#lbr its probably terrible

[the-kipsabian]

be honest

is my writing worth anything

[malkaleh]

I keep trying to write an update and then being embarrassed about it and feeling like I’m trauma dumping on people by updating and I just..I know it’s on me to manage my crap, I know. I am trying (not very well but I’m trying) and it’s just…I don’t know. I don’t even know.

[rottenpumpkin13]

asgzc, who has the most difference between their normal everyday speaking voice and their "i am talking to an animal i think is terribly cute" voice?

Sephiroth: Normal Voice: Deep, commanding, intimidating. Makes cadets cry by just saying "Good morning." Pet Voice: Same rich, resonant tone, but the content is so bafflingly out-of-character that people don't believe it until they see him petting a cat while casually saying "Your behavior is exemplary, Mr. Mittens. Well done. I shall give you a fish snack, and we shall feast to celebrate."

Angeal: Normal Voice: Stern, mentoring tone. The voice of responsibility and SOLDIER honor. Pet Voice: Reduced to an incoherent puddle of affection. Guard Hound pups make him coo like a doting parent. "Who's the good boy? Oh, you're the BEST boy! Look at those little paws—stop it, you're breaking my heart!" If the puppy tilts its head, Angeal might actually weep.

Genesis: Normal Voice: Reserved, articulate, soft-spoken, theatrical, sophisticated. Pet Voice: All sophistication evaporates the moment he spots a fluffy creature. "Look at this adorable creature! LOOK AT IT. I MUST have them. Oh, my goddess Minerva, the EARS! I could pen sonnets to the sheer magnitude of such endearing charm!" <- probably talking about Sephiroth in his lap lbr.

Zack: Doesn't count because there's no difference. He talks to everyone and everything in the same excited puppy voice anyway.

Zack: Hey, buddy! Who's ready to play? You are! Wanna go for a walk? Yes you do! Oh yes you do! Who's my cute buddy?? Cloud: …………

Cloud: Normal Voice: Shy, soft-spoken, quiet, polite. Pet voice: What throws people off is that Cloud is surprisingly conversational toward animals.

Cloud: So, there I was, trying to get through my post, and of course, Sephiroth showed up again. What do you think I should do? Do I confront him about it? The cat who may or may not be Sephiroth: No. Cloud: Yeah, I guess you're right—OI!

[trentcrimminallybeautiful]

oh no I GET YOU. so much because with all the info we have and especially Jimmy confirming the crush its just so many ways for them to fuck it up bc i can't take another season of trent longing and yearning after him??? Not with the knowledge of it all or would it be worse if they ignored it?? If they WENT FOR IT?? WOULD THEY?! WHAT IF and aghhHh

YEAHHH it could be fucked up so hard and so easily and i know people are like "just ignore it!" but like it's HARD okay it will then ALWAYS BE THERE in the back of my head. i don't need my ships to be canon but there's "not canon but i enjoy :)" and there's "somehow ruined by/in canon :(" you know? idk i'm not saying that's likely but i'm SCARED!!! GAY FEAR!!!!

also listen for me the like, levels of ideal for how they deal with ted/trent (thinking thoroughly of various possibilities) is like:

magically, somehow, ted/trent happens. preferably like, near the end of the season though bc ted lowkey is not ready for romance rn. but like a slow build, and at least one kiss. that i can gif :) ideally more than one kiss but it doesn't have to be a lot since my ideal is that this happens near the end of the season. (but hey IDEALLY the last episode can just be them kissing. forty minutes of them on a cute date /j) anyway summary: best case scenario, tedependent both happens and is done well. this probably will NOT happen lbr. i was dumb enough to get my hopes ever so slightly up near the end of s3 and i will not make this mistake again. fool me once

it isn't directly acknowledged at all. we continue as is: ted doesn't end up with anyone, trent probably doesn't either, the vibes are there and trent's crush is fairly obvious, but it's not acknowledged as requited or unrequited, or directly said out loud. i think this is fairly likely tbh and i'm fine with that. preferably trent's still here and friends with everyone and not just shoved into the background/offscreen, and they don't like. mess him up somehow idk man

it's directly acknowledged, but not directly refuted/declared "canonically" unrequited. like, idk, one of the diamond dogs or someone pokes trent about his crush and he talks about it, but it's not Confirmed either way. this is unlikely to me but i think i'd be okay with it if it did happen

tedependent happens but it's like, not done well? not like completely fucked up, but it feels off/weird in some way, or like, they kiss but don't "end up together" or something. this could be not the end of the world, but obviously isn't ideal either

it's never directly acknowledged but it's indirectly refuted, ie one of both of them get other "endgame" love interests (this is just something i personally wouldn't like, it doesn't necessarily mean it would be Bad, objectively speaking. but like. i would hate it. personally. especially if it's one of The Ships I Really Don't Like which is again just my personal taste but like i'd cry :( on another note though well actually the one exception to this whole thing is if trent and roy canonically got together, that would be hilarious and i would cheer and clap, but that will like, DEFINITELY not happen. but my god it'd be funny.)

these last two could swap depending on how exactly the hypothetical dominos fell, but like. tedependent happens but it's somehow done terribly. i don't know how this would happen, but just like, you know, hypothetically. these are writers who brought us roy/keeley, and they are also writers who brought us beard/jane. so like. idk man! i'm just thinking of all possibilities

it is directly acknowledged as trent having a tragic unrequited crush on ted. ted maybe even lets him down painfully gently. they directly double down on ted being Definitely Straight. trent's unrequited crush is outright stated to be hopeless. etc. "well you can just fanfiction it" yes but it would make me extremely sad, and not in the fun cathartic way, and it would also just feel kind of tasteless to me like, separate from my fondness for tedependent, just like, on principle. like, we're doing that? in 2025? really? the tragic gay man with his crush on the irresistible straight protagonist who is of course very nice about it despite everything? really??? we wanna do that???? i would genuinely rather them ignore it entirely

idk if this is everything i did this all ujst now off the dome but like. IM ANXIOUS, IM OVERTHINKING, IM VIBRATING, IM ALREADY STRESSED ABOUT A BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS SO THIS IS JUST COMPOUNDING THAT,

[stealingpotatoes]

Skywalkers apart au! It's so precious that Anakin gets to be a dad, a rebellion general Dad but he gets to be there for at least one of them and Padme survives and gets to be a mom and maybe someday they get to meet and it's so good.

Also the concept of General Skywalker of the Rebellion feels like it has so much potential cause he was such a big figure in the Clone Wars, he was the Hero, the General, he could probably get the various splinter rebel cells (they were very divided in the early Rebellion) to follow him by sheer reputation and charisma. Imagine Anakin being at Hoth, like the attack is going along the usual Imperial imminent victory and suddenly an AT-AT has been thrown clear across the landscape and an announcement sounds out "General Skywalker has entered the field" cue Rebel Counterattack due to morale boost and Imperial Panic.

What happened to the 501st here? Did he go to the Venator's crash site where Ahsoka was during Order 66 what did he think when he saw all the dead folks?

Fun thought, Starkiller being the apprentice in this AU, means that Sidious has probably been comparing him to Anakin (in part because he's bitter he didn't fall, in other part cause it's great for fueling the darkside) for years so the first time they face off he's gonna be full of spiteful hatred (all going according to plan) before Starkiller gets styled on by the Skywalker, cause Anakin isn't crippled by the suit and that means he's still massively powerful in the force and skilled in the blade (Vader was too, but less than a whole Anakin), I could see Anakin pulling a Lightside version of the Rogue One Hallway scene against Stormtroopers (or even inquisitors).

Rebel General Anakin Skywalker would be an Imperial Boogeyman.

Leia would probably appreciate it for a while but also she'd get a bit annoyed about her dad's reputation and "Legend" and the fact that she's probably got that entire thing to measure up to, making her more reckless or foolhardy. That's a big shadow to live under.

Padme on the other hand is probably in a very different situation reputation wise, she was the senator for the new Emperor's home planet, she's the old queen of naboo from the Trade Federation attack, she's a founding member of one of the oldest discrete rebellion cells but that still leaves some stigma. She's probably so very worried about Imperial surveilance on her or Luke or the rest of her family, and it doesn't help that the Inquistorious has probably been sniffing around for a while.

ok this is a veeeeery long ask so i'm gonna have a veeeery long answer which is gonna go under this readmore:

YES!! yes absolutely! tbh i decided a while back he never gets an official promotion to general, everyone just calls him General Skywalker for so long that it sticks loll. BUT YEAH I mean working with a Jedi is rare and awe-inspiring enough for any rebellion cell but working with the hero with no fear??? half the rebels are wondering if they can interrupt this mission to ask for his autograph

its extra funny bc for the first few years of the empire he's lowkey depressed and like agh i failed the order republic AND my family i'm a terrible horrible no good jedi who nearly turned to the dark side and while he's having this spiral there's some rebel standing next to him pointing and pogging

and yeah he's SO useful in big battles like that!! he's half a legend, half a ghost story, given most ppl think he died in the Purge but here he is, enacting justice on the empire!! tho he does struggle on quieter missions (which happen a lot more at first bc gotta hide from the empire) that you cant just blaze into. its a difficult shift to go from clone wars general skywalker to rebel general skywalker

yeah 501st same as canon ): but OHHH MY GOD yes thats SUCH A PERFECT IDEA, Anakin going with Rex and Ahsoka to the site and mourning them all (and probably going into another depression spiral lbr)

youre so right lollll obvs leia loves the one up she has in an argument of "well my dad's general skywalker, beat that" but as u say she absolutely wants to live up to that (+ is a very independent/stubborn person and would like Leia Skywalker, not just "General Skywalker's daughter" lol)

AND YEAH ABSOLUTELY Padmé and Anakin's roles in this au are both so interesting (is that egotistical to say) bc they're these upside down versions of their clone wars roles, both very loud people forced to quieten down and be Discreet about how they go abt helping ppl. Padmé is really struggling hiding so much (luke's force sensitivity, her rebel activities, all relations to anakin) and trying to protect Luke while helping the Rebellion WHILE trying not to seem suspicious. a lot on her plate -- only made worse by palpatine keeping a close-ish eye on her, and she can't tell why (is it bc of luke? the rebellion? anakin? or is it just his old favouritism or patriotism being VERY inconvenient??)

on the inquisitors, obvs you don't see a lot of them on coruscant -- but padmé's SO scared abt ppl (MAINLY SIDIOUS WHO, YA KNOW, TRIED TO TURN LUKE'S DAD SITH) finding out abt him and she hates that she's making him repress this part of himself but what choice does she have???

[nerves-nebula]

i 100% dont think its happening like this but i like to imagine slash during Uno was like "Ah! Leo! The daddy's boy fuckface who hurts raph and everyone else too but im mostly mad about Raph lbr! And theres Mikey, the one who likes always getting his way and having fun at everyone else's expenses and also a fucking Brat! And Donnie!"

....

"Im worried about this kid actually. Uh. Hm."

It’s funnier than that imo

I’ve said before that Donnie and Raph have a weird relationship where they don’t have a lot of one on one drama or connection. I imagine them playing video games together or sitting in silence. In some ways they trust each other more with serious stuff than either of them trust leo or Mikey. but they aren’t as provocative towards each other as Mikey or leo are to everyone.

They don’t bother each other the ways Mikey and leo bother them either, they’re kind of similar types of Tired Autistic Quiet Guy.

They’re both also kind of second place in a way. Donnie’s the second to last in splinters eyes, making him functionally irrelevant if it weren’t for his skill with technology. While it’s probably better to not be in last place, at least Mikey has obtained a certain level of “my dad has given up on me” freedom that Donnie doesnt. He’s ignored but not so ignored that he’s allowed to fuck up for long. Donnie is very much still afraid of losing the little respect his dad gives him.

And Raph is second to first place, making him a backup kid who needs to maintain all the abilities of the favorite but is only really paid attention to if something happens to Leo.

They’re both also in this weird liminal space of being responsible for crucial things in the house (hygiene, cooking, running water, fixing electronics) and being ignored. but neither of them spend much one on one time together until they all move out, because they’re each too busy and irritated and tired.

So really it’s just that Raph doesn’t talk about Donnie as much when venting to his pet. Therefore, Slash literally doesn’t think about donnie. like at all. He doesn’t necessarily like him but he doesn’t dislike him either. Donnie is basically set dressing in his mind lmao.

He doesn’t like what he’s heard about Mikey and Leo making Raphs life harder but he looks at Donnie and just kind of shrugs. If he was pressed he could probably say something about Donnie just letting all this terrible stuff happen to Raph but that’s an issue he has with everyone.

[emphasisonthehomo]

director's commentary: ryan's nails and his and tommy's competing taste in music. side question: do they ever make it to a show together?

Ask Me for Director's Commentary~

Misperception

Ryan gets his nails done every 2-3 weeks with his bestie, depending on their schedules. It's his nice little Me Time where he unwinds, gets a mani pedi, and relaxes. He does generally stick to Professional Nails, since he works with the public he can't do anything fun. He's also not.... technically allowed to have painted nails. As a man. In LAFD. It's against the uniform code. But he's been lucky, and all of his superiors have been chill about it.

As for the music taste, I think it's pretty obvious (now especially) that I'm on the "Tommy Listens to Heavy Music" boat, and I'll go down with it. Anyways, I just think it's fun when people have Very Different music tastes, and metal is easy to use for that because 1) its polarizing and 2) I know a lot about it.

Having Ryan be a fan of "stereotypical" gay music was on purpose, because lbr I did write him to be a very stereotypical Gay Man. That was the point of the story. He got that Pink Pilates Pop Princess thing on his 2024 Spotify Wrapped, and he was insulted.

I do think they'd make it to a show together, though probably not of the club variety. I think Tommy would be more interested in seeing an actual band perform than a DJ or an EDM show. It would take a lot more convincing to get Ryan to a metal show, than it would to get Tommy to go to a pop one.

There is also a version of this where at some point Tommy and Buck go on a double date with Ryan and his terrible situationship.

[behindthcmall]

☆ –– (priscilla quintana, she/her, cisgender female) who is AUGUSTA RIVERA anyways? ew. you don’t know about HER, we’ll bet you want to. they’re feeling 31 and WRITING IN A JOURNAL feels like a perfect night to them. rumor has it they’re OVER EMOTIONAL and GUARDED because they care, but they’re also LOYAL and FUN-LOVING in the best way. SHE works to make a little money as a(n) POETRY COLUMNIST FOR THE NEW YORKER. they’ve rented a place on cornelia street in the form of WOODVALE APARTMENTS. AUGUST (MUSE B) and THE LAKES (MUSE A) are the songs they could dance to the beat of forevermore. (ooc info: tee, 29, pst, she/her.)

Hi loves, I’m Tee and I’m thrilled to be here! I’ve been creeping this group for a while and waiting for the timing to be right. I felt, as a huge Taylor fan, it’s my obligation to join (and fun fact, it’s my nine year anniversary today of being Taylurked!)

Anyways, this is Augusta. She’s still a slight work in progress, but here’s some basic info about her (more to be added as it's developed):

Name: Augusta Rivera. Age: 31. Date of Birth: TBD, I'm an astrology hoe that needs to let her cook before determining. Hometown: Cathedral City, California. Gender, Pronouns: Cisfemale, She/her. Sexuality/Orientation: Pansexual. MBTI: TBD, but most likely XNFP. Job: Poetry columnist at The New Yorker and MFA grad student at NYU. Residence: Woodvale Apartments.

Facts:

Augusta is from Southern California and the daughter of Mexican immigrant parents.

She loves writing, especially poetry. She was definitely one of those teens who had a “deep” poetic Instagram/twitter/MySpace (she's a millennial, LBR here) account that was literally terrible and overdramatic. However, she’s been honing her craft and gotten to a point where she can’t see herself doing anything else.

As the story goes, she met James during a summer trip to New York to visit relatives that live in the state. It was a whirlwind romance in her eyes, and a special summer of firsts: first trip to her dream university (NYU), first time dipping her foot in the Atlantic Ocean, first head over heels love for another woman. It was very eventful for baby teenage Augusta, and when it ended, it lowkey ruined her life.

She's been trying to put that summer in the past, but it always seems to creep its way into her life, whether it's through her poetry or her trust issues.

Augusta comes off as very naturally fun loving and charismatic, but she's more what you'd call an introverted extrovert. She really shines when she's surrounded by people she trusts and loves.

She started her university career in SoCal, but her dream was always to end up at NYU. She was accepted there and got her butt on a plane so she could start working on her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. She's making money through publishing work through the New Yorker (and realistically, she's probably another job too. TBD as I think of it.)

Wanted Connections:

The Folklore Love Triangle - If you're the Betty, James and/or Inez and we haven't chatted yet, you know what's up. Let us brainstorm the whole thing.

Literally anything/everything. She likely hasn't been in New York for that long (I imagine a few months, if that) but she's probably travelled there quite a few times over the years, so I'm open to plotting anything. Feel free to IM me and we'll chat.

[sllhouettedreams]

A LOT of people can relate to crowley because his doubt in God manifested as rebellion and apostasy. Ive not talked to a high number of good omens fans but i can't imagine a lot of devout christians are a hardcore fans of it (or neil gaiman in general lbr). Crowley is immediately relatable bc his religious trauma is made of the same stuff as most fans.

But aziraphale shows the other side to Doubt and that's just incessant faith. He believes in God's Plan even when he doubts it. Even when it hurts innocent people because he believes that god will do good.

As for the heaven and archangel side of things like..I think a lot of people blame aziraphale for the end of s2 without realizing that... both crowley and aziraphales relationship with heaven mirrors that of an abusive parent/family.

I mean we all saw gabriel tell (who he thought was) aziraphale to shut up and die. This was ONE instance we were able to see of Aziraphale being given punishment. He mentions in Paris about heaven admonishing him for 'frivolous miracles' when crowley asks him why he didnt just leave the prison himself. Like. there are so many jokes about 'paperwork' for being discorporated and well. Theres something to be said for aziraphale being more willing to deal with the aftermath of being beheaded and needing a new body than to unlock his cuffs and save himself and risk upstairs citing him again.

Then there was the whole gabriel bringing sandalphon to the bookshop and using interrogation tactics on him (blocking the exit, putting sandalphon at his back, etc). The angels are so quietly malicious- "there are no back channels, michael"- right before michael phones a demon in hell. Like!! They might be inept when it comes to humanity but they hide their cruelty so well.

Like. I dont really have the words to make this all convincing and proper or whatever and im sure someones said it before and better with more examples but like

If you think of both of them as a victim of abuse, it puts it all into perspective doesnt it? The effects of abuse are so different for everyone especially when its abuse from family. Aziraphale has only ever wanted to appease heaven and do good by them that when given the chance to do the most good he jumped right on it. Heaven has sunk its claws deep into aziraphale to use as a tool. And aziraphale doesnt even realize! Bc if he werent "doing good" then he'd have been cast out like crowley had been, right?!

And Crowley was completely cut off from heaven for asking a few questions! He remembers what heaven was like and thinks there are a number of similarities between the two. Hes been utterly convinced of his wickedness. He will not ever return not even with the promise of forgiveness. He HAS seen that heaven is "toxic" because of the absurd reason he was cast out in the first place. He was a starmaker who asked questions!! And god was what. Annoyed at being challenged?

Crowley got out because he was cast out, aziraphale hasnt been granted that luxury and wont take those steps bc who knows if the punishment will be a simple Fall or annihilation or outer darkness there doesnt seem to be any set standard. And also aziraphale still loves god and doing good and to fall would mean to be cut off from all of that to have to go to hell and do the exact opposite. If he can just change things, if he could get the other archangels to see,

Well he hasnt quite discovered that heaven works exactly how its intended to and would need to be torn down before it can be rebuilt into something like aziraphale wishes it to be

Idk i get why its easy to blame aziraphale but. Idk ive been where hes at. Like. Not specifically and angel trying to rewrite heaven but. As a child of religious parents who were also terribly abusive people. I think its unfair that people are saying he should grovel and is wrong and whatever. I dont think crowley would even want that....

Idk im just thinking v hard about good omens its taking over my life. This is probably incomprehensible im just. SAD bc i love both aziraphale and crowley and for aziraphale to be given so much shit when it isnt entirely on him just makes me emotional ok 😔

[cicaklah]

Question 4 and 8 (interpret how you will) for the Star Trek ask

From: infant-rind

4. favourite alien species

its either the romulans or the cardassians, which is actually in itself a lie, it IS the cardassians, I will never not be cardassian trash, the most fleshed out alien species alongside the bajorans thanks to ds9, but the bajorans are interesting, the cardassians are sarcastic failed imperialists who refuse to go away, every cardassian is different in the best way and they all interact, their society feels the most developed, as a failed-state military dictatorship, it is the least planet of the hats star trek race, while also being SUPER iconic looks-wise. Also Garak is my favourite trek character and Dukat my favourite villain, and not only are they the species there are slurs about, there are two of them (cardis and spoonheads).

that said i DO like romulans. they're vulcans with personalities and horrendous government, another failed-state military dictatorship, whats not to like????

8. Which captain would you most want to serve under?

lets workshop this in real time because my singing teacher hasn't turned up for my lesson:

kirk - great age of exploration, regressive in terms of what came after, the sexism makes this a no. I like the uniforms but I don't really have the legs for the miniskirts. if they have a space historian they probably have a space economist, so I might get to elope with a space allegory of some historical economist, which honestly would suck as econs are not known for being hotties, though I'm sure me and space keynes would be very happy together.

picard - this is probably the boring answer, since you'd be on the flagship in a time of moderate peace, you'd definitely survive wolf 359, and likely survive the dominion war since the enterprise wasn't involved, cool missions, nice ship, awkward uniforms for a lot of it though.

sisko - it would be an honour, ds9 is my favourite and he seems a good boss who makes good decisions. this is definitely the correct answer. better uniforms. more option to wear terrible 24th century civvies. Likely to be the kind of place lieutenant cicak, space economist would end up working lbr, economics is more of a starbase job.

janeway - i would not want to be lost in the delta quadrant with limited replicators, also she makes absolute batshit decisions. Probably my favourite 24th century uniform though.

archer - he seems pretty fair but I'm not going to choose 22nd century over the 23rd or 24th. Also how do you fucking pee in a jumpsuit.

aos kirk - i'd be blinded by the lensflares AND the horny, sign me up. Uniforms okay. no need for an economist because this world hasn't been thought out enough, but that's okay.

georgiou - she seems such a nice captain I think it would be amazing to serve under her, as long as I got out before binary stars. uniforms aesthetic but jumpsuits are a no.

lorca - statistically you gotta serve under a bad captain of the week at some point, and at least he's only really around for maximum six months. Also he's hot and amoral and makes really terrible decisions AND at some point we'd end up in the mirror universe and we'd have to wear THAT uniform. but it would be better than the jumpsuit

pike (disco variant) - he's so good at being captain even when the disco is a trashfire of epic proportions, 23rd century me would have requested a transfer to the enterprise asap

saru - absolutely not, saru is a terrible captain.

burnham - I would be terrified to serve under her but I'd also have made some bad decisions in my life to be 1000 years in the future. The uniform does get better? but also it still sucks.

rios - complex, I love la sirena but rios doesn't have crew. captain rios of the stargazer??? I choose not to accept picard s2 as canon.

freeman - cerritos actually would be excellent, I would HAPPILY serve under freeman. good uniforms. chill ship. dominion war over. pre-romulan crisis. fun times, important work that's not too important, canonically statistically the horniest ship in the fleet.

pike (snw variant) - OH CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN what a time to be alive. Amazing uniforms. Minimal sexism. back to back hotties. Good command decisions. Musical episode. Exploring!!! period of peace following brutal klingon war. enormous quarters. sign me up.

shaw - you know what, I WOULD serve under shaw, shaw is a good captain who got absolutely clusterfucked by picard, riker, baby picard, and seven, the titan-a seems like a nice ship, and I'm old enough I wouldn't get borg semened.

seven - ditch baby picard and I'm there. even if the enterprise-f is fuck ugly. the uniforms are good, turn the lights on, lets have some fun.

tldr: sisko, pike (snw), freeman, shaw, picard (tng), lorca

[foxboyclit]

for the OC asks

36 & 54 for chen'astra & ang'dra (i crave murder gays lore) (also i hope i remembered their name spellings right it's been a minute TT_TT)

42 for iphis

15 for nydalla (totally not asking this one bc i want to know if she ever, noticed or not, sings to Iphis, bc I imagine she can do Formal Drow Fancy Dancing tbh)

36: What are they like as a partner?

if you thought its anything other than terrible youre sorely mistaken. Ang'dra refuses to do any chores because she knows it pisses Chen off, she mocks anything Chen has the audacity to enjoy, she's 'left' for a few days because she knows it sends Chen into a complete meltdown multiple times, also she can cook but only makes food for herself

Chen brings people home and purposefully gets caught to get back at her (and because shes addicted to hate sex), will start an argument in public,(loud enough for everyone to hear and exaggerated to make Ang'dra look worse, as well as straight up lying ie "you should've thought about that before sleeping with my sister!"), and lures Angr'dra into the bedroom for an 'apology' that just ends in multiple stab wounds. in her defense, she should know by now that one of Chen's talents is hiding knives in minimal clothing.

54: What does your character want, and what do they need?

they simultaneously want each other dead and to keep each other alive as long as possible to torture her as much as possible. Chen thinks if she can finish off Ang'dras House she can pull herself out of this mess and become the favored daughter again but she's too codependent to actually commit.

what they both need is a restraining order followed by intensive therapy, but Lolthites dont believe in therapy lbr

42: What’s the dumbest thing your character’s done?

him and Nydalla got matching tattoos while blackout drunk because they thought it'd be funny, and they still do. because its a lower stomach tattoo not a lot of people know (they mightve also gotten slightly better cover-ups later on) but its their little inside joke

15: Can they sing? Can they dance?

she can and does sing to Iphis! i mentioned in an earlier ask game that they'll sing together while working on their own things too. its usually a song from the theater shows they go to. and youre 100% correct about them Fancily Slow Dancing, and she probably knows some complex moves to show off at parties

based on this ask game!

[maeve-on-mustafar]

I love Obi-Wan’s bitchiness (which is on full display in AOTC, and IDK why people pretend it isn’t). I get that people ignore it to pretend he’s the woobiest woobie to ever woob, but I hate it when I include Obi-WAN’s bitchiness in fic and then get comments on how OOC it is. Like, have you seen AOTC? Or TPM, for that matter?

I also want to add my pet peeve for fic inspired by the Jedi Apprentice books (or its fanon, LBR, because most people have not read the books), is that while the books portray the entire Jedi Order as being extremely flawed in sending Initiates away if they haven’t been chosen as a Padawan by their thirteenth birthday and treating Obi-Wan terribly when he returns to the Jedi Order after temporarily leaving, all fic treats Qui-Gon like he’s the one and only flawed Jedi in the Order, and his main flaw is not appreciating Obi-Wan enough.

And in terms of story structure, I get why that happens. One of the prime elements of a woobie fic is to have other characters realize how underappreciated and sad the woobie is. And in this case, you can’t have the entire Jedi Order as the bad guy—you need one bad guy, so the rest of the Jedi can grovel to and spoil and coddle Woobie-Wan. So you just get Plo or Mace or Shaak or Depa or whoever realizing Obi-Wan Is Sad and subsequently calling out Qui-Gon and acting like leaving Obi-Wan on Melida/Daan was unforgivable, when 1) no one in the books themselves minded, because Obi-Wan specifically left the Order to stay on Melida/Daan, and 2) we’ve seen young Padawans in combat situations all the time. Surely, if it was wrong for Qui-Gon to leave 13yo Obi-Wan in a war zone when Obi-Wan asks to be left there, it’s wrong for 13yo Obi-Wan to be assigned a mission there in the first place? And then later on, it must be wrong for 14yo Ahsoka to be an active combatant in a war zone, right?

TBH, it really bothers me that a shaky characterization from Legends supersedes Qui-Gon’s canon characterization as giving up a chance at a seat on the Council in order to continue training Obi-Wan. But I’m probably the fool to expect anyone to pay attention to a canon characterization when they could be woobifying Obi-Wan instead.

(Also, the Jedi Quest books have the Jedi Order being just as awful to Anakin, and Obi-Wan being neglectful in a whole different way. Just sayin’. Anakin gets recaptured as a slave, and the Jedi Council is A-okay with leaving him in slavery for a while as they finalize a schedule of when to rescue him. Jude Watson’s characterization of the Jedi Council is weird.)

The JA books and subsequent woobification of padawan Obi-Wan have people overlooking a key fact, which is the innate ability of all 14 yr olds to immediately lock onto your deepest insecurities and fucking eviscerate you. You look at TCW Obi-Wan's bitchiness and tell me he did not have this ability but dialled up to 11 cause he's also a psychic force-sensitive.

I fully believe padawan Obi-Wan was terrorising Qui-Gon, the reason that man's always running ahead and leaving his padawan behind is because he's avoiding having to explain his life choices to the galaxy's most judgemental teenager. Initiate Obi-Wan is aggressive, padawan Obi-Wan is passive-aggressive.

[lockedtowers]

the funniest part of (at least my) characterization of william is that if you met him before evan died, while he was still working w henry, back in like the late 70s/early 80s, it'd just be like 'oh yeah, that dude who has a weird thing about rabbits, we caught him teaching his kid about robots, and recording his voice talking to his kid about how he's not alone and he's his friend, he spends way too many hours alone in his co-owner's office but they both own the business so that's not weird at all. strange how he talks about his business partner more than his actual wife.'

then evan dies because of michael's lack of judgement (he literally shoved evans head into fre/dbear's mouth without thinking once, which granted i doubt there was a sp/ringlock failure before that, i actually position the springlock failure that causes william's scars at the same time as the bite, freddy's springlock fails and crushes evan's head and william gets sp/ringlocked the first time trying to get evan out, and michael has to see all that knowing he's at fault for half of it, which evidently bc of the security log, he still fucking makes jokes about like he lives off of dark humor despite his guilty conscious) and its like, he'll find digs to throw in against michael, he gives an eerie aura but still oddly feels safe enough that f/azbear's business takes off, despite the rumors, despite the disappearances, parents still somehow feel safe enough to leave their kids around him, 'he has his own kids, he's suffered the loss of a kid, he almost lost his older kid, he wouldn't want anything to happen to anyone elses kid', some people are aware somethings up but people don't believe the people who do speak up against william.

like this man was semi normal at one point (not like a good person, i wouldn't go there, he killed michaels mom when michael was little little, granted that's my canon actual canon like its not confirmed but it is implied all three kids in actual canon have the same mom, that just doesnt make sense to me bc who tf could put up w william that long lbr anyways) and it didn't even cross his mind that he would have been able to bring evan back until he saw charlie's spirit possess the puppet. then it was like 'i can become immortal and bring my son back' not fully realizing his son was already possessing the animatronic that essentially killed him, they retired f/redbear and locked him away in the back immediately after what happened, he never got to see anything until he put cassidy's body in that suit, and by then he just assumed cassidy was the only spirit there,

and it's just, it's just interesting to look at the kind of extreme jump in william from before evan's death to after, because obviously the death of his child triggered something in his head. and of course, like yeah TSE isn't canon to the games but you can play the different canons off of each other, so if he has scars from a prior s/pringtrap incident, the most logical placements for that is either when he's working on the suits with henry, or when evan's accident happens, and evans accident sort of makes more sense with the game implications of he only starts killing anyone after evans death, like his son died, he had a near death accident from the suit, he became extremely careful with the suit afterwards but wears it everytime he goes to kill someone, which tells me that his point of trauma means he was in the suit at the time.

and none of this excuses anything he does he's horrible terrible nobody is allowed to excuse him, but the reasoning behind is just something that needs to be figured out for characterization sake, his brain was never the same the moment evan died and it was not just the trauma he experienced seeing his son basically dying in his best friend/lover's animatronic, if he was essentially dying at the same time but he survived, and his son didn't, that does something to your brain. on top of the way the spring locks go into the skin, they probably got the suit off before it fully damaged his head, but at least one lock probably did get william's head, if not more, and the damage he would have gotten from that too would honestly explain a lot, because while my characterization is that he already had gotten to the limit and killed his first wife before he started any type of murdering, he loved his kids before michael caused evans death, he was a shitty person but still a man who loved his kids, in actual canon they change his motive so much it doesn't make sense anymore, and just. yeah. idk. i have a migraine again but like i gave reasons he would hit that mark early on, it was hinted at when he was younger and just devulged with evans death, but with how many versions, even going as far in f/azbear f/rights to imply williams not even to blame for being a child murderer and that a demon in the form of his fucking daughter in another universe was controlling his actions and making him a murderer then abandoning him, like there's not a set reason there's never a set reason, but the most logical reason i can come up with with context clues is just evans death and the first springlock incident coincided, and it caused a brain injury that turned him into what he became.

[bigskydreaming]

lkeke35 said: Its okay, my brain is still glitching over Chis Evans as Johnny Storm, so….

Ngl, I kinda wanted just one scene of MBJ and Chris Evans in the MCU somewhere just so there could be a meme of them pointing at each other Spider-man style and referencing the fact that they’ve both played the Human Torch.

[the-kipsabian]

.

[ravy-nevermore]

It never occurred to me that people might have taken her line to mean "it won't be terrible for you because I'll be there with you making it less bad for you"; I always interpreted it to be more "it won't be terrible for me because you'll be there making it less bad for me." Because, as you point out, Solas's line that she's reponding to here is warning her that it will be bad.

And maybe what you also say about Elvhen being a language of context and intent rather than meaning mapped to phonemes means I shouldn't even continue this particular train of thought, but the words they say in Elvhen are:

Solas: Ar ghilas vir banal. Inquisitor: Tel'banal ar ama.

[ as transcribed by whoever added these lines to the DA wiki ]

Or, strictly literally, if my Elvhen is up to par:

Solas: I go will be bad. Inquisitor: Not bad I you.

Yeah, the literal translation isn't as elegant as the one they put in the subtitles, and maybe that's where the whole Elvhen-is-a-language-of-vibes-rather-than-literal-translations part is supposed to come in (because lbr they didn't actually create a whole language just a lot of vocab words). But I think that understanding what they're saying in Elvhen and not just the subtitle translation adds a deeper layer of meaning to the delivery, if nothing else.

Now, I admittedly did not pass an Elvhen class for my ancient languages elective in school, so forgive me if my translation is wrong, or if the wiki-adder's transcription is wrong and I can't recognize it because my fluency in Elvhen is shaky at best (/hj). I don't think "ama" is a word we see used anywhere else, but we know "ma" is either "my" or "you" (as per "Ar lath ma, vhenan" = "I love you, [my] heart") and "ar" is already a first person pronoun so "ama" is likely the "you" part.

I extrapolate from this that "ama" is either some conjugated form of "ma" and "ar ama" is literally translated to just "I you" and they skip the conjunction ("and" / "with") in this phrase in Elvhen— or that the extra a- there on "ama" is something that is added to the second word to give the meaning of "and" or "with" without using an additional word for it like we do in English. (Similar to how English modifies nouns into possessives using 's at the end instead of the separate preposition "of," or Latin uses the genitive form to denote posessives instead of even having a preposition for it, or iirc Japanese uses the preposition "to" with the second word or phrase in place of a conjunction at all.)

Or, the person who transcribed the Elvhen words made a mistake and it should be "Tel'banal ar a ma" and "a" is their conjunction and my whole point here should be discarded. (Because I don't think the game ever transcribes the Elvhen words for it, right? The person who wrote it in the wiki probably transcribed it by ear and chose where the words are broken themselves?)

But!! What I'm getting at with all of this excessive linguistic nerdery is that if Elvhen doesn't use a conjunction to say "you and I" or "you're with me" or "I'm with you," but rather has one streamlined phrase "ar ama" (or even "arama"/"ar'a'ma" maybe) then they way they conceive of the concept of "you and me" is different from how we conceive of it when we say things like "you're with me" using three whole separate words in English. (Like when Harding tries to translate that bit of Dwarven in VG but she struggles to translate its precise meaning into the common tongue because in Dwarven they have a pronoun that means "I" but also "we" but in a collective sense rather than as multiple individuals, and that concept doesn't exist as a pronoun in English/Common.) And we wedge the third word between the "you" and the "me" in that phrase in English, while the meaning spoken in Elvhen might have been closer to "us." But "It won't be terrible if us" isn't grammatically correct in English, so they went for a translation that was grammatically correct over one that doesn't follow English grammar but is closer to the Elvhen meaning, because most fans will just be reading the subtitles and not out here learning Elvhen in their spare time.

Then again, I guess they could have chosen to translate it as "if we're together" but they didn't and I could be placing way too much stock in attempting to grasp the nuances of a fictional language that they probably just didn't bother to come up with conjunctions in.

But!!

Ar ama. :) I just think it's neat.

Inflection, Context, and Elven: Lavellan’s Veilguard Ending (romance state)

Lately, I’ve seen quite a bit of criticism directed at a romanced Lavellan on my dash - particularly in the Veilguard ending, interpreting her as needy, egotistical, or entitled.

And I am wondering: Did we watch the same ending? (I find it fascinating how differently people interpret the same moments - such a reflection of the human experience.) And I couldn't help myself! I felt compelled to share my interpretations so I punched this out the last few days.

The sticking point seems to be Lavellan’s words, especially the ones spoken in Elven.

It seems like a common interpretation of Lavellan’s words here are: 

“It won’t be terrible if you’re with me.” (Implying possessiveness or entitlement - and that she alone will make it better.)

The game’s delivery offers no inflection on any word though. For me, it’s always been: 

“It won’t be terrible if you’re with me.” 

It’s subtle, but very different. This is just one micro-example of how much nuance is packed into the dialogue in the Veilguard ending. These lines shouldn’t be taken in isolation - especially not the Elven ones. They should be understood in the context of what Solas says to Lavellan in Elven just before, and beyond that, within the history established in Inquisition and Trespasser.

Indulgent Solas x Lavellan post ahead.

Still here? Excellent. (And sorry, it's another long post.)

"Elven is often a game of intents, not direct mapping of phonetic meaning." The language doesn’t rely on straightforward translations of sounds or words into specific meanings. Instead, it operates on a deeper level, where intent and context carry as much weight.

Earlier in the game, when Solas confronts Elgar’nan, he says: “I must speak to you in this tongue. It seems Elven is beyond your grasp.” This insult implies that Elgar’nan has lost the ability to understand the nuanced, metaphorical nature of the language. Elven relies on shared understanding, rhythm, intent, to convey its full meaning. By Lavellan and Solas choosing to speak Elven to each other it's an acknowledgement of their shared understanding - a connection rooted in their history going back to Inquisition.

Which is why I embrace it in my interpretations.

This is personal and expansive. On one level, she’s speaking as someone Solas has wronged, reminding him of the pain he’s caused her directly. But on another, she’s channeling the voices of countless others whose lives were affected by him and who will be shattered by his actions. It’s a challenge that blends her role as both an individual and the Inquisitor.

It’s also not a condemnation. Lavellan doesn’t lash out or accuse him of being irredeemable. Instead, she questions him, cutting through to reach the man beneath. She’s speaking to Solas (wisdom).

"Vhenan" is acknowledging his love for her but it’s also symbolic of his heart, the part of himself he’s buried and tried to ignore, suddenly reappearing. Solas has spent much of his journey detached and isolated, removing his heart metaphorically to push forward with his plans without the weight of emotional ties. Lavellan’s presence makes it impossible for him to keep it hidden. His heart is right there, exposed and speaking. And the ellipsis - so many words unsaid.

Immediately Solas looks down (I read it as shame). It’s a reaction back to what he said in Trespasser: that he would not have her see what he becomes. And yet, here she is. She sees him, the terrible path he has chosen, the blood on his hands, the awful things he has done, and what he’s about to do. In that moment, his shame is palpable - because Lavellan is one person he couldn’t bear to face in this state. 

And Lavellan doesn’t hesitate. Her next words are as much about holding him accountable as they are about reminding him that there is still another path. 

This isn’t some starry-eyed, naïve Inquisitor we’re dealing with (at least mine isn’t). Lavellan is fully aware at this point. But her stance is clear: no one is beyond redemption, not even the Dread Wolf himself. And she wasn’t the only one – this message is repeated throughout the game by others. 

Her words challenge the belief that has kept Solas shackled to his path. He’s convinced himself that his guilt and mistakes are too great, that there’s no turning back.

She doesn’t beg or demand or frame it in a way that’s grand and sweeping – she simply says “you’re wrong.”  

She’s not trying to erase his mistakes or pretend they don’t exist. She's saying, Yes, you’ve done terrible things, but that doesn’t mean you’re beyond the reach of change.

Lavellan’s journey as Inquisitor began with the Anchor - a mark born of Solas’s mistakes and choices. From the moment she touched his orb (yes, it sounds dirty), her path became entwined with his. This isn’t Lavellan selfishly claiming Solas’s path; it’s an acknowledgment that their journeys have run parallel.

Lavellan’s work to stabilize Southern Thedas mirrors Solas’s aim to restore a broken world, including the burdens of being forced to take on titles and labels. She is revealing her own struggles with devastating, blood-soaked choices - choices that, like his, have carried profound consequences.

Solas believes he’s been walking this path alone, but Lavellan shows him she's been walking alongside him this whole time. Now, as their paths converge again, this is a reminder of the power of connection and the burdens they’ve both borne. He's actually not alone.

Her words also carry an unspoken promise: she is ready to continue to bear the consequences with him. She knows the road ahead is painful and fraught with difficulty, but she is steadfast.

Why do I feel that people sometimes forget Lavellan’s role as Inquisitor? She wasn’t defined by Solas; she was the leader of a powerful military and political organization, forced to make horrible decisions. Whether you choose the mages or templars in Inquisition, you doom thousands to torment and death. The Empress of Orlais can live or die based on the Inquisitor’s choices. And if you’re like me and made the wrong calls on the Dalish clan war table operation, her own clan can be murdered and wiped out.  (Yes, I’m still haunted by that moment.) Her hands have blood on them too. This makes me wonder: does some criticism of the Solas/Lavellan romance stem from failing to see Lavellan as her own person? I love Lavellan for who she is as the Inquisitor - not because of Solas. Likewise, Solas is fascinating on his own. Their romance is one layer of the story, not the foundation of either character. Sometimes it feels like there are even some Solas/Lavellan lovers who have a tendency to overlook the depth and individuality of both characters outside of their romance.

Solas’s statement is a raw admission of all the guilt he carries for his deceptions and the pain he has caused her - lying to her about his identity, betraying her trust - not just as the Inquisitor, but as a person he loves.

His words are not an attempt to seek forgiveness but an acknowledgment of the truth - no matter how painful it is for them both. He knows his choices have caused devastation to the world and to her specifically. He's exposing the full weight of his dual burden: the grand, world-altering consequences of his plans and the personal betrayal of the woman he loves, who trusted him. 

Perhaps, on some level, he hopes that reminding Lavellan of his lies and treachery will convince her to abandon him, sparing her further pain. His guilt and self-loathing are so entrenched that the idea of being forgiven - or even supported – either confounds him or terrifies him.

But Solas’s confession is not just a shield to push her away. It’s also an invitation for her to see him - not the wise, compassionate companion she knew, but the flawed, broken man beneath.

This moment to me shows that Solas still values Lavellan’s understanding (we also saw it in his letter to her). He doesn’t diminish the weight of his actions but wants her to see the cost of his deception - not just for her, but for himself. To Solas, his betrayal is unforgivable. 

And yet - this "selfish" woman dares to forgive him anyway. 

Forgiveness is an act of wisdom because it requires understanding - and she reflects that wisdom right back at him.

"All you have to do is stop" is heavy with meaning. Yes, on the surface, it’s a plea to stop tearing down the Veil, to reconsider the destruction. But it’s also a plea for him to stop running, to stop isolating himself, and to stop punishing himself for his failures. She’s asking him to step out of the shadow of his self-loathing and see that there’s another way forward, not by demanding or commanding, but by offering him compassion (forgiveness). (Cole, I miss you.) 

But Solas’s guilt and self-loathing run deep.

With these words, Solas apologizes to his heart - hardening it once more. For a moment, it had softened, cracked open. But he shuts the door.

The bow that accompanies his words is loaded. A bow carries layers of meaning depending on context - reverence, respect, gratitude, apology, greeting or farewell, a spiritual act, acknowledgment, loyalty, mourning, or even a romantic gesture. Solas’s bow can mean all of these. 

He is physically reinforcing the gravity of his apology. It’s a solemn moment. He is bowing to her strength, to all she has endured because of him. And when he calls her "vhenan," it is personal. It's an apology to her and to his own heart for not choosing the life he wanted to have with her.  “...to stay by your side as Solas...as I wanted.”  

The bow also carries guilt. He is acknowledging the pain he’s caused and humbling himself before her. And his eyes in the animation during this moment – I saw haunted, tormented, tired eyes – the eyes of a man grappling with the weight of his choices and the thought that he cannot accept redemption, even if it’s offered freely.

But, as I’ve said before, it takes a village to stop a Solas. Cue Morrigan and Mythal - but I’m not diving into that dialogue rabbit hole in this post.  

But this scene with Mythal is important. Lavellan has just watched the man she loves completely crumble in front of Mythal. He’s bent over in grief/pain, utterly vulnerable. She hears him say, in anguish, “The things that I have done.” She sees him lift the dagger - perhaps to surrender it, to shield himself from Mythal, or even as a plea to Mythal to end his torment. Whatever the intent, Lavellan is witnessing the rawest, most broken Solas. His guilt is overwhelming, and this is the first time she’s truly seeing the full weight of it laid bare (as is Rook). It’s a moment of heavy sadness for her – and for us as players. 

Solas is bent over with the emotional collapse of centuries of obligation and guilt coming to the surface. Mythal’s departure leaves Solas vulnerable, stripped of the purpose that has guided him for so long. He is alone in his pain.

For Lavellan, can you imagine the helplessness? All she can do is offer her presence, understanding, and faith in him afterward. That might feel like so little in the face of such immense pain, but it’s all she has to give. 

Where Mythal’s words, spoken in the common tongue, are authoritative and final, Lavellan’s are intimate and personal. Her choice to speak Elven reflects her desire to meet Solas where he is - connecting with him on an intimate level.

Only after Mythal has left him exposed - that Lavellan uses the Elven language. In this moment, stripped of his defenses, he is finally open to hearing and feeling the full significance of the words and their intent.

Lavellan’s words challenge the notion that fate is immutable or inevitable. When she says, “there is no fate...,” she isn’t diminishing everything else in favor of her love; she’s rejecting the tyranny of inevitability. Her words assert that choices - rooted in love, connection, and shared purpose - have the power to shape their path forward. She reframes love as a force just as powerful as fate, capable of creating meaning and direction where there once seemed to be none.

Atonement

And at this point? Lavellan has no idea what Solas will do next. None of them do. But the combined efforts of Rook, Lavellan and Morrigan get through to him. Because Solas makes a choice - a monumental choice. He binds himself to the veil, committing to atonement. Atonement is a powerful, active word. It evokes the gravity of recognizing wrongdoing and the courage to address it. His decision to seek restoration with the Titans, to deal with the Blight, to return to where it all began, reflects the depth of his remorse and his willingness to rebuild the balance he disrupted – from the beginning. 

Solas equates atonement with isolation, believing that his punishment must be borne alone. To him, atonement requires severing ties, including the possibility of love. He doesn’t ask Lavellan to join him because he cannot conceive of burdening her with the weight of his choices and the path he must walk.

But Lavellan’s words - once again - challenge that. She offers him the possibility that his actions, no matter how devastating, do not erase the love and faith others still have in him. This is an invitation.

She's also being vulnerable here. She’s offering herself to him, knowing full well that he still might say no. A risk she’s willing to take. 

He doesn’t try to shut her out or push her away this time. Instead, he shifts the focus - he needs her to understand the gravity of the path they are about to walk. His response reflects his own vulnerability as well, he wants her to know what she’s choosing, but he can’t bring himself to reject her offer outright. 

Solas responds in Elven - his acknowledgment of their shared understanding and their entire relationship and journey that has shaped them.

His words also mark a turning point: for the first time, Solas allows Lavellan her agency. Throughout their relationship, he has taken her choices away. He broke off their relationship in Inquisition. He vanished after Corypheus’s defeat, leaving her no say in it all.

Lavellan is asserting her choice. And this time, Solas doesn’t take it from her.

By framing his destination in such stark, "terrible" terms, Solas isn’t pushing her away out of cruelty. He’s laying bare the enormity of what lies ahead, warning her of the peril while giving her the freedom to choose for herself. It’s his way of ensuring she understands the stakes.

Solas is doing what she requested long ago - trusting her - and what a choice to place that trust in. He’s entrusting her to make an informed decision about stepping onto a path that could shape the future of Thedas. He is trusting Lavellan’s strength and resiliency. And in trusting her, Solas reveals a quiet, unspoken truth: he doesn’t want to face this journey alone. By even presenting the choice, he reveals a quiet hope that she might go with him, despite everything.

To me, what makes this moment so achingly beautiful is the duality in his expression. His eyes seem to plead two things at once: “I don’t want to put you in harm’s way,” and “I can’t deny wanting to be with you.” There’s a raw vulnerability in the way he looks at her.

“It won’t be terrible if you’re with me.” 

Lavellan’s response is a direct challenge to Solas’s warning. He tells her the path ahead will be awful - because of him. But she counters, saying that it’s because of him that it won’t be. This isn’t her forcing herself into his journey or suggesting that she alone will make it better. Instead, it’s her way of expressing that his presence will give her the strength to face whatever lies ahead - he's fucking worried about her! She’s trying to ease his mind, while also signaling her willingness to trust him again.

At the same time, her words acknowledge the weight of Solas’s suffering, offering herself as a partner to bear that burden together. She isn’t dismissing the risks or downplaying the severity of what’s to come - she’s choosing to stand beside him, fully aware of the challenges ahead.

It’s not about personal gain; it’s about shared resilience. Lavellan’s focus is on what they can endure together, not on what she might receive from the journey.

And since the Fade reflects emotions, as many have pointed out, their combined trust and love could manifest in ways neither of them can predict. Their bond has the power to shape not just their path but the very world around them.

This declaration is past, present and future; it’s a reaffirmation of their bond, a recognition that they’ve been walking the path of the dinan’shiral together all along. It’s future focused - she is offering to shoulder the burden with him going forward.  

She’s also telling him that she won't abandon him, no matter how hard the road ahead may be. 

And at the end of the day, she's a woman who still loves him. What does Prince Lir say in The Last Unicorn? "I love whom I love."

I've never interpreted Lavellan as someone sitting by a window for ten years, writing sad poetry and sighing into the wind, longing for Solas. She’s been busy - rebuilding a fractured world, navigating political fallout, and seeking understanding. Lavellan’s love for Solas isn’t blind devotion; she’s holding onto the possibility of redemption and the deep impact he had on her life. In my world state, Lavellan’s clan is wiped out. The people of the Inquisition have become her family, the ones she fights for and protects. And indirectly, Solas gave her that family. Despite the pain he’s caused, her love for him reflects the complexity of her journey - one defined not by a single relationship, but by hope, resilience, and the connections she’s forged along the way.

Lavellan then leans in to kiss him, and Solas allows himself to be drawn in. This moment is acceptance - a silent vow, a promise sealed in their shared vulnerability. It’s an intimate connection forged in front of those who have just witnessed the emotional storm that brought them to this point, as if to say, “This is where we stand, together.”

And then Solas turns to Rook and says, “Thank you.”

Solas doesn’t thank Rook when he hands them the dagger, nor when he’s preparing to walk into the Fade. He says it after the kiss.

In thanking Rook, Solas acknowledges not only their actions but also their understanding of the connection he shares with Lavellan. Rook, transformed by their own relationships and the bonds they’ve formed throughout their journey, embodies the themes that have always defined Dragon Age to me: connection, fellowship, community, love, and redemption. These games (again, for me) have always been about how people, despite their flaws and struggles, can come together to make the impossible possible.

Rook’s symbolism in the redemption ending feels like the culmination of this ethos. They represent how even those who begin on the periphery of great events can become central to forging bonds and creating change. Solas’s gratitude is for Rook's empathy, their recognition of the importance of connection, and their role in bringing these threads of love and redemption together. I'll go cry now.

And off they go into the Fade.

The Final Translation 

"With Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain dead, and the Inquisitor finally reunited with her true love, it looked like one of the biggest stories the world had ever seen was finally drawing to a close."  

Varric’s narration ties the ending image back to the connection between Inquisition and Veilguard. Inquisition is the Inquisitor’s story; Veilguard is Rook’s. Solas serves as the thread linking them. Varric frames this moment through Lavellan’s perspective, narrating the story like one of his novels - not to diminish Solas, but to highlight the Inquisitor’s journey. After all, Veilguard wouldn’t exist without Inquisition. Rook wouldn’t be working with Varric or searching for Solas if not for the Inquisitor.

As much as I would have loved a deeper focus on Solas, Veilguard wasn’t his story. If Inquisition is the Inquisitor’s story and Veilguard is Rook’s, this ending is a shared culmination: for a romanced Lavellan, it’s the personal resolution of her journey; for Rook, it’s recognition of their critical role in saving Thedas.

Okay, indulgence over - whew, that was long! I really need to practice shorter posts.

In the end, those who dislike this romance or this ending probably always will. That’s fine; I just wanted to share my interpretations because I genuinely love this story for all its complexity.

To everyone who made it to the end of this post - thank you for joining me in my indulgence. May your own Solas ships continue to bring you joy and inspiration.