#it just didn't matter in the finale

[monstermoviedean]

none of it mattered. the pain, the suffering, every lesson learned the hard way. the love, the joy, the care, every sacrifice made for love. the people dean loved. it didn't matter. none of it mattered. not in the end.

[danwhobrowses]

Now that Critical Role's VOD of episode 120 is out and everyone in the fandom's had a moment to breathe, simmer, and adjust to this all. I wanna do a big talk about my favourite idiot punk rock, Ashton Greymoore.

Because over these last few episodes, I've been so proud of them.

Many people have had vocal opinions on Ashton, not all of them positive either; I've seen many berate them and say they're selfish, not a team player, or that they 'don't add anything to the group'. But over the past few episodes, I feel like Ashton has been an unsung hero in the battles with Ludinus and Predathos, with their contributions, oftentimes selfless and cooperative, ending up providing the floor for others to deliver strong and impactful actions.

While Dorian and Imogen will rightfully get the lion's share of praise for their clutch moments - Dorian's Force Cage on Ludinus saving Liliana and defeating Predathos' first stage alongside Imogen's Power Word: Stun setting up Ludinus' death and defeating Predathos' second stage - Ashton's actions were often the prelude to moments that could not have succeeded without them, including these clutch moments. Their attack on Ludinus in 117 prompted the Silvery Barbs that burned up his reaction - which allowed Dorian to successfully use Force Cage without being Counterspelled, their high-damage attack on his neck hole in 118 broke Ludinus' concentration on Ravenous Void - which somehow later got credited to Chetney - which gave Imogen the freedom and mobility to get in range for Power Word: Stun, they got the Insight check whisper on Predathogen in 119 to know that Imogen was physically inside of the body and needed to be pried out - which Imogen achieved herself thanks in part to Fearne reaching her, and recently in 120 they pulled Imogen out of Predathos' maw, abandoning the Hammer synonymous with their character (to the point that Keyleth titled them the 'Paradox Hammer') to prioritize saving their friend, which - following Dorian's healing - gave her the chance to use the Ring of Remembrance for the finishing Meteor Swarm. Not to mention all the other damage they dealt and tanked throughout the four fights, the passive d4 bonuses and advantage they gave the party (almost acting partly as a secondary paladin or a tertiary bard) to buff their damage and saving throws, and accepting the risk of disintegration when Laudna used their Hammer's spell splitter - which forced Predathos to use its final Legendary Resistance.

The Disintegrate moment itself was tense because we all know that Ashton is high among the Hells who would sacrifice themselves to save the group - a mentality most of the Hells likely shared in this fight - but fortunately they don't have to, they'll never have to, and they gained something just as if not more valuable than a heroic sacrifice: they get to live. The person who before meeting these chucklefucks believed they'd likely die face-down in a ditch in some backwater alley and thrown into an unmarked grave AT BEST gets to live, and the people that mean most to them get to live thanks to their efforts, their successes. And that's the most important part; for all the times they couldn't help or save someone because they were unconscious or out of reach, for all the times they let their imposter syndrome tell them they're just a fuckup undeserving of trust, praise, or love, and for every fear they had that one day they'd mess up and this new family of theirs will abandon them like the Nobodies did, this time they were there standing beside their people to the very end - and they helped get them out alive. No mistakes, no carelessness, and no-one left behind.

For that, I am proud of Ashton Greymoore; not Bells Hells' Weapon but their Helm, not a Blunt Instrument but a Protector, and not a Hero who needs to do 'what needs to be done' but a Friend who is saving their people no matter the odds. Under all the hardened and rugged exterior that has always been who Ashton is - the perfectly flawed character they are.

[wyvernity]

wip posting just to get something out there, and it's def a mixed bag!! the only thing more inconsistent than my posting schedule is my art style RIP

[dykedvonte]

wanted to say I appreciate your nuanced takes on MW and especially Curly. i don't get the claim that the fandom is full of Curly apologists when majority (esp yt and tiktok) say he's worse than Jimmy. Yes there's commentary about bro culture defending people, he def messed up in trying to placate Jimmy (tbh "we'll fix this" sounded more like trying to keep someone prone to outbursts like Jim calm and not hurt Anya/himself) but I don't think he did nothing to help Anya, since she continued to confide in him and he had less than a week to resolve it before the crash (I also don't get everyone saying he knew for ages when it seems like Anya told him that same week). I get Jimmy's a pos but saying stuff like Curly should've known he'd crash the ship or that Jim had a criminal record he ignored, reducing them to obviously horrible villain and willfully ignorant sidekick feels like a disservice to the game. If your best friend turned out to be horrible, what would you do in a confined space in the span of a few days to respond? I'd say some of the horror comes from trying to do good but ultimately failing, Curly's state after the crash is meant to be tragic horror not revenge/punishment

Thank you and this is what I want to get across.

A lot of information we have to supplement when it comes to how long things have been happening on this current ship. I think people try to add on to the horror and negligence by making things more obvious so it can feel like it was easier to avoid when, true to life, its not. Jimmy clearly didn't deserve or appreciate what Curly did for him in getting him the job, but do you think if Jimmy was that big of a menace on Earth he would've given him a position where he could have that level of power over people's lives? There's something in the fact he specifically chose to pick a position so close to himself where he could watch Jimmy.

I hate the bro code argument because that is a whole can of worms people really don't get. That sort of mentality is born from the general respect and preference of male matter over female ones. Curly is clearly not that guy, he is absent minded about the issue and inadvertently dismissive but he clearly believes Anya, he just can't understand what she's going through. It's an onslaught of information that no one really reacts right to. Additonally, the entire discussion of her assualt plays to heavy into the idea that there is fault outside of the perpertratior when it comes to SA. It's too close if she only did this or if Curly had protected her better but the fact of the matter is Jimmy did what he did. He did it before any of the conversations with Anya about it and it's why her behavior seemed to change so drastically in those last two days.

He has other conflicting thought and while his role as a Captain should've taken over, people act like it's not a very human thing to have such a toxic presence cloud your judgement. It is never easy to separate friend from coworker once that connection is formed, you want to help them, especially if they were friend first and for a long while like in this case. It's not right, but people act like it would be easy when the game clearly points out that no choice is easy to make, especially when you have to make it for more than one person. You have the weigh the consequences, look at all the options and make a plan. People can headcanon and decide how long things where happening, but if we look at what we were presented through the characters eyes, the only person given time to do that was Jimmy.

He waited two months after the crash to appoint himself Captain. Every time a problem was brought up he immediately took action and refused to sit on it and find a better solution. I think it's important to look at the warped way Jimmy takes initiative where Curly didn't as it works as a good contrast of why you don't just run in to "fix" things. The quickest and easiest option may not be the safest or most beneficial. I think some thoughts on the game suffer from the black and white thinking the game doesn't operate on along with us being voyeurs. We see what exactly led to what but the characters don't. They don't have the hindsight and foresight we do and even ours is scrambled by the non-linear story telling.

Like it's hard to talk abuou those grey zones without sounding like an apologist because you're explaining why taking responsibility isn't easy. It's not and it's weird to act like it would be in a scenerio that led up to the events of the game knowing what we know. We see all these characters in such isolated moments with various things before, in between, after and even during we aren't privy too. The idea that Jimmy is worse than Curly heavily banks on the words Jimmy was saying to Jimmy before he crashed the ship. That whatever happened on the ship was his responsibility to bare, which is true due to his position. But, are they not still not responsible for taking the actions Curly then must bare?

Like i feel like people think that these are situation that become easier with age or when you are in a postion of authority and they aren't. You don't lose your biases or gain some sudden knowledge that makes it easier. It just becomes more tiring as you keep dealing with it. I would be first in line to say Curly fucked up and should've done more but the idea he knew how bad it could get or he really saw the worst in the people around him and ignored it pretty much ignores a huge aspect of his character and the game.

[sacchiri]

Hellsing 2002 calendar illustration.

Ein wunderliche und erschröckliche Hystori von einem großen Wüttrich genant Dracole wayda Der do so ganz unkristenliche marrter hat angelegt die mensche, als mit spissen als auch die leut zu Tod geslyffen

A wondrous and frightening story about a great berserk called Dracula the voivode who inflicted such unchristian tortures such as with stakes and also dragged people to death

[montanabohemian]

blocking every fucking idiot on this website that thinks that wwdits queerbait them because nandor and guillermo didn't fuck nasty on the stairs.

YOU'RE ALL FUCKING DUMB.

[pyrrhiccomedy]

who loves the antichrist

Olivie - His Lover

I remember his heart in my heart.

I remember his weakness, his follies, his flaws.

I remember that he can be hurt, and put my hand over his wounds.

When you stand upon the burning hill;

When you huddle in the dark;

Do not forget that I alone remember your heart.

Volo - His Knight

My lord burns me, spends me, restores me.

My lord's hand is my hand: my lord's will is my will.

My lord aims his sword at heaven, and I am his sword.

I tremble; I shiver. I stand before a greater light.

Have mercy upon me, my lord.

My anguish is complete, and my soul is yours.

Bellefleur - His Queen

I will make him for my hand.

I will make him for my enemies.

I will make him what he wants to be made.

He is great, and I will make him greater.

Look neither to the left nor right. Trust my hand upon your back.

A sword exists for a purpose.

[mewkwota]

Mew today's not-- I don't care, I chose to brainstorm these designs because it sounded like a fun idea. I was going for something like a "group cosplay" (and Tokyo Mew Mew) so each Mega also has an associated animal.

Volnutt is a monkey because Data (duh), Hub is a cat because it was literally given to him thanks to the anime, Geo and Omega-Xis are rabbits because the spikes on Geo's visor give me that image, then X and Rock are both dogs (albeit Rock is a puppy) because uhh... Rock has Rush and honestly for X I just thought about Sigma and his dog--

Also there's lots of doodles of Volnutt because this was absolutely his idea somehow.

[illmoraineakoi]

Do you guys think that if Chosen ever learned of the 'deal' Orange made with Alan in AvA4, he'd automatically see it as Alan using it to indenture Orange to him and blow a gasket?

Especially if Orange recounted the deal incorrectly, or perhaps even if Orange himself misinterpreted or misunderstood it.

Because the original wording of the deal was "If you help me animate, I'll let you free so long as you don't wreck my computer."

Alan likely meant this to mean that so long as Orange didn't mess up the computer and helped him animate, Orange would be allowed to live on the computer. Which is already a little questionable, placing a stipulation on having a place to live. A very 'earn your keep' sort of vibe.

But the original deal makes no mention of RGBY or their role in everything. Honestly, it seems like they just kinda moved onto the desktop at some point between 2015-2017. But like most things with Orange, things tend to revolve more around them than himself, when it comes to his priorities.

So I don't think it's too out of the question to think that Orange automatically pooled them in with himself in this deal, and they became another factor of it when they originally weren't involved at all.

A common interpretation I've seen is Orange misunderstanding the deal, and thinking that if he helps Alan animate, his friends get to stay too. IE: If he doesn't, Alan reserved the right to kick them off or bar access to the computer from them. Placing a stipulation not just on Orange's own ability to have a place to live, but on his ability to see and have access to his friends. Turning it into a privilege earned by fulfilling the responsibilities expected of him.

Orange undoubtedly likes to animate with Alan, that's not an issue, but perhaps he still thinks that he has a responsibility to do it in order to maintain the status quo of not just his life, but all of their lives. Maybe he sees it as a sort of 'payment', in a way. Perhaps he doesn't even really believe that Alan would be mean enough to revoke those things from him, to do what is his right to by the terms of their deal, but there's a part of him that's secretly unwilling to chance it.

Or perhaps he doesn't even think the deal is active anymore. It's been so many years, after all, and they've ruined Alan's files multiple times (unintentionally) and nothing's happened. It could've long since become null and void.

But from Chosen's perspective, it would likely seem a lot worse than Orange ever thought it was. Perhaps even worse than ALAN realized it was.

Because Alan has put a price tag on Orange's right to even have a place to live. A price tag (potentially) on his ability to see and interact with his friends. A price tag on his nice, happy life. Maybe even a price tag on his very life.

And I think Chosen would be very upset about that. And perhaps even more upset when Orange seems confused about why he's upset about it, when Orange doesn't understand how predatory it looked from Chosen's perspective.

After all, it's not even a very big price tag. It's just a little animating. It's not that bad, and Orange likes doing it anyway, so what's the problem?

But at the end of the day, it is still little more than a ball and chain made of words and letters, binding him to doing what Alan wants him to do with the potential threat of ruthless punishment should he disobey or rebel of cause harm to the computer.

And really, what difference is there, between using a stick figure as a pop up blocker and using one as an animating assistant? Does the fact that he enjoys it really outweigh or justify the fact that you've placed a condition on his very livelihood since the day of his creation?

Yeah. Chosen would not be happy.

[hyakunana]

Pocky Day 2k23 feat exo girlfriends ✨

[unlikablefemaleprotagonist]

i don't really want to get too logical about it, but perhaps another "above the table" reason for this battle not being centered around getting redemption for the ratgrinders is because this is a show meant for public consumption and "persuade your enemies to desert their cause and join you" was literally the trick of the final combat for the last intrepid heroes season. maybe there was an implicit understanding among the cast that the same gimmick would be perceived by some as being repetitive

and honestly?? i think the neverafter team had a helluva lot better shot converting the princesses to their side than any of the bad kids had in this battle. key members of the squad (okay, not tim, rip his conversation with rapunzel) made inroads with the princesses through good faith interaction with many of them earlier in the season. elodie and mira were the easiest gets because of elodie's history with gerard and mira's lack of true devotion to the cause, but ylfa had a genuine SHOT with la bete and pinocchio got very close with cinderella (who i think may have come over anyway once her allies were down, if i remember right?)

but there isn't a single ratgrinder they have that kind of relationship with. they've been pretty out-and-out hostile, despite moments such as adaine saving ruben from disintegrate and kristen offering maryanne gifts. maaaaybe you could make an argument for ruben and wanda, but brennan pointed out that once wanda showed up with his enemies and ATTACKED ruben's friends, it was over. oisin seemed like a potential option earlier in the season, but then he pulled the rug out from under adaine and tried to murder the entire student body via nepotism. there was no friendly relationship left to capitalize on after that. and maryanne has been characterized as having such an impenetrable mental wall that it's hard to guess where's she's at, even for the other ratgrinders.

plus, there's the whole basic conceit that the ratgrinders' minds are not completely their own. their agency has been traded away to a nameless god of rage. who's to say any persuasion check could overcome that? honestly, i think if it was a realistic play, brennan would have encouraged the players to try it, like he explicitly did for neverafter, laying out a mechanic for it. maybe we'd know more if kristen hadn't gotten a nat 1 on her buddy insight check, but i think that was the moment that any diplomatic level to this combat went out the window, because the dice dictated that kristen couldn't see buddy in there, and to willfully push ahead with that line of thinking would have been close to meta-gaming. they are playing characters as faithfully as possible, and those characters are stressed-out kids! they don't have the same emotional maturity of a 32-year-old divorced frog prince who really wants to be amicable with his ex-wife

[flowers-of-tenebrae]

edit: because apparently it needs to be said. despite this being a more critical post, it is NOT an invitation for you to share why you think Noctis/Luna don't make sense to YOU. don't be rude and make your own post about that instead. if you couldn't tell, I absolutely do ship these two and would rather not see your contrary thoughts (I saw enough of that back in 2016-18).

-

the romance in ffxv would "make more sense" if it was written or read as josei (you guys the tropes are there)

but that would require 1) sqex writers to invest more effort into fleshing out and showing romantic relationships onscreen. this includes writing female characters (or other genders, it's just thus far the main romances in ff have been m/f) as more than an afterthought, a guiding motivation or quiet support for the main character. that is, give them their own motivations and full character arc, show their journey (literal and figurative!!) or pivotal parts of it on screen, and for gods sake don't write them into contrived situations that ignore logic (i.e. the characters' mindset and abilities) and only serve to push the plot along

and 2) players to view the characters' relationships from a perspective other than their own for once, i.e. disengage with one's own irl preferences or morals and consider the mindset of the characters involved - why would they be romantically interested in the other character(s)

(ffx still is the best written ff romance imo. it doesn't overpower the narrative but it is strongly intertwined nearly every step of the way. it invites the audience along for the ride, but it's actually more grounded, more normal than epic despite the stakes. most importantly it is satisfying for many players, y'know bc yuna and tidus are both major characters, protagonists who are never sidelined in their own game)

p.s. epistolary romances are great; try reading some! (yes ffxv could have, should have included actual personal letters between noctis and luna. at least dotf tries to amend that, but i don't really buy that they never EVER sent each other long drawn out and/or embarrassingly personal letters they regretted sending until they received a reply that nearly made them weep with relief)

p.p.s i am the #1 advocator for "they should've showed us more of luna's journey (or let us play as her!!)" and "luna should've joined the party" and "noctis and luna should've interacted more (on screen)"

[orangegreenbracket]

ORANGE GREEN SUPREME FINALS

[the-acid-pear]

I actually am in love w what the evil dead does like it sets up this typical virgin girl among her friends in a very much horror scenario where only she is aware so you'd expect her to be the final girl, obviously, it's the 80s after all. But no, WRONG, she dies first and her transgender bimbo brother is the actual protagonist ! Laugh crying emoji.

[moontidecanvas]

you're just getting further and further away

[kay9leo]

McStareface Part 3 - NO JEWELRY!

Trequel to McStareface Part 1

Sequel to McStareface Part 2 - Smack Talk

No Jewelry

Was the purpose of this entire mini comic series (Especially part 3) because of panel 9?

YES***

Like Eda Mode's "NO CAPES!", growing up when I used to play sports in school we were not allowed to wear jewelry while playing.

And in my mind, magical dueling is as much of a sport just like any other individual 1-v-1 muggle sport.

When I first saw that duel between MC and Sebastian in which Prof. Hecat pits the two students against each other, I couldn't help but think that if that was me, out of habit, I would jump off the piste (in fencing terms, that is the fencing strip play area you would duel on and I would like to imagine that's also the magical name of the dueling strip play area since to me dueling is just the magical version of fencing) and immediately take my jewelry off because I have no wishes to become the next horror story of how wearing jewelry during sports caused an injury.

And hence why part 1, 2 and 3 of McStareface was born - all because of panel 9.

That's it.

That's the whole reason.

***That and to give a reason for Iñaki to call Sebastian "Stare-y McStareface" since she doesn't know his name yet. She essentially gave him the Boaty McBoatface type of nickname as a stand in until she learned his real name 😂. I needed to make part one in order to get part 2 and 3 where I wanted to be and for that nickname she picked for him to make sense. 🤣 This was more than 3 months in the making 😂🤣😂

You won't be catching Iñaki getting a dumb injury because of her jewelry, but unfortunately (or fortunately I guess in this case -depending which scenario you're looking at due to my MC coming from NY) most people (muggleborns and half-bloods who know muggle culture and seen American media) will probably see her taking her earrings as a sign she's going to get in a serious fight and she's not someone to not play around with. Especially since she's Latina and when you tell people that you're from New York, everyone automatically think's you're from the city lol. Ahh, stereotypes. I didn't mean to accidentally stumble upon it with Iñaki 😅😂.

(I mean she used to be from NYC before she moved to the 'burbs and turned to a suburban kid, but that's not the point XD)

While Iñaki isn't someone to play around, (she has ancient magic - not that anybody knows about it) she REALLY just doesn't want to get injured wearing jewelry while playing magical sports. Heck getting your earrings caught in either clothing, your comb or hair is painful (speaking from experience), I REALLY don't want to imagine how painful it will be in a sports injury. 😬

So she gives it to Natty to hold since she finds her new friendly classmate trustworthy enough to hold it. And Natty is all too pleased to help her new friend.

After all, Natty wants for her new friend, Iñaki, to destroy sweep Sebastian off his feet seeing how Natty couldn't defeat her number one nemesis in Crossed Wands yet. 🤗

Just a girl who wants to support another girl to destroy her dueling rival -just girly things, you know? 🤗🤭😁

Not that Natty is the only one who wants to see the undefeatable Sebastian Sallow go down.

Even if Iñaki doesn't know anything about his dueling record -heck, she doesn't even know who McStareface is- one thing she does know is that she's SOOOOO looking forward to returning the favor of his smack talk in a duel 🤗😁🤗

After all, it's “Perro que ladra no muerde”/ (A dog that barks doesn't bite) talk to her right now. And after her rough entrance to Hogwarts, Iñaki knows how to bite between the dragon, knights and everything not nice she had to face so far up to this point.

So a duel with McStareface should be fun. 🤗

✨🌺💅🌺✨Just girly things, you know? ✨🌺💅🌺✨

Click Here For Iñaki "MC" Martinez Cariaga Masterlist