#my friend has a good theory and if its true i guarantee everyone will be in shambles

[emotional-mess-in-distress]

I'm sure half of the fandom will be in flames at the reveal or subtle nod to who the chapter 2 killer actually is this episode.

But don't expect me NOT to celebrate when we find out for sure it's not Eden.

[charlotteswebbbbb]

What's the vibe? #59

News:

Roberto Cavalli died on Sunday. I think something I noticed about Cavalli or Mugler or Rabane dying was that they loved the female form. There was a reverence for the shape and how women move in their clothes. Now designers couldn't care much or they have no incentive to care? The commercial aspect wins again. Sexuality and sensuality will prevail in the underground and DIY.

Also Faith Ringgold, the American artist who worked within quilts and paint died.

Will smoking culture in the UK be changed forever after the passing of this smoking age bill? What are the new unhealthy vices for British society? This is something to watch considering smoking came back in quite a big way over the past two years. It's related to "idgaf" culture which is very....inauthentic.

Cannes announced it's big lineup - but will there be a breaking free from these kings (incl Berlinale which....this year went terribly)? Will there be a break from the hold of A24-isms...BFI festivals do amazingly for that.

Internet rn:

Dead internet theory > web 1.0 > IRL

Dead internet theory is defined as “its main argument is that the organic, human-created content that powered the early web in the 1990s and 2000s has been usurped by artificially created content, which now dominates what people see online. Hence, the internet is “dead” because the content most of us consume is no longer created by living beings (humans).” In the piece by Michael Grothaus for Fast Company, it is explained that there’s more bots but also the algorithm is working against influencers (which may lead to the death of them)… I mean also “Dead Internet Theory” is a conspiracy but I also think it’s partially true.

I don’t want to be the harbinger of bad news but AI is not getting the best PR at the moment. I think its ambassadors are realising that everything that has been made is better and faster. Having a level of control on how the machine works is much better than putting your hands and faith into a computer. See: Grimes going viral at Coachella for DJ difficulties or Marques Brownlee panning the Humane AI Pin.

AI is not smarter than us, it is a tool that can be used to bring up things that we have made and for it to be reformed again in a play-do-esque vision of smartness. Honestly in my opinion, craft will always be important, people are still amazed by vintage pieces.

See also: red carpet thematic dressing or people still trying to copy the Maison Margiela show.

Algorithms are eating themselves, becoming less useful to people. Creating frustration and creating distance from posting about their favourite things or work because they know their friends won’t see it. I wasn’t keen to use this Pitchfork example because it’s not really the same since they got rid of their staffers. (I say this because technically it was a prized position and running on freelancers that are recognisable to this audience is important now too). Anyway, last Friday Pitchfork's Best New Music was awarded to Cindy Lee. An artist with no social media that I can see, an album that is 2 hours long and someone who doesn’t do interviews currently but has a Geocities website where you can download wav files from. An artist on a FAREWELL tour, even. People on social media cry that tour dates are sold out and as far as I can see on Dice…they’re right.

Also the outage of instagram from last month has me thinking that people are investing so much into a platform that doesn’t even invest in them. Creatives making instagram their websites because it’s easier but what if everyone went back into making their own websites away from Meta, Elon Musk and other billionaires? The word by mouth way of sharing knowledge may prevail, trust increase? Maybe? There’s less space to discuss ideas but people can do that in real life. Like people want to experience things more than ever now but on budget. That one really good guaranteed club night, that one good film (could be Challengers/Monkey Man/pick any good film atm).

Basically right now, everything is Drake theory. Used to be fun, now middle of the road but still popular, claims to be the king but is in no way authentic, hopping from one thing to another because of money. You could say this is enshittification but I think Drake is a much better analogy because people still fill concerts arenas to see him, he’s so pervasive you can’t ignore his touch on rap culture. People aren’t turning away from him because unfortunately he makes things slightly interesting by being there.

Highlights in music:

Fabiana Palladino

John Glacier

Marie Davidson

Empress Of

DJs to watch:

Beauty x Sustainability:

Crystabel Efemena Riley is a "clean" beauty make up artist. Passionate about materials used being sustainable and reusable alongside organic make up.

Photography: Suzie + Leo

This idea of spirituality and eating/food has become quite pervasive in culture. You see people talking about fasting - which is apparently not that good for you but I'm assuming is great for weight loss? People like Rishi Sunak who is essentially a Cali tech bro using intimitent fasting to be seen as more serious and focused to a new middle class kind of person, whereas there will always be this bigger need for food culture. On the other side is people who belong to cultures where food is part of being a part of a community. Quite the opposite to this individualistic Anglosphere culture.

[syndianites]

A Queen Serves and Protects

Chapter Two

Last Chapter --> Current --> Next Chapter!

Summary:

Post-Style Queen, Pre-Queen Wasp.

Chloe finds the Bee Miraculous, but instead of finding an obliging, subservient Kwami, she finds the Kwami of Order and Subjugation, and Pollen is not about to let herself be used like Nooroo was.

Granted, the only danger in a teenage girl is the damage she poses to herself. Can Pollen shape Chloe into a hero? Or will she stubbornly refuse to change and remain the bitter, harsh person the city has long since known?

[My take on how Chloe’s character could have developed] ——————————————————————————————

Twenty four hours went by excruciatingly slow for Pollen.

First, she had to wait through the night. Chloe hadn’t unboxed her until late in the day, when the sun was almost gone. That left little time in the day for much interaction with others.

But she didn’t spend this time twiddling her thumbs. She did what research she could. After observing Chloe- who she learned the name of moments after their deal- meander on her phone and laptop for a few hours, she had a dubious grasp on how the current technology worked.

It was quite the adventure.

But after trial and error, she managed to look Chloe up on the internet. (And what a fascinating thing!). The results gave her a basic background; Daughter of the Mayor of Paris, Mother is a renowned expert in the fashion industry, and so on. She seemed clean, for all Pollen could tell.

So she searched her room. Most of what she could see was clearly expensive, from shiny new gadgets to prim and proper clothes. Beyond some Ladybug merchandise- and oh boy was this girl a fan of Ladybug- nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

A sneak around the hotel didn’t reveal much about Chloe, herself, but her parents on the other hand….

What disasters!

Calling their relationship dysfunctional would be a complement. They were completely polarized opposites, and not in the good, healthy way. Her mother was derisive and cruel, refusing to associate with those she believed were below her and didn’t meet her exceptional standards. Her father was, despite his position, a lapdog. He would bend over backwards to please his wife, acting like a doormat.

Together, they were the perfect image of an Evil Queen and her loyal Servant.

It didn’t give Pollen any good feelings about how Chloe herself would act. Would she take after her parents? Or would she be her own person?

Day time did not ease her fears. Chloe was brash and rude, clearly taking after her mother. She didn’t remember anyone’s names, was haughty and snappy towards her staff, and clearly was comfortable acting above everyone else.

Not a good sign at all.

The way she treated her ‘friend’ was yet another bad sign. Just like her mother had her father as a lapdog she, too, had her friend as a lapdog. However, Pollen took note of how she did remember her name. That must count for something, she considered doubtfully.

School was a disaster for Pollen.

Chloe started out just as haughty as she had in the hotel. Somehow, she got worse. Rude to other students, sneering at and belittling them, and outright mean. Treating her ‘friend’ as a servant. Disregarding other’s feelings. Causing chaos in the class.

There was little Pollen saw as redeemable for Chloe. Between her attitude towards those who worked for her and her family and those who she spent most of her time around, acts of kindness were nigh impossible to find.

As they made their way home, Pollen mulled over how to find Ladybug or Master Fu. In theory, she could try and call out to the other kwami, but such an act took a lot of power and could draw the attention of Hawkmoth or worse. She could camp out until Ladybug and Chat Noir had to come out for another akuma, but how would she manage to transport her miraculous across the city without getting snatched by said akuma?

But as Chloe walked into the lobby of the hotel, her mother’s voice caught her attention.

“Clara!” Audrey strutted up to her daughter, typing away at her phone with one hand. “I need you to fetch me something dear.”

‘Clara?’ Pollen mused, ‘Her name’s Chloe.’

Chloe perked up. “Of course mother. And my name’s Chloe. What can I do for you?”

Audrey waved her hand, “Whatever you say, Cindy. I heard that Adrien Agreste, Gabriel’s son, is in your class. I need you to ensure that Gabriel seated me in the correct location this time. The reshoot of the fashion show is today and I will not be in the second row again.”

From where she could just see Chloe from the gap in her purse, Pollen watched her face fall before she straightened back up with a nod. “Of course! Putting you in the second row is ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!”

“Yes, yes, now please leave. I have business to attend to Carrie.” Audrey dismissed Chloe with a wave before heading deeper into the hotel.

Chloe, despite being misnamed three times in a row, seemed determined to please her mother. She gripped the handle of her bag tighter before rummaging in it to fish out her phone. Barely looking up, she wandered towards the elevator that would take her to her penthouse suite.

When the doors closed and left Chloe alone in the elevator, Pollen poked her head out of the bag. “Is it often your mother gets your name wrong?”

Her lips thinned as she pressed them together. “Yes.” Chloe’s response was short and clipped.

Pollen mulled this response over. Pieces of the puzzle that was Chloe were falling into place. As the doors opened again, Pollen ducked back down into the purse.

Chloe continued to text until a smile lit her face up. “Oh, Adrikins! I can always count on you.”

She skipped into her room, shooting a text to her mother- who didn’t respond- that her seat was guaranteed to be in the front row. Chloe went to toss her bag before remembering that it was occupied and lowering it down on a chair gently.

“Alright, Pollen, how was I? As great as you imagined I would be?” Chloe placed the back of her hand under her chin proudly.

In lieu of an answer, Pollen merely replied,”It hasn’t been twenty four hours yet, Chloe.”

Chloe groaned, grumbling complaints about how her heroic qualities should be obvious by now, but ultimately let it go. They had made a deal, after all.

“Oh,” Chloe said suddenly, “Sabrina will be coming over soon, so you’ll want to hide out for a while.”

A perfect opportunity to see what Chloe was like behind closed doors.

Turns out, she was strangely sweet. 

Sabrina and Chloe played together like any teens would; watching shows together, gossiping- albeit in a less than kind way- doing each others’ make-up, and most embarrassingly playing ‘Ladybug and Chat Noir’. Despite herself, Pollen found it endearing.

Still, it was not enough to sway her. Endearing or not, Chloe was not fit for being a superhero.

///////

The fashion show was cute. True to word, Chloe and her family were sat in the front row where Audrey critiqued- quite loudly for such an event- each outfit that came about. A few she praised, but they were few and far between. 

When Adrien Agreste appeared, the Style Queen gave an appreciative hum. “What quality craftsmanship. Surely an exceptional designer made that hat.”

It wasn’t until after the show that things went south.

Audrey had approached Adrien and, to many’s surprise, Gabriel Agreste in the flesh to discuss the fashion. 

“My dear, it seems you’ve set up yet another exceptional line of clothing. That hat dear Adrien is wearing is quite the gem among them.” Audrey gushed to a polite but stone-faced Gabriel.

“Ah,” Gabriel began, “That hat is not a design of my own.”

Adrien piped up here, “It was actually made by a friend of mine! Marianette,” he called over his shoulder, locking eyes with a shocked dark haired girl. “Come show Audrey this hat you made!” 

Nervous and stuttering, Marianette explained the logistics of her hat and its design, from the synthetic feather to the careful craftsmanship. Audrey, a known harsh critic, glowed as she listened.

“Fabulous, my dear!” she crowed, “I simply must see more of your work. How would you like to come to New York with me to design more fashion for a line of mine?”

Pollen, invested in the conversation, was pulled out of it by a shaking sensation. She looked up to see Chloe outright trembling as she pulled her hands into fists.

“Mother! Why would you take her of all people!” Chloe burst out. All eyes turned to her. 

“Why, Connie, it’s because she is quite exceptional! I would recognize such talent a country away,” Audrey replied with a dismissive wave.

“So am I!” 

A laugh. “Dear, the only exceptional thing about you is your mother.”

Had it not been for the hubbub of people around them, you could have heard a pin drop. Chloe stared resolutely at the floor, teeth grinding together and tears threatening to fall. Marianette, for her part, looked like a deer in headlights, stuck between a sharp drop off a cliff and an incoming car.

“Now Audrey,” Gabriel started, before getting cut off.

“I am exceptional!” Chloe shouted. “I will show you! I’m going to be a super heroine! Just you wait, I’ll be better than this girl will ever be!”

Audrey outright cackled. “Oh honey, keep dreaming. There is not a heroic bone in your body.”

Eyes watering and lips trembling, Chloe turned on a dime and stormed off. Pollen caught Marianette make an aborted move towards her, but was stopped by Adrien putting a hand on her arm.

Fuming and ready to bawl, Chloe bust out the front doors and began running down the sidewalk. For minutes, safely tucked into Chloe’s bag, all Pollen can hear is hard footsteps, people shouting, and Chloe’s heavy breathing.

After hearing doors slam open and closed repeatedly, Chloe and Pollen are left in silence. When Pollen braved a look out the purse, she sees that they have found their way back to the locker room at Chloe’s school. Seeing that they were alone, she moved out into the open.

“Fuck!” Chloe exploded. “How dare she!”

Feeling the rage roiling off Chloe, Pollen rushed to calm her. “Chloe, take a deep breath. Give yourself a minute to let it simmer.”

Icy eyes shot up to look at Pollen. “Take a breath? Let it simmer? Are you kidding! I have done my best to make my mother see I am exceptional, so show her that  I am good enough, and what does she do? Invites Dupain-Cheng of all people to go with her to New York.”

Pacing back and forth in front of the benches, Chloe growled. “Do you know when the last time I saw my mother for more than a day was? Years ago! Years, Pollen!” Tears trickled down her cheeks as Chloe caved in on herself. “I’ve done my best to be just like her, to show her I can be great too. Why won’t she ever look at me?”

With a hesitant pause, Pollen reached a paw out to Chloe’s shoulder. “Some people can’t be pleased, Chloe. You shouldn’t base your self worth on the word of another.”

Chloe jerked her shoulder away, turning her back to Pollen. “You don’t understand.”

“My mother left when I was young.” She walked forward towards the door so that she could peer out the window. “I didn’t understand why. She didn’t even say goodbye.”

“But,” Chloe continued, “If I can just get her to see that I’m worth staying for, she’ll stay here. Maybe, just maybe, I can convince her to be part of our family again.”

Red-rimmed eyes and wet cheeks turned back to Pollen. “It’s just so hard. She hardly cares for me at all.”

A pause. “Pollen?” Chloe bit her lip. “Am I unlovable?”

“Of course not. Chloe, no one is beyond love. Not even the worst of people.” Pollen could feel the tides shifting. Before, she was determined to leave Chloe behind. But now? Her heart ached at the thought of abandoning her.

Chloe starts to say something else, but all Pollen could hear was the flap of wings. Her eyes flicked to behind Chloe to where the locker room door was just set ajar. A delicate butterfly of deep, cracked purple squeezed its way inside.

“Chloe!” Pollen yelled. But it was too late. The butterfly touched down on her white sunglasses and disappeared without a sound.

A sudden blank look came across Chloe’s face. A purple butterfly mask appeared across her eyes. Every part of Pollen screamed that she was in danger. Not just from an akumatized Chloe, but from Hawkmoth knowing that she was with Chloe.

Her eyes darted around the room. She needed to hide. It would be safer for the both of them if she kept herself unknown.

“Yes, Hawkmoth.”

[hp-fanfic-archive]

an introductory rec list (that no one asked for) to some of my favorite ships: drarry [4/10]

First fic I read for the pairing: Obsession by yesbocchan [2k,T] Harry thinks Malfoy is up to something evil. Until he finds out maybe he's not the only one with an obsession. [just a cute little eighth year fic i saw on tumblr back when i was first getting into fandom stuff (and back into harry potter in general) when i was near the end of high school. it’s cute, it’s sweet, and i was curious about drarry as a concept so]

Fic that really sold me on the pairing: Stealing Sweaters by DorthyAnn [12k,T] It's their eighth and final year and over the course of several months, Harry and Draco have managed to become close friends. Their friends are entirely certain that they ought to be much, much more. So they just decide to... help things along. [listen, everything that DorthyAnn writes is phenomenal, so how could i not fall in love with this ship after this?]

Absolute favorite fic(s) for the pairing: Animus Nexus by MystyVander [96k,T] It's Eighth Year at Hogwarts and it seems Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy hate each other more than ever before. Everybody is sick of it. Somebody was tired of the two enough to curse them, binding them together. What at first appears to be a death sentence to both Harry and Draco turns out to be the thing the both of them needed the most. [it’s enemies to friends to lovers coupled with accidental bonding coupled with discussions of magical theory coupled with wizarding traditions with a few misunderstandings and some angst all set in eighth year and that’s basically the perfect combination for me.] Twist of Fate by Oakstone730 [302k,T] Draco asks Harry to help him beat the Imperius curse during 4th year. The lessons turn into more than either expected. A story of redemption and forgiveness. Pairings: HP/DM (Slash) Timeframe: 1994-2002 Goblet to 4 yrs post-DH EWE Rating T for language, high angst, content. [this fic has lived rent-free in my head for three years and it fucking slaps. there’s angst and fluff and so many bittersweet moments and it’s both canon compliant and completely canon divergent and i am obsessed with it. 40000/10]

Most recent fic I’ve read for the pairing: love me now (touch me now) by swisstae [3k,G] Harry's never had a bath. Draco plans on changing that. OR in which Harry gets his hair washed and Loves It (and Draco. He loves Draco too.) [this fic is adorable and sweet and i enjoyed it immensely.]

Favorite AU(s) I’ve read for the pairing: Alternate Sorting AU (Slytherin!Harry): Malfoy Flavor by Vorabiza [199k,E] Harry’s ready to banish the Golden Boy image and take charge of his life. Unfortunately for him, or fortunately, there are surprises in store for him. [Slytherin!Harry but it’s not an entire canon rewrite like most of the alternate sorting fics i love so much, so that’s fun. also severitus and just the right amount of soul crushingly painful angst. oh and it has a delightfully fluffy little sequel. ] Alternate Sorting AU 2: Electric Boogaloo (Ravenclaw!Draco): Chaos Theory by Tessa Crowley [102k,E] Chaos: when the present determines the future, but the approximate present does not approximately determine the future. One gene varies, one neuron fires, one butterfly flaps its wings, and Draco Malfoy's life is completely different. Draco has always found a certain comfort in chaos. Perhaps he shouldn't. (warnings for: major character death, graphic depictions of violence, psychological torture, implied/referenced non-con) [as my notes on my bookmark said: GOD DAMNNNNN. I LOVE THIS FIC. I CRIED SO MUCH AND ALSO THERE WAS LAUGHTER AND JUST GOD DAMN. ONE OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITES. so that about sums it up.] Time Travel AU: Annus Mirabilis by Ren [39k,E] Harry and Malfoy are trapped at Hogwarts around the time the school was founded. Stuck with a different way of doing magic, with no chocolate, and with each other, they have to find a way to work together if they want a chance to go home. [i almost never fuck with time travel aus but… this one slaps. also? hogwarts founders era?? hell yeah. also also? their relationship progresses in a way that feels so natural and the tension is so palpable and the writing is excellent.]

Favorite Series for the pairing: Leo Inter Serpentes by Aeternum [746k,E,6 Works] Just one conversation between two eleven year old boys goes slightly differently, and the world changes. Just how much will be different with Harry being sorted into Slytherin, and how much will stay the same? [Slytherin!Harry? Harry, Draco, Hermione friendship? Severitus? All in a complete series re-write that’s currently six completed works deep? What more could you possibly need?]

Longest fic I’ve read for the pairing: I Do What I Want by XxTheDarkLordxX [509k,E] They say you shouldn't touch what isn't yours... Too bad no one told Harry that. A simple mistake that Harry made in his first year at Hogwarts is coming back to bite him in the arse. The war is over but the threat to his life is just beginning. This story begins with a simple apology that changes Harry’s life. It starts a domino effect that leads to unbelievable connections, undying love, unique past lives, unknown villains and an unstoppable family. Follow Harry and his friends on an epic adventure filled with twists, bumps, comfort, enemies, a new life and a lot of love. (warnings for: major character death, some character bashing) [the first (or first few? i forget) chapters are written in first person but they’re an internal monologue and the rest of the fic is not in first person, just so you know. Also, the concept slaps and the fic is cute and i love to see it (and i’ve read it thrice).]

Fic(s) with some of my favorite tropes: Matchmaking: Ron Weasley: Accidental Matchmaker by Phoenix_Waves [2k,T] "There's not a sexual tension out there that the man can't accidentally detect!" George beamed. "And then ask the stupid arse question that's going to light the spark and fan the flames." Lee added matter-of-factly. A fluffy Christmas one shot featuring our favorite older Gryffindors. [god this is excellent: the obliviousness, the mutual pining, the matchmaking, having the older gryffindor kids around and having a good holiday time- it’s all excellent.] Soulmates: Kiss Me Not by DorthyAnn [21k,T] Sometimes a witch or wizard's magical signature is so completely incompatible with another that they repel one another like magnets. On the other hand, if two magical signatures mesh well together, well there are no stronger relationships in all the world. In a sample of a thousand people, the average witch or wizard will be slightly repelled by four or five people and strongly repelled by only one, at the most. The opposite is true for attraction. But Harry Potter can't kiss anyone at all. [this is actually such a fascinating take on the classic soulmates trope. there’s no predestined person for everyone and there’s no magical guarantee of anything, just magic being a little difficult and i adore that. also the writing style is excellent and the characterizations are spot on.] Accidental Bonding + Bed Sharing: Let's Take A Chance On Happiness by endless_grey [21k,E] Harry works with Luna at her magical antique shop, and everything is going pretty well until a mysterious ring makes an appearance. Cue curse-breaker Draco Malfoy and an accidental bond, and suddenly Harry is magically married to his former nemesis. They need to break the bond before Hermione's fundraiser, but Harry doesn't remember "fall in love with the git" being part of the plan. [i discovered this fic while looking for something else, but it’s so good. i love their dynamic and it’s shift as the story progresses and i love both of their friendships with luna just as much. it’s funny and a little angsty and well written and has two of my favorite tropes in it. what more can i say?]

[pricechecktranslations]

E.A.T. Prologue; Scene 6

E.A.T. Prologue pages 20-34

“—The parallel world we visited first, the ‘World of Giants and Beastmen’…There, we were subject to the situation where all of the residents of the manor excluding myself and Fry were murdered. …Though well, Ron has a deathless body, so he revived again immediately afterwards.”

Ron scratched his head as he listened to Lich’s story, his mood a touch complicated.

Miserably enough, he’d been the first one to get cut down by the traitor Jarre.

But as Lich said he was revived quickly, and after that under Lich’s orders he had given his undivided attention to maintaining the “Fat Man” that powered the mansion’s movement, it having become unsteady.

Lich’s explanation continued.

“Fortunately, aside from Ron the residents of this manor were already souls to begin with. I had made them bodies out of a special mud, and it was these that they were all dwelling inside. The ‘Soul Archives’ we have packed into the ship…Inside them is the data that forms the basis of each soul. In other words, as long as the ‘Soul Archives’ are not destroyed, then we can be resurrected as many times as needed, even if our bodies are destroyed.”

However.

There was a problem with that.

They could come back if they had bodies, but the reverse was also true—without a body, they would remain souls, unable to be revived.

“There wasn’t any of the ‘mud’ suitable for use in creating new bodies in the ‘World of Giants and Beastmen’.”

So then, Lich had been forced to use different bodies instead.

The only thing he was able to come up with in those circumstances were the ones who had attacked the manor—

The corpses of the bunny hero Jarre and his friends.

“For everyone other than Lady Banica, the bodies and souls were successfully compatible. However—”

Ron made a guess on seeing Lich’s clouded expression. “They didn’t work for Lady Banica. Why is that?”

After casting his eyes down for a moment, Lich looked up and replied, “—The only thing I can think of is a difference in the quality of her soul.”

“…? What does that mean?”

“Arte, Pollo, myself, and Eater…Seth as well I suppose—the quality of our souls is a little bit different from that of the average human. To put it in a way that you would understand, Mr. Ron…Basically, ours are souls are closer in nature to that of ‘gods’.”

“…”

Ron felt that he really didn’t actually understand that at all, but he could grasp the part about them not being “average humans” at least.

“However, Lady Banica…was originally a normal human being.”

That was true.

If she hadn’t been set upon and bewitched by a demon…she would have led her life as a normal person, and died that way.

“Through her contract with Vlad—with the demon, her soul had gained some particular properties; but that contract was broken before we set out on this journey. The demon did not come with us, opting instead to remain in our original world, and so at present it’s impossible to renew that contract.”

“So then…now we can’t resurrect Lady Banica?”

Lich replied, looking over at Ron as he pressed him for answers, “…We have several methods. The first is to search for ‘mud’ suitable for making her a new body. But there’s no guarantee that we’ll be able to find any hereafter in the course of our journey.”

“…What if we returned to our original world? There would be mud to make a body with there, surely?”

But Lich shook his head.

“That would be difficult. There’s an obstacle to it.”

“An obstacle?”

“A ‘ghost’. You recall that some trouble occurred the first time we shifted to a new plane, yes?”

“Yeah, I remember…Some trouble with an unknown cause put us on the verge of crashing—”

“Through my investigations afterward, I have determined that the cause was the ‘Ma Ghost’.”

“What…in the world is that?”

“A ‘pure evil’ that was responsible for our world being destroyed…You could call it an amalgamated entity. Though as of yet I’m not that clear on the specifics. Whatever the case, what is certain is that it’s a being that tries to destroy everything that comes in or out of that world.”

Lich advised that going back would be too dangerous until they’d found some method of dealing with it.

“So then, the other option available to us is…to find Lady Banica’s ‘alter ego’.”

“…I’m not smart like you are. I’d appreciate it if you could try to avoid using such specialized terminology when possible.”

“To put it simply, it’s a being that has Lady Banica’s ‘alternate self’. There’s a chance of one existing in every parallel world. Well…truthfully this is outside of my area of expertise…All this is assuming you believe what Seth has told us.”

“Shall I explain in more depth?” Seth cut in.

But Lich firmly shook his head.

“That’s enough. I’m certain that if we go on for too much longer you’ll just start rambling on contents entirely inconsequential to myself and Mr. Ron.”

“I suppose. I just thought this would finally be a good opportunity to talk about my advanced theory, so that’s unfortunate.”

Ron pondered over the current discussion and then concluded, trying to help himself understand in his own way, “So you’re saying we need to find this ‘alter-ego’…this alternate Lady Banica that might be in this parallel world?”

“That’s basically it. In the majority of cases the alter-ego will be different from Lady Banica in appearance, personality, and even name and identity. However, the soul will be of the same quality as Lady Banica’s…To put it another way, the body that the soul dwells inside has a high probability of being compatible with Lady Banica.”

And there, Ron recalled something.

The girl that Lich had brought over earlier.

“Could it be…that that girl with the horn is Lady Banica’s—”

“Yes. She is, without a doubt, Lady Banica’s ‘alter-ego’ that exists here in this ‘World of Angels and Demons’.”

“How can you be so sure of that?”

“Through analysis of the Akashic Record.”

“Sigh. I’ve no idea whatsoever what this ‘Akashic Record’ is…but if you say so, then it must be right.” Ron then said, adopting a more depressed attitude, “…Are you going to kill the girl?”

“I suppose I’ll have to. Only one soul can dwell in a single body. I don’t know what the risk is of forcibly pushing a second one in.”

“Do we…have the right to do that? To steal a person’s life for our own gain.”

But Lich calmly replied, not even pretending to look unsettled in the least, “Of course we do.”

“…Hmph, that’s right. You are all ‘beings close to gods’, of course. But…I’m not. Even if I’ve become like this, I was originally a normal human. I…can’t accept you doing such a thing.”

“Then what are you saying we should do? The way things are now, Lady Banica will forever be a disembodied soul. Are you alright with that?”

“…”

“To resurrect Lady Banica, we need to kill her alter-ego and obtain her body—Right now, that’s the only choice we have.”

He said that, but Ron still wasn’t convinced.

--When Banica had made her contract with the demon, Ron had already become one of the living dead, and so had no way to stop her.

He’d been unable to stop her falling to ‘evil’.

He couldn’t let the same thing happen again.

…Before, there had been another option available for Ron.

To follow the will of the gods and pass through that ‘gate’, carrying out his reincarnation.

But with his soul bound to a physical body, Ron hadn’t known…what would happen to him when he entered that ‘gate’.

Maybe his curse would have been lifted.

But he had no proof that it would.

In short, it was a sink-or-swim situation.

Some of Ron’s former family had been among the souls who’d passed through the ‘gate’.

But Ron felt that too much time had passed to earnestly rejoice in reuniting with them.

And apparently these family members would have ultimately had their memories erased as soon as they went through the ‘gate’ anyway.

He wasn’t afraid of that in itself.

Whether he died or was erased, it was all the same.

Rather, Ron had always wished before that his curse could be lifted so he could finally die.

“All people…die someday. People all fear death while they’re alive. But…I also know the suffering of being unable to die!” Ron shouted, full of emotion.

But Lich merely chuckled at that, and said back, “Hahah. That’s true. You wandered the world as a living dead man for centuries. It certainly must have been painful. But those are after all just your personal feelings. It has nothing to do with Lady Banica.”

“Perhaps so…But that’s not for you to decide on your own.”

As a tense atmosphere flowed between the two of them, Seth’s voice cut in once more.

“Ah--…It sounds like there’s solid reasoning in both of your arguments from what I’m hearing.”

“Shut your yap, Seth.”

“Now now Lich, don’t be so cruel. In times like these, I think it’s best…to let the person herself decide, don’t you think?”

“…? What do you mean?”

“—Come out now, kitty,” Seth called.

That very moment.

A cat suddenly raced out from below the chair Lich was sitting in.

“A cat…What’s a cat doing here?”

Ron gazed upon the cat with confusion.

On the other hand, Lich…was clearly disturbed.

And then he started shouting at the mask on the wall.

“Seth! You bastard…You’ve taken too much of a liberty!”

Then, after the cat jumped up to Lich’s knees, it descended upon his face.

And started quickly scratching at his cheeks with its claws.

“Ow!?”

Lich tumbled backwards out of his chair while the cat landed calmly on the ground, giving him a side-eye.

Looking up at him, the red-furred cat said—

--Yes, the cat…emitted a human voice.

It was the third time he’d witnessed such a scene today alone, so that in itself was naturally not all that surprising to Ron.

The problem was, this voice was unmistakably that of Banica Conchita herself.

“Calm down, Lich…And you too, Ron.”

“L-Lady Banica!?”

Ron’s eyes opened wide, and he peered down at the cat before him.

“Ha ha ha!” He could hear Seth’s loud laughter from the mask. “I felt sorry for Banica, having to stay as a soul until we found the alter-ego. Prodigy that I am, I prepared a temporary body for her! …Though, well, it’s just a simple animate plushy, a replica of something that I made long ago for a different purpose.”

“I see…Or, that’s what I’d like to say. Hah. Truly, there’s never a dull moment with you all around.” After heaving a great sigh, Ron started speaking to Banica. “It may be temporary, but thank goodness that you had a body prepared for you, Lady Banica…In any case, doesn’t this solve the problem?”

“What are you talking about. This body can only drink milk.”

“Oh, you can drink milk.”

“I’ll dry up if I don’t take in moisture.”

It was plainly evident that this was a little bit different from a normal plushy. In terms of its properties it seemed to be similar to the mud bodies that Lich made.

“Lady Banica…What do you intend to do now? Will you make your alter-ego’s body your own after all—”

“Hmm…I’m not sure.” Banica hopped into the chair that Lich had been sitting in a few moments before. “I caught a glance of her earlier…Her looks aren’t too bad. Though I’m a little concerned about that horn on her forehead. There’s a bigger problem than that, though…”

Banica looked up at Lich as he finally stood.

“Lich, that girl…seems to be blind.”

“Yes, you are correct. …Let me explain a little bit on her.”

Lich drew up to the front-most monitor in the cockpit and flicked its switch.

What came up to the screen was something that looked like a map and several pieces of information.

“First, about this world that we’re in now…This place is nicknamed the ‘World of Angels and Demons’. Needless to say, it’s another parallel world of the Third Period. In terms of climate, chemical configuration, and various other factors it greatly resembles the world of Evillious where we used to live…The biggest difference is in the species that dominates this world.”

Banica replied to Lich’s explanation, “The world we were in before was ruled by giants and beastmen. Is this place along similar lines?”

“Yes. The beings that govern this world…Or to be more accurate, used to govern it—was a species called ‘demons’.”

“Demons…Huh. Those were in our world too.”

“The ‘demons’ of this world are vastly different from the like of the ‘Demon of Deadly Sin’ that you once contracted with, Lady Banica. The ‘Demons of Deadly Sin’ were beings that could be said to share kinship with gods; the ‘demons’ of this world are…It would probably be best to just think of them as a kind of race. In other words, little more than a variety of demi-humans.”

“Moving on then…You just said that they ‘used’ to govern this world. So then…you’re saying they don’t anymore.”

Lich nodded.

“That’s right. Unfortunately, this world is already in a state of ruin. A race called ‘angels’ who didn’t like the existence of demons had waged war upon them.”

Apparently Lich couldn’t find out many of the particulars on these ‘angels’ even after some investigation.

“At present, at least, they don’t exist in this world any longer. Either they’ve already gone extinct, or else they’ve taken refuge somewhere where we can’t sense them with the mansion’s devices…”

Assuming that was even possible, Lich amended.

“What we do know is that those ‘angels’ were a race of humanoids that had wings on their back.”

“How do you know that?”

“That girl…Baum, she said so. She heard the sound of my wings flapping and mistakenly thought that I was an angel.”

There, Ron raised his hand and asked Lich, “I hate to butt in, but…When you brought that girl here, Sir Lich, you had changed form into a black bird. As far as I know…you didn’t have an ability like that before.”

“Ah…About that…While I was shifting Pollo and the others’ souls into the beastmen bodies, I quickly did something of an ‘experiment’ using my own body, just to be sure. To check to see that it wouldn’t be rejected or anything.”

A side effect had occurred with Lich’s body as a result…Before he knew it, he had gained that power of transformation.

“…You take unnecessary risks, you know.”

“Well, it’s thanks to this ability I was able to gain her trust and quickly bring her here.”

“…Wait just a second. There’s something odd in what you’ve just said, isn’t there?” This time it was Banica who asked Lich a question. “From what you’ve told us, this girl is a ‘demon’, right? Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Then if she’s convinced you’re an ‘angel’, a group that opposed hers…Why would that make her trust you?”

“I didn’t know that she thought I was an ‘angel’ when we first met, so I just normally offered her help. I said I would take her to a safe place, given that she’d lost her sight and was injured. It probably…left a deep impression on her, to hear those words coming from an ‘angel’, who should have been her enemy. There is that proverb after all, ‘Yesterday’s enemies could be today’s friends’. Naturally, you could also say that I pulled it off with my natural charisma, haha.”

Banica replied to Lich’s boasting with an unamused expression. “You don’t honestly believe that, do you?”

“Ha ha, of course not. …I’m positive she came with me intending to kill me when I was asleep.”

Ron looked imploringly up to the heavens in astonishment. “Have you forgotten what caused this entire situation, Lich?”

“It won’t turn out like with Jarre, Ron. The other ‘demons’ are all but wiped out, and she herself doesn’t have any particular abilities. I’m sure we can deal with her.”

“Are you really so sure?”

Ron didn’t seem convinced, but Banica on the other hand let out a relaxed laugh.

“Haha, you worry too much, Ron.”

“But…”

“For now at least let’s listen to Lich’s full explanation…Please, continue.”

Taking Banica’s invitation, Lich cleared his throat and resumed his speech.

“—About that girl in particular…Her name is Baum Kuren. She was the imperial princess of the ‘Prasino Empire’, which used to rule over the demons. The Prasino Empire struggled against the angels to the very end, but my investigation tells me that all but Baum were killed off by the angels.”

On hearing that, Banica made a sound of pity.

“Oh my…She must be brimming with thoughts of revenge.”

“Baum herself lost her eyes after being burned by the angels. I said this earlier, but I am completely certain that she is your alter-ego, Lady Banica. …Though, naturally, I intend to do another inspection after this.” Lich once more turned to Banica, and said with a resolute demeanor, “Lady Banica. Please give me permission to kill Baum Kuren. I’ll make sure not to do any harm to the body itself. Once it’s all finished, you will be able to obtain a body that you can freely take meals in again. You wouldn’t be stuck in such a useless cat body as—”

Banica leaped at Lich and scratched his face once more.

“Who are you to call your master useless?”

“Ouch, ow…No, I didn’t mean it like that…”

“…Alright. You’ll need to do something about her eyes first. There’s no way I’m going to be blind when I return to a regular body.”

“Right, never fear on that front. With my skills I should have little trouble restoring her eyes.”

Seth had been silent for a while now, but there he opened his mouth to speak.

…Or rather, given that he didn’t currently have a mouth, it was more that they simply heard his voice.

“Going to reconstruct her eyeballs, hm? You certainly have the ability…but where are you going to get the materials?”

“I don’t have any mud, but I do have the beastmen corpses. I’ll look for someone among them who has suitable eyes.”

“I doubt that’ll work out. Beastmen and demons…Have you forgotten that these are races from two different worlds?”

“I’ll manage. You shut up, Seth.”

“Right…Well, I’ll just pray that you putting beastman genes into your body didn’t make you stupid as a side effect.”

Banica jumped from Lich’s head back down to the ground.

“Well, at any rate we’ll have to postpone this discussion until her eyes are fixed.”

“Yes…That shouldn’t take me long to do.”

“Hmm. I’m counting on you, Lich.”

“Yes my lady. Now then…I’d like to start making preparations for my work right away,” Lich said, rushing out of the cockpit.

“…Lady Banica.” Ron walked up to the red cat and began speaking to her. “Do you really intend to take that girl’s body for your own?”

“Well, maybe, maybe not…What would you think if it was you, Ron?”

“Huh? If what were me?”

“Your alter-ego, another you from a different world. If such a person appeared before you.”

“…I don’t know.”

“As for me…I’m quite excited over the whole thing!”

To Ron it looked like the cat’s eyes were sparkling.

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[ladyloveandjustice]

The Westing Game Chapter 21

The Fourth Bomb

In a wacky misunderstanding, Theo thinks Alice is the bomber and tries to blackmail her with the info so he can borrow her bike (Yes, really. Go big or go home is Theo’s motto) but of course Alice thinks he means he knows ANGELA is the bomber.

And in what might be the most touching moment in the book so far, Alice responds to this by setting off a bomb and writing a thing indicating that she is the bomber in order to throw all suspicion off Angela. She eve loses her trademark braid in the process.

It really is incredibly sweet. Alice is very caustic toward her sister, but this isn’t the first time she’s indicated she’s ride-or-die when it comes down to it (she got rid of the evidence for Angela and warned her not to say anything to the lawyer), and it’s also a very lovely response to Angela’s early sacrifice- where she took the bomb she made to her face rather than have it explode to her sisters. But while Angela’s sacrifice was spur-of-the-moment motivated by guilt and panic as well as love (not that it makes it less meaningful), Alice’s is one she planned out and considered. She had time to consider the consequences. She knew that Angela willingly put herself in this position. But she still chose to take the fall anyway, and set off a bomb after seeing what the same thing did to her sister’s face.

She already feels meaningless to her family in general, and maybe on the surface she feels her standing (with her mother in particular) can’t get any lower. “I’m already the troublemaker, I’m already the unwanted one, I have nothing to lose, but Angela would lose everything” was how she convinced herself. (in addition to being aware as a minor she wouldn’t be punished as harshly, smart girl that she is).

But it’s also clear that Alice DOES long for her mother’s love and approval, and I think she also had to contend with a deep fear that after this action, there’d be no going back for them, that she’d doomed herself to be the ‘bad one’ forever. Yet she still did it.

And the loss of her braid is of course, incredibly significant. Angela said earlier that the braid is her “crutch”- she bases a lot of her personality around it. It was her excuse to spend time with her mother and now her excuse to spend time with Flora, it’s the trademark thing people can pull on and she can then she gets excuse to kick them and get in fights and form connections, it’s how she gets attention and relationships for herself without exposing her own vulnerability. But she sacrificed what little that makes her stand out, what little social currency she has to protect the same sister who she envies for being in the spotlight- because that bond is more important than her jealousy and her need for attention. Just like her sister sacrificed one of the things that bring her adulation- her looks- to protect her. Love is more important than those petty things.

Alice is forced to talk to Judge Ford afterwards and, sharp as ever, Ford guesses that she’s protecting Angela.  This quote especially gets me:

The judge was astounded (…). Angela could not be the bomber, that sweet, pretty thing. Thing? Is that how she regarded the young woman, as a thing? And what had she ever said to her except “I hear you’re getting married, Angela” or “You’re so pretty, Angela”. Had anyone ever asked about her ideas, her hopes, her plans? If I had been treated like that, I’d have used dynamite, not fireworks; no, I would have just walked and kept on going. But Angela was different.

There’s a fascinating theme in this book about being marginalized, and the different ways these marginalized people both are pitted against each other and can overlook even each other while also finding connections and comradery with each other… I think I’ll have to wait until the end to fully get my thesis on the whole thing together, but I really find it interesting and appreciate it. Ford’s struggles as a black woman, Alice being overlooked for not performing femininity (thus envious of Angela despite knowing how shitty she has it), Angela being boxed because everyone wants to mold her as the perfect feminine ideal (thus feeling envious of Alice despite knowing how shitty she has it), Sun feeling out of place as a Chinese immigrant, Hoo knowing he’s looked down upon as a Chinese-American (yet still not considering the pain of his own wife), Chris struggling as a disabled kid, many people who are financially disadvantaged and/or feeling limited to the role of caretaker, Sydelle feeling overlooked in general and appropriating others’ struggles in her bizarre quest to get noticed- it’s all very interesting and pretty deftly handled, especially considering the time period the book was written in. 

And our antagonist is quintessential exploitative Rich White Man (obsessed with American Exceptionalism to boot), though it’s casually mentioned he’s the son of immigrants, an identity he seems to have actively shed, going so far as to change his name (if that’s why he changed it), so there’s even complexity there.

But the thing with Ford here is an interesting demonstration of that. Despite being smart and socially aware and having an even more fraught history of being dismissed and belittled, she didn’t give much thought to Angela and subconsciously went along with the same objectification everyone else does, putting her on a pedestal. (There’s a lot to be said about how Angela’s veneration and perceived “purity” by the others might interact with her whiteness, and how Ford realizing she bought into that narrative subconsciously might feel to her as a black woman, but I’m not really the person to discuss that. Anyway!)

The other important development here is that Alice also finally confesses that she saw Westing the night of his murder but mentions that the Westing she saw didn’t look dead, but asleep and like a wax dummy. This sets off alarm bells for both me and Ford.

So, I think its safe to say my earlier theory Sam Westing isn’t dead is probably true. What of the corpse that was present at the will-reading? I think people would have noticed it was a wax dummy, but a disguised corpse from his coroner friend still makes some sense. So where is Westing now? Considering Barney Northup doesn’t exist, could he be Barney?

But speaking of Westing, if we need further confirmation the man is the scum of the earth, he’s a union buster and he fired Sandy for trying to organize one in the paper plant.

We also learn Ford’s backstory with Westing at last: Her parents were household staff at Westing’s mansion and she grew up there as a result. She played chess with Westing frequently as a child, but not only would he brag and take pride in beating a goddamn pre-teen, he mocked her with racialized insults. She never won, but Westing ended up financing her education (that’s the ‘debt’ she owes him). She believes he did this to get a judge he could control, but has refused to play along, removing herself from any case involving him.

I can’t help but think Westing would have known Ford wouldn’t play ball, though. So he may have had another motive for sending her to school. It could be something even more sinister. Or… in his own twisted way, did he actually like her? He obviously realized she was incredibly intelligent during those matches, even if he sadistically enjoyed mocking her, enough to know she’d do well with an education. Did he play chess with her so much not just because he enjoyed tormenting her, but enjoyed her as a person as well? It obviously does not excuse what a racist sadistic shithead he is, and I’m not saying he’s secretly nice- just that it could be he was incapable of relating to anyone in a healthy way. I actually think sending Ford to school could have just been an extension of his desire to torment her AND the only way he knew that would guarantee he remained important in her life. He didn’t ever plan to cash in on her debt, but knew it would kill her just to BE in his debt, and got pleasure out of that alone. He probably just thought it was funny and it was also a way to guarantee he’d live in her head rent free- and because deep down he knew she was a cool kid, he also wanted that. He didn’t want her to forget him, maybe, which is sick! But much more interesting than simply “he wanted a judge he could manipulate”.

But it’s also worth noting this is Ford’s (perhaps) final chance to win against Westing in the ultimate chess match. And I can’t help but think he is well aware how smart she is, so he invited her here specifically because he knew she could be his undoing, the one who unravels everything. So- if we go with the ‘Westing is seeking atonement’ theory- did he invite her to give her that satisfaction of finally beating him, like he always knew deep down she could? Because he WANTS to be beaten, to be found out and knows she deserves to be the one after all the hell he put her through? Or in the ‘Westing is still a complete monster’ theory- is his intention to torment her one last time, to show her she can’t win against him? (if it is, I think he may well find he’s gravely mistaken there).

I don’t think Westing can truly achieve “redemption” with this “game”, nor am I one to easily believe the Ultimate Shitty Capitalist can change easily, but if one thing can shake someone’s worldview and make them reevaluate how they live their life, the death of their child WOULD be a big one. So “this will actually be Westing’s weird twisted attempt at atonement” is a possibility I just can’t stop thinking about. If it is, it’s kind of funny and incredible he can’t stop being manipulative and traumatizing even when he decides he wants to do something good.

On top of all that, Angela and Sydelle get more clues and finally figure out the ‘America the Beautiful’ connection. God, so much to chew on this chapter! I really fear for these last nine chapters. I might end up writing a novel longer than the actual novel analyzing and recapping them if I’m not careful. But that’s how you know it’s a compelling story, so hats off to Ellen Raskin!

[obeyme-kaidii]

Obey Me Tips

General Obey Me Gameplay Advice

I really love Obey Me. Really really really love it. I love the characters and the stories, and I really love the fan content that’s been created for it. I’ve never been involved in a fandom before, but I have to say it’s pretty amazing finding like minded people to interact and share these things with. I’m not brave enough to write fanfic, but I can give game play advice and do math, so that’s why I write these guides.☺️

My advice here is either from personal experience or because I did the research and the math so I could figure out the answer. I’ll always have proof to back up my assertions, if you’d like to see for yourself if my theories hold water. (I’ve even started a free account on my iPad just so I can thoroughly test all my recommendations from the perspective of a non-paid player.)

Please keep in mind that my advice is geared towards players that view finishing the normal mode lessons/main story as their priority. You may prefer to collect outfits or bloom all your favorite cards, and that’s quite alright too.

So without any further ado, here are my general gameplay tips and advice.

An ideal team consists of 3 Demon cards and 3 Memory cards per type.

But a team with only 2 Demon cards and 2 Memory cards per type is also viable for the normal mode lessons at this stage in the game (up to lesson 40).

This is because of the 2.6x type boost for primary types and 1.9x type boost for secondary types per level. The boost only applies to the cards that match the types on that level - so on a level with Envy as its primary type, the Envy stat on your Envy cards will receive the 2.6x boost.

So while that 2.6x boost is pretty awesome, the 1.9x boost is nothing to scoff at either. And if you have 2 Demon and 2 Memory cards of each type, then you can guarantee that all of your cards will receive some sort of boost on all the new levels.

For the first season of levels (lessons 1 - 20), you can get by with just a single team of 3 Demon cards and 3 Memory cards because the type boost for those levels works differently and applies to all cards, not just the ones that match the types for the level.

(And don’t forget you can only use 1 Demon card per brother on a single team. So if you have two Greed cards, but they are both Mammon, you’ll only be able to use one Mammon at a time. Don’t waste your time powering up both of them.)

Powering your cards up evenly is the best way to advance in the game.

I don’t know how it got started, but at some point everyone became convinced that the best way to advance was to work on a single card at a time. And that’s simply not true. In fact, it’s pretty bad advice if I’m being honest.

Things get more expensive as your cards get stronger and you get less strength for the effort. When you level your cards evenly you’re able to get more strength combined for the amount of Grimm you spend.

(If you’d like to see the math on this, I have a whole 4 part series that breaks it down bit by bit packed with examples.)

This advice applies to stars too. Bring all your cards for your teams to 1 star, then 2 stars etc. Sometimes you’ll already have the mats on hand to unlock more stars on cards of certain types, and that’s totally cool and fine to do. But when you are short on mats and trying to figure out what to work towards next, remember to strengthen your weaker cards first.

Use Grimm to level up your cards.

You do receive a small portion of experience in battles that will help your cards gain levels. But because of the mechanics of the battles and how long they take, I really don’t recommend grinding them for experience to save a few Grimm.

Maybe if you had a ton of free time and nothing better to do, I guess? But it’s just not worth the trouble to me. I think it would be a better use of your time to use the “x3” or “x5” button and just get it over with, and then go read some smutty fanfics, where you get pounded by the demon(s) of your choice. 🙃

It is worth mentioning though that the addition of the “SKIP” feature for battles where you overpower your opponent by a large margin makes it much easier to earn experience through battles, but you’ll still occasionally be given a Surprise Guest to entertain. It’s up to you to decide if that delay is worth the experience.

Stars are overrated.

I already mentioned how for most of the game my cards only had 3 stars. And that’s because the amount of time and effort you have to spend to farm hard mode materials in pretty crazy. It’s just not worth the effort to get hung up on them. You’ll quickly find yourself struggling to advance if you get distracted by the stars.

You’re better off doing events to get new cards and waiting for Levi’s Otaku Bootcamp to roll around, and doing the hard mode battles then. And if you just absolutely have to have some hard mode mats - buy the extra levels from the current event so at least you can get extra event points (and thus more rewards).

Only spend your Demon Vouchers in sets of 10.

That guarantee of getting 1 SSR card is pretty gosh darn important especially for free players that don’t have DV to waste. I know it’s tempting to spend them as you earn them, but try to resist the temptation. My biggest regret is that I didn’t spend my DV more wisely when I first started.

Don’t waste your DV on Chapter A.

Besides the UR cards, all of the cards in Chapter A can be won in the event Nightmares. So unless you really really want one of the OG Demon UR cards (which I admit, they are all pretty awesome), don’t do it. And if there is a specific UR card you want, you should try to wait until the birthday event for that demon for a better chance at getting that specific UR card (assuming they continue the pattern of releasing birthday Nightmares for all the brothers).

Invest in Chapter M when you get the chance (be sure to use 10 DV at a time).

This is important to free players especially because it’s the best way to get Memory cards. Odds are you won’t be able to get enough points for the new events to win the SSR or UR Memory cards so you’ll have to get them somewhere.

(Replaying the old events in Lonely Devil is also another good option because the rewards were much cheaper and easier to acquire than they are now.)

Don’t neglect your Memory cards.

I really cannot emphasize this enough. I know they give less strength than the Demon cards, but they are still really important in terms of not only strength, but also their special skills that can boost your strength during a dance battle (or hinder your opponent).

Glow sticks are amazing.

I love glow sticks. I always try to use the type specific glow sticks first, and save my rainbow glow sticks for when the type specific ones aren’t enough. And if you’re a free player, the rainbow ones are arguably the best way to spend your Raven.

But please don’t waste your glow sticks. If you can’t beat a level after 1 shot, take a break and look at how you can strengthen your team before trying again. You’ll be surprised at how much easier it’ll be to advance if you just add 5 levels to a card on your team whenever you get stuck.

Rainbow glow sticks - grant you a 30% boost to the Strength of the card you equip it to

Single color glow sticks - grant you a 10% boost to the Strength of the card you equip it to

If you are 10,000 strength stronger than your opponent, you have a really good chance of winning with 2 stars.

If you go for 20,000 - 30,000 strength over your opponent, it’s pretty much a guarantee at getting 3 stars.

There are exceptions to this where special skills come into play (especially in boss battles), but this has been my experience when advancing through the normal levels.

If a level is giving you trouble, try to counter the opponent’s special skills.

This was especially important for the boss battle with Diavolo at the end of Lesson 40. His combination of skills was absolutely brutal.

My original recommended team was over 50,000S above Diavolo’s S and I barely filled the bar halfway. But when I switched to a team that focused on countering all of his skills, I was able to win with a considerably weaker team.

(Yep, you’re reading that right. Beel was only level 10.)

The cards with the Abilities that can counter these skills are found in the new event Nightmares. Both the UR cards and the SSR card will have whatever the featured Ability is. The SSR cards will simply neutralize the opponent’s skill when it’s activated, but the UR cards “reflect” the skill back to your opponent so that they are cursed instead.

Only buy DV from the 99 DP offers that are available when you level up.

Or during special sales like Solomon’s Summoning Sale. Or specific packages in Mammon’s Rip-off Sale.

Sometimes you’ll need to spend some DP because you have no DV left and really want a chance at a specific card, but try to avoid doing so as much as possible. Your DV and DP will go further and last longer if you save and spend it wisely. This is especially important for free players who have to balance card collecting with building stronger teams.

Whenever you have Grimm to spare, dump it into Chapter G.

This will be your primary way to earn Raven. And Raven is a great way to buy rainbow glow sticks, additional Demon Vouchers, and now even card pieces for certain SSR and UR cards.

They also have the outfits for all the brothers demon forms which are pretty neat. I do own them all, but that’s not exactly necessary and definitely not the best use of Raven. 😂

If you need friends for the daily AP, just add all the top players from the current event.

The top players are the ones most likely to be active, and know how to use the feature to add friends. (Let’s not talk about how long it took me to figure that out when I first started playing, ok? Lol) So they’ll be the ones most likely to accept your friend request and send you AP daily.

On my free account, I just started at rank 1 and sent requests to everyone down to about rank 200 or so until I had 50 friends. And then whenever I had some new spots open up, I’d do the same thing again. I’d also check my Friends Request section to see if I had any new requests from other active players.

Oh, and I periodically remove friends that haven’t played in over 2 weeks. No sense in keeping them on my friends list when there are plenty of new people and active players who could use the free AP and send me some as well.

That’s all I’ve got for now! I hope these tips help you out some if you ever find yourself stuck and uncertain as what to do next. ❤️

[skye-huntress]

RWBY V8 Episode 11 “Risk” Reactions

So earlier in the week we were warned by Neath Oum to be more mindful about spoilers. As I am writing this, we’re still more than two hours out so I don’t know how I am going to do this when I don’t even know what it is I’ll have to be mindful of. I can only judge afterwards how well I did

The Loser Ops really didn’t think Ironwood was serious, as if they didn’t see how unhinged he was when he came to the decision, or how he had no issues murdering a man in cold-blood without any hesitation or remorse. And even then, they think it’s okay to threaten an entire city to blackmail a bunch of teenagers to go along with the plans of a madman

Well, they are not all complete losers. One in particular not only still had a conscience but his sanity mostly in tact and spoke only true facts. Too bad he didn’t think his actions through, it doesn’t matter if everything he said is right, he is in the presence of people unwilling to admit they are wrong even if they have to commit genocide to do it

She saved him. Honestly, I’m surprised she wasn’t the one who ended in cuffs or a bullet to the end. She’s definitely someone’s favourite but I still think she is one misstep away from that bullet and needs to extremely careful and keep her guard up. There is no guarantee he fell for her little act.

Those other losers must have seen what was about to happen. Surely they should be questioning whether the person is sane. Are they going to give in to fear or are they going to do what their actual job like they should have been done during the last 11th episode

The bomb isn’t designed to be airdropped, it needs to be planted. Of course, Ironwood is sending drones to do it, they are the perfect soldiers, they will kill and die for him, never feel any emotions, follow orders unquestioningly, and barring a genius hacker who is intimately familiar with Atlas tech doesn’t override his control, they will never betray him.

Two birds have escaped their cages, one is on the hunt while the other seeks to protect the nest. For the latter, they may have assistance from one good boi.

For our heroes, the situation is not great. The way things look right now I’m not surprised that someone thinks they got every decision wrong. I disagree, of course. All things considered, I think she did rather well. Maybe she didn’t get everything right, but she also had a lot working against her every step of the way

Team JNR has their team reunion, kind of.

One more of our girls has some kick-ass scars to show off, though right now she seems to feel differently about them. By the way, don’t think I forgot that one of our girls has no physical scars to speak of (psychological scars are a different story altogether), but who knows, she might have an opportunity to join the club soon.

Ren owns up to be an emotional wreck like everyone else and resolves to be a better teammate and partner

As I predicted, though the person previously preventing the relationship from going forward has grown, the one pushing for it before has come to the realisation they too need to sort their own shit as well. I think this is great actually, both parties of any relationship should have an understanding of themselves before being intimate with each other, to save themselves unnecessary drama later. I apply this rule to all ships.

So the sisters have finally addressed the Megoliath in the room. Well, maybe not a Megoliath specifically, and definitely not in that room, but its out there someone, this whole scene confirms it will show up somewhere, sometime eventually. I didn’t subscribe to the theory so many where going on about before the big 100. Not completely at least. If it was something, someone that significant, I felt there’d be more set up, to leave no doubts, let the full impact felt not just for the audience but our heroes, especially two of them. But we have been building up to it, and now the words have been said aloud, like a prophesy destined to be fulfilled.

Yang has two moms and tears for both, even if they are shed for different reasons

Right now, it’s impossible to see the full impact of your choices, especially when that effect was spread all across a world you can’t see or talk to anymore. The pay off might not be immediate, but she started something, and it will take more than a day to see the reaction

Yeah, things didn’t go as planned, but they all accomplished things the “adults” would have claimed impossible, and accomplished things they never even set out to do. They’ve learned things, some have grown, and they even have a new ally. And it all started with taking some risks, risks that don’t always pay off but it is worth it to try. Plus, to quote one of my favourite books, the biggest risk is to take no risks. That would only leave you at the mercy of people like Ironwood and Salem who gamble with others’ lives to achieve their own selfish ends.

Seems Penny is still sort of functional, which is both good and bad. It actually took all of them to hold her down. Fortunately, Penny is and always was a real girl. Good for her best friend, too, I don’t think she could take on the burden of her role on top of everything else at a time like this

It’s not a proper redemption if you don’t awkwardly give your former enemies/new allies an awkward but somewhat inspirational speech

They’re going to need a long term solution for that virus

Looks like almost everyone is heading towards the same place, this is going to get messy

[miaxeu]

      though the mist might prevent some from seeing it, MIA STOEGER is actually a descendent of DIONYSUS. it’s still a question of whether or not the TWENTY-ONE year old MYTHOLOGICAL STUDIES MAJOR from LOS ANGELES, USA has taken after HER godly parent completely, but the demigod is still known to be quite CHARISMATIC & DUPLICITOUS. 

( y’all dont deserve this real messy intro but im workin w half a bwain cell at 4am so i beg thee 4 mercy. nywyy im the excited new girl who’s hella pumped to meet all ur charas : katya ! feel free to hop in my ims to plot or drop a like and i’ll hop in urs ! x  )

POWERS

natural acting abilities — her ma’s a hollywoo agent so she started actin real early & now shes a big shot actress. there r more deetz on her career below !

chlorokinesis — it wasnt as natural as acting n she only started working on it when she turned 13 n started going to camps. b4 she just noticed shes good w plants but it wasnt super crazy or nything. its p good now tho ! shes prioritizing vine binding and manipulation 4 the self defense bc awards r cool n all but they dont rlly protecc from monsters ykwim 

levitation — shes trying her best ur honor

alcokinesis  — she cant conjure it or anything, she’s just immune to it ffff

BIO POINTS — cw: drug use ( full biography here )

her mom raised her by herself bc dionysus the party god was out of the picture immediately. she never told mia she’s a demigod & it was always just “ wow ur so talented ” or “ aww u got a green thumb ! ” but when she saw him claim 13 y/o mia by placing a weird hologram over her head while she slept, she knew she had to spill da beanz & tell her kid

ofc mia thought her mom was jus playing sum weird acting exercise w her bc her powers r so lowkey she could highkey just be a Mortal but insert sad whistle, the realizashun & the claiming meant heightened monster threat !! so yea ,,, one ended up chasing her a couple days later rip 

aside from the trauma, mia was ok. mostly bc she ended up cryin for dionysus like any child would n lo & behold he came & helped !!! as he should. nywy she made sure to go to summer camps every year after that but mostly just for protection purposes

she lowkey rlly hates this whole god business esp now that shes grown lmfao deadass thinks she got a bad deal bc life threats arent sexy !!! went to eonia eventually bc its Too Much Man. she just wants to go back to work and her life w the mortals w/o worryin for her life. would deadass fade her father if she could. may or may not be majoring in greek mythology to figure out the logistics of it all out of spite, who knows !

PERSONALITY

not ! a Drama Queen  —  dont get me wrong, shes hella Extra in the way she moves n acts sorta like shes always bein captured on film. is quick-witted & playful & can be a huge tease/flirt if she feels like it, but miss her w Real Feelings ! totally not sentimental. srsly she will try to rationalize away everything and is just,.,., not good w it. so soz folks, we just keepin it breezy here

ugh, she’s an Actress — aka she can act like she cares tho ! shes very much into keeping ppl on her good side. shes friendly n palatable to everyone bc its how shes been trained & while it doesnt seem fake, its def diff when its genuine

The Mortifying Ordeal of Being Known —  lemme circle back to the first one, ok so shes good w emotions but only in theory. does intense character work with her roles so she thinks that counts as her having eq when rlly shes just emotionally stunted, projecting n repressing like an idiot

blonde, skinny, rich, & a lil bit of a Bitch — shes only a bitch inwardly or to ppl she trusts enuff to let in on the gossip. if anyone full on opposes her or becomes real emotional, then this lil diva will rear its superiority complex head n snap a lil. will most probably do it v underhandedly n w a smile but it will be Brutal

girls just wanna have FUN ! — shes the child of da party god, so ofc she a true party girl. officially off the rails when she parties. inhibitions ? we dk her. can be insensitive in that case bc smtms its truly no strings attached, tis all abt the fun. likes company a lot & it doesnt even have 2 be loud or particularly abt her, she just likes having people around n the escapism of it all. will make friends with everyone n make sure they have a jolly fun time guaranteed at dionysus parties 

Work Hard, Play Hard — real responsible when it comes to work and commitments and if she trusts/likes u enough, she’ll give it 2 u straight, no bs. def thinks Calling Out is an act of love but maybe does it a lil too harshly smtms. v much into efficiency, sentiments be damned. not the feely words type. will sit next to u or party w u or even pay 4 ur therapist if u need sum1 to talk to. she will Be There while u work thru it, so long as u dont expect her to change n be all emotional n stuff

if she seems a lil contradictory thats bc she kinda is. tis the good ol nurture vs nature. her ma’s a real no nonsense chick n her pops is a frat guy drama geek greek god whos rlly into cottagecore so u get this lil blonde bitch whos sorta teetering on the edges

OTHER INFO  — cw: drug use ( full headcanons here )

re her career, she achieved pegot status when she was 18 aka she truly b dat bitch. shes not super mainstream famous tho, more like indie sweetheart, film snobs/critics fave typa gal. if ya want a trajectory she started w baby commercials then a sitcom from 4-10 ( think modern fam’s lily ) then it was off to the big screen & the stage ! 

mia has a lil bit of a drug habit. its not abusive or dependent, but it is a staple whenever shes parties bc alcohol is useless 2 her. started a lil young too bc hollywoo. primarily uppers/hallucinogens. she smokes weed a lil more liberally but the rest is mostly just an on occasion thing ( which, ngl, is a still a lil problematic when u party a lot rip )

after she got claimed, mia ended up going to demigod camps in a lot of diff places n countries, depending on where production would take her. there was never an established place, more like wherever was nearest when they wrapped up shooting bc monsters afoot n wutnot  

she was always homeschooled but she still managed to go to a prom and homecoming bc party is life. that makes eonia uni p much her first chance at having a normal educational environment & experience and even then its anything but. still tho this is her moment !!! im lit rally begging her to get a personality that isnt her internally rolling her eyes going “ its not that deep ”

might put up a bio/stats page if im feelin sxc but i wud jus like the records to show that mia stoeger is a bi sxc babe bc me ? write a het ? no grassy ass.

POSSIBLE CONNECTIONS — cw: drug use ( full connections here )

omg danny devito i love ur work ! 

,,, p self explanatory sdkjfs sum1 who loves her work ! it can be lowkey/highkey fangirl to a civil admiration

OR alternatively, y/m can Not Be a fan of her work. they might think the storyline of the projects she takes on r too out of touch n highbrow yada yada yada, but yes, we love to see either of it ! 

summer camp sweetheart !  

someone she met when at camp when they were teens ? doesnt matter in what country/city, but mia was only visiting so it was truly a one summer romance typa thing. bc she was younger, im thinkin 13-17 or w/e she was probably sweeter n a lot more emotional then. was it either’s first puppy love ? first kiss ? first “ relationship ? ” idk, do yk ? truly, so many possibilities. nothin set in stone just hmu bub 

summer camp pals ! 

p much the same as above but make it Platonic

party buddies !

or druggie pals. either way works but she wud luv it if theyre both xoxo

friends w benefits !

most probably ( but not limited to ) sum1 she met at a party skdjhsjk is it exclusive ? is any1 starting to develop feelings ? im down 4 nthing n evrything

alexa play true friend by hannah montana !

give mia her college bestie ! her confidant who knows her feels and can call each other out viciously with no ounce of resentment. we stan the friendships !

omg i love ur skirt !

that is the ugliest effing skirt i've ever seen. lmao basically sum1 mia pretends to like or acts civil w but rlly ,,,, Cannot Stand for w/e rzn   

im p much braindead rn but those are just sum ideas !!! ofc the usual staples like the pals, enemies, wutnots are also v welcome we love to see it. if u also have a wc that u think mia would fit in, id luv to know more ! there are also a couple more detailed ones here, but pls feel free to shoot me a msg n we can get 2 plotting x 

( * wipes brow * how did i type so much n say so little rip. mia is also a completely new muse so pls b patient n if i fuq up from time to time, pretend u do not see >.< nywy thnx 4 readin, sweets ! feel free to hmu here or at discord if ya wanna <3333 )

FULL INFO  ||  EONIA TASKS 

[howdytherepardner]

a tale of two fountains or maybe tributes to "great men"

spires of caverns and pits and spikes; all in aggregate seem to suggest that it could not all have been constructed with care yet each one constructed with too much care for one to bear. cascading semi-chlorinated water separated and dispersed through multitude arteries abruptly exposed to the world around it, standing alone in a vernal pool tucked between decadence and the machines driving legacies of wealth and influence. despite the drapings of grandeur and the mythos surrounding it, it is not unknowable. any outside perspective would give you something to remember it by, but the spears are not a strong enough defense to hides its insides. this unrelenting, static chaos holds an eye of stability; not precise to guarantee protection, but enough to assure that anyone brave enough to venture within will know some measure of relief from the world that surrounds it and the world that it is.

~

i wander down an exposed stairwell with my prox and a towel, wearing only a linting mask and old swim shorts. the paved surfaces that my journey follows range from smoother cement to asphalt jagged with berries from trees that would never realize their evolutionary purpose. it is not the first time i have decided to sit under the fountain of freedom ahead of me arriving at it, but it is the first in memory that i have been so prepared. normally, a pair of briefs would get soaked while too many things sat on the stairs anticipating the emergence of my dripping form, which would continue until i made it back to my room. but there i was. i have never been particularly good at meditation, and would only claim to have “achieved” a meditative state a few moments in my life, but media depictions of water falls as a particular source for finding some form of releasing outer thoughts; it seems to work well enough, but perhaps i just enjoy the spectacle. this night, there were only a few pairs that sat along the side of water, so not too much of an audience, but enough for me to wonder what they thought as i hung my towel and mask on “Double Sights” and sloshed my way to the tower. normally i might set myself directly under a narrow cascade or in the eye, but this session i remained at a static point in orbit: my legs soaked and my arms quickly coated by innumerable droplets, but my hair only catching the most divergent skydivers, the back of my neck losing its dryness only to sweat and humidity.

it’s a place of security, your conversations drowned out by incessant waters, and in close enough proximity, your own thoughts as well. that was the aim of my venture up campus. i’ve been struggling to fall asleep lately. my body will be exhausted from interactions and activities (walking to class? inconceivable) enough that i give up on work earlier in the night and pray that an earlier sleep will restore some greater stamina. the mind however is plagued with sensations of the time that i’m wasting THERE ARE ONLY 22 WEEKS OF SCHOOL LEFT AND YOU’RE SITTING IN YOUR FUCKING ROOM WHAT HAPPENED TO THE YOU THIS SUMMER WHO WAS READY TO SEE PEOPLE AND LIVE AGAIN, the regrets i am well beyond amending THIS IS JUST HOW YOU WERE FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE YEAR HAVE YOU LEARNED NOTHING WITH YOUR IVY LEAGUE TRANSCRIPT, and other anxieties I AM FAILING ALREADY. I AM INDEED TAKING IT ALL FOR GRANTED, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT PRINCETON OPINION PERSON? I AM DISAPPOINTING MY FRIENDS AND EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER INVESTED CAUSE OR CONCERN IN MY SUCCESS AND WELL-BEING. of course, the mind is of body as well, and these permeate through the rest of me. i haven’t felt health for a while THOUGH I’M SURE THAT’S JUST THE COVID THAT I’VE DEFINITELY CONTRACTED AND SPREAD TO MY LOVED ONES or the scattered eating and sleeping schedule compounding into no full restoration. most of the time, this leads to a shirtless run on the towpath (if i’m not doing school work, i might as well perfect this bag of bones), but Ida has eroded many segments to the bottom of the canal, so darker nights may not be the best for it AND MY VISION SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE EVERY DAY, SO IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL THE BODY SURRENDERS ANY SHRED OF WORTH ENTIRELY.

but that night was not humid, and chilly waters woke me to ensure i was fully experiencing my slate slowly being washed away. worries seem to just slip away from me, like a patagonia in any of the clubs’ coat rooms. i feel the effortless mind of my body switch on the ignition, turning all engines to ensure that i freezen’t in the water, and i can stretch each muscle individually as i am asked to confront the prospect of how this form is treated. and i can breathe again, full and deep, and i feel like i am able to get up and face the world as it comes once more.

~

Scudder Plaza may be the most relaxing spot on campus: you can catch the cooling spray from James FitzGerald’s monumental sculpture, Fountain of Freedom, or be soothed by the sounds of its cascading water. At twenty-three feet high, Fountain of Freedom is one of the largest cast bronze sculptures in the U.S. Inspired by the rugged beauty of the artist’s native Pacific Northwest, the grooves, channels, and spires of the six-ton sculpture—reminiscent of naturally eroded forms—are meant to symbolize Woodrow Wilson’s aspirations and frustrations. … Seven hundred gallons of water are recirculated through the fountain each minute and are sprayed through an intricate system of fifty major pressure valves and more than 1,000 pin-hold jets. (x)

~

but tower 4 is some distance from those 4 towers. and without jets pushing them back, many things come crawling back. i am looking down to the basement cafe with its lights out, wondering if the people coming my way were laughing at my relative under-dress, when i decide that i cannot go home yet. i complete another barefoot walk across campus, and lay my towel down as a seat at my penultimate resting place.

~

its silhouette a vague enough [cardioid of sorts] to prevent any association based on shape alone, your expectations may be higher than what you need. it is a piece of furniture in name and in relativity to form, something regarded briefly in the minds’ eye and then passed by just as quickly. its flows ooze at a steady rate, in synch such that it never appears to be moving at all; the only proof that it is, really, is the shading below coming from beyond the light and the drippings at its bottom hidden from view. those surface shimmers make a soft sound, but on touch simply flow between the fingertips. a single indentation on the surface has received a few stones of the many that live below its form, placed there by hands other than its creator; certainly, they gave their vision the precise amount of care and intent required to manifest it. an illusion that what it emits has eroded it over many years to a smooth shape, but with the truth that it is still very young and remains solid within.

~

it would not feel quite right to sit atop einstein’s table, so i sit on the concrete next to the square of rocks. even with consistent eye contact, its subtle streaming does little to shield spectators from the world outside. a car driving by listening to top hits from summers past, a few pedestrians making their pilgrimage for late night snacks; every little itch on the surface of my skin, and of course, bare exposure to every THIS and THAT in a state of overwhelming stillness. but in all, it comes to pass, and my brain is left backtracking to the overwhelming stillness i have known in recent months. i am nostalgic for my University Mandated Quarantine Walks, particularly one alone in the mountain lakes preserve after my first snow back. i am nostalgic for early autumn days looking at the sun reflected off a pond. i am nostalgic for the waiting to find out where i’d spend my junior year, the waiting to receive messages and letters from friends. restless simplicity, anticipation for better things that, well, i guess are supposed to be the present. it doesn’t really feel that way now. as SENTIMENTS have alluded to, i am struggling to make it through right now. instead of a senior year that serves as the culmination of all that came before, i feel instead trapped in shitty replays of the past 3 years. like a script composed of false cognates, it feels like i understand what is happening right now and it makes no sense.

~

Near the earthwork is “Einstein’s Table,” made of jet mist granite and inspired by Albert Einstein’s theory on black holes. Lin noted that the theory was validated last year during the creation of the table. Outer space and constellations were a source of inspiration for both projects, she said.

During the hourlong conversation, Lin shared details of her process from start to finish, which included many adjustments along the way. “With every artwork there might be six to eight models,” she said. “I’m always teaching myself about the site, so that I’m preparing myself for what it’s going to be like to be on site.” (x)

~

but i think i am mostly wondering about how similarly others are feeling. it appears to me that my peers are sliding right back into the chaos of the now, festive in the face of it all and doing everything i tell myself i should be doing right now. do i come off that way to them? does anyone really know how to express these feelings 100 leagues below the surface, or is it just me? what feels true to me, and what leads me to rise from my seat next to the table and return home, is that i must continue. there is little option now but to follow through on this all until the end of the line, whenever it may come; maybe that comes easier for some people now, but i think i’ll make it eventually. i am not entirely sad and i am not entirely happy, but i am here. i think i want to help people despite not being perfect at it, and i am here. all things for granted or not, i am here. i will continue to get cold under one monument and never deny the temptation to touch another passing by, because i know those are things i like to think. i hope you know you can talk to me always.

[tslasvegas]

Finale Episode: “This has been AMAZING.” - Pat

Drama? Caused. Immunity? Mine. (hopefully) Maybe I should've just voted Liv to cause a super messy re-vote but this was an okay outcome I suppose. Now I just need to win immunity OR convince Keegan and Pat to vote with me for one more round. :) Balls to the fucking wall. I'm here to win. 

So final 6 tribal council was a bit of a shitstorm. But I’m still here so it turned out not too bad and Kailyn, the one person I’ve basically never talked to got the boot. Pat played an idol I didn’t know he had, Jaiden played a legacy advantage on himself and Livingston played an idol on me. Bless his heart. Liv is the best. If I can’t win he absolutely deserves to. And now we have a stupid endurance type challenge that requires 6 hours of dedication and I don’t want to do it, because I feel like I could make better use of my day tomorrow but whatever. We’ll see what happens. I would ideally love to have Jeff gone next, and then Jaiden. If it’s a final 2, I’m going with Liv, whether or not he beats me I don’t care. There’s a case to be made for taking Pat out instead of Jaiden. But we shall see how this challenge goes.

....five seconds later

I hate this challenge

....five seconds later

Why'd this challenge have to be 6 hours? I get that we're at final 5 but man this is awful. Sorry Dan, Sorry Jake but I hate this challenge. 

Okay so I don't really remember when the last time I gave a confessional was. So we're just gonna cover the Xavier tribal and hope I didn't already do that lol. This tribal was extremely good for my game, and along with likely the John/Super Idol tribal, will be the time I use as my defining moment in the game, as it shows that I wasn't entirely reliant on Jaiden to get me places, because that seems like the most likely argument against me winning. I could very well see people coming in with a preconceived notion that I was in some way carried by Jaiden, or the fact that I'm alive is because of him. This tribal, where Jaiden thought he could take me out since he knew what the vote count would be with my vote steal, is evidence of that. Luckily for me, I had one more card up my sleeve with the extra vote. And this is why no matter how much you may trust someone, always have an ace in the hole. But on top of that, blowing nearly every advantage in the game, while also being vulnerable at that tribal, is about the best that things could've gone for me. It shows that despite voting out Joey, I still had the trust of Keegan and Liv, and it shows that I had plenty of my own agency in the game. With the next challenge being a logic puzzle, I was not feeling confident going into it. I'm alright at them, not notably great, but when I was practicing, the average times there were something like ~2-3 minutes, which I was just not able to match the pace of. But I did the challenge, and managed to pull off a clean 4 minute time, plenty to spare to win the challenge which I was happy about. This also gave me some breathing room after being to close to going home for comfort. Going into the next tribal, I do know that I have to be wary of Jaiden. The way he talks about him having received legacy from Xavier, saying that Xavier went home with an idol, a lot of his actions there were very sus and I know that I can't take everything at face value. Because of this, I decided to take advantage of being immune, and tried to get Liv on board for a potential F3 of Pat/Him/Me. The caveat would be that Keegan goes home here, just because he has strong potential of winning challenges, which is very true. Liv seemed skeptical, and said he'd sleep on it, which really should've been my first inclination that something is wrong. But I asked him again the next day, and he said "he was open to it". That should've been strike 2, and I'll admit, I was being a little over confident. At that point, Jaiden starts talking to me and is really paranoid about things going wrong, acting like he's going to get voted out. But he insists he has legacy, so everything is fine. I'm just letting him be paranoid, but I also explain that if he's not going to be straightforward with me about what he's thinking for tribal, I'm not particularly interested in exploring possibilities that can hardly be considered possibilities. Come tribal, and what do you know, Jaiden was right. 2 idols and a legacy get played, and Kailyn goes home. Which even if a roundabout way, is what I intended on happening if Keegan had had an idol, so I was not upset about the outcome at all. This also works to my advantage, because it gives Jaiden an "I told you so" moment, and should make him be more confident in going to FTC with me, should I lose these immunities. I just need to get to FTC and I can tell a great story on why I should win. Making it there is the hardest part though

Really gonna go 6 hours posting every 5 minutes. I hate this.

General thoughts on how I think end game should play out from my perspective: My main reasoning for why I think I’ll win though, is just who my alternatives are. Liv won’t win the game. Too small of a player, too defensive of moves. Could be considered an underdog, but in general not pulling much. Keegan, probably too quiet, and like Liv, too defensive. The ideal “contrarian” candidate though, due to general likability and not really doing anything wrong. Pat, should in theory be a budget version of me. From what Jaiden says, he’s less social than me, although admittedly, my social game has fallen off hard throughout the end. It’s difficult to keep up so much though when I don’t have a life to speak of for myself. Jaiden, the clear other option, at least from my perspective. Had had many failed moves, not always a clear direction on what he’s doing or where he’s going, could be seen as second fiddle to me. I think that FTC would mostly come down to, in a me vs Jaiden scenario, which of us people see as the second to each other. People could take my survival as due to Jaiden keeping me safe, but Jaiden calling the shots. People could take me as being the one really in the middle, controlling moreso how each vote turned out. Personally I think the thinking in my favor is more likely/reasonable, but Jaiden has the personality that people will want to support as well. If jury is more game oriented, I probably win. If they aren’t, Jaiden may come out on top. 

I feel like this is my Tumblr Survivor breakthrough. I finally made it to the final four. The finale episode. I'm not on the jury quite yet. The end is so close I can literally taste it. But my work isn't done just yet. With Jeff gone, I oddly feel a lot of weight lifted off my shoulders and I can finally breathe again. It wasn't the primary or even secondary plan I had going into this, but if I want a chance to win this game, I have to take care of him first. It also seemed as though there was an opportunity for me to create a little chaos in the event that this game becomes a final two instead of a F3. People are going to want to cut me at the first chance they get I think, but now that it's a F2 they can hold it off one more vote, no? I tried to plant a seed into Pat's head that Livingston and Keegan are a tight duo and while we could totally get rid of Keegan tonight, we could do Livingston instead and have better odds at the F4 because Keegan/Jeff are going to be laser-focused on going after each other. But then Pat went and told Jeff everything in the chat we have together so I flipped it around and made Pat responsible for going after Livingston. So now I go back to Keegan and tell him that Pat was doing whatever it took to keep Jeff safe and that I was the person keeping Pat on focus to get rid of Jeff. It became way more logical after Pat started throwing Liv's name out there for real for me to get rid of Jeff, because either Pat votes Liv and looks like a fucking shady bitch in the F4, OR Pat votes Jeff with me and we share the blame for getting rid of Jeff equally. Keegan owes me - I just saved him from getting voted out. I could've easily voted out Keegan tonight! I could've left two guaranteed votes in his direction but I didn't. Pat owes me - I convinced him the necessary moves and walked him through two big plans heading into tribal, but I kept him up to date on what he wants. At the end of it, he still begged me to tell him what we needed to do - he flipped back to Liv and then told me, then begged me to tell him what he should do, and I told him to do Jeff. He voted correctly because of me. Livingston owes me - As far as he needs to know, Pat and Jeff were going to vote his ass out of here with me had I not turned Pat's vote back and kept Keegan on close watch. Livingston and I have a decent relationship, but I've now saved him more times than I've voted against him (again, as far as he knows) and that's gotta count for something. This season wasn't about making best friends. It was about winning Tumblr Survivor, so yes, I've backstabbed along the way and voted people out mercilessly. But if I make it to the final two, I kept it real with the friends I made along the way but also put my game first. I feel like I can justify that because I made it this far without anybody ever writing my name down and everything I've done, whether its voting out Kailyn or using the powers of suggestion to drive a deeper wedge between Pat and everyone else, has had a bigger purpose than just surviving one more day. It has felt like a huge house of cards up until this point. I didn't play the simplistic "speaks for itself" game that I wanted in the beginning. Instead, I am going to have to justify every single move if I even make it to the final two. It's crazy. I expected to go home tonight had I not won immunity, and now I'm expecting to go home every night until I reach the finish, but like I said there's no more stress now. I'm fully galvanized here. I've been through the worst of the worst, now all I have to do is close my eyes, exhale, and let go. If I can pull off just two more challenges, I think I'm going to be the winner. You know, it's funny, I didn't come into this experience wanting to play a perfect game. It's so.. unrealistic especially with the type of game that I play, but it might happen? I'm not entirely sure. It would be such a good gift to me on my birthday if I do it because its looking like the FTC will happen on my birthday so umm.. Tumblr Survivor gods I know I've been praying to you a lot this season, but truly, please let that happen LOL

So Jaiden won immunity which is fine. Because Jeff didn’t win and that is all that matters at this point. So after some discussion and some Jaiden freaking the absolute fuck out, we ended up unanimously voting out Jeff. And for some odd reason, Jeff decided to switch a vote from me to Livingston. So I currently only have one vote against me and it was blocked by an idol. Yahoo!! I am in a very precarious situation at this point. Liv and I have a final 2 deal. Jaiden and I have a final 2 deal. Liv and I also agreed to vote out Jaiden in 4th place once Jeff was out. So.... I’m actually hoping that Jaiden wins this next immunity challenge so that can’t happen. And at that point we just vote out Pat and everything is good. That’s the absolute best case scenario at this point because it guarantees I make the final 2 regardless of who actually wins the final challenge. And believe me, if that’s the case I’m throwing the challenge LOL Liv will take me. Jaiden will take me. Why should I win? So yeah, fingers crossed that Jaiden wins this Cards Against Humanity game so we can have the best case scenario happen in this game. 

JEFF IS VOTED OUT AT F5

If I don't go home tonight I will be completely shocked

JAIDEN IS VOTED OUT AT F4

Final 3! One more challenge to go! And I win a fire making challenge. Suck on that! Also don’t come to my DMs whining that I voted for you when you voted for me too. And we’re just playing your game? Honey, you wouldn’t have had a game without us there. There’s this thing called threat level management. Learn it some time. Glad us three undeserving Palazzo members are the final 3. Time to win this final immunity challenge.

Y'all really thought my extra ass wasn't going to write one last confessional? Yeah right! This is probably the last one I'll ever write in a main season so let's make it good. First things first, some acknowledgements. I want to scream this from a mountain top, I really am just so thankful for the opportunity to play and Jake and Dan have my whole heart forever for giving it to me. I can't thank them enough and I really think this will be a positive experience that I hold in my heart forever. So yeah!! If you're reading this (but who is, really?) just know that Dan and Jake are KINGS!!! I also want to acknowledge how lucky I am to have gotten to where I was in this game, because luck did have a lot to do with all of this. I know that my game might not have been as good as it could've been in particular moments and maybe I boxed myself in at the end in a couple different ways, but luck always found a way to get me out of some sticky spots and I am humble enough to admit it. After I got voted out, I wasn't particularly upset with myself because I knew that if I didn't win the immunity, I'd be going out in this spot. I'm surprised that I had to make fire, but I wish that I had spent some time learning how to do slide puzzles really quick because honestly my performance in it was pathetic. Either way, not mad about it, that's just how the cookie crumbled and I probably would've lost to Livingston, too. The relief to all of this is that I got to join the jury full of people that I genuinely wanted to talk to again because I didn't have anybody left in the game that I particularly found great interest communicating with anymore. Keegan treating me like I didn't just spend my valuable time actually being his only friend was probably the lowest moment of the entire game for me. I wasn't even mad that I was losing as much as I was mad that he lied to my face when I confronted him with the truth, then called me a bitch because I told him I would have kept my word to him had he not tried to take me out. For me, that was fucking awful. The petty side of me wants to make final tribal particularly awful for Keegan, but the new and improved side of me wants to just tell him off and let him lose like about a thousand other Tumblr Survivor flops have over the past several years. When I came into this game, I didn't fully expect myself to make it as far as I did and have really had this gigantic transformation like I did. At the same time though, I'm not surprised that I did because I was living the transformation for like two years since I last showed my face in this community. The Jaiden seen in Las Vegas is the Jaiden that I'm finally in love with. It's the player that I've never been stable enough to be for almost five years now, and I am so proud to say that now. Without a doubt, I dominated this season. I know that. So many outcomes went the way that I had set them up, from getting rid of Stephanie to Joey handing me the legacy advantage. Even when they didn't go my way, I didn't become the next big target even though I said I was going home literally every single tribal since the beginning. There's a lot more gamewise that I could say, but I know Dan and Jake are aware of that and they're probably the only people even reading this now. So I guess that part will just stay between me and them. When I made my entrance to the jury, I was a little surprised to see such an overwhelmingly positive response from people like Kailyn, Joey, John, Xavier, and Andrew. It made me feel so validated as a player, a feeling that I have literally never had before in my whole entire time playing these games. It's so great how much that boosted my real-life confidence. After being part of the org community for like seven years by now, I've been able to separate the real world with the online world pretty well, but while devastating losses in the past haven't truly rocked my real world much, this positive reception will have a lasting impact on me for a really long time. I can't say how much it all means to me, because it's so profound and I can't explain it all in words. It just makes me feel optimistic despite being a chronic pessimist. Phew! Although I'm not the winner that I should've been, I am truly proud of myself. I feel like I've finally rolled that fucking stone ball up the hill and thrown it down the mountain on the other side, letting it tumble and kill my enemies on its way down. I think I came into this thinking that I was Sisyphus, but by now I've realized that I'm actually Kratos, the divine personification of strength and power. So maybe my story of never feeling complete from these silly games was never the problem I was looking to solve. My journey was about finding the strength and power I never knew that I had before. The confidence of being able to be at my lowest in games and real life, and somehow finding my way out of the darkness of both realms in tandem. I am basically living in the golden hour of my 23rd year of life, and this game just happened to take part in the midst of that. Good and bad, I am so thankful to have had these experiences shape what this period meant to me. I am living in a world now where the truth is that I am worthy. Not only because of this silly game, but like I said, the confidence gained here affirms that truth. I will never forget it. I'm not at all a religious person, but there's one verse in the Bible that I've always felt drawn to, and more so right now than ever before. John 8:32 - "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." And now, with this last confessional to wrap my journey up, I am free. 

LIVINGSTON IS VOTED OUT AT F3. 

This is it. This is the end. I’ve done everything I can do and now it’s up to the jury to decide. This game was a blast, a true gamble actually playing. I’m proud of what I’ve done and how far I made it. I’m no longer a 5 time flop! 

I cannot believe this season had the end game that it did. Winning final immunity was a check off my bucket list, but getting there how I did was very well done in my opinion. I really hope that’s it’s respected by the jury. It’s nerve racking when the other person winning is valid. I hope o shows my impact on the end part of the game being influential enough to get votes. I may have been messy by being incorrect but I think I did well over all. I just want Jeff to know that that his vote off was really the hardest of the season. I hope lulu really was a benefit to me winning by making a final appearance. Queen lulu. Honestly no matter what happens I am so proud of myself. I know I’m getting at least one vote so that’s means good things, if I win this game I will be ecstatic because it’s been five years since I entered this whole community through tumblr survivor. I hope my game is respected and that I am to be rewarded. Thanks everyone for an amazing game this has been AMAZING 

[starsailorstories]

So! Given, uh, everything, any chance you could talk about how various Astraea cultures deal with sicknesses and quarantine? Especially since some (especially Bell Town) are extremely or entirely genetically identical, and so more at risk?

Also, how would the cast members react to self isolation and social distancing?

FIRST OFF, sorry this took 10 years to answer, I was super busy and there’s kind of A Lot Of Spec Bio to discuss here

Also, this question made me feel very Seen lol…why yes i DO use worldbuilding as a coping mechanism for the stress of watching the wet tissue paper my country calls a social safety net dissolve

Most sickness that astraeas deal with day to day isn’t actually contagious*, but more a result of individual reaction to the environment (in terms of public health response, think seasonal allergies, although physiologically speaking it’s nothing like that). Communicable, infectious disease tends to be a less frequent problem but purely for that reason is more feared, especially as the most common source for novel diseases is interplanetary shipping (like, astraeas on one planet who have immunity to something unknowingly ship contaminated goods to another planet where people don’t). All that is nowhere near as devastating as it could be in a human context–for one thing astraeas’ bodies are hella dry compared to ours, so if a microbe isn’t airborne it’s almost a non-issue (on the other hand, infection is almost a guarantee if you have an open wound)–but most planets, stations and orbiters have a list of OTHER planets, stations and orbiters categorized by how long it’s been since first contact and how long shipments need to be in quarantine based on that, and that kind of thing runs the same gamut from “rigorously evidence-based” to “completely political and petty” that it does on earth.

Speaking of which, the issue of genetic similarity as a disease risk is as politicized as you’d expect in a society where people said “oh, with our genetic technology we can just design the working class to be however we want.” The Hyperians, being, you know, A Rigidly Hierarchal Interstellar Empire In A Space Opera as they are, tend to present the genetic homogeneity as sort of a good thing, what makes Us Us and Them Them, and the royal family themselves subscribe to the very historically royal (and also very eugenicist) idea that genetic “purity”–which for astraeas mostly just means having children in a very chemically controlled environment–helps keep em’ royal or something. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t it just makes hemophilia, and the more conservative Basileans minimize the environmental variance that keeps them from wiping each other out like some kind of aggressively graceful banana monocrop, the easier it is for epidemics to escalate in general because whole colonies become vectors together.

You won’t read about it in your galactic history book til after the revolution, but the dangers of genetic homogeneity were actually observed by lux units, who noticed that “variant” and “off-order” clones were a bit more likely to survive outbreaks of disease. Supervisors in clone factories have tried HARD to excise the superstition that variant units who remain un-decommissioned into adulthood are good luck to have on your cabin crew or manufacturing-plant shift, but it’s never completely gone away, and once Bell Town goes topside their medics and scientists immediately get to work testing, peer reviewing and proving the mechanics of diversity as a factor of public health because it’s a helpful argument for legitimizing their seizure of the means of their own reproduction and fighting the prejudice against “defective” lux that don’t fit the mold.

To really get into your question, Bell Town at least has the advantage of being small and having a busybody mom friend for a de facto head medic, so I don’t think they’ve ever had a quarantine situation get much bigger than four or five people just because Bolt is very up on how everyone’s doing and very very persuasive–the medics know that that’s just a matter of luck though, and I’m sure a factor in the push to go topside is the potential for tragedy involved in having a settlement of mostly/nearly genetically identical people in somewhat adverse and scarce conditions. That’s not to say there’s no plan–the shortages in Bell Town tend to be of immediately consumable raw materials, like air and fuel and very basic multi-use medicines, whereas raw materials for manufacturing specialized equipment are a lot easier to get because organized factories in DT’s network can have them smuggled out. And a majority of the town’s population, at least by vol. 2, are former manufacturing-plant labor with working radio receivers in their heads, so it’s fairly feasible to expect even a small portion of them, with an emergency push, to manufacture A Lot of vaccines, or intensive care equipment, or whatever was needed practically overnight with the direct guidance of the medics to ensure as much safety in the process as possible (they do just that with medical and defense supplies in vol. 2 for various spoilery things).

Up top, the aula’s responses to any and all large-scale social crises tend to be erratic but sweeping. There are some advantages–in terms of expertise, there are certainly things that well-paid doctors with fully equipped research hospitals can accomplish that a dedicated crack team of self-educated medics can’t, including proactive study of new strains of disease. There’s also feudal insanity–technically individual hospitals/institutions aren’t supposed to issue info without the aula’s permission, though legally local nobles can give it on the Hyperians’ behalf if they’re willing to risk Drama. The internal weirdness of the court both logistical and interpersonal (which I need to make a post about) can sometimes mean, in any emergency, that different parts of the empire receive conflicting information, or an edict followed after a day’s delay in the satellite network by a retraction. Public trust (among citizens of relative status at least) that the Hyperians know what they’re doing tends to decline exponentially as you move out from the inner Rings for this exact reason.

Derafior City on Caesura B dealt with a wave of multiple epidemics a couple hundred turns before the official rise of the empire that still affect how the city is laid out–leaders at the time issued quarantine orders in cooperation with individual colony matriarchs, and as those orders became enforced in physical “zones” neighborhood identities, reputations, and rivalries became increasingly defined (Crater culture being what it is, quarantine boundaries were often pretty literal battle lines as the situation became desperate). A lot of historians trace the factionalism of the Crater to this era, although outside imperialism was also a major instigator of both factional conflicts and disease exposure. Keep in mind too that while outsiders like to portray Derafior as violently fractured and there’s a grain of truth to that, there are just as many deep loyalties between neighborhood/colony factions as there are rivalries and as we see in vol. 3, Caesurans are certainly not allergic to closing ranks when shit really hits the fan. 

I don’t have specific canon examples from other ante-dome cultures but another thing of possible interest that I’d like to talk about is that in places touched by Basilean culture, a lot of what we consider “social distancing” is just normal because cleanliness is highly ritualized and valued. Although platonic adult friendships tend to be very cuddly by American and British standards, at the same time, hand touches between strangers outside specific social rituals are seen as quite inappropriate, so things are more thoroughly designed to prevent them–for example, most trading of goods is done purely on paper at the point of sale and nothing actually passes from hand to hand, you go get it out of the crate or pick it out of the field yourself (which is also a practicality of the relative non-ubiquity of flexible currency–and actually, one of the complaints about the use of currency among more traditional astraeas is that it spreads germs). Basically everyone who can afford it wears gloves in public, which are changed and washed every time a person re-enters her home (disposable gloves are mostly limited to medical and laboratory settings, although it’s not unheard of to use them in a pinch if you don’t have a place to launder gloves at home. Side note, if you’re translating directly Altamaian actually refers to manual labor that makes it impractical to wear gloves as “barehanded” labor and the summary conceptualization of such as unhygienic represents a MAJOR vein of classism among Basilean citizens). The reason for the glove thing is that for a species with an exoskeleton regular hand washing can be kind of involved (You know how sometimes it takes a lot of scrubbing to get the dirt out from under your fingernails? Now imagine you have fingernails all over your hands). 

Oh and to answer your second question: out of the main cast the one you’d think would suffer most with self-isolation is Bolt, but being a healthcare worker she’d still see people. Rugsy would complain the loudest but also paradoxically be secretly kind of relieved to not have to worry about People for a while. DT experiences virtually no change from her normal lifestyle lmao

*There’s two kinds of disease that can affect astraeas–what they call “miasmic”, and infectious. Miasmic disease (which as you might guess I named after the precursor to modern germ theory–it’s kind of true in this instance!) is basically when an individual’s body and light chemistry can’t maintain its normal balance in certain atmosphere conditions. A big reason for the kickoff of the artificial atmosphere industry after the settling of Altamai is that the cloud cover tends to trap a lot of carbon dioxide, and for i.e. Basillans and Sitherians (who have come to be based on G-type stars, like the sun, and K-type stars, slightly smaller and cooler than the sun) there’s just not enough hydrogen atoms in there to run their bodies optimally. This mostly affects very young children, the elderly, and those whose cores were formed in suboptimal conditions (comparable to a human who has a chronic health condition because of a birth defect) and if it can’t be remedied by a move to more hydrogen/helium rich air, it’s treated by sucking the pure hydrogen out of a water electrolysis device through a hose on the daily, which side note, is also a reliable hangover remedy for them.

[yayoitree-blog]

Have we been fooled by what we saw? A.K.A. An interpretation of the Cap's Ending in Endgame

Warning: I am a stucky/ironspider fan so my point of view may not be completely unbiased. If you don't like it, don't read it. I will try my best to keep this article free from any slash context but you have been warned. Oh and yes English is not my first language so I could be wrong with some terms.

Also since the Endgame DVD isn't out yet, all the scripts of Endgame contained herein are based on my memory only.

AND

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 1. Introduction

Cap’s ending hinted that he went back to the past to stay there with Peggy there (and apparently not caring about the life or death of his other friends like Bucky and Howard). This is what many Cap fans have problems with. Fans argue that the ending destroyed the arc of Cap’s entire character.

I physically hate this ending, trust me, I really do. At first, I cried and cursed and wished to hurt someone (by someone I mean any person who works for Marvel or Disney). Cap’s ending, at least apparently, is ridiculous, nonsense, illogical, awkward, extremely OOC and plainly inconsistent with the time traveling principal applied to the entire movie. However, the more angry I was with the ending, the more it makes me think: how could it be possible for Marvel to make an ending which contained multiple, ridiculous plot holes and intentionally butcher the character, i.e. Captain America, which they have worked to build up since 1941? Other than the reason that the makers of the film are unbelievably retarded (please don't disappoint me for having some faith in your intelligence), I realize that maybe the plot holes and OOC in the ending are left there intentionally or because every Disney movie must end up with a man and a woman kissing and dancing together, so the real Marvel fans will have the fun to dig out the true ending hidden behind (especially when the Russo brothers are known for teasing fans by giving misleading scenes).

When this hit me, I stop to look at the entire time traveling theory and details in the movie, then I come to a conclusion that, there is NO fxxking way that Cap had gone back in time and married Peggy.

 2. Going back in time and its impact on the present

There are so many movies about time traveling and what the impact of going back in time and changing things in the past has on the present (or future) may be. Three theories are mainly used in the movie industry:

(a) Time Paradox/Final Destination: under this theory, you cannot change the present by changing the past no matter what you do. Even if someone goes back in time and tries to make a change, they are going to fail, no matter what. This is also the argument of Grandfather paradox, which states that you cannot go back in time and kill your own ancestor, no matter what. So when this theory is applied to a movie, it's always like this, someone goes back to the past and try to change something, however, he keeps on failing to complete the act or even if he completes the act, some new events occur and so the outcome remains unchanged (like a force of time that can fix itself. I will refer it as the "Time Band-aid"). 

We can see this theory apply in the movies like Terminator (Skynet tries to kill Sarah and John Connor in the past, but failed no matter what. Sarah and John tried to prevent the creation of Skynet, they even destroyed the chips but turned out the Skynet was still developed by other means). I also want to mention Final Destination although the movies are not related to time travel. However, it demonstrates a good example of how the time (or destiny) will create new events to make sure that the outcome remains unchanged. So basically, under this theory, you may go back in time and make small and minor changes, but you cannot change the final outcome no matter what. It's either you will fail miserably or the Time Band-aid will create new events to lead to the final outcome.

(b) Butterfly Effect: under this theory, you can go back in time and change the past but even if you unintentionally makes tiny little change, it will eventually cause the entire present to change. Most importantly, the effect of any change in the past is totally unpredictable. You cannot guarantee you will get the outcome you want even if you change specific events in the past. This theory can be easily observed in the movie Butterfly Effect, so I don't think I need to explain it as much.

(c) Parallel Universe: some people think this theory is also part of the butterfly effect theory, but I distinguish these two here. So under this theory, you may change the present by changing the past (or fulfilling a specific condition in the past), however, when you make said change (or fulfill a specific condition), a parallel universe will be created. From then on, all the subsequent events after the change or the fulfillment of a condition will occur in the alternative universe. The time and events in the original universe and in the parallel universe will be independent and unaffected from each other. However, all the events are still to come in the original universe will remain unchanged (changes will only occur in the new parallel universe).

 3. The theory used in Endgame

Dr. Banner had stated in the movie that “ ...time doesn’t work that way. Change in the past doesn’t change the future... I don’t know why everyone believes that but that isn’t the truth. Think about it. If you travel to the past, that past becomes your future. And your former present, becomes the past! Which can not be change by your new future!”

 And there is this conversation between Dr. Banner and Ancient One:

Ancient One: If I give up the time stone to help your reality, I’m dooming my own.

Bruce: With all due respect, uh, I’m not sure the science really supports that.

Ancient One: The infinity stones create what you experience as the flow of time. Remove one of the stones, and that flow splits. Now this may benefit your reality, but my new one, not so much. In this new branch reality, without our chief weapon against the force of darkness, our world will be overrun. Millions will suffer.

So one thing is clear from Dr. Banner’s speech which is you cannot change the past to change your present or future. This is consistent with the multiple journeys through time that are done in the movie: they went to the past and made some changes, but nothing had been altered in the present. So we can pretty much rule out the butterfly effect theory in this movie. Now we only have the Time Paradox Theory and Parallel Universe Theory.

It was also shown in the movie that, if you remove the infinity stones from the current timeline, it will create a parallel universe. However, the movie does not show that if you change the past, there will be a parallel universe. This is a very important point to note because if removing the infinity stones is the only condition needed in order to create a parallel universe, that means even the movie has some scenes that take place in a parallel universe (which was created after the removal of the infinity stones,) it doesn’t necessarily mean the Time Paradox Theory doesn’t apply. It also doesn’t mean that if Cap goes back to the past and does certain things (except for removing the infinity stones,) he will create a parallel universe.

From the movie, we never get the hint or scene that changing the past (other than removing the infinity stones) will create a parallel universe. In fact, all the scenes related to the concept of parallel universe, including Nebula killing her past self and killing Thanos of 2014, all occurred after the removal of the infinity stones. So it is still uncertain as to whether or not changing something in the past will create a parallel universe.

 (A) Time Paradox Theory

If Endgame in fact uses this theory, that means one thing, nobody can change the past no matter what. Think about The Terminator and Final Destination, you either cannot possibly complete the act, resulting a change, or you may succeed once (or even twice) but eventually the result will be the same. This theory is consistent with the part when Tony and Thor cannot save their respective parents. I don’t want to go into details as how much these events affect the two superheroes, but if you are a Marvel fans you should know that if there is even the slightest chance to save their parents’ lives, those two will not hesitate for a second to do so and they don’t mind giving up everything they have to get their parents back. However, because the past cannot be changed no matter what, Tony and Thor had to say goodbye to their parents, and that basically meant to let and watch their parents die again respectively. So this goes to our conclusion, if the Time Paradox Theory does apply here, how the hell could Cap go back to the past and get married to Peggy Carter? There is absolutely no fxxking way! It’s physically logically and realistically impossible. If this theory is in fact true, that means Cap went back to the past, had a dance with Peggy, then he left and let Peggy live her life. He couldn’t save Bucky and Howard because the past cannot be changed, not because he deliberately chose not to save them. He then lived an ordinary life until 2024 and at the end he met Sam to pass the shield (consistent with what he told Sam that he wanted to try some of that life Tony was telling him to get). I also heard about a popular theory that Cap is actually the husband of Peggy who never named or showed up in the movie. Cap just started live incognito and nobody actually found out that Peggy’s husband was Captain America, this way Steggy will be possible without changing the past. I don’t know how they get this idea from but this is straight up impossible too. I don’t even want to get into Cap’s personality which would prevent him from doing something like this. In fact, Peggy’s husband actually passed away before Captain America 2 which took place in 2012. So if Steve was Peggy’s husband, he wouldn’t live until 2024 to pass the shield to Sam. And are they just going to pretend Agent Carter (which, btw also took place in earth 199999) doesn’t exist?? Most importantly, I don’t think Peggy would even go along with this plan (shrug.) 

 (B) Parallel Universe Theory

As discussed above, under this theory, a parallel universe will be created after you made a change in the past. This is by far the most convenient explanation to.... almost everything in the Marvel universe. See, every time Marvel gets plot holes or something they cannot explain by logic or reasoning, they will simply say it is a parallel universe, so it’s not necessarily consistent with the earlier plots.

If this theory is true, that means Cap went back to the past, had a dance with Peggy (and maybe even got married because now he can change anything he wants), then he may also go to save Bucky as well as other people. He then lived an ordinary life until he got his hand on the time-machine then he traveled back to his original universe at the year of 2023 to give the shield to Sam. I personally think this theory, although convenient, doesn’t seem to apply to Cap’s time traveling experience at the end of the movie. There are a lot of bugs and logical errors in this theory if we think closely: (1) If the old Cap was indeed from another parallel universe, that means he was teleported here by using one of the Ant-man’s machines. Is this is the case then why is he wearing his ordinary clothes??

(2) From the movie, we can only perceive that the time machine only allows you to go back to a time in your own universe. As a matter of fact, during the multiple time-travelling occurrences earlier in the movie, they all went back to the past of their original timeline instead of some random parallel universe. So how the hell did the old Cap travel back to the timeline of his original universe instead of the 2023 in his new parallel universe??

(3) Why wouldn’t Tony and Thor saved their parents then? If saving their parents means to create a parallel universe where their parents can live their happily, I don’t see there’s anything holding them back.

(4) Don’t forget that the Avengers fought Thanos against the odd of 1 out 14,000,605 (0.00000714%). It could even be said that the final victory was in fact a miracle. If Cap indeed started a new live in a parallel universe, how could he make sure that the Avengers will win against Thanos in this universe?? He had changed so many things in this universe. He can’t even guarantee that the same avengers will appear when Thanos come! Is he just going to not care about half of lives in the universe being wiped out by Thanos in this universe??

So I don’t really buy the Parallel Universe Theory unless Marvel can explain the above bugs with reasons. I don’t think they will or can, but I am gonna give them the benefit of doubt. Let’s say they actually explain how the Parallel Universe Theory applies to Cap’s ending perfectly, it still doesn’t avoid the butchering of Cap’s character:

(1) Peggy moved on after Cap’s death. She got married and had two kids. Her life without Cap was good. When she first met Cap in Captain America 2, she actually told Cap that she had lived a life and her only regret was that Cap didn’t get to live in his. So Cap knows that this woman was happy with her life and she got no other regret in her life (she didn’t even regret not marrying him for crying out loud!). So why would he step in and ruin everything for Peggy? How is he so confident that he will do better than Danielle? I have only heard about people going back to the past to mend a mistake or to save a life, I have never heard about a person gong back to time to wreck a home, let along that person being the symbol of righteous and justice.

(2) So Cap actually made out with his own niece?

(3) If this is indeed a parallel universe, there will be another Cap in this universe. How are they going to solve this problem other than studying Kama Sutra? Is he just gonna let his alternative self freeze in the ice so he can get Peggy all by himself?? Wow, Cap, I  thought you were selfish, but I didn’t know you would go so far as let your alternative self suffer. See? Marrying Peggy, even in the parallel universe, is illogical, awkward and ridiculous. I am not even going to argue about whether Cap deserves to retire, whether he deserves to be with the woman he loves. This is just plainly wrong if anyone look at this situation with sense!

 4. The real ending of Cap

I just spent three hours typing the above context and I am not trying to tell you why I have problem with the Cap’s ending, rather I am trying to tell you that the Cap’s ending, hinting Cap marrying Peggy could indeed be a fake ending. It could be a fake ending not because I don’t like it, but because it is just impossible and unachievable (if we are using the Time Paradox Theory) or illogical and immoral (if we are using the Parallel Universe Theory and if Marvel can actually explains the bugs therein). Marvel cannot possibly make Cap marry Peggy without creating a huge logical plot hole in the movie or without butchering Cap’s character entirely.

There is also another hint in the movie that Cap didn’t get married to Peggy. During the end, Sam asked Cap if he wanted to talk about the lady. Cap actually replied “I don’t think I will”. Cap’s response is indeed very strange if he married Peggy. I think everyone in America knows the history between him and Peggy. What’s there to hide? Especially Sam is the first and best friend of Cap he met in the modern time. Sam always always went all the way Cap. Why would Cap try to hide the name of his wife in front of Sam? It is very possible that Cap wears the ring to remember Peggy, the lost love he couldn’t have. So he didn’t refuse to answer Sam’s question, rather, because he didn’t get anyone to talk about. Also, I have been following the interviews of the directors and writers of Endgame after it was on theatre. From what I learned so far, none of the director or writer of Endgame ever confirmed that Cap and Peggy were married. They did however, confirm the dance they had. So at least I am quite satisfied with my theory that Cap’s ending is not him marrying Peggy and staying in the past for good.

The movie didn’t actually show what Cap did in the past so we might never know. There are too many possibilities. However, none of the possibilities could involve marrying Peggy for all the reasons I just explained above. I am totally down with the idea that Cap went back to the past and just stayed there to live an ordinary life. Why? Because it is the idea consistent with the previous Captain America movies!  

Cap is always a person out of his time. He didn’t fit in to the modern time and he always misses the time in the past. We can see these in all the previous movies: he plays music in the old days, Peggy told him that her only regret was he didn’t get to live his own life, the world has changed to much for him to cope with, he never liked the politics the authority they made him go through, etc. So he wanted to go back to the past and actually live his life as an ordinary person.

I don’t think this is a perfect ending for Cap either but at least this has been built up through the entire Captain America series (and Chris Evans is leaving the franchise so you have to find a way out for Cap without killing him off because if you killed him too it will make Ironman’s death less impressive). Further, even if he chose this path, it does not butcher the arc of his character: he didn’t save others because he either cannot possibly do so (Time Paradox Theory again) or he didn’t want to risk anything to affect the victory they fought so hard against Thanos.

 5. Conclusion

I think I have gotten down all my arguments of what I think the Cap’s ending is. Thank you very much for taking your time to read this. Even if you don’t agree with me, I am still thankful.

Please feel free to re-tweet, re-post, or quote this article or any part of it, wherever you like, as long as you credit me as the author.

Special thanks to Becca (AO3 ID: A_R_Alistair) who beta this article for me, Shililiuguang (lofter ID: 十里流光) who helped me to recite the scripts of Endgame and Pipipipidan (lofter ID: 皮皮皮皮蛋) who helped me to make the pictures (they are amazing!). If you would like to re-tweet, re-post or reuse the pictures, please credit her as well.

Please feel free to leave me a message if you would like to discuss the Cap's ending or want to correct me for anything. I am opened to suggestion and would be grateful if you could tell me what you think about this article as well.

So until next time.

xoxo

[beardedeldridge]

Anonymous ask that I accidentally deleted when I was attempting to post it.

went something like: “came across your blog by accident, found the blog helpful, new to all of this and asking for any advice, have a good day/night/living death”. That was it to the best of my memory.

First I’m so sorry anon for deleting your ask and for responding so slowly in the first place.

My response as it was intended:

I’ve sat on this one for a bit - sorry. Finally decided I would just sit down and type out my thoughts on my phone in the span of four cigarettes and then post it.

Just start somewhere - find something that blows your hair back for now. Pick one book and start there. Don’t fret about which path/tech is yours yet (or ever) - your first will most likely not be your last - tbh most of us end up a bit eclectic (no matter how much that word can be like fingernails on a chalkboard).

Just about any book you can think of can be found for free on the internet. My take on it is this: most occult authors claim to be practicians and explicitly state that their tech works. If you can’t afford a grimoire, think of it as a money back guarantee. Download the book for free and if it works then use it to afford the physical book and then go buy it. We as a community owe decent authors/researchers/translators, and there are tons of more grimoires/magick books/books on magick that need to be discovered, translated, and published. So if it works go BUY it. If you can’t find one feel free to DM me (no promises tho). My only request: read the work and if it performs as advertised then buy it down the road a bit.

Experience is more important than theory. Research but no more then a couple of weeks (give yourself a hard deadline) to make your first attempt, no matter how unprepared you feel. It won’t go how you think it will anyway.

Have a goal (not the lottery, not to become a college professor without ever attending college, not just to meet an angel/demon/spirit/god). Something lofty, attainable, and long term but that can be broken down into steps. That being said your reasons for doing this will change anyway but a concrete goal will serve you well even if you’ll most likely abandon it for your true-“er” reason down the path a bit. It will keep you focused and give you a way to track success (or lack there of).

You may not see any success at first and that’s fine. Don’t be afraid to try something if it seems like it should work but if brushing your teeth proves to not be magick then just consider it a learning experience and move on (side note: keep brushing your teeth anyway :)

You don’t have to have everything perfect put you have to have enough to make it work. (think of it like a scale, the more you’re able to tilt the scale toward the magickal the better the results). No one can tell you where the exact line of “enough” is - there’s just too many unknown factors and some of them have to do with the magician themselves. Always work to improve your craft.

It doesn’t actually matter why this stuff works. You’ll have plenty of years to theorize and come to insufficient explanations like everyone else. Think finite minds attempting to fathom the infinite, I believe it’s important that we try but ultimately we’re doomed to fall short. The human condition can be a real bastard.

No one has all (or maybe even any) of the answers.

Lot of this stuff can be pretty subjective.

Don’t romanticize your results.

Don’t pay too much attention to what everyone else is doing/saying. We all have our own personal Golden Calf (bias that color our conclusions). Don’t measure your results against other people (as long as you’re actually getting results). Results = the ability to affect the world around you in meaningful and purposeful ways using magick.

There are some really good “easier” or “safer” how to get started or magick-in-general posts on here. DM me what you’re interested in and maybe I can point you in the right direction but do your own research as well, you can find useful stuff even on tumblr if you’re feeling lost/overwhelmed.

Be practical - consider the time/resources/effort you have to throw at this - magicians are like magpies we chase every new shiny thing and sometimes bite off more paths then we can maintain at one time given the available hours in a day (I know I have). For instance, I don’t do work with ancestors or saints (planetary archangels may blur the line there but anyway). Am I interested in those? Hell yes. Do I have the time for any more practices? Nope. So if Saint Cyprian wants to work with me, he’s going to have to come visit and knock my socks off to a point where I’ll abandon something else. Only so many hours in a day/week. (Honestly I have two paths/techs that I actively pursue. There are a few others where I had some success in the past but moved on. I still use what I learned from those or maybe maintain a single working relationship from it but I don’t actively practice those on a regular basis).

Don’t do it for the fireworks - if you’re doing it just to prove “________” exists; that motivation probably won’t take you far.

Spirits are not your friends, they will not complete you, they shouldn’t be used as a form of escapism, they have specialized roles, use them for what they actually do well - that being said - they are not make believe, stupid, or mindless automatons, they are just weird/alien to us and we’re just dust in the wind to them - imo.

Specialize - pick one grimoire/tech and run with it. And when you do settle, pick a spirit you work well with and strengthen that working relationship. Use successes to build toward future greater successes.

Don’t give up - the going may be slow for awhile. If not awesome, but it’s easy to jump from one tech to another while looking for your first success, without ever doing the work to achieve any measure of success, like any other skill it takes practice/work/sacrifice.

Journal everything - not only will it be invaluable early on, that shit will be worth its weight in gold to you eventually. No matter how earth-shattering an experience is the memory of it will fade and dull somewhat and you’ll forget key things.

Always be skeptical of your unverifiable results. Some things are probably just in your head, taken out of context by you, confusing because you can’t see everything, something taking advantage of you, or you not being ready for the actual answer so you spin it into something you want to hear (human brains are real MFs like that)

Learn to research, be patient, think critically/skeptically, meditate, etc - master yourself.

**Yes i spell magick with a “k”. Why? Practicality, Agrippa, and Aesthetics tbh**

Just some general thoughts of mine on the subject. Thanks for the ask, sorry I took a while to respond and that I deleted by mistake. Feel free to reach out by dm or asks if there is anything I can help you with. Hope you’ll doing well and have a great day/night :)

[cheersrogrs]

ENDGAME SPOILERS

i don't normally do this but i just had to get this off my chest. this is for  everyone that that is hating on endgame and specifically Cap’s ending. full disclaimer: i am not a comic reader (more of a wiki reader tbh) but i am a devoted Cap fan (esp MCU’S cap) and i have been for a very long time; i am also a hardcore bucky barnes fan, and a stucky fan. 

first off lets establish the technical aspect of the time travel - to me, OG Cap went back, successfully returning all the infinity stones to their original places. this corrects all the “divergent timelines”. however, when he chose to stay with peggy, OG CAP = OLD CAP and cap who is still frozen in the 1970s remains frozen until 2012, who then goes to do all the heroic stuff that he did. OG/OLD Cap then returns back to the main MCU timeline where his gives Sam the shield. 

i repeat, I as a steve, bucky and a stucky fan, am so pleased with his ending. because 1) he chose this for himself, 2) he just wanted to see what he would have had if he did not throw his life away for his country, 3) just because of that look on his face, dancing with peggy, sold this send off to me. 

it may not have happened on screen, but i am positive that steve and bucky discussed about this. evidence was that bucky was telling him that he would miss him eventho, to the rest, steve was supposed to be gone for just 5 seconds. and he wasn't even shock when steve wasn't on the platform. 

and bucky; who LOVES steve, do you think that bucky would honestly deny steve that one chance of happiness that he craved for all his life? 

NO. because he knows how much steve has given up. he knows how isolated and alone steve feels. he knows the biggest regret steve has (that he can amend) is to go back to the past and have that dance with peggy. yes i know that he created a new family for himself here (but him going back doesn't not erase this. he doesn’t mysteriously loses his memories and he also doesn't mysteriously disappears from everyone else’s memory so he gets the best of both worlds) and i am sure bucky would be so selfless to say “no, dont save me”. because he, at this current point of time, is already saved. its in the past. technically steve can’t change present bucky’s condition BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED. if he did change things with hydra and saved bucky, that would have created another timeline. our OG bucky doesn’t get a do-over. but he has a chance now to start a new life, with his new friends (sam, wanda, the rest of the avengers). he is finally stable. 

what is he going to do, if he went back with steve? in a MCU point of view: basically nothing?? because again, if he went back to stop hydra -  that would only stop the torture of THAT bucky, not OUR bucky. in a stucky point of view: watch the man he loves, love someone else??

steve and bucky dépend on each other. they are each other’s life line and family. yes. but i don’t want to see them be co-dependent. i see “till the end of the line” as not to be a promise of till death do us apart; it means that i will be there for you whenever you need me to be. steve saved bucky; steve WAS there for bucky when he needed him to be. Bucky gave steve love when no one else loved him, gave him support, gave him the motivation to fight for what was right. to anyone that says that steve broke this promise, please rethink this. bucky would have wanted steve to be happy and for that to happen, steve needed to at least try. bucky, considering the state that he was in BP, IW, EG, seemed to be recovering. let him recover on his own terms. let him be strong again as BUCKY BARNES. Let him create a new life for himself; one that he chose for himself. not the life his country gave him, not the life that his torturers gave him, and not the life that he needed to have so as to not worry steve. they both needed to move on by themselves. 

and the other thing was “peggy’s whole life was erased” IF my time travel theory was true, then that would not have been the case. but if we take away all the complications with the time travel, why would steve going back destroy peggy’s character development? im sure if peggy was as strong as we all know she is, she wouldn't let a man stop her from doing what she loves. she would still be a strong woman. she would still be a founder of shield. the fact that some of you think she would stop her life for steve is completely ironic. she didnt become a founder of shield and the badass woman she was just cause she lost steve. she did it because she could, with or without steve. she has done it without steve once, and now she gets to do it with steve by her side. 

and i see arguments that oh steve only knew peggy for months, what was so significant about their relationship that he threw his whole life away or abandoned all his friends?. it wasn't that she was the love of his life. but she was the definition of the “what ifs” in his life. the man just wanted to try. he already lead his life as skinny, defenseless steve, he has already lead a long and tiring life of cap - the first avenger or the fugitive. now he just wants to see if steve rogers - husband, father, human was possible. and i can guarantee that if peggy or steve did not feel the same away as they did during the war, neither one would have forced the relationship. but they did. DID YOU NOT SEE THEIR FACES DURING THEIR DANCE???? AND THAT KISS? THAT WAS PURE LOVE. 

if you knew and understood (MCU) bucky, you would know that bucky would have been so proud of steve. And i am so proud of him. 

if steve have stayed, yes we would all get more bucky-steve moments, they would be together (almost) forever, but steve would never have stayed down if he did, and guess what, bucky would have followed him. and i personally think that is the last thing that bucky wants. 

i personally believed that bucky was his soulmate in life. but that doesn't mean that steve loved bucky the way we want him to (at least in the mcu). to have someone that you call home, does not necessarily mean that that person is the one that you want to love romantically, marry and spend your whole lives together. but peggy. peggy is steve’s light. peggy is his heart. again, this does not cancel his love for bucky. it’s just different. a lot of people say that the reason why steve is the way he is today (his decisions, his plots in the movies) is because of bucky. i 100% agree but i think a lot of people forget that peggy was also an important person in his life. in CA: TFA, it was bucky that made him step up as cap america, but peggy was also there cheering him on and never losing faith in him. she was also the 2nd person (that we know of) to see steve as he really is even when he was little steve. in CA: CW: it was peggy’s words (through sharon’s speech) that made him take his stand. so to say that bucky was the only sole driver of steve’s actions would be completely false. they both loved him so much. 

also, on anyone shitting on steve’s decision on falcon-cap. screw you. yes, falcon isn't a super soldier, doesn't have extra powers and super strength, but he is a good man. he is kind, he is helpful and he is loyal. and that is what makes captain america, captain america. funny how some of you have the quote “not a perfect soldier, but a good man” tattooed across your hearts and brains but somehow it doesn't apply when bucky isn't the one carrying the mantle. and bucky would have hated carrying the shield. fight me. 

bucky looked so happy knowing that steve lived his life. now he has the chance of living his own life, without worrying about steve. shouldn't that make you happy, as a fan? 

so, no i dont think the ending that we got, erased all of steve’s character development. this was all heart, pure cap. he knows that all is good in his world. he knows that the people he loves are okay and will be okay. he is no longer needed. it was time for him to pass the torch to someone else. it is now his time to rest.  

I’m sorry if i dont make sense, this is all over the place. i dont write my feelings out very well. i am sure that i have a millions more things to say but alas. 

when all is said and done, thank you chris evans for being the best cap that i could ask for. 

[dogtastictraining]

Pack Leader Pack Smeader

Some ideas get so ingrained in society that it can take a really long time to see that idea change.

In this case, it’s the alpha/pack leader theory, which has been debunked now over 20 years ago. 

Yes. 

TWENTY years ago! 

And I STILL see and hear those words on a day to day basis. 

Here’s the deal. In the 70s, a researcher named David Mech was studying adolescent male wolves in captivity. He noticed they would fight to have one leader of their pack, and from this observation he coined the alpha/pack leader idea. 

Almost 30 years later, in 1999, he published a paper correcting his original conclusions after he had studied actual wild wolves outside of captivity. He noticed that wild wolves have a more similar structure to our families, and actually a male and a female both are top. The elders are respected the way we respect our parents and grandparents, and that was no assertion of physical dominance to gain leadership. The reason for the fights in the original study is because they had a group of adolescent male wolves together that would not have naturally been together in the wild. 

However, despite the actual original person who coined the term telling us it’s not true, it is still SO prevalent! I cringe and cry inside when I see yet another person saying they are the pack leader or are showing their students how to be a pack leader. 

It is literally setting our dogs and our training methods back 20+ years.  🤦‍♀️  

And I instantly know they do not really understand dog behavior or training. 

  Unfortunately, the idea sounds good and seems to make sense if you don’t really understand what is happening. 

Why does your dog behave with one person and not another? Because dogs understand circumstance and situations, as do humans. 

If you weren’t allowed to eat cookies at home but were at a friend’s house where they were allowed to eat cookies, would you abide by the rules at home or the new rules at your friend’s house? 

Some percentage of you will say you’d still abide by your parents, but honestly most people would eat the cookies at their friends. Does that make these people stubborn or dominant or that parent less of a leader? No. You saw and opportunity and you took it. Your dog behaves better with the trainer/dog walker/friend that comes over that implements rules from the get-go. 

For example, when I work with student dogs I start training them from the minute I walk in the door. I NEVER pet dogs for jumping up on me. NEVER. Even if the family does not mind it. I immediately start working on sit or down or reward when they are calm... all while we are doing our initial evals or catching up on past weeks of training. 

So what starts to happen is when I come over to work with the dog, they are good.. they offer me a sit or a down, they do not jump, etc. Does that make me a better pack leader than you? No! It means I have a rule and I stuck to it and your dog learned that. 

And don’t humans do the same?? You know which is the pushover parent or boss that you can get more things out of who will always say yes. Does that make you dominant? No! It makes you an observant person with a history of rewards from the easier person! This is all your dog is doing. 

Why do some groups of dogs from different families follow each other? Not because of some hardwired genetic code of being a pack. Seriously. Your herding mix and lab and frenchie and poodle and whatever else are not syncing up as a freaking pack. 

Lots of breeds were not even bred to BE pack animals (not in the way that huskies and beagles/other hunting breeds are actually bred to work with other dogs). 

At the dog park dogs follow each other around because of fear of missing out and because don’t we all do that too?! The other day I stopped downtown to watch a ton of birds flying and a bunch of people stopped too to see what I was looking at. Haha Is it a pack mentality thing? No! It’s curiosity! 

Have you ever been somewhere where people were handing out free giveaways? Man when they first start people flock to them like flies on honey. And then more come to see what the crowd is about, and it steam rolls from there. Dogs are no different... they want to smell the good pee too, or sniff the new dog, or whatever else. 

Why does your dog pull? Not to be alpha, that’s for dang sure! Because dogs walk faster than we do. We are slow! Seriously, their fundamental gait is faster than a normal human’s pace. Also because the world is interesting and we don't out take them out enough to explore that world. And 1/3 of their brain is dedicated to scenting and they want to sniff! One third! And also because they do not naturally walk straight and our walks are straight as an arrow. Or they pull because you let them. If you ever, ever take walks forward while your dog is pulling, if you ever let them pull you to say hi to meet another dog, or pull over to sniff a tree or pee, then you are rewarding that behavior right then and every time. It is rewarded behavior that makes a behavior increase... not your dog's desire to be alpha. 

Why does your dog try to push his way out of the door or jump out of the car before released? Because he is excited for a walk and you are going slow. Because you let him do that 50% of the time when you are not paying attention or are tired. Because someone is your family lets him do that. Again, because he has a behavior history of being rewarded for that. Not because he is alpha and wants to go first. 

And again, don't we all do the same thing? Crowds of people push into stores at Black Friday to get inside first.. it is a competition for resources at its finest. Or, I naturally walk really fast and if I am behind a slower person and I am approaching a spot where I would get stuck behind them, I speed up and try to dart in before them so then I don't have to go slow. Does that make me an alpha? Probably. Haha JK. No, it's just I am busy and experience dictates that times in the past when I have been stuck behind slower people and have been trying to get somewhere, it was frustrating. So I am trying to avoid having that situation occur again. 

Your dog is doing no different. Again, we are slow, we stop to check our phones, we are talking, etc. and your dog wants to go go go! Or it's the first time they have been out all week and they want to go go go! They are not being rude intentionally, they are just being dogs. 

And yes we can have good manners at doorways and in cars... I teach that to all my dogs, but that is for good manners and safety, not because of a pack leader thing or alpha thing. 

Why does your dog have bad behavior at home? Because they are young, untrained or badly trained, and because what dogs want to do is vastly different than what we want them to do. 

Yes you should be a good leader for your dog by being the leader that anyone of us wants to see. 

You should be clear, consistent and fair. 

Those are the sorts of leaders we need more of, and it has nothing to do with your dog thinking you are part of his pack. 

News flash, he does not. 

You are not a dog. 

He knows you are not a dog. 

You are not his pack in any sense of what that would meant for a dog. 

You are a person. 

You are a person with a responsibility to train and guide your dog, and love them too. 

Many people can and do get some results with the pack leader/dominance-based style of training (dominance-based meaning that you are trying to establish yourself as the more dominant one), because if a dog has no rules and structure, then anyone implementing some rules will immediately be better than nothing. 

But I just want people to realize it has nothing to do with you being the pack leader or alpha. It is literally a made up concept that is proven incorrect over and over and over and over again. So many times in fact that it’s hard to believe it hasn’t gone away. Unfortunately, trainers like Cesar Milan have made it popular and will continue to perpetuate it for as long as his TV show airs. Before his TV show we were actually getting traction with getting that concept to die out, but now it is more prevalent than ever before. 

So, train your dogs. Be kind to them, be fair, and think about how it is from their perspective. Are you clear in what you are asking? Is everyone in the household on the same page? Are they being rewarded for their behavior intentionally or accidentally? This is mostly where people run into trouble. 

If your dog is doing a behavior that you are having trouble with or think that he/she is doing it because of being alpha, please message us to ask. I guarantee we can help you figure out what is really happening. :)

Becky Pesicka, CPDT-KA, CNWI is a certified professional dog trainer and a certified nose work instructor. She has been running Dogtastic Training since 2011 and has worked with students all over the country and world. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @dogtastictraining​ for more training tips and dog conversation.