#random ponderings

[hyperpotamianarch]

One of my favourite fanfictions ever is Dæmorphing, by Poetry (@featherquillpen on tumblr, hopefully you don't mind the tag). And I have given some thoughts as to the question why I liked it so much, since this could give me a hint as to what to look for next in my fics. I don't really have a definitive answer, but I do already have a couple of ideas.

There are two basic points I think may have been essential to why I liked Dæmorphing: one, how well it presented the non-human species and gave them characteristic, helping me to see the personhood of even the Yeerks; and two, how well it fuses the worldbuilding of His Dark Materials into Animorphs, almost seamlessly, making me think that in hindsight, the implementation of this element from HDM seems the most rational thing.

The former of those gave me the beginning of an idea for a recursive fanfic about Mulefa living on a different planet in the Daemorphing universe. Currently, this idea is going nowhere, and technically I didn't get greenlight from Poetry to publish it even if it was already written. So for now, I'll just put this aside. However, some weird thoughts about the nature of fusion fics led me to think of a fanfic that will do the reverse of what Dæmorphing is - instead of being Animorphs with HDM worldbuilding inserted, being HDM with some Animorphs details implemented. Is this possible? I don't know, let's see how many random nonsensical ideas I'll manage to pull off.

By nature, His Dark Materials is a story about the loss of innocence. It also has a huge battle-at-the-end-of-days, but it's explicitly background. There are Good and Evil sides, even if they're flipped from the traditional religious view (think demiurge, only he didn't actually create anything). And while both sides have proven that they aren't as Good as they claim to be, I think there is clear bias towards Lord Asriel's cause (though I don't think it's the most interesting thing about these books by far).

There is also an inherent difference between Animorphs and HDM in that Animorphs is serialized. This allows a start filled with a couple of separate episodes that only slowly grow to an overarching series. Also, Animorphs has a very clear endgame: the series must end with the defeat of the Yeerk empire and saving Earth, and the ending arch has to start with the Animorphs identities being found out. Or, well, you can drag it a bit more, but those are essential events. HDM, on the other hand, has more of an element of mystery ("eventually she would know more about Dust than everyone in the world", indicating this is to be Lyra's journey; but also the GOBblers and what's going on with them; who is the man who stole Lyra's Alethiometer and what is the Subtle Knife, and what is the prophecy about Lyra), though it doesn't have one clear quest throughout.

Lyra's quest starts with wanting to see more of the world and learn about Dust; then it becomes saving the children from the Gobblers; then she wants to go see her father and give him the Alethiometer (which she started assuming along the way was her main quest all along), and if it means overthrowing the King of the Armored Bears so be it; then she decides her quest is to save Dust, because all the wicked people hate it. That summarizes her quests for book 1 alone, but doesn't really summarize the book itself, but maybe we'll start with this odd concept: Dust is, after all, central to the plot of the book, and if Dæmorphing managed to insert severing of dæmons into Animorphs... it can work.

So... random ideas:

The Master of Jordan College and Lord Asriel are both the equivalent of Andalites. Are they actually Andalites? Are they maybe regular humans from a super advanced society or something? Am I speaking rubbish? Well, I think I can answer the latter myself, thank you.

Mrs. Coulter and the Oblation Board are a cover to the Yeerk invasion. Possibly the Magisterium at large is - though it's too powerful an organization, so it's probably only infiltrated by Yeerks.

The Master either gives Lyra an Escafil device in place of or alongside the Alethiometer. Either way, in this universe the Escafil device has much more to do with Dust.

How is that? Well, perhaps it functions on swapping the human and their dæmon. After all, the reason a dæmon settled as a predatory animal isn't that much of an advantage in a fight is because they can't attack humans. They can attack other dæmons, which is a power unto itself I suppose, but of only one side has access to this swapping technology...

That would probably mean it's especially useful for children, which I think might work with the overall themes of HDM - though there might be another difference, where even if it's not easy and is done differently, it's possible for an adult to relearn how to use it.

It may also be required to serve as the same sort of plot device that the Alethiometer was in the original HDM; maybe something about this swap allows one to read things in the Dust or something, if the usage is as limited as the Alethiometer's was in the original it could also be interesting.

The Gyptians don't necessarily know about the Yeerks, but they know something smells.

The severence is done in order to weaken children to be future hosts; it works only partially, and not well.

The Armored Bears stay the same, maybe Iufor is a voluntary host or something, though that would create a host of more problems.

Lord Asriel was not infested in captivity. If you want to add the Abomination anywhere you'll probably have to consider deeply who can randomly become an Andalite and whether this actually makes any kind of sense.

Both sides are bad is something both Animorphs and Northern Lights/the Golden Compass agree on, to a degree. I think equating Lord Asriel's side to the Andalites doesn't work becuase the former purport to fight for the betterment of humankind without sarificing more than one civilian. The Andalites are willing to completely destroy Earth to defeat the Yeerks. It's true that both Asriel and the Adalites supposedly focus on the big picture, but... well, actually Asriel was never persuaded that the problem on his own world is something that needs direct attention. And in the end, building "the Republic of Heavens" is more of a spiritual struggle than a physical one. There are quite a few differences.

This should probably have not seen the light of day.

Thank goodness it's night here and I'm bored enough to actually publish this.

Thank you for reading if you managed to get this far.

[loopyarts]

I sometimes think about and ponder on how Bruce is such an overprotective yet mostly well meaning parent towards Dick. Yet Bruce is also the type of parent who fails to realise that their kid has grown up and can look after themselves and doesn’t need them for protection and guidance anymore. 

Dick and Bruce are both control freaks but for different reasons. Bruce is a control freak because he thinks that as long as he is in control of the situation that means he can protect the ones he loves from harm or losing them altogether. Because when his parents died he had no control over that. He felt powerless that he couldn’t do nothing to prevent it. Even though he was just a helpless little 8-9 year old boy who could do nothing but stand there watching helplessly as it played out before his very eyes.

While Dick is a control freak for the opposite reasons to Bruce. He needs to stay in control of himself and not let others tell him what to do and values his freedom his independence if that makes sense. All his life even with his own parents he was excepted to do as he was told, like how most children do. He wasn’t listened to in his own mind he felt responsible for his own parents death depending on the version it was because he didn’t tell them about stranger threatening Mr Haly or in some tellings he wasn’t listen to by his parents. He had no one to turn to really and much like Bruce he was just a powerless little boy. Who nobody truly heard, Dick Grayson to the world was just a child and therefore had no voice.

The only person who truly heard Dick’s voice was Bruce Wayne who saw himself in the young boy and knew the only way to save this boy from becoming like him was to get him his justice and put Dick Grayson parents killer behind bars. He became like a second father towards the young lad, family, the dynamic duo crime fighters of Gotham. Which is why Dick was able to heal and move on mostly from the loss of his parents because unlike Bruce. He had someone to fill the void that was lost when his parents died. Bruce Wayne the Batman because like a father to him a second father, in a way he was Dick light shining hope in the darkest part of his life. It’s so important to Dick development as a character and without it he wouldn’t be the same person he is today and it’s also so important that Dick time as Robin was a pretty happy one as well.

Both Bruce and Dick saved each other just by becoming each other new family. Bruce didn’t need anything from Dick all he needs from him is to just exist to remind him why he does what he does.

So imagine the hurt Dick must feel as a young adult. That his second father who heard his voice and listen to him all those years ago. Is now not listening to his voice really anymore or respecting his decisions as a young adult a man in his own right. While it comes from a place of good intentions. Dick cannot help but feel he is still seen and viewed as just a little boy by him and the crushing feeling of never truly living up to his expectations and the shadow that the Bat casts onto him. When will he ever be good enough to finally be taken seriously by him as his own man. Dick coming of age story is about finding one self in the world and crafting out his own legacy and what being a superhero means to him and him alone.

While it wasn’t Bruce intention, he did in fact put pressure onto Dick even though he doesn’t want him grow up to be like him. He values him so highly and he is glad that he grew up to be a much better man than he will ever be. He loves his surrogate son so much but with that comes fear. Like any parent he cannot help but worry for Dick future and the decisions that he makes as an adult and he will state his opinion on what he thinks of said decisions Dick makes in his life. He didn’t approve of Dick dropping out of college which caused some tension between the two of them for a good bit.

I always found Batman #330 original released in September 11th 1980 really interesting because of how Lucius fox and his son Tim Jace fox comes into play in that story Bruce compares himself to Lucius while Tim to Dick and how he cannot understand why would in he in Bruce’s eyes be throwing away his future. So when Bruce is talking all this nonsense to Tim he wasn’t actually speaking to Tim rather it’s the things he wanted to say to Dick.

Dick probably understood at that point that this was never about Tim or the thugs rather it was about Bruce who took out his own frustrations with Dick by projecting them onto Tim and the thug members. The themes and parallels to a father that being Lucius and his son Tim to Bruce and Dick within that comic book story makes it so painfully clear to me. It was about a Father who was upset with his son life choices for his future and only wants what is best for him even if he isn’t going about it in the best way possible.

The biggest hurdle for Dick and Bruce relationship as surrogate father and son is miscommunication and how the other isn’t willing to listen to the other. Bruce is the parent who always think he knows what is best which is not always the case which leads to him fighting with Dick all the time because he is blinded by the idea that his adult son might know better then him and stubbornly refuses to budge on that for a stupidly long time.

[candlemassive]

Various fantasy blinkies

[lordvonbunnyv]

Okay, so you know how some people have little railroads in their backyard with model trains big enough for them to ride on?

Imagine if one of those engines is sentient and was brought to Sodor, and they get carried around like a cat by their owner and basically act like a spoiled chihuahua towards the bigger engines because “they have to work all day long no matter what the weather is, and everyone likes miniature engines better than real ones.” Even towards the miniature engines because they classify as big engines in their book, and have to do dirty work all day long.

Basically what I am going with is the smaller the engine, the more angrier they get, just like dogs.

[poorlilpubby]

Hiiiii this is my horny blog <33. Posts range from mild to intense, heed with caution.

You can call me Turnips (new alias unlocked)

Minors will be blocked. You'll also be blocked if you're a jerk/discriminatory.

I'm a bi (mostly post gay stuff here tho) trans guy but any identity/orientation is welcome. I'm also a verse switch.

Likes: Pet play, CNC, daddy kink, age gap, pain, intoxication, degrading, praise, breeding (and much more)

Limits: Scat, Beastiality, Race Play, Real Pregnancy

My posts are tagged as #pubby post

Anything from my asks are tagged as #pubby ponders

Random posts of me ranting abt anything will be tagged as #random ruff

[sharptoothed-gaze]

A part of me wonders how old Creation is?

Q!Tubbo was originally found frozen in ice and locked away in a Fed facility. I can only assume as a direct result of a failed attempt to run the island many years ago. The questions have always been: What even happened? Why?

Maybe Creation did exist in the Before. Maybe Creation was considered a threat to the Federation or Resistance? One worth neutralizing.

Is it possible Tubbo was frozen in an attempt to end Creation? Creation has powers which might cause issues for an authority and Tubbo has always been against the system.

Maybe the ice was a mesure to contain. It’s possible that forcing the Creator to forget their Creation limits their existence and power.

When Creation mentions how his Creator’s discovery might result in a reset, could that be it? Maybe Creation is concerned that discovery will end in resetting Tubbo’s memory and life on the island entirely?

[myegoicmind]

Ponder time:

Surely I’m not the only one who’s wondering if Crowley & Aziraphale (David & Michael) have kissed yet now that they’re filming GO S3, yeah? 😘

[acourtofquestions]

THRONE OF GLASS SERIES SPOILERS

While Aelin losing her powers is sad; primarily because she loved her powers and spent a long time without them, then fighting for them back, and accepting herself with it. And also they’re cool… but so is she (regardless :-)

It’s important to remember she never needed them. Not in this sense at least.

She carries the same power level of Heir of Fire, where she makes shields and daggers of flame, and can hold her own against Skin-walkers & terrors. Then in combination with Rowan as her Carranam she pushes past burn-out & wipes the Mistward slate clean of the Valg Generals; something she still maintains, only now imbued along with her own Cadre.

In the following book, these things remain, as Queen of Shadows sees her once again without magic, or fae form (meaning she’s more powerful now in a post-KoA world then she was than). It reminds us again, that she is more than capable of acting without them (and frankly kicking-ass; she takes out a lot of Valg with nothing but her wit & skill).

As she had for the prior three books: she got through all of those on her own, without fae strength, without firepower, she became “The Assassin of Adarlan” she won as the “King’s Champion” that alone was just her, without even a team or an army at her back. Or arguably one of the bigger strengths she gains; something worth fighting for.

And, as Kingdom of Ash takes time to show: she makes it through half the battles without her power at all. Anielle was greatly overpowered by her & the cadre, and not a lick of flame touched that battlefield. Only did it announce itself to save them from the dam (not from the fighting). Along with another demonstration/reminder that she began breaking out of the iron coffin without her power, that was pure fae strength alone (of which she maintains).

And in all of that she did keep the piece dearest to her: her mother’s magic, her droplet of water, of Mab, of healing. One that can grow over a thousand years, as Rowan said (albeit jokingly but truthfully). …And a gift of Mala, flame much like that of Essar… and now without the fear it once carried for her of “having no end”. Besides, her truest power always rested in Fireheart — a name not of power, but of her; her strength, her will, her intelligence. Herself. That was what mattered. And matters going forward.

Especially in this new world, where that plot was needed: without it, you would have an unchecked power-scale, in a reset world, with no villains to fight, no gods ruling, only her & Dorian with their powers at those levels without need; when the world desperately needed a reset so it didn’t collapse in a single battle between such sources. … And even more importantly you would miss the “Heroes Journey” of losing everything, of prices paid that are not all fixed (sad as it is; it is a price, no refunds). And more than anything, you would lose the arc; Aelin paid the price (and while I do not believe she had some debt due, that she owed Terrasen; because again SHE WAS EIGHT AND KIDNAPPED BY AN ASSASSIN… what was she supposed to do? But now any of those that were argued are gone… perhaps she needed that herself more than anyone else).

And while I know this led to frustration for some that “the hero” did not defeat “the villain” in the end… I’d beg to differ, and think it was important to the arc going forward: starting with the fact that Aelin had nothing to prove in it. Whether it be with her sword of flame & the assistance of her Carranam/Cadre (which did not make her weak or “dependent” on men; no this was strength in working together with her friends), or with her fists & nothing more, or with a gods’ arsenal of flame & power & starlight, the truth stays the same; we all knew her strength & capability. But her soul; her heart of fire (that we knew), had yet to live without that weight (of the world, of fate, of the power & sacrifice) all solely on her shoulders. To trust them in carrying that with her, for her, together. And to be fully be a part of the team that she assembled (somewhat accidentally) but threads pulled nonetheless. Aelin did not accomplish it alone, for she had never needed to. And for the first time that is shown. And she was not alone, never to be again. … Making it a huge breakthrough for all of them.

Because this was not a story of a singular hero… or even villain. It was rather complex in the latter to begin with. So this was crucial, especially for her character to have grown; to have asked for help, to allow it. And even the contrast to have The Assassin not be the one to deal the final blows; because that is not all she is, (will be, or has ever been). Nor was this her fight, not anymore. It had been so many people’s fights both before and after it was hers… from Elena’s, to the elder King Dorian’s, Marion’s, Josefin’s, even Sam’s… because they & that fight had led them all here. Them; the original trio of Chaol (his new-found wife), Dorian (his power another catalyst & hero), and Aelin (fully embraced in her name and story. And to the many they found through themselves; Yrene (as aforementioned), Manon, Lysandra, Elide, etc.

And because Erawan was not her death to take — if anything, it was Dorian’s. He needed it. It belonged to the threads & the lost children of it: it was Elide’s for her mother who died by the Assassin of Erawan to save Aelin to bring them here, it was Yrene’s for her mother Josefin who died to save her daughter from a fate Erawan set into motion & sent Yrene running into to unwittingly stop him, it was a team; Lysandra, Nesryn, all of them. From old to new. Those who came before. And those who will follow after (including the child Yrene is fighting for in these moments, just as their mothers had). Teams that can build a better world going forward (beyond this war), and set them up to bring the many broken countries together (now the leaders of Adarlan, Rifthold, Anielle, the Ferian Gap, Terrasen, Orynth, Perranth, the Wastes, the Southern Continent (all the way down to the Healers of the Torre & connections to Ellywe & the Far of Doranelle). — And one that they paid for together… They all carried a price too: Dorian whose power also got downgraded in check for the same reason as Aelin’s (though not to the same extent), Yrene who broke her oath to never take a life to save the lives of many others (& while the Valg King debatably didn’t break an oath as “life” within the Valg is very messy to begin with) she still gave an awful lot for it (& did it with help once again), Elide who faced it brave as her mother. As I said, this was theirs. — Dorian whose father was not the true villain yet would be remembered & forgotten as such, Dorian who needed to know, Dorian the King his country needed & his father had fought for, his father who was as forgotten & twisted & fallen as that very place. Yrene, who had been led here, who had followed the sound of where she was needed and braved it over & over, just as the Towers women had for centuries; it was their closure. Elide… who in combination with the latter represented the love that fought from day one, that did not yield, that gave their lives to spare their children all in hopes for a better world (knowing they would not live to see it; they paid that price). And in doing so, it repeated, every player on the board; another mother giving it all to build a better world for her child’s future, a son of King Dorian; of Gavin & Elena, who remembered their names, a daughter who was brave & unafraid as Aelin and mother that had taught them both that (Marion). The first children of the fallen, and the last to fall.

And when it came to Maeve; it was equal. It was Rowans, for Lyria, for his child, for all she had done to them; to Aelin, to his brothers, to him. Lorcan, for every dark, twisted misery he endured for her. Fenrys… the one Aelin offered the final blows too because after centuries of not knowing freedom, of losing everyone (much like herself) she knew he had felt it just as much as she had. And of course, Aelin, for Rowan, for Fenrys, for her Cadre, for the Lion, for Aedion, for her mother, for herself. And with their help, all together, even without power, they could do it; together only the arc does not end there, no, it is met with mercy within her end, facing it & rising above it.

In consensus: Aelin is still incredibly powerful. As is her court. This is a new world, a reset to the scale. This is a book with consequences, and those will always ache. But there is more than just that ache. Because this arc is beyond a hero and villain; it is a story of love, of friends, of family, of mercy, of kindness, of fighting & living & going on. And that will always hold magic. Regardless of if she is a firebringer, or human… regardless of who beat who in the end… they did; together; as who they are.

& For me, while hard to process in some pieces & sad, I actually think this was the only way to do it properly. Not some “epic failure of the hero not defeating” the “main villain”, but an inevitable arc of character growth that could not come without that teamwork & passing of things to fully flesh out the storyline. And as one that is true to the fact, it is full of many heroes.

Such as The Thirteen, who broke the curse, (and our hearts)… and while I wish they had not or at least Asterin had survived; even Manon said it earlier, the Matron was Asterin’s, for her, for all of them, for every Witchling that came before and would come after. The Thirteen (who were meant to save Manon) & to save the world; who defied every rule by how they loved, and lived… and who died as one. In a way, that was a well-written story, not a “cry points” death of senseless heartbreak (overwhelming, yes, but not a last-minute script change of insanity), nor was it one to (unfortunately) receive a reversal; because it was such a powerful moment to lead to the better end of broken curses & saved worlds… and I don’t know how the story would’ve gone otherwise… None of these moments were solely their own. Nor were they simple. This is how you do it in a story, one with many points of view and plots, and where “yes”: Aelin is “the hero” but she is not the entire story. … Or at least it’s what I’m pondering right now, lol.

[popcorntales]

nothing to offer except for autistic meltdowns, insane obsession with random media, social anxiety and big feelings 😔

(oh I'm also watching from the sidelines btw)

[gasstationpopcorn]

cc: ?, 2022

[ducktracy]

QUESTION FOR MY FOLLOWERS.

[snurtsnurtcreations]

I want a scene where the Ghosts think they’ve got Fed Logan in the bag, they’re ready to take him in, you’ve just finished a mission to get to this point all secretive and covert-like, sneaking your way past patrols and enemies, and now you’ve finally zeroed in on the target, Logan.

The anticipation of it, the tension, the relief as they find him exactly where they expected him to be, he’s right there in their binocular sights. And then he turns right towards them. And gives em a lil obnoxious wave. And they realize its an ambush

[itspileofgoodthings]

ALSO I am learning how to teach very introverted students, something my natural skillset as a teacher does not help me with.

[shadesofblades]

(in @avampyone's room)

[sentientstump]

that melting expression spoke of troubled analysis of surroundings, it appears on my face every day too. (translation: ayo, my eyesight is also goofy!!!)

doodle page with exploration of the theme for this comic below 👇🏼

literally drew that face and was like "huh, i will implement this idea into the very core of my being. no one can stop me " or something like that- xD

[futuretherapoo]

I don't know if it's just me but I don't wanna hear "you're the prettiest girl in the whole world" or some other variation of that. Because that's not true. I'd rather hear a boy say "you're the prettiest girl I've ever laid eyes on" or "you're the prettiest girl in the whole world for me" because the *for* matters. It implies that I'm the prettiest girl *in his eyes* and that's something. And I think that's what every girl wants to hear when she goes "do you think I'm pretty?".