#the only thing i don't like is him being Blakk's kid

[a-sad-mage]

It’s so strange to think that like…on an inherent level Tad and Eli would understand each other better than anyone else in slugterra regardless of their surface experiences or whether they like each other. I know they’re probably from the same area, but even in the off chance/AU where they aren’t, large cultural phenomena are going to be shared (e.g. memes, movies, tv shows, music, pop culture in general) as well as general information (I kinda headcannon that things like the age of the earth are unknown/miscalculated just because they don’t have rocks from 4 billion years ago to date, they don’t have fossils from the Cambrian explosion etc. You can know everything about gravity and light and physics but know nothing about biology just because it’s more physical evidence based than mathematical recreation) and finally shared experiences (similar school systems, being allowed to do x at y age etc).

I know a lot of the fandom don’t like tad for various reasons, but there’s so much to work with in terms of Eli finally having someone he can just say shit like “do you think the king of sling would like Elvis music?” And just be UNDERSTOOD. Being understood would probably heal something in Eli’s soul because he just hasn’t had that in YEARS. The gang are nice and well meaning, but the whole slugmas episode made it really clear they don’t share the same culture or experiences as Eli, on some level, they genuinely can’t understand or relate to him because of that. They’re his friends, they’re his family, but they’re not the same.

Idk man, something about the one person who could truly know you on a level others can’t just does something to me

I don't think it's strange at all. In fact, it adds a strange, yet sad, i wana say charm? When you go back as re-watch the show with this kind of context and mindset.

Eli, to us, acts rather normal and makes references to things we get on occasion, but compared to everyone else in cannon, it's weird and doesn't make sense.

There has been more than one occasion in the early episodes when Eli says something the others give him an odd look. For instance, Eli mentioned Halloween in DeadWeed, and because Slugterra doesn't have a Halloween/anything equal to it, it's a weird thing to say, and Eli has to lie about it.

For an entire year, even after telling the Gang about the Surface, Eli Shane basically has to keep a part of himself locked away. Sure he can talk to the rest of the team about his home up top, but it's not the same as actually talking to someone about something familiar.

Slugterra may be his home now, but it will never change the fact he used to belong topside, and that try as he might, there are going to be things he misses.

So when Tad comes along, it's not just a new friend, or member, it's a connection to a world he cut himself off from. And Eli is so excited by notion of having someone to talk to, that he can relate to on a more personal level. Talk about holidays, sports, video games ect-

But a sad fact to that is that Eli has been gone a year, which means Tad is going to bring up things he had no idea even happen in the year he's been in Slugterra.

So, while it's awesome to talk to someone who can truly understand you, it doesn't change the fact that there is a disparage in common information or even interests, for that matter!

A lot can happen in 12 months. And while people can live on the same block, they experience things differently.

It doesn't change the fact that Eli is genuinely happy to have Tad around and a part of the gang because he gets to talk to someone like him and share his experiences. Form a different kind of bond.

This is why it probably hurts even more when Tad betrayed the Shane Gang when compared to Twist.

[this-is-how-i-study]

Politics and Structure

Ok, not studying here because my exams are over (woohoo!), but I want to get something new up on this blog.

I figured out how Doctor Blakk gets away with all his infamousness. In this world, AKA the Surface, what he's doing is closely related to producing illegal chemical weapons, but while here we have laws that make it, you know, ILLEGAL, in Slugterra he can't get caught because either there aren't any laws to make him an official criminal, or the actual leaders are all turning a blind eye on his actions.

Ghouls are resources of power, just like guns and bombs and other whatnot. However, they're not mechanical weapons, so they're more like genetically engineered weapons like viruses. Anyone read "Russian Roulette" by Anthony Horowitz? Spoilers: Yassen's hometown was infested by an airborne chemical virus that killed everyone and then the town was wiped out by the government to cover up the illegal activities.

Yikes.

But here, Blakk's activities in using Dark Water - a strange substance that Slugterra has barely any information on except for a few ancient cave troll legends - on slugs, Slugterra's literal lifeblood, is hardly considered as a threat by any leaders.

This implies to me that Slugterra has no official leader, no government to distribute laws or any status. It only comes down to which individual or group has the most power in their hands.

Blakk has power over weaponry and also political power, having learned commerce and also being very manipulative, as shown when he told Eli how he forced people to give away their land, hence how he stole Slag Rock Cavern and turned it into his own cavern.

On to the Shane Gang.

The Shane Gang have referent and expert power as they are well known to be excellent slugslingers and are also trusted to help because of them carrying the Shane mantle, which is like a symbol of hope and justice. Everyone trusts them, and that might be why Blakk sees them as such a threat to his power. Not only do the Gang mess up his industry, they also try and expose how he's a bad guy to the public.

A flaw in the show is that they don't show much on the rest of Slugterra. We don't know who else is pulling the strings, so it's either a big bag guy or a bunch of kids grouped together to defeat him. There should be other leaders out there, like the King of Sling who doesn't do much apparently, or Judge Logan, but he also doesn't do much and is also a corrupt leader who is under Blakk's influence.

So, the worldbuilding could've had more details. The base is good, having slugs being vital to the world and the whole code for slugslingers, but we needed to see more structure, not just the sci-fi structure.

Some ideas are maybe there could've been a government, but it's extremely disorganised, allowing people like Blakk to thrive and take over without blinking an eye. There should be an actual police force to take down Blakk, but some of the officers are corrupt and the ones who aren't are killed off or have their careers destroyed by Blakk and it's up to the Shane Gang to help them and fix things up with the government.

[troublesometrollhunters]

Enrique asking for a bedtime story about you while being babysat

Enrique: Tell me about your friend (Y/N)!

Jim: They always had trouble falling asleep.

You and Jim staying up together after a long training lesson because you can't sleep. You're laughing and telling jokes as you read a Brief Recapitulation of Troll Lore together.

Toby: They liked to cuddle while under the sheets.

You, Toby, Claire, and Jim watching Gun Robot in a pillow fort sharing snacks and cuddling. Videogames are scattered around your feet from the videogame tournament you just had.

Claire: They loved pop songs and dancing.

You, Claire, Darci, and Mary dancing around Claire's room singing and dancing together at a sleepover. You hold a hairbrush as a mike as you sing offkey karaoke.

Enrique: Woah.

Aarrrgh: And Bad trash t.v

You, Aarrrgh, Blinky, Toby, Claire, and Jim watching bad trash t.v after a hard trollhunting mission. Your laughing at the television guessing what's going to happen next as Blinky and Aarrrgh ask questions about humans.

Blinky: There's still a few other things.

The way you smiled when you first ran into TrollMarket. You explored the stalls with no fear and asked Blinkous and Aarrrgh questions.

Training with Jim, Claire, and Toby so you can be a Trollhunter like Jim. Draal teaching you how to fight as Blinky instructs you. Aarrrgh when your ready gives you a magic weapon.

Going on adventures all around the world with your friends. Patching eachother up when you get home and staying up all night telling stories cause your restless.

Helping the CreepSlayerz out by giving them smaller trollhunting jobs when you realize Eli and Steve know the truth. Mentoring them so they don't get hurt and so Jim has less to deal with.

You reach out your hand with a smile helping villians up refusing to leave anyone behind and promising anyone can be redeamed.

Enrique: Like what?

Strickler: They loved love notes and babies.

Strickler smiling as he pretends not to see you pass notes to your crush in class. Fast forward and Strickler, Barbara, Not Enrique, and you are taking care of all the changeling nursery babies. Your only visiting but you rock a first one to sleep after it wakes up and Strickler and Barbara are proud.

Angor: And liked giving gifts.

You give Angor his eye back before slowly sliding the Inferna capula ring off and handing it to him. It's rocky at first but he becomes your ally before he becomes your friend. He helps you stop the Eternal Night and free Morgana helping you redeam her.

Douxie: Has a hard time accepting a good compliment.

Douxie and Zoe saying your fighting was impressive and that your Trollhunting is incredible. You shake your head politely saying no. They compliment you every time they see you now and let you know your a talented and smart kid.

Dictatious: They love their whole family

You standing in a giant group hug with Jim, Claire, Toby, Steve, Eli, Blinky, Aarrrgh, Draal, Dictatious, Aja, Krel, Varvotos, Strickler, Angor Rot, Morgana, Douxie, Archie, and Zoe

Everyone: And all of their friends

Everyone is beaten and down on the ground and the world is about to end. With your last bit of strength you use your magic weapon and get up. Turning you look at your friends and family smiling with tears dripping down your face.

'I love you'

And than you were gone. You'd sacrificed yourself to save the world.

~~~

The team telling Enrique all about your adventures after your gone. Inspo for this idea from the song.

[a-sad-mage]

It will never not be upsetting yet hilarious to me that Eli Shane is 15.

I mean, seriously, this kid spends an entire year, just fighting in Slugterra, he's been betrayed on several occasions, like he straight up let's Twist and Tad in his home, calls them his friends and they stab him in the back.

Is either being compared to his dad, or blamed for things his dad did.

Is probably dealing with the dilemma that his father is a murderer, as we still don't know what exactly happened to Tom Por or if Will Shane actually killed him.

Saw his dad tackle Blakk and the Goon into that Terra portal thing, after having him back for probably less than an hour.

Burpy, his best friend, almost died.

Was under the Goons influence and hurt in friends, probably causing some self-loathing.

Eli Shane is a kid, barley a teenager. He is put into an adults world, to be the symbol of hope, and the figure to rally behind.

Eli Shane is a kid, barley a teenager. He should not have to run head first into danger just to inspire others to fight for what's right.

I get having a figure that can be seen as pillar of strength can rally people to do the impossible, but why does that figure have to be Eli?

Why must it be a Shane?

But of the other foot,

This 15 year old kid is doing what should have been done since his father's absence was noticed.

He makes bad puns, intentionally antagonizes people he knows could crush him, and once tricked Nacho into taking a fake map that had a crude picture of Nacho himself on it.

Eli is such a good boi, it's not funny.

He reprimanded a group of slug hunters then they were looking for the Enigmo Slug.

To Sargeant Slugs face, tells him that his(Eli's) Slugs won't be partaking in the 'training' and he's just there for the pool. To freaking freeload. And yeah, Pronto paid the Club Slug fees already, but it has to sting knowing you have a Shane in your establishment, but there only there because they kinda had no choice and for your waterslide. Like imagine the profits that would bring in having a local celebrity using what you advertised.

Pranks is team in Deadweed in the most hilarious way. Before getting them inadvertently trapped like an idiot.

Being a smug little flopper as his Slugs come crashing in on a humongous elephant mecha, effectively convincing everyone his Slugs know how to drive.

Just the last few minutes of Roboslugs

"You thought we were building a robot to beat yours, in forty-five minutes?!"

[Sounds of Breaking Glass]

"How dumb do you think we are? We were just building a can opener!"

[Hops into Quentins mech, hopefully not getting his hands cut on broken glass]

"And you were cocky enough to let me get close enough to do this!"

[Drops a metric crap load of slugs on the guy with molluscophobia]

Eli Shane is many things, but most importantly, he is a 15 year old boy just trying his best. And when his best isn't enough, his friends are there to back him every step of the way.

I also like to think Eli would like Pikmin.

[a-sad-mage]

Shane Gang Head Cannons because brain rot

[Feel free to add]

Eli never got his GED(obviously he was 15 when he took the Drop)

But this also translates to Slugterra as well seeing as how no one makes much of a fuss about the Shane being a 15 year old kid who probably should be in school

Between the Episodes "The World Beneath our feet(1&2)" and "Shadows & Light", Kord, Trixie and Pronto pick up on the fact Eli, despite being Will Shane's son, dose not know a whole lot about Slugterra.

more accurately, certain little things most kids around Eli's age learn real early, like The Slug Run, how tricky it is to trap slugs, that in tournaments you lose a slug if you lose, Blakk and the SlugTarran Express and a hand full more, are not common knowledge to the young Shane. Because anyone with access to the SlugNet and a TV should know these things

However after "Shadows & Light" when Eli says he was home sick on the lesson about Slug energy being the key to a Caverns survival, and Bullseye being the center of Slugterra, the team realizes their resident Shane did not in fact receive standard education

this is because those are simple, easy things that are recapped, like every school year in Slugterra's education system set up

This then prompts the gang covertly asking Eli questions about stuff, seeing if he's right or wrong, and then correcting him

to take it a step further, for educational slugisodes, Trixie asks Eli to do the research/help write the script

no one blames him, because Eli was probably homeschooled by his dad,

but even then, The Will Shane forgetting to each his son something as important as Slug energy's connection to the Caverns put a tiny little crack in their perception of the man

Kord is the one who teaches Eli how to shave

Eli has a small privet cry over that

The guy's have had to physically restrain Trixie from punching/shooting a Slug at people(mostly sexist men), on more than one occasion

They let her do it once because that one particular guy had it coming

Pronto is the best cook, his Cave Crawler special is just something his mom used to make and he loves it, and wants to share that with his friends :)

Eli keeps the letter his dad wrote on him at all times, and when he's feeling anxious he reads it.

every one has read the letter, by accident and Eli has no clue

Pronto has tried to get the others hooked on "Kisses from a Hoverbug" Kord is the only one interested

Kord has drunk motor oil, twice, once to know what it tastes like, and once on a dare

Trixie, as the only girl on the team, get's priority when it comes to the bathroom

Eli has eaten slug food, twice, once to know what it tastes like, and once on a dare

Eli hums songs from the surface sometimes

Kord has more than one helmet, just in case

Pronto has a comical amounts of bandanas and neck scarfs, to the point he could pull off the endless scarf gag most magicians do

Trixie dared Eli to eat slug food or be called a cowered

Since Pronto sleep walks: each member of the Team has gotten up in the middle of the night for something, is at first perturbed by it, but by the third/fifth time, the use it as prime prank opportunity

Trixie dared Kord to drink motor oil or be called a cowered

Eli is banned from certain searches on the SlugNet

not for anything he did, the team just want him to stay ignorant to certain things, like thirst traps of his dad, and Will Shane x Thaddius Blakk fanfic his devices literally have parental locks just to make sure

^ this is referring to a post I saw about there being thirst traps of Will Shane, and crack theory's, like Eli actually being Blakk's son having a lil' rebellious phase on the SlugNet + some other stuff. I don't remember who made the post, but if your reading this, it lives rent free in my head, and I love you (platonically)

Over the course their friendship, before the events of 'A Distant Shore' the team has bets on what Cavern Eli is actually from because they do not buy the "Oh uh I was raised in a secret Cavern" excuse the more they get to know Eli Shane.

Hero worship be damned Trixie will punch Will Shane

If he's feeling sad, Eli wares the hoodie he was wearing when he fist took the drop

he wears it for three days following the events of "The New Kid"

^ The hoodie thing takes inspiration from a fic I read, I can't find it rn but if i do ill link it.

After the events of 'A Distant Shore' and learning the Burning World is, in fact real, Trixie, Kord and Pronto wonder what other myths might be true

Eli has a silent freakout in "The New Kid' because of Twist's Slug's name being Loki, like the Norse god of tricks. how and why?

Kord has been wanting to make jetpacks since he was a kid

The Mecha, Mecha Beast the team built in 'Roboslugs' reminded Eli of a Megazord from Power Rangers, and it took everything not to quote PR

Pronto likes to garden

the slugs like to eat whatever is in Pronto's garden

Pronto has 'successfully navigated the Caverns of Time, not once but TWICE' in his bio of all platforms he's on.

There is a tally on how many fire's Eli and Burpy start

Its currently in the triple digits

They have a 'days without incident' sign

the record is 2 days

[mrros-e]

my honorable brain rot buddy, I would like to brain rot some more on this.

one: I don't see tads mom as a plot hole; more like a plot Pandora's box. They could basically do anything with her. But without something...yeah, a bit hallow. I like your idea though. I find compelling the idea that, whoever Blakk has a kid with, shares some type of ambition, just on the side of exploration instead of power. Like a more cynic view of a gar revelle type character.

Two: this is what makes blakk's irrationally ONLY for Eli so good! He wants power and will stoop to any level to get it, but besides that, he's perfectly fine with the world being a fair and just place. This will get overshadowed by ambition (grown from trauma of course), but if it doesn't interfere, he's fine w a lot of things. It's where all the "blakk is a chill boss sometimes" memes come from, and actually contributes to my personal headcanon that he's fruity!

but Eli. Eli Shane. And will Shane, and jimmo Shane. All pretense of "well if they're not in my way it's fine" flies out the window. Their mere existence (after ep 2/3, like u mentioned) is a hinderence, so Blakk stoops to his lowest. And the animosity BUILDS. Like blakk in ROTE wants Eli to suffer so BADLY that he gives up his team's win? Just to keep him alive? so the full story of his character is: femenist as long as it doesn't negatively effect him. When it effects him, he rationally destroys the obstacle. And if your the Shane's...it crosses into an irrational hate, at some point, where the original ideal of "anything for power" crosses into the sadistic, how is this in a kids show, "anything for a power that would harm the Shane's". it's actually a good representation of how anyone can fall into evil. Be situational instead of steadfast with your feminism, and you excuse yourself for some bad shit. and when ppl don't like what your doing to them, you hold grudges, which situationally, are super logical to keep...at first...till suddenly, when you plan out what world you wanna live in, it literately MUST include the suffering of those enemies. It's a toxic pool to fall into. We see that constantly in the real world...

I love this show.

"Sad Mage, you fool, Dr. Blakk can't be a feminist he's-" [gets smacked with a pan]

"Silence heathen, you know not my reasons!"

♤

First, to quote a fic i read

"Im a businessman, not a monster" - Dr. Thaddius Blakk

And i have never agreed more.

Blakk is a horrible guy with little to no redeeming qualities, but here's the thing-

He's not like, a major d¡cƙ either.

Sure, he's a jerk to a lot of his employees, but he's not outright crule either.

Remember, Thaddius Blakk was once a traumatized kid who was to claw his way to the top. And probably witnessed a punch of messed up crap while Viggo Dare was still in charge.

And FYI a true feminist cares about men's problems

Blakk is equally himself to just about everyone he meets, you know what your getting into when you get involved with a guy like him.

Blakk does not care if you are man, woman human, elf, Moleinoid, Cave Troll, have money, or are a poor orphan on the street - all the man cares about is whether or not you're useful.

Feminism, at its core, is equality for women and men. To be on equal footing in every possible way. No discrimination. Just equal rights and equal fights.

[This next bit is kinda a tangent, tbh but i feel like it helps explain my 'Blakk genuinely dose not care' mindset]

Hell, he tried to convince Eli he wasn't all that bad when they first met, and had it not been for Burpy and the suddenly showing the young Shane that Ghoul Slug, Blakk might have convinced Eli he wasn't a threat had things just played out differently.

Blakk didn't officially become Eli's antagonist until Eli declined any sort of 'professional relationship' with him and then declare 'war' in episode 3. Because at that moment before being turned down, Eli Shane, was useful in some capacity. Even if that usefulness would have involved a lot of manipulation.

On top of that, he doesn't undermine Trixie either. While he may not personally know her name, he knows enough that Trixie Sting is an obstacle and a threat. And treats her as such.

And probably made sure his henchmen knew as much.

Then there's Dana

He went out of his way to higher one of the best Highered Marks just to track Dana down, get his blaster back, and get rid of her. Blakk, could easily not care about something like a Blaster, Blakk Industries makes them for crying out loud, he probably has a collection of them! But he goes out of his way to get that one Blaster back from Dana, and then make an example of her. Even went as far as to show up in-person to make sure.

A thing, he wouldn't do just for anyone.

Blakk's fits are rated E for Everyone

The man does not care who you are, prove yourself useful, he'll pull the strings to get you on his side, prove to be a nuisance, and you'll be dealt with accordingly regardless of who you are.

Hence me HCing the man as a Feminist.

You can stand on business, have upstanding morals, all while still being a horrible individual.

It's like Odalia from TOH. She doesn't care, Amity is into girls, she just doesn't like Luz and the rest of her daughters friends because 'their beneath them', and she wants to rule over the Demon Realm.

Same thing with Emperor Belos/Philip. The guy grew up during the era of witch hunts, yet two of his most trusted individuals were women(or female identifying). While he was going to ultimately pull off the biggest witch extermination in history, he didn't care who was working for him, as long as they were useful and fulfilled a purpose. He doesn't underestimate Luz for being a girl, just young and nieve, before getting bitch slapped with the reality this human is more resourceful then he was.

-

Now to touch on something @mrros-e my brain rot buddy in crime mentions in the tags.

How Blakk being a Feminist effects his relationship with whomever Tads mom was.

Jokes on you, friend, because i hc Tad is an oops, baby.

Yeah, that's right, Blakk had a fling with a lady, and she got knocked up and didn't tell Blakk sht

I don't know where the idea of Blakk having to have been married or even a committed relationship to have a baby spawned from, but with as much networking that guy probably had to do while building up Blakk Industries it's safe to assume he met ppl and had a few casual flings.

One of which resulted in Tad.

(And this is not me discrediting/bashing the hc of Blakk having a wife/romance partner, I think its an interesting concept and adds onto Blakk still being a human even though he may act like a monster, a concept i very much so like and will champion because i love complex villains like Blakk. But for the sake of this particular narrative and the limited clues given in cannon, lets pretend otherwise)

The woman, somehow leaving Slugterra and to the Surface, is a plot whole (let's be real, it is). But ignoring it, and just assume the lady was a Surface dweller who would sneak down to Slugterra for fun, and met Blakk by chance.

And when she did realize she was pregnant, she had a choice, and at first she wanted to tell Blakk, he was the baby's father after all, but by then Blakk had developed his reputation, and when she tried some probably thought she was after his money or something.

You know, because people suck.

So by the time Blakk learned of the pregnancy, the Lady had returned to the Surface and swore off coming down to Slugterra ever again. (For reasons)

Blakk probably tried to track her down, but was stumped because there where no records of her ever exiting in Slugterra, and then he remembered bits of their conversations, and how it sounded like she wasn't from Slugterra but the mythical world above.

Thus, his obsession with Shane Secrets begins.

I have a completely different post in my drafts I'm working on, but it relates to this a bit, and the gist of it is, Blakk would have support the woman who was pregnant and any decisions she made, but also given Tad everything he didn't have as a kid.

Again, absolutely horrible individuals can have completely, perfectly normal morals and standards. You can have a monster, give them a humanizing trate, and still be irredeemable.

Dr. Thaddius Blakk is a villain of the highest degree, but he has standards damn it.

This was an incoherent rant of a Mage in desperate need of sleep

Peace ♤