#the awareness that the greatest end a person can have is to have one's death be a tertimony

[applestorms]

L can be such a possessive character at times. he always strikes me as the type of person who is deeply aware of everything that he owns, both in a more literal sense and metaphorically-- like, he knows what money he has and how to use it, what resources are readily available to him and what he has to be sneakier to utilize, the habits and tendencies and emotional states of individuals and world governments both. the DN musical really puts an emphasis on the more computer-y aspects of how his brain functions, which isn't as obvious in the manga/anime but i think still works well as a way to follow his thinking. it's kinda what near does too: everything is a factor to them, every tiny detail a new opening to optimize for the best results, every person and location and object a part of a puzzle waiting to be solved. and as a part of that, L is deeply aware of every and any little thing he may or may not have control over, and exactly to what degree.

his habit of stealing titles as depicted in the LABB murders novel is such a good example of this. ryuzaki, eraldo coil, deneuve. he eats people alive and then takes their names for himself like some kind of fucked up fae or trickster god, creating new masks and personas to hide behind from the remains of the people he's devoured. i have to wonder if he would've used the title of KIRA for himself had he won-- i can hardly imagine what kind of power such a title could hold if held in his hands. of course, he could've just used the defeat of KIRA as a way to build up the L title even further, offering up the body of a dead god like perseus showing off the head of medusa. but L is so emotionally attached to the kira case, i struggle to see him allowing it to fade from existence so thoroughly as near does, even if it is only kept close on a private level...

this is part of why i think it genuinely makes a lot of sense that L's ultimate win state would include capturing light to some degree. even if the memory of KIRA somehow manages to fully disappear from the public consciousness, there is no fucking way L is letting light yagami out of his grasp. honestly, the moment that L truly loses this game is not when he starts investigating misa while still under rem's watch, not when light gets back his memories, not even when he dies, but the moment when he allows light to be freed from the handcuffs. the moment when he allows the other members of the task force to turn off the cameras and keep him from watching light and misa talk in the lobby. the moment when he gives up, lets light yagami go outside of L's personal sphere of control, is the moment when L starts the clock ticking down to the end of his own life.

this is one of the key ways in which i see light as a true equal and parallel to L, as after L's death he, intentionally or no, continues the same tradition and takes L's title for himself, twisting the two sides together into the L-KIRA amalgamation. only, the L title functions a little bit differently than every other persona or title that we see in the series-- because L's true name is L. that's all that he is. on a literal, legal, and emotional level, i don't think that L is anything more than L. he is the world's greatest detective, he's an incredible, weirdo super genius, but he does not afford himself much more than that, barely allows himself personhood or humanity outside of his work. light was the one to ultimately defeat L because he did not just put a stain on his character (as BB attempted), did not just kill him, but stole his very identity and took it for himself.

one of the biggest contradictions of L's character that i think you must accept should you attempt to portray him accurately is that he is both deeply detached from humanity while also having all of his work and effort and life be focused around saving it. it's one of the ways in which he is an exact opposite to light-- where light relies on humanity for external validation, to be Seen, while also looking down on it as dumb and immoral and spineless, L is so separated from it that he barely exists as a person, all the while dedicating almost every action he takes to helping it. remember: for all the emotional turmoil that wammy's house and the legacy of L may put on the kids living there, ultimately it's entire existence is nothing more than L's logical solution to his potential demise. if he dies, the world goes down with him, all of the cases that are yet to happen and he is yet to solve being left in the air. he has the foresight to set up a fail safe, but not to consider the emotional implications of what being that fail safe might feel like, how high the price of your own humanity is if you are not already alienated from it, the inability to have your own name on your gravestone-- though perhaps some of the blame also falls on watari's shoulders in this case, philanthropic old bastard that he is.

imo, playing his game really got it right in presenting L and light as one and the same, synonyms on either side of the mirror. in every action they take they are both so selfishly selfless, playing the game for themselves and their own pleasure but plastering the needs and will of humanity on top of it. L isn't invested in saving humanity for the sake of humanity-- he just likes the thrill of having the stakes raised so high. hard to shit on ryuk for wanting entertainment when the humans he finds are just the same as him.

[queenlucythevaliant]

Time to share another of my favorite Christian poems with you all. It’s a martyrdom poem by Varlam Shalamov, a victim of the Soviet gulags and also the writer of Kolyma Tales. A few favorite stanza are written out here; the entire poem is typed out below. It’s a little on the long end, but entirely worth it. 

“Avvakum in Pustozyorsk” by Varlam Shalamov

The walls of my church

  are the ribs of my heart;

it seems life and I

  are soon bound to part

 .

My cross now rises,

  traced with two fingers.

In Pustozyorsk it blazes;

  its blaze will linger.

 .

I’m glorified everywhere,

  vilified, branded;

I have already become

  the stuff of legend.  

 .

I was, people say,

  full of anger and spite;

I suffered, I died

  for the ancient rite.

 .

But this popular verdict

  is ugly nonsense;

I hear and reject

  the implied censure.

 .

The rite is nothing—

  neither wrong nor right;

a rite is a trifle

  in God’s sight.

 .

But they attacked our faith

  in the ways of the past,

in all we’d learned as children

  and taken to heart.

 .

In their holy garments,

  in their grand hats,

with a cold crucifix

  in their cold hands,

 .

in thrall to a terror

  clutching their souls,

they drag us to jails

  and herd us to scaffolds.

 .

We don’t mind about the doctrine

  books and their age;

we don’t debate virtues

  of fetters and chains.

 .

Our dispute is of freedom,

  and the right to breathe—

about the Lord’s will

  to bind as he please.

 .

The healers of souls

  chastised our bodies;

while they schemed and plotted,

  we ran to the forests.

 .

Despite their decrees,

   we hurled our words

out of the lion’s mouth

  and into the world.

 .

We called for just vengeance

  against their sins;

along with the Lord,

   we sang poems and hymns.

 .

The words of the Lord

  were claps of thunder.

The Church endures;

   it will never go under.

 .

And I, unyielding,

  reading the Psalter,

was brought to the gates

  of the Andronikov Monastery.

 .

I was young;

  I endured every pain:

hunger, beatings,

  interrogations.

 .

A winged angel

  shut the eyes of the guard,

brought me cabbage soup,

  and a hunk of bread.

 .

I crossed the threshold—

  and I walked free.

Embracing my Exile,

  I walked to the east.

 .

I held services

   by the Amur River,

where I barely survived

  the winds and blizzards.

 .

They branded my cheeks

  with brands of frost;

by a mountain stream

  they tore out my nostrils.

 .

But the path to the Lord

  goes from jail to jail;

the path to the Lord

  never changes.

 .

And all too few,

  since Jesus’s days,

have proved able to bear

  God’s all-seeing gaze.

 .

Nastasia, Nastasia,

  do not despair;

true joy often wears

  a garment of tears.

 .

Whatever temptations

  may beat in your heart,

whatever torments

  may rip you apart,

 .

walk on in peace,

  through a thousand troubles

and fear not the serpent

  that bites at your ankles—

 .

though not from Eden

  has this snake crawled;

it is an envoy of evil

  from Satan’s hand.

 .

Here, birdsong

  is unknown;

here one learns the patience

  and the wisdom of stone.

 .

I have seen no color

  except lingonberry

in fourteen years

  spent as a prisoner.

 .

But this is not madness,

  nor a waking nightmare;

it is my soul’s fortress,

  its will and freedom.

 .

And now they are leading me

  far away in fetters;

my yoke is easy

  and my burden grows lighter.

 .

My track is swept clean

  and dusted with silver;

I’m climbing to heaven

  on wings of fire.

 .

Through cold and hunger,

  through grief and fear

towards God, like a dove,

  I will rise from the pyre.

 .

O far-away Russia—

  I give you my vow

to return to the sky

  forgiving my foe.

 .

May I be reviled,

  and burned at the stake;

may my ashes be cast

  on the mountain wind.

 .

There is no fate sweeter,

  no better end,

than to knock, as ash,

  at the door of the human heart.

[fellthemarvelous]

Jedi and attachment

The Jedi Order was around 25,000 years old when it fell at the end of the Clone Wars.

And I've seen people say "the Jedi don't teach emotional regulation" I guess because there are some Jedi who fell, but like, the number of Jedi who didn't fall far outweighs the number of Jedi who did fall.

And that's not to say that Jedi never made mistakes, but none of them gave into their anger and fear and hatred. Mistakes are normal, even for Jedi. Failure is the greatest teacher. They were apparently able to regulate their emotions well enough to actually learn from their mistakes and grow.

I'm not sure which part of "the life of a Jedi is not easy" isn't exactly translating well for some people.

What do people think Qui-Gon meant when he told Anakin being a Jedi would be challenging?

As Yoda said, it is a lifelong struggle not to allow fear to bend into anger. Fear leads to anger leads to hate leads to suffering. The Jedi never stop learning.

The reason they avoid attachments is because attachments distract them from the bigger picture, from their purpose. They are protectors and defenders of life, and they cannot be picky about who they choose to help, regardless of personal feelings.

As Obi-Wan has said, Jedi do not hold grudges. They cannot. They can be upset, yes, but they are given the tools to handle their emotions and often utilize them.

Anakin damned an entire galaxy when he fell to the dark side. The Jedi are not to blame for Anakin's fall. Anakin made his choice, and while he spent thirteen years being groomed by Palpatine, he made the choice to follow Darth Sidious.

ANAKIN FELL BECAUSE OF THE CHOICES HE MADE.

He is the one who slaughtered Jedi younglings. He's the one who slaughtered the Separatist leaders, and even though they were the enemy, they were defenseless and trapped in a room with the most powerful being in the galaxy after being sent there by Sidious and Grievous.

The reason the Jedi were so hesitant to accept him into the Jedi Order was because of his age. He was attached to his mother and his anger over her death is what caused him to slaughter an entire colony of Tusken Raiders. He didn't do it out of love. He did it out of hatred, and revenge is not the Jedi way.

It is not the fault of the Jedi that Anakin could not properly regulate his own emotions. He lied to the Jedi for three years. He hid his relationship with Padme, so how was Yoda supposed to know how to help him properly when he didn't have the full context? Of course his advice seemed bad because Anakin was not being forthcoming about the nature of his relationship with Padme. Yoda did not have a complete picture of Anakin's anxieties at the time, and while you can teach someone how to do something, you cannot control how they put the teachings into practice. You can only hope and trust that they are doing the right thing.

And the thing is, the Jedi would have helped Anakin and Padme. Yoda and Obi-Wan loved Anakin. We saw several instances of just how much Yoda cared about Anakin, especially so at the end of season six of the Clone Wars.

Anakin betrayed the entire Jedi Order because he allowed his fears to consume him. He participated in the genocide of the order he had been part of for thirteen years just to save the life of ONE PERSON who ended up dying anyway BECAUSE of him.

No one has ever said the Jedi Order is perfect because there is no such thing as perfect, but they were not ever the villains. They were never the bad guys. They were pulled into a war orchestrated by Darth Sidious who weaponized the compassion of the Jedi as a way to destroy the order.

When you look at the handful of Jedi who fell and claim that the Jedi "don't teach emotional regulation" you're just erasing all personal accountability from the fallen Jedi WHO MADE THEIR CHOICES.

There is only ONE Jedi (that I am aware of) who fell to the dark side involuntarily, and that was Ahsoka Tano. She was corrupted against her will and then killed. Anakin was able to resurrect her, and while he did a good thing, it only made his fear of losing her again even worse.

Maul murdered Satine and forced Obi-Wan to watch, but Obi-Wan managed to control his emotions and not go on a killing spree. He actually held a dying Maul in his arms. Ahsoka was failed by the Jedi Order, but she didn't fall to the dark side. Yoda lived for 900 years and never once fell to the dark side.

There are a variety of factors that went into Anakin's fall, but he is the one who made the choice to do the monstrous things he did. He was not being mind controlled. He had Jedi training, but he threw all of that away for one person. He gambled the fate of the galaxy on the belief that Palpatine would help him save Padme from dying, knowing that Palpatine was a Sith Lord and knowing that he was the one who was actually responsible for the war. He made a selfish choice at the expense of everyone else in the galaxy and the only person who won in the end was Darth Sidious. It was the biggest lesson that Anakin ever learned.

This is not a failure of "teaching emotional regulation". This is the failure of someone who allowed his personal feelings to overshadow his Jedi training, and he is responsible for the consequences of his own actions.

End note: This is not an Anakin Skywalker bashing post. I love Anakin Skywalker, but he absolutely is to blame for his fall to the dark side. He's a fascinating character. I could write a whole ass separate post on why I love him so much. Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader is an icon.

[izzyhandslightofmylife]

Official statement on why Izzy's death affected me so much

Our Flag Means Death, is, at it’s core, is a show that focuses on queer joy- a form of therapy for those that have been raised on queerbaiting, shipping minor side characters, or watching, when nothing else is available, queer tragedies. You know how it goes- the two main characters, both male, have chemistry. They say things to each other that seem weirdly like declarations of love. They look at each other with love in their eyes. You see these things and the main man gets married off to a badly written, unfinished female character and is left feeling empty. The best friend dies for the main character to live. When everyone talks about how cute the main couple are, you want to scream all of a sudden, because nobody can see this love story play out except you. It’s queer, it’s tragic, and nobody else can understand it. 

Not Our Flag Means Death. From the moment it aired, it was praised as a show with unabashed queer joy, which means more than I can possibly say. The two main male characters meet, they have chemistry, and they fall in love. It’s not implied, or hinted at, but blatantly obvious. Their romances and the queer romances around them attracted so many queer fans who felt that after so many years, this type of show was a vindication for what they had been through with other media. 

In this show, piracy itself was that of a found family. Though Stede Bonnet and the crew of the Revenge start off with many differences, the core of the show centers around a theme that many queer audiences are attracted to: found family. The Revenge was depicted as a safe space, where everyone could express themselves freely, a refuge from a world of judgment. Queerness was not only accepted but normalized on The Revenge. No homophobia, no coming out, no typical complications of queer romance. Just love and safety. Warmth, which was Ed Teach wished for in purgatory. Which was what he found on the Revenge. The ship was a safe space that so many queer audiences had dreamed of. 

Well, a safe space except for one person: Izzy Hands, Blackbeard’s First Mate, who was a man painfully stuck in the wrong genre. This is the general consensus by both fans and the cast: Izzy, Edward and their crew had been in a gritty action movie, whereas Stede and his crew were in a muppet movie of sorts. While the majority of Blackbeard’s crew quickly acclimates to and celebrates the change, Izzy doesn’t. 

And right away, many fans felt a deep attraction to Izzy. The reason that Izzy couldn’t get Edward to love him was because, in the end, the only way that Izzy knew how to love was through blood. To give and receive pain in an action movie is one of the greatest forms of love, but Izzy fails to realize that Ed is not in an action movie anymore. He is happy with this stability, and the reason that so many people felt Izzy’s presence so was strongly was that he wasn’t. 

So many queer people are, in a way, addicted to tragedy. Tragedy is all that is represented in queer media for the most part, or was until very recently. Take Achilles and Patroclus, one of the most celebrated and recognized queer love stories of both ancient and modern times. Why that one? There are other greek love stories, many of them queer. The tragedy of it- Patroclus’ death and Achilles’ rage- made it all the more appealing. Many in the audience of Our Flag Means Death were not comedy fans, they were horror or drama fans, attracted to a comedy because of the love story. But Izzy, to them, was a physical representation of who they were, carrying an awareness of homophobia, of blood and pain that so many queer relationships had previously been illustrated by (i.e. Hannibal). Though Ed may not have understand this type of affection, the audience did- Izzy’s Otherness from the crew despite it’s safety, his expressions of love and his unrequited love story were all things that the audience were familiar with feeling. 

If Ed and Stede were good queer representation, Ed and Izzy, for example, were a foil of that. They were evil, messed up, and fed into the worst parts of each other because it brought them closer. This is a theme present in a lot of queer media, and by extension, queer lives: “if you love me, Henry, you don’t love me in a way I understand”, is an excerpt classic queer poem about unrequited love that fits the situation. The very reason Izzy stuck in people’s heads because he was of a different genre. His grittiness and bitterness made sense to the audience. They saw Izzy and saw what was familiar. He was exquisitely written, simultaneously making even casual audiences both hate him, and against all odds, find him oddly endearing. The idea of this man sacrificing every inch of himself for an unrequited love was a concept of tragedy, leaking into a comedic show. 

So fans projected onto Izzy. He was a catalyst for the heartache, for the audience’s sheer inability to have a happy show. For one reason or another, some of the audience simply couldn’t live with a show that was all fantastical, which I theorize is because they couldn’t see themselves in it. So Izzy became the epitome of queer suffering: pining longingly after another man that couldn’t understand him. This projection of suffering, however, led to a new wish: happiness for Izzy. If Izzy in Season 1 was a tragedy, assimilating him into the found family in Season 2 would have elevated the safe sense of the ship all the more. It would have proved to so many of these Izzy Fans that yes, even though you view yourself as unloveable, even though you see yourself as Israel Hands, Villain, even he can be loved too. Why can’t you be? 

And Season 2, for the most part, delivered beyond our wildest dreams. Izzy had people who cared about him. And though the genre shifted into the darker, Izzy himself shifted slightly to the comedic side as well. His life, which had been centered for so long around a man that didn’t reciprocate his feelings, was gone. He started a new life, and this life, again, focused on queer joy. The queer joy from Season 1 was suddenly for everyone, even those like Izzy that couldn’t have understood it. He sang, he whittled, he talked about feelings, he dressed in drag. Many elder queer fans also saw Izzy as another metaphor, too: that queer joy can be attained overtime. You don’t have to have had it the whole time, but you can accept yourself even when you are older. The message of Izzy was one of resilience and stubbornness, one that the queer community needed to hear: that you don’t have to be like this, you don’t have to create pain for yourself. You don’t need to watch tragedies all the time. You, too, can heal from the past.

And then, the season finale happened. By this point, many argued that Izzy had stolen the show. Con O’Neil’s acting mixed with his general arc of self acceptance had made him a fan favorite. In the last episode, it is Izzy himself who sums it up perfectly, accepting that he belongs somewhere despite his pain and flaws. Despite the darkness within him, he was still accepted and loved. He says it right to the face of Prince Ricky, who thinks himself above it all. That piracy, a metaphor for otherness, wasn’t actually about being alone; it was about finding others that understood you when nobody else could. 

Listen, this show is known for it’s nonsensicality. In the finale of Season 1, Lucius is thrown overboard by Ed and survives by simply swimming to another ship. Stede reunites with his crew by sailing a rowboat. Buttons turns into a seagull. Stede stabs Ed for a comedic bit. Earlier in the season, Izzy himself gets shot and survives. This queer joy show was celebrated for being, well, joyful. Even when things like getting thrown overboard did happen, they were, ultimately, a blip in the character’s journey towards acceptance, healing, etc, which was what made the show unique. Our Flag Means Death, whose audience had been living for years off of the “Bury your gays” trope, was adored because it illustrated a world where things didn’t have to be that way. A place where the impossible, such as Izzy Hands being loved, could happen. This show was one of survival. 

But not for the one person that was seen to struggle with this concept the most. Not for the one person that was a metaphor for belonging in this place, who became, over the course of a season, the embodiment of the message itself. Not for the Unicorn, the very symbol of this magical, nonsensical ship. Not for the most stubborn, most indestructible, most enduring (queer) person in the show. Not for Izzy Hands. 

This trope, honestly, was one that many have seen before, both in mainstream and queer media. A character, previously shown to be a villain or else to have gone through a lot of pain, is shown to heal, to get better, and then to die in order to “complete their arc”. This trope is common: Loki, Cas. even Ted Lasso, who doesn’t die but goes back to the very place that broke him in the first place. But the reason that Izzy’s death, while it might have been expected in another show, felt like a betrayal in this one is because it was known for subverting those tropes. From the “Bury Your Gays” to the “Up For Interpretation”, it was known to look those tropes in the eyes and say “fuck you, these people deserve to be happy”. And this did happen! Except for the one character who’s healing journey was one of the most relatable, at least to queer audiences. 

What also made it so jarring was that all the other characters got to be happy, except for the one that had struggled with the idea of happiness the most. In the scene immediately after Izzy is buried, Lucius and Pete get married. In the scene after, a montage of queer joy and found family is shown amongst the whole crew. In the final scene, Ed and Stede, our main queer couple, are shown healing themselves and starting a new life together. The last shot, however, showed Izzy’s grave, visited by Buttons the seagull while Ed and Stede had dinner. A tragedy in it’s finest. It wouldn’t have been difficult for Izzy to live. Because, in the end, his death meant nothing. His healing meant nothing. He died and was moved on from in a matter of seconds. He was, as I mentioned, the catalyst for tragedy, more specifically, queer tragedy. But because of this, of his genre, Izzy didn’t get to live. He had to die in order for the rest of the characters to keep living in this fantasy world. This death was, in a way, a preservation of these other love stories.

I maintain, however, that it would have meant more if Izzy had lived. If he had been  able to show to us that yes, despite what you have been through, despite what you may have inflicted upon yourself, you can switch genres. It’s possible. Izzy’s survival up until that point had been a profound testament to many that it is possible to heal, that queerness does not have to mean sadness. It would have continued to be a testament to that if only Izzy had lived. And so, this pirate that we latched onto, not in spite of his darkness but because of it, was buried on land on the side of the road. 

As a side note, many previous incidences in the story point to the idea even though Ed and Stede will definitely stay together, it’s uncertain if the inn would have worked out. It’s likely that, being a whim, those two might have chosen to move, or go back to the sea, or sail to China. If this is true, they would have left Izzy’s grave by itself, like a family pet buried in the yard. If this is true, Izzy Hands, a metaphor for belonging, would rot alone. 

Long live the tragedy addicts. Long live the Richard Siken poems. Long live Izzy Hands. 

*When I talk about the "fandom" I am referring to the canyon.

[bobsyourdylan]

Okay, so – a few thoughts on Izzy’s death. I’m sure other people have also laid this out, but I haven’t stumbled across it yet, so this is partially for me to get my thoughts organized. For the record, I love Izzy – he fascinated me (in a horrified sort of way) in season 1, and then he grew on me significantly in season 2. What a weird little guy. But also – I’m fine with them killing him off, and also with how they did it, because I think it makes sense for the story. But I know that a lot of people are super upset about his death, and also about the way he died. So, a few semi-coherent thoughts on that: 

Why not a sacrifice play?

This writer’s room is so self-aware, so deliberate about engaging with tropes – there is no possible way that they sat around breaking the story of Izzy’s death and no one said “woah, wouldn’t it be symbolic and gut-wrenching if he sacrificed himself for Ed? Or Stede?” No way. So why didn’t they go that route? 

Izzy’s arc in season 2 has been all about becoming his own man, separate from Ed/Blackbeard. Like – that’s what he’s worked towards, this whole season. That is his growth. It would be insulting to take that away from him at the last minute, and make his death purely about Ed and Stede.

Listen, I love a sacrifice arc as much as the next person. But Izzy’s life isn’t about sacrifice anymore – that’s the whole point of his season 2 arc. He has spent decades sacrificing both himself and Ed to the altar of Blackbeard. No more. 

It also means that Ed and Stede’s mourning doesn’t have to be tinged with the guilt of “he sacrificed himself to save me/my partner.” They can mourn Izzy purely for himself, because he is worth mourning. This, I would argue, is the send-off that Izzy’s character deserves.

Izzy’s death wasn’t accidental on Ricky’s part – it wasn’t a stray bullet.

We see from the scene when the crew is locked up in Spanish Jackie’s that Ricky recognizes Izzy. We know from their conversation that, for Ricky, Izzy is the epitome of piracy – Izzy, not Blackbeard, is the legend.

The thing is – Ed and Stede are both in the scene where Izzy dies (I’m not sure if you can see Stede on screen, but the bts photos show Rhys’ position, on what would be the far right of the shot). Arguably, Stede would have been the easier shot – Ricky wouldn’t have had to complete a full 180-degree turn before he could pull the trigger. So why doesn’t he go for Stede, who abandoned him to the tender mercies of Spanish Jackie in the first place? Or Blackbeard, arguably the greatest/most famous pirate alive, with the possible exception of Zheng, who he’s already targeted? Sure, you could argue that he’d going for Ed here… but I don’t think he is. The shot’s too low to be accidentally aimed for Izzy – it would hit Ed’s knee or something, probably. I think that yes, it’s a panicked shot, not well-aimed at all. But if it’s aimed at anyone, I think it has to be Izzy. And at the very least, the symbolism of it is very much not accidental.

For probably the first time since they created Blackbeard, Izzy isn’t just a stand-in for Ed. His significance is his own in this scene – in all of his interactions with Ricky. He’s not targeted because he’s Blackbeard’s first mate (why go for the first mate when you could go for Blackbeard?). He’s targeted because he’s Izzy Hands – because he is significant, powerful, famous, respected in and of himself.

And more than that – this is an arc about the end of piracy. And Izzy Hands is piracy – the show has been telling us from the beginning that piracy is a mixed bag, full of the good and the bad, and Izzy represents that  – represents both the toxic, violent side of piracy, and the side of piracy that he grows into, that he explains to Ricky – piracy as family, home, belonging. Izzy dies, and it hurts, because not only is he a great character, but he represents in one person all of the complicated, hilarious, heartbreakin, violent, loving aspects of piracy – and of the show. But it is so, so important that Izzy dies as himself – not as a symbol or shield of Ed, or Stede, or Blackbeard. Not even as a symbol of piracy, but instead as the active embodiment of piracy – as something/someone who grows, changes, ends. Not as static or passive, but as better than when we first met him, as transformed as Buttons in his own way. 

Izzy’s death sets up a possible revenge arc:

We know that everything in this show ties back to the main relationship between Ed and Stede. Izzy’s death is, I think, significant on its own, for him as a character – but it is also, by necessity, significant to Ed and Stede’s relationship. Namely – it sets up an interesting conflict for season 3 re: a potential revenge arc for Ed. 

Now, clearly they’ve carefully ended season 2 on a relatively high note in case we don’t get a season 3. But we know they’re gonna be terrible at running an inn, and we know there’s unfinished business with Ricky. Ed’s current strategy of dealing with everything that’s happened seems to be “I don’t want to be a pirate, get me out of here” – which, while fair enough, won’t last, because that’s the nature of unfinished business. So, at some point, Ed and Stede are going to need to confront Ricky again. And, if the writers decide to lean into the revenge arc, I’d say the odds are pretty high that, when Ed lays eyes on Ricky again, we get a flashback to Izzy’s death. 

And this sets us up for a pivotal, and necessary, moment in Ed’s character arc: when confronted with pain, loss, negative emotion in general – can Ed deal with it without losing himself? Ed needs a balance between the Kraken, Blackbeard, and Edward, and we see at the end of season 1 and beginning of season 2 how challenging that balance is for him to find, especially when confronted with loss or pain. We can see Ed working towards that balance when he’s interacting with Low – Low’s taunts don’t push Ed to violence, but instead get to Stede. But comparatively, Izzy’s loss is a much greater blow, and at some point, Ed is going to need to confront that.

Plus – we know the writing team are thinking of Izzy’s death at least partially in terms of the mentor/mentee arc, which often confronts the question of revenge – after the mentor’s death, the mentee is required to choose on their own how to go on, what kind of person they want to be. And this often requires a confrontation with both the mentor’s loss and a decision about how far they want to take their desire for revenge.

Why not a cooler death?

Okay — I get this criticism. I do. Izzy is an amazing fighter, we all love that about him. And you can keep most of the above symbolism and still have him die fighting two dozen British soldiers. 

But — again — we are back to the root of this show: Ed and Stede. 

Izzy has two deaths this season: one in the premiere, one in the finale. The first is Stede’s fantasy. Cool swordfight, and Stede triumphs, obviously — but the premise of the fight is that Izzy’s a great swordsman and Stede bests him because now Stede’s a great pirate. This is Stede’s ideal pirate fantasy. 

But Izzy’s actual death is not like this. It is messy and inelegant and painful and no one gets any glory from it at all and Ed is crying with Izzy dying in his arms, and Stede wants to help, goes for bandages, but he doesn’t know what to do and it’s not enough anyways — And this is not a fantasy anymore. This is piracy, and this is the piracy that Ed wants to escape. And it’s important that Stede sees this, sees what Ed is done with. 

And it’s also important that Stede tries to save Izzy. Izzy isn’t just a symbolic barrier between Stede and Ed anymore, to be sacrificed to Stede’s reunion fantasy. He’s his own person, with his own death, and Izzy has grown, yes, but so has Stede.

And by using Izzy’s death to make this point, we both get Stede learning the reality of piracy and growing beyond his fantasy, and the glorious fantasy fight kiss i love you reunion between Ed and Stede (if Ed and Stede had reunited by fighting off dozens of British soldiers, but Izzy had died doing the same, the dissonance would have messed with both the death and the reunion, because we the audience wouldn’t be able to distinguish between the fantasy and reality worlds). And getting both of these is the premise of the show — fantasy and reality both. 

And sure — you can be mad that the show used Izzy in this way. But that is the show’s premise — everything is in service of the protagonists and their relationship. This is not a surprise— it’s been openly talked about since day 1. 

You don’t have to like what the writers did. You don’t have to agree that it was the correct choice. But they have proven to us, time and time again over the last year, that they are self-aware and careful with this show that they know we love so much. So we absolutely owe it, to them and to ourselves, to ask why they made a choice that not everyone may agree with. What is the payoff? Why did they decide to do this thing that they knew would upset fans? Because we know it’s not that they hate us. So what is it? You don’t have to agree that the payoff is worth it. But do the writers, and the show, and yourself the favor of recognizing that there is a payoff here.

[thedivineart]

Glimpses of your Greatest Love ꒰ detailed ꒱ <3

𑁍 ࿐ ˖ ₊ ⊹ ﹙collab pac reading !!﹚

⭒ @daninixx 🙵 @krystiesees

‹𝟹 note ！

⭒pick a pile that you feel strongly drawn too, do not hesitate for what first pile you pick. choose from left to right [ 1-2-3 ] of each section^^

⌗ sections

⋆ something that talks about them [ personality, likes/ dislikes, hobbies etc. ]

⋆ how & when will you meet them

⋆ physical descriptors

ꕀ ׅ࣪ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ links : navigation. send love.

pacs. paid services.

masterlist. @theladyofmoon.

© thedivineart. do not plagiarize any of my work, translate or repost it on other social media platform.

⋆ something that talks about them [ personality, likes/ dislikes, hobbies etc. ]

꒰ one ꒱ @daninixx

This is typically someone who got a death and serious stare. They probably perceive as someone who is cold and intimidating regardless to gender. They frequently enjoy life and someone who put much effort into their work. Even though, the sun doesn't yet rise, they already start working. They usually type of person who is consistent and devoted when it comes putting an effort into a work. They'll be someone who is honest, very true and open-minded. This is someone who is a great listener and adviser and so they will be sociable person. And might be someone who is ENFJ. They like new experiences, learnings and thrills of life. They can be someone who likes to party and attend social gatherings and they might do this when they're traveling around the globe. They will be exudes of charm and being confident individual, a lot of people will be attracted to their energy. Even though they are generous individual, they are someone who have anger issues. I see that they will be protective about themselves as well with their love ones so i'm not quite sure if they won't be someone who isn't possessive towards you at all. The relationship with them will be more into happy, you two will be sharing deep and hidden feelings for each other. For the quirks, they like to smile a little such as smirk. Someone who biting their lips when they smile or if not, someone who remove the dry skin of their lips as a habit so they casually put everytime of chapstick or lip balm into their lips. The number 7 is important for them and for this pile.

꒰ two ꒱ @thedivineart

• 2 of wands, ace of wands, king of swords, 7 of pentacles 10 of wands, 3 of wands, 9 of pentacles, knight of swords, the lovers, the hanged man

A kind of individual who loves exploring and enjoying it's life however they are not impulsive at all. Future oriented— likely to view their future and have plans/ vision for forthcoming events that will happen into their life. It could also be that they have this habits of preparing their clothes at night so at morning they wouldn't ready it and will have more time. They have great observation and awareness to their surroundings however in negative side they tends lost into there own world. In everything they got, they will try to help someone no matter what the circumstances is and do likely to do well in any field. At some way, they would likely to have trouble in choosing their path or often end up having at least two choices. S/he attracted into someone who is in different culture/ethnicity/ likely to be a foreigner or if not they would likely to live in different places all the time. Everyone may view this person as individual who can inspire others by the traits of being initiative and active, it also represent an individual who will do what they want and willing to work hard for it. This person will let you feel very excited about something or likely to have new hobbies most of the time. When people are around them, they likely to bring passion and excited to this certain individual. It will have the best sense of humor, naturally can inspire others and instantly become the centre of attraction. Very passionate to everything especially to the person who they love the most. People tends not see this individual throwing some fit unless you did/said something that is very appropriate for them. A kind who will reminds you that it's okay to slow down, nurturing and be drawn to each moment even through hard and bliss days. They were likely to fix their schedule before— for tomorrow purpose and doing of them, it could also mean that they some journal or just simply organizing some of their things during free time.

THEY WERE OVERWHELMED HOW LIFE IS HARD AND ROUGH FOR THEM, they want to go somewhere else that could have rest their weary head and soul. A lot of baggage of burdens and responsibilities they carrying and they feel execute about it, this individual is too done with what situation they belong. They may desire to leave and want some vacation but they still have a lot to work on too. Whatever burdens it is that might be about materialism, financial, energy or a literal burdens this could come to end and their success is awaiting for them in their destination. For some reason I do get that they feel that where they are now are full of sucks and burden, they don’t like the place and the people to the society they belong and they want to leave their but how to? Or they learn to understand their worth, how worthy they are and people around them doesn’t deserve a inch single of it. They were waiting for something perhaps financial uplifts or their successful moment coming from their labor and hardworking trait, they learn how to be confident and doesn’t afraid to the huge waves of burdens and challenges in life cause they know what do to and to deal with it as well ride with it at the same time ( that’s sounds so cool though) or if not, they are waiting for an arrival of new opportunity into their life or could be a new love interest. They are hardworking which can lead them to a successful life and even materialism, where they can literally enjoy the fruit of their labor, they are fast thinkers and as well in decision making and running quick as fast as they can to success and very determine to achieve it. If someone needs support or in trouble this person will be right there so truthfully fast like really fast like “my bud is in trouble I’ll be there to shield them”, they were like a super heroes but of course in real life and this makes them a good friend or a loving family member however in negative side since they are somewhat kind people tends to take advantage this type of behavior of them.

Most of the people who pick this pile already know who is this person, probably you have a romantic relationship with them now and for some this could be your friend or someone new and doesn’t know yet, there’s no doubt inside that you fall for them hard the traits they are showing up here are good like supporting you, having your back when you are in trouble as well understanding you in their way of thinking, the combination of 3 of wands + lovers card I feel they were waiting for a new love to arrive, an arrival of new love interest or that could be you since you both reflecting each one. Before I shuffle the cards I do really strongly feel that this person could be your soulmate too and I was really happy that the lovers card appear in this reading since it could also mean as soulmate too and I also feel both of you got similarities and what situation you and them are dealing with as of the moment. Also feel that this person will ready to take risk no matter what for their love ones, for their success and happiness or they could be seeking for some success, love and new opportunities in life, this could be also define that your greatest love is someone who feels overburdened into their love life or their love life causing too much stress for them. In person they want someone who can make them feel happy, comfortable and accept them for who they are and what circumstances they been through or someone who can share an adventure and exciting moments with them. They also don’t care how much it will take for the true love to arrive as long it is worth the wait, idk but it suddenly the song “HERE WITH ME” by d4vd suddenly play on my head though probably they are listening to that song or that could be the song that reminds them, also while shuffling the cards the time is 10:10 and the first card to appear is 10 of wands though, 10:10 could be also means as you or them could be receiving the highest form of love in this world. Everything is going to be on the plan accordingly and you or them doesn’t need to be rush, oh shoot that’s why knight of swords and the lovers appear though. They may also love to travel or having trips to other places and probably brings a lot of baggage and luggages when they travelling, going to beach and watching the sunset is the best thing for them as well watching the ocean and it’s wave, maybe that’s how they feel relaxed from the burdens and stressful situations of their life. They also thinks that their success isn’t where they are right now, theu believe that their success is from faraway or they want to build their success in far away land where no one know them, I’m also getting this thought of “I really feel executed in this life of mine, when my life starts to shine I want to be in the place where no one knows me”. They might be also fire signs especially sagittarius sun, also I getting a clear message here that want ir more to be fast their success or they want to take it really slow. They might be learning how to surf or surfing is one of their favorite hobby, they may also knows how to drive a motorcycle or they own a motorcycle, could also mean that this person will drive you crazy in their way of showing love too.

꒰ three ꒱ @krystiesees

• Knight of Cups Reversed, IX of Wands, IV of Swords

First of all, I see curly brown hair and electric blue eyes for this pile. I know I'm not supposed to give physical description here but it just came up suddenly. So I'm putting it anyway. (*You can remove it btw if you want to*)

Personality wise your person is very impulsive and emotional. Their emotions are all over the place. Not easy to reason with. Narcissistic and arrogant. They're stubborn too and in a very unapproachable way. They fear commitment. Are prone to infidelity. Very detached and indifferent to their environment and loved ones. One of their worst habits is lying and that too on impulse. It's almost like a second nature to them. A professional liar, if they could be.

They've been brutally hurt in the past. With the IX of Wands I see them standing guard to their heart. Their heart has been walked over, hit and thrashed to the point that they decided to put on a defense mechanism. And this defense mechanism is them sleeping around. Not developing feelings for anyone. Keeping loved ones at bay. Being detached and unavailable emotionally. Lying and cheating. They're literally in their "hoe phase" is what I'm seeing. They think by giving others what was given to them, they'll feel better. But they don't. And it's only about time. They hit a dead end and they'd realise love and commitment is not something to fear. And they do deserve the best partner and lover and so does everybody else. And they are coming to that point. I do see with IV of Swords. They're going into a deep contemplative state to reflect upon their choices in life and the lessons they've learnt so far. They're coming in terms to the idea of an ideal lover or partner. They're slowly leaning towards their romantic side which still believes in soulmates and wish fulfilment. And it's really about time when they attain absolute enlightenment and open their eyes to the possibility of an ideal partner and soulmate who awaits them with open arms at some corner of the world.

For their likes, I'm seeing alcohol. And very expensive ones to be precise, they do have taste in them. I also see sports that involve waters. They like swimming, surfing, diving etc. They also have quite a taste in music. Timeless, in fact. Elvis Presley, Cher, The Beatles, Bob Dylan etc. are few of their go-to artists. While for some of you, they are into The 1975, The Neighborhood, Arctic Monkeys, Paramore etc.

To me they seem to be an exquisite blend of earth and water elements. Earth that gives them a classic and expensive taste in almost everything. Water that shows their overwhelmed emotional side and of course interests otherwise.

⋆ how & when will you meet them

꒰ one ꒱ @krystiesees

• VII of Pentacles, VI of Cups, V of Wands Reversed

For some of ya'll I see you meeting online. Through social media. For others of you, your phones would get exchanged accidentally. Something that involved mobile phones in one way or another. For some, you'd dial a wrong number mistakenly and the other person on the call would be them. And while you'd know you should apologise and hang the call, something will push you two to talk more and that'd be the starting point. Most probably a "friends to lovers." And things will progress very slow. Though, I don't see any of you being upset with the slow pace. You're both going to be very patient throughout.

You meet under rigid circumstances, as in, online. You won't be able to open up to each other about your personal lives at the initial stage. You'd both be vary. But with time and patience, you'd see why you should trust the other person and vice versa.

It's someone from your past for most of you. Past life or early childhood or your teens. A friend you always cherished but lost touch with due to hustles of life. You could also meet in a work environment.

7 and 5 are significant here. So, it's either 7 years from now when you'll meet. Or 5 months, days, or weeks. No in between.

꒰ two ꒱ @daninixx

I see that the spirit soul's will going to lead you towards this person. I see here that you will meet them through friends or they maybe someone who already around your circle. It's either one of you will going to initiate the action of approach, they probably see the other person feel unhappy and kinda socially awkward. You will going to have a one on one or honest conversation with them perhaps that might be one of you, are tend to doubts the other person who initiate the approach they still feels this connection within themselves. This is so random but their love language is probably physical touch. For few, you will going to meet them when finally ready to let go of all your worries. You will going to meet them in the dates of 3, 8 and 11. In the seasons of Cancer, Libra and Gemini or this might be important to them.

꒰ three ꒱ @thedivineart

• queen of swords, 3 of pentacles, 3 of wands

You could meet them when you are no longer interested in love perhaps you are not hopeless romantic anymore, you start not paying attention for it. I keep seeing New York City maybe they came from that place or that would be the place where you could meet them or when your having a flight in New York city to have some vacation or visit someone. It could also mean that you might be studying/ working in far places which you could meet them.

That's why your not into love during that phase is because your focusing towards your goals perhaps your higher dreams in life. It's like you will be forgetting your love life and not focusing through it anymore, your only focus is about how you can achieve the “success” through this lifetime, if not then you probably focusing too much to your studies and even learning something which can expand your knowledge.

You could also be meeting them in mountains or in skyscraper. I do also see here that it could be the time when you feel the world is against you— experiencing the most painful thing/ emotion at some way. Whatever situation you will have during that time they will be like a mushroom— will pop out of nowhere and change your life. It could also the time when you are decided to live alone and work for yourself, be independent and don't rely towards the other or you recently been through a painful situationship. I keep seeing three— could be 3 days, 3 months and 3 years from now. However I also see for others this might be took some time like 13 years and above.

⋆ physical descriptors

꒰ one ꒱ @thedivineart

• SHIP, MICE, FOX, BOUQUET, TREE, DOG, COFFIN, BIRDS, MOON

THEY LOOK LIKE SOMEONE WHO GOT TAN OR OLIVE SKIN color, no matter what gender this individual they look rough, strong and healthy figure, they will be also look exotic in people eyes on in your eyes probably some people here are also foreign and someone different in how you people in where you live looks like and they could also good at other languages or they can speak three or more languages. This person could also look depress, someone who do look sad when you look to them however that could be how they appear since this is a general reading there’s a lot of hair color appear in here could be brown, red, dark gray and dark colors or probably dye their hair in different colors though and their hair is thin. You might probably notice how they make fidgety like making some small hands movement like biting their fingers in nervousness or excited, they could also have huge ears and receding hairline, you could also notice that how they feel discomfort and awkward in some difficult situation, I feel that they do that side eye thing when they also nervous. How this person walk is also noticeable, probably they walk very fast or slow could also doesn’t have sound when they walk too or they very light or they walk gracefully ( I know someone who walk like that way and he is a man though, just sharing lol ). They also pretty, good looking and beautiful in their physical face and how they dress themselves, might be an attractive individual too, they might be older than you and have this kind of cold face, yeah they are older than you if you are in your 20s and below and this individual is someone tall probably 172 cm and more above in that kind of height. They may also look vampire or someone who is like anemic or they are anemic, they could be extremely have fair skin too or someone who is pale, jawline is angular shape, distinctive nose or small cute nose, their reflexes might be good too, they are quick in catch or something and they could also have round face.

꒰ two ꒱ @krystiesees

• The Star Reversed, II of Swords, King of Cups Reversed

Regardless of their gender expression, I see this person as Cassie from Euphoria. Very pale, blonde, blue eyes. Popular among the opposite sex and most probably for wrong reasons. Not too tall, not too short. Average in height. Though I see 5'3 - 5'7. I don't see them as a gym lover. Though, they do visit gym to stay fit enough. Not a fitness conscious individual. Not very muscular. Just fit enough with just right proportions of everything. Not to sexualize anyone, but they got it all just right! Iykwim!! *coughs*

Some of them have light brown, or ginger like hair. Grey eyes and a slightly tan skin. Not too tan, just little. Blue is their color. They most probably have cooler undertones. Silver jewellery compliments their beauty.

They may have body dysmorphia. With the II of swords I see them covering their chests. So... Maybe that's something they're shy about? Also they don't put much effort into their style consciously. They are not so thoughtful as to what to wear and when. They may as well sometimes show up in identical clothes with someone else at a party. Most probably someone who is a friend. They don't have a personal style so they do copy others is what I feel. For some of ya'll your person may prefer being very covered up. They don't like showing skin. They're very conscious and shy.

꒰ three ꒱ @daninixx

This is someone who have a problem with their skin - it's either they have dry skin, some warts or they have a sensitive skin. They probably have the heart-shaped face and yes it looks very mature, their looks lean more into very feminine regardless to it's gender, this is one of the reason why they attract people a lot and as well, they might be someone who prefer neat and clean dressing style. They are someone who frequently known as taller especially with their own home country, they considered as tall individual. With the hair colors, i'm getting more into darker shades probably have black, brown or dark grey. They look very mature and old than their actual age. They also have an addicting smell of perfume that makes you obsessed to it, you will going to have uncontrollable desire when it comes to their smell. The eyes color shades is more into green and hazel eyes while for the skin tones, i'm getting for the majority of you it's light tones while for few it's dark skin tones.

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[fathercharlesoffdensen]

Ngl as a veteran Cherik shipper, Charles Xavier apologist, and someone who watched the '92 X-Men animated series, I kind of assumed going into the '97 series that Charles' death/'death' was a known 'ruse,' borne not just from the Shi'ar having the technology to keep him alive following Gyrich's assassination attempt, but also from the logic of keeping him safe/protected going forward. If some of the veteran X-Men didn't 'know' (although I question how that's possible at least with Jean) that he survived, then I figured Magneto surely did, hence Charles willing his legacy to his mutant husband. Charles seemed fully aware while still living amongst the Shi'ar of the ongoing developments regarding Genosha, almost certainly, I assumed, because it was his and Magneto's passion project. I didn't NOT expect Magneto to be jelly of Lilandra - that's part of the fun/'fun' of Cherik's dynamic, after all - but I did assume/hope that their reunion would be more of a reunion and less essentially blaming Charles for all of mutantdom's past and/or current woes.

Some choice bits from the "Graduation Day" series finale of the original X-Men animated series to 'prove' my point(s). Context: Magneto's magnetism is the only way to give the dying Xavier the energy to contact Lilandra using their "unique, personal, telepathic bond" so that he can be saved using "the superior technology of the Shi'ar," though Magneto is busy gathering mutants on Genosha.

"Don't you get it? Xavier was about as normal as we mutants get. He was famous, rich, and human-looking, and someone went after him in front of the whole world."

"Xavier ... dying? [...] A sad ending to a great life. Out of respect for Charles Xavier, I will let you all live."

A huffy Magneto, after Jean asks him, "How much do you love Charles Xavier?": "How dare you ask me such a question? He was my only equal. I owe him my life."

Jean, redux: "What would you do if you knew you were the only one on Earth who could save his life?" [Magneto: "Do not play games with me!"] Jean: "LIsten to me: A telepathic message to Lilandra is Xavier's only hope. You may be able to supercharge his mind just like you did mine. His brain waves are electromagnetic." [Magneto: "You lie to torture me."]

Scott has to weigh in, of course: "You know what you should do." [Magneto: My greatest enemy, and perhaps my only friend. But I have waited all my life for this moment!"] Scott: "Wouldn't he do it for you?"

Instructions given to Magneto when he arrives at the school: "Focus your magnetic powers on his brain waves and increase them in gradual increments. Though beware: If he should pass away while connected to you, the psychic stress may destroy you as well."

Charles (in bed [heh heh]): "Hello, Magnus. Surely you have more pressing business to attend to than nursing an old friend." [Magneto: "Nothing more important."]

Xavier's students are told that Charles "will survive," but "only under Shi'ar care": "I know you cannot bear to see him go, but it is the only way." Then, when asked whether Charles can "ever come back": "Perhaps not in body, my children, but my spirit shall remain among you where it was always meant to be."

TL;DR: I'm not saying Charles and Erik/Magnus becoming Chancellors of Genosha together after probably using Bastion / Mister Sinister / Jean / Madelyne / etc. to 'fix' / reverse the damage from the recent staged terrorist attack and then Marvel allowing them to get married (extremely belatedly) just in time for Pride Month is the only appropriate way to end season one of X-Men 97, but ... we're so close to an extremely gay Cherik reconciliation and validation since the '60s, and yet still so far away.

[whencloudwavesbreak-if]

When Cloud Waves Break Pinned Post

LINKS: DEMO [UPDATED 30/03/2024] | COG FORUM

SUMMARY

When Cloud Waves Break is a work-in-progress murder mystery/Lovecraftian horror interactive fiction story. After returning to your hometown of Golden Gulf, your older sister is brutally murdered. The method? Poison. The location? The Twin Suns restaurant, on its reopening night. It's up to you to find her killer. But it won't be easy. Between dealing with your hostile brother-in-law, the police force interfering every step of the way, and your own memories about why you left, you're in for a rough time. And that's not even taking into account the weird dreams you've been having…

FEATURES

Play as male, female, or non-binary; straight, gay, or bisexual.

Customize your sister: choose her name, her personality, and determine your relationship with her.

Choose between four possible occupations: actor, doctor, soldier, or dilettante.

Learn more about the history of Golden Gulf, how your family ties into it, and what it has to do with your sister's murder.

And maybe stop a cult. Or join them. It's up to you.

ROMANCE OPTIONS

Officer Wyatt Pierce (M) "I've made many mistakes. But caring for you? Isn't one of them."

Description: An officer of the Golden Gulf Police Department. He also used to be your neighbour when you were kids. Time changes people though. Can you love who he is now?

Appearance: Greying hair - younger than he looks. Massive claw marks across his face, burned into the skin.

Personality: He's gruff and tired. Growing up in Golden Gulf, he learned to let many things slide. It weighs on him, made him callous. But then your sister died. Suddenly, he can't be callous anymore. Not with her dead. And especially not when you're here.

Officer Casey Young (NB) "I'll keep you safe. I promise."

Description: The officer from Augusta, sent to find and arrest the leader of the Burning Waters crime gang, Nina Wu. They don't trust many people. Maybe you can be the exception?

Appearance: Faded tattoo of a monkey on their neck; wild hair; friendly, but cautious eyes.

Personality: They are kind, with a spine of steel, and will always do the right thing. Even if everyone turns against them and they risk losing everything. Make them care for you, though, and the choice will destroy them.

Evelyn Ross (F) "You and me? It just feels too good to be true."

Description: Your brother-in-law's administration assistant. Duty and logic drives her every action. To her, love is a silly afterthought. Maybe you can change her mind?

Appearance: Petite. Lustrous, thick hair. Bright eyes. Glasses. Conventionally attractive.

Personality: Her calculating mind is her greatest strength, but also her greatest weakness. She's aware of all the possibilities stretching out before her, but also of the consequences. And it paralyzes her. But reassure her, become an anchor for her, and she'll lift you up in turn.

Jeremiah/Jessamine Callahan (M/F) "I'd forgotten what this felt like. Thank you for reminding me."

Description: The sole survivor of the wealthy Callahan family. You grew up with their spouse, Riley. They've loved and they've lost. Maybe you can help them learn to love again?

Appearance: Hair braided in cornrows; ragged and tattered clothes; an air of sadness that hangs over them like a cloud.

Personality: They aren't afraid to say what they think and have a very strong moral compass. But it can sometimes lead them to jumping to conclusions. Get them on your side though, and they'll follow you to the very end. 'Til death do you part.

Oscar/Ophelia Lovelace (M/F) "You are everything that I imagined you to be."

Description: The interior designer contracted for the reconstruction. Love wasn't enough to keep you in Golden Gulf. But maybe they can?

Appearance: Very tall and graceful; eccentric sense of style; an ever-present smile.

Personality: They project a polite and mild mannered façade. But their true personality emerges through their design work, which they are obsessively dedicated to. Catch their attention, though, and they'll never let you go.

ADDITIONAL INFO

OTHER IMPORTANT CHARACTERS:

Your Older Sister: She was many things, to many people. How did you see her? Was she self-absorbed? Naive? Arrogant? Or charming? But none of that really matters now that she's dead... Does it?

Benjamin Mullen: Your sister's husband. He's a difficult man to get along with. He also has a problem with you specifically, and isn't afraid to tell you so.

INSPIRATIONS:

Agatha Christie mystery novels, Lovecraftian horror, The King in Yellow by Robert W Chambers, the TTRPGs Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition and Brindlewood Bay, and Slay the Princess by Black Tabby Games.

[theslayerbrother]

So there is a lot of Saying of how Jim changed characters Such as Draal Strickler Angor and Nomura to name a few but not that much of how the character changed him (especially his friends and family ) outside of bein Supportive.

edit - there Amazing headcannos by @albentelisa and by a few more so maybe i would return on Something that people already Said

Also i am not a Writer i'm so not calming it's 100% (well Claire mabye hehe) jk.

Let's Start with the easiest and Probably the most loyal person to Jim and the first Person after Jim that was introduce was his BFF Toby. Toby Represent Jim mortality the fact that he Can be hurt and injured because toby very easily get hurt and injured because he only human and not in the best of shape but besides that he is able to Keep going Which is Why Jim kept going able to do things despite being only human.

(i am well aware that Jim was the one who push to toby to Keep going as well was the first but Jim a lot of the time felt a moment of weakness that he isn't good enough and toby Should him that isn't true it Kinda go visa versa)

another thing about toby is his happiness and he have a Positive out Look of things toby and Jim become friends a short time after his father Left Which is Why Jim able to Keep going as much as he did because toby was always being besides him.

that's Also Why the rott movie was bad because it tainted that idea.

but isn't canon still hunts me a lot of the time.

overall Jim became much more happy and Much less angsty that he Should've been without toby.

moving on to Jim's Crash and Jim's Soulmate the Lovely but dorky Claire.

Claire represent Jim's fear especially the ones who relate to Losing his Loved ones and become evil Plus Lacking in Self belief.

thanks to Claire Jim able or have much easier time overcoming his insecurities his Lack of believing in self to do Something risky Such as the final Push in the bathtub Scene (Part of it obviously is the fact that Claire herself is a bit of a Dork lol).

the thing that Claire gave to Jim was her Love and acceptance that she trust him and he totally deserve the Love and care that Claire give him. as he doesn't need to be fear that he always feel accepted with her.

She is also extremely Smart So she can her only Second to Blinky so she help Jim with things that aren't trollhunting related and Very Powerful So She can Protect Jim when ever he need a hand.

Claire is Jim greatest Love and i think that Jim feel a lot more confidence and accepted because of her.

even tho Jim Claimed that he doesn't care about his father but he def need one and Blinky was the Answer. i believe that Blinky Represent Jim desire for family and being a Leader because both of them becomes Leaders Jim become a Leader at part 1 of Season 1 and Blinky at the end of Season 2 after the Death of Vendel both were hurt by a close family relative Jim by his father leaving him and his mother as a little kid. and Blinky by his brother Joining the Side of gunmmar both able to make their own family Jim found toby as best friend and brother then Blinky became his troll Dad and ARRRGHHH his troll brother. Blinky befriend ARRRGHHH and Adopt Jim as his son.

Blinky made Jim the best trollhunter change him and give Jim a Parent figure that's all the Most wholesome.

Jim need a father figure to guide him in trollhunting world and Also being a father in general. Plus Someone to share his Knowledge with.

so Overall Jim need a guidance of mentor and a father and Blinky answer that call

ARRRGHHH is everyone favorite wingman i do think AREGGGGG represent Jim entering a role that can be very well take your whole childhood away. both were enter the role of a Warrior in a young age i believe that ARRRGHHH form @albentelisa worlds he understand Jim as a role of trollhunter the Most and Probably Jim has much better time dealing with being a trollhunter thank to ARRRGHHH

Also his big heart and Adorable Personality help Jim have much better time entering a Strange world of the trolls well and Blinky and Draal Obviously.

Draal is Jim troll brother one of my favorite relationships in the Series

Draal represent Jim defined by his father both were defined by their fathers until they able to break it Jim but overprotecting his mom and have carry all the responsibilities in the house and Draal by following his Dad's Job of being a trollhunter which is Why is He was a rival to Jim at first

Fun fact - i thought that Draal would be an Antagonist for Jim after he defeated him but i glad that he didn't became one and instead became an ally.

Draal was a role model for Jim because Jim understood honor of a Warrior and Also build confidence in Battle as well. Draal was Protector so much that Jim carried his wish and Kill gunmmar by his name and his death consider to be the best one in the Series.

Draal was able to Change Jim make him better as a Person i feel lIke because of Draal i believe that Jim is even honor then he used to before (he had a lot of honor before that but still) better Adjust to the troll world because he had a troll for a brother.

@pinkytoothlesso11 and @rexnanorum @yavannah  @seekerofblades idon't know about the following two these following ones your expert not mine so i feel free to add up if i miss Something.

Barbara is Jim's mom and i think she represent his heart Barbara is Super Compassionate and have a Similar heart to Jim by being a Doctor and helping people both Jim and Barbara were hurt by Jim's father when he let the both of them down.

the Desire to help people so no one will be left out is Something that they both share Jim by being a trolhunter and Barbara being a Doctor.

Jim Learnt form Barbara that he doesn't need to be afraid to share the burden that you carry with your Loved ones. and that lies not matter what the intention behind it can and will damage your relationship with your Loved ones like what happen with them in Season 1.

Thanks to Barbara Jim become more honest Person who will have better time sharing his burden with his Loved ones and put his trust in them.

now to everyone favorite avocado troll nerd dad Mister Strickler. Strickler is one of the few relationships that is more antagonistic cuz Jim and Strickler butt heads a lot in trollhuntes in Season 1.

i feel Like what Strickler represent in Jim is the Desire to be Loved and accepted Sure Jim have toby and Barbara but he bullied and for the first part of trollhunters by the trolls because he was a human and Strickler by being a Changeling both however fortunately get the acceptance and Love Jim by Killing Bular and getting together with Claire and Building a family with Blinky ARRRGHHH and Draal

and While Strickler by getting together with Barbara and creating a family with Jim.

Strickler give further Knowledge about troll history and Changeling history to Jim teach him Combat Moves that Blinky won't teach because they cross his Limit.

Also i feel Like the Credit goes to @pinkytoothlesso11 i feel Like when Jim has a half troll Strickler is one who can understand him the most.

Which is Why at the end thanks to Lovely nerdy Strickler Jim is much easier time handling and Seeking things that others might won't understand.

[that-ari-blogger]

Would love to hear more about your thoughts on Mermista being your favorite character from She Ra 👀 if you ever felt like sharing

I’m totally not biased at all but I too think she’s the best character

I think this is really interesting, because a character can be someone’s favourite for a ton of reasons. Sometimes it is aesthetics, or mood, or empathy, but I like Mermista because of how she operates as a vessel for storytelling.

And before I start on this tangent, please be aware that this is, by nature, subjective. If you don’t like Mermista, state your case in the replies. Please don’t take my word as gospel.

SPOILERS AHEAD (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)

So, I am a fan of wordless storytelling. It’s why I love the traditional mystery films and old western flicks. I like the pacing that comes from characters wandering around and not saying anything, but working things out in a way that the audience can see.

This is partially because writing dialogue is easy, but writing good dialogue is infinitely more difficult than anything, and I am still getting the hang of it, so a lot of what I write is slow and methodical. But I also think that visual storytelling is a lot more interesting and easier for me personally to keep track of.

It's Show Don’t Tell taken to its logical extreme, and while its situational, it really works for me.

Which brings me to Mermista, who I think has less than half the number of the lines as Frosta, despite being on screen for a ton more. That is because no dialogue with Mermista is ever wasted, and instead she takes in situations and thinks.

The only times Mermista ever really speaks are when she needs to communicate information quickly, and when she is annoying one of the other princesses for the fun of it. Even with Shadow Weaver, she finds the quickest possible solution, she interrupts her by calling her a name. She throws her off balance, then gets back to being quiet.

Case and point, at the end of No Princess Left Behind, Mermista doesn’t give a speech, or tell anyone that she is feeling sad. She just turns away from the camera and acts out her emotions subtly.

But the show doesn’t write this as just a strength for Mermista, it’s core to what I keep saying about how the series writes tragedy. Each character’s greatest strength is their greatest weakness. Mermista is detached and methodical, but that’s a façade, and it means she is totally unequipped to handle big emotions. She doesn’t know how to respond to Entrapta’s death, and she is totally unprepared emotionally to cope with the fall of Salineas later on.

In that way she acts as a counter to Perfuma, who is all about those big emotions and big connections. But there are other things that show them as opposites.

For example, Mermista is dynamic as hell. Part of her water theming is that she is able adapt to almost any situation and work through a problem. She can fit any shape, and fill any role in the team. She’s a bruiser, or a scout, or a tank, or a saboteur. But she’s also dynamic ethically.

You may notice that Mermista has the single most flexible moral compas in the team. Not in the sense that she is morally grey, (or morally pink like Glimmer), but in the sense that she applies a different framework to each problem she is faced with. She doesn’t have a thing against deceiving, trickery, or even killing if the situation calls for it, but she never strays into that dubious territory because she knows when to implement it and when that fails, she tries something else. Mermista perseveres and adapts.

Perfuma, however, is the She-Ra equivalent of Batman. I’m not joking about this, and I will talk about it in a later post. In short, however, Perfuma’s greatest strength is her uncompromising moral code. That’s how she gets through to Scorpia at the end. But it also means she is utterly inflexible, hence why she can’t work with cacti or Entrapta.

The reason I bring both of them up together is because their balancing out of each other leads to character development over the course of the story. Perfuma learns to widen her understanding of the world, and that she doesn’t realy have to subvert her morals to do so, and Mermista gains a healthy framework with which she can interact with people and form meaningful relationships.

For example, she can’t really react to Sea Hawk at the start of the series because she doesn’t know how to. She thinks in problems to be solved, but people aren’t that. At the end of the series, they become a couple because of the development seen above.

Essentially, I like Mermista because I like the story that is being told about her, and the way in which it is told. She's also just a big ol' nerd, which is just a joy to watch.

Just stop giving her one liners. I’m talking to the show and a few fanfics I have read. They’re jarring. Please, let my girl brood.

[lenaellsi]

What are your gomens s3 predictions for crowley?

WELL

I have three categories of predictions. I know where I would take the character, but the show surprises me so often that I don't expect to get it right. Just for fun, though, and under the cut because it got so fucking long:

1. He sleeps/binge drinks/otherwise disengages from the world straight through to the start of S3.

The Crowley of S2 is, in a lot of ways, more stable than the Crowley of the Crowley of S1, but I think he's also more depressed. His only purpose was survival from the moment he Fell to the moment he and Aziraphale quit their jobs, and now that he has to live, he's completely directionless. He doesn't understand (and has never understood) how he fits into the universe, how angels and demons generally fit into the universe, and what the point is if God can just wipe them all out for any reason. He doesn't believe in any part of the Good/Evil system. Aziraphale leaving--and confirming some of his greatest fears about the foundations of their relationship along the way--could be enough to send Crowley into an apathetic coma for a bit.

So I can see it happening, but my instinct says that's not where they'll go with it. Crowley tends to fall back on his escape methods only when he truly sees no other way out. In S1, he tried to drink himself to death only when Aziraphale was gone and, to his knowledge, there was no way to locate the Antichrist and even try to stop Armageddon. A few episodes before that, he proposed leaving only because Aziraphale hadn't shared Adam's location, and because Hell was actively hunting him. Once he learned where Adam was--once there was a sliver of a chance to save the world--he drove through Hellfire to do it. Crowley's not afraid to work through tough situations, he's just always aware of how fragile things are, and is prone to feeling angry and hopeless when he sees no path forward. And of course he is--it's his oldest wound, and his deepest, that he and everything he loves will always be at the whims of ineffability, and that there's nothing he can do about it.

But in S3, since he's not at the point where the destruction of the Earth seems inevitable yet:

2. Crowley will form his own plan to stop the Second Coming.

This is what I think will happen. Crowley loves Earth. He loves humanity. He was the one to talk Aziraphale into stopping Armageddon, the one to toast "to the world" at the end of S1. The planned destruction of the universe is the exact thing that caused him to Fall. Crowley is his own person outside of his relationship with Aziraphale, and that person has a long history of fighting and scheming and suffering for the sake of humanity.

He's also a very active character. He is consistently the one making plans, moving the plot forward, trying to enact change. He saw the schematics in Heaven, and I really do think he'll do his best to come up with a plan to stop them, even though he's understandably very upset.

I don't think it'll be a good plan. If I had to guess (without knowing any specifics of the plot) I think he'll either try to disrupt the delivery of Christ to Earth or try to cut Heaven and Hell off from Earth entirely. He has no allies, no support, and very little reason to be cautious in his approach, which leads me to why you probably sent this ask:

Option 3: As above, only this time the plan is either not something he plans to survive, or his own survival is not something he is particularly concerned about.

So the thing about Crowley is that I really don't think he has any substantial issues with self-loathing, or any active desire to do himself harm. He is a survivor; he values safety and contingency and isolation above most things. But he values three things more: 1) freedom of choice, 2) Earth, and 3) Aziraphale.

He's a very angry, very impulsive person, and he is dealing with a lot unresolved feelings on the issue of demons and angels existing in the universe at all, and he loves Aziraphale and the Earth so dearly that sometimes he doesn't think straight. He's reckless, he's pissed off, he's feeling hopeless, and, after their fight, he's also convinced that Aziraphale would probably be able to move on from losing him. (In his mind, 'Crowley' is not the person Aziraphale would mourn; he would mourn the dead angel he's been chasing since the Fall.) If a plan presents itself that would be dangerous to him, I think he would see no reason not to try it. If you've gotta go, go with style.

So, yeah. I don't think it's likely, for all sorts of reasons--this is a comedy show, a Bible parody, and the tone is always going to be a little lighter than the angstiest possible conclusion, final fifteen aside. But the self-sacrificial route is one I can see Crowley taking, and his inevitable survival and reunion with Aziraphale would have an aftermath that would be messy and painful and fascinating to watch. It would also have some obvious thematic resonance with Christ, a figure I assume they'll be exploring quite a bit in S3, so that would be kinda cool.

(Thoughts on the Duke of Hell theory, with a general warning it's not my favorite, so don't read if that'll upset you:)

Very much not for me, sorry. Crowley, for all he is a master of on-the-fly (ha) bullshitting, is not suited for playing politics. (Neither is Aziraphale, for what it's worth.) Crowley is too outspoken, too honorable, and too prone to fits of temper to have any patience for that kind of role. Besides that, he absolutely does not want it. He hates Hell just as much as he hates Heaven. I don't think he would ever go back to either of them, consequences be damned.

I also think that there's no practical way it could even happen? Beelzebub only offered him the role out of desperation to find Gabriel, and even then, it was almost certainly a lie. With Beelzebub gone, every single person in a position of power in Hell hates Crowley. And if they tried to dupe him into it the way the Metatron did, he'd run and not look back.

[olasketches]

What do you think are Sukuna and Yuuji’s greatest personality strengths and weaknesses? Why? What do you love about their dynamic?

oh I love questions like that!!

for sukuna, I wanted to say his intelligence and creativity but to be honest I think it's his curiosity and inquisitiveness. Intelligence and creativity are like muscles. you develop them the more you observe, learn, practice and experience and one of sukuna's defining traits is that he's incredibly observant. his curiosity in a way contradicts his "I don't give a fuck about anything" attitude but then we have witnessed time and time again how he finds other sorcerous intriguing or in sukuna's words "fascinating". he even admits later to kashimo that he finds people tasty interesting

sukuna's curiosity allows him to learn new things and lets him acquire more knowledge (hence why he's so adaptable and strategic in combat), probably as a way to keep himself entertained, after all he's also a super bored individual. However, one would think that for someone with such strong sense of curiosity and inquisitiveness that naturally leads him into exploring and learning, he would be much more prone to growing and evolving as a person... well not in sukuna's case nuh uh. cause this guys biggest problem obstacle is him himself.

sukuna claims he doesn't need anyone and thinking his way of living is perfectly fine and yet he showed doubts when that one "annoying brat" who he can't seem to ged rid off (by literally and metaphorically cutting them off) the way he did everyone else, made him reflect on himself for the first time in millennium. sukuna is a great and cunning observant... of everyone but himself. I think his greatest personality weakness is his absolute lack of self awareness, which is kinda funny considering that he's also a character with the most overwhelming sense of self. it’s like he knows damn well who is and doesn’t need external validation but then because he never self reflects he can’t really grow and evolve as a person… and if it wasn't for sukuna and yuuji's forced coexistence, sukuna would have most likely still kept going about his life the way he always did without trying to understand his own thoughts, feelings, values, beliefs, and actions. the reason he never questioned his own way of being is cause others are just a way for him to pass time rather than an opportunity to reflect upon himself and learn something about his own inner workings…

and then we have yuuji who I would say is on the same spectrum just on the opposite end. yuuji doesn't really reflect on himself or question the world he lives in but that wasn't always the case. in the first ten chapter we actually get to witness his internal monologue about death and his place in all of this but after his first encounter with a certain death, everything changes. yuuji stopped reflecting on himself and instead started repressing his emotions. someone actually made a great meta about this, he actively avoids thinking about the whole situation, which brings me to my point. I think yuuji's greatest personality weakness is actually his impulsiveness. he tends to make decisions without thinking about the consequences first. yuuji, like most of teenagers tbh, doesn't want to think too hard about the world he lives in so long as he has something to do but I believe this might also be related to the perception he has of himself as "the dumb one". “Im an idiot so there’s no point in me thinking about these things right?” you can even see that sort of attitude when megumi admits why he saved yuuji that day

you’re so smart fushiguro. thinking about all sorts of stuff, unlike me.

oh yuuji.. yuuji.. :/. but in some ways yuuji's impulsiveness can also work in his favour. his "do it now, think later" attitude doesn't allow him much room to overthink, so once he commits to a task he doesn't back down until he achieve his goal. that's why, I believe his greatest strength are his determination and strong will, something even sukuna couldn't break.

sukuna and yuuji’s strength and weakness go hand in hand and complement one another. sukuna's habitual curiosity reflects yuuji's obliviousness to the world around him, whilst yuuji's determination (but also just sheer existence) caused sukuna to have doubts about his way of living. they're complete polar opposite and yet in some ways they're more alike than they think. neither of them is a big fan of self reflection. they're both stubborn af. physical pain is just an after thought to them, they'll keep going even if they loose half of their limbs. "violence is the solution". they're both freaks who don't mind eating human flesh and one of them actually enjoys it. and lastly, they're both just really miserable. sukuna's selfishness only made him hollow inside and yuuji's selflessness only brought him more suffering and pain. they also think that the solution to their problems is to kill the other one (which is kinda funny now that I think about it lol tho in yuuji's case this is kinda true.. but also not really) and yet they’ve been essential to each other’s growth. they’re both really fucked up individuals who hate each other’s guts and make each other’s lives a living hell but at the same time they also know and understand the other one’s soul like no one else… what’s not to love?

sukuna and yuuji’s dynamic is actually the reason why I fell in love w jjk in the first place. their interactions are always fun and entertaining and they always leave with an even bigger brainrot but at this point I think it’s safe to say that these two consumed my mind and heart and maybe even soul completely. I just can’t get enough of them.

[strawberijasper]

I talked about this on my Twitter but I’m STILL thinking about it so I’m gonna talk my shit again.

Just a heads up for the anime only’s however, this post will contain heavy spoilers!

Hot take, I don’t think Deku should get his quirk back. I know I know— HEAR ME OUT BEFORE YOU BOO ME OFF THE STAYE THO!!

I know a lot of people would be upset if he stays quirkless, and I fully understand why, but think about it. Bakugou passing the embers of OFA that remain in him onto Deku, while it’s cool in theory and I do think would be an interesting plot, it feels like a cop out to me? Narratively Deku losing his quirk and simply not getting it back is poetic in a way and I think for the kind of story that MHA is, works much better.

Deku starts the story quirkless. He’s this boy with all these goals and ambitions, he wants to be a hero despite everyone telling him he can’t. He’s quirkless it’s just not possible right? But he believes so wholeheartedly that he can, even his childhood best friend turned bully can’t discourage him. He had the drive to be a hero even when powerless.

Then All Might comes, gave him the opportunity he never thought he’d have. Not just to be a hero but to have equal footing with the rest of society. To be a hero who isn’t doubted or looked down on because he’s different. And All Might passes the torch, and in doing so, he unknowingly was passing the job of defeating AFO onto Deku. It was now his job to defeat the world’s greatest evil, because that’s what OFA was cultivated to do. It’s purpose was always to defeat it’s creator. And Deku did just that (or at least had a hand in it I’m aware he had help, the power of homosexuality can defeat all great evils ofc ofc).

AFO is defeated, OFA’s main purpose has been fulfilled. The war is over, the users can finally be laid to rest (because remember part of them remained in the quirk in order to help the next users, even in death they fought). Deku doesn’t have a quirk anymore but that doesn’t mean he CAN’T still be a hero. It doesn’t mean he’ll be forced to leave UA (which is what I’ve seen a lot of people say). First of all, UA wouldn’t do that, we know they wouldn’t because we are explicitly told in the first episode that UA changed the rules on quirkless people being in the hero course, Deku explicitly tells us this. So we know for a fact they wouldn’t do that.

The school also knows that Deku CAN fight, he’s fully capable of fighting because he’s been training for over a year, he’s improved a lot and that’s not just his skills fighting with a quirk, that’s overall skill. He has more work to do and needs to learn how to fight without relying on a quirk but they know he’d be able to do it. He’s a quick learner and even without a quirk he’s strong.

We also know now for certain that there are ways for a quirkless person to hold their own in a fight, they have a real chance at being a hero (All Might in the war arc, WHICH I’VE BEEN SAYING THIS FOR YEARS AND NO ONE BELIEVED ME!!). Deku could easily iron man it, he doesn’t NEED a quirk when this is a world where support gear exists specifically to help heroes. There are plenty of heroes that fight virtually quirkless, take Aizawa for example, or Shinsou. They have quirks that help in battle but they fight without any power, it’s not impossible to be a hero without a fancy quirk.

The cycle ends with Deku, and now he’s been given the chance to do what he always believed he was capable of doing. He can prove to a world who doubted him and put him down, that you can be a hero without a quirk. Not only would he be the new symbol of peace, but he would be the symbol of change. He would be the one to really start the conversation around quirkless rights, and isn’t that beautiful?

It’s one thing for Deku to fight for quirkless rights while being a hero with a quirk, but it’s another to be the face of a movement. Narratively this works a lot more in my opinion.

I could be wrong and Deku could end up getting his quirk back and if that’s the case I won’t be upset, but in my opinion I’d much rather he stay quirkless. If Deku says goodbye to OFA for good, gets to be the reason the past users finally get to rest in peace, then that would be beautiful. Genuinely I would love that as an ending so much, and I hope there are people who agree because I can’t be the only one who sees this. Please tell me I’m not the only one T-T

[streets-in-paradise]

Undying Legends - Achilles x Princess!Reader

Troy (2004) Oneshot

Requested by Anon 

“Not sure if you're taking requests right now, but when you are...

An Achilles x princess!reader that was captured by a foreign kingdom to be married off and he goes with an army to save her. Forbidden love basically, and he is just smitten with her, and her with him. She has a kind personality, but firmly believes in her own freedom to love(cause they're not supposed to be together) and he admires her for it. Maybe for a dramatic ending, the readers father puts Achilles to death and he accepts it as they weren't supposed to be together, but she puts on a scene like clinging to him so nobody would hurt him. Sorry I have a lot of ideas.

You can think up different details for her capture, or the ending, if you want to. I wrote a lot, sorry."

( I loved to write this, anon. i sincerely hope that you will enjoy it because i loved it.) 

Word Count + 4K

Warnings: Mentions of an abduction to enforce marriage. No proofreading, possible mistakes on my part regarding greek geography. 

Summary: When a princess that fame threatens with turning into the new face of deathly desire gets kidnapped the greatest warrior of all times gets involved on the difficult task of bringing her back home. Historical remembrance of passed incidents regarding many other damisels in distress across the time of heroes seem to point out that fate would leave him no choice but to fall for her. However, unlike the remarkable men that came before him, Achilles is unfortunately aware that his is a woman far away from his reach and strictly forbbiden for him. 

Notes: This post by @creativepromptsforwriting​ served me as inspiration for the dialogue. 

         Prompts  2 -  "You’re so beautiful, it’s hard to directly look at you”. 

                          5 - “ I feel completely safe when I'm with you."

Tags: @mysticaldeanvoidhorse @helie-brain​ @spideyanakin​

Singular heroic works were always more rewarding than fighting for Agamemnon. Achilles found the rescue mission an interesting change that was also good for his image, since it had potentiality to soften the brutal undertones his legend was acquiring. To prove himself as more than the attack beast of that cruel king he needed to triumph on heroic tasks for better causes and the corinthians needed his help. Their city, one of the richest in the mycenaean region, was going through a hard time due to the suffering of their ruler. His most valued treasure was stolen from him, one he would do anything to get back: the splendid daughter that he adored. 

The news didn't surprise the greek world, since the victim was a heavily desired young maiden. The corinthian princess became the next great target once the mythical beauty of Helen got an official owner through her marriage to the spartan king. Before the herds of suitors could start to invade another country all over again one of the many interested men acted quicker than all the rest. The clever king of Athens found his way to kidnap her and refused to return her unless the father would legitimize his pretensions with a wedding officially celebrated at their comeback. Rage unleashed to the indignant details of the story, Achilles accepted the personal begging of the royals and was designated as commander of the corinthian army on the mission. However, not everyone around found that decision fitting. 

A council of the most powerful kings on the Peloponnesus took place in order to decide the common fate regarding a situation that, despite affecting one city, could always end up involving everyone else. Mycenae and Sparta were eager to declare full war, Pylos was calling for discretion while the argive king recalled on his well earned title of heroe to offer himself as leader of the operation alongside the corinthian soldiers. Careless as he was to hear the kings talking, Achilles ignored many warnings about some risks of the task. Most were doubtful, but the sons of Atreus had no self restrictions on openly judging him absolutely incapable of succeeding on his own. The observations,of course, had nothing to do with his skill. 

" The honor of your beautiful daughter is safer with the kidnapper than with this shameless bastard. " The mycenaean king advised the corinthian. " The best for your girl is us burning Athens to the ground. Go to war with me and I guarantee you will still benefit from the strength of his arms but someone will be keeping him under control. " 

" I have orders and I plan to stick to those. " Achilles defended himself, calm and composed as he was rarely seen. " I can stay loyal to my purpose."

" Since when? All you do is disobeying me in ways that are always impossible to predict." 

" Your impulsiveness goes against the requirements, Achilles." Menelaus followed from a less insulting standpoint. " Being impulsive is precisely what brought the athenian king into this madness. He lost his mind for that girl, she is almost as beautiful as my wife. Even my brother over here has reconsidered marriage for an instant the last time we saw her and you know him enough to understand how strange that is. " 

Agamemnon ignored the well intentioned tease to keep his persuasive speech. 

" My dear friend, don't let desperation take over your reason. Achilles is a weapon you can't wield, Diomedes would be a far better choice. If endangering your friends is what worries you because you don't want a king risking his life, take any other of my best warriors. The mighty army of Mycenae is at your disposition. " 

" I am not taking any risks. " The corinthian stated. " If Achilles says he can bring my dear daughter back to me, I take his word. Legends claim him the greatest warrior of our times and I have seen how wars are won or lost depending on his fighting inclinations. Losing is not an option to me, not this time. "

The matter was decided, but the end of the meeting didn't stop the repetition of similar warnings. Less as a king and more as a friend who was in touch with his perspective, Diomedes was the last trying to dissuade him. 

" It's said it took a one week visit for the athenian to decide he wanted to kidnap her, others claim he arrived here with the idea in mind. In either case, be careful. You can lose a lot if she gets under your skin. " 

" I will be like a herald and that girl is a package I'm supposed to carry. " Achilles calmly replied. " There are plenty of gorgeous women in Greece, she is just the one high nobility wants to fight over now." 

The demigod warlord was truly convinced of his position, reinforcing it over and over during the journey against the skepticism of the local soldiers he was meant to command. In the collective imagination formed by bards at the time of heroes there was no way for him to save that princess without ending up wanting to claim her his. As it happened to Perseus in the rescue of Andromeda, or Hercules after meeting Iole, Achilles was expected to develop an unstoppable passion for the captive girl. Not being found of prophecies that wouldn't come from his mother, Achilles simply discredited the claims until reaching Athens. 

The one single battle that was recklessly fought became a tragedy for the city. The king opted for staying trusting of the numerical advantage in his forces, commiting the terrible mistake of underestimating the rival. 

Hopes returned to you, but you weren't feeling entirely good about that. You knew your father and your city would never abandon you, but you couldn't help pitying the athenian men dying prisoners of their king's wishes. Escaping and never having to see him again was all you wanted, but you wouldn't wish death upon persons that were as powerless as you. The people couldn't be blamed for your captor's actions yet they were taking the worse part of the punishment. At first you thought that seeing their suffering was going to show that man his mistake, but whenever you would try to exhort him of doing the ríght thing he would accuse you of manipulations. 

All he achieved with that paranoid attitude was delaying the inevitable, the golden haired heroe found you and sent that king directly to his downfall.

Amazement happened on both sides. You couldn't believe how far the warrior had came for you, easily murdering the man who dragged you there against your will, but he neither could believe your initial reaction to that. You gave some cold comfort to the agonizing kidnapper in front of you. Achilles could tell it wasn't sympathy, just kindness shown to a dying man.

 It was not your beauty, as many men augured, the first of your traits that he found interesting. 

" That man kidnapped you and could have taken advantage of you in more severe ways, he doesn't deserve to die with a smile on his face. " He simply said, showing to have contextually recognized you. " He wouldn't have stopped for anything, you were lucky I am here to make him stop. " 

You glanced at his direction to deliver an answer, but felt unprepared for the encounter with his beautiful blue eyes. 

" His people claim he once was a great king, this unfortunate outcome comes from his previous loss of two wives. Pain blinded him, he wanted to be happy again and he didn't mind the cost to satisfy his wishes." You calmly explained. " I despise him as it is normal for a prisoner to hate the captor, but I can still show respect. " 

The warrior stared at you in silence, as curiously and intensely as you were doing with him. 

" May I know my savior's name? I shall honor it in the highest esteem." 

He couldn't help smiling for you. Even if it was brief, that reaction was the hardest to achieve from him in that sort of context. 

" Achilles, son of Peleus." Was his sweetly delivered introduction. " I'm at your service, princess. It was given to me the task of bringing you back home. "

Not self satisfied with the conflict's resolution, Achilles demanded a real retribution to be given to you before acceding to retree the troops. Formally accepting you as an abduction victim, the main protection mechanism for your honor, the city had to pay with gold to your father. Once all the arrangements were done, you finally abandoned Athens as a passenger on the myrmidon's chariot feeling safe and comfortable alongside him on the triumphant exit. 

Mutual curiosity developed immediately. You were guilty of demanding more resting stops than what was needed on the journey just because you wanted to get to know the mysterious man in a non controlled environment. On his part, he could have been blamed for indulging your requests a bit too often for the same reason. The unusual kindness perceived on his first impression of you amazed him for real and he couldn't stop himself from wanting to know you better. Achilles would show you his softer side with particular dedication given the horror you have faced before and in return you were giving him your trust. 

In the scarce time the travel provided he accomplished what the troubled king lost his life trying. You were spending most of your time with him willingly and happily, refusing to leave his side because of how well he made you feel. The otherwise rather silent traveler would talk for hours with you about anything you wanted. Among other things, you listened to some stories about his past adventures feeling in absolute awe. You even clapped your hands at the end of one, gesture so cute and pure that he began to understand why the ruler of a great city died willingly for you.  

" The humble feat of my rescue sounds boring in comparison. " You commented regarding what you heard. " Sorry for that, although I must admit I am relieved to know my father hired you and you are not part of some aid sent by Agamemnon of Mycenae. " 

The mention of his most hated superior in the chain of command brought to his mind the odd words of his brother. 

" Has he bothered you before?" 

" His generosity always comes with a price. In this case, it could have been me. " You replied, not an affirmation or denial. " Do you know why he wasn't a suitor of Helen? His brother wanted her first and he would never risk upsetting him. Horror tales are being told across the continent about the hate that grew between his father and uncle over his mother. The atrocities committed must haunt him. " 

The mere thought of that despicable old pig trying to get on the top of your suitors list was repulsive to him. 

" Your father is a smart man. " He comforted you. " Nobody sensed the wit past his pain, he rejected all involvement from other kings and sent a man who will never have any ríght to you. I can't ask to get you as payment when we will return to your kingdom, so you are safe with me. Don't expect second intentions. " 

" You have been shamelessly honest and for that I thank you." You answered, holding chuckles. " I can tell it's real, men who act nice for me as a performance think I don't notice... but I do. " 

"... And to think Oddyseus truly thought it was going to end once Helen would be married. It never ends, they just move on to bother someone else. " 

" Greece needs undying legends and she is the biggest in our times, at least after you. " You followed with some intentional praise. " A moving myth built on desire is a problem in so many perspectives. The flame inside those men wasn't ready to be extinguished with her marriage. She can no longer be openly wanted without it constituting an offense to a very powerful king, but Corinth is not that far from Sparta and I am not married yet. Someone has to fill that gap, they want me to be her because they need her but they fail to see i will never be Helen. "

" Being yourself was enough for the fool who thought kidnapping you was a good idea. " 

His casual comment made you chuckle and he internally cursed himself for enjoying it. 

" My father is not like Tyndareus, that's something he figured out quickly. As you know, the most common way to obtain a younger bride is to bribe the father by either buying his consent or threatening him. My captor knew that was impossible and that was why he stole me. The mycenaean king feels confident thinking that when the time comes my father will sell me to keep his scepter because that is what he would do in that position. He underestimate us, my father is not a coward and neither I am"

Achilles felt slightly prideful of your statement and that made him smile. 

" Glad to know I am not merely delivering you to someone worse." 

" I would never allow it, that's what I mean with men not realizing I will never be Helen. There is no man, mortal or divine, that would ever force me to endure a marriage like hers. I would rather die at the flower of youth than living a bitter life submitted to a despicable man I will never love. " 

The passion in your voice awakened something in him and his usual defense mechanism for that sort of feeling didn't help at all. 

" What does a man have to do in order to get your attention and not die trying?" He asked, a cheeky taunt to the whole situation. " Many young heroes, friends of mine that hold more political power than me, would love to know the secret." 

" Good conversation is an excellent start, especially if he manages to make me laugh. " Was your quick comeback. " Saving me from a fate I despise above anything also helps. "

The indirect was too obvious, typical behavior of a young girl who never had much chance of speaking to a man she truly likes. 

" Be careful, princess. I have been warned about this. You shouldn't be playing with fire..." 

" ... Says the man that could have burned the athenian palace by himself just to find me. " You teased back in a lovely tone. " You are an extraordinary man, the warriors of my father would have never gone that far. Your serenity outside of the battlefield is pleasant but intriguing and there is a soft light in your precious eyes that makes me never want to stop looking at you. " 

His glance followed you for an instant and you smirked, a gesture that came up more sweet than provocative because you delivered it with tenderness. 

" You are so beautiful, it is hard to directly look at you. " He complimented you through a confession. " I never had this problem with Helen, no matter how irresistible people say she is " 

The myrmidon did a pause and deviated his stare to concentrate in some random point of the horizon with a very contemplative expression, as if he needed to stop looking you to keep talking. 

" It's not only in your pretty smile, or your soft skin smelling like arabian esences that match perfectly with the sweet notes the breeze gets from your hair when it caresses it. Your courage is beautiful, your passion wasn't written on any warning I received and that must be because no other man has sensed it. I don't know you enough yet I am proud for what you have accomplished. Not only you kept yourself safe until my arrival, you forgave the man who caused you harm at his time of dying just because his people told you a sad story about how he used to be good to them. I would have never done that, kindness as yours would be out of the question if the choice would be given to me. I try to understand you and fail, but there is beauty on that. You are precious: not as a jewel up to be seen, but like a comeback embrace after a long war. " 

Acting on your feelings, you approached him for a surprising hug that he had no clue on how to interpret. Gratitude motivated comfort, perhaps, because it was too early to think of something else. 

Achilles was aware of the effect he had on women and the possibilities of it reaching you. The conversation was crossing dangerous territory because he liked you, but he wasn't expecting you would openly reciprocate so early. 

" Are you comfortable like this? Being so close to me? Doesn't it scare you that I could want to break my pact with your father to take you with me? That's what everyone thinks I am going to do. " The warrior joked as an indirect way to express a real doubt. " They fear that if we get too friendly I will not want to let you go. " 

It didn't bother you in the slightest. On the contrary, you intensified the closeness and laid your head against his chest. 

" I feel completely safe when I am with you. '' You replied almost immediately. ``Maybe I am the one who doesn't want to leave your side." 

Near the time of your arrival you were head over hills for him and he was smitten by you. Firm believer in your freedom to love, a belief that intensified after someone tried to take it away from you, you remained careless for some obvious opinions of the men around you. None of them had the courage to openly call out Achilles, but you could tell some noticed your peculiar favoritism for him. Some of them weren't even surprised, as if you would be following together a path to the most predictable outcome. 

Perhaps you were, but you didn't care because you were falling in love with a handsome hero who effortlessly stole your heart. It wasn't meant to happen, he wasn't planning to win you over. He wasn't there for the rumors, wanting you from before even meeting you like all the others, but only doing his work and you were the one desperate for his attention. 

On his part, Achilles had a personal battle with his impulsiveness. From time to time during the journey he would remember only of Diomedes's advice because it was the only sincere one and it pointed in the ríght direction. To a man so used to follow his heart's desires in any ocassion, hot headed and stubborn as he was, falling for you was torture. Aware of your own infatuation, if you would have been any other woman he wouldn't have tried to resist his crave for you. Biting his lip before daring to kiss you or being careful with his touch to avoid getting intimate were acts he wasn't used to performing, especially in a situation where the romantical tension was clearly mutual. You weren't shying away and that made things harder. Knowing you reciprocated him was the greatest obstacle for his titanic efforts to handle you back at Corinth as untouched as he found you. 

The King, your father, selected him as your rescuer precisely because you were strictly forbidden to him. He counted with his awareness on how impossible it was for him to be with you, but the comments that consistently reached his ears made that faith fade. He had a test prepared for your glorious return, a simple trial he was planning to make him go through in order to measure the danger he feared to have exposed you to.

After the emotive receivement in which your family encounter developed the palace was preparing for celebrations and the enlisting of payment for the leading hero. Your mother, happy as she was to have you back, begged to your father that anything Achilles would want would be conceded to him and he seemed to agree on that. However, he also had the small treasure destined to him ready. Gold, bronze and weapons were the first half of it, but he claimed he wanted to give him a gift that would feel more personal. Since giving him a horse would be pointless, because Achilles had the fastest in Greece, the corinthian king offered a woman.

 The most beautifull concubine slaves were presented in front of all of you so the myrmidon would pick his prize. Powerlessness and jealousy ruined your prior happiness for being back home, since there was nothing you could do against it. The payment was normal and perfectly valid, a common gift for men that want to seal friendship. Achilles realized it was a trap crafted by your father and he sensed some will of emulating the famous trick Odysseus pulled on him when he was a kid. 

If he would choose a woman, he would break your heart. If he wouldn't, he would be exposed. 

" I fought to free a woman, accepting to be paid with another one can be insulting to the suffering of your daughter. " He pointed out after barely looking at the line of girls, an observation he judged neutral enough to not sound incriminating. " Gold and weapons will be enough this time." 

You dissimulated a smile to avoid looking hopeful, but both of your parents knew you too well and the tension was escalating. 

" This is the least I can do for you. Take the one you find the prettiest to your home." Your father insisted. " I can't offer you a wife because the unwed daughters of my friends are beyond your possibilities, but nothing impeeds you from taking a slave girl to be the company keeping your bed warm. "

Your blood boiled to the implications of that comment. He spoke as if, because Achilles was a mercenary, that was all he could aspire to have. You loved your father but despised his attitude and were trying so hard not to confront him. He had no idea of who that man was for real or how insulting his words were. That foreigner he judged fitting only to mantain sexual unions with prisoners of war was the only man you have ever wanted to be with. 

" When I want company I seek it myself. " Achilles defended himself, way more careless than you were for the insults. " That isn't a problem that needs to be fixed. " 

" Don't take me for a fool, Achilles. You know that isn't of my concern. " The king prepared his last strike, revealing his true intentions. " It is my honest opinion that the sight of my daughter has numbed your perception and you can no longer find any other girl desirable. Your wish will never be indulged: even though I am grateful for your services, that is not something I can allow. "

To his signal the women were retired and the room was filled with men of his personal guard on prior orders of restraining the warrior. Achilles picked up his sword, but didn't throw himself immediately on a rageful combat to end with all of them as it would have been expected on other occasions. 

Instead, he looked at his main opponent at the eye with a deathly serious expression. 

" Your daughter is not my mere desire... I am in love with her. If you want to kill me for it, do it, but get at least the decency of fighting your own battle."   

Light peeked through the sorrow saddening your face. It would have been easy for Achilles to fight his way out of there and never come back, but he loved you and he dared to confess it in front of all those people that clearly wanted him dead for it. 

Careless for anything but his safety and eager to show him your love, you stepped in front to shield him with your own body before any of the soldiers could start the battle. 

" If you want to kill him you will have to kill me and all the blood splattered on my name would be in vain. How are you going to explain that to the families of the soldiers that lost their lives trying to save me ?" You called your father out from your secure position. " I will not allow this, father. If there is something the nightmare i endured showed me is that I never want to have my own will to choose be putted in question." 

Abandoning the reprobatory speech for an instant, you deviated your attention back to your beloved myrmidon. 

" Achilles, my heart has chosen you and that is the gift I want to give you. It's mine to give to whoever i want and it will be yours if you want it." 

The sweet confession amused him.

" Princess, I am ready to die for you ríght here and now... How dare you doubt that I want it?"

[nonokoko13]

Me when the first coherent thought I have in the morning is that Grim was either abandoned or his biological parents died and the only family he has ever known are three ghosts everyone was afraid of so everybody left them alone for centuries and a human who doesn't belong who doesn't entirely fit there just like them so they were all alone until they found each other.

Ghosts tied to a space which is unsure whether they can leave or not and a human who may have somebody waiting them back home and may leave with no chance of return. Who can't take Grim with them because where they come from things such as fantasy creatures and magic only exist in fairytales so he'd either live hidden from the world or in danger of being treated as a monster and experimented on because when faced with what it's new and different the world reacts with anger and fear and want to control it and tear it apart until nothing it was before is left.

He doesn't know or understand this but MC does and that's why they would have to leave him behind. His dream of studying magic and be the greatest mage wouldn't come true on Earth, that's the reason they would tell him. It's true even though it's not the main reason why. But Grim would understand they just don't want to stay with him and prefer to leave and forget him because if they did love him they would stay.

Then again he could try to dig up in his origins and find his first family but what if time travel exists and MC from a previous timeline was who gave him the ribbon, his first gift and only possession before arriving at NRC? Meaning MC was the person his world revolved around before he even knew who they were and there was no other family he had.

Doubting the trouble squad has ever have a heart to heart conversation about Grim and MC's fates if or when they depart either because they have forgotten or pretend they aren't aware but deep down Ace and Deuce and all of MC friends know but prefer to keep ignoring it instead of confront their feelings. Grim and Malleus being the only ones who may have never think of it until the moment arrives nor accept it. Just like young children who believe their parents, their pillars, their everything that makes them feel safe, would always be there until death knocks at their door. Because MC have friends and a home in Twisted Wonderland and they need them so why would they leave?

They know MC keeps searching a way home and wondering if their loved ones misses them as much as they do and how much time have passed on their planet without knowing MC wishes they could have it all so they didn't have to choose between their previous family and the one they found there. And neither Grim or Malleus won't admit they know because thinking of it brings back the feeling of abandonment and losing everything that make them feel completed.

But the prince will have both Silver and Sebek and his grandmother for the rest of their lives with him once he returns home, people who was there from the beginning. Time to grow with them and accept they'll leave too. Everyone will graduate and go home and except special occasions each one will go their own path.

Grim will stay with somebody else but it won't be the same for him because he already had a family he wanted to keep together and failed to do so and without the dorm ghosts and MC the only thing left for him is the wound he carried before finding them opened once again that will remember him that nobody in this world can stay by his side forever so he'll stay and search a way to reunite with MC again and wonder if they miss him as much as he does and wishing MC have had everyone they loved in twst so they didn't have to choose or if they had to they had chosen him instead in the end and thinking of how all the future plans they shared and promises they made of growing old together were empty and the words that made him happy about how they loved him now hurt and they failed him and he failed to have everything he wanted and they left they left and he's thinking of them even after promising himself he wouldn't anymore a lie just like theirs and he's crying again and it hurts it hurts and

[bunji-enthusiast]

Hiii I dunno if you're open but.. would you consider doing some Mael hc's with a female s/o 👉👈

Finally having a little character header… sob sob. Anyway, hope you like your headcanons! :D

Mael's devotion toward you is unwavering, his soft-hearted nature is albeit rarely shown towards others in contrast to his ruthless side, but he has gotten better. His love towards you is genuinely one of his greatest sources of strength, and hopes to forever keep it that way, you garnered a side of him he didn't know he had and Mael wishes he can live the quiet life with you. For however long, he hopes it can be for forever.

Despite maintaining a powerful and intimidating presence due to his previous exploits when he had carried the epithet, 'Angel of Death' -- He cherishes the quiet and tender moments with you, where he can actually truly let his guard down and express his affection through small, meaningful gestures.

He is particularly fond of watching the sun rise with you each morning. Even if he had lost the Grace of Sunshine, it always reminded him of the shared hope and new beginnings, and to leave the idea of death and famine behind. Mael will do anything possible to protect that, even if he is gentler and kinder now, doesn't mean he lost his ability to fight.

The archangel has an unfortunate habit of reflecting on his past actions, manipulated into mutilating innocents who had done no wrong. But it was in due part, lucky even, that you were there to help him through that, finding forgiveness and peace can be difficult. Especially with the life he used to lead.

His fierce protection over you would extend to somewhat of an overbearing responsibility. He'd go to great lengths to ensure your safety, even if meant making personal sacrifices. Even if he was well aware of such behaviors, Mael was too fearful of you being suddenly stolen away from him, talk to him and he'll double down to a bearable extent.

Gifts of light, he is still very much capable of imbuing his own personal hand-made gifts with light - his own light. Quite the magical gift, as it can serve as a reminder of his love and protection even when the two of you are apart, Mael wants you to know that, he hopes you do anyway.

Given Mael's long life, he ended up developing a deep appreciation for the various cultures that stretched across the continent. He is always happy and able to share his knowledges and experiences with you, to acknowledge the beauty and diversity. He's come to appreciate things more often because of it otherwise, though he talks like a librarian, you can't help but laugh sometimes when he has such a fond look on his face when he speaks of the stories he's come to learn.

It's not without its struggles when it comes to having such a stable relationship, but the result reaps it's rewards. Mael has his difficulties of balancing his rather intense love for you and the dark influences of his past history, having your identity and memories twisted (additionally with being strongly manipulated) for so long can be hard on the mind and body. He still appreciates you for still sticking with him regardless of his rather awkward moments of depression.

Of course, his concern always surfaces immediately when you have your bouts of hardness and difficulties. Mael wishes he could just fix it right away, and erase the look from your face, but he knows he can't do such a thing that easily. Still, the archangel still continues to persist to do what you would do for him.

After regaining his memories, Mael’s relationship with you will allow and help him rediscover and embrace his true self, rekindling a sense of romance and hope that had been overshadowed by his past traumas. One step after the other, but frankly he still feels embarrassed you saw such behaviors and a side to him he never wanted you to see.

Mael would be deeply committed to creating a legacy of love and hope, not just through his actions but ensuring you know just how much you mean to him and how much you had helped him heal. Surely, he knows and had faced challenges and adversity where he has to work himself through it, but Mael still wants you to know the mark of his appreciation for you.

In private, Mael would show his vulnerability and share his deepest fears and regrets with you, finding solace and understanding in your presence. In a way, he has such an understanding of what Elizabeth and Meliodas felt toward each other, he is so glad to have crossed paths with you in the first place.

There could be common goals that you two work toward together, perhaps to protect those you care about or fighting for a cause the two of you believe in, at least similarly. Surprisingly though, your mutual affection and partnership around each other grew as a source of inspiration and support to others.

Mael might experience jealousy or insecurity, particularly if you showed interest in others. However, this would lead to personal growth and a deeper understanding of his own worth and the strength of your relationship. He understand's that he needs to have better control of his feelings and be more open to communication, Mael is open to growth and change after all.

When engaged in combat, Mael’s primary motivation would be to protect you and ensure your safety, fighting with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. In some ways or more, this truly had allowed him to be stronger and even sturdier.

Mael might envision a future where he and you build a life together, possibly including the idea of a family. He would cherish the thought of creating a peaceful and loving environment for them to thrive. Though, he much rather would want to wait for your consent first, children or not, he still will continue to love you regardless.

Mael would occasionally surprise you with elaborate, heartfelt gestures, such as recreating a special memory or creating a magical display of light in your honor.