#mostly functional to me at least

[shkika]

i've been curious about how iterators in your interpretation ascend exactly, since they seem to be unable to get off the string!

is the process more metaphorical/spiritual in nature? or is it entirely physical?

also!! i really really love your art and interpretations tee hee pleading face emoji

This is a pretty good prompt to talk about how I think ascension works! I'm gonna try to be thorough even if some information may seem basic! To me ascension feels like it's meant to be spiritual.

DETAILED EXPLANATION OF UH...

1. Ancients and ascension throughout time.

2 . Iterators and ascension

3. What Saint is and how he works.

I think some people may not realize the concept of leaving the world behind was a thing before the void fluid revolution, before our ancients discovered the ruins of the race that came before them that led to the void sea. Those were the times of those gravel eating monks.

I think ascension is supposed to be a process experienced by old creatures. It works by abandoning all your earthly desires after having been through the cycles again and again. So as you detach yourself from the world eventually.. leaving it behind and ending the samsara.

It became something worth working towards. If you didn't guide your soul to spiritual relief... you'd get stuck in the cycles. Which was painful and scary.

When the void revolution came and a much easier and faster solution was found, of course they took it. It was an answer to getting stuck, finally they would have a guaranteed method of escaping the cycles.

Turns out you can't cheat yourself out of the cycle.. if you are attached to the world too strongly, you become an echo. Which made rumors spread.

So we need another solution. Another effortless way to escape. And so iterators were made! They were designed with a few things in mind . They would be a constant in any cycle, they can't escape.. they can't ascend.. they can't die. Their taboos would make sure they don't try anything themselves and they tough bodies keep them from completely losing function.

This way they could work basically forever on the great problem.

Alright here we go!! The question! How do iterators ascend then. They shouldn't be able to, they weren't meant to do that on their own, but one allegedly managed.

Well a GOOD hint imo is Moon's dialogue in the Saint campaign.

By this we can guess there is a solution. But it is one right answer among infinite faulty ones. And it's completely indistinguishable or was there a way to safely test it.

Once you discover it and you execute it. You're a goner.

Kind of.. how it happened with Sliver of Straw..

Kind of how Saint's ascension works too.

Sliver basically was the only iterator EVER who accidentally stumbled on it and executed the task. And ascended herself before she could do anything more than send the triple affirmative signal.

And that was it. It probably happened completely out of nowhere in a flash. And she was gone.

This is also a reason why I think she is saint. The way Saint ascends creatures is... by just giving them the solution she discovered. The moment they know it, they end up in the void.

Saint is the only one who can do this. The only one that came back.

OH also quick note.. I love how Pebbles and Moon do not understand what Saint is, unless they discuss him together. Very underrated part of the game's writing. Anyway.

Saint's purpose is to continue their endless cycle to save others. Pebbles says that by definition no one who knows the answer can venture outside.. except Saint. It's why Moon tells him to wake up.

He's the only one that can.

[uncanny-tranny]

You know... it's okay to trust your body. If you are separated from your body to such an extent you feel you cannot trust it, I truly from the bottom of my heart empathize and feel grief for you, but you can trust your body.

It's okay to listen to your body and to heed what it is telling you. I wish you (and your body) well wherever you go. You deserve the peace of mind to feel able to do what you want.

[puppyeared]

Jitterbug

[moeblob]

I literally ate One Thing today and my stomach has decided to rebel.

[sparring-spirals]

There is a universe in which i was caught up properly on CR whenever what the fuck went down and Imogen verbally and definitively declared that- after everything leading up to this and the back and forth and indecision- that she'd be willing to take down her mom if need be. and i would have been deeply insufferable and writing 20+ separate meta posts and liveblog yelling posts and shitposts. This is not that universe so instead we will put this post here where i can have wildly uninformed (aka 20 eps behind) Emotions about it until someday i actually catch up.

(I know. i accidentally wrote potentially wildly off base/deeply out of date meta again. what can i say. i like shaking the concept of An Imogen (even if it is Outdated Imogen) in a jar. sorry.)

Because i was watching long enough, I think, to see Imogen in the throes of the hope for something better, to understand that Imogen was viewing her mom was a figure and an idea and an answer, that would make things easier. Her mom was- gone, so early. And so her mom, in her mind, was not a person she was an idea, and there was so much hinged on that! Dogged determination and anger at her father and a deep seated dislike of the powers in her hands and head even as they gave her a guilty rush. There were promises there that maybe no one else had made, but Imogen believed. Things built up. Expectations made. Lore crafted, even unconsciously, around someone who was, yes, important to Imogen, but more importantly: Missing. Gone. A blank slate to be filled in. A promise of an answer guide to open questions.

And then she meets her mom, and Liliana Temult goes from a figure to a person- with all the bells and whistles and rough edges. She meets her mom and her mom turns her away. Tells her to run. Tells her she should go. Tells her to leave.

And Imogen doesn't. In the same way she kept visiting libraries, keps asking, kept pushing for answers when it was just about her magic and her headaches and the voices. Imogen always, always wants to know. She keeps digging, she keeps trying, she reaches out, over and over and keeps trying to touch this figure in mist until she's real under her hands, and. Evidence piles up- of deeds gone wrong, blood on her hands, a figure standing next to Otohan (her friends bodies scattered, lifeless, around Otohan). She keeps reaching out, keeps trying, and is rebuffed, over and over. Things get worse and the skies get redder and magic goes dead and she's still- unsure, because what if there's a better reason, what if there's a better way, there has to be a reason, why. There has to be, right- maybe if- maybe. Maybe-

Its just like- a person as an idea. As a symbol. As a promise. One you build yourself up around and towards. One you talk about, not talk to.

And then the fog clears, and they are a human.

(And she's your mom, and she's not what you imagined. She's done you wrong. She's done your loved ones wrong. She's hurt you. She's hurt others. She's going to keep hurting you. She is going to keep hurting everyone. She is too far gone to reason with. She is not listening to you. She is flawed. She is. dangerous. She looks so much like you. You look just like her. You are so similar. You have always known you were similar. You always hoped. You.

Are not her. You are not hers. She is not yours. She is not who you thought she was. She was always someone else. So are you.)

Imogen walks through the bases pretending to be her mother. Liliana is a known face- a powerful one, a figure people fear. A well known silhouette. Imogen slips into the shadows of it, sometimes, when it serves her, but we know- she knows- its all an act. All a lie.

Liliana, after all, is alive, and well, making choices that she believes in and fighting for things with a dogged determination maybe only matched by her daughter.

Imogen knows this. I think. There's a part of her that maybe wishes that wasn't the case.

"There is no loyalty with this blood." And after all- only living people bleed.

[gideonisms]

ngl having bad brain times. Can you ever physically FEEL the lack of the get things done chemical

[guinevereslancelot]

being the youngest person at work is being the honorary IT specialist despite knowing basically nothing abt technology except how to use google

[arolesbianism]

Was thinking abt my slugcat hcs and decided to doodle some scugs and ramble a smidge abt them. I’m not very happy with my hunter and arti designs atm unfortunately, but I like my concepts for them still

[deus-ex-mona]

i miss her…

[todayisafridaynight]

NO YOU’RE SO RIGHT ABOUT THE MAJIMA STUFF THOUGH. GOD. God forbid you speak poorly about the fandom silly guy etc etc. I rt’d one post about someone being annoyed abt majima getting an insane amount of merch (especially compared to other characters- even other PLAYABLE characters) and suddenly my TL is filled with ppl taking it as a personal attack….. like?? Settle down???

My one fear is that instead of Mine content we’re just gonna get Majima Saga 2 for yk3 and rgg will call it a day. WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO SAY ABOUT THE GUY !!! GENUINELY!!!

at this rate we’re going to have a complete record of Majima’s life from birth until modern day bc you knowww they’re never gonna let the cash cow die or retire. + god I lowkey need the 3jimas to break up Now so saejima and daigo can stand on their own again (w/out being overshadowed by Majima)…. Saejima especially… I miss the days when he felt like a character………

(I may have a lot to say on the topic) (he’s a fun character but at this rate I’m getting so sick of the fandom around him)

gen is kinda funny how when there's the Monthly Critique Of Majima post on twitter the rggtwt part of the tl is flooded with majima fans being upset. its like clockwork really LOL

as for saejima, i do miss him being solo... like he's funny with majima at times, but as wack as Y4 was i still really liked his coliseum scene, and his prison adventures in Y5 were a real treat too..

[talkorsomething]

I have Got to get more transgender

[thedevotionaltour]

even for period typical ableism it still drives me nuts for karen to go oh poor matt how can he deal and get around as if he hasn't been blind most of his life at this point and living on his own by himself as an adult for his entire adult life after college and has also lived in the city his whole life like girl use your damn brain he can get around by himself just fine. good god. like take five seconds to use your brain. literally adult man who lives by himself if nothing else that should tell you he is fine and when he needs assistance has the knowledge and ability to go get it you act as if he can't even walk on the sidewalk by himself. he literally shows up to work by himself. it drives me up the wall sometimes how she sees proof of him functioning fine independently literally witnesses it on the daily and still thinks these things. like again foggy isn't great either bc again the period typical ableism (and just general ableism in the world outside of this period as this is a common attitude of viewing disabled people as helpless and unable to function even if they are people who do live independently (and im not touching on people who do need extra support and caretaking in this context. as this post is about these characters in the context of a story. so im talking about what we see there instead of any truly meaningful nuanced way) but the writing here is like. Particularly this way due to the time) he has a modicum more of understanding that matt is literally a capable grown adult man. literally told karen matt is a big boy who can handle himself and then karen went b-b-but you forget he's blind as if foggy hasn't known him for years of his life and is his best friend like PLEASE SEE HIM AS AN ADULT. I AM GOING TO GO INSANE. PLEASE RESPECT HIM IF YOU LOVE HIM SO DEARLY. AND EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T. JUST RESPECT HIM AS A PERSON!!!!!!

[butts-bouncing-on-the-beltway]

If you've never heard an LRAD go off in person, I *genuinely* do not want to hear your opinion about methods of resistance in the US.

[sauriansolutions]

I'm thinking of making a side blog for weird/nsfw stuff. I came on here intending to be weird and kinky, but I realize I've been deleting a lot of posts, and also just... not posting my art and writing because I don't want to like. Disappoint people who like my more normal persona?

(There's probably stuff to unpack there but ughhh I don't wanna right now) ;;

Anyway this post serves as official commitment, now that I said I'm gonna do it I gotta follow through, right?

[prolibytherium]

Literally spiraling into a crisis over not knowing how to text like a human being

[something-about-sunflowers]

Alright! Poll's over! I'm gonna be annoying about the responses now!

First thing's first: Thank you to the 247 of you that understood the assignment! Those of you that picked 'straight' will need to take remedial courses to save yourself from a failing grade.

Now I'm gonna talk tags (and the one reply):

Category 1 (Understood the assignment and went for extra credit):

Not only are yall SO correct, you were also funny about it! 10 extra points to you all!

Category 2 (There's only 10 answer options guys. . .):

This was as nuanced as I could get with the amount of options I had while still being inclusive of other sexuality options. I'm not gonna do a whole bracket for this; It was just supposed to be a funny little vague at the piratepolls person who turned out to be an asshole trying to stir the pot.

(I don't care what their intentions were or might have been. It got picked up and passed around by The Usual Suspects, the answer choices they gave were biased and had LESS nuance, and with a DRAMATIC lead on the option that's a significant point of contention in the fandom they made a 'joke' about the winning option being canon despite it only being an interpretation and a poor one at that. I'm not fighting anyone on the 'Izzy is homophobic' interpretation anymore. You're wrong. Argue with the wall.)

I thought emotional repression was implied in all of the 'sexually repressed' options, if I'm being honest. The reason I made a distinction in the 'and proud' group is because I think he can be proud of his sexuality but still be emotionally repressed but I also think there's emotional repression inherent in sexual repression.

The 'just kind of a dick' option isn't meant to imply that he's not being a dick when he's emotionally/sexually repressed, either, just that those aren't necessarily the reason for him being a dick.

Category 3 (Failed the assignment):

(There's more I disagree with from this response but this bit is the part I have an actual problem with.)

Define 'toxic masculinity'. Now do it in a way that doesn't include behaviors and attitudes that nearly everyone in the show has had at some point.

Show me David, or ANY of the cast/crew talking about toxic masculinity and calling attention to Izzy, specifically. Or to the concept of piracy which Izzy (and Ed and Fang and Ivan and Spanish Jackie and the crew of the Revenge, until Stede comes along) adheres to.

I'm not gonna argue here. I'm tired. I've got some pretty gnarly brain fog going on. I just don't want to. I just want you to think about what kind of show this would be if the main character is trying to escape to a world where Izzy's ideals (and worse, he doesn't act nearly as bad towards the crew as it's implied Benjamin Hornigold did) are the norm, but those ideals are, allegedly, inherently bad and toxic. What a show where the main love interest (and potential main character of the second season) wanted out of that life, because he was BORED of it, would imply about those supposed ideals.

The great thing about this show is that none of the characters are JUST narrative devices. They're CHARACTERS. They have an interior to them that informs their choices. We can argue til the sun comes up about why, specifically, Izzy hates Stede, but there's no way to make the reason be 'because Stede is gay' that doesn't diminish who STEDE is as a character, let alone Izzy as a queer man himself (he's queer, argue with the wall).