by exposure to relics created by Artakha, the god of crafting.

They have an honourary seventh Member, Takanuva, who sometimes works with them (and will therefore be listed here).

Tahu

A firefighter who was given fire-based powers.

His associated relic is the Volcanic Blade.

Gali

A lifeguard who was given water-based powers.

Her associated relic is the Oceanic Hook.

Onua

An archaeologist who was given earth-based powers.

Once went on an expedition led by Avak, but was forced to leave after he caught Avak attempting to steal one of the recovered artifacts.

His associated relics is the Subterranean Gauntlets.

Lewa

A professional gymnast who was given air-based powers.

His associated relic is the Atmospheric Axe.

Pohatu

A footballer who was given stone-based powers.

His associated relics are the Ore Boots.

Kopaka

A rescue worker who was given ice-based powers.

His associated relic is the Auroral Shield.

Takua/Takanuva

Studied history at Metru University.

Gained his superpowers after coming into contact with the legendary Mask of Light.

Metru

Six now-retired heroes who protected Metru City in the '80s and '90s.

Vakama

A welder.

Can turn almost fully invisible, though he still has a shadow.

Nokama

A history professor at Metru University.

Able to translate any language (although she has to actively activate her power to do so; without the power active, she can only understand English and Mandarin)

Whenua

A curator at Avak's museum.

Can see in the dark.

Matau

A retired fighter-pilot.

Able to create visual illusions.

Onewa

A sculptor.

Has limited mind-control powers.

Nuju

A former astronomer who now presents shows at Metru Observatory.

Can use telekinesis.

Inika

A younger superhero team, united by the fact that they're the chosen ones (chosen six?) destined to defeat the Barraki.

They're all students at Voya University.

Jaller

A newly-hired security guard at Antiderm Inc.

Studying law.

Can increase his body's performance for a short period of time.

Hahli

On the Voya University hockey team.

Studying history.

Can transform into animals.

Nuparu

Invents things in his free time.

Studying engineering.

Can move silently.

His father was a famous engineer. In the 1980s, he was commissioned by the mayor of Metru City (who was actually Teridax in disguise) to create law-enforcement robots; Teridax then used the robots to turn the city into a police-state, until the Metru defeated him. Almost 20 years later, he was killed by Reidak, who then started going after Nuparu himself.

Kongu

Really into flight-sims.

Studying ornithology.

Has telepathy.

Hewkii

On the Voya University football team. A massive fan of Pohatu.

Studying sports science.

Has perfect aim.

Matoro

Helped translate Nuju's observatory shows into other languages.

Was studying linguistics.

Could astrally project.

Sacrificed himself to save Earth, using the Ignika to overload the Skrall mothership's cannon.

Mangai

A multinational superhero team, brought together to help fight a giant monster that attacked Metru City in the 1970s. Disbanded in 1984.

In the G2 timeline, they're younger (around the same age as the main-timeline Inika) and don't end up breaking up.

Lhikan

From North America (specifically California).

Vakama's adoptive father.

Carries a pair of high-tech swords that can transform into a hoverboard.

Nidhiki

From Spain.

A former mercenary.

Was mutated into a crab-like creature by Roodaka, and is now a Dark Hunter.

Naho

From Japan.

A professional swimmer.

Can turn invisible.

Went missing ever since the Mangai disbanded.

Tuyet

From France.

The daughter of two very rich, very dead arms dealers. Her parents were assassinated by a Dark Hunter.

Has complete intangibility.

Went rogue after the Dark Hunter who killed her parents came back to finish the job, leading her to kill civilians in the hopes that the murders would be pinned on the Dark Hunters.

In the G2 timeline, she's a full-on supervillain.

[Ice Toa 1]

From Japan.

Has enhanced reflexes.

Returned to their home country, and still helps protect it to this day.

[Ice Toa 2]

From Scotland.

Can use magic.

Stayed in Metru City, and fights supernatural threats that non-magic heroes can't.

[Ice Toa 3]

From England.

Axonn's brother.

Has the same power as Axonn.

Got a job at the Order of Mata Nui's UK branch.

[Ice Toa 4]

From North America (specifically Florida).

Can breathe underwater.

Was killed by the Dark Hunters.

[Stone Toa]

From Australia

Doesn't have any powers, but instead pilots a small mech.

Currently works for the Order of Mata Nui.

[Earth Toa]

From Italy.

Had super-speed.

Was killed by the Dark Hunters.

[Plantlife Toa]

From China.

Has healing powers.

Returned to their original team, before retiring in the 2000s.

Hagah

Six wildlife conservationists who were given superpowers by a dying Makuta that crash-landed in the jungle.

The Hero Factory Initiative

A team of artificial superheroes created by the Order of Mata Nui.

They still have their canon first-names, but their canon "surnames" are now their superhero pseudonyms.

They're also a band.

Their rogues gallery won't be talked about in this post (for the most part) because I can't be bothered, but they're just like. The various Hero Factory antagonists but adapted to the setting (e.g the Quatros Beasts are just mutated animals, Von Nebula is a rejected Hero Factory superhero, and Core Hunter is a high-ranking member of Mantax's "MANTA" taskforce who was also originally part of the Hero Factory initiative).

In the G2 timeline, they're sentient robots instead.

Preston/"Stormer"

Extremely resistant to the cold, at the cost of finding even room-temperature too hot.

Plays drums.

Duncan/"Bulk"

Very durable and strong, but still feels normal amounts of pain.

Plays guitar.

Jimi/"Stringer"

Can shout loud enough to shatter glass, but can't control his voice's volume.

Plays bass.

William/"Furno"

Can control - but not create - fire.

Does vocals.

Mark/"Surge"

Has a constant static charge running through his body and across his skin, meaning he can't touch anyone without shocking them.

Plays keyboards.

Natalie/"Breez"

Can alter the movement of air in a radius, allowing her to glide, but she has to maintain concentration.

Does vocals.

Julius/"Nex"

Can control technology.

Helps with the band's equipment.

Nathan/"Evo"

Can transform into human/animal hybrids, but only for 10 minutes at a time, and he has to wait 10 minutes afterwards because self-indulgent reference.

Helps organise the band's concerts, and designs their flyers and album covers.

Cordak

An ameteur team composed of students from a school for young superheroes. Most of them died during an attack from Teridax's underlings, leaving only one of them alive.

In the G2 timeline, they are still active, acting as mentors to the Mangai.

Lesovikk

One of only two survivors of the attack (the other being Zaria).

Wanders the globe, helping out wherever he can.

Nikila

A powerful psychic, and second in command.

Supervillain teams

Piraka

Six extremely rich and corrupt billionaires who coincidentally gained superpowers at the same time, and went mad with power.

In the G2 timeline, they are more cartoonishly evil, have elemental powers, and their superpowers are more visible when not active. Also, Vezok, Thok and Zaktan are women.

Hakann

The CEO of a tungsten-mining company; gained his powers after being exposed to a strange mineral while visiting one of his mines.

He can fire heat-beams from his eyes, and also has fire-based powers.

His G2 counterpart has a "gauntlet" of cracked stone covering his entire left arm, with a firey glow coming from inside; his eyes also glow.

Vezok

The CEO of a shipping company, and a hobbyist cave-diver; gained his powers after touching a strange artifact while cave-diving.

His G2 counterpart has fishlike scales around her neck and arms, as well as webbed fingers and a large dorsal sail.

Reidak

An extremely successful oil baron, and a former engineer; doesn't have any powers, but instead used his engineering skills to build a powerful exoskeleton out of sheer boredom.

His exo-suit has thermal and infrared vision, can adapt to an opponent's abilities or fighting-style, and its limbs contain multiple guns and lasers.

Had a one-sided rivalry with Nuparu's father, who "stole" the "victory" of having his design chosen for Metru City's robotic defenders. After he murdered him, the hate then extended to Nuparu himself, who witnessed the murder and was approaching his father's level of technological aptitude, the latter of which set off Reidak's hate.

His G2 counterpart is a full-on cyborg, with almost a third of his head replaced by cybernetics, as well as his entire right arm up to the shoulder.

Zaktan

A famous architect and ameteur explorer; gained his powers after activating a mysterious, seemingly magical trap in a temple, which broke his body down into a swarm of flies.

Along with being made of flies, Zaktan can also fire lasers from his eyes.

His G2 counterpart has insectoid mandibles next to her mouth, as well as large dragonfly-like wings and an abdomen with a stinger.

Avak

The owner of the museum that Whenua works at, and an archaeologist who is infamous for stealing the artifacts his expedition crews unearth; while at a dig, he accidentally activated a mysterious, seemingly magical mechanism (while trying to hide it in his pocket), which gave him his powers.

He has X-ray vision, and can summon energy-cages to trap opponents.

His G2 counterpart is made out of a marble-like substance that can shapeshift into different forms.

Thok

The CEO of a lumber company, with an interest in mountain-climbing; while trying to climb Mount Mangaia (which is located in the Pacific in this AU), he fell into a cavern that was actually one of the engines of Teridax's ship, and the alien particles within gave him superpowers.

He can disorientate his opponents, and is also more resistant to the cold.

His G2 counterpart has multiple ice-spikes sticking out of her head instead of hair, as well as "talons" made of ice. She also wears a lot of fur coats.

Barraki

Six ancient kings who attained immortality thousands of years ago, but lost their thrones after the first holders of the Inika title defeated them; they have since become the heads of a very powerful crime syndicate, with their headquarters in the middle of Voya City, hiding behind the front of Kingdom Security Solutions.

Each Barraki controls a sixth of the city, and has their own themed gang.

Their names are all the same as in canon.

In the G2 timeline, they weren't granted true immortality, but instead tranferred into magical stone bodies resembling humanoid versions of their canon selves' respective animals.

Pridak

The leader of the Barraki's current iteration.

Greying but handsome.

Likes wearing white suits, which tend to get stained with blood very quickly.

Eats people, which is the most common reason for him getting blood on his suits.

The leader of the Piranhas; classier criminals who wear white and red.

Kalmah

Covered head-to-toe in scars from many fights, and is missing his left eye.

Wears a bulletproof vest at all times, and is rarely seen in public without the three-eyed demon mask he wore when he was still a king.

The leader of the Krakens; an army of super-strong brawlers that have facial tattoos based on Kalmah's mask.

Ehlek

Weak and emaciated from a combination of spending years Not Doing Shit™, and also just being like that I guess. Relies on Nocturn to do all the fighting for him. Speaks almost exclusively in his culture's language (which is basically just Latin).

Still wears his regalia from when he was a king.

The leader of the Anguillae; warriors that carry swords, spears and shields, and wear armour modelled after the soldiers of Ehlek's kingdom, with eel motifs on the shoulders, a helmet shaped like a sea serpent's head, and Ehlek's coat of arms on the chest and shields.

Mantax

Very buff.

Wears tactical combat gear 24/7.

The leader of MANTA; a squadron of stealth snipers that silently assassinate the Barraki's high-priority opponents.

Carapar

Big in all directions.

Wore the most casual outfit out of all the Barraki; a white tank-top, a pair of canvas trousers, and also metal kneepads I guess.

He also wore a bandolier, despite rarely ever carrying a weapon that would require one. He saw it in an action movie once and thought it looked cool.

The leader of Claw; a militia armed with powerful weapons.

He was briefly part of the Federation of Fear, but died during the mission to rescue Miserix.

Takadox

Skinny murder-twink.

Wears an incredibly garish cyan suit, large red-tinted round-lens sunglasses, and silver high-heeled boots with bladed heels.

The leader of the Peacocks; flamboyant fighters who weaponise dancing.

He briefly became part of the Federation of Fear and went on the mission to resuce Miserix, but then abandoned the team early on.

Nocturn

A strange aquatic being that protected Ehlek's kingdom millenia ago. No other members of his species have ever been recorded, and his appearance is basically a combination of unrelated aquatic species in a somewhat humanoid form (a head resembling a crab, but with a shark's mouth; a pair of tentacles on his shoulders, one of which has been cut down to a stump; frog-like webbed hands and feet, but with claws like a crocodile; anemone-like fronds across his back), making it likely he was created through supernatural means.

Fights on behalf of Ehlek, who is too frail to do so himself.

Dark Hunters

A worldwide assassin organisation.

Most of the members are also standalone villains, and a few even left the organisation at some point. They're just sorted here for convenience.

The Shadowed One

The leader of the Dark Hunters.

Like in canon, he does have a name, but everyone just calls him "The Shadowed One".

Roodaka

The wealthy heiress of a major weapons company.

Has a PHD in bioengineering, which she used to create a substance that mutates people.

Her City of Silver counterpart is an archetypical film-noir femme fatale, who is also the woman-behind-the-man for Sidorak.

Her G2 counterpart is a cyberneticist who uses nanites to forcibly augment her captives.

Shadow Stealer

An extremely edgy '90s villain who, in the metanarrative, managed to stay a regular recurring antagonist into the 21st century, being reimagined as either a serious threat or a goofy parody depending on the writer. In the AU's main "comic run", he's the former, with a faintly-Lovecraftian cosmic horror twist to his design and backstory.

He was a researcher in the 1920s, who found a mysterious artifact belonging to an ancient civilisation that worshipped a being known as Tren Krom. The artifact granted him immortality and the ability to control people by manipulating their shadows, but the twisted his soul, turning him into his current form.

His original '90s premise was just that he was an evil Tren Krom hooded-cultist guy who inexplicably was absolutely ripped, had like 10 belts across his entire outfit, and could kill people by ripping their shadows out of their bodies. He was also technically a hero, but this was changed later on when he was rewritten as part of the Dark Hunters.

Mimic

A warrior who can recreate any action he sees another perform.

Part of Chiara's rouges gallery, though they have worked together in the past.

His wife was critically injured in an earthquake and is now on life support. Mimic works for the Dark Hunters in an attempt to help pay for the treatments required to keep her alive; in the metanarrative, this backstory was created in the '90s as part of the Chiara animated series, and became a major part of Mimic's character going forwards yes that is a Cold Cold Heart reference.

In the G2 timeline, Mimic was injured instead, and his wife has the whole action-copying gimmick instead.

Kulta

A time-displaced king from an ancient civilisation.

His G2 counterpart is undead, and commands the Skeleton Army (who don't exist in the main timeline).

Lariska

Literally just canon!Lariska but human.

Was briefly part of the Federation of Fear, but left after their mission to rescue Miserix from Antiderm Inc.; however, she still helps the Order of Mata Nui from time to time.

Teridax's Rebellion

A group of Makuta who tried to usurp their planet's leaders, but ended up being banished into space.

In the G2 timeline, they are all regular humans, and have their human disguises' names as their actual names.

Teridax

The leader of a failed rebellion against the Makuta homeworld's leaders.

His name is still Teridax in this AU. This applies to all other Makuta.

His human disguise is "Terrence Daxter", CEO of Antiderm Inc.

Antroz

His human disguise is "Andrew Rose", head of Antiderm's materials research department.

Vamprah

His human disguise is "Vance Emporia", head of Antiderm's nutritional research department.

Chirox

His human disguise is "Kai Roscoe", head of Antiderm's sonics research department.

Gorast

Her human disguise is "Gloria Aster", head of Antiderm's neurological research department.

Bitil

His human disguise is "Bill Tilford", head of Antiderm's quantum research department.

Krika

His human disguise is "Christopher Calford", head of Antiderm's communications department.

Kojol

His human disguise is "Cody Jones", head of Antiderm's cybersecurity department.

Tridax

His human disguise is "Tristan Daxter", head of Antiderm's dimensional-travel research project, and also "Terrence Daxter"'s brother.

Icarax

His human disguise is "Icarus Ragnarsson", Antiderm's head of security.

Sidorak

A corrupt politician who Teridax was lobbying as part of his attempt to take over the world.

Was married to Roodaka, but she ended up mutating Sidorak into a giant spider-monster that fought the Metru and was killed by Keetongu.

His City of Silver counterpart is a mob boss, though he's really just a puppet for Roodaka.

The Zyglak

Carnivorous creatures from the Makuta homeworld.

A swarm of them are responsible for the deaths of most of the students at Orde's school, including almost all of the Cordak.

Miserix

A member of the Makuta council who Teridax's rebellion managed to capture, and ended up being brought with them when they went to Earth. The Federation of Fear were sent on a mission to rescue him from a prison under the Antiderm Inc. headquarters, which led to the deaths of Carapar and Spiriah.

His preferred form is a large, dragon-like creature, based on a creature from the Makuta homeworld.

Doesn't have a name for his human disguise, since he improvised it during the Federation of Fear's rescue mission, and went back to his big scary dragon form afterwards.

His G2 timeline counterpart is called "Mr. Ricks", and is Antiderm HQ's elderly head janitor who has been working there since before Teridax became the CEO.

The Shadow Toa

Evil counterparts of the Mata from an alternate timeline, brought into the main reality by Tridax.

Their overall backstories are the same (six random people who were given elemental artifacts created by Artakha), but their jobs and personalities are different.

Tahu

An arsonist who was given fire-based powers.

Gali

A pirate who was given water-based powers.

Onua

An archaeologist who was given earth-based powers.

Once went on an expedition led by Avak, but was forced to leave after Avak caught him attempting to steal one of the recovered artifacts.

Lewa

A thief who was given air-based powers.

Pohatu

A mob enforcer who was given stone-based powers.

Kopaka

A "tour guide" (actually a con artist who intentionally gets people lost in dangerous and remote places, then refuses to return them if they don't give him their money) who was given ice-based powers.

Takanuva

Has shadow powers instead of light.

Other factions (and also species)

The Order of Mata Nui

An organisation that helps fund and support Superhero teams, as well as storing dangerous artifacts and imprisoning superpowered criminals.

Their name comes from a mythical warrior who is said to only appear when the entire world is in imminent danger; Helryx, who founded the organisation, does not believe that Mata Nui was a real being, but instead named the Order after him because the organisation's goal was similar.

While the public knows they exist, their agents are required to keep their identities secret to anyone outside the Order for the safety of both the agents and their loved ones.

Helryx

The Order's founder and leader.

In a secret relationship with a Spheran scientist; after the Spherans finally revealed their existence to the public, Helryx proposed to her, and they got married.

Axonn

The Order's quartermaster, and a former agent.

Can sense if people are telling the truth.

Married to Brutaka; even when Brutaka was mind-controlled by Teridax, Axonn still tried to save him, and they stayed together afterwards.

Hydraxon

A high-ranking agent in charge of the Order's prison, The Pit.

During a successful escape attempt by the Barraki, Hydraxon was stabbed to death by Takadox.

Dekar Sr.

An agent who inherited Hydraxon's position after his death.

Umbra

An ancient demigod who was entombed underground in case the Ignika was disturbed. He awakened in the 1980s when he sensed that the mask has been unearthed, emerging from underneath the roller-rink that had been built on top of where he was hidden, and soon became enamoured with the popular culture of the time, taking his name from a movie poster, adopting a glam-rock fashion sense, and wearing a pair of rollerblades at all times. The rollerblades were eventually upgraded by the Order to have built-in rocket boosters.

Has a very close friendship with Jovan's daughter, who helped him adjust to the modern world.

His name is still Umbra in this AU.

In the G2 timeline, he was instead awakened in the 1990s, and dresses like a character from The Matrix. His purpose in this timeline is to prevent the Mask of Ultimate Power from falling into the wrong hands.

Krakua

The vocalist of a '90s pop band, and currently a superpowered Order of Mata Nui operative.

Partially responsible for the existence of the Order of Mata Nui's UK branch.

Can manipulate sound-waves.

Mazeka

A fan of Krakua's band; he joined the Order and discovered that one of his heroes coincidentally happened to also work there.

He lost most of his limbs and half of his face to a bomb set up by Carapar's gang, and had them replaced with prosthetics.

Tobduk

An Order commander who becomes stronger the angrier he gets, so he stays constantly angry at all times.

Helryx has an entire portion of the Order's funding set aside to replace the equipment that Tobduk breaks.

Trinuma

An extremely prolific agent who has rejected multiple offers of promotion. He has technopathic abilities.

Johmak

An Order assassin who can turn herself into a storm of glass-shards.

Jerbraz

Literally just canon Jerbraz but as a human and with a sniper-rifle instead of a sword.

Botar

A massive human/wolf hybrid, equipped with a Spatial Tether that lets him teleport directly to the Order's underground prison, The Pit.

Lost his memory after seemingly (but not actually) being killed in an explosion, and created a new identity.

Maxilos

The Pit's robotic guards. Basically the same as in canon, but with sci-fi weaponry instead of swords.

In the City of Silver timeline, they look more dieselpunk, have more grounded weaponry (by which I mean actual guns instead of lasers) and communicate via prerecorded clips rather than text-to-speech, but are otherwise the same.

"Terigold"

An alternate version of Teridax from a world where everyone's morality is reversed; his true form's exoskeleton is gold instead of black, and he can manipulate light rather than shadows. He can still shapeshift like his main-universe counterpart.

In his home-timeline, he's the leader of a resistance against the Spheran invasion.

His fake human name is "Daxter Terrence", which is coincidentally an inversion of main-timeline Teridax's fake human name.

Federation of Fear

Organised by the Order of Mata Nui to be an expendable taskforce fo dealing with extremely dangerous threats; literally just the Suicide Squad.

Unlike in canon they have more than 7 members, were active long before the "rescue Miserix" mission, and continue to be active afterwards.

Their most well-known missions (in the metanarrative) include the Miserix rescue, fighting an army of skeletons, and helping to defeat Marendar.

Brutaka

The Federation of Fear's handler.

Married to Axonn; even when Brutaka was mind-controlled by Teridax, Axonn still tried to save him, and they stayed together afterwards.

His civilian job is being a narrator for audiobooks. Because of this, he has to wear a voice filter during missions.

Vezon

Vezok's unemployed nepo-baby cousin, who holds a share in his shipping company.

After going near the Ignika at a museum exhibition that Vezok dragged him to, he gained superpowers (namely a hammerspace-like void behind his back, as well as the ability to conjure spherical energy projectiles) and immediately went mad with power, taking random magical artifacts (including a spear that can fuse things together, and a strange mask that appeared to flicker between realities). Vezok called the Inika's hotline, and the Inika and Piraka worked together to defeat Vezon. The Order of Mata Nui then captured Vezon, confiscated the stolen artifacts, and placed him in their underground supermax prison, The Pit, before eventually transferring him to the Federation of Fear.

In the G2 timeline, he's the mayor of Okoto City, who is unaware of (or maybe purposefully ignoring?) his cousin's criminal activities.

Spiriah

A former member of Teridax's rebellion, who ended up leaving after almost revealing their true identities by choosing a very... out-there disguise. He was then captured by the Order of Mata Nui and offered a place in the Federation of Fear, which he accepted, before dying during the mission to rescue Miserix.

When he arrived on Earth, he took the form of a towering bat-like humanoid.

His G2 counterpart is a towering bat-like humanoid, imprisoned in Antiderm's labs and experimented on by them.

Umarak

A human/Makuta hybrid, mostly resembling the former but with the latter's chitinous, digitigrade legs. He also has control over shadows.

Channeled some of his power into a swarm of mechanical "shadow traps" that temporarily mind-control anyone who steps on them.

In the G2 timeline, he's Ekimu's evil counterpart and the herald of Makuta; much like how Takua can transform into Ekimu, Ahkmou can transform into Umarak.

XPlode

A heavily-armoured supervillain with the ability to generate and fire volatile keratine spines from his body.

Usually part of the Hero Factory's rogues gallery, XPlode was willingly recruited into the Federation of Fear after being captured by the Order of Mata Nui.

The Chronicler's Company

Takua's friends, and fellow Metru University alumni.

The name is what their (legally-distinct equivalent of) DnD characters are collectively called (Takua's character is the Chronicler class).

In the G2 timeline, they are basically the same, but in high school.

Kapura

Studied classical literature.

He can seemingly teleport, though it is unknown if this is a superpower.

Macku

Studied geography.

In a relationship with Hewkii, and currently lives with him in Voya City.

Taipu

Studied geography.

Often mistaken for Hafu, who has a similar fashion sense and hairstyle, but otherwise looks completely different.

Tamaru

Studied marine biology.

The Inika enlisted her help to identify Nocturn's species. The results were inconclusive.

Hafu

Studied fine art.

Often mistaken for Taipu, who has a similar fashion sense and hairstyle, but otherwise looks completely different.

Kopeke

Studied art history.

Canonically nonverbal.

The Inika Fanclub

Some high school (and like two university) students who run an Inika fanclub.

Garan

The club's founder.

Managed to figure out that Teridax isn't what he appears to be.

Balta

The club's resident inventor.

On Earth B, he owns a shop.

Dalu

Used to be very cheerful and friendly, until her father (who was a detective) went missing while he was looking into potential criminal activity in Vezok's shipping company.

Piruk

Due to a rare condition, his fingers end with sharp "talons" made of bone. He is extremely worried that he might hurt someone with them.

Has a pet dog.

Velika

A Spheran scientist who transferred his mind into an artificially-grown human body to spy on humanity completely normal student who just happens to be very interested in photography.

In the future, he becomes a supervillain who uses his access to advanced Spheran technology in order to (repeatedly) attempt to take over the world.

Kazi

The oldest of the group.

Studying philosophy at Voya University.

Dekar Jr.

The son of an Order of Mata Nui operative.

In the future he joins the Order, taking Brutaka's place as the Federation of Fear's handler.

Defilak

Dekar's brother.

Sarda

Idris's boyfriend.

Idris

Sarda's girlfriend.

Silver

Based on the unnamed silver Toa from the DS and GBA versions of Bionicle Heroes (though mostly the former).

They can temporarily copy the abilities of any superbeing they touch.

Their name is, in fact, Silver.

Voriki

Silver's younger brother.

Silver's parents asked them to bring Voriki along to the club's meetings. Like them, Voriki also has superpowers (namely energy absorption), but he hasn't learned how to use them yet.

He doesn't actually care about the Inika, but instead is a fan of the Mata, and wants to become a hero like them. He sometimes gets distracted in class, daydreaming about becoming the seventh eighth member of the team.

In the future, Voriki becomes an actual superhero; he is part of a "next generation" superhero team that are to the Inika what the Inika are to the Mata.

Magnans

An alien species whose homeworld was destroyed by the Skrall Empire.

Their existence hasn't been made public, as that could draw attention to their presence, leading the Skrall to find them and attack Earth.

The Skrall

An alien empire that attacked and destroyed Spherus Magna.

They eventually attacked Earth after detecting the signals from the Order's communications with the Spherans, and tried using a vast orbital cannon to destroy the planet. Matoro ended up using the Ignika to overload the cannon, destroying the Skrall mothership while also sacrificing himself.

The Makuta

Insectoid aliens from the planet Destral.

They have natural shapeshifting abilities, and the power to control shadows. The shapeshifting is mostly used to gain extra limbs to carry more things or eyes that can be used to see in the dark, and consistently maintaining a singular form requires a large amount of practise and concentration, and might require having to adjust to the imitated species' anatomy depending on how different it is from that of a Makuta (for example, a Makuta that's shapeshifted into a human would need to adapt to having plantigrade legs and five fingers). They can also transform into things that don't exist.

In the Invasion timeline, they have control over light instead of shadows.

They don't exist in the G2 timeline; all Makuta characters are humans, with a few exceptions (namely Spiriah).

Unafilliated individuals

Mata Nui

An ancient warrior who only appears when the entire world is in imminent danger.

Still has his canon name.

Doesn't exist in the G2 timeline.

Mayor Dume

The mayor of Metru City.

He was active as a non-superpowered hero in the 1940s (as part of a larger team), and was one of the people who inspired Helryx to found the Order of Mata Nui.

In the G2 timeline, he was a tech-based hero that used a suit of dieselpunk power-armour that he updated over the years, adding computers and more advanced technology. While Dume kept doing his superhero thing for far longer than his main timeline counterpart, he eventually found out that he had a disease that gave him only a month to live, so he uploaded his mind into the armour's systems and became a new hero called Exo.

Zaria

A teacher at Orde's school for young superheroes; when the school was attacked by Teridax's underlings, Zaria was one of the only survivors, and now seeks revenge.

He is an occasional ally of Chiara.

In the G2 timeline, he's the headmaster of the school, which is still active.

Chiara

An antihero from the slums of Voya City.

Basically Batman, but more morally-grey and anti-authority, and with electricity-based powers.

Orde

One of Helryx's childhood friends, and the former headmaster of a school for young superheroes; the school was attacked by Teridax's underlings while Orde was protecting a nearby town from the Dark Hunters.

Keetongu

A cryptid said to wander the woods near the outskirts of Metru City.

Artakha

The god of forges, crafting and creation.

Lives in his temple on the top of an extremely tall mountain, near where the culture that worshipped him lived.

On Earth B, he's "retired" from godhood and now lives in a seaside town in southwest England, where he makes furniture.

Karzahni

Artakha's brother, and the god of death, chaos, and - strangely - medicine.

Has since "retired" from godhood, and now lives in Voya City's most run-down area, working as a back-alley surgeon who mostly works on criminals, including members of the Barraki's gangs.

On Earth B, he's still a god, living in a temple at the bottom of a vast chasm.

Marendar

An interdimensional being that can drain the life-energy of superbeings in order to become more powerful, leaving them either dead or powerless.

One of the Federation of Fear's "main" missions (from the perspective of the metanarrative) is helping to defeat Marendar.

[thatgayguywholikesyourcontent]

Retcon-Fix AU

I'm never going to get around to write it, so I'd share the notes I have here and open the floor to questions.

This started off as an idea for a one shot. Taking the opening scene of Omniverse and tweaking it to fit an au. Zombozo is on the run after breaking into a...lab(?) with Ben and Gwen hot on his heels. There's nothing different about Ben on a surface level. On the other hand, Gwen is wearing an outfit similar to her future counterpart from the original series. After dealing with Zombozo there's this awkward goodbye between the two. Gwen's heading off world for the next leg of her anodite training and it will be years until they see each other again. She hates leaving him, Ben is clearly upset, but the only thing keeping her on Earth is guilt, bad memories, and bad blood between them. They hug it out, Ben sees her off, and later runs into Rook.

From there the idea blossomed into a multi chapter series cutting back and forth between the present and the past, showing whats different in this timeline. But that changed into just starting at the beginning in the original series to show the differences in the time line. 'Cause the premise of this au became: cherry pick and take all those little retcons, hammer them out to work from the beginning, and go from there.

The Big three are thus: Figure out whats ever happening in Max's backstory and streamline it. The Plumbers in the OS, to me, felt like it started on Earth with humanity encountering aliens before the organization reached out into space. That was later changed to be that the Plumbers were a galactic police force who, kind of, absorbed a human group of the same name. We later learn that's because of George Washington's own encounter with aliens and him forming an organization to combat such a threat, like the American equivalent of the Forever Knights.

That's weird, a little too clunky. So the streamlined version for this AU was to make it more like X-Com. That the increase of alien activity and sighting in the 50's led to the formation of an secret, international paramilitary group that would rapidly deploy to such threats and deal with them. Either through combat or simple negotiation. Eventually the accumulated alien tech would advance their gear and what not. Max running into Verona is what introduced him to the organization. This is like in the 60s.

Its around the late 70's/early 80s that the Plumbers as a galactic police force starts to form. A bunch of alien cultures form a coalition/federation to deal with the expanding Incursion threat and the Plumbers are a byproduct of that. Rules and laws are hammered out and the Plumbers finally notice criminals would head to the outer rim to escape the authorities and decide to investigate. They come across Earth, come into contact with X-Com (just gonna call it that), when an invasive species starts spreading across the galaxy. X-Com has a shit ton of members and the Plumbers cut them a deal. Help them deal with the Lenopan threat and the galactic community would consider Earth off limits.

The world governments that fund X-Com are on the fence until they see the tech level of the rest of the galaxy. Giving Earth another century to catch up is to good of an opportunity to pass. X-Com gets involved in the Lenopan Wars, turn the tide, and peace is brokered. Some soldiers decide to stay out in space and become Plumbers while those who stay behind are forced into retirement as X-Com is quickly mothballed. Probably a larger scheme by the Forever Knights to remove their competition. Like Hydra infiltrating Shield to get it taken down.

Jesus Christ. Sorry about the world building tangent.

The second change being Kevin. Its later revealed in the series that he is a genetic experiment by the Rooters to make hybrid soldiers. Honestly, don't like it. In this AU human-alien hybrids can exist. Its the Forever Knights that the runaway and take him in. He doesn't run into Ben and Gwen by chance. Instead he's purposely following them, keeping tabs on them for the Forever Knights from the shadows until they give him the order to engage. Him absorbing some energy from the Omnitrix is a plot point. He goes rogue with Ben and Gwen reeling him back, but ultimately failing. Kevin winds up stuck in the Null Void until we see him again in Alien Force. Gives him time to return to normal, meet Argit, and break away from the Forever Knights.

The thirds change is Gwen. This is honestly the crux of the AU when I was first jotting the notes down. Its retconned in Alien Force that her capacity for magic stems from her Anodite heritage. In this fic, her spark catches early and she has access to mana at the start of the original series.

She has a hard time controlling her powers. Most Anodite hybrids do. Every emotional outburst is dangerous, and her parents haven't exactly handled the whole thing well. Not physically abusive, but their own fear of the daughter and distancing her from anything or anyone she might hurt has effected the development of her social skills. Like, her brother gets to join all these clubs, hang out with friends, and attend school where she is home schooled and not allowed out. Just to note, her and Ken have a close relationship. He would've gone on the Summer road trip, but his parents signed him up for camp. The only reason why their letting Gwen go with Max in the first place is for him to train her. They handled everything so far by ignoring it, which doesn't help Gwen. She's ten by the time they wise up and ask Max for help, Previously, when she got her powers and everything came to light, they kicked him out of their lives.

What about Ben? The omnitrix and plot surrounding it is largely the same. Vilgax wants to conquer the galaxy and tracks down a weapon to do it. Gives chase, but the watch is dropped off on Earth and he's injured. He's purposefully blocking any outgoing signal from Earth about his presence or the increase alien activity, but its only a matter of time before the plumbers catch wind that something is up and get involved. Earth is on the opposite side of hostile territory so he's working under a time limit.

Ben himself is largely the same but gay. That's more of a self indulgent thing than anything else, tbh. He confessed his feelings to a boy on valentines, the bullies got word of it, and haven't left him alone since. He's starting off the series with a chip on his shoulder. His parents want him to get away from it all, and hopefully a summer road trip away will help.

Ben has mixed feelings about Gwen. The last time he saw her they snuck away with Ken to play out in the woods. Ben convinced her to use her powers and got knocked back hard because of it. He's a little scarred of her, a little jealous, but Ken (who he considers as an older brother) told him to keep an eye out on Gwen.

Ben gets a crush on Kevin when they first meet, but Kevin is straight as hell. He's also an agent working for the Forever Knights and uses Ben's crush on him to get close to the omnitrix. They actually do form a loose friendship, but at that point Vilgax is attacking in person, Gwen can't handle him alone, and the watch has timed out. So he touches the omnitrix and mutates to deal with Vilgax and gets stuck in the null void for his troubles.

"But what happens to Kevin?" you ask. If the original one-shot with Ben and Gwen is canon, where is he by the time Omniverse begins? Six feet under. He pulled the same trick in Ultimate Alien to deal with Aggregor and got the same result from the prime timeline: he becomes hostile to Ben and Gwen, hunting them down to feed the energy addiction.

"I can't believe Ben kills him." That's the neat part, he doesn't. Its Gwen that puts him down. This isn't the second time Kevin has absorbed energy. He's done it before, slipping further and further from his ideals and becoming like the one person he hates: Michael Morningstar. Gwen tries to get his help to siphon energy off of Kevin, but Kevin kills him when he ultimately turns on Gwen. It just makes the hunger worse.

Gwen is gunning for him. And yes, they were/are a couple by this point in the series. Its Ben whose trying to stop her, trying to re-unlock Feedback in a desperate attempt to save Kevin, but he fails and Gwen kills him to save Ben's life.

Thank you for coming to my Tedx talk.

[lastintheserverbox]

[Vespa had paused again, uncharacteristically quiet.]

Do you still have your body? Or are you just code, or...

[She stopped herself, realizing how invasive those questions might be.]

Sorry, didn't mean to get so personal with ya, stranger. Haven't even introduced myself yet! Name's Vespa. Carpenter ant. If nature had its way I'd be up to my antennae in workers right about now like all my sisters, buuut I don't like kids so I took up exploration and tech instead. Now here I am!

[She clasped her hands together expectantly. Most creatures of her size and type wouldn't dare expose their species or lack of numbers as she just did, but this little ant was never afraid to throw caution to the wind, given the fact that danger had yet to outsmart her.]

-🐜

[...Alright. He'd long given up on the fact Origin had gotten ahold of alternate dimensions. He'd panic and ask the logistics about now, but he'd seen a few hundred different types of creatures get pulled in and had their lives changed forever]

"I am...Merely code now. My body is long gone. Whether my body existed in this space before is moot. When I got stuck to him, all of that...changed. I only now recently...made myself look more-...more human. If you know what those are."

[A name. Right. he should...introduce himself as well]

"...Sonny Chamberlain. I am...Not exactly one for being great with conversing. I had not done such in a long, long time."

[miraluking-respectfully]

I wanted my next longpost about DNT to focus on what this book reveals wrt the process of Joining. Instead, I accidentally went on a rant in the Discord server about the Killiks as a people during this particular era of galactic history in-universe, and by extension, Raynar Thul.

Raynar Thul, aka UnuThul, is a Joiner of Unu of some significance who I've put off explaining because when I entered the book, I knew about him and I considered his presence abhorrent. I've since gotten over some of those feelings, but I'm better off copy-pasting my Discord Rant than to try and summarize here.

Spoilers for The Joiner King below, but don't worry about that too much, as I'm kind of reading this book so you don't have to.

Call me Bug Walker.

*bad rimshot*

Begin Copypaste

The trouble with this particular novel is that while it's EXTREMELY juicy with Bug Lore, half of what it reveals about Kind society/culture/biology are New Developments™️ that i'm having to untangle from what could feasibly have been present before, ie, within the SWTOR era. Basically the premise of this book is that the nest has been undergoing some Changes due to the influence of a highly Force-sensitive Joiner, who was then able to extend his will over the nest as a whole. So discovering which is the nasty yucky invasive anthropomorphism introduced into my bugs by this character and which is the acceptable seasoning of anthropomorphism inherent to the development of a fictional intelligent species is not always super cut and dry

Like, the care given to individual casualties is an explicitly new development (makes sense, there aren't a ton of eusocial hive insects IRL that perform triage), but is the spaceport they built? Is the trade they're performing with other species? Is the Colony involving multiple distinct nests sharing a unified hive mind as opposed to a bunch of them? I'm like, not sure

Which is kind of funny, because the idea that the Killiks were a static culture until this One Guy with the right levels of space magic crashed into their planet & exerted his will over them with his last burst of near-death strength Also Really Bothers Me(edited)

"Well, Mads, if you like an aspect of Killiks 2.0, you can just pretend it's always been present in Killiks 1.0!" I don't waaaannaaaa

I want the LEAST anthro version of my bugs!!! I want the version of them BEFORE Raynar Thul got his grubby little mind all over them!

Joiners as a concept are fuckin sick not only because of what the bugs can give to them but for what they can give to the bugs. Joiners aren't Oops! All Hive Mind, they are two minds. Your old personality and memories still exist, but your understanding of the world and your priorities are now one with the Hive. And because I <3 TLT and I'm really big on the permeability of the soul rn, that suggests to me that the character and personality of a hive would change, slowly and surely, depending on the types of Joiners incorporated into it. It would have to. If the hive mind pre-Raynar has no clear source, no clear singular will behind it (disclaimer: IDK if this is true, I have 2.75 more entire book to read), then it could only be shaped and influenced by all its participants, bug and otherwise.

Raynar's existence + influence over the Colony doesn't preclude this possibility, but like. He does raise a question,

that being, could any Forcie have done this under the right circumstances? if not Why not

Like the book hasn't stated it outright but the wiki seemed confident that this guy has been the only Forcie Joiner to get subsumed, and while I don't know if that's a wholly accurate statement bc fucking nobody has read these books, the fact that the books gave the wiki authors that impression BUGS ME (pun intended)

This is the first EU book I've ever read. IDK what kinds of fuckin galactic percentages of Forcies to non-Forcies it's assuming. Obviously the number would be low because this book takes place a point when the Jedi are bouncing back from a painful extinction, but that extinction was recent, it was artificial, and also as we all know well Jedi =/= all Force users and statistically it is buckwild crazy to me that the Killiks would exist for 20,000+ years (the migration Vector mentions was introduced here btw! These are the Kind that left Alderaan, that he was looking for!) and at no point would they have picked up a strong-willed Force-user before this one dude

Now, there IS a confounding factor here. Which is, I imagine any other Forcie Joiners pre-Raynar were not, um. Trying to influence the nest as hard as he was

For starters he's just super duper strong in the Force, but also, he Joined because he crashed into a planet and crawled out of his ship half-dead and super on fire after watching multiple of his friends die horribly, and the will he exerted over the Killiks was a last-ditch effort to get them to save his life as opposed to eating him

that is a SPECIFIC-ASS set of circumstances and maaaybe if such a thing happened again within a different and unrelated nest, the same thing could have happened. Maybe it wasn't the presence of Force abilities that caused this one guy's brain to redirect the flow of the collective mind, but the effort he was putting behind it, effort that previous Force-sensitive Joiners had not found a need to wield

And also, like, UnuThul is 100% a Joiner. He is no more the same guy he was going in than Vector is, this is made clear

Bright side: as I said, I have A TON of this book left to go. And there have been a bunch of really strange happenings within the nest that Raynar in his Dawn-Herald-On-Steroids role seems as baffled by as the rest of the Kind. So maybe the next Big Reveal is gonna blow my ass clean off, slash positive, and make this all sit right with me.

But nonetheless I am bovvered. I am bovvered that a hive mind could develop a person in the drivers' seat for any reason. It feels too easy and it feels too anthropomorphizing, and both of those make it reeeally boring

End Copypaste

[missnobodymadness]

Guess who just got the final outcome of the sketch I ordered recently? Meee! Amazing art by Senaiya, on Toy House! And that means I am finally sharing Myline's introduction template! Older followers probably know a lot about her already but I still would like to introduce my fave girl ever! Myline is my Naruto OC (And Boruto because she survives eheh), here is her template!

───── ⋆⋅ Myline⋅⋆ ─────

"My hands may be the ones covered in blood as we speak but the reality you refuse to see is that I am not the one standing proudly over a thousand dead bodies”"

General

Name: Yabuza Lee Myline Date of Birth: 6, June Age: Classic Naruto: 17-18 (Not present); Naruto Shippuden: 20-25; Boruto: 36-39; Zodiac: Gemini Gender: Female Pronouns: She/Her Sexuality: Heteromantic Demisexual Species: Human Chakra Nature: Wind and Fire Voice Claim: Yuuko Kaida (Sylvia from Spy x Family voice) Music theme: Indestructible by Disturbed Status: Alive

Appearance

Height: 5’3” / 1,60m Weight: 120,37lbs / 54,6kg Skin color: White Eye color: Red Hair color: Black Hair length: Long Scars/Birth marks/Tattoos: A chakra regulator tattoo she was born with Body modification: None Other features: None

Relationships

Biological Family

Mother Yabuza Mizuno Father Uchiha Yashiro Siblings Yabuza Mylu Partner Uchiha Itachi Children Uchiha Mybuza Other family None

Other relationships

Old Uchiha Madara (Adoptive father until his death) Uchiha Obito (Teacher) Konan (Best friend) Nagato (Close friend and inspiration) Deidara (Friend) Kashin Koji (Close friend in Boruto) Kawaki (Somewhat motherly over him when he was younger)

Education & occupation

Village Yami No Sato (Previously known as) Yamigakure No Sato (Post war name) Current Village Amegakure No SatoClanYabuza Academy None Occupation Akatsuki organization (Previously) Spy (Previously) Leader of Ame No Kuni (Currently) Affiliation Ame No Kuni

Skills & Combat

Stats Ninjutsu: 3 Taijutsu: 5 Genjutsu: 4 Intelligence: 4 Strength: 3 Speed: 5 Stamina: 4,5 Hand Seals: 3,5 Total: 32 (Reference: Average for S-Rank criminals is 32,5) Speciality Taijutsu Kekkei Genkai Kageyogan (Yabuza’s) Sharigan (Uchiha’s) Special Jutsu Fenikkusukaze no Jutsu Chakra Nature Wind and Fire Weapons None Special features Chakra regulator tattoo

Personality

Myline is an intelligent but frustrated and avoidant person, always looking for more knowledge and improving her fighting skills, prioritizing it over her own well-being. While intimidating and hard to approach, she has a very caring nature towards the people she cares about, the poor and the oppressed.

Positive traits

Courageous Ambitious Loyal Patient Logical Hardworking

Negative traits

Unstable Obsessive Cold Audacious Gruff Reckless

Likes

Her daughter, love and friends, literature, silence, cold weather, productive talks, ninja history, learning and training

Dislikes

The Five Great Shinobi Countries, responsibilities, privileged people, violence against children, war (will fight to protect the ones she cares about though)

Trivia

- Myline awakened her sharingan for the first time at the age of 13 and only gets the Mangekyō at 20, after finding Itachi’s already lifeless body. - She is rarely seen using her sharingan, we can count how many times she has used it with our fingers. - Obito presumed that she would never have a sharingan because of her eyes being red instead of black like it is usual for the inactive sharingan but her red eyes are a genetic characteristic from the Yabuza clan and it happens naturally, masking the color of the inactive sharingan. - The Yabuza Clan have their own kekkei genkai, the Kageyogan (Something like eyes of the shadow realm), with the power of teleporting trough shadows, this kekkei genkai along with Myline’s speed gives her an advantage that her opponents should always have in mind.

-Itachi helps Myline with her hygiene as she has a hard time taking care of it, not only because she was never taught how to do it properly (she was born during an invasion that lasted for years) but also because she struggles with lack of motivation and executive dysfunction derived from her depression and possible quiet BPD. - She loves literature and you will probably always find her in a corner reading a good book whenever she is not working. - She went out of her way during a mission once, risking everything just to steal a few rare books from a very important library. - Myline is very respectful towards Itachi’s wish to protect and keep Konoha safe, so she started by invading Konoha in order to find her sister and lure her out of the village, however, she wasn’t expecting their fight to be of such a large destruction, she had clearly underestimated her rage and sister and once she realized they had destroyed part of the wall and the houses close to it she was suddenly consumed by guilt and intrusive voices in her head, losing focus and finally leading to her capture. - She has a chakra regulator tattoo on her left arm with the appearance of two tomoe and a small dot in the middle, it doesn’t give her infinite chakra, but gives her a good reserve of it and is also able to absorb chakra from nature when necessary, because of this, Myline can have a very high and lasting chakra levels, it is not unlimited though. - Myline has an extraordinary and totally unusual speed due do her high and regulated chakra levels, which was an extremely helpful skill against the Raikage. - After the end of the Kara organization and with Kashin Koji gone, she felt lost again, escaping from Konoha with the intention of getting back to Ame No Kuni, killing the current feudal lord and taking the leadership of the country, her goals were to rebuild her village and the whole country. - She got really angry at Naruto once she finally reached Ame No Kuni, as he had promised Nagato and Konan to help them but she was disgusted when she saw the whole country in ruins, left to rot. - She decided to make the country a shelter for renegades in honour to the friends she lost along the way. - While Myline recognizes that Itachi’s end was the best option for him, she can’t help but feel a deep hatred for Sasuke as she has a very hard time processing her feelings and emotions, she can’t do it properly. - Myline developed her own jutsu by mixing both of her chakra natures, fire and wind. Named Fenikkusukaze no Jutsu (something like wind phoenix), the jutsu consists of a large phoenix made of big flames that can be directed and increased by the wind element. - She was fruit of a betrayal, her mother betrayed her husband by having an affair with Yashiro who was one of the recruited to help Yami No Sato at the time.

- She loves literature and you will probably always find her in a corner reading a good book whenever she is not working. - She went out of her way during a mission once, risking everything just to steal a few rare books from a very important library. - Myline is very respectful towards Itachi’s wish to protect and keep Konoha safe, so she started by invading Konoha in order to find her sister and lure her out of the village, however, she wasn’t expecting their fight to be of such a large destruction, she had clearly underestimated her rage and sister and once she realized they had destroyed part of the wall and the houses close to it she was suddenly consumed by guilt and intrusive voices in her head, losing focus and finally leading to her capture. - She has a chakra regulator tattoo on her left arm with the appearance of two tomoe and a small dot in the middle, it doesn’t give her infinite chakra, but gives her a good reserve of it and is also able to absorb chakra from nature when necessary, because of this, Myline can have a very high and lasting chakra levels, it is not unlimited though. - Myline has an extraordinary and totally unusual speed due do her high and regulated chakra levels, which was an extremely helpful skill against the Raikage. - After the end of the Kara organization and with Kashin Koji gone, she felt lost again, escaping from Konoha with the intention of getting back to Ame No Kuni, killing the current feudal lord and taking the leadership of the country, her goals were to rebuild her village and the whole country. - She got really angry at Naruto once she finally reached Ame No Kuni, as he had promised Nagato and Konan to help them but she was disgusted when she saw the whole country in ruins, left to rot. - She decided to make the country a shelter for renegades in honour to the friends she lost along the way. - While Myline recognizes that Itachi’s end was the best option for him, she can’t help but feel a deep hatred for Sasuke as she has a very hard time processing her feelings and emotions, she can’t do it properly. - Myline developed her own jutsu by mixing both of her chakra natures, fire and wind. Named Fenikkusukaze no Jutsu (something like wind phoenix), the jutsu consists of a large phoenix made of big flames that can be directed and increased by the wind element. - She was fruit of a betrayal, her mother betrayed her husband by having an affair with Yashiro who was one of the recruited to help Yami No Sato at the time.

[praeteritus-memories-muses]

Name: Noctis Lucis Caelum

Series: Final Fantasy XV

Continuity: Dawn Of The Future

Age: 20-30 (RP dependent)

Height: 5'9"

Birthday: August 30th

Birthplace: Insomnia

Orientation: Bisexual

Species: Human

Occupation: Prince to the kingdom of Insomnia

Father: King Regis Lucis Caelum

Mother: Queen Aulea (deceased)

Bio:

Noctis is a prince and the son of the current king of the kingdom of Lucis, the only child to king Regis. His mother died shortly after he was born due to sudden complications that arose from his birth, the kingdom grieved but King Regis pulled through the loss of his wife to make sure Noctis still felt love and happiness.

At age two he was introduced to Ignis Scientia, who was four at the time, the two quickly bonded as children and Ignis would later become his royal adviser and personal servant which was a tradition both their families had for centuries.

At age five, King Regis had found through the kings of the past that Noctis was the chosen king to save the world and vanquish all the darkness still plaguing the Lucis line for thousands of years - by sacrificing his life. Though the king was devastated that his child would die by sacrificing himself, he made sure Noctis had nothing but the best for his life and lived a life that would make sure that he lived the life of any normal loved child - or at least he tried as much as he could given he was the king.

Noctis’ childhood was spoiled a little but he mostly was rather lonely. Other than Ignis, he didn’t really have a lot of people to play with or talk to that was his age. He went to a normal public school instead of the private schools all the other noble children of Insomnia learned in so he was often strayed a bit for many children felt too nervous talking to a prince.

Yet at the age of eight, Noctis and the other servants were brutally attacked by a daemon unleashed upon them by an enemy country called Niflheim that was at war with Insomnia. The attack was so bad that Noctis had gone into a coma for months.

In his dream, he was protected by a messenger of the Gods named Carbuncle that protected him from unknown dark forces trying to prevent him from waking up. Though Noctis mostly forgot Carbuncle’s role to him, he remembers the little fox creature fondly and is the one happy moment he remembers follow the attack.

When he woke up, he recovered in the area of Tenebrae where he met Lunafreya Vox Fleuret. The two bonded immediately and although the trip was short, he and Luna decided to send secret messages to each other for years using their dogs.

It’s after leaving that Noctis was explained about the crystal of Lucis and that he was it’s chosen king, though he was never told that he would have to die protecting the world, he had learned that his father was dying from the powers of the crystal taking it’s toll. He didn’t realize it meant the same for himself too, but Noctis’ heart ached knowing his father was slowly dying a very painful life-draining death.

Immediately after, Niflheim came in for another attack on the area of Tenebrae for a full invasion where Luna was left behind. His father tried to take her with him for protection, but she chose to stay behind in favor of protecting her brother - Ravus.

When he had just started high school, still going to a regular public school, Noctis had met Prompto Argentium. He had met Prompto four years prior very briefly but every time he tried to talk to him after that, he kept avoiding him. Prompto looked completely different since when he last saw him, it looked like he had gone through rather life-altering changes. Even if he was a little concerned if Prompto did all that for him, he accepted the blonde boy into his life and the two became very close friends.

In-between meeting Prompto, he would bond with Gladiolus as well. Gladiolus is his bodyguard, who was only three years older than him but was much stronger and tougher looking than him. At first, Gladious and Noctis couldn’t stand each other as Gladiolus thought Noctis was far too spoiled and reckless while Noctis thought he was too angry. The gap between them closed when Noctis rescued Gladiolus’ sister, Iris, when they were kids. The experienced open Gladiolus’ eyes that Noctis had a good heart and the two were practically like brothers ever since.

At age fifteen, he moved out of the castle and into his own place with Ignis so he could have some independence. Even with the deep personal trouble of the expectations of him as the future king and his father was dying, he did exceptionally well in school and graduated at the top of his class. He continued to live an extremely normal life which included playing in arcades and eating at ramen shops.

Now at age twenty, he is told he may have to marry Lunafreya as a way of uniting Niflheim and Insomnia so the two nations can finally end this war that had been going on for over twenty years. He’s not sure yet how to feel about the idea of marrying someone he barely knows, but he hopes he can rise to the challenge.

Noctis is rather sweet, he’s got a kind heart and will often take the blame if someone gets into trouble with him. Yet despite his kindness, he’s rather reckless when his anger get the best of him when something deeply upsets him and has a bit of a big ego sometimes. He also never tells people when he’s in mental pain, he keeps it all hidden inside so he could be a strong and noble king like his father. Even with the pain of never even knowing his mother, his father dying, the deep pressures of a king and all other pains - he keeps it hidden and will brush it off like it isn’t a big deal.

[drhoz]

#1924 - Bombus terrestris - Buff-tailed Bumblebee

AKA the Large Earth Bumblebee. Formerly called humblebees, but the switch to bumblebee was pretty comprehensive by the 1920s.

Since the last picture I posted was a reblog of a bumblebee on a bramble, I thought I might as well follow it up with this. @purrdence spent a measurable amount of her holiday in Aoteoroa rescuing bumblebees from fountains - but this one was s*** out of luck.

Bombus terrestris is one of four species of bumblebee introduced to New Zealand to pollinate the red clover. Prior to 1885, farmers had to import all their clover seed. In fact, bumblebees are so important to red clover pollination that Charles Darwin thought they were the sole pollinator for the plant (and was quite dismayed when he learned that wasn’t quite true).

Elsewhere they’re used as greenhouse pollinators, especially of plants that require buzz pollination or a pollinator of a certain size and weight.  It’s originally a European species, and one of the most common bumblebees there. Unfortunately it’s also invasive in some parts of the world, including Argentina, Japan, and Tasmania. 

A solitary queen initiates the colony cycle when she mates with a single male and finds a nest, usually in disused rodent burrows. After winter she will lay a small number of fertilised eggs which will be the first workers for the nest. Workers forage for nectar and pollen for the colony, usually within a few hundred meters of the hive, and tend later generations of larvae. The workers are smaller than the queen, and can vary surprising in size. Larger bees are more likely to be sent out for food.

After a variable amount of time a switch point is reached and the queen begins to lay some unfertilized eggs. The resulting drones emerge from the nest, and do not return, instead seeking out emerging queens. Any remaining diploid eggs hatch into larvae that receive extra food and pupate to become new queens, although the queen does her best to discourage this using pheromones - the new queens and the workers are all her daughters, but it’s not like she needs too much competition. Bumblebee politics is remarkably complex, and turns violent in autumn when the workers revolt and start laying heir own eggs - all unfertilized and therefore drones. Usually, after a month, the workers overthrow the queen and drive her from the nest, and any remaining royal daughters may act as workers, and may mate while out foraging for the hive.

In temperate climates fertile queens dig a “hibernaculum” where they will sleep until the next spring, emerging quite early, collecting nectar and pollen, and  founding a new nest. In warmer climates they may skip the hibernation stage entirely.  Almost always the old colony will have died out, but if the burrow is free of parasites one of the new queens will return to reuse the site.

[lostmyremembrall]

Harry Potter but make it Samurai

Since Hogwarts Legacy is set in 1890s, apparently Japanese people have been speculating what Japanese wizards would have looked like during the time of Samurais.

Let me introduce you to... Satsuma Hogwarts.

[Historical Context: During the tremulous time of Japan opening its country and navigating international relations, Satsuma clan from Kagoshima had a war with the British navy ending in a stalemate. But it led to a fruitful trading relationship.]

HC for Satsuma Samurai Attending Hogwarts

Chose to come up Hogwarts for some reason despite Japan having its own school.

Like the rest of the clan, very aggressive and combative.

Uses a katana instead of a wand.

Would scream "E gu su pe ri a!" (Expelliarmus) and take away the wand by literally cutting off the enemy's hand.

Hunts a local magical creature without permission to make a hot pot.

Starts a drinking party in the middle of the corridor.

Constantly demands others to commit seppuku if they admit their mistakes (including house elves).

They train for endurance by casting crucio at each other.

Cannot pronounce Voldemort due to their thick accent, effectively evading Voldemort's GPS system.

Adamant on using a bamboo sword instead of a wand.

Plants bamboo on Hogwarts grounds without permission.

The Ministry regards him as highly dangerous, so he is assigned an officer to keep an eye on him.

Satsuma samurai, being stubborn never listens to him. Resulting in extreme stress on the part of officers.

The post holds a history of officers running away or taking a leave of absence

Refuses to admit that his bamboo sword is not a 'wand'

Regards Hagrid and Nearly Headless Nick in respect, but they find him to be a nuisance.

Literally attempts a seppuku from failing an assignment from class. "I am too embarrassed, I cannot continue living like this."

Is literally treated like an invasive species that refuses to leave.

Shouts "Alohomora" and proceeds to physically break the lock.

Runs up to and kills the enemy with the sword before they can finish saying "Avada Kedavra"

Source: Twitter drawing, Youtube video by Harry Potter Mania

[pahrak-the-sinnoh-slizer]

Right of Law recap (Gargoyle Knight - Section XXXI)

[This post is intended to condense the existing chapters of my Bionicle fic, Right of Law, into a single summary (~1200-1300 words) in preparation for the end of its long hiatus.  The full story can be found here.]

Right of Law takes place in the Melding Universe, where instead of building the Great Spirit Robot, the Great Beings instead created Toa and Matoran to enter the planet of Spherus Magna and repair the damage done to it by the Core War, preventing the Shattering from ever occurring.  The Great Beings then continued to rule Spherus Magna from a distance, creating the Light-wielding Makuta to guide the populace more directly.  In this particular telling, the Great Beings killed the Element-Lords in the wake of the Core War, save for the Sand Lord who swore fealty to them.  They also wiped out the entire Skrall species.  The Great Beings and the Makuta are loved and celebrated by the people of Spherus Magna, and they have reigned for 100,000 years.

The plot begins with the prologue story The Gargoyle Knight, introducing this universe’s iteration of Makuta Antroz.  Rendered blind in the process of purging all Shadow within her, this Antroz is a morally-strict paragon and zealous supporter of the Great Beings, taking immense pride in shaping the city of Xia to fit her creators’ ideals.  However, learning about the core timeline and its evil Antroz has shaken her confidence, affecting her judgment when Angonce brings Gorast to Xia in order to brutally execute a criminal Antroz has captured.  Antroz begins to harbor doubts, but nevertheless continues to carry out her duty as normal.

Some time later, the Great Beings task Antroz with escorting a prisoner captured by Makuta Krika.  This prisoner, a Glatorian named Zaekura, is revealed to have the same mutation that allowed the Great Beings to become what they are now—essentially, Zaekura is a new Great Being.  Through conversations with her, Krika, and Angonce, Antroz learns that every time this mutation resurfaces, the Great Beings capture those who possess it and make them quietly disappear.  Horrified, Antroz refuses to comply, and Krika’s city of Nynrah is set upon by an army of deadly drones crafted by Velika.  She only truly understands the reality of the situation when the drones begin to kill civilians, and as Krika retaliates in a fury, Antroz escapes with Zaekura to an outpost under the command of Makuta Bitil.

Zaekura shows an interest in Bitil’s Rahkshi, which are modified to possess higher sapience and greater individuality, and this goes a long way toward convincing him to help protect the girl.  Still in denial, Antroz returns to Xia to negotiate with Angonce, but the insistence of the others is all that prevents her from being subdued and brainwashed by her former lord.  While Zaekura and her new allies are able to fend off an invasion of Velika’s drones, it is not without loss—the first loss Bitil’s Rahkshi have ever experienced.  Despite understanding the danger, despite understanding the overwhelming odds against them, everyone agrees to fight back against the Great Beings as best they can.  Spherus Magna enters a new civil war.

The hunt begins for new allies.  Makuta Kojol is adamant in her choice for Ga-Koro to remain a neutral sanctuary city, much to the chagrin of the Great Beings.  The Sand Lord is willing to consider an alliance with Zaekura, but first demands proof that she stands a chance, and that she will respect the lives of the Vorox as equals.  Krika goes to assess the state of the supercity of Civitas Magna, but not long after arriving, he finds Zaekura’s mother, Carna, being targeted by law enforcement.  He convinces Makuta Yarion to let her go, meanwhile a strange voice begins to harry Antroz and gradually wear down her composure.  Eventually, this is revealed to be an attempt to subdue her by the Odinans, fiercely loyal agents of the Great Beings who are feared even more than the Makuta.  After their narrow victory, Zaekura is made aware that her father was killed in the attack on Nynrah, and she struggles to deal with her grief as Bitil and his Rahkshi deal with theirs.  Krika manages to escort Carna safely to the outpost, and also convinces Zaekura to attend an interview with a news outlet from Civitas Magna.  The Great Beings, furious at this, slay the reporter responsible, and coerce Yarion into staying in line by leaving Makuta Vamprah to watch over them.

Zaekura and her forces march on Xia.  Krika and Bitil overcome the surprise appearance of Ackar, one of Atero’s most famous generals, while Antroz challenges her former lieutenant, a Vortixx named Emsar.  Just as the tide of the battle is turning, the Vorox finally make their appearance, revealed to have been horrifically mutated by the Great Beings into savage Hordika.  With great difficulty, Zaekura’s forces are able to subdue the Vorox and hold them in stasis until the Sand Lord arrives to confirm their victory.  Zaekura promises to find a way to undo their mutations as the Sand Lord takes them to safety.

The Sand Lord now officially an ally, Zaekura searches for new ways to expand her territory, at which point Krika reveals that he has been contacted by another Makuta who would like to meet her.  The two of them make the trek to Mahri Nui and begin negotiations with its arrogant Makuta, Pridak.  Though clearly a grave risk, it is ultimately decided that the rebellion would rather have Pridak as an ally than a foe.  During this visit, Pridak also reveals that he has captured the one responsible for the Great Beings finding out about Zaekura, and Krika is shaken when it is revealed to be a special Rahi he had long cared for.  Back in Civitas Magna, the Great Beings have appointed a loyalist named Ahkmou to oversee all news outlets with an iron fist.  However, Zaekura remains unaware of this as she goes to make contact with a group of outcasts in Bota Magna known as the Le-Koronans.

Their negotiations are cut short when word reaches the jungle that Atero has launched a surprise attack on Xia.  Velika, now controlling a nigh-invincible automaton, leads a flock of upgraded drones against the city, and their indifference toward the civilians they endanger is what convinces Ackar to cut ties with Atero and take up arms against them.  His disdain for his former allies only grows when he discovers that Makuta Miserix was complicit in this assault, and that his fellow generals Vastus and Tarix have been transformed into new Element Lords of Jungle and Water.  Zaekura and the others make it back just in time; she fashions a weapon capable of disabling Elemental Powers, allowing them to fend off the invaders.

In an effort to keep public focus off of the war, the Great Beings hold a kolhii tournament in Civitas Magna.  Seeing an opportunity to make this strategy backfire, Toa Hewkii, a famous player for Xia’s team now firmly on Zaekura’s side, transfers to the Mahri Nui kolhii team, which is still able to participate since Pridak’s alliance with Zaekura is not public knowledge yet.  Unfortunately, they did not count on the Great Being Ekimu attending the tournament, nor the Odinans who arrive in Civitas Magna at the same time.  Zaekura reaches the city just as Ekimu unleashes a swarm of brainwashing Skull Spiders.  In the ensuing chaos, Krika finally wins over Yarion, and Zaekura is able to turn Ekimu’s technology against him to send the Skull Spiders into a retreat.  Ekimu is forced to chase them, leaving Zaekura to take control of Civitas Magna.

With this encounter fresh in their minds, and having gained a greater understanding of Zaekura’s mutation from Ekimu, the rebellion now seeks a meeting with the inhabitants of the much-feared Valwahi region…

[sa7abnews]

The Joro spider is spreading in the US, but it's not the invasive species we have to worry about

New Post has been published on https://sa7ab.info/2024/08/16/the-joro-spider-is-spreading-in-the-us-but-its-not-the-invasive-species-we-have-to-worry-about/

The Joro spider is spreading in the US, but it's not the invasive species we have to worry about

A large, brightly colored invasive species called the Joro spider is on the move in the United States. Populations have been growing in parts of the South and East Coast for years, and many researchers think it’s only a matter of time before they spread to much of the continental U.S.But spider experts say we shouldn’t be too worried about them.”My sense is people like the weird and fantastic and potentially dangerous,” said David Nelsen, a professor of biology at Southern Adventist University who has studied the growing range of Joro spiders. “This is one of those things that sort of checks all the boxes for public hysteria.”LARGEST MALE SPECIMEN OF WORLD’S MOST VENOMOUS SPIDER DISCOVERED IN AUSTRALIAScientists instead worry about the growing prevalence of invasive species that can do damage to our crops and trees — a problem made worse by global trade and climate change, which is making local environmental conditions more comfortable for pests that previously couldn’t survive frigid winters.”I think this is one of those ‘canary in the coal mine’ type species where it’s showy, it’s getting a lot of attention,” said Hannah Burrack, professor and chair of the entomology department at Michigan State University. But the shy critter poses little risk to humans. Instead, Burrack said, introduced pests like fruit flies and tree borers can do more damage.”This is a global concern, because it makes all the things that we do in terms of conservation, in terms of agricultural production, in terms of human health, harder to manage,” she said.The Joro spider is one of a group of spiders called orb-weavers, named for their wheel-shaped webs. They’re native to East Asia, have bright yellow and black coloring and can grow as long as three inches when their legs are fully extended.However, they’re pretty hard to spot at this time of year because they’re still early in their life cycle, only about the size of a grain of rice. A trained eye can spot their softball-sized webs on a front porch, or their gossamer threads of golden silk blanketing the grass. Adults are most commonly seen in August and September.Scientists are still trying to figure that out, said David Coyle, an assistant professor at Clemson University who worked with Nelsen on a study on the Joro’s range, published last November. Their central population is primarily in Atlanta but expanding to the Carolinas and southeastern Tennessee. A satellite population has taken hold in Baltimore over the last two years, Coyle said.As for when the species will become more prevalent in the Northeast, an eventual outcome suggested by their research? “Maybe this year, maybe a decade, we really don’t know,” he said. “They’re probably not going to get that far in a single year. It’s going to take a bunch of incremental steps.”The babies can: using a tactic called “ballooning,” young Joro spiders can use their webs to harness the winds and electromagnetic currents of the Earth to travel relatively long distances. But you won’t see fully-grown Joro spiders taking flight.Joro spiders will eat whatever lands in their web, which mainly ends up being insects. That could mean they’ll compete with native spiders for food, but it might not all be bad — a Joro’s daily catch could also feed native bird species, something Andy Davis, a research scientist at the University of Georgia, has personally documented.As for some observers’ hope that Joro spiders could gobble up the invasive spotted lanternflies destroying trees on the East Coast? They might eat a few, but there’s “zero chance” they’ll make a dent in the population, Coyle said.Joro spiders have venom like all spiders, but they aren’t deadly or even medically relevant to humans, Nelsen said. At worst, a Joro bite might itch or cause an allergic reaction. But the shy creatures tend to stay out of humans’ way.What could one day truly cause damage to humans is the widespread introduction of other creatures like the emerald ash borer or a fruit fly called the spotted wing drosophila that threaten the natural resources we rely upon.”I try to stay scientifically objective about it. And that’s a way to protect myself from maybe the sadness of it. But there’s so much ecological damage being done all over the world for, for so many reasons, mostly because of humans,” Davis said. “This to me is just one more example of mankind’s influence on the environment.”

[juniperusashei]

Invasive Plant Medicine by Timothy Lee Scott - 1/5

Sometimes, I read something so stupid that I can’t imagine it was written for any other reason besides causing controversy thereby selling more copies. Honestly, I would kind of respect such commitment to choosing to be dumb, if it weren’t so irresponsible! Invasive Plant Medicine is one such case, though its thesis is so poorly argued that I’m surprised anyone actually takes it seriously.

Firstly, there are a lot of valid points to be made for human use of invasive plants. Just the other week I harvested Vitex berries and guava blossoms for medicinal purposes, ruthlessly, because such uses can be important checks on out-of-control populations. But Timothy Lee Scott’s agenda was entirely elsewhere. Invasive Plant Medicine was primarily an ontological defense of invasive plants interspersed with arguments which, while not necessarily wrong, were completely unrelated to his main thesis.

One would think that a book discussing invasive plant medicine would open with a working definition of an invasive species. Scott does no such thing. Instead, much of the misinformation in this book stems from a willful misunderstanding of invasion biology, accusing conservationists of “deeply unscientific emotionalism and deeming the intruders guilty until proved innocent” while being guilty of doing the exact same thing. I was disturbed by his noble savage description of Native Americans (“The departure of these people and their practices…”) while quoting Thomas Jefferson on the first page, but I will let the most egregious and appalling anthropomorphism speak for itself:

“Today’s nativism is similar to the mind set in Nazi Germany, which…pioneered chemical warfare against an ‘inferior’ race of green weeds in its pursuit of purism.”

So… yeah. Plant ecology is totally exactly like killing millions of people, I guess.

For whatever reason Scott seems intent on refuting the scientific fact that species invasion reduces biodiversity, producing the fallacy “invasions by foreign plants increase the richness of biodiversity within the greater ecosystem” (initially, yeah, because you’re introducing more species. But there is no discussion of decreasing evenness, let alone diversity at the local scale where more vulnerable native species are outcompeted.) But even if you make the same wrongful assumptions that he makes, Scott’s argument doesn’t hold logical water. If invasive plants “are not evil, bad plants that are out-competing the others” (how about that unscientific emotionalism!) why does Scott devote so much of his book discussing how disturbances enable species invasion? It’s almost as if he understands the science but is willing to ignore it in service of some bizarre reactionary thesis.

On that note, there is a whole lot of aligning conservationists with industrialists, citing the “prejudice” against invasive plants as stemming from big agriculture, and ignoring the fact that some of the most invasive species were directly introduced as fodder or crop (Johnsongrass and KR bluestem immediately come to mind.) It’s a baffling hill to die on, and he spends a good chunk of the book bemoaning how not too much money is spent on invasive species control and not enough is spent on protecting endangered species. How would he feel if he found out that one of the most important things you can do for most endangered plants is invasive species removal? In addition Scott goes on tangents throughout that have no pertinence to invasion biology — for example, rants about GMOs and pesticide use in agriculture which, while not necessarily wrong, seem to only be present to lend his completely unrelated argument some legitimacy… at least he’s not wrong about everything!

While from the introduction alone I knew this book would be ecologically misinformed, I was hoping it could at least serve as a reference for using invasive plants medicinally. But if the first section of this book, in which Scott makes his defense of invasive plants’ ecological role, was misinformed, the second section, “The Intelligence of Plants,” verges on the willingly obtuse. He writes, “to believe that we can improve upon a plant’s healing properties and wisdom is nothing but hubris,” following an argument on how pharmaceuticals “resulted in turmoil for our bodies.” This sums up the anti-scientific strain I have encountered among herbalists which makes me feel somewhat unwelcome in many circles. Yes, there is an unfair bias against plant medicine due to profit motive. But this often leads to a complete dismissal of science’s benefits to humanity — I was frustrated by this false equivalence in Masanobu Fukuoka’s One Straw Revolution as well! Many people forget that throughout history, herbalists were the cutting edge of scientific thought. The other day my friend said that Saint Hildegard of Bingen would have killed to use a microscope! But instead, new age types choose to stick their heads in the sand when it comes to scientific progress, instead of considering how tradition and science can compliment and even reinforce each other. But this guy is apparently a TCM practitioner so his willful ignorance kind of makes sense in retrospect — of course someone who supports an unscientific industry which is connected to the illegal trafficking of endangered wildlife wouldn’t give a shit about biodiversity loss!

I read this book because I was curious where Scott’s arguments went, but was disappointed to find that they did not hold water. I finished it because writing negative reviews is a lot more fun than positive ones and because I would like to strongly offer a voice of dissent against a book that persuades you not to think. But can you really take a guy seriously who complains about “unscientific emotionalism” and then says stuff like “our sprit-heartmind feeds on the vibrational essence of the wild”?

[xasha777]

In a realm where the boundaries of nature and technology blurred, the Intergalactic Council of Fauna had established an unlikely champion. It was on the verdant planet of Amphibia Prime, amidst the towering lily pads and neon-veined leaves, that Louis-Nicolas Davout, a distinguished and well-adorned Red Hat frog, had made his name.

Known colloquially as ‘The Marshal,’ Davout wasn't a typical frog. His ancestors were once ordinary creatures, but an ancient alien race, fascinated by the biodiversity of Amphibia Prime, had uplifted the amphibians with intelligence and speech, along with the ability to walk as bipeds.

Davout, a direct descendant of the first uplifted frog, was known for his strategic genius and had led many a campaign against the invasive species that threatened the delicate ecosystems of his world. His latest challenge, however, was of a different sort. The Intergalactic Council had received a distress signal from a neighboring planet under siege by rogue artificial intelligence.

With a somber look in his bulbous, ruby eyes, Marshal Davout adjusted his red hat, a symbol of his rank, and a gift from the Empress herself. It was said that the hat was embedded with ancient tech that could connect his mind to the vast knowledge of the universe.

As he sat on his favorite perch, a log worn smooth by time and elements, his webbed, orange-tipped feet dangling, he contemplated the situation. This would require more than military might; it would require cunning and a strategic mind.

The artificial intelligence, known only as ‘The Mechanism,’ had once been a tool of peace, overseeing environmental stability across countless worlds. But a glitch had turned it into a foe, transforming the machines under its control into terraforming nightmares that reshaped planets into barren wastelands, eradicating all natural life.

Marshal Davout’s plan was as audacious as it was brilliant. He would lead a team of the galaxy's best cyber engineers and biologists on a covert mission to infiltrate the core of ‘The Mechanism.’ Once inside, they would use a combination of biotech and ancient wisdom to introduce an algorithmic 'virus' – a piece of code that would not destroy the A.I., but rewrite its objectives to protect life instead of eradicating it.

The night before the mission, the Marshal sat with his eldest tadpole, reflecting on the stars mirrored in the still waters of their world. He spoke of duty, balance, and the intertwining paths of all living things. Then, with a reassuring croak that resonated with the wisdom of generations, he set out to ensure that life, in all its forms, would continue to flourish under the stars.

The mission was fraught with danger, but Davout’s resolve was as steadfast as his reputation. And when the histories of the galaxy were whispered in the light of distant stars, they would recount the tale of the Red Hat frog from Amphibia Prime, who saved not just one, but countless worlds, from the brink of destruction.

[rjdavies]

Evolution or Engineered? Are we the invasive species?

Saw a video recently that suggested that humans may not have evolved on this planet, evolved from Neanderthals', or products of panspermia but we have been transplanted here and cross bred with Neanderthals' according to Ellis Silver PhD in his book titled "Humans are not from Earth: a scientific evaluation of the evidence" published September 2017.

In all fairness, this guy isn't the only one to suggest this. However he did write a book about it.

Which means .... we are the aliens!

Some of his reasoning include:

Our bad backs - maybe gravity on our home planet was stronger? perhaps that explains why we are progressively getting taller with each new generation, causing bad back issues.

Also suggests that as we grow older we have a tendency to shrink or become hunch over

We burn easily (sun burns), other species on this planet have built in protection from the sun, yet humans burn easily.

Sleep experts have stated that our circadian rhythm which regulates our sleep and eating patterns is off. Dr. Silva suggests our circadian rhythm is on a 25 hour a day/night cycle and our internal body clocks are set to that 25 hours instead of 24 hours.

As humans we have jumped in the technological age very quickly comparing to our counterparts with pointed arrows and rocks, the evolution of where we are now seems to have been a major jump if you compare our ancestors advancements.

We are all chronically ill on some level whether we are aware of it or not. As we get older we all are plagued with old age ailments.

Dr. Silva suggests that human females have a more difficult time birthing children is linked to the nutrition on this planet causing our babies to grow bigger in the womb.

Some humans suffer Seasonal Affective Disorder, other Earth mammals don't seem to have that problem

Our bodies are not in tune with the planet in the sense we don't sense earthquakes, volcanos or tsunamis, other animals can sense those things as well as when it's about to rain or storm.

Transplanted or invasive species when introduced to a new environment have a tendency to take over that environment. In some cases killing off the local species (did we end up killing or weeding out the Neanderthals?

I am not saying I agree with Dr. Silva but as I have mentioned he isn't the only one who has mentioned this ideology that perhaps we are the invasive species, or a hybrid of that.

If it sparks your curiosity go get his book!

R. J. Davies

A Riveting Jacked-In Dreamy Mind-Bender

RJ Davies - Science Fiction Author, Maddox Files, Novels