#thanks for asking !

[raayllum]

What if… the last quasar diamond is used for Callum…? To completely purge the dark magic from him…? After Rayla tearfully keeps her promise of killing him, and is devastated, before remembering about the spell…?

Short Answer: I don't think the quasar diamond will be used for Callum, that he'll literally die, or that Rayla will kill him.

Long Answer: (aka why I think the above)

I don't think Callum is going to be permanently/temporarily killed this season. Some of this is because resurrection magic is very complicated in-universe and can't be something that's easily done (otherwise we'll run into trouble with stakes later). Aaravos helping Callum save Rayla's life (magic, corrupted primal stone, etc) feels within his aims for me, but someone doing something like that without Aaravos feels less tangible. Even with a quasar diamond, Rayla isn't a mage, and while quasar diamonds can restore a body to a separated soul, we know they can't restore it to lost souls (of people who are fully dead) otherwise Aaravos would've been able to restore and bring back Leola by opening up the Moon Nexus and unleashing the dead.

The other main reason is that Callum literally dying isn't really needed, I think, when it comes to his character arc. If/when he willingly corrupts himself with dark magic, he is going to be metaphorically killing himself three times over: it means allowing himself to be totally corrupted (death one), turning himself over to Aaravos (death two), and knowing he made Rayla promise to kill him (death three). (This is also why I find the "he uses dark magic to destroy/coin Aaravos" less effective, since it means that Rayla isn't bound to kill him — she only promised specifically if he's under Aaravos' control — and it removes the biggest fear factor of why Callum is scared to do dark magic as well.)

Either way, Callum dying wouldn't add much to Callum's arc, so what about the other half of the equation? What would killing him give to Rayla's arc?

Well, it also wouldn't give much. There'd be irony in Rayla starting arc 2 wanting to kill a high mage of Katolis but being unable to, only for her to kill the high mage she wanted to save more than anything? If this would be closer to the beginning of her season arc, with time to grow after (the regret, or un-making her choice later when another opportunity is presented). Rayla has had six seasons of routinely sacrificing herself and what she wants (being with her loved ones) with precious few exceptions, even if we've seen her steadily grow more positively in S4 onwards in particular (god bless you 5x04). Killing him is what's expected of her as an Assassin and a Good Moonshadow Elf, which is set in opposition to her being a Hero ("Rayla saves people" / "It was rescued? By who?" "...Me").

So Rayla, who always sacrifices, continues to sacrifice. Even though — from a meta narrative perspective — she and Callum are set up to the be the inversion of Viren and Lissa. Viren sacrificed the people around him (including her) and did dark magic, so she saw him as a monster and left. Meanwhile, Callum and Rayla are set up for Callum to do dark magic because he refuses to sacrifice Rayla. Because of this, even though he sees himself as a monster (evidenced by the corruption and Aaravos' control), Rayla will not and she will refuse to leave him, bringing him back to himself (possibly with Ezran's help).

I also think some of this ground work is laid because Callum isn't just scared of being possessed and hurting people; he's also specifically scared that Rayla will be scared of him (6x03), that he will no longer be someone she knows and loves. However, we also know thanks to 6x03 (and 6x06: "You're a good person Callum. Maybe the goodest") that that's not true or going to happen. She knows who he is, who he Truly is, and that he's acting out of love. In saving him, not only does she reaffirm his identity, she reaffirms her own (more on Rayla being unable to kill without also symbolically killing herself here) with the most important bit dropped in here:

As long as Callum is Callum (“you’re the destiny is a book you write yourself guy”), he’s worth saving. As long as Callum is Callum, she can be Rayla (“Rayla’s brave. She saves people” / “Rayla. My name is Rayla, and I’m going home”). As long as she’s Rayla, he can be Callum. Because if Callum isn’t Callum, then he’s dead, and if he’s dead, she can kill him. And if Rayla kills him, if Callum is dead, then she won’t be Rayla anymore. Because to literally kill Callum would be to simultaneously symbolically/emotionally kill herself.

In going to save him, also (which Runaan might be primed to encourage or be a catalyst for), Rayla gets to demonstrate her growth by refusing to sacrifice herself and refusing to sacrifice him. Previously, she's sacrificed herself for him, sacrificing both her life and their happiness. In 4x03/4x09 and throughout arc 2, what we see what she wants most is not just Callum being alive, but having a life with Callum ("what I most deeply desire is what I could've had all along"). To be together, rather than being separated (6x09). So Rayla choosing him, and their life together, and what she wants, un-making her choice to leave at the beginning of the arc / timeskip — refusing to sacrifice him the same way he refused to sacrifice her, reaffirming both their identities, bringing them both back from the dark paths they thought they couldn't escape (being Aaravos' puppet or dead, being an assassin or dead) — that's the Character Growth, and where I think we're headed.

Conversely, if she kills him — she arguably hasn't changed, and not even necessarily changed for the worst. It'd work more for me if it was like end of S6 with S7 to go and wrap up her arc, but given that it's the final season of the arc that started with "no I'm not going to kill you, I came back For You and will keep coming back for / To You"... yeah, we're gonna end S7 on a high note, character arc wise, for just about everyone in the main cast, I think (likely excluding Aaravos, possibly Claudia, and potentially Karim).

Additionally, although quasar diamonds aren't seemingly affected by being used for dark magic (i.e. there's no corruption), there's no indication they can purge dark magic. And even if they could, and it'd give Callum another blank slate, presumably... But would that really matter on the tail of a season where he had a blank slate and (under my assumptions, mind you) threw it all away under the worst possible circumstances/consequences of doing so? Am I really going to believe he'd always be able to stay away from dark magic no matter what after going back on that promise at least two, if not three, times? (As always, prepared to eat my words later, but this is where my head is at / where I think the narrative set up is going in terms of him using it again with what we have rn; more alternative narrative legwork could happen in S7 that'd make the opposite outcome make sense to me.)

I think it's far more effective if Callum keeps (or doesn't) the taint of dark magic, but Aaravos can never use it to control him again. He can use it under extreme circumstances (like Viren did in 6x08, which was the right thing to do) but without the biggest consequence of doing so. He'll also have the certainty that no matter what he did or what he does ("It doesn't matter what you did before, I just want you to be okay again" / "None of this matters... It means I trust her. Unconditionally"), Rayla will be there and they'll accept and love and fight for each other, always, that they'll never sacrifice each other but go together in all things, and that freedom to exist and be loved is True Freedom from Aaravos and from the corruption of dark magic.

[rosieposey-torturedpoet]

"Why, on EARTH: did you try that. That was the most dangerous stunt I think I've ever seen you pull. It was arrogant and stupid-"

"Yeah, but it worked! Didn't it? I got the mission done."

"Whumpee, that is not. the. point. It was dangerous and directly against orders!" Caretaker clenched her fist, Whumpee was the most stress inducing person on the team, who never seemed to understand that there were consequences to her actions, "Do you realize how hurt you could've been? That could've killed you!"

"Well, it didn't!" Whumpee was also the youngest, the boldest, the most reckless one on the team: and in her defense, often made her one of the stronger ones. Being agile and fast, made her a slippery target and even harder to fight. But that doesn't make her immune, "This is not that big of a deal!"

Caretaker felt a spark of fury, "Not a BIG DEAL?!" She felt the need to puke, she wanted to take Whumpee by the sides of her face and just shake her, yell, scream, or something just to get it through her thick head. It was scarily frustrating, knowing how unsafe Whumpee was with herself and Caretaker was just exhausted. "DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT DEATH IS?? It's PERMANENT. FINAL." Caretaker could feel the tears start to pool, "Whumpee. I CAN'T SAVE YOU FROM DEATH. When you are DEAD. You are GONE. AND I CAN'T SAVE YOU."

Caretaker sunk down to her knees, sobbing. She just couldn't do it anymore, she was just so scared. Watching Whumpee nearly avoid death, day in and day out: it was ruining her. She is so sick and tired of being scared everytime a mission happens because she knows that Whumpee will probably be the one to get hurt, the one who will be targeted, the one that she will have to save. Whumpee was so young, she was sweet and the heart and soul of the team, Caretaker has seen her unconscious or bleeding out 10 times more than she's seen anyone else. It impresses her that such a small body can hold and loose that much blood: yet here, Whumpee stands, continuing to fight and loose. And Caretaker couldn't do it anymore. She just needs her to realize what is actually at stake when she rushes into a fight, or takes on people twice her size.

----------------------------------------------------------

Whumpee stood there a moment, bewildered. Whumpee never meant to stress anyone out, especially not scare them. She didn't realize Caretaker actually cared that much. After a few moments of utter surprise and standing there just watching like a dope; Whumpee finally crouched by Caretaker, who was now hyperventilating.

"Hey, Hey. Listen, listen to me. I'm alright, okay?" Grabbing Caretaker's hand, she placed it right over her heart, "See? I'm still here, I'm alive and breathing. It's alright!"

"No-no no no." Caretaker choked out, "I know you are! I, I already know you're alive now! But I can't guarantee.. I don't know if you'll survive another mission. I just don't know! What if, what if I can't save you one day?!"

"That's never gonna happen!! You always save me, everytime." Whumpee could feel her tears start to form, "I really, really, don't mean to scare you. Honestly!" Whumpee let out a small laugh

"No, you just need to know, you aren't the only one affected by your risks, by your life! Whumpee, you might not realize this, but you aren't just some pawn! If you die?! We can't just replace you!" Caretaker had calmed down and was now looking Whumpee straight in the eye

"That's..I don't..." Whumpee eventually stammered out, "I'm sorry."

Caretaker threw her arms around Whumpee and whispered in her ear, "Just promise me, that you'll be more careful."

Whumpee snuggled up closer to Caretaker, "I promise."

[halemerry]

In case you were wondering I'm still thinking about the composition of this shot. The absolute split down the middle between light and dark colors. The way that despite that both sides have their own lights and their own shadows because one cannot exist without the other. The fact Aziraphale's side is a warmer sort of light that compliments Crowley's colors and Crowley's is a blueish sort of dark where the windows even look like tartan. The fact Crowley's side isn't the green dark of Hell and Aziraphale's isn't the sterile white of Heaven but are both shades shifted slightly to the left into something distinct and totally their own. It's balance - even in the middle of heartbreak - and it drives me absolutely wild.

[occudo]

8 for the fandom asks!

8. you hope more people will come to appreciate ___ (a ship, a trope, an episode, etc)

I mean... more Gertrude/Agnes would be nice...

[sweet-prroncito]

Hot diddly darn! Those batgirls came out way past any expectations! It’s always fun to see the uniqueness of their respective styles and outfits!

How about some light sparring? It was always fun to see Cass tapping out Steph in a sleeper hold a while back lmao. Or Barbara being a baddie with those Arkham style silent takedowns XD

✨🦇💜🌈

Light sparring it is~

[alchemillae]

just leaving this here for my fellow peemphum enthusiasts!! 👀

cr: louverue

[cuethesolareclipse13]

“Why are you crying it’s just a line in a book”

The line:

“I miss you. It’s better when you’re around.”

[tgcg]

Who else are your favorite characters/ships aside from Karkat and Dave?

[animezinglife]

Oh, to be Elain Archeron wearing a lightweight, flowy sundress while having breakfast in the garden, an excuse to say bizarre and mysterious things out loud, and two hot Fae males pining after you.

[wayward-banana]

kingdom hearts 2 is a good. good game

(^woman trying and failing to be normal about roxas)

[raayllum]

I thought season 7 was to be the last? What's this about the third arc?

So this past weekend at San Diego Comic Con, the crew confirmed the 'mythical 3rd arc' that we thought had been folded into arc 2 (S4—S5 being their own thing, and S6-S7 being the third arc) is actually still its own full blown thing. This would bring TDP to being a 10 season show in total, with three main arcs.

Previously, we thought S7 was the series finale, but it's been confirmed there are 3 more seasons planned after S7. This would constitute arc 3, and these still need to be greenlit. Whether Arc 2 will finish similarly to Arc 1 — most things wrapped up entirely with only a couple of loose threads — or on a big cliffhanger of sorts remains to be seen.

Arc 3 will likely feature another timeskip and focus on more magic lore / dealing with the Cosmic Order council that Aaravos seemingly wants to destroy.

The best thing to do is to rewatch S6 fully through consistently on Netflix (especially this first week / month), submit request forms to Netflix for seasons, review on sites on IMBD and Rotten Tomatoes, and use hashtags like #GiveUsTheSaga and #ContinueTheSaga on Twitter (and potentially tumblr).

Learning about it felt like this and I'm still losing my mind

[illyrianbitch]

Thoughts on the Vanserras?

yes i have those all the time

[jemichi90]

okay OP, in your recent art you mentioned that "you will explain if needed" and gave a detailed explanation of what might have happened (to Charlie and Maxwell).

I'd LOVE to hear more of your thoughts, and the "explanation" that you said you'd provide (⁠ﾉ⁠◕⁠ヮ⁠◕⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠*⁠.⁠✧

ps i really like your art.

Oh! Hello there! 👀

And yes indeed I did. Alright then, get ready for the brainrot. xD

For a long time I've thought that Charlie died and came back wrong, and in the recent updates there have been several things hinting at it.

Here is a list of the ones I can remember right now:

Maxwell says ”There's a story behind that...” when inspecting a touch stone.

After the recent update, the ”dark side” Winona can sense traces of Charlie on the touch stone, confirming it's related to her (the quotes vary).

In the Encore animated short, there is a brief flashback of Charlie with the Ancient Fuelweaver behind her, and then her Chess piece is seen falling and sinking inside a black square on the board - some heavy symbolism there, sparing us from the gory details, I guess...

In Charlie's stageplay, the doll that represents her breaks, but she's brought back to life by the Mirror (Them?) - alive but different, as she says.

And then there are things that fall more into the headcanon territory, until more evidence comes up that either proves or debunks those ideas entirely, but I'll explain those as well, since they heavily influece my art inspiration.

I subscribe to the idea that the two characters in the ancient murals represent Maxwell and Charlie themselves in their early years in the Constant (but depicted by the locals that were unfamiliar with human anatomy). Time moves differently in that world so it could have been thousands of years ago, but the two made contact with the locals and briefly improved their life through the use of Their magic – until it backfired and the entity that must have been sealed for a reason broke free. Assuming the character with the torch really is Charlie, she died protecting Maxwell from the consequences of his own mistakes. In the final mural image, only her cracked head can be seen.

Another headcanon I have comes from the fact that one of shadow Charlie's arms seems to be entirely made of shadows (curiously, there are also arm bones attached to the touch stone, although they could have belonged to a pigman too, like the heads), so I think that whatever happened to her basically shattered her to pieces, and some pieces may still be missing - like that arm. But details like this are only a headcanon for now.

This also falls in the time period between 1906 and 1910-ish, when apparently some crazy stuff happened that Klei hasn't showed us much about – yet (according to their own post some years ago). ^^

So based on all this, my idea is that Maxwell summoned the Fuelweaver (as seen in the murals), but he messed up big time and Charlie got caught in the crossfire trying to protect Maxwell. She died a gruesome death (that may have torn her to pieces even more brutally than in my drawing). Maxwell in his desperation made the touch stone in a hurry (which is why it looks so rough compared to all his other constructs), carried what was left of Charlie there, and made a deal with Them to bring Charlie back to life no matter the cost. And they did. They just didn't bring her back exactly like she used to be, and she would probably fall to pieces and die instantly if she was separated from the entity that she now shares the body with...

I think Maxwell had been able to move freely in the Constant (maybe even out of it, based on his disappearances earlier) until then, but deals like that come with a price, so he lost his freedom and became Their tool (sold his soul to save Charlie?). Or something like that anyway.

There are also the parallels between Charlie and Abigail with their connection to their special flowers, as highlighted in the newest animated video. Charlie just might be another ghost inside a flower herself, but thanks to Them, she got to keep her body, or at least a form that resembles her body.. But I prefer to think that her actual broken body is still a part of the deal, as messed up as that is. We already know that They can keep a body that should have died a long time ago alive for an eternity, thanks to Maxwell. When he was released from the Nightmare Throne and time caught up to him, he didn't just die, he turned to a skeleton that crumbled to dust in an instant..! That's some old corpse, but he'd been conscious all that time because They wouldn't let him die.

So yeah, these happy thoughts inspired that piece. I might draw more about that if I still feel like it later. :D

[occudo]

Ask game :D

7. your favorite tropes to read/write/draw

9. a ship that isn't your OTP but that you enjoy

15. the character that always makes you smile

16. a tiny detail in canon that you want more people to appreciate

20. your very first fandom!

Some of these I already answered, so the ones I don't:

9. a ship that isn't your OTP but that you enjoy

Tim/Gerry or goof troop :D

20. your very first fandom! Tma is the first I'm active in? But the first I made fanarts for was the Bartimaeus trilogy (my blue beaked crow is a nod to those books actually :D)

[amae-heartilly]

Ouch.

[yodaprod]

hi there! Is this blog maintained by a human?