#make other characters seem better and shit like that

[mads-hemmo]

It’s Nice to Have A Friend - Jschlatt

Part 1

Reader has been lonely their whole life. They have never been in a relationship. They don’t understand why no one will love them but their best friend, Schlatt has always been in love with them.

Part 2

Part 3

From a young age, you have always been a hopeless romantic. Your favorite content always revolves around romance of some sort. You even have had your wedding planned since you went to your first wedding at merely six years old. Your plans are forever cemented on a Pinterest board that you continue to add to about monthly. I mean your taste has changed since 2015, but some things still remain true.

The only problem is that you haven’t got to experience romance yourself. At the ripe old age of 25, you have never been in a relationship. You have had your first kiss, but it wasn’t magical. You only did it because you hated being the college kid who had never kissed anyone. You slightly regret it, but at least it was out of the way.

The only good thing is that at least you have a best friend who you made a marriage pact with. You and your best friend Schlatt, met in middle school. When you were both sad and single in high school, you made a pact that if neither of you were married by 40, you would get married. It was just a silly thing that you both constantly laugh about.

When you met Schlatt in middle school, the two of you immediately hit it off. You saw Schlatt sitting by himself one day and decided to sit by him. You had a few classes with him and thought he seemed like a cool dude. At first he acted like he wanted to be alone, but you learned soon after that he really didn't have many friends. The two of you learned you had a lot in common. You both loved Nintendo, especially Mario Kart as well as computer games.

The one difference is you loved all things romance whereas Schlatt only cared about gaming and baseball. The really fucked up thing about the universe is that Schlatt has had multiple relationships while you remain single. His relationships usually never lasted, but it was still strange. The universe also made you bisexual and you still somehow manage to be lonely. But at least you had your best friend, Schlatt and that stupid marriage pact.

The hardest moment for you was when Schlatt decided to move to Austin, Texas. It was the longest and farthest apart you have ever been from each other. You knew it was good for career and would help him grow his channel, but it sucked being apart for so long. Thankfully, Schlatt made the decision to come back home to New York. When he came back, it was like nothing changed. You had your best friend back and nothing could make you happier.

Most of your nights lately have been spent hanging out at Schlatt’s apartment playing Mario Kart like you did as kids. Tonight was no different. Schlatt was playing as a Villager and you were playing as Cat Peach. “I tried downloading Tinder again,” you say, randomly.

“Why?” Schlatt asked, his eyes located on the screen.

“Maybe there’s someone new. We live in New York. Who knows who might have moved here? Maybe my soulmates!”

“Toots, how many times do I have to tell you? One, your soulmate is not going to be on tinder and two, you’re better off with a true New Yorker than some new kid that wants to make it on broadway or some shit.”

You sigh. “Oh my god, but imagine they are on broadway! You know my love for musical theatre! Maybe we need to go watch a show. The lead being so into their part locks eyes with me and we realize we are truly in love like the characters on the stage.”

Schlatt lets out a small laugh while rolling his eyes. “You are ridiculous, (Y/N),” he says, looking at you.

“You’re just mad that I’m kicking your ass right now.”

“You wish, Fucker,” he says, his competitive spirit coming back.

The two of you continue playing until you both decide you're hungry, so Schlatt orders pizza from your favorite place. “You staying the night?” Schlatt asks, grabbing the Bénédictine bottle and a few solo cups.

“Might as well. It’s the weekend after all,” you say, pouring the liquor into your cup.

“The guest room is always open for you. However, the cats have made it their own, so they might sleep with you.”

“It would be nice to have someone or something laying beside me even if it is just cats. I did always say I was going to be the crazy cat person, but the tables have seemed to turn,” you joke.

“I’m a very proud cat dad. They make great content and the ladies love them,” Schlatt says, moving his eyebrows.

You laugh at him. You miss the way his smiles grow with each laugh that leaves your mouth. “Did I tell you I started a new hobby?” You ask him.

“No? How do you have the time to have another hobby? What happened to crocheting or reading or shipping random men together?”

“I’m still doing all those things and I ship people of all genders. Anyways, I started coloring.”

“Coloring? Like with crayons?” He asks, not in a malicious way, but with genuine curiosity.

“No, with alcohol markers and white gel pens to add highlights. I saw it on TikTok of course and it’s been really fun. It’s also very stress relieving.”

“Can I see some of your finished work?” He asks, his eyes not breaking contact with yours.

“Oh yeah, sure,” you say, pulling your phone out. Sometimes you find it strange how Schlatt actually cares about your hobbies and various interests. He never makes you feel bad about it. He just lightly teases you, but you know that’s just how he is.

Schlatt looks at the pictures you took of the pages you have colored. “Awe I love the little kitty. They are cute! This is really impressive, Toots. It looks like you printed these out. Maybe next time you come over, you should bring your markers and we can color together. Mine won’t be near as good as yours, but I bet it would be fun,” Schlatt says.

You hold your pinky out and Schlatt wraps his around yours. “I’m holding you to that, Big Guy.”

“You know I’d never break a pinky promise. You bring the markers and I’ll bring the Bénédictine.” The marriage pact was formed on a pinky promise and that makes your heart feel warm.

You hear the doorbell ring and realize that your pinkies are still connected. You quickly get up to go answer the door. You see a very handsome man holding the pizza boxes. “Here’s your pizza,” he says. “It’s not everyday that I deliver to someone so pretty.” He winks at you.

“You’re too nice. Hold on, let me grab your tip,” you smile, turning around. You see Schlatt and he hands you a ten dollar bill. “Thank you.”

“Sorry I didn’t realize you had a boyfriend. I couldn’t have flirted with you if I knew,” the guy apologizes.

“He’s not-“ you start.

“Don’t worry about it, dude,” Schlatt says, grabbing the pizza and handing him the money. “Have a good night.” Schlatt closes the door. He goes to the kitchen to grab plates before coming back to the living room.

“What was that?” You ask him.

“What? I just finished what you were going to say. That guy also was probably a high schooler.”

You just decide to not push it any further, knowing that Schlatt is probably right. “What movie do you want to watch?” You ask.

“As long as it’s not a musical, I don’t care what we watch. I recommend Tokyo Drift, but you’re the guest,” Schlatt says, with a piece of pizza in his mouth.

“We can watch Tokyo Drift. It’s been awhile since you picked the movie.”

Schlatt smiles at you. “Thanks Bub.” He puts the movie on.

It doesn’t take long for you to pass out. Schlatt knew it was inevitable. You usually fall asleep during a film and with liquor and pizza on your belly, it’s no surprise when he hears your soft snores. Your head makes its way on Schlatt’s shoulders. He smiles at you and he feels his heart start to race. He wishes you weren’t so hard on yourself and saw how amazing you were.

After about twenty minutes, he realized that you were pretty much out. Instead of having you sleep on the couch, he gently picks you up, bridal style and carries you to the guest bedroom. He carefully lays you down and places the blanket over you. He watches in awe as jambo cuddles beside you. When he knows you’re definitely asleep, he kisses your forehead. “I love you. Sleep tight, Toots,” he says, cleaning up the living room before going to his bed. Schlatt wishes you were laying beside him. He would hold you tight and never let you ever think you were incapable of being loved. He falls asleep, happy with the fact that you are asleep in his house and not with someone who doesn’t deserve you.

A/N: yay!! New fic!! Thank you to 🍓 anon, and everyone else who suggested this req!! Hope you enjoy the first part. Sorry I’m posting this in the middle of the night! Let me know what you know!!

[itsquakey]

The really really dumb Kirby weapon theory/prediction plus the ramblings of a crazy person

After putting this aside for a while despite bringing it up a couple times I am finally putting together this stupid theory I've had since Forgotten land came out. The weapons that the mage sisters have always been on my mind thanks to the fact that I personally think they're a very small reveal of what's to come about a tiny detail of the future.

To start-the three mage sisters each have their own weapon they use.

Zan Partizanne has a Partisan, Flamberge has a Flamberge, Francisca has a francisca (actually it's a double headed axe but we will refer to it as both here).

Nothing really special.

Though my interest in these weapons changed with The forgotten land and Elfilis. Elfilis also wields a partisan. This kinda piqued my interest? Out of all weapons they choose one this boss would share with someone else? Knowing how this series (unfortunately) works the similarity is likely on purpose. So basically what I'm saying is the next two final bosses in the next mainline series entries will be wielding a flamberge and a francisca/double headed axe. I also believe that the next two bosses will be of 'different matter' as apposed to void termina's dark matter and whatever you wanna say Elfilis is. I also believe Morpho will be after those fellas as well. Wouldn't make sense for it to stop at Galacta and Elfilis, and since it seems to be...somewhat friendly with Kirby? Enough to allow Kirby to have some of its power with the Morpho upgrades. I doubt it'll be after them anytime soon. If anything I think their relationship with Kirby will be similar to Kirby's relationship with Meta.

I have a few ideas as well but they're kinda just. Theories without substance.

Morpho could be after the four heroes of yore. Taking Galacta (who we know is a hero of yore), Elfilis (A harder thing to prove, we never saw them using heart spears), and wherever the other two are if they're still alive. A better theory would be that Morpho happens to respond to changes in the air when galaxy-threatening level things show their face and deals with them itself. Or maybe Morpho follows Kirby around because it knows trouble is drawn to the kid. I still really like the idea that Morpho IS Galacta. That's why they look similar(ish). Maybe Morpho/Galacta is out for revenge or something. But it's Kirby. We have not idea what is happening anyway.

Another theory is that the three weapons of the mage sister reference the other three weapons used by the heroes of yore. Galacta has his lance, then one would have a partisan, one a flamberge, and one a francisca/double-headed axe....Is what I would say if it wasn't for the concept art book. There's a part in the book that has an unusual emphasis on three weapon designs. I just noticed it as I write this, and it's interesting.

The double-headed axe, the Partisan, and the bow and arrow. No other weapon Void Termia uses gets this treatment. These also could be the weapons the three other heroes used. There's a weird absence of a lance though maybe that's on purpose. I kinda like the idea that we only know Galacta was a hero, and the other three are left unknown with only their weapons proving their existence. I wonder though if there's a reason we only know for sure who one of the heroes was. Either they're just making shit up as it goes or they have an idea of what they want to either.

TLDR: I think the next final bosses will either use the two other weapons of the mage sisters or the two weapons we see Void Termina use. (Elfilis already has the partisan)

Either way HAL please hire me I need that game in the past about the ancients with Galacta as a main character and I can make it for you I swear.

[thewistlingbadger]

A lot of Warwick being Vander feels to me like an attempt to fix Vander's reputation with the fandom. Which to me is ridiculous because A. Vander has been dead since the start of the show it isn't that deep to anyone and B. The vast majority of the fandom likes Vander a lot, so why are there PR attempts to "redeem" is character?

Vander DID favor Vi above all the other kids. Vander and Jinx did NOT have that close of a relationship. Vander and Vi DID have a really tight bond. Vander DID put the safety of his kids above the safety of everyone else in Zaun and in a way he DID fail the zaunites. But so what? These are all things that happened long ago, things that season 1 let go because it was no longer important or needed to the story. Vander wasn't a perfect man or even an exceptional leader or parent, but he didn't need to be. His role in s1 was "the good guy" and that's what he was. That's how he's perceived in the show and by the fandom.

Season two including MORE information about a character who already got a lot of time at the start of the show feels unnecessary. Especially when the additional information feels unnatural. Vander being close with Jinx enough for Jinx to start calling him dad when she never did that AND spent more time with Silco as her fatherly figure than she did with Vander and enough for Vander to recognize her off of her appearances and bomb even though she looks significantly different is weird. It's weird because we didn't see that season 1. We didn't see that dynamic in act 1 and past act one jinx seems to have no regard for Vander at all. AND it's weird because season two ALSO didn't show us that. Had we maybe gotten some flashbacks between the two when Vander recognized her then maybe it would be more believable. But as is it just feels rigid.

Vander's note to Silco ALSO wasn't necessary AND it was an attempt to make Vander seem like a better guy than he actually was. Vander's "apology" ultimately does not affect the story or the characters at all but they make it seem like it's some sort of tragedy that Vander apologized for being a monster and that apology was never received. It just felt like something that was forced and icky. ESPECIALLY since it was such a shit apology my God it was the worst apology ever lol. I also feel like showing that Vander is still plagued by his memory of Silco was forced and OOC. Also the flashback with Felicia I believe is another attempt to sanitize Vander's character. In season 1 Vander was a violent menace in the underground but in the flashback we see him just chillin and being really nice, pretty much the same as when we see him in s1. It feels like they chose to make up new things about Vander to hide who Vander originally was. And it's so weird bc it's not like Vander was this terrible guy according to the narrative of s1.

is it too early to say that the narrative of Jinx being Vander's daughter was an OOC characterisation used to overwrite her being Silco's daughter because they needed to speedrun her redemption or is it still too controversial

[risto-licious]

I don't know if this is madness or just a character trait that is simply engrained into my very core BUT. On some days I feel like my soul puts me in this weird LIMBO OF EMOTIONS. Let's say there's a bad day. Just one bad day. Mood is low, energy is low and thoughts go right into melancholic hopelessness. As one does, sometimes. We're all human. There is this relentless STUBBORN OPTIMISM inside of me that seems to AUTOMATICALLY TRIGGER on those days, which INSTANTLY fights back against the shit mood, trying it's hardest to somehow lift my spirits up. AND IT MAKES ME FEEL SO WEIRD. Like something inside of me doesn't even allow myself to have a bad day, as if you're sleepy but someone is shaking your slumpy body and goes like HEY HEY HEY WAKE UP YOU FOOL LET'S GET GOING. I feel like it might stem from a deep, firm knowledge that nothing nice for future me grows out of those bad days. Because I usually already know what is troubling me. And when I cry. Feel down. Cry some more. Get a headache. I never feel better or wiser after I allow my bad mood to fully unfold. I SENSE NO FEELING OF RELEASE or ease after a so called good cry. And most of the time my optimism WINS THE GAME EITHER WAY. Making me this weird MELANCHOLIC but also HAPPILY UPBEAT idiot most of my days. The fact that in these times it feels like madness is because I feel like in a CONSTANT INBETWEEN. I cannot even do moody grouchy bad mood VENT ART without something in me saying: NOPE, THAT'S NOT YOU and you KNOW IT. While the other half howls: GOD DAMMIT JUST LET ME FEEL LIKE SHIT FOR ONE DAY. And the other half keeps stubbornly refusing: STILL NOPE LOL. All these silly internal battles, while on the outside I seem completely normal, chill and calm. AND ACTUALLY: I AM DOING OKAY. I am doing good. And I still feel that this is really just my very very funky personality. I suppose that stubborn part is simply trying to make use of my bad days and frustrations, actively urging myself to have somthing NEW seep out of it, some NEW DIRECTION of where to navigate next in my life. Little by little, step by step! I like when things go forward, even when life feels stagnant, deteriorating even. Basiacally: NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE A SHIT DAY, at least not without drawing something out of it for future steps to take. Even if sometimes the future simply feels hopeless. AND THAT WAS THAT. Thanks for coming to my silly thought ramble out into the open. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHETHER IT HELPED TYPING ALL THAT DOWN. Or if it made any sense at all. If you've somehow read this up until here.....I hope you're having a good start into the weekend! Wishing that for you!

[homestuckreplay]

Liberty. Reason. Justice. Civility. Edification. Perfection.

(page 1116-1128)

As it turns out, there’s no such thing as a DEAPPEARIFIER. Such a machine is actually called a SENDIFICATOR, and funding for this technology drastically improves the postal service’s ability to carry out their work, as gloriously demonstrated by PM. This machine is presumably why things keep appearing, as well as disappearing, around Jade’s house (p.770).

I shed a real tear when PM successfully delivered the package – it’s only been a few hundred pages since her first mail spiel (p.894-6), but AR’s erratic shooting and the clear danger of the current situation mean this still feels like an earned victory. There is a song called ‘The Courier’ by Richard Shindell that I’ve been obsessed with for years and this is PM’s theme song to me. I’m actually so taken with this broader theme of mail and with this drive to carry information and items between people even in a world that’s not set up for it, that I want to explore other media that has this theme, and maybe even base my next D&D character around this.

Thinking about AR’s characterization, they’re mad at themself for shooting incorrectly, bonking themself on the head for it (p.1119) meaning they are not above their own laws. This doesn’t make them less dangerous, but it makes their moral code more consistent. The same is true with their attraction to PM – AR has this urge towards forbidden romance with the opposing side, but isn’t going to make a legal exception even for this carapaced hottie. AR is also extremely stubborn and doggedly convinced of things that are factually untrue – for example, they ‘don’t give a shit about’ their weapon being magazine-fed and not clip-fed (p.1101), they think of themself as a ‘crack shot’ despite not landing a single bullet (p.1119), and they think Serenity is a ‘little blinking bee’ (p.1122).

I think black and white thinking, strict ideals and no mercy for those who disrupt them, have to be more traits programmed into all chess pieces (for all its intellectual complexity, chess does not have much nuance to its lore). So this next part might be a reach and might be confirmation bias, but I wonder if these folks have similarities to the kids they command. WV was socially inept at first, prone to flights of fancy, and not great at prioritizing, which are also some of John’s flaws. PM is focused on her delivery tasks to the point of putting herself in danger, and Jade is behaving similarly as she harpoons herself across the ruins and evades Bec’s protection to deliver the time bait as per Skaia’s will. AR’s stubbornness and refusal to question their own biased perspective could fit with either Dave or Rose, but their immediate resorting to violence is a better fit for Dave – the kid who was so mad about being named ‘insufferable prick’ that he destroyed the input box (p.310).

Pretty fucked up that WV just sacrifices one of his pawns. One of his beloved citizens, martyred for the cause. Pour one out for- shit nevermind wrong phrase.

One complaint: there is no possible way WV and PM have read Sweet Bro & Hella Jeff. Even if they could access it from their command terminals – and I do NOT believe Skaia has programmed that functionality – they do not exist in the right cultural moment to appreciate the humor. When the narrative text references SBAHJ during the kids’ sections (for example, p.915) it works for me, because it’s an actual thought they might be having. It doesn’t work for me here on pages 1123-4, because the narrator’s inserting it where it wouldn’t naturally fit, using SBAHJ to distract me from the much better comic I’m currently reading.

UNLESS. I have been interpreting the scribbly pages like 1118 and 1124 (above) as Jade’s understanding of events upon waking, the way a dream that seems perfectly crisp and clear while asleep becomes vague and blurry after waking up. Again likely a reach, but I could buy that the SBAHJ is Jade editorializing on her own visions as she creates this note and draws the map for WV and PM to follow. That feels neater to me, at least.

> AR: Shoot at bass guitar to repair elevator.

[oceanwithouthermoon]

what teruhashi haters are you referring to, i dont think ive ever seen any here?

hardly ever on tumblr, literally everywhere else though

[problemswithbooks]

BNHA Ch. 429

So, I guess Toga is dead, and people are losing it.

I get why people liked her--she was actually queer, being pan/bisexual. She was representation for them and that's rare in shonen manga. But here's the thing--she was bad representation at best and insulting at worst. Nor do I think she was made queer because Hori really wanted to represent a queer girl. Himiko was always the author's poorly hidden fetish--she just was. She liked girls as much as boys because Hori wanted to draw a girl touching sexually on another girl. You can see this in how he draws her and Ochako in solo pics together.

I mean, people seem to understand this when it comes to Momo and her outfit being overly sexual or that both Himiko and Hagakure's Quirks either leave them naked or they have to be naked to use them. These are excuses to draw girls in a sexual manner. Himiko being into other girls is the same thing and that's the kindest interpretation.

Given how Himiko acts and her Quirk being heavily coded sexual desire, and therefore her use of it against someone unwilling being sexual assault, it could just being playing into harmful stereotypes of predatory gays.

As a queer person myself I just found Toga insulting. She was designed to be overly sexual and give the male author a female character that he could draw being suggestive with his other female characters. When he did flesh out her character, her backstory was eventually the trope/fear of straight people, that gay people will be so overcome with their lust that they end up sexually assaulting them.

In the end Ochako accepts this part of Toga and says she'll giver her blood forever, but as much as a lot of readers took that that as some deep lesbian confession, for me it really fell flat. Hori never really gave any of the main kids time to actually learn about their villain or show how that changed their minds toward them. Shoto only works because Touya is his brother (even though he admits he barely remembers him). But Ochako goes from not thinking of Toga at all pre-first war, to one thought about her during her speech, to suddenly caring about her so much she--given how Toga's quirk is coded, is willing to essentially fulfill Toga's kink for the rest of their lives.

It's weird and it comes out of nowhere. It's made even stranger because Toga doesn't actually change or show remorse for anything she did, which included personally hunting and murdering people before she joined the LOV. None of the death and destruction she is also partially responsible for is brought up either, something that Ochako was rightfully upset about during the first war when less people and property had been destroyed. Ochako just accepts everything about her suddenly and her past serious crimes are forgotten so they can cuddle and cry.

Am I shocked Toga died--a little. I didn't think Hori would have the guts to kill off a young girl character, especially one that he clearly got a lot of joy drawing in sexy poses. But at the same time, once he killed off Shigaraki and ended Touya's story with his slow death, I'm not surprised he went the same route with Toga.

This isn't Naruto--Hori isn't really kind to characters that do something wrong, especially if they don't try and change. Enji, Bakugo, Hawks, and Aoyama all sort of got punished for what they did. Enji is the worst off, being permanently crippled, missing an arm and burned everywhere. Bakugo's hand is damaged, his heart weaker, plus he feels bad that Izuku lost his Quirk so they can't compete the same way he wanted them to. Aoyama, despite doing way less wrong and even helping his class during the forest raid, still leaves school because he doesn't feel he earned being there yet. Hawks lost his Quirk and even though him running the HPSC could be seen as good for him, Hawks always wanted a break, but now he has one of the most time consuming and stressful jobs out there.

So, if this is what characters who actively did good things and even changed and fought to be better get, what would characters who never changed and never did anything positive for anyone but their friends/themselves get?

Before the last Arc started, when so many people said the LoV were 100% going to be redeemed I had doubts and always thought it wouldn't make sense with how the story presented redemption or treated other non-LoV villains in the past. That if the main LoV did get some happy ending where they were bffs with the main cast it would clash with how other characters had been treated.

That doesn't mean that I think how Shigaraki, Toga, and Touya ended up in the manga was well done. I think their endings fit far better then a last minute redemption would have, but at the same time you can feel how rushed everything has been since the end of the first war arc. Hori was done with this story months if not years ago, yet he was contractually obligated to finish it. Because of that I think he left out as much as possible. As much as I think he's written some pretty obsessive stuff, particularly towards women, I can't really fully blame him cutting corners or the story being shit at the end.

We know Manga authors, particularly those that work with Jump are treated like shit. That they suffer incredibly long hours at times not even getting to go home for days. We've gotten messages for Hori saying he's sick quite a few times. On top of that, weekly story telling is not a great way to tell a cohesive narrative. Ideas probably change week to week or at least month to month and you can't go back and change the last chapter no matter how much you need or want to. Then you remember he also gave a lot of ideas to the people who made the movies, which would also change his plans for how he wanted the main story to go.

The story is bad--it has been for a while, but I think a lot of people put their hopes on their favorite characters getting a happy ending, even when there were signs that probably wasn't going to be the case. I know how much it sucks when a character you love gets a shitty ending (Stain was my fav, but he got an absolute dogshit ending) but at least, knowing what I know about the industry I can't really blame Hori the way I see some other people doing. Criticize it, sure, but saying Hori hates his readers or is horrible writer isn't true. BNHA was popular for a reason--he's great with characters and the beginning of the story had some great pacing. We'll never know, but I wouldn't be surprised if BNHA could have been amazing if Hori had been treated better and the story hadn't needed a chapter every week.

If anything BNHA has taught me how much a story suffers when authors/artists are treated like crap and forced to work past burnout.

[puhpandas]

as someone who isnt super excited for sotm for certain reasons I am really glad that like. it's clear that since ruin theyve been setting up for carnival and sotm IS carnival. so now that carnival is finally coming out, afterwards theyll be moving on to other plotlines since the main villain stuff is sorted out

I'm just rlly happy to finally see a clear direction for how the story is gonna be playing out with like "okay these games were leading up to this so after this will be open possibilites" instead of like. absolutely no info about each upcoming game and being left guessing before it releases and just having to wait and see what's in it and if anything you're looking forward to will be in it

it feels like they have a plan and a solid direction for what they're trying to do and after carnival releases thatll be all that buildup coming to fruition. & we already know from the Scott interview that theres another release 'beyond sotm' that's 'super exciting' so maybe thatll be focusing on another big currently untouched (which is basically all of them) plotline, or even the big campaign game that dawko has been calling security breach 2

[misspickman]

Actually so evil of bg3 to have the emperor be referred to with it/its pronouns only to do the big reveal and make it a him again

[whoisthatmovinginthedark]

I agree with all the above, and that Zhu Yan is a hypocrite, and a liar, but to me that's what makes him interesting. I have my favourites like we all do (it's Li Lun), but I refuse to take sides in this divorce, because I don't think there's a black and white way to go about it. They both seem to act like since the other in their own point of view broke the vow first, they are now freed from it too. And so Zhu Yan seeks to distance himself from the Wilderness and Li Lun is fine to watch it get destroyed.

Zhu Yan really does seem to value demons as less now, and seems ashamed to be one. And Li Lun is the personification to everything that's painful and shameful to him. So he's dissociated himself from everything about his former life, and built a human life for himself. At one point of the story, in his dreams, he imagines settling down at his human mansion with a human woman, and do regular human chores with her. Yet he can't escape his demon's heart.

Li Lun is a proud demon whose life and freedom was taken from him, and to regain his freedom and to destroy the system that was able to do that to him, he's ready to burn everything down. And, when necessary, to hurt anyone, human or demon, to achieve that. Yet some part of him is holding himself back, waiting to hear what his heart needs to hear to give up wreaking havoc across both realms.

I don't tend to think either of them as immature. I see them as just being demon-like with their emotions. Zhu Yan is more experienced with humans, and better at navigating human interactions, so it's not surprising that he comes across as more broad minded to Wen Xiao. Especially since she gets to see the good side of him. But I agree that he has his biases too. And despite what I initially thought, neither of them is over the break-up. The wound is still so raw, that in that critical moment (when sitting down to play the chess game), Zhu Yan just cannot stop himself from saying something cruel. And because of that weakness, it all goes to shit. (But the thing about me is that I love tragedies, I love messily divorced characters, I love it when characters aren't able to speak calmly and coherently about their emotions, so I'm not mad at the story for doing that.)

In my eyes it's also very clear that Zhu Yan and Li Lun still love each other, but it's the love of exes (friends or lovers, however one wants to see them as), and that they both probably hate that they still do. If the love was dead, I don't think they'd be so harsh towards each other, causing more problems. Li Lun wouldn't have visibly melted for a moment like that on the chess scene if it wasn't so. And I can't even say how much I love that Zhu Yan keeps seeing hallucinations where his former and future demon companions are blending together. (He has so much to unpack there.) I love how the same love that pulls them together also makes them hurt each other.

And about Li Lun and Zhuo Yichen, it is very interesting that Yichen never seems to tell anyone abut their meeting by the water canal. And that meeting is one of my favourite scenes in the whole drama. We never see Li Lun more openly, willingly and desperately vulnerable than in that scene. And despite what Zhuo Yichen says to him, I agree, he does understand. It wasn't for nothing. And I don't think that Li Lun reaching out to him was a mistake, or came out of nowhere either. These two have some very special chemistry, and I can't get enough of it.

let me kiss your brain, because, seriously, EVERY WORD in that post about LI Lun IS ON POINT!!!

Was Li Lun behaving like a murderous toddler throwing a temper tantrum? Yes! But he had some good reasons to do so!

Regardless of their "romantic" relationship, ZYZ and LL were first and foremost, friends, who spent 30k years together. Even though they disagreed and even though ZYZ always felt like being a demon wasn't good enough, he wanted to be human, LL still accepted that.

Did LL overreact by killing those people in the clinic? Yes. But, if I saw my people- including children- in cages, tortured, I'd probably snap too. Plus, it irked me to no end that ZYZ was too preoccupied with being outraged at Li Lun for killing guards instead of actually helping his fellow demons. "I will protect the Wilderness"- proceeds to do absolutely nothing crying over two killed torturers while LL does all the protecting.

Then ZYZ proceeded to touch the unknown burning thing and ended up mortally wounding Li Lun. And then sealed him in and deprived him of any choice. And did he go to talk to him after? Nope. No explanation, no "get well" card, nothing. Heck, I think even a shouting match would've been better.

Even if he never went to LL because he was spiraling into depression, that doesn't explain the whole "holier than thou" attitude he displayed throughout the show. Did LL kill humans? Yes, but so did ZYZ (example- that bureau guy whose heart he exploded to prove his point). And then had the audacity to taunt LL and call him names when in reality LL was right in most of his accusations- of ZYZ being a hypocrite, liar, traitor, etc. I'm sorry, but while LL is absolutely NOT free of fault, ZYZ has no right to pretend he is any better.

But the worst of all is that when he got a chance to make up with LL, he let his pettiness and anger get the best of him. He failed to say ONE SENTENCE (we will put your soul into a piece of wood and you will recultivate again in 100 years) that would've made a whole lot of difference, and in the end, he indirectly caused Ying Lei's, Li Lun's, and likely Bai Ju's deaths.

Literally, all they had to do to get LL to stop his antics and even become THEIR ally was for ZYZ to say "sorry I set you on perpetual fire, bro. I missed you". But the "hero demon" couldn't even do that...

If anything, Zhuo Yichen was the one who showed more compassion and kindness to Li Lun than his supposed friend ever did. No wonder Li Lun shifted his focus to him in the end.

It seems that ZYZ was inherently biased against being a demon and valued humans more than demons. Perhaps, it was because of him being the vessel of malicious energy, so he juxtaposed that unfair twist of fate onto all demons (as in, he would not be in that situation if he were a human). Perhaps, he also realized at some point that he could not have the same range of emotions as humans, so he perceived himself and other demons as less. And Li Lun was the personification of demon-ness and all that ZYZ hated about himself, and he couldn't overcome it. Plus, it seems that all demons have a problem with dealing with complex emotions like grief and rage; this is why, in the end, among all of them, ZYC is the most mature one even though he is only 24. If only ZYZ had one tenth of ZYC's maturity and compassion to his fellow demons, the whole story would've played out very, very differently.

And this is why I want to write fix it fics now

Thank you SO MUCH for your addition, especially for bringing up their very last chess match. It’s probably the only moment that makes me genuinely, fucking angry at Zhu Yan. I can even understand his reaction in the clinic—but this? He wanted to be human so badly that he put his pride above everything else, lmfao. How pathetic, how frustrating it was to see him so desperately refuse to call Li Lun his friend, refuse to say that he cared for him, that he didn’t want him dead, that he had a solution. It’s so sad that Li Lun was always open and clear about his grievances, he always used his words to explain why he’s angry.

I guess if Zhu Yan admitted that he cared for this unhinged one, it would show him in the bad light.

I don’t care; I don’t even think he "indirectly" caused Ying Lei’s death. He literally killed him, period. Xiao Zhuo and the rest of the gang were the ones who told Li Lun about the root thing, and the fact that we see Li Lun IMMEDIATELY stop struggling? He went, Oh… sure, I’ll go into the root, we can draw. (Also, if Zhu Yan cared for Li Lun, he would’ve put him in Cheng Huang’s sundial and grown him for 100 years as an apology for the pain. What is 100 years to a 30K-year-old demon? A mere blink.)

And YES, Xiao Zhuo was incredibly kind to Li Lun. Despite saying he never understood him and never would, we know damn well that’s not the case. Baby Zhuo Yichen spiraled into loneliness, bitterness, isolation, and hatred toward Zhu Yan and demons—until Wen Xiao’s words about snow eventually melting brought him back (the same way Xiao Zhuo’s words sobered Li Lun and left a mark on his soul). I’m forever grateful to our precious Zhuo Yichen for forming his own opinion about Li Lun. (Isn’t it fun that he never told the gang about his encounter with Li Lun by that river?) 

Zhu Yan’s hatred, his harsh words, never affected him. Zhuo Yichen understood Li Lun. His journey with Li Lun is one of the most fascinating and interesting. No wonder our director grabbed the two actors and put them in another series together — he’s one of us, a shipper.

I absolutely adore you pointing out Li Lun being everything Zhu Yan hated about himself. His harshness with his former friend comes from his self-pity and self-hatred.

His words, "Li Lun, you’re bitter I have everything, and you have nothing." Despite it being awfully annoying in the moment due to Zhu Yan literally not hearing what Li Lun was telling him, it made me think it’s Zhu Yan trying to convince himself.

And even worse, Li Lun is proud of being a demon. He loves the Wilderness, he loves his home, he loves his people. There’s nothing he loves more than being a demon. He even turned the human he liked the most into one as well.

Zhu Yan is not as broad minded as Wen Xiao claims him to be. He very clearly has his biases. Always thinking about Zhu Yan murdering Xiao Pagoda Ghost that played with them in Li Lun’s illusion. That was awfully cold blooded! 

They’re tragic, indeed, and my heart breaks for them both. However, it makes me incredibly happy that Zhu Yan learned from his experience with Li Lun and stood firmly by his new friends’ sides. And I’m happy Li Lun found one Zhuo Yichen and one little Ying Lei who cried for him and were kind to his pain.

[rxttenfish]

i do understand why this works for me and not necessarily for everyone

(a major theme of my work is that, in the question of whether people are inherently good or inherently bad, the only true answer is that we are inherently silly and kinda stupid, including all the way down to most evils not being done with grand motives in mind, but because of simple human incompetence or pettiness or not-seeing-the-forest-for-the-trees, but that just as often most acts of good have no grander motivation either, its just a matter of realizing this, realizing your capacity for both, and watching yourself to try and limit your harm as best you can)

but i do think its fun to just have mistakes in stories be mistakes. like. the character themselves just kinda fucked up that one moment, or should have known better, but just. didn't realize. or only realizes it with the blessing of afterthought. like people just DO shit that would get dinged as plotholes all the time, constantly, and i think its very weird to act like characters acting like people in a thousand minor ways is something that flat out shouldn't exist in fiction.

[supersecretnerd]

Ok so these designs are cute as hell, the Internet is just mean

I have too many thoughts about a game I still need to watch

[lord-squiggletits]

I need to reread the comics again to have specific arguments/evidence for this, but like

I feel a bit like I could've been sympathetic to the way other Cybertronian colonies view Cybertron, if it weren't for the fact that at least several of them (as in, ones that get notable dialogue/screen time) are so low-key self-righteous?

Like, idk... there's a lot of criticism of Cybertronians because they're so "warlike" and how their obsession with violence and vengeance is just dragging the whole galaxy down with them, but uh. The Autobot-Decepticon war was basically a product of societal ills bubbling over for like 6 million years beforehand and then finally boiling over into a 4 million year war that lasted as long as it did because the people involved had immense social/psychological trauma from being "raised" in an oppressive society.

So when the colonists come in being all 'omg you people are so violent and uncivilized why don't you just like, stop fighting' it kind of pissed me off a little bit as a reader/person like. Idk the colonists really came into this society of people full of massive amounts of trauma where even before the war society was super oppressive and no one has any experience of living "normal" lives unaffected by violence and bigotry. And the colonists were like "ummm wow why don't you guys just??? stop fighting???." Like idk it wasn't EVERY SINGLE MOMENT, in fact I think that when it was played for laughs it's quite a funny "fridge horror" type element. It was just annoying because like.... IDK???? It's just really annoying to watch a bunch of people who lived relatively sheltered lives on their own planets come to a different planet full of traumatized people and be like "omg why are you people so fucked up" IDK BRO MAYBE BECAUSE THEIR SOCIETY WAS OPPRESSIVE AND THEY LIVED THROUGH A LIFELONG WAR???

It also doesn't help that the colonies were literally founded based on imperialism and conquest so like, it's fucking rich to hear colonists scolding Cybertronians for their violence ruining the whole galaxy while literally sitting on planets that their Primes colonized from others. The hypocrisy of this is briefly mentioned in Unicron (literally the FINAL STORY OF THE SERIES) but like, that's basically the only time Cybertronian characters are given a reprieve of sympathy from other characters in universe and it's so tiresome.

I've talked to other people who didn't like the colonists and thought they basically (narratively speaking) existed just to shit on the existing characters, and it's actually really easy for me to sympathize with/outright agree with that assessment of the story considering how much of exRID/OP seems to be preoccupied with "Cybertron/the Primes/Optimus sucks" with very few reprieves for anything positive happening and even fewer chances for characters to get to explain themselves and experience a little bit of justice? Like, as the audience, it's just very frustrating to see the characters you spent hundreds of issues keeping up with get shit on by a bunch of "literally-who"s and then not really get a chance to ever defend themselves, either by literally defending themselves in conversation or having some sort of narrative thing happening that vindicates them at least symbolically

[arolesbianism]

Sometimes I just look at Isabeau and just know that if isat came out and I got into it when I was like 16 he would be my favorite character and I would've gone absolutely buck wild over this man and feel like he was laser targeting me. But alas Odile has a grip of steel on me rn due to her virtue of being a middle aged woman

[ranger-danger]

Still do not get why people hate on rangers so much. Especially when they don’t even know what they’re talking about and only watched a 3 minute video about how “rangers bad because they’re not rogues” like no fucking shit they’re not rogues THEYRE DIFFERENT CLASSES FOR A REASON. Are you going to sit there complaining about how sorcerers aren’t wizards or warlocks? Or how paladins aren’t fighters?

[keii]

I still can't believe how much more appealing Yoosung is in everyone else's route besides his own LOL. Tho' one thing remains is that no matter what, Yoosung really is a ride or die for mc. Like... he will NOT care if he gets the shit beaten out of him if it's for mc's sake, he will do crime and trust that it's for a good reason (and that Seven and Jumin would bail him out LMAO). Even tho' he's a crybaby, he will let anyone know EXACTLY how he feels, doesn't care if everyone doesn't agree. He's extremely loyal, honest, and open to whatever if that means it would make mc happy. His innocent nature allows others to let their guard down around him and pamper him, but deep inside he's obsessive, possessive, and pretty scary-- And so I love him.