#morally gray fantasy villain

[foxedpages]

no you don’t understand!! i just finished reading a book. now i immediately need to make the morally grey character’s personality entirely my own or else i’ll die

[ominous-feychild]

CHARACTER PROFILE:

THE EXISTENCE OF MAGIC

"Consider yourself privileged to be in my presence, {Redacted}. Not many get the honor." -Magic

Magic awoke as an Existential upon the creation of the Faewildes—a realm of pure, uncontrolled magic.

The Faewildes themselves emerged from cracks in reality made by Existence of Chaos, so Magic sees him as the closest thing they have to a father. Likewise, they hold a deep respect and admiration for him.

... and even more resentment toward the other Existentials, who sealed Chaos within a magically-enforced coma following the First World's destruction.

But what could they, Magic, do about that?

OVERVIEW:

Chosen name: {REDACTED}

You don't deserve to know their name.

Age: ???

Due to being "born" with the destruction of reality—and emergence of the the Faewildes—and the resulting space-time distortions, it's impossible to know their age. However, they are the youngest Existential.

(During RFtA and SaS, they are at least 800 years old.)

Species: Faerie (shapeshifter)

Due to their relation to the Faewildes, they see themself as a (and I quote) "better faerie".

Gender identity: Nonbinary (any/all)

Sexuality: Omnisexual

Raw magic: (existential) Magic, (faerie) magic, (axiomatic) chaos, (axiomatic) disaster, (axiomatic) destruction, (axiomatic) corruption, (axiomatic) disease, (axiomatic) nature, (axiomatic) vegetation, (axiomatic) animal influence, (axiomatic) earth — Just... assume it's almost everything. But that's some of their main stuff!

Applied magic: Reality warping. Can create any and all effects they desire, transform the environment and the "rules" dictating reality around them, and create anything out of nothing.

While possible, it costs them more essence to warp reality outside of the Faewildes, whereas it's near-effortless within. However, as Magic next to never leaves the Faewildes, it's hardly relevant.

They are also capable of creating enchantments, blessings, curses, and portals.

Their axiomatic magic is mostly important when they grant magic to others, as they only ever give their magic to people who amuse them.

Tier ranking: Existential

As the Existential of Magic, they are a manifestation of the consciousness of Magic Itself. They are completely unkillable due to the fact that they are not the body they reside in, though... you can sure try to kill their body.

Regardless of the result, your death would be a mercy.

Status in Existential War: One of the "top gods", having some form of influence in literally every continent and over a dozen B (or higher) tier avatars at all times.

Spokespiece: When communicating with those outside their realm—or those they don't care to appear in front of—Magic will manifest body horror abominations or a singular, giant disembodied eye.

Their spokepieces always speak with a deep, distorted voice.

General appearance: As the Existence of Magic, an abstract concept, they technically do not have a physical form. However, they have created—and live within—a body for themself.

Magic usually takes the form of an 8'2 (249 cm) pale-skinned androgynous faerie, although they'll adapt their height to situations at hand (almost always intentionally towering over all others).

They usually have intentionally-exaggerated "human" features—far-too-long arms and legs, an elongated face, too-sharp (potentially even clawed) fingers, and two pairs of long, pointy ears.

Similarly, Magic takes up a lot of space through other methods—they have a large mane of puffy ginger hair, massive tree-like antlers that crown their head, and two sets of large, insectoid wings they can fly with... although they can just magically levitate, anyways.

But, strangely enough, their most distinguishing feature?

Magic is almost always wearing a smooth, featureless silver mask affixed to their face, completely obscuring their features and even their own vision... though they can see through their magic, anyway.

They claim that they only show their face to those who are worthy to see it, and that others aren't worth laying their eyes upon.

During meetings with the Existentials, they still wear an eyeless, silver mask—but one that shows their mouth, allowing all to see when they smirk.

Personality: Extremely cocky, arrogant, egotistical, sassy, and flamboyant.

Magic considers themself a comedian, enjoys "putting on a show", scaring people, and generally antagonizing others—but especially the other Existentials.

Most of the time, Magic is flexing their magical abilities one way or another—it's partially an ego thing, but mostly because it's just second nature to them. They are Magic—and who would you be to stop them from using it?

(They especially tend to levitate, floating around and "sitting" in midair, or manipulate distance around them to force people into their personal space.)

A lot of their personality comes out through the inhuman appearance they take, where they explicitly tower above others, take up as much space as possible, and wear a mask to deprive others of the privilege of witnessing their face.

They claim to see the Existential War as a game, but a boring one. They aim to end it—one way... or another.

Any single wish: Complete freedom

Greatest fear: {REDACTED}

Fun fact: Magic currently (as of RFtA and SaS) has a specialized, hyper-magically-aware avatar investigating themself—after all, why wouldn't one want to understand their own nature?

... at least, that's what they claim their purpose is.

CHARACTER QUOTES:

"You've come looking for a favor? And you're willing to pay the price?"

"Oh, don't start with that. Don't lie—we all know you want to accept. So, let's just cut through the—" rolls their eyes, turning their head and sarcastically fluttering their hands at their sides. Mockingly: "—'oh, no!!! Not for me!? Sacrifice!?!?'" Faces the pair again, re-crossing their arms to continue more seriously: "—bullshit and move on to the terms. We're all here. Unless you want to have wasted my time negotiating with {Orange} before you got here?"

"I will have mercy on you. [But] you're still paying a high price—it has been quite an inconvenience to do all this, and you should know how few people get to be graced with my presence. {Red} would not have been given this opportunity otherwise."

Tag list: @honeybewrites @the-golden-comet @illarian-rambling @ashirisu @urnumber1star

@the-letterbox-archives @48lexr @aalinaaaaaa @thecomfywriter @paeliae-occasionally

Divider by @cafekitsune

[wrenwinchester]

Okay so I’m gonna just scream here for a minute because I adore assistant to the villain, and this is my fandom account and god. Guys. If you love a good morally gray love interest this series is for you. When I read the first one (literally in one day after it arrived since I preordered it.) I could not stop talking about it, and I don’t have anyone to talk to about it right now since the person I normally would is both in Europe, and also she is going to read the books and I don’t want to spoil it for her. And the second one just came out. Technically, the release date was today (the 6th of August) but I got it on what was technically yesterday. (Thanks Amazon and preordering.)

I was giggling and squealing (I genuinely think I freaked my parents out a bit 😂 especially when I laughed and someone on the tv show they were watching had been talking about other people dying, and I told them that I wasn’t laughing at that. I was laughing at the guy dying in my book. (Well deserved.) I mean. Lyssa wanted to play flying guard, you’d laugh too. My parents didn’t get it.) and it’s literally one of my favorite series. And I need the third book yesterday. (Well today since I finished the second one at 11:58).

[theartisttoyourmuse]

Victoria Schwab: here is a villian/morally gray character

Me: I'm marrying him

[jadeinretrogrde]

me every time the villain/morally gray character is introduced:

[rachel-sylvan-author]

"Assistant to the Villain" by Hannah Nicole Maehrer book recommendation by Rachel Sylvan

[wrenwinchester]

No because then you have the first line of his first chapter in apprentice to the villain “he didn’t miss light, he missed color.”

Andjfushczhajzbvxjzkzosbcsgjsknsvxghjd

(If you can’t tell, my copy of apprentice to the villain arrived technically yesterday as of 16 minutes ago, and I spent all afternoon reading it as any normal person would.)

She wasn’t light; she was color. Every single one, dancing otherworldly and bright over his unworthy eyes.

[susannahmikaelson]

https://www.redbubble.com/i/sticker/The-truth-about-being-a-dark-romance-reader-by-MarvelFangirl00/160323736.EJUG5?asc=u

[frenchkisstheabyss]

♡ ฿Ⱡ₳₦₭ ₴₱₳₵Ɇ ♡

♡ Pairings: frat boy!jaehyun x chubby!fem!reader, frat boy!johnny x chubby!fem!reader

♡ Genre: college au/angst/fluff/smut

♡ Summary: Jaehyun has made it a habit of playing with your heart. One day he loves you, the next he hates you, with nothing in between. Growing tired of his games, you find your attention drifting somewhere else. Toward his roommate and frat brother Johnny to be exact.

[Part Two Here 🖤]

♡ Word Count: 2.1k-ish

♡ Warnings: fuckboy Jaehyun in his full villain era (for now), voyeurism, two couples having sex in the same room (not an orgy), technically unprotected sex by way of protection not being explicitly mentioned, a lil spanking, partying, kissing, mentions of drinking, casual/meaningless sex, sexual fantasies, everyone's a lil morally gray, heartbreak & that's all bbys.

♡ A/N: I had a bloodlust for something angsty and ya know this did a pretty good job at satisfying it. It also satisfied by craving for something sweet so I'll keep my fingers crossed it does both for y'all too. 🖤

It was exciting at first. Weekends at the frat house partying with Jaehyun. No rules. No limitations. Everything a girl could want just waiting to be given to her if she asked. And the sex? The sex was incredible. Jaehyun could be a real asshole sometimes but he always knew how to make you come so hard your ears were ringing. 

You knew from the start that it’d be delusional to think you were anything more to him than a pretty face and a dependable fuck. Jaehyun’s killer bone structure and gorgeous features make him what one might imagine a fairytale prince to be. All the girls on campus dream of being with him and he knows it. He loves it.

That man has an ego bigger than his cock which is unfortunately rather large. There’s so much of himself floating around in his head that there’s just no room for anyone else. Still he has his endearing moments, ones that make a girl feel special, and that’s what keeps you coming back when you begin to think better of tolerating his bullshit.

That’s why you’re here tonight, knees digging into his mattress, cheek pressed to his pillow, as he fucks you from behind. You feel it, the force of his hips snapping against your ass, his cock pulsing deep in your core. But it feels like nothing. It’s like getting a tooth pulled after the dentist has numbed you up real good. The force of the movement is there but the feeling’s gone.

A few feet away another bed creaks as a girl you’ve only met once or twice rides Jaehyun’s frat brother Johnny like one of those mechanical bulls. This isn’t abnormal. During these parties sex happens any time, anywhere, and that almost always includes being in the same room together. But you can’t help feeling like a pervert for stealing a few glances of the adjacent couple.

Jaehyun never formally introduced you to Johnny. Come to think of it, he's never formally introduced you to anyone. It was Johnny who introduced himself one night when you’d had a few too many drinks for your own good and ended up hunched over the toilet with Jaehyun nowhere to be found. 

Johnny sat with you for hours making sure you were hydrated and feeding you snacks until he was sure you were okay. You can’t for the life of you remember what was said. You can only recall that you felt comfortable and safe with him. It was enough to make you develop the tiniest crush that’s only been made worse by how sweet he’s been to you since.

Jaehyun slaps your ass, interrupting your train of thought. Almost simultaneously Johnny begins to caress the other girl’s hips. There’s so much tenderness in the way he touches her and you envy it. You wish Jaehyun could give you even a fraction of that. Just once. Pulling the girl in for a kiss, Johnny wraps his arms around her, holding her close to his chest. With her head nestled in the side of his neck, he cradles her gently as he lifts into her at a slow, rhythmic pace. 

You imagine that’s you, not being hammered into but actually feeling something, and magically the friction of Jaehyun’s cock rubbing your walls feels good. In fact, far better than it ever has before. You let out a moan, a whisper, “Aah, oh god.” Jaehyun takes notice of it, loving the way you clench too much not to hit that sweet spot again and again. He’s so distracted by the delicious jiggling of your body, his vision curtained by messy dark brown hair, that he can’t see that he isn’t the only one captivated by you.

But you notice. Johnny’s staring back at you now, his eyes glued to yours as he takes in all those pretty faces you make. This isn’t the first time he’s watched you either. He and Jaehyun were roommates long before you came into the picture. Johnny’s seen more than a few girls naked in Jaehyun’s bed but you’re the only one he’s cared to sneak a peek at. The crush you have on him is so mutual. How you never picked up on it he doesn’t know but it’s oh so obvious now.

The longing behind Johnny’s eyes is immense, luring you deeper into his gaze until he’s all you see. Setting your bodies on autopilot with your respective partners, you begin to quietly explore each other. Your minds indulge in every dirty thought you’ve had about each other. Thoughts you’d suppressed out of fear that you were doing something wrong. 

You find yourself getting wetter than you’ve been all night, walls dripping twice as much as they hug Jaehyun’s cock. “Damn, you feel so good, baby” Jaehyun praises, planting kisses down the middle of your back. He shifts to a position he knows will have you trembling and you let out the sexiest moan. So sexy it makes Johnny’s cock twitch inside of the other girl, heat washing over both of your bodies. 

“You’re so fucking cute” Johnny whispers in a way that seems to be for the girl in his arms but is meant for you and only you. His face lights up like the 4th of July at every broken moan or arch of your back. You can tell how badly he wishes the pussy warming his cock right now were yours and you get the filthiest rush out of that.

Before you know it the pressure inside you has reached its peak and your legs are shaking, knees threatening to give out from under you. A faint smile creeps across Johnny’s face and he mouths to you, “Come.” And you do, as if on command. Burying your face in the pillow, you bite down on the fluffy cotton and let it fill your cheeks. It’s a gag of sorts, a desperately needed one incase you should cry out the wrong name on accident.

You know in your heart that even by frat boy standards you’ve crossed a line. You’ve stumbled into territory there’s no coming back from. But when it feels this good it’s difficult to want to turn back anyway. 

“You’re overreacting. It’s not like you’re my girlfriend.” 

You know this to be true, Jaehyun isn’t your boyfriend, but it hurts all the same to wake up to him texting another girl. Your heart sank when you rolled over this morning, still in his arms, to find him making plans to meet up with her tonight.

It was so blatant, he didn’t even attempt to hide what he was doing, and maybe that’s what hurts most of all. You thought he cared enough about you to at least pretend he wasn’t playing the absolute fuck out of you. It’s clear now that you thought wrong. 

“You’re such an asshole, you know that?” you shout, gathering your things from the floor, the sheet from his bed still draped around your naked body. 

A fully dressed Jaehyun casually searches the dresser for his keys, the smile on his face so cocky you want to slap it off. “Right, I’m going to the gym. You know how to see yourself out right?” 

Picking up one of your heels, you channel all your strength into throwing it at his head. “I never wanna see you again!” 

Jaehyun opens the bedroom door in time to take cover behind it, the heel of your shoe leaving a dent where it would’ve hit him. “Ooh, feisty” he teases, cracking the door to throw you a wink, “Save some of that for next time, hmm?”

There’s so much you want to say but none of it will change anything. He walks away from you like it’s nothing and that’s precisely what you feel like. Nothing. Unable to hold back anymore, you burst into tears where you stand, gathering up some of the sheet to sob quietly into. You can’t recall the last time you cried like this. A chest tightening, nose dripping, lip quivering type of cry that makes you want to double over in pain. 

“Hey, come here” a voice whispers, the rasp of sleep still hanging over it.

You feel a tug on the back of the sheet and turn to see Johnny sitting up in bed, one hand rubbing his barely open eyes while the other clings to the sheet around you.

“I’m sorry if I woke you up” you apologize, too embarrassed to make eye contact, “I’ll just get my things and—”

“No, come here” he insists, pulling you closer to his bed, “Come lay with me.”

Something in you says to resist it—you shouldn’t be crawling into bed with Jaehyun’s roommate—but Johnny’s already taking you by the hand, guiding you down into the empty spot beside him. No words are spoken as he pulls the soft blanket over the two of you, tucking it at your side to keep you warm.

His head hits the pillow, heavy lids closing, as he pulls you into his chest. There’s tension at first, on your part only. A hesitance to allow yourself to fully relax into the gentle embrace you’ve been desperately pining for. But the longer he holds you, his palm massaging your lower back in soothing figure eights, the more you soften.

“You don’t deserve this, you know?” he finally says when your tears have subsided and your breathing has evened out enough for you to speak. There’s exhaustion in those words as he says them, giving the impression that this is something he’s wanted to ask you for a long time. 

“Is this gonna be a lecture?” you sniffle, nervously patting the tears from the dips between his muscles, “Because I really don’t need a lecture right now.” 

Johnny laughs, letting out a yawn, “Nah, it’s too early for a lecture. My brain’s not heated up yet.” 

“Not heated up yet? What does that even mean?” you giggle, leaning to look up at him, your nose scrunched in confusion. Johnny opens his eyes, staring back at you with those starry brown orbs, and you’re transported back to the way you felt last night. If you thought his gaze made you want to melt from afar, it’s reducing you to volcanic ash at this distance. 

“Well, it’s like, when you first wake up your brain’s cold. Your thoughts are all jumbled so you’ve gotta wait a little, let it heat up” Johnny explains, the tips of his sable hair kissing your face.  

“You’re, uh…” you stutter, searching for the perfect word, “Really…interesting? Yeah, you’re interesting, Johnny Suh.” 

The most genuine smile takes over that handsome face as he lets out a joyful squeak, sincerely flattered by your comment. “Yeah? Well, so are you. You’re really interesting and cool and cute. I did mean that last night. You are cute.”

You tuck your head, trying to hide a smile of your own, but Johnny caresses your cheek, bringing you right back where he wants you. “Why do you let him treat you like that?” he asks without the slightest bit of judgment. Your smile fades as you contemplate a question you aren’t even sure you know the answer to. You file through 1001 possibilities before coming to the raw, painful truth. 

“I was trying to prove something, I guess” you confess, feeling an odd sense of relief at admitting this to him and yourself. “I thought if I could obtain the unattainable it’d be proof that I was special.”

Johnny scoffs, rolling his eyes, “Jaehyun? Unattainable? I could fuck him if I complemented him enough.” 

“Thanks, that makes me feel so much better” you huff, beginning to regret that moment of vulnerability. 

“No, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it like that. I just mean that he isn’t one of those people that can appreciate when they have something special.” 

You shrug in defeat, letting your fears tumble freely from your lips, “Yeah, I don’t know if any guy can at this point.”

“So you think we’re all the same?” he asks, tilting your head to let your lips brush his. His lips are like static, making the little hairs on your arm stand on end. Your heart’s running a marathon and the butterflies in your stomach are throwing fits. This can’t be happening. Only it is.

You swallow hard, inhaling the scent of the fresh morning air meddled with his cologne. “Well, I…I mean no one’s really shown me any different.” 

Johnny presses his lips to yours, lingering there for a moment to savor the warmth of your kiss. “Can you give it some time?” he whispers, fingers charting a course across the curve of your hip to take your hand into his. 

“It or you, Johnny?” you ask, silently begging him not to say a thing if it’s not something he means.

“Hmm,” he hums, bringing your hand up to gently kiss your inner wrist, your palm, your fingertips, “Me.” 

[writers-potion]

MASTERPOST (PT. 1)

Daily Writerly Updates! | Open to post requests & questions My Writing Tea & Tips Community: @@writing-tea-tips

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For worldbuilding, vocab lists, weapons &fighting, and more: MASTERPOST PART 2>>

❤️ Romance Writing Prompts

Meet-Cute Ideas

Reponses to: "How Could You?"

Responses to: "Break my heart." 💔

How would you develop a relationship that’s been constantly one-sided?

Enemies-to-Lovers Dialogue Prompts

List of Relationship Tropes <3

Library Romance Prompts

Arranged Marriage Prompts

Responses to: "I love you"

Soulmates AU Prompts

"I love you but I don't" Prompts

Romance Novel Tropes & Subgenres: a comprehensive list

The Romantic Academic

Forbidden Love Dialogue Prompts

Angry Love Confessions

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☕📜Writing Scenes

Scenes: The Basics🏕️

Structuring Your Fight Scene

Writing Funny (But Intense) Action Scenes

Ideas for Flashback Scenes

Writing The Perfect Kiss Scene

Fantasy Battle Scenes 101

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✧𑁍.ೃPlot Tips & Tropes

A Very Brief Outline of the Three-Act Structure

Plot Type 1: "The Quest"

Writing Text Conversations - follower question

Fairy Murder Method Ideas 

Gossiping Scene Idea Prompts

Child Eating Fairies Ideas + The Mysterious Cave Trope - follower question

Writing Political Intrigue

Comforting a Fire Girl Scene - follower question

Energize a Sluggy Middle

2 Types of Deaths in Fiction

Literary vs. Commercial Plots

Fantasy Tropes that I Love

Writing the Perfect Betrayal 

Writing Strong Opening Lines

Plotting Tips for Romantasy

Dark Fantasy Tropes List

Dark Academic Plot Must-Haves 

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✩₊˚.⋆☾ POV Related

1st vs. 3rd POV For Mad Characters

Emotionless Character POV

🧛🏻‍♀️Character Writing Tips

Redeeming The Bad Boy Character

How to Write Redemption Arcs 

Writing Diverse Characters - Things to Remember

Character Nickname Ideas

How to Write Liars Believably

Choosing the Right Character

Organizing Character Relationships

Writing 1st POV Character Fears 

Introducing Non-binary Characters

Teasing Sibling Dialogue Prompts

Writing A Drug Addict Character

No Redemption Villains

Emotions and humanity for the Non-Human Character - follower question

Writing Gangsters

Characterization: Unforgettable Characters

Human Feelings for the Non-Human Character

The Character Arc: 101

Emotional Mini BIO

Writing Autistic Characters

On Writing Blind Characters

Writing Homosexual Characters 

Establishing the MC-Reader Bond

Writing Child Characters Believably 

Toxic Parent Prompts

Writing Morally Gray Characters 

Writing the "Mean Girl" Character

Writing Introverted Characters

Strong Female Characters 

Fantastical Asian Monsters (Part I)

🕐List of Dirty Character Traits

Dark Backstory Ideas

Good Characer Traits to bad

A List of Toxic Traits for Your Character 

Character Names with Unfortunate Meanings

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MASTERPOST PART 2>>

[jedimaesteryoda]

Every once in a while on Twitter (not X, Elon can go screw himself), someone circulates a complaint about A Song of Ice and Fire that is basically some version of "GRRM's series is nihilistic where everyone is gray, there are no heroes and villains, or heroes die and villains win compared to Tolkien's magnum opus where there are clear heroes and villains with the heroes being upright and good always wins."

It's written by people who either never read nor understood the series nor understands the author.

Firstly, Martin himself is a fan of Tolkien stating "I revere Lord of the Rings, I reread it every few years, it had an enormous effect on me as a kid," and is such a huge fan of Tolkien he complains of "Tolkien imitators" who "cheapened it. The audience were being sold degraded goods. I thought: 'This is not how it should be done.' "

Tolkien was a clear inspiration for Martin's magnum opus given in the same interview he stated "I wanted to combine the wonder and image of Tolkien fantasy with the gloom of historical fiction." You can even find nods to Tolkien throughout the series from names like "Oakenshield" to a dwarven heir to a mighty mountain fastness filled with gold. Underneath the gloom on the surface, there is a layer of Tolkien-esque romanticism.

ASOIAF isn't nihilistic. No one would call characters like war criminal and murderer-rapists like Gregor Clegane, Ramsay Bolton and Euron Greyjoy or the vivisectionist and torturer Qyburn morally grey. There are heroes like Brienne of Tarth who risked her life in a hopeless fight to save an inn full of orphans, Sam who stayed with Gilly and her babe beyond the Wall in a forest filled with wights and Dunk who defended a puppeteer from a prince. Then, there is Daenerys whose experience as a domestic abuse victim and child bride lead her to put her plan to take back the Iron Throne on hold to liberate slaves.

My own heroes are the dreamers, those men and women who tried to make the world a better place than when they found it, whether in small ways or great ones. Some succeeded, some failed, most had mixed results… but it is the effort that’s heroic, as I see it. Win or lose, I admire those who fight the good fight. -George R.R. Martin

These characters go out of their way to help others and live up to their ideals in a world they know won't reward them for it. That's what helps to make their actions truly heroic. In the end, it's their striving that sets them apart.

The ones who are villains don't seem to win in the end. Tywin was killed by his own abused son on the privy over his mistreatment of a peasant girl, and his legacy is already crumbling. Jaime lost his sword hand and is becoming increasingly disillusioned with his house, slowly realizing that they're not the good guys. The Boltons are facing a rebellion and their new bannermen don't want Ramsay as their liege lord. More Freys have been killed as a result of the Red Wedding than fighting for Robb, and they're being overextended. Not to mention, one of their victims has come back from the dead to enact vengeance on their house. House Greyjoy is destined to fall to ruin as the Greyjoys suffer and die in their fruitless pursuits for crowns.

It's also a superficial reading of Tolkien. Tolkien has moments in his series where heroes fail like Isildur, the guy who slew Sauron, failing to do the one thing he needed to do to end the threat for all time by keeping the One Ring, and Frodo, the purported hero of the series, doing the same thing at the end. Thorin Oakenshield refused to provide money to the people of Lake-town over the destruction of their city at Smaug's hands as a result of his party's actions. There's also plenty of stories of heroes failing in The Silmarillion like Turin.

Both are great series in their own right, and if you don't like Martin's series, that's okay, no series is for everyone. But don't mischaracterize it and pit it against a dumbed down, mischaracterized version of Tolkien's work.

[ominous-feychild]

Magic is an absolute obnoxious POS and I LOVE them for it--

[the following is an excerpt of an exchange between: the Existentials of Magic and Death]

(Context: this is after Magic has already done a TON to antagonize the Existence of Death, who's socially awkward and in a desperate situation even outside of this conversation—)

Death: "—so wh-why are you he-here?" Magic: warps half-behind, half-beside Death, setting their fingers over his shoulders "you know… we have a lot in common." Death: shudders, but twists to tear himself from Magic's grasp and although failing, teleports himself a few feet away Death: tense, head shrunken into his shoulders and fists clenched at his sides as he snarls up at Magic Death: venomously: "ha-hardly." Magic: gives a gentle, echoing laugh as they flip on their heel to begin pacing across from him… and growing to once again tower above him, antlers expanding from where they'd shrunk into their head Magic: putting the pads of their fingers together, grins slyly and glances to the side to eye Death through their mask Magic: words slow and careful: "you know… I like to know my enemies… but I like to know my friends even better." Magic: grinning widely behind their mask, slyly "… and I know you're not my enemy." Death: snarling—heart pounding—takes a slight step back Death: "w-we are N-NOT 'fr-friends'!" Magic: tauntingly: "oh, but {Death}… I thought you were smart enough to want as many allies as possible…?" >;D Magic: smirking, neck twists 180° as their head stays in place and they flip to pace in the opposite direction

BRO ACTS LIKE THIS WITH THE PEOPLE THEY WANT TO BE THEIR FRIENDS, LMAO--

Also Death is sweet af, he deserves better lol

Taglist and credits:

@honeybewrites @the-golden-comet @illarian-rambling @ashirisu @urnumber1star

@the-letterbox-archives @48lexr @aalinaaaaaa @thecomfywriter @paeliae-occasionally

@words-n-chaos; ask and ye shall be added!

Divider by @cafekitsune

[lizzie-queenofmeigas]

I love Daenerys not just for the reasons she’s loved by her fans, but also for the reasons she’s hated by her antis.

I love that her son was her boundary, the reason she stopped trying to protect Viserys from his inevitable death. That she didn’t just forgive him to be the Good Victim. I love that she doesn’t forgive Mirri for the murder of her son, that she isn’t the demure victim people expected her to be. That her son was someone important to her and so beloved by her that her most morally gray act (killing Mirri) is rooted in it. That she doesn’t just kill Mirri, she creates life out of that death. That she feels anger and protectiveness over her people and children, tangible and palpable. Her righteous maternal anger at the deaths of 163 slave children, making her crucify 163 great masters. Her fury at Mossador being killed, her grief at seeing what it does to Missandei, her anger at so many innocent Freedmen dying, making her permit Skahaz to sharply question the wineseller’s daughters. That she doesn’t forgive those who harm her people and children or just see them as collateral. That all of her worst acts and moments are always always rooted in her love for her children or family or people.

That she sees herself as a monster and hates herself for it, but strives to be a good person anyway. That she claims and reclaims her house words and rejects a false peace she knew was not tenable to begin with. That she feels wracked with guilt over her failures.

That she wants her family’s throne and vengeance against her usurpers, but sees this as more of a duty. That she mourns and thinks about the people she’s lost and failed to protect, not just her family, but people whose names no one else would remember.

That she has a dragon’s temper, that she is mother to three monsters rebuked by Western fantasy, that she comes from a family written off as villainous and tyrannical, that she is both proud of her identity and yet struggles to find her place in it. That she doesn’t just stop and settle down like a good and obedient little girl in Vaes Dothrak or Vaes Tolorro or Qarth or Meereen. That she won’t compromise on being queen, but views queenship as a station belonging to the people.

There so much to love about Dany. She's an awesome character.

(Though I don't think her family was written as villainous and tyrannical, that's just what her antis believe)

[pikahlua]

Okay but regarding AFO and Yoichi's backstory, I feel like Horikoshi is doing a clever meta justification of MHA--like his idea for the story and why it's important. Because we've got two kids with no parent or guardian to help them parse the world, and so they're left to raise themselves and come to their own conclusions about life, and the guidebook they decide to use for that is a black-and-white superhero comic book because it has pictures. They can't read, so they also only barely understand the words in this comic, which means in many cases they're probably just guessing what's happening in the story.

In other words, these kids relying on a moral compass based entirely on their survival each derived starkly different dreams from a black-and-white comic book about good vs. evil, which is a commentary on the presentation of many other "good vs. evil" or "superhero" stories. MHA is pointing out these are fantasy while the reality is full of gray. MHA's depiction of villains as victims and in need of rescue BUT ALSO needing to atone for their crimes as history does not absolve them of that is part of the nuance Horikoshi wants to make sure MHA is getting across. "Please see how my story is different from the way this topic is often treated in other stories. Please make sure you're paying attention to this specific theme."

Because the next generation of heroes, Izuku and company, are meant to challenge that old generation's way of thinking.

[michele-apricity]

𝓭𝓪𝓻𝓴 𝓪𝓬𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓪 ˙⟡🪶─

𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔

Dark academia is rooted in a love for philosophy, history and literature... so here are some recommendations for books that fit the dark academia aesthetic and you should definitely read

𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒔

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

The cornerstone of dark academia literature. A group of elite classics students is drawn into a web of obsession, betrayal, and murder.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

A dark exploration of beauty, morality, and corruption in Victorian England.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

A Gothic classic delving into the pursuit of forbidden knowledge, ambition, and the consequences of creation.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

A story of love, mystery, and self-discovery, set against the brooding backdrop of Thornfield Hall.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

A Gothic masterpiece full of eerie atmospheres, academic investigation, and the dark allure of the unknown.

𝒎𝒐𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒏 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒔

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

A Shakespearean tragedy set in an elite performing arts college, where students’ lives unravel after a murder.

Vita Nostra by Marina & Sergey Dyachenko

A surreal and unsettling novel about a young woman attending a mysterious school where reality bends under the weight of knowledge.

Bunny by Mona Awad

A darkly humorous and sinister look at creativity, academia, and a cult-like clique in a prestigious MFA program.

The Atlas Six trilogy by Olivie Blake

A magical dark academia tale about six exceptionally talented magicians competing for a place in a secret society that guards knowledge.

In The Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

A memoir with Gothic undertones that explores trauma, storytelling, and academic reflection.

𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒚/𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒔

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

A mysterious and haunting tale of a young boy discovering a forgotten book and its dark history.

The Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

A supernatural dark academia story set in Yale’s secret societies, where magic and danger collide.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

A chilling Gothic mystery set in a decaying mansion, with a protagonist investigating her cousin's eerie marriage.

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware

A tale of friendship, deceit, and secrets in the shadow of a Gothic boarding school.

Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth

A queer, layered story blending Gothic horror and academic intrigue across timelines.

𝒑𝒐𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒚 & 𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒔

The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson

Dickinson’s introspective and haunting poetry complements the aesthetic’s love of literature and existential reflection.

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

For the intellectual side of dark academia, this stoic philosophical work is a guide to self-reflection and understanding.

Paradise Lost by John Milton

An epic poem exploring rebellion, ambition, and the fall from grace, perfect for the themes of the aesthetic.

Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake

Poetry reflecting duality, beauty, and the darker aspects of human nature.

𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒕𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒕

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

A magical school where survival is key, blending dark academia with fantasy and wit.

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Noell by Susanna Clarke

A dense, Gothic tale of magic, rivalry, and ambition in 19th-century England.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

A modern, darker take on a magical academy, filled with existential musings and flawed characters.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

A historical and fantastical romance steeped in academia, libraries, and ancient mysteries.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

A haunting, introspective story set in an otherworldly labyrinth that plays with memory, knowledge, and solitude.

𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒅𝒖𝒍𝒕

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

A suspenseful story of privilege, power, and systemic secrets in an elite private school.

Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas

A slow-burning, atmospheric novel about an experimental university and the price of knowledge.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

A tale of mystery, tragedy, and privilege among a wealthy, secluded family.

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

A series rich with mysticism, academic undertones, and a search for ancient knowledge.

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

A romantic and artistic dark fantasy set in a world of fae and forbidden craft.

Did you read any of the books mentioned here? And if so what was your favorite/your opinion on them?

I personally read most of the books here and loved every single one.

-michala♡

[urupotter]

One of the reasons I find Snape kind of unique as a character in the stories I've read in that his particular combination of traits is... rare. By this I mean in that A) he has virtues and skills that would normally appear in a main character, a hero, hell even a teen boy power-fantasy, completely larger than life demonstrations of competence and virtue, while at the same time B) having traits that would normally be given to petty villains in order to make them look lame/pathetic, in order for the audience to laugh at the loser. (petty villains are not the same as regular villains, it's the difference between Filch and Voldemort. Voldemort is infinitely more evil but is rarely someone you pity/think is a loser the way you do Filch).

For A) he is a genius immensely skilled at magic and is hyper competent, inventing spells and potions as a teenager, is self sacrificing and brave to ridiculous extremes, over and over again, more than any other character bar the protagonist himself, is a spy that constantly makes the main villain look like a fool, is so virtuous he risks himself to save people he hates because it's the right thing to do, has tons of sarcastic one liners and witty jokes, is intimidating and smooth and has presence, I could go on. All these are traits you give to the Harry Potters of the world.

For B) he's ugly in a very visceral way, he bullies children who did nothing to him and makes them cry, he's bullied and never truly gets his revenge, in fact the girl he's in love with gets together with his bully, he's constantly humiliated (i.e. the Neville boggart scene where he's made to dress in an old woman's clothes, Dumbledore telling him that he disgusts him, the SWM scene). All this is stuff you give to the Filch's of the world.

More interesting than gray morality of whatever the fuck, which I've seen before, Snape is unique to me in that he's as much of a classical hero, larger than life teenage hyper-competence power fantasy made to idealize and try (and inevitably fail) to live up to as he is a pathetic petty tyrant loser made for the audience to laugh at and feel sorry for while hating him at the same time. It's like if you fused Harry Potter's virtues with Argus Filchs flaws. And he never really stops being either of these things throughout the story, he is cool and pathetic always. It's what makes him so incongruous to me, and part of what makes him inspire such strong emotions. People, whether fans or people that hate him, don't really know on what traits to lean into more: Is he cool or pathetic? Lame or awesome? The reality is that he's both. At both extremes at the same time, writing Snape correctly requires toeing the line between power-fantasy and masochistic self-flagellation.