#this series has such the potential to make a meaningful impact

[thatgirl4815]

My take on the MorkDay dynamic in Ep1 is that Day liked Mork right away, even when he acted all huffy at him. It's not because he felt any sort of special connection to him, but because everyone is basically groveling at his feet for this caretaking job. The guy who started bawling is a perfect example; it's performative. They don't see Day as a whole person. But while immediately challenging the guy you are seeking employment from is not the wisest decision, it's immediate proof that Mork is not intimidated or swayed by Day's condition. Day acts like he only wants to accept Mork as his caretaker because he won't last long in the position, but he's drawn to Mork because Mork doesn't baby him.

Additionally, this scene^ is so touching and proves exactly what Aof has said about Sea being someone who can convey a lot with his eyes, even when playing a blind character. Day can't literally see Mork, but in this moment he's gotten a glimpse of who he really is. And the most compelling part of it for me isn't even The Little Prince bit (though that's definitely a poignant part of the narrative). It's here, just after Mork says he should come and get his library card himself:

It's such a look of contentment from someone being asked to go fetch something for themselves. Mork is challenging Day yet again in a way nobody else does. What to others might look like arrogance or disrespect is actually something so meaningful for Day, who seems to have prided himself so much on his own capability. Being able to see and move freely was once taken for granted, but I think we will see everyone slowly coming to terms with the fact not just verbally but internally that Day is not lesser-than because of his condition.

[nightcolorz]

Armand surgical malpractice meta (spoilers for TVA)

It’s, at least from what I’ve seen, a pretty popularly agreed upon conception that Armand’s mutation of Claudia b4 her death as described in TVA didn’t actually happen..partly bcus it’s such a drastic and grotesque retcon from her death in interview with the vampire so lots of ppl don’t want to address it as canon, and partly bcus it’s so bizarre and seemingly unprompted in context that it just seems more plausible that Armand would make this up as some sort of twisted shock value rather then actually do it. I used to buy into this theory and never rlly thought about it beyond that, and today for the first time I thought about it deeply and realized. Damn I rlly disagree! I think that Armand 100% canonically chopped Claudia’s head off and sewed it onto an adult body. I believe it happened as told. And I have many reasons !

First and foremost I don’t think that Armand is actually capable of lying so deliberately in this context. Interpreting most tvc narrators as potentially lying to our faces and intentionally twisting events to suit a narrative and a purpose of dictating our perception of them is, I think, accurate and justified, and smth I love about this fandom. Everyone is not to be trusted 100%, especially Louis and Lestat, who are said and implied many times to have completely fabricated some events in the books for the sake of painting a picture. Tvc serve as this over arching plot about multiple conflicting characters manipulating events of their lives to suit a narrative that we as the audience can pick apart and discover the truth within. Very much “this bitch said WHAT about me?? that dumb cunt is always spreading lies smh, it actually happened LIKE THIS” (they r both not telling the full truth). Armand however is very much an outlier here, and it’s part of what makes TVA so unique as a chronicle. It’s a big part of his character throughout the series, in TVA and leading up to TVA, that Armand’s way of thinking is so dysfunctional and his memory is so flawed (bcus of all his trauma) (and neurodivergence) (imo) that he isn’t able to fully conceptualize the events of his life as chronological and meaningful in the way that one would need to do to be able to write a memoir.

He can’t describe events in broad strokes, or wrap his head around a vast emotional impact in a way that is explanatory or intentional. Think of that conversation he has with Daniel in queen of the damned, where he explains that he isn’t capable of telling Daniel what his life in the past “was like” because that’s a concept incomprehensible to him. He only knows what happened, not what it was like, not how it affected him or how it shaped his personhood, what it means etc. It’s a form of dissociation almost. The vampire armand is the first time in Armand’s vampiric life that he self reflects beyond acknowledging events and his emotions in that moment, it’s the first time he attempts to make connections and understand himself in a way that is narrative and structured and not fragmented bits of history and A names. Part of this requires further dissociation. I definitely get the impression that since Armand is being so vulnerable in a way he is so unused to, yet is so significant, he is unable to register while he’s talking that not only David, but millions of people including every vampire in the world, will know what he says. He’s just laying himself completely bare, he’s talking and talking and only once he finishes realizes oh. Oh. everyone’s going to read this huh. It’s so cathartic he doesn’t consider that in the moment. It’s the first time he’s ever been capable of reckoning with his life in a self reflective way, of looking at it and explaining it and reasoning with it, structuring it in order, not fragments, etc, seeing the cause and the impact and touching on an overall conclusion (tho he never entirely gets there). These baby steps are so difficult for him already, and considering this part of his character I really think it’s a stretch to say that Armand would be capable of the thought process in his book of pure venting to go “maybe I should twist the truth here or change this or add this or lie about this so people will think of me this way or so Lestat can see this, etc” TVA is unreliable, more so bcus of how mentally ill armand is and how little he understands his own life and emotions, but not deliberately like iwtv and tvl. Armand even says that the book was for Benji and Sybelle, but it’s so unfiltered and horrific and vent-like that this sounds ridiculous. He doesn’t even have his stated audience in mind while he’s telling his story, let alone his broader audience. The audience was a complete afterthought, a barely registered consequence. So why would he lie about Claudia? How would he be capable?

it’s another common piece of conversation around this part of TVA where we go, Armand discusses how he never would want to tell this to Louis bcus he knows how badly it would hurt him, so why did he describe it so graphically? Well, cause of all I mentioned. It seems pretty clear to me that armand is almost haunted by the affair with Claudia, and he has no way of lying about this, so his descriptions seemed very much to me like a desperate bit of venting. He has never told anyone how horrific it actually was and it’s always been in his mind, so he just lets it all out. Makes sense, but the broader question is, if Armand wasn’t lying…why did he do that at all?? This I think is so interesting.

To understand this I had to think a lot about Armand’s motivations for killing Claudia at all, which is well, simply, revenge against Lestat and claiming of Louis without barriers. If Claudia dies Lestat will be sad and Louis will be mine and mine alone 👍👍 etc. but Claudia’s mutation was not rooted in either of these motivations, which is part of why it’s so shocking. He didn’t do it to hurt Lestat, lestat never found out. It just seems so odd and unprompted. But once I thought more about why Armand hates Lestat, and why he wants to hurt him by killing Claudia, it started to fit into place. Armand’s hatred for Lestat is rooted very much in his twisted resemblance to Marius that he perceives as being very strong and basically mocking. When he first sees Lestat in tvl he’s repulsed by him instantly bcus he sees him as this parody of Marius, this beautiful blonde man in striking red robes who boldly and carelessly defies the laws of vampires established by the children of Satan as if they are meaningless to him, revels in the indulgent world of humans like he belongs there, shamelessly as armand devotes himself to miserable repression. It strikes a nerve for armand, feels very personally offensive to him, like the embodiment of the traits that got Marius’s destroyed r coming back to mock him in his face. And then as he gets to know Lestat more deeply he only hates him more, bcus Lestat is not only bold and careless, but he’s immature and stupid, and he knows nothing. Armand in his horribly traumatized mind set registers Lestat as “like Marius” and takes this to mean “maybe he can save me, maybe he will teach me and free me from this hell, guide me and give me the purpose I need to be given.” But Lestat does not do this, lmfao. He actually destroys any sense of purpose armand had, rips him from his safety net, and when Armand begs for guidance, asks to be allowed to travel alongside Lestat so he can learn to be a person again, Lestat denies him. The only purpose he bothers to give him is the scraps, symbolic of his perverse indulgence that Armand despises, and fucks off. Lestat is grotesquely reminiscent of Marius, in the worst ways. It’s like his presence alone opens Armand’s eyes to how badly Marius has ruined him. He was the sun, the purpose, the guiding light, and then it was ripped away, and there was nothing else without him. Just a void.

So Armand hates Lestat for this very personal mockery of his own plight, and this hatred spirals into unbridled rage when Lestat returns to him and expects Armand to give Lestat the assistance that he denied him. Not only this, but Lestat found Marius, found marius and was granted guidance and love that Marius refused to give Armand after his indoctrination into the children of Satan. And Marius told Lestat to never ever do what he did, never make an Armand, because Armand was a mistake, he was too young to be a vampire, and now he’s a mistake he will never forgive himself for. And with this immense privilege that Armand spent a huge chunk of his life yearning for, guidance from Marius when he was his most lost, Lestat decides to disregard it. He decides that since Marius said it was bad to turn a child as young as Armand, he’d turn a child even younger then Armand, just cuz. He is once again the embodiment of Marius’s sins, the grotesque parody. Marius turned a teenager, Lestat turns a five year old. It’s almost cruel in how mocking it is, almost intentional in how personal. So Claudia is this child, this deliberate mistake made by someone who knew her turning would be harmful to her but was selfish enough not to care, then went on to regret it when he has to reckon with the consequences. Seem familiar? Armand sure thought so. So I imagine that being alone with Claudia, looking this deeply sad reflection of his own agony in the eyes, knowing she is about to die for justice against a warped parody of his Maker, for the sake of punishment for her own existence, I imagine this struck a cord of insanity in Armand’s fucked up mind, caused him to loose his absolute shit for just long enough to go what if I can fix her, what if I can turn this narrative around, give her the remarkable ending I know deep down that she, I , will never be granted. What if I can give her a body that will reflect her mind? What if I can make this abomination into a miracle? No wonder he pulled out the surgical tools 😭 No wonder he was so horrified by his own actions when he came to his senses, no wonder he refused to share this, kept it to himself for so long, until he finally broke and confessed it all in a desperate moment when he was too caught up in the dam breaking to realize he’d be exposing this horrific action to the world.

Armand sees Claudia as a repulsive mistake that should’ve never existed made by Lestat to deliberately mock him up until the surgery, when then for only a moment lost to time ended in blood she is another child who had her life taken from her too soon by an egotistical blonde man who thought he could play god with someone’s life. “They were done for anyway, he was going to starve to death in a brothel, she was going to die as a street orphan, the blood would be a service to them, a chance they never had” But they both know that’s a lie they tell themselves to justify the act of taking a child and molding it into what they please for fun, for pleasure, for companionship, just to see what would happen. Armand sees this for a moment and wants to give her a chance, give them both a chance, wants to see her as an adult, as someone who could have a life. And then of course, we know how that turns out 😭

[chiarrara]

the core idea i'm working with concerning the jjk finale discourse is that people are mad about the wrong things.

I have had serious problems with the writing in jjk since at least shibuya, and I even found criticism in the hidden inventory arc and the sister school exchange arc (though the main problem there is that it was boring pre-disaster curses and the characters suck).

Similar to Game of Thrones, some people were criticizing the broken writing choices as far back as seasons 3 and 4 while most people were glazing the series until the cracks in the foundation caused the entire story to crumble right at the end, leaving most of the fanbase confused how it "suddenly" got so bad.

The commonly held sentiment is that JJK fell off after Shibuya. I disagree. I think it fell off during Shibuya where the entire worldbuilding, power system, and plot broke irreparably.

HOWEVER where JJK never fell off was in character writing, relationship writing, and the overall themes of the story which were all consistent, had strong throughlines, were well integrated into the action (another strength), and were in my opinion, the core appeal of the the entire project.

And yet, most of what I hear people complaining about is either a) missing or dissatisfying character moments and a lack of satisfying exploration of the themes, or b) contradictory outrage over plot and worldbuilding elements not lining up as if these issues haven't been there from the start.

I know a lot of people don't operate this way, but when there are fundamental problems with the storytelling, but there are other parts of the story that I find incredibly meaningful and impactful, I find it really easy to glaze over those problems and even justify and rewrite them in my head so they make more sense. When good character writing shows up in JJK, I stop caring that the plot sucks.

The finale chapters of JJK had amazing character writing, delivered on the main themes of the story, and made literally all the broken plot elements, lack of focus, and shoddy worldbuilding secondary concerns for me. They don't break the important parts of the story, I don't care that they aren't wrapped up because I didn't like them in the first place, and their lack of exploration just cedes more ground to fan creation allowing the story to thrive for years into the future.

If you were reading JJK for the complicated plot, complex scheming, or intricate worldbuilding, I can see why you're upset, but you made a mistake a long time ago because that stuff has sucked for ages. But I know most of you fuckers on this website were reading for good characters, impactful themes about love, and yaoi bait, so why are you mad????? I really don't get it.

Who cares that the shittily written American Military subplot didn't come back? The fucking basis of the power system doesn't make any sense and isn't well thought out, so how was it ever going to deliver on the solution/potential for cursed energy? You're mad that the random New Shadow School subplot was randomly thrown in at the end, I've been mad since that random fucking grasshopper showed up in the fucking subway!

And some of you are literally admitting YOU DIDN'T EVEN READ THE TRANSLATED CHAPTERS so how would you KNOW if the story themes and character writing had been delivered on? based on summaries? that is the absolute worst delivery system for a story, you have to know this. you're getting mad at machine translations of out of context pages like WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT.

In conclusion, most of you are mad at the wrong things and none of what I wrote up there is really about what the things you should be mad about are, because they don't matter. The point of a story is to mean something and JJK did. It was always good at what it was good at, and I wish people were engaging more with the story in it's own domain instead of being mad it wasn't exactly what they wanted it to be. The finale delivered on everything that made me care about this story. It made me love it even more, and I'm never going to regret spending so much time on this series. Everything else is just criticism for fun.

[joyce-stick]

Good evening,

I am contacting the team in relation to the current policy of the tag wranglers on "All Media Types" tags. I have heard from various community members that the policy of the tag wranglers is, as of this moment, to remove these tags. I am writing primarily to express my opposition to this policy, as it is not clear what problem it is intended to solve, and broadly has the potential to cause more harm than good (if any good at all).

You have likely already heard about the impact this policy has on anime and manga fandoms, as many Japanese media franchises exist across mediums and installments that share a singular continuity, and many adaptations are 1 to 1 transpositions of the source material's narrative to the target medium with no meaningful narrative deviation. Bang Dream, the Monogatari series, and virtually every manga with an anime adaptation (such as Bloom Into You, Bocchi the Rock, and My Hero Academia) all fall into this. There are counter-examples, such as Fullmetal Alchemist's manga, and its 2003 anime adaptation which takes a drastically different narrative direction, but these exceptions are few and far between.

Anime and manga fanfic writers often tag both the anime and the manga of the series they are writing about, because the fandom for both is often one and the same. Removing the All Media Types tag makes the act of searching for fics in any anime/manga fandom more difficult, as well as making it harder to filter out crossovers, because the option to do so removes any writers who have tagged both the anime and the manga for the reasons of fandom continuity mentioned earlier.

This policy, if applied consistently, also has the potential to have an incredibly destructive impact on the searchability of any fic for a media franchise split across a large number of installments and continuities, which can potentially number in the dozens, and in some extreme cases, the hundreds. The Transformers franchise, in particular, has numerous spinoffs across many mediums and continuities, as do many other popular franchises such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gundam, and a litany of others. There are also the obvious examples of franchises such as Star Wars, Marvel, and DC, many of whose installments also share continuities or other elements. Removing the All Media Types tag makes it difficult for people who wish to search for fics from any of these franchises generally with no interest in any particular spinoff, and solves no apparent problem.

The child tags already exist for readers who want to search for media based on any specific installment, as well as for writers writing a fic not based on any spinoff or continuity in particular. Someone writing a more general interpretation of a popular character may have to pick a single piece of that franchise to tag the story under, where they might otherwise simply use the general "All Media Types" tag. This is a serious oversight, as while the wranglers may claim that the removal of these tags is to make the search easier, it in fact makes it more difficult for writers to reach their audience, and audiences to find stories they might have otherwise discovered more easily.

I would strongly encourage the wranglers to observe the following posts, and the response to them, which should be ample evidence that many in the community are not in favor of this policy and that for many fandoms it does not have the intended impact of improving the website's ease of use;*

[1] [2]

If there are no plans to reverse course on the policy, I would strongly implore the staff to publicly announce this change and open a dialogue with the community on how to handle this. I personally am opposed to it, but I am obviously not the only one. Right now the general perception seems to be that this practice is of no convenience to anyone except the tag wranglers themselves, and that they are ignoring the voices of anyone contacting them to say that it is not appreciated. At an absolute minimum, I believe transparency from the team about why and how this policy is being implemented is required, because right now, there is no open communication on this that I have observed and the only way this became openly known was by people on social media passing around screenshots of individual email responses from the Archive's support team.

You can rest assured that I will be doing the same if the response to this inquiry proves unfavorable. Regards, Joyce Celeste Silvia Fisher

*I put a plain colon rather than a semicolon in the original message but tumblr didn't like that for some reason.

Proof:

[burst-of-iridescent]

Hi! I love all your posts regarding atla and deep diving into Zuko and Katara's relationship-those analysis's are *chief's kiss* perfect

Anywho, I hope you don't mind me asking, but I'm guessing you heard about Bryke wanting to expand the atla universe, and will be creating a new movies, one of which, with the Gaang as adults, but as far as I know won't have any of the returning head writers like Aaron Ehasz..

so my question is: do you think there is any hope for these movies? Because to me I feel like it might just be a fully animated comic (we all know how those turned out) & just be 2 hrs of Katara and Aang saying "Sweetie" back an forth. Yes I'm still saltly

frankly? no.

and that's not even me saying it as a salty zutara shipper who doesn't want to see kat.aang as an established relationship. i doubt how good these movies are going to be because bry.ke have little-to-no understanding of their characters, especially katara and zuko, and at least since atla, haven't shown the self-awareness to hire a writer's team that can compensate for their shortcomings. i've said it before and i'll say it again: they have great, creative ideas and an excellent eye for stunning visuals and an immersive world. but when it comes to the nuances of characterization and story-building, they cannot do it on their own. lok proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt.

but more than bry.ke, these movies are also emblematic of a larger problem that i see in multiple franchises: the subordination of creative, meaningful storytelling in service to shameless nostalgia cash-grabbing. ask yourself, do we really need a story about the adult gaang? most of the main plot threads that they could've expanded on from atla have already been (mostly badly) answered in the comics: what happened to ursa, azula's potential redemption, decolonisation, industrialisation vs tradition, the founding of a new air nomad legacy, zuko's struggles as fire lord. any new story would either have to retcon previously established "canon" or put a new spin on old themes. the latter of which i severely doubt bry.ke's capability to pull off, particularly if any level of nuance is required.

atla is slowly but surely heading in the direction of star wars/harry potter/the mcu in producing new material just for the sake of making money instead of truly adding something impactful to the canon. the fact that absolutely no new atla material since the show itself has ever managed to live up to the original is proof that the franchise has no idea what it's doing.

and before someone comes at me to say that it's impossible to ever live up to the original - just take a look at the hunger games revival happening right now. the ballad of songbirds and snakes has been received so well because it isn't just a shameless cash-grab. it's a valuable contribution to the series that expands on the universe and themes of the original trilogy, giving more depth and nuance to the original books instead of detracting from them. because collins adds to the canon only when she has something meaningful to say, and for a franchise that she could have milked to absolute filth, that restraint reflects not only her integrity as a creator, but the value she places on the stories that she tells - which in turn makes her readers value and respect them as well.

and that's a lesson that i think every single storyteller should take to heart. if you want to be respected as a writer, you have to respect your characters and your stories first. because if you, the creator, don't... why should anyone else?

[quartings]

Thoughts on fan backlash: The Good and the Evil.

With the recent massive Pokemon leak bringing a lot of internal Gamefreak correspondance to light, I wanted to just give a stream of consciousness on my thoughts about people's reaction to fan backlash, and how it can have both really good and completely evil impacts.

I think the Pokemon fanbase has speculated for a long time that low Gen 5 sales caused Gamefreak to begin their excessive Kanto pandering in Gen 6, 7, and early Gen 8 in an attempt to increase profit.

And while I understand the apprehension about fans being unhappy with the Unova dex restriction, I think a sales dip was only inevitable as Pokemon's initial overseas fanbase entered their cringy teen years. Blaming it on foreigners and the entire Unova dex was a gross overreaction. And as someone who was in their early teens when BW launched and only had good things to say about it, it baffles me that the controversy even existed in the first place.

But later controversies had even kid me upset with Gamefreak- the low difficulty of the games (which comes and goes nowadays), games coming out with missing/underdeveloped features, severe performance errors, and of course, Dexit (when I was an adult). BW only having Unova Pokemon in their regional dex was fine, since all the older Pokemon were still in the postgame and game data ready for transfer. So when is fan outrage justified, and when isn't it?

I guess the main problem here is making a series for children, wanting to keep it for children (nothing wrong with that), but trying to get all your feedback from teenagers and adults online, since most kids (at least back in the 2010s) can't access social media as easily to enunciate their thoughts. Because meaningful feedback (Make the stories better paced, make the games at least as tough as they were in Gens 3-5, improve competitive custom games, improve continuity between games, bring back the Battle Frontier, etc) conflict with Gamefreak's backwards mindset of "kids are stupid and want easy games, boring characters, and flashy features we'll scrap next gen". Which leaves the only criticism they can respond to being "Let's appeal to the shallow Genwunners by focusing way too much on Kanto Pokemon."

A part of me worries for the dark potential future where Gamefreak listens to fan backlash about Gen 8's Dexit, and makes a game with all 1100+ Pokemon available. But due to internal pressures and overworking their employees on a poorly planned schedule, the game runs awfully and has next to no postgame. As a result, reception to this game is naturally negative, but both dimwitted Gamefreak executives and a small handful of especially stupid fans think "Oh, this happened because we had all the Pokemon in the game- we should never do this again, and blame fans who want basic features in the games from now on!" instead of the obvious lesson "We shouldn't overwork our employees and instead take our time to make a functioning and fun game."

And for anyone who has followed my blog since its early days, you'd know I am (was?) a huge amourshipping fan, partly because I love the XY anime, partly because I really enjoy Serena as a character, and partly because I had a foolish hope that the anime would try to properly progress Ash as a character instead of what they wound up doing in Gens 7-8. And apparently The Pokemon Company limited Serena's screentime in Journeys because they were too scared of fan backlash at the risk of handling her wrong, with the former XY director getting threats over such issues (I won't comment on what kind of fans were making the threats as they weren't specified in the leak) in her only return episode. And I know this may come across as naiive or insensitve, but... who cares? There's always going to be a handful of crazy fans trying to stan or hate a certain character- what do YOU as a creator think is best for YOUR character and YOUR story? And as long as the overall public is fine with your story, who cares what the few psycho fans think one way or the other? Why sabotage your own story not to appease the majority, not even to please a minority, but to silence a minority? I think more fans both casual and hardcore would be happy to see Ash and Serena get together than the amount who would be upset by it. It just feels like cowardice.

But when it comes for stories made for older audiences, listening to feedback becomes a more complex story. On the opposite end, a lot of fanbases like to bootlick for big companies when they make blatantly discriminatory decisions. For a non-Pokemon example, I'll cite The Mandarin in Iron Man 3. Marvel changed the character from an offensive Chinese sterotype to a self-aware vague Middle Eastern stereotype played by a goofy British man in-universe in order to avoid hate from Chinese audiences.

And there was a lot of fandom drama from this choice naturally, between fans who wanted a real villainous and Chinese Mandarin, and fans who enjoyed the twist and appreciated Marvel's choice to not risk an offensive Chinese stereotype. I was a bit too young to participate in any of this drama at the time, but I generally enjoyed the twist Marvel did, while also sympathising with fans who liked the comic storylines.

Well apparently, the fan backlash to Iron Man 3 was enough to compel Marvel to make a short film called "All Hail the King" in the same year, where they confirmed there was indeed a real East Asian villainous Mandarin somewhere in the MCU. And eventually in Shang Chi (8 years later), the real Mandarin did appear as Xu WenWu, an incredibly cool and compelling villain who wasn't harmfully stereotypical at all! I know the extremely racist Marvel executive Ike Perlmutter getting fired after Iron Man 3 and before Shang Chi probably contributed, but I can't help but wonder if fan backlash was the main cause for us getting WenWu eventually? In the alternate universe where everyone agreed to shut up and happily accept the Iron Man 3 version of the Mandarin, would there be no WenWu? Would that universe be all the worse as a result?

And then, there's the difference between "fans" and "fandoms". Sometimes I think both creators and fans forget that the main audience for a show does indeed love it, but rarely do they "obsess" over it. I've always said that children love good stories, while adults find excuses to love bad stories. Take my brother for example- he loves many cartoons, and has a lot of valid points to say about their storytelling, but I would never at all say he's a "fandom" kind of guy. Meanwhile, myself and all my animation colleagues are very much in fandoms, or at least aware of them. So one of my fellow animator friends was very surprised when they found out my brother and his friends had no idea what a "tumblr sexyman" even was, but still enjoyed cartoons and their stories nonetheless. You mean you can enjoy a cartoon for the actual content it has, without obsessively thirsting over characters or getting attached to completely fictitious ships and headcanons? No way!!

It's important to remember that when making stories for kids, the shipping/thirst/drama opinions of fandoms never really matter as long as you've put genuine thought and care into your characters and story. You don't have to deliberately insult, offend, or repel fandoms (though with enough skill and tact it could be funny I guess), just pay them no mind as you try and make the best show you can. Which is a lesson I'd like to take in making my own stories. As I make content on Youtube and beyond, I keep reminding myself that the most important viewers I have are the ones I'll hear from the least- kids with very little social media presence. And if I barely hear from that audience, the best I can do isn't to pander to my adult fans (though I still hope they like what I do if it suits them), but to keep having faith in my own content, and to be open to constructive criticism when it arrives (obviously different from insults and threats, which I've thankfully never gotten anyways)

[hall0wedwyrm]

Basically, TLDR i saw a fake screenshot on TikTok showing Amy in the Knuckles series and it got me thinking about how she... doesn't quite fit in the movieverse yet...

So here is my long rant about why it would be bad for her to join in Movie 3 and she should be saved for a future installment.

to preface: I DO NOT HATE AMY OR HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST HER. I think shes wonderful and shes literally a main character so shes very important obviously.

First, the elephant in the room. Shadow the Hedgehog. One of, if not THE most, complex character in the Sonic franchise, let alone in the main expanded cast. Having to introduce, and illude to, aspects of Shadow’s backstory (his relationship with Maria and Gerald, The ARK, how he was made, and the fallout) and his future (returning with amnesia in his next appearance, potentially introducing the Black Arms and some of the Heroes and Shad05 story beats that are important who he becomes) in about an hour and a half to 2 hours. I just don’t see how it would be a good idea to introduce a core member of Sonic’s friends into the movie series when she could be introduced later so that Shadow has more of a time to shine, and Amy can too later on.

Historically, Amy’s talk to Shadow to remind him of his promise to Maria has been filled in by another character when the plot called for it. In Sonic X, during its own adaptation of SA2, Chris spoke to Shadow to try and help him remember his real purpose and talk sense into him. While it didn't exactly work out, it shows that this role could be interchangable in SEGA’s eyes. I propose a similar story, using Tom’s niece Jojo. Being a character who is around Maria’s age and doesn’t have a complete character behind her as of now, this could be a more meaningful way for Shadow to realise his purpose and remember his promise. Hearing the words from someone who is like Maria (a young girl who cares about Earth) would be more impactful to him. I can see any human character taking up this role though, but Jojo would be the best candidate, due to her simiarities to Maria.

However, while not introducing another new character could be good for not overcrowding the movie with new arcs and introductions involving them, I could see this working for one character; Rouge the Bat. She was introduced along with Shadow in SA2, which is immediately a good sign, as their plots intertwine with each other. They both work with Eggman, until they turn the focus on saving the world. Rouge is one of Shadow’s closest companions going forward, and has her own arc too. She is the one who frees Shadow in Heroes, and rekindles their friendship there.

Rouge also could connect back to the previous movie. Being a jewel thief at heart, she goes after the Master Emerald, but in Movieverse its destroyed and the Chaos Emeralds are retrieved from it. She is established as being the Rival to Knuckles, and this could help him fill a new purpose on Earth (cos lets be honest… he didn’t really do that in his show-) of becoming a protector of the Chaos Emeralds instead or something. The main part of SA2 is about the Chaos Emeralds so this makes sense. Refinding the Emeralds or going to the right spot to use them and such but thats besides the point.

Another huge loss of introducing Amy in Sonic 3 is missing out on how she was introduced in the franchise. In Sonic CD, she was introduced along side another key character in the franchise; Metal Sonic. She saw a blue hero coming to help her, believing it to be Sonic, but turned out to be Metal instead. Having Amy navigate the trio around and give them the lore would make a lot of sense, given the way that others were introduced in the second installment.

Its also appropriate for this introduction too, since Metal Sonic is the perfect equal to Sonic, compared to Shadow's unintentional equal. After Eggman's failure of using Shadow, creating Metal is the next best thing. Whatever the story is with Metal, whether its faithful to Sonic CD or is twisted to fit the Movieverse story.

Now... I think introducing Amy could also mess up a lot of aspects of what the movieverse has set up for the stories of the characters. I 100% know that they will try and pull off a romance for Sonic and Amy, since its one of her main character arcs and for the longest time and its kind of (??) the main romance of the franchise. BUT according to the Sonic Dream Team character profiles, and the ending of Frontiers, she's drifted away from that interest in him... so to go back to that would be a really weird choice. I know its a different universe, but if SEGA is trying to steer away from that, then why would they go back on it?

PLUS I think it would be a huge detriment to both of their characters. Movie Sonic is much different to the Sonic's of the past, as he has all of the charms of Modern Sonic (his quick wit and charming personality) but hes younger and less experienced and jumps head first without thinking because he doesn't know what to actually do. He was thrown into the role of the hero in the first movie because the place he grew up was being threatened and he refused to run away. Amy being introduced as solely 'the love interest' also does a disservice to her character. She's strong willed, and unafraid to stand up to Eggman and any other wrong doer. She's also rather hot headed but still kind and cares for those who matter. (this is also part of a larger discussion i wrote about how in canon Sonic and Amy wouldn't work out because they want different things and are very different people but thats for a different day and/or if anyone is interested). Sonic immediately switching to a head-over-heels guy would be a complete ruin of his character built up, while also immediately destroying Amy's.

Another problem is that there isn't a focus on romance of any kind in the story so far, and introducing it could mess up what they have going. The Movie's are clearly about familial love and growing up and filling the boots of a hero. It is not a story of romance in any way. The first movie was friendship, the second was about family bonds and making new friends, and the third is most likely about trust or learning to trust again (Shadow has to trust Sonic to save the world). It'll also be a huge moment for Sonic's character; Meeting someone who is not just against him and Knuckles and Tails, but against the world itself, someone who is so hellbent on revenge for the one he lost, and how hes going to over come that WHILE meeting his new love interest... is a huuuuge task to pull off and the two stories don't really mix imo. Plus even in SA2 the extent of the romance is just 'Amy mistaking Shadow for Sonic and then she thinks its awkward and gets embarrassed and thats how they meet for the first time'.

So yeah this could be done much better if it's something thats going to happen, and it would be better left for a 4th or separate installment. Having a mini romance arc along with the Metal Sonic stuff works better because the introduction of a potential romance was worked more into Sonic CD than anything.

Im still gonna be pissed off if they do a romance, because Sonic the Hedgehog has never been about romance... but its also a multimillion kids film franchise and its bound to happen, especially when its the main male and main female character. Just know i won't enjoy it lol.

IF they do Amy... I want tarot cards AND the Piko Piko Hammer and if you take either of them away i will be causing problems (on purpose). If you give her the original outfit +11 points and if you make up an outfit whatever as long as it works and its cute (I'm partial to Dungarees myself).

anyway yeah id like to see other opinions on this... maybe some other ways it could work out? or how else she could be introduced? or maybe even of she could be in Sonic 3 but idk what they would do for her to make her not get sidelined or overtake the plot...?

[boykingscourt]

thoughts on spn s8

ahh... good old s8

though it's been a while since I've watched it all the way through (currently in s6 with my friend) s8 without a doubt brings out the most mixed feelings for me compared to any other season

fair warning this got kinda long

let's start with the good:

1 ) the sam and dean drama

if you can look at it objectively, shutting out the narrative's dean bias and the general fandom reaction, it's just delicious. I've seen it referred to as the samndean dual cheating arc, which I love rather you consider that romantic or just in the weird brothers way lmao.

I'm a big fan of benny and unlike most of the fandom don't mind the sam/amelia plot. I like it what it represents for sam's character, showing just how mismatched sam and dean's priorities are in the beginning of the season. and even though sam would cop shit from dean, the narrative, and the fandom at large, those rare moments where he stands up to dean feel like mana from heaven

2 ) TRIALS TRIALS TRIALS

this is the most important aspect of s8 for me and maybe what I should have led with, but I'm sure it's not surprising coming from a sam stan or just if you're at all familiar with my blog (hopefully you are <3)

the trials arc is one of my all-time favorite sam arcs. it has unique whump, deep and meaningful revelations for his character, and ends with one of spn's greatest season finales (to me, and I'm always right)

it also spawned one of the scenes of ALL TIME, 8x21's "I'm not clean" iconic 10/10

the trials arc is of course absolutely heartbreaking from a sam perspective, especially when thinking about s8 collectively. sam going from defending himself and his choices against dean's unfair criticism -> choosing to leave his life with amelia behind -> bravely undertaking the trials but wanting to come out on the other side alive -> not caring if it kills him in the end because of his feelings of unworthiness, guilt over his past mistakes, and (chiefly) dean's infantilization and constant reminders of all that sam has done "wrong" is one of the most sickening (affectionate) journeys I've seen a character go on. even if most of the fandom doesn't recognize it for what it is, at least the dedicated sam corner of the fandom does, and I will never tire of reading trials-related meta

3 ) very distinct arcs

this probably seems trivial in relation to the other two but I like how s8 feels like two or three different seasons mashed into one

now let's talk about the bad:

1 ) wasted potential

you could say this about a lot of spn seasons/plotlines, especially the later ones, so of course it applies here too. as much as I like benny, I think there's more they could have done with him, mainly giving him more interactions with sam! I feel the same about henry winchester too. I didn't need peepaw to stick around forever, but without a doubt they should've given him more than one measly episode. he and sam had serious potential to bond and grow close, making his death (ideally later in the season) much more impactful

2 ) too much angel crap

I really can't tell you how sick I got of angel politics, and s8 only gives us a taste of many more boring conflicts to come. the angel "trials" do nothing for me, I hardly remember anything that's going on with c*s once he comes back from purgatory minus that cringe ass swan song imitation they give him and dean (and it's memorable for the wrong reasons), and the angels falling, which seems to be a big deal at first, is extremely underwhelming once s9 rolls around (maybe it's not fair to pin that on s8 but whatever)

3 ) narrative bias towards dean/fandom reaction to sam

maybe this is also not fair to pin entirely on s8, but these things are unfortunately forever intertwined in my mind and color my view of the season as a whole. s8 sam is arguably the most misunderstood and slandered sam of the whole series. you could certainly make that argument for s4 sam, s9 sam, even s5 sam, but I'm sure you will agree s8 sam is up there no matter which sam wins that crown for you

the significance of the trials and what they reveal about sam's character is entirely lost on most of the audience. all we seem to hear about instead is how stupid and pointless they find the amelia plotline, how jealous and unreasonable sam is regarding benny, and (you already know it!) endless endless ENDLESS "waaaaaahhhh sam didn't look for dean!!" just one of the three of those is enough to drive me insane, and we are instead treated to all three and more!

couple this with the narrative's dean bias (and s8 just happens to be the moment where, in my opinion, this bias becomes fixed and permanent) you are left with some of the worst takes and most fuck ass sam meta you can imagine, some of it being so bad I've heard of many instances of sam stans taking a break from spn or just checking out entirely around this time

s8 my beloved and s8 my beloathed

although maybe this is all entirely too serious and I should instead just thank s8 for its greatest gifts: estrogen!jared sam with his beautiful tan and glorious long glossy chestnut hair AND sickly trials era bella swan sam, both of whom I want to abandon the silverware for and eat with my bare hands

thanks so much for this ask, and if you were expecting a succinct response instead, I sincerely apologize

[exo-raskreia]

U being anti IH what if the same thing happens to gjhm and they become canon but don't have as much material as other ship?

I'm not sure if you're asking this with malicious intent or if it's a genuine question from a fellow shipper, but here we go.

(Oncoming lengthy response)

I've actually had this thought before. What if despite his different writing style, the general hate the Bleach ED got, & just how ridiculous it sounds, Gege pulled a Kubo? After all, he's a fanboy of the man (I wonder what he thinks of the Bleach ED? Is he aware of how it was received?).

I would be shocked, conflicted, & worried.

To start with, while neither ship should be compared due to how fundamentally different they are, I will say this. Despite several interactions, IH severely lacked chemistry, trust, & meaningful moments. Meanwhile, GojoHime with less on-screen interactions & a playful dynamic, have shown us a deep trust for each other & have worked together to achieve their shared goals. Despite being a minor side character, Utahime is one of the few people Gojo trusts & one of the three adults he calls by first name with no honorific. This already puts them leagues above IH, who were barely friends at best & acquaintances at worst.

So, I wouldn't want GjHm to somehow get the IH treatment in the end. I wouldn't wish that on any shipper, heck, I even feel sort of bad for the IH's, cuz despite becoming "canon" out of nowhere 7 years ago, they still. don't. have. content (especially from the author himself, who has shown no particular interest in his endgames. They don't even have a family sketch 🫢). Makes you wonder who really lost here (as IchiRuki has still gotten some content over the years post-ED...).

GjHm already gets enough hate for simply existing, despite it being a smaller ship with a smaller fanbase in the JJK fandom (the antis are threatened by the potential it has, not to mention it's the most popular JJK straight ship in Japan), so if Gege were to pull a Kubo, the hate would increase, especially towards Utahime, who of course would amass the most hate from this freakin' fandom that's obsessed with Gojo. It'd be a tough time for us fans of the ship & Utahime.

After dealing with the aftermath of the Naruto Shipping Wars as a soldier in the NaruHina army lol (don't even get me started on why NH is NOT like IH, plus we actually have content 🤪), & then witnessing the disastrous Bleach ED & the general hate it got, I do NOT wish to go thru this again. Whether you win or lose, if it isn't done properly, you'll still deal with criticism left & right... (why can't more battle shounens be like Fairy Tail when it comes to slowly developing the ships throughout the story? There'd be less drama...)

Gege keeps saying the manga will end soon, so that means if he wants to make anyone canon by the end, he'll have to start now. JJK is a battle shounen with no romance, but if despite this, GjHm are to be canon, then their moments leading up to it will have to be quality > quantity. Is there enough room/time to develop them the way we would wish? Doubt it, so we'll need at least a couple flashbacks to further justify them (and boy, we're still waiting for their flashback after Gojo's unsealing, if that ever comes...).

Basically, even if it's a few moments, they need to be impactful enough to make even the casual readers/viewers think, "I could see them ending up together." Subtlety & slow burn are usually the best fit for battle shounens, after all, &/or maybe a little further (once again, like Fairy Tail). With that said, out of all the potential ships in the series, I personally view YutaMaki as the most likely to become canon by the end; their moments, far & few in between, are enough to convince me that they could be endgame (that is, if the capricious Gege so wished 😓).

So far, we've seen nothing of what Gojo & Utahime truly think of each other. To reiterate, they have a silly dynamic but have shown to trust each other implicitly. Why this is, we can only guess. I mean, Utahime has risked her life for Gojo twice already (investigating the mole & buffing him against Sukuna). Where is this supposed "hate" she holds for him? It's stated in the databook that she hates him most of the time, so how does she feel at other times? 🤔 And Gojo, despite his teasing, has shown he cares for her, saved her, & obviously trusted her with the aforementioned important & risky tasks.

Just what is going on with these two? Is it really so impossible that there could be something more here? Whether now or later? Gege would just need to give us a little more... Though at this point, there's only so much we can hope for, considering his writing style & how things have been seemingly going... Gotta keep our expectations low...

(What if—delulu plot twist—GjHm are already together, either secretly this whole time—like some ppl have wondered, as this could further explain the immense trust in each other—or got together during the timeskip, & all we need now is the big reveal with a/some proper flashback(s) to explain it? LOL. Just a silly idea 😜).

Anyway, in general, I wouldn't want GjHm becoming canon at the cost of its beautiful potential. We'd need some more moments to justify it, or else I'd have to put back on my old "army uniform" to defend my ship if need be. So, despite how unlikely it would be, I can only hope Gege does NOT pull a Kubo (well, he's more likely to kill everyone off or something like that 🙄).

I'd rather he pulled a Sorachi (author of Gintama) & left things open-ended, keeping the fandom from turning into utter chaos...

(Maybe only that side might lose it, tho, lol. They get bothered by anything that doesn't adhere to their ship despite them being down here with us in Delulu Land, oop-).

[twistedisciple]

TOA Anniversary Munday

Celebrating TOA and the people who contribute to make our group what it is. Repost, don't reblog. Only fill in what you feel comfortable sharing! Happy anniversary, TOA! Here's to many more years spent together. Shared by Neffi | Template

Name: Ree

Pronouns: any

Birthday (no year): 4/23

Where are you from? What is your time zone? Currently in CST, US

How long is your roleplay experience? I grew up LARPing with the neighborhood kids so I want to say it's been a lifetime

How were you introduced to roleplaying as a whole? I don't actually remember, but the earliest formative memory was an AtLA fansite with a live chat and RP forum. I wrote Suki

How were you introduced to TOA? I made it

Do you have any pets? Two calicoes, and one of them is older than some members here

What is your favorite time of year and why? (Season, holiday, general period) Spring is so hopeful after the dreary winter

What is your IRL occupation? For simplicity's sake, data administrator

Some interests and things you like/enjoy? Languages, psychology, dreams, religion and myth, music, learning in general, the horror genre

What non-Fire Emblem games do you play? SMT, Pokemon, Monster Hunter, Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail, Wuthering Waves, Onmyoji, various indie horror games

Favorite Pokemon type & Pokemon: Dark: Scrafty

Tell us some funfacts and trivia about yourself! I have a good sense of hearing

How did you get into Fire Emblem? SSB

What Fire Emblem games have you played? All

First & Favorite Fire Emblem games: Awakening was the first, favorite is Shadows of Valentia

List your 5 favorite Fire Emblem characters across the series! In no particular order: Hubert, Griss, Marni, Libra, Salem

Who was the first character ever to make you go “ooh I like this one in particular” and why? Can be any context and reason! Tharja during my first Awakening playthrough. Love me a freaky goth girl

Any Fire Emblem crushes? 😳 Nope

If you’ve played (or are familiar with) the following games, who was your first S support? Who would you S support nowadays? - Awakening: Chrom > Now: Libra - Fates: Hinata > Now: probably also Hinata - Three Houses: Edelgard > Now: Hubert - Engage: none

Favorite Fire Emblem class? Summoners

If you were a Fire Emblem character, what would be your class and stats? Would you be playable? Some sort of pre-promoted res tank, recruited late and 100% missable without meeting the right requirements

If you were a Three Houses character, what would be your affiliation? Black Eagles all the way

If you were an Officers Academy student, what would be your boons, banes and potential budding talent? Boons: Reason, Bow Banes: Heavy Armor Budding Talent: Faith

If you were an Engage character, which nation would you originate from? Solm for the vibes

How do you pronounce TOA? 🤔 Toh-ah

Current TOA muses: Just Griss

Past TOA muses? Julius, Hubert, Aelfric, Pelleas, Berkut, Salem, Fáfnir, Limstella, Jeritza, Shinon

Who was your first TOA muse? If you no longer have them, can you see yourself picking them up again? Hubert. Picking him up again would depend on whether or not I replayed 3H

Do you believe you have a type of character you gravitate towards writing? It's hard to say these days. I like dynamic characters because I've hit too many walls over the years where threads stagnate because neither me nor my partner are able to move the scene in a meaningful way. I'm here to have fun, not slog through threads just to get the point at the end, so writing lively, aggressive, or bratty characters has allowed me to always have an emergency button on hand. Outside of that, I enjoy the concept of leadership in a guardian sense. What it means to protect a community, etc. I don't like writing kings and queens, so I prefer characters who have this on a smaller scale. Perne, for example, who leads the Dandelion Gang. I've also joked with Rai that I tend to pick up men who are subservient to some sort of powerful woman. With that said, lately I've been feeling the itch to return to my roots as a melancholy knight writer.

Do you have characters or types of characters you don’t think you can handle writing, but wish you could? I think I could give anything a good run if I tried

What kind of scenes, situations etc do you believe you enjoy writing the most? Sceeeeenes. I love describing vistas. I love placing characters in a fleshed out world. No one exists in a vacuum, and how characters arrange themselves and interact with the environment around them is just as important as what they're doing and thinking.

Do you have any scenario in mind for your muse(s) that gets you thinking “man I hope I get to write this one day”? Not at the moment. For Griss, I always take scenarios as they come, and that usually evolves into new and unexpected things

Favorite TOA-related memories? You!

Present or past tense? Past tense. But I'll match my partner

Normal size text, small text, no preference? No preference

Got any potential muse delusions to share? 😉 I don't think anything will come of it anytime soon, but lately Jeritza and Zeke have been stirring in the mind palace

[rubykgrant]

rvb for the hyperfix ask!

📃 what is the plot of your hyperfixation? and is it a movie, game, show, etc? 📌 how did you find your hyperfixation? ✨ what draws you towards your hyperfixation? what is interesting about it? 🎥 do you have any favorite scenes from your hyperfixation? 💕tell us about one of your favorite characters and why you like them!

First of all, thank you for indulging me in this, I very much appreciate the chance to info-dump with my nonsense, you are a wonderful person~

So... RVB. More than 2 decades ago, some guys figured out how they could play Halo, sort of use one character as the "camera", make the other characters bop their helmets up and down, then dub their voices into it and make that a show. There is the vague background-plot of the actual Halo lore happening, but the ACTUAL plot of RVB? The first few seasons are just 2 groups of guys, standing around, talking, arguing, and trying to kill each other. Red Team has been told to kill the Blues, and Blue Team has been told to kill the Reds. Why? Because. One guy dies, but comes back as a "ghost". This will become a pattern. There is a theme through the series about how some people are unable to let go of grief, and it eventually destroys them, the message of learning how to see enemies as real people, learning to accept flaws in yourself and others so they can become strengths. Over and over again, there are multiple groups of soldiers who have been told "you are the good guys, they are the bad guys, you need to kill them", and sometimes the most difficult thing is to finally accept the truth and try to live with yourself. There are highly advanced and unique AI, once all part of one system together, forced into being singular Fragments, tortured into forgetting what they were, but unable to stop missing what they don't have. Despite being data and treated like tools, they develop their own "humanity"... for better, and for worse. Through it all, the same group of Red and Blue goobers keep talking and arguing. They win against highly trained special agents with incredibly advanced equipment, vicious mercenaries with back-up from a corrupt military group, and a reality-breaking "god". These clowns even got their own circus music (the Warthog Polka)

Waaaaay back in the day, when I was like... 15? A friend of mine had a brother, who had a friend, who let him borrow some DVDs of Red VS Blue, and I watched it at the friend's house. I had never played Halo (still haven't), but I got a chuckle out of it. I occasionally watched it when another friend would pull it up on their computer, and for a while, that was it... in 2021, I randomly thought to myself "Oh yeah... Red VS Blue was a thing". I hadn't thought about it for a decade. So I decided to watch it up to the point I remembered, somewhere in season 5. Some of the jokes... did not age well, but it was a nice little stroll down memory lane. Then I realized they made MORE after that. This show, at that time, had 18 seasons. So I kept watching, and now it has FILLED UP MY BRAIN

There is this fun aspect of very casual, conversational dialogue in the middle of absolutely bonkers situations. The characters will be doing the most extreme, dangerous sci-fi nonsense, and they still just bicker and chit-chat like regular dudes. It will also randomly sneak up, and hit you with EMOTIONS. There are incredibly sweet and sad moments, and others that have no business being so IMPACTFUL and MEANINGFUL, but they are. The characters are all so stupid, yet full of potential and depth, everybody is just perfect fuel for imagination

I have a few favorite scenes! In the episode "Long Time No See", the characters Epsilon and Carolina are shown working together, gathering information on a shady organization. In the middle of this, they are threatened by a group of security soldiers, and we get see how Epsilon, as an AI with the memories of the other Fragments, can assist Carolina; time slows down as the AI work at bullet-speed, with Epsilon running calculations, making a plan for how Carolina can fight back and escape. The memories of the Fragments can interact with Epsilon, and give suggestions or feedback based on their skills. It is just so AWESOME to see how far the characters have come, the teamwork they share... and it is also a little bitter-sweet, because seeing the Fragments like this is how it could have (should have) been with Alpha. It also shows Carolina, who was once determined not to get close to anybody again (after losing so many people she cared about), has really bonded with Epsilon, and it helps her realize she misses the rest of the clowns. Another favorite scene has some background context; the intro to the series, the very first scene of the very first episode, is Grif and Simmons having a conversation- "Do you ever wonder why we're here?" "It's one of life's great mysteries". As the show goes on, that becomes a reoccurring conversation, sometimes as a joke, sometimes as something more relevant. In season 15, the main characters meet another group of Blues and Reds, who all resemble them in some way, but are also kind of "mirror opposites". The characters have the same armor color, but different voice actors... except for Simmons. His look-alike is Gene, and they have the same VA (Simmons insists they don't sound similar at ALL, Gene is totally annoying). When it is revealed this group is EVIL, there is a moment when we see one soldier in maroon armor pull a knife and attempt to stab another soldier in maroon armor. This is Simmons and Gene, but which is which? Grif arrives, and has that same problem. Both Gene/Simmons insist "I'm the real Simmons, shoot him"... so Grif asks- "Why are we here?". One maroon soldier says they're here to stop the bad guys. The other one says "We don't know why we're here. It's still one of life's great mysteries". HECK YEAH, THAT'S YOUR SIMMONS. There are like a thousand other moments I like that are pure comedy, but those are the big emotional moments

I've rambled about Grif and Simmons a stupid amount, I've also gone on long tangents for Church and Tex, so I'll talk about one of my other favorites, Tucker! In the beginning, he doesn't take any of this seriously (but who does). He's there to be an annoying, shameless flirt, and does so with ease. The thing is, even when he's acting obnoxious and immature, there are moments when you can tell he's actually capable of a LOT. He's smart, when he lets himself think without getting distracted, he's a strong fighter when he's not showing off, and he's genuinely got a good heart (when he's not complaining). As the show goes on, he becomes more important... whether he likes it or not. What do you do when all your big-talk about being the coolest dude ever turns out to be TRUE, but that also means you're responsible for keeping people alive? Tucker also easily fits into any combination of characters, whoever he is with, they get a fun dynamic going (even Sarge, the Red who claims to hate the Blues with an endless burning passion, will do some back-up beat-boxing for Tucker when he sings a taunting song at mutual enemies). He'll tease the others and be a little jerk, but is also incredibly protective of the people he cares about. Tucker once got attacked by a space alien that left a parasite baby in him, and years later, he carries around pictures of Junior in his wallet so he can show off how much he loves his son. Tucker is incredibly clever, and has a lot of emotional depth... he just wishes he didn't have to worry so much, all he wants is to stand around and talk to his best friend. Through all the bravado, the insecurities, and the bow-chicka-wow-wow jokes, Tucker is just very interesting AND entertaining~ (also, thanks to one off-hand comment another character made about his "metro-sexual good looks", all the fans kind of just agreed that under the helmet, Tucker is the prettiest)

Thanks for asking! (and sorry for rambling so much haha)

[lylylylyy]

As a Touya stan I'm frustrated with the new chapter because Enji still mainly saw Touya as some kind of responsibility, not his kid wanting his attention from the very beginning.

When Enji faces Touya, the first thing we know about him is that he notices phosphor, which leads to the question of asking about Shouto's well-being.

Enji's question is rather reasonable since Touya made it clear that killing Shouto is his goal, and it's natural for Enji to be concerned about Shouto, the kid he showed to care the most in the series who could be dead. However, what annoys me is that he showed no concern about Touya's health-I mean, looking at Touya. The whole fandom and the characters in the manga are all wondering how he could be alive. He is basically on his last legs yet Enji here showed zero concern about this fact.

Contrary to Enji's concern for Touya in the previous chapter, he chose to ask the rather triggering question related to Touya's whole trauma of being thrown away by his parents for his younger brother, which is not beneficial for Touya's overall health state at all. Seeing this, I couldn't help but feel that some people in the fandom are way too optimistic about Enji's parenting skills. He is trying, yet his attempt is far from a good try, so I don't think the worries and frustrations are unsupported in the text.

Also, I noticed the final words, "父に課されたのは…" after the last panel. It's not Enji pov but still represents the author's attitude towards Enji's emotions.

父 means father, and 課された is not a very good word here. It means be imposed on, usually used to describe a burden or loan. Thus it gives me the feeling that the next chapter will not be the heart-to-heart conversation about Enji's love for Touya when he was young, just a talk about the responsibilities Enji had to take. No potential affection or caring parents vibes, only some obliged resignation.

I understand that Enji's reactions would absolutely make sense, since Enji was never a kind person in the past and he's not used to the thought of caring for Touya as a parent for 10 years. But as a person whose supposed redemption arc of becoming a decent father is receiving so many praises, Enji in this chapter feels pretty lame and upsets me because he failed to reach that bar again.

Horikoshi's been pretty busy, and I hope he could get the rest that he deserves. I understand that this chapter is short due to his alarming health condition and we will get the next chapter where meaningful things would probably happen between Touya and Enji. However, judging from the text, their upcoming interactions seem rather dim and uncertain to me.

We know that Enji thinks his mission(my translation of 使命, the word he used in the chapter) is to keep eyes on Touya, but keeping eyes on Touya now won't just magically remove the pain of being rejected for over a decade. I pessimistically think it would be just another battle shounen fighting scene, where Enji takes damages from Touya and fails to say anything that would be impactful enough to stop Touya from his self-destructive mental state. It might make a difference as Shouto and his Phosphor did, but it won't be strong enough to totally chill Touya. I just hope the next chapter will prove that I was wrong.

Considering the cultural background, the typical harsh East-Asian father Enji would not suddenly become a person that has no shame in acknowledging his affection and worries towards his son. Like the scene with Natsuo getting kidnapped, I strongly doubt that he would give the interactions western society considered the right things to do.

As for the Todoroki endgame, I can't help but think about Shouto, who genuinely desired to know his brother despite the sad fact they probably shared 0 good memories in the past. Touya 100% knows that his crimes would be a burden for his father, but as a person with very low self-worth, he won’t anticipate his family to want him back as a beloved member. I feel it pretty unrealistic if Enji turns out to be a loving A+ parent and solves Touya's issues all by himself, so I believe the narratives won't just go that far.

Therefore, I assume the father-son fighting scene would end with Shouto interfering. However, another scene of stopping Touya with ice again would be pretty unnecessary. My guess is AFO would do something stupid and Toga would be convinced by Ochako to stop the parade and help her friends, and Shouto might come to help Touya take AFO.

PS: I am not a native English speaker so I might end up writing weird or offensive sentences while not knowing about them. Please tell me if I was wrong or being rude _(:з」∠)_

[matrisharch]

Feelin’ Fantastic ✨

So… that’s it. Arcane is officially over. It feels strange to even say that, doesn’t it? 🤯 I know we all have our own thoughts and feelings about how it ended, but instead of diving into spoilers and a potential rant, I’m going to keep this positive and just take a moment to talk about what this show has meant to me. So please excuse this long and cheesy caption… 😅

I started playing LoL when I was 12 (the corruption started early, I know 😵‍💫). So, when I heard they were making a show about these characters I’d grown up with—I was SAT!! I was hyped, sure, but I had no idea how much this series would end up impacting me.

Arcane changed my life in ways I couldn’t have predicted. It brought me so many things these past few years—some good, some bad, but all of it meaningful. It gave me new friends I’ll never forget, it brought challenges that forced me to grow, and, most importantly, it brought me my darling partner. The Vi to my Caitlyn, and the love of my life.

But it wasn’t just about the connections or the experiences. This show taught me patience in ways I didn’t expect. It became a legendary piece of storytelling—so good, it even managed to draw people into League of Legends (a feat I didn’t think possible) 💀.

And then there’s Caitlyn… who will get her own post in the near future. I have too much to say to her. 😉 So we will leave it at that for now.

So, here’s to Arcane—to the lessons, the memories, and everything it’s brought into my life. What a ride it’s been. 🥹🫶

📸: @adoylible on instagram

[kaibutsushidousha]

Your argument that My Hero Academia’s ending is thematically appropriate but not satisfying raises an interesting question: does thematic appropriateness inherently exclude emotional satisfaction? While the story creates complex questions and resists giving easy answers, Deku’s promise to “save” Tomura feels incomplete under the current ending. Tomura remains in a liminal space—neither fully saved nor condemned—leaving the narrative without a definitive resolution to one of its central conflicts. A sacrificial ending, where Deku gives his life to fully save Tomura and overcome All For One’s influence, might risk controversy, but it could provide a more satisfying emotional payoff while still aligning with the story’s themes. The “Dark Deku” arc teaches Deku the importance of accepting help and rejecting self-destruction, but it doesn’t necessarily rule out the possibility of self-sacrifice as a heroic act. In fact, by learning to trust others, Deku could make a sacrifice that is not about isolation or despair, but rather a collective act of heroism—a choice that is supported, necessary, and rooted in the connections he’s built, rather than a lone decision born of hopelessness. Such an act could inspire others to continue his work and cement his legacy as a true “Symbol of Peace.” This would mirror themes found in works like Utena and Penguindrum, where sacrifice becomes the ultimate act of salvation, emphasizing the idea that to truly “save” someone, one might need to give up everything, including their life. Deku’s death in this context could resolve the story’s central question about what it means to be a hero while leaving behind a legacy that drives meaningful change in hero society. Comparing this to Oshi no Ko’s Aqua Hoshino, it’s clear that Aqua’s narrative hinges on his survival as a reflection of his journey toward healing and moving beyond vengeance. For Deku, however, the narrative stakes are different—he has always been framed as a symbol, someone whose actions inspire others. While Aqua’s survival is essential for his arc, Deku’s death, if framed as a necessary act to save Tomura and inspire change, could be equally appropriate to his character and the story’s themes. In this sense, a sacrificial ending could provide both thematic and emotional closure, resolving the questions of what it truly means to save someone and how a hero’s legacy can endure even beyond their life. Would this approach better satisfy the narrative while remaining consistent with My Hero Academia’s core ideals? Or would it risk undermining the complex, unsatisfying ambiguity that the current ending embraces? (P.S.: I was referring to Light Yagami when mentioning a Jump protagonist who died in 2006. Although, considering Light’s, er, “unusual” status as a Jump “protagonist”…)

"does thematic appropriateness inherently exclude emotional satisfaction?” No, those two usually come together. Most authors are trying to make them come together.

I haven't watched Utena yet and Penguindrum was almost a decade ago, but wasn't Penguindrum the opposite of "sacrifice as a form of salvation"? Let's eat the fruit of fate together. There's meaning or peace to be found unless everyone is together in the dinner table sharing whatever little they have and receiving from others in return. I vaguely remember them breaking free from the idea of self-sacrifice through a Ringo speech about the family sticking together there.

Regardless, your fanfic idea has potential to be impactful while true to the challenges and nuances that the series built. Do write it in full form.

[shuxiii]

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Moreover, the anticipation for bonus chapters in "Chinita" reflects the impact of the series in sparking meaningful conversations and resonating with diverse audiences. Shuxiii's storytelling prowess has allowed the narrative to touch upon universal themes of love, identity, and self-discovery. By extending the narrative through bonus chapters, the author can delve even further into the intricacies of these themes, providing a more profound exploration that resonates with readers on a personal level. The diverse and relatable nature of the characters has cultivated a sense of empathy among the audience, making them eager for additional content that continues to explore the rich tapestry of emotions woven into the storyline.

Furthermore, bonus chapters offer an avenue for character development and growth, allowing Shuxiii to showcase the evolution of Kim Minji and Yn in response to the challenges and triumphs they face. This dynamic character progression has been a driving force behind the series' popularity, and additional chapters could provide a nuanced portrayal of the characters' experiences, drawing fans even closer to their journeys. Whether it's uncovering untold aspects of their pasts, exploring new dimensions of their personalities, or witnessing pivotal moments in their relationships, bonus chapters have the potential to deepen the emotional investment of the readers, making "Chinita" an even more unforgettable and cherished experience.

In essence, the call for more bonus chapters stems from the desire to prolong the enchantment that "Chinita" has cast over its audience. Shuxiii's ability to create a world that resonates with readers emotionally and intellectually has sparked a hunger for more content. Bonus chapters, in this context, become a bridge between the existing narrative and the unexplored realms of the characters' lives, promising an extended journey that fans are eager to embark upon. The demand for these additional chapters is a testament to the series' impact, turning it from a captivating story into a cultural phenomenon that continues to capture the hearts and imaginations of its dedicated readership.

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In conclusion, the clamor for more bonus chapters in "Chinita" transcends a simple request for additional content; it embodies a collective yearning for an extended and enriched experience. Shuxiii's ability to craft a narrative that resonates on multiple levels has created a devoted fan base hungry for more. Bonus chapters, with their potential to deepen character relationships, explore new narratives, and engage the audience in a collaborative storytelling experience, stand as a testament to the enduring appeal and cultural significance of "Chinita" within the realm of online storytelling.

In conclusion: Chinita bonus chapter saves lives

the way I know this is a chatgpt YOU FAKE I CANT BELIEVE YOU USED CHATGPT

[marshmallowgoop]

So if DC were that kind of series, how well do you think a HeiShinRan love triangle would work?

A-are you reading my mind? One of the posts I wanted to make is exactly about this!

I... even put together ranji.psd for it... a lot longer ago than I thought, wow.

Thank you for encouraging me to finally actually write this.

So, first off: I'm admittedly not the most familiar with the Detective Conan manga. But I've scanned over some assorted cases in the manga, particularly Heiji cases (of course), and I couldn't help but be immensely intrigued by a few extra interactions between Heiji and Ran that weren't adapted into the anime (Files 93, 151, 152):

The second one isn't too noteworthy—and honestly, it was probably cut from the anime because this plot point of Heiji deducting in an exaggerated accent is, as far as I can tell, never brought up again or resolved—but the protectiveness that Kogoro displays there does catch my interest. He clearly seems to see Heiji as a potential romantic partner for Ran, something that I don't think ever comes up anywhere else.

But it's the first instance that gets to me the most. Something the anime does adapt is that Ran only starts warming up to Heiji because he reminds her of Shinichi (Episode 48):

Further, it's later revealed in the series that both Ran and Kazuha love seeing their detective friends smile upon solving a case (File 319):

So, that moment of Ran pushing Conan out of the way so that she can watch Heiji work is loaded with stuff, for all three characters. For Ran, she misses Shinichi so desperately that someone who merely reminds her of him is enough to make her grin and blush and feel at ease. For Heiji, constantly compared to others—even called "The Kudo of the West" in FUNimation's English dub!—there's something achingly tragic about being admired not for who you are but for the person you resemble. For Shinichi, Heiji represents everything that he has lost. He can't give Ran the victorious smile that she's looking for anymore, and she scolds him and removes him from the picture.

But the third "Ranji" example, from File 152, perhaps points to a shift. When Ran lists what she likes about Shinichi (Episodes 2, 42), thoughtful isn't an adjective that leaves her lips:

(That last one, though... girl....)

Ran appreciating Heiji for his own qualities, rather than seeing him as only an echo of Shinichi, does grab my attention.

Of course, personally speaking, I don't really like love triangles. They tend to be tired, exhausting drama, and in this case, I'm a HeiShinRan (and HeiShinKazuRan) supporter, so ultimately, I'd like them all happily loving each other.

But I do find it unfair, in my probably embarrassingly limited experience with love triangles, that they are often composed of two women longing for the affection of one man. So, I can't lie—I maybe yearn a little bit for the love triangle that was arguably being set up here before getting scrapped?

If nothing else, it would mean more interactions between Ran and Heiji, and I would adore that. Out of the main cast, Heiji's pretty much only allowed meaningful interactions with Conan/Shinichi and Kazuha, and, yeah, I don't love that it'd be a love triangle giving him more meaningful interactions with Ran, but I would love the additional interactions. I'd love to see Ran more involved in the cases that the boys solve. I'd love to have moments where Heiji and Ran bond over being accomplished practitioners of their respective martial arts, or how they both have famous fathers, or literally anything.

Plus, I think a scenario where Ran is genuinely interested in pursuing Heiji romantically would also have a huge impact on Shinichi's actions. He likes Heiji! If he saw that Heiji makes Ran happy, would he really keep breaking her heart and asking her to wait for him?

And, for Heiji, I feel like this setup also allows more opportunities for him to seriously confront his insecurities. "She only likes me because she can't have you" is a conversation I could see between him and Shinichi, and that would absolutely have my interest. I have so many feelings about Episode 479 and will finish that 20-page essay someday maybe because it's probably the biggest example of tackling Heiji's insecurities that I know of.

There's something similar with Ran and Kazuha already (File 280), and gosh, I so wish that we got more exploration into it than just a, "Kazuha... You're so cute! ❤️" from Ran.

All this said... it's way easier and less messy to not go into love triangle business at all, and I'm totally cool with that decision! It's cute that Ran and Shinichi are so supportive of Heiji and Kazuha, and vice versa. Love triangles tend to be pretty obnoxious. But I do think there is some compelling character exploration that could be done with a HeiShinRan triangle that I wouldn't hate—especially if it ended with happy HeiShinRan/HeiShinKazuRan.