#sorry this got so long but yes i love the blorbos and i do think astar is an intriguing character with so much potential for growth

[dent-de-leon]

Thinking about how similar in some ways Molly and Astarion are: bullshitters and thieves with their hedonistic pansexual peacock ways and foppish sassy attitude

But also how despite those similarities, they still feel so immensely different to me. And it really makes me appreciate more how committed Taliesin is/was to making the Tealeaves people who aren't afraid of hard work. Who don't take advantage of those less fortunate than themselves for their own gain. Amd just how overwhelmingly KIND and SELFLESS they are despite everything.

Astarion, darling, I love you but you are a whiney bitch who has to be threatened with violence to share coin with anyone else and will absolutely use people to get what you want.

They're both such wonderful characters but I'd much rather have Molly in an adventuring party than Astarion

ooh yes this is such an interesting thought!! I adore how they both have their snark, that hedonistic love of indulgence, the mischief and roguish charm and playfulness--or those moments when Astarion is a little warmer and his heart softens, and you can see bits of that devoted loyalty and compassion that are so characteristic of Molly.

I think the main difference between Molly and Astarion is...he got out. He had just as dark and traumatic a past, just as much reason to turn his back on a world that's only ever been cruel to him--but he gets another chance instead. A reprieve. Somehow, someway, the slate is wiped clean, and he can live free of all the demons that chained Lucien. More than anything, I think Astarion doesn't just feel afraid. Hunted. He feels...alone. Abandoned. "You never felt the call of the divine, Astarion?" "Oh, I tried them all. None of them answered."

But for Molly, there's one that did--"I found peace in building a new person. The Moonweaver--" Someone saw him. Saw how Lucien suffered. And she gave this shard of his soul a chance at a new life, found him someplace safe to land and tended to his wounded soul.

Molly gets something both Lucien and Astarion never do. He gets to be free. He gets to be happy--he gets to be loved. And it fundamentally changes him as a person, leads him down a better path than the fate Lucien was doomed to--and does Lucien ever resent him for it. Of course Astarion does get that chance too, but it also comes after 200 years of agony, and it makes the moment when he finally realizes someone truly cares all the more gutting.

So in a lot of ways, I think Astarion actually reminds me quite a bit of Lucien. Like Astarion, he was someone who spent so much of his life backed into a corner, learning to fight tooth and nail for any grasp at control and freedom. He views nearly all his relationships as transactional--even with Brevyn, there's a point where he's ready to leave her behind when he thinks he no longer has need of her, fully intending to abandon her and Cree for a better life (before he realizes he's already burned that bridge too without even knowing it).

And of course, Lucien also clings to power as a shield. Anything to keep him from being another casualty of Shadycreek Run--to escape becoming the Empty, soulless puppet at the mercy of another witch. Astarion has a taste for power and always craves more of it; and it absolutely stems from a place of deep-rooted fear and desperation, just like Lucien. They can't go back--they'll never go back. They won't be anyone's prisoner or puppet anymore, even if it means leaving the rest of the world to burn. They won't be a victim anymore.

And Astarion finds himself bitterly frustrated with a good aligned Tav in much the same way Lucien looks down on the rest of the Nein. Astarion can't understand why someone would play the hero and keep throwing their life on the line for a world that will never thank them, why they'll continually put themselves at a disadvantage for the sake of some arbitrary moral high ground.

If you don't take the tadpoles, he tries to sway you to his side, make you see that you're squandering this opportunity--that if you want to live, to thrive, then you have to take every edge you can get. Sure, he loves the idea of power and control, bending others to his will. But the way he encourages you to take that power for yourself, even early on, I think there's a part of him that is genuinely concerned for you. "I'm embracing this power--and you should too." He doesn't want anyone else to have that kind of power over him--or you. And that's why, if you want to save yourself, then you had better take this chance while you still can--

And then of course there's how Astarion tell himself you're just another means to an end, tells himself you're just another target and he's just going through the motions--hating himself and how it feels to be used all the while. Continuing to put on the act. Until it's not. Until he realizes he genuinely cares, and he wants whatever you have to be real--even though he's afraid he doesn't know how to give you that after being used and manipulated for so long.

Lucien indoctrinating Caleb and Beau, forcing them under the Somnovem's thrall. Keeping all of the Nein close and telling himself it's just idle curiosity, another foothold to anchor Cognouza to this world, all pawns in his grand plan. "That's not how we are, Lucien. We love broken things the most." Nevermind that Yasha giving him a four-leaf clover awakens another heart deep within him that should be long dead. Forget that attacking Beau and Caleb causes him very real, visceral pain--and if the sight of Jester's body causes him to tear his own claws down his face, if the Magician lying lifeless and bleeding still makes his heart ache for the taste of a kiss from a lifetime ago--it's just another hollow echo. Nightmares and shadows of a broken, forgotten little fragment.

Lucien desperately telling himself the Nein mean nothing to him. Even when they're the only thing that makes him feel real and takes all the Emptiness away. Lucien seeking to bring the Nein to his cause, taking them to Cognouza and branding them with the Eyes one by one--trying to claim them as his own, control them, bend their blazing bright souls to his will--because he is a dark mirror of Molly's own soul. And so, when he becomes one with all the Eyes and screaming voices and hungry minds, he corrupts Molly's love for the Nein into something warped and possessive. The remnants of a desperate desire to keep them all close still, to hold onto the only ones who once made him whole and refuse to let go.

It feels a little bit reminiscent of Ascended Astarion's feelings toward the PC from what I've heard of that route. Though I've yet to reach Cazador in either of my playthroughs, so this is just based on what little I've seen and heard. But yeah, I think Ascended Astarion wanting to turn Tav into his spawn and seeing it as a kind of protection or love--I can definitely see some parallels to Lucien wanting to make the Nein one with him, even as he tears them apart and tries to take away their autonomy. "He's gone. And you will all die and join me--"

Anyway yes, I really do love how Taliesin portrayed Molly as someone who wants so badly to be good, be better than the specter of his past he's so scared of becoming. He knows deep down Lucien wasn't a good person, and every time a fragment of some memory or errant instinct creeps through, it terrifies him. And this from someone who not only clawed their way out of their own grave, who had all their memories stripped away and clung so strongly to the very first people to ever show him compassion--for all the joy he filled his life with, there is something that hasn't changed between him and Lucien.

He knows the world is still cruel. Knows that there aren't many people in it who will show him kindness in return. But still he tries, and reaches out, and lets himself bleed for those in need. "I know what the others think, but the truth is...How do I put this...The world is harsh and cruel, and I don't seem to be able to just walk on by. You see a wrong? You fix it." It's the kind of earnest and vulnerable moral compass that I think Astarion would find laughable. But given time to heal, I do think he's able to gradually change and reach back out to others the way Tav does for him. Even Lucien is able to take Molly's hand in the end--

[shepscapades]

GOD DAYUM

So the part 5 thing huh? Welp IT'S GOOD I LOVE IT

Because X is my blorbo I just wanted to point out some things here

MMMMMMMM HE HAS LONG HAIR??? I mean *looks at my posts* long hair fits him absolutely [Still not sure if he has long hair or not but looks like he has his hair tied in a ponytail or in a bun, I don't know it just looks like it on the second image]

[oh and also he called him "Doc" again, instead of Docm which I don't know what could mean in this situation yet, but one day it'll probably make sense as we get more parts]

This Etho right here looks either terrified or confused, and I think it's because

X is going to go absolutely crazy and he's scared that X is now in control [based on the "you dropped your crown king'' caption that might refer to Etho who isn't the attacker anymore but could also refer to Xisuma which I'll explain later]

or

2. He finally snapped back into his senses

or

3. he sees X without his helmet for the first time and his good 'ol computer brain is like '??????? Who tf is that"

"you dropped your crown king" could also refer to X as his helmet got destroyed in process [being the crown] and from what I know, we don't know the reason for why X wears helmet in this AU. The most popular headcannon for his armour and helmet is that he's a voidwalker and can't breathe in the overworld, we don't know if it's a thing in this AU but if it is that could mean that now he's powerless, he "dropped his crown" - he became weaker, powerless against his enemy. Also Doc looks kinda scared, or maybe just surprised after seeing X's face for probably first time. [if he's scared, then he's probably aware of Xisuma's condition when it comes to air]

NESTLE CRUNCH

But also poor Doc he looks horrified

ALSO

*looking for lore through old posts* huh these seem familiar... WAIT

AND THE DATE THOSE WERE POSTED

[it's in Polish sorry, but it says 13th October]

SO THE COMIC HAS BEEN SKETCHED OUT SO EARLY?? Damn those really take long to do, I mean I was aware of that fact but It's been like 3 months since those sneak peeks have been posted and WOW THAT'S A WHOLE LOT OF MOTIVATION YOU HAVE HERE SHEP

[also only now noticed how in this panel Etho's body sketch is red as a sign that he's the danger in Doc's eyes and Xisuma's is green/blue. Oh and in the first sketch X didn't have his hair visible in the visor hee hee ]

So yes, loved it, even if there were only 3 images I still think it's amazing ! We got to see your Xisuma a bit [he- he handsome -makes big eyes]

Sorry for the long ask again!! just!! excited!!

Now I'm going into my drawing cave as I'm full of inspiration already bye bye <333

(also also to reiterate, I have no idea how long part 6 will take since I just kinda have rough storyboarding for the rest of the comic, and classes just started up again— this is my exhibition semester so most of my drawing energy will be prioritized for my grad gallery… we will wait to see how much energy I have left by the day for destruction :3)

ALSO ALSO ALSO! “You dropped your crown king” was absolutely me trying to find a silly caption for what’s supposed to be a serious/dramatic part of the story while also referencing the fact that Xisuma’s helmet shattered/fell off— there are many conspiracies and clues to be had here but I just wanted to clarify that that line is not one of them SFKDFGHJ

I will therefore also not directly respond to anything else being discussed here BUT thank you as always for sharing your theories and analysis!! It always makes my day >:D

[vaguely-concerned]

I’m on a Star Wars books roll so here we go with my — unhinged thanks for asking! — thoughts on Dooku: Jedi Lost, specifically the audio play. Short version: I fucking loved this one! For maximum emotional devastation, pair with Master and Apprentice and Padawan the way my stupid ass did and then be sad about it forever I guess that's what I’m going to have to do.

 Long (LONG oopsie) version:

- So. First of all, let’s get the most important thing out of the way on this here old man yaoi website. We all agree dooku and sifo dyas explored each other’s bodies right. Or at least definitely would have if not for the laws of this order etc., potentially. That’s not just me. Good. Thank you. We can now move on 

- Secondly. Well. Guess I’m just going to be inconsolable about Sifo-Dyas forever now. I miss the days in which he was just a throwaway line in AotC spawned by a random misspelling to me, rather than an eternal raw aching wound in my heart

- poor poor ventress just reading through all the proof that dooku absolutely does have it in him to be a good dad I mean master and just — idk got tired of that and went the force lightning route with her. I love the move of having her dead master hang out with her all that time as well (having her slip up and refer to ‘us’ did something to me, god this is so sad. Is he actually there in spirit or is it just her grief dreaming him up because dooku is awful and cold as a cliff  wall and she needs some kind of attachment figure even if she’ll have to reinvent him herself, rebuild him word for word, gesture by gesture. Pain. sorry about your terrible track record with father figures asajj) 

- Lene: (About Averross): He hasn’t changed. 

Dooku: (In the warmest fondest voice you ever heard) And I hope he never does

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH MYSELF? MUST I SET MYSELF ON FIRE TO ESCAPE THE PAIN???

Another strong showing for Rael in general, btw. He’s so warm and charming as a presence even though he’s also a little chaos gremlin. (He’s quite similar to how Sifo-Dyas was when he was young in some ways, I can definitely start to see what Dooku responds warmly to in terms of character traits.) 

- the fact that good ol’ sheev showed an interest in rael, dooku and anakin… interesting huh! He’s just got a soft spot for the disaster lineage I suppose, maybe there’s an element there of luring yoda’s most direct lineage into the dirt with him without yoda even noticing for the longest time. Also cackling at the idea that he looked at qui-gon ‘too fucking stubborn and insufferable to fall to the dark side out of sheer spite’ jinn and went ‘...not that one tho’ fhdskjfa. And obi-wan is more like ‘that one blorbo all my little guys seem wild about but I just don’t get it guys’ 

IF rael’s refusal to join dooku at the end of ‘master and apprentice’ is the last word (which I am not convinced of ;___; be safe cowboy jedi we never see in mainline canon so far), then he’s the only one who has dodged palpatine’s attentions. Wonderful if true love that for him

ALSO rael is one of the few people we know to be on (or at least to consider himself on despite what palps might think lol) first name basis with palpatine. Hilarious. I concur with dooku never change rael 

- Sifo-Dyas: That’s insane. 

Dooku, deadpan: Yes.

Sifo-Dyas: The worst plan I’ve ever heard.

Dooku, somehow even more deadpan: Most probably. 

Sifo-Dyas: I’m in. 

Crying… weeping and dying………… what if someone could have helped sifo with his unfortunate prophecy propensity and they hadn’t drifted apart. Clone Wars averted methinks if dooku still ended up leaving the order he would have been too busy having tender gay sex with the love of his life (and only person who can call him out on his shit and have him actually listen) to be a war criminal (I am being extremely facetious of course this is very much a ‘time traveler killing baby hitler’ situation where the underlying forces causing this point in history are way too powerful to avert the catastrophe in one move. but at least palps would probably have had to pick someone else to wreck the galaxy through and sifo-dyas would be kissed & held instead of going slowly mad. A net plus some (I, me) would say) 

- I just wanted to applaud both the writing and the voice acting for the characterization of Dooku in this, from his young self trying so hard to be haughty and self-possessed but also being like, y’know, twelve and a dweeb and easy for Sifo-Dyas to pull into trouble, to the dry wit and warmth he shows with Rael and Qui-Gon or his sister later. It took me a little while to get into the voice acting specifically (the actor makes no attempt at going the full Christopher Lee, which in hindsight was probably wise), but now I love it. It gets a bit goofy in places but you know what, I am a long time lover of audio plays, that’s part of the charm 

- “Master, have I done something wrong?”

My heart is clenching… do you think… that master yoda’s deal with leaving his student to try fucking everything to have some kind of relationship with him until he just breaks down in tears of despair… is the kind of thing that maybe started a little bit of a generational trauma cartwheel through the ages. The point that bb!dooku is arrogant isn’t without merit and he strikes out incredibly ungracefully about it (in fact I would be a lot more worried than yoda seems to be that he decides to try to kill a tree about it, ‘I felt like destroying something beautiful’-style)  but I just don’t think a… fourteen year old? A teen anyway, Is going to learn what you think he learns from this. I simply don’t believe that silent treatmenting kids will teach them emotional intelligence I guess especially if they already struggle with that naturally lol 

(It is exactly the same mistake (in my opinion) that Qui-Gon makes with Obi-Wan, too, just leaving the kid completely alone and forcing them to come to you every which way for comfort or guidance instead of meeting them or reaching out to them. Especially once you see that really Dooku’s prime emotion/big core wound right from the beginning is loneliness. And that doesn’t only come from a feeling of superiority (which to be sure is also a big factor), because he has no idea where he comes from until he meets his sister. I don’t think the jedi as a whole were unsalvageable by any stretch of the imagination, but Yoda specifically… you are on such very thin ice with me at this point you little green fuck. You’re very funny and moving in yoda dark rendezvous and that’s all that’s keeping you in my somewhat good graces.)

- Okay, coming back a bit later I think I’ve found the right words to say this. more precisely dooku has two big issues which you can later see haunting all the way down his lineage — loneliness and control. (and not incidentally the intersecting elements of the two haha.) We see from his relationship to sifo-dyas that he’s not incapable of having close mutual relationships with an equal, but that kind of crashed and burned for reasons neither of them could really help and after that it seems quite telling that he has the easiest time with deeper connection in a teacher-student sort of form. I think his affection is unconditional and real, but you can’t get away from the fact that he also has the most control in that relationship structure by default, he gets to dictate what form it takes to a big extent. He doesn’t trust other people — the underlying idea ‘Only I can do this’ that eventually leads him down the Separatist path is there the whole way. It speaks both to a sense of superiority and an utter lack of faith that other people can or will help him. And then that echoes down through the master-padawan line: 

Qui-Gon with his self-righteousness and utter refusal to compromise leaving him isolated among the jedi (only he is right. Yeah the Force told him so. Don’t worry I’ve got a permit *insert parks and rec I can do whatever I want meme here*), Obi-Wan with his anxiety and perfectionism and incredible sense of shame and responsibility that he should be able to carry the whole world on his shoulders alone and beating himself up for failing, all feeding into not knowing what to do with Anakin and his complete lack of control of himself and his desperation to gain and maintain connection and love (which earns him the title of ‘Dooku’s least favorite family member’ fhdsa his immediate disdain for him is so funny and so in character. Repress and go slowly mad like a normal person anakin the way you’re carrying on is just undignified and that is much worse than being evil)… 

- Rael gently telling Dooku to take on another padawan soon… so sweet, so sad, local cowboy jedi looking out for his dad. Also highlights something about Dooku I think is true: that he does much better and seems to have an easier time holding to the light when he’s responsible for someone else. Again, I do feel like Dooku’s core problem is loneliness, but it seems like raising kids is the one point where that relaxes somewhat. Maybe if Sifo-Dyas had stayed in a better mental place and they kept in touch it could have been different.

- Lene Kostana is SUCH a character! Charismatic and deeply fucked up, when it’s revealed how her and Sifo-Dyas’ relationship remains long after his padawan stage is done I felt a little bit sick, to my surprise. Because that could just be kindness on her part, of course, it’s good that he has someone he trusts to look after him when he can’t himself, but also there’s something… queasy about the way it keeps him continually young, in a way. (Notably he still calls her ‘master’ even as an adult, when they’re working together. Not uncommon in Star Wars, of course, but together with everything else going on vibes-wise… hm.) The inherent unreliable narration of this story really worked for me in this regard especially — do we know that young Dooku was entirely wrong when he sensed the dark side in her? She certainly is willing to go to lengths that are… worrying! in her fascination with sith shit, she tempted children into a dangerous place they didn’t understand and couldn’t know the consequences of and she continually puts sifo-dyas in situations that are implied to be a risk to worsening his condition. Run of the mill incredibly irresponsible at best, sincerely sinister at worst. Did she choose Sifo over Dooku because he’s more vulnerable and shapeable? There is an undercurrent of something icky and emotionally incest-y going on with how she relates to Dooku and Sifo-Dyas in general (right down to the ‘NO, no one can know about this’ intensity after the… evil moss cave. I can’t believe I’m this emotional about a book with an evil moss cave). I don’t think she’s a proper sith in any way and I also believe there is real affection there on all sides, but idk something about the whole thing makes me deeply uneasy. Yoda where the fuck are you your son is out there with his irresponsible mom again they’re looking for dirty needles in haystacks and they’re not even wearing any gloves

- dooku telling sifo-dyas he can come back to haunt him if he likes as a joke… well well well I’m sure that doesn’t ring with some dramatic irony at some point down the line lmao

- honestly looking back at master and apprentice after reading jedi lost makes qui-gon's apparent lack of reaction to dooku leaving seem — let's call it highly suspect haha. rael asks him if he's spoken to dooku after and qui-gon is like 'no. why would I. it's literally fine. anyway this topic is done now'. (and rael seems to just go ‘*older brotherly knowing* uh-huh’) meanwhile he's thinking about dooku *all the time* trying to figure out his role as master to obi-wan, thinking about being a padawan himself, the parts of his life he shared with both dooku and rael. The jedi doth protest too much methinks  

ALSO how much of qui-gon thinking the council was too lenient with rael after he had to kill his padawan is about that actual situation, and how much is a ‘our family still likes my older brother more than me even though he Fucked Up so bad and breaks just as many rules as I do’ sort of deal mixed with his own neuroses about how he’s failing obi-wan (to which rael’s situation symbolizes the worst possible outcome, i.e. the kid dies and it’s basically your fault). Many thoughts. 

- moment of silence for jenza of house serenno. Girl your only sin was being surrounded by asshole male family members and I’m so sorry I think you did all you could with what you had to work with here.

Not… entirely sure how dooku’s claim to the title supersedes hers — is he a year older than her? (she’s eleven when they first meet, he might be twelve or older at that point I don’t remember haha) Does she just give up her place in the inheritance order? Are primogeniture and male heir preference factors in Serenno inheritance law? Not the most important thing honestly it works anyway thematically but could have been clarified quickly!

- interesting to see that the council’s restrictive policy against engaging with prophecies had a surprisingly big impact on how things went down. Kostana has a lot of responsibility in Sifo’s fate for insisting he keep it secret, but there is genuine fear for what might become of him if the rest of the order finds out he’s got 24/7 futurevision hovering over him threateningly… listen it’s not like the poor guy can help getting the future constantly pumped into his brain at nightmare resolutions, I think maybe if there had been more willingness to at least engage curiously with the concept of prophecy and how it works, even if you don’t put your faith in the particulars of what the prophecies say, this wouldn’t have had to be such a shitty isolated secretive life for him. hearing him slowly fall apart over the years considering how bright and lovely he started out... oof is all I can say 

- when dooku was a good jedi he was such a good jedi!!! The scene where they’re saving the kids from the collapsing hospital, every time he teaches his students anything…the impulse of someone has to do something about this! that made him so good at saving lives turning dark with the tarnish of frustration and rage over the years… nooooooooo problematic grandpa why did it have to be like this :(

- …do you think infant jedi can sense what’s going on around them in the Force. Because it makes a very sad kind of sense if dooku on some level remembers bodily or in the Force that he was not only abandoned but rejected in disgust as one of the first things he discovered in the world. Oh boy. With all the ways attachment relationships can go wonky in the first few years in real life I don’t even want to consider how much more wrong it can go when the baby is fucking psychic lol

- vaguely related: the way dooku seems to find the very idea of being truly reliant on anyone, emotionally or otherwise, personally offensive, terrifying and humiliating lol. Yoda saves him from being crushed by rubble and he is outraged because that means he can’t save himself (and his newfound sister) without anyone’s help like he thought for one glorious moment he could. The fantasy of perfect emotional self-sufficiency, doing away with all the messiness and risk of interpersonal relationships and cutting off the possibility of really being abandoned again. It’ll get ya every time. This is also a thing you see reflected in his lineage — they’re all quite inward-turning that way until you get to anakin, to different extents and with varying presentations but it is there I think. Qui-Gon turns to the Force, Obi-Wan to perfectionism and shame and rumination, Rael to the bottle and depression and hedonistic apathy, but they all struggle hugely with letting anyone in to help them. Dooku’s line are all much more comfortable being the helpers rather than the helpees, as it were.  

- “Thank you for everything, Lene. Tell Rael and Qui-Gon — tell them… tell them the Force will be with them, always”

Emotional terrorism against me specifically and personally. You asshole you just excused yourself from the non-attachment rules there’s literally nothing in the world except you to stop you from reaching out and telling your children you love them yOURSELF why are you like this

- the recurring theme of dooku seeing something beautiful (the tree in the temple, the tirra’taka as a child and an adult) and ending up lashing out to destroy it… but the tree was old and mighty and he was young and new and couldn’t truly harm it, so he was saved from his own impulsivity. And then when he sees the tirra’taka as an adult he loves it immediately. And in the end he still mangles and destroys it. He didn’t mean to, but he did. He woke it up and hurt it just by existing as a child and then he had to kill it as a mercy because he was too powerful at that point for anything to buffer his mistakes. The parallel with the bird he loved that he also couldn’t protect. He starts out with an aching loneliness somewhere at the core of him through no real fault of his own but by the end it is entirely his own fault that it’s worse, because he starts wrecking everything he loves in an almost absent-minded but definitely intentional way, like it’s a nightmare he’s listening to through the door as it happens in the next room over. He really IS the ‘I just felt like destroying something beautiful’ central of the jedi.

at the end qui-gon is dead and through dooku’s own influence, however indirectly. Rael has had to turn away from him. Sifo-Dyas is dead on Dooku’s own orders and so is his sister, he might as well have done it with his own hands. (though I think it’s very interesting that in each case he didn’t do it with his own hands, he consistently uses a middleman.) He lives within the coldness of his sterile empty castle and horrifically mistreats the one person he might have found something like connection with the way he did with his students before (Ventress), deliberately trapping her in a similar state of utter desolate isolation and telling her, essentially, ‘We’re like this as people and nothing can be done to change it. We can’t escape, we’re already doomed, stop trying, it’s too late. You are just like me (and if you aren't already I'll make you like me)’. And that’s the closest thing he gets to love anymore. When he accused Ky of using her ‘as a salve for his own loneliness’ and you’re like well well well mr projection man how’s that working out for you. He is completely, shatteringly alone and he is so entirely as a consequence of his own actions and he's too far gone to understand or care. I’m howling you useless fucking FOOL dooku  

- dooku 🤝 john gaius

“Hm. I have observed that there are in fact many flaws in our society and the government is deeply corrupt. So if I kill a few billion people here and there in order to fix it, is that not basically okay when you really think about it” 

Dooku making salient points about the political and ethical failures of the Republic and then, just when you think he’s onto something, he goes and makes The wildest fucking decisions about what to do about it. Sure. dark magic and genocide are probably the only ways out of this you’re so right bro. If we make enough minuses to add together surely we’ll end up in plus sooner or later

- *head in my hands once more* I can’t believe I am genuinely emotionally invested in someone called Count Dooku with the looks of a knockoff dracula and ultimate moral character to match right now this is terrible. hey. hey dooks. what you have to go and fuck everything up so bad for huh I’m so incredibly sad now

there is something to be said about how getting to see glimpses of what dooku looked like in the light makes it so much more heartwrenching that he never came back. he could have, a thousand times. and every time he chose not to.

[layalu]

1, 2, 3, 4, 12, 19, 23, 25, 28, 31, 39, 40, 43, 44, 50 OC BLAST!!!💥

[ask game]

OOO SO MANY >:0 Ty!!!

1. Your first OC ever?

answered here, but to name a different one: the first OC i made that wasn't a warrior cat rp character was Layalu (my namesake! :D)! I made him intended as my fursona because everyone had fursonas and i thought they were SO cool so i wanted one too really badly. I followed a guide for it and everything!! It said that fursonas usually took a long time to make and they are supposed to represent you and all that but i mostly just wanted something Cool TM. So i looked at all the colour symbolism and put every colour with Deep Meaning TM in there and he got to be a lion (they're neat and i liked drawing them) and a dragon tail and wings because dragons are epic. I was very torn between making him male or female for a bit because i really wanted him to have a mane and kid me did not yet have the epiphany that i can make him a female and still give him a mane. Anyways. Cue 11 year old me scribbling furiously to make An Epic Fursona and the result was This Guy

actually i lied a little this was already his 2nd iteration that happened after one (1) day. Se those bits with green shining through? yeah lol i decided that was one colour too much. He also only managed to stay my fursona for a month or so before he converted into an OC rip. So. yea! Layalu origin story :)

2. Do you have a personal favourite among your OCs?

answered here and here (Sam and Stormy), but Liam's also up there as a fave, he rotates back in as Blorbo Of The Day a lot xdd Just something about his swaglessness and The Hawke Tragedy and his devotion to his family that Got Me. Also, he is super fun and easy to draw for me so that is also a bonus

3. Have you ever adopted a character or gotten a character from someone else?

Surprising, yes! this guy!

I never really got into adoptables and OC trades since i tend to make guys within established rp groups/games/etc, but this guy was an adopt raffle within one of those groups :] Sadly i only did very little with him but i do love his silly awkward nerd ass <3

4. A character you rarely talk about?

Mmm another more recent/"active" one who doesn't get much screentime is Ulhar (my tav)! Ulhar i am so sorry that i didn't latch on to you or bg3 properly i hope i can make it up to you in a replay 😔😔 Either way though she is my silly lizard rogue who is soooo normal about attachment and loyalty and vulnerability i prommy.

^ the silly in question

12. Name an OC that isn’t yours but who you like a lot

SO MANYY!!!!!! including yours i love your birdies,,, but. shoutout to @a-drama-addict's Chloe Hawke she's been in my mind and my heart since *checks notes* 2021 and i still care her lots <333

19. Introduce an OC that means a lot to you (and explain why)

answered here (Desertblaze) but another one who means a lot to me is Stormyrain! Yes, also a warriors one flksjfdls but she was a gateway character to meeting a lot of friends and in general just. a lot of experiences and people who were/are important to me, and she was the first time that i got really properly invested and attached to an oc's relationships (and with that, other's ocs also), and i remember that one time i got so proud about writing out her ref sheet because it was the first time that i felt like i captured the personality and vibe and depth that i wanted for a character. I still reuse iterations of her for other things sometimes, or just doodle her for funsies :)

feeling nostalgic so here's my original tryout/concept art that i did of her before she was even Official :)

23. Introduce OC that has changed from your first idea concerning what the character would be like?

...most of them fjsfjdslj. I rarely go in With A Plan and even when i do it. basically never works out oops.

25. The OC that resembles you the most (same hobby, height, shared like/dislike for something etc?)

Hmm i don't think i have any one character that is The Most Like Me TM, they just all will have some thing or another that's like me. June has a similar brand of logical reasoning as me. Liam sings in a similar way that i do. Noya has my flavour of Artist Stare. Ylva has my like for baking. And so on.

28. Your most dangerous OC?

Depends on the type of dangerous!

Ari can end a guy's entire career if he so wishes. Kala used to to be professionally Dangerous for a living. June has the most raw potential to cause Large Scale Physical Damage

31. Pick one OC of yours and explain what their tumblr blog would be like (what they reblog, layout, anything really)

Oh Ylva would have sooo much fun making her blog theme pretty; purple and mint with skulls, and a scarab cursor! Would struggle with the code and would probably ask someone else for help though. Would mostly post moodboards and photography and anything that catches her attention; lots of scenery and historical places and trinkets and the like! Also, food!! funky cake decorations, recipes, that kinda stuff. And quotes and literary analysis and things like informative ramble posts from people about places they've been or cool things they found.

39. Introduce any character you want

Hands u. my KHUX key kid. who i've barely ever drawn and who has almost nothing to him. but i miss him i hope he's doing well (<- if i remember The Lore correctly he is not, in fact, doing well)

40. Any fond memories linked to your characters? Feel free to share!

So so so many!!! Recently-ish i was going through some old rp chats that i had with Sam and his family and my god. i miss them so much i love them so much.

43. Do you have any certain type when you create your OCs? Do you tend to favour some certain traits or looks? It’s time to confess

answered here for a bunch of recurring physical traits but hmm. some other things

noticed the other day that many MANY of my guys have some very deep loyalty or love of some kind that is central to them

consistently bad at naming things. on account of *i* am bad at naming things lol

aspec. not even on purpose it just Happens

also very often nd. also not on purpose lol

there is. definitely more but brain is mush rn fkjsjdfslfjls

44. Something you like about your OCs in general

Hmm i think i'm pretty good at taking a Vague Guy and slowly padding them out! And kinda. making A Whole Guy out of the vague concept as i go and piece things together :)

50. Give me the good ol’ OC talk here. Talk about anything you want

Alder on the brain. I am squeezing him like a stressball. poor guy just keeps being unwell in all sorts of ways. rip buddy hope you get better soon

[woaaahh-itz-caam]

PLEASE YAP ABOUT ERRORMARE IM GONNA MELT

Yes anon of course anon anything for u anon HEHEHEHDHDHDHD

THE SONG “Once more to see you” BY MITSKI IS LITERALLY THEIR SONG AND LET ME TELL YOU EXACTLY WHY BECAUSE I’VE BEEN HOLDING THIS IN FOR SUCH A LONG TIME Y’ALL HAVE NO FUCKING IDEAAAAAA

I’D RECOMMEND Y’ALL TO LISTE TO THE SONG FIRST SO U’LL UNDERSTAND THIS RANT PROPERLY 

Okay okay first of all guys cmon its mitski, just because of the fact it’s MITSKI then you already know it’s gonna fit them cuz like??? Bro?? (I love mitski if you couldn’t tell she’s my fav artist lmao) The whole TONE and FEEL of the song already fits them BUT THE LYRICS. MY GOD THE LYRICS. 

Y’ALL. PLEASE????? YOU SEE THE VISION RIGHT???? With the hcs i have for both nm and error, none of them would be particularly eager to make their relationship public!! Not due to like fear of being rejected or whatever the hell you might think— its because they would both probably be VERY afraid of showing any sort of vulnerability to ANYONE so PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGING YOU HAVE A PARTNER IS LIKE HAVING A DEATH WISH FOR THEM BASICALLY!! Cuz like they think that showing actual emotion is weak and dumb and they’re big bad guys that r very scary soooooooo. U GET THE VISION RIGHT. PLEASE IM NOT INSANE.

And this!! It’s not particularly as deep as the other ones but it still reminds me of them quiet a lot since they do feel like the type of guys to just be content with being in close proximity from each other. Their favorite thing to do would definitely just sit next to each other and just be <33

NOW THIS. THIS IS THE PART THAT MAKES ME GO INSANE CHAT. THE THE THE THE!!! THE!!!!!!!!!! THE RAW YEARNING IN THIS WORDS I CANT EVEN DESCRIBE IT!!! IT FEELS SO TRAGIC YET BEAUTIFUL AT THE SAME TIME!! IT FEELS LIKE HOW YOU WOULD FEEL LOOKING AT YOUR CRUSH FROM ACROSS THE ROOM KNOWING THEY DONT FEEL THE SAME, IT FEELS LIKE WALKING PAST SOMEONE WHO USED TO BE YOUR EVERYTHING BUT NOW’S A STRANGER, IT FEELS LIKE BLORBOS. SOBBING AND SCREAMING AND CRYINGGGGGGG ITS SO INCREDIBLY THEM.

THIS SONG WILL ALWAYS AND FOREVER BE ABOUT THEM FOR ME IM SORRY Y’ALL

I would actually love to do a animatic of them with this song someday!! I’m just kinda scared because whenever i try to start to do these kinds of things i always end up dumping halfway n stuff so sighhhhh

But yea that’s the blorbo song yiipppeee!! I got more songs that also remind me of them and make me just as crazy like this but this specific one will forever be my favorite blorbo song heheheh (also hey anon sorry if this wasn’t the ramble u were hoping to see i kinda got distracted with our lord and savior mitski)

[crossbackpoke-check]

find a blorbo (nhl tag game)

RULES: Go through the roster of each NHL team and find at least one player that you can root for.

tagged by @bondedpairs!! when i say too many teams to count and here for the narrative um. i may not have lied. this is not an extensive list of my blorbos but in order to make it not ten thousand years long i made up the rule that i had to do it straight from memory :)

anaheim ducks: as evidenced by recent events i DO like mason mctavish and trevor zegras but i have to honor laura and mention troy terry and beloved goalie gibbie*

boston bruins: oh for sure brad marchand… can i say patrice? one of the charlies got traded but i think mcavoy is still there because gryz is gone, brandon carlo is there still i think

buffalo sabres: cozens & thompson, owen power, rasmus dahlin, ukko pekka luukkonen

calgary flames: is chris tanev still here? is markstrom still here?? noah hanifin?? as a last resort i’ll say blasty

carolina hurricanes: aho & jarvy & teuvo teravainen & brent burns is still playing maybe? i know sepe got traded

chicago hockey: the bedsy narrative is compelling but ANDREAS ATHANASIOU MY BELOVED reunited with tyler bertuzzi… that’s the real story. also i like foligno

colorado avalanche: gabe landeskog, whatever ross colton & miles wood have going on, natemac + jo, mikko

columbus blue jackets: have long been on the merzlikins train, have been swayed to the darkside of umich boys (brindley, kent johnson, fantilli, blankenburg who is now on nsh)

dallas stars: seggy! mush! roope + miro and otter and robo and wyjo (rip ty dellandrea) and harls! etc.

detroit red wings: MOST players. dilly larks, moritz seider, jv, raymond, rasmussen, kitty, lyon, etc except for k*ne

edmonton oilers: mcdrai, ofc. nugent-hopkins, nursey, rip vinny & skinny

florida panthers: tkachuk, reinhardt, sasha barkov, verhaeghe (is there still?)

los angeles kings: adrian kempe… kevin fiala… danault… quinton byfield & alex turcotte

minnesota wild: kirill, marat, fleury, brodes, fabes, boldy, moose, middsy, spurge… god’s perfect idiots

montreal canadiens: going out on a limb here to say martin st. louis but also xhekaj (both), slafkovský, suzuki, my austrian reinbacher, yes fine cole caufield

nashville predators: MOST BEAUTIFUL D PAIR IN THE WORLD GRADY SKJEI AND ROMAN JOSI!! juuse, evangelista, isn’t stamkos there and also someone else who absolutely should not be

new jersey devils: nico… tuna (tatar), dawson mercer, siegenthaler, dougie hamilton, yes the hugheses whatever

new york islanders: barzy, zeeker & marty, anders lee, noah dobson lol

new york rangers: mika & chris, lafrenière & k’andre, shesterkin

philadelphia flyers: frosty & beezer and tk and sanny and the new baby michkov and coots and scooty loots and foerster etc etc. you know the Guys

pittsburgh penguins: the two headed monster but also compelled by rutger mcgroarty, and kevin hayes was there!!!

ottawa senators: timmy stü & brady! josh norris! the evolution of shane pinto! ullmark now and brännström and claude giroux and chabot

san jose sharks: ekky, thrun, mario, borde, logan couture, shakir, that other vaguely blond rookie

seattle kraken: brandon tanev, andre burakovsky! grubauer & d’accord also

st. louis blues: jordan kyrou, nathan walker (is still there?), rob thomas? is parayako still there?

tampa bay lightning: hedman, point, they dumped so many guys after the cup run… is kucherov still there or is he in nashville?? anthony cirelli (notable for being made out with by pat maroon)

toronto maple leafs: mitch, jt, willy, alex nylander, kniesy, dewar, et

utah hockey: crouse, keller, tuba

vancouver canucks: quinn, brock, petey, jt, garly, höggy, i want to say dakota johnson, elias lindholm?

vegas golden knights: brandon montour is here now… alex pietrangelo, so sorry to one i can’t remember who loves the lions it will come back to me

washington capitals: full of love and stupidity. oshie, nicke/ovi, pierre-luc dubois, dowd, vrána, milano

winnipeg jets: adam lowry!! josh morissey and kc and morgan barron, also vladdy my beloved

tagging @stillfertile + @colap1nto + @songsandswords + @moregraceful if they haven’t done it yet, i know they follow at least a couple teams. if anybody else wants to play i love adopting blorbos!!

[one-idea]

HIII it's me again :D glad to hear you're doing well!! I hope life is being kind to you <3

of course, take your time to get to this part of the story!! I hope you end up liking sabo as well !! and get ready for the heartbreak of marineford... no really, get a few tissues because there are gonna be tears

coming back to the au, your ideas continue to amaze me, I swear I had this exact expression of shock 😲 reading everything, ITS SO GOOD !!! it's very in character for whitebeard to want to take responsability of blackbeard's actions and appear to help luffy, and of course shanks is going to help his boy (also, don't wanna spoil too much, but he gets there late for reasons and IMAGINE him seeing he failed to protect the sweet boy he was confident would become the new king of the pirates, that he passed his precious hat to... he'd be blaming himself so hard and I'm here for it!)

now that's pretty much what happens in canon, but throw in the revolutionary army in the mix?? PERFECTION !!! of course Dragon would want to save his son, so it'd make sense for him to send some people to help, and who better than the boy he trained himself, sabo? there's no way that could go wrong, right ^^ (it's going to go terribly!)

the idea of sabo meeting with his brothers but not recognizing them... acting like strangers... then gaining back his memories... being right there seeing with his own eyes when it all goes down and not being able to do anything about it, to save his little brother (who he's just starting to remember is his little brother at all)... and worse, thinking he lost BOTH of them at once, right when he got his memory of them back... I'm going insane just thinking about it !!! the guilt this boy feels in canon is already off the charts, imagine in this scenario in which he was THERE and still it didn't change a thing and his baby brother died right in front of him??? he's gonna be consumed by it, probably won't feel worthy of daring to show his face to ace after everything and trying to isolate himself to wallow on his guilt and self-hatred... we love emotionally unstable blorbos in this house!! god help koala and olivia who will have to deal with this mess. and then sabo and ace will have no choice but to meet in dressrosa and that's! gonna be fun! not for them... but for us it will!

THE KOBYFICATION OF DEUCE. YOUR BRAIN IS HUGE!!!! THIS IS GENIUS!!! deuce running his anti marine propaganda newspaper is so important to me... him joining the revolutionary army... it's everything I could ever ask for... and the acedeuce beloveds... with the added bonus of that awkward moment when your coworker/boss is your crush's brother AND your crush's mother figure is also your coworker and hears you gush about him

isuka mention !!! she's such a cutie, glad to see she's here too !! also her taking the role of ace's marine rival is just perfect

sorry I got way too excited with this but your au is just way too amazing <3 thank you once more for sharing your ideas!!

🐝

I’m so sorry I took so long to respond to this.

I’m very afraid of getting to Marineford. My mental health can’t deal with the stress at the moment.

But yes you get it. Sabo and Ace working together to save Luffy without realizing it.

Like Ace just wants to get Luffy out of Impel down and this masked loser is slowing him down. How dare he!

Meanwhile Sabo has the biggest headache (particularly from his memories trying to resurface) because Ace is the most reckless person to ever live. He’s going to get them caught! Stop attacking everyone!

These two just can’t work together because Ace is in panic mode and this person who is only here to save Luffy because Dragon sent him can’t possibly understand the stress Ace is under. How important Luffy is.

Sabo (at the time) doesn’t get it. He needs to get his bosses son out of here. He gets that his adopted older brother is emotional but just calm down and think!

Later Sabo, with all of his memories will look back at this time and wonder. If I had let Ace rush it. If we were both fighting desperately for our little brother, could we have gotten to Luffy in time?

Even later when the meet at Dressrosa and Ace puts together just who the Masked loser in impel down was. When he realizes it was Sabo who “slowed him down” (kept him alive!) he has no idea how to feel. Enraged (why didn’t Sabo care about Luffy) confused (this couldn’t be their brother) desperate (one of his brothers is here, he’s not alone) upset (where was Sabo the past two years? Past 12? Ace needed him! Luffy needed them!) and fury (Luffy will never get to be with both his big brothers every again. He died think Sabo was gone)

Needless to say Ace has a lot of BIG feelings the day Sabo walks back into his life.

Back to Deuce!

I love him so much. His anti-marine paper is so important to me to. Like his dream is to be a writer. Let him write. Let him tell the world exactly what the Marines and pirates do. Let him tell the world about liberated countries and the injustices of the world government.

People say he’s afraid to show his face and that’s why he wears a mask and uses a fake name. But Deuce has never been more himself. He’s never been truer to himself than when he goes by the name Ace gave him.

He tells everyone how amazing the reverse strawhats are. And you best believe when Ace’s lineage gets out he’s writing about not only Ace’s character (how he saves people because he wants to, how no man should be judged by who their father is) but he’s doing his research on the original pirate king and just destroying all the lies the world government circulated about him. The public conscious changes. Roger’s wasn’t a horrible person, in fact he helped a lot of people. And even if he wasn’t should they really hold a son accountable for his father?

(This is after Luffy’s death and you best believe Deuce dragged the Marines for filth over that. The public knows Luffy as a 16 almost 17 year old who never left his home island. Sure he was a bit wild but everyone liked him. He never hurt anyone. And yet the government killed him because of what his father, who he never met, had done. Deuce ran them over the coals. He couldn’t stop what happened at Marineford. The revs wouldn’t even let him go to fight (he was to important by then) but he’s not going to have the last picture Ace has of his little brother be the one the papers ran with Luffy dying in Ace’s arms. Every piece he writes about Luffy he tries to find an old photo from Dawn island or Dragon’s surveillance to attach to the article. It drives home that he was just a boy, while also giving Ace new picture of his precious brother to cherish.

Speaking of Acedeuce. Deuce suffers those two years Nico Olive is there. It’s already awkward enough that Sabo, who has heard him talk about how down bad he is for Ace for two years, turns out to be Ace’s brother. But Nico Olivia? He never knows peace.

On one hand it’s nice. She helps him write his pieces about Luffy. (Ace told a lot of stories during their 3 years together) in exchange she gets a nice copy of every picture they find of Luffy and Ace from Dragon’s surveillance (he definitely had people watching over his boy) she collects them to give to Ace when they reunite.

On the other hand, she is relentless. Constantly teasing Deuce about his crush. (She’s met him before. In the early days of his paper before he was recruited by the Revs.) constantly asking when he was going to ask her captain out? When the wedding would be? Should he be joining the crew once they were official?

Deuce thinks she’s just teasing him. And he could live with it, if she didn’t make it sound like Ace wanted him to. (Baby is in hard core denial that his feelings could be returned)

Nico Olivia does not see herself as cruel. She is asking honest questions. To her (and the crew) Ace’s crush on Deuce was obvious. The question was never Ace’s feelings but Deuce’s though Olivia knew from the way Deuce wrote about Ace that he must have feelings for her captain, it was nice to have it confirmed by the other Revs. (Koala makes fun of Deuces crush at all times, especially now that it makes Sabo squirm because that’s HIS big brother they are talking about!) to Olivia she can’t see why the two boys wouldn’t get together. (After Ace has had time to grieve and process his loss of course)

Her captain deserves good things. He early lets himself want, believing he does not deserve the goodness of the world. Olivia violently disagrees. She wants her boy happy. And Deuce is a great young man who would make her boy happy. Sure she might be a little pushy, but she’s not getting any younger. Excuse her for wanting to see her kids get married before she dies. (She’s not dying anytime soon, but she will use guilt to her advantage if it will make these two knuckle heads get it together sooner rather than later)

[quillkiller]

for the hot takes thing:

idk if they are hot takes on this blog tbh because the tumblr fandom has messed up my perception of what is popular and what is not but anyway here they are

i do not give a fuck about dorlene. i cant see it. it very often seems like forced lesbian representation to me. like, oh, lets throw them in here so that people dont say maybe i should have some sapphic women in my art if im trying to write about the queer experience. i read only one fic in my entire life that made them interesting and fleshed out characters. usually they are incredibly boring and i dont like it

marauderstok makes me a gatekeeper. i hate gatekeeping but then i see someone on tiktok talking about bartylily or sunkiller or moonrose or peter x barty and i just cant deal with that. they dont get them!!!! i dont even like most of these ships that much but i have moots that do and im overly protective of their blorbos. those people on tiktok dont understand bartylily!!! they are just into it cause it seems weird and unusual!! they dont see the vision of the pure hatred between barty and james that turns into sexual tension! they dont understand why barty would fall in love with peter and they try to make all of these ships into sketches!!! they are not!! those are my children youre talking about!!!

i am not a james fan tbh. probably because of how long ive hated him for. when i was a child and read hp for the first time the scenes with snape made me despise the guy. i spent years trying to explain to people that yes maybe he changed but he was still a terrible bully and nothing can ever excuse that. it got so bad my mom banned me from talking about james potter in our house because ive just said the same things over and over. 9yearold me was very determined. i know that all the marauders were involved but somehow it only affects my relationship with james. i know it unlogical but i just dont like him

on the topic of marauders and sev. i HATE the way fandom acts about it. acknowledge that your favorite characters were flawed! they weren't good people! what the fuck do you mean "i'm proud of james for bullying snape! someone had to do it. snape was just so bullyable"?? snape was a 11year old kid who was incredibly abused at home!!

again on the topic of severus. if i see one more joke made about his hair i'm going to go insane. are you guys aware that sometimes children are neglected so bad that their parents don't teach them things that are obvious to most of us, like how to wash your hair? have you heard about this concept of people not caring about their child and not buying them hygiene products? have your heard about poverty? have you heard about not having enough money to provide your child with all the things they need, including shampoo?

sorry for all that about sev. i am just very passionate about the way he's treated in this fandom. on the topic of characters being treated poorly by the fandom - dumbledore. some people truly believe that it's all his fault which is just so weird to me. he's obviously a deeply flawed man who made a lot of mistakes and i don't necesserily like him but i think we can all acknowledge that he's not the one who killed lily and james? like. he should've fought harder for sirius, obviously, but he didn't murder dorcas. he's not the ultimate villain that people make him out to be

i realise this is more about the fandom than the characters itself and i apologize it's just what's currently on my mind

whew lets get into it……

agreed. they often feel like the token lesbians that are just. already there. so might aswell just throw them into the story lmao and they wont have to flesh them out. i like my own version of dorlene, but yeah :/ people just aren’t interested in lesbians but what else is new

PEOPLE ON TIKTOK ARE TALKING ABOUT BARTLILY ????? jesus…………..

honestly i respect this so much... your mom banning you from talking about james made me laugh out loud…… Mad Respect

honestly. im very grey in this area. i like making fun of his hair unfortunately, but in other contexts i also think sevs greasy hair has a swaggy seductive lesbian flair. depends on how he’s being characterized. i saw a post today that was like ’cant help but laugh at people being angry about people objectifying fictional characters when they’re fundamentally dependant on being objects’ which i fully agree with. it’s part of litterature and film making that the (im gonna talk in film terms bc im a film student) that the mise-en-scene is an active choice, meaning that the way characters are dressed and presented is meant to, on purpose, reveal things about said characters. and often its driven by stereotypes that the audience has. severus is meant to look like a loser because he’s portrayed like a loser / and as someone who will be the victim of bullying. its simply the way his characters is canonically written and portrayed, and writers and viewers pick up on that. also im unfortunately one of the people who think bullying fictional characters is funny. it’s fictional and fandom, and never once have i stumbled upon a person who can’t balance the made-up fandom rules regarding fictional characters and their actuail real life morals. not saying these people don’t exist, but i certainly don’t kiki with them. fandom just doesnt affect real life issues in way some people sometimes seem to think. im personally a severus Lover and his biggest hater depending on the setting/hc’s/etc

i love albus, but i love him because i genuinely think he’s despicable. im not interested in his supposed reedming qualities and i personally dont think he has any….. he allowed teenagers to fight his wars and canonically didnt deny that he doesnt care for harry / and that he raised him like a pig for slaughter. its what makes him interesting. his childhood and early adult years make him one of the most fascinating characters in the fandom.. like i have so many feelings about him. he breaks my heart, he’s awful, he believes he’s good because he has good intentions, he yearns after grindelwald all his life and it was a 2 month summer romance, he killed his sister, his brother barely speaks to him. he’s a tragedy, but still despicable…… but i respect your opinion so much king thank you for sharing

MWAH loved these, thank you…. 🤍🤍

[mannatea]

part 28 (ye final chapter of eliwood normal mode, part 2)

part 1 is here for those who missed it due to this blog being nuked for a day and a half.

buddy we are NOT chosen ones unless by that you mean we chose this path for ourselves!!! get outta here with that chosen one shit!

here we gOOOO

a few rescues of my blorbos later and Lyn gets the honor of finishing him off:

sorry lil dragon guy

ATHOS. i get emotional over athos but not because it's sad he's dying. it's more about the fact that he's been alive for SUCH A LONG TIME and that he's probably seen so many people pass on before him within that long life...and now it's finally his turn to go. idk, i feel like it's not a very sad fate when looked at like that.

rip to bramimond tho.

--

no more images because i'm pretty sure that's what flagged my account for termination in the first place. please forgive meeee. i just have these images in here because the draft saved before i was terminated lol.

--

ninian's talk about the fire dragons being "just like her" (curious?) is interesting.

also, you guys know my complete obsession with themes of ignorance and how often i link the "only ignorance" chapter of black beauty, so it did my heart good to see eliwood talking about it here with his line: "while we can claim ignorance, we still bear some responsibility." it's nice to see that he acknowledges the roles played in this tragedy and that they are explanations but not excuses.

"my sister... please cherish her." UGHHH NILSSSSS

you know, it's funny because in going back to my old dreamwidth i was nosing around through old fire emblem posts and i found one that was like "i don't love ninian but i can't stand it when people shit talk her" and in the comments people were discussing how nils is often overlooked and under estimated, too.

and now i'm like, actually!! ninian can do no wrong, so take that. i think in this replay i actually enjoyed nils more than i thought i would. i always felt like the dragon sibs were old as hell but only equivalently old in their human forms (so like, nils really is a child yet as a dragon, despite being so old), so nils still manages to show a lot of maturity despite still being a kiddo.

i do feel bad for him, though, having to go through the gate alone. it's a huge sacrifice. really wish he was a separate character who mirrored ninian's stats and had his own supports... even if he could only have a few (hector, eliwood, lyn, for example). that's just me being selfish, though.

anyway, i have nine billion thoughts about ninian and nils that i don't think i've ever really bothered to dive into so there's that!

but also there's something SO FUNNY about nils being like "lmao i want to live a long time, actually."

also, you know what's crazy?

"one year later"

eliwood: hector and the others are coming to my ascension ceremony

(LATER)

hector: we haven't seen one another since my brother's funeral

???

?????????????????????????????????

so did hector not come to eliwood's ascension ceremony or did ostia wait OVER A YEAR to do the funeral and hector's own ascension? or did hector ascend immediately with no fanfare?

either way, hector rocks a beard. it's a good look for him. no notes.

i wanted to paste all the screenshots of the paired endings i got butttttt i'm scared to invoke the wrath of tumblr so i won't. i did however manage to get these:

lowen/rebecca

oswin/serra

erk/priscilla

sain/fiora

kent/lyn

eliwood/ninian

and famed genius mark. <3

i'll do better on my next playthrough, and maybe fiora won't absolutely BLOW PAST FLORINA next time. good grief.

looking forward to playing more, but i probably won't update as much as i go, just because i don't want to bore everyone to death lol

[genshinconfessions]

Maybe this is just my opinion but I have to tell someone but didn’t want to get attacked for it lol so anyways:

Neuvillette annoys me for multiple reasons but mostly because of how so many people in the fandom treat him. Making fun of people who don’t have him, saying everyone should be playing him with no regard to the fact that some people just don’t like his play style because HOW COULD YOU NOT LIKE IT (🙄 some ppl just don’t really vibe with catalyst playstyle jfc), stuff like that.

And really the biggest ones for me is the wave of archon and Navia hate i saw after ppl got him. I love the archons and Navia and like… guys. The archons because Neuvillette had those voice lines about serving Justice and everyone was like “ah yes! My bby hates them so so do I!” (Like hun you don’t need to share every value and thought as your blorbos) and they hated on Navia because she “made him upset when she yelled at him for no reason”. FIRST OF ALL she did have a reason: grief. Navia is a young woman running a massive organization whose dad recently died and she is grieving. Neuvillette is a GROWN ASS MAN and I think he can tell when someone is just lashing out and can get over it, he doesn’t need the entire Genshin fandom backing him up.

sorry for long rant lol

never be sorry! confessions and rants are what this blog is for!

i actually didn't see much hate for navia and the archons but maybe i'm just not in the circles that were doing that. either way, that's super disappointing to hear :((

i will say this again, though: the genshin fandom skews very young. they don't yet have the critical thinking skills to realize that they're not the center of the universe. part of this problem, they'll naturally grow out of it. but part of it, the rest of the fandom should try to steer them in the right direction. they're not our responsibility, but we can't just complain about them without at least trying to help them hahaha.

that said, give it a couple of years. at some point, most of them will end up in the right place.

[sunset-a-story]

Happy Blorbo Blursday yourself! Please, please tell me why everyone wants to drag Reeve? I love it, but I'm curious!

LMAO. Thank you so much for this, love. I'm going to include an excerpt but let me try to explain too.

The problem is everything about Reeve should traditionally make him one of those smooth, cool characters.

He's a high-level telepath

He's smart

He's a trained killer

He's had some spy training

He's queer

He's mad attractive

He's a leader

He has a classic car

He cares about his appearance

AND YET HE WILL NOT ALLOW IT.

He's a dweeb. Full stop.

Reeve was that teacher's pet. If he worked in an office, he'd probably tattle on people taking long lunches and never, ever bring stationary home with him--but he's the team leader of what is essentially a small hit squad so that makes it worse. His aloofness could be sexy but instead, he leans into pathetic-yet-pretentious. I mean, we love him to death for it but he's so easy to make fun of.

Here's an excerpt from Arc 1 (Gareth's POV) where they get after him about it:

--

Alex whistled, startling them both out of their exchange. “You’re looking spiffy.”

Reeve’s shirt and slacks, because the man actually wore slacks, were pressed with neat creases and he’d put some extra effort into his hair. 

“He’s got a hot date with Julie,” Hannah teased, coming in from the living room, her hand extended to Reeve for him to take his phone.

“It’s coffee.”

“Who’s she again?” Gareth asked, passing a plate with a sandwich to Alex.

“She works at the corner store in town on Second Street,” Reeve said in a monotone. 

“You know, the one we go to all the time? Brunette, little nose,” Hannah added as she plopped into the seat across from Alex. 

“Oh, yeah.” Gareth leaned his back against the counter and took a bite of his own sandwich. “What the hell do you have in common with her?”

Reeve slipped his phone into his pocket and cocked his head. “Not sure if I should take relationship advice from someone who needs to check what county he’s in when going to meet a date.”

Alex turned to Gareth and quipped, “It’s really cute that he thinks you’re concerned about whether or not the sex worker is licensed.”

Gareth nearly choked. Psychometrists, telepaths, empaths, the fucking lot of them. But he was relieved to see some life returning to the kid, even if it was mostly bravado to cover up nerves.

“Alex,” Reeve started, but was cut off.

“Who does she think I am?” Alex asked. Explaining the strange set of roommates with no discernible jobs was part of why Gareth found it easier not to deal with the whole dating scene.

Hannah smirked. “My half-brother.” Alex rolled his eyes at her, but she gave Reeve a kind look. “I think it’s nice. She’s pretty.”

“She’s not that cute,” Alex muttered.

Reeve crossed his arms. “Yes, well, you’re the only person in this house not at least a little attracted to women, so I hope you won't mind too much if I ignore your opinion.”

Gareth watched Hannah’s eyebrows attempt to make an escape off the top of her head as she dropped her jaw and looked at him. Gareth wrinkled his nose at her in response. This wasn’t going to be pretty.

“Je-sus-Christ,” Alex snapped. “Touchy much?” He looked annoyed, but any fear or vulnerability he’d shown earlier by the shooting range was nowhere to be found. 

Reeve closed his eyes. “I’m sorry. I can get reactive when people are purposefully embarrassing me.” 

Which was an extremely Reeve thing to say. 

Alex processed that for a moment. “Oh my god, you’re such a robotic nerd.”

Reeve gave an unamused frown.

Gareth shook his head then smiled pointedly at Alex. “You’ll learn to ignore Reeve. He’s just got a nasty case of T.L.S.” 

Reeve’s head snapped back. “Where the hell did you hear about that?” 

Hannah put her fist over her mouth as she choked on a laugh. “That was me.”

Reeve made a face. “You grew up in a Mars foster, why the hell did that ever--”

“Hey,” Alex interrupted, his face flushed. “What the fuck is T.L.S.?” 

Gareth did his best to keep from laughing long enough to speak. “I’m sorry, I was just trying to lighten the mood.”

“It stands for Team Leader Syndrome,” Hannah explained.

Alex’s brow furrowed. “So it’s the big head you get from being in charge?”

“That’s not accurate,” Reeve replied from between his teeth. 

“Sounds right to me,” Gareth shrugged.

Reeve let out one of his long-suffering sighs. “It’s a set of personality traits that result in being tapped to lead.” 

“Like what?”

“Like being organized, detail-oriented, decisive…”

Hannah continued counting off on her fingers, “Practical to the point of ignoring social graces, a buzzkill, a know-it-all…”

“Sounding like a robotic nerd?” Gareth added.

“Okay, okay.” Reeve glared at him. “He gets the idea.” He turned to Alex. “I apologize.”

“It’s cool,” Alex said, all straight faced. “You can’t help it. It’s part of your condition and I’d be a real ass holding that against you.”

Hannah and Gareth lost it.

“Are you happy now?” Reeve asked Gareth.

He nodded, trying to rein in his chuckling, and failed.  

--

[For the record, as a telepath Reeve has the advantage and disadvantage of knowing what people really think about him. So he gets the "omg Reeve why have you never heard of fun???" thoughts but also knows how much they care about him so their dragging doesn't bother him.]

Sunset taglist. I try to keep it to release updates, character profiles, and especially long excerpts. Please comment/dm for +/- @words-after-midnight @thathaunteddoll @chayscribbles @elizaellwrites @theimperiumchronicles @thatndginger @clairelsonao3 @writeintrees @hon3yquilt-blog @scribe-of-stories @kahvilahuhut @stuffaboutwriting @iced-ginger-tea

[highwarlockkareena]

I was tagged by @eohachu and @thitiponqs 🥰🔥 thank you!

1. why did you choose your url?

from my old old fandom shadowhunters & my love of magnus bane - the high warlock of brooklyn. i really should change it but i am incredibly lazy.

2. any sideblogs? if you have them name them and why you have them.

i always said i'd never have one - but then got into kpop and spam so many gifs i made a kpop sideblog @junsfangs to save all of you (i'm sorry that's a lie i still spam here)

3. how long have you been on tumblr?

end of 2015

4. do you have a queue tag?

nope but almost everything is queued

5. why did you start your blog in the first place?

i wanted to scream about star wars

6. why did you choose your icon/pfp?

because there aren't many bi desi women and certainly none as kickass as margo hason my beloved

7. why did you choose your header?

wei wuxian is another beloved bicon blorbo

8. what’s your post with the most notes?

had to wait 10 mins for tumblr top to tell me but it's: this one about foreshadowing in the untamed

9. how many mutuals do you have?

no clue - 20? 30?

10. how many followers do you have?

I had about 12k i think but now I use the xkit hide followers so no idea - probably scared off most of those!

11. how many people do you follow?

not many - 100ish? I love to use tags to find stuff as i hate a fast dash

12. have you ever made a shitpost?

oh yes

13. how often do you use tumblr each day?

not as often as i check discord but too much!

14. did you have a fight/argument with another blog once?

back in an earlier fandom but now i just block and move on

15. how do you feel about ‘you need to reblog this’ posts

no.

16. do you like tag games?

ofc! i try to do them asap or i forget tho 😔

17. do you like ask games?

sure!

18. which of your mutuals do you think is tumblr famous?

all of them!

19. do you have a crush on a mutual?

i love all my mutuals (platonically) 🥺

20. tags

@sandushengshou @lan-xichens @gege @beefleef @khaotungsfirst @hoppipolla

[lost-and-cursed]

Was tagged by @debellatis for a 5 favorite characters challenge:

"List five of your all time favorite characters and then tag five people to do the same. We'll see which character of the five gets voted the most loved."

Ugh... Who are all my blorbo's once more? And roughly equal in weight at that....

Curse of remembering your blorbos and Blessing of bragging about your blorbo's be upon ya

@jorisjurgen @sapphicvalkery @sockdrawerdemon @aromantisk-fagforening @jasonmantitstodd + @minahuston (cause I know you won't participate, but I dare you to prove me wrong)

A little bit of propaganda under cut because I can

Jason Todd (on the left)

Aka child vigilante turned dead turned mob boss who decided that dead enemies are better than dead you! Very inspiring. Book nerd, very crafty, attempted to steal tires from the Batmobile when he was nine, a killer, a middle brother, snarky, caring and just very petty person.

Jaster Mereel (on the right)

Aka you like your blorbos obscure. A Mandalorian. Long dead adoptive father of Jango Fett. Supposedly nerd historian, good ruler and father, and someone who wrote a ridiculously long philosophical paper on the nature of his culture, ways to preserve it and make it true to modern times.

Tobirama Senju (on the left)

Aka one of Konoha's finders. Ridiculously competent, brilliant scientist, ruthless warrior, cold to point of awkward. Loves learning?creating jutsus and his brother, if fandom to be believed the only person who thought about infrastructure when idea of making village came up.

(yes all my blorbo's are at least supposedly nerds, how did you guess it)

Urahara Kisuke (on the right)

Brilliant sassy scientist, but make him slightly evil trashfire. A lot of brain cells, none of them are figuring out morals or socialization. Had one brilliant crush, that he followed in military assassination squad, then got his own research facilities, low-key committed attrocities, effectively invented an atomic bomb, that got stolen by the villain. Yay. He's sorry though. A little. Wasn't caught on accusations of treason and build his own lab masquerading as effectively tea shop. He also has a funny hat. And a cane! Favorite war criminal what can I say

I thought about putting here hp character next, but Hp doesn't deserve rights and I mostly hallucinate chatacters from there, so instead I gonna brag about a character that quite literally isn't translated in English.

His name is Roque Alva from Reflections of Aeterna and he's at different points High General, Warlord, Duke and something between chosen one and cursed one. He's ridiculously competent, history nerd, drunk, whore and has enough sass to fell the county. He has trust issues longer than the borders he sworn to protect. He's effectively immortal because of the curse, but everyone he even remotely cares about die around him or betray him. (He also pretty sure that's because he sold his soul to devil. He didn't. It's technically perk of being divinely ordained to be king. He doesn't want to be one). He also the only sane person in the books (saving my sanity by proxy) and has ridiculously high resonance in type of thinking and existing to mine, so he's the only character I would claim kin for, so please love him or your blorbo rotator will malfunction for three weeks ^^

[skloomdumpster]

Thank you for tagging me @crazycatfaery <3 I'm sorry I took so long 😅😅

Rules: How much do these tropes affect your decision to click on a fic?

-10 -> very dissuaded

0 -> don’t care either way

10 -> very enticed

nope -> if it’s a hard no and you’d never click on a fic with that tag or or you even have the tag blocked or you’d insta click out of the fic if it wasn’t tagged.

Bonus points for explaining the rating and whether it’s conditional

Age Gap: 7/10

I love it, but I'll only read it if the Dead Dove Do Not Eat tag is there. I want to read it from an author who's aware they're writing an age gap, especially if we're talking toxic/problematic ships. If we're all in agreement in this room, then HELL YEAH.

Codependency: 100/10

Love it. I love it between love interests, I love it between family members, I love it between enemies even. Characters who only exist and see themselves as a paired up thing with another character. If I see that tag in any work the chances of me clicking on it double.

Enemies to lovers: -5/10

Eh... Sure if it's okay enemies to lovers, as in they're actual enemies and they want each other dead and then we turn it back around. Alright, sure. But honestly? 9/10 times people are writing mild-annoying acquaintance to lovers. I hate that. And even when they ARE writing real enemies to lovers, sometimes the "lovers" part doesn't live up to the "enemies" part.

Enemies With Benefits: 10/10

It's rare and I love it, but it's a tricky trope to get right. You can't remove the "enemies" aspect from it. I've seen this done right (cough - John Ross/Pamela), but I've also seen it butchered many times.

Fake Dating/Relationship: 3/10

Cute and all, but I won't click on a fic because of it.

Found Family: -1000/10

Nope. Most of the time people mean "found nuclear family" and then I'm forced to watch as these characters act completely wacky and ooc. I adore a good found family, but seeing this tagged in a work is a surefire way to have me not click it. (also let's just please stop with the weird subtrope of putting the favorite-white-guy of the group as the "tradwife/mom"??? what the FUCK is this? I've seen it in Teen Wolf, I've seen it Fate, I've seen it in Fast and Furious... just nope.)

Friends To Lovers: 100/10

Perfection. You want pining? You got a forest of pines. You want yearning? You want italicized oh moment? You want harmless jealousy? You want hilarious cutesy moments? You want deep conversations? You want confessions that fix something broken inside of you? You want a love so deep and profound that it has grown and changed and it'll change again if you won't take me as a lover because a friend is good too, is great even?? You want STAKES because I-love-you-but-I-don't-want-to-ruin-this-because-you're-the-best-thing-in-my-life??? Perfect trope. No notes.

Friends With Benefits: 10/10

The same as above + sex. Can't go wrong.

Hurt/Comfort: 100/10

Bathe my blorbo in their own blood!! Whump the shit out of them!! Put them through hell!! Make the caretaker fear for their life!! Get the begging and bargaining out and the wheezing confessions through bloody coughs. Love this.

Love Triangle: 0/10

It sure exists.

Mistaken/Hidden Identity: 0/10

I don't think I ever read this, don't think I ever will either.

Monster Fu… Relationship: 5/10

Sure, but only if it's a werewolf. Team Jacob forever.

Obsession, Possessiveness, etc: 10/10

Fuck yeah. Yes in good, deliciously toxic ships, but also YES in good, healthy ships. The golden ships, made up of two righteous characters and you wouldn't expect this and then BAM. The other day I read fic that was like "[redacted] had often fantasized about reaching in and counting the teeth in [redacted's] mouth" <- most perfect line ever written.

Opposites (like grumpy×sunshine, etc): 5/10

Eh...? It can be cute, but sometimes it feels like too much. I'm actually more of a "they're both grumpy, but not with each other" or even "they're both golden, but can be at their worse with each other".

Poly: 5/10

Sometimes it's shoehorned in and I'm like... :/ you could've written something more interesting if you allowed the conflict to exist. BUT sometimes there's genuine sexual/romantic attraction between all parts and that's when this hits. I'll read an OT3 as long as it's not "author couldn't decide and decided to go the fluffy no conflict route even though it makes no sense for the characters"

Pregnancy: 8/10

I'll read it in fics, in all sorts of manners: cute family fic, kinky breeding fic, plotty dramatic fic, etc. But I don't like it in canon, movie or book. In fic I have the ability of getting bored and clicking out and reading one of the other 200 fics where there's no pregnancy or baby. In canon that's impossible.

Second Chance: 0/10

Sure, I'll read that.

Sex To Feelings: 5/10

IDK, when are we talking feelings? Is this a scenario where they're friends/enemies to benefits and then the feelings emerge? Because then yes. Or is this just a PWP and then I get some feelings at the bottom? Because then no. Or is this a character study while they're fucking? Because then YES.

Slowburn: 10/10

It's the perfect trope but watch out. I'm a firm believer of stories needing beginning, middle, end. I've read fics that are 80 chapters long and every time the characters are about to get together/realize another curveball is thrown their way. Once or twice I'm good with, but 50 different obstacles? Fuck no, I'm clicking out.

Soulmates: -1/10

This won't make me wanna read your fic. If you mean this as a "they are soulmates so X happens" ....nope. Not my thing. If you mean this as "they're always the endgame. In every universe, in every reality, these two are IT" (cough, Skloom) then YES!!! But also don't spell it out for me. I don't need you to tell me soulmates, I can guess that.

Tagging: @infp-obsessing-over-everything , @faithfire and @daisiehoney @astrid-v

[holy-batmans]

I’m having a lot of thought’s about your Temptest of oblivion fic and I know you might never finish it so I’m gonna ask you some questions.

You don’t have to answer all of the questions or you can just ignore the whole thing …

Does it have a happy ending or does it end in tragedy?

Is Dick underage when they finally get together or do they wait till he is of age?

Do they even end up together?

How do Dick’s parents react?

Would Bruce’s parents even support it?

What does Alfred think of them????

I’m sorry if this is a lot but I cannot go another day without knowing

You might be seeing me again if you don’t mind because I have plenty of thoughts about abof lol your stories compel me.

First thank you!!! Its so nice when people talk about my fics and Temptest of Oblivion was one i REEEALLY loved back in the day.

Stupid fact no one asked for but in my doc drafts i called it "seasons of love" (so LAME i know 😭) but because i would outline everything for it by year and then month of each year to try to fit with the sorta flow you can get in school. Idk but it was different from any other i did / have done before and I always liked that for it 🤷

I will answer SOME because normally i'm a dillhole and like to keep things close to the chest but Lorde have mercy I no longer have that right when it comes to these old fics that got lost in the sauce of my life.

Please don't read further if you don't want minor spoilers on a long un-updated fic

1. Yes, this is one that i did always want to have a (somewhat) happy ending because they deserve it damnit and I am often so rude and mean to my favorite blorbos.

2. Something i grabbled with a lot but it was going to slowly progress and yes, probably. (if youve read my other fics then yea, thats usually my MO)

3. They are in LOVE and i cannot keep them apart

4-6 🥴😈🫣 in no particular order or comparison.

Truthfully I'm a hopeless idealist and still have so many outlines and drafts that I always like to think i'll post back to it when my life aligns for it again. I hope it's true, because this was one of my favorite, melancholic babies and it makes me so god damn giddy and happy to hear you loved it so much too????

thank you omg 💖

[gomensbrainrotsyndrome]

I'm back with another aria! (Sorry, I think my opera singer is peeking through... actually no, I'm not sorry about that at all). You gave me permission to come at you with classical music, so here we are >:)

This one needs a translation, so this ask going to be rather long. Also, I feel like I should provide context, because it's too funny if you think about it long enough/too long.

So, the aria is Agathe's scene/aria "Wie nahte mir der Schlummer ... Leise, leise" from Der Freischütz by Carl Maria von Weber. It’s in German, so here is my best attempt at a translation of the weird ass grammar in this aria (I'll add a short summary of the opera afterwards, there definitely is a 1941 thing going on here):

How did slumber approach me before I saw him.

Yes, love tends to go hand in hand with grief. Does the moon laugh (as in shine) over his path? What a beautiful night!

Softly, softly, my devout tune, fly up towards the circle of stars. Song, resound, celebrating my prayer may waft to the heavenly hall.

Oh, how bright the golden stars! With what pure light they glow! Only there, by the distant mountains, a storm seems to be brewing. There, by the forest, a host of dark clouds is floating, dull and heavy.

To you I turn my hands, Lord without beginning and without end. To protect us from dangers, send your angelic hosts!

Everything is at rest. Beloved friend, why do you delay? Even if my ear eagerly listens, only the pine is rustling. Only the birch's leaves in the grove whisper through the serene silence. Only nightingale and cricket seem to enjoy the night air.

But how? Is my ear not deceiving me? There, it sounds like footsteps, there from amidst the pines, something emerges - It's him! The flag of love may stream! Your girl is awake even in the night!

He doesn't seem to see me yet.

God, if the moonlight doesn't deceive me, flowers adorn his hat! Certainly! He did the best shot! That means good fortune for tomorrow!

Oh, sweet hope! Newly revived courage!

All my pulses beat, and the heart is beating brashly, sweetly delighted towards him!

Is it not deceit? Is it not delusion? Heaven, accept the tears of gratefulness for this favour of hope!

And here is the promised summary:

Agathe is the forester's daughter. She and Max are engaged, but he is only allowed to marry her if he wins a shooting contest to prove that he is capable of taking over her father's business. He's a good marksman, but lately, he's been too nervous to land his shots (yes, this opera can be read as a metaphor for erectile dysfunction. No, I did not make that up). So, he strikes a deal with a demon, Samael: he gets seven bullets that will always find their target.

The catch Samael doesn't tell him about: the first six will hit whatever Max wants them to. The seventh one though will hit what Samael chooses.

The next day, the day of the contest, arrives, and Max wins. With only one bullet left, he wants to shoot a dove in celebration. However, Samael chooses Agathe as his target. But, by the power of being a Good Girl (tm), she miraculously escapes (no, I did not make that up, either. She's literally too good and too pious to be hit by the devil's bullet. Also she got a blessing from a hermit).

In the end, the hermit appears and tells her dad to stop it with the contests, poor boy was so under pressure he literally couldn't shoot without help from the devil. And it was a dumb tradition, anyway.

Max and Agathe are allowed to marry, everyone's happy, the end.

The aria is set while Max is in the woods making his deal with Samael. Agathe sits at home, waiting for him, because he said he'd go practice and then come back and visit her.

Have fun with this one!

Don’t know about that summary and it is literally about other blorbos BUT lyrics wise this serves up all the good gomens flavour like heaven lord even a nightingale, the pining’s real good, i suppose the bullet thing is 1941-ish, excellent submission overall!