#tdp headcanon

[sagegreenfrogs]

💘 for the heart asks?

for sorvus!

this game: https://www.tumblr.com/f-yeah-askmemes/157126863622/send-me-a-ship-with-a-heart-and-ill-tell-you

💘: who developed a crush on the other first?

okokok this one I've thought about and it's not super simple

corvus realized that he had feelings first, like HE had the earlier "Oh. Oh." moment. (this probably being between arcs 1 and 2 imo) but for soren it was an ache. he didn't know when/why it started or what it was, but he had felt this gaping hole in his chest ever since he freed corvus during the fight with pyrrah in 2x07. it had been there for what felt like eternity, and it only grew every time he saw or thought of corvus. to me, i think it "clicked" for him in the great bookery after corvus fell, and he didn't know if he'd be alive. that's when he knew. (and why he was so eager to see him in 6x02)

[im-jrys]

Runaan sneezes like a kitten. When Ethari sneezes, all the walls in the treehouse crack

Change my mind

[bat-snake]

HC about Aaravos being a "hair tie dad" where he just. Always had some kind of hair tie on hand in some way or another.

And sometimes he'll still find some of Leola's hairbands in strange places, ~two thousand years later, in the prison. Like pulling back a book he hasn't read in a while and a hair tie falls out of it. So there's a combined heartache along with a confused "how did that get there???"

He finds one of the hair ties from when Leola was a baby and somehow that one manages to only be confusing because it's in an inconceivably odd place. I'm not sure what it is at the moment, but it's only weird because there's at least a chance that Leola had been using a hair tie as a book mark the last time it was touched.

[fun-k-board]

Ethari grew out his hair because he looks in the mirror and closes his eyes, imagining the soft strands that drape over his neck to be Runaan's, his eyes already wet with tears. If he cut his hair, it would be cutting the connection between Runaan and himself.

[madou-dilou]

Thinking that Viren had to attend Harrow and Sarai's marriage while his own had just been blown apart

Whatever happens, do NOT think of him trying to celebrate with his friends but coming back to his High mage office and drinking or dark-magic injecting himself all night long, thinking he had shut the door but little Soren and Claudia do get a peek despite Peres's watch

Soren turns away because he knows Viren will reject him but Claudia rushes in to take care of him because who else will now that mom left

Years later, on Callum's 16's birthday, Soren checks his office and sees the recently new High mage Callum sleeping at his desk with empty booze bottles around him -because Rayla left him on that day a year ago and he really can't celebrate.

Soren enters the office and carries Callum in bed.

The next year (s4e1) he is the one organising Callum's surprise birthday party.

[0multifandomweirdo0]

One thing Rayla didn't tell Callum was about elves and their horns.

Callum touched her horns once. They always fascinated him so he couldn't resist. Rayla's cheeks were flushed, but she didn't protest. That's why Callum never thought it was weird to occasionally touch her horns that made her so beautiful.

Once, when Rayla was visiting her family, Callum lightly ran his fingers over one of her horns. He was already doing it automatically, but the feeling of joy remained.

Rayla's parents, all four of them, almost lost their temper at the scene.

It was only then that Rayla revealed to Callum that only lifelong partners ever touch their loved one's horns.

[1lovepeace]

So here is my personal, very, very, sad, emotional headcanon: Ethari has been writing letters to Rayla every three months, pouring out all his heart, mind, soul, and love into every word over the past two years due to the ghosting. But while writing them, he can't stop crying, feeling all his guilt and regret consume him, with a few tears falling onto every letter he writes. Saying that he's never stopped fighting for her and will continue to fight her, defending her name and honor, how he hasn't forgiven himself since that day. Telling her everything that's happened, what he's been up to, the obstacles he's faced, etc. But at the end of every letter, wanting Rayla to know just how deeply sorry he is, how much he truly loves her, that he's so proud of her, how he misses her so dearly every day, and that he hasn't stopped fighting for her and he never will.

And finally, ending every letter with "no matter what anyone says, always know that my love will be with you even when the moon is not. I love you, my little moonberry. And until the day we are reunited, I hope that wherever you are, my little moonberry, may the moon guide you, protect you, and keep you safe, forever and always. Know that you are worth it to me, and I will never stop fighting for you. Until then, sincerely, with all my love, your devoted, loving father, Ethari."

Help, I made myself cry of heartbreak😢😭

[argonblue]

Historia Viventem

[catcherwrites]

For the record, you can pry my “Sarai used to be in the Crownguard before she married Harrow” headcanon from my cold, dead hands

Amaya trained the Standing Battalion and Sarai trained the Crownguard, and their ability to work together is why Katolis had the strongest fighting force in the Pentarchy

You can also pry “Sarai and Soren were insanely close before her death” from my cold, dead hands. Maybe not even then, because I’m gripping this idea tightly, even in death

Sarai helped Soren and his family manage his illness because of her experience with Damian. And Soren was just so excited that the Head Crownguard was hanging out with him! Even when he was at his worst, he’d always perk up if he could see Sarai train the soldiers from his bedroom window, or regale him with stories of legendary battles at his bedside

After Soren got better and Sarai left the Crownguard to become Princess of Katolis, she offered to show him the basics of swordplay and strategy to help Soren with all of his pent-up energy. Even though he wouldn’t be interested in poetry until years later, Soren was introduced to the concept through Sarai, who’d recite some of Damian’s old work for him during their time together. Sarai had essentially become one of Soren’s constants after his family fell apart with Lissa leaving, Viren growing cold, and Claudia throwing herself into magic

At least until she died, heroically saving his dad

[madethisjusttobrowse]

Okay but can you imagine if one day Rayla catches a thief or something at the castle because she's experienced at breaking in and in that awkward silence in the conversation Ezran just goes, "Rayla, would you like a job?"

And Rayla ends up as counter security by repeatedly breaking into and out of the castle and finding weak points, and is halfway to a spymaster, and she has a life direction to go in and can use her assassin training to not kill people, and now she has an official position in the court but by the nature of her job it's better if people don't know about it.

People who don't know: Rayla is in the High Council because she's an elven diplomat

People who think they know: Rayla is in the High Council because she's the High Mage's girlfriend

People who actually know: Rayla is the castle rat

[sunfire-shield]

I’m honestly so fond of the idea that Zym could talk the whole time (s4 onwards) and was just shy/didn’t want to/didn’t feel ready to share like c’mon, Zym’s cheeky, goofy ass little “yeah. this is what I sound like :D” is so endearingly in line with him having worked himself up to it like this is not the first time this kid has ever spoken, but it is him enjoying surprising his brothers with it and being cheeky about it. There’s also just something about the idea that Zubeia and Ibis knew he could talk if he wanted to but weren’t pressuring him to do so if he wasn’t feeling like it/wasn’t ready/just wasn’t ready to share it with the others that is just so precious to me

[raayllum]

They talk about it eventually, three years after they get married. Three years till Aaravos' return.

"I don't know," Callum admits, his fingers knitted with hers, their bed comfy and cozy. His staff and her blades are propped up against the far wall, as far as they'll ever let them be from reach. "I mean, I want them, but..."

Rayla sighs, brushing back his white streak with her other hand.

I need you to kill me... My heart for Xadia.

He knows she feels the same, even if there's more visible sadness in her eyes. How can they possibly think about bringing a child, or children, into this world when it might end in toddler-hood?

"After, then," Rayla says, even if he's supposed to be the optimist. "When it's all over."

Callum's lips twitch. I believe in you, she'd said on the cliffside overlooking the ocean town. She believes in me, he'd mandated in a dark forest. And she still does. She always will. They'll find a way to defeat Aaravos in a better way, now that they have time. One that lets them stay together. He cups her cheek and brings her in for a kiss. "When it's all over," he agrees.

Because someday it will be, and the next stage of their lives can begin.

[bat-snake]

In the theory that Leola is Autistic because Aaravos is also Autistic...

I present my theory that his posture of folding his hands behind his back is just his adjustment from "dinosaur hands" (drake hands???) as a child (and possibly part of the hypermobility I think he has - see the ridiculous Horse Lounging). Plus it makes him look more dignified and controlled. And so I present...

[madou-dilou]

May I present to you : TDP but Viren does care about Soren.

I got a few ideas to repair that appaling lack of nuance of Soren and Viren.

It doesn't change the overall plot.

But it includes nuance. And as well as a lot of the princes, since it's ultimately the main reason behind their rift, as shown by the scene in season 3 where Claudia forced Soren to choose between killing his dad or watching him murder the prince. And it nuances Callum and Ezran too, as a result.

We keep seeing ret-cons and additions in the side materials, but in the actual show, we see none of the "Viren loves Soren" (even with the flash-back in season five, I struggle to believe it), "Viren loved and knew Sarai even better than Amaya did", or "Callum sees Viren, Claudia and Soren as family", so it's all impossible to believe. The show really lacks nuance. And here is my attempt at correcting it.

SEASON ONE :

We get a little scene where Viren is shown to be worried for Soren, who after all, is being put by Harrow (that idiot) between himself and the deadliest assassins in the world (while Harrow doesn't even intend to survive !). In a flash-back fic, Viren even gets mad at Harrow for appointing Soren as captain of the crown guard, where he will be in the most danger. So in episode six, when Viren decides to sacrifice Soren if it comes to it, it does feel like a sacrifice to the viewer, because Viren has been shown to care about Soren.

When Viren is busy insulting Callum, the lights suddenly run out, meaning the assassins are there; Viren grabs him by the shoulders, and tells him : "I don't know what you are doing here, but take your brother with you and leave." And he shoves him behind a curtain. All that right in front of Soren, of course.

After his conversation with Amaya in the throne room, we see Viren looking at the grand format family portrait of Harrow, Sarai, Callum and Ezran, the one he complimented the painter on in the flash-back in season 2. Viren's features are visibly conflicted. Then, he breathes in, and looks resolute. First, we think he surrendered to Amaya's views and that he will do everything to make sure the boys are back -after all, he should take care of them, shouldn't he? But as we rewatch season 1, we realise it was actually the moment when he decided to have the princes killed. He has to kill them. But not with a muhahaha grin. Because the way he went from protecting the king with his life to murdering the princes with a muahahaha grin on his face doesn't make sense. If he viewed Harrow as his brother, he should see the princes as family, too. He should feel conflicted. Instead, as it is, in season 1, it's an on-off button to villainy, not an actual fleshed-out character. I actually thought Viren had been possessed by the first dark mage or something, I thought it was a different character, because his switch without any transition doesn't make sense at all. Season 1 frustrates me so much because of this. Oh, and he doesn't have the muahaha grin at all, obviously.

SEASON 3 :

Obviously, at first, I hated the "That doesn't matter" moment, but it actually makes sense. Viren is in self-sabotage mode since the beginning of the series. Therefore, if he is ready to sacrifice his own life, with the level of self-destruction he has been into since Harrow's death, he now expects this same dedication from Soren, who decided to be a soldier.

Ezran does visit Viren in jail. First, Viren says that he is relieved that Ezran is alive. Soren is of course shocked to hear that ("come on dad ?!"), but doesn't say anything. And we get to see Ezran and Viren have actual interaction, where they try to explain to each other their point of view, but it goes nowhere, Ezran thinking "Why did I think I could convince him ? Just because he was with my dad ? It's all his fault, ultimately. Mom's death, dad's death, Avizandum's death, Zym's kidnapping. Why did I think he would change ?" and Viren thinking "Christ, he is just like Harrow but even worse. Harrow gave away his people's food to an ally, but Ezran gives away the nuke to our generational enemy."

That, or when Ezran and Viren trade places, we get the "I am sorry it came to this", "No, Viren, you are not." But Viren's expression is different. The muhahaha grin is gone. Instead, either Viren is actually sorry that it came to this, or he realises only then that he actually isn't sorry, and it makes him feel so uncomfortable he doesn't answer. It prepares the scene where Claudia visits him in his office, and he asks her if she understands why he does all this, because obviously, he has a hard time justifying his actions; he fancies himself as a hero, and heroes don't harm children.

After Ezran has been imprisoned, we see Soren heading towards Viren's office, preparing to know at the door to demand an explanation, like "You ask me to kill this child and then you say you are relieved that he is alive ?! You tell him that in front of me ? What is wrong with you ?!" But he lets his fist suspended in the air; and when we next see him, he frees Ezran.

After Ezran's evasion, Soren goes to report to Viren, who first says nothing, he just looks so tired, then he says "It was you who spirited him away, wasn't it ?". Soren doesn't answer the question, his soldier face is still on, he just asks how many men he should send after him. Viren sighs : "None. You are dismissed." And on his face, you can clearly read relief. Relief that he didn't have to kill the child after all, and relieved that his son is a better person than he is.

OK, this one is just the plot of my short fic which you can read here if you don't want to get spoiled ( https://archiveofourown.org/works/24010672 ). Viren, as he is preparing for the war and all that, calls Soren and Claudia in his office, and gives Harrow's sword to Soren, asking him to give up his oath as crown guard and to become his heir to the throne instead of Claudia. Viren justifies it by saying that even now that he is on the throne, people still struggle to trust him because he is a dark mage, and since Claudia is one too, he doesn't want to risk any flinch in the people's and the armies's loyalty to the throne. You can tell that Viren also hopes to kind of repair his strained relationship with Soren, albeit very awkwardly, because Viren as we know, is a fixer with low emotional intelligence. Soren refuses it all, the throne and the sword, clearly embarrassed and sorry, saying that he doesn't feel worthy of taking the throne after failing to protect Harrow. Viren's face goes white with rage (because that's the one failure they have in common and they react to it in opposite ways, Viren tries to protect Harrow's legacy, which is the realm, and Soren tries to protect Harrow's son,) and he dismisses Soren.

It is made clear that Viren tries to cast the mutation spell on Soren to protect him from the fire; and Viren outright refuses to cast the spell until Aaravos tells him how to reverse it.

After Soren deflects and joined the princes, telling them about Viren's fire people army and how the only way to stop them is the dragon fire, Ezran vehemently protests. There is no way he can be okay with burning his own people alive. Yes, in the show, they have stripped the enemy army's lives of any value so the protagonists and the viewers can have fun killing them. But I don't need to explain how horrible that idea is in a anti-war show that has designed its moral and magic system around the inherent value of all lives. So Ezran is furious, absolutely refuses to call the dragons to burn thousands of the people he was supposed to protect. Callum lashes out at Ezran, because this mess is kind of his fault, because Ezran abandoned the throne to Viren, and now they have no choice but to clean it up to prepare a better future, that it's a necessary sacrifice. And we see Soren freezing. Because he thought he just heard Harrow and Viren arguing. And Callum rested his hand on Ezran's shoulder, telling him "it's hard, but I know you can do this", in the exact same fashion Viren has ordered him to kill both princes.

SEASON 4 :

Zubeia asks about the magic mirror. Callum says he doesn't know what she is talking about, because he wants to study it. He knows it's pretty much what Viren did, but he is just too curious to know.

Soren is shown to be uncomfortable. Yes, his father was a traitor, but still his father. And as far as he knows, Claudia is dead, too. So instead of the mere buffon we see juggling with jokes each more lame than the previous one, we understand that these jokes are the way he copes with all the grief and especially the trauma. For example, when Callum stumbles upon Viren's name as if it were dirty, Soren grimaces. Callum apologises, to which Soren answers 'it's okay, step-mage" in his usual joking way that now means no harm, but now it's Callum who is uncomfortable because he is reminded of both the massive shoes he has to fit in and the dark path he should absolutely avoid (and which he knows he has been walking on, by lying to Zubeia about the mirror).

When Viren makes his speech about how he messed up everything he ever tried and just wants to die in peace, he mentions Soren. "I couldn't even make my son happy."

During Corvus's cello solo (I absolutely adore this song), as we see Callum lighting a candle for Harrow, we see Soren looking grieving and conflicted, without the jester mask on. Viren was a king who participated in the cycle of violence, just like Harrow, Sarai, Avizandum and all the others. And this ceremony is about uniting both sides in grief. Yet Soren wonders if he has the right to feel conflicted. And it makes his fierce loyalty to the dragons more grounded. He tries to over-correct his mistakes.

Callum, as he has been possessed by Aaravos, starts questioning his views on Viren. He doesn't know when the mirror's influence on Viren has started. So Callum could be reconsidering everything Viren has done from Harrow's death to his own. Because as far as the princes know, Viren has been from weird-but-nice-uncle to blood-thirsty-maniac in the span of a day. Which doesn't make sense as I said earlier. "Viren did all that but... it wasn't him ? He was possessed ? And he died ?" It makes Callum's relationship with the cube and the mirror even more of an attraction-repulsion. Callum has now examples of what Aaravos can do to someone. He even has experienced it. And he still cannot bring himself to throw the ring into the Mount of Doom the cube in the lava of Umber Tor. Because Callum really is that curious and that hungry for knowledge.

Oh and WE GET TO SEE THE GODDAMN REUNION BETWEEN VIREN AND SOREN ! I still can't believe it wasn't in the show ! It makes me so mad ! Yes, we got a short-story a few months after season 4 came out, but judging by the writer's interview that happened right after season 4 (and therefore before the short story), the reunion wasn't a satisfying moment because Soren and Viren were too shocked to say each other anything. In other words, the whole idea of Soren and Viren interacting or refusing to interact was an afterthought. A bonus. Come on. There was the time for Soren's entire one-man-show, fart jokes and tart jokes and the protagonists going through lame trials that don't hold any character value, but no time for the reunion between the villain and his son after how much they have hurt each other?! Can you imagine if ATLA had done that with Zuko and Ozai? Not only their confrontation is entirely skipped, but the next time we see Zuko, it's to show him powering his balloon with the gaz of his stinky stinky feet? Why do they keep putting the interesting and important bits outside of the show ? Not just the reunion between Soren and Viren but also the break up between Callum and Rayla, or Ezran lashing out against a past neither he nor the world will ever be able to break free from. It reminds me of my cat, who made a point of honour to do its business right next to his litter box. It's infuriating because this short story is excellent. It develops both Soren and Viren, and the voice actors would have killed that. And it would have played right into the theme of a past we refuse to confront, believing we can make the world a better place without facing our own past shortcomings. Really, what went through the writer's heads ?!

But between their first meeting in two years, and the excellent short-story, we see Terry trying to break the ice between them. Terry is a kind person who wants to see the best in everyone. So he really tries. But he has no context. So he goes "Two years is an awful lot of time, isn't it ? You must have so much to tell to each other ! Well, Viren, nothing, since, you were... dead. But Soren ! Your sister told me you were a crown guard ! So you have been... protecting the king ! that's amazing ! Wait, why are you shrinking ? Don't roll your eyes, Viren ! ... Well... You two reacted to each other ! that's a start ! ... Wow. It's incredible how much you look like each other. I mean, of course you do, but I've never seen that to such a degree. So, Soren... Wait. Is he... crying ? What are you saying ?" Terry kneels so he can hear Soren, and when he gets up, we see a very awkward expression on his face. Viren raises an eyebrow, and Terry answers : "He said I was wrong, that he has seen you during these two years... Every night, in his nightmares."

The "Strangers" short story actually is in the show. It's an excellent short story.

Really, I wanted to see Viren's reaction to Soren reacting to him as if he were a monster. Sure, they don't see eye-to-eye on everything, but it's not like Viren had been brutal or physically abusive to him. And Viren doesn't know Soren has stabbed him. He doesn't know exactly why he is such a traumatic ghost to Soren. So Viren could really be profoundly shocked to see Soren's reaction. Which would prepare his future arc in season 5 where he questions all of his past choices. "What have I done for my own son to choke with terror and disgust just seeing my face ?"

So Viren fakes to check Soren's bounds, but he actually cuts through them so Soren can escape more easily. The reason : Viren sabotages Claudia's quest to revive him because he doesn't want to live any longer. He only follows Claudia to spend his last days with her. And he renounces to ever try to repair his relationship with Soren, who has after all every right to never speak to him again... so he just frees him instead. He knows Soren still won't forgive him but that's all he can do. Plus, it parallels Harrow, whose last words to Callum were about freeing his sons from the past.

THE REST :

I really don't know where to put it, but since Rayla has refused, Callum asks Soren to kill him if he ever becomes like Viren. It is horrible for Soren, since the whole reason why he took Callum's side was to disobey Viren. I love a bit of dramatic irony.

And I love the theory that the scene in the courtyard in season one, where Soren jokingly fakes to have been stabbed by Callum, to which Claudia playfully retorts "he deserved it", is foreshadowing to a scene that will be a parallel to when Soren stabbed Viren to protect Ezran. When Aaravos possesses Callum to stab Ezran, Soren does try to obey Callum and kill him... But Callum stabs him first.

And, of course, Claudia and Viren are in the front row to see this.

It's such a shame that the show only has nine episodes of twenty minutes a season. It could be so much more than what it is. It is begging to fly, but it's stuck to the ground.

Can you tell Viren is the only character I’m interested in)

I randomly thought about a post asking how Soren would feel knowing that Rayla hurt claudia in the way she did, and it got me thinking about how very little depth Soren’s character has regarding his family. Because I honestly believe Soren wouldn’t care and think Rayla has every right , and if she killed Claudia he wouldn’t feel all that much other than, she’s evil so she had to be stopped and move on. They’ll probably show a panel of him being sad for a second, but then he’s going to be happy and goofy and fine and dandy with Rayla because he doesn’t see her doing any wrong.(does he know Rayla is the cause of Virens death?)

And it got me thinking. Claudia and Viren are often characterized as doing anything for their family. (Even though it makes no sense when it comes to Viren). They’ll do anything for them. However Soren isn’t characterized that way. If Claudia is meant to take after Viren, is Soren meant to take after Lissa who left her family behind the same way Soren did and presumably never looked back?

We’re meant to think Viren loves his family including Soren, so presumably there were happy times with Soren and Viren right? There should be because the series wants me to think Viren loves him. So does soren not think about those times at all and that’s why it’s so easy for him to hate Viren and leave him and Claudia behind? The same way his mother presumably left because she didn’t like how far Viren would go for their family and could easily leave her children behind?

Why is it that Soren isn’t characterized as going far for his family? We know that Viren saved his life and we know that Claudia healed him from his paralysis. But we never see Soren going far for his family. And I don’t mean, killing the princess far, I mean, we don’t see him do for them the same way they do for him. We don’t see him saving their lives or healing them in any type

Of way at all. And no, I don’t mean he owes it to them. I mean, we don’t see Soren do anything for his family the same way we see his family do for him.

For example, we know how much Virens death affected Claudia, but yet Soren values his job as the kinds guard over wanting to make sure his sister is okay. Even if he hates Viren, he knows that Claudia doesn’t. So why are we not shown Soren caring about Claudia and how he knows how much Virens death would affect her? Wouldn’t him helping Claudia with bringing Viren back be more interesting than him being comic relief. Allowing him to actually have conflicting and nuanced feelings regarding Viren and how yeah, his father “abused” him, but that was still his father who he loved. It wasn’t always like that, his father did want him otherwise why would he save a child he didn’t want.

Even if you want to argue that Soren is leaving a toxic situation, are we saying that now Claudia was a bad sister to Soren? And that Soren shouldn’t want to be around Claudia now because… she loves her father? Was Claudia always toxic towards Soren the same way the series is saying Viren was always abusive to Soren and there was never any happy or good memories between them.

The lack of nuance concerning Sorens character is frustrating because Viren and his family were my favorite characters in the first two seasons. And then they decided to make soren a one dimensional abuse victim. And made Viren a one dimensional villain.

[youruinedmylifebynotbeingreal]

How many times have they been training, and Soren does something as silly as trip over his own feet, and Corvus catches him with an “I got you” before he hits the ground.

How many times have they been fighting some sort of foe, and something comes at Soren from behind and Corvus shouts “I got you,” taking down the foe or weapon.

How many has Soren shown up at Corvus’s door, mid breakdown. How many times do we think Corvus has gathered Soren in his arms and said “I got you” as Soren cried.

“I got you.” “I know.” is so special to me.

[0multifandomweirdo0]

Rayla watches Callum sleep in the night, Callum watches Rayla in the morning

You can't tell me otherwise