#the ericson kids being like

[adoredmarigold]

Is it true that the walking dead game starts in 2003?

That would mean all the characters (minus AJ of course) would have experienced and remembered 9/11

Damn that sucks, imagine experiencing 9/11 and two years later the worlds like “oh you thought that was bad, what till you get a load of this”

[spacedlexi]

people who think clem surviving makes no sense are so funny. "they were literally foreshadowing her death the entire season" let me introduce you to the concept of a red herring. she tells lilly she isnt lee and shes right. the narrative was forcing her down that path, a path she saw as an inevitable fate waiting to take her too, but its a narrative broken by aj, who is also his own person and not S1 clem

"it happened to lee, and itll happen to you" lilly tells clem she'll die protecting aj from some mistake he makes, when in reality his defiance of her will is what saves her life after she had already accepted her fate. he breaks clem free from the lee cycle and they get their relatively happy ending. good for them

[chmydarling]

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[theoneandonlycoralinejones]

Some General Ericson's Kids Headcannons

Louis

Despite it being the zombie apocalypse, he still takes a great care in his appearance. Maybe this could be tied back to his insecurities, but he generally just finds comfort in looking nice. He kept a few colognes from before, and maybe even still has a few hair products. Of course he’d had to be resourceful to make them last this long, probably pours water into the almost empty cologne bottles to make them last longer. He also just dislikes being dirty in general, always wiping down his clothes and typically taking breaks to freshen up. 

He wants to keep the artistic spirit alive, even in the apocalypse, and he really admires people who feel the same. Everyone knows he loves piano, but when somebody actually shows interest in it he can't help but get giddy. He can ramble about musicians and songs for hours and hours and hours, and if you ever found him some new records or sheet music you'd officially be his new favorite person; ever.

Definitely was an only child; his parents put all of their focus on him, watched his every move. He was expected to get good grades, go to a good college, get a hard well-paying job afterwards. He was definitely spoiled money-wise, but his family lacked in the love and affection department. 

Violet

I’d like to think that if she ever got the chance to, she’d try to give herself a piercing. Obviously it’d be unsanitary and sort of implausible during the apocalypse, but if you think about it, all she’d need would be a needle, the piercing itself, and some sort of disinfectant, so it could possibly happen. If she did get one, probably an eyebrow piercing or a septum. She definitely isn’t the type to care too much about her appearance, but she would feel super cool having a piercing. (She wouldn’t say it though, lol)

Violet lacked any sort of hobby in the game, and this upset me. (Ruby has gardening/being a nurse, Louis has music, Tenn has art, Mitch has weapons, Omar has cooking, Aasim has writing, etc.) I feel like if she had a hobby it'd be something she'd do in secret, maybe poetry or writing songs. She definitely is the type of person to bottle her emotions up, so writing poems about it would definitely be a nice way to cope with them. She’d never share her poetry with anyone though, it's just her thing; she's way too embarrassed of it. 

If she was able to listen to any music she would definitely like indie or punk music. (Pavement, she would LOVE pavement) She’s definitely the type of person to crush on more alternative people, so I could see her trying to get into goth music just to impress a girl she likes. 

Marlon

It's obvious that he's definitely got some hefty mental issues going on, he's the type of person to bottle things up forever till he just blows up. He panics a lot in tough situations, scrambles to fix things himself, but has a hard time making things work out alone. I'd imagine his parents were probably perfectionists of some sort; who pushed a lifestyle he didn't want onto him and he tried hard to succeed for them but could never be enough. Eventually one day he acted out, sick of being forced to live a life he didn't want to live, and then was sent to Ericsons's.

A lot of people hate Marlon, for reasons that are obvious, but I really don't think he was a bad guy. He was simply misguided, and made mistakes. 

Seems like the type to smoke or drink as a way to cope. Did it more often before the apocalypse and when it first started but cigarettes and alcohol are pretty much nonexistent near Ericson’s now so he was forced to quit. 

Mitch

I see many people sort of stereotype Mitch as just this guy who likes carving knives and making bombs, which definitely is true, but I think there’s much more to him. He has a very rebellious personality which leads me to believe he probably grew up in a home where being rebellious was necessary to get any attention from his neglectful parents. They are in the boarding school for a reason, so he probably was the type of kid that almost burnt down his house or something.

Definitely seems like the type to be a big softie once you get to know him. Certainly not the type to be all soft in public, but if you're spending time one on one his more gentle side will show. 

Ruby 

She has such a motherly vibe to her, so caring and sweet. Even hands out some tough love when needed. I think that's one of the reasons why she likes the greenhouse so much, she loves to take care of things; plants included. (Obviously she also liked it because of Ms. Martin, but yk)

She's certainly not the type to accept compliments easily, she just can't imagine that when people compliment her they're telling the truth. I'd imagine that the reason she punches Aasim If you dare him to kiss her is because she thinks he's playing a prank on her or something; she just finds it hard to believe that somebody would like her. (I love her, Ruby is my bae omg)

[cybertron-smash-or-pass]

One time I had an online friend who self shipped I think with Dr Morocco and he was also writing a bunch of fan fiction at the time about Transformers and about blitzwing having a self insert child who was turned against their father and swindle and lockdown had kids named like Leif Ericson or something but lockdown was dead. And so then I lost contact with him when I quit Tumblr and then we got back into contact and he was now thirsting after Megatron from EarthSpark. And like he wrote dead Dove Starscream child death terran Earthspark rewrite fanfiction this time and then but when I cut him off he was writing dead dove Cookie Run mpreg where the Catholic cookie and dark chocolate cookie were having a bastard child and that child was going to kill everyone. Anyways we stopped being friends when he decided to be a asshole to me over not watching a YouTuber he liked.

Sir this is a MegDonalds

[stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale]

I think for all the discussions we have of "everyone hears the jokes and the piano; after that, they stop listening" surrounding Louis, we tend to still simplify his connection to the piano.

Yes, it's very cute that he sings Clementine a little song when they first meet, and it's very cute that he plays a little prank on her while "tuning" the piano. It's super cute that they carve their initials into the piano and Clementine carves a heart around them. It's mega cute that he names his song he wrote after her when she confesses her feelings. Louis playing Don't Be Afraid at the party is, in my opinion, one of the best moments in all of TFS.

But here's the thing: That piano is Louis' heart.

I don't mean to go all metaphorical on you, but I'm dead serious—the piano is Louis' heart, and when you think about his arc and his romance route with that in mind...?

That piano is his one comfort in a world where the dead walk. It's been with him from the beginning of the outbreak. We know from his backstory that Louis wanted to take singing lessons so he could be a real musician, and his father denying him of that was what set him off to be a "vindictive fuckhead." Louis never got those singing lessons, and it's a very real possibility that Louis taught himself how to play.

Sure, others could've taught him; we know Minerva was musically talented, perhaps she showed him a thing or two. But learning piano, or any instrument, is brutal even with professional guidance. It takes hours of practice until numbness wears fingertips raw; dedication to memorize every key and finger placement to make music pleasing to the ear; self-discipline to keep going through every fumble, every failure, every single cruel thought of self-doubt; intelligence and a creative ear to write his own songs.

And yet, it's severely under-appreciated by everyone. It's annoying. It's distracting. It's unimportant. It's an excuse for Louis to mess around and not do any real work. He doesn't have any actual talent. The music and the piano are brushed off, unheard.

Yet, Louis keeps playing. He keeps singing. He keeps making jokes.

Creating music, the one thing he wanted so badly as a kid that he destroyed his parents marriage, was possibly the greatest comfort he had... a welcome distraction to disassociate from the horror and death happening around him.

It's bittersweet, like a purpling bruise that you can't stop pressing on; it hurts, but there's something else below the pain. The piano is out of tune and it's something that brings him joy... but will always act as a constant reminder of who he was and what he did, why he's at Ericson to begin with.

We first meet him while he's playing; Louis' heart is exposed, but is it really? Is he playing to his true potential? Louis hides behind the mask of a charming, charismatic goof. It's what is expected of him, so he plays a silly song intended to poke and prod at Clementine, to gauge a reaction. That's something we see him do at multiple points in episode one. In fact, we can consider a majority of episode one to be like the song he's playing when we meet him; it's mostly cheery or fast-paced.

Louis is able to soothe AJ with his "alluring" music after the kid bit Ruby is an indication that the two of them will share a bond. Louis is a natural at communicating and bonding with the younger kids [another talent that's overlooked] so it's interesting that he praises AJ for being a natural at piano, as well.

But the song stutters just a bit when Louis and Clementine are in the woods together, though; "There's only one guarantee: this moment. That's the only you got, only thing any of us got. Might as well enjoy it." ...Only for Louis to compose himself and send her away.

It's only when Clementine has a gun in her face, held by Marlon, that the music isn't fun anymore; it's rainfall and thunder and the words "I thought you were more than that" sung through the wind in a melody only Louis can hear.

Then Marlon's dead. The song is over, and reality has arrived.

I've talked at length about Louis in ep2 and his vote in the past. It's one of the most compelling things about Louis' arc and romantic route. It's a tragic mistake driven by trauma and guilt. It's people simultaneously telling him to shut up and telling him to be angrier than he is. Telling him to stop burying his head in the sand when he's never been more aware of everything happening. It's AJ peering up at him with pleading eyes that Louis can't stand to look at. It's Clementine wrapping his heartstrings around her fingers and tugging just enough to hurt, but not break.

Louis missed Clementine. He says as much when Clementine admits she missed him first. I don't even know where to begin with that! I can think of no other way to describe it other than they are half agony, half hope over this... and if you get that reference, you get a gold star. I just- the ache, the tension, the conflicting feelings of finally having a quiet moment to talk but Louis not being ready yet.

Y'know how someone carved "you suck at playing" in the side of the piano? It's something you might not initially notice while playing the game, just as Louis' insecurities aren't apparent at first.. but they're carved in him; never fully healed, still scabbed and bleeding... Until Clementine offers him a bandage.

She won't clean the wound for him, but she'll be there. She'll help him figure out how to do it himself so he can heal. She'll listen to him, not belittle his feelings or pain. She'll make an effort to know his keys and notes and practice playing his song until she understands.

When Clementine chooses him to spend time with him, it's a mirror of their first time meeting... but this time, Louis plays something real: a song he wrote, one that I believe he crafted during the two week time skip... a song he wrote with Clementine on his mind, for better or worse.

If the piano is Louis' heart, he literally asks her to sit there and try to tune it, which ends up being a joke but I say she's already tuned your heart, my guy. It's there before them, changed in the warm candlelight. He plays for her and opens up about how no one actually listens, but Clementine did.

And remember, this is the night of the raid. They don't know it's coming, but they know it'll be soon. Louis understands that he could very well die, so what does he do? He carves his initial into the one thing he's always had, and he asks Clementine to do the same.

I'm sorry, how are we NOT more feral about this? Prior to this scene, the only thing we see carved into the piano, into Louis' heart, is an insult. This thing that Louis cares so deeply about, this instrument that's become so intertwined with who he is... he wants to leave his mark on it just in case he dies. A reminder that it was his and he belonged to it just as much. Something so important, and he asks Clementine to carve herself into his heart where no matter what, they will be immortalized together in this moment.

And when Clementine carves a heart around their initials? Yes, his reaction is very cute and that's great... but she's not ashamed of him, or her feelings for him. She wants everyone who looks upon his heart to know that. She tells him how she feels and Louis is so giddy, and warm, and he names the song after her and I am going to start biting anything that moves, I can't-

Oh, and let's discuss the party scene in episode three, shall we? Y'know, where the heart covered initials are on full display? Where Louis tells the story of why he was sent to Ericson to everyone?

Louis is so... vulnerable. Sincere. Ashamed of what he did. This is the exposed nerve, the one he was so afraid of showing Clementine but there it is... and she doesn't reject him. Sure, she can say it's fucked up if you choose to, but she doesn't break up with him over it.

Also the fact that everyone sitting around him finally listens when he's at his most unshielded only for Tenn to ask him to play Don't Be Afraid for them after...? How do you not see the connection? Are you trying to make me cry? In that moment, Louis' heart was heard and appreciated and beautiful and strong and-

Listen. I am fine. I'm so normal about this. And fine. I'm fine.

But I also have to add that during the walk in episode four, if you let Louis choose what to add to the imaginary house, he picks a brand new piano because he wants a new heart to reflect the confidence and growth Clementine helped him achieve and because he loves her and AJ so much that wants the new heart to not just be his but also theirs and I am so fine with this, okay.

[starkeyslover]

So, I don't know if your requests are open or not, but I'd like to request something for TWDG S4. It's basically the Ericsons' kids with an s/o who has naturally cold hands. Like, their hands are always cold even in the summertime. So the reader is kind of self conscious about it when holding hands for the first time. I guess what I'm asking for is the kids' reaction to the cold hands. Like if they'd try to warm them up and all that. Does that make sense? I feel like it doesn't. BUT if it does I'd really appreciate you doing that. LOVE YOUR WORK BTW. xoxo~A

Ericson kids with a S/O that has cold hands

Characters: Clementine, Marlon, Mitch, Violet, and Louis

Warnings: Fluff, some suggestive stuff, and not proof read

A/N: This is kinda hard for me to write since I'm usually the person with warm hands but I'll try my best😭 I also don't own these gifs!

Clementine

Having cold hands was always an issue for you growing up and it hasn't changed. Before it used to be your dad who would warm your hands up for you but when the apocalypse happened you lost him and your family. When you first met Clem she took notice to you having cold hands, how you would always rub your hands together or put your hands underneath your arms or between your thighs. When you guys started dating, even before you guys did, she would offer to warm up your hands for you.

"Cold?" Clem asked as she looked over to you. You were sitting beside her and your hands were between your thighs trying to warm them up. "Yea" You said simply. She smiled and took your hands and put them in hers. She cupped them and put her mouth to her hands and started to blow warm air on your hands. "We should find you some gloves to wear, babe" Clem suggested as she looked at you. You giggled lightly and agreed. "Maybe we can get matching ones" you joked. You could feel your hands warming up already. Clem smiled. "Of course, anything for you."

Marlon

It never really accrued to Marlon that you had cold hands until you guys started dating. He would go to grab your hand and it would be freezing. He would laugh a bit to himself and would warm up your hands without asking, he knows that you'll appreciate it.

"Hey, babe." Marlon would say with a smile as he came up the guard tower where you were keeping watch. You turned and flashed him a smile. "Hey" you answered back and turned to keep watch. He came up behind you and wrapped his arms around you, it was November and it was starting to snow a bit. Your hands started to get colder than usual, fingertips being white, blue even sometimes, from the cold. "How's your hands?" He hummed as he took your hands and looked at them, your fingertips were turning white a bit. You didn't say anything just blushed lightly and you heard him click his tongue. Without a second passing he turned you around and put your hands underneath his jacket and shirt, his skin was warm, very warm. You giggled and hugged him. "You treat me so well." you smiled as you looked up to him and rested your chin on his chest. He looked down and ran his hands on your lower back. "You know, my hands are also kinda cold too." he smirked before grabbing your ass, you squealed, he laughed. He gives it a good squeeze before leaning down and giving you a quick peck. "You going to let go now?" You asked. "Nope."

Mitch

For some reason you were always so embarrassed to hold Mitch's hand. Your hands always being cold and Mitch with his big mouth, you were scared he would be judgy about it.

"Come here" Mitch whispered to you. You guys were supposed to cleaning up the school but Mitch had other ideas. He grabbed into your hand and pulled you into on of the rooms. He closed the door and pushed you up against it, he looked down and then he felt his cold your hands were. You noticed and pulled you hand away with a blush. "It's noth-" "Why don't you tell me you have cold hands?" He cut you off as he grabbed both of your hands into his. He put your hands in between his and looked up to you. "I don't know, it's embarrassing" you mumbled. He frowned a bit before leaning down and kissing your fingers. "Don't be embarrassed, especially not with me."

Violet

Let's be honest, this girl also had cold ass hands. When she found out you also had cold hands she would try and warm them up, even if it doesn't work.

October mornings were always your favorite, even if the mornings were cold. You'd always sit outside looking at the sunrise, loving the feeling of the cool crisp air on your body, even if it did feel like you were freezing. Violet occasionally would join you watching the sunrise and you guys would cuddle and share a blanket trying to stay warm. "Fuck, it's so cold" Violet shivered as she brought you closer to her, her hands were cold on your body. You shivered and got closer to her, you were between her legs looking at the sunrise. "Gimme your hands" you said as you look her hands and brought them up to your chest and put her hands in your boobs. You felt her tense up before relaxing. You brought your hands down and put them underneath her thighs and sighed contently. "Better?" You asked. She nodded and stayed silent for a minute before talking. "Your boobs are warm."

Louis

He finds it so cute that your hands get cold. He loves it that you go to him for helping warming your hands up.

You guys were in bed just staring at the ceiling in silence. You both had just woken up and were laying together enjoying the moment. The room was cold, it's starting to snow which makes the school cold too. And your hands were freezing, to the point that they felt numb. An idea popped into your head, with a smile you rolled over and put your hands on Louis's stomach, making him scream. "Goddamn your hands are cold girl!" Louis exclaimed as he looked at you. You giggle and pulled him into a hug. "Warm me up" you mumbled into his chest, you could feel him shiver from your cold ass hands on his body. It took a second for him to adjust to the coldness, when he did he looked down and gave you a kiss on the forehead. "Always will."

[genderliquid-witch]

Do flowers bloom from walkers? (Radical optimism in The Walking Dead: The Final Season)

I remember playing The Final Season for the first time way back in October of 2022 and immediately being blown away by how polished the game was in comparison to its predecessor. I mean I had always loathed the visual style of A New Frontier, so this comic-book inspired look was a nice change of pace, especially once combined with the expert use of lighting that is present throughout the game. But what really took me off guard, more so than anything else, was the opening credits.

I mean, obviously; these games had never done anything like this before. And while I'm fond of the whole FADE IN TITLE ACCOMPANIED BY OMINOUS MUSICAL CUE, this was a welcome change. But there was one specific image that stuck with me throughout my playthrough: the decomposing walker (pictured above), painted in greyscale, with the only colour being the stark red background and the yellow flowers blooming from its corpse. I like to think that it was an intentional decision that ties into the game's themes and not just "Oh this looks cool, let's do it", but it weirdly never came up again. So I was kind of just left to play the game while it loomed in the back of my head, waiting for its moment to shine.

It wasn't until almost a year later where I'd figure out what the image represented, or at least my interpretation of it, and I settled on this conclusion: this decomposing walker is supposed to represent this apocalyptic world, and the flowers symbolise the people that attempt to build from it, in this case the Ericson's kids.

I've had this opinion for a while that if the first three games show the attempts and failures to re-establish the old world ideals of order and civil society, then The Final Season serves as a rejection of that idea. From the walker-ridden fortress of Crawford in Season One to the bureaucratic nightmare that was the New Frontier, it's an accepted fact that these attempts at returning to the methods of days gone is ultimately futile and will result in total collapse, largely due to the decisions of its rulers. While we could argue about which of these groups is truly the worst, they all originate from the same basic principle: a desire to return to normality. Crawford, Howe's, the New Frontier; these groups were formed by people who, while cruel and monstrous in their own ways, all had the admittedly noble goal of attempting to return order to this ravaged world, but failed due to their leaders' cruel and selfish actions.

Or did they? (Vsauce sfx)

There's this interaction Lee has with Katjaa in the very first episode of Season One that has stuck with me for a while. It's an optional dialogue so it's very easy to miss (I did on my first playthrough), but when Katjaa hopes that things can go "back to normal", Lee has the option of expressing resentment for this old world:

"But they weren't before? The banks, the politics, the--the crap--those things are gone. Hell comes in a lot of different colors."

Usually this "fuck the old world" sentiment is expressed by sociopaths who are excited to enact their sadistic desires onto other survivors, but Lee's resentment for society feels a lot more justified. The fact that Lee is a black man who's specialty is American history makes his criticism of wanting to go back to how things were feel more warranted; he's someone who understands how corrupt and unjust the societal structure of the past was, so of course he'd feel conflicted about longing for its return.

And while this is just a small interaction, I feel it plays into what I've been talking about. Crawford, Howe's, the New Frontier; did these factions collapse because of their evil leaders, or because they were emulating an inherently unjust and corrupt power structure? Their desire for order and stability allows them to see past the cruelties that came with building these hierarchical societies, to the point where they begin to mimic governments of the old world (Crawford, discrimination and the outlining of "undesirables"; Howe's, prison labour and terror; the New Frontier, imperialism and state corruption). So these failed factions force us to ask the question: is a return to order possible in this world?

It isn't until the The Final Season that the games give us an answer to that question: no, it isn't, but that doesn't mean you can't start something new.

When introduced to Ericson's it's made immediately apparent how different they are to any other group we've met before. While there's the obvious homage to Lord of the Flies with a group being made up of entirely children, I think this is more than just a "well it's the final game, best do something interesting". Children are a symbol of hope and optimism, but also of potential and, in a more abstract sense, the future. They are clay that has yet to be moulded, with infinite potential, a luxury most adults don't have. So I don't think it's a coincidence that the main group in this game, and the one that Clementine eventually settles with, is comprised entirely of children: it feels like an intentional choice to highlight how this group will be the one to survive on account of how they have the potential to create something new.

And it's not just their age demographic that makes Ericson's so distinct from the other groups in the series, but also their power structure. Following Marlon's death, their is no one person in control of the group. Sure, there are leaders (Violet takes the chair once Marlon's out of the picture, and upon her return Clementine becomes the one who's advising the group), but they feel like role models and advisors more than anything. When Violet takes the reigns it doesn't seem like anyone truly acknowledges her authority, and she doesn't even seem to enforce it either. Same goes for Clem; she doesn't really express any desire to control the rest of the group, instead preferring to make decisions in a more democratic manner as to include everyone's individual skills and expertise.

Ericson's vision of society more closely resembles that of an anarchist commune than any government that previously existed, and it manages to be the only group left standing by the end. It's through cooperation and an altruistic attitude that keeps them alive in the end; their concerns for the survival of the group far outweigh any desire to create "order". And I don't think it's a coincidence that a majority of the game's antagonists (Lilly, Minerva, and even James) are people who represent the past. Lilly is obsessed with the cruel lessons her father taught her and prides herself in her attachment to the militaristic level of discipline that she inflicts upon her subordinates. Minerva is essentially a ghost of the past, with her whole arc with Violet and Tenn serving as a lesson on the dangers of holding onto the past. James, while good natured and mostly kind, can't bring himself to accept the fact that the world has changed, and its these beliefs that either kill him or sever the only connection he had made in years.

To conclude, while Telltale's The Walking Dead is a series that is rife with conflict and tragedy, I also find it to be a story that is ultimately about hope. I always considered that Lee's greatest lesson to Clementine wasn't how to shoot a gun or to cut her hair, but instilling within her a radical sense of hope, the idea that things can be better, and you should always try your damnedest to make it happen. That even in the most desolate of circumstances, something profoundly beautiful can bloom.

Or maybe I've been wrong this whole time and flowers growing out of a walker just looks really cool.

[ericsonclan]

do you have any personal headcannons for what some of the ericson kids home lifes were like?

Louis: He had a very privileged upbringing but also grew up in a very controlling household. Image is everything. Everything that he did was watched and critiqued by his dad and if he wan't good enough he didn't receive love and affirmation. His mom didn't agree with his dad's way of parenting but she didn't speak up for Louis. Louis' lack of self confidence and self love were caused by his upbringing.

Violet: She had a horrible upbringing. She had some people that were safe to her like her grandparents and her mom as well when she wasn't completely burnt out. But her dad was an abusive drunk who made her childhood hell. She had pockets of time where it was safe like being at her grandparents but the rest of the time she was in an intense abusive setting that she felt like she would never escape. Her defenses and the walls she puts up around people are an outcome of her life growing up.

Sophie, Minnie and Tenn: They had a really good home life. Their parents were really nice and loving but they died and for years the three of them were tossed around in the foster system. No one wanted to adopted three kids and as a result they ended up at Ericson because the system didn't know what to do with them.

Omar: He had very strict, hardworking parents so his home life had very much the same mindset. His parents loved him but didn't necessary like him. They blamed their inability to connect to be something wrong with him. Those "problems" being his quietness and lack of showing strong emotions. Thus they sent him to Ericson.

Aasim: He lived in a household that held him to very high expectations. He went above and beyond in reaching those but he could not hold back his love of fire. He ended up setting something on fire in the neighborhood and greatly pissed off the neighbors who threatened to sue unless his parents sent him somewhere.

Ruby: She had a very loving and accepting household. Her mom passed away when she was young which left her with her dad and her many brothers. Most of the time everything was great but once her anger issues started showing up then problems started happening. She punched a kid so hard they pissed themself all over the playground and so Ruby was sent to Ericson to learn how to be a proper lady.

Brody: She had the most normal, boring upbrining. She lived in a very plain household. Her parents had a kid because "that's what couples do" and so there was always a disconnect between her and her parents. Her anxiety was something very alien to them and they couldn't relate. When her anxiety kept getting worse they kept getting more frustrated and decided to send her to a school to "fix" it.

Mitch: He grew up in a low income household. His mom passed away when he was young and so his dad tried his best to raise him but it was a struggle. His dad had his hands full with just trying to get bread on the table so when Mitch started picking fights over neighborhood kids teasing him about his face and when he blew something up his dad didn't know what else to do but send him away.

Willy: He grew up with a more conservative family. So when he started touching himself they thought he was possessed by the devil. Prayers and church weren't working and they found a brochure for Ericson so they sent him there, partly to try and help him and partly to get rid of him because they were creeped out by him.

Marlon: A very all American household, white picket fence, working class but getting by, very patriotic. His dad voted for Trump. His mom didn't vote because that's not a woman's place. It was a miracle he turned out pretty okay. He had bad anxiety around things surrounding school like tests and sports. So one day he decided to steal a car to blow off some steam. He got caught with that stolen car that he took for a joyride. So to Ericson he went!

[thecrusadercomrade]

Currently thinking of an 'Ericson Family Road Trip' where instead of defending against the Delta, the kids take the offense and get out of dodge before the raiders can gear up and attack. Clem taking the long way around to New Richmond just to avoid the Delta and any other warring faction (〜￣▽￣)〜

Not much of an ask I know. I guess the 'ask' part would be how you think the season from Episode 2 onwards would've played out in that route lmao--

Interesting! If I remember right, the original idea for the Final Season was a kind of road trip, and I do think the group deciding to flee would make a lot of sense.

If things went this way, it would really emphasize the disparity between Clementine and AJ's survival experience compared to the Ericson kids. While the Ericson's kids have definitely suffered a lot, I can't help but feel that they've gone through the apocalypse somewhat sheltered compared to Clementine and AJ. They lived in an isolated school with solid brick walls and plenty of opportunities for food. Clementine would really be taking charge here, trying to teach them how to survive out in the wilds of the world.

Since it's a road trip I wouldn't want to go TOO dark with it, but if I were writing this I'd definitely give the group some exposure to the darkness of the apocalyptic world. Cannibals, massive herds, disputes between rival groups. There's a lot they'd need to learn to stay alive.

I don't think I'd have any major human antagonists, since I think that's an overdone thing in zombie media to have humans be the main threat, but I would include some ideas of "survivor politics." How do Clementine and the Ericson's crew handle running into other groups of survivors? Do they make contact, or try to hide? Do they let people join them on their trip, or stay exclusive? What if the place they try to use for shelter is claimed by someone else? Even without the other survivors being bandits, there's a lot of tension to negotiate in any encounter with other humans in the apocalypse. Some might be more friendly, some might be less.

I think a major theme would be the Ericson's kids "reintroduction to the world." None of these kids have really seen the outside world since they were sent to the school. How do they deal with adults after so long on their own? How do they handle knowing the world they knew is truly gone forever? Imagine Ruby scavenging the ruins of a fast food restaurant, part of a chain she and her father always used to go to. What kind of memories would that dredge up? Not to mention, these kids have been alone since the oldest of them were only around eleven. What kind of culture have they built for themselves, and how does it interact with other communities? For example, they seem to be making use of human bones for fishing spears. Maybe it's normal for them, but how would other survivors react to them "utilizing" corpses in that fashion? A lot to consider for something like this, though maybe I've made it more serious than it needed to be XD.

[yourivy-grows]

So, i'm currently experiencing artblock and have been kinda busy with college, and since I've seen a lot of twdg AUs lately, I'd love to share some headcanons for my Tenn lives! AU :)

Note: Most of this AU follows the original plot and includes some scrapped content from The Final Season (Yes, Tenn was supposed to live)

(This time, I'll only focus on Violentine's route since I chose Violet, but I can make a Clouis version later)

And feel free to ask if you would like to know more :)

• If Clem chose to trust AJ, he won't shot Tenn like he actually does in the game

• During the bridge scene, Tennessee doesn't die. Neither does Louis or Violet (except if Clem didn't trust AJ, ofc)

• Instead, AJ purposely shoots Louis/Violet in their right shoulder so the bullet could hit a walker behind them, saving their lifes.

• After being shot, Violet reacts immediately. She throws Tenn across the bridge so he can reach safely to the other side, while AJ keeps shooting at the walkers behind her

• Then, she jumps too. She barely makes it to the other side, so Clem rushes to help her climb up

• Once they are all together, the four friends hug each other thigly, tears streaming down their faces while Minerva keeps screaming in anger and pain. They are all hurting, bleeding, scared

• But safe

• And most important: alive

• Violet was bleeding, and so was Clementine. Tenn, in the other hand, was completely in shock

• AJ tried to make him react. The gunshots caught the attention of a large horde in the woods, and this time, they were almost behind them. They needed to go, and fast

• Just like in the original game, they got separated by the fence. Violet climbed up first since she was bleeding the most. Once they were surrounded by the herd, Clem insisted that she needed to go

• Violet insisted, but she could barely stay on her feet. She needed to go back to Ericson and find help as soon as possible

• So Clementine stayed with the kids

• When they tried to climb up the rocks, Tenn didn't move

• AJ went first, so he could shoot at the herd from above while Clementine and Tenn followed his way. However, Tenn was still in shock, and no matter how hard Clementine and AJ insisted or how desesperate they were, he didn't move or say a word

• When the walkers were almost touching their backs, Clementine pushed Tenn and forced him to climb as fast as he could. Once he made it to the top, Clementine began to climb up as well, but her leg got caught by a walker and we know what happened then

• She got bitten

• After realizing what had just happened, AJ started crying

• He was devasted, but also furious

• He knew Clem was gonna die

• But not because of bad luck or an accident

• He knew it was Tenn's fault

• So, if Clem stopped AJ from shooting Lilly, AJ won't react this time. They kept moving forward until they make it to the barn. But once they got surrounded by the walkers, Tenn will desperately run into the woods to escape, leaving Clementine and AJ behind

• Just like in the original game, AJ found him a few weeks later wandering by the river

• But sadly, it was too late. He had already turned

• On the other hand, if AJ shot Lilly, he slaps Tenn. Even though he was furious and wanted to kill him right there, Tenn immediately reacts after the hit and apologize for what happened

• He's still in shock after witnessing his sister literally died in fron of his eyes

• Just a few weeks after finding out she wasn't actually death like Marlon and Brody made him believe

• One year mourning over a living person

• Even though she wasn't the same Minerva he knew and loved

• When they walked into the woods and got surrounded, Tenn insisted on going to Ericson and find some help

• Clementine didn't feel right about this idea, but before she could even respond, Tenn was already running towards the school

• Or at least, he tried

• He got lost. He was so shocked and disoriented that he didn't recognize the way back home. He wandered in the woods until James found him

• But his effort wasn’t in vain. Tenn dropped one of his crayons while running, so Ruby and Aasim could follow the trail towards the barn and find Clementine before it was too late

• Yes, AJ carried her on a wheelbarrow, but he's only 5 so I don't think he got too far away

• Tenn was so ashamed and felt so sorry for what happened that he didn't want to go back to Ericson or face AJ again. He genuinely thought Clementine was dead because of him, and he couldn't bare with that guilt

• James took care of him for the next weeks. At Ericson, everyone thought Tenn was dead and stopped looking after a few days

• Except for Violet. She kept looking every single day

• She was so mad at Clementine she didn't even speak to her after she woke up. She was relieved because her girlfriend was alive, of course, but she was also grieving the kid she raised for almost eight years

• She didn't speak to AJ either. He missed her, so much

• AJ found Tenn wandering by the river, just like in the original game. Tenn explained him what happened and that he lived with James in the woods for a few weeks, because he was not ready to face him after putting their lives at risk and almost killing Clem

• AJ was relieved. Now, he knew Tenn was alive, and James was also okay

• He forgave him and went back to Ericson together

• After all, Clem was alive

• And they both were best friends. But not like Clem, cause she was old.

• Like real best friends

• Cause they were only kids

• They didn't deserved to die just because they "weren't made for that world"

[fox-from-fairytale]

It's incredible how, after all these episodes in all the seasons where Clementine can rely only on herself and all the other characters are usually the ones she has to take care of, in the last episode she gives the feeling of being... powerless.

If you don't let AJ kill Lilly, she can't kill her herself. She has no way to really defend herself from the walkers, she can only run. If it wasn't for the other characters, she wouldn't survive against Minerva, or the walkers. In the end, she gets bit.

But thinking more about it, the more I notice that, actually, everything goes out of hand for her during the entirety of The Final Season, like when she calms Marlon down but AJ kills him anyway.

In this season, honestly, she seems tired, which shouldn't be surprising considering how, after Lee (or Omid and Christa, we don't really know much about their period together), she never had someone she could count on.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but it feels as if she finds the school at the right time, both for the kids at Ericson and for her. If it wasn't for her, they wouldn't survive, but if it wasn't for them, I don't think she'd last much longer.

In Take Us Back we even gradually lose control of her, playing as AJ until we can't be Clementine anymore. It always saddened me, but it feels right at the same time. She's tired, but she can finally stop dragging herself forward without knowing where to go. She can lower her guards, rest, because finally she has a home, and most importantly, for the first time she has people who can take care of her just like she always did for everyone else.

[spacedlexi]

the way the ericson group were at the outbreak just a bunch of troubled kids who made various mistakes or committed crimes and were judged by a system that punished and abandoned them instead of giving them the support and love they needed, are then nearly a decade later put into a situation where now they must judge a troubled child for the mistakes and crimes hes committed against them. and 5 to 3 vote them out 😭

[chmydarling]

❛ so. it's uh... father's day, huh? you know, my dad always used to call me a disappointment. but now? ❜

❛ well, now i just wish he'd call me... ❜

[bourbonificould]

Something that's constantly been on my mind since i first finished season 2 and began season 3 was "Why didn't Kenny return a couple months or a year later to see if there was enough space in Wellington"? maybe I've got a sizable dent in my brain but it's one of those things that my mind backtracks to

I'm also sadly aware of the cut scene where he drowns in a lake, and despite it never being shown and instead being cut, it doesn't directly mean that it *didn't* happen :^(

Or who knows, maybe he came back when Wellington had burnt down and assumed that his kids died there too

what do you think vro?

I can make a connection using the cutscene. It’s possible that Kenny comes back every now and then (in season 3 he says it’s not worth waiting for Wellington to open up) and Edith just gives him more supplies and tells him to fuck off.

Someday, Wellington falls and he shows up, seeing blood and nonsense everywhere. He checks inside and sees walkers and stuff, and maybe he sees one of AJ’s drawing or his own hat if you don’t take it. He assumes Clem and AJ died or were evacuated and then perhaps he gets depressed again and… does the deed.

In my opinion though, I run the the hc that he lives without responsibility and finds a car to travel, probably going central or south. And in an ideal world where Clem has a good relationship with him, he finds out about her at Ericson’s or he ends up at a nice settlement like Richmond, where his only responsibility is to hunt and tell stories at fires.

[rrosiepetals]

don't know if you do ask but got curious what some of your favorite things about Marlon and also maybe your favorite pics of him in game

AAAA love this ask, thank you so much anon!!! I love Marlon and I will take any opportunity there is to gush about him!

Marlon is devoted, he’s got a good heart and wears it right on his sleeve. Take one good look at him and you see someone who’s (trying) to keep it all together. He was genuinely so passionate when talking about how well fortified Ericson’s had become. It was endearing seeing how much he boasted to Clementine about running the place and how he and all the other kids had worked so hard over the years to protect the school. 

He is a tragic character, and although only appearing in one episode, you can sense there is more to him than meets the eye. He is someone who has been weighed down by responsibility and by the world he was forced to grow up in. These kids had been sheltered, most of their lives had been spent surviving at the school. The teachers and other staff they'd looked up to… the ones that were entrusted to take care of them had abandoned them, leaving them for dead. As a result, they had no adult figure to look up to and seek guidance from.

Who could they lean on now?

This is where Marlon comes in; I like how despite his feelings of sorrow and betrayal, he decided to step up and take action, even though he was just as scared and confused as the other kids. It highlights just how much he cares for his friends; he doesn’t want to see them suffer and live in fear. It's a scary world out there; practically anywhere they go, it could mean death. However, as determined as ever, Marlon strives to make the best of their situation, and they work together to make Ericson the home that they never truly had before the apocalypse. The fondness in Louis' voice when he talks about him is really heartwarming and goes to show how dedicated he was when playing into the leader role.

Marlon is a person who will do anything in his position to protect his friend's safety. As the self-proclaimed leader of the abandoned boarding school, he goes to great lengths to ensure that everyone is well fed and has a good night’s sleep. When he speaks with Clementine, you can see the desperation in his eyes; shouldering so much responsibility alone for so many years is hard. Despite his doubts that cloud him, he attempts to make it work with the limited resources they have.

The situation involving the twins is extremely heartbreaking from both perspectives. Some people paint Marlon as this “heartless villain” who will just willingly hand over his friends like it’s nothing. I want to pose some questions. Do you think he wanted to hand them over? Did you think he hasn’t gone days upon days without sleeping? Wrecked with the guilt of his decision? Spending hours trying to come up with some sort of rescue plan to get them back? It doesn’t erase the fact that he knew these kids… he grew up with them in this fucked up world. He’s literally still a kid himself! What was he to do in a situation where all he had was a gun practically pointed at him by adults who could easily overpower them? Perhaps he could’ve handed himself over, however what would happen then? They’d just come back anyways and take the rest of the kids without a second thought.

At the end of the day, he wanted to be a good leader and good friend to everyone at the school. He kept all his worries and stress to himself so that the spirits of the school weren't weighed down because of him. He was so insistent that everyone abided by the safe zone rule so much to avoid any conflicts that could disrupt the peace they made for themselves. Thus, these built up emotions/worries caused his eventual downfall and he died thinking that all his friends potentially hated him for what he did. Watching those hurt and dejected looks on their faces when being confronted.. especially the look of sadness from his best friend. It hurt more than anything. I love how they handled Marlon, even if I wished he and many others had more screen time to truly shine, the amount of impact they had is worth it. Also many love towards his va Ray Chase, he put in his all with that performance!!!! 👏

A bit of a side note as well: Marlon had broken his own rule regarding the safe zone as he managed to save Clementine and AJ outside the train station. Why was he out there in the first place? I believe that he was actually planning to scout the Delta from afar, finding any weak spots necessary before making a solid rescue plan to get Sophie and Minnie back. No one else was with Marlon at the time as far as we know, only him and Rosie when he refers to "when we found you." I could be wrong but that’s what I’d like to think.

As far as picture wise go I have a few of them! Mainly love the ones where he’s smiling!!!