#love death and robots volume 3

[mesillusionssousecstasy]

Love, Death + Robots : Volume 3

It such an amazing animation series, the effect are incredible.

But it's more about Death, than Love.

The ending of each episode are more dystopian than Black Mirror itself, but I can understand life doesn't have an happy end either.

My favorite was the first one episode called "Three Robots: Exit Strategies" and the less favourite was "Jibaro".

So here a review for each episode :

Three Robots: Exit Strategies (3x01) : Excellent, the orange robot was hilarious and the cat ending too.

Bad Travelling (3x02) : was truly gory.

The Very Pulse of the Machine (3x03) : the animation was amazing.

Night of the Mini Dead (3x04) : I loved the details, it was incredible. The mini stop motion was perfect. Poor little penguins. The very gas station is called Hell literally and the Fedex truck is called Fux.

Kill Team Kill (3x05) : too violent, too stupid, too much cursing. It was the "fuck you" episode.

Swarm (3x06) : the animation was amazing.

Mason's Rats (3x07) : the animation was so well done. At some point, I was poor rats, but how many are they? I didn't understand the happy ending, it was the only one. It wasn't very realistic.

In Vaulted Halls Entombed (3x08) : the animation was incredible again, I wasn't expecting this ending.

Jibaro (3x09) : It was like animation on drugs, mushrooms. It was more looking as a video game than an episode animation. I'm not sure I understand the all story of the episode. It was like the siren against the deaf and dumb? I didn't understand why she was always dancing? Why the man was like from the middle age. At one point, I was asking if her vagina had teeth too. WTF. It was my least favourite episode.

Some Quotes:

"- What exactly is a tech millionaire? - It's a lot like a regular millionaire, but with a hoodie and crippling social anxiety." (3x01)

"- They were mean to robots and then robots killed them." (3x01)

"- Wait. I thought that's what the seasteads were for? - Those were for the merely millionaires. The obscenely wealthy 0.01 percent of humans decided they needed an entirely new planet." (3x01)

"- The elite were not sympathetic to their concerns." (3x01)

"- Okay, but Mars? I mean, it's dead and lifeless. - They could've taken the money they spend on the spaceships and used it to save the planet they were already on. - What's the fun in that?" (blows raspberry - 3x01)

"- I hate to say it, but humans are the actual worst. - Humanity had all the tools to heal their wounded planet and save themselves, but instead they chose greed and self-gratification over a healthy biosphere and the future of their children." (Robot 1 - 3x01)

"- Done and done. Nearly as unpleasant as it was necessary." (3x02)

"- Maybe I'm gonna live forever. Or maybe this is just one last dream before dying." (3x03)

"- Less Darwinian theory, more rodent-killing hardware." (3x07)

"- Spencer. (Harper) - The Lord is my light. (Spencer) - God is dead. Embrace the suck. We gotta move." (Harper - 3x08)

[starry-kattz]

The homoerotic tension between a moon and an astronaut.

[rubyglasses]

something about mackenzie davis' roles here and station eleven being attached to astronauts and literature

And now I see with eye serene The very pulse of the machine A being breathing thoughtful breath A traveler betwixt life and death The reason firm the temperate will Endurance Foresight Strength and skill

LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS | 3.03 The Very Pulse of the Machine

[stargazerbibi]

[ 3rd june, 2025 • 106/159 days ]

👾 academic stain endeavours 👾

-> classes (total: 2h00)

-> EMD notes (1/3 chapters)

-> EMD worksheet 8 (exercises 1.1. a-c)

-> journaled

-> finished reading The Obelisk Gate, by N. K. Jemisin (consistently solid series so far)

-> watched Love, Death & Robots Volume 1 ep 1-3

[wolfs-rain2017]

How does everyone feel about the new volume of Love, Death & Robots? Personally, I found it to be a little weaker than the previous 3 Volumes, but not so weak that I didn't enjoy it. Favourite 3 by far was definitely 'Ezekial Finds Religion', 'For He Can Creep' and 'The Other Large Thing'. Seeing how the robot uprising began was peek. And I loved the biblically accurate Fallen from 'EFR'. And Satan propositioning a cat for his persons soul. Just *chefs kiss*.

Hey cat owners, do you think your cat would sacrifice your soul for treats? Or would they summon the powers of the ancient cat gods to keep you safe?

[espanolbot2]

LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS VOLUME 4 | Official Trailer

And here's the episode list...

CAN’T STOP: A unique take on the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ legendary 2003 performance at Slane Castle, Ireland, with band members Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith, and John Frusciante recreated as string-puppets. Directed by David Fincher, who originally made his name with music videos in the 1980s and early ’90s, before segueing into unforgettable feature films.

Director: David Fincher

Music, Lyrics, & Performance: Red Hot Chili Peppers

Animation Studio: Blur Studio.

Voice Cast: Anthony Kiedis, Flea, John Frusciante, Chad Smith

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE MINI KIND: Tiny terror is unleashed in this mini alien apocalypse as directors Robert Bisi and Andy Lyon pay loving tribute to classic sci-fi stories of alien invasion and human stupidity using tilt-shift techniques that make the end of the world look almost cute.

Director: Robert Bisi & Andy Lyon

Writer: Robert Bisi & Andy Lyon

Animation Studio: BUCK

SPIDER ROSE: A return to the fantastic cyberpunk universe of “Swarm” (Vol. 3), created by visionary sci-fi author Bruce Sterling and directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson. On a remote asteroid mining operation, a grieving Mechanist gets a new companion and has a chance to avenge herself against the Shaper assassin who killed her husband.

Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Writer: Joe Abercrombie, based on the short story by Bruce Sterling

Animation Studio: Blur Studio

Voice Cast: Emily O’Brien, Feodor Chin, Piotr Michael & Sumalee Montano

400 BOYS: In a post-apocalyptic city where warring gangs follow a bushido-like code of honor, a new gang, the 400 Boys, forces them to unite. A blend of beauty and brutality from Canadian director Robert Valley, whose LDR episode “Ice” won the Emmy for Outstanding Short Form Animation.

Director: Robert Valley

Writer: Tim Miller, based on the short story by Marc Laidlaw

Animation Studio: Passion Animation, a Division of Passion Pictures

Voice Cast: John Boyega, Ed Skrein, Sienna King, Dwane Walcott, Rahul Kohli, Pamela Nomvete & Amar Chadha-Patel

THE OTHER LARGE THING: From the mind of prolific writer John Scalzi comes the story of a cat who plans world domination. Sanchez, as his puny human “pets” know him, is helped by a new robotic butler (voiced by Last Week Tonight host John Oliver) who can hack into the World Wide Web and is eager to help his new master.

Director: Patrick Osborne

Writer: John Scalzi

Animation Studio: AGBO

Voice Cast: Chris Parnell, John Oliver, Fred Tatasciore & Rachel Kimsey

GOLGOTHA: In a rare live-action entry in Love, Death + Robots, a conscientious vicar – played by Rhys Darby, (What We Do In The Shadows) – plays host to an emissary of an alien race who believes their messiah has been reborn on earth… as a dolphin. So, uh… yeah, Dolphin-Jesus. Directed by Tim Miller.

Director: Tim Miller

Writer: Joe Abercrombie, based on the short story by Dave Hutchinson

Animation Studio: Luma Pictures (VFX)

Voice Cast: Rhys Darby, Moe Daniels, Graham McTavish, Phil Morris, Michelle Lukes & Matthew Waterson

THE SCREAMING OF THE TYRANNOSAUR: On a space station orbiting Jupiter, decadent aristocrats gather to witness a brutal contest of genetically modified gladiators — fierce combatants riding deadly, engineered dinosaurs. A tale of visceral violence and unlikely emotion, directed by Tim Miller, based on a short story by Stant Litore.

Director: Tim Miller

Writer: Tim Miller, based on the short story by Stant Litore

Animation Studio: Blur Studio

Voice Cast: MrBeast & Bai Ling

HOW ZEKE GOT RELIGION: B-17 Flying Fortress Liberty Belle has the oddest mission of World War Two: a journey into occupied France to bomb a church before the Nazis can raise an ancient evil. John McNichol’s short story of blood, fallen archangels, occult magic, and ultraviolence is directed by Diego Porral (lead animator on previous LDR classic “Kill Team Kill”).

Director: Diego Porral

Writer: J.T. Petty, based on the short story by John McNichol

Animation Studio: Titmouse

Voice Cast: Keston John, Braden Lynch, Roger Craig Smith, Gary Furlong, Bruce Thomas, Andrew Morgado & Scott Whyte

SMART APPLIANCES, STUPID OWNERS: From an angry toothbrush to an overworked smart showerhead and an intelligent toilet, various household appliances divulge tales of bemusement, scorn, and wonder about their human owners. Directed by Patrick Osborne, of Vol. 3 favorite “Three Robots: Exit Strategies.”

Director: Patrick Osborne

Writer: John Scalzi

Animation Studio: Aaron Sims Creative

Voice Cast: Melissa Villaseñor, Ronny Chieng, Amy Sedaris, Kevin Hart, Josh Brener, Nat Faxon, Niecy Nash-Betts & Brett Goldstein

FOR HE CAN CREEP: London, 1757. A poet confined to an insane asylum believes Satan wants him to write a verse that will end the world. And the only thing standing between him and the Prince of Darkness (voiced by Dan Stevens) is his cat, Jeoffry. Emily Dean directs this wildly inventive period adaptation of Siobhan Carroll’s short story.

Director: Emily Dean

Writer: Tamsyn Muir, based on the short story by Siobhan Carroll

Animation Studio: Polygon Pictures Inc.

Voice Cast: Dan Stevens, JB Blanc, Jim Broadbent, Nika Futterman, Jane Leeves & Dave B. Mitchell

[ofmdrecaps]

04/26 - 28/2025 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Happy Belated Birthday Auntie!; David Jenkins; Rhys Darby; Con O'Neill; Nathan Foad; Kristian Nairn; Dominic Burgess; Damien Gerard; Cohen Holloway; Kay Buchanan; Fan Spotlight: OurFlagMeansFanfiction Podcast; PirateBot; Love Notes;

= Happy Belated Birthday to Anapela Polata'ivao! =

Source: Anapela's IG Stories

= David Jenkins =

David sending out some love to juniperlights.bsky.social!

Source: David Jenkins Bsky

= Rhys Darby =

Rhys is going to be in the new volume of Love Death + Robots on Netflix!

Source: Netflix Youtube

= Con O'Neill =

Some love from Con!

Source: Con's IG

= Nathan Foad =

Nathan keeping us entertained as always!

Source: Natha's IG

Oh and check out this short by Nathan Foad!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 24 / 7 00:00 11:59 AM / PM (@allday)

Source: Nathan's IG Stories

= Kristian Nairn =

Kristian was out at Austria Comic Con!

Source: Kristian's IG

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ian jules (@ianjulesxo)

Kristian also sent out some love to whomever made him this lovely nose badge!

Source: Kristian's IG

= Dominic Burgess =

A little sadder CatContent than usual, but good news Frodo Baggins is okay!

Source: Dominic's IG

They're even sending some purrs our way!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dominic Burgess (@dominicburgess1)

Source: Dominic's IG

= Damien Gerard =

Happy very belated birthday to Damien's kitties! They've been keeping him company lately and giving so much very needed love!

Source: Damien's Bsky

= Cohen Holloway =

I didn't see any advertisements but a kind person on some of the Neon NZ IG posts let me know when this hit Amazon Prime here in America! Dark City Cleaner, starring Pop-Pop, aka Cohen Holloway (You may also know him as Clifton from WWDITS 2014, and "The guy always fighting Rhys/Taika in various shows") is finally live in the US! He's the lead in this show, Joe, aka the Christchurch Carver and as someone who enjoys dark humor and suspense, I have to say I was really impressed! I highly recommend it if you like dark-kiwi style humor, and don't mind listening to the inner mind of a serial killer with just a hint of body horror. You can check it out here!

Source: Neon NZ Ig

= Kay Buchanan =

Our dear Leatherworker - Kay Buchanan is holding a Maple Leaf Bag giveaway! Head on over to her IG to learn more!

Source: Kay's IG

== Fan Spotlight ==

= Our Flag Means Fanfiction =

The AppleJack Episode is available on the OFMFF Spotify and other podcast platforms! Check it out here!

Source: OFMFF Instagram

= Pirate Bot =

This is a fun little bot made by one of the crew! You can submit quotes for it to randomly post from OFMD!

Source: Pirate Bot Bsky

== Love Notes ==

Hey lovelies, back to catching up again, I've given up on worrying too much about it, it is what it is, at least i'll get April done tonight. I hope you're all staying safe out there, like The Latest Kate below, I really don't know how to fix the world, so Im just taking little steps forward to keep sane and do my best at what I can. Please remember that you're wonderful, and no matter how bad things get, they can always get better again. Be kind to yourselves lovelies <3

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @thelatestkate

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @thelatestkate

Source: The Latest Kate's IG

[demifiendrsa]

LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS VOLUME 4 | Official Trailer

Season 4 of Love Death + Robots will stream on Netflix on May 15, 2025.

Poster

Volume 4 episode guide

CAN’T STOP

Synopsis: A unique take on the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ legendary 2003 performance at Slane Castle, Ireland, with band members Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith, and John Frusciante recreated as string-puppets. Directed by David Fincher, who originally made his name with music videos in the 1980s and early ’90s, before segueing into unforgettable feature films. Director: David Fincher Music, Lyrics and Performance: Red Hot Chili Peppers Animation Studio: Blur Studio. Voice Cast: Anthony Kiedis, Flea, John Frusciante, Chad Smith

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE MINI KIND

Synopsis: Tiny terror is unleashed in this mini alien apocalypse as directors Robert Bisi and Andy Lyon pay loving tribute to classic sci-fi stories of alien invasion and human stupidity using tilt-shift techniques that make the end of the world look almost cute. Director: Robert Bisi & Andy Lyon Writer: Robert Bisi & Andy Lyon Animation Studio: BUCK

SPIDER ROSE

Synopsis: A return to the fantastic cyberpunk universe of “Swarm” (Vol. 3), created by visionary sci-fi author Bruce Sterling and directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson. On a remote asteroid mining operation, a grieving Mechanist gets a new companion and has a chance to avenge herself against the Shaper assassin who killed her husband. Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson Writer: Joe Abercrombie, based on the short story by Bruce Sterling Animation Studio: Blur Studio Voice Cast: Emily O’Brien, Feodor Chin, Piotr Michael & Sumalee Montano

400 BOYS

Synopsis: In a post-apocalyptic city where warring gangs follow a bushido-like code of honor, a new gang, the 400 Boys, forces them to unite. A blend of beauty and brutality from Canadian director Robert Valley, whose LDR episode “Ice” won the Emmy for Outstanding Short Form Animation. Director: Robert Valley Writer: Tim Miller, based on the short story by Marc Laidlaw Animation Studio: Passion Animation, a Division of Passion Pictures Voice Cast: John Boyega, Ed Skrein, Sienna King, Dwane Walcott, Rahul Kohli, Pamela Nomvete & Amar Chadha-Patel

THE OTHER LARGE THING

Synopsis: From the mind of prolific writer John Scalzi comes the story of a cat who plans world domination. Sanchez, as his puny human “pets” know him, is helped by a new robotic butler (voiced by Last Week Tonight host John Oliver) who can hack into the World Wide Web and is eager to help his new master. Director: Patrick Osborne Writer: John Scalzi Animation Studio: AGBO Voice Cast: Chris Parnell, John Oliver, Fred Tatasciore & Rachel Kimsey

GOLGOTHA

Synopsis: In a rare live-action entry in Love, Death + Robots, a conscientious vicar – played by Rhys Darby, (What We Do In The Shadows) – plays host to an emissary of an alien race who believes their messiah has been reborn on earth… as a dolphin. So, uh… yeah, Dolphin-Jesus. Directed by Tim Miller. Director: Tim Miller Writer: Joe Abercrombie, based on the short story by Dave Hutchinson Animation Studio: Luma Pictures (VFX) Voice Cast: Rhys Darby, Moe Daniels, Graham McTavish, Phil Morris, Michelle Lukes & Matthew Waterson

THE SCREAMING OF THE TYRANNOSAUR

Synopsis: On a space station orbiting Jupiter, decadent aristocrats gather to witness a brutal contest of genetically modified gladiators — fierce combatants riding deadly, engineered dinosaurs. A tale of visceral violence and unlikely emotion, directed by Tim Miller, based on a short story by Stant Litore. Director: Tim Miller Writer: Tim Miller, based on the short story by Stant Litore Animation Studio: Blur Studio Voice Cast: MrBeast & Bai Ling

HOW ZEKE GOT RELIGION

Synopsis: B-17 Flying Fortress Liberty Belle has the oddest mission of World War Two: a journey into occupied France to bomb a church before the Nazis can raise an ancient evil. John McNichol’s short story of blood, fallen archangels, occult magic, and ultraviolence is directed by Diego Porral (lead animator on previous LDR classic “Kill Team Kill”). Director: Diego Porral Writer: J.T. Petty, based on the short story by John McNichol Animation Studio: Titmouse Voice Cast: Keston John, Braden Lynch, Roger Craig Smith, Gary Furlong, Bruce Thomas, Andrew Morgado & Scott Whyte

SMART APPLIANCES, STUPID OWNERS

Synopsis: From an angry toothbrush to an overworked smart showerhead and an intelligent toilet, various household appliances divulge tales of bemusement, scorn, and wonder about their human owners. Directed by Patrick Osborne, of Vol. 3 favorite “Three Robots: Exit Strategies.” Director: Patrick Osborne Writer: John Scalzi Animation Studio: Aaron Sims Creative Voice Cast: Melissa Villaseñor, Ronny Chieng, Amy Sedaris, Kevin Hart, Josh Brener, Nat Faxon, Niecy Nash-Betts & Brett Goldstein

FOR HE CAN CREEP

Synopsis: London, 1757. A poet confined to an insane asylum believes Satan wants him to write a verse that will end the world. And the only thing standing between him and the Prince of Darkness (voiced by Dan Stevens) is his cat, Jeoffry. Emily Dean directs this wildly inventive period adaptation of Siobhan Carroll’s short story. Director: Emily Dean Writer: Tamsyn Muir, based on the short story by Siobhan Carroll Animation Studio: Polygon Pictures Inc. Voice Cast: Dan Stevens, JB Blanc, Jim Broadbent, Nika Futterman, Jane Leeves & Dave B. Mitchell

[grgie]

love recognising art styles in love death and robots from previous volumes <3 zima blue and 400 boys has such a distinct and cool style UGH

[sagethegaywitch]

I Need To Rant About MTMTE #4

Why do they need to be torturing all the gay ones?

Every time I read the 4th volume I'm always crying by the end.

Here are some examples:

Rodimus (red one in bottom right corner) has to watch his advisor, best friend, and potential lover (Magnus: the blue one on the right) get impaled, his survival unlikely.

2. Rodimus (red one in bottom left corner) has to exile his best friend and potential lover (Drift: shadowed figure in bottom right corner) for a big misunderstanding.

3. Ratchet (the left one in the top panel a and Drift (the right one in the top panel and the main figure in the second panel), potential lovers, say their goodbyes to each other as they almost go down fighting (thankfully they survive).

4. Ratchet (the one on the right in the second panel) helps Drift (the main figure in the first panel and the one on the left in the second panel) escape his exile, knowing that he is putting his position at risk and sending his potential lover far away.

5. Chromedome (the figure in the background in the shadowed panel) and Tailgate (the blue and white one) want to save their lovers by offering a part of their spark (heart) to them.

6. Cyclonus (the purple one with horns) rejects Tailgate's (the blue and white one) attempt to save his life by giving him a bit of his spark (heart). But Cyclonus realizes his mistake and makes a silent apology with Tailgate.

7. Rewind (the one with the blue eye visor) sacrifices himself to save his lover, Chromedome (the one with the yellow eye visor). As he is preparing to die, Rewind tries to confess his feelings for Chromedome.

8. Chromedome (the red one) has the ability to erase his memories, and has done it multiple times in the past to forget the painful deaths of his past lovers. Brainstorm (the blue one) has to remind him that he should preserve Rewind's memory and not go back on his old habits.

9. Chromedome (the one with the red eye visor) watches a video that Rewind (the one with the blue visor) managed to throw to him before he died. Rewind finally confesses his feelings toward Chromedome, but Chromedome has nobody to love anymore and decides not to erase his good memories with Rewind.

I fucking hate how all the gay ones have to either die or get separated. I really can't tell if the author is being an ally by giving us gay robots or being slightly homophobic by giving them tragic endings. Don't take this too seriously, this is just me ranting and being sad that most of them won't get a happy ending. I love the series, but I don't think my heart can take much more.

:)

[spectralpixelsredone]

Mercury Black vs. Ruby Rose: A Foil Comparison

Mercury Black and Ruby Rose in RWBY serve as compelling foils, their shared combat enthusiasm and social awkwardness contrasting with their opposing moralities, backgrounds, and dependencies. Mercury’s sadistic villainy highlights Ruby’s selfless heroism, underscoring themes of pain versus hope.

Similarities

Combat Enthusiasm: Both relish fighting, displaying excitement in battle. Mercury finds amusement in combat, smirking during his match against Pyrrha (e.g., Volume 3) and enjoying Cinder’s violent missions. Ruby grins while fighting Grimm with Crescent Rose, thriving in action (e.g., Volume 1). Their passion drives their combat prowess.

Social Awkwardness: Both exhibit quirky, socially awkward behaviors. Mercury’s playful antics, like sniffing a boot at the Vytal Festival or flirting with Emerald, mask his lethality (e.g., Volume 3). Ruby’s goofy demeanor and initial social struggles endear her to others (e.g., Volume 1 Weiss interactions). Their awkwardness humanizes them.

Super-Reflexes: Both possess exceptional speed and reflexes. Mercury’s prosthetic legs enable rapid movements, like dodging lightning or stopping Ruby’s Semblance (e.g., Volume 3 Amber fight). Ruby’s Semblance allows petal-burst speed, outpacing opponents (e.g., Volume 4). Their agility enhances their fighting styles.

Analytical Skills: Both analyze opponents effectively. Mercury tests Pyrrha’s abilities to uncover her Semblance, quitting once he gathers intel (e.g., Volume 3). Ruby’s weapon expertise allows her to strategize with Crescent Rose’s mechanics (e.g., Volume 1). Their analytical approaches strengthen their combat roles.

Emotional Vulnerability: Both can be broken by words. Mercury’s flimsy motives are dismantled by Tyrian, exposing his fear of leaving violence (e.g., Volume 8). Ruby falters when Salem reveals her mother’s death, shaking her resolve (e.g., Volume 8). Their vulnerabilities reveal inner struggles.

Differences

Role and Arc: Mercury is a consistent antagonist, serving Cinder and Salem with sadistic loyalty (e.g., Volume 3 Vytal Festival sabotage). Ruby is a steadfast protagonist, leading Team RWBY to protect Remnant (e.g., Volume 8). Mercury’s villainy contrasts with Ruby’s heroism.

Combat Dependency: Mercury, a Badass Normal, fights without a Semblance, relying on prosthetic legs and assassin training to match Huntsmen (e.g., Volume 3 Yang fight). Ruby depends heavily on Crescent Rose and her Semblance, struggling without them (e.g., Volume 4 unarmed training). Mercury’s self-reliance opposes Ruby’s weapon reliance.

Background: Mercury’s abusive upbringing under his alcoholic father, Marcus, who stole his Semblance and brutalized him, shapes his violent worldview (e.g., Volume 6 backstory). Ruby grows up with a loving family, supported by Taiyang and Qrow, fostering her optimism (e.g., Volume 4). Mercury’s trauma contrasts with Ruby’s nurture.

Moral Evolution: Mercury remains loyal to Salem, denying his traumatic past influences his choices, though Tyrian suggests otherwise (e.g., Volume 8). Ruby’s morality stays heroic, driven by a desire to protect others (e.g., Volume 8). Mercury’s stagnation opposes Ruby’s steadfast purity.

Motivations: Mercury fights for personal thrill and familiarity with violence, enjoying chaos (e.g., Volume 3 recording Atlesian robots). Ruby fights for justice and protection, aiming to unite Remnant (e.g., Volume 6). Mercury’s sadism contrasts with Ruby’s altruism.

Visual Motifs: Mercury’s silver-grey hair, eyes, and winged helmet evoke the Roman god Mercury, symbolizing speed and cunning (e.g., Volume 3). Ruby’s red motifs and silver eyes, tied to her wolf imagery, reflect hope and loyalty (e.g., Volume 6). Mercury’s metallic coldness opposes Ruby’s vibrant warmth.

Social Influence: Mercury’s alliances, like with Emerald, are vitriolic yet loyal, but he sows chaos under Cinder (e.g., Volume 5 Haven). Ruby inspires Team RWBY and allies, fostering unity (e.g., Volume 6). Mercury’s divisiveness contrasts with Ruby’s leadership.

Emotional Triggers: Mercury’s smirk hides fear of leaving violence, exposed by Tyrian’s taunts (e.g., Volume 8). Ruby’s resolve is shaken by personal losses, like Summer’s death (e.g., Volume 8). Mercury’s suppressed fear contrasts with Ruby’s open grief.

Redemption Potential: Mercury shows no redemption, tied to Salem’s cause by habit and fear (e.g., Volume 8). Ruby, as a hero, grows from naivety to maturity (e.g., Volume 8). Mercury’s irredeemability opposes Ruby’s development.

Parental Figures: Mercury’s father, Marcus, was an abusive drunk who stole his Semblance, leaving lasting scars (e.g., Volume 6). Ruby’s father, Taiyang, and uncle, Qrow, despite flaws, provide love and guidance (e.g., Volume 4). Mercury’s abuse contrasts with Ruby’s support.

Foil Dynamic

Mercury and Ruby’s foil relationship underscores pain versus hope:

Villainy vs. Heroism: Mercury’s sadistic loyalty to Salem contrasts with Ruby’s selfless leadership of Team RWBY, highlighting their opposing moral paths.

Trauma vs. Nurture: Mercury’s abusive upbringing locks him in a cycle of violence, while Ruby’s loving family fuels her optimism, shaping their motivations.

Self-Reliance vs. Dependency: Mercury’s Semblance-less combat showcases his adaptability, while Ruby’s reliance on Crescent Rose reveals her vulnerability, reflecting their strengths.

Chaos vs. Unity: Mercury’s actions sow destruction under Cinder, while Ruby unites allies with hope, emphasizing their social impacts.

Cynicism vs. Idealism: Mercury’s silver motifs and cunning reflect a cold, thrill-seeking life, while Ruby’s red and silver eyes symbolize vibrant, protective hope.

Their shared combat passion, awkwardness, and reflexes anchor their foil dynamic, with Mercury’s destructive pain illuminating Ruby’s resilient hope, reinforcing RWBY’s themes of choice and redemption.

Conclusion

Mercury Black and Ruby Rose’s foil dynamic highlights how shared traits—combat enthusiasm, social quirks, and analytical skills—lead to contrasting journeys. Mercury’s sadistic villainy, traumatic past, and chaotic influence contrast with Ruby’s heroic purity, supportive upbringing, and unifying spirit, emphasizing the power of choice in shaping their legacies. (BTW about the redemption-Mercury obviously will change.)

[the-midnight-editor]

'get to know you better' tag game

uh so fun fact I’ve never done one of these before so slay I guess

Thanks for tagging me @jeannedarcprice 🤡

Last song: Iwatodai Dorm -Reload- by Lotus Juice and the Atlus Sound Team

Currently watching: Murderbot and A Thousand Blows (with my family, not of my own will 😀👍)

Last movie: For He Can Creep from Season 4 of the Love Death and Robots Anthology

Sweet, savory, or spicy: Savouryyyy

Currently reading: Tender is the Flesh, A Handheld History, and Midnight Sun (and Haikyuu!! in the background, currently on volume 6; ALSO literally just finished Everyone is Fucking with Gender at the Gym which is a great queer zine by Char Eve 👍👍👍)

Current obsession: Persona 3 Reload 🤡

Currently working on: Uhm, my top surgery results? Idk not doing much rn I fear

What I wish I could eat right now: my sesame paste noodles

Tagging (I only know one of you irl so deeply sorry for this feel free to ignore I’m just feeling silly today): @catastrophichan , @flightlesstrash , @aceattorneygamesfan

[silver-wield]

hey silver! so i've been reading otwtas but the lifestream black and white in particular has me stumped, esp with what sephiroth is trying to do. from what i can at least understand he's basically doing some mumbo jumbo in the lifestream to keep his spirit from dissolving, but i'm still quite confused as to how it all works. i wonder if you'd be able to share your own insights and understanding of the scenario? i'm still pretty new to ff7 so there's quite a lot that i still don't get 🥲😅

Since Sephiroth is born of the planet, he's gonna be absorbed back into it so his energy will disperse and he'll become a new life in the future. Basically reincarnation.

He doesn't want that to happen, so to hold onto his form enough to get revenge he throws off anything about himself that the planet could absorb instead.

The astronaut in this short had to sacrifice a limb to reach safety. Sephiroth's doing the same with aspects of his personality, form and memory until all that remains is his basic appearance, his sword skills and his hatred for Cloud. Cloud's memories bolster this self image so without Cloud, Sephiroth can't return.

Basically Sephiroth's just a ball of petty spite and that's all that's stopping him from being gone for good.

[tumblingxelian]

Okay so, given Mercury Black's and Cassandra Cain's backstories, what do you think both characters would feel after an encounter with each other where neither dies?

Sorry I've been neglecting asks recently, been kind of down and so just doing low effort reblogs with the occasional burst of energy.

Anyway!

This is a fun and interesting question I actually sought help in answering from but a humble good, who always has good Cass takes and loves RWBY!

Off the cuff and for anyone confused, the characters being asked about are:

Cassandra Cain - who was raised by master assassin David Cain to be the perfect killer. She was never taught to speak and only learned through physical action. Because of this she can essentially predict what a person will do before they act and she is functionally the best martial artist in the DC Universe, or always in the top 3. Said body language reading ability though also means she can experience her targets deaths by proxy which... Yeah basically led to her adopting a 100% no kill policy after her first mission. Thus leading her to running away, living homeless for several years before joining the Bat Clan and becoming Batgirl.

Mercury Black - Like Cassandra his father Marcus Black raised him to be an assassin like himself. Marcus may not have denied his son words but he instead stole the manifestation of his soul (His Semblance) claiming it was a "Crutch" and he would get it back eventually. He never got it back & instead had his lower legs mutilated to be replaced with robotic prosthetics which he then used to kill Marcus. Unlike Cass he's not the best of the best, but is definitely skilled & unlike her he's doggedly committed to the role of playing the villain with a veneer of jocularity he uses to hide that he can't imagine any other life.

Conclusion:

So we have two teens/young adults coming from very similar places as far as what they were trained and otherwise horrifically abused to be, but who ended up on seemingly opposite ends of the spectrum.

Cassandra's reaction when encountering most killers tends to be one of two things. A very stern "You need to grasp the enormity of what you are doing and stop or be stopped painfully." Or "Oh, you actually think this is in someway necessary, please do not do this, there is a way out, there has to be."

She's also very chill with people who did kill but choose not too, she's not... Preachy or judgmental in that sense, doing so would be hypocritical in her eyes.

So she'd likely emphasize a lot with Mercury, being able to see him as something of a "Therefore but for the grace of empathic body language go I." So she'd very much want to both stop him from killing but also show him that he can go down another path.

This doesn't mean she'd be inclined to be a doormat, quite the opposite but she'd definitely be working to communicate with him as much as fight him if she had to.

Mercury meanwhile would hate this. He is deep in denial about himself and hates being read for what he is, as local serial killer Tyrian Callows did in Volume 6:

Tyrian: (mocking) Oh yes, the world is mean, and I'm a big, bad man now just like the others. (laughs)

Mercury: (growls as he angrily walk over to Tyrian) How long have you been standing there?!

Tyrian: All you ever learned was pain and violence, and now you're too afraid to leave it. Such a tragedy.

Mercury: You don't know me!

So while he would see the connection the moment he had any details he'd throw up an aloof façade and claim Cass was weak and lacked the stomach for what he does or something to that effect.

Internally he'd be seething with resentment, or more, a blooming sense of inferiority about how someone who proves his beliefs wrong seems to so casually exists and wants to help him of all things.

He'd not welcome or trust her, not a first at least.

[penny-the-pissed-poltergeist]

Time for everything to go nuts, volume 3 episode 9 (PVP) rewatch thoughts, RWDE/Critical takes inbound

.I feel like this would have even more dramatic potential even these two knew each other before hand

.Pyrrha is too stressed to say anything at all, ow

.Always liked how they animated Penny's swords

.So they later explain that Ruby has no mass in petal form, so why can Mercury hit her here?

.Merc is such a piece of shit I love him

.Why did Ruby stop using her Semblance here, she was only hit like twice so aura probably wasn't a factor

.Forgot how fast this fight was, they take no time to get to horrid end

.Penny's first death gives me some weird feelings, They do handle everyone reacting to her well even if it feels like no one realizes or reacts to the fact she's a robot, and watching Ruby seeing it makes want to cry >

.But knowing she comes back later and how little she gets brought up afterword lessens the impact a lot, I also forgot Pietro first showed up here, sorry best dad/worst dad depending on how much you read into things

.Both that one background guy I forgot to post last time and Jaune's face are making me laugh when I should not be doing that. (This probably only happened because I've seen this before but still)

.Cinder.. ISN'T really lying about how much power headmasters have or how much average people are kept in the dark, but she is 100% just saying shit for a reaction like a bad comedian here

.So why did atlas make Penny they way she is? Because we know she wasn't ever supposed to be the maiden, but there isn't any evidence of Atlas actually wanting war from what I've seen

."First a dismemberment now this?" Girllll that was your fault

.It is funny how the FNDUMB people act just like Cinder in this scene toward Ironwood

."Our Kingdoms are at the brink of war" I'd say "since when" like a certain video essay but Cinder is bending the truth and trying to provoke outrage so her saying that makes sense (I don't hate that video but it's not perfect)

."Please seek shelter in a calm and orderly manner" Like that's ever gonna happen

.Coco acting like a Nevermore is scary like she didn't one shot multiple of them

.There are already knocked over buildings, shit got fucked up fast or it's power rangers abandoned building district

.Roman is back, hell yeah

.Star was moment... It's a ship lasering another ship with chanting in the background come on

.God I love Roman just so fucking much

.The white fang being here makes me question why anti faunus hate didn't like, fuckin octuple after this

[bluejaybytes]

hiiiiiiiiiiii tell me about your disabled robot ocs????????? i love them already

HAIIIII :] My two robot OCs exist in wildly different and fundementally opposite universes funnily enough, but both are in some form disabled :]

Cricket's an androidgirl living in a solarpunk utopia and doesn't actually have much plot going on, she's more or less just a cute design for me to think about occasionally. She's autistic, by both human AND robot standards <3 By human standards she has no volume control, special interests, struggles with social cues, ect. By robot standards she doesn't think in Literal Binary and instead is much more human-like in her processing. She's also trans genner <3 Robots are traditionally entirely disconnected from human ideas of gender but Cricket prefers Being Girl <3

The other robot is Juno and she's a mining robot on a sci-fi desert planet and she has both pretty significant memory issues (After being violently attacked and basically as "killed" as she can be, she ends up offline for two decades, and as such, her memory storage deteriorates severely), and at the end of the plot, she ends up unable to perform a lot of her built purpose. I'm unsure how it all comes together, I know how I WANT the plot to end (Giant acidic worms burrow through the solid rock and form the caverns that everyone lives in, everything ends when Juno summons a bunch of worms in an act of self sacrifice that doesn't actually end in her death like she anticipated), but regardless, her lantern, which serves to detect danger, as well as housing all of her code, ends up permanently damaged from being extended far past her limits. She's no longer able to use her lantern for really anything besides a battery, and now it occasionally gets set off in what would be the robot equivalent to a migraine. Outside of her lantern issues, she's also just using a pretty worn down body, as its been decades without maintenance, even trying to clean it up now can only keep it at the level its at now, not really making it any better. With such, she's got QUITE rusted joints that tend to act up. It does get SOMEWHAT better from how it was originally, as her human partner makes sure to perform regular upkeep to keep her joints working as well as they can, but after the initial getting of the rust out, she can't ever really be fixed beyond that.