#it establishes the core themes and conflict

[froschli96]

Every time you tell someone who wants to get into Assassin's Creed to just skip the first game and start with the Ezio trilogy, a kitten dies.

[cazshmere]

Destiny Matrix: The Energy You Must Embody for Genuine Happiness

materialist🔖

DISCLAIMER: These are just my personal observations and are meant for entertainment purposes only; it may not resonate with everyone due to the nuances of astrology. Please respect my work and avoid copying or stealing it. Enjoy reading!! 🦂

The center number in the Destiny Matrix chart represents our core energy—the Major Arcana card that has the most profound influence on your life. This number reflects the key lessons and dominant themes we must embrace to feel aligned with your destiny. It acts as our guiding force, shaping our experiences and guiding us toward fulfillment and balance

link to calculate your chart : click here

1 – The Magician 🪄

Key Themes: Manifestation, creativity, willpower

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Start a vision board to focus on your goals.

Practice daily affirmations to boost self-belief.

Learn a new skill or hobby to channel creativity.

Set small, actionable goals and track progress.

Use mindfulness to align actions with intentions.

2 – The High Priestess 🧚‍♀️

Key Themes: Intuition, inner wisdom, mystery

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Meditate daily to develop inner awareness.

Keep a dream journal to reflect on subconscious messages.

Trust your gut feelings, especially in decision-making.

Reduce distractions and spend time in quiet reflection.

Engage in mystical practices (tarot, astrology) to deepen insight.

3 – The Empress 👸🏽

Key Themes: Nurturing, creativity, abundance

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Create a peaceful, beautiful space at home.

Spend time in nature to feel grounded.

Cook or garden to nurture creativity and growth.

Support loved ones emotionally and offer care.

Indulge in self-care rituals to cultivate self-love.

4 – The Emperor 🤴🏽

Key Themes: Authority, structure, stability

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Set a clear routine or daily structure.

Take on leadership roles, even in small situations.

Establish long-term goals for your personal and professional life.

Lead with confidence but remain fair and balanced.

Be disciplined in areas like finances or personal development.

5 – The Hierophant 🪽

Key Themes: Tradition, spiritual guidance, teaching

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Explore cultural or spiritual traditions and integrate them into your life.

Mentor others and share knowledge where you're experienced.

Reflect on core values and how they guide your decisions.

Study spiritual texts or philosophies to deepen understanding.

Join a spiritual or community group to foster connection.

6 – The Lovers 👩🏼‍❤️‍👨🏻

Key Themes: Connection, choice, harmony

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Strengthen communication in your relationships.

Make decisions that reflect your values and desires.

Foster deeper emotional and spiritual connections with loved ones.

Practice compromise and understanding in conflicts.

Focus on self-love as the foundation for harmonious relationships.

7 – The Chariot 🚀

Key Themes: Determination, control, success

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Set clear goals and take steady steps to achieve them.

Stay focused on your objectives despite distractions.

Practice emotional self-regulation in stressful situations.

Celebrate victories, no matter how small.

Take charge of your life path with confidence and direction.

8 – Strength 💪🏽

Key Themes: Inner strength, compassion, patience

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Practice self-compassion and be gentle with yourself in difficult times.

Engage in physical or emotional activities that build resilience, like exercise or meditation.

Offer kindness and understanding to others, even when it's challenging.

Be patient with long-term goals or emotional healing.

Cultivate a quiet inner strength by facing fears calmly.

9 - The Hermit 🐚

Key Themes: Solitude, inner reflection, wisdom

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Take time away from social media and external influences to reflect.

Spend time alone in nature or a quiet space to recharge.

Journal regularly to explore your inner world.

Read books or engage in study to deepen self-awareness.

Offer wisdom to others from a place of experience.

10 – The Wheel of Fortune 🍀

Key Themes: Change, destiny, cycles

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Be flexible and open to unexpected changes in life.

Reflect on the cycles of your past to understand patterns.

Trust in the flow of life, knowing that ups and downs are part of growth.

Release the need for control and go with the flow.

Embrace new opportunities, even if they come unexpectedly.

11 – Justice ⚖️

Key Themes: Fairness, truth, balance

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Be mindful of making fair and just decisions.

Take responsibility for your actions and decisions.

Seek balance in all areas of life—work, relationships, health.

Practice fairness in your interactions with others.

Be truthful with yourself and others in difficult situations.

12 – The Hanged Man 🙃

Key Themes: Surrender, new perspective, patience

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Let go of control and allow things to unfold in their own time.

Reflect on challenging situations from a new perspective.

Embrace stillness and patience during times of uncertainty.

Be open to changing your approach if things aren't working.

Trust that waiting or setbacks often lead to growth.

13 – Death 🦋

Key Themes: Transformation, endings, renewal

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Let go of old habits, relationships, or situations that no longer serve you.

View endings as opportunities for new beginnings.

Embrace change and transformation, even if it feels uncomfortable.

Focus on personal growth during times of transition.

Practice gratitude for past experiences, even as you move forward.

14 – Temperance 🕊️

Key Themes: Balance, harmony, moderation

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Practice moderation in areas of excess, such as work or indulgence.

Focus on finding balance between different areas of your life.

Meditate or engage in mindfulness practices to foster inner harmony.

Be patient with yourself and others, especially during conflicts.

Seek holistic well-being by integrating mind, body, and spirit.

15 – The Devil 👺

Key Themes: Desire, limitation, mastery

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Acknowledge your desires and examine whether they serve your higher self.

Confront limiting beliefs or unhealthy habits that hold you back.

Practice discipline in areas where you feel tempted or out of control.

Seek balance between enjoying life’s pleasures and maintaining healthy boundaries.

Embrace your shadow side without judgment, using it for personal growth.

16 – The Tower 🗼⚡️

Key Themes: Sudden change, upheaval, revelation

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Accept that sudden changes may be necessary for personal growth.

Let go of outdated beliefs or structures that no longer serve you.

Use challenging situations as opportunities for deep transformation.

Rebuild stronger foundations after a period of upheaval.

Trust that chaos often clears the way for new opportunities.

17 – The Star ⭐️

Key Themes: Hope, inspiration, healing

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Focus on healing emotional wounds and nurturing your inner light.

Cultivate hope and positivity in difficult times.

Align with your higher purpose and trust the universe’s guidance.

Inspire others by staying true to your authentic self.

Practice self-care and healing routines that nourish your body and soul.

18 – The Moon 🌙

Key Themes: Intuition, illusion, subconscious

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Explore your subconscious through dreams, journaling, or meditation.

Be mindful of illusions or false perceptions in your life.

Trust your intuition, especially when clarity is lacking.

Embrace uncertainty and mystery without fear.

Seek emotional clarity through inner reflection.

19 – The Sun ☀️

Key Themes: Joy, vitality, positivity

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Celebrate your successes and share your joy with others.

Embrace childlike wonder and enthusiasm in your daily life.

Focus on positive thinking, even in difficult times.

Connect with nature or physical activities to boost your vitality.

Shine your light on others, offering support and positivity.

20 – Judgement 📜

Key Themes: Rebirth, accountability, higher calling

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Reflect on your past actions and learn from them.

Take responsibility for your choices and their consequences.

Seek out your higher calling and align your life with it.

Focus on personal and spiritual rebirth through self-awareness.

Make amends or seek closure where necessary to move forward.

21 – The World 🌍

Key Themes: Completion, wholeness, fulfilment

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Celebrate the completion of major life milestones.

Recognize your personal growth and sense of wholeness.

Integrate lessons from all areas of life into your being.

Embrace your interconnectedness with the world around you.

Seek new opportunities for growth and expansion, even after reaching your goals.

22 – The Fool 🤪

Key Themes: New beginnings, trust, adventure

Ways to Embody This Energy:

Take risks and embrace new opportunities with optimism.

Trust the universe to guide you, even when the path is unclear.

Live in the present moment and enjoy life’s adventures.

Be open to unexpected experiences and possibilities.

Follow your instincts, even if it means stepping into the unknown.

© cazshmere 2024 [All Rights Reserved]

[invested-in-your-future]

What's fascinating to me is that for a show where showrunners knew they had only one season left to wrap everything up, Arcane S2 feels filled with weird decisions.

EP7 as appreciated as it was, feels like a weird bottle episode that doesn't do much of anything for the overall story. It's the type of episode I could see in a longer show where it wasn't its final season, but here? Weird.

What does the detour with Vander and bringing him back add to the story exactly? It wasn't used to give Vi development or drama, nor was it used for Jinx. Sure, you could say it was something done to quickly resolve the sisters' feud, but that was already in the works naturally, and there was no need for an entire subplot that dumps a TON of new worldbuilding upon the show that has barely any time left to handle the worldbuilding it already got.

You'd think the final season would have key characters, like Vi, play the pivotal role and develop and grow, but Vi is sidelined for most of the show, despite her characterization being crucial in landing the conclusion of the two sisters subplot.

Caitlyn's classist dictator time feels like literal padding too—there's no follow-up or subplot where Vi has to make her see the reality of her actions or any subplot or characterization where the two reconcile. This subplot would make sense in a show where the class conflict and the possible civil war were front-and-center plot threads, but Arcane S2 is not that show—it refuses to touch upon the core themes Season One established. In fact, the show ends up completely ignoring what she did, so why is the plotline there then?

There are just a lot of additions that do the opposite of resolving plot threads or giving the time needed for the conclusion—everything to do with Noxous, the nigh incomprehensible Black Rose stuff, all the new side characters that appear and then disappear having done nothing, etc. You'd think for THE finale of their story, the writers would condense and connect the plot threads together toward the conclusion, but S2 spends a lot of time doing the opposite for no reason.

The final stretch has Silco basically speaking to the audience, telling them nothing new and just rehashing what's already been shown. What was the point of that? Is it insecurity from the writers that the audience might not have gotten what was being said? And what's more, how does that connect to the whole "main story" of S2 which is the machine god stuff? The monologue, as anvilicious and needless as it is, makes sense in a show about the cycle of violence and human nature, but Arcane Season Two is not that show—it's a show about how The Rich and The Poor will team-up for the common purpose of facing outside enemies, be it the non-descript Evil Country From Afar or Magical Zombies. So why were the writing staff so desperate to get the point "Silco" makes across as to literally break even the basic sense of show-not-tell?

The more I think, the weirder the structure of S2 is.

[luna-azzurra]

What should Happen next in your Story? #Writersblock

1. Review Your Story Goals: Take a step back and remind yourself of your story's overall goals, themes, and the character arcs you've established. What message or emotions are you trying to convey? Reconnecting with your story's core can provide direction.

2. Character Development: Consider your characters' motivations, desires, and conflicts. Think about how their actions and decisions can further their development and the overall plot.

3. Conflict and Obstacles: Introduce new conflicts or obstacles that challenge your characters and move the story forward. Conflict is often a driving force in storytelling.

4. Foreshadowing: Look at earlier parts of your story for elements that can be developed or paid off in the next part. Foreshadowing can create anticipation and coherence in your narrative.

5. Brainstorm Ideas: Take a few minutes to brainstorm potential plot developments or scenarios, even if they seem far-fetched. Sometimes, these ideas can lead to more refined plot points.

6. Seek Inspiration: Read books, watch movies, or explore other art forms that inspire you. Inspiration often comes from exposure to different creative works.

7. Write Freely: Give yourself permission to write without judgment. You can always revise later. Sometimes, just getting words on the page can help you discover where your story is going.

8. Talk to Someone: Discuss your story with a friend, writing partner, or critique group. They may offer insights or ideas you haven't considered.

9. Change Perspective: Consider writing a scene from a different character's perspective or in a different setting. This can help you explore new angles and generate ideas.

10. Take a Break: Sometimes, a brief break from writing can provide clarity and fresh ideas. Go for a walk, engage in a different creative activity, or relax to clear your mind.

11. Read Writing Prompts: Look for writing prompts or exercises related to your genre or theme. These can spark new ideas and get your creative juices flowing.

12. Set a Deadline: Establish a reasonable deadline for yourself, even if it's self-imposed. The pressure of a deadline can help you focus and generate ideas.

13. Revisit Your Outline: If you have an outline, revisit it to see if you missed any planned plot points or if there are opportunities to add more depth.

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

Hey! I was reading on your character arcs and was wondering how you would write character regression over the course of the story :)

Hey there, fellow writer! Thanks so much for your message. Sorry, this response took so long. But, I'm thrilled that you found my posts on character arcs helpful, and I'm excited to dive into the topic of character regression with you. It's a fascinating and complex aspect of storytelling that can add so much depth to our narratives when done well.

What is Character Regression?

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, let's define what we mean by character regression. In essence, character regression is the opposite of character growth or development. It's when a character moves backwards in terms of their personal growth, beliefs, or behavior. They might lose skills they once had, revert to old, harmful patterns, or abandon positive traits they've developed.

This doesn't mean your character simply becomes "worse" or "evil." Regression is a nuanced process that can happen for various reasons and manifest in different ways. It's about your character losing ground on their personal journey, facing setbacks, or struggling with challenges that push them back towards old habits or mindsets.

Why Use Character Regression?

Now, you might be wondering, "Why would I want my character to regress? Isn't that the opposite of what we usually aim for in storytelling?" Great question! While it's true that we often focus on character growth, regression can be an incredibly powerful tool in your storytelling toolkit. Here's why:

Realism: Let's face it, real life isn't a straight line of constant improvement. We all face setbacks, make mistakes, and sometimes fall back into old patterns. Including regression in your character's journey can make them feel more authentic and relatable.

Conflict and Tension: Regression can create internal conflict for your character and tension in your story. It gives your character something to struggle against, adding depth to their arc.

Emotional Impact: Watching a character we care about struggle or backslide can be incredibly emotional for readers, creating a strong connection to the story.

Set-up for Greater Growth: Sometimes, a character needs to hit rock bottom before they can truly grow. Regression can set the stage for even more significant character development later in the story.

Exploring Complex Themes: Character regression allows you to delve into themes like addiction, trauma, fear of change, or the difficulty of personal growth.

How to Write Character Regression

Alright, now that we've covered the what and why, let's get into the how. Writing character regression requires a delicate touch and careful planning. Here are some steps and tips to help you navigate this tricky terrain:

(Beware Very Long Post!)

Establish a Baseline

Before you can show regression, you need to establish where your character starts. What skills do they have? What are their core beliefs and values? What positive traits define them? This baseline will be crucial for showing how the character changes over time.

For example, let's say we have a character named Alex who starts the story as a confident, outgoing person with a strong sense of right and wrong. This is our baseline. (I will be using "Alex" as an example character for the remainder of the post)

Identify the Catalyst

Regression doesn't happen in a vacuum. There's usually a triggering event or series of events that start the process. This could be a traumatic experience, a significant loss, a series of failures, or even a gradual wearing down of the character's resolve.

In Alex's case, maybe they witness a horrific crime that shakes their faith in humanity and the justice system.

Show Gradual Changes

Regression, like growth, usually happens gradually. Start with small changes in behavior, thought patterns, or reactions to situations. These should be subtle at first, things that the character (and maybe even the reader) might not immediately notice.

Alex might start being a little less friendly to strangers, or hesitate before helping someone in need – small shifts that hint at bigger changes to come.

Internal Conflict

As the character begins to regress, show their internal struggle. They likely won't be happy about these changes and might fight against them. This internal conflict can be a great source of tension and character depth.

Alex might berate themselves for their newfound hesitation, trying to force themselves to be the person they used to be.

External Consequences

The character's regression should have real consequences in their world. How does it affect their relationships? Their job? Their role in the main plot of your story?

Maybe Alex's friends start to notice their withdrawal and become concerned. Or perhaps their hesitation in a crucial moment leads to negative consequences in the main plot.

Escalation

As the story progresses, the regression should become more pronounced. The character might start to rationalize their behavior, or fully embrace their new, regressed self.

Alex might start actively avoiding social situations, or develop a cynical worldview that contrasts sharply with their former optimism.

Rock Bottom

In many stories with character regression, there's a "rock bottom" moment – a point where the regression reaches its peak. This is often a powerful, emotional scene that fully illustrates how far the character has fallen.

For Alex, this might be a moment where they refuse to help someone in danger, fully betraying their former values.

Potential for Redemption

Even if your story ends with the character in a regressed state, it can be powerful to show a glimmer of their former self. This hints at the potential for future growth and can leave the reader with a sense of hope (or tragedy, if that potential is never realized).

Maybe in Alex's darkest moment, they have a flicker of doubt about their new worldview, or a memory of who they used to be.

Tips for Writing Effective Character Regression

Now that we've covered the general process, here are some additional tips to help you write compelling character regression:

Keep it Believable: The reasons for the regression should make sense for the character and the story. Don't have a character completely change overnight without good reason.

Show, Don't Tell: Instead of simply stating that a character has regressed, show it through their actions, thoughts, and dialogue.

Use Supporting Characters: Other characters can serve as mirrors, reflecting the changes in your regressing character and providing commentary on those changes.

Maintain Sympathy: Even as your character regresses, try to maintain reader sympathy. Help the reader understand why the character is making these choices, even if they don't agree with them.

Consider the Pacing: Regression can happen at different speeds. It might be a slow burn throughout the story, or a rapid descent following a major event. Choose the pacing that works best for your narrative.

Don't Forget the Positives: Regression doesn't mean a character loses all their positive traits. They might still show flashes of their old self, adding complexity to their portrayal.

Use Metaphors and Symbolism: Visual cues, recurring motifs, or symbolic elements can help underscore the character's regression in subtle ways.

Explore Different Types of Regression: Regression can be moral, emotional, professional, or related to specific skills or relationships. Mix and match for a nuanced portrayal.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

As with any writing technique, there are some common pitfalls to watch out for when writing character regression:

Making it Too Sudden: Unless there's a massively traumatic event, regression usually doesn't happen overnight. Be careful not to have your character change too quickly without proper buildup.

Losing Reader Sympathy: If your character's regression makes them completely unlikeable, you risk losing reader investment. Always strive to keep them understandable, even if not always sympathetic.

Inconsistent Motivation: Make sure the reasons for your character's regression remain consistent and logical within the context of your story.

Ignoring the Impact on Plot: Remember that character regression should impact your main story. Don't let it become a subplot that doesn't connect to the main narrative.

Overdoing It: Regression doesn't mean your character has to become a completely different person. Maintain some core aspects of their personality to keep them recognizable.

Examples from Literature and Media

Sometimes, it helps to see how other writers have handled character regression. Here are a few examples you might find inspiring:

Walter White from "Breaking Bad": His transformation from mild-mannered teacher to drug kingpin is a masterclass in character regression.

Daenerys Targaryen from "Game of Thrones": Her descent into ruthlessness in the final season is a controversial but noteworthy example of character regression.

Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray: His moral decay over the course of the novel is a classic example of character regression in literature.

Michael Corleone in "The Godfather": His transformation from war hero to ruthless mafia boss is a powerful portrayal of moral regression.

Studying these and other examples can give you ideas on how to handle regression in your own writing.

Final Thoughts

Writing character regression can be challenging, but it's also an incredibly rewarding aspect of storytelling. It allows us to explore the complexities of human nature, the fragility of personal growth, and the myriad ways that life can shape and reshape us. When done well, it can create some of the most memorable and impactful characters in literature.

Remember, there's no one "right" way to write character regression. The key is to make it authentic to your character and your story. Let it grow organically from the events of your plot and the unique personality of your character. And most importantly, don't be afraid to dig deep into the messy, complicated aspects of human nature.

As writers, we have the privilege and responsibility of reflecting the full spectrum of human experience in our work. Character regression is a part of that spectrum, and embracing it can lead to richer, more nuanced storytelling.

Balancing Regression and Reader Expectations

One thing to keep in mind as you write character regression is the balance between realistic portrayal and reader expectations. Readers often come to stories expecting character growth, so a character who regresses can be jarring or even frustrating if not handled carefully.

Here are a few strategies to help manage this:

Foreshadowing: Hint at the potential for regression early in the story. This can help prepare readers for what's to come.

Clear Motivation: Make sure the reasons for the regression are clear and understandable, even if not agreeable.

Moments of Hope: Intersperse moments where the character shows glimmers of their former self or potential for growth. This can help maintain reader investment.

Character Self-Awareness: Having the character acknowledge their regression can help readers process it.

Narrative Purpose: Ensure the regression serves a clear purpose in your overall story. If readers can see why it's necessary, they're more likely to accept it.

Character Regression in Different Genres

The way you approach character regression might vary depending on the genre you're writing in. Here's how it might look in different contexts:

In Literary Fiction: Character regression often serves as a deep exploration of human nature and societal influences. It might be subtle and psychological, focusing on internal changes rather than external actions.

In Fantasy or Science Fiction: Regression might be tied to magical or technological elements. Perhaps a character loses special abilities, or technology they relied on fails them, forcing them to regress to a more primitive state.

In Romance: Regression could manifest as a character retreating from emotional vulnerability, perhaps due to heartbreak or fear. The challenge becomes learning to open up again.

In Thrillers or Crime Fiction: A character might regress morally, crossing lines they never thought they would. This can create intense internal conflict and external tension.

In Horror: Regression might take on a more visceral or psychological form, with characters losing their grip on reality or reverting to primal states in the face of terror.

Character Regression and Story Structure

Consider how character regression fits into your overall story structure. It can be a powerful tool at different points in your narrative:

As an Inciting Incident: A character's sudden regression could be the event that kicks off your main plot.

During the Rising Action: Regression can add complications and raise the stakes as your story progresses.

At the Midpoint: A significant regression at the midpoint can dramatically shift the direction of your story.

During the Dark Night of the Soul: This low point in many story structures is a perfect place for a character to experience severe regression.

In the Resolution: Sometimes, a story might end with a character's regression, leaving readers with a sense of tragedy or unresolved tension.

The Role of Regression in Character Ensembles

If you're writing a story with multiple main characters, character regression can play an interesting role in group dynamics. Here are a few ways to use it:

Contrast: Have one character regress while others grow, highlighting the different paths people can take when faced with similar challenges.

Domino Effect: One character's regression might trigger changes in others, either pushing them to grow in response or causing them to regress as well.

Support Systems: Show how a group responds to one member's regression. Do they try to help? Enable the behavior? Distance themselves?

Power Dynamics: Regression can shift the balance of power within a group, creating new conflicts and alliances.

Regression and Theme

Character regression can be a powerful way to explore and reinforce your story's themes. For example:

If your theme is about the corrupting influence of power, showing a character regress morally as they gain more influence can underscore this idea.

For a theme about the importance of human connection, you might show a character regressing into isolation and the negative effects this has.

If you're exploring ideas about identity, having a character regress to an earlier version of themselves can raise interesting questions about who we really are.

A Word of Encouragement

As I wrap up this deep dive into character regression, I want to offer a word of encouragement. Writing regression can be emotionally taxing. It often requires us to delve into dark places, to imagine our characters at their worst, to confront difficult truths about human nature. This can be challenging, even distressing at times.

Remember to take care of yourself as you write. It's okay to step back if things get too intense. Talk to fellow writers about what you're working on. Engage in self-care practices that help you process and separate from the darker elements of your work.

And most importantly, don't lose sight of why you're including regression in your story. Whether it's to create a more realistic character journey, to explore complex themes, or to set up a powerful redemption arc, keep that purpose in mind. Let it guide you through the difficult moments of writing.

Remember, every character's journey is unique. There's no one-size-fits-all approach to writing regression. Trust your instincts, stay true to your character and your story, and don't be afraid to push boundaries and explore uncomfortable truths. That's where the most powerful writing often emerges.

I hope this deep dive into character regression has been helpful! Keep writing, keep exploring, and never stop pushing yourself to grow as a storyteller. Your voices and your stories matter.

Happy writing, - Rin T

Sources:

K.M. Weiland's blog post: "How to Write Character Arcs: The Flat Arc"

K.M. Weiland's "Helping Writers Become Authors" blog: "5 Ways to Write a Negative Character Arc"

TV Tropes: "Fallen Hero" 

[valtsv]

PLEASE elaborate on “davidelizabeth in alien covenant if i wrote it” they squandered her potential so bad !

okay so first all i have already talked about how i feel that covenant should have built on the sticky psychosexual gothic horror tension between david and shaw and developed it into a toxic codependent dynamic (that predictably ends poorly due to their fundamentally opposing ideological stances as well as one-sided obsession on david's side), so i'm going to attach that rather than rehash it.

but honestly if i'd written covenant i would have had elizabeth survive david long enough to establish herself on the engineer planet in hiding from him (following a "breakup" caused by his act of genocide), and have the arrival of the colonists in covenant be the catalyst that forces them to confront each other again and finish what they started. i'm not entirely certain of the specifics, but i think there's a lot you could do with the central themes of alien as a cosmic/existential horror (a story about horrifying revelations, terrible change and progress/evolution that is unrecognisable as anything but nightmarish to the human minds bearing witness), a body horror narrative focused on sexual assault, pregnancy and childbirth/parenthood, and an examination of extraterrestrial horror as this colonial mindset - the fear of being violently replaced by something that deems itself better than you and works ruthlessly to eradicate you from your places of safety which it has taken for its own - as well as the more prometheus-specific themes of parental trauma and religion (mostly christianity) by making the core conflict between david and his xenomorphs and elizabeth and humanity, like a sort of fucked up retelling of adam and eve in the garden of eden.

to tie up loose ends, since prometheus and covenant are meant to be prequels to the original alien films, i'd probably have elizabeth succeed in being the final girl (a parallel to ripley in the original franchise) but tragically go into self-imposed exile/die alone in an attempt to prevent the xenomorphs from being stumbled across by future explorers and becoming a threat again, as well as possibly out of some warped sense of guilt, both for having allowed herself to ever love david and believe him capable of change, and for failing to save him ("save" very much in the biblical sense, as in persuade him to share her point of view and abandon his descent down a dark path). needless to say, she doesn't succeed, making her "victory" all the more phyrric.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Elements of the 10 Story Genres

by Blake Snyder

The 3 elements of a BUDDY LOVE story

An incomplete hero who is missing something physical, ethical, or spiritual; (s)he needs another to be whole.

A counterpart who makes that completion come about or has qualities the hero needs.

A complication, be it a misunderstanding, personal or ethical viewpoint, epic historical event, or the prudish disapproval of society.

DUDE WITH A PROBLEM

An innocent hero who is dragged into a mess without asking for it—or even aware of how he got involved.

A sudden event that thrusts our innocent(s) into the world of hurt—and it comes without warning.

A life or death battle is at stake—and the continued existence of an individual, family, group, or society is in question.

FOOL TRIUMPHANT

A fool whose innocence is his strength and whose gentle manner makes him likely to be ignored—by all but a jealous “Insider” who knows too well.

An establishment, the people or group a fool comes up against, either within his midst, or after being sent to a new place in which he does not fit—at first.

A transmutation in which the fool becomes someone or something new, often including a “name change” that’s taken on either by accident or as a disguise.

GOLDEN FLEECE

A road spanning oceans, time—or across the street—so long as it demarcates growth. It often includes a “Road Apple” that stops the trip cold.

A team or a buddy the hero needs to be guided along the way. Usually, it’s those who represent the things the hero doesn’t have: skill, experience, or attitude.

A prize that’s sought and is something primal: going home, securing a treasure, or re-gaining a birthright.

INSTITUTIONALIZED

Every story in this category is about a group—a family, an organization, or a business that is unique.

The story is a choice, the ongoing conflict pitting a “Brando” or “Naif” vs. the system’s “Company Man.”

Finally, a sacrifice must be made and you get three endings: join, burn it down… or commit “suicide.”

MONSTER IN THE HOUSE

A monster that is supernatural in its powers—even if its strength derives from insanity—and “evil” at its core.

A house, meaning an enclosed space that can include a family unit, an entire town, or even “the world.”

A sin. Someone is guilty of bringing the monster in the house… a transgression that can include ignorance.

OUT OF THE BOTTLE

A wish asked for by the hero or another, and the clearly seen need to be delivered from the ordinary.

A spell, which we must make logical by upholding “The Rules.”

A lesson: Be careful what you wish for! It’s the running theme in all OOTB’s. Life is good as it is.

RITES OF PASSAGE

A life problem: from puberty to midlife to death—these are the universal passages we all understand.

A wrong way to attack the mysterious problem, usually a diversion from confronting the pain.

A solution that involves acceptance of a hard truth the hero has been fighting, and the knowledge it’s the hero that must change, not the world around him.

SUPERHERO

The hero of your tale must have a special power—even if it’s just a mission to be great or do good.

The hero must be opposed by a nemesis of equal or greater force, who is the “self-made” version of the hero.

There must be a curse for the hero that he either surmounts or succumbs to as the price for who he is.

WHYDUNIT

The detective does not change, we do; yet he can be any kind of gumshoe—from pro to amateur to imaginary.

The secret of the case is so strong it overwhelms the worldly lures of money, sex, power, or fame. We gots to know! And so does the Whydunit hero.

Finally, the dark turn shows that in pursuit of the secret, the detective will break the rules, even his own — often ones he has relied on for years to keep him safe. The pull of the secret is too great.

Source ⚜ Writing Notes & References

[cactusringed]

i think its fun to see them explore mods, and varied gameplay, and varied stakes and test each other's adaptability each time, i think adaptability has been a large theme of the life series i havent seen many speak about and can often be the make or break of whether a player does well or not, and i love analysing the way people's personalities influence their gameplay and how someone's gameplay speaks about their personalities etc lol. anyway im also biased bc joel won and i dont want to be mean about the series joel won in. because he genuinely did so good lol. he was adaptable and level headed and reliable and i was soooo proud of him throughout the whole series because he's come so far, because it's a culmination of everything hes gone through. each player, and especially joel rn, has grown tremendously throughout the series and i think its fun having this growth - whether the growth has been positive or negative - be challenged constantly.

i think the main problem with the reception of this series, and with the reception of.. every new life series since last life ngl, is twofold; i think due to how dramatic and intense third life and last life got depending on which pov you watched, as well as the mythologisation from the fandom itself, there is this expectation of the life series being the intense, heart wrenching, tragic roleplay series when it was always meant to be a fun competitive improv series where they got to mess around and let go of their inhibitions. because near everyone in this series comes from established smps that are peaceful or highly controlled when it comes to conflict due to the amount of work poured into builds and storylines, so having a sort of anarchy server always felt to me like their way of letting go of these rules they always abide by and go wild. meanwhile, i think when you play minecraft for a living for longer than some of your viewers have been alive, there is a real danger of it getting horribly, intensely, soul-suckingly stale. furthermore, when you have a wide breadth of skill and experience like the life series has within its members, you WANT things to be varied and sometimes even unbalanced to give each players a chance. it might sound counter intuitive, but the thing is that it HAS worked, to a relative extent. there is already this kind of "going with the motions" feeling that is instilled in the members, and has been for a good few seasons. it is noticeable. and when you are the game master, it is even more noticeable. it is expected of the game master to vary the gimmicks and premise in order to keep the game from being predictable both for its players and for the viewers.

i think sometimes it doesn't always land, because the truth is there is only so much testing you can do in a series that is about surprising not just the viewers but the players (and where the players not fully knowing what is to expect is a core point of the series*). not only is there only so much testing you can do to make sure it doesn't impact gameplay too much, but also so much testing you can do to make sure it doesn't impact dynamics too much, and the viewer experience. and then the question is: when you do realise, maybe an episode or two in, what do you even do? a ton of work (and potentially money) has been poured into setting this up. so what do you do? do you continue? do you tweak it mid-season, potentially breaking the complex mods put in place? do you just stop it? do you like, apologise to your fanbase -- "sorry guys, this one was a dud!" ??

like, genuinely. what do you do in this situation? and what do you do when something you would've expected to be a labour of love, with input from the fanbase even, is received in such a way? im not saying "uwu think of the creators feelings" or whatever, they make more in a month than i make in a year. but i do sympathise with them because when creating an episodic and improv series like this there is very little you can do if you see it not going the way you or the fanbase wanted. i personally enjoyed it, even if some bits fell a bit flat, because there were good moments and i thought a bunch of the gimmicks were funny, and i thought they challenged the players in interesting ways. although they are linked and this link IS important to the series as a whole, i like to let each season stand on its own as its own experience as well -- and imo this one does stand. depending on what you want out of the series, the gimmicks might've taken too much of a centre stage, maybe they were too intrusive, maybe they kept players from interacting in a way you enjoy. i tend to take it as kind of... what it is, with an episodic, improv series made by people who are neither professional nor trained storytellers or game developpers (well tango was a game dev wasn't he, but tango isn't the admin of the server so that doesn't even matter anyway)

*you wouldnt think surprise is a core point of the series, but it is. ive already said many times but third life would not be as it was if it wasnt for the fact that no one knew what to expect from the series. they didnt think it would get competitive so fast, they didnt think it would get so dramatic and intense and involved so fast. they didnt think the scarcity of resources would be such a hot topic so fast, etc, etc, etc. you literally hear it so often in various povs in third life, especially grian's though i think, how they just didnt expect the series to have such a feeling. furthermore, theres a clear shift in the series when murders start truly happening. there will never be another series like third life because the only way to have a series like third life is to erase the players memory. since that's impossible, the closest thing grian can get to is introducing strange and unexpected gimmicks to their gameplay.

[tyrantisterror]

You seem to have been enjoying Baldur's Gate III a lot. Would you mind giving your thoughts on the individual companions? I'm just curious to see what your take on them is.

Yeah sure! The game's been rotting my brain for months now in part because of its character writing, so I can stand to gush about the companions a bit.

Before we get to the companions individually, I want to talk about them as a group, because one of the things that makes this game so impressive to me is its commitment to its core themes, and that extends to how the companions were crafted as a group. See, each of the core six companions have the following things in common:

The mindflayer tadpole that threatens to turn them into a monster against their will (i.e. the thing that gets them all together on a quest)

A personal history of being abused and exploited by someone they trusted

A Want that comes as a result of their personal history of abuse that is self destructive but understandable given their circumstances

A Need that comes as a result of their personal history of abuse that they have written off or ignored because their past makes them think fulfilling it is impossible

A point in their character arc where they will come into conflict with the player character if the player character tries to advocate for their Need over their Want. If the player values the Want over the Need, the relationship will initially go smoother, but end badly.

The overall theme of Baldur's Gate 3 can be loosely summed up in one of its major recurring songs, I Want to Live, and that's ultimately what each character's arc is a variation of: the desperate desire to live in a world that has been trying to kill your mind, body, and soul to the best of its ability. Got it? Cool, we can talk about the characters now that we've got this established.

Oh, and, uh, this game covers some... HEAVY themes, given that abuse is one of the common denominators between the companions. I'm going to try to be gentle in talking about it, but this will cover some of that subject matter, so this is your warning if you want to avoid that.

Companion 1: Astarion, My Bisexual Awakening

I'm going to start with the companion I feel is the most talked about/popular/overexposed I suppose, Astarion. I feel like anyone with even the vaguest knowledge of Baldur's Gate 3 probably recognizes Astarion at this point, even if it's just as "that annoying vampire twink I'm sick of seeing." There's already a growing "he's popular so he sucks" movement about Astarion here on tumblr and at the cesspool of hate known as Twitter, because of course there is, he's popular, ergo he must suck.

...

I think Astarion is one of the best written video game characters of all time.

There's this one great tumblr post that summarizes Astarion's role in the narrative really well, with the great punchline of "Astarion is kinda like if they sexualized gollum," which is not only funny but perfectly accurate. I can't really top that, so I'm just going to talk around some of its points a bit, but I highly recommend reading it yourself, it's more concise and well-thought out than whatever this ramble will be.

But, ok, so, "I Want to Live" is our theme, right? Astarion is dead. Dead to begin with, Marley style. He has been killed, at a young age, before his time. Sure, he was brought back to a sort of life, being a vampire and a member of the undead and all, but the life he knew is gone. All the pathos one can mine from being a vampire is played up here, for as Astarion himself notes, he's not even a full fledge vampire, but a vampire spawn - "All of the drawbacks, few of the perks." Worse, as a vampire spawn, he's magically bound to the will of the vampire that turned him - forced to live out his undead life as a slave to a sadistic monster that abused him in every way a person can be abused.

Which is why Astarion is the only companion who's entirely thankful for the mindflayers kidnapping him and implanting a tadpole in his head - because they broke that magic connection to his master, and gave him resistances to many of the stock vampire weaknesses to boot (hungry tadpole doesn't want its meat suit burning in the sun, after all). Astarion's life was so fucked that getting a brain-eating parasite was a unilateral improvement.

But while the magic connection is severed, the psychological affect of the abuse Astarion suffered lingers. His master made him use sex as a lure to bring victims to his lair, and so Astarion still believes that he has to offer people sex to "earn his keep" - that his body is a tool for others to use for their gratification, and if he refuses their desires he puts his life at peril. Astarion hates putting himself out to help other people not only because no one has done that for him during his long undead life, but because doing so puts his life at risk. Astarion is power hungry - his Want is to be as strong, no, stronger than his master, so that way he can never be afraid again. Astarion Wants to be a true vampire.

His need, however, is to find value in the life he has now. He needs people who love him for who he is, not what he can offer, and who will protect him the way he has needed protecting for hundreds of years. His need is to be shown that kindness isn't a weakness, that charity is possible, that power does not have to be gained through selfish and cruel means. You're shown this in the game's approval mechanic - while Astarion will disapprove of you putting yourself out on a limb for others and revealing sensitive information freely, he has a soft spot for whenever you help someone who, like him, is being exploited. Because while he'll protest otherwise, Astarion wants to believe kindness is possible, and that the horrible things he's suffered don't define him. Astarion may believe he's just a tool to serve others' desires, but that doesn't mean he doesn't wish to be more than that.

And I know the cynics among you are like "Oh, ok, so the cute vampire twink has a ludicrously tragic backstory. How is that original or good writing?" Because that's the thing, right? If there's an effeminate, brooding bad boy character that lots of teenage girls like in a piece of media, it HAS to be shallow wangst at its core. Every tumblr sexyman is just Edward Cullen when you cut past the bullshit, right?

Like, I know I'm not going to convince the "Thing popular so thing bad" crowd on Astarion's quality no matter how many words I write, but, like, there is a reason for the hype. Dude's got fucking layers! The different interactions with him you can have, the dimensions you can bring out of him by how you choose to engage with him, all paint this great tapestry of a character who takes the concept of a vampire and explores it to a depth few pieces of media have every plunged to.

And he's fucking funny! Dude's got some of the best lines in the game, and his voice actor didn't just give him a sexy sultry voice, but, like, shades of Tim Curry that make him endearingly weird and goofy and witty as hell while still being very sexy.

And yes, he's a sexy vampire, that's a big point in his favor and what most people are dwelling on. And I'm standing by the sexy part - listen, for the past few years I've been kind of wrestling with whether or not I'm bisexual, and the question was laid to rest the first time this fucker flirted with me in game. My heart raced, my cheeks flushed, I reflexively giggled and went "Whoo!" like a Southern Belle in need of a feinting couch. Every time he's flirted with me since has given me the fucking vapors. Thank you, Astarion, I'm bi for sure now. you solved that fucking riddle pretty decisively.

Let's move on.

Companion 2: Shadowheart, A Fellow Lapsed Catholic

Shadowheart is a bundle of contradictions. She's got some of the best quips and quickest wits in the game, and she's also a huge fucking dork. She is oozing with confidence about the role she's been assigned to play and is incredibly assertive in group social situations, but on her own she's a mess of insecurities and is constantly plagued with doubts about her worth. She's constantly preaching about the need to be pragmatic and self-focused, but loves it whenever you are kind and generous. Depending on your choices during the tutorial level, she can become the first ride-or-die party member you get, and she's also a miserable pile of secrets who is terrified of you discovering what she really is.

See, Shadowheart is a cleric of Shar, the Goddess of Darkness, which is both in a literal and figurative sense - that is, Shar is the goddess of night and the absence of light, but, like, also the goddess of loss, and sorrow, and hopelessness, and secrets, and lies. The Goddess of Gaslight Gatekeep Girlboss, basically. Being raised to follow the goddess has plagues Shadowheart with guilt over the secrets she's had to keep, the cruelties she's had to inflict, and the distance she's kept from all people in her life as a result of the church's creed. If you're a nerd who comes into this game knowing who Shar is, you'd probably be immediately suspicious of Shadowheart when you find out her alleigance, because Shar's basically one of the more prominent evil gods whose followers are always fucking things up for everyone.

However, I did not come into this game knowing that, but I did come into it knowing what's it's like to be raised in a religion that teaches you that many of your natural desires for companionship are wrong and to feel guilt and paranoia over how your every action will be judged, for like Shadowheart, I am also a Catholic.

Shadowheart's Want is to become a Dark Justiciar, which is basically the Sharran equivalent of the Spanish Inquisition, and to fully prove her devotion to Shar's will. The way she talks about Shar is so thickly coded with the way children of abusive parents talk about said parents that's it's legitimately frightening to witness at times. Shadowheart doesn't blame Shar for hurting her, she knows it's her fault for disappointing Shar in the first place.

Shadowheart's Need is to leave the fucking Catholic church. Depending on your choices, she can accomplish this with the help of two moon-worshipping lesbians, at which point she dyes her hair a color that would piss off her parents Shar and proceeds to indulge in a somewhat hedonistic rebellion of self actualization that only a lapsed Catholic can fully comprehend. I love her.

Companion 3: Lae'Zel, The World's Most Loyal Toad

Ok, so, brief tangent: one of my favorite games of all time is Dragon Age Origins, and it is one of my favorite games of all time in part because it has Morrigan, one of the best characters in all of fantasy fiction, fuck you fight me. Morrigan is a divisive character in the DA fandom because she is notoriously hard to please if you're trying to be a good person - it was so prominent a criticism, in fact, that "Morrigan Disapproves" was put on a fucking t-shirt to play on/monetize the controversy.

But, see, the thing about Morrigan is that she's 1. incredibly complex and 2. designed to challenge your worldview, and to be challenged in turn. Morrigan isn't just an evil bitch, she has a genuine philosophy for why she behaves as coldly as she does, which in part stems from her awful upbringing by her cruel, selfish hermit mother who was trying to shelter her from an even crueller world that would see her in chains just for being a witch. Morrigan has been taught that love is a weakness others will exploit, that kindness is folly, and that everyone is out for themselves. And you need to contradict her on that - getting to know her inevitably involves fighting her on this point, and you proving to her that the cruelty she's been taught is wrong. If you are willing to listen, to argue, to truly understand this character, she grows because of you. It makes her character arc so fucking satisfying, when you get to the end of the game and she realizes that she does love you, she does want to be kind, and that even though she now feels more accutely than ever how love has made her weak, she can't be without it. It's so fucking good.

I bring Morrigan up because almost all the companions in Baldur's Gate 3 are on her level, in part because they are designed like her - to challenge you and be challenged in turn. And none of the core six are more like her than Lae'zel.

Which, sadly, includes the fan backlash part. A lot of fans of the game hate Lae'zel - she's too mean, they say, too hostile, to proud of her strange and callous worldview, too critical of our normal and kind outlook, too difficult to relate to.

These people are cowards.

If Shadowheart is Catholic, then Lae'zel is, like, Christian Reformed. A fundie. She's been training at Githyanki Bible Camp for years to be her lichqueen's perfectly loyal soldier, only to run into this minor snag of being kidnapped by Mindflayers, the ancestral enemies of her people, and infected with a tadpole that will turn her into one of them, the Worst Fate that can become a Githyanki. Luckily, she's read all of her people's Chick Tracts, and knows that if she can get to one of the Githyanki creches, they can use their special machine to pray the tadpole out of her brain and save her.

Lae'zel has drunk the metaphorical kool-aid of her people, but only to a point. See, Githyankis are viciously racist, but Lae'zel is REALLY quick to accept you and most of the other companions (not Shadowheart, though, as like a true Fundie, she cannot stand a Catholic) despite them not being Giths like herself. Yeah, she'll preen and posture about the superiority of her kind a bit, but she sides with you within seconds of meeting you, and from that point on she is ride or die until you give her a good reason to think otherwise. Lae'zel can be mean, stubborn, and arrogant, but she is above all else loyal.

Her Want is to be a perfect Githyanki warrior, earning the respect of her queen and serving her endlessly in the Astral Plane. Of course, when you actually get to that creche she's pointing you towards early in the game, this all falls apart on her, because just like Fundamentalist Christianity, Githyanki culture is little more than a sham designed to uphold an evil and exploitative power structure where the rich drain the life and resources of everyone beneath them and declare it the will of the divine. In this case, that "drain the life" part is explicitly literal, as the Githyanki queen literally devours the life force of any gith that gets even a bit close to rivaling her in power. If Lae'zel tries to follow her dream, it will end with her queen eating her soul.

Lae'zel's Need is to not only break out of her culture's indoctrination, but to find a way to make her life worthwhile on her own terms. It's heartbreaking to witness, honestly, because unlike the other core companions, Lae'zel has no idea what a life outside of her Want looks like. What is she without serving her queen? What the hell does she want? If you've been taught God your queen is all that is good, then how the fuck you you figure out what good is when you realize she's actually evil?

And while she goes through this seriously traumatic existential crisis, she finds the energy to be invested in the struggles of you and your companions. When the other characters are going through The Shit in their respective arcs, Lae'zel is always quick to note that she thinks they are strong and deserve more than they're getting - even Shadowheart, that fucking Catholic!

Because the first word you'd ever use to describe Lae'zel, the one that most succinctly captures who she is, is LOYAL. She fucking rocks, I love her.

Companion 4: Wyll, The Unjustly Underrated

Almost no one talks about Wyll and it fucking sucks, man. I mean, we all know why (it starts with a Ra and ends in a Cism), but still it fucking blows dude. And yes, I include myself in this, anyone who's followed my blog can tell that Wyll's not the companion I fixate on the most.

But listen, I promise you, if the game let me take along four companions instead of three, Wyll... would be competing with Lae'zel for spot #4, and Lae'zel might win out because she's an angry girl, but... fuck I'm losing the plot.

Wyll is great though! He's severely underrated! He's one of the nicest companions you'll get, first of all, but he's not just a nice guy. Everyone's got layers in this, right? Wyll is nice, but he's also a bit arrogant - a glory hound, really. He's the only companion who's given himself a superhero name, and he routinely uses it. Dude wants to be fuckin' Batman so bad, it's wonderful.

He's also the most actively fucked member of the party. Everyone's got abusers in their past, but Wyll's is the only one who's followed him to your camp. Mizora, the devil he sold his soul too, frequently shows up to give him shitty tasks and shittier punishments, and is one of the most hateful fucking characters I have ever encountered in my life. Like, to put this in perspective: if you know me, you know that I have certain... preferences... when it comes to women. So if there was, say, a demon lady character who's also a bit of a dominatrix, and I fucking hated her guts, you'd probably be a bit surprised given, you know, my preferences.

But the way Mizora treats Wyll? The way she talks about him and to him? It's fucking heinous. She's not fun evil, she's evil evil, and she's got to fucking go.

It kind of reframes Wyll's kindness and cockiness as you experience it, because beneath the showy acts of heroism and the bluster, Wyll is a sad little dog in a burning apartment telling himself "this is fine!" over and over again.

Wyll's Want is to be a hero and make the sacrifice of his soul worth something. He has accepted that there is no redemption for himself, that Mizora preying upon his vulnerability in the past is something he can never recover from, that he cannot be free of her chains, and only hopes to use what time he has to do some good, even if it inevitably comes at the cost of his life.

His Need is to break out of Mizora's control, to wrest his fate back into his own hands, and to prove what has always been true: that he IS the hero he's selling himself as. It's a real Rango arc if you think about it.

Companion 5: Gale, The Friend With the Messiest Fucking Love Life You've Ever Heard Of Goddamn

Gale... kind of breaks the companion formula, a little bit? Like, for the other five core companions, there is a clear-cut situation where they were abused and exploited by an asshole - Shar exploited Shadowheart, Cazador the master vampire exploited Astarion, Mizora exploits Wyll, etc. Gale's fucked up traumatic relationship is a bit... messier, and harder to untangle, because by his own admission, he was not blameless in it.

Gale is a wizard, and like all good wizards in fiction, he's a bit of a mad scientist. He was so good at wizarding, in fact, that the goddess of magic itself, Mystra, reached out to him, and eventually the two had a little romance. Now, fans have gone back and forth interpreting this, with some saying that Mystra was grooming Gale from childhood and thus is as bad as Cazador/Shar/Mizora/et cetera. I feel that's kind of a bad faith reading of the character, one that's actively ignoring the concept of what an ageless immortal goddess is to try and fit it into a human context.

For nerds who know about the setting, Mystra is NOT an evil goddess like Shar. In fact, she's kind of a vitally important goddess to have around, as Magic is such an integral part of the reality of this setting that not having a god of some sort for it results in an fucking extinction event - which the characters in the game know for a fact because at one point in the past, a mortal wizard killed Mystra and made that extinction event happen. Mystra reformed, as gods do, and eventually things got back to more or less normal, but that doesn't do much for the shitload of people and creatures that died during the period of time where magic was dead.

And that's what ends up souring Gale and Mystra's relationship. Gale, being mortal, felt he had to prove he was Mystra's equal, and so set out to find a source of magical power not unlike that used by the wizard in the past who killed Mystra. And when Mystra saw Gale doing that, she freaked the fuck out because she thought she was going to get killed again - because the wizard who slew her in the past ALSO felt he needed to prove he was equal to a goddess.

Neither character takes the breakup well. Gale feels like fucking shit because he fumbled a literal goddess, and also got a piece of super destructive magic lodged in his chest in the process that's slowly killing him. And Mystra is worried that the super powerful piece of magic lodged in Gale's chest could kill her, and also about the cult using a very similar piece of magic (it's a big plot point for the game I won't go into it this is already too long), and so, in an act of cruel godly pragmatism, she sends D&D Gandalf to tell Gale to use his the magic murder ball in his chest to kill the cult, even though it'll destroy him in the process. "Hi sweetie, please kill yourself on my behalf, k thanx!" basically.

It's... it's a mess.

Gale's Want is to prove he is Mystra's equal by mastering the ancient magic he's found, and either win her back or, better yet, become a god himself and dethrone her. As I said, he's got a bit of a mad scientist in him.

Gale's Need is to move on from this relationship, talk things out with his ex, give her her dvds the ancient magic artifacts back, and move on with his life.

I like Gale. He's got funny lines, he loves his cat, he's a goofy nerd, and while his love life is a mess, his heart is mostly in the right place. He needs some nudges to do the right thing, but he's a good guy deep down, and I always love it when fiction shows a relationship that falls apart not because one person in it was "bad," but because the two people were just not compatible. Yeah, Gale fucked up, but you can understand why he fucked up, and he can understand it too if you help him own up to his mistakes and move forward. Also, he loves his cat, he can't be all bad.

Companion 6: Karlach, the Most Beautiful Woman I've Ever Seen

Karlach is my favorite companion in this game, which is why I saved her for (sort of) last. And, yes, sure, part of it is because of my aforementioned preferences with women...

she's so goddamn pretty

But it's also because of how she plays with those core themes I've mentioned. Karlach was sold into slavery as a teenager, where her devil master ripped out her heart and replaced it with an engine to turn her into a super-strong gladiator. She's been living in literal Hell for years, fighting every day to survive, and like Astarion she actually views being kidnapped by Mindflayers as a godsend since it freed her from her enslavement.

Unlike Astarion, Karlach doesn't have a long life to look forward to. That engine in her chest can't work properly outside of Hell, and it will eventually break, overheat, and melt her from the inside out. Karlach is the only companion who knows she's going to die soon whether or not the tadpole is taken out - no matter how this adventure ends, she will die.

At least, that's what she's told herself. Karlach's Want is to never return to Literal Hell, no matter what, because she's afraid if she does she will be taken as a slave again, and that there is no hope for a good life if she touches foot on that ground again. Following this want means she WILL die - either by the engine, by her enemies in the mortal plane, or by turning into a mind flayer (because while mind flayers can retain their hosts' memories, they are NOT the same being as their host).

And Karlach is convinced she's ok with this! No, really, she's fine! This is fine! She's got a few days left to live, and she's going to enjoy them! She is unfailingly kind and compassionate, always willing to help others, always cheery and taking the best view of her friends and people in need, a ray of fucking sunshine.

And beneath it all she's terrified and sad. When you get towards the end of the game, and Karlach feels how close the Inevitable End is, she reaches a breaking point where that happy facade snaps and it's... it's gut wrenching, man. It breaks your fucking heart, because as much as she's determined not to risk setting foot in Literal Hell ever again, she really doesn't want to die.

...

Karlach's Need is to go back to Literal Hell long enough to get that engine replaced. Her Need is to find hope, TRUE hope, not just a facade of optimism - a true belief that she can face the worst and come out of it ok, that she can survive, that she is not alone in facing the darkest shit this world can throw at her. Her Need is to find the strength to believe that she can live, even if it's hard, even if it's Hell to get there.

And Karlach is worth it. She is worth Hell.

Companions 7 - 10 Speedrun

I don't have as much to say about the four other companions you can get in the game, mainly because I already love these six so much that trying to take time to get to know four other weirdos who I don't get to recruit until halfway through the game just... like, there's a party limit of four characters and one is me, I can only take three of you along at a time, I'm prioritizing the one's who've been with me since all the goblin shit in Act 1, feel me? The rest of you seem real neat but I've got my nakama all set, we're good.

Halsin is the one I know the most of these four because he helped me at the tail end of the goblin stuff and he seems fine. He's a big nice hippie who turns into a bear and is into polygamy and carving wooden ducks. A lot of people thirst for him, but he's not my type - like I get the appeal but this is a case of Not My Favorite Pennywise Hentai But OK as far as I'm concerned. I like his subplot about restoring balance to the cursed forest, though. Felt like teaming up with Smokey the Bear.

Minthara is the companion that used to require you to kill a shitload of innocent people to recruit, but people found weird work-arounds that involved turning her into a sheep and so the developers sighed and released a patch where you could recruit her without mass murder using only slightly cheesey means. She is Genuinely Evil, but in a complicated way that's still fun from a character perspective. She's also a great comically serious character - i.e. someone who's so serious all the time that they end up being incredibly funny on accident just by their muted reactions to all the weirdness around them. From the clip compilations I've watched on youtube, her romance is basically a Lady Macbeth situation, and that's pretty hot. If it weren't for Karlach, I'd... romance Astarion, but if it weren't for Astarion, I'd... romance Shadowheart, but if it weren't for Shadowheart, I'd... romance Lae'zel, but if it weren't for Lae'zel, I might romance Minthara. Or Wyll. One of the two.

Jaheira is a character from one of the previous Baldur's Gate games, neither of which I've played, so I had no preconceptions or attachments to her going in this game. She basically becomes your surrogate mom as the game goes along, and I mean that as a compliment. She's pretty great and fills a nice emotional niche - I didn't use her that much because, again, I've already got six close friends to rotate out, I'm not going to ditch them for long periods of time to hang out with my MOM, but it was nice having her along for the ride a few times.

Minsc is the OTHER returning character from the previous games, and from what I can tell he's basicall Kronk from The Emperor's New Groove but with a funny accent. I like him, he's fun comic relief, and he throws a hamster at people while telling it to eat their eyes. I don't have a lot to say on Minsc, I just think he's neat.

At some point I might do a followup to this gushing about NPCs from the game, because goddamn the supporting cast is great too. Omeluum, Us, the Emperor, fucking Dame Aylin. Dame Aylin is so goddamn fucking cool, I want to read novels about her adventures, she rocks so hard. All glory to the Nightsong!

[astroa3h]

Princess Diana’s Biggest Enemy in Life

In the grand tapestry of Princess Diana’s life, her biggest enemy wasn't just some distant figure or a nameless foe. It was someone much closer, embedded right within her world of power and prestige: Prince Charles. With Nemesis positioned in her 9th house in Libra, sitting at a critical 7 degree, a Libra degree that screams of legal battles (divorce ⚖️) and relationship turmoil—Diana’s greatest adversary was her very own husband, and this was no coincidence. I sense that Nemesis in the 9th house casts a shadow that brings conflict on a global scale, pulling in the themes of justice, truth, and public opinion, all while wrapped in the glittery veil of royalty.

The 9th house is all about beliefs, legalities, and far-reaching influence. And when Nemesis parks itself here, it doesn’t just whisper betrayal—it shouts it from the rooftops, demanding you see the truth no matter how painful. In Libra, a sign ruled by Venus, the planet of love and relationships, Diana’s battles were always rooted in her partnerships, most notably her marriage. Libra craves harmony, but when Nemesis stands guard, it’s like there’s a constant fight for balance that never quite settles. Diana’s marriage to Charles was a dance of public appearances and private wounds, all unfolding under the watchful eyes of the world. This placement alone tells us she was destined to face public scrutiny, often finding herself at odds with the legal and moral constructs of her time.

When you add the square from the Sun in her 7th house, things get even more intense. The Sun, representing her core essence, in the 7th house of partnerships, puts the spotlight on her relationships. This square to Nemesis isn’t just tension; it’s outright conflict, a battle of wills. The Sun square Nemesis aspect can’t be ignored—it’s a clash that speaks of ongoing strife, but not the kind you can easily escape. It’s like a boxing ring where one’s own light and essence are pitted against an invisible, constant critic. Prince Charles, with his own set of expectations, rules, and personal demons, became the living embodiment of this placement. He wasn’t just her partner; he was her mirror and her opposition, the one who both challenged and misunderstood her at every turn.

I sense that with the Sun squared to Nemesis, Diana’s very identity was constantly at war with the roles she was expected to play. She wanted to be the compassionate, caring figure we all saw, but Charles represented the rules, the duty, and the cold, harsh realities that came with royal life. The square between these two forces meant that any attempt Diana made to shine in her own light was often met with resistance, creating a dynamic where she felt perpetually at odds not just with Charles but with the whole establishment he represented.

Yet, there’s a twist. Nemesis isn’t just about downfall; it’s about the lessons learned from confronting one’s greatest challenges. Diana’s Nemesis was also trine to her Jupiter in the 2nd house, a saving grace that provided her a way out, a path toward growth and self-worth. Jupiter, the planet of expansion and luck, in her house of values, gave Diana the resilience to turn her pain into purpose. She didn’t just survive these battles; she thrived in spite of them, using her experiences to redefine her worth and her place in the world. The trine here is a cosmic nod that says, “Even in the face of your greatest enemy, there is hope, there is growth.” It was this trine that allowed Diana to connect with people in ways that transcended her royal role, showing that even in the harshest of circumstances, there was always a bigger, more meaningful narrative to her life.

Charles, with his constant pressure and control, was Diana’s Nemesis personified. But rather than break her, he became the catalyst that pushed her to find her voice, her independence, and her legacy. He wasn’t just an enemy; he was a necessary force in her story, the one who forced her to confront the harshest truths about love, loyalty, and self-respect. Nemesis tells us that Diana’s battles were public, legal, and painfully personal. And while Charles may have been the face of her struggles, he was also the unwitting teacher of her most profound lessons.

Blessings,

Ash ✨

Get your own Nemesis "Enemy in Life" reading at astroash.net

[bardic-tales]

2024 has been a stressful year for me in terms of writing and my life. It is when I decided to shelve a project that I worked more than a decade on and faced the fact that maybe my data loss of over 2 decades of writing in 2021 deleted some things that I just can't get back.

It's also been a year of rebirth for me. When I shifted my focus towards Fantasy Worlds Collide (FWC), I felt such a renewed passion for writing that I knew that this is what I needed: a change of pace and genre. It did help that my doctor told me a few years ago that I needed to leave publishing my work professionally, as I cannot have any stress in my life. So, I shifted focus from completely original work to this amalgamation of original and fan fiction that you find in FWC.

divider by @strangergraphics

Accomplishments

This year marked a significant shift in my creative focus, as I honed in on the developing Fantasy Worlds Online, delving into Bianca Moore's expansive journey. I embraced the complicated dynamics of her story -- where an eternal cosmic conflict and end of everything prophecy of angels and demons meets Final Fantasy VII. Bianca's tale evolved over time from her original idea of just being a Shinra Scientist in 1997 to the celestial being that she is presented as now. Key milestones include fleshing out pivotal moments, like her harrowing experiences with Sephiroth in the Shinra Manor to braving the fires of the Nibelheim Incident to try to bring him back to her but failing. It also included immense world building for the celestial realm.

Despite struggling with grief and a prolonged creative block that kept me away from seriously writing for over a year, I found my passion again mid-2024, allowing me to immerse myself in FWC once again. Though my other works still remain untouched, I am very proud of the depth and energy I've poured and still am pouring into this universe.

This year also brought an unexpected yet fulfilling new endeavor for me. In honor of a late friend, I started a Tumblr club (@creators-club) to celebrate creators across various mediums. The community's response has been very heartwarming, to say the least. As the holiday approaches, however, the club will take a brief hiatus from Dec 25 - Jan 25, allowing me the opportunity to focus on my family and recharge.

Creative Growth

I decided to embrace a more sensory-driven, character focused style of writing, so I tried to blend rich and vivid descriptions with very deep emotional undertones. I leaned heavily into contrasting imagery -- light versus dark, warmth versus cold, serenity versus chaos. This was supposed to mirror the duality of Bianca and the overarching themes of love, loss, and power.

I also explored new narrative perspectives and techniques, delving into intimate moments between characters. This approach allowed me to experiment with pacing, from slow, atmospheric build-ups to sharp, visceral contrasts, creating what I hope is a very dynamic storytelling.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

Writing Bianca's character was a challenging yet deeply rewarding experience that required me to straddle a delicate balance between crafting original content and integrating her and this original content into the established world of Final Fantasy VII. One of the biggest challenges was ensuring that her journey felt authentic and compelling, especially given that I given her a dual role in FWC as the Harbinger of the End, as well as a character that is tied to Sephiroth's arc.

Balancing her deeply traumatic backstory with her progression into a powerful, self-aware agent of chaos that even a villain like Sephiroth loved and respected required careful thought to avoid overshadowing him or herself.

These challenges helped me grow as a writer by allowing me to sharpen my ability to juggle multiple layers of narrative complexity while staying true to a character's core identity. Developing her arc deepened my understanding of how trauma and loss shapes individuals, including myself, in different ways. Her transition from seeking redemption to fully embracing her darker nature alongside Sephiroth required exploring very nuanced themes of identity, love, and self-destruction.

This evolution not only enriched her story but also expanded my ability to weave original storytelling into an existing world without losing sight of what makes each aspect compelling. It reinforced the importance of taking risks and viewing challenges as opportunities for growth and creativity. Bianca's journey became a reflection of my own as an author: one defined by perseverance, transformation, and the pursuit of something uniquely impactful.

Friends and Mutuals

I just want to take a minute to shout out some friends and mutuals that made my time on Tumblr this year just a little bit brighter. Whether it's through their writing, crafts, or OCs, I enjoyed seeing and reading your work. Even if we do not interact. If I missed you, I still enjoy reading your work.

@abalonetea @the-bar-sinister @rosesonkittens @aalinaaaaaa @whatwedointhecraft

@serenofroses @tolliver-j-mortaelwyver @flowerwiththemachinegun @sapphirothcrescent

@megandaisy9 @writingamongther0ses @watermeezer @cardierreh15

@nightingaleflow @seastarblue @themaradwrites

Thank you everyone for your hard work this year. You all are inspirations. I can't wait to see where 2025 takes each one of you.

Goals for 2025

For the upcoming year, my primary goal is to focus on character development, particularly with Bianca and Sephiroth's complex dynamic. I aim to focus on refining their relationship, exploring the emotional aspects that drive their actions and shape their bond. A key project will be writing and finishing Blood & Stardust, the first fan fiction that will feature the couple. It is set to be 50k words and only 14 chapters. It will start with her falling into Gaia and end with her being captured by Professor Hojo, introducing Diana Ravenscroft: one of the major antagonists of FWC. I hope to explore themes of loss, grief, and destruction, pushing the boundaries of Bianca's emotional and psychological arcs.

This year's experiences have offered invaluable insights into how trauma and complex emotional bonds influence a character's choice and their end goals. By examining Bianca's struggles with identity, loyalty, and devotion, I've gain a better understanding of how those elements impact characters' relationships.

Moving forward, I want to continue to refine my storytelling by including the above themes into my narrative. The growth I've experienced in understanding my character's motivations and vulnerabilities will help me in my future work by providing a foundation to craft more compelling, multi-dimensional characters. I also plan to develop skills in world-building to ensure the settings for FWC feels as engaging and rich as the characters' storylines.

Also, I want to add a note here that I have come to embrace my self-shipping with Sephiroth. I won't go into the personal reasons why I ship myself with Seph and only Seph, but I will say that I can relate to his journey in a very, very personal way. For the first time, I no longer feel like it's 'weird' or 'outside the norm' for self-shipping. I have some followers who do this, too, and my husband is supportive of it. I've learned that this is part of my creative journey, as a way to explore my emotions and provide me comfort.

[yourfavouritefighter]

OKAY SO IM KINDA NOT IN W GREAT MOOD RN SO IM GONNA RANT ABOUT THE JEKYLL AND HYDE MUSICAL since none of my irl pals are gonna listen you guys have to

SO POINT ONE

-the whole plot hinges around the core idea that Henry himself is a man with good intentions who goes too far, and that he was warned to stop but he doesn’t and his own hubris and desire to have scientific recognition pushes him to extremes, and in turn-his and many other’s deaths.

—> that’s bullshit however, considering in the 1997 musical sound track (the most recent one i can get my hands on) there are more songs convincing Henry that he should carry on than their are dissuading him (considering they cut board of governors). allow me to list examples and why it’s stupid that he’s a man who was dissuaded but chose to walk a danger game path anyways.

—> firstly, his best friend Gabriel John Utterson, deeply trusted and level headed with a good moral compass “Henry you have come too far, remember what you have a stake” and “you’ve got to see it through” both stated in a song called “pursue the truth”. this song is heavily pivotal as it inspires Henry to continue when he wouldn’t have otherwise due to pressure from the board of governors of st jude’s hospital. In this song he was not told that going forward would be dangerous, John likely knew exactly what Henry was doing but wholeheartedly encouraged him, Henry trusted his judgement. He was not dissuaded.

—>Emma and Lisa, for the sake of coherency I’ll be referring to her as Emma as i’ll be using the newer soundtrack for this discussion. His wife to be, who he’s supposedly madly in live with; spends all of “i must go on” encouraging his pursuit of science, encouraging him to carry on his work. In lines like “when this all began, we knew there’d be a price to pay”, “too late to turn away”, reinforcing the idea in Henry’s mind that this is the best way forward- who cares about stuffy governors when those dear and near to him have expressed clear support of his work.

—>You could hypothetically argue that neither John nor Emma truly knew the extent to which Henry was going with his experiments, not truly understanding what he wanted to or was trying to achieve. However, if that was the intention the writers should’ve made that more overt considering later in the play they heavily emphasise the theme and idea that Henry has, quote “gone too far”, a phrase repeatedly used. Instead they lead the audience also view this as an honourable goal, due to the growing support of Henry and the audiences like of the characters at this point in the play.

Through the removal of Lanyon, the central conflict and core flaw of Henry Jekyll as a character has been removed, if he has no close friend to strongly and brutally disagree with him, it was no long *his* flaw that he carried on, it was no longer his fault, as the blame could be feasibly shared between him and those who encouraged him, shifting the play and narrative from a criticism of society in that extremism whether it be for or against change leads to a poor outcome, to being a story about how a well intentioned yet flawed scientist was misguided by his passion and loved ones, and payed the price.

-(next point because i’ve argued long enough about that.) was Henry Jekyll really as well intentioned as the play attempts to convey?

—>(Short answer, no. Long answer, potentially). Henry’s morality is heavily debatable, with it being dependant on the rendition of the play you watched, for the sake of the cohesion of the argument i’m going to be basing this entirely off of what i’ve seen of the 1997 and the 1995 plays.

—> firstly let’s discuss what the writers intended, or at least my perspective on what they were aiming to convey. within the opening scenes, we are greeted with Henry and his unnamed(?) father who is stuck in a mental asylum for reasons we as an audience are not privy to, Henry sings “lost in the darkness” a song establishing his motivations and goals as a character. I believe that the intention here was to give the viewer the impression that Henry as a character and person is moral and good, becoming misguided in his efforts to achieve his goals and save his father, eventually sacrificing himself for the sake of the safety of society, once the monster of his own well intentioned creation consumes him. So as a character it could be argued that he is moral. However i what the writers intended and what they conveyed are hugely different.

—> Due to the placement of Henry’s motivation being at the beginning of the play, the intention was likely to hook the audience into liking him as a character, forcing them to see how well intentioned he is before exploring his flaws and then eventually having him sacrifice himself to show his respectable morality as a character. However, by closely following this with “board of governors” (and the 1997 equivalent assumedly) we are hit with the whiplash of what was presented as a good person, and the man who argues with the board. Due to how bitter and cruelly he acts in a futile attempt to gain funding(?) and support for his project, the audience may rightfully assume that his kindness was a facade (especially since facades and the duality of man are central themes) and that Henry’s true colours are shown within this situation. If the writers truly intended to establish his perfect morality, they should have had Henry visit his father, and “lost in the darkness” take place after Henry is refused by the governors, so that his rage and refusal to take no for an answer is a shown to be a result of his stress and care for his father- not his questionable morality. This is because the audience will retain things that happen later in the play best, using them to form their impressions, so by shifting the placement of this scene it shifts the presentation of the character as a whole. But that is not what we are here to discuss.

—> Henry and Lucy. Another instance of Henry’s good morality working against him, as despite entering with the intention to find a test subject- he leaves having given Lucy his business card(?) and offering her support due to her situation. This eventually leads to her death, but it is another instance of his good morality, there were no strings attached to this aid, as Henry was a soon to be married man, and there is no implications that he finds her attractive (if you are to follow the play’s implications that Jekyll and Hyde are truly separate beings). So clearly you could argue that his morality is good, right?

—> Hyde. From a scientific standpoint, matter cannot be created or destroyed, going from that perspective, Hyde’s intentions cannot have just appeared-they had to be fuelled by Jekyll’s innermost desires and thoughts, especially since Hyde goes after those who have wronged Henry during “murder murder”. So the murderous impulses, the sketchy behaviour and outright illegal behaviour towards Lucy came from Jekyll. However this doesn’t make Henry an immoral character.

—> Humour me for a moment while i discuss the concept of the id. So freud (yes that freud) had a theory that stated that humans were comprised of three parts that all worked together, the id the ego and the super ego. The id was your animalistic urges and desires, your superego is societal expectations for the most part, acting as your selflessness. With the ego balancing the two; preventing you from donating all of your money to charity and putting you on the streets, and preventing you from going on a murder spree, killing the upper class. Within the original novel, Hyde is implied to be without the ego or superego, merely the embodiment of Jekyll’s id. So now comes the debate, is a person immoral for having immoral desires, if unacted upon?

—>Therein lies the conflict, as whether or not immoral desires mean an immoral person or character. Personally i believe no, the average person will have immoral thoughts from time to time, the true evil comes from how such desires are dealt with. So while Hyde is evil, despite being based upon Jekyll, you cannot state that that makes Henry evil in turn. Paired with the potential that Hyde is a twisted version of Jekyll’s own desires (for example Henry wants revenge against the governors-Hyde interprets that as murder, whilst Jekyll implies showing them that he was right).

anyways this has got way too long so rip, mb if this is incoherent i woke up and was like ‘jekyll and hyde musicals really sucked at doing plot and character development…welp time to rant’

please correct me in the comments if i’m misremembering shit i’m stupid so it’s a possibility

[rei-ismyname]

Dark Web: X-Men highlights 2

Anecdotally, I only ever see negative commentary on Dark Web. I don't know why - it's a lot of fun with a solid emotional core decades in the making. Also, I'm a sucker for Cyclops and Magik working together, dunking on Havok, and Maddie Pryor in general. Havok is sidetracked fighting shopping carts! We don't need to see that - it's much better if we have to imagine what TF he's doing and why (losing.) Happy New Years btw!

Jean is right, it is a diversion. A running theme in Dark Web is that Scott and Alex have problems and shouldn't be on a team together. The rest of the team is kind enough to not dwell on having to rescue him from shopping carts.

Behold! The Summers brothers not understanding each other very well. There's definitely wisdom in just bailing on a situation that isn't for you, though they should both beat Forge up. He might be good at fixing mechanical problems, but he's not qualified for Summers drama. Maddie absolutely is - the puppies and Goblin gown allow her to set the terms of engagement and shush them up.

It's little Yana again, using her stick to poke Jean this time. Still chasing ice cream too, though she never gets it (boo.) Jean throws down the gauntlet with a hefty backhand slap. Kinda fair, but not cool. Little Yana clearly agrees with me.

Maddie stole a Cerebro drive, or had Venom do it for her. The drive itself is not important here, but we learn that Jean Grey is mutant 00000000001. Not Charles, not Scott, not Hope. Jean. We don't see Maddie's reaction to this but I doubt she'd appreciate it. What does it mean? Importance? Indication she was the first person copied to Cerebro? Charles being a creep? Idk, but it's interesting.

Maddie is wearing a massive smile while beating Havok and Cyclops unconscious with chains. Let's call it an effective use of girl power. As I mentioned earlier, they're definitely shushed.

Jean is the most powerful X-Man, but she's also very good at knowing when not to use it. Scott learnt that shit from her, and they both probably learnt how not to do it from Chuck. He tries this approach at the worst possible times plus he's just not great at empathising with people. Jean surrenders, surprising everyone. I love this and I love how much trust Ilyana has. 'Okay boss.'

Jean surrendered because there's nothing to fight over. Maddie never thought to just ask (because she's so used to strings being attached) and Jean asked herself 'what does she want?' realising she can just give it to her.

Possibly for the first time ever, a crossover event is solved with a conversation and rejecting the notion that it's a zero sum game. I think if the event was longer it might be more clear that women are often forced into competition with each other, with fuckheads like mister Sinister getting away scott free. It's understandable that Maddie wouldn't want anything to do with Krakoa when they have the author of all her misery on the ruling council.

Maddie ends the conflict by decree, but needs to take the whole empathy thing a little further. She opens up Limbo to the powerless and rejected, declaring it a place of healing and safety. With Krakoan backing and some gunboat diplomacy the Limbo embassy to New York city is established. It becomes a haven for mutants during Fall of X and even ORCHIS gives it a wide berth. Oh, Havok is there too, making himself useful by opening curtains. Maddie, as ever, serves cunt.

[rist-ix]

The sparxshipping teasing from Iginio got me wondering.... if we ever did get canon sparxshipping explored, whether in a reboot or new adaptation, how would you like it for it to be done?

I'm gonna try to answer both of these in one post cause they overlap a little, but first of all thank you!

Buckle up fellas I'm bringing discourse.

This is gonna be a bit of an unpopular opinion I think, and it’s that I don’t want sparxshipping to be canon at all.

Feel free to get the pitchforks, but until then imma talk. I have villainships that I think not only add something to the overall plot, they kind of define it too. Reylo for examples, with its themes of redemption, masks and compassion, or Darklina and how important their relationship is to the war and Grisha oppression, or Lotor and Allura with its symbolism of breaking the cycle of abuse, making peace, reclaiming a heritage thought lost and so on.

To put it very briskly: an established Sparxshipping relationship adds nothing to the plot. It would have to be a plot of its own, and while there are tons of fascinating plot threads you could weave back into Domino, Bloom's family and the war before the Fall, it is simply, plainly, and rightfully so not the story Winx Club is telling.

Winx Club, at its core, is about the girls and their friendship. That is the show I love, and that is the show I am invested in. Fanfiction is a separate thing, I’ll get into that later. But canon, commercially produced and globally aired Winx Club is what we are talking about now. And the one defining truth of Winx Club is that it’s about the Winx. Their boyfriends are the side note, the Kens to their Barbies, to cement them as the cool popular teenagers younger kids are supposed to see them as. If Bloom and Valtor had a lasting serious relationship, Valtor would inevitably have to be shoved into that category as well, and that would ruin the entire appeal of him.

To boil it down even more: if sparxshipping were canon, either Winx Club would have to shift away from its intrinsic premise and formula, or Valtor would have to be diminished beyond recognition. So my longstanding opinion has always been: don’t make sparxshipping canon. Just don’t.

What I, personally, would do if I were ever to gain access to the mythical and likely overcrowded writing room at Rainbow SpA, is this:

Tease the fuck out of it.

Lean into their fucked up little hate-obsession. Every time they share the screen they have to be radiating unresolved sexual tension. Their chemistry has to be so off-the-charts it sparks a million fanfics before the season even ends. If there aren’t so many crappy amv's set to angsty Taylor swift songs it brings down the YouTube servers by midnight you have failed. Because canon is bound to certain limits, but fanfiction is NOT. The goal of any show should be to create something that will awaken an inescapable need to build on it, to continue where it left off, or to wonder but-what-if? To make people text incoherent keysmashes to their fandom buddies with shaky hands in the middle of the night and be unable to sleep until they’ve confirmed their buddy has seen it too.

I would want to see Bloom go fully I-have-lost-sight-of-everything-but-revenge until her friends manage to pull her back, I would want them to fight so vehemently the structures around them collapse and they don’t even notice. They should be in situations where they are UNDENIABLY going to die if they fight on and they still do it, they literally CANNOT stop, they don’t care to. To the point that everyone around them is seriously concerned and talking about their terrifying obsession with each other, more or less out in the open. And after a season full of epic fight scenes, high stake conflicts and frankly obscene tension between them, I would want Bloom to kill him.

Straight up.

Give her that moment of calm self assurance, at peace and perfectly in control, while Valtor tries to gaslight-gatekeep-girlboss his way out of this, contrasting the way her support network and genuine, unconditional friendships strengthen her while Valtor, who is always sabotaging everyone around him, is forced to confront his own powerlessness in the face of the power that created him. His manipulation attempts have nothing to latch on to. They have one last exchange where Valtor is visibly furious at her denial of him / his own failure — to really drive home that this is Bloom's triumph — but the last words they exchange are cordial. Maybe a comment at her growth, or a warning about his mothers, or another way to foreshadow future threats — if he couldn’t defeat her, no one should. He ends on a high note, but he does end, and it’s at Bloom's hands. She retakes the corrupted spark into the Flame she is guarding, and that is that.

And then, and this is important. He fucking haunts her for the entire next story arc. The next season, the next two seasons maybe, because she has learned a fuck ton of things from him and it is really, really difficult to move on knowing everything she does, knowing everything he implied or hinted at, or simply knowing so many really, really cruel ways to get her way now, which isn’t who she wants to be, but it would be easy, quick and effective for the greater good, right?

Boom, character conflict for the next season established, lots of potential for future flashbacks or visions, Valtor stays on his high horse of forever-the-juiciest-fucking-villain-of-the-franchise and the story can move on.

The End

Cue three decades of mind-blowing fanfiction. We all say Thank you Rainbow and cry ourselves to sleep thinking about what could have been.

[cienie-isengardu]

[MK1] Bi-Han & Kuai Liang. Good brother? Evil brother? Nah, just different reactions to trauma, part 2

With the first part, I hopefully established that within presented worldbuilding, 

A) characters being allied with the Good Side aren’t “perfectly pure” and may be involved in questionable actions,

B) the same as wishing to change prevailing traditions isn’t a sign of evilness, as tradition itself is not determinant of good and evil

C) there are little to no sources showing us that Lin Kuei benefits in any special way from its “honorable servitude” to Liu Kang and Earthrealm.

Before I will dwell more into details about Bi-Han, Kuai Liang and how Lin Kuei training affected who they are, let me established two more things:

First and foremost, we need to remember that during story mode Sub-Zero and Scorpion are affected by things outside of their control - frustration and grief respectively. So none of them are at their best (normal) mentally state.

Secondly, from on I’m gonna use words like “abuse” conventionally for Lin Kuei upbringing, not as I think their parents or teachers were abusive people on purpose but because installing in young children a traditional values is one thing and making them cold-blooded killers totally different matter and there is plenty to say - and condemn - about turning children into perfect soldiers (tools) to uphold someone’s authority or idea of a “greater good”.

The most vital question about the Sub-Zero and Scorpion is: how two brothers raised by the same parents, taught the same values and growing together in an isolated and hidden Lin Kuei clan could get such an opposite approach to tradition and authority?

As stated in the title, I do sincerely believe the conflict between Sub-Zero and Scorpion is not rooted in how morally or immorally characters they are at core, but how they deal with hardship (abuse) of being trained since childhood to be a secret weapon ensuring safety of Liu Kang’s Earthrealm and how this limited their life to one, dictated by someone’s else, purpose.

The game makes it clear the main theme of conflict between brothers is about tradition (father’s teaching), more precisely, whether Lin Kuei should follow the centuries old servitude or break with it. We could see this dispute between Kuai Liang, Tomas and Bi-Han twice, first when brothers were awaiting Liu Kang

Tomas: Were he here, Father would advise us to wait without protest. Bi-Han: But now he is gone and I am Grandmaster. Kuai Liang: His teaching did not pass with him. They should still guide us. Bi-Han: Guide us, yes. Shackle us, no.

and during the mission itself

Kuai Liang: We must honor his vision Bi-Han. Bi-Han: Vision is what he lacked. He was blind to our superiority. We settle for defending Earthrealm when we could help lead it. Tomas: Our clan doesn't govern. It serves. Bi-Han: That is our past. It won't be our future. 

The conflict was already ongoing issue between brothers to the point Kuai Liang feared at some point he would need to turn against Bi-Han to take control over the clan:

Scorpion’s Bio: But Sub-Zero's unprecedented moves to cast off the Lin Kuei's traditional duties have frozen Scorpion’s enthusiasm. He fears that he may one day have to battle his brother for control of the Lin Kuei's legacy.But Sub-Zero's unprecedented moves to cast off the Lin Kuei's traditional duties have frozen Scorpion’s enthusiasm. He fears that he may one day have to battle his brother for control of the Lin Kuei's legacy.

On another hand, the story mode suggests that despite those fears, Scorpion did not really believe Sub-Zero will ultimately go so far as to abbadon Earthrealm in need.

Story Mode, Kuai Liang: I knew Bi-Han's frustrations ran deep. But I never thought they could inspire such madness. We can't let his corruption spread.

The game keeps each brother’s reasoning as vague as possible, however Kuai Liang and Tomas does not provide any constructive argument beyond honoring father’s teaching. There is no given reason why exactly Kuai Liang and Tomas think Lin Kuei should still uphold a system that objectively speaking does not benefit the clan as far as sources are concerned, yet both are very firm about respecting tradition and fulfilling their original duty they were trained for since childhood. 

And so we have in story mode

Scorpion: We must chart a new course. One that both honors our Father's legacy and serves Earthrealm

or

Scorpion: "Glory? We fight for duty."

or

Tomas: We can't abandon tradition.

or

Liu Kang: As you know, Bi-Han and his Lin Kuei have abandoned their roles as Earthrealm's guardians. His brother Kuai Liang has agreed to build a new clan, the Shirai Ryu, to take its place. I must go aid his efforts.

while intro dialogues adds

Smoke: With you as grandmaster, our new clan will flourish. Scorpion: Only if we honor tradition.

or

Geras: We are both sworn to serve. Scorpion: May neither of us neglect our duties.

or

Sub-Zero: What is the point of your new clan? Scorpion: To fill the role the Lin Kuei abandoned.

As Scorpion’s Bio says “Like his cherished father, Scorpion is dedicated to the Lin Kuei and its defense of Earthrealm. “, the Earthrealm’s safety is an important matter to Kuai Liang, although whether this dedication comes from his deep sense of duty alone or he actually cares for other people is up to debate. Mainly, because the sources don’t provide an insight into his motivation beyond loyalty to cherished father, his teaching and “legacy”.

Out of three brothers, Tomas was the most sidelined character, but despite sharing with Kuai Liang a similar dedication to their father, intro dialogues at least directly address his desire to save people, so we may assume for Smoke, the duty to Earthrealm is not just matter of principle but a real care for others - something most likely tied to his survivor’s guilt / trauma after losing biological family:

Sindel: It's impossible, Smoke. We can't save everyone. Smoke: Then I'll save who I can to make up for the ones I can't.

In contrast to Kuai Liang, the sources add a lot of insight into Bi-Han’s motivation. Alongside his desire for making his clan stronger - and eventual expansion of Lin Kuei’s political-economic standing, the thirst for independence and freedom are the most frequently mentioned things and such repeated theme make it clear that for Sub-Zero the cherished by Scorpion and father’s tradition was nothing more than enslavement.

Story mode: 

Kuai Liang: His teaching did not pass with him. They should still guide us. Bi-Han: Guide us, yes. Shackle us, no.

and

Shang Tsung: I know that you wish to break free of Liu Kang’s control…

Sub-Zero’s ending:

“I had broken the Lin Kuei free of Liu Kang’s enslavement. We were now masters of our destiny and could take our place among Earthrealm’s greatest nations.”[...]

Intro dialogues:

Liu Kang: You have forsaken your family. Bi-Han: To free the Lin Kuei from bondage.

and

Liu Kang: Come in from the cold, Bi-Han. Bi-Han: And again kneel before you?

and

Havik: You let yourself be Liu Kang’s slave. Kuai Liang: An opinion shared by my brother.

or

Sub-Zero: I've gained the Lin Kuei's freedom. Smoke: You've only earned them infamy.

(the screenshots can be found here)

This visible difference between brothers gives us the first clue to understand the motives behind their choices and what kind of people they are. 

Whatever Kuai Liang experienced as a child, he fully embraced father’s authority and build his life around the duty to Earthrealm - to the point he never wished to be anything else than Lin Kuei

Raiden: Did you ever want to be an Earthrealm champion? Scorpion: I have only ever wanted to be Lin Kuei.

even if he clearly does not enjoy the fighting the way Bi-Han does

Sub-Zero (Scorpion and Smoke): You're both unharmed? Scorpion: We are, brother. Sub-Zero: Good. After years of idleness, it pleases me to again face kombat. Scorpion: I will be pleased when we complete our mission.

and actually may not like kombat that much in general

Scorpion: As Time’s Keeper, you could have abolished kombat. Liu Kang: Even a Titan’s power has limits.

Mind you, a timeline in which fighting is abolished is a world where there is no need for Lin Kuei, as the clan's purpose is tightly tied to kombat. What gives an interesting detail about Scorpion and his dedication to duty, even at the cost of his own comfort.

In contrast, Bi-Han questions everything

the purpose of Lin Kuei

Sub-Zero’s BIO: As the Lin Kuei's Grandmaster, Sub-Zero leads his ancient warrior clan in defense of Earthrealm from external threats. For centuries, it has been their solemn task. But Earthrealm hasn't been threatened in generations, and Sub-Zero see no point in limiting his clan to preparing for dangers that may never come. Under his leadership, the Lin Kuei will come out of the shadows and fight for its place as one of Earthrealm's great nations.

the authority and wisdom of father

Story mode: Vision is what [father] lacked. He was blind to our superiority. We settle for defending Earthrealm when we could help lead it.

and

Scorpion: Father would be ashamed of you. Sub-Zero: Only because he lacked vision.

and

Sindel: I knew your father. He was a great man. Sub-Zero: Yet he never understood the Lin Kuei's potential.

and

Sub-Zero: My father was a fool to follow you. Liu Kang: He wisely honored Earthrealm with his service.

the authority of Liu Kang

Sub-Zero: Earthrealm isn't yours to rule. Liu Kang: Nor has it ever been, Bi-Han!

and

Sub-Zero: I don't recognize your creator's authority. Geras: Denying facts makes them no less real.

and

Kenshi: Why do you so resent Liu Kang’s authority? Sub-Zero: Give it time. You will understand.

This leads me to see Kuai Liang as a believer (follower of Liu Kang and father’s authority) that wants to uphold the status quo because it was so drilled into him and/or without Lin Kuei he has no purpose or identity to cling to, while Bi-Han is the man questioning the system and purpose imposed on him. A purpose that without an external threat could turn out to be a wasted life. 

That Sub-Zero question authority is nothing surprising, as all major cryomancers have a rocky relationship with it, including previous timelines Kuai Liang. From in-universe perspective, this could be a reason why Liu Kang on purpose changed Kuai Liang into pyromancer, as I believe that cryomancer Kuai Liang would be much more supportive of Bi-Han’s independence streak than his fire counterpart is. 

This is solely a ground on which in next part(s) I’m gonna exploit more all the nuances between brothers and from where comes their different approach to tradition, authority and their duties. 

[coraniaid]

“In every generation there is a Chosen One.  She alone will stand against the demons, the vampires, and the forces of darkness.  She is the Slayer.”

All but two of the first eight episodes of this season have opened with these words, or with a minor variation on them.  At this point the show is still somewhat finding its feet – and trying to expand its audience – and they’re an efficient way of quickly getting new viewers up to speed with what to expect from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  

So, right before the opening theme plays us in, over suitably spooky establishing footage of tombstones and occult symbols, the off-screen voice of Rupert Giles lets the uninitiated know what to expect from the next forty-five minutes of television.  This little speech sets out the core premise of the show, simply and plainly.  Buffy is the Slayer, the Chosen One, and she stands alone.  Unique.

There’s just one small problem.  That little speech isn’t true.

It hasn’t been true, we learn in What’s My Line?, since Buffy’s temporary death at the hands of the Master.  It hasn’t been true since a new Slayer was called to replace her: Kendra, who we meet for the first time this episode.  It will never be true again.  The show will run for 144 episodes in total, and Buffy will only ever have been the unique, singular “Chosen One” for 12 of them.  Buffy is a Slayer.  That’s still true.  But she’s never going to be the Slayer again.

Kendra’s very existence represents a fundamental alteration to the core premise of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Something that forces a reconsideration of just what Buffy’s life might have in store. Maybe Buffy isn’t in this fight alone after all.  Maybe she has a choice about whether she fights at all.  Maybe she can quit, if she wants to.

In the middle of the first half of this two-parter, Buffy reminds Giles that “there can only be one.  As long as I’m alive, there is no-one else.”  But by the end of the second half, she’s learned that she’s wrong.  Yes, being a Slayer is still part of who she is – she never does take six months off to go to Disneyland, the way she suggests to Willow that she might –, but it doesn’t have to be as isolating and lonely as everyone’s been telling her.  To paraphrase her final conversation with Kendra: she’s still a freak, but now she knows she’s not the only freak.

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the audience’s understanding of the show is completely changed after the end of this episode.  

In future episodes, we will go on to meet many more Slayers other than Buffy: both previous Slayers and potential Slayers yet to be called.  Buffy’s initial awkwardness with Kendra – her conflicted feelings about not being Sunnydale’s only Chosen One; their arguments over the proper relationship between Slayer and Watcher and whether Buffy is right to try to maintain some semblance of a normal life; the fact they disagree about Buffy’s romantic attachment to Angel and the question of whether the people Buffy cares about matter more than “the mission” – will turn out to anticipate so much of what will happen in the next five seasons of the show.   The very spell used as a resolution of the show’s seventh season in Chosen would be unthinkable in an alternate world where Buffy had never gotten to meet Kendra and so realized that different Slayers could coexist after all.

You might think that all this makes Kendra important.  You might think it makes her somebody that the show wants us to care about.  You might – at the very least – hope she’ll get to appear in a couple more episodes.  You might think Buffy and all the other Slayers we’ll meet down the road would talk about Kendra now and then, if – for some reason – she isn’t around herself.

On the other hand, you might have watched the show before.

So you might know that Kendra will only appear in one more episode, months from now, an episode that she will not survive.  You might know that, apart from a very brief mention in a single scene of an early season 3 episode, Kendra’s name will never be spoken out loud again after the end of this season.

Of all the seven recurring human characters the show has introduced so far this season – Jonathan, Devon and Oz in Inca Mummy Girl, Larry and Ethan in Halloween, Kendra herself and sleazy bartender Willy the Snitch in this two-parter – one (not Kendra) will still be making appearances on the show in its final season. Of the ones that don’t, two others (neither of them Kendra) will still be being talked about on screen in that final season.  Along the way, one of the seven will be added to the opening cast (not Kendra), one will be the center of an entire episode (not Kendra), and most of the others will appear or be mentioned in over a dozen episodes each (but not Kendra). 

More than half of them will still be alive as of the show’s final episode, and all but two of them will still be appearing in the show in its fourth season, two years from now.    Just one of them won’t make it as far as the year 1999.  Just one of them will only appear in one episode after What’s My Line?  Just one of them will be dead before the season is over.

(Whether or not there are any other noticeable differences between Kendra and these six white men is left entirely as an exercise to the reader.)

It seems bizarre, finishing a rewatch of What’s My Line? in 2023, to realize that I have already seen the majority of episodes Kendra will appear in.  She does at least get to make a little bit more of an impression than some of the other Buffy analogues this season has introduced, like the woman pretending to be Ampata Gutierrez in Inca Mummy Girl or Sheila Martini in School Hard. But honestly, not that much more.  Perhaps her biggest contribution to the lore of the show will be gifting Buffy her lucky stake; a sharpened bit of inanimate dead wood whose name will be spoken on screen far past the point that Kendra’s herself ever is.

Now, as it happens, I like What’s My Line? quite a bit.  The world of the show feels better defined than ever, there seems to be a definite improvement in both the special effects and the fight choreography and the plot is actually rather fun.  With Dru (apparently) taking over from Spike as the season’s Big Bad, with Oz and Willow finally meeting face to face and with the arrival of new writer Marti Noxon (who will go on to have a huge impact on the future direction of the show, writing several of its very best episodes) it’s really starting to feel like everything is firing on all cylinders.  

School Hard ended with Spike announcing the show’s plans for “a little less ritual, and a little more fun”.  After a bit of a bumpy start, I think the last few episodes have definitely given us that.  

In fact I think (taking the two parts as a single whole), What’s My Line? is one of the better episodes of the show so far.  Perhaps not a truly great one, but a very promising sign of things to come.  

But for Kendra, at least, it’s a promise that won’t ever be delivered on.  Buffy rescues Angel but fails to stop Spike restoring Drusilla, and it’s Kendra who will go on to pay the price.  The writers introduce this paradigm-altering new character … and then they rapidly lose any interest in her.

It’s perhaps a sign of how little the show cares about Kendra as a character or what her existence implies for the world of the show that, skipping ahead to the next episode, we’re greeted by something familiar.  “In every generation,” the off-screen voice of Rupert Giles solemnly tells us at the start of Ted, “There is a Chosen One.  She alone will stand against the demons, the vampires, and the forces of darkness.  She is the Slayer.”

Kendra isn’t even dead yet, and already the show wants us to forget she exists.