#shadow: has a game where you can use guns if you want to but its not a requirement most of the time

[sonknuxadow]

its funny that people always talk about shadow having a gun and shadow is known as The Guy With The Gun when tails uses guns way more often and also the idea of tails using guns is objectively funnier than the idea of shadow using guns

[ficsinhistory]

Sonic 4 and Amy Rose: How her character can be.

So…Sonic 3 is kinda stuck in my head and spinning like a microwave.

In particular, Amy Rose. I loved her cameo and her possible dynamic in the fourth movie with all characters plus her story made my writer’s ideas go WILD! So, I decided to do a silly little post about it! 

I never played the games, just watched the movies, but I've done my search! 

 So let 's go!

(Spoilers to Sonic Movie 3)

Tagging @annymation @nerdyneko6373

BACKSTORY 

I answered an ask before with some basic thoughts, but repeating here, Amy would have a widely new backstory, motivations, arc and narrative purpose while keeping her core: Unconditional love for all living things and a deeply Empathy. 

From the mid-credits, we could see that Metal Sonic apparently came from the future, so not only we may have time travel but that Sonic 4 probs will be based on Sonic CD, which heavily has time travel and fate in its theme.

In the game, cards told Amy she would meet Sonic and she fell madly in love because…destiny said so. Ok, obviously, the movie will need a stronger reason for her to exist, and her role as a whole.

So, here's my theory:

Amy will be on a mission to protect Sonic to save the future from Metal domination. 

She would be a little girl from the Little Planet, or a place where it came close, raised in an orphanage where she never was adopted. Her home would be destroyed because the Metal Army wants the Time Stones. From who doesn't know, the Time Stones are 7 stones that can fold time itself. A crazy power to fall on bad hands. 

In this scenario, Amy would risk her life trying to save everyone, getting the stones first to use them to stop the Metal Army somehow. However, the time stones would why the Metals exist, because Sonic was defeated, before sending her to Earth (at the same age of Sonic or a little older, it depends)  to protect the gems and Sonic. But there is a small problem: she doesn't know where he is!

So she would grow up running away from Metal Army and the GUN, who find her after their readers went crazy since she didn't travel through rings but by the Time Stones, which would generate a lot of chaos energy. Amy also would have a beef with this organization not only for persecute her but for… you know…destroy the future as is known!

You heard me right, they'd be the ones who made Metal to be a “prevention” against Sonic before they get out of control (if with the help of Robotinik, Stone or not is open) and dominate Earth and universe. 

I also theorize that her being an orphan gave her attachment issues and feelings she will always be left behind, longing for a place to belong at least once since he could never stop running. Growing up with this mission of saving everyone by finding this specific boy and keeping the Stones safe would be the only constant in her “always running away to survive” life.

With those changes in the backstory, Amy Rose would become guardian of the Time Stones and an anomaly in the current timeline. With her latest pursuits settling her in New York (why Sonic ended up there is still a mystery, maybe his powers evolved?).

But not only that! She also would gain powers related to time. What I personally think is perfect for her. Sonic has speed, Tails his brain, Knuckles his strength, Shadow his teleport, Amy Rose, time.

In her case, time manipulation to some extent with chaos energy (and sure, Silver can do this but he already has psychic powers not to mention that there isn't really a reason in how he does it and I don't see any harm in transferring this ability to Amy, or even both of them having it in this universe, since Silver has more psychic powers as a trademark). 

I think abilities related to seeing the future and past, allowing her to think strategically and would be great for her core traits. Imagine when you can know all about a person's story? Or even a second chance, like Ekko’s from Arcane? Whatever could be, I think is amazing giving Amy a proper ability that also could push her empathy, love and determination more.

Also with her being the last refugee for a dominated planet and timeline would give her more complexity and a compelling story. Making her the only chance that things can be different and save everyone would be a responsibility and pressure for. While Amy could do anything to make sure things change, because that is who she is. 

Not only that, changing Amy’s backstory to protect Sonic can give their relationship a deeper foundation. With her, presumably coming to Earth not much younger than Sonic and always seeing him as her hope, is so cool! He would inspire her even before they knew each other. Imagine her powers showing some glimpses of him as Amy grows up with Sonic being the only constant in a life she always has to be running away. 

That would give a cool nood to her debut in the video game but with a blast! Destiny indeed brings her and Sonic together, but now isn't about her. Is about this lifetime mission. Is Sonic’s life on the line. The Wachowski’s life. 

Billions of lives across the universe on her shoulders. A hard mission she assumed because she loves those people and thinks all of them deserve a good life with freedom. That she has to try to get a better future.

She'd try to be a heroine, even if she was too young and this is a hell of a life. Because Amy Rose cares. She empathizes soo much! And always believes things can be different, better. What brings me to…

PERSONALITY AND TRAITS

Listen, I know she evolved a lot but…Amy, to be a movie character has to have a strong characterization. A thing thank God got better, but can get upgrades.

As I said above, with some story before Sonic like Shadow, Knuckles and Tails have, Amy can bring good points to establish her arc and persona.

First, this Amy would be more…traumatized. Sorry, but it is true. Everyone in these movies passed through the horrors, so should Amy. 

The girl'd see her home falling on evil hands and be the only one who escaped, that's alone is terrible. Now, add the responsibility of fixing things, find and protect the only being in the universe that can change things and she doesn't have any idea where is AND being on her own for years in one place after another? The past would do a NUMBER on Amy Rose.

Because see, Amy at her core is a lovable and kind character. And I can see this being the reason that she doesn't give up fighting at the same time she beats herself. Is too much pressure and stress, to think about. And she cares. Because is Amy Rose, and she cares too much. Amy’d be anxious and perfectionist in the movies, with the constant memory of a terrible future looming above her head. She can’t relax, she can’t get attached to anything or anyone.

More than that, if Amy really is an orphan with no family, always left behind, she can start to think that the mission is more important than herself, which would bring? Exactly, sacrificial tendencies. Amy would do all she can to protect Sonic and the rest of the Wachowski, even this put her life constantly on the line. If your mission is to save billions and you don't have anyone to care about you, why would you?

 Not only that but I think, because of her mission, Amy would be very lonely and independent. She doesn't allow rely on anyone, so she does it all by herself, without having others help her for so long. Amy may also not let herself dwell too much on her own sadness, being reserved with her emotions and avoiding talking about her past suffering in silence most of the time, leaving her, as well as her powers, unstable. Maybe working hard to put up a facade.

She also wouldn't be willing to sacrifice her loved ones, maybe prefering to die than to lose someone adopting, like in the games, a mentality of “between the world and you, I chose you” with her new found family. Again, pretty interesting conflit to her, and the whole save the world mission. 

But not only angst makes a character, so Amy would also be kind, gentle, emphatic and forgiving. I can see her loving the Earth and the animals and humans in it, even if it was humans – the GUN who still persecutes her – that shattered her life in the first place and still gets in the way of the mission which is nothing more than cleaning up their mess because she believes that all life is valid.

Amy would want to help, raising the morale of others and feeling very compassionate (imo she also would be amazing giving advice). I also see her being the type that sees someone's needing help and doing that immediately. I can see her being gentle with Tails because he's this cute, smart, little kid or admiring Knuckles’ strength and instincts. Or helpful to Maddie and Tom because she accepts her. Always glad for the good actions of others.

She also would be persistent, feisty, hot-tempered and aggressive.

Fight for the future can wreck someone's nerves and Amy is kinda irrational and violent sometimes in the games and, to be honest, go girl! I mean, she destroyed and beheaded Metal Sonics like they were made of paper. The girl can fight and is pretty good at it! She did it for a long time, I can tell. Amy also would often be in touch with anger, with some moments that would make anyone regret annoying her.  She's temperamental and it would be good to see it. Imagine seeing this little pink, cute, girl  who almost has a heart attack because things don't go the way she planned or because she was bossed around. Amy always has been angry, let her be in the movies too!

Not only that, but this is my “Amy is a powerful chaos energy user” agenda. The girl's hammer was infused with chaos energy to such an extent that it glowed brightly and seemed to obey her commands from a distance (please, let her cuffs be limiter rings 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼). Not to mention her stealth skills as she approached machines made to track without being noticed.

Amy also would be resourceful, clearly living by herself for so long, would make her see different ways. And I don't know if she made her hammer or brought her or built but it's a point. Maybe using her time powers to heal herself?

I think she would also have some difficulty acknowledging her own feelings, due to years of constant travels and persecution. But it would be more like she doesn't know how to behave with her being kind of intense at times. Not only that, I think that because of this she may not understand some feelings that she is not used to, such as acceptance and attachment, not allowing herself to get too attached because thinks she'll have to leave soon.

And of course, a funny sense of humor. I think Amy cracks jokes at the most random moments, but she would also go down the route of witty observations, dry one-liners, and good-natured teasing. And she really has time powers, time travel references. And propensity for chaos and shenanigans cause, c'mon…girl hates GUN (and any authority let's be honest, she does whatever she wants)  AND is a war refugee. Amy doesn't have the goody-two-shoes atitude, no way. If anything, she’s only less impulsive than the main cast in doing crazy shit, planning little to not get caught.

Amy would also have a strong belief in time and destiny. Having grown up on Little Planet with the Time Stones or at least them being prominent in her culture, she might have that mindset. Which would be fun since she's essentially trying to change the fate that was the end of her home and interfering.

My girl also would be a great leader. She would guide everyone on how to deal with the robotic threat that adapts to enemies and copies attacks very well. And also a love for adventures and emotion.

We can't forget her love for girly things. Amy is a girl who loves being one. I imagine she likes what all average girls like: music, books, fashion etc. I dare say that this is one of the most important traits to portray. Amy being more independent and a warrior should in no way erase how feminine she can and likes to be. The character was inspired by the average Japanese girl of the time, it would be a disservice to forget this very important trait. Not to mention that in the context of this story, it could give her comfort. Fighting your whole life is tiring and can destroy someone's spirit. So having these feminine hobbies and tastes could be a way for Amy to maintain her own sanity. To have something beyond the mission to define herself. An escape. And a funny way to put her obsessive traits in work like her being crazy about a saga she knows in a YouTube video's essay level.

And the greatest trait: Unconditional Love. Amy loves all things. It's her trait that has to be brought to the games. To all her interactions. It has to influence her decisions. 

Amy has the type of compassion and kindness that would make this girl hold your hand, say she's on your side and fight with and for you. The do-good-because-you-can type. That inspires the best in others. She canonically remembers Shadow of Maria's compassion in the games. Amy Rose never gives up or left behind those who chose to do good. She gets out of her way to help a random bird in the games, for goodness' sake!

That's what they can't get wrong. If SCU!Sonic already has compassion, Amy has to irradiate it. Have this vibe at the moment you look at her. Is who she is. Love is her central trait. Not that Amy couldn't hate anything, she can. She has the temper to do it and is as any character. But Amy chose hope and mercy by default, not fighting. 

She can be violent and angry as much as any girl is (which is a lot) but at the end of the day, would believe in the one she loves until the end without wavering and that cannot be ruled out. Amy is a loving person. An optimistic.

A girl that believes she can defy destiny by putting heart enough. An average little girl that chooses to put herself in danger in the name of others because of love and compassion.

With that covered…

DYNAMICS!

Oh boy I love this part!

To start, the Wachowski, more specifically, our colorful bunch: only child meet brothers.

That's it, fight me.

 Look me in the eyes, and tell me she didn't give the energy to the girl that made everything by herself finds THE trio ever. Amy would love all of them and the boys would be thrilled with her (one more but I'll get there). Tom and Maddie? In the clouds! Maddie, especially.

First, Knuckles and Amy would be besties. Protectors of a powerful gem? Lost their home? Badass warriors? Sold. They would click in a blink of an eye! Let's recall Amy is pretty strong and a class A fighter. This boy just found his new sparring duo! Not only that, but Knuckles is a protector above everything and if my theory about Amy is true, she can relate more than anyone with the role: my life is devoted to a single purpose, protection. Imagine a scene where Knuckles stands his hand ro a handshake and Amy actually gives it back with a big smile and equal force. 

Tails and Amy? She'd see Tails and would kill everyone in the room than herself if anything happened to him. He's the cutest little boy, c'mom. Tails? You see Amy's hammer? A gorgeous technological weapon? Nah, he's a simple boy. Plus, Amy is really gentle and Tails' main insecurity is people despising him. But if anything, she'd find him endearing, valuing him as a team member. This little kit would see this really cool pink girl who is kind and imprints on her like a baby duck. Is her sibling too now, your honor! She carried this boy on her back like a backpack whenever she could. I need to see them as the duo ever!

Now… Sonic.

Fun fact, I'm not a Sonamy shipper, but I am a writer and man, and I love when a dynamic can be WILD.  

To start: Amy is protecting Sonic. Period.

That girl doesn't find the boy randomly, no, no. She found him. 

And if it is true, it makes me so FERAL! Because in a meta level, would change the Amy's damsel in distress portraying, placing Sonic as the one in need of protection and rescue. Would be amazing! On a narrative level? Epic, because now Sonic, the everyone's hero who always meets their new allies fighting them and after being friends with them, is the one someone fiercely defends against an enemy that can't be reasoned with. He's out of his comfort zone.

Sure, Tails saved him too, but Tails also is a young kid that needs his help. Amy? Don't let the pink fool you, girl is a menace. She destroyed at least a dozen of Metal Sonics alone when Sonic himself barely scratched one. She knows this enemy in the palm of her hand because, remember, this thing can copy abilities AND improve itself! Girl is fighting an AI made to fight and is winning!

Amy isn't a person who needs Sonic…is him that needs her.

Amy Rose has survived all this chaos all this time, she doesn't need a hero for herself. She needs one for the world, for the future. 

Sonic has always fought villains like Ivo, or people who were fierce antagonists but became allies with him by extending a helping hand, like Shadow or Knuckles. Or even allies from the beginning, but who still depended heavily on external resources, like Tails.

Amy? Nah, girl can fight but not against him. On contraire, he is fighting for him. From the start. Total change. And it's so intense and incredible that I'm going to set aside a session just for it.

Amy and Sonic are equals in this version!

And God, this is AMAZING!

Tom Wachowski. The man would like Amy just for the fact that she saved his son. After all the saving him, saving future, and her being friend of Sonic (maybe more, I will cover later)? The man would be supportive as hell! Let's recall Tom is a helpful person as Amy and both would  find a common ground in this. She would respect his leadership as the patriarch and Tom appreciate Amy's effort in defending his family.

But now…Maddie Wachowski. The movie can destroy me so bad here. First, Maddie would be thrilled to have another girl at home. But not only that. Maddie's a nurturing person. She's the emotional support, the doctor, the mother of the house. And Amy would align very much with Maddie's personality. She's this sweet, brave girl who's trying to save everyone and just wants to help all the time. Maybe Maddie feels relieved to have another girl in the house because Amy understands her position: Love through sacrifice as a loving and caring person.

Maddie only is a veterinarian because Tom bust his butt to make her happy. She willingly would move her whole life to SF because now was time to support her husband. Maddie also supported Tom and adopted the boys. This woman helped and was helped, loved and was loved, many times. 

Both Maddie and Amy have this love in their essence. And how hard it can be for those who accept so deeply.

Maddie almost died a lot of times, so do her sons, and her husband who she loves so much too. Amy fights and hides and risks her life for this family. Love isn't easy. Can hurt.

Maddie almost lost her darling husband thanks to her adopted sons, aliens, that she accepted. Amy lost her home to humans that still want to kill her. But both don't give up on loving those others would hate. Because their caring and loving sides are bigger than any hate.

Just…Amy and Maddie man…

GUN. Oh, GUN…Amy would hate this organization's guts so much. They not only would make the things that destroyed her home and hurt billions but also their lack of empathy and complete disdain for others definitely put them as her public enemy number #1. 

Shadow. You hear me right, Shadow, because, fun fact, they're kinda friends from what I could see in the games and he has a great respect for her. Amy literally inspired him to save Earth once and believes that Shadow is a good person, having faith in him to do the right thing. They're like siblings. And I need to see this in the cinema. They could bond through similar despise to GUN :D

Metal Sonic. Your enemy is just like the hero you forseek. I need more info to go deep but thinking in how Amy fights copies of what should be her “savior” is sooo mess up and endearing.

SONIC AND AMY

I told you they would have a separate part!

Like I said, I'm not a Sonamy shipper, I only watched the movies and Sonic Boom sometimes. But man, the grip the version of this duo got me should be studied. 

They are a…controversial topic. Can see why, the foundation of them isn't good and they are kinda a mess. But in the movies? Oh man, how different things can be.

They will come from scratch in the movies which gives them a big advantage. No crazy behaviors or one-sided feelings. Is a fresh start!

As said, probably Amy will look out and protect Sonic for the Metal Army.

Which is great because it's not only an excellent reason to bring and keep the two together but it also avoids any of the obsessive stalking Amy had originally. No, she's looking for Sonic but to save his life and ensure the universe a good future. She's selfless, she takes Sonic as a person into consideration.

Which is good for Sonic too, since he will have an ally who is skilled in combat and who didn't start out wanting to kill him the first time. They will be equals, unlike Sonic who had to save Amy.

Now the dynamic. It's a... complicated topic. I understand why people are afraid it’ll be terrible with the writers apparently going the Sonamy route.

Some people fear that the film will be just that, that Amy will lose her personality in the name of romance or that they just aren't big fans of Sonamy because of how she was done in the games or because they have other preferences, which is valid.

But, at least in this version, I think it can work. And not only can, but be extremely well done and coherent, going beyond simply platonic and romantic.

To begin with, no matter how it develops, I firmly believe that their friendship and bond will be the strongest foundation of these two.

The games didn't start out focusing on Sonic and Amy's friendship, more in the romance-ish. However, the movie would change that. Instead of following the typical relationship story, I think the writers could explore more a route where they show why they are the person for each other.

While yes, because it was said by the directors that the plan involves a "romantic" route; the most important thing established for Amy and Sonic in the movies is to show why they work as a duo, why they get along in the first place rather than just romance and saying that they will be together. Will be about the bond. 

To begin with: Amy and Sonic's versions of the movies are extremely compatible. As a whole, independent of the label.

Movie!Sonic is a brave but extremely traumatized boy. He has some trust issues and what all the people he loves and cares about have in common is that they are all undeniably selfless and good people. Tom protects and helps both people and animals. Maddie is a veterinarian who helps animals. Tailes is his little brother who always helps. Knuckles is his protective older brother. Even Shadow, at the moment he realized that the black hedgehog was just very traumatized and manipulated, Sonic had no problem putting aside any animosity after nearly killing him. Sonic grew up isolated, with his first guardian telling him he would be persecuted for his powers.

If there's one thing he values in people, it's kindness and goodness. 

And these qualities Amy has plenty. 

And I say more, while Sonic would be impressed by the rescue, he would trust and like Amy seeing how kind and concerned she's with people and animals (I mean, in the games, she’d this story about helping a bird). Sonic would admire her for her fighting skills, yes, but above all, he would value Amy for her compassionate and loving personality. Someone who is risking everything just to keep people safe, to keep him and his family safe. 

Not only that, Amy is a deeply sensitive, forgiving and kind soul and that would be one of, if not the most, important points for her and Sonic's dynamic. This boy... has been through a lot. He's lost a mother figure, almost killed people, almost lost his dad and must surely have a lot of guilt. And if there's one type of person who knows how to deal with people with guilt, it's those with kindness and unconditional love. 

Amy, in Sonic's POV, wouldn't be amazing because she knows how to fight or because of the really cool powers she’d have, but because of her ability to show love and kindness unconditionally even after all she has been.

He shows so much compassion throughout the movies, but I think what still really gets Sonic is to receive it. And Amy shows it easily, like breathing. If Sonic at some moment lost faith in himself, that he maybe doesn't deserve his family, if he loses in guilt, Amy will be there with all her trust and love.

Amy, on the other hand, would value Sonic as well. 

She would grow up with this beacon of hope, this person who could put an end to the terrible future. But not only that, I believe that she had him as a role model, perhaps seeing lapses of Sonic's life, and how he always persisted even when alone and afraid. This would inspire her, he would not only be a hero, but like her hero. What she wants to be. Remembering that Amy would enter this mission purely to do good, the girl would be going through this. She didn't want to be a hero, maybe explore and have adventure, but not being in charge of countless lives so young.  But she entered this because it was the only way to fix things, that doesn't mean she doesn't crack under pressure.

Sonic is not just the trigger that can save the world. He is the shattering of expectations. Someone so good and special that he can change an almost certain destiny. For Amy, Sonic would be the reason she doesn't give up, won't let this crazy endeavor go by and accept defeat. He is the fastest creature in the universe who not only breaks the sound barrier, but also writes fates. The simple fact that he lives makes a difference and this would inspire Amy that maybe she can too. 

That a simple girl who threw herself against everything and everyone in a mission that could kill her in the name of change can be a heroine. That she doesn't need to accept bad things passively without fighting, that she can indeed change the timeline.

Sonic would be a reason for Amy. Someone who never gives up, who will try again and again, no matter how many times he falls. Who will keep running until he reaches the finish line.

What I mean is, that there is no shortage of real and profound reasons for these two to enjoy each other's company. Their personalities complement each other. Isn't just superficial reasons, but real, deep things that influence both of them. 

Is a mutual connection they have that is different from anyone. That just exists between them. Is about building.

Development

Everyone talks about reverse Sonamy and I see the vision, but may I add: both are low-key crushing…except they don't see it.

We're talking about a boy who was isolated for ten years before having a family, carrying devastating traumas, and a girl who lost everything, is on the run without creating bonds for years also with devastating traumas.

C'mon, they don't know shit about romance.

And no, it's not that the passion isn't there, because it is... it's just that they don't know.

Starting with Sonic, maybe he'll notice the signs: his heart beating faster, his need to impress Amy, his nerves on edge...but don't connect the dots until someone points them out.

While Amy thinks he's a little weird but definitely endearing and heroic, and finds Sonic's actions silly but cute... and ends up attributing it to devotion and attachment to him in general.

Meanwhile, Maddie and Tom are nearly having a stroke because for the love of God they are so obvious while Tails and Knuckles also didn't get the why.

And while it might be a funny running joke, it also takes the pressure off the romance. They're not self-conscious about it. For them, they’re just new friends…with a weird amount of tension. But friends, noneless. Y'know, not second intentions or anything. Just them thinking their new pal is cool! As should be.

With that said, I buy the idea of Sonic showing his feelings more openly and being the one who goes after Amy more while she is more shy about it. And considering that she has a mission that determines the end or not of the known universe, it makes even more sense.

Although I see moments where Sonic is flirting really cheesy and Amy comes with a super deep declaration full of sincere devotion and drives this poor hedgehog to blue screen.

Something that can also contribute to their dynamics is parallels.

Sonic has parallels with almost everyone: Tails, Knuckles, Shadow. Heavily in Shadow. Good dynamics are born from it. All iconic audiovisual interactions have them. And with Amy and Sonic it would be no different.

One really cute thing about them is, Sonic and Shadow for example thrived on the parallels of similar loss, grief and as opposites, which is amazing narratively, Amy and Sonic are more parallel in qualities and, depending on how the film approaches it, in backstories.

They are both kind and sweet souls who fight for the ones they love until the end and are compassionate. Not only that, Amy and Sonic may be young folks who grew up alone feeling the weight of loneliness hit them hard. And heroes who now have to save the world because no one else can.

They have opposing parallels too, like Sonic being more laid back and impulsive while I see Amy being more strategic and thoughtful, him having to hide while she had to constantly move around, or Sonic finding family while Amy can't have bonds for the greater good. 

Heck, the writers can even pull a Amy and Sonic/ Tom and Maddie parallel if they really want to hit us!

But imo, they'd thrive in the alikeness. In their shared compassion.

In the capacity of changing the other for the better.

Sonic could help Amy relax. She would have a lot of responsibility on her shoulders, without support and always struggling. He would show her what it's like to have support, a family, how to take life more lightly. That she's doing well.

Amy can help Sonic to find peace. That he’s a hero and that although isn't perfect by any means, and yes he makes mistakes, that does not diminish his worth. She gets what he has been and keeps the same hope and trust in him.

And that's the appeal, imo. Not a love at first sign or destiny. But showing how they work, how they don't need to change who each other is but help, and how natural the interaction is. The growing feelings. The simplicity of the whole thing.

The lightness of young love, y’know.

Conflict

Trust me when I say it, the writers can make Sonamy doomed by narrative. Not only that, but it would be their core conflict as a duo.

No, I'm not crazy. 

See, cuteness apart, Sonamy is almost an “anomaly” by default in this universe. With the Metal Domination, Sonic probably should be dead in the future, not possible to meet anyone after that. Amy who came from the future to a time that isn't hers to stop it. She is not from his timeline, and he isn't from hers either. 

Sonic and Amy never should meet each other in any normal circumstances. They have a mission bigger than them. They have a clear reference to Terminator and my pal, it romance doesn't end well.

If my theories are correct, the fourth film is essentially a fight against destiny. The star-cross story writes itself. Amy and Sonic meet and hit it off, but man, none of the odds are in their favor.

And to make matters worse, I'm pretty sure that if love is a theme in the film, the writers will pull to love is to sacrifice. 

Remember the Tom and Maddie/Sonic and Amy parallels I mentioned? Tom and Maddie’s relationship has a strong foundation in sacrifice.

Maddie has said that Tom did everything he could to get her to go to veterinary school while Maddie gave up her life in Green Hills to be with Tom and make his dreams come true. Same with Sonic and Amy, except the stakes for these two are so much higher.

Because these two have a policy of no loved ones hurt equally at least in this universe and I know this will be a point of discussion. Sonic would never agree to someone he cares about sacrificing themselves, while Amy wouldn't accept it either. They're alike.

And I say more, it would be worse for Amy because this is her mission but also her feelings. The goal she dedicated her entire life to vs the people she loves. She won't condemn billions...but she won't be able to send Sonic into a near-death fight. And I'll say more, if she can save both of them at the cost of her own life, I say she would.

She doesn't have a family or a home and after spending time with the Wachowski, she wouldn't accept the risk of the family losing their son and brother. And man Sonic wouldn't take this fact well. 

He wouldn't understand why Amy wouldn't try to fight to change things once more instead of just accepting death, not accepting that this time, there would be no way to talk her way out of this situation. Amy would be right in her point. Lives were at stake and any other decision would lead to losses. 

Sonic would be torn too. It's a very important mission, and he has his family and the universe at stake...but leaving Amy would devastate him just as much. She's cool, she's amazing, and she'd still die for others. How do you deal with that?

Love and sacrifice. And always think about the other person and their well-being, not your own because that would be better. Doing things so that others can have their dreams and aspirations fulfilled. And how to balance what them both want.

They will find a way but God, the drama!

So yeah, Sonamy can be doomed by the narrative.

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Well, this ends my talk about Amy Rose. What is right we'll see only in 2027. Until then, let's enjoy what we have. Please, if you wanna say something, do it! I would love to hear it! A big hug! Bye!

[theresattrpgforthat]

Do you have any recommendations for games with fantasy pirates and tactical combat? I've really been enjoying running Pirate Borg, but I'm missing my crunchy strategy mini games. Thanks for everything you do for the community!

Theme: Tactical Pirate Fantasy

Hello friend, so by ‘tactical’ my best guess as to what you’re looking for is games that provide your characters with multiple options when it comes to resolving conflicts, with some options being better than others. This may or may not include maps in combat, but I think it might also include environmental considerations, buffs or de-buffs for using specific pieces of gear, and accounting for range or position when firing a gun.

However, really tactical games are much harder for me to find, probably because there’s so much math that goes into them. I did my best to give you a range of options, but I’m not entirely sure how well any one of these pirate games match your definition of ‘tactical’.

Bilge Rats, by Games by Cass.

Take to The Sea of Mischief and gamble your life away on high seas adventures as ratfolk pirates. Chase buried treasure, hunt wannabe pirate lords, and engage in some all together unsavoury action in Bilge Rats: A Sea of Mischief. This 78 page guide has everything you need to get your adventures on The Sea of Mischief up and running--except for the d6 dice, cups, and pencils you're gonna need. So, dust off your tricorn caps, get your cutlass shined, and get ready to set sail!

Bilge Rats’ form of strategy is probably unlike what you think of when you think of a tactical game, but I think it’s interesting and worth taking a look at! The basic system is centred around a game called “Liar’s Dice”, which involves rolling, bluffing if you don’t succeed, and calling other’s bluffs. You roll a pool of d6’s, with the difficulty being determined by a) the minimum number to beat to be considered a success and b) the number of successes you need to do the thing. As a player you’ll have to decide when a roll is worth bluffing, and if you enter PVP, it’s also about determining when your opponent is bluffing - challenge someone when they’re right, and you’ll pay the cost!

That being said, I think the most tactical part of this game comes into play during naval battles. Your character type is called a “Duty”, which determines your role upon the ship, your order of initiative, and a number of skill values. You’ll also have to consider wind speed, wind direction, and the roughness of the waves every time you engage in combat on a boat, so making strategic choices to improve your odds is probably pretty important.

The Runed Age, by Stormforge Productions.

In a world where magic and technology have fused together, where the limits that man is capable of have been broken, where a man can destroy the world with a stroke of a pen, the poor starve and the rich prosper off the blood of innocence. A world that should be a utopia has been turned by greed and pride into a battlefield where the poor wage war in the shadows for the ambitions of the wealthy. You are one of these scoundrels, these rogues, these pirates who struggle for the sport of the rich to achieve the glory, the riches, the power to break your chains and surpass the limits of The Runed Age.

The Runed Age is built on the Sigil System, a robust d100 roll-under system that allows you to play as narratively or simulationist as you want. The d100 genre of systems is a tried a true roleplaying method, and what sets the Sigil System (and thus the Ruined Age) apart from the rest is its combat and wounds system, which reflects the stresses and rigours of combat on the body to make combat as realistic as possible. This means that every fight in the Runed Age is a gritty, epic and lethal struggle for survival where you need to be prepared to do your best just to outlive your opponent.

The Runed Age is saturated with magic, using Runes as a mechanic to write your own spells. The openness of the system means that players have a lot of control over what they do with their magic, but the game definitely rewards system mastery because every time you try to write a spell, you’ll have to consider fiddly bits like power, range, and control.

When it comes to rolling dice, the system is heavily inspired by Call of Cthulhu. One review I found for this game mentions a possibility for tactical play, so I’m assuming that combat is more survival than CoC. If you want magic to be a significant part of the game, you probably want to check out The Runed Age.

Blood & Thunder, by Black Flag Printing Press.

You are a cutthroat aboard a pirate ship, seeking the fortune and glory that awaits those strong enough to take it. Brave the waterways of Erda and get rich or die trying in this nautical piracy TTRPG.

Lethal combat meets reactive gameplay at the infantry scale. Board, capture, or sink enemy vessels with naval play. Boasting rules for three dimensional range-finding and movement, even a regular swim in the ocean can become a deadly hazard as you're ripped apart by sharks, sea monsters, or something far worse.

Blood & Thunder is definitely fantastical, just judging from the races that you can choose from. Like D&D, your character choices are pre-packaged with stat bonuses and special abilities, but unlike D&D, you us a d100 for most of your rolls. Difficulty levels range from 0-100, with a limit on what you can even attempt to do depending on how high your skill rating is. If you can roll, you’ll aim to roll under your max skill rating.

Character levelling is also strategic; you need to meet certain requirements to take specific careers. Combat is also pretty dependent on a grid map, which I interpret to mean that range and positioning are two factors that you’ll have to consider, as well as an action economy that ensures that you’ll have to make your moves count.

Pirates and Musketeers, by Andrezj Buhlak.

The 17th century was rich in interesting events, political intrigues, bloody wars, and sea voyages. This book is a gateway to this fascinating period of history. If "dry history" is not enough for you, you can spice it up with fantastic assumptions, including vampires, werewolves, sea monsters and ancient ruins.

Pirates and Musketeers uses the Year Zero engine, which provides you with a number of d6s to roll that come from your base traits, character skills, and character gear. You have the ability to “push” your roll should your initial effort fail, which you will likely do often, as only 6’s are considered a success. However, should you “push” (or “re-roll”) your roll, any 1’s that you roll will also inflict penalties, doing damage to a stat or your gear. This means that in many stages of game-play, players will be balancing how much they value success against how many consequences they’re willing to face.

Language-wise, I’m not really a big fan of the way the game uses the term “savages.” The time period in this game is at the strength of many colonial empires, and some of that definitely bleeds through, so pick up this game with caution.

Caraval Crew, by iotsov.

A low fantasy TTRPG that focuses on sailing ships.

Right now, as far as I can tell, Caravel Crew is untested, but it has a lot of pieces for you to pick up and fiddle with. Combat has a lot of different kinds of options for your characters to exploit, with different outcomes if you bash, stab, shoot, parry, grapple, etc. There’s different weapons that are useful for different skills, and getting new weapons costs gold - an important resource to track. You’ll have a number of resources that you’ll need to keep track of and monitor, including hit points and something called EP.

On top of that, there’s also social and survival rules, so if you want a game that gives you engaging combat while still giving thought to other parts of the game, maybe pick up Caraval Crew and take it for a test drive!

24XX Skeleton Crew, by Jonah Boyd.

Dead men DO tell tales… on the other side. Skeleton Crew takes place in the sailor’s purgatory, Davy Jones’ Locker. When one dies at sea, their soul is brought to the Locker for a vast voyage to judge their fate. Some sailors only spend a few days in the Locker, but many form swashbuckling crews to preserve their non-lives for weeks, months, or years before judgement calls.

24XX games are another approach to the OSR (the same house of game design that fuels Pirate Borg), but use different-sized dice to represent a larger skill. I think there’s still more chance than strategy here, but again, this is a game that you could probably pull things from and then put into another system if you’re looking flavour.

The few fiddly bits that do exist in this game are things like different kinds of ships and different toys to put onto the ship - two things that you might be able to tack onto a game that doesn’t currently think about them, and thus opening up more pieces to consider should you get into a fight. Your ship could also come with flaws - what happens if you get in a fire-fight with a ship that has misfiring cannons? How might that complicate the battlefield?

You can also combine this game with another similar 24XX game, such as 14XX Golden Age to broaden your character origins or give yourself a few extra rules toys to play with.

Islands of the Far Sea, by Kindred Spirits, and Lilliputian, by ManaDawn Tabletop Games.

Islands of the Far Sea is a pirate-themed hack of Chris McDowell's Into the Odd, taking place in the Islands of the Oddworld. Play as one of seven Failed Careers in your new days as a Treasure-Hunter!

Lilliputian: Adventure on the Open Seas is an adventure game about exploring the vast and expansive ocean,  filled with uncharted islands, hidden treasure, weird weather and unspeakable horrors. Character creation is fast, fun and random, classless, and relies on fictional advancement. It is based on Mausritter by Isaac Williams, Into The Odd by Chris McDowall and Cairn by Yochai Gal, as-well-as so many more.

Into the Odd and Mausritter use the same bones, and both of these game books acknowledge that inspiration, although Lilliputian also draws quite a bit from Cairn. I don’t consider either of these games to be tactical games - but what they do have is possibilities that can be imported into other games. The Failed Careers from Islands of the Far Sea are packaged skills and gear that you can give a character to start with. They will then have to figure out how to make their kit work for the problems they walk into.

Lilliputian also has specific rules for naval combat, as well as lots and lots of random tables. I think more than anything it communicates a specific vibe, but taking a little bit from one game and a little bit from another is one way to customize your experience - as well as give your players more options when trying to figure out how to tackle their next salty obstacle.

[phoenixfire-thewizardgoddess]

Remember that fic you wrote where Rosie is hypnotised by Vox to kill Alastor and he dies because of the angelic wound but Lucifer brings him back because of Lilith's deal being unfulfilled and not allowing him to die?

Imagine a AU where Charlie dies(surprise stab happy Exorcist jumping out of the rubble with a spear after Lucifer repairs the hotel) and Alastor in impulsively desperation uses his Favor to not allow her to stay dead, Alastor will not let her go that easily.

Of course that's Alastor's reputation as a terrifying overlord completely dead in the water, he literally saved Princess Charlie Morningstar who was the manifestation of sunshine and rainbows. Vox has 4k video evidence blasting Hell's airwaves.

Alastor suffering a mental breakdown because? Feelings?! He has feelings?! Since when and is there a cure?!? No one fears the big bad overlord with a princess sized soft spot in his heart?!? What fresh hell is this nonsense?!

Everyone else realising Alastor does indeed have a heart and reconciling that fact with the grumpy (Shook) cannibal before them grudgingly allowing Charlie Morningstar to hug him.

*slams fists on table*

YOU, YOU GET THE VISION! You understand how I want to drag this idiot repressed motherfucking deer through the wilderness of Having Feelings and Giving a Damn About Others. No matter HOW mortifying and confusing it is for him in the interim.

You didn't specify if you also meant it in the that's my not-kid way, but i had an idea. But its midnight and im so tired so it won't be stellar... apologies in advance.

---------

Fuck, he should have seen it coming. Should have anticipated it...

In the split second of Vagatha's agonised scream hitting his ears, and one of Angel's guns hitting the ground from now nerveless fingers... Alastor Saw.

Charlotte, ethereal and terrifying, arching back as the spear cleaved through her chest.

He doesn't even think about it, before his shadows launch upward from nearby rubble to cradle the shocked looking Princess. His own Shade crawling over the Princess' form and hissing at the encroaching Creature that dared desecrate this moment of victory. Of... not peace, but something filled with revolting optimism.

He should have taught Charlotte better. Should have imparted the paranoia that wound about his mind like thirsty vines... to remnd the little ball of faith, trust and pixie dust that this was Hell and one should never lower their guard. How had he failed so dismally?

He doesn't even realise the threat was dealt with as a tendril automatically formed from his spine, lashing out so violently that the exorcist's body is ripped in two uneven chunks, thudding to the ground before Charlotte ever does. He would never let her.

Not even because of his Deal. But because, damn it all, he'd... put so much time and effort into this little game. And it was no longer amusing.

He scowled down at the dying, burbling exorcist as she choked on her own blood. He was no longer entertained.

The face registers. The lieutenant.

Ah, if only there'd been time to peel her like a potato, let her scream for death until it was granted, and then devour her inch by inch. To think she dared to cast a mere spear at someone like the Princess... her superior, her peer, and in ambush?

The cowardly wretch! Poppets spill from the growing shadows and launch at the angelic executioner, ripping whatever they could find to shreds as the gurgling screams grew frantic. But there was no time for that.

Somewhere, in the distance, his sharp hearing can pick up the anguished cry growing louder... and he already Knows, as only one who has dealt death many times can, that the little King will arrive a moment too late to save his child.

Charlie is shuddering, trying to breathe around a sunken chest cavity filling with her own blood. Mouth moving as if to say words that her stunned mind can't quite form... trying to catch up to the reality of her demise.

Alastor feels a horrifying chill creep up his spine as those eyes tilt his way. She's crying, absently. As if she wants comfort... here, in this terrible, too-long moment.

And he... feels a burning desire to provide it. To step forwards and take her into his arms and reassure that it would all be fine, that her father was coming, that Charlotte would be alright if she was brave and held on a few more seconds. And the thought repulsed him... no, where was his fury? His rage? His bitter despair at the senseless cruelty towards one under his protection? The self-loathing at failing a task?

No, no no no... this wasn't how this worked!

Anger made the mind clear, sharp like a blade. This messy, drippy, heartwrenching sensation was like having one's head jammed into a bowl of tapioca pudding.

He feels Vagatha slam past, desperate to reach her little love in the last moments... and someone puts a hand briefly on his shoulder as they pass. It all feels too slow.

What is this?

He snarls, wresting control back with sheer spite alone. No. Sentiment was meant for funerals and... likely something or other else, but it was not productive.

Alastor lets static cloud his eyes for the space between heartbeats as his mind pulls itself apart searching for some devious trick, some magical cure-all, some unanticipated loophole that would salvage this absolute shitshow. His heart clenches as he casts about, upturning mental baskets of useless knowledge and toppling filing cabinets of secrets.

He feels the sharp sting of his own collar, reminding him of the impending failure... and it strikes him. The sheer simplicity of the whole nonsensical option, why, how foolish not to have seen it?!

Eyes flashing, the shadows curl about them in a protective dome, symbols flaring as he pulls up the Favour binding Charlotte to himself. He pulses power down the links, striding closer even as Vaggie and Angel whirl in confusion, mistrust and horror.

They try to block his access, but a glare to Husker and the pair are carefully but firmly shoved aside by those crimson wings. At least someone around here could do their job.

His heart is thundering, mind trying to spiral into panic of What If, but he held such thoughts tautly behind barriers of self-assurance and general flim-flammery. Who else would have such an excess but the one who taught Vox showman's patter?

Winding the chain about his forearm, he approaches the Princess, who is barely there anymore, and hinges at the waist to get close enough. When had he grown so large? He hadn't noticed.

Power raced down the chains, pulsing to the time of his heartbeat, too fast, too frenetic. Radio chatter crackled in and out, unbound by conscious commands as his mind Focused on One Single Goal.

Winds whipped the dust, forcing the few close enough to observe to hold fast in their positions or risk being whisked away. The magical backlash was like an angered cat, cristling with impending doom and lashing its tail. Woe betide those who flinched first.

Alastor could sympathise with such a plight.

"Charlotte Morningstar... for the Favour you owe, for that which you have promised me... I collect two-fold. By the deal binding us, I forbid you to allow something so paltry to claim your light... and I command you to hold on until your father is able to arrive. No, until he is able to enact enough healing to allow your body to sustain itself." He intones, the words hovering around him in the air, simultaneously of him and apart.

The chains pulse faster now, runes burning into the sigils, and green seems to fill the shadowed air... and Charlotte screams. Her own hand clutching tight to the chain as a literal lifeline. Her veins seemed to pulse with a green tinge as power was poured into her.

Somewhere behind, Husk fell to his knees with a mumbled curse word, feeling his own energy draining away. He'd complain later... but at least Husker would understand the why of it.

"What the fuck is he doing to her?!" Vaggie sobs, trying desperately to lunge at Alastor. Only Angel's hands held her back.

"...something I think only he CAN do, Vags... something I don't think is even possible. Not like this..."

Alastor felt his hands shaking from gripping the chain too tight. Or perhaps it was the overwelming mess of emotions and the sudden sensation of being a conduit for power flowing away from him, a sensation he hadn't felt in decades - one frantic attempted healing spell on Vox shortly after the sinner fell in notwithstanding. That had been curiosity and stupidity, assuming anyone could be friends in a place like this...

The antlers creaked ominously, suddenly heavy as the world tried to spin. Charlotte's eyes on his own begging him for... for what? Mercy? To allow her to die? Or to keep pushing her beyond her own limits to force life into her depleting form?

He simply couldn't tell.

Lucifer, thankfully, barrelled through the dome a second later in full demonic turnout and dropped by Charlotte immediately. His hands found her face, cradling it with such tender fury you could see the adoring father he could be... likely once was, before Lillith.

With a flare of his wings, Lucifer tucked Charlotte's head into the crook of his neck, muttering soothing somethings that normally would have turned Alastor's stomach, and began to glow.

Slowly, oh so disgustingly slowly, blood receeded into her body and the flesh began to knit together from the deepest internal components to the final layer of epidermis. And, as her father was now managing the wound with a power beyond anything those in Hell could hope to comprehend... the chains shattered.

The backlash should have taken him off his feet, but Alastor was braced for it. He felt someone sail past as the resonance exploded outward like a shockwave.

Panting, Alastor feels his form starting to shrink, the antlers become less unwieldy by the second. He felt weak... and frantically cast his mind about to identify if any of Vox's little toys would capture such an unfortunate sight...

Charlotte was breathing evenly now, her form trembling slightly from the residual of her ordeal, but she was most certainly alive and rapidly on her way to both Hale and Hearty. The King was pouring divine power into her body, instructing it to repair, rejuvinate, restore and replenish. So many fancy words for saying the simple truth...

Lucifer, arrogant little angelic nightmare that he was, was a being of Creation and Life at his core... and he would drain it all for Charlie. That was evident in the tenderness of his gaze, the desperate overly-calm way the King seemed to be rebuilding her from a molecular level and soothing her distress.

How odd, that they held the same goal and yet... their methodologies remained so opposed. His, the power to trap and contain and control for the sake of keeping her alive; despite the suffering. Lucifer's power, that to bring light to the darkness and soothe the pain of being held in her mortal form despite the agony.

And yet, combined, the result was the stirring bundle of Princess. Whose arms embraced her father tightly, as tears streamed down her face, from joy or relief or the sheer catharsis... who could say?

Vagatha approached with shaking hands, desperate to touch, to reaffirm, and terrified to break her love. Charlie released her father and almost rolled off the shadowy dais in her desperation to enfold her girlfriend in her arms.

As they were no longer necessary, Alastor allowed them to drop back to mere shade again. His Shadow coiled about his legs, reassuring them both.

He felt... uncertain, numb and disoriented. Nothing of the past moments felt quite... real. Angel was getting Husk to his feet, he observes absently, letting the bartender lean on him. How magnanimous.

Niffty was being retrieved from atop a rather precarious pile of rubble some distance away. Ah, the airborne sinner.

His ears flick towards Charlotte, noting her approach and feeling a number of rather frustrating feelings rise from the pit of his stomach, telling him to Flee. Which was, of course, absurd, this was Charlotte... she of the Crayons and Glitter. Long may she infest every inch of the hotel, and greater Hell landscape, with the craft equivalent of a communicable disease.

Her hand reaches out for him, and Alastor fights back the automatic flinch he desperately wants to allow. Instead, he tones up the smile and tilts his head with a sickening crunch... aware of how best to play this moment. Can't let her close. "Yes my dear?"

"Al... you... you used the Favour to do something I don't... I didn't think... was possible. You saved me!" She's sobbing.

Oh dear, Alastor's heart is trying to escape from his mouth, his skin is tingling, not quite crawling with this sudden burst of Emotional Vulnerability without several feet of his person, but it's making Quite the Attempt!

His mind is a churning kaleidoscope of thoughts and, ah blast, feelings. How had he allowed himself to fall to sentimentality? Should he call Vox over to finish him off...? Ah, he'd have to word it better.

He should have used this to extort favours from the others. How had he fallen so far?

"Think nothing of it, my dear, it would be very droll if you went and died to someone as ludicrously uninspired as..." his next words sounded more like static than syllables. He leered at the too-still body by his feet... aping hunger, when his stomach was a mess of knots. Why was this happening to him?

"...thank you, anyway." Charlie replies, and those eyes are Too Discerning, piercing through the mess in his head, his body, his conflicted heart and seemingly deciding not to push this emotional revelation for now. She magnanimously allows him to continue playing nonchalant... and that pity in her eyes, just the merest flicker, had him seething.

"Whatever you assume, if incorrect Charlotte. This was mutually beneficial for-... what are you doing?!" Alastor tenses completely as Charlotte's arms wrap about his waist. He's mortified to find that his skin isn't trying to disappear into a new dimension at the sudden and unanticipated sensation. His whole body does glitch violently, though, at the mess of thoughts and feelings that explode.

Enough of this... he drops into shadows, and tries to ignore the hurt expression on the still-alive Princess's face.

This had been too much, this was-... he'd just been ensuring his vested interest hadn't gone to waste. Nothing noble, nothing selfless or whatever fairytale they were spinning themselves.

In his void, he thought he could be free of the thoughts... but they consume him. Sending his mind into a spiral, maing a body he doesn' currently have respond with flight... the threat long gone. Alastor is trying to quash the gnawing horror, the unyielding realisation that was seeping through his entire not-body from the extremities in.

...perhaps he had, to some insignificant miniscule degree, cared if Charlotte lived or died. Irrespective of the deal with Lillith.

Fuck. This was NOT the plan. Alastor felt phantom claws dragging through the fur he didn't possess in this form of shadows and radio waves, and yet... he trembled in the dark. The void offering none of his usual safety, his peace and security.

With a curse, he lurched out of the safety of the Nothingness and into his ruined radio tower. Now this sorrow, he could manage. To lose this place was to lose a limb... and with the cane damaged, he felt his hands tied. Merely wondering when the final blow would strike and from which direction.

"Ah, there you are, Sinner."

Alastor froze, horrified to have been caught off-guard by the tiny King. Hope bloomed as he thought about the potential for smiting... couldn't be on a soul chain if you were dead after all.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You saved my daughter." Lucifer says, moving closer in a slow, calculated way that sent predator vibes up Alastor's spine. He hated this powerlessness atop the myriad of chaotic thoughts that flooded his every waking thought snce the moment Charlotte had beeen struck.

"A mere coincidencce. I was trying to stave off boredome..."

The lashing tail distracts a split second too long and then the King has him pinned to the wall by the throat. Why isn't he angry? Why isn't he snarling and hissing threats? The silence is sending Flight response messages to every inch of the OVerlord.

"You. Saved. My Daughter. In an unorthodox way I've never seen before, of course... but you kept her alive until I could get there to fix it." there's a thick pause. "Thank you. But if you ever try to make a deal with her again, rest assured I will tear you apart on the atomic level and scatter you across the rings."

"I-..."

"Dad!"

"Charlotte, why aren't you resting? You nearly-..." the finality of his statement, the sudden realisation that he actually Cared if Charlotte or even Angel or Vagatha lived and died, hit Alastor hard in that moment, and the words died in his throat. He allows a very tiny, "...fuck..." to escape.

Lucifer is grinnign maliciously. "Welcome to the world of emotions, Alastor. I didn't think you were capable... and I'm guessing you didn't either based on the cocktail of pheromonic distress you're giving off."

He's about to ask what the 7 rings that meant, when the King flickers out his snakelike tongue. Ah, the perceptive bastard. That was cheating.

"Dad, can you let him go?" Charlotte asks, and Lucifer lowers his grasp as Charlie ducks straight into the arms of the stunned and frankly overwhelmed overlord. What was this? Was this a ploy? What could she want?

Oh. Oh no.

He felt it.

Wet.

She's sobbing into his shirt.

Alastor is under the impression he may just explode if anything else comes along to shatter his previously well-fortified field of general indifference.

He slowly turns his gaze to the King, not sure what he was searching for, but the word 'help' was spring-loaded on his tongue at the moment. Lucifer only has eyes for Charlotte, and he's softer now.

"It's okay, Al... it's okay to have weird feelings, and take your time to come into them on your own, I promise." Why is she comforting him? What is this? An intervention? Hah!

"Charlotte, I have no idea what you are doing, but I would request you go and rest, hate for you to void my efforts at keeping you alive only foor you to succumb to exhaustion from... whatever this is."

"It's okay to care, Al... I'd never use it against you. But... I mean it. Even if it hurt and it was awful and I wanted you to let me go in those moments," Charlie sobs, and Alastor felt his heart sliding slowly into his abdomen at the statement, "I was really grateful you wouldn't let me go. That you made me wait for my Dad, even though it was so tempting to just let it fade..."

"You did not deserve a mediocre death, you're our Princess and Hell needs your brand of quirky chaos to function." He deflects, feeling nauseous from the mess of emotions running through him. Stilted as the movement may be, he manages to put an arm on her back and pat in a less than completely awkward movement. "There, there..."

She pushes back, wiping at her eyes and nose. "It's okay to care, Al. I'll keep saying it until you believe it... but we care too. Vaggie and Angel and Husk and Niffty and me. And... it's okay to not be okay with this, but we're here."

He's getting confused. Can one claim emotional whiplash through an insurance agency?

"I have no idea what makes you think I have indicated some sort of emotional crisis... but do calm yourself. All is well. And now that you are hale, you should take the time to recouperate."

"There, that! The caring thing! You can't fool me, I've got your number now, mister!" Charlie laughs through her messy tears. "Please come back to the hotel, so I know everyone is safe and inside... no one will mention your little... emotional moment, if you don't want them to. But I'd love if you joined us in the talking circle next time we have that running?"

He played a laugh track, as expected.

But his stomach flipped at the idea. "....perhaps, dear."

She squeals, and it feels like he's swallowed a firework from her radiant joy. "Excellent!!!"

Lucifer leans over to wipe a suspicious red streak off Charlotte's face, and turns to the sinner. Expression almost, exasperated fondness. The kind he'd seen levelled at Charlotte before. "Oh... you idiot... here, let me fix that."

He protests, but Charlotte's arms encircle him and hold the Overlord in palce. He could shadow out... and yet... something in his head says to wait, to trust. A sickening sense of fond security rises, and he fights it tooth and nail even as warm golden magic banishes the last of his persistent pain.

The world goes fuzzy, then. Alastor is vaguely aware that he and Charlotte are being enveloped in wings, and then they slip through a portal into the newly refurbished part of the hotel.

Voices, clamouring, too many too much, but the smile remains.

Charlotte is taken to a soft surface, and then someone is taking him as well. He should snap and snarl and fight but... to some odd, horrifying degree, this being cared for rot is quite... soothing.

How... bizarre, to be Seen like this and not taken advantage of. There were so many who would see this moment and decide to take their destiny into their own hands.

But the hands brushing past as they slip a blanket over his frame, and when had he laid down?, were gentle. The visual of Charlotte sleeping soundly against Vagatha, whole and alive, soothes like a balm. Even knowing Husker was spread out on another couch was oddly comforting.

Niffty climbed atop him and curled into a ball before falling fast asleep.

The odd gentle tones as the others settle to sleep or simply settle close, it was all... a very well designed trap to make him lower his guard. And yet... he finds himself dismissing the thought as ludicrous.

Speaking of ludicrous.

Lucifer rests on teh middle of the couch, looking down at Alastor with something ancient, unknowable and yet for all his apathy, there is kindness there in those eyes. "It's okay to be vulnerable, Bambi... the people you would die for make it worth it. I thought when I lost Lillith that closing off would help, but when I nearly lost Charlie today... I realised it wasn't worth it to spare pain."

He wanted to ask why they were having this heart to heart, but the words didn't eventuate. Feathers tickled at his finger tips, and he poked the nearest one.

"Thank you, for the life of my daughter, Alastor. If you hadn't-... if-... those few seconds were enough. And I know it cost you in more than power... I think I felt the moment that dam of repression in you snapped. Or at least tasted it. The fear on your face when you realised you also cared... I realised that perhaps you also care about Charlotte like I do, you just never had any idea how deep that well ran until today."

"I-..." he can't find the words to refute it.

"It's okay. I don't fully trust you... but I can See you now, Sinner. I get the feeling that you would have stepped between Char Char and that spear if you'd have been able, and might have died without ever fully understanding why you did so. For that, you have the gratitude of the King of Hell... though I won't make a deal."

"I will, if you will stop speaking like a self-help pamphelt..." he mumbles, feeling a hot sensation of shame rising.

"What about a Favour? A chance to remove that pretty necklace of yours, hmmm? But... not tonight, sleep on it. Everyone has been wrung out with the battle, the losses, the... Incident."

He is disgusted at the next words out of his mouth. Doubly-so for their sincerity. "There is no need, sire, I would do it over again to keep Charlotte safe... even without the... Request I am beholden to. Do you suppose you could put my emotional mess back where it was so neatly stacked, before the Incident?"

Lucifer laughed, softly, a self depricating sound. "If I had that level of power, do you think I would cycle from manic to depressed a dozen times per decade? No, those are your emotions, learn to work with them... I know Hell hardens sinners, and they lock parts of themselves away over time, but this is your chance to start again. Now, rest... I healed the wound but you depleted a lot of energy today. We can speak in the morning..."

"Hmmm, if we must." He mumbles, looking at Charlotte, her darling face slack with sleep and so perfectly alive. To see her chest rise and fall was enough. "You're not... a terrible father Lucifer. As much as it pains me to admit... and she knows you are trying."

Lucifer nearly blinds the half-awake and clearly delirious if he's being senitmental like that sinner, as he turns his radience on Alastor. "Well, you aren't so bad yourself... but if I find you drinking out of my #1 Dad mug one more time, you're going to be eating it."

Ah, a threat. That felt more natural, something he could work with!

The scathing retort died on his tongue as he fell asleep instantly.

Hell certainly WAS other people... just, in Alastor's case, not quite in the way he'd envisioned.

[fernsnailz]

Not sure how much meat this question has to it but if back in 2006 you were the one that spearheaded the shadow the hedgehog game, how would you have done it?

i'd want ShTH 2005 to keep the same core energy its final form ended up with, but tbh there's a lot i would have done differently lol. here's my 3 step plan for how i would have directed it previously/would direct any sort of reboot or remaster

1. TIMELOOP!!!!!!

i'm not the first person to come up with this idea and i won't be the last to talk about it, but the gist of this point is that ShTH's story makes WAY more sense when you treat it like a timeloop. you finished a story path and end up back in westopolis? great job, you're at the beginning of the timeloop again. it's a smart way to make this wack story a little more cohesive.

i would LOVE to further utilize the timeloop concept for this game because it could be a very simple addition to add flavor OR it be the core of the game's story and gameplay. small things like shadow going "hey wait, have i seen this before?" when he's going through westopolis for the third time can hint at the narrative, and once shadow realizes he's in a loop he's motivated to find EVERY path in search of the full truth. every new story path could be treated as a new game+ as shadow starts to consistently remember more from previous timeloops, carrying over certain weapons, abilities, and memories from his previous experiences.

one really cool idea i saw a while ago on here (edit: FOUND IT! i'm talking about this post) is someone's ShTH timeloop pitch where after a few resets, silver starts to show up and tells shadow to stop messing with the timeline. this continues, and eventually silver becomes a final boss of some of the paths. this idea has never left my mind since i saw it and i need to find the person that came up with it they mean so much to me

i have more timeloop thoughts but i will move on for now

2. simplify or rework the morality system and levels

this is my big gameplay critique - there is A Lot to do in ShTH and very little of it is consistently fun. i have grievances with the morality system i talked about a while ago, the gist of my opinion boiling down to "the system removes agency from shadow and the story doesn't fit within the morals you choose anyway." i'd either MASSIVELY rework the morality system to make it feel worthwhile or just throw the whole thing away. unfortunately i don't have many pitches for what to replace it with since i haven't played that many games with branching stories - maybe the story paths you go down are based on BIG story decisions shadow makes during boss battles or in cutscenes (?) like choosing which boss to fight, which characters to save, what moves or weapons to use, stuff like that. i just want the stuff that leads to branching stories to be more impactful and a little simpler.

this also applies to the levels, of which there are... a lot. and maybe there should be less? i think it would be smart to cut down or combine some of the levels, then really flesh out the ones that matter. and given the non-linear nature of ShTH, i think a version with levels more focused on exploration and combat would fit the game better than the linear mission-based gameplay of the original.

3. MORE GUN

listen man. they advertised this as the sonic game with guns and in my opinion i think they could've done better. i mostly just want a more fleshed out weapons system with upgrades, a little customization, better controls, etc. just put the merchant from resident evil 4 in there and have him accept rings and i would be happy

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

those are the big points i would personally stick to, but i do have smaller points i would consider as well, including:

make black doom seem competent

explain who the chaotix are working for and fit it into the story

no more "kill this many enemies to progress" missions. please

super shadow can have a gun now

[edgy-ella]

I’ve been playing a little more Shadow 05 lately and I’m realizing that while yeah, this is Shadow’s game, I think the game could’ve benefitted a lot from exploring how the rest of the cast is handling the Black Arm invasion.

Up to this point in the series, Sonic has only ever fought robots, be they Badniks or GUN mechs. He’s duked it out with some rivals like Knuckles and eldritch beings like Chaos, sure, but they were either on par with him or didn’t take much lasting damage (outside of the Biolizard/Finalhazard I guess lol), and he only ever had to fight one of them at a time. But the Black Arms are different. They’re not mechanical. They’re alive. Worse than that, there’s a lot of them. Sonic spends at least two levels back to back (Westopolis and Lethal Highway) having to comb through the city and kill as many of these strange aliens as he can whether or not Shadow helps him, his fur drenched in their thick green blood. Sure, they’re all a part of an alien hivemind, but it’s still…different than what he’s used to. I wonder how he feels about that (same goes for Tails).

During the level Air Fleet, Black Doom mentions having personally placed the airships/temples in Glyphic Canyon to the planet over 2,000 years ago. So not only is Black Doom really, really old, he’s also got history with Earth/Mobius/Sonic’s World/whatever. Knuckles and Rouge pride themselves on being treasure hunters, with Knuckles in particular seemingly having a strong interest in old archeology. Makes you wonder if they’d at least heard of the Black Arms through some ancient texts or stone mural or something like that. Hell, if we wanna go really deep, we could also look at Tikal—she would’ve been there during Black Doom’s first visit. If she was at all conscious inside the Master Emerald and/or had the ability to leave it without the emerald shattering, there’s a chance she could have met or even tried to fight Black Doom. Hell, what even happened to Angel Island during the invasion we see ingame?

Even Cream could get something to contribute. Ingame you only ever see her once; you have to help Amy find her in Cryptic Castle as a part of that level’s hero mission. But that raises the question: why was Cream in a place like Cryptic Castle all by herself to begin with? It feels out of character for her, she’s usually not the type to get lost, but then you realize that she’s a little girl in the middle of an alien invasion. The Black Arms could’ve destroyed her home already, and she wanted to find some place isolated to hide. Where’s Vanilla in all of this, by the way?

Granted the game probably needed to address the elephant in the room of why no one ever sits down and talks to Shadow about his past/amnesia before it decides to tackle the emotions of its supporting cast, but still. Fun to think about.

[sonadowwiki]

Hi, I was wondering what is your guys' opinion on the third Sonic movie?? I personally liked it a lot :)

It's good to hear that you liked it. For ourselves, Shadow was quite cute on how much of a child he was. He is much different than game Shadow where he is very ignorant and child-like despite his power. It made him very kind in his own way and he was just easily manipulated by Gerald because he didn't know better or what else to do, much like in Sonic Adventure 2.

(Read More Below. Includes Spoilers.)

It's nice that he was willing to do something to make a difference for his mistake from listening to Gerald. It's also interesting that Shadow is not artificial this time around. He was most likely born of natural causes like Sonic, Knuckles and Tails.

I'd have to say that Shadow is very different from his game self by a large degree and it really makes one think of when they stated that they wanted to make Shadow accurate to the games to do him right. I don't see that here and he is very, very different. 90% of his characterization is quite different and even other characters, like Maria, are very different. From what the movie tells you, she wasn't even sick and was just around while Shadow was being experimented on (for some reason). It also makes no sense why Gerald had absolutely no care for Ivo despite him being family as well.

In all, though, I would say it is a very ill paced movie and that a lot of things make no sense. Sadly, this movie is much like Sonic x Shadow Generations where there are employees who aren't good that touched it and ruined its pacing, what's in it and put things in for an agenda or things that make no sense. A lot of fan demand was implemented into the movie and it made things make no sense.

For example:

Shadow on a motorcycle is cool, but there was no point to it.

Shadow held a gun and shot it at Sonic, which never happened in any video games, so that is also inaccurate despite them claiming to want to be accurate to the games.

The inclusion of the Chao Garden felt unnecessary, especially since it was just put in there to satisfy a single employee's obsession with them.

I find it a missed opportunity to mention how messed up it was that Gerald attacked children, but it makes no sense why he did this to random children when the same was done to Maria. Instead of learning not to do it to others, he does it to children too. But I guess that shows how evil he has become.

Walters died like nothing and just very suddenly. He didn't even get to explain himself or redeem himself because he was just so suddenly killed in nearly the beginning of the movie.

Walters was replaced by someone else who wasn't even in the previous movies, to represent G.U.N. It wasn't even Randal or Rachel who became in charge instead to have those characters implemented more instead of a new character out of nowhere, and they didn't even make a true appearance themselves despite being perfect to be shown for the story and from being important characters in the previous movie.

Walters suddenly knows about Shadow despite him seeming to not know about him in the second movie and all of a sudden now he was involved with that project when he was younger.

Shadow is treated like an artificial lifeform by being in a tube with liquid despite him being a living creature like Sonic, Knuckles and Tails. How can he breath in that liquid? Why does he even have limiters?

Tom and Maddie's relationship was butchered despite them caring for each other a lot in previous movies, even to the point of almost dying with each other out of love. In this movie, it was ruined entirely by Tom suddenly saying he wants to get rid of her despite all he did to protect her? It's inaccurate and inconsistent. It also ruins the message of the parents loving each other and spreading that family love like they did in previous movies.

Knuckles only used the Flames of Disaster once despite the TV show making it something important to obtain. He didn't even call out the name for it and just used it once to break something.

Tom gets hurt by Shadow all of a sudden despite that not being necessary and it is due to Tails' machine malfunctioning, but no one blames him or gets mad at him. Instead, they get mad at Shadow. It's also strange that it even malfunctioning at just that time so that Tom can get hurt.

Sonic suddenly gets mad despite him being able to keep his cool for so long just to make an excuse to make Sonic and Shadow fight each other on hateful terms, which wasn't the case in Sonic Adventure 2 even.

The meaning of turning Super in the movie lost its meaning, just for an unnecessary fight between Supers that never happened in the games either. In the previous movie, turning Super was out of love, but this time, it was out of anger at first. Later, it was out of just doing the right thing. It being used out of anger at first might be because the Emeralds were in the Master Emerald and the Master Emerald made it possible to use them without a good cause like in the second movie, but it's still strange because when Ivo used it, he turned green and was able to use the Master Emerald, not the seven Chaos Emeralds. So why were the Emeralds even back in the Master Emerald and why did they break out just to be used this once despite Sonic not being able to use it so easily in the second movie? Inaccuracy to the previous movie and inconsistent. Even in the games, turning Super is never done for reasons such as anger or revenge. It was always meant to be used for justice and for the greater good out of the miracles and care for others. It's not meant to be a weapon, it's meant to symbolize hope.

Gerald's strange obsession with Maria is borderline creepy and makes no sense. What was it about her that made him specifically obsessed with her, especially since she wasn't sick? Why did he care only for her and not other family? He only thought to use Ivo, which once again, makes no sense.

The movie tried too hard to tie in with things that are in the Sonic x Shadow Generations game, such as Gerald's obsession with Maria and the flower scene between Shadow and Maria. If that game was touched by bad employees, was badly botched, and had inaccuracies beyond comprehension, then it makes sense why this one does too (which makes it bad in it's own way).

Sonic strangely was able to convince Shadow and Shadow to Sonic, of working together out of nowhere. They were fighting and Shadow was trying to steer Sonic in the right direction despite things, which was nice and interesting, but the talk between them seemed so out of place or strangely paced.

If we talk about accuracy to the games, Shadow wasn't the one to fall to earth in the movie like he did in the games, Sonic was. Shadow was shown to be better than Sonic in keeping the Super power.

Tails' sudden inclusion to be better or more useful is strange since there was no buildup for it since the second movie. He was a coward and bad at doing things, he even badly messed up in the second movie much like in this one, and suddenly, without explanation, he was more useful or capable. Though it's not bad he is, there being no explanation is the issue.

Despite Shadow's sacrifice, and seeming to be dead, Sonic didn't care about his actions or it didn't impact him a lot like it did in the games. Instead, it felt shallow, and in the credit scenes, that was made even more clear as he acted the same without seeming to learn anything from the whole experience.

Since Ivo and Gerald are dead, the ending credits for one of the scenes makes no sense. Who made them then? Who would control them? And it can't be Stone because it showed that he had a change of heart too after seeing Ivo's brave sacrifice to do the right thing. So the inclusion of that ending credits scene at all is very out of place and makes no sense. You can tell it was just shoved in there for an agenda by employees who are very bias for who showed up. They stated this biasness of theirs for a long time, even before the movie released to the public. And yet again, it is an example of listening to toxic fan demand and trying to force things to work despite it not.

Shadow even knowing how to fight and being more powerful than Sonic and Knuckles comes out of nowhere since he wasn't created to be the Ultimate Lifeform. He is just a being from another part of the universe and suddenly knows how to fight or use powers others can't. It's also missing the iconic Chaos Control Shadow can use. Instead, he just teleports around without a reason as to how he can. There's also no explanation as to why he can use Rocket Shoes as a creature that isn't artificial. Who gave it to him and why did they? What made them think he could use them like rocket shoes to skate? It also doesn't explain his limiters. Why can he use these things or do these things like game Shadow despite him being a natural creature? And since he isn't artificial, a big chunk of Shadow's meaning as a character is lost. One of his main messages is supposed to be that despite being artificial, he has a heart and can care for others, just like a natural person. That is lost in this movie and ruins a lot of the aspect of Shadow's kindness being endearing. Originally being a cure and as an Ultimate Weapon is changed and it doesn't show that Gerald was smart in genetics as well like in the game. Shadow's so different and so much of his original concept is gone that it even makes you question why Shadow Generations was created the way it was to introduce Shadow's story again because nothing from his original story was kept. Therefore, it doesn't really tie in with each other, which is strange despite the both of them supposed to be tied in with each other. Why are so many things the opposite? Why were so many things changed to something completely different that basically almost everything wasn't kept at all despite him being based off of game Shadow? It's strange.

If anything, I think this movie could have been made much better and if it was possible to redo it, I think they should by taking out a lot of things and by making it make more sense, even in a story aspect. Listening to fan demand never ended well, just like it didn't with Sonic Frontiers' 3rd update. It was a mess, controls were horrible, the idea of things were lazy (Tails just threw a wrench) and horrible, things were made unnecessarily hard despite games being meant to be played by anyone and the story was a mess as well since agendas were shoved. But just because they want momentary artificial clout and attention, these minor amount of fans are listened to and end up ruining something that could have been miles better. What's worse is that these minor fans are not even true fans like they think they are, they are just loud. The majority of them will bully those who don't agree with them, employees included, and don't even pay for a majority of things. Things they ask for are cringy, edgy, don't make money, don't make sense, aren't interesting and will further make the series lose money, just like the previous two years before this year. What they asked for, was a disappointment and didn't sell well. What they ask for, doesn't make money, and they need to wake up and realize that already because the more they ask for these things selfishly, the more the series will plummet into the red numbers.

And that's not supposed to be the case. Employees are not supposed to listen to fan demand. In fact, it's against the company rules. So them doing that here more than once, it goes to show you what employees with what work ethics are working on these projects. And if they listen to the fans instead of the company, is that really an employee you want to say is a good employee? Even if what they're doing is bad, makes no sense and helps ruin the series/profits?

If the movie universe was going to portray things so differently, then they shouldn't have claimed that they were going to make it accurate in any shape or form. It's understandable that with a different universe, things will be different, but they lied by trying to say that it is anywhere accurate (even claiming that Keanu did research into Shadow's character to make him accurate), which is bad. You don't lie to your customers who actually pay for things, which aren't the ones they listened to since they listened to fans who are brats, who threaten the companies and don't even pay for the series in general (while demanding for as much free content as possible for their selfish desires).

My takeaway? It's better if you go play Sonic Adventure 2 instead of watching this movie in order to get a better story and message than the wreck this movie became. There are games that are even miles better than what this movie has become, and that's because those didn't listen to fan demand from fans that don't know what's good, don't know how the job works, aren't story makers and who are selfish in just wanting to see something for selfish reasons despite it making no sense. If you really look deep into the movie, realize what group of employees touched or tainted it, and notice how it went, it is obvious that there is biasness in this movie that goes exactly as how a certain group of fans who hate one ship and prefer another character/ship wanted and were listened to immensely. In that case, can you really take this movie as something good or as the company wants? Or is it more that like Sonic x Shadow Generations, certain employees put their influence in things and did it without permission, much like in the game mentioned (such as having the English dialogue different than the Japanese dialogue)? Too many things make no sense and follow fan demand despite it not being good. The most memorable moment was Sonic and Shadow working together as Super, but everything leading up to it was shallow or made no sense. Even the one shown at the end being shown despite all the marketing showing Sonic and Shadow this whole year, just to get Shadow replaced despite Sonic and Shadow being the top sellers for the series and having merchandise for them flying off the shelves, makes no sense since things for Sonic and Shadow are hot and it works on a profitable front. So replacing Shadow with a character that has been proven to not make money and someone who no one wants to see but a small minority, should reek of corruption, just like in previous projects that were changed for just that character or focused on just this non-profitable character. And it's because of this corruption that is so obvious to see that it should be clear why this movie makes no sense on so many fronts and has fan demand, which in turn, made the movie horrible in story telling and depth. It makes no sense to build up hype for a character, only to exclude him when he is making a lot of money and when he was introduced again for the purpose of including him more into the series. That's not how marketing works, companies wouldn't do that to customers that are paying a lot and were promised more content of what they are paying for, so that further shows corruption of just wanting to include things for an agenda.

In fact, there are proof that show of this corruption from a certain employee who has been influencing things in a bias manner for the character that showed up in the credits despite it not making sense. She even hinted at how she was going to strive to force things to focus on that character despite claiming that previous years already focused on her. And it is in those previous years, that character made the company go into the red, was a disappointment and made sluggish sales. Yet despite that and despite logic/reasoning, the character was brought back for no logical reason and due to selfish, petty and bias reasons. This employee even gloats about it on her Instagram by stating that the ones she works with to ruin the series are "the best." You can listen to the evidences here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by IMDbPro (@imdbpro)

And she states this despite the disaster the movie became as just explained above, and also even brings attention to an interview where it was admitted that they constantly changed things on a whim or to how they wanted it to be like. They didn't stop that from happening, and it explains why so many things not only make no sense, but also fulfill fan demand to a high degree. And because they believe that as a "#1 movie" they got away with these horrible story changes or shoved in demands, she decides to gloat about it as if they have done a good thing when this movie could have been miles better if they didn't tear it apart for their own selfish desires. And this is all done despite seeing the success of Sonic and Shadow together in not only popularity, but also in sales. She and those she works with don't even do their job, they sabotage the company on purpose, they ruin marketing, they ignore the positivity for the opposing side of their selfish desires (they ignore the positivity Sonic and Shadow have and only pay attention to those who demand or praise for what they personally like despite it not making money or it being widely disliked; they purposely have confirmation bias and gloat about it) and are purposely making the company lose money just because of petty selfish reasons.

They even put down the appearance for another character than Sonic and Shadow, like Silver, that was also demanded for by making excuses that he has almost nothing to make a year for him. Yet they picked a character that has absolutely no backstory compared to Silver, is uninteresting and already proved to not be popular, not make money and not be a character the general people want to see more about.

Though there are some things that are good from this movie, such as Sonic being the one to talk to Shadow in order for them to team up and save the world, a majority of the things feel shallow, out of place and ill paced.

[sadistic-kiss]

🐺House of Alphas Chapter 53: Let There Be Light🐺

(Jujutsu Kaisen Omegaverse )

Summary: Waking up in a world that was not your own was problematic enough. Being the villainess was another. However, the possessive alphas might take the cake.

Disclaimer: Angsty but I ain’t Gege

Omega!Reader x Alpha!Sukuna x Alpha!Gojo x Alpha!Toji x Alpha!Nanami x Alpha!Getou

~

…

Shadow Curses.

When you fight them, an ominous tune begins to play. A grueling symphony that has you both fearful for your group and perplexed by the daunting harmony.

Shadow curses were more aggressive and stronger than the others. The regular curse spirits were simple mobs that you killed. Some of them range from different strengths and levels depending on where you are, but for the most part, they were just dirt off your shoulder. Sometimes you tried to run or avoid them because you didn’t want to deal with them.

There were also of course the curse bosses such as Jogo, Hanami, Dagon, Mahito, and Rika, but those were bosses.

Shadow curses were like the updated trash mobs you fight when you are getting to the more difficult part of the game. You try to avoid them just because you don’t want to use too many supplies and they are trickier to fight. More of an annoyance, until you learn Divine light. Then it’s easier.

You first come into contact with them one random blood moon and after that, it continues to persist throughout the game. You meet Priestest Utahime who helps you strengthen your light magic and teaches you the special move Divine light.

One thing that you are learning now is that shadow creatures consume dark magic to get their strength. You thought all of its power derived from Kenjaku or the blood moon. Now you realize this fight here is what gives it to them. The witches’ home is their feasting grounds. You could feel the abundance amount of energy flowing through the floors alone. The energy that courses through this place is insane. If you don’t do something…the monsters will get stronger and much too powerful for even you to handle. If that happens they will consume your pack. It was like a ticking time bomb. Your curse energy was the timer. Once that runs out…

Fuckity fuck- you rubbed at your throat, your voice growing hoarse from all the screaming. Your alphas still persisted as you began to drown in uncertainty.

One episode down and you are already dealing with high-level mobs. You thought all of this was going to be a cakewalk, you planned so carefully but you keep coming into contact with shit you shouldn’t be fighting so soon. Your light magic isn’t anywhere where it needs to be. You mainly used it to heal not fight. You didn’t think you would require it till later.

“It’ll be okay, don’t stress out.” Toji rubbed your back gently, sensing your discomfort.

“We will keep you safe.” Nanami added.

“I’m going to attack the barrier, there’s only so much it can handle, step back.” Sukuna rolled his shoulders as he took his true form, ready to charge.

That was a silly idea. “No Sukuna, you could hurt yourself.”

“That’s why I have you to heal me back up.” Sukuna got in a crouch, as the others pulled you aside to safety.

“Can we just wait a minute-“

“There’s no time-“

“We can take turns too if need be “

*BAM!*

There was a loud slam, followed by scuffing and shuffling as if someone was dragging themselves along the wall. Your eyes darted to Mai who struggles to get to you, a deep scowl on her face as she bores you with the most scornful expression. Her body looks bloodied and abused. Like she had a wild dance with rocks.

“You!” She hissed holding her gun up. “How are you doing this!?”

“It’s not us!” Gojo scoffed.

“Let me-“You put a hand upon Satoru and gave a look to your alphas before you rested your gaze on the beta. “Mai… those creatures are of the shadow realm, your magic can’t kill them and the witches are only feeding them, making them stronger.” You hold up your hand as it shines with white light, “I can fend them off Mai please-“

“This is a trick! To let you out!” Mai thrust her gun forward making your alphas growl and try to stand between you and a possible bullet.

You push them aside, “Mai! My betas are out there! I would do nothing to harm them! Do you understand?! And Nobara-Maki- and Todo! They are my friends! I don’t want to see any of them get hurt! You have to believe me!”

Mai’s hand trembled and you heard more screams- and then it was silenced with a loud crunch. That was another life… gone… you choked on a sob, “Mai! They can’t defend themselves! Please! There’s no time for this!”

“You’re lying!”

“I-it’s not me! If you don't let me out, they will all die fuck-“ You duck down to grab a sharp rock.

“What are you doing-“

You didn’t allow your alphas to stop you as cut your hand. Thrusting it out you offered it to Mai, “I will make a blood oath with my life-“

“The hell you will!” You gasped feeling Nanami snatch your wrist back, you didn’t mean to activate yandere Nanami but here you are, “Do you know what a blood oath is little girl?” He growled out rather upset with you. Your other alphas looked to share his sentiment.

A blood oath was more than a pinky promise. Think of it like a contract you cannot rip up. By the laws of nature, you will be held accountable.

“I-I don’t know what else to do!” You whined.

“I’ll make the blood oath.” Getou took the rock from you.

“No, me!” Gojo stepped forward.

“Enough!” Mai shouted at you all. “Just…just save them please…” She slid down the wall and with one last ounce of strength she tossed the key toward you.

Sukuna caught it with ease, turning it inward as he unlocked the gate.

“Don’t you ever do something so reckless again.” Nanami gave you a pointed look, not letting you go until you agreed.

“Yes sir…I’m sorry.” Pleased with your answer he released you. You stepped out and then pointed to Mai, “Can one of you carry her, I’m going to need to save as much of my light magic as possible.”

Sukuna shook his head, “She will slow us down.”

“Yes, we will remember her noble sacrifice.” Gojo saluted, “Thank you, Megan.”

You rolled your eyes, “Someone pick her up and let’s go!”

...

~

*Read More*

[starry-nights12]

U 🫵 tell me Everything about What We Do In The Shadows

YOU GOT IT DUDE!!! (Wip Ask Game)

CW:Talk of Torture

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚

Ekko kicked open the door with his metal pipe drawn and Jinx gripping her pistol.

The bioluminescent algae soft glow from the window was the only source of light provided in the dark room.

"I told you that no one would be here." Jinx put her gun in its holster and took her mask off.

"Silco took me here sometimes. Singed must have figured after I bombed the council I would come looking for him and relocated."

"I know," Ekko removed his mask and held his weapon over his shoulder. "But I rather be safe than sorry."

"Yeah, Little Man," Jinx walked down the stairs and dragged her finger on the railing. "This dust will kill us all." she smiled teasingly.

Ekko chuckled and followed her. "Shut up."

"Oh, so you want me to kill you then?" she wiped her dust-coated finger on the back of his jacket.

Ekko swatted her hand away. "You can kill me after we kill Singed." he surveyed the papers scattered across the floor.

"He has to be scared of you. He left in a hurry." Ekko grinned.

"He better be fucking terrified of me." she spat.

"I'm going to tie him up. Then one by one, I'm going to insert needles in his skin and watch him squirm and bleed.

He's going to scream in agony. Then I'm going to be the one laughing and smiling this time." she seethed, her eyes glowing brightly to indicate her rage.

Ekko put his hands on his girlfriend's shoulders and gently rubbed them. "We will eventually, Sugarbomb," he assured. "All we have to figure out is where the hell he is."

[skaruresonic]

Your latest post about Sonic reminded me that apparently Pariah has joined the "Sonic has always been inconsistent" crowd, and he used this clip: https://www.tumblr.com/randomthefox/749471225809666048

But... What is the logic here? So the Classics were more lighthearted (except CD I guess) and the Adventure games were comparatively edgier, with their anime style and more serious stories. That is a change in direction, for sure. Let's even say they are two different "artistic perspectives". But to the point where you'd call them two different Sonics, the same way Boom Sonic is different from Modern Sonic?

I think "Sonic has always been inconsistent" has completely lost its meaning. The series has evolved in tone to match the times (Sonic was far from being the only videogame series who got more serious in the 2000s), but that doesn't mean Sonic became a different character in every game he starred in.

To be quite honest, I don't think it ever really meant anything to begin with. When you drill down to the bedrock of the sentiment, you'll find more often than not that it's just another thought-terminating cliché people trot out when they have no other way of elaborating themselves, because they always act like the claim is self-evident and not subject to scrutiny. Like how "Shadow mandates" are used to explain any and all poor Shadow portrayals. It's not a claim anyone can say has substance because all folks seem to use it for is to say "Sonic games bad."

They don't really provide examples of inconsistency because those examples don't exist on a diegetic level, just on an artistic or a marketing one, at most. Can't say I've ever seen a Sonic game where Sonic turns into a gun nut, lol.

---

But... What is the logic here? So the Classics were more lighthearted (except CD I guess) and the Adventure games were comparatively edgier, with their anime style and more serious stories. That is a change in direction, for sure. Let's even say they are two different "artistic perspectives".

I wouldn't even say that. SA1 takes heavy influence from the Classics. The divide between Adventure and Classic is not as deeply drawn as folks seem to think.

I feel like if you really zoomed out and tried to obtain the most holistic picture of the franchise possible, you'd see the series, for all of its ups and downs and all arounds... Really isn't that inconsistent.

The Adventure era is touted as serious business, but folks forget that some of those games could get goofy as shit, and Heroes is not an outlier in this regard. Even uber-serious '06 can get silly at times, what with missions to rescue beloved dogs being placed alongside "save the princess" as equally important objectives, and janky physics that make me want to hurl my controller across the room.

Likewise, the Classic era had moments of serious storytelling not in spite of its cartoonish aesthetic, but because of the power of its environmental storytelling.

Besides, if most of the confusion re. the series' "inconsistencies" can easily be cleared up by disregarding spinoff material (which includes the comics), can it really be said that it's the games made by ST that are inconsistent? Or would it be more accurate to say it's the external understanding of Sonic which fluctuates over time?

To be clear, I'm not trying to turning this into yet another JP vs. Western Sonic debate, because frankly, that doesn't matter. Not when the folks looking from the outside in refuse to see what's plainly there.

Also, think about it this way: if Sonic has always been inconsistent, then you're saying Sonic never had a coherent identity to begin with. Which means the argument rests on a self-contradiction. Either:

A.) you (general you) have to acknowledge that consistency once existed in the series in order to allow yourself enough berth to argue for a change in direction of the era of your choice... thus disproving the entire premise of "Sonic was always inconsistent,"

or B.) you need to apply the "inconsistent" label to every era, including the ones you prefer, thus rendering every "Sonic needs to go back to [XYZ] era" argument nonsensical. Because Sonic might as well build a new identity instead of appropriating old ones that, according to the argument, failed.

[atlantablack]

humming with the birds

on ao3 as well

Saturday 8:54 AM: Have a safe flight, Cap. Try to not worry too much about things on this end. 

Saturday 9:00 AM: Thanks, Sam. Stay safe. Call if you need me.

——

Sam can’t help but wonder in the days that follow Steve going back to New York, if he hasn’t made a mistake. Signed his life away to an impossible cause. It’s already been six months of chasing dead ends and coming up with nothing but dust and dirt and blood. If the two of them combined couldn’t find the ghost wearing Bucky’s face, then how is Sam supposed to find him all alone? 

But in the end, a week into his solo ghost hunting mission, it turns out he needn’t have worried — the ghost finds him. 

——

He’s packing his bag, getting ready to follow another lead Natasha’s passed him, when a gun presses itself to the back of his head. He goes very, very still. His knife is strapped to his thigh. His gun on the side table five feet away. Neither doing him a lick of good when the shape of his death has already been pressed into a bullet. 

“Turn around. Slowly.” The voice that speaks is low and rough, and despite never hearing Bucky talk he knows without a shadow of a doubt who he’s going to see when he turns around. 

Sure enough, when he turns, palms carefully turned to the ceiling he finds Bucky staring at him from underneath the brim of a nondescript tourist hat proclaiming “I love Glasgow”. The lighting is too dim to make out Bucky’s face, eyes lost to the shadows, mouth a thin line that does nothing but leave a chill spinning its way down Sam’s spine. 

“I take it you’re not here to apologize for the steering wheel then?” He drawls, meeting Bucky’s eyes over the barrel of the gun. 

Bucky shifts, mouth twisting, face tipping into the light for a second just long enough for Sam to catch sight of storm cloud blue eyes. “Stop following me. Rogers went home. You should do the same.” 

And Sam can’t help but bark out a laugh at that, disbelieving and furious all at once. “You’ve been tracking us all this time haven’t you?” 

The gun doesn’t waver but Bucky smirks, chin dipping like he doesn’t want Sam to see. “Go home, Wilson.” 

“You can’t be that oblivious. If I go home Steve will be back out here tomorrow. You gonna break into his room and threaten him too?” He snorts at the very thought. Can’t see any way that scenario ends except with blood. With Steve back in a hospital room. 

The thinnest line of tension threads through Bucky’s shoulders, and the gun shoves its way under Sam’s chin, finding purchase in the hollow of his neck. “Don’t worry about it,” Bucky snaps, stepping in closer and grabbing Sam’s wrist in a bruising grip where he’d been inching towards his knife. “Just do as you're told, and go home.” 

Now see, if Sam was smart, if he had someone to go home to, if he didn’t swallow danger and come up breathing adrenaline — well maybe he’d listen. Maybe he’d take the easy out Bucky is giving him and go back to DC and tell Steve that he wasn’t going to risk his life chasing a ghost that doesn’t want to be chased. But there’s a gun to his throat, fingers so tight around his wrist that he can feel all the little bones creaking beneath metal fingers, and his pulse is a bullet, is a dying star. An explosion that bursts out of his mouth and spills all over the floor between them when he says—

“Make me.”

Bucky laughs. A dry, rough sound that spreads the room and catches on all the fine hairs standing at attention on the back of Sam’s neck. His brain is screaming, danger. But his heart is screaming, I have teeth too, let’s see whose are sharper. 

“I could kill you right here, sweetheart,” Bucky says, still laughing. “Could take you apart until you tell me every secret Rogers has ever whispered to you. What are you going to do about it?”

There’s nothing but sincerity ringing through Bucky’s words. Sam’s death being dangled in front of his face as nothing but an irrelevant move in this chess game he’s unwittingly begun playing. And he should be scared. He knows this. Is scared if his racing heart, his pulse pounding out a war chant in his ears, is anything at all to go by. But the gun is warm against his skin, a threat that presses closer with every thick swallow. The fingers around his wrist are tight enough he’ll have bruises so stark everyone will be able to see the exact shape of Bucky fingers pressed to his skin. And yet. . . he’s not scared. Not in a way that holds weight. 

“Go ahead then,” he says softly, pressing closer until he can see every storm cloud gathering in Bucky's eyes. Wets his lips and grabs his knife with his other hand, presses it to the wrist of the hand holding the gun. “If you want me to stop chasing you, then kill me.” 

Bucky is silent for a long while, gun never wavering as he searches Sam’s face for something. And if Sam were to examine this too closely, to examine his own motives for being so foolhardy as to call the bluff of an assassin that has been stalking him for months with no one the wiser — well he’d find nothing he cares to think about too closely. Knows that his heart has never stopped carrying death wishes in the shape of Riley’s name, which is to say, that he has never stopped craving flying or falling, one and the same. 

“You’re not doing this for him,” Bucky says eventually, stepping back, gun falling to his side. “Who are you doing it for?” 

It’s stupid the way he immediately misses Bucky's grip on his wrist. Stupid how he already misses the fading adrenaline. “You seem awful sure of that,” he says evenly. 

Bucky shrugs, holsters his gun and tips back and forth on his feet while he considers Sam. “Stop following me, Sam. This is going to be the only warning I give you.” 

The jolt of hearing his own name from Bucky's mouth leaves him silent for long enough that Bucky turns to leave, doesn’t even think twice about turning his back to Sam, and he’s flinging the knife in his hand before he can think it through. 

Bucky dodges it, of course, stares at the door it’s embedded itself in, and then stalks back across the room to slam Sam into a wall. If Sam were the type of man to pray in his last moment he thinks maybe he’d start praying right now. Bucky’s face is a graveyard, the ghosts of every person to die at his hands thick in the air between them, and Sam has already called his bluff once, shouldn’t have pushed his luck a second time. 

He can’t move at all, Bucky’s body a long, hard line against his, keeping him effortlessly held against the wall. The metal fingers around his throat flex once and he swallows convulsively, holds Bucky’s gaze and waits. Can’t do anything but wait. Fancies he can hear a funeral march playing in the distance and wonders how long it’ll take Steve and Natasha to figure out what’s happened to him. 

“You’re not going to stop following me,” Bucky says quietly. It’s not a question, but Bucky licks his lips and pauses like he’s waiting for an answer regardless. 

“No,” Sam replies softly, tracks Bucky’s throat as he swallows, and then glances back up. “No. I’m not going to stop.” 

“I could kill you,” Bucky repeats, a shadow of lost confusion flashing its way across his face. “Go home Sam Wilson. Go back to Delacroix. Or DC. Go home.” 

And that. . . that scares him. The clear implication that Bucky knows about Sarah. That leaves frost growing on his tongue. But he still isn’t going to stop. And Bucky still hasn’t killed him. So there’s really only one thing left to say once more—

“If you’re going to kill me, then I’d really rather you get on with it.” He smirks, presses his weight forward best he can, and hisses as Bucky’s grip tightens on his throat. “Otherwise, get the hell out of my room.” 

Bucky’s silent for a very long time. The minutes stretching between them and Sam is too warm pressed up against the wall, Bucky’s body one long line of heat. There’s a razor sharp tightrope under his feet and he wants to jump off of it, wants to take the knife out of the door and cut the rope to pieces. Wants to keep pressing forward until Bucky’s body turns into something he can understand, until they’re both just bodies giving and taking. 

Sam has always had a thing for walking the edge of too much, for flying too close to the goddamn sun. Has always had a thing for smart men with steady hands and pretty mouths, and fuck if Bucky Barnes doesn’t tick every box Sam’s ever had. He should be praying for his life and instead all he can think about is the way Bucky’s mouth, his goddamn mouth, won’t stop parting all slick with confusion. 

“Go on,” Sam hears himself say, voice low, heat snaking through the words. “If you’re gonna kill me, baby, let’s get started. La petite mort.” He’s so warm he thinks he’s going to burn up, and Bucky hasn’t moved an inch, every line of his body pressed against Sam’s is a taunt, a temptation. 

Bucky shivers, pupils blown wide, nothing but a thin ring of winter sky left. His hand falls from Sam’s throat and he grins, viciously pleased and presses forward with his full weight until their nose to nose. “I’m not going to stop following you,” he says once more for good measure, laser focused on the way Bucky’s mouth parts trembling. 

And in the space of a breath, Bucky’s across the room, wide-eyed with red spots high on his cheeks. He swallows hard, opens his mouth and then shuts it again. Is out the door in a flash,  once again nothing but a ghost. Nothing left behind but the bruises blossoming across Sam’s skin. 

He stands trembling against the wall for a long time, rolling the entire thing over and over in his mind until it’s sharpened into a point. Thinks once, I wanted to kiss him, and then, I wanted to send him to his fucking knees. Doesn’t know what to do with that. Only knows that it was a bad idea he would have followed through on given one more minute with Bucky pressed against him. 

He goes to bed without packing, and when he wakes it’s to a text from Natasha saying to stay right where he is, because — and get this — Bucky has been spotted in Glasgow. What a fucking surprise.

[joshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh]

Another Sonic twitter thread thing I saw but it's random questions this time

There's nothing I love more than talking about Sonic the Hedgehog after all.

I got into Sonic because when I was too young to even remember anything in any detail my family had a Mega Drive with Sonic 1-3, and I mean I played them a lot. I don't think I could tell you my thoughts on it then though because I was like pre-toddler age lol. Probably thought it was the coolest shit ever. As opposed to today where I still think that but like I'm way more autistic about it.

Quotes and themes are different things and I also don't know if by theme they mean music or like thematic shit so uhhh. Uncertainty of intention means I'll relegate myself to just quote, which is hard - in a series with so many iconic lines how do you pick just one? But I do think "what you see is what you get - just a guy that loves adventure!" as well as "do I need a reason to want to help out a friend?" are both very good lines that portray Sonic himself very very nicely. I'll go with those. Not strictly a final answer and I could probably make a whole post on just this question, but we'll leave it on the two mentioned.

Out-of-game I think Yuji Uekawa's adventure era artwork is my favourite, I think for in-game art styles I'm between Unleashed, Colours, and Mania.

I'll keep it simple just make him and Mario have a fucking platformer crossover or even like an RPG or something, anything that's not the Olympics.

You know my answer was very easily Live and Learn until Sonic Frontiers came out lol. Now it's Find Your Flame quite handily. Shit fucks harder than god.

A couple different pieces of Sonic media have entertained the idea of Silver attaining some sort of like heightened state of power, like ESP Silver from Runners and I think he's in Speed Simulator too - I'm curious about how far along he goes with that. A much younger Josh who cared marginally more about power scaling was interested in the idea of Silver becoming the strongest character in the series even. I think there was an animation in the Lythero Silver Campaign video (I've been meaning to watch this but that's neither here nor there) showing base Silver fighting Super Sonic. I'm kind of interested in that. How far does base Silver go if he's that aforementioned ESP Silver or whatever. Can he thoroughly whoop the likes of Knuckles or Blaze eventually? Perhaps even Shadow or Sonic? We're going with roughly that.

Of the 4 listed here I'd certainly say the OVA, it's just by far my favourite. SatAM has some props for its fandom significance but I find it boring, X has some props for being the most game-faithful but it's kind of crap, OVA is just dope. Even extending it to what's come out since I'd still stick with the OVA.

I used to be able to reliably name a decent amount of Sonic fanartists but unfortunately my mind has consistently blanked on that front recently. Official as a qualification lets me get away with saying Yuji Uekawa though so we'll stick to that. Jack Lawrence's IDW art is also really nice, particularly in Scrapnik Island.

I don't like blue shoes Tails at all lol. Like I think the argument amongst people that do like it is it makes him and Sonic compliment each other better but Sonic lacks orange on his colour palette so I just don't agree at all. Giving them the shared red is a lot more effective.

For least favourite I could point to various points in Archie's history as well as Prime pretty confidently, and stretching it the likes of Chronicles and Underground and stuff but I'd need to play more of them. Favourite I've got the very simple storybook games and Unleashed answer, we've seen it all before, although Frontiers has a pretty great Sonic too.

I don't want to skip any out of principal but also just so particularly don't care for Sonic ships that I've kinda got nothing here. I guess gun to my head I like Sonic and Knuckles' dynamic a lot but I don't need that to go romantic or anything so like, you know?

I just want multiple playable characters from the get-go and all of them to be as fleshed out as Sonic is, really.

There's definitely a lot of little things I can say but definitely the main one for me is less busywork tasks around the island. Pressing switches or parrying items or running in a hamster wheel, a lot of that stuff doesn't really play to the strengths of the gameplay, and I'd like them to work to correct and improve upon that I suppose.

Like the entire Mania and SA2 and 06 and Unleashed soundtracks. We'll go Crisis City specifically.

I have a lot of opinions on the Sonic series and its representation in Smash and that could also be a post of its own honestly, but just taking the question by itself I want Eggman a ton.

"Limited to teams" is such a leading-question type approach to this, L. Anyway yeah no variety is good. I understand the desire to stick to the teams we know, and certainly I think it's important to get those core things down before making a game where Sonic, Charmy and Omega are a team - but yk the cast is so expansive that letting them bounce off of the more unique faces is fun.

They cooked.

"Mainline" is quite the distinction here - I'd love to see more spinoffs handed to other studios even just to have spinoffs coming out, but I think for mainline I like seeing how Sonic Team evolves and where they're taking the series. I can imagine other studios making good Sonic games certainly, but that mainline clarification leaves me wanting to say nah honestly.

I have a somewhat decent amount but I mean that doesn't lend itself well to this type of post. I still like my Sonic has some old shack on Christmas Island where he keeps random sentimental junk from his adventures though.

Unleashed so easily it's not even funny.

Comics and just external media in general being included actually widens the net a lot because Archie and IDW both have a ton of good stories (haven't sonic the comic'd yet sorry lol) and I adore the OVA too but once again I'd point to your storybook games, Unleashed in particular, as well as Adventure 2. The Sonic 2 into 3&K overarching narrative is also very effective despite how simple it is.

Not an artist rip. Idk though the muzzle or something feels good to draw and harder to fuck up than the quills or something.

Honestly I could think about this one for a while too, but I think the one that always comes to mind - and this isn't even so much a cherished memory as just a sort of unforgettable one that I always go back to and think is kind of cool - one day when I was a kid, my brother and I walked to our school that was less than 2 minutes away, at the door were told the school was closed that day because a thunderstorm the previous night had done some fuckery or whatever, and then we went home and had the day off. And the particular thing we did is play Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity for most of the day. We'd owned it for a while at that point but the Riders games are pretty complicated for children even when they're as streamlined as ZG was, so we never really knew how to play it and frequently came dead last against the CPUs. It was this day off school where we really grinded the fuck out of it and just, got good at the game. Won a ton of rings and bought new extreme gear with them and shit, it was just a really memorable day for whatever reason. It's maybe not the most special, but it's what comes to mind when I think of cool Sonic memories I have.

Anyway that's all lol.

[theresattrpgforthat]

Hello,

I apologize in advance if you've already answered something like this but my cursory look didn't show anything. I am looking for a game system that has an emphasis on the feeling of a wild west movie while still retaining general fantasy elements from DND. The wild spaces are slowly becoming tamed, increasing technological/magical advancement are pushing disparate communities together, and of course cocky assholes with guns (or a magical equivalent).

Thanks in advance

Theme: Wild West Fantasy

Hello friend, you might want to check out my Fantasy Westerns rec post, to see if anything there fits what you’re looking for. I especially recommend checking out the rec for We Deal In Lead and Clink. For the rest of this post, I try to span a very broad range, so I don't expect everything to stick - but perhaps one or two do!

Inevitable, by Soul Muppet Publishing.

Knights and wizards have defended the Kingdom of Myth for centuries. These lands have known peace and prosperity, but soon the kingdom shall be destroyed. The Prophets have declared that your city shall burn and Myth will fall. All those who follow your King shall die. It is INEVITABLE.

But you shall defy fate. Myth will not end while you bear arms. You will fail, but as long as there are still stories, they will sing of you!

Inevitable is a Arthurian Western roleplaying game for 2-6 players and a GM, where your party of disastrously sad cowboy knights fail to stop the apocalypse. This 284 page book contains all the rules, character creation and the setting for your campaign, thoroughly and evocatively detailing The Barren, the lands surrounding the Kingdom of Myth.

This game might be way you’re looking for: it describes itself as a fantasy kingdom, with western aesthetics. There are wizards, prophets, and rune-carved revolvers. Your reputation in the kingdom is important; it determines how well you can face challenges, and roll pools of d6 on a table of staggered success. If you want a taste before you buy, there’s a Quickstart with some evocative set pieces, a quick overview of the rules, and a quick adventure to run through with a list of pre-generated characters.

Far West, by Adamant Entertainment.

Imagine a fantasy setting that shatters the tropes of Medieval Europe. Imagine a collision of Spaghetti Westerns and Chinese Wuxia by way of Steampunk. Imagine a world where gunslingers and kung fu masters face off against Steam Barons and the August Throne. Imagine fantastic machines powered by the furies comprising the fabric of the universe. Imagine an endless frontier where wandering heroes fight for righteous causes while secret societies engage in shadow wars. Imagine…

This game is a combination of Wild Western tropes and Wuxia fantasy. Your characters are wandering heroes, defending the small and helpless against the strong and powerful. I look at this game and I think of movies like The Magnificent Seven. Mechanically, it’s its own system, but it draws heavily from Fate, using positive and negative aspects to boost rolls and spark complications.This game relies on some tropes that require entire table buy-in: I’m not sure how many assumptions the game makes about the cultures it takes inspiration from.

Holler: An Appalachian Apocalypse (Savage Worlds), by Pinnacle Entertainment.

In Holler, the mysterious “Big Boys” own the mines, mills, and logging operations. They rule over every aspect of their workers’ lives—subjecting them to extraordinary dangers on the job and crushing oppression outside of it. The Big Boys have transformed the land of the Holler—rivers bubble with strange chemicals, strip-mined mountains crumble into valleys, and the air is choked with a toxic fog known as the Blight. The flora and fauna of the Holler grow more monstrous by the day. Demons of every description lurk in the forests. Mutant cryptids haunt villages with their strange cries and appetites. Vengeful haints leer from abandoned shacks and lonely cliffs. No one is coming to save the people of Holler.

The goal of the resistance is to build a coalition, to bring together diverse factions—humble workers, roustabouts, mountain men, dirt track racers, cultists, and even strange creatures of myth and legend to raze the works of the Big Boys and drive them from the Holler forever. Holler draws deeply on Appalachian history, mythic folklore, and culture to create a dark fantasy world of apocalypse and vengeance.

This sounds a little more grim and gritty, with cryptids, toxic fog and demons lurking in the forest. It uses the Savage Worlds system, so you’ll have to pick up the codebook to play with it, but the setting is very very fleshed out. This is a little less Wild West and a little more Appalachia, and the setting is a bit more on the horror side than most of the other games on this list, but there’s certainly a lot of wildness out there for you to fight!

TROUPE, by TheOriginalCockatrice.

A game about travel, discovery, and outsiderness, a combination of the best of Old-School and Story Games. Complete with 6 Jobs, including the Ghelf, the Hedge, and the Ogra, and includes a system for holistically coming up with a character from scratch.

The designer describes this game as an exploration of the road; the odd and unknown of the wild, what it means to belong, and what it means to be on the outside. You’re not heroes - you’re entertainers, jokers, healers and bards. There isn’t exactly magic, but there is myth and legend. This is a great game for folks who want plenty of challenges that exist outside of combat. Each character playbook comes with a balance of mechanical elements and descriptive options, and you’ll be rolling 2d6 plus your stat in order to determine success.

I’m not sure how much of a Western this is, but the designer actually hacked this game for BXLLET, a game about gunslingers in the apocalypse, in the zine Bxllet Clip, so it might be worth checking out!

Shotguns & Sorcery, by Full Moon Enterprises.

Welcome to Dragon City, a grim, gritty metropolis ruled over by the Dragon Emperor, with legions of zombies scratching at the city walls by night.

Whether in the streets of Goblintown or the prestigious halls of the Academy of Arcane Apprenticeship, people try to scrape by, make a living, and survive from one day to the next. You, however, are looking for something more than simple survival. And in this city, if you don’t make your own adventure, another adventure is sure to find you.

Shotguns & Sorcery is a fantasy noir game complete with Dragon City Intrigues, roving hoards of undead, and unexplored mountains rife with magical creatures. You’ll see magical staffs alongside light pistols, bows alongside submachine guns, and greatswords alongside canteens, playing cards and a camp stove. The game uses the Cypher System, with an additional character option alongside the three-part character sentence: your race. This includes the signature hafling, elf, dwarf etc.

Games I’ve Recommended in the Past

Knights of the Road, by bordercholly.

[whenwillderekhalebehappy]

so i just started playing fallout 4 ,,, here are my preliminary opinions

- lame storyline, i don't want to be married heterosexual. idc abt this fuckass baby either.

- fr tho, it feels like the devs just chose the most generic backstory they could think of so they could get that part out of the way. it's not interesting or good. moreover, if that actually happened to a person, they'd be traumatized and terrified, not running around looking for guns and stimpaks. like, it feels like my character doesn't even give that much of a shit that this happened. like ooh the world ended, my wife was murdered, my infant child was kidnapped, it is 200 years in the future, but yeah no i don't have any questions, ill just roll with it. LAZY WRITING!

- also: how does the survivor know that his baby is still alive. the story has him frozen, unfrozen to witness murder and kidnapping, frozen again and then unfrozen to start the game. how am i supposed to know when that kidnapping happened? like yeah it could've been recent but it could also have been 100 years ago.

- upon exiting the vault you immediately start like 11 quests. why?? for what reason?? i just got here??

- do not love that feral ghouls will just lay on the ground waiting for you to get close enough so they can attack you. 1. its annoying, you get ambushed every time. 2. why would they be doing that, are they sleeping? waiting? doesnt make sense for them to be doing either of those things. they're feral, they wander around attacking whatever comes near them, they don't lie down and wait for prey, thats just ,,, not how they work?

- i especially dont like that the ghouls also dont show up as hostile on the little navigation bar until they get up. the whole point of that is so i know if there's hostiles in the area. if all the hostiles just sneak up on you, there's no reason to look at it.

- the fact that you can just max out your SPECIAL stats kinda defeats the purpose of those stats. the point is that it allows you to pick strengths and weaknesses for your character, instead of it being skills you can learn. it adds difficulty and personalization.

- i genuinely don't like the "improved" graphics. maybe its because my pc is shitty and i have to run low quality, but i cant see shit. especially all the harsh shadows make it really hard to gauge depth and to see things on the ground (like feral ghouls waiting to attack you).

- why is VATS under Q. thats dumb

- follow up: why are we now using the enter key and arrow keys in addition to wasd. let me keep my hand on the mouse instead of constantly having to switch (update: after 10 hours in-game i found out you can also press E, still stupid)

- why cant i just go up to people and ask them shit. why do i have to wait until they want to talk to me.

- i do like the whole settlement building thing. ive been having more fun with that than anything else tbh

- it is nice that you can make radaway and you dont have to rely on scavenging or bartering for it

- they are harsh on the raiders. like i get that they're enemies but labelling them 'raider scum' is a bit much. like thats still a person.

- in the intro thing they say war never changes at least 3 times. i get it. dont overdo it.

- also in the intro, they just say the US ended ww2 by dropping the bombs on hiroshima and nagasaki which is a VERY BOLD statement about history.

- i've barely encountered anyone who's nice. ive met preston and his friends but beyond that its basically been nothing but raiders. where are the friendly npc's? it makes the whole world feel hostile and empty

- the variety of weapons and mods is ,, actually a little too much. i don't know the difference between a pistol and a revolver, let alone what a receiver is. the game kind of expects you to just , understand what all these things mean and how to best modify your weapons. I don't. i barely know what i'm supposed to be looking at. "um yeah i definitely prefer the hardened enhanced glowsighted tempered auto pipe revolver pistol over the hardboiled standardized incendiary double barreled shotgun rifle" <- statement dreamed up by the utterly deranged

- recently encountered super mutants, why do they yell at you that they are super mutants. i know that. i mean, the character technically doesn't since no one's bothered to explain all the new creatures to him, but still.

anywho, ive only been playing for a week or so, so there might be more redeeming qualities later on. but so far im not very impressed

[jcmarchi]

Takashi Iizuka Explains Why Shadow Has New Powers In Sonic X Shadow Generations

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Takashi Iizuka Explains Why Shadow Has New Powers In Sonic X Shadow Generations

The release of Sonic Generations in 2011 gave players a series-wide greatest hits remake package to celebrate 20 years of Sonic the Hedgehog. Though other characters appeared in Sonic Generations, Sonic – in both his Classic and Modern forms – was the sole playable character. Now, 13 years later, the well-liked celebratory release returns as the latest Sonic remaster, but it’s not simply the same package with performance enhancements. Sure, those are there, but perhaps the biggest selling point is the inclusion of Shadow the Hedgehog as a playable character. 

But Shadow is much more than a reskin of Sonic. Yes, the base of Shadow in his Sonic Adventure 2 debut was that he could match Sonic’s abilities, but we’ve seen him appear in a variety of gameplay styles, with varying powers at his disposal. During my hands-on session, I was able to experience his Chaos Control ability, which was the power that introduced players to Shadow back in his debut scene. That power lets Shadow slow down projectiles like rockets so he can easily dodge them or use them as platforms.

The notion of giving Shadow a distinct skillset in his standalone campaign in Sonic X Shadow Generations originated with the dark hedgehog’s first starring role in a game. “The original Shadow the Hedgehog game was thought of as a spin-off from a Sonic game,” Sonic Team creative officer Takashi Iizuka says. “In order to really spin it up to be something fun and interesting and new, we had to think of, ‘What is something we haven’t done or don’t do in Sonic games? Let’s put that in and have it be part of the Shadow gameplay.’ That’s where the shooting action came in for Shadow the Hedgehog. It was to really make sure that it doesn’t just feel like we’re changing the character, but it’s still the same game; we want different gameplay as well.”

Shadow the Hedgehog has garnered notoriety due to its structure, poor critical reception, and oddly mature twist, in which Shadow shoots enemies with a gun while uttering mild curse words. However, it laid out the blueprint for what Sonic Team wanted to do with Sonic X Shadow Generations. “For the Generations content, because Shadow Generations was coming inside of the whole Generations format, we wanted to keep the same game format for Sonic Generations that we have for Shadow Generations,” Iizuka says. “So, the platform action game style was something you could put in and have it be this unified package, but we didn’t just want to have it be like, ‘Oh, okay, so you have levels just like Sonic.” We needed something extra. And that something extra – all the new actions Shadow can do that Sonic can’t – that’s where we’re differentiating the gameplay inside of Shadow Generations. So, it still feels like a Generations game, and this is just the Shadow story, but you still get the new actions and abilities and the new gameplay because of Shadow.”

At the end of the Summer Game Fest trailer, which announced the release date of Sonic X Shadow Generations, fans we shocked to see Shadow suddenly sprout wings, hinting at a potential new ability Shadow may have in this new game to continue differentiating Shadow Generations from the preexisiting Sonic gameplay. “Shadow has Chaos Control, but outside of that, it may feel like too much of the same and we wanted to make something new and interesting with the Shadow content,” Iizuka says. “We said, ‘We have the same platform action format. We have similar running and jumping. We have Chaos Control. But what else can we put in here to really make the gameplay different and unique?’ That’s where the idea came up for the Doom Powers: We need to give Shadow these extra abilities and extra powers to allow new gameplay formats to be born.”

We’re sure to learn more about Shadow’s unique abilities and Doom Powers in the lead-up to the game’s launch. Sonic X Shadow Generations arrives on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC on October 25. For our recent hands-on impressions of the game, head here.

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Choose Your Character

(A small tribute to the many role-playing classes like in dungeons and dragons and a certain horror game that youtube has allowed me to watch and I dig the art style. The game 'Fear and Hunger' has a beautiful art style which I have tried to replicate. Along with my love of Warhammer 40k, I have tried to draw up four classes to look like the old rogue trader art of warhammer 40k. If any warhammer fan likes this and wants to use at as potential role play or D&D stuff, then you are free to use them)

1. SPACE MARINE (BARBARIAN) Gender: Male Classification: Adeptus Astartes  Specialize Equipment: Efficient with both ranged and Melee weapons; Bolter, heavy Bolter, Bolt Gun and Chainsword and Power Armor (High defence) Know No Fear: Being a genetically enhanced warrior, you have seen many horros and are more reisitant to things that would rot the mind.

You are one of the Emperor's angels of death, you fight for honour and glory. You are of the Storm-Watchers Chapter, created in secret by the Inquisition in the Caligari Secter as warriors that fight in the shadows. No one in the imperium, not even other Space Marine Chapters knows of your existence and you wish to keep it that way. Though you can fight all on your own, you do crave some comrade-ship. Even if its from the likes of mortal servants of the Imperium. You have been assigned a mission by the Inquisition of the Caligari Sector, to land on the world of Argamar and route out whatever corruption or xenos taint that may be within the Hive city of Colsectus....or the planet itself.

With a small retenue of the Astra Militarum, you land in the space port of one hive city and make your way down, only that madness seems to have claimed most of the population, and already your team has been wiped out. You easily fight your way past the heretics and traitors only to find yourself alone. Will you continue on alone or will you encounter others who will assist in your mission?

2. ASTROPATH (SPELLCASTER) Gender: Male/Female Classification: Adeptus Astra Telepathica Specialized Equipment: Cannot wear any armour, but can wield items and gear to enhance your psychic abilities (Focusing staff, Lecto Divinitatus Book and Purity Seals) Spells: Telepathy, Lightning, Telekenisis Psyker: Though blind, your third eye allows you to see the disturbances and the taint of the warp. You can detect any anomilies before they strike.

You are a Astropath, a specially-trained psychic servant of the Imperium that guides the ships through the sea of souls (the warp). From your third eye, you can see the light of the astronomicum, the phsycic manifestation of the Empeor that lights the way through the darkness of space. It is your responsibility to carry out communication with your supernatural gifts. Your mind is mightier than the sword but it comes at a cost. For your powers can draw the attention of the corrupting influence of Chaos. If not trained properly, you are a vessel for daemons to pour out from the warp into our reality.

You are a delicate soul, and your mind is bombarded with visions of madness that you must control or you will be found wanting. Though gentle as your personality is, you cannot help but jump at every shadow and at every strange noise.

Misfortune struck you, as you awake to find out that you are the sole survivor from a terrible attack on your vessel. All the crew are dead except for you. With no memory of what happened, the Inquisition suspects you of corruption and treason. To atone for this, you are sent to the World of Argamar, where the Hive city of Colsectus has gone dark. You are to find the Astropathic Choir and re-establish communication with the Inquisition.

3. UNDERHIVE GANSTER (ROGUE) Gender: Female Classification: Gang Leader of the lower levels of Hive City Colsectus (Formerly) Specialize Equipment: All forms of pistols and one handed weapons. Can replace power claw with other cybernetic weaponry. Swift Striker: Has the highest amount of Agility and can strike twice at the start of each combat phase

Originaly born on the world of Argamar to a rich and wealthy noble family house, you grew bored of your life and want to live life dangerously. So you broke ties with your family, left it all behind to join one of the numerous underhive gangs of the city. Through your crafty talents and agility, you worked your way up the ranks and became the leader of one of the gangs, gainign a fierce reputation, at the cost of your eye and arm. Fortune and excitment, you had it all until one day.

The Hive City gangs, criminals and civil population started to act strange and all of a sudden, turned violent. The gangs turned on one another, including your own. You have no idea what is going on, and was forced to slay and butcher your way to safety and sanity back on the higher levels of the hive. You are all that is left of your gang, with nothing else left to loose, you stumble upon those that wish to cleance the city of taint and you migth as well join them. But not before you secure the wealth and title of your noble house family name, and take back of what you had lost.

This sudden outburst of madness and chaos is new to you. And though you have nerves of steel, you canot help but hear and see things in the walls...

4. TECH PRIEST (SUPPORT) Gender: Unknown Classiffication: Adeptus Mechanicus Specialize Equipment: Servo arm, mechanical claw, laspistol arm, built in scanner, optics and fibre nerves. Praise the Omnisiah: You are part machine and can easily access locked doors and several mechanical functions such as cogitators. You can also repair gear as well as weapons. Cybernetics: You have a higher defence than those organic flesh creatures. You can even replace lost limps.

Tech-Priests of the Cult Mechanicus are the forfront of all technology within the Imperium of Man. You are one of teh Adepts of the cult of Mars. You worship the machine god and have gone through all the rights and blessings of swwitching most of your fragile organic body, for cold machinery. Any and all forms of technology peaks your interest to such a degree, that even new tech, which can be considered heretical, peaks your interest. 

You have heard that there may be ancient machinery from the Dark Age of Technology, hidden away or buried in the Hive City of Colsectus on the planet of Argamar. You make your way to the city, only to find that the civilain population have gone mad. The Guard does not cooperate, and the servitors are not responding to your signals. Despite the strange occurings, you will make your way and join a group of what appear to be the only group that is sane and capable of fighting their way for you. 

You goal is selfish as it shoud be. You care not for the emotional trauma of your human collegues, nor do you care of the Astartes objective. But you can assit in repairing their equipment, as you will rely on the party to breach the lower depths of the hive city, and discover what untold secrets that may be lurking far down in the darkness.