#like in that situation she did actually have a genuine chance to survive

[kaoinim]

if i got jigsawed i like to think id just refuse to engage. i have fully already given up on any hope of getting out of this so im just going to make you kill me straight up. i am refusing to engage.

[forsaken-headcanons]

another one from suspiciously green anon i did like, extensive research on elliot here are some headcanons about him and his business!! -Contrary to popular belief, he is EXTREMELY well paid, his average wage being hundreds of bucks an hour. Especially because his dad is the manager. -Builder Brother's pizza is, in fact, a family owned pizza place. Like everyone in the family has worked at it at some point -Mia, the youngest of the family and also Elliot's younger sister, is going to work here some day. She's not complaining because it'll make good money -She'd like to be a chef, specifically! -Ironically, the majority of the family is lactose intolerant -The reason the place is so wealthy is because it's like a historical landmark, everyone loves WAAPP! -Humility runs in the family, and the business continues to be a humble pizza chain. They'd always decline collabs from larger brands in their early days, look at them now! -Builderman is considered a family friend toward the Builders (Mr. Builder, Elliot Builder, ykyk) -The Pizza place has a flexible way of getting employees, letting pretty much anyone work there whenever. Is it smart? Not really, but they have more than enough money to insure absolute safety. -Elliot continues to have low self worth, though I believe this would be because of past problems in school that went untreated and were never brought up due to Elliot believing they would burden his peers and family. -I don't mind angry Elliot enjoyers, pop off! But personally I think he'd be more like Spongebob. He pretends to be happy all the time, and will explode whenever he gets TOO angry (he will drop the f bomb on everybody in the cabin, even the killers if they're there). -It's easy to tell when he doesn't mean what he says because he instantly apologizes to those he didn't mean to insult once he gets his emotions in line. -He never apologizes to Twotime. -He does eventually apologize to 007n7, however. I'd say this is because he notices 007n7 is trying to genuinely be better but he's shaken up incredibly bad. Elliot can sort of empathize with 007n7, because he was also ostracized at some point. This was in school, however. oh yeah also some 007n7 headcanons -Everyone eventually forgives him because I'm allowed to be happy. The list of forgiveness goes as follows! I would include survivors not ingame yet but idk about their personalities -Guest-1337 (EXTREMELY understanding and sympathetic, i've watched the last guest and I don't think he's as stern as he is in the game. Maybe a bit shaken up after the grenade (spoilers he survived in the actual movie after being tackled by an ally into a pit), but he tries to be nice to everyone. -Chance (He's just a chill guy who lowkey don't gaf, he can see 007n7 is trying to change for the better) -Builderman (He's pretty understanding despite his status as the big man of Roblox. He knows that people can change, and although hesitant, warmed up to 007n7.) -Noob (They're a bit naive, but that's okay in this situation) -Two-Time (Two-time thinks 007n7 got rebirthed or something, and is hypervigilant about how 007n7 uses his '2nd chance'. -Elliot (After being afraid for a long time, grew to forgive 007n7 after putting himself in his shoes. Hackers are usually just very foolish young people, 007n7 grew up and he had to carry on with the guilt for THAT long? Let alone he got ostracized, that's crazy!!) -Shedletsky (He is stubborn. Like really fucking stubborn he REFUSED to believe 007n7 could change because he thinks all hackers are messed up. But, as everyone grew to forgive him he became neutral with 007n7. He still keeps a watchful eye on 007n7 though, if he fucks up again he is going to flip out!) roblox autism back at it again! -suspiciously green anon, the autismer

Another peak post from the suspiciously green anon. We love to see it.

[threepandas]

Bad End: Eve

You know how most Otome games are vaguely historical? Usually some non-specific mishmash of European countries? But fluffier and with more bows? It had once "gotten" to me, I think. I remember looking for outliers. Non-joke ones. Something that wasn't just "but this time with hats!"

I found one.

And now? Now I'm not sure if I curse that day or thank whatever force of nature lead me there. I guess... I guess it depends. Would I still have ended up HERE? If I had not found it? If so, then I genuinely and actually fucking rue it. Like... like actual "you'll rue the day! Bwahaha!" Type rue it. That's me. Ruing.

But? If it was always going to happen?

Then I guess...

I guess I'm weirdly glad. Because at least I have some fucking idea of what's going ON. Terrible, as it all is. Fucked, as the situation is. At least I'm not... not confused. Blind and at the mercy of those around me. Ignorance truely isn't bliss. All it does is leave you to try an fill in the blanks yourself. Usually with something far worse.

Not that the situation could GET much worse, by much.

I was in an Otome game. NOT a flower, high society, and dragons kind either. No. I? Was in a Dark Sci-Fi otome game. "Fate of man" was thrown around a lot. Power of luuuuv~ and such. Also, you know, HORRIFIC ethical violations. Human experimentation. Cataclysmic events and humanity "starting over".

All the high drama sci-fi concepts you could expect. It was a romp. Had good art. I'd had fun! Which is why I remember it so clearly.

Less fun when you're IN IT.

When you AREN'T one of the characters you KNOW will survive.

In fact, are one of the characters you know WON'T fucking survive. And will probably die MESSY. Horribly. Cause see, our BELOVED Harem collecting Protagonist? She? Was AN Eve. "AN".

Take a wild fucking guess what THAT project is about.

Did you say "breeding a better race of humans"? Ding ding ding! With humanity currently fucked, they want to FIX the problem by FIXING humanity. And of course, fuck ethics! Volunteers? Why use those?! Let's horrifically mad scientist our way to atrocity-ville! Make it all the more "God rightfully punishing us for our unforgivable sins" when we get wiped out!

Fffffffuck YOU, plot! I have to live here too!

You may, in fact, be picking up a slight note of stir crazy. A "wow, this lady rambles like a mother fucker" vibe. You would TOO, if you were stuck in a FUCKING TUBE. All I can do, day in and day out? Is wake, think, observe, then go right back to sleep. I can't even eat! I got a TUBE for that!

I... I miss showers.

Everything is GOO.

I'm an Eve. And if it weren't for the air tube controlng my breathing? I'd laughing hysterically until I died. And no, not in the "oh how funny" way. God. Oh... oh god. What a way to die. NONE of the Eves survive "the program".

Those IDIOTS are so OBSESSED with making bigger and bigger, better and better, FUCKING JUGGERNAUTS? That the Adams? Have long since reached the point of "mindless killing machine". UNSTABLE is putting it lightly. There is sexual dimorphism and then there's literal incompatibility.

But GOD FORBID the scientists admit that THEY are the ones with the inferior product.

It... it was even part of the game's plot. The scientist who made "Eve" HID her while HE made an Adam. I do not have that luxury. Somewhere, there is an unstable BESERKER being told I'm his "wife". That we're going to be HAPPY together. That he'll get to put his bruising, blood soaked hands anywhere he WANTS... just after he WINS me from the other Adam's.

Got to prove HE'S the best specimen, after all.

It makes my skin crawl. All I can hope, is that I can either provoke the bastard enough to kill me before they have a chance to stop him, or? I use my own enhanced strength to snap my neck. Maybe bite my tounge. Like HELL am I letting an Adam get near me.

The hiss of laboratory doors.

"Perfection at last..." Comes a relieved sigh. "All those HIDEOUS specimens. Why they make me suffer them, I'll never understand. We should have terminated them months ago. My poor project, they really think they're WORTHY of you..."

There's a derisive laugh. The scientist strolling into the lab I've been developing in, familiar. I watch him casually shrug off his lab coat and dump is bag. Hang his coat over the back of his chair. Turn, as he does each day, to STARE up at me. His eyes are a pale, pale purple the likes of which I've never seen before.

They're HAUNTING.

There is almost a red tint to them, though maybe that's the lights. The goo. I can never tell. He always looks ENTRANCED by me. Floating, visored, connected to far too many tubes an' wires. I'd think it was the fact that I was naked if it weren't for the way his gaze doesn't seem to drift lower then my shoulders. Seems more entranced by the way my hair moves, as though under water.

I've never once heard him talk about me lustfully.

But that doesn't mean he doesn't SCARE me.

"Let's begin, shall we? Time for your daily doses, mmm?" He says, voice dangerously affectionate. As though i had CHOSEN to do this to myself. As though he were merely reminding me of my morning medicine and not the hell ahout to come. "Going to be good for me? I know you shall, you always are."

He turned back to his desk, his computer. A few keystrokes... and I could feel the pod above me begin to hum, as it awoke. Oh god. Oh god it never got easier. From the corner of my eyes, bright chemicals slide down thind lines and into my veins. Like lines of lava. Bolts of electricity and pain. It was... AGONY.

My muscles seized. Brain screeched, first to the screaming I wish I could make... then static. With the long practice of daily pain, it took me far away. The click, click, click of keys. The sound of his voice, so terribly PLEASED, as I hung there and just TOOK it. No restraints, no strugging, no damaging myself. Just unbearable fire in my veins and a brain far, far away.

"Good girl~"

Distantly a phone rang. He made an annoyed sound, but picked up regardless.

"What. I'm in the middle of- ...Excuse me? I'm quite sure I did not hear you correctly. I said 'NO'. She's not-....I will NOT BE-...What. Are you out of your god damned MIND? That pile of scraps you call a project is coming NOWHERE near my-! ....you think you're clever, don't you?"

"Fine. You want to TALK? Let's TALK, Anderson. I'll be there in five."

From far away, past the pain, I watched him chance down at something at the screen. Back up to me. He hung up the phone but did not pause the program. Instead, calmly rising from his desk. Shrugging on his lab coat. Rounding the desk and striding towards my bio-tube.

"Hmmm, honestly, it should have been spaced out over a few more days... but you can take it. Endure a bit longer for me, would you, darling? Daddy's going to go deal with something for just a moment, he'll be right back, my perfect girl. Be good."

He leaned forward, pressing his forehead to my tank. One hand splayed next to it like he badly wished he could touch. Could stroke skin. Hold his creation close. It was not the first time he had done this. Small, covetous, little actions like he wanted to crawl inside my skin and STAY there. Like he cursed the glass that separated us.

He pulled back. Shifted to the side and kneeled. He... had hidden something behind my bio-pod? When? Apparently before I had become aware. Because I had not known about it. A black shoe box. I watched him open i-GUN. Thaaaat was a gun! Fuck. Well at least? By the time anyone thinks to look in on me? The overdose will probably have killed me?

There is a cold, terrible smile on his face as he rolls to his face. Tucking the gun into an inner pocket. It has a silencer. He leans forward one last time. Lightly kissing the glass of my pod, as though heading off to work and not to very obviously kill somebody. The pain continues. Builds. I watch him leave.

With nothing to anchor myself on... time blurs.

I think? There are alarms? Red lights flash. Then they stop. There is shouting at one point. But then silence. An explosion? Or am I hallucinating? Pain. My nerves are on fire. I don't want to have SKIN. Please... please make it STOP! Calm foot steps? Come to kill me? Please come to kill me. Make it STOP.

The lights died a... time? Ago? Emergency lights on now. Generators in the room are loud. Why can I still hear the feet? Footses? Words. H..hurts. please.

Click.

The pain eases to a stop. Aching but nothing new. Over? Oh, thank god. I can sleep now, right? But... sound? New. At my feet. Gurgling. Wha-? The very top of my head feels cold. Then my forehead. Then my temple's and ears, cheeks, jaw... wait. Is? Is the tube...DRAINING? I open my eyes.

When did I close them?

He's back.

Standing right in front of the tube. Blood staining the hem of his coat, lingering marks of his massacre cleaned but not quite scrubbed from his body. There are little off red stains on his cheek, from what must be blood splatter. They look like tiny freckles.

I'm... I can't...

I reach as the tube down my throat is pulled almost carelessly away by the machine. Choke, suffocate, as the same is done for my air tube. But then it's done... and I can BREATHE under my own power. Gasp and splutter, as the goo sloshes around my knees. Then it's gone. And the tube I've been leaning my weight against is roughly pulled away.

I collapse forward, my muscles having never actually supported me in this life.

Arms catch me. Wrapping me in a possessive hug. A hand immediately burying itself in long uncut hair, even as the other wraps itself around my torso to lean me against his body in a cradle. My face is pressed to his neck by the hand in my hair, cradling my head and neck. I can feel breath against the goo wet crown of my head.

"Finally~" he breaths out, whispering it against me like a sigh. "My beautiful, perfect girl. My darling creation. It took so LONG. Those retrobates interfering at every turn, lusting after you like ANIMALS, trying to keep you from me. Then, worst of all, trying to toss you to some pack of savages? Oh, darling~ Daddy's been so worried for you."

"But we'll be okay now, won't we? I finally have you. All fresh and finally finished. My perfect Eve. You can pick any name you want, of course. You and I will be leaving this ugly little place. Daddy has PLANS. A fresh new world, just for you, sweetheart."

He laughed, his hug tightening in a way that would have left bruises had I been a normal human. Kisses were pressed to my temple. A cheek, rubbed against my hair. He seemed... seemed GIDDY with it. That nothing could stop him now. There was no glass in his way. I could not move yet. My muscles twitched when I tried, but that was it. I wasn't even sure I could talk yet, if I tried.

"Aaah~♡ Welcome to the World, Darling. My Perfection. My Eve. This time no snakes or Adams to tarnish you. To get in your way. Just you and your Father~"

"FOREVER~♡"

Next: ->

[the16thtower]

Wyll Ravengard fucking undoes me because while a lot of fans and the BG3 writers do him dirty, there's so much going on with his character that just isn't explored or elaborated on that is so fascinating.

I have a parent who functions as a pillar of the community in my hometown, who is incredibly competent and admirable, and who judges me harshly for supposedly making choices that ruined my life. It's really difficult trying to wrap your head around all the different layers of that kind of relationship and Wyll never gets to really address it properly.

If we think about what happens after he gets kicked out of home:

What does he get to take with him? Does he even get a chance to pack any belongings? He looks like a normal human for the most part when we first met him, so what did Ulder tell people? We don't know about his mother's side but is there any family or family friends he could stay with? Did Ulder poison the well with everyone Wyll knew by being upfront about the pact or did he lie and make up another equally damning excuse for exile? God, just the idea that Ulder looked his son in the face (freshly injured) and immediately threw him out is devastating. Wyll is so certain about the prudence of his father's decision when we met him but either:

This is a perspective he's eventually made peace with

His conviction in his father never waned

which both suck! Either his idol, his father, screwed up massively or he has so little concern for himself that it never occurred to him that Ulder's justification was shit. Ulder is the Duke of Baldur's Gate, with all the resources that grants him, and he didn't even try to contact an expert on demons to try and get more info on his son's situation? What the fuck! There's the whole bit with the Trials of Balduran about appropriate punishment that Wyll agrees with that he doesn't even think to apply to his own situation. It can really fuck you up having your hero, who you admire for the good they do for others, decide you're not worthy of that same good.

Wyll tries so hard to be a good person and to lead by example but never seems to see himself as an acceptable recipient of the grace and kindness he shows others.

Does Mizora just immediately whisk him off to different parts of the Sword Coast to start acting the part of the Blade of Frontiers? He's seventeen, homeless, no support network, and fighting monsters - I'm going to lose my fucking mind. That's ridiculous. That kid was already dealing with his father's intense expectations (from what Wyll describes, Ulder was raising Wyll to follow in his footsteps, which is a steep ask). He then suddenly loses everything, on top of the stigma of demon association - Wyll's mental health must have tanked at some point. Depression, anxiety, and PTSD are definitely on the table (plus phantom pains from the prosthetic eye).

Just thinking of this teenager learning how to drink properly with no one looking out for him, trying to numb things a bit, and just becoming a sad wreck every time. Just... there's so much there with Wyll having to grow up very quickly in very lonely circumstances. We know he has some acquaintances, like the tieflings, but who actually knows what's going on with him? Is he still shouldering his burdens alone? Is MIzora around bothering him or does she flit in and out of his life? He's in exile for seven years.

And he's still a romantic and an idealist! Unflinchingly, genuinely, with his chest! He endures! He becomes a hero. It's beautiful. He survives and cultivates his best qualities in the face of awful circumstances. Wyll has this intense sense of morality and will (pardon the joke) that never permits him to sway from the right thing, even with everything stacked against him. And it routinely costs him! It's so, so hard to do the right thing and he still does it because he simply can't see another outcome worth living through.

It upsets me a little that Wyll ends up doubling down on what a good person his dad is when they reunite - as if Wyll hasn't demonstrated infinitely more empathy and compassion for other people, even when it actively impedes him. He's good because he chooses to be good and seeks to understand, not because he's able to follow the standards set by other men.

This is not a particularly organised discussion but fuck, I love Wyll Ravengard.

(UPDATE: I've just made some edits for clarification since I didn't express myself well. Also, this is a game that requires hundreds of hours of gameplay so be kind if I don't know everything.)

[sereinreality]

making a luis lives au and having it lead up to re6 so i just want to write down my ideas so far

- ada saves him without a shadow of a doubt. somehow, someway, she gets him off the island and takes him to a hospital to heal while she spends those next couple of months making plans. when luis is properly healed, she would offer one of two options; either work with her or she’ll leave him some things but they have to keep little to no contact. luis obviously goes for the first choice.

- they definitely bond over the course of time they work together from re5 to re6. i like to think their similar backgrounds, history, and goals bring them closer together. luis would always try to find a reason to throw festivities, he’s very insistent on celebrating ada’s birthday or any holiday.

- luis’s nickname for ada is “mariposa” she rolls her eyes every time he says it but she genuinely loves it

- they do a lot of moving around which means time to kill and lots of stories. luis likes to play a game where he tells a story and ada has to guess wether it actually happened or he just made it up. most of the time he’s lying but argues “you never know! maybe someday it will be true!” it makes ada smile. luis tries to make her smile as often as he can.

- luis didn’t change in terms of making jokes. he figures there’s no point in falling to despair when you’ve been given your last chance so he makes the most of it. it annoyed ada at first, thinking that luis wasn’t taking this seriously but upon closer inspection, she realized he’s grown way more cautious than before. she excused some of the teasing after that but never backed down from some back and forth

- ada and luis are like soulmates in the way that they are two sides of the same coin. where there’s one, you’ll find the other. they are connected by coincidence but they treasure it. more than anything, it’s a deep understanding between them. everything they did to survive, to get out of their respective situations, the choices they made, and the loneliness they felt. luis swears that as long as he lives, ada will never feel alone again. ada says likewise. both of them mean it with their whole heart.

- under NO circumstances can leon learn that luis survived. it’s a depressing truth they both understand that if leon got the smallest hint of luis’s survival that he would begin a manhunt to find him. they have too much work being carried out that cannot be compromised. that doesn’t stop luis from searching for leon’s name in government files or papers, he keeps up to date with anything where he’s involved. what can he say? the knight misses his prince.

- that being said leon does not handle post valdelobos very well. he still has luis’s lab key which he keeps in a box tucked away somewhere. sometimes the smell of smoke brings him back to spain and the mines where he lost someone he’s grown so close to in just a small amount of time. it shouldn’t break him as much as it does but it’s something that stays in the back of his mind. leon feels like he missed something. that there was an opportunity open to him that he failed to see, it could have been something but now he’ll never know. the door shut in his face just when leon realized what was being offered to him.

- once he saw don quixote displayed on a bookstore window with a lovely red cover and bought it immediately. it sits on his shelf collecting dust, leon hasn’t had time to read it or so he says.

- the trio do reunite in re6 but more importantly, luis catches wind of some of the stunts leon had been pulling and their first interaction after years was luis marching up to leon as he backs into a wall. luis is shouting in spanish, probably complaining about leon not prioritizing his own safety, then switching to english so he can yell in a language leon understands. it was here that he catches leon’s face. he’s so much older now, worn out like leather. leon looked exhausted but he also seemed so amazed? confused? whatever it was, he looked softer now and his eyes widen a little. he simply says, “you’re alive?”

[sankta-wraith]

I’m about halfway through season three, and I’d just like to take a moment and look at how losing Rose has changed the Doctor.

First the obvious things: he’s more serious. During his time with Rose, he was mostly cheerful, funny, and generally quite positive. There were a few darker moments, but for the most part he had a pretty sunny personality, especially when he was with Rose. In season three, while he still tries to maintain his happy personality, he occasionally slips into melancholy and his cheerfulness often feels like a bit of a facade. This isn’t to say that there aren’t moments when he’s genuinely happy, but they seem to be far less frequent than the durst two seasons. He smiles less. He doesn’t have as many quips. He’s barely laughed at all. But that’s to be expected. He just lost someone he loved; it makes sense for him to be more withdrawn and sad.

The thing that struck me the most was how reckless he’s become. He’s always been a bit reckless, but he’s also tried to avoid things that will most likely kill him. He might be constantly getting himself into very dangerous situations, but he (almost) always thinks of some way to not die. (I think it’s because he knows that if he dies the Time Lords die with him, but that’s a different post.) In season three, he’s practically suicidal. So far, he’s allowed himself to come dangerously close to death at least five times, some seemingly without expecting to survive.

First was in episode one, when he let the Plasmavore drink his blood so she wouldn’t register as human on the scanner. He had no companion at the time, so he couldn’t have expected anyone to come for him. Even if someone had found him, they would have needed to do a blood transfusion, and since he’s not human it’s unlikely that human blood would save him. (I’m actually not sure how he survived that. Martha gave him CPR, but that didn’t fix the blood loss issue.) Even knowing all of that, he still allowed the Plasmavore to drain his blood without hesitation. He technically could have regenerated, but that didn’t seem to be part of his plan. I’m still not quite sure how regeneration works, but I’m pretty sure he has to be conscious for it to happen, and he was definitely unconscious when Martha found him.

The second time was when the Carrionite did he voodoo doll thing. This is admittedly a weaker example, since he does have two hearts, but I’m not entirely convince that he knew he’s be able to restart his other heart. He can clearly survive with just one heart (at least for a little bit,) but it significantly weakened him and it’s unclear how long he would have survived it. Had he been unable to get both hearts working, he probably would have died later when his remaining heart gave out under the strain, or been finished off later by the Carrionites and unable to defend himself. And yet he seems remarkably unconcerned, even when he realizes what she going to do. This isn’t to say that he wasn’t worried, but maybe not as worried as he should have been.

Third is when he willingly offers himself up to the Daleks, fully expecting them to kill him. This is one of the best examples, because he is 100% convinced that they are going to kill him. He’s so convinced that it actually comes as a shock when they decide not to kill him on the spot. Sacrificing himself makes sense in this situation, but it was a bit shocking how fast he agreed. I had expected to frantically try to come up with a plan, or at least to try fighting, before he decided to sacrifice himself. I certainly hadn’t expected him to straight up tell them to kill him.

Fourth was when he put himself in the direct path of a lightning strike/gamma ray burst on the off chance that some of his DNA would get transferred. Again this is an excellent example because not only did he put himself in its path, he actually held onto a lightning rod and wouldn’t let go for the duration of the gamma ray burst. There’s also the small fact that said lightning rod was on the top of the Empire State Building, and if the lighting and radiation hadn’t killed him a fall probably could’ve. That is literally the definition of suicidal.

The fifth and (so far) final time was when he, once again, sacrificed himself to the Daleks and demanded they kill him. Yes he knew that the Dalek-humans had some Time Lord DNA in them, but he still couldn’t be sure it would be enough. If you still don’t believe that he’s suicidal, I think seeing him stand in a room full of people with lasers/guns and telling them all to kill him should convince you. If even that doesn’t work, then you should consider the fact that the last three all happen in the same episode.

Let it never be said that losing Rose didn’t affect the Doctor.

[arabianbaby53]

Why do all of Daryl's love interest's strikingly resemble Beth?

I’ve always found it incredibly interesting how deeply Beth impacted Daryl’s psyche—so I wanted to rant about it for a bit.

In The Walking Dead: Origins, Norman Reedus says, “This is the first girl who’s ever been nice to Daryl, so he misreads the situation." Then, in Daryl Dixon: The Return, he confirms that Daryl did have real feelings for Beth. Their relationship was meant to come off as lovey-dovey, Daryl just never got the chance to act on it.

Beth’s warmth, kindness, and relentless optimism came at a time when Daryl was at his lowest—after the fall of the prison. And for the first time, he allowed himself to emotionally open up. To be vulnerable. What does Beth do in response? She meets him with nothing but patience and understanding. Even when he lashes out, she never judges him—she just tries to comfort him. No malice, no fear. Just compassion.

It def marked a turning point in their relationship. They went from simply surviving side by side to genuinely caring for each other. There was a softness growing between them—a deep, mutual trust. After they burned down the shack, I really think Daryl truly let Beth into his heart. we see this quiet shift in their relationship. He starts teaching her how to track, they hold hands and he gives her a piggyback ride and when he stands in the door way watching Beth sing, i believe thats when he 100% realized he was falling in love with her

In their final scene together at the funeral home, while sharing dinner Daryl begins to awkwardly open up about his complicated emotions. But they never get to finish their conversation. :(

Norman said it best: “She was the light at the end of a tunnel for Daryl.” After Beth was kidnapped Daryl refused to say she was dead to Rick instead simply said "she's just gone" grit his teeth and held out hope he'd find her. But once they were finally reunited after everything, she was taken again, right before his eyes, then shit after Beth’s death? Daryl breaks down in a way we hadn't seen before annnd haven’t really seen since.

He pulls away from the group, isolates himself and shows how desperate he is to be numb and avoid the topic of Beth to the point where he begins self-harming puts a cigarette out on his skin and sobs uncontrollably in the woods. Then We see it again with his conversation with Rick when Rick says, "I know you lost something back there. "...

Daryl quickly changes the subject to Judith, being hungry and avoiding the topic of Beth.

He did it with Carol, too. While she talked about Beth, he just listened, didn't say a word. Carol even says to him, "You have to let yourself feel it." Meaning, he wasn't letting himself feel it...

Beth gave Daryl a safe space to confront his grief and trauma, gently helping him release the weight of his past. In doing so, she drew out a side of him that was more compassionate, teaching him to interact with the world in a way that contrasted sharply with the hardened, cynical approach he'd learned from Merle. She encouraged him to see the goodness in people, a perspective he had long since lost.

The acceptance she offered made Daryl emotionally reliant on her during their time together. Though they were complete opposites, they balanced each other in a way that made them co-dependent for different reasons. Each of them brought out strengths in the other, and together they found a fragile, yet powerful, kind of harmony.

Beth didn’t owe him anything, yet she chose to help him, even though it wasn’t easy. For Daryl, it was a first—he’d never had anyone prioritize him without expecting something in return. even if it was an uphill battle.

Furthermore Daryl also struggled deeply with self-worth, often seeing himself as a dumb redneck who wasn’t worth a damn. But with Beth, for the first time, i think he felt like he really mattered to someone not because he had anything to give back in return but because maybe he was actually important to her.

What makes this all the more heartbreaking is that Daryl never got closure. After Beth wove her way into his heart and helped him see himself in a new light, she was suddenly gone. She left behind nothing but the echoes of their time together—the way she made him feel: cared for, valued, and significant. Beth was the one bright spot in his dark world, a force of kindness who only ever tried to make things better. And in the end, that light was extinguished, for no good reason and Daryl was left with nothing but the memories of what could have been.

I don’t think his character has ever fully recovered since Coda He’s quieter now. More guarded (if possible). He lost that spunk.

To really dubble down on that pain and how much Beth ment to him Daryl kept her knife on him 24'7 until the Saviors took him hostage And to this day, he hasn’t said her name. Not once.

So what does any of that say about his future relationships?

Let’s start with Leah... the tame one.

Eight years after Coda, we’re introduced to her. And here’s something I noticed: every woman Daryl has been involved with since Beth? Blonde, blue eyes And all of them, in some way, needed him—just like Beth did.

The similarities:

Both Leah and Beth are introduced as kind and hopeful, though their natures evolve over time.

Both are lonely, isolated characters.

Both try to get Daryl to open up emotionally before he’s ready.

But that’s where the similarities end, especially in terms of personality. I think her general appearance allowed Daryl to lower his guard, to try again.

It wasn’t necessarily about Leah herself—it was what she reminded him of.

BUT NOW WE’RE ONTO THE CRAZY ONE! Isabelle is proxy Beth, and you will not be able to change my mind.

• Scars on Their Wrists: Both Beth and Isabelle have scars on their wrists, symbolizing their struggles and survival.

• Singing Moments: Remember how Beth often sang, bringing a sense of peace amidst chaos? Isabelle and Laurent shared a similar moment, showcasing their bond and offering a brief respite from the harsh reality. • Innocent and Kind Nature: Both characters are portrayed as kind-hearted and somewhat innocent, yet they possess an inner strength that becomes more evident as their stories unfold. • Protective Roles: Beth was incredibly protective of Judith and others in the group. Likewise, Isabelle takes on a protective role for Laurent, ensuring his safety and well-being. • Influence on Daryl: Both Beth and Isabelle have a profound impact on Daryl. Beth helped him open up emotionally and find hope during a dark time, while Isabelle helps him rediscover a sense of purpose in France.

• Faith and Hope: Both characters embody themes of faith and hope. Beth’s belief in a better future and her positive outlook are mirrored in Isabelle’s hope and determination. • EVEN HOW THEY DIE Beth and Isabelle both hid sharp weapons in their sleeves. Both struck their attackers. Both were killed immediately in retaliation. And Daryl had to watch both of them die. Beth stabbed Dawn, was instantly shot, and died infront of him

Isabelle sliced Losang’s face, was stabbed and and died infront of him It’s almost too similar. Even though our favorite blonde has been gone for years, Daryl is still searching for her. Maybe not literally—but emotionally, spiritually—he’s looking. Whether he realizes it or not, you can’t deny the parallels. Leah, Isabelle... they echo Beth in different ways. Leah looked like her—maybe that’s why she caught his attention after Rick vanished. She filled a void, a shadow of what he lost. But Isabelle? Isabelle was Beth in spirit. The way she acted, the light in her, the hope.

Beth truly did emotionally scar daryl and left a hole that couldn't be filled for the rest of his life the attachments and feelings he still holds for her are evidently apparent. she was the first woman he ever fell in love with and I don’t think he’ll ever recover from that, she probably will be the only person to get Daryl to open up the way she did. But that doesn’t stop him from trying to replicate his relationship with her over and over…

Their ark together was the happiest we’ve ever seen Daryl and the most emotionally comfortable we’ve seen him with another individual. His sorrow truly comes from finally finding her and feeling that burning, hope that it’s truly not over and she was right all along.

Only Her to be gone in the snap of a finger

"you're gonna miss me so bad when i'm gone daryl dixon" i can say with 100% certainty he definitely misses her more than she could ever know, and i think that sentence truly haunts him.

[wildernessworship]

Some thoughts on the Lottie and Travis dynamic in 3x9.

Lottie doesn't want the group to leave, but she doesn't do anything to make them stay. On the other hand, she also doesn't try to stop Shauna from forcing them. 

Thing is, nobody who wants to leave actually puts up a fight, despite having the numbers and two of them being armed with a gun and crossbow. They don't even try to get Shauna to back down (and you could write an essay on the psychology of that, but that's not my focus here). 

So Travis doesn't get to leave, and he specifically blames Lottie for it. He spends hours making an elaborate booby trap spike pit so he can lure her to her death. Sir, that is an escalation. That is premeditated murder. And the way he baits her is calculated. He plays on her desire to be helpful and uses the one thing he knows she's obsessed with: the Wilderness and deciphering Its communication to them. 

Their relationship is so fucked up, and Travis isn't a complete innocent in this dynamic like I've seen some people try to imply. He relied on Lottie and the idea of the Wilderness to get through the winter. He was desperate for something to make sense, for an ounce of comfort and stability, and he looked to her to provide it. He enabled her and fed into her delusions when it was what he needed to survive, but now those same delusions are in his way. 

Lottie pushed with the shroom-induced hallucinations, and her singleminded focus and indifference to his pain was scary, and it changed how he viewed her and broke his trust in her. But he went along with it at first because he was also looking for answers, and when it became too much and too traumatizing, he lied his way out and diverted Lottie's attention to Akilah, who had only ever been kind to him. He's so far beyond his limits, he didn't even think twice about ditching everyone and walking out with Kodiak. 

I absolutely get why Travis has made the choices he has, but I'm not gonna pretend he's standing on a moral high ground. It's not about who's good or bad; it's about survival. They're all making decisions under intense psychological duress, and it's a useless exercise to point the finger at any one person because they all have responsibility for their situation. No one is entirely guilty or innocent. It's messy. 

Lottie takes his bait and is successfully lured, but Travis hesitates and gives himself away. He's grown to fear Lottie and hate what she represents, but he's also still drawn to her and to the Wilderness. He's angry and scared and desperate, but he knows she's not a monster, and he can't bring himself to actually walk her into the trap.

Lottie sees he's upset. "Tell me, I can help," she says. The thing about Lottie is that she's extremely earnest. She's sincere in the things she says. She's sincere in wanting to help the group. She genuinely believes they're safer where they are, and she really does trust the Wilderness. Her earnestness draws people to her, but it's also what makes her dangerous. 

Travis really pushes back for the first time. Lottie can't help him because she is the problem. She and her bullshit are ruining their chance at rescue. She told him about shrinks and pills, but he doesn't know what it actually means. He doesn't understand why she can't let go of her belief in the Wilderness now that they have a way out. He just knows she's in the way of what he needs. 

Lottie apologizes to Travis, and she means it. She says she wants him to feel Javi there with them, and she means it. Because she feels Javi's presence all around them, in the woods and the wind, and it brings her comfort. 

Lottie had nothing to do with what happened to Javi, but she feels responsible. She was unconscious when he died, and she was horrified when Misty told her what they did. She could accept her own death if it would help them survive, but she didn't want them killing each other, and she feels a deep sense of guilt over it because she was supposed to be leading them. It's a big reason she pushed leadership to Nat. 

Of course Travis doesn't know that, he thinks Lottie approved of Javi's death, because that's what Misty told the group. Still, he can't bring himself to actually walk her into the trap. He can, however, live with letting her walk into it herself. Lottie steps forward, and he's conflicted, but he doesn't stop her. 

Lottie knows what she's walking into, but she trusts the Wilderness to make the choice. It will decide whether she lives or dies. She's so far into her delusion that self-preservation is not a consideration.

She told us earlier: "It's not me, it's what It wants." Lottie isn't really driving the car right now. The Wilderness is at the wheel, whether that be her illness or a supernatural entity influencing her or both. 

She stands over the pit, and the branches don't break. Travis is in shock, and she smiles a little knowing smile at him. I've seen people call it a smirk, but it doesn't look like a smirk to me. It's more gentle and understanding than that. It's an acknowledgement: I know what you were trying to do, and I don't blame you.

Lottie smiles, and she walks away unscathed. The Wilderness chose to let her live today.

[doppel-doodles]

Thoughts and feelings on Poppy: Small analysis.

Didn't think I would make another one of these anytime soon buuuuut looks like my brain had different plans, so let's dicuss the knock-off Chucky shall we?

While by no means her biggest fan I feel like Poppy actions deserve a bit more civil discussion than hate. (That's not to say that you shouldn't hate on her. You should, it's hilarious.)

While not a good person by any stretch of the imagination, I genuinely think Poppy kinda has a point with her ambition to blow everything up.

Like- rationally that is the objectively the better choice to bury everything because be for real with me: These toys are not safe and neither is the world outside the factory.

There is a higher chance of them being locked up for research or being shot on sight than there is of anyone actually trying to integrate them into society, and even if someone did there is also a very likely scenario of any stress Inducing situation causing a toy to feel threatened and go into fight mode, which how you get a dead guy on the floor.

And even if they lived in hiding instead, exactly how different would that be from living in the factory? Now instead having to worry about murder toys they also have stuff like: weather,wild animals and of course humans-

So an ideal solution would be to bury it all, let the victims finally rest in peace, make these horrors public and never repeat this mistake again.

Of course there is the fact that these are not objects or mindless monsters, they are all still people with very real human emotions and thoughts who have shown themselves to be capable of being peaceful when feeling safe.

But even in an ideal world I doubt that there wouldn't be any incidents considering that anyone currently alive in the factory is or was at one point a murderer.

Where Poppy lost me is the part where she made it abundantly clear that SHE would get to live, not because it was a necessary step, no,no she just didn't wanna die. If YOU make the decision to sink the ship then you better be ready to go down with it captain.

She is part of this, a part of the horrors. They will live on with her just like they would with ANY other living toy she does not get a pass just because she is tall enough to be kicked around like a football, if Bobby bearhug overhere was able to maul me to death then so can she-

It's honestly just a dick move on her part and a massive "fuck you" to everyone else as it implies that she somehow is special or deserves to live more instead of them when she is no different than the others, but their sacrifice insures her survival.

That is why we side with Doey outside the game.

But-

A point people tend to brush aside is that she isn't just looking out for her own survival, the plan is that we,kissy and poppy are going to rescue the orphans sleeping in the factory but like, how do we know they are actually alive?

Even if we take Poppy at her word(which we shouldn’t as she is an unreliable narrator) that they weren't killed during the hour of joy and actually were put into a coma, that was years ago.

Once you think about the likelihood of that still being the case you start to see all the holes in that statement.

You tell me a bunch of children put into a medically induced coma for YEARS are still alive and well under the care of an insane monster in a factory that's falling apart?

If that's the case I want the prototype as my actual doctor he probably has already found a way to keep me young and healthy forever.

If 2+2=4

Stay with me here.

Then I ain't gotta be a genius to know this shit don't add up-

Like Poppy is also not dumb, I think she would’ve at least considered that possibility right?

Or maybe she didn’t.

Because she didn’t want to consider that scenario.

Poppy is a very flawed character: A coward,selfish and very headstrong in her plans. She’ll figure out how to get her way whether you like it or not and she tends to not pay the feelings of others not much mind, focusing on the bigger picture.

But she is far from the worst person here, she is a victim in all of this but that doesn’t mean she is incapable of being bad either.

Those flaws mentioned above as well as her fear to get locked up again or worse drive a lot of her actions in game and clearly she has ulterior motives.

I find her fascinating, similar to kevin she is not the perfect victim so I get the vibe that the fandom is way harsher to judge her.

People also don't simp for her like they do for the doctor and completely disregard all of his actions but I digress-

Anyway thanks for joining me fellas that's all I'm gonna say for now.

[momentomori24]

I’ve seen a couple of people predict that Grace will become a support for Damon because he solved Wolfgang’s murder, but I don’t think that’s gonna happen. If anything, I predict after the events of Chapter 1, Damon is gonna be the main target of Grace’s rage because 1. Damon was close with Eva, who murdered Wolfgang, and 2. Damon had Wolfgang’s blackmail, and if he had just told him about it, Wolfgang wouldn’t have fallen for Eva’s murder trap and would still be alive.

When Eva revealed that Damon had Wolfgang’s blackmail in the trial, Damon inwardly griped that now everyone was gonna give him shit for it afterwards. Some of them may not, but let’s be honest, Grace is ABSOLUTELY not gonna let him live it down.

Her imitation art referred to her as "a friend", however I don't believe she will be OUR friend. She will very, very likely hate Damon's guts for his involvement in Wolfgang's death and honestly I will celebrate her for it 💅💅

Legit, Damon is a BIG part of how Eva was able to go through with what she did. He knew about the code to access to perk (which he slipped up about) and was the one who made the suggestion to hide it from everyone, even when Eva suggested otherwise. He had Wolfgang's blackmail and not only hid that, but lied to his face about it. Same with Desmond's blackmail. He trusted Eva despite literally everything. All of these decisions ended up playing a massive part as to how Eva was able to commit the murder, and I don't think Grace will let him get away with that any time soon-- and rightfully so, given how little genuine self-reflection Damon has about his self sabotage, scapegoating of Wolfgang and transgressions against the group as a whole, both in this situation and in general. There's also that she very likely feels responsible for his death as well, given how she left him in what she believed to be a very vulnerable position in their room alone. If she had stayed behind, he wouldn't have gone through with going to the boiler room, and that absolutely still clings to her conscience. I can see her both wallowing in that guilt and self loathing as well as using it to lash out on those around her, especially Damon.

Actually, rather than a support for Damon, I think she's more likely to be a "support" for Diana instead! With Eva and Wolfgang gone, it leaves both of them with the potential of bunking together instead (or sleeping alone, which I can see for Grace for a while). Diana also really cared for Wolfgang, and I'm curious about Grace's feelings on her speech given how she turned away in the CG. I can see a rocky, budding partnership forming between them at some point if Grace will find it in herself to trust someone again. Which I don't see happening easily, honestly (especially given Diana's more sympathetic view of the person who brutally murdered her only friend). But I can see them bond over their mutual grief over Wolfgang much later down the line (although I can also see a repeat of what happened in Chapter 1, where Diana's genuine feelings are seen as fake cuz she still cares about Eva despite what she had done to Wolfgang, so there's potential for conflict too).

I'm really scared for Grace cuz her chances of surviving Chapter 2 are hopefully decent-ish with how little we know about her, but there's a high chance she'll die by the end of the game with how it's looking right now 💀 She just lost her closest ally and the only person she truly trusted and felt comfortable with and has garnered the dislike and ire of a lot of the other characters due to her brash personality. She also doesn't have anyone she trusts to confide in as a result of that (especially since her feelings and grief aren't taken that seriously by most or weaponised when they become "inconvenient"), and will generally be seen as being in the wrong even when she has legit done nothing. ALSO, on top of everything else, she's still very much traumatised from her altercation with Mara. She's left in a very vulnerable position in the aftermath of Chapter 1, and unless she finds herself an ally or has some development that helps her connect with the group, it won't end very well for her. I don't think she will be a culprit at all (although I can see her getting framed), but there's potential for her to be a victim and I do not like that. At all. Fucking free this woman, her husband dying should give her a free ticket to guaranteed survival.

[booradigm]

I forgot at some point just how FLAVORFUL Siyeon was in the NOVEL compared to the manhwa. Re-reading got me excited and shit.

At this point, I'll be making a chapter-by-chapter comparison of the two since there are a LOT of things the manhwa just SKIPS over for the sake of budget and romance.

Take chapter 29 (manhwa ver.) or 27 (novel ver.), for example.

Novel ver:

You can really tell just how the mood plummeted and got tense when Callisto was mentioned, and Siyeon was genuinely afraid because he used his sword on her last time.

She was so upset that she slammed her fist down on the desk - a very Penelope-like behaviour - something she would have avoided because she tries to act logically.

Now the manhwa:

You cannot tell me that it didn't make the scene more of a "haha, he's back lol" moment.

Why did it put her like this? The way they put her thought bubble as "He's completely psychotic! He's doing it on purpose!" made it seem like she's overreacting. She isn't. She was nearly killed by the man.

Not just that, but the way the panels are framed set it in a more comedic effect, no?

They completely removed Siyeon's desk scene as well to instead make it seem like the maze scene wasn't a big deal, again. It was IMPORTANT that scene was shown because it not just puts into readers just how SERIOUS the situation is that Siyeon ACTUALLY loses her cool, but also on WHY she avoids Callisto.

"Callisto almost slit Siyeon's neck, yeah, that was bad, but you still can't just blame the manhwa for not drawing it, you're looking at it so deeply that you think they're pushing romance too much-"

BITCH, they just reused a scene from previous chapters, would it REALLY kill them to choose the most important one?? (I mean, if romance was considered MORE IMPORTANT than Siyeon's life, then the manhwa did right).

They could have very much just shown a flashback of him holding that sword to her since that's what Siyeon was mainly recalling anyway, and it made sense to show just WHAT she was so afraid of. What she was RISKING again in just being within his vicinity.

But instead, they ONLY put THIS:

??? Siyeon was thinking about how her NECK was nearly SLIT, NOT about the damn confession she gave.

Now why do you gotta make it look like she's bitching about the lie she gave? Or ACT like she WASN'T afraid of him anymore?

Literally, the recap went from 'Callisto nearly kills Siyeon' to 'Callisto looks forward to why Siyeon likes him'.

Narrative just DIDN'T give a brief reminder on why exactly she didn't want to go see him. It put more emphasis on "hey, he's looking forward to fl's justification to liking him" and ignore that Siyeon was STILL TRAUMATIZED from him nearly killing her.

Notice how, in the manhwa ver. they didn't mention ANYTHING related to DEATH. "Must have been the wind" ahh shit.

When it HAD the chance to recap the previous meeting, it CHERRY-PICKED how he was 'interested in her love confession' and NEVER mentioned how he almost KILLED her.

It was already trying to make the readers FORGET and was starting to SET him up as a love interest. And it WORKED because most manhwa readers usually don't read the novel ver. first.

The novel highlighted how dangerous Callisto was, and Siyeon's reason for not wanting to see him again was because she could never survive with him in-game, so it's natural she'd be afraid and associate him with death (reinforced when he DID try to kill her in that maze).

Meanwhile, the manhwa once again just pushed for the romance aspects, putting more emphasis on the "you must give me a reason as to why you fell in love with me" and CUT OUT the brief reminder that he nearly killed her.

The manhwa narrative not only REFUSED to acknowledge that Siyeon was LEGITIMATELY AND JUSTIFIABLY AFRAID because CALLISTO WAS ORIGINALLY GONNA SLIT HER THROAT, and instead reduced it to her being NERVOUS about a LIE, instead of her literally FEARING for her LIFE.

The manhwa can put comedic effects, OK, fine, I get that, but did it REALLY have to cut out about some scenes just to DOWNPLAY Siyeon's trauma and the fact Callisto tried to kill her??

Siyeon is more emotional in the novel, and ALL graphic scenes are heavily reduced to make it more sparkly and romantical since THAT'S just how the ARTSTYLE and NARRATIVE is, so if you want to see how the author intended them to be, give the novel a try.

[joe-spookyy]

saw traps in order and whether or not i would survive them

part 2: saw ii (2005)

death mask - absolutely the fuck not. not enough information as to how deep that key is. i am letting that shit snap on my face before i decide to reach in my eyeball. at least that way it’ll be quick. jesus fucking christ. 1/10 survivability.

electrified staircase - honestly not much to do to get out of this one. like once you’re in the stairs you’re kind of cooked. i guess it doesn’t necessarily have to kill you if you get saved but it’s not looking good. 2/10 survivability.

magnum eyehole (nerve gas house) - are you stupid like actually. they literally were given a note that says do not use this key on that door. why would you go on and do that. if you’re GOING to do it, move out of the fucking way, especially from the peephole. don’t put your eye on the fucking saw trap peephole. you stupid bitch. i would survive this with ease. 10/10 survivability. as any participant in the trap.

the furnace - honestly i feel like i would have been really fine in this one. he had the ability to shut off the flames he just pussied around and found out. what a fucking. i’d be outta there and i’d probably have at least one of the antidotes too. sucker. 10/10 survivability.

the needle pit - Jesus fucking christ on a cracker what the fuck. this is genuinely some heinously evil shit and the first trap to actually make me squirm. however i think as long as i had shoes on i could be brave and do this. carefully. one could even also consider having someone else (probably amanda and daniel or jonah) hold my feet while i reached down and shuffled around real gently in the pit. but worst case scenario i’m stepping in there careful af and praying. no matter what it’s not gonna kill me i guess. it’s just difficult. so technically speaking, 10/10 survivability.

the razor box - are you kidding me. i’m not super dumb. so i think i could have managed this. even if i did put one arm up through it, i would not put the second one up, and i would use my other hand to push the razors high enough to get my arm out. and then i would go around to the other side and find the key. because i’m a genius. 10/10 survivability.

eric’s test - i mean no matter what i do i personally am not dying here. but i think i could yap up jigsaw for the two hours needed to keep my son safe. and if i was daniel, i clearly would also be okay. 10/10 survivability.

nerve house in general - my biggest threat here seems to be xavier. easy ass traps. but i’m pretty sure in this situation i would be daniel on account of im young and tender and thus i think amanda would imprint on me and protect me like she did daniel. so like 7/10 survivability cause i’m very confident xavier would pick on me since i’m pretty easy to kill my hand on account of my weakness. but if i’ve got amanda on my side i’m safe.

overall survivability considering 8 traps - 7.5/10. if i am just in the nerve gas house it’s almost certain that i’m making it out (9.5/10 chance) but the other traps here are so horrific that i feel a little uncomfortable. needle pit you scare me so bad.

[capcollector]

I wanna know a little more about Nate. from your mentions, he seems like not necessarily a horrible guy up front, but a shitty husband who doesn't really give much thought to what Bunny wants and pushes her into a life situation she's not happy with. accurate?

thank you for asking, i’m surprised at the interest in him of all people! i did try to make him someone who was believable, someone who i’m sure could be seen as a well-meaning person, even if i personally don’t see him that way. he’s a very misguided man who believes he’s more self-aware than he actually is, and at his core suffers from some type of “main character syndrome” in the sense that he is so sure he’s the main character of the world. i have a longer write-up talking about bunny and nate’s marriage that i’ll post one day, but i’m gonna copy some stuff from that here bc it has a lot of exploration/analysis on nate himself.

there was always an element of “i need to prove i’m doing so much better than everyone around me” to his character, a latent misery that inevitably infects prewar bunny and burns out the fire she used to have. he’s a failure (was a failed writer before being a soldier, later got discharged due to injury) and deep down he knows he is but refuses to really acknowledge or examine why or consider how he could change. he takes it out on others in the sense that he wants to live vicariously through them, he wants to fraternize w these famous ppl so he can feel like he’s made it. bc he is a charming guy on the surface. he’s intelligent, he’s handsome, he is a genuinely good writer even if his projects didn’t catch on. but he’s so blinded by the idea of “making it” that he doesn’t realize that these people don’t even like him much. you’re tolerated. you’re the big question mark when they talk about your infinitely more successful and beloved wife. a footnote when people talk about her life.

this desire for notoriety, for attention, it’s why he’s so adamant about getting into the vaults and living in sanctuary hills—if the world ends he still needs to be the main character. the world needs nate delaney. he wants to live and prove he was something bc he has all the money (bunny’s money) to afford the sports car and the robots and live in the perfect wealthy neighborhood and have the beautiful famous wife and the newborn son. and in the end he gets a fittingly unceremonious death.

another way of looking at him is examining him through the lens of the dual survivors AU i talk about sometimes, where both he and bunny survive together. in the AU where he lives to see the wasteland, he’d join w the brotherhood, no doubt about it. he falls for that bc it makes him look like the hero. the adoration and respect of being a knight, of being praised by someone like maxson is addicting. it’s like he’s gotten a second chance to prove he’s not a failure.

anyway. all that to say. bunny would’ve divorced him within the next year had the world not ended. and as bunny continues on her main journey, she really does come to terms w all this. she reflects on him and their marriage now that he’s gone.

she wondered why she felt such relief when she realized she had the world again, that despite the circumstances, she had the freedom to do what she wanted and be herself again. a good portion of the themes i explore w her have to do w masks, identity, who she would have to be for her career, the press, the world around her, and ultimately, nate. he wasn’t in love with her. he was in love with the idea of her. he loved that she was bunny santos. and she accepts that she’s okay w him being dead. it’s not like he would’ve survived out here anyway.

[xf-cases-solved]

S1E16: Young at Heart

Case: When Mulder was an itty-bitty baby agent, he helped capture and convict serial killer John Barnett, however, in the process of capturing him, he inadvertently got a fellow agent killed by being too "by the book." This haunts him deeply in his soul, it was a defining moment for him in his career, and we only ever hear about it in this episode. Barnett was pissed that Mulder put him away, and during their last exchange, he made the heinous and not at all silly threat of, "I'm gonna get you." Unfortunately for Barnett, he died in prison and never got his chance for revenge.

Lol jk! That's just what he wanted you to think! Turns out he's alive and well, and out to "get" Mulder, just like he promised. But if that's true, why was he listed as dead? Why is his handwriting suddenly strange and mb a little lizard like? What does this plot have to do with fringe experimental science conducted illegally on children with a rare disease? Well, that's for our duo to find out! Or not find out. Oftentimes they don't find out. It'll be a fun surprise!

Does someone die in the cold open: The opposite actually. Someone you think is dead is actually, dun dun, alive!

Does Mulder present a slideshow: No. Mulder spends most of the episode lamenting the fact that an agent got killed because of him in the initial Barnett case. The agent had a wife and kids, did you know that? I know it, because Mulder kept fucking saying it.

Does the evidence survive the investigation: Uhhhh. I'm gonna say yes, except the person who knows where it is was shot to death.

Whodunit: There wasn't really a case so much as a "prove Barnett is alive and catch him" situation, so in that respect, Barnett is the whodunit bc he's the one who escaped. In terms of all the weird medical experimentation stuff? That was Dr. Ridley. I watched this a couple days ago and have forgotten what happens to Dr. Ridley. I think he dies tho, or was in the process of dying? Something like that.

Convictions: Zip, Barnett went to serial killer hell.

Did they solve it: Since they technically did find and capture/kill Barnett, and that was the main goal, I will say yes. Also, Barnett's gross salamander hand is enough evidence to make their reports sound more valid if they wanna talk about the science stuff, much to the chagrin of the higher ups, I'm sure.

[how do i determine if a case is solved? check the scale here: x]

THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: Salamander hand prosthetics.

Um.

Uhhh. M-m... M-maybe just... Maybe just use a hook.

***

General Total Stats:

(green means stat has changed since last ep; red means new stat added to list)

Total Cases *Definitively* Solved So Far: 8

Total Number of "Mulder/Scully, It's Me" Phone Calls: 1

Total Number of Times Scully Has Conveniently Not Seen Something Crucial: 4

Total Number of Times Mulder Has Been in Mortal Danger: 5 (saying no bc imo Barnett was more about making Mulder watch people he cared about die rather than just killing him outright)

Total Number of Times Scully Has Been in Mortal Danger: 6 (Scully, on the other hand, did genuinely almost die lol)

Total Number of Sexually Charged, Uncomfortably intimate, and/or Flirty Moments Between Friendly Coworkers: 8 (nah, tho Mulder did give her a cute lil wink and thumbs up when they were using her as bait. also, my favorite scene in the episode was when Scully accidentally outed that she knew about baby Agent Mulder's fuckup, and he just turned around, clasped his hands politely, and tilted his head like "oh really? do go on." that was very funny)

Total Number of Autopsies Scully Has Performed On Screen: 1

Total Number of Times Scully Plays Doctor: 2

Total Number of Times Mulder Talks to an Informant: 6

Total Number of Times People Making Out in a Car Are Hurt or Killed: 2

Total Number of Nosebleeds: 4

Total Number of Times Mulder Has Tasted/Sniffed/Touched Something Questionable Without Following Proper Safety Procedures: 2

Total Number of Times Someone Says "Trust No One": 1

Total Number of Times Someone Says "I Want to Believe": 2

Total Number of Cigarettes Cigarette Smoking Man Has Smoked: 2

Total Number of Maggie Scully Sightings: 1

Total Number of Alex Krycek Sightings: 0 :(

Total Number of Times I Had to Look Up What State the Episode Takes Place in Even Though I Literally Just Watched It: 4 ½ (it took place mostly in DC, so does it matter if i don't remember if there were any other locations mentioned? surely not)

Total Number of Times I Had to Look at an Episode's Wikipedia Page to Fill This Out Because It Was Fucking Confusing and/or Too Boring for Me to Pay Attention: 3 (i paid enough attention to get the gist, but i needed to clarify a few things that got muddied in the middle. i am. still a little muddy, but no more than what's expected with this show)

[jacksparrowslover]

watched speak no evil (2022) and was genuinely frustrated with the parents’ politeness and overall lack of self preservation/survival instincts. they had so many chances of escaping and so many red flags shoved in their faces. like, irl victim blaming is messed up no matter what, but this is a movie so I’m gonna say they were being so polite to the people who obviously didn’t deserve it and in the end their politeness literally got them killed. like… if finding their own young daughter in bed with a naked man (two naked adults? was the wife naked too?) wasn’t enough for them to call the cops and get tf out of there without turning back (I mean in their defense they kind of did, only that they returned because their daughter thought she lost her toy, so they were too polite to say no to their daughter in a situation where saying no was necessary, and then were too polite to leave again) then watching their own daughter literally get her tongue cut off should be enough for them to, I don’t know, at least try to fight? all the mom did was scream and thrash around and all the dad did was indulge in his own shocked state. and I mean those two people that were killing them didn’t have any weapon with them? (that scissors were so tiny it wouldn’t have been much of a problem if the parents actually fought) like… why would you strip when they told you to strip? BROS AT LEAST TRY TO FIGHT. THEY DIDN’T HAVE ANY REAL WEAPONS. you would’ve had a 50/50 chance of winning. and why would you get in that pit and let them stone you to death? I get that the film’s slogan was “staying polite in the face of unpleasantness”, which was also mentioned when the guy said they did this because the parents “let them” as a response to the dad’s question about why they were doing this - so the parents being overly polite was kind of the point? but it would have been such a good psychological horror movie, if the politeness of the parents weren’t SO frustrating to viewers.

[immobiliter]

so i really want to talk about topaz and her feelings about the ipc and i feel like this is a topic that i will probably come back to again and again as my own portrayal develops and i flesh her out, but in short her feelings are incredibly complicated.

a lot of this is to do with the fact that topaz's circumstances have effectively brainwashed her from a very young age. we don't know how old she was when the ipc arrived on her home planet and "took over" but the implication is that topaz was young when she was contracted into indentured servitude along with the rest of the planet's inhabitants — young enough that her memories of her home planet are probably vague and a lot of her formative experiences would have been within the ipc itself. of course, topaz doesn't see it as indentured servitude and probably would be hard pressed to ever actually see it that way: the ipc's ecological reconstruction efforts on her home planet were a success, joining the ipc offered her an education and career opportunity and security ( the latter of which is a big deal for topaz and why she is such a believer in the amber lord and THEIR path of preservation. as she says to bronya in her letter, it's all about survival over freedom ), and a life debt to the ipc is absolutely outweighed by those benefits. where would she be had the ipc not arrived on her planet when they did? likely dead, honestly — and she was young enough at the time to not really question or consider any alternative and i think still, to this day, cannot conceive of any outcome for her life that would have proved better than what the ipc gave her.

whereas aventurine's relationship to the ipc is all about trying to navigate and make the most of the cage he is boxed into through being a stoneheart, for topaz it's arguably about not realising that she's in a cage in the first place, or at least not considering it as such.

but her feelings about the ipc are still way more nuanced than just "she is their number 1 defender" lmao. she had to keep her subordinates in line while on jarilo-vi, she also had to keep her subordinates in line while in the hotel lobby on penacony. she knows that the ipc has an unsavoury reputation and are commonly considered the "bad guys" by outsiders. and topaz straddles that line between good and bad very interestingly imo, particularly in the jarilo vi quest — she is kind, she is polite and pleasant, you can tell that she genuinely does care about seeing belobog survive and thrive in the same way that her home world did ( hence why aventurine calls it a high risk, low reward project ) and does not immediately enter into the situation all guns blazing. however, she also weaponises that empathy towards bronya and the others in belobog through her letter ( because while it was a genuine attempt to reach out and explain her motives, himeko points out that she leaves out some important details about the ipc's ecological reconstruction programme and you can't tell me that letter isn't the smallest bit manipulative, it is ). she is also fully prepared to use force to take over belobog if needed ( svarog put the calculation of her resorting to force at 96% and topaz said that was a conservative estimate ) and, if bronya hadn't intervened at the last second, she would have been a boss fight for the astral express crew just as aventurine was during penacony.

i do think belobog was a turning point for her, or at least an important realisation for her that she has learned more from jade and the more ruthless figures in the ipc than she would like to admit, and a chance for her to recalibrate exactly how she wishes to do better both by herself and her conscience, and by the ipc as an institution. but what i love about her is that everything is grey and you can't easily explain away her morality, hence why this will probably not be the last time i ramble about the topic lmao