#she genuinely would be so peeved about anyone being 'assassin bad'

[noxianwilled]

how does kata handle the quite serious matter of, you know, killing people? even if they (realistically or in her mind) deserved.

is there guilt? regrets? emotional detachment? mourning? and so on.

send me questions you have about my character

— @axewhirl

oh that's a good one i smooch you in the cheek

i'll start by saying it depends, but for the most part, killing doesn't weigh heavily on her at all. the thing is her perspective is very different from most people. there was never any point in her life where she had to see taking someone's life as something horrible or frowned upon. and that certainly fucks up your perspective on things like that in a way that might make other people a little horrified.

katarina's training started when she was a young child (really young, i'd say, from the moment she was capable of holding a dagger and learning to use it). before the age most kids develop the understanding that death is permanent, katarina was already being trained to be a killer. even as she grew up and understood, it's a topic that i believe would've always been framed with cold practicality by those around her, especially her father. yes, he kills people. that's his craft. that will be her craft when she's ready. they don't go about killing anyone, it's not without purpose, but it is killing all the same.

this resulted in a very detached outlook toward the topic. she's not at all sensitive to violence, having been exposed to it from a young age, and i think she might come across as lacking empathy a bit when it comes to killing. not in regards to death as a whole (she's not indifferent to innocent civilians being killed, for example, and of course the death of people close to her would leave her somewhat devastated, though there's something to be said about it even in how she processes those deaths), maybe, but definitely in regards to how easily she's capable of killing.

there is no regret nor guilt; she's doing her job as much as any soldier on the field, as much as any hunter, as much as any other profession that demands lives to be taken one way or another. it's a cold way of looking at it, maybe, but it is how she sees it, and she gets very easily annoyed by any moral preaching in that sense. why would the way she kills be any worse than trespassing someone with a sword on the battlefield? in her eyes, it isn't.

and in her eyes, the people she kills had to die, and innocence is irrelevant in that sense: her parameter is what noxus needs. take the comic as an example: katarina doesn't refuse to kill lux because she's an innocent demacian who did nothing to deserve being killed. she doesn't kill lux because, after her moment of understanding, she judges it as more beneficial to noxus to leave lux alive than to kill her. innocence and 'deserving it' have nothing to do with it. her killing isn't morality based; it's her job. she is acting on behalf of the empire, and so it's the empire and what it would profit from that matter in that judgment. she's not killing people as punishment for crimes, she's killing them because it's what's better for noxus one way or another. this can be seen when she kills that one warmason too; she thanks him for his service and gives him the death he wanted, but ultimately, he was becoming too costly for the empire, and he had to die all the same.

guilt and regret don't come into play in part as a result of that. what she's doing isn't morality based. but, of course, katarina is still a person, no matter how much marcus tried to make her into a weapon — and one that feels deeply, at that. she's not indifferent to her targets, for better or worse, but that manifests in the ways she approaches killing them (not killing them, hesitating to kill them are never options). again, with the warmason, she gives him the death he was seeking, facing a skilled opponent in combat; with the leader from the rogue warband, she kills his warband one by one before making sure he knows why he's going to die and be forgotten. the first comes from a place of compassion: this old man wanted to die serving the empire, wanted to die in battle, and he's someone she sees as deserving of that, so she accommodates his last wish. the second is using fear, then pride, to punish her mark before ultimately ending him; it's designed to be more cruel and cold.

and yet, after her targets are dead, they don't linger with her. she doesn't feel remorse, she doesn't think about them. her task is done. they are dead; there will be others, and they too will die, and they too will not cross her mind again.

well before she put her skills into action, i think she was already being desensitized to killing — with her first mark, she doesn't hesitate, it doesn't bother her, she's proud of her flawless kill, and she was like, 14 and had never really killed before. but a dead person leaves no impression on her, she's not haunted by the violence, and the fact it may be perpetrated by her own hands doesn't change that.

of course, if she had to kill someone she cares about, that would be different, because she cares about them, not because of the killing. even then, the detachment and coldness and desensitization definitely play a part in why i think she'd still be able to do it; i just think it'd be far, far worse after, and that she'd struggle greatly with what she did. it'd definitely take a heavy toll on her emotionally, in a way her usual kills simply do not. but grieving in itself is a complex thing to her — when you're so used to death, when death is your craft, when you've seen hundreds of people die and taking their lives made you feel nothing, it gets more difficult to feel anything about death as a whole.

it's not something i think she'd be hit with immediately. it'd eat away at her slowly, over time. and i think the comic also supports that in that, right after marcus' death, she's somber, but not more than that. she goes about what she has to do, she talks to swain casually enough. which isn't to say she didn't feel it (her relationship with marcus is so complicated, but i doubt she'd be indifferent to his death, especially having a role in it); rather, i think she'd just be hit by it with full force later, instead of right away. and in those more personal cases, then, yeah, there may be grief and guilt and regret, in some cases even self-loathing, sometimes overwhelming sorrow.

but yeah, generally speaking, she's far too emotionally removed from the act of killing for it to weigh heavily on her. to her it's just a task. it's not at all uncommon for katarina to, you know, kill a person and a couple hours later be doing something absolutely normal, like having tea with her brother, as if it never happened. the fact she talks about her mission with talon, even! there's absolutely no sorrow or mourning or guilt. it's just her job, to her, and ultimately she's very indifferent towards the act of killing people.

[mysterious-prophetess]

Review: Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn

So, the first part of this post will be spoiler free.

I’ll get into specifics under a read more.

So my spoiler free opinions of the movie is: It’s fine. It’s not great. It’s not bad. It’s just fine. It’s DC just trying sooooo hard to have a movie like Deadpool. Just sooooo hard to prove it can do the rated R movies too. Just like that other comic book movie universe that I’m all but done with at this point.

The pacing could be off at times. It shone its best when it wasn’t trying to be all “OmG! RaNdOm!” The narrative arcs were also handled decently. 

The film mostly didn’t take itself too seriously. Which was to its own benefit. It also showed that Harley was an unreliable narrator in clever ways, which is always a plus in my book.

Margot Robbie was good as Harley and the others put in good performances too.

Ewan McGreggor seemed to be having a blast as Black Mask. He was contemptible. I genuinely had a good time rooting against him.

If they do an adaptation of the DC mega cross-over “Blackest Night” I hope they bring him back for it.

I did like what they were trying to do. Over all the movie was ok. Better than Suicide Squad at least. But, I can’t say I actually liked it. I don’t hate it. I just can’t say it’s going to ever end up as part of my movie collection. I appreciate it for what it is and what it’s doing but beyond that I--a long time female comic book fan--cannot say this was a movie for me at all.

I’ll end this spoiler free section with this comment: The movie should have been actually called:

The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn featuring some of the Birds of Prey. Mostly because this was her movie more than anyone else’s.

If you’ve yet to see the movie, don’t let my mixed reaction stop you. However, this is the part of the ride where if you want to see the film, the spoilers are up next and it’s where all my negatives come into play. So you might want to click off.

If you’re still here you either don’t care about spoilers or you have seen the film.

Can’t say I didn’t warn people.

So, why I have such a mixed reaction to an otherwise ok experience.

It was because they were trying too hard to be adult. Which means swearing, violence, promiscuity, and violence towards women were the order of the day in this movie. There is nothing wrong with being sexually active, but this movie threw it in as a way of being “adult.”

Then there’s my biggest issue with why this movie is not in my purely positive books and it’s not the movie’s fault entirely: No Oracle.

I understand, there is a legal SNAFU because of the trapped-in-development-hell Batgirl movie, therefore we didn’t get Barbara Gordon, but with the established timeline being post Killing Joke, Barbara Gordon should be Oracle at this point anyway.

This means we--once again--do not get the actual Barbara Gordon on the silver screen.

The 90′s version wasn’t her--she was Alfred’s niece-- and the Dark Knight version might have been her but that universe ended before she could be Batgirl if she ever would be Batgirl.

They replaced her with Rene Montoya who is vaguely recognizably one of the few good cops in Gotham from the cartoons. She has a decent arc but she’s still not a good replacement for a Bat. Speaking of what they did to bats.

Cassandra Cain

If I had to pick something I was more peeved with than a lack of Oracle in the Birds of Prey it was what they did to Cassandra Cain.

AKA Batgirl 3

You could not make a more opposite character to the comic book Cassandra than this film version.

Here are the only traits the two Cassandra Cains share:

They are the same Ethnicity

They are the same gender

They are the same relative ages at introduction

Their pasts are shitty

Their names are both Cassandra Cain.

That’s about it.

This scared, thieving, criminal-idolizing child could not be further from Cassandra. Hell, they took part of Cassandra’s Comic book backstory and gave it to Huntress in this movie-being raised by assassins. 

And then to END the film as Harley FUCKING Quinn’s “apprentice” Fuck off movie. Just Fuck off.

The final bit of annoyance to end my list of grievances is that Black Canary only uses her canary scream ONCE in the whole damned movie. ONCE. One of TITULAR BIRDS OF PREY and she only uses the super power she is KNOWN for ONCE IN THE WHOLE MOVIE ON PURPOSE. 

I actually don’t mind the backstory they gave Dinah in this film. It’s just this factor annoyed me a lot.

Beyond the grievances, again the movie was fine. However, it’s not a movie I can think about for too long or I just get angrier over the things that did annoy me.

[thalrahylune]

Thalra Hylune

Character Development Questionnaire 

BASICS -

1. Height? 5’2 2. Eye color? Lavender in dark lighting, lilac in bright light. She also doesn’t appear to have irises or pupils. Her eyes are just solid color. 3. Do they need glasses? No, though her eyes are slightly sensitive to sunlight. 4. Scars and birthmark?

She has an old, faded scar on her palm from childhood when she went exploring a dilapidated house on a dare. It looks like a small crescent moon and matches the one on her brother’s palm. Otherwise she’s been very careful to keep her skin unmarred. 

5. Tattoos and piercings?

No tattoos but she does have her ears pierced. The other piercings she has are… concealed most of the time. 

6. Right or left handed?

Ambidextrous, though she prefers her right hand. . 

7. Any disabilities? Physical or mental.

When she was younger her aversion to sunlight was much worse, but after so many years on the surface it doesn’t bother her anymore. Beyond that, she has undiagnosed PTSD that she herself doesn’t recognize. 

8. Do they have any allergies?

She does not. 

9. Favorite color?

Purple, especially the lighter shades. It brings out her eyes. 

10. Typical outfits?

While out in public she wears understated, but obviously well made dresses, low cut but not obscenely so, with boots that have a two inch heel to make her appear taller. Usually she also has a parasol with her to keep the sun out of her eyes. At home, she has a wide variety of silk robes and lingerie to lounge around in when a client is over, though when she has no company at all she doesn’t bother and has a very comfortable set of pajamas she can wear nearly all day if she has nothing to do. Occasionally she’ll also be seen in tight pants and loose, flowing shirts that expose a scandalous portion of her chest, only sometimes supported by a brassiere. 

11. Do they wear any makeup?

Sometimes, but only to enhance her features and never to obscure them. She likes bright eyeshadows and dark eyeliners and deep red lipsticks.  

12. What weapon do they use, if any?

She uses a hand crossbow when she’s not using a medley of instruments to channel her spells. Her fiddle is a new addition to her arsenal, relatively speaking. She only learned to play it after she met Pyrope but it’s quickly become her favorite. 

PERSONALITY -

13. Are they more optimistic or pessimistic?

She has trained herself to be pessimistic about all scenarios. She plans for the worst and never hopes for the best, no matter how much she might want to. 

14. Are they introverted or extroverted?

Completely extroverted, she thrives off attention. 

15. What are their pet peeves?

Arrogance. Men being condescending to her. 

16. What bad habits do they have?

In her building in Myrefall, on the third floor apartment that’s inaccessible except through a secret staircase, Thalra keeps a substantial stack of very tacky romance novels near her bed. All the spines are cracked and the pages dog-eared and it would be obvious on first glance they have all been read through dozens of times. 

17. Do they have any phobias?

She fears the day a particular cat will learn to communicate his desire for deadly poison to a potion shop clerk and use a very specific 170 gold pieces to acquire said poison. 

18. How do they display affection?

It depends on the type of affection the person she’s talking with wants to recieve. She learns what people want and then either gives it to them or withholds it. That’s the basics of manipulation. Genuine affection from her though is different and much less filtered. She’s not shy about paying the people she loves compliments or showering them with physical affection and gifts. Thalra becomes much less subtle and, oddly enough, she usually stops flirting.

19. How competitive are they?

Thalra can’t be suckered into a competition she knows she has no chance in, but if its something she’s good at, she gets incredibly competitive. Her self worth hinges on what she’s good at, so she’s very protective of those skills and doesn’t like the thought of being bested or considered lesser. 

20. If they could change one thing about themselves, what would it be?

Physically, nothing, but sometimes she does wish she could carve the piece of herself that cares so much for certain people out of her chest. It would make things easier, and she wouldn’t have so many vulnerabilities. 

21. Do they have any obscure hobbies or routines?

Sometimes, every few years or so, her mentor, Jelxi Silvershaper, aka the Silver Tongue of Myrefall, will run this very elaborate role playing game for some of her former and current employees. Everyone gets to make characters who get to go on adventures and fight monsters. Thalra gets really into it and she has several character sheets with pages of backstory. 

BACKSTORY -

22. What are the names and ages of their close family members? Parents, siblings, etc

Rinnil Hylune is her twin brother and is currently her only living relative who doesn’t live in the Underdark. They’re both 203 years old and Thalra thought him dead until very recently. Presumably, she has grandparents or cousins or other distant family, but she’s never met them. Her parents’ names were Jastira and Vaeril. 

23. Is their family alive and are they still in contact with them?

The only family Thalra is currently in contact with is Rinnil. Their parents died nearly two centuries ago after trying to escape the Underdark. 

24. Where are they from? City, nation?

She was born in the Underdark but only lived there until age twelve when her parents tried to flee due to religious persecution and their criticism of the government. She has lived in Myrefall for most of her life. 

25. Did they have a childhood best friend?

Just Rinnil. She was a very quiet and antisocial child and didn’t make much of an effort to make friends at the orphanage they were raised in. For a few years she was practically non-verbal if not speaking to her brother. 

26. Have they had any pets?

No. She doesn’t see a purpose in getting attached to an animal who will live for such a short fraction of her life. 

27. Did they grow up rich or poor? What were their living conditions like?

Thalra didn’t become wealthy until much later on in life. Even in the Underdark her parents were poor, though her mother came from a noble family, she had left it all behind to be with Thalra’s father. Resources were scarce, but Thalra’s parents were much kinder than some drow elves are known to be and never ate a meal without first ensuring Thalra and Rinnil had eaten. After the Underdark, Thalra and Rinnil were taken in by an orphanage where conditions weren’t much better. This is where Thalra learned what actual hunger felt like, the kind that claws at your insides like an animal begging to be released. 

28. What is their educational background?

Her education was better than most drow children who didn’t come from nobility thanks to her mother’s formal education. Her father was also a religious man who worshipped Berronar Truesilver, a dwarven goddess that Vaeril had come to worship after he’d fled the Underdark many years ago, ending up in Khaggon. He taught his children all about the goddess of truth and safety, but Thalra had was skeptical even then. Education at the orphanage was nearly non-existant except for their preachings of the goddess of misfortune, Beshaba, who seemed to be the exact opposite of her father’s goddess. 

29. As a child, what did they want to be when they grew up?

Powerful. It didn’t matter what else she was, as long as she wasn’t helpless. 

30. What advice would they give to their younger self?

“Don’t let him leave.” 

31. Growing up, were they ever bullied or were they the bully?

For the first few months after arriving at the orphanage, the other children ostracized Thalra and her brother because they were different. Drow elves are an uncommon sight and the twins’ sunlight sensitivity was an easy target. This didn’t last long however, as Thalra quickly made it clear she and Rinnil were not to be messed with. They were never outright threats, as she would stay silent and dull eyed during most abuse, but terrible things would always befall the children who were cruel to her or her brother. Dead, bloodied rats in their beds, hair cut off while they slept, proof of crimes they didn’t commit showing up where the priests could find it. Thalra was merciless. 

32. Who do they look up to/who is their role model?

Jelxi Silvershaper runs the brothel that bought Thalra when the orphanage sold her and Rinnil, and ever since she’s been like a second mother to Thalra. She too is a whisper bard and taught Thalra most of the magic she knows now. 

PRESENT -

33. Do they currently have a place of residence?

Yes. She owns an entire building in Myrefall though she’s currently abandoned it now that she’s on the run from a shadowy order of assassins who know where she lives. 

34. What is their most treasured possession?

Currently: a parasol and a sending stone, both from Efrain and a dagger made by The Order of Shadows.

35. What is their drink of choice?

Red wine, but only the expensive stuff. 

36. Which king/queen are they loyal to, if any?

None, but she thinks Ivana is the hottest among the siblings. 

37. Have they ever killed anyone?

Of course. Unrelated, but when a particularly possessive client oversteps they occasionally have unfortunate accidents or become terminally ill or go on trips they never come back from. It’s all very unfortunate.  

38. What was their last promise and did they keep it?

She promised her brother they’d have time to have an honest conversation later. It was never a promise she intended to keep. 

LOVE -

39. What was their first kiss like, if they’ve had one?

It when she was still young, around fourteen, with another girl who had recently come to stay at the orphanage. It was pretty terrible and more of a headbutt than a kiss because she had done it so suddenly and without warning. She then immediately ran away to find Nil and cry. 

40. Are they in a relationship/have a love interest?

Thalra has been courted before and been on dates, but it’s all been with people who are paying her in one form or another. It’s always a transaction, so it’s never actually been a romantic relationship. 

41. Have they ever been in love?

She doesn’t think she’s capable of falling in love, and even if she was what would it matter? She doesn’t need more tragedy in her life. But objectively speaking, yes, she’s been in love. Parts of her fall in love with numerous people all the time. 

42. Have they ever had their heart broken?

Yes. And not just in the romantic sense. Her heart never fully recovered after her brother left. 

SPIRITUALITY -

43. Do they follow a god, if so who?

No, but she likes Mask. She used to send little prayers to him when Nil would go out on jobs for the Thieves Guild. 

44. What do they think happens to them after death?

She knows the pantheon exists so she knows the afterlife exists as well, she’s just overly concerned with where she ends up. Death is a far away concept that she won’t have to consider for a very long time. 

[master-sass-blast]

Whole list for Alexandra pls!!!

My literal favorite character ever oml

What is their favourite food: Nikolai’s recipe for borscht.

Do they have a fear of an animal? If so, what animal: Nope.

What do they wear to bed: Either a shirt and pair of boxers of Nikolai’s, or nothing.

Do they like cuddling: Only with Nikolai. She’ll do it with her kids or grandkids, but she only really likes it with Nick.

Do they have a secret handshake with anyone: No.

What do they look like: Again, I basically adopted her bc Marvel did her dirty, so she’s about 6′1″, muscle-y as hell, long black hair, dark brown eyes, pale skin, oval shaped face with strong cheekbones, nose, and jawline, two full sleeves of tattoos.

Do they like chocolate: Sure.

What are their good and bad traits: She’s extremely determined and ambitious, highly intelligent, and very patient, but she’s also more aggressive, a little too sarcastic at times, and ruthless.

Do they have any artistic talent: Yes! She’s where the kids get their artsy stuff from. She draws, paints, and sings --but only in private.

What is their favourite room to be in, in the house they live in: Either the bedroom she shares with Nikolai or... wherever Nikolai is at any given moment.

Do they believe in luck: Yes, actually. She believes in hard work and doing things for yourself, but she also believes that some things that happen are outside of what someone can do for themselves (case in point, her having met Nikolai at all).

Can they do magic: No.

Do they believe in dragons: Eh, she’s ambivalent.

What is a pet peeve of theirs: Lazy people.

What was the last thing they cried about: She doesn’t cry often, and if she does, it’s usually over someone else’s pain.

What is their sexuality: Whatever she feels like in a given moment.

Do they have a best friend? If so, who, and what makes them their best friend: Nikolai and the Reader’s uncle. She has a harder time making friends, given her past, so her circle of people is very small.

Have they ever been in a romantic relationship: Yes.

What does their relationship with their family look like? Are they close? Distant? Ect: Alex’s family is the family she has through Nikolai, so she’s pretty close with all of them.

Do they have a pet: She has the animals she helped raise on her and Nick’s farm.

Do they have a familiar: No.

Are they a supernatural being: No.

How do they usually wear their hair: Long, either down or tied back in a braid.

Can they play an instrument? If so, what instrument and what can they play: She sings.

What type a high schooler are/were they: Alex... was held by the KGB during her “high school” years as an asset and assassin, so she didn’t get to do any of that.

Have they ever been in a physical fight before? If so, with who? Who won: Many. So many. Too many to count. She makes a point to win all of them.

What is their favourite holiday: She’s not big on holidays, though Halloween does find a special place in her heart when she’s older because of how much her grandchildren enjoy it.

If they could have one wish, what would they wish for: To get the bratva out of her life.

Do they wants kids? If they already have kids, do they want more: She has three with Nikolai, and she’s happy with that number.

Do they have a job: She helps on the farm, she does do some education curriculum translation, and she works for the bratva as muscle/an assassin.

Do they know how to drive: Yes.

Do they get stressed out easily: No.

Did they ever dye their hair before? If so, to what colour? Did they like it: No.

Have they ever broken the law: Oh yeah.

Do they own a plant: Through living on a farm, yes.

Have they ever rode a horse before: Yes.

What is their favorite gif: Pass.

Do they get along with others easily: Alex can be very charming and amiable, but that’s mostly a learned front from Nikolai. If she’s being herself... not really, no.

Do they have any tattoos: Yes! She has two full sleeves of tattoos and is looking to get more.

If I wanted to draw them, what would be distinct physical features that I would have to know to draw them correctly: Strong cheekbones, strong jawline, strong nose, intense eyes... she’s very striking to look at.

What is their favourite breed of dog: Pitbulls.

Do they live with anyone? If so, who: She lives with Nikolai, and her family as they come to visit.

Where is their dream vacation: Somewhere quiet and sunny.

Do they know more than one language: Yes. Alex speaks Russian, English, German, Polish, and Spanish fluently.

Are they a quick learner: Extremely.

Have they ever won a contest before? If so, what for? What did they win: No.

If the world were to end in 24 hours, where would they be and who would they be with: She’d be with her family, primarily Nikolai.

What does their room look like: Already answered.

If they could have an extinct animal for a pet, what would they have: Pass.

If they got called out by someone, what would they do: Unless it’s Nikolai, someone she respects, or one of her kids, that person is going to be straight up ignored.

Have they ever shot a gun before: Yes. There’s not a type of gun she hasn’t shot.

Have they ever been axe throwing: Yes.

What is something that they want but can’t have: A past where she wasn’t a government asset.

Do they know how to fish: No. It’s not for her.

What is something they always wanted to do but too scared: Go to therapy for her past, but she knows/believes it’s not the most viable option.

Do they own their own baby pictures: No.

What makes them standout among others: Her physical stature. She’s very tall and very muscular.

Do they like to show off: A little, depending on the situation.

What is their favourite song: She’s a fan of rock and metal music.

What would be their dream vehicle: Pass.

What is their favourite book: Doesn’t have one.

Who, in their opinion, makes the best food: Nikolai.

Are they approachable: If she’s doing her “friendly front,” yes. If she isn’t... not really, no.

Did they ever change their appearance: She gets tattoos over time, but that’s about it.

What makes them smile: Her family --especially Nikolai.

Do they like glowsticks: Sure.

What is something that is simple, but always makes them smile: Listening to Nikolai talk.

Are they a day or night person: She’s a “any time is time to be used” person.

Are they allergic to anything: No.

What do you, the creator of this OC, like most about them: Again, I adopted Alex, but I like how competent and bold she is. And also her muscles. Step on me pls ldskfjsljflskjfldks.

Who is their ride or die: Nikolai and the Reader’s uncle.

Do they currently have a significant other? If not, are they going to get one later one: Nikolai.

What attracts them to another person: Genuine behavior, intelligence, willingness to question authority, and gentleness.

Who is one person that can always make them laugh: Nikolai.

Have they ever partied too hard and their friends had to take them home: No. She basically can’t get drunk.

Who would be their cuddle buddy: Nikolai.

Who would cheer them up after a long day: Spending time with Nikolai or her family.

If they had a nightmare, who would they run to: Nikolai.

What object to the care for the most: Any of her guns or knives.

Do they like other people’s children: Depends on the kids.

How would they react if someone broke into their home: Kill the intruder.

Does anyone make them have butterflies in their stomach: Nikolai.

What is something that they are good at: Murder she’s a surprisingly good artist!

What is their neutral expression: Either perfectly, purposefully neutral, or a smirk.

Do they like to cook: She manages, but she prefers it when Nick cooks.

What is something they can’t leave home without: At least five knives, all hidden in various places on her person.

Who is someone that they rely on: Nikolai.

Do they liked to be tickled: Only by Nikolai.

Have they ever been a sword fight before: Yes.

What is a joke that they would find funny: “They say there’s a person capable of murder in every friend group. I suspected it was Dave, so I killed him before he could do any harm.”

Do they have a place that can go and turn off their brain: Anywhere Nikolai is.

What was their childhood like: Tragic. She was taken from her family at the age of four, when her mutation presented, to be an asset for the Russian government, and was kept as an asset until her early twenties.

What are they like as an adult: Quiet.

Do they take criticism well: Only if it comes from a select group of people.

Have they ever jumped out of a plane: Yes.

Who do they like to make jokes with: Her family.

Have you ever drawn them before? If you are comfortable with it, would you post a picture: I have... but that’s for a Special Secret Project, so I’m not gonna post it just yet lol.

[sinisteredgirl]

Mischievous Princess (Diao Man Gong Zhu) (2006)

This is going to be a long post so the long and short of it is this: Do I recommend this show to everyone? Nope, because one would need a lot of patience to watch it. But do I love it? Hell yeah.

Mischievous Princess (or the Bratty Princess, but that sounds like shit) is a story about Situ Jing--a military general’s daughter who loves to sneak out of their household under the guise of a male and with the assumed name “Xiao Long Xia”. She has a knack of getting into trouble, and along the way she befriends and becomes a “sworn brother” of two equally honorable but secretive individuals--later revealed to be Bai Yunfei (son of a feudal lord) and the Emperor himself. With these three characters come an array of problems as they become embroiled in political intrigues, power games, assassination attempts, and manipulations from the shadows--all against the background of a looming rebellion that threatens the stability of the empire.

When people ask me about this show, I always put out a long-ass disclaimer about it. That’s because it’s a show of extremes--extremely bad aspects and extremely good aspects. When I say bad aspects, we have to put into context the fact that it was created in 2005/2006. And while that doesn’t wholly justify some of the bad things, I feel like it helps put things into perspective. So with that, let’s start with the bad things.

My number one complaint is the costume. It borders atrocious. This is supposed to be a period drama so why the hell is Princess An Ning (the Emperor’s sister and Bai Yunfei’s fiancee) wearing a midriff? Wen Mei’er’s (Emperor’s cousin and concubine) and Situ Jing’s costumes were also a bit...bizarre. Aside from those individuals, the rest of the costumes were okay--pretty good even. I especially like the Emperor and the Emperor-dowager’s costumes best (and also that one “formal” dress of An Ning--it’s gorgeous!)

Costumes aside, some of the lines of the characters were a bit off and the editing is not really as polished (I mean there’s no need to zoom in on each character’s face in every scene). The kung fu is...pretty dismal, and the acting of some of the characters were a bit stiff. I’m also not a fan of slapstick humor in the drama or slapstick humor in general, but I recognize that this kind of humor is probably a norm for dramas during that time (mid-2000s).

With all these, what could possibly be the redeeming quality of this drama? Two things. First, the story. Now I’m a person who absolutely loves political intrigues and machinations in fiction, and boy is this drama full of it. And at the center of the political whirlpool is the second redeeming factor of the drama: the characters, particularly the Emperor.

I fell in love with the character of the Emperor (Emperor Zhu Yun as he was named, but mostly he was referred to in the show as the Emperor because, you know, deference). He is compassionate and he genuinely cares for his people, but his shining quality is without a doubt his brilliance. He is exceedingly cunning and calculative--always one step ahead of his enemies both inside and outside the palace court. And he is a master of the power game--able to manipulate things and just about anyone to achieve his desired results. One particular line from Chen Lin (bodyguard of the Emperor) sums it up: “the Emperor is the most intelligent person in the world. Those who oppose him shall die a horrible death.” (Man do I love that line.)

I’m not kidding when I say almost all of the problems and seemingly impossible situations that the lead characters got themselves into were all resolved by the Emperor using his wit and genius--and I tell you it’s always a pleasure to watch him use it. Even his enemies give him their begrudging respect because of it. Alec Su masterfully portrayed the Emperor and his every scene is really just a joy to watch.

Situ Jing, played by Jang Nara, was also a good character overall (although there was one point in the story where she irked me to high heavens. Looking back, however, I kind of understand her now.) Some aspects of her character arc were not very well polished, but I can forgive that. I deeply appreciate the fact that she remained true to her character throughout the series; her headstrong, uncompromising attitude as well as her clever ways with things never really wavered. Her chemistry with the Emperor is I think very good, and cliche as it may be, they really are a perfect match; Situ Jing being one of the only characters that can match the Emperor with cleverness. I also deeply, deeply appreciate the fact that she maintained her own agency throughout the show and didn’t just relegate to a girl fawning over the lead boy (which is really a pet peeve of mine with some of the shows that I’ve watched—after realizing their love for each other, the lead girl falls into the role of just fawning over the lead boy. Ugh. Yes, looking at you still, My Love from the Stars.) She is part of the narrative and she moves in it as an active player, never in a passing role.

Bai Yunfei’s character was the least memorable of the three leads, but I guess we could say he’s an okay character. I love those times though when he played mind games with the Emperor, which highlights the fact that he’s brilliant as well and can play that game, although he admitted that he’s nowhere near as masterful as the Emperor.

Onto other aspects, I actually like the use of the soundtrack (background music) in this drama especially during its tense moments. There were some grating tracks though, like the one they repeatedly use during cheesy moments. The opening song also just bops.

So there you have it--the good and the bad. This show is really a guilty pleasure of mine to be honest. It has mixed-ish reviews, and again, I’m not blind to its glaring faults. But I just love it and appreciate it all the same. I can actually say that although the show was made more than a decade ago, its story is better and far more memorable than some of the more modern and recent dramas that I’ve watched.