#this post has love for both iterations of the story~
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Fave Tsukutabe Fashions!
I got an ask earlier in the day asking for my personal fave fashions of the 4 gals, but it was asked when I was at work and couldn't provide good examples!
I'm home now, so I'm going to fix that. My answers under the cut!
First and foremost! I...am not good at talking fashion, but I do tend to scoop out characters' sense of fashion when I read/watch stuff (as well as making my own outfits for my OCs)! You won't find me going into detail as to why I like an outfit, but I will be providing examples! How many? I'm thinking 2 - One for the manga and one for the drama. Other than that, it looks like I can pull from whatever, especially within the manga category, though I pretty much picked stuff found in the manga anyway lol
Okay, we good? Good! Let's get this fashion train rolling!
Nomoto
I'm really fond of this particular loungewear. The "WARMTH" wordart gets to me in a silly way. It was neat to find a color ref from the official Twitter account recently!
Meanwhile, I have a fondness for the Valentine's Day outfit in the dramaverse. I've drawn it for two different illustrations! Nomoto was definitely dressing to impress that day~
Kasuga
...You know how hard it is to actually find unique Kasuga outfits? I love her penchant for simplicity, but it's like, okay, they all look the same except black or gray lmao
I will have to go with this one for the manga. It's REALLY adorable, from what little we do see of it (I don't think there was even a full-body pic of it) and the change in hairstyle really made a difference! I hope we get to see her in this, or other hairstyles, in the future!
Drama-wise? It's gotta be whenever she wears her jacket. As a fan of lightweight jackets, I give it two thumbs up in the Cool department~
Nagumo
It was technically an imagine spot, but I like Nagumo's camping outfit~
While Manga!Nagumo tends to go for hoodies, I really liked Drama!Nagumo's letter jacket. I love letter jackets in general. They're cool, and I think they shouldn't be confined to being just for your high school/college years :P (also the long sleeves omg)
Yako
...Yako goes all out when she attends the food parties! I love how unabashedly wine aunt-y she is when she's not lounging at home.
Like, you want to show people the defining Yako style? Bam, show them these 'fits
#tsukuritai onna to tabetai onna#she loves to cook and she loves to eat#tsukutabe asks#this post has love for both iterations of the story~#fashion#asks
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Arcane gives away the plot in incredibly unsubtle ways The most unsubtle hint is that Sevika's name can literally translate to "Servant of God". That's genuinely clever.
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/67c86f1f229108f0cb8750ccb6c9a2ee/21997f77ddcfe331-75/s540x810/98ebb3bbbd511b096b8915d6c215591d280d1825.jpg)
The origin of nations are highly mythologized stories so it works that her role in the story and on a meta level is to assist larger than life characters with cults of personality that can make Zaun's story happen.
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/aea8377d1639e343d0d6d15f11abd082/21997f77ddcfe331-c5/s540x810/94f67d765fbd63e537af7cea1f50efb3ee2fa355.jpg)
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The story isn't subtle about any of this! She worked for Silco, a man draped in anti-christ imagery with a cult clearly brewing in the background of Zaun, because he could make Zaun happen. Then when Silco's ability to put Zaun's independence above all else faltered in the face of his loyalty and love of his daughter he dies.
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/86b66f4a78d82cdcad1bf137f48d462b/21997f77ddcfe331-ec/s540x810/6b1c259eaa60bffc567c60fadd321e0904bdc2d6.jpg)
In a bit of foreshadowing Sevika already revealed the trump cards she had in her deck in the face of Silco's absence, Jinx and Viktor. Two figures already set up for greater feats of grandeur and idolization than Silco had achieved alive.
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Jinx, whose been baptized and ressurected as often as Silco, is the character for without whom the plot could not exist (or keep going). Jinx's militancy against Piltover forced was the reason Zaun's independence into the Council's room. And throughout the show Jinx imagery has either absorbed or subverted Janna's symbolism.
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/b9ea1672bc67c6dd3e3d83459c43d857/21997f77ddcfe331-14/s540x810/dbbb6ecaa4b4be272eb8da4d32c5d9991816a498.jpg)
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Janna is characterized by swirling blue winds, but in Zaun it's the blue of Jinx's cloud smoke that defines the land.
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Instead of Janna's blue bird meant to symbolize hope, Zaun is filled with Jinx's crows that call out Jinx's next act.
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/0c22d96f8219ab3edc2cb09582b7352e/21997f77ddcfe331-4e/s540x810/05ee057957173f761bff1639b8a7cd83f813659a.jpg)
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Now Jinx has desecrated Janna's holy site in her own image by adorning the ruins with a shrine to her own life.
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Meanwhile we've seen Viktor in the Sump, shrouded like a prophet to heal those harmed from their long-term shimmer dependence. Viktor is not set to remain in rags though.
Half the time the Machine Herald is referenced it's always coded in power.
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/206b5fe48b9549bfa75b0fe659035841/21997f77ddcfe331-fa/s500x750/24aed3fb449fed6e7ca454e9efa28797519ce99e.jpg)
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In the first shots of Zaun post-time skip we see a well guarded building called "The Herald's Palace".
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/6b9ee9b5e8bd23c4a9e16c6c0fb7c015/21997f77ddcfe331-33/s500x750/7e4ea8751a678d7838245648ff6b9b313938e62f.jpg)
In Sevika's playing cards Viktor's mask is given prongs to evoke the image of a crown. In both instances the Machine Herald's image is laced with Jinx's visual motif. First Jinx's blue swirls Frame The Herald's sign on his building, and her debut tag is centerd on his tarot card.
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/d8019e05794d1979c76c72d53afad89f/21997f77ddcfe331-d4/s540x810/0a888856fa7cecd52157f451705ad081614d355e.jpg)
It's only in past deeds is Jinx's presence unseen on Viktor's work. For example, the drains of the water treatment system Viktor is hinted at creating are decorated to resemble previous iterations of the Machine Herald's masks and are visually his alone.
It seems we're in for a double act next season!
#arcane#arcane meta#sevika arcane#jinx arcane#viktor arcane#silco#jinx and viktor#viktor and jinx#honestly it seems like viktor's the bigger existential threat between the two#they both have cults#but viktor's cult is definitely weirder#i would love to see how sevika deals with these two divine knuckleheads
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doodle dump of unreleased aus that r still actively in my Brain Often but i dont post shit about them
⚠️warning for old art and blood and injury drawn and death mentions⚠️
———
magic lily au:
main theme -
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summary is that leo is transported to the samurai rabbit universe instead of his family’s arms through a trifecta of his ninpo, mikey’s mystics that begged for him to be safe, and the ki stone sensing a hero in need
when leo lands in the world, he doesnt know any japanese aside from simple phrases he grew up with; “thank you”, “please”, “excuse me”, “help me”, “i love you”, etc
him and yuichi fall in love and he remains there for a few years ! however . theyve all known since the beginning that the ki stone would take leo back once he was healed. she was clear on the fact he was only there to be helped , not to live there . so yuichi and leo hold off the inevitable, despite leo missing his family horribly and knowinf they think hes dead , despite knowing how selfish it was to have one more day with each other , they avoided the ki stone until they go to the temple together and leo is ripped from the world without even a chance to reallt say goodbye to everyone
uhhh etc etc they were their first and last loves as they were both on the aro spec and didnt have a need to find that kinda love again they just . wanted each other and blehhh
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i have a playlist for it as well ! my oldest au , started since i got into the fandom
UUAU:
[temp name]
my original usagi/tmnt iteration with miyamoto usagi as the main protag ! i still want to create a comic and really officially send this out so i wont spoil a lot, but !
the basis is that usagi lives in a post apocolyptic solarpunk society and is forcibly sent back in time to a cyberpunk city where the seeds of a war have begun to sprout, dropped in the middle of the highest tensions between three turtles and their eldest brother who is on the enemy side
doomed siblings, doomed toxic yaoi, doomed Everything, its inspired by idw and 2003 so what else is there to expect
only showing the beta design for usagi ! i have a lot of other drawings for this but again, spoilers
historical graves au:
this one is the most recent of the bunch, just putting my version of yuichi for rise into a more usagi yojimbo styled setting ! the story is entirely different from the fanfic and im still working on it But
yuichi is the great grandchild of miyamoto usagi instead of a distant ancestor , so the debt of the shogun’s assassination is that much heavier and Far more dangerous to hold. yuichi and his adoptive little sister, hana, have recently escaped the mass murder and pillaging of their rabbit village (the same one that mariko and kenichi and usagi grew up in) and are on a journey to find their aunt for sanctuary
along the way, they run into a lot of familiar faces, such as the hamato clan , who has karai as their jōnin ! also yuichi gets possessed by jei at some point
hes trans too so he “disguises” himself as a boy to be more hidden as they travel
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/8f4af67e00a6d0f03feb5f752b22399c/ddc3a383766fd248-ac/s540x810/e93bc3fb4f1f094517df3fd1416757b90c6e81ea.jpg)
ive got one more original iteration but theres like . nothing i want to share from it rn lmao
SOOO THATS IT basicallt !!umm if anyone wants to know more about any of these aus id be happy to answer ! u can request doodles of them too !
if u read this far ily and im kissing you
#dj ramblings#rottmnt#tmnt#rottmnt leo#save rottmnt#unpause rise of the tmnt#fanart#dj art#yuichi usagi#rottmnt fanart#samurai rabbit#srtuc#samurai rabbit the usagi chronicles#samurai rabbit fanart#srtuc fanart#usagi yojimbo#tmnt iteration#miyamoto usagi#uy jei#srtuc usagi#cw mentions of death#cw blood#cw injury#leosagi#leosagi au#magic lily au#uuau#historical graves au#graves au
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Could you do a second part of the request for Sevica's niece x Jinx? I would love to know what happened with Reader and Powder
Please 💞
of course! thank you for the request <3
i’m no longer quarantined (yaaaay!) but that means back to regular posting pace, sorry :( hope u guys enjoyed 4 fics in half a week.
this is a part 2 to this fic! this will be the final part of this story, i hope it's not obvious but i was struggling with the direction
characters included; jinx, powder (act iii au), sevika (familial), ekko (platonic)
summary; you and powder make amends, though you know that you have to get back to your universe.
tags/warnings; fluff, hurt/comfort, s2 spoilers, mentions of drinking and smoking, powder majority of the story, angsty in the beginning, jinx at the end, brief arguing, universe hopping or whatever that's called, happy bonus at the end
men dni.
"all done,"
you smile, putting your hands out behind powder in a grand gesture that says 'ta-da.' pink ribbons adorn azure locks, carefully woven into both of her twin braids. a nod to the pink streak through her hair, and frankly- she looks beautiful. you don't want to stroke your ego, but you did a damn good job.
tension still hangs in the air, but seems to slowly slip with every second that passes. powder's jealousy is on the backburner for now as she looks over her hair in the mirror, her eyes curious. the sight is bittersweet. she looks happy, enamored with her new hair. a smile is tugging at the corners of powder's glossed lips, and those blue eyes are looking up at yours with such merriness. the braiding seemed to do the trick.
though the twin braids bring you back to jinx, your jinx. it's a delicate balance, a sort of tug-of-war in your mind. on one hand, this powder looks genuinely happy. she isn't the broken down girl you know and love. her cheeks are fuller, her skin has more color to it, she's taller, her smiles are more frequent, and they're real. the version of you whose body you're occupying clearly loves her, and she clearly loves this alternate you in return.
you love her back, at least you think you do. this is still jinx, just... less tortured. or rather, jinx is the distortion of powder. it's confusing, really, and you don't think you can spend too much time thinking about it before your brain starts to hurt.
you could grow used to this, if you allowed yourself to. but you knew you couldn't, not when jinx was waiting on you. probably worrying herself absolutely sick. you'd promised your girlfriend you'd be back soon, a few hours tops. but it'd been much longer than that by now, the next morning having come and gone.
you knew jinx and how she thought. she'd probably fully convinced herself by now that you were gone. that you'd disappeared into the lanes or maybe even piltover to find yourself someone better, just to leave her to wither. no matter how many times you swore to the girl that you would never, the insecurities still lingered in the back of her mind. they were likely at the forefront now.
"damn, i look... good," powder starts, pulling you out of your daze. she lets out a light chuckle, a mix of a gasp and laugh. "never thought i'd see you play hairstylist, but you did pretty great."
you give a gentle smile in return, situating yourself behind powder in the mirror and draping your arms around her waist. you place your chin on her shoulder her smile widens and she gives a satisfied 'hmm' sound, powder's head leading to the side against yours. a picture-perfect couple if you've ever seen one.
but it isn't real. at least, this iteration isn't. part of you wishes it was, wishes that you had something with the powder you knew as a little girl. in a zaun better than you could've ever imagined. you wished so badly that this is who powder became in your world, instead of jinx; as much as you loved her. but no matter. 'no use in dwelling,' your aunt would tell you in times like these.
though you knew that wasn't the case, and the other part of you felt that this was wrong. even though you're in her place, you're not the one powder loves- not really. a different version of her, sure, but you can't help feeling like you're lying to powder.
yet, what are you supposed to do? tell her the truth, that you'd somehow ended up in a parallel universe where things were remarkably better than the one you'd come from? that the version of her you knew and loved had been mistreated and neglected for much of her teenage years, only to go on to become a pyromaniac? that zaun had somehow moved backwards?
you nuzzle closer to powder's touch, the scent of strawberry shampoo and fruity perfume filling your senses. you supposed you could keep this charade going for a little longer, at least until you figured out how to return to your home universe.
the way powder is looking at you through your shared reflection and smiling, so at peace, you know that this isn't all bad. you may not be the one powder knows, but you can act the part. you can make her happy. you can indulge for a little bit.
"somethin' on your mind, babe?"
she asks, her smile unwavering. you shake your head in response, your grip around her waist tightening the slightest bit.
"no, just looking at you." you hum. "you look beautiful right now, you know."
"oh yeah? what about the rest of the time?"
powder reaches behind her to playfully poke your side, earning a short giggle from you. you shake your head in mock resignation, giving an amused huff.
"you look great all the time. i just happen to think i enhanced that beauty a bit."
you chuckle. powder rolls her eyes, her smile never faltering.
"miss humble over here. braided my hair once, and now her ego's off the charts."
she jests. you're quickly coming to recognize these playful jabs as a way the girl shows affection. it's not far off from jinx at all. but still, this moment of holding powder from behind, feeling the quiet warmth of her body against yours and seeing that smile in the mirror. you wish that you could freeze this moment in time, frame it even. capture it so that it never slips away from you. though again, you know this won't last. it can't.
✧.*
"any developments?"
"we've got... something."
ekko offers, his tone more resigned than you'd hope to hear right now. you let out an exasperated sigh, your gaze falling to the ground of the dank alleyway. though you raise your hand and wave off, a gesture to urge your friend to continue.
"heimerdinger and i are trying to work on a time machine. something that can rewind time a little, maybe even bring us back."
he says, though he sounds uncertain. you can't say you blame him, necessarily. this entire situation is so confusing.
"when will it be done?"
you ask, eyes wide and looking into his as a sort of silent plea. a heavy sigh escapes ekko, and he slowly shakes his head.
"i don't know. i'm sorry, just... these things take time."
"i don't have time." you plead. "jinx is probably back home, already convinced that i up and left. hell, she's probably figuring out some kind of revenge plot while we're talking."
any other time, those words would be a joke, but now your tone is anything but joking. you know deep in you that jinx is a wreck right now, even if you're not physically with her. not to mention your aunt, not to mention the way of life that you're used to.
"i'm sure she is. and the firelights probably aren't doing much better."
it's true, they're most likely not. no hextech here, no firelights, no jinx, no shimmer ravaging the streets. from the outside looking in, you two would be seen as idiots to have something so good, and want to throw it away for the fucked-up place you'd come from. but jinx was too important to you, ekko's work too important to him. you pause. you'd been sleeping at powder's, but with the absence of the tree and bases in this version of zaun, you couldn't help but worry for your friend.
"where are you staying, by the way?"
"on campus at the academy. the dorms are pretty nice, actually. there's a kitchen, laundry room, and lounge in the building, so i'm all set."
you nod slowly. you should've figured, with him being one of the academy's most esteemed inventors in this world. but still, it was nice to hear that he wasn't just sleeping on benzo's couch.
"you're staying with powder?"
"nope. i'm an apartment owner here, apparently."
"no shit," he breathes out, a bewildered expression on the boy's face. neither of you could've imagined having your own space in zaun of all places, so to know that it was possible.. wow.
silence hangs in the air for a moment, and you're not sure what else could be used to fill it. what else is there to talk about, really? the impending sense of dread both of you have, or the lingering anxiety that you'll be trapped in this reality forever?
"just... keep me updated, okay?" you sigh. "i just want to get back and tell jinx that everything is okay. no matter how nice all of this is."
"when we make progress, you'll be the first to know. we're getting somewhere, i promise. it's in the beginning stages, but i can't do anything when i don't have the means yet." he pauses. "you understand."
you do understand. you don't necessarily have room to not understand right now. he still looks uncertain, but he's giving you a gentle smile in an attempt to reassure you. it doesn't do much for your nerves necessarily, but it's a kind gesture regardless. now all there is to do is wait. gods, you hated waiting, but what other choice did you have?
you quickly exchange addresses in the case of developments or an emergency, before parting.
✧.*
powder had told you to meet her at her hideout, instead of her apartment. that's something that hadn't changed, at least. even in this universe, powder had found and made use of the wind turbine structure you'd see jinx turn into her home. it was different, of course, there were railings around the metal blades.
the decorations were easier on the eyes, much more inviting. although it was still very true to her usual chaotic manner, with messy decorations strewn across the space. her signature crude drawings decorate her dresser, her desk, old makeup palettes scattered around anywhere that'll house them.
but the most striking difference was the altar set up on one of the platforms, dedicated to vi. her big sister, who you'd seen alive and well just days prior. only in passing, but still. your girlfriend's relationship with her sister was strained at best, a near-fatality at worst. but something told you that if jinx knew her sister was gone in a parallel universe, if she was gone in your universe, she'd be utterly destroyed.
but not powder. powder was still fragile, you could see it in the way her jaw clenched at certain words, the way her eyes flitted when she got in her head. but powder could handle it. she didn't let it consume her, like jinx did. she didn't necessarily have a choice when it came to her state, but it was still an interesting contrast.
"hey, you!" powder beams, throwing her arms around you from behind. she presses a flurry of rushed kisses your jawline and cheek, then ending with a kiss to the corner of your mouth. "took ya long enough! what's with the hold up?"
"sorry, babe. just got a little sidetracked."
you hum, leaning into the touch. you turn around in powder's embrace, looking into those sapphire eyes that could make anyone weak. you capture the girl's lips in a chaste, yet sweet kiss. a fleeting moment, but you put all of the affection that you can into it.
"sidetracked? with what?" she asks. "you're always the focused one."
you purse your lips, and you try to think of a good excuse. you were with ekko is where you where, but you can't tell powder that. not after the outburst she'd had just a day prior. but what if she found out anyways? wouldn't it be better for her to find out from you directly, rather than being told by a bystander?
you'll tell her the truth. she knows you and him are just friends. she knows that.
"i was talking to ekko."
you mutter, and powder's expression immediately hardens. like a switch being flipped, her smile falters, and her grip around you loosens.
"oh."
"powder, we were just talking." you plead, your hand running through your hair.
"yeah. just talking, i know."
she says, although it's clear that she's not fully convinced. she shakes her head, a deep exhale escaping her.
"talking about what, though?"
she asks, and your heart nearly drops. you can't lie to her, not while she's in this state. you've seen it. jinx slips into it more often than you can bear- trying to hold herself together whilst her emotions are threatening to bubble to the surface and explode.
you'd sound like a mad woman if you told her the truth. but what other choice did you have?
"look, pow," you start. "i'm gonna sound batshit crazy when i tell you this. but you have to listen to me."
your tone is stern, a 'no-bullshit' air about you. powder nods slowly in agreement, and waits silently for you to continue.
"i'm not... from here," you begin.
"huh? you've always been in zaun."
she's tilting her head in that confused way, and it's adorable- but you have to focus.
"no, no. i know that," you say, scrambling to find the right words. "i mean... this world. i came from a parallel universe or whatever they call it, and i have no idea how to get back. it's the same with ekko. everything is the same here, but different."
you sigh, pausing to catch your breath as you ramble on. powder's eyebrows are furrowed, yet she doesn't interrupt you. she's listening intently. that's a good start, you suppose.
"i mean, zaun is somewhere livable. people whose corpses i've seen are standing right in front of me, and there's none of that fucked-up tech there is where i come from. and you're different. you're happy, and you're healthy. the version of you that i know is someone i don't think you'd recognize."
your shoulders slump, and you're growing more restless as you talk. it's a word-vomit of sorts. you know you probably sound out of your damn mind to the girl in front of you, but you just can't stop now that you've started.
"and i love her. i really do. and i love you, but it feels like i'm lying to you, because i'm not the me that you love. i'm just in her body right now, and i'm trying to figure out how to give it back."
it’s odd, baring your feelings like this to a girl you simultaneously know like the back of your hand and don’t know at all. if powder was looking at you before, she’s looking through you now.
“…please say something.”
you breathe out. powder presses her lips into a thin line, her gaze finally parting from yours.
“say i believe all of this. say it’s true, and you’re not making up some crazy story to shut me up. if i asked ekko what you were talking about, would he have the same story?”
“yes, powder. he would.”
she lets out a heavy sigh, crossing her arms over her chest. powder’s expression is unreadable at best, though she doesn’t seem angry. just… confused. shocked. in disbelief, maybe even denial. though before you can say much more, there’s a knock at powder’s door.
“i’ll get it,” she mutters, turning over her shoulder. she makes her way to the door slowly, turning the knob and opening it to ekko of all people.
“what are you doing here?”
“here for your girlfriend.” he says, hoping that’ll suffice. you’d told him that powder was jealous and he’d need to tread lightly, hopefully placing emphasis on the word ‘girlfriend’ would leave a good impression on her. “we just need a minute to talk. i’ll give her right back, i swear.”
powder pauses for a moment, scanning over his expression for any hints of deception or trickery. but as usual, there is none. just someone who wants to have a conversation with her girlfriend, even though that certain someone is one she’s been wary of. she sighs.
“babe, ekko’s here for you!”
she calls out. you make your way to your feet, striding towards the door while your friend comes into view. his demeanor doesn't give anything away, but he typically doesn't just... show up at people's doors. not the ekko you know. so this must be something important. powder steps aside, allowing ekko into the hideout and turns around.
"i'll be here when you're done," she says, glancing over her shoulder before returning to her desk.
ekko gives one more cautious look to the girl, before turning his attention to you.
"right."
you purse your lips, anticipating his next words.
"we've got something. it wasn't easy doing it, and it won't be easy to get back, but we can do it now." he says, his sentences rushed. "we can do it whenever you're ready- now, if you want."
you quirk an eyebrow.
"now?"
"only if you want to."
you shake your head slowly, wordlessly, crossing your arms in contemplation. you'd definitely prefer to get back to jinx as soon as possible, but now you're having second thoughts. god, after all that you'd done and thought about this entire time, now you're having second thoughts? you confuse yourself, you think. but none of this situation makes much sense to begin with.
"i... yeah. sure." you pause, drawing a sharp breath in. "but what happens to the other me? like, the one that's here?"
ekko's eyebrows knit together, and he takes a moment to consider your question. mentally going over everything that he'd gathered, and everything heimerdinger had told him.
"i think we'd go back to how we were- our other selves, i mean. it was just.. us in their bodies for a while, but they'll go back to normal. they should, anyways."
"what if they don't?"
"listen. do you wanna go back, or not?"
god damn, he's right. this is what you've both been wanting from the start, and while you worry for your other self, you have to put this first.
but still. powder. you barely know this version of her, but you know that she's a good person. a smart girl who loves and gives. she deserves to be happy, she deserves the version of you that she knows and loves so dearly. you can only hope that she'll return to powder after you're gone.
"...yeah. let's do it." you murmur. "but i want to say goodbye to powder first."
he nods, and tilts his head in the girl's direction as if to cue you to go on. you manage a weak smile in his direction, before walking over to powder. your heart's beat in your chest is akin to a war drum, ringing in your ears and making your hands shake.
"hey, pow." you sigh, prompting her to turn her head towards you from... drafting blueprints? what exactly is she doing?- doesn't matter right now. "i'm going back. to where i came from, i mean. i'll be gone for a little bit, but.. everything will go back to normal. you'll have your girlfriend back, your real girlfriend, and i'll be in a place i know."
her blue eyes flit downwards, and she frowns. but still, she manages to slowly nod in acknowledgement.
"okay."
is all that she can manage, and she sounds defeated. it breaks your heart, seeing her like this. you step forward, cautiously wrapping your arms around the girl's shoulders in a gentle embrace.
"everything will be okay." you whisper, feeling her arms encircle your waist. "you deserve to be happy, powder."
✧.*
you're back.
oh, shit, you're back.
you spring to your feet, having been planted smack in the middle of a busy zaun street. passersby speed past you, vendors are loudly shouting to advertise their products, and loud music can be heard in the distance.
all that occupies your mind in this moment is jinx, jinx, jinx. anything else- the fact that it feels like you haven't eaten in days, your muscles are sore from whatever the hell that time machine had done to you, or the fact that you feel like you may collapse at any moment from exhaustion are of no significance to you. you have to find you, you have to see her and know that she's okay, tell her that you're okay.
your first stop is jinx's hideout. she's almost always there, running around while tinkering with some new weapon or conspiring her next big job. but as soon as the door swings open, a deafening silence hits you. one that's uncharacteristic for your girlfriend, the only time she's ever quiet is when she's sleeping- and she doesn't get much of that.
you scramble through the different platforms, looking under large structures- lifting up blankets, looking in her cot, her beat-up couches, but there's no trace of the girl.
so you make your way to the lanes, where you figure jinx may be causing destruction. all you find is shimmer dealers and street rats scrounging for scraps.
your last hope is the last drop. jinx doesn't tend to venture much. she wouldn't be in piltover for anything right now, she doesn't walk through zaun's streets to window shop or sightsee. she sticks to her areas of interest, occasionally venturing out to tag walls, fight, or look for materials. if she wasn't there, you couldn't begin to think of where she would be. you didn't want to think of that.
you push the heavy door of the tavern open, immediately struck with the smell of liquor and stench of smoke, the sound of patrons chatting away and playing card games in the company of friends.
you scan the bar counter, the tables, the bits of the kitchen you can see, but she isn't here either. you can hardly believe what you're seeing. nine times out of ten, jinx is somewhere within the confines of these locations you've searched, but it's as if she's vanished.
however, you do see a familiar face- that of your aunt. tucked away in a dark corner of the bar at a small wooden table, filling out a stack of paperwork.
"sevika."
you start, a brow quirked and your arms crossed.
"not even an 'aunt' at beginning?" sevika jests, not looking up from the papers in front of her. she's scribbling something away, likely to do with the late silco's businesses, but no matter. you don't have time to ask what she's up to, and frankly you don't care either.
"where is she?" you demand, taking a seat across from the woman. "i've looked in the hideout, the lanes, and now here, but she's nowhere."
"where were you?" sevika bites back. the flips to another page, the pen scratching against paper almost obnoxiously. you wince at her tone, slowly shrinking into yourself- though you can't exactly explain that to her.
"that's a long story. a lot happened."
you sigh, bracing your elbows on the wood before you.
"spare me no details," she says, sarcasm lacing her words. "she's worried sick. jinx was asking me all yesterday and the night before where you were, what you were doing, because she'd heard nothing from you. but i didn't know anything, and i still don't. you're grown now, and you can handle yourself. but as your aunt, i'm supposed to know these things. by the way," she pauses, her gaze lifting to meet yours.
"walking out on a girl like jinx isn't a good idea. she's not in a good way."
"i didn't walk out on her, auntie."
she huffs, placing her pen down on the stack before her. she's got an eyebrow raised in that way she does so often, but there's still a softness to her gaze. you're family. while she's not particularly happy with you right now, especially since she's the one who has to take care of jinx in your absence, she's still forgiving.
"i don't have a clue where she could be right now, kid. but she'll be back at that hideout of hers soon enough. i'd just wait."
it's not the answer you'd like to hear; you've got a one-track mind focused solely on jinx right now. but it'll suffice. she's right, she always does eventually return there.
"...thanks, auntie sev."
"yeah, yeah. i've got work to do. go be with your girlfriend."
she concedes, making a 'shoo' motion with her prosthetic hand.
✧.*
you jump to your feet off of the torn plush couch the moment jinx steps into view in her hideout.
"jinx."
her head nearly snaps in your direction, and she runs over to you with alarming speed. she's always been a swift girl, but you don't know if you've ever seen her this urgent.
"baby? is that you?"
she breathes out, standing directly in front of you. wide magenta eyes look into yours, and you nearly begin crying on the spot. your arms throw around the girl's slender frame before you can think. you hold her tight to you, as if you're afraid that she'll disappear if you let go. usually it's her holding you like this, shaking like a leaf and struggling to keep it together, but there's a first for everything.
"yes, yes, it's me. i'm here."
"what happened? i... thought you left." her voice cracks on the last word, afraid and insecure.
"i would never. trust me. a lot happened, i'll explain later, just..."
there's a pause for a moment as you pull back slightly, before closing the distance to press your lips to jinx's. your lips move together in a slow, gentle, desperate rhythm, and you try to put all of your current feelings into them.
i missed you.
i'm sorry.
i'm never leaving.
i love you.
you slowly pull back, your eyes welling with tears threatening to spill at any moment.
"i didn't mean for any of this to happen, i promise you. i never meant to leave you, i told you i'd be back in a few hours and i wasn't." you whisper, a tear spilling and slipping down your cheek. your arms tighten around jinx, and you can tell from the way her breathing is growing labored. she's not upset, just so damn overwhelmed. "i love you, jinx, so much."
another chaste kiss to her lips to emphasize your words.
"are you okay?"
"i... yeah. i'm okay. i just didn't know if you were coming back." she trails off, voice raspy and weak. those words hit you like a punch to the gut, no matter the fact that you'd seen them coming. you hate seeing jinx so torn up, and you hate being the cause of that.
"i'll always come back, babe." you whisper, holding jinx's gaze. you slowly move your hands to rest atop her shoulders. "let's go do something."
"do what?"
"i don't know. anything," you say, your eyes hopeful. "i just need to be with you. i'll tell you everything, and we can do whatever you want. i just missed you."
jinx purses her lips for a moment, a little 'hmm' coming from her as she thinks over the possibilities. she thinks of things in her hideout, but she senses that you want to go out into the city right now. there's a lot of shops, but she's never been one to frequent them. an abandoned warehouse with fireworks.
"i know a place,"
she declares, taking your dominant hand from her shoulder and holding it in hers.
"shall we?"
✧.* bonus!
"oh, screw you!" powder giggles, flour dusting her cheeks.
"i didn't mean to!"
the alternative you is back in her body. she's got no memory of what happened the past two days, all she remembers is waking up in powder's arms to the sight of tears running down pale cheeks. you hadn't sustained any injuries, no scarring, but you were just... gone. you couldn't recount anything.
"it said put the flour in the mixing bowl, not on my face, you goof!"
you're together in your cramped kitchen trying to figure out a recipe, one of vander's that he'd written down for powder. strawberry shortcake, one of her childhood favorites that vander claims she used to beg him for. she vehemently denies this, and you go along with her whims, but you can't help inwardly laughing at the thought of a little powder begging her dad to bake for her.
"it was a mistake, pow! i swear!"
she rolls her eyes, but the hysterical giggles coming from her girlfriend tell you that she's not really angry. she shakes her head, taking the paper in her hands again to reread the instructions. she plucks a wooden spoon from one of your drawers, keeping her eyes focused on the paper.
"so it says to mix the dry ingredients, then we get started on wet."
"yeah, that's usually how it works when you bake things."
powder grunts, and a light smack lands on your shoulder, prompting another fit of laughter from you.
"my bad for not having experience with this! you said you were gonna make it, so we're making it."
you snort in response, gently taking the recipe from her hands and looking over it yourself. you set down the paper on the counter as she begins mixing the dry ingredients in the bowl- a pink and blue clay one that she'd made especially for you. it wasn't the ideal size for most of your baking endeavors, but you'd never tell your dear girlfriend that. it was perfect, because it was hers.
"i'm happy to make whatever you want, babe. just say the word." you hum, planting a gentle kiss on her cheek before striding to your fridge to retrieve a few wet ingredients.
"anything? anything, anything?"
she asks, looking back at you. her hand is still working.
"anything you want."
"i've heard macarons are really hard. would you make those for me?"
you chuckle lightly, placing a carton of eggs, milk, and strawberries on the counter.
"they wouldn't be pretty, i'm sure. but i'd make them for you."
powder lets out a happy squeal, before turning to you and stepping aside to show you her work.
"i think i'm done mixing." she smiles. "i didn't mess it up, did i?"
you shake your head lightly, a playful lilt to your tone whilst searching your overhead cupboards for a second bowl.
"you did great. it's just dry ingredients, not hard to mix those. the wet ingredients can get a bit tricky, though."
powder rolls her eyes and groans, prompting a laugh from you.
"it's not that bad. come on, let's get started on that. as soon as we're done, you'll have that strawberry shortcake."
#jinx x reader#powder x reader#arcane x reader#arcane x you#reader insert#sapphic#i am not proud of this one sorry
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RW Headcanon: "Pebbsie Privilege"
Here’s a headcanon I’ve had in the works for a while, and now I finally want to share it! It's shorter than some of my others, but I hope you'll still find it amusing!
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So firstly (and I plan to expand on this more later) I headcanon Five Pebbles is someone who cares a lot about his appearance, though not in a prissy or snooty sense and more in a “likes being the smartest and most sophisticated one in the room” sense. That means, more so than the average person, he generally doesn’t like being teased, ignored, belittled, condescended to, or otherwise disrespected, and very understandably so if you ask me! But it also means there exists a very special ability when it comes to interacting with Five Pebbles that almost no characters have.
It’s no more than the ability of someone to refer to Five Pebbles as “Pebbsie” while he’s in earshot without getting death-glares from him. Looks to the Moon, who first started using it, affectionately calls this ability “Pebbsie privilege”, and she ends up being one of the only characters who has it (besides Innocence, who in my portrayals eventually gets it too). Though even so, Pebbles originally got rather flustered when she called him that alone, much less in front of others, considering it's definitely a very cutesy nickname. In fact, poor Pebbles really didn’t like being called “Pebbsie” because one of his least favorite ways of being treated is like a child (which includes being thought of as "cute" in any way). This unfortunately happens to him a lot though since he’s part of the newest iterator generation and tends to have lots of uncommon ideas rarely taken seriously by the older models, and this treatment only amplified as he grew more stubborn and arrogant.
To elaborate on the origin, Moon developed the nickname pretty much on an impulse — quite a rare thing for her to act on actually — of wanting to hearken more to her role as “Big Sis Moon” and show love to her little brother. Soon after she started using it though Pebbles would pull her into private chats and urge her to drop it to save his dignity. Not wanting to hurt her brother in any way, it didn’t take long before she apologized and stopped using it, and basically got her "Pebbsie privilege" revoked. In the current time she secretly still likes calling him that in her mind, but knowing how much he dislikes it she always feels pretty guilty afterwards, despite them being no more than thoughts at that point. While not a major issue in-and-of itself, this situation was actually a small step in worsening a long-time fear Moon has, though that’s a headcanon for another day…
On a (marginally) more positive note however, after Moon’s collapse and the worsening of Five Pebbles’s rot, along with him generally reminiscing about the things he used to have (as part of yet more character headcanons I’ll elaborate on some other time), he actually began to grow fond of the nickname more and more. Yet he also couldn’t also shake the growing heartache the memories brang, as he came to see it as a reminder of his sister’s never-ending love for him and the better times he now regretted taking for granted and trying so hard to escape. While I headcanon he handles it differently in Downpour’s canon, in the worm-off-the-string AU story I’ve got so far, Moon slowly regaining her “Pebbsie privilege” and Pebbles appreciating it and no longer taking it so seriously (though he still forbids its usage in public) could serve as a small, yet sweet indicator of character growth for both of them.
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Aaaand another RW headcanon done! I wanna mention, though, now that I’ve got more of an idea for the aforementioned AU I really want to start posting more of my headcanons for the Local Group, since the character interactions, histories, and ultimate character growth is perhaps one of the most important elements of that story so far. I’ve spent at least a couple weeks creating almost 40 pages worth of character notes, and while this particular one started out as just a little side-headcanon, I ended up tying it into all of that. Hopefully I can start sharing the main parts of these headcanons soon!
#art#artwork#sketch#drawing#digital#digital art#fanart#rain world#headcanons#rw headcanons#iterator#rw iterator#five pebbles#FP#rw fp#looks to the moon#LttM#rw lttm#quetzalli draws#quetzalli headcanons
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Hi! I love you, your blog (wifeposting supremacy) and your writing and I hope you are doing well. I was rereading bbts, as one does, and I was wondering if you'd read fics where Tim also calls for Kon the way one would Supes? I don't know if it's a proper trope or not but I need to see it more... anyway, no worries if not and sending lots of love :)
thank you! wifeposting supremacy indeed! i’ve been slacking on my posting this month because fifteen thousand different things have been going on, but at least some of those have been good wife things. earlier today i noticed she added my last name to one of her social media accounts and i had to just collapse into the pile of clean laundry i was folding and stare at the ceiling being gay about that for like ten minutes. yes we’ve been married over a year yes i was still like “omg that’s my wife.”
and re: fics where tim calls for kon: yes for sure! i also adore it, to no surprise. i know there are way more than i have listed here, but these are ones i thought of off the top of my head:
Orientation by @smilebackwards, which is probably one of the first iterations of this trope that i read, and the moment tim shouts for kon never fails to delight me every time i reread it.
Wing Beats in Reverse by firefright, a reverse robins au with (excellent) jason pov, so timkon are technically background—but they’re still absolutely gut-wrenching, especially when the fic employs this specific trope.
speaking of reverse robins, i always love to rec Detours by miyaji_08, which has both identity shenanigans and tim (quietly) calling for kon in the middle of a Real Tense Situation.
Sore Loser by @hayleyhearts is (as always with this author) sharp and funny and a bit angsty and def has Tim calling Kon for a rescue, with a little twist that matches the rest of the story.
and i for sure have to include leap of faith by @funkylittlebidiot, which 1) is a fun and fast-paced oneshot centered around tim calling for kon, and 2) is the reason bbts has “(See the end of the work for other works inspired by this one.)” which is such an honor to have on my fic.
and a bonus one where tim can’t call for help, but it’s okay because kon shows up anyway: midnight sun by @mamawasatesttube, which has both brilliant + kickass ttk usage and also tim saying “eep!”
#what’s the point of having a super bf if you don’t call for him in crisis. or even just to say hi#man……..kon el#timkon#fic rec#wifeposting
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Bully Masterlist
Eddie Munson x Plus Size!Fem!OC (written in 2nd POV you/your)
Summary: Third time’s the charm, right?
On his third and final senior year, Eddie is ready to coast as far under the radar as everyone will allow. Between finding a new leader for Hellfire, keeping his grades just above water and maybe finally getting a date with his longtime crush Chrissy Cunningham, he barely has time to breathe.
To get to his ultimate goal of scoring the Prom Queen he’ll need help, and unfortunately that means enlisting you, the bane of his senior year. Both thorns in each other sides, it’s only a matter of time before you tear each other to shreds, or maybe find out that you have more in common than you thought.
Series Notes: This is a pretty low stakes story. Typical high school drama, enemies to friends to lovers. I don’t do non happy endings, but I do love putting my boy through the wringer.
Series Warnings (will be regularly updated as new chapters are posted): Substance abuse, absent parents, incarcerated parents, drug and alcohol use, smoking, language, sex in all its iterations (either discussed or depicted), era appropriate insults.
August- In the Garden of Wonder and Worry TBA
September- The Morning Star Is a Teen Girl
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
Bonuses
Tryouts
#Eddie Munson#Eddie Munson Fic#Eddie Munson X OC#Eddie Munson Fluff#Eddie Munson Smut#My Work#My Fic#Bully Masterlist
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Hi Jay. Not wanting to sound mean, but I really think it must be commented and that there's no softer way of doing that: the company's statement of Thunder Junction being an inhabitated plane prior to MoM is not a honest way of capitalizing on a sellable trope without touching its uncomfortable issues. It's even disrespectful. They have done it in a less flagrant way with Kaladesh and both Ixalan iterations, but now they've gotten too far with Thunder Junction. Colonialism is too big an issue to simply being put under the carpet as it never existed and we could just enjoy the sunny part of the history. I really hope Hasbro as a company acknowledges this and changes its way of dealing with the theme. Thanks for letting me pointing this.
Look, you caught me on a bad day, so I'm going to be as polite as possible but let's start with the foundation that this is not a complaint to direct at me. I have no control over any of this. Mark Rosewater exists and takes feedback on Tumblr.
But, let's talk about it, because I've seen some folks take this to extremes.
First off, I've seen a lot of well meaning folks speaking up on behalf of hypothetical indigenous americans, but I'd love to get takes from folks this actually impacts. I'd love for Wizards to post something about their work with cultural consultants, for sure. But the only actual thing I've seen so far is a great story from Magic's first indigenous american author. And when you're speaking on someone else's behalf, you tend to miss things. Like, Kaladesh is not the great representation of south asian culture that you might think when you jumped to it, and it's okay if you didn't know that, but it sort of proves the point that it's very difficult to actually protest on someone else's behalf. And I just haven't heard from anyone who has also mentioned they speak from authority or are impacted by this. That doesn't mean you're wrong, necessarily.
But here's the thing. Thunder Junction isn't history. It takes cues from the American West, sure, but it's a fake world. And sometimes it's okay for a fake world to ignore the bad things that happens in real life and create something more aspirational. Magic does this all the time. Magic doesn't have homophobia, but that isn't really realistic or representative of the real world, is it?
No one, and I mean literally no one, came to me and said that people of color needed to be ostracized and not allowed to work alongside the white people in the demon mob families of New Capenna. That racism was real, it was systemic, and it was violent. But did it need to be tackled in a fantasy crime drama based on america in the 20s? Should it have been? I don't think anyone would have enjoyed it as much. Sometimes it's just fun to play gangster.
Similarly, the colonization and manifest destiny that was the reality of the American West was tragic, but does that need to be our only depiction of indigenous peoples - being colonized? If they were erased completely from the narrative, that would be awful, but can't they just have fun being cool thunder slingers? The Atiin were developed with a consultant, and if you want answers ask Wizards to talk about it.
There's a reason the Oltec were depicted as being sealed off from the Immortal Sun drama that had happened on the surface. To have an aspirational mesoamerican culture that wasn't affected by the Dusk Legion and Azor and all that.
To put it in another perspective, does every period piece featuring black americans need to feature systemic racism to be respectful? Is Bridgerton disrespectful (I mean probably but not for that reason)?
The reason I've framed a lot of this as questions is because I don't necessarily think I know the right answer, especially not for a fantasy card game. I've worked with tribal governments in my emergency management career and spent a week on the Navajo Nation, and talked a lot about perspective on things, and I would not presume to know what the right answer to all of this is.
Edit: to be clear, Could it have been handled better? Probably. I will never deny that. But also it’s a complicated and fraught topic and I’d love to hear from the people wizards contracted who actually know what they’re talking about.
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CLAMP's legacy as originally starting from doujinshi circles is really fascinating and makes a lot of sense when you understand that a lot of their manga are just straight up loose adaptations or spiritual reinterpretations of some of the most iconic pieces of 20th century japanese fiction, especially literature.
In many ways a lot of their storytelling is best described as "derivative" but I don't really like using that word because it has such a negative connotation. I think CLAMP's genius is actually their ability to iterate on the themes and ideas and character types and other inspirations that they derive from, especially in their ability to translate those elements to a visual/aesthetic format and to add themes of queerness into those stories or highlight the already present elements of queerness.
Like Tokyo Babylon is inspired by Teito Monogatari (and also Peacock King but that in of itself is a subject for a whole other post). And it's not just limited to the quick one-off comedic reference to Yasunori Katō that we see in the beginning of the manga. The title itself is a reference to the first manga adaptation of the Teito Monogatari. And that title choice for the adaptation was itself probably a combination of a deliberate reference to the Book of Revelation which was culturally relevant in Japan at the time for reasons I'll explain in a little bit, as well as the fact that the author of Teito Monogatari based Katō in part on Aleister Crowley. But Teito Monogatari and Tokyo Babylon are fundamentally stories about the exact same subject matter, that is the City of Tokyo itself.
X aka X/1999 is pretty self evidently a loose adaptation of the Digital Devil Story novels, the ones that would go on to be adapted loosely into the Megami Tensei video games. An apocalyptic battle for the fate of the entire world fought in Tokyo between two ideologically opposed groups of super powered beings, one of which is literally called The 7 Angels. There is a magic sword associated with the death of a female loved one, there are references to a whole bunch of religious and occult concepts from both the east and west, and one of the key locations for the plot is an elite private high school. X and DDS/ Megaten are both quintessential examples of media born from the Japanese Occult Boom. Bad Japanese translations of the prophecies of Nostradamus in the '70s that inspired the Book would become mixed with the social and economic chaos that was the Japanese asset price bubble and other late stage capitalist nonsense and then the financial collapse in the '90s is why you have in both Tokyo Babylon (and by extension the manga adaptation of Teito Monogatari) and X this weird obsession for the Book of Revelation in a ostensibly non-Christian cultural zeitgeist. Tokyo was both "Babylon" as in Rome or any sort of other hypothetical city / civilization that represented decadence and degeneration, and it was Tel Megiddo in the sense that it was the place where the end of days and the battle heralding the Apocalypse would commence.
And then Gate 7 is literally just one of dozens upon dozens of fanfic/ rip-off / adaptations of / works inspired by Makai Tensho which came out in the '60s and sort of is kind of the cultural grandfather of novels like Digital Devil Story, Teito Monogatari and the Onmyoji series. It's the modern source of basically every piece of Japanese pop culture that treats the notable historic figures of the Warring States Era as more than just badass warriors but literal demigods, sorcerers and super powered beings. Mirage of Blaze(which also has some pretty clear inspirations from Tokyo Babylon and it sort of exists in a trifecta with TB and Yami no Matsuei in their relation to the Onmyoji novels by Baku Yumemakura but again, that is the subject for another post), Samurai Warriors and Sengoku Basara, pretty much all of the Fate series but especially the original Stay Night and especially especially Redline/ GudaGuda and Samurai Remnant, and a whole bunch of fighting games and Ninja OVA'S are all examples of Makai Tensho's influence.
#CLAMP#clamp#tokyo babylon#x manga#x/1999#gate 7#teito monogatari#doomed megalopolis#digital devil story#shin megami tensei#megaten#makai tensho#fate series#fate stay night#fate samurai remnant#sengoku basara#samurai warriors#japanese occult boom#media analysis#peacock king#onmyoji#bl manga#clamp manga#manga#sci fi novel#yami no matsuei#honoo no mirage#mirage of blaze
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pre-arcane caitvi: or fuck, why i am voluntarily reading league of legends lore
so there’s been a lot of effort to preserve a lot of viktor and jayce’s old stories, bios and dynamics, but not so much for the other characters??? i don’t play league, but i still feel it’s cool to look at older versions of these characters as an “alternate universe” kind of thing
so, here they are for Caitlyn and Vi (all info from the official league of legends website):
Caitlyn Kiramman
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/e3c4af72d92dc4ca6aab8cb823679194/c4c052c84fbf4a7a-e8/s540x810/419dfe5f6d062978d1df66f2859794b195f1d87c.jpg)
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/17a22428fa8d9514384bb46dbc4d8618/c4c052c84fbf4a7a-99/s540x810/a77496e96e81a34a22225404a0251c69c06dc0de.jpg)
top: LoL Caitlyn, bottom: Arcane Caitlyn
“To be the best hunter, you have to be able to think like your prey.”
Renowned as its finest peacekeeper, Caitlyn Kiramman is also Piltover’s best shot at ridding the city of its elusive criminal elements. She is often paired with Vi, acting as a cool counterpoint to her partner’s more impetuous nature. Even though she carries a one-of-a-kind hextech rifle, Caitlyn’s most powerful weapon is her superior intellect, allowing her to lay elaborate traps for any lawbreakers foolish enough to operate in the City of Progress.
Bio
Short story “The Thrill of the Chase”
my notes:
very different from arcane caitlyn, what with supportive (and both alive) parents, and especially this line:
“Her mother […] would always warn Caitlyn of Piltover’s seductions, and its gilded promises that could harden the kindest heart”
so it’s a caitlyn who is also focused on keeping piltover in line—could be an interesting avenue to explore with post-canon arcane fics?
definitely a happier timeline for her
Vi
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top: LoL Vi, bottom: Arcane Vi
“We can either do this the hard way or… Oh wait, no. There's just the hard way.”
Raised on the mean streets of Zaun, Vi is a hotheaded, impulsive, and fearsome woman with very little respect for authority. She has always been a shrewd survivor, both from her youthful troublemaking topside and an unfairly long stint in Stillwater Hold. Now working with the Piltover Enforcers to keep the peace instead of breaking it, she wields mighty hextech gauntlets that can punch through walls—and criminals—with equal ease.
Bio
Short story “Interrogation 101”
my notes:
so this backstory seems to line up more with arcane vi, but then comes the line in the short story:
“as if he was talking to the old Vi, the Vi from the Lanes. He wasn’t bright enough to know that Vi wasn’t the one standing in front of him”
so what i’m getting is this idea of a vi who’s divorced herself from the undercity, in a way arcane vi’s hasn’t?
and i have… conflicted feelings about this, since arcane vi is shown to be very caring and protective in contrast to this iteration—like the closest she is to the original also coincides with her being depressed, while lol vi just overall… doesn’t seem to care
(but at least being hella gay for cait is a constant across universes)
(also who isn’t to say we can’t dig into the tragedy of a vi who’s lost her connection to home?)
Bonus - screenshots of the bios if you want to stay on tumbr
Caitlyn
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Vi
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Also the art that inspired this whole thread of thought:
#arcane#league of legends#vi arcane#vi league of legends#caitlyn kiramman#caitlyn league of legends#caitvi#piltover's finest
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The Potential of Asian Lois Lane. Pt 1: Girl Taking Over and American Alien, a comparative analysis
Lois Lane has had many iterations over the years. But specifically in the last decade, Lois has been reimagined as an Asian American woman in both the comics and recently in the animated show My Adventures with Superman.
I believe making Lois Asian is a very inspired choice for the Superman mythos! I would like to take a moment to analyze these versions of Lois from an Asian perspective, seeing what works, what doesn't, and what I'd like to see more of. We'll start with the comics first, as MAWS is going to need its own post.
Usual disclaimers: I'm just one Asian perspective, I do not and never will claim to cover every Asian person's opinion on a thing ever. We're not a monolith, we come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. I'm simply a fan who enjoys media analysis and believes it's valuable to have my perspective in this topic. Secondly, this discussion covers the comic run American Alien, which is written by Max Landis. He's an ultra creep and while I think the comic is worth a read for what it is, I leave it up to you whether you'd like to buy the comic. You can always arg-arg-ahoy otherwise.
I'd like to start with Girl Taking Over: A Lois Lane Story written by Sarah Kuhn with art by Arielle Jovellanos. This is a self contained YA graphic novel about a young Japanese American Lois dealing with the ups and downs of breaking into journalism as a career in National City. When her dream internship at Catco gets a corporate take over, Lois seizes an opportunity to write an exposé on a shady art director. But when her story is turned down, Lois does some out of the box things to get the story of marginalized performers shared with the world.
Girl Taking Over is a fantastic story and I happily recommend it to anyone looking for how an Asian American Lois could be reimagined (with fabulous art by Arielle! The fashion especially is on-point). This story isn't just a diverse coat of paint on a Lois Lane story, being Asian informs Lois' experiences and choices. Both she and her frenemy roommate Miki, are ambitious Asian women yet have hidden insecurities where they still made themselves small to their respective white male bosses. They played into model minority in different ways, and it's only by working together that they're able to foster a community for their stories to be told.
Lois and Miki don't just "have a diverse friend group", that friend group is actively being taken advantage of and suppressed by white gatekeepers. By extension, Lois' friends from work find solidarity in each other. Lois looks up to Cat Grant, a Filipina-American journalist, because seeing Cat succeed made Lois feel like her dream as a journalist is possible. I love how Lois' mom (a character so rarely expanded on in DC canon) acts as a voice of comfort for Lois in the story. All these characters feel holistic and whole, going through their own unique struggles.
It's clear from interviews with both the writer and artist that they care for the history of Lois, and saw an opportunity to reimagine her in a way that aligns with her character but also revitalizes her for new readers of color who aren't used to seeing themselves reflected in media. It's taking Lois' ambition and fearlessness and channeling them into the need to be a model minority, and the insecurities that can come from the desire to succeed constantly. It's taking a character historically frustrated by sexism and disrespected by her male peers- including Clark Kent (who got better treatment than her as a man), and expanding her to be a Lois that has to deal with both sexism and racism in the workplace. It's humanizing Lois' excellence into something painfully specific and relatable for many Asian women.
The only thing I feel I want from this version of Lois is... honestly more of her! I want to see what Japanese Lois does when she moves to Metropolis and works at the Daily Planet. I want to see how her experiences in National City informs her adulthood. Girl Taking Over sets up an incredible groundwork for stories to be told in the Superman mythos. How would Lois react to Superman, a fellow immigrant? Would Superman see himself in Lois? Since she's someone who, in the American context, is perceived as the perpetual foreigner? What would their relationship be like? Out of all the Asian Lois' in media we have so far, this Asian Lois' story has the most rich potential in my opinion.
Up next, we have American Alien written by Max Landis. This 7 issue series swaps artists for each issue, as a means of reflecting different milestones in Clark's life. I will be focusing on issues #4, 5, and 7 since those have the most prominent Lois appearances. With that, I'd like to celebrate the artists for those issues: Jae Lee (issue 4), Francis Manapul (issue 5), and Jock (issue 7). All these artists did a fantastic job, their art styles are energetic and fun to look at. Lee and Manapul are both Asian artists (Korean and Filipino respectively) and I love how they draw Lois- who looks undeniably Asian in their art styles.
American Alien is a modern take on the Superman tale. It expands Clark's story to be connected to Batman, Green Lanterns, Green Arrow, and more. We see Clark grow from his days in Smallville to a city boy in Metropolis, coming into his own as Superman. It's a bold and pretty divisive take with some standout story moments. From what I know, this is likely the first time Lois has been reimagined as Asian- and continues to influence Superman media like MAWS (the producer specifically calls out this comic as inspiration).
In issue #4, Clark moves in to his Metropolis apartment and talks on the phone to his mom about "some bigshot guy named Louis Lane". The reader, likely familiar with the Superman mythos, knows Clark is coming in with biases and a preconceived notion of who he considers a promising student reporter. Once we meet Lois Lane however, the comic turns the reader's expectations on their head:
Lois Lane is an Asian American woman (it's not specified what her exact ethnicity is)! This is a fun moment where the comic metatextually challenged the reader's own biases, showing it's not just Clark who had a different idea of who Lois Lane could be.
Lois' introductory panel is my personal favorite part of her characterization in American Alien. Lois proudly stands as a wall of text behind her recounts how she was considered as a winner for the Daily Planet's Charlton Memorial Laureate Program. When asked why she deserves a place on the program, Lois snaps back that the very question itself is loaded. She's listed her credentials and looks professional- so she's either already been rejected and is just being made to "at least had my say" or she's been accepted and is "meant to garnish my success with eloquent affirmation" to which Lois refuses to do either.
This is a great defiant introduction to Lois, showcasing how jaded she is with the way the world perceives her- but is very confident in her self worth as a journalist. By the end of the issue she reaches out to Clark to combine their exclusive interviews into one story to make a big impression on the news. Her words inspire Clark to seize an opportunity to make a big change in the world as Superman.
Afterwards, the comic plays the classic Superman and Lois dynamic straight. Lois is initially suspicious of Superman, but eventually comes around and is inspired to hope through him. There's a great back and forth between the two where Lois' words initially inspire Clark to be Superman, then Clark assures Lois that Superman is probably just a good guy, and when Clark loses hope from a bad day of heroism, Lois gives him hope again. In the end, Lois realizes her love for Clark Kent over Superman and they share a passionate ending kiss.
Overall American Alien nails the Clark and Lois dynamic and understands their relationship. I consider this Asian Lois "just okay". I like that we get to see an adult jaded Asian Lois meet Clark Kent and Superman, and see them get together. Similarly to Girl Taking Over, I'd like to see how this Lois and Clark would play out. My only issue with American Alien's Lois is a sense of missed opportunities.
The writing overall leaves room for plausible deniability over Lois' Asian identity. The artists (particularly Lee and Manapul) are doing the heavy lifting delivering Asian Lois. If she was drawn as a white woman, none of the writing would need adjustment. Sure her introductory panel implies that people judge her based on her appearance- but that could be just sexism instead of the intersectional experience of Asian Lois going through racism and sexism. Clark did assume she was a man after all- it's never specified if he assumed she was a white man. The only thing you'd lose is the metatextual shock value of Lois Being Asian This Time. That's really what this Lois boils down to, initial shock value with no specific writing to follow through. Her marginalization and identity is written broadly enough that it could be attributed to general sexism and womanhood. It's not specific to being an Asian American woman.
However, because of its broadness, there's room for Lois' Asian identity to be built on in the world of American Alien. The story centers Clark's experiences, but I can easily imagine a continuation of the story expanding on Lois'. The basic groundwork is there. I think it's telling that in a comic called American Alien, we get a more diverse Superman cast system. Jimmy Olsen is Black, Lois Lane is Asian- when Clark moves to the city it feels expansive compared to Smallville. It's a world that feels ready to tackle themes of racism if it was ever to continue (and probably in the hands of a writer with that kind of life experience!). In the end, there's room for this Asian Lois to be something special. Clark isn't the only American Alien in American Alien, if you catch my drift.
You can see how Girl Taking Over has a huge piece of what American Alien is missing. The characters aren't just diverse for shock value, they're not an aesthetic change over historically white characters. They have a story to tell that is inseparable from their identities. Whereas in American Alien, the art is doing the heavy lifting with the reimagined diverse characters- Girl Taking Over has both the writing and art carry the representation. Lois can't be changed into being white in Girl Taking Over.
Both of these stories have potential- but if I had the choice to pick which story should continue, it would easily be Girl Taking Over. This graphic novel works for what it is: it makes sense that this is a younger and idealistic Lois that hasn't met Clark or Superman yet. It's a YA book and Lois can absolutely carry a story on her own. What I want as an Asian fan, is for the potential of Asian Lois Lane to be seen through to the point it's considered the definitive version. As of right now, Girl Taking Over is a fun twist on the Lois Lane story. Not something that is seen as inseparable from the Superman mythos. However! If those themes of marginalization and immigrant identity are tapped into for both Superman and Lois Lane? I feel that has the potential to radically strengthen the overall themes of Superman. It's certainly been touched on before.
(TW/CW: racial slur mention in below image)
Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Yang with art by Gurihiru is a retelling of the Clan of the Fiery Cross arc in the classic radio show The Adventures of Superman where Superman faces off with the Klan who had been terrorizing a Chinese American family. The graphic novel adapts the story to center the Chinese American characters, and makes it a point to show that Superman relates to them. If that dynamic was applied to Asian Lois, that feels like a definitive love story waiting to happen.
The classic two person love triangle with Clark and Lois is that Lois loves Superman and is indifferent to Clark Kent. She thinks Superman is this ideal macho man and Clark is a cowardly fumbling guy at work who rivals her. What happens when you take that dynamic and made it so Lois identified with Superman- the more othering identity? How complicated would that make Clark Kent feel? How would he navigate that when his marginalization isn't always visible? That's a whole new depth to the love triangle we're not used to seeing. I feel so far, none of these versions of Lois have touched upon this potential dynamic. The perpetual foreigner, Lois Lane and the ultimate alien foreigner that is Superman. The jaded city girl meets the alien farm boy who gives her hope. They inspire each other to be more of themselves in a world not ready to accept either of them.
Up next, we'll be discussing My Adventures with Superman's Korean Lois Lane in pt 2. It's well. You can probably guess how I feel about it from what I wrote here but welp. We'll talk about it.
#ramblings#media criticism#lois lane#once again please be nice!!#i have many many feelings about asian lois lane so i may as well write it down and share it with you#jesncin talks maws#(a little bit anyway! like a precursor)#jesncin dc meta
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ok i have avoided talking abt my datv thoughts but now ive finished and slept on it here it is. this is huge btw and really just a way to process my thoughts for my own peace of mind. and get out what i need to say. so yeah word salad below
2 disclaimers before i start. firstly i think im going to be SUPER blunt and clear about my thoughts on this post but then i will mostly be putting the matter to bed in my heart bc i am not someone who delights in being a hater nor do i take comfort in it. i will take from this the things i enjoyed and keep my distance from the rest. second disclaimer: ultimately i think i will still enjoy being a part of the fandom and seeing other people enjoy the game, because it will endear it to me and maybe take away the pain im feeling right now, so this isnt a long rant to make you feel bad about enjoying the game if you do like it! in fact quite the opposite. it comforts me that there are people who find value in the game and i hope in watching you play it i may be able to eventually be able to say the same
that being said . obviously i didnt like the game
which is an extremely difficult thing for me to say. i went into this game thinking "i will at the VERY least enjoy the game. not love it but at least like it. but im sure ill love it". it really is quite distressing for me that it didnt even really reach that bar for the most part. i TRIED to like it. i begged this game to give me ANY handhold at all that i could cling to, to forgive and like this game. i think the things i liked err more on the technical side. the graphics i loved, the character DESIGN was *fantastic*. the art. the pacing. the vague vision of what they were obviously nebulously aiming for. and honestly, i mostly enjoyed the main plot although i wish it had been more disciplined and constrained with the lore it was trying to expand on. act 3 was fantastic and naturally i am happy and fulfilled for the most part by the conclusion of solas's story, who i still believe was and is the best written "villain" of dragon age. sorry logang and meredith nation but i do still stand by this.
but thats really about it. as a disclaimer i am not an origins puritan or a da2 diehard or anything like that. i have loved (almost equally) EVERY single iteration of dragon age which has been released. i am one of the few people who sees equal value in inquisition and origins. i love them both so deeply. i couldnt pick between them.
for me what i love the MOST about dragon age - and which every single previous game has always nailed despite other flaws - is the characters. right under that is the world's capacity for introspection. and unfortunately nothing in this game provided that for me
regarding the characters: i do not care about a single one of them unfortunately. or at least i do not CARE about them the way that i have CARED about the other previous games companions. companions i would write banter about !!! just for fun when i was bored!!!! i would say my only exception is harding, but even then i care about her only because i care about her due to inquisition. overall i just found them all so ..... shallow. and devoid of any of the conflict or nuance or ethical quandries that make biowares stories so compelling - and sure, usually controversial! i would give ANYTHING for this game to have been controversial. for a unforgivable RO, or a problematic fave, or a cancelled wife. did bioware forget that their most beloved or at least enjoyed characters are people like anders, merrill, mordin solus, blackwall, sten, loghain, SOLAS??? i dont understand HOW they could have forgotten that, because solas is literally right there in game and handled (in my opinion as a fan) well. love him or hate him or dont care about him, he is such a hallmark of great bioware writing (in dai if nothing else) - characters who are not EASY to like. characters who are not SAFE to write and who WILL generate criticism from all sides because they are written boldly and unapologetically, strengthened by a foundation of consistent ideals, clear objectives and beautiful faults. characters that do not NEED you to like them, but instead invite you to engage with them critically. solas, even to someone who hates him, is nuanced and morally complex enough to muse and fight over for 10 whole years. hes IN this game, just as ethically murky as ever, but the morally grey hallmark of biowares writing really does kind of live and die with him alone. the rest of the companions feel like they barely made it out of their concept phase. what are lucanis's flaws??? genuinely asking. other than being a murderer who exists in an organization which buys and trains literal child slaves of course, but i'll get to that in a sec (because bioware sure as fuck didnt). um, i guess you could say hes broody?? and emmrich too. what actual flaws does he have?? he has a fear of death, as we're TOLD, but it does not really reflect in the overall convesations we have with him over the course of the game. mostly hes just.... a little bumbling i guess. bellara's flaw is being a scatterbrain. harding's is that shes..... angry??? but shes not???? fucking come on. i really felt the lack of actually being able to TALK to these people at the end of act 2, when i realized i still felt like i havent really MET any of them. and yet here rook is talking about found family and being a team. ok
and then there are the romances. which from my perspective - having romanced taash - and my friends who have romanced lucanis, neve and davrin..... WHAT romances. davrin's full romance is 20 minutes in a 30 PLUS HOUR GAME. solas had the least amount of content out of any companion in inquisition and was a last minute unintentional RO and still had like easily 50 minutes of content. so why did these romances feel like nothing. actually nothing. i was so excited for taash, but their romance straight up felt like neither rook nor taash even wanted to be there. i forgot they were technically together at certain points. zero chemistry. zero intimacy. all TELLING zero SHOWING. if you had told me that i would be saying these sorts of things about a writer like trick weekes a month ago i would call you fucking crazy to your face. i cannot reconcile that taash was written by the same person who wrote solas. i cannot reconcile that mary kirby - who wrote the fucking chant of light - wrote lucanis. its so dire. its devastating actually.
lastly i want to talk about my other point - bioware's famed emphasis on introspection and ethically quandries. again, i'm genuinely experiencing a sense of profound whiplash because when it comes solas's character you can still see it. its still there. they actually doubled down on making him worse than he was in trespasser which i LOVED and thought was so incredibly promising. they could have caved to solavellan fans and uwu-ified him but they didnt. thats great.
but where was that energy for literally anything else. everything has been defanged - even minrathous, the capital of the tevinter slave trade, does not even ADDRESS the elephant in the room of slavery. and i know because i played a shadow dragon. so tell me why i as a shadow dragon am happily allied with the crows, who solely exist to assassinate politicians and BUY SLAVES. THEY BUY SLAVES. THEY BUY SLAVES AS CHILDREN AND TRAIN/TORTURE THEM TO MURDER. HELLO??????????? there is no commentary made about the mages/templars. there is no discussion of the treatment of the elves in the north or Anywhere. there is no discussion of why exactly blood magic is or isnt acceptable - they simply tell us its bad. all the theories of the last 10 years were answered with handwaved comments or bare bones codex entries that honestly stripped so much nuance away from so many things (the blight, my BELOVED) that i dont know how im going to go about fixing it or making it right in my head. the introspective nature of dragon age always went hand in hand with player choice, but there really WAS no choice in this game as so there IS no real capacity for other interpretations or schools of thought. it is so..........................bleak.
i think the thing that finally made it click in my head that this game had fundamentally let me down was the gloom howler quest. and i know im not alone on this. for those of you who dont know - the gloom howler, "isseya" was the protagonist of the dragon age novel "the last flight". i would HIGHLY recommend you read it, especially if you're an origins fan. super bleak, super political, not flashy at all in terms of magic. it was set 500 years pre origins, during the 3rd blight. isseya is very similar to characters like loghain and solas in a way - a richly complex, beautifully intricate, terribly thought provoking character who did HORRIFIC things for the most NOBLE reason you could imagine, under the most traumatic of circumstances. im tearing up just thinking about her story, and how the title "the LAST flight" foreshadowed that her story had a definitive, bittersweet, finite and peaceful ending.
and then this game did THAT to her. turned her into a grotesque caricature of what she was. stripping her of her nuance and her capacity for atonement or forgiveness. and once again, i do not fucking get it. she was obviously brought back because she is a parallel to the solas dilemma. so WHY is she not afforded the same opportunity for empathy that he is. why is bellara's brother not either. its insane. its literally insane. i cannot begin to imagine the oversight or laziness or WHATEVER IT WAS that occured to have this game turn out this way.
there are innumerable other problems with the game that im not going to get into because what ive said above is the main crux of my problem. introspective and character. those are all i really wanted from this game, and like..... i thought we would get that. because the game centered around solas. and i know people dislike his fans for very fair reasons, but i hope those who know me know that i enjoy him not because hes hot (he is though) but because he is terrible. i love him because they made a character who was TERRIBLE, and then gave you the task of using your head and refelcting on your own morality and values and deciding and arguing and meditating over whether he is worth loving anyway. to me, solas is the person i point to when i want to describe why i love dragon age. its complicated, its nuanced, it is terrible and wonderful and everything in between depending on the angle you look at it from. and so having the writer of a character like THAT in charge of the whole game filled me with hope and dissuaded so many of my fears for this game. but i was wrong apparently.
so now im left with a feeling akin to survivors guilt. genuinely. because at the VERY least, despite me saying all of these negative things, i at least finished the game crying happy tears and being overjoyed that my favourite character was handled well and got an ending i enjoyed. and yet that happiness *i* got to feel and that glimmer of good writing was paid for at the expense of literally everything else. i feel almost personally responsible in a way, which sucks. im sorry to all the people who did not enjoy or care about solas, im sorry that you really did get nothing out of this game. i hope we can all be comforted by the trilogy we have and will always have, and i hope we can all take what good parts we enjoyed out of veilguard and make peace with the rest
leaving this youtube comment my friend sent me which is unfortunately a summary of how i feel about the game as a whole.
#tay plays datv#datv#datv spoilers#datv critical#nobody needs to read this but fgdjkfgjk if you do#i hope it is clear that i write from a perspective of profound love for this series and all its characters.
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June 2024 Angel Fish Awards
(Angel Fish design by @slytherkins!!)
Every month all of you fantastic writers work your asses off to post some truly incredible stories. Our Angel Fish Awards are the way for all of us, as a community of writers and readers, to lift each other up and give praise to those who have captured our attention and deserve a few kind words. (Click here to learn more about how to nominate a fic for an award!)
Nominated by @autisticandroids
The Horror of No Detrimental Redaction by sp8ce (AO3)
Really top tier whump that is also a super attentive cas character study which is also willing to sit with him in a really uncomfortable space
The Trapdoor by hal_incandenza (AO3)
it's an epic rewrite of dabb era with a level of attention to detail that i've rarely seen in any fiction. the metatextual elements are carefully woven in and the character beats feel real. plus, it's an almost episode by episode rewrite and the new monster of the week casefic elements are fresh and fun. also it answers the question what if apocalypse world was good.
finer things by @explainslowly
i think it's maybe the ultimate pinnacle of the deancas triangulation of desire genre. when dean and cas have weird sex via a woman... one of my favorite things. and this is my favorite iteration.
By Your Hand by @restlesshush
this is my favorite relitigation of moriah that i've ever encountered. cas is so crazy in it. you can kind of feel that things will eventually work out without that coming off as cheap. it's perfect
~*~*~
Nominated by @candygrammes
LIMBO by entselene (AO3)
It's the creepiest. angstiest, scariest story I've read this year. Sam wakes up in Sioux Falls Hospital horribly injured, with no idea what happened. Not only that, but Dean is nowhere to be seen. Why? Has Dean abandoned him?
Nominated by @charliethealpaccaso
Strange Encounters by deanandsam (Ao3)
I loved the idea that there are dog versions of dean and sam along side the main sam and dean that I found it cute but also opened up a whole side story I wish there was more of.
Dogs Don't Pay Taxes by Zetal (Rodinia) (AO3)
There oddly is a huge lack of dog!sam fics on A03 that I love to try and spread the word of the ones that are out there. This one was cute both prompt wise and just made my day when I came across it
Faithful Companion by brokenlittleboy (AO3)
What if during season two Sam developed a whole new issue with his psychic powers and turned himself into a dog then this is the fic for you. Dean does mess around with him in this fic but I think it was a fun and interesting read for the concept
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Nominated by @glygriffe
Why’s every song is about love (or drinking too much) by @quietwings-fics
They didn't give us enough Sam and Castiel scenes in the show. Here's a bitter-sweet one between the two of them, talking about Dean and the whole 'unrequited love' thing. A ficlet the gives a Destiel fan just the right amount of heavy heart.
It’s the Stars that Lie by @seperis
Ok, this fic doesn't need recommandations, but it's still needs public praises. To fully appreciate it, you need to read the fever dream that is Map of the World first, but I love how the author builds on the glimpses that the episode The End gave of the apocalypse!world. The OCs are interesting (and many of them are POC), and the lovely slow burn between Dean and Castiel is spiced up with the fake boyfriends trope.
Since I've Been Loving You - Remaster by tgel210 (AO3)
I like Castiel's first-person POV, Dean being a musician without being a rock star: it feels close to home like my next-door neighbor is talking to me about the love of his life.
Closer than they appear by sunkenfox (AO3)
Dean and Castiel figuring out what their life could be together by looking at Misha and Jensen is interesting. Even more interesting is the concept that like it or not, the Supernatural characters would not exist in their world without the writers and the actors in an other world. That Dean and Jenses share more than a face; same for Misha and Castiel (even if the difference are more obvious between the last two). A story of discorvery on a meta level, hiding inside a cute Destiel and RPF romance.
he feels no control of his body by withthekeyisking (AO3)
A wonderful but sad exploration of Sam Winchester throughout his life; from his lack of bodily autonomy to his dying faith in god(s) and humanity. With just enough brotherly love to leave the reader aching from loss and something like betrayal. (I love Dean, but he his a royal dick to his brother sometimes)
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Nominated by @handsliketruth
evergreen endless by @whiskeyjuniper
A glimpse of endverse!Dean and Castiel during the earliest days of The End, via Chuck (prophet? god? something in-between?) as he continues to chart their story...and struggles to keep them from their inevitable collision despite their wildly infuriating pattern of falling into it... (full disclosure, this one was a gift for me, but I would rec this anyway 💛 dark, spicy, funny, clever meta fun)
But I Ain't Dead Yet by @bloodydeanwinchester
I cannot wait to see how this one plays out! Clever and charming with a fun hook: what if s4 Dean and Cas time-traveled back to 1x12 Faith to save Layla? (I would read a million words of Dean watching faith!Dean and Castiel get along 😂)
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Nominated by @heavenssexiestangel
Bad Day Love by @spn-fanfic-reblog-writes
it's a cute pick-me-up story with one of my favorite ships. I really like how Arthur is so soft with Dean here.
Bedtime Routine by @spn-fanfic-reblog-writes
It's another rareship of mine andI love how they care for each other here and take care of Emma.
The Fool's Journey by @ladyknightskye
I know I was the artist for this story but - what Meg wrote for my art is awesome and it features one of my favorite characters - Gadreel. The journey he has in this fic is extremely important
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Nominated by @jinkieswouldyoulookatthis
Presence by @ani-coolgirl
This story broke my heart in the absolute most beautiful way. It's sad and sweet and doomed and it haunts me still.
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Nominated by @mariekoukie6661
Stitches by @kittenofdoomage
Its cute! I like it!
Sweet Little Lies by @impala-dreamer
I like how funny it was despite all the angst!!
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Nominated by @masoena
Nothing Ever Really Ends by @nyxocity
Beautiful heaven fic with Sam and Dean, bring tissues, post S15E20
In Silence Sealed by @fiercelynormal
Dean loses his hearing but starts talking his thoughts out loud beautifully written Smitty short
Love, Your Brother by @eninkahootz
Sam and Dean communicating by letters btw heaven and earth post-series. Work in progress and so well written
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Nominated by @mrswhozeewhatsis
Cretaceous by tiamatv (AO3)
This is a cute, fluffy romp through Jurassic Park as a Destiel fic! You don't have to love dinos to love this fic, but I imagine it would make it even better. If you're looking for something sweet and light to read before bed, this is the bedtime story for you!
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Nominated by @rainythursdaynight
Clean Air by @anactorya
I read this story when I was maybe 16 and re-read it twice or three times in the year after. That being said, I can remember it almost excruciatingly well. I'm a post-apocalypse gal and I crave anything in that genre, so it was doubtless that I'd love this story. But the world-building done in this story? The characterization? The tension it manages to build? It's so gripping and exciting and I remember reading it worried out of my mind for the characters and exhaling the deepest breath as the story drew to a close. It's a not too dense read and an enveloping one, you'll forget you're above ground by the end of it!
Empty Spaces by @schmerzerling
This story made me fall in love with writing again. It's so heavy with how it distributes emotion in its words, but also so soothing too. This reads like watching a glass vase get tipped over the edge of a table and, maybe distantly, wondering if someone will catch it in time. But it doesn't quite matter because the flowers are beautiful and if you're crying then it's about the flowers and not the vase. I highly recommend this story to everyone, heavy as its contents may be. I felt safe reading this, I ached, I adore this story beyond words can capture.
Phantasma! by @thisisapaige
I very rarely read things that are horror inclined (funny as that is given the nature of Spn), and maybe this story is not considered horror either, but it left me just on that edge of eerie and it was exhilarating. Most of the story is sweet, and cathartic, as Dean rebuilds his life outside of his family and finds that in Castiel. But the mystery of it all, the unknown, it left me waiting for the other shoe to drop and this writer was excellent at making that payoff worth it.
The Art of Falling by @zipegs
This story was gritty and ugly and didn't pull back punches when it came to its emotional weight. Recovery is a nightmarish process of relapse and pain and relief and this story embodied this with its characters beautifully. This story was lonely, in the sense that its only two characters yes but it also felt a lot like reading about two characters pitted against the backdrop of everything. The world, the universe, existence. It made me feel small but so vast at the same time, and it was so utterly human (funny given the context of the story). It's a short and beautiful read that left me aching but in a way that was comforting as opposed to alienating.
With The End Came You by @lotrspnfangirl
I adore zombie apoclaypse AUs but so few of them focus on the characters' growth alongside the events of the series. And so few of them do side characters justice. This story was THE exception. Not only does the progression of the characters not sideline the plot and vice versa, but the story handles people so so well. You have those that stick around for long, and those that don't, and it treats both parties so faithfully that I'm left emotional over side characters I've only had a page worth of content with as much as the main characters I'm with the entire time. This is a zombie apocalypse AU that puts people first and foremost, and its so human and such a rewarding story to those that have even the smallest interest in these types of AUs. And the progression of the plot is so smooth and natural, TWD could never (and I love that show so take with that as you will).
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Nominated by @samanddean76
Dark As Midnight (And You Don’t Look The Same) by @kassyscarlett
This is a story that follows a young Dean (17 years-old) out looking for a good time and running into an older man that gives what he wants. Not realizing he knows him, that he is in fact his Sammy. This story is so good! Time-travel, the follies of youth, needing to be protected from yourself, and realizing years later what that random encounter really was. It is part of a series, but works as a stand alone. But the entire series is worth checking out.
Coming Out Of The Dark by firesign10 (AO3)
It's a story about others helping one they know is broken, giving him what he needs so he can move on and live the rest of his life. The Richesters visit Sam in the bunker after Dean's death, and give him one final night together, so that he might carry on. It tragic and beautiful and has all the feels. Highly recommend.
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Nominated by @spn-fanfic-reblog-writes
Interspecies Romance and Its Associated Perils by suspiciousflashlight (AO3)
I have read this story many, many times. It’s adorable and hilarious. It’s cute and awkward in a way that someone who isn’t sure how to tell about a weird scar or birthmark is. The ending is the best part of the entire thing.
A Helping Hand and Thrilling Touches by mydestielbabies_67 (AO3)
I don’t normally nominate smut but this was just amazing. It was beautiful, and what and intense.
The Cherry Pie Club by zation (AO3)
This is a work in progress. It’s great! Zariah is such a great writer in so many genres. This one is about Dean exploring bdsm for the first time and ends up also realizing things about himself too. Poor Dean learns the hard way that it is Cas he loves about bdsm but still. Their connection and energy with each other is felt as you read. Highly recommend reading!
Absolute Beginners by @ahurston
Chapter 5 made me scream then go feral and foam at the mouth.
Dancing moves by faithlesshunter (AO3)
I am not normally one to read infidelity fics; however, this is destiel. It’s the holidays and Cas and Dean get left alone to reconnect. They tried to be a couple at the beginning once Cas came back from the Empty but they weren’t ready for it. Now, years later and they are! The confessions and the hot smut is just so exacting for them. It’s gorgeous! Dean has always loved Cas and Cas still loves Dean. Oh, I’d love to see how it works out but this reconnection is just purely intense and the dopamine is addictive. Good luck. MUST READ!
The Case of Dean and Castiel's Extremely Resolvable Tension by CanonFodder (Tartan_Temptation) (AO3)
This is hilarious and hot AF! It starts out explaining the premise and drives right into it where Dean finally gives in. He is so happy he does too. He gets a wonderfully deserving reward. Poor Sam and his need for eye bleach. Lol!
Objects May Appear Smaller by @valandrawrites
The instant connection of Cas and Dean, and the science of this story makes this a one-of-a-kind a/b/o. Despite it being incomplete, it’s such a fluffy and fascinating read. It keeps you wanting more with every one of the six chapters. I hope one day they get inspired to write more.
Sentinel by Followsthebees (AO3)
I love this story. I love that it’s a different take on Castiel—he’s a gargoyle. It’s such a fascinating story and their connect is seen by the readers but not Dean. It’s interesting how Dean starts to notice and how intense and romantic it gets. Sex and flying are fascinating, man. This is written oh so well!
Three's Company by @luci-in-trenchcoats
Cas x f!Reader that becomes Cas x f!reader x Dean. It shows a very healthy ethical non-monogamy relationship. I love how the Reader initially freaks, I think, and when Cas and them come to talk to Dean, he freaks too. Everyone is patient with each other though. It’s as it should be when introducing polyamory to non-poly experience people. It’s so sweet and wonderful to read. It’s adorable. This is how poly fics should be.
Ketch and Release by NichePastiche (AO3)
Oh, the fluff and growth! I love this series so so so so much! I always get excited when I see they wrote more. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
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Nominated by @spnbabe67
Finish What You Started by @dean-winchester-is-a-warrior
I love the tension that melts into silly goofiness.
Spin Cycle by @winchester-girl67
I usually don't do a lot of fluff but I loved the way the writer did this one.
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Nominated by @thoughtslikeaminefield
Take A Shot by @rizlowwritessortof
It's just so sexy and Dean. Guh.
Rest by @zepskies
It's swoony and cozy and melancholy, and I love that for us.
The Iceman Cometh by @talltalesandbedtimestories
Ice play is one of my favorite things. Pair that with Dean Winchester, written by Sandra, and, well, you've got a winner.
Damned If I Do by @zepskies
I liked Lisa and Ben, and this is a very satisfying way to show that!
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Nominated by @whiskeyjuniper
Truth & Despair by @shallowseeker
It's so compelling, every time a new chapter is posted I'm so excited to see what happens next. Also it's Shal's first fic and they're almost done with it so I wanted to celebrate it :)
(Divider by @glygriffe)
THANK YOU ALL, KEEP UP THE AMAZING WORK, AND AS ALWAYS, HAPPY WRITING!
- From your Admins and Manta Rays, @manawhaat, @mrswhozeewhatsis, @mariekoukie6661, @thoughtslikeaminefield, and @heavenssexiestangel!
#angel fish awards#angel fish awards masterlist#spnfanficpond#fan fiction#fanfiction#fan fic#fanfic#spn fan fiction#spn fanfiction#spn fan fic#spn fanfic#supernatural fan fiction#supernatural fan fic#supernatural fanfiction#supernatural fanfic#fic rec#spn fic rec#supernatural fic rec#the winchesters#spnwin#supernatural#pond events
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had some thoughts about the Dreamtale twins + Cross in the typical UTMV setting
@zu-is-here my apologies for tagging you in such a long post, just wanted to hear your thoughts on this analysis! (cream brainrot go brrrrrr)
Cross is a foil of both Dream and Nightmare.
Let me elaborate; they all share a mistake (or at the very least a perceived mistake) made that ended in the destruction of their world and loss of their family. Dream and Nightmare with Dreamtale, Cross with XTale.
In Nightmare's case, his mistake drives him down a path of self-destruction when he's corrupted by the apple as he loses himself. This is paralleled by Cross' own self-loathing created by his own mistake in XTale's last timeline. This mistake drives them down a path of self-destruction, and it isolates them.
In Dream's case, he also made a mistake (or, a perceived one, be it unintentional neglect or ignorance of Nightmare's situation depending on the interpretation) that cost him both his world (Dreamtale) and his family (Nightmare).
However, although Cross is a foil of both, it is with Dream where he can find healing with because of one key difference between the aftermath of how Dream and Nightmare's respective mistakes, of the difference of how they emerged from their mutual tragedy.
2. The parallel between their tragedies
Nightmare's story was and is a tragedy. The story of XTale is also a tragedy. Dreamtale is in itself a tragedy, from Nim's departure fueled by paranoia of her peers to her dying alone because of it. From the very start it was a tragedy. Though the birth of the Dreamtale twins was indeed a hope born of Nim's death, they too suffered their own tragedy of the Apple Incident.
There we see a pattern. Tragedy, hope, then tragedy.
But after tragedy, is hope. And that hope in this iteration of the cycle is Dream. Dream is a representation of how kindness and hope can survive through tragedy. That no mistake is unforgivable, unsalvageable.
That concept of how no mistake is salvageable is exactly what a self-loathing Cross needs. Does he not have the tendency to hold onto his sin, his mistakes? And his self-loathing, self-blame. Dream's existence is a manifestation of the antithesis to what he believes himself to be: there is more to post-tragedy than pain, than regret, than shame. He still has the capacity to be kind. to love. He is still able to love, and be loved. He is not unsalvageable.
3. As such, Dream is Cross' penance.
Dream represents both how a sin/fault, no matter how disastrous or destructive, is the end of. Dream represents the hope that contradicts the very idea of self-blame and self-damnation.
If Cross' sin is hating himself, healing is his penance. Forgiving himself, his own mistakes, through the embodiment of a mistake repented for through kindness. Through Dream.
Dream is his penance for his sin against himself.
And thus, Dream is Cross' weakness because he is Cross' penance.
4. Because Cross is a foil of Nightmare, Cross is also Dream's penance.
Even if Dream could not save his brother from losing himself, at least he could save someone from their self-destruction. At least, this time, he could save someone from themself.
As such, Cross is Dream's weakness because he is Dream's penance.
#dream sans#nightmare sans#cross sans#utmv#plasma's utmv rambles#utmv analysis#dreamtale#dream and nightmare#dreamtale nightmare#dreamtale brothers#cream ship#also has a lot of implications if you bring in dark cream.. and the themes of hope there#the role reversal of bringing hope#bringing hope through loving <3#repenting through loving :)#tragedy ig#long post
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speaking of dr, there's something that really annoys me about how shallow the ship discourse around kr4lsei is. I'm not sure I'm 100% behind this for the same reasons i doubt toby will go full in with noelle's mom being abusive, ie "those are very delicate and complex topics to handle, does he have the time and space to deal with them in deltarune's story?" so take this with a grain of salt.
(warning for brief mention of incest, so I'm putting this under a readmore)
i think the discourse being framed as "thinking ralsei is presented as a romantic interest" vs "thinking ralsei is compared to kris' brother or like a family member" is incredibly stupid because those are... both true at the same time. yes, there's an unskippable "tunnel of love" scene, and it looks like ralsei could have somewhat of a crush on kris. but ralsei still 1) looks just like a dreemurr, 2) clearly plays, as a character, on our feelings and memories of asriel from playing undertale, as evident by their designs and their names being anagrams 3) i am 99% sure Noelle was going to say "that kinda looks like asriel" while looking at him eating cotton candy with Susie, and Susie herself suggests telling toriel he's "a long lost cousin". either way, if ralsei is meant to play on our feelings towards asriel, then as asriel's sibling, kris is likely gonna feel similarly.
are you uncomfortable? good! you should be. that's the point.
it's not random that the snowgrave route was framed and portrayed with the imagery of a wedding. first the freezering, then the thorn ring are explicitly compared to wedding rings. "we're just friends"/"we're something else". "YOU'VE BEEN MAKING [hyperlink blocked (...LoVE?)], HAVEN'T YOU?" noelle with whom kris had a strained relationship, whose feelings (platonic? romantic? we don't know) we brute force in what is the most chilling, manipulative, cruel iteration of chapter 2's story we could take... it's almost as if deltarune uses kris being forced into romantically coded situations they're deeply uncomfortable with as a way to showcase their lack of agency in the story.
and being pushed into romcom-like situations with a guy who looks like their brother works pretty darn well to follow that pattern, if you ask me.
now, if a forced romance with noelle represents their lack of agency in regards to the player, then... a forced romance with ralsei could represent their lack of agency towards Fate. The Plot/Story. unskippable cutscene, remember? not to mention ralsei's whole purposepilled shtick he clearly has a complex about.
this does raise a couple of questions about susie though, as the third option in the "who would you take to the fair with you" question, the one option kris seems to agree with, as well as being a character who is actively resisting the narrative.
because there's people who are very much FOR krusie, just as there are people against it, i doubt their getting or not getting together would work to represent kris gaining their agency back. and i believe i speak for everyone when i say that susie is going to play a huge part in that arc. either way, i'm curious to see how this develops.
idk! like i said, I'm not sure just how much toby is gonna go into this because it IS a very delicate subject. but it's an example of what i mean when i say "there's more to fandom than shipping" and "fixating so hard on Shipping Good Things" can be detrimental to analysis. I'm not cancelling anyone with this post, go on doing your thing whether it's kr4lsei or r4lsusie or krus1e. but if your first thought going into this was "I'm gonna ignore the part where the game compares ralsei to asriel because that would make my ship incest and that is Bad and uncomfortable" then... that's a very cheap way to interact with media? lol. sometimes being uncomfortable IS the point. god knows utdr makes you uncomfortable on purpose sometimes. ok rant over :P
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Tinfoil: Destructive envy & imitation - Ghilan'nain wanted Mythal's secret knowledge?
The main body of the post doesn't contain DATV spoilers.
Staring at the Evanuris symbols and dismantling their divine archetypes makes me think Ghilan'nain was the driving force behind Mythal's murder, or at least some thematic parallels point out that she had a reason.
Symbolically speaking, Mythal is born of the Earth and the Abyss, the primary Lifesource of all creation.
Elgar'nan had defeated his father, the sun, and all was covered in darkness. Pleased with himself, Elgar'nan sought to console his mother, the earth, by replacing all that the sun had destroyed. But the earth knew that without the sun, nothing could grow. She whispered to Elgar'nan this truth, and pleaded with him to release his father, but Elgar'nan's pride was great, and his vengeance was terrible, and he refused. It was at this moment that Mythal walked out of the sea of the earth's tears and onto the land. She placed her hand on Elgar'nan's brow, and at her touch he grew calm and knew that his anger had led him astray. Humbled, Elgar'nan went to the place where the sun was buried and spoke to him. Elgar'nan said he would release the sun if the sun promised to be gentle and to return to the earth each night. The sun, feeling remorse at what he had done, agreed. (Codex: Mythal: The Great Protector)
After committing the elvhen iteration of Divine Patricide, Elgar'nan attempted to replace all living creatures on his own, but he was doomed to fail because he refused to acknowledge that the Sun was needed for life to exist.
The temple mosaic depicts Mythal as pregnant and holding reeds, emphasizing her innate connection to the Lifesource. She is worshipped as the All-Mother.
Ghilan'nain reached her divinity after the gods recognized her ability to create new life forms. From the earlier codices, it seems that she also has some innate connection to the Lifesource in the Abyss. Through the aravels and the association with the craft of navigation, she carries attributes of both the Waters and the Air. Her Air attributes make sense as something bestowed upon her by Andruil -- the goddess depicted as one wielding a spear of starlight.
But more than that, Ghilan'nain is entangled with Andruil & Mythal in the story of Andruil's descent to the Void.
Andruil put on armor made of the Void, and all forgot her true face. She made weapons of darkness, and plague ate her lands. She howled things meant to be forgotten, and the other gods became fearful Andruil would hunt them in turn. So Mythal spread rumors of a monstrous creature and took the form of a great serpent, waiting for Andruil at the base of a mountain. When Andruil came, Mythal sprang on the hunter. They fought for three day and nights, Andruil slashing deep gouges in the serpent's hide. But Mythal's magic sapped Andruil's strength, and stole her knowledge of how to find the Void. After this, the great hunter could never make her way back to the abyss, and peace returned. (Codex: Elven God Andruil)
Ghilan'nain kept herself apart from the People. She used her power to create animals none had ever seen. The skies teemed with her monsters, the land with her beasts. Andruil hunted them all, and after a year of killing, approached Ghilan'nain with an offer: the gods would share their power with Ghilan'nain, but only if she destroyed her creations, for they were too untamed to remain among the People. Ghilan'nain agreed and asked for three days to undo what she had made. On the first day she struck down the monsters of the air, except those she presented to Andruil as a gift. On the second day she drowned the giants of the sea, except those in deep waters, for they were too well-wrought, and Pride stopped her hand. On the third day she killed the beasts of the land, except the halla, whose grace she loved above all else. This is how Ghilan'nain was made youngest of the gods. (Codex: The Ascension of Ghilan'nain)
Now, cue to Trespasser and The Horror of Hormak, which re-contextualize Ghilan'nain's ability to create life as something more of a horrid caricature of something that seems to be natural and benevolent as an attribute of Mythal (looking at The Skin That Stalks and the entirety of the Hormak laboratory). Ghilan'nain's main symbolic cue is now the briny substance that transmogrifies life -- a pale (sic) imitation of the original Abyssal waters where all life hails from and where spirits "return" and reform when they disintegrate (per All New, Faded For Her).
Mythal, in her serpent form, took the knowledge of the Void back from Andruil. Thus, she reestablished her position as the deity with a unique mystical connection to the Abyss/Void, and the guardian of secrets related to these realms.
The mystic associations of Mythal are made known through her modern incarnation as Flemythal. Flemeth makes several comments in the passing about knowing something about the unfolding universal Fate. We don't know for sure if Mythal is the source of Flemeth's alleged prophetic gift, but there is a parallel to be drawn. The connection between Mythal, the Abyss and mystical experience is also echoed in Andraste's story of finding The Maker through the deepest despair and grief, which destroy her human experience, cause the archetypal "dark night of the soul", and lead her to the hidden reservoir of wisdom in the emerald waters of the Abyss. Since then, Mythal and Andraste share the divine archetypes of Sorrow, Grief and enlightenment from despair, as if something unique was to be learned from the experience of loss.
My tinfoil theory is that Ghilan'nain desired that knowledge, which was Mythal's birthright, not hers, and wanted it for herself to push the boundaries of creation -- since her main theme since Trespasser seems to be transgression against whatever can be considered the natural law or natural order in Thedas. Which is a take that, to me, seems to be deeply informed by the Christian outlook on morality* -- Ghilan'nain is merely "playing God" and going against some form of divinity implicit in the world's natural laws, while Mythal would be doing stuff As God Intended. This might have driven Ghilan'nain to incite the Divine Matricide on Mythal, which would imply her repeating Elgar'nan's cycle of ill-informed retribution, and provoking further vendetta at the hand of Fen'Harel, who has his own connections with Mythal's divine lineage and Mythal's worshippers.
Following this line of reasoning, there would be shared themes between Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain -- one of destroying something that was precious on a personal level in an act that was meant to be empowering; and one of trying to replace or imitate life in a way that tries to overlook or erase some indispensable components of life; something discordant with the natural law, something that Mythal knows intimately by virtue of her connection to the Abyss. Because both Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain are blind to these fundamental connections in their respective stories, they sow destruction and distort life as a result.
It's ironic that Fen'Harel inadvertently committed a very similar transgression by depriving the physical world of its Fade connection -- in locking the Evanuris out of the world, he committed severe ill-informed metaphysical shenanigans and thus continued the cycle. His saving grace in the situation is his sincere regret about the devastating side effects of his deed. He doesn't need any convincing that what he separated from the world is good and necessary. In this specific regard, he doesn't seem to come from the place of folly like the Evanuris before him.
Ghilan'nain might be able to make new creatures but she seems to have lost the discernment on how far "the God" (the Nature, the Fate, Gnosis or Enlightenment locked in the Abyss, yada yada) allows a creator to go in this endeavor -- or, like the Elgar'nan of the myth before her, she has scorned something fundamental about life so far that she was willing to engineer life to avoid it. And as an old sci-fi trope dictates, some boundaries should not be broken because those who carry on with hubris and disturb Nature from a place of incomplete information** are doomed to cause Major Fuckups.
And another thread that might connect these potential motivations is how primal acts of Envy bring destruction and discord -- how The Sun envied that Elgar'nan got to enjoy all pleasures and bounties of the Earthly life and scorched Its own children in the aftermath. I have theorized*** that Envy is the main motivation and the driving "will" of the Void when we consider it as an active metaphysical counter-force to All That Exists; that the Void, in a very abstract sense, is not content with its secondary position to existence and aims to replace it.
Ghilan'nain's goal might have been to create life without traces of the Void, life more perfect than anything that actually exists -- invulnerable to decay, suffering, oblivion, etc. But that is simply impossible***, the Existence/ Life and the Void in Thedas must be considered as a dynamic dyad that allows change.
*speaking as a Central European whose country was founded on the principles of the Holy Roman Empire's Christianity some time before the Great Schism.
**this wasn't intended as a post containing any Veilguard spoilers but: Hello, Rook
***the work is orphaned but I maed that. See this post.
#dragon age meta#dragon age lore#da meta#ghilan'nain#elgar'nan#mythal#solas#fen'harel#the evanuris#the abyss#the void#ancient elvhen pantheon#by magister asinius vivellius#featured
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