#otp: love and compassion we once had

[the-king-and-the-druidess]

Sing me to sleep, lullaby of the leaves

I wrote two or three Morgana-dreaming-of-her-future-with-Mordred microfics, now it's his time :]

He is walking through the forest, a beautiful spring forest. He is wearing soft druid clothes again, blue and green linen, light and pleasant. On a large elm tree, he notices a leaf with an inscription, carved in elegant handwriting: Find me. Mordred plucks the leaf from the branch and lets it go with the wind and sunbeam.

A path of tall hemlocks leads him on to the next mysterious message on the leaf: Follow me. Someone is waiting for him ahead. Mordred quickens his step.

The third leaf tells him: Never let me go. He looks up and sees a beautiful sorceress in a green hooded cloak, her eyes like an enchanted forest and her smile full of love. He knows, remembers her. Mordred goes to her and gives the next elm leaf with the unread message to the warm wind.

He wakes up. On this cold winter morning, Morgana has declared war on Camelot.

[the-king-and-the-druidess]

How I haven't noticed this post before?? Tag me please, if you write it 🍀

I agree with everything you and fayofavalon said. I usually do them with a ten years difference(like in canon). I like age difference trop :}

I think that their dynamic is basically this meme, either they are good or evil in a fic. His age doesn't change it (twisted-shipper once beautifully said that it was Mordred who was the light to her darkness, not Merlin)

I also see that that they have a deep magic connection(again, a twisted-shipper's insight, that Mordred was magic in Morgana's life: when she first met him and understood who she really was, and later when she watched how he and Arthur fought: Arthur is a royal earthly side, and Mordred is the magical Old Ways' side). I see that their magic empowers each other's when they work together.

I like the idea of Morgana being unmarried officially, but having only Mordred as her close knight, lover and advisor. I think of Morgana as more open in the manifestation of affection and outspoken, whereas Mordred is more restrained, but they both love those they love to death.

But, consider that if it is an AU where Mordred is good since the beginning, that is, nothing from slavery and angst and the age of darkness happened, then it may be rather the opposite. As a child, he wanted to be close to Morgana and protect her, and if something else would have grown out of it in adulthood, then Mordred could have been more affectionate. But I do not know if they knew each other before in your fic.

What are some headcanons for Mordred, morgana, and mordredxmorgana?

I Kinda feel like squeezing age difference morgana and mordred into my merthur fic but I'm not sure. I sort of envisioned her being happily unmarried but maybe that's "too easy" story wise or looks insulting to leave her single? Idk. Definitely overthinking it.

They are both cute in this, but he's definitely like thirteen years younger than her lol so not sure if it's even worth doing or if it'll just seem weird (when he's older obviously and a knight)

[karliahs]

for the character ask, midoriya and shinsou !!

thanks anon!!! two of my fave little guys....

midoriya:

favorite thing about them

it's that determination & kindness combo...i talked about this recently but i think the exact moment when i fell in love with this character was the sports festival todoroki fight where he uses his goddamn mouth to angle his shots because he's already broken all his fingers and couldn't snap them anymore. like...christ. this is what happens when you dial compassion & determination & resourcefulness all the way up to the point where it breaks the scale, but forget to put any self-worth in.

i love him. he fights so so hard all the time, and he does it because he cares so much. even about people who didn't ask for it. even about people who have hurt him very badly. it's insane (positive) to me that his defining moved-without-thinking saving someone moment was to save the person who literally that day told him he'd be better off dead. kindness!! determination!! beyond all fucking reason. we don't deserve this boy

least favorite thing about them:

hmmm...i do sometimes wish he were given more space to be a little imperfect. get a little mad. a little tired. but then i'm still very far behind in this show and look forward eagerly to the yellow scarf era of sadness for maybe providing this content. and it leaves a great space for hurt/comfort fic!

so i guess maybe it's that i get secondhand embarrassment very easily so he does ping this sometimes. i.e. i had to mute the scene where they're practicing hero interview skills lmao

favorite line

hrrrrr i cannot pick one. i love when he says that being a hero means meddling in things even when you aren't asked to, during the stain arc. love my little meddler who is so full of compassion and can't leave anything alone.

i am still thinking about the sports festival todoroki fight and i absolutely adore when he's like you haven't even put a scratch on me yet! bc all his wounds are...self-inflicted. he's fucking insane. imagine, your weird little classmate breaks all his bones at you and then brags about you haven't hurt him at all yet. i love that he gets kind of mean in this fight bc he is genuinely mad! that he has fought so so hard for this and todoroki is hamstringing himself! while also again being deeply motivated by compassion.

and last one i promise but i love when he says he wants to be strong enough so that no one will have to worry about him anymore. again the compassion of it all but also the...weird backdooring his way around having an actual sense of self-worth. just like yeah it does seem to upset people when i injure myself and put myself in deadly situations :/ guess i'd better cut that out...

brotp

gestures again to the number of aizawa & midoriya fics i've written...but also this boy is an unstoppable friendship machine and i love his dynamics with eri, the whole dekusquad, all might, mirio...never too many friends for my little guy

OTP

shindeku....again i enjoy them equally as a platonic dynamic but ahhh. i crave for these two to understand and support eachother like nothing else.

i do also enjoy tododeku tho that one suffers a bit from fandom oversaturation for me

nOTP

sorry bakudeku enjoyers, you're valid but i can't engage with it

random headcanon

hmmm...i think after he gets into UA he doesn't have time to keep up with his normal fanboy activities anymore, hero forums and online analyst youtubers etc, but every so often he'll stay up way way too late and have a deep dive into all the stuff he's missed. and it's kind of a weird bittersweet nostalgia thing, bc that was such an unhappy time but this was the one thing that could always make him light up, and now he's always weeks behind on stuff that used to be his whole world, but also he's seeing news and analysis about heroes who are now his teachers and sometimes his colleagues. taking these moments to once again look at the world he's belonging to more and more every day from the outside...and then the next morning everyone is like goddamn midoriya you look like death, please sleep!!!

unpopular opinion

hmmmmm i fairly often see him written as swearing a lot in his own head or too quietly for anyone to hear, and i just don't see it. i think he's too polite even when no one is watching. i think he says one fuck per quarter and it's deeply, deeply, impactful and also a tiny part of his brain still worries his mom is disappointed in him every time

i also don't think he has physical scars from his bullying era for numerous reasons but this is already way too long to ramble about all of those

song i associate with them

many determination songs ping as izuku to me, a key one being i'm gonna win by rob cantor

favorite picture of them

this habken art, specifically his big beautiful smiles on the 2nd and 4th pages...i love he!!!

shinsou under the cut. sorry shinsou. i'm too verbose to live

shinsou:

favorite thing about them:

it's determination again but this time the bitter flavour of determination. i think he makes such a fun character foil to mido partly because there's this anger there that we never really see izuku express. i love that he does wild shit like openly challenging the entire hero course in a corridor, both because provoking people helps his quirk so he's smartly laying the groundwork, but also because he's mad!! he's been overlooked and maligned and passed over and he's angry.

and i love that the bitterness seems to ease a bit once someone takes a chance on him and once he sees that everyone else, even these chosen hero students, are working incredibly hard also. and then you just get that incredible determination - i love all the lines in the joint training arc when he talks about how he's not going to stop until he catches up.

least favorite thing

give my boy screentime...please, please, please. on the one hand it's important to his character that he was excluded from this space but also i would have killed for him in class A earlier. the shinsou content drought oppressed Me Personally

favorite line

"You can't help the things you long for."

it's just so...like how limitations can be really good for art, i think sometimes when you tell a story faster you tell it better. and this is just such a simple encapsulation of that thing both midoriya & shinsou go through where all they want is a place in this world that has decided they don't belong there. and whenever i think of it i see that little cherry blossom petal floating through the air...those couple of eps that establish shinsou as a character were just so fucking good

broTP

the aizawa mentorship and comparisons between young aizawa and shinsou is everything to me. also him with class A in general bc it's so cute to me how much they all immediately like him and want him to be their friend. it's what he deserves!!

OTP

once again gently cradling shindeku in my arms

nOTP

don't have one!

random headcanon

i see him as a big reader! like he's a serious studious little guy, there's that line in the light novels about how he basically studies all weekend, and i think reading is one of those hobbies where it kind of feels productive enough that he can let himself do something relaxing for once. and i can so easily see him as one of those kids reading under the covers way way too late. plus i think he would enjoy the escapism...idk why but he pings me as a sci-fi enjoyer specifically

unpopular opinion

hmmmm i don't know if i have one? shinsou enjoyers produce so many excellent varied shinsous. i do read him i think as a little more serious/less jokey and relaxed than a lot of fanon shinsous, but that's partly bc many of those i think were produced before joint training arc was a thing, and also it's contextual - in an environment where he feels accepted and has chilled out a bit i could see him as an absolute menace

song i associate with them

i have no shinsou songs!! if you do please give them to me

favorite picture of them

this art is so so beautiful to me...the expression, the flowers, the tattoo. canon suffers from horrible lack of shinsous, but there is so so much good shinsou art to bless us at least

[princesssarisa]

Character ask: Frank Vaughn

Favorite thing about them: What a friendly and gentle young man he is, and his friendship with Beth in the brief time they spend together.

Least favorite thing about him: The fact that he's framed as a figure of pity because he's disabled. It's an understandable choice in terms of the plot – Beth's compassion helps her overcome her shyness enough to talk to him and befriend him – but slightly outdated.

Three things I have in common with them:

*I don't socialize as much as other people do.

*I like to hear about things I'm not able to do, like his interest in sports and hunting.

*I have a disability, though it's neurological (autism), not phyical.

Three things I don't have in common with them:

*I'm not a twin.

*I don't walk with a limp.

*I'm female.

Favorite line:

His description of how he went hunting once and why he doesn't do it anymore:

“I did once, but I can never hunt again, for I got hurt leaping a confounded five-barred gate, so there are no more horses and hounds for me.”

brOTP: His siblings (especially his twin brother Fred), Laurie, and Beth.

OTP: Maybe Beth, if she had lived, or the March sisters' cousin Flo, since he "devotes himself" to her when they meet in London.

nOTP: Any of his siblings.

Random headcanon: Even though the last we hear of him is that he's "very ill," I like to think he won't die young. Granted, he might not live long by modern standards, but he'll at least make it to his late 40s or early 50s, and have a full, rich life. Because even within the sentimental and poetic world of Little Women, disabled people aren't always doomed to die to serve their loved ones' character development – just because Frank mirrors Beth in some ways and befriends her for that reason doesn't mean he has to share her fate.

Unpopular opinion: I don't think I have one.

Song I associate with them: None.

Favorite picture of them: None so far. There aren't many pictures of him because he's such a minor character: I haven't found any illustrations of him, he's usually left out of the film versions, and I can't seem to find any stills of him from the miniseries adaptations that do include him.

I wish I could find a picture of John de Lancie in the role from the 1978 miniseries. I think it's so funny that the future voice of Discord from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic played Frank in that miniseries: in the first place, because the characters couldn't be more different, and in the second place, because in the My Little Pony comics' adaption of Little Women as Little Fillies, Discord saves Beth (played by his best pony friend Fluttershy) by sending her on a tropical vacation when she gets sick. In a way, it's as if Frank gets to save Beth in an alternate universe. :)

[nerdynanny]

GET TO KNOW THE MUN [2.0!]

I did this previously on one of my old blogs, but that was four years ago and we need an update.

TAGGED BY: myself from four years ago @journalsauthored TAGGING:THE DASH

1. FIRST NAME: Max

2. STRANGE FACT ABOUT YOURSELF: I was born with one functioning eye. [same] I also share a birthday with the late great Robin Williams.

3. TOP THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU FIND ATTRACTIVE ON A PERSON: Still hella ace, so physical attraction ain't it. I'm drawn to kindness, compassion, and just a bit of pettiness. So basically my partner.

4. A FOOD YOU COULD EAT FOREVER AND NOT GET BORED OF: PASTA.

5. A FOOD YOU HATE: Peas are a crime against humanity. So is cilantro.

6. GUILTY PLEASURE: Japanese, Korean, and Thai Dramas.

7. WHAT DO YOU SLEEP IN: Depends on the weather. Boxers, usually. [same]

8. SERIOUS RELATIONSHIPS OR FLINGS: Happily in a relationship. When I last answered this I had just gotten out of one with a TERF. I'm in a way better place now.

9. IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN THE PAST AND CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WOULD YOU AND WHAT WOULD IT BE: I would absolutely go back in time to prevent myself from working with a narcissist who has recently accused me of stalking him??? When he traumatized me?? Gaslighting fr fr.

10. ARE YOU AN AFFECTIONATE PERSON: So like-- to a handful of people. This answer is still the same, I'm energetic and entertaining but if someone touches me I will shriek.

11. A MOVIE YOU COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER AGAIN: Back to the Future Part III. It’s my favorite [SAME STILL].

12. FAVORITE BOOK: Artemis Fowl. Not sure which in the series I love most but the original is dear to my heart. [addition] Cirque du Freak. The Darren Shan saga TIES.

13. YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP ANY ANIMAL AS A PET, WHAT DO YOU CHOOSE: DOG ARMY. [same]

14. TOP FIVE FICTIONAL SHIPS [IF YOU ARE AN RP BLOG, YOU CAN USE YOUR OWN SHIPS AS WELL]:Oh shit. JackFord [feat @sonxflight​, same], Hilson [with @downs1de, ConYuu [otp 5 ever], SakuSayo [solid ship], and DocClara [with @doctorbrown]

15. PIE OR CAKE: Pie. [same]

16. FAVORITE SCENT: Sandalwood and the Ocean. [same]

17. CELEBRITY CRUSH: Manny Jacinto. He’s all that and a bag of chips. [same, forever jason mendoza fanboy]

18. IF YOU COULD TRAVEL ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD YOU GO: The UK. Anywhere but the US. The Netherlands maybe?

19. INTROVERT OR EXTROVERT: Ambivert. I tend to respond to the types of folk around me. [same]

20. DO YOU SCARE EASILY: HAHAHAHA. No. But I DO have an intense response to jump scares. I’ve been banned from a few haunted houses because of it. [same, panic disorders go brr]

21. IPHONE OR ANDROID: iPhone. [same]

22. DO YOU PLAY ANY VIDEO GAMES: Yes. OBSESSED with Palworld and Minecraft. I just love games where I can play with my frens and build cute shit. I once started a cult in a Minecraft RP server.

23. DREAM JOB: Stand Up Comedian [or just being recognized for my MAD improv skills]

24. WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH A MILLION DOLLARS: Give everyone I know ten thousand bucks and use the rest on myself. [same]

25. FICTIONAL CHARACTER YOU HATE: Delores Umbridge. But you’re supposed to hate her. [same, also jkr coded]

26. FANDOM THAT YOU WERE ONCE A PART OF BUT AREN’T ANY LONGER: Undertale. I kinda moved away from it and it's populated by kids lately. I still chat about it with my friends, but I doubt I'll ever RP it again.

[justice-for-jacob-marley]

Mike Teavee (05 version) for the 7 questions ask

Three facts about them from my personal headcanons:

He tried playing baseball once, hence the bat we see in his house, but he ended up not liking it.

He's a complete and total daddy's boy, but he keeps it secret.

He doesn't actually hate chocolate. He just said he did because he had never had it before. After hanging with his friends for a while, he tried it and liked it. A reason they suck:

He's a bit of a know-it-all who doesn't seem to have much compassion.

A reason they're great:

He's smart and a talented gamer.

A reason I relate to them:

I also get angry sometimes, and I love video games.

(what I consider to be) the top tier otp/ot3 for that character:

Violet, when the two of them grow up.

Five things that never happened to the character that I believe should have happened:

He doesn't get sent through the television, but gets rescued by one of the other children, possibly Violet.

He helps rescue one of the other children while he's at it, most likely also Violet.

We see him making friends with all the other ticket winners after the tour.

He moves into the factory and gets his own dorm room, along with all the other ticket winners.

He and Mr. Wonka apologize to each other.

Five people that character never fell in love with and why.

Mr. Wonka. He's too old.

Mr. Teavee. Not only is he too old, he's his father.

Mrs. Teavee. Same as Mr. Teavee.

Charlie. Charlie will stay single and happy all his life.

Augustus. They're best friends, but that's it.

[drbtinglecannon]

I have such mixed feelings on dalador

Cuz on the one hand

it's really funny

I feel like it could happen canonically, though hopefully years down the line rather than anytime soon

they were once so close as kids/teens but something happened and it led to bitterness and pain for decades that maybe can't ever be fully healed but can be remade into something new which has the potential to be sweet

But on the other hand

I think Darius' found family relationship with Eber & Hunter (and also Raine & Eda but not as close) is a billion times more important to his character and more compelling to me as a fan than dalador could ever be to the point I don't really care for it in comparison

it'd probably be plain unhealthy to even attempt dating for years given the amount of bitterness they had festering for decades

both Darius and Alador have the far more important task of fatherhood coming up (newly for Darius but Alador has been failing at it for years cuz of his neglect from his own abuse)

it's unfair to Em, Ed, and Amity for Alador to immediately hop into a new romantic relationship after all his years of neglect. Also Em & Ed weren't even around for the falling out between Alador and Odalia so they don't have that extra layer of understanding/acceptance that Amity does

it's unfair to Hunter too, like I imagine he'd unintentionally take that as a sign he's not actually wanted around if Darius was focused on a new relationship, and Hunter deserves all of Darius' attention

while Alador did ultimately choose the right side in the end, he actively helped make the rebellion more difficult all the way up until the end which almost got everyone Darius loves killed and that's uh, probably gonna be an issue for a while on top of the decades of bitterness. Add on he was the last to see the kids & now everyone's extra pissed at him. Like if Eda doesn't kill him Darius might himself

we don't know what caused their falling out and it could be extremely justified, so the lack of knowing for sure makes me a bit iffy

I feel like they're kinda fundamentally incompatible on bigger moral issues, the ways they approach magic, and personal ideologies. This isn't unchangeable but idk, I'm thinking about how Dana talked about Darius as a char and wonder how well that would mesh with Alador for a long term romantic situation

I know it's not really popular but after OTWAT I think daraeda is a way more interesting dynamic if I'm gonna ship Darius at all (tho under specific circumstances i.e. it's Raeda & Darius is very casually involved cuz I don't really see him as the type to settle down himself & Raeda is the OTP they're getting married it's non-negotiable it is happening in canon I am manifesting it... but anyway he occasionally goes on dates with them and such but for the most part he's doing his own thing which includes being Hunter's dad & Eber's bestie/brother & just his own personal time cuz he's a man that highly values his me time & I love that for him)

I still have mixed feelings on Alador after how he was acting in King's Tide (like dude... You're the adult be more mature? Also don't threaten a clearly abused child with sending him back to his abuser???? The fuck you were abused too dude you should have more compassion in such a situation. His moments with Amity were sweet but also I'm still mad they didn't go get the twins. All in all he's not off to a great start here)

I was vehemently opposed to it prior to COTH so I'm still not fully convinced

dalador being funny is the main reason I enjoy it which isn't a great reason imo lmao

out of the ships I think will happen/are canon, easily the one I care the least about by a wide margin

See found family point again cuz my god that reason is everything to me

[the-king-and-the-druidess]

Yes, she forgave him what she did not forgive anyone else. "This bond, I've never felt anything like this". Destined.

the fact that mordred was the only person morgana ever hesitated to kill, even after he literally STABBED her. also they only met twice before that??

and he’s the only person that got a second chance from her and i don’t think it was just because of the emrys reveal, because if anyone else revealed merlin’s secret to her, morgana would’ve killed them afterwards.

[phalliwellz]

Both Elena and Caroline were the main point of a love triangle. Frustratingly, when Bonnie was involved in one...Jeremy was the main point and the other girls were...ghosts.

If you were given complete control of storyline, who might you have paired with Bonnie for a love triangle where she is the main focus? (If that's anything you'd be interested in).

I love this ask because the amount of Bonnie love triangle fics I’ve read is far too much. There’s so many dynamics she would’ve been great in where do I even begin?

For one, KolxBonniexKai would’ve been the serve we all needed. It could’ve started during Silas era and probably never would have ended tbh. Bonnie’s moral compass would’ve been shot and she would’ve been obsessed over the way she SHOULD HAVE BEEN. They both would’ve helped her w expression and would have taken her away from the MFG easily. Just like how Kol always wanted Davina away from harm in the originals? that would’ve been Bonnie. In that dynamic, I could have seen her being held accountable/not propped up as the ‘perfect lil witch’ and it would’ve made for great development. Also, all 3 of them just would’ve been really hot together lmao.

Secondly, KlausxBonniexTyler. I know blah blah blah Klaus x Tyler is explosive in its own right but I love when authors have Bonnie being the person they come together (wink wink) for. werewolf x witch relationships will always have my heart and I think she could’ve thrived in that love triangle. Klaus loved witches before k*aroline took over and Tyler could have grown as a wolf with Bonnie, especially since wolves were once witches in TVDlore. Klaus would have showed her the world and Tyler would’ve been her comfort/the only one who gets how toxic the MFG really was. Plus, the trope where Bonnie is mates w both of them? Chef’s kiss really.

lastly, DamonxBonniexEnzo was really interesting to see. I don’t ship bamon nor bonenzo but the tension between all 3 of them? How sexsi. Canonically, Bonnie loved them both equally. Enzo and Damon had their own gay tension and were jus so angsty? Bonnie wouldnt be the MAIN focus in this but she would still have been surrounded w love so I think i tolerate this threesome a lot.

Overall, Bonnie was such a good character otp/shipping wise. She was flexible enough where she could’ve been with just about every character in this show, bc hell, even ElenaxBonniexCaroline was great in the gay sense bc they loved her differently? Idk but Bonnie and love triangles was missed terribly.

[the-king-and-the-druidess]

A High Priestess is the representative of the Goddess on earth. She decides who lives and who dies, for the power of heaven dwells in her hands.

"But the Goddess not only takes life, she gives it. Look around you, Morgana...There is more love on earth than darkness." The trees, the flowers, the gentlest wind. There is pleading in Mordred's eyes. They reach out to each other and their fingers interlock. Morgana relents, and then repents. Love hurts, she had almost forgotten what it was like. But against a blade of light such as this, even the strongest priestess is powerless.

[misscrazyfangirl321]

i totally support multi shipping but i also don’t personally do it so can you give me an example of a character you ship with multiple people and tell me what you think is cute about each ship!!!! :)

I absolutely can, thank you!!!

Let me introduce you to a woman named Helen Magnus. Aka, one of the most shippable characters I've ever encountered.

She's from a show called Sanctuary. She's 272 years old, and a caretaker of "Abnormals," aka monsters. There were many options for who she could have ended up with. Personally, I wouldn't have minded any one of the following:

Will Zimmerman (Helen/Will=Emotional Compass)

Ship Song: A Million Dreams from The Biggest Showman ("However big/However small/Let me be part of it all/Share your dreams with me/You may be right/You may be wrong/but say that you'll bring me along")

Will is a psychiatrist/profiler who joins Helen's Sanctuary. The two of them quickly become close friends, going from a mentor/protege relationship to something bordering on partners. She's terrible at asking for what she needs, and as a profiler, he's excellent at figuring out what she needs, and at cutting through all of her Immortal Drama to get to the heart of the issue.

The trust between them is so strong that she once concocts a plan that depends on him seeing her commit cold-blooded murder and still believing in her innocence. (She didn't actually commit murder, but that's another story.) The trust between them is also so strong that this absurd plan worked.

They're usually very in-sync, and we get lovely lines with them like "I need you to be my emotional compass," and "I only have one set of days. I think you need to appreciate what it means if I give them all to you."

In spite of all that, it's never explicitly stated that they're actually romantically interested in each other. But man, the show leans into every trope in the book along the way (trapped in a dream world and nothing makes sense but one another, trapped in a time bubble for almost a year together, the whole "emotional compass" thing, etc.)

This one is definitely my OTP. However, there's also...

John Druitt (John/helen=Magnitt)

Ship Song: Haunted by Taylor Swift ("Something keeps me holding onto nothing")

He looks charming, doesn't he? He can be. He's also a serial killer, but in his defense, it isn't actually HIM; he's possessed by a homicidal energy critter. The real John Druitt, from what we've seen, is an absolute gentleman.

Unfortunately, at the moment, he's also Jack the Ripper.

See, Helen, John, and three others (James, Nikola, and Nigel; most of these names will come up again later) injected themselves with vampire blood in the name of science. Helen gained longevity, (and most of the others managed to get longevity in some way), but John's primary gift was teleportation.

Before the vampire blood, Helen and John were deeply in love, and in fact, engaged. But the way he teleports is, he bascially becomes energy. This gave the homicidal energy creature a chance to latch onto him. He didn't know this, however; in fact, for almost a century, no one knew the creature was there, including him. He just knew that he had these uncontrollably dark thoughts and impulses, and so he began to kill.

John was Helen's first love, and her first heartbreak. When she finally learned of his killing, it devastated her.

The two of them spent a century circling each other, her trying to stop him, or hoping he was dead.

The tragedy is, he still is deeply in love with her. But the creature has twisted him beyond recognition. The episode where he learns the creature is there, where he learns that he ISN'T truly a monster, is heartbreaking.

The tragedy is, she spent a century getting over him. She spent a century accepting that the man she loved never really existed. She moved on; she loved other people. And then she learned that the man she loved DID exist, but there was no way to reach him. He was right in front of her, but he was a prisoner of the creature.

I ship them in the sense that they've both been through so much pain, both separately and together, that they deserve a happy ending. They deserve a PEACEFUL ending, and if that is together, I fully support it. Plus, there's a strange and twisted sort of devotion there, at a century of circling each other. However, I'd only want them together if they found a way to remove the creature first.

Okay, now onto...

James Watson (Helen/James=They don't have a ship name that I know of, but they're such a good ship)

Ship Song: Near to You by A Fine Frenzy ("He's disappearing, fading steadily/And I'm so close to being yours/Won't you stay with me/Please?")

James was the inspiration for Sherlock Holmes. He was already brilliant, and the vampire blood multiplied that significantly. Helen and John were his very best friends, and after John's betrayal, James helped Helen through it. We're less clear on their relationship, but it's implied that they were together in 1898, and also in 1944. Assuming that they were together the whole time, the two of them spent roughly 50 years together, though this is all background. By the time the show starts, they've gone their separate ways, but still as close friends. James runs the Sanctuary in London.

We're never clear on why, exactly, they broke up after so long together, but a good guess would be: Helen was still mourning John, and James felt like he was replacing John and-in a way-betraying his best friend. John was the ghost in the room, so to speak, for too long.

James and Helen are very similar to Will and Helen in ways-the profiler, best friend, and partner figure who sees right through her-but with more history, and as such, more complications.

Sadly, James is also dead now, but luckily, no he isn't, because I said so! Hope that clears things up. :D

Now for...

Nikola Tesla (Helen/Tesla=Teslen)

Ship Song: Dearly Beloved by Daughtry ("It's like the world has left us behind/Dearly beloved/We've always had to fight to survive/Kicking and screaming/But never running/No, no/No matter what they say/I promise you it's not for nothing.")

Ohhhhhhh boy. How do I even begin to describe Nikola Tesla?

You know that scene in the first Pirates of the Carribean movie where everyone's trying to figure out what side Jack Sparrow's on right this second? Basically what every episode Tesla's in is like.

While the vampire blood just gave others abilities, it basically turned him into a vampire completely. The guy's a constant flirt, especially with Helen, in a very over-the-top way, almost to the point of absurdity.

He's also completely head-over-heels in love with Helen, and has been since Oxford (pre-vampire blood, the Five I mentioned-Helen, John, James, Nigel, and Nikola-went to Oxford together).

Unfortunately, his moral compass is unpredictable at best. He spends half the show arriving to try to restart the vampire race and take over the world. Then, he decides that bringing vampires back isn't such a hot idea (he's currently the only vampire left in the world; he learns the lesson about not bringing them back the hard way), but that doesn't stop him from getting into trouble.

He does often help the Sanctuary when their interests align (though usually those instances are: "He made a mess, the Sanctuary team shows up to clean it up, and he really didn't mean to make that mess, so he's helping them clean it up"), and though he pretends not to care about anyone but himself and Helen, over time we see members of the Sanctuary team becoming important to him (especially Henry, Helen's adoptive son).

Basically, he's flirty, he's dramatic, he's unpredictable, and whenever he's on-screen, you know you're going to have a fun time. Usually, she rolls her eyes or laughs at his flirting, but occasionally she'll flirt back.

Also, Helen went back in time, and had to basically hide out for 113 years until she could rejoin the timeline in 2011. According to deleted scenes, she reached out to Nikola a few times over that time, inviting him to dinner together and so forth. But she didn't explain about time travel.

So he spent a century in this game of "will Helen flirt back today or look at me like I'm completely insane when I flirt with her," so you have to feel a bit sorry for him.

I don't ship them as much as I ship any of the other ships, but their constant banter is very fun to watch, and his rare moments of deep sincerity/devotion are extremely touching.

The biggest thing about them for me is, every time she actually tells him to stop flirting with her, 1) It's for a very specific context, ie. "Not right now," rather than overall, and 2) He immediately comes to a complete stop. Plus, 3) She doesn't actually tell him to stop all that often.

This one is the main fandom OTP, but for me it's more of a casual ship; if there's good content for them, I'll read it, and if they're the background ship on a fic I'm otherwise interested in, it's cool.

-

So, to recap:

1) Emotional Compass=Best friends, lots of trust, loyal to a fault, as much subtext as the writers could cram in

2) Magnitt=Everything hurts, just let them be happy.

3) Helen/James=Friends to lovers to friends who still have deep feelings for each other but it's Just So Complicated

4) Teslen= "If they haven't tried to kill each other once, is it even true love?"

[elveny]

Character meme: Artoirel!

How I feel about this character

I love him. Like, SO MUCH!

Artoirel has this thoughtful seriousness and this incredible character growth that sort of... happens in the background and that most ppl don't pay any attention to. He tends to get overlooked and interestingly enough, that's both true for the players and the ingame characters (apart from the one lady standing in front of House Fortempts lusting after him).

But once you start to pay attention to him and truly listen to what he says and what he does, you notice that he has an incredible moral compass and a quiet strength. He acknowledges his own faults, apologizes for them, and supports his family while putting his own wishes second. For a "background character" he has an astonishingly round character.

Also, he's hot af.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

I unabashedly ship my own WoL and Estinien with Artoirel. 🥰

(This has gotten long, so the rest is under the cut.)

And in general, I think he's just as much enamored with WoL as Haurchefant is, he's just sooooo subtle. ("Haurchefant saw you as a sister/brother so I shall too" sorry Artoirel, I think we need to talk about that ;) ) After his initial grumpiness about having to "babysit" the WoL, he comes to admire them, and his regret about his callous thoughts is genuine. When we fight at his side to free the hostages in the Vault, he is genuinely touched by our concern and we are the ones he confides in about his doubts about becoming count. There is so much potential there!

And Estinien... Estinien is everything he could never be. The hero fighting at the forefront, admired and celebrated, but unbound by the unwritten laws of propriety in High Society. Artoirel is a knight too and with them being similar in age, they have to have trained together. I can totally see Artoirel developing this deep crush on Estinien, watching him from his metaphorical golden cage in adoration - while Estinien, over time, comes to see that Artoirel is just as much a protector as he is and uses all the tools available to him for the betterment and protection of Ishgard. Artoirel is very much The Next Generation that will make Ishgard a better place, and once Estinien sees that, I can see just SO MANY SPARKS flying.

And especially with a WoL in the middle that's just *chef's kiss*.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Aymeric.

Unlike most of Ishgard's nobility, Artoirel is such an outspoken ally to him and they're similar in age so I can see them becoming fast and close friends. Being the new count of such an important house as Fortemps, his support has to be such a boon for the new government, and Artoirel is the kind of reliable, thoughtful and steadfast person that I can see Aymeric rely on him and work closely with him. They have a lot in common, being knights and politicians at the same time.

He was also there when the assassination attempt on Aymeric happens and he fights at Aymeric's side through the Vault.

My unpopular opinion about this character

He is sorely underrated.

I mean, I understand that he is being overlooked bc Haurchefant is such an incredible sweetheart and generally beloved, and Emmannelain is Loud And Colorful, but people don't see just how good he is. As in a thoroughly good person. He openly talks about how he was wrong and how he regrets how he treated Haurchefant as a boy (as if he had much choice with his mother). He is also so ready to learn - when the truth about the Dragonson War comes to light, he does not hold desperately to power and birthright but immediately questions everything and doubts whether he even has a right to the title of Count - and uses that power to help others. There is also a certain tragic element to his character, as he is the one brother who could never step out of line because he had to uphold the good name of Fortemps and never had a chance not to.

Count Edmont's infidelity is something that still hangs over House Fortemps, and people assume that Artoirel is his father's son and try to take advantage of it. So he has to be extra careful not to overstep, and I believe we see that also in his unwillingness to be called Count by his friends. But he is always ready to Do The Right Thing, and he is unwaveringly on the side of those who try to protect others.

Even when Count Dad relinquishes his title, he does not try to boast or be in the middle of the attention - Emmannelain gets the MSQ focus with the tournament etc., Edmont comes to talk to you even after Heavensward while Artoirel sort of disappears into the background, quietly working behind Aymeric on spearheading the new government.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

I wish we saw more of him, especially after Heavensward, and learned how he works with Aymeric to better Ishgard.

[rawliverandcigarettes]

If you're still willing to do the character meme, I won't ask about Aria since you already discussed her at length not that long ago, but /is/ there a character you would like to talk about but which is, shall we say, less obvious than Mordin ? Basically, [Insert Character Here] for the meme. No pressure though.

Hey, thank you for the freedom (and so very sorry about how late I am ;_;)! I pondered a lot about who I wanted to ramble around, and I think I've been in a big Miranda mood lately so I'm going to talk about Miss Lawson!

favorite thing about them: her relationship with expectations and accomplishment/self-definition. The more I replay the game, the more that specific aspect of her deeply touches me, to the point where I discover myself relating to her more than with any other character in the games. She’s at once trying to follow an impossible blueprint, being expected to behave perfectly because she was “made that way” (whatever perfect means, in this instance the weirdly fetishist definition of a weird rich white guy), but at the same time if she expresses these controlling behaviors towards herself or others, she’s bossy and unlikeable. It’s almost like she’s been made to play a game she cannot win! (not to excuse the shitty controlling things she does to Shepard’s body and the fact she’s literally in a pro-human terrorist ring, but this mess does make a lot of sense with who she is, her envy, how she was shaped) Her relationship to Oriana is also very sweet (I almost always shed a tear at the end of her loyalty mission, I don’t know why this gets me when it’s so hard to get to my tearducts in videogames!!!), because in a way it’s also about Miranda showing herself compassion, and revealing her yearning at a second chance she’ll never have but can only offer to someone else.

least favorite thing about them: unoriginal, but the fixation on the butt? It’s a fanbase thing pushed by the game and its weird fixation on it, but... yeah, while I don’t mind that she uses her sexuality as a form of powermove (people are going to be gross about her anyway, may as well own it and make it do work for her, I get that), I think the fixation on the butt iiis weird and quite deshumanizing and it completely glosses over her great boobs COME ON PEOPLE

favorite line: I don’t remember the specifics, but the entire dialogue where she talks about the complex relationship she has with envy. Envy of Shepard, envy of Mordin, envy of everyone who was allowed and encouraged to express their full potential without feeling like they own all their accomplishments to the person who made them, and all their failures to themselves. She was designed to shine, and then made to step in the shadow of, mostly, “greater men” (her father, TIM, even MShep in the “default” way ME2 was marketed). This sucks!!!! I feel that so bad!!!!  

brOTP: I mentioned her and Mordin in Mordin’s ask, and I still enjoy that quite a lot! I also saw several mentions of Miranda and Grunt bonding over being “made”, and I am won over. This is very cute. But to be honest she strikes me as severely lonely because she’s crippled with her inner battle against herself and can be cold and offputting as a mean to assess control, so I think it takes her a long time to open up to anyone in the Normandy crew --especially since nobody likes her really. Perhaps she could have courteous exchanges with people like Samara or Thane, but I don’t see her baring her soul to any of them before perhaps late in ME3 (Citadel DLC and such). I like the potential of what her relationship to Oriana could end up looking like too, obviously!

OTP: honestly I really like a well-made Miranda/Jack. It can absolutely have this catty/porny “hot girls fighting” vibe which is not mine personally, but I think having Miranda reconciling with her own story of objectification/grooming at the hands of Cerberus alongside Jack is interesting, as well as allowing herself some leeway and tap into more spontaneity would really help. Jack, on the other hand, might need someone stabler to allow for her growth, and someone she can also somewhat hold accountable. I feel like that’s a delicate thread and I’m not even sure this would be the kind of relationship that *should* last given how intricately linked Jack’s history of trauma is to Miranda, but I enjoy the idea of a post-war relationship that takes slow steps and allow both of them to calm down, reconsider and heal. I saw mentions of Miranda and Kaidan, and I don’t hate it either! I think he would pair with her quite well, be a good support and they could have a nice equal relationship. Miranda and Jacob could be a thing? But I don’t entirely understand what their dynamic would have been like so I’m left grabbing at straws here (and she seems to be quite formal towards Jacob all things considered so I’m wondering what that even looked like).

nOTP: I don’t really have one. Even the really bad ones (like Illusive ManXMiranda) could be interesting if written well, even if they are repulsive in other aspects. I guess her relationship with MShep can irk me if “poorly written”, as it can absolutely make her that femme fatale prize of MShep that deny her that equal recognition I understand her to crave.

random headcanon: I HC that, despite being quite dominant in the ME2 love scene, her romantic behavior would be a little more muted once she trusts her partner (I believe she did that whole show to impress Shepard and try to control/maintain a sense of superiority because she’s afraid to be crushed by a stronger force than her, as mentioned above). I think she needs to be vulnerable in private and strong in public to be at her more confident/healthiest mentally, but I’m not even sure she’s ready to express that desire to herself yet (or maybe by mid ME3).

unpopular opinion: I’m not sold on Miranda wanting a “normal life” necessarily as presented in the Citadel DLC? I think she does need to relax and stop putting so much pressure on herself for sure, but I still believe she also wants to become her own beacon, the hero of her own causes, defined by herself. I wish we could have seen her become a little more of that before the end of the game (like the organizer of a movement aiming at taking down Cerberus from the inside-out, something like that, unrelated to her father/her genetics). I don’t know how I feel about us telling her (especially in the romance) to “just chill out and have a normal life”, while in ME2 she had trouble with finding her own success and didn’t ask to be made lesser. She didn’t want to be normal for its own sake, she wanted to be normal so she could exist without the shadow of everyone that defined her getting in the way (I also believe that’s why Cerberus’ views spoke to her, as warped and messed up as they are --their goal is very much about self-definition, at any cost). But it’s possible I’m projecting, I wouldn’t put it past me. :) :) :)

(From: https://rawliverandcigarettes.tumblr.com/post/659045472796803072/mushroom-cookie-bears-send-me-a-character-and)

[tardisbadwolfrose]

For the character thing, please do Rose Tyler

Ooo thats fun. I was not expecting a doctor who character. Ok. Lets go.

Why I like them: part of it is just because she was my first companion. I fell in love with Doctor Who through her. But also, theres something to be said for a perfectly normal, ordinary person with flaws and who probably doesnt think much of themselves, who is young and naive and loving, who ends up doing extraordinary things without some preternatural destiny guiding them. The only other companion who really hit on that was Bill. Donna had a bit, but there were elements of s4 that implied that it was all some sort of prophecy coming together. The DoctorDonna and all that. Rose really was so ordinary. Even Bad Wolf was born of something so ordinary, so human, this intense love and desire to protect. Rose was, in so many ways, such a perfect first companion, because from the beginning shes such an every girl. And she has so much compassion for so many. Everytime she interacts with people, especially people who work for other people, she treats them like people and like equals. Theres the mechanic in "the end of the world," gwenyth, etc. I just... Ugh. I love her. Bills still my fave, but rose is a VERY close second.

Why I don't like them: her selfishness. I dont know if its really that I dont like her because of it, because I like that she has a real, human flaw, and its a real reason that people might dislike them. It means shes well written, and feels real and human. But it still bugs me. Especially in s1, but even in parts of s2. She treats Mickey and her mother with this dissmissiveness, which is very immature. Like she thinks they only exist when shes around. She gets called on it though, and pretty early on. She never fixes it fully, especially where Jackie is concerned, but she makes an effort. But you can especially see it in school reunion, with her jealousy of sarah jane. She has a problem with the people she loves fully having lives outside of her, especially when those lives seem like a threat to the one shes creating.

Favorite Episode: the Parting of ways, fear her, turn left, or stolen earth/journeys end. Aka, im a simple girl with simple pleasures, and those pleasures are rose being a badass/saving the day. Special mention for the idiot lantern bc i must have watched it 20 times and they give me LIFE the doctor and rose in that episode.

Favorite season: 2. Shes starting to get more confident and sure of herself, but shes still human and flawed.

Favorite Line: whatever the hell she says during the christmas invasion, when shes trying to get the sycorax to leave. Its utter bull, makes zero sense, and its beautiful.

OTP: Doctor/Rose. Any doctor. Im a little desperate to see rose/thirteen. Also Rose/doctor/river. If ianto didnt exist, id say rose/jack/doctor, but alas, he does.

Favorite outfit: oh god. Either the one in the unquiet dead, the idiot lantern, the long game, or the doctor dances. There are so many more though. Her costuming was brilliant.

BroTP: rose and jack.

Headcanon: you mean besides time lord/immortal Rose? Ok here it goes.

So when Rose dropped out of high school for Jimmy Stone, she ran away. Went off on tour with Stone and his band. While on tour, she got.very close to the other band members, including the lead singer/lyricist, a very cute 20 yr old Welshman going through his rebellious phase named Ianto Jones, who helped her figure out she needed to go home and, in the process realized he needed to stop rebelling and start acting like a mature adult, leading to him eventually signing on with Torchwood. Meanwhile, Rose is stranded all the way in Paris because she won't stay on that tour bus with Jimmy, and she's terrified to call her mum, who had told her she'd never forgive her if she ran off and wasted her life on Jimmy. Penniless and desperate, walking alone in the rain, Rose thinks she's never going to make it back to London when she almost gets run over by a car after forgetting to watch where she's going and wandering into the street. The driver swerves and just barely miss her, and after pulling over, a man hops out of the car and starts admonishing her, when Rose bursts into tears. Feeling badly, the man insists on taking her home. She tells him home is in London, too far away for her to accept, but the man refuses to listen, telling her he was heading to London anyway, and here, why don't you borrow my cell phone and call your mum, I'm sure she wants you home. He's right of course, and Jackie cries from relief at hearing from her and is thrilled she's coming home. The man's name was Rory, she learned on the drive, and he was married to a wonderful woman who he loved named Amy, and they lived in Leeds but he was travelling around from work and he was heading from Paris to London because of it. It took six hours to gt back to London, and once they got there, her mum treated Rory to breakfast and he went on his way and rose never saw him again.

Yes, it was that Rory. He was with Amy and the Doctor and he got stranded in Paris in the early 2000's and he wasn't heading into London at all but he felt very bad about almost hitting the poor girl with his car and he recognized her from an old picture he found while he was wandering the Tardis and he brought it to the doctor to ask him about it and the Doctor got very sad and very quiet and walked very quickly away from the conversation and Rory figured that meant that he used to travel with her and there was a sad story in there somewhere and he was curious about the girl and how she'd inspire that kind of emotion from a man he'd rarely seen care about anything real.

Should I make this a fanfiction? I kind of want to make this an actual fic... Anyway.

Unpopular opinion: ...She is a very much not straight woman. I don't know if that's unpopular, but it isn't popular. Or at least, it isn't talked about.

A wish: That she comes back in S13 and we see a reunion. I am but a simple girl with simple pleasures and I have been WAITING WITH BATED BREATH FOR A ROSE COMEBACK FOR YEARS AND I AM O V E R D U E.

An OMG-Please-Don't-Ever-Happen: For a character that is no longer in the show there isn't much I can say. I'd be very disappointed if they brought Rose back and ruined it but that requires them to bring her back first.

5 words that best describe them: Kind, good, jealous, badass, loving

My nickname for them: I don't really have one

Give me more characters! I love this!

[purplerose244]

My thoughts on Tales of Arcadia: Wizards 💚💚💚

LOOK OUT FOR THE SPOILERS!!!

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SHORT VERSION

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 😍😍😱😍😭😍😍😱😱😱😱😭😭😍😍😍😍😍😭😭😭😱😱😭😭😍😍😍😭😭😱😱😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😱😱😱😱😍😍😍😍😍

REGULAR VERSION

I don't know if I can fully express how emotionally exhausted I am right now. I cried. And I'm not talking about metaphorical tears or stuff like that, no-ho-ho, I'm talking real freaking tears. A roller coaster of emotions, truly. You stood by your words Aaron 👌

Douxie gets into the best protagonists I've ever seen group ASAP. Like, I knew I was going to love him but GREAT GAYLEN this is ridiculous. I WOULD DIE FOR THIS WIZARD AND HE WOULD PROBABLY WANT TO SAVE ME ANYWAY LIKE HE IS A POOR BABY WHO JUST WANTS TO BE RECOGNIZED BY HIS MASTER AND FIX EVERYTHING AND SAVE HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND I LOVE HIM SO MUCH AND AAAAAAA 🤯🤯🤯

JIAIRE 💙💜💙💜 Everything about them, from them wanting to find the other, to how much they just love each other so MUCH, to the kisses, to Claire not giving up on him, not even once. This is the ship, the OTP, the couple that went through so much yet somehow still made it. Bless them 💕💕💕

I'm biased because I love Steve and I generally don't mind comic relief, I think they are more useful than people think. That being said, yes it did feel a bit... useless? The part with Lancelot was still very cool anyway so good on that. Kinda felt like Steve found a group of dads in Camelot 😚 Also him sending that one message to Aja, that was something 😂 Can't help it liking Staja 💙💙 Although him calling out Eli so much was also very interesting 😏😏

Do I even have in me the words to fully express how amazing was Claire's arc in this? How she wanted nothing more but to save the man she loves? How she managed to get a hold onto her dark powers even though they are scary and she didn't want to become like Morgana? HOW CAN I FULLY EXPRESS HOW MUCH OF AN MVP WAS CLAIRE NUNEZ IN THIS??? 💜💜💜

Also Morgana? MORGANA??? We saw her point of view, the heart she used to have, the compassion that somehow brought her to the edge of darkness! And her redemption, AND ACTUAL!! REDEMPTION!! FOR MORGANA!! 😱😱😱😱😱 Her working with Claire, heck yeah, omg, I don't have words for such awesomeness 👌👌

Deya was glorious. I think we all kinda knew Callista was going to become the first trollhunter 😅 But she has such a strong and unique personality, and a background that makes sense for her to acquire a new identity as the first defender of the two worlds. I loved how much she connected with Jimbo, loved her A LOT 👌👌

Seeing Blinky and AAARRGGHH!! meeting for the first time and slowly building their friendship, that's the sappy stuff I'm looking for 😍😍

... wait now that I'm writing I realized, Angor Rot was there? Just that one cameo? That sounds a little suspicious 🤔

Okay sorry, I need preparation for this one *clears voice* Why is- No that's not right *cough a bit* Why is that...! No no still too low *deeply inhales* Okay so...

WHY IS THAT BEST BOY JIM ALWAYS GETS HORRIBLE STUFF THAT HE DOESN'T DESERVE?!?!? 😭😭😭

The luck of this kid, my world 😞 Besides this, man that was heartwrenching, loved it even thought it hurt a lot. And the best part is that, nothing was out of character, it all made perfect sense. Jim is and remains an altruistic person, even to a fault, who would and will think about others before himself, even if that means putting himself into such danger. I think him turning back into a human will generate a bit of controversy through the fandom, which I can understand, but personally I think it makes sense how they did it IN THIS WAY. Especially since he is now without amulet, after such a strong experience, in need to reshape himself... is this why in the game he doesn't have a troll form? NOW I'M WAITING FOR THE GAME EVEN MORE!!! 😍😍😍

The bonds. The bonds, freaking, how refreshing they were? Not only we didn't get a useless triangle with Jiaire and Douxie, him and Claire had a genuine friendship and he even taught her magic! And Archie was MAGNIFICENT?? 😭😭 Fully supportive, so close to Douxie, he clearly loves him dearly and wants only the best for him I LOVE THIS FAMILIAR SO MUCH 😍😍😍

And then Merlin... Wizards actually managed to make me feel sorry for him. And I would like to applaude the season for not making him fully good, like just because it was proved he cares about others doesn't mean he is not the known jerk that thinks about "the bigger picture" first before actual lives. Toby said it that nobody likes him (I know it was a joke but there is a bit of truth for me), Claire clearly despised him, even Douxie said it at the end that he wasn't perfect. But I think half his entire kind of redemption was right into his last words. He said his greatest accomplishment was saving Douxie. The greatest magician of all times said he did better saving a "nobody" than stuff like helping prevent the Eternal Night, or saving Camelot. I think he realized there the real bigger picture, and that actually made it hard for me to watch him pass. I really thought if he was ever going to die in the show, I would've been ecstatic 😅 But no, it felt like he died right when he was understanding. And that hurt... dang it TOA crew, playing with my heart!

But what hurt the most was just how much Merlin meant to Douxie. He was everything. His master. His friend. His father even. Not the perfect one, but one that made him who he is. He gave him a purpose, a path to follow, and a reason to be. And at the end he was someone who was even glad to see Douxie making choices different from his, like he was happy to see him taking a different path... I cried okay 😢

I know a lot of people were hoping and got rewarded to see Zoe involved, me included 😂 Didn't really explain much of the relationship between her and Doux, maybe another time? Still nice to see her pink hair again 💕💕💕

If any of you heard some kind of strong explosion coming from the general direction of Italy... that was me after seeing Krel again 😅😅 I am disappointed that he was barely involved (although him tinkering with Akiridion tech and magic was DOPE LET HIM DO MORE OF THAT) but apparently there's a movie coming next year so I'm guessing that one will show the arc Diego told us about?... I WANNA SEE MY LITTLE BOY IN ACTION AGAIN 💙💙💙💙

Also too bad Toby also didn't have that much of a role, hopefully they will fix that in the next installation 👍

I did like the Arcane Order, they all have cool as heck powers and amazing designs. With that being said, it felt like there's still stuff to discover? I freaked out for a month because of Skreal since he looked so much like an Akiridion, but Krel didn't acknowledge that? Is it just a coincidence? It didn't help the fact that they even have a similar name 😅 Also fire pal there had a mask... maybe it's just me but in my opinion masks should always be there because of a reveal. And they seemed pretty unknown. I loved these villains, they are cool as HECK and Skreal cracked me up 🤣 It just feels like we still don't know much about them

Also Nari is absolutely adorable and cute and PRECIOUS and I'm happy she's with Douxie and has that super cute disguise omg so freaking CUTE 💚💚💚

What a ride. What. A. Ride. I'm more than ever looking forward to this movie, because I hope we'll get Akiridions fully into this. Is this why the Genesis Seals are made of three parts? That would make sense

... wait wasn't Jim's dad supposed to be revealed here? Did I miss something? Or is it for the movie? I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS!!! 😱😱 The movie might actually be like a second season of Wizards. This one presented Douxie, the next one will be the final fusion of all the three franchises. CAN'T. WAIT. NOW ONTO THE VIDEOGAME 😍

FULL EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER 😭😭😭 Amazing, really amazing, and I'm really happy it's not the last we've seen of this franchise. The end will come, but not today my friends 😉

[silveryinkystar]

Lyra for the ask game! Or Ahsoka

Lyra

favorite thing about them: Her lies in Northern Lights / The Golden Compass. I love how much she lies, that she lies about literally anything and everything that she can lie about, and just how wild her lies get. It's also a huge part of her character arc, which I also love!

least favorite thing about them: I kind of had to reach for this one, because it's not super present in the HDM books (as opposed to TSC), but she can get really dismissive of Pan and his anxieties despite them having a deep connection. It's really only noticeable once you set up a foil for her and Pan with other human-dæmon pairs.

favorite line: From Northern Lights / The Golden Compass -

Her dear soul, the darling companion of her heart, to be cut away and reduced to a little trotting pet?

brOTP: Roger, of course!

OTP: Will wins this one, but only by default

nOTP: Literally anyone else (although her ex? from TSC is fine I guess), especially Malcolm (looking at you, Philman)

random headcanon: I like to imagine that Lyra's ability to extrapolate the hell out of any lie is the reason she can read the alethiometer so easily - she's very malleable with her perception of reality, and genuinely clever about it too, hence why she can grasp the layers of meanings that each symbol of the alethiometer has. Where others might go, "wait that's kind of nonsense" or "what is the logic behind this", Lyra immediately jumps to the most fantastical option.

unpopular opinion: [Heavy spoilers for TAS] Dunno if this is an unpopular opinion, since I haven't actually seen people talk about it, but I don't like that the burden of spreading the "tell them true stories" thing is placed on her near the end of the book (and Will, of course) at all! There are plenty of others that Xaphania could also have told, and they could have helped spread it too, but nope, it's Lyra, a kid that only one college knows somewhat well, who maybe has friends but isn't super close to, etc etc etc. It's a lovely ending, but I had a huge bone to pick with it here.

song i associate with them: Scholastic Sanctuary from the season 1 OST! I don't know if Lorne Balfe has confirmed this, but I consider it her official theme in the series.

favorite picture of them: [ID in alt text, GIF by me]

Ahsoka

favorite thing about them: Her ability to make friends. She has Rose Tyler energy in the sense that wherever her mission takes her, if she can make friends or finds someone to sympathize with, she does it.

least favorite thing about them: Whatever the hell is going on with her live action montrals and lekku Honestly, most of the issues I do have with her are related to the general writing of the show, not her personality - I go into it a bit more with my "unpopular opinion" since I'm not actually sure it fits here. But if I had to pick one specifically, I don't like that she and Steela fall into the typical "girls rivalling for a guy's attention" trope when they could have been friends instead (especially considering they did get along well in the episodes!)

favorite line: "You don’t have to carry a sword to be powerful. Some leaders’ strength is inspiring others.” [TCW S04E02]

brOTP: Anakin and Rex, and Obi-Wan in a dad way!

OTP: Nobody! I do have some mayhaps-ships with her, but nothing I'll stand on as an OTP.

nOTP: Rex, any of the other troopers, Anakin, and Lux Bonteri.

random headcanon: I explored this in one of my fics, but I headcanon that she enjoys fabric arts in her spare time, specifically spinning yarn and weaving.

unpopular opinion: This is more of an early-TCW-seasons issue (and more on the writing than character) than a problem for season 4-7 (and Rebels) Ahsoka, but I think she gets off too lightly on the consequences to her mistakes sometimes - I get that the episodic narrative means that we can't linger on consequences of battlefield mistakes for long (not to mention TCW is a kid's series, and kids getting punished isn't necessarily something kids would enjoy watching, even if it's rightly done), but it just bothers me a little nonetheless.

song i associate with them: Ahsoka Leaves in the TCW seasons 1-6 OST being the most obvious, I think a close second is Revolting Children because of the Vibes (and also an extended au in my mind which has a fairly strange premise that I'll only write with lots of prodding lol)

favorite picture of them: [ID in alt text, GIF by me]

Badass.

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