#would be cool to see art acknowledge it or whatever

[dark-lord-of-awesomeness]

Au where Stanford is obsessed with anomalies, but the anomalies are obsessed with Stanley instead. Stanley is in deep denial of this, of course, and its driving Stanford mad.

Especially since there is legit no reason for this, no reason at all for Stan to be so magnetic to the weirdness in the world, especially compared to Ford.

He’s tested for magic, nope. Tested dna, tested mental scans, curses, blessings, even his urine that one regrettable time in the midst of sleep deprivation. All negative for any kind of reasoning.

He finds this out due to his studying of the weirdness magnetism law, which leads him to Stanley in Nevada, big fight, big emotional reconciliation, blah, blah, blah.

Long story short, Stan gets dragged to Gravity Falls and only some of the reasons are research related! A win in Stan’s book!

Stan is having a good time, living with his bro, eating regularly trying to ignore Ford’ crazy talk and the fact Ford might(?) be on drugs.

Ford is trying to not feel wounded that everything loves his brother and not him (he legit saw the gnope police ignore his brother’s butterfly traficking, while Ford’s gnome criminal record only grows) but also immensely proud that Stanley fits in to his research.

Also is trying really, really hard to not acknowledge the fact Stan thinks he’s on drugs and keeps giving him knowing nods.

Anyway, hilarious scenarios ensue:

Ford, baffled and slightly angry: That was a leprechaun, a legit leprechaun gave you gold!!

Stan, holding handfuls of gold a short, Irish stranger gave him, giving Ford a ‘not cool’ look: …i’m pretty sure your not supposed to call people with dwarfism that, Ford.

Ford, about to explode:…

ALSO:

Ford, three in the morning, passionately explaining his work to Stan, manid excitement running through his veins: AND UNICORNS STAN, UNICORNS.

Stan, extremely experienced in the art of drug use: Uh-hu, tell me more Ford.

There's a similar au called Home Is Where The Weird is on Ao3 here:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63746020/chapters/163433704

But i'd be lying if i hadnt thought of something similar before learning it existed. The idea that Ford is attracted to the strange, but the strange is attracted to Stan is such a fun one to think about. Stan just being a natural Weirdness Magnet for no reason Ford can find, and might also be the reason Ford himself is strange is such an interesting concept to me. Just- Ford being born with six fingers because Stan's weirdness magnetism was already at work in the womb? The idea would haunt Ford.

More under the cut!

And just like there's no visible reason that Gravity Falls has such a powerful Weirdness magnet, there's no reason for Stan to have one either! But its there, and Ford can see the effects of it at work!

I like the idea of Ford tracking Stan down on accident. Man's just looking for other magnets so he can compare data, and discovers evidence of a mobile one! How exciting! Why! How! He needs to figure out what it is!

And then he finds Stan, in the same town he's tracked the anomaly. There's a stiff sort of fight, and Ford sort of ignores him while trying to do his research, except everything he's following goes straight to Stan. Every signal, every strangely shaped jelly bean, until he's hit with the realization of 'oh my god, its Stan. Stan's the magnet.' Then he tackles his brother and forces him to show off where he's been for however long Fords been tracking the anomaly, and just like he suspects its the exact same route at the exact same times. Just confirms it for Ford that his brother is a natural weirdness magnet, and he needs to figure out why.

Which would make Stan's denial so so infuriating for Ford. Stan's lived his whole life explaining away every supernatural experience, he's not about to let his brother on drugs try and shove 'proof' in his face or whatever he's going on about. Ford, in his fury and need to know what Stan's deal is, drags him back home under the guise of 'studying him' which is a thin cover for 'oh my god Stan's homeless' and Stan allows because 'my brothers on drugs and i need to make sure he doesn't OD'.

Which is where i'm going to go on about my idea. When i thought about it, i was struck with the idea of how magnets repel each other if they have the same charge. Why?

Because Stan and Gravity Falls both attract Weirdness, they repel each other. Stan cannot enter Gravity Falls. Its like shoving two opposing magnets together, he physically cannot go past a certain point. There's an invisible force that pushes him back. Of course Ford's not going to let something like that stop him, and drags Stan into Gravity Falls anyway. It gets physically painful before Stan stumbles and is suddenly fine. he's in town, so everything is good, right?

Wrong.

Now he can't leave either. Gravity Falls Magnet has hooked onto Stan, and now the field is a little bigger now he's inside. He's trapped. My original idea was this would happen when Ford sends him the post card, and Stan gets more and more uneasy as he gets closer to Gravity Falls, until he hits the breaks suddenly, overcome with the need to not go any further. But Ford called him, and Ford needs him, so he's going to make it happen.

Except he physically can't. Gets out of the car to go on foot and just hits a wall. Theres a mini freak out that this is the reason Ford called him, and he drives to the closest phone along the invisible wall to call Ford. Fingers tapping and agitated, and then Ford never picks up, or it doesn't go through, because Fords deep in paranoia territory and hasn't paid his phone bill in some time. So Stan's gotta just push on through anyway.

And he does! Because he's Stan Pines and he's not going to let an invisible wall stop him! But it does mean he has to leave his car behind, because the effort of using it to shove himself in sort of broke it. Quickly figures out he cant go back either, then shrugs and moves on. Ford needs him here after all, he can figure out how to get out later. Goes the rest of the way to Fords cabin on foot/hitchhiking and everything goes mostly the same, except when Ford asks him to take the journal far away Stan stutters over his anger with the

"And how am i supposed to do that with the giant invisible wall!"

Much to Fords confusion. They yell at each other over it, Stan insisting he there was a force field around the town and Ford thinking Stan's just being stubborn, until he finally, in a burst of anger, drags Stan back to where he left his car (which is still there!) and shoves him over the boundary line.

Or tries to, because Stan hits an invisible wall. The wall that was not there before, and does not exist for Ford. No matter what he does, if he's holding his book or not, he cannot drag Stan past that line. It actually looks like he's shoving Stan against something physical. He gets like a centimeter of success before Stan is shoved back, like what happens with magnets.

Now Fords grand plan of having Stan drive off has failed, because he's accidentally trapped Stan in Gravity Falls. And they're both angry at each other, Ford hasn't slept, and Stan's freezing and also in pain from bursting through the first time and all of Fords attempts at shoving him the second.

And also theres a giant portal and Bill.

[princesssarcastia]

you can absolutely make a character who was formerly a racist fuck-wit sympathetic and compelling, but ONLY if you (the narrative) and they (the character) own the wrong and the growth.

i mean, look, you tell that kind of story in the hopes that life will imitate art, right? there's gotta be a path out of the darkness. you can illuminate that path, but not if you lie about where the journey started. it's only compelling if you own it. don't shy away from the hurt and the sharp edges—cut yourself on them. bleed.

[pyrodolls]

will you write more parts for the yandere!fan fic? 🫣

STALKER! YANDERE BOY X GN! READER (PART 2)

WARNINGS: stalking, mentions of murder, regular yandere tendencies, gender neutral reader

A/N: damn that first part did a lot better than i thought it would, thank you guys! so how about i bring in a second yandere… i’m naming this yandere victor, and the yandere in the first part is bayani. (btw the art below is by RIP2_)

part one (with bayani) right here! a third part is coming soon, featuring both bayani and victor when they realize they both are pining for you...

stalker! yandere boy that puts in more effort than superfan! yandere boy to catch your attention. bayani could never love you. he can barely even handle you looking at him, what makes you think he’s the right one for you? he’s just a lowly coward. victor is the one for you. he loves you so much. more than bayani.

stalker! yandere boy that doesn't care about your music. not one bit. because he loves you for you! who cares what your music sounds like? he doesn't care what genre it is, or if you even have a good voice or not. he'd be the best boyfriend for you because he treats you like an actual human, not just some singing machine. besides, he personally prefers metal. maybe he can listen to it with you when you get together! it sounds like a delightful date.

stalker! yandere boy that follows you around wherever you go. he tracks your travelling patterns, and visits whatever places you visit at the exact same time. whether you fly private, commercial, or even use a train or car. doesn't matter. he will follow you. where you go, he goes.

stalker! yandere boy that would go as far as to disguise himself as someone else in order to interact with you and gain your attention. you go eat at a restaurant? victor would kill a random waiter, steal their uniform, and take their place. you stay at a hotel? he's posing as room service and will steal your clothes and belongings tidy up your room! he'll even use the key to your room to walk in and watch you sleep at night. you just look so enchanting in your sleep, how can he resist? it's not wrong, he's just keeping you safe. he is the only one that can make sure you are happy and healthy. in victor's eyes, even the strongest bodyguard cannot keep you safe. you don't need anyone else. just him.

stalker! yandere boy that tries to catch your attention anytime he can. he needs you to notice him. he needs you to say something to him, talk to him, touch him, know him, acknowledge his existence. victor needs you to validate his existence in order to continue living. without you, what would he do? he cannot handle being away from you. he cannot handle being alone. don't leave him alone. don't leave him alone. don't leave him alone. he needs you.

stalker! yandere boy that gets jealous easily. you collab with another artist or you're seen holding hands with someone in public? he's spreading a fake rumor about whoever it is and ruining their life. you shouldn't be so stupid. why associate with someone else when you have him? why ditch him for someone else? he's right there. he can be better than them. who cares what they look or sound like? victor's so much better. he can show you how much better he is, if you give him a chance.

stalker! yandere boy that is so desperate for any kind of attention from you. it doesn't matter if it's positive or negative attention. he always plays it cool and acts all smug and calm when you notice him, but on the inside he is resisting the urge to grab you and run away from the world. all he wants is to have a peaceful, isolated life with you. away from the disgusting people in the world. you and victor can be happy together.

stalker! yandere boy that is incredibly clingy. you know you need him, right? he must be near you at all times. his presence keeps you alive and happy. you keep HIM happy. he needs you. you both need each other. if he can't see or feel your presence, he will go insane. that is why he travels anywhere you go. that is why he must go to each and every one of your concerts and meet-and-greets. you assumed he was just a big fan to be at every single event, but you just can't see that he loves you much more than just some fan.

stalker! yandere boy that just wants to be with you! let him be around you. let him completely obsess over you, touch you, love you, do whatever he wants to you. he won't hurt you! he just wants a little bit of freedom to say and do whatever he wants to you once you are together, so he can make sure you don't leave him. he will make you feel so good, so loved, so appreciated. nobody will ever love you more than he does.

but there may be someone that rivals his affections. a lowly, masochistic, scrawny pest that thinks he loves you more. victor will have to do something about it before your little superfan finally decides to man up and make a move on you.

[kxsagi]

hi! This is my first time requesting so sorry if I'm a little awkward lmao. Anyways can I request one for Reo where considering he always gets what he wants, and thinks girls like him because of his looks/money (based off my interpretation of his character + ep nagi) when the time comes he actually did like a girl (reader) he really struggles because reader showed no interest lol. Anyways, thank you!

“𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭”

a/n: oooh i’ve never written anything for our gay rich boy before. and you’re all good dw!

ngl reo reminds me of the song “whatever she want” by bryson tiller (fire song btw) and “tapout” by rich gang

(don't know art credits sorry) he's so fine

reo mikage was used to winning. he was used to getting his way. it came with the territory – the money, the status, the looks. his life had always been an easy game of give and take. he gave a glance, a smile, a lazy smirk, and in return, he took hearts. casually. effortlessly. without even trying. 

girls liked him. obviously. they liked the penthouse views, the sleek cars, the designer watch he wore like it meant nothing. they liked the expensive dinner dates that didn’t even make a dent in his card. they liked the way he played soccer with unbothered precision, elegant and composed, the perfect balance of charm and skill. they liked everything about him. 

so, when he met you, he didn’t expect you to be any different. 

except you were. 

you barely looked at him. barely even acknowledged him beyond the most basic courtesy. a glance. a polite smile. a nod when necessary. nothing more. you didn’t fawn, didn’t blush, didn’t giggle. you didn’t trail after him or hang on his words. didn’t care when he slung a towel over his shoulder and his shirt clung to his skin post-practice. didn’t so much as glance at the stupid, limited-edition watch on his wrist that was probably worth your rent. 

and gosh, it drove him insane. 

at first, it was just an irritation. a minor dent to his ego. maybe you were just playing hard to get. maybe you were the kind who wanted to be chased. fine. he could play along. he was good at games. he could wait for you to crack. 

but you never did. 

weeks passed. then months. you were the same. cordial. friendly enough, but so completely unmoved by him, it made his eye twitch. you were kind, sure. sweet, even. just… not specifically to him. you treated him like he was just another guy. not reo mikage – the heir, the rising soccer star, the guy with a face and a bank account anyone would die for. 

and it left him a little unhinged. 

suddenly, he was the one looking for you at practice. lingering by the vending machine because he knew you always grabbed a drink there. making excuses to walk past the staff office, just in case you were there. he started trying, actually trying, to get your attention. 

he started lingering in conversations longer, waiting for you to notice his voice. he made half-hearted jokes to hear your laugh. let out exasperated sighs louder than necessary when he was tired, hoping you’d ask if he was okay. 

nothing. 

when he bought new shoes, he casually asked, "you like them?" 

you blinked. glanced at them briefly. "yeah, they’re cool." 

cool. cool. 

his shoes were custom-made and flown in from italy and all you could say was cool??? 

reo was losing his mind. 

the final straw came at a post-match event. he had just scored twice, and everyone was celebrating. people congratulated him, patted his back, showered him with praise. and then he saw you, quietly sitting on the terrace balcony, nursing a drink. he didn’t think twice before slipping away from the crowd and joining you. 

"you’re not celebrating?" he asked, feigning nonchalance. 

you glanced over, then back at the view. "i am. just not a fan of big crowds." 

he took that as an opening and slid into the seat next to you. surely, you’d see him differently tonight. he was riding the high of victory, practically glowing from it. girls were practically staring at him, but here he was, sitting next to you. 

"you saw the match, right?" he asked, eyes glinting, lips quirking into that signature smirk that usually made people weak in the knees. 

you hummed. "yeah, you were good." 

good. good. 

he was phenomenal. he scored the winning goal and you had the audacity to say good??? 

he didn’t even realize he was pouting slightly until you gave him a funny look. 

"what?" you asked, clearly confused by his expression. 

"nothing," he muttered, sulking into his seat. 

there was a beat of silence before you spoke again, your voice almost hesitant. 

"hey… do you think you could introduce me to nagi?" 

reo physically malfunctioned. he stared at you, mouth slightly open, unable to process what you just said. "what?" 

you smiled, completely oblivious to the dagger you’d just driven through his chest. "nagi. he seems cool. i feel like we’d get along." 

nagi. nagi. his lazy, bored, white-haired best friend. you wanted to meet nagi. 

for the first time in his life, reo mikage was faced with the impossible: rejection. not even outright rejection, just a complete, indifferent dismissal. you weren’t playing hard to get. you just… didn’t care. you weren’t interested. you didn’t look at him and see wealth or status or charm. you saw some guy. just reo. 

and as he sat there, stewing in disbelief, he realized two things. 

one: this was new territory. he’d never actually had to try before. 

two: he liked you more for it. 

because you weren’t shallow. you weren’t there for his money, his name, his easy charm. you didn’t fall for the things that made him likable to everyone else. and maybe it pissed him off at first, but it also made him want you more. 

so, as you kept rambling about how nagi seemed fun, completely unaware of the internal war raging inside him, reo downed the rest of his drink. 

fine. you wanted nothing to do with his wealth or charm? 

good. 

he’d just have to win you over the hard way. 

© 𝐤𝐱𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐢

a/n: i don’t chase, i attract 

[t00thpasteface]

all of your post are making me want to watch M.A.S.H.... and I do really like stuff involving the korean/vietnam war.... do i do it?

it really is great if you already have experience with other art/fiction created during and after the vietnam war. Apocalypse Now comes to mind, but that really undersells how much of a total fluke MASH was for its time. i mean, it started airing while the vietnam war was STILL HAPPENING, and they HAD to keep it about korea just so they could get on the air, AND this was less than five years after the Hays code ended. it was the 70s, but it was also the 70s, you know?

you NEED to go into this show acknowledging that it was produced in a very very particular window of time; as much as we tend to think of pop media as existing in this anachronistic homogeneity wherein which things remain static for decades, that is not the case, and MASH is very very clearly a product of its time, as everything unavoidably is. general consensus is that the show really "grew the beard" around season 4/5 (the last 2 episodes of s4 are some of my favorite episodes of the whole show) but it's never perfect, and you shouldn't expect it to be. and this too has a metanarrative merit to it. we are all capable of evil (or just saying things in poor taste) even when our intentions are good, etc...

on the other hand, sometimes that's an incredibly impressive thing. watching MASH with a solid lens of its contemporary audience and culture will reveal all sorts of little shocks and rebellions that would seem tame or even regressive to a later audience such as us. if you have a cool parent or older friend/relative to watch this with who was alive at the time of the vietnam war and remembers seeing the dead bodies on the news every night, watch this with them. alternatively, check out commentary online by people in that age range, as well as writer/actor/director commentary if that's your bag (sometimes alan alda was all 3). enjoying antiwar fiction like MASH with that cultural context is like using one of those little decoder lenses on a cereal box or whatever. i said to another asker: "by 70s tv censorship standards, this show was basically on-screen gay sex and flag burning."

it's fucking uncanny when something in MASH strikes you and you can see how little has broadly changed in global politics since. and yes that's a tragedy. but i think there's a corollary to it:

[blasphemousclaw]

thank you for being so normal about the hornsent 🙏 Thank you cause jesus christ. anyways for the ask ermm The hornsent npc melina or messmer

you’re welcome I just got so attached to the hornsent while playing the dlc! after watching Belurat burn in the story trailer, going into the ruined city in the game and seeing all the graves and mourning spirits really affected me, and I’m honestly shocked that such a huge portion of the fanbase didn’t feel the same way. also they are literally so cool like look at their art and architecture. their armor sets. their divine beast dancing lion. if people can’t enjoy that because they’re “evil” well I have great news. they are not real

anyway here’s capital H Hornsent my best friend Hornsent

• favorite thing about them

how his quest ends with him attacking us no matter what we do. I know I know! it’s so frustrating that we can’t convince him we’re on his side! but the fact that he tries so hard to push us away just makes me love him more! he refuses our second offering of scorpion stew because he isn’t here to make friends, he’s here to win he’s given his life for his revenge... his line “I wish not to friendship kindle” drives me crazy because we have this moment of human connection with him, which he acknowledges, but he can’t let himself lose sight of his purpose! admit it Hornsent. you like me

also his character design and voice acting are fantastic

• least favorite thing about them

I already like how his character is handled but I think it would be even stronger if he or someone else dropped a few more details about life in Belurat before the crusade. he enacts his revenge not just in the name of his murdered family but his entire culture, and it would be nice to learn a few more hornsent cultural details through him!

• favorite line

“What’s this? Do you think me in need of alms? Ah… but this dish. Tis fare o’ the tower. I remember fondly this kin-clad scent. …Brings back memories I’d all but forgot. This, by my troth, is but a dismal copy. Indeed, I think it rather plain to see… things once broken can never be the same.”

I love the scorpion stew interaction so much! “things once broken can never be the same” hits so hard after exploring Belurat and seeing the city’s destruction, and pairing this dialogue with the scorpion stew description is even more tragic: “Traditional meal of the hornsent. Once made with love by a certain elderly woman for the family table.”

• brOTP ОТР whatever this is

Hornsent and Tarnished. what if I could fix him

• nОТР

I don’t think about this at all

• random headcanon

the marks on his face are burn scars from the fires… I think he had hair but it mostly burned off. maybe I’ll draw what I think his face looked like without the limitations of the npc character model sometime

• unpopular opinion

I don’t think he was a greater potentate! I think it’s strongly implied that he lived in Belurat before the crusade, not Bonny Village. I think he sought out the potentates’ caterpillar mask because it’s used to enhance focus and banish feelings of doubt in one’s purpose, which makes perfect sense for his revenge quest

• song i associate with them

once again please leave any suggestions in the replies/tags!!

• favorite picture of them

not to boost my own content but this was hysterical

[ajastu]

Ok but i want to kind of talk abt what led me to thinking of that last art right. this isn't gona be like, a proper analysis or whatever, just something i've been thinking about for a while that i want to finally word properly. But.

I love Davrin so much. And i love how layered his character is. Like, the man cares. So much. He has a lot of love in his heart. He also tries to pretend so hard that everything he does is out of practicality n not because he Cares So Much.

When you first meet him, he already clearly has a trusting relationship established with Assan. He says he's 'just the bodyguard', but Assan runs up to him immediately when called and nuzzles into him. He already listens to him! Maybe not 100%, but he does. He trusts Davrin. Not to mention the fact that he named the little guy.

Also the griffon nest you can find that is just FULL of mostly nug carvings that Davrin made.

But it's not just Assan. He calls out some of the other griffons by name and takes the time to reassure them when you find them locked in the cages. You will not convince me that he wasn't the equivalent of the Cool Uncle to them. When they get taken, his reaction is not that of someone who is 'just the bodyguard'. It's a reaction of someone who Cares.

He doesn't let himself really acknowledge it, though, because of the whole warden thing. He has convinced himself that he is, first and foremost, a man with a Duty and an expiration date.

The problem is. He fails step one pretty much IMMEDIATELY. He's just in denial about it.

And like, he doesn't really like talking about his feelings openly. He either deflects or avoids it until someone nudges him enough to talk about it. After Weisshaupt, he's, understandably, not doing too well. He lashes out at Lucanis during the table talk, and later you find him back in his room, working silently. He doesn't even reply to Rook at fist when they speak to him.

And then when he does, the floodgates open. This is a pivotal point, i think, in his character development. He's lost, he doesn't know what comes next. He fully did not expect to Be There. He built himself up to this Big Sacrifice, and when it doesn't work out like he thought it would, it gives him a Crisis. Rook points out to him that hey, he DOES still have a purpose. It's just different than "die fighting darkspawn". It's a purpose he has to actually let himself Live for. I feel like this is the point when he lets himself open up to the idea that he might just be more than a simple bodyguard to Assan.

And it genuinely helps him. He even admits that Lucanis did a good job at Weisshaupt. I'm pointing this bit out because, like...I think it shows his complicated relationship with letting himself Feel Things.

I don't know if i'm making sense rn, i just. Love him a lot.

There's a lot more to talk about, but this post is already long, so I'll jump to the end. If you romance him, in the pre-tearstone cutscene, you find him Chopping Wood. Classic sign that Davrin Is Having A Lot Of Feelings He Doesn't Know How To Process.

However, this time he's more open about it, seeing as he...pretty much immediately tells Rook what it's all about.

If you decide to joke with him about it, he immediately goes This Is For Real. I'm Being Serious. He actually wants to talk about it, even if he didn't plan to, at first. He doesn't deflect this time.

also, a brief aside, i fucking love the laugh he does if Rook commits to being a clown about it. He sounds like he's questioning why THIS clown, of all people, is the one he fell for.

and also, i love the...inside jokes forming in their relationship. First its the hunting metaphors while flirting, then its 'u gonna chop more wood?'. Genuinely adore that

ANYWAY back to it.

He's been opening up!! He's letting himself get attached!! It's the worst time for it, because they could very easily Die, but at least they talk about it.

And once Rook is back from the prison, they don't really talk about the time they were missing. The final romance scene feels a bit silly at first with the magic trick n all, but I think it makes a lot of sense.

His voice cracks just a bit when he says ''you're back''. If you choose the dialogue option where Rook is shaken or the 'am i back?' option, he's firmly reassuring to them.

also this. 🥺

From how the dialogues go, it really seems like...I don't want to say Davrin is avoiding talking about the Possible Bad Scenario. It feels more like he refuses to dwell on it, or to let Rook dwell on it.

He acknowledges it, but also, Rook is back.

Again, Davrin has a lot of love in his heart. He is also a man of action and conviction. If he decides to commit to something, he does so with no reservations.

ALL THAT IS TO SAY. I think he would be having a very bad time while Rook is missing, but i also think he would do everything in his power not to let it show. If he breaks down about it, it would be in private, and only because he literally cannot hold it back anymore. He would find Assan in their room and it would become the Last Straw at some point. You know?

He doesn't talk about missing Rook. Instead, he talks about Assan missing them. Which isn't necessarily a lie, but it also sounds like...a roundabout admission. A way to talk about it without talking about it. I know this dialogue abt Assan happens regardless of whether or not you romance him, but here i'm talking about the romance route specifically, so.

But it's not because he doesn't want to admit he cares, not anymore.

It's because he refuses to dwell on it.

TLDR i don't know how coherent this post ended up being, but my point is, DAVRIN IS THE MAN OF ALL TIME. He sings to animals in his care. Hes writing a monster manual while carving each creature he plans on talking about. He also carves sososo many nugs. He has beef with an author who's been dead for ages. He has a complicated relationship with his feelings, but commits to them fully once he lets himself admit them. He cares. He has a lot of love in his heart. And i love him so so so fucking much.

[toosoft4everything]

Critical Role C4 Party Predictions

Guessing on table placement and classes (C3 spoiler warning)

(edit: if you've seen this post earlier I accidentally posted the draft)

Top Row:

Laura- Barbarian [Path of the Juggernaut]

I know Laura had moments of wanting to be a warlock for a while but I want to see her create carnage with her bare hands. Having her a melee fighter that charges in battle where no enemy can knock her down sounds so cool! She can cause so much destruction if she wanted to and with such ease too.

Sam- Monk [Way of the Ascendant Dragon]

I know he can easily have a Donatello reference/joke with this class but it would be so much funnier if he didn't acknowledge it whatsoever. Dragons for the most part (that I remember mind you) have been a negative experience for the past parties. Having a PC whose class revolves around draconic spirits sounds interesting. Also I know he'll rift on the Cobalt Soul and Beau just to mess with Marisha lol.

Liam- Druid [Circle of the Stars]

This man has had his characters love nature as much as any druid, let this one go all out. Have him go beyond the stars and break our hearts. His attention to descriptions with whatever he does would have me mesmerized the moment he describes his starry forms.

Travis- Artificer [Armorer]

I know Travis is known for voicing Thor but I want to see how he'll play Ironman. His well known battle wit is incredible and I'm curious with the type of smarty-pants he'll play outside of combat. His character creation often starts out with an item (Fjord with a bracer, Cerrit with the tomahawks) so I wonder how he'll design this one too.

Bottom Row:

Ashley- Wizard [Blood Magic]

HEAR ME OUT! Ashley had moments of creepy with Fearne so I know she can play a bloody themed magic user. I also believe in her playing a smart character. She can be creative as she wants when it comes to summoning a familiar too. Let her have another buddy!

Marisha- Cleric [War Domain]

Given how BH's decision made the gods mortal, there will be war of some kind. Marisha's previous characters have been meh or hateful of the gods so I want to see her play someone who's so devoted. Maybe question or start out with weak faith (Possibly with a betrayer god 👀)

Talisin- Bard [College of Dreams?? Homebrew]

I know he'll play a homebrew subclass that Matt comes up with so this is really just a guess of what Matt would come up with. With Ruidus being a culture filled with dreams of Exandria, I would think there would be a unique artform or college. I want to see Talisin play someone with high charisma and bring up weird art.

Robbie- Warlock [Fiend Patron w/ Chain Pact]

Is this me saying I want to see Laura romance Robbie's character? Maybe... But this is also me hoping to see how Robbie can play out another type of high charisma character. Also giving him the chain pact for him to have a little guy sounds amazing. Maybe show how demigods/lesser beings are gaining power through Robbie' character would be a great arc.

As for races I only have one hope, that someone (not Sam) be a Tortle!!

[dailyanarchistposts]

Authors: David Graeber, Nika Dubrovsky Topics: COVID-19, health care

Or more precisely, we are imagining a sane world after the virus, one where, instead of just trying to put things back the way they were, we act on what we’ve learned. For instance, a huge proportion of office work, especially administrative, managerial, marketing, legal, finance, consultancy and the like have shown themselves to be pure bullshit. If they disappeared, it would either make no difference or the world might even be a slightly better place. The proof is that during the crisis, most of them did disappear and the world kept spinning. So imagine for a moment we are sane and don’t just go back to pretending there’s some reason to have all these people bluffing to make us think they work all day but instead got rid of the bullshit jobs. Well, one question would be: what would we do with all the buildings where they used to work? Obviously, those actually useful workers who kept us alive and cared for during the epidemic – doctors, nurses, cleaners, couriers, electricians, farmers – don’t need giant glass buildings to make them feel important. Some can be blown up. This will be good because it means there will be less energy use to keep them heated, cooled and so forth, which will reduce carbon emissions. But surely we wouldn’t want to blow up all of them.

After the French and Russian revolutions, the royal palaces were turned into state museums. That might point to one sane way to use them. But there’s also a crazy way: a return to “normalcy”. The model for this might be what happened after the large-scale deindustrialization of western metropolises, when former factories and warehouses were turned into private art centers, offices and condominiums for the kind of people who worked in them. Many find it hard to imagine this won’t happen again, if there is rapid de-bullshitization of work, but no real change to the financial system, or structures of wealth and power more generally. Empty offices would be bought up by investors, who would turn them into expensive condominiums or private art spaces whose presence will give the real estate additional market value. The only alternative usually put on the table is if the state takes over everything, either in the form of state socialism (which is basically just state-monopoly capitalism) or its right-wing “national-socialist” variant (in whatever updated 21st century form).

In that future, those empty offices not used to house bureaucrats or secret police will be turned into state museums: conservative, elitist institutions whose general ambiance balances somewhere between that of a cemetery and that of a bank. We would like to insist on the possibility – perhaps not the likelihood, but at least the possibility – of sanity. Imagine that the experience of lockdown and economic collapse actually allows us to see the world as it really is and we acknowledge that what’s referred to as “an economy” is simply the way we collectively keep each other alive, provision each other with the things we need and generally take care of one another. Say we also reject the notion of social control.

Prisons, after all, provide food, shelter and even basic medical care. Still, they are not “caring” institutions. What they provide is not care because real care is directed not just at supplying material needs, not even just to allow others to grow and thrive, but also, to maintain or enhance their freedom. Imagine we jettison the idea of production and consumption being the sole purpose of economic life and substitute care and freedom. What would we do with the buildings then?

In a world built around care and solidarity, much of this vast and absurd office space would indeed be blown up, but others could be turned into free city universities, social centers and hotels for those in need of shelter. We could call them ‘Museums of Care’ — precisely because they are spaces that do not celebrate production of any sort but rather provide the space and means for the creation of social relationships and the imagining of entirely new forms of social relations.

[aspiringtrashpanda]

My Nightbringer Season 3 Thoughts

Alright. Here we go. I have so many thoughts and I needed to write them all out. Please do not proceed past the cut unless you have completed Nightbringer lesson 60, for LOTS of spoilers lie ahead.

FIRST OFF, I want to acknowledge that this is being written prior to reading lesson 60 HARD because I have to finish lesson 59 HARD first and I need to yap.

SECONDLY, I want to say that I am not hating on the writers here AT ALL. Nightbringer has always been a slow burn. It was set up that way. The writers were absolutely forced into a corner here and had to wrap a long story up speedy quick and they did what they could in a short period of time. As someone who loves long fics and slow burns, I like to think I understand where they were trying to go with the story, and I do genuinely feel like the overall point of the Nightbringer season 3 art makes perfect sense, but the execution leaves more to be desired for a multitude of reasons. 

So, let’s get into it.

WHAT WORKED

THE RAD SCIENCE FAIR

This may be a controversial opinion, but I believe the Science Fair was a great inclusion as it mirrors the progression of the human world over the years. Hear me out: considering we are spanning thousands of years here, it’s worth looking at the mentality of the human race over history. For a long time faith in your chosen religion was considered the answer to most troubles, and only in more recent history have we seen a shift towards a reliance on science and modern technology. 

It is important to note that I am an atheist, though I strongly believe in freedom of religion. I’m drawing from basic observation here, and am not well-versed in the details of religion and science, but I do think it’s fair to say that we as a species have gone from believing illnesses to be due to demonic possession to looking for a more scientific reason why we’re coughing up blood. THUS, I think the Devildom Science Fair is a cool way to show this progression, but it leaves one problem: We don’t know the Celestial Realm’s views on all of this. See the next section on WHAT DIDN’T WORK for more on this. 

The Science Fair did present numerous opportunities for light shenanigans with the cast that hint to other things going on, which has been Nightbringer’s modus operandi since the beginning. There is absolutely an issue with pacing here, however, but I will cover that later and again, not the writers’ fault. Regardless, the Science Fair started off strong. We had a great brotherly moment with Asmodeus and Leviathan, Mammon managed to win by still doing things his own way, and Satan shone in Beelzebub’s arc (RIP Beel, I’m so sorry.) Not to mention the slow reveal that something is going on with MC’s powers due to the time jumps and that there is unrest in the Devildom by those who don’t agree with Diavolo’s values and projects as the stand-in leader of the Devildom. We got a lot of information in between the lines, which is what Nightbringer does best.

On top of that, if the goal of the Science Fair was to a) introduce the biology component with the genes to aid in returning Simeon to exclusively a human, and b) culminate with the whole power imbalance that has the moon wanting to… fuck the MC or whatever, idk, changing the order in which the subjects are presented would have been beneficial. See the next section on WHAT DIDN’T WORK for more on this. 

SIMEON'S ARC

It was clear from the moment it was revealed that the MC was returning to the original timeline that Simeon would be in the spotlight in Nightbringer season 3. Simeon’s corruption arc (or redemption arc) was executed well for the most part. Simeon’s motives and desires were in line with his character, and there was growth in his decision to try and work towards becoming an angel again, because he would still be part of the group regardless of his species. 

Simeon saying “To me, it’s not so much ‘what I am’ as ‘who I’m with’ that matters” is a great way to summarize his little character arc. We’ve seen him thrive in caretaker roles (with Luke, of course), but it’s important that we acknowledge how badly he’s always wanted to be a part of the family the brothers have made for themselves. By refusing to become a demon, he’s fulfilling a caretaker role by providing company for Luke and Raphael, but he’s doing it on his own terms, understanding that he is loved no matter what. 

It was cute watching the cast worry so much about Simeon, and really give their all to try and help him. The explanation in Lesson 58 that the Ring of Light purified the demonic energy from Simeon was very important, because at first I was just like… Simeon, you can’t just say you aren’t going to be a demon anymore and be cured. It doesn’t work like that, honey. BUT THEN AGAIN, we don’t know that because we have no idea how ideology in the Celestial Realm has changed over the years. This ties in perfectly with one of the main goals of the Science Fair, and how it would have worked well if executed better.

RAPHAEL'S ARC

Oh, sweet Raphael, you were absolutely supposed to be integrated into the intimacy system at this point in the initial planning. I’m sure of it. I don’t have too much to say on this, other than that it was some nice exposure on how lonely the Celestial Realm is. Which makes you wonder: is the Celestial Realm pretty empty or is Raphael simply mourning the loss of his closer friends? Again, there have been thousands of years since the brothers fell to now, and yet Raphael hasn’t made too many important new relationships in the Celestial Realm? Is there a lack of angels? Is this because of science being considered treasonous to Father and it’s increase of relevance in the modern world? 

Questions aside, it was really nice to get a spotlight on Raphael and how much the rest of the cast mean to him/how much the rest of the cast care about him (lookin’ at you, Mephisto). 

WHAT DIDN'T WORK

PACING, FORESHADOWING AND CHARACTER SPOTLIGHTS

Big sigh. Let’s talk about the devil elephants in the room right now, shall we? The last 5 or so lessons in this season were SO RUSHED, it was laughable. Multiple characters got completely bulldozed by the looming end of the season, and it was so frustrating as a Leviathan fan to get hardly any quality time with him (sorry to Belphie fans too, my goodness). Again, this is not the fault of the writers at all, but I would like to present that the season should have ended with the fallout from Raphael’s breakdown in Babel. 

In my personal opinion, the main goal of season 3 should have been to return Simeon to human status, and the main goal of season 4 should have been to address the power imbalance due to the time jumping. As I mentioned earlier, Obey Me! has always excelled at providing information and foreshadowing between the lines. If the Devildom Biology and Devildom Studies competitions had been held earlier in the season (ideally after the Devildom Information Science finals), with outcomes indirectly related to Simeon’s genes and the magic of the moon, it would have noted something like genetics and historical magical surges in a manner that would foreshadow what is to come, hinted through shenanigans like with the trip to Meowcao. Then, season 3 would end with Raphael’s meltdown, Simeon deciding he doesn’t want to be a demon, and the Science Fair being put on hold momentarily for everyone to catch their bearings. Starting in season four, we could add so much more about MC’s protective magic surges, with Belphie and Satan inching closer to the truth about the time travel, and the magic balance being thrown off in the Devildom. Then, the entirety of what happened in lesson 60 would make much more sense and wouldn’t feel like it was just thrown at us out of nowhere. Not that the writers had any control over that, though. If only we were able to get one more season 😭

CELESTIAL REALM POINT OF VIEW

Someone in one of the servers I’m in mentioned that it’s annoying that we’re being given scientific solutions for moral consequences that were emphasized in the original game, and that’s why I think it’s possible the writers were trying to show the progression of science over many, many years. However, having no insight into how this progression is affecting the Celestial Realm creates confusion instead of intrigue. We are not given any clue to believe that “He” or “Father” has changed his stance on what is considered treason to the Celestial Realm. So to go from more ethical and moral reasons to cast beings out of the Celestial Realm, to sciencing away demon genes seems bizarre. Why would Simeon be welcomed back into the Celestial Realm because they forced the genes from his body? If he’s still being punished for a lack of loyalty to “Him���, then he hasn’t atoned for that at all. 

And then, if it was alluded to that the Celestial Realm was willing to incorporate science into their forgiveness system, that still opens so many more questions regarding the reason the brothers fell in the first place. Would they be cast out of the Celestial Realm now? Of course, they would absolutely choose to remain in the Devildom if given the choice, but if both Simeon and Lucifer and co. were punished for acts of love (familial or romantic or platonic, just love in general) and Simeon is welcomed back while still standing by his choices, some sort of acknowledgement of how things have changed for the better would help tidy things up. We all live and learn, so if that’s the argument that the Celestial Realm wants to make, it needs to be a bit more clear. 

Of course, Simeon does not officially return to angel status by the end of lesson 60, but he is invited to return to talk to Michael, so that’s kind of a big deal. Who knows what will happen next (if we continue on this story in another way, or something).

LOOSE ENDS

It’s time to talk about Nightbringer. I have… so many thoughts on who Nightbringer is, but there is no point in going into that because we will never, ever know, apparently. Leaving things vague is cool and all, but there’s a difference between “vague enough to theorize” and just “so vague it’s irrelevant”, and unfortunately the end of Nightbringer drifts into the territory of the latter. It no longer matters why MC was sent to the past to create a power imbalance (because isn’t that something–was MC sent to the past to make the pacts again and therefore cause a power imbalance that would draw the moon in and help a nameless demon usurp the throne/another realm gain an advantage over the Devildom?), because nothing ever comes of it, which is super unsatisfying. 

There are other loose ends of course, too, but I’m too tired from writing all this to think about that right now, so feel free to talk about it in the comments. 

FORCED LUCIFER KISS

Listen, I groaned so loud at this. I like Lucifer as a character but I cannot stand him as a romantic interest, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way. Yes, the game absolutely supports polyamory and that’s cool and all, but I don’t wanna kiss Lucifer, okay. He is not part of my polycule and he never will be smh. 

(sir why did you have to smooch me right in front of Levi?! His little hummingbird heart can’t take it and we all know I only wanna be with him.)

ANYWAY, thank you for coming to my TEDTalk. I needed to get this all off my chest. I love Obey Me! so much and I believe this IP has so much potential. I truly hope we can be optimistic about the future, but I know that’s hard to do right now. I’m here if anyone needs to talk about Nightbringer ending, and I still intend to create content for these silly characters 💕

[sulphurofftheclock]

daydreaming about finding a fraggle portal in my house so here are headcanons about spotting the fraggle five through a random hole in your wall (in theme song order)

Gobo

- has encountered many a creature, through the portal and at the rock, so he's not super visibly nervous

- you are big though, and his track record with big creatures isn't necessarily the best, so even with his brave little face, he is cautious

- would try to break the ice while staying far enough back to avoid thumping

- would immediately believe you the moment you claim to be friendly though

- would also explain that he isn't trying to be in the way, he's just trying to get his uncles postcards

- so you make a little mailbox by the portal to put the postcards in when you get them so Gobo doesn't have to climb into your garbage to find them LOL

- eventually would offer to read a postcard to you (maybe you were crying or something idek) and then you erm actually SO hard at the things Uncle Matt is describing

- queening out with gobo over the postcards and gossip from both sides of the portal

- you would be fast friends!

Mokey

- she almost definitely was at the portal because she wanted to paint

- she probably didn't realize you were home/awake tbh, so she is very startled by the silly creature staring at her through the portal

- she'd definitely hold her ground though

- "what are you?"

- questions aside, you see her little easel and move to stop blocking the light

- "you can come in if you want"

- she is fine where she is for now, since she's already been painting from that spot for a while, but says she'll take you up on it next time"

- and boy does she take you up on it

- there are so many cool things to paint and write poems about in outer space

- one day she brings you a poem she wrote about you and you literally cry

- bonus points if you're an artist (of any kind) too, because the art trades would go CRAZY

Wembley

- first time you see him he BOLTS

- that fraggle is GONE

- but he is a curious little fella, so he always comes back to peek through the portal and see what you're doing

- everytime you spot him, he runs away, so you start pretending not to notice him

- maybe you hum little songs, or talk out loud to yourself, but you definitely do everything you can to seem non-threatening

- it becomes a little routine, you work, wembley watches, you know he's there, he starts to become pretty sure you know he's there, but you still don't acknowledge him because you don't wanna scare him off

- until one day, you've come down with some kind of sickness

- and he finally ventures through the portal cause he's worried about you

- when he sees you laying all sad and sick in your bed, he scurries off again

- and then he comes back

- with a tiny bowl of soup

- and then maybe he sings one of the songs you hum, or maybe he starts rambling about things, whatever he does, he does it because he knows it's what you do and that's the way he knows best how to help

Boober

- the first time you see him, it's because you took a peek through the hole in your wall with a flashlight and caught him standing like 🧍 pretty far back

- okay...

- you blink and he's gone, eldritch horror type moment

- okay......

- you check the hole every once in a while, but you don't see him again for a while

- one day, in the middle of the night, you wake up compelled to check the hole again

- it's winter and your heater isn't working as well as it should, the creature you thought you saw in the hole in the wall might be cold!

- and there he is, curled up by the portal (still far enough away that you can't reach him though) (i imagine the rock was simply too hectic and he came here for some peace and quiet)

- the ground looks really uncomfy though so you grab a small pillow and shove it into the hole

- boober wakes up like 😶

- "i'm not here to hurt you, just want to make sure you're comfortable"

- he is half asleep and very confused but he takes the pillow and goes back to sleep

- after a couple weeks, you spot him by the portal entrance

- he's once again escaping the noise of the rock, your side of the portal is peaceful

- eventually, it's like you have a cat. boober comes and goes. sometimes you leave out some snacks by the portal, sometimes he brings you snacks too.

Red

- fully and completely convinced that she would throw something at you

- one sided beef, cause even though she tries her hardest to spite you, she is very small

- until she breaks your toe, then it's all out war

- but no matter what, you don't cover that hole

- though neither of you would admit it, this whole spite thing is a lot of fun, and never that serious

- the two of you chatter sometimes

- "what're you working on?" "a diorama for school" "it looks dumb"

- "how'd your test go?" "i aced it" "im shocked"

- "did you ever figure out that dive?" "no, i came up with a better one" "sure"

- so much banter

- but she remembers things about your life and you remember things about hers, so really you are friends

- you're just friends in that competitive way

- the thing that really brings the two of you together would be a common enemy (probably gobo LOL) (or a nagging family member of yours who is aghast that you still haven't fixed the hole in your wall)

[wardingshout]

Since I didn't draw anything for like half of 2024 I did an updated colour wheel instead! featuring only the newest of stuff I could find that fit.

I have also compiled a dump of many thoughts I want out of my head, like a little text post dump I guess. the tldr I guess I will just make "thank you".

Putting the most important thing first here which is. Every single time I catch myself thinking "no I need to draw smth other than alttp" a couple of very specific tags and messages pop into my head and I get so fired up to draw more alttp !!! the power I feel from that!!!!!

IIIIII feel like there used to be a way to do linebreaks but I can't remember how so my new text bit divider is random crap I can find lying around in my files

Ok here goes me being dramatic about something that only matters to me but feels so very important to get out for the sake of others too. I guess the gist of it is that tumblr is a rly important place to me and I'm so endlessly grateful for people always being so nice. at the end of the day I don't think I really care about much else in life than drawing and getting to share it with others makes it a much less lonely experience for me. I mostly just for myself, but I'm so grateful for the extra joy associated with posting it online too.

I feel a bit bad I can never seem to give back the kind of nice energy you guys give me. despite how much joy this place brings me, I'm just a naturally anxious person and I often chicken out of doing things myself. I'm so endlessly happy that people still bear with me or at least stick around to look at my art.

thanks to people's kindness I often find myself breaking out of the anxiety and getting a lot closer to initiating stuff myself, but I always get run over by some kind of irl issue instead, usually mental, but recently also physical health. I had so much fun on here this summer especially and I was so certain that this was the time I would make it last only for irl stuff to yet again show up and knock me out completely. every time that happens I feel like I have to rebuild whatever social bravery I had aquired from the beginning again and at this rate I won't ever get anywhere.

after weeks of very few work days, I feel like I'm finally rebuilding the courage to post and the concentration to manage drawing at all. it's not a lot of progress but I can feel it growing. from tomorrow it's back to full time work with no other breaks in sight and I'm scared my groove will be cut short already... I like my job but I've acknowledged I just can't thrive with full time work. I can bear it fine though, but it doesn't leave energy for much else in life.

I think the point here is. I know it's just social media but I've had so many good experiences on here and they're really precious to me. I hope one day I can be well enough to be that kind of influence for others too. my activity with art and presence online has become surprisingly reflective of how well or bad I'm doing irl, so I never I never want to give up on become a more present person.

the most important thing is art though, so finding the courage to get back to posting even if it's all I do, makes me happy too. thank you so much to everyone else who posts are too. I'm endlessly excited about all the cool things I get to experience and see online, thank you!

it is absolutely absurd how many drafts I have of just very frustrated moments where literally all I type is "if I have to be sick one more time I will lose my absolute mind holy shit" and having just been sick again? really feeling that !!!! it's also like. frustrating to feel you're making progress mentally and then you constantly get knocked into bed by phsyical health instead like come on I'm finally learning how to get Out of that place... and then every time you get sick, routunes have to be rebuild all over after, it suuuuucks....

I finally got a PC which has been absolutely life saving, However. I am still drawing on tegaki only... I'm so excited I can get back to bigger works on csp but I've gotten so used to seeing only my tegaki stuff, I'm scared of how much I'll suddenly hate my art when I see it differently again... hating your own art is probably a feeling that will never disappear but even so. I think I'm at a pretty content place right now and I'm worried about shaking it up. I can't let something like that knock me down when I'm only finally getting back to drawing regularly again... I already copied over the palette for some comfort so hopefully I can find a brush that feels similar too! at least I'm super excited about getting to pick some more colours !

and a very belated tag game thing !! I completely lost the original post by now but it was from @lele5429 and I've had it in my drafts this whole time, so better late than never to fill it out!

Last song: Alt Hvad Jeg Vil by Von Quar

Fav colours: warm yellows or light oranges!

Last book: switching between Assassin's Quest and Our Wives Under The Sea!

Last movie: The Princess Bride I think?? it was long ago so I feel like I'm forgetting something else though...

Last tv show: my roomie and I binged Twin Peaks season 3 as well as most of True Detective over christmas break we went Ham

Sweet/spicy/savoury: sweet !!

Relationship status: not interested

Last thing I googled: "nosferatu rats"... I see.....

Current obsession: alttp auish shenanigans... this one has not changed since I first drafted my response to this... on one hand I feel like I'm just filling out the gaps between games, but on the other it's getting very close to full au stuff... I always wanted to draw comics but had no ideas and for the first time in my life I'm drowning in ideas and fully held back by fear and skills haha

Looking forward to: actually surprisingly nothing at all? I'm looking forward to whatever good times I can create for myself I guess. the last few things I was looking forward to didn't go so well, so maybe it's nice to have nothing but the most normal and boring daily life ahead haha

[niftukkun]

fanart for a scene in @nerdydowntherabbithole 's Taking Life As Is on AO3 !! a scene early on in the fanfic that sounded so cool it gripped me with inspiration, where a vulture swoops down and gets fucking got by a leviathan while our dear protagonists look on in horror of the beautiful brutality of mother nature happening right in front of them! dont you love it when you leave your rotting corpse behind and immediately get hit with the existential horror of almost dying and the primal fear of seeing something that much bigger than you and realising your fragility when you were once a godlike being above such lowly thoughts and struggles? anyway.

some details and thoughts !! :

-just before this scene, sugar (survivor's name in this fic) hunted and ate a salamander, so i included it in this here drawin too !! hell yeah esoteric fic-accurate details -(pro tip for any artists out there; if you want to push something into the background, gradient overlays are your friend. also, dont forget to check your values. outline your characters if they aren't popping out of the background enough) -in other, not fic-accurate detail,, moon's dress and marks. i think in the fic, moon's dress is more like,, an actual dress with sleeves and such. but also like, i do what i want and i want something thats barely a dress so i can show off my anatomy/mechanical bits art skills. i dont care if its not canon compliant im calling rule of cool -whoops i forgor the wires uhh shit nevermind it would cover the cool bits anyway whatever -also, while i am proud of the vulture and leviathan, they both used reference. like, i sketched them out yeah, but also the sketch was mostly done by staring at a reference the whole time and overlaying it on the canvas as needed when the drawing looked a little too off. so if you look at this and think 'aw man this guys too good at drawing i could never draw a vulture/leviathan/background/whateverthefuck like that' youre wrong. use references and get better at art by referencing references -shoutout to the miraheze wiki btw for supplying most of my references for this. fandom wiki could never

this fic holds a special place in my heart. like, i dont agree with it on a lot of things (how the cycle works, time between slugcat campaigns, how rot works, etc), but its very internally consistent and i like how all the characters are written. i really do like how, despite all the bickering, the iterators really do care for each other and love each other. i like that the blame isn't pushed just to pebbles, the acknowledgement of there being a lot of nuance and complications in the whole situation. i like the worldbuilding, nsh's wetland-esque biome, srs's gleaming glass beaches, the different interesting fauna/flora, slugcat society worldbuilding, the fucking trains hell yes trains.

most of all though, i love the authors dedication to getting a happy ending. no one left behind. all the iterators in the local group are getting freed (except for innocence but thats a different thing) all the slugcats are alive and doing well (even artificer's kids!!). and even though the fic throws the characters around, bad things happen, steps backward are taken,,, there is almost a palatable message that no matter what, things will be okay. artificer did bad and its acknowledged with visible consequences (scavenger temple route, which mightve made things so much easier on the route to nsh) but she still gets her kids back. hunter had her rot cured and even got some sick new upgrades but still struggles with overexertion and moments of weakness. both pebbles and moon have ptsd from the rot and the rain respectively and its handled reasonably well, not even mentioning the survivors guilt and learned helplessness on nsh and the whole,, guilt from causing this whole fiasco and the feeling of it being all their fault from srs,,,, , ,,,

i dont know. i just really like how dedicated the fic is to showing the realistic consequences of the unforgiving and brutal world of rain world and weaving it into a story of forgiveness and freedom. there are struggles but the heroes will still win and get to go home happy. its cathartic. i love it a lot.

[phoenix-is-the-hottest-thing]

Some people need to understand queer coding opens character identities and relationships up to a solid queer interpretation, but that doesn’t equal “this character 100% fits my headcanon and if you disagree you’re a [REDACTED]”

From a literary analysis perspective, as long as your interpretation is reasonably evidence-based it’s valid. As this is fandom, I’d add “sincere” to that since unlike an academic setting we get bad faith actors but that’s it.

So, to have a valid “interpretation” you have to do the work in good faith, and you have to be able point at the text to support your interpretation. If you can’t, or don’t want to, that’s a headcanon, and it’s totally fine.

“But this character is a lesbian she likes a girl!” There’s more to queerness than straight and gay. You could reasonably interpret a girl who likes another girl as plenty of different things:

Lesbian

Bi

Ace/aro and something else

Straight and closeted trans

Straight and lover is closeted trans

And so on.

So when you have an interpretation, someone might tell you, “I think this other thing.” The polite way to handle this if you don’t like it is to say “that’s so cool we can see different things in the ambiguity of art”. Maybe blocking each other if you dislike their interpretation that much.

That’s of course unless you both want a debate to further refine your understanding of the text or just like to argue or whatever. Which is fine! As long as it’s not overly bitter or whatever, it’s fun to discuss.

“So how do I know which interpretation is more canon than another?”

See, that’s the thing, you can’t. Canon is kind of shaky in the first place. The canon is just what’s written that’s recognized as true/correct text, not the way to understand it (and not what the author says is true, some people take Word of God as canon because it allows the following of one concrete interpretation instead of acknowledging multiple, but strictly speaking it is not). You can only interpret the canon.

For example, 4-komas bonuses of serialized manga are usually non-canon because they are jokes and not meant to be taken seriously as a part of the story’s text. That’s what canon actually is for, originally it’s to talk about which books are genuinely part of the Bible and which are to be deemed offshoots that shouldn’t be taken as a Catholic Church-endorsed religious text.

I guess that’s what gets people confused? That there’s no actual truth to imagined worlds, only what happens in the eyes of the beholder when they interact with art?

Because that’s what it means, canon often has nothing to do with who’s “actually a lesbian” short of them saying it directly. An onscreen wedding is said to “make a couple canon” precisely because there’s only so many ways you can interpret a wedding, but all that means is that the text says they’re together at a point in time. One way I can think of having a canon sexuality would be a canonical character sheet, or an omniscient narrator saying so, but everything less is basically an interpretation.

Note that interpretation obviousness can go from “that’s a stretch but I like it”, to “you only need eyes to see it”, they’re both still interpreting. Even a character talking sexuality technically only makes canon that they’re willing to say so, but that’s when critical thinking comes in.

If you hear a character say “I’m a married lesbian” and think “they’re just confused” with no evidence, you look like an idiot. You absolutely can argue which interpretation is more valid or likely by pointing out inconsistencies, stretched evidence, or that one interpretation has a higher volume of evidence/etc. This is how you avoid relativism and “nothing the text says matters” trolls.

Occam’s Razor is another way you might be tempted to try and determine whose thesis is stronger. This technique works through figuring out which interpretation requires the least amount of assumptions (saying something arbitrary is true as a basis) but it doesn’t make anything canon, or more interesting, it’s not a concrete sign of superiority. Just means it has stronger fondations.

However… your interpretation being stronger, more popular, better worded etc. or you thinking someone else’s is immoral, stupid, etc. doesn’t give you license to be a bully, to call people names, to dox them, dig up dirt to make them look worse, and so on and so forth. Thinking you’re right and they’re wrong does not make you above basic respect, politeness, or consequences. You’re not better than everyone else.

As a child, I used to think I was always right because I was logical, and I clearly made logical sense so there was no way for there to be a logical reasoning that arrived at a different conclusion. (Newsflash: Child me was very wrong! Sometimes multiple things can be equally valid! And even if they were not equal, that didn’t give me license to deride people publicly!)

Queer coding is by its nature interpretative. Coding is the author leaving hints about their characters by using a “code”. Some hints, almost everyone in your section of fandom might have the exact same interpretation about. Some hints might be dead obvious. Some hints might leave you overjoyed. Some hints you might ignore because they make you uncomfortable.

Some people will disagree with you about how they interpret the coding, or might even just state that they believe people have a right to interpret the canon however they want, even in ways you don’t like. That is normal. That is not a threat to your interpretation.

Don’t be a petty cunt about it.

Essentially,

[disco-elysium-via-polls]

Today I'd like to show all the Thoughts that we encountered in the game, but didn't end up Internalizing. I think that the more you see of these, the more of a complete picture you get of Harry.

GUILLAUME LE MILLION

Temporary research bonus: -1 Logic: Head in the clouds

PROBLEM:

Whatever happened to Guillaume Le Million, who -- with his amber mane and sparkling teeth -- beguiled the tattered remains of the nation? While you suffered and suffered, did he dematerialize in a cloud of cocaine dust? Or did he simply stand in the corner and melt into the slendering *New* lines of some starlit boîte de nuit twenty years ago? Spare a thought for his great ass too! Or wait... maybe he became a police officer in Revachol West! Hmm...

Completion bonuses: +1 Pain Threshold: Blood oxygen is boring All PSY learning caps raised by one

SOLUTION:

Bad news: Guillaume le Million did not become a cop. In '38 he went on a tour to the Hsin-Yao province in Safre, where he died of auto-erotic asphyxiation. His body was found hanging from a decorative dragon tree in his junior suite, amid drug paraphernalia, unwholesome objects, and the Sylvia Trainor single "Wonderland" skipping in the background. And yes, you can take this as a metaphor for Revachol in the Thirties. And also as a warning.

DETECTIVE COSTEAU

Temporary research bonus: -2 Conceptualization: An idiotic idea

PROBLEM:

Detective Raphaël Ambrosius Costeau -- when you say it, it feels like you're taking a bite of lemon meringue while sitting on the terrace of a seaside cafe. On a cool summer day. In Sur-La-Clef. It's everything you're *not*. You haven't created many things during your stay in Martinaise, but you've created this. A fancy, sophisticated name that makes you sound intelligent. And that no one seems to *acknowledge*. Don't you feel like you deserve a reward for coming up with something so special? And what would that reward *be*?

Completion bonuses: +1 Savoir Faire: This one sounds fancy, let's have this +1 Esprit de Corps: Yup, fancy, let's have this one too

SOLUTION:

Monsieur Costeau, the reward for coming up with your classy new name has arrived. What are the attributes Detective Costeau should gain in? *Obviously* Savoir Faire and Esprit de Corps. You know *exactly* what they do and what those words mean. They're *refined*. Like *you*. You have a ton of that fancy stuff. And if the world can't accept Raphaël Ambrosius is your name -- you will always be Detective Costeau to yourself. R.A. Costeau -- sophisticated culture-detective. Specializes in ancient things and art.

BOIADEIRO

Temporary research bonus: -1 Physical Instrument: Astra Country

PROBLEM:

It has been brought to your attention that there are men who live by the law of the land and the strength of their arms. Sunburnt, rugged, smoking men who explored the great rivery veins of upper-Magritte and tamed the Mundi wilds. Frontiersmen, cow-herders, philosophers -- the *boiadeiros*... with a gun in one hand and an unfiltered cigarette between their lips, these men made their own rules. What would it take for you to become one too?

Completion bonuses: -1 Esprit de Corps: Lone wolf Cigarettes give +2 INT

SOLUTION:

Smoking, Harry. It will take a lot of tobacco-smoking for you to become a *boiadeiro*. Twin cigarettes fused to your lips and one hanging out of your nostril. In these tame, cultured times, without the sky’s dome above your head, the only way to be a true Franconigerian individualist is to smoke a lot of cigarettes. Light one up immediately. The smell of coffee brewing over a fire pit, a chestnut-flavoured morning. Welcome to Astra Country.

I'm not sure we ever actually encountered cigarettes in the course of our playthrough. Normally, they give +1 INT at the cost of 1 Health -- this improves the effect.

MAGNESIUM-BASED LIFEFORM

Temporary research bonus: -1 Shivers: No shakes

PROBLEM:

It is generally understood that human beings are carbon-based organisms, fusing little carbon tubes together to form complex, mushy structures capable of thought, love, and locomotion. It is also known that these structures sometimes like to “take the edge off” by consuming ethanol, amphetamine, etc. In such cases, it is important to supplement your body with magnesium. Tired? Mag it! Down? Mag time! Liver damage? MAXIMUM MAG! Some people say magnesium doesn’t really do anything and you just need to quit. What do we tell them?

Completion bonuses: +2 Volition: Magnesium receptacle glands -1 Logic: No such thing, man

SOLUTION:

We tell them: HELL NO. You’re about to become a magnesium-based lifeform. The age of the primitive carbon-man is done. No longer must mankind rely on slow-working background radiation to take us further into our genetic destiny. This is the era of guided evolution, and magnesium is the key. You are the first of your species. The next step in human evolution. An advanced magnesium proto-man who mags it up, drinks it down, and sniffs it sideways!

A pretty useful Thought if you have low PSY.

BRINGING OF THE LAW (LAW-JAW)

Temporary research bonus: -1 Rhetoric: Weird jaw

PROBLEM:

Hey, so a little observation. It's all cool, man. Don't freak out, but every time you say “I am the law“ -- and you say it *a lot*, it's basically *hello* for you -- your jaw does this *weird thing*. It sort of shifts sideways, hanging off your face at a jaunty angle, while the word *law* sounds oddly guttural and low. It's... strange. You wouldn't notice it, but after saying you're the law eighty thousand times, the question *does* come up: why *do* you have Law Jaw?

Completion bonuses: Learning cap for Hand/Eye Coordination raised to 6 Succeed all Hand/Eye Coordination passives -1 Rhetoric: Jaw still weird

SOLUTION:

Okay, so. We now know why you have *Law Jaw*. Why you say *the law* in a weird manner, and why your jaw does that thing. You had polio as a child. You hadn’t gotten vaccinated. It must've been right after the Revolution -- not a lot of vaccine going around then. So you got infantile paralysis due to polio and this jaw thing is a complication from that. Admittedly, it’s not very funny. But you *overcame* it! This little infant survived and became a sharpshooting supercop. So: fuck you, polio!

This is a pretty useful Thought *and* it tells us something, in my opinion, pretty important about Harry.

ANTI-OBJECT TASK FORCE

Temporary research bonus: -2 Pain Threshold: Hurts!

PROBLEM:

Take a look at your hands. See how bruised they are? See those little scars? This is Exhibit A. The material world is holding you back. Containers, mailboxes, doors, chairs -- they are all your enemies. Always have been. Atoms themselves are in on the conspiracy, forming shapes and structures that you hate. You are energy stuck in a body. You are spirit trapped in matter. Break free! Beat up that lamp post! Let it know just how much objects *suck*.

Completion bonuses: Attacking physical objects heals damage +1 Pain Threshold: Thick skin All FYS learning caps raised by one

SOLUTION:

Behold: the Anti-Object Task Force has assembled. God's avenging angel, arrayed against the lower emanations of the Darkened One: shoe racks, tape recorders, motor carriages. And doors. So many doors. You're not just pounding it all to pieces. You’re *reforging* the universe. From the anvil of the heavens to the worms below. Indulge in it. Be bold. Have an *impact* on the shape of Creation. Out of the furnace of your rage -- a new reality! Also, you should trash your room *again*.

The first bonus here is not as useful as it sounds, because by the time you unlock this Thought, you'll have already been through most of the attackable things in the game. The rest is still pretty good, though.

DATE OF BIRTH GENERATOR

Temporary research bonus: None

PROBLEM:

Your face looks like it’s 58 and your body feels like it’s 60. Your mind feels like it’s lived for one day or a hundred. Both longer than they ought to be, the day and the century.... But for how long, then, has this thing attached to your sentience walked the planet’s crust? Time to start racking those brains of yours, Elder One. When and where were you born?

Completion bonuses: Learning cap for Logic raised to 4 -1 difficulty to all Physique passives

SOLUTION:

You were born in the year ‘07, in the last year of the Commune of Revachol, right before it fell. In the Old Military Hospital, on the ground floor where people usually came to die, during a snowstorm. The Revolution had about one year left to go and the fires were still burning bright. There were explosions in the blizzard. This was 44 years ago. You are 44 years old. The bloating might never leave your face, but beneath it -- you still have some years. You still have some hope.

I believe you can talk about this with Kim once you have the answer.

ARNO VAN EYCK

Temporary research bonus: +1 Interfacing

PROBLEM:

The question won’t leave you – why did the melody line from a broken and discarded tape fit perfectly into a song played by some speedfreaks in a frozen tent? Can it be a coincidence? Maybe it’s the hand of the Man-Machine himself, in his attempt to craft a perfect song. Maybe Egg Head is actually Arno van Eyck in disguise!? Eyck? Egg? Hmm...

Completion bonuses: All white Motorics checks unlocked Reveals Arno Van Eyck gig posters in the world

SOLUTION:

Okay, so Egg Head is clearly not Van Eyck in disguise. Van Eyck is an Oranjese disc jockey -- but those people get around. Especially in Revachol, in the clubs on Boogie Street. Perhaps he stayed here for a short stint and discarded part of the song he was working on. Just threw it away. And then it ended up in the hawthorn tree. But why? Did he think it was *retrograde*? It wasn’t. Perhaps he caught a glimpse of the future and did not want for it to arrive just yet. Perhaps the city whispered the topline to him and he was frightened by it?

We've seen variations on this one before for other skill categories. The Arno Van Eyck posters give you additional orbs to click, which synergises nicely with Jamais Vu.

Egg Head also directly told us that his name was in reference to Van Eyck at one point, so that was not really much of a mystery.

SEARCHLIGHT DIVISION

Temporary research bonus: None

PROBLEM:

Missing persons cases just really get to you. It's hard watching people worry about their loved ones – the little nervous movements, the dark rings around their eyes from sleepless nights. And even if there are no loved ones waiting – you like to have all your ducks in a row, and it really bothers you when whole entire people aren't accounted for.

Completion bonus: +2 Perception: Clear-eyed pursuit of truth

SOLUTION:

You've sharpened your senses by being on the lookout for missing persons. Now you notice more of what's happening around you. Perhaps when you're done with this case, you can join the Searchlight Division of the RCM, and find every Revacholian that's ever gone missing without a trace (there is undoubtedly a backlog of such cases). Because you never know, a missing person could be just around the edge, barely out of sight.

ONE MORE DOOR

Temporary research bonus: +1 Half Light: What is behind it?

PROBLEM:

God dammit, it cannot be. A disgrace! That door on the coast... you remember the one, right? The one that leads to the abandoned supply depot? Why, in the name of all that's holy, does it not open? *Why*?! There *has* to be a way to get through that unopenable door. By gods, you're the police -- all doors are supposed to open before you. What will the others at the precinct think if you can't open a goddamn door? There must be a way.

Completion bonuses: -1 Half Light: No fear All PSY white checks unlocked

SOLUTION:

There is no way to open the supply depot door. Accept it. You cannot open *all the doors*. You have to integrate this into your character. Some doors will forever remain closed. Even if every single other door will open at one time or another, maybe to a key, or maybe to some sort of tool meant for opening doors... But this one will never accede to such commands. A realization crucial to personal growth. Crucial.

There will always be one more door.

HARDCORE AESTHETIC

Temporary research bonus: -2 Interfacing: Fuck grammar!

PROBLEM:

Not only have you internalized the Hard Core Aesthetic, you’ve also *contributed* to it. How harder-core could you possibly become? Low-core people come around you to correct your “typos”: it’s “Hardcore” here, “hard-core” there, “Hardorcore” in a third instant -- what’s going on? Those aren’t typos, man, that’s how core hardness works. If you don’t know “hard-core” from “Our Happy Hardcore,” what the fuck are we even talking about?

Completion bonuses: +1 Endurance: Really useful for doing drugs +1 Volition: Same thing, Hardman

SOLUTION:

Oh yes. Drugs. We’re talking about drugs. Let’s face it, these flirtations with the Hard Core Aesthetic have all been leading up to one question: Can I do drugs *harder* now that I’m a Hard Cop? And the answer is: yes. You can. You can do one more blast of pyrholidon and yellow shit-powder, you can even pull a ciggie and a lager on top of that. There. You’ve *truly* made the Hardcore your own thing now.

Despite what it says on the tin, this actually just gives you more health.

THE INSULINDIAN MIRACLE

Temporary research bonus: None

PROBLEM:

You were reminded of a poem, somewhere deep inside you, the translation of which you don't remember… "Nulla sarà cambiato della luce!” it begins. “Colori come grigio e marrone / Tutti stampati uno sull’altro / Trovai un vuoto / Una macchia Bianca / Gli altri guardarono / “Che bella giornata! Che bel tempo!” / Ma sentii la rotativa." You were reminded of it when you heard about the discovery of Insulinde. But what does it mean? And how do you know it by heart?

Completion bonuses: All white checks unlocked

SOLUTION:

It’s easy. You know the poem by heart because you were taught it at school. It is one of the Volta do Mar mantras repeated on the voyage that lead to the discovery of the Insulindian isola. And the words mean: “Nothing will be changed about the light! / Colours like grey and brown / All printed on top of each other / I found a blank white spot / All the others looked up: / ‘What a beautiful day! What beautiful weather!’ / But all I heard was the printing machine." What strange words to celebrate a new world.

You can only unlock this Thought when talking with Joyce after the confrontation with Ruby, making it a really useful tool if you have anything left to do in the game at that point.

And that's all the Thoughts that we encountered in our playthrough, aside from the ones we already saw in the game proper. We did also *technically* get to the point where we could have seen the Thoughts for the moralist and ultraliberal political alignments, even if we chose not to opt into them. So, I'll show those too:

KINGDOM OF CONSCIENCE

Temporary research bonus: -2 Half Light: Calm water

PROBLEM:

Heartache is powerful, but democracy is *subtle*. Incrementally, you begin to notice a change in the weather. When it snows, the flakes are softer when they stick to your worry-worn forehead. When it rains, the rain is warmer. Democracy is coming to the Administrative Region. The ideals of Dolorian humanism are reinstating themselves. How can they not? These are the ideals of the Coalition and the Moralist International. Those guys are signal blue. And they're not only good -- they're also powerful. What will it be like, once their nuanced plans have been realized?

Completion bonuses: Moralist dialogue heals 1 Morale Learning cap for Volition raised to 5 Learning cap for Logic raised to 5

SOLUTION:

The Kingdom of Conscience will be exactly as it is now. Moralists don't really *have* beliefs. Sometimes they stumble on one, like on a child's toy left on the carpet. The toy must be put away immediately. And the child reprimanded. Centrism isn't change -- not even incremental change. It is *control*. Over yourself and the world. Exercise it. Look up at the sky, at the dark shapes of Coalition airships hanging there. Ask yourself: is there something sinister in moralism? And then answer: no. God is in his heaven. Everything is normal on Earth.

INDIRECT MODES OF TAXATION

Temporary research bonus: -2 Empathy: Cold blooded

PROBLEM:

First, if you have a side-bitch ideology cooking somewhere, don't sweat it. Fightin' indirect taxation for the Gossamer State is compatible with *all* creeds. It's cool like that. You're a cool anarchist now. Unless you don't want to be an anarchist. Whatever! Stuff this meal ticket in your eye-socket and let's see if we can steal some *love* back from the robber barons at the customs agency and the *banditos* at The Insulindian Financial Oversight and Competition Committee.

Completion bonuses: -1 Empathy: Thinks he's a hustler or something Ultraliberal dialogue options give +1 real

SOLUTION:

Turns out those Financial Oversight Committee gangsters stuffed millions of hard-earned dividends away in the last place anyone thought to look: the hearts and minds of everyday Revacholians! You need to spread that deregulation gospel to the *people*. Tell them about that foreign fare tax. Preach that 98% gross burden. Preach it, preacher man! Set the brothas free. Taxes are racist.

Even with those, there are still *eighteen* Thoughts remaining in the game that we didn't encounter - either because we didn't have high enough stats, didn't pick the right dialogue options, or chose not to put any points into fascism. Some of them are mutually exclusive with Thoughts we did pick, some require *really complicated* methods to find. A few of them give us some more interesting backstory on Harry and Kim that's worth hearing -- but I'll let you uncover that on your own time.

[doubleddenden]

Gen 2 mc and rival time. Fun fact: this was the first gen I ever played, so I have a bit of attachment to these guys

Old, but Gold, as they say. The first mc introduced for GSC, and like Red, he was the only one available for a time, so girls were a cool tomboy again until Crystal. There is no canon age given in game, but you could assume you're of similar age to Red given the similar stories. Depending on the official art, Gold can appear anywhere between 10 to 20 imo, but this one is definitely around 11, while the sprite is whatever- decent enough for a blank slate to either project yourself or make whatever you want of them.

The outfit is peak end of 90s, but still pretty cool. Note: the cap is backwards, you know this is the coolest kid ever. The design takes a lot of cues from Red in some ways, mostly the red and white with black hair- btw, Gold has always kept his darker hair no matter the era, so that's another way he one ups Red imo. The other way is that cozy looking hoodie with a HUGE pouch up front, the cool backpack, the poke gear on the SLEEVE, and them shoes. Bro what even are those? They look cool as hell, but they also look like they'd be jet propelled or in Shadow the Hedgehog's closet. The shorts are fine, not really my choice and I'd prefer pants, but the colors kind of go well with it. And let's not overlook that blue pokeball- pokeballs were still ambiguously designed and capsule like back then, so that could be anything from a Great Ball to a Lure ball. All in all, a Certified Fresh TM look. 8/10. His anime counterpart, Jimmy, is also cool. Cyndaquil coded

Crys wouldn't come until Crystal, and a lot of younger players may only recognize her from Masters these days, but this is the first playable girl character in the franchise. Her look is pretty unconventional for most MCs, which makes her stand out a bit more, and I personally really like the design- which is why I feel bothered when they replaced her with Lyra. The anime kind of changed up the colors, but her counterpart with Marina is also just a fun character, especially her dynamic with Jimmy.

Design wise, she's also ambiguously aged according to the games, although I'd clock her between 13 and 20, making her a pretty decent blank slate character. I even remember my older sister kinda excited because she looked cool and older than Gold, who I would identify with. Anyway, the outfit is certainly uniquely and barely attached to this plane of existence, but it is certainly a sporty look, and the bike shorts are a fun addition. The jacket is also just really cute, if not the best kind of impractical. The hat, I will say, doesn't really work, but it's still a classic part of her design. Her hair is also just really fun and super unique, being the only mc to have a non natural shaded hair color- although Dawn comes close in anime art. At least Masters acknowledges her as separate from Lyra, because Crys is just a really good design that I feel is a shame it got swept under the rug for so long. 9/10

Next we have one of, if not my favorite rival just in terms of personality and progression- keep in mind that GSC were already pushing the GBC's limits. ???- er, Silver is what a lot of people think of when they say they want an Asshole Rival tm- just a jerk, belittles you, is just plain rude, and you get to beat his ass and feel good about it. Not like most modern rivals that praise every little thing you do, talking about their hopes and dreams- and then you yourself crush em and they smile about it. Nah, Silver was a shit talking piece of shit that really made you wanna get better just to beat his ass, and imo was the original ambush rival. For as much as I like him as a rival- especially the later lore we'd learn about him having a huge chip on his shoulder as Giovanni's son- I wish his team was better balanced.

Both a Gengar and a Crobat- well more like a Golbat, but you can actually see character progression after Johto when it finally becomes a Crobat due to high friendship. Still, that's two psychic weaknesses. A Magneton- I feel like like you could probably do better by giving him something like a Scizor, Skarmory, or Steelix if you really need that steel type rep. Alakazam would be a decent choice if they didn't already use it for Blue, but it's still okay, I just think if you have Gengar then you should sub one or the other with something. Then of course, Sneasel, which even in gen 2 wasn't really doing any favors, and I feel was just added to give him a little guy tm. Of course, the opposite starter that happens to be stronger- stealing it btw, that is pretty intense in comparison to how others get theirs, and I do appreciate that he even tried to give it back later. It's a difficult team for Johto- but you're also going to the championship with teams in their mid 30s at this point.

As for design- peak late 90s bully. Long hair cuz he just don't care, and his outfit is almost just like gen 1 Blue's as far as color goes, but it fits looser and he has different shoes. It's a simple get up, but you can tell he's a dark abd edgy individual, and his striking red hair really helps him stand out as well. A solid 9/10 for me

And now to the HGSS redesigns

"Ethan" is more or less just Gold or Jimmy in an updated art style- this era was probably the most recognized as Pokemon's true art style before getting experimental in gen 7. Age wise again depends on the art, but you're probably looking at an 11 to 15 range because of the face. In sprite form, it's easy enough to overlook to make as a blank slate. I also feel like the design is simple enough that most girls I know played him because they didn't like how Lyra looked, so I guess you could have another tomboy time if you use your imagination.

The outfit is basically just Gold's but improved. The jacket actually makes a little more sense and has some additional details like a collar and zipper, while the Pokegear still rests on the arm. The hat is the same, but beta shows they actually wanted to add a symbol to it- probably ditched due to sprite limitations on the DS, which is fine because this is a cool hat, very Ultra Ball vibes. The backpack is certainly sleeker, but I can't imagine it holding too much. From the waist down is brand new to this design, with better pants imo. The shoes kinda match the design, but I also think different colors would have worked better, simply because white shoes get dirtier easier. Overall this is a pretty fun redesign that stays faithful without the fear of changing too much. 9/10, I would probably wear long pants.

Next is Lyra, the new girl on the block nobody really asked for imo when Crys was right there. Lyra I think is fine enough as the role she plays as a quirky friend in the game with her Marill, but I don't really think of her as a protagonist. Design wise, it is cute, probably a reasonable 12 or 14 just eyeballing the design without in game data to tell us otherwise, but that tighter age range does make it harder to project imo, and the design overall isn't really a blank slate. Still, cute, like if Mario had a niece. The hat is huge, which I'd probably shrink a little, maybe add some more white or black to her shoes, and maybe re use Crys's colors instead. This is a rare instance where the FeMC isn't as good or better than her counterpart, imo. 6/10 as a player character, 7 as a side character.

We end things off with the redesign of this asshole. You can certainly see a better resemblance to Giovanni in the face and demeanor, and he looks more confident and slightly older. I think the clothes are fine, maybe I'd prefer the original top, but it's basically just another Silver. What I do dislike is the redesigned hair- there wasn't really any reason to make him look like Roark or Mars from Sinnoh imo, and Legends Arceus doesn't really add to this either by way of ancestry with Arezu (although I'd certainly make sure she had PLENTY of descendants if you know what i mean AYO). Imo they should have kept his old hair- in a beta for hgss, it actually looked like that was the plan as well. I wonder what the deal was? Eh, 8/10 regardless. Still my favorite asshole rival

Gen 3 next, and that one will be both simpler and complicated