#meta knight and wolf and such don’t quite make the cut

[prismaticpichu]

since we know kirbo loves befriending villains, how does he go about befriending each of the smash villains?

Kirby is a gentle, kind soul, conquering the galaxy’s most horrendous evils with… *electric guitar riff* THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP!!! As seen in Kirby Star Allies, he befriends enemies with some kinda mind-controlling abra kadabra magic- buuuut bc Kirby loves a challenge he ain’t throwing any My Little Pony hearts rn. Let’s do this!

Ridley ~ Ahhhh. The Cunning God of Death. What a perfect lunchmate! Kirby waddles over with a picnic basket one afternoon, offering the colossal draconic organism a tuna sandwich. Space pirate or not, IQ through the roof or not, a dragon’s gotta dragon- and Ridley gobbles down the whole sandwich in a single bite.

King K. Rool ~ Guy’s a narcissist; welp, there’s only one true and blue thing to do! One morning Kirby waddles over with a big ol’ mirror, extra shiny, and hands it to the drunken croc so he can be forever enveloped in his glory. Attaboy!

Bowser ~ Kirby doesn’t know much about romance, or, or forced marriages, but he does love cake! Kirby bakes a giant wedding cake and waddles on over, subsequently Bowser to burst into tears. It’s okay, buddy; there’s someone for everyone! Kirby sits there, solacing him, patting Bowser’s back until the sun goes down <3

Sephiroth ~ They are best friends immediately, from moment one, Sephiroth recognizing the incomprehensible strength of the munchkin and vowing to protect him with everything he has. They go flying together almost every evening, Seph with his wing and Kirby on his warp star; they even fancy a good ol’ fashioned race! (Lay one finger on Kirby and you will wake up underwater.)

Ganondorf ~ Kirby heads on over to the nearest arcade and wins him a pig plushie. Ganondorf accepts it, silently, and ever so slowly a smirk creeps onto his lips. Score!

Kazuya ~ Ooooooh peace gets thrown out the window; Kirby loves his fighting! He swallows a boxing glove and becomes his red-ribboned self, challenging Kazuya to an all out brawl! Whooooo!!! It’s a close match, but Kazuya ultimately falls, accepting Kirby as an honorable, squishy, and noble fighter. Kirby also goes to conquer the demon corrupting half of his new friend’s mind. That Devil Gene’s got nothing on him!

Dark Samus ~ Ok. He uses the mind-controlling magic here. I got nothing xD

[butterflies-dragons]

Hey! There was a giant lemon cake with phallic image in alayne chapter. Do you think it some coincidence or it means something? Especially it's presented by petyr. Also Sansa and her enemies giving her lemoncakes give same vibes as Hansel&gretel story.

And best of all, Lord Nestor’s cooks prepared a splendid subtlety, a lemon cake in the shape of the Giant’s Lance, twelve feet tall and adorned with an Eyrie made of sugar.

For me, Alayne thought, as they wheeled it out. Sweetrobin loved lemon cakes too, but only after she told him that they were her favorites. The cake had required every lemon in the Vale, but Petyr had promised that he would send to Dorne for more.

—The Winds of Winter - Alayne I

Petyr Baelish is grooming Sansa, that’s the awful truth. And he has studied Sansa, he knows what she likes/wants and he will use that knowledge in his favor.

He knows she had a distant relationship with Ned, so he becomes Alayne’s father.

He knows that Ned neglected her and that she always craved for her father’s validation, so he gives her that, he praised her wits for example, and called her clever and smart. 

If Sansa says something like “I can’t” or “I don’t know”, he is there to encourage and support and tell her “you can do it” & “you know it”.  

He knows she loves knights and tourneys, so he allows her to organize a tournament, whose winners will belong to a kind of “Kingsguard” for Sweetrobin, based on the child’s favorite hero of the legends: The Winged Knight, Ser Artys Arryn.

He knows she loves lemon cakes, so he gives her a giant lemon cake.    

The Tyrells has used the same strategy:

"Sansa," Lady Alerie broke in, "you must be very hungry. Shall we have a bite of boar together, and some lemon cakes?"

"Lemon cakes are my favorite," Sansa admitted.

"So we have been told," declared Lady Olenna, who obviously had no intention of being hushed. "That Varys creature seemed to think we should be grateful for the information. I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off. Alerie, will you have them bring the food, or do you mean to starve me to death? Here, Sansa, sit here next to me, I'm much less boring than these others. I hope that you're fond of fools."

—A Storm of Swords - Sansa I

We all know how much Sansa loves her lemon cakes, but the Tyrells and Littlefinger really treat her as if she were a child like Sweetrobin:

"Will they be lemon cakes?" Lord Robert loved lemon cakes, perhaps because Alayne did.

"Lemony lemony lemon cakes," she assured him, "and you can have as many as you like."

"A hundred?" he wanted to know. "Could I have a hundred?"

"If it please you." She sat on the bed and smoothed his long, fine hair. He does have pretty hair. Lady Lysa had brushed it herself every night, and cut it when it wanted cutting. After she had fallen Robert had suffered terrible shaking fits whenever anyone came near him with a blade, so Petyr had commanded that his hair be allowed to grow. Alayne wound a lock around her finger, and said, "Now, will you get out of bed and let us dress you?"

"I want a hundred lemon cakes and five tales!"

I'd like to give you a hundred spankings and five slaps. You would not dare behave like this if Petyr were here. The little lord had a good healthy fear of his stepfather. Alayne forced a smile. "As my lord desires. But nothing till you're washed and dressed and on your way. Come, before the morning's gone." She took him firmly by the hand, and drew him out of bed.

—A Feast for Crows - Alayne II

The lemon cake in the shape of the Giant’s Lance

The Giant's Lance is the tallest peak of the Mountains of the Moon within the Vale of Arryn, extending three and a half miles above the the valley below.

The great-grandfather of Petyr Baelish was a Braavosi sellsword that came into the Vale of Arryn at the service of Lord Corbray. His line was continued by his son, who became a hedge knight and took the head of the Titan of Braavos as his sigil.

As I mentioned in this post, a sword, Ice in particular, works as a phallic symbol in Sansa’s chapters. 

So, we can also make this association:

The Titan of Braavos = A Giant

The Giant’s Lance = Tallest Peak

Lance & Peak = phallic symbols 

Lemon cake in the shape of the Giant’s Lance = I don’t want to write it 

We can also say that Petyr Baelish is “compensating” his “shortfalls”, after all he is a short man called Littlefinger.  

Yes, I think this giant lemon cake could be seen as a phallic symbol and it makes sense with Littlefinger grooming her... yikes

¡¡¡SOMEONE SAVE HER PLEASE!!!   

My friend @lostlittlesatellites has already wrote about these subjects, giant lemon cake as phallic symbol and Hansel and Gretel story: 

I argued that lemon cakes in Sansa’s arc actually spell people trying to exploit Sansa’s weakness in an almost Hansel & Gretel way and a betrayal that follows.

“Interestingly Sansa’s first chapter in AGOT poses questions that will drive majority of her arc. Her desire for a courtly life in the South will not only prove to be hollow but worse a dream that turns into nightmare. Sansa asks two questions: “What could you want to see? It’s just fields and farms and holdfasts” and “Why would you want to ride a smelly old horse and get all sore and sweaty when you could recline on feather pillows and eat cakes with the queen?”

The world is larger than Sansa has been taught to believe, reclining more inward into her dreams with the strict regime that she taught to look away from the window. She doesn’t think she is prepared enough and that she needs more training. Yes, she doesn’t know enough but neither does Arya or Bran or Jon. Having Sansa finally leave her cage after completing her tutelage under Littlefinger is continuing that student-teacher dynamic she has had since Septa Mordane. People come to love the security of the cage they live in too long. This is why it takes so long to take out the fear of the outside from Sansa because the fact that she has barely any experience keeps her thinking she needs someone to rely on.

[…]

The “Feather pillows and cakes with the queen” part represents the glamour that attracts little boys and girls like Sansa. However, it is hollow as Sansa comes to realise about many things. In fact, people offering Sansa lemon cakes in Sansa’s storyline often forebodes a betrayal from the person offering it. Cersei offers her lemon cakes and a few chapters later she has Lady executed and even later, she has Ned arrested. Olenna offers Sansa lemon cakes, which Varys offers as valuable information to bring her guard down in order to lure her into her trap of marrying her to Wilas and getting hold of Winterfell and the North. They have her wear the murder weapon, which could implicate her for Joffrey’s murder even if their target is Tyrion. Littlefinger is offering her a 12 foot phallic shaped lemon cake in Sansa’s TWOW chapter. Given how happy Sansa is in this chapter that she is almost forgetting that she isn’t Alayne, the food is way too lavish when Winter is coming and along with this trend with lemon cakes, the clock is going to strike 12 and the illusion is going to break very soon. Soon Sansa will prefer riding those “smelly horses” and getting sweaty and sore in order to escape over those lemon cakes and feather beds offered by untrustworthy people. For Sansa’s arc to be fulfilling she has to experience the lives of small folk up close before she helps them. As a character whose view range is often myopic, she has to be put in the middle of the lives of the small folk to truly understand them.”

I highly recommend you to check @lostlittlesatellites blog, she’s a great ASOIAF meta writer, you can read more about these subjects here and here. She covered a lot of themes and symbolisms around Sansa in the Vale, some of them very disturbing regarding Littlefinger’s present and future actions against Sansa...   

But despite all that, since GRRM is a writer that likes to give different meanings to a same thing, there are also some very interesting details that are worthy to mention about the real Giant’s Lance:

So lovely. The snow-clad summit of the Giant's Lance loomed above her, an immensity of stone and ice that dwarfed the castle perched upon its shoulder. Icicles twenty feet long draped the lip of the precipice where Alyssa's Tears fell in summer. A falcon soared above the frozen waterfall, blue wings spread wide against the morning sky. Would that I had wings as well. 

—A Feast for Crows - Alayne I

The Winged Knight was Ser Artys Arryn. Legend said that he had driven the First Men from the Vale and flown to the top of the Giant's Lance on a huge falcon to slay the Griffin King.  

—A Feast for Crows - Alayne II

I can see strong dragon imagery here... 

I already wrote about how Sansa wishing falcon wings could be foreshadowing of her getting dragon wings.  

Here I also listed all the similarities between Jon and Sweetrobin.

But the most interesting detail is that the real Giant’s Lance is Stone covered by Ice/Snow. 

Sansa’s Vale arc has a lot of connections with Jon Snow, like this parallel that I called “Children of the Mountains”.

There is also the names of the waycastles Stone (Alayne) and Snow (Jon).

And one of my favorite Jon Snow reference in Sansa’s chapters, the ghost wolf, big as mountains:

All around was empty air and sky, the ground falling away sharply to either side. There was ice underfoot, and broken stones just waiting to turn an ankle, and the wind was howling fiercely. It sounds like a wolf, thought Sansa. A ghost wolf, big as mountains.

—A Feast for Crows - Alayne II

So, 

The Giant’s Lance is the tallest peak of the Mountains of the Moon.

The Giant’s Lance is Stone covered by Ice/Snow.

Sansa compared those mountains with a giant Ghost Wolf.  

I’m sorry Littlefinger, you can’t touch this girl!

Thanks for your message.

[krinsbez]

Marvel Comics #1,000

Managed to find a bit of room in m’budget and bought it.

My thoughts as I read it below the cut.

-So, of course, we begin at the obvious starting point. -Gotta be honest, I've seen so many retellings of this moment it's gonna be hard to make this one stand out. Let's see if it does. -So, no. Oh well. -FERRET! I love this guy! -Oh, the Three Xs, I've never read anything with 'em, but I remember 'em from a Handbook entry. -...They remembered Mystery Men exists Awesome -OK, so let's see how they try to do something new with Cap's origin. -...Yeah, that'd do it. No idea what's going on here. -Hmmph, I recall the Thunderer's name, but nothing about him. -Ah, now we're tying things together... -Aww yeah, Jimmy Woo! -Has anyone ever framed America Chavez as a legacy before? Because they absolutely should. -Naturally Patsy gets a page. -Oh, ho, the plot thickens. -Aww yeah, Namora! -And again, Aww yeah, Jimmy! -Aww yeah, Bob! -Western heroes now, huh? Let's see how many they can cram into one page... -Gotta admit, bit of a let down there. -Next, up...the name Tessie the Typist is vaguely familiar, but not the other. -Wonder if Minnie and Sherry will show? -Oh, hey 'nother character I don't know! (I mean Rocky Jorden) -And again, Aww, yeah Bob! -Aww yeah, Venus! -More plot, huh. -Also, a bit of a mix-up, innit? Given that the page who's headline is Bob being introduced comes after one where he's already active. -Guess that one's a bit of a breather, episode huh? -Not quite sure I get this one, as I'm not up-to-date on Loki lore. -snrk -Forbush Man! -Aww, yeah Ken! -Huh, Ken questioning Jimmy's orders, that's a bit odd. -Interesting framing of things in that Black Knight story. -And back to Jimmy! -Huh, that's a neat philosophical point there. -Huh. Man, that makes Ferret look poorly in light of his previous appearance in this book. -Man, this thing is doing a lot of continuity-stitching isn't it? Though I'm a bit uncomfortable with villainizing the Three Xs. -Heh. -snrk -Here. We. GO! -Verra nice take on Ben ,there. -Hah! -Though, why would Ock be in the biology department? He's a physicist and engineer. -That's a good take on Tony, too. -...what in the heck. I thought they were done with that synergy stuff? -Ohhh, it's a hallucination/dream! -Hah! -I'm saying that a lot, aren't I? -That's pretty profound, I think? -And also kinda ties in to the theme of the book, don't it? -Back to the plot. -Bit peeved about the Mar-erasure here. -But it's still a neat story. -...Sheep are mostly farmed for wool, so the metaphor doesn't really work? -Aww, yeah, Conan! Though his inclusion here feels a bit off. -Again, it ties in thematically, even if it doesn't tie-in to the meta-plot directly. -When was the last time they did anything with Red Wolf? -Feel a bit sorry for the rest of the Drac Pack, but that was neat. -Eh, I know some people who'd be annoyed by this page about Gwen. -It is pretty neat, though. -Bit late in the game to be breaking the Fourth Wall, innit? -Also, of all characters to do so with, why Logan? -Pretty good Frank story. -Wait, there are two White Tigers (not counting Kasper, of course) now? Why didn't I know about this? -And again, including this feels iffy. Albeit somewhat less so, given that the IIRC, the SW book saved the company. -Well, that's depressing, and honestly tonally out of sync with the rest of the book. -Is Blind Justice an actual character? -Don't recall this Night Raven guy at all, but more of him please. -I can't help but feel like someone's editorializing in this She-Hulk page. -Oh man, that was great, though I'm not sure Tony's first clash with Doctor Doom was really a milestone worth commemorating. -Aww yeah, Herc! -And with a great story, too. -(Storm story) D'awww. -That's two d'awww stories in a row! -Thor story is neato, that is all. -That's a pretty great Howard story, I think (I don't think I've ever actually read any Howard stories) -Oh, that story! Wow, talk about ibscure; I only know about it cuz it got mentioned on m'tumblr once. -So, Speedball's story is about him angsting over something silly. Yeah, that's definitely a dig. -Oooh, Damage Control... -Yeah, that's a very Damage Control sorta story. Also sorta synergistic, but not in an obnoxious way. -And we're back to the plot. Man that took awhile, huh? -It's true, the meta-plot is being carried by the bit characters and I love it. -Oh, we're into the Dark Age now, so this should be interesting. -Yup, mockery. -Love me some heroing banter (Thing and Spidey) -Again, mockery. -Oof. That..gets ya right in the feels. -Well, that was ominous. -Bit of a breather again. -Yeah, this is pretty Deadpool-ish, isn't it? -Bit of tonal whiplash there. -Wait, when did Rick get old? -Also, I'm astounded it took this long for him to show up. -'Nother thematic tie-in. -D'awww. -D'awww and ha! Very Elsa. -This X-men bit feels...vaguely redundant? -I'm with Gabby on this. Also, a neat meta-joke. -Man, I don't even care about thee Young Avengers and I love this. -HA! (and hey, the story where Luke makes Doctor Doom pay his debt was awesome) -Love this Hulk Family group shot. And that's not even the whole thing, I think? -Well, that's a bit trippy. -And back to the plot again. -I want a new Three Xs series starring these guys now, is that weird. -Oh, hey the MJ page that's one of the reasons I bought this! -Cute little Miles story. -And again, a Spider-Man story hits you in the feels. Albeit less so for some reason i can't quite put my finger on. -Neat way of doing a Cable bit. -Very meta that MM story. But also, thematically appropriate for the over-arching plot. -Doom alone pontificates narcissistically. -Actually, Wade, this is your third appearance. -JMS put himself in the comic. Is that allowed? -Granted, it worked (as does the rest of the page, but still) -Haven't really got anything to say about the Silver Surfer page. Asides form, y'know thematics. -Ah, starting to wrap things up I presume...

All in all, a great book. Only downside being that the meta-plot is so good it’s kinda annoying that they kept cutting away from it so much.

[nyxabird]

The problem with Zeroken’s design

I feel like rambling today, so. Let’s talk about Disgaea 5. Or more importantly, let’s talk about one of Disgaea 5′s characters, Zeroken. Now, I love Zeroken. Anyone who’s seen me stream know I love Zeroken. I go to massive efforts to make him a strong little boy and despite his flaws, I think he tends to be an adorable and charming character. But there is one major, meta flaw in Zeroken and that’s in his design.

Now, I want to say, I like Zeroken’s design. I think he’s cute! And I think his appearance fits well with his personality. The problem is that his design is flawed; it commits a sin of media called “informed attribute”.

For those who don’t know, an informed attribute is something about a character that is told to us through outside sources and that isn’t actually in the actual series the character is in. For instance, a lot of anime will say that a female character is a tough fighter, but every time you see her, she doesn’t actually have any strength and she’s constantly in trouble. It, essentially, is just saying “oh yeah this character is actually this” even though there’s no evidence of it. A lot of the time, informed attributes feel like they’re tacked on for the developers to get brownie points, but that’s not related to this subject, so I won’t discuss it.

So let’s get back to Zeroken. What’s his informed attribute, you may ask? It’s his race. So first, here is a picture of the kid.

I want you to look at that and think about it. What race do you think he is? For me, I always thought he was just a humanoid demon like about 50% of the classes in Disgaea 5. Like the Warrior or Gunner or Sage or Lady Samurai or any of those. And that seems right, right?

Nope.

He’s a werewolf.

Did any of you who heard of him actually guess that? Did you have any idea he was a werewolf, or intended to be one? I bet most of you didn’t, because of the people I knew (one who’s played D5 since it came out) had no idea either. So how do we know he’s a werewolf?

Because his intro trailer said so. Something I’d never even heard of, and neither had they, until they went browsing in the wiki one day.

The only “hints” to this in-game are his Overload (Superluminal Wolf) and the fact that some of his moves (in Japanese, at least) have voice clips of him howling. And that’s not even remotely an actual hint, because that could just as easily be his theme. Non-werewolf/-wolf characters have used wolf references or howling, so it’s not even remotely a hint to the fact he’s meant to be a werewolf.

Even his design doesn’t hint towards it at all. There is nothing distinct about his design that hints he’s anything but a humanoid demon. There is nothing in the game that is actual proof/a hint that he’s like that, except some throw-away lines (such as Seraphina calling him a dog) that aren’t evidence on their own, because it’s just as often used against non-wolf-related people too.

I really think this was just a huge error in his design that NISA did, a mistake that was made that no one actually bothered to think about being a mistake when they really know how to do better.

Why do I know they know how to do better? Because they’ve done it before.

This is Fenrich, from Disgaea 4, who is in fact a werewolf. Could you tell? I bet so, because the tail gives it away really fast. Even if you wouldn’t immediately label it as a “wolf”, you still can see, at a glance, that he’s not Yet Another Humanoid Demon. More than that, some of his skills make it even clearer that he’s a werewolf; he has skills that have him running on all fours, for instance. Even if the game didn’t tell you what Fenrich is, you could guess from the evidence in the game.

And Zeroken doesn’t have that. And why? There’s no reason for that. There is no reason that Zeroken doesn’t have anything that really hints towards his nature. It was as simple as giving him a tail, really, because the game had already established that race as looking like that. And you can argue game canons/timelines/AUs as much as you want, but races/classes in general stay the same/use the same depiction; some do change, such as the Armor Knight changing genders, but overall it’s fairly consistent.

I have no idea why they failed on the most basic part of Zeroken’s design. There’s some theories that his hair is meant to resemble a tail, but I honestly think that design in general is a bad design and just a way people get themselves out of having to depict stuff with tails. It’s a cowardly design decision to me, especially because it’ll never be able to tell you what they are at a glance, failing that aspect of their design. (I also think it looks incredibly crappy and stupid, but that’s a personal feeling of mine)

In general, whenever I or my friends write or do anything with Zeroken, we’ll add in his tail, and just hand-wave it as having been cut off during the Lost invasion and regrown somehow after the war. Because quite frankly, NISA (or whoever designed him) failed. They just failed, flat out, on making his design clear that he isn’t just yet another human-looking demon and is actually one of the beast folk. The rest of the design is good, as I’ve said before, and I really like it... but no matter how much I like it, it is a failure in informing us what he is.

Magnus and Usalia are easy to tell what they are from the start. Seraphina is a bit harder, but you could reasonably figure out what she is from the evidence. Christo’s whole arc is about trying to hide what he actually is. Killia’s design is also problematic in this way, but he actually has hints to him being a beast folk (the claw-hands that are clearly not gloves, the scales on his chest), so even if we don’t know what he is, we know he’s something different, not just a humanoid demon, though there’s no hints as to what he is in-game. (Dragonewt, by the way. Killia’s a dragonewt) Killia is more complicated, though, so I won’t get into that unless someone actually wants me to discuss my feelings on that one.

Zeroken has nothing. Every “hint” could just be as easily as applied to a normal humanoid with a wolf theme. And it’s incredibly disappointing

I guess my point is “NISA, you were fucking cowards by not giving him some aspect that made it clear what he was.” And it doesn’t even have to be a tail. When I (and I’m sure other people) talk about this, we’re not just inherently wanting what people usually call the “clean and cute” sort of things (though why they call it that/what’s wrong with ears/tail as a distinction, I don’t know). We just want something to be clear. Ears, tails, claws, even fur in distinct places. Something, anything, that shows you that there’s something else here besides another “human”.

You can’t just say “oh btw this person is this” when it comes to major aspects like their race. You have to show us. You have to give us evidence. “Informed attribute” is okay when it isn’t a part of the series they’re in (such as telling us a horror protagonist is gay) or wouldn’t have come up canonly, but things like their goddamn race? Or like trying to talk about sexualities in a romance game? Just... no.

If you’re going to design something, put effort into the design and actually show us. “Show, don’t tell” is the rule of visual media, and unfortunately for poor Zeroken, NISA failed him hard on that front. I have really strong feelings about this sort of thing, this thing of making beast characters have no actual traits whatsoever so they look totally human, and it really needs to stop.

[thecrimsonsageofgaia]

Dissidia Final Fantasy - style quotes against the cast in Smash Bros. Ultimate (Logan’s Intro to the fighters)

Himself - “Time to see how far my training has gotten me.”

Mario -  “I hear you are regarded as a natural-born hero. I look forward to this match.”

Donkey Kong - ”You think your huge fists will slow me down? Time to prove you otherwise.”

Link -  ”You would be an excellent warrior of light with your courage and willpower this strong.”

Samus - “Don’t think your armor and attacking from a far will help, because two can play at that game.”

Yoshi - “Heh, you may not be a chocobo, but you seem like you’d be fun to ride on.”

Kirby - “You have such potential as a strong warrior, my friend. Time to put it to the test.”

Alternately - “You still require a bit of practice if you hope to master my craft you copied.”

Fox - “Don’t think your speed is going to be enough to overcome me.”

Pikachu - “Hehe, you seem to be enjoying yourself a bit, huh little guy?”

Alternately - “If you were traveling with me, I’m sure we could do much in together when it comes to shocking the opposition.”

Luigi - “You need to feel more confident in yourself. Try not to be so doubtful within your heart.”

Captain Falcon - “Huh, never knew you could spellbind your punches and kicks with fire. That’s a new one.”

Ness - “Heh, I was young once too. Keep up with your skill and you could make a fine mage one day.”

Jigglypuff - “I won’t be put to sleep that easy, I’ll just knock you away.”

Peach - “You seem like an easygoing ruler, but I won’t go easy on you.”

Daisy - “Haha, you have a pretty spunky attitude. Let’s see how this goes, shall we?

Bowser - “I’ve encountered more fearsome monsters than you.”

Zelda - “Your light and wisdom is bright, yet gentle. Much like another princess I know.” 

Sheik - “Don’t think hiding in the shadows will protect you.”

Ganondorf - “This overwhelming power... this darkness. I better tread carefully with this one.

Young Link - “Takes me back to my earlier days as a novice. You have strong courage within you... it will take you far indeed.

Falco - “Time to clip those wings of yours, and your gab.”

Ice Climbers - “The bond you two share is something to commend. It will certainly get you far in the long run.”

Marth - “Let’s see which one of us has the fastest sword-arm.”

Mr. Game & Watch - “Your very existence... it’s an enigma, and it is blowing my mind now...”

Dr. Mario - “So, I get the idea that medicine you have is not the healing kind, huh?”

Pichu - “Hehe, you shouldn’t try to overexert yourself, little one. Pace yourself, take it slow, and you will surely master it.”

Mewtwo - “Your mental powers are nothing to scoff at. Show me what you got.”

Alternately - “You are just very lonely... that is what I feel deep within your heart.

Roy - “Your bravery and pride is very befitting of you, like a young lion...”

Pit - “It isn’t often I get to fight a messenger of the gods.”

Diddy Kong - “A chimp with a wooden firearm that fires peanuts... That is something to write home about.”

King Dedede - “So... are you really of royalty?”

Meta Knight - “To challenge a knight of your skill... This will be fun.”

Zero Suit Samus - “Your suit maybe off, but do you think your agiliness will be enough to win?”

Wario - “Why do I get the foreboding feeling of dread and regret in this upcoming battle...?”

Ike - “I can tell you are a strong and dedicated leader who will be there for his allies.”

Olimar/Alph - “Strength in numbers, no matter the size, can often make a difference in combat.”

Snake - “Quite an arsenal you have there. That’ll surely keep me on my toes.”

Pokémon Trainer - “Well now, never thought I’d fight a Beastmaster here.”

Alternately - “The creatures you command... they really do believe in you, huh? The bond you four share is strong, indeed...”

Lucario - “A natural class Monk... Don’t hold back on me.

Alternately - “I wouldn’t be against have you as a traveling partner.”

Toon Link - “I sense a strong resolve within you. There are those you wish to protect, right?

Alternately - “You’re an older brother too? Do me a favor, and keep them close to your heart, no matter what.”

R.O.B. - “You look like a toy... a rather cool looking one.”

Alternately - “It is strange, but why do I feel sorrow when I’m near you?”

Sonic - “What would be better? Hastega on myself to keep up or Slowga on you to make it even?”

Lucas - “I know what it is like to lose those close to you. Just try to keep a chin up and move forward.”

Wolf - “You mean business... but doesn’t mean I can still try to clip those claws of yours.”

Rosalina - “The fact these creatures are willing to sacrifice themselves to protect you goes to show how much they care about you...”

Alternately - “Your powers... are you able to travel in the Rift too?”

Greninja - “A ninja that uses water made shurikens is rather impressive. But will it be enough?”

Robin - “Your skills in sword and magic are to be respected. You have the makings of an adept Red Mage.”

Palutena - “To be able to fight a goddess with your radiance is a true honor. I’ll show you that my light is as bright!”

Villager - “You seem like a good individual... yet I can’t help but find something unsettling about you at the same time.”

Little Mac - “Well, was it mistake to bring a sword to a fist fight, or a mistake to bring gloves to a sword fight?”

Wii Fit Trainer - “Huh, maybe I should try doing more than meditation to achieve better mind and spirit.”

Shulk - “That is very impressive blade you have there. Good thing an individual I know in the Rift isn’t here, or he would want it for himself.”

Alternately - “Even a seer can make their predictions of the future wrong.”

Mii (Gun/Sword/Brawler) - “Perhaps three more of you and I have a good party set.”

Mega Man - “One doesn’t need to know that you likely continue to fight for everlasting peace... Do what you can.”

Pac-Man -  “You have a rather strong appetite do you not?”

Bowser Jr./Koopalings - "I guess even young minds want nothing more but power.”

Lucina - “A princess that takes action head-on… much like her.”

Alternately - “Prove to me that you have the power to change your own fate.”

Dark Pit - “Well, aren’t you a real ray of sunshine?”

Duck Hunt - “Well, if moogles and chocobos are capable of battling well together, can’t see why a dog and a duck would be any different.”

Ryu - “We both appear to have wandered around a lot. Show me what you learned along your travels.”

Ken - “Heh, with your energy, I can’t help be feel fired up going against you. Let’s go.”

Corrin - “The road to conquest or the road to one’s birthright… Only you can decide what path you go, for it will eventually lead to the true revelation.”

Alternately - “You are not half Eidolon, are you?”

Cloud - “Haven’t seen you since the conflict of the gods. Let’s see how far we both have come since then.

Bayonetta - “With a skill with being able to control time, I’d mistake you for a Time Mage.”

Inkling - “Wonder how well water spells will work against someone like you...”

Ridley - “You may be menacing and intimidating, but I think Bahamut is much more of a threat than you.”

Simon - “Do you require the services of a sage for the battle against the undead?”

Richter - “With confidence like that, be wary of being manipulated against your will.”

King K. Rool - “This blade will cut through that tough hide of yours, you big lizard.”

Isabelle - “I’m sorry, but even if you are a pure and gentle little soul I can’t hold back… Forgive me, miss...”

Incineroar - “You gotta admire that strong spirit.”

Joker - “Try as you might, but I’m only one that will be stealing this victory.”

[smashmusicideas]

June 25: How the Ultimate Trailer Works So Well

Amongst all the thoughts and discussion regarding Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, I don’t think any individual element of the game - even more than the confirmation of Ridley - warranted the level of adoration and excitement as not just the inclusion of every Smash character ever, but the short “Challenger Approaching” trailer explaining that.

So I decided I’d take some time and analyze it for how it works. Hoo boy, did that take longer than I expected.

For ease (and because I’m, well, lazy), I’ll be splitting this up into bullet points. I should also note that I’m avoiding a lot of stage analysis except in certain cases, largely because the emphasis on fighters is the focus. Also, this is quite long, so a “read more” tag is needed for this one.

Before the video: Sakurai adds this whole “character numbering” element, which is odd. Most viewers less familiar with this scheme (which has mostly always existed within the series) assumed this indicated the total number of characters from the start, but more than that it inherently acknowledges cut characters, something Sakurai tries to avoid as to not make their fans feel worse. No matter who is watching, it’s odd, and sets up the actual video in a way that feels odd.

00:02 - 00:15: We see Battlefield, something which since Brawl has always functioned as a focal point for the series - kind of in the way Mario does, too, which is why he appears here. Traditionally, Mario is also the character who reflects the visual direction of each game the most, so his “Brawl meets Smash For“ art style confirms it as a new game, one that will marry multiple iterations of Smash.

0015 - 00:28: Kirby, Samus, and Bowser are all Smash staples (two from the first game, one from Melee). They’re also not in numerical order, telling us to not expect things in a “normal” way. They also more clearly show a few returning stages, Castle Siege and Green Greens in particular, and Giga Bowser seems to function in a far new way.

00:28 - 00:34: Link is also one of the central Smash characters, but his drastic redesign tells us further that this will be a new iteration - one that will look to more recent games, at least in part (we also see a new Breath of the Wild stage, alongside Temple). Keep in mind that he gets a huge amount of time to emphasize this.

00:34 - 0:44: We see a lot of Donkey Kong (including a change to his Giant Punch), but it’s Falco’s appearance in 00:42 that’s surprising. He’s typically and understandably a hidden character; showing him off is kind of bizarre. For most viewers, it’ll just seem nice for a beloved character to return, but for the more attentive first-time viewers it is somewhat odd and continues the off-kilter vibe of Sakurai’s introduction.

00:44 - 00:48: Marth casually shows off the new changes to Shield Breaker, just like with DK earlier. Further indication that old fighters will have, to quote Sakurai from a decade ago, a “slightly different flavor this time around,” and that it won’t simply be an expanded port of Smash for Wii U (this emphasis will continue throughout the video and into Nintendo’s continued promotion of the game.

00:48 - 00:52: New Zelda! Not really new Sheik! Their having their default costumes implies they will remain separate fighters, and Zelda’s in particular bucks a trend of Zelda and Link’s costumes coming from the same game.

00:52 - 00:54: Our first post-Melee fighter, Villager, shows a new ability. His appearance also begins to move us from the more classic Smash fighters into a wider variety of ones new and old.

00:55 - 00:58: Meta Knight and Mewtwo. Notable for the former being the first Brawl character in general and the first one shown, and for the latter being the first Pokémon representative - before Pikachu, even. Mewtwo also looks like it did in Smash For, an indication the DLC would not be ignored.

00:59 - 01:01: And here comes Sonic - with a new version of Super Sonic and a returning Green Hill Zone in tow - as the biggest guest fighter out there, though that doesn’t confirm whether less established third party content would be joining him.

1:02 - 1:08: Peach and Pikachu, each with slight new changes in how Toad and Volt Tackle work. It’s notable how long it took to get to either of them, though their being more famous leads nicely into...

1:09 - 1:15: the Ice Climbers! Their return is such a big moment it’s hard to notice we’ve also got a returning Summit (and Living Room), and they unsurprisingly get a whopping six seconds to show off how they look in HD.

1:16 - 1:21: And from a beloved, long lost fighter to a highly desired new one, Nana and Popo formally introduce Inkling, with both a male and female design in tow. We get a good look at how diverse their weapon selection is, alongside a new Splatoon stage.

1:22 - 1:27: Pretty much the only thing we need to see with Falcon is the Punch, while Zero Suit Samus and Wii Fit Trainer show that even the less “iconic” of the cast aren’t going to be ignored. Given Boxing Ring’s centrality to Smash For, its being so prominent here makes sense.

1:28 - 1:30: here’s where things get weirder. The Ice Climbers coming back makes sense, but the Pokémon Trainer? I don’t really think it’s vague on whether the switching mechanic will return (he’s in the back, so...), but it’s out of the blue in a way none of what we’ve seen here is. That it only lasts about two seconds makes it all the more shocking.

1:31 - 1:36: Ness and Lucas. A little surprising for the former, given his traditionally being a hidden fighter, and more so for the former, who was last in the series as DLC.

1:36 - 1:41: The DLC concern becomes even more noticeable now, with Ryu fighting yet another normally hidden fighter: Ganondorf, surprisingly sporting the classic Ocarina of Time design Melee used. It implies a far greater amount of changes than what we were initially expecting, and assures the less confident of us that even third party DLC will not be ignored.

1:41 - 1:44: And look who else is looking new, but Ike, who’s reverted to the design Brawl used...except he isn’t. While the Inklings were expected to have male and female versions, this is the first indication we’ll have more pronounced alternate costumes for specific characters.

1:45 - 1:51: Cloud’s inclusion is another important one at this point, because compared to other guest fighters, the possibility of his return seemed far more up in the air. He gets a lot of airtime, space that comfortably confirms his two outfits and Omnislash, a great flashy move to send us into the big moment.

1:52 - 1:55: If Cloud’s return wasn’t a sure thing, than Snake’s was a pipe dream for fans (myself included). Having one go to the other is smart, because after him, Ice Climbers, and Pokémon Trainer, Snake‘s chances feel so much more possible. And it works so well. We don’t see an attack, or anything, because we don’t need to. It’s Snake, on Shadow Moses Island. That’s enough for us, until...

1:56 - 2:01: “EVERYONE IS HERE!” really just speaks for itself, but I’d also like to note the small feature of Snake running right after the words appear. It’s subtle, but it’s a flash of energy leading to the rest of the video (an energy that is supported by the music, which becomes far more intense up until the end). And it’s important to him be behind the words, because by this point a viewer is processing them, recognizing the totality of what that means.

2:02 - 2:04: And to prove how serious that claim is, Jigglypuff - the last of the original cast (minus Luigi and Yoshi) - brings back Pichu, likely the very fighter most people would think of after hearing that “everyone is here”: “even Pichu?” That the joke character of Melee has returned is proof of the claim, an example of how insane and wild this project is planning to be. But despite how notable it is, the two Pokémon are onscreen for only two seconds.

2:15 - 2:18: Truthfully, the next few reveals are less exciting. Roy is the fifth DLC character revealed to return, but Olimar, Diddy, and Lucario are all fairly normal. But it’s with Lucina that we get yet another oddity. She’s 21ε - an indication that something different was being done with the then-called “clone characters.” It’s yet another indicator that Smash is going to be different, and in rather unexpected ways.

2:26: It’s not a big detail, but Dr. Mario lacks the Epsilon, indicating that he’s different from how he used to be (given that he, Lucina, and Dark Pit are associated as the Echoes of the previous iteration of Smash, it stands to reason people might look for that on him, too).

2:30 - 2:32: And there’s Dark Pit literally one shot after Doc, with the Epsilon. It’s important to keep it all in mind more easily. I also think it’s notable that Palutena’s moveset isn’t shown at all in here; it’s one more thing about which Sakurai’s been coy.

2:39 - 2:42: It’s important, I think, to have the two versions of Link show up together; it highlights how they’ve both functioned as spinoffs of one of Nintendo’s (and Smash‘s) most important heroes. By this point, Young Link is the final character (again, other than Luigi and Yoshi) who came from a game before Brawl; he’s important as one more reminder of this game’s scope.

2:46 - 2:49: And if there were any fighters whose fate would seem as up in the air as any third party character, it’d be the Mii Fighters. And yet, they’re all here, too. And like with Palutena, we see no customization or anything beyond some very basic attacks.

2:55 - 2:56: Despite not being a huge surprise, Pac-Man’s new Final Smash (or new version of Super Pac-Man, technically) is fast, really fast. And that’s good because it kicks up the pace right to the finish. Like, it’s weirdly intense to watch at that point.

3:00 - 3:03: Wolf! While calls for him were probably not as loud as those for Snake and the Ice Climbers, he has remained a beloved Smash character and a fighter people really wanted. Having him here is good for a bunch of reasons - he was the last newcomer in Brawl, his style works really well for this point in the video - but probably the most is that people really wanted him back especially. And holding off on that until now helps emphasize this game’s scope.

3:04 - 2:08: Mega Man needed to be the final main shot for a lot of reasons. He’s a beloved gaming and Smash character, he’s got name recognition, and especially because his Final Smash is the best way to send off us. It’s just this huge blast that keeps up the momentum right until the end.

3:11: And we have the title. “Ultimate” really is perfect word for this, a video that is pretty much just about the history and power of Super Smash Bros. 

3:16 - 3:20: ...But it also wouldn’t be Sakurai without some goofing around, so we let the air out of all this pomposity with some silliness from Luigi and Yoshi. I think it makes sense for more reason than Sakurai often using those two for mirth. The Brawl trailer had all this bombastic, dark energy...but then Wario showed up and farted. The first Smash For trailer seemed exciting and crazy...and then Wii Fit Trainer appeared; almost all the character trailers after it had stingers afterwards, mostly goofy ones. It’s a good and important statement that Smash will always be goofy and weird. And you got that in some individual shots (Dedede and Wario, for instance), but it’s a deliberate anticlimax that mocks you, but only slightly, for all the energy you’ve hopefully gotten from what is a very long trailer, all things considered.

So, what have we learned, aside from me realizing I need to come up with shorter topics for this blog? I think it’s that you could have made this announcement any way. Sakurai could’ve just shown the character selection screen, Nintendo could’ve put it out in a press release, or they could’ve just not mentioned it entirely (though that’d be insane given that “everyone is here!” is the game’s tagline). But a video was the best way to do it. And I think this way was the best video they could’ve realistically made. Every fighter gets to show off a ton of personality in a couple seconds, and by basing the whole video around being before or after Snake, it can position the ideal fighters in a way that lets viewers slowly realize how much grander this is going to be than they realized. It’s all just great design in general, and more than just a really cool trailer that showed things off.

(Link to my writings on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)

[sxpiosexualx]

GoT Preferences

I was tagged by @tiny-little-bird​ tq for the tag <3

Do you watch the episodes when they air?

Unfortunately they air at 9AM for me, so I catch them online once I have the time. I woke up to watch the finale last season live though just so I could live tweet my reaction along with everyone else!

How often do you rewatch it?

I was on my second rewatch but I sort of forgot where I stopped so I’m definitely going to have to rewatch it one last time before S8. But there are certain episodes I’ve rewatched like four times, namely the final two of Season 6 because I was between flights a lot that year and they had those two showing. I love love love those episodes.

Do you rewatch the previous episode before the next one airs?

Nope! Not unless I plan to really absorb what happened for meta purposes.

One character that everyone seems to like that you don’t care much for:

Tyrion Lannister, I’ve dated someone like him and it put a sour taste in my mouth. Since I watched before I read, I admired him as much as anybody but after meeting him in the books I’ve since been disillusioned. Daenerys too, for obvious reasons that I’m sure I’ve made clear.

Your 3 favorite pairings:

Jonsa

Gendrya - I know people think they’re just a cute shippy pair, I did too but there’s more substance there than people give credit for.

Robb x Sansa - this is crack but I am a sucker for pre-asoiaf works on this pairing. Sansa grew up believing in knights and gallant men of valour because she had Ned and Robb to look to and it  k i l l s  me. There’s not much platonic works out there on this pairing but I don’t mind either way. Anything to fuel my Robb x Sansa depression hours are great lol. We love crack.

also Ned x Cat because it’s practically the only healthy ship we’ve seen on screen.

Favorite scene:

A tie between the Jon x Sansa reunion glomp, Sansa riding in with the KoTV when all hope was lost, and the forehead kiss. BUT, I very much love the entire wildfire sequence during Cersei’s prosecution, the music and cinematography is amazing! Sam seeing the Citadel library with Maester playing in the background was stunning too. Basically, the final two episodes of season 6 were packed with well-shot scenes, no thanks to Miguel Sapochnik. (I really couldn’t choose just one huh)

One character you wish got more appreciation:

Sansa Stark. I don’t blame people, when she’s first introduced to us there’s this bias because we’re seeing her through Arya’s eyes and we all know how Arya views her. But throughout the series I’ve had enough of people complaining that she’s done nothing, and yet come season 6 and 7 once she’s really standing up for herself and making decisions she thinks are right - people call her bratty and “out for herself” like can you give her a break?

Also as much as I adore her on the show, and agree that had she been put through the Ramsay plot, it’s only natural she come to this progression: I very much wish people would have a read of her POV chapters. She’s not some “cold” power hungry bitch, she’s never been and never will be. Sansa’s a sweet young girl that got caught up in everything and yet despite it all, she’s still going. I admire her a lot and hope she survives and proves important to the endgame so all the disgusting victim blaming misogynistic haters can suck it once and for all.

Fanfic or nah?

I fuck with that. I’m still waiting on my AO3 account tho wyd AO3 lemme in I’m finna spread love to all the fanfic writers.

Favorite quote:

lol one quote? here are a few:

“Power resides where men believe it resides… It’s a trick, a shadow on the wall.” - Varys.

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” - Jojen Reed.

”We look up at the same stars and see such different things.” - Jon Snow.

“Their dreams were full of songs and stories, the way hers had been before Joffrey cut her father’s head off. Sansa pitied them. Sansa envied them.” - Sansa Stark.

”When you tear out a man’s tongue, you are not proving him a liar, you’re only telling the world that you fear what he might say.” - Tyrion Lannister.

“Words are like arrows, Arianne. Once loosed, you cannot call them back.” - Doran Martell.

Do you avoid spoilers?

Depends. If it’s brought to the Jonsa community for speculation then I consider giving it a look, otherwise I stay clear of YouTube suggestions because they’re always so... final? It’s like “Jon Snow’s death CONFIRMED,” or “BLACK WEDDING S8 CONFIRMED,” like shut up lol. Also the reddit script leaks... I don’t know? Sometimes they just seem completely like fanfiction, and not the good kind.

Favorite house words:

“Growing Strong.” - House Tyrell. It’s flowery, easy to be overlooked and underestimated and yet even roses have their thorns. Scheming, but with grace. Not allowing themselves to appear threatening so that they may make friends, and yet all together, the very words of “Growing Strong” alludes to a growing threat.

One character you’d bring back from the dead:

Robb Stark, definitely. He’s a powerful military man, he showed promise as a ruler and he’s not a total dolt. I remember reading somewhere that George had to kill him off because he wouldn’t have fit into the natural progression of the story, he’s made him too invincible. And look how many factors had to come to play to bring the Young Wolf down. He’d be a valuable asset, though that would mean sacrificing Jonsa. But I love him so <3

One character you’d kill, or kill sooner than they were killed:

Daenerys Targaryen, but even I understand she has a part to play in all of this as they all do so there’s really no point in this. It’d only disrupt the plot and I wouldn’t have it any other way(than what GRRM intended, not D&D).

Direwolves or dragons?

Direwolves, they’re loyal. Dragons can’t be tamed and are a threat.

Which was more satisfying: Ramsay dying or Joffrey dying?

Ramsay. They gave a satisfying wrap up by Sansa’s hands. Each punch Jon gave him felt so good too.

Wildlings or the dothraki?

Wildlings, but only because they follow no king and I can respect that. Their way of life, seeing each individual as a free man - I fuck with that.

Favorite Lannister?

Jaime, definitely. I quite like his chapters. He’s never been the quickest and I truly hate whenever that’s been used to snub him. I’ve heard it been said he can be considered as Jon’s foil, and I agree(actually I’d go as far as to compare him to Sansa’s romanticised ideas of the world, though Jon is the better fit in this case). They both started out naive, and Jaime never struck me as innately cruel. For instance, he thought he was being honoured by King Aerys with a white cloak only to later find out that it was to snub his father and rip him of his heir. He believed Cersei truly loved him, only to realise that’s not the case(Cersei’s infatuation with him is a tale of Narcisus falling in love with his own reflection, or rather what Cersei wishes she was). He saved the city, only for people to dub him “Kingslayer.” His tale thus far has been tragic, and out of all the three Lannister siblings, I think he’s most worthy of a redemption arc especially considering how Tyrion is headed to a darker path and Cersei is, well, Cersei. He’s quite the anti-hero. 

To be completely honest I’m not sure I read his arc as a “redemption story” either, it’s more like finally getting a POV for us to better understand how he came to be so jaded.

And me, that boy I was... when did he die, I wonder? When I donned the white cloak? When I opened Aerys’s throat? That boy had wanted to be Ser Arthur Dayne, but someplace along the way he had become the Smiling Knight instead.

- Jaime, ASOS.

His chapters to me, serve to humanise him, and I’ve decided I like Jaime Lannister.

Favorite stark?

Sansa, obviously, but I admired Robb and will always weep at how we lost him too soon, a boy who showed so much promise. Also, Bran is my baby boy and I love him dearly.

Would you rather be able to be resurrected anytime, but gain scars and all like Beric, or become a faceless man?

If I had to choose, I suppose resurrection though I don’t think I’d be fond of it at all. I don’t fuck with the faceless men because I don’t fuck with this idea of living life in servitude. I suppose we all do, but I’d hate for it to be that direct.

Would you rather have the rebellion tv show or the conquest tv show?

You’re asking me to choose between seeing the younger versions of Ned’s generation on screen vs. more Targaryen propaganda? Robert’s rebellion, anytime.

I tag @nutellaninja0001 @lilbreck @starkkingss @vivilove-jonsa @occupyvenus @lostlittlesatellites @riahchan @asilentfrenzy @hbicstark @twilight-sparx @qinaliel @fedonciadale @ladywolfmd @myrish-lace-love @viking-hel @trinuviel @itwasmycroftbbc @jonsasnow @thatfictionalgal @eximperial @thewindsofwolves @thecrowandthelittlebird @visenyastargaryen

and anyone that wants a go, really! Tell me I’ve tagged you either way because I’d love reading just about anyone’s preferences haha x

[nyangibun]

GoT 7x07 Finale Thoughts Part II

Okay, so I forgot two things I really wanted to talk about. Actually, I forgot one thing and the other thing came to me while I was out and about being a (fake) adult.

This is entirely Jonsa-centric, so if you’re here for less shippy stuff... well, this ain’t it xD Sorry. 

First thing, the Ashford Tourney theory. This is the original theory from Reddit a few years back, so I’m not claiming any of this (and anything in italics is from the original post). For people who don’t know, what it basically talks about is GRRM’s The Hedge Knight and the Tourney at Ashford Meadow. Lord Ashford holds a tourney for his daughter’s 13th name-day and the remaining 5 champions defending her are: 

Lyonel Baratheon

Leo Tyrell

Tybolt Lannister

Humfrey Hardyng

Prince Valarr Targaryen

The theory goes on to point out that the names of these houses correspond quite nicely with the suitors that Sansa later has in ASoIaF: 

Sansa's first betrothed to Joffrey Baratheon

Sansa's then planned to be wed to Willas Tyrell

Sansa's married to Tyrion Lannister

Sansa's now being betrothed to Harry Hardyng (in the books)

Now, however, the theory then talks about how it’s Aegon VI Targaryen that will be Sansa’s 5th suitor, not Jon despite him being a Targaryen as well. The theory is quite compelling and it says that although the theories that Aegon isn’t really a Targaryen at all doesn’t matter because it’s the name that counts, since technically Joffrey isn’t really a Baratheon, but he is at the time of the betrothal. The OP also says there is no happy ending for Sansa and her suitors, as in The Hedge Knight, none of the 5 champions end up marrying Lady Ashford. 

However, that doesn’t necessarily spell doom for Sansa. I’m going to talk about the show now and how this helps the case for Jonsa. Clearly, D&D didn’t feel that Aegon VI was an important enough character and cut him out. There’s a meta floating somewhere about how this is negatively affecting the story, but I can’t find it right now. Anyway, that actually works in Jonsa’s favour because if Aegon was supposed to end up with Sansa in some way and affect her storyline that drastically, being her final suitor and all, he’d be included. And D&D also cut out the Hardyng storyline because it would’ve taken too long to conclude and they needed Sansa back with Jon as soon as possible. 

So maybe OP was wrong. Maybe it’s not Aegon VI that ends up being Sansa’s last suitor but Jon. And yes, the Ashford Tourney didn’t end up with a happy ending, but just because there are parallels doesn’t mean the ending is always the same. It would be just like GRRM to have history repeating itself but subverted in a way that’s different. Also, this quote from Sansa makes me want to believe she does have a somewhat happy ending in the end:

“No one will ever marry me for love. It's my claim they want.” 

This is true. Every suitor thus far has been betrothed to her or married her for her name and her claim to the North in some way or another. Sansa is ‘the key to the North’, as it were, and if/when Jon loses his crown, a union between them would give him back the North. Or it would at least solidify his claim on the North as he would have none being a full Targaryen. But the twist is Sansa will be married for love as well as her claim. She will have both in Jon. 

Now my second point is this: 

The 7x07 finale revealed that Sansa and Arya have been playing Littlefinger the entire time. It was satisfying; it was beautiful; it was quite frankly the first time our Stark sisters actually felt like their characters. But they never explain for how long Arya and Sansa were in cahoots. Was it from the very beginning? Or when Arya hands Sansa the dagger? Honestly, despite how satisfying that was to watch, the entire plot was still rather convoluted. I still hated the way they mischaracterised Arya for the sake of it. But the point of the whole plot was to show that it is now ‘a time for wolves’. From Seasons 1-5, the story has continuously beaten down the Starks. They were too honourable, too weak, too naive, too honest, too blindingly loyal to win in the game of thrones, where deceit and cruelty are rewarded. But Season 6 saw a Stark reunion and finally a Stark victory. What I believe they were trying to do with Season 7 is show that the Starks are real contenders now in this world. They’re no longer too honourable or too honest to be manipulative, too weak to kill their enemies with ruthless precision, too naive or blindingly loyal to those who don’t deserve it. Sansa and Arya show that as a collective duo. 

What does this have to do with Jonsa, you ask? 

Well, a lot of us in the fandom believe in Undercover Lover Jon for great reasons, but I know a lot of us were also hoping for something more concrete to live off of in the hiatus between now and the final season. Of course, I never thought it would happen. That’s the kind of reveal you save for the final season; that’s the kind of ‘gotcha!’ moment D&D salivate over. But fear not, it actually works out in our favour. Showing Arya and Sansa manipulating someone this season allows room for Jon to do the same in the next season. It’s foreshadowing that it will not be a House Targaryen restoration, but rather a House Stark. And whatever Jon’s real name and heritage may be, he is still a Stark at heart and he’s not above manipulating someone despite what he claims to say to Cersei. The fact that Sansa uses LF’s ‘love’ for her against him also is very foretelling of the possibility of Jon using Dani’s ‘love’ for him against her. 

I think it’s also really interesting to note that after Jon and Dani do the nasty, it cuts to Sansa and Arya overlooking Winterfell and Sansa saying:

“It’s just strange. In his own horrible way, I believe he loved me.” 

And in his own horrible way, LF did. He loved the idea of Sansa, of her resemblance to Cat, the power she wields with her name and her intelligence that matches his. But it was also fake. LF used Sansa for his own gain. He manipulated her for a long time. Now I don’t believe Jon is as cruel or as manipulative as LF in any way, shape or form, and I don’t think he dislikes Dani either. He’s attracted to her. He thinks of her well enough, though I still am under the assumption that he doesn’t fully trust her and is still wary of her. After all, he still has yet to offer any personal information on his end. She has given and given with him, confiding in him, asking for his advice, but Jon has done nothing of the sort. He doesn’t say anything he doesn’t have to. All of their conversations that wasn’t ‘bend or die’ related always ends up with Jon appeasing her, appealing to her in some emotional way. The most ‘personal’ thing he does is bending the knee to her. So in my opinion, this line foreshadows Jon’s betrayal of Dani, which would also, mind you, coincide perfectly with the prophecy that Dani will be betrayed by a lover. 

It’s also interesting that the boatbang between our two resident Targaryens is followed by a loving conversation between our two resident Starkling sisters, where Sansa also says:

“When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives.”

A lot of people are wondering if this means Jon will die again. I do have my theories on that, which I won’t clutter this post with, but I also think it’s there to solidify that Jon will always be a Stark at heart, and in spite of how it may seem now, he’s with them. He’s following the pack, and guess what the pack has just done? They’ve just manipulated someone. 

Another thing to think on: remember how mad we were at D&D’s portrayal of Arya? Remember how uncharacteristic she was? In the end, our true Arya came back to us. So now, we’re all mad at D&D’s portrayal of Jon and how uncharacteristic he is. I hope that in the end, our true Jon will come back to us too. Convoluted as these storylines may be, I have to believe that though the route sucks, the conclusion will be satisfying for all of us. 

EDIT: I just realised something else. Jon’s speech to Cersei and then to Tyrion seem to centre on Jon being exactly like Ned. At first, this upset me because I don’t want to see Jon falling down the same path Ned did in Season 1, but then it occured to me, do you guys know what Ned also did? He lied to the world, to his betrothed, to protect his family and to protect his sister’s secret and subsequently Jon. So if Jon is Ned 2.0, would it really be so far-fetched to believe that he is also lying to the whole world to protect his family, his pack?  

Jonsa is endgame, friends. Party on!