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justagalwhowrites · 7 months ago

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Yearling - Ch. 40: Home

Jackson holds a celebration. The final chapter of Yearling found on Tumblr in its entirety here.

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female Reader

Warnings: Smut :) No use of Y/N. Minors DNI 18+ Only

Length: 7.7k

A/N: We are through the spoiler-y portion now and you're all OK to read from here if you just want to see how the fic starts to come to a close. There is no more overlap with TLOU 2.

AO3 | Chapter One | Previous Chapter

December, 2002

“Is that pot?”

Your oldest brother, Brendan, damn near jumped out of his skin, looking around frantically for a moment before his eyes settled on you and he calmed, his hand going to his chest.

“Shit, bug,” he said. “Yell it, why don’t you.”

“If I yell it, Mom’ll take it away,” you said, joining him at the fence on the edge of your father’s property, climbing up and perching next to him in the moonlight. “But that means I need motivation to keep my big mouth shut so you’d better fuckin’ share.”

He scoffed but passed you the joint, anyway. You took it and breathed deep, pulling the smoke into your lungs and holding it there until the urge to cough was too strong and you gave into it, handing the joint back to your brother, clouding the winter air with a pot-scented haze.

“Jesus, getting high with my baby sister,” he chuckled. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

“It’s because you’re getting old,” you teased lightly. He smiled and shook his head, taking a hit before passing it back to you. You took a hit, too, a smaller one this time, trying to make smoke rings as you breathed it out. “So. How’ve you been?”

“Good,” he nodded slowly, taking the joint back. “Thinkin’ about starting up my own ranch…”

“No shit?” You asked, brows raised. He nodded. “Good for you. Think you’d be good at it. I do gotta ask though… This have anything to do with Amanda?”

You teased out the last word and he laughed.

“Was waitin’ for that,” he said. “Talked to Mom have you?”

“Here and there,” you said. “You really ask for Gran’s ring?”

“Jesus…”

“C’mon,” you elbowed him. “You’re thinkin’ of marrying her?”

“More than thinkin’,” he smiled a little. “If I’m marrying anyone, it’s her.”

He took another hit and passed the joint back to you and you nodded, mulling that over in your head. Your brother, settled down enough to get married and start a ranch of his own. It seemed like a completely foreign concept but it was one you liked.

“You’d like her,” he said after a few minutes. “Amanda, I mean. She might come to New Year’s, think you two would get on like a house on fire. She’s studying to be a vet, specializing in large animals. Only person I know who likes horses as much as you.”

“Damn,” you said, taking a hit yourself. “She does sound great. Too good for you, that’s for damn sure…”

He snorted.

“Don’t I know it.”

You passed him the joint again.

“Can I ask you something?” You said after sitting in silence for a minute.

“Shoot.”

“How do you know?” You asked.

He frowned.

“Know what?”

“Know that…” you sighed. “I don’t know, know that she’s the one? That you want to marry her and all that shit?”

He smiled a little, nodding knowingly as he did.

“Well,” he said. “Sounds dumb, but… when you know, you know.”

“Jesus,” you rolled your eyes and he laughed.

“I’m serious,” he said. “You’ll know. But… Well, she’s my favorite damn person. I don’t want to do anything without her if I can help it. I love everything about her, even the shit that drives me nuts. Mostly, though, I just want to live life with her, you know? Want to go grocery shopping and do dishes and fuckin’ mow the lawn… all that shit. It all sounds great because it’d be with her. That’s how you know.”

You nodded slowly, trying to imagine feeling that way about anybody. It didn’t really seem possible.

“Don’t sweat it too much, bug,” he said, clapping you on the shoulder. “You got plenty of time before you need to worry about that shit. No need to rush into it. Just wait until the time is right and you’ve found the right person and then you’re good. It’ll all work out in the end.”

He was right, you thought as you nodded again. You had all the time in the world but, eventually, you’d find someone you’d want to share it with. Even if that sounded insane now, you thought you would. You looked up at the cold, December sky, the universe stretched out before you and you took a deep satisfying breath.

“Yeah,” you said. “I think it will.”

***

July 20, 2029

“Joel, where the hell is your wife?”

Tommy and Joel both looked at each other before looking to Maria, confused.

“Don’t think it was my turn to watch ‘er,” Joel said, setting his whiskey down. “Actually, think it was the exact opposite of my turn to watch her what with tradition and all…”

“Well maybe it should have been because I can’t find her,” Maria said, clearly flustered. “I’ve checked your place, her old place, the room she was supposed to be getting ready in…”

Joel smiled a little to himself, shaking his head and getting up from the table. There was one obvious place Maria hadn’t checked.

“Maybe she’s gettin’ cold feet,” Tommy teased, smirking. “Lord knows she’s too smart for you, anyhow. Maybe she figured it out…”

“Yeah, yeah,” Joel said, adjusting the collar on his shirt. He was in too good a mood to even give his brother shit back. “Don’t think it works that way if you’ve already been married a year and a half. Besides, I think I know where to find her…”

“Just tell me,” Maria groaned, half-heartedly trying to stop him. “I’ll go. It’s bad luck for you to do it.”

“Think we already had more than our share of that,” he said, giving her a wink. “Think we’ll be OK.”

He left his brother’s kitchen and started toward the stables, walking in the opposite direction of most of the town, everyone making their way toward the gathering place in the middle. They gave him warm smiles and nods and congratulations as he passed and he smiled back, a little bubble of warmth in his chest that swelled as he made his way to you. Because while Maria might not know where you were, he sure did.

He heard you before he saw you.

“You’re doing good,” you said. “Try not to let your fingers get ahead of where your mind is though, that’s where you’re stutterin’ a bit…”

“Easy for you to say,” Joel almost heard Savvy’s eyes roll as she teased you. “You don’t have as many fingers to keep track of.”

You barked a laugh at that as Joel came into the stable. You were perched on the wall of Perseus’ stall, Savvy and Ellie sitting on either side of you, the guitar he’d made for Savvy in her arms. She noticed him before you did, giving him a little smile.

“Here,” she said, passing the guitar to you. “You should play something Dad likes since you’re getting married today and all.”

“Look at you, bein’ all sentimental,” you teased lightly back. But you took the guitar and drummed on it for a moment before settling on a song. “Alright, this is the first thing he ever played me. His version is better but this song always makes me think of him now.”

Joel just leaned against the door, watching and listening as you played I’m On Fire, that warm glow in his chest somehow growing as you did, wondering if you could possibly be any more perfect. You were wrong about one thing, though. Your version was better.

It had taken you a while to pick up the guitar again. You’d been back more than two months when he came home from a short patrol to find you on the couch, the guitar he made you in your arms and a determined - if frustrated - look on your face. You glanced up at him when he came in before looking back at the instrument.

“I’m tryin’ real hard not to throw this,” you said, arranging your intact hand on the neck of the guitar. “But it’s pissing me off.”

“Think I’d rather you throw the pillow,” Joel said wryly, coming to sit beside you. You rolled your eyes. “Want to show me?”

“Not really,” you said but you did anyway, starting to play the way you had for years and then seeming to forget that you had two fewer fingers, notes missing and fumbled and you shouted in frustration, almost throwing the guitar before clenching your jaw and moving to set it on the coffee table. Joel took it from you before you could, setting it on the other side of the couch before pulling you against him and kissing the top of your head.

“You were sounding good there, baby,” he said, stroking your arm. You scoffed. “Mean it, you were.”

“Yeah, I was playin’ a mess of bullshit there at the end,” you said. “Real good.”

“It’s gonna take time, sweetheart,” he said gently. “You spent a long time playing the way you used to. Takes a while to adjust. You’ll get there…”

“Because there are so many famous eight-fingered guitarists,” you muttered, your voice thick.

“Sure, but you’re better than every guitarist I’ve ever heard of,” he said, tugging you closer. “You will get there, baby. If anyone can it’s you.”

You sighed but snuggled into him and he hoped that you believed him. He wasn’t just saying it. Something inside him knew that you’d find a way to make music again the way you used to.

He was right. It took a few weeks - a few weeks of almost perpetual frustration - but you got there. He watched it happen, the moment it seemed to click into place almost startling in its clarity. You were playing in the kitchen while he cooked, not really working on anything in particular, just seeing what sounds you could pull from your instrument and how you could make them work together in that way you had when, all of a sudden, you played a few notes in quick succession. Joel frowned to himself and glanced over his shoulder, hoping you weren’t paying attention to him. You weren’t. You were intently focused on the guitar, your hands frozen on it for a moment before you did it again, adding more chords this time. The next thing he knew, you were playing the riff from Layla, laughing as you did.

“Joel!” You looked over to him after playing it a few times and he’d stopped pretending he wasn’t watching you, just leaning against the counter so you had the space to do what you needed to do. “Did you hear that?”

“Yeah baby,” he smiled. “Sure did.”

You made a giddy little noise and carefully arranged the guitar in your arms again before starting over. He had to practically pry the instrument away from you when dinner was done but you were beaming when he did, even though the place where you’d lost fingers was bleeding from the guitar strings.

Joel made you something after that, a simple piece of leather that covered that sensitive place and looped down around your wrist. It seemed to work wonders for you, making it easier to play guitar and work with the horses and he let himself feel good about it. He’d done something for you that made your life here better. He could still take care of you, still give you what you needed. They hadn’t taken that, too.

It still took a while for things to get back to normal. Or close to normal, anyway. After everything that had happened over the last two years, Joel didn’t think there was any real way to go back. You still woke up afraid some nights, his leg still bothered him more often than not. But there were good changes, too. Savvy had moved into the bedroom you’d set up for her, happy to have her mother to come home to again. Ellie came around all the time, often with her girlfriend in tow - something that had taken Joel by surprise but had settled into quickly. You’d even become more involved in Jackson, joining the council in the most recent election after Maria encouraged you to run. When the results had come in you sat there, wide eyed, for a moment before you got up and smiled and thanked people for voting for you. It was the shortest acceptance speech Jackson ever had.

While he wouldn’t want to go back and relive the worst of those times, he was starting to think the heartache was there for a reason. It was to get you both here, to this place, building your family and community together.

You finished the song and Ellie and Savvy clapped and you scoffed.

“Sounded real good there, baby,” Joel said from his place by the door. You didn’t jump at the sound of his voice, instead just looking over your shoulder back to him. “Tryin’ to show me up?”

“Nah,” you smiled, handing the guitar to Ellie and jumping down from your perch. “Never could with I’m On Fire. Other shit, though…”

He laughed and shook his head a little as you walked over to him, a blissful smile on your face, and he gave himself a chance to really appreciate you in that moment.

Joel always thought you were beautiful. You were beautiful when he’d first seen you in the forest years ago now, you were beautiful when you fell asleep against him when watching movies, you were beautiful when you came home covered in sweat and dirt and the smell of horse. But damn, were you ever beautiful here, like this. You were in a white eyelet lace dress that went down to your ankles, dropping low enough at the neck that the swell of your breasts were going to be a constant fucking temptation. Savvy had made you a crown of flowers that sat on your head and Joel’s old wedding band hung on a chain around your neck and your cowboy boots had been polished to shining and damn did he want to sweep you off your feet and carry you back home to hide you away from everyone else looking that good.

“Anyone ever tell you you’re the most beautiful woman on the damn planet?” He asked as you draped your arms around his neck and his hands found your waist.

“You,” you smiled, your eyes crinkling at the edges with it. “From time to time.”

“Should say it more then,” he smiled back. “Been slacking.”

“You’re not supposed to see her, you know,” Ellie said, trying to sound stern but smiling a little instead. “Maria told me.”

“Well someone decided to sneak away without tellin’ anyone where she was headed,” Joel teased lightly.

You just smiled broader.

“The important people knew where to find me,” you said.

Joel looked between you and the daughters you shared.

“Yeah,” he said. “Suppose we did.”

He took your hand and the four of you headed for the middle of town, Joel kissing you goodbye in a spot that was a little tucked away so not everyone would catch a glimpse of you.

“You’re too damn pretty,” he smiled. “Don’t want to spoil it for everyone. See you up there?”

You smiled back.

“Try and stop me.”

Joel wasn’t sure he’d ever felt quite so happy as when he watched you walk down the aisle toward him. The two of you said more traditional vows this time, Savvy and Maria by your side, Ellie and Tommy by his. There was something about making promises to you publicly, where everyone the two of you knew could see, that just felt right. You exchanged new rings this time, ones made of the antler of a moose Joel had felled a few months earlier, him slipping yours on your middle finger this time. When he kissed you, the rest of the town fell away and it was just you and him, the way it felt like it should be.

The whole town celebrated after, tables put out on the grass and lights hanging from the trees. Someone had rigged up a sound system and the children of Jackson chased each other, weaving in and out of tables shrieking and giggling as they went. You and Joel were sat at a head table with the girls, Tommy, Maria and William and Joel kept his hand on your knee all through dinner.

To kick off the dancing, Joel tugged you onto the floor, your chin tucked into your chest, and swayed slowly to Hallelujah, so like you had the first time he danced with you, before everything had fallen into place this way. You smiled and pressed close to him, moving alongside him in front of everyone the two of you knew in the world and Joel was happy.

Back at your table, he was just starting to think of a way to steal you back to the house when Ellie gave you a look, jerking her head off to the side. You gave his shoulder a squeeze and smiled, a little nervously.

“See you in a second,” you said, before following Ellie, who was whispering conspiratorially with you.

“What in the hell…” Joel frowned, watching you.

“Just have to wait and see, Dad,” Savvy said, looking far too pleased with herself.

He didn’t have to wait long. You and Ellie returned with your guitar and a boom box, Tommy setting up a chair for you in the middle of everything so everyone could see you before cutting the music.

“Hey, everyone!” Tommy yelled, his hands cupped around his mouth like a megaphone. “Pay attention to my baby sister!”

The whole of Jackson obeyed and Joel could tell that you were fighting the urge to just go and be next to him, far from the public eye. Instead, you stood next to Tommy, the guitar Joel made you dangling from your hand, Ellie standing nearby next to the boom box.

“Thanks, everyone, for comin’ tonight,” you said, your accent thick like it was when you got nervous. Joel smiled a little, the sound of home coming from your lips. “Means a lot to us that you’re here and sharing this with us. It means a lot to me, especially. I know it took me some time to settle in here because I ain’t had somewhere to call home with anyone other than my daughter for a real long time. But here feels like home, and the way everyone here has welcomed us… it means everything to me.

“Now, a lot of y’all may not know it but…” you took a deep breath and Joel could see you try to swallow your nerves. “I’m something of a musician. I don’t much like playing for anyone besides family but since I feel like y’all are family now, well… seemed only appropriate I play for everyone here tonight.”

You sat down and rested the guitar on your lap.

“Music’s always been the way I get my feelings out,” you said, now focused on Joel. His heart swelled. “I’ve never been great with words and I love you just doesn’t feel like enough when it comes to you, Joel. This ain’t much but… feels closer at least.”

You gave Ellie a nod and she pressed play on the boom box and Joel had to fight to not tear up as you played, the song growing and swelling as it went on, the boom box adding in piano and violin. The music was beautiful and intimate and made Joel think of the quiet mornings he spent with you in his arms, trailing his fingers over your the curve of you, your breath warm on his skin, gently kissing his way over you before the world woke up and it was just you and him and the love you made together. He loved those mornings with you, he wanted countless more of them and he could practically see them now, laid out in front of him like the world at his feet.

When the song ended, the whole of Jackson was silent, the only sound the rustle of the breeze on the trees. You tugged your lower lip between your teeth and, for half a second, looked like you wanted the ground to swallow you up. But then, all at once, everyone broke into applause, thunderous and adoring and you gave Joel a bashful look. Ellie took the boom box and your guitar to stash them away again as you made your way back to him, what seemed like everyone in town on their feet for you as you went.

“Hope that wasn’t too embarrassing,” you said as Joel pulled you in close.

“Baby, that was incredible,” he said, giving you a long, deep kiss. “I didn’t even know you’d been workin’ on the piano and the violin again!”

“I know,” you smiled a little, pressing close and tight to him. “You’re a hard man to surprise. But once I figured out the guitar, I wanted to get those back, too. Tommy even helped me tune the piano at my old place.”

Joel looked to his brother who gave him a small salute before he turned back to you.

“You’re amazing,” he said, resisting the urge to take off with you then and there. You just rolled your eyes before he kissed you again and he tried to be content with just having his arm around you as everyone in town made their way up to congratulate the two of you.

After what felt like a small eternity - and a few more dances with you - Tommy finally leaned over to whisper in Joel’s ear.

“I’ll hold down the fort and make sure the girls are all good,” he said. “Get outta here before you lose your damn mind.”

“Thanks, man,” Joel clapped him on the shoulder and Tommy just gave him a lopsided smile, one that Joel would would call paternal if it came from anyone else. He supposed it did from Tommy, too, now. It was still an odd thought, his brother finding his way to a wife and a place in the world before Joel had, that Joel was the one playing catch up and, in some ways, relying on his brother for help and guidance. But with you, it felt like he’d more than caught up. He’d come out ahead.

“Hey,” Joel gave you a little squeeze and whispered in your ear. “What do you say we get outta here, Mrs. Miller?”

“Really?” Your face lit up and Joel smiled and nodded. “Oh thank fuck, I don’t think I can talk to anyone who isn’t you or the girls again for a week…”

He laughed a little, pressing a kiss to your shoulder.

“C’mon,” he said. “Let’s sneak out…”

Joel took your elbow as you got up, the dance floor full as Tommy got to his feet, cupping his hands around his mouth like a megaphone again.

“Ladies and gentleman!” He yelled. “For the last time tonight, Mr. and Mrs. Miller!”

Joel gave him a look and Tommy gave him a wink as everyone turned and clapped. You and Joel waved goodbye before he put his arm around your waist and pulled you tight against his side, leading you home.

***

“Mrs. Miller,” Joel trailed his nose over your cheek, his words quiet in your ear.

“Hm,” you grunted in response, eyes still closed.

“C’mon,” he said softly, his hand smoothing over your stomach that was still covered by your wedding dress. “Gotta get up, we got places to be.”

You opened a skeptical eye at that. The ceiling of your bedroom was painted orange by the sunrise and Joel was there, smiling down at you, his curls still a little unruly from where your fingers had wound in them the night before.

“Where do we have to be?” You asked. “Pretty sure we get the day after our wedding off.”

“We do,” he said, his hand gliding over you, between your breasts in the low cut of your gown, over your chest to cup your cheek. “But still want to get an early start. Made you coffee, let’s go.”

“Early start for what?” You asked, sitting up now.

“Don’t worry about it,” he smiled. “You’ll like it, promise. Think you can ride a horse in that pretty dress of yours?”

You gave him an incredulous look.

He laughed.

“Fair enough. Then let’s get goin’.”

“Do I need to pack a bag or anything?” You asked, trying not to groan as you got out of bed.

“Already handled,” he said. “All I need is my beautiful wife to come along for the ride.”

You smiled a little.

“Think I can manage that.”

You had coffee and slices of leftover wedding cake with Joel before walking with him, hand in hand, to the stables, the sound of Jackson just coming to life around you as you went.

It felt a little silly to still be in your wedding dress but, you had to admit, it was a damn nice dress.

Staying in it the night before had been Joel’s idea. His lips had been working their way over your throat to your ear before he whispered to you there.

“That dress of yours comfortable?” He asked, a little breathless.

“Yeah,” you panted, pulling back just enough to frown at him. “Why?”

“Because,” he said, taking a moment to nip at your lower lip. “Did things backwards our first wedding night, already had you naked when we said our vows. Kinda want to have you in the white dress, make a real pretty mess of you in it.”

You smiled, reaching up and trailing your fingers through his hair.

“Whatever you want, Mr. Miller.”

He made you come four times in that dress the night before and you passed out in his arms before you could will yourself to move enough to take it off, too tired from the day of celebrations to bother changing once he was done with you.

It had been Joel’s idea to have a wedding ceremony. He’d brought it up a few months before, once you’d fallen back into life in town again, things as normal as they could be now. You still sometimes felt the ache of fingers that were no longer yours, you still sometimes woke up afraid that your daughters were gone, but you’d healed, too. Your skin was no longer broken and raw, you could play the music you loved again, you could go down the hall and look in on Savvy when you woke up afraid she was gone.

“We’re already married, Joel,” you laughed at him, your feet on his lap as you played guitar one night when Savvy was out with Kyle. Orion snuggled closer to your knee. “You forget that just because we don’t wear the rings anymore?”

“Never forget that,” he smiled a crooked smile at you as he massaged the arch of your foot. “One of the best damn nights of my life. But… I think now’s a good time to celebrate that with our family. Girls weren’t there for it, neither was Tommy. Think it’d be nice to do it again with them.”

You nodded slowly, mulling it over. It wasn’t a bad thought. You did want to share that with Savvy and Ellie, especially now that Savvy would actually be happy about it. And you knew that Joel had missed Tommy and Maria’s wedding, something he regretted now that he had a proper life here in Jackson. You understood why he’d want his brother there. You’d want your brothers there, too, if they were still alive.

“Sure,” you said eventually. “Let’s do it. Have witnesses when you make promises to me this time around, really hold you to that shit…”

He laughed at that.

“Damn right, baby,” he said. “You can hold me to whatever you want.”

Plans quickly grew, though, from just your family to family and friends to the whole of Jackson. Warren manipulated patrol schedules so there would be one afternoon that everyone was in town, damn near every chair and table that could be moved set up for the reception. It had become more than a celebration of you and Joel, changing into something celebrating the peace the city had known in the year since Mitchum’s downfall.

The raider attacks became almost non-existent, patrols hunting down the smaller side groups and wiping them out quickly once Mitchum’s control fell away. After that, even the threat from infected lessened. With fewer people in the forests in the miles around Jackson, there was less reason for them to be there. Patrols had become quiet and mostly peaceful, the town no longer afraid of what they might lose every time the gates to the city opened.

You were happy for the excuse for the focus to not be entirely on you all night, anyway. You’d never been comfortable being the center of attention and, while you liked having a chance to actually show how much your husband meant to you after years together, having that many eyes on you got old fast. Going home just you and Joel had been a relief.

“Hey there love birds,” Olivia said when you got to the stable, two sets of reins in her hands. “Ready to get underway?”

“Think so,” Joel said, taking the reins from her, Renaissance and Ares both packed like they were leaving for a long patrol. “Thanks for doin’ this.”

“Hey, anything to get her to take a break,” she gave you a wink. “Lord knows she deserves it. Have fun you two.”

“Joel,” you laughed, almost nervously, following alongside him as he led the horses to the gate. “Where are we going? What’s going on?”

“You’ll see,” he smiled a little as you reached the gates, handing you Renaissance’s reins. “Just have to keep up.”

You raised your brows at him and he laughed.

“Alright, just have to let me lead for a change, how about that?”

“That, I can do,” you smiled.

It was an easy ride, you following where Joel led, smiling and laughing and breathing in the fresh, clean scent of the forest as you did. For a while, you so rarely left Jackson after Mitchum. No matter what Joel and Tommy and Maria and Julie said, it didn’t feel safe. The worst things that had ever happened to you had happened outside those walls, it just wasn’t worth the risk to leave. If you were inside, in the house you shared with Joel and Savvy or at the stables or the Tipsy Bison, everything would be OK.

But you missed the outside, too. You missed how crisp the air was when you were outside, the sound of the animals in the wild, the way the world spread out in front of you vast and unclaimed.

Joel, Ellie and Julie had been easing you back into it. Julie asked you for help collecting fruit for one of her cocktail plans one day. You’d been hesitant but she convinced you, your whole body stiff the entire two hours you were outside, hyperaware of everything around you. But because you were so aware, you noticed everything too, things you’d missed like the rustle of the grass and the way the air smelled. You were a little more willing to go then.

Ellie told you she wanted to practice shooting as she got ready to go back out on patrol, taking some time off from it after everything that happened. She asked you when Joel was busy and Olivia was there to take over at the stables and you knew it was contrived but you went with her, anyway. She kept you talking, pointing out different birds and asking questions about things that you knew she knew the answer to but it did make you miss being out in the wild more. When you told her you knew better, Ellie kept pretending she had no idea what you were talking about.

Joel, at least, hadn’t tried to couch it in anything. He’d been holding you one morning when neither of you had to be anywhere, his fingers trailing gently up and down your arm.

“Been thinkin’,” he said quietly before pressing his lips to your forehead. “We should take the horses out, go on a short trail ride.”

You frowned.

“Why? They’ve been gettin’ plenty of exercise, don’t have any that need to be tested outside of town right now…”

“Because you could use it,” he said. You stiffened but he kept tracing his fingers over you, up and down.

“Joel…”

“You’ve been gettin’ out here and there,” he said gently. “And I know you miss it.”

“I miss how it used to be,” you corrected him. “It’s different now.”

“Don’t have to be,” he said. “Just come with me.”

You sighed, but he kept going.

“Just a few hours, not gonna take you far,” he said. “I’ll keep you safe.”

You pressed your lips together into a thin line, trying to calm your nerves as he pulled back to look at you, his eyes locked on yours.

“Would I try to get you to do somethin’ that wasn’t safe?” He asked gently. You gave him a look and he smiled a little. “I’ve got you, baby. Just you and me where you can open the horses up and get back out in the trees a little. I’ll be there the whole time, I’ve got you. S’OK.”

His eyes were so soft and his face was so open that you sighed and agreed. The first time had been scary. You only went for a few hours but you couldn’t relax the entire time you were gone, fully outside what felt like Jackson’s control for the first time since you’d come back. But Joel was right. He stuck close to you the entire time, always watching for any kind of threat, always ready to protect you. You made it back to Jackson in one piece, the only shots fired to take down a few stray infected ambling through the area.

He gradually got you to leave the walls of the town more and more, even convincing you to bring Savvy and Ellie along one day, and you realized - as you sat on a picnic blanket with your husband and daughters - that the safety may not have been the walls of the city after all. It may have just been Joel.

You felt comfortable now, outside Jackson with the man who had become your home, your safest place, your husband twice over. The trees were thinning, four hours into your ride and off the more beaten path. You looked at Joel, brows raised and he smiled.

“That’s where we’re headed,” he said. “When we get to there, go ahead and open ‘er up, you’ll know where to go.”

“So mysterious,” you teased and he shrugged, smirking a little, as you broke through the trees.

The sight was almost damn near idyllic, a small lake that was clear as glass, a cabin with a big front porch complete with a swing sitting on the other side of it. You looked at Joel, mouth open in shock.

“Me n’Tommy found it few months back,” he smiled. “Been fixin’ it up. Plenty of space for us, the girls, anyone they want to bring along. But… wanted to break it in right, just you and me. Besides, pretty sure I’ve owed you a honeymoon for a while now.”

You laughed, almost giddy, and pushed Renaissance into a full gallop, skirting along the edge of the water, standing in the stirrups so the air sent the skirt of your dress billowing out behind you. You rode her up to the porch, slipping out of the saddle before she’d come to a full stop, too excited to get a look at the place. You realized there was a small dock just off the porch, a rowboat tied to the side of it, and wildflowers among the grass outside the cabin.

“I do OK?” Joel asked, getting off Ares and coming up alongside you.

“This is amazing,” you said, awed, as you took it all in. “I can’t believe you did all this, it’s…”

You couldn’t find the words, just looking at him, a small smile on his lips.

“C’mon,” he said, taking your hand and leading you up the front steps. He opened the front door but stopped you from going through it. “You gonna let me carry my wife across the threshold? Always wanted to do that with you in a wedding dress.”

You laughed a little and draped your arms around his neck.

“Think that can be arranged.”

He bent and swept you off your feet and into his arms, making you laugh.

“Then let’s go, Mrs. Miller.”

He carried you through the front door and into the living room, some faded couches and mismatched arm chairs around a fireplace. Behind them was a table big enough to have the whole family gathered around it, a set of stairs beyond that and a kitchen off to the side. There was a bundle of wildflowers in a jar of water in the middle of the table, a shelf of board games and cards sitting next to the hearth.

“Give me a few minutes to get the horses settled,” he said, setting you down and kissing your temple. “Then I’ll show you the best part of this place.”

You took your time taking in the place, how much care you could tell Joel and Tommy had put into it. You could see places in the wall that had been patched, shelves that had been mounted. There were stores of canned foods in the cupboards, a canister of tea, a jar of honey, even a pair of matching mugs, both chipped with little owls on them that made you smile. In the living room, there was art on the walls: one of a horse grazing in an open field and another of a deer standing next to a moose in a clearing. You smiled, leaning in closer to see Ellie’s signature in the corner.

“She wanted to contribute,” Joel said from behind you and you turned to face him. He set packs down on the couch and you smiled as he came to you, putting his arms around your waist and tugging you against him. He trailed his lips along your forehead, your temple, down toward your throat, his hands slipping up your sides to slide into the low neck of your dress, making you moan.

“Want to see my favorite part about this place?” He asked, heat on his voice. You just nodded and he pushed the top of the dress down, bearing your chest to him. “No one around for miles. All alone out here. So I can have you all to myself, naked, in that water out there.”

He took the globes of your breasts in his large hands, cradling the weight of them gently in his palms, squeezing you and you groaned at his touch. He kissed you, dipping his tongue into your mouth and you pulled at the buttons of his shirt, opening them one by one.

“Should get me naked then,” you said breathlessly when he pulled away from you ever so slightly. “That water looks awful inviting.”

You undressed each other quickly then, Joel’s shirt and pants ending up in a heap on the floor, your dress draped over the couch. He took your hand and led you outside, pulling you along into the cool water. It was smooth and clear on your skin, the sandy bottom of the lake soft on your toes. He pulled you deeper, until the water was up to your shoulders, before tugging you against him. You smiled and he tilted your head so he could kiss you, his thumb over your cheek, fingers curving around the back of your neck.

“I can’t believe you did all this,” you said quietly as he held you close. His thick, hard cock was pressed against your stomach, your breasts pressed against his wet skin. “You didn’t have to…”

“I wanted to,” he smiled, his forehead against yours. “I want to give you everything, baby.”

You reached and put your arms around his neck, arching your back against him.

“You already have,” you said softly. “You gave me you.”

His hands drifted lower, cupping the round of your ass and lifting you so you could wrap your legs around his waist. His cock was pressed against your slit and you moaned at the feel of it, the way the water and the tip of him moved against your clit already making your pussy tighten. He lifted you, dragging the thick of his length over your sex until he notched his head at your entrance and he moaned.

“Goddamn baby,” he said, voice tense with want. “Can feel how warm you are inside already…”

He pulled you down onto him, his cock pressing into you slowly, slow enough that you could feel how he opened you to him, stretching you around him. You groaned, burying your face in his neck and breathing in the smell of him.

“Fuck you feel good,” his mouth trailed over your neck, your bare shoulder. “So goddamn good, taking me so well…”

Your fingers sank into his skin and you pressed yourself impossibly closer and tighter to him as he bottomed out inside you, your clit pressed against the base of his stomach, the whole of him thick and heavy inside you.

“Joel,” you whimpered. “You’re so deep, feel so good…”

“I know, sweetheart,” he breathed, taking his hands from your ass to your back to clutch you close. “I know.”

He held you close and tight and you managed to pull your face from his neck to look at him, your eyes on his, noses brushing, breathing into each other as the water cradled you both. You moved together, every rock of your hips and thrust of his slow and aching. You weren’t able to tell where he ended and you began and you could feel his breath quickening as the heat inside you grew stronger, your channel getting tighter.

“Want you to come for me,” he whispered, voice trembling. “Need to feel you, come on baby and come for me.”

You could only moan in response, his thrusts growing firmer as you pressed your clit against his skin, his arms tightening around you. You were right on the edge, so close exploding around him.

“Come with me,” you managed, clinging to him. “Please, I need to make you come, please…”

He cut you off with a kiss, swallowing your needy sounds, moving in you desperate and claiming. Your orgasm built higher and higher, drawing you so tight around him it seemed impossible until he pulled you so close it almost hurt, body flush to his as you felt him come undone inside of you.

It only took a moment for the pulsing of his cock to set off your own orgasm, making you throb and flutter around him as rope after rope of his come filled you. For a moment, it was as though you and Joel were the only people left in the world, the way he was around and inside you the only thing you could be sure of then.

He held you after both your orgasms eased, his softening length still inside you, your head on his shoulder, your arms around him as his lips brushed your neck. The water was still and quiet around you, a soft breeze on the air and you smiled against his skin, a sense of peace settling over you as you did.

It had taken so long to reach this point, so many years of pain and healing, so much you needed to move past. But it had all led you here, where you were together, where everyone you loved was safe and happy and you didn’t need to be afraid anymore.

Joel’s hand trailed slowly up and down your spine and he pressed a kiss into your skin.

“I’m so happy we got here,” you said quietly.

You felt him smile against your shoulder.

“Me too, Bambi,” he said, kissing you again before pulling back from him just enough to look you in the eye. “Come a long way in the last few years.”

You smiled a little.

“Hard to believe,” you said. “I didn’t think I’d ever have something like this. I didn’t know it was possible to have something like this.”

“Me, too,” he said. “Makes it feel like all the shit we went through to get here was worth it.”

“Yeah,” you said, kissing him gently. “It does.”

You looked in his eyes, just appreciating him for a moment, the tan of his skin and the gray of his hair and the wrinkles and the scars that told the story of everything that he’d survived and felt deeply that he was one of the most beautiful things you’d ever held.

“So,” he said after a few minutes. “Since this is a honeymoon and all, we got the place to ourselves for as long as we want it but figure we’ll want to get back to the girls before too long. What are you thinkin’ baby?”

You hummed for a moment, considering.

“Well,” you said. “I do miss the girls. But… I like having you all to myself. Think I want to stay here, where I can take advantage of the fact that I can get you naked whenever I want, for at least a few days. Maybe a week.”

He smiled.

“Week sounds good,” he said.

“Plus,” you said. “We can always come back in the future. Have as many honeymoons as we want.”

“Yeah,” he smiled wider. “We can. We got time.”

You kissed your husband, soft and slow, before pulling away and smiling back at him.

“We do,” you said. “We have all the time in the world.”

A/N:

Hi, everyone!

I cannot believe we are here. Exactly one year ago today I published the first chapter of Yearling and now I'm publishing the last.

Thank you so so so much for going on this journey with me, Joel and Bambi. These characters have meant so much to me over the past year and it has been just an absolute joy to share them with you. I hope you've enjoyed how they've grown together and built the life they'll have from here on out.

If you'd like to keep reading what I'm sharing, I am starting up another few fics. There's an AU of Yearling that you can find here and I am working on another Joel fic that is a no-outbreak AU where Joel is reader's bodyguard. It's called The Savage and the Sanctuary and you can find that here.

I've always been bad at saying goodbye, so I won't do that. I will just say thank you for coming on this adventure with me and for all the love and support you've shared. I hope to see you again soon.

Be well, take care of yourselves, and spread a little kindness in the world.

Love you!!

Taglist: @ashleymsnodgrass@planet-marz1@kalea-bane @juneswonderlust @ilovepedro @h-annahayy @starstruckmusiciansartghost @beccerjune @mumma-moonchild @netonetoneto @mellymbee @purplelye @n7cje @flugazi @evyiione @randomhoex @aliengirl99 @orcasoul @reds-ramblings @pedropascalsbbg @fupoola @tinypotatothing @knopes-waffles @lilmizmoz @ayamenimthiriel @jenispunk @panda-pascal @sarap-77 @flugazi @your-slutty-gf @daniegraceg @partyofone3413 @cumberpegg @noisynightmarepoetry. @fifia-writes @grumpygrumperton @srmacaroni @txlady37 @bigboiseason123 @ashleyfilm @arizonadreamingg

#fanfic #joel miller x female reader #yearling #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #joel miller x oc

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blackseafoam · 6 months ago

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Marked Part III

A Bad Batch x Red Dead Redemption crossover AU (with illustrations)

PART 1 - PART 2

Word count: 2002

CW: Stuff you'd normally find in a western story. Swearing, smoking, gun touting, bullet wounds, horse jokes.

“Why do you keep looking over there? The job is as good as done, Arthur.” Javier gestured with his whiskey glass, elbows planted on the bar top.

“Yeah, have a drink. We earned it.” Lenny nodded with his beer.

“Slow down, Summers, remember the last time you came here to ‘wind down’” Javier jabbed, snickering.

“Shut up, Esquella.” Lenny muttered into his glass as he raised it.

Arthur barely noticed the two bickering. His mind elsewhere. There was a nagging feeling those three soldiers weren’t done fighting yet. The energy between those men was almost as if they could talk without speaking. Their expressions clearly showed they were not ready to give up yet. Like an animal in a snare, biting and scratching to its last breath, chewing off its leg to get away if it has to.

He sipped his whiskey but kept one eye dutifully on the front of the Sheriff's office, just in case, even as the sun went down and the warm light of lanterns and candles became the only way to see.

BOOM. Every glass on every table shuddered at once. Lenny choked on his drink.

Dutch’s boys knew the sound of dynamite all too well. Arthur got to his feet and ran outside, closely followed by his inebriated posse.

The side of the sheriff's station was blown wide open, a gaping hole in the wall revealed the inside of the holding cell, and prisoners nowhere to be seen. Arthur cursed, making eye contact with the deputy inside, on the other side of the bars, standing frozen in shock.

“Damn, these guys might be even crazier than us.” Lenny huffed. Javier sighed with frusdration.

“Goddamn. I can’t believe it.” Arthur couldn’t help but sound a little impressed.

Arthur’s attention went to the muddy ground, to the scrambling footprints, four, no, five sets of boots led toward the main road, then disappeared.

“They got on a wagon, come on.” Arthur growled, then turned to get his horse. This bounty was now officially giving them a run for their money.

“Do you think they heard that?” Wrecker laughed as soon as his brothers climbed aboard the wagon. With a flick of the reins they were off as quickly as Murray could pull the full load. Tech, being the designated driver, climbed to the front and took the reins. They headed south out of the town,the opposite direction of their old camp. It almost felt good to get into some action again, almost.

“Where’s Meggy?” Hunter huffed as he took a seat.

“In here!” His seat spoke. Echo huffed a laugh as Hunter stood in shock and opened the crate. The three siblings in the cargo area shared a reunion hug.

“How touching.” Crosshair caught up to the wagon on Havoc, rifle trained to the sky in one hand, reins in the other. The jet black steed’s nostrils flaring with excitement. “Celebrate later, we’re being followed.” He cast a glance over his shoulder.

Three horsemen coming up from behind caught the light of the train station on the edge of town. Barely visible at this distance, but closing fast.

“Did you bring our guns?” Echo began moving the supply crates to barricade the rear of the open wagon.

“In here!” Meggy handed him a saddlebag from the floor.

Echo moved one crate toward the front of the wagon. Hunter motioned Meggy to take cover behind it. “Do not move from this spot until we say so.” He said sternly. Meggy looked at him with eyes wide open, nodding and sitting frozen still. The intensity in his expression taking her aback.

Wrecker loaded his sawn-off shotgun, Echo spun his pistol, and Hunter turned the safety off of his revolver. Tech urged the horse to continue as fast as he dared into the night. He wasn’t familiar with this road but from his vague recollection of maps it was relatively straight.

The first shot rang out, splintering through the back of the driver’s seat. Missing Tech’s hip by inches. Being on the wagon meant their aim would be marginally better than their pursuers at full gallop. Hopefully.

Sure enough, it was their three escorts from earlier that came into view in the moonlight. One of them took another shot, but it went wide. Hunter and Echo returned fire, forcing the bounty hunters to spread out evasively. Meggy watched in horror over the crate, covering her ears and not daring to move a muscle as she crouched in the corner. Her limbs shook with adrenaline.

“We are not going to outrun them, we need a plan!” Tech called over his shoulder.

“No way we’re surrendering!” Wrecker bit out as he rolled into the back to take cover.

“I have an idea.” Tech gritted his teeth and veered the wagon onto the train tracks.

“TE-ECH, what are you do-oing!?” Echo yelled, the seriousness in his tone cut by his jostling voice. The wagon wheels bumped violently as they rolled over the railroad ties.

“Blackwater!” Is all he said in response.

Echo didn’t have time to ask more questions, as more shots rang out. A shot went straight through Hunter’s side, and into the crate protecting Meggy.

Hunter staggered, Echo noticed. “Hunter’s hit!” He announced. Hunter was still firing after he stumbled to his knees, Wrecker stowed his shotgun went to his brother’s aid. His close-range weapon wasn’t much help in the firefight anyway.

“We still need more distance!” Crosshair spat, his expression steeling as he thought. He knew that as soon as their enemies caught up with the wagon, it was all over. And they were getting uncomfortably close by the second.

The massive railroad bridge that was Bard’s Crossing stretched high over the yawning mouth of the Dakota River before it spanned out into Flat Iron Lake. Tech was leading them straight for it, an absolute madman, but probably one of the only people who could pull it off. Crosshair couldn’t help but smirk at his brother, the lunacy of the situation.

In that moment, Crosshair realized what he needed to do. He slowed Havoc to a canter. The stallion grunted, wanting to stay with his herd.

“Crosshair, what are you doing?!” Wrecker called out, crouched over Hunter, trying to staunch the hole in his side.

“Buying time.” Crosshair said, releasing the reins to cock his rifle. Using his seat to further slow his horse.

“This isn’t part of the plan!” Tech started to slow Murray.

“Too bad, it is now. GO! I’ll meet you in Blackwater.”

Tech nodded reluctantly, and urged Marauder back up to speed.

“This is not good, we shouldn’t split up!” Echo lowered his pistol, watching Crosshair and Havoc disappear into the darkness. “Running off to be the hero never works Crosshair!” He futilely called after his brother.

After the bridge, Tech steered the wagon back onto the road uncomfortably close to an oncoming train, thankfully still going slow as it left the nearby station. He cast an apologetic wave at the conductor who was visibly angry. They pulled the wagon over as soon as possible, Tech held up the driver’s lantern to check on Hunter. “How bad?” He was almost afraid to ask.

“A little worse than a graze, but I don’t think it hit anything important.” Wrecker reported.

“I’d… beg to differ, Wrecker. Feels pretty important.” Hunter huffed a small laugh which became a groan.

Echo rummaged through the kitchen crate for a whiskey bottle. Handing it to Hunter, who took a long swig before returning it. His face scrunching in anticipation before Echo splashed the stinging liquid onto the wound.

Tech finished by cleaning and staunching the wound with fabric from their triage kit, leftover from the war. They hadn’t had much use of it since then. After the train went by they were left in hanging silence. The tension began to abate, though worry about Crosshair still hung in the air. Wrecker looked out toward the bridge as if he could see his brother through the darkness if he tried hard enough.

Echo turned toward Meggy, still cowering in the corner of the wagon. Still doing exactly as Hunter instructed, staying put. Her face was lined with horror and her eyes were wet, as she hugged her still shaking legs.

“Hey, hey Meggy. We’re okay.” Echo went to her side. She glanced at him, then looked back toward Hunter and Tech. “Here, uh, come sit up here.” He took her elbow. The poor girl looked shell-shocked as if she were the one who’d been through a war. She took his offer to get up off the floor and sit on a crate with him, still shivering.

Crosshair halted Havoc, still on the bridge. He could already hear the hoofbeats of his pursuers pounding on the wooden struts. He deftly uncaulked his rifle and stowed it in the saddle as he slid off. Walking several paces toward the enemy, he raised his hands toward the stars above.

The gang got on their way again. “The closer we are to Blackwater, the safer we’ll be.” Tech assured, steering Murray to ford a shallow creek, letting the loyal beast take a long drink of water before continuing on.

“Why’s that?” Hunter croaked, taking another swig of whisky while trying to get comfortable against a sideways barrel close to Meggy’s seat.

“A few weeks ago the Van der Linde gang were here, and… left quite the mess.” Tech snapped the reins and Murray continued at a walk. “The gang robbed the Blackwater ferry. $150,000, according to the paper.” He added.

Wrecker whistled in amazement. “That’s a lot of cash…”

“It was a bloody affair, the Pinkertons got involved.”

“We should probably stay far enough away from the town if there are feds about, not to mention in case Meg–, I mean our wanted posters have made it out here.” Echo pointed out, casting a glance at Meggy beside him, still as a statue with Echo’s jacket draped over her shoulders. Hunter looking at her with concern, despite being the only one bleeding.

“Meggy, are you okay?” Hunter put the bottle to the side and reached out to her, wincing as the motion tugged painfully.

“She’s not hurt...” Echo pondered. “I think she’s scared, but she hasn’t said anything.”

“I’m okay.” Meggy nodded, and a tear ran down her face. She wiped it quickly, hoping no one saw.

Her brothers continued to console her as the wagon continued into the dark.

Arthur, Javier and Lenny rode up on the lone dark-clad outlaw with guns drawn.

“You’re coming with us.” Lenny spat, leveling his pistol.

“I would like to come to an arrangement.” Crosshair called out. “I have… a proposition.”

Lenny and Javier looked at Arthur, who raised his chin in interest. “Let’s talk somewhere we aren’t about to get crushed by a train.” He responded after a beat of consideration. Crosshair spun around and saw the light of an engine appearing on the other end of the bridge, when he turned back around Dutch’s boys were trotting back to solid ground. Crosshair mounted up and followed.

“You sure this is a good idea, Morgan?” Javier chided.

“Let’s hear him out. It’s our only option now.” Arthur cast a glance over his shoulder in the direction of Blackwater.

Between two prairie hills just outside Blackwater, the Bad Batch gang had settled in for the night, huddled against the wagon with a small campfire. Coyotes yapped nearby, and the crickets added to the chorus with their own nighttime song. Meggy laid on her bedroll between Hunter and Wrecker. Tech took the first watch after he untacked Marauder and brushed him. All five of them were silent with worry since the wagon wheels stopped. Every little sound had Tech looking up from what he was doing, hoping it was Crosshair catching up with them. Wrecker took the next watch, then Echo. Meggy and Hunter were allowed to sleep off the ordeal. The night slid by with no sign of their absent brother.

Taglist: @dragonrider9905 @omegafett99 @griffedeloup @happydragon @fionas-frenzy @dizzy-9906 @coruscanti-travelguide

Author's note:

"It didn't hit nothin' important!!" That scene from the Ballad of Buster Scruggs kept playing in my head while I wrote this. I might add some more illustrations to this later, cuz I still have some ideas, but for now I just wanted to get this OUT THERE. I've completed a rough outline of the whole story at this point, and I'm so excited for the stuff at the climax. I have no idea how many chapters this will be but I'm trying to keep each one around 1.5 - 3k words.

I am so grateful for the positive feedback on the first two chapters thank y’all so much! I am certainly not the most experienced writer, and have been kind of hard on myself with this chapter, but had to keep remembering that this is all just for fun and doesn’t have to be perfect.

#tbb x rdr2 au #writing #the bad batch #sw tbb fanfic #sw tbb #tbb omega #tbb crosshair #tbb echo #tbb wrecker #tbb tech #tbb hunter #hunter whump #western au #rdr2 fanart #bad batch fandom

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acquired-stardust · 21 days ago

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Special Feature: Vana'diel - Digital Archaeology in 2025 and the Soul of Adventure (Final Fantasy XI, 2002)

Acquired Stardust is back after a long hiatus from writing with this special feature! Want to know what we've been up to over the holidays? Click through to read Ash's long story about uncovering a living fossil and checking off a bucket list item together with Larsa through their adventures in Final Fantasy XI's Vana'diel!

The love of and desire for 'adventure', even vicariously, is something that has been etched into the very soul of humanity from the earliest stages of our history - the oldest surviving literary narrative, Sumer's Epic of Gilgamesh, is over four thousand years old. From the time written language came into being we have dreamed of stories of great heroes roaming the land, contending with crisis and gods in equal measure.

The subject of today's feature is a series that itself often hearkens back to the Epic of Gilgamesh with abundant references throughout its now 16 mainline entries and countless spinoffs, and to really understand it in context is difficult given just how much the world has changed since the release of Final Fantasy XI in 2002 (arriving in America two years later). So different in fact it almost sounds like another world itself.

The early aughts were an incredible time to grow up, and it's one of the times in my life I've personally felt a sense of adventure most strongly. As a child of the first generation to grow up with easy access to computers in the home it felt like a time of infinite possibilities. Large numbers of emergent technologies and innovations had begun to rapidly change youth culture as well as erode the old order of isolated regional cultures. The rollout of broadband 'high speed' internet in 2001 to my area was a huge deal, finally breaking upstate New York out of dial-up internet limitations now unimaginable. Video games and the hardware on which they ran got infinitely more complex. Media from Japan continued its controlled flow into the west as anime like Dragon Ball Z left its indelible mark on my generation.

Somewhere in this confluence of rapidly expanding technology and rapidly shrinking cultural borders I found myself coming of age. Growing up in upstate New York with Knox's Headquarters quite literally in my backyard gave me an early love of history, but growing up a 'latchkey kid' afforded me control of my own time - I could do what I wanted when I wanted to do it all with minimal, if any, supervision. I was able to throw myself into whatever pursuit I wanted to without anyone looking over my shoulder, to decide for myself what I was interested in and who I was to become. The opportunity to find myself on my own is one I'm eternally grateful for, and to have done it in a time before far-right pipelines were anywhere near as omnipresent as they are now was a real blessing.

How this shaped up was, unsurprisingly, that I played a lot of primarily Japanese video games and watched a lot of anime. But in the early aughts there was still a comparatively very slow trickle of those things available in the west, and I was drawn primarily to two outlets that could expand my awareness of them. One was Cartoon Network's [Adult Swim] brand which would become a huge cultural player in itself and is perhaps a story for another time. The other was twice-defunct television channel G4, focused largely around video game programming such as documentaries in its series Icons and even airing thematically structured compilations of trailers, cutscenes and gameplay with Cinematech.

My love for history really blossomed in this period into complete obsession with hobbies. History was in my backyard, but it was also everywhere and In every little thing. And there were so many more 'little things' than I had ever previously known. The world was far bigger than I had ever imagined. There was always something new to see, each with its own universe of things to know about it. It was like surfing an incredible alternative cultural wave, topping the peak alongside countless other misfit kids of the Bush years. It's an experience unlike many others I've had in my life, and an incredibly special time that I will never forget. It created innumerable core memories, sometimes even from the slightest of things. One such core memory leads us directly to today's article.

The day itself was not unlike any other. I'd arrived home from school to an empty apartment and sat myself in front of the TV to spend my time on what I really wanted to be studying. As the aforementioned program Cinematech aired a rerun of one of its regular episodes I was caught off guard by a commercial for the then-upcoming Final Fantasy XI. It was a quick 30-second spot, but utterly arresting to someone who had up until that point (and indeed to this day) been completely obsessed with Final Fantasy. The game itself looked like one of the coolest things I'd ever seen, but the narration and logo noting that the game was 'online' blew my mind at the time. While certainly not the first Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game, it was the first one I'd personally encountered and the prospect of being able to interact with other Final Fantasy fans within the specific context of a Final Fantasy game rather than discussion of it was extremely tantalizing.

But there were a lot of questions to be asked. What was an online game? How did an online adapter work and how much did it cost? You'd have to pay a monthly subscription to play it? And what exactly was an HDD, anyway? Rather than deal with the hassle of answering these questions (which were likely to be met with a swift and completely understandable 'no' when the inevitable monetary costs were discussed) I drifted away into other areas of my hobbies. But the core memory of seeing this game for the first time had stayed with me all these years, and Final Fantasy XI had become something of a white whale to me. A game I'd always wanted to experience but never had the time or extra money for. An opportunity I missed out on, a time and place I should have been in. Part of that great cultural wave I should've surfed.

Larsa and I discussed getting into the game almost every year we've known each other (note: that's a long time) and always ultimately decided against it as we were already busy enough. That all changed in the later days of 2024 when we finally took the plunge and bought the game on Steam, a bundle containing all of the expansions for the game as well as a free 30 day subscription.

There are no two ways about it, Final Fantasy XI is extremely antiquated. In fact it's a game so old that it was released before Squaresoft even became Square-Enix. Setup of the game's PlayOnline launcher, notoriously referred to as 'the first boss of the game', is a pain and can alone filter out many looking to experience the game proper and we admittedly ran into a snag or two that at first did not look good for our future with it. But managing to make it through the initial hurdles was rewarded almost immediately precisely because the game is so antiquated. The PlayOnline launcher is a living fossil reminiscent of an earlier, intermediary intersection of culture and technology - a less connected world without social media or smartphones. Built-in mail services, profiles with information sections like hobbies, 129 pages of selectable avatars many of which from then-contemporary Square games such as Threads of Fate (1999), Ehrgeiz (1998) and Brave Fencer Musashi (1998) as well as other Final Fantasy games. It presents a shared language and collective frame of reference for culture of the era with the inclusion of some of those games that are now functionally extinct.

The PlayOnline launcher feels like walking the hallowed halls of not just a museum, but a genuine slice of time rather than a recreation or kayfabed reenactment. It feels like walking through a time portal directly to the transitional period between web 1.0 and 2.0. Absolutely remarkable to the point that I felt speechless fiddling around in its menus, its ability to remain untouched by modernization is nothing short of astounding. They say that you can never truly get your childhood back but the PlayOnline launcher feels like it manages to genuinely capture the way the world, and indeed the way we, were at the time. Like returning home after two-plus decades away only to discover everything is exactly the same as you left it.

There's a real sense of peace, wonder and belonging unlike much I've ever felt before. It was like spotting land from ocean and I was simply overcome with emotion. Overcome with the sudden acute awareness of loss, and having managed to regain some of what was lost. Overcome with the feeling of many people, each with their own lives and complex as my own, having tread these same halls over the course of what was now decades. Fiddling around with the launcher was genuinely one of the most surreal and vivid experiences of my life. And the absolute whirlwind of nostalgia wasn't through with me yet, the opening scene of the game featuring the iconic Uematsu-composed Prelude and narration by the actor who first made me want to get into the arts in Michael McConnohie. The game's English cast in general features many actors who defined that generation of voice acting and adds to the overall feeling of being a moment trapped in time.

Players are able to create one singular character (with the option to purchase more character creation slots for an additional fee), selecting from different playable races with their own distinct physical features, stat advantages and disadvantages. Character creation is rather limited by current standards, with each playable race having two 'genders', each having a number of preset faces and hairstyles. You are able to alter your character's height, but that is all the player can do in terms of customization beyond selecting preset faces and hairstyles, which are themselves tied to each other. The playable races are by and large the same initial races available in Final Fantasy XIV, though I find the Mithra preferable to XIV's Miqo'te as they're a bit more bestial and less anime catgirl. Much of the aesthetic is also rather similar to XIV, with plenty of recurring gear visuals recycled into XIV (along with plenty of monsters), though some of the cloth armor is more elaborate and creative as opposed to XIV's deluge of generic healer robes you will be inundated with. After creating your character you select one of three nations to hail from, each with their own storyline that ultimately converges by the time the final battle of the base game rolls around.

Larsa and I (playing Mithra and Tarutaru, respectively) embarked on Windurst's story, and the antiquated nature of the game is felt pretty much immediately. There are no quest markers and very little information about where to go or what to do, or even how. You will be thrown right into the deep end and expected to find your own way and make your own adventure. Maps are invaluable items able to be purchased by players for most of the game's expansive and sometimes rather empty areas, otherwise they will be flying blind. which can be very troublesome but helps the overall feeling of an adventure. It helps you connect more with the world and learn where things are. Roughly the first thirty hours of gameplay was spent exclusively on leveling our characters, figuring out the battle system and exploring, without nearly a single story scene due to focusing on experiencing the game naturally rather than following one of countless sometimes variously outdated guide.

On that front, the gameplay is certainly of a very slow pace for better or worse. Battles are menu-based like classic Final Fantasy games as opposed to the more modern action game style, and players' main form of damage in combat will be through auto attacks against creatures that for the first time appear in the world rather than as separate random encounters one loads into. These auto attacks can be quite quick (with some of the quicker classes being able to land more than one blow per attack) although some weapons will attack significantly slower. Actions taken during battle charge a TP meter that the player will be able to spend on 'weaponskills', damaging named attacks with their own built-in typing that can react to and resonate with other weaponskills resulting in an even more damaging 'skillchain', itself being further able to be paired with a magic spell for a 'magic burst' that applies even more escalating damage.

Figuring this system out is fun and can considerably speed up combat, and is another area in which the game encourages experimentation, rewarding those willing to invest time in tinkering with the game's six basic jobs (the player is able to freely swap to any of these basic jobs, and later the many advanced jobs as they are unlocked, in their housing) and multitude of available weapon types. Jobs are additionally able to be expanded through combination, assigning another unlocked job as a sub job that grants you access to that job's abilities, stats and gear in addition to those of your main job.

The pace of the game being rather slow works in its favor in regards to how its multitude of mechanics function together. It feels like every single action and event matters. Status effects such as poisoning, silencing and blinding can now turn the tide of battle one way or another. MP, which the player uses primarily to cast spells, recovers extremely slowly and so their use of it must be carefully managed lest they be forced to literally sit down for minutes at a time to rest and recover. Items such as potions and ethers are incredibly valuable as a consequence of this. There is genuinely so much room for skill expression, planning and executing battles and it's very refreshing compared to many modern games.

The system itself, while deep and rewarding of knowledge, also has lots of little touches that help keep the experience from being excruciating. One example is the cursor memory effect that allows you to quickly recast spells and abilities as needed. Just as well in the years since release the game has seen the additon of the Trust system, an array of collectable NPC summons that scale to the player's level and fill multiple roles in the party that helps mitigate the declining playerbase and the large variance in levels and progress between the players that do still play.

These Trusts are able to be summoned at nearly any time and resummoned after falling in battle on a short timer, and they really help the experience of progressing through the game a ton. Speaking of timers and the overall pace of the game, it seems to be a recurring and somewhat intrusive element of the experience that you will likely have an opinion on one way or the other. On the one hand it makes actions matter tremendously, and on the other it can sometimes feel like every action including map traversal is stretched in hopes of milking players for subscription money.

Time gates themselves are not terribly uncommon to run into, with the quest that unlocks the samurai job featuring a several-hour real world wait associated with it that is wholly unnecessary. Final Fantasy XI is very much unafraid to make you spend your time with things like RNG drops for quests and conditional monster spawns. Some of this design philosophy also crept its way into the original version of Final Fantasy XIV, the notorious 1.0 that nearly spelled financial doom for Square Enix after a turbulent period.

The base game's story scenes are few and far between, with a certain level of gravitas to the fade-to-black that comes with a cutscene due in part to that infrequency but just as much with how purposefully they are interspersed. The story itself is, at least at first, a bit simplistic and reminiscent of a rather vanilla Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Which works in the game's favor quite well as a platform for authentic and spontaneous adventure.

To that point, each job has roles to play in a party and depending on the situation you may find yourself in need of another player to help you through a particular challenge. While the majority of this can be mitigated through Trusts or clever uses of items such as Prism Powder to sneak by aggressive monsters, it is entirely possible for you to be stuck at various points if you don't already meet the qualifications or have another player on hand able to help you.

This was a particularly fascinating element of the experience to me and highlighted some of the ways in which culture has changed. While it is true that this is yet another way in which the experience can be stretched out, it hearkens back to some of the origins of the series in its obsession with Dungeons and Dragons. There are ample opportunities for 'hero moments', not all of which will be yours and yours alone. These days if we're holding the controller we want to feel like the hero at all times, but Final Fantasy XI is not afraid to give different people in your party the chance to shine at different times which very much feels in line with the tabletop roleplaying experience.

As a consequence of things taking so long it creates a real, genuine feeling of thankfulness for the players having their hero moments. The gratitude can really help forge some bonds among players which isn't necessarily something we collectively like doing anymore. Much of the design of the game facilitates a great sandbox for authentic adventure and is almost entirely player driven outside of the main story quest.

The sound design is also quite strong, with a strong team of composers including series veteran Nobuo Uematsu handling the game's staggering workload. There's a lot of standout songs, such as "Heavens Tower", but even those without direct experience with the game might be familiar with the Uematsu-composed "Ronfaure" which has been a fixture of live performances associated with the series at large for virtually as long as there have been such concerts. Plenty of nostalgic nods to previous games aurally help the game feel more connected to its predecessors as well, such as certain classifications of armor sounding identically to Final Fantasy IX party member Adelbert Steiner's armor when running.

The graphics variously hold up quite well. Character designs are largely strong (with many feeling right at home in this era of Square game) and much of the clothing design is pretty good as well, not featuring (to my knowledge) as many of the deviations that Final Fantasy XIV does with, for example, its recent 'streetwear' additions to the game. It's a rather cohesive aesthetic that looks somewhat like a cross between Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy XII. Geometry can be a bit blocky and skyboxes can be a bit splotchy, but there is still plenty in the way of beautiful vistas and cool sights to see even if they're roughly what a PS2 was capable of rendering (sometimes with great dips in frame rate on that system).

When launching the game it warns you to not play to the detriment of your real life, and when launching for the first time I assumed that a funny little quirk of when it was released and the relative unfamiliarity the world had with MMOs in a time before Blizzard's genre-defining World of Warcraft. This is not the case, and if the gameplay grabs you it is extremely easy to play for huge amounts of time without noticing it. We did not heed this warning and making our way through the base game took roughly 98 hours, mostly taking up just about all of our free time.

The game is also great about allowing the player to make lateral progress, which is to say grinding up various jobs to combine with each other, and not feeling like you've wasted your time despite making no forward progress through the game. It is shockingly addictive if the gameplay appeals to you. Final Fantasy XIV, clearly a spiritual successor of sorts to Final Fantasy XI, indeed recycles quite a bit of its predecessor but impressively many of the elements that do get rolled into XIV don't all necessarily feel like they've made their original incarnations' irrelevant.

One particular highlight of the experience was the usage of a ferry that shuttles players between two locations in the world. Said boat's arrival must be waited for in real time, boarded and then rode for a trip that takes several minutes in real time. This ferry trip is not privately instanced and can see you bumping shoulders with other players also looking to make the trek aboard the ship. It was just one of many examples of the game design going to great lengths to encourage organic, player-driven sandboxy adventures where you're able to socialize rather easily.

Both games have tons to offer and there is plenty of reason to dip your toes into Final Fantasy XI to experience an incredible slice of history, all the more now with the Rhapsodies of Vana'diel storyline helping catch newer players up and Final Fantasy XIV featuring a crossover raid series with Final Fantasy XI. It is an incredibly large experience not meant to be pursued to 100% completion, so I urge you to pick your path carefully and divert only for what interests you, primarily for unlocking jobs to progress through the main story with. You will encounter plenty of outdated and dubious information on the internet for the game, with plenty of discussion dating back to 2007 being the last time things of a relevant nature were discussed in an easily findable way.

Vana'diel likely hasn't seen the last of Larsa and I, and I'm sure we'll resubscribe at some point to continue our adventure. Perhaps after reading some impressions of the experience in the current day you might decide take the plunge yourself. Rest assured, even now after all this time adventure indeed still courses through the veins of Vana'diel. And after all, hasn't adventure been what humanity has been chasing since time immemorial?

-- Ash

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theheirofthesharingan · 1 year ago

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Okay, sorry if this was asked before but I'm curious and I'd really like to learn more. You've mentioned in a couple of posts now that Itachi wasn't retconned. Could you please elaborate further?

Hey! No, this wasn't asked before. I was thinking of making a separate post for this, but procrastination is evil. So, I am one of the 'Itachi was meant to be a good guy/was not evil/had more to him than he let on' people. Watching the anime, it was the feeling that there was more to him. His reveal was along the lines of devastation and shocking for me than surprise. Detailed post is below the cut.

First thing first.

This was Itachi's first look that Kishimoto had planned.

Itachi was originally conceived as the leader of Konoha's Special Assassination and Tactical Squad called the "Anbu", dubbed the Itachi Squad (イタチ隊, Itachi-tai), which would have been a 70-man group divided into four teams, specializing in assassination and other illicit operations. However, this idea was scrapped in favour of the current Itachi working for the Akatsuki.

The above paragraph is from Itachi's wikipedia that cites a couple of interviews as sources. People can't be too blind in their delusion to think the author who wrote the story had no idea what he was writing.

Next is the Naruto Databook that has some fishy things if we look closely. In the first glance it's not very obvious, but after learning the truth it seems very much obvious.

It says, "the ones who know the reason of its downfall are very small". Go back to Obito's words about only four people being aware of the reason of the clan's downfall.

Additionally, Itachi carried out 134 B-Rank missions. Zero A Rank. And one S-Rank. The S rank mission being the Uchiha massacre. It's very fishy that he was given one s rank mission without any A tank mission. Suspicious? We know later on why.

It's also interesting because the first databook was published in 2002 and Itachi first appeared in 2003. If his twist wasn't planned from the beginning this databook is very telling.

Since I mentioned how he looked, here's him in Sasuke's flashbacks for the first time.

He looks far from evil or sadistic. You want to know who enjoys killing for fun? Hidan. Itachi, on the other hand, on the day of the massacre itself, looks miserable and lost.

In chapter 7, he in a haze-like manner he talks about crying. In many English translations it's translated as 'he made me cry' and in many it's this. It's very, very vague, but his statement is complimented by Sakura's question, to which he still responds in the similar way 'My..' Maybe he was trying to say 'My brother', but he instead finishes his speech with 'my goal is to take revenge' etc., Since it's still very early so it might not be the strongest evidence, but a few chapters later in chapter 27, during their fight against Haku, when Sasuke awakens his Sharingan, he has two tomoe in his right eye.

Yes, he might have awakened it this way, but it also suggests that maybe already had his Sharingan and that's why this is 'asymmetrical' awakening? In the later chapters we find out he actually did have his Sharingan he awakened after the massacre.

This flashbacks in chapter 127 most firmly establishes Itachi's twist. The tilted head-protector. Sasuke remembers it vaguely, but he has no recollection of Itachi crying that night, because his mind is still hazy from the "truth" Itachi wanted him to believe. We know later on the significance of this scene.

There are three moments before Itachi was even introduced that give away what we see right after his truth reveal and connect to the chapter 403.

The 'Itachi was retconned' camp also uses 'Itachi was meant to be older (than 13) but Kishi made him younger later on' as an excuse to justify their retcon bullshit.

Kakashi, in chapter 142, states Itachi was 13 when he was made the Anbu captain.

Itachi graduated when he was just seven. Sasuke is the same age as Itachi was when he graduated from the Academy. Itachi is 17 at the time of his first appearance and Sasuke is 12. It is enough to tell lies were spread about Itachi. We, obviously, learn later on why.

Some more obvious hints were his interaction with Asuma, Kurenai, and Kakashi.

The criminal infamous for annihilating one of the strongest clans refuses to indulge in fight?

He also asks Kisame to keep things low key and not get too much attention. That's an excuse. He's not here to wage war. Yes, later on he does ask Kisame to go ahead. But that's because he's a spy. He cannot let Danzo know he dropped his guard. One single mistake from his side that could unearth the truth of the massacre and Danzo would lay hands on Sasuke. Plus, while he's strong, his opponents aren't just fragile saplings who couldn't stand any blow he or Kisame cast. He knew reinforcements would be on the way.

Kakashi also wonders why Itachi didn't just kill him. Again, yes, the torture was brutal, but they're ninja who are meant to do and endure cruel things. Itachi had to look like he was a menacing criminal reputed to have killed the Uchiha singlehandedly.

So, he completely avoids fighting Asuma and Kuernai, takes on only Kakashi because he's strong and can take it, also has Sharingan. But he completely refuses to go against Jiraiya. Jiraiya may or may not be stronger than him. Maybe they were equal. However, recalling Obito's words again: Itachi devoted himself to fighting Sasuke to death.

Two conclusions come from this:

He didn't want to fight Jiraiya because it would result in a massive bloodbath and killing a leaf Shinobi is out of question for him. He's not a coward. He just doesn't want to fight him.

As we know from later on, he wanted to fight and die at Sasuke's hands only. Killing a Konoha Shinobi or dying at the hands of someone that isn't Sasuke isn't a part of his plan.

This can also be tracked further when Kisame captures the Four Tails.

Kisame most likely knew about Itachi's illness, knew Itachi wanted to die at Sasuke's hands. The reason Itachi didn't fight Jiraiya and Rōshi was most likely the same.

Kisame comments on Itachi's 'lingering affection' towards the village. The Akatsuki pairings' dynamics are quite opposite. Deidara and Sasori love art but have differing opinions on eternal vs explosive. Hidan and Kakuzu represent religion vs materialism (money). And Itachi and Kisame represent treachery vs loyalty. Itachi isn't loyal to Akatsuki, Kisame is.

They also wonder why is Itachi taking the matter of kidnapping Naruto so lightly. He could have done it very easily. We know now that that wasn't his intent and his objective to visit the village was something else.

As popular as 'Itachi knocked on the door before kidnapping Naruto' meme is, the truth is, he wasn't there to kidnap him at all. Replace Itachi with Kisame alone for a moment. Knock on the door? No, sir. Naruto would be half-dead. Or replace him with Hidan and Kakuzu. They're sadistic bastards and would have damaged Naruto in the worst possible way.

Furthermore, when you think of it, he revealed 'Akatsuki are after jinchuriki' years prior to the Akatsuki even began collecting the tailed beasts. It was a message he left because it was important. His job in the Akatsuki wasn't to "pass on the info to the village." It was to keep tabs on them so they don't attack Konoha.

After the massacre, Sasuke's unwavering faith in Itachi despite being put in Tsukuyomi. At first it doesn't seem too much, but we later discover that Itachi used to be a kind and gentle boy. So this bit isn't just Sasuke is blind, but also that Itachi was a kind child before the tragedy happened.

Sasuke's flashbacks in chapter 220 also hint towards Itachi being trapped in the politics of the village/clan. Fugaku is speaking to his own son but the discussion is so intense that he has to activate his Sharingan to convey the message to Itachi.

These are the flashbacks from the chapter #221 that further shed light on Itachi being a spy.

He's the "pipeline between the clan and the village" - a spy. Later Obito says Itachi was callously used for his devotion towards the village, this is an example of his clan doing this to him.

This is Itachi right after being accused of Shisui's murder. He looks in grief, while also processing the news. Once the narrative delves deep into Itachi's story (through Sasuke's eyes) in VOTE1, he continues to look miserable, lost, in pain, and in dire need of help. And once we begin to see more of him before his death, he is quite human. But again, Kishimoto had his whole story figured out by that time, knew what he was to do with Itachi's arc and Sasuke's future there.

In the chapter 224 (during the battle between Sasuke and Naruto), the flashback goes to this moment: Itachi tells Sasuke that he'd be one of the three people to awaken Mangekyo.

This connects to the chapter 385 when Sasuke vs Itachi happens. Sasuke asks him about the third person who had the MS.

_______________

Kishimoto isn't a terrible writer because some people choose to ignore what's written right there or cannot accept happened. Usually the deniers of this are those who question his morality. His morality is never the subject of the debate because Itachi isn't exonerated for his crimes. He's a part of a world that's cruel and violent and his actions align with it very much. The ones who "praise" him have their own bias, and that gives him nothing in return. Characters in fiction always, I mean, always respond to the information based on their morality. When Hashirama praises Itachi, it's because he grew up in the warring era and lost all his family. He learns there's this kid who chose a path with the least damage but at the cost of his life, he's a good Shinobi. Hiruzen also has his bias as well as his guilt. Naruto's praise for Itachi is not only because of stopping a war, but also for loving Sasuke. No one other than Sasuke sees him as a person whether anyone likes him or hates him. He's praised by other Shinobi for doing things that are expected from a Shinobi.

Either way, at the end of the day, Itachi himself doesn't see himself who is worth forgiving, worth loving, worth being remembered. That's his whole arc.

Some things above in the post I took from this thread. Some information I ommited from it, so feel free to go through it, please.

#itachi #itachi uchiha #uchiha itachi #akatsuki #kisame #ask #anon #this was a very important ask

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mask131 · 5 months ago

Text

Other Odysseys: Mission Odyssey

This one is sort-of a follow-up to the "Ulysse 31" cartoon. You'll see what I mean...

Do you know Totally Spies, or Martin Mystery, or Team Galaxy? Those quite specific cartoons coming from a specific set of studios and a quite specific era, with their very distinctive style? Well, there was a fourth cartoon part of this set, so to speak... one adapting the Odyssey. A Franco-German cartoon first aired in 2002. In France we just call it "L'odyssée", The Odyssey, but in English the titled got changed to "Mission Odyssey" (probably to be more appealing to kids?).

This cartoon is another production of the company Marathon Média of the early 2000s pushing forward what has been called the "franime" - a French animation style trying to imitate Japanese anime, or rather marrying some manga visual elements with a more European animation tradition. Where Totally Spies was dealing with the "spy" genre, Martin Mystery with the "horror for kids" and Team Galaxy with "sci-fi space-travel", "Mission Odyssey" actually is meant to tackle a more "traditional" fantasy. And... that's kind of the main problem of this cartoon.

Because when you look at this cartoon... You will see how it clearly was meant to be a D&D-like fantasy show X)

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy this cartoon and I have positive stuff to say about it... But let's get the bad things out of the way. And the first bad thing is that, if you are looking for a faithful adaptation of Greek mythology, turn away because its handling of the Greek myths is very very loose.

The core story is still the same as the Odyssey: Odysseus tries to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War, but is pursued by the wrath of Poseidon, and must wander from island to island, monster to monster, encounter after encounter, with the final episode seeing him defeat the suitors harassing Penelope (the show is 26 episodes of 24 minutes). And don't get me wrong: unlike "Ulysses 31" which invented out of blue entire episodes completely unrelated to Greek mythology whatsoever, Mission Odyssey ALWAYS takes its elements from Greek mythology, always. But A) In order to provide some padding and extend the story, Odysseus encounters a LOT of monsters and characters NOT part of the Odyssey - Pegasus, the Minotaur, the Amazons, the Gorgons, centaurs, harpies , Lycaon and the Golden Fleece are all at the program. B) The show has an habit of... reimagining the monster and entities of Greek mythology in WILD and bizarre ways.

The Minotaur? He is actually the king of his island and much more human than planned. The Gorgons? They are now two witch-sisters instead of a trio of monsters. Charybdis and Scylla? They are cursed lovers who must be set free from the spell that trap them. The sirens? They're your typical fish-mermaid kingdom. The harpies? They are now an entire kingdom and matriarchy of bird-women, instead of random evil spirits. The Titans? Oh they're just horned-bluish humanoids living in a Norse-inspired frozen land, but very much regular mortal folks. Zephyrus? The human son of Aeolus who ran away from his father's celestial palace to live with other mortals. Etc, etc etc... This show has some of the most unfaithful and misinformative and just plain weird takes on Greek mythology I have seen in kids' cartoons.

The very crew of Odysseus' ship was entirely reinvented. Of course, it is to limit the number of protagonist and make it easier for kids to follow, but outside Odysseus, all of his companions are original characters to the show, and that's where I talked about the D&D vibe: these characters feel like a D&D party the more your think about it. Putting this under this perspective, it starts of make sense why some of the reimaginations are so strange and so unlike Greek mythology: it seems the show's project had some sort of past as a more "fantasy" show before settling for Greek mythology.

Anyway, enough of the bad stuff! What about the good? Why do I enjoy this cartoon and still advise people to go check it out despite its unfaithfulness?

Because - on the one side, it is VERY imaginative and creative in its reimagination. Sure it is not at all like the legends to have Charybdis and Scylla be doomed lover cursed into monstrous shapes to never be together... But you can't deny it still feels like something out of Ovid's Metamorphosis. Yes it is bizarre to have the Minotaur be the king who built the labyrinth instead of the monster trapped in it, but you see how they play with the legend around. And there's a lot of VERY striking visuals and concepts (like the Moirai spinning their web like creepy old-spider-ladies, or Lycaon trapped at the bottom of a well and sweet-talking people nto letting him out). And it does lead to some crazy scenarios that I quite enjoy: there's an episode about the group GOING DOWN INTO TARTARUS TO FREE POSEIDON OUT OF KRONOS CLUTCHES! How wild is that?

But here's the actual "good" point: while it is takes the "creative freedom" to the max in certain areas, when it decides to stick to the Greek myths, it sticks to it in a wonderful way. It's little details here and there, but they are very much appreciated. For example: the entire story of the Odyssey is here framed as actually some sort of contest or bet between Poseidon and Athena, who are the two main gods dealing with the story, and while the cartoon doesn't linger on the concept of the Trojan War (it's for kids after all), they do replace Odysseus' torment in the line of the Athena-Poseidon competitions, with Odysseus as Athena's champion opposed by Poseidon's own minions, monsters and servants.

There is an episode where the crew of Odysseus gets to the Underworld, and here Hades is not the bad guy, which is VERY interesting for an early 2000s cartoon: he is depicted, like in the myths, as a neutral though frightening entity who honestly will be a pleasant host to visitors as long as they don't stay, and follow his rules, but will become an absolute merciless terror if anyone break his law or tries to commit a crime in his domain. In fact, they do juxtapose him with Poseidon precisely to show how unlike Poseidon who is the bad guy here, Hades is much more benevolent than his brother.

Another little detail I particularly enjoy: Penelope and Telemachus are not forgotten, and every episode begins with a scene about them. Most beautifully: each episode's main theme, monster or MacGuffin is foreshadowed by the motif of Penelope's tapestry. Each day a new tapestry, echoing the adventures her husband will have to face...

But my favorite of this cartoon is, of course, Poseidon.

I like to say that if you want a complete idea of Poseidon in Greek mythology, through modern kid fiction, you need to look at both the Percy Jackson books and this cartoon. The Percy Jackson books did a great job at showing the good and benevolent side of Poseidon, but they lacked his evil and dangerous side - which is what this cartoon is all about.

It might just be me, as I am a big Poseidon fan, but Poseidon is here an excellent traditional villain. Of course, it is all the codes we know today - he is this over-arching villain who works only through minions, underlings and indirect attacks (because, as per the rule of the gods' games in this show, deities cannot directly attack or influence or protect the humans and have to work through side-ways), he always comes up with a new evil plot each episode, and at the end of it he goes all "I'll catch you next time!". But it works with the character and material, and its a delightful classic move.

You clearly see here Poseidon as the father and ruler of the monsters and dangers of the sea, and I adore his design which is literaly a mix of Disney's Hades and Ursula with some elements from Bai Tza from the Jackie Chan Adventures. He is this blue-skinned, blond, octopus-man whose size constantly shifts and changes from a tiny thing to a giant because he keeps manifesting himself through various bodies of water and so can appear as much out of the ocean as within a cup of water you try to drink. He is clearly shown as cruel and petty, vengeful and destructive, cunning and filled with dark magic... In fact he is even seen trying to cheat repeatedly throughout the series, only for Athena to step in and be like "Nah, not on my watch".

However there's a bonus point: we have a nuanced Poseidon here. The very episode with the Cyclop is quite interesting, as it actually explores Poseidon's relationship with his son Polyphemus - Polyphemus who is here actually more of a dumb idiot and honestly a bit goofy at times (he is still a man-eating giant, but at least he is polite and timid about it), and while Poseidon is short-tempered and get VERY annoyed by his son's idiocy... He doesn't actually lash out at him, he tries to cajole him, and he even conforts him at the end by promising him to create a new eye (in this version, kid-friendly, Polyphemus' eye is a glass-device). Which is a great contrast with how Poseidon threatens and terrifies his other underlings. In fact, many times in the show we see people who are genuinely pleased and happy to see Poseidon, see him as a benevolent and friendly guy and are more than willing to help him - only to realize too late what he asks from them is actually nefarious. It is made VERY clear that, if it wasn't for Odysseus, we could get to see more of Poseidon's good side, but since he is Poseidon's unwilling enemy, all turns against him.

Even more so: this cartoon had the genius idea of analyzing how Poseidon becoming the main villain and the persecutor of Odysseus in this story ends up ruining him. Because as the episodes pile up and Poseidon is more and more foiled by Odysseus, we see him get increasingly frustrated and mad and vengeful, becoming obsessed with this guy. He keeps telling those who think of him as a benevolent god and nice patron to go kill this guy who turns out to be just an innocent traveller or a nice person (oh yeah, Odysseus in this version is your ur-good guy, no blame whatsoever, he is just Superman without the powers, you know), and as a result he loses all the support he had gathered. It is very interesting how it works by the gods: because a few times Poseidon will use the trust and respect other gods put in him to try to turn them against Odysseus, or trick them into attacking him. It happened with Hades, and with Aeolus, and with Hephaistos, and each time, Poseidon's treachery was revealed, leading him to be banished from their realm and earning their enemity. The result is that... As the show progresses we realize how Poseidon's obsession with Odysseus, destructive grudge and desire to cheat to finally beat Athena lead him to become a hated and humiliated god among mortals and immortals, and I think it is a quite a nice twist.

They do enjoy analyzing the ambiguity and ambivalence of Poseidon - for example the Pegasus episode has Odysseus meet Bellerophon, and the hunt for the Chimera is actually put aside in favor of Odysseus trying to give therapy to poor Bellerophon who is in a sort of passive-abusive relationship with his father. In a similar way, the Cronos episode is all about how Odysseus and crew have to rescue Poseidon because, even though he is their enemy, hates them and will see them dead, he is a needed part of the world and removing him literaly kills the sea (all the sea-waters turn into a strange sand-colored crystal), for ultimately he is the sea, violent and stormy, and cunning and filled with monsters, and never making it easy on sailors.

Though my favorite part is definitively how by the end, once Odysseus gets his happy ending, we cut back to Athena and Poseidon concluding their bet... Only for Poseidon to try to convince Athena to take another bet and begin another "game", begging her like some sort of friend with dares like "Okay but what about him not returnign to the sea, not leaving Ithaca? Don't you want to bet on that, on him not resisting the call of the adventure? Please, Athena, let's just have another game. Let's just bet on anything, pleeeaasse". And... it leaves you with this very strange and still kind of happy note that ultimately Poseidon is indeed, not really a bad guy, but just a short-tempered gambling addict doubled with a very sore loser X)

#other odysseys #the odyssey #odyssey #odyssey adaptations #mission odyssey #poseidon #greek mythology #french cartoons #2000s cartoons

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digi-lov · 1 year ago

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With each of these sets released, I wanted to compare them again.

Like I've mentioned before, EX-03 Draconic Roar, EX-05 Animal Colosseum, and EX-06 Infernal Ascension are based on the Pendulum Progress vpets from 2002. Animal Coloseum kept the name as is, Draconic Roar was Dragon's Roar, and Infernal Ascension replaced the name Armageddon Army. (A very understandable name change)

A large percentage of the Digimon featured in the Pendulum Progress versions were included in the respective card sets. Many of those who weren't included had similar replacements.

As the name suggests, Draconic Roar included many Digimon related to dragons. Since many main character Digimon fall into that category, frequently featured Digimon such as the Greymon line were exluded. This set's Agumon is yellow and the suggested line goes to Veedramon and AeroVeedramon, reminiscent of the V-Tamer manga. Veemon is red in this set, and instead of the usual Ex-Veemon we get Fladramon, along with purple Wormmon and Shadramon, going into a dark Imperialdramon line. Instead of Tyrannomon and MetalTyrannomon, we have DarkTyrannomon and ExTyrannomon too. This set also featured many dragon Digimon that have debuted since the Pendulum Progress, such as Dracomon and its two lines, and the Vorvomon and Jazamon lines from Digimon Links.

The Pendulum Progress Animal Colosseum contains many beast Digimon, notably the Four Sovereigns. The card set expanded on that and not only included the Four Sovereigns, but also their leader Fanglongmon, as well as all 12 Deva serving under them. Like the vpet, this set also featured many X Antibody Digimon, although many of them were switched in the card set. Such as Leomon being included instead of Leomon X, or Dobermon X instead of Dobermon. We also got the card debut of Lunamon and Coronamon and their respective lines, as well as the player chatacters from their debut games Digimon Dusk/Moonlight and Dawn/Sunburst!

Infernal Ascension has a dual theme of Angels and Demons. While the Pendulum Progress included all Three Great Angel, there was only room for two Demon Lords. For the card set all Seven Great Demon Lords got featured (and also received matching alt arts!) Many of the replacements also make sense. Instead of Terriermon and Siesamon we got Lopmon and Turuiemon leading into Antylamon. While Tsukaimon works as a replacement of Patamon in style, it isn't in the Angel lines. The role is instead filled by Luxmon, a very recent addition to the Digimon franchise. Same goes for ArkhaiAngemon taking MagnaAngemon's spot, and Dominimon finally getting recognition! The addition of Mastemon is just perfect for this set too. We also get some holy-themed Digimon from the chinese game New Century for the first time!

So yeah

I just think it's fun to look at these Theme Boosters and compare what they kept, what they changed, and what they expanded upon. Goes to show how much our list of Digimon has grown in the last 20 years!

#digimon #digimon tcg #digimon card game #digisafe #digica #デジカ #lov rambles #EX3 #EX5 #EX6 #Pendulum Progress #Draconic Roar #Animal Coloseum #Infernal Ascension #trait: dragon #trait: angel #trait: fallen angel #trait: beast

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skettchyartendevours · 3 months ago

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Have y'all heard of a show called "Spheriks"

I had no idea it existed, until about two weeks ago when I found this guy at a thrift store

Soon as I saw him, I thought he looked like he could be a character from some early 2000's kids show. Upon looking it up, I was very much correct!

Main point is, I developed a fixation on this show practically that same day which now has me in a chokehold (I have decided to illustrate my brain's current state)

The Gobots and Transformers haven't fully left my brain space yet, but I would very much like to yap about these new guys for a bit

[which I will do under the cut, because this is going to get a bit long-winded]

So! A bit of background for the show itself: Spheriks was a show commissioned by FIFA to promote their new mascots for the 2002 World Cup, which took place in South Korea and Japan. It was the only show its' animation studio (Slave Studios, based in the UK) ever produced due to how badly it flopped, likely suffering from a short run time in both broadcasting and home video releases.

The overarching plot of the show consists of two alien races, the Atmospheriks and the Nulmospheriks, competing against each other in a football-like sport known as "Spherikball" in order to see who gets to control the atmosphere at the FIFA World Cup. The Atmospheriks represent positive energy, The Nulmospheriks represent negative energy, we have a very clear theme of "Good vs Evil."

In terms of characters, the show mainly focuses on four main characters from each team: The Atmospheriks have Ato, Kaz (the guy I found at the thrift store), Nik and Rhea. The Nulmospheriks have Roth, Viro, Null and Void. There are also a handful of non-Atmo/Nulmo side characters that regularly appear, such as the two announcers. I guess the rest of the teams as well, but they don't really seem to have dialogue or much of a stake in the plot.

Finally, here are a handful off messy sketches I did while trying to figure out how to draw a few of the characters!

So far I've really only tried drawing the Nulmos (villain fixation bias goes brrrr) but I'll probably attempt some of the Atmos soon

Their head shapes are proving to be very tricky to to translate from 3D models to 2D drawings, especially after a decent period of almost exclusively drawing blocky robots from the 80's

Well Uhhh..

Thank you if you made it this far! I don't usually do big rambling posts like this very often, so hopefully it wasn't too unbearable ^^"

#yapping #obscure media #early 2000s #plushies #drawing #sketch #scribbles #spheriks #kaz #roth #viro #null #void #gobots (breifly mentioned)#cykill

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dragonitepaw · 7 months ago

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Hiii I am an absolute SUCKER for father/child dynamics and even though I know very little abt Kirby— I am in LOVE WITH YOUR ART????? I’m SO tempted to dig into Kirby lore to understand that pink puffball and knighted vampire dad’s dynamic with eachother.

ME TOO !! I literally have a list of all of the father/child relationships Ive attached onto in media on my phone notes app 😭😭

And Ahh I'm so glad you like my stuff 🥺💖💖💖 even as a non Kirby fan- I love these two guys so much 💜

Honestly there isnt really any lore surrounding Kirby and Meta Knight (at least in the games) so my art is p much all headcanon !!

The closest you can get to lore for them is from the Kirby Anime from 2002 where there IS a whole story about their species (and how they had to fight an intergalactic war) BUT it isnt canon to the rest of the series <\3

they have a somewhat very loose student/mentor relationship in the anime though, its kinda on and off between MK helping out and acting as an antagonist, though hes kinda a fake antagonist as when he does go "against" kirby its just for show and he has ulterior motives to actually help kirby out by teaching him a new attack/skill that can help him out in future battles

the context for him being an antagonist is actually bc he "works" under the most prominent antagonist -king dedede- in the show and needs to pretend to be loyal to him so dedede doesnt get suspicious of him helping Kirby out too much

also its because hes embezzeling funds from king dedede to put towards the construction of a huge battleship which he plans to use to fight the final big bad villain at the end of the show with kirbys help

I really like the anime bc it actually gives a story to the characters, and I like to build off of with it with my art <3 I like to headcanon them as father and son with my own elaborate hc lore based on before the events of the anime and the aftermath of that during and after the events of the anime!!

If you do end up looking more into their dynamic and actually end up wanting to watch parts of the show you've gotta let me know your thoughts (and I can point you in the right direction for any episodes focused on Kirby and MKs relationship cough Episode 26

Thank you so much for the message 🥺 hopefully I didnt ramble on too much haha !!

#kirby #metaknight #meta knight #metadad #papa knight #hoshi no kaabii

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unamusedcyclone · 9 months ago

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Kurama The Retired Monster: A Look at Kurama's Canon Characterization and Impact

Kurama is one of the most popular characters in the decades old Yu Yu Hakusho fandom. Published in 1992 and dubbed into English in 2002, Yu Yu Hakusho is one of the most influential battle shounen anime. References are everywhere for this wonderful story about a delinquent that surprised the heavens and saved a little boy at the cost of his own life.

The series is my favorite of the old Toonami anime with its rebuke to the strict norms of Japanese society and its message about the grey tones of life.

It's in every character in one way or another, but Kurama tackles a trope I'm personally fascinated by: the retired criminal that is dragged back into his old life by circumstance.

This doesn't seem to be a common read of the character, though all the tropes are there. Youko Kurama was a vicious criminal who, after he was taken out of commission, essentially retired due to the love of a woman. While it was not planned, Shiori showing him love and a life outside of what he knew is what canonically happened and shaped his life. He chose, after she cut up her arms to save him from broken glass, to be the son she deserved rather than leaving as he planned.

When Shiori gets sick, Kurama is contacted by Hiei to join him on a heist in Spirit World for the Three Treasures. Given Kurama's nature as the exposition fairy, he is clearly aware of what those treasures are: The Orb of Bast, the Forlorn Hope, and the Shadow Sword. So, Kurama uses his experience as a thief and gains the Forlorn Hope for himself. As we know, the Forlorn Hope has a rule: It will grant your deepest wish in exchange for your life. Kurama considers this cost fair, since he clearly still feels guilty about stealing the son Minamino Shiori was supposed to have. In the dub, he comments about how some parents are devoured by their young, hinting at blaming himself for the condition Shiori is in. It is only because Yusuke intervened that Kurama is still alive, pulled out of his suicidal guilt spiral by Yusuke offering part of his own life to the mirror after seeing his own mother mourn him.

Kurama chooses to help Yusuke defeat Hiei, cementing him as one of the good guys and beginning his friendship with and repayment of Yusuke.

The Four Saint Beasts arc can be explained as part of Hiei and Kurama's parole. I won't linger on it, but I truly believe this is part of Kurama trying to be good, serving his sentence for what is likely the least of his crimes. In his fight with Genbu, Hiei talks about how he brought Kurama on because he'd rather have him as his ally than his enemy. This is one of the first instances of what Kurama's prior life looked like to others. He is a ruthless and intelligent fighter, and he is known for it. Before Two Shots, this implies Kurama had a reputation prior to his human life, one that lasted long enough that Hiei would have heard about it. (Based on later information, Hiei is less than a hundred years old and Kurama may have left Makai a thousand years ago, making Kurama's reputation incredibly significant.)

This reputation continues to assert itself in the Dark Tournament. The audience of the tournament continue to jeer at Kurama and Hiei for being demons fighting alongside humans, implying that they are well-known enough for this to be an issue. (In the manga, we get a page that shows that demons are total gossips and I love it.) We also have Kurama's fight with Ura Urashima, where Urashima comments that he believes this Kurama, our Kurama, might have taken on the name of the scary bastard that they still tell stories about. He is mistaken.

However, it is also in the Dark Tournament where we get his fight with Touya, where he asks Touya to be better than he was. This is where we see, wholeheartedly, that Kurama regrets who he once was. He regrets being the monster that Hiei and Yomi idolize. The nature of the series is that he needs to tap into that ruthlessness to survive, which is why he connects with Suzuki before the fight with Team Toguro. It is his desire to survive Karasu that returns him to that self.

Another scene that is incredibly important is the battle with Amanuma, the Gamemaster. As we know, for Amanuma to be defeated, he must be killed, as per the rules of his territory and the video game he uses. Amanuma is also eleven years old, manipulated into joining Sensui's crusade to destroy the human world for its evils and hypocrisies. Amanuma is a child, unaware of what Sensui's plans truly mean and as much as Kurama tries to say Amanuma chose this with the full understanding of an adult, it is clear he does not really believe it. Kurama is clearly upset by his choice, but he still makes it. There is no way out, no magic solution at the time. After Amanuma dies, Hiei implies that Kurama has killed children before, in his past life, but Kurama's grief is obvious. He reacts ruthlessly to Elder Toguro. His hands are bleeding from how much he hates the fact he made that choice and how much that decision is linked to the past he's clearly trying to leave behind.

The Three Kings arc is when this really begins to show up, though due to its truncated nature, it seems to go unnoticed. Yomi is essentially the end result of what happens when someone adopts Kurama's old views. Yomi is introduced to us as untrustworthy and brutal. Kurama's patience and ruthlessness became a guide to him as he became a king in the notoriously vicious Makai, after a botched assassination attempt left him blind. To be called to serve Yomi, Kurama has to face what he once was and how it impacted someone. Yomi didn't just look up to him, but he was also Kurama's victim: Kurama is the one who paid the assassin to kill him. Kurama also has to balance facing that with his desire to keep his mother and the Human World safe. Kurama's choice to betray Yomi and go along with Yusuke's cockamamie scheme can be read as a rejection of that past self as well as reinforcing that Kurama does not want to live that old life ever again. He chooses the human world, the world where he's not a vicious bandit and has loved ones.

The anime expands this by setting Kurama up against Shigure, the demon surgeon who gave Hiei his Jagan. This fight originally felt incredibly random: Shigure and Kurama don't have anything to do with each other. However, the fight with Shigure clicked once I realized that Shigure offers to restore Kurama back into who he once was. The entire fight is Kurama choosing to fight as who he is now, not rely on that past self he hates so much. At the end, Kurama even tells Yomi he doesn't throw anything away, but what he says in his little monologue is that he'll never be that version of himself again.

Kurama spends the whole series having to depend on the reputation and ruthlessness he cultivated as a bandit. He does it in life-or-death situations, not just randomly or for shits and giggles. He doesn't seem to enjoy his reputation, especially after living as Shiori's son. He looks more contemptuous of it, his face blank when he has to tap into it. He hates that he has to be that guy, that he was that guy. With the series over, it seems like he'll choose to stay human, to stay in the Human World for as long as he can.

Kurama's canon characterization draws him more in-line with the story's theme of growing up and healing due to the power of human connection. He is mostly retired from being a brutal monster and shows regret and guilt over the past, but by the end has mostly accepted who he once was, warts and all.

#yyh #kurama #shuichi minamino #youko kurama #yu yu hakusho #meta

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patrothestupid · 9 months ago

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1. - [Drama - Legendary 14] Gather your wits and lie about the toy aisle's whereabouts. Buy yourself some time.

SKILL CHECK

SUCCESS

“Sir, the toy aisle is over there at that door, right next to the bathrooms.”

DRAMA - Hee hee hee! He doesn’t know that the door actually leads to the employee room! You’re a tricky little trickster, and you LOVE it.

MUGMART SHOPPER - Thank you, lad. It’s nice to see someone that isn’t afraid to talk to me, for once. He walks away, unaware of your devious deception.

INTERFACING - Now, to find your prize. The beyblade box stands tall on the shelf, but not tall enough for you to reach it and rip the box to shreds.

ENCYCLOPEDIA [Easy: Success] - Beyblade (ベイブレード, Beiburēdo, diminutive Bey, from the diminutive of beigoma) is a line of spinning-top toys originally developed by Takara, first released in Japan in July 1999, along with a related manga series. This beyblade in particular, the Beyblade X BX-00 Booster Dranzer Spiral 3-80T, is one of the rare blades from the original anime, aptly named “Beyblade” as well as the two sequel series, Beyblade: V-Force and Beyblade: G-Revolution, and the 2002 film Beyblade: The Movie - Fierce Battle.

INTERFACING - You can feel each crevice and corner on the beyblade. The texture seeps into your senses. It’s beautiful.

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT - Of course, it’s perfect. Perfect for throwing at people.

INTERFACING - And also for spinning. Yes. For spinning.

SAVOIR FAIRE [Hard: Success] - Take it.

LOGIC - What?

SAVOIR FAIRE - Take it. For free. Steal it. Come and go with your blade in tow. No one will look. No one will know. Take the blade and go.

VISUAL CALCULUS [Godly - Failure] - The store is like what, 100,000 million square feet? There’s probably only like what, 3 people near you? No one will see shit.

1. - [Savoir Faire - Medium 10] Run away with your prize, you slippery little weasel!

2. - I am a normal, law abiding citizen. I am so fucking normal right now. (Put the blade back in the remnants of its box and pay for it.)

3. - [Physical Instrument- Formidable 13] Chuck the blade at someone. Show the world how powerful you really are.

(wonder how did I succeeded the check but) I choose 1 ! (again) I rolled 9

#answered #anon message #ttrpg real

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chadsuke · 8 months ago

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tell me u don’t know shit about yuri anime without telling me u don’t know shit about yuri anime.

like I’m the first to say I don’t enjoy schoolgirl yuri like at all but to act like rn is DIFFERENT bc of things like otherside picnic or Princess principal or etc.? no??? we didn’t FINALLY move past anything what are you talking about. like even if you want to be like ‘well uwu they’re all happening around the same time’ ok then let’s look at 2000s era yuri and this is NOT extensive:

Simoun, 2006: high flying science fiction yuri involving struggles with gender and fighting a ‘holy war’

kannazuki no Miko, 2004: mecha reincarnation magic anime. it’s a lot. (don’t.)

girls with guns trilogy 2001, 2004, 2007: literally exactly what it says on the tin

.hack//sign, 2002: sword art online if it didn’t suck ass. kid gets trapped in an mmo. gender fuckery happens.

read or die, 2006: british secret agent librarians the anime.

canaan, 2009: assassin x reporter and the rival that is obsessed with the assassin in a big clusterfuck.

mai-hime, 2004 (and its spin offs): schoolgirls fight against monsters 2 protect the world except not quite magical girls

tokyo mew mew, 2002-2003: magical girls protect the earth but also environmentalism is v important

and like you can say a lot of these are subtext and you would be correct, but if OOP is citing things like Princess principal, revue starlight, etc. which are also subtext as hell, then I get to cite Canaan. and there’s so many more of these I didn’t even cite!!!! THIS IS FAR FROM EVERYTHING!!!

yes stereotypically the more “canon” yuri anime has gotten 2 be the schoolgirl anime but to act like NOW it’s different is very incorrect and just shows that you don’t know shit tbh. why don’t u go watch some 2000s era yuri and calm down

#sorry this shit gets me STEAMED!!!!!#and the otherside picnic anime is SHIT so *I* get to cite kannazuki. shit for shit.#yuriposting #id in alt text #gigi.txt

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liondrakes · 19 days ago

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“You Can’t Take Me”: To Be Ontopunk in 2025

by Sivaan of Candlekeep

Blurb: Personal reflections on embracing ontopunk ideologies and practices in the wake of today’s climate. This is my final entry for @who-is-page’s Alterhuman Writing Challenge.

Day 30 of the AHPI Writing Challenge

“Don't judge a thing until you know what's inside it. Don't push me, I'll fight it. Never gonna give in, never gonna give it up, no— if you can't catch a wave, then you're never gonna ride it. You can't come uninvited. Never gonna give in, never gonna give it up, no— You can't take me, I'm free,” Bryan Adams.

Sometimes, I change shape based on my emotions. When I’m aggravated, I don’t become a lion. I don’t become a bear, or a gryphon, or a dragon. I don’t become any predatory species I belong to, contrary to the assumptions tied to those ‘types.

No, I become an oryx. I become a gemsbok, to be exact. My anger doesn’t look like unsheathed claws or gnashing fangs. It looks like a pair of slender, black horns, piercing through flesh. If not that, it’s in the form of an elk. It sounds like a furious, restless bugle that’s a little too close, like whatever’s coming is giving its final warning before it charges.

I am a bull who’s sick and tired, especially with the United States as is. I don’t need to air out the list of reasons why my country’s government is looking to fuck over me and those like me. All of those changes in one day make that evident enough.

However, I will make one thing clear. Politicians hold no authority over my identity. Things are bleak, very bleak, but when haven’t they been that way? I can count the times I’ve truly felt safe in this country on one hand, but that didn’t stop me from putting my foot forward and making the effort to see another day.

As years came and went, I grew more determined in spitting on the image of politicians and billionaires since my country is so adamant about propagating their filth. That included those who bootlick them so much that they forget they too are affected by the class disparity perpetuated between them and their “idols”. Said determination also meant emotionally preparing for outcomes like our recent election. It’s hard to find hope under these circumstances, but that doesn’t mean I can’t inspire hope for myself or those around me who need the support.

When the second inauguration of that bastard and his fraternity of fascists unfolded, all I could think of was a song. It was a short and simple song from my childhood, albeit through a DVD bought by my parents many years after it released. Given the topic of this entry, I’ll admit that it’s not a punk song in terms of genre. It’s a song that came from the animated film Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002). Nonetheless, it still holds so much power to me.

Performed by Bryan Adams, this song, “You Can’t Take Me”, plays as Spirit is dragged to a military encampment where he is expected to become a war horse. Despite how hopeless his situation seems, Spirit himself refuses to give into that hopelessness. He snaps at his captors, fights against their ropes, and digs his hooves into the dirt as the song progresses. Although he made a sacrifice to protect his herd, he is determined to return to them. That means securing his freedom at all costs. “You Can’t Take Me” stresses this in its chorus, but this isn’t the last time that this goal is given focus.

Spirit’s freedom is the heart of the film’s plot. Freedom is also a recurring theme alongside resistance against oppressive systems and solidarity with other marginalized parties. Spirit defends his freedom no matter the circumstance, even when things take a turn for the worst. At the same time, he couldn’t do it alone nor could he abandon those in the same spot as him. Spirit knew a life of exploitation isn’t a life at all, not just in his case but in the case of other captured horses and Little Creek. To me, remembering this song and the context in which it exists may have been coincidences, but they sure were useful coincidences given my position.

Yes, I am angry. I’m not devoid of a conscience, though. I can’t afford to give into hopelessness. No one can. It’s what our pathetic excuse for a government wants, and hopelessness will get us nowhere in the days ahead. Instead, I’m putting that energy into something that will provide better structure to my world view.

Earlier last year, I familiarized myself with two ideologies within the alterhuman community: ontopunk and beastpunk. Both subcultures are alike in their values and practices, but have a set focus at their core. Ontopunk centers radical acceptance of all forms of existence and the autonomy within it, whereas beastpunk centers radical reclamation of nonhuman animal identity. I'm more familiar with the latter of the two since a couple of my friends are beastpunk. That said, I've found myself gravitating more towards ontopunk as a personal ideology.

Ontopunk is often associated with kinpunk, a communal concept that technically predates it. However, I learned recently that the conception of ontopunk and its connection to kinpunk were coincidences. Ontopunk happened to come around the same time as the coining of kinpunk. Created during discussions within the Alt+H Discord server, two terms with similar approaches as kinpunk came to be: alterpunk and ontopunk. From what I could tell, these terms essentially meant the same thing. When kinpunk started floating around on Tumblr, these terms were then suggested as all-inclusive alternatives.

Of the two, ontopunk won out due to its emphasis on being. Since ontopunk’s point of reference is usually a clarification for what the term is and its purpose, I personally go off of Sapphire (@/bigendering)’s proposed outline for alterpunk due to these terms’ shared basis:

Radical acceptance, in which you are what you say you are.

Open exploration of your identity, including exploring and/or supporting affirming practices such as body modification.

Advocacy for the natural world, which includes supporting animal rights and plant/environmental care.

Rejection of anthropocentrism. This includes the idea that people = human, that humans are more important than other life forms, and that humans are better and different than animals in exceptional ways.

Rejection of the idea that the body is the center of identity, that one can have only one identity, and that identity can’t change.

Rejection of the idea that one can't choose one's identity, or that chosen identities are lesser in comparison those that aren’t chosen.

Rejection of intercommunal bias, particularly towards mammals as the nonhuman side of our community contains a vast quantity of mammalian members.

Note: much of this is paraphrased from the original thread covering alterpunk / ontopunk. The original thread is linked in the passage that first mentions ontopunk and beastpunk.

With this considered, ontopunk isn’t exclusive to alterhumans either. It’s open to all. Whether inside or outside of this community, it’s about embracing all who express themselves how they see fit.

Furthermore, there’s the nuances of being besides oneself to acknowledge. Ontopunk isn’t only for those who actively define their own means of being but those who’re treated as if they have no perceivable sense of being as well. Mord (@/vagabondsun) quoted itself on how ontopunk could be applied in this context:

“vagabondsun (77): [...] i think a line in there about like, acknowledging the... not ‘personhood' exactly, but the sovreignity of inanimate objects? I...] especially if we're alluding to ontology, like, object oriented ontology is a philosophical theory that exists which rejects anthropocentrism by saying that all entities, including inanimate objects and concepts, have some kind of (in very simplified and not-quite-accurate terms) a subjective awareness.”

This caught my eye as someone who’s *multiposic (aniposic and psyposic, to be exact). For the objects in my day-to-day life, my relationship with them is usually platonic or familial in nature. Although I don’t always talk to them, I know that they coexist alongside me and are close to me as individuals. I appreciated this approach from Mord since not everyone considers the presence of objects and concepts in these conversations.

*Multiposic refers to an individual who is POSIC+ for multiple reasons; the following two labels are why I’m POSIC+. Aniposic refers to an individual who is POSIC+ due to being a practicing animist. Psyposic refers to an individual who is POSIC+ due to psychological reasons but either chooses not to disclose why or does not know why.

Aside from those details, I thought of my own sense of being. Here are some examples:

I am not from this dimension, at least not originally. Many versions of me exist across different points in my dimension of origin.

I see myself as a scholar, a quest guide and a figure akin to a wise serpent through my archetropy.

I am transspecies. I experience having multiple forms outside of the human body I occupy, specifically through phantom bodies.

I am a fictional character and creature. I hold connections to other fictional beings through soulbonding.

I am also a creature with earthen connections, be it through my experiences with earthen animality or earthen mythology.

I am an agnostic animist. In my opinion, the existence of deities and other manners of higher powers exist solely through the practitioner in question. The act of belief is what makes these figures real; otherwise, all other means of their existence can neither be proven nor disproven.

That said, I believe objects and concepts have their own form of sentience. Lack of verbal, expressive and overall physical communication does not rule out the possibility of said sentience.

I am many, many things that question the boundaries of being as proposed by the society I currently live in. If I said I was any of these truths aloud, I would be given a sideways glance by your average citizen in the United States. I don’t particularly care about that result, so long as I am in the right company. Most of them believe one inconceivable, all-powerful spirit of a man created the pots we piss in, and also use him as an excuse to condemn my existence, but you don’t see me casting judgment upon the possibility of said spirit’s existence or the beliefs inspired by him. The problem is when people fully believe their way of being is superior to others or that someone else’s way of being is weird, questionable, or generally “wrong” when it doesn’t harm anyone.

Perhaps, that’s why I gravitate towards ontopunk ideologies so much. The very margins of how I perceive my existence, the existence of others and the worlds surrounding us challenges those norms. It doesn’t stop at my alterhumanity. It extends into my relationship with my environment and my day-to-day life. It includes how I envision not only my existence in this world, but how I envision the existence of all things. It is thoroughly, unapologetically about embracing what it means to be anything.

So why not embrace all of me? Why not wear that on my sleeve, defying the “policies” proposed by those who aim to destroy people like me? You can’t put a law on existence. Damn them all if they do. I’ll continue to take heed of existence and the autonomy it provides.

Everyone is deserving of ontological freedom. As the coiners addressed before, ontological freedom isn’t exclusive to us alterhumans either. We share many of those freedoms with orthohumans and non-sapient beings simply by existing alongside each other. Hell, I insist that we assert our ontological freedoms even more.

Self-denial has held me back in my past, but I refuse to let it cage me in the future. I will lock my horns together and wrestle hatred to the ground. I will pierce the throats of fear and compliance until my dominance is made clear. I will drive them from my home, from those I share space with and from myself above all else.

I will still be here, and I will continue to be who I am. That is what being ontopunk means to me, especially at the start of this year.

Come what may. Know that I am free.

#𓃭; the liondrake’s lore #ontopunk #ontology #ahpi writing challenge #alterhuman #alterhumanity #alterhuman community #alterhuman writings

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homestuckreplay · 2 months ago

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Webcomics at Day 100 #7: Achewood

Pages read: 10/1/2001 – 12/5/2002 & 4/13/2009 – 12/5/2009 (about 370 strips)

Reason for selection: Achewood is the webcomic that cultural institutions took seriously. Celebrated by Time, The New Yorker and Rolling Stone, the comic was wildly popular in the 2000s, with some of its strips – such as ‘Here Comes A Special Boy’ – still passed around the internet today without context.

Current status: Originally ran from October 1, 2001 to December 25, 2016, beginning with updates every weekday and becoming more sporadic over time including multiple hiatuses. Returned in 2023 and currently updates every Friday only for Patreon donors. Creator Chris Onstad is experimenting with use of AI in the artistic process.

Content warnings: frequent sexual content, heavy alcohol and drug use, slurs (especially the R slur), anti-Chinese racism, gender essentialism, occasional homophobia, sexism and fatphobia, suicide jokes, Harry Potter.

In 2002, Onstad states that his wife is Chinese in an effort to justify a strip that makes fun of a Chinese speaking character’s accent and name, suggesting that even in 2002 he already faced criticism for this portrayal, or felt he might.

Overall thoughts:

Achewood’s opening strip perfectly establishes the comic. It looks professional from day one, with crisp lines, recognizable character designs and an art style which would stay remarkably consistent throughout its run. But the humor of ‘Philippe is standing on it’ with its straight-faced delivery and lack of a punchline is really the defining feature of Achewood. It’s a type of humor that’s massively influenced the internet and persists to this day – some Achewood strips from 2002 feel like they could’ve been written this year.

The first few months of Achewood detail the lives of four of Onstad’s real stuffed animals in a fictionalized version of his own house, ’62 Achewood Court’. While they have remained major characters, two cats from the Achewood neighborhood, Ray and Roast Beef, became the true leads in 2002. Clicking ‘New to Achewood?’ on the comic’s website leads to the strip from March 21, 2002, but the site doesn’t make it clear that this is not the first strip. However, it is a good jumping in point – characters Téodor and Roast Beef state their names in this strip, and it comes shortly before a strip where character Mr Bear discusses his background as a children’s book author, which is the first time a character has had an in-depth backstory. It’s also partway into the comic’s first continuous story arc, the 26-strip ‘The Party’ arc – so it’s a time where Achewood is beginning to take itself seriously.

Achewood doesn’t have an overarching story, instead placing a group of well defined characters with distinctive voices into a sandbox for a variety of story arcs. Most of these characters grow older and reach life milestones, developing slowly and organically. The plot follows no such guidelines – in June of 2002, Pat the cat reveals his newly built rocket ship, even though it’s never previously established that cats in this world can have engineering knowledge or technology, and in November of 2002, Ray the cat sells his soul to the devil in exchange for piano playing abilities in a strip that comes out of nowhere and impacts the rest of the comic’s run. When violence appears in the comic, it’s similarly out of nowhere, and a character getting shot or getting into a car accident happens unexpectedly with no foreshadowing, which gives a real sense that anything could happen when scrolling to the next strip.

Despite occasional experiments with color and promises for one full-color strip a week, Achewood stays monochrome for its full run. Its black, white and gray palette might contribute to Achewood’s being seen as serious literature. The comic tries hard to be intelligent in other areas, too – it educates the reader on the Roman poet Catullus (March 8, 2002), archaic felted wool terminology (June 2, 2009), and plants that cause neurological damage (the comic’s title), drawing attention to its knowledge each time. Sharing obscure facts, and knowing a lot of obscure facts as a sign of intelligence, is definitely something I associate with the internet.

Given its acclaim, I was surprised at how little scholarly work has been written on Achewood. I did find one conference paper on multimedia masculinity in the comic, which feels appropriate, as it’s very much a story about men. The characters are stuffed animals, cats, robots and occasionally squirrels, but they are very pointedly almost all men, who recreate the ideas that men and women are two disconnected categories with almost no common ground. I do think the comic explores masculinity in interesting ways, such as when the spirit of Billy Idol enters Philippe’s body in July 2002. However, Onstad’s clear capability of taking an absurd character and giving them complex humanity makes me wish this was applied to a female character, too – it’s glaring that the strip’s first woman, Penny, is contrived to always be off screen.

Between 2002 and 2009, Achewood’s strips evolved from a few panels on average to a full page, allowing for more complex stories and art in each update. There might be three or four panels that show the minutiae of a character opening a door, which years earlier would have happened in a single panel. There’s more use of shading and dark colors, and a sense that Onstad is still trying to stretch himself artistically, working with more complex themes such as the karmic cycle (August 31, 2009) and the morality of giving modern technology to historical people (April to May 2009). It feels like Onstad is trying to make the Oscar bait movie of webcomics, while keeping the Internet spirit of nacho based humor. It’s a hard balance to strike so I’m really impressed that it works.

During its original run, Achewood featured fanart on its website, which seems relatively common for webcomics and highlights how the internet broke barriers between fans and creators from its early days. Onstad has also spoken publicly about creator burnout, holding himself to impossibly high standards of both quantity and quality, and experiencing negativity from a large internet fanbase.

Achewood has been very well preserved, with all its strips easily available on a fast loading, ad free, mobile optimized website. The site is very well made, but it does use infinite scroll, which didn’t exist during Achewood’s original run, can’t be turned off, and really changes the reading experience. The active choice to click to the next page is part of webcomics for me, it increases my focus and investment when I have to make that decision each time instead of letting the strips scroll past. Infinite scroll takes the old-internet nostalgia out of the experience, too.

Finally, I think Philippe might be my favorite character from any non-Homestuck webcomic I’ve ever read. He’s a wide-eyed stuffed otter who is eternally five years old and I would tear the world apart for him.

Relevance to Homestuck: [ooc – contains spoilers for Act 5]

Achewood experiments with the webcomic form and meta layers in some ways that are similar to Homestuck and some that are different. Andrew Hussie links to Achewood in MSPA’s ‘No Shortage of Good Websites’ section, so where Hussie employs the same techniques as Achewood, it could be direct reference or inspiration.

From the start, strips can be three horizontal panels, four panels in a square, six panels in two lines, depending on what the day’s story needs. More complex formats including strips of 12 or more panels and strips with differently sized panels appear intermittently. Onstad is aware that he’s not working within the constraints of a newspaper or book layout and is using that freedom.

‘Cutting Room Floor #1’ (January 18, 2002) contains six panels, each with no context, supposedly from strips that never materialized. They’re arranged as if scattered on a table, a visual move that Homestuck will directly replicate. ‘Bloopers and outtakes’ (December 10, 2001) contains alternate panels from previous strips where the characters made mistakes or forgot their lines. ‘The unfinished strip’ (December 26, 2001) has five panels of story followed by a final panel reading ‘The cartoonist is too tired to finish this strip because his inlaws’ sofa-bed afforded him no sleep on Christmas’.

‘An ad’ (February 15, 2002) is an Achewood strip that doubles as an advertisement for the comic itself, and ‘En Espanol’ (April 25, 2002) and ‘Auf Deutsch (April 26, 2002) are strips in other languages. Interestingly, the German strip includes a translation while the Spanish does not. ‘The Making Of’ (May 29, 2002) details Onstad’s process of creating an Achewood comic from start to finish, presented as a strip in itself. ‘Thanatos Has Left the Building’ (September 15, 2009) is a newspaper-style wrap-up of the most recent story arc, featuring ‘loose ends, unanswered questions & exciting trivia’ presented up front instead of revealed organically in the story; Homestuck will also use recap and clarification as tools. Achewood characters write both original fiction (June 30, 2009) and fanfiction (August 2005) within the story, paralleling (among other things) Sweet Bro and Hella Jeff.

But my favorite example of playing with form is ‘Roast Beef’s Tone Poem’ (April 20, 2009), a 20-panel monologue from character Roast Beef with the alt text ‘Mix and match any four panels for instant *almost-works* inscrutability!’ I love this mix and match, create your own comic strip ethos, so I decided to create my own tone poem by rolling 4d20. Here’s the result.

Achewood quickly expands beyond the confines of the strip, just as Homestuck does. Achewood begins employing alt text on every strip in January 2002, with Onstad pretending for some months that somebody besides him is writing the text. Sometimes, the text announces what the comic will feature tomorrow, which is generally a lie – for example, alt text for May 30, 2002 reads ‘Mr. Bear tries to play chess with Todd but Todd has a cocaine problem – TOMORROW!’ while May 31’s strip does not feature Mr. Bear, Todd, chess, or cocaine. Alt text for September 8, 2009 reads ‘Meanwhile, even though he is supposed to be asleep, Philippe is using a flashlight to read a slender volume entitled, How Come a Bird Can Die?’ Philippe does not appear in the day’s strip, but we still get his story. Including a side story outside of the main panel is another technique Homestuck will use.

In a notable difference to Homestuck, alt text for September 30, 2002 reads ‘To-day is the 364-day anniversary of Achewood!’ while alt text for October 1, 2002 reads ‘I finished my soda!’ The true first anniversary is not acknowledged within the strip, and any celebration of it has not survived. This appears to be Onstad’s trolling, as future anniversaries do have dedicated strips.

On July 2, 2004, Onstad launched nine Blogspot blogs, eight for the comic’s main characters and one for himself, all of which received regular updates for the rest of Achewood’s run. Six zines, two novellas, a cookbook and an advice column all add new material to the canon, and it seems that Achewood outgrew the webcomic format altogether, as its final entry on December 25, 2016 is not a comic strip, but a post on Onstad’s blog. It includes the line ‘The blogs are where I personally think the heart and soul of that universe live… in words I haven't had to maddeningly jockey into tiny speech bubbles.’

In a final and wonderful parallel, for a brief period in 2009, Achewood becomes an adventure game. While nothing is interactive, strips from October 9 to November 7, 2009 are mostly written in Homestuck’s command-narrative text format. In the final adventure game strip, we even see the mechanisms behind the narrative prompt, a complicated system of pulleys and levers hooked up to a reel of paper. This is shown in three dimensions while other, two-dimensional Achewood panels happen around it. It’s one of the comic’s most experimental strips, and would not feel out of place in Homestuck.

Continue reading? Yeah, I had a blast reading this. I can imagine wanting to check this every day in 2002 for a momentary bright spot during work, and in the modern day, infinite scrolling the Achewood archives is probably a more enriching way to spend time than infinite scrolling on social media. Because of its sprawling format, lack of plot and current paywall, I don’t feel like I need to ‘complete’ Achewood, but I definitely want to see more of it.

#webcomics 100 #achewood #its always so hard to narrow down what strips to include. i cant believe i had to cut the model trains one #(july 9 2002 is the model trains one. if anyone would like to know that)#also my last sentence is a little old man yells at cloud i know. i know. i know <3 #anyway i loved getting back to these! what a great comic to pick up with!#chrono

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galactic-glamour-girl-posts · 1 year ago

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In celebration of Animaniacs' 30th Anniversary...

I'm gonna list some of my favourite segments/episodes from the franchise and explain why they're my favourites! The segments/episodes will be listed in order of their debut in their respective series.

I'll start with my favourite episodes from the original Animaniacs:

Taming of the Screwy

I see this episode as the turning point of Warners' and Scratchy's relationship. Before they'd drive him crazy and he'd want nothing to do with them, but because of his job he's forced to deal with them. This episode was the start of Scratchansniff realizing that the Warners' aren't all bad, which eventually leads to them to getting along a bit better later on. The Warners still mess with Scratchy a lot because, as they say in this episode, it's their way of showing affection, but he genuinely tries to tolerate them (key word being "try"), and they even help him a bit ("La La Law"), until eventually he starts acting somewhat like a guardian to them and he's even willingly choosing to hang out with them (like in "I'm Mad", "Fake", "The Party", etc).

This episode also puts the Warners' characters in a new perspective, being the first that tries to get the audience to genuinely sympathize with them. We knew about them being locked in the water tower, but that wasn't taken too seriously and (because of how "Newsreel of the Stars" presented their origin) you could argue the studio's treatment of the Warners was just a reaction to the Warners' antics. Here the Warners kept their end of the deal and were well behaved, yet were betrayed anyway. They had gone up against a "special friend" before this episode, but this episode was pretty much the first to firmly establish that the Warners are capable of behaving if treated fairly (although they'd rather mess about, not out of maliciousness, but because they just wanna have fun), but if not they're not afraid to fight back and wreak havoc.

A big reason why I like the Warners so much is that they seem like simple characters on the surface, but there is nuance to how they act, and this episode is a good example of that ("The Sound of Warners" also being a good example). It would've been easy to write the Warners as one-dimensional characters who all act the same, are completely incapable and/or unwilling to behave and do nothing but make anyone and everyone's lives worse for no reason, especially since it's a variety show, but they didn't and I appreciate that. I also think the way they're drawn in this episode is adorable! They don't look how they usually do when animated by TMS, but I still like it.

The Warners' 65th Anniversary Special

This episode gives a more detailed retelling of the Warners' origin story. This time it is presented as a "live" TV special, which is a unique premise for this show that helps this episode stand out. I like how "Newsreel of the Stars" tries to make the studio look as good and reasonable as possible, only for that to be flipped on its head in this episode which makes it clear that really the problem was that Memlo and Plotz were the unreasonable ones. The Warners' backstory itself expertly manages to be both comedic yet sad at the same time in a way that doesn't feel tonally inconsistent at all. I still find it hilarious that they took an actual Looney Tunes character and made them into a twist villain just because they were unpopular in real life (let it be known that Animaniacs did that joke before the 2002 Scooby Doo movie did). Combine all that with some fun cameos and beautiful TMS animation, and you've got one of the show's best episodes.

Episode 92

Yup-the whole episode. This episodes is a great summary of Animaniacs' strengths, because each segment is a perfect example of an aspect (or multiple) of Animaniacs that the show does expertly well. "It" has some of the best animation in the whole show, "Dot-The Macadamia Nut" is one of the best parody songs in the show, and "Bully for Skippy" provides some of the best meta humour, political satire, slapstick, and irreverent humour in the show. It's one of my favourite Slappy segments, and although I think the message isn't supposed to be taken seriously...I legitimately think it's a good moral? After seeing other shows/movies/etc (particularly since the 2010's) have their protagonists easily talk down and redeem multiple incredibly vile villains, or sometimes just outright let the villain get away for the sake of keeping them passive/non-violent, this episode's conclusion was incredibly satisfying.

Children's media will often tell kids to just ignore bullies or to constantly try to "get through to them" no matter what, because if they don't that makes them "just as bad" and I'm sorry but that's not something we should be teaching kids, and I'd argue they're not just bad but straight up dangerous messages. Ignoring bullies doesn't work most of the time, it just makes them try harder to get your attention, which often means acting more aggressive and malicious. I do think teaching kids to try and make peace with people non-violently is very important, but if the bully keeps harassing them, at some point you have to draw the line and stand up for yourself. Sometimes you have to yell. Sometimes you have to fight. It sucks but that's life...so anyway, back to Animaniacs. Duke seemingly does learn his lesson in the end, because he's seen helping Slappy, but only after getting his butt kicked, and it's not like him and Skippy are BFFs or anything.

I think this is one of the most well-balanced non-singular story episode of the show, quality wise that is. Most Animaniacs episodes with multiple segments have at least one that is mediocre or straight up bad in comparison to the other(s), but that's not the case here. They're all great.

Honourable Mentions: The Sound of Warners, La La Law, Meatballs or Consequences, A Christmas Plotz, Super Strong Warner Siblings, Morning Malaise, Season 3's Finale (Episode 82), Win Big, Puppet Rulers, Bubba Bo Bob Brain, Yes, Always, Bumbie's Mom, ...And Justice for Slappy, One Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock, Critical Condition, Woodstock Slappy, When Rita Met Runt, Smitten With Kittens, Phranken-Runt

Best Songs: Yakko's World, Wakko's America, I'm Cute, Yakko's Universe, The Ballad of Magellan, Variety Speak, I'm Nobody's Mama, Let's Try for Two, Humans Ain't What They Seem to Be, A Quake! A Quake!, The Senses Song, There's Only One of You

Now on to Pinky and the Brain:

A Pinky and the Brain Christmas

Yeah, yeah. I'm just gonna get this one out of the way now. You love it, I love it, and we all know why...but I'll explain anyway!

For one, this is the only episode TMS animated for the spin off, and it looks gorgeous. The writing's as good as ever. I'd like to point out the Donner Party joke for being clever; but Bill Clinton being unable to open the window is the joke that gets me to chuckle when I think about it. Although let's be honest, people mostly like this episode because of the ending. I get it though, it's touching! It shows just how much Pinky loves Brain and how selfless he can be, dedicating what was supposed to be his Christmas list to Brain. Then the smashing, the keychain, the credits, blah blah blah we know how it goes.

I mean if you're reading this then chances are I don't need to convince you; it's the show's most well-known episode, and it's really good.

Welcome to the Jungle

This episodes flipped Pinky and Brain's dynamic on it's head. Brain was out of his element, meanwhile Pinky took charge. This is the main reason it's one of the most memorable episodes of the show, although another is that Snowball makes his grand return in this episode, and is even more antagonistic this time by trying to get Pinky and the Brain killed, whereas last time he was really only trying to one-up Brain. I find it interesting that Brain’s more sympathetic towards Snowball this time around, insisting that he needs help and attempting to save his life. Perhaps he always missed Snowball as a friend (and still cares about him deep down), perhaps being so out of his element softened him, maybe both? And when Brain defeated Snowball towards the end, after what he went through in the episode that genuinely felt triumphant and deserved.

This episode really shows off how Pinky and the Brain is distinct from Animaniacs. The Warners don't take serious situations seriously, they're always on top of things and are ultimately winners. Pinky and the Brain are kind of the inverse; mice wanting to take over the world is ridiculous, but they take it completely seriously, and fail every time. Though it is exactly that that allows the protagonists to be vulnerable and struggle more often, hence allowing the characters and their stories to often times be slightly less zany and a bit more sincere.

Star Warners

This episode was just fun, what more can I say? It was nice to see many of the Animaniacs characters again, especially the Warners and Slappy, but we even got to see the more obscure characters like Pip, Zalgar, the aliens from “Space-Probed”, Sid the Squid and Beanie the Braindead Bison. Some Looney Tunes characters and Freakazoid appear too. I also like a lot of the "castings": in particular Yakko as Han, Wakko as Luke and Dot as Leia are perfect choices.

There's more to this episode than cameos though, like the interactions between characters who pretty much never interact. Dot and Brain, Wakko and Mindy, etc. My absolute favourite aspect of this episode is that the Warners, Pinky, Brain and Slappy all got to star alongside each other throughout the episode! The Warners have interacted with Slappy a few times, they've also interacted with Pinky and the Brain too, as has Slappy (very briefly in "Spell-Bound"), but they've never all interacted as a group for an extended period of time. I haven't kept it a secret they're my favourite Animaniacs characters (and also have pretty much the only segments I truly care about aside from maybe also Rita and Runt), so to see them interact as a group was great!

Also, the final credits gag was “Nympholepsy - To have a desire for an unattainable idea”. That's a perfect Brain’s Word to end the show on, and this episode was a pretty good way to end the show. Sure, something with higher stakes that takes place in the main setting of PatB (as in an episode where Pinky and the Brain live in Acme Labs in the modern day) like the "Brainwashed" trilogy would've made for a good finale too, but honestly having the final episode of the show essentially be a crossover between it and its parent series is cute. In fact it's probably...eh screw it, it IS the best Animaniacs-related series finale there is.

Honourable Mentions: TV or not TV, Snowball, The Pink Candidate, Pinky and the Brain…and Larry, This Old Mouse, A Pinky and the Brain Halloween, You’ll Never Eat Food Pellets In This Town Again, The Family That Poits Together, Narfs Together

Best Songs: Brainstem, Cheese Roll Call, Just Say Narf!, A Meticulous Analysis of History

And now, because I haven't seen "Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain" and don't plan to, the Animaniacs reboot:

Fear and Laughter in Burbank

I love that the Warners' Halloween costumes were the Marx brothers, it's a cute reference to the fact that Yakko and Wakko were partially inspired by Groucho and Harpo respectfully. That and I really like segments where the Warners torment some evil supernatural being. The fact that these literal children can not only hold their own against but outright best beings like a soul-sucking clown, the Devil or even Death himself is both hilarious and admirable. They're not just pests, they're powerful pests.

It's pretty interesting that Yakko is the only one of the siblings who falls victim to Nickelwise, before being narrowly saved by Dot. His encounter with Nickelwise reveals a few things about him: that he hates being alone, fears losing his voice, and is at least a little insecure about his comedic skills whilst seeking validation via comedy. It also implies that despite the fact that he acts as the most mature, experienced and the de facto leader, he may be the most anxious and have the most self-worth issues of the three. This would make sense since he's the eldest, and therefore presumably has a lot more worries on his mind than Wakko and Dot. I do like this segment overall, but this moment is what made it one of my favourites. It provides depth to Yakko's character like never before, which I appreciate given that he's my favourite.

Rome Sweet Rome

This segment had a lot of good gags, solid satire, a fun song, and each Warner shows off their skillset pretty well: Yakko using his words and not his fists in a fight, Dot weaponizes cuteness to blindside an opponent, Wakko has an endless appetite and is really destructive. Titmouse animated this one so of course the animation was great. Pretty much everything I like about the Warners' segments is here and in top form. Not much more to say other than that, it's just...really good!

The Island of Dr. Warneau

Titmouse animated so once again there's great animation (Jurgen's lab was wonderfully creepy), and I really liked how the Warners were written in this one. I like that Yakko has a picture of Scratchy in his wallet (I'll take all the "Scratchansniff is their dad" crumbs that I can get), the clones are adorable, and of course the comedy was as good as ever ("You're living beings, not unpaid interns!" in particular got me).

Jürgen seems to be depiction of what an abusive family member might act like (although obviously exaggerated, since this show is a zany cartoon and all). In addition to forcing them to do whatever he wants whilst giving no love in return, Jürgen makes the clones call him "brother" to condition them into thinking he's family so they'll feel obligated to associate with him, has convinced them that he's their "protector" so they'll feel helpless without him (unfortunately that worked because Ratto straight up says they're helpless in his first line), and when the clones finally do stand up for themselves he tries to bribe Ditto towards the end by offering her a strawberry, whilst claiming she was always the "sensible one". The ending was very satisfying, with Ditto refusing to call Jürgen "brother" anymore and switching to using his first name (basically disowning him) and calling the Warners her real family. The six of them hug and just before things get a bit too cute-Jürgen gets eaten by a whale. The ending, like the whole segment really, is a perfect mix of both wholesomeness and dark humour.

This segment essentially emphasizes the importance of who the Warners are as characters. It explored the idea of what the Warners would be like if instead of being chaotic and rebellious, they were meek and well behaved, essentially the opposite of themselves, and it made for an interesting watch! It shows the importance of being assertive, and why being "perfectly behaved" and "obedient" isn't always a good thing. In hindsight, had Scratchansniff actually managed to successfully "de-zanitize" the Warners, it might've been the worst thing to have happened to them.

The Warners aren't perfectly behaved. They're snarky. They're chaotic. They're insane(-y). They're a lot of things, BUT when they see something wrong they don't stand aside, they fight back and make it right, just in a comedic way (they're like the embodiment of karma). Their backbone is one of their biggest redeeming qualities, and although people in-universe give them a hard time over their chaotic and irreverent nature, they'll always be better than the corrupt authority figures (like Jürgen, or many of their "special friends") they tend to take down.

Honourable Mentions: Suspended Animation Part 1, Ralph Cam, That's Not the Issue, Future Brain, Roadent Trip, Yakko Amakko, Christopher Columbusted, Reichenbrain Falls, 23 and WB, Planet Warner, Talladega Mice: The Ballad of Pinky Brainy, Fantasy, Teeniacs, Animaliens, Global Warnering, Slappy's Return

Best Songs: Suffragette Song, The Cutening, Be Like Me, A Zit!, I Am The Very Model of an Ancient Roman Emperor, Yakko's Big Idea (Yakko's Big Song), Magna Cartoon, Warner's Ark, D.I.WHY?, Here Comes the Sea!, Some of Humanity's Wins

Before Animaniacs, many syndicated cartoons (specifically ones from the 60's to the 80's) had either a) good writing but cheap animation or b) more expensive and impressive looking animation but were essentially over glorified toy commercials. Animaniacs had both witty, intelligent writing and downright beautiful animation (seriously, the segments animated by TMS are some of the best hand drawn animation I've ever seen in a TV show). This wasn't unheard of by the early 90's, but only a handful of other cartoons could claim the same at the time. It's higher budget compared to a lot of other contemporary cartoons also meant it could afford a 25-to-40-piece orchestra, and that (along with the extremely talented staff) allowed Animaniacs to have one of the best soundtracks from any cartoon ever. Not to mention it was one of the first TV shows to garner an interactive online audience. Animaniacs was one of the first examples of internet fandom culture. Think about that. That is huge.

The Warners, Pinky and the Brain and Slappy are unironically some of my favourite characters of all time. I love that that the Warners are chaotic, nigh-omnipotent beings who can do anything, but also non-conforming outcasts who look out for each other because no one else will, but also well-meaning rebels, but also cute silly little children all at the same time. And that's just what they have in common, that's not even getting into their individual personalities. To put it very briefly (because I literally already wrote an essay about Dot so if you've read that you know how long I can go on about them but this post is long enough already and I'm still not done) I admire Yakko's wit, Wakko's optimism, and Dot's confidence.

I love that Pinky and The Brain are complete opposites in every sense of the word yet still manage to have an unbreakable bond. I love Slappy's unapologetically violent but never too meanspirited sense of humour (even though she's only one in-universe I genuinely think she makes for a better female Looney Tunes character than most of the actual female Looney Tunes characters) and how despite how bitter and cranky she is, she never lets that get in the way of her bond with Skippy.

Both the original Animaniacs and the reboot are some of my favourite shows of all time. I love their sense of humour, I love the main characters, I love that they never hold back and go places/accomplish things that a lot of other kids shows wouldn't even dare to. Not only was Animaniacs heavily influenced by Looney Tunes but it (and a series of Looney Tunes television spin-offs) helped bring Looney Tunes back from a period of stagnation by popularising its sense of humour (particularly its type of snark, wordplay, slapstick and visual gags). I feel like not enough people talk about just how influential the original show was; not only did it have more pop culture references and social commentary than pretty much any children's cartoon had before it, it played a big part in popularising those two things as well as sharp satire, cynical irony, meta humour, self awareness, and just witty humour in general being in children's cartoons, if not TV as a whole.

And above all else...it was fun. It was a fun show that just wanted to make you laugh above all else. It knew what it wanted to do and was good at it, and sometimes that's all you need for success.

I love this franchise, and I can't wait to see what it does next.

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