#verse; heroes and villains (alternate reality)

[duhragonball]

Enter the Casinoverse: Why I Don't Like Multiverse Stuff.

I probably should be resting instead of writing, or at least writing stuff that actually counts towards my writing goals, but dammit, this is how I relax, and I finally found a way to tackle this topic properly.

Over the last decade or so, I've come to loathe all the multiverse fare in pop culture. This is probably because it's gotten so overexposed in media, but also because comic books were running it into the ground well before I was born. When I actually got into comics in the 90s, a lot of the older fans used to pine for the "good old days" when DC had a multiverse, and everybody was constantly teaming up with their Golden Age self to fight their Evil Universe self. DC keeps teasing bringing the Multiverse back, and sometimes they even go through with it, but it's like they can never get it quite right or something, but they refuse to just commit to anything, and that's one reason I don't read DC comics anymore.

These days the Marvel Cinematic Universe keeps horsing around with the idea, and even using "Multiverse" in one of the movie titles. I haven't watched the Dr. Strange movies, but my idea of a good Dr. Strange story is Doc traveling through a dimension that looks like a Salvador Dali painting, battling Lovecraftian horrors by uttering spells that rhyme. Then he goes home to hang out with Namor and the Incredible Hulk, and Queen's "It's a Kind of Magic" is playing the entire time. But sure, have Benedict Cumberbatch screw around with AU Reed Richards and revisit some of the dirt-worst Scarlet Witch stories ever written, all for the sake of setting up Phase Five. Sounds good.

Here's the problem: The whole premise of a multiverse story is that none of it matters, because somewhere out there is another set of universes where everything turned out differently. There's a DC direct-to-home-video cartoon about this, where the Justice League battles their Evil Counterparts, and the Evil Batman is named Owlman. His plan is to destroy the entire multiverse, including himself, because he he's a nihilist. Faced with an infinite reality where every possible decision has already been made somewhere else, he wants to blow up the entire thing, because that's the only choice that can actually matter.

I like Owlman's speech, but he's a dope. Batman stops him before he can go through with his plan, but it still doesn't matter, because even if it worked, there would still be an alternate reality where Owlman didn't destroy the multiverse. At best, he can only wipe out parts of it, because it goes on forever. Owlman believes there's some "Prime" universe from which all the others originated, but he has no way to know for sure. I guess he doesn't need to actually be capable of destroying reality to be a good villain. His frustration and willingness to try is sufficient.

Nevertheless, the multiverse concept is deceptive because it seems to raise the stakes. Instead of fighting for one world, the good guys have to fight for many worlds! What could be better? But ultimately it lowers the stakes by presenting too many shortcuts and loopholes. Instead of defending one home which is precious and irreplaceable, the heroes have to live with the knowledge that there are infinite copies, and they could just as easily switch over to one of them when things go wrong. Instead of getting to know other characters with diverse backgrounds and histories, they wind up bonding with alternate versions of themselves.

I'm trying to be careful here because I've heard the Spider-Verse movies are quite good, but I haven't seen them yet so I can't comment on how they might have gotten the formula right. My best guess is that they focus on very different versions of Spider-Man. Miles is different from Peter who is different from Miguel, etc. They seem more like the Green Lantern Corps than a multiverse concept. A fraternity of superheroes with the same powers, that just happens to be operating across multiple Earths instead of outer space. "No Way Home" went the opposite direction, with three Peter Parkers all being amazed that they each had an Uncle Ben who told them about great responsibility, like this is some big revelation.

The multiverse premise also suggests a broader canvas for greater creativity, but in practice it always seems to mean repeating the same ideas over and over. Hence the Council of Cross-Time Kangs, or the Flash teaming up with himself to fight... himself. Or the MCU revealing that Dr. Doom will be played by the same guy who already featured heavily in nine of their previous movies. You'd think an infinitude of universes would open the door for all sorts of bizarre ideas, but instead they just use it to bring back dead characters like Loki, so he can join the Time Variance Authority, which in the comics was a bureaucratic organization made up of identical men who all looked like Marvel Comics editor Mark Gruenwald. Loki's job in the TVA was apparently to apprehend... another Loki. Brilliant.

I'm not saying these projects can't be successful, or even well-told. Again, a lot of people were high on the Spider-Verse stuff, and it looks pretty cool. I need to check it out. But I've seen lots and lots of stories that get it wrong, or use it as a crutch, or present it like some novel concept that hasn't already been going on for decades. The TV show "Sliders" aired from 1995 to 2000, and its opening credits had to explain the premise, probably because general audiences weren't familiar with the concept. That was a quarter-century ago. And I got bored with "Sliders" after the first season.

You might be wondering how Multiverse Stuff is different from Alternate Timeline Stuff. And you're right, the two ideas tend to blend together a lot. My personal definition is that an Alternate Timeline depends on some sort of time anomaly or time travel to exist. For example, in "Back to the Future II", Old Biff goes back from 2015 to 1955 and gives his younger self the sports almanac. This creates the "Hell Valley" timeline where 1985 Biff is rich and powerful. When Doc and Marty go to 1955 and destroy the almanac, the "Hell Valley" timeline is prevented and it no longer exists.

By contrast, the parallel worlds seen in "Sliders" or DC's multiverse appeared to be permanent fixtures. They may have been spawned by decisions made in some "prime" reality, but they couldn't be un-made like "Hell Valley". DC's Earth-2 was a place you could just go to whenever you wanted, but "Hell Valley" only existed for as long as the future almanac was in the past.

This was something I liked a lot about Terminator 5. It had its problems, but the movie's premise was kind of fun for a fourth sequel to a time travel movie. Both sides of the conflict have been using time travel to win their war, but there's only one world, so all of the characters remember events from timelines that no longer exist because of all the tampering. They each have ideas about what was supposed to happen, but all bets seem to be off.

So, with all that said, let me talk about the 1995 film "Casino". It's based on real world events involving the Chicago Outfit's skimming operation in 1970's Las Vegas. The names were changed for the movie, and some events are retooled to work better for the movie, but I started reading the book this was all based on, and it's interesting to me how closely the movie matches up so far.

The story is the same, though. I'll stick to the movie version, since I know it better. The mob installs a trusted bookie (Sam "Ace" Rothstein, played by Robert DeNiro) to run their casino, the Tangiers. Ace's job is to run a tight ship and make the casino as profitable as possible, so the Outfit can send a guy into the casino's count room every month to steal a bunch of money. The "skim" is a bit more complicated than this, from what I understand, but the point is to avoid paying taxes on the profits. A made man, Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci), is sent to Vegas to protect the Outfit's investment.

But by the early 80's the whole operation goes wrong. The FBI uncovers the skim. Ace screws up his marriage and career because he's too stubborn to compromise and too greedy to cut his losses. Nicky defies the Chicago Outfit by trying to become his own boss in Vegas, and the Outfit fails to deal with any of these issues until it's too late. I guess you could call it a tragedy, in the sense that everyone is brought down by the same brutal and venal talents that made them successful in the first place.

What makes the movie so awesome is how inevitable this is. There is no Plan B for any of the characters. Ace's wife Ginger (Sharon Stone) tries to find a way out of her abusive marriage, but every path leads to her demise. Nicky screws up so badly that he can't even go near Las Vegas by the end of the movie. He thinks he still has prospects in the mob, but instead he gets executed for all the trouble he caused for the bosses. Ace gets so focused on running the Tangiers that he loses sight of what he's really there to do: Supporting the skim operation. He survives the events of the movie and ends up living in San Diego, but he'll never again be the big shot he was in Vegas.

The point I'm trying to make here is that there isn't a "Las Vegas 2" these characters can go to and start over. This is their big opportunity in life, the only one they'll ever get, and they all blow it. And it's not just one or two big mistakes that bring it all crashing down. It's lots of little blunders and unforced errors that happen over the course of the movie. It's a beautiful thing, because when you rewatch the film, you realize just how many chances they had to save the thing, and they kept zigging when they needed to zag.

For example, let's talk about Joe Bob Briggs. The host of TNT Monstervision got a small part in "Casino" as this Nevadan Slot Manager named Don Ward. I'm not even sure what his job was in the movie, except to watch the slot machines and make sure his area was clean. Ace says he had to hire Don Ward because his cousin-in-law Pat Webb is the county commissioner, and they need support from local officials like Webb to maintain the mob's control of the Tangiers.

Later in the movie, Ace fires Don Ward for general incompetence. It's not clear what Don did wrong, but someone won a bunch of money on his slots, so Ace is sure there was cheating going on, since the odds of winning that big are astronomical. Don was either stupid enough to let it happen, or he was in cahoots with the cheaters, so either way, Ace wants him out. This upsets Pat Webb, who tries to talk Ace into hiring Don back as a personal favor. But Ace refuses to budge.

And this is a big mistake, because throughout the whole movie, Ace has been running the casino without a gaming license, and relying on a loophole that lets him do the job as long as his application is still pending. Before, everyone was willing to look the other way, but now that Ace has angered the county commissioner who handles those applications, Pat Webb fast tracks the application and it gets denied, making Ace's position even more tenuous.

And from there Ace becomes more worried about vindication and getting his license than his actual job: Supporting the skim. If he had just kept Don Ward on the payroll, and tolerated his incompetence, then maybe things could have been different. Maybe some of the other dominoes in the movie wouldn't have fallen. But he made his choices and the movie played out the way it did.

So when you watch the movie, it's tempting to play What If and imagine things going a different way. This is what Multiverse stories try to do all the time. Ace Rothstein meets his AU counterpart who still runs the Tangiers and patched things up with Ginger and Nicky. Then they team up to fight an Ace who ratted everyone out to the FBI, which I guess is just Lefty Rosenthal, the real life guy Ace Rothstein was based on.

The problem is that the alternate scenarios don't make sense. Multiverse stories love to present ideas like "What if the Nazi's won World War II?" but they neglect to consider whether such a scenario is even possible. The whole "infinite worlds from infinite choices" concept presumes that every scenario is equally possible. The Nazis didn't win World War II, and they probably never really had much of a chance, since their strategies usually involved taking badly needed oil resources from countries they hadn't finished invading. It's more complicated than that, sure, but when you learn more about the war, you begin to realize just how steep the odds were for Nazi Germany.

But I didn't want to get into all that historical analysis, which is why I'm talking about the movie "Casino". Joe Bob Briggs' role in the movie is a little easier to discuss. What if Ace rehired him? Ace wouldn't re-hire him, though. He was too stubborn and arrogant to go back on his decision. Pat Webb warned him of the consequences, but he stuck to his guns. Whatever money loss Don Ward caused for the Casino was surely a pittance compared to the eventual loss of the entire skim operation, but Ace couldn't see it that way.

Well what if he could see it that way? What if hats were ants? Look, if you rewrite the story where Ace Rothstein always does the most logical thing, he never would have gone to Vegas in the first place. He never would have gotten involved with organized crime in the first place. He wouldn't have been a bookie in the first place. He would have become an accountant or something.

Or take Nicky Santoro for example. He got too big for his britches and started doing mafia stuff in Las Vegas because no one else was doing it, so he had no competition. Great, except the reason for that was because the Outfit purposely suppressed that kind of crime in Vegas in order to encourage tourism. More tourists means more gambling, which makes the casino more profitable and the skim even greater. Everyone wins, as long as Nicky stays quiet and does his actual job: Protecting the skim.

But Nicky couldn't do that, because he was too ambitious and aggressive to just sit around waiting to respond to trouble. And all the bosses were 1700 miles away, so he could start robbing jewelry stores and hotel rooms and dating Ginger behind Sam's back without any consequences. Well what if he just... didn't do all that? What if he stopped and realized how badly that would mess things up? Because if he didn't make those kinds of mistakes, he wouldn't be Nicky Santoro! That's why!

The simple fact is that Nicky is a violent, ambitious man. When he wants something, he takes it. That's the character. He can be reasoned with, but only to a certain extent. Early in the film, he shakes down bookies for money. Later in the film, he tries the same thing with an investment banker, as if that's the same thing. To him it is, because he thinks he's invincible, but to the rest of the world, its ridiculous. The bookies can't stop him because no one in law enforcement would care if they got whacked, but an investment banker can go to the authorities. There is no alternate universe where Nicky Santoro is a chill guy who only does bad things when his superiors tell him to. Because that guy wouldn't be cut out for the mafia in the first place.

This is why alternate timeline concepts work better, because there has to be an inciting incident that creates them. Trunks goes back in time and warns Goku about the androids and the heart virus, so now we have a timeline where Goku lives and one where he died. And we don't have to trouble ourselves with 500 other universes where Goku doesn't like to fight, or 37 realities where Goku is a porn star, or that one AU where he got the bit role in "Casino" instead of Joe Bob Briggs.

This is why I got sick of "Sliders" back in the 90s, because they would find themselves in an alternate universe where women overthrew the patriarchy, or the British won the Revolutionary War, but they would never adequately explain how those things happened. The one where the women run everything was especially insulting, because one of the characters reads a history book and explains that the women just got fed up one day and took over. Like, that's it. It's that simple. It's the most interesting aspect of the show and they don't even bother with it. If it was a time travel story, then you'd have to show a character going back in time and actually doing something to cause history to change, and then explain why that one change worked.

This is why "Back to the Future II" works, because it's simple enough to understand that if 1955 Biff knows the outcome of every sports event for the next fifty years, he can win big by placing bets with bookies, like the Earth-7 Ace Rothstein, who never went to Las Vegas and became a bookie in Hill Valley instead. It's the same Biff, with the same wants and desires and flaws, but now he has an advantage that he didn't have before, and we can see the character taken to the logical extreme.

I suppose this is the gripe I have with that animated movie version of Owlman, becuse it's kind of silly that an ominverse-killing nihilist just happens to still be similar enough to Batman that he throws knives and ropes and such, and he dresses up in a Batman costume even though he's supposed to look like an owl. It would all work a lot better if he was just a whole new character without any ties to Batman at all.

I don't really have a neat little conclusion to put on this. Studios are probably going to keep milking mutliverse fare until it stops making money. The idea will never entirely go away. It's not the worst thing in the world or anything like that, but I do sort of wish everyone else was getting just as bored with it as I am, so that we could move on to some other cliche, like boat chases, or sexy assassins.

And this is where it's nice to just write my own stuff, because at least I can make my own stories where the Time Patrol doesn't get bogged down with Goku-on-Goku action.

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

A Spiders Knights

by ChynnaHB13 In a world of mysteries and shadows, Neith Parker, known as Silver Silk, finds herself caught in a web of intrigue. As she battles villains and uncovers secrets, strange glitches in reality lead her to the heart of Gotham City. There, she encounters the enigmatic Bat Family, who hold the keys to unraveling the mysteries that surround her. With the help of these dark knights, Neith must confront her past and embrace her destiny as a hero, before the shadows ensnare her. Words: 2312, Chapters: 2/?, Language: English Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Spider-Man - All Media Types, Marvel (Comics), Spider-Man: Spider-Verse (Sony Animated Movies) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: F/F, F/M, M/M Characters: Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake (DCU), Duke Thomas, Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne, Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, Barbara Gordon, Jim Gordon (DCU), Harleen Quinzel, Harry Osborn, Norman Osborn, oc spiderman, Justice League (DCU), Avengers Team Members (Marvel), DC Villains Relationships: Batfamily Members (DCU) & Peter Parker, Pamela Isley/Harleen Quinzel Additional Tags: Angst with a Happy Ending, Batfamily (DCU), Batfamily Shenanigans (DCU), Alternate Universe - Spider-Man Fusion, Female Peter Parker, Dimension Travel, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, oc spiderman universe, Romance, Action/Adventure, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, BAMF Peter Parker, De-Aged Peter Parker, shes pissed about it, The League of Assassins (DCU), Lazarus Pit (DCU), lazarus pit ooze, Peter park ends up with?, glitching, Poison Ivy's Plants & Vines (DCU), love Peter Parker, Batfamily (DCU) Meets Peter Parker, peter Parkers spider is a Lazarus ooze/radioactive spider, Peter Parker adapts but stays true to there character, not harry, Penelopy pussycat, Jason Todd Deserves Better, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Protective Jason Todd, Protective Dick Grayson, Dick Grayson is a Ray of Sunshine, Mother Hen Dick Grayson, Damian Wayne is a Little Shit, Protective Duke Thomas, Duke Thomas is So Done, Tim Drake & Jason Todd Bonding, Bruce Wayne is Bad at Communicating, Tim Drake Needs a Break (DCU), Protective Harleen Quinzel, Protective Pamela Isley, Plants and vines protective via https://ift.tt/WdX27gb

[oc-challenges]

WELCOME TO THE OC HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE!

Calling all the monsters, it's time for the OC 2023 Halloween Challenge! This challenge has been hauntin' you for five years, and we're wantin' you to participate!

If you're new here, here's what you need to know: This is an event that takes place over the 31 days of October and presents oc creators with Halloween-themed challenges to get the creative juices dancing. It is open to creations for both fanfiction and original ocs, and if you want to participate you don't have to every one or even in order. It is brought to you by @purpleyearning / @aliverse, @elmunson, and includes suggestions by members of our discord! (special thanks to @endless-hoppington for helping with some descs)

Rules

DO NOT copy others edits.

If you are doing crossovers, PLEASE make sure that the creator of the other oc is okay with crossovers.

If you want your post to be reblogged onto this blog, it must contain the hashtag ohc2023.

Feel free to ask questions, I promise I’m more treat than trick.

Everything is up to the creators interpretation, although I have tried to include some examples for help!

Have fun!

RANDOM/THEMELESS (1st–5th) Some of the challenges that don't coincide with each other.

Day One: Life In Plastic

It's fantastic! Is your OC more of a Barbie or a Bratz? Maybe they go to Monster High, or they're an American Girl Doll with an inspiring story? Perhaps you want to make a Funko version of your OC? To put it simply, this day is about dolls as an ode to the best movie of 2023; Barbie.

Day Two: Lights, Camera, Action!

For day two, we're combining oc as canon, oc as celebrity, and oc's social media into one day where you get to choose which of those challenges you would like to do... maybe even all of them!

Day Three: Born In The Wrong Century

Movies depend on a lot of things, but time and place helps create the ominous feel for it. Like Crimson Peak that belongs to the revival gothic period of 1880s or Jason Voorhees waking up on a spaceship in the year of 2455, give your character(s) a new decade to explore and even monsters to face.

Day Four: Twisted

From reality episodes where two people experience switching roles with one another to an alternative reality where their roles are different from their home's universe, make your character experience life through a whole new perspective by making your hero the villain or your villain the hero.

Day Five: Vampires, Werewolves, and Witches... Oh My!

From Godzilla to Dracula to The Mummy, the monster-verse is rich with lore. Today we focus on those monsters that never go out of style, after all they’re called classics for a reason. Is your oc Frankenstein or his monster?

OH, YOU WANNA PLAY PSYCHO KILLER? CAN I BE THE HELPLESS VICTIM? (6th–12th) Due to its popularity last year, we're bringing back the horror character tropes week.

Day Six: The Harmless Antagonist

Ah, a classic in more than just horror; the mean gorgeous holier-than-thou character; more specifics of this are often The Jock, The Cheerleader, The “Slut”, The Bitch, The Rich Kid, etc. While they may annoy the main character or make their everyday life difficult with academic rivalry or teasing, they’re really nothing compared to the new enemy; the thing or person killing everyone. Which one of your ocs is getting brutally knocked down a peg… or the stairs?

Day Seven: The Comedic Relief

Honestly, they make even the scariest movies bearable. They're almost never the main character but almost always the most liked. They say laughter is medicine for the soul, so which of your ocs soothes the characters and the situation with a joke made at the worst of times?

Day Eight: The Denier/Non-Believer/Skeptic

It doesn’t matter the subgenre, there’s always one. They don’t believe a killers out to get them or their friends despite the fast growing pile of bodies, they claim there’s a natural explanation for the supernatural event terrorizing everyone, they just refuse to get with the program. This often combines with the cop or older-than-everyone-else character. Which one of your ocs will get killed by their stubborness before their loyalty?

Day Nine: The Harbinger

We hear about omens of death in every kind of mythology. Irish folklore warns you of hearing the wailing woman and German myth tells you to never find your doppelganger. Even Western Society in America will drift from their path if they see a black cat on the way. So which of your ocs stands outside of the haunted house and tells the redheaded twins “you’re going to die in there”?

Day Ten: The Accomplice

You never saw it coming, but you should’ve. There’s not just one killer you have to worry about, there’s two. This is the person whose been helping the killer since the very beginning, pretending to be your friend the entire time until the plot reached its rising action. You’re heart broken and the very ground shakes under your feet, the good person you once thought you knew is gone… or worse, had never truly existed. Which of your ocs is not only willing to help a friend hide the body, but kill it too?

Day Eleven: The Killer

They’re haunted and bloodthirsty, compelling in a dangerous way. Everyone has a monster within but due to some tragic backstory of abuse, hate, or ridicule, these people – or things– let the monster win. Whether they done a mask or turn your dreams into sentient nightmares, they’re the main reason why anybody shows up to movie night. Which one of your ocs looks into the reflection of the knife in their hand, and pictures themselves chopping up human bodies instead of vegetables?

Day Twelve: The Final Girl

It’s all come down to this, the last stand. There’s two people left, or at least two important people left; the killer and the final girl. She’s fought tooth and nail, and grief has made way for rage. At first she was just another potential victim, now she’s in the killers way and she won’t go down easy. In the beginning she just wanted to survive, but like Laurie Strode now she wants revenge. Which oc becomes the monsters monster?

WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME We're exploring classic horror locations. Throw your ocs into a horror story that take place in these locations, or make up your own story.

Day Thirteen: Have Killer Fun At Summer Camp! (Location: Summer Camp)

It's Friday The Thirteenth... literally. For today, the location is a summer camp like the one Jason Voorhees terrorizes. Counselor, killer, or camper? Whatever role your oc plays, they certainly didn't read this in the brochure.

Day Fourteen: Vacation Nightmares (Location: Hotel/Island/AirBnB, etc.)

An island that magically speeds up your aging, a hotel with corridors that lead to nowhere, a psychotic airbnb host; Today is about horror in locations that are supposed to be a break from the horror of everyday life, but instead introduces you to whole new horrors.

Day Fifteen: Home Is Where The Haunt Is (Location: House or Apartment)

A home can be a place to make memories and some memories leave a scar. Focus on your characters when a place they call home is threatened.

Day Sixteen: She Doesn't Like It In The Barn (Location: Farm/Ranch)

Samara Morgan was forced to stay in the barn's hayloft to keep her burning images out of her adoptive parents minds. Framer Graham Hess had to defend his home and family from aliens that threatened to kill his son. Pearl craved to be a movie star and experienced a psychotic break where she killed those who denied her her dream. What deadly passages does the farm bestow to your characters?

Day Seventeen: Death is a Mystery and Burial is a Secret (Location: Cemetery or Tomb)

Cemeteries and tombs are the places we put our loved ones to rest, but in horror movies we find that final resting places are not so restful after all. Whether it’s ghosts, zombies, psychotic gravekeepers, or grave robbers ensuring no witnesses; how do your ocs go from mourning to trying to survive until morning?

Day Eighteen: What's The Opposite Of Miracles? (Location: Places of Worship)

Places of worship are supposed to be places of good, where people go for guidance and safety, places full of good beings and devoid of sin. But what if the bad beings sneak in or the sinless place is just a hiding place for those full of sin?

Day Nineteen: This Won't Hurt A Bit (Location: Hospital and/or Asylum)

In season two of American Horror Story, we were welcomed to Briarcliff, an asylum that became ‘home’ to the misunderstood and the criminally insane. Much like other hospitals of the past, many attempts of healing were there to disguise the evil hiding in plain sight. How does your character deal when the place that was supposed to heal them becomes the place that harms them?

Day Twenty: The Trees Have Eyes (Location: The Woods/Forest)

Shadows of the trees cast illusions, the cracking of sticks cause hairs on the back of your neck stand. The wind howls which sounds of a voice, and the birds no longer sing. The woods are creepy, desolate, and you find yourself lost in the sea of their trunks. What happens when your ocs are stuck in the woods?

RANDOM OUTLIER

Day Twenty-One: I Want To Play A Game

Some of the most recent hits in horror history have been not movies, books, or shows, but video games. From Dead By Daylight to Until Dawn, horror fans have been able to experience immersion at a whole new level by trying to make all the right choices as a character. Now, it's time to put your oc into a horror game AU. Will they live, or will they die? Only their stats and choices will tell.

STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED (22nd–27th) Character tropes are fun and all, but for the next six days we're focusing on genre tropes.

Day Twenty-Two: Solitude Causes More Wounds Than It Was Meant To Heal (Trope: Isolation)

Fear is increased when one is alone by themselves, or cut off from civilization like an reclusive island. Focus on your characters in the horror of isolation; are they forced to recognize who they truly are on the inside? Do they practice the law of nature or nurture? Do they keep their morals or own laws?

Day Twenty-Three: The Apocalypse Is The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me (Trope: Apocalyptic)

Just as everything must begin, it also must end. This, unfortunately, includes humanity. What will happen when the world as your oc knows it ends, when that world goes from millions of people to tens or perhaps even one? Will they be forced to adapt, doomed to die, or perhaps even thrive?

Day Twenty-Four: You've Killed Me Before (Trope: Time Loop)

The best thing about the sun setting is that it will come up again in the morning, and a new day will begin. But what if the sun comes up and an old day begins? Whether your oc must solve their own murder, solve somebody else’s murder, or face difficult truths about those around them, it’s time to put them into a time loop.

Day Twenty-Five: Better You Die Than I (Trope: Doppleganger)

In real life, seeing your “doppleganger” is said to be an omen of misfortune or good luck. In horror movies, dopplegangers usually take a more direct approach in ruining the lives of their lookalike. Whether they’re an omen of bad things to come or trying to steal ones life, give your oc a doppleganger and explore the horrors of a stranger that shares your face.

Day Twenty-Six: No Wonder Everyone Keeps Invading You (Trope: Extraterrestrial)

Whether your oc was a believer before or not, life from another planet has arrived to Earth on this day. These so-called aliens come in all shapes, sizes, and colors; They can even come in a human disguise, as a deadly plant, as a machine, or even as little green men. No matter where they came from or what they look like, humanity is not ready for them. Whether we try to hurt them or they try to hurt us, how does your oc deal with extraterrestrial life on Earth and the problems this arrival presents?

Day Twenty-Seven: All Politics Is A Personality Cult Now (Trope: Cult)

What simply starts as a simple dinner meal, a visit to a secluded area where people celebrate, or deciding to reunite with the estranged side of your family, can easily be your steps toward a cult. Have your characters fight to stay alive against those who have welcomed them with sinister intent.

COSTUMES TELL A STORY

Day Twenty-Eight: Let's Be Weird Together

We all know of an iconic squad that so many people are just dying to be a part of. Well, it’s your ocs and their friends chance! Day 28 is group costumes!

Day Twenty-Nine: That Could Be Us

Love isn’t in the air but maybe it’s in the fabric of costumes! It’s time for couples costumes!

Day Thirty: I Can Be Anybody I Wanna Be

If your oc could be anybody, who would they wanna be? Well, for one night only, they can be! It's time for your oc to dress up!

TRICK OR TREAT!

Day Thirty-One: I'm Just Here For The Boos

Halloween is a time for tricks and treats, for ghost to walk among the living and us to disguise ourselves. But it can be killer, and the transference of evil can be achieved. Give your shape to another, gift them and you shall receive in turn. Ocpotluck awaits.

[miceysfandomcreations]

After drawing straight through a dnd campaign session! I’ve finally finished! Happy early Lunar New Year @itoshisoup!

What do you get when you cross a Hell Fic alternate universe with a tragic ending, a Touya with bad coping mechanism, and a multiverse-hopping quirk? HTTM DTTS: HELLVERSE!

Ok, so, I finally read Hell fic which is really good! I’ve been keeping up with the blog for a while, so I was a witness to the 2022 descent into Dabi Hell along with the bajillion Hell fic aus that popped up. Earlier this month, I hit my mha phase, read Hell fic, and understood what the hype was about. I kept thinking of those aus and how they were perfect for a spiderverse-style crossover epic. So fueled by writer’s block for a completely different project, I made a mockup poster of the concept!

general art notes:

this was hard. Dabi’s anime hair is stupid hard to draw. The flame effects covered so much. I’m glad I didn’t do shading. Also, super proud of myself for figuring out a way to draw anime hair! I took inspiration from an across the spider verse poster with all the characters facing the camera head on. Because I had less characters, with designs similar to each other, I had to modify the poses to give some more character. Not sure how well I did on that. The white shape in the center represents MC, and I wanted it to look like the shape’s been erased from the canvas, cutting through all the Touyas.

the touyas (top of left column to top of right column, like a horseshoe), individual art notes, and story notes:

Normal fic!Touya. From default/default adjacent Hell fic universe. Don’t have much variation to go with, so he’s a ‘normal’ Dabi. Not much to say here. I think I drew him last? Was weirdly hard to finish.

jjk curse au!Touya. None of the other Touyas know what the fuck he’s talking about. What do you mean curses? What do you mean you’re dead? In universe, he and MC are HS second years/16-ish, so I made his eyes bigger, face softer, hair fluffier, tried to make him look youthful. I think you noted that this Touya didn’t look much different than normal, but as you can see, I made him blue. I think it’d be cool if he had fire glowing from beneath his scars. I thought about replacing with burned skin with exposed muscle (also blue), but decided against that for ease of drawing. His uniform’s white, because, y’know, death.

Villain au!Touya. From the au where Touya and MC ran away to become horny villains together and Touya makes a ‘no bitches’ joke to Shigaraki. He gets a matching tungsten ring and a smile! I envision him as the first alternadabi to pop up in Normal’s dimension for some reason. Maybe because he’s the most similar?

Pro-Hero!Touya. Is miffed and yet not surprised that so many of his counterparts are villains. The most well-off financially of the Touyas. The Touyas raid his agency’s fridge at some point. There are so many awesome hero au designs floating in the fandom. I came up the outfit on the fly and it probably needs to be redesigned a few more times before I’m personally happy. Still, it serves its purpose. This Touya gets gold-plated piercings because he’s worth it.

Toxic WLW!Touya. TBH I don’t remember much about this au. Does it take place in the MHA world or is it a mundane au? Either way, this Touya was the first one I had concepts for. I think every Touya is a trash gremlin no matter the gender, and I didn’t want her to lose that aspect. I gave her a new, pushed-back hairstyle because I didn’t want to draw 6 versions of the same hair, and canon Touya looks really cute with his forehead exposed. The nose piercings are replaced with eyebrow rings to take advantage of that.

late 20s!Touya. From that concept you had about an older Touya having a happy ending. This one is stable, happily married, and is a good parent. The others totally aren’t jealous at all! Why hasn’t the rogue Touya who started this mess try to take over his life? Uh…something something this reality too unfamiliar to him…too used to destruction and dying young…can’t fathom having a life like this where he builds instead of destroys…would rather tear open the multiverse than face the prospect of internal change. This Touya is more often than not the holder of the sole braincell and is trying to wrangle his younger selves in more positive directions. Assigned Responsible Adult (tm) despite not hitting 30. Wears sweats the entire time.

- I see late 20s!Touya as entering the story in 2 ways. Doing laundry and getting sucked into a portal waiting for the washer to finish (1). Seeing his alternaselves in the distance, calling his MC, and being like ‘I’m gonna need to leave for a week I have to stop myself from doing something stupid’ and following after (2).

misc notes:

I thought about doing a version of this for MC, or Shouto, but I never had a solidified design for MC, and Dabi was the funner brother to come up with concepts for.

The Touyas without the flames:

[atwistedandbrokentale]

A duck verse/mouse verse au I’ve thought up

So I noticed that in Italian Disney comics, a trend is to make most Disney characters superheroes.

Donald is Paperinik or the duck avenger as I’ve heard he’s called in America (where I’m from), Goofy is super goof (likely an american product but it still counts in my point) and Daisy even has super daisy.

And then there’s Donald’s family. Fethry is the red bat, Gladstone is Clover Leaf, Gus is iron Gus, and even Scrooge is the masked tophat!

But there’s one character that doesn’t get in the fun and that’s Mickey Mouse

While it’s nice to have the duckverse shine, I can’t help but wonder what could be. How it would be if Mickey Mouse was in on the fun.

So that’s where this au comes in! An alternative reality were Mickey does get a heroic alter ego.

Only if you know me, you’d know I love to put my favorite characters in a villain arc. The cuter they are, the better and no one is as cute as Mickey Mouse. I haven’t shown it much but I have thought up so many villain au’s that I’ll probably never show. But this is different (I hope).

So I thought: why not make him a villain? And since most of Disney superheroes are parodies/inspired by DC superheroes, why not base him off a DC supervillain?

But the only one I could think off was the joker. I mean Duck avenger is based off Batman. But that doesn’t make any sense, right? They’re completely different. But then I thought: WAIT IT DOES MAKE SENSE!!!!

Think about it: the duck avenger is inspired by Batman and Batman usually has the joker as a foil. Batman is a gritty stoic hero while the joker is a crazy theatrical villain. Duck avenger (and by extension Donald Duck) is rather dark and stoic, more logical straight forward. And who is his foil? Mickey Mouse!!! Mickey is silly and fun, cheery and smiley. Like an entertainer. Or a clown??!

Not to mention, the joker is shown to be an  absurdist. He believes that life is meaningless and nothing more than a joke and the only way to survive is to embrace the madness. It’s also shown that he is aware that his world is a comic book and not real in the sense that we are

So what if Mickey is aware that he’s fictional? How life really is a joke? Their lives has a purpose, yes, but that purpose is to make people laugh. And the only way to survive is to just.. embrace it.

Of course, they are not completely the same. Mickey has *let me just check my notes here* “morals” and “an actual sense of humor”.

I’m not sure how Mickey becomes a villain. Maybe it’ll be like megamind where they know it’s a story and just wants to fill a role

I’m not sure where I was going with this but if anyone is interested, I’ll make more of this au

[freezegirl]

big plots wishlist for kie (set in the marvel/sky-verse)

a time travel plot: one of mr medulla's mad science machines explodes, sending kie and your muse(s) to the past. bonus points if they have to pose as exchange students coming to sky high / sky u. extra bonus points if they run into sue tenny while posing as exchange students. super extra bonus points if they run into younger versions of their parents.

an alternate reality plot in which yet another one of mr medulla's mad science machines explodes, sending kie and your muse(s) to a reality where all the heroes are villlains and all the villains are heroes.

a royal pain wins plot in which gwen grayson's plan succeeds and kie and your muse(s) end up having to fight teenaged and evil versions of their parents. bonus points if maxville has been labeled a hazardous place to live and/or work due to sky high pancaking half the place.

a royal pain wins + time travel plot in which gwen grayson's plan succeeds and mr medulla sends kie and your muse(s) back in time to stop her.

internship plots in which kie and your muse(s) intern for / shadow a well known superhero or a group of well known superheroes.

fieldwork plots in which kie and your muse(s) need to deal with the supervillains of the week.

tiny (& not so tiny) plots wishlist for kie (also set in the marvel/sky-verse)

kie meeting mrs peace.

kie meeting your muse(s) parents and/or other family members.

someone tells kie that they've seen her the fabulous lives of superhero wives.

watching the fabulous lives of superhero wives with kie just to tease her.

kie opening up about her past to your muse(s).

let your muse(s) figure out that kie is touch starved.

sleepovers at kie's place!

parties at kie's place!

kie getting invited to a party thrown by will (of his own accord) and inviting your muse(s) along.

study group shenanigans.

platonic or romantic dates (to the ice rink or the movies or elsewhere)!

[ao3feed-harleyquinn]

A Spiders Knights

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/6Gy3Pul by ChynnaHB13 In a world of mysteries and shadows, Neith Parker, known as Silver Silk, finds herself caught in a web of intrigue. As she battles villains and uncovers secrets, strange glitches in reality lead her to the heart of Gotham City. There, she encounters the enigmatic Bat Family, who hold the keys to unraveling the mysteries that surround her. With the help of these dark knights, Neith must confront her past and embrace her destiny as a hero, before the shadows ensnare her. Words: 2312, Chapters: 2/?, Language: English Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Spider-Man - All Media Types, Marvel (Comics), Spider-Man: Spider-Verse (Sony Animated Movies) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: F/F, F/M, M/M Characters: Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake (DCU), Duke Thomas, Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne, Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, Barbara Gordon, Jim Gordon (DCU), Harleen Quinzel, Harry Osborn, Norman Osborn, oc spiderman, Justice League (DCU), Avengers Team Members (Marvel), DC Villains Relationships: Batfamily Members (DCU) & Peter Parker, Pamela Isley/Harleen Quinzel Additional Tags: Angst with a Happy Ending, Batfamily (DCU), Batfamily Shenanigans (DCU), Alternate Universe - Spider-Man Fusion, Female Peter Parker, Dimension Travel, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, oc spiderman universe, Romance, Action/Adventure, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, BAMF Peter Parker, De-Aged Peter Parker, shes pissed about it, The League of Assassins (DCU), Lazarus Pit (DCU), lazarus pit ooze, Peter park ends up with?, glitching, Poison Ivy's Plants & Vines (DCU), love Peter Parker, Batfamily (DCU) Meets Peter Parker, peter Parkers spider is a Lazarus ooze/radioactive spider, Peter Parker adapts but stays true to there character, not harry, Penelopy pussycat, Jason Todd Deserves Better, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Protective Jason Todd, Protective Dick Grayson, Dick Grayson is a Ray of Sunshine, Mother Hen Dick Grayson, Damian Wayne is a Little Shit, Protective Duke Thomas, Duke Thomas is So Done, Tim Drake & Jason Todd Bonding, Bruce Wayne is Bad at Communicating, Tim Drake Needs a Break (DCU), Protective Harleen Quinzel, Protective Pamela Isley, Plants and vines protective read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/6Gy3Pul

[mha-fic-recs]

FIC REC #7

When Realities Collide - LowlyWriter

(Formerly known as Into the Deku-Verse) Shota sneers at the teenager across from him. His defense raises like the hairs on the back of his neck as he glares steadily, ready and waiting for whatever will come from this encounter. He narrows his gaze when the teen shifts; just the thought of sharing this rooftop with Japan's most notorious villain makes his skin prickle. “Deku.” “Y-yes!” the teenager cries out in relief, taking a small step towards Shota, “I’m Deku! I’m so g-glad you—” “Deku,” Shota growls darkly, flicking out his capture weapon hastily to snag the villain before he can make his move. He's quick to tug it taut, leaving no room for Deku to escape. “You’re under arrest.” “I-I’m what?! W-wait!” tl;dr Hero Course student Izuku comes to the realization that he is definitely not where he's supposed to be.

STATUS - COMPLETE

CHAPTERS - 13/13

PUBLISHED - 2022-08-30

COMPLETION DATE - 2023-08-20

POV - Third Person | Alternates between Aizawa and Midoriya

[canadiancryptid]

Same universe. Peter got his body back, but prior to that, Otto got thrown into the near future and back for the events of ‘Spider-Verse’, finding out about these multiversal energy vampires killing Spider-People a reality at a time across the multiverse, so he created a society of Spider-People to wage war agains them (Miguel in ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ took some partial inspiration from him), so you have both Otto and Peter fighting in that, Otto assuming Peter is from the past, Peter knowing Otto actually is from the past; eventually Otto finds out Peter is from his future and one day he will lose the body and ‘everything’ with it (assuming it gets ‘stolen’ back, not knowing his future self had actually come to peace with Peter and sacrificed himself to bring him back to defeat the Green Goblin, whom Otto had the humility to admit he couldn’t beat himself), anyway because of this Otto ends up eventually turning against the other Spider-People, desperate to continue existing; eventually being sent back in time to resume the events of ‘The Superior Spider-Man’ that ended in his death, only before that could happen, Otto managed to back up his mind to a robot, who eventually transferred his mind to a new clone body. After briefly returning to being Doctor Octopus; he realised he preferred being good and made peace with Peter, becoming the anti-heroic Superior Octopus. Only once his actions lead to the villains of the first ‘Spider-Verse’ returning, resulting in many-a-death of a Spider-Person, in penance; Otto threw aside the mantle of Octopus entirely and returned to being the Superior Spider-Man once more, in ‘Spider-Geddon’ and beyond. Which is where we got the second ‘The Superior Spider-Man’ series, the one Gwen Poole and the West Coast Avengers pop in in the midst of, with Otto relocating to become the Spider-Man of Sam Francisco. He goes about doing hero work though that whole series, only to eventually come to blows with an alternate universe Norman Osborn Spider-Man and his henchman Spiders-Man (a hive mind of spiders who think they’re Peter Parker, under a spider-suit) from ‘Spider-Geddon’, and Otto is forced to make a deal with Mephisto (the devil) to restore his original self to defeat him, at the cost of his memories of heroism. If you’re wondering why the devil, don’t worry; literally every Spider-Man has been tricked / manipulated into making deals with him in the main continuity: Peter Parker, Ben Reilly, Miles Morales, and here Otto. So after then we got Otto as Doctor Octopus again, aware he had been the Superior Spider-Man, but not of the memories. So then he was a neutral figure for a few years, occasionally dipping a toe back into villainy, until last year, during one such excursion, he ended up about to die and aimed to transfer his mind into a new body, only ended up trapped in the head of a teenage girl in Japan, ending up mentoring her while she would soften his heart a bit, accidentally training a new Doctor Octopus. Now that’s still ongoing, so we don’t know how it will end yet, but eventually, Otto gets his body back again; will become obsessed now with getting his memories back, having realised he was smarter with them, previews for ‘The Superior Spider-Man Returns’ showing this, before transitioning to a flashback story, but something about his will then lead to a new, third ‘The Superior Spider-Man’ ongoing series, presumably with Otto finally once again openly himself as Spider-Man.

Anon, you managed to perfectly recreate the feeling I get whenever I see "The Colors of The Sky" on my dashboard while using nothing but text, and I think that's rather impressive.

Not sure if I'm any less confused than before, but its comics. I should've expected that at this point.

[birdzflycom]

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: A Remarkable Cinematic Experience

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse In her review of "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," my esteemed colleague Christy Lemire quoted her nine-year-old asking if he could see it again, and I can't help but start this review by quoting my own nine-year-old who exclaimed, "That might be the best movie I've ever seen." This week, "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" bursts onto the screens, taking the foundation laid by the masterful "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" and elevating it with breathtaking animation, unforgettable characters, and thought-provoking themes. When I first watched it, the words that came to mind were "so much movie." Similar to a young artist unbound by the confines of a frame, "Across the Spider-Verse" overflows with awe-inspiring visuals and captivating concepts. It's an intelligent and exhilarating work that evokes the spirit of great sequels like "The Dark Knight" and "The Empire Strikes Back." Just like those films, it leaves viewers eagerly anticipating the next chapter, slated for release in March 2024. The film earns its cliffhangers by centering its story around young individuals who refuse to conform to conventional hero narratives. The events of "Across the Spider-Verse" take place slightly over a year after the first movie. Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) has returned to her universe, striving to conceal her true identity from her father, George (Shea Whigham). When an alternate version of the villainous Vulture (Jorma Taccone) intrudes upon her reality, he unintentionally attracts the attention of the formidable Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac) and the confident Spider-Woman (Issa Rae). Gwen learns that they are part of a secret Spider-Society responsible for resolving interdimensional problems by capturing wayward villains and sending them back to their respective universes. After Gwen's secret is exposed to her father, she joins forces with the Spider-Crew to correct the errors in the multiverse. Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), as fans may recall, is essentially one of those errors. In his universe, his version of Peter Parker perished while attempting to save him, and the spider that bit Miles was never meant to exist. But it did. So, what happens now? The crux of this story lies in challenging determinism and embracing the present. While superhero culture often uses multiverse tales to explore the idea of untapped potential, this film (and its forthcoming sequel, I hope) suggests that it's more crucial to embrace the reality in front of us than to dwell on the infinite possibilities that might have been. It emphasizes seizing control of one's destiny rather than adhering to a predetermined heroic narrative. Unlike most superhero movies, this one exudes empowerment rather than an obsession with destiny. And that is a truly profound concept. Returning to Miles, he resides in his version of Brooklyn, juggling the responsibilities of being a diligent student and a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. He contemplates revealing his secret to his mother, Rio (Luna Lauren Vélez), and his father, Jefferson (Brian Tyree Henry), but fears the impact it might have on their relationship. One day, an unusual character whom Miles initially dismisses as a "villain of the week," emerges as The Spot (Jason Schwartzman). Formerly known as Dr. Jonathan Ohnn, this former Alchemax employee was forever transformed by the events of the first film, gaining the ability to manipulate time and space through portals. Initially appearing somewhat comical as he attempts to rob an ATM using a portal, The Spot gradually reveals himself to be far more dangerous as his powers expand, opening gateways that could obliterate entire worlds. As expected, The Spot's emergence catches the attention of the Spider-Society, prompting Gwen and her team to reconnect with Miles Morales. The reunion between the characters is a true spectacle, with Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson directing an absolute marvel of a sequence as Gwen and Miles swing and soar through the city, playfully flirting amidst the skies. It culminates in a series of breathtaking shots, with the duo perched upside down high above the inverted skyline. Amidst the film's often chaotic nature, this tranquil scene serves as a reminder of its stunning visual prowess—equally striking in its serene moments as in its more intense ones. If the first film explored who can assume the role of a hero, the second installment takes it a step further by questioning the very definition of heroism. Must every hero's journey follow the same arc? Why does so much superhero mythology rely on tragedy as the catalyst for heroism? In an era dominated by superhero movies, writers Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and David Callahan employ the freedom of animation to deconstruct and reimagine the structure of a genre they hold dear. Their screenplay is brimming with an abundance of ideas that are explored and developed over the film's 140 minutes. Admittedly, my youngest child turned to me at one point and said with a smile, "I have no idea what's going on." And while that may be true for some, it doesn't detract from the script's merits. Of course, it is the film's striking imagery that will likely leave the strongest impression. Directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson expand upon the aesthetics of the first movie, creating one of the most visually stunning and artistically executed animated films ever made. Right from the beginning, the animators employ their craft to accomplish feats that would be impossible within the confines of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The artistry of "Across the Spider-Verse" exudes a newfound confidence that surpasses even its predecessor. It's not merely a matter of the action sequences, each of which would cost a fortune to produce in live-action. It's the fact that this artistic freedom is utilized with purpose and cohesion, rather than simply for extravagance. Even in a film where characters defy the laws of time and space with each leap and dive, the action choreography remains remarkably coherent, surpassing that of certain blockbuster films released earlier this season. There is a genuine artistry to the action that leaves one in awe, especially during a late sequence where Miles breaks free from the constraints dictated by canon. The exceptional vocal performances by the entire cast also contribute significantly to the film's success. With numerous celebrity voices gracing the production, including several villainous cameos best left unspoiled, it's worth commending Shameik Moore for his pitch-perfect portrayal of the complex intersection of youth, maturity, and heroism that defines Miles Morales. Moore's vocal performance strikes the ideal balance between curiosity, vulnerability, and growing confidence. Additionally, the ensemble cast comprising Steinfeld, Henry, Rae, Jake Johnson, Schwartzman, Velez, Daniel Kaluuya, and Isaac leaves no weak link. It is evident that each actor drew inspiration from the creative potential of the script. Mediocre sequels often rely on replicating what worked before, banking on the loyalty of fans to sustain interest. Great sequels, on the other hand, build upon their predecessors, enriching themes and setting the stage for what is yet to come. While the trend of inconclusive endings in modern blockbusters may be disheartening, "Across the Spider-Verse" earns its open-ended conclusion. It's not a mere ploy to ensure repeat viewership or a threat to force audiences to wait for the resolution of an incomplete story. Instead, it's a genuine promise to continue an already rewarding narrative. In conclusion, "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" is a cinematic triumph. Its stunning animation, profound themes, and unforgettable characters elevate it to the ranks of the greatest sequels ever made. I implore you to experience this remarkable film in theaters starting tomorrow, June 1st. Read the full article

[mianmimi]

My guess is that 838 Mordo wasn't in the battle against Thanos for the same reason that Wong wasn't in it in the 616 universe. Someone had to guard the Sanctum. As for this: "Given a choice between saving each other or saving the world, they’ll probably pick each other." It's giving Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus "a world without her isn't worth saving" and I love it. What if Mordo wants Wanda to kill the Illuminati and destroy the world, because a world without Stephen isn't worth it 🥲

I just see Mordo guarding the Sanctum fully expecting Stephen to return. Stephen hasn’t failed before and he manages to get out of every terrible scenario thrown at him. The certainty of Stephen’s return just makes the heartbreaking reality heavier. Poor Mordo would probably be in denial at first. Stephen can’t die. He’s Stephen. He said he would be back home, so he will.

The scenario you shared could easily be another timeline where Stephen’s execution becomes Mordo’s villain origin story. And it fits with the theme of experiencing betrayal by the hands of friends/loved ones before turning against them too *looks at 616 Mordo’s fate* Maybe it’s a shared Mordo experience. They’ll be betrayed by their closest friends/mentors/loved ones and that prompts them to change their life trajectory drastically. Maybe 838 didn’t want anything to do with the Supreme title at first until he realizes he can use it to get his revenge.

Hmmm maybe evil!838 dwells on how Stephen sacrificed so much to save their world but he was rewarded with death, meanwhile the Illumanti who condemned his actions are enjoying the results of those very same crimes. Like they’re all still alive and thriving. They have more power now that Stephen’s not checking them. They get to enjoy the world that Stephen saved but was denied to him. And maybe this alternate Mordo just marinades in bitterness and contempt. As far as he’s concerned every life is indebted to Stephen, and the Ilumanti are the true criminals for killing him in secret. Seriously the poor guy never got a trial or anything. They just decided to kill him there in that planet without absolutely no other witnesses. That’s shady as fuck. But anyways….yes, evil!Mordo preparing himself for ways he can avenge his boo. And of course Wanda comes along and it’s like a massive GO signal from the heavens. It’s the golden opportunity. It’s the jackpot. He can get rid of them in one fell swoop. And so he does.

Side note, I do appreciate how in the movie 838 Mordo knows how powerful the Scarlet Witch is. I mean he did exposition dump her lore 🤣 He was basically saying don’t fuck around with her also dream walking is very very dangerous, hey have some more tea 🍵 👀 It’s just interesting that he brings up dream walking and explains it like he’s super well versed in the concept. Perhaps from Stephen? Or perhaps he dabbled in it too? Either way it’s interesting. Also he was the only one in the Illumanti that didn’t underestimate Wanda. I like to think it’s cause he identified exactly what they were up against. And instead of going off to fight he stays in that room with Stephen, effectively keeping both of them out of the slaughter. I’m picking up diamonds from coal here 😆 I don’t think Waldron meant that. But I do enjoy how Mordo’s actions can be interpreted as a vengeful one where he manipulated things so the Illumanti can be killed. And what’s better is that no one’s gonna blame him. That place had cameras all over it and everyone’s gonna see Wanda massacring their heroes while poor Mordo was stuck and unable to help 🥺

This reply went off the rails there. It’s the late night New Year brain 🤣 Thank you sweet Nonny!

[docgold13]

365 Marvel Comics Paper Cut-Out SuperHeroes - One Hero, Every Day, All Year…

October 11th - Spider-Gwen

Sometimes known as Spider-Woman, other times as The Ghost Spider, the heroine most frequently referred to as ‘Spider-Gwen’ is teenager Gwendolyn Stacy of the alternate universe reality of Earth 65.  In this world, it was Gwen who was bitten by a radioactive spider rather then her friend and classmate, Peter Parker; and she who was bestowed fantastic spider-based powers that she used to become the costumed superhero, Spider-Woman.  

Although Gwen enjoyed the excitement of crimefighting, it was more of a lark for her and she was just as happy to hang out with her friends or play the drums in her garage.  Gwen’s friend, Peter, meanwhile, became obsessed with the exploits of Spider-Woman; and he sought out a means in which he could gain super powers of his own.  This led him to formulate a mutagenic serum that transformed him into a rampaging lizard-like creature.  

Spider-Woman defeated the creature and young Peter accidentally perished in the conflict.  He died in her arms and Spider-Woman would go on to become a fugitive, suspected in the teen’s death.  The tragedy of Peter’s death imbued Gwen with a greater sense of purpose, a feeling that with her great power also came great responsibility.  She redoubled her efforts to fight crimes and aide those in need, despite being sought out by the police and labeled a ‘menace’ by the local media.  

Gwen was one of the first alternate reality spider-heroes to be recruited into the Spider-Verse saga wherein such spider-based heroes were being hunted by the villainous Morlan and his vampiric horde, The Inheritors.  Morlan was defeated and Gwen returned to her home reality for further adventures.  Subsequent spider-verse action has seen her traveling between the dimensions and joining forces with numerous other heroes.  

Versions of Gwen Stacy have featured in the Sony Film Spider-Man movies, portrayed by actresses Bryce Dallas Howard and Emma Stone.  Actress Hailee Steinfeld voices Spider-Gwen in the animated feature, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse.  The Earth 616 version of Gwen Stacy first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man Vol.1 #31 (1965); whereas the Earth 65 version of Gwen first appeared in the pages of Edge of Spider-Verse #2 (12014).

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

A Spiders Knights

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/WdX27gb by ChynnaHB13 In a world of mysteries and shadows, Neith Parker, known as Silver Silk, finds herself caught in a web of intrigue. As she battles villains and uncovers secrets, strange glitches in reality lead her to the heart of Gotham City. There, she encounters the enigmatic Bat Family, who hold the keys to unraveling the mysteries that surround her. With the help of these dark knights, Neith must confront her past and embrace her destiny as a hero, before the shadows ensnare her. Words: 2312, Chapters: 2/?, Language: English Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Spider-Man - All Media Types, Marvel (Comics), Spider-Man: Spider-Verse (Sony Animated Movies) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: F/F, F/M, M/M Characters: Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake (DCU), Duke Thomas, Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne, Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, Barbara Gordon, Jim Gordon (DCU), Harleen Quinzel, Harry Osborn, Norman Osborn, oc spiderman, Justice League (DCU), Avengers Team Members (Marvel), DC Villains Relationships: Batfamily Members (DCU) & Peter Parker, Pamela Isley/Harleen Quinzel Additional Tags: Angst with a Happy Ending, Batfamily (DCU), Batfamily Shenanigans (DCU), Alternate Universe - Spider-Man Fusion, Female Peter Parker, Dimension Travel, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, oc spiderman universe, Romance, Action/Adventure, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, BAMF Peter Parker, De-Aged Peter Parker, shes pissed about it, The League of Assassins (DCU), Lazarus Pit (DCU), lazarus pit ooze, Peter park ends up with?, glitching, Poison Ivy's Plants & Vines (DCU), love Peter Parker, Batfamily (DCU) Meets Peter Parker, peter Parkers spider is a Lazarus ooze/radioactive spider, Peter Parker adapts but stays true to there character, not harry, Penelopy pussycat, Jason Todd Deserves Better, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Protective Jason Todd, Protective Dick Grayson, Dick Grayson is a Ray of Sunshine, Mother Hen Dick Grayson, Damian Wayne is a Little Shit, Protective Duke Thomas, Duke Thomas is So Done, Tim Drake & Jason Todd Bonding, Bruce Wayne is Bad at Communicating, Tim Drake Needs a Break (DCU), Protective Harleen Quinzel, Protective Pamela Isley, Plants and vines protective read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/WdX27gb

[imposterogers]

losing my mind over marvel just blatantly trying to cheat off of into the spiderverse, they really do not have one original idea left for spidey at this point

starting with the fact that mcu peter parker has way too many similarities with miles morales than he should (and don't say marvel wanted to do something different. if they wanted to do something different we'd have live action miles morales instead of a peter parker than doesn't really feel like peter parker), I want to mention what really stuck out to me about the trailer

(obvi this is based on one single trailer and marvel is known to tamper with released content but...)

the plot of nwh seems weirdly close to an alternative, reverse version of into the spider verse

-in itsv, wilson fisk (a villain) used a giant machine to try and bring back his wife and kids from an alt universe. in nwh, dr strange (a hero) tries to change reality so that no one knows spider man's reality

-both succeed but ultimately "fail" bc messing with reality causes cracks that allow others from alt dimensions in

-in itsv, alt!spiderpeople are the ones that are dragged into the dimension first. in nwh, its the spidervillians that are. in both, peter parker/miles morales is trying to save them

-if the spell isn't stopped/if the machine isn't stopped and all the alt!characters aren't returned, the multiverse is in jeopardy

-miles morales/peter parker puts on a black suit and saves the day (everyone has been assuming this is peter so..... also I love how miles put on the suit bc he believed in himself, and peter is putting on a suit enchanted with magic after wearing a walking bomb lmao)

so really. what can I say except nice job marvel 🤪

[hannahhook7744]

Descendants in the Heroes and Villians part 2;

Summary; this is part of a revised series I did awhile back for my 'Twist in their tales' ouat and descendants crossover set in the heroes and villains verse. There will be more in the future. Here is Part one.

🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️

Bandit Evie! Daughter of Bandit Regina from the heroes and villains verse. Master of archery, sewing, disguise, and sneaking around, she is easily able to escape from evil Snow white and her evil prince Charming. And her minions, the 7 dwarves and their children. Secret forbidden love of Doug Dwarfson.

Bard and Physican Doug! Son of one of Snow White's minions, Dopey, and a disgraced Princess named Elena. Master of potions, healing, science, and music-- he's too useful for Queen Snow to get rid of. As well as cunning enough to use it to his advantage.

Their love story is dangerous and forbidden, but they couldn't care less. This is the story of the bandit and the bard, rewritten by the author known as Isaac when he swapped the roles of the heroes and villians.

Evil Princess Audrey! Granddaughter of the cruel, two faced, and ruthless Queen Leah. Trapped away in the castle tower until the day of her arranged marriage to Prince Charming jr (Chad). She never met her parents and has left her tower few times in her life. Because of this she's ruthless and resentful towards her grandmother and dreams of escaping and meeting her real true love and finding her parents.. She helps Chad and Gil sneak around and falls for the co leader of the rebellion, Harry Hook. Turns evil for a brief spell to get her revenge against the kingdoms that did her wrong-- I.e her own and Queen Snow's.

Prince Chad! Son of the alternate reality (evil) Queen Snow white and her dark prince charming, he was kept locked away in the castle with little to no freedom has taught him to be sneaky and resourceful. He resents his parents for the life they have given him and for the arranged marriage they've set up for him through force. He does not wish to marry his best friend, Audrey, but has no choice in the matter. He's much rather marry the pub owner's son, Gil, but his parents disapprove of the union because they think Gil is beneath him so he has to settle for sneaking around with him and hoping that his evil parents won't find out. He ends up being Audrey's accomplish when she's seeking her revenge before teaming up with Ben and the others to break the curse.

Chaudrey's arranged marriage is approaching in the alternate reality and to prevent it, they team up to get revenge on those who have wronged them. Will the curse break before they get their vengeance? Will they be able to get with their real true loves in time? Will the reality fall apart before things get awkward? Or will they end up hurting those they love most? Stay tuned.

Hunter/Nobel Gil! Son of the noble war hero and hunter Gaston LeGume and one of the 3 bimbettes, he's been a noble lad since birth. He's a big hearted hunter who helps his dad run his tavern and mostly stays out of trouble while dreaming of something bigger. A life with Chad or a life with his little pirate friends who are the leaders of the rebellion against his true love's parents and Queen Leah. He's hopeful that somehow, someway, that some day he could have both.

Chil's forbidden romance that is breath-taking and liberating. Will they get their happy ending? Will they survive? Or will they break apart before the curse is broken?

[ao3feed-dadzawa]

Into the Deku-Verse

Into the Deku-Verse by LowlyWriter

Shota sneers at the teenager across from him. His defense raises like the hairs on the back of his neck as he glares steadily, ready and waiting for whatever will come from this encounter. He narrows his gaze when the teen shifts; just the thought of sharing this rooftop with Japan's most notorious villain makes his skin prickle. “Deku.”

“Y-yes!” the teenager cries out in relief, taking a small step towards Shota, “I'm Deku! I'm so g-glad you—”

“Deku,” Shota growls darkly, flicking out his capture weapon hastily to snag the villain before he can make his move. He's quick to tug it taut, leaving no room for Deku to escape. “You're under arrest.”

“I-I'm what?! W-wait!”

tl;dr

Hero Course student Izuku comes to the realization that he is definitely not where he's supposed to be.

Words: 12651, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Characters: Midoriya Izuku, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Nedzu, Tsukauchi Naomasa

Relationships: Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead & Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Izuku & Tsukauchi Naomasa, Midoriya Izuku & Nedzu

Additional Tags: Alternate Reality, Midoriya Izuku Whump, Hurt Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Izuku Needs A Hug, Emotional Hurt, Midoriya Izuku-centric, Midoriya Izuku Needs A Break, Protective Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Parental Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Dadzawa, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead is a Good Teacher, Tired Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Tsukauchi Naomasa Needs a Break, Poor Midoriya Izuku, Smart Nedzu, Scary Nedzu, Crying, Panic Attacks, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Midoriya Izuku Gets A Hug, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Midoriya Izuku Has One for All Quirk, Cute Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Izuku is a Ray of Sunshine, Married Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead/Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, I'm soft for EraserMic, Misunderstandings, I'm weak for Dadzawa, :), Analyst Midoriya Izuku, Shy Midoriya Izuku, Observant Midoriya Izuku, Soft Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead

Read Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/41342067