#seeker droid spoilers

[tiredassmage]

🖊 + may i hear your thoughts about whoever is on your mind.. a crumb of meowmeow...

*coughs.* I've held onto this for way longer than I ever thought I would or planned to and since we all are missing Tyr (affectionate), I'm going to attempt to put some Tyr content on the feed. I am only slightly sorry that it's the heartbreaking, feels-filled and fueled kind, lol.

So! *claps my hands together* We're going to need a spoiler cut because I'm going to talk about the Nathema Conspiracy again. Maybe properly for once. Because boy howdy is there a lot Tyr Deckard has never unpacked about the implications of the Nathema Conspiracy! [Edit: and some. Agent specific and other general story spoilers from before that point as well. General advice: this post is for after the Nathema Conspiracy arc is resolved, lol]

Iokath and onward has really interesting implications with Tyr for a boatload of reasons, really. As Alliance Commander, the decision to ally with the Republic on Iokath puts him in opposition with Acina - who, if memory is serving correctly and if not is just my own personal taste of how the story plays - is serving around the Dark Council and eventually on it in the era where Tyr was actively serving in Imperial Intelligence, or at least shortly after it. While I can't claim to have successfully completed the Dread Masters nor the Seeker droid questlines because of those sneaky little operations and heroics they tacked on at the end of those quest lines, I've sent Tyr to work for Acina on early Dread Seed investigations at least once, and to say the least, it leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. Certainly her remarks on Iokath do the same - it solidifies that impression, the story as Tyr knows it, that he's only been as good as his work wasn't too much of a risk for the Empire, and for the Council in particular.

Which is kind of its whole own separate ramble that isn't what I said we'd talk about, but I'm not sure I've really publicly discussed it and foggily I think it's only been implied in some of my older fic writing here or there. Which... is a bit of a shame, really. Empress Acina nearly seems like a Sith he might be able to work with, up until that moment. Intelligence should have retired you when they had the chance - the kind of proof for Tyr's opinion that the Empire hasn't changed in the nearly twenty years he's spent in his Intelligence career. In hindsight, it probably feels foolish to have ever considered maybe some experience would've taught her something, to give just enough belief that the Empire might finally have a leader that would take it in a direction of improvement, but... Unfortunately, nothing that happens there and after really gives him much time to linger on it.

But, again, that's... a different podcast for a different day, as I've fondly picked up from a recent professor, lol.

SO. About the actual promised subject of this post, lol! I always have to be very careful introducing Tyr in my mind palace to the traitor arc as a story piece in general because... here's the thing... Tyr's incredibly loyal, at his core. But he's loyal in the way that he'll tear himself apart to save you the trouble of trying to do the same thing. His loyalty is the kind where he asks to be told the truth so he can lie for you.

And also the kind of loyalty where he'd pull a trigger on you for the sake of a long-term bigger picture outcome where you might be better off. Were the roles much different, Tyr very easily could've been the Alliance traitor, and unfortunately for anyone he cares for, I know he'd sell the role hook, line, and sinker. Which for now is just sort of a thought exercise @ho1ythunder and I like to torture our blorbos in occasionally, for the most part, rather than... a primary version of events, if you will. But it's a very interesting and chewy one because very few other instances tempt Tyr to show his loyalty in such a spectacularly disastrous (for himself and others) fashion, and therefore I think a lot of those closest to Tyr just... don't really. know, entirely, that he's... that way. He's incredibly good at masking such edges in the careful dance of duties he performs.

His loyalty and his saying he'd never (like to) hurt the people he cares for is no less genuine for this reality of him, certainly. But Tyr Deckard is not a man who does anything by halves, and on a gamble like the one against the Heralds for the sake of the Alliance and a Commander he'd trust and be loyal to? That's the last job in the galaxy to ever do by halves, if he wants even half a shot at it actually working in the Alliance's favor.

Tyr's the type that would end up in the Alliance either way, likely - very likely as an Intelligence asset, if not finally in a directing and overseeing operations role by that point in his life and career. He's likely worked with Lana practically from the start on locating the Outlander; they already served fairly close together in Sith Intelligence and Tyr is... not really the type to stay idle about something like Zakuul. He was already uneasy in the Empire given his... sympathies and mission history, after all, and the Republic's just as deep up Schitt Creek, if you will, about Zakuul, so defection to the SIS isn't really an ideal option at that point anymore.

The Alliance was where he could do the most good. He believes in that idea - of pulling together both sides, of forging something new and possibly better to confront something bigger than any one of them. And as Nine, he's played more than his fair share of spy games with shadow organizations - from the Star Cabal to the Shroud to the Revanites.

Regardless of how the Eternal Throne is resolved, unrest is almost a given with that much change going down in Zakuul. With the resources of Alliance Intelligence, it's... no stretch to consider someone with Tyr's track record could hunt down the Heralds. And it maybe should be little surprise he'd infiltrate them and play along to try to get information.

Unfortunately up to and including setting up an Umbaran train incident. To put the business end of a blaster against someone he likely respects and trusts. Someone he could even be quite close with.

Because he promised he'd never let a threat like the Heralds get that deep, that close to destroying what you've built.

Or, if you've been... less kind... Well. Tyr's had a bit of enough of his life being out of his own hands. Still, it's a lot of deaths on the line. A lot of lives.

Either way, the Heralds have to be stopped.

Infiltration. Assassination. Manipulation. All specialties of your ex-Cipher. Is it really any wonder he'd go so far? A doubt he's not above planting himself. For the sake of the cover. For the sake of keeping enough of Atrius's faith in his commitment and ability to follow through to figure out what he needs to gain the Alliance an edge it desperately needs.

And that is all interesting enough, I'd say! But no, I couldn't ever be that nice to him. I have to go and make sure Shara Jenn's involved regardless of him not being the main character! Because frankly Shara's reappearance on Nathema could ALSO probably be its own post and Tyr to this day STILL hasn't unraveled for me how he feels about it (his argument is that she already said there's nothing for them to discuss. And he can do many things; raise the dead and make amends with them is not among them). So her with a Tyr that's actually working for the Alliance within the Heralds is EXTRA chewy and interesting!

Because I like to believe she still remembers enough about how he works. Still remembers the younger Cipher Nine that stood against Darth Jadus, with no backup available and only her in his ear for advice, and argued with her that the human cost of the Eradicators was unacceptable. Her idealistic underneath the pragmatic facade of a well-trained operative Cipher Nine that defied the second most powerful living Sith, likely knowing full well it was likely a futile gamble with his own life.

That Cipher Nine doesn't match the work of the Heralds here. Oh, sure, they talk, they make nice. Maybe even rekindle a bit of those lost nights shared between them on Dromund Kaas nearly a lifetime ago now. But they're both playing a game.

A part of him still loves her - loves the woman he used to know. He may never have been able to fully trust her again after the Castellans - it was hard for him to trust anyone, but it made what he felt for her no less real. Maybe the same parts of her that are suspicious of his working against the Heralds' goals, the same parts that likely drive her to share advice with Atrius that this ex-Cipher she knows can't really be trusted outside of arm's reach... Maybe those same parts of her would like to still trust him.

But it doesn't matter. Imperial Intelligence is still gone. Cipher Nine's an Imperial ghost story. And it's been a long time since she's answered to Keeper of Operations Division.

And it's this... nexus of everything, everything it costs that... Normally, if it had been just any One of these acts in isolation...

If it'd just been the train. If it'd just been putting a blaster bolt through a trusted ally and friend? He likely could live with doing it again.

But all of it? An ultimate accusation from Atrius that he's betrayed everything and everyone he's ever claimed to hold loyalty for?

Imperial Intelligence for the deal with Ardun Kothe. Shara, for the same deal. He turned his back on Sith Intelligence to run off on this 'ghost hunt' with Lana. He's betrayed the Alliance now as well.

And all of that still nearly cost the Alliance everything. It almost didn't work. It nearly kills him. The hope he had for Shara to have made it out of this web of lies and madness that mired Intelligence in its cannibalization is utterly extinguished by her even being involved with the Heralds. He couldn't save her.

Was it worth it..? Was the cost... really worth it? Even in victory? Even though there's an Alliance left to judge his actions?

Little else - perhaps... nothing else he's done or survived has ever... really felt too far. But this would be. This was, he painfully realizes once the act's already finished. When there's nothing left but sparking machinery and the tang of blood on his tongue.

He might not be able to bear to ask for forgiveness, the bitterness of it all is so strong. He couldn't believe he'd deserve it, for what he's done. For what it's cost.

But will you? Could you? Enough to make him live with the guilt and the shame.

And if you could, well... Cipher Nine might finally cede he's been at this perhaps... too long. Another call like that.... It shouldn't have happened in the first place.

And THAT. That!!!!! To find a scenario where someone like Tyr, who... I'd say almost doesn't know how to quit. He doesn't just... give up, on anything. I'm sure a fair few would wish it'd take less to make him consider slowing down, to finally hang up the drive to be something like Atlas, with the weight of everything always upon his shoulders. But... damn, it sure is chewy something finally could. >:3

Tyr Vaiken Deckard, the man that you are etc etc. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

[differentfandomsandthings]

(Tbb s2 e14 spoilers down below)

The thumbnail has Crosshair I already know it's going to be good :D

More vultures

No way! Is that...HOWZER!!!!!

Echo! And Gregor!!!

They are doing work! It's so nice to see Echo again ( looks like hes in charge as well)☺️ and we have two new names. Fireball and Nemec (let's see if they live).

Empire is trying to erase the ships data banks.

IT IS HOWZER!!!

They got away

Now thats how you start an episode!!

Ok. What are they about to do to Crosshair? All those clones held prisoner 😔

Dr Hemlocks assistant is so cheery and "caring" "How are you feeling Crosshair?" How do you think he feels!?😡

Hemlock's vioce is so sickeningly soft and sweet. I hate it even more than Rampart's because you know it's all fake and he's a scumbag. Shout out to both VA's they do an incredible job.

Hemlock wants Crosshair to tell him how to find clone force 99 and Omega. Crosshair says he doesn't know where they are but Hemlock fires back saying Crosshair knows how they operate.

Crosshair says he doesn't know anything.

There is the interrogation Droid we were so worried about! Dang poor Crosshair 😕

Back on Coruscant :D

Riyo Chuchi!!!

Yes looks like Echo is going to find Tech so he can figure out the encryption on the Imperial data

Wow! Crosshair broke free!! Doubt he'll make it far.

Hemlock's assistant actually seems to care a bit. Still don't like her but she might not be all evil. Somethings up with her at least. Some people think she's a clone, idk.

Why are they giving me hope like this!? I know hes not going to make it out😫

Gasp! He's sending a signal! Plan 88!?

Crosshair: You have to hide, they're after-" oh no he's been gassed! He was warning the batch to hide. I hope it got out before they cut the signal.

Hemlock is a sicko

Back on Pabu.

Lol looks like Wrecker caught a big one lol a big fish.

Oh My Gosh! Tech teaching Omega how to fly again! And she is flying lmao 🤣 😂 he looks scared 😭 "pull up Omega, Up, UP!"

She's about to do the "Tech turn"

She did it! I love this😭 she went from "I can't hold it" in s1 to perfecting "Techyo drift" lmao. Honestly I'm loving how this season is showing us how much of a baddass Omega has and will become.

Also, loving the Tech and Omega moment 🥰

Omega sounding so excited to see Echo

Echo: I see you've been keeping up your training. Race you to the landing pad!

Tech: that's not a-

Omega: you're on!

🥰🥰🥰

Omega almost crushes some people landing. Better get out the way lol!

The running jump hug!!🥰😭

Looks like Hemlock has a meeting with Tarkin at the summit....

The batch has found out about the other clones being held prisoner. Also, that Hemlock was kicked out of the Republic scientist division because he's a sicko

They also find out about Crosshair.

They got his transmission. Plan 88, The Seeker. They know they are being targeted now. Crosshair is still trying to protect them🥲

Hunter: or its a trap, like he did before.

Wrecker: how do we find out?

Hunter, what are you about to do? The opposite of what Crosshair told you too?

Hemlock: just tell me where the girl is. She means nothing to you.

Crosshair: 🤐

He does care!🥲

The episode ends with Crosshair being tortured 🥺💔

THIS EPISODE WAS A FREAKING 10 OUT OF 10!!

It had everything. Action, plot, comedy, downtime, bonding moments, characters we missed, and angst.

No Phee, Cid, or Nala Se this episode. Which is kinda surprising, mostly for Cid. What's she been up to?🤨

Also Omega did not get kidnapped this episode surprisingly.

I'm so scared for Crosshair right now. I really hope the batch can rescue him before it's to late. I have know idea what Hemlock has planned for him. Like is he just going to keep torturing him with the Droid, or is he going to get tired of that and turn him into whatever he's doing with the other clones?

What are the batch going to do? Crosshair sent out plan 88. They know they should hide but they also know he's being held prisoner. I don't want them to leave him behind again but at the same time going after him puts them in extreme danger. They have to get him out though, I just hope they all make it out alive and together.

I am so excited and scared for the season finale! One more week to go guys! 😫 😥

[rainofaugustsith]

Rain Plays SWTOR: Seeker Droid!

Canon Viri tackled the Dread Seeds/Seeker Droid quests. Macrobinoculars is still not doable solo, but after seeing some YouTube videos of the Seeker Droid quest endings online, I thought I’d go for it. It’s about the Dread Masters and I’m trying to do as much of their content alone as I can.  Seeker Droid story spoilers In terms of story, I thought it was a good one. At the end, of course Viri took the power for herself. She's the Wrath. Or she was, at this point in the game. And she sure as hell wasn't going to leave it for Acina to loot or take credit for - which is exactly what she would have done. 

I feel like the ending was totally in character for Viri. She was one step ahead of Acina, even though she didn't let on. In canon, once she became the Wrath she knew damned well that Vitiate was gone - it's canon because the Hands sent her an email about it after the class story. So she also knew that anyone telling her "the Emperor told me to do this" was full of shit. Acina wanted her to do all the gruntwork and then take all the credit for reclaiming the Dread Seeds. After seeing the Arcanum that Acina hadn't told her or anyone else about, that contained Patient Zero and all sorts of scary stuff - even more so. She would play along with Acina because the Dread Seeds were a Very Bad Thing, but she was certainly not going to fork over the Dread Masters' tech to her. 

Gameplay: It's bugged at the end. The final heroic on Ilum was decidedly miserable, which is a shame because the rest of the quest line was fun. 

Since the Dread Seeds happened during Viri's years as the Wrath, she brought along Jaesa to at least try to keep some continuity. Before KOTFE, Jaesa and Vette were her seconds all the time, and she would have chosen the former for anything Scary Force Related. Vette jumped in on the Ilum heroic because unfortunately Jaesa was useless there, despite being Level 50. Of course, she was standing there wearing Lana's belt with gold eyes, so she still didn't look 100% like she was from the correct part of her timeline, but I did what I could.  Overall, once I got the hang of it, using the seeker droid was pretty simple. When I was on Corellia I nearly got ninjaed - some asshole Jedi Knight was literally standing behind me and watching what I did with my seeker droid, then putting his down in the direction it was saying. As soon as I noticed it I just went over to Hoth to search for a different Seed. Sorry. Not helping you, Jedi.

On Alderaan and Balmorra Viri found the Seeds with only two or three tries with the seeker droid, which is...well, I'm not complaining. When I got to Voss, the last one Viri had to collect, I finally checked her mail and there was a buff from GSI in an email to make the search easier. Oops. Could have used that on Corellia. 

Somewhere along the way she somehow lost the seeker droid. I logged out and logged back in, and it was back in her mission tools. I also got an email with it. Okay. Glad to see everything's not bugged. 

Going through the Arcanum wasn't the easiest, but I'm really proud I was able to do it. I'm horrible at jumps. That's an understatement. Viri did die a few times as I figured out the first jump, and I got stuck behind some shelves once, but I'm really pleased with myself, and proud of Viri, that she was able to make it through. Rocket boost definitely helped.  The search took her to one of her favorite places, the ancient side of Belsavis. Better yet, she got to explore another Rakatan crypt. And there was a Rakatan transporter. Pure joy. The boss at the end was hilarious. You don't fight him; you just kill all his adds and he eventually gets zapped by his own artifacts and dies. Score. 

And then we went to Ilum.  I don't know if I even want to write a guide for this because the quest is bugged. Very, very bugged. Hellish. It makes me feel better that the difficulties did seem to come largely from the fact that it was bugged and not my own inability to make it through.  Once the bugs were sorted out, Viri didn't have much more difficulty with it than she'd had soloing, say, veteran Athiss or Red Reaper.  Viri spent three hours trying to get through a single room: a hallway where you need to place the power cells in the turret before the hordes of corrupted soldiers swarm in. The turrets refused to fuel past 87% over and over again. I called in different companions, all influence level 50. Vette, Jaesa, Lana and Shae all had turns. I tried them on tank; I tried them on heal. Worse: when Viri died I had the choice of a) reviving her in the room where ALL the cages were open so she was instantly mobbed; b) respawning her just outside the temple and resetting all the mobs in the entire mission. I was in tears of frustration.  After taking a shower, getting lunch and taking a break, I looked for more information online. Turns out it's a bug that can be alleviated by resetting the quest. I did that, and the next time I went in, I was able to solve the room in two or three tries. 

On to the Sithspawn, which was an entirely different level of hell. Viri didn't die here, but neither did the Sithspawn. Again, it was bugged. You're supposed to be able to lure the beast into standing on barrels that explode, but no matter what I did, it it didn't work. I looked online and sure enough, there were reports of this bug, too.  I put Vette on passive and went out into the hallway to take a break when the tentacles reappeared. I have no idea how or why, but after that the barrels worked, and Viri and Vette made short work of the monster. 

After that, the final boss was honestly a piece of cake. I had trouble finding the crystals to click for a moment, but once I did, easy peasy.  Acina was not happy was Viri. Eh. Don’t underestimate the Wrath. She still got some cute armor.  I don't think I'd be in a hurry to go back to this unless they fixed the bugs. But it's done, and I can say I did it. 

[disaster-bi-shan]

OK THINK I GOT MY IDEA FOR THE CONSULAR CHAPTER 1 REWRITE

Here it comes

DREAD MASTER INVOLVEMENT. bear with me here.

ok So what If. Prior to their imprisonment on belsavis rather than them all being kept in the dark temple, one is left on malachor three where (chapter 1 consular spoilers) the jedi master team comprising yuon, fain, parkanas and co accidentally discover it, and parkanas is the one that has to suppress the effects long enough for everyone else to escape, but not unscathed, unfortunately. The dread masters, though their power is kind of diminished, can still reach him via the phobis device due to imprinting on it long enough, and he ends up becoming a proxy/vassal for them. The mind control and shielding technique stuff is still sort of there, and we get to dig into stuff along with saving the original exploration team before they get possessed and taken over (each jedi correlates to each of the dread council, maybe?)

WE ALSO get to deal with the dread seeds being an issue from the seeker droid story Plus they now come with even more eldritch horror shit bc NIGHTMARES and terrors beyond your comprehension, yea?

maybe the afflicted masters buried them on each chapter 1 planet to build an army for the dread masters and such? Then the final showdown is finally securing the phobis device, taking down parkanas/vivicar by severing his link from it (kill and save options both preserved) and dealing with the fallout with THERAPY.

somewhere along the way we recruit some other jedi to help out and do damage control along with you (although maybe the cast is already pretty big by now, two/three other people including attros finn, duras fains daughter, and tykan's padawan), you being a narrative foil to parkanas, which you get to learn abt in flashbacks since the shield technique makes you fight through their mindscape and delve through their memories to get to the source of the corruption. Theres some way to work in some LS/DS choices but brain is not working

YOU specifically are the only one with enough mental fortitude to go in w/o succumbing yourself, noetikons are still the ones that teach you the technique and such, etc etc but with the aid of your team, some kind of battle meditation shenanigans, they act as anchors for you so you aren't going into it alone.

so this way! this feels a bit more tied into the later children of the emperor stuff (all behind the curtain subterfuge things the emperor has involvement/ties with) bc the dread masters Are a big deal unlike vivicar who is and the villain has a more coherent gameplan instead of... idk.

and less playing into ableism ... maybe ... eh... idk.

I'm not the dread master lore person here tho and it's still a little incoherent so obv room for improvement and tightening up stuff

[transformers-trash-fan]

It’s my opinion on Cybervers time again...Yay

My sis and I binged the last eps of season one

Spoilers if you haven’t seen it anyway full speed ahead.

Episode 12

I feel like this thing with the billboard has been done before.... like in TFP or something

Windblade you’re gonna scare the poor boy

Why is the ladder only in the middle of the... I’m gonna say missile silo? Like then had to jump to get on it and jump to get off it....

I like the headlight flashlights

Bee you cutie

This little droid is cute....*one second later* fuck him

This is quite a group of flyers...or are they all Seakers?

I...I don’t know how to feel about this droid....

*looks up windblade toys on amazon* yes! They exist!

The explosions are still really cool looking

*trys to translate text* ....none of this matches

Nice Windblade! But uh so much for escaping

Damnit show stop making me feel things!!

Also f**** this Telly X whatever I don’t like him

Episode 13

Ok I feel bad for hating this little guy because he is cute but.... can’t he be a little more helpful... you know like he wants to be

Whoa hold on what about Egypt and aliens I wanna hear more about that

GOSH DANG IT! I WANT TO LIKE YOU YOU STUPID LITTE FLOATY THING BUT COME ON!!!

Oh hay Bee and I agree

Awwwww baby bee!

I wish my memory worked like that

Ratchet! I uh.... his voice is better then when I first heard it....still have to get used to it though

also Alpha trion, cool

Awww yeah boiii! The matrix!

No way no way no way we actually get to see him him become a prime!!!! No way!!!

That was very cool, I liked it

Oh hay Optimus is a file clerk (librarian) in this one as well! Cool

hay! WheelJack sounds better! Yay!

Oh hay it’s the resident Glitch Prowl! (Idk if he’s like that in this show)

Sis likes OP’s shield and says major Captain America vibes

Hold up! Dose Op have eye liner??

My sis agrees with prowl Op shouldn’t have gone back for him (she loves to hate this guys so it’s cool)

This pause

And Optimus sticks the landing but Bee flops it

Oh hay Screamer! Sup man

Sis hcs that Cyberverse’s thing will be eyebrows....she’s calling it now

Sis on ops eyes “big baby blues”

Oh StarScream is pretty

StarScream’s power in this is breaking my sisters brain its like The universe is aligning everything makes sense now

“He’s a freaking parrot” -sis

StarScream has a pretty smile

This is a very civil way to end the fight especially in a war

Let’s kick out the life force we’ll be fine! - Optimus prime

Telly X reminds us of the cores from portal

Episode 14

Awe they’re playing cube!

Ohhh they’re in Her memory!

Ooo burn

I like thundercracker

StarScream looks like he had a bow on his head

Oooh burn Shockwave that’s actually kinda mean man

Wait why dose everyone hate the seekers like all the time, I feel bad for them

I love bee, that is all

Episode 15

Wait why is Telly driving

GRIMLOCK! Wait why is he posted like that?

“Good morning everybot!”

“ status report please tell me were not crashing toward doom” I love this

Hugs *cinema sins ding*

One City is worth a dinosaur king

Cool a homing device crown

Awww grim

Episode 16

Oooo it’s time too meet Shockwave

I love grimlock!

THEY HAVE A HOT TUB! Yes!

They stole a plane, kinda wish we saw that part

is bee dancing?

I love that he keeps dancing in the background

Have I mentioned that I love Grimlock

Episode 17

Wow they crashed a LOOOONNNG time ago

“Do tell” aft

Oh hay he’s actually helpful!

I feel like this a G1 reference

YES GRIMLOCK THREW HIM! YES!

The frag he has guns?!?

That is not a shortcut that is a death trap

Grimlock hot * Cinema sins ding*

They found it!

Hugs!! *cinema sins ding*

Episode 18

Man I hate Shockwave sometimes

Shockwave is mama of spider shooties

Cutting Bee with 1500 degree knife

I’d say it was sad too see Telly go... but I don’t care

YAY HE CAN BE MORE HELPFUL NOW

“I love lasers”

WE GOT EVERYBODY BACK!