#these are just hypothesis

[scrimshawed]

these are US sizes, I tried to include the most I could with the poll options

[valkugo]

Where you go, I go. What you see, I see.

I know I'd never be me without the security of your loving arms keeping me from harm.

Put your hand in my hand and we'll stand.

Let the sky fall. When it crumbles, we will stand tall and face it all together.

arcane (2021) // pompeii casts // the queen of the damned: chapter 4, the devil's minion // the two maidens // hasanlu lovers // lovers of valdaro // skyfall - adele

[an-absolute-trainwreck]

(If you like specifically the diet or sugar free version of any of these, just vote for that option. Same thing for specific flavors, eg. cherry coke, or mtn dew red, etc.)

[burr-ell]

It's always interesting to see who prefers which one and why, but I really do think at the end of the day that Campaign 1 and Campaign 2 are equally good stories, it just heavily depends on personal preference. If you like a faster pace, deconstruction-to-reconstruction of archetypes, and classic fantasy vibes, you'll prefer C1; if you prefer a slower pace, high-concept character work, and political intrigue, you'll prefer C2. I'd be curious to see other commonly enjoyed media among fans who prefer one or the other.

[trentcrimminallybeautiful]

someone liked this and reminded me it exists and. yeah

[raisengen]

The more I think about this Dungeon Meshi collab the more I wonder who actually wrote it. Even setting aside the glaring plot holes (the party eating unambiguously lethal food and walking it off), it really doesn't feel like AK's usual writing style to me.

AK likes to give scale to its world by talking about the time and effort to travel around, but the collab hops across the entire world and seemingly teleports the characters in to their next scene.

Previous collabs have focused on how the characters learn and adjust to the differences in the new world, but the party automatically knows what a truck is. Yet they still call tech "magic items" after travelling through several countries.

AK skips over action writing but likes to explain the material details of things. The collab spends a long time on Marcille's flashlight shenanigans without giving much sense that what's she's holding is indeed a flashlight, or why things go wrong in the way they do.

Kal'tsit is known for endless patience and endless monologues. When Laios starts asking weird questions, she goes silent and sets Mon3tr on him.

There are various lore oddities and inconsistencies too, like Originium slugs having dangerous innards but safe shells, or the whole deal with the Sal Viento cultist. Overall, this collab feels like it was written by someone other than the usual writers, who was getting their AK info second-hand. The writing focus is on skit scenes, with little concern for their requirements or consequences. (Not to say that AK's writing is perfect, but when it gets things wrong it does it in a different way.)

A lot of this mismatch is weird, because Dungeon Meshi is also a series that's interested in lore, logistics and characterisation! If Hypergryph wrote the collab, you'd expect them to try to emphasise the common ground they have. Is it a known thing for rights-holders to parachute in their own writers for collabs to protect lore/characterisation? Judging by the content, I could believe that this was largely authored by a publisher hire interested in promoting the anime.

[pain-tool-sai]

its finally starting to feel like fall..

[pixiatn]

Ngl, if Hollywood actually gave a shit, they would just fucking buckle up and make a Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons movie

[egophiliac]

I'm trying to avoid getting spoiled so I haven't looked up what's happening in the Jp server's main story, but for my own sanity I need to ask; is the story at a point where we know whether Lilia will get better/survive his almost-empty magic reserves..? Was it a true death flag from the start or only a plot device for malleus' overblot....?

not yet! I do think they're going to get back to it eventually, but -- keeping it as low spoilers as possible -- there's been...let's just say a LOT going on in the meantime.

enjoy 7-6!!! :)

[togetherasap]

the serotonin released after reading any ali hazelwood book is unparalleled

[juhbebbie]

The spot saying "hypothesis: I am going to put my head in that hole" is such an underrated line because while that is just not at all a hypothesis, it is pretty much exactly the kind of shit an actual scientist would bs instead of making an actual hypothesis. If fuck around, then find out

[kaiserouo]

technically he's not lying

[luckyarchivist]

Archivist Hypothesis: Leander, Cutiefulest Cult Leader This Side of Lowtown (WC: 3K)

(Leader and Leander are only an "n" off... Hm.)

I’m here again, because Leander’s 2.0 route has been taking up all of my brainspace to the point where I haven’t even thought about doing the other THREE routes I still have to finish. Including Ais’s! And that’s my mans!

But my mans must wait. Because talking about Leander and his textbook cult-style manipulation is #1 Priority for me rn.

I mentioned in answering this ask that Leander and MC seem to be meant to be a "cult of one," where Leander is the Leader and the MC is his recruit. And, because I happen to love the video Mind Control Made Easy (I remember the musical.ly trends...), and have a copy of the script in my Drive, I’ll be pulling from that non-academic resource to illustrate my points.

So let’s talk about the new Leander, and the proof I could find of how he’s laying the groundwork for a cult-flavored, emotionally manipulative relationship with the MC.

"Structure your cult like an onion..." "...with the most benign and helpful features on the outside, and the most controlling, kooky, and evil parts at the secret inner core."

Honestly, I believe this element may apply to both Leander and his Adderstone. On the surface, the Adderstone is a group of do-gooder yorozuya run by their equally stand-up boss.

Also from MCME: “Establish front groups.”

However, unlike the Bloodhounds (RIP), the Adderstone certainly doesn’t give off the vibes of a local Samaritan club that happens to really like magic tricks and pissing on the Senobium’s good name. Their behavior so far feels almost cliquey. You’re barred from speaking with Leander when you first encounter him at the Wet Wick—

—and the Adders don’t even react outwardly when you mention the Senobium near them, instead closing off.

Kinda like when you try to tell a joke to the popular kids and they just look at you.

Now, yes, this is only two things. But we’re also only in the prologue, so I hope to see more proof of this insular culture within the Adderstone. A big part of cults is some kind of separation from the rest of the world, physically and/or mentally, and that separation being encouraged by the Leader. To me, even if they do good works, the truth of this organization is not the community helpers they’re marketed as.

Now, while Leander may not be trying to recruit you to the Adderstone (at least, not yet), he is trying to recruit you to his private, VIP cult. This means he must also hide his true personality under more benign layers.

I may be in the minority saying this, but I don’t believe at this point that Leander is totally bereft of goodwill towards others. And I hate to plagiarize, but this is what I said about Leander in the ask I referenced at the top of this ramble:

In 1.0, Leander is playing a part. He is acting as someone who is very silly and very promiscuous and endlessly kind, despite his abilities as a mage and a leader, because that is what draws people in. … But that's not him, or rather, that's not the truest version of him. In 2.0, Leander is himself. And we see in his route that the cute, blushing Leander, who speaks highly of friends and foes alike, is not absent — he's still there, because that is him, too. It's just not played up to such a comical degree. That is because 2.0 Leander uses his authority to get people to trust him, rather than appealing to their emotions with cuteness.

Whether you’re talking about old or new Leander, his controlling and kooky (I hesitate to say evil, for now) true personality is hidden under an approachable façade. For 2.0, Leander’s outer layer is the capable but never arrogant activist, one who looks out for the little guy and is always ready to lend a hand. We’ve only just begun to peel back these layers, and what we’ll find when we get to the “inner core” is yet to be known. I’m excited for it, though!

“Promise to fulfill their dreams.”

Oh, this one’s easy. We all know that the MC is in Eridia looking for a solution to their curse, having finally reached their breaking point in one way or another. After being res’d by Kuras, the MC seeks Leander on his advice.

And, wow: only the second person the MC has met in Eridia, and already we have a way forward! Not only does Leander promise to help you find a solution — and kinda imply that perhaps he is the only person who can help you find a solution, in his subtle way—

—but he also demonstrates that he can touch the MC without being cursed, and promises to fulfill their dream of “normalcy”.

This is something that, so far, no other love interest can offer you, not that MC is eager to test this. It’s an easy way for Leander to draw them in.

Having thought on it for a while, I thought this move of showing he could touch you was quite appropriate. The cults I’ve learned about in my very casual consumption of cult analysis media often do A Thing or Things to show people that the cult is legit, or to get those halfway through the door of the cult to recruit more people by saying, “Wow, come look at this! Isn’t it amazing?”

Religious cults might perform a miracle or predict the future or bestow momentary enlightenment upon you, to show that the Leader and the group are truly blessed by God or a similar divine being; growth and development cults might build community and allow you access to professional contacts through classes, workshops, and retreats, awarding you personal success and upward progress within the cult. In either case, the initial bait is a tactic to draw you in and make you want to stay, because you feel the cult has something to offer.

Leander’s version of this is his magical protection against your curse. I mean, it is a miracle, isn’t it? And we read through narration that MC is clearly starving (touch-starving, lmao) for this kind of contact. Their wish is being granted; surely, this man must be the one to trust, if he can do all this, right?

My addendum to the checklist: Choose the right prey.

"Fulfilling dreams" is just one of the cult steps that relies on the person you are recruiting being vulnerable.

Now, everyone has dreams. And, truly, I believe that fact is proof that anyone can be recruited into a cult, as long as that cult is offering the right thing at the right time. But the MC fits a specific stereotype of cult recruits quite well.

In my little bit of research, I’ve often seen the term “lost souls” used to describe recruits. Tenuous connections to family or friends, and a desire for community; a sense of purposelessness or despair; an endurance of hard times, and a yearning for those times to end, without the power to stop them. I would definitely say we see our MC in these. I mean, they barely see themselves as human because of their curse—

—and they say more than once that death would be preferable to living as they are.

This lack of self-esteem and general instability makes MC an easy target for a manipulator. Once you figure out what they want (the ability to touch through the removal of their curse), all you have to do is give them that, or the illusion of it. Of course, if you want to hold onto this person, and truly make them devoted to you, as Leander does, there have to be…caveats to this gift.

“Offer them something free...” “...and get them to feel obliged to give you something in return.”

As mentioned, the MC is incredibly vulnerable when they enter Eridia, and not just in a mental or emotional way. They are totally alone, in a new city far from whatever they could’ve considered home. They have little money, and the other form of currency that runs this town — information — they seem reluctant to give out to others. They need both basic necessities, like food and shelter, and a solution to their life-ruining ill.

Lo and behold, here comes Leander, who is simply too kind to make you pay for anything he gives you. Drinks, room and board, a chance to touch someone without driving them crazy: all free of charge. It’s a little suspicious, even to the MC.

It’s probably just because they’ve been so isolated and rejected! They’re just not used to a normal amount of kindness from people.

Leander’s free.99 approach made me wonder if that is how his Adders — and by extension, the entirety of Lowtown — were recruited or curried favor with. Perhaps those in his inner circle were guilted into joining the group after one too many free drinks, and then succumbed to the brainwashing reinforced by “true believers” within the Adders. As for the people of Lowtown, I highly, highly doubt they’d all fit the description of cult followers, but anyone down on their luck is likely to look favorably on a person or an organization that offers them aid in their time of need. And it’s possible that Leander could call on these people to do his bidding in the future, because of all the favors they’ve been done.

The question between Leander and MC is, “What will Leander ask for, in exchange for all of his free assistance?” Help taking down the Senobium? Your powers of contact insanity? Your heart, in sickness or in health, till death do you part? Or some combination of the three? There’s no way to know for sure quite yet; that’ll have to wait until the release of the full game.

“Encourage separation from their family. …” “Isolate them from the rest of the world. …”

If you’re following along in the video, I’m breaking from the order of steps — this is much later. But Leander takes the initiative and pulls this step out early in his solo route. Good for him!

Although MC has no family, they do have some semblance of acquaintances in Eridia, who they’re at least on speaking terms with by the end of the demo. You don’t even know these people that well! And yet, they are a threat to your to-be-all-consuming relationship with Leander, one that he is quick to crush.

As all the other LIs do, Leander offers to share what he knows about your other potential beaux. But look at this line:

Perfection! Not worth the Ais lines I lost, but still absolutely lovely.

It's right on the edge of, “I'm concerned for you, you need to be careful,” and “I will make you distrust these other people so you can only trust me.” It's so casually written, and so vague: partially, of course, because Leander is going to elaborate in just a moment. But I also like to think it's conditioning MC to take him at his word without detail. Ais and Vere are Monsters — shouldn't that be enough for you to stay away? It doesn't matter what "faults" Mhin and Kuras have — just the fact that I've said something about it at all should make you nervous.

And it only gets better, because you as the player get to see how easily Leander manipulates MC and maintains his geniality depending on what MC thinks about each other LI.

Oh, you want to befriend Mhin? Not a good idea; you shouldn't waste energy on “someone who won’t respect your time.” But if you don't want to bother with Mhin, Leander fondly describes them as a tender soul beneath all their thorns. The same for all the others: Ais is both a harmless rival and a Monster tyrant who sees humans as below him; Vere, a victim of the Senobium and a notorious killer; Kuras, a saint beyond reason and a mysterious shadowy figure unable to cure your curse.

Leander's lines about the other LIs in 1.0 (at least, as I recall them), were much more casual — and, of course, often implied amorous feelings or relations. Not anymore. This Leander has a goal, and that goal is to lock you down, now.

(This hypothesis of mine — that, over the course of the story, Leander is going to make the MC rely more and more on him, trusting him about everything {especially relating to his own stellar reputation and what it’s definitely not hiding, or the trustworthiness or safety of entities outside of those Leander can control} — also relates to many other steps of “becoming a cult leader” mentioned in MCME, such as:

“Make them paranoid about their own bodies or thought processes.”

“Revert them back to childhood dependence and mindless obedience.”

“Demonize outsiders as less-than-human, biased, corrupt, or conspiring against the group. Develop an us-versus-them mentality.”

I hope we’ll get to see these escalations come out in full force once the game is released.)

I also think these choices from Leander make narrative sense. Leander initially thought he had a monopoly on you, having learned that you took Kuras’s direction but didn’t tell him of your curse and its effects. Once he learns that you know everyone else, people who could plausibly draw you away from him, it makes sense that he would start to pull his strings to bring you back, as opposed to waiting it out. On the other hand, if you don't show any signs of leaving him by saying you see all the other LIs unfavorably, Leander can maintain his People's Princess persona and say nice things about them all.

This kind of two-faced manipulation fits in doubly well with Leander's new prominent angle as a sort of political figure: one who knows the right words to stir people up and get them on his side. He has the talent to spin a person as a sinner or a saint, and technically not be lying either way.

“Act friendly and interested. Get information and hone their weak spots—” "—and then use this information to manipulate them gradually. Over time, you'll begin to shape the recruit's behavior by granting or withholding this love and attention.”

As our cult leader, and the most outwardly and conventionally friendly of all the LIs, obviously Leander’s been doing this. Not only is he the first person to get some real information out of the MC about their curse, but Leander then suggests that he have sole rights to that information — for your safety, of course.

Not only that, but he's super excited when you tell him during his route that he is, in fact, the only person who knows what's really going on under those bandages.

Maybe because he's ecstatic he has the most leverage over MC out of all of his friends!

We also start to see some of this grant/withhold behavior in his solo route, though not with his affection so much as his information. He offers you new info about how to fix your problem (which MC remarks he got his hands on crazy fast!)—

This last line is both so fake and so real coming from him.

—before he inexplicably threatens to take this info away.

Love how he makes it seem like he's trying to accommodate you here!

By refusing to give up the information we were just promised, Leander actually manages to draw the MC closer to him. They panic—

—and their actions cause them and Leander to become closer, physically and emotionally.

Look at Leander, dictating your behavior at the end. You snake, you! 🤭

I won’t pretend I think that this cult of one is going to turn into a sex cult (an intimate touch cult, maybe XD), but there's a reason that sex is so prevalent in cults: sex is power. Based on what we know of Leander, I don’t think he’d shy away from having a physical relationship with the MC for both his own gratification and the achievement of his ends, i.e. keeping MC under his thumb.

Presumably, if you choose to date Leander, the MC has decided that he is most equipped to help them, and they place all their touch-related eggs in his gold-embellished basket. Not only that, but his isolating remarks during your discussion of the other LIs likely make the MC reluctant to trust anyone else for help. This makes the giveth and the taketh away even more potent, as without Leander’s love and assistance, the MC goes back to being the lonely and shunned “monstrosity” they were when they entered the city.

Personally, I think this bedroom scene is absolutely wild: why is MC freaking out like this? But I’ve never been indoctrinated into a cult, and people who have (as well as people who study it, or who deprogram cult members) say sometimes it can only take a couple of days to be hooked by the leader’s charisma. And the 2.0 demo definitely takes place over the course of a couple of days!

What’s to come?

There are a lot more elements of both the cult of one, which is a specific relationship dynamic, and of cult leaders and their followers in general that I could mention, both that Leander has already used and that I hope he will. But this is already 3K words, so, I’ll cut myself off here. There's only one thing left I want to say.

My hope: an Unnamed feeling

If I could speak one thing into the game, it would be all the cute lines from Ais and Leander back. But if I couldn't choose that, and assuming this isn't already present (since I’ve only played the new demo with my Exile, Iulanz), I'd wish for this:

I’d really, really like it if my fav, the Unnamed MC, actually notices these signs of cult behavior before the other MCs. They’ve been in the midst of a cult before, and it could be argued that they have undergone and subsequently broken out of a cult’s brainwashing already (though as an object of worship, rather than a worshipper).

I think it would be fantastic for the Unnamed, who was able to see their priests draw in who-knows-how-many people and turn them into “true believers” who willingly drove themselves mad by allowing MC to touch them, to realize that they were caught in this cycle again but on a different side. In some ways, that’d make their story a lot more tragic — a person who, despite traveling miles to escape their only home because of the damage they caused, cannot escape this toxic lifestyle of effusive and damaging devotion to one whose power or influence demands worship and obedience.

Et tu?

Here’s the mandatory section where I solicit feedback. What do you think about new Leander? What did I fuck up in this essay? Is this another time where I’m saying obvious shit that everybody knows, and I just shouldn’t have bothered? And will you be joining the Cult of the Dagger and the Snake? These are all questions I will be watching for your answers to, as well as your random comments, wherever you put them. Thanks for reading!

[ban--tam]

i've been conducting some serious challia bull research here

[applysome]

Alex Turner and a Vest

Hypothesis - Alex’s behaviour is wilder in TLSP when he is wearing a vest. I’ve had reason to believe this is the case for a while. So, I did what any good student (and insane person) would do, and set out on a fact finding mission with help from @sophaeros ‘s wonderful outfit guide (it made things so much easier, thank you so much 💕)

There are more sources than images, due to Tumblr limits.

Studio Coast, Tokyo

Here we have whatever this chair thing is, crawling around showing off, a photo I’m fairly sure did the rounds on a soft porn website, and of course - the licking game

1 2 3 4 1 gif and master post

Olympia, Dublin

Here we have a very normal amount of staring, crawling between Miles’s legs, whatever that is with the mic stand, and of course, the bandana squat in Calm Like You - bonus lyric change “I was young, in the frost, no regard for the cost of sharing my feelings”

1 2 3 4

Radio One’s Big Weekend

Here we have rolling around on the floor, doing bicycle kicks, ninja kicks - things he would blatantly lie about not doing years later to Annie Mac, when she witnessed it with her own eyes. Not to mention the ridiculous flirting in the post show interview.

1 2

Europavox Festival, Clermont Ferrand

Here we have diving on top of Miles, pressing the mic into his chest and angling for a kiss, forehead nuzzling and of course, the infamous tie pull.

1 2 3 4 5 master post

Primavera Sound

Here we have the notorious nuzzle and lean, unspecified wiggling and of course, bowing down to Miles’s greatness (as he should)

1 2 3 4

Bristol Summer Series

Here he just looks like an absolute menace to be honest, jacket on or off, but link 3 is the squatting Dracula Teeth performance… (too big to embed sadly)

1 2 3

Ferrara Sotto le Stelle

Here we have another photo I’m pretty sure did the rounds on soft porn websites - speaks for itself - wiggling around during Moonage Daydream, moaning during Bad Habits and looking like an absolute life ruiner (though that could speak for every show though, let’s be honest…)

1 2 3 4

Cleveland

Here…. We all know what happened here. But apart from that… giving an impromptu performance outside and carrying Miles away (presumably for a long nap, to rest after an exhausting show…)

1 2 3 4 5 (master post)

Fillmore, Detroit

Here we have the infamous (I seem to be saying that a lot) “I’ll give you the D - I wish you would…”, straddling Miles playing guitar, and the Miracle Aligner secret verse

1 2 3

So, what conclusion did I draw, if any? Without doing a blind study against a random selection of shows where he wasn’t wearing a vest, I’m not sure that this is a fair test. But, it did seem there was a higher instance of wild behaviour when Alex was wearing a vest. In fact, what prompted me to investigate this was that most of the insane moments that instantly came to mind, he was indeed wearing a vest. Whether this was due to body confidence and feeling himself, or simply being later on in the show (feeling the heat and needing to remove jackets etc, possibly with more alcohol consumed) we may never know. But I feel that there is sufficient evidence for my hypothesis to stand.

Bonus: Yellow Suit

Apparently Alex only wore the yellow suit twice (it felt like a lot more to me, but I am biased, it’s one of my all time favourite outfits). So I didn’t feel like I had enough data to try and prove or disprove, but just for fun:

Rock Werchter

Here we have whatever on earth that is, suggestive singing to Miles and of course wearing his jacket on his head because reasons?

1 2 3

Coachella

Here… Again, we all know what happened here. But apart from that, attention seeking twirl, a very dramatic clinch during The Dream Synopsis and one of my all time favourite photos, again of him looking like an absolute menace.

1 2 3 4 1.5

Should I have spent my time doing literally anything else other than this? Undoubtedly yes, but I am nothing if not a conscientious student and lover of science.

[cabeswaterdrowned]

would absolutely love for part of the context of the “you’ve dated way more than I have” (which I will always maintain that whatever other factors are involved, had way more to do with Adam’s perception of Gansey’s levels of experience than the actuality of them / Adam is an unreliable narrator because he thinks of Gansey as the coolest hottest person evah and assumes everyone else feels this way too) to be that Adam spent ages thinking that Malory was their age but just had older mannerisms / hobbies like Gansey does and that Gansey might have dated them… in my mind the first time Gansey ever brings up Malory pre series he doesn’t use pronouns so Adam constructs this image of this glamorous old money English girl who has all of Gansey’s interests and is rabidly jealous of her, and also into the image of her in his head. Then like a few months later he realizes he’s a guy and is still jealous even though he thinks Gansey is straight or is he??… then like a few months after that it becomes clear he’s older but he’s still not sure How much older and this is Adam hot for evil Latin teacher Parrish so he’s still not ruling out the jealousy… and then he meets Malory and is embarrassed for his previous thoughts but still jealous, because he spent for much time with Gansey and because Adam is a neurotic freak.