#it's just... different levels depending on his level of stability

[sui-imi]

⚠️ eyestrain

[* CHECK -> SANS]

* SANS ██ ATK ██ DEF

* Stop it.

* S t o p l o o k i n g a t m e .

[nicorobinphd]

stg, being an enjoyer of jane twdg is like being forced into an expert-level course on the way misogyny manifests in video game spaces.

god forbid a woman be complex or difficult or provably mischaracterized (see tags) at the end of her arc to service the culmination of a man’s storyline.

[caffeinewitchcraft]

AITA for divorcing my vampire husband because he lied to me about his human job?

I (542 vampire) and my husband (260 vampire) have been together for a little over two centuries. There’s a saying in the vampiric community that it takes a century for a tryst to become an enduring partnership and another century to become soulmates. I thought that was true and that Matthew (using his real name because fuck you, Matthew) and I would be together forever…until this week.

First, let me explain a few things to the mortals here. I don’t mean that negatively – I came here specifically to get the opinion of those with a finite lifespan. However, I want to be fair to Matthew as much as possible and some of his decisions are very immortal-minded.

Both Matthew and I are vampires who have chosen to forsake some of our powers in exchange for the ability to daywalk. We made the transition together on our 100th anniversary almost 115 years ago. It wasn’t an easy transition for me. I was very dependent on human blood and I spent the first twenty years in almost constant sleep as my body adjusted to running off of less lunar magic and more solar magic.

It really felt like I was losing everything. My body got physically weaker and my powers began to disappear one by one. It felt like every time I woke, another part of me was missing. One day I could turn into a wolf, the next I could barely turn into a vapor. I could command a legion of undying servants, and then I could barely convince the mailman he didn’t see me levitate down from the second floor.

Matthew, however, took to daywalking like a werewolf to a sheep farm. He barely seemed to feel the pain of losing his power, maybe because he was so much younger than me. Whatever the case, he was out all the time once he stabilized. He would be gone for days sometimes and when he came back it was with fantastic stories about the humans’ new inventions or the new structures being built in whatever town we were in.

I’m not saying I regret transitioning. Just that Matthew and I had very different experiences. It felt like he barely changed at all while my entire being got rewritten. Being immortal makes you comfortable in your own skin. I never doubted myself or my power after I turned 100. But becoming a daywalker made me feel like I was being born as a human again. It was humiliating and vulnerable. I have to admit there were times I resented how easily Matthew did it. I blamed him for not supporting me like I thought he should. I would daydream about draining a human in front of him, showing him what I thought of his fascination with them. I had all sorts of vile and vengeful thoughts. I’m not proud of the person I was and now I’m grateful Matthew wasn’t there to see the lows I sunk to.

Despite all my awful thoughts, I didn’t quit. I don’t know why, but I didn’t. I stuck with it and, day by day, things got easier.

After 26 years I began to stabilize. The benefits of being a daywalker slowly blossomed before me.  Now I can say that I am completely happy with my daywalker status and all the changes it’s brought.

I am the most mentally stable I have been since my Turning in 1482. It’s like I’m awake. The fits of rage that used to consume me for months at a time have completely disappeared. I don’t experience the same level of obsession I used to which has freed up a lot of my time that I used to spend stalking my victims.

However, that drastic of a change would be challenging in any relationship. Matthew and I ended up together because of my obsessive nature. Our relationship became strained when that part of me went dormant. He expected me to follow his immersion into the human world just as I had followed him in his revenge quest against his Master. He expected me to support him wholeheartedly and with everything I was. He wanted sacrifices from me that I used to not even flinch at before making. But something was just…different. We wanted different things. I wanted different things.

Matthew was obsessed with being the perfect human. He craved full immersion. He still makes it a point to get a human job every twenty years or so. Me? I’m happy to live off our investments and some mild mind control while enjoying the art and theater community the humans have evolved.

It got bad. Some years, we spent like ghosts in our own house, drifting by each other without a glance. Other years, it was like we were spies behind enemy lines. He would do whatever he could to thwart me and I would go out of my way to ridicule him. Our vitriol poisoned the earth. Matthew didn’t speak to me for a full decade when that poison killed off an entire town.

About twenty years ago, it all came to a head. We had a serious sit-down talk about our relationship. It wasn’t easy. What they say about teaching an old dog new tricks is sometimes true. Matthew wanted me to be as involved with the humans as he was. He wanted me to care about them like he did. I wanted him to travel with me like we used to and not just hop from town to neighboring town (which he did to maintain a human identity with references so he could keep working). When it became clear that we were at an impasse, I brought up the idea of separation.

Separating in the vampiric world isn’t easy. There are a lot of alliances and blood oaths to be considered. Over the two centuries we spent together, we became known as a unit to a number of supernatural entities that we maintain an uneasy truce with. Separating would mean creating new oaths and alliances with the same individuals. And there was no guarantee that those individuals would make new pacts with both of you. A LOT of vampire couples end up in blood feuds while separating. Neither of us wanted that.

There was also, of course, the emotional side of things. While a lot of immortals tend to only feel muted emotions (especially vampires as old as me), Daywalking had made both of us more sensitive than we’d been before. We were both attached to the memories we shared and neither of us could imagine life without the other. After 200 years together, it felt like Matthew was my right arm, and I his. When I brought up separation, we both felt it like we were discussing an amputation.

After about a year of talking, we finally reached an agreement. We didn’t want to separate, and so we would compromise. I wouldn’t interfere with any of Matthew’s human jobs for the 15-17 years if he could hold them without arousing suspicion. In exchange, he would take a year off to go traveling with me before finding another town for us to live in. In between my trips, he would go to plays and galas with me to enjoy human artistry at least once a month.

Maybe our deal was in his favor. At the time, it felt practical and fair. A year of traveling wouldn’t undo Matthew’s string of connections. We would still see each other frequently by going on dates that I liked. Matthew would get to stay immersed in the human world at the level he wanted, and I could stay within my comfort zone.

Which brings me to my current problem.

We are currently at the start of one of Matthew’s work cycles. He’s been everything from a fireman to a politician to a subway worker to a barista. He craves knowledge and connection to a terrifying degree. If it weren’t for how we move every 20 years and he goes without protest, I’d call it obsession.

This cycle, Matthew told me he was going to be a teacher. I was hesitant. While the humans have become more tolerant and less violent over the years, that doesn’t mean they will tolerate us near their young. Enough humans know about vampires that staking in the modern era is a real possibility. Matthew could incite an angry mob against us or, heaven forbid, get a vampire hunter on our tail. I have yet to be shot, but I hear that they have silver bullets that hurt like Hell.

When I voiced my protests, Matthew reminded me about our agreement. He said that I wouldn’t interfere with his jobs and he’d go to all the plays I liked. He even pointed out that, as a teacher, he could get us into high school plays and expositions. I was uneasy, but agreements are penultimate to immortals. I silenced my objections and let him get a job as a science teacher at a local high school.

When Michael has had jobs in the past, I’ve never really paid attention. One time he was a state senator for ten years and I never even heard him speak. I didn’t consider it worth my time to hear whatever his facsimile of a human would say. Real humanity is in the art they create, not in the parody Michael enacts.

But this one…I couldn’t ignore this one. Maybe it was because I was still uneasy about his proximity to human young or maybe I could sense his lies even at the beginning. Whatever the case, I watched him.

The first thing I noticed was the hours. He would go to work early and would often come home when it was time for us to sleep. When I asked him about it, he said that he wasn’t used to grading and that he had underestimated what it took to put a good lesson plan together. I visited some online forums and that’s apparently reasonable for first year teachers.

He would also sometimes go in on the weekends. He missed one of our dates because there was a “grading emergency” that needed his immediate attention. Something about a student’s test getting lost and then found and he needed to input their grade before the deadline which was on Saturday. Humans like silly rules like that so I didn’t even look that one up. I just reminded him that he couldn’t miss our dates again or else he was breaking our deal. He apologized and said it wouldn’t happen again.

Then about three months into his new job, the phone calls started. We have a private room in our house for when we need to talk without any visitors overhearing. Michael moved all his school supplies in there, saying that he needed a silent space to concentrate on his grading. Whenever he got a call, he would never answer it in front of me. Instead, he’d say “Sorry, work” and just go into his office.

I also noticed that he didn’t dress very professionally. Human fashion changes quickly so it didn’t register at first. A sweatshirt here and there slipped past me, and also the Gucci slides. When he started wearing baggy jeans and jerseys to work, I noticed. I may not be up to date on all the newest fashions, but I do go to classy events. I know what a slob looks like and it didn’t sit right with me that he was wearing that to school. When I asked him about it, he always had an excuse. “This is what everyone wears” and “It’s a theme day” or, bafflingly, “It’s spirit week!”

I tried to leave it alone. The reason we have stayed together for so long is because of our agreement to not interfere in each other’s lives. But between his hours, the phone calls, and his appearance, something didn’t add up.

Then, last Thursday, he missed another one of our dates. We were supposed to go to the Nutcracker together. Even though I prefer matinees (when the cast is fresh), I agreed to get us tickets for the evening show so that he wouldn’t have to leave work early. When he wasn’t there at 7pm, I called him and he didn’t answer. Then, when I called him again, his phone was switched off.

I was furious. I spend nearly two decades in these tiny towns so he can live his human fantasy and he can’t even show up for one two hour show? It was the first time since becoming a daywalker that I felt that angry. I was scared about what I might do, so I made myself go home to wait for him.

Only, he never came home that night. At 3am, he sent me a text apologizing and promising to make up our date on Saturday. But the Nutcracker was only playing until Friday and that would be too little, too late. To be honest, it already was. I texted him that and he never responded.

He never ended up coming home last weekend. I texted and called him probably a dozen times and he never responded. I got angrier and angrier as the days dragged by. Did he think I was someone to be taken lightly? Did he not realize that the fragile agreement between us was all that was keeping us from separation?

Yesterday (Monday), I couldn’t take it anymore. If he wasn’t going to come home or respond to my messages, then I would go to him. If he was so obsessed with this new job that he would ignore me for it, then I knew exactly where to find him.

I arrived at his school at 10am. I researched enough to know how to go to the office and sign myself in. I asked the office assistant which room Mr. Duetto was in.

The lovely young woman looked confused. “I’m sorry, but I can’t give that information out to anyone but family,” she said.

“I am his only family,” I said.

She clicked a few more keys and looked more confused. “His paperwork only shows his mother, Delilah Duetto.”

That’s right. His mother. But I still didn’t understand then.

“That’s me,” I said.

“You are not the mother of 17-year-old.”

“I’m his wife,” I said.

She was upset by that. I won’t bore you with every detail, but I had to alter her memories so she wouldn’t call the police. I may not look like someone who has a teenager, but I also don’t look like a teenager. I ended up having to alter her memories so she wouldn’t call human CPS on an apparent adult swearing she was married to a minor.

I went home and broke into his office. There weren’t any lesson plans. There were no graded papers. There were syllabus from different classes, homework with his name on it, and a few polaroids taped to the bottom of his desk of him at a party with children.

Human children. I don’t honestly know which is worse.

(EDIT: I know the child part is the worst part. I misspoke because of my anger. It’s not the humans’ fault that my husband is a pervert.)

I broke into his laptop and used that to check his text messages. He’s been texting like a high schooler. He’s been to parties with them, listened to their problems and even fabricated a few of his own. He’s caught in some sort of weird love triangle where a freshman girl likes him but his “best friend” likes her. He has texted both of them about it, promising his “bro” that nothing is happening and then turning around and leading this girl-child on.

Some choice quotes: I should know better than to get close with you. You and I come from very different worlds

To which she replied, lol maybe we should let our worlds collide

!!!!

I find the entire situation disgusting. Matthew is several centuries older than them and he definitely knows better. He’s literally wearing the sheep’s fleece amongst the flock. He has no business forming relationships with human children and even less pretending to be one of them. He’s not a baby. He is over two centuries old!

What is he doing flirting with a child? It’s vile and disgusting and I was set to kill him for it.

I confronted him about it when he came home last night. I told him that he was sick and dangerous and if he loved humans then he needed to stop immediately. I told him we either left town today or I would make sure he never set foot back in that school in a way he really wouldn’t like.

 He threw a huge tantrum over my invading his privacy. He shouted at me that I had broken my promise to never interfere in his job. He called me controlling and crazy.

I told him he was the crazy one for chatting up a child. He told me he wasn’t, she was just his friend. I asked him to read their texts out loud if he was being so friendly. I also pointed out that there was no way a 260-year-old vampire is a child’s friend.

He told me I was a hypocrite because I basically cradle robbed him (we’re almost 300 years apart.) He said if anyone was disgusting, it was me for taking advantage of him.

I pointed out that he wasn’t a child, he was over 60 and had already been a vampire for four decades. He argued that that was basically being a child in vampire terms.

I was so angry at that point that the house was shaking. I told him if he felt that way, then we could get divorced right then and there. That that was what I wanted to do anyway because I couldn’t be married to a pedophile.

He asked me if I was seriously going to start a blood feud over him immersing himself in human society. I said no, I’m starting a blood feud because he’s become every predatory stereotype humans have of vampires.

He called me a hypocrite again and told me he was leaving. He said not to call him unless I was ready to apologize. I told him that the next time he sees me, he’d better run before I showed him the real difference between us. And it wasn’t just 300 years.

When I calmed down, doubt started creeping in. From an immortal perspective, what he’s doing isn’t really wrong. I hate to say it, but most immortals don’t view human lives as significant. I know a few vampires who would say that divorcing because he’s playing with his food is idiotic.

Plus, there’s the agreement to consider. During our fight, Matthew pointed out that being a student is a job to humans. So therefore I didn’t have the right to interfere. A big part of me thinks that’s bullshit, but a small part of me wonders if he’s maybe right about that?

I also have to ask myself why this even bothers me. I’m the one in the relationship that is aloof from humans. I’m the one that’s always saying we are from different worlds (Yeah, he stole that from me) and for good reason. 

But over the years, I’ve become fond of humans. No immortal makes art like them. I may not remember my time as a mortal, but there are works that give me a sense of nostalgia. Sometimes I think I can remember being a child myself, standing in a field like in Monet painting, staring at the wheatstacks and waiting for the miller to come. 

The thought of Matthew playing with them makes me sick. It’s like even after all the years of him living amongst them, he thinks of them as props in his twisted play. It’s even worse that he’s doing this to children. 

I can’t help but think something went really wrong with my husband when I wasn’t looking. At the very least, I’m planning on divorcing him. But would I be the asshole if I killed him too?

 Separating from him will be violent and messy. There will likely be human casualties. But I don’t see any other way. So, I ask.

AITA for divorcing my husband for lying to me about his human job?

----

Thanks for reading! I loved answering some of the responses I got when I first posted this over on my Patreon (X)!

These collaborative story telling pieces are the highlight of my week. Next week's story is about a witch who wants to know if she should attend her high school reunion even though she's responsible for stripping two former classmates of their magic...

Please check that out here (X) if you''d like early access! Otherwise I'll see y'all next week :)

[ccl-c]

i procrastinated on this for months and it didn't even take that long to finish lol things got very bad at work this year and i just didn't have the energy but i'm really happy with how it turned out!

(edit: thank you so much to everyone enjoying this piece! i'm so happy there are more people thinking about his prosthetic leg.)

some of my favourite details and long self-indulgent ramble below the cut.

as much as i love the unicorn leg in the show i really wish they gave izzy an actual post-amputation swordfight scene, which probably would imply a more practical prosthesis because honestly that candle scene looks very painful and pretty difficult to adapt in combat. so basically i wanted him to have a prosthesis that could work.

for the poses i mostly just took basic right-handed cavalry sabre movements that would need lots of force and/or mobility from the left leg (actually all of them do otherwise he'd lose stability which is a big no but well i did not consider the basic steps nor special ones such as the balestra because they're not very clear to draw. i included a flèche though because i just really, really want to see him do flèches (no more modern rules aha!!); i doubt he'd like it since it's very risky but it would be so fucking awesome. imagine him just darting full-speed at the opponent and passing through them sliding the sabre right between their ribs. the sabre isn't a pointy weapon especially since his is quite curved which makes piercing trickier than slashing (it would be a lot easier with a rapier or an épée; i like to imagine that stede prefers the rapier and makes every opponent who believes rapiers aren't fit for combat reconsider it) but hell that would just look amazing. although looking at it again i probably drew the footwork more like a pass forward …). now thinking about it i should have included a salute because he'd absolutely do that and make everyone do it in unison at the start of training sessions and it's just a cool series of gestures (i haven't gone through the historical documents yet but the salute our historical fencing club do consists of two appels (striking the ground with the forward foot which in izzy's case is the right foot), then raising the sword to the sky, then pulling the guard of the sword near the jaw with the tip pointing upwards, then pointing the sword down forward, usually a bit to the exterior for single-handed swords. this is the short version; we did the complete version of that salute precisely once and i seriously cannot remember either the year it was formalised or how it was done exactly. i think it was somewhere near the end of the 18th century and there was half a step forward and maybe a step on the spot at the beginning. if i ever find it or we ever do it again i'll update here we did it again! the complete version from the 1877 regulation under napoleon iii for the french army, as our master remembers, includes a process of going from standing to a tierce stance in the beginning and it's like this: start from a standing position with heels kept together and the sword to the front pointing downwards, then slowly raise the sword with the arm extended until that the point is about at eye level, bend the arm to finish on the tierce or sixte hand position depending on the sword (sabre and rapier typically use the tierce while épée typically uses the sixte although tierce works too; longsword would also use the sixte unless you're doing the more dramatic guards like porta di ferro or posta della donna and then i guess that's a high seconde if you squint hard? but it's not used in the army lol imagine that. and bayonet has a whole different salute), then start folding the legs while keeping the heels together and when you can't go any lower, move the front foot forward to the en garde feet position. and then tap twice on the ground etc.). also i feel like the dagger doesn't really look right ever since i saw the daggers and little swords at the exhibition about knights in nantes … anyway.

the prosthesis is loosely based on those 16th-century moveable leg prostheses by ambroise paré (on a side note, he made hand prostheses too and i think they're good references for spanish jackie's hand), douglas bly's above-knee prosthesis in the 19th century and modern running prosthetic legs (for the need of explosive force typical in lunges) as well as historical fencing and buhurt (full-armour medieval combat) gears. although i'm horrible at physics and have forgotten what little ergonomics i learned at university so it probably won't work in reality lol.

the text is in french simply because i learned fencing in french and didn't want to make mistakes in the vocabulary. the small words from left to right top to bottom are: motion (movement?), knee (front), knee (back), ankle & foot, locked, flèche (as in fencing; the word itself means “arrow”), unlocked (middle french spelling because i like it and it's not completely anachronistic i guess), lunge, en garde position in tierce (i somehow can't find any fixed way to say this in english; it's just the basic stance with the third hand position). the text on the left is probably quite awkward honestly but i can't not put it there because it's fun lol it reads “leg and foot prosthesis designed for first mate hands, by doctor roach with the assistance of frenchie, realised (built? made? constructed? manufactured?) by black pete and wee john feeney and the entirety of the crew of the revenge under co-captains stede bonnet and edward teach, illustrated by lucius spriggs”. so yes any mistake in there is theirs and not mine lmao (no). the font is very loosely based on my memory of jean jannon's regular and italic typefaces. i adore his italics; it's the prettiest, most delicate italics i've ever seen.

i still have other drawing ideas for ofmd but i'm also into a lot of other things now … i'll probably get to them a few months later.

[bigfan-fanfic]

The Science of a Good Outfit (Male!Reader x Jayce Talis)

An assistant.

Jayce has never had one of those before. Not for something so... unscientific.

But Mel had offered to put him in touch with someone, and he had been loathe to refuse such a kind gesture.

So now you are assistant to the Man of Progress, organizing his social engagements and business meetings.

He frowns softly as he sees you waiting outside the lab.

"Oh, no."

You chuckle sympathetically. "You need to make an appearance at House Tariost's gala."

"Didn't they just have one?" he asks weakly.

"That was two months ago. You've been in the lab a LOT lately." you inform him, smirking at the poor man's excuses.

He sighs. "You'll be there?"

"Of course, Jayce." you say softly, getting another little thrill from how he seeks your stability, wants to depend on you.

He gives a little sigh of relief, and you almost find it cute how he doesn't even take you for granted.

If Councilor Medarda can't attend, you act as attache for Jayce, helping him remember names, charm and make deals, and maintain alliances.

But he's become close enough to you that he shares his genuine toothy smiles and stupid jokes with you that would look too unprofessional in front of the Councilors or even Mel.

You smile and wave at Viktor as the door closes. Like usual, he barely notices, still engrossed in their project, the next wave of Hextech.

You lead him to the apartments he's secured for himself - no more relying on the Kirramans to house him in some swanky top-floor of some street-level building, he's now in the towers themselves, near his lab.

"I've already got your clothes together." you mention offhandedly, and he chuckles.

"What, Mel thinks I can't pick out my own outfit?" he jokes, a little weariness creeping into his voice.

You chuckle and help him out of the overcoat he wears. "I think Councilor Medarda has a high amount of faith in you."

"Just not enough to let me wear something normal?"

You laugh. "Normal? Like your lab clothes?"

"Yeah. Imagine me, rubbing sooty elbows with the upper crust."

"That would be a sight. Hoskel would probably have some kind of attack."

You laugh, but it dies as Jayce removes his shirt and walks into the bathroom. His own chuckles disguise the silence.

You clear your throat and hand him the silky black shirt you had set out for him, trying not to stare at his well-formed muscles.

He sighs at the suit you have laundered and pressed. "Tell me, why does it matter this much which suit I wear?"

"Clothes make the man, Jayce." you respond softly. "In each thread are a hundred little details that can mean the difference between Hextech's success or failure. The success or failure of everyone involved."

He raises an eyebrow skeptically, and you help tie the vibrant red tie while he buttons the shirt. "Color, style - these indicate allegiances. Too similar, if you copy someone, it's a subtle attack. Complement, don't copy."

Next comes the vest and jacket, crisp and white. "Clothes, cut the right way, obscure anything out of the norm - it helps you depersonalize yourself. Others stop viewing you as what you are and start to see what you represent."

You help him apply the decorative red leather pauldrons. "Ornamentation can intimidate, add broadness and strength, exaggerate your silhouette. When dealing with these people, it's suggestion and innuendo that matter, a game where theoretically anyone can make a move at any time, but the implication is more effective."

He still doesn't seem convinced, and you turn him in the mirror. The vest corrects the slight slouch in his posture, making him stand tall. The pauldrons broaden and sharpen his stature, making him appear perfectly muscular rather than bulky. The suit jacket enhances the effect with its cut, making his waist appear more narrow.

"Wow. You've really got this down to a science, huh?"

You chuckle and pat his shoulder. "It helps having such a good baseline. You'd look good in anything."

"Ah, so it doesn't matter what I wear!" he teases.

You laugh. "I got you a present."

He suddenly clams up. "You... you did?"

You nod and grab a small lacquered box from your satchel. He opens it, revealing the T-shaped hammer crest of House Talis.

"This is..."

"A tie pin." You explain, helping him put it on. "It may not have been recommended by Councilor Medarda, but... I thought you'd like it."

He grins his toothy grin at you and wraps his arms around you.

You balk for just a moment, afraid to rumple his clothes, but you sink into the warmth and comfort, leaning into the hug.

"I love it. I... thank you, Y/N."

"Anytime, Jayce."

[spacemothsota]

The leadership structure of the Seekers

The Winglord theme is actually so interesting in itself. I like that most people in the fandom somehow unanimously decided that such a position exists, and it makes sense since the cities on Cybertron are city-states, meaning they have a local ruler/government and other structures.

On the other hand, it seems to me that Winglord should not only be a position of power, but also full of obligations. What is Winglord for? (Obviously, for governance, but its position cannot be just a privilege). What obligations can this position bear for the one who occupies this position. Here are my couple of ideas.

It seems to me that the Seekers' leadership structure is actually arranged like that of birds. Birds in nature do not actually have a leader. This concept simply goes to the oldest and most experienced birds, who stand at the head of the wedge. It is no secret that humanity, in its desire to conquer the skies, focused on birds, but what if Cybertronians do it differently? What if, in fact, Winglord is not a title earned by birth or inheritance like the same kings, but a title given to the most experienced flyer among all? Sounds good, plus it would explain why Starscream takes this place.

A Winglord is not a title that can be inherited, it is a calling that a true ace of his craft receives, anyone, be it forged or constructed, can receive it, age also plays no role. There is no luck or fortune in the sky, only cold calculation and the risk that the pilot is willing to take. In the process, you either succeed or die, there is no other way from it. A Winglord is a master of his craft, any noble king or general he will displace from their position with his skill. His task is to teach young seekers to reach their level of skill, as well as to provide weaker brothers with safety. If you give a Winglord a choice between his brothers and an imaginary leader (usually a bot, not necessarily having a flying altform), then he will choose his brothers. The duty of a Winglord is to care for the well-being of everyone, regardless of social status or work. If the previous Winglord dies, his fellow triads must take it upon themselves to finish his work, keeping the Seeker community safe and in order until a new bot can be chosen to take his place. Like birds in a flock, the Winglord and his fellow triads must lead their charges to a better future. (They do not have to be ready for this, as leadership can never be. Experience in leading others always comes with experience.)

I would compare Winglord to a person who received the flame of Prometheus for the first time. It is not only a blessing, but also the greatest duty to distribute this flame to everyone. An obligation that does not allow you to chicken out and retreat. I think Winglord's obligations consist mainly of preserving the number of seekers, he cannot allow even the weak to die, since this is a risk of losing the chance for the development of their society, losing the much-needed and vital primacy in the sky (flight is life). It can also be a vision of treaties, about better supplies, in exchange for the energon they found, they could set their own conditions (perhaps one of these conditions once became the city of Vos, because having your own city/settlement, you could avoid discrimination). The amount of obligations may vary depending on the political situation of Cybertron (I think during the golden age or pre-war period, Winglord was a status similar to King and was inherited because it greatly limited the seeker society, focusing them not on mastery but on the "military" path. This was a guarantee of stability, although it could cause unrest in the seeker society).

Many write that Starscream Winglord, probably during the war that we see in the comics, this is indeed true. Vos fell, the wonderful city in the "heavens" was destroyed, like other cities. There is a possibility that many senior Seekers who were there could have died. Starscream has always been ambitious, but as much as he craves leadership, he is also a master in flying (let's not deny it, after all, he hardly got his position only because of the "Beautiful Scarlet Optics"). Starscream not only could, but probably was a good leader for his comrades. He was definitely not ideal, but he learned this gradually gaining experience. Starscream has all the good qualities of a leader: charisma, intelligence, oratory skills. It probably also kept him in the position of Winglord for a long time, and also this management experience helped him become a good leader after the war (and although this is debatable, but I consider him a better leader than Windblade. He knew what problems Cybertronian society could face after such a long war. About those problems that preceded the war. He knew what he was managing, that he had the best potential… Honestly, this makes him even more tragic in my eyes)

Winglord is a duty to move society forward and take care of it, a guarantee of progress. Stagnation for this status means loss of independence for all seekers.

[sai-int]

what do you think 141 men's sun signs would be? (phillip graves and keegan included, if you headcanon them as well)

what do you think?

okay, i don't know HOW you knew i'm an astrology nerd, but i am. i won't go too in depth about their entire charts, but i can definitely figure out some sun signs based on who they are on a surface level!!

⸝⸝ john

a bonafide taurus, through and through (twinsies!!!). dependable, grounded, and a natural leader. he’s EXTREMELY protective over his men, stubborn to a fault, and always (tries to) keep a level head. he enjoys life’s finer things (like a good cigar and whiskey), but he’s also pragmatic and values stability. definitely the type to be patient, but once he’s pushed too far? unmovable.

⸝⸝ simon

a scorpio. intense, mysterious, and deeply private, embodies everything about this water sign. he keeps his emotions locked away, but when he loves, he does it with his whole soul (johnny). he’s the type to hold a grudge for life and operates in extremes, either you have his loyalty, or you don’t. his sense of humor is dark and dry, plus he thrives in the shadows.

⸝⸝ johnny

he's a tough one to call!! but i've settled on saggitarius. he's all firecracker energy, optimistic, adventurous, and constantly trying to beat someone up, shoot someone, or blow something up. he's a fucking dems expert. sagittarius fits him like a glove. PLUS, he’s got that infectious, chaotic charm and can talk his way out of (or into) anything. he doesn’t like being tied down, but when he’s dedicated to something, he gives it his all. the kind of guy who jokes to lighten the mood even in the worst situations, i mean come on. did you see him in las almas?

⸝⸝ kyle

LIBRA LIBRA LIBRA LIBRA. i have a libra rising so i feel so in touch with his sense of justice. for me personally, nothing enrages me more than seeing something just blatantly wrong. i mean think about the first modern warfare. man wanted to get his hands DIRTY for the greater good, or whatever. he felt it necessary in order to balance the scales, and libra's allllll about scales. he's also the mediator of the group, quick-witted, and socially adaptable. he knows how to navigate tense situations and keeps a cool head. libras are also deeply loyal to their people, and gaz would go to hell and back for his team. also he's fucking HOT, libra's ruled by venus.

⸝⸝ graves

a textbook leo and i'm not hearing anything else. charismatic, confident, and so good at making people believe in him. he carries himself like he’s the main character and knows how to command attention. but there’s that classic leo downside too, pride. his downfall is his ego, his need to be in control. he thrives in leadership positions and loves to be admired, but when his authority is challenged? that’s when the claws come out (e. g. "you've got about five seconds before i show you the difference between military, and me.")

⸝⸝ keegan

SUCH a capricorn and you cannot tell me otherwise. hes that no-nonsense, disciplined, get-shit-done type, which screams capricorn. he’s serious, hardworking, and has that quiet intensity that makes people take him seriously. capricorns are known for their sarcasm and dry humor, and keegan definitely embodies that. he’s also fiercely loyal. once you earn his trust, he’ll go to war for you.

⸝⸝ könig

a fun one to pin down. i’m torn between virgo and cancer, but i’m leaning more toward virgo.

he’s meticulous, observant, and highly analytical, classic virgo traits. virgos are often perfectionists, which fits with könig’s overthinking and anxiety. he strategizes everything, calculates risks, and probably notices details no one else does. he’s reserved but has a deeply anxious side, especially in social situations, which aligns with the more introverted nature of virgos. my sister's a virgo and has some ocd problems, but by god, there's a method to her madness and when she gets shit done, it's done well. virgos are also dangerous when they’ve had enough. they hold in a lot, but when they snap? it’s brutal.

[saveahorserideaneddie]

DISCLAIMER: i have not watched the full episode yet because i was not home (i’ll be watching tomorrow and might live post i might not it just depends lol) but i do wanna say this about eddie confronting helena (spoilers ahead)

while it would have been satisfying to see eddie screaming at helena, i think him just plainly spelling it out for her is so much more poetic and shows just how much he’s grown as a father and as a character

in earlier interactions with his parents where he is either attempting to stand up for himself or tell them off for something, eddie gets very defensive and argumentative- it’s a trait that a lot of us who grew up in any kind of abusive household, both emotional or physical, tend to develop, and eddie is the poster child for defensive reactions rather than standing firm. we’ve seen this in so many other situations where he’s immediately jumped into the fight willing just for the chance go get a jab at the other- he did it with shannon, with his parents, with buck, with bobby… he constantly is throwing himself into the fight, adding fuel to the flame rather than standing firm on his feet, remaining steadfast in whatever situation he found himself in.

that’s not what he did here.

here, he stood his ground and didn’t become accusatory or defensive in his confrontation with helena- he brushed off her attempts at tearing him down rather than reacting to them, something he has not been known to do before. it shows a level of emotional maturity and control that we have not seen from him before, because usually his defensive reaction stems from an inner voice telling him that whoever he’s arguing with is right- that he is a bad father, that chris is better off without him- he truly believed these things about himself, and as a trauma response, he would escalate things.

it wasn’t until buck and christopher (mainly christopher as his son because right now that’s what he needs to hear the most) sat him down and told him what a great dad he is that he actually started to believe it

and in that moment of helena attempting to drag him down again, he instead stood tall, took her words in stride, and calmly told her she was wrong- even explaining how she was wrong. he didn’t let her words get to him and rile him up. he remained stable- which is what helena has been shouting at him for years: “chris needs stability”

and finally, eddie has that stability and has shown that he has that stability and that strength to finally say “no- i am a good dad! a damn good one too. chris doesn’t need you because now i know i have everything he needs and i now trust that i have everything he needs.”

and that to me is all the more poetic and satisfying because it means helena has no room to try and twist it back on him this time- he’s taken all of her cards, and left her with nothing else to play.

(also- i think him not screaming at his parents in front of chris is also a great tool to showcase just how different he is from them, especially since we know ramon was always harsh and angry with him as a child; he refuses to let chris ever see that side of him because he doesn’t want to be a copy of his dad)

anyway like i said, im just going off the gifs and clips ive seen, as well as other people’s posts, but i was actually very very happy with how they handled that confrontation. ik i complain about the writers a lot, and i do think if they had dedicated the whole episode to eddie (even though i would have hated missing out on a rare henisode) they would have been able to explore a lot more without stretching this arc out even more which is just going to lead to them not having enough time to fully flesh out the whole arc by the end of the season- which means we’re either faced with this arc continuing into 9a (which… so unnecessary) or it gets rushed and then we’re left with another half-assed conclusion to an eddie arc (but then tim wouldn’t have been able to force another one of his fusion fics into the season so 🙄)

[neo-exploded]

vat7k headcanons + extras part TWO!!!!!!!!

< part 1

(orange still means other characters btw)

(also also guys please feel free to use these headcanons in your works! just pls pls pls let me see the finished product i beg) (and also credit ig but u already knew that I HOPE)

headcanons

The best way to describe Hugo is a cartoon. Like he’s the type to say “It’s right behind me, isnt it”, to leave a Hugo-shaped hole in the ground or wall when/if that happens, use “NUNYA BUSINESS” jokes on everyone, as well as the cheesiest pick up lines ever known to man (“On a scale of 1 to 10, you’re a 9-“ “EXCUSE ME???” “-and im the 1 you need🫰😼” “Bitch im a 12”)

^^ Also Hugo and Varian are the types of people to constantly interrupt someone with an “Urm, actually!”

^^ Okay I lied all of them do this. Nuru specifically when someone is talking about astronomy and Yong about pyrotechnics.

If I had to make each member of Team Radical an animal, it would look like this ok: Varian - raccoon, Hugo - Mouse, Nuru - Peacock, Yong - Ferret (alternatives: snake, fox, cat, and salamander)

Nuru and Varian are like super similar when it comes to their forms of combat. Kind of.

^^ Ok so Varian tends to keep himself rather stable during battles, if you get what I mean, but sometimes he will let that stability slip and go a little crazy (like S1 finale crazy) for purposes of combat ONLY. Varian is very disappointed to use it to his advantage most of the time.

^^ Nuru is somewhat like this in the case where she just goes batshit insane. I genuinely cannot describe how she acts in words but imagine April O'Neil from ROTTMNT. That's Nuru. Give her a weapon and she will beat an enemy to the ground so long someone else has to pry her away.

Yong smells like sulfur and gunpowder the majority of the time. Hugo smells like motor oil and cinnamon. Varian smells like apples and wild raccoon. Nuru smells elegant, like tons of flowers mixed together. Or coconut.

Yong was also a Flynn Rider fanboy, just not as much of a fan as 14 y/o Varian since he had much less books and merch growing up. When the group found out Varian was actually best friends—better yet, COUSINS—with legendary Flynn Rider, you can imagine how Yong reacted.

Hugo is terrified of dogs. I imagine that in lower levels of Ingvarr there were a bunch of dirty and abandoned dogs that Hugo did not appreciate tearing into his stuff and almost biting off his limbs.

Nuru can tell the difference between multiple kinds of flowers. She was the main reason nobody stepped in anything poisonous.

Yong is best friends with Hector’s bearcats and rhino. Hector took him for a ride on the rhino around the Dark Kingdom when they arrived for that trial.

^^ Referenced in my last post, but Adira gave Nuru advanced lessons on sword fighting and offered a much larger, sharper sword in replacement for Nuru’s fencing one she brought when she joined.

Varian hates seafood, specifically any with tentacles (cough cough Zhan Tiri cough) but he is great at catching the fish. Perks of growing up on a farm where Corona gets most of their imports from.

^^ Hugo is kind of the opposite, just as long as the food isn’t deadly, he can eat it. Nuru tries to keep an open mind to some foods but growing up in royalty gave her some bias towards some foods and against others. Yong just cares if it tastes good or not.

Cassandra revealed Varian's old crush on her to the team, and Varian was just about 1 centimeter away from tossing acid on himself then off a cliff.

Yong screams the loudest, highest, and longest. Nobody can beat him, they tried.

*Imagine Varian stretching* Hugo: "ooou big stretch" Varian: "shut the fuck up"

Hugo has the sharpest sneer/smirk ever and he uses it like a weapon, and Nuru has the NASTIEST MOST DISGUSTED STINK EYE so any time the team meets up post-VAT7K, Hugo and Nuru would sit in the background and gossip/mock arrogant and rude nobles whenever they were in Corona

(This depends on whether or not I decide to keep Ulla alive after the library but in this case she does live) After the library, Varian stayed in Old Corona for about a week to help mend the relationship between his parents. And it was so awkward.

Hugo and Cyrus have a sibling kind of relationship if the older sibling constantly wants to kill themself whenever the younger is around

Yong loves to paint! He is by no means good at it, most of the time its a lot of contrasting, muddy colors with crudely made drawings, but that never stops him! Rapunzel is also so very delighted to have a painting buddy.

Varian has a love-hate relationship with hot chocolate. It's his favorite drink ever, but after about 3 cups he starts having horrible stomach aches. Varian has been found on the kitchen floor with a spilled cup of hot chocolate and clutching his stomach on multiple occasions.

Hugo is NOT A PLAYBOY and he does NOT FLIRT WITH ANYONE AND EVERYONE HE SEES. I feel like with the amount of time Hugo has spent on the street, he’d rather eat rusty metal than reveal any of his personal information to a dirty stranger.

^^ Also he’s just a complete and utter nerd, its a miracle he managed to pull Varian.

For all her scolding to the others about swearing, Nuru can be very creative with her comebacks.

Hugo swears with elements of the periodic table ("oh suck my Cobalt Carbon Potassium😾")

Varian is the theater kid of the group, if that makes sense. He is constantly singing in some form: humming the healing incantation while working, taps fingers or bounces his leg to a song he made up, BELTING OUT THE MOST HEAVENLY OF SONGS AT A RANDOM BAR BECAUSE HE CAN???? did i write this headcanon because Varian is voiced by a staple figure in theater? no no no absolutely not wtf are you thinking!!! hahahahahhahahahhahahahah

Varian gets cuddly-drunk when he drinks and Hugo gets stupid-drunk when he drinks.

As a firm "Hugo-confessed-first-in-the-library-scene" believer, I think Hugo was totally the first to fall for Varian, but instead of exploring that realization and confessing earlier, he kept it in until the library, intending to never even reveal those feelings because Hugo knows it would tear him and Varian to shreds. Hugo knew this was just a job, he’s done this before so many times, knows these kids are just expendable and he shouldnt care for them so much, but this was probably his first ever job where he didnt want to lie to their faces, instead wanting to love and be loved. But he can't. Basically the summary headcanon here is Hugo didnt want to confess at first because he knew how the ending would play out and it would hurt even more if there was a relationship to break there.

Hugo underestimated Varian their first time in bed and the next morning he thought he broke his back. And hips. Back and hips. (post-VAT7K btw)

Yong likes to run around a lot so sometimes Hugo has to hold him up so he doesn't flee into the forest.

Varian can sleep until, or even past, noon if he could. And he would. And he has.

Ok so this is a long one so strap in and whatever: Two years before VAT7K, we all know that Varian was appointed to be the ‘Royal Science Nerd’ and built perfected water heaters with his dad. In my personal theory, while the water heaters functioned much better than the first prototypes they werent completely finished i guess. like they needed constant maintenance by either Varian or Quirin post-TTS. After VAT7K though, Hugo Nuru and Yong all added their own ideas and thoughts to improve the water heaters system and Varian cried tears of joy.

When the boys arrived at Nuru’s kingdom, Hugo had caused a huge commotion beforehand and when it reached Nuru herself, she disregarded the group thinking they were troublesome and whatnot. But when she heard of how they were searching for the Eternal Library, she changed her mind and decided to aid them in the trial. But the beef between Hugo and Nuru didnt change. At first.

Varian's and Nuru's periods sync. Thats it.

During the journey to the trials, Hugo was able to tease and flirt with ease because it was technically a mask at the time, if you get what im saying ig. However, once everything was finished and Hugo started living in Corona, all that confidence and the mask was gone so now flirting was a whole new struggle with Varian, and suddenly his cheesy pick up lines were worsening!!!! oh the horror!!!

Yong is great at wearing heels. Dont ask when or why he wore them, I just know he would at one point.

Nuru can crack her knuckles very loud and she uses it as intimidation. Mostly against Hugo.

In the FUTURE, Hugo actually grows out facial hair and i guess he has a stubble or something close to that, not like a beard but something like Eugene’s goatee. And it is very sacred to Varian, so whenever Hugo tries to shave it, Varian threatens to shave the bush. Its like a rodeo with both of them holding razors and staring each other down.

Nuru is still lactose intolerant and she gets offended when offered anything with dairy. Somedays she actually doesnt care about the intolerancy and will drink milk despite it, and regret it an hour later when she gets the worst stomach cramps ever.

Whenever the team is stressed about getting to a trial in time, Donella’s crew catching up to them, or just any large-scale problem in general, they all tend to forget basic human needs like food and sleep. Therefore, whoever passes out from exhaustion first (usually Yong) is their sign that ‘oh shit we need to take a break like RIGHT NOW’ because theyre all nerds.

Fuck it, Varigo daughter’s name is Ellena, Amburu’s son name is Sora.

Yong hides his firecrackers in the weirdest places. Not even just on his person, you could find stashes of firecrackers in his bunk. Or in the laundry bin. Or in Ruddiger's coat.

Every joke or pick up line Hugo says is complimented by finger guns. everytime. Yes, Varian says its incredibly annoying and he should shut up. Yes, Varian also finds it stupidly endearing and really wants him to keep doing it forever. Also Yong picked up this habit as well so he basically does the same thing.

Varian cannot handle criticism well because, depending on his mood, he will either get very defensive or instantly try to fix it. No in between.

Hugo can go and has gone many days without showering/bathing yet manages to smell the same. It terrifies and disgusts the group.

Everyone on Team Radical is smart in their own ways, but also stupid. I dont know how but they are.

When Hugo first thought of leaving Donella to stay with Team Radical, he had to stop and sit in the forest for like an hour because how could he just think of disobeying the woman who took him in and supported him since FOREVER?

Yong likes to create different combinations of food with whatever they have in stock. Sometimes it sounds and tastes good, other times it makes the others run off into the woods in fear.

At first, Hugo used his words to show affection. Now as he gets more adjusted to life with Varian, he starts using touch and physical actions to show affection.

^^ btw, both Hugo and Varian give each other gifts as another sign of affection.

Nuru can say tongue twisters really well.

Varian has bought clothes from the soup store

Hugo's nervous tic is adjusting hair or clothing, he tries not to have one because, yk, working as a thief under Donella and nervous tics are a sign of weakness to him

^^ Varian's is biting his nails, Nuru's is figdeting with her hands or dress, and Yong's is tapping his feet or fingers.

Hugo has to always accompany Varian in any town they enter because Varian has constantly been scammed before but he can't tell when he is being scammed. Hugo, however, is a master of scams and is the one to bargain the prices. Not because he likes seeing the smile Varian gives him as a thanks, no no, never.

Hugo already kind of knew he was gay, but it was like a slap-to-the-face type of confirmation when Varian came along. Flynn Rider and Cassandra were Varians's celebrity crushes and bi awakening. Yong is here. Nuru discovered her taste in girls after VAT7K when she met with Amber for the second time. (referenced in my last post)

^^ I really want to expand more on Nuru's side but like I imagine that back at her kingdom, Nuru is always being visited by suitors but she hates it. So when Amber and Nuru finally got together she cheered realizing that meant no more suitors in her space

Varian is always warm and Hugo is always cold. Balance :)

^^ Whenever Varian was too focused on a project, Hugo would put his hands on his sides or neck because it always spooked Varian the most.

In the beginning of the journey, Nuru was very clumsy with her hands and would drop a lot of stuff when nervous. She got better at it over time as she got more comfortable outside her Kingdom

Yong's first comeback was so outrageous but it worked well enough to make Hugo shed a trademark-proud-parent-tear

One time Hugo used a "nunya business" joke on Edmund and everyone thought Hugo would be dead in a second, but the joke didn't land and Edmund just laughed in confusion. Hugo was just upset the joke didn't work while everyone else was scolding him for taunting the king

Nuru makes jokes about having the biggest dih. #shejustlikemefr

“Episode” ideas

PERSONALITY CHANGE LMAO????? like one member stays the same while the rest are swapped? Since idk who would be that one person heres all four of them— Yong: Dishonesty/Deceit , Nuru: Greed, Varian: Unresponsibility/Laziness, Hugo: Disloyalty (this one is hard pls help)

Varian and Hugo have a competition for…. literally everything. Who makes alchemy faster? Who can fix the caravan fastest? Who cooks faster and better? Who gathers the most supplies? Who can get them to the next destination faster? Stuff like that.

Nuru and Yong gets fed up with Hugo and Varian arguing and locks them in the caravan with some escape room type puzzle to solve?? i dont know

Varian and Hugo pretending to be dating/married (your pick) in a ball :PPPP and they HATE IT (lies)

Yong becomes the leader of an ancient civilization and goes on a power-trip. Can you tell this was inspired by the Pascal Episode in season 2?

Team Radical goes through a blizzard. Varian reacts really well!

Basically the Chase Episode from ATLA but with Team Radical constantly running from Donella’s crew for like three days straight and everyone is pissed.

In one of the kingdoms Team Radical visits, there is a Science Expo being hosted and Varian almost loses his shit when he sees that St. Croix dude again. They each enter their own products while simultaneously trying to sabotage each other. Nobody in team radical wins, because Yong exploded something and they ran. Hugo stole the 1st place medal though so its all okay.

Day in the life of Team Radical!

Prison break Hugo out of a jail cell because he sucks at his job and everyone is mad.

Varian rips one of his outfits and Nuru brings him to a nearby town for a shopping spree. Meanwhile, Yong and Hugo commit crimes or something.

Yong believes in ghosts and tries to convince Team Radical to investigate this haunted cottage they just found to prove his point. I dont know how this would end, so you guys tell me in the comments or reblogs.

Modern AU:

What kind of hate comments would they use?

Yong: “and the crowd leaves🔥🔥🔥”, “i don’t remember placing this brick”, “just put the fries in the bag bro…”, “ok so this is actually insane”, “im telling a trusted adult”, “you know what HELL YEAH🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️”, “are you with us?”, “yeah this generation is cooked🥀🥀”, “nurse its awake”

Varian: “oh that’s not…”, “we are the most advanced species btw 💔”, “hope this helps!”, “ai could never recreate this”, “do you do weddings?”, “here they come world ❤️ be nice to them”, “we need to open schools again”, “wait no come back”, “im gonna scroll now… okay?”

Hugo: “Post this on ig reels”, “ts pmo”, “sybau”, “are we deadass rn?”, “flying cars they said 🥀”, “pxrn healthier than ts”, “ts so funny 😭🙏 im following you home”, “keys”, “(x) in the big 25 🥀🥀”, “filmed in silence btw”

Nuru: “on MY cellular device?”, “that’s nice sweetie ❤️”, “i’m employed what does this mean?”, “and the world kept spinning”, “im gonna hold your hand when i tell you this…”, “mama a (x) behind you 💜”, “this was my first impression of you btw”

What kind of nice comments would they use?

(let me be specific here and say the only ships present here will be varigo and amburu. DO NOT be weird about this.)

Yong: “scrolling feels like a break up”, “hold on in trying to spell gorgus”, “i love you please dont explode”, “(x) IN THE BIG 25🌹🔋❤️‍🩹”, “stood up from the toilet and applauded”, “ur funny im buying you”, "i hate when people are funnier than me"

Varian: “raw, next question”, “do you do weddings? as the groom”, “whatever you say, handsome”, “”are you coming?” yeah on the screen CATCH!”, “weird way of proposing but YES”, “this made my hole week”, “hear me out….” “why he kinda…”

Hugo: “”get a load of this guy” IM TRYINGGG”, “i swear my clothes were just on”, “”his husband is so lucky” why thank you”, “i need that cookie bro….”, “smirked and rubbed my hands together like a fly”, “may this love find me and FVCK ME IN THE ASS”, “dw guys… heh… alpha’s got this 🫷😼🫸”, "#needthat"

Nuru: “rock, paper, DEFINITELY SCISSORS”, “i have nothing appropriate to say”, “BOOM SHAKALAKA YASSS GAWD”, “a tear ran down my leg…”, “who is this DIVA???”, “FACECARD SO EXPENSIVE”, “QUEEN YOU DROPPED YOUR CROWN”

General slang/comments used (also known as, me not knowing how to sort phrases)

Yong: “is this rizz?”, “double it and give it to the next person”, “the way my smile farted”, “will schools be closed because of this?”, “yes the pizza is armed”, “not a thought behind those eyes”, “i love you please dont go bald”, “haters will say its fake”, “why cant we all just hold hands and sing?”, “i cant hear you, i’m looksmaxxing”

Varian: “wait go back i wasnt recording”, “i have a boyfriend 😡”, “LOOK AT ME…. look, this isnt you🥺”, “is this real? im shaking”, “not edited, they can just do that”, “in a public server?”, “hes bald and hes torturing people who have hair!!”, “this fandom is a prison/whatever keeps the fandom alive ig…”

Hugo: “ts is FRYING ME”, “chat is this real?”, “this is just like the yaoi”, “enemies to lovers?”, “is this a sign to start gambling?”, “his greed sickens me”, “nice edit....hoe”, “not my proudest nut 🥀”, “i love whatever is wrong with u”, “did you at least kiss the brick before you threw it ta me?”

Nuru: “hit pose 28”, “thank you beyonce🙏”, “god forbid a woman have hobbies”, “❌call authorities ✅record video”, “mustve been the wind…”, “ho is u—“, “yoohoo! 👋 eyes over here!”, “you just twisted the knife.”, “is this wlw?”

What do these guys like to play?

Yong - Sandbox Games (Minecraft Creative Mode, Garry’s Mod, Roblox, Planet Zoo/Coaster) (basically any game where he can blow up stuff)

Nuru - Animal Crossing, CookieRun, The Sims

Varian - FNaF, Raft, Terraria, Cuphead, Mario Kart, Minecraft but survival mode

Hugo - Spider-Man games, Legend of Zelda, Subnautica, also FNaF & Mario Kart

Ok I lied they all play Minecraft. What do they like to do in the game?

Yong: Collect cats, dogs, axolotls, search for the Mushroom Island, kill Hugo, set fire to abandoned villages, try to sleep in the nether, asks Varian to get an elytra for him, has the biggest chicken farm. just chickens., owns 2 shulker boxes full of TNT, tries to keep a charged creeper as a pet, has a sheep named _jeb and dinnerbone

Nuru: Collect flowers to dye stuff, build and decorate elaborate houses, kill Hugo, trade with villagers (she has the best trading system out of all of them), become the richest, create most effective mob xp farm with Varian, creates a horse stable with the fastest horses only. slow horses go to Hugo.

Varian: Actually beat the damn game, craft best armour and weapons, kill Hugo, mine for materials, create the biggest farms ever (food and xp), making maps despite not ever using or needing it, display Ender Dragon head in his base because he killed it first, enact revenge when it is stolen, find a dog and name it Ruddiger

Hugo: Grief the others builds, steal Varian's armour and weapons, get killed by everyone, enslave villages, discover monuments for loot (he knows every trap in each structure), having the biggest supply of meat, get killed by mobs first, built a mob slaughter house (lava pit), find a cat and name it Olivia, establish trade deal with Yong (explosives for meat supply)

[cenorii]

Drunken theory about EYES

Let's get away from game conventions and the fact that Capcom could have trivially forgotten or left something out. I wrote this theory under temperature, so there is a certain level of absurdity present, especially since I dreamed it and that was the reason for writing it. I warned you!

Until there is an official explanation, this article is up to date.

What is this theory about? It's about both Wesker's eyes and PG67A/W. It's about why his eyes change color and what it depends on.

So, let's talk about PG67A/W first. It is not officially known when exactly this serum was created, but I believe it is definitely after 2003. That's when Wesker merged with Tricell, because the syringe has their brand label on it. He needs PG67A/W to «stabilize the force». But what is this «stabilization» really? We don't really know what happens to Wesker without the serum. The game says that he loses strength without it and so he needs the serum to stabilize his body, but I have a different opinion, which I'll tell you in a moment.

Between 1998 and 2003, Wesker is unable to use PG67A/W because it has not yet been invented. However, the powers he gained from the virus have not left him during these 5 years, he is far beyond a normal human. While fighting Sergei and his Ivans in 2003 (Umbrella Chronicles) he displayed his standard set of abilities. The only thing he lacked was speed, the same speed in re5.

We conclude that he only needs PG67A/W to have speed. It was speed and reaction that he «lost» when Chris and Sheva injected him with an overdose of PG67A/W in re5. However, the strength remained the same, thanks to it, he punched the rocket with Uroboros with his arm.

In fact, if you give him an extra dose of PG67A/W, he doesn't lose any of his abilities, including his speed. Wesker's body is only overloaded, which causes a severe headache as his body tries to cope with the strain. His powers then increase even more, causing them to become difficult to control. When Chris injected him with an extra dose again, his strength became not just difficult, but impossible to control, and he gave up speed altogether, because it was trivially useless.

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

Now that we've dealt with how the serum works, let's talk about the abnormality of his eyes. Wesker's eye color is closely related to his ability status. I'll go into detail in a moment.

To make it easier to understand what I'm talking about, we need to trace the entire history of the change. In the fandom, it is commonly believed that his eyes were originally blue, and after the virus injection, they became permanently red-orange. But what if I told you that they change color all the time?

Re1 it's simple - blue. This is the very beginning of the story, so this color is taken as the standard color.

Then the Umbrella Chronicles plot happens, where his eyes changed color for the first time (in the timeline of the story).

The red glow is something similar to re5, however it momentarily goes out, returning his eyes to a blue color, but why? It's really unclear why they're still blue here if the game was released in 2007, long after Code Veronica (2000), in which his eyes were redesigned long ago.

Is the old color persisting not because of Capcoms inattention, but because of canonical processes in his body? The eyes can't instantly change their appearance and need time to fully mutate? We'll come back to that.

Ibid, in Umbrella Chronicles, his eyes are no longer blue in the official material.

Wesker then appears in Code Veronica and there his eyes have the familiar orange look for the first time (according to the games release chronology), like on official Umbrella Chronicles materials.

Given that the events here take place in 1998, like re1, one can really assume that Wesker needed some time to mutate fully.

In 2002, Wesker appears in Operation Javier (Darkside Chronicles, 2009), his eyes blue again.

In 2003, one of the storylines of Umbrella Chronicles and Prelude to the Fall, his eyes came back to design from Code Veronica.

In 2005, when re4 released his eyes are blue again. I could say that this was allowed by accident, when Wesker's model, from the re1 remake, Capcom simply forgot to change the eye color. But that theory is ruined by one small fact... the remake.

In the re4 remake, his eyes aren't orange either (actually they are orange, but human).

They're not blue, of course, but different from Code Veronica, suggesting that his eyes probably do lose their inhuman appearance over time, slowly turning into normal eyes. In Code Veronica, they're orange because Wesker is at the peak of his powers, but over time he weakens, his eyes change, and he needs PG67A/W to get things back to the way they were, only with bonuses like reaction and speed.

And by the way, in the concepts for re5 there's a shot where Wesker's eyes regain their blue color. If even at the stage of game development Capcom thought about this feature, when the developers already had several games where his eye color varied, then it can be considered a canonical feature. We take into account not only this concept, which was not included in the game, but also the eye from the remake of re4, which does not look like Code Veronica or re5 at all.

In standard form, after taking PG67A/W and\or at the peak of his powers, Wesker's eyes look like this. Essentially identical to Code Veronica, it just looks better due to the graphics.

My conclusion: the color of his eyes directly shows the state of strength. Weakened body - first the pupil changes, becoming round again, and then the color already changes, gradually «dimming» in approaching the original (blue) color. After taking the serum - red or orange color with a narrow pupil. The blue color could mean complete weakness, but judging by re4r, he doesn't drive himself to that extreme state, so it's unlikely Capcom will ever show such a thing again. The only time his mutated eyes have been blue canonically is Umbrella Chronicles, but there it's due (presumably) to the mutation not being completed yet, and also in Darkside Chronicles.

Yes, I actually had a dream that I was writing this theory, but I had to do some brainstorming to turn it into something readable, as well as gather material. Don't take it too seriously.

[crypt1dcorv1dae]

I never see anybody talk about how at one point in the comics gar was canonically an addict like can we talk about this can we explore this more???????

And like, the thing is it is absolutely something you need to do your research on and actually try to UNDERSTAND if you're going to do anything with it, but it's also something that I feel... Genuinely makes... A lot of sense for his character, and should be an aspect included in more of his stories. I feel like more people are understanding and acknowledging he's a fundamentally traumatized and mentally ill character and you really can't divorce him from that without changing him entirely and giving NO reason for Why He's Like This aside from ... Idk... Immaturity, but I feel like a reliance and addiction to drugs, specifically sleeping pills in the comics and the YJ cartoon, is something that.. fits, very clearly, into the other patterns of Who He Is.

Like, he's experienced non stop trauma since an extremely young age, he's been a victim of abuse, which means he almost DEFINITELY has nightmares like probably every other hero out there. he canonically has anger issues he tries REALLY HARD to keep under control but his inner monologue and when he's alone he gets very negative, and sometimes lashes out at people who, usually, just want to help. he's depressed, he seems to struggle to make genuine connections with people even tho he desperately needs closeness and affection (probably part of why he acts so flirty, he wants physical closeness but lacks the stability to really let himself get close emotionally, his goofy nature is also a way to keep people at a distance without pushing them away completely. He wants them close, but not close enough to see who he actually is), he canonically jokes all the time because otherwise he would be depressed, so he's always running from his real feelings by putting on a mask and pretending to be something he's not, or at least a different version of himself that isn't totally genuine (it's an aspect of him, sure, he is genuinely a fun loving silly guy, but most of the time it's also just... A self defense mechanism from reality and HIMSELF) and so much more like. Idk man.

All of that adds up to a very traumatized person with avoidant tendencies who actively tries not to think about anything bad, sad, upsetting, and... That's all stuff that often leads people towards dependence and addiction of various kinds. You see it in other characters like Roy Harper for all the same reasons, tbh... They're actually pretty similar dudes depending on what versions you're looking at. Same w Dick Grayson, tho afaik he's never had a drug problem, Im p sure he HAS has alcohol problems.

All of them were just silly ass kids who got into the hero business way too young, had awful shit happen to them before and/or during, and did what they had to do to try to cope.

If anything I've said about Roy or dick is incorrect, pls correct me! I don't know their lore quite as well as I know my Dear Boy, Garfield's... But I do think that despite the difference in age (which rlly isn't much, especially once they're all adults) these three could all probably get a lot out of like. Just. Talking to each other. Mask off, literally, no sugarcoating, they all know how shit REALLY works, they could be honest with each other, ykno? But also I think gar and dick should fist fight in a Denny's parking lot at 3 am. Does that make sense?

(also btw most references I make to "canon" are what was true prior to all the retcons, so anything from 1960s-2011 I believe? Bc everything they did with him since then except for a few things more recently have been absolute trash garbage, they're only in the last few years actually taking the character seriously again and still haven't really... Normalized ? To like... A consistent level of seriousness and consistent lore and shit. So I'm not taking any of that into consideration for this particular analysis/exploration, plus I haven't actually READ most of it so I can't rlly speak on more than just small details I know to be true like: canon healing factor WOOO this boy is HARD TO KILL, BABYYYY GIVE IT UP FOR ANIMAL DNA KEEPING HIM ALIVE DESPITE IT ALL)

[morganski-19]

Bobby reuniting with his family - 9-1-1 8x11 Spoilers below

I really liked this storyline for Bobby. I think adding in the dynamics between him and his estranged family was a nice change of pace compared to his other storylines. It also connects the backstory we learned about Bobby from season 7, which was nice to see that get brought up and not just permanently forgotten.

And the dynamics between Bobby, Charlie, and Ann were very interesting to see. I had this thought before the episode about whether or not they were going to do a story inspired by the Prodigal Son, and they did, just not the way I had thought.

I had initially thought it would be interesting to see the two brothers play out the Prodigal son story, as they both had their loyalties to a different parent, and were both the son that stayed and the Prodigal son in a way. However, that's not exactly what happened.

What really happened, at least in my interpretation, was that Charlie was the father, Bobby was the prodigal son, and Ann was more the role of the son that stayed.

I mean this because it's very clear that Bobby is the prodigal son in this instance because he left Ann and Charlie on his own terms and placed that no contact between them.

However, the story differs from the traditional story because Charlie, who would typically represent the son that stayed, was welcoming to Bobby in the same way that the father was in the story, where Ann was resistant to it much like the son that stayed.

Which I think is very interesting considering the last time we saw Charlie and Ann in the flashbacks in season 7.

Because Charlie, now that him and his mom have left his dad, could grow to replace his father's role. Since his mother is so eccentric in her profession and life, he can fulfill that role of stability and wisdom, trying to keep her extreme on level ground. And we kind of see that in this episode, where he's trying to bring Bobby back into their family and forgive the distance between all of them.

Where Ann doesn't want to reach out because she doesn't feel like she should or have to. And is confrontational toward Bobby.

Seeing Charlie be that open, loving, and grounded archetype was an interesting dynamic to see, as it wasn't one that I thought we were going to. However, it was nice to see that him and Bobby still hold so much love for each other, and that Charlie will always be open to welcoming Bobby back into his home.

Now, we get to the parent reconciliation portion of the episode, one that I have an interesting perspective on.

But before I get into all of that, I just want to make it very clear that I do not support 9-1-1's effort to forgive shitty parents. Nor do I think that Ann should have been forgiven by Bobby. I just am sharing a different viewpoint.

I said in my general thoughts post that I think out of all the characters, Bobby forgiving his mom makes the most sense. And after some thought, I found out the reason why.

It's because she's dying.

Now, do I think that just because shitty parents are dying, that means they should be forgiven, no I do not.

I do however know how that knowledge of someone dying can affect a person, and how despite the actions they have committed, you still grieve them.

Which is the perspective I'm sharing here.

When someone, specifically a parent, who has caused you pain dies, it's an interesting experience. It can be a relief, it can cause anger, it can cause grief. It depends on each individual and how they react to those feelings that a death such as this brings.

And with Bobby, when he deals with grief and similar emotions, it always ends up with him trying to find forgiveness, and mostly that forgiveness for himself.

So because Ann is dying, and because Bobby is a character that is constantly surrounded by situations of "what ifs", he would probably have carried some guilt in the event of his mom's death. And would have probably gone through the same motions he does here.

Forgiveness can also be multifaceted. Here, Bobby is getting rid of those "what ifs". He is forgiving himself (even when he doesn't have anything to forgive, but he doesn't always believe that) for never trying to make amends with his mother.

My only problem with this is that Ann herself got to see that forgiveness in life, which I don't think she should have. I think this whole story with Bobby could have been very impactful if it was in the aftermath of Ann's death.

Overall, I liked this story and thought it was a very nice change of pace from Bobby's typical stories.

And Bobby and Athena are finally going to have a house, thank god.

[bitter-bats-cult-of-the-moon]

Demon or Deity? Deciphering Spirits

How to Confirm That You’re Talking to a God or Goddess

You can thank St. Augustine of Hippo for this. In the early 5th century, he wrote a theological essay against Paganism titled, “On the Divination of Demons.”

St. Augustine’s mother was Christian, and his father was Pagan. He understood both sides. He wrote many philosophical arguments for Christianity, his largest being The City of God.

In "On the Divination of Demons," Augustine fought back against an Oracle predicting the invasion of Serapis's temple. He argued that demons spoke to this Oracle. He argued that All Pagan Gods are Demons in disguise. He ridiculed fortune tellers and future predictions comparing them to the circus.

Do the arguments hold some sort of validity?

While Spirits can impersonate Deities this guy can now be pushed away from the conversation.

I’ll ask that question again.

Can Spirits Impersonate Deities?

The short answer is Yes.

The long answer depends on your experience level and knowledge.

If you are not used to the deity’s signs and how they communicate or you do not know which red flags to look out for, you are prone to deceit.

Red Flags

Messages drastically change.

For example, recently you received a sign from the Goddess Hekate. She wants to work with you.

The next week, another message tells you that She does not like you. Deities rarely change their mind without good reason. Double-check the divination.

People do everything for you.  

Deities do not need to go through others to speak to you. Even if you cannot hear Them directly, deities can contact you in different ways. If someone else does a reading that sounds completely different, question it. Especially if it’s random and not requested. Do not use other people to translate things for you all the time. Spiritual journeys are personal. They are meant for you, and a lot of people get hurt this way. Other individuals love taking advantage of people using them for their own motives. Just be careful out there.

Overly negative or apocalyptic.

I've heard an unfortunate amount of people claim that the world was going to end after contacting their spirits. Why would they let go of any worshippers telling them that? Why would they give someone a sense that they are the chosen one? Question that. No one is special. We are all here for the human experience. Try dealing with that first even if you don’t want to.

The entity is trying to force you into things.

You do not need to answer spirits. A deity could ask you to worship Them. You can also say no. With years of experience, I have never heard of a deity punishing someone for not working with Them. If a message sounds like a threat, then question everything, and it’s probably best to ignore it.

How to Guarantee That You’re Speaking to a Deity

Ask the same question several times.

Use your preferred divination technique writing down all the answers to your questions. After one day has passed, repeat the same method rephrasing the questions asking the spirit again. Sometimes there are inconsistencies. Question what feels right and what does not.

Thoughts belong to whom?

Are the thoughts yours or are the thoughts external from you? Sometimes strong emotions are mistaken for spiritual signs. It’s easy to get caught up in your own head and let it take over hijacking the metaphysical exercise. Always question this. Did you anticipate a specific answer? This can also lead to derailment. It doesn’t hurt to ask again to gain confirmation. Before contacting your deity, stabilize your emotional state.

Gathering valuable resources.

Contrary to what I just said you can seek outside opinions for valuable resources. Become familiar with the deity’s information beforehand and ask about other peoples’ experiences. Just don’t let people take over the work or tell you how to think. Try to do the work yourself. Research is key.

Different techniques for you.

Try a different form of divination to see if the answers are around the same or greatly vary. This won’t hurt and it will help you learn more. Trust your instincts in spirit work. It’s okay to question things.

Protection orders.

If there is constant anxiety and worry, then do yourself the favor and put-up protection wards before spiritual communications begin. It will give you some peace of mind and it doesn’t hurt anything at all.

[howlsofbloodhounds]

Hey! You probably have already been asked this question- and I know you’ll probably never see this- but I’ve been thinking about this and curious about this lately, uh-

What are all the things killer went through during his time under the control of his frisk? Both cannon and head-cannon? I have a few head-cannons myself but am really curious what others think and what the cannon is!

It’s okay if not answered, am just a curious soul wondering about stuff-

Well, first, it wasn’t his Frisk he was under the control of—Frisk is actually hardly mentioned in Something New outside of the first few panels of the first page of the comics, and Killer saying he misses stabbing Frisk’s face when asked if he missed Frisk.

It was Chara, and the Player—basically one and the same in Something New, even if Chara the dead child potentially wants something more. All the Player ever really wants from Killer’s existence is something new, after all. Chara’s the one who wanted a partner in crime.

As for what happened between them, the fun part is—we don’t actually canonically know. We can make guesses based on the beginning, when Killer turned on them, and some things based on after they ended—how Killer still sees them and hears them and listens to them, how he feels watched by them constantly, as if they’re living inside him.

This tells me just how codependent their relationship was—and how scared and powerless Killer feels beneath them, even as he feels he needs them and that he still has to listen to them, even if he doesn’t want to—even as he struggles to realize that he doesn’t want to, because he wants what They want.

Even if he has a new “master” now in the form of Nightmare. It tells me that Chara’s wants and priorities and needs have always taken priority over anything and anyone else—especially Killer himself.

It’s like..how a baby doesn’t realize they are separate from their mother for the first few months of their life. Except Killer never truly realized that he is separate from them. Or that they are separate from him. He has internalized them, and in many ways, has become them. Something he struggles to make sense of.

Killer doesn’t know who he is or what he is, what he wants—if he wants anything at all. He doesn’t know what is or isn’t real—why he feels and behaves about certain things. Why everything both does and doesn’t feel familiar, and yet still he is always just separate.

Chara provided directions. They represent identity and direction and stability, certainty and structure. They scare him and hurt him and confuse him, and he hates them and fears them in equal measure, but no one has understood him like them. Not even himself.

I’m sure he also didn’t use to understand why he was ever scared of or disobedient of Chara before—if something ever triggered him into Stage 1, such as his own hesitance to kill Papyrus. Stage 2 may not have held the same emotional ties to Chara that Stage 1 does or hold the same anger and hate that Stage 3 does or the fear and reverence that Stage 4 does; but it wasn’t like he knew anything else besides them with certainty.

He knew he needed them. He didn’t know fully why, he just did. He could try to explain why but it’d be through the lens of what Chara taught him: control or be controlled, the most Determined decide fate, etc.

He holds on these contradictory views and experiences with Chara, likely dissociated and compartmented into his four Stages, but all just as true as eachother.

They made him. He exists because of the Player, sure, but Chara basically raised him. The Player speaks through them, they act on our behalf. There may even be no difference between Chara and God in his mind in Stage 4.

And try as he might, he can’t pry their pieces out of him.

All of it suggests heavy levels of manipulation, conditioning, gaslighting, dependency, and abuse to me. The specifics aren’t said or shown or even confirmed, but the fact that out of all his shadowy hallucinations of everyone he’s killed—living in his head—Chara’s the only one who’s more than a shadow and has sway over his choices seems to say something about their relationship.

Anyway, a lot of things could’ve likely happened when he was with Chara. Who knows how long they were together—Killer likely doesn’t know. How many timelines they went through together.

I do like to think that there was an entire timeline where Killer and Chara overthrew Asgore and ruled the Underground themselves at some point, because Princess Killer and Killer being conditioned through royal etiquette is an idea I love. I also think he was conditioned through childhood nursery rhymes, games, gestures, and sayings that are loaded with specific meanings that only Chara and Killer themselves know. Their own little language.

I think Chara gave Killer Asriel’s golden locket, to basically make Killer into the better “Asriel.” I do believe he was often threatened and kept in line through the use of the Reset—something Killer, back when he was Sans, hated and dreaded more anything.

(And by that I mean, he was either threatened with a Reset if he didn’t do something, or forced to repeat something over and over through the use of the Reset until he either did it perfectly or without thinking or hesitation. Until any attempts to resist results in an instinctive overriding of his own will via the triggering of Stage 4.)

That original sentiment was likely twisted over time, but still present in some shape or form—such as the need for something new, and to not constantly do the same thing over and over again, even as paradoxically, Killer has a tendency to do the same things over and over again thanks to the role of the Resets in his conditioning.

I’ve made a post before about like, Chara and Killer making the killing into something like hunting games, can’t find it. But I like to think there was a punishment-reward system that Killer internalized as well, especially in Stage 4.

I’ve mentioned before how i hc that Killer and Chara had a pinky swear system that could never be broken under threat of grievous harm to whichever party breaks the promise—and as a result any promises made via pinky swears with Killer from absolutely anyone is basically the same as signing away your right to live if you ever break it.

I’ve mentioned how I think the one death Killer has never experienced before is buttercup poisoning. But basically, anything you think could happen has possibly happened, except ya know..weird stuff.

Reality is a game, and the Underground is their sandbox.

[fiveeven]

America, the New Russia.

There’s been a lot of discussion about authoritarianism creeping into American politics, and it’s hard not to see some unsettling parallels between Putin’s rise to power in Russia and what Trump could be shaping up to do in a second term. While the U.S. and Russia are obviously different in terms of government structure and institutions, there are patterns that feel a little too familiar for comfort. Let’s break it down.

Centralization of Power and Authoritarian Tendencies Putin didn’t start as an outright dictator—he consolidated power over time, pushing out opposition, reshaping government institutions to serve his interests, and taking control of key sectors of society, like the media. Trump’s rhetoric and actions have long suggested an affinity for strongman tactics. His repeated challenges to democratic norms, attacks on the judiciary, and efforts to undermine election integrity all point to a leader who doesn’t exactly have a healthy respect for checks and balances. If given another four years, there’s a legitimate concern that he’d escalate his efforts to tilt institutions in his favor.

Nationalism and Populism as a Political Strategy Both Putin and Trump have mastered the art of appealing to nationalism and populist anger. Putin leans on Russian exceptionalism, Soviet nostalgia, and traditionalist values to maintain power. Trump’s ‘America First’ brand of politics taps into a similar energy—framing global cooperation as weakness and positioning himself as the only one who can “fix” a corrupt system. Populism isn’t inherently bad, but when it’s mixed with authoritarian tendencies, it can quickly become a vehicle for eroding democracy.

The Oligarch Connection: Who Really Runs Things? Putin’s grip on Russia has been solidified in part by his close ties with oligarchs—business elites who thrive under his regime as long as they stay loyal. While Trump isn’t operating in a system with state-controlled oligarchs, his second-term agenda is packed with policy moves that benefit the ultra-wealthy and corporate elite. His administration has shown favoritism toward donors, big business, and industries that align with his interests, reinforcing the idea that money equals influence in his version of governance.

Media Control and Disinformation Putin doesn’t just control the Russian government—he controls the narrative. State-run media ensures the public hears what he wants them to hear, silencing opposition voices. While Trump doesn’t have that same level of control, he’s spent years delegitimizing mainstream media, aggressively promoting his own echo chambers (Truth Social, Fox News, etc.), and peddling conspiracy theories to sow distrust in independent journalism. The goal is similar: create an environment where only his version of events is believed.

Undermining International Norms and Alliances Putin has made it clear that international laws and agreements don’t apply to him. Whether it’s annexing Crimea or interfering in foreign elections, his strategy revolves around destabilizing global order in ways that benefit him. Trump has also shown an outright hostility toward international institutions like NATO and the UN, viewing alliances as liabilities rather than strengths. A second Trump term could further isolate the U.S. from global leadership, mirroring Putin’s approach of prioritizing personal power over diplomatic stability.

What’s the Takeaway? Look, America isn’t Russia, and Trump isn’t Putin. But ignoring the warning signs would be naive. The patterns are there—consolidation of power, nationalism as a rallying cry, catering to elites while presenting himself as a populist, discrediting the media, and disregarding international norms. Whether or not Trump can successfully push the U.S. further down that path depends on how much resistance he faces from institutions, the public, and political opposition.

The biggest difference? The U.S. still has functioning democratic mechanisms that could prevent full-scale authoritarianism—if people actually use them.

[altarfates]

grimsey hc post fuelled by my adhd.

> was raised in a relatively wealthy family ( he mentions leaving the estate and in my mind that implies some degree of degree of wealth or status.) > the wikia uses the word ruin to describe the culmination of what transpired within the family and in my mind that makes it feel both devastating and maybe even, to a degree, rather unexpected. > there was a certain level of decorum associated with being part of a distinguished family and as such those expectations and associated skills were ingrained in him over time and from a young age. > i’m still determining the way I want to elucidate on the downfall of his family but I am considering it would be rather interesting if it had to do with their money not being from a stable / dependable source.

> even considering having him exposed to some level of gambling / negotiating those sorts of situations where reading people becomes imperative and knowing how to turn an unfavourable situation auspicious also is an indispensable asset. > gambling is a skill he’s cultivated over time and has spent a considerable amount of time refining. It doesn’t mean he’s always cheating but he can should the need arise, partially cheating and confirming a win that isn’t earned does subtract from the thrill he wants out of the risk so it’s situational. > he’s good with his hands. card tricks, he’s always messing abt with his coin and that also requires a sort of deftness. I’ve decided he can play piano or was taught to since im always like aha my muse with a strict upbringing involving status or wealth has to be taught to play piano and he won't escape it. > liepard was his first partner and he’s had her for quite a number of years, the two are rather inseparable and she trusts him explicitly and the sentiment is wholly reciprocated. > during his time as a member of the elite four he made a substantial amount of money, this, however, only led him to take his gambling to further heights and seek far more dangerous thrills. > part of him resents the sense of stability it gave him, as their family fell into ruin he became too familiar with that sense of dread and trepidation that feeling secure actually tends to do the opposite to him. It does, however, mean he can still live life the way he wants and gambling as he sees fit which is both terrible for him and exactly what he craves the most. > it’s possible that gambling became more than a hobby for him because of the way his family lost their wealth, having to acclimate from having so much to having so little he needed a way to compensate for it and he already had a talent for it so why not make use of it. > he’s disingenuous but not maliciously, reading people, being able to tell them what they want to hear, being charming all of them are skills he’s had to refine and a mask of sorts that he wears with an effortless finesse. this is also going to lead him to an eventual identity crisis because whilst all of these constitute who he has become he cannot say for certain when he needed to change or when he stopped being able to tell the difference between his genuine self and the charming, confident person he conveys himself as. > i really do like the idea that he left the elite four and moved because he had dug himself into the biggest fucking hole of his life and had no feasible way of making it out on his own and could he ask someone for help ?? no way that would absolutely undermine all the work he’s done to appear like he has his shit together. I might implement this idk yet but i do like it alot. > it’s not even that he thinks he deserves a fresh start it’s more like the walls are closing in on him and now he’s living on a fucking island surfing under a fake name and probably swindling poor unexpected travelers out of their money 😔 > he’s just a silly little guy full of whimsy.