#the sacrificial squad

[thecmaly]

harem squad said deal's off folks

-

more windbreaker comics

[lunar-wandering]

✨self sacrificial squad ✨

[six-demon-bag]

mr "i am entirely human and already lost my one weapon but my best friend in the whole world is in danger so i will throw my only line of defense to save him even though i am, once again, human, clinging to the back of a speeding semi while surrounded by supersoldiers"

[gender-luster]

every squad got the

heart of gold. escaped from literal hell

memory loss. kinda a bitch, but working on it

autistic self sacrificial bastard. did NOT need to die to prove you were worthy

scary as fuck. needs to get used to this whole "emotions" and "talking to people" thing

"oh yeah, him? he's a rescue"

"these fuckers fucked up my job and now i'm fucking stuck with them"

you don't have to objectify yourself to be worthy or to not be lonely. have you considered friends and therapy instead?

the weight of the world's a heavy one to bear all by yourself. yes, the horrors are immense, but it is not your responsibility to hold them all off alone. you don't have to put up a front of happiness, of always being the hero. it's okay to be sad, it's okay to be angry. your father fucking sucked, but you are not, and will never be him. you can be better than him. i promise.

[shima-draws]

WOO HOO EZIO'S HERE 👏

As always more info about him under the cut <3

Name: Ezio

Age: 27

Hair color: White

Eye color: Red

Element: None

Ezio's a runaway who cast off his life as a noble and is now adventuring freely with Nahu and co.! He was never one for the stuffy upper class life he grew up in, and has been trying to outrun his legacy for ages. Nahu and the others don't even know he's from a high class society and when they do find out, needless to say they are shocked because Ezio was the LAST person they expected among all of them to have a fancy shmancy background.

It's not something he necessarily tries to keep secret; he just views it as something that's not part of him anymore. However he still does have ties to that world--there's a girl he grew up with and who is a close friend of his that he's actually engaged to. Neither of them want anything to do with the engagement, and said friend was more than encouraging when it came to Ezio cutting ties with his status and running off.

Ezio's extremely independent and self-sufficient! He knows very well how to handle himself in most aspects of life. He's also very stoic and quiet most of the time, preferring actions over words. When it comes to combat he's one of the strongest members of the team, being an expert at sword wielding and hand-to-hand. Considering he's a non-elemental that's pretty impressive.

He's also stupidly loyal and ridiculously self sacrificial (but like, most of the group are too so he's not special in that regard. LMAO) He's got a very unhealthy attachment to Nahu and probably needs to go to therapy. Ezio will put Nahu above everybody else, no matter what the situation, even if he has to betray other members of the group. He is the definition of Ride or Die. (He cares about them tho of course!! He loves them all very much, Nahu's just his top priority in all cases.) He's down BAD for Nahu and everybody knows it except for Nahu :)))) Main reasoning behind this stems from the fact that Nahu was probably the first person Ezio met that was actually genuine and not plastic and fake like all the people he grew up around. Nahu beat up some people hired to bring Ezio home and then smiled at him one (1) time and that was IT. He was done for. He will now die for Nahu and follow him to the ends of the earth. End of story

(This comes back to bite him in the ass later bc Nahu uhhh disappears for Reasons™ and Ezio spirals HARD. Cue him going off on his own and disregarding the rest of the squad bc he literally cannot fathom living without Nahu. Again. THERAPY)

Ezio's actually a shockingly good dancer, too (dance lessons growing up), but he adamantly refuses to dance with anybody who can't keep up with him. Which is basically most of the group. The only person who can is Ione, because of her idol background. Everyone is jealous of her for this. LOL

He's also fluent in multiple languages (again, noble background) including sign language, so he and Sage are the only ones capable of communicating with Ione for a while until they teach everyone else :"D

Due to his upbringing he's uhh. Emotionally constipated lol. It's definitely a learning curve for him trying to actually show his feelings and be truthful about them. This is something he generally struggles with but luckily he's got the best group of friends anybody could ask for who support him through everything. EVEN his simping 😂

[fadeintoyou1993]

Guilt, innocence. Good, evil. Life, death. As the shadows around Riverdale deepened, the lines that separated these polar opposites blurred and distorted. "I'm guilty," Cheryl said in Biology class. But of what? Good and evil. Light and dark. Betty and Veronica. Two sides of the same Janus coin. Given Betty's article, Weatherbee needed a sacrificial lamb. Needed to make an example of someone. So, after Hermione Lodge negotiated a lesser sentence for our two avenging angels, Coach Clayton, to save his job, to save the school's reputation, was forced to cut his own beloved son, and his goon squad, from the team. An action that, though none of us knew it at the time, would have terrible consequences in the weeks to come. But one thing was certain, Betty and Veronica, now B&V, and maybe forever, had been forged. They walked through the fire, and survived. We crave absolutes. They comfort us, but life is infinitely more complex than that. Despite all of our recent troubles, I would've done anything to protect Archie. But Dilton Doiley had just opened Pandora's box, and now, there was nothing I, or anyone, could do to save him.

RIVERDALE (2017—2023) Chapter Three: Body Double

[villainsandvictimsalliance]

During the Hosu attack, Tomura had no problem sending the nomus to die while he stood away from the battle.

On the Summer Camp attack, Tomura stated that he was not so heartless as to send the members of the Vanguard Action Squad to die. He was not using them as sacrificial pawns. He wanted them to succeed.

Later while they confronted the Meta Liberation Army, Tomura said he wouldn't forgive Redestro playing with people's hearts and that he couldn't stand Redestro for staying high on his tower while his people sacrificed themselves for him.

It just evolved from there.

[itsabouttimex2]

AAAAAAA hey I'm the anon who sent that ask and I love the monsters you've picked for each character in the Monkie Glaive AU!! Sun Wukong being a Rajang immediately made me think of the other pilgrims and what sort of monsters they could be in this crossover (Rajang Sun Wukong paired with a Kirin Ao Lie is... a very angst-charged idea that would be a really interesting dynamic too, for example... Sun Wukong tapping into his lightning powers after consuming Ao Lie's horn as some sort of sacrificial last stand between sworn brothers would be a hella angsty idea...).

Also it's kind of interesting to think of how the journey would be like in this AU — Tang Sanzang would be kind of a monster tamer, in a way? Or would the journey not happen at all? He's living the dream Monstie Rider/Tamer MHS life lol

How does the main character 'Monkie Kids' squad work like in the AU (as in, MK, Mei, Pigsy, Tang & Sandy)? Are all of them human? How does Y/N get inserted into the fray?

Sorry for asking so many questions! You can delete this ask if it's too annoying ^^;

Monkie Glaive

The Pilgrims and LBD

Ok, to start off with- Wukong eating Kirin!Hybrid Ao Lie’s horn for a power-up is such a genuinely good idea that I’m actually sad I didn’t think of it myself- but I’m making it canon now because it’s too good of an idea to waste.

(Especially given it’s the second time he’d lose someone dear to him in this AU. Technically three, because he loses Macaque twice)

Also, it works even better considering that Wukong’s “final foe” in his past is the Lady Bone Demon, instead of the Demon Bull King (who remains a sort of ally)- and she definitely wasn’t the sort of person he could defeat alone.

And, unlike canon… he actually killed her.

So, what kind of monster was the Lady Bone Demon that could be so dangerous that Tang Sanzang would allow Wukong to kill her?

A Shagaru Magala- who bear with them a powerful, frenzying plague that rots the minds and bodies of whoever become infected with it.

How bad is this virulent infection? This about sums up the reaction to contracting it that any being has.

Her plot was to bathe the world in her plague and simply have the infectees destroy it after going mad. (In fact, her first victim was Macaque- twice over.)

So the Great Monk, ever compassionate and merciful… still wished to show her mercy- though, she hadn’t molted yet, and still wasn’t at the peak of her power. She was still a juvenile of her species- a Gore Magala when Sanzang made the plea to spare her.

Despite being sealed away, the Lady Bone Demon molted very soon afterwards, assuming her true aureate form- which gave her the power to break free. Then she went and tracked down the pilgrims for a final all-out fight- that had lethal consequences.

The Lady Bone Demon descends in a shower of infectious gold and black.

She makes her first attack towards the monk- which his loyal pilgrims move to intercede.

One makes it in time, and collapses in a shower of pitch dust and pained tears.

Ao Lie, infected by the Frenzy Virus and losing his mind… tearfully allows Wukong to kill him and eat his horn. So the Great Sage loses a friend to his own hands for the third time, and gains an incredible boost of power.

Sanzang, realizing that his misplaced “mercy” is in part what allowed this to happen, gives Wukong explicit permission to end the fight- fatally.

After a bloody and brutal fight, the Monk takes a moment to hold and soothe his disciple, to tend the Great Sage’s repeating sorrows and well of tears. There’s not much that can be done to calm him- Wukong just has to slowly work through the tears and agony of losing another friend.

(And Tang Sanzang probably has to talk him out of returning his staff to Ao Guang in a fit of sorrow and guilt. Wukong is not in a good headspace through this AU.)

But, unknowingly, Lie’s thunderous spirit is bound to Wukong’s body, an ever-present force that’s always trying to comfort and soothe the simian- not that he can communicate or interact with him directly. He’s just there, hoping that one day Wukong will forgive himself for what’s happened.

———————————————————————-

Tang Sanzang himself is the world’s very first Rider, actually! Instead of beasts, Sanzang treats his disciples as though they were his very own children- which is why they all adore him so much.

He’s especially doting to Sun Wukong, who is very much in a nasty downwards spiral and in need of rehabilitation and therapy. He rarely uses the circlet (which Wukong put on himself and frequently used to self-harm), but acknowledges the need to reign in the simian’s worst aspects.

Sha Wujing is a Lagiacrus, actually! I didn’t necessarily want to add a second thunder element to the gang, but… come on! He’s blue and orange! He’s big and mean! He’s a watery fella! It had to be this Leviathan! I’ll just have him not have access to the lightning element to balance things out.

(But I also seriously considered making him a Coral Pukei Pukei)

It also allows him to be a “big, scary-looking monster that would inspire fear in those around him.

And for Zhu Bajie, I think he’s quite appropriate as a Mosswine- though I had considered making the demon a Poogie! I think being the lazy and gluttonous individual that he is, Bajie might be the sort to lay still for so long that moss grows across his back.

Also, Wukong slowly picking through the moss for bugs? Getting to do a harmless little “simian” thing and engaging in healthy skinship? It’s so good for him.

And, as offered by the incredible commenter above… Ao Lie is a Kirin. I imagine he’s the monster that Sanzang most frequently rides, given his docile nature and placid attitude. He’s still quite clumsy in his human form, but now trip-ups tend to result in Lie sparking off and inadvertently putting quite the light show.

He’s a little insecure about maybe not living up to the majesty and grace that his kind are known for, honestly. And, right up until the very end- Lie is quite nervous about being around Wukong.

(I’ll make a separate post later for the Monkie Kids, just so I don’t clog this up!)

[the-last-thread-of-my-sanity]

Armin’s character and what he represents about bravery within the story means so much to me.

I feel like so often in shonen and general action story media traits like ‘bravery’ and ‘courage’ are considered synonymous with strength or risk-taking- and that’s certainly accurate in a lot of cases. But just like in so many other ways, AOT subverts or critically examines this trope within its characters- particularly in the main trio of the cast.

It’s so easy to reduce Armin to his easiest defined trope- the smart one- and while that’s definitely true and you could write a million meta essays on his intelligence, strategic thinking, etc, I think we don’t talk enough about the ways Armin’s character begs the audience to reexamine what it means to have strength and bravery.

Armin’s strength is not in the physical realm (although it’s worth dedicating another post entirely to the fact that Armin is certainly not that weak either- simply the weakest of an already exceptional group) and his strength is not solely his mind either. But also his determination, conviction, and the way he is willing to sacrifice himself to save others with hardly a second thought- all while not being as rash as Eren and Mikasa can be.

In a recent rewatch of the Trost Arc, there were so many moments that stood out to me that I had previously either taken for granted or not noticed the significance of. In that arc alone, after Eren’s “death” -

He follows Mikasa without hesitation to rescue her when she runs out of gas

Offers Mikasa his gas canisters and blades knowing he won’t survive without them

Defends Eren to the Garrison (this is obviously a pretty big moment that isn’t usually overlooked, of course)

Rushes off from the decoy squad and runs the ENTIRE length of the Trost district wall when he sees the red smoke flair- just to be there to help Mikasa and Eren

Stays by Eren’s titan form on foot in a titan infested area right before he places the boulder

And there’s probably some more I missed.

Armin at this point in the story has no false confidence about his ability to survive- in fact he probably has an abysmal lack of confidence that he can’t affect much, but he does it anyway.

(Obviously, this self-sacrificial tendency reaches a head and ultimately culminates in the sacrifice of his life in the mission to retake Shiganshina…)

All of this to say, what Armin represents about bravery and courage is so important to me because he dedicates his life with the purest of intentions- he is not scared of death in such a noble way and he brings it up again and again. He would die for the cause- nearly does.

Which I think creates an interesting parallel between him and Eren in the sense that Eren is frequently referred to as a “suicidal maniac”- clearly meant to refer to the reckless way he rushes into danger. Whereas Armin’s instinct towards self-sacrifice is never viewed this way, because it’s not a glaring flaw in the same way that Eren’s behavior is.

Another way the story examines this is through his interactions with Annie- who is opposite in that she is fiercely dedicated to her own survival at any cost. This is brought up in their interaction during the ODM gear inspection when she asks him if he would die if someone ordered him to and he easily answered that he would. Armin’s ability to understand this difference between himself and Annie without judging her for it is also unique to him.

Because Armin doesn’t expect anyone else to give their life or view others as cowards for not rushing into danger- because he sees the value in every life. He just feels the cost of his own life would be worth it to preserve someone else’s. It’s this love for humanity and unwavering optimism at the core of his character that gives him so much conviction.

And like so many others have pointed out, this is what saves him (and, to an extent, later the world) in the end when it comes to Levi’s choice to revive him. Erwin was successful because he was able to set aside his humanity and sent countless soldiers to their deaths to gain victory. Armin, more than anyone else in the story, was able to plan and make a difference in such a way that always assumed he would either ask others to take an equal risk or put himself at more risk to reach the goal. And he wasn’t driven by anger, hatred, or rage to do it.

Clearly, there’s a lot that can be said about the way Armin shows strength and bravery in dire situations without being, stereotypically, the strongest character- or even the die-hard risk taking typical protagonist that Eren represents for most of the story.

But I think ultimately the story is trying to show us that Armin’s version is the version that is within reach for everyone- and that will make the biggest difference in not just winning a battle but in making a better world. And it’s so important to me that AOT- despite being such an inherently violent story- took the time to present that message as emphatically as it did.

[jurygarroth]

made graphics for the way I think of MCD!Aph and the primary guard squad in my headcanon/rewrite world

transcript for the first one is under the cut because it's a lot of text but thank you for letting me cook :3

Aphmau

full of good intentions, despite facing danger she earnestly believes in the good in others, builds a community out of trust and kindness

starts to doubt her decisions more and more, impostor syndrome is made worse after finding out she’s Irene’s reincarnation. learning about Irene’s messy past gives her a sense of hopelessness, struggles with whether or not to compromise her values to be a true savior

Garroth’s betrayal had a large part in shaking her faith in people, though she would never admit it

Garroth

fixates on ideals of chivalry and virtue as a contrast to the greed of his father and O’Khasis high society

does not know what he wants in life. runs away from expectations at home only to fall headfirst into his own paranoia. has the capability to lead but defaults to others

self-sacrificial because of sense of duty

Laurance

most emotionally self-aware and always had confidence in his sense of identity, which made becoming a Shadow Knight a special kind of torture for him. acutely aware of his identity falling apart around him

has always been stubborn but now clings even harder to his principles to keep his old self alive

self-sacrificial because he truly believes he is disposable

Katelyn

life built out of regrets: not telling Jeffory her feelings, joining the Jury of Nine, following Zane’s orders and hurting innocents etc.

trying to repent and dedicate her life to good but is terrified of making the wrong choice again, reacts defensively when her character is insulted because she knows part of it holds truth

overarching (and connections)

struggles with identity, rejecting a “past self” or (supposed) “true self”

the weight of decisions in an unforgiving world

Katelyn and Garroth: two sides of the same guilt-ridden coin (subconsciously aware of how similar they are and it drives them crazy)

Garroth and Laurance: unstable sense of self manifests as reliance on an ideal representation of good as an anchor (Aphmau)

[un-bearablysweet]

Lets be clear Mindy Kaling didn't want to make a Scooby Doo series. She wanted to make an animated series about her highschool years. But the execs weren't having that, because who the fuck wants to watch another series of Mindy Khaling being insecure, and obessing over white men.

No one, that's who! So Scooby Doo was offered up as a sacrificial lamb to draw in viewers. How dumb does she think young people are? Random gore, sex scenes and the occasional fuck does not make something mature. And then she has the gall to be mad at viewers for calling her out on her shit? You can't piss on me and and tell me its raining. This show is gonna join the hall of shitty Adult cartoons. Right up their with Chicago Party Aunt, High Guardian Spice, Mr pickles, Magical Girl Friendship Squad, Mama made me sheriff and the like.

[pecuniam-amo]

To be honest, I adore Senju Tobirama. No, not for his looks. For the depth of my soul, let me put it that way.

Let's be frank: the first generation, who lived in Konoha, did not trust the people around them. Many people condemn this, but look at yourself. We live in the age of technology, when in just a couple of hours you can change not only the country, the time zone, but also the mentality, historical experience, culture. But we still manage to hate and fight. I hate too. I hate the whole nation, because the lives of my ancestors, compatriots, are on "their" conscience.

Senju Tobirama also hated Uchiha. For the death of little brothers, for the death of some loved ones, maybe. And they hated him. But each side of the conflict tried to do something, to fix it.

War is terrible. A human becomes an enemy to a human, and this is unnatural. In the Naruto canon, they realized this fact and tried to create a world. Yes, it started wrong, I can even write my opinion about it, but later. These guys, who grew up in difficult times, who did not know how to live properly, tried to create a place where they would not have to worry about tomorrow, since it would be the same as today — calm.

Tobirama tried to create a world: he created the concept of an Academy, rankings. Knowing these facts, it is impossible to say that this man was vindictive or bad. He tried. But I hated it anyway, I was wrong.

The Uchiha are an isolated people. Due to certain political issues, they were left out of this ideal world. That's why Tobirama came up with the idea of creating an Uchiha police force. But this only alienated the Uchiha more. I wanted the best, it turned out, as always.

Tobirama was in charge of a squad consisting of Kagami, Hiruzen and Danzo. He raised Danzo so that he gave the order to cut out the entire Uchiha clan, despite the fact that he shared a whole segment of his life with one of them. How? Yes, easily. You know these people who are "I'm not [...], but" Tobirama is the same.

I'm not against peace with the Uchiha, but they're crazy lunatics who either love or hate.

The second Hokage stayed in office for ± three years, according to the canon. He died so that the disciples could be saved. Tobirama was faithful to the Will of Fire, he created the foundation, not expecting to be able to stand firmly on it, but the next generation will be able to do it. The future of the country can only appear when old people plant trees, not expecting to hide under their leaves.

In general, I adore Senju Tobirama. For being the same person as us. He became a true patriot of the village, which was so fragile that it almost disintegrated after three generations. He became loyal to this village so much that the most delicious dish was fish caught in the rivers of this very village. He tried, he made mistakes, and he tried again. He is sacrificial and cruel, principled, but capable of changing his point of view. You can marry someone like that lol

[equinox-86]

Noctis Character Profile

"Greetings. Kaminashi's top Vampire Hunter squad at your service. Please report any sightings to HQ immediately."

C a n y o u h o l d h e r h e a r t ?

Most of the info listed here is still a work in progress :P Some things might change. Note that Noctis is very cold in the beginning but gradually warms up to the vampires, which results in forming strong connections and friendships later on.

General

Kanji: アエクアリス・ノクティス

Romaji: Aekuarisu Nokutisu

English: Aequalis Noctis

Also known as:

Pyromaniac, Jirai-Onna, Alcoholic, Chichinashi, (and many others, by Ayato) Bitch-Chan (by Laito) Livestock, Lilith (by Ruki) M-Neko-Chan (formerly by Kou) S-Neko-Chan (currently by Kou after witnessing Noctis kicking Ruki and Yuma in the balls during MB's Prologue) Drunkard, Punk, Mesubuta (by Yuma) Lilith (by Azusa and Karlheinz) Woman, Vessel, Bloodbag (by Carla) Chew toy (Shin)

Her Nicknames for the DiaBoys:

Ayato: Ayarou (Ayato + Yarou) Laito: Netorare/Cuck Reiji: Megane/Four-eyes, Mom (jokingly), Old man Shuu: Old man Ruki: Ojou-Chan (jokingly) Kou: Gigolo Yuma: Gorilla (due to his strong physique), Meathead Carla: Old man (jokingly after getting along) Shin: Cyclops, Eyepatch-bastard, Ankle Biter, lap dog Most of these nicknames aren't in use anymore or used jokingly after More Blood and Dark Fate.

Personal Information

Age: 18 (Physically)

Status: Alive

Race: Demon/ "Lilith" ( She is from a demonic species higher ranking than a Founder.)

Gender: Female

Height: 5'3

Hair Color: Black (natural) and Fuchsia (dyed)

Eye Color: Blood Red

Occupation: High ranked Vampire Hunter, 3rd year Student at Ryoutei Academy

Relatives: Unknown

Hobbies: making cocktails

Favorite Food: Alcoholic Beverages

CV: Yoko Hikasa

A mysterious figure with an unusual name. Affiliated with the church lead by Seiji Komori, Noctis was sent to the Sakamaki Mansion under false pretenses as a "Sacrificial Bride" in order to ruin Cordelia's plan and gain the Sakamaki brothers as allies for the sake of the assassination of Karlheinz, as well as to stop future women to be sacrificed to vampires. Unable to bear the thought of dooming his adopted daughter Yui Komori, Seiji forged a plan to train and send a powerful demon whose memories he took, to doom the Vampires. If Noctis were to die as a result of the plan, he would feel no guilt, as she is not human. She believes she is human, as she spent her time living among them.

Personality

Noctis is a very calm and patient person, who could snap fast if someone acts unreasonable. She's very defiant to the vampires and doesn't tolerate their abusive behavior towards her, often engaging in physical fights with some of them. The mistreatment results in her getting dependent on alcohol and she is sometimes seen drunk during school hours in HDB. Despite appearing like an honor student at first glance, Noctis tends to engage in delinquent behavior. Despite of this, she is a responsible person that manages to complete her tasks decently, such as supervising Ayato and Laito to make sure they do not to cause trouble at school under Reiji's order. Noctis likes to throw sassy remarks at the vampires. She often gets in unnecessary trouble for running her mouth. She takes joy in teasing Ayato and Shin, who are quick to lose their temper, which she finds humorous. Noctis' has a resting face which makes her seem cold and serious, but it is easy to get a reaction out of her. She keeps her thoughts and feelings to herself and rarely shows compassion towards the vampires as to keep herself safe and not give them an opportunity to use her weak points against her. Rather than showing pity, she gives them advice from a rational perspective. She's very analytic and observant. Laito managed to break her cold barrier by constantly toying with her emotions for his own amusement, mainly enjoying the new expressions she makes by provoking her and putting her in situations that would cause her to show fear. His little games of psychological manipulation slowly resulted in Noctis showing more emotion and eventually warming up to the Vampires in More Blood.

Appearance

In most outfits, Noctis is seen wearing a heart choker on her neck and on her thigh to make biting more bothersome to the vampires. It serves as an extra protection measure.

She is always carrying a lighter with her.

Relationships

WIP

Trivia

With her drinking habits, Noctis developed spitting fire using alcohol and a lighter as a special skill.

Noctis hates cranberry juice as a result of drinking it too much to restore her iron levels.

When Reiji nags her too much, she jokingly starts calling him "Ossan" (おっさん) meaning "old man." Here, she refers to him or any other vampire as a grandpa due to how old they are.

Opposite to Yui, Noctis is a demon with a "human heart." Due to her memory loss, she was treated like a human by the church and learned their morals and values.

Noctis has a reflex that causes her to punch what causes her fear. For example, If someone were to jumpscare her, they would get punched by accident.

As a result of sharing a roof with 6 men, Noctis started to adapt manly speech mannerisms, such as using "ore" instead of "atashi" when referring to herself.

[cipheramnesia]

The internet purity police and callout culture squads really love to describe their latest sacrificial lamb as "openly" or "violently" or "literally" [some terrible thing]. But it always takes an arcane level of online search engine muck-raking (combined with several transitive layers of equating two very distant concepts) before you can find even the slightest idea of what they're talking about.

Far be it from me to rant against the evolution of language, however in this particular instance I wish I could put those words on the high shelf specifically away from online puritans. Casually hyperbolic use is one thing but when someone wants to raise a lynch mob and ruin a random life, I don't think they deserve the benefits of understanding deliberate misuse of a word for emphasis while also reaping the misery of another person's life through the literal intent.

[pen-and-umbra]

What do you think is the deal with Rufus and Glen? do you think Sephiroth is pissed at his death and wants revenge on Rufus for shooting his buddy?

(Compilation spoilers ahead)

In theory, Glenn's story could connect with a plotline from Before Crisis, an older, previously released mobile game. One little-known fact about Rufus is that, according to BC, he was the chief informant and financier of the Avalanche headquarters, and secretly plotted against his father quite some time before the events of FFVII.

As a matter of fact, the subplot involving President ShinRA's deposition did make it into the Remake, with Rufus hurriedly summoning Turks prior to a "fortuitous" attack on ShinRA HQ by Avalanche forces. Before Crisis established that Rufus ended up identified to be the traitor, but avoided execution and public humiliation by receiving house detention under the guise of a "long-term overseas mission". It's possible that within Remake continuity a long-term overseas mission will no longer be a guise, but an actual assignment imposed on Rufus to prove his loyalties to his father and the company. Incidentally, Glenn Lodbrok's description of Rufus as a "pig-headed, daddy-hating child" suggests a link to the BC narrative.

As such, “daddy-hating" implies awareness of Rufus' long-standing desire to take over his father. Glenn could know about it only if he had been privy to the incident involving Rufus' plot, which culminated in a capture/arrest. Similarly, describing Rufus as "pig-headed" implies that he persists in something (which is deemed stupid); and we know that Rufus persisted in his plan to depose his father until the very first part of the Remake trilogy, when he essentially got what he wanted.

Keeping this plotline in mind, Glenn's gang may wind up mixed in — with certain details changing from the BC line, naturally. Perhaps Glenn's group joins the Turks in capturing Rufus, and they become disposable witnesses to be silenced. Or, if Glenn is working for Rufus, the latter devises a plan to pin the blame on the squad, thus formally evading culpability by bringing justice to a bunch of scapegoats. Essentially, it could be that Glenn's squad is forced to take the fall for Rufus, possibly under the false pretenses of harboring grudges towards their former employer and working to undermine ShinRA. In other words, they become the sacrificial lambs.

Jenovaroth impersonating Glenn also opens up a few questions interlinked with Rufus. Was Sephiroth — human Sephiroth, prior to physically dying in the course of Nibelheim events — in the know of the coup Rufus attempted to orchestrate? Was he in the know of Rufus killing Glenn — which means, was he there to witness? Or is it something Jenova/Jenovaroth learned from the Lifestream or Glenn's memories? Is this actually the missing time that disturbs Tifa as she wonders what Sephiroth has been up to for the past 5 years — planning to resume the open hostilities by posing as Glenn and infiltrating Wutai's top brass?

I don't think there are personal motives at work here as much as something more sinister. Presuming that murder of Glenn is Rufus’ dirty secret, his miraculous “resurrection” is damn good leverage to use, as Rufus is not just any individual, but the head of ShinRA as an organization. Manipulating ShinRA means manipulating the entirety of their resources, including its military might.

Violence and bloodshed breeds resentment and contributes to the emergence of angry spirits. According to the Lifestream Black & White novels, Jenovaroth might be using them to destabilize Lifestream. And, as we saw in the Rebirth, there is indeed infighting within the Planet with Whispers literally appearing as white and black entities, combating each other. This is why Jenovaroth might be manipulating two nations: in order to overpower the Planet. A shrewd plan, if so, but totally in line with what we have glimpsed in Rebirth.

Additionally, the battle for Magnus Materia seemingly refers to hunting and defeating Weapons (in order to extract those humongous orbs). While on the surface it caters to both ShinRA's and Wutai's arms race, it actually serves to advance Jenovaroth's plans to weaken the Planet by removing its defenses.

@pen-and-umbra