#most tragic tournament round 5

[flockoff]

They are--Kind of helping. LAST 50 MINUTES TO VOTE FOR VERGIL FOR ROUND 5 OF THE MOST TRAGIC CHARACTER TOURNAMENT!

[most-tragic-character-tournament]

PROPAGANDA UNDER THE CUT: [SPOILERS AND POSSIBLE TRIGGERS AHEAD]

SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG:

ACHILLES:

[ultimategenshintournament]

Ultimate Genshin Tournament: Round 5

Propaganda below cut

Venti:

calls the Traveler "his warrior" plus he's like our long-time friend??? He basically asked us out during the alchemy event???? You can choose to bring him up during the fight with Signora????? He's the best idc

He. Is. Amazing. So many layers, so interesting...So much trauma and potential...Not to mention look how AWESOME he is generally!!! He's kind and caring towards everybody, and also carefree and mischievous!!! How can you not love him??

he’s TOO GOOD for this world- he’s just a little guy!! Like he cares for his nation and the people of Mondstadt SO MUCH it hurts when people say he doesn’t. Like, my poor trauma-driven little mega-powerful war god who’s actually just a tiny little wind spirit honoring his dead friend!!!! I love him so much

his lore means he gets brought up almost every patch. he convinced a bunch of the most lethal women in Teyvat to have tea instead of screwing him up. he would always rather take the path of least resistance. he’s the three time best bard in Mond. he never seeks glory, only wishes to offer it to others. he was a better father to Diona than her real one five minutes into meeting her. he gives Glory whispers of what the world looks like so she can navigate. when a nun of his own church denied his identity he decided to run a heist to steal back an item that is only holy because it is his. he keeps his misery and loneliness trapped within, and does his best to bring joy to every person he meets. how can you not love him? 

He's Venti. How do you beat that? Answer: you don't. You can't. 

they say that an nation is most like their archon but is the anemo archon a god that took after the people's traits or did the people take their archons traits (the only correct answer is that venti took after old mond's people traits and it's so disgustingly sweet, he's a lil baby who cared so much that he kept old mond's wishes heard and their dream a reality — of freedom (without a god, as much as he could) where humanity leads trust. he left mondstadt because he trusted that humanity would do that right thing always but then he got betrayed by the Lawrence clan but he forgave them???! the anemo archon gave them no punishment , but mondstadt did . venti has me ugly crying

Kaeya:

He's cool, he's mysterious, he wears an eyepatch, he has a super tragic backstory, he's good with kids, he takes care of his friends, what's not to love!!!

despite all the hardships he’s suffered, he’s still such a kind person 

This is the character of the everyman. Everyone should love Kaeya because he's with you no matter what. He has the great mystery of his origins and his damage with his family and his brother, but he is with you til the end. That's what makes him so special to me

Furina:

girl deserves therapy and hugs and the best life in the WORLD because oh boy she went through a lot!!!! wouldn't pretending to be a god for 500 years with no support mess you up? and yet she still kept on going for her people!! she wanted to save her nation from a doomsday prophecy and she DID

After act 5 she deserves the world :(

“If all the people of Fontaine are on one side, and I am on the other…is it not obvious where the scales of suffering should tilt?” NO IT ISNT YOU’RE JUST ABNORMALLY SELFLESS AND INCREDIBLE AND PERSISTENT. Even the Archons praise Furina’s name and say she is a human with strength and capability worthy of an Archon. That’s not even to speak of Focalors. She snapped at Arlecchino only when the Harbinger implied that Furina had done nothing to preserve her people from the flood. Meanwhile every minute she was working to prevent the prophecy. A month after we took her to court and almost got her killed she agreed to help us direct a play, a favor for a favor

[hellaversepolls]

Tournament Poll: The K in FMK (2024)

The next tournament, “Hellaverse Character with the Most Tragic Backstory”, will start this Friday, December 27th, will polls for round 1 being posted until Monday, December 30th.

and the winner of “Most Killable Hellaverse Character” (2024) is…

Valentino

to celebrate, I’ve made a new shitty pic in paint

In summary

Most Killable Hellaverse Characters: Valentino (1st Place)

Stella (2nd Place)

Crimson and Katie Killjoy (3rd Place)

================================================

Competitors (64): Adam, Agent One, Agent Two, Alastor, Alessio, Andrealphus, Angel Dust, Asmodeus, Barbie Wire, Beelzebub, Bethany Ghostfucker, Blitzo, Carmilla Carmine, Cash Buckzo, Charlie, Chazwick, Cherri Bomb, Cletus, Collin, Crimson, Emberlynn, Emily, Fizzarolli, Glam, Glitz, Husk, Katie Killjoy, Keenie, Lilith, Loona, Loopty Goopty, Lucifer, Lute, Lyle Lipton, Mammon, Martha, Millie, Mimzy, Moxxie, Mrs. Mayberry, Niffty, Paimon, Rita, Rolando, Rosie, Saint Peter, Sallie May, Sera, Sir Pentious, Stella, Stolas, Striker, Susan, Toledo, Tom Trench, Vaggie, Valentino, Velvette, Verosika, Vortex, Vox, Wally Wackford, Zeezi, Zestial

EDIT: Rounds 4-6 will START on Mondays instead of taking over the whole weekend. Once Round 6 is over and the ultimate winner is determined, we'll allow the winners the rest of the week to celebrate before moving onto the "Hellaverse Character with the Most Tragic Backstory" poll tournament (by popular vote).

I also came up with a “gun to your head” style scenario for this tournament if that makes the voting process easier for people that want to vote but aren’t really interested in killing any of the characters.

SCENARIO:

You have once again found yourself with an unpayable debt to a higher power (you should probably stop doing that). The only way the debt can be forgiven is if you kill one of the listed competitors. The debt you've accrued has given you the power and resources needed to kill any of them. Pick whoever you'd be willing to kill.

Voting rules and match lists under read more.

VOTING RULES:

Feel free to spread as much propaganda for your choice as you like if that’s your thing, as long as you remember the following:

- Please Don’t Threaten/Promise to Compromise the Safety of Yourself or Others (Example: “If [x] doesn’t win I will shoot myself”, “If you don’t vote for [y] I’m going to doxx you”, etc.). I cannot imagine anyone actually getting heated enough to do this, but if you’re thinking about it, please don’t :)

- Please try to avoid being racist/transphobic/etc in your propaganda (and like in general, but here is a good start).

- Please try to avoid writing anything extremely graphic (read: “Dead Dove: Do Not Eat” levels of shit).

I’d appreciate it if we could avoid bot-spamming in the votes.

================================================

FINAL ROUND:

Stella vs Valentino

================================================

ROUND 5:

Katie Killjoy vs Stella (Winner: Stella)

Crimson vs Valentino (Winner: Valentino)

================================================

ROUND 4:

Katie Killjoy vs Susan (Winner: Katie Killjoy)

Chazwick vs Stella (Winner: Stella)

Rolando vs Valentino (Winner: Valentino)

Crimson vs Lyle Lipton (Winner: Crimson)

================================================

ROUND 3:

Section 1:

Susan vs Toledo (Winner: Susan)

Agent Two vs Katie Killjoy (Winner: Katie Killjoy)

Section 2:

Chazwick vs Collin (Winner: Chazwick)

Cletus vs Stella (Winner: Stella)

Section 3:

Loopty Goopty vs Valentino (Winner: Valentino)

Adam vs Rolando (Winner: Rolando)

Section 4:

Crimson vs Lute (Winner: Crimson)

Lyle Lipton vs Tom Trench (Winner: Lyle Lipton)

================================================

ROUND 2:

Section 1:

Alessio vs Susan (Winner: Susan)

Rita vs Toledo (Winner: Toledo)

Agent One vs Katie Killjoy (Winner: Katie Killjoy)

Agent Two vs Stolas (Winner: Agent Two)

Section 2:

Collin vs Martha (Winner: Collin)

Carmilla Carmine vs Chazwick (Winner: Chazwick)

Cherri Bomb vs Cletus (Winner: Cletus)

Andrealphus vs Stella (Winner: Stella)

Section 3:

Valentino vs Velvette (Winner: Valentino)

Glam vs Loopty Goopty (Winner: Loopty Goopty)

Glitz vs Rolando (Winner: Rolando)

Adam vs Zeezi (Winner: Adam)

Section 4:

Lute vs Striker (Winner: Lute)

Crimson vs Keenie (Winner: Crimson)

Lyle Lipton vs Mrs. Mayberry (Winner: Lyle Lipton)

Emberlynn vs Tom Trench (Winner: Tom Trench)

================================================

ROUND 1:

Section 1:

Alessio vs Blitzo (Winner: Alessio)

Mimzy vs Susan (Winner: Susan)

Toledo vs Wally Wackford (Winner: Toledo)

Rita vs Sallie May (Winner: Rita)

Agent One vs Moxxie (Winner: Agent One)

Katie Killjoy vs Loona (Winner: Katie Killjoy)

Angel Dust vs Stolas (Winner: Stolas)

Agent Two vs Rosie (Winner: Agent Two)

Section 2:

Collin vs Vox (Winner: Collin)

Martha vs Sera (Winner: Martha)

Chazwick vs Vortex (Winner: Chazwick)

Carmilla Carmine vs Charlie Morningstar (Winner: Carmilla Carmine)

Alastor vs Cletus (Winner: Cletus)

Beelzebub vs Cherri Bomb (Winner: Cherri Bomb)

Andrealphus vs Husk (Winner: Andrealphus)

Saint Peter vs Stella (Winner: Stella)

Section 3:

Cash Buckzo vs Valentino (Winner: Valentino)

Emily vs Velvette (Winner: Velvette)

Loopty Goopty vs Zestial (Winner: Loopty Goopty)

Bethany Ghostfucker vs Glam (Winner: Glam)

Paimon vs Rolando (Winner: Rolando)

Glitz vs Verosika (Winner: Glitz)

Adam vs Asmodeus (Winner: Adam)

Barbie Wire vs Zeezi (Winner: Zeezi)

Section 4:

Lucifer vs Striker (Winner: Striker)

Lute vs Niffty (Winner: Lute)

Crimson vs Mammon (Winner: Crimson)

Keenie vs Millie (Winner: Keenie)

Lyle Lipton vs Sir Pentious (Winner: Lyle Lipton)

Mrs. Mayberry vs Vaggie (Winner: Mrs. Mayberry)

Fizzarolli vs Tom Trench (Winner: Tom Trench)

Emberlynn vs Lilith (Winner: Emberlynn)

[companion-showdown]

now the popularity contest is over for another year

okay, so some housekeeping

we have a new TV companion, so the list of automatic qualifiers for full tournaments needs changing. I wanted to keep the same total number so Kamelion is no longer an autoqualifier. It also messes up the groups I use for the pre-tournament seeding round as I can no longer segregate new/classic/eu companions into groups of 8, so those have all been redone into groups of 4 or 5.

I've got new images for all the companions (actually that might be a lie because I've not checked, but I've gone through and updated all of them)

I'm always happy to take more suggestions, there's a list of stuff I've run before here.

as ever after a longer break, I can no longer remember who's tournament ideas I have and haven't credited, so everyone is getting recredited under the cut (including ones I couldn't fit in the poll above) if uncredited its my idea

Best companion for a Time War was suggested anonymously

Most girlboss (gender neutral) energy was suggested anonymously

Best Debut Story, Best Leaving Story, and Companion you'd most Like to See Reappear were suggested by @thenugking

Best at Poker was suggested anonymously

best Companion to Drink/Smoke Weed With was suggested anonymously

Should've had a spinoff and Deserved a Better Ending were suggested by the same person anonymously

The Doctor's favourite

Best TARDIS team (list of teams, needs updating)

Most likely to wander off was suggested by @a-tad-bit-obsessed

Most tragic companion was suggested anonymously

Experienced the most horrors was suggested by @seismologically-silly

the worst time aboard the TARDIS

best entrance was suggested anonymously

most underrated companion was suggested by @kittybunprincess

most like their doctor, least like their doctor, and AU companions were suggested by @gaia-mix-nicolosi

which companion would make the best villain (me, but bouncing off a similar idea from someone anonymous, not listed here because I decided it would make a better min)

[catholic-character-tournament]

Round 5 - Catholic Character Tournament

Propaganda below ⬇️

Hellboy Propaganda

He is literally the beast of the apocalypse. He was forcibly assigned catholic at birth, he deserves this. Now i know the rules said no demons, and that is fair. But here is my propaganda: he is a half-demon AND he absolutely does not want to end the world. He just wants to hang out and beat up monsters and work his job. But catholic guilt and apocalypse stuff always gets in the way. The comic books contain a ridiculous amount of religious imagery, the author was raised catholic, and passages from the bible are occasionally quoted. Hellboy is also portrayed as a messianic figure in conjunction with being an apocalyptic one. He uh, kind of becomes the savior of the new world and its like a whole thing. Catholic imagery appears frequently. Statues of the virgin mary, churches, etc. he also wears a literal cross on his belt, what can i say.

Okay here’s my rant. Hi, hello, propaganda. The last ten issues of the comic literally feature Hellboy going to hell and killing satan. He kills satan, fucks around in hell for a bit, and then blows everything up and its godamn tragic. Forcibly assigned catholic at birth. A bro did not ask for this it just happened. His mom was a witch but tried to become catholic after she died. Kind of a banger move. It didn’t work out for her but she gets points for trying. He tried real hard to save the world and it kind of worked but he did still die and go to hell. But not because he did anything bad, it was just kind of unavoidable. Again, he did blow the place the fuck up when he was done so. Respect.

Lapsed Catholic who is literally a half demon and also the rightful King of England that’s right he’s descended from King Arthur on his mother’s side.

Matt

Matt's faith in the show is really important and well explored; one of the first scenes of the show is Matt going to confession (or, well, talking to his priest since he's not really confessing at that point). Matt struggles a lot with what he's supposed to do; everyone's telling him to kill the villain and he kinda wants to, but he literally says: "I know my soul is damned if I take his life". He struggles with his faith and goes with his doubts to his priest, and it's beautiful—also when he finally gets a costume for his vigilanteing he chooses to dress as the devil, lol. (His priest tells him that nothing makes people run to Church faster than the feeling of having the devil on their heels.)

a lot of the show is about how he justifies his vigilante actions with his faith, and whether he's doing the right thing in trying to help people or just using it as an outlet for his anger. the literal first scene of the show has him in a confession booth talking to his priest (who is a really interesting character too). this is not the scene I was talking about but it's such an excellent scene with matt talking to his priest: https://youtu.be/XHZ3NbEIDdw

canonically catholic but dresses like a demon to be quirky

honestly i dont wanna type too much but i feel that matt is a great example of someone who battles with his faith because he rarely loses his faith but rather fights with why he was made the way he was and put through what he was. He believes himself to have the devil inside him but believes that God put him there

ok in the comics barring the most current run matt has Mostly been a non-practicing Catholic that very rarely actually does any catholic Activities but ends up falling back into the Mindset and very occasionally dramatically taking confession (ex. in that one issue where he takes confession, basically tells the father that he is uniquely terrible and is thinking about violently murdering someone and when the father says "you can be forgiven" hes like "AUGFH-- NO!!!!!!!!!!" and runs out) when he's gone through some shit. and i love that its so relatable

This guy so catholic he spends an ungodly amount of time just chilling in the church. And goes there whenever there is a moral conundrum about killing people being Bad even though it would solve a lot of problems and stop said people from killing other people. This happens every other episode. Matt is the Catholic Guilt Guy. There's actually a lot of catholic stuff in the show as a whole. Just a compilation would be like three whole episodes long.

Hes great hes catholic enough to not outrught murder people but not catholic enough to not fuck before marriage hes a bisexual disaster at all times hes besties with a priest might i add hes great hes my special little guy

his catholicism is a huge piece of his characterisation he was raised by nuns in a catholic orphanage, the first scene we ever see him (as an adult and not a flashback) is him going to confession, he is good friend with his priest and has regular debates with him, etc also in s3 he has a huge crisis of faith after he lost A Lot where he stops believing for a while and it's linked to his identity crisis where he actually wants to kill another person (a hard line he previously chose never to cross) and wants to be only daredevil and not matt murdock, when he is both and needs both to exist also when he was a kid his grandmother used to say "watch out for the murdock boys, they've got the devil in them" and it created a surprising lot of his issues

So he's both catholic in the comics and the show but he's More Catholic in the show. Like, raised in a catholic orphanage by nuns (ONE OF WHICH IS HIS *MOTHER*), second scene in the show has him in a confession box kind. Matt Murdock goes out and gets the shit beaten out of him nightly and also beats the shit out of other people and purposefully leaned into devil iconography as his theme. When his nurse friend says, he takes a lot of punishment without one complaint he says "That part's the Catholicism." It is a Core Aspect of his character (at least in the show). He makes me insane. Also the same chemicals that blinded him created the teenage mutant ninja turtles and everyone should know that.

They went to confession to a priest who they had saved as their costumed counterpart and the guy recognized them by the voice, proving that it's possible and everyone else is just dumb

he takes "i wanna fight god" to new and incredibly violent levels, while also being a sweetheart and a goofball

Actually strictly WILL NOT kill criminals. Goes wayyy out of his way to avoid it. Fights with the Punisher about it. Goes to confession booth after nightly vigilante excursions. Feels so much guilt. "How have you been holding up?" "Like a good Caltholic boy" "that bad huh" - actual conversation with his priest

So Daredevil struggles with his mission as a crime fighter because killing criminals goes against his faith. He makes it a point to not kill criminals, believing that even bad people deserve a second chance. This philosophy puts him at odds against The Punisher, who is a relentless killer. As a Catholic myself, while I love the concept of a morally conflicted superhero, I think the worldbuilding around Daredevil is lacking. If he struggles with violence and killing, why doesn't he pray to warrior saints like Saint Michael, Saint Ignatius of Loyola (a former knight), or Saint Joan of Arc? Why isn't there a community of other Catholics he can turn to for guidance, considering New York City has a sizeable population of Catholics? And why are the churches he goes to always empty? Doesn't he know that the Catholic Church supports the just war theory? I think that would have made his burden more bearable.

He goes to church and confesses to punching people and says "imma do it again can i apologize in advance" and the father dude says "no you're meant to stop now" and Matt says "no" and they do this everyday. I'm not remembering it properly but this is a canon interaction i swear

HELLO HI YES I LOVE HIM AND WILL INFOR DUMP ok so. he is a vigalantty and he got named daredevil and he is an orphan and after the age of 12 was raised in an orphanage at a Catholic church and his therapist is his priest via confession abd. also his mother is a nun he has a whole mental breakdown over god and called Job a pussy because he liked god until he got better and liked god again he said "I'm dearedrvil and not even god can stop that now" and he's so cool

matt is a freakish little babygirl who was raised by nuns and definitely has religious trauma. i hate him so much (affectionately)

he’s literally fucking insane about it i don’t know what to say here. he thinks he’s chosen by god to go on some sort of holy quest to save hell’s kitchen. joan of arc ass.

i already know hes in by default j just wanted to give him a personal shout out i love this angsty catholic dweeb

how practicing he is depends on the run, but in my favorite he is quite literally confessing to a member of the last extant order millitant who happens to be a priest at a church in hells kitchen.

i love him for having the funniest version of a trope i usually hate (person gets into confession booth and asks forgiveness not for what they've done, but for what they're about to do). usually this trope just looks silly to me bc like. the priest would just say "i can't do that" and you would have to either awkwardly explain yourself or just Leave. it's funny when matt does it because fr. lantom is probably like "what are you gonna do???" and matt's like "lol. lmao. 😊 hehehe." anyway we love this angry catholic man who dresses up like the devil to beat people up in hell's kitchen

64.media.tumblr.com

64.media.tumblr.com

64.media.tumblr.com

I'm sure Harrow is lovely and I respect the space lesbians but listen to me. Listen.

Matt Murdock is the Catholic character of all time, and if you make him lose, I am blowing up this website and everyone in it.

He is Catholic. His mother is a nun. He grew up in a catholic orphanage. Half the episodes in the show include him going to confession. When he needs therapy, he talks to his priest. He dresses up as a devil partly because of the Catholicism.

64.media.tumblr.com

One time he got godly powers on loan from Heimdall (see below), and he did a lot of good with it, and then the second it was over he just... well. Also see below!

64.media.tumblr.com

64.media.tumblr.com

This man's every coping mechanism is Catholicism.

Please vote for Matt in the @catholic-character-tournament because he's the best and most realistic representation of what it means to be Catholic. Someone who's been punched and bet and crushed by life but still gets up every day to try. No, he's not a nun like his competition but he's not less devoted because of that. Not everyone is called to service. In the day he works at a defense lawyer to help people. Not for the money but to help people not get screwed over by the law. And at night, he dons a mask and beats up assholes when the law fails them. Is he perfect? No, that's the point. Matt is a broken man who is just trying his best to do well and live like Jesus.

He fully embodies the Catholic doctrine of faith and good works. He has faith in what he's doing even if others challenge him. He believes in forgiveness and repenting even when going up against "the devil."

64.media.tumblr.com

64.media.tumblr.com

"The people you murder deserve another chance." ... "No, Frank. To try again, Frank. To try. And if you don't get that, there's something broken in you you can't fix, and you really are a nutjob." "You think God made you a one-man firing squad. But you're wrong. There is goodness in people, even in you. And you're gonna have to kill me, 'cause I'm never gonna stop coming for you, until I take you down."

Daredevil Season 2 Episode 3

He (tries) to love his enemy. He believes in Elektra and Frank and maybe Dex and their ability to change. To be good. And when he can't, Matt refuses to compromise on his morals. While not quite "turning his cheek" he never scoops to their level. Because they don't get to destroy who he is.

64.media.tumblr.com

Daredevil Season 3 Episode 13

All he does is for the love he has to his neighbors, his community. He loves New York. Not for self-fulfilling needs or for the money or for the fame. He does it because he believes in justice. Because the law was created by humans and is inherently sinful.

"But his competition met God and was disappointed and blah blah"

Daredevil is more grounded (at least the show, maybe less the comics). So now, Matt doesn't met God. But he sure gets mad at him. All of season 3 he angry at God for all the trauma he expired.

64.media.tumblr.com

"You see, that was me, Sister. I suffered willingly. I gave my, uh... sweat and blood and skin without complaint. Because I too believed I was God's soldier. ( chuckles ) Well, not anymore. I am what I do in the dark now. I bleed only for myself. ( scoffs )" ... "You might hate God right now, but the feeling is not mutual." "No, I don't hate him. I've just seen his true face, is all."

Season 3 episode 1

As a Catholic I don't really want to fight God in a parking lot. Well I do but not in the same way that I've understood (primarily Jewish people but probably other Abrahamic religions) want to fight God in a Denny's parking lot. I want to yell and scream and cry at God and for the feeling to not be mutual. For Him to never stop loving me. As long as I have faith, He will reach out his hand.

[straightbaittournament]

only the option with the LEAST votes will be eliminated. propaganda under the cut (and more always welcome!):

chrissie cunningham and eddie munson:

Had the CUTEST SCENE IN THE ENTIRE SHOW where they flirted and he tried to sell her drugs but then SHE GOT MURDERED and it was tragic

ava silva and michael salvius:

They have some amusingly straightbaity scenes where Michael initially appears to be interested in Ava (meeting her in a bar, asking questions about her, pursuing her to get her to do things with him and inviting her to kick ass with him) but almost all of these scenes are explicitly for plot reasons or end up displaying the closeness of Ava and Beatrice (and Beatrice’s jealousy over Ava seemingly being interested in a man) instead. Michael and Ava develop a strong close relationship that feels more sibling-esque by the end of season 2 and also Michael straight up dies at the end of season 2 as well.

nina zenik and matthias helvar:

[MAJOR SPOILER] If they were truly straight Matthias wouldn’t have died (submitter also stated that nina is revealed to be bi/pan)

oscar francois de jarjayes and andre grenadier:

Oscar was afab but her father gave her a boy's name and raised her as a boy (by 18th century standards) because sexism and he had 5 daughters and decided she was going to be a son because they were a noble family and he wanted a son to become a high ranking military official because they're rich so they can just do that. Oscar joins the army and becomes Marie-Antoinette's personal guard. Her and childhood best friend Andre are very close through out the series (he supports her throughout the many scandals that she has to deal with because she works for the royal family) and at the end of the series it is revealed that they are in love, but they are both killed in the war before they can actually get together. The dying before they can be together might fall into the buried straights category but they relationship also has really queer energy because throughout the series it becomes apparent that Oscar usually Does Not Vibe with only the gender she assigned at birth. She sometimes refers to herself as a woman, sometimes refers to herself as a man, but her attitude is usually basically 'I'm a man, I'm a woman, I'm both, I'm neither, stop asking'. So I think they should count as straightbait because we find out that Oscar is nonbinary and Andre loves her no matter what her gender is (and then they die before they can get together).

jason grace and piper mclean:

So. Hera/Juno put a bunch of fake memories in Piper’s head of a months long relationship with Jason. However plot and stuff happens and they end up dating for real. Except no they didn’t. In the next series Apollo goes to them to ask for help and finds out they’ve broken up. Then there was a death prophecy that for once was actually fulfilled (RIP Jason). Finally at the end of ToA Piper was seen kissing a girl and your choice how to interpret that. Got together because a goddess shipped them. Broke up because they realised they were gay.

abbie mills and ichabod crane:

They both start out as main characters, working together since ep. 1. Next three seasons follow the regular m/f protagonist duo pattern: they need each other's help, there's chemistry going on, there are heartwrenching scenes and dramatic sacrifices, they learn they can only truly rely on each other - so the next step is to let them be together, right? Wrong. The next step is to let lt. Mills make a final sacrifice, which on top of killing the pairing insults her as a character - suddenly from the POV protagonist she started as she's demoted to secondary character who always was just there to be the main guy's support. There are some feelings acknowledged, but no confessions or promises exchanged during the final fleeting reunion. Three-seasons-worth of build-up and then she dies.

valkyrie and thor:

Like a lot of ships with a white man and a woman of color, their chemistry and history get shunted to the side by racist writers and fans who refuse to acknowledge them as anything other than friends.

buffy summers and spike:

Buffy's a vampire slayer and Spike's a vampire. Enemies to Lovers. Absolutely not intended by creators, creators treated it like a joke at first, then some of the writers/producers actively hated it even throughout their canon relationship, they don't technically get together in the end, also he dies (kind of. he's brought back in another show. and the comics. it's complicated). Very queercoded relationship despite being m/f - desire, euphoria, shame, slowburn, keeping it a secret, doesn't think anyone else will understand or accept them, wanting to change for the better.

peggy carter and daniel sousa:

She’s the best secret agent, he’s a hot as hell disabled war vet They get together, but also don’t because apparently Steve Rogers is a homewrecker Peggy moved on after losing Steve, got together with the amazing Daniel Sousa, and then got broken up because the Russos didn’t want Steve to be seen as being gay for Bucky

entrapta and hordak:

Heavily heavily heavily hinted/slow burn

good luck everybody! now go vote!

[bokvshou]

i agree. just a small correction: vivinos said she didn't want them to OVERLAP mizi but in the end she was very happy because ivantill also showed the tragedy that is alien stage. but yeah. not denying that there's a bias towards male characters and mlm ships in fandoms bc it's true, but i think a lot of fans are completely ignoring all the other reasons people might be more invested on ivantill:

1) the thing is, we see more information and scenes about ivantill in the MVs than we do about mizisua. we see ivan at the end of Round 2, Round 3 is exclusively dedicated to ivan's unrequited love, they create expectation of their round in Top 3 and All-in, and Round 6 is their duet. even without looking at the official arts the MVs scenes help us build a timeline and a more concrete idea of how they were together (we have their first meeting as babies, the scene where ivan falls in love with till, childhood scenes, the failed escape under the stars, the karaoke scene, and finally their round together). their version of My Clematis even offers us a little more of their dynamic. it gives us time to get to know them and take an interest in them.

mizisua on the other hand ends very quickly for most people to be seriously invested; sua dies in the first round, and even if her character definitely continues to haunt the narrative, she's not as present as i would like, yes it's important that mizi hallucinates her (like in Round 5) but there are not many clues that can tell us how they lived their life before Round 1 because their scenes are more symbolic than anything. we know they were in love, we know it was reciprocal and they spent all their time together, but what else? did any major events ever happen between them? i wish we could see more of that.

2) they are different types of tragedy, people are always fascinated with dramatic stories, but they don't offer the same thing. ivantill is tragic because it was a mess of misunderstandings, an unrequited love (and that generates more pity in people bc it's easier to relate to that) and it feels more unattainable because as much as we like to pretend otherwise, it's never been established if till is interested in men at all, not really, so that adds one more layer to it.

mizisua feels stable, perhaps too stable for some. they were a reciprocal love since the moment they met and there's no remarkable event in their life that we know of (something like ivantill's meteor shower scene) until the moment sua dies. and of course, those of us who are up to date with comics and official arts know sua was tormented by what would happen and felt she was harming mizi with her love, but that's not common knowledge (and that's a problem in itself but i'll comment on it later). you don't see that in the MVs and you can't blame the general public for that.

3) i think the lack of mizisua songs is a big mistake. Alien Stage is a musical project at the end of the day, and neither of them really has a chance to sing much. sua dies in the first three minutes, Sweet Dream is basically just the opening of Alien Stage, and mizi left the tournament too quickly to be allowed to sing, because in Ruler Of My Heart she only serves as a background voice, which even if it makes sense story-wise, it's still a shame (and listen, if they want to sell her as the protagonist, it's a crime for me not to let her sing that much. no wonder there are people who believe till is the protagonist).

4) going back to a previous observation, i think the fact that more than half of the content is hidden in official arts, merchandise, and patreon sometimes does more harm than anything. i know there's only so much information you can cram into 3-minute music videos, but a lot of the content isn't easily accessible to audiences, and unfortunately mizisua suffers a lot from this (and individual characters like luka and ivan, too). i understand the reasons why the patreon exists and why vivimeng don't let fans show off certain merchandise, but it's still sad that there's a percentage of fans who have to miss a lot of details.

i definitely think that if ivantill and mizisua had their roles reversed, ivantill wouldn't be as popular as it is now. they would still be relevant because it would still be an interesting story and being men will always serve in their favor, but it would not be the same in any way.

i don't know if it's true but i read somewhere that said that vivinos didn't want it to be an ivantill kiss because it would overshadow mizisua (which happened) and this person said it's because they're men (which is mostly true) but i also think that mizisua love is tragic but more tender? and ivantill is more of a despairing kind of love. i love mizisua and i find them really interesting and maybe it's just me but the whole ivantill dynamic feels so tragic in a different way. mizisua is tragic sure but their love feels more pure and when i think about ivantill it's just makes me feel kind of heartbroken, like no matter what could have changed they were bound to end up like that. like truly doomed by the narrative. i fr think if mizisua and ivantill changed stories the interest people have on ivantill would not be this massive. or maybe not, since they're still. men (and that still plays a part) but i sure as hell would be more invested in mizisua (but i also feel like applies to me because im kind of a pessimistic type of person)

[ghoulschooldropout]

Hello! and welcome to the—

ULTIMATE FALLOUT FRIDGED WOMAN TOURNAMENT! ☢️🥶

the only Tumblr competition where all the participants are dead women, and the real winner is the narrative that exploits them! This poll was made to poke fun at the Fallout franchise's misogyny favorite plot device & backstory trope, but hopefully it also shines a little spotlight on some female characters that (I think we can all agree on) deserve better!

Anyway, without further ado, here's who will be going head to head:

ROUND ONE

Match 1: 👑Nora (fo4) vs. Sarah Kellogg (fo4)

Match 2: 👑Barbara (fo4) vs. Jennifer Lands (fo4)

Match 3: 👑Vera Keyes (fnv) vs. Lucy MacCready (fo4)

Match 4: Rachel Watkins (fo4) vs. 👑Rafaela Tejada (fnv)

Match 5: Claudia (fnv) vs. 👑Glory (fo4)

Match 6: Mary Abernathy (fo4) vs. 👑Sarah Lyons (fo3)

Match 7: 👑Catherine (fo3) vs. Initiate Reddin (fo3)

Match 8: 👑Carla Boone (fnv) vs. Hannah (fo4)

Additional Notes:

The polls go live at 12:01am Feb 5, each match will be staggered by 5 min (after which this list will be updated with links for easy navigation).

You have 24hrs to vote, then I'll update this post with the winners, and who will be moving on to the next round

How you make your decision is up to you - but here are some things to keep in mind as you vote:

how memorable/iconic is this character?

how tragic are the circumstances of their death?

how necessary/important is their death to the narrative?

which character do you wish was still alive so you could be besties?

And most importantly- have fun! Happy voting, and may the best (worst written?) woman win!

[elgaberino-mcoc]

NEWLY LISTED: STARBRAND

Starbrand has been added to the MCOC Wishlist. 

Background

The Star Brand is a mysterious mark that imbues immense cosmic power to the marked.

The brand first appeared in Marvel’s New Universe, which was intended to be a separate world entirely, introduced as a departure from Marvel’s existing fare. Empowerment by the Star Brand was ultimately a rather tragic thing for Kenneth Connell and his various time-displaced identities, who left some power in the hands of a janitor while they self-exiled to explore solutions. They eventually neutralized their own threat to existence, by virtue of the Brand, by locking themselves in a time-loop, but neglected a fragment of Star Brand power left behind with a pilot named Jim.

With the commercial failure of the New Universe books, its characters and concepts were eventually folded into the Marvel multiverse and Earth-616, in the 1980s primarily associated with Quasar and his girlfriend Kayla Ballantine.

During the Amalgam event in conjunction with DC Comics, the Star Brand was associated with a version of another pilot: Green Lantern (Hal Jordan).

During Marvel NOW! event, a young college student, Kevin Conroy, acquired the Star Brand and caused great destruction with his uncontrolled power. He did join the Avengers but his story is a mixed one.

Most recently, the Avengers and Heroes Reborn story have introduced “baby Star Brand,” a baby named Brandy left with the Star Brand when her mother, who previously bore the Brand, died in childbirth. This is a salute to the birth of the Star Child in the original run, whose mother also died in childbirth.

Why Listed Now? 

Everyone who made it to round 5 of the recent Tournament will be listed.

The various characters who have been Starbrand, major or minor, number more than 180 appearances listed on Fandom’s Marvel database. The main two Starbrand heroes, Kenneth and Kevin, combine for more than 95 comics appearances. There are many character mantles currently listed who have far fewer appearances and far less importance to the current run of Avengers and related titles.

Voting

A vote for the Starbrand listing on the MCOC Wishlist counts as a vote for any of Kenneth Connell, Kevin Conroy, Vnn, Brandy, or any carrier of the Star Brand, for that matter.

Last seen around rank 125

[flockoff]

THERE IS 2 HOURS AND 48 MINUTES LEFT TO VOTE FOR VERGIL IN ROUND 5 FOR THE MOST TRAGIC CHARACTER TOURNAMENT!

[most-tragic-character-tournament]

PROPAGANDA UNDER THE CUT: [SPOILERS AND POSSIBLE TRIGGERS AHEAD]

SHEN JIU//ORIGINAL SHEN QINGQIU:

VERGIL:

[whitewolfofwinterfell]

Harry Potter re-read: thoughts and ranking my favourite books

In 2020 I completed a full re-read of Harry Potter for the first time since I was a child. It was a rollercoaster experience of highs and lows; excitement, nostalgia, frustration, joy, boredom and everything in between. It took the whole year (in between reading other books) and I hit a wall in the sumer, but I’m glad I persevered and made it to the end. This series will always hold a special place in my heart and as much as I love the movies, there’s so much detail that is missed from them. I didn’t realise just how much my memories of the HP universe had been shaped by the movies until I read the books. I feel like I’ve reconnected with the universe and characters in an authentic way and lots of my opinions have changed as a result. 

Before we get to the ranking, some disclaimers:

If it wasn’t already obvious SPOILERS BELOW FOR THE HARRY POTTER SERIES (at this point I’d be surprised if there’s anybody that needs this warning, but better safe than sorry!).

This ranking is completely subjective and very changable. I love all of the books and I’ve based the ranking solely on my enjoyment of reading them. 

In writing this post I am in no way supporting or endorsing J.K. Rowling’s works. Her ignorance and hatred is intolerable and abhorrent. I discuss this more in the conclusion of this post.

None of the images or gifs featured were made by me, all credit goes to the creators.

7. The Goblet of Fire

One of my favourite movies, but my least favourite book. This one hasn’t aged well for me. It’s too long, there’s much too filler and it has the disadvantage of coming after The Prisoner of Azkaban. I like the idea of the Triwizard Tournament in theory, but the execution is dull. We spend chapters upon chapters upon chapters with Harry and Hermione researching and preparing for the tasks and the tasks themselves are very anti-climatic. It’s also difficult to ignore the fact that the second and third tasks take part underwater and in a maze, and the audience can’t even see what’s going on. Apparently there’s no spell that can allow the audience to see underwater or inside a maze, not even those Muggle inventions called cameras *face palm*

The sub-plot with S.P.E.W was equally dull and didn’t add much to the story. I also found it deeply uncomfortable and upsetting to read about the enslavement of elves and the way that slavery was portrayed in general. The one positive I took from it was seeing Dobby with his crazy jumpers and socks. Dobby is The Best.

(credit to xbirdyblue on DeviantArt for this wonderful fanart image of Dobby)

The reactions to Harry’s name coming out of the Goblet of Fire is what infuriated me most in this book because it doesn’t even make sense. Firstly, does anybody really believe Harry’s capable of overcoming such powerful magic to put his name in? Secondly, why the fudging hell would Harry want to put his name in the Goblet? He’s a 14 year old child who has endured endless trauma; he’s spent most of his life living in an abusive household and the 3 years he’d been at Hogwarts fighting against Voldemort. He doesn’t want fame or glory, he just wants to live a normal, peaceful life and hang out with his best friends. Ron’s reaction is particularly annoying because he of all people should know Harry wouldn’t put his name in the Goblet. I understand why Ron felt that way and I love him but... 

The one thing I did enjoy about this book is the evolution of Harry’s friendships with Ron and Hermione. Hermione is fiercely loyal to Harry and devoted every waking second to helping him succeed in the tasks. Despite Ron’s silly tantrum and their divide through most of the book, their falling out really does cement Harry’s love for Ron. 

"He thought he could have coped with the rest of the school's behaviour if he could just have Ron back as his friend." 

Harry liked Hermione very much, but she just wasn't the same as Ron. There was much less laughter and a lot more hanging round in the library." 

"The thing Harry Potter will miss the most, sir!"

"Harry didn't care, he wouldn't have cared if Karkaroff had given him zero; Ron's indignation on his behalf was worth a hundred points to him." 

What can I say? Ron is Harry’s platonic soul mate. That is all.

Barty Crouch’s escape from Azkaban and transformation into Moody is more cunning and intelligent than it was in the movies - this dude switched places with his mother and left her in Azkaban in his place!! 

Fred and George were by far the highlight of this book for me. Their characters are great in the movies, but in the books they’re just--

Their antics, wit and banter are top notch. I’d actually forgotten that Harry gave his prize winnings from the Tournament to Fred and George, and it seems like such a huge injustice!! This act of kindness and selflessness on Harry’s part is largely why Fred and George are able to set up Wizard Wheezes. It’s a testament to Harry’s love for Fred and George that he gave them his winnings. Harry may not have needed the money but he could’ve done literally anything with it, and chose to give it to the twins because he believed in their ideas and wanted to give them the opportunity they needed. 

GOF was always one of my favourite movies because of this moment: 

Voldemort’s return was one of the most chilling, terrifying and shocking moments for me as a kid. The scene in the graveyard still stands out as being one of my favourite scenes from the movies. In the books, it didn’t have the same impact, unfortunately. In fact, this is what was noticeable to me all the way through reading this book - I like the movie more. The movie cuts out the filler, takes the interesting aspects of the book and does them better.

Overall, despite being at the bottom of my list, I still like GOF. It’s a huge step up in world-building and is an entertaining book with a great premise;  I loved the Golden Trio’s friendship, the appearances from Dobby and Fred and George’s antics. Unfortunately, this book is let down by the sheer amount of filler, the underwhelming execution of the main plot and too much focus on sub-plots like S.P.E.W.

6. The Sorcerer’s Philosopher’s Stone 

It was really difficult to rank Phliosopher’s Stone, because it holds a special place in my heart because it’s where the series began. This book does a great job at introducing Hogwarts and it captures those nostalgic, magical Hogwarts vibes unlike any of the other books. This book is all about the wonder and the joy of Hogwarts, and Hogwarts lives in my heart, so stepping into this magical world with Harry for the first time again was a joy to read.  

I love the time spent in this book on experiencing the smaller wonders of the magical world with Harry - Platform 9 3/4, Hogwarts Express, Diagon Alley, Ollivanders, the Sorting Hat, Great Hall feasts, ghosts etc. It’s exciting and fun to read about, and truly a gem of a book for children.

Seeing Harry go from living in a cupboard and suffering abuse and neglect to an incredible world full of wonder and people who want to get to know him and show him kindness was a joy to read. I love the development of Harry, Ron and Hermione’s friendship and how, despite how short the book is, it’s developed properly. Their friendship with Hermione doesn’t happen overnight, but by the end there’s a genuine bond and trust between them. 

But of course, as the first book in the series, the plot is lacking and the writing isn’t at its strongest. Also, despite how short it is I did feel a little bored reading the second half. It’s a great entry to the series and does a wonderful job at establishing the world, main trio and other characters, but in the grander scheme of the series it’s quite bland a forgettable. 

5. The Deathly Hallows

Now this one came as a big surprise to me, because before my re-read I considered The Deathly Hallows to be my favourite book, but I just didn’t enjoy it this time around. The first 50-60% of this book got me like: 

I was bored as hell. The travelling, the hunting for Horcruxes, Dumbledore’s backstory, the bickering between Harry, Ron and Hermione...it was tiresome. Fortunately, amongst that there were a lot of isolated things that I enjoyed. 

Firstly, I adore the Tale of the Three Brothers, it’s interesting and I love the depiction of it in the movies - it’s just so cool!

Secondly, Ron and Hermione are very cute in this book, and for the first time I  appreciated them as a romantic ship. 

Thirdly, Harry looking through Sirius’ room and finding a letter from Lily broke my heart. This moment is so touching and completely unexpected, since I’d forgotten about it over the years. 

(credit to alessiatrunifo for this stunning fanart)

Fourthly, LUNA LOVEGOOD. You know what? I have no qualms in saying Luna is one of my new favourite characters since my re-read. I always liked her, but she never stood out to me, and that’s changed. It’s not just that she’s unique and wacky, but that she’s fiercely independent, moral, kind and loyal. Luna has such a strong sense of who she is and she doesn’t let anyone or anything contradict that. 

Can I also admit that I might slightly ship Harry and Luna now? 🙊 Luna seeing through Harry’s disguise as “Barney Weasley” based on his facial expressions alone and their reactions to the possibility of the other being in danger touched my heart. 

"'She will [survive],' said Harry. He could not bear to contemplate the alternative. 'She's tough Luna, much tougher than you'd think. She's probably teaching all the inmates about Wrackspurts and Nargles.'" 

"Oh, no, I didn't want you to be caught!" 

They’re cute, okay?

Finally, Kreacher! This was perhaps one of the biggest surprises from reading this book, because I’d completely forgotten about Kreacher’s story. And boy, oh, boy did this pull on my heartstrings. Kreacher has one of the most tragic backstories in the HP universe and he absolutely deserves the redemption he got in this book. I loved seeing him develop a genine relationship with Harry, Ron and Hermione, and the fact that they never went back for him made me so sad. Poor Kreacher!

I enjoyed all of these elements of the first half of the book, and then I got to The Sacking of Severus Snape and it was like:

This is where the book finally took off for me (unfortunately, it took 30 chapters to get there) and as soon as Harry, Ron and Hermione are back in Hogwarts I couldn’t put it down. There are so many brilliant moments and things I loved that all I can really do is bullet point them:

The character reunions.

Percy finally redeeming himself!!!!

McGonnagal being the most badass to ever badass.

Neville Longbottom owns my heart ❤❤❤

Neville's grandmother's response to finding out Neville was fighting in the battle - "Naturally [he is]. Excuse me, I must go and assist him." 

Ron and Hermione's first kiss!! and Harry’s reaction to it - "Is this the moment? OI! There's a war going on here!"

Percy handing in his resignation whilst Stupefy-ing his boss - "Hello, Minister! Did I mention I'm resigning?"

The Forest Again was such an emotional chapter. It got me good.

"You'll stay with me?" "Until the very end." 😭

"Harry, you wonderful boy. You brave, brave man."

"Perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those, who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well."

Did I mention that Neville is bloomin' amazing?

Kreacher!!!!!! "Fight! Fight! Fight for my master, defender of the house-elves! Fight the Dark Lord in the name of brave Regalus! Fight!"

Reading The Flaw in the Plan was soooo much more satisfying than watching it play out on-screen in the movie. 

In many ways DH has some of the best, most satisfying moments of any of the books. It’s a strong conclusion to the series and there’s so much that I loved about it; so many memorable and emotional moments (Dobby and Fred’s deaths still hit hard 20 years later). Unfortunately, it was dragged down by the first half of the book and the epilogue. I tried so hard to keep an open mind about the epilogue, but the truth is it still BLOWS. And the more time that passes the more I resent the decisions that were made about character deaths. I understand that the stakes were high and we needed to lose characters close to our hearts but Fred?? Dobby??? Remus??? NO! Just no, okay? I don’t accept that. 

4. The Order of the Phoenix

Now, The Order of the Phoenix had similar issues as DH for me - it had a very slow start but a great ending. I did take a couple of months break in the middle of reading this one and distinctly remember slogging my way through the first half and devouring the second half. 

I’ve made no secret over the years that Sirius and Remus are two of favourite HP characters, so I expected to enjoy OOTP a lot for that reason. I did really enjoy all the smatterings of Sirius and Remus we go throughout this book. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough for me. This book really highlighted for me how limited Harry’s POV was, because I wanted more of an insight into the Order but Harry was kept in the dark the entire time which was frustrating. 

One of the main character highlights of this book is the legend Minverva McGonnagal. Her sass, strength and determination to defend Hogwarts and its students against Dolores is astounding. Here are some of my favourite McGonnagal moments:

"Well, usually when a person shakes their head they mean 'no.'"

"Can I offer you a cough drop, Dolores?"

"I should have made my meaning plainer. [Harry] has achieved high marks in all Defence Against the Dark Arts tests set by a compotent teacher."

Defending Hagrid against Umbridge.

And of course:

(Still can’t believe the movie robbed us of this!)

Time for a less popular opinion - I loved Harry in this book. In general, this book made me feel very protective of Harry, because Harry is bloomin’ incredible and deserves so much better than what he gets in this book. He’s always had a bad rep in OOTP for being an annoying, angsty teenager, but in my opinion, this is Harry at his most relatable and lovable. After everything Harry went through, he’s entitled to be angry with the world. He endured everything that he did and took the responsibility of the world onto his shoulders with little complaint, and in OOTP he reaches breaking point. Honestly, I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner. The adults in Harry’s life are glaringly irresponsible in this book. Not only do they force him back to the Dursley’s after the hugely traumatic events of GOF based on some bull about “blood magic”, but they purposefully hide the truth from him even though that puts him at greater risk and adds to his emotional distress. Everyone around Harry expects him to be mature and act like an adult when he’s fighting against the darkest wizard of all time, yet don’t give him the courtesy or respect of telling him the truth about significant things that impact him and the people he loves. Sirius os the only person that refuses to belittle Harry, but in some ways, his behaviour is just as damaging as those that tried to shelter Harry from the truth, because he expects too much of Harry and projects James’ personality onto him. The adults around Harry fail him to such an extent in this book that he establishes the DA because he can’t even rely on the adults around him to keep him and his friends safe. Harry’s emotions in this book aren’t only understandable, but justified and I felt an even deeper connection to him as a result. His vulnerability shows his strength and courage more than ever before. This is the point where he goes from the Chosen One to a true champion, because even when he reaches rock bottom and wants to give up, he doesn’t walk away. I love Harry so much.

The Department of Mysteries is by far one of my favourite sections from any of the books. I love the friendship dynamics, Luna, Neville and Ginny are given the chance to really shine, the stakes are high, the action is great and despite the trauma of Sirius’ death, that moment is so hard-hitting and memorable. This section of the book just took it to a new level for me. It was really great.

The emotion of Sirius’ death was captured so perfectly, and is such a huge turning point for Harry. Like I said above, choosing to go on even after losing Sirius proves that Harry is a true hero; that he isn’t just doing what he was doing out of obligation or has been told to but because he believes in doing the right thing. I best move on before I continue to speak about how amazing Harry James Potter is.

Now we come to Neville. Can you believe that I’d actually forgot the details of Neville being the Chosen One? It was a blast learning about that again and how he’s connected to the prophecy. I also loved that we got to see his family and not just be told about it via dialogue. Neville is by far one of the most loveable and interesting minor characters in the series. He has so many great moments in books 1-4, but he really shines in OOTP.

The more I write about this book, the more I find things to love. It’s just a shame that the first half lets it down, because overall, I think there’s a lot of great material here in terms of plot and character development.

3. The Chamber of Secrets

I know that The Chamber of Secrets is generally ranked low amongst most fans, but I love it. At this point, the books were more simplistic and just fun, and I like that. I also have to acknowledge that I have a deep affinity for the COS movie - I grew up watching it over and over, and of all the movies it’s still the one I know best and always come back to (still can’t believe the “Why couldn’t it be follow the butterflies line?” wasn’t even in the books!)

I love all of the different elements in this book:

Dobby

The Burrow

The flying car

Whomping Willow

Moaning Myrtle 

This idiot

Gilderoy Lockhart is one of my favourite antagonists in the entire series, because he isn’t intentionally bad, he’s just an arrogant fool. His primary concern is his image and reputation and he was willing to go to any lengths to maintain it. He’s a bad person in a subtle and hilarious way. 

Generally speaking, there are too many fun and entertaining moments to count in this book. I love the childish-ness of this book in comparison to the darker tone the series adopts from POA onwards. For me, COS still has the silliness and merriment that I really associate HP with. Entertainment value aside, the plot in COS is actually well executed.

As a short, concise and effective plot, Tom Riddle’s diary and the Chamber of Secrets works incredibly well. I liked the mystery and suspense of the culprit of the Muggle born attacks, and the big moments connected to it - finding out that Hagrid might be the perpetrator, Ginny being possessed by Voldemort, Hermione being petrified, Harry speaking Parceltongue. The stakes are high and this plot is strong enough to keep momentum going between the more light hearted moments.

Overall, COS is a quick, easy and fun read. It may not be the best written or complex book in the series, but I’m a huge advocate for it. Not only is it highly entertaining, but it also introduced a lot of great and important aspects to the series (Horcruxes, Tom Riddle being the heir of Slytherin, Harry being connected to Voldemort, polyjuice potion and Dobby), and built very well on what was established in PS. 

2. The Half Blood Prince

The biggest surprise of this re-read was how much I bloomin’ loved Half Blood Prince. It has the perfect balance of plot, character development, mystery, humour and emotion. Out of the bigger books in the series, this was the one I finished the fastest (2 days), because it was quite literally un-put-downable (yes, that’s a word). 

First, let’s talk about the plot, because wow, it’s a good ‘un. In my opinion, it’s the strongest and best written plot from any of the books. There’s Voldemort’s backstory, the development of Harry and Dumbledore’s relationship, Snape’s backstory, the mystery of the Half Blood Prince, Harry’s rivalry/suspicion of Malfoy, hunting Horcruxes and Dumbledore’s death. This book feels like an incredible pay-off for things that have been built up in the previous 5 books. We learn so much about certain characters - Dumbledore, Snape, Malfoy, Voldemort, Ginny - and regardless of whether I liked those characters or not, I was invested. The clues that Snape is the Half Blood Prince are cleverly interwoven within the narrative and the mystery keeps you guessing, even when you know who it is. 

The last part of this book from Chapter 26 onwards was just explosive. Although I knew what was coming, I was surprised at the level of emotion I felt when Dumbledore and Harry were in the cave and when Dumbledore died. My heart was racing and I had tears in my eyes. 

This book just doesn’t let up for a second. If we aren’t learning more about Voldemort, we’re following Draco to see what he’s up to or unravelling mysteries around the Half Blood Prince or trying to get information from Slughorn about horcruxes. Even the down time is enjoyable to read in this book (Chapter 9 was one of my favourite chapters to read) and the friendships and banter are stellar. 

In terms of character development, this is also one of the strongest books. Dumbledore is finally developed beyond the omnipotent Gandalf-esque archetype and we learn bout his past and his flaws.

"I have already proven to you, I make mistakes like the next man. In fact, being - forgive me - rather cleverer than most men, my mistakes tend to be correspondingly huger." 

The focus on Dumbledore also sets it up for his death, and you know what? It works. If we’d lost Dumbledore prior to HBP, I would’ve been shocked and upset, but losing him at this point hurts that much more because we learn so much more about him, see how important he is to Harry and how vital his guidance is in defeating Voldemort. Dumbledore’s death feels like all hope is lost, and so soon after losing Sirius it feels even harsher.

Insight into Snape’s back-story finally explains some of his motivations and actions (though it does not condone them).

Although Voldemort’s backstory doesn’t necessarily add to our understanding of him, it’s interesting to see how he came into the world, and learn about his family background. What this demonstrated most to me is that a lot of the time there is no reason for evil. Voldemort didn’t really have any motivations for what he did. Sure, he didn’t have the perfect, happy childhood but there isn’t really enough substance there to try to explain how or why he became the monster that he did. 

More could’ve been done with Malfoy, but I enjoyed him having a bigger presence in this book and how the idea that family shapes who we are isn’t always true. Draco does what is expected of him from his family, but ultimately, he has his own conscience and inner turmoil that forces him to question things.

As for Harry...he goes to a dark place in this book. OOTP has always been cpnsidered as the “angsty Harry”, but HBP takes Harry to new places. Harry feels more ruthless, reckless and determined in this book than any other. There’s an underlying sense of apathy that lingers from Sirius’ death. He obsesses about his mission to extract the memory from Slughorn and his lessons with Dumbledore, and fixates on his hatred for Draco and Snape. The fact that Harry uses Sectumsempra on Draco is honestly the most alarming thing that Harry does because it shows how dark a place Harry has gone to. He knows the spell is going to inflict serious harm and yet he uses it anyway. 

Generally, Harry abuses the potions book and manipulates, lies and takes advantage of almost everyone around him. I really see his dependency on that book and his choice to exploit it for his own benefit as adverse effects of the grief and trauma he endured. For once, he has the upper hand and I’d even argue that despite the Half Blood Prince being anonymous stranger to him, he relies on him as a mentor or parental figure. Yet despite it being a dark book for Harry, he also seems to get some genuine peace with Ginny. Although I’m not a Hinny shipper, it was so nice to see Harry experience some normality and contentment. No matter what he goes through, he remains kind hearted. I actually feel like this book more than any other emphasises that point - Harry could just as easily have gone down the same path as Vodlemort, but he made a choice not to.

“In spite of all the temptation you have endured, all the suffering, you remain pure of heart, just as pure as you were at the age of eleven, when you stared into a mirror that reflected your hears desire and it showed you the only way to thwart Lord Voldement, and not immortality or riches. Harry, have you any idea how few wizards could have seen what you saw in the mirror?" 

Plot and character development aside, the comedy in this book is gold and I appreciate the movie (and Daniel Radcliffe) for maximising on that to create some of the best and funniest scenes in the movie franchise. Chapter 18 in particular was hilarious.

Now I have to speak about one of my favourite moments from this book:

Since GoF, Fleur was grossly mistreated and discriminated against by the Weasley’s (Molly and Ginny in particular). The way they treated her was sexist and xenophobic pure and simple. They had no reason to dislike her and all of their reasons seemed to be built on some flimsy notion that she was full of herself (why, just because she was beautiful? and even if she was, what’s wrong with confidence?!) and that she was annoying and loud because she was French. Seeing Fleur finally stand up to their bigotry was fantastic. It’s a moment I’d been waiting for for so long and I’m so glad we got it, because frankly, Molly and Ginny’s beahviour towards Fleur needed to be addressed because it was disgusting.

Overall, HBP demonstrates the strengths of HP as a series. In comparison to the other books, I don’t really have anything to crituqe I enjoyed all of it from beginning to end, which is why it almost took the top spot in this ranking.

1. The Prisoner of Azkaban

It was really close between first and second place, but Prisoner of Azkaban just managed it. This is where the HP series truly takes off and starts to shine. In comparison to what we got in PS and COS it’s richer - the plot is complex, the world building is more developed, the characters are great and it’s generally an entertaining read but with added complexity in comparison to its predecessors.

I like that POA allows us to spend so much time in Hogwarts hanging out, but that the plot comes to the forefront more. We’re all so familiar with HP at this point that it’s easy to forget the impact the plot-twists must’ve punched the first time we read them. But for me, it’d been so long since I’d read the series, that it really was like reading them for the first time and POA was one of the ones that surprised me at various points.

I’d forgot details like:

The Shrieking Shack got its name and reputation because Lupin locked himself up there during transformations; The Whomping Willow was planted to hide the secret passage to the Shrieking Shack and prevent Lupin from escaping and hurting people in his werewolf form

Crookshanks was Sirius’ ally

Sirius escaped Azkaban in his dog form

Unsurprisingly, Remus and Sirius were the highlight of this book for me. I know it’s basic but I really love them and the two of them having such a focus in this book really makes it.

Remus truly shines in this book. He’s a lovable character – a great teacher, a supportive mentor and a loyal friend. His tragic backstory only adds to his character. Snape tries to villainise Remus for being a werewolf, but the reality is that he’s a victim. He was an innocent child that was bitten by a vicious, cruel monster and has to live with the consequences of that for the rest of his life. He carries so much self-loathing, fear and insecurity because of what he is and he doesn’t deserve it. Dumbledore is the only one that separates the man from the wolf and takes Remus on his merits. He knows that Remus is a genuinely good person and a talented teacher, and he’s willing to make the necessary adjustments to enable Remus equal opportunity. Not only does it benefit Remus for Dumbledore to do this, but the students too, because let’s face it, Remus is a bloody damn good teacher.

Remus is arguably the most decent and responsible adult character in the entire HP universe. He respects Harry’s agency but also acknowledges that he’s still a child that needs protection and guidance. Instead of lying to Harry or throwing him into dangerous situations, he does perhaps the most helpful thing any adult ever does for Harry – he teaches him how to defend himself. I love that Lupin and Harry’s relationship in this book foreshadows the formation of the DA in OOTP; Lupin is the only one that teaches Harry practical DATDA skills and in the absence of Lupin as a teacher, Harry then takes on that role as a mentor and provides his friends with the skills to defend themselves. 

Now we come to Sirius. Introducing Sirius as the enemy – a dangerously, mad criminal who is conspiring with Voldemort and wants Harry dead – and then revealing him to be the complete opposite was genius. Part of me wished I could completely forget so that I could experience the utter shock of finding that out for the first time. The fact that Harry saw his parents in the Mirror of Erised in PS and then finds Sirius and Lupin in this book touches my heart. Sirius is a direct link to Harry’s parents unlike anything he’s ever had. Although on the surface, their bond develops too quickly, considering that Harry is 13 years old and all he wants more than anything is to have parents and/or a connection to his parents, his quick attachment to Sirius makes sense. The thought of living with Sirius makes Harry so happy that he used it to power his patronus!!! Likewise, Sirius clings to Harry knowing that he’s the son of his best friends. He spent the entirety of his time in Azkaban knowing Harry was still out there somewhere without James and Lily and in danger from Voldemort. Immediately, Sirius provides Harry with the type of comfort about his parents that he’s never received before.

“You think the dead we have loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble? Your father is alive in you, Harry, and shows himself most plainly when you have need of him. How else could you produce that particular Patronus? Prongs rode again last night.”

One of the highlights of this book is the scene where Snape catches Harry with the Marauders Map. That quote is just legendary.

"Mr Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business. Mr Prongs agrees with Mr Moony, and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git. Mr Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a Professor. Mr Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball."

Admittedly, the time travel in this book is problematic as hell. I’m grateful that Harry and Hermione were able to save Buckbeak and Sirius due to time travel, but if it was up to me, I’d remove time travel from the universe completely. It doesn’t fit, it’s too complicated and creates too many issues. McGonnagal condones the use of time travel for Hermione to attend extra lessons and yet won’t use it to tackle real, important problems, like I don’t know, war, death, disease, disasters etc. Not to mention the entire Voldemort problem and Harry becoming the Chosen One could’ve been resolved by going back to the night of James and Lily’s deaths.

One of my favourite elements of this book was seeing Ron and Hermione’s friendship with Hagrid. A lot of emphasis is placed on Harry’s friendship with Hagrid. but this book shows how devoted Ron and Hermione are to Hagrid. They both spend a lot of their time comforting him and helping him to prepare for Buckbeak’s trial.

This book has a great balance – it’s still on the shorter side but it doesn’t suffer for it. and here’s plenty of plot and character development. Ironically, whilst HBP is my favourite because of the emphasis on the main plot, POA is my favourite because it takes a break from Voldemort. It’s refreshing to take a step away from Voldemort and put the focus onto a new villain in Sirius, and then for the twist to be revealed that he’s not actually a villain but Harry’s godfather. The time-turner is the biggest draw-back in this book, but I can overlook that because there’s so much more to love in this book. It’s definitely the most re-readable book in terms of the length and plot. This book is a happy medium which incorporates the strengths from all of the other books in a smaller package than HBP - it’s fun but expands on the universe, introduces brilliant new characters and has a depth and complexity that the first two lack whilst not having the filler that books 4-7 have.  

Conclusion

It’s hard to read these books without it being mingled with childhood nostalgia, so that undoubtedly informed my ranking. Despite being a children's series, the books still hold up reading them as an adult. I enjoyed rediscovering the smaller details I’d forgotten over the years and feel much closer to the universe as a result. The characters and their dynamics are by far my favourite thing about HP. I also enjoy the whimsical magic and how this is offset against the darker tone later in the series. However, in light of JKR’s hateful rhetoric, my attention was drawn to the problematic elements of the books such as the portrayal of slavery in addition to: 

Lack of major/well-written characters of color

Anti-semitic caricature of goblin bankers

Cho Chang’s name (which many consider offensive), stereotypical placement in Ravenclaw (the smart house) while being the only East-Asian character in the books, and she functions almost exclusively as a love interest

Ableism all-around

Nagini, an evil snake who gets chopped in half, is actually an Asian woman according to Fantastic Beasts, making her the second of two named East Asian characters in the franchise

“Magic in North America,” a history of magic in North America published on Pottermore that grossly misappropriates and misconstrues Native American cultures

Anthony Goldstein, retconned token Jewish character, also stereotypically named

General stereotypical naming of non-Anglo-Saxon characters

Remus Lupin’s werewolf status as an AIDS metaphor while depicting his condition as making him monstrous, and the man who bit him goes around biting people for kicks

Declaring that Dumbledore is gay with exactly 0 in-canon references, and no other LGBTQ+ representation  (article credit: Separating Art from Artist - Thoughts on J.K. Rowling written by Melina List on Medium)

This is the last time I will read these books, partly because I’ve outgrown them, but mostly because I can’t, without a heavy conscience ignore the relationship between JKR’s hateful views and her works. If you want to learn more about this, I’d recommend checking out a post from my_weird_bookish_heart on Instagram which explains why we couldn’t and shouldn’t ignore the problems in these books by adopting a “art is separate from the artist” mentality (if you would like the link to this please message me and I’l be happy to share it. We can all still love and enjoy HP, but we all have a moral duty to acknowledge and take responsibility for this and not feign ignorance. Views like JKR’s directly harm individuals and groups, not just in the trans community but also the Jewish and LGBTQIA+ communities and people of colour. I can’t and won’t accept that in silence. No matter how special HP was to me as a child, the lives of real humans are unquestionably more important.

Thank you for reading.

[hellaversepolls]

Tournament Poll: Hellaverse Character with the Most Tragic Backstory (2024)

EDIT: All Rounds from 4 until the Final Round will START on Tuesdays instead of taking over the whole weekend. Once the Final Round is over and the ultimate winner is determined, we’ll allow the winners the rest of the week to celebrate before moving onto the next poll tournament, the Hellaverse Fansong Tournament (which was decided by popular vote).

Competitors (70): Adam, Agent One, Agent Two, Alastor, Alessio, Andrealphus, Angel Dust, Asmodeus, Barbie Wire, Beelzebub, Belphegor, Bethany Ghostfucker, Blitzo, Carmilla Carmine, Cash Buckzo, Charlie, Chazwick, Cherri Bomb, Cletus, Collin, Crimson, Emberlynn, Emily, Fizzarolli, Glam, Glitz, Husk, Katie Killjoy, Keenie, Leviathan, Lilith, Loona, Loopty Goopty, Lucifer, Lute, Lyle Lipton, Mammon, Martha, Millie, Mimzy, Moxxie, Mrs. Mayberry, Niffty, Octavia, Paimon, Rita, Rolando, Rosie, Saint Peter, Sallie May, Satan, Sera, Sir Pentious, Stella, Stolas, Striker, Susan, Tilla, Toledo, Tom Trench, Vaggie, Valentino, Vassago, Velvette, Verosika, Vortex, Vox, Wally Wackford, Zeezi, Zestial

No "gun to the head" scenario this time, sorry (holiday stuff left me kinda busy)

"But X doesn't have a backstory" - A fair and probably true point! Most characters in the Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss universe don't have one.

If you find yourself caught between two backstory-less choices, feel free to take a look at both options and make your own judgement about who YOU think probably had/has it worse.

Voting rules and match lists under read more.

VOTING RULES:

Feel free to spread as much propaganda for your choice as you like if that’s your thing, as long as you remember the following:

- Please Don’t Threaten/Promise to Compromise the Safety of Yourself or Others (Example: “If [x] doesn’t win I will shoot myself”, “If you don’t vote for [y] I’m going to doxx you”, etc.). I cannot imagine anyone actually getting heated enough to do this, but if you’re thinking about it, please don’t :)

- Please try to avoid being racist/transphobic/etc in your propaganda (and like in general, but here is a good start).

- Please try to avoid writing anything extremely graphic (read: “Dead Dove: Do Not Eat” levels of shit).

I’d appreciate it if we could avoid bot-spamming in the votes.

================================================

ROUND 5:

Angel Dust vs Fizzarolli

Blitzo vs Lucifer

Due to how I set up the rounds, Alastor moves on to Round 6

================================================

ROUND 4:

Angel Dust vs Husk

Fizzarolli vs Lilith

Blitzo vs Stolas

Cherri Bomb vs Lucifer

Alastor vs Loona

================================================

ROUND 3:

Section 1:

Husk vs Millie

Adam vs Angel Dust

Section 2:

Fizzarolli vs Niffty

Lilith vs Vox

Section 3:

Blitzo vs Moxxie

Stolas vs Zestial

Section 4:

Lucifer vs Vassago

Cherri Bomb vs Rita

Section 5:

Alastor vs Striker

Barbie Wire vs Loona

================================================

ROUND 2:

Section 1:

Lyle Lipton vs Millie

Charlie vs Husk

Angel Dust vs Mrs Mayberry

Due to how I set up the rounds, Adam moves on to Round 3

Section 2:

Fizzarolli vs Octavia

Agent One vs Niffty

Lilith vs Sir Pentious

Due to how I set up the rounds, Vox moves on to Round 3

Section 3:

Tilla vs Moxxie

Blitzo vs Vaggie

Stella vs Stolas

Due to how I set up the rounds, Zestial moves on to Round 3

Section 4:

Lucifer vs Verosika

Leviathan vs Vassago

Alessio vs Rita

Due to how I set up the rounds, Cherri Bomb moves on to Round 3

Section 5:

Alastor vs Carmilla Carmine

Agent Two vs Striker

Loona vs Vortex

Due to how I set up the rounds, Barbie Wire moves on to Round 3

================================================

ROUND 1:

Section 1:

Glitz vs Millie

Lyle Lipton vs Mammon

Charlie vs Zeezi

Husk vs Saint Peter

Emily vs Mrs Mayberry

Angel Dust vs Chazwick

Adam vs Andrealphus

Section 2:

Lute vs Octavia

Fizzarolli vs Valentino

Martha vs Niffty

Agent One vs Rolando

Lilith vs Sera

Sir Pentious vs Wally Wackford

Collin vs Vox

Section 3:

Tilla vs Velvette

Moxxie vs Tom Trench

Sallie May vs Vaggie

Blitzo vs Toledo

Bethany Ghostfucker vs Stella

Crimson vs Stolas

Loopty Goopty vs Zestial

Section 4:

Rosie vs Verosika

Lucifer vs Paimon

Keenie vs Leviathan

Cletus vs Vassago

Mimzy vs Rita

Alessio vs Cash Buckzo

Cherri Bomb vs Susan

Section 5:

Belphegor vs Carmilla Carmine

Alastor vs Asmodeus

Agent Two vs Emberlynn

Beelzebub vs Striker

Katie Killjoy vs Loona

Satan vs Vortex

Barbie Wire vs Glam

[companion-showdown]

Who is the best TARDIS team?

TOURNAMENT MASTERPOST

propaganda under the cut

9, Jack, Rose

THE polycule ever. truly. gave nuwho the most iconic opening ever and also they're insanely tragic. the doctor straight out of the timewar, rose 'bad wolf' tyler, jack on the run from the time agency... they're all so in love . their comics r all really good too

[octinary]

2020 in Review

I got tagged by two very wonderful people (@round--robin and @tumbleweedtech - thanks for thinking of me!) to try this “5 favourite works you created in 2020″ thing, so here it goes! 

1. Him (E, 33k, CW: graphic depictions of violence, depression, self-harm, suicide attempt)

Summary:  In his time as a witcher, Geralt has killed just about everything that can be killed: monsters, beasts, constructs, men, even the undead can die again if you know the trick to it. Wraiths, he knows, are the lingering troubled spirits of people who died tragically, violently, unjustly and unavenged. Their unfair fate spawns in them a jealousy and hatred of everything living that quickly drives them mad and makes them dangerous and deadly, driven to torment those responsible for their plight. Usually he feels no more than a twinge of pity as he sends them off again with silver and fire, but then again usually they aren’t haunting him. Usually they aren’t Jaskier.  Geralt learns that Jaskier never made it off the mountain after the dragon hunt and, if that’s what it takes to appease the monster that now wears his face, neither will Geralt.

This is it.  The big one.  This is the one I am most proud of and also the most popular thing I’ve written this year by hits, by comments and by bookmarks.  I have definitely received the most lovely feedback regarding it, some of which had me almost tearing up.  It is also hands-down the story I felt most compelled to tell and that was most important to me that I told it well.  It’s also one of those things that reading it probably tells you way more about me than I am actually comfortable with...  It also has inspired two pieces of really amazing fanart by @pinkaxolotl85 and @gerrito! Check them out here and here!

2. Something Eternal (E, 6,666 words, CW: graphic depictions of violence, major character death)

Summary: Kaer Morhen has always been haunted. Before Salamandra plundered the paltry survivors of the earlier pogrom for forgotten reagents, before the pogrom, when the mob fanatically massacred the Wolf witchers out of blind hate, even before the witchers themselves strapped their children down to administer the mutagens that killed 7 out of every 10 so tortured, the bones of the long dead sea and the whisper of long stilled waves painted every corridor of the keep with their memories. It’s always been a place for dead things. It’s where, at the end of his long full life, Jaskier of Oxenfurt goes to die. It’s where the monster he brought with him is going to kill everyone he loves.

Hilariously, we go from my most popular fic to my least popular fic, but it’s still one I am very proud of.  It was written for the The Witcher Halloween Flash Fic Challenge (so in 48 hours from conception to finished product), but I think it turned out pretty good.  I would like to think that it is the tags, not the writing, that have been keeping people away.  It was also my first time writing horror (unless you could Him as horror, I guess), and I am unreasonably amused by finishing it at 6,666 words.

3. Save a Horse (E, 6.5k, CW: porn, pony play)

Summary: It was Eskel’s idea. It had to be really. The number of people who could seriously suggest to the two of them that Lambert pretend to be Geralt’s mount in a sexually submissive way, and then actually have that suggestion acted on, was exactly one. Lambert would have decked anyone else out of hand before even considering it, but Eskel? Eskel, who knew them both so well, who shared his own kinks with them playfully when they all fell into bed together, who seemed to want nothing more than for them all to enjoy each other? He at least owed it to Eskel to listen.

My first (and so far only) try at writing smut and I dove right into the deep end!  I am pretty proud of the characterizations in this one, even if it is porn.  Spoiler alert: it is about 2k of build-up and the smut is probably what a lot of people would consider pretty tame and just chock full of feelings.  My excuse for it is that the real kink was trust and understanding all along.  I had a few readers tell me that pony play isn’t really their thing and they still enjoyed it, so I think it worked out in the end.

4. Present Tense (T, 5.3k, CW: canon typical violence, unhealthy coping mechanisms, canon character death)

Summary:  After avenging Aiden’s death, Lambert was not particularly concerned with ensuring his own survival.  Luckily for everyone who still cared about the prickly bastard, his survival no longer seemed to be up to him.

Another fic from The Witcher Flash Fic Challenge!  Seriously, that challenge got me out of a number of writing funks this year and was very much a godsend.  I don’t know why in particular I like this one so much; it might just be some of the wordplay or imagery, but I think it sticks out as some of my better writing.

5. In Which Markus (Professional Highwayman) Gets Stabbed (T, 4.4k, CW: none that I can think of - it is very silly fluff)

Summary: Markus has a simple three step plan: 1. Watch the tournament at the Passiflora to see who wins the pot. 2. Get that person drunk. 3. Steal everything they have.  He is also about to have three problems: 1. Geralt 2. Yennefer 3. Jaskier

It was honestly a toss up between this and Lingua Franca (my first attempt at Witcher fanfic) as the last entry, but I think overall this one is a neater and more polished piece of writing.  It is 90% banter with a sweet ending.  It’s probably the funniest thing I’ve done and it was just so much fun to write and seemed to descend fully formed from the heavens merely using me as a conduit.  I think the whole thing took me maybe two hours to write, if that.  It was also my first foray into actually interacting with other people in the fandom, since it was inspired by another work (In which Artur (Apprentice Thief) quits his job by Volts) and I had to be brave and actually talk to another human being to make sure they were okay with me riffing off of their idea.

I tag @sternenstaub28 and @major-trouble!  What are you proud of making this year?  If you want to share, of course.  No pressure!