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raayllum · 2 years ago

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Now, TDP doesn’t do this often, but occasionally they will overload character dynamic(s) with like, enough overt symbolism / association in order to centralize a third character’s arc. Think Janai with Amaya and Karim in S4. Karim represents Janai’s uncertainty, pointing out some of the inner thoughts she’d rather ignore and her people’s rising ‘concerns’ shown through dialogue. We also see this more discreetly with scenes like Janai taking off her crown as soon as Karim is in frame, and she spells this out for us in 4x09: “But I am uncertain, I am afraid. That’s why I thought maybe you and I... we could leave. Go live peacefully in Katolis. At least Karim would lead the people with some kind of certainty.”

Karim represents one path she can choose, the arguably easier, safer path she could choose. And Amaya doesn’t quite represent the other one as clear cut (S4 requires some of her own steadfastness to fade in order for her to grow, too) she is the main proponent as she signs, “Forget Karim. This is not about him. What life do you want?” and expresses that Janai doesn’t have to choose between a life with her and a life as queen: “Just have two cakes.”

With that in mind, let’s talk about

Aaravos and Rayla as Callum’s Two Paths in S4 Beyond (+ Bonus Claudia in S2)

Season 4 takes literally every chance it has to emphasize Aaravos and Rayla’s thematic opposition of each other in Callum’s life, as well as the according parallels that come with it (down to having two separate scenes in which people think he’s going to talk or is talking about Rayla, and he’s actually discussing Aaravos). Callum is “the best thing [she] ever had.” He’s Aaravos’ “favourite,” a human mage tainted by darkness like all the others he’s dried up over the years. Rayla herself is the one to primarily identify this usage. Her own description of Callum in the past has also mirrored this one (minus the magic).

Z: Aaravos could offer them access to the great mysteries of the universe. [...] Yes, mages were his prey.

She is also the one whose arrival turns Callum away from the mirror - away from the darkness - and toward the light. I don’t think I have to explain the symbolism too much on that one, especially not with Rayla’s letter also in mind: “Making hard choices and going to dark places is an act of love. It’s a gift. So please, let me give you this gift, Callum. Stay safe, and stay in the light” as well as Callum’s reflections from the S2 novelization in 2x08: “What sort of primal could glow in this dark place?”

However, if Rayla is the Light to Aaravos’ darkness (ignoring the cube on her shoulder for a second), what does that tangibly mean? Well luckily, 4x07 also spells this out for us pretty directly in tandem with 4x04. Rayla is the first to react to Callum’s possession, gasping; she’s the one who reaches out to Callum when he goes on his knees, backing down when his eyes are black in shock; she’s also the one who catches him once the possession fades. “Already tainted by darkness,” Aaravos claims, gloating over his control both literally in the present and in the future, “and destined to play right into my hands.” Aaravos is confident he’s going to win the game he’s playing.

Callum reiterates this in 4x05 to Ezran and in 4x07 to Rayla.

C: You know, when he took control of me and used my whole body like a puppet? [...] When Aaravos possessed me at the Storm Spire, I felt so weak and out of control. I was his puppet. I’m not afraid that he’ll hurt me.

(Perpetually screaming about the way it cuts back to Rayla solely when there’s the “Or hurt people I care about” line, but moving on.)

So Aaravos represents Control and a pre-chosen Destiny. These things are terrifying to Callum, who has always prioritized and chased after strengthening his capacity to choose - and to choose how he contributes. Luckily, Rayla likewise spells this out and reminds Callum of it as well. If Rayla is his light, she represents his Agency.

Not without her faltering (leaving in TTM and leaving him behind in other occasions) but agency and choice is largely what she’s always encouraged for Callum, down to agreeing to get his cube in 1x04 and being the first one to see his potential as a mage in the first place, which Callum acknowledges.

This is why it’s so important that she rejects his request first hand in 4x07. Callum is so scared he’s trying to remove agency from his own hands by putting it (and his life and death) into hers, but that’s just going to exacerbate the problem. Rayla keeps on reminding him that his agency is in his own hands and how strongly he used to believe that: “Callum, you’re the ‘destiny is a book you write yourself’ guy.” And Callum to his credit tries to follow through on her advice by dropping the Key of Aaravos into the lava; he’s just currently unable to go through with it / to let go of it.

And I also think it’s entirely intentional that Rayla is the one he’s asking to do this for. Not only in the layers it gives their interpersonal dynamic and understanding of each other, but specifically in the way it’s deliberate for future plot lines, set up, and payoff: if the crew wanted to, they could’ve had Ezran go with Rayla in 4x05, leaving Callum and Soren alone. Callum could’ve asked Soren, a crownguard sworn to protect Ezran and who has done so even when it means killing his family, to kill him instead, but Callum didn’t. The crew didn’t. They chose to orchestrate it like this.

And, not to mention, they’ve done similar things with Rayla and Callum like this before, all the way back in S2.

Claudia and Dark Magic

Now, S2 and S4 are very similar in the emotional arcs they give the bulk of the cast, especially Claudia and Callum in particular. Hardly anyone’s emotional arcs (outside of Callum’s sky arcanum) are resolved in S2, merely they are built upon and then driven further to provide a broadening and resolution (for now) in S3. I expect S5 to follow a similar pattern of resolving quite a few things, even if it will leave others disastrously open ended (especially if Aaravos gets out by the end of S5).

But I’m getting off topic. Claudia in S2 very much represents one path Callum could take: he could choose to go home and sacrifice the mission, which he cites as being “the hardest thing we’ve ever done” as well as “the most important thing we’ll ever do”. He’s just learnt that primal magic without a primal stone is a nigh impossible path for him, and so Claudia offers her friend an alternative, encouraging his path as a mage in the worst way.

Callum returns to the dark magic book, literally and metaphorically, in 2x07. Seeing an old sketch of Claudia with her tome is what sparks the idea that dark magic is how he can help save Rayla in 2x07 (“I want to go down there with you and be the heroes who stop all the fighting, but I can’t do that! I can’t do anything”) in the wake of feeling helpless/useless. Then he uses her book outright to complete the spell. What he wasn’t willing to do for himself or his own ends, he’s willing to do to protect a loved one.

While, just like in 4x02, Rayla literally turns Callum away from his former path / friend / love interest. This is her mirroring Callum’s own choice of choosing her over Claudia - both in who to ultimately trust when it came down to the wire, but even as a future romantic partner. Not only in the scene on Phoe-Phoe in 2x03

but also literally within the pages of his sketchbook and future spellbook that, as stated, lead to the decision of him doing dark magic in the first place. Rayla, despite being a representation by and large of Callum’s path as a primal mage, is the hinge that causes him to chase it down on her behalf anyway and in spite of the fact he knows she would hate it.

By the end of S2, specifically 2x08 The Book of Destiny, it seems pretty clear that Callum’s has firmly shut down a more active pursuit of dark magic, with his infamous, “No, I get to choose who I want to be! Destiny is a book you write yourself!” and his subsequent connection to the Sky arcanum. Although 2x08 does give hints that Callum’s journey with dark magic and pre-written destinies is perhaps not entirely laid to rest, as it features these shots, I might add:

Paths Converging

Okay, so Callum was given choices represented by Claudia and Rayla in S2, refusing the temptation and possibility of being a dark mage, and thereby subsequently choosing Rayla. Now he’s being given two paths - one in light and one in shadow - in S4.

But without the same merits of temptation (at least for now) which is probably why Aaravos outright possessed him to begin with; Callum may need a different manipulation playbook than Aaravos’ other pawns. Okay, great? What does this all mean, though? Or least, what could it possibly mean?

Remember how I said Aaravos and Rayla are put in thematic opposition to one another for Callum in S4? Yeah - here’s where the symbolism gets a bit muddled, because Rayla shows up with the cube of Aaravos on her shoulder, glowing and pointing downward. In the first 3 seasons, the Key was more often shown with the Star primal at various angles, not necessarily right side up (the primal symbol itself) or upside down (Aaravos’ symbol). But that changes at certain key moments, specifically once the Key is aligned with Aaravos, and how all the runes are shown to be upside down in the dark magic dream.

If Rayla showing up is truly meant to just be agency, then why have the cube - the same cube featured in Callum’s 4x04 intro, directly linking it to Aaravos’ control of Callum in some capacity - on her shoulder at all? And even if you’re like “well, they wanted to make sure you’d notice Stella making it glow,” the cuddlemonkey could’ve picked it up and not gone directly to Rayla’s shoulder, disassembling the shot. Or they could’ve, y’know, had Rayla with the cube on her shoulder right side - agency side - up. But they didn’t.

This goes back to the Light and Dark dichotomy with both being represented by Aaravos. Dark isn’t always clear cut bad (just look at Claudia’s hair) and light isn’t always clear cut good (the cube flashing a bright light as Callum’s transformation into a literal pawn is completed). A chessboard has both black and white squares. Rayla’s explicit return, as said by Soren, is “kind of good and kind of bad.” Which brings us back to this exchange from the S1 novelization, as always, in which Callum and Rayla discuss moonberries and deathberries:

“So they look identical,” Callum said. “But they might kill you or they might save you.” “Exactly.” Rayla smiled. “Just like me.”

Again, most of this points to Rayla saving Callum, and given that a large part of her clearly doubts her capacity to save anyone, anymore (“We can’t save everyone, Soren”) in ways that weren’t present in her youth, Rayla saving Callum from Aaravos’ brainwashing - Callum choosing her as his path, literally, over Aaravos, after all this foreshadowing, makes the most straight forward sense. Callum gets to choose and pick his own destiny (her) and Rayla gets to be restored as someone heroic who can save the people she loves (him, and possibly later on her parents).

Which would be a perfectly happy ending - if we weren’t still on season five of seven. And if season four didn’t have a massive theme of resolving dichotomies, and reconciling dualities.

Aaravos’ control extending past the ‘resolution’ of the brainwashing plotline would also make sense. There’s more dramatics / more at stake emotionally if Callum is in his right mind and plays into Aaravos’ clutches anyway. Even the awareness of his possible fate from the start, even escaping the brainwashing, wouldn’t be enough to escape his Destiny. It also emphasizes Rayla’s loss. She did everything she could to possibly protect him, including leaving and hurting for two years, and then she shows up right in time to watch herself be helpless to protect him all over again. How’s that for tragic?

Which is to say: I don’t think, ultimately for the next arc of the story, that choosing Rayla or Aaravos is mutually exclusive. I think whether it’ll be what leads Callum to Aaravos’ possession, or what follows after it, Rayla will be what causes Callum to fall (at least temporarily) into his clutches or carrying out his plans. Kill you or save you. Light and dark. Callum refused dark magic until he felt like he was backed into a corner in S2, and going to lose her. Callum is also likely going to almost kill her and his friends. If Rayla is surviving that, and saving him, why wouldn’t he also be saving her?

Two cakes, where you save and free the person you love more than anyone alongside the person you hate and fear the most, and what’s worse, is that you both simultaneously gave him the tools he needed to do exactly this all along.

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soyouareandrewdobson · 1 year ago

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TIMBER! The artistic Growth thing...

I apologize for the recent silence almost immediately after I came back. Unfortunately the last weeks were affected by personal and work stuff that I think no one cares about here, so I was unable to write much.

That said, plans are in the making and I thought today I would at the very least bring out one comic that to me is not necessarily wrong in the message Dobson conveys, but does after all not apply much to him

The thing about this comic is, that Dobson is not necessarily entirely wrong. There are people who believe that artistic growth is more or less developing in a progressive line, kinda artificially. Which based on my own experience, is not really the case. At least I have seen artists, writers and such, who, if allowed to grow in a more “organic” manner, will eventually manage to create stuff and tell stories with a more unique flavor than they did before. The “key” however to do so is to also think at least partly outside the box and being “genuine” with what you want to create. Case in point for me: Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels.

While I did enjoy a lot of Pratchett’s early novels in the Discworld cycle, I will admit that it wasn’t really until “Mort” and “MacBest” that I think Pratchett started to move away from simply “spoofing” the common tropes in fantasy fiction while telling a story and that it was around that time, he really started to flesh the Discworld out in the manner that many people came to love, while also giving flavor to it with his unique sense of humor. And Moving Pictures in that regard was the true definitive turning point, as from there on we “left” the classical fantasy tropes in favor of a fantasy world more akin to a 19th century fantasy world, entering the industrial revolution and everything that it included. But Pratchett, in order to reach that point in his career as a writer, and in regard of his Discworld mythology, had to start somewhere with novels the like of “The Light Fantastic” and “Colours of Magic” and had to "progressively" improve at least to some degree before reaching the point he could organically breach out.

Which brings me to the following: Dobson claiming that there is no “linear progression” at times is kinda wrong. Particularly when you are familiar with long running manga series such as One Piece or certain webcomics. From a technical aspect, there is “progress” so to speak. Look at One Piece and how chapters are drawn e.g. back during the East Blue or Alabasta Cycle and compare the linework e.g. with how things escalate in the Wano arc. Oda obviously became more comfortable fleshing out panels even more than before.

Drum vs Wano...

Another example: Compare THIS early strip of a certain internet webcomic…

With how it looks nowadays

Yeah, I know sinfest is utter garbage made by a demagogue WAY WORSE than Dobson (honestly, fuck Ishida with a broken bottle), but technically speaking, he “evolved”.

Next, let me just say that I find the assumption of Dobson that “most” people think artistic growth is “only” an artificial linear process, kinda insulting. Mostly because I think that most of us are aware that it is rather a mixture of “organic” growth and linear progress, rather than one extreme or the other. But obviously, Dobson must claim this is the “truth” about most people, cause otherwise, his take isn’t “unique” anymore and he isn’t special. Special for making a whimsical, romanticized and “creative” statement about artistic growth being more like a tree. Free to grow and beautiful to look at. Something we must nurture and care for.

Yeah, about that, in regard of the last line that reads, and I quote: Everyone is different and everyone grows at different speed. Through loving care and constant nurturing, you’ll always improve.

I think we all know Dobson well enough, that what he really is saying is the following:

I am different than others and I grow at my own pace. Please, I will improve if you give me likes and pay for my stuff instead of giving me mean criticism I can not stand. Now let me just phrase it in a manner that sounds like I say something compassionate that can apply to every person, hiding my own insecurities and selfish wishes.

In that regard, let me show you the beauty of Dobson’s artistic growth as of present day.

Okay, snark put aside at least partly, I do agree that yes, people are different and as artists can grow at different speed. Often times other factors, such as personal life experiences, exposure to stuff outside their certain comfort zones or even just having the right tools to work with, can affect a lot the artistic growth of a person.

I even agree, that “loving care and nurturing” (or in other words, positive feedback and support, at times, even financially) can help. But where I draw the line is at “constant nurturing”, because that feels like to Dobson, the only way he or other artists can ever improve is only through praise and nothing more. No. No Dobson, you also need to at least tolerate at times “criticism” and negative feedback. And I don’t mean stuff like “kill yourself, faggot”, I mean when someone tells an artist for example that certain technical aspects of his work, such as linework, positions, storytelling etc. need genuinely to be worked on. Because guess what? Getting your mistakes pointed out, doesn’t necessarily need to be something negative. It can also be something positive, if it genuinely helps you learn from those mistakes and improve your work.

Not that Dobson ever learnt how to deal with “criticism” in a positive manner anyway, as evident by journal posts as followed...

And this piece of “artwork”

Comic with stabbed critics

Not to forget, the person who gives us this “advice” is the same person who did not really live by any of it himself. I mean, Dobson claims that artistic growth is doing best when allowed to grow organically, slowly and steady and that as time goes on, it will also branch out and diverge.

I will say this: Yes, there are content creators who tend to branch out at times also from their “familiar” tone and style, just for the sake of creating art. Gendy Tartakovsky comes to mind, having started off in very cartoonish stuff like Dexter’s Lab and Powerpuff Girls, only to then also give us Samurai Jack, Primal and Unicorn-Warriors Eternal. Not having really betrayed his roots (as evident e.g. also by his involvement with the Hotel Transylvania franchise), but branching out to different degree.

When did Andrew Dobson ever “branch out” or diverge? His original stories such as Formera and Alex the Pirate, which were derivative of humor and pacing issues related to comedic mangas of the late 80s and early 90s as well as newspaper comic strips, were utter failures he abandoned around the late 2000s/early 2010s.

Most of the stuff he ever created was random fanart, and if anything he actually got worse over time. Having perhaps once upon a time created some decent fanart…

And then later providing people more with stuff like that, where he doesn’t even get the original design of the characters right

Even a low effort comic such as SYAC had become lazier and lazier over the years. Mostly because instead of just telling a joke, you had most of the time just Dobbear over the course of four panels stand in a green void and blubber on how he thinks certain artists or fans sucked because of opinions they had.

The most he ever bothered to “branch out” was ironically when he worked for brentalfloss, as the guy forced Dobson essentially to draw more detailed backgrounds at times than he ever did for anything else.

And the deal with Brentalfloss ended by 2012 or even earlier.

The only other noteworthy creations he made in his last years online would be the Adventure Zone comic that no one asked for (essentially turning some podcast into a comic that had severe pacing issues. Something Adventure Zone fans pointed out) and Miraculous Ladybug comics he made, because that shitstain on the magical girl genre became his new favorite.

And the later were just an extension of the dumb, unfunny and meanspirited newspaper level humor he was already famous for when it came to Alex ze Pirate and early SYAC.

Not to forget, he couldn’t even draw the characters remotely close to the show’s style, something he even pointed out himself.

JESUS! She looks like a farting squirrel with mental disorders.

Dobson himself may have hated his younger self and what he drew…

But you just have to look e.g. at his “Inktober” contributions in later years to see, how much within the shortest amount of time he could regress artistically instead of grow.

To clarify: The Dr. Who pic was in his first year of doing inktober. The not on model Gary was on his second, and the Dipper one on his last year of participating in it. And he actively decided out of spite to no longer work with ink the second year forward, because the first time he did it, he felt insulted by people actually paying him positive attention again in years among other things.

Truth be told, Dobson had all the time in the world within the 15+ years he was an online presence. And even with people like me making fun of him and criticizing his work, he still could have done something to improve artistically for the better and grow into a beautiful tree.

Instead he shriveled up to some stinking flora with a lot of pricks and was stomped out by natural forces, leaving me and others behind to further salt the earth on which he grew.

Turning from this...

to this!

With his very last project known as Cabin Rest ending up pretty much like that:

#so you are a cartoonist #adobsonartwork #andrew dobson #artistic growth #comic #webcomic #hypocrisyofandrewdobson

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wooperdotexe · 1 year ago

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Looking into Dazai and Chuuya’s frenemy dynamic-

TW: Suicide mentions/Suicide ideation (packaged deal if Dazai is involved)

Disclaimer: LOTS OF SPOILERS! Spoilers from season 5, 15 arc, and mentions from dead apple. If you’re hoping to find an essay on the soukoku ship, this unfortunately isn’t one because I’ll be taking everything characters say at face value. Also I’m only using information from the anime because unfortunately I haven’t read the written material like further into the manga or the light novels yet. This is just my thoughts and theories so far to address the question, “why can’t Dazai and Chuuya get along?”

Would I say they hate each other? To a degree I would say they definitely dislike one another, but I don’t see either of them wishing calamity upon calamity in the other. Maybe they’ll say it but they won’t mean it. Yet at the same time it’s confirmed in the span of 7 years they still couldn’t enjoy one another’s company. It’s even hard to say if Dazai ever considered Chuuya a friend when in comparison Oda had the most impact on him, and Dazai is even seen to be missing Kunikida’s company. Even after Ango’s betrayal, Dazai is more civil with him than with Chuuya. Then in WAN, Dazai is seen to be reminiscing about his friendship with Oda and Ango fondly, but not Chuuya (or at least from what I’ve seen?).

But I do think they hold some level of respect and appreciation for the other. Atsushi had shown that there needs to be a level of trust in order for double black to be effective as a duo partnership in battle. And when Dazai and Chuuya work together they’re like a well oiled machine. I like to think they both know the other’s capabilities at it’s fullest, making them someone reliable if they’re backed into a corner. For Chuuya, it’s whenever he uses corruption, and Dazai can depend on Chuuya when he has to go up against bigger challenges. So when the other gets tossed around like a rag doll? Of course they’re shocked. They know the other is strong and capable. So if they’re getting their ass handed to them then they know this is serious. They’re each other’s “old reliable” in a sense.

And yet Dazai tells Chuuya to go eat some bullets, while in Chuuya’s first moments of screen time it’s abundantly clear he’s got a bone to pick with the detective. So what gives?

Dazai admits that even though they never could get along, there was moments they understood one another. Imma take this line and run with it-

I think the reason why they seem to understand one another so well is because their struggle is quite similar in nature. Both of them are struggling with the aspect of their humanity. Chuuya struggles through an identity crisis that had haunted him most of his life, trying to understand if he’s human or not. Meanwhile Dazai struggles to even feel human, unable to find reasons to live. Shared struggles tend to bring people together, it’s the reason why group therapy is so effective since it shows people they’re not alone. The problem is that they handle their struggles so differently that it triggers the other.

Dazai is DEPRESSED DEPRESSED. He’s working with a very limited and handicapped source of energy and motivation. Honestly the fact that he’s such a genius is what probably keeps him afloat, otherwise I can’t see him being able to do anything without having a breakdown. He’s doing his best with what he got, sugar coating his suicidal tendencies by “avoiding pain” and “waiting for a beautiful woman to die with.” Otherwise he could easily end it all with a single bullet, yet he hasn’t. Meanwhile Chuuya has always been the type to run into conflicts head first, both literally and figuratively. Dazai must see him as a “try hard,” and gets irritated with how Chuuya is basically running circles with energy left to burn. It’s like a slap to Dazai’s face, like his best isn’t enough. Especially when Chuuya hurls insults at him about his coping mechanisms. Sure it isn’t the best, but like I said, Dazai works with what he has.

Then there’s Chuuya’s perspective, who’s probably frustrated with Dazai’s suicidal tendencies. Dazai is basically his opposite in the exact same struggle, so it could be insulting to Chuuya whenever he sees Dazai ready to roll over and die. Chuuya had always been a fighter, climbing and struggling to keep going. Yet despite all his efforts he always seems to place second after Dazai. Dazai was an executive first, Mori wants Dazai to come back to Port Mafia, and even in confronting Rimbaud, Dazai did it first. Dazai could EASILY run circles around Chuuya, but he doesn’t, which is insulting to Chuuya’s efforts like he isn’t being taken seriously.

I think it just overall boils down to a difference in values and priorities. Even in WAN they make fun of each other’s shopping choices. While Dazai fawns over discounted bandages, Chuuya doesn’t see the point if you can just avoid getting injured in the first place. Chuuya enjoys fine expensive wine, but Dazai just shrugs and says the cheap stuff gets the job done fine.

While Dazai intends to work with what he’s got, Chuuya wants to work for something better. And the clashing of mindsets has the two at each other’s throats.

Of course there’s also the fact Dazai left Port Mafia. And I don’t know about you guys, but personally I’d be pissed if the guy who manipulated and cornered me into joining a crime organization suddenly had the audacity to leave. And while it’s never specified if Chuuya ever learned the reason why Dazai left, I don’t think he’d be happy to hear it either. Sure, Chuuya will sympathize with the loss of a friend, but if Oda’s last wish really made such an impact on Dazai, that basically means their double black partnership doesn’t hold a candle to that friendship. Dazai had essentially chosen Oda over Chuuya. That must sting even just a bit. This is someone you trust with your life, who you fought back to back with, but they still choose someone else. That’s like if your best friend has a different best friend that isn’t you. So I think this extra bit of analysis should hopefully explain why Chuuya looses his temper quicker than Dazai whenever the detective is around.

Anyway these are just my thoughts and theories, of course it can always change if I learn more of the source material such as the manga and light novels. I by no means push that this has got to be canon or anything like that 👍

#bsd dazai #bsd chuuya #bsd double black #tw sui ideation #tw sui implied #bungou stray dogs

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sketching-shark · 2 years ago

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Man, zhu bajie n tang sanzang had to b up there w swk about their mischaracterization n hated in lmk fandom

I have never seen so much mishandling as i seen with those three characters 😭😭(like bro i get that the most noticeable arc that ppl retain is the white bone spirit arc bc of OSP BUT THEY DIDNT STUCK TO THAT CHARACTERISTICS IN THE LATER ARCS LIKE CMON NOW—bajie couldn’t even lie about the dragon piss medicine in a later arc, what makes yall think he’s always a fantastic liar. Theres some benefit to his lying but they also backfire. BAJIE DO END UP LIKING EVERYONE LIKE HE REFER TO SWK AS ELDER BROTHER!<- no man could ever live up to the wonder of zhu wuneng. He just sweet n he does get a fantastic arc in the novel!

Tang sanzang does have some(albeit rare moments where hes nice but his asshoole moments sometimes intertwined) where hes like “yea my disciples r greats but theyre mad ugly.” Or that he gets better at having more trust in his disciples besides zhu wuneng. Even if its followed by hella traumatizing moments that no human person would remain sane like that. <hes just barely holding on by his faith, his mission and his disciples. Not his horse bc he cant hold on to save his life but that character arc where he DIDNT FELL OFF THOO!>

Monkie Kid spoilers below

Hmmm I know about the Sun Wukong & Tang Sanzang dunking but is that happening with Zhu Bajie too? Have to say I find that a little surprising given that (if memory serves correctly) Monkie Kid did say Zhu Bajie's main fault (well besides the whole being a man-eating yaoguai thing) was being stubborn, but then lego Patriarch Subodhi said he became one of the hardest workers of the pilgrimage. I guess I was under the impression that people were more light on their criticisms and thoughts about Zhu Bajie, but maybe that's just because he doesn't seem to be a point of great interest in the lego show fandom lol.

Kind of funny story anon but I've been vicariously growing in awareness on how much Zhu Bajie is loved in China through @antidotefortheawkward's posts about the pigman. And yeah, I can see that being in large part because Xiyouji in its totality does give a very different impression of who these characters are and where they end up than a cartoony summary can provide. As a number of people on this site have noted for example, the White Bone Demon Arc can be understood in a much more complex light than "Tang Sanzang & Zhu Bajie hurt poor monkey for nothing" when placed in the context of it being more near the beginning of the journey when the pilgrims were still grating against each other a lot & it happening very soon after the whole debacle with the Ginseng fruit tree. Here after all you can see how the monk has a recent history of getting into serious trouble from the monkey lying and being quick to destruction, so he would be primed to not believe SWK, not to mention he does hesitate to use the headband against SWK more than many give him credit for here. And YEAH given all the things they go through together I am more willing to accept a Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie enemies to friends arc than that put on many another character.

Also LMAOOOOO Tang Sanzang DOES seem to have quite a few lines where he tries to comfort terrified individuals by telling them that the pilgrims are good people even with their rancid looks (ugly pilgrim rights <3). And oh dang anon you are so right about how even if Tang Sanzang is much more of a static character in comparison to SWK it's kind of a shame more attention isn't given to the series of horrifying events he goes through and what effect that would have on him so that he gets a little more depth than "weepy monk who's mean to the Monkey King & falls off his dragon horse" in the popular western imagination. But then again I can understand why the monk's trauma is largely downplayed in western cartoony retellings, given that said lighthearted cartoony retellings probably wouldn't be the best medium to even touch on stuff like human butchery, death threats, sexual assault, and the consequences thereof.

#anon answered #monkey critical #journey to the west #sa mention

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basedkikuenjoyer · 2 years ago

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I learned Skip & Loafer was a thing last week, I’m already caught up. I don’t usually have the time for binges anymore. But damn it, it’s so sweet and earnest it gets a full on appreciation post. Some light spoiling ahead. Starts with MC Mitsu. Rural girl moves to the big city isn’t new, but she actually tracks for me as someone who’s had the experience. She’s not a hick; she’s only in Tokyo because Mitsu has way more potential than Ikajima can support. That’s real, even the way you sorta have the town’s hopes on you. You get that nice, fuzzy quote from the lovely best friend Fumi early about eating good food pass or fail. It captures the vibe so well. Such a nice, strong skeleton to build a leading lady off of. Not exactly new territory but it’s been out of style for a while. There is that real edge of acknowledging the growing issue of rural depopulation in Japan. That said, if we’re talking new ground there’s a clear standout...

Nao-chan. Sweet, sweet Nao. Here she is launching into dropping some great wisdom about fashion and how it only needs to have as much of a role in your life as you want it to. One of our big wrinkles is that Mitsu goes to stay in Tokyo with her aunt who is trans. Great example of someone well past the finding yourself phase. Nao’s in her late 30s and she seems to have come out around her mid 20s. We know there’s some things like a falling out with her father and trauma from school days bullying but this is the type of series we may never actually see it. One of the cool elements is that Mitsu already presumably knows about all this. The two have long been close because Mitsu was one of the first people Nao felt like opening up to. Based on other examples I’ve seen, it’s pretty cool how casually everyone just refers to Nao as Mitsu’s aunt. Even ends up being a cute plot point.

What’s so well set up though is that Nao is honestly an amazing foil for Mitsu as well. There’s an implication she was the standout compared to her brother. A lot of hopes pinned on that salaryman career. But on someone who was treated poorly by back home. Either way, always cool and sadly too novel to have a trans woman in a maternal role. Especially an example where the junior is not also queer. She does a great job at it and when I compared these two to that Gilmore Girls vibe it was high praise. I need more of her adorkable boyfriend Goro too!

Last are these two dorks. Yuzu & Makoto. I adore blondie’s story arc. She’s naturally pretty and legitimately enjoys fashion...but hates all the nonsense that comes with the obvious popularity. It’s a hard line to tell that story without her coming off as a brat, and it’s hard to say it resonates without sounding conceited, but it really does for me. I’ve been there, talent or beauty or intelligence attracts envy. It doesn’t feel good to deal with that. You don’t want to rub it in you just hate it ended up being a problem. You do have those times people think it’s just, okay to treat you like a doll or be nasty to you because what do you have to complain about?

But for these two, they get over that hurdle. Makoto realizes she’s being unfair and that Yuzu just wants to enjoy a group of girls that aren’t obsessed with dating. Reminds me of Mugi in K-On a bit and that’s fun.

Give this series a go, it’s got a lot of heart. Will say the official release is worth it, especially if you’re here for Nao-chan. She...has a weird way of speaking that flummoxes the scans in some scenes. Bad enough it changes the meaning. The anime adaptation is great too.

#skip and loafer

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katagawajr · 1 year ago

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10 Characters | 10 Fandoms | 10 Tags!

(tagged by @babeoffrontiers thank you!!! 🫶)

i think other than the number one spot, none of these are in any particular order. but yes let's begin.

Caleb Widogast (Critical Role). undisputed favorite character in any piece of media, he’s my entire world. literally a perfect narrative story, an emotional character exploration of grief and found family and time itself. profoundly sad man but also filled with so much silly sweetness that makes the sadness even MORE painful. he's a friend, he's a lover, he's a pining man, he's of the empire but not a friend to the empire. he's MY boy, he's a magic man, he's trying to be the man his parents believed he could be. i can cry (and have cried) about him for hours on end but i’m not making this list any longer. ("hi caleb... how are you doing today?" AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH)

Gale Dekarios (Baldur’s Gate 3). omg another sad wizard? sorry i have a type. wyll also belongs on this list but i’m hopelessly drawn to gale so i have to pick him. mama’s boy? cat dad? big wet eyes, a little suicidal and extremely devoted? i don’t know that i’ve clutched my heart harder than when i saw his act 2 romance scene for the first time. i think it also just pulls at my heartstrings that his relationship with tav is so showing of his kindness regardless of whether or not you romance him. even platonic gale is so ;-;

Ann Takamaki (Persona 5). i fought about putting yusuke or ryuji or even zenkichi but this spot has to go to ann because she's just so. perfect. the first arc of p5 is the BEST hands down and she's literally one of the biggest reasons why. the writers end up ruining her but the way she grows even in that first arc... her confidant scene with the line "i'm just a lonely, scared girl..." BREAKS ME. she's a treasure, she's strong and kind and wants to be a light for others while not giving up on the things that make her 'girly.' and her love for ryuji as best friends is one of my favorite dynamics ever.

Artemis (Hades). i love artemis in general, i grew an attachment during my greek mythology kid phase and never let go so i'm obsessed with every iteration of her in media. but artemis in hades has my favorite visual design in the game combined with her quiet sweetness :') and her willingness to have a family bond with zagreus because she's also an outcast who's overwhelmed by her other family members. and then to be a total badass of a goddess, ugh love her.

Katagawa Jr. (Borderlands). okay this one is funny because i honestly love katagawa as an OC more than canon... like canon treated him pretty badly and if it was based on that alone then august tftbl would be in this spot. but the POTENTIAL... ohhh the potential... youngest son born into the highest echelon of one of the most powerful companies in the galaxy, but to CEO parents who see them only as property?? and puts barcodes on the back of their necks?? and katagawa jr being the desperately lonely, attention-seeking son? don't get me started on him and naoko... genuinely my OC now. i took him from canon.

Julian Devorak (The Arcana). this one always embarrasses me to talk about because it's like a romance visual novel game. so let's make it quick. but julian is unironically such a good character, i'm a sucker for the way he loves his little sister more than anything in the world. also for being a silly pirate plague doctor who wants to help people, blames himself for a past he can't even remember, and trips over his own heels being so madly in love. the outfit and eyepatch too, 10/10.

Crona Gorgon (Soul Eater). the definition of 'nonbinary baby' LMAO- but seriously, i instantly fell in love with their design when i first watched. one of the best ever, including ragnarok's design being a part of them. being so powerful but so pained, just such a sad soul and it's so interesting to watch them on screen. i love a character that seems silly and awkward and then also can turn very scary/cool. brief shoutout to stein though, i almost put him on here instead because his design and fighting style are just peak >>

Mad Maggie (Apex Legends). my first ever apex love was horizon, but idk when maggie came out i just fell in love with her personality? she's SO funny to me. i also love her and fuse's backstory, and i think her tough attitude but capability of being kinda sweet as well is cute (although i genuinely just adore her as a mean character too. let women be meaner. she's funny and hot about it). her kit is also very fun even though i'm bad with it, i love riot drilling halfway across the map when i play her. her voice is 10/10 and even her theme music is banger.

Undyne (Undertale). undertale still has one of the greatest narratives in all of gaming history and i will die happily on that hill. sorry. undyne was always my girl, her being the badass knight (that everyone assumes is some scary guy), her theme music is still one of THE best video game songs ever. her design is amazing, finding out that she's papyrus's friend and that she's in love with alphys, her backstory with asgore. all amazing character beats. and that's not even mentioning the genocide run... "for the sake of the whole world... I, UNDYNE, WILL STRIKE YOU DOWN." ugh.

Prince Canute (Vinland Saga). gah i haven't even watched season 2 yet because i'm terribly behind. BUT. oh my god, i think canute's monologue in the snow in season 1 actually fundamentally changed my brain???? and the way that i think??? like i felt something crack within me. i actually gave a talk about that exact scene in an animation class i had once. anyways i loved watching him on screen and watching him change... watching him be so sad... not to mention his design is just very very pretty. can't wait to see my best friend canute in s2 i'm sure nothing bad will happen right.

tagging: @magnuficentwo @aliensmoothie and anyone else who wants to do it if you feel like it, no obligation :) i'm bad at the tagging part of tag games sorry!

#thank you for the tag YAY :D #it's funny i have so many characters i love but a lot of them come from the same pieces of media LMAO <3 #i like to gush about characters i like. and i can't help it.#shoutout also to dj candy and camilla fe ... i would've put them on this list but the only description would've been “they're pretty <3”#personal

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gear-project · 11 months ago

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Annon-Guy: Well, in an Arc System Works Crossover game, how do you think the cast would feel about fighting against or alongside Marco?

I know Sol doesn't care about people's age (to quote his victory quotes against May; "I don't give a shit how old you are! Maybe think before you pick a fight next time.") while Ky is cautious/against fighting children.

P.S. How come Teenagers are treated differently from kids? You mentioned Evangelion deconstructing things compared to the other two mecha anime you mentioned earlier.

As far as Marco is concerned, there's a lot of instances in fighting games where a little kid might join the roster for varying reasons, but the story usually indicates that they have special powers or circumstances behind joining the fight.

That doesn't always jive well in terms of logic or in the game's story.

Like putting High Schoolers from Persona 4 in a situation where they have to face several Grim Reapers in a dangerous situation (ala BlazBlue Crosstag).

For Minors (kids, really) you have to be really careful about how they are expressed in-game. Especially nowadays with modern policies regarding children and expression of entertainment (and the rules that have to be enforced regarding this).

Do I think it's possible? Yes and no. For a game like Battle Fantasia, the story's focus is less on combat and more on adventure and quests, much like Granblue Fantasy.

In May's case, she has superhuman strength and durability to begin with, so while that makes her a broad exception, she has also matured over the years in the series. She's also "much older" than her appearance would suggest (much like Rachel Alucard in BlazBlue, or Baiken).

Evangelion deconstructs the idea of "using children" to pilot giant biomecha as both an inhumane act, and a necessary one as the children are related to the machines they pilot (i.e. Shinji and his mother Rei). Shinji suffers a great deal of trauma being too young to experience what he has faced, but ends up obtaining a "curse" for it (the curse of the EVAs which prevents the pilots from aging much in appearance, according to Asuka Shikinami).

The grim trope of "using children as weapons" isn't exclusive to shows like EVA though... other examples would be some grim-dark Magical Girl shows, and also Gunslinger Girl, among others. But the audience they appeal to is more adult, than simply appealing for kids.

Does that justify it? Not really... some anime concepts out there are pretty twisted, and I'd argue some shows (and light novels) take no consideration to any particular audience in their writing. And are more an indulgence of the author's whims to express something dark in their imaginations.

Even what happens to Carl Clover and his sister in BlazBlue is pretty grim if you ask me. He's far too young to experience the tragedy that he faces, and yet this was a concept that Mori wrote (though I'm not sure if Mori ever expressed WHY he wrote Carl that way... it has more to do with Relius than Carl, but I digress...)

Fighting games often explore "monsters" in their concepts, and sometimes they express characters that are beyond human standards and logic.

Like Dizzy being 3 years old as of GGX events, a lot of people couldn't get over that. Sin is 5 years old as of Strive, apparently... and don't remind me how young Elphelt and Ramlethal actually are.

But just so we're clear... this standard is expressed unilaterally based on some business practices. YouTube insists (for prime example) that any video you upload MUST EXPRESSLY STATE that it is either for kids or for adults.

And I think that's a fine standard to draw a line for.

Whenever I upload videos, I specify that my videos are NOT for kids.

Well, teens watch them anyhow, but there's some level of maturity to be expected when watching two pixellated creatures bash their heads in (in a fighting game).

#Ethics #Entertainment Standards #ESRB

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fzzr · 2 years ago

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What I'm Watching, Spring 2023 Anime Season

New Stuff:

Oshi no Ko (My Star) - I don't want to say anything about this in case it spoils someone. What the actual fuck. Watching.

Edomae Elf (Otaku Elf) - I've been asking for elf-in-real-world aesthetic for a while. There doesn't appear to be like, a plot, but I like the idea!

Isekai de Cheat Skill wo Te ni Shita Ore wa, Genjitsu Sekai wo mo Musou Suru: Level Up wa Jinsei wo Kaeta (I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in The Real World, Too) - With a light novel title like that, I needed to at least see what's going on. If it gets boring I'll drop it.

Isekai One Turn Kill Neesan: Ane Douhan no Isekai Seikatsu Hajimemashita (My One-Hit Kill Sister) - It's not exactly a super creative twist on the formula (there was one with the guy's mom before) but what the hell, there's some potential quality here. Sticking with it for now or until it crosses over the Rule D line.

Jigokuraku (Hell's Paradise) - It's MAPPA, I basically owe them a watch no matter what. Plus there's always room for at least one edgy anime in my lineup each season.

Kaminaki Sekai no Kamisama Katsudou - I went in expecting this to be bad (like, BAD bad) but I'm so perplexed that I guess I'll watch some more? Worst CGI this side of Gibiate though.

Kanojo ga Koushaku-tei ni Itta Riyuu (The Reason Why Raeliana Ended up at the Duke's Mansion) - This is a cross between the Villainess and Reincarnated as a Nobody microgenres. I don't feel like I know much at all about the characters after one episode, but I want to see where they take the concepts.

Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia (Insomniacs After School) - Slow and cute and relatable. I'm told it gets emotional later. Anyway I'm in.

My Home Hero - Another candidate for edgy show of the season. I didn't expect so much suspense.

Skip to Loafer (Skip and Loafer) - Small town girl in the big city, odd couple, wholesome romance... yeah this might be just right for me.

Tengoku Daimakyou (Heavenly Delusion) - I thought this would be science fiction social commentary time. Maybe it is, but it's interesting one way or another.

Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru (Loving Yamada at Lv999) - This is looking interesting! A lot of style and things going on.

Otonari ni Ginga (A Galaxy Next Door) - This originally wasn't on my list at all due to "children" and "show about making manga". I decided to give it a shot in the end and it's cute enough with just enough of a hook that maybe I'll actually like it.

Dead Mount Death Play - Another latecomer to my list. It impressed me with the premise and action scenes in the first episode, and I'm still looking forward to more reverse Isekai.

Sequels:

Birdie Wing: Golf Girls' Story Season 2 - Hell yeah, more lesbians doing wacky golf.

Dr. Stone: New World - Bill Nye the Caveman Guy on a boat? Sure!

Kimetsu no Yaiba: Katanakaji no Sato-hen (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc) - It's more Demon Slayer, everyone is watching this.

Carryovers:

Kubo-san wa Mob wo Yurusanai (Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible) - The most I've been able to deal with a bulli anime, due to barely being that. Delayed across seasons due to COVID.

Itai no wa Iya nano de Bougyoryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu. 2 (BOFURI: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense. Season 2) - More of the same, but still good. Delayed across seasons due to COVID.

Kidou Senshi Gundam: Suisei no Majo Season 2 (Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury Season 2) - My first real foray into GUNDAM, carrying on from Fall 2022.

Hall of Shame (things I dropped after one episode):

Boku no Kokoro no Yabai Yatsu (The Dangers in My Heart) - The main character self-identifies as a school shooter and they put him in social cringe situations. I didn't even make it through episode 1.

Mahou Shoujo Magical Destroyers - Over the top magical girl parody! If only it was good!

#anime #spring 2023 anime #seasonal anime #what I'm watching #obviously the worst thing about COVID is how it's fucking up anime schedules /s

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wondereads · 2 years ago

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Books I Read In March

Reviews below the cut

Captive Prince by C. S. Pacat (DNF)

I was under the impression this book would be about a hostage prince. You know, the political move where a nation demands the spare heir of another nation to hold as hostage, to ensure they don't violate a treaty or anything. Imagine my surprise when I begin reading about sexual slavery. Yeah, I made it about 20% of the way through before I just couldn't do it anymore. The child (yes, child) was where I drew the line.

Evelina by Frances Burney (6/10)

A book I read for school, but fairly enjoyable for an eighteenth-century novel. I found the etiquette quite interesting, and Evelina and Lord Orville's relationship was sweet. However, it's filled with a lot of nothing as is expected from classics, and Evelina is the epitome of a passive protagonist. Burney's obsession with making her stay 'pure' really limited her development.

Damsel by Evelyn Skye (6/10) (ARC)

This book was just pretty average. The big picture of the book was quite good, I really liked Elodie as a main character, and the character relationships were interesting. However, this book falls short in a few different ways. The pacing was too slow in the beginning, and then too fast, not allowing for the characters or message to be explored enough. I must admit, my standards going in were high since I once another book called Damsel dissecting the same sort of story, so I was a little disappointed. A decent read, but really not anything special.

The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge (7/10) (reread)

A purely indulgent reread of the book that inspired one of my favorite movies. Looking back, it really isn't all that good of a book, focusing more on describing every little detail than any semblance of plot development. It's also very Christian and pushes it at every point. Still, I'm emotionally attached to Robin and Maria, so they'll always get a pass from me.

The Buried and the Bound by Rochelle Hassan (???)

I'll be honest. I read this book in an absolute fever dream that lasted three hours. I was assigned to read it, and I was trying to get through it as fast as possible, and now I can remember approximately 20% of it. I could give you a plot and character rundown, but any sort of deeper analysis or real opinions are going to be notoriously unreliable.

Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker (8/10) (ARC)

I think this is a good book. The plot is interesting with a unique take on magical realism, the main characters are complex, and it addresses some important issues with magic as a stand-in for all kinds of cultural practices. I have my issues, mostly with the lack of urgency, narration, and unclear message, but they are by no means dealbreakers. The cliffhanger is attention-grabbing, definitely enough to get a reader to want to read the next book, and I just love Cristina so much. This book comes out on April 4th, so be sure to give it a shot!

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas (5/10)

I'll be frank. I don't like SJM, and I doubt I ever will. However, two of my friends love these books, and I've recommended so many books to them that I feel bad not reciprocating. Personally, I find Celaena (and most of SJM's protagonists) a Mary Sue, and this book in particular feels like the literary equivalent of a filler episode. Ultimately, the only plot-relevant developments were the discovery of the Wyrdkeys, Celaena getting sent to Wendlyn, and Nehemia's death. Which, by the way, is completely unnecessary and leaves a horrendous taste in my mouth considering she's the only character of color in the entire book. I will still be reading Heir of Fire, but I won't be happy about it.

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann (7/10) (reread)

The Unwanteds, despite opening with a bunch of thirteen year olds about to be thrown into boiling oil, is a fun book that’s good for light reading. It’s really best for ages ten to thirteen, but it’s also lighthearted fantasy adults can read when they’re in the mood for something unique but not depressing. The plot and character development is rather good, although I wish more time had been devoted to it. For example, I still can't forgive Lani, and really everyone, for how they treated Alex, excluding and sometimes outright bullying him for months. I understand the complexity of the situation, but come on. He was miserable.

#books #wrap up #captive prince #evelina #damsel #crown of midnight #the little white horse #blood debts #the unwanteds #the buried and the bound

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tsukikoayanosuke · 2 years ago

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I posted 963 times in 2022

341 posts created (35%)

622 posts reblogged (65%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@tsukikoayanosuke

@crazyyanderefangirlfan

@sakuramidnight15

@crossroadofinterests

@luvkamishiro

I tagged 934 of my posts in 2022

Only 3% of my posts had no tags

#the captain is answering! - 201 posts

#twisted wonderland - 160 posts

#twst - 145 posts

#disney twisted wonderland - 144 posts

#project sekai colorful stage - 126 posts

#twisted wonderland oc - 81 posts

#twst oc - 81 posts

#writing advice - 52 posts

#tsukasa tenma - 51 posts

#reblog for support - 49 posts

Longest Tag: 135 characters

#if i asked you what the most memorable scene/line from any of my writing that you've read is what's the first thing that comes to mind?

My Top Posts in 2022:

Ive seen plenty of hate towards yuuken in the twst manga just for being a "male protagonist" like- can yall piss off?

I honestly don't understand the hate and I tried to see it from a different angle.

I think, mostly, it's because their wish-fulfillment is not granted.

I assumed that everyone knows the prologue of Yuu/Prefect/MC arriving at Twisted-Wonderland. Now, Yuu/Prefect/MC has their own personality, however, they are hard to dissect. Most of the time we put our own personality in there and speak by choosing the options provided. And the downside of this, Yuu/Prefect/MC can switch depending on the players.

Now, imagine having someone like that as your protagonist. How many times we've seen an anime adaptation of a game where the MC is just the player-insert? Generally, the main character is just "nice" (and sometimes "cute", "beautiful", "handsome", but those aren't personality) to appeal to every demographic. But to some people, this is boring. An anime, manga, and light novel needs a stronger protagonist. Even someone like Kirito (SAO), Hajime Nagumo (Arifureta), and Makoto Naegi (Danganronpa) have personality, even if they're ended up being too mary-sueish, edgy, or bland.

Now going back to Twisted-Wonderland manga. How do you make this manga appealing to everyone with a self-insert type MC? You can't just make someone "nice". You need more spice in them.

So, Yuuken is one of the answers.

Personally, I like Yuuken. He's not that bright, perfect for the no brain cells gang, but has a strong sense of justice and is always there to support his friends with his big brother aura. If we're looking in context, in a wave of mostly asshole cast (twisted villains, remember?), Yuuken gives a refreshing change as someone who is naturally a good guy. At least you know, in a school for villains, there's this one guy who is morally good.

To add the point, the manga is fantastic and we can see the characters' expressions fully. Yuuken deadpan expression and just the no-thoughts-head-empty are great.

I think what we need to see is not "male protagonist", "nb protagonist" or "female protagonist", but more of "what makes them a protagonist". It doesn't matter what gender the MC is, if they don't have a strong personality, then they won't be strong enough to be in the central face.

117 notes - Posted May 14, 2022

Captain Talks About Some Writing Things - About MalleYuu and is this ship even possible?

With Ignihyde Arc finally reaching its conclusion and the Shroud Brothers giving us their sweet, sweet angst, the last dorm we need to go through is Diasomnia. Even though we just had a drama surrounding its uniform, it seems that it didn’t stop any of us from loving this boy.

Speaking of loving, as we know, Malleus Draconia is the poster boy of Twisted-Wonderland, thus certainly he gains a lot of attention from the players despite not appearing that much in the main story, to the point of some fans ships him with Yuu/The Player.

Today, we will be going through the possible romatic relationship between Malleus and Yuu. We’re going to see how many times they’ve interacted and is it even possible to ship them under in-game circumstances.

However a fair warning: This will be a deep dive between Malleus and Yuu/The Player, not OC Yuu! If your OC Yuu is shipped with Malleus, it’s fine. We’re here just to see the canon interactions, not headcanons or fanfics. Also, there will be spoiler since we’re following the JP update instead of EN. In addition, I’m not the best in researching, all of the translation can be found either in the wiki, Tumblr, or various sources. I’ll try my best to link it down, but any mistake in interpretation is mine.

Without further ado, let’s begin.

A Brief Summary of All Malleus & Yuu Interactions in Main Story

Prologue & Heartslabyul Arc:

Malleus was only mentioned in Episode Prologue-3, 1-8, and 1-28. In the prologue, we see how even mentioning Malleus name brings awes and fears. In Heartslabyul Arc, Trey said that Malleus is one of the five great sorcerers in the world, and Cater added that Malleus is on a different level. He was mentioned again 1-28 by Leona but he’s planning to "start that revenge plan on Malleus”.

Savanaclaw Arc:

Malleus was mentioned many times throughout the Savanaclaw Arc, mostly because he’s Leona’s biggest target.

But Episode 2-14 marks Malleus and Yuu’s first meeting. Malleus sort of trespassed Ramshackle Dorm property and was quite surprised to find someone is living there. Yuu didn’t know Malleus back then and once again, this came as a surprise for Malleus. When he asked their name, Yuu gave him his name but Malleus didn’t give his name for “If they knew who he was, it would certainly leave a chilling impression.” (We will come back to this later, let’s put a pin on this). Malleus left after that, saying that he would need to find another abandoned building to walk around at night.

Octavinelle Arc:

There are two episodes where we meet Malleus: 3-24 and 3-37.

3-24 took place after we failed the second day because we got our asses beaten in Azul’s office. Malleus, or Tsuno-tarou as we decided to call thanks to Grim’s suggestion., once again returned for his nightly visit and found the dorm was way noisier than before. After Yuu told him about their situations, Malleus said something about gargoyle: how even though they look scary, they protect the house from torrential rain. Connecting this with our situations, Yuu picked up that Azul’s contracts are not as invincible as the thought.

In 3-37, we managed to get back to our dorm and Malleus appeared again. He wouldn’t have guessed that we would win against Azul and how he would like to see the ever calm Ashengrotto make a terrified face for it “must have been quite a sight”.

Scarabia Arc

Malleus didn’t appear in Scarabia Arc at all, but a certain scene in Episode 4-39 managed to gain some attention, because the fact that he sent a holiday card through Lilia.

Pomefiore Arc

In exchange for the holiday card, in Episode 5-48, Yuu gave Malleus a ticket to VDC which surprised Malleus how Yuu “know not the meaning of fear”.

In Episode 5-67 however, might be the most important interaction so far. After the overblot battle, Malleus arrived to the destroyed coliseum. This is when Yuu learnt that "Tsuno-tarou" real name is “Malleus Draconia, the next head of the Valley of Thorns”. After retelling what had happened, Malleus fixed the stadium because he “was simply interested in seeing them (the NRC Tribe) perform” and Vil better “show him a performance I will never forget”. Oh, and he let Yuu to still call him "Tsuno-tarou".

Ignihyde Arc

Malleus appeared in 6-14 until 6-18, however he and Yuu doesn’t have any direct interact because they are mostly focusing on the attack from STYX. After that, Yuu and Malleus doesn’t interact again until the 6-83 where Malleus noticed Yuu being fine, even if it was cut with Ace and Deuce.

About Malleus and Loneliness

Before we can see why Malleus and Yuu interaction is important, we need to see Malleus from a certain angle: the loneliness angle.

It had been a running gag of Malleus not being invited because he seems inapproachable and students fear him as seen in the Prologue-3. We also see how Malleus isn’t invited in the dorm leader meeting in Episode 2-6 and Episode 5-2. When he does get invited, like during the VDC or the Yasmina River Firework Festival, he tends to come the earliest so he wouldn’t miss it. This shows how Malleus really wants to be part of something or at least having the connection with the others. You can be seen with how he really care for his tamagochi-like game that he got from Lilia (imagine a virtual pet). When it got wet, he’s pretty upset for that and he’s pretty grateful that Deuce can fix it. He even wish for his tamagochi to make friends.

Malleus himself has a lonely life, despite being a prince. In the Scalding Sands' Al'ab Nariya, he said that as a crown prince of Briar Valley, he cannot leave his country, which might cause why he doesn’t quite understand with technology because of the sheltered lifestyle. In his 2021 birthday interview, the only family member that he mentioned is his grandmother who is the queen, meaning that he possibly doesn’t have any siblings and is an only child, thus there’s no other option of who will be next in line except Malleus. As the crown prince, he had a big duty for his country, thus he’s dedicated to his role, like how he memorized how to survive on a deserted island in his 2022 birthday interview and why he can’t go courting Princess Eliza despite filling the height criteria in Ghost Marriage Event.

We can also see this with Malleus relationship with time. We knows that fae ages different than humans, thus they will live longer than most of the cast, as mentioned how he doesn’t feel any different when during his birthday and see how humans celebrate their birthday is quite peculiar. This is enhanced how Malleus has been thinking hard at the final episode of Ignihyde Arc on how, as Lilia said, human life is “like a this silk thread spinning on a wheel, easy to break".

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129 notes - Posted June 2, 2022

I swear this fucking fandom is drinking their dumb-dumb juice too often for my liking.

Let’s talk a little about The Phantom Bride, possibly one of my favorite event. You know why? Because it’s supposed to be a comedy.

Back in its first run in JP Server in 2020, this was possibly the best event pre-Pomefiore. It’s possibly the funniest event so far and I know Eliza is not everyone’s favorite, but gosh darn, she steals the show. Like remember in Frozen when Anna wanting to marry Hans and Elsa said “you can’t marry someone you just met”? Yeah, Eliza is basically Anna but take it to the extreme because Idia doesn’t want to get married. Really, Eliza is just making her “Imagine marring your favorite TWST boys prince charming” headcanons come true? Eliza is the parody of the classic “love at first sight”, and the dev managed to make it so entertaining.

But of course, once it comes to the EN Server, it suddenly become a massive problems. Yeah, I don’t see anyone complaining back in 2020, why are we complaining about it now?

But let’s see one of the biggest complaint:

“The boys are so rude for not wanting to save Idia.”

To start this, I want you to imagine this: Imagine you have a group project and there is this one kid. The kid was always in class but they never talked to anyone, preferring to text rather than speak. You never talk to the kid or at least rarely but they seemed to be scared at you when you’re trying to be friendly. When the team already agree on the date of when you’re gonna do the project, that kid didn’t come, but prefers to go through zoom call when they can just come...? And the reason why? It’s because they don’t like group project and a shut-in like them don’t do well with crowd. When you tried to argue, they screamed back. But, it the end, you managed to finished your project with a B+ and you still write the kid’s name so he would also get a grade and doesn’t repeat class. But the kid said: “this project suck.”

Okay, you got that? How would you feel about it? Annoyed? Frustrated? Hurt? Surely this would put a damp to your relationship, right?

Now, go read Idia’s ceremonial robe vignette. With Idia shut-in nature, imagine how hard is for others to talk to him. Riddle had to use reverse psychology to make him go to the entrance ceremony. In addition, read Ortho’s ceremonial robe vignette, because it covers the same story but from Ortho’s POV.

Okay, but that’s too far, let’s just look at the main story, from Prologue to Octavinelle. Have we ever see Idia anywhere? Well, we see his tablet twice, once in the entrance ceremony and the second time in the housewarden meeting. Considering both meetings are important, why can’t Idia go there in full body? If this is a real school, this will only bring your reputation down.

So, if we can’t imagine the whole canon cast, go with the smaller scale with the housewarden. Imagine their feeling when one of you don’t come to your meeting? Heck, even Leona, the lazy lion who sleep in the botanical garden and repeated year just because he doesn’t want to come home, actually attend the ceremony and the housewarden meeting. “oh but Malleus also doesn’t come.” Yeah, because he wasn’t invited. This can be a pass for Malleus who doesn’t know, but Idia knows but deliberately decides to only come through VC when he can just get out of his room.

Again, question: will you still willing to help this kind of kid if they’re ever get in trouble?

If yes, then I salute you, but I know many who wouldn’t do it because the sour relationship.

This is the base of The Phantom Bride. This is the cast’s current relationship with Idia. Can you really blame them for not wanting to save someone they barely know?

It’s even said in the event on Chapter 5! And you still blame them for not wanting to save Idia?

(Twisted Wonderland Wiki, English Server)

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194 notes - Posted July 13, 2022

What is wrong with Male TWST OCs?

No, seriously, what's wrong? Just tell me why?

This is like the second time this week I've seen this take.

Why are there some people that say Male TWST OCs outshined the female one? Why are they saying the fandom lacks of Female OCs? Why do they claimed that Male TWST OCs are just copy of the already existed female ones?

I'm not saying this to hate Female TWST OCs, but I'm saying that this is not fair, isn't it?

You guys say that "fandom is supposed to be a place to have fun", and yet TWST Fandom has drama for like every Tuesday.

Male TWST OCs creators put the same effort as the Female TWST OCs creators. Similarities are unavoidable, if you find then it might be a coincidence. Even canon has similarities, just look at Ruggie and Jamil's unique magic.

Why does it feel like Male TWST OCs, and Gender Neutral for that point, basically Non-Female, gets pushed away and blamed? Are we really going to have another discourse over this?

Oh, and when Non-Female TWST OCs Creators just want to defend for themselves, you’re calling them “hating Female OCs”. What is this bullshit?

You guys didn’t glance twice when your Female OCs are in an all-boys school, and yet when Male OCs are just vibing with the cast we’re in the wrong? I can list many fics where it’s a “female(s) in Night Raven College” and yet I can only list two (that’s not mine) where it’s a “male(s) in Night Raven College”. And you still dare to claim Male TWST OCs is taking up space?

Think of all the writing blog where they accepts requests for Female Reader compare to the Male and Gender neutral Reader. You still think Male and Gender Neutral are more popular? And even if it’s a Gender Neutral Reader, you can still feel it’s targeted toward female demographic?

Think of all the pretty arts. How many of them that you see it’s Female OCs/Canon Character? How many of them are Male OCs/Canon Character? I don’t know about your blogs, but every time I went to the “twst oc” tags, it’s filled with Female OCs. Are we sure we’re looking at the same fandom?

“Every OCs is valid” this, “Every Yuu gender is valid” that. And yet, here we are, hating OCs who are not Cis Female.

316 notes - Posted May 10, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Incorrect Night Ravens Quotes

Ortho: Vil Schoenheit. AKA the Beautiful Queen. Since he has been beaten by the Snow White twink, he's been on a potion spree in a search for vengeance.

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863 notes - Posted January 4, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #okay you don't know how funny this is #first of all i don't remember how the heck i reblog myself a lot #if playing genshin somehow managed to boost that it's hilarious #second is the fact despite me doing a lot of long review #the post with the most note is a meme #also 3% post with no tag i forgor what those are #also proseka and tsukasa tenma is in the top tag #i don't know why is that so funny #i'm finally branching #also remind me to post that malleyuu glorious masquerade breakdown next month #this will probably the last post in 2022 #probably not lol

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serpenttailedangel · 3 years ago

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In a post-Spice world I still don’t want to give Crunchyroll any money, but now that Sony owns it they’re putting a lot more stuff behind a paywall. I’m still making up my mind as to if I want to pay for exactly one month to binge Shield Hero once it’s done airing, or if I might as well just buy DVDs if I’m already doing a one-time payment.

In any case, it sounds like they decided to skip basically all the stuff I liked between the fight with L’Arc and the turtle, and the turtle is one of the story parts I like less anyway, and also I think this whole season is just the turtle. So... maybe I should go with DVDs. I do deeply wish to watch the entire anime, but I feel like I don’t want to be pressured to watch this arc that quickly.

I wonder if Season 3 is just gonna be volumes 8 and 9? I was kinda expecting this season to cover through 9 until I heard it’s a single cour. All the stuff I was really excited to see animates is volumes 10-16 tho -.-

#the rising of the shield hero #this is the arc in the light novels with the one line that always gives me my immortal flashbacks

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night-chant · 2 years ago

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MLQC Scenario - Hidden Talent

If I miraculously and accurately linked your actual hobby with your favourite dude, how??--- I-I mean, yes it was on purpose of course! (I didn’t even get mine right XD)

Featuring: MLQC Guys + reader

Synopsis: You have a great passion for your favourite pastime, but for some reason, you’re too shy to let anyone know about it but then he finds out on his own.

Warning: Fluff (except Victor’s??)

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Victor:

Creative writing

Sometimes poetry but often, creative writing since you loved spending time working on your historical romance novel. You never showed it to anyone, in fear that it would be ridiculed for any cliché use that you cherished.

At first, Victor assumed you were just writing a report on your laptop but sometimes, your eyes would light up as you eagerly typed out multiple sentences.

Did you find your report on Miracle Finder’s plummeting ratings that entertaining to analyze?

“How’s the progress?” he asked from behind and you hastily flipped the computer shut.

“Okay, I guess.” The light in your eyes instantly vanished.

Huh. He should’ve known. “The deadline is in two days. Did I give you too much time to spare?” When you didn’t answer, he went on: “What are you writing?”

“You’re going to say it’s stupid.”

“If you expect me to say that everytime a dummy does something, I’d lose my voice already. I only say if it is truly disastrous. Let’s see it.”

You reluctantly handed the laptop over. You started a couple of pages on chapter 18, but you expected he’d glance at the first few lines and turn back to you. Instead, he took a few minutes, perusing with a blank scowl.

Any hope shattered when he started pointing out all the grammatical errors and that the plot so far isn’t logical. Your face felt hot. He was treating even your story as a report.

“The girl should’ve told him the truth in the very beginning,” Victor said, “so none of this mess would happen.”

Your blood was boiling. What, now he’s the CEO of some publishing company?? “Yeah, well, maybe he’d just call her a dummy and dismiss what she says like he always does!”

. . .

Victor would turn and leave with your laptop. Starting from page one, he would read each dialogue and analyze the characters more carefully.

You two will not end up like that couple. Not if he could help it.

Lucien:

Painting

You enjoy nature, especially animals and landscapes.

Sometimes, Lucien and you took a stroll around the forest by the Loveland University so you could get some real-life references.

No matter how vibrant the pigments were, they never drew Lucien’s attention away from you and your concentrated scowl and the slight peek of your tongue as you carefully painted an arc for the branch of a willow tree.

“They don’t look right,” you mumbled, breaking his trance. “But I’m not sure why.”

“Your hand is shaking,” he said, reaching out. “Here, I’ll hold it still for you.”

Maybe it’s because you were embarrassed that you didn’t realize the issue before or maybe because he was leaning very close, but your hands were shaking even more.

However, with gentle guidance, the branches you drew together were natural and lovely, interlaced with one another just like your hands.

Kiro:

Dancing ft. singing

If the rhythm is inspiring or if it’s just your favourite song, you’d probably be in an imaginary music video in the next moment. (Of course, when you were alone.)

Back to reality, it was Kiro who dances but he usually sings more in his performances in concerts.

He didn’t expect you to be a dancer too.

Kiro came home earlier than usual one day. Savin had let him go ONLY because he wasn’t acting too rebellious that day.

Before Kiro even opens the front door, he heard blaring music, almost reverberating off the wall.

His approaching footsteps were completely muted and a familiar voice was singing both parts of a duet song. Then after, an eerily familiar song . . .

You didn’t notice him as you were dancing away to his latest single.

But when you do, all you wanted was to hide in a closet.

But he thought Miss Chips was adorable and gushed about your accurate choreography.

You both probably ended up dancing to Kpop or Disney songs.

Gavin:

Knitting and needlework

Your mother taught you the basics, but you loved the activity so much that you made your own small, simple projects.

Sometimes, Gavin returns from missions with torn clothes and you were always willing to sew them up again if possible.

He finds your talent in knitting very intriguing, how your fingers and yarn and needles danced around one and another like hummingbirds.

Subconsciously, he thinks about the future, when you two would be older and when you would be making knitted garments for your two’s grandchildren.

Wait what do you do with all the clothes you knit now?

One day, he informed you that he would be away for a long mission.

You were bummed. “You have to return on the 20th or earlier! Or else I won’t stop knitting this very scarf until you do!”

When Gavin got back, he noticed that the scarf was pretty long.

“You did take breaks, did you?” he asked, holding your hands as he examined them.

You rolled your eyes when he took your joke to heart and so literally.

You wrap the long scarf around him (maybe a couple times keep it clear from the ground, even considering his height).

Good thing the scarf was big enough to cover part of his face because his ears and cheeks grew pink from your gentle gesture.

He untangled the scarf just enough to loop it around you too, narrowing the distance between you two until you were against his chest.

“Thank you.”

He liked to wear it during autumn and winter ever since.

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I’m writing this as I wait for a game to download reeee

Masterlist

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criminalmindzjunkie · 4 years ago

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The More Loving One

Masterlist

Summary: Professor Reid finds himself falling for a student.

A/N: This fic is based on this request. I changed a few things up, but I hope you like the finished product!

Long time, no see! It seems like forever since I got to sit down and just enjoy writing something. And enjoy this, I did. I approached this one a bit differently than I usually do, but I like how it turned out none the less. I hope you all enjoy my take on the Professor Reid arc. The first poem I use in this fic is titled The More Loving One by W.H. Auden, and the second is from a collection of Perry poetry.

Also, I recently hit 2k followers, which is absolutely unbelievable. I can’t even begin to explain how thankful I am for each and every one of you. This fic is my love letter to you. Thank you all so much.

Pairing: Professor!Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader

Content Warnings: a few swear words maybe?, teacher x student relationship, age gap, exhibitionism (sorta?), vaginal fingering, unprotected sex

Word Count: 4k

For as long as Spencer can remember, he’s always had a predilection for the finer things in life.

Spencer attributes the origin of his preferences to his upbringing. In his childhood, before his mother’s disease got the better of her, she exposed him to all sorts of literature. While he ventured to read all types of writings, he’d always been partial to tales of extravagance. A young Spencer Reid sought refuge in the profligacy of it all, as it was so starkly different from his own reality. Forced to bear the burden of household and a sick mother from an early age, Spencer’s own life left little room for reckless indulgence.

Now, as a single adult male, Spencer makes it a point to give himself up to the finer things as often as he can. Spencer isn’t a rich man, nor is he careless with what hard-earned money he does have. He simply likes to treat himself to the occasional five-star meal, and even more frequently, posh clothing and rare books. Walls lined with hundreds of antiquarian novels and a closet full of Comme Des Garçon cardigans are where the indulgence ends, however, and until recently Spencer was content with this.

But when she strolls into his life on the very first day of his teaching career, Spencer knows that his small luxuries will no longer be enough to keep him satisfied. The part of him that longs to have only the very best roars to life as he takes in every perfect inch of her. She stands before him, the embodiment of divinity and grace, looking like every fantasy he only dares to conjure up in the late hours of the night. A litany of cliches from every piece of romantic literature he’s ever read spring to the forefront of his mind in the instant that her eyes met his, but there is nothing stereotypical about the way her gaze banishes the air from his lungs. It is as jarring as it is intoxicating. He never wants to look away.

Unfortunately, she doesn’t feel the same. With a light flush of her cheeks, she turns away from him, and in an equally unfortunate turn of events, she proceeds to shuffle down the aisle and into the second row of seats to the right of the podium. The realization that washes over him feels like ice water in his veins.

She’s a student. Worse even – she’s his student.

Spencer wrenches his gaze from her as if he’s been burned, and the fiery shame of his embarrassment makes him tug at his collar. As he struggles to stave away the lingering heat in his chest and even more embarrassingly, the tightness in his trousers, Spencer chastises himself. His own carnal urges often go ignored, a fact that is glaringly obvious as he cowers behind his podium in an attempt to hide his arousal. He feels more than a little bit pathetic. No self-respecting thirty-five-year-old man gets hard just from gazing upon a beautiful young woman.

When Spencer pulls himself together enough to start his lecture, he positively forbids himself to look her way. It is hard to fight the urge, but every time he catches his eyes wandering to her, he reminds himself that she is an indulgence he simply cannot partake in. No matter how badly he wants to.

It doesn’t take long for her to notice him noticing her.

In the early days of the semester, she manages to convince herself that the stolen glances are but a figment of her overactive imagination. That, or an unhealthy dose of wishful thinking. But as the semester stretches on and the professor’s eyes linger more and more, wishful thinking gives way to a startling realization that she isn’t alone in her attraction. Professor Reid is, to her complete and utter astonishment, just as taken with her as she is with him.

This is all but confirmed when a slight brushing of the hands during an exchange of papers leaves them both with flushed cheeks and pounding hearts. Both of their heads snap up, two sets of eyes meeting in a prolonged stare that results in an understanding of sorts. It’s mutual, this thing blossoming between them. She can see her own hopes reflected in two velvet pools of brown – can see the longing, the desire that burns within them. Her heart soars, as she imagines his does, and she accepts the papers with a smile.

She also imagines that, if he could, he would tell her to wait for him. He would tell her that, for now, their relationship must stay strictly professional.

This doesn’t stop them from sating their cravings in other ways.

She makes it a point to stop by during office hours at least twice a week. Her visits always fall under the guise of her studies, but within minutes their hushed conversations stray from the professional and towards a more personal nature. She learns of Spencer’s mother and her condition, of his unusual job and his coworkers that were more like family. In return, she tells him about her upbringing in southern California, as well as her dreams of becoming a criminal psychologist. They never go as far as to discuss what will happen when the semester comes to a close. It is an unspoken agreement that the end of the semester will find them in each other’s arms. All they have to do is wait.

Spencer can’t voice his affections with words, but he more than makes up for this with his actions. Without fail, every Monday following the very first clandestine brushing of hands, lavish bouquets of flowers arrive at her workplace. Each bouquet is always paired with a notecard inscribed with a brief explanation of the meaning behind that week’s flower of choice. Cherry blossoms to pay homage to her beauty, plumeria to symbolize their new beginning, agrimony to convey his thankfulness that she is willing to wait for him.

Her favorite bouquet arrives four weeks before the end of the semester. As she steps through the doors of the bakery, a vase full of nine red roses sits atop the counter. The sight of them nearly takes her breath away. She pauses for a moment and runs her fingertips across the velveteen petals before plucking the notecard from its place.

This week, Spencer chooses to forgo the explanation in favor of a messily scrawled poem;

Looking up at the stars, I know quite well

that, for all they care, I can go to hell,

But on earth indifference is the least

we have to dread from man or beast.

How should we like it were stars to burn

with a passion for us we could not return?

If equal affection cannot be,

let the more loving one be me.

That evening, Spencer receives his first bouquet from her. On his desk sits an arrangement of pale pink ambrosia.

The meaning isn’t lost on him, but if it were, the note that sits next to the vase makes her intentions clear.

We never had to force love.

We were drowning in it from the moment we met.

Spencer is horribly frustrated.

A mere twenty feet away from where he stands, the notoriously garish and wholly unprofessional PhD program director is gesticulating wildly to the young woman that stands trapped between him and the hors d’oeuvre table. To find Professor Van Wesep in such a position is not uncommon, due to his penchant for trying to charm (terrorize) the prospective female doctoral candidates. The man is practically a walking harassment complaint waiting to happen. Spencer would abhor Van Wesep even if he weren’t the only thing standing in the way of him and his lover.

At long last, the semester has drawn to a close. The lonely nights spent longing to hold her in his arms are a thing of the past. By the time the sun rises again, Spencer will no longer have to wonder what her body will feel like pressed against his. He’ll be thoroughly acquainted with every inch of her, and she with him. The thought sends a thrilled chill down his spine.

The torturous foreplay they’ve been engaging in for the last four months would have surely broken a lesser man. Spencer would be lying if he said he wasn’t tempted on more than one occasion to have her during one of her frequent visits to his office. Some days, when her visits came later in the evenings, just as the sun began to dip low in the sky, her eyes would glisten in such a way that told Spencer her thoughts were none dissimilar to his own. That glimmer of lust had him holding on to his restraint by the skin of his teeth.

And here they were, on the last evening of the semester. Final grades had been submitted and were released hours prior. Spencer would have been content to skip this event altogether, in favor of more… recreational activities, but his lover insisted on attending.

Initially, Spencer assumed her insistence lay in her desire to mingle with her future peers and mentors. Her true intentions come to light when she breezes into the room clad in a pair of sleek, designer pumps. Her lips, painted fire engine red, curl up into a playful smile at the sight of a slack-jawed Spencer Reid. The devious glint in her eye twinkles sinfully in the light.

Tonight isn’t a social call at all. Tonight, she wants to play with him.

And play she has.

From the second she arrives all eyes are fixating on her celestial beauty. Peers and mentors alike trip over themselves in their haste to capture her attention, if only for a fleeting moment. She works the room flawlessly, leaving a trail of smitten men of all ages in her wake.

The most smitten is Spencer himself, because he’s the lone recipient of countless heated glances, as well as more than a few knowing smirks. She well aware of what she’s doing to him, and she takes pleasure in watching him squirm.

Spencer intervenes when Van Wesep makes the ill-advised decision to reach a hand up to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. He barely has the time to withdraw his hand before Spencer is upon them.

“I apologize for the interruption,�� Spencer casts a faux apologetic glance at his colleague, before settling his gaze on his target. “Ms. Y/L/N, may I speak to you for a moment?”

She looks positively gleeful. Perhaps Spencer should have intervened hours ago.

“Absolutely, Professor Reid.”

The honorific sends a jolt of heat straight to his groin. He definitely should have stolen her away earlier.

The two of them say their goodbyes to a confused Professor Van Wesep, whose imploring eyes follow them as they hurriedly slip from the party and down the hallway.

“Where are we going?”

Spencer leads her down a long corridor, far beyond earshot of the other guests. Pushing her into a dark corner, he positions her between himself and the cold wooden door of an unoccupied office. The only sounds that can be heard are the distant thrum of the music and the eager pants falling from his lover’s lips.

Spencer pulls her into a searing kiss, one hand tangling in her hair and the other finding purchase on her waist. He worries for a moment that he’s being too rough with her, that he should have taken a more careful approach to their first kiss, but she assuages those worries when she kisses him back with equal enthusiasm. Her hand reaches between them and clutches his tie, then she’s pulling him closer and whining wantonly against his lips. Spencer takes this as an invitation to slip his tongue inside and he finds himself letting out a low groan when he tastes a hint of strawberry.

Spencer pulls away to catch his breath. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

“Oh, I think I do, Professor,” she laughs, breathless. “Probably just as long as I’ve wanted to do this.”

Spencer jolts forward when her hand slides down to cup him over his trousers.

“Could’ve done that a lot earlier if you hadn’t insisted on teasing me for the entire night,” Spencer growls through gritted teeth. He’s more than a little proud of his ability to string together a sentence with her hand working him over with slow, steady strokes.

He trails a line of kisses across the underside of her jaw, before taking her earlobe and nipping it lightly with his canine. Spencer’s actions are rewarded with a full body shudder. He dips his tongue in the hollow at the base of her throat and her hands ball into fists against his dress shirt.

“Spencer, please.”

Spencer hums and pulls back to look at her. The hand in her hair lowers, and he trails a thumb across where her nipples are hard against the fabric of her dress.

“Yes, my love?”

Her eyes flutter against the weight of her arousal, and Spencer twitches in his pants. The sight of her with her hair disheveled and her lipstick smeared on account of him is a heavenly thing. He doesn’t know how he ever deprived himself of such a splendor.

“I want you. Right now.” She punctuates her words by pulling him down into a frenzied kiss. One of her hands tangles itself in the hair at the nape of his neck while the other busies with tugging his shirt out of his pants.

“Right now?” Spencer taunts, mouth against mouth. His hand trails down the side of her breast, caressing her rib cage and her hip before stopping at her upper thigh. Spencer’s fingertips toy with the tops of her lace thigh highs. “But anyone could walk by and see us.”

“I don’t care,” she argues, fumbling clumsily as she struggles to undo his belt buckle.

Spencer’s wandering hand dips below the hem of her dress to explore the silky-smooth skin of her inner thigh. She’s soft here, too, he thinks to himself as his hand travels up, up, up. He stops just short of where she wants him most and she lets out a despairing cry.

“You wouldn’t mind someone walking by and seeing you with your pretty legs spread wide for your professor?”

Spencer brings life to his words by lifting her leg up, hitching her thigh around his hip and pressing into her. The silk fabric of her dress rustles as he pushes it up and out of the way.

A breathy moan tumbles from her lips as he rocks against her, dragging his arousal up and down the front of her lace panties. The friction is maddening in that it provides only the smallest bit of relief. It’s not enough for Spencer, and judging by the way she desperately pushes down the fabric of his pants, it’s not enough for his partner, either.

“Need to get these off now,” she murmurs against Spencer’s mouth. An eager hand tugs at the elastic band of his underwear.

Spencer places his hand on hers, stilling her movements. “Not so fast, baby. Gotta make sure you’re ready for me first.”

Her fingers clamp down on Spencer’s wrist, guiding him to the sodden lace between her thighs.

“Don’t think that’s gonna be a problem,” she whimpers as Spencer’s fingers take appraisal of the drenched cloth. “In fact, I think four months of foreplay is sufficient enough. Wouldn’t you say?”

“Maybe so,” Spencer muses, voice muffled as he sucks at the skin of her neck. “But I’m not willing to chance hurting you our first time together. You’re entirely too precious to me.”

Spencer captures her lips in a kiss so sweet it has her sighing into his mouth. When he pulls away, he fixes her with a smile.

“You’re not particularly fond of these panties, are you?”

Her eyebrows pull together. “No, why?”

Spencer pulls at the flimsy fabric harshly and it gives way under the force of it. He reaches back to stuff the thong in his back pocket.

“That’s why.”

Spencer’s lips come down against hers at the same time his middle and index fingers drag across her slickness. His foresight pays off when his mouth muffles the sound of her cries. As confident he is that they won’t be found, a cry like that would certainly have drawn unwanted attention.

The swipe of his thumb across her crest paired with the gentle pressure of his fingers dipping into her heat is enough to make her legs buckle. Had it not been for Spencer pressing her against the wall, she surely would have fallen to the ground in a trembling heap.

“I could get lost in you for hours,” Spencer groans, curling his fingers inside her in such a way that makes her clutch desperately to his shirt.

“Spencer, oh my God,” she keens. “I need you, please.”

“You have me, my love,” Spencer whispers the promise against her parted lips. “You’ve had me since the first moment I laid eyes on you.”

Spencer speeds up the onslaught of his fingers until the telltale tightening of her heat warns him of her impending climax. He has to bite down on his lower lip to regain his own composure. The feeling of her tight and wet around his fingers is almost too good.

“Spencer, I’m getting close,” she whimpers.

Spencer continues until she’s on the cusp of tumbling over the edge, until one more pass of his fingers against her crest would surely seal the deal, and then he’s removing his hand and taking a step back.

“Spencer, what the fu-,” she pauses when he promptly shoves his pants and underwear just enough to free himself from their painful confines. “Oh.”

A dazed smile makes its way to her face as Spencer presses himself against her once more. He sweeps her up into a kiss comprised of pure, unadulterated desire, before pulling away and smirking deviously at her.

“Jump.”

It takes a moment for her pleasure fogged brain to make sense of the request, but as soon as it does, she complies without question.

Spencer’s hands grip her thighs firmly and in one swift thrust he sheaths himself into her fully – an indulgence so grand that all others dull in comparison. Now that he’s had the finest, felt it wrapped around him like warm velvet, he can’t imagine a world in which he must live without it.

“Spencer!”

Spencer swears he’s never heard a sweeter sound than her crying out his name as their bodies come together for the first time. It’s synonymous with a siren call, he thinks, because in that moment she could lure him to certain death and he knows he would go with a smile.

His lips seek purchase on the exposed skin of her chest as he buries himself in her paradise again and again. The sharp sting of her heels digging into his back with every thrust brings out a sort of primal urge in him, spurring him to rut up into her like a man possessed.

“You feel perfect,” Spencer groans out against the flushed skin of her neck. He presses a soft kiss to where her pulse bounds just beneath the skin before pulling away and locking eyes with her. “When I’m old and gray and can remember nothing else, I’ll remember this. I’ll remember how it felt to kiss you for the first time – how it felt to touch you. How it felt to worship you and make love to your body.”

Spencer’s voices catches, thick and overwhelmed with emotion.

“I’ll remember how it feels to love you.”

Her breath catches in her throat and sharp pang of panic burns hot in his chest. Had he misinterpreted her affections? Did she not burn for him in the same way? Perhaps the ambrosia meant nothing. Spencer’s movements falter, and for several torturous seconds he’s nearly paralyzed with fear.

She silences those fears with a kiss.

“Oh, Spencer,” she sighs as she presses her forehead against his. “I love you, too. More than you could ever comprehend.”

Spencer resumes moving in and out of her, but the frenzied feeling from before is replaced with something else now. Something softer, but no less passionate.

“Yeah?” he inquires, searching her eyes for any trace of insincerity. He finds none, and it’s a relief. Any hint of falseness in her claim would surely lead to a heartbreak he could never recover from.

“Yes.” The word trails off into a moan. “I love you, Spencer Reid. I don’t imagine I’ll ever stop.”

Spencer’s heart jolts and he whines pathetically against her mouth. “I’m counting on that.”

“I’m close, Spencer,” she pants, her breath hitting his face in warm puffs. “Don’t think I can last much longer.”

“Me, too.” Spencer nudges her nose with his own. “Reach between us and touch yourself, my love. I want us to cum together. Can you do that for me?”

She nods, and the hand that clung to his right shoulder dips in between them to rub tight circles against her crest. Spencer doubles his efforts when he sees her eyelids flutter closed, and the resulting tightening of her core leaves him panting hard.

“Spencer, I-” her breath catches in her throat as Spencer delivers a particularly strong thrust. Her head falls against his shoulder, her soft moans of his name like heaven to his ears.

“Cum with me, baby,” Spencer grunts out desperately. He needs it like he needs air to breath and water to drink. And once he has it, he knows he’ll need it again and again.

She gives it to him with a muffled cry of his name and he’s instantly swept away, drowning in the blissful way her body sings for him. His body follows her lead, shattering completely under her fingertips.

While he’s been through similar acts with previous partners, those instances always felt impersonal and clinical. The caresses and whispered words were all a means to an end, an end that usually left him feeling lonelier and emptier than when he started. But right now, as he feels the beat of her heart pressed against his own, he swears he couldn’t feel fuller - full of adoration, full of affection, full of love. It’s beautiful and overwhelming and everything Spencer didn’t know he was looking for.

A raucous round of applause erupts from the direction of the party, startling the two of them. Spencer feels her laugh against his neck.

“It’s almost as if they were applauding us for a job well done.”

Spencer presses a chaste kiss to the crown of her head.

“As they should. That was sensational.”

Spencer carefully pulls out and lowers her to the floor. He wastes no time in tilting her chin up and capturing her lips in a reverent kiss. Spencer hopes his lips convey his gratitude.

The two of them pull apart and set to making themselves presentable. Their efforts prove to be in vain when Spencer points out a dark purple love bite nestled into the crook of her neck. She counters this by taking note of the smudge of red lipstick on his collar.

“What an adulterous pair we make, Professor.”

Spencer rolls his eyes good-naturedly. “I’m not your professor anymore.” He bends down and places a kiss to her lips before taking her hand in his.

“I suppose you’re not,” she muses as they meander down the corridor. “Whatever shall we do now?”

As the two of them step out of the dark hallway and reenter the party, Spencer smiles to himself. Visions of wedding rings flit through his mind. Spencer supposes he’ll have to take a break from the posh clothing and rare books in favor of saving his money. He’ll buy only the finest ring for his future wife, after all.

“I have a few ideas.”

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tessiete · 3 years ago

Text

(art by @rcrisdraws)

AT LAST! It is done.

After ten months, and 200 000+ words I have at last finished my Year on the Run fic chronicling Satine's rise to power, and her romance with Obi-Wan.

It's been a huge part of my life, and I will get to the comments that so many wonderful people have left for me (seriously, the love and depth of engagement people have expressed for this fic has BLOWN ME AWAY. I'm forever grateful for that incredible support!!!) but in the meantime, let me say THANK YOU to everyone who has read along, and encouraged me, and held my hand.

Special thanks especially, to @treescape who listened to EVERY SINGLE chapter breakdown, discussed character motivations and arcs, pointed out holes and found solutions, and was really a guiding light the whole way through.

Thanks also to @pomiar and @the-last-kenobi who listened to be kvetch for WEEKS. Pom, who helped and still helps me figure out how to make it function as a complete novel, who was never afraid to point out something that was out of character, or demand much needed explanations for things that weren't always clear. Her vision is just SO acute and insightful! And TLK whose undying enthusiasm pushed me to the finish line. She's always eager to hear more, full of encouragement, and her utter faith in me was exactly what I needed.

The biggest thanks of all to the Obitine discord, and the wonderful people there. I wrote this to convince @duchess-of-mandalore that we don't need canon, to try and give @the-obiwan-for-me something HALF as wonderful as her fic (SSTW) gave to us, to make @mg024 laugh, and cry, and astonish her as much as she manages to astonish me. And for everyone else there who has been with me. It's for you!!!

You can find the whole thing HERE

And now, because I love process, here are some behind the scenes tidbits...just in case you were curious.

There really is nothing known canonically about "The Year on the Run" except:

1. It was "an extended mission when I was younger. Master Qui-Gon and I spent a year on Mandalore, protecting the Duchess from insurgents who had threatened her world. They sent bounty hunters after us. We were always on the run, living hand to mouth, never sure what the next day would bring."

2. They were attacked by venomites on Draboon

3. Obi-Wan carried Satine when they first met, and he dropped her which resulted in her getting a scar.

That's literally the entirety of what we know.

So, I had to expand on it A LOT.

The whole fic is a re-imagining of The 12 Labours of Hercules. What I didn't know when I started is there is no modern consensus on the morals/meanings of each task, so I had to do a bunch of research to find the most consistent interpretations, and then fill in the rest myself.

The hydra is represented by the nine bounty hunters that chase them the whole way throughout.

By rank: Aden Kast (meaning: wrath) - died by own hand Pre Vizsla - defected Jaro Spar (meaning: death wish) - arrested Bann Dryden (meaning: refuse) - killed by Qui-Gon Prudi Saxon (meaning: shadow) - deserted Paak Saxon (meaning: salt) - killed by Aden Kast Mirala Chorn (meaning: thoughtful) - disappeared Kyric Eldar (meaning: kill/end/death) - banished by DW Trikan Kelborn (meaning: sorrow) - killed by Bralor

Extra bonus: Hercules is eventually killed by the poisonous blood of the hydra, and so, this task is one that kind of defeats him. Pre Vizsla is that poison in Only Hope. He sides with Satine here out of cunning, ambition, and self-preservation, but later is her ruin.

Satine's big thing is pacifism, and it was important to me in telling this story that pacifism not be confused with passivity. And so, I spent a lot of time researching how pacifism as an ideology can be made practical. Of course, I looked to Gandhi.

Using the three pillars of pacifism, I expanded on them within the text to demonstrate just *how* Satine makes this ideology work. Mandalorians are warriors, and she is no different. Only she battles hate, fear, and prejudice instead of people.

Beyond the political philosophies at play, I also spent a lot of time translating things into Mando'a. At the beginning of the story, Obi-Wan does not speak the language, so until he learns it, his POV chapters were FULL of fluent Mando'a.

This meant that I had to make up a ton of idioms, mottos, and myths to fill out the world of Mandalore. Things like these:

I also made up war songs, and beer hall anthems:

Of course, sung by Obi-Wan

And new gods for the old Mandalorian religion:

And about a MILLION Mandalorian names: Nur, Naani, Jori Ast'Atin, Haati be'Murtin, Bralor, Paak & Prudi, Iviinya, Kih'sol, Ta-Ciryc, Bu'ataaka, Rang, Kyric, Trikan, Gamnyn, Kut, Bora-Gaan, and on and on.

And a million cities: Dalabiik, Meshurok, Chorus, Amancitia, Pohja, Jiilma, Antioch the Needles, blah blah blah

And a million words: kalesera, etyc'baar, bo'aka, koryai, etc.

And of course, it wouldn't be a SW story without a ton of Obi-Wan whump.

(art by the incredible @kyber-erso)

Anyway. That's all for now. Thank you everyone for your interest, and love, and support!

- tess

#fic that i did #obitine #obi-wan kenobi #satine kryze #year on the run #jedi positivity #mandalorian positivity #worldbuilding #writing #fic #star wars #gffa

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