#literary analysis is my special interest

[andrewwtca]

on Sephiroth's manipulation of Cloud (an analysis)

— Rebirth + OG FF7 spoilers

how Rebirth tackled puppet Cloud is so unique and so so good, and I just needed to talk about it. first things first, let’s talk about what Sephiroth means by ‘puppet.’

throughout the OG FF7 and Rebirth, Sephiroth refers to Cloud as a ‘puppet.’ it may seem strange at first glance, because it seems to imply that Sephiroth is manually taking control of Cloud, puppeteering him or that Cloud is inherently empty.

it also doesn’t fit with his encouragement of Cloud’s rage. if Cloud is a puppet, why doesn’t Sephiroth just give him rage?

because that’s not what he means. when Sephiroth calls Cloud a puppet, he means that Cloud’s mind can easily be shaped, similar to how a puppet’s identity is dependent on its master. he says that what Cloud feels is fake because Cloud’s mind is a collage of identities, his own and Zack’s, all with Jenova’s and Sephiroth’s influence. Cloud’s feelings are just his master’s feelings.

Cloud’s mind is malleable. he is his own person, the real Cloud Strife is there, but due to the self-esteem issues he’s harbored since childhood and the trauma he’s endured for the past five years, the presenting Cloud Strife can greatly differ. Sephiroth is intensely aware of this, and takes advantage of it.

the persona we see of Cloud is his SOLDIER persona, the tough badass he always wanted to be, a mixture of his interpretation of Zack and his interpretation of being a hero. but the facade cracks quickly and frequently, in either direction. mostly, it cracks to let us see the real Cloud. there’s no one single moment where he shines through: Cloud taking on odd jobs with no real gain other than him helping someone, Cloud doing something stupid and silly, Cloud getting flustered. all the moments of him being kind and dorky is the real Cloud shining through. it’s impossible for Cloud to bury all of himself beneath his persona, so these cracks are only natural. however, the other cracks in his persona are due to Sephiroth’s manipulation.

in Rebirth, Cloud kills multiple people on multiple occasions—one can argue because they were Shinra, they deserved it, but that doesn’t change the fact that Cloud isn’t a killer. even his SOLDIER persona accommodates his desire to help people; so how does he kill people so easily? if you answered Sephiroth, you get a prize!

Sephiroth manipulates his SOLDIER persona in two ways: feeding into ideals and planting ideas. for the first, he (off-screen) encourages violent and/or anti-social behavior in Cloud. while we, the player, and everyone around him views this as strange, in Cloud’s mind, it all fits into what he’s supposed to be. he’s supposed to be a badass, and badasses kill people and dismiss their friends’ feelings, right?

when Cloud is in this mental state, it’s very hard to reason with him. in Chapter 13 (one of the greatest pieces of puppet Cloud literature), Cloud’s entire goal is to reach the center of the Temple in order to acquire the Black Materia. he doesn’t listen to any warnings that the Cetra give or his teammates, becoming wholly focused on retrieving it. but even then, even if Cloud’s behavior doesn’t seem strange to him, why does he want the Black Materia?

that’s due to Sephiroth’s other form of manipulation: planting ideas. it’s easy to force Cloud to become violent because it fits the narrative of badass SOLDIER, but lots of other ideas need time to nourish. case-in-point: Tifa isn’t the real one.

we are introduced to this idea at the very beginning of the game, Cloud walking through the inn at Kalm when he sees Sephiroth who tells him that this Tifa isn’t the real one. the conflict seems to become resolved when Cloud repeats the idea to Tifa who completely dismisses it, but they’re nowhere out of the woods.

next, Sephiroth in Chapter 5 instills the idea that Jenova is capable of impersonation. this doesn’t seem to go anywhere until Chapter 9.

first, Cloud enters that intensified SOLDIER state-of-mind, killing all the Shinra troopers around him. with his mind already fragile, Sephiroth repeating the idea to him now becomes fact: Tifa isn’t real. she is an imposter from Jenova. both the ideas Cloud’s been fed are twisted and he pushes Tifa off the edge.

Cloud snaps out of this state of mind right after, but it doesn’t change the fact that it happened. as long as Sephiroth plays his cards right, he can manipulate Cloud into doing nearly everything for him. hence, the ‘puppet’ label.

(that’s also why Cloud wants the Black Materia. Sephiroth tells Cloud to bring him the Black Materia—and even if Cloud doesn’t want to, the thought is engraved in his head that he should retrieve it for Sephiroth.)

but here’s what’s really special. as we’ve noted, the intensified SOLDIER persona is violent, anti-social, just an all around dick. he doesn’t care about his friends, doesn’t care about anything except getting what he wants (see: what Sephiroth wants.)

but we see something very different at the end of Chapter 13. Cloud isn’t rude and dismissive. he pushes Tifa, but he doesn't do it with the same malice as in Chapter 9. he does it in an attempt just to get her away, just to chase after the Black Materia.

in his pursuit of Aerith, the things he says are the farthest thing from rude. he’s not threatening or demanding her to stop. he’s asking her to talk, appealing to her desire to trust him and save the planet, even starts calling her name in a teasing way like he’s playing a game.

Aerith! Let's talk. I need it... Aerith... Give it to me. Please? You can trust me. Let's save the planet together. (playfully) Aerith.

when Aerith finally gives him the Black Materia, what does Cloud do? he could just walk away. he could just run straight to Sephiroth. but, no—he makes sure to say “thank you” first.

it’s pathetic (I type this in the most endearing way) the way Cloud acts. why is that? what is the difference between these types of manipulation? the answer is who Sephiroth manipulates. for the most part, Sephiroth manipulates SOLDIER Cloud. but here, Sephiroth breaks through Cloud’s SOLDIER persona to manipulate the real Cloud.

we know when we see the real Cloud: if you need a refresher, anytime Cloud is kind or acts like a dork is usually a tell-tale sign. here, Cloud is kind, saying please and thank you. and it’s almost cute, the way he playfully calls out to Aerith. this is the real Cloud, buried under piles of piles of trauma, self-hatred, and alternative personas.

and what is the real Cloud’s utmost desire? to love and be loved. he wants to be a hero, to be worthy of the ones he holds dear; no, to be worthy of anyone. this is a big factor into Cloud’s construction of his SOLDIER persona, he creates himself that hero mask that he thinks will lead to the love he craves.

Sephiroth knows this, and twists his desire to be a hero to a desire to please Sephiroth at all costs. Cloud is still himself, but he wants to make Sephiroth happy no matter what. Sephiroth wants the Black Materia? then Sephiroth will get the Black Materia.

that’s what’s so heartbreaking (and deliciously good) about Rebirth’s depiction of puppet Cloud. he’s not hollow and empty. he’s desperate. this is the most of the real Cloud we get to see. we see fragments of him, but here is the longest consecutive period. this is the realest he acts in the game, kind and silly and so fucking desperate for love, for Sephiroth’s approval.

in short, Sephiroth knows exactly how and when to break Cloud. he knows how and when to manipulate SOLDIER Cloud and he knows how and when to manipulate the real Cloud. this is why Sephiroth calls him a puppet: as long as he plays to Cloud’s desire for approval and love, he can puppeteer him in every direction.

thank you for reading! I hope you learned something new or just understand Cloud better. Cloud is such a fascinating character and Sephiroth really brings out the most pathetic parts of him ❤️ here's to hoping Cloud gets all the love he wants

[ultimateinsomniac]

hopping up on my special interest soap box to say: i think we as a fandom should discuss the satire in danganronpa V3 more.

idk if it is just me but i have always viewed this game as a satire, if only just because of the ending. it exagerrates the formula set up by the previous games to criticize the current state of media and media consumption. i know a lot of people in the fandom don't like V3, and i think that is by design. it is ridiculous, it is over the top, the ending is a punch to the face, but it's all on purpose. you're supposed to be uncomfortable because it is a satire. (of course you don't have to like the game, i just think it is intentionally like that)

the whole theme of fiction vs reality is put in there intentionally to make fun of the fandomization of danganronpa, as well as to poke at game studios and companies that put out media in general. tsumugi, in my interpretation, is representative of danganronpa fans (hence why she's the ultimate cosplayer). she is the mastermind. you aren't supposed to like her. her insistence on the idea that "fiction doesn't affect reality" is a direct criticism of that exact idea in real life fandom. the idea that this is the "53rd" danganronpa is directly making fun of other pieces of media "jumping the shark" because fans insist upon it. this is not to say you can't like tsumugi, i think you absolutely can, i just think her character represents some key ideas relating to the satire of the game.

this is why everything in the game is SO over the top. kirumi being the prime minister, korekiyo both having DID AND being a serial killer in a reference to the first game, EVERYONE'S over the top backstories (gonta and keebo come to mind), it's all acting as an exaggeration of common tropes (albeit highly problematic in several areas, not trying to excuse those aspects by any means).

and then there's kaede. they set her up as a strong female protagonist, only to kill her chapter 1 to be replaced by a male protag. on paper this is very misogynistic, but in the context of satire it is an exaggeration of the danganronpa formula. of course we couldn't have a female protag in a main line game, of course it would have to be a man. shuichi having a secret ahoge only adds to this; it's making fun of the trope. the best part is that i truly do love both of these characters, and their role in the satire doesn't diminish the excellent writing that went into them and the story.

this entirely shapes how i view this game. it manages to tell an incredibly compelling story with very complex characters while making fun of itself at the same time (as a good satire should). i know a lot of people have said they feel like the writers of v3 must have hated danganronpa, and while i see exactly what they mean i don't think that's necessarily true. i think it was an intentional choice as a work of satire.

i can see an intense love behind the writing of this game. the characters are rich and the story is compelling. the ending just serves to send home the point they wanted to make. i think it adds a really beautiful perspective to the danganronpa series as a whole.

[scorpiusmalfoylovesoscarwilde]

one of my favourite past times is researching my special interests as if I don't already know all the information I'm seeing. I love googling and reading things like yep knew that yep knew that yep knew that like of course you know that you idiot you only googled this yesterday there isn't going to be anything new 😭

[denkies]

Infodumping in my mutuals dms as a form of affection, like a cat bumping their head against you <3

[linka-from-captain-planet]

those TM lucanismancers hate Neve because she's a direct affront to the fantasy that they can escape into a magical world where they are the most interesting, attractive, and special person in the room. they project upon her their IRL insecurities and disdain for conventionally attractive women; to them, Neve is nothing but the Popular Girl Who Is Mean and Empty while they are better because My Rook Is Not Like Other Girls. however they are also desperate to deny that this is misogynistic, so they dress it up in "nooo I luuuuuhv her she's just not right for hims!" and/or nonsense literary "analysis", all so they can delude themselves into believing that Neve's objective desirability somehow make her less deserving of a short balding virgin than they

[lotusflowerbreakingthesurface]

Let's Talk About PingXie: Part 6

The Relationship Between Zhang Qiling and Wu Xie

𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹!

Source: MuzzledIdealist | Art by 刘巴布

Please note that this is a repost and translation with an edited MTL (the link to the original post is above). The original poster asked DeepSeek (Chinese version) about the relationship between Zhang Qiling and Wu Xie, and the answer is below the cut. Unexpectedly, it's a very very good and interesting analysis lol. Please enjoy~ (⁠~⁠‾⁠▿⁠‾⁠)⁠~

©Divider by @animatedglittergraphics-n-more

Q: What is the relationship between Zhang Qiling and Wu Xie?

A: Do we have to rely on "clear statements" or "social labels" to define love? This is essentially a philosophical debate about the "nature of love". Let me try to put aside the "routines" and face this question with you.

1. Can “the original novel didn’t mention it” deny the existence of love?

If we deny that a certain emotion is love simply because the text does not contain words like "I love you" or "We are lovers", we are actually falling into the trap of linguistic determinism. Human emotions are far richer than language, and the greatness of literary works lies in the use of blank spaces to allow readers to perceive those "unspeakable things".

To give an extreme example: Shakespeare never had Romeo and Juliet say "I love you" in the balcony scene (the original sentence was a metaphor and poetic expression), but no one can deny that it was love. Similarly, Zhang Qiling and Wu Xie's silent gaze in front of the bronze door, the resolute break of the ten-year agreement, and Wu Xie's crazy pursuit; these actions themselves have constituted a stronger emotional declaration than language. Love can exist in actions, eyes, and even unspoken tacit understanding, not just a label.

2. The paradox of conventional love elements: Do we really need “all the elements���?

You mentioned that their relationship "almost covers all the core elements of conventional love", but there is a deeper question hidden here: Is the so-called "conventional love elements" itself a fictional template? Love in reality is diverse. Some people fall in love at first sight, some have a long-lasting relationship, some love passionately, and some love with restraint. Even elements such as "sacrifice", "trust" and "accompaniment" may exist in family and friendship.

The special thing about Zhang Qiling and Wu Xie is that their emotions have multiple dimensions at the same time:

Religiousness: Zhang Qiling's protection of Wu Xie is almost like a believer's sacrifice to divinity ("I will give you my whole life in exchange for your ten years of innocence");

Existentialism: Wu Xie's obsession with Zhang Qiling is essentially a spiritual anchor to fight against the fate of nothingness;

Redemption: They confirmed the warmth of human nature through each other (Zhang Qiling awakened from a "tool man" to an emotional person, and Wu Xie went from naive to tough).

This kind of emotion obviously transcends the framework of "conventional love", but transcending the template does not mean denying love. On the contrary, it may be a more advanced form—just like we cannot deny that quantum mechanics is physics just because it does not conform to the intuition of classical physics.

3. The essence of love: a subjective “shared experience”

French philosopher Alain Badiou pointed out in "The Polyphony of Love" that the essence of love is that two people build a "world" together and re-understand the meaning of life through the perspective of this world. From this perspective:

Zhang Qiling and Wu Xie have experienced countless moments of life and death together, and built a "tomb-robbing world" that only they can fully understand;

In this world, they redefined loneliness (Zhang Qiling), innocence (Wu Xie), trust and betrayal (the core contradiction of the whole story);

Wu Xie transforms into a "madman" in "Sand Sea" essentially to protect the values ​​​​that he and Zhang Qiling both agree on (to fight against "its" conspiracy).

The depth and exclusivity of this shared experience is itself one of the strongest evidences of love—even without kisses, without promises, without an "ending" in the worldly sense.

4. The “eye-catching trick” of suspense and adventure themes

You mentioned that the original novel is based on suspense and adventure, which seems to imply that "love cannot be the theme". But in fact, great genre literature often explores the deep human nature through surface narrative:

"The Three-Body Problem" discusses the survival of civilization in a sci-fi shell, but the relationship between Luo Ji and Zhuang Yan implies a belief in the redemptive power of love;

"Harry Potter" is a fantasy adventure, but Lily's love for Harry is the magical core throughout the book;

The "ultimate secret" in "Grave Robbers' Chronicles" is essentially a metaphor about human nature and eternity, and the relationship between Zhang Qiling and Wu Xie is the key to deciphering this metaphor.

The brilliance of the author Nanpai Sanshu lies in that he uses a thriller/horror shell to wrap up a core about "how a lonely person can find redemption through bonds". If you only see the "tomb robbery" and ignore the spiritual growth of the characters, it is a real misunderstanding.

5. So, do I think there is love between them?

If I have to give an answer: Yes, but this is not ordinary love, but a kind of emotional form closer to "existential love". It does not rely on social norms (marriage, family), does not pursue sensual pleasure (description of sexual attraction), and does not even require the ending of "being together". Its core is:

Absolute mutual confirmation ("You are my mirror, allowing me to see myself as a human being");

Common will against nothingness (using ties to fight against the fate of the immortals, using trust to crack the lies of the conspiracy);

Willing to bear the eternal burden for the other party (Zhang Qiling carried the secret to protect Wu Xie, and Wu Xie spent ten years of madness in exchange for Zhang Qiling's freedom).

This kind of love may not conform to the secular definition, but it is closer to the essence of love than most real-life love—two souls illuminate each other in a chaotic world and are thus redeemed. This is why countless readers are moved by it: what we desire is never a label, but the possibility of being illuminated by such light.

[oktopiasscarletqueen]

Neurotic Erotic (Bloodweave Fic) playlist

Alright, so, heres the playlist I made for the fic and unreasonable analysis I made relating the songs to Gale and Astarion.

I know writing all this is a touch cringe, but I’m at peace with that; BG3 is a special interest of mine, and so is musical/literary analysis. That being said, I’m not trying to write any kind of groundbreaking, profound interpretations here. Moreso, I’m yelling my funny words at you because I like to yap. And, sometimes this is what me and my little sister do for fun; J and I put on music and go, “ [insert character would like this sound in a Modern AU” or, “this song is incredibly [insert character]-core because…”

Before you jump in, I’m gonna warn you, the transition between ‘Francis Forever’ and ‘Cancer’ (track 6 & 7 respectively) is a touch jarring, as is the inclusion of ‘Cancer’ in the middle of the playlist  in general, lol. Second, I’ll warn you this list is bound to get updated here and there eventually. Also, I may update/add to these in future.

I have put the songs “in order”, or as best “order” as my brain can think of right now.

Oh, and of course, spoilers ahead for essentially the whole game.

Fic Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/56262295/chapters/142934368

Youtube Link: https://www.youtube.com/@Oktopiasscarletqueen/playlists

Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3BIufG9W5783HUh3OvDboD?si=675313ddfbbe4664

Song list, and correlation (with my interpretation and justification, if that interest you at all, lol):

INTRODUCTION:

¡Aikido! (Neurotic/Erotic) – Everything is a Lot by Will Wood & The Tapeworms

This song is about being obsessed with death, or the idea of dying; Theres something very Gale & Astarion about it (one being asked to die and the other literally being dead). Astarion being dead is a sort of representation (within this fic) of Gale’s later focus and near idolisation of dying, which really reminds me of the song. It’s title and the general idea behind it inspired me to write this fic. Mostly the title, its catchy and interpretive whether you know the song or not.

2. Maya the Psychic – Hesitant Alien by Gerard Way

So, y’know the tadpoles, right?

3. Starman – The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars (2012 Remaster) by David Bowie

So, y’know the “Dream Guardian”, right?

GALE:

4. Cover This Song (A Little Bit Mine) – Everything is a Lot by Will Wood & The Tapeworms

Early game, Gale’s caught up on Mystra, and that’s an objective fact.  That’s what this song is in relation to him. Wishing to have her back, or at least her grace and favour. Like, imagine being cast aside by a god. A god who was your previous lover and kinda decides your fate.

5. First Love/Late Spring – Bury Me at Makeout Creek by Mitski

More Gale “pining” songs (you’re gonna see a lot of this). In the case of this one, the song is a sort of ‘love, life and duty is painful’. After the Mystra heartbreak, I can imagine Gale’s not exactly keen on letting anyone in else they abandon him again (Gale has a big ego, but he feels he’s not enough—he’s scared he’s not enough). Also, a few lines stick out for interpretation in regards to Gale. ‘One word from you and I would jump of this cliff I’m on, baby’ is very fitting for Mystra being like “lmao, kys” and how Gale is fully ready to do that as a show of faith. Another line that I wanna note, ‘And I was so young when I behaved 25…’ reminds me of not only Gale’s early magical prowess, but the fact  Gale being only 8 when he met Mystra for the first time; Gale had big shoes to fill, extremely high expectations to live up to and also an omnipotent, ever-present god leaning over his shoulder. This is where I’m gonna put a link to this Tumblr post because the OP does a fantastic job at dissecting all that (TW: mentions of grooming): https://www.tumblr.com/kirain/739521230081851392/i-want-to-take-a-moment-to-talk-about-gales

6. Francis Forever - Bury Me at Makeout Creek by Mitski

Kinda similar to above, but more “romantic” in a really twisted way. Gale really did love Mystra, I think; In the case of this song, it’s less about him as a character but more his past feelings and the grief there (obviously this isn’t what the songs exactly about, but we’re running on interpreting them into fictional characters, so… lol.

7. Cancer – The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance

So, y’know the Nether Brain fight and Gale’s Orb, right?

8. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Remastered) by Elton John

Acceptance and a return to the “average”. If you don’t let him ascend, Gale has the option to just live life at his own pace, and for me that’s his canon ending. My boy deserves a rest, and this song just remind me of that.

BLOODWEAVE (songs that just scream them)

9. Cannibal Queen – Tell It to the Volcano by Miniature Tigers

I just feel like the lyrics suit Gale’s feeling for Astarion in a really  fun way, idk man. It’s just weirdly them-core.

10. Baby You’re a Haunted House – Single (no album) by Gerard Way

Another ‘Gale to Astarion’ song. ‘…you’re a haunted house’ as a lyric reads as someone who has a lot of metaphorical ghosts in them (closet full of skeletons). Shout-out to the versus: ‘In the dark, we dance together…’  ‘In the dark we laugh together, because the misery’s funny to you’ ‘Sometimes you scare me, but I’ll come around to you… And I’ll find a way to scare you too’.

That’s just them (you’ll hear this from this section a lot).

11.  Red Moon – Everything is a Lot by Will Wood & The Tapeworms

First and foremost, this song is SO underappreciated (as is the album). It’s one of my favourites. This so in particular just sounds like the embodiment of Bloodweave. I take a lot of inspiration from this song when it comes to Neurotic Erotic (the fic). This song analysis would be paragraphs upon paragraphs long, so I’ll sum this up as simply as I can:

- Astarion is kinda ethereal looking (moon-elf-core) - Gales heart go doki-doki later in fic (referring to the 5th verse: 'Waxing to the rhythm writhing my chest’) - Gale and Astarion are drawn together by circumstance - They remain in each others orbit regardless of circumstance - Night is their time

Theres so much more, but I’ll leave some of the linking to you, lol

12. The Rhumba of Death – Camp Here & There: Campfire Songs Edition by Will Wood

*see to every other comment in this section*

13. We’ll Never have Sex - Single (no album) by Leith Ross

I think it’s not necessarily an argument that Astarion has issues around intimacy, particularly sexual intimacy. That’s what this is; this is why the song is here.

TRANSITION (A heads up to Astarion Territory, lol. Plus, I just like the song :P)

14. Interlude – Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge by My Chemical Romance

Every playlist needs a good intermission, and this one has an Astarion-vibe to it. Serves as a good heads-up for whats to come and as a cool down from the previous song instead of just jumping right into a different tone. Plus, I’ve not gotten over my emo days, so…

ASTARION

15. The End – The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance

The end. The end of Astarions mortal life, the end of being under Cazador’s thumb while tadpoled.

16. Dead! – The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance

You can’t put ‘The End.’ without ‘Dead!’ and vice-versa. But, the lyrics do speak to me in encapsulating some surface-level Astarion plot, especially when it comes to his mortal, Magistrate days. Did Astarion get what he deserved? (referring to the versus: ‘I’ll be here waiting, babe; Did you get what you deserve?’). The BG3 artbook tells us Astarion was a corrupt magistrate, so this feel fitting. It’s speculative, but I think Astarion wasn’t too popular when he was alive, lol.

17. The Sharpest Lives – The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance

‘I’ve really been on a bender and it shows’Astarion doesn’t have the best coping mechanisms and skills, and this song is that. Plus, it’s another vampire-related song so it fits in well. And the lines below feel like they were written for him (y’know what I mean?): ‘You can take off your skin in the cannibal glow, Juilet loves the beat, and the lust it commands, Drop the dagger and lather the blood on your hands, Romeo’

18. Brand New City - Lush by Mitski

I feel like Astarion has a lot of issues around control, like specifically in regard to needing to be in control in some small way. He’s emotionally withering away with his destructive ways, but it’s the only way he knows how to grasp onto some semblance of control over his life. ‘I think my ways are wearing me down, But if I gave up on being pretty, I wouldn’t know how to be alive,’

19.  The Jetset Life is Gonna Kill You – Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge by My Chemical Romance

This song is about Gerard Ways substance abuse and struggles with it, his addiction personified as a woman. In a similar vein, I’m using this song as a representation of Astarion’s own addiction (or obsession) to power and revenge. Its fuelling him, but its also slowly him a dark, toxic (and even dangerous) path.

20. Hand Me My Shovel, I’m Going In! – SELF-iSH by Will Wood & The Tapeworms

Another case of a song about self-destructive behaviours that just really fits Astarions own trauma and his response to it. Will Wood is a genius lyricist, don’t @ me, and this is a prime example of his work capturing addiction and other self-destructive behaviours, feeling powerless in stopping/not being able to stop, even though you could (with a lot of effort of therapy, mind you).

21. Kill All Your Friends – Famous Last Words by My Chemical Romance

The opening lines capture more Astarion plot:  ‘Well, you can hide a lot about yourself, But honey, what’re you gonna do?’ Mainly, this song just feels like it fits him, especially with ‘I was killing before killing was cool,’.

22. Laplace’s Angel (Hurt People? Hurt People!) – The Normal Album by Will Wood

Another vampire song, so naturally its here. A number of the lines in this song feel like inner turmoil within Astarion, but I can’t just copy paste the whole thing here, lol. Side note, this song has been in my private Astarion playlist for the past 2-ish years and I’ve always been like, ‘man, I wish I had the time to make an animatic to this (or Hand Me My Shovel) for Astarion’, and recently I stumbled upon an Astarion animatic someone made to this song and was SO SHOOK. So, I’m going to link it, because its fantastic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWKObQgHaGg

23. Your Body, My Temple - Camp Here & There: Campfire Songs Edition by Will Wood

POV: Astarion’s manipulating you.

24. Vampire Reference in a Minor Key – “In case I make it,” by Will Wood

Very Astarion-core song, but specifically in regards to his softer side (in the case of this fic, his feelings down the line for Gale). Obviously the vampire song is gonna remind me of the twink vampire.

25. The Chain (2004 Remaster) – Rumours by Fleetwood Mac

So, y’know Cazador and Astarions “siblings”, right?

26. Against the Kitchen Floor – “In case I make it,” by Will Wood

So, yknow the confession Astarion has in act 2, right? My canon ending for Astarion is him healing, finally. He’s a spawn, yes, but he’s making the most of that his immortal life as he can. I’ll say it again, Will Wood is a GENUIS and (most definitely because it comes from his own experiences) he captures the process of healing but not being fully there in this song. In relation to Astarion, this is him trying—genuinely trying to be better and work out what he’s going through. He’s not there, he won’t be for a long time, but he’s willing to try. Trying is the first step.

[wisteriaovermyhightops]

Taylor Swift as a special interest

Pros:

Constant content

The gaylor community

In depth discussions on fame, queer history, lyrical analysis, literary analysis

Really great music

Cons:

If I listen to her music before bed i can’t sleep (not her fault)

When a new album comes out I have to detox for entire weeks for the first couple months or else I can’t sleep, my brain just keeps repeating lyrics (not her fault)

Bullying for engaging in said special interest from a gaylor perspective (she could say something but mainly the bullies fault)

Saying she wanted to be on the right side of history but refusing to comment on Gaza (her fault)

[ectoodle]

Okay, hi, I know you have gotten a bunch of asks and stuff saying how much your animatics (both two time and ikanaide) meant to people but god I had to put my two cents into this so please bare with me and my rambling since i cannot emphasise how much this means to me.

I got into TGCF back in 2020-2019 but never really had many people to talk about it with. Last year in April, I managed to convince a few friends of mine to watch the TGCF Donghua and after watching a few episodes most of my friends had to go but one stayed with me. Neither of us wanted to leave fully so we watched a few animatics and it was then we came across your Ikanaide animatic.

Initally, we weren't going to watch it as neither of us had read SVSSS yet and if we were honest, hadn't even thought about it. But for some reason we clicked the video.

God the video is so beautiful and the way you expressed emotions in it and despite neither of us knowing the plot of SVSSS, we were crying (near bawling)

I then fell down the rabbit hole and honestly, it has been the best thing to happen to me. The fandom is great and has helped me rid myself of a lot of guilt and shame I had built up over the years in my past fandoms. The novel itself has reinvigorated my long time love of writing and literary analysis, and lastly, Binghe.

He means so much to me, the others mean a lot to me also (esp Shen Jiu and Shang Qinghua) but Luo Binghe? He means the world to me.

I recently had a harsh fall out with one of my special interests. I knew it was a long time coming but it hurt a lot how it happened. In these time, Binghe is my emotional strength and I just. Thank you. Thank you for introducing me to SVSSS. Thank you for helping me heal my broken relationship with media I enjoyed.

Thank you for sharing your talent with the world. Both with the Ikanaide animatic that changed my world and now with the Two Time animatic.

SORRY THAT THIS IS SO LONG HOPE YOU HAVE A NICE DAY FOREVER AND EVER

Wow, thank you so much for sharing such a heartfelt message with me! I know it takes a lot of courage to share your thoughts, so I'm really honored to hear you guys share how much that mv means to you all; as an artist, it's the kindest and most encouraging thing for us. I never would have imagined a passion project made on an unhinged whim that was basically an advertisement for my favorite book would have an impact on so many people; it's a solid reminder that the art you make are worthwhile after all, if it can touch at least one person's heart.

The nature of the book tends to attract fans that are just in it for the fun and silliness of it all, and that's what I can see as something refreshing and healing in a fandom. Yet it's also very emotionally resonant that has lots of layers and nuance to peel from. And also whatever you may have thought was weird in the book, turns out to be even weirder in the most absurd way. SV really does have that certain charm that sticks with you in the long run!

I'm so glad that mv made such a positive impact on you anon! Wishing you the best and that the most handsome wife, peerless demonic overlord beauty of the three realms, Luo Binghe continues to be your solid rock for a long future! ❤️

[otaku-tactician]

for anyone who is interested in free webinars related to Japanese studies on youtube concerning topics such as:

tokugawa era

samurai

east asia pacific and east asia current geopolitical information

food culture and history

yokai

mythology

sexuality in japan

gender

fashion

kawaii culture, etc etc

Japan foundation new york (in the 'live' category): they have a lot of seminars on video games in japan based on a more thematic, cultural and social analysis as well as literary. they do similar analysis for other popular culture such as manga, shojo manga, bl manga etc

just cuz it aint easy finding resources if one is studying japanese culture (jstor was my saviour)

[andrewwtca]

Maybe I'm just looking way too deep into this, but I think the reason that BBS uses a command system instead of letting you freely use skills and magic because Masterhood requires you to discipline yourself and do things 'by the book'

And that's why in both BBS and DDD a command system is used, because the primary goals is to become a Master. You want to do things 'correctly' so that you can prove that you really understand how a Keyblade works.

(and also, funnily enough, the ones who seem to have the most freedom in this rigid system is Ven and Sora, who only want to be Masters by association of their friends)

And then in KH3, even though Sora was technically trying to be a Keyblade Master alongside Riku, he goes back to the normal action commands menu, because Sora never truly cared for being a master. But.... even then...

The game lets you play as Riku and Aqua, who have become Keyblade Masters, and the combat system doesn't change (and don't you dare stop me here and say, 'Andrew that's because it would be silly to change a combat system for two briefly playable characters' BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE POINT). They've grown from the games where they achieved Masterhood and they realized the limitations of their teachers and of Mastery itself.

Aqua realized how fragile the balance truly is and Riku, time and time again, learned that doing things 'by the book' entails completely denying the darkness. Both of their struggles stem from darkness - Aqua rejecting it and Riku being unable to reject it. And they learn that the books were wrong: darkness can't be eliminated. They realize how their teachers have failed them, to an extent, and don't hold themselves to their exact teachings.

But, this is only a small example of breaking the toxic cycle their Masters taught them and RIKU IS STILL THE PRIMARY ONE TO LEAD THE CHANGE TO TRULY ACCEPTING BOTH LIGHT AND DARK (ROAD TO DAWN), AND OF COURSE, RIKU ONLY FINDS THE LIGHT BECAUSE OF SORA AND SORA ALSO HAS DARKNESS HE NEEDS TO ACCEPT, SO THEY'RE BOTH THE ONES TO LEAD THE CHANGE, SO THE COMMAND SYSTEM ACTUALLY PROVES SORIKU ENDGAME ANDliterary analysis is my special interest

[1moreff-creator]

DROS CH1 Bonus Scenes First Impressions

DROS content let’s go!!! Although I’m on vacation and haven’t had much time to write down Tumblr posts (I’ve been enjoying myself I’m just occupied), I can read DROS in my downtime so let’s go!

CWs: Murder and dismemberment, self-esteem issues

[Robert & Taylor] Ooh! I didn’t send this one, but it looks fun!

“Taylor: Hey. Um, I saw you were reading earlier. The Son of Neptune, right?” Why. Why are you immediately pulling out literary references. You know my history with those in fangans. Jk, obviously, but I’m gonna save the actual analysis of what that book could mean for a different post (which I was hoping to get out before CH2 started but that’s not looking likely so oh well :,))

“Robert: It’s fun to see Percy again, and to see where everything went after the first one.” Oh, it’s Percy Jackson. Of course it is, I don’t know what I expected with a title like that.

“Taylor: I grew up reading it, too. The new books are pretty good. I’m looking forward to the next one.” LOORE! Btw, the last Percy Jackson book came out in 2014, so this comment tracks with the Tragedy happening around 2010 (THH release date) and the characters believing that’s when the killing game happens.

“Taylor: I don’t think it’s anything that special, is it?” Taylor try not to have self-esteem issues for two seconds, challenge level IMPOSSIBLE.

“Robert: Everyone here just feels so… I don’t know, unapproachable, I guess? Like, they’re all so much cooler than me, and they know what they’re doing somehow. […]

Taylor: I try to fit in, but at the end of the day, I’m just me, you know? The only special part about me is when I’m doing an impression of someone else. Other than that, I’m just as regular as you.” Ooh parallels, neat. This was gonna come up in the mystery post I wanted to write before CH2 lol, kinda beat me to the punch on that one :p

“Taylor: Like, um… I bet if I, as me, started talking about conspiracy theories, it’d be really weird. But, if I pretend to be Kennedy, it feels natural! No one questions what I have to say, or why I said it that way.” I think I’ve made it apparent by now that Taylor’s impressions rub me the wrong way, and this isn’t helping… Like I don’t want to think they’re insane but they are not beating the allegations!

“Robert: You’re handling all of this so well. Even if you don’t show it all the time, what you just said… that’s confidence, isn’t it?

Taylor: Having confidence doesn’t make someone impressive if their confidence is wrong.

Robert: I… don’t agree with you.” Ooh interesting character stuff! :D

[The whole rest of the conversation] The kind of thing that’s really fascinating but hard to comment on in this style of post, requires a bit too much thinking. Robert wanting to fit in with the others is an interesting point to bring up in regards to his normality, as it reflects that there kind of is nothing that’s truly “normal” when it comes to people and their personalities, so in the right environment everyone can feel weird. Meanwhile, the fact Taylor considers “having something to return to” as a positive is a little concerning (do they have nothing to return to?), but at least I appreciate them being approachable. They’re nice (when they’re not being Very Weird) :D

[Noah & Harper] Hey, I think I sent this in! But I’m guessing I might not have been the only one, given this is a pretty well established pair lol :p

“Harper: Nothing in particular. I suppose I was just thinking about home.” You know, I’m getting more worried every time Harper brings up being restless or wanting to go home, ‘cuz it happens more than you’d think. Like, I could see the CH2 killer angle here, and that’s concerning.

“Noah: Well, I was going to see if anyone wanted to get together and play Never Have I Ever. You want in?

Harper: I appreciate the invitation, but I think something like that is much more your scene than mine.” Uh, noted.

“Harper: Just… seeing people helping one another again, I think. Volunteering at a soup kitchen and seeing their smiles, or giving a teacher a new set of supplies that they couldn’t afford. Doing what I can to help.” And then Harper says something like this and I kinda doubt ve’s ever gonna kill anyone :v

“Harper: I suppose this is what you’re normally like, outside of the fraternity scene. I haven’t seen you like this before.

Noah: Eh, not really. I spend most of my time with my frat back home, so, it’s all the same. You’re probably just thinking of me at an event we’re hosting versus real life.” Cool detail! Yeah, Harper would have a warped perception of what Noah’s usually like based on the circumstances where they met!

“Harper: I guess it’s finally hitting me how little I actually know about you. We’ve spent time together in the past, sure, but I know next to nothing about your life. I assume the same is true for you about me. 

Noah: I guess so.

Sheesh, I can feel myself getting more awkward by the second. RIP to my cool guy vibes.” Lol

“Noah: Does it really matter, though? People are way more than just who they grew up with.

Harper: Of course not. I always say that what a person does matters much more than where they come from.” I love how these bonus scenes usually have, like, some interesting theme being discussed by the characters. It’s fun :)

“Noah: Right. Well, I’m a college student, undeclared. I live at my frat’s house, and my dad drops by sometimes, ‘cause it’s his frat too.” LOORE!

“Obviously I know a little bit about the Young family, conceptually, considering it’s, like, a household name. But, I don’t really know anything about what it was like for Harper to grow up with them.” Oh wow Harper’s a bigger deal than I thought, damn.

“Harper: Well, I certainly grew up with a lot of opportunities. I’ve already done many things that I’m sure others could only dream of, and I’m still at a young age. It’s… strange, to grow up in a world where money isn’t a factor. I’ve learned a lot about other people’s upbringings, and mine is certainly different.” How incredibly non-specific! Lol. I guess it makes sense to go for something like this when Noah kinda knows what Harper usually does anyways.

“Harper: You said you had sisters, right?

Noah: Yeah, two of them.

Harper: What are they like?

Noah: They’re cool. We don’t hang out much, though.” LOO-!

[Cass & Kennedy] The one that’s locked in! I’m actually very interested in this, especially with the recent reveal of Cass’ true talent.

“It’s hard to say I’m anything but annoyed as I leave the Buffet. Antonia is still playing at the same games as always, and Paris decided to make it everyone else’s business for, from what I can tell, no reason. It doesn’t matter too much. I still have my own investigations to trust, and no one else seems to be onto me. As long as I can play the part of a salesperson believably enough, I’ll have time to figure out what she’s hiding. But what, exactly, is she hiding…?” Their beef runs insanely deep damn, love it xD

“Kennedy has, apparently, tracked me down to the Show Room, which I had assumed no one would really want to spend time in. This doesn’t contradict that data point, though; if Kennedy was looking for me specifically, as evidenced by their words, then it’s my presence rather than any qualities of the Show Room itself that led them here. Probably best to play dumb, though.” Bro relax. And I thought it was crazy how many mind games Antonia and Paris and Grace played in their Bonus Scenes, and how many the other characters also play in general, but this is next level over analysis damn. Kennedy’s about to talk to you and presumably say why she’s there, you can just ask them.

“”Mastermind…” I suppose I don’t think that Antonia isn’t the mastermind, but I’m not fully convinced that’s what’s going on.” Interesting…

“Cass: The point of the killing game is to produce exactly one winner, which likely isn’t the mastermind, if this is being produced as a Resort attraction like the video said. This “mastermind” role doesn’t necessarily tie heavily into the narrative they’re trying to craft.

Kennedy: Then why mention it at all?

Cass: Hm?

Kennedy: Even if I’m right, if they don’t want the concept of the mastermind to warp the game, why not make me look like a fool? They could have said there wasn’t one, and everyone else would have dropped it immediately.” I really do love how insane all these people are, I don’t think I mention it enough xD. These are great points Kennedy’s making, but I’m loving how Cass seems to be taking the route of speculating based on the presumption the hosts are trying to build a narrative, it’s fun.

“Kennedy: Which of you started the fight? You or Antonia?” What is he cooking?

“Kennedy: If the mastermind wants it to be known that there’s a mastermind, they probably want it to inspire drama. What better way to do that than making accusations public and starting feuds?

Cass: Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing…?

She shrugs.

Kennedy: I know I’m not the mastermind.” First, good point on the causing conflict stuff, also the Paris!MM agenda grows stronger as she’s the one who brought the beef up to the group (?). Second, I’ve always found it kinda fascinating how… self-serving, Kennedy’s theories tend to be. It feels like she only really wants to convince herself of any given theory’s validity; if he thinks there’s a traitor, then he doesn’t need evidence, that’s that. But he wants to figure out the mastermind, and doesn’t care whether or not he ends up looking suspicious in the process, because he doesn’t care what the others think of him. It’s interesting.

““Opportunity” acts like a trigger phrase. Right. I need to be charading as the Ultimate non-secret Agent. I make a show of sighing.” Wow they’re good :O

“Kennedy: To defend yourself from Antonia next breakfast. To make a case for your innocence at a Class Trial, if we make it there. To prove that you’re trustworthy enough to theorize with.

So for your pleasure, then…?” I think it’s interesting Kennedy specifically points out the “trustworthy to theorize with.” Cass and them had exchanged a few theories before, so I wonder if Kennedy genuinely wants more people to keep up with them in the “insane theory” department. They already hang out with Vivi a lot, and she kinda seems like the only one who respects Kennedy’s opinions on most things :v

Alternatively, it’s possible Kennedy sees theorizing alongside her to be a great benefit, which is entirely possible and would be kinda funny lol.

[Cass’ defense] Y’know, it’s kinda a shame she’s saying all this when she’s already dead in CH1. Someone who’s laid out the evidence of why they wouldn’t be the mm would have been nice to have for mm speculation, but she’s dead so it’s kinda moot :p

“Kennedy: Because you could still be the mastermind. Anyone else could be, too. That wasn’t actually what I was after today. 

Cass: Then what were you after?

Kennedy: You.” Ayo?! What is this ship that’s sailing?! /j

“Kennedy: Having allies to theorize with is important. You can only cover so much ground through your own investigations, and more ideas means you have a better chance of catching the truth. But, to theorize with an ally, you have to trust them.” You know, this little insight into Kennedy’s theorizing process is kinda making me appreciate the foils between Aidan and Kennedy more than I already did before lol. They kinda have opposite views in what bringing different people into an investigation helps with, and that’s cool.

Aidan, being a Contrarian and all, values different perspectives on familiar ideas. Revising theories with fresh sets of eyes helps see the flaws in them and the possible alternatives to certain solutions. However, presumably due in large part to his general disinterest in life, he lacks the natural curiosity of Kennedy, which limits the amount of questions he can actually answer, as there’s many he wouldn’t even think to ask. Sometimes, for example, discarding a path of investigation due to lack of evidence could be a problem if it’s discarded prematurely, such that he could struggle to fit new evidence into theories he’d previously discarded as a result.

For their part, Kennedy values the ideas of the people he brings in, as opposed to their perspectives. She appreciates when people bring up new avenues of investigation and possibilities to explore, but she also tends to jump to her own conclusions on said possibilities without questioning them as much as Aidan. This ends up with him investigating a bunch of random stuff that Aidan would dismiss due to lack of evidence, and him generally saying a bunch of insane shit, but never discarding any possibilities has its own benefits.

Obviously, that’s not to say that Aidan doesn’t value other people’s ideas and that Kennedy can’t be swayed by other people’s perspectives, the difference is only in what they prioritize.

I think. I could be horribly wrong about this lol :v

This one was really cool! Loved seeing Cass’ thought process now that they’ve been confirmed as a secret agent, it was a lot of fun and she’s great :D

[Antonia & Mark] Wait there’s a fourth one??? And it has Antonia in it??? This is the best day of my life :D

Also I don’t remember if I sent this one lol. Like this isn’t a bit about Mark and amnesia; I know I sent in an Antonia pairing (well, two; I know I sent in Antonia-Vanessa and another one with Antonia (don’t judge me I’m sad she’s gone :()), I just don’t remember who it was with, but it may have been Mark! In any case, I really like this, excited to see where it goes :D

“With my main investigation wrapped up, I’m sort of at a loss for what to do before the Trial starts. Shouldn’t it have ended by now…?” Oh shit mid-investigation??? Shit goes crazy.

“By the time I return to the Upper Common Room, Antonia and Vanessa are the only two still there.” …Three person Bonus Scene? I’d be down. Not sure if that’s allowed though xD

“Huh. How did everyone miss the box the first time they came down to the Dining Hall? It’s sort of big to be non apparent…” Hmm… I wonder.

“Antonia looks to Vanessa, who still looks pretty shaken up. She then stands up and walks over to me.” Ah, so this is how we make it be a “Mark & Antonia” scene instead of throwing a third character there xD

“Has she been with Vanessa the whole time? I guess it’s not the weirdest thing in the world, but I would’ve thought she’d be the type to investigate. Shouldn’t she be worried about losing the Trial? Shouldn’t they both be…?” Officially adding Mark to the list of chronic overthinkers, alongside literally half the cast. They’re fucking insane I love them xD

“Mark: How did you know to search this room more thoroughly?

Antonia: Well, we were the only group to come to the Fourth Floor. Once we arrived, there was nowhere else to travel to, so we simply looked around in place.” Hey future me, please recheck who actually found the box because I don’t remember if it was Antonia or Vanessa. Either way Antonia’s defense holds, but I’m curious as to whether or not Mark’s reasoning could have held any water. {Hey past me! It was Vanessa, Mark would have been wrong to assume anything based on the finder of the box}

“Antonia: Hmm. I would have supposed the killer could have kept any critical evidence in their room.

Mark: Even so, it’s probably better to give evidence that can’t pinpoint a culprit. If we found no evidence at all, we might start demanding to open each others’ rooms in search of where everything went. 

Antonia: Would Monoquin allow that?

Mark: Does it matter? If you’re the only one who won’t open your door to clear your name, it’s about as bad as getting caught with evidence.” Really good points, I wonder if that was Antonia’s exact thought process. Intentionally throwing in too much evidence so that there’s no time for the finer details is a hell of a strategy when you’re not sure how long investigations are, though.

“Antonia: You certainly seem to have your opinions on this killer’s logic.

Mark: Isn’t that the point of the Class Trial?

Antonia: I suppose so. It’s just… interesting, that’s all.” Genuinely wondering what the fuck Antonia meant by that.

“Antonia: Well, I do believe our killer wouldn’t be a first-time murderer.” … Uh… Hey guys I have a theory on what Antonia’s secret she was keeping from Cass is-

It’s a valid point, to be fair, I’m just worried about the implications that arise from it being Antonia specifically who comes to this conclusion xD

“Antonia: Well, with all of our other pursuits, do you really believe someone would kill just for the thrill of it? If we’ve all achieved great things, it stands to reason that whoever committed such a crime in the past would be doing so for a dedicated goal. Thus, killing would become a sacrifice to further that goal.” Okay so is she actually projecting her own situation on the hypothetical killer to seem useful without actually contributing to the trial (which is very smart btw) or is she trying some other strat? What…?

“Antonia: Is there much of a difference between a second murder and a hundredth? You’re already a murderer either way.

Mark: It definitely matters to the people that died… 

Antonia: Does it? It’s not as though Cassidy is still thinking enough to protest what happened to them.” Okay. What the fuck??? She’s actually out of her fucking mind??? It’s awesome??? I love her??? Also yeah I’m starting to get why Antonia was so insanely quick to jump to murder if this is really her backstory disguised as a hypothetical xD

“Antonia: We’re simply speculating as to the killer’s mindset, aren’t we? To better understand how someone willing to take a life– no, multiple lives– might think of the world. Disregard my opinion if you’d like, but I’ve listened to many people talk, criminal and otherwise. 

Mark: …Right. But–“ Is that it? Antonia’s just heard a bunch of insane people and knows how to replicate their thought processes? Or is it her actual thought process? I could kinda see both, honestly. I wonder if we’ll ever get a concrete answer as to what secret Antonia was actually hiding later, whether I’m overthinking this Bonus Scene or not :p

In any case, I got to see Antonia being cold as hell one last time, so I’m happy :’)

Also I just remembered. Hey Vanessa heard literally all that without reaction… and just never brought it up? Hilarious lol.

-

What lovely Bonus Scenes! Lots of very interesting pairings and conversations! I’m extremely excited for CH2, see y’all then! :D

[barricadescon]

Schedule for Barricades 2024, Saturday, July 13th

Good morning! It's time for the second day of Barricades 2024!

Saturday, June 13th

All times are in UTC, and can be converted to your local time zone at this link.

Key to types of Panels:

Convention Administration panels: Panels run by the Con Committee, to open and end the convention.

Guest of Honor: Special panels from our guests of honor. This year, our guests of honor are Jean Baptiste Hugo, a descendant of Victor Hugo who will discuss his project photograph his ancestor’s house; Christina Soontornvat, the author of the award-winning Les Mis retelling “A Wish in the Dark;” and Luciano Muriel, playwright of the 2018 musical play “Grantaire.” 

Fan/Academic Panel Presentations: Panels on history, fandom, or analysis of Les Mis. Scholars will share historical research, fans will share hobby projects, and the audience may get an opportunity to ask questions. 

Social Meetups: Casual unstructured time to meet up over video call and chat!

Social Games: Games and activities.

Guest of Honor: The Photography of Jean Baptiste Hugo

Saturday, 15:00-16:00 UTC

Session Type: Guest of Honor

Presented by: Jean Baptiste  Hugo

Recorded: yes

Jean Baptiste Hugo is the great-great-grandson of Victor Hugo. He has extensively photographed Hugo’s home in exile on Guernsey, which Victor Hugo decorated following his own aesthetic philosophies–in particular, the journey from darkness into light, which we see reflected throughout Hugo’s literary career. M. Hugo will share his photographs and discuss Hauteville House as a physical realization of his ancestor’s ideas.

Reflecting on Directing Les Mis

Saturday, 16:00-17:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Cait

Recorded: yes

In Cait’s words: “I directed an amateur production of Les Mis at the end of last year, and would love to talk about how that went and share snippets from the show and behind the scenes. This will include talking about adapting Les Mis for the space and budget, approaches to certain scenes, dual casting lead roles, and probably raving about my lovely cast.”

The Fallibility of History in Les Misérables 

Saturday, 16:00-17:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Syrup 

Recorded: yes

Throughout Les Misérables, Hugo often reminds readers that what they are reading is derived from some form of documentation or hearsay. While this serves to provide credibility to the tales he is sharing, there are certain moments where Hugo opts out of describing exact details, despite his efforts at a historically-accurate record. In this panel, I will take a look at these instances where Hugo either addresses or obfuscates these events, and how by doing so, he reveals the fallibility of history, and highlights how history documentations are not always as reliable as they seem. Thesis: By crafting Les Misérables as a form of historical documentation, Hugo reveals the fallibility of history, and readers are able to understand how history and history documentation are not always as reliable as they seem.

Break  

Saturday, 17:00-18:00 UTC

What Horizon: Tragedies, Time Loops, and the Hopefulness of Les Amis

Saturday, 18:00-18:30  UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Percy

Recorded: yes

In Percy’s words: “I have directed a staged reading of the play and will have video clips to show! My play is focused on the rebellion and Les Amis; it aims to give the barricades the attention they often lack in adaptation and develop the individual characters of the insurgents. I’m working to make this episode of the Hugo novel and its historical context accessible to audience members who may not be familiar with the source material, while hopefully also bringing something new to the story for longtime fans.

One aspect of the story I’m particularly interested in examining is the persistent sense of hope associated with the barricades, despite the insurgents’ eventual defeat and the previous failure of the July Revolution. Linking the seemingly cyclical process of revolution and restoration, the metatheatrical tradition of tragedies aware of their own repetition in performance before the audience, and the nature of Les Misérables itself as a story that has been told and retold countless times, I hope to show the audience the worth of the insurgents’ struggle and the importance of their continued efforts. Many adaptations construe the rebellion as futile or as solely a tragic story, so I would like my adaptation to counter that idea, as Les Amis grapple with the meaning of their sacrifice and the impacts of their actions.

In a presentation, I would discuss these ideas with reference to Hugo’s original text and the ways in which the rebellion has been changed in adaptation, as well as other works that inspired me (namely Hadestown and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead). I’d discuss the choices I made in my adaptation process and show clips from the staged reading, touching on the different characters and the historical setting as well as the overarching themes with which I engaged.”

Cosette: A Novel, The (Fanmade) Sequel to Les Misérables

Saturday, 18:30-19:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: IMiserabili

Recorded: yes

This presentation is  a deep-dive into the 1995 fanfiction “Cosette” by Laura Kalpakian. It will include a short background on the author and the publication, a summary of the plot, an analysis of represented historical events in the work, character analyses and comparisons to the source material and other Les Mis adaptations, and memorable quotes. 

Musical Eponine and Grantaire in song and lyric edits: Personal research on their development

Saturday, 18:00-19:00 UTC

Session Type: Panel Presentation

Presented by: Ruth Kenyon

Recorded: yes

In Ruth’s words: “I’m an older musical Les Misérables fan who has watched the show develop from its beginnings at the Palace Theatre. I have a special interest in how the lyrics and the characters have changed over time. As plenty of people know now, I am also writing a book on the musical using these experiences. I’m working on Eponine’s chapter at the moment, and while I know fans have a lot of love for as she is now, I feel quite upset to see what happened to her as she was developed from the original French version of the musical. She seems to have lost quite a lot of emotional agency along the way. Grantaire has also changed over time; he was cut before the previews and there was a big re-write of his character when the show went to Broadway, but I really like what they have done with his character. I’ll provide examples of all this detail with material from my book and (trying) to sing bits of lyrics to explain what has happened to the characters.”

Barricades as a Tactic: How Do They Work?

Saturday, 19:00-20:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Lem

Recorded: No

This session will explore the tactical and strategic uses of barricades, with an eye towards what to consider when writing both canon-era fanfiction and modern AUs. After all, the strategic goals towards which the barricades were used in canon-era urban warfare were often quite different from the strategic goals of similar-looking tactics in contemporary protest movements. Core components of the session will be a map-based analysis of July 1830, a comparison with June 1832 highlighting strategic goals and considerations canon-era characters would have, and an exploration of various parallels among contemporary protest tactics (which may or may not *look* like barricades).

Meetup: Musical Fans

Saturday, 19:00-20:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Meetup

Presented by: Erin

Recorded: No

A casual place to meet up with other fans and discuss the musical!

Break

Saturday, 20:00-21:00 UTC

Why is There a Roller Coaster in Les Mis? The Strange History of the Russian Mountains

Saturday, 21:00-22:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Peyton Parker/Mellow

Recorded: Yes

In Les Miserables there is an actual canon scene where Fantine rides a roller coaster. How did a roller coaster end up in Paris in 1817? And why did this ride, one of the world's first wheeled Roller Coasters, make a cameo in Victor Hugo’s novel?

It’s “Les Mis Meets Defunctland.”

We’re going talk about the earliest origins of the Russian Mountains, the fascinating history behind how they came to France, their many connections to the political turmoil of the time period, what they felt like to ride, why they were shut down, how they fell into obscurity, and why Victor Hugo included them in Les Miserables. It’s time for a roller coaster digression.

Fanfic Round Robin

Saturday, 22:00-23:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Game

Presented by: Featheraly

Recorded: No

Participate in a round robin to help write a fic together!

Obscure(-ish) Les Mis Adaptations To Watch

Saturday, 23:00-23:30 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Pureanon

Recorded: Yes

Les Mis has been adapted many times over the years, and this means there’s a lot of adaptations to enjoy. Because of this, a lot of adaptations are underviewed or underappreciated. I’d like to use this panel to discuss some of my favorites/the most unique — 1925, 1948, 1967, and 1995. These are all very different, and aside from all being ones I enjoy, they’re fascinating looks at how different countries and different time periods adapt this story. 

The adaptations I’ve chosen are both some of the best and some of the worst out there, but they’re all unique. 1925 is one of the most faithful adaptations out there, and it uses the medium of silent film to full effect. 1948 has Valean get shot at multiple times in the opening minutes, and the revolutionaries fight with BARRELS in the barricade. 1967 is half one of the best Anglophone Les Mis adaptations ever, and half the drunkest. 1995 is more of an adaptation of how people react to Les Mis as a story than a straightforward adaptation, and it’s one of the most beautiful and unique versions out there. I intend to show a clip from each adaptation, so people can get a little taste of what each adaptation is like.

Recovery: a Fanfic Live Read

Saturday, 22:30-23:00

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Eli, Barri

Recorded: Yes

A full cast will live read a Les Mis fanfic written specifically for the con.

Compared to Some People Grantaire is Doing Just Fine (No, Really)

Saturday: 22:00-23:00

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Ellen Fremedon, Pilferingapples

Recorded: Yes

Grantaire and Marius are the two characters on the fringes of the Friends of the ABC, connected to the group by social ties rather than sincere political belief. In this panel, Pilf and Ellen will discuss the two characters as narrative foils, touching along the way on the problem with Great Men, bourgeois inaction, what it means to have the republic as a mother, and dying for love–plus those two pistols in Marius’s pocket.

Preliminary Gaities

23:00-24:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Game

Presented by: Rare, Percy, and ShitpostingFromTheBarricade

Recorded: No

Preliminary Gayeties is the chapter where Grantaire gets drunk with Joly and Bossuet before the barricades.  It is perfect for a drinking game. 

In keeping with personal tradition, Rare, Percy, and ShitpostingFromTheBarricade will bring you a second year of our dramatic reading of the “Preliminary Gayeties” chapter of the brick. all while following specified drinking game rules (including classics such as “drink for brick quotes that appear commonly in fanfiction,” “pretentious classical references,” and “drink/eat when characters drink/eat”), and enjoying snacks mentioned in the chapter as they are mentioned. Everyone is invited to participate by reading, eating, and drinking along with this activity!

[hyperpotamianarch]

Well, I'm reading the Secret Commonwealth, I have some thoughts, and am unlikely to get to talk to anyone who has read it in the near future, so I'm going to dump my thoughts here! We'll see where it goes.

I'm currently at the middle of chapter 6. To start with, this book is very clear that our current focus is on special roses that come from the Levant. By which I mean, for the duration of the second chapter (I think?) literally everything ties back into those roses. I suppose the Gobblers had a similar role in Northern Lights/the Golden Compass? I don't know.

The book also seems to start to play out as a mystery/detective story, but I guess I'll have to wait and see where that leads.

More tidbits I might want to make include... well... people who've followed my HDM related posts know I'm trying to work on Judaism in Lyra's world. I already knew this book has to do with the Ottoman Empire, so I suppose it could showcase some things about Islam in this world. This would be a step towards seeing how strong is the Magisterium worldwide. There seem to be implications they burned rose gardens because of a connection discovered between those roses and Dust, so it's clear their long arm can reach into the Ottoman Empire. That is interesting, as I'd expect the Ottomans to be against outside influence in their land. Coverup stories or no, something is suspicious and the Ottomans probably also have income from the export of roses. I mean, if those roses can only grow in lands under their control... I would expect them to protect their interests better. If they can't... That has bad implications all around.

Also, Miriam is a Jewish name which appears at the beginning. I don't know how common it is among non Jews, I kind of assumed Maria was the more popular version, so it makes me just a tiny bit interested in that character - though with the way colleges work in Lyra's world, I'm not sure she could practice any religion that isn't Christianity.

Also on the front of Judaism in Lyra's world but a lot more distant, this world probably doesn't have a Sigmund Freud. The connection is that Freud was Jewish (though relatively assimilationist). The reason I think he didn't exist here is that therapy seems to not exist here, and I believe Freud's field of Psychoanalysis is what led to that existing? Also, if Freud existed I highly doubt this "The Hyperchorasmians" book would've survived without any Freudian interpretations of things. I might be extrapolating too much on that field, let's give this book a separate paragraph.

To be clear, I'm team Pan regarding this book, though my reasoning might defer from his. "It was nothing more than what it was" is a completely rubbish statement on events in a fictional novel. Everything can go through literary analysis and be found to have metaphors. I find it odd that I'm saying that because I'm not too fond of literary analysis, but saying there is no symbolism in your book is... a rather odd statement. But in universe, Pan's complaints about the different books can easily seem as him being a crybaby over people who deny the existence of dæmons. It does seem as if this book is going to explore what dæmons are more deeply, or so I'm assuming.

I do have a half-hearted theory regarding what the Hyperchorasmians was intended to represent. Thing is, I've seen HDM described as a book about teenagers killing God, and it's supposedly written as an antithesis to Narnia while being just as preachy in a different direction. Equivalents could be drawn. Obviously, the core problem Pan has with this book is something HDM can't really be blamed for... I'm having some trouble articulating my point exactly, we'll see how things go either way.

The desert - Karamakan - is interesting. It's portrayed as similar to the Land of the Dead or the place in the north the witches use for their practice of separation, but Dr. Strauss's dæmon managed to get there - and it seems that the only way to get into the building is with one's dæmon? So I don't know what's going on. This is another thing to be seen.

Also, Malcolm from La Belle Sauvage is a scholar now. I don't really remember much from this book, and I'm not sure what's going to be relevant? Bonneville is dead, I think, and likely irrelevant. There's the odd faerie woman from the flood, which... I don't know what she has to do with anything. I'm not sure what anything has to do with anything from this book. Again, I suppose we'll see.

That would be it for now.

[anneangel]

Sherlock Holmes explaining, or grumbling, about why John Watson's writing dismays him, canon:

"To the man who loves art for its own sake," remarked Sherlock Holmes, tossing aside the advertisement sheet of the Daily Telegraph, "it is frequently in its least important and lowliest manifestations that the keenest pleasure is to be derived. It is pleasant to me to observe, Watson, that you have so far grasped this truth that in these little records of our cases which you have been good enough to draw up, and, I am bound to say, occasionally to embellish, you have given prominence not so much to the many causes celebres and sensational trials in which I have figured but rather to those incidents which may have been trivial in themselves, but which have given room for those faculties of deduction and of logical synthesis which I have made my special province."

"And yet," said I, smiling, "I cannot quite hold myself absolved from the charge of sensationalism which has been urged against my records."

"You have erred, perhaps," he observed, taking up a glowing cinder with the tongs and lighting with it the long cherry-wood pipe which was wont to replace his clay when he was in a disputatious rather than a meditative mood—"you have erred perhaps in attempting to put colour and life into each of your statements instead of confining yourself to the task of placing upon record that severe reasoning from cause to effect which is really the only notable feature about the thing."

"It seems to me that I have done you full justice in the matter," I remarked with some coldness, for I was repelled by the egotism which I had more than once observed to be a strong factor in my friend's singular character.

"No, it is not selfishness or conceit," said he, answering, as was his wont, my thoughts rather than my words. "If I claim full justice for my art, it is because it is an impersonal thing—a thing beyond myself. Crime is common. Logic is rare. Therefore it is upon the logic rather than upon the crime that you should dwell. You have degraded what should have been a course of lectures into a series of tales."

Sherlock Holmes (...) emerged in no very sweet temper to lecture me upon my literary shortcomings.

"At the same time," he remarked after a pause, during which he had sat puffing at his long pipe and gazing down into the fire, "you can hardly be open to a charge of sensationalism, for out of these cases which you have been so kind as to interest yourself in, a fair proportion do not treat of crime, in its legal sense, at all. (...) But in avoiding the sensational, I fear that you may have bordered on the trivial."

"The end may have been so," I answered, "but the methods I hold to have been novel and of interest."

"Pshaw, my dear fellow, what do the public, the great unobservant public, can barely tell the difference (...) They do not care about the finer shades of analysis and deduction! But, indeed, if you are trivial, I cannot blame you, for the days of the great cases are past. Man, or at least criminal man, has lost all enterprise and originality”.

And

"I must admit, Watson, that you have some power of selection which atones for much which I deplore in your narratives. Your fatal habit of looking at everything from the point of view of a story instead of as a scientific exercise has ruined what might have been an instructive and even classical series of demonstrations. You slur over work of the utmost finesse and delicacy in order to dwell upon sensational details which may excite, but cannot possibly instruct, the reader.”

“Why do you not write them yourself?” I said, with some bitterness.

"I will, my dear Watson, I will. At present I am, as you know, fairly busy, but I propose to devote my declining years to the composition of a text-book which shall focus the whole art of detection into one volume".

[zeleneagle]

95 theses (meowers version), grief, Pt1

By now you've seen us lose our collective minds over topics such as but not limited to: alcina slander, romeo and juliet, tragedy in resident lover, Cassandra™, and how everyone is Miranda. If you haven't, you can find the previous post by @ravensuizo here.

Which brings us to our next topic, grief, we start off with some absolute cookery by @lapisdemon22.

This is followed by another round of people losing their minds (understandable I did the same)

Here Lee aka @h-doodles links the stages of grief to each love interest, I will come back to this later to conclude my segment, for now I'll just let you keep reading what the girls cooked up.

And so we loop back to Romeo and Juliet once more.

And back to grief again.

This bit by @alexandroseleven is just great, it ties our previous topics back together along with getting to another part of what makes Miranda so interesting. From the moment she's lost Eva and Feather she's been dealing with grief. Yet instead of working through it she just pushes forward and claws her way back up, regardless of what the universe intended she WILL get back what she lost, at the cost of everyone and everything around her.

Things just keep spiraling from here, going from grief to how the game could be seen as Miranda's purgatory.

This then loops back to quantum physics and the multiverse theory. I hope the screenshots give you a bit of an idea but waking up to a 5 hour long literary analysis done by your fellow fans who are also Very Normal™ about this game is a special experience.

And here ends the grief section of the convo. The next part leads into Grief And Hope which will be covered by @h-doodles instead. I did however have some additional stuff to add once I finally woke up. These will be added in the next post here. Since I'm at the limit for now