#or did we do that twice already

[maeve-is-annoying-about-books]

Wakes up in a cold sweat

Axiom Verge 1 is a subversion of the classic masculine power fantasy, while Axiom Verge 2 subverts the classic feminine one.

Hear me out. First let's define both really simply. The masculine power fantasy is essentially one of becoming one's own self, and exerting their power upon the world in their name. The feminine power fantasy is one of union, nurturing and caring for another. We can further simplify these ideals into two lines. The masculine power fantasy is to kill the father. The feminine is to save the daughter.

That's the most barebones description but it's just to get us off on the right foot. Essay below the cut going into detail

In AV1 we follow Trace. All along we're set up with a simple idea, Trace must survive, grow to master his environment and his abilities, and go on to slay his foes. The Rusalki.

Wait what?

Yes, the Rusalki are a controlling force on Trace. For him to fight his way into the masculine power fantasy he must use his power to buck the control of another and choose for himself what is right. But that's not what happens. In fact, he works with them. Why?

Athetos is the final position, the ultimate masculine form of Trace. He makes clones of himself and each fail to become. They're stripped of name and identity and these "lesser selves" are now subservient only to Athetos. The Father. The Master. If Trace wishes to become a man, he must prove himself unconquerable and stand evenly with Athetos.

That's the nightmare segment. We see Trace literally chasing after an ideal self he can't keep up with. We see him become one of the failed clone monsters and experience being a puppet, it's the masculine nightmare. He is a failure, he will be subsumed, he must become his perceived ideal self.

But it's all a trap. Trace doesn't just man up and beat the toxin that's mutating him. He has help from Ophelia. See, there's been a secret this entire time in the background, have you caught it?

When Trace finds his mutated other selves, he tries to reason and they will not listen. They're caught up in the masculine narrative and there are only two ways out of it. Destroy Athetos, or change the script.

Trace, who has been nurturing and healing the Rusalki despite their power over him. Trace who has to use his understanding, and for whom a boss fight isn't glorious single combat. Trace who bears the ultimate yonic symbol in the Axiom Disruptor. Guns are generally phallic symbols but this one's design but this one disrupts (heh) the narrative symbology to a different one.

Empathy, sacrifice, and grace are often hallmarks of the feminine power fantasy. There is much to be said about whether these are healthy themes but for now, in present moment, that's often what they are. It is in showing empathy to his failed clones that he finds purpose beyond meager violence to face Athetos. It's through empathy that he connects with Elsenova and the other Rusalki who then grant him the power of making connections to defeat his foe. He sacrifices his own pride and it allows him to see the world for what it truly is rather than a playground to be remade in his image. The address disruptor may seem a tool to do just that at first, but in actuality it cannot change what has not already been changed. Most of all, he sacrifices his ultimate masculine form in Athetos, refusing to become powerful to become understanding. His method is not to subjugate his potential lesser selves and become the standout example but simply to be, in the world he is in.

Indra is taken by the hand along the path of the feminine. She comes to rescue her daughter and must work under the mercy of the Arms. A class of people who have power, and power over her as a kind of patriarchy. Indra! A world-class CEO is now a victim of a system and a culture that simply doesn't value her for what she is.

And just like Trace, the further she goes along this path the more misled she is. She is expected to sacrifice everything, even her life for her daughter. She must care for Damu and balance catering to the desires of the figuratively-masculine Amashilama.

Trace suffered being the victim of toxic masculinity. Becoming isolated and dejected and discarded. Indra becomes the victim of toxic femininity, sacrificing until there is nothing left to give. She is used for her body and her mind is a discarded, useless thing. But it is from that mind that Indra flips her own script.

She remakes her body in her image, as she likes. Have you noticed the hacking tool that makes her the master of her demesne? The phallic symbol of the ice pick? Each tool she has leads her closer to her destiny and the more she makes a name for herself the more empowered she becomes, to the point she makes her own name for herself in the world. Everything Indra is given puts her in the position of that brave and empowered masculine, even and especially, the ending.

Should I talk about how Indra's body is used so that Amalshilama can get at her real goal? The next generation of Arms. How she is literally used to produce and bequeath the next age to the patriarchal Arms? At how Indra's past self takes on the feminine role of sacrifice and fulfills the idea of motherhood by reuniting with her daughter, and how that leaves our mechanical Indra free to pursue her name? (Presumably Ophelia?)

Indra's pursuit saves her life, in a sense, and she becomes greater than the simple story she was placed into. As Trace did. As they both did and in so doing did not become victims of masculinity and femininity. In fact, all throughout their games they win by pushing past the constraints humanity would place on them.

And just. AUGH. The symbolism! The way Trace carries larva on his back being "injected into". The way Indra is given actual soldier's weaponry. The way Sudra is still until the Disruptor is picked up, almost a symbol of beginning life. The way Indra seeks a way to allow Damu to build a body and follow in her example. To literally make himself.

Axiom Verge is so good actually.

[the---hermit]

i am sadly one of those people who are super insicure of themselves after any social interaction, I go over and over again in my head and feel irrationally bad bc my brain tells me I was awkward, and probably came off as weird and so on. But you know what brain? I had the social interaction. I did it. I spoke out loud to people and had a conversation instead of freezing and feeling unable to talk. So fuck it if I came off as weird and awkward, I am weird and awkward and it's okay, because I did something that just a few years ago would have been even more of a struggle, and even earlier than that it would have been close to impossible.

[theborzoiarebackintown]

We started agility class today!! She seemed to have a good time and was a very good baby dog for me in a new and weird setting.

[celtrist]

Why does Vassago already have merch, we haven't even met him yet

[dirtgrubber]

ohhhh noooo i have to reread the recent osas chapter so i can make an accurate drawing noooo how horrible

[wonder-worker]

Is it true that Elizabeth of York birth celebrated like she was a son? I have seen some historians say this.

Hi! Yes, Edward IV did celebrate his daughter’s birth as though she was a male heir (“a prince”), iirc as per the Great Chronicle.

While we have no contemporary reports at the time of Elizabeth of York's birth, we know that Luchino Dallaghiexia reported that the birth of Edward and Elizabeth's third child, Cecily of York, "rejoiced the king and all the nobles exceedingly*, though they would have preferred a son'. Wanting a son (ie: an heir) was typical for their time period, likely enhanced by Edward and Elizabeth's unprecedentedly controversial marriage, her very unsuitable origins and his own status as a usurper. The fact that he was described as being "exceedingly" delighted at the birth of his third daughter in a row regardless does support the claim that he would have gone over-the-top to celebrate the birth of his first legitimate** child.

Hope this helps!

*Bizarrely, I have seen several historians and blogs using Dallaghiexia's letter to claim that he was bitterly disappointed at Cecily of York's birth. I don't understand how historical reading comprehension can be so poor that "rejoiced the king exceedingly" has somehow been rewritten as the...exact opposite of that. With no self-awareness whatsoever. **His illegitimate daughter Margaret (known as Elizabeth for some reason) was almost definitely born before his marriage. We don't know the birth dates of his other two illegitimate children: I think the likeliest conception date for Arthur was in early 1470, but it's unverified; and we know nothing about Grace (which was in fact her surname, not her name) other than the fact that Elizabeth Woodville seems to have been very attached to her.

[ywpd-translations]

Ride 741: Danchiku's “shout”

Pag 1

1: In their eyes,an unshakable will....!!

Pag 2

3: Ahhhh

4: Danchiku is exhaling!! For so long!!

3.... 4....

5: 5 seconds!!

Ahh

6: No, he's exhaling even more!!

8... 9.... 10 seconds!!

Ahhhhh

Pag 3

1: 11 seconds.... 12 seconds!!

3: He's emptying his lungs using all his muscles around them!!

5: This is bad!!

Pag 4

1: It's coming!!

2: “Panda shout”

“It's a breathing technique”

“I become twice as fast”

The onw who reaches the sensor line first wins this race!!

If I don't get ahead now

3: He'll catch up!!

4: Ahhh

Pag 5

5: Filled up of “fresh”!!

6: Panda....

Pag 6

1: Shout!!

Hiigaruaaagh!!

Pag 7

1: Hiigaruaaagh!!

Pag 8

1: He caught up to me!!

2: Twice as fast!!

3: Kuaaaaagh

Pag 9

1: We entered the last curve!!

And Danchiku is still accelerating!!

2: This is Danchiku at “100%”!!

Pag 10

1: Cough cough

This is so hard!!

2: 300km left until the sensor line!!

3: Catch up, catch up, catch up

Catch up!!

Pag 11

1: Sugimoto Terufumi!!

2: Kuaaaaaa

200m left!!

Pag 12

1: Cough

Cough

2: We're all both human beings

We all have limbs, and a head

Danchiku, and Onoda, and Naruko too

3: We're all human beings!!

4: Our bikes aren't all that different

My Colnago is ligh and fast!!

5: So, I'll catch up

I'll catch up!!

6: I should catch up!!

Pag 13

1: I watched it, their running

3: I watched them from the sidelines

For three years!!

4: Onoda!!

Onoda-kun!!

Sakamichi!

Pedaaal!!

5: Doesn't matter how hard it was for them

Pag 14

1: They never gave up!!

3: Calm down, heart

Calm down, breath

4: Panda shout? Bamboo Hop Shot?

5: You're working hard,didn't you, Danchiku?

That's nice

6: Then I'll indulge you and let you practice with me!!

Kuaaaaaa

Pag 15

2: They left Onoda and the others behind.. so the race is on this lap!!

Nii-chan!! On!!

They're coming!!

3: Danchiku and Sugimoto

4: 100m left!! This will settle it!!

They both started the final sprint!!

Danchiku is ahead!! And he's smiling!!

Pag 16

1: Sorry, Sugimoto-san

As expected, you ran and practiced in Sohoku with no breaks for three years

2: But

It's over now!!

3: I'm sorry, but give up please!!

4: Sugimoto!!

5: Nii-chan!!

Pag 19

2: Kuaaaaaagh

4: Ju... just now....

Pag 20

1: They arrived at the same time.... on

2: At the end.... Sugimoto stretched ahead with a long sprint...

Who knew he could do something like that!!

3: Nii-chan really is amazing, on!!

4: But

A tie at this moment means that-

On

5: This race

Pag 21

1: Hasn't ended yet!!

It's a suddent death match until they settle this!!

2: A long.... sprint...

You still had.... something like that....

4: Good job.... my Colnago-chan, good job

5: No... now....!!

Should we go another lap, Danchiku?!

6: This guy.... he doesn't give up!!

[shmorp-mcdurgen]

Figured i'd start actually. slowly reintroducing the new monster au turned oc project by first posting the new character names!

Mark -> Markus Adrianne Addams (Mark/Chris) Cesar -> Martin Garcia Sarah -> Amber Addams (Ace) Thatcher -> Jackson Hyde (Jack) Ruth -> Mabel Palmer Dave -> Barney Holmes Evelin -> Olivia Davis (Liv) Jonah -> Aaron Jones (AJ)

Another thing I wanted to introduce, this universe from now on will be referred to as Whispers of Willows!

[witheredgardenparty]

I will never forgive a single one of you

[sskk-manifesto]

!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[spearxwind]

feeling solidarity these holidays with everyone not allowed to talk about their partner with the family

[lesbiansanemi]

I hate when I’ll be complaining about some stupid bullshit a coworker does to other coworkers and half the time their response is to lower their voice and go “well…. You know…. I’m pretty sure they’re… on the spectrum, you know?” And every time I have a split second when I have to consider saying “you know I’m autistic, right?” just to make them vaguely uncomfortable for a few minutes and actually think about what they’re implying but of course I do not do that because the gratification is not worth a large sect of shitty coworkers knowing that about me and then talking about me like that every time I do something vaguely annoying or dumb but man…. It does get tempting sometimes

[fadewalking]

Ok I have beef with Harding now, too.

[coffeeandcalligraphy]

jeremiah and reeve in canon meetup WHENNNNN

[starlooove]

Oh. Sad

[beesinspades]

i'm very :3 because the dark urge being fully customizable might be thanks to my very enthusiastic suggestion as a playtester.....I mean maybe other playtesters who came after me (my group was apparently the first to try the dark urge out, at least in gent, because the group before us didn't even know that origin existed) suggested it too, I don't know, but :3 even if I'm just one of the people who suggested it, I'm :3 because HELL YEAAAAH!!!!

I loved the dark urge so much (even though I couldn't finish my playthrough with them, since they were my second playthrough of the playtest) that i was like "this is too good, since they're not a companion origin story u guys need to make it possible to play them as any race not just the dragonborn variations"

AND THEY DIIIIID i'm so happy!!!!