#it would be a cool way to tie him into the plot i think- have him have a connection

[preciouslittletoonette]

I'm quite curious to see how Sonic 3 will go about with the humans like Tom & Maddie.

[vinnyvamppp]

I NEED A FIC OF THE NO GOGGLES MARK VARIANT!!!

specifically make him THAT KINDA FREAK we already know he loves to toy with others (from his battle with the Guards of the Globe) and is crazy asf with a sense of dark humor. My fic idea is where he’s with his gf and this is their first time having sex tg and she doesn’t know about his kinks or anything since she would just take his comments of him telling her to ‘try to choke him’ or basically to inflict pain on each other as a joke.

Slap Me Silly

Note: This is yummy, we like this, we NEED this. I've seen maybe two fics have elements of this, so lemme just—slide myself in. (the pic is a hint SOMEONE TIE HIM UP)

Warnings: Nipple play (most male receiving), Switch Lenless!Mark, Dom!Reader, Riding, SadoMasochism, Tit Squeezing, Biting, Dark Humor, Choking, Degrading, "Good Boy", Slapping, Dirty Talk, Porn w a Plot, Smut, and ofc the over usage of 'Dude'. Synopsis: The title is self explanatory... buckle up.

No Goggles/Lensless!Mark x Dom!Fem Reader

Word Count: 2,303

The apartment is quiet, save for the occasional hum of traffic outside and the soft rustle of fabric as you shift on the couch. Mark is stretched out beside you, legs spread like he owns the place—because, in his mind, he does. His grin is lazy, all teeth, and his dark eyes flick toward you with that ever-present glint of mischief.

“You keep staring at me like that, babe,” he murmurs, tilting his head against the couch cushion, “and I’m gonna start thinking you actually like me.” You roll your eyes, biting back a smile. “God forbid.” He chuckles, low and amused, and suddenly he’s closer—leaning in like he’s got a secret to tell. “Nah, I think you do,” he teases, his breath warm against your jaw. “Like, a lot.” You scoff, pushing at his chest. “You wish.” Mark lets himself fall back dramatically, spreading his arms out like he’s been struck. “Right in the heart. Dude! That was brutal.” Rolling your eyes, you reply. “You’ll live,” you deadpan.

“Oh, I always live.” He winks, and for a second, there’s something in his expression, something dark and knowing, a reminder of just how much weight those words actually carry. But then it’s gone, replaced by that ever-present smugness. His fingers drum against his thigh. “Y’know, I’ve been thinking.”

“Dangerous.”

“Ha. Ha.” He smirks. “No, but really—since we’re both so hopelessly in love or whatever—” You snort, but he ignores you. “—don’t you think it’s weird that we haven’t, y’know, done anything yet?” His eyebrows lift, feigning innocence. “Not that I’m complaining. I like a good slow burn. Gets me all antsy and horny.” Your stomach tightens. It’s not like you haven’t thought about it. Mark is—well, Mark. Infuriating, cocky, always pushing just to see how far he can go. But he’s also magnetic in a way that makes it impossible to look away. And when he wants something? He gets it.

Still, you manage to play it cool. “I figured you’d explode if you went more than a week without getting laid.” Mark grins, tilting his head. “I do like explosions.”

You shake your head, but before you can throw another sarcastic remark his way, he moves. Fast. Not using his full speed—he’s learned his lesson about freaking you out like that—but enough to make your breath hitch as he’s suddenly towering over you, hands braced on either side of your hips. “Wanna hear something funny?” he asks, voice dropping just enough to make your pulse quicken.

You swallow. “That depends.” His fingers trail up your arm, barely touching, just enough to send a shiver down your spine. “You remember all those times I told you to try and choke or slap me?” You let out a brief chuckle. “You mean when you were being weird?” Mark hums, lips twitching like he’s holding back a laugh. “See, that’s the thing—you think I was joking.”

Your breath catches. His eyes are half-lidded now, watching you with something between amusement and hunger. “…You weren’t?” Mark smirks. “Dude. You have no idea.” He leans in, brushing his nose against yours. You stare at him for a second, searching his face for any sign that he’s messing with you. Nothing. Just that same cocky, lopsided smirk, like he knows something you don’t. His grin progressively widens as you open your mouth to speak, “You have to be kidding.” Mark tilts his head, feigning offense. “Why would I joke about something so serious? Dude, I’m hurt.” Here he goes again with the dramatics. “Oh, I’ll hurt you, alright.” The words leave your mouth before you can grasp them, but Mark’s eyes light up like you just handed him a winning lottery ticket.

His lips part slightly, tongue flicking out to wet them. “Please do.” You let out a laugh—sharp, disbelieving. This idiot. He’s always like this. Pushing buttons just to see what happens. You stared, more interested than before, your head shaking. “You’re insane.” Mark doesn’t miss a beat. “And you love it.”

You roll your eyes and, without thinking, lift your hand and smack him across the face. A sharp pop echoed as your palm struck his cheek, snapping his head to the side. Not hard, just enough to wipe that smug look off him. Or, well. That was the intention. Because instead of looking shocked or offended, Mark just stares at you. Slow blinks. Chest rising and falling a little too deliberately. “…Holy shit.” He gasps, making you hesitate.

He lets out a breathy laugh, touching his cheek where you slapped him. Then, with a grin that is way too excited for comfort, he looks back at you. “Dude.” His dark eyes go heavy-lidded, lips parting slightly as he exhales slowly, shaky, and wrecked like you just did something unspeakably good to him, and he’s already desperate for more. You blink. “What?”

“Do that again.”

You pull back slightly in hesitation, wondering how you even scored this crazy fuck. Taking notice, Mark clicks his tongue, shaking his head like you just deeply disappointed him. “C’mon, Dude. Don’t be like that.” He leans in again, voice dipping lower. “I liked it.” Your stomach flips. You open your mouth two seconds away from calling him an absolute freak, but Mark beats you to it. “See, this is why I keep you around,” he muses, like he’s talking to himself. “You get me.” He rasps with an estranged fascination, seemingly savoring the sting against his cheek. “I literally do not—”

“—you do, though.” He gestures vaguely. “Even if you pretend you don’t. Which is, like, really cute, by the way.” He pauses dramatically with a slight sing song “And hot.” You exhale through your nose. Okay. Fine. He wants to be weird? You can be weirder. So, with the most exaggerated sigh you can manage, you lift your hand and slap him again. This time, it’s harder. The slap lands sharp and sudden, a crisp crack that echoes in the quiet room. His skin is warm under your palm, the impact sending a fleeting sting through your fingers, while the faintest thrum of satisfaction lingers in the air between you. Mark's head tilts slightly from the force, but the way he laughs is low, throaty, and giddy. The kind that sends something hot and electric through your spine. His gaze snaps back to you, darker now. “Oh, yeah,” he breathes, voice thick with something you don’t quite know how to name yet. “That’s the stuff.” Your gaze flickered lower, his hips fidgeting. He was hard.

Mark leans in, close enough that you can feel the heat of his breath against your lips. He’s still grinning like he’s just won the lottery, panting like an excited mutt before he whispers, “…Your turn.” You took this as an invitation to explore his other kinks, his willingness empowering you like never before. The space between you ceased to exist in an instant, your bodies pulled together with an urgency that set your skin ablaze, his lips claiming yours like a force of nature. Groans filled the space within your mouths, his sloppy kisses trailing lower over your neck. You deserved such romance for your first time, but his body was already seething for more. His hand reaches forward, fingers tingling with excitement as they curl around your throat. He forces you down against the couch, the pressure against your windpipe causing you to gasp. Before he could do more your hand lashes out, striking his cheek with a resounding slap. He paused, welcoming the change from his usual dominance. "Fuck yeah," he growls, his voice thick and eager. "Don't hold back, babe."

Emboldened further, you push him back and climb onto his lap, straddling his hips. You can feel his hard already weeping cock pressing against your clothed sex, the heat of him seeping through the thin fabric of your panties. You grab his throat, squeezing just enough to make him gasp. "You like this, don't you? Being used like a little bitch?" You insulted, testing the waters.

Mark's eyes flutter closed as he lets out a shuddering moan. "Yes," he hisses, his hips bucking up against you. "I fucking love it." His hands grip your thighs tightly, fingers digging into your skin.

You tighten your grip on his throat, feeling his pulse jump under your palm. "Beg for it," you demand, grinding your cunt against his straining erection. "Beg me to choke you while I ride your cock." Mark's eyes snap open, gleaming with satisfaction. "Please," he rasps, his voice strained from your hold. "Please, please, choke me while you use my dick. I want to feel you squeeze the air from my lungs as you cum all over me."

A thrill runs through you at his words, at the complete submission and desperation in his voice. You release his throat, only to fist your hand in his hair, yanking his head back. "Good boy," you purr, before crushing your lips against his in a fervent kiss. You rake your nails down his skin, leaving angry red lines in their wake.

You whimper into his mouth, his hands moving to your ass, squeezing and kneading the flesh. You can feel him throbbing against you, his cock leaking pre-cum into his pants. Breaking the kiss, you lean back and hastily remove your top, exposing your breasts to his hungry gaze. His fingers follow suit, bringing his shirt over his head as he refuses to blink even once. "Fuck yes, Mistress." He groans, voice strained as his eyes glued to your tits. "You're so goddamn sexy." His lips nearly prepared to worship you.

It was odd, you stared down at him enjoying the power you have over him. He could easily turn the tides at any moment, but he was so willing to fuck you with such courtesy. Your fingers gently tapped against his throat, just threatening, begging him to make a move that would cause your grip to tighten. Mark immediately sits back, panting and red-cheeked. You lift your hips, his hands shove down your panties and help you kick them off. Then, with a courage-building sigh, you line up his cock with your dripping entrance. Mark groans, his hands flying to your hips. "Need to feel your tight pussy around my cock." Without warning, he slams you down onto him, taking him to the hilt in one smooth motion. You both groan at the sudden intrusion, Mark's head falling back as his fingers dig into your hips hard enough to bruise. "Oh god," you moan, savoring the feeling of him stretching you open. "You're so fucking big, where were you hiding this thing?!"

"I'm gonna fill this pussy up so good," Mark declares between giggles, his hips starting to move beneath you. "Gonna pump you full of my cum until it's leaking out of you." The dirty words only spur you on. You start to ride him fast, your hips slamming down onto him as you chase your pleasure, barely allowing yourself to breathe. Your hand never leaves his throat, tightening and loosening in time with your movements. Mark's face is flushed, his eyes glassy with lust as he bucks up into you, meeting you thrust for thrust.

"Harder," you demand, squeezing his throat tighter, his eyes rolling back. "F-fuck me harder." Mark lets out a choked groan, but does as he's told, slamming up into you with renewed vigor. The new angle has him hitting depths you didn't know existed, making stars burst behind your eyelids with each thrust. You can feel the pressure building inside you, coiling tighter and tighter as he pounds into your g-spot. Releasing him from your ever-desired grip, he protests, his hips punctuating as you let out a yelp. “Dude..!” He whines, exasperated before a resounding clap echoes against his cheek, his face growing warm as blood swelled. “Again! Again…!” He encouraged, and you followed suit devilering smack after smack. The feeling only rousing him more as his hips pressed further.

Arching your back forward, your tongue finds the blistering streaks left from your nails. Soothing them with the soothing stroke of the muscle, you lick over his nipples, teeth tugging on them gently. The small buds hardened slightly from the cold air, and his grunt echoed from above. “Holy shit... yes!” Coming up for air, he returns the favor, hands leaving your ass and latching onto your tits as he squeezes them like stress balls. It's painful, he knows but he attones as his thumb traces rings around your areolas causing mild pleasure.

Your hands returned to his throat, tightening like a vice. With a strangled chuckle, his cock twitched inside you as he floods your pussy with his hot seed. The feeling of him pulsing inside you, the overwhelming sensations overloading your senses, and the obscene squelching sounds of his cum filling you pushes you over the edge. You throw your head back with a scream as your orgasm crashes over you, your cunt spasming as you gasp. Were orgasms always meant to feel this strong?

Mark groans as he feels you contracting around him. "Milk my cock dry. Take every last drop." You continue to ride him through your climax, grinding your clit against his pelvis until the last waves of pleasure fade away. When you finally collapse against his chest, both of you are panting and covered in sweat.

You could barely catch your breath when he spoke up. "Dude, we're definitely doing that again," you murmur against his chest, exhausted, he chuckles, his chest vibrating beneath you. "Hell yeah we are." He says to himself. Without missing another beat, you're suddenly flipped over, his cock hardened with renewed energy. "Ready for round two?" He asks, tracing patterns against your calves as he spreads your legs over his shoulders. Now it was truly your turn.

Can you guys tell I love submissive or freaky men? Hopefully, this fulfills your request!

MasterList ོ༘₊⁺☀︎₊⁺⋆.˚

[brucewaynehater101]

I personally am not a fan of romantic/sexual a/b/o but I do have a headcanon for Tim.

I believe that Tim, regardless of gender, wouldn’t have the scents of his parents on him since they’re gone so frequently, essentially making him packless. Maybe the elites of Gotham prefer to wear scent blockers so there would not be anyone aware of Tim being rejected by his parents.

Taking into account Tim’s distant relationship with the bats when he first became Robin it wouldn’t be a surprise is Tim wasn’t invited to cuddling sessions where they would scent each other. As vigilantes they also frequently would wear scent blockers to avoid identification.

All this is to say that I would find it comedic if one day Red Robin takes off his scent blockers and instead of smelling like the rest of the bats pack if instead you could tell that he had bonded with young justice, romantic or platonic is up to you, since many of the young justice members would have also been rejected from the other packs around them.

-abo anon

Hi!!! Definitely agree on not a huge fan of romantic a/b/o. There's some cool stuff with platonic a/b/o, but shifter and/or creature fics tend to have most of those cool features.

Let's get into the hc/au, though!!!!

Does this AU have anything to do with pack bonds or nesting? For the sake of it, we will say that it does.

You're right that Tim probably wouldn't have his parents' scent on him. In fact, he probably thinks this is normal.

Is it nice when his parents are home, he gets scented, and then he feels safe, secure, and loved for a bit? Yeah. However, that's a luxury, not a need. It's nice, but Tim can live without it. He has everything else he needs (Tim, buddy, no).

We tie this mindset into the Gotham elite one as well. Tim knows it's improper to just have proof of scents wafting around. Everyone wears scent blockers (perhaps this became a norm due to rich people having affairs, marrying for money, etc). Therefore, Tim thinks it has to be common that the upper class just doesn't scent, or doesn't scent often. It's like those weird sitcoms Tim sees on the TV.

Then he becomes Robin.

At first, due to Dick and Bruce fighting, Tim doesn't see much of the cuddling, nesting, scenting behaviors. They still do it, but not as often or openly.

As the family starts to heal, the Waynes aren't purposefully trying to exclude Tim or anything. In fact, Dick (and maybe Bruce too) want to engage in those familial/loving activities. However, it's very intimate and only done with people you consider family. Dick does consider Tim to be his brother, but Tim has his parents. Also, how would the Waynes explain scenting their son to the Drakes when the Drakes go to do a similar thing?

Even after the Drakes die, Tim has his "uncle." They can't really explain away the Waynes scenting Tim, so they keep refraining.

While all of this is happening, Tim has fond his place with YJ. He's learned what scenting really means, how it's healthy and vital to them, and how horrid it was that his parents weren't around enough to do it. Tim has complicated feelings on that matter, though.

He found YJ and, even with retired members, they make sure to visit often for scenting purposes. Everyone in YJ is part of the family.

As anon said, you can hc a romantic poly for the core four or do a qpr. Either way, they are everything to each other.

Since YJ core were the first to consistently scent and bond with Tim, Kon and Bart's deaths particularly burned.

Anyways, he gets them back and everything. The Waynes are settling down. Things are good.

Then Tim takes off his scent blockers, which, for plot purposes, he's never done in front of the Waynes (maybe something about propriety's sake and YJ being the only ones he takes them off for). Chaos ensue when the Waynes realize that Tim doesn't smell like them, not one bit. He does smell heavily of YJ, though.

Also, perhaps YJ didn't wear blockers, but the batfam didn't know what Tim smelt like (due to the blockers), so they never connected the dots.

[campbell-rose]

Alastor Redesign

Omg there’s like over 70 people following me – guys I'm o///O flattered and flabbergasted. 

Anyway, onto today’s main event, Alastor. I hate Alastor’s og design, I hate his twig waist and his shoulder pads and the way you can’t see his antlers next to his ears, and his bow tie ugh viv please and his HAIR what even is that??? Not even mentioning that nothing about his design is really like a focal point. There’s no one thing that’s particularly interesting. At least before this he had that cathedral window looking cross on his undershirt that I found interesting. Nothing about his says he’s from the 1930’s other than dialogue. 

I wanted him to be in greyscale because that’s the coolest aesthetic, and colored photos weren’t a thing until way after the 30s. Recently I saw jjk, and Jogo’s teeth threw me because at some points I thought he was just straight up toothless. But then when I started this design, that colored tooth look spoke to me. Initially his teeth were yellow to look gross like he never brushes them, but then I was like ‘ayo wait, he’s literally a cannibal’, thus his vibrant red teeth to really pop against his greyscale. Initially his undershirt was white, but I feel like that was too much contrast and white is typically innocence, so by instead having a deep red it shows he’s just straight up bloodthirsty underneath his formal appearance. I also considered it being black, but then he looked like a pastor, and I wasn’t too much of a fan of it. The idea of the red on his design is that it leads your eye down his design to take it all in, with his face being the focus. I gave him glasses because I like the way it obscures his eyes a bit and I imagine they do the anime thing where they glow and hide his eyes. I liked Viv’s idea of sinners having marks where they died, and I slicked his hair back to show it off very prominently. His antlers are larger, I gave him cute lil deer ears. Also, under his suit he is lowkey buff. I feel like a serial killer should at least look physically capable of taking someone down not whatever the fuck viv’s nasty twig men can do. Like, in that comic with the cute sheep girl, when Alastor goes demon mode his body looks so snappable I just wanna like grab his waist in my hands and break it like a twig. I also tried to keep his design simple as if this were for animation, I know pinstripes are complicated and so are antlers but other than that I tried to keep his design basic. 

If I were to rewrite him based solely on the pilot, I honestly wouldn’t change a thing. Alastor is a decent character, his voice actor gives him life, the radio filter is cool, and nothing he did made me want to break my screen (ANGELDUST). The only thing I'd change would be his position in hell. Like, viv’s hell is so wack and I hate it, she’s got the princes, then the goetia and the overlords and then sinners and blah blah, it’s a lot to keep track of, not even mentioning the rings and circles thing. I think Alastor should have had dealings with hell as a human, maybe he routinely did sacrifices or something, and he made a deal with the archdemon Alastor and when he died like... uuhhhhhhh. Maybe through connections he’s gained more power? Idk, I just know I hate the idea of his dying and then having like the bestest most powerful demon powers despite not being hellborn. It’s got this mary sue stench. I’ll figure it out, maybe, who knows. 

I’m not gonna start rewriting since there’s nothing to go off of and alter yet, so that’s gonna have to wait until the show actually drops before anything concrete happens lol. 

Also the sheep girl is a sinner that reoccurs in the show now so sorry I don’t make the rules, you can’t give me a cute sheep girl and try to take her away, I’m gonna redesign her and shove her into the plot as someone looking for redemption at the hotel

[kestrel-of-herran]

people who say they want Gemma as the protagonist as the main character in season 3 are the biggest glazers like just say you think she’s pretty and feel bad for her . yeah I hope her character is developed and is given a cool storyline but it’s so fake since you barely know anything about her personality wise besides being self insert for a romance montage

STANDING OVATION YES

it's nothing but self-inserting into the blank slate character because they thought the mark from the flashbacks was hot, and they completely misunderstood who the focal point of the show is.

and it all ties in with the misogyny directed at hellyna for (1) being a flawed character who has actual depth and negative traits, like, you know, any human person, and (2) "homewrecking" a marriage that was only included to provide mark's character with an unexpected twist that would also explain why he severed and give him issues of his own to work through, meanness and disassociation from grief, before he can reach the end of his arc in the story.

the story was always intended to get him to a point of healing, and healing isn't being granted a magic wand that disappears the thing you were hurt over in the first place, but a long process of growing and processing your pain and moving on. gemma is at best a mystery character who is going to turn out to have a sinister connection to lumon and the severance programme to tie her story in with the main plot arc, but she's never going to outshine hellyna in terms of screen time and narrative importance because the writers have spent two seasons building hellyna and her inner conflict and severance-defying connection to mark. from a writer perspective, you're always wary of side characters stealing your main character's thunder, because you need the audience to know who to focus on and who's telling the story, so season three will continue giving helly and helena bigger agency to influence events and fight against lumon.

the characters we're meant to sympathize with are the innies, because severance is a dystopia, not only a romance. dystopia is preoccupied with exploring if the human spirit can survive under conditions of extreme deprivation and brainwashing, and what better way to tear down the new world order than have its heir awaken to the monstrosity of the programme she's poised to launch into being. if anything, i see gemma eventually helping the innies dismantle the company by providing evidence of lumon's plan, but her and mark are never getting their old life back. protagonists cannot move back to square one without invalidating the journey, which is the entire point of fiction. and this story is mark and hellyna's.

[nalyra-dreaming]

Interesting how Rolin went from originally planning 8 seasons to suggesting that he doesn't know if he has it in him to do more than 4-5 seasons. And now is saying about the new project that "he hopes to never have another job for the test of his career". I wonder if the change of political climate had something to do with it. I imagine that doing Great American Stories is way more prestigious than writing gothic romance between vampires plus with 2-years gap between each season, 8 seasons was never an option. I just wish that after QOTD they would skip straight into the Prince Lestat era, because Memmoch is a terrible moment to end the series and I want some closure/happiness for Lestat and Loustat.

I don't think the political changes have anything to do with Rolin and his stances. And others have already spoken about it at other places, but showrunners and playwrights can do more than one show.

(There's also a cool fact check sheet by someone in the industry, Twitter account @ iwtvproduction, which explains that press release a bit:)

As per the seasons... well, the seasons we got so far HAVE returned to the books more than I previously anticipated, yes, and yes, it would... suck (and not in a good way) if the show would end with Memnoch (and it would be unbearably ironic, given Anne intended to finish the chronicles with that book back then) HOWEVER...

However, what we have seen so far, book structure or not, has already incorporated a plethora of elements of other books.

And they're having THIS interview:

He's not doing a strict book-by-book adaption - at least not outside the basic season plot line.

But the dance was already integrated, foreshadowing the end in "Blood Communion", we have Fareed, past Devil's Minion (and arguably present), the farm, the groan, Marius, and and and.

So.

I... I'm not sure if it wouldn't even be good to know that they are going to do five to six seasons. I do think five to six is plausible. As said before, I see anything beyond three as the cherry on top for more worldly reasons, but implementation-wise I think five to six is plausible.

And personally I would actually prefer it if they knew they would end it at a certain point, because then you can tie up loose ends, you can bring the stories to a satisfactory ending.

Because that would indeed be the biggest let-down, agreed - that they, for whatever reasons, do not manage that.

And so, personally, I would prefer if they aim for maybe five, and have that all set up and the arcs ready.

And, given how AMC has asked Rolin for his plans and concept... I think they have that.

[imagine-darksiders]

Plot head cannons or wishes for the next Darksiders game announcement?? I must pick your brain

I am praying for a Strife centred game. I’m curious as to whether they’ll make it a 3rd person shooter because of his guns.

“Strife attends to other matters.”

The Council mentioning this in Darksiders 3 is a bit of a narrative indicator that we might find out what those other matters were at some point.

Much as I’d like to see a game following the events of 1, I’d just as happily love a game where we see Strife come doing various realm hopping until he eventually gets to Earth and falls in with a group of humans. Maybe we’ll even see how he meets Ulthane.

Also, one of his weapons ends up in Tri Stone. Now I know I’m hoping for a lot, but it’d be awesome to see if Strife met one of the makers from Tri Stone and they get his gun, maybe Valus or - be still my beating heart - KARN!!!?!??

Having said that, the game could just as easily be the final instalment where all 4 of the Horsemen come together to face Lilith and Lucifer, but I don’t think it will be.

I have a strong suspicion that Strife is the final puzzle piece that’s going to tie everything together. They’ve set him up as a hidden but imperative figure from the very beginning.

I’d go so far as to wager that he’s the most important Horseman to the narrative. That’s why they held him back, I remember there was a lot of speculation as to why Nordic made Darksiders 2 about Death when he was supposedly ‘the last Horseman’ but now I’m wondering if that was a convenient way to structure the series.

Did they literally decide to bring in the big guns last?

Alternatively to all of this, I rewatched the teaser and noticed something…

We get two shots here of chains…

Now that may be purely a design choice for the Council’s chamber, and I’m probably looking at this way too closely, but I can’t help wondering if it’s a nod to more War involvement.

Also, I’m sure it’s totally random but I thought it was cool how in this part-

Some letters are faded. Now I put this through translators, but all I could decipher was that Repar translates from Latin to ‘Repair/fix’ and Do means ‘I.’

I fix??? Lmao

ANYWAY

Yeah, ideally, I, like many, would love to see a game centred on Strife’s story, how he went from jerk to jerk with a heart of gold. Took a level in kindness and became Humanity’s weird little sociopathic hero.

[fandom-lover2]

Why For Art Thou Winchester

Plot: Now that she's living with Bobby, she's going to need a fake name. Choosing one is harder than you'd think

-image not mine-

“You guys are being impossible.” I groaned, slamming my head down onto the kitchen table before me. “It’s just a name.”

Opposite me, Dean continued to rifle through his box of cassette tapes, again. “Hey, I’m saving you from a life of embarrassment.” he defended.

Photos, done. Documents, ready. All that was needed was a last name.

“Remind me again why I can’t just be Winchester?” I asked, words muffled as I kept my face planted on the wood.

“Because Dean and I are kinda wanted by the FBI.” Sam replied from Bobby’s sofa, tying away on his laptop and he further fabricated my backstory.

I looked up, deadpanning my brothers. “And you two are the only people in the entire country to have the last name ‘Winchester’?”

Neither answered me, so I turned my gaze to Bobby for support.

The old grump just shrugged, continuing to read a lore book on goblins for a hunter in Arizona.

“What the hell are you wanted for anyway?”

“Take your pick.” Dean answered.

For another minute, he dug around the old shoebox, picking up and dropping cassettes when he didn’t like what he found.

“Jett?” Sam supplied, which earned a scoff from Dean.

“What’s wrong with Joan Jett? I love her shit.” I defended, which ended with me receiving Dean’s glare.

The quest for a cover name was seeming to be a lot harder than I thought. Or rather, Dean was making it harder than it needed to be.

Since I had technically just disappeared after the bodies of my half-brother and his mom were found, brutally murdered, news feeds were saying I had either killed them or was taken by the killer. Either way, enrolling me in Sioux Falls High tomorrow with my government name would send red flags through the national systems.

Hence, the cover name.

Dean was getting way too into it, trying to find me the perfect one and taking inspiration from 80s female rock stars. He was overthinking it, majorly.

Either the name didn’t match, or it didn’t sound cool enough, or sounded too “dorky” and would “lead to bullying”.

As it was, the cover story was I was the daughter of Bobby’s cousin who had recently died in a car accident. With him as the only family to take me in, I’d moved from Florida to live under his care.

Some of it was true at least.

“Andrea Jett sounds fine.” I tried again, ducking when Dean threw a cassette of hers at me.

“I’m giving you a reputation here, kid. It needs to be badass, make a statement.”

“It needs to blend in.” Bobby corrected.

I stuck my tongue out at Dean, and when he replied by flipping me the bird, I whined overdramatically, “Bobby, Dean is being mean to me.”

“You’re the one being a little bitch.”

“And you’re an asshole.”

“This is so much fun.” Sam spoke up, having turned his attention to watching us.

Dean and I both flipped him the bird, which he frowned at before returning the gesture.

“Don’t make me stand up.” Bobby warned, which had Sam, Dean and I all flinching before shutting up, passing silent looks to one another.

I glanced to the clock. We’d seriously been here and hour and a half trying to come up with a name. This was ridiculous.

“Do I even need to go to school? The world’s ending soon anyway. Shouldn’t I be enjoying my last few days, or helping you guys not break any more seals?”

Dean kicked my shin under the table.

“Ow! Asshole, what the hell was that-”

“The world ain’t endin’, and you’re goin’ to school.” he pointed at me sternly, emphasizing his points with timed jabs.

“But-”

“No buts!” three male voices spoke at once.

I broke out in giggles. “’Buts’.”

“Oh my god.” Sam sighed, turning back to his laptop.

“Oi,” Bobby called, and I looked up him. “School. No option.”

And his expression showed there would be no fighting him, and if he had to drag me in there and tie me to a chair, he would.

In two days, Bobby had done more for me than John had in the three years he’d known me.

He’d taken me clothes shopping, letting me pick out whatever the hell I wanted to wear. He’d given me my first driving lesson, telling me to ignore Sam and Dean in the backseat wearing bicycle helmets and offering less than helpful commentary. He’d taken the time to sit down with me and spent hours actually telling me about the monsters and crap of this world, not just barking out how to kill them.

He’d let me move things around in my room, bought the star projector I’d been eyeing when I thought he wasn’t looking, and I’d caught him studying every product in the feminine hygiene isle when I’d been trying on t shirts.

He doted on Sam, checking his stitches and cleaning his arms twice a day, rebandaging them with gentle hands. He’d spent almost all morning with Dean working on ‘Baby’ the car. He’d sat with the boys late into the night, whiskey bottle passed around as they updated him on the shitty situation of the world while I’d eavesdropped from the top of the stairs, falling asleep there and somehow waking up in my bed.

Sam and Dean relaxed around him, their hardass fronts dropping to them becoming regular 20 something year old boys. They joked, and let him take some of the burdens, and became human.

He was a good friend, a great father, and would be a strict but fair mentor if the time ever came that I wanted this life.

I didn’t have the years with him Sam and Dean had, but I had two more years of high school left and he made it clear I wasn’t going anywhere until then.

I stood up, taking the laptop from Sam, ignoring his complaints, and opened the page with my fake birth certificate.

I typed in two words, hit print, and handed back the laptop.

“Huh.” Sam commented.

The printer spat my document out and I bent to pick it up off the floor, handing it to Dean for a brief approval, not that I’d change it if he didn’t agree.

When he didn’t say anything but rather handed it back to me wordlessly with a smile somewhere between pride and apologetic, I made my way to Bobby’s side and handed him the paper, since he was the one with the false stamp.

He picked up the stamp, ready to just be done with this ordeal, but then his eyes caught the words and he stopped.

‘Name: Andrea

Middle Name: Jacqueline

Last Name: Winchester-Singer

Yes, I hated John, and for years had held onto the fact that I’d carried my mother’s last name and therefore had no connection to the man but through my blood.

But John wasn’t my only family. I had brothers now. Brothers who had risked their lives for me and had made sure I was taken care of, making no plans to leave me and Bobby anytime soon.

I had brothers who had fought like hell against everything Heaven and Hell were throwing their way and while they had made it clear I wasn’t joining their fight, I sure as well was ready to accept my role beside them as a Winchester.

But I also wasn’t alone anymore.

Yes, two days was not enough time, but it had been long enough to prove it would come.

Bobby would be my father, the man who nurtured me, raised me, kicked my butt when I didn’t want to do homework and stay up late helping me with assignments.

I had three people looking out for me now, three members of my family.

I was a Winchester. The men the monsters in the dark were afraid of.

I would raised by a Singer. The one people turned to for knowledge and guidance.

Bobby looked up at me. “You sure?”

I hadn’t been surer since the day I had discovered you could have ice -cream for breakfast and your teeth wouldn’t turn orange. If I ever ended up in the same place Mom did, that’d be the first thing I told her.  

I nodded. “It has a nice ring to it.”

Bobby blinked a couple times, then cleared his throat and bent his head, stamping my new birth certificate and falsely signing it with the date before my real birthday. “Good choice, kiddo.”

I smiled at him, watching as he blew on the drying ink before adding it to the folder of documents he needed to be able to sign me up for school tomorrow.

“Ok, I’m getting hungry. Burgers from that place in town?” Dean saved all of us from the moment of emotional awkwardness that followed, standing and grabbing his keys.

When Sam and Bobby agreed, he jerked his head for me to follow and headed to the front door.

I followed him, slipping on my new boots and grabbing Dean’s jacket. “Can I drive?”

“Ha! Never.”

Wayward Adjacent Chapter One: Who Are You

[overseer-picard]

Obligatory ask time cuz i was thinkin abt it: what would you say is ur fav romantic scene between Beverly and Picard (bonus: Will and Deanna too)

Now for the rlly big ask: what's yr personal favorite heacanon/fic/ where they get together, and why?

OH man, this was tough (because they are all my favorite).

I decided to go with this little scene from "Cause and Effect".

Beverly's like "I can't sleep because I keep hearing voices from the infinitely repeating timeloop we are stuck in" and Picard is like "I absolutely believe you because I trust you implicitly. Have some milk."

And they are so smiley and sigh-y and Beverly's got her shoelace in her hair and Picard is probably like "wow, I love that she puts shoelaces in her hair just like all the cool kids did in the late 80's and early 90's".

I love that through the entire show, Picard visibly opens up and relaxes when he's around Beverly, one on one. I think she tethers him to his own humanity in a lot of ways, reminds him he is in fact human. And on Beverly's side, I think he is a North Star in her pretty chaotic and lonely life, a constant she can lean on no matter the circumstance.

It's not even a "romantic" scene, but it's such a great example of the warmth between them. It's perfect slowburn fodder. Kindling on the fire.

As for a headcanon on them getting together, I actually LOVED how they got together in the post-Nemesis tie-in novels (that all got nuked to align with ST:Picard and I will NEVER forgive or forget).

The first book of the series, "Death in Winter", has Picard looking for a new CMO after the events of Nemesis (Beverly left to head Starfleet Medical). He gets a call that Beverly has gone missing so, as per normal character choices, he charges to the rescue.

(Spoilers for "Death in Winter")

The whole book is centered around their long friendship and looking back at memories and unrequited feelings while the plot unfolds. Basically, Picard finds her and admits his feelings for her. She initially turns him down and he's crushed. Even Worf and Geordi are worried for him when he gets back. But then he has to go meet his new CMO and BAM... it's Beverly, all apologetic and full of love. Then they get married and have a son named Rene over the course of some 45 books. It was a very satisfying way to continue their story and I loved it all.

Star Trek: Picard season 3 did actually canonize their relationship, gave them a son and all, and it's... fine.

[fuumiku]

They’re really interesting foils in many ways. I’ve always thought that Marcille & Mithrun have underrated dynamic potential. Give me the cringefail dungeon lords. Give me the elves with ears-centric metaphorical self-image issues. Give me the academic elites whose deepest strongest desires will always remain unreachable and the only option is to turn to the corrupt forbidden fruit of a demon pact. I am so so normal about Mithrun and Marcille

I wonder if the resemblance between captain Mithrun and general Hagreus aka Marcille’s fave in Dalclan is intentional… They definitely look very alike. It could represent idealization vs reality? Something something the romanticization of elves and their societal drama in their fiction vs a very real and imperfect product of their military system. The canaries certainly aren’t glamorous next to whatever Hagreus is the general of. I feel like she never had the opportunity to notice the resemblance herself bc within seconds of meeting him he was wrestling her on the ground but. If she had… She would so think he should have been his actor in the tallman stage play of Daltian Clan in that new extra comic hehe. I love the little details like Hagreus’ lips being drawn with extra details because they��re full and pretty while Mithrun’s lips are drawn with extra details because they’re chapped lmao.

This art is all silly and surface level but in my head mithrille is like so dramatic and I make up daltian clan level big plots with them gbdgd. I made a spotify playlist for mithrun if y’all interested, rn it’s mostly centered around cravings that consume and losing yourself and illusions inspired from his time as dungeon lord but it’s branching out. Varied vibes, levels of intensity and degrees of confusion and await you ✨ I would emotionally rant about Chainsaw Man ost lyrics and how they tie in with Mithrun and the winged lion’s relationship but this post is already a monster

I want more of these two please please please pleaseee just one or two interactions in the new canon content coming up… All they ever did was debate philosophy on desires and human self-fulfillment and try to murder each other, please… I never get to gush about them and I can’t shut up so if you want more thoughts I talk about them more below

To get a girl to peacefully accept arrest follow these simple steps: in private, ominously stand above her and forcefully interrogate her, while in public, tell her you’ve met before (untrue and also not a pickup line) and interrogate her with a thin veneer of decorum. If all else fails, threaten and follow through on said threat. My guy needs more than just physical therapy I’m afraid

Sorry if most of these were Marcille-centric with Mithrun standing there looking cool, if I were doing these more from Mithrun’s pov things would be like "She’s a bit much but I guess I don’t mind hanging around her." or "Oh you’re a half-elf? -insert elven supremacist rethoric-" or "I have to keep her from becoming demon stew." immediately followed by "Did someone say demon? Kill kill kill kill kill" since these are set prior to like really knowing another. Then things would be more like "huh she has bad tastes in novels but her magic research is pretty interesting" and "I’m lonely and don’t understand myself— Oh she loves talking about feelings? Oh shi-" That last one is an aspect of why I like Marcille and Mithrun’s potential dynamic lol. She’s very… Emotionally intelligent alongside being impulsive. You think you have no feelings because the world has beaten them out of you? Think again!! Marcille be upon ye! -In a therapy sort of way but mostly in a connecting with people and your own self through interpersonal relationships and talking kinda way. I just think a lively, upbeat, annoying friend way too interested in your personal life would do him good, the canaries are nice but like if Marcille went to prison and was a sort of extra new bunkmate I think that’d be interesting and fun to read is what I’m saying

Unlike Kabru she wants all the useless messy filler of his backstory, eating chips while listening. Like two chibi sets side by side, "me and my fellow canaries, name name and name-" "Hold on that’s too much info we have to compact this" vs "Then we were to sleep on the third floor of the dungeon, which had the look of a mausoleum, and name and name got into a fight over the campfire placement." while Marcille is like uh-huh what next what next while kicking her feet. She thinks of pre-dungeon pompous Mithrun and is like omg you went through a character arc and became better as a person- and then he opens his mouth and she’s like nevermind let’s keep working on that. She would also go "ew ur hair is greasy" and give him a full hair care treatment. What I’m saying is I need them to be forced to spend time in a dungeon together and become besties through a life or death roadtrip

Marcille is insecure about her ears, long, like an elf’s pride should be, but rounder, inelegant. Seeing Mithrun though, the epitome of beauty, with his half-cut ears make it a sillier thought. Not sure if Mithrun is the best person to reconnect with ur elven culture with but it sure is an option Marcille would so appreciate being around someone both cool headed and kind, I genuinely think they’d get along, like not that Senshi isn’t that too most of the time but I think Mithrun would be in a way that’s more refreshing to her. I’d be so curious about them discussing Dalclan, I doubt he’d have read it but she could make him read it, maybe post-canon with the excuse that they’re trying to find him a new hobby hah. He’d tear into the writing and everything but it’d be a fun time, I like to think that it’d make him a bit less prejudiced. Marcille @ Mithrun "👉👈 Soo maybe you don’t know these books they’re pretty recent having come out 50 years ago but…"

I’ve been in a Mithrun phase I want to make and read Mithrun-centric fics and angst so baaad. I razz him a lot here but he’s literally a traumatized military man that became obsessed with revenge due to bad coping and neglects himself in the process idk not much for him going on and some of it is because he has to work on himself, but hey no one’s perfect it all comes from a place of love and relating though I prommy. He’s the one ungodly angsty squeaky toy blorbo with brain damage rep I have don’t take him from me

[sonicboomrevisited]

I'll understand if you wanna keep those answers to yoursleves, but in case it's ok to ask, this question is for mama, Star, multi and everyone else who wanna answer.

Wich Sonic Boom episode is your favorite, wich one you find the funniest and wich one is your least favorite?

Reasons why would be appreciate but not nescessary

Three megafans with many thoughts = long post! Buckle up!

MULTI:

FAVORITE: A tie between "The Meteor" and "In the Midnight Hour". I'm a sucker for body swapping tropes. Hearing Roger Craig Smith and Mike Pollock take on each others roles was a lot of fun. The animation team also put in a lot of work to have them swap mannerisms such as Eggman reaching for a moustache he didn't have in Sonic's body or Sonic trying to run like himself in Eggman's. "In the Midnight Hour" was a solid Stick's centered episode with a really cool robot as the main antagonist. I love Dreamcaster's design. The mind control plot also helped inspire Robo-Sonic 1.0!

FUNNIEST: Probably "Alone Again, Unnaturally". There's specific scenes in other episodes that make me laugh harder, but this episode generally makes me smile throughout. Sonic being completely oblivious to why he's trapped out of phase and his "haunting" of Eggman's lair always cracks me up.

LEAST FAVORITE: Another tie, this time between "Counter-Productive" or "Knuck Knuck! Who's Here?" Both these episode base their plots around Knuckles just... being an idiot. I can't stand plots that are only motivated by characters being dumb, especially coming from someone that really shouldn't be. Charlie and his wife are fun villains, but I hate that I sympathize more with them than I do Knuckles when watching these episodes. I'm not laughing. I just feel bad for everyone.

STAR:

FAVORITE: A tie between "Fiend Bot" and "Role Models". Sonic acquiring a giant killer robot that wants nothing but his safety and to follow him everywhere is one of the cutest concepts in the show. "Role Models" was a fun episode because of the ridiculous premise that I find hilarious. I also love "Robots From the Sky" Especially because of Mighton and Bolts <3

FUNNIEST: A tie between "Double Doomsday" and "Alone Again, Unnaturally". I agree with all the reasons Multi said about the latter. My favorite joke in the entire show is Sonic trashing Eggman's lair while he's invisible. It's too good. "Double Doomsday" is also hilarious. From the banter between Eggman and Dave through the door Dave locked himself behind, to Eggman getting offended at the way Sonic made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

LEAST FAVORITE: "The Biggest Fan" (I can't watch this one). "Late Night Wars" for making Knuckles look stupid for jokes and both the episodes that Multi mentioned--for the reasons she mentioned--they are unwatchable. I also hate "Knine-to-Five Knuckles" for these reasons as well. I also dislike "Do Not Disturb" for the way the Unbreakable Bond was written.

QWERTY:

FAVORITE: Oh, I have a few that I would watch over and over.

"Cowbot" - Eggman actually made a giant robot cow

"It Takes a Village to Defeat a Hedgehog" - Shadow's just THERE, and just has this beef with Sonic for no reason

"Anything You Can Do I Can Do Worser" - Tails' over competitive nature at play.

"Multi-Tails" - Knux being the bestest babysitter ever

"Cabin Fever" - love eps where they just act like kids

FUNNIEST: I think I have to say "Cabin Fever" is one I just love

LEAST FAVORITE: There are a number I don't like, mostly because they feature characters I don't like, or portray Knux as SUPER dumb, or are just boring. Anything with Nominatus is a hard pass for me. And those frog people.

[grappleghosts]

AEW Feels Like a 90's Sitcom (And Why That's A Good Thing)

There's been something bugging me about "All Elite Wrestling" lately.

For weeks now, there's been a certain nostalgia to the twice-a-week program that I just haven't been able to place.

It's a living, breathing anecdote to good old 90's nostalgia.

The Ensemble Cast & Formula:

Sitcoms rely on a diverse cast of characters to strike a balance and keep people coming back every week. Amidst the brand's high-octane matches and fiery promos, its structure and storytelling truly revive what I loved about 90's television.

Each member of its expansive roster have such distinct personalities that at times, I wish we'd see more of. Nonetheless, AEW captures a close - if not the exact formula of "alternative media."

A hallmark of 90’s sitcoms was their ability to tell self-contained stories while also weaving in larger arcs. The 'All Elite' employ a similar approach. They tie in broader narratives with an oddly .. complex 'comedy gold' that we look forward to every week.

The Roster & Their Sitcom Counterparts:

It's easy to see how AEW's larger than life stars are worthy of their own "90's intro parody". Think as if "Too Many Cooks" & "Full House" had their own twisted and dysfunctional reboot.

As much as I'd love to analyze the entire roster, I'm not that insane.

1.) Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) & Frasier Crane.

Frasier Crane and MJF are performers who thrive on attention and validation. Undoubtedly, two sides to the exact same coin.

(Years on TV: 1993-2004)

Similar Traits:

A taste for theatrics: While Frasier Crane's life is filled with his own dramatic blunders - MJF shamelessly brings the drama with him wherever he goes.

Overconfidence: Both men radiate a bold self-assurance. They each have a knack for flaunting their intellectual prowess. Utilizing more than a touch of arrogance along the way.

Self Absorption: MJF's famous line, "I am better than you in every single way, and you know it," is self explanatory. Frasier's ego is rooted in culture, but they both take pride in setting impossible standards.

At the end of the day;

Frasier Crane and MJF are showmen who crave the spotlight. They wield their sharp humor, charm, and over-sized egos in fancy suits.

2.) Harley Cameron & Kimmy Gibbler

(Years on TV/Pre-reboot: 1987-1995)

Main. Character. Energy.

I know that they're seen as 'secondary characters', BUT they are far from it. Both of their antics are pivotal for comedic relief but beautifully displays their strengths.

Similar Traits:

Unapologetically Quirky: Whilst they may seem unconventional or out-of-place, without their humor the main plot would be much more dull.

Confident: This is the cornerstone of why I believe this comparison fits. They are unshakably self-assured. Never failing to speak their minds and express themselves in oddball ways. While unconventional, there's never a staleness and always a level of unpredictability.

Thrive Under The Spotlight: Often inserting themselves into conversations or situations, Harley and Kimmy immediately take center stage. No matter how brief it may seem.

These two gals are important to the equation.

They bring a natural enhancement- like salt to sweet, to the dynamics of those they’re on screen with.

3.) The Learning Tree (Jericho, Bill & Keith) & The Simpson's bully squad (Jimbo, Dolph & Kearney.)

Same energy:

Hierarchy, plain and simple.

Both of these trios are notorious shit starters and troublemakers.

Similar Traits:

Unconventional Leadership: Let's be honest, in their own ways both Jericho and Jimbo pull the strings in their own ways. With an aura of cartoonish coolness and love of immaturity? The shoe indeed fits. Jericho’s mentorship of Big Bill and Bryan Keith? Strangely mirrors Jimbo’s informal guidance of Dolph and Kearney. AEW is by all means their proverbial 'playground'.

The Enforcer: Big Bill and Kearney take their places on the field solely as 'the muscle' here. They both step in to reinforce the groups utter intimidation and sheer dominance. Not a thought goes on behind their eyes though, honestly.

The Rising Star: Bryan Keith and Dolph are both the mostly silent yet hungry types in their respective groups. Under their mentorships, they have the most to prove but show equal promise. These two bring a well rounded energy needed to complete their units. The groups arguably wouldn't be the same without them.

The dynamics are eerily striking once you put them under a microscope.

Well, that was a journey. Huh?

I could honestly make this idea an entire series. It was difficult enough to narrow down the list to cover.

I'd definitely want to hear YOUR thoughts on these comparisons.

[dyssonant-skyline]

What happened with helluva boss season 2? I decided to pick it up and watch it since its free and I was curious about how the sins were handled. (This is a stream of consciousness rant, but I needed to get it all out.)

I thought the first season was okay, with some episodes being stronger than others, but holy shit it really is the Stolas show now. Striker is doing more assassin work than them. I actually got my hopes up for a mystery plus assassination plot in unhappy campers, shouldn't expect shit around here though.

I don't think I can say anything that hasn't already been said about Stolas. I don't like him. If his relationship with Blitzo was less coercive or less sexual I think I'd like him more? It is impossible to empathize with a guy who is using his power to force someone into sex.

I also felt a bit weird that the show would put something sexual in front of a child character and that was the entire joke.

Like, that's an audience of teens watching Millie and Moxie make out and I assume fuck. Gross, but also just not funny? I don't remember if these are the only instances of it, but two is still two too many imo.

I know I said I wasn't going to comment on vivziepop as a person, but knowing how she treats her staff... its impossible to not conflate her with Mammon. 2 Minute Notice feels like an anthem for her overworked underpaid staff.

I also have opinions on the way a circus and clowns are portrayed in the hellaverse, but I don't think I can really put them into words. I have a friend who is fixated on clowns and clown trivia and idk. After talking to them about different types of clowns most clown characters just ring hollow to me. Especially the fish twins, I don't care what anyone tells me they were NOT clowns.

I don't think I'll incorporate anything from helluva boss into my rewrite, Hellbound Hostel. But I did like a couple of things a lot!!!

Fizz is a pretty cool design and has a palette that is loud while also being appealing. If I ever drew non redesign fanart for these series it would be of him. I think it helps that the majority of his features tie to his backstory in some way. That being said, I'm not crazy about his relationship with Ozzie.

The little metal rings and filigree around angelic weapons is a neat design choice. Good visual storytelling and all.

That's about it... orz If anyone wants to talk abt it with me my askbox is open.

[dani-ya-dig]

You know what. I wasn’t gonna do this because I didn’t wanna seem like I was shitting on anyone’s parade too much, but this is my blog so….

Thoughts about the Project Meridian finale under the cut. This is just my opinion, if you feel differently that’s cool!

I would like to start this off by saying, no one take this as a discredit to Erik’s work on the audio. It was wonderfully produced, and wonderfully acted. I liked the way he did it, I liked hearing other VAs (cough cough GBA as Quinn). I thought the audio itself was good.

I fucking hated it as an ending to Project Meridian.

I dislike the “they woke up and it was just a dream” trope in most media. To Erik’s credit this was a pretty well done version of it, but that doesn’t make me like it more.

I think I understand why it ended this way too. Project Meridian took a huge turn from what it started as with Marcus’ first video. I think that turn did come from a place of, Erik wanting to connect all of his storylines to the same universe, especially after “The Cost”. I think he didn’t know how to tie Marcus into all of that because… it’s about a fucking robot? What does that have to do with magic?

Then Avior’s first video happened, and the whole thing with the meridian got started up, and I think Erik was like “oh shit, that would be a really cool way to tie in the android listener I’ve got!”, and it was. It was a completely 180 there for a while but it was really, really interesting.

But from there the storylines only got far more complex, the ordeal with the meridian and the sovereigns is WAY BIGGER that it originally was when James got introduced.

Now, on top of Sovereign State, there is also The Balance, and even Hush and Vega now. Like this is a lot of storylines that are all kind of very tied around the whole problem happening with the Meridian and the Sovereigns (I really don’t know how else to describe it lol).

So what I assume happened was Erik eventually came to a cross roads after the James audio before the final three PM videos, when James said they were moving into the next phase. So Erik had to be like “okay how can I make a next phase of this story, without ruining everything else I am building up around this same focal point?”.

So I think he just… prioritized the other storylines and just ended PM in the way he knew how to without jeopardizing other plots.

…it was just a dream.

I can’t, and won’t, blame Erik for not knowing how to proceed with Project Meridian, and the turn it took. Especially not when (to my knowledge) Marcus’ script was the first he ever wrote for the channel, he couldn’t have predicted how big all of this would get and how his storytelling would change. But you also can’t tell me worth a damn that the ending we got was intended to be the ending for the story Project Meridian started with.

But this whole post is truly about my personal beef with the whole “it was just a bad dream” trope. It pisses me off every time. It makes me so angry every time, but in this case I understand why it was used and it was done well for what it was.

So yeah, I’m pretty fucking disappointed that this was the end for PM when I was expecting like a big revelation that would really change the game for the other more narrative plots of the channel.

But also there was a Sam audio recently and I got Quinn content out of the deal so I’m sure I will survive lol

Also Quinn’s “Did somebody say Gore??” Made me giggle way too fucking hard. I hate him. I need to see him public executed NOW.

[numberonetacostan]

Thinking about the general public's opinion on ii, with how reality shows irl have a bit of a reputation for being not as real as they make themselves out to be, if the same is true for ii do the general public think of things like Taco's reveal in the s1 finale as a scripted plot twist or their visit to meeple in the last episode as some sort of tie-in? Hell the whole show could be seen as advertising for Meeple with how many Meeple products are in it and such Meeple seems like they were a pretty big company who too a bad hit in sales after 4 because of the whole shimmer thing making Mephone4 better than the others, albeit making the ceo of the company the main villain would be seen as odd, could just as well as be seen as something against Meeple, pretty sure had Cobs' made that new season it would have portrayed his company a lot better.

But yeah they could view it as another reality show that's all predetermined for drama and such, they've seen the contestants come back from what would probably kill a regular object so they probably didn't think much of the fight to the death and with things like Taco having been acting during s1 or Mic quitting being seen as plot points, I'm not exactly sure when the cameras were on and when they were off so I'm not sure if the audience would get to hear the "See, MePhone didn't just make the show. He made you." line or any of the stuff in hotel Oj (are there cameras there in the first place or is that somewhere they could just not be on TV for once idk)

Hi there!!!^^ Welcome, and thank you for your submission!!! :) ii from the perspective of the outside world is interesting to think about, and something I hope we'll get more on in the future!!!

First of all, I think it would be really interesting if the general public thought that Taco's betrayal was scripted, considering how much love she gets in the real ii random when her betrayal isn't. It would be neat if she was a super popular and beloved character in the outer world of ii like she is in our world, and that could have even neater impacts on her if she leaves the island. A bunch of other objects thinking one of the worst moments of her life was super dramatic and cool? Someone calling her their "blorbo"- which she does not know the meaning of? Absolutely fascinating.

As for the Meeple stuff being thought of as a tie-in by the general public, I absolutely see it. Although he's lying, Cobs specifically says that the fights are staged promotions to the contestants! I'm sure he'd say the same to anyone who raised concerns. And as for people potentially finding it odd for Cobs to be portrayed as the villain? Well, we see in The Future Is So Yesterday that the general public thinks he's shady, yeah? Him being the villain here would not only be a way to play off those suspicions as something out of a goofy reality show, but also cover up evidence of his wrongdoings. People searching up Cobs' misdeeds would get led to what he'd done in ii, in which he could easily say he was playing a character and it wasn't real. However, yes, Cobs' season would basically have been one big Meeple ad. Boo ads!!!!

The audience did not hear the "he made you" reveal or any of the stuff in the hotel, but regardless it's still a tad hard to judge whether or not ii would be viewed as likely scripted in-universe because we simply don't know a lot about the outer universe. Aliens could be well-documented, or a bizarre occurrence on ii. Cobs does mention the show being rather unbelievable, so it's tempting to take his word at that and likely that he is telling the truth here, that the things on the show are comparatively wild, but it's better to take his words with a grain of salt than not because he's like. The worst.

[oodlyenough]

apollo justice: ace attorney thoughts

over the weekend I finished playing AA4 so I wanted to try to put my thoughts in order. much to think about etc

spoilers for the whole game obv, but i haven't played AA5 or AA6 yet so any mention of those are speculation lol

I had heard some pretty mixed reactions to AA4 and I had a lot of reservations going in. It's also probably the AA game I've played that I've been the most spoiled for, which is a shame but probably an unavoidable consequence of waiting for the port while engaging with the fandom. I don't usually like being spoiled but I think knowing the broad strokes of what to expect actually helped here. I can imagine an AU where I blitzed through the first trilogy and onto 4 with no idea of what was coming and being... very upset and disappointed by the direction it took. Having several months to brace for things like Phoenix's disbarment, the 7 year gap, Trucy, etc definitely softened those blows and made me more amenable to them than I would've been otherwise.

Cases

For the most part I thought the puzzle solving was good and the pacing was solid. The puzzles were mostly challenging enough to be satisfying to solve but not so challenging as to be infuriating, and I don't think I needed a walkthrough at all. 4-1 is one of the best tutorial cases in the franchise so far (though I'd give the edge to 3-1) and 4-4 was a really cool finale. The middle two cases tbh I also found fairly charming, and there's usually a least one case in the middle that seems to drag forever, so that was a pleasant surprise. I played Investigations 1 right before this, and I thought both the puzzles and pacing in that game were frankly horrible, so AA4 won a lot of points just with that.

I did think Turnabout Corner and Serenade would be more relevant in the grand scheme of things. The half-spoilers I knew had me expecting a much bigger web of conspriacy than we ended up with -- I expected it to be more than coincidence that Phoenix got hit by a car, more than coincidence that the Borginian egg coccoons are related to poison etc ... like... I fully assumed this was going to tie into the atroquinine plot. But I guess not ... ? Lol

Characters

The new main cast are all very likable, despite my initial reluctance to have a new main cast to begin with. Klavier was an interesting change of pace as prosecutor, in that he wasn't particularly antagonistic outside of the court, nor was he particularly preoccupied with winning, but he was still fun and challenging enough to face off against. Trucy was fun and delightfully bonkers as all assistants should be. Apollo's longsuffering exasperation was hilarious. Ema is the BEST I loved having her as the detective I wish she was there all the time.

I loved Beanix, for the most part. I can see why he rubs some people the wrong way, and tbh I'm glad his last canon outing isn't ... this. But I didn't find him wildly out of character, or at least, when he was feeling "out of character" vs the trilogy it made sense given the intervening events. I also thought it was fun to see him from the outside and see what a galaxybrain 5d chess master he is. I do wish we'd gotten to see more genuine moments of him with Trucy.

Kristoph was fun as a villain, though I have to say fandom led me to believe he was much more of a mastermind puppeteer than he seemed to be in reality. I was expecting a whole decade worth of conspiracies! Instead he fucked up once and struggled to fix it for seven years, lol. I also found the Kristoph/Phoenix relationship a) very fascinating, b) not really what I'd been led to believe by fandom (shocker). I like the canon more though -- I like that instead of being a retread of the Dollie betrayal-from-someone-you-love it was two guys who hate each other being forced to play nice as part of their own schemes.

Criticism

I think it's fairly obvious AA4 was meant to be a soft reboot of the series, to pivot away from the trilogy cast and set up our new heroes in Apollo, Trucy, and I guess Klavier. I think this is probably the entire explanation behind Maya and Edgeworth (and others but lbr those are the big two)'s conspicuous absence... but that doesn't make their absence any less conspicuous. I can squint and forgive neither of them being there when Phoenix is accused of murder, even though I find that insane. I can squint around Maya maybe being off in Kurain during the Enigmar trial, even though I think they could've used a line of dialogue to explain it. But then we started playing past-Phoenix for huge portions of investigation and that started to fall apart for me. Sure, maybe he's pushing his friends away because he's depressed, or maybe he wants to keep Maya out of things because he thinks it's dangerous, or whatever -- you could at least throw in a line or two saying as much. Not mentioning them at all and setting AA4 so closely after AA3, where Phoenix fell through a bridge to save Maya and Edgeworth chartered a private jet, just feels ridiculous.

I also think, at the end of the day, the story here was focused on and pivoting around Phoenix. The core question of the game is "what the hell happened to/is up with Phoenix Wright?" I love Phoenix, so that alone isn't a negative -- except that I think it meant Apollo, Klavier and even Trucy felt underwritten. Trucy and Klavier have such personal stakes in the unfolding events with the Gramaryes and Kristoph, but we only spend a little time and hints on how that might influence Trucy, who mostly falls into the AA weird girl pattern of brushing off major trauma instantly. (Maya got this a lot too in the original trilogy.)

Klavier ... I like Klavier, but they did not do much with him. How did he feel about Kristoph going to jail? He doesn't seem to hold it against Apollo, which is uh, noble, but perhaps not believable. He says he values honesty and truth but do we know why?

Apollo, likable as he was, felt like a passenger in his "own" game, rather than a major character. He doesn't even solve much of the stuff happening in the big overarching mystery -- he is Phoenix's avatar in court, presenting evidence and clues Phoenix left for him. Unlike Trucy and Klavier, who I am pretty sure take a back seat from now on, I guess Apollo still has two more games to try and flesh himself out ... lol but I also know fan reception of those two is not great, so my expectations there are minimal.

Overall

A really solid game that I enjoyed playing, though I can see why it's controversial and not some people's favourite, if they really loved the trilogy. I think it's debatable whether this was the best/only way to continue the series after AA3. And I am excited to read and write a billion 7 year gap fics now.