#so while i've been able to have story for my *self-insert* it hasn't been as easy to think of for the *selfship itself*

[void-kissed]

ohhh?? a fifth main??? 👀 is it zero or clio by chance???

selwyn it has been Thirty Seconds

yes it's Clio

[dragonagitator]

How to help Karlach in your post-game fix-it fics:

Assuming you didn't skip a lot of content, we end the game at character level 12 with enough XP to be this >< close to level 13. Level 13 Clerics gain access to the 7th-level spell Regenerate, which can regrow missing body parts.

So Karlach really only needs to chill out in Avernus for like a week while we take Shadowheart out adventuring to get enough XP to level up. Then we can use Helsik's ritual to portal into Avernus and grow Karlach a new heart.

The D&D module Descent Into Avernus has a bunch of useful info on the setting if you want to write about the process of tracking down Karlach once you arrive in Avernus. Since she lived there for 10 years, if this plan is hatched before she's forced to return then she should be able to recommend a meeting spot or somewhere you can leave her a message that you've arrived. Regardless, the Infernal Rapture restaurant in the Wandering Emporium is apparently the only place in Avernus you can get a meal that doesn't taste like ash, and thus that seems like a good spot to plan to meet or wait for someone to eventually pass through.

Removing the infernal engine first to make room for the regenerated heart might be tricky, so take Dammon with you. Since it's been functioning as an artificial heart and Faerun hasn't yet developed the artificial life support technologies used during heart transplants, Karlach will almost certainly briefly die at least once during the process, so also load up on Revivify scrolls.

You may need to cast Revivify more than once if she technically dies multiple times during the process because death and resurrection in D&D aren't just biological processes; they're also recalling the soul to the body. BG3 was very generous with the time limit (IIRC it just has to be done before the next long rest), but standard D&D rules are that it must be cast within a minute of death. To be on the safe side, I'd recommend spamming Revivify once per minute until the "surgery" is complete.

Getting back out of Avernus could also be tricky, so you likely need to leave someone behind in Baldur's Gate to periodically perform the ritual to reopen the portal for your return.

(My "Modern Girl in Faerun" self-insert WIP was originally going to be just a retelling of the events of the game, but I've already got enough post-game plotlines for a sequel and I'm nowhere close to finish writing the first story yet lol. Like yes Gale I will return to Waterdeep with you, but we gotta do a thing for Karlach first. And then even once we're back from Avernus, wedding planning in Waterdeep might hit a few hiccups with the events of Dragon Heist and Dungeon of the Mad Mage unfolding in the background. Damnit, Volo, we're on our way to a cake tasting appointment, we don't have time for this shit, go recruit someone else.)

[scarletsky153]

another plot bunny,,

so i've been reading too much Self-Insert Sukuna AKA SIkuna, and because i've been busy on the mha/bnha fandom for some time, and because i adore crazy crossover story so i kinda want to write a fic about :

a totally random workaholic surgeon who love jjk bcs watching anime is the only entertainment he allowed himself to have, got reincarnated as sukuna without remembering his first life, only some glimpses and liking similar things, and he still became sukuna the sorcerer and then ryomen sukuna the king of curses. after he got separated into 20 fingers (still one of the most hilarious shit that happened), he got reincarnated into takami keigo aka hawks.

his third life as hawks he remembered a lot of shits about being sukuna and his first life (when he also hilariously named keigo), mostly how strong and crazy he was, and how easily for him to destroy villages and humans, and how in his first life he became a surgeon to help people but somehow he became a monster in his second one so the GUILT is very much there, so he very much tried to do everything to use his power, his quirk, for good and become a hero. one of the reason why he's way more mature and capable to be a top three heroes before 25 is because he's old old and he got the advantage of once being the strongest.

in the end, after the war where he thankfully didn't lose his quirk and somehow became hpsc president and start to revolutionized japan heroics, he tried to find out about the old jujutsu society and how the fuck did the curse energy changed so much that even the mundane people able to manifest their curse technique and it changed into quirks. the society pretty much integrated with the 'mundane' because their curse technique also mutated into quirks, and because people use their quirks a lot and controlled their curse energy, in a way, they didn't create curses anymore so in the end geto (and yuki) got what they want, a world without curses and so the jujutsu society wasn't really needed anymore.

but bcs hawks knew the world history very well he also knew that those changes is not without consequences, there will always be quirkist people and in the beginning ppl are afraid of those quirked ppl but thankfully bcs jujutsu society did their job to ease tensions when more and more ppl with quirk born.

when he died as hawks, he was pretty young but not as young as his first life, probably around 35-40yo. but instead of finally resting peacefully in the afterlife, he immediately incarnated back into sukuna BUT this time inside itadori yuuji, while also remembering ALL of his life, first as the ordinary dude who love jjk, second as sukuna in heian era, and third as top hero hawks.

when sukuna took over yuuji to exorcise the curse on top of the school, he freaked out a lot bcs I THOUGHT I WAS DONE WITH THE LIVING WORLD and so when megumi tried to exorcise him he just said "shut it, i'm having an existential crisis, also what year is it now?" before yuuji took over, gojo came and they have their talk.

when gojo ask yuuji to let sukuna take over for prob one minute, he finally gathered enough wit (even tho he still freaked out) to, yknow, just talk instead of fighting each other, and gojo humor him for a bit.

SIkuna : "so sorcerer... sugawara? sugawara descendant? what year is it?"

gojo, amused : "the name's gojo now, and why do you want to know?"

SIkuna, very much done w life bcs he just want to pass to the afterlife : "because dipshit, this is actually my fourth life instead of second, and i want to know if i manage to travel forward or backward in time or even to a different dimension. from the infrastructure and language and the existence of curse energy, I'm still in the same japan and could be around 21st to 24th century. if you would be so kind to answer my question about what year is it today?"

gojo, having so many question because what the fuck did sukuna mean by fourth life??? : "...it's 2018."

SIkuna : "so curse energy hasn't evolve and awakened everyone's curse technique and change it into quirks yet?"

gojo : "...what the fuck."

SIkuna : "yeah, that happened on my third life but i was born around year 2335. someone or something upstairs, probably one of the power-that-be, definitely messed up my reincarnation cycle. it's weird."

gojo (and megumi who listened to the whole convo) : "..."

SIkuna : "oh well, the brat is starting to suppress me, so i'll take my leave and please don't contact me for the next few days because i want to sort out all of my memories first."

sukuna def freaked out a lot of people with his nonchalant attitude and 'i already lived through three way different but similar in craziness lifetime, im not afraid of anything anymore, what more would they do, kill me? been there done that got THREE different trauma', tried to change the timeline and also balancing having THREE separated lifetime worth of memories, trying to not becoming heian-era-sukuna but also knowing he can't be both keigos again, also somehow befriending all of the jujutsu high students (first and second years), being seduced by gojo (who at first doing this only because he wants information but then bcs he likes it), having tea with nanami/yaga while also has three lifetimes worth of rambling about the state of the world (the good thing is we won't die bcs of global warming, but also WHY WAS EVERY HIGHER UP ARE ALL SHITTY PEOPLE), and somehow he did it and save the timeline?????

he also had some talks with yuki (and with gojo too) about curse energy-curse technique-quirks, while also telling them he didn't know a lot of shit bcs a lot of written records got lost during the troubling years.

yuki : "but that means it happened, right? no more curses and no more sorcerers dying."

sukuna : "well yeah, but there's nearly a century full of change. the country all around the world are slow on changing things, esp here in japan. the system isn't perfect and i did spend a decade rebuild the system after the war-"

gojo : "what do you mean by war?"

sukuna : *briefly talk about his job as japan top hero and the war with all-for-one* "...and yeah in the end i prob didnt do much but i do hope my sidekicks, allies, and employees can continue my works and make japan heroics a better place."

gojo : "....sukuna marry me."

sukuna : "HA?!"

yuki : *laughing*

thats... more or less the whole plot i kinda want to write,,, probs gonna add more ha

(feel free to use this long-ass post as inspiration or something!! i... probs gonna write them on ao3, like, maybe??? probably???? yeah,,)

--

Part 2

[kaelidascope]

Director's commentary on Something About Moths and a Flame, please!

Oh this outta be fun LOL OKAY

So the overall story of how this fic was even born in the first place stemmed from 2 things. I had an idea to write about a shameless self-indulgence about having an overabundance of experience with cismen with hardly any queer experience. And the little queer experiences Blake did have were not good reference points. Using myself as a default source of plot devices (lmao) I self-inserted the desire to get the fuck out of my current state and wanting to move somewhere north to start over. Bing bang boom, you got a basic background and motive for Blake

I honestly should've expected the fic would be more than just 'bisexual character experiences sex with a seasoned sapphic character' and trying to manifest positive things in my life by writing it out in fic format (who doesn't do that, really. If anyone says they don't they're a liar). Everything I make always turns out to be something way more than it's original concept so what I ended up with here was a story drawing on personal elements and wanting for an outcome that probably wont happen, but it's nice seeing it happen to the bees anyway

Blake's feelings about relationships represent a time in my life where my opinion was exactly hers. After a lengthy discussion with Sawrin over dissecting this fic, I've come to the realization that Yang also represents a time frame of opinions as well. Only Yang's core design comes from a time waaaaay in the past that honestly, I had forgotten existed. It's nice to see it manifest despite being buried, and certainly gives me something to think about when I reread it from time to time.

Readers of MM and Moths can draw lines between Blake questioning why things are so easy when she's with Yang. It's the same principle across the board for most bee fics that Blake's past hasn't been kind to her. It's an alien feeling to suddenly have things be so easy, but difficult to accept they're easy at the same time. I tried to picture how the fuck would I react if I were in this perfect dream scenario and how stupid would it be after the realization hits. Blake and Yang have been dating this whole time and just never accepted it for what it was based on what other people have lead them to believe what a relationship had to be.

The talk they have when Yang's AC is out and they're laying in her bed with the windows open is in reference to a talk I once had that didn't have the outcome I wanted. It carries the same essence of dismay - both parties knowing they want each other but because of the boundaries at play, cannot have what they want. But in this version it's not one sided.

Overall, it was nice getting able to write from a quietly honest place without having to worry about literally every other realistic factor ever. This is about as textbook 'I wrote this for me cus I wanted something that applied to me' as it gets. The ending is my dream scenario. I fucking hate living with partners I can't do it anymore JKNFKGNKJGFN but it's not easy finding someone else who'd agree with me. So the bees get my lost dream of permanent independence. I wrote this thing in 3 days and I was morbidly sick while I was doing it, too. So I'm sure it's littered with grammatical errors and what have you. But my best friend has always been completely head over heels about this work, and it astounds me how much he sings its praise. I'm always genuinely surprised when others find something to relate to in this work as well. I never expected it to be anything more than just a glance. It's not even smut heavy. I didn't think people cared about fics like that LOL (silly, I know) but I am glad I put it out there and it got the response it did.

[noirapocalypto]

ᴛʜᴇɴ & ɴᴏᴡ - ꜱᴠʟᴇᴍ

I saw the trend floating around, and I wanted to participate. I want to talk a little bit more on just how important Salem has become to me. 🖤

The picture on the left is one of the very first portraits of Salem I had taken. I think I had made him a bit earlier, but I officially introduced him to Tumblr on January 24th, 2022 (four days before his canon birthday, which funny enough, wasn't assigned until way after). And the portrait on the right is one of my more recent ones, that I've taken last month (June 19, 2023).

When I made him, he was just a side character. A little project that sparked when I discovered the genre of music I would eventually associate him and his character with. I wanted to create something that I thought was unique at the time. I wanted to do something different from the usual character tropes that I usually do. I didn't expect to fall deeply in love with his entire concept.

(Left picture: taken September 9, 2022 - Right picture: taken June 22, 2023)

I've always defaulted to female characters in any type of game where I could create and customize my character. I just never questioned it and felt it was what I should do, but I never really connected with them. I'd play around for a while, then get bored and move onto the next OC. And so on.

Salem wasn't my first male character, he was actually the last of my main six. But for some reason, the moment I started writing through his eyes, it just felt right. That's when the questioning started. What did that mean for me? Why am I suddenly far more comfortable writing through the perspective of a male than any of my hundreds of female characters I've been writing for all these years? Why am I now suddenly wanting to default to playing male OC's? I began to explore things through him, things that I've come to find out I really enjoy and connect with. Things that make me happy and feel right. It was through Salem that I figured myself out a bit more, that I wasn't what I was told I was my whole life by people around me. I think that's one of the reason he's so special to me. I found myself through my character.

But not just that, I also found people that mean the world to me through Salem. My social circle expanded--I now had people that shared the same interests as me, that liked what I had to create, that encourage me and support me. People that I could be myself around. I met my best friend (hi, bestie 🖤) because of Salem, who at the same time, met his best friend in their OC, whom Salem loves as much as I love mine. I met friends from all over that I care for deeply and love very much--people I would have never met otherwise. That's one of the reasons this fandom is important to me and why I stick around, no matter how hard things get.

(Left picture: taken September 9, 2022 - Right picture: taken July 11, 2023)

I know VP was never really my strong suit. A lot of my shots are very plain and simple, most of them are just portraits. In fact, I feel my style hasn't really changed much since my beginnings in this fandom. I'm never really going to be able to make all these elaborate set ups or be able to tell his story through virtual photography. My brain just doesn't work that way. I struggle a lot trying to improve and "catch up" with everyone else. And I'm growing to accept that. I think it's okay, that my talents and skills are stronger elsewhere. I just want to be able to capture him and share him with the rest of the world--to participate in the joy and camaraderie of loving the things we create so dearly.

While Salem isn't a self-insert, he does have a lot of me in him. Which I think is why I latched on so hard. He's all of my interests and beliefs personified. He's what I would like to be, how I would like to look. And he'll always be with me. Salem will forever be my main OC. Doesn't matter the fandom, if this one is still alive and kicking years from now--or if I've moved on to different media--Salem will always be my muse and he will always live on through my stories.

[tsukuyomiland]

The thing about Fritz Wittelsbach is that he thought of the world as a rotten place and he was able to see beauty only in 3 things:

His rose garden, which he planted according to his tastes and was his refuge

Julia's virtue

The princess' beauty

He had a twisted sense of justice that made him believe he was right above any mortal circumstance, feeling no remorse when he murdered his own brother, thinking he was doing the right thing in its purest form. All the system he lived in was corrupt in its roots.

Supposedly, all this perspective changed when he met Julia, thinking she was able to make the world that would have avoided him doing what he did, a world in which the system would have punished his brother's crime. He saw her rule as a path to his wish. That's why he was willing to work for her.

But again, supposedly, his perspective would change again after meeting the princess. After being a witness of her sincere kindness, little by little he would think that the world can be changed through gentleness and compassion, and not through violence and resentment. Thinking that Julia and the Princess could combine their charm together, the world would finally reach the point of his dreams, even if he at last understands that it would mean he deserved to be punished in the end. He accepts this final punishment as long as his wish is fulfilled.

Fritz was created to be the Princess' love interest, and so he was destined to fall in love with her at some point. While towards Julia he held a feeling of adoration and duty, he was a fantasy of blind loyalty.

I made him with all these nuances. I feel sad my contribution, that was more than a simple contribution (I created the entire base of the character, including the background and physical looks) has been erased this way. I've been erased of many others, being the Princess the one which hurts me the most, since she was basically a self-insert of myself that I designed and created according to my tastes and was the initial base for Pallas, so the author attributing the character creation to herself is painful beyond words, but I've tried to solve it with her privately with no answer, so I guess I will have to learn to live with that.

Here is some of the art I made many years ago that prove the romantic involvement of these two back then.

I have a lot more of it that prove my strong involvement in the project, which as I say, it has been quite unfairly erased and my work uncredited, but even if it hurts me in the personal side, I can't say it has any influence in any of my current stories or projects, so it doesn't really has any impact anymore in my life. I even see the current project held by the author as a fun "derivative work" of my own and so I feel somehow attached to it, but I see it from very far away. I'm glad my past work has helped someone, even if that someone lies about its origin and roots.

Being quiet about this issue in the name of peace was hurting me to a bad extent, and since I feel it poisons my heart and taints my other good experiences, I think is good I purge it out of my system somehow. If I say this is not to attack anyone or ask for anything, but to heal myself. To be honest, I don't mind about Fritz, because I even gave the character to the author as a proof of good will, since she was attached to it, and so I guess I gave her the right to shape it to her likings. But the presence and use of the princess feels like a needle in my chest yet, because I somehow see her so unnecesary in the current storyline the author made... I feel she could have been simply removed, and the story would still work. Basically I see the author sticks so much to the other characters and I don't see any trace of the "beautiful friendship" she mentions anywhere. She has drawn and talked the other characters a lot, but yet she hasn't mentioned any interaction between both the princess and the protagonist, let alone I have seen yet any drawing of them together. As if doing it hurts her someway. And so it makes me feel that the Princess is truly unnecesary. Maybe I'm wrong, but from the outside, that is what I feel, and makes me feel that the princess presence in that story it's more a matter of pride and stubbornness than anything else.

In any case, if this is something I have to live with, I would prefer to talk about it. I don't even feel it as a grudge, I don't want to attack, I don't want to hurt.

I just want to heal.

[incaensio]

it was difficult the not worrying about it. while she may not be entirely concerned about anything capitolite, it seemed she had to if she wanted her tributes to make it out of the games, if she wanted herself and her family to keep breathing, because they were capitol playthings now, just like every other victor katniss may have turned her nose about. how cecelia has done it for over a decade, katniss can not tell. but she presses her lips a bit tighter, and tries to appreciate the gesture with a soft nod; she doubts she would ever feel comfortable to discuss anything real with this woman while they're under capitol roof, but she is grateful for her kindness. "thank you." she adds, just in case — sometimes her actions do not speak as much as she wants them to, which is something she should be working on.

she is a bit more alert and willing to speak when it comes to the talent that they seemingly share. "oh, i ain't know it can be somethin' you grow out of." does it mean that in a few years they'd expect her to be just like cecelia, showcasing her bunch of kids on tv? the thought alone was enough to make katniss think of running away (possibly into the nearest tall window), so she tries not to think of it, and focus instead on the story the mentor tells. "that's huge, your own wedding dress." so she hadn't been forced, and maybe it had even been a very happy situation for her. "i've — right. cinna gotta take the credit for it. he's the mastermind, i'm just takin' baby steps." and phoning in, and putting her name to some collection cinna will release under their own line. katniss tries not to grimace as she hopes cecelia hasn't noticed she almost gave away her minimal — if non existent — interest in fashion. oh well. "hopefully you can get rid of the cameras, then. if makin' clothes and children make you happier." of course, that's wishful thinking, and perhaps some self-inserting; if cecelia managed to stop her show, to have a proper life away from more capitol imposition, maybe katniss would be able to do so in some years. a decade? would that be enough?

katniss can not help the frown — and the way her neck become rather pink — at cecelia's assurance that she's liked. yes, katniss had been told to make friends, but it is a weird feeling, sometimes, to have people so willing to have her, and when people are this nice, like cecelia is being, poking holes at their motives can be harder. "it's two different lives. i ain't think they mix at all." at least, that's what she thinks would work best, the practical way. it must be harder when there's so many feelings, so many years, the children. how do they handle all that, she wonders? maybe one day (if the day they can talk away from the capitol's gaze ever happens), she could ask. "um, my mother is a healer. we ain't have any kinda doctors, so she mends who needs to be mended in twelve. and prim is only sixteen, so she's at school, but she's good at healin' too. i think she could be a proper doctor one day." that comes with a smile, but it is a sad one. the possibility of primrose becoming an university graduated doctor was slim, unless katniss bended in ways she wasn't even sure was possible. plus, could she ever bear to let her sister stay in the capitol for longer than a day or two? "have you two been asked? about movin' in here?" caesar had poked her about it, and the president before him. it made her shudder to even consider it, but if primrose was to ever study here, wouldn't it be better if she was with her? katniss doesn't now if she could bear it, but hasn't she gone through horrible trials for her sister?

"you got siblings? older?" she had already rambled about prim — she does that a lot — so she tries not to add too much to that other than a "last i called 'er, last nigh', she was fine. complimented the dresses, and this stuff" because prim had done that, as she always does, if only to lighten the mood between their phone calls. katniss tries to muster some of her sister's courage and light-heartedness now, shaking her head as cecelia apologizes, needlessly. it hadn't been cecelia the one to make all of this happen, after all. it was snow. and if katniss' gut was right, he may be behind bad things in cecelia's own life, however bright this woman tries to paint them. cecelia is way better at that, actually. the way she talks about wanting hazelle to win makes katniss looks at the screen, at the man who had also received a four and who, by all purposes, had as much chance to win it as her "aunt". "thanks. maybe that will happen. we can visit each other's houses, if that happens." this time, it's not as much wishful thinking as it is the attempt at delusion she was supposed to display while in this city.

Cecelia waved away her apologetic words. She had heard the judgment before, and she knew that her decision to have kids wasn't the popular choice among victors. With her show, she had had to learn to have a thicker skin, the people from the Capitol had plenty of comments about her clothes, her weight, her looks, and her choices in raising her kids. She had thankfully decided that none of it mattered long ago, but it had been difficult in the beginning. "It's okay, Katniss, trust me I've heard it all over the years. Don't worry about it." She had heard that Katniss and Peeta were trying, and she just hoped that it was what they both wanted. "It might not be my place to say anything, but if you ever want to talk about things I'm here, okay? I remember what a stressful time that was for me."

Fashion had technically been her talent when she won, but she hadn't dabbled in it in years. Her show had replaced her talent. Even though she had very little control over it, they liked to make a big show out of acting like she did. "It was, but I haven't had time for it in years. The show and kids keep me busy." She paused. "I designed my own wedding dress when I married Sterling, and I've always loved it but it's unfortunate that I don't have much time for it. I've seen the things that you've done, you are very lucky to be working with someone like Cinna. He's a genius." Cecelia smiled. "He is. Rather handsome too."

She laughed. "I know the feeling," she said. It was cute, to see Katniss acting sweet about Peeta. Katniss and Peeta were the same age that Cecelia had been when she married Sterling, but somehow Katniss seemed...more innocent than she had been at that age. Her innocence had been taken shortly after her victory in that hotel room, and she hoped that Katniss escaped from that. She didn't see the hollow look in her eyes that she saw in the others, so she was hopeful that she would remain unaware of the dark side. "I don't know, Katniss, I quite like you," she told Katniss bluntly. It was a shock, how much she liked Katniss just from this conversation. "The food is pretty wonderful. It makes it worth the long trip to the Capitol." She nodded. "It sometimes is hard to mix the lives that we lead in our District with the lives that we have in the Capitol. Sometimes it's best to keep them at home." Where it was safe. "What does your family do back home?" She asked curiously.

Unfortunately, Cecelia had long mastered the lies that she told about her tributes. She had never brought one home, and she grieved their loss every year, but she had learned that there was no sense in saying those things out loud. Not if you could help it. It was especially awful because Benjamin was providing for his family and his wife and kids were only going to suffer from his loss. It was hard enough mentoring children, but a different kind of hell knowing that she had mentored a man with a family. "I'll be there to support them however happens," she replied with a sad smile. "That's what my brothers had said too when I was a tribute. How is your sister doing?" Her brothers had had a hard time even when she came home. They had been convinced that she was going to be taken away at some point and it had taken a while to get over that fear. Cecelia listened to her speak about her tributes. "I'm sorry, Katniss," she whispered, meeting her gaze. She was sorry that her aunt was a tribute. "I don't know if I would say that, District Twelve got two victors last year. Maybe we'll see another District Twelve victor." She paused. "If it isn't Benjamin I hope that it's your aunt that wins."

[mrdrhenwardhykle]

So, I had this thought process

I've been thinking a lot about that Adam Sandler movie "Pixels", and I think I just wrote a summarized alternate plot for it in my head and I need to write it down.

Okay;

Let's start by brainstorming on writing better and more relatable protagonists. For many, this movie is very hard to watch because it almost feels like a bunch of middle-aged guy's writing in nice-guy self inserts of themselves to feel better about whatever mid-life crisis they're having. And maybe this wouldn't be too bad if their characters were just a bit more than "middle aged creep who lives in his mom's basement is secretly a romantic warrior when put in the right scenario".

At least for me, it's very hard to relate to that kind of protagonist; given how that character is usually the most developed out of all the characters in this type movie. I often find that it's hard to relate to nerdy nice guy characters who often get away with the lack of likeable qualities just because "life should have treated them better". It comes off more as a pity-party more than anything, and their unmotivated dynamic with the "out of their league" love interest, who always comes off as nothing more than a trophy and\or act as an excuse to get the climax rolling in the last 20 minutes after getting captured by the big bad.

So then, how would I write an 80's nostalgia themed adventure movie? What, say, would you think would be a practical way to write the main cast in a way that audiences new and old can relate? Easy; If your intention is to give your entire audience a wave of nostalgia, but to still keep it relatable, then why not make your main cast kids? (credit to Black Nerd Comedy for that idea) I would probably suggest between the age of 12 and 16, and maybe with the occasional big brother\sister type characters and some of their friends . Kids often have a ton of freedom, a large imagination, basic priorities, and a lot less worries than adults. Just about anyone should be able to relate to that, since everybody either was or is a kid at some point of time. And I'm not saying that you can't write for\relate to older protagonists, but you don't want to alienate your audience, especially when making something that might catch the eye of a younger crowd.

Not to mention that ever since the 80's, kids have always been a major player by the impact of technology. For some reason though, the plot of Pixels doesn't really have to do with technology. There's guns and contraptions that are specifically made to destroy the pixels, but it doesn't really go much father than that with the tech. The plot more focuses on going on the "alien invasion" route (which I would think would be more 60's sci-fi based than 80's, which was more experimental in cosmic horror with its alien media)(not including Space Invaders. Shush. That does not count). Honestly, I think 80's nostalgia can be replaced with just about anything when it comes to a "shape-shifting aliens who mimic earthly cultures" plot. It's very basic, yet it doesn't really fit in with the theme of arcade games. It just comes off as a poor excuse for pandering to 80's kids, instead of using that element to bring up interesting concepts and world-exploring in this universe.

So I have two solutions for this, either;

A. Do not do a time jump, and keep the story in the 80's. Make it an alternate universe where different forms of consoles and computers are being developed. Maybe the adult characters are very unfamiliar with these changes, but allowing for the kid characters to have more of an advantage because that stuff would be more relevant to them. Because this was before a time where kids often thought about becoming programmers, it will also work as a disadvantage to the kids because they won't have an excuse to suddenly know how the opposing side works.

Or B. It takes place in a modern era, with Virtual reality, game consoles, and laptops, but it doesn't overly modernize itself with teens on phones, saying outdated things like "lemmie just take a selfie" saying "hashtag" out loud, or any junk like that (Because guess what? Teens and kids don't usually act like that). Maybe make the environment time neutral by making it a mix between the 2010's, 2000's, 1990's, and 1980's. I don't really think it's relevant enough to work in a present setting.

And lastly, let's talk about the big bad of the movie.

Really in Pixels, it's more of a self-struggle either projected upon others, or manifested into it's own being for the protagonist to succeed. There's not really a lot of leg space for anyone else to develop other than the main character (and perhaps something happens occasionally to the comedic reliefs\mascot characters). I imagine maybe this version doesn't have just one central character\plot, kind of like Stranger Things. However, unlike Stranger Things, I would also like a compelling and intriguing villain. Sadly, Pixels doesn't really have that; i has Donkey Kong, but he's nothing more than an alien catering to the protagonist's inner struggles (and nostalgia). There's nothing really more to DK other than that, so there's not a lot of difference between him and any of his previous minions.

And there's nothing really compelling about DK; because at least in canon, he's just a scared circus animal. There's not a lot of reasoning behind his actions other than to just invade. It's basic alien stuff like I said before, it can basically be replaced with some other theme than arcade games.

So what would be a compelling antagonist? Foils to the main group of characters (such as an older school bully, or maybe twisted programmers), create conflict, but if we're keeping the theme of attack of the machines and videogame characters, there has to be a bigger bad than that.

Oh! If only there was an already established villain-coded, tech-based, 80's icon with the ability to control almost all technology!

....

Trust me, I'm onto something!

Max Headroom was always presented as an egotistical talking head. He had multiple shows in the 1980's, as well as guest starred on multiple shows. Perhaps Max survives off of his viewers, and constantly strives to expand his audience. Max does not tend to care about other's well beings, and just wishes to use them as a way to gain publicity for his shows. Max also has a tendency to step over whoever he needs to to gain popularity, including his own film crew.

Max also has multiple canon abilities such as:

Being able to transfer to any screen (including arcade games)

See and interact with the people watching him

Control more than one screen

Interact with himself from one screen to another (multitask)

Turn on and off lights (and likely other outlets as well)

Manipulate the visuals of the screen that he's controlling

All of these abilities can be expanded and explored enough to set him up as a powerful and unpredictable villain.

I've also came up with a couple motives as well;

A. If this is in a modern era, Max could be suffering from a long hiatus since he hasn't been that active since the 80's; causing Max to seek as much attention to thrive off of as possible. To do this, Max hijacks as many outlets as possible to air his show. He might also use this as a way to repel audiences away from all other media; making it easier to turn to him for entertainment.

B. This takes place in an alternate universe where Max Headroom became more popular than it originally was. He starts taking over half of ads and television shows on air, getting more power hungry with each channel he takes. However, in his media take-over, ratings take a slight drop due to uninterested children who have turned to other outlets like toys, videogames, and arcades. This inspires Max to take a full takeover over everything electrical, causing a full invasion of all things electrical.

(I also forgot to mention that Max very likely hates children, and has canonly protested the execution of all of them)

Bam! And there you have it. A slightly more efficient plot for Pixels.

This was rotting in my head for a while and I wanted to let it out. Sorry for the ramble.

[goldstepstuff]

I've never owned comic books. I've got a few graphic novels. "Maus" by Art Spegelman (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maus) is not a comic book in the way that Schindler's List is not a date flick. I have the whole brick shaped copy of the complete "Bone" too. But the superheroes we all think of when someone says Comics - never owned an issue.

But I read a lot of them. Some of my friends as a middle schooler were big fans of one title or another. I was happy to read over a shoulder. It was something my parents never liked but sometimes ignored because there is a murmur that passes around Jewish parents reminding them that many of the very successful comic writers are Jews. In fact, my father was much warmer to the Fantastic Four when he found out that my (perhaps *slightly* antisemitic) maternal Grandmother did not like that Ben Grimm was put forth as a hero and role model and was loudly Jewish. Just sayin.

Anyway,

Recently as I have looked for stuff that is quiet (don't wake the baby!) but not just tonnes of depressing news stories confirming that nothing has changed in the last 4 hours since I last checked, I've been reading a lot of comics online. Catching up with my favorite characters. Seeing who holds up outside the rose colored glasses of preteen life.

And I'm reminded how much I love Kitty Pryde.

Of course she's designed that way. If she were designed by a fan-fic writer, we'd all say, "What a Mary-Sue!" and "isn't she just a cipher for the audience to self-insert with?"

As a character, she is well established as a polyglot who has mastered several martial arts who is highly empathetic, but very moral allowing her to engender trust. Her flaws are things like, she wants to date every boy named Peter...

Even Peter Quill who is terrible and obnoxious:

And perhaps it's just that I've always been her target audience... but I think its a big shame she isn't better recognized for who she is.

She is a character who as a kid openly talked about how her parents divorce makes her feel but never came off as overdramatic for doing so.

She is a character who can pass for "normal" and announces to the world that she is Jewish and a Mutant because she wants to work towards a world where people don't treat her badly for it and knows working in the daylight will help that cause faster.

She is a character who understands that being a mutant is easier for her than for others, even if it isn't always easy for her, but it is who she is and she embraces it and supports others to help them to be able to do so too.

And she's everywhere. She was introduced in the 80s in X-Men with Peter "Collosus" Rasputin, but she's been a Guardian of the Galaxy with Peter "Starlord" Quill, teamups with Wolverine, often part of Excalibur with Pete Wisom, she dated Peter Parker's Spiderman in the 2000s Ultimate stuff and several other places like a one shot with SHIELD as well. She's been in several X-Men movies, although usually as an unnamed background character or just for one big scene.

But when I ask people about her, I get blank stares even as those same people tell me they went to see Infinity War opening weekend and that they loved Deadpool (whom you won't be surprised to find she was in a comic with) and suggest that I catch back up with Flash and Supergirl. Sometimes I wonder if she isn't recognized outside of strictly comic book fans because she is so open about who she is. Captain America was created by a pair of Jews making a specific political statement inspired by their Judaism but never says that out loud. Spiderman was by a Jewish author, whose common refrain "with great power..." Rings to me of the Talmudic responsibility to use the power you have to do what you can for a better world. Superman is inspired the the difficulties of assimilation while keeping the parts important to you. So many of the comic book heroes most people actually recognize are closeted statements about Jewish experience, ethics, and culture. I wonder if the reason Kitty isn't better known is because she isn't willing to stay in her closet and it troubles people like my grandmother.

There might be other reasons: she changes costumes a lot. Then again so does Supes and Spidey and several others we all recognize. She changes codenames a lot, or at least did 20 years ago, but really hasn't since the nineties. She doesn't headline her own book, but then neither does Juggernaut or a dozen other characters who are in scenes with her and even have less screen time. So I keep coming back to the idea... And I hope I'm wrong.