#skyward supremacy

[x-xxoxox-x]

Skyward fans get in

(I’m driving)

[not-zuri]

Skyward fans hear me out rn

As a poly couple.

[hoshidensha]

Looptober / Melotober Day 3: Monthlies + Potion

Over at Nintendo Loop, we have monthly gaming challenges with themed teams. One of my fave themes was Console vs. Handheld (I'm pretty sure I was Team Handheld lol)

[crystalflygeo]

Introducing my teams Pt2 - Archon Supremacy

disclaimer: I build my teams mostly based of a certain thematic and just for fun, they are not fully “meta” oriented and while I’m sure they can be improved upon I’m generally happy with the compositions.

Zhongli - Support Raiden Shogun - Main DPS/Battery Nahida - Sub DPS/Driver Venti - Support

As soon as Nahida was announced I KNEW I needed to have her and have a full archon team, I wasn't even sure of they'd work well but it wouldn't matter, I'd love them. Turns out? Oh they OP THEY VERY OP. This team works SO WELL in so many ways I love them and they destroy everything, props for being my first spiral abyss clear <3

Nahida's and Raiden's skills go hand in hand so ridiculously well it's insane, either of them can be on field and procc reactions like crazy be it spread or aggravate, Venti has the crowd control and Zhongli has the shields, what more can you ask for? They're also super easy and quick to use 11/10 would recommend.

Rotation goes Zhongli E -> Raiden E -> Nahida E -> Nahida Q -> Venti E -> Venti Q -> Zhongli Q -> Raiden Q and go wild with her on field

more often than not tho, things are dead by the time I use Venti's or Zhongli's Q, or I just use Nahida Q and use her on field instead

Oh I love this set, I love it so much. My beloved Dendro Zhongli. He has one job and it is to be Nahida's protection squad Deathmatch is there for sentimentality (?) and bc crit rt heck yeah 4pc Deepwood HP/Geo/Crit dmg meaning yes this is another hybrid build though he's more oriented to be defensive/shield and instead serving that sweet sweet 30% dendro res debuff + his own 20% elemental res debuff so Nahida can attaccccc I originally had an HP circlet for him but his shield is so strong already I just decided I wanted more raw power and his burst usually do a very nice 70k when critting

Oh this lady is dangerous. Holding the record for my strongest single strike dmg she could be considered a hypercarry since she comes out to sweep with her burst then leaves again when on cooldown but lemme tell you with THAT level of ER and how quickly these team's bursts fill they haven't even gotten out of cooldown and they're already raring to go. Talk about godly stamina hm? 4pc Emblem Atk/Electro/Crit dmg as per usual DPS builds I was blessed with skyward spine so why not. I am not fishing for The Catch. Her skill is already insane as it proccs with each of Nahida's dendro attacks, Venti's swirls and even Zhongli's stone steele resonances and once you start spamming bursts that chkra desiderata BUILDS UP. Her bursts usually does 150k if she decides to crit. (aka when Zhongli doesn't bc they have an unspoken agreement apparently)

Baby god is so strong, we love her. From the very start I wished to build up her EM with Gilded dreams so I prefarmed that over deepwood, turns out you can give deepwood to any other party member (esp if you have a second dendro) and let her run wild with EM sets. I did a LOT of testing and calculations with her and dendro cup works better, esp since once the right conditions are met she DOES end up reaching that 1k EM roof. Solar pearl bc I refuse to give her sac fragments I had this beautiful perfect crit rt weapon sitting there collecting dust I was going to USE IT. Everyone likes crit rt anyway and she uses amplifying reactions soooo... 4pc Gilded dreams EM/Dendro/EM uses her E to link enemies so Raiden's skill can do dmg and goes ham on the normal attacks. she usually does anywhere from like 12k-25k dmg but honestly the green numbers go wild.

CRIT VENTI??? More likely than you think I am sick of VV EM pieces. In all honesty he's kind of a hybrid whose job is to succ in enemies with his burst and swirl electro (not hard when you can't swirl geo nor dendro ehe) 4pc VV Atk/anemo/crit dmg yet an EM weapon on Stringless. Once he infuses and swirls electro that does WONDERS with the VV debuff and helping Nahida keep the reactions going. Furthermore there's also the fact he helps the ER with his skill and passive.

there's always a lot going on in the field

queen slays.

Each of them is crowned at least once but I might go triple. I am a huge archon simp what can I say? I love them so much. Hope to get engulfing lightning one day :c and kinda keep improving them but honestly they just d e s t r o y. As a random side note they each have the glider from their nations bc REPRESENTING <3 and also Venti has an AP Goblet and Zhongli a VV Goblet as pure shipping statement (?) because oh lord am I a massive Zhongvenshipper lmao, my precious OTP.

[coockie8]

what do u mean by u havent been a fan of the artstyle since skyward sword?

I mean exactly that. I haven't liked the art style of a non-Toon Zelda game since Twilight Princess. And if their new toon style is whatever they've been using to remake games, then I officially hate the toon style as well (Windwaker supremacy).

Non-toon games Skyward Sword onward, which is admittedly not many games, all try to merge the more realistic character models of the non-toon games with the colouring style of the toon games, and I'm sorry, but it's fucking hideous.

They look like halfway through rendering the characters, the team just gave up, and decided to release it in that half-finished state, and I'm not joking.

Twilight Princess worked lighting in a way Nintendo has failed to grasp since.

[shalini-yadav45]

Exploring the Mythical Origins of Arunachalam Temple: A Journey into Hindu Mythology

Deep within the heart of Tamil Nadu, nestled amidst the picturesque landscape of Thiruvannamalai, lies the majestic Arunachalam Temple, a revered site of Hindu pilgrimage. This ancient temple, also known as the Annamalaiyar Temple, is not just a place of worship; it is a living testament to the rich tapestry of Hindu mythology and spirituality.

The story of Arunachalam Temple is intricately woven into the fabric of Hindu lore, tracing its roots to the legendary dispute between the divine triumvirate – Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. According to ancient scriptures, this tale begins with a cosmic challenge that would forever change the course of history.

In the celestial realm, Brahma, the creator, and Vishnu, the preserver, found themselves locked in a debate over their supremacy. As their egos clashed, the heavens trembled with the intensity of their disagreement. Seeking to resolve the conflict, Lord Shiva, the supreme deity of the Hindu pantheon, intervened in a remarkable display of his divine power.

Manifesting as a towering pillar of fire, Shiva dared Brahma and Vishnu to discover its origins and endpoints, promising to bestow divine favor upon the victor. Eager to prove their prowess, Brahma and Vishnu embarked on separate quests to unravel the mystery of the fiery column.

Brahma, assuming the form of a majestic swan, soared skyward in search of the pinnacle, while Vishnu transformed into a mighty boar and delved deep into the earth to find its base. Ages passed as the two deities traversed the cosmos in pursuit of their elusive goal, but neither could claim success.

In a dramatic turn of events, Brahma resorted to deceit, fabricating evidence of his triumph by presenting a Ketaki flower as proof of reaching the apex. Unveiling Brahma's deception, Shiva castigated the errant deity, decreeing that no temples would be erected in his honor. Thus, Brahma's pride was humbled, and the sanctity of truth upheld in the divine realm.

Meanwhile, Shiva transformed himself into the sacred hill of Arunachala, a tangible embodiment of his omnipresence and eternal nature. It is atop this hallowed peak that the Arunachalam Temple stands today, a beacon of spiritual enlightenment and divine grace.

Every year, millions of devotees undertake the arduous pilgrimage to Arunachalam Temple, drawn by the allure of its ancient sanctity and the promise of communion with the divine. Ascending the steps of faith, they offer prayers and rituals to Lord Shiva, seeking solace, redemption, and transcendence.

The Arunachalam Temple is more than just a physical edifice; it is a living testament to the enduring power of myth and the timeless wisdom of Hindu spirituality. Through its sacred halls and holy precincts, devotees are invited to embark on a journey of self-discovery, guided by the timeless teachings of the Vedas and the Upanishads.

In the shadow of Mount Arunachala, the boundaries between the material and the divine blur, revealing the eternal truth that lies at the heart of existence. As the sun sets over the horizon, casting its golden rays upon the temple spires, one cannot help but marvel at the majesty of creation and the ineffable mystery of the cosmos.

In the sacred precincts of Arunachalam Temple, the echoes of ancient legend mingle with the whispers of the present, beckoning pilgrims to heed the call of the divine and embrace the eternal journey of the soul.

[kharrneth]

prev/ The Blood God’s Domain, The Hunting Fields

No subtlety has Khorne. 

It’s what the weakling-daemons titter and hiss, pitiful whining and yelping before the unforgiving brass legions of the Blood God. They think it an indictment, but the Hound finds no fault in the statement. Only the craven deal in subterfuge, only the dishonorable bring fell powers to bare when brazen steel and brass armor is all one truly needs to conquer. To be a true daemon, a true god.

Even without the great Hound sitting the great throne of skulls, the Ragelands are not still. Ever do they buzz with war, perhaps now more than any other time as daemons test blade against blade, horn against horn, and claw against claw for supremacy, for the right to sit the Skull Throne. And even as they do this, they find themselves assailed; half the land stolen away by the entropic enemy, who takes advantage of this vicious infighting anytime they can. Rat daemons burrow beneath the bloody soil and shadow-packs dare make claim upon the Kingdom of Skulls. But be they of Kharneth, Vermaux, or Malal they are fools all of them, for only one being can sit atop the mountain of grisly trophies.

A great roar echoes about the Domain of Kharneth, a bellow to shake the very sky and pummel the bloodied earth. And as if in answer, the realm responds; the skies bleed, leering skull-like faces vomit forth a hail of meteors which smash into the ground. The ground heaves, every single volcano spitting it’s fury right back up at the fiery heavens. Blood Daemons pause, the very essence of them shaken. Those who do not belong are obliterated outright, crushed into nothing. The earth cracks, splitting apart to swallow rival armies or spout forth plumes of scalding blood and lava which carry away luckless warriors and daemons. The ever-hell that is Blood God’s domain seems to come to a head, to a final Armageddon, one that is punctuated by a ripping sound.

A great shadow falls over the land, cast by a blade stabbed through the very sky. It cuts in an arc and an impossibly huge being shoulders it’s way through. Hardened fungal growths sit stubbornly over old wounds, the work of @nurrgleth. Eight horns, a ravaged hound-like face, and baroque armor of brass scored in fell runes; the Blood God has come. He has come to reclaim his throne and to strike down all usurpers, all intruders, and any fool that would claim that which is not theirs to take.

He falls.

Woebringer in hand, the Great Hound falls like a meteor and even grows smaller, as if the atmosphere itself eats away at him. But this is no consequence of the Realm or the descent. The Hound assumes a form so that he might interact with his children. His wayward pack of unruly, disloyal spawn. Slamming into the ground, the God of Skulls strides from the wreckage, great wings taking him to a promontory and from there he roars his challenge.

“𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐅𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐉𝐎𝐘, 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐃. 𝐈 𝐀𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃, 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐊𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐒, 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐒𝐒. 𝐈𝐓 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐈𝐅 𝐈 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐒 𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐘, 𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐘, 𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐔𝐌. 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐎, 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒 𝐄𝐍𝐃.”

He clutches Woebringer, raising the weapon skyward in challenge.

“𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐄 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐑𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄𝐒! 𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐘 𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄, 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐔𝐏𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐌. 𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐌𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐆𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐖𝐀𝐑 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃, 𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍 𝐔𝐏𝐎𝐍 𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇 𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑.”

“𝐈 𝐀𝐌 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐈 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐌𝐘 𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐀𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄. 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃! 𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐘 𝐆𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄, 𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐁𝐄 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃!”

[seoportorchard]

Port Orchard SEO Uprising: Dominate the Digital Horizon

Introduction:

In the pulsating heart of Port Orchard, the pathway to digital supremacy is paved with the strategic mastery of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This in-depth guide, "Port Orchard SEO Uprising: Dominate the Digital Horizon," is your compass to not just navigate the online landscape but to rise above and dominate. Let's embark on a journey through SEO strategies that promise to revolutionize your digital presence and position your business at the forefront of the digital horizon.

I. SEO Foundations: Laying the Groundwork for Uprising

a. Strategic Keyword Integration:

Immerse your online identity with the indispensable keyword "SEO Port Orchard," establishing a robust foundation for heightened visibility and relevance in local searches.

b. Tailored SEO Strategies:

Customize your SEO approach to mirror the unique characteristics of Port Orchard, ensuring your digital footprint resonates profoundly with the local audience.

II. Content Mastery for Conversion: Crafting a Narrative of Uprising

a. Strategic Keyword Immersion:

Infuse your content with the strategic placement of "SEO Port Orchard," creating a narrative that not only captivates users but aligns seamlessly with search engine algorithms.

b. Conversion-Centric Content:

Craft content that not only engages but guides visitors toward meaningful actions, turning clicks into conversions that fuel your digital uprising.

Also Read - Port Orchard SEO Pinnacle: Elevate Your Business Skyward

III. Google My Business Dominance: Conquering the Local Horizon

a. Optimization Excellence:

Master Google My Business by optimizing your listing with accurate information, captivating visuals, and positive reviews, securing a prime position in local search results.

IV. Authority Building with Backlinks: Strengthening Digital Dominion

a. Cultivating Trust and Credibility:

Strengthen your website's authority by securing backlinks from reputable Port Orchard sources, creating a network of trust that fortifies your digital uprising.

V. Mobile-Friendly Brilliance: Ascending Across Devices

a. Responsive Design Mastery:

Elevate user experience with a mobile-friendly design, aligning seamlessly with search engine preferences and ensuring a seamless journey for your audience across devices.

Conclusion: Seizing Digital Dominance in Port Orchard

The Port Orchard SEO Uprising isn't just a strategy; it's a revolution. By incorporating the strategies outlined in this guide and embracing the power of "SEO Port Orchard," you empower your business to stand out in the dynamic digital landscape. As you embark on this uprising, be prepared to witness your online presence soar and your business dominate the digital horizon of Port Orchard. The uprising begins—dominate the horizon today!

[1001pagesofsummerreading]

Liminality The best way to get to heaven is to take it with you -- Henry Drummond Our headlights snake across the west Texas highway. Out here, they've only got tow kinds of music on the radio: Country and Western. Her hair touches my shoulder in the wind. The road signs say turn ahead. We sing along to songs our parents taught us. Turn ahead. Steep cliff. Her finger is curled around my belt loop. Steep cliff. Pay attention. The road curves away from me, my voice crumples as we clip the guardrail, our back wheels lift skyward, the car spins, flips, the sky and the river bed fight for supremacy, our headlights kick into space. All of our clothes float around us. Her blouse blossoms like a supernova, the change her cup holders forms constellations glittering in front of our eyes. We are astronauts coming back to earth. When the nickel stars settle in the dust, we hang upside-down, dangling like marionettes from our seatbelts. We unbuckle the, fall to the ceiling that was never meant to be a f loop. Her collarbone is broken, the same one she fractured at six years old. The glass is flung around the car in a perfect halo orbit, we're freezing in our own solar system. As I'm blinking in and out of consciousness, she speaks to me in a voice that comes from just behind my ear, she says: "All that has ever mattered is volume and if you turn up the speakers past the point of sound, to deafening silence, you will hear me again, I will whisper your name from the cracks in the canyon rocks and you will know that this is heaven knowing that someone will always remember your irises and where you hid your love letters and why you could never speak in anything but short sentences. It's not a golden escalator or a glowing choir conveying you into the sky. The hand of God does not reach down and pluck you from your earthly shell, no, the way to heaven is here, in your last moments, these last half-seconds before your soul shivers our of your bones. You will see the candle on your first birthday cake, the brush of your mother's braids, smell your father's shaving cream on the day he taught you there is a tornado in your throat. You will hear our whispered phone calls, our entwined I love you's and their softness will weigh down on you. Heaven is an exhausted horse laying down to die, it's you and your ceiling fan conversing in whispers, Heaven is floating to earth in this already-shattered car. I will lie here forever and sing to you all the things I stopped myself from saying when we were alive."

-- Neil Hilborn, Our Numbered Days

[navii-playthroughs]

things are definitely happening

crusty g

finished up crisis at hyrule caste and fought phantom ganondorf(s) for the first time

yes i have been avoiding gloom hands

pretty sure I have all the memories of the past sages, still disappointed about lack of gerudo lore in the flash backs

how many times have I asked myself "why is a monarchy even needed?" for both rauru and sonia, and zelda

not a big fan of the implications that zelda got her powers from rauru and sonia...

this isn't me being a hylia stan, just more about zelda's entire character growth about her rejecting hylia for not being there for her in a time of need and finally unlocking her power at the last possible moment because she wanted to save link

ww ganondorf continues to regien supremacy as best ganondorf

let's do the time warp againnnnnn

near the beginning of the game I was assuming that the imprisoning war that's been shown was the one from skyward sword

def rethinking that now

I don't think botw/aoc/totk even exists in the previously established canon tbh

i used to have a theory that botw was the end result of every timeline, existing after the events of twilight princess/fsa, the new kingdom many eras after spirit tracks, and after hyrule's reconstruction in the downfall timeline

where the events of botw would actually have some very slight differences between each timeline, but the end result is similar enough where it can be condensed into one game

but now I feel like I'm doing ww and st a disservice by incorporating the cycle back into their timeline

botk/aoc/totk exist entirely outside of the timeline in my opinion

now I'm thinking about age of calamity again...

[inkdsythe]

"Wings Unleashed: Hawk Girl (dc) vs. Falcon (marvel)- A Battle in the Skies!"

Hey there, Tumblr folks! Brace yourselves for an electrifying aerial showdown between two mighty winged warriors: Hawk Girl  and Falcon! It's time to witness a breathtaking display of abilities as they clash in an epic battle for supremacy. Who will soar above the rest and claim victory? Let's dive into the action!

🦅 Hawk Girl : The Avian Avenger 🦅

Enhanced Strength and Durability: Hawk Girl possesses superhuman strength and durability, allowing her to deliver powerful blows and withstand considerable damage. Her physical prowess makes her a formidable opponent in combat.

Flight: With her majestic wings, Hawk Girl takes to the skies effortlessly. She soars with agility and grace, maneuvering through the air with exceptional speed, making it challenging for her foes to keep up.

Nth Metal Mace: Hawk Girl wields a mace forged from the mystical Nth metal. The mace enhances her strength and grants her the ability to generate powerful shockwaves upon impact, delivering devastating blows to her adversaries.

🦅 Falcon : The Winged Avenger 🦅

Enhanced Flight and Speed: Falcon possesses the ability to fly at incredible speeds, rivaling even the swiftest avian creatures. His mastery of the skies allows him to outmaneuver opponents and attack from advantageous positions.

Razor-Sharp Feathers: Falcons feathers are razor-sharp projectiles, capable of being launched at high velocity. He can rain down a storm of deadly feather attacks, slicing through opponents with precision.

Telepathic Bond with Birds: Falcon shares a telepathic connection with avian species, enabling him to communicate and command birds to aid him in battle. He can summon flocks of birds to swarm and distract his foes.

💥 The Skyward Showdown and the Clear Victor 💥

As the battle takes flight, Hawk Girl and Falcon  engage in a thrilling aerial combat, their wings slicing through the air with ferocity. Hawk Girl's Nth metal mace strikes with bone-shattering force, while Falcon razor-sharp feathers rain down upon her, testing her durability.

With her enhanced strength and combat skills, Hawk Girl unleashes a barrage of powerful strikes, aiming to subdue Falcon. However, Falcon  exceptional speed and evasive maneuvers allow him to dodge her attacks, retaliating with precision strikes from his feather projectiles.

In a sudden twist, Falcon taps into his telepathic bond with birds, summoning a flock of feathered allies to aid him. The birds swarm around Hawk Girl, creating a chaotic distraction and hindering her movements. Though momentarily disoriented, Hawk Girl refuses to yield, fighting back with relentless determination.

In the end, it is Hawk Girl with Mace who emerges as the victorious warrior. Utilizing her exceptional strength and the shockwave-generating capabilities of her Nth metal mace, she delivers a final, devastating blow that incapacitates Falcon. Her unwavering resolve and mastery of aerial combat secure her triumph in this epic clash.

🌟 Conclusion: Hawk Girl  Reigns Supreme 🌟

In this electrifying battle, Hawk Girl  emerges as the clear winner, showcasing her enhanced strength, flight, and mace-wielding skills to overcome Falcon  aerial finesse and feather-based attacks. While Falcon puts up a valiant fight, it is Hawk Girl's indomitable spirit and superior weaponry that prove decisive.

[x-xxoxox-x]

And yet she can’t have it

[not-zuri]

Random skyward hc that probably goes against the canon

Sadie (sentry) is Bims younger sister the reason she dyed her hair blue was to remember him

[zoras-river]

Oh I don't think it's unfair to hold ALttP against OoT at all -- I didn't read OoT that way pre-SkSw, but it's always been a coherent reading of the game. My gripe with Skyward Sword boils down to that, prior to the game's additions to canon, readings less bound up in the divine right of kings and chosen people were viable and after SkSw they were not.

Which again isn't to say OoT critiqued either the monarchy or ALttP. It absolutely chickened out of any of that, but I do think OoT read by itself at least whistled past some graveyards and de-emphasized the importance of bloodlines compared to what came before and what came after, which left an opening to treat ALttP's chosen people ubi sunt bullshit as the sort of self-flattering nostalgia that lots of people have historically believed but not as something that was factually true of Hyrule. This might also be the product of playing OoT first and then coming to ALttP later -- which maybe made it easier to take OoT's vision of the past, of which Hylians were one part but not even close to all of it, as authoritative and read ALttP as never-truly-accurate mythologizing, and maybe if I had played ALttP then OoT would look more like confirmation of a glorious Hylian past instead?

I also agree earlier installments of the series than Skyward Sword are equally deserving of critique. I've said OoT chickened out of distancing itself from ALttP above, but I do think that for a while -- even if they weren't engaing with the problems in prior installments, or explicitly disclaiming them -- the games were inching toward a mythology less enmeshed in the supremacy of Hylians and the divine right of kings. Not apologizing or openly examining what prior canon had been, but drifting away from it and not paying it attention. It's extremely reasonable to ask for more from the OoT to TP games given how bad some of the prior mythos was,* but even that neglect left room for re-interpretation of old canon and engagement with the series in ways that minimized its worse elements of lore.

But that's all moot, because whatever ambiguity there was before, Skyward Sword went and removed it. Like you say, the parallels between Ameterasu and the Imperial family of Japan on the one hand and Hylia and the Hylian Royal family on the other are striking. To the extent there is a difference between the two, Skyward Sword takes an even more pro-monarchist line. Zelda isn't just the descendant of a goddess as the Imperial family are, she's the goddess' reincarnation and is one herself. All of the worst tendencies in ALttP are confirmed again, and substantially more Divine Right is piled on top of it. I agree with you Skyward Sword is not where those problems start, but I do think it represents a massive regression after twenty-ish years of improvement.

*And again TP's inclusion here is...shaky. We see the re-emergence of themes of Hyrule as a chosen land (though, notably, not a chosen people) And we do see direct magical evidence that the goddesses pick sides on questions of who should rule (Midna, not Zant) but a strongly emphasized theme of Midna's character arc is coming to understand royal obligations extend past seeking the good of just her people to all of the world. It's a weird hodge-podge.

The thing about Skyward Sword's story is that I basically agree with a lot of the criticisms levelled against it, but simultaneously feel that people are wildly overestimating its impact on the series.

My biggest issue with Skyward Sword's story is that it's an incredibly boring, safe take on a Legend of Zelda prequel game (which Skyward Sword actively tries to position itself as). Skyward Sword follows the typical Zelda formula beat-for-beat, with little reflection or deconstruction of it. As a result, Skyward Sword does very little to reframe the rest of the series. Which is why, in a way, it's kind of baffling to me to see how many people got mad at it for 'ruining the Zelda lore'. Frankly, Skyward Sword isn't interesting enough for that. You can't ruin anything if you refuse to innovate.

Skyward Sword added exactly three things to the overarchiving Zelda lore that affect previous entries: Hylia, Demise, and Fi. Of the three, Fi is in my opinion by far the most interesting, and also the one that was handled the worst. I consider the writing for Fi's character to be one of my personal biggest issues with the game, and I genuinely struggle to find a single good narrative decision they made for her. Fi's existence ultimately has little impact on the series for me because her character had little impact on me. Your mileage may vary.

Fi's not really the addition people take issue with though: that would be Hylia and Demise. And I get where people are coming from. Largely I don't even disagree. I also think that having a flat good/evil dichotomy represented by gods is boring as hell. I just think it's weird when people get mad at Skyward Sword for introducing this to the series, because. Like. All Skyward Sword did was add gods to the flat good/evil dichotomy already present in the series.

Establishing that Zelda, and therefore the Hyrulean royal family, is descended from a literal god absolutely has a ton of unfortunate implications. Like, y'know, in general you should probably think twice about canonizing the literal divine right of kings. But here's the thing: the series was already operating under the divine right of kings. That doesn't mean the choice to make it an explicit in-universe correct belief is now exempt from criticism, but, well. What does it actually change?

LOZ never meaningfully critiques the Hyrulean royal family; even when it acknowledges them as having done bad things (rare in its own right), the narrative will still ultimately position them as the good guys against the evil Ganon/Ganondorf/[insert villain here]. In at least the seven games I've played to completion, their right to rule is never questioned, and neither is Hyrule's dominance over other peoples, for that matter. The Hyrulean royal family's rule is treated as a self-evident fact of reality, as fate and destiny, the correct order of things. What is that if not the divine right of kings?

The divine right of kings was already the logic the series was operating under. What does Hylia's addition change about the framing of the previous games? Were there protests from non-Hylian peoples against the royal family's rule that have now been invalidated by canon? No. Because anyone who challenged the Hyrulean family's right to rule was already the bad guy. Skyward Sword did not introduce the unquestionable divine right of kings to the series; it merely agreed with it. That warrants criticism, but blaming it for 'ruining the lore' is strange when all it does is fall in line with the previous games and their framing.

I can't argue against the critiques regarding Demise as much, since they mostly center around what it does to Ganondorf's character, and the only game I've played with him as of yet is Ocarina of Time. Until I've played Wind Waker, which apparently does a lot to deepen him as a character, I'm not comfortable making statements on his character (that don't strictly pertain to Ocarina of Time). I will say, however: Demise is not out of character for the series' treatment of evil either. The vast majority of villains in the series I've encountered so far are evil for the sake of being evil. The flat good/evil dichotomy that Hylia and Demise represent changes nothing about the rest of the games I've played, because that dichotomy was already part of the fabric of the universe. Whether or not there is an Evil God causing it materially changes nothing about the series.

Also, I've seen people blaming Skyward Sword's introduction of Hylia for Breath of the Wild's Fantasy Christianity and monotheism, which is just blatantly unfair. Breath of the Wild very obviously wanted to create a world even more in line with typical Western-style fantasy than Hyrule already was in previous games. That's why they added Monotheistic Fantasy Christianity and did away with (or at least ignored) the Golden Three and other gods established over the course of the series. Skyward Sword did not do that. Din/Farore/Nayru are canon and heavily implied to be far more powerful than Hylia and Demise ever were. If Hylia hadn't existed Breath of the Wild would've picked another god to be monotheistic about, or invented one. Blaming Skyward Sword for Breath of the Wild's narrative decisions is simply unfair and unfounded.

Lastly: the Zelda series does not care about what previous games in the series have canonized. Skyward Sword is actually probably the game I've seen that is most careful about not contradicting previous lore, even if it did obviously go ahead and make a bunch of stuff up. Pretty much every Zelda game I've played so far has blatantly contradicted previously established characters or lore in some way. The games use whatever canon and lore they want to use, and discard the rest. Skyward Sword hardly ruined the possibility of the series ever challenging the Hyrulean family's divine right of kings or the good/evil dichotomy, because if a Zelda game wants to do that, it can simply ignore Skyward Sword's very existence, or radically retcon its lore. The lore established in Skyward Sword is not any more binding than the lore established in the rest of the series, and it's silly to pretend otherwise. If the series ever wants to take on the daunting task of confronting the unfortunate implications baked into the very fabric of its reality, Skyward Sword's lore is hardly going to stop it. Like, TOTK completely retconned the entire game's plot pretty much, come on now.

(And if the LOZ series itself is perfectly content ignoring or retconning parts of its lore, I don't see why fans can't do so either. Skyward Sword does not stop you from forming your own interpretations.)

There are a lot of rightful criticisms to be made about Skyward Sword and the lore it established, but they're largely extensions of criticisms that apply to the series as a whole. Skyward Sword did not invent these issues, nor did it remove the possibility of confronting them. Its lore is the product of the series' unquestioned acceptance of the good/evil dichotomy and the divine right of kings, not its cause. It's a symptom, not the problem. The worst you can accuse it of is being a particularly blatant symptom.

I agree that Hylia and Demise are uninteresting additions to the series' lore, and I think it's fair to be pissed at the way they give an explicit in-universe validation to the games' framing. But ultimately, all Skyward Sword did was fall in line with logic the series has long since operated under: that Hyrule and its royal family is good and all who oppose them are evil. Singling it out as uniquely problematic does nothing except let the other games off the hook.

Skyward Sword's story operates under some very concerning logic and has some extremely unfortunate implications, and criticism for that is warranted, but saying it 'ruined the lore' is disproportionate. The lore sucked to begin with.

[telemna-hyelle]

So back when I first was playing Skyward Sword, I was having a devil of a time with the first Ghirahim fight. I think it took me about six, seven tries?  Well eventually I decided to ask Fi for help. 

And this is what happened

[ryssbelle]

saw @minart-was-taken /@minas-linkverse came out with a black haired First and like we do be on the same wave length there

he is very shaped and I love him already, I hope I got him right, I'm still getting used to larger body shapes

but ye I feel like they'd be friends