#plot armor incarnate

[what-even-is-thiss]

Okay now that I’ve played the main quest of Morrowind myself I’ve decided yes I do think that your character is the nerevarine and not just a random guy.

The reason I think this is not just because of all the Azura stuff. Though I do think she would know seeing as she’s the literal god of prophecy. And the ring that kills everyone who isn’t Nerevar doesn’t kill you. And Dagoth Ur seems to think that you’re the Nerevarine. And so do all the ghosts in the cavern of the incarnate. But none of that is the main thing that convinced me.

The main thing that convinced me is the corprus plot point. The cure you’re given has killed every other patient and it kills every patient after you. It never works again. If you really truly are the special little guy from the prophecy then the universe has to keep you alive until you’ve done your job. You have in-universe plot armor and that moment where the corprus cure doesn’t kill you is proof.

[cupcakeslushie]

I love your Separated/EW AU! And I something I love so much about it is that it could qualify as its own TMNT iteration. With it having characters new and old from previous incarnations of the franchise or just completely original characters (like Kitsune?). And even changing up some things like making the Shedder an actual person instead of just a suit of armor and including Tigerclaw, Usagi and Timothy.

And I was wondering what inspired you to make the AU like this in the first place. Did you plan for it to get so big with its own plot and characters or did it just kinda… happen…?

No way did I ever think it would get this involved lol. I was and still am constantly shocked at how big this has grown. I do not tend to work on projects that require a long amount of focus. But this thing is so dear to me now, I can’t even imagine finishing it—even though obviously that’ll happen in some way at some point.

The adding of all the other iteration characters is really just due to me loving TMNT and wanting to include as much as I can from all the other versions I’ve enjoyed. I have fun imagining what they’d look like in Rise’s style, so I give it my best shot!

[silamander]

People who hate Joker and want to see him gone for good are so funny to me because they clearly don't understand why Joker is so important to the Batman mythos and why he's Batman's arch nemesis.

It's the duality that makes them interesting. And the fact that Joker is right in the sense that one bad day made the two of them who they are.

Joker is nihilism incarnate, he believes that life is one bad joke and that deep down everyone is capable of being just like him, they just have to be broken down to the point of no return. He believes it's humanity and the corrupt system it created that caused him to become who he is. So he doesn't feel bad about the horrible things he does because in his twisted mind it's all just a game, and it's what they deserve. Joker believes Batman is just as insane as he is, and he's not entirely wrong. To be the living embodiment of a strict form of justice and devoting your life to it is pretty insane. Bruce doesn't HAVE to be Batman, he's a billionaire, he can live his life any way he chooses, but he chooses to dedicate his life to his crusade.

I mean what is he? Stupid? (I'm so sorry)

But that's the thing. While Joker is the embodiment of nihilism and cynicism, Bruce is the exact opposite. Underneath the Batman persona, Bruce is a flawed, broken man who at his core is someone who doesn't want to see anyone suffer the way he's suffered, and doesn't want anyone to die if he can help prevent it. The reason he doesn't kill his worst enemies, as much as he really wants to, as insane as it is considering how it contradicts his goal of keeping Gotham safe when Arkham is quite literally a revolving door, isn't because he'd end up killing non-stop or some bullshit like that. No, the real reason is because of his parents death, Bruce believes in the absolute sacredness of human life. He believes that everyone deserves a chance to live, no matter how wicked. He believes that everyone can become a better person if they're willing to put in the work to do that, and deserves to at least try that and give them the help they need. And no matter how horrible, cursed, or doomed to forever be a city where crime will always run rampant Gotham is, Bruce never backs down on this belief, and will always fight for the people of Gotham. His one true superpower isn't his gadgets, or his money, or his plot armor, it's his empathy.

But Joker can't wrap his head around this. He's so deep into his own belief that everyone is just as insane as him but doesn't want to admit it, that he can't understand why he would save anyone of Gotham's rogues, especially himself, arguably the worst of them all. So Joker makes it his mission to break Batman, and drive him insane, to prove him wrong. To prove that no one is entirely good, and can be driven to the point of no return like he was, to go down a path of anarchy and mayhem. If he can push Gothams hero to insanity, then he can prove once and for all that he is right, and he'll have the last laugh.

The duality between them is one of the most interesting things I've ever seen (when it's written well, that is). Batman and Joker are two people who are so similar, yet they act in the complete opposite way. Joker kills anyone and everyone just for a laugh. He's a sadistic, narcissistic mass murderer who lacks any empathy for anyone and wants to see the world suffer the way he's suffered. Bruce will save anyone no matter how heinous their actions are, because he's a flawed, but well-intended man who believes everyone deserves a shot at redemption. He's a man who wants to prevent the suffering of others because if he couldn't save his parents, then he can at least try and save everyone else.

They're two sides of the same coin, and that's why they need each other.

[briarandhissecretgarden]

A Minecraft Movie Trailer Dive

Alright!! I have a hard time talking about things in a more real? manner like this but I feel like it's important to be honest and share thoughts.

So the Minecraft movie trailer is a trailer that exists and it's incredibly upsetting to say the least. i had always had hopes of it being entirely animated and be a sort fo film version of Minecraft: Story Mode but it's clearly not that at all. It's a shame too, it's incredibly disappointing to know it's live action as I am a HUGE advocate for animated movies and blockbusters and such. I think Minecraft is a game that is so fantastical and developed and normalized within it's own plane of existence that trying to translate it as anything other than an animated movie fundamentally goes against what the game is supposed to be.

Minecraft is creativity incarnate. It is a canvas for you to do quite literally anything with. And i think turning it into a pathetic cash grab live action movie is about as hard away as you can get from it's core values. You lazily slap real people to into the game to mock and laugh at and disrupt the flow of it's own universe. Treating this game as if it is nothing but a child' plaything despite the fact that people of any age can play it and find joy and excitement. I think the jokes and the overall childish view of the game is disgusting I think it belittles it, I think Minecraft as a whole, encourages all ages and helps develop personal understanding of the world around us and our own ideals. Maybe we'd like to build a large house, go on, here are hundreds of blocks to choose from! Loads of colors, be free!!! Perhaps you'd like to calm down and play with friends or even challenge yourselves, go on with multiplayer! There's servers and achievements!!! There's plenty of things to do. And I think one of the most important things is that, none of this is wrong or weird. None of this is an incorrect way of playing, nothing you do is bad. This isn't supposed to be humbling this isn't supposed to be stressful or something to laugh at. Your desires and plans are valid.

Perhaps as an autistic individual myself, I find that so comforting. I understand it's just a movie, but it's a movie that fundamentally gets everything wrong about this lovely game. I don't understand how these trailers and jokes and plot points are treated as if it's okay to be bad if it's for children. It's saddening.

Either way, moving onto a different subject that I have much more knowledge about and care too much of, the Piglins.

This trailer shows off that Piglins are meant to be the main antagonists, as well as the The Seer having a role in the plot. I have many problems with this, and I will be discussing this through the lens of my own experiences, especially as it comes to my race. (I am latino for those who don't know)

First things first, no, the Piglins aren't evil by any means. I know a lot of media has a very black and white view of them but honestly, take a moment to think about this.

Piglins are minding their business, having fun, living their lives, when a bunch of explorers come barging into their home, exploiting them for their willingness to barter, stealing their valuables right from their houses, and on top of that, being killed and hurt because they dare fight back and attempt to protect one another.

To me, it's incredibly disheartening to see Piglins being portrayed as some kind of aggressors, savages and barbaric monsters all because they want to protect their way of life. I don't understand how emotionless people seem to act toward them. They aren't even physically accurate to the game models. They wear clothes, they use tools, they talk amongst themselves. It's very disgusting to see how this group that is CLEARLY INTELLIGENT BTW (they make music, tools, clothes, armor, buildings, homes and have a complex social system) being drawn and shown in less clothes, more violent tendencies, a more destroyed home and life, even showing violence among themselves to portray them as anything other than the interesting and complex species they are.

I'm just tired of the racist undertones that most Piglin plots seem to have. I find it insulting to them, i find it concerning regarding the language used. 'barbaric' 'crude' 'savage'

Just makes me angry.

[yannaryartside]

I am tired of Sydney being a “knight in shining armor” for these immature men

The trailer of s3 made me reflect on a big problem with the show for me so far. The use of Sydney on the plot overall and in the character arcs of men. This is a rant, if you happen to be on the side of the fandom that think these men are perfect and Syd is valued as their support, feel free to scroll.

Part 1: the woman

Sydney Adamu is insecure on her leader/social skills and her creative habilities. That, and her kindness, is what makes the audience root for her. She is releatable but most important she is real, she has taken it impulse by impulse, creating on the fly ways to succeed in a industry not very welcoming to people with her personality (or that look like her). All of that makes sense in a story of an underdog.

But yet, the show has normalized at this point how much shit she takes from a group of really emotionally immature people. And how much they expect her to figure it out answers to the problems that they themselves cause.

Thinking about it like an animal getting into a new pack without the capacity to defend herself from any attack. The shitshow she tolerated in s1 has never been properly addressed and it seems like the worst storm is yet to come in s3. She fixed the logistics of the beef and implemented a hierarchy. Things that Carmy was incapable of doing due to his story with the staff and his own mental turmoil. In s2, she was the only professional chef actively making decisions and efforts in the future of the restaurant. Carmy even reprimanded her for not making the decisions he was supposed to do. And she reminded him “you wanted the final say, this is on you)

Syd is not helpless in any way, but she has applied kindness and fairness most of the time to this point, and I wonder if this time that is gonna cut it. I am mostly tired to get her back to that scenario again. If anything, the part that got me the most excited of Richie’s redemption is how she could actually rely on him. And then it came the trailer.

Part 2: the men

The part that got my blood boiling in the trailer is the response “Show me a functional one” from Richie and Carmy.

We are in season 3, and with all the growth and all those balls, these men seem to expect her to fix an issue, wich core is actually their own emotional immaturity. I am sick of it. “Mother, maid, therapist”🎶

She must deal with Carmy’s recklessness and the fight between him and Richie. A very green new staff and a unqualified old staff mostly. All of that creates the dysfunctionality in question, and I wonder where her character will go to resolve it. The restaurant had a shaky base (particularly on front house staff and line cooks) and now Carmy is getting on everyone’s nerves. Putting fire to an already unstable chemical.

Part 3: Heroine’s Journey

It would take a pro to resolve all of this shit, and the people involved (and responsible for the problem) turn to this young, inexperienced woman for guidance and answers because the only person in the kitchen with actual industry experience is trapped in his own destroying tendencies.

That is not only the underdog story that is human vs forces of nature, another common plot structure. Forces of nature incarnated in unstable men and our hero is a woman. That is so fucked up and yet so real. That is the value I give to this scenario.

I really don't think that, besides Tina and Nat, there is a single member if that kitchen aware of how much Syd was alone last season picking Carmy’s slack. And even they were barely able to help her. Everybody else was to happy for Carmy loosing his virginity apparently. All this scenario could very well repeat itself this season on how much they are insisting on Claire and Carmy getting back together.

I know the show is about leaving toxic cycles and the people who can help you get better. Sydney is supposed to be made from a different matter than the Bearzattos because otherwise, the toxicity will continue. I just wish she could coldly let them know how much of a pest they can be sometimes. And not be treated as unfair because she left her “role” in creating a new system. Anger is boundarie setting emotion and it can be very constructive, and expressed without the chaos of the Bearzattos. She did this in s1 and if done again I think this time the general audience (except the racist/misogynistic obviously) will understand that this tough love is necessary as well.

Let's not normalize (in this show) women taking shit to be good women and a reward for seeing the potential of men. It is not like society is not doing that for us already.

Sydney is not a punching bag, and she knows it, she definitely will stand her ground this season, wich can be very encouraging to young woman entering a workforce that is not designed to support them. I think she will go to Ember to work closely with Chef Terry (Olivia Coleman) to get knowledge of how women can shape this toxic places. It will be her version of forks. The toxicity may escalate to a turning point for her. She tolerated (and transformed) s1 and s2, we know what is in her heart. The point will definitely come, because this is the time for evolving or dying, for everyone.

But again, I need these men (besides you, Marcus, you are going to be her rock) to start taking responsibility for the shit they are fucking up. That would be nice. I am sure there will be moments of it since this growth is literally the show's theme. I am just kind of tired of the “Mother, maid, therapist🎶” undertone of it all. It could be applied to Nat and Tina as well.

[dumb-ster-fire]

Night Incarnate - Part 13

Azriel x OC

warnings: NSFW content

Summary: A deadly assassin and the elusive leader of Veilforged, Nyra delivers justice from the shadows, wielding starlight and darkness with lethal precision. Operating from Night's Refuge, she rescues the powerless and turns them into warriors. Whispers of her name spread through Prythian, but few know the truth-only that where justice fails, Night Incarnate rises.

Masterlist

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Azriel didn’t reply. Didn’t react beyond the way his shadows coiled around him like living armor.

He had felt it.

That impossible, unrelenting pull toward Nyra—something deep and primal, something that had slithered beneath his skin and refused to let go.

He had tried to deny it. To bury it beneath training, beneath duty.

But it was there. It had always been there, from the moment their shadows intertwined.

And now, the entire room was watching him.

Cassian looked between him and Rhys, his easygoing smirk faltering as understanding dawned in his hazel eyes. “You’re serious?”

Azriel’s jaw flexed.

Nesta let out a thoughtful hum. “I can’t say I’m surprised. Nyra is—” she hesitated, as if searching for the right word, “—something else.”

Emerie, who had arrived not long ago, frowned slightly. “I don’t understand. What’s going on?”

Mor exhaled, propping her chin on her hand. “Azriel and Nyra’s shadows like each other.”

Emerie raised a brow. “So?”

“So,” Amren drawled, swirling her drink, “it’s more than that. Shadows are not just gifts. They are extensions of one’s being. They recognize one another. And if Azriel’s are drawn to hers…” She smiled slightly, sharp as a blade. “Well, I’d say it’s the Cauldron’s cruel idea of a joke.”

Silence settled over the room.

Azriel finally turned to Rhys, his voice low, measured. “Say what you want to say.”

Rhys’s smirk remained, but there was something assessing in his gaze, something watchful. “You’ve spent centuries guarding your heart, keeping everyone at a distance. And now you’ve met someone you can’t push away.” He leaned back in his chair. “How does it feel?”

Azriel hated that he had no answer.

Because how did it feel?

Like a quiet war inside him. Like shadows trying to merge with starlight. Like something slipping through his fingers no matter how tightly he held on.

He turned back to the window instead, looking out into the darkness of Velaris.

And though he tried to shove her from his mind, he knew—

Somewhere out there, Nyra was feeling it too.

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Amren’s silver eyes flicked toward Rhysand, her expression unreadable as she leaned back in her seat.

“You’re planning something,” she said simply, the words cutting through the silence like a blade.

Rhys’s smirk didn’t falter, but there was a gleam of something calculating in his violet eyes.

Feyre, seated beside him, frowned. “Rhys.”

He let out a low chuckle, swirling the wine in his glass. “I always have plans, darling.”

Nesta scoffed. “Don’t dance around it. If Amren caught on, it means you’re plotting something specific.”

Cassian crossed his arms, watching his brother carefully. “And something that involves Nyra.”

Azriel’s fingers twitched.

Rhys took a slow sip of his wine, setting the glass down with deliberate ease. “It’s no secret that Nyra and her Veils operate in the shadows, unseen, unnoticed.” His gaze flicked to Azriel. “But with the right push, the right circumstances… they could be brought into the light.”

Azriel’s expression remained unreadable, but his shadows coiled tighter around him.

Mor rolled her eyes. “What are you thinking, Rhys?”

He gave a casual shrug, but his voice was anything but light. “The world is shifting. The peace we’ve carved out is fragile. And Nyra—whether she likes it or not—is a player in this game.”

Feyre’s frown deepened. “You’re talking about alliances.”

Rhys tapped a finger against the table. “I’m talking about ensuring that when war comes knocking again, we aren’t left wondering where Veilforged stands.”

A sharp breath left Azriel. “You want to control them.”

Rhys met his eyes. “I want to secure them. There’s a difference.”

“Is there?” Azriel’s voice was quiet, but edged with something lethal.

Rhys held his gaze, something unspoken passing between them.

Amren sighed, looking between the two males. “You’re both fools,” she muttered.

Nesta’s expression darkened. “Veilforged has spent centuries making its own way, operating outside the courts because they choose to. If you think Nyra is just going to fall in line with whatever scheme you have, you’re an even bigger idiot than I thought.”

Cassian chuckled under his breath, but his gaze remained wary.

Rhys only smiled. “We’ll see.”

Azriel stood abruptly, his wings shifting behind him. “I think I’ve heard enough.”

Rhys watched him carefully. “Are you going to see her?”

Azriel didn’t answer.

Didn’t need to.

Because his shadows had already begun to tug him toward the one place he swore he wouldn’t go.

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Azriel left without another word, the conversation in the River House fading behind him as he stepped into the night. The cool air did nothing to temper the storm inside him.

Rhys was playing a dangerous game.

Trying to maneuver Nyra like she was a piece on his chessboard.

But Nyra was not someone who could be controlled. She was a force unto herself, and if Rhys thought he could corner her into an alliance, he would soon learn just how wrong he was.

Azriel’s shadows curled tighter around him, as if they knew where his thoughts were leading. As if they knew exactly where he would go.

He let them guide him.

Let them pull him through the night, through the vast lands beyond Velaris—until the towering, warded fortress of Night’s Refuge came into view.

A whisper of shadows welcomed him, as if the very air recognized his presence.

Azriel landed silently, moving like a phantom as he strode toward the entrance. The guards at the gate tensed for half a breath before recognizing him, giving him a wary nod as they stepped aside.

They knew better than to deny his entry.

Even if they wanted to.

The halls of Night’s Refuge were quiet at this hour, illuminated by the occasional flicker of faelight. Veils moved in the shadows, some nodding in acknowledgment, others watching him with the same wary respect they always did.

Azriel paid them no mind.

His feet carried him forward, toward the one place he knew she would be.

Toward her.

He found Nyra standing in the open courtyard, bathed in the cold glow of the moon.

She didn’t turn as he approached, but he knew she had sensed him.

Knew it in the way her shoulders shifted ever so slightly, in the way her shadows stirred, recognizing his presence before she even spoke.

“You let them pull you here again,” she murmured.

Azriel stopped a few paces behind her. “They don’t listen to me when it comes to you.”

A quiet chuckle left her, but there was something else in her voice—something contemplative, like she was already ten steps ahead of him in thought.

“Tell me,” she said, tilting her head just enough to glance at him over her shoulder, “what does your High Lord want from me now?”

Azriel exhaled, his wings shifting slightly. “Rhys thinks you’re a piece to be moved on his board.”

She did turn then, fully facing him, pale green eyes gleaming with sharp amusement. “Does he, now?”

He nodded once. “He wants to secure Veilforged as an ally before anyone else does.”

Nyra hummed, unconcerned. “A predictable move.”

Azriel studied her, watched the way she seemed utterly unbothered by the weight of it all.

“You’re not worried?” he asked.

Her lips curled slightly. “Worried?” She stepped closer, until there was only a breath between them. “Rhysand may be a master tactician, but I am no one’s pawn.”

Azriel’s shadows wrapped around hers instinctively, melding in a way that sent a sharp jolt through his chest.

A reminder.

A claim.

Nyra’s gaze flickered, sensing it too.

“Do you regret coming here?” she asked softly.

Azriel’s throat bobbed.

He should.

He should turn away.

Should ignore the pull, ignore the way his shadows reached for her like a lifeline.

But instead, he found himself saying, “No.”

Nyra studied him for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then—

She smiled.

And Azriel knew, without a doubt, that he had already lost this battle.

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The tension between them was a living thing, crackling like lightning in the space that separated them.

Azriel wasn’t sure when it had begun—this pull that defied logic, that wove his shadows with hers until he could no longer tell where he ended and she began.

He had thought he knew the depths of darkness.

But Nyra’s was different.

Not the suffocating kind he had been shaped by.

Hers was endless, infinite—a vast night sky filled with stars, her shadows not consuming, but dancing.

And his shadows danced with them.

Her gaze flicked down, watching where their shadows coiled together, where they stretched toward each other in ways neither of them had ever commanded them to.

And she knew.

Of course she knew.

“You feel it,” Nyra murmured, voice barely above a whisper, but Azriel caught it as if she had spoken the words directly into his mind.

He said nothing.

He didn’t need to.

Her knowing, sharp eyes searched his, and in them, he saw the same silent, tormenting acknowledgment.

The same truth.

Nyra’s fingers twitched at her sides, as if she were fighting the same instinct that raged within him.

To touch.

To see if the connection between them was real or just another cruel trick of fate.

Azriel’s wings shifted, and the movement drew her gaze.

Her throat bobbed as she looked at them—the Illyrian wings he still had, the ones that had been stolen from her.

His stomach clenched.

A reminder of the scar she bore, the pain she had endured.

The rage in his blood flared, dark and merciless.

Her gaze lifted back to his, and something in it softened. “I don’t need your pity, Shadowsinger.”

“It’s not pity.” The words left him before he could stop them.

She arched a pale brow, her lips curling in something wicked, something dangerous.

“Then what is it?”

Azriel clenched his jaw. He didn’t have an answer.

Or maybe he did, but admitting it would be surrendering to something he wasn’t sure he could control.

Nyra took another step closer.

Slow, deliberate, testing the very fabric of restraint between them.

And Azriel—damn fool that he was—held his ground.

The distance between them shrank to a whisper of air, her scent filling his lungs, dark cherries and lilac, intoxicating, dangerous, addicting.

Her power hummed in the air, wrapping around him in ways that sent his senses into chaos.

And he let it.

Her voice was a blade when she spoke. “You should leave.”

Azriel’s throat tightened.

She was right.

But neither of them moved.

Neither of them looked away.

His shadows curled tighter around hers, refusing to let go.

And for the first time in centuries, Azriel realized—

He didn’t want to.

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The tension snapped.

It was not gentle. Not hesitant.

It was explosive.

One moment, they were staring at each other, standing on the edge of something vast and unknown.

The next-Nyra had him pinned.

His back slammed against the stone wall of the courtyard, and she was the one caging him in.

It was Nyra who moved first, her hands fisting the front of his leathers, dragging him down as her mouth met his.

A collision. A clash of power and restraint that had finally shattered.

Azriel groaned into the kiss, devouring her, his hands finding purchase at her waist, fingers pressing into the curves he had only allowed himself to imagine before.

Wrong. This was wrong.

But nothing had ever felt more right.

Her taste-dark cherries and starlight-ignited something deep and ravenous in him.

Nyra demanded everything, her lips fierce, her body pressed against his with no space, no hesitation.

His wings flared-useless against the wall-but her hands dragged up his chest, nails scraping over muscle, over scars, over every inch of him that ached for her touch.

His own hands gripped her tighter, one sliding up her back, tangling in the silken cascade of her white hair, angling her head so he could deepen the kiss, consume her the way he had dreamed of doing.

She made a sound-half-growl, half-moan-fucking lethal.

Azriel cursed, his control obliterated, his shadows writhing, twisting, curling around her own.

They melded seamlessly, perfectly.

Just like they did.

Nyra tore her mouth from his, panting, her forehead resting against his.

Her fingers clenched in his leathers, as if she needed the grounding, as if she would fall apart if she let go.

Azriel was no better.

His chest heaved, his hands still gripping her, unwilling to part, unwilling to let reality come rushing back.

But then—

Nyra laughed.

Dark, breathless, almost disbelieving.

And gods, he could have fallen to his knees at the sound.

Her lips ghosted over his in the barest touch, teasing, taunting.

"Well," she murmured, voice silk and sin, "I suppose that answers that question."

Azriel exhaled sharply, his grip tightening on her hips, warning—

And yet, he was already gone.

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The air between them shimmered, shadows coiling like living things as Nyra reached for Azriel’s arm. A whisper of darkness unfurled beneath their feet, the world folding in on itself.

A blink—then silence.

They emerged in her office, shadows peeling away like dissipating smoke. The scent of dark cherries and lilac lingered in the air as Nyra stepped forward, unfazed, her pale green eyes gleaming in the dim candlelight.

The moment hung between them, thick and electric, their breath mingling in the space they refused to close completely.

Then Nyra moved.

She surged forward, her hands twisting in Azriel's leathers as she crushed her lips to his.

It wasn't a kiss—it was a battle. A clash of tongues and teeth and heat that had been simmering for too long, now unleashed with violent, reckless hunger.

Azriel growled, low and deep, pressing her harder against him, his hands gliding down the curves of her body, memorizing every dip, every contour he had only let himself fantasize about in the dark hours of the night.

His fingers found the slits of her bodice, the ones that teased bare skin, and he gripped, nails digging in just enough to make her gasp into his mouth.

"Fuck," she hissed, her own hands yanking at the clasps of his leathers, desperate, demanding.

Azriel let her, let her tear them open, let her explore the ridges of muscle, the scars that lined his chest, his stomach.

Her fingers seared him.

His patience shattered.

With a growl, he lifted her-effortless-and slammed her onto the desk behind them. Scrolls and maps scattered, ink spilled, but neither of them gave a damn.

Nyra's thighs parted, inviting, her boots hooking around his hips to pull him closer.

Azriel's hands slid up her legs, over the leather strapped to her thighs, his fingers teasing where he knew she was aching for him.

She let out a low, wicked laugh.

"You're taking your damn time," she taunted, voice dark, delicious.

Azriel's shadows coiled around her wrists, around her waist, binding her in place for just a moment-long enough for his lips to trail down the elegant line of her throat, for his teeth to graze the sensitive skin there.

Nyra shuddered.

"Careful," he murmured against her skin, his voice like smoke and sin. "You have no idea how long l've wanted to ruin you."

Nyra's breath hitched, but she bared her throat further, arching into him, her hands yanking at his hair to bring him back to her mouth.

"Then do it."

And Azriel did.

He devoured her.

His hands roamed, teasing, exploring, claiming, his shadows a second touch, a second mouth, caressing along the parts of her he wasn't kissing, wasn't biting.

Nyra moaned against his lips, her own nails raking down his back, leaving thin red lines that he felt like fire.

Azriel cursed, his self-control razor-thin, his body rock hard as she rolled her hips against him, as her heat pressed against where he ached for her most.

His breath came ragged, his forehead resting against hers for just a moment, just long enough to look at her.

Nyra's lips were swollen, her pale green eyes dark, hungry, her chest rising and falling in rapid pants.

Beautiful.

His.

That thought nearly undid him.

But then Nyra smirked, her fingers slipping lower, her touch excruciatingly slow as she traced over the waistband of his pants, teasing, taunting.

"What's the matter, Shadowsinger?" she purred, pressing her lips just below his ear. "Losing your composure?"

Azriel's restraint snapped.

With a growl, he flipped their positions, pressing her flat onto the desk, caging her beneath him.

"You're going to regret that," he promised darkly, his voice gravel and thunder.

Nyra just grinned-and welcomed the storm.

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The tension between them had been building for what felt like an eternity, a slow-burning fire that neither could ignore.

Nyra had been teasing him relentlessly, her hands roaming over his body, her lips brushing against his skin in fleeting, maddening touches.

Azriel’s control had been fraying, his shadows curling tightly around them as if trying to hold him together. But Nyra had other plans.

With a sly smirk, she pushed him back against the edge of the desk, her hands firm on his chest as she forced him to sit.

His hazel eyes burned into hers, a mixture of warning and desire, but she didn’t falter.

Slowly, deliberately, she sank to her knees before him, her pale green eyes never leaving his. Her hands trailed down his thighs, her touch light but purposeful, as she leaned in, her breath warm against his skin.

"You act like you've never been worshiped before, Shadowsinger," she murmured, her voice low and dripping with honeyed sin.

Her hands slipped beneath the leather, her fingertips grazing the heated skin just above his hips.

Azriel exhaled sharply, his golden-brown eyes darkening as he fought to maintain control.

But Nyra could see the way his hands clenched at his sides, the way his wings twitched ever so slightly—he was losing the battle, and they both knew it.

With a wicked grin, she leaned in, pressing a featherlight kiss to the hard planes of his stomach.

Her lips lingered there, warm and teasing, before she moved lower, her breath ghosting over his skin as she unfastened his leathers with practiced ease.

She pushed them just low enough to free him, her hands moving with a confidence that left no doubt—she knew exactly what she was doing.

Azriel swore under his breath, his head tipping back as he braced himself against the edge of the desk behind him.

His wings flared slightly, betraying the sharp pleasure that lanced through him as Nyra took her time, her fingers tracing the length of him with a featherlight touch.

She explored him slowly, deliberately, her fingertips memorizing every ridge, every curve, every sensitive spot that made his breath catch and his body tremble.

And then, with a wicked little smirk, she leaned in, her lips brushing against him in a kiss so soft it was almost maddening.

Azriel's hands flew to her hair, tangling in the silky strands as his restraint snapped completely.

He didn't guide her—not yet—but his grip tightened, his body trembling as she took him into her mouth, her tongue swirling in a slow, torturous rhythm that had him seeing stars.

Nyra hummed softly, the vibration sending a sharp bolt of pleasure straight through him. His shadows coiled around them, dark and possessive, but they didn't stop her—they welcomed her, curling around her shoulders, threading through her hair as if they, too, were under her spell.

Azriel's breath came in harsh, uneven gasps, his every muscle locked tight as she worked him with a slow, devastating rhythm.

Her hands gripped his thighs, steadying him as she took him deeper, her tongue pressing against him in a way that had his wings trembling, their soft rustle betraying his utter loss of control.

His head fell back, exposing the column of his throat as a broken sound ripped from him, raw and unfiltered.

"Fuck, Nyra—" His voice was wrecked, deeper than usual, filled with something primal and unguarded. She hummed again, the sound sending another wave of pleasure crashing through him.

Her fingers dug into his thighs, grounding him even as she pushed him closer to the edge, her mouth and tongue working in perfect harmony to unravel him completely.

Azriel forced his gaze down, his golden-brown eyes locking onto hers as she looked up at him through those pale green eyes, dark amusement and wicked delight shining in their depths.

And when she hollowed her cheeks, taking him deeper, his head snapped forward, a guttural groan tearing from his throat.

His grip on her hair tightened, not to control her, but because he needed something to anchor himself, something to keep from shattering entirely beneath the exquisite torment of her touch.

Nyra didn't stop. She didn't slow. She worshiped him with a devotion that left him breathless, her every movement calculated to drive him closer to the edge.

And when he finally came undone, his release crashing over him in waves, her name was a rough, broken whisper on his lips.

As he looked down at her, their gazes locked, he knew—there was no coming back from this.

She had ruined him.

And he would never want to be whole again.

--------------------------------------------------------------

A sharp knock echoed through the room, shattering the heavy silence that had settled between them.

Nyra’s chest still heaved, her skin slick with a thin sheen of sweat, her body thrumming with the aftermath of Azriel. Every nerve was singing, her shadows curling lazily around her, satiated.

Azriel had yet to move. His body was still braced over hers, his breathing uneven, his face buried in the crook of her neck as if he couldn’t bear to let go just yet.

Another knock. More insistent this time.

Nyra let out a slow, controlled breath, forcing her mind back into focus. She could already sense who it was—one of the Veils, waiting outside her office door, likely with the latest report.

Azriel, too, seemed to register the shift. His head lifted, shadows slithering back to him, though they hesitated—lingered—as if reluctant to leave the warmth of her skin. His hazel eyes, still dark with something unreadable, locked onto hers.

Neither of them spoke.

The knock came again, sharper this time.

With a quiet groan, Nyra pushed against Azriel’s chest, urging him to move. He didn’t budge at first, his lips ghosting over her jaw, her throat—a final, silent claim—before he finally pulled away.

With swift precision, she adjusted her clothing, smoothing over the marks he’d left, even as her body still throbbed with the memory of his mouth, his hands, his shadows—

Another breath. Control. Focus.

Only once she was composed did she stride to the door, pulling it open to reveal a young Veil standing there, her dark eyes flickering over Nyra’s face before she bowed her head.

“My Lady,” the Veil said, voice crisp, professional. “The latest report on the next mission. We’ve gathered intelligence on a slave trading ring moving through the borderlands.”

Nyra’s expression hardened instantly, the lingering haze of pleasure vanishing entirely.

She reached for the parchment the Veil offered, scanning it quickly.

Their next target had been located. Another hunt was on the horizon.

Behind her, Azriel remained silent, but she felt him—his presence looming, his shadows curling at the edges of the room as if sensing the shift in her mood.

A mission. A purpose. A reminder of why she did what she did.

Nyra exhaled slowly, rolling her shoulders back.

“Tell Sylus and Dravien to prepare a scouting party,” she ordered, her voice smooth, lethal. “We leave at dusk.”

The Veil nodded sharply, stepping away.

As the door shut once more, silence fell between her and Azriel again.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, finally, Nyra turned back to him, arms crossed over her chest, one brow arched.

“So,” she murmured, tilting her head. “Are you going to keep brooding in the corner, or are you coming with me?”

Azriel’s lips curved—just slightly.

“Try and stop me.”

And just like that, the game between them resumed.

The mission awaited. The hunt was on.

And this time, they would hunt together.

--------------------------------------------------------------

taglist: @fuckingsimp4azriel , @paige0103 (dm or comment to be added to the tag list)

[masterchef901]

god I just love when stories do this thing where like

one character is just stakes incarnate. They step onscreen and all the music stops and plot armor just turns off and the sugar rush of the adventure story suddenly comes crashing down even harder into actual fear and tension

[urlocallesbiab]

Francis Cardenas, "The boy", as a trope personified:

So, a lot of us have noticed that DGHDA's holistics function as fiction tropes in-universe, bending the expectations of normalcy and reason of those around them for the benefit of "the narrative"/the universe and fate itself. They're more than just tropes applied — they're tropes incarnate, made real and tangible within the confines of the story, interacting with it on a somewhat metatextual level. We've got:

Dirk Gently as "main character syndrome"

Bart Curlish as "plot armor"

The Rowdy 3 as "deus ex machina van"

Mona Wilder as "swiss army weapon"

So, what does Francis stand for, with his god-like powers of bringing dreams and fantasies to life?

I think he's "the inciting incident".

Look at it:

He's the center of the Cardenas case (none of the deaths and disappearances would've happened if he didn't have his powers).

He's the reason the dimension of Wendimoor and its people exist at all.

He's the first ever project of Blackbook, the predecessor of Blackwing; in a way, he's the reason Blackwing exists.

And, as @goatyoat helpfully pointed out, Friedkin moving him was, chronologically speaking, the inciting incident of season 2 itself!

So, there you have it, QED *bows*

[lu-fic-recommendation-of-the-day]

Any good Wild fics?

A New First by HylianHarmony

Summary:

Being an amnesiac comes with many firsts. First meetings. First meals. First battles. Wild thought he'd experienced them all by now. However, he was wrong. Very wrong. And as it turns out, this first might just kill him. Permanently. ~Based off of Jojo56830's Linked Universe AU~

Only The Wild Ones (are the ones you can never catch) by @arecaceae175

Summary:

At 6, Link visits Castle Town for the first time and meets some strange men in the woods. At 12, Link pulls the Master Sword and sees his imaginary friends again. At 14, Link is appointed as the Princess’s personal guard and is grateful to have old friends on his side. At 16, the Calamity strikes, and Link has never felt more alone. At 16, Link dies.

At 117, Link defeats evil incarnate and saves Hyrule. At 117, Link meets eight peculiar heroes for the first time. Or, at least, what he believes is the first time.

Twilight thinks the Goddess Hylia has a cruel sense of humor and needs to leave his cub alone.

Experimental Equations, Or The One Where Wild Uses Glitches by @aiden-png

Summary:

“It’s called a wall clip. No idea how it works, but if I shield surf at just the right moment while jumping towards a wall I can pass through it.” Wild explained, before a haunted look replaced the grin. “Or get stuck inside. That’s not very pleasant.” Twilight didn’t want to know. --- The group ends up in Wild's Hyrule and Flora shows up with some "experiments" she wants to perform. Cue Wild using glitches and Twilight losing his mind.

Alone We Fight by @silvermistanimelover

Summary:

"Well, Wild? This is your Hyrule. Have you figured out why we're here?" Time asked. "Yeah." Wild swallowed thickly, forcing bile down his throat. "Well?" Legend raised an impatient eyebrow, and Wild turned away. How was he going to explain this? He'd told them virtually nothing of his journey. How was he supposed to convey how terrible this situation was? That the Blights had been revived. "Come on. We're heading towards Zora's Domain."

A gang-meets-Wild fic with an actual plot (I think). Featuring a Wild who's a tad more secretive about his journey.

Linked Universe belongs to Jojo, and I'm just a fan. :3

Not In My Wildest Nightmares by DreadSpark

Summary:

After Wild recklessly rushes into a fight and takes a major injury, the others are left wondering just what in Hylia's name this kid is thinking. Time is left wishing for some sort of divine insight...

...but if this is Hylia's idea of a joke, then none of the Chain are laughing.

Alt: The Chain get to sit down and experience Wild's Captured Memories from Breath of the Wild. It goes about as well as can be expected.

Current plan is just to follow the BotW Captured Memories for now, but may expand into original content if I can come up with anything.

I forgot you weren't here to help me by @uniquevoidflowers

Summary:

A request from Tumblr:

"wild did something dangerous (of course) but he could have died but honestly didn't think about it and then the others are like you idiot you could have died but he thought it would have been fine and was saying so and then he realized he didn't have miphas grace anymore. It could be even more evil if it involved water so he was wearing the Zora armor >:)"

[chromaticcrazyass]

TMNT: The Blood That Binds Us

The premise: I've hybridized 2012, Rise, and Bayverse by taking aspects from each to create my own unique story and spin on TMNT. Modified designs, a unique storyline, and new explorations of character development, I really wanted to break the formula and use different familiar elements in new ways.

This AU is not tied to any one specific TMNT media or canon, and exists as it's own narrative with it's own story to tell and portrayal of the turtles, while still being mindful of the general "canon" (key qualities that are broadly identifiable, such as Donnie being the smart one or Splinter being a ninja master. How these key aspects are approached varies between TMNT mediums but the core concept/character trait is still there. That is to say, you won't find anything that would come across as excessively OOC, any sort of personal projections onto the characters, or serious divergence from what we are familiar with in the general TMNT sphere. I.e. Baxter Stockman being a ballerina. That wouldn't make much sense now would it). Instead I will be approaching these characters and their world with a unique twist and applying those core concepts in new ways.

Info Below!

Overview/AU Notes

The lair and designs of the turtles are from bayverse. The turtle's outfits, however, are more modernized/cleaner and show off more of their individual personalities.

Changed up the personalities. Leo is more like his 2012 incarnation, Raph's more like his 2012 incarnation, Donnie has Rise's sass level and witty confidence, and Mikey is no longer a pervert and isn't completely stupid (golden potential child go brrrr), rather just an adhd cinnamon roll.

Splinter is more like his 2012 incarnation

Donnie's tech is more on the caliber of his Rise incarnation (I heavily took inspiration from Tron: Legacy for his tech lol)

April is designed and is more like her Rise incarnation

Casey is designed and is more like his Rise incarnation

Splinter's backstory has been altered. He is still a human who became a rat and is a member of the Hamato clan.

Karai is designed more like her 2012 version, and is Splinter's daughter

Shredder and Splinter have very personal beef

Shredder is designed more like a traditional samurai with modernizations to his armor, and retains the iconic helmet

April is 23, Mikey is 19, Donnie and Leo are 20, Raph is 21, Casey is 22

Yes I'm putting my own self-insert in but I'll also accept others as well :)

The krang have the same intimidation and power level they did in Rise

Proper yokai will make an appearance and the turtles often get referred to as Kappa by them

No mystic powers, sorry

Baxter Stockman is more like a mad scientist and more of a threat. He will have a bigger role in the plot and beef with Donnie especially.

Baxter Stockman created the turtles during an experiment, along with the ooze.

All of the turtles will get character-specific upgrades at some point through various plot-relevant means.

Raph and leo drama lol

Points of tension/general plot:

Donnie infiltrating Baxter Stockman's lab to try and track down Mikey, and he uncovers a mysterious purple ooze that's causing strange mutations around New York, only to be face to face with his creator, who wants to capture and experiment on him, as Baxter sees Donnie's intelligence and technological genius as him being "superior" to his siblings (a fist from Raph is gonna shut that up SO fast lmao) and Donnie will uncover the horrors of the full extent of Baxter's mutagen experiments. Some real psychological and body horror shit.

Raph goes on a mission to hunt down Shredder and the foot as the Night Watcher (basically Batman). However his use of force is brutal and Leo has to go and intervene. Raph is doing all of this under the belief that if they find Shredder, they'll find Mikey, who's gone missing. Leo and Raph have a pretty serious 1v1 and almost kill each other. Leo wants to find Mikey too but thinks that hunting down Shredder alone is foolish. Raph is getting desperate and just wants his brother back.

Mikey is currently trapped in Baxter's lab with several other mutants, one of which being me, who were deemed the "successful" batch created from a blue purified strain of the purple ooze. Mikey is currently trying to free everyone and rally them together to fight back against Baxter's droids, made from Krang tech, promising that his brothers will come save them. Meanwhile he's been trying to figure a way out himself.

Casey has been helping Raph on the sidelines and providing intel on the foot and Shredder, meanwhile April has been studying under Splinter to become a skilled martial artist in the hopes of tracking down Karai, and explaining who her real father is.

Shredder has already been defeated once in this storyline, when the turtles were around 15. This is during a period where they aren't sure if he's still alive and the foot has rumors of his return. Meanwhile Baxter Stockman and TCRI have taken the spotlight as the new threat to the turtles and New York.

[scalproie]

Literally watched all of S2 last night and I dont feel like doing individual reactions sooo

All of S1:E26 was me pointing at gay people on my screen and going "hey thats from the little dark age amv"

The orion pax arc is still literally so funny. Later episodes show that there was NO REASON to keep optimus/orion alive bc soundwave and THE FUCKING SHIP can also decode the locations of the mcguffins, megatron literally couldve won the war here and there what the hell. it took meg all of 0.5 seconds after he heard his former boytoy utter his name to try and find excuses to keep him around. Also making him call you "my lord"? I Know What You Are.

And apparently optimus/orion stayed on the nemesis for two months which is crazy to me bc megatron cannot improvise to save his fucking life what do you MEAN warlord ratchet??? YOU HAVE ULTRA MAGNUS IN YOUR FILES

It was funny tho bc meg heard ratchet say "I am your doctor of doom" and thought Hey thats pretty good and then make a callback to that when telling optimus/orion ratchet is evil incarnate

Extra hilarious to me that it partially ended bc starscream went to the nemesis to raid the fridge. [Megatron voice] this plane does nothing but ruin my life

The episodes where they send arcee and jin kazama to cybertron was pretty cool i did like the vibe it really felt alien ruins-like

You can tell the experience fucked optimus a little bc first episode after the season opening and peepaw is ready to consider warcrimes

Next was the "bumblebee gets his kidney stolen" arc and I have nothing to say other than it was funny when of course it ends in starscream getting his kidney stolen

Ok I do have some stuff to say actually, we trash on the cons a lot bc theyre disloyal assholes, but when a bot is told to stay at the base for valid reasons, they bitch and moan and end up disobeying anyway and never get punished severely by peepaw optimus bc them not following orders ALWAYS works in their favor

Megatron goes "Nu-uh-uh!" in S2:E5

Im always just so happy when meg is on screen ngl he is such a massive asshole bastard🩶

Dreadwing's cool I like how he just has a fucking flip phone to dramatically blow shit up

Everytime I see wheeljack im like oh god if the show has been made just a few years later he wouldve been drift

I FORGOT HOW QUICKLY BREAKDOWN DIED fanon will really build a castle out of 4 twigs huh. and the castle sucks ass anyway

Airachnid slayed and she was gone too soon

They lowballed megatron so hard in the episode where he was struggling against one (1) insecticon BUT. he was sexy in this ep. To me. Not to optimus anymore😔

Nemesis prime was well-introduced in the show but this is hysterical to me that THIS is the show that has the "evil double of optimus" concept

Every episode with starscream after he loses his cog is excellent and you have no idea how much it pains me to admit that

S2:E10-E11 is just megatron and the gang having the weirdest fucking day and it might be my fav eps. I think I just love watching the cons do shit. Megatron killed starscream four times, fought an army of bugs and then gave drugs to his ship

Knockout and megatron's banter is surprisingly always very entertaining. I think meg just like bouncing off of a little jester

The four relics episode are kinda whatever BUT they did gave us the one (1) soundwave focused episode and whaddayaknow he was extremely sexy and competent and it was funny to see him being treated like megatron's special boy&bird

Also bulkhead continue to have plot armor thicker than the apex armor like come on in every single one of his episodes he comes just this close to death

SHOOOOOOOOOCKWAAAAAAAAAVE

I was waiting to see smokescreen's episodes before judging but now that I did I can safely say *drops to my knees sobbing* IT SHOULD BEEN HOT RODDDDDDDDD

At least his friendship with jin kazama was cute, like that "green for go" was cute

Silas ditching his highly competent human crew to sucker up to megatron really felt like they had no idea what to do with his character anymore bc what??? Like okay you remove a third faction to focus more on the main ones but still

I fucking love S2:E20 bc 1) just throw some more mystical stuff at optimus like go full arthurian stories now, 2) lots of megatron action and 3) "drop the mountain on him"

I know its likely an animation lighting thing and optimus simply could not be based like that in the first place but conceptually it is absolutely hysterical to me that after slicing effortlessly a mountain in half, making megatron look like THIS

Optimus then look straight up at the camera and fucking winks at him

And then immediately after that, megatron going "decepticons, we are so fucked."

And THEN next episode is literally "MEGATRON YOU CRAZY BITCH" like come dreadwing lets desecrate a demigod's tomb

He fucking sucks at naming stuff tho bc dark star saber??? Come on man

The rest of the omega keys episodes are also whatever but fucking hell if the whole Peter Cullen speaking in slow motion and Steve Blum mimicking that didnt get to me hard

The last starscream episode tho? Screamer cringe compilation while hes having the worst job interview of his life, of course i loved it

MEGATRON NOOO YOU KILLED THE WRONG PLANE

But again, hilarious that for the season finale megatron went "alright guys no more fucking around" and they basically won. That one moment where meg, screamer, KO all laughing maniacally together with soundwave just shaking in silent laughter with them was really funny. Only shocky is missing for the decepticon high command reunion

I really liked the moment where raf, miko and jin kazama were like "the autobots are ready to sacrifice their life for our planet, im ready to do the same for theirs" idk thats really brave and it struck me

Optimus chopping megatron's arm was really fucking cold

SILVER ERADICONSSSSSS

They blew up the autobot base like the white house in shadow the hedgehog

Overall, a lot of my favorite episodes are in this season so👍 #megatronsweep

[xbuster]

shut up, you're such a pick me woman

Nightmare (ナイトメア, Naitomea) is the main antagonist of the Soul series. He made his first appearance in Soul Edge, with his proper debut being in Soulcalibur. He is the host, wielder and living incarnation of the cursed sword, Soul Edge, the objective of most other characters in the story.

Nightmare has been portrayed in the games as a violent and ruthless creature, constantly in search of souls to restore Soul Edge. He looks down on humans, considering them "pathetic" and "foolish", having no mercy for others, even to those who fail to serve him, as shown to the members of his Schwarzstrom team who he treated as pawns. The only one who he treats with some respect is Tira for being just as violent as him, however he has still thought about taking her soul on occasion. His incarnation in V wants to take over the world rather than destroy it.

Nightmare has been present in one form or another due to him being an animated armor, his possessing of bodies or the power of Soul Edge keeping him alive in most games after. No matter the host Nightmare always has the same personality, though he only seems to form if the sword is wielded by a special man.

The Nightmare seen in Soul Edge, Soulcalibur, Soulcalibur II, and Soulcalibur VI is Siegfried Schtauffen, possessed by the cursed sword at the end of Soul Edge.

In the Soulcalibur: Spirit Sword manhua, Kilik and later Astaroth are possessed by Soul Edge after Siegfried and become Nightmare.

The Nightmare appearing in Soulcalibur III, Soulcalibur Legends, and Soulcalibur IV is Inferno possessing Siegfried's discarded armor.

The Nightmare appearing in Soulcalibur V, Soulcalibur: Lost Swords, and Soulcalibur: Unbreakable Soul is Soul Edge possessing the body of Raphael and plotting behind the scenes under the alias "Graf Dumas" as he plans to resurrect the full power of Soul Edge.

True to his nickname, Nightmare appears as a dark figure covered in dark blue armor that covers most of his body. His prominent feature is his right arm, which has been twisted and transformed into a large three-digit claw whose flesh overlaps his entire right arm and shoulder. He is depicted with Soul Edge in his left hand, symbolizing his polarity with Siegfried. Over the years, his appearance has progressively grown more and more demonic, as influenced by the state of Soul Edge himself. During the events of Soulcalibur, he was simply a suit of armor with a giant arm and horned helmet. In Soulcalibur II, Nightmare's armor changes design, now sporting long red hair from the back with bat wing-like ornaments on the sides replacing the horn. With a body to call his own at last, Nightmare returned to a suit similar to his original Soulcalibur variant, although slightly re-vamped, in Soulcalibur III, with the claw having stretched over his chest plate, possessing a rudimentary jaw lined with sharp teeth both on his shoulder and chest.

As of Soulcalibur IV, Nightmare seems to have degraded into a body of dark energy. What was once flesh has now fully transformed into a compound of metal and bone. The mouth covering the chestplate from before has split open around his entire waist, connecting the legs and torso with a torrent of evil energy. The armor appears fused to his claw and much more metallic in appearance. No longer using Siegfried, the alternate costumes are much more severe in mutation. His alternate outfit in Soulcalibur IV displays traits similar to Night Terror.

Following the destruction of the original Nightmare, Soul Edge obtains a new host in Soulcalibur V, resulting in the rise of a new Nightmare. His design returns to a more traditional look best likened to his appearance in Soulcalibur II. He retains the long horn on his helmet from his other designs, and both the horn and parts of his arm display a menacing orange glow. Despite having a new host, he retains his fighting style from past games. Soul Edge, like Nightmare himself, has also reverted to a design more like its appearance in earlier titles, despite having a different official design for the game. In Legendary Souls, the Soulcalibur IV version of Nightmare appears as one of the opponents, albeit the dark energy and smoke being replaced with flames, resembling Inferno to an extent.

In Soulcalibur VI, Nightmare is given a redesign from his Soulcalibur appearance, not only featuring yellow trims from his later designs, but now having upward-facing fins on his helmet and his breastplate being pointed. He also now wears a cape, similar to an art render from Soulcalibur's Art Gallery. As the game features battle damage, Nightmare's helmet can be knocked off, revealing Siegfried's face and shoulder-length blond hair underneath, though his eyes continue to produce the same glow.

In the spin off Soulcalibur Legends, Nightmare's appearance is taken from Soulcalibur III but it noticeably more demonic, with his greaves having developed talons and his right leg having taken on the form of a large jaw, similar to his right shoulder.

Even though Nightmare originally debuted in Soulcalibur, there was a "prototype" of his character in Soul Edge. In the home version, an extra character named Siegfried! was added as an unlockable character. Siegfried! was an alternate version of normal Siegfried taken from his no-input ending, in which he is consumed by Soul Edge. This early version was very different from the current Nightmare, having crimson-red armor and a more flesh-like design with no mutated Nightmare Arm. He has no story nor ending, and only used Siegfried's Soul Edge without effects. Oddly, he uses the same voice actor as Siegfried.

In Soulcalibur, the concept was expanded and turned into an official character, though with changes to the design. His red armor was changed to a dark blue armor and its design turned more metallic instead of fleshy. This was also the first appearance of the Nightmare Arm. Siegfried's body was slowly being mutated by the sword's terrible power, causing his right arm to morph into a hideous claw. Despite the Nightmare Arm only having three large fingers, it didn't seem to hinder his combat abilities at all. He now wields his own version of Soul Edge, sporting a single eye on its blade, something that would become the trademark of the various versions of the weapon, and the creations made from it, such as Charade.

Nightmare was a starting character whose style resembled Siegfried's former moveset. Siegfried was later added to the cast as a time-release character and inherited the same style with minor changes. Nightmare's profile on the game explained how Siegfried obtained Soul Edge after a fierce fight against its former owner, the dread pirate Cervantes de Leon and the fiery demon that spawned within it afterward, Inferno. After that, the sword spoke to him, promising the resurrection of his dead father if he helped it gather souls. Unaware that it was a trick to restore the sword's power, Siegfried agreed and started a killing spree which eventually made him weak to Soul Edge's will. Nightmare was born soon after.

Nightmare's incarnation in Soulcalibur II remains mostly the same, with minor upgrades to his fighting style, mainly on his stance. As his and other character's profiles explain, he formed a group with Astaroth, Isabella "Ivy" Valentine and Aeon Calcos (the Lizardman) in an attempt to speed the gathering of souls and restoration of the sword's power. But during the ritual to restore Soul Edge, Castle Osthreinsburg was assaulted by Kilik, Maxi, and Chai Xianghua. With his allies either defeated or missing, Nightmare confronted Kilik and Xianghua and was ultimately defeated, later falling into the collapsing void where they fought. After waking up, Siegfried, apparently free, regained his senses and tried to distance himself from the world to atone for the sins he committed as Nightmare. But the sword slowly regained control over the young man and eventually Nightmare resurfaced to start another massacre on Europe. In this game, Nightmare is a starting character, while Siegfried turned into a third costume option for him. In his second costume option, it can be seen that most of the right side of Siegfried's chest has been corrupted in a similar manner to his arm, and his right eye has changed to a golden color.

Nightmare is found by the player and Cassandra at Ostrheinsburg Castle. Sensing the fragments of Soul Edge within the player, he fights him/her for them. But he is defeated and turned back into Siegfried. Meanwhile, the player continues the journey with Cassandra to find more fragments, as he/she feels that there are still fragments of Soul Edge scattered throughout the world.

Nightmare appears when Siegfried attempts to seal Soul Edge. He emerges from the blade and fights Siegfried as he shoots lasers, spawns deadly black holes, causes waves of fire to burn the ground and levitates in an attempt to regain his sacrifice, however he is defeated and disappears back into the sword.

Before the events of Soulcalibur III, Nightmare met with Raphael Sorel in the Ostrheinsburg Chapel and defeated him. As he stepped forward to kill the man and harvest his soul, Siegfried's mind started to struggle with Soul Edge for freedom. Raphael, watching as Nightmare stood motionless as a result of the mind struggle, released an attack and pierced Soul Edge's eye. This allowed Siegfried to reclaim his body and also released the holy blade Soul Calibur from within Soul Edge. In a state of temporary sanity, Siegfried then drove the holy sword into the cursed Soul Edge and sealed both together, nullifying both powers. However, the will of Soul Edge escaped the sword and entered the dark blue armour that Siegfried quickly discarded after reclaiming his body. Eventually, the mysterious immortal Zasalamel found the armor and created a new body for the immobile Soul Edge out of the countless evil souls haunting Ostrheinsburg. This new Nightmare restarted his reign of terror in search of Siegfried and the rest of Soul Edge, this incarnation of Nightmare was far more powerful than before as his new body was heavily unstable.

Nightmare appears once again in Soulcalibur IV. By this time, Nightmare's entire body had been twisted by the power of Soul Edge completely and utterly.

As the storyline of this game begins, Nightmare and Siegfried found each other once more at the Lost Cathedral. Soul Edge was freed from the Soul Embrace because of the secret art performed by Zasalamel. Nightmare took the evil sword as Siegfried became the new wielder of Soul Calibur. Then the two fought, the clashing of their swords gradually destroyed the cathedral, ripping both Nightmare and Siegfried apart only to be repaired by their swords after falling into a warp created by their duel.

Conveniently, both Nightmare and Soul Edge landed in Ostrheinsburg. Waves caused by the clash of the two swords awakened the fragments of Soul Edge that were scattered all over the world. The fragments were pulled into Soul Edge and all were consumed, restoring the blade to its whole form. As Nightmare seeded roots into the land, Ostrheinsburg soon became a cursed city that Nightmare would utilize to devour souls. The Azure Knight then prepared for his final battle against the wielder of Soul Calibur.

The storylines involving Algol feature Algol, the ancient king, whose will was strong enough to totally resist Soul Edge's power and who also created Soul Calibur in case Soul Edge ever needed to be destroyed, builds himself imitations of both soul swords wielding them simultaneously as he plots his resurrection and returns to his post as king.

After its destruction by Soul Calibur, Soul Edge was shattered, its fragments scattered across the world. However, minions still loyal to the cursed sword managed to track down the shards, and reassembled as much of the sword as they could. Five years later, it regained consciousness and possessed a new host, one specially prepared for such an occasion. Unlike the Azure Knight who had swept through Europe as a genocidal monster, this "new Nightmare" preferred subterfuge and diplomacy. He assumed the name Dumas, and became part of the inner circle of Emperor Rudolf II of the Holy Roman Empire. He became the Graf, or Count, of the Kingdom of Hungary. From this position he would sent his servants to regain the missing Soul Edge fragments while organizing purges against innocents he deemed "malfested" in order to harvest souls to bolster his strength.

In 1607, Graf Dumas manipulates Patroklos into slaughtering "malfested" by claiming to help him search for his missing sister, Pyrrha. Eventually, Patroklos violently leaves his service and flees. Later, after reuniting with his sister, he encounters Dumas, who has reached his full power and reveals himself as Nightmare. He attacks Patroklos but is stopped by Pyrrha, who becomes truly malfested. With his power restored, Nightmare and his corrupted followers cause war throughout Central Europe. At Castle Denevér, he is defeated and killed by Z.W.E.I., Pyrrha becomes the new host of Soul Edge. Pyrrha is then defeated by Patroklos, and in the end both Soul Edge and Soul Calibur are sealed back inside the Astral Chaos. It's unclear what happen to Nightmare's body after Dumas was slain by Z.W.E.I. considering that when Siegfried was Nightmare he discarded the armor after escaping from Soul Edge's control, it could be possible that the same could have happen to the armor that Dumas wore.

Nightmare's weapon in Soulcalibur, Soulcalibur II and Soulcalibur IV and the evil sword that is the center of the game's storyline. Its Weapon Gallery profile in Soulcalibur II states that details on the sword change while rumors of its legend spread on the world. It can change shape, even separating into more than one physical object to accommodate its wielder's fighting style and experience and it also has the power to corrupt and control its wielder's mind, guiding them to commit massacres in order to collect souls for the sword to consume. Its single eye, which was added in the design ever since Soulcalibur, is said to appear enraptured when bathed in blood.

Its profile in Soulcalibur IV's official Japanese website states that "Soul Edge was nothing more than a sword made by human hands in ancient times and it is unknown how many souls it has devoured or possessed, but even now, it's still growing."

Night Terror has its own version of the Soul Edge labeled "Complete". The reason for this label is that Night Terror is the Soul Edge completed, every fragment and everything made with it has returned, even the Soul Calibur (originally a purified fragment of Soul Edge). This variant of Soul Edge is also the second-player version of Nightmare's Soul Edge in Soulcalibur IV. The Final Form of Soul Edge (not complete), Nightmare's legendary weapon which is also used in his Soulcalibur IV boss battle, appears the same as his 1P version and has a deep red glow.

In Soulcalibur IV, there is a version of Soul Edge labeled as "Soul Edge (Nauplius)". This version is the same one Algol and his son are seen holding in the game's opening movie. It is believed that this is the original form of the weapon, shortly after it gained sentience.

Nightmare's weapon in Soulcalibur III. It is but a materialization of Nightmare's memories of the original Soul Edge, created from his own body. It has the ability to consume souls, but other than that is just a weaker version of the true Soul Edge. It is created in a similar way to how Charade and Inferno create their own weapons (from their bodies), taking into account that this incarnation of Nightmare is the sword itself.

Nightmare appears as a playable card in Outcast Odyssey. He is a part of the first wave of Soul series characters. Available for a limited time. All four of his cards feature a brand new costume, never before seen in the Soul series, although his second card bears a resemblance to his appearance in Soulcalibur V.

It is unknown if the Nightmare who appeared in this game is Graf Dumas, Inferno, Siegfried or a whole new host altogether.

[moonlightreal]

More leaks! woohoo!

This leak has an actual big SPOILER for the plot of season nine, so if you want to be surprised, read no further!

What is going on at Rainbow? Are their employees a bunch of shady and suspicious characters, that they keep leaking stuff? It’s nice for US since we have lots of exciting things to talk about, but I hope it’s not too bad for RAINBOW!

This leak included a bunch of videos including transformation sequences for all the girls at various levels of completion. They’re great! Each girl has a unique sequence about their unique power! Stella’s transformation shows the sun and moon, so Rainbow’s remembered her moon powers. Very cool! I’m not going to show them here, in fact I’m only going to show a few of the leaked images, the ones I have something to say about. Check the Winx Club subreddit for the whole thing.

Villains! That dude in the different art style really is from Winx and he’s still in the different art style. He’s Damian IIRC and I guess he’s buddies with this Grindlewald-lookin’ wizard named Vexius. Non-Trix baddies! NEW baddies! Love it!

The Trix are still here though, hooray! Icy is lookin’ great. And if we have other baddies AND the Trix, will the Trix work with the new baddies like they have with all previous baddies, or will the Trix be a third faction? I really want to see Rainbow add some nuance to our favorite mean girls with Icy’s new backstory… I’m pretty sure Rainbow won’t do this, nuance isn’t really their jam ^^; but I live in hope lol

The boys are also back. I’m glad Sky doesn’t look like Tyler from Mermaid Magic, and Riven is ridiculously bad-boy. I love that Riven has the British flag still, from his season 1 shirt to a patch on his pants. The boys have new armor and it’s… a lot. Very mecha, it looks less comfortable than all the previous incarnations of the specialists’ armor. It looks like they should be piloting an X-wing or something. I don’t love the look but maybe it’ll grow on me. The interesting thing in this third picture is the group in the bottom corner. There’s Riven, Sky, Brandon, Timmy, Bloom for size, and..? Who? Another specialist? A girl specialist? Bloom in Specialist armor? It looks to me like Celia from Mermaid Magic in Specialist armor, but the resolution’s too low to really tell. But does this mean we’ll have girl Specialists and boy fairies?

Here we have Faragonda and Griffin. I'm sad about Faragonda's color change, she's just been lavender for so long! And Griffin's hair no longer looks like half a breakfast pastry so that's a bit of a shame. but their looks are secondary to their cute friendship, which I hope season 9 keeps.

And here comes the big spoiler…

Dark Bloom! We’re getting Dark Bloom in season 9! She has a leather jacket because that’s what delinquents wear! And platform boots apparently. So Dark Bloom won’t just be an alternate fairy form, she’ll also gob dark in civilian life. And I really love her dark fairy look, all that indigo is just the best.

Also, hair streak of delinquency! Just like Shadybug!

Other arts I’m not going to post included concept art of Mike and Vanessa and baby Bloom but not Marion, Oritel or Daphne, and several minor witches but not Mirta or Lucy. So the presence or absence of our favorite B-list cast members is still up in the air and could go either way. It's all so exciting!

[localfanbaselurker]

First time watching Voltron: Legendary Defender and documenting my thoughts

This is Season 4

S1-2 | S3 | S5 | S6 | S7 | S8 |

———————————————————————

<this one is going to be shorter, as I have only recently finished this season, and the grief is still fresh (lol), so the thoughts are only just starting to simmer. strap your asses in>

Pre-Season 4 Thoughts

-> Keith joining the blades is going to be a huge plot device, I feel

-> PLEASE for the love of CHRIST let that poor little girl find her brother and father. If they are dead dreamworks better be ready to catch these hands

->I’ve heard people claim this is the “last good season”, but i stay strong 💪 and will watch till the end

->wouldn’t the paladin switch not make sense now? Cus shiro is back as the black paladin and it makes no sense for Lance to be red like it originally had? If anything, he should’ve gone back to blue, and Allura to red, because Allura is very accepting/encouraging of shiro’s role as leader. I guess they didn’t wanna do it all over again. But I digress 🤷‍♀️

->im gonna miss my Pookie (🤍❤️🤍)

Post-S4

->do they do this every two seasons?? Have an epic battle where they have a big preparation and say it’ll 100% end the war but it doesn’t and something crazy happens after they win and it sets up the next season??

->FUCK YEAH PIDGE GOT HER BROTHER BACK IM SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP 💪💪🔥🔥‼️‼️‼️🙏🙏🙏🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️

->^genuinely cried so hard during this scene. would’ve cried more if I wasn’t recovering from the initial shock.

->^cried during this one too, but it was happy tears. I could actually just do a whole reaction post to this episode alone. (if you want me to js say so in the rbs/replies)

->the callback to s1! “color-coded of course, because what are we? animals?” AHHH! I’m going insane I love these siblings sooooo much

->okay I’ll stop gushing over them now

->^only valid reaction to meeting Allura. Homegirl is beauty incarnate

->I LIED. im not sorry im never shutting up about them. SHE SHOWS HIM AROUND THE CASTLE AND TELLS HIM EVERYTHING AND EVERY DETAIL AND SHES SO EXCITED CUS SHE JUST GOT HER BRO BACK AND IS JUST RAMBLING ABOUT HER NEW HOME AND ALL THE COOL STUFF SHES BEEN DOING AND HES JUST LISTENING AND IS SUPER EXCITED WITH HER AND ITS SOOOO AMAZING AND ADORABLE AND I COULD DIE

->AND THEN HE TELLS HER HOW THEIR DAD WOULD BE SO PROUD IM DYING IM LITERALLY DEAD STOP.

->AND AND AND THEY WERE ALL WORKING TOGETHER W HUNK TO MAKE THE GALRA TRACKER THING AND THEY WERE BEING SO COOL WITH EACH OTHER AND BEING NERDS TOGETHER AND AND AND AJEUWNDUWJEBEURBDGWUDKAODHD

->okay. ive calmed down. i am normal and can be trusted to simply watch a show.

->^Get his ass, Zarkon. I needed his smug ass to be humbled so bad. Only time I will agree w Zarkon fr.

->i do NOT like Lotor. Can you guys tell already??

->THE SCENE WHERE THEY TRIED TO GET MILKSHAKES AND WERE SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THAT YOU NEED TO MILK A COW STOP.✋ 😭. My high-score on the giggle-meter went up by 300%

->bro I SWEAR shiro looks different. there’s just something about him. the hair gets a pass cus how good of a haircut can you give yourself in space, yk? but that nose scar is definitely a different shade #notmyrodrickshiro

->THE VOLTRON SHOW.

->^Just. That entire episode. It’s getting a whole post actually I need to yap about it.

->^her armor is colored in a way which makes it look both pink and red while making it look like a trick of the light in a way to symbolize that she is acting as keith yet while being a paladin herself and that being unknown in the public eye and showing how they have to cover that up, any suspicion being thrown as a trick of the light. Oh vld animators ily 🫶

->on another note tho why do they always draw lance and shiro to have 30 pounds of ass. what.

->loved when those lesbians decided to take down lotor. Queen shit 💋 we stan 🙇‍♀️🙏

->Lotor is so stupid and pathetic and annoyingly smug and sus and admiral-zhao-y and I hate him but he’s SOOO FREAKING HOT and I can’t hate him completely because he’s so attractive but that just makes me wanna hate him more. He’s a walking red flag but the flag is heart-shaped and honestly idk what to do w that.

->^WHAT. stop. honestly that’s the real reason he was banned from the empire my ass would not want that fucking FREAK within a 30 light year radius of me either

-> while s3 was the klance season, s4 is apparently the allurance season, they have a lot of sweet moments. (granted all started by lance but still, you can almost see allura swooning)

->^pookie. what are you doing… pookie.. no. stop. i don’t like where this is going…

->^POOKIE NO. STOP. ✋ STOP. SAY SIKE RN.

->^oh thank fuck for Lotor.

->^^wait what. why Lotor.

->^^^heartbreaking: worst person you know doesn’t something good for once.

->he definitely wants something out of this. I don’t trust him.

These are thoughts I’ve had compiled for some time now. I will continue to post my thoughts on the tag “laura’s first vld”

I finished this season on 06/30/24. I am on S5E3 as of today (07/06/24)

[tarisilmarwen]

Rebels Rewatch: "Kindred"

Do you think Filoni has hit peak wolves yet? Lol.

Live reaction version.

Soft Kanera moment is Soft.

And brings up some interesting questions that don't really get fully answered. What was the inextricable pull that kept drawing them back to Lothal again and again, even before they met Ezra? Was it the Lothal Temple, and by extension the gateway within? Was it some kind of connection Kanan had to Lothal? Was it his planet of origin too? He was able to manifest through the Force as one of the wolves after his death after all.

It's not something that's fully played out, this plot thread, I think perhaps owing to the writers having to shorten the last season down to 16 episodes, more akin to Season One, so it's ultimately left an ambiguous mystery.

Pryce having the realization that she's not actually Thrawn's Favorite lol.

Ruhk is accompanied by appropriately menacing drums and woodwinds. Fun fact: Warwick Davis apparently bullied Filoni into giving him this role lol.

You don't even know it's him the voice is so good.

Ruhk's movements are also excellent. He hunches, only straightening when he needs to smell, easily goes down on all fours to lope across the plain like an animal. His run cycle is like some kind of perverse feline or gorilla. There's a bestial quality to him. Unlike his Legends incarnation, which depicts him as more hulking and burly, this version is deceptively small but stocky, solid and almost wirey-looking. It's a great creature design.

The Noghri assassin is also immediately, extremely competent, identifying Zeb in the area by scent at once, probably detecting it lingering on Ezra's scout trooper armor and launching immediately into a surprise attack. He has Ezra flipped onto the ground in a leglock within seconds.

He then charges Jai, forcing Ezra to reveal himself as a Jedi with a hefty Push.

I'm sorry I'm cackling at Zeb sneaking around literally behind Pryce's back. This is why Thrawn replaced you, lady.

<333

The chase scene is brief and kind of basic but does the job. And OH BOY now we're at another Weirdass Kanera Walkback Conversation, with Kanan suddenly pushing for reassurance about what kind of future Hera wants after all the fighting and whether he's a part of it and what her feelings actually are towards him.

Right, so the way I reconcile this one is that Kanan is starting to sense the stirring, growing life inside Hera and is trying to roundabout confront her to think about what this means for them. And at this point she knows, but she doesn't know he knows, and is still trying to hold him at arm's distance while she mentally processes the discovery and how to tell him.

Because what do you mean, "Do I [know how you feel]?" this was clearly already a settled issue! WHY ARE YOU ASKING THAT QUESTION LIKE YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW? YOU GUYS ARE SPACEMARRIED AARRRRHGKJHGJ.

So yeah, moving on.

There's a great moment where Ryder almost shoots Zeb that makes me lol and then after we've installed our hyperdrive the Empire makes a hasty exit from the area necessary, again, owing to Ruhk's incredible competence.

Hera, perhaps feeling the need to reassure Kanan of her affections and devotion since he's acting so rattled, finally plants an onscreen one on him.

This is clearly not the first time they have kissed. Possibly the first time they've done it this publicly, as Sabine immediately nudges at the others to look, but this is practiced and comfortable, seasoned, if you will.

:))))

Like I said the previous rewatch, I don't understand being secretive to normies then but being okay guiding them all out of danger now. I dunno, maybe it took Ezra befriending the one for the others to decide, "Oh okay, they have Jedi, they're cool. Let's help them."

"How have you people stayed alive so long?!" The literal will of the Force, Ryder, lol.

"We're going to finish them my way." Which is, per Pryce tradition, bombing the living shit out of things.

~ANYTHING TLJ DID, REBELS DID BETTEEEEEEERRRR~

The chiming from before continues throughout this sequence, so now we have something in the score to musically denote the wolves.

Kanan, come on, you should know by now this is his "thing".

Yeah so this is one of the sequences where the wolves just kinda DO things and the show doesn't really explain why because ~mysterious~. Why did they want Kanan? Were they checking to make sure there was a Master/Padawan pair? Do they recognize him as one of their own kind since they keep repeating "Dume"? How do they know Kanan's former name? What do the cave paintings mean?

*shakes writers*

ANSWER ME DAMMIT!

Kanan and Sabine inexplicably switching places so that Ezra can hold Sabine's hand again. XD

As frustrating as the mystery of the Loth-wolves can be sometimes, this sequence is hella cool. Blue light igniting the depths of the tunnel, Ezra's eyes reflecting it like the hyperspace eyes he got with the purrgil...

Soft white footsteps on inky liquid blackness. The muted sound, as if from far away.

The only truly trippy part that throws me is the little grassland shot in the middle of it all, with the white Loth-cat.

But whatever the wolves did, it worked. Our heroes have now been literally teleported out of danger. The Force Theme rings out to confirm the wonder of it all.

There's even some kind of actual structures here, an abandoned mountain village maybe?

It's also really pretty. Per standard for this show lol.

"Babe, you are holding back on me."

The chimes again, I'm pretty sure that's a specific instrument but for the life of me the name of it is escaping me, but it's denoting the wolves again, as they move back into the cavern. I do recognize the harp glissando there, though.

*sits on hands, sighs, bites lip about how I hate mystery boxes, especially ones that don't open*

Kanan dropping the first hints that the wolves are the guardians of Lothal, Force entities specifically assigned to protect the planet because of the gateway to the WBW, whose energies they can also tap into and use, which is now under threat by Palpatine personally.

...Yeah you know what, we'll go with that.

And of course after hearing Kanan express faith that Hera made it out we confirm that ourselves.

Good job love.

So. This episode gets weird. The kind of anime mind-trippy weird that used to be way too dense for me to parse through. (Still have a hard time of it, in fact, I dunno what it is Japanese directors just kind Do They Thing and don't bother explaining much, they just vibe.) But on the rewatch it does seem clearer that--aside from the elements in the wider plot they were going to explore about Kanan that Freddie Prince Junior hinted at in interviews that probably got severely cut out with the episode trim--most of the weirdness is actually misdirection in order to set up the wolves as Special Force Entities who need Very Specific Jedi Help to save the World Between Worlds.

The wolves don't come out and say this yet, probably very cautious and testing Kanan and Ezra out to see if they're worthy, but the implications are already there.

Oh, and I guess this episode made Kanera shippers happy too, or something. Happy for y'all, enjoy it while it lasts.

Next time, our last little bit of fun before shit hits the fan.

[orfeonight]

yeah i can't help but constantly feel bad for kazuya. poor dude lost everyone in his life at a young age, was abused, and felt lonely for years yet everyone views him as the literal devil. which is ironic because kazuya also killed the least amount of people in his family (he only killed eddy's dad and leo's mom), meanwhile heihachi and jin have way more bodies and skeletons in their closets (heihachi unleashing ogre, jin's war crimes). after heihachi died, it's like namco is hellbent on making kazuya as evil as possible. also heihachi (aka kazuya's abuser) being a good guy is just stupid retconning and harada's favoritism for him. heihachi mishima being a tragic villain/anti-hero in tekken 7 makes literally no sense when you look at his characterization back in tekken 1-5 and creates plot holes (ex heihachi clearly wanting devil power in tekken 4). oh and heihachi has plot armor and survives kazuya throwing into a volcano which is stupid.

kind of reminds me of sasuke uchiha from naruto, similarly to kazuya sasuke was also abused as a child, lost his entire family to his older brother itachi, and itachi also even went as far as to torture sasuke for 72 hours using a genjutsu while showing him his parents death on loop. both kazuya and sasuke want more power so they'll never suffer from losing family or be a victim ever again and even end up going from hero to villain in the story. most of the series is about the rivalry between sasuke and his brother (like how a lot of tekken's story is about the father and son rivalry of kazuya and heihachi). then out of nowhere, sasuke's abuser itachi is suddenly revealed to be a secret good guy who tried to protect konoha which is why he murdered his clan (except not really he did nothing to protect the stupid village, he never warned the hokages about pain or orochimaru etc). sasuke sadly didn't even get to beat his abuser fair and square, because itachi is an op fuck who let him win anyways or some stupid bullshit. apparently most of the uchiha clan is born pure evil (including sasuke's parents) and they planned a coup after they were literally framed for the Kurama attack (which isn't even their fault and they had nothing to do with it - it's the pathetic incel simp O*ito Uchiha's fault). this stupid retcon of itachi makes no sense because he is clearly evil incarnate in part I and makes plot holes (like itachi wants sasuke to be a hero, but also wants sasuke to kill his own best friend which would've made him hated by everyone???). oh and after itachi dies, sasuke gets potrayed as pure evil incarnate (him trying to kill both sakura and karin, him wanting to destroy konoha, etc). the other characters view sasuke as the devil, even though he helped save the world at the end and similarly to kazuya he also didn't even kill that many people (itachi killed several innocent people and also probably commited some crimes while working with a terrorist organization, o*ito the incel simp and madara started a war "for the greater good" and killed many more people). people online constantly feel pity and sadness for heihachi and itachi but not their abuse victims.

Heihachi = Itachi

Kazuya = Sasuke

Jin = Madara (jin kazama and madara uchiha ily and i'll always love you, but both of you are war criminals and warmongers who killed so many ppl "for the greater good".)

i can't help but feel bad for both kazuya mishima and sasuke uchiha. they deserve so much better from the people who created them and the fandom full of stupid double standards. at least kazuya has jun and sasuke has sakura i guess.

don't have too much to add, anon is right!