#this was her first ‘real’ established adventuring party

[the-solitary-child]

something something sandra lynn was a freshly graduated 18 year old who joined an established adventuring party and then dated a married man who was most likely in his 40s bc man is old enough to be a grandpa something something

[blue-ink-pearls]

So, I know people are really desperate for Sandra Lynn to have hooked up with Pamela Dawn instead of Bobby Dawn, and I completely understand that!* Bobby Dawn is slimy and awful and we don't know much about Pamela, so maybe she's better? But it is 100% Bobby Dawn for two very clear reasons:

Sklonda literally said it was him

Bobby Dawn has always been a predator

The first thing we learn about Sandra Lynn's affair during Spring Break Sophomore Year was that she had just left Aguefort (she dropped out her senior year and got a diploma later on) and she was very young. She was asked to join an established adventuring party of people who were older than her and that had lost one of its members. She fell in love with another member of the party that was already in a relationship, they had an affair, and then when the affair was discovered, Sandra Lynn was blamed, kicked out of the party, and her name was smeared as far and wide as possible by the person who had taken advantage of her so that person could absolve themselves, likely in the eyes of their partner and the party.

So what we can immediately deduce from this is that Sandra Lynn was an outsider to her new adventuring party, likely looked down on as "just a kid", maybe disdained for being a dropout, and most definitely resented for taking the place of the (presumably) dead party member. She was in actively dangerous and stressful situations while questing with the party and she probably had little support from the group during that time.

Sandra Lynn was very very vulnerable.

When he met Sandra Lynn, Bobby Dawn would have been about 20 years younger than he is now, likely in his late 30s/early 40s.** Probably still handsome, still a "dashing" active adventurer. He was married to Pamela already (not just in an established relationship), since he had a child by then that was close to grown and I don't think the Church of Sol would be very happy about a child out of wedlock. He would have been a cleric of Sol and probably still preaching "the good word of Sol" but it likely wouldn't have been constant. You can't give sermons while fighting monsters. I'm sure he even saved Sandra Lynn's life a few times!

The thing about Bobby Dawn being a televangelist now, but not then, is that when he was young, he was probably just as good at persuasion, at finding vulnerable people and exploiting their weaknesses to get what he wanted, and yet he hadn't made a name for himself as a televangelist, so people wouldn't know to be wary of him trying to convert or manipulate them.

The scene between Bobby and Kristen, when Kristen is pretending that Cassandra died shows exactly what kind of terrible person Bobby really is. He is happy to find Kristen devastated, that she is having "a real dark night of the soul" and needs guidance. He refuses to help Kristen stay at Aguefort (something that's within his power), despite knowing how beneficial that would be to her well-being, because that goes against his own goals. He is smug and condescending and cruel. He is preying on Kristen's devastation and vulnerability (not knowing it's an act), to draw her back into the fold of the Church of Helio/Sol.

The person who did that to Kristen, is the exact same person who took advantage of Sandra Lynn when she was still basically a kid, just out of high school. He took advantage of her feelings for him, her inexperience and isolation. And then, when they were discovered, he threw her away and made her the villain so he could get away with it.

He ruined Sandra Lynn's life. Yes, she's happy now with her daughter, her partner, and the beautiful home they've made at Mordred Manor with Adaine, Kristen, Lydia, Ragh, Tracker, Zayn, Aelwyn, Boggy, and 15 cats. But Sandra Lynn ended up with self-esteem and relationship issues that she is still dealing with to this day. Those issues ruined her marriage, could have ruined her relationship with Jawbone, and likely played a hand in the difficulties between her and Fig in Freshman Year, as Sandra Lynn saw her daughter take her first steps into the world of adventuring.

Because Sandra Lynn first wanted to be an adventurer and Bobby Dawn took that away from her, just like he tried to do to Kristen.

Bobby Dawn has shaped his career as a high priest of Sol and as a televangelist by portraying himself as the epitome of righteousness. He is rotten to the core, a predator in a job where he is meant to help people, and I CANNOT WAIT to see the Bad Kids take him down.

*I don't really understand it. Pamela Dawn is likely just as bad as Bobby. She's the chief paladin of the church of Sol, her husband is a televangelist and a High Priest of Sol, and she would have been around the same age as Bobby and having an affair with a vulnerable young girl who she then kicked out of the group and slandered. It being Pamela would still be awful!

**Even with the assumption that both Bobby Dawn and his child had their kids at a young age, the math still has to take into account that Sandra Lynn's daughter is the same age as Bobby Dawn's GRANDSON.

[othervee]

Finale thoughts!

Interesting to find out that Hillerska has had multiple warnings over several years and still didn't pull their heads in. Clearly they thought they were invincible.

Vincent and Nils stepping up to the plate when they see August's genuine distress, the way Vincent is stroking his arm. There's real friendship and love to be found, but you only see it when you're honest. Similarly, their reactions when they find out that August is backup. August receiving the posioned chalice. What else can he do now, though? He's lost Arnas, or at least part of it. He has to do the military service; he's in the position Wille has been in.

Haha, the housemaster having a drink with the boys. What else is he going to do?

Loved the scene with Felice dragging Wille to the party. Her facial expressions, she's so cute. Wille negotiating with Malin shows a level of maturity, but the male bodyguard is SO not impressed as he follows them to the palace, LOL.

LOVE that Simon brought Rosh and Ayub to the white party. And Ayub reassuring Rosh, after Stella shows herself for who she is. She's chosen the Hillerska way, all the way.

The scene between Wille and August in the clubroom. He didn't know it, but that was the closure he needed. THat they both needed. They've made peace, they can even develop a familial relationship again into the future, but right now this is as close to peace as they can have at this stage.

Nils, you giant dork. And also... They're shocked he didn't say anything earlier,  but would things have been different if he had?

No Royal house, no Prince, no socialist, no drama. No before. No later. Only now. As the previous song said, back to basics. Back to the pure connection they have with each other.

The lake scene. So beautiful.

Simon's Song! Did Felice initiate that, do we think? A few of the choir were smiling at Simon. Nice to see they all (or most of them) wanted that and not the musty old version.

Oh, Kristina, that really is too little too late, but I'm glad you came through in the end.

The little token the Queen and Duke put around August's neck is a frog prince. The symbolism would be a sledgehammer if the direction or script drew attention to that, but they don't.

In the car, Wille beginning to feel the panic attack happening, the constriction of the collar around his neck, and realising what that means. This is an unhealthy system and if he stays in it, this will be his life. The constriction, the desperation, literally struggling to breathe. Echoing Simon's words to him, "I've seen how it makes you feel". Being calm because he's no longer coming from a place of despair, a place where he has no control. And Kristina knows it. It was important for Wille to tell his parents he loves them. He's coming to terms and making peace with everyone.

That closing scene, oh my god. The montage was cheesy as fuck and I am here for it. The dialogue and the execution were not cheesy. They established the important things. Wille is doing this for his sake, not for Simon's. For the first time in his life he is making an informed, calm, active choice.

Simon's FACE. OMG. The shock, barely daring to believe it, but knowing when Wille says 'For my own sake' that this is it. It's real. And then! The tears, the gasping, the incredulous joy! Omar is a natural who stepped it up even more this season, and I do hope he continues to take on acting roles because he is amazing.

Wille's FACE. The joy but more importantly the PEACE.  His entire being, his posture, his aura changes and he radiates rightness. Edvin is incredible.

Also? They both look so, SO beautiful in this episode. This closing sequence, but really the entire episode.

Heading off into the sun, in white, whooping and cheering, Felice with her legs up on the dashboard, free.

And now I want LOADS of future fic about The Adventures of Wille, Simon, Sara och Felice. Tack, Lisa, for leaving it so open for us to do that!

[princesssarisa]

Adventures in Wonderland (1992-1995): a detailed list of the Mad Hatter and March Hare's "Ship Tease" moments, Season 1

@hathousehappenings, @spikrock

The Disney Channel's Adventures in Wonderland was one of my favorite childhood TV shows, and it's one that I love to revisit now as an adult. Not only do its charms still hold up, but I can see certain nuances now that I missed when I was younger. Namely, how much the show's versions of the Mad Hatter and the March Hare seem like an adorable gay couple.

Now of course they couldn't make it overt: this was a kids' show in the early '90s, so officially, they're just best friends. But their actors, John Robert Hoffman and Reece Holland, are both gay in real life, and from an adult viewpoint, it shows.

So I've drawn inspiration from the long list on the Recess Wiki of T.J. and Spinelli's "Ship Tease" moments to create a similar list for the Hatter and Hare. Every moment between them that's particularly affectionate, suggestive, domestic, or just plain cute in a way that's not quite typical of platonic male friends.

I've rewatched every episode of Season 1 and compiled the list below the cut. Warning: it's long.

Herstory in the Making: The show’s first Hatter/Hare scene would work just as well between a married couple, as they face having to do “the grocery shopping” (it seems the writers hadn’t established yet that the two of them don’t live together) and as each one tries to foist the job onto the other. Later, in the story that all the Wonderland characters write for Alice, the Hare is described as “handsome” – it’s easy to guess that the Hatter wrote that part.

Lip-Sunk: When the Hatter pours tea for the Hare and offers him lemon for it, they smile affectionately at each other, their faces close together, and then giggle.

Red Queen for a Day: Their role in this episode consists of arguing over whether tarts or cookies are best to serve at a tea party: the phrase “like an old married couple” comes to mind.

Objects d’Heart: When the Hatter reacts with horror to the Queen giving her ugly statue to him, the Hare grips his hand to steady him. (Granted, the White Rabbit also holds his other hand and pats his shoulder, but the Hare grasps his hand with both of his own.) Later, when the Hatter calls the statue “a stately stone statue, a carefully crafted carving, a magnificent monolithic modern masterpiece,” the Hare gushes “Amazingly awesome alliteration!” in an adoring tone. And at the beginning of the sculpture garden scene, the Hatter is standing with his elbow on the Hare’s shoulder.

Arrivederci Aroma: During their duet, “Goodbye, Old Paint,” the Hatter and Hare go behind a screen together, then emerge having changed out of their regular clothes into overalls for painting. Meaning that behind the screen, they undressed in front of each other. Later, at the tea table, we find the Hare adding a condiment (pepper) to the Hatter’s cup of tea – silly, yes, but still an affectionate, intimate gesture.

The Bunny Flop: When the Hatter and Hare admit that the Queen’s missing shoe isn’t in the attic, they cutely finish each other’s sentence.

Pop Goes the Easel: The Hare grips the Hatter’s shoulder as they face the Queen to make an excuse for postponing the portrait-unveiling, and again in the final scene as they invent an explanation for the salt container in the painting. Their dance in their duet, “Your Picture is Worth a Thousand Words” also includes some shoulder-holding. And in at the Hatter’s house, as they cover the portrait in protective coating, their arms tangle together as if they were playing Twister.

That’s All, Jokes!: The episode opens with the Hatter and Hare pranking each other: first the Hatter tricks the Hare into drinking iced tea from a dribble glass, and then the Hare tries to trick the Hatter into eating a hot cross bun with spicy chiles in it. As they offer each other the prank treats, each one leans very close to the other and entices him to taste it in a sensual way, and each prank hinges on how well they know each other’s tastes: the Hatter knows that the Hare loves tea with lemon, while the Hare knows that the Hatter loves hot cross buns. Then when Tweedle Dum eats the spicy bun instead, the Hatter and Hare clasp each other’s hands and shoulders as they laugh at him together. Later, in the penultimate scene, they cutely exchange silent nudges and pokes to get each other’s attention during the Queen’s speech, and as everyone backs away when the Queen’s temper starts to flare, the Hatter grabs the Hare’s arm.

Forget Me Knot: Nothing much, but they do sing a cute duet in matching fake moustaches, “Give Us a Call,” when the Hatter is disguised as “Professor Memory.” The Hare’s “photographic memory” also includes several photos of himself and the Hatter together.

Boo, Who?: The Hatter and Hare bake a cake together throughout their duet, “Cooking with Candy”: a cute domestic scene. Then when they become ghost hunters and set a trap for the “ghost” in the Queen’s palace, and are explaining it, the Hare crouches down and hugs the Hatter’s leg to stop him from stepping on the rubber duckie and setting it off the trap too soon – just grabbing his leg with his hand would have sufficed, but instead he gives it a full-body hug! Later, as they’re watching for the ghost at night, they huddle shoulder-to-shoulder next to the Queen’s throne. Also, the Hare asks the Hatter if he can keep the ghost as a pet. You’d think he could make that decision on his own, but he asks the Hatter’s permission, as if they were roommates… or something more. (Again, it doesn’t seem to be established yet that the Hatter and Hare live in separate houses.)

Double Your Bunny: The Hatter is first seen lounging in a Cleopatra stance on top of the tea table as he faces the Hare, who sits in the opposite chair.

Diary of a Mad Hatter: The episode opens with a domestic scene of the Hatter and Hare cleaning the Hatter’s attic together. The Hare starts it by telling the Hatter that the attic needs cleaning, then immediately picks up a feather duster and starts dusting. This leads them to discover Great-Grandhatter’s diary. Later, they cutely nudge each other and laugh together about how “trees don’t bite.”

How the West Was Wonderland: When the Hatter shows off his selection of cowboy hats, the Hare serves as his assistant, handing them up from under the table. Then when they learn that the Queen needs a horse, they put on a two-person horse costume, the Hatter playing the front end and the Hare playing the rear end: they wear it for the rest of the episode and even sing a duet inside it.

The Rules of the Game: When the Hare sneezes in the middle of their duet, the Hatter stifles it by holding his finger under the Hare’s nose: a stock comedy gesture, yes, but an awfully intimate one. Then when the Miwok players form two-person teams, the Hatter and Hare insist that “of course” they’ll be partners. And when they finally explain to Alice that you can change the rules of the game at any time, they cutely finish each other’s sentence, ending it by speaking in unison.

Something to Sneeze At: The whole storyline revolves around the fact that the Hatter and Hare can’t stand to be apart, and so they try and try again to find ways to be together despite the Hatter’s apparent allergy to the Hare. The Hatter calls him “my Hare” when he says that he doesn’t want to lose him, and their utter sadness at being forced to avoid each other is made clear throughout the episode. So is their utter joy in the end when they finally solve the problem. Also, during the Hatter’s second sneezing fit near the beginning, the Hare holds tissue after tissue to the Hatter’s nose with each sneeze. As with the Hatter stifling the Hare’s sneeze in the previous episode, you’d think an ordinary platonic friend would let him do that himself. And when they try to have a “TV party” (a proto-Zoom meeting from today’s perspective), the Hare asks, “How do I look?” and flaunts his face close to the camera for the Hatter.

Off the Cuffs: At the beginning before the Hare’s magic trick, the Hatter gives a big spiel and sings a musical number about what an amazing magician the Hare is. Then he serves as his assistant. Later, when the Hare finally remembers that the key labelled “This is not the key to the trick handcuffs” really is the key to the trick handcuffs, the Hatter affectionately exclaims “Hare, you are so clever!”

The Wonderland Enquirer: At the beginning of the Tweedles’ flashback, the Hatter is once again lounging Cleopatra-style on the table while the Hare sits beside him, and they sigh happily and smile at each other while remarking what a lovely day it is for tea and crumpets. Later, as they set the table for the next tea party, the Hare exuberantly praises the Hatter’s parties, first in dialogue, and then by singing a song, “The Host with the Most.” In the subsequent scene, when the Hatter cries because Alice won’t eat his crumpets, the Hare tenderly pats his shoulder, then grips his arm when they read the “Hatter Serves Stale Crumpets” headline in the paper.

The Hatter Who Came to Dinner: As the Hatter trims the Queen’s shrubbery, the Hare stands under the ladder and spots him, ignoring the leaves and branch pieces that shower down on him. After the Hatter hurts his back, the Hare fusses over him and looks after him throughout the rest of the scene, even saying “Ow, ow ow!” with him as if in sympathetic pain while helping him down from the ladder. The next day when the Hare comes back to visit the Hatter, and the Hatter first starts to get up from the bed during his solo song, the Hare gently tries to coax him to lie back down at first, like a spouse would. Then when the Hatter invites the Hare to stay at the palace with him, the Hare responds by leaping onto the bed and reclining next to him. And in the final scene, when Tweedle Dee says that what matters is that the Hatter is feeling better, the Hatter and Hare say the Hatter’s catchphrase, “How true that is!” in unison. (This episode also includes a scene of the Hatter sharing the White Rabbit’s bed at night, and in his sleep, he seems oddly determined to throw himself across the Rabbit’s body, then giggles as the Rabbit accidentally tickles him while trying to move him back to his own side.)

For Better or Verse, TechnoBunny: Nothing much, but these episodes do include two of the most fun Hatter/Hare duets: “Professional Diagnosticians” and “Robot Recipe,” respectively.

Party-Pooped: The Hatter/Hare feud episode plays out like a breakup, with all the other characters finally conspiring to bring their favorite couple back together. To begin with, the Hatter’s complaints about the Hare’s inconsiderate behavior sound almost like a stereotypical wife’s complaining about an inconsiderate husband, and he even claims that the Hare has “hurt [his] feelings.” Then as they argue about whether the Hare should apologize or not, their faces come very close together, almost close enough for a kiss: the TV Tropes phrase “belligerent sexual tension” comes to mind. (The show’s “blooper reel” has a funny alternate take of this moment, where the Dormouse calls them both idiots and orders them to make up, then adds “Happy Valentine’s Day!”) And after the Hatter calls the Hare “not my real friend” and the Hare storms away, the Hatter’s expression shows that he’s instantly horrified and remorseful, but his ego won’t let him admit it. During their split, it’s evident that they’re still preoccupied with each other; their chief focus is on hosting rival parties and each trying to outdo the other’s. The climactic party scene at the Queen’s palace is the real shipper’s field day, however. It looks like a Valentine’s Day party, with romantic-looking red heart decorations everywhere. Ostensibly this is just because the Queen is the hostess, but she’s never used heart decorations this lavishly before. Then the Hatter and Hare discover each other’s presence by accidentally finding themselves chest-to-chest. After they still snub each other, and the others huddle up to form Plan B, what they do in the background is worth noticing: despite the show they make of refusing to speak or look at each other, they still don’t leave each other’s side, and keep stealing stealthy glances at each other. Then, when the others confuse them, not only do they start speaking to each other without thinking, but the Hare even uses the Hatter’s usual catchphrase, “How true that is!” And when all the others startle them by exclaiming “Aha!” they instinctively grasp each other’s arms. Throughout Alice’s subsequent song, “Back on Speaking Terms,” she and the other characters try to literally push the Hatter and Hare into each other’s arms, and try to join their hands too, no matter how many times they pull away. And at the end, after getting caught up in the dance, the Hatter and Hare finally voluntarily join hands, which is followed by their finally making up.

Up and Anthem: The Hatter and Hare end “The Wonderland Polka” by leaning against each other shoulder-to-shoulder.

Pretzelmania: When the Hatter and Hare react with shock to Alice guessing that their invention is a pretzel machine, the Hare grabs the Hatter’s arm and shoulder. They also do a little arm- and shoulder-grabbing during the reveal of the pretzel machine. The Hare grabs the Hatter’s arm again at the reveal that the Queen’s ring is missing, while the Hatter puts a comforting/steadying hand on the Hare’s shoulder after they, the Rabbit, and Alice accidentally knock their heads together. Then, when the Hatter says “Search me!” (meaning “I don’t know”), the Hare takes it literally, and starts patting and examining the Hatter’s jacket and chest to search for the ring, with the Hatter willing and happy all the while.

White Elephant Sale: Nothing much, but they do sing a nice duet, “White Elephants into Gold,” which ends with the Hare calling the Hatter (and the Hatter calling himself) “a very brilliant guy.”

Rip-Roaring Rabbit Tales: The Hare grasps the Hatter’s arm and shoulder when the White Rabbit says he’s come on official business.

Happy Boo Boo Day: Again, the Hare grabs the Hatter’s arm a couple of times during their duet “Shh, Surprise!”

What Makes Rabbit Run: Nothing much, but they do sing a fun duet and have cute moments of finishing each other’s sentences.

Friday the Umpteenth: The episode opens (after the theme song) with the Hatter and Hare together in domestic mode, cleaning the Dormouse’s teapot. Then, after they learn about Friday the 13th’s “bad luck,” they spend most of the rest of the episode in a state of anxiety, and frequently grab each other’s arms and shoulders.

Pizza de Resistance: Nothing much, but they do sing a fun duet, “It’s All Up Here,” and share a domestic scene as they cook their “pizza” (meatloaf) together.

A Litter Help from My Friends: They sing another fun duet, “A Picnic on a Bun,” where they build a giant submarine sandwich together, and at one point playfully “fence” with the knives. Then, when the White Rabbit says they have a big problem and the others gather anxiously around him, the Hare grabs the Hatter’s shoulder.

Busy as a Spelling Bee: The Hare precisely remembers the last time the Hatter went bowling and what he was wearing. Then when they decide to go put on their bowling clothes, the Hare says, “Let’s split!” and the Hatter replies “Spare me.” And their duet, “Pick a Word, Any Word,” ends with them sitting shoulder-to-shoulder.

Hic-Hic Hooray: Nothing much, but their duet, “Just Another Miracle of Modern Science,” does include shoulder-touching, and at one point the Hatter grooms the Hare’s ears for him while he looks in a mirror.

He’s Not Heavy, He’s My Hatter: First, there’s the title, if we assume it’s from the Hare’s perspective: “my Hatter.” Within the episode itself, the Hare comfortingly pats the Hatter’s shoulder when he cries about how tempting it is to eat cookies, and staunchly keeps his promise to the Hatter to hide the cookies and not let him eat any more. At the end, when the Hatter realizes he’s lost weight from all the exercise he got looking for the cookies, the Hare proudly exclaims “You’re so smart, you fooled yourself!” and in the song “It’s Great to Be in Shape,” he sings “We like that eye appeal” about the Hatter’s slimmed-down figure.

Invasion of the Tweedle Snatchers: Twice when the “aliens” first speak to the Hatter and Hare, the terrified Hare leaps up into the Hatter’s arms and the Hatter holds him “bridal style.” And even after the Hatter puts him down, they still cling to each other in fear. Throughout the whole episode, as in other episodes they spend in a stage of anxiety, they repeatedly clutch each other’s arms and shoulders.

Bubble Trouble: When the Hatter and Hare come to dip their “tootsies” in the spring, the Hare tickles the bottom of the Hatter’s foot and the Hatter giggles. Later, they share a domestic scene with the song “Scrub-a-Dub-Dub,” as they wash dishes together.

Welcome Back Hatter: The episode opens with the Hatter and Hare making a list of all the things they plan to do together, and then they talk extensively to Alice about how inseparable they are. As the Hatter says, “Has a Hatter ever had a better friend?” he puts his arm around the Hare and pulls him close. But then, of course, the plot kicks in: the Hatter wins a far-away castle in a contest and prepares to move. Throughout the episode, the Hare is utterly heartbroken, yet for the Hatter’s sake he tries to seem happy for him and urges the others to do the same. Meanwhile, the Hatter is too ecstatic about his new castle at first to see the Hare’s sadness or realize his own sadness at leaving him, but gradually it sinks in. First, in the attic, he consoles the Hare by assuring him that he can come visit him; then, after the Hare leaves at the end of the scene, the Hatter has a delayed reaction to the Hare’s remark that the castle will have everything “…except me,” and gazes after him, then looks deeply troubled. In the same scene, the Hare’s “By the way, Hatter… I hope you love your new castle” reads almost (or maybe entirely) like an aborted declaration of love. Ditto for their eventual goodbye, where they both pretend to be happy but clearly aren’t at all. Meanwhile, the Hatter leaves his house and all his belongings to the Hare as a gift. But after he leaves, the Hare can’t bear to move in because there are too many memories and is too depressed even to drink tea. But inevitably, the Hatter comes back in the end: it turns out that all he won was a tiny toy castle. Their joyful reunion features the ultimate musical tribute to their bond, the duet “Welcome Back, Hatter,” with the refrain “Hatter and Hare, quite a pair!” The song is set to a montage of funny Hatter/Hare moments from throughout the season, which the two of them watch on Crystalvision, patting and grasping each other’s arms as they laugh nostalgically all the while.

[crystalelemental]

We have finished the Dungeon Meshi anime. I'll type out thoughts, but I feel like I can easily summarize as "It's really good, you should watch it." I was also asked to talk about favorite characters so like. Get ready for that one.

As a whole, Dungeon Meshi is excellent. My wife has an anecdote she likes to tell about it, where before we even watched it, I told her about the general premise and that people were talking about it and it sounded neat and I wanted to pick it up if she'd like to watch. And as happens sometimes, I get the response of "I'll probably look at my phone and just watch it in the background," which is usually "I'm not too interested but put on what you want to put on." And after the first episode she was completely invested. The show is really charming really fast.

Thing is, for as fun adventure as it starts, it does a lot seriously that lands spectacularly well. The first instance of "oh wow, this show is for real" is the well-documented living armor bit. The biology that goes into these monsters is amazing. My personal favorite is still the treasure bugs and mimics interaction, which is just incredible to me, but every time they talk about monster biology and their function it's a treat.

Exploration stuff is also really cool. There's another great post that went around talking about how this party really is more of an old-school dungeon crawler party, where skills for survival like Chilchuck's are essentially the most valuable, rather than combat ability. It does really have that feel, and it's great. I also just love how some of the magic works. Things like mana sickness are cool, but resurrection is my personal favorite. They make a big deal about the black magic kind being forbidden, but watching it in action, it functions just like the stuff that's on the level; blood pools and congeals back in the body, the black magic just involved reconstructing flesh. Marcille's point about black magic not being inherently bad is fair; it doesn't seem all that different. But perceptions are really different regarding it.

They haven't delved too far into it yet, but there are tensions between the fantasy races, and plenty of biases going around. Some are a bit more obvious, like Marcille really not trusting the orcs, while others are more like Shuro's one party member who just refers to the dwarves as just "dwarf," even as she's praising Senshi's cooking. Kabru's got his own hangups regarding how the elves handle things with the dungeons, and openly admits to the imbalance in power between races and how that negatively impacts everyone. I imagine this starts to be more prominent in the second half now that all the establishing stuff is done.

As for cast...they're really strong. Laios' group is all great, I loved them all. Marcille is my favorite, personally, because of course she is. From silly magic elf girl, to oh she's actually super smart, to oh she's super smart in ancient criminal magic fuck yeah girl. Marcille's a delight. Chilchuck was the easy least favorite of the group starting out, but he's really grown on me. Izutsumi is peak cat. Laios is really interesting as a protagonist, I like him a lot. I think the conflicts he gets into are...very real, in a way. Like, he has amazing strengths that make him great at what he's doing, but the flaws in his character inform what struggles they encounter in a really believable way. I like him a lot. Senshi is cool. Falin needs more time, and you have no idea how bummed I am that the season ended with a little snapshot that Chimera Falin and Thistle are having hijinks off-screen, I need that spinoff.

The other groups are less developed, but I'm sure Aera will be happy to hear this: god damn do I love Kabru. This dude rules. I saw people talk about him on Tumblr so I recognized him the instant he showed up, but his first "proper" introduction is stupendous, showing his general people-reading and ability to gather information, and his adherence to a sense of justice that's just as much about meting out punishment as anything else. Him killing those dudes was great, loved that. And the barely concealed excitement over black magic is hilarious. Then he gets to show off that he's basically an assassin class, knowing where to strike for instant kills, has a whole chat with Shuro about recognizing the racial discrepancy in the world at large, and tries to play an entire room full of elves. I dunno, like the guy a lot. He's shrewd, and he's got moxie. I do admit that, while I get the fandom is really attached to Laios and Kabru as a ship, I...have no strong feelings about it. I do, oddly, like him and Rin. Their dynamic in the show was fairly cute, and admittedly some supplemental material I saw posted really got me invested in her. The rest of his party...I have no particular feelings about. It's just him and Rin to me for now.

Shuro's party is even less interesting. I do like Shuro, I think he's a really neat character. But his group hasn't done anything all that interesting to me yet. They kinda showed up to get bodied by Chimera Falin and drive tension as the group that first knows about black magic.

Similar deal with Namari's group? If anything I think the old gnome dude is in the running for general least favorite character. I don't hate the guy, but he's done nothing to endear himself. I have no strong perspectives yet.

For characters that need more time in the oven, there is the question of the Canaries. I've seen a tidbit about them, but my general assumption of them is the whole "Canary in the coalmine," they're the frontliners for dungeons that are sent in and risk death to assess the threat level. Which is neat, would like to know what that deal is. But #1 most invested in learning more about is Thistle. Love that design, love the general vibe he puts out, but also the reveal that he was hired as the court jester who happened to also become the most powerful mage of the kingdom is really, really good. That's both hilarious and awesome. I don't even know this guy and I think he's the shit.

I am wildly invested in season 2, and if it weren't for me working for a school and going through summer months unpaid, I'd probably be buying the entire manga like right now. As it stands I'll have to wait a bit for that, but it's probably happening. I've seen plenty of commentary about things the anime couldn't fit in that are hilarious or interesting, and it feels like one I'd like to read as well, even if I plan to fully go through the anime. Huge fan, glad we got an immediate announcement of season 2, really looking forward to more.

[howlingday]

I just realized: If we look at all three arcs, the heroes only got one solid win. The first arc ends with the Fall of Beacon. The Second arc had them win. The Third arc ended with the Fall of Atlas and Mantle. I would like to think the Vacuo Arc would have ended in a win, but I'm not sure.

Alright, let's break it down, Volume by Volume, big fight by big fight.

Volume 1: Emerald Forest, Jaundice, Dock Fight

Three wins and plenty of room to grow.

Volume 2: Paladin Fight, Beacon Dance, Mountain Glenn

Win with collateral damage (that everybody was pissed about), one loss for the good guys with the data stolen by a disguised Cinder Fall, and one win for everybody at Beacon Academy, this time with somehow more and less collateral damage? I guess it was more contained than entire highways and bridges being damaged.

Volume 3: Vytal Tournament, Battle OfBeacon

Oh boy... This is where the losses start to stack... RWBY and JNPR made into the finals, but... Well, by the end, Penny and Pyrrha died, Team RWBY got separated, Yang lost an arm, and Beacon Academy and the CCT network was disabled. This coming from a previous volume where there was a joke about Ruby getting words wrong.

Volume 4: Volume 4...

This is the point where we learn the dynamic of RWBY Volumes, which is with the flow of seasons. Volume 1 was spring fresh with new beginnings, Volume 2 was action-packed summer adventures, and Volume 3 was drastic and horrible changes like the leaves in autumn, leading us to Volume 4, which hit us non-stop with L after L after L. Yangst, Weiss being abused, Blake having her kitty pity party, and Team RNJR (IT'S JNRR) having to survive Tyrian Callows, the Nuckelavee, and the harsh reality of being huntsmen and huntresses... Oh, and also the Brother gods are real.

Volume 5: Battle for Haven, Menagerie

By the end of Volume 5, everything starts looking up. The White Fang disbands after failing to assassinate the Belladonnas, Ruby and her friends manage to fend off Cinder's group, the good guys learn new abilities and limitations, and Cinder gets dropped off a cliff by Raven. Overall, a good Volume. A couple losses, but still a lot more wins.

Volume 6: Knock, knock! Who's there? It's REALITY!

And... it's gone. The wins. They're gone. Sure, we end this Volume with Adam's death and Ruby's group escaping to Atlas, but... this was also when RWBY stopped looking like young heroes and more like trouble-maker teens with good intentions doing more harm than good. And they don't get any punishment, really. Not to mention that we also learn the truth about Salem and Ozpin. Not many Ls, but only because they're still cooking.

Volume 7: You lost, but you won, but you still lost

Starting off, we have Team RWBY and group getting captured by the Ace-Ops, serving as a sort of marker for where they'll by Volume end. Until then, we have Team RWBY failing to stop a public massacre, a rigged election, and end with martial law being established over all of Atlas. But hey, at least we stopped Jacques Schnee, got out licenses to kill, and some sick-ass upgrades to our old gear!

Volume 8: I want off General Ironwood's Wild Martial Law

OKAY! So we start off with Penny being pressured to do something she doesn't want to and NOBODY is talking about it like adults. Even fucking General Ironwood isn't backing down. But then again, he's probably still riding the high of shooting a child and suffering from the low that it wasn't a kill shot. But yeah, this entire Volume was just low after low after low after LOW. There is no positive to this Volume. No Ws for anyone. Now get back on the bus. It's time to go to Saturday detention.

Volume 9: Guide~! My~! Way~! Out~! I'm what inspired the fairy tales~...

Real talk. You listening? Okay... I will say that V9 isn't the best Volume. Compared to V2 or V5, it's barely squeezing in at third. However, THIS is my absolute favorite Volume. In terms of Ls and Ws, there's definitely a couple Ls, biggest of all to Ruby, but she also gets the biggest W of the entire Volume. V9 has the best moments, the best music, and even the best villain of the entire series, even if they weren't even main antag level. Everything about Volume 9 served it's purpose as a spring chapter. It's coming out of the cold winter and into the new beginnings of spring.

That said, I understand that this being said AFTER RT already announced their shutdown, but I think the show says it best. Never lose hope, keep moving forward, and remember that victory is in the simple soul.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

[magnetic-rose]

okay it’s been a few days since willow came out and i need people to talk about it with so here’s some scattered thoughts:

i really like that jade/kit was established as wlw right off the bat and we got a kiss in the first episode. i love me a good slowburn but it’s also nice to have a lesbian couple who are very clearly and unquestionably into each other from day one.

that being said, i also like that their stories don’t revolve around each other. i like that jade wants to become a knight and she’s not gonna let her relationship with kit compromise her dreams. i feel like kit, while a good person, is pretty privileged and jade pushes her back on that.

genuinely love that both the movie and the show employ little people instead of cgi-ing average sized people. warwick is really fun to watch on screen but i wish that so much of his dialogue wasn’t exposition.

willow’s daughter, mims, is SO fucking cute. i adore her. her actress is so goddamn charming and i was smiling every time she was on screen. i wish she could have joined the adventuring party but i understand why she didn’t.

i actually really like elora/dove as a character. i like that she’s girly, falls in love fast with a pretty boy, is allowed to be attracted to people. i called the elora twist pretty fast but that’s okay. i think she’s my favorite so far tbh.

graydon my beloved. tony revolori always makes me smile when he shows up on my screen. i think he’s the most intriguing character so far. the death of his brother, the scars on his chest, his relationship with his father. i’m kind of obsessed with him.

speaking of elora and graydon, i hope they’re the surprise couple of the show. that scene where he told her how extraordinary she was was very sweet. i’m not really feeling elora/airk like, he doesn’t even know her real name. i actually like the idea of elora having a childish puppy love for airk and then as she grows, she develops a real relationship with graydon. idk, we’ll see.

all in all, i really like the dnd-esque vibe of the show of assembling a party of misfits to go on a mission. it’s kind of silly at points but that’s part of the charm tbh.

[seandwalsh]

Yes, Paper Mario is canon

This has been something the Mario lore community has largely accepted since 2015, but it seems a lot of newer folk aren’t quite so filled in! I’m writing this post to be a quick way to catch people up on the subject. This post is also adapted from a Reddit post, which can be read here. Same experience either way, more or less!

Part 1: For Context

The Paper Mario games tell stories of Mario’s adventures through an arts and crafts or pop-up book aesthetic. This is because from the very beginning, the Paper Mario games were meant to be set in a book that retold Mario’s adventures, but were accurate depictions of the mainline Mario universe.

Since our first priority was to protect the atmosphere and setting of the Mario universe, we decided to only use characters from the mainline Mario games. The side characters from Super Mario RPG therefore do not appear. I think that with Mario, sticking to the “main road” is the best. Plus, it would feel weird to have heavy themes like “betrayal” in the overall cozy, heartwarming atmosphere of the Mario world. (laughs)

- Ryota Kawade, Chief Director of Paper Mario (Nintendo 64)

We spent close to a year and a half trying out different character ideas. We also tried using pre-renders like SMRPG, but we figured it would be more fun for us to attempt something completely different this time, and that paper-y Mario was the result.

- Hiroyasu Sasano, Support on Paper Mario (Nintendo 64)

Herringway said he definitely wants to write your story. He even came up with a title... What was it again? Let's see... Well... "Paper Mario"!! What do you think!!??

- A Penguin, Non-player character in Paper Mario (Nintendo 64)

A real Mario Story told through the perspective of a storybook. Not at all dissimilar from what Dr. Mario 64, Mario Party 6, Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker all do.

This carries through to later games such as Paper Mario: Color Splash as well:

…I think one thing is that because this is taking place within the greater Mario world, we wanted to focus as much as possible on the familiar Mario characters.

- Risa Tabata, Assistant Producer of Paper Mario: Color Splash

This establishes the Paper Mario games as canonical events which also happen in the world of mainline Mario games, but despite this the developers were not afraid to have some fun with the aesthetic they were working with.

Although not the main focus, many paper-based gags were present in the world from the start.

Actually, the very first challenge Mr. Kawade and others had to face was how to cowince Mr. Miyamoto. For example, we had to explain how we'd utilise the idea of things being flimsy like paper to a large degree in the final game. The utilisation of paper-like elements was more of an 'improvemert' for him than an 'innovation' since the original idea was there with the N64 version.

- Kenshiro Ueda, Coordinator on Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Paper Mario:

- Characters are flat like paper and when they turn around their body turns like a sheet.

- In the intro sequence of the game, Kammy Koopa is taped into the story being told about the Star Spirits.

- The Star Spirits get turned into cards by Bowser and Kammy Koopa.

- When the veranda in Goomba Village falls and Mario fallls after it, he floats down safely like a piece of paper.

- When Mario rests in a bed, he similarly floats into it like a piece of paper.

- A Goomba masquerades as a picture on a signpost on Goomba Road.

- The clouds in the background of Goomba Road battles are held up with sticks.

- Mario enters and exits a pipe by folding like paper and spinning around its edges], which a Toad in Toad Town even calls attention to.

- Some Goombas lie down flat on top of blocks to hide from passers-by.

- Merlee folds Mario into cards when she casts her spell.

- Stilt Guys fall down as pieces of paper when entering General Guy’s Battle.

- A Star Kid in Starborn Valley “hides” by turning sideways.

- The stairs in the Crystal Palace unfold from the wall.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door:

- Characters are flat like paper and when they turn around their body turns like a sheet.

- The fallen heroes of 1000 years ago place Curses on Mario, allowing him to turn flat, fold himself and transform into origami, such as a Paper Plane or Paper Boat.

- Boats turn around by rising out of the water before flipping around like a piece of paper.

- Mario enters and exits a pipe by folding like paper and spinning around its edges.

- The transition screen for entering an exiting a pipe crumples the screen like a page.

- When people in Rogueport are knocked down, they fall completely flat, parallel to the floor.

- When Mario enters a building, its walls and door unfold to reveal the interior.

Super Paper Mario:

- Characters are flat like paper and when they turn around their body turns like a sheet.

- The magical ability to “flip between dimensions”, going between 2-D and 3-D.

- Areas are “drawn” into existence when the characters first enter them.

- The Pixl Slim has the ability to turn the heroes “invisible”, represented by turning them sideways.

- Spiny Tromps are made out of cardboard.

- Sometimes a piece of paper will peel away to reveal a secret, such as a hidden chest.

- When turning into her spider-like form, Mini’s head unfolds like a piece of paper.

- At one point, Mimi says “I guess I'll congratulate you... by tearing you to little bits like stupid confetti!”

- Mario enters and exits a pipe by separating into and reforming from smaller pieces of paper, respectively.

- The transition screen for entering an exiting a pipe crumples the screen like a page.

- When Brobot enters battle, the screen is torn like a sheet of paper to transition from one scene to the next.

- One if the Sammer Guys, “Rolling Thwomp”, says “I ROLL OVER YOU AND MAKE YOU FLAT LIKE SHEET OF PAPER!”

- When Luigi performs his Super jump move, he folds himself like a piece of paper to charge before springing into the air.

- The audience that appears for Stylish Moves have jagged paper outlines surrounding their bodies.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star

- Characters are flat like paper and when they turn around their body turns like a sheet.

- Kersti’s magical “Paperize” ability makes the world “become as flat as a piece of paper”.

- Certain enemies such as Goombas use magic, likely provided by Bowser, to fold themselves into dangerous shapes.

- A stack of Toads act like a flight of stairs for Mario Warm Fuzzy Plains.

- Decalburg gets partially folded by Bowser’s magic.

- The Soggy status effect appears to temporarily affect Mario as water would a piece of paper.

Paper Mario: Color Splash

- Characters are flat like paper and when they turn around their body turns like a sheet.

- Huey’s magical Cutout ability “transcends dimensions” and cuts parts of the world like paper.

- Huey’s squeeze ability turns objects into paper.

- Magic Paint plays a major role, with it being sucked out of the denizens of Prism Island and used by Mario to restore the island to its former state.

- A Toad is turned into a letter by Bowser’s forces and mailed to the Mushroom Kingdom.

Paper Mario: the Origami King

- Characters are flat like paper and when they turn around their body turns like a sheet.

- The Origami Craftsman uses the magical Fold of Life technique to bring his Origami Creations to life.

- King Olly uses the magical Fold of Life technique to transform Bowser’s Army, Princess Peach and the Vellumentals into Folded Soldiers while turning the Toads into various Origami creatures.

- King Olly uses magic to bring the Origami Craftsman’s tools to life and make them giant, creating the Legion of Stationary.

- Mario and Olivia use Magic Circles to transform themselves using Origami Techniques, such as the 1,000-Fold Arms.

- The Toads and Mario in the Temple of Shrooms have holes punched in them by the Hole Punch and Bowser’s Minions are cut up by the Scissors guarding the castle. All of these magical effects are undone upon the bosses’ defeats.

With all that taken into account, it’s clear that this is genuinely a Paper World. However, since we also know that these events are supposed to take place in the real world, the only possibility is that the Paper Mario games depict events, locations and characters that exist in both the real world and the Paper World. We see these events from the perspective of the Paper World, but everything still happens in the real world without the paper aesthetics.

The opposite also applies, with all of the adventures the real Mario has been on occurring in the Paper World, with the paper aesthetics.

Part 2: How it Developed

In Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, the lore of the Paper Mario world is greatly expanded upon. We learn that it’s a “parallel world” located within a legendary magical book. For the first (and as of writing this, only) time, we see the Mario cast interact with their Paper counterparts. This has lead some people to believe that the Paper Mario games didn’t occur in the real world, with Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam retconning what had already been established, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

In fact, in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam the opposite is implied. The game constantly calls attention to how the two worlds are exactly parallel through character dialogue. Some examples of this are Kamek and Paper Kamek coming up with the same plan to betray each other at the exact same moment and have the same proceeding conversation with their respective Bowsers, or when Peach and Paper Peach talk about themselves on Mount Brrr, realising how their lives and personalities are the same and even coming to the conclusion that they are the same person.

This was wholly intentional on the developers��� parts, with the core of the game being focused on showing inner depth to these personalities through interactions with their doubles:

Mario and Paper Mario, Princess Peach and Paper Princess Peach…It was fun to create interactions between different versions of the same character who come from different worlds like these examples. For this game, we created themes for each of the interactions between the main characters. We emphasized the characters’ personalities for each of the character interactions, such as Mario being curious about Paper Mario’s special abilities and trying to see if he can use them himself (even though both Mario and Paper Mario are the heroes of their respective worlds), the two Princess Peaches talking about girl stuff, the Bowser Jrs. getting along immediately like old friends, etc.

- Shunsuke Kobayashi, Director of Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

Plenty of other games set in the real world have also referenced the events of Paper Mario games, further proving they occurred in the real world:

- Goomboss, who was created by Bowser using the Star Rod in Paper Mario, goes on to appear in Super Mario 64 DS and Mario Kart DS.

- Dry Dry Desert from Paper Mario appears in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, with Dry Dry Ruins, which were discovered during Paper Mario, appearing in Mario Kart Wii.

- Bowser’s Castle from Paper Mario, which was created by Bowser using the Star Rod, reappears in Mario Kart: Super Circuit’s Rainbow Road.

- Goombette from Super Mario Odyssey is pink, just like the other female Goombas previously seen in Paper Mario and Paper Mario: the Thousand-Year Door.

- Snowmen from Paper Mario reappear in various games in the Mario Kart series with the same appearance.

- The Mystery Egg item, featured in Mario Kart Arcade GP 2, is a reference to Mini-Yoshi’s Egg from Paper Mario: the Thousand Year Door.

- Sky Guys from Paper Mario reappear in Mario Tennis Aces and Mario Strikers: Battle League.

- Red Chomps from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Super Paper Mario reappear in a movie projected by the WarioWare: Touched! souvenir “Reel-to-Reel”, as well as on the Pyramid Park board in Mario Party 7.

- Suits of Koopatrol armor from Paper Mario, Paper Mario: the Thousand-Year Door and Super Paper Mario appear in Bowser’s Villa on Vibe Island in Super Princess Peach.

- Koopatrols themselves appear in Mario Pinball Land.

- Whackas from Paper Mario, Paper Mario: the Thousand Year Door and Super Paper Mario appear in Mario Party 6 on the Snowflake Lake board.

- The Snow Bunny item from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door appears in Mario Party 6 on the Snowflake Lake board.

- The Headbonk move that Goombas perform in the Paper Mario series returns as an attack in Minion Quest: the Search for Bowser and Bowser Jr.’s Journey.

- The Star Spirits from Paper Mario reappear as hosts in Mario Party 5.

- Bowser Sphinx appears with Tutankoopa’s Headdress from Paper Mario on the Pyramid Park board in Mario Party 7.

- The names of Goombario, Kooper, Bombette, Moustafa and Tubba Blubba from Paper Mario appear on the scoreboards in Mario Golf: Advance Tour and Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour.

- Hammer Bros. appear with their uniforms from Paper Mario in Mario Kart: Super Circuit.

- In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga there’s a room in the Woohoo Hooniversity that contains blocks Mario has encountered in his past adventures. Amongst these are blocks from Super Mario Bros., Super Mario World and Super Mario 64, with a block from Paper Mario also appearing.

- Green Magikoopas, Red Magikoopas, Yellow Magikoopas and White Magikoopas from Paper Mario and Paper Mario: the Thousand-Year Door reappear in Minion Quest: the Search for Bowser, Bowser Jr.’s Journey, Mario Superstar Baseball and Mario Sports Superstars.

- Dark Boos from Paper Mario: the Thousand Year Door reappear in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time.

- Recovery Blocks from Paper Mario, Paper Mario: the Thousand-Year Door and Paper Mario: Sticker Star reappear in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time and Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam.

- Star Haven from Paper Mario, is mentioned in the intro of the Japanese version of Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time.

The lore of the Paper Mario games in general is also clearly of great importance to the series as a whole, with Super Mario Galaxy’s Power Star lore being directly pulled from the original Paper Mario in large part.

With that, it’s clear that all of these stories, locations and characters indeed exist in Mario’s real world as well as the Paper World.

Part 3: Wrapping it Up

Finally, I’d like to address some common questions that people are left with.

Is it possible that only some Paper Mario games happened in the real world, while others happened in the Paper World?

No. The events of all of the Paper Mario games happened in both the real world and Paper World. It’s made clear that all of the Paper Mario games happen in the same universe as each other, and therefore all occur in both worlds:

- Paper Mario: the Thousand-Year Door has many callbacks to Paper Mario, through locations like Mario’s House or Dry Dry Desert and characters like Parakarry, Kammy Koopa, Lady Bow, Jr. Troopa and Moustafa.

- Super Paper Mario features portraits of Mario’s partners from Paper Mario and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door in Mario’s House, as well as Catch Cards depicting them.

- Notes belonging to Goombella from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Parakarry from Paper Mario can be found in the trash scraps of Shy Guy Jungle in Paper Mario Sticker Star.

- In Paper Mario: The Origami King, photos of Princess Peach from all previous Paper Mario games can be seen.

How do certain paper-y mechanics work in the real world, such as the Curses in Paper Mario: the Thousand Year Door or the Folded Soldiers in Paper Mario: the Origami King?

While many of the paper-y elements of the Paper Mario games can merely be acknowledged as gags and nothing more, story relevant ones like these still make sense within the real world.

Real World characters can be turned into paper, cut, folded or molded without major consequences. As seen in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, magical abilities like the Trio Attacks have the capability to turn real world enemies into paper, before cutting or folding them without any “real world” consequences outside of dealing normal damage. Keeping in mind that the Curses in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Origami Techniques in Paper Mario: The Origami King are too both magical in nature, it makes perfect sense.

Additionally, the real Mario games are no stranger to cartoonish gags as well. Looking to the Mario & Luigi series, for example, in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Luigi is able to be squashed into the shape of a surfboard, while in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Luigi swims through the air to reach the blimp. Additionally, in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Mario & Luigi: Bowser Inside Story and Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Mario is able to be blown up like a balloon or filled to the brim with water.

In the Mario Kart series, characters can be flattened like paper by being crushed by a player with a Mega Mushroom or by obstacles such as Thwomps on the track, before the effect wears off soon afterwards.

In Mario Super Sluggers, a Koopa Troopa hides within a poster, identically to how a Goomba hid on a sign in Paper Mario.

Stickers from Paper Mario: Sticker Star are not natural to the Mushroom Kingdom. The Stickers come from the Sticker Star, and rain down over the Decalburg region once a year when the Sticker Comet arrives.

The magical Paint found in Paper Mario: Color Splash is consistently described as a life force throughout Paper Mario: Color Splash:

“You know... paint! That colourful stuff coursing through our bodies?”

“The paint you just absorbed is basically my blood, sweat and tears.”

“Paint adds beauty and life to the world.”

“Where exactly are we supposed to find this magical, life-giving paint you speak of?”

“I did basically sacrifice my lifeblood to get you out of that pickle back there...”

“They’re sucking the very life out of this beautiful island!”

Paint also appears as a sort of “life force” in various games that take place in the real world, such as Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi’s Mansion and Bowser’s Fury. When Things, real world objects, are wrung out in Paper Mario: Color Splash, they too produce paint, proving that paint is not a substance exclusive to the Paper World.

Conclusion

The Paper Mario games occur in both the Paper World and the real world, but we see them from the perspective of the Paper World. All of the events, locations and characters from the Paper Mario series exist in the real world, with the events, locations and characters from the real Mario series existing in the Paper World.

Thank you for reading!

[brendathedoodler]

In the Adventure Swap Au, Wind doesn’t think about birthdays fondly.

On Wind’s 5th birthday, a strange mark appeared on his hand. He asked his grandma about it, and that’s when she knew that her grandson had been chosen, blessed by the goddess whether he wanted it or not.

On Wind’s 6th birthday, a portal opened up in front of his home. He began to walk towards it, but Grandma grabbed him by the back of the shirt and pulled him away. She sent him and Aryll off to stay with a family friend while she went in his place. Not even the goddesses themselves would convince Grandma to let her sweet 6-year-old grandson face whatever the portal would bring.

When Wind turned 7, Grandma began to teach him and Aryll how to fight with a sword. It had been fun, and even to this day Wind has fond memories of it, but looking back he knows now that many of the games Grandma played with him were training for the inevitable.

On Wind’s 9th birthday, he was well into his first quest. He drew the master sword and felt like he could face anything. He’d been proud at the time. The memory isn’t so fond anymore.

Just days after Wind turned 10, he was whisked away to Labrynna on yet another quest. He barely got any rest; as soon as this quest was done, he was sent to another realm, this time to Holodrum.

His 11th birthday didn’t come with a quest or adventure, but rather a realization. Grandma had thrown him a party, and invited many kids his age. Wind found that he didn’t know how to play with them. He didn’t know how to interact with them. He couldn’t connect with them. Despite having many people to play with, Wind felt alone. It seemed that everything he’d faced had built a wall between him and others his age. When it was all over, he asked Grandma to not throw him parties anymore.

After an uneventful 12th birthday, Wind goes to sleep and wakes up on a tropical island. When it’s all over, he finds that this was nothing but a dream, and that he’d been trapped in a curse alongside the wind fish. When he wakes up, only a single night has passed in the real world, and everything that Koholint was is gone.

Wind is immensely suspicious when a raggedy stranger shows up on his doorstep, bleeding out and begging for help. Of course he helps him, but there’s no doubt in his mind that this is the start of another adventure. It’s his 13th birthday, and he knows it’s no coincidence. Soon the boy (introducing himself as Ravio) helps Wind with items as an enemy from Lorule slinks into Hyrule and he’s forced to travel between dimensions to help.

Wind’s 14th birthday dragged him right into another quest, where he fought alongside his best friends Tetra and Ravio. Saving Hytopia with his friends was actually pretty fun, all things considered. He’d say it was his best birthday ever, even if it included a quest where he had to fight monsters and save a cursed kingdom. At this point swinging a sword was as natural as running, so what difference did it make?

3 months before his 15th birthday, Wind was thrown through a portal and met 8 other incarnations of his own heroic spirit, and thus another quest began. Wind thinks that the spirits took him too early.

1 week before his 15th birthday, Wind told the others that something bad was going to happen. He simply asked them to trust his intuition, and they did.

The day of Wind’s 15th birthday, he expected a fight. He expected something significant, something monumental, something to follow the trend that the past few years had established.

Nothing happened.

Wind did not sleep that night. He was already on a quest, so surely something would happen. Something always did. But the night was silent, and the morning as normal as ever (except for the worried glances sent his way, which Wind pretended he didn’t see).

The day passed, and nothing happened. After dinner, Wind asked if Four could make him a cake.

He was too stressed to enjoy it.

Something was going to happen, he could feel it in his gut. He knew that ever since the day he’d first pulled the master sword, that the day he came into this world was cursed.

But nothing happened, and the days passed as normal.

[universe-in-the-void-in-the-cube]

@icelandsgirl

Now the Nordc 5 as Gigolos.

Denmark: The Overzealous Charmer

Appearance and Aura: Denmark strides into a room like a peacock, fully aware of his flamboyance. He sports an eye-popping outfit, perhaps a neon-colored suit three sizes too small, with mismatched patterns that clash in the most jarring ways. His hair is tousled in a way that suggests he’s just awoken from a wild party. He wears a grin that’s both inviting and a little too wide, as if he’s perpetually on the lookout for attention. His aura is infectious, yet his boisterousness often borders on obnoxious.

Flamboyant Approach to Gigolo Duties: Denmark's attempts at charm manifest in boisterous and overly theatrical gestures. He flings his arms around, throws back his head with dramatic flair, and delivers incredulous one-liners. "Are you a magician? Because every time I look at you, everyone else disappears!"— he bellows this line like he’s just delivered Shakespeare, unaware that the only response is a raised eyebrow and a polite chuckle.

Outlandish Behavior: His penchant for partying translates poorly into his gigolo experience. During a date, he insists on heavy drinking, claiming it’s essential for creating a “relaxed atmosphere.” As he clinks glasses and throws back shots, he flails passionately, often spilling drinks on himself or, worse, his date. He then slurs through anecdotes of his wild adventures, veering between crude humor and shockingly personal stories that nobody asked to hear.

Initial Interaction: Denmark’s first encounter with female clients is an event in itself. Upon meeting, he bombards her with a barrage of compliments, almost overwhelming in their intensity. “Wow, you have the most incredible smile! It’s brighter than the sun on a summer’s day!” His enthusiasm, coupled with a large grin and extravagant gestures, is designed to impress but often crosses into the realm of discomfort. He holds her hand for an unnecessarily long time, grinning expectantly, oblivious to her bemusement.

Treatment Style: Denmark believes the key to winning over female clients lies in his ability to entertain. He goes above and beyond to create a lively and chaotic atmosphere, thrusting her into a series of impromptu games, fire-eating contests, or karaoke sessions. "Let’s sing your favorite song right here! I need to show you my talents!” His charm is loud, bravado-filled, and rife with enthusiastic antics. He might often try to take selfies at random moments, insisting, “It’s going to be a great memory! Smile!”

Social Dynamics: Female clients often feel a mix of amusement and exhaustion as they navigate Denmark's relentless energy. Her attempts to guide the conversation to more personal, meaningful topics are frequently thwarted by Denmark's comedic monologues and theatrical storytelling. He interrupts with exaggerated tales about his own life, making it difficult for her to share her thoughts. Denmark revels in the role of the entertainer, overshadowing her voice with his constant need for validation and laughter.

The Outcomes: By evening’s end, clients may leave feeling dizzy, not from romance, but from sheer incredulity at the chaotic experience. While some appreciate the humor, others find themselves drained, realizing that what could’ve been a delightful rendezvous turned into a comical circus. They depart without any real connection established—just bewildered memories and a longing for a more grounded interaction.

Finland: The Awkward Wallflower

Appearance and Aura: Finland’s approach is markedly understated, favoring muted colors and practical fabrics that may have been fashionable a decade ago but now just seem tired. He has an unkempt look, as if he just rolled out of bed—hair askew and attire always slightly wrinkled. His demeanor is timid, with nervous glances at his shoes, creating an air of vulnerability that is as endearing as it is disconcerting.

Shy and Reserved Interactions: When a client approaches, Finland’s initial reaction is a deep inhale, his eyes darting to the floor. His attempts at flirting usually include awkward compliments about mundane things, like the way they laugh or how they chosen a lovely drink. “You have… nice taste in… um, drinks?” he stammers, fighting the urge to disappear behind a potted plant.

Awkward Silence and Monologues: As conversation drags on, Finland occasionally manages to let slip personal hobbies—not with enthusiasm, but with a drone-like monotone. “I enjoy knitting. I have a cat.” He then launches into an overly detailed explanation of his last knitting project—a sweater for his cat, naturally. His fascination with mundane details and disinterest in actual interaction makes clients squirm in their seats, unsure of how to escape the painfully stagnant dialogue.

The Results: After an excruciating series of awkward silences filled only with the sound of ice clinking in drinks, clients often leave feeling more like psychological counselors than romantic partners. They question their own sanity for thinking that a gigolo should be engaging. Finland, oblivious to his social failings, typically doesn’t realize his date has left until he sees the bill arrive, prompting a sigh of relief as he retreats to his quiet corner.

Initial Interaction: Finland’s treatment of female clients begins with a mixture of shyness and hesitation. When a female client approaches, he often stutters through a nervous greeting, accompanied by an apologetic demeanor that can confuse her. “Uh, hi… um, you have nice shoes,” he might mumble, avoiding eye contact entirely.

Treatment Style: During their time together, Finland tends to retreat into the background, often allowing conversations to hover awkwardly. His timid nature makes him fail to read social cues, leading to uncomfortable silences where he fidgets nervously. Any attempts at intimacy are stilted and mechanical. If a female client expresses interest, he may freeze up or awkwardly shift the topic to his cats, completely missing any romantic undertones.

The Outcomes: The experience leaves female clients feeling frustrated and disconnected. They may appreciate his gentle nature but find him emotionally unavailable. Most would leave wishing for a deeper connection, feeling that she spent the evening babysitting a blushing wallflower instead of indulging in a meaningful romance.

Iceland: The Detached Overthinker

Appearance and Aura: Iceland stands aloof, dressed in his somber, all-black wardrobe that gives him an air of brooding mystery. His icy blue eyes scan the room, but they seem distant as if he’s contemplating the universe’s next great existential crisis rather than noticing who’s around him. Though his style could be seen as trendy, he often neglects maintenance, leading to a haphazard, unkempt look that allows him to blend into the shadows.

Philosophical Approach to Connections: His interactions are laden with heavy philosophical discourse. When approached by a client, he launches into a rambling analysis of societal norms and their implications. Instead of light banter, he poses questions like, “What is love, really?” and follows it up with an analysis of love in the context of 21st-century capitalism, leaving potential partners bewildered by the depth before they even get to the fun parts.

Emotional Withdrawal and Detachment: When intimacy is on the table, Iceland often shuts down, staring off into the distance as he worries about climate change or the ramifications of selfies on self-image. If asked about desires, he responds with an earnest, “Why desire anything when we are all caught in the loop of temporality?” This grim outlook renders any attempts at romance utterly stagnant.

The Results: Couples who hoped for connection often find themselves feeling profoundly disconnected after an evening with Iceland. They leave feeling as though they were subjected to a therapy session rife with nihilism rather than exploring passion. Even when they try to engage him, he often dismisses the prospect entirely, leaving them wondering if they spent the evening with a romantic partner or a philosophy major on a coffee break.

Initial Interaction: Iceland greets female clients with a cool demeanor, often probing them with profound questions before even introducing himself. “What are your thoughts on the inherent absurdity of love?” might be his opening line, which could either intrigue or bewilder a female client right off the bat.

Treatment Style: Throughout their interaction, he remains unfocused, frequently becoming lost in thought mid-conversation. Female clients might share their interests or feelings, only to have Iceland respond with a distracted nod, quickly transitioning into an existential monologue about the futility of human relationships. His tendency to intellectualize everything often overwhelms any attempts at genuine intimacy.

The Outcomes: Female clients may end up feeling more like philosophical collaborators than romantic partners, thrust into discussing deep themes rather than sharing light, tender moments. After a long evening filled with heavy thoughts and little connection, they might leave perplexed by the lack of warmth and affection. They often question if they had a romantic engagement or simply attended a lecture on life’s dilemmas.

Norway: The Snarky Skeptic

Appearance and Aura: Norway presents himself in an immaculate suit that’s devoid of any flair—a masterclass in Scandinavian minimalism. His cold expression suggests he’s either perpetually unimpressed or slightly disgruntled. He exudes an air of superiority mixed with a palpable disdain for the gigolo life, setting a tone that disarms rather than entices.

Sarcastic Interactions: When clients approach him, they are met with a withering look and a smirk that comes with a legion of sarcastic commentary. “Ah, just what I needed—another person who thinks they can save me from my existential dread.” He relishes in cutting remarks, like dissecting a client’s choice in clothing or mocking their drink choice, thinking this is playful banter when it, in fact, discourages warmth and connection.

Misdirected Wit and Intellectual Games: Norway becomes overly absorbed in proving his intellectual edge, citing obscure literary references and challenging clients to debates they never asked for. Instead of light conversations, he brings up topics like the absurdity of existence or critiques of mainstream media, which completely alienate potential partners.

The Results: Clients often leave feeling thoroughly insulted, wondering if they are supposed to enjoy the date or defend themselves against an unprovoked critique. What could have been a romantic evening devolves into an uncomfortable array of jabs, leading many to rethink their choices upon exiting. Norway, however, begs to differ, believing his ‘witticisms’ to be the height of charm, completely missing the mark.

Initial Interaction: Norway’s approach is often filled with sarcasm from the get-go. He may greet a female client with a dismissive comment like, “So, have you come to save me from my gloomy outlook on life?” This dark humor might catch her off guard, setting an uncomfortable tone for the evening.

Treatment Style: As their time progresses, Norway utilizes biting wit and sardonic humor as tools for conversation. He can dissect a woman’s choice of outfit with a sarcastic jab or cast doubt on her interests, all while thinking he’s engaging her in playful banter. When she seeks warmth or compliments, he may deflect with cynical remarks, refusing to divulge authentic feelings.

The Outcomes: By the end of the date, female clients often feel belittled and defensive rather than cherished. They leave feeling like they’ve been through a series of tests instead of a romantic rendezvous, disheartened by the lack of empathy. Norway’s dismissive approach might lead them to doubt their own self-worth, leaving them reluctant to revisit any romantic pursuits after such a grueling experience.

Sweden: The Rigid Perfectionist

Appearance and Aura: Sweden is the epitome of fashion meets functionality, donned in tailored suits that scream sophistication minus the playfulness. His structured wardrobe reflects a life lived by strict schedules; everything he wears is impeccably ironed and tasteful, leaving no room for spontaneity or flair, which contributes to an overall sterile presence.

Meticulous Planning and Structure: Every date with Sweden comes with a detailed itinerary—dinner at 7, a museum visit at 8:30, and a quiet reflection period at 9:45. His excessively planned interactions snuff out any vein of spontaneity. “I hope you’ll enjoy the cherry blossom exhibit, it starts promptly at 8:00 sharp,” he declares, making it abundantly clear that there’s no room for deviation.

Emotional Sterility: During intimate moments, if they ever arise, Sweden carefully evaluates every angle and position, treating it like a task to be accomplished rather than a shared experience. He details every move, commenting on posture and ensuring everything aligns with his personal “values of efficiency.” Romance dissolves into a series of awkwardly precise moments lacking genuine warmth.

The Results: By the end of the evening, clients often leave feeling drained and bewildered, overwhelmed by a rigid schedule that killed any spark of passion. They question whether they even went on a romantic date or attended a workshop on platonic interaction. Sweden typically reflects on how well the evening went, believing his structure adds to the experience, entirely oblivious to the cacophony of frustration he leaves in his wake.

Initial Interaction: Sweden introduces himself with formal politeness, perhaps remapping the encounter in his mind as a well-ordered business meeting. “Thank you for being on time,” he starts, outlining the evening’s itinerary, ensuring she knows the schedule. His approach may come off as cool and collected, yet it lacks any semblance of warmth or genuine excitement.

Treatment Style: As the evening progresses, Sweden’s insistence on itinerary leads to a sterile atmosphere devoid of spontaneity. Rather than engaging in organic conversations, he tends to follow a script he’s developed, frequently interrupting the flow of laughter with calculated remarks. Should a conversation drift into emotional territory, he redirects it toward efficiency; if she opens up about her day, he promptly replies, “That’s interesting. Let’s move on to the next agenda point.” This approach undercuts any attempts at building intimacy.

Social Dynamics: Female clients often find themselves frustrated, trying to ignite some playful energy. Many attempts at humor are stifled by Sweden’s unyielding seriousness, who maintains that emotional ebbs and flows are inefficient. As they navigate the rigid structure of their evening, many clients may feel as though they’re participating in a clinical evaluation rather than a romantic escapade. Even attempts to engage him in light, flirty banter are met with a polite smile and a reshaping of the conversation back to logistics.

The Outcomes: More often than not, female clients exit feeling satisfied in terms of logistics but yearning for emotional depth. They leave having experienced a caricature of what romance should be—well-ordered but utterly soulless. Sweden’s focus on structure creates a hollow experience, leading most to reflect on the disconnection they felt even amidst the polish. In pursuit of the perfect evening, they instead find themselves missing the thrill of spontaneity and emotional connection, realizing that meticulous planning didn’t account for the unpredictable nature of genuine human interaction.

[dungeonsandblorbos]

Campaign/Character Intro: The Cauldron & Kettle Questing Co. vs Chaos, feat. Jun Vyardes

Status: Completed System: DnD5e

About: This was my second campaign with my university TTRPG group (the same folks as The Orphic Uprising/Amazonomachy), and ran a full 69 sessions (nice) mostly during the COVID shutdowns. It was set in the world of Acquisitions, Incorporated, an actual play podcast by Penny Arcade based around the idea of classic adventuring parties but make it ~capitalism~, and primarily played out of the official Acquisitions, Inc. playbook, plus some additional homebrew expansions and a nice little extra homebrew arc on the end that introduced us to the incredible chaos of the D10,000 wild magic table. The story ended up going real hard on the queer found family vibes, and there were several story beats that made us all real emotional together, which was really cool to be able to do while we were all forced to play remotely because, ya know, pandemic.

Genres: Medieval fantasy, Corporate fantasy Rating: Teen General content warnings: strong language, mature humor, immature humor, drug and alcohol consumption, fantasy violence. Posts may not be tagged due to the generally mild nature of most of this campaign's content. Tags: #cauldron & kettle questing co., #jun vyardes, #tim and jun

story and character details under the cut

The Story Our story here began when our newly assembled party was mistaken for an established, experienced adventuring party and sent by Acq, Inc. to investigate a collapsed tunnel in Waterdeep, where we found a piece of a strange but powerful artifact with no clue as to its origins or where the rest of it was. There were a few hiccups, but we were ultimately successful, so as soon as we were done with that dungeon, we were sent down to Phandalin to take over an abandoned Acq, Inc. franchise location and investigate the disappearance of its old party.

There, we established The Cauldron & Kettle Questing Company (and The Cauldron & Kettle Cafe) and grew into quite the accomplished little Acq, Inc. subsidiary! We also began unravelling a dangerous conspiracy involving an eldritch-worshipping cult determined to open a rift in the universe to bring their gods to the material plane and destroy reality as we know it. No pressure for a bunch of newbie adventurers, right?

The Blorbos

I played Jun Vyardes (depicted above), a 30-year-old half-elf light cleric/bard. Having grown up the daughter of a traveling bard, she was great with change, but never learned how to put down roots. When she left Daddy Bard's side and devoted herself to Vestia, a human goddess of domestic fires and revelry, she thought she'd found her home. For some time, she really was content there—but the road still called to her, so with her goddess's blessing, she set out on a new adventure, and joined Acq, Inc. It only took her a few months of questing with her new party that for her, home would never be a place—it always had been and always would be the people she loved. Jun was fiercely devoted to her friends, hyping them up as often as she sassed them. She had some killer recipes for fantasy edibles, played a mean fiddle, and was a talented firedancer. And despite being a cleric, she had the worst Religion bonus of the entire party because she never actually went to any kind of school thanks to the whole "travelling bard childhood" thing. She was technically supposed to be support in combat, but she wore medium armor and could throw fireballs and figured it would be easier to help her friends while fighting right next to them, so she very often rushed in first. And that only got her nearly killed like, three times, so it's fine. It's totally fine. Jun is fine.

The other key members of the Cauldron & Kettle Questing Co. were Tim Cobbletoss, a mild-mannered half-orc barbarian raised by halflings and Jun's half-brother, played by my lovely husband @somethingclevermahogony; Taku, a whooping crane aaracokra and path of the four elements monk who hit like a tank but couldn't take hits himself, played by the fantastic @ostrich-runner; and Briny, a perky not-goblin-anymore bloodhunter who loved learning new things, their friends, the sea, and gambling, although they didn't actually really know how to gamble.

We also had our own B-team of NPCs, consisting of Gorkow the goblin with a massive sword he called his "butter knife"; Noriel the wet cat mandolin-player; Min the messenger; Susan, the oddly intelligent ogre; and Susan's two very fluffy dire wolves. Other recurring favorite NPCs included Jun's totally not girlfriend, Eleni; Jun and Tim's father, Girasol Vyardes; Taku's baby siblings Tela and Teleku; Tim's favorite erotica romance author, Dorkas Nimblewood; and our beloved Tea Trolley, a steam-powered vehicle shaped like a teapot that we used as a battering ram in multiple combat encounters.

[isfjmel-phleg]

The latest installment of my unintentional series of analyses of narration in 1990s solo comics of teenage heroes (Part 1: Tim & Kon & Bart and Part 2: Grant): Ray, who has two solos.

The 1992 miniseries is short on narration. It usually occurs very briefly at the beginning of each issue to set the scene. But what there is a lot of are thought bubbles for Ray, which keep the reader on track with his running commentary on life, and first-person accounts from the characters themselves. At the beginning, Ray relates his life story to a cousin he has just met, he first learns a piece of the truth about his past from his dying foster father/uncle, and his actual father tells various versions of his history which may or may not be true. The subjectivity of these stories is important to the narrative, with its themes of hidden truths and being kept in the dark (both literally and figuratively). None of these narrators are fully reliable, for various reasons.

Ray's understanding of his past is limited by how little he knows and what he can or can't remember, and the visuals sometimes juxtapose what actually happened with his hazy memories. (He says he can't remember what happened to end his eighth birthday party so abruptly; the art reveals that he had a flare-up of his powers when a camera flash went off.)

Thomas Terrill, the uncle whom Ray believed was his father, tells a story on his deathbed that is presented as his own history but is in fact about his brother. Yet...he never really says that he did or experienced anything in this account. Every sentence begins with a verb, no specific pronoun subject. Things like "Quit...didn't want the burden...wanted a normal life...a family." Never "I quit..." Because he didn't. This is a story about Ray's real father, a completely different man.

...whose own accounts range from claiming that he is "not of this world" and that Ray is thus half-alien (a blatant lie) to a more detailed and relatively plausible-sounding scientific background of how he acquired his powers. He doles out information as he finds it convenient, and the frustrating inconsistency establishes him as less than trustworthy.

Narration is more at the forefront of The Ray 1994, the longer-running series. In previous analyses, I've focused on the association of the narrator with a guiding/parental voice for the young protagonist. Ray's stories are frequently told in first-person, usually by him. Like Tim, he is telling his own story because he doesn't have a solid parental presence in his life and thus has to be his own guiding voice. Of all the young heroes whose solos I've read, Ray is the most introspective, more so than even Tim. He's constantly in his own head, observing, overthinking, getting emotional. The greater thoughtfulness can be partly credited to the fact that he's older than the protagonists of comparable books--eighteen and later nineteen, technically a young adult although still a teenager. But his upbringing has left him very internally-focused too. He has grown up isolated, spending his time reading and watching TV and tinkering with computers. There were very people around to talk to, and even fewer with whom he could open up. Interacting with the outside world is strange and foreign, so he has a very active inner life instead.

And yet he still longs for connection, which is where the narrative device of the earlier issues comes into it. Ray met Dinah Lance one (1) time, developed a crush on her, and has started writing her unsolicited letters in which he pours out his soul to her, relating every detail of recent adventures, every difficult emotion and insecurity. Even as he overshares, though, he self-censors sometimes to put himself in a better light (as in his account of his encounter with Kon, which opens the series). The letters are very revealing of his character and allow the reader to not only get in his head but understand how he wishes to be perceived. The letters to Dinah come to an end for plot-relevant reasons, so the narration style takes a different turn, but always we are given access to Ray's thoughts so it's as if he is narrating indirectly.

The lack of a third-person narrator for Ray's POV underscores how lacking he is in guidance, as I said earlier. His father is a recurring, unwelcome, intrusive presence (he can read Ray's thoughts if he chooses and shows up at inconvenient times, like on the bus) who comes to scold and criticize and belittle, and Ray repeatedly rejects these attempts at mentorship. "You're not really my dad," he keeps saying. "You haven't earned it." As caught up as Ray is in the mess created by his father's lies, he refuses to let him set the tone for his life or identity.

But Ray isn't the only narrator of this series. Sometimes Dinah narrates, and we learn how she feels about this infatuated teenager who persists in writing to her. Not only does it provide insight into her character, it clarifies actions she will take and acts as a counterpart to Ray's limited perspective.

Another issue is narrated through an account written by Happy Terrill as a young man in 1941, recounting his acquaintance with a mysterious young man with an inexplicable earring (a time-traveling Ray!) and how he acquired his powers. Again, this allows us to better understand Happy, who has evidently always been a self-important jerk--a trait only exacerbated by his becoming the Ray. So much hubris.

Later on, third-person limited narration shows up for Joshua Terrill, who is too young to have thoughts introspective enough for first-person but whose perspective needs to be given for him to make sense. Joshua is just a child and in need of the guidance represented by a third-person narrator commenting on his actions--but the narrator doesn't comment. Only reports his thoughts. Like Ray, Joshua is alone in the world, no thanks to their father.

But the most surprising narrator is in a very late issue: a version of Bart Allen as an adult. This is jarring; Bart doesn't narrate normally. He thinks in pictograms. It's weird getting introspection from him, even twenty years into his future, and he comes across as a completely different character. But the narrative point here is less to develop Bart's character and more to reveal how badly future!Ray has gone downhill through the commentary of a close friend who has (mostly) maintained his moral compass where Ray hasn't. Future!Ray's thoughts and narration aren't a thing anymore because he's no longer self-reflecting. He has sold out to money and power and has left behind his essence in the process.

By the end of the series, the narration has more or less ended. Happy tells his final version of "the entire truth" (or is it?), another very subjective account designed to make himself look the hero despite his questionable actions. And Ray...he's finally reunited with a mother who now knows that he's her son. Things are about to change for him. He doesn't need to narrate his own life totally alone anymore.

(And he won't. Never again. The comics quit caring about his POV from here on out.)

[ryhmus]

HEADSPACE residents

(Short summaries of the main bosses in the fic without major spoliers)

SWEETHEART

[she heavily insisted-on threat of imprisonment -that we used this font for her introduction...]

The prestigious doughnut princess of PYREFLY FOREST, the one and only of a kind-SWEETHEART. Was the fourth successful attempt D.R.E.A.M. made in bringing creatures into the real world. And the last for a while, when she promptly took over the lab and overpowered the scientists, leaving them trapped in the observation room while she ventured outside into the surface of a strange new world for the first time.

Her immediate thoughts? 'A city for me to rule? You shouldn't have!'

Nearbye city was suddenly invaded and quickly overrun with an army of SPROUT MOLES lead by a very familiar pink princess once thought to be only of comics and various media. Her takeover of the city was swift and with little resistance (ordinary humans can not harm HEADSPACE beings without a HEADSPACE version of one's self or a strong enough bond with that being) she quickly established herself as the self proclaimed Empress of her new kingdom of Sweets and Hearts in the span of a single night.

Prideful of her new accomplishment, SWEETHEART hosted a grand gala and had party invites sent to everyone in the surrounding area, including Faraway town. This would be how OMORI and the Dream Friends would come to learn of her plans and would venture out with the Faraway gang to confront and stop her in their very first adventure.

The loss of her original home has not put a dent in SWEETHEART'S massively inflated ego. Narcissistic, arrogant and vain as ever, the doughnut dutchess flaunts her superiority over everyone she meets and rules with an iron fist, any who defy her are sent to the NEW DUNGEON. She has a soft spot for her family back home...

If her loyal guards don't get you, then her spiked heart mace will...

Her appearance in the real world also caused an insurgence of closeted weebs and Sweetheart enthusiasts who were entranced that their favorite anime girl was now real and leading a revolution and joined her as loyal zealots.

Some even gaining the ability to inflict EMOTIONS, such as Tucker of Faraway town, otherwise calling himself 'Weebkage, Empress's Aegis'.

CAPT. SPACEBOY

The fabled space captain of the comso and pilot of the MERCURY RETROGRADE, (and part-time resident of OTHERWORLD.) SPACEBOY and his crew along with PLUTO were transported into D.R.E.A.M.'S hands at some point to both work as workers and in the captain's case, a troubleshooter for loose ends. After the entire SWEETHEART incident, PLUTO would come across incredibly important secret information and would escape. In response, one of the leading directors, Dr. Yen, would instruct CAPT. SPACEBOY to track down and capture the rogue planet at any cost and equip him with a strange belt-telling him of he were to attempt take it off before mission's end or tamper with the device, it would explode and cut his freedom short.

SPACEBOY'S new mission however was no easy task, an electric short in the prototype EMOTION AMPLIFIER, caused him to rapidly experience fluctuating EMOTIONS. This would greatly addle the captain's mental state and force him to focus on capturing PLUTO.

The rogue planet, wounded by a close call with SPACEBOY'S MERCURY RETROGRADE would touchdown in Faraway Park in order hide out in the lake area to avoid being found by his pursuers. It would only be when the gang came across and got caught in the crossfire of SPACEBOY'S confrontation that sparked the second adventure.

CAPT. SPACEBOY reluctantly took on the job of hitman for D.R.E.A.M., eliminating potential threats for the organization before they could be discovered. But he did all of it to keep his crew safe, no matter how grisly the jobs would get. Otherwise, he is noble, kind and always eager to help out those in need. He is a crack shot with his blaster. He keeps a spare in case he needs to dual wield them.

His alter ego, SPACE BOYFRIEND, is much more dangerous, he's angry and easily provoked to violence. The unstable EMOTION amplifier only making this other self's outbursts even worst. Caution is advised.

SPACEBOY remains dedicated to SWEETHEART, but understands that they don't belong in a relationship together...his heart being broken twice over.

MR. JAWSUM

The card shark of the formerly renowned LAST RESORT. JAWSUM wasted no time in setting up shop in Nearbye in the Seaside resort area, turning it into a booming casino resort in over half a week. MR. JAWSUM played an important role in D.R.E.A.M., half of the casino's funds would go into the organization's own funding for new equipment...and in return, they keep some of his more shady dealings under wraps.

His personal magnum opus, GILDED CLAMS made from pure 14 karat gold are what helped him strike literal gold. His casino used a unique system where goers would use their real money to use the slot machines and get CLAMS, afterwards, they would be allowed to use these CLAMS to trade for real prizes. The golden shells were rare and could be kept as souvenirs or traded for better prizes.

A single GILDED CLAM is worth millions in dollars...

Hero, Kel and his family went on a family vacation to get away from the crazy dream shenanigans...little did they know is that they had stepped into treacherous waters when they got into JAWSUM'S sights.

MR. JAWSUM is the very picture of corrupt capitalism. He values profits over all else, and has scammed dozens of their wallets. What he lacks in fighting skills he make up in cunning in spades-and is not above using dirty tricks and schemes to get what he wants out of people. While he prefers not to get into direct fights, his GATOR GUYS do the dirty work for him. Though calm outside, JAWSUM is prone to losing his temper when people disrespect or get in the way of his business.

But despite his greedy values and manipulative methods, JAWSUM is a true to his word businessman who recognizes and values good employees and rewards them respectively for the effort.

to JAWSUM, a healthy happy workforce makes more money...and plenty of money makes the world go round...

UNBREAD TWINS (DOUGHIE and BISCUIT)

The ancient bread-makers of ORANGE OASIS'S BREAVEN. Not much can be said about these twins before they were assigned to come along with Dr. Yen to Faraway Town for her research trip. The twins were then told to use their powers over bread to bring the bakery's supply to life and direct them to collect the Dream Friends for Yen's experiments, causing an unbread apocalypse.

The Twins possess the power to animate bread and control them, in small droves is easily done, but larger numbers and control starts to become harder. Interestingly enough, both DOUGHIE and BISCUIT each have their own individual SKILLS alongside their own abilities, but can only use them if they are apart from one another...which they rarely ever are. Wherever one twin is, the other is usually not far...

DOUGHIE is the sister of the twins. She acts as the voice of reason for the two, translating her brother's language. Her knowledge of all things bread is unmatched and can name over 50 types of bread just from memory.

DOUGHIE is calm and collected and speaks plainly, though she shows a more curious side when confronted with something that is not bread related. She tends to let her mind wander sometimes.

BISCUIT is the brother of the immortal duo. He communicates only in moans and groans, which DOUGHIE claims is an ancient dead language that only she can understand. BISCUIT has not uttered a single understandable word other than a his moans since the beginning of time.

He is often sullen and sluggish but is described by his sister for being very smart and thoughtful of others. BISCUIT tends to get easily frustrated, as shown by his colorful 'words' that his sister scolds him for using.

UP NEXT; THE SOMETHING

[smilingcrumb]

Wander Around Challenge

(inspired by moonfi and her Globetrotter Challenge) ♥

Rules: - start with a young adult - move your Sim to a lot of your choice and set the bank account to 0 - 50 Simoleons (testingcheats true -> money 0) - your Sim should leave the neighborhoood he is in as rare as possible - You can play the challenge two different ways: 1. Play the whole Challenge with one Sim. Here you turn off aging and you have endless time to explore things. 2. Every Round is played by one generation. You can turn aging to long but each round is played by a different generation. - Is your Sim / next generation moving to a new neighbourhood he has to quit his job but he is allowed to take along his tent and up to five objects in the family inventory. (Small objects can be carried in the sims inventory) - Your Sim can earn money in every possible way - At the end of the round you can make a photo with your Sim / family and the neighbourhood he was living - Goal of each round is to fullfill the aspirations, even not all of them are necessary. - The story for wach round is just an idea. Feel free to play it the way you like. - Have fun :)

Round 1 - Mt. Komorebi

You are looking forward to put your backpack on and exploring the Sim-World! First stop is the highest at the same time. You will be the ultimative tourist and learn a lot of new things in and beside the snow.

Mt. Komorebi Sightseer

Lord/Lady of the Knits

(Extreme Sports Enthusiast)

Round 2 - Sulani

After all that sport and snow you're off to the beach of Sulani. Here you're just enjoying life and meeting new friends.

Beach Life

Friend of the World

Round 3 - Strangerville

Relaxed and with sand between your toes you are ready for some adventure. The friend of a friend told you about a city where strange things keeps happening. Now you're curious and in your way to solve the mystery!

StrangerVille Mystery

Round 4 - Granite Falls

After solving the secret of the dessert you need some plants and green athmosphere around you. Next stop - Granite Falls. Here you're spending hours with fishing and exploring the woods.

Outdoor Enthusiast

Angling Ace

Round 5 - Selvadorada

You exchange the woods for the jungle and try to be a professional archaeologist. Also the secrets of the jungle making you curious...

Jungle Explorer

Archaeology Scholar

Round 6 - Evergreen Harbor

Not every neighbourhood is as green as Selvadorada and Evergreen Harbor needs any help to get greener. You grab your backpack and roll up your sleeves.

Master Maker

Eco Innovator

Round 7 - Forgotten Hollow

Your curiosity of mysterys is taking you to Forgotten Hollow. You heard the sun is rarely seen here and the Sims seems a little bit... different. You're exploring the region and will be more part of the neighbourhood for a bit of a time than expected.

Good Vampire

(Vampire Family)

(Master Vampire)

Round 8 - Brindelton Bay

After you are able to walk in the sun again you move to a quiet and peaceful neighbourhood. Brindelton Bay seems perfect for it. You're enjoying the company of your furry friends and try to be the perfect neighbour.

Neighborhood Confidante

Friend of the Animals

Round 9 - Windenburg

It get's a little bit too quiet. Time to move on! And which region is better for parties than Windenburg? You're learning to mix fancy drinks and establishing a group with your new friends.

Master Mixologist

Party Animal

Leader of the Pack

Round 10 - Del Sol Valley

You're enjoying to be known by more and more people so you're trying your luck in Del-Sol-Valley to get a real celebrity! It's tough but at the end it's all worth it and you have no more financial worries.

World-Famous Celebrity

Fabulously Wealthy

Master Actor/Master Actress

Round 11 - Henford-on Bagley

All the fame, all the money...but you're not really happy. You decide to donate all your money and settle down far away where nobody knows you. Henford-on-Bagley is perfect to get back in touch with nature.

Freelance Botanist

Country Caretaker

Round 12 - Moonwood Mill

After a few quiet years it's time for adventures again. In Moonwodd Hill the Sims seems to have more hair than other. And they can smell really good. You wonder what this means...

Werewolf Initiate

Bodybuilder

Cure Seeker

Round 13 - San Myshuno

The time in Moonwood Mill was nice but you miss the sounds of the city. San Myshuno seems a good choice. You wish is to blend in so nobody thinks you didn't grew up in the city. Maybe you left a few broken hearts, too.

City Native

(Serial Romantic)

Round 14 - San Sequoia

You try to win the local hearts for you. And because food is love you try to cook for the Sims in town and make money at the same time. We will see if they like your food.

Appliance Wiz

Market Magnate

Round 15 - Chestnut Ridge

Animals are an important part of your live - which city would be better to live in than Chestnut Ridge? You get on a horseback the first time in your life and try your luck with producing nectar.

Championship Rider

Expert Nectar Maker

Round 16 - Willow Creek

Until now you had a life with a lot of adventures. Occasionally you need some peace and charge your batteries. You find your inner peace and your love to music in Willow Creek.

Musical Genius

Inner Peace

Round 17 - Glimmerbrook

There's one more neigbourhood with special Sims and their secrets to discover. Rumors say that this neighbourhood is pure magic. You are learning a lot about magic and maybe you will find your magical true love.

Purveyor of Potions

Spellcraft & Sorcery

(Soulmate)

Round 18 - Tartosa

Your soulmate and you are celebrating your engagement and wedding with everything possible. You want to have a big great party with all of your family and friends!

the only goal is to celebrate a great wedding ♥

Round 19 - Britchester

It's about time to decide where to finally settle down. Before that you decide to write a book about all you (your families) adventures. What town would be better for that than Britchester? Maybe your family expands here, too.

Bestselling Author

(Big Happy Family)

Round 20 - Copperdale

The book is finished and published you are moving with your family to Copperdale. They say here's one of the best Highschools in the Sim World. You live for the family and want to be the best father / mother ever been seen!

Super Parent

or Successful Lineage

Thanks for reading all of that! I hope you have fun and feel free to send me a message if there's something wrong. And for sure tag me in your challenge so I can see what you are doing there. ♥ Also a big thank you to moonfi for the inspiration!

[simslegacy5083]

NSB (Straud Legacy) Gen 9 Ep 67: A Fond Farewell

The Story of a Family

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Luigi had enjoyed celebrating his end of term success with Amaya and Noemi, but another special girl in his life had crossed an even bigger milestone.

Upperclassman Bonnie, the very first friend he’d made on campus, who had helped him adjust to college life and find his current residence, had officially finished her last class. Luigi wanted to help make her graduation special and send her off to her next adventure in style.

To that end, he conspired with her fiancé Leroy to throw her an intimate little pre-graduation party right before the ceremony.

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He made them all a round of “The Bonnie Lass”, a mix of juices designed around his friend’s preferences. As she took her first sip, he triggered the robotic recording of her favorite song, complete with confetti, that Noemi had helped him rig, pretending to be shocked as she spilled some of her drink laughing.

Touched, Bonnie told him that she couldn’t have asked for anything better than her own special cocktail, and the special friends that knew her so well and could make one of the most important days of her life that much better with their presence.

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As they enjoyed their juice they chatted about where Bonnie was headed after graduation. She and Leroy were planning to look for a small apartment to start out with, and hoped to be able to buy their own place once they were both a bit more established in their careers. Leroy was a writer, still struggling to pen the novel that would be his “big break”, while Bonnie planned to use her psychology degree to get a job as a S.I.M.S. agent.

Once they finished their drink Luigi accompanied them to campus, giving Bonnie a big hug as soon as she returned, diploma in hand, to the crowd.

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She was moving on to bigger and better things in the real world, but the fond memories of Bonnie helping him navigate his tough start to the college social scene would always be a big deal to Luigi, and he would often look back at the selfie they took that day and smile.

After that he left her and Leroy to their own devices, rushing off to a pre-game mixer with the e-sports team at professors Silva’s home by The Bay.

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View The Full Story of My Not So Berry Challenge Here

[cadybear420]

Cadybear's Reviews- Rules of Engagement

Welcome to the first official Cadybear's Reviews post! We'll be starting with Rules of Engagement, which I have ranked on the "Bronze Tier" at 5 stars out of a possible 10.

Frankly, ROE was a mixed bag for me.

To start off, I know everyone and their Nana has complained about it before, but I found it incredibly pointless that our MC could only have male love interest options. There was literally nothing about her storyline that would make zero sense with a female LI. “But Audrey and Mira–” yes but they’re love interests for established side characters that you play as, rather than love interests for the character that is meant to be “your character”. Luckily this is the only time PB has ever done a male-LIs-for-MC-only story, but still. 

Not that having a female love interest option would have changed how bland MC’s romance is. Even though the love interests we do get were nice characters, the romances between them and the MC are incredibly empty. I guess that’s to be expected when your nana basically forces you to marry by the end of the summer in order for you to get your inheritance, but yeah. 

Most of the other romances aren’t much better. Audrey is incredibly unfair to Bookish Twin in the first two books, crying about how she “doesn’t care about her” just because she chose to focus on pursuing her career instead of Nana’s stupid list (can we please retire this trope already holy fuck). Though their moments in Book 3 and onwards were thankfully more pleasant.

Brother and Elena’s romance was weird with some ups and downs, but it became a hot mess in the Jeff Willoughby arc. I don’t even know what was going on in there. And it was even worse in Newlyweds; while Elena has every right to be upset about Brother not telling her about his ex-wife from over a year ago, she acts ridiculously petty and immature towards him over it and that made the story very unpleasant. 

About the only romances that weren’t clusterfucks were Party Twin’s romances (and even then, her sole female love interest option is very sidelined) and Cousin’s romance with Chaz. I mean, they were just as shallow as the MC’s romance, but they at least felt less rushed? Considering they didn’t get married, after all.

And what I think bugs me most of all, something that I think does not get criticized nearly enough as it should: The fact that this entire story revolves around Nana having fucking quid pro quos on the shares of the inheritance money. Like… why is she putting weird conditional challenges on inheritance? Who the fuck does that?

"Oh my dear daughter MC has to find love and get married by the end of the summer in order to get her inheritance owo!" Bitch what if she ends up being aro or demi??? Or is just not ready to marry yet- especially since she spent the first two books, y’know, escaping an unfaithful and manipulative partner???? She's the last person who would be ready to marry right away. 

"My son please marry your girlfriend of two years" but then the next thing you know they break up because they realized they’re a lesbian and a gay man. What are you gonna do then, Nana? Huh?? Huh??? Does Brother not get his inheritance if he’s gay??? 

"Party Twin must hold a job for the summer" oh yeah because that's just sooooo easy isn't it? I mean it’s not like unemployment is a major issue in today’s society or anything.

"Bookish Twin has to do this list of trying new things" and why, why, why, why, WHY is getting a tattoo on this list? As someone who is kinda very squeamish about tattoo pen needles, I would tell Nana to fuck right off, and then get a temporary tattoo instead because fuck you. And if Dinesh bitches about it being a temporary tattoo and not a real one, I WILL drop kick his ass.

And this isn’t even getting into all the other fucking challenges that Nana adds onto the first ones. Like, Nana, I get you're trying to teach the kids about family and loyalty and adventure, but putting tasks onto your grandkids’ inheritance is just such a dick move. 

Fuck the Nana honestly, she’s the real villain of this story. Yeah she’s even worse than the fucking Aunt. YEAH I SAID IT. In fact how don’t I know the Aunt wouldn’t even be horrible in the first place had she not been raised by a mother who thinks it’s okay to put these kinds of quid pro quos on inheritance. Turned her into a greedy, competitive, abusive bitch raising her under that mindset. Fuck you, Nana. (Okay, okay, I’m getting a bit extreme here). 

Anyways. Instead, I think we should have gotten a story about the siblings and cousin wanting to get this inheritance, but having difficulty meeting the stupid quid pro quos, and then eventually admitting to themselves that the stupid quid pro quos are indeed stupid, and then finding ways to cheat the quid pro quos, and doing so successfully. 

For example:

MC tries to fall in love with someone, but realizes she’s rushing too quickly after getting cheated on, then agrees to have a fake marriage with the person (who is knowing of the fake marriage), only to divorce them right after they get the money. And then we get to decide if she wants to start building an actual romance with them or not. 

Brother and Elena realize they’re a lesbian and a gay man and don’t want to marry, so they have a mutually-agreed-upon lavender wedding and then divorce the moment the Brother gets his inheritance. 

I’m not sure about the rest of them, Bookish Twin could probably be the one who is most furious with Nana since she’s forced to get a tattoo, and so she gets a temporary tattoo because fuck the Nana. Party Twin, on the other hand, could be the one who minds it the least as she does seem to have motivation to hold a job for the summer, but she starts to come around when she realizes how difficult that is. IDK how she’s supposed to cheat hers tho.

But for all its problems and all the criticism it gets… I didn’t hate it. Even with the whole premise of the plot being fundamentally fucked up right from the start. It was only Choices’s 4th series, so it’s clear they were still working out a lot of things. And as shitty as Nana was for putting quid pro quos on the inheritance,I did also enjoy some of the family ties themes, as well as the Cousin’s redemption arc. It was pretty lightheated for the most part and it felt much easier to take it as a silly soap opera style story (compared to something like TNA or TBB) because it didn’t feel like it was forcing me to take it seriously.

Overall, the series as a whole to me was just lighthearted dumb fun with a little touch of emotional family themes. It has… a lot of glaring problems and it could have been much better, but ultimately, it’s not something to be taken too seriously.