#that would make your character a being that transcends the dimensions of the game world

[plati-arts]

I love the connotation that Juliana is a 'protagonist' that breaks the fourth wall because who doesn't like cosmic horror in a pokemon game

[franki-lew-yo]

I really hate 2d purists. No, not 2d animation. Not 2d animators.

2d purists.

The sad thing is it’s gotten to the point that I really cringe hearing any pro-2D sentiment at all. I hate the arguments I agree with because how often they're misused and weaponized by idiots.

Let me make my stance here clear - 2d is NOT appreciated and 3d is used for everything! The layman Karen-mom who doesn’t have an artistic bone in her body looks at stupidsmooth 3D Grubhub ads and assumes quality cause it “looks more real” (aka ‘rendered’). I know as much is true because I literally have a member of my family who told my sister and I that she thinks 3d is better (and also that she “tolerated THOSE movies for us kids”. Touching words. My sister was taking an animation course by the way). Combined that with the studios either using 2D for cheap stuff or finding good 2d animation too “costly”, I get it and I’m not even any animator. I'm just a worm an illustrator.

but holy HELL -

There’s a backlash from the artistic community that's it's own kind of insufferable and deserve to be addressed.

“(insert2Danimatedfilm) is better BECAUSE it's 2D!”

followed by: "Animation is a visual medium and the quality of the art affects how much the story means !!!!”  

Yes. Totally. Animation is a visual medium and the look and style is important. Sadly, people use this excuse to really obnoxious ends, insisting that design being pretty is '' everything ''. When you treat a movie more as a special effects demo I get why you talk about the artistry at hand; but I’m sorry, visuals are not the only thing important and it’s why I’m also getting sick of the sameElsafacesyndrome rants too! There’s this attitude that's reads as "but it LOOKS better fromaproductionimage/teasertrailerwhichapparentlyisindicativeof all themovieactuallyis so it MUST BE better".

-“3D should only be used to make things look realistic!”

I think I know the logic this criticism is made in response to, and that’s the Sony + Illumination films which look just as good in 2D as they do in three dimensions. I know it feels like people are twisting this medium to try and make it like a classic cartoon when by all means people can and would love a classic cartoon being a classic cartoon. That I get- From the unsung 2D animator’s perspective, that’s more than valid !

But it’s a huuuuuuge slap in the face to 3d in saying it should only be used for "realistic animation" because

1: It’s not like realistic animation could age badly or look uncanny in the next few years. It's almost like technology is constantly improving, which I guess 2d animation never did and it was always the same technique and quality as every film that came after it.

2: The industry does treat 3d as a magic-moneymaker for this reason. Just listen to these people call the 2019 LION KING “live action” as if they’re embarrassed to call it animation. It IS animation! It would be impressive if you acknowledged that what it is, but like the CATS, you basically are treating it as just a neato tool to better your live action and not it's own artform - which it is!

3: By this “three-deeonly gud when real liek in da toystories” non-logic I guess 2d should ONLY be for flowyflowy SPACE JAM cartoons and maybe some Disney*. Just that though. You can’t do anything more with 2d. It’s never supposed to be realistic I guess. Good thing Richard Williams only did 'toons' and just toons that’s why we need 3d in the world I guess.

Wait no - that’s stupid.

"I HAVE to see the “Land Before Time 14″ when it comes out! I mean it’s a 2D animated film!"

Lost in the aether that is Youtube comment chains removed from kid's videos is a stream of this very VERY stupid argument supporting the buying of the 14th LAND BEFORE TIME film because it’s supporting 2D. My sister and I can be found on that chain arguing against this stupidity. All you have is my word, but trust me: it really did happen.

I’m sorry but...no.

Unless you have a friend or a family member who worked on these movies there’s no reason to see this and ESPECIALLY no reason to insist it’s a win for the 2D community if you buy up this crap - and I'm not judging if you do like it, but come on! LAND BEFORE TIME 14 isn't where your money should go if you really like this medium.

What’s so infuriating about this argument is you can tell it’s made by nonanimators. Real animators will tell you to support their movies cause they want some respect for their artform which is why there’s such a push from the PRINCESS AND THE FROGcrowd that you SEE and LOVE every 2d thing out there, regardless of how good it is because any recognition for it is k i n d o f what they're after!

Kiddy sequel schlock isn’t even in the same ballpark as KLAUS or WOLFWALKERS; these films DID have very limited theatrical runs (Klaus so it could be nominated; Wolfwalkers in places where theaters opened up after Covid) and should have been supported because they were labors of love made by people who love animation.

As other people have already pointed out, one of the reasons for the lack of interest in 2000sera2D animation is that the only films released alongside critical+financial 3D hits were cheaper 2D films that either coincided with daytime tv shows or should have been just direct-to-video. It’s not to say art couldn’t come out of these flicks, but dayum if it wasn’t abused as much as the texture software that era's CG used... Point being, should the world ever go back to normal: If you hear about an out-of-town showing an acclaimed 2D animated film, make time to trek out and see THAT!

Don’t give your money to see yet another made-for-tv movie on the big screen because all that tells the studio is: “yeah 2d IS cheap and only good for cheap stuff let’s just keep it cheap. Only 3d is important 8D 8D 8D !!!"

“I don’t understand how it works. So it sucks.”

This text is from an ANIMATOR btw.

“I don’t understand how it works” and “it’s just some computer rendering” is the exact same wave of logic the people who prefer cgi use.

The plebian Karen I mentioned earlier? She understands the basics of 2D animation as much as you did from one of those cruddy flash classes you took in middle-school. She 'understands' the basics cuz she watched how it was made on the DVD features or maybe back on the WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY. To her, the illusion is broken and she’s not impressed by 'just some drawings on paper'. You, an animator, know the process is more complicated and is intrigued by knowing how it’s made - not bored or disinterested -

Neither you nor Aunt Karen have really good cg-animation software at your house and unless you ARE a 3D animator you probably DON’T know all the ins-and-outs of how these movies are modeled, rendered, and animated.

Aunt Karen is bedazzled by them cause she doesn’t know how it works and the technical aspect makes her brain hurt so it might as well be magic and she can feel like a cool kid sharing Minion-memes. Aunt Karen is the nonartistic type who just wants to feel safe. You're not. You want to feel challenged.

I get it: you’re pissed off cause you’re in a field no one, including Aunt Karen, appreciates; told to work in cg which it's an artform you didn’t devote your life to and told to learn it cause THIS style sells! 3D is everywhere and is starting to look like 'garbage' even if you don’t animate 3D models yourself you just KNOW, I guess. Besides, you know all there is to know about 2d!! You know all there is to possibly know about this artform and have to fight this 'war' against "r e a l" animation! And I mean even when 3d software is there to use, it's not like you can actually make anything worth while in it, especially not anything that transcends the medium. Right Worthikids?

TL;DR: This argument is basically just " BWAAAAH I’M NOT GONNA USE IT I HAVE STANDARDS (a chip on my shoulder cuz art should be what I deem it to be) "

“PRINCESS AND THE FROG is-”

There’s a reason I can’t say I truly like PRINCESS AND THE FROG even though it's not even a bad movie! Like, stop reading this and watch PATF if you haven't it's good. It's my 'FROZEN', in that; I see a lot of potential in it I just think it needs some serious rewriting and that bugs me. Always have felt that way, tbh.

I dislike this movie because the response from the animation community seems to be it was perfect and the Academy was just Pixar-crazy with UP ((ftr, the Academy IS Pixar’s bitch and I personally advocate a sequel be made to WAKING SLEEPING BEAUTY about Mike Eisner’s sabotage of the 2D department at Disney which is still in place now!- but that’s a story for another day)). I’m sorry but UP was just a better story. So was CORALINE. So was FANTASTIC MR. FOX. Honest to god it feels like poor PATF is brought up as just a talking point and never for it's own worth as a labor of love - which it was! I'd like to honestly know: had PRINCESS AND THE FROG come out now and been cg if it would have even half the defenders for it because now it doesn't "look" like how a Disney movie "should" look...

If you like PatF more than the currant Disney lineup because of it's culture, it's music, it's feminism, it's black representation? Awesome. Great. Those things should be appreciated and I never want that taken away from you. But if you seriously think PatF is better just for how it was animated and looks - I lowkey may hate you.

“ALL OF DISNEY’S LATEST MOVIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN 2D! THEY ALL LOOK AWFUL IN 3D!! ALL OF THEM!”

TANGLED, FROZEN, and MOANA? Yeah. Sure. But um, e x c u s e y o u- WRECK IT RALPH sooooo doesn’t work in 2d! It could have used different between the various worlds but it’s about hopping through different video games. I’m also of the opinion that ZOOTOPIA and BIG HERO 6 are fine the way they are. Their 3d is awesome.

The latest fairy tale Disney films are really big on their place alongside the 2D canon esp in marketing. They keep trying to mimic 2D to varying results though I don't think it works as well as the movie's I'd previously mentioned. Me personally, I would love a mix of 3D and 2D technology, like if the backgrounds in FROZEN still got to be 3D but the characters were handdrawn and shaded ala KLAUS ((sweet sigh)). But even then are they truly unwatchable just based on how they're animated to you?

MOANA would have been incredible in 2D but for the record - I don't think it feels out of place in it's style. It reminds me more of a Pixar movie with the heart of a Disney classic which is it's own just as good.

“2D is the oldest form of animation and it’s being replaced.”

Actually, if we’re talking animation in film, stop motion is the earliest form of animation. The stop motion animated THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE ACHMED and TALE OF THE FOX predate Disney’s SNOW WHITE. And yes: stop-motion IS still a form of animation even if it’s a serious of pictures taken of real life things and not drawings, so don’t you dare come at me with the "but that's not animated"/"Technically it’s LIVE ACTION" crap or I’ll envoke the spirit of Sandman to get you at night.

“Every animated film would look better in 2D! Even PIXAR would look better in 2D!”

Again, Stop Motion.

No, I mean it.

Lemme ask: Would ISLE OF DOGS or FANTASTIC MR. FOX carry any of the same effect if they were generic 90s toons? I know NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS wouldn’t. Christ, don’t even get me started on Svankmajer!

Sometimes the problem is that a movie is envisioned with a specific artform in mind. Pixar started out with toys and bugs for a reason and that’s cuz they were always gonna be a 3d studio and they needed to first overcome the placisity of the models. Over the years they’ve gotten really good at effects and blending unrealistic proportions with real textures (and also not so much- ONWARD and THE GOOD DINOSAUR really needed some different character designs and yeah, I do think would have looked better with a 2d artstyle, but not the ones they had in their films. THE GOOD DINOSAUR needed more realistic-speculative looking dinos and ONWARD needed a grittier HEAVY METAL/BLACK CAULDRON appeal to its designs.) My point being that the problems with these movies aren’t even inherently the animation as much as it is a problem of style. As someone who runs a group speculating different styles and designs for movies and tv shows I’m all for envisioning a 2D ZOOTOPIA or Bluth-inspired FNAF. That’s amazing!

But that’s also the talk of fan artists and nerds and not the professional artists working on visualizing their stories!!

Since I ate, slept, and breathed NIGHTMARE in my youth I’ll use it as an example: All the concept art ever done for TNBC was on paper and 2D was used in the final film. However, even when Tim Burton was thinking of making it just a tv special it was always going to be stop-motion. NIGHTMARE’s puppet cast do work very well in two dimensions, believe me, but the film was made as a love letter to Rankin/Bass and the art form of stop-motion. Skipping to another Henry Selick-helmed project (haha), JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH was also always envisioned as a multimedia film to give it a truly dream-like atmosphere. If you know anything about Henry Selick you’ll know he’s 1) a perfectionist, and 2) loves mixed media and different types of animation and puppetry at once. That’s why he was the perfect pick to direct TNBC at the time, why JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH and CORALINE are so beautiful and why MOONGIRL, his only fully 3d film, doesn’t have the same appeal.

As for what films I couldn’t imagine NOT being 3D? Probably; 9, Padak, Next Gen, Soul, Finding Nemo, the Toy Story films, Wreck-it-Ralph (as previously mentioned), Wall.E, Waltz with Bashir, Robots, Inside Out, Arthur Christmas, The Painting, Happy Feet, Shrek, Enter the Spiderverse, Megamind… just naming a few here.

“I want a traditionally animated film [and by that I mean a 90s-Disney/Don Bluth looking movie] of ‘x'-popular live action/stage thing!”

Okay I’m cheating a bit but it’s my blog and so I’m gonna stick this one in because it’s related.

When I see musings about wanting live-action or CGI shiz to be in 2d again a lot of the time this argument actually boils down to " I want this to look like a 90s Didney movie ". Or, if it’s about animals - " I want it to look like a Don Bluth film! "

Like...there ARE other styles of animation out there...you know that right?

Frack, Disney themselves tried different styles throughout the 90s it’s just that the peak of the Disney renaissance films (LITTLE MERMAID, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, ALADDIN, THE LION KING) and the many imitators that followed tended to have the same look to them where only film/animation nerds kept watching into the era that was TARZAN, HERCULES, and ATLANTIS along with the kids. Aunt Karen wasn't singing Part of your World in the carride with you every day.

The Don Bluth argument is especially irritating because...what exact feeling do you WANT from a movie if it looked Bluthish? Each of the four ‘quintessential’ Bluth movies (NIMH, AMERICAN TAIL, LBT, and ALL DOGS) have such a different feel to them that’s complimented by that style; SECRET OF NIMH is a drama about wild animals trying to understand humans; LAND BEFORE TIME is even more squarely about an animal’s perspective as there’s literally no humans around; AMERICAN TAIL uses animals stowing away on the ship to tell a story about refugees; and ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN is ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN.

What the frack are you even asking for with that because I think there’s a certain flavor to the Bluth-styled oeuvre as well as the 90s Disney catalogue that would clash too much stylistically with some films.

Also come on! Like some Bluthian-style 2d would really fix THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS or SCOOB!, bite me.

I think this fixation solely on these two hand drawn styles and nothing else is based on nostalgia goggles, refusing to step outside the norm and discover different films and feelings than Disney and Bluth, and just preference. Goin back to NIGHTMARE there will always be a special place in my heart for Henry Selick’s stop motion, but I couldn’t imagine CHICKEN RUN or ANOMALISA in it's unique style.

Also I’m tired of every time there’s a "lets make an animatic to ‘x’ musical theater song" it’s reliably just Disneyesque or realistic. WHY envision an animated version of the show at all if it doesn’t have A STYLE to it??!?! I’m sorry but 90s-Disney does NOT fit CABARET!

“3D is so CHEAP now! Why can’t they just do 2D again?”

I think - on the cusp of the 2020s and the Grubhub hatedom, there ARE changing times ahead for 3d and 2d. The general public are starting to get tired of the same looking 3d films and wanting some 2d back, but they don’t have the best resources or opinions on animation to know what it is they want. Meanwhile, the animation community + industry is trying to figure out what to do and you have a lot of turmoil between the monopoly that is the industry, the high standards of the artists, and the mixed wants of the animation fanbase deciding what art needs to be.

It’s a tough business. And in the spirit of that tough business - maybe DON’T act like the means of a film’s production is solely your control, that you know best, and know definitively what the artists should have done....cuz you don't. Sorry my fellow criticalfanomanalysist-folks we DON'T and in an age of standom where fans and critics think it's okay to hackle indie animation studios about not getting their pitched cartoon out fast enough - we need to reserve these discussions to our circles and not treat them as gospel.

3d animation and 2d animation have to share this world. Stop acting like they’re either interchangeable in terms of budget, means of production, or artistry or that one has to be superior to the other.

The industry already says one art form is better (spoiler: it’s always live-action), we don’t need anymore of this purist garbage. Just stick to what you like while trying new things on the side. Be critical while also being compassionate. And remember:

[ratplagues]

🔥 any dishonored thing of ur choosing -deathoftheoutsider

wah okay!! i will talk a bit about the outsider and void then..i dont really wanna frame it as a Hot Take bc i have no interest in starting shit or whatever like ill interact with whatever i want to in this fandom and ignore the rest and everyone else is free to do the same but.

I do not think The Outsider is a “character” in the conventional sense, much less that it does his character or the allegory he wields any justice to be shipped with anyone in the series (at least without seriously considering the implications and framing it in a way that completes the allegory. more on this later)

the outsider and his void are an allegory for Otherness; i’m namely gonna frame it as queerness and neurodiversity, but really anything could fit as long as it’s about you feeling seen as a marginalized and othered person. he is written to represent this allegory, not to be a person with a satisfying narrative arc or dimensions. this is why some people feel that he lacks depth-- he’s not supposed to have depth compared to others in the series, he’s mostly a vehicle for what he represents, and is supposed to be easy to identify with or recognize.

he was born to a life of hardship, suffered at the hands of the rich and powerful, was ignored, cast out, etc. etc. a familiar story. poor, queer, nd, really whatever you wanna frame it as. he was a nobody outcast. in comes the envisioned, they pick him to serve as their martyr and idol without his permission. he then had his name cut away and forgotten, and was thrust onto a pedestal to spend the rest of eternity being worshipped by other outcasts who had suffered at the same hands he had. he has something greatly in common with those who worship him, including the very people who stripped his mortality from him in the first place, but because of this shared hardship (and nothing else), his own autonomous personhood was disregarded completely in favor of The Community needing someone Just Like Them to idolize. if this sounds familiar, that’s because it should!!

his humanity was taken from him, and in his place, an idol was created. his human body is frozen in stone in the center of the void-- retired. out of commission. no longer needed. he was immortalized, transcended. this is traditionally desired, although dishonored is trying to convince you that it is not actually desirable. in the age of internet content creation, you can be immortalized without even being present, without knowing about it. you become what you can do for other people, and what you cannot. people fall in love with an idea of you, the idea of you being like them, and other people come to hate you deeply without even knowing you. people came to hate the outsider more deeply than he ever had been when he was human-- he wasn’t seen when he was human. a pedestal only helps you to be seen. the outsider had the choice made for him to achieve immortality in exchange for the simple joys of being un-known.

he spends all of doto trying to convey this idea to billie through the hollows:

"There is freedom in being hated. There is license in being cast out. Some learn this lesson a little too well."  "These people lay their thoughts, their petty wants, their murderous desires in front of me to witness. I cannot turn away." "We carry what was done to us through the rest of our endless days. No one asked if we wanted it." (i like this one. he speaks for the community-- this is a shared experience, one everyone can recognize. however, as a Queer Figure, he never asked for this. he never asked to be immortalized. i like the double meaning here)

not to mention, the entire extent of the outsider’s Sole ability and influence on the real world is to “choose” people and give them untold power over others. this is a fun ironic twist on what marginalized groups endure from powerful people, (dishonored is largely about power imbalances and socioeconomic hierarchies) but it’s also fun to think about in the context of the role model/fan framing-- so many worshippers give their lives to be “chosen” by him. it’s easily framed as an exaggeration of otherwise very real power imbalances and often the flagrant breaching of boundaries existing between creators and fans.

and on the subject of the VOID...ohht he void.....

the void should be a haven for queer folks. for nd folks. it’s wanted by so many to be a safe space, it should be, it’s the Other World! it’s renounced by the abbey, crusaded against, even. but it isn’t. it’s just this limitless, eons-old horizon that hungers and starves for something to fill it. if the outsider is the lament of queer idolatry, the void is the lament of queer Hunger. it is roaming, and restless. it does not belong to the outsider; the outsider cannot survive without it. it’s the desire to belong, not a place of belonging.

the void craves this idol, this outsider-- i, for one, have often experienced hunger for a truly moral and just role model, someone to make the world Right, and i know this is another shared feeling. those who worship the outsider, who drive themselves mad trying to see him or be chosen by him, are suffering from this idol hunger. you see this in a lot of queer and nd kids and young adults. i grew up just having my life and interests like, punctuated by different fixations on different people that i didn’t know at all, only fell in love with the idea of. it happens a lot.

there’s a couple more doto quotes that really highlight this for me:

"They carve my mark into the old bones bleached by the sun. They carve my mark into their skin. They learn true hunger in the Void." "All these charms, these runes and fetid offerings on shrines made for me, will be nothing more than objects worn of meaning. Bones and dead things, thrown into the dirt."

“They learn true hunger in the Void.” is something that i wanna touch on real quick. people can spend their lives obsessing over the idea of what they think the void will cure for them, will fix in their lives, only to find out that it’s just a hollow manifestation of the emptiness they’ve felt all their lives. it’s not the needs met, but the need itself. you have to make the home, it doesn’t already exist and you can’t fucking run to it. it is heartbreaking, frustrating, one of the bleakest messages i’ve ever encountered in a game, but i’ve never felt more seen. by submitting to these ideas, the idea of a perfect unhuman human and the idea of a perfect otherworldly home, you are surrendering your humanity. you’re not only being transformed by the powers gained (if they are gained), you’re essentially dissolving with hunger after never having these needs met. you see so many people in these games whittling themselves down to nothing but base need. empty apartments occupied only by shrines, sometimes containing their corpses. journals of people dedicating their lives to the worship of the outsider, always ending darkly.  "I will find this empty place. Somehow the key to open the Void will fall into my hands. In time, I will learn the secret and he will call to me as he called to her."

not to mention The New Envisioned-- prolonged exposure to the void will always, without fail, turn a human into silver void stone. these creatures can no longer interact with or acknowledge the mortal world. they have surrendered themselves to hunger, and cannot be saved. this is celebrated by the cult, honored by them, even. i honestly like....i pity them, and i hate them, and i recognize that i’ve been those people, lmao. when i was at my worst as a teenager, i wasnt so much a person as i was just a shell full of hunger and heartbreak. my personality was defined by who i was a fan of. i think i definitely was Less Human then. the cult of the outsider is a universal experience!!

dishonored, at its core, is a celebration of humanity. it asks you to celebrate human emotion and weakness despite greed and bigotry. the powers are not to be wanted, they are to be ignored, refused. it is human to hunger, but it is Queer and Divergent to make hunger your life’s meaning, to need to learn the secret, find the key, be chosen and loved and cherished, to be made whole by some perfect thing. to find your humanity in something un-human. dishonored sees all that, mourns it with you, and then asks you to find humanity in each other !! love the spine of your lover, the blood draining down the docks, the pause to stretch languidly in the sun of a work day.

and finally...on the topic of outsider shipping....i dont think that, in his god form, it does him much justice to be shipped with anyone. he’s not much of a person, just a projection of his former self and a vehicle for his allegory as discussed-- im sure he could be shipped like this, but it just isn’t satisfying to me in any way. however, let’s talk a bit about his lethal and nonlethal ending. DOTO asks you to make a choice. is it better to give him an abrupt and merciful ending, after deciding that the fury he’s endured at the hands of others’ famine is too much trauma for any mortal to live with? or will you decide that it’s only fair to give him a chance to live the life he never got to, to return his humanity that was taken without his consent? if you choose to free him from the void, i think you can very very easily make the argument that he can be shipped with corvo, or anyone else that can easily be shipped w/ ppl. he’s finally free to live his life as a queer man, can explore the simple and complex joys of being human with other people, navigate the hills and valleys he never got to before. corvo’s just a nice pick bc 1) experienced human/inexperienced human is good, 2) they know each other, but they don’t. this is a good setup. 3) corvo is an older queer man and uhh you cant convince me otherwise lol! and older queer/younger queer is a self indulgence for me. also corvo is just nice. i think he would enjoy helping the outsider navigate his new humanity.

just some thoughts i have running through my head all hours of the day :) this is really long cuz its a combination of a lot of infodumps from discord lmfao

[warsofasoiaf]

Geopolitics for Writers and Worldbuilders - Part 1: The Players

The essence of worldbuilding always boils down to an essential question: “Will my reader immerse himself or herself in this world?” There are plenty of schools of thought as to how and why this immersion occurs, but a core component is a certain threshold of believability. Entities within the fictional world do not necessarily have to correspond to the rules of the physical world, but they should follow internal rules that are clear, coherent for the reader to understand, and consistent from one moment to the next. 

A world is complex, vast thing, and plenty of writers pale at the thought of crafting a large, believable world. This apprehension is perfectly rational: the real world is terrifyingly complex, to the point where entire historical and analytical careers can be built on exploring the facets of one small region in one small part of history, and even the well-documented, recent past can seem distant. This response leads many to not bother trying, convinced of their own failure, or to exert minimal effort, acting under the assumption that they could not hope to possibly generate a believable world and so focusing instead upon crafting the story itself, hoping the  characters, action, or prose sell the story over the worldbuilding itself. 

This doesn’t have to be the case; a writer can (and demonstrably have) been able to develop a believable geopolitical world for his or her stories to take place in, from fiction novels to comic books, from tabletop roleplaying to video games, where fans write essays and entire literature groups debate components of the fictional world with all the enthusiasm of real-world historians. Whatever the medium, all it requires is the time, the will, and a bit of knowledge to anchor the writer’s ideas. I cannot give anyone time, and I cannot force the will, but I might be able to provide an anchor. 

Who Are You? Heads of State and the Nation as a Character

Before any question of geopolitical relationship between nations can come up, the nations themselves have to be built, which is no small task. Even the name “nation” can be considered a misnomer, depending on the time period of the novel. The technological limitations of the world could mean that a political entity could be a Stone Age tribe, a kingdom administered by a feudal warlord and held in dynastic succession, or a remote mining colony on a distant asteroid containing some rare mineral. Even more radically, a group of people bound by a common focal point such as a non-governmental organization or medieval mercenary company could be considered to act as a group. None of these would be considered nations in the modern sense of the world, but as a unit they take actions and have actions taking place upon them, so for the sake of this essay, they qualify, and will be referred to as “nations” throughout.

While there are always exceptions that prove rules, in general, the less technologically advanced a nation is, the more the nation is bound in individuals, and thus the personal becomes political. In more modern societies, particularly after the birth of modern nations, institutions take the place of the personal. While still having its leaders and notable figures, institutions tend to be more static, in the way that a single man is more capable of changing direction than a formation of men. These institutions can still be thought of as characters for the purpose of worldbuilding, but their efforts are geared less towards individuals than they are toward other institutions. As an example, revolutionary movements attempt to overthrow and replace governments; personalization of a hated government figure is a useful tool for these movements, but the ultimate goal often transcends one individual and focuses upon an institution or idea, at least in theory.

It’s worth mentioning specifically that what goes into determining a foreign policy depends greatly on the people who are in charge of making decisions, and this state of affairs changed significantly over the course of history. While researching the mechanisms of a specific time period can help with the particulars of worldbuiding, for a general gist, the head of state and his or her advisors are the primary decision makers. This does not mean that only a small number of people make decisions. In a modern liberal democracy, a head of state is answerable in some way to the electors with their own opinions; stray too far and a politician doesn’t get voted back in. A politician is also answerable their political party and their donors, and any foreign ministry or state department will have a small army of analysts for every department and dimension, all who have their own ideas which will range to all points on the map and in every method from foreign aid to trade policy to tools of political intimidation. Domestic non-political bodies of interest and foreign governments will employ their own analysts and lobbyists, donate to sympathetic politicians, and stage political stunts in an attempt to fulfill their objectives. Any or all of these individuals could be interesting characters, or create interesting drama in any world waiting to be built.

These individuals, then, must be built and built well for them to be able to influence the world in a way that’s both believable and interesting. Their characters, once built, can translate who they are into how they act on the world stage. Aggressive and bellicose personalities might posture aggressively toward their neighbors and rivals. A timid leader might be afraid to take chances, and might pass on an opportunity that a more cavalier leader would pounce upon, perhaps without even thinking. Idealists may attempt high-minded policy, whereas pragmatists might scoff at pursuing impossible abstracts. Combined with aspects of the nation itself - such as the availability of resources, economic and military conditions, and any lingering disasters, these options can give a writer a cornucopia of writing material to work with. Since the end-state of the worldbuilding procedure is the jumping-off point for a novel or other creative work, an author works both backwards from the beginning point of his or her writing project and forwards from the bare bones of the setting and genre.

Similarly, the shape of a government often determines the techniques used by that government. In pre-modern times, dynastic monarchy was the norm, and so the continuity of government was dependent on the monarch having children to inherit the reins of government. Thus, marriage and adoption became techniques of foreign policy, as these actions did actually have serious influence on the actions and succession of the government. So the techniques of government continuity, whether they be succession, elections, or petty warlordism, matter for the purposes of creating believable geopolitics, and must be considered.

In sum, a good way to help simplify the process of creating believable geopolitics is to treat the nation itself as a character, with important characters within it being treated as personality traits or competing desires and goals. The interactivity between personalized nations helps whittle down the scale and make the task seem less herculean. An idealistic nation becomes an idealistic person, whose actions are performed through charitable foregin aid instead of personal donations, who commits to funding wildlife preserve efforts instead of volunteering one weekend a month at a local animal shelter. A cynical nation practicing realpolitik becomes a cynical character, suspicious of others. A paranoid nation produces domestic propaganda and engages in far-reaching espionage the same way a paranoid individual is suspicious of motives and develops rationalizations for interactions in his or her own personal life.

What Do We Want? Determining the Strategic Objectives of a Nation

If shifting alliances, espionage, and other geopolitical intrigue forms the meat of geopolitical thriller, then determining strategic objectives are the bones of any good geopolitical world. A strategic objective is a long-term goal, and in terms of a nation it is often an ongoing process,  the pursuit and maintenance in the face of ever-changing circumstances and operational constraints. It is a vital aspect of your worldbuilding; if a reader constantly says “this makes no sense,” the story suffers from poor communication of strategic objectives, even despite quality prose and spectacular character building. If a story loses coherence, it can pull readers out of the story, even making them put down the work for something else. 

In order to avoid this outcome, it’s important to remember these questions: what is the expected gain, and how critical is achieving this objective. Once these are figured out, then comes what is the nation doing, and why is it doing this course of action and not something else. This seems counterintuitive, it seems logical to determine what a nation is doing before outlining what it seeks to gain, but decision-making doesn’t work that way. Determining national policy first and foremost means identifying the desired end state, and then working toward it, not establishing policy and looking to reach a goal.

The first objective that the nation needs to take into account is its own survival. A nation wants to persist and wants to take rational action to continue to persist and to maintain itself. Actions taken to this effect include securing borders, pacifying internal unrest, and securing critical resources to sustain an economy. Take into account the strengths of relative neighbors and their ability to project their own power, as much of the main strategic thinking of a nation consists in factoring how its neighbors might act. A small nation might be frightened at a powerful rival pursuing an expansionary policy, while a powerful nation might weigh the benefits and weaknesses of taking over a smaller neighbor, either by establishing it as a protectorate, a vassal, or outright conquest. More complicated scenarios might involve two nations of relatively equal power looking to project themselves as stronger than they really are to deter a suspected invasion, or a nation holding a critical pass playing two rival nations off each other in order to maintain some semblance of independence. A nation with a rare, critical commodity might use trade exclusivity as a means of establishing strength, or threaten to destroy it as a nuclear option to stave off invasion. Nations might secure a system of border forts at critical passes, even incorporating them into toll collection and anti-smuggling efforts to preserve their borders from low-level threats and provide early warning for large-scale efforts. It’s rare, however, that security is exclusively defensive. Nations would employ both diplomats gather information in neighboring countries and to advance their own interests, and employ spies and informants to ensure that they have access to as accurate information as possible to make the most informed decision possible for their nation.

Culture factors into these developments, as it often determine what actions would be considered acceptable or unacceptable. The right of conquest in the modern era is considered an unacceptable justification, an act of unprovoked, naked aggression inviting international condemnation and retribution, but in another time it was considered acceptable. A nation that lacked the military capacity to defend its own borders or its people was once considered not worth the authority it held because it did not enforce peace and stability. The goal is to make the logic clear and consistent, a world lives and dies by the rules the author sets for it. 

After securing its survival, a nation will often focus on expanding power to become a regional hegemon. At its most simple, this development is a logical progression and extrapolation from the notion of survival; it is easier to maintain survival when the nation possesses the most power, has much more operational flexibility to pursue its interest, and can react to unexpected circumstances. This idea should not descend to mere militarism: the most successful nations throughout history blended diplomatic power, alliance-building, economic aptitude, trade policy, and military force to create a multi-faceted apparatus of power, a hydra capable of maintaining regional security in the interest of the nation. Military matters will always remain an aspect of concern, if for no other reason than there will inevitably be situations where the nation will have to resort to its military, such as fending off a foreign invasion or handling domestic unrest.  

Under the balance of power theory, threatened states band together to form an entity capable of resisting the strength of a regional hegemon. This scenario might be a natural place for an author to start, for a variety of reasons. Primarily Western readers with a smattering of half-remembered history might remember something about the Great Power colonial struggles of England, France, and Spain, the various coalitions of European powers that fought Napoleon Bonaparte, or the feuding city-states of Athens, Sparta, and Thebes in Classical-Era Greece, forming a connection from literature to reader that stirs interest. Similarly, an alliance offers an easy in to portray different nations represented across the author’s world without the need to invest large portions of time on the political wranglings and intricacies that might drag down the prose, and comes pre-loaded with its own conflict to drive story beats within the novel itself. There is a large Big Bad, there is a coalition of smaller nations who are often more naturally sympathetic, and one character can be introduced as a means to personalize the worldbuilding, each hand-built as a representative from each of the nations to emphasize the culture, outlook, and quirks as they interplay off one another. This is a veteran trope, developed everywhere from the Last Alliance of Elves and Men or the Alliance of the Free Peoples in the Lord of the Rings to the Alliance of Lordaeron in Warcraft II. The real history of this is muddled, Rome and Qin China became regional superpowers, but the Congress of Vienna represents a real effort to establish a European balance of powers, so aspiring worldbuilders should neither feel obligated to use this idea nor should they reject it as unrealistic and fanciful.

When the nation becomes secure, it does not mean that the nation can rest easy. Indeed, history demonstrates that maintaining a pre-eminent status is difficult and tedious; however, the alternative is a slip into obscurity in the best case, or left open to a critical vulnerability in more pessimistic circumstances. So a regional hegemon still has plenty of things to do when considering how to secure and maintain its hegemony. Espionage on rivals, securing technological funding to ensure dominance, preventing a coalition of smaller powers, these are all activities a superpower can participate in that can secure its future, and offer rich writing fodder for an aspiring writer within its borders.

I’ll be writing part 2 soon, which will either be alliances and enemies, unless it gets too long in which case I’ll split it into part 2 and 3.

-SLAL

[scriptsandlattes]

Sherlock Holmes and Fanfiction: A Study in the Development of Humanity

August 17, 2019

           Along with having a Zygoma that would make a cheese knife jealous, Benedict Cumberbatch marvelously portrays the fictitious, and often socially blind, detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and is brought up as one of the many iterations of Sherlock Holmes. Whether you prefer the serious only-time-for-fun-when-I-drank-to-much, Cumberbatch and Freeman as Sherlock and Watson respectively, or favor Robert Downey Jr. and his Watson, Jude Law’s more comical approach, you have seen at least one version of the duo represented on-screen that is different from their literary counterparts; Which is anything but surprising, as it is a series of shorts that were written in the 1880s. Some laugh at the idea that fan-made fiction is an artifact of pop culture, but every story is inspired by another story. Even the original stories are often based loosely, stiffly, or satirically around witnessed events. Fanfiction is a study in humanity, and it's social and historical developments. It also brings out creative thinking, individually and collectively.

What makes writing stories using Sir Arthur Doyle’s characters on a platform such as Wattpad (or Tumblr) less accepted than a BBC or Hollywood production? It does not matter where the source material comes from; the original idea will be spun into someone's inspiration. The amount of research and work that goes into a good fanfiction should be commended as well, as writers can spend hours researching methods or mental incapacities. Then again, "good" is a subjective term, and you can often tell when something isn’t thoroughly researched. Even with films, tv shows, and big, commercially marketed books, there is an argument over whether the story is good or bad. While some consider fan-written fiction lower than kitsch, being a mimic is a skill. Yes, some of the characters are already established, but the writer still created an original character- or characters- and plot ideas, which means the story already has a new element added and they now must create interactions with the pre-established characters without disrespecting the constitution of the original characters or their creator. Whether the original creator would accept the fans version of the story matters little, as both versions are the author’s head canon. As with any form of art, kitsch or not, it will enviably cause controversy.

Cumberbatch's portrayal of Sherlock Holmes is the updated inspiration presented by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat. To be more relatable to a broader audience, Holmes, Watson, and Moriarty are younger, and electronically inclined but still clever enough to keep the “old-timers” interested. As times change, more ideas are allowed. The mental health of it all has developed as well; the more scientists learn about mental wellness and the human psyche, the more we can be algorithmic with how characters will or won’t react to different disorders. Sally Donovan calls Sherlock a freak, John Watson rolls with it, and Detective Lestrade sees Sherlock’s potential.

While there is little exploration as to why Downey Jr’s Sherlock Holmes is the way he is, looking at it from a psychological point of view, we can identify the adolescent issues that caused Cumberbatch’s Sherlock to have grown into the man he is. Nothing sums up young Sherlock’s development more than “the mind is inherently designed to understand life as a narrative.” (Borges, 1962) Even Sigmund Freud agrees that the psyche reshapes the conflicts revisited in narratives as a way to cope (Danesi, 2019). In Gatiss’ version, the Holmes brothers have a younger sister. She was closer to Sherlock’s age and began to feel ignored and jealous of Sherlock’s relationship with his best friend Victor, so she shoved Victor down a well and refused to tell them where he was. It is not until after she burned down the family home and is sent away that Sherlock rewrites his memories, forgetting his younger sister and making his childhood friend his childhood dog, (that never existed), Redbeard. At one-point, Mycroft tells Sherlock he is the man he is because of the memory of his sister.

The same events also lay the foundation for understanding Mycroft as well. The human psyche is a precious thing. Where Sherlock forgot his trauma, and his brain seems to have rewritten the way he reacts completely, Mycroft lives with the guilt of knowing what he did. He knew the Eurus was locked away and did not die in the house fire she set, as he told his family. Perhaps his internalization of emotions is how he lives with the guilt, like a self-inflicted punishment. The more you pay attention to Gatiss as Mycroft, the more you can tell he truly cares about his little brother, but he is afraid to look weak, so he instead acts like he does not and allows the hostility.

Inspirations grow with the times. More ideas are accepted, and technology is upgraded. While Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes occasionally falls back into archaic tendencies, he uses modern technology such as keeping a blog and texting. Downey Jr. offers us the closer to the original version with telegram communications. Setting aside the Abominable Bride episode which is meant to take place in 1895- it is likely that if the two versions were to switch places, they would not be able to do their job as efficiently, if at all. They wouldn’t have the technology they know how to use; one would have the advanced tech while the other would think waiting for, or writing, a telegram is tedious.

When studying Pop Culture, we must recognize that linguistics and logistics have changed to sate modern speech and society. “The game is afoot” becomes “the game is on.” Texting and calling someone on their mobile phone became the new telegram and messenger correspondence. Phrases like “brother mine” and “blud” are granted between the Holmes brothers to show affection, even if it is sarcastic. There is a scene between Detective Inspector Lestrade and John Watson where Lestrade tells John that Sherlock is a great man and that maybe one day he will be a good one. (Moffat et al. 2010) Which implies that Sherlock is good at what he does, but not the kindest person. It is this scene that tells the viewers that if Sherlock were less talented but compassionate, he would be a good person.

The good man speech is alluded to in the third episode in the fourth series when Sherlock shows genuine concern for his brother and even addresses Lestrade by his correct first name, indicating character growth. That humanizing character growth is what gives Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock an appeal that Robert Downey Jr.’s version does not have. It also suggests that Cumberbatch’s Sherlock pays attention but chooses to goad their disdain deliberately, thereby making moments like that more precious.

What was it Carl Jung said about mischief? “In every person, there exists a predilection for puerile mischief.” (Dansei, 2019) So In a way, this incarnation of Sherlock Holmes is The Hero and The Trickster. He also has more than one form of the shadow he is dealing with- the shadow within himself, and the shadow that takes the form of cases and enemies. When considering Sherlock, a “trickster,” we must look past the usual villainy that is partnered with the mythology. His trickery comes from his lack or denial of social skills. In the second episode of the first series, The Blind Banker, Sherlock allows himself to be contradicted to move his case along. He also tends to use physically harmless manipulation when a case is involved. In that same episode, there is a scene with Molly Hooper that illustrates this action. Though non-cannon to Sir Conan Doyle’s original work, she is a specialist registrar, (intern), in the morgue at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital that Sherlock flirts with Molly to gain access to bodies in the morgue without having to go through official channels. He recognizes her affection for him and manipulates that. However, he has never intentionally been cruel to his tolerable affiliates. That is where he differs from the usual trickster mythologies.

When Mark Gatiss and Stephen Moffat created their version of Sherlock Holmes, it was not your twelve-year-old-girl-who-doesn’t-understand-the-dimensions-of-the-characters, fantasy. They cared about the characters and enjoyed the adventures of the detective so much growing up they wanted to create their own version., and that admiration demanded the creation of a beautifully magical world that transcends the archaic and challenges the archetypes. There are even liberties taken with John’s wife, Mary. As she does not have a detailed back story in the original work, she is probably the most natural character to build around. She could have been a ‘villain’ or ‘the wise old Oak’ that helps John in ways Sherlock can’t. Which takes us back to the role’s women play throughout history and anthropology.

Pop Culture can be considered an experiment and expression of postmodern democracy, and as with any other viewpoint, it is not shared universally (Dansei, 2019). This democracy and societal growth are evident in the way BBC’s Sherlock portrays Mary Watson as a strong, independent, and charismatic woman who enjoys the eccentricities of Sherlock Holmes. She even understood why he faked his death. Since the beginning, she has been in his corner and pushed the relationship between John and Sherlock to stay the same. It was not until later in the series that we find out why she is so accommodating. Where Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes shows us Mary Watson as ‘John’s soon-to-be-wife, who happens to be a governess,’ Sherlock shoves the progression in our faces.

Historically, women have been submissive; to be seen and not heard. 2009’s Sherlock Holmes movies played by Robert Downey Jr, there is the implication that women are second-class citizens and not often taken seriously, which allows the deception between Ms. Adler and Mr. Holmes. While she was using him for information, he was using her for creature comforts. It was not proper to openly discuss sexuality or lack thereof. The audience doesn’t even know how or when Sherlock Holmes met Irene Adler in this ideation. However, Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat challenge their audiences with a polar opposite character in their version of Irene Adler. She is an open and marketed Dominatrix, which accepts that women can take charge of their own life. In the wake of movements like #HeforShe and #Mettoo, Laura Pulver gives us the power to challenge inequality and harassment.

As previously mentioned, Molly Hooper is a character of merit in the BBC world of Sherlock Holmes. However, there is no place for her in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s works. The idea of women being in a power position like that was outside of comprehension in the 1880s. There is some subjugation with Molly accepting the way Sherlock treats her, but she is smart and influential and respected. Her education in the medical field illustrates how society has grown.  Women can study more than the necessities for being “Susie Homemaker.” Molly is Sherlock’s access point to bodies and labs in the hospital. Her allowing him access to the hospital helps him solve the crimes without breaking more laws himself by breaking into the morgue. He will never admit it, but she helps keep him human and occasionally inspires ideas with her medical perspective. It also helps that she is not “a complete idiot.”  

While the drug use seems to be a staple in the Sherlock Holmes lore, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock doesn’t drink eye drops to get high when he can’t find substance. He also isn’t trapping flies under a glass container and plucking the violin to observe their reactions. This version of Sherlock Holmes also portrays scientific advancement outside of women now contributing. It is mentioned in the show the Sherlock is a graduate chemist, and he is often seen appropriately using a microscope and slides when testing drops of blood and chemical compositions. There will always be new scientific methods and discoveries. The microscope and sterile slides are scientific improvements that were needed to help science move forward. The best science starts with a sterile environment. Sherlock even enjoys experiments with microwaves and refrigeration, implying that he is monitoring the viability of a subject in various temperatures, and the bacterial reactions as well. Though there were refrigeration units, the microwave experiments would not exist unless he was to first invent a unit to conduct and control microwaves.

Some of the experiments are used to solve current cases, while others are entertainment because he is bored. He is meticulous with his work and can even identify 140 different types of tobacco ash. Another thing that has grown with over the years is the knowledge of chemical reactions. The scientific advancements shown to audiences with any Sherlock Holmes variation seem to live with the memories of Sir Conan Doyle’s own growing up in the era of scientific change. Some, such as BBC’s version, highlight the advancements, some stay stagnant, but the impact is still there, whether it is a history in science lesson or scientific progress that inspires new ideas. Each version of Sherlock Holmes has a certain cleverness to it. New ideas in science, intelligent women, even annoyingly clever criminals. Every release is another piece of the puzzle, a collaborative art form that feeds on societal growth, innovation, and invention while somehow keeping our history present.

In general, Sherlock on the BBC gives more humanity and dimensions to the characters. Character building is a skill that many take for granted. World-building is two steps beyond that. But to take old-fashioned characters and throw them forward in history is taking that challenge and upping the ante. Both versions illustrate how much humankind has changed over the years, but also how we stayed the same. We’ve always been creative beings, and while Robert Downey Jr. was not afraid to don a dress and bonnet (which offered him anonymity as a woman), Cumberbatch takes a different approach to the “hide in plain sight” idea. Creative difference, but just as effective. Whether our creativity comes from something manmade or our own ingenuity, we never grow out of it, just develop it.

[kitsoa]

Heart of Stories theory follow-up

So my reddit post about that list of interconnected theories got some comments and I thought it’d be good to post a thread of comments as a little followup. It pertains to some nuance of the Worlds as Stories sub-theory that I cover in this post. 

Namely these points in question:

Kingdom Hearts (the object) is not a massive collection of hearts– world’s hearts or hearts of men– no it’s the collective heart of reality itself.

The Worlds in Kingdom Hearts are not isolated environments and settings, or even dimensions of progressed scenarios but literally manifestation of authored Stories. The actual Disney movie stories. They are physically limited to the stories they derive from, but by virtue of being connected to the greater collective story of KH they are capable of behaving like transformative works.

Because Worlds are Stories, the Hearts of Worlds are actually the Hearts of the Stories they contain. We connect with people from the heart. We also connect with stories and characters in the same way. It doesn’t matter that they aren’t real.

If Kingdom Hearts (the object) is the Heart of Reality, and the Heart of Worlds are actually the Hearts of Stories, and Kingdom Hearts (the game) is becoming self aware of its status as a work of fiction (A Story), then Kingdom Hearts is both the actual game and the in-universe object at the same time. Like, the definition is singular.  

EFG567 said:

The second part of your theory seems to have a critical flaw. What stories do Twilight Town, Radiant Garden, Destiny Islands, etc. manifest? They're simply ... places that exist in the setting. Come to think of it, what does the backstory element of all the worlds being connected before the Keyblade War even mean in this interpretation? And if Kingdom Hearts the object is Kingdom Hearts the game series, what's the X-Blade?

Ah, very good questions. It's ultimately centered around the idea of story contrivances. Worlds are literal plot devices for the sake of a fictional fantasy with the added caveat that the KH universe also holds external stories made by foreign authors to the KH verse (though interpreted through a lens). So original worlds in this case are more native, plot devices to house the made-up stories of original characters (or places to house the stories of FF characters).

The universe backstory is interesting (and for that matter the recent KHUX update has Brain using books as metaphors for worlds which I think is on the nose). First of all, the world was 'one' but still composed as smaller worlds (or 'stories' in the case of this theory) so virtually everything functioned identically to the present state of the universe. So 'KH reality as a story' interprets this divided but unified set up as a kind of narrative humility. A unilateral interpretation of the KH story (i.e. original kh world) as equally fictional as the Disney stories that it coexists with. The Keyblade War then becomes a sort of cataclysm that destroys this concept, perhaps even placing KH reality and the stories it natively tells (like original worlds and Daybreak) above the Disney worlds it was once equal with and segregated from.

The X-blade as the key to Kingdom Hearts... is just the core source of conflict and therefore the driving force of the game Kingdom Hearts. It is in effect the key to making the story happen. Which is probably why the clash of light and dark forges the thing in the first place. It makes a story.

So the war directly facilitates the story in a way that is contrived, which is probably why it broke apart from the unified worlds. In part due to its self-awareness to that fact. Anyway, sorry for the essay. If I've learned one thing from this franchise it's that the core of its lore is based around personifying the abstract. Submitting to a sense of self-awareness has informed so many mysteries in my book.

EFG567 said

To give another nitpick ... the phrase "dimension" is definitely used several times in KH to describe worlds - "dimensional barriers" surrounding worlds, Ven being "inexperienced at interdimensional travel" in BBS, "dimension links" being connections which transcend worlds or "dimensions", Pete being banished from Disney Castle/Town to "another dimension".

I take your point but I don't think that entirely dismisses this 'plot twist' I'm putting out here. As you state, talk of 'dimensions' is rather interchangeable in the in-universe discussion of worlds because, on the basis of most theoretical physics, dimensions and Worlds serve the same function. They are... spaces that contain entire realities with infinite scenarios and content variation. "Worlds" is a kind of poetic/ fantastical way of saying dimensions.

But to that point, the storytelling language supports this idea that we are dealing with self-aware fiction. Any use of 'scientific language' like dimension is accurate and applicable, but ultimately not the primary terminology as it would be for us. So when I say 'Worlds aren't dimensions' in the original post I guess I'm trying to detach the term from the commonly accepted approximation in the effort to draw attention to the literal fictional nature of the Worlds in question (from our perspective). Because sure, there's probably a dimension where Disney's Beauty and the Beast happens in its animated entirety whether someone confirms it or not, but that is beside the point for our KH interdimensional travelers. Because they are traveling the constructs of fiction in my theory and less literal dimensions regardless of how they internally use the phrase.

[rainstormcolors]

lately i've got an idea in my head of Seto managing to add an extra seat in his dimension-travelling machine for times when he and Yugi occasionally pop over to the Netherworld together. the thought all 3 of them being able to casually hang out in magical ancient Egypt is just really cute to me and wanted to share x)

I think it’s a very sweet idea.

I remember writing an idea like that myself in a way in anolder post: “On Atem’s birthday (as itwould align with the date in the mortal world), it isn’t Seto who visits him.Rather it’s a gift from Seto who arrives: he’s allowed Yugi to use the QuantumCube and transcending pod (Yugi’s able to handle Millennium Magic after all).And from this point on, Yugi sometimes makes journeys to the afterlife too.”

There’s also this doujin, giving me the precious platonicFlareship material I crave:

Though it’s more platonic Rival + platonic Pride, with theending showing both Seto and Yugi arriving at the Netherworld together, greetedby Atem. But it’s warm and cozy.

In general, this concept is warm and cozy.

I do think it’d take a bit for it to click with Kaiba: “oh…maybe Yugi could do this too.” He’s not a socially intuitive man. But my takeaway was that by the end of DSoD, Seto did understand it was not about the gameanymore, and likewise came to put a drop of trust in Yugi; so the realizationto eventually invite Yugi along isn’t far-fetched to me. The way the traveling works,what its rules are, etc etc are all left pretty ill-defined anyway.

Maybe Atem takes them horseback riding through his strangeparadise, or Mahad and Mana put on a magic show and Yugi is embarrassed to betreated like royalty and asks them to stop. Maybe Yugi watches Seto and Atemduel, or Seto watches Atem and Yugi duel, or Atem watches Yugi and Seto duel.

It’s a happy ending for the characters, to retain theirbonds, or to grow something stronger.

I think, among other things, it’s been my interactions with theJapanese fandom that have in part left me heavily favoring them visiting Atemin the afterlife over bringing Atem back with them, but I understand peopletaking that idea away from the movie too and how cathartic such aninterpretation can be. Honestly, I just want the characters to be happy in away I can believe, in a way that feels real to the characters to me.

Thank you for this ask, and for sharing your idea. I’ve beena bit down lately, so thank you for giving me something sweet to respond to.

I enjoy hearing from you, anon.

[douxreviews]

Parade's End - Series Review

"What I stand for is gone."

"But to live for. You have something to live for."

Without question, "Parade's End" is the best television miniseries I have seen in recent years. This five-part installment from 2012 is something as rare as a classic love triangle both expertly crafted and superbly acted, with a sentimental and optimistic ending which feels both earned and logical, while simultaneously addressing political questions, moral values and social class dimensions in such a way that it does not come off as shoehorned but rather as a vital element of the story.

The show is based on a series of World War I-era novels written by Ford Madox Ford. This review does not go into detail on all the storylines but nevertheless it does contain spoilers for the entire series.

The reason I came across this gem was me looking through the filmography of Adelaide Clemens. I was very impressed with her role as Tawney Talbot on the television show Rectify and I wanted to see more of her. Okay, so maybe I just thought she's one of the prettiest girls I've seen on screen over the last decade. Sue me. Anyway I wasn't disappointed.

The two other main characters of the drama are played by Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, The Hollow Crown) and Rebecca Hall (The Prestige, Transcendence). We all know they're talented performers and every single one of the cast brought their A-game to this series.

This is a very beautiful show, a wonderfully filmed BBC costume drama at its finest. One nice touch is how it often establishes the time frame for a given scene with people reading period newspapers, such as the famous article of Kerensky vowing to continue the war against Germany. The dialog sometimes comes across as a bit stilted, but I believe it's more of a conscious choice than anything, lending a certain formal way to how the characters speak, and it's often supremely clever, packed with the trademark English dry humor. It wasn't exactly hard to find stunning screenshots for it.

The protagonist of the show is Christopher Tietjens, who is probably the most perplexing character of the series. The two ladies competing for his affection - in their own and vastly dissimilar ways - are his wife Sylvia and the young, idealistic and well-educated suffragette girl Valentine Wannop, who is quite a bit below them on the social ladder.

Christopher is an anachronism, and this is that which drives the entire plot of the story. It defines his problems, drives the action and points to the solution of the piece. He represents the old values of the bourgeoisie. It would then be easy to dismiss him as a mere reactionary but this absolutely misses the point. Christopher embodies an idealized version of the morals of the bourgeoisie during and after the French revolution, the values of the class at a time where it was still a revolutionary force. He's actually speaking out in favor of the women's vote at a tea party even before he meets Valentine.

As she notes, Christopher is living in a "glass cabinet" - he is championing a class, a system of values and a society which no longer exists, and perhaps never truly did, more resembling the role of the perfect feudal lord. He is a devotedly ascetic, old-school moral man believing in leading by example and protecting the rights of those under his charge. More than this, he is invested in what he refers to as the "parade" - the sanctity of marriage and keeping up appearances so as to not disgrace oneself or one's peers. In one of his most confusing yet significant ramblings, he tells Valentine how he's joining the war to "protect the 18th Century from the 20th". No, Valentine, I didn't quite get that either.

In contrast, Sylvia Tietjens is a monster. It would be rather boring if she was just a monster, but she isn't. She's a spectacular monster, played with incredible panache by Hall. Sylvia is representing the rotten bourgeoisie of the beginning of the 1900's, the laissez faire attitude - the vampires and exploiters of men to the point of virtual slavery, spitting at those beneath her. She is completely amoral and depraved, even seemingly taking pride in being so. She's the embodiment of the upper class as a cancer. In her most comical and recurring theme she consistently accuses Christopher of being "too perfect" such as that she comes off feeling inferior to him, yet her response is never truly to attempt to better herself, but rather to provoke him into striking back and lower himself to her level with increasingly outrageous behavior, being unapologetically unfaithful and scandalizing him at every turn. I would think there are very few actresses who could pull off a line like "you forgave, without mercy" in a way that makes herself out to be the victim.

Her weakness lies in how she gradually becomes absolutely obsessed with Christopher precisely because, after everything she does, she is still utterly unable to break him. In a ridiculous sense, Sylvia is in touch with her times and her social status - the predatory Capitalism, the subjugation of the colonies, the trampling of the working class under her iron heel and a life in shameless luxury - whereas Christopher is not. This is further indicated by the ire Christopher is drawing from his peers, precisely because of his devotion to his work, his utter inability to compromise his ideals and his brutal, acidic verbal beatdowns of other men in power who fail to respect or even be honest towards their subjects, leading him ultimately to be regarded as the most vile and debauched man in London due to slander from his enemies - an adulterer and a traitor to his country, none of it true. He can't even help doing his job well when it goes against his own interests, as evidenced by this brilliant piece of dialog between him and Valentine:

C- "The French were bleating about the devastation of bricks and mortar they've incurred by enemy action. I saw suddenly it was no more than one year's normal peacetime dilapidation spread over the whole country." A- "How wonderful!" C- "So the argument for French command of the Western Front gets kicked out of court for a season." A- "But weren't you arguing against your own convictions?" C- "Yes, of course. But Macmaster depends on me."

The third player, Valentine Wallop, is a symbol of the petty-bourgeois sympathizing with the plights of the proletariat amidst the increasing social contradictions of her age, which at this time and place were actually threatening her class with extinction. She's working for the vote for women and she's intensely pacifist. Her little brother, occupying a rather small role on the show, is a socialist and later a Bolshevik, writing her a postcard in Latin from the front, afraid it will get picked up by the censorship - "long live the October revolution!"

Where a lesser work would find this a golden opportunity to insert some synthetic plug against Communism, "Parade's End" significantly has Valentine exclaiming to her horrified mother, "well, it's enough to make anyone Bolshevik sending men and boys to murder each other in millions!" She is the least nuanced but most admirable of the three characters - outspoken, disrespectful of authority, perhaps a bit naïve and with a big heart.

This sets the stage for our drama - the love triangle between the moral traditionalist aristocrat, the corrupt would-be tyrant from his own class and the moral revolutionary commoner.

The conflict is symbolized by the Tietjens family tree at his grounds at Groby estate, where people from all walks of life have been hanging good luck charms for centuries. It is a symbol for tradition and the bond between the ruling class and its subjects. The tree's roots have grown too deep and wide and threaten to destabilize the very ground on which the estate is seated - another symbol for how the morals of times past have turned into obstacles for the needs of modern Capitalism - but in Sylvia's inimitable, shallow manner of thinking the main reason she wants to get rid of it is because it "darkens the view out the window". That, and out of spite for her husband, who dearly loves it and all it stands for - as he says, "young men and maidens have made their marriage vows under the Groby tree for longer than memory."

Her mother urges her to stay her hand and wait for her son to decide what to do with it once he is Lord of Groby but Sylvia bluntly states that his son will "grow up to be a Tietjens", so she won't even give him that choice. When she has the tree cut down with no sanction, that is the breaking point and the true conclusion of the triangle, in a single stroke showing Christopher that all the old values he lived for are dead.

In the end, Christopher chooses and chooses wisely. As his godfather told him on the field of battle, "well, there are no more parades for that regiment. It held out to the last man, but you were him", and as he himself says to Valentine, in a defining, game-changing piece of conversation: "My colours are in the mud. It's not a good thing to find oneself living by an outmoded code of conduct. People take you to be a fool. I'm coming round to their opinion."

The final shot of the series, with Christopher burning the last log of wood from the tree in the fireplace, dancing with Valentine at the post-war party with his fellow soldiers, is one of the most satisfying ends to any show I have ever seen.

It is good precisely because when I watched through this series for the first time, I fully expected Christopher to die in the finale, bleeding out in some ditch half-way to Belgium and setting up the standard tragic conclusion, as most of these great stories do - but this ending sends a powerful message. It is possible to change, and it is possible to find happiness even after you have let go of all your old baggage and sentiments. It is not a happy ending for the sake of it. It's a happy ending because ultimately that is what best serves the story.

There are of course many other characters in this drama - the timid, upstart Macmaster and his hypocrite mistress, Christopher's dad who commits suicide poisoned by false rumors about his son, the likable Irish priest most likely connected to the Irish Republican Army, executed on false charges of treason by Ulstermen, and Christopher's brother, who finally comes to understand him and take Valentine's side against his wife, and they are all well-crafted and well-played - but if I were to address them all, this would turn from an essay into a novel. You might as well go read the novels.

It's inspiring television. In one word, it's perfect.

Thomas Ijon Tichy

[nimzzz]

“So, What’s Your Favourite Type of Music?”

A good question.

A classic icebreaker. A great conversation starter. A brilliant way to assess a potential new friend.

Except with me. Ask me this question, and expect silence – or expect to be pretending to look interested after 6 hours of me pondering out loud over the plethora of genres – with your eyes glazing over and regretting your decision to ever consider me a “potential new friend”.

I wish I was joking.

Now, I’m not just being pretentious; hear me out.

It’s just – I love all music. Music is such a universal language – a form of expression of emotions, a communication that transcends cultural and language barriers. It can be used as a political statement or to add an extra dimension to media in the form of soundtracks. And I love it all.

As you may have noticed, I love a good list on this blog. This one: it’s a big ‘un. Lists within lists of artists in the hope that you will branch out and listen to something different – or indeed recommend more music to me (please)!

(Unfortunately, because I don’t pay for WordPress Premium, I cannot embed videos or audio into the post – so for every artist I mention I have linked a music video of theirs you can check out. I have also got a spotify playlist of all the music mentioned here that you can listen to here while reading!)

Here goes.

Bands

I’ll start with bands. For the majority of my teenage years, I liked to listen to the stereotypical “emo” music – the pop punk and rock that stemmed from the garage/grunge revolution in the late 90s and 2000s. I refused to listen to pop music. I assumed none of it had musicality or the deep meaning that is offered in these bands. Some of those iconic bands, such as Green Day or My Chemical Romance, I no longer listen to, but the likes of Welcome to the Black Parade will always be nostalgic anthems.

Having moved to University, I am actually getting back into those old bands again, as I finally have the chance to see them live. You Me At Six were incredible at Leeds festival last year, Fall Out Boy‘s dystopian narratives are gripping (particularly notable in the album Save Rock and Roll), and I love the authenticity and full-on Northern-ness that is represented in Arctic Monkeys‘ music. The rawness of Foo Fighters as the modern(ish) equivalent to Nirvana is also fun to listen to. Lyrically, I think Twenty One Pilots are definitely worth listening to, even if you don’t like the duo’s musical style. They juxtapose hope and despair, and faith and existentialism in a clever yet sensitive way.

Mayday Parade, however, were my ultimate favourites out of the “emo” class. Their songs are just saturated with emotion and the sound itself is relatively musically complex.

I tend to go through phases with bands and music (such as my mad Mcfly phase when I was fourteen #GalaxyDefendersStayForever), but one band I will never grow tired of is Muse.

  If you were to take my personality and put it into a band, the end result would be Muse (and not just because I share a birthday with Matt Bellamy).

Muse Playing Live in 2012

Muse draw inspiration from classical music, philosophy, science, jazz, politics, social issues and even other popular culture and blend it together in a heavy, yet melodic, rock trio. They are also incredible to see live – they put so much thought and meaning behind the set that somehow relates to the songs and creates an intricate story. I love the use of the Benedictus of Palestrina’s Missa Papae Marcellis in their album Drones, and the fact that The Resistance is based off Orwell’s 1984, and that Origin of Symmetry was greatly influenced by Rachmaninov’s second piano concerto.

Muse are the definition of art in my mind – they are musically complex, versatile, challenge world views and make you think. Every thing they do is down to the last detail and tells interesting narratives.

Guys, if you listen to one band in your life, listen to Muse. Don’t just take my word for it. Listen.

2. Pop

If I told the fourteen year-old me that the nineteen year-old me would love pop, I would have scoffed. I actively didn’t listen to pop. I was adamant not to be caught up in One Direction mania. I had a hatred for Justin Bieber. (I was such a music snob.)

I have to say that my taste in pop music fluctuates more than any genre. In two months time, this post will be outdated. There is always so much music coming out that it’s impossible not to get new favourites all the time, if you ask me!

Dua Lipa

Staying at Tamara’s

Currently, I am loving George Ezra‘s new album: Staying at Tamara’s. It fits in so well with the beautiful summery aesthetic of last week. It has a light-hearted sound and all in all, the songs are bops. Dua Lipa is a current icon of British diversity and multiculturalism, and her self-titled album is well put together and catchy. She is widely becoming a global sensation, and for good reason. On a complete contrast to her dark sound, I will always love the funk and soul infused songs of Bruno Mars‘ music, as well as his unique voice and catchy tunes. Other notable mentions are Florence and the Machine, Jess Glynne and (call me basic but) Ed Sheeran.

Of course, I am a big fan of the cheesy oldies and one-hit wonders of the naughties. I am also a huge musicals and disney nerd.

The problem with many popular artists is that they’re really original and authentic until they’re overplayed. There’s a fine line between a well-known, catchy song and an annoying earworm.

3. Classical Music

(Or, to be more specific: Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and 20th Century music.)

There is a plethora of subgenres and types in classical music. Maybe it’s because it’s my first instrument, but I’m particularly partial to solo piano music. For this, there are a multitude, my favourites including Liszt and Debussy. I believe Chopin, however, truly is the king. The Etudes complilation is stunning; his Waltzes are beautiful. My ultimate favourites on the other hand are the Ballades. I first came to love Ballade No. 1 through the Japanese animation Your Lie In April and, it’s just exquisite.

Your Lie In April character Kousei Arima playing Chopin’s Ballade No. 1 in G Minor

Favourite piano concertos of mine include all of Rachmaninov‘s concertos, Grieg‘s piano concerto, and Tchaikovsky‘s Concerto No. 1.

In general, I mostly listen to romanticism and early 20th century Russian music. I love that it can be used for political protest against the Soviet union without even using words – I mean, you can hear and analyse the rich emotion Shostakovich‘s Symphony No. 5, especially the third movement.

Although I am more likely to listen to relatively modern romantic and 20th Century music, we mustn’t forget the sphere of influence of the early composers. We wouldn’t have such vibrant and diverse classical music today if not for Bach‘s baroque genius, especially in his fugues. Mozart gets a little samey to listen to, but he really helped build the foundations of classical music.

In modern classical music, it’s often very atonal and avant garde, which at first I could not listen to. (Give me tonality!) But, being exposed to it more and more, I am beginning to see the genius behind the likes of Stravinsky and Schoenberg, even if I don’t particularly listen to them.

Modern classical music I definitely do listen to is soundtracks. They are often a gateway to classical music through other popular culture. John Williams‘ composed a library of amazing soundtracks, including Star Wars and Jurassic Park. Hans Zimmer‘s iconic works include Pirates of The Caribbean and the Hidden Figures soundtrack (one of my all-time favourite films). Hands down, the most iconic film score has to be The Lord of The Rings soundtrack by Howard Shore, whose other works include the soundtracks of The Hunger Games and How to Train Your Dragon.

The iconic soundtrack of Lord Of The Rings is perfect accompaniment to its scenery

5. Jazz

My love for jazz is largely due to my grandfather, who is pretty much a walking jazz encyclopedia. I also have the privilege to immerse myself in jazz music at university.

Jazz’s roots stem from horrific black oppression in America. Blues music originated in the fields of the slave trade, and New Orleans marching bands were gatherings of African-Americans who were displaced after slavery was abolished. The combination of these things as well as the western classical tradition influenced early jazz in the 1910s-20s. Jazz’s rich history and emotion can be heard so well in the music.

Early jazz pioneers in the Dixieland (20s) period included The Original Dixieland Jass Band and King Oliver. I don’t usually listen to this early jazz because of its old recording quality, even though they are just as important in the development of jazz. The 1930s marked the swing period, where great artists like Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald made their names. From the 40s onwards, the style of bebop was born, and some of my favourite jazz artists from this era include Oscar Peterson, Miles Davis, Stan Getz and Charlie Parker. 

While South African jazz artists like Abdullah Ibrahim and Brazillian artists like João Gilberto frequent my listening list, I mostly listen to contemporary jazz. Last summer, I had the privilege of seeing the Billy Hart quartet and Joshua Redman at the Village Vanguard in NYC. The best way to enjoy jazz is live in an atmosphere like that; the music is made for it.

The Village Vanguard in NYC is one of the best venues I’ve been to

A clarinet inspiration of mine is Anat Cohen, who covers a broad range of the jazz spectrum. Furthermore, I love artists that take core elements of jazz and put their own twists on it. Herbie Hancock was one of the first artists to do this in the 40s, fusing jazz, electro and funk styles together. For example, Snarky Puppy are a large contemporary instrumental group that use jazz harmony in many of their albums. Similarly, solo artist Jacob Collier uses modern music technology and multi-layering techniques with jazz harmony to produce complex and interesting music. Nubiyan Twist are an British jazz group incorporating Afro-jazz and hip hop into their style, and I was only introduced to them recently. There is so much to choose from!

One-Man jazz-infused musician Jacob Collier

Many people say jazz is dying. But there are so many ways to keep it alive. start by listening.

6. K-pop

Dear reader, I am going to let you into a little secret. A guilty pleasure of mine. And that is Korean Pop.

My love for K-pop is purely superficial. It goes against everything I stand for within art – meaning, authenticity, musical complexity. It’s a manufactured industry that is full of flaws, including overworking and paying artists unfairly.

But it’s mesmerising.

Seventeen’s MV “Don’t Wanna Cry”

Watch one music video – or even better, a live performance – and see the highly trained voices and slick choreography and beautiful people and you’ll be hooked. With the world getting smaller and the internet the way it is, it’s never been easier to fall down the K-Pop rabbit hole. It’s a mish-mash of all pop-like genres, with a fusion of multicultural influences – with the most popular groups specialising in the sounds of Hip Hop and EDM. It’s as much, (if not more) of a visual experience as a sonic experience.

K-Pop singer Ailee performing at the 2018 Paralympics Closing Ceremony

If you are persuaded, here are my recommendations. Sonically, I think the soft sound of band Day6 or the soulful voice of Ailee are fantastic. Choreography-wise (and looks/popularity-wise), my favourite groups are BTS (you’ve probably heard of them – they beat the likes of Justin Bieber in a popularity vote at the BBMAs), Seventeen (there are a lot of them), Blackpink, KARD (one of the few mixed groups), GOT7 and EXO.

I dare you to try listening to a new genre this week. I also dare you to recommend me more music! If you want to have a nosey – here’s a link to my spotify.

My favourite radio stations:

Radio 1 (Their greatest hits show especially)

BBC Radio 3 (both new and old jazz and classical music, as well as live concerts like the Proms)

BBC Radio 6 Music (who doesn’t want to hear about the new stuff?)

Absolute Radio (commercial radio with the #NoRepeatGuarantee for all your rock, indie, and nostalgic needs)

Classic FM (not as wide repertoire as BBC Radio 3, but their Facebook page’s memes are on point.)

Stay sound!

– Naomi

“So, What’s Your Favourite Type Of Music?” A good question. A classic icebreaker. A great conversation starter. A brilliant way to assess a potential new friend.

[buffyversefanfiction]

Tristan Tormented

Volume 4 - Trusting Tristan

Warning: I do not own the rights to the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, its spin-off series Angel, its dark horse comics continuation series, or any of the characters created by Joss Whedon and others in the Buffyverse. 15 years +, Mild to Strong Violence, Sexual References F/F, F/M, M/M, Other +

“Dante?” Tristan asked a man like shadow figure within the corner of a basement with hope in his undead heart as he woke up to find himself on a single prison like bed locked up in a cage within a basement, knowing it could not be his dead lover but somehow feeling it was not out of the realm of possibility for some reason. “Actually, I am Joyce Summers your mother’s mother which makes me your grandmother.” Joyce replied as she stepped out of the shadows and began walking towards her grandson’s cage door. “I can tell you really loved him; I am sorry you had to go through the pain of losing him.” “Are you not supposed to be dead?” Tristan wondered, as he began to think he was either losing his mind or seeing a ghost, either of which was perfectly plausible. “Yes, I am,” Joyce laughed off innocently, “but then again so are you!” “You got me there,” Tristan responded with a reluctant smirk on his face. “You have a beautiful smile when you allow yourself too but then again, I guess you have not had many opportunities to smile.” Joyce informed her grandchild making him uncomfortable with her compliment. “Is this hell?” Tristan asked his grandmother but before she had a chance to answer she had disappeared within the blink of an eye and it was now Rupert Giles who stood in front of him, cleaning his glasses with a handkerchief. “No this is not hell Mr. Summers although I have been told on numerous occasions that Los Angeles is as close to hell as it gets.” Giles answered as he put his glasses back on and slipped his handkerchief back into his pocket, meanwhile Tristan tried to understand what exactly was happening around him. “Have we not been here before Giles?” Tristan questioned the former watcher as he began to think seeing Joyce was nothing more than a trick of the mind. “Yes, well I made a rather mess of things then and this is my chance to make right.” Giles replied after finishing cleaning his glasses and putting them back on. “Your recent transition into vampirism has not been what you expected has it?” Tristan’s interest was immediately peaked not only was this his first visit since waking up in a cage following days of being drugged asleep after losing a fight against Spike but Giles had touched upon the topic of his vampirism and how it had not been as expected which he knew all too well. Although he was not going to admit this to the former watcher but instead stay silent and see how the conversation turned out, hoping for some information about his current state or at the least a chance to tease Giles once again before working out how to escape his latest prison. “Yes, I did conclude that you admitting to having a soul would be tiresome even before you became a vampire.” Giles responded to Tristan’s silence. “I have something of an answer to your recent complications although I am awaiting more information…” “Unless this is going to end with your joining me in this cage for a good old rattle I am not interested, soul or no soul that shit does not phase me. I am not Angel!” Tristan interrupted him, wanting to know what Giles knew but refusing to let him know he was remotely interested. “You are his son though and Buffy’s which means you cannot be entirely evil it is not possible for none of their goodness to be inside of you, your parents have saved the world time and time again and continue to do so and yet so far all I can see you care about is sex, murder and blood.” Giles told him, making it clear he was not convinced by Tristan’s words whatsoever. “Although that is not entirely true there are people you do care for, they are just not with us, anymore are they?” Tristan once again answered with his silence as he tried to look as emotionless as possible refusing to show Giles any sign of the grief he still felt for the loss of his adoptive parents and his recently departed vampire boyfriend. “Give it up G, this one is a hard nut to crack but lucky for us all so am I.” Faith declared as she walked down the stairs to the basement. “Well if it is not the rogue slayer who turned out to be a loss less bride of chucky and a lot more bride of Buffy.” Tristan retorted with a sinister smirk, almost looking pleased to see the slayer. “I am going to take that as you missed me!” Faith replied with great sarcasm as she walked over to stand by Giles before turning her attention to the former watcher. “Actually, there was a lot more I had to discuss with Tristan.” Giles answered Faith, only for Tristan to mock him with a loud fake yawning sound as he rolled his eyes. “I say we just let him out the cage and force him to see things for himself.” Faith suggested to Giles, instantly shocking Tristan who could not believe she would set him free and it was in that moment Tristan realized none of what he had just experienced existed. This was not the real world to that Tristan knew with certainty but what he did not know was whether this was a dream, nightmare, vision quest or hell dimension all he did know was he would have to play it out to find his answers. “Yeah let me out already, I promise to behave.” Tristan lied to Giles and Faith, before Faith all too eagerly opened the now suddenly unlocked cage door. “I am ready to see whatever wants to be seen.” He did not know why he had been plucked from the real world nor how long he would be here wherever he was but he knew he wanted to get some answers and so he decided to play along, not realizing the answers he would get by doing so would be the kind that he may not necessarily want to know.

Tristan walked out of the basement and straight into the 1950s or at least that was the theme of the atmosphere around him as he walked into the lobby of the Hyperion Hotel knowing that this hotel was the base of his father’s operations but also knowing this had to be years in the past due to the hotel looking five star worthy instead of rundown ruins. He took in the elegant style of the residents within the hotel, the whispers of conversations they were having and the general happy vibe that only convinced him more he was in hell as he walked over to the reception area where he was met by a beautiful brown haired receptionist with a transcending smile spread across her face. “You must be the boss’ son, you’re a lot more psychotic than the last one and considering he was raised in hell by a wacko hunter intent on raising him to kill his father that is sure saying something.” Cordelia Chase greeted him as she stood up to face Angel’s second son. “Still you’re not as bad Angelus so I guess that is something.” “I’m guessing if I made a run for the front doors it will not lead me to anywhere or it will lead me to somewhere worse than the 50s.” Tristan responded to her. “I do not mind the 50s there are far worse eras believe me!” Cordelia replied before picking up a set of keys from her desk. “I reckon if I was born in this era, I’d totally killed the acting game but hey ho I guess settling for being a higher being will just have to do.” “You are Cordelia Chase; I have heard about you and despite the whole wacko demon possession pregnancy saga I like your rise from rich princess to broke but brave queen.” Tristan admitted, “I was told stories about Angel, Buffy and the lot of you for years…you were my favorite character but I am guessing that is largely due to the fact Drusilla worked so hard on making me hate my parents that if anyone was going to be my favorite it was either going to be you and Faith and considering that bitch helped kill my boyfriend I am sure not a fan in real life!” “Do you know I was never much of a fan of her either but hey she helped my guy when I couldn’t, and I’ll always owe her for that.” Cordelia revealed as she handed over the keys to Tristan who reluctantly took them from her. “I guess I am checking into this room?” Tristan questioned the higher being, already knowing the answer. “Yes he is waiting for you oh and just a little word of advice from a former demon to a current demon you just got to trust Tristan through all this the complicated part being which Tristan to trust but I guess that is up to you.” Cordelia cryptically informed him, making Tristan more confused than ever as he began walking towards the stairs, wondering who was in the room he was currently heading towards. He had already met two ghosts; one from his mother’s past and one from his father’s, so he began to wonder if the third ghost would be from his past, that’s if the person in the room was even a ghost, a ghost being a better option than someone of the living considering all the people Tristan truly cared for were all dead, well almost all of them.

“I’ve been expecting you,” The Master said upon opening his hotel room door to Tristan who reluctantly walked in, knowing who The Master was by his appearance alone, The Master only having his vampire form and wearing clothes far older than the current 1950’s which Tristan had found himself trapped in. “You look more like Angelus than the slayer, which is kind of disappointing, Angelus was a true beast do not get me wrong, but your mother was the only one to ever best me. I long for a reunion with her, merely so I can kill her once again only this time I would make sure that death took.” “Her second death held a lot longer than the one at your hands so I guess master of vampires does not hold up to a goddess from a hell dimension but then again are you really a master when Dru did more of a number on Buffy than you ever did.” Tristan replied, mocking the master. “Now why the hell are you here considering I have never met you?” “Your attitude is beyond ratchet and you somehow believe your invincible despite being beaten time and time again…I like you.” The Master told the newbie vampire. “I may not have been alive while you were but the demon inside of you is the same demon inside of me…I am the sire of Darla, the grand-sire of Angelus and the great-grandsire of Drusilla which means you come from me.” “Yeah Drusilla told me all about the undead bloodline a long time ago but what the hell has that got to do with me being stuck in the 50s with a bunch of ghosts from my parent’s past?” Tristan complained, clearly growing sick of whatever was going on around him. “Well duh it’s a quest you see, their trying to make you choose a path, desperately hoping you’ll choose the righteous one instead of well the one you’re on now.” Anya chimed in as Tristan turned around to see her now standing at the opened doorway of The Master’s hotel room, only for Tristan to turn back around to see The Master had vanished out of sight, as if he was never there. “What kind of path? And who the hell are you?” Tristan shouted at the former vengeance demon. “This is starting to piss me off really quick!” “I am Anya formerly Anyanka known to some as a ruthless vengeance demon and others as the bride Xander Harris left at the altar.” Anya replied, clearly still not over becoming a jilted bride. “I knew your mother not so much your father but that is not why I am here…I’m here to give you a choice of living.” “A choice of living?” Tristan scoffed, “I seriously doubt you could take me Anna.” “It’s Anya and I am not here to fight I am here to grant a wish…I know seriously on the nose for a former vengeance demon but hey I do not control this quest thingy I am just showing up and doing my job.” Anya informed the son of the slayer. “I can grant you a undead life with your beloved which will not doubt end in the both of you proper dead at some point when the apocalypse comes because let’s face it whether your meant to be important or not Buffy always wins…or I can grant you a life as a slayer with your sordid past erased and the chance to do good for once in your life and possibly still dying when the apocalypse comes around because we do not all get out of those alive.” “So, you are some kind of demonic genie?” Tristan asked her, more confused than ever before as he struggled to deal with all that was going on around him, not knowing if any or all of it was real.

After coming across three ghosts from both his mother and father’s past there was only one thing Tristan was certain of; his parents had a lot of ghosts. He had no idea if these ghosts were real or if any of what he was experiencing was real but after being giving an ultimatum from former vengeance demon Anya he started to care less and less as he pondered taking her up on her offer. There was no question on his mind which choice he would take but despite that he wanted time to think it over, he did not want to give up hopes on being reunited with Dante only for this to be some kind of trick after all Anya did claim to him that this was some kind of vision quest. As he walked into the busy hotel bar he took in the beautiful music being played by a live band of musicians as he walked across the dancefloor and towards the bar where a beautiful and bewitching barmaid awaited to take his order. “I have a feeling you think you know what you want but that deep down you have no idea although you would never want to admit that!” Tara said to him as she poured Tristan a drink, confusing him further as he guessed he was now speaking to another ghost. “Well at least you are a ghost with a bar which instantly makes you my favorite so far.” Tristan replied as Tara passed him a whisky on the rocks, to which he quickly downed in one gulp. “So, what is your name and what makes me think you’re an expert on me?” “My name is Tristan Summers but the manifestation I am taking on right now is that of Tara Maclay, you see everyone you have saw so far has been you taking on a different manifestation guiding you along whichever path you wind up choosing.” Tara revealed, blowing Tristan’s mind once more. “Well not all of the ghosts were not real, but we should save that for another time.” “Let me guess the person who is real is the one who put me on this quest?” Tristan asked the witch, as he wondered who and what was real in all of this. “More like they decided to intervene with a quest already taking place to ensure they did the best their could do for their guy.” Tara admitted to Tristan. “So, tell me do you really think you can go back to being with Dante? He has been dead a long time and things are no longer as black and white for you as they were when you were with him.” “I must admit that did make me paused with the whole deciding thing,” Tristan said with a sigh as he made a gesture towards his glass, making Tara know he wanted a refill. “I was so scared for so long and he made me strong…Dru too! The truth is I’ve not felt strong since he was gone and then finding out Drusilla was to blame for my parents’ deaths…I used to revel in the darkness but now I feel it’s full weight by being alone in it.” “You do not want to back to being Dante’s naïve other half and that does not mean you do not still love him it just means you have grown to much to go back to being someone who is not you anymore.” Tara advised him as she refilled his glass with more whisky and handed it back to him. “But your clearly not the hero type either so both choices are kind of a fail for you.” “But if I do not pick one or the other, I may be stuck here.” Tristan moaned before downing his second drink. “I’m sick of prisons both in the literal and mystical sense.” “This is not a prison, this is a chance for you for the first time in your life to decide what path you want to be on without manipulation by vampires or hopes of parents who never raised you, this is your chance to be you whoever that may be.” Tara told him honestly. “There’s a big problem there…I have absolutely no idea who that is.” Tristan admitted, being more truthful than he had been in years, forcing himself to admit to the startling truth that he had no sense of identity or personality beyond the monster he had created to soothe a broken man.

Tristan found himself walking through the endless corridors within the Hyperion Hotel baffled with the choices Anya had handed him with, now knowing that neither vampirism or life as a slayer fitted who he was as he struggled to work out what did but the seemingly endless contemplation found itself interrupted when the first slayer walked out of a nearby room door and began walking towards him. Tristan quickly found himself frozen in fascination as he stared at the primeval being heading towards him, somehow recognizing her as a fellow slayer but not realizing her legacy of being the first of their kind. “I guess you are the kind of ghost who would be considered partly of my own past or at least the legacy I manipulated my way into.” Tristan told her only to be answered only to be met by a punch across the face by the first slayer. “Guess your not much of a talker?” The primeval slayer Sineya punched Tristan again before kicking him in the stomach with such force it caused him to fall to the ground. “You should not be!” She told him, as he tried to rise to his feet. “Slayer…you are not!” “Yeah I am a vampire no slayer now guess gossip travels slow in whatever decade you are from.” Tristan replied, looking the first slayer up and down. “Are you going to tell me something useful or are we just going to throw down?” “You were chosen long before you were born and will be chosen long after your death.” Sineya revealed to the vampire. “It is up to you how you chose your gift and you, alone.” “Okay enough with the cryptic crap, just tell me straight already!” Tristan moaned at her only to be met by another punch from the first slayer before being kicked back to the ground by her. “You are the darkness; you fight the darkness and only you can defeat the darkness.” The Primeval slayer informed him in a way that sounded more like a riddle than a reveal of any kind. Before Tristan could muster a reply or even get back onto his feet to face the slayer, she had disappeared out of sight leaving him confused and slightly wounded from the altercation as he slowly got back onto his feet. “So, what have you decided then?” Anya asked him, suddenly appearing from out of thin air, standing where the first slayer once stood. “Are you going to Spike and Dru it with your revived lover Dante or are you going for a fresh slate where nobody knows of the monster you were once with the added being alive bonus? God, I sound like a saleswoman…I suppose I kind of am…so which one will it be?” “Neither!” Tristan told her with confidence, knowing he had made his mind up and it was the right choice. “I am not who I was but nor am I going to pretend to be somebody I will never be…I choose to be me as I am right now able to choose my path however long or short that might be.” “Well that seems like a waste of a wish but it is not like I care anymore!” Anya admitted to the vampire. “If it helps you are not all evil and you do not have to pretend to be anymore, coming from a vengeance demon there’s more to the monster than people will ever understand.” “Thanks, I think.” Tristan replied with a forced laugh. “Although I am pretty sure you are me?” “Yeah just a whole lot prettier.” Anya answered without hesitation. “I guess you can wake up now but before you do there is something, I have just got to ask…” “What?” Tristan wondered, hoping her question would not throw him into a confusion he had just found his way out of. “Does money still smell as good as it used to?” Anya asked with a sense of sadness. “I really miss having money!”

Tristan found himself once again waking up in the single prison like bed, trapped within a cage located in the basement of which he now knew to be the Hyperion Hotel, and as he began to sit up on his bed he once again noticed a dark figure lurking within the shadows making him believe for just a moment it was Joyce before his father Angel walked out of the shadows.

[jmsa1287]

A Year in Review: The Best 25 Episodes of TV of 2017

With more and more new TV series hitting airways (and the Internet), the quality of shows continues to be impressive. Narrowing down a list of just the 10 best episodes of the year is no easy task. Putting together a small list like this feels more like an omission than a gathering of the cream of the crop.

In a diverse and strange year, showings from network comedies, prestige dramas and experimental explosions are all featured here. The following 25 episodes are truly exceptional - with the top three episodes proving to be groundbreaking and game-changing TV - and highlight what a magnificent year it was for TV in 2017.

25. “Yard Sale,” Baskets 

24. “Foisted!,” Curb Your Enthusiasm 

23. “New York I Love You,” Master of None

22. “The Sea Beneath 14th Street,” Neo Yokio 

21. “Graduation,” Better Things

20. “Kill Process,” Mr. Robot

19. “Thanksgiving,” Master of None 

18. “The Rickshank Rickdemption,” Rick and Morty 

17. “Hero or Hate Crime,” It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia 

16. “Certified,” The Leftovers

15. “You Mean All This Time We Could Have Been Friends?,” Feud: Bette and Joan

14. “Fun and Merriment,” Big Little Lies

13. “Episode 1,” The Young Pope

12. “Thank You and Goodnight,” The Marvelous Mrs. Masiel

11. “Somebody’s Dead,” Big Little Lies

10. “Got Milk?,” The Last Man on Earth

"The Last Man on Earth" doesn't get the credit it deserves. This apocalyptic comedy may air on network TV but it pushes the boundaries of storytelling in interesting ways; at least compared to "The Walking Dead." "Got Milk?" barely features the show's main cast and instead follows wealthy socialite Pamela Brinton (played by a hilarious Kristen Wiig in what may be her best post-"Bridesmaids" role) during the early days of a viral outbreak, which includes members of the Trump administration dropping like flies. It's a daring episode that gives context to "The Last Man on Earth" as well as a showcase for Wiig's talents. It also has a wild scene with Laura Dern eating dog food. 09. “Family,” The Girlfriend Experience

For its second season, "The Girlfriend Experience" played with format, telling two non-related stories over 14 half-hour episodes. The track set in D.C. follows Erica (Anna Friel), a finance director of a Republican super PAC, and Anna (Louisa Krause), an escort. Over the course of the story, the women form a surprising relationship, but it's with the episode "Family" that their budding romance explodes with chaotic emotion. The episode takes unexpected turns, exploring power dynamics that are enhanced and heightened with its clinical and icy-cold minimalism. With Lodge Kerrigan's fascinating direction, "Family" marks one of the most chilling and boldest episodes of TV this year.

08. “The Goodbye Tour,” Girls

"The Goodbye Tour" may be the penultimate episode to the final season of "Girls" but it functions as the finale with the muted "Latch" feeling more like a coda to the series. The episode finds its core four Hannah (Lena Dunham), Marnie (Allison Williams), Jessa (Jemima Kirke) and Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet) finally appearing together in one scene. Tensions are high and feelings are hurt but perfectionist Marnie is determined to work things out between the foursome with a bathroom meeting. It's an emotional moment, confirming audiences' feelings: The girls are not actually friends anymore; over six seasons they've drifted a part and hurt each other and "The Goodbye Tour" is confirmation of this. Though they may not have animosity, this bittersweet ending, in which they may no longer be friends but can still dance to Robyn, is emotional as it is raw.

07. “And the Winner is…(The Oscars 1963)” Feud: Bette and Joan

In what might be Ryan Murphy's most skillfully directed episode of TV ever (and that's saying something considering he is one of the busiest people in TV), "And the Winner is...(The Oscars 1963)" is a dramatization of one of the most dramatic nights in Oscars history. There's so much at stake for Bette Davis (Susan Sarandon), who has been nominated for Best Actress for "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane," but thanks to dirty politics, Joan Crawford (Jessica Lange) crushes her frenemy's dreams and accepts the award on behalf of an absent Anne Bancroft. This high-octane hour of TV also features a long tracking shot of Crawford backstage at the Oscars - one of the most heart-racing moments on TV this year.

06. “The Thief,” Master of None

Aziz Ansari stepped up his game for "Master of None" Season 2. Right off the bat, the first episode "The Thief" proved he wasn't messing around. Unfolding in black and white, (a surprising move for a show that built it's audience as a millennial sitcom) the comedy is a stunning homage to Italian cinema - specifically Vittorio De Sica's "The Bicycle Thieves." For a half-hour comedy, the episode is a sumptuous gift that puts Ansari in another league.

05. “The Book of Nora,” The Leftovers

The series finale of "The Leftovers" was mystical as it was moving. It's also a testament to Carrie Coon, one of TV's best working actors. Delivering a deeply riveting and emotional monologue, Coon's Nora, now much older, tells her long-lost love Kevin (Justin Theroux) about being teleported to her family in another dimension, possibly to a place where the departed vanished. Except - it's unclear if Nora is telling Kevin the truth, making the series finale to one of the best shows - ever - an open ended mystery that we will always let be.

04. “Part 17″ and “Part 18,” Twin Peaks: The Return

Over 25 years ago, "Twin Peaks" fans watched F.B.I. agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) become a prisoner in the Black Lodge as his evil doppelganger take his place in the real world. The Season 2 finale, which aired in 1991, turned out to be the series finale (thanks to a cancelation from ABC) and for over two decades, fans were left to grapple with one of the biggest cliffhangers to ever air. That changed, however, when co-creator/direct/writer/actor David Lynch came back to the world of "Twin Peaks" and got to end the series on his terms. "Part 17" and "Part 18" are a one-two punch of triumph and devastation. After 16 hours of the mindless Dougie Jones (MacLachlan), the real Dale Cooper finally returned in all his wholesome glory, ready to finally save Laura Palmer and defeat the evil BOB. After literally rewriting the past, Lynch pulls the rug out from viewer's expectations with "Part 18," ending "Twin Peaks" on a devastatingly tragic note: "What year is this?"

03. “Michael’s Gambit,” The Good Place

Who knew a major network could still air groundbreaking TV? The Season 1 finale of Michael Schur's existential comedy "The Good Place" is game-changing TV. Without spoiling anything, the episode totally flips the script, reframing what "The Good Place" is actually about and its characters' motivations. With a huge twist that was hiding in plain sight, the comedy became one of the most innovative and interesting shows of 2017, giving the middle finger to cliffhangers and network sitcoms.

02. “Finding Francis,” Nathan For You

"Nathan For You" is an uncomfortable show; one that forces viewers to confront their boundaries of humor. Creator and star Nathan Fielder's Season 4 finale "Finding Francis" is the comedian's boldest and biggest episode ever - a two-hour epic that follows Fielder and Bill Gates impersonator William Heath as they track down Heath's long lost high school sweetheart. To call the finale daring TV would be an understatement - not only does it ask viewers to question the boundaries of love but it also urges them to question reality. It's one of the most captivating things aired on TV in recent memory - so wild and bold that infamous documentarian Errol Morris felt the need to write about the episode for the New Yorker.

01. “Part 8,” Twin Peaks: The Return

There will never be another TV moment like "Part 8" of David Lynch and Mark Frost's masterpiece "Twin Peaks: The Return." It's the kind of TV moment that will have unprecedented reverberations in art for years to come. Profound and truly mind-blowing, "Part 8" transcended the boundaries of what TV can do and make you feel. Visceral, shocking and captivating, "Part 8" told a saga of good vs. evil; how man created evil and brought it into the world and that the battle between good and evil is an ongoing one. Sometimes bewildering and sometimes touching, "Part 8" is unlike anything that has ever aired on TV, coming from one of the greatest American filmmakers alive today.

[kirbydevpostarchive]

HAL Laboratory イシダHAL_Laboratory 08/25/2016 5:10 AM

Hi, this is Satoshi Ishida from HAL Laboratory. Today we'll be hosting round 2 of the Kirby: Planet Robobot Ask-a-thon and, as before, director Shinya Kumazaki is here to answer your questions!

クマザキ 08/25/2016 5:14 AM Nice to see you again. Today I'm hoping to answer behind-the-scenes questions about Planet Robobot that you wouldn't normally be able to find out from simply playing the game.

イシダ 08/25/2016 5:18 AM It seems there are a lot of people out there who read very deeply into the game as they're playing. I'd like to start us off with a question about Meta Knight: At the start of the game, we see the Halberd get shot down, but by the time it shows up again, it's in full working order. Who repaired it?

クマザキ 08/25/2016 5:20 AM The Halberd made a crash landing between the cliffs in the space directly beneath Access Ark. Meta Knight was then captured by the Haltmann Works Co., but managed to entrust the Halberd to his crew. As a result, the repairs were finished in time and the Halberd could rush to Kirby's rescue, with Meta Knight back to his old self. But when Meta Knight shouted for Kirby to get on board, he didn't expect Kirby to ignore his offer and scan the Halberd's ability instead...

イシダ 08/25/2016 5:23 AM And here I thought Meta Knight was the one telling Kirby to scan it... Speaking of Meta Knight, here's a question about Meta Knightmare Returns. Is there any connection plotwise between this mode and the main game's Story Mode?

クマザキ 08/25/2016 5:25 AM It's basically an alternate storyline. Meta Knightmare Returns is a kind of bonus mode that you unlock after finishing the main game, but that alone doesn't hold much appeal for a player so we made it into a "what if" scenario. Kirby games tend to be quite deep and have lots of content, and this game is no exception. There are two sides to the story: one for players who just want to casually play it from start to finish, and another for those who want to delve deeper into the game world. This mode fully realises that two-sided method of development.

イシダ 08/25/2016 5:26 AM While we're on the topic of Meta Knightmare Returns, Galacta Knight was supposed to be sealed away in a crystal, but he broke that seal and showed up again in The True Arena. Are Meta Knightmare Returns and The True Arena connected at all in relation to the story?

クマザキ 08/25/2016 5:28 AM The True Arena is like another ""what if"" scenario, so you can't really consider everything to be connected. Furthermore, the extra-dimensional road that opens up when Galacta Knight appears transcends space-time, so it's difficult to give it a concrete place in the timeline. But if you consider the stages in which Galacta Knight appeared in the past three games, I think that will give you some food for thought. Also, once Galacta Knight has shown up, it should be clear why he cuts down Star Dream: it forced him to travel through time and space and so he considers Star Dream his enemy. That's why Galacta Knight appears as an antagonistic sort of character.

イシダ 08/25/2016 5:29 AM The name Star Dream came up just now. Could you tell us how Haltmann got his hands on the blueprints and technology for Star Dream? Others also noted that the Security Force blueprints bore similarities with Metal General from Kirby's Return to Dream Land, and the data for Holo Defense API resembled Pix from Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards. Could you tell us a bit about those?

クマザキ 08/25/2016 5:31 AM Haltmann travelled to numerous planets around the galaxy to collect their blueprints and technology. He may have gone to Halcandra, or perhaps to a planet with strong connections to it. As for Holo Defence API, Haltmann gained access to numerous different worlds after Susie was accidentally sent into another dimension and this is how he acquired that data.

イシダ 08/25/2016 5:33 AM I see, so that's how you're making use of elements from previous games. Now for a question about Star Dream - during that fight, you can see the company logo on some of the planets in space. Did Haltmann Works Company conquer these planets? If that's the case, what happened to them after Star Dream was defeated?

クマザキ 08/25/2016 5:34 AM Those planets were under Haltmann's control, yes. The logos signify Star Dream's heartlessness and are proof of Haltmann's wickedness in invading those planets. The logo material was made using Star Dream's super-advanced technology, so when Star Dream was destroyed, the logos vanished along with it. That means that the planets should now be back to normal. I should also point out that the soulless evil weapons were wiped out, but some things that were out of Star Dream's reach escaped the destruction.

イシダ 08/25/2016 5:35 AM Like Susie's Business Suit? That reminds me, why did Haltmann lose his memories of the past along with his compassion? Did he discard them himself, or did Star Dream erase them? Also, Susie was appointed executive assistant, wasn't she? I suspect there was there some hidden meaning to this...

クマザキ 08/25/2016 5:37 AM In order to control Star Dream, you need a program controller on your head to have it directly interface with your brain. Haltmann may have suspected memory loss from the beginning, or it may have been an unknown side effect... But the fact is that he started losing his memories bit by bit. This tells you just how incomplete Star Dream really was. Later, after Susie grew up and came back, Haltmann sensed something about her and made her his assistant, but at that time he had completely forgotten that he'd even had a daughter to begin with.

イシダ 08/25/2016 5:38 AM That's really quite sad... Well, after that big revelation, here's a question about the background music. There seem to be a lot of tracks that are slightly redone versions of ones from previous games. Is this because you were trying to please old-school fans? On a related note, there are many tracks whose names people would like to know. Would you be able to disclose any of them?

クマザキ 08/25/2016 5:40 AM With regard to the re-arranged tracks, we have of course tried to cater to our long-time fans as well as newcomers. We wanted to reinvent classic tracks to create something fresh and new, something that fits the current generation's taste. I'm actually really surprised at how many questions we received about track titles. That really makes me happy because I love being able to add more depth to the world through text, be it with dialogue, ability names or music tracks. That said, there were a lot of inquiries about the tracks, so I think it would be best if we save those for later.

イシダ 08/25/2016 5:42 AM So we can look forward to a number of music-related questions next time. We're going to be having one last round of questions to conclude our Kirby: Planet Robobot Ask-a-thon. Please stay tuned!

[valentinevar]

Don’t Hesitate to Come Find Me - Zen x MC fanfic

So after my soul was crushed by the April Fools DLC normal ending 2, I decided I needed to do a little writing because things just can’t end that way. 

So I wrote a fic and named it “Don’t Hesitate to Come Find Me” which is a quote from Zen from that very DLC. 

It will get NSFW in the next chapter. You can read it in ff.net or AO3 (This is the first fic I post on those accounts so you won’t have trouble finding it. Yep).

https://www.fanfiction.net/~valentinevar

http://archiveofourown.org/users/valentinevar

Here is the first chapter. I recommend reading it on ff or AO3 since it is better formatted there.

Summary: After playing the April's fool DLC and having Zen break the 4th wall, MC (you, reader) makes a wish upon a star.

Tags: Angst, so much angst.

You looked at your phone with tears in your eyes. "This is silly" you thought "this is just a game". An otome game, at that. The characters are basically programmed to love you, the MC. But still, you hadn't had a boyfriend for a while and you hadn't met anyone you were interested in. Work and school kept you busy and a recent move put you away from your friends and family. You hadn't really made friends in your area yet and you were a little ashamed to say this silly game had kept you company. More than kept you company, you had obsessed over it, even setting alarms on your phone to wake up and not miss the chats. You had played all the routes, loved and laughed with all the characters… especially Zen. He had been the first route you naturally fell into and despite disliking his constant narcissism at first… he grew on you. Your answers during his route were as close to your real answers as any of the other routes and you still got his good ending. And it didn't hurt that he showered you with love even when you were doing other routes. But more importantly, it felt as if the love he had for you was deeper than the others. It was silly, really, but he had sneaked his way into your heart.

When the April fools DLC came out, you rushed to purchase it, excited that it would be on Zen's birthday. As expected, the route was full of silliness; but you went into it like previous Zen routes, knowing that picking the answers you wanted would take you to the best ending - it always worked before. But then, the answers… kinda started to ring too close to home. As if you could almost tell him he was out of your reach. An ache in your heart pushed you to pick those answers, even though it felt you would hurt him. "Nah. He's not real" you reminded yourself and pushed through ...come over to this world… You still have a long way to become real… You won't be able to come here anyways…

And then, the ending hit you like a ton of bricks. Zen's epiphany broke your heart into a million tiny pieces. "My feelings for you have gotten so big for me to give up on them… just because we're in two different worlds" "If someone in that dimension gives you a hard time, just think of me. When you're bored and miss me too. I realized that our thoughts and feelings transcend dimensions."

You felt the tears going down your eyes. The deep ache in your heart. You looked down at your phone and saw his hand pressed against the glass of your screen. His eyes conveying the sadness that crushed your spirit.

You laid in bed afterwards and hugged your pillow, holding back the tears. "If only..." Zen's sad smiled looked at you from the background of your phone. His words ringing in your ears "I'm sure you think of me from time to time during your day. When you do, just remember. That's the moment my love's done the impossible to cross dimensions and reach you. " With watery eyes, you fell asleep that night.

The next day you woke up sluggishly. You went to bed too late looking at MM's heartbreaking DLC. You kept thinking of Zen and his sweet, yet painful words. I realized that our thoughts and feelings transcend dimensions. "If only…" You headed to work. Your day passed without any eventuality. You didn't open mystic messenger all day because you knew you'd go straight for Zen's route again and it would just break your heart again. You ached to hear his voice. Why am I so… so nostalgic over a fictional guy. What is wrong with me… You got home that night, made dinner, and sat on the couch to watch TV but nothing could grab your eye. You wondered what Zen would be doing at this hour - he'd be working out. I'd join him. So you did. Shorts and pair of tennis shoes later and you were running down your neighborhood. Running, drowning your sadness with loud music, but Zen was persistently on your mind.

You reached a hill near your house and decided to hike it, despite it being dark out already. It took a solid half hour of hiking to reach the top, but once you were there, the stars looked brighter. You were out of breath at this point but felt invigorated, almost happy. You looked at the stars and thought of Zen again, wrapping your arms around yourself and imagining he held you. "Don't hesitate to come find me." His voice resonated in her ears like buzzing fireflies in a swamp. "I came to find you."

At that moment a shooting star crossed the night sky. "the same dimension…" An impossible wish, quicker than a heartbeat and barely long enough to become a phantom thought. So silly… you thought. But shooting stars were for wishes, weren't they? The shooting star was gone in a blink after that. You smiled sadly, wondering what had gotten into you. You took a deep breath and sat on a rock, looking at the sky. I was April and the breeze at night was barely cold enough to be considered chilly. You'd be sore the next day but the run had helped you clear your head and you felt better for it. The sky looked beautiful that night so without thinking it much you layed down on the floor and just stared at the stars twinkle like diamonds tossed across the pitch black sky.

When you opened your eyes again, the sun was barely coming out. You were stiff as a board and your neck was killing you. Had you fallen asleep on top of that hill? Well, that was reckless, not to mention dangerous. You rubbed your neck and stretched your back. Everything was sore and you even felt dizzy. Probably dehydrated. Luckily you were fine, so you headed back down the hill. You usually weren't up early enough to notice the break of dawn but you looked into the sky and noticed the myriad of colors - you had to admit it was a beautiful sight. Almost as if someone had thrown paint over a light blue canvas. You looked at the floor, noticing the dirt seemed a perfectly brown color. That's was an odd thought. You shrugged it off and continued down, carefully avoiding small rocks that might cause you to lose your balance. Once you reached the street, you noticed everything seemed… pretty. The colors seemed livelier, the few cars on the road this early were driving in perfect unison, not a scratch on them. And then you realized… you didn't know where you were. Did you make a wrong turn going down the hill? You were fairly new to the area and didn't know it all that well. Your phone was dead so you couldn't put the GPS home. You figured you'd walk until you found someone or any store that may be open so you could orient yourself. But… which way to go. You started walking towards your left and nothing seemed familiar. What the hell… You looked around, searching for anything you may recognize but nothing looked like home. Maybe it was because the sun hadn't really come out yet. You stood at a corner and looked around, even squinting your eyes trying to figure out any landmarks, anything, when a car stopped in front of you.

"Are you lost?" came a woman's voice from the rear window of the vehicle.

[zillion-ronald-manus]

im out of meme ideas for now so i’m just going to copy&paste the Omniversal Battle Wiki page for Luka from Monster Girl Quest

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Summary

Luka is a 15 year old boy, born with the blood of fallen angels in his veins. He's just an innocent, naive little boy, precious as can be, who dreams of a day when monsters and humans would coexist peacefully instead of all the opression that's widespread across the world. His mom, Lucifina, died from an epidemic when he was younger, so he's been living by himself at a young age. One day, ilias calls out to him in a vision and tells him to go and defeat the current monster lord, the latest in a long line of powerful yoma that traces back to the dark goddess herself. But since he's naive he decides to get baptized and do it, regardless of the fact that he'd probably die in an instant. He's walking back to his house one day, when he meets a strange yoma named Alice. He's forced to choose between helping her or going to his baptism, and of course he chooses to help. He befriends Alice and travels the world with her in his quest to defeat the monster lord and end racism.

Along the course of his quest, he goes from being a naive little boy with big dreams to a tougher-than-nails motherfucker who splits heaven and earth to bring a star down to hell just so he can counterattack someone, not to mention he single-handedly ends wars by defeating both armies himself.

Powers and Stats

Tier: At least High 2-A | Low 1-C | 1-C, possibly higher

Name: Luka, Fallen Angel, Corrupted hero, Son of Lucifina

Origin: Monster Girl Quest

Gender: Male

Age: 15

Classification: Human/Angel hybrid

Powers and Abilities: Superhuman physical characteristics, Space manipulation, Dimensional manipulation, Time manipulation, Soul manipulation, Acasuality, Weakness alteration, Sealing, Healing, Elemental manipulation, Matter manipulation, Death manipulation, Existence erasure resistance, Conceptual manipulation resistance, Matter manipulation resistance, Death manipulation resistance, Light manipulation, Darkness manipulation.

Attack Potency: High Multiverse Level+ (Defeated beings like Goddess Ilias and Adramelech, the former is the embodiment of perfect nonexistence on at the very least a 5D scale, while the latter can erase Multiversal SpaceTime on a near-conceptual level by existing) | Complex Multiverse Level (freely moved around within an isolated area of the multiverse, which was beyond even Goddess Ilias' perception. Completely unfazed, physically speaking, when Sonya Chaos warped reality using the Chaos, a phenomenon infinitely beyond a normal multiverse and which exists inside and outside of all multiverses as the antonym to all existence. Also unfazed when Adramelech at her full power manipulates the same phenomenon into outright destroying a universal section of existence itself. Spoke face-to-face with the overseer of countless 5D multiverses, and was able to defeat her when she was holding back. Defeated every one of Sonya's forms. Likely comparable to the seraphs.) possibly Higher (the MGQ verse follows quantum mechanics and wave functions, which opens the door towards possibly 11 dimensions, or, if we go farther to the extreme, infinite dimensions via hilbert space.)

Speed: Immeasurable (Could freely exist within, run around in, think within and even dodge light within places where conventional spacetime didn't exist, many times, and can speedblitz people who can do the same. Accessed a future point in another timeline by physically walking.)

Lifting Strength: Mountain Level (Escaped the grasp of a mountain-sized monster), probably higher (He's gotten much stronger since then.)| Immeasurable By nature of being a higher dimensional being.

Striking Strength: High Multiverse Level+ | Complex Multiverse level, possibly higher

Durability: High Multiverse Level+ (Traded blows with Adramelech and Goddess Ilias, is capable of defeating and tanking blows from the seraphs and the Lilith sisters.) | Complex Multiverse Level

Stamina: Very high (Able to climb entire mountains in little time, can fuck grills for days or even months straight, seldom even needing water.) | Immeasurable by nature of being a higher dimensional being.

Range: Possibly Universal (Caused an endlessly expanding being who could devour the entire universe if left unchecked to dissolve into a shapeless blob of flesh.)

Standard Equipment: The Angel halo, a baleful sword created by Heinrich by melting 666 angels alive and fusing them onto a sword. Can either kill, or seal when the enemy is weak enough, whichever the user may wish.

Intelligence: Genius (his mathematical knowledge impressed Promestein, who single-handedly discovered every field of modern science, including physics and quantum physics, with only rocks in a cave.)

Weaknesses: Becomes weak and bitch-like for about a day every time he cums.

Feats:

Is capable of effortlessly defeating Apoptosis, beings created from spacetime itself ripping itself apart and putting itself back together.

Can easily exist, move within, think, run laps within and dodge shit within places where conventional spacetime is destroyed as well as places that transcend spacetime.

Can effortlessly breach and move through inter-dimensional barriers.

Can easily move himself and others to and from isolated areas of spacetime (Pocket dimensions) as well as entirely separate timelines.

Traded blows with Adramelech, Sonya Chaos, and Tamamo, one of the six ancestors in her prime. All of them should be metaversal one way or another.

Able to seal and touch non-corporeal beings like angels.

Can heal himself both mentally and physically simply by focusing his mind.

Can imbue his blade with healing properties, which allows him to heal allies.

With holy energy-based attacks, he is capable of dissolving an opponent's physical body into light and sending their soul to heaven, the latter probably has something to do with soul manipulation and sealing.

Can transform enemies' bodies into stone statues with attacks that inflict petrification.

Can instantaneously end an opponent's life with most darkness-imbued attacks.

Can alter his enemies' weaknesses with taoism skills, which cause enemies to gain a heightened vulnerability to a specific element.

One-shot an AP-ignoring barrier while still in a relatively early and weak stage of the game.

Can hit and kill non-corporeal beings.

Notable Attacks/Techniques:

Daystar: A counter-attack which he performs when the enemy attempts to attack. Hits extremely hard. Later upgrades this to Infallible daystar, which is even more powerful.

Ninefold Rakshasa: A flurry of 9 sword strikes which only seraphim-level angels can use. Described as "near infinite" in-game, but it only hits 9 times. Upgrades this attack to Ninefold Rakasha: Asura, which basically just does more damage, and can thus be assumed is stronger than the original.

Fallen Angel Dance: Allows him to perfectly dodge most attacks, even those that are thrown at him by a being with immeasurable speed. His attacks also never miss and hit twice.

Heavenly Demon Revival: A concentration of Luka's power which deals massive damage. Later upgrades this attack to Heavenly demon revival: Gaia, which makes it even stronger.

Flash Kill: Splits the very fabric of space and time and can destroy even things that have AP-ignoring hax. Upgrades this attack to Flash kill: Destructive wind, which boosts it's strength massively.

Element Spica: A skill which deals horrendously massive damage, but costs a lot of stamina to perform. Imbued with the power of all 4 elemental spirits, who embody the universal concepts of their respective elements.

Quadruple Giga: Luka's strongest skill and a toned up version of element spica. If activated while the 4 spirits are in effect, it's power increases 10,000 fold. "The power of this skill is amplified by each spirit imbued in it. But if all four were at a power of ten, it wouldn’t be ten times four for forty... It would be ten to the fourth power for 10,000..."- Alipheese the 16th.

Note: By nature of being an angel, logic would imply that he also has Mid-Godly regeneration and types 1, 4 and 8 of immortality, but gameplay and the general story appears to contradict it. Could it be something to do with him being only a half-angel?

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July 18 by CosmicGenocide

That might be the single greatest description for a weakness I have ever seen.

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The Greatest Adventure Stories, Ranked

Destiny 2

Sept Sci-Fi

Adam Ruins

[agemintherough]

Revisiting Chapters Nineteen, Twenty and Twenty-One of Gems Without Measure; A Pirate’s Treasure

I do apologize for taking so long to do this, but between the holidays, writing final exams, reading over 60 research papers, and getting sick, I haven’t really been feeling up to writing anything of quality. Thankfully, it seems like I can finally breathe. This is a positive thing. Still, it has been three chapters since my last round of chapter commentary, so let’s dive into it:

1) Back when I thought the harpoon was a sword, the gag with Connie quoting Thor was going to be about King Arthur. Instead, I switched it to Captain Ahab from Moby Dick. May I just say that Moby Dick is an English teacher’s nightmare? I am so glad I do not have to teach it, but even I don’t think I could capture an entire class’ attention with that over several weeks.

2) I am unsure at what point I decided to have Amethyst and Petrea become best friends, but I feel like it works. I’d chalk it up to Petrea fighting Miss Doublefinger to save Amethyst, but what do I know?

3) I will never stop quoting the 4kids rap about Usopp doing his “marksman thing.” If I have an opportunity to slip it in, odds are I will.

4) Ratchet and his crew are absolutely terrible at being villains. They pose no threat and really accomplish nothing. When I decided to do this movie, I had not yet viewed it but I chose it for three reasons: to counterbalance the seriousness of the arc that came before it and the arc that will come after it, to have Peridot fight in a giant robot, and Luffy’s finishing move. SecondaryShade pointed out that, by keeping Ratchet and the others pretty much the same, I instantly removed conflict from the arc, thus making it less about HOW the conflict would resolve itself but, rather, WHEN it would. While it is funny to point this out in the story every now and then (which I do a lot, especially in the next chapter), something is lost. This was part of the reason that I am proud of how my version of “Oceans Dream” turned out. It was even suggested that I could have removed the villains and made it a standard treasure hunt and achieve the exact same outcome: a lighthearted calm before the storm. In hindsight, I agree that it could have been a fun time, but I like to think that this arc still had its moments to shine. 

5) I thought it would be funny to have Petrea have a running gag in this arc having the nice dress that she received from Ratchet (her being the only one who seemed to enjoy it without questioning it) constantly keep getting destroyed. I worded that I was making her too petty, but I do not think it came across that way. She is from the world of One Piece, where this kind of gag is considered commonplace.

6) Remember the Talisman of Cloth? I introduced that back in Chapter 38 of AGITR to explain where Steven keeps getting his shirts. It might be odd to think that Gems need cloth, but if you watch the newest set of episodes, it’s not that far out there.

7) This scene presents an example of one of my biggest flaws as a writer: having a giant scene with over fifteen characters and having them talk. Drawing comics or animating a cartoon can show the characters there, even if they are just reacting to the action. Here? I tend to interject a single comment every now and then just to remind the audience that they are there. It is one of my biggest problems and, as such, we are having more scenes of the cast splitting up and getting their own individual spotlights. 

8) Remember kids: Peridot has never heard of Malachite before. Will Malachite appear in this story? Time will tell.

9) Opal’s presence in this story marks the second official fusion appearing in this story. The movie just has them released from the trap by the butler, but I thought this was better suited. I made sure to acknowledge her forgetfulness that is outline in the book Guide to the Crystal Gems.

10) As of this chapter, Peridot’s official laugh is now (and was retroactively changed to “Nyehehehe!” As the Gem who is the most attuned to the One Piece world thanks to Robin’s influence, it makes sense that she would get her own One Piece laugh.

11) As noted, Ratchet’s castle is pretty much taken right out of Scrap Brain Zone or Metropolis Zone from Sonic the Hedgehog or Skull Castle from Mega Man.

12) If I ever decide to pull a Scooby-Doo split-up, you can bet your bottom dollar Greg will call it out.

13) I am proud of the Petrea/ Amethyst/ Maji beatdown. It features some of my better fight descriptions. Kudos to me.

14) Of course, Steven lists off various plots of video games in his rampant speculation about Ratchet’s fortress, including Dr. Robotnik, Dr. Wily, and Bowser.

15) My original intention was to have Zoro and Damian beat the shit out of Honki as a gag, but then I realized Steven would never allow that. Steven might have learned that fighting is necessary some times, but he’s still our boy at heart. If he can find a way around fighting, he will.

16) I drew out a lot of sketches for how I would create Peridot’s robot. I looked up various Gundams and anime designs, but nothing was speaking to me in terms of aesthetics. I did find an AWESOME custom of one of my favorite Transformers (Tailgate) customized as Peridot. Finally, I decided that if this was a video game inspired villain,  I should have a video game inspired boss. I looked up Mega Man Robot Masters and found my inspiration in Astro Man from Mega Man 8 (I have never beaten that one. Just typing this gives me terrible memories of “JUMP JUMP SLIDE SLIDE.” He also appeared in Mega Man and Bass. The cogs connecting the arms might have been an unintended reference to Mega Man 2’s Metal Man (my favorite Robot Master besides Drill Man) but I honestly can’t remember.

17) I was so excited when I came up with the name “Peribot” only to get sad when I found out that was the official name for Peridot’s robot.

18) This fight was truly what sold me on this movie. The idea of Peridot fighting Ratchet because she was offended by him calling himself a genius spoke to me. This is the first time Peridot has actively fought for the crew and is a big step in her development. She might have not fully declared herself an actual Crystal Gem (save cowering at Aokiji), but she is open to being a Straw Hat. She is the only full Gem as of this moment to actually get offered an actual position in the crew as its inventor. Between Steven actually caring about Peridot both before and during this story, Petrea urging Peridot to become a team player, Luffy’s open acceptance of her, and Robin acting as her guide; Peridot has grown to care about this dimension and the people in it. 

The question is if she has worked that part out. Remember: the events of “It Could Have Been Great” and “Message Received” have not occurred…but who knows if those episodes will play out the same in this story?

19) The “I am many things” quote is appropriated from Superman: The Animated Series; specifically, Darkseid in the series finale. God, Darkseid is just a great villain and Michael Ironside is perfect. If I could cast One Piece with anyone, he would be my pick for Crocodile.

20) Peridot comparing Luffy’s new ability (I WONDER WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT. I'M SURE IT WILL NEVER COME UP AGAIN) to soup is a reference to “When It Rains.”

21) Peridot being chosen as the ship’s inventor of course leads to an argument with Usopp, who is the inventor by default. Surely this will have no impact on the upcoming arc.

22) We now have instance number two of Greg playing Avi and Surasshu’s beautiful background music: the fusion theme for Alexandrite from “Super Watermelon Island.”

23) My narration for the Alexandrite scene lifts a line from “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” I’m sure you can pick up on it. You guys are smart. 

24) To end the video game theme, Steven quotes the first ending of Super Mario Bros…though in-story, it would be Super Mueo Bros.

25) I almost named the baby turtles after Ninja Turtles, but I instead chose a Sesame Street reference (that was mainly because the name “Shelly” was too punny not to use) and a Looney Tunes reference that I doubt anyone picked up on.

26) In the movie, the Straw Hats try to drag the eggshell into the ocean and lose it due to its weight. Rather than make this all for nothing, the extra wealth will be used to further the story along. How? Wait and see!

27) Connie was given her bag back in Chapter Eight of AGITR. 

28) Phil, as you may remember, is a character from F*ckthesystem125’s fanfiction Luffy’s Renewed Adventure (which is the story that inspired me to write this story). I got approval to use Phil as a sort of underworld broker, so here we go. 

29) Backslide Island is named after Dan Backslide: Coward-Bully-Cad-And-Theif from the amazing Merrie Melodies cartoon The Dover Boys. Telemachus Island is named after Odysseus’ son from The Odyssey. 

Can you tell I teach English?

30) Spandam: the character I have been the most excited about writing. I have often expressed that Crocodile is my favorite One Piece villain, but Spandam is probably my third favorite right after Arlong. However, Crocodile and Spandam are very similar in my eyes because of one thing: I look at both of them as being like Cobra Commander.

…I have a point to this.

Versatility is very rare when it comes to characters. Typically when you create a character, you have to stick with the traits that make that character well-known. Michelangelo of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles might have started out bland, but the second his Microseries came out, he was established as the gentlest Turtle. The second the 80’s cartoon came out, he was established as the “party dude.” From there, his characterization kind of built upon those two key story structures.

But every now and then, you get a character that can transcend that. The best example is Batman, who can be both a grim avenger of the night and a fully-deputized agent of the law and still be the same character. Batman might have his tragedy (even in the Adam West show, where it was mentioned once in the first episode), but he can be anything. I love Batman: The Animated Series just as much as I love Batman: The Brave and the Bold. 

Cobra Commander is similar, but different.

When first developed, Cobra Commander was appearing simultaneously in the G.I. Joe cartoon and the Larry Hama comic book. Both had him as the main bad guy, but holy shit were both of them radically different…and that is not even getting into Cobra-La or the Used Carsalesman Origin. 

This is Cobra Commander in the comics:

In the comics, Cobra Commander was deadly, manipulative, and competent. He created a terrorist organization by using a pyramid scheme and managed to have it grow multiple times. The entire Broca Beach arc right after he came back from the dead shows just how manipulative he could be…just like Crocodile, who manipulated an entire country into a civil war. However, I can’t even claim that the Crocodile I wrote was completely similar to the comic Cobra Commander. To complete THAT comparison, you need to add G.I. Joe Resolute into the mix:

Alternatively, you can add both of them together and produce the G.I. Joe Renegades version, who has manipulated the USA to thinking that Cobra is legitimate while being just as ruthless as the Resolute version. Is it perfectly Crocodile? No, as Crocodile is his own man, but the same sort of tone is there when I write him. Both are ruthless and intellectually brilliant. The difference is one has lost hope in his original dreams and shifted them instigating chaos in the hopes of obtaining military might, the other has never lost faith in their original dream of controlling the world. 

The cartoon version, however, throws that out of the window for what the writers described as “less Adolph Hitler and more Yosemitie Sam.”

Holy crap, this guy is ineffectual as hell, but there is always something slightly threatening about him. Clearly he a large enough threat to warrant the creation of a military mission force, but the man’s ideas in schemes range from creating mind control fast food restaurants to making the greatest rock and roll band ever. When I read Spandam (and if I ever get inspired to record an audio version of this story…yes, I have thought about it, but I have no actresses who could join such an ambitious project), I read him with Christopher Latta’s voice. He wants to gain power, but he is lacking in nearly every department. His minions are all stronger and smarter than him…and yet he still needs to be competent enough to demand respect. Spandam is dangerous and, quite frankly, despicable in how he treats Robin and Franky. He is the absolute worst…and yet is two steps away from being a laughing stock. I love it. I love the over the top antics and how smug he is. The man is deplorable in every sense, which will make him a perfect foil for Steven later on…

To sum up this giant, semi-off-topic post: Crocodile and Spandam are my faves.

30) Pay no attention to the mention of Vegapunk, Spandam picking up something and quickly putting it into his pocket, the mention of CP9 recruits, or the bit about “Gems of myth.” That is just fluff.

31) “Don’t cry for me. I’m already dead,” is from The Simpsons. This is not the last Simpsons reference in this chapter.

32) Steven is imitating Darth Vader from Revenge of the Sith…because why not?

  33) Despite my previous claim, “Pucci” is NOT a Simpsons reference, but was actually from the manga in this section of the story. Since it was explicitly called a city and not an island, that meant I could tie it into my Baroque Works trio’s underworld adventure. Hooray for canon-wielding!

34) It was important to split up the crew at this point. It would be way too hard to juggle around all of these different characters at the same time and still give everyone the proper attention they need. Does this mean I am putting them on a bus for this arc? Not exactly, but what they will be doing WILL be worth waiting for. 

35) Though Pearl is doing her best to fit in and enjoy herself, it is important to remind everyone that the Cluster is still a threat. Think of it as a “ticking clock.”

36) Genevieve remembers Greg’s advice from Chapter Forty-Five of AGITR on how to properly leave somebody for an extended period of time.

37) We now have our second Simpsons reference: the shipwright song. When I started writing down lyrics, I thought I was using the melody of “The Perfect Nanny” from Mary Poppins. Instead, I found myself thinking of its Simpsons counterpart: “Minimum Wage Nanny.” Honestly, I’m just happy I managed to get Luffy’s canon request for him to be five meters tall into the song. This might be my favorite song in this part of the story so far.

38) Why does Garnet want money for a newspaper? The answer may surprise you.

39) I justify Steven taking Connie on a date because they aren’t actually dating for romantic reasons. They are way too young for that. This is for them to have a great time together. Nami recognizes this and is levelheaded enough to properly handle Steven’s request. To be fair, who doesn’t look at those two kids and think they will be a great couple when they get older? If only there were a time skip that could show them that way…

40) Greg is, of course, reminiscing about the events of “Greg the Babysitter.”

41) Greg is my favorite Steven Universe character. He is one of the greatest fathers in television and a man who truly loved his significant other. I kind of used Greg here as a mouthpiece for how I view my relationship with my wife. We love each other for who we are and what we mean to each other, and this was brought about by time and open communication. No topic is taboo…that, in my eyes, is the key to a successful relationship. It is not about lavish gifts or forcing romantic moments, it’s about the times as the end of the day where you just sit and talk. A wife…a husband…a partner…they are your best friend first. It is my anniversary today as I am writing this, so excuse the sentimentality.

As it stands, I was surprised as I watched the newest episodes of Season Four (thank you Xfinity!) and *spoilers* noticed an INCREDIBLY similar conversation to this one in one of the episodes. If that was not prophetic timing, I don’t know what is. I think that is twice now this story predicted things on the show, with the first being Steven greeting every object in his house when he returned to it after a long absence.

42) CP9 was mentioned twice before in this story (Chapter 40 of AGITR and Chapter 21 of GWMAPT)…I am sure it means nothing.

Well, that turned into a giant post. Tune in next time in three chapters! In the meantime, check out @cyanideoreo who is now pretty much this story’s official artist! Now that I no longer feel sick, I will begin writing the next chapter tomorrow so let’s hope I can finish it soon!

[mrmichaelchadler]

Sundance 2019: The Empathy of Virtual Reality

There's the age-old adage that one cannot understand the experience of another unless you’ve walked a mile in their shoes. But it's not often that we are willing or able to physically remove ourselves from personal comforts to truly empathize with others. At the New Frontier Exhibits at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, there was considerable enthusiasm for technologies that allow people to replicate engagement with the physical world. As Chris Milk puts it in his TED talk, virtual reality (VR) is “the ultimate empathy machine.”

Experiences are what delineate us as humans, so it comes as no surprise that a powerful VR experience can be more effective than simply visualizing something. Sundance’s New Frontier allows interactive storytellers to present new narrative forms using technology. In engaging with these dynamic projects, I wanted to explore whether it was possible for thoughtful, evocative, and surprising VR to truly impact and encourage empathy among us all. 

At the New Frontier, attendees were treated to a multi-room, trance-like experience that functioned as a chose-your-own-adventure type feel. Spanning two locations, the larger New Frontier Central held most of the exhibition, while a smaller space nearby in the basement of The Ray theater featured a 40-set VR cinema and the remaining projects. It was clear from the structural design of the exhibition that Sundance was very intentional in creating a social intersection element that allowed different types of people from all over to talk about the various works in the same room. 

The dominating installations at New Frontier Central showcased the use of projections, artificial intelligence, pseudo-holograms, and augmented reality as it alternated between projects such as "Esperpento," "Dirtscraper," and "The Dial." Customized works showcased the leaps that mixed-reality experiences have made and the ways that these technologies aim to use the principle of synesthesia to mix up human senses creating a borderline trippy experience. Adding to the mind-blowing experiences was the trend of putting physical bodes inside the frame of their experiences. No longer is VR simply removing you from the real world. "Runnin’" [pictured at top], a cosmic hip-hop dance party with artist Reggie Watts at The Ray, was one of the most thrilling, mind-bending experiences I have ever had. 

"Gloomy Eyes"

The Colin Farrell-narrated “Gloomy Eyes,” is a beautifully, transportive experience that truly connected with the New Frontier goal of storytelling. The first episode, which premiered at The Ray, tells the story of transcendent love between a human girl and a zombie boy in a world where zombies are considered fugitives. The ways this story is able to simultaneously capture the hope of young love with the darkest side of humanity invokes a true sense of magic.

While each of the aforementioned experiences were well worth the hype, my goal was to uncover immersive projects that pushed the boundaries of our understanding of the human experience. It was with pleasure that I was able to experience the easy-to-use 3D volumetric capture experience "REACH."  Dubbed the “godmother of VR” by Engadget, Nonny de la Peña is once again at the forefront of the VR world, in trying to make this technology more accessible. 

“Most people are calling it a VR photo booth, but that’s not exactly what it is,” de la Peña explained. “It’s actually a creation platform. It’s like iMovie for volumetric VR—super simple. And then you get to publish on like YouTube. It’s volumetric YouTube and volumetric iMovie put together. And so, what we’re doing is trying to make it super simple for folks to participate in the creation process.” 

"Reach"

Representing a new advancement in VR technology, "REACH" allows anyone to be captured and dropped into any 3D environment of their choice, giving way for attendees to step inside of the story. The added dimensions to these immersive experiences, de la Peña believes, makes VR an increasingly important medium for telling stories. 

“The reason I got started in VR was I wanted to put people on scene in stories that were otherwise kind of invisible, people whose stories were invisible,” she said. “We feel like by putting you on scene we’re able to make some of these stories become better quality, more significant.”

Because VR content can produce such powerfully emotional experiences there is a growing belief among creators in the community, including de la Peña, that with the elimination of distribution barriers (as with "REACH") anyone will be able to harness the power of VR to not simply consume stories but to create and experience them. In 2018, there was a $12.1 billion global AR/VR revenue, a 38.4% increase. de la Peña believes that this growth signals the desire from consumers to engage the interactivity of VR experiences, much like with gaming. 

Still, she was clear that not everyone believes in the power of VR experiences to shape and reshape the human condition. While some believe it is simply a fad whose uniqueness will wear with time, others believe the path to a more empathic society is already within reach in our current reality. Paul Bloom of The Atlantic argues that the best “empathy machines” are books and that language gives us a sort of reproduction of what another consciousness is like, most notably in comparison to those whose experiences and beliefs are radically different from our own. But what happens when that language is extinct or when there are too few accessible texts exploring the ways that history is repeating itself? 

"Last Whispers: An Immersive Oratorio"

In "Last Whispers: An Immersive Oratorio" (a project also involving Nonny de la Peña), the cross-media artist Lena Herzog isn’t creating a new reality but instead is hoping to revive those that have been lost. "Whispers" explores languages that are endangered or extinct underscoring the ways in which we are losing our linguistic diversity and ultimately the way we understand ourselves. 

“Every two weeks a language dies,” a passionate Herzog exclaimed. “The reason they are falling silent is because young generations do not speak it. The reason they are falling silent is because of genocides, climate change and people getting uprooted and having to put roots in other cultures and switch to other languages when they have to join other communities. The reason they are falling silent is because of colonization. I mean why would the Americas speak Spanish? There is a very clear answer to that—it’s because of this conquest by the Spaniards. Why is that we’re speaking English here? So, the Roman Empire alone, some speculate but it’s really hard to tell because it was a while ago and there wasn’t really research, was probably responsible for some thousand languages—the Roman Empire alone, of erasing them. Why is that languages have fallen silent? Because of globalization—cultural globalization.” 

"Last Whispers" is an incredible universe that encapsulates all of these endangered and extinct languages as they swirl around you. It’s an octa-phonic design created in such a way that the frequencies hit your ears with a physical presence. This technology is incredible in that it makes the listener feel as if the languages being spoken throughout the oratorio are sharing your physical space. In this way as the sounds of the voices begin to fade, you feel that presence leave you, you feel that extinction happening. This magnificent aural experience was an intentional creation by Herzog.  

“A very profound philosophical dilemma that I understood about that was that it had to do with the very nature of extinction,” she said. “The very nature of extinction is silence and we understand something when we articulate it and how we articulate it. So, it’s the very crux of the problem. So then came a really interesting challenge—how do you articulate an extinction, the form of which is silence? A very sort of direct obvious answer is to sound what has gone silent. But how do you do that? How do you really make it present? So, I started to research about how do we perceive something as present neurologically and that’s when I knew I had to have a sound team that would create an 8.1 for public presentation or a binaural for personal experience in the headphone mixes because our brain perceives that sound as present and alive.” 

The visuals of "Last Whispers" are just as captivating. Herzog had originally done the visuals in her original 46-minute, 2D piece but felt it necessary to allow viewers to be inside the world that she had created. Viewers become enclosed in a sphere that encircles you as the approximate place of origin for each language is geolocated on the globe. The context provided with the visuals adds to the haunting reverberations of invocation of languages lost and incantation of those that are endangered or extinct underscoring the ways in which we are losing our linguistic diversity and ultimately the way we understand ourselves.

"Traveling while Black"

In what proved to be one of the most popular VR experiences at the New Frontier, Academy Award-winner Roger Ross Williams and Ayesha Nadarajah co-directed a 20-minute, 360-degree virtual reality recreation of the restaurant, Ben’s Chili Bowl in "Traveling While Black." Paying homage to Ben and Virginia Ali’s restaurant, "Traveling While Black" immerses viewers in intimate conversation in one of the most popular safe places for African American travelers in the survival guide known as The Green Book.  

The experience opens with an electrifying Reverend Sandra Butler-Truesdale sitting at the counter of Ben’s Chili Bowl. She narrates how growing up in segregated Washington she was not allowed to try on clothing in departments store for fear that she wasn’t clean and would make an item contaminated for white patrons.

“I think Sandra is a dynamic, amazing character,” Williams said in conversation with the New York Times' Brent Staples. “So, as a documentarian as soon as I met her, I thought that she has to be sort of our narrator through the piece.” 

In various moments throughout the piece, viewers are forced to reckon with the solitude of night and an almost empty restaurant. There are times where there is an orange haze and commotion outside the doors from unrest while the walls are covered in projects of the brutality that can be associated with traveling as a Black person in America. The restricted nature of the experience is unnerving, and Williams’ didn’t hesitate to enthrall viewers in the sadistic reality of state sanctioned violence. There are moments that are hard to watch as they are fraught with emotional turmoil, but that is the crux of this experience. 

While some of the most exciting VR experiences still require users to be tethered to a powerful computer, creative teams are working to create accessibility whether it’s through partnerships with schools and museums or giving direct access to the user as with de la Peña’s "REACH" platform. Currently, who we feel empathy for is strongly influenced by irrelevant factors such as race, attraction, and similarity, and our empathy often takes us in the wrong direction. The experiences on hand at the New Frontier at Sundance was an impressive slate of technology, art, and psychology blended together to help address the difficulties we have understanding one another. At worst. VR experiences are changing the way we experience entertainment. At best, VR simulations offer the experience of becoming—a virtual embodiment of ourselves and others, exploring the mechanisms, possibilities and implications of such experiences. As VR technology continues to grow in both popularity and content, the line between the user and the story dissolves, leading us toward a more compassionate society. 

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