#ruby has a big journey to go through

[cosmokyrin]

Man, it hit me that Ruby didn't want to let go of Floating Array and/or Penny in that ep, but she felt that it was her duty to do so. Obviously it's too early for her to do so anyway, episode-wise (lmao) but also

The way that it was raining so hard when she had Floating Array in her lap, and it probably wouldn't have stopped if the royal guards didn't arrive. The way the sun just came back when the guards were apprehending them because Ruby believed that she had to steel up again. Ruby giving up that one piece of Penny she just got back, giving up her own needs and feelings so everyone can move forward and find a way home.

And her last line "Stop pretending we know what we're doing." Coming after her speech about Penny, I feel like there was at least an implication there at how much she blames herself for the death of someone so dear to her. :')

[its-wabby-stuff]

Mikey Goes To Oz

<Time spent: 49 hours 17 minutes>

When Mikey takes some time away from a loud family squabble he accidentally ends up getting “flushed” down the sewers. This winds up sending him to the colorful land of Oz where he meets a good witch, a wicked witch, a brainless scarecrow, a heartless Tinman, a cowardess lion, and a powerful wizard, all disguised behind very familiar faces.

A canon adjacent spin off set before the season one finale but after they discover Splinter is Lou Jitsu

I wanted to fit each of the boys into their “you’ve had this all along” category. Leo isn’t brainless, in fact he’s pretty clever with a street smart, people reading ability on par with Donnie’s intelligence. Donnie isn’t heartless, he just has a tough time expressing his feelings. They are complex and unalgorithic but he can get just as excited or sad or angry as anyone, as much as he may deny it. Raph isn’t a coward, but being brave sometimes means admitting you’re scared and that you maybe don’t have all the answers. You dont have to be strong all the time and you don’t have to do it by yourself.

In the movie Dorothy’s journey home is also a representation of her running away. The important thing was to remember there were people who cared about her. Mikey is experiencing a similar phenomenon, wanting the escape the bad vibes in the lair. His “you’ve had it all along” is interesting because it is an object, since the Ruby kneepads could’ve taken him home the whole time. And sometimes getting home means going on a journey only to realize you never left.

I put April as Glinda because Glinda appears as a defender of the weak, and I see April in a similar light. Always willing to help and beat someone up if it is so required. Splinter as The Wizard of Oz represents Splinters own willingness to hide behind different personas, his running from the past and the pulling back of the curtain for Mikey in timeline. The Wizard grows through the movie, albeit quickly, and ends up leaving Oz to go home leaving his legacy with the scarecrow, the Tinman, and the lion. In this case the passing of the baton to his sons.

Meanwhile Draxum as the wicked witch felt much more how Mikey sees Draxum at this time in the show, mostly just an antagonistic force who wants something from them. Fun fact: I imagine throughout this dream, Draxum is uninterested in being the wicked witch but is pressed into it via plot. Hence his disinterest in being “melted.”

Additional characters not pictured: Big Mama as the Wicked Witch of the East (those were her Ruby kneepads!!) and Todd as the Mayor of Munchkin Land. If you can think of more, feel free to leave them in the comments or tags.

[razorblade180]

Streamer AU 7

Streamer AU 6 <-

Dearly Beloved plays

Weiss:Oh wow, this sounds nice.

Blake:You’re going to be saying that a lot.

Weiss:I absolutely believe it. Also can we discuss why this menu had multiple games.

Jaune:One hurdle at a time. We just need to focus on one.

Yang:Now I know you said no backseating, but you will be a coward if you don’t pick the hardest difficulty.

Ruby:Oh! We should have a death counter!

Weiss:Chat, you see how they want me to suffer?

“Do it!”

“It’s not that hard”

“No balls!”

“Godspeed”

“5 subs if you do”

Weiss:Don’t try and bribe me!

Blake:Weiss, as someone whose played this game way too many times to count, you can handle proud mode.

Jaune:This game might be easier for you than FFX. It’s not turned based, but it’s also not as evil.

Weiss:…I want those gift subs you promised. *hits Proud Mode*

Yang:Peer Pressure wins again!

“I’ve been having these weird thoughts lately…”

Ruby and Blake:Eeehehe~

Weiss:The game just started, shush!

The curious girl pays attention to the words, not looking at chat or even how Jaune himself is rather giddy. Clearly this game means a lot to them. Still, to be this excited so quickly when nothing has-

“🎶Oh~🎶”

The music came out swinging as the screen lit up with visuals. Suddenly, Weiss’s eyes lit up.

Weiss:Oh I might like this song already.

“🎶You’re giving me~ to many things, lately🎶”

Weiss:Oh fuck…

xxxxx

The opening ends and Weiss is left with her hands in front of her mouth as she tries to rationalize what she just experienced.

Ruby:Ah yes, the face of someone processing greatness.

Weiss:Listen, I’m so torn right now. That sounded fun. I kinda want to grab my keyboard and see if I can play the melody but that derail everything.

Yang:Weiss if you start doing that now, I promise you that it will happen for every track.

Weiss:Fiiiine. I will play the video game.

Photo Bunny gifted 5 subs

Jaune:Thank you Velvet. And just like that, your 100 sub goal is met.

Yang:Aye! Now she has to dress like a character from something she’s played, right? I vote Chica!

Weiss:Denied.

Blake:I’m sure she already has plans.

Weiss:Umm, should I be concerned about what I pick and give up?

Jaune:Would it stop you from picking the staff?

Weiss:*smiles* Probably not.

Jaune:Heh, then go ahead and pick it. It’s your play through.

Yang:Even in a game, you stick to your core.

Weiss:*gives up sword*

Yang:Or maybe not. Colored me surprised.

Weiss:You made me pick the hardest difficulty. I’m not giving up a shield.

Yang:Chat, she’s using critical thinking. It’s all over.

Ruby:We’re you trying to put her on the hardest path!?

Jaune:That’s actually evil.

Yang:Weiss is a big girl. She beat a Resident Evil game. This should be easy for her.

Weiss:This is why Jaune is my co-host and not you.

xxxxxx

Boy: What are you afraid of?

Weiss:….*squints*

Jaune:*smiling* What’s up?

Weiss turns the camera around to see a aburn haired boy with a very distinct choice of clothes.

Weiss:That’s Wakka! Is- Tidus!?

Jaune:Yes that’s your favorite boys

Weiss:Yaaaaay! Okay, this game is cool. Wait, who’s the girl?

Blake and Ruby:Nobody important.

Jaune:Ren is going to kill you both.

Lotus Chef: “SHE’S IMPORTANT TO ME!”

Ruby:Ren, I need you to pick better Final Fantasy characters.

Lotus Chef: “Says the Hope fan girl”

Ruby:Nora, get your man.

Weiss: “My journey begins at midday” wait, this changes things too?

Jaune:It’s your leveling curve basically. You’ll have steady growth the whole game.

Weiss:I can live with that. Yang on the other hand…

Yang:Oh I already knew your choices were gonna be. My interference stopped after you didn’t get rid of the shield. You’ll probably beat this game in four streams without much trouble.

Weiss:You almost sound disappointed.

Yang:There’s a boss I had to help Ruby with years ago. I just wanted to bond over hating it with you but it probably won’t happen now!

xxxxxxx

Weiss:I’ve known Riku for five minutes and I already don’t like him.

Blake:Please don’t slander my son.

Yang:You’d like him if he hated his dad.

Weiss:Correct. I’m biased, and will continue to be so. Tidus starting a journey to say his dad sucks is amazing. In case nobody has gotten it yet, he’s the costume I’m picking.

“Complete with no undershirt?”

Jaune:*casually times user out*

Weiss:Pfft-

Jaune:What?

Weiss:Nothing~ Just listening to the music. Man, this kid has big shoes.

Ruby:He’s supposed to resemble traits of Mickey Mouse.

Weiss:Oh yeah, so is anyone going to explain why this game had Donald Duck and Goofy on the cover?

Everyone:….

Weiss:Alright, fair enough I guess.

Yang:Enjoy the whimsy. Did you see a lot Disney growing up?

Weiss:My recitals when I was little were a few songs.

Jaune:That’s kinda adorable.

Weiss:Until the tunes get stuck in your head. Speaking of which, I can’t ignore this. Jaune, if you would?

She points over to her bed since he’s closest. He grabs her keyboard and hands it over to her. Weiss presses a few keys slowly, trying to guess the correct notes before suddenly playing the Destiny Island theme

Yang:Damn. Why are you huntress!?

Weiss:Music doesn’t pay bills often enough. This melody reminds me of a commercial I did for sunblock .

xxxxxxx

Sora and Kairi: *watching the sunset*

Weiss:…I think I’m going to like this game.

Blake:One of us. One of us.

Big Bags & Miniguns: “Sora’s shorts are killing me inside.”

Weiss:I’m focusing on the half jacket.

Jaune:I like that it has a hood.

Weiss:Gee, I wonder why you like it.

“Kairi cosplay when?”

Weiss:Give that to Ruby.

Ruby:Bet. I already have the hair! You have to be Donald.

Weiss:As i- why is it dark and stormy night?

xxxxxxxx

Weiss:Ya see, I knew Riku was bitch. He’s mad I beat him.

Blake:Play the game!

Weiss:Hahaha!

Jaune:Chat this going to be a fun stream.

[loupy-mongoose]

I have a very silly question for you.

Which of your characters would you assign as the protagonist to each mainline pokemon game.

(so for example, Randy was the protagonist of your BDSP/platinum playthrough, and Lav is for paldea)

duplicates are allowed

For the fun of it, I'll throw in which starter they'd pick as well. :3

Randy would LOVE to go to Alola, so I would like to have him be the protagonist of Sun/Moon. His starter.... I could see him picking Popplio. Surfing buddy. :3

Akoya I see fitting well in Sword/Shield. If she knew the starters' final forms, she'd pick Grookey. Big cool ape resonates with her. X3

Lav... I'm just gonna keep it to Paldea, and not even share which starter she'll pick.

I can also see Momo being in Sw/Sh, picking the go-getter Scorbunny. I feel like she would really get into the sports theme it has going. Also the giant Pokemon. XD

Midas I could see being in Black/White (maybe the 2's as well, but more so the first ones). With me seeing him as a Grass type trainer, he'd probably pick Snivy. (It could be fun to have him train the stereotypical "Smugleaf", lol)

Alola (Su/Mo) also feels like a good match for Persim, but it's hard to decide which starter he'd pick. He really wouldn't be a great trainer, per se. I feel like Litten would pick him, and drive him to be a better trainer. XD

Rosemary... Hmmmmmm.... Maybe she'd hear tales of Hoenn from her dad, and go on to be the protagonist of Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, or more likely, Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire. She'd absolutely pick Torchic, assuming she knew their final forms. Blaziken is just her type.

I'll throw in the Branch crew too, why not~

Jovial I could see in Kanto--FireRed, LeafGreen, Let's Go. (maybe the OG GameBoy games, but I don't like playing them lol). She'd pick Squirtle.

Nicodemus I feel would be in HeartGold/SoulSilver (or the OGs). He'd pick Chikorita for it's chill vibe.

Pari... It's actually really hard to see her becoming a trainer. She already went alongside some trainers on their journey, and had a front-row seat to the trials and dangers they went through. So she might be a bit hesitant to do it herself. She'd much rather tag along with one of her human friends should they do another trainer journey. Mostly to protect them if something happened.

I don't know if that's what you meant, but I hope it was enjoyable nonetheless. X3

[aspoonofsugar]

Confessions, Secrets And Stories

This week's episode juxtaposes Bumbleby's confession with the secrets and doubts in Ruby, Weiss and Jaune's trio. Some more thoughts and feels :''')

BUMBLEBY'S BRIDGE DANCE

Bumbleby's love confession is framed as a dance with them inviting each other to keep up. This works well considering Bumbleby's romantic framing starts with the Beacon Dance:

At the same time the whole scene is a challenge for Blake and Yang to overcome the distance between each other. This all culminates with a chemical wedding (the third) as @hamliet states here.

Other than this, as others have already noticed and as Casey has confirmed, the scene calls back to the Bmblb song:

Now the flowers are in bloom And you've chased away my darkness and gloom When the wind blows through the trees And your voice is like a song in the breeze

My doubts disappear Every time that you're near The clouds seem to run from the sky The thought of your kiss Sends my soul into bliss I get high

This is literally what happens. As Yang and Blake open up, the storm goes away and the sun comes out... until finally the flowers bloom as they kiss:

The sky is both purple and gold, so there is balance, there is Yin and Yang.

Finally, this whole sequence explores one of the positive declinations of falling aka falling in love:

Yang: It's like... a cliff and if I do it, I am just going to... fall. Blake: I think we are already falling

Trying to save a city, risking your life for others and making a love confession are all risks, that may lead to your fall... and yet... they are still worth it:

Yang: You were being optimistic. Look, blind optimism isn’t great, but no optimism means we already lost. We need hope. We need to take risks.

Interesting this line is from the episode Risk, where Ren takes a risk and confesses to Nora (among other things). There is clearly a theme going on here, that juxtaposes the fear of falling with the aknowledgement you will never gain anything if you do not take a leap of faith.

Which is why it is interesting the episode offers a very specific parallel to Risk:

Ruby: What good is saving anybody if Salem just destroys the world anyway. Yang: That's how Ironwood thought. You don't mean that

Both times Ruby is giving in to cynism and Yang tries to support her.

And yet, it is obvious this dynamic can't keep going on forever:

All in all, I find Ruby's reaction to bumbleby interesting, especially when compared to Weiss:

Weiss is shown to smile subtly, clearly happy for her teammates. Ruby's reaction is instead much more neutral, after the initial surprise.

Now, I am not suggesting Ruby is unhappy about Yang and Blake ending up together... She has always been supportive of her sister and friend and has been genuinelly happy in volume 6 over their relationship being repaired. Similarly, I am not suggesting Ruby can't do anything by herself and needs Yang to be self-sufficient... (again we have her pushing forward in volume 4 without her sister)...

Still, Ruby is right now not in a happy nor stable place and it is shown in how she emotionally leans on Yang (when she even lets herself lean on someone)...

See the 2 abovementioned scenes, Ruby's frozen reaction to Yang falling, Ruby's shock over Yang choosing to follow her own plan instead of Ruby's, Neo transforming into Yang while she is falling, but also Ruby nervously asking where Yang is this episode and only later on wondering about Blake...

All of this, in a volume where this line is said:

Ruby: If you thought we wouldn’t come for you, then you must’ve forgotten who raised me.

Clearly Yang is someone Ruby strongly looks up to and a person who has tried to fill Summer's absence in Ruby's life. So, having her big sister moving on in a romantic relationship with someone else might lead to some interesting reactions for Ruby.

RUBY, JAUNE AND WEISS: THE MIRROR TRIO

Ruby, Jaune and Weiss's journey through the storm is about taking a long look in the mirror...

They are supposed to confront who they are, but they all make little progress...

Once again we have the characters dealing with:

Identity

The mirrors give Ruby and Jaune opposite reflections. A parent and a projection of an idealized future self and a younger past self.

On the one hand Ruby's mirror image is Summer. This may be because Ruby keeps repressing her trauma over losing her. Or because she has tied her own self perception to her idealized idea of Summer. Or Both. On the other hand Jaune's reflection is his younger self. Why is that so? Is it because despite looking more "mature", as Weiss puts it, he is a person who failed to grow? Is it because deep down his young idealistic self is still there waiting to be saved? To escape the mirror? Is that a sign that Jaune wishes to go back to that "self"? The young knight, who was just starting to shine in Atlas? Or is it that he is deep down scared to face him?

At the same time, Ruby and Jaune's reactions to their reflections is also different. Ruby doesn't see hers > hence she is ignoring it. Jaune keeps looking at his > hence he can't get over it.

Grief

Both Jaune and Weiss see images related to their experiences in Atlas. Jaune sees Penny, while Weiss sees her city. Two interesting details:

1 - When Jaune sees Penny he says:

It all happened. Just not the way Alyx said when she wrote it.

This is a clear nod to Jaune not telling RWBY how Penny died exactly. He is witholding information. The reason why is clear and understandable, but it may create friction later on.

2 - When Weiss is looking at the mirror, Ruby sees it. It is now 3 times that we have had this exact dynamic with our 2 girls:

In episode 2 Weiss opens up about her feelings over losing Atlas to Ruby

In episode 5 Weiss links the destruction of the market to Atlas's fall and Ruby consoles her

In episode 6 Ruby looks at Weiss grieving over Atlas

This is clearly a pattern, which can mean several things, as for now.

First of all, Ruby might clearly be projecting. She feels the same as Weiss, but while our Snowhite openly shows it, Ruby processes her feelings through her.

Secondly, Weiss should be the one noticing something is off with Ruby and comforting her, but so far she has failed. She tries to address Penny, but Ruby refuses to open up. At the market, she looks out for Ruby physically, but is unable to see her partner's psychological distress (hence being irritated when Ruby doesn't get the ingredient they need).

In general, Jaune, Ruby and Weiss are clearly all foils and I think their storylines are entangled. Specifcially, Jaune and Ruby are going through parallel and yet opposite journeys:

We see both of them fall

Both hear Penny's voice while falling

Both see someone/something while falling

Ruby sees Neo aka her own metaphorical mirror image. She is also someone she wants to run away from. Jaune sees Ruby's weapon, which represents an ideal. Jaune, like all the others has been inspired by Ruby:

Jaune: Ruby. We lost… We lost Pyrrha. You lost her, too. And Penny and your team and in a way… your sister. But you're still here, despite everything you've lost, everything you could still lose, you chose to come out here, because you felt like you could make a difference. You didn't drag us along, you gave us the courage to follow you.

So, the moment he sees Crescent Rose he immediately dives after it... to the point that years later he is still looking for it.

Ruby runs away from her fears, while Jaune runs after an ideal.

What does Weiss has to do with it?

She is probably gonna be a link between them. She was there when Penny died and is grieving her own loss. However, as previous episodes showed, she has developed a strong sense of self:

She has already broken the mirror:

I'm shattering the mirror that kept me split in pieces That stood between my mind and my heart This is where I'll start

I looked in the mirror And I gotta say It’s been a long long time Since I felt this way

Jaune and Ruby are instead clearly still trapped in the looking glass. I wonder if Weiss is meant to help with that. However, she first has to look at them earnestly. To see that even if Jaune looks adult-like he is not psychologically well. To see that even if Ruby has always supported her, she needs her support now.

JAUNE AND TIME

Penny: No… there’s not enough time to heal me…

Interesting that the reason why Jaune is forced to kill Penny is time and the first thing he does after landing in Ever After is to pick a clock-fruit and to go back in time... Suddenly he has as much time as he wants... and yet he fails to use it.

Not only that, but he ironically keeps not having enough time:

Jaune: We don't have time for this! We got to get to my village!

Jaune: I didn't have time to make it right.

No matter how much time he has, Jaune can't make things right. Not only that, but metaphorically the situation he is in is a consequence of his own actions. He is the one who takes the fruit, which means the situation he is in is really a symbol of his own inner world. Not only that, but he decides to stubbornly wait years for the others. He could have tried plenty of things, like... he could have tried another fruit to go forward to the time RWBY fall. Or he could have tried to leave the Ever After. To go back to Remnant and keep fighting there. Instead he chooses to wait passively... to sacrifice his whole life waiting for his friends without even knowing when they will fall exactly.

This confirms what @bestworstcase says in this post > Jaune is probably the Hatter. (Also to comment more deeply I should reread the books)

The Hatter "kills time" by singing badly and from then on time refuses to help the Hatter out.

The Hatter is also friends with the March Hare and the two are often seen together.

Jaune is a White Knight, like the one Alice meets in Wonderland, but also:

He rides a jackalope (the March Hare)

He kills Penny and as a result his time stops to the poing he chooses to literally kill time:

(Also he kills time as in... he waits without doing anything constructive > hence he has been "killing time" for years)

So, he probably combines both characters... Interestingly, Neo too seems to allude to the Hatter in the Opening:

GIF di watrslides

Still, she also seems to be alluding to the Jabberwalker, as well:

GIF di warriordreamer95

A creature everybody considers a monster because they are unable to communicate:

Say something real Do you only speak in riddles, chatterbox? I'm waiting for your ugly mouth to just spit it out

Interesting such a character is linked to a mute girl whose whole backstory revolves around her struggle to find her own "silent voice".

Not to count Jaune clearly wants to be the hero who saves RWBY thanks to his plan (a helper, a guide, a side character), while Neo wants to be the villain who kills them (an antagonist, a writer).

So, it is possible Neo and Jaune both allude to the Hatter and combine this allusion with another one.

Still, Neo is not the only character Jaune foils when it comes to his role in the Ever After:

JAUNE AND THE CAT

Both the Rusted Knight and the Curious Cat present themselves as Helpers and Guides, both to RWBY and Alyx/Luis. Still, they have opposite ideas of what the protagonists should do. This difference is rooted in a thematic opposition...

Jaune refuses change, so he refuses the Tree

Jaune: That Tree is death. It absorbs you, takes your memories and turns you into something else. If you go there, it is going to erase you.

The Cat is instead change, so they feed the Tree

Curious Cat: I know, I know, where you're from, things …die… but we’re just not like you at all. We… ascend. Herb will have a purpose again.

Who is right? Is forgetting yourself a form of death or just the chance to a new life?

Probably there is truth in both positions. Thematically, they should embrace change, especially because the Tree symbolizes alchemy: destroy and create, so that things can transform and evolve. That said, forgetting who you are is definately not the right answer.

At the same time, Jaune is right about the Cat's power being manipulation. To be precise it can be both empathy and manipulation.

This is why the last thing CC tells Ruby and Weiss is manipulative, but also necessary to challenge them:

CC: She tricked me. Just like all you. You only want to use me in the same way I have only seen others as a source of knowledge and entertainment.

The CC is calling out RWBY and Jaune on their lack of empathy for the creatures of the Ever After. They accuse the CC of tricking them, but they used the cat, as well. This is true for their reaction to the Ever Ater, in general. They have reguarded the people of this Kingdom as nothing more than characters in a book. So, you have them making a mess at the Auction, deciding to destroy a kid in a chess game, and so on. They fought for Atlas, but could not do the same for a market full of strange creatures, like the Teapot lady. Sure, this is also probably because of their own issues and trauma. However, it is still telling they had a civilian defend them with their life. It is supposed to be the other way around. Especially because it is not the Jabberwalker, but Neo and they know. It is not a character in a book, but their own personal enemy. (I mean, the fact they flee the moment they realize it is Neo is also telling of their current mental states). It is not their world, so why should they fight to protect it?

Ironically, the CC clearly sees people of Remnant the same way. They keeps asking ro RWBY's story and is entertained by it, despite its sheer traegedy.

Speaking of stories...

ALYX AND LUIS

Alyx's story is still a mistery, as neither the CC nor Jaune really know what happened. Still, both agree on Alyx being a so not great person and a liar. As a matter of fact the only thing both Jaune and the CC seem to share is that they were both tricked by Alyx.

And yet, there is clearly more going on, as I think it is highly probable Alyx is the one trapped in the Ever After, while Luis got to leave.

As others have highlighted:

Alyx = Alice

Luis = Lewis Carrol

Not to count the clear foiling among Alyx, Neo and Ruby...

All in all, I think the ending of Alyx's story and what they learn about them will tell us something about Salem. As for now, I think this something will simply be that Alyx, just like Salem is human:

Red Prince: Human? Human?! I knew it! You must defeat them!

Humans can be both heroes and monsters, after all. It is probable Alyx was in fact as selfish as Jaune and the Cat say (I mean, why should they have gotten it wrong? Alyx and Luis were 2 kids and not 2 masterminds, as far as we know). Still, she was also a scared child lost in an unknown world:

Oscar: I thought the idea of falling through Remnant into a new world was exciting. I never understood why she was so sad when she finally made it back home. But now it makes more sense. (Ozpin) She wasn't the same girl anymore.

A child who was clearly struggling with deep personal problems:

Jaune: Like, the Herbalist. Something changed there. Whatever he said to her, she wasn't the same anymore.

(Also... nice going the only one who could maybe tell them what ticked Alice off is now gone :P)

It is probable she failed to change in a healthy way and stayed trapped in the Ever After. If Luis is the one who actually left (and there is not an inversione where he is the "mean one", which I doubt), maybe he went back home and wrote a story to celebrate his sister by toning down her negative traits.

I don't think the point is for them to discover Alyx was indeed an angel and Luis the monster or vice versa. I think the point is for them to realize Alyx was a human, who got scared and lost and maybe even gave in to her worst instinct to survive. Only if they learn to empathize with people like Alyx, like Neo, like Mercury they can be true heroes. Only if they do it, they can save Cinder and understand Salem.

When it comes to their personal arcs, Alyx's story clearly puts them in front of a choice:

Either return to Remnant, accept their pain, but also aknowledge how it changed them (what Oscar says)

Or keep on running from themselves, forget everything and be undone (what Ozpin says)

This is true for Ruby and Jaune especially. As for now, our 2 leaders have come up with opposite answers to this problem. Both wrong.

Jaune refuses change, while Ruby sees change as destrction. Jaune wants to write the perfect story where he is the hero who saves his friends. He has been preparing for years for this moment (look at it going completely wrong). Ruby is seriously thinking about erasing herself from the narrative:

Jaune: I think Alux traded him to the tree in order to leave. And then she wrote him out of the story.

Jaune sees himself as nobody and wants to be a hero to feel like somebody. It is a pretty clear regression to his Beacon self:

Cinder to Jaune: Who are you again?

Ruby is a Hero, a Huntress, a Symbol, who wants to stop being that. She wants to become nobody:

Past Weiss: The Schnee name. Why bother, anymore? What even stands for now? Instead, you could be a nobody. Could you imagine? Not even a single bit of baggage on your shoulders. Isn’t that what you want? To be free?

(Yes, again Ruby, Jaune and Weiss are all tangled up in a strong thematic topic called "identity)

MISCELLANIA

Some miscellania thoughts

I liked Ruby being compared to Ironwood. Ruby and Ironwood's foiling is a strong one, which the fandom often dismisses to defend one or the other. Still, Ruby being right and Ironwood wrong is not the point. The point is Ruby is very very very similar to Ironwood and she risks to turn out like him, if she doesn't overcome her flaws.

When Penny tells Jaune there is no more time, Jaune remarks Weiss will give them time. I wonder if it might hint to Weiss's role in helping Jaune (and Ruby) with his predicament. Unrelated, but I wonder if we will ever get the time glyphs back.

I think CC is neithe good nor bad, they simply have a different way of thinking than humans. Meta-narratively, they are the reader, who wants more. New stories, new characters, old ones are boring and can be replaced! Thematically, they are the cycle of life and death (like the Gods) > hence The Cat rules in the Ever After.

I wonder if the CC will joing forces with Neo, now. It would be definately interesting.

The CC's reaction to Ruby and the Herbalist is still pretty strong and has definately an emotional component. I wonder if it is because Alyx changed after meeting the Herbalist and is worried something similar might happen to Ruby, as well.

All in all a great episode :)

[twst-megane]

Rubinus Hawthorn

ルビニャス•ホーソーン

“The NRC’s fortune teller. An aloof airhead who can predict one’s fortune and future through his crystal bubble.”

General Bio :

Age : 17 (2nd Year)

Birthday : February 3rd (Aquarius)

Height : 180cm

From : Coral Sea

Dominant Hand : Right

Family : Unnamed Mother and Father

Other Names : Ryukin-kun (by Floyd), Monsieur Poisson (by Rook), Ruu-kun (by Alisa @twst-rose-prisms)

Voiced by : Nakamura Shugo

Likes : Playing with treasure, Decorations, Summer

Dislikes : People who yell too much

Favorite Food : Sorbet Popsicles

Least Favorite Food : Steamed Fish

Specialty : Fortune Telling

Hobbies : Ribbon Crafting

School :

Dorm : Octavinelle

Class : 2-C

Club : Board Game Club

Best Subject : Astrology

Unique Magic :

Treasures Untold

Is able to predict the target’s behavior and spells including the future, using the knowledge to his advantage via his crystal bubble.

Too much use of his crystal bubble for predictions could lead to overwhelming energy received, bringing him extreme mental exhaustion

Background :

Rubi grew up in a small town with his family being reputable fortune tellers. His parents were endearing but his mother would be overprotective of him due to his naivety. Rubi would soon come to adopt their teachings, interested more in fate than the knowledge they could ever give. He had a problem with verbal communication, unsure of how to approach a conversation or begin one, so he was always left out in group activities and clubs but he found a better interest to turn his eyes towards.

He would always visit an old shipwreck a bit further from his town, surprised to see the wonderful relics and treasures that were buried deep under the floorboards and seaweed. Soon this would become a habit of his to constantly visit his treasure trove, ignoring any sort of danger whatsoever. He found a crystal orb that he would call a bubble instead. Using it as a tool for his growing fortune telling skills. What reflected in the orb was his dream, his future, to visit somewhere that isn’t the coral sea, seeing Night Raven College in the reflections. A big smile erupted on his face, hoping those dreams of his come true. He brings the bubble home intending to keep it and bring it along for his future journey.

Not long after he was hunted down by a shark that was lurking around the area, his tail fin was damaged in the process of swimming away from it but luckily nothing else was injured. Yet, his parents were distraught, afraid to lose their only child to predators that would hunt them down. Rubi tried to protest, wanting to see more than what he’s been living, but his mother wouldn’t allow it. Rubi wasn’t allowed to leave the town for a few years until he was accepted into NRC which his parents reluctantly let him go and wished him the best in his new journey.

Trivia :

• The name ‘Rubinus’ is latin for the word ‘ruby’ a bright red gemstone while hawthorn refers to the hawthorn fruit

• Rubi is based off a Ryukin goldfish

• He has a singular mole on his neck and two notable moles on his back

• Despite his human height, he considers himself to be shorter in his merform compared to other merfolk due to his family’s genetics of having a short stubby tail

• He had a damaged tail fin from getting an encounter with a shark when he was younger

• He has a secret area he would often go to for human treasures that fell into the sea

• Uses his crystal bubble to foresee upcoming predictions, though even he believes not everything seems set in stone

• Is interested in the wonders of astrology and fate

• Has a hobby of making ribbons and bows from his father and wears as much as he can on land

• His ribbon earring was a gift from his parents and a reminder of who he is

• Had a childhood crush on Azul but was too afraid to speak up to him

(( Hello!! Thank you for reading this! Recently started playing twst and I just really love the ocs made and decided to make one too! Hope Rubi can make some more friends here 🫶 ))

[licensed2faint]

Hey everybody! I'm a pro battler, currently in my 'on' season after taking an extended break, although tight at the moment I'm at home.

I tend to go by a lot of different names for personal reasons, but you can call me Laser! If we include my break, I've been battling for TWENTY YEARS THIS YEAR (wow!) but honestly I've been around trainers and battle-trained 'mon my entire life.

I'd love to connect with people here, whether for battling tips, advice for pokemon in the home, or anything else!

I have/had a LOT of pokemon (I ended up opening a preserve/ranch with my S/O with our prize money for the pokemon that didn't want to be released into the wild or become a housepet at the end of our journeys, so please rest at ease that everybody is being taken care of!) so I can answer questions about most any types.

I'm Hoenn native, and my Blaziken is my best friend. I've taken the gym challenge in: Hoenn, Sinnoh, Johto, Kanto, and Unova, so that's where my knowledge lies. I'm not very familiar with fairy types, sorry!

At home, feel free to ask about any of my 'mon! I've got a bunch, so don't feel shy about asking!

And now I have Sponge Cake the Feebas as a non battling mon (atm!) I'll see if he wants to evolve and maybe enter him in battles or contests, but it's definitely too early to force him into anything.

Newest Ranch Arrivals:

Popstar the Sneasler

Bokeh the Metagross

Amanda the Aerodactyl

Michael the Flareon

Custard the Lillipup (just hatched!!!)

((ooc stuff under the cut!))

(If any of my backstory doesn't fit your blog's canon, I am A-OK with saying that we somehow connected internets through a spatial rift!)

I am totally and fully okay with 'is the picture cute?' style blogs interacting! In fact, I encourage it!

I have memory issues, so I apologize if I don't recognize your blog or remember where you are in your storyline

The games that are canon to Laser's life are Ruby, Platinum, SoulSilver, and Black! I'm definitely counting other games as having 'happened' but Laser did not live through them, and only sort of knows what went down.

Laser has defeated the Elite 4 in those games, but takes pains to disguise itself in each new region it takes the challenge in, to avoid too much publicity. However, after beating the league, it doesn't care to maintain the disguise, leading to being kind of a famous cryptid type character.

Because of this, it will be cagey about its life, but may let things slip accidentally!

As a side note, I want to play the emotional ramifications of the events of those games somewhat seriously! Laser was in therapy for a good long while, both because of said events and also a tragedy that occurred at some point which it was struggling to cope with.

I don't wanna expound too much on its backstory yet, but I will keep record of anything discovered here for ease of access to newcomers! Feel free to poke a bit at it, but please keep in mind it will react like a real person!

pelipper mail is off while Laser is traveling, but on while at home, magic anons are always off, but musharna mail? I think is crazy funny so that is ON. Mystery gift is tentatively on, will make a concrete decision once I catch the vibe better. Union Circle is sooooo on!

BACKSTORY UNLOCKED:

-Has serious beef with Giovanni and Ghetsis, but seems to give the other teams wiggle room...

-Knows Maxie well enough that he calls it out on its bullshit and bad habits

-big thing happened sometime between leaving kanto and going to unova

-makes occasional trips to the Distortion World, but is hesitant to speak on that

-started its journey early, back when ten years old was the standard

-Someone named Thomas lives in a cave on preserve grounds

CURRENT PLOT: Old Wounds!

(i follow from @tigirl-and-co)

[chaikachi]

I'm thinking about the idea of Oscar joining the "Wants to throw hands with Cinder Fall on sight" squad bc she specifically is the reason things went wrong with the plan. (She's the reason that Ruby fell/died based on what he must be thinking currently.) I can't help it I just love the trope of "character goes absolutely feral when their love interest is hurt" he's already done it once but I want MORE

YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT BUT ALSO LISTEN. IT'S NOT JUST CINDER

Like yes, obviously, but Little Prince in the desert with a venomous antagonist Tyrian?? Little Prince who will have just gotten his rose back?? Also just... they way they have focused on Oscar's protectiveness and attachment to her over the volumes in such specific ways??

Yes, we have the scene at Haven where he gets Big Mad™ when he sees Ruby is hurt (meanwhile Weiss is literally dying in the corner, lmao).

EDIT: I FORGOT THE V6 FINALE

But we also see him pay such close attention to her in the quieter moments too. Standing up for her against Jaune when she's looking down on herself:

Remembering her saying that 'food makes her feel better' and making some for when she and the rest of them get back. WE SAW YOU PAUSE AND LOOK AT RUBY BEFORE YOU FINISHED YOUR SENTENCE OSCAR!!! YOU'RE NOT SNEAKY!!!

The DOJO SCENE?? I don't need to put them all here, y'all get the idea.

But Ruby, this light that has inspired so much of his choices over the course of this story is gone. They reunited at the beginning of v8 for no more than an hour before splitting ways again. Then the same thing happened at the Manor right before RWBYJ fell. You think that boy isn't going to get her back after thinking she was gone forever and be watching her as if she might fall through his fingers again at any moment? When this is how he looked at her before that scare???

That he isn't going to fight tooth and nail to not lose her again?

That there is a very solid argument towards his semblance unlocking in such a moment?

Like, be for real. The kid has been beaten, kidnapped, beaten more, went toe to toe against Salem and not a single one of those instances was traumatic enough for him to unlock it. But both times Oscar's lack of semblance have been brought up? He's been talking to Ruby.

In v5, there's a moment where they focus on Jaune who still hasn't unlocked his and Oz says something about how his journey isn't over, and the same can be said for the rest of them. That unlocking isn't the end but semblances can also evolve we get this framing:

Jaune, who's semblance unlocked that volume finale, Nora, who almost certainly did something to her semblance with her stunt in v8, Ren, who's semblance evolved in v8 as well, and then Ruby... who's semblance and evolution has been teased and talked about for the last three volumes!!

Then in v7, Oscar once again paying such close attention to her that he can tell when she does something differently with her semblance.

I am too lazy to add text to the gif so the convo goes as follows:

Oscar: Have you... always been able to do that? Ruby: Heh, I don't know! I don't normally think it through that much. Oscar: You guys are evolving and I still don't even have my semblance. Ruby: Well, I bet we'll all be jealous when you do.

Like bro, bro, i am shaking you by the shoulders is there ANY OTHER WAY IT PLAYS OUT???? Boy is going to LOSE IT the moment she is in any serious danger and I am so looking forward to it.

[just-existing-as-you-do-blog]

Just a little dnd recap for the vibes. I haven't DMed in a while and I'm excited.

So our charecters are

Half elf sorcerer

Dwaven rogue

Knome warlock

I started them out all in different universes with their own NPCs and plot hooks. And them I had them all be visited by a man in a tophat and tailcoats called the magician. Then they traveled to a place I call The Living Manor in my notes it's a way to big manor with other buildings inside and there is alot to explore there but they were very excited for their magical keys and did alot of universe hopping and testing the rules.

So our warlock is insane but has a magical feild where someone would have to beat a DC 18 wisdom check to notice. He does not know what deal he made, but he ran into his nephew in the manor who started telling him that his sister is very sick and probably won't make it. Which our warlock barely processes.

Our rogue steals two definitely cursed gems from the manor and our sorcerer takes lots of books (they are rebuilding a library she burnt down). They all follow our warlocks nephew through a door and end up back in his universe.

They meet an important family (the dragontamers, I adore them.) The rogue pawns off a cursed gem. Warlock runs into his husband, momentarily has his sanity back tries to tell his husband that something is very wrong with him. But his husband failed the roll. The warlock remembers his sister and goes to see her and she succeeds her roll the second time and they talk it out in a rushed panic for a while.

Meanwhile our sorcerer steals from a library and our rogue learns all the gossip in town while trying to contact her friend and putting together that they are in another dimension.

They barter for a comprehend languages spell and sleep in the home of the matriarch of the dragontamer family. Then they journey to the rogues dimension to discover that her friend has been tortured in a strange way, he tries to tell them all he can but his memory has been modified, something with the nobility and a cult and a ruby.

They heal him up, he reveals that he has been to the manor. They talk to the magician again who heals the sorcerer after she hurts herself trying to read his thoughts. He mentions that he doesn't controll the nobility nor does he own the manor.

They go back to the rogues dimension, she enters the home of the nobility she knows stole the ruby, finds his wife laying in bed, stabs her, gets blasted to hell. Steals a painting but not the ruby, and escapes. The others go to a library and steal more books. Then the rogue requests the magician heal her in exchange for a favor, he does so and requests she steal back a cursed book from the bartender of the Litches Brew. She seduces the bartender and steals the book, the bartender knows she is stealing it but let's her off just this once.

They return to the rogues world and talk to her friend to discover that the nobility have been buying up organs and corpses of powerful wizards. He says he has heard about some cult stuff. They investigate the churches of Pelor and the Matron of Ravens who both feel uneasy about the people not from their dimension and make it clear. They summon the magician to see if he can walk inside the Temples and he cannot.

Then they go to the library, talk to the librarian, learn about a broken into crypt. The crypt is supposed to be magically sealed. The door is ajar, they venture down to find all of the traps have been sprung and the corpse of the wizard is gone.

Session ends!

[pedanticat-scratching-post]

Oscar Pine Herbalist Trip

What If Oscar fell in the Everafter and was confronted by a past version of himself when meeting Herb?

What are you? Are you sure you know? You have to be sure of what you are, and of what you’re going to be. 

These were the words Oscar heard as he suddenly found himself in a seemingly endless dark void that was filled with nothing but the very same billowing smoke that the Herbalist had created. His eyes desperately darted around the surroundings as he tried to find his friends.

“Ruby!” Oscar yelled as he continued to scan the void. “Yang? Hello? Ugh, where the heck are we Oz?”  

I don’t know, but the important thing is to stay calm. We need to-

Whatever Oz was about to say ended up getting interrupted as Oscar found himself coughing as the smoke that he inhaled exited out of him. Though things became even stranger as that very said smoke began to take shape until said shape ended up taking the form of himself. Or at least, a past version of himself that still wore his former farmwear attire with a clone now smiling at him. 

“Wh…what?” Oscar stuttered. “Ho…how is this even possible?” 

“You don’t have to save the world you know,” Past Oscar. “You can go back to being just a simple farmhand.” 

Oscar took a step back in shock. He was already confused over being in yet another strange world, but now he was talking to a past version of himself. This didn’t make any sense. 

“What are you talking about?” Oscar asked. 

“Oh come now,” Past Oscar said as he waved a hand dismissively. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. Going back to your old life. A simpler life. A life where all you had to worry about was tending to the farm.” 

“Why would I want that?” Oscar asked. Though even as the words left his mouth, he knew the actual reason why such a question would be asked. 

“Because you don’t want to lose who you are,” Past Oscar explained. “You don’t have to be yet another person forced into fighting in a never-ending war against an immortal monster. You can just go back to being you. Regular old Oscar Pine. No identity crisis, no torture, just you. Isn’t that what you want? To be just you again?” 

Oscar soaked in the words that he had just heard. It was as if this past version of himself had uttered all the doubts and desires that have weighed on his mind ever since his journey first began all those months ago. Even though he’s been inspired to help protect remnant and to step up as a hero despite the threat of no longer being himself, a part of him still yearned for that simpler time in his life. Back when he was living blissfully ignorant about the greater danger that threatened Remnant. Back when his life wasn’t constantly being threatened and worried about no longer being himself. He was being offered a chance to fulfill a desire that he had still yearned for deep down but accepted that it wasn’t possible. But now it seemingly was possible. And with Ozpin remaining silent, it seemed like this was a choice Ozpin would allow himself to choose with no intervention. 

He wanted nothing more than to accept this offer…but then he thought about everything that has occurred to him since the day Oz entered his life. For all the physical and emotional pain, he’s gone through on this journey, there were a lot of pleasant memories as well. He had grown to become the very hero he had dreamt of being with him making a difference in the world. Gotten a big sister in the form of Nora whose bear crushing hugs always made his days brighter. Formed a brotherly bond with Jaune who had taken him under his wing with the two training together and simply hanging out. And most importantly, gotten to meet Ruby Rose, the most amazing person he’d ever met in his life. She was like the very hero of the very stories he grew up reading and aspired to be with her always lifting him up during all those times he found himself consumed by worry and fear. And he now wanted to desperately do the same for her since he’s been noticing how withdrawn she has been while in the Everafter. Accepting this offer would result in not only losing the chance to help Remnant but also helping the people he’s grown to care about. 

With his fists now clenched, he stared back at his duplicate in defiance. “No. Maybe that life was easier, but it was also a life of complacency where I was neither making a difference in the world nor growing as a person. I am scared about no longer being the same person I once was, but I’m not going to let that fear prevent me from doing what’s right. I’m going to help save both the world and the people that I care about, but not because I’m Ozma or Ozpin, or anyone else. I’m doing it because of who I am, and who I am is Oscar Pine!”  

[alrightsnaps]

Other than the genderswap twist what did you think of season 3? If you'd rather not talk about bridgerton feel free to ignore xx

All of it was a big no for me tbh

The leading couple was predictably boring and underwhelming as hell (which was expected), but the rest of the season felt super meh too.

Kate and Anthony coming and going instead of having an actual arc... to the point of having a heavily pregnant Kate undergoing a long and physically straining journey to India (and by the way no, this wasn't done to phase them out and explain their absence in season 4 because Simone has spoken about coming back next season. So they're literally having them doing express trips to a different continent in under 6 months for no reason). No baby Edmund even though there was time for the Featherington sisters children. Not even a pregnancy announcement to the Bridgerton family, just Violet and Lady D.

Benedict’s “vital” role of the season was apparently whoring around yet again, except this time he's completely forgotten about his art too?? Y’know the one thing that's supposed to be central to his character arc??

Eloise was predictably robbed of any character growth and there wasn't even a proper resolution to her and Penelope’s conflict. She just forgave her overnight for some reason?

The Whistledown reveal had 0 impact or consequences by the Queen even though last season we were led to believe things were so dire Penelope had absolutely no other choice but to out her best friend as a political radical and a fallen woman. We legit didn't even get a reaction by the Bridgerton family when they found out the girl they'd spent their lives treating like family was out there trashing them for years.

Cressida’s arc was underwhelming to the extreme and she was once again reduced to a cartoonish villain for the sake of Penelope's redemption. I also think I officially reached my limit with the Cowper family after season 3 and I hope they don't turn out to be Sophie's family cause I've grown sick of them.

Other than the genderswap I'm not sure how I feel about Francesca’s overall characterisation this season? Yes, book!Frannie was supposed to be different from the rest of her family, in the sense that she wasn't as over-the-top, super dramatic as the rest of the Bridgertons, but she seems to have undergone a complete personality change in the show. Francesca is someone who had her boundaries but she was also easygoing and comfortable and witty around her family and loved ones. CVD gave us a glimpse of that with Ruby’s Francesca but Jess Brownell made her into a painfully shy and socially anxious individual. And that's just not her in the books. Compare her scene of playful banter and flirting with Michael in WHWW to her being practically tongue-tied when she met Michaela.

And of course the elephant in the room, which is her relationship with John. A season of building their love story reduced to Francesca being disappointed by their kiss and falling for another person on their wedding day...That's Jess Brownell's version of bisexuality? Cause frankly it's insulting.

Add to that the atrocious costumes and makeup that make the show feel less than a period drama and more like Hunger Games Capitol cosplay. The entire show just feels off, dull and tedious to get through.

That's not really what I signed up for back in season 1. And like, I see many people jumping to defend the show with the “bridgerton was never historically accurate” argument but that's just bs. We know season 1 wasn't historically accurate! No one is asking for it to be a documentary. But it used to feel like a period drama. Through the costumes, the makeup, the dialogue, the world building. That's just not there anymore. The showrunner change is felt and since she's here for the long run I'm afraid the good days of the show are behind it.

I shudder to think what she's gonna do with Sophie’s character..

[th3-0bjectivist]

1500 FOLLOWERS CELEBRATION post w/ page mascot Springin' Chip!

Heya folks! Springin’ Chip here with a very special celebratory post! This last week, th3-0bjectivist hit 1500 followers! To be fair, about a quarter of his followers are more than likely AI pornbots, but let’s not get hung up on unnecessary details! Being a canine, there’s very little that I can personally offer our audience on Tumblr… save for some drool, dog snot, and poop. So, we’re going to celebrate the only way I know how!

Pictured with me in this photoset is my big sister, Ruby, and for this commemorative post you get to watch me beat her up! I assault my big sister all the time these days, sometimes for no reason, numerous times a day! I think she likes it! If weight class and overall size were a factor, Ruby could just brush my little Spaniel ass aside like a dust bunny. But she plays well with me, and just lets me kinda passively dominate her most days. Works for me! On with the festivities!!!

And now for some page lore! About a decade ago, th3-0bjectivist was comically barely known as v3ritasartiste on Tumblr. It was a page centered around conspiracy theories… and art, and music. And whooooooo boy, did it suck ass through a bamboo straw! The layout was atrocious, the conspiracy-addled dipshit in charge of the page had no idea what he was doing because he was high out of his mind on government-strength sativa and indica strains 24/7, and nothing he posted made a lick of sense! After gaining a whopping 78 followers over two years, butt-hurt and utterly disregarded, v3ritasartiste shut down his page out of pure frustration.

Yeah, take that Ruby! Years later, during the stay-at-home fallout from ***THE UNSPECIFIED VIRUS FROM UNKNOWN ORIGINS***, v3ritasartiste became th3-0bjectivist with three main goals in mind: 1. Jettison the conspiracy bullshit entirely 2. Create a page that actually makes contextual sense 3. Promote art, both own and others. And, by gum, it worked! Well… sorta. There was still a learning curve and he pissed off a few people to start things off (those blocks were well-earned in retrospect) because he was too brash and cocky, but some social refinement and further diversification of materials led us to where we are today. 1500 and counting!

Do ya see how Ruby just lets me rule her!? She could swallow me in a single gulp, damn I love her so much! Getting back to the point of this post, th3-0 wants you to know he greatly appreciates your follows, your likes, reposts, and most importantly your presence here on Tumblr! You may not realize it, but we’re all on a journey together while we’re on this platform. th3-0 has been able to share some of his joys, sorrows and art with you over the years… and those moments aren’t just precious, they are the universal moments that bring us all together as a species. Well… not me personally per se. Just to be clear, I’m a dog! Th3-0, who is a human, just wanted me to express those things to you… yeah, that’s the ticket.

Unlike last year, we’re at full mast with new art. We’ve got plenty of new paintings coming which just need to be more fully realized. We’ve practically cornered the market on original painting-animations on Tumblr, and musical entries and snarky commentary will continue to flow like wine until we’ve determined they are no longer working for us (which will be NEVER). Warts and all, th3-0bjectivist LOVES Tumblr. And just a reminder, if you’re ever interested in purchasing some canvas work, which would really help us, just head on over to our page on DeviantArt and browse the selections in the Featured section. Our wall decorations can make your home or business weirder and more wondrous at the same time! Tumblr restricts gifs to a pathetic 10MB download, which severely confines the visual quality of the gifs. But on DeviantArt, all our artistic gifs are available in high definition and they’re free to download!

Time for a nap with my big sis…. while th3-0bjectivist deletes 386,712,364,871,236,857,623,547,612,376,451,457,282,367,487,264 pornbot messages from his Tumblr inbox! Thanks Tumblr, we love you all!

Until next time fellow literate dogs, ¬ Springin’ Chip for th3-0bjectivist

The 0bjectivist on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2sONH8IwzL_2sZie0ZNSnw/

I’m also on BitChute: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/uvKfJpNkzkIL/

FULL ART GALLERY on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/th3_0bjectivist_gallery/ <---- screw that garbage website, we deleted our profile this year!

FULL ART GALLERY on DeviantArt at: https://www.deviantart.com/th3-0bjectivist/gallery

[noodlesha]

Sex Education: Season 4 (2023) – Just some thoughts.

Over a span of four days, my housemates and I sat down to watch the final season of sex education; the show had started in 2019 (which feels like a lie, but we move I guess) and was loved by the masses. People really resonated with it as they showcased people dealing with all sorts of different complexities and natures and it was truly wonderful to see so many demographics being represented.

And while I know some of the criticism comes from the fact they favour representation over solid writing, I can understand that sometimes it’s just nice to be seen on a tv show with no ulterior motive and to be frank, this show has some great writing with certain characters. But like most TV shows, it didn’t mean it didn’t have its faults much like this season. But I think the best way to talk about this show is through its characters, which are the driving force of this TV show and it both benefits and fails from it.

The New Characters

When going into it, I was quite sceptical about the new characters, and coming out of it, I think I still am. I enjoyed the representation of ‘The Coven’ or whatever they were called, I think Aisha was written the best out of the three considering she had a broader storyline and I loved how they discussed accessibility for disabled people it was very refreshing. But coming out of the show, I don’t think I felt anything for these characters, and I found myself wishing they had Lily and Ola back.

O felt like a complete waste of a character – it felt like they made her very purposefully antagonistic, and yet when it came time to redeem her character it felt like a last-minute decision. I also think the way they handled her asexuality was very odd and felt quite forced at times, I remember during season one the writers seemed to be suggesting Otis was asexual but then didn’t push through to it, O just seemed like a rehash of that exact thing. There was clearly some stuff left out because O felt very antagonistic back at Otis, but Otis didn’t really do much towards their opposing sex clinics.

Adam (and Michael too)

This storyline became a favourite when the show ended and I didn’t think it would hit me as hard as it did. Adam’s character arc through the show has been very interesting to see, when looking back to last season I was never really a fan of Adam and Eric’s love story but that was the storyline that made me like Adam so I guess there was something to it. I also enjoyed that Adam didn’t go into sixth form and instead followed what his interests were, it’s quite cool to show there are different options rather than just sixth form, then university etc. But I loved the interesting parallels between the son and father, both were coming into their own person which was needed for both of them so they could accept one another and their heart-to-heart at the end was very sweet.

Jackson and Viv

I love the platonic bestie vibes this duo have, it’s so wholesome and I enjoy that the writers never compromised their friendship for a relationship because it’s something you don’t really see that often. I liked the storyline Jackson had surrounding the stigma of cancer in men, it was different and very unexpected but I liked that because it is scary and it weaved very well into his intrigue with his identity. One thing I was a bit confused about was Jackson’s journey with his sexuality; I feel like they slightly breached the topic but there was no clear closure for that storyline which was a big part of his character arc last season, but perhaps I missed something. With Viv, her storyline also quite surprised me; I truly didn’t expect her romance with Beau to take an abusive turn – but in retrospect it’s very interesting to see all the qualities of possessiveness and obsession that Beau had throughout the season. But either way I liked the resolutions in their ending (also loved that Aimee and Viv kind of became a duo), and I’m sad to let them go.

Ruby

One thing I really didn’t like this season was Ruby’s storyline; it was just her pining over Otis again and Otis not giving her an inch despite using her to help his campaign. It felt very backwards to me, especially seeing as Otis didn’t even thank her (more on that later because I have so much more to say on Otis); although she found her own confidence at the end and didn’t dance with him, I honestly would’ve preferred if they were just friends, but I can understand the need to have tension and drama to make things more interesting, but I was just left wanting a bit more with her character rather than her problems being purely surface.

Jean (and her sister… and her baby)

I will be honest, it was very odd to see Jean without Jakob (or Sven as my housemates and I referred to him), but truly I kind of didn’t miss him because they introduced a much more compelling duo with her younger sister. Jean’s storyline was quite interesting; to see a woman struggle with post-partum depression on-screen and not be villainised for it was very refreshing and I thought linking it with her fear of being like her own mother was very good. Her sister’s storyline was also very interesting, I liked how different they were and also that they had a very natural sisterly bond, which is something you don’t see among older women anymore in media.

Cal

I really enjoyed that we got more of a look into Cal's life because that was one reason I didn't really connect with Cal last season was because we didn't get a sense of who they are. But this was majorly broached in this season and I was glad because I really enjoyed their character. Their story was wholly centered around their identity and I thought it was very heartwarming that the school charity came together for their top surgery. Two things that I struggled with though were the fact that their attempt to take their own life was very much brushed over and the fact that their and Jackson's storylines didn't really get completed either. But overall, I really enjoyed their character.

Eric

Honestly, he and Aimee are the best characters on this show, and you can’t even change my mind. One thing I was very glad for was that they tabled the whole Eric and Adam relationship and that they recognised that someone shouldn’t be in a relationship with their bully (and because Eric can do so much better, and I say that while loving Adam as a character too). Something that surprised me but in a good way was his relationship with his religion, it’s so interesting to see because you don’t see a lot of this, especially nowadays. And it was nice to see him flourish with friends that understand him and his views on things (OTHER THAN OTIS WHO DOESN’T CARE), and his turmoil of wanting to be baptised but then realising he doesn’t need that to reaffirm his relationship with God. And Ncuti is just SO funny and charming as Eric, he’s going to be a star one day (especially since he’s been in Barbie and Doctor Who) and I genuinely can’t wait to see it.

Aimee and Issac (but mostly Aimee)

Oh god where do I start, Aimee Gibbs is genuinely one of the best TV show characters ever; she is so likable and the journey her character has gone through is amazing. When the show opens with her documenting her recovery, I was immediately struck that she was going to have a fabulous ending to her story. I loved that she was trying different things like art to express her trauma and seeing her have fun with it was just so, so human and I love when media replicates that side of humanity. One thing that was a pleasant surprise was Issac and Aimee’s relationship; now this may be a controversial take, but I was never really an Issac hater… I know, how insane. So, seeing him get fleshed out more and more was really moving; their relationship was something very different and also made so much sense. I wouldn’t have put them together, but the actors had a lot of chemistry and I enjoyed that they uplifted one another but never crossed any barriers of their own agency.

Maeve

Maeve is a very interesting character; now for another controversial take, I was never a big fan of Maeve, it’s nothing I could really pinpoint but she often seemed very abrasive. But on the flip side, I also respected that about her character, that the writers were never afraid to make her spunky and outspoken, and for her to not be punished for that either. Her storyline this season was great, it made me enjoy her character so much more than I thought I would; the way she acted around the death of her mother was so good and felt very real – and I loved how mature the ending of her, and Otis’ love story was as well. Again, I know some people may think differently but I’m glad they didn’t stay together because let’s be honest, the two wouldn’t last a week ESPECIALLY long distance. She got to focus on herself and her career in the end, which was something she wanted since the beginning of this show; and it was incredibly satisfying to see that on screen.

Otis Dickhead

My, my… you know for the literal LEAD of the show, you’d think they’d write a character that’s at the very least tolerable. Because oh my god, now I’ve never liked the way Otis’ character is written, but Jesus Christ I think we’ve hit an all-time low. One thing he does that drives me up the wall is that he never texted anyone back; like when Ruby kept asking him where he was, he didn’t even message or anything and that was before Maeve’s mum passed away, he is just so inept.

Also, the fact that he’s a so-called sex therapist yet he struggles to article his own problems with BASIC problem-solving skills actually amazes me – I admire the writers for being able to write someone SO thick in the head without going braindead themselves, I really do. Okay rant over – Otis’ storyline really felt like a backdrop to everything in the season, the only interesting thing was his and Maeve’s story and that wasn’t even his main dilemma on the season. Overall, his character is shit and I’m so glad I never have to see his face again (sorry Asa Butterfield, love you!).

[silvergolddraco28]

Suppression Ch 2

!!!WARNING MENTIONS OF BLOOD AND TORTURE READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!

()()()( 2 )()()()

Golden eyes squinted as the chamber they were in lit up with torches mounted high in the walls, softly glowing runes carved along the floor zapped at the golden simian’s strength his arms held taut from his body kneeling on the ground with a dark silver band around his throat.

Shade stormed into the chamber, furiously marching over to the kneeling king. “What the hell have you been keeping from me?” He gripped the golden monkey’s hair and jerked his head up. “What did you do to our mate?!” The false king roared.

Wukong grunted slightly. “I never got to mate with him,” Wukong answered. “As for what I haven't told you. That's not for you to know.” Wukong snarked. ‘Now I know why Mac never liked it when I was like this during the demon wars.’

Shade snarled, the sound echoing through the room. “What. Do. You. Mean. Never mated? He is everything we’ve ever wanted in a mate. Strong. Smart. Loyal. He adored us! How could you possibly have fucked that up?”

“I never had the chance nor do I deserve it.” Wukong snapped back. “I broke his trust in me. You know as well as I do that a mating forged on broken trust is not healthy.” Wukong pointed out wincing at the feeling of claws digging into his skull.

Shade brought his face close to Wukong’s. “That wary and guarded fighter is nothing like our sweet Mihou. Whatever you did to him I am going to fix. He is ours as he has always been.” Shade released the king and stepped back. “He’s still very smart. And loyal. Our sweet peach took the kids and fled the moment he noticed something off. Good. Our cub needs a softer influence in his life. Mihou and his beautiful shows and poetry are perfect.” Shade paused, rubbing his chin in thought as he bounced on the balls of his feet. “Cub could use a sibling. Maybe that strange dragon girl. She seemed quite close to him. Maybe I can convince Mihou…. Hmm.” Shade absentmindedly sat back on his tail, pulling out the staff and swinging his feet. “Think they would like a picnic? Some fruits for the children. Peaches for Mihou, just like I promised. I have the strongest craving for venison. Oh. Maybe Human Meat buns. Those are tasty.”

Wukong glared at Shade before he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head the runes on the floor glowing bright before his glamor failed. Gold pupils set in ruby-red eyes were filled with shock as the Shade studied the scars. The most obvious being the one around Wukong’s forehead and his back where the golden fur was swirled with a blue-tinted white.

“You’ve been keeping some big secrets, Monkey King.” Shade remarked, leaning down and running a hand over the scar across the captive monkey’s forehead. “What’s with the white? Surely I haven’t started aging. We’re immortal like three times over.”

“Seven times immortal.” Wukong grumbled the correction. Something that was a rather bad habit from the journey and the times he had to correct Mk’s stories.

Shade’s body stilled and a smile spread over his face. “Seriously? How’d you manage that?” He snickered, leaning back. “Bet those stuffy assholes in the celestial realm hate that. Dickheads.”

“How do you think I ended up in that cooking pot?” Wukong remarked glaring.

“Cooking pot….” Shade murmured, casually spinning the staff. “I remember that. Your guard slipped and I managed to poke through your head a bit. Not much. Annoyingly. There was something after that. Something heavy… and lonely.”

‘Then you are aware of the damn mountain.’ Wukong thought as Shade circled around the golden monkey.

“But I’m not going to be lonely anymore!” Shade cheered as he walked, his mood flipping like a coin. “I’m going to have the most gorgeous mate alive, a very strong cub, maybe two. Haven’t decided. And some good food. And after that,” A dark smirk covered his face. “I’ll make sure Heaven knows to leave my home and family alone. It’ll be easier fighting them without anyone slowing me down.”

“You know Ma-Mihou is just as paranoid when it comes to keeping young ones safe.” Wukong pointed out.

Shade practically swooned with a chuckled. “I remember. He was always so dashing when he was protecting little ones. I’ll make him understand that this is the safest place for them. All of them. All of this new family you kept from me. I could smell others on the two children. Can’t you picture it? Everyone living and laughing here within these walls! Completely safe from danger and threats! Unburdened by the worries of mortals and gods. Just like We always wanted.”

‘Damn!’ Wukong thought before Shade frowned.

“But… There has been something on my mind since waking up. I've noticed you don't even smell like a true demon anymore. I'm going to have to fix that first before getting our family.” Shade smirked.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Wukong snapped, glaring up at the shade.

“Wine, blood, and sex.” Shade supplied. “Perhaps that's why Mihou left. You don't smell anything like a true demon should. You smell far too human.”

Wukong stiffened. “I don’t want to have sex with anyone.” He snarled, growling at the shade. “Ma-Mihou doesn’t smell like it either.”

“Mihou isn't a Warrior Demon. Naturally, he wouldn't like that smell on his person.” Shade narrowed his eyes. “You're still keeping something for me.” Shade stated.

Wukong averted his eyes but said nothing.

Shade grabbed Wukong by the jaw, his black claws firmly cutting into Wukong’s skin. “We can do this the easy way... Or the demon way. What will it be, oh Great Sage?”

Wukong just glared at the shade

Shade simply gave a dark grin in return. “Demon way it is.”

Dread dropped like a brick in Wukong’s gut. During the wars, there were three types of ‘Demon Ways’ to get information. Mental, Physical, and Sexual, something all demons had at least one knack for.

‘Mac... Keep them safe.’ Wukong thought with a prayer.

()()()()()

“You want to sneak onto the mountain to find the real monkey king alone?!” Mk questioned the black-furred simian.

Macaque briefly glanced over at the kid. “I’m not taking you two with me. You won’t be able to last a minute against the Shade. Especially since he took the staff.”

“What if you end up captured like Monkey King did?” Mk questioned. “At this rate Monkey King is turning out to have Disney Princess Syndrome.”

That startled a burst of laughter from the ebony monkey. “I’m going to tell him you said that.” He chuckled, fixing up his armor. “And this is a stealth mission, Kiddo. Something your group isn’t exactly known for. I’ll be in and out really quick. No one can keep me when I don’t want to be. Not for long at least.”

“If your not back by sunrise I'm coming to get you.” Mk warned.

Macaque hesitated and placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “I’ll be careful. You and Mei can stay here.”

There was a loud crash followed by a shout. “I’m okay!” called Mei’s muffled voice from another room.

The monkey rolled his eyes. “Please try to leave my house in one piece.”

“We’ll keep everything in order.” Mk reluctantly stated.

“Good.” Macaque ruffled his hair with a faint smirk. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Hopefully with the real Monkey king.” With that he dropped into the shadows.

In seconds Macaque was silently dropped right at the entrance to the cavern Wukong lived in hidden in the shadows. His eyes went wide at seeing the shack no longer on its small hill while a Moon Barrier softly glowed in front of a massive palace carved into the very mountain. The warrior quickly removed the glamor around his ears, listening for the steady pulse of the stone monkey. His ears flared out as they searched.

Nothing in the ruins of the small house. One ear twitched towards the palace and he stilled before all six faced that direction. That faint beat echoed through the ancient corridors and stone stairways, leading down to the old dungeon. “Of course.” The warrior mumbled replacing the glamor and slipping back into the shadows.

‘The Shade is a Warlord in modern times. Where else would he place a powerful being without him trying to escape?’ Macaque thought while his shadows zipped down the twisting halls and stairs to the all-too-familiar dungeon. Unexpectantly as Macaque got closer waves of pain slowly raked over him pulsing from his hands, mouth, back, and lower left leg. He had only felt something like this a few times in the past when Wukong was severely unconscious and the last time that had happened all he had felt was a burning pain around his own body for weeks at a time before it would stop and then start again a few months later. ‘Phantom pains... Looks like I'm getting closer.’ Macaque narrowed his eyes assessing the sensations to see if a rescue was possible at the moment.

He had to stop when a sharp pain slashed over his blind eye and another over his throat. ”YOU HARMED OUR MATE!?!”

Macaque’s steps faltered and he froze. Petrified he placed an unsteady hand over his eye. ‘Our mate? That sounded like Wukong. It’s probably the shade.’ The implication of him feeling phantom pains and hearing the shade yelling wasn’t lost on him.

Macaque slipped deep into the shadows deciding to use the ceiling to his advantage, no one would bother to look up if they weren't expecting company. Sliding along the ceiling he came to the only cell currently active. He stilled when he saw the shade throw the cell door open, blood dripping from his claws and mouth with a dark look across his face. “You better give me more information before I start triggering your body into heat when I return.” the shade snapped.

The shadow slipped along the ceiling, eyes following the shade as it stomped off. Much more concerned, Macaque slipped through the top of the cell door. His breath caught when he saw the crumpled form of his king in the ground. He poked his head out of the shadows, softly calling to the golden monkey. “Wukong?”

[Mac… where…?] Wukong opened one of his eyes showing it was a pale yellow and pink his position obscuring any more injuries on the king from Macaque’s current placement.

Macaque held a finger to his lips, removing the glamour over his ears. Keeping three of them set in the shade, he turned his focus to Wukong. “If I get you out of here can the shade track you?” The ebony simian moved closer allowing more of his form out, looking for any traps or curses around the sage.

[don't know...] Wukong replied pushing himself up from the ground. Macaque had to stop from gagging at the sight. Wukong’s mouth had been sewn shut while his throat had a large chuck of flesh missing, his left eye was slashed through with three deep claw marks, an obsidian band crafted to look like snakes covered in thorns pressed into Wukong’s head while his hands were missing all of his fingers, his left leg was definitely broken in several places with bones sticking out of the skin while Wukong’s back was shredded. [look worse... Then feel...] Wukong sensed. In truth everything was just numb at the moment.

Macaque shook his head, shoving the sharp spike of rage into a small box. “Could you hear me responding to you at all?” He gingerly placed a hand on top of Wukong’s head, brushing hair out of his face. [Can you hear me?] The ears tracking the shade detected it leaving the castle. “The shade left. We probably have some time before it returns.”

[faint… muffled… warped…] Wukong replied. [don’t touch… crown… enchanted…] Wukong closed his only open eye as blood rolled down his face the spikes from the black ‘crown’ digging into the flesh while the dark red eyes of the snakes shined slowly twisting tighter while a small ‘pearl’ formed in one of the snake’s mouths flashes of a memory playing on its surface.

Macaque tore his eyes from the sight of Wukong fighting him. The circlet adorning the memory’s head gave away which fight it was. “I won’t touch it.” He murmured, cupping the king’s cheek. “Your warning saved me and the kids. I took them somewhere safe. MK is worried about you.”

[You need… to hide…] Wukong flinched, a sharp pain inher back of his head going off. [can’t see… can’t move…]

Macaque quietly slipped into the king’s shadow. “Wukong. How did this happen? You’ve never shown signs of a shade before.” He placed a shadowy hand on the wounded monkey’s wrist, avoiding any injuries.

[in the pot… mind split… Shade drove… I slept… woke up after… the burning… Shade kept sleeping… with potion] Wukong informed the shadow with a barebones explanation. It was all he really could do with his mind threatening to shut down from the toll.

Macaque gently squeezed the king’s wrist. “What potion?” Violet eyes trailed over the other monkey’s form with a frown. “Can you track the shade?”

[not far… few feet…] Wukong sent while an image of a small bottle with a glowing golden liquid appeared in Macaque’s mind along with a simple phrase. ”Just a remedy for me, Mango. To help me sleep.”

Macaque’s hand stilled. “I thought you said that was a sleeping draught. Let me guess. It puts the shade to sleep.” He sighed, unsurprised but with an echo of old hurts. “Where can I get it?”

[need to make it…] Wukong ‘stated’ before stilling slightly. [mimic… silent… don’t come out] Wukong pressed while footsteps of the shade approached.

Macaque stilled, instinctively copying the older monkey’s movements. Twenty seconds later the shade strolled in with a much calmer expression, devoid of blood.

“Alright, I’m calm. Nothing a little violence and a quick run through a waterfall couldn’t fix.” The dark reflection ran a hand through his hair. “So I came up with a brilliant plan to get back on our dear mate’s good side. Despite you spectacularly fucking up, I’m sure it’ll work. I just have to set everything up.” He chuckled, excitedly circling the king. “I’m going to fix up the palace! Get it all nice and ready for our mate and cubs. I decided to take the girl too. It’ll be good for the boy to have a playmate and she will be a good bargaining tool for other demon families. And an excellent hostage for the dragon clans.” Macaque felt his blood run cold. “And our sweet Mihou has always adored children. Offering him more will be sure to get us back in his good graces. I can even set up a special area for his shadow shows he’s been doing recently.” The shade giggled, doing a little cartwheel into a handstand. “And once I get the cubs and our mate all safely stored away, I can go deal with Heaven!” He grinned, unaware of the two horrified looks he received.

[I'm not that suicidal!] Wukong ‘thought’ in pure rage even though he was rendered blind by the shade he managed to glare in its general vicinity.

[You definitely aren’t alright.] Macaque sent back, mind reeling. [I think it’s a lingering fear from back during the demon wars. You were terrified by Heaven. Don’t deny it.] The shadow needed the shade to leave so he could calmly ask Wukong how to make the potion and leave, but the shade was too busy ranting about its plans for the future.

“Do you think if Mihou and I had cubs they would look more like me or you? I want them to look like our sweet Peach. I’m sure our son would love to be an older brother.” Shade goaded.

Wukong couldn’t keep back the growl that escaped his ruined throat at the mention of cubs. [don't you dare touch them!]

Macaque kept a wary eye on the Shade, suppressing a shudder at having a cub with the deranged clone. [I don’t think he can hear you.]

The shade seemed to snap his focus back to the growling golden monkey, scowling down at the mutilated sage. “Let’s see if you’ve gotten any more memories ready for me.” Shade taunted, scanning the ground for more pearls. “Let’s see… saw that one.” He tossed a small pearl behind him. “You foolishly killing our beloved Mihou in cold blood.” Shade growled at the king. “Saw that, mourning while burning bridges. Hmm. Always so stingy with me. Don’t know why you make a habit of lying to yourself.”

The Shade noticed the new pearl that had yet to drop from the crown and grinned before grabbing Wukong by the jaw to pluck the two pearls from the crown. “Let's see here... Mihou and our cub training in the mountains? I'm keeping this one. The other one is just you drinking water from a bowl.” Shade stated in disinterest tossing the ‘useless’ memory behind him while stashing the ‘training’ memory in his armor. “Looks like I'm not going to be triggering your heat this time.”

Wukong shuddered, head hanging low. Despair and grief souring his scent, adding onto the scent of pain.

Macaque watched the shade with narrowed eyes. I knew Wukong watched us training! He eyed the discarded pearl, reminding himself to pick it up later. Leaving memories laying around never ended well.

“Have a nice nap.” Shade grinned before the runes surged to life underneath Wukong. Electricity surged over the sage making his muscles convulse until he dropped to the ground unconscious. The shade closed the cell door and walked away leaving Macaque to carefully slip out of Wukong’s shadow.

Macaque glared towards the fading footsteps before he turned to the king. “Wukong.” He whispered urgently, softly patting the older monkey’s cheeks. “Sorry, Bud, I need you to wake up.” The Warrior reluctantly stared shaking the golden monkey. “I need to know how to make that potion, Wukong. Wake up.” The Sage remained unconscious, not even twitching. “Well, shit. Okay. New plan.” He quickly snatched up the random memory, tucking it into the shadows. Macaque swiftly returned to Wukong’s side and hesitated, brushing the back of his knuckles over the injured king’s face. “I’ll be back soon.” He swore as he dropped into the shadows and fled the palace.

He never noticed a black pearl drop down to the floor from the crown, showing images of LBD talking to a chained-up ebony monkey.

TBC…

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[whateverthedragonswant]

This might be a hot take but I've gotta get this off my chest:

I have seen so many times in the past two years the point being made by a particular section of the fandom that Sam was the hero of SPN, the "Luke Skywalker" of the series as Kripke himself stated, and that the finale ending made sense for not only Sam getting to live but also for Dean's ending. And in the very same breath, it's mentioned that the show was always about the brothers, no one else, that's what Kripke always wanted, etc., but this argument is always made from a very pro-Sam slanted/skewed anti-ship (and sometimes anti-Dean) point of view without taking into consideration of just how much the story of SPN evolved even before Kripke left the show.

Like say what you will about Sam being the hero of the story, and I'm not going to disagree with you about that being Kripke's original intention because you're right. Sam was the main protagonist; that's clear from the outset of the series. The whole first season is everything being told from Sam's POV. It's evident in every single episode in how each case has resolution thanks to Sam. He is made to be the hero. The whole arc of season 1 is about Sam being dragged back into this world due to his desire for revenge for what happened to Jessica which turns into something more aka Sam is naturally a hunter and he wants to help people/help his family->Dean. It's even Sam in the season finale that chooses a different way compared to John's quest for revenge by choosing Dean/his family over his revenge.

So, yes, you're right when you say in the beginning of the series that Sam was the hero/main protagonist. Absolutely. But what is not being mentioned/realized is that somewhere along the way, during Kripke's era, Dean's own story within the series became just as integral to the main story like Sam's as did their relationship as brothers. Kripke developed the story to include both. They both become essential to the main overhead arc of the entire show. The whole reason John and Mary even got together (through Heaven's intervention as per SPN canon) was to bring about both Sam and Dean's existence. Dean becomes the complement to Sam's role. We find out that Sam is the chosen vessel for Lucifer, and then we find out Dean is the chosen vessel for Michael, which leads to the showdown between Heaven and Hell essentially through the two. Both have a decision to make; both are tapped on the shoulders by both sides (i.e. Cas/Ruby); both are essential to the main plot while having their own separate arcs/journeys. Dean is no longer a side character or even the "Han Solo". His story is developed and we not only see his own hero's journey that he has to go on (when physically separate from Sam for example; going into the future though this is still intertwined with Sam's journey itself; going back in time, etc.) but his own desires, thought processes, relationships (outside of Sam), are also brought into the forefront for his story. Can this happen with side characters? Sure. But that's not what happens here because Kripke not only develops/beefs up Dean's story but also interweaves it with Sam's very carefully, to the point that the show doesn't work without both characters. Hence, Sam is no longer the sole main protagonist.

Which is why, for example, Dean is the one to kill the YED even though Sam had been determined to make YED pay for what happened to Jessica. And Kripke masterfully balances the main plot between the two as the show develops, so much so that we get payoff for Sam's journey (which leads up to Swan Song but I'll get to that in a moment), by fulfilling big plot points such as his killing Lillith and setting Lucifer free. He even still gets the hero's end by choosing to sacrifice himself to save Dean and the world in 5x22. Kripke beautifully takes Sam's original journey and tweaks it in such a way that while Sam had his dad's training and a similar quest for vengeance, he made a different decision and he did that while having much more on his shoulders (literally the weight of the world) than John ever did. And we still get payoff for what was initially set up way back in season 1. We get a close out to the Jessica story line, to Sam's powers story line, all of it, before Kripke dipped out.

And in the same fashion, we also got a closeout to Dean's story line. If he would ever get out of hunting, would he allow Sam to go into that dark night alone, would he be the same as John -- all of it.

So the ending to 5x22 absolutely makes sense. And we get: Dean surviving and going to live a "normal" life & Sam making the sacrifice (as the hero the series started out with) while also somehow surviving & making his way back to his brother. That's Kripke's ending. Now to be fair, Sam making his way back to Dean more likely had to do with them setting up the next season, but ultimately he wasn't dead after throwing himself and Michael into the pit.

Then in the later seasons, which some fans like to exclude or dismiss (but it's still part of Sam and Dean's official story), their stories were still integral to the main story but they had also evolved to include other characters (such as Cas, Jody, Donna, etc) and they had developed over the next ten years. So when looking at the series as a whole, Dean and Sam's endings in the series finale do not make sense. Kripke already got his ending in 5x22 and the show moved past that, and quickly set out to dismantle it in 6x01. This theme continued and the idea of free will became the center stage even more than it had in the first five seasons. By the time the last season rolled around, Dean and Sam had different desires, their stories had not only been completely intertwined to make both of them the main protagonists but both the heroes, and how their ends/hunting boots were hung up in the end would both matter.

So if you watched all of the seasons, 15x20 doesn't make sense. Because Dean and Sam wanted very different things by that point, they had both built relationships with other characters (Cas and Jack were the biggest ones but those two were not the only ones), and their story had effectively changed.

And if you didn't watch any of the later seasons (or you dismiss it), 15x20 still doesn't make sense because this wasn't the ending Kripke had for the seasons 1-5 Sam and Dean. If anything, it felt like it could have been 1x02 instead of the Wendigo episode, ending Dean and Sam's story in two short episodes with nothing in between.

That does not make sense.

Imagine we were discussing the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. We all know how that ended (I'm talking TV only, not the comics). Buffy saved the world, she survived (finally!), and she was free from Sunnydale. Now imagine she had been killed off. Not only would it feel redundant but it wouldn't feel like a true ending for the story told over the past 7 seasons. What would have been the point of her being resurrected in season 6 then? What would have been the point of her relationship with Spike, Dawn, and the others? Could Joss Whedon have made it into another hero's sacrifice (instead of Spike doing the heroic/redeeming sacrifice), that she got Dawn, Willow, Xander, and the other Slayers ready to defend the world that she would die saving? Sure. But again, when you compare that ending to her story, it doesn't really make sense. There is no payoff, for the viewers or for the character of Buffy. She had earned that ending, the freedom from the Hellmouth and from the burden of being alone as the only Slayer (aka Chosen One). Which is why we get that great shot in the end:

Willow: "Yeah, the First is scrunched so...what do you think we should do, Buffy?"

Faith: "Yeah, you're not the one and only Chosen anymore. Just got to live like a person. How's that feel?"

Dawn: "Yeah, Buffy, what are we going to do now?"

The hero, who had already made the hero's sacrifice more than once, finally earned the ending that she wanted: freedom and the ability to choose to live her life for herself. The burden of being The Slayer had been removed and spread out to others (effectively building a network, hold that thought for a minute), she was no longer alone, she had defeated the Big Bad (which was effectively the Hellmouth since it kept creating/calling to these other Big Bads she faced over the years as well as the monsters she started out fighting), she might have more to face in the future, but it's up to her now what she wants to do. She is given the choice aka free will and that's what she earned after everything she had gone through during the duration of the show.

That's an ending.

This isn't:

Death wasn't supposed to be their ending. While some might be able to turn to you and say 'but they end up in Heaven together, they're at peace', that doesn't make it a payoff ending, for the viewers (early seasons only or all seasons) or for the characters of Sam and Dean. That's not effective storytelling. Neither ending was heroic or earned.

Dean dying, while again wouldn't make sense given the story, could have been painted as heroic if it happened during the battle with Chuck for example. Their final battle with the ultimate Big Bad. Even though they both died heroically quite a few times before this, it could have been done and while ultimately disappointing, it could have been the hero's end for Dean (just like Sam's end in 5x22 was the hero's end for him). This death wasn't heroic; instead it was from vampire stunt guy #4 who apparently juiced before that scene getting an upper hand on the hero and impaling him on a piece of sharp rebar. During a milk run hunt. Now imagine if that were Sam. Ask these people who think that by the end of the series that Sam was the only hero, ask them if that happened to Sam instead, would they still be praising the finale? Or imagine that was Buffy. That she survived like she does, the Hellmouth in Sunnydale was finally gone, only to be killed by a random forgettable vampire who she had faced off with in the first season and got away, only to suddenly return and take the hero out, thus negating the payoff/earned ending she and the viewers got. Doesn't make sense, right?

Now imagine if say Dawn was killed off in a similar way (though tbf Dawn's role was not the same as Dean's in the story) or during the battle, and we see Buffy living her life through the years, getting out of slaying, having a family which consists of a daughter she names Dawn, wearing her own Party City wig and looking at a picture of Dawn all teary-eyed, dying in her sleep as an old lady, and then reuniting with her in Heaven. It doesn't work. Not only because Dawn had a very different role in the show when it came to the main story but also because it DOESN'T WORK. What kind of hero's end is that? What payoff is that? Is it great that Sam gets to choose to get out of hunting and have a family? Sure. But that's not where his story was headed, in later seasons, or even during Kripke's era.

Going back to the network thing I mentioned with Buffy, Sam had done that. Not only were there strong hints of leader!Sam near the end of the series, but he had effectively built a network of hunters for a time until Alt!Michael killed them all. But he and Dean still had a network going through Jody, Donna, Claire, even Jack until he turned God!Jack. Wayward Sisters might not have taken off when it first aired but the point was made: a hunter network still existed. And these characters, this network, even though not shown in the finale, still survived no matter what happened with Sam and Dean in the end. Why is this important? Because not only does it extend the hunting universe, but it also removes the burden from the heroes' shoulders. So they could have gotten out of hunting if they wanted to, just like Buffy could have laid down her axe (or stake). The heroes had earned it.

So for Dean to die on a random hunt and for those few to say that it was being foreshadowed this whole time with Dean's quotes (from before season 15 btw) and a proper ending to his story...they really don't know what show they were watching or how storytelling works in general. Because when they say that, they negate Dean's whole arc of season 15 (while also negating his whole series arc). Dean was angry in the beginning of the season because he thought not only had his free will been taken from him, but also because he thought he hadn't had any free will this whole time. There's a reason why he says what he says to Cas in 15x02. There's a reason why he was so gung ho on letting Jack sacrifice himself, and only once once Sam and Chuck say what they say in 15x17 does Dean make a different choice: his family (and the world) vs his own desire (his idea of free will, not fully realizing that he's actually utilizing it by making that choice). It's only when he chooses not to kill Chuck in 15x19 that he is completely self-aware and that he is using his free will to make a choice. A choice that affects how the Big Bad is ended/defeated. "That's not who I am."

He was given the hero's choice and he made it. And his decision was the right one that had payoff from not only the events in 15x17 and 15x18 but for his overall story. That's why what Cas says to him in 15x18 about who he is as a character was so important. It set Dean up to not only have self-realization but to also act upon it. Think about how many times over the years Sam and other characters have told Dean this about himself but he never really believed it. Why? Because he hadn't reached that part of his journey yet. Because he hadn't reached the end of it yet. So it makes perfect sense how 15x17, 15x18, and 15x19 play out. This is the appropriate ending battle for not only Dean but Sam as well:

This was the hero's sacrifice they made. They could have been killed from Chuck beating on them as he did. He could have chosen to snap his fingers at any point. They made the sacrifice in order to get Jack the time and energy he needed to power up to overpower Chuck. And they never stayed down no matter the pain, no matter the potential of their deaths at Chuck's hand. They refused to give it up. This is why Sam helps Dean back up and why they're laughing/smiling. Because they know that no matter what happens to them, Jack/the world is going to win. "Why are you smiling?" "Because...you lose." And their sacrifice not only hands victory over to the new generation aka Jack but also instates the new God who replaces Chuck aka The Big Bad of the entire series. EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS SCREAMS HERO.

So it's not only payoff for Jack's story (as well as Chuck's) but also for Sam and Dean's. And both brothers were the heroes. Which is why Sam tells Chuck that he loses and Dean tells him that they won. Why both of them tell Chuck about their plan that they formed together (and Jack doesn't say a word). Which is why Chuck says he's going to die at both of their hands, both Sam and Dean look at each other, and then Dean makes the choice not to kill Chuck. "See, that's not who I am. That's not who we are." Because they both were the heroes and main protagonists of the series. Something that Kripe had set up long before 5x22.

"What kind of an ending is this?" One the heroes had earned. Chuck as the Big Bad wanted violence and death, an ending he would be entertained by. And even for an ending he hadn't imagined for himself (where he loses), he still expected a grisly death at the hands of the heroes. Had either Winchester done that, then Chuck would have gotten what he wanted and it wouldn't be the heroes' end that they had earned.

This was the ending that Sam and Dean earned:

The choice to continue on if they wanted or to get out of hunting for good. To go see Jody, Donna, and the girls, or go get Cas out of The Empty, or go on milk run hunts for a while, or even to go to a freaking baseball game (screw you, John!); the point is it was their choice. That's what they had earned by the end of the series.

The ending that Chuck earned was not only the worst he could imagine but it was punishment for everything he had done. Both brothers say as much:

Sam: "I think it's the ending where you're just like us. And like all the other humans you forgot about."

Dean: "It's the ending where you grow old, you get sick, and you just die."

Sam: "And no one cares. And no one remembers you. You're just forgotten."

This was not the heroes' ending or the ending both characters had earned/deserved:

This was:

For the ones who insist that Dean's sacrifice was the right ending for his story and that he got a new Heaven as a reward are incorrect. Heaven wasn't what Dean wanted, not before he got what he earned.

For the one who insist that Sam's ending was right for his story and that he got to have a family and choose to get out of hunting as a reward are incorrect. Sam wanted Dean to be a part of that life (however it looked) and he had no desire to get out of hunting by the time the series came to an end.

15x20 is not the right ending for either Winchester.

And for those who say that Dean hadn't become one of the heroes in the series or that the finale was right because Sam was the sole main protagonist by the end (or even Kripke's ending in 5x22) clearly weren't paying attention. Not only did Sam not get the heroes' end or the end he wanted and earned, but neither did Dean who had been developed into the other main protagonist of the series, by the series creator himself before he left the show.

Bonus:

15x20 was not their real finale and here's how you know:

Next shot (after cutting to black):

Nothing after it.

SPN:

Next shot (after fading to black):

And then:

(while still in costume, the two leads thanking the fans and then the crew/bridge drone shot complete with show music)

Compare this to how 15x19 ended as well. We get the montage, the drive off shot, and then the scene from 1x01 of Sam shutting the trunk of the Impala as Dean watches. Then cuts to black.

That's their finale.

[aspoonofsugar]

Hello big brain, I wonder if you can help me figure something out about RWBY. I am trying to see more in Oscar, but the parts of his character that interest me the most are his background art and hints at the future, rather than any actions or dialogue he's had so far. The one exception is his conversation with Ruby about fear. I am down to clown with this show, I know and love the story of Tip and Ozma, but Oscar feels to me like sneak preview of something that hasn't aired yet. Who is this kid? What did I miss? How do I love the green boy?

Hi anon!

I am so sorry for this super late reply! I wanted to finish some longer meta first :)

Anyway, here are some of my metas on Oscar:

An overview on Oscar

Some thoughts on Oscar and Ruby

Some thoughts on the Wizard of Oz allusion

In general, I think that if you are not particularly interested in Oscar... there is really nothing to do :''')

In my opinion, Oscar is one of the best written characters in how his story is well integrated in the main plot and rather thightly written. His development is perfectly interwoven with the events and it does not feel that the narrative has to take away time to focus on him. On the other hand this might be why you feel you can't pintpoint him so well. He grows a lot, but his development happens so naturally you might arrive at the end of it and ask: "Wait, what happened?"

Anyway, about the things you say interest you the most:

I am confused about what you mean by background art. Do you mean Oscar's room art? In any case, I don't think Oscar's background is so important tbh. His story really starts when Oz appears and its focus is his relationship with the Wizard and how it influences his sense of self - identity :)

You are right about a climax still needing to happen for Oscar's arc. I think he and Ruby are among the characters who will take a rather large portion of the final section of the story

In general, Oscar's foiling with Ruby is a good way to look at his character. I am gonna give you a rather schematic and synthetic overview.

Parents and Children

The crux of Ruby and Oscar's arcs is the relationship with a parental figure, that they decline in opposite ways:

Ruby's story starts with Summer's sudden disappearence

Oscar's story starts with Ozpin's sudden appearence

This is why Ruby sets off on a journey to follow into Summer's footsteps, while Oscar sets off on a journey to find out who he really is. They both meet Oz and go to a Huntsman Academy (Beacon-Choice for Ruby and Haven-Knowledge for Oscar). Still, they do so driven by different motivations.

Ruby wants to save the world (the macrochosm), while Oscar wants to become his own person (the microchosm). This difference is well conveyed through Ruby and Oscar's major ongoing motif: outside/inside.

Ruby is focused on the outside, so that she can avoid looking inside.

Oscar is focused on the inside, so that he has trouble dealing with the outside.

Leader and Teammate

Mistral is the arc where Ruby fully becomes the leader, while Oscar fully integrates with the main group. This happens especially after Oz's disappearence in volume 6. Then is when Ruby and Oscar have to step up in different ways:

Ruby has to shoulder the group (team-leader)

Oscar has to shoulder who he is (team-member)

Once again Ruby has to take care of the macrochosm. She needs to make sure others are okay and to bear everyone's fears and doubts. Oscar instead has to deal with the microchosm. He needs to face crippling self-doubt and to decide who he wants to be on his own.

This struggle is solved in the fight against Cordovin. There:

Oscar comes up with the idea to destroy Cordovin's missile launcher by observing from outside:

Oscar: Right, but her missile launcher doesn’t lock in, it pops out! Without her shields, one well-placed shot could detonate the missiles while they’re still in the launcher!

Ruby executes the plan and defeats Cordovin by acting from inside:

Jaune: The missile launcher springs out… but the raw dust gets locked in!

Ruby still gets an active role and Oscar is still passive, but they are still progressing. Finally, they succeed at becoming a leader and a member of the group, respectively:

Ren: You (Ruby) petrified a Leviathan... after diving down the barrel of a cannon!

Ruby: I mean, Oscar made a successful crash landing! He's a fourteen-year-old farm hand!

This new-found identities are tested in Atlas, where Ruby and Oscar meet a strong foil: Ironwood.

A New Approach

Ruby and Oscar both foil Ironwood, in opposite ways:

Ruby foils Ironwood when it comes to leadership

Oscar foils Ironwood when it comes to self-identity

As a matter of fact Ironwood is struggling to cope with Ozpin's disappearence, just like the 2 kids are doing. Ruby and Oscar just happen to comment different parts of his arc:

Ruby like Ironwood has to step into a role of leadership and wants to find a new approach. This is why she is intrigued by the Amity project. She also has to struggle with trusting others.

Oscar like Ironwood has to grow into his own person without Ozpin's guidance. This is why they are shown training together and growing closer. The way Ironwood treats Oscar is symbolic of the progress of his personal journey. It is not by chance Ironwood grows when he listens to Oscar (not Oz). They are both trying to become the best versions of themselves.

And yet, Ironwood falls and symbolically he does so by giving up on the Amity Project and by shooting Oscar. Still, Ruby and Oscar push forward.

Ruby is the one who ends up using Amity to tell the world the truth. Oscar instead doesn't give up on trust or who he is because of a failure. He keeps on trusting himself and others, even enemies. In this way, he succeeds at guiding Ozpin, whereas Ironwood never could.

Once again, you see Ruby taking care of the macrochosm, while Oscar takes care of the microchosm. Ruby warns the world, while Oscar warns Salem's inner circle.

At the same time, Ruby and Oscar also make progress with the crux of their arcs:

What are you?

The Girl Who Fell Through The World

Oscar:  I thought the idea of falling through Remnant into a new world was exciting. I never understood why she was so sad when she finally made it back home. But now it makes more sense.

Ozpin: She wasn’t the same girl anymore.

Oscar is the one who introduces Alyx's story to the audience and he is the first character to relate to her. Oscar himself is like Alyx, after all. He left home and is changed by his journey. This makes so he is now not the same person as to when he left home.

Ruby goes through the same realization in volume 9, when she ends up specifically in the Ever After, the set of Alyx's story. She too is not the same happy child who left home to save Remnant. And she has to face this truth.

Once again, Ruby and Oscar are opposite and yet the same. They have similar fears and doubts, but face it differently:

Ruby is focused on the world and refuses to look inside, so she is forced by the narrative to make a deep dive into her own self. She falls in a world designed to challenge and eventually heal her.

Oscar is focused on the self and is definately one of the most introspective characters. I mean, he is literally the only one we hear the thoughts of thanks to his conversations with Ozpin. So, he doesn't need more introspection, but rather to act and to face challenges outside himself. This si why he doesn't fall, but is asked by the narrative to keep going even without Ruby to guide him.

In short, Ruby and Oscar have parallel arcs, but our Little Red is forced to go inside, while our Little Ozma has to wait outside.

Still, they are both asked to define who they are. This happens with some clear parallel scenes:

For example, Jaune lashes out on them, which sets them both off, but in the end their crisis has a positive resolution, since they both grow more into the people they need to be:

At the same time, they both fall:

But this fall ends with them successfully grabbing their weapons.

Grab your weapon! Get a hold of yourself!

Both Ruby and Oscar reach out to their weapons in parallel scenes. This happens because they are both getting a hold of themselves. Sure, their growth and journey is still not complete, but they are not lost. They are still themselves, despite all the changes. They are not the same children they were in the beginning, but they are still Ruby and Oscar. They are still Someones.

So, Ruby realizes she doesn't have to be Summer, but can be herself. Oscar instead realizes (well not really, but he is getting there) that he is still himself despite the merge with Ozpin.

About this it is interesting to notice how Ruby's wish is really Oscar's fear:

Ruby wants to become Summer

Oscar doesn't want to become Ozpin

The end result for both will be to realize they are their own people. Sure, they may grow similar to Summer and Ozpin and be influenced by them. Still, they are different people with ultimately different stories and destinies.

This is more or less where we are with Ruby and Oscar's story :)

Thank you for the wait and have a nice day!